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Let’s take another look at mayapples

In another article on ephemerals, I mentioned mayapples as spring flowers. I needed to get some for a forest area in my yard, so I began to research. Mayapples, Podophyllum peltatum, grow as colonies in shady forests. They come up in early spring and bloom between April and May. Everyone ...

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 ...

DEAR ANNIE: Honoring sacrifice beyond the long weekend

DEAR READERS: Memorial Day arrives each year wrapped in red, white and blue, but at its heart, it is a day of quiet gratitude. It is the unofficial beginning of summer, yes. There will be hamburgers on grills, children running barefoot through backyards, flags waving from porches and maybe a little potato salad that sat out longer than anyone wants to admit. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the day. In fact, joy is one of the freedoms so many brave men and women fought to protect. But before we rush into summer, let us pause. Memorial Day is not simply a long weekend. It is a ...

HINTS FROM HELOISE: Repurpose ice trays to hold jewelry

DEAR HELOISE: I recently read a letter from someone who suggested using a tackle box as an earring holder. I have another idea that works great for me. I use plastic ice cube trays. They hold 12 sets of earrings each. They’re stackable, and you can see all the earrings in a single tray, making it easier to choose. They also don’t take up a lot of room and are very inexpensive. I have a lot of earrings, so I have four trays that are stacked together. — Kristen H., via email Kristen, we received a large number of letters from readers who do the same thing. Apparently, ice cube ...

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Weight-loss drugs can help heavy drinkers

DEAR DR ROACH: My brother-in-law is a lovely man, but for years, he’s suffered from obesity. He also gambles and drinks alcohol too much. I hesitate to get too involved, but I recently read that the new weight-loss drugs based on GLP-1 agonists are also helpful in reducing alcohol and gambling addictions. This sounds too good to be true. Is it? — D.N.A. ANSWER: The evidence is very strong that GLP-1 agonists like tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Wegovy) help people lose weight. About 80% to 90% of people will experience a weight loss of more than 5% of their initial body ...