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Window worries for birds

Not long ago we had the opportunity to expand our small semi-enclosed back porch into a much larger, finished, all-weather room. It has been great over the years. A really nice place for family gatherings, eating or reading a good book when the weather is just too cold or wet to go outside. I especially like that three sides of the room are all glass windows / doors, and I can view all of the seasons panoramically as I sit in comfort. Like so many of you, one of my passions is to feed and watch birds, which I have done for many years. So, what better place to put the bird feeders than ...

Valley Grows Calendar

Here are upcoming gardening events through the Ohio State University Extension Office. For more information and a complete list, contact: • OSU Mahoning County Extension Office, 490 S. Broad St., Canfield. 330-533-5538. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. • OSU Trumbull County Extension Office, 520 W. Main St. Suite 1, Cortland. 330-638-6783. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Plant and Pest Clinic You can submit your questions by calling the Mahoning County office at 330-533-5538 or emailing us at mahoningclinic@osu.edu. ...

Promotion creates distance between work besties

DEAR ANNIE: My best friend, “Ashley,” and I have worked at the same marketing agency for three years. We started on the same day, bonded over bad coffee, and we have been inseparable ever since. We have lunch together almost every day and text constantly. We have even taken a few vacations together. She was the first person I told when I found out I was pregnant last year, before I’d even told my mother. Last month, I was promoted to Senior Manager, which means I am now directly responsible for overseeing her work, giving her performance reviews, and if it ever came to it, ...

Lactose intolerance likely cause of cramps, spasms

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a 74-year-old woman who’s quite healthy (I am active and don’t take any medications), but I have a history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C). Recently, I experienced bad-smelling gas, leg cramps, and finger and toe spasms. I quit eating milk products, and my symptoms almost immediately disappeared. My question is: Do food intolerances increase with age? Also, can leg cramps and digit spasms be attributed to a food intolerance? — H.W. ANSWER: The most likely diagnosis is lactose intolerance. This is caused by a deficiency in the enzyme lactase, which is ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

Some deals from the annual world championship receive only passing notice because the outcome at both tables is exactly the same. But this one from the Italy-U.S. match in 1973 deserved more publicity than it got. Nothing much happened at the first table, where the U.S. pair bid and made four spades. West led the K-Q-2 of diamonds. South ruffed, drew trump, lost a club finesse to East’s queen and eventually discarded his heart loser on dummy’s fourth club to score 620 points. At the second table, where Giorgio Belladonna was declarer for Italy, West led the K-Q of diamonds and ...

Keeping bugs at bay

DEAR HELOISE: I keep a clean house, but I still have an ant and roach problem. What will help me stop attracting these filthy pests? I’ve used commercial companies that come in and sort of bomb the house with a mist of chemicals. I hated the smell that lingered for weeks, and the expense was nightmarish. Can you offer some advice to keep these bugs out of my house? You always know what to do, and I appreciate all your hints. — Leilani M., in Oahu, Hawaii Leilani, having lived in Hawaii, I know how difficult it is to completely seal off a home from ants and roaches. Here are some ...