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Hello and welcome to Women's World on Radio Eye. As
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a reminder, Radio Eye is a reading service intended for
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people who are blind or have other disabilities that make
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it difficult to read printed material. Today I will be
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reading from Better Homes and Gardens magazine dated October 2026
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and other publications as time allows. Your host today is Rosemary.
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Newspaper and magazine articles presented in Women's World are for
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general information only. Radio Eye does not endorse or recommend
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any of the subjects mentioned. We begin with Future Homeowner
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Financial Health Checklist. The road to affording a home of
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your own starts here. Check credit score. The higher your score,
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the better your loan terms. Ideally, Your score is 620
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or higher. Check it early in case you need to
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do some damage repair and scan your report for errors
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while you're at it. Calculate debt to income ratio. Divide
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your total credit balance by total credit limit, then multiply
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by 100 for a percentage. Lenders like to see a
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DTI of 30% or lower, which indicates you are a
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safer bet. Determine ideal housing ratio. Lenders prefer your monthly
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housing cost, mortgage, property taxes, homeowners and mortgage insurance, and
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HOA if applicable. not to exceed 28 to 33% of
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your gross monthly income. Pin down a monthly budget. Analyze
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total monthly housing costs plus projected utilities, living expenses, and
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monthly savings to determine what's truly affordable. Save for a
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down payment. The amount you put down is a personal decision.
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About 3% of the purchase price is a solid minimum.
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If you can put down 20%, you'll avoid paying lender-required
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private mortgage insurance, PMI, monthly, among other financial perks. Budget
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for closing cost. Allocate 2% to 5%. of the home's
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purchase price to cover the various fees and prepaid expenses
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that are due on closing day. Consider a contingency reserve.
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Set aside at least 5% of your home's purchase price
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to help with any initial surprises. Secure mortgage prequalification and preapproval.
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Start with pre-qualification to give you an idea of what
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you'll be able to borrow. Move to pre-approval when you're
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serious about purchasing. Remember, you may qualify for more than
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you're comfortable borrowing. And finally, build an emergency fund. Start
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your home ownership journey with three to six months' expenses
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set aside for home maintenance and surprises. Ideally, you'll add
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to this fund monthly. Next plan ahead. A home is
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not a retirement plan. Worth is all too relative. Older
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homeowners receive lower returns when selling their homes according to
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a recent paper From the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
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Add it to the reasons that your home, though a
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solid investment, should only be part of a bigger retirement plan.
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Equity reality. Two other big ones. The home market fluctuates
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and homes aren't cash. What's more, Freeing up your home's
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equity may come with fees and limitations, says Laura Redfern,
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a certified financial planner and transitionalist who works with retirees
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across the country. Cash Cushion The Better Safety Net Bet
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is an easy-access savings account to cover expenses, says Redfern.
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Keep those liquid assets in your home separate, both in
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your mind and in your financial plan, to help avoid
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becoming house rich and cash poor. Next, how we got
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this home. We were living in a smallish apartment and
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space was tight. We run our video production company out
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of our house, and anytime we did any animation, it
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took over the kitchen and living room. We also adopted
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our dog, Gimble, and she didn't have a yard. We
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wanted space to breathe and to make our own. Early
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in 2025, we used online calculators to estimate what we
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could afford, then started looking on Zillow. A charming Cape
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Cod with a brick walkway stood out. We looked at
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other houses, but it only confirmed this home should be ours.
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Our agent suggested we get pre-approved so we didn't waste
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time looking at properties we couldn't afford. A friend recommended
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a loan officer at a regional bank who guided us
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through the process. we were approved for a little less
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than the figure from our calculator estimates. Although we had
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our hearts set on the Cape Cod, we looked at
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three homes in one day. The others were listed for less,
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and we hoped we'd like one of them to save
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a little money. But they were all flips, and the
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quality wasn't there. Meanwhile, the Cape Cod had a nice layout.
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some unique features like a double-sided fireplace, and the space
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we needed. In our heads, we were immediately moving in.
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The home had been for sale for a few months,
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but the market was picking up. After discussions with our agent,
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we offered a few thousand under-asking, and our offer was accepted.
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Since we don't have traditional 9 to 5 paychecks, our
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final loan approval took time. We became very aware of
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our debt to income ratio and making sure we stayed
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within that. No big purchases until the home was ours.
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We officially closed on April Fool's Day. With mortgage rates
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so high, Homeownership has required a change in lifestyle. We
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love DIYing. We've painted and made some repairs. The nature
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of our business allows us to save more some months
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than others. We set aside money when we can while
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looking for ways to save, like getting multiple quotes for
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bigger projects. The house came with a doggy door. So
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Gibble has free reign over the yard and we live
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closer to family now. We're creating great memories here. That's
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from Matt Brose and Chad Ecker of Omaha. Next, decorating.
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Rosie Revival. Inspired by its original stained glass window, A
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Victorian's narrow bath gets a sweet glow-up with an arched shower,
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durable surfaces, and plenty of heirloom appeal. The 1890 Victorian
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in San Francisco had tons of historic charm, but its
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bland primary bath wasn't pulling its weight. In rethinking the space,
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interior designer Rachel Seldon keyed in one on the room's
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one feature worth saving, the stained glass window. Its pink
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and peachy tones shape the room's updated palette, while an arched,
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curbless shower entry frames the window, creating a new focal point.
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A mix of tiles, a caned vanity, terrazzo surfaces, and
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a Moroccan-inspired floor and storied style. To give the new
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unlacquered brass fixtures a decades-old appearance, Selden accelerated the aging
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by processing by leaving them outdoors, creating character the room
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had been missing. And the captions with the pictures that
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are included. To maximize every inch of counter space in
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the 11 by 5 foot bathroom, designer Rachel Seldon chose
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a smaller sink. Opting for a mirror instead of a
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medicine cabinet, she added a wall niche and pull-out drawers
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in the vanity for storage. Seldon skipped traditional sconces in
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favor of pendants, keeping the walls uncluttered. The original stained
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glass window brings in natural light while protecting privacy. Vertical
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fireclay 2x2 inch tiles in three colors, down, fedspar, and tumbleweed,
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wrap the shower and window frame to eliminate moisture concerns.
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In a quote from the designer, Rachel Seldon, We installed
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the towel vertically in the shower and on the wainscot.
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The look is a little fresher, while the color combination
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gives a modern heirloom aesthetic. Next, gardening. Grow more, water less.
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These days, more and more gardeners are taking their landscapes
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on the rocks. Here's what you need to know to
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create a gravel garden that's big on plants and low
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on effort. We get it. To the uninitiated, a gravel
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garden can sound hot, dry, maybe even drab. But done right,
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a gravel garden can be not only extremely low-maintenance and eco-friendly,
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but also gorgeously lush. The crux of the approach, pioneered
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by the late gardener Beth Chateau, is to plant a
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variety of deep-rooted, drought-tolerant plants in a thick layer of gravel,
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which suppresses weeds and conserves moisture. By midsummer, grasses and
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perennials often grow so prolifically They hide the gravel beneath them.
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Best of all, once your garden is established, you can
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spend more time admiring the flowers and the pollinators they
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attract than weeding or hauling out the hose. How it's done.
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Whether you want to try gravel gardening on a small
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spot or replace a lawn, most of the work is upfront.
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Once established, your garden won't need much other than a
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spring cleanup. The site prep. Pick a sunny location, ideally
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bordered by a sidewalk, driveway, or foundation. Measure the area
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and sketch a plan to estimate how much gravel and
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the number of plants you'll need. Online landscape calculators can help.
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Remove existing turf and weeds. Laying gravel. Enclose the space
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with sturdy six-inch tall edging bolstered by existing hardscape, such
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as a sidewalk, where possible, and add pavers or boulders
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as needed. Fill with at least five inches of washed,
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locally sourced, one-fourth to one-half inch hard stone like quartzite
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or pea gravel. Spread carefully to avoid mixing any soil
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into it. choose plants in 3 1⁄2 to 4 1⁄2
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inch pots. Remove the top 1⁄2 to 1 inch of
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soil around the crowns and loosen the roots. Dig a
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hole in the gravel without disturbing the soil below. Set
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each plant so its crown is level with the gravel
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and backfill around the roots. Space plants 15 to 18
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inches apart depending on their mature size. During the first season,
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young plants need regular water until they root into the
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soil beneath the gravel. Water daily the first couple of
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weeks after planting. especially during hot, sunny, or windy weather.
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Each week after that, they'll need less watering as they
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root in. Once established, gravel gardens rarely need supplemental watering,
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maybe during extreme periods of drought. The plant palette. Plants
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adapt to lean, well-drained soils do best in gravel gardens.
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Start with grasses, then layer in the rest. Native grasses.
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Grasses like peridropseed, switchgrass, and little bluestem add texture and structure. Perennials.
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Perennial flowers add summer color and a nectar source for pollinators.
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Try lanceleaf, coreopsis, calamint, butterfly milkweed, and ornamental onion. Mediterranean herbs, lavender, rosemary, hyssop,
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and sage flourish in gravelly soils and look pretty spilling
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over a garden edge. And spring bulbs. Extend the season
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with species tulips, daffodils, alliums, or grape hyacinth. Their bulbs
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thrive in fast-draining soil. Just plant at least three inches
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into the soil below the gravel. Keep these principles in
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mind to create a gravel garden that's ecologically friendly, cohesive,
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and full of horticultural eye candy year-round. Number one, group up.
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Repeating swaths of showy flowers, such as bright yellow black-eyed Susans,
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help lead the eye through the space. Enhance the impact
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by placing groups of contrasting flower colors nearby, such as
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purple Russian sage. Number two, invite pollinators. Mix in drought-tolerant
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native plants, such as nodding onions, with flowers that add
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color to your gravel garden while providing valuable nectar for
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pollinators like bumblebees. Number three, plant in layers. Select grasses
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and flowering perennials with varying bloom times, heights, textures, and
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colors to create dynamic layers of visual interest from spring
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into winter. And finally, number four, frame your plantings. Clearly defined,
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curving pathways around edged beds make naturalistic gravel gardens look
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cared for and intentional rather than messy. Paths also encourage
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visitors to enjoy the plants up close as they move
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through the space. Next, an upgrade, the smoke shack. Part
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outdoor kitchen, part social hub, this backyard pit stop keeps
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the slow smoke and good times fired up all year long.
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The first hint of a party is the aroma. Before long,
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neighbors are lighting up Keith Payne's phones with texts. What's
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on the smoker? His answer is always the same. Come
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on over. That breezy invitation is exactly what Keith and
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his wife, Polly, had in mind when they envisioned their
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backyard smoke shack in Shorewood, Minnesota. As Keith's collection of
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smokers and grills grew, so did the couple's dream of
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a dedicated space where cooking could become a vital part
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of every gathering. They hire designer Drew Torrance to create
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the open-air 16-by-16-foot cedar building, a centerpiece among the backyard trees.
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Under an angled roof, two smokers, a ceramic charcoal grill,
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generous prep space, and concrete top bar make it the
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ideal spot for neighbors to linger while dinner slowly cooks.
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An open wall adds practical fun. storage, while electricity and
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plenty of lighting paired with roaring fire pit extend the
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shack's usage year-round. Whether Keith is tending brisket, ribs, or
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the family's Thanksgiving turkey, The best part is in what's
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on the menu. It's the friends who follow in an
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irresistible scent of wood smoke. And a quote from Keith Payne,
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the homeowner. When the firewood is halfway depleted, you can
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see through the shack's opening to the view of the woods.
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The shack's roof covers a Yoder Cheyenne stick smoker, a
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pellet smoker, and a big green egg, which can be
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used for both smoking and grilling. Between the three appliances,
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Keith can cook just about everything from fish and veggies
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to 18- and 24-hour brisket. A few plumbing joints and
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a length of pipe sourced from the hardware store create
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a comfortable footrest across the bottom of the bar. The
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exposed ends of the bar's wood blocks were puzzled together,
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Jenga style, for a staggered, rustic look. Wood for the
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backyard fire pit is stacked floor to ceiling under the
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smoke shack's overhang. Keith stores the wood for his smokers
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in an airtight container to prevent moisture from seeping in.
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A chalkboard welcomes guests or displays the menu of the day. Next,
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welcome to Honey Hills. Outside of Nashville, athletes Sean Johnson
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East and Andrew East embraced the charm of their 1970s
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house while adding details that encouraged their family to gather, relax,
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and play. The result is an Olympic combination of old
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and new. You may know Shawn Johnson East as a
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four-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics or her husband, Andrew East,
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as an NFL long snapper, but these days the couple
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are much more than their athletic careers. The duo are
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parents to three, Drew, six, Jet, five, and Bear, two,
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pet parents to golden retrievers Nash and Oakley, and 13 chickens,
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frequent host and caretakers of 80,000 bees. Andrew's a fourth-generation keeper.
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It all happens right on their acreage, which they lovingly
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named Honey Hills after the bees, of course. The pair
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first settled outside Nashville in 2012, dreaming of someday owning
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an older home of an expanse of land. We didn't
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really envision it for probably five to ten years down
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the road, Sean says. But that quickly changed when she
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saw a multi-level house online that piqued her interest. As
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soon as the couple stepped inside, They knew it was
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a special, noting its 1970s character, the hilly landscape with
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Civil War-era wood fencing, and outdoor brick walkways that felt
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like a summer camp, according to Andrew. Pastures in a
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dense wooded area made the whole place feel like a treehouse.
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It was just what they had imagined. We didn't want
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to change it, Sean says. We wanted to take everything
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it was, and bring it back to life. Hesitantly, they
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rented out their former place in case farm life didn't
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work out, Sean says, and began renovations on the 50-year-old home.
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Their vision, accomplished with designer Laurie Perijope, included keeping the
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original iron stair railings, brick entryway, vaulted ceilings, and other
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details that made the house special, while updating the space
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to feel personal and work hard for the young family.
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Seeing our kids on this property brings a sense of peace,
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Sean says. The couple's extensive book collection is right at
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home in the original library's built-in storage. and Parajabe tucked
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a few reading nooks into the kids' rooms in the library.
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A designated TV room, you won't find a TV in
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any of the other common spaces, means regular family movie nights.
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It's an homage to Andrew's late father. A speakeasy-style bourbon
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bar anchors the basement. Entertaining space, the adjacent fireplace is
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lined with beer cans, from Andrew's childhood basement. To strike
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a balance between old and new, Pergiope focused on the
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home's quirky details, filing down its hard edges and freshening
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the overall aesthetic with contemporary furniture, finishes, and light fixtures.
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We tried to keep it as true to its original
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character as possible. just bring into modern times, Andrew says.
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Perijope chose muted earthy colors, including a warm top, Benjamin
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Moore natural cream in the living room spaces, and subtle
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pastels in the kids' room. The palette, coupled with organic
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curved furniture and soft textures, boucle, velvet, and knitted textiles,
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creates softness and contrast the brick floors, iron railings, and
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slate countertops throughout the open concept layout. Bettined objects and
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hardware made to look like a home's originals add a
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sense of history. Linen curtains line every window for an
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enveloping feel. We wanted the house to feel like a cocoon,
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because their lives are so active, Perijope says. A family
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home is about utility, sure, but you still need to
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make it pretty, she adds. The result is a home
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that looks modern but feels like it's always been there,
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the couple say, like a family retreat. Nine bar stools
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line the expansive kitchen island, accommodating about half of the
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friends and family members who come over each week. Every
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Friday night, we grill something. Saturday is pasta with farmer's
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market produce. And Sunday is always burger night, Sean says.
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Our philosophy is invite everyone and make more food than
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you think is necessary. This concludes Women's World for today.
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Your reader has been Rosemary. If you have any questions, comments,
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or suggestions about this program, please call us in our
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Lexington studios at 859-422-6390. Thank you for listening, and please
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stay tuned for continued programming here on Radio Eye.
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Hello and welcome to Women's World on Radio Eye. As
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a reminder, Radio Eye is a reading service intended for
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people who are blind or have other disabilities that make
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it difficult to read printed material. Today I will be
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reading from Better Homes and Gardens magazine dated October 2026
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and other publications as time allows. Your host today is Rosemary.
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Newspaper and magazine articles presented in Women's World are for
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general information only. Radio Eye does not endorse or recommend
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any of the subjects mentioned. We begin with Future Homeowner
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Financial Health Checklist. The road to affording a home of
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your own starts here. Check credit score. The higher your score,
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the better your loan terms. Ideally, Your score is 620
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or higher. Check it early in case you need to
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do some damage repair and scan your report for errors
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while you're at it. Calculate debt to income ratio. Divide
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your total credit balance by total credit limit, then multiply
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by 100 for a percentage. Lenders like to see a
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DTI of 30% or lower, which indicates you are a
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safer bet. Determine ideal housing ratio. Lenders prefer your monthly
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housing cost, mortgage, property taxes, homeowners and mortgage insurance, and
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HOA if applicable. not to exceed 28 to 33% of
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your gross monthly income. Pin down a monthly budget. Analyze
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total monthly housing costs plus projected utilities, living expenses, and
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monthly savings to determine what's truly affordable. Save for a
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down payment. The amount you put down is a personal decision.
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About 3% of the purchase price is a solid minimum.
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If you can put down 20%, you'll avoid paying lender-required
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private mortgage insurance, PMI, monthly, among other financial perks. Budget
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for closing cost. Allocate 2% to 5%. of the home's
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purchase price to cover the various fees and prepaid expenses
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that are due on closing day. Consider a contingency reserve.
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Set aside at least 5% of your home's purchase price
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to help with any initial surprises. Secure mortgage prequalification and preapproval.
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Start with pre-qualification to give you an idea of what
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you'll be able to borrow. Move to pre-approval when you're
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serious about purchasing. Remember, you may qualify for more than
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you're comfortable borrowing. And finally, build an emergency fund. Start
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your home ownership journey with three to six months' expenses
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set aside for home maintenance and surprises. Ideally, you'll add
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to this fund monthly. Next plan ahead. A home is
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not a retirement plan. Worth is all too relative. Older
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homeowners receive lower returns when selling their homes according to
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a recent paper From the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
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Add it to the reasons that your home, though a
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solid investment, should only be part of a bigger retirement plan.
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Equity reality. Two other big ones. The home market fluctuates
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and homes aren't cash. What's more, Freeing up your home's
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equity may come with fees and limitations, says Laura Redfern,
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a certified financial planner and transitionalist who works with retirees
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across the country. Cash Cushion The Better Safety Net Bet
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is an easy-access savings account to cover expenses, says Redfern.
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Keep those liquid assets in your home separate, both in
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your mind and in your financial plan, to help avoid
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becoming house rich and cash poor. Next, how we got
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this home. We were living in a smallish apartment and
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space was tight. We run our video production company out
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of our house, and anytime we did any animation, it
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took over the kitchen and living room. We also adopted
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our dog, Gimble, and she didn't have a yard. We
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wanted space to breathe and to make our own. Early
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in 2025, we used online calculators to estimate what we
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could afford, then started looking on Zillow. A charming Cape
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Cod with a brick walkway stood out. We looked at
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other houses, but it only confirmed this home should be ours.
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Our agent suggested we get pre-approved so we didn't waste
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time looking at properties we couldn't afford. A friend recommended
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a loan officer at a regional bank who guided us
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through the process. we were approved for a little less
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than the figure from our calculator estimates. Although we had
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our hearts set on the Cape Cod, we looked at
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three homes in one day. The others were listed for less,
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and we hoped we'd like one of them to save
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a little money. But they were all flips, and the
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quality wasn't there. Meanwhile, the Cape Cod had a nice layout.
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some unique features like a double-sided fireplace, and the space
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we needed. In our heads, we were immediately moving in.
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The home had been for sale for a few months,
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but the market was picking up. After discussions with our agent,
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we offered a few thousand under-asking, and our offer was accepted.
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Since we don't have traditional 9 to 5 paychecks, our
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final loan approval took time. We became very aware of
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our debt to income ratio and making sure we stayed
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within that. No big purchases until the home was ours.
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We officially closed on April Fool's Day. With mortgage rates
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so high, Homeownership has required a change in lifestyle. We
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love DIYing. We've painted and made some repairs. The nature
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of our business allows us to save more some months
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than others. We set aside money when we can while
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looking for ways to save, like getting multiple quotes for
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bigger projects. The house came with a doggy door. So
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Gibble has free reign over the yard and we live
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closer to family now. We're creating great memories here. That's
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from Matt Brose and Chad Ecker of Omaha. Next, decorating.
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Rosie Revival. Inspired by its original stained glass window, A
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Victorian's narrow bath gets a sweet glow-up with an arched shower,
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durable surfaces, and plenty of heirloom appeal. The 1890 Victorian
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in San Francisco had tons of historic charm, but its
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bland primary bath wasn't pulling its weight. In rethinking the space,
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interior designer Rachel Seldon keyed in one on the room's
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one feature worth saving, the stained glass window. Its pink
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and peachy tones shape the room's updated palette, while an arched,
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curbless shower entry frames the window, creating a new focal point.
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A mix of tiles, a caned vanity, terrazzo surfaces, and
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a Moroccan-inspired floor and storied style. To give the new
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unlacquered brass fixtures a decades-old appearance, Selden accelerated the aging
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by processing by leaving them outdoors, creating character the room
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had been missing. And the captions with the pictures that
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are included. To maximize every inch of counter space in
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the 11 by 5 foot bathroom, designer Rachel Seldon chose
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a smaller sink. Opting for a mirror instead of a
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medicine cabinet, she added a wall niche and pull-out drawers
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in the vanity for storage. Seldon skipped traditional sconces in
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favor of pendants, keeping the walls uncluttered. The original stained
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glass window brings in natural light while protecting privacy. Vertical
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fireclay 2x2 inch tiles in three colors, down, fedspar, and tumbleweed,
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wrap the shower and window frame to eliminate moisture concerns.
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In a quote from the designer, Rachel Seldon, We installed
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the towel vertically in the shower and on the wainscot.
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The look is a little fresher, while the color combination
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gives a modern heirloom aesthetic. Next, gardening. Grow more, water less.
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These days, more and more gardeners are taking their landscapes
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on the rocks. Here's what you need to know to
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create a gravel garden that's big on plants and low
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on effort. We get it. To the uninitiated, a gravel
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garden can sound hot, dry, maybe even drab. But done right,
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a gravel garden can be not only extremely low-maintenance and eco-friendly,
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but also gorgeously lush. The crux of the approach, pioneered
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by the late gardener Beth Chateau, is to plant a
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variety of deep-rooted, drought-tolerant plants in a thick layer of gravel,
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which suppresses weeds and conserves moisture. By midsummer, grasses and
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perennials often grow so prolifically They hide the gravel beneath them.
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Best of all, once your garden is established, you can
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spend more time admiring the flowers and the pollinators they
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attract than weeding or hauling out the hose. How it's done.
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Whether you want to try gravel gardening on a small
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spot or replace a lawn, most of the work is upfront.
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Once established, your garden won't need much other than a
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spring cleanup. The site prep. Pick a sunny location, ideally
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bordered by a sidewalk, driveway, or foundation. Measure the area
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and sketch a plan to estimate how much gravel and
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the number of plants you'll need. Online landscape calculators can help.
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Remove existing turf and weeds. Laying gravel. Enclose the space
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with sturdy six-inch tall edging bolstered by existing hardscape, such
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as a sidewalk, where possible, and add pavers or boulders
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as needed. Fill with at least five inches of washed,
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locally sourced, one-fourth to one-half inch hard stone like quartzite
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or pea gravel. Spread carefully to avoid mixing any soil
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into it. choose plants in 3 1⁄2 to 4 1⁄2
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inch pots. Remove the top 1⁄2 to 1 inch of
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soil around the crowns and loosen the roots. Dig a
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hole in the gravel without disturbing the soil below. Set
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each plant so its crown is level with the gravel
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and backfill around the roots. Space plants 15 to 18
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inches apart depending on their mature size. During the first season,
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young plants need regular water until they root into the
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soil beneath the gravel. Water daily the first couple of
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weeks after planting. especially during hot, sunny, or windy weather.
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Each week after that, they'll need less watering as they
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root in. Once established, gravel gardens rarely need supplemental watering,
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maybe during extreme periods of drought. The plant palette. Plants
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adapt to lean, well-drained soils do best in gravel gardens.
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Start with grasses, then layer in the rest. Native grasses.
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Grasses like peridropseed, switchgrass, and little bluestem add texture and structure. Perennials.
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Perennial flowers add summer color and a nectar source for pollinators.
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Try lanceleaf, coreopsis, calamint, butterfly milkweed, and ornamental onion. Mediterranean herbs, lavender, rosemary, hyssop,
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and sage flourish in gravelly soils and look pretty spilling
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over a garden edge. And spring bulbs. Extend the season
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with species tulips, daffodils, alliums, or grape hyacinth. Their bulbs
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thrive in fast-draining soil. Just plant at least three inches
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into the soil below the gravel. Keep these principles in
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mind to create a gravel garden that's ecologically friendly, cohesive,
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and full of horticultural eye candy year-round. Number one, group up.
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Repeating swaths of showy flowers, such as bright yellow black-eyed Susans,
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help lead the eye through the space. Enhance the impact
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by placing groups of contrasting flower colors nearby, such as
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purple Russian sage. Number two, invite pollinators. Mix in drought-tolerant
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native plants, such as nodding onions, with flowers that add
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color to your gravel garden while providing valuable nectar for
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pollinators like bumblebees. Number three, plant in layers. Select grasses
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and flowering perennials with varying bloom times, heights, textures, and
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colors to create dynamic layers of visual interest from spring
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into winter. And finally, number four, frame your plantings. Clearly defined,
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curving pathways around edged beds make naturalistic gravel gardens look
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cared for and intentional rather than messy. Paths also encourage
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visitors to enjoy the plants up close as they move
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through the space. Next, an upgrade, the smoke shack. Part
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outdoor kitchen, part social hub, this backyard pit stop keeps
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the slow smoke and good times fired up all year long.
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The first hint of a party is the aroma. Before long,
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neighbors are lighting up Keith Payne's phones with texts. What's
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on the smoker? His answer is always the same. Come
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on over. That breezy invitation is exactly what Keith and
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his wife, Polly, had in mind when they envisioned their
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backyard smoke shack in Shorewood, Minnesota. As Keith's collection of
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smokers and grills grew, so did the couple's dream of
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a dedicated space where cooking could become a vital part
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of every gathering. They hire designer Drew Torrance to create
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the open-air 16-by-16-foot cedar building, a centerpiece among the backyard trees.
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Under an angled roof, two smokers, a ceramic charcoal grill,
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generous prep space, and concrete top bar make it the
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ideal spot for neighbors to linger while dinner slowly cooks.
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An open wall adds practical fun. storage, while electricity and
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plenty of lighting paired with roaring fire pit extend the
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shack's usage year-round. Whether Keith is tending brisket, ribs, or
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the family's Thanksgiving turkey, The best part is in what's
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on the menu. It's the friends who follow in an
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irresistible scent of wood smoke. And a quote from Keith Payne,
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the homeowner. When the firewood is halfway depleted, you can
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see through the shack's opening to the view of the woods.
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The shack's roof covers a Yoder Cheyenne stick smoker, a
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pellet smoker, and a big green egg, which can be
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used for both smoking and grilling. Between the three appliances,
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Keith can cook just about everything from fish and veggies
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to 18- and 24-hour brisket. A few plumbing joints and
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a length of pipe sourced from the hardware store create
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a comfortable footrest across the bottom of the bar. The
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exposed ends of the bar's wood blocks were puzzled together,
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Jenga style, for a staggered, rustic look. Wood for the
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backyard fire pit is stacked floor to ceiling under the
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smoke shack's overhang. Keith stores the wood for his smokers
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in an airtight container to prevent moisture from seeping in.
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A chalkboard welcomes guests or displays the menu of the day. Next,
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welcome to Honey Hills. Outside of Nashville, athletes Sean Johnson
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East and Andrew East embraced the charm of their 1970s
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house while adding details that encouraged their family to gather, relax,
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and play. The result is an Olympic combination of old
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and new. You may know Shawn Johnson East as a
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four-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics or her husband, Andrew East,
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as an NFL long snapper, but these days the couple
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are much more than their athletic careers. The duo are
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parents to three, Drew, six, Jet, five, and Bear, two,
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pet parents to golden retrievers Nash and Oakley, and 13 chickens,
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frequent host and caretakers of 80,000 bees. Andrew's a fourth-generation keeper.
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It all happens right on their acreage, which they lovingly
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named Honey Hills after the bees, of course. The pair
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first settled outside Nashville in 2012, dreaming of someday owning
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an older home of an expanse of land. We didn't
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really envision it for probably five to ten years down
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the road, Sean says. But that quickly changed when she
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saw a multi-level house online that piqued her interest. As
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soon as the couple stepped inside, They knew it was
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a special, noting its 1970s character, the hilly landscape with
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Civil War-era wood fencing, and outdoor brick walkways that felt
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like a summer camp, according to Andrew. Pastures in a
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dense wooded area made the whole place feel like a treehouse.
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It was just what they had imagined. We didn't want
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to change it, Sean says. We wanted to take everything
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it was, and bring it back to life. Hesitantly, they
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rented out their former place in case farm life didn't
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work out, Sean says, and began renovations on the 50-year-old home.
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Their vision, accomplished with designer Laurie Perijope, included keeping the
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original iron stair railings, brick entryway, vaulted ceilings, and other
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details that made the house special, while updating the space
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to feel personal and work hard for the young family.
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Seeing our kids on this property brings a sense of peace,
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Sean says. The couple's extensive book collection is right at
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home in the original library's built-in storage. and Parajabe tucked
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a few reading nooks into the kids' rooms in the library.
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A designated TV room, you won't find a TV in
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any of the other common spaces, means regular family movie nights.
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It's an homage to Andrew's late father. A speakeasy-style bourbon
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bar anchors the basement. Entertaining space, the adjacent fireplace is
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lined with beer cans, from Andrew's childhood basement. To strike
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a balance between old and new, Pergiope focused on the
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home's quirky details, filing down its hard edges and freshening
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the overall aesthetic with contemporary furniture, finishes, and light fixtures.
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We tried to keep it as true to its original
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character as possible. just bring into modern times, Andrew says.
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Perijope chose muted earthy colors, including a warm top, Benjamin
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Moore natural cream in the living room spaces, and subtle
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pastels in the kids' room. The palette, coupled with organic
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curved furniture and soft textures, boucle, velvet, and knitted textiles,
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creates softness and contrast the brick floors, iron railings, and
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slate countertops throughout the open concept layout. Bettined objects and
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hardware made to look like a home's originals add a
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sense of history. Linen curtains line every window for an
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enveloping feel. We wanted the house to feel like a cocoon,
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because their lives are so active, Perijope says. A family
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home is about utility, sure, but you still need to
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make it pretty, she adds. The result is a home
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that looks modern but feels like it's always been there,
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the couple say, like a family retreat. Nine bar stools
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line the expansive kitchen island, accommodating about half of the
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friends and family members who come over each week. Every
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Friday night, we grill something. Saturday is pasta with farmer's
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market produce. And Sunday is always burger night, Sean says.
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Our philosophy is invite everyone and make more food than
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you think is necessary. This concludes Women's World for today.
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Your reader has been Rosemary. If you have any questions, comments,
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or suggestions about this program, please call us in our
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Lexington studios at 859-422-6390. Thank you for listening, and please
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stay tuned for continued programming here on Radio Eye.
