MIDDLE BASS ISLAND, Ohio A stone fortress that housed a historic winery for generations on Lake Erie’s Middle Bass Island is ready for tourists following a renovation finished 17 years after the state of Ohio bought the property. But the state still is looking for a private operator to help bring the Lonz Winery back […]

Here’s how things go when your children are little: They are bored on a lazy summer afternoon, so you suggest water balloons. Suddenly you are up there on the level of Wonder Woman. Your children will follow you anywhere. You are a genius. Your offspring know no one on this Earth who is cooler than […]

Cooked hard-shell clams are an unbeatable two-for-the price-of-one delight. You get the clams themselves and the clam liquid they give off as they cook, which creates an instant sauce with astonishing depth of flavor. And it’s simple. You just combine the clams with some liquid (and aromatics, if you want — here I’ve added scallions, […]

So the garden you planted or enjoy each day is flowering. Birds and animals are busy in your yard or neighborhood. And you’d love to capture all this natural beauty in photos. It’s so easy these days to pull out a phone and take pictures of anything anytime, but a little time and thought can […]

John Denver introduced me to a Guy Clark song called “Home Grown Tomatoes,” with a refrain that goes, “Only two things money can’t buy. That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.” How true. I love tomatoes. Growing disease-free tomatoes is nearly impossible. Usually by this time of the year, gardeners see lower leaves turning yellow and […]

Before I tell you how our dog Sparky trained my son, Ford, I need to tell you that Sparky has a doorbell he rings when he wants to go into the backyard. I’ve taught every dog I’ve ever lived with to “ring the bells,” and although it sounds really fancy, this dog trick is actually […]

It’s gotten easier to have a house full of pets without sacrificing the home decor you want. Interior designer Vern Yip, a judge on HGTV’s “Design Star” and a dog person, says new technology has led to a variety of stylish and pet-friendly home-furnishing options. “The furniture and home-decor industry has really rounded the corner […]

STACYVILLE In a rural corner of Maine that’s so remote even Mainers call it “the willy-wags,” there’s a new place for camping, hiking and birding. But it comes with a dash of political intrigue. Maine’s new Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is now welcoming guests for its first full summer as a monument. The […]

Three melon soup, a real show-stopper, is as much fun to look at as it is refreshing to eat. The key, though, is to start with the ripest and most fragrant fruits available. In the case of cantaloupes and honeydews, the first move is to smell the stem end to make sure it smells strongly […]

NEW YORK There’s Greek yogurt, Icelandic yogurt and Australian yogurt. Now, the U.S. maker of Yoplait is hoping to revive its declining sales by marketing yet another culture in the yogurt section. Enter “Oui,” which General Mills is hailing as the arrival of “French-style” yogurt in the United States. Like the yogurts that channel the […]