Last month, the Southwest Vermont Council on Aging announced receipt of a grant from Efficiency Vermont to help seniors over the age of 60 (and eligible younger disabled folks) save energy and money in their homes through home energy visits. First, SVCOA’s volunteer coordinator Aaron Brush checks to see if the home has been weatherized…

Leaves cascading down from trees indicate the arrival of autumn. However, colorful and awe-inspiring autumn leaves can be a hazard if left to lie on the ground too long. Fallen leaves form a dense insulator to protect trees’ roots and prevent competing plants from growing. Decomposing leaves also provide nutrients for the tree. But wet…

Submitted It is time to switch to a programmable thermostat to heat a home more efficiently. With colder weather right around the corner, many homeowners are once again giving thought to their home heating needs and if it is possible to heat their homes more efficiently. The United States Department of Energy reports that more…

Submitted Experts say autumn is fine time to paint your home’s exterior,  but  do your homework! A fresh coat of paint on a home’s exterior can give a property a vibrant new look. Whether you decide to go with a bold new color or repaint a house in an existing color, new paint can add…

Courtesy of Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce The ribbon cutting at Townline Equipment in Pittsford included: Tom Donahue, EVP/CEO, RRCC; Rep. Butch Shaw, Vt. House of Representatives; Bob Giddings; Jacob Holzwath, Townline Equipment; Hank Pelkey, Pittsford Select Board chair; John Haverstock, Pittsford town manager; TJ Dickinson, Townline Equipment store manger; Matt Marrazzo, Townline Equipment owner;…

Joe De Sena is the CEO and co-founder of the Spartan Race. In addition to his successful career as an equities and derivatives trader on Wall Street, De Sena is a fierce athlete having competed in many elite challenges including multiple IronMan races and the Iditarod — by foot. In early 2000, De Sena moved…

By Amy Lewis If you want to quickly pack on a few pounds, then eat lots of refined sugar. Oh, wait, why would you want to do that? Let’s eat less sugar, instead, and watch the pounds effortlessly slide off! We’ve been eating more and more sugar over the past 200 years, which has led…

Submitted Lightweight, breathable wedding attire can tame the heat of summer weddings. May, June and July consistently rank among the most popular months to get married. These months typically provide pleasant weather, and if it does rain, it’s often in the form of a brief thunderstorm. But summer weather can be extremely hot, and while…

KILLINGTON — The 9th Annual Rutland Summer Evening Bridal Show will be at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel on Thursday evening July 16. Join in the celebration with the best wedding professionals in the area! Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Prizes are at drawn at 9 p.m. and include an overnight stay for two at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel,…

Submitted In Sweden, a bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin from her mother in each shoe so she will never have to go without. Couples on the verge of tying the knot spend lots of time hoping their wedding days go off without a hitch. The threat of raindrops…

By Polly Lynn Wedding size determines a lot: the location, the venue, food and drink choices, and (of course) the budget. Given that, it seems that knowing approximately how large your wedding is going to be must be among the first decisions a bride- and groom-to-be must make. Is it to be an intimate affair…

Being asked to join a bridal party is both an honor and a responsibility. When asked to take on such significant and meaningful roles, men and women may recognize the honor but be unsure of what their responsibilities are as couples move forward with their wedding plans. Bridal party roles can vary depending on certain…

By Robin Alberti The first year that I tried growing my own garlic, I was surprised to find this thin (about the width of a pencil) light-green stem growing out of the top. It curled around as it grew and even made a flower bud at the end. It reminded me of something out of…

Submitted Help boost your soil with compost and other amendments, to get the most out of your edible or visual garden. Mother Nature provides plenty to grow healthy lawns, gardens and landscapes. But as many homeowners know, some lawns sometimes need a little extra boost to complement nature. Soil sometimes must be amended so plants…

Submitted Hanging items vertically frees up more space in a shed or garage. Despite other intentions, homeowners often turn their garages into storage centers for random, little-used items, leaving little to no room for the tools and even vehicles that actually belong in a garage. Such homeowners may turn to sheds to store their garage…