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Country Lifehome garden Ceiling fans can help heat, too By Lori Johnston The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (MCT) Feeling the breeze from a ceiling fan just may be a step you can take toward greater energy efficiency this fall. You can save as much as 40 percent on the cost of cool- ing your home because a fan creates airflow that cools the people in the room, reducing the need for air conditioning, said Leslie Killingsworth, director of purchasing for Pro- gressive Lighting/Lee Lighting stores. In the winter, she said, ceiling fans recirculate the warm air at the top of the room, which raises the temperature in the living space below (if fans are switched from running counter-clockwise in the summer to running clockwise in the winter). Using ceiling fans can trim heating costs by 10 percent, according to Casablanca Fan Co. Fans have become an extension of decorative lighting, with people returning to traditional styles with plated fin- ishes or choosing a rustic style for a more casual look, Killingsworth said. Other fans have more natural materials, also fitting with the desire for a greener look and feel in homes. tional AC motors) enable homeowners to use less electrici- ty, said Phil Sherer, vice president of sales at Masterpiece Lighting. Ceiling fans with new DC motors (instead of the tradi- Some motors are virtually silent, and since the motors are smaller, the fans are lighter, he said. These fans show a new direction for ceiling fans. Savoy House Fan d'lier The fan d'lier is a mix between a chandelier and ceiling fan. Fan d'liers look like light fix- tures but perform like fans, with the blades encased within the fan's design. This style — the Bay St. Louis — has an antique copper finish and cream glass. Suggested retail price: $698, progressivelighting.com. Brewmaster Belt Driven Ceiling Fan A pulleylike sys- tem rotates the blades in the Brewmaster belt-driven ceiling fan by Fanimation. It not only has a unique vintage style, but the company says it cuts down on electricity costs. Sug- gested retail price: $760, fanimation.com Emerson Midway Eco Fan The sleek Emerson Midway Eco Fan, which is Energy Star-approved, has a motor that uses 75 percent less energy than other ceiling fans and blades that move up to 40 percent more air, according to the company. Prices vary, depending on size; www.emerson- fans.com, www.masterpiecelighting.com. Casablanca Brescia Fan Many of Casablanca Fan Co.'s By Norman Winter McClatchy-Tribune News Service have named a Henry's Garnet Virginia willow, or maybe even a flame euonymus -- also called burning bush. Those would be great choices, but so would the southeastern native called dwarf fothergilla. To light up the fall landscape with a blaze of stunning color, try the dwarf fothergilla. What's a fothergilla? Before I answer that, what if I asked you to name a shrub with fiery oranges and reds, like fall maple leaves? Savvy gardeners might & Fothergilla lights up the fall landscape even if temperatures are ideal. Botanically speaking, the plant is Fothergilla gardenii and is commonly called dwarf witchalder. It is in the witch hazel fami- ly and is native from Florida to North Carolina but is recommended as far north as Wisconsin (USDA hardiness zones: 5 through 8A). fans have earned the Energy Star rating. Energy Star-qual- ified ceiling fans are generally about 20 percent more effi- cient than standard ceiling fans, according to the company. Prices vary, depending on size; for dealers, visit casablan- cafanco.com/Support/Find-a-Casablanca-Dealer. fall leaf color, in the spring this dwarf shrub loads up with scores of fragrant white bottle- brush-like blossoms before its leaves emerge. The plant reaches about 3 feet tall -- a nice size. The leaves that emerge are dark green and leathery and grow along crooked stems. Though I am touting its dwarf fothergilla is every bit the attention-grabber it When fall arrives, the was in the spring. Ours at the Columbus Botanical Garden has been riveting for weeks. When we look at fall color scientifically, words like carotenoids, pigments and chlorophyll enter into the discussion, as does auxin, gib- berellins, other growth hormones and enzymes. Good conditions boil for this showy fall plant include cool night tem- peratures and warm, sunny days. Climate has the most effect on the pro- duction of anthocyanin Project Home takes a look at circular saws Woodworking is one of home improvement's most challenging and rewarding projects. But, like amateur and profes- sional woodworkers already know, a power saw can simplify even huge projects and lessen the scope of the work that must be done. Circular saws are great for making straight cuts, including cross or angle cuts. As we'd most likely purchase a circu- lar saw for residential applications, consider this a portable table saw. A band saw is designed to cut curved or straight lines and is useful for executing irregular and intricate curves and cuts. You can cut just about anything with a recipro- cating saw. For cutting through lumber, drywall, pipes, and vinyl and alu- minum siding, this is your tool. This portable power saw is used mostly for construc- tion or demo- lition jobs. A jig saw (or a saber saw) can be used for cut- ting arbitrary curves into wood. Tradition- ally, this hand-held tool is portable and lightweight, and its small, thin blade is Sean Murphy Project Home ideal for stenciled designs or other custom shapes. A miter saw (also called a chop saw) is ideal for rapid and exact cuts. A circular blade spins and is lowered down in a short, con- trolled motion. You'll find miter saws useful when working with wood Just like the name implies, table saws feature a large, flat work area and circular saw blade. Also known as a bench saw, a table saw makes straight and precise cuts. Here are some for framing and when your project calls for matching up corners with molding. • Sharp thinking. Car- bide-tip blades are the preferred type of blade for most circular, table and miter saws. • Positive stops. Some power saws feature posi- tive stops at commonly used angles (like 15, 30, and 45 degrees) to elim- inate guesswork for smooth and accurate cuts. • Cordless vs. power? Because of their reliance on batteries, cordless power saws tend to be a bit heavier than their electric counterparts. • Variable speeds. One and two speeds are nice, but if you'd like to maximize the potential of your power saw, opt for something that offers more. universal features to consider when looking for a power saw: Power saws and acces- sories are not cheap. While you might be tempted to purchase something less expen- sive, that tack could backfire (in a very bad way) in the long run. Trading in your hand • Invest in the best. saw for a power saw will help cut down on time and energy spent on your project. If you remain safe and keep in mind that a power saw of any type is a poten- tially dangerous machine that requires responsible operation, woodworking can be quick and rewarding. Until next time, Happy Home Improv- ing! pigments, which intensi- fy the red and scarlet colors. Conditions that most favor these colors are sunny days and nighttime temperatures between 45 degrees and freezing. Even though the chlorophyll content of the leaf declines in the fall, it is still important that photosynthesis take place. If an abundance of cloudy weather pre- vents photosynthesis from occurring, leaf color will be mediocre Cool night tempera- tures limit the move- ment of sugar from the leaves and reduce the rate of respiration in the leaf, so some sugars are converted to carbon dioxide. Those retained are converted to colorful pigments. That is where the dwarf fothergilla excels. It is one of the most reliable species when it comes to color. It thrives in moist but well-drained fertile soil and with plenty of sun. Its riotous colors show best against a backdrop of green. Try growing dwarf fothergilla in front of hollies or some showy conifer like a juniper or pine. For a gaudy but truly thrilling combination, plant with the blue Arizona cypress variety called Carolina Sapphire. Springtime partners would be azaleas and forsythia. Fall is a great time to plant and the dwarf fothergilla is certainly worthy of your consider- ation. Come spring you'll be glad you did. Norman Winter is executive director of the Columbus Botanical Garden, Columbus Ga., and author of "Tough-as- Nails Flowers for the South" and the highly acclaimed "Captivating Combinations Color and Style in the Garden." CARE TO COMMENT? At redbluffdailynews.com, scroll to the end of any story, click the link and type away. Local Businesses: children to design an ad for YOUR business! You can sponsor a whole classroom of entry. Your student-designed ad will be featured in YOU choose the winning Through a Child's Eyes • Published as a full section of The Daily News December 22 • Digital edition stays online for a full year • Top student "ad designers" receive cash prizes! For details and sponsorship reservations call your Daily News advertising representative today! 527-2151 Tuesday, November 20 DAILYNEWS Deadline to agree to sponsor: RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY Saturday, November 3, 2012 – Daily News 3B