Pandemic Ideas, Tips & Guides

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all had to get used to communicating across a distance, whether that’s through video chat or with significant physical separation.

“Impossibly unaffordable” are two words that Californians are probably less than thrilled to hear. In a recent report from Chapman University in Orange, California, and the Frontier Centre of Public Policy (FCPP) in Canada, that’s exactly how four California metros are described. The 2024 edition of Demographia International Housing Affordability shows San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego listed among the top 10 least affordable housing markets—not just in the United States, but worldwide. 

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In its efforts to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic, the government made a lot of money available. Probably, in retrospect, it was too available.

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Danielle Walker remembers how hard she worked to feed her family, just a few years ago. In 2013 and 2014, her mother was undergoing cancer treatments, and her two sons were homebound, dealing with their own health issues. Walker had to find ways to keep everyone healthy and fed. 

For some, reports of a deadly new virus spreading across the planet seemingly came out of nowhere last year. But the emergence of COVID-19 didn’t shock the epidemiologists and researchers who study zoonotic diseases, the kinds of diseases that jump from animals to humans.

Better Homes & Gardens

The world of interior design is constantly evolving with new trends popping up frequently. However, there’s one trend that has gained popularity online recently that designers say has actually been around for quite a while—the “both/and” trend. 

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At the start of 2023, the U.S. housing market was still in a state of upheaval, but experts were optimistic that the tides were turning. While interest rates remained high following a competitive seller’s market post pandemic, bidding wars were expected to cool and inventory was expected to climb. 

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If you’ve spent months bidding on homes or searching for the perfect property, chances are you’re wondering whether now is the time to buy. 

We are all switching on to the healing power of plants and flowers. Many of the plants we grow have the potential to act as sources of healing, as well as being profound mood-boosters. Some of the simplest floral arrangements of posies (or nosegays) have transformative powers. And while these small fragrant arrangements seem innocent enough, they have hidden depths which date back centuries.

President Biden has signed a funding bill that extends the 2018 Farm Bill for another year.

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The past few years have seen a return to classic decor and a desire for all things cozy. If you’re looking for the perfect marriage of heritage and homey, you might be in the market for a traditional casual home makeover.

For years, it seemed like the goal of every major home overhaul was to tear down as many walls as possible—new builds exalted the open floor plan. But as was the case with so many other home design trends, the pandemic changed our perspectives. Our homes became our offices and schools, and we suddenly remembered the value of walls.

During the height of the pandemic, many of us had a bit (OK, maybe a lot) of extra time on our hands, and to cope, a lot of us picked up a few new hobbies—some in the form of crafts. While crafts and handiwork are excellent ways to keep ourselves busy during downtime, they're also wonderful ways to channel our creativity into something beautiful, also worthy of displaying in our homes.

There are few times in life when we feel comfortable embracing chaos. Ideally, our schedules, homes, and email inboxes are fairly organized, as are our kitchens. But a growing food trend focuses on welcoming a pleasant amount of mayhem into your meal plan. 

Adrian Higgins has been taking note of that in various ways in his columns for “The Washington Post” throughout the strangest and most chaotic of springs, exploring the garden as an anchor, a support. In his longtime role as gardening columnist there, Adrian always inspires readers to connect.I was so pleased to speak with Adrian, whose thoughtful work has inspired me for years. He delves beyond just horticulture and great plants—though always serving up plenty of both—regularly exploring stewardship of the environment, and even matters of the spirit. That’s his mask on the fenc