After the lake ice recedes and springtime brings warmer temperatures, you may forget how cold and dangerous the water still is. Water does not warm as quickly as air; it takes weeks to months to warm to safe levels. Any water colder than 70º F, a temperature that we do not expect until July, is dang...

Dear Paw's Corner: On long hikes in the woods behind my house, I let my dog run off leash. Yesterday, a neighbor ran up yelling that I need to put Skip on a leash, because it's dangerous for my dog in bear country. I told him where to shove it. What do you think? – Carl in Asheville, NC Dear Carl: T...

We do not need huge tracts of land in order to keep livestock. Industry professionals like to use general guidelines of one acre per animal, but this is, well, general. If someone is truly dedicated to good pasture management (and not just looking for excuses to hoard animals) acreage doesn’t matter...

One shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. However, that often is hard to do, particularly when it comes to homes. Curb appeal bears significant influence regarding how a property is perceived. A property that is neat and aesthetically appealing probably will be preferable to one that looks like the h...

The cost of everyday items continues to stretch many people’s budgets, even as financial experts note that inflation is cooling off. When individuals feel a pinch in their wallets, non-essentials, such as vacations, often are on the chopping block. But they may not have to be. Typically, once the co...

Every golfer loves to hit a booming shot off the tee. Such a strike can be impressive and inspire confidence. But estimates indicate that as many as 65% of the shots the average golfer takes in a typical round are chip shots or putts. So while it can be fun to let it rip from the tee box, data sugge...

One topic that seems to be on everyone’s lips this time of year is spring planting. Whether you are a big-time farmer with hundreds of acres or a small local producer, planting time dominates conversations in the grocery store, hardware store or café. It’s on everyone’s minds. Even the hobby gardene...

Dessert may be served last, but it still comes first in the hearts of many devoted foodies. Home cooks have many options to choose from when picking a dessert for a homemade meal, but sticking with a staple might be the way to go when serving lots of hungry dessert lovers. Cheesecake is a popular de...

Fishing attracts millions of enthusiasts. The American Sportfishing Association says one in six Americans are anglers, which equates to more than of 50 million anglers nationwide. The fishing industry supports 826,000 jobs, and excise taxes collected on fishing gear and boat fuel help fund fish and ...