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Just in time for warm-weather entertaining, this octagonal picnic set project is ideal for outdoor dining. The design seats eight adults comfortably in a minimum amount of space, making it perfect for any patio or deck. Designed to be inexpensive, sturdy and simple to build, the set consists of three basic components – table, bench and stool. The project requires only common tools and basic materials: standard lumber (redwood as pictured, but other wood like cedar or pine will also work), dowels, screws and nuts and bolts.

I have three small trees in my garden that are spring bloomers: dogwood, lilac and redbud. None has very many blossoms this year. They are planted where they get enough sun. What can I do for more blossoms next year? Is it a matter of water or of the right fertilizer at the right time, or both, or something completely different?

For Linda and Robert Karr of Newport, Wash., the iris season brings back many happy memories that have tied family, their marriage and now their business together for decades. For Linda, the beautiful blooms bring back memories of helping her dad plant iris in Tekoa, Wash., when she was 8 or 9 years old.

If you would like to grow healthy ferns in Spokane, you must pay careful attention to their growing requirements. In their native habitat, ferns grow under conifers and small trees in a soil rich in organic matter with a steady moisture supply. That means they can handle some early morning sun but definitely need protection from the afternoon sun.

Every parent has her own Battle of Waterloo – a time when clashing forces (say, long trip and crabby 6-year-old) threaten the peace. Real Simple suggests you arm yourself with some easy-to-assemble kits packed with games and other distracting delights. And none requires batteries.

Remember when you were a child and everything you found was a treasure? A pretty stone, a broken shell on the beach, the Mercury dime that surfaced in the backyard after a hard rain and other souvenirs were slipped into the pocket of your jeans and taken home to be saved, tucked into a cigar box or shoebox and put away. That box became a treasure box.

Dear Collector, I have a Gene Autry wallet that is probably 50-plus years old, in near perfect condition. Is it worth anything?

There's nothing quite as relaxing as a warm evening spent on a gently swaying porch swing listening to the crickets chirp in the yard. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, it's easy to recreate this relaxing scene with our classic porch swing project. Made from standard dimensional lumber (pine as pictured, but other woods will work), the project is perfect for the porch or patio, or even a free-standing frame. Suspended on standard chain, the swing is fully adjustable and can be raised, lowered or tilted as desired.

The dandelions have already gone to seed, and grass is reaching midshin in some yards. Some people couldn't care less. Others hire a lawn service to whack down their weeds every couple of weeks.

Home/Garden Tulips and Daffodils – Arbor Crest Wine Cellars is displaying more than 8,000 tulips and daffodils on it's grounds daily through the end of May. Noon-5 p.m., 4705 N. Fruithill Road. (509) 927-9463.