Snohomish homes: The Snohomish Historical Society’s home tour is set for noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 21. This year the tour focuses on the architectural work of a Snohomish architect John S. White (1845-1920).
Six homes and six commercial buildings will be open for viewing. An additional eight historic sites will be signed and interpreted through a detailed tour guide. All sites are close to the historical district. Some highlights of the tour include White’s original Snohomish home (1888), the First Methodist Church (1885), the Burns Block (1890) and the A.M. Blackman Grocery Store (1889), now the Oxford Tavern.
Tickets cost $15, or $10 for ages 62 and older. Tickets can be purchased at the Blackman House Museum.
Warm fuzzies: There’s just something about felted wool. It’s so cozy and comforting, it’s the design equivalent of hot oatmeal with cinnamon on a winter day.
Visitors to the Maison &Objet (House &Object) trade show outside of Paris last week lined up to pet the felted wool wall coverings by London-based Finnish designer Anne Kyyro Quinn. The creamy felted wool is twisted and shaped into gorgeous 3-D tapestries. And they’re noise-absorbent, too.
For those on a tighter budget, the Danish company Hay makes felt throw cushions in assorted hues and shapes, as well as cheerful rugs made from hand-knotted, multicolored felt dots. One model ran for about $384.
Fall in: As fall approaches, it’s time to start thinking about a top-to-bottom home inspection to prepare for the upcoming cold winter months.
Here are three essential chores to tackle this week:
Change essential batteries: Don’t wait until your smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors chirp at you to be changed. Buy a few extra batteries when you’re at the grocery store, and swap out the old batteries for new ones.
Change the filters: A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool, thus wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system. If it’s been more than three months, head to the hardware store, buy some new filters and put them in your heating and cooling systems.
Sweep the chimney: Chimneys need periodic examination and cleaning to maintain efficiency and to reduce the chance of a chimney fire. Book an appointment with a chimney sweep for a professional cleaning and inspection.
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