Perfect Porches

Savannah College of Art and Design president Wallace presents a stunning and varied collection of porches--some becolumned old beauties, others modern marvels--all reflecting their owners' unique desires and sensibilities.

Warm and comfortable. Spacious and inviting, with loads of rustic charm. These beautiful home plans blend traditional style with modern efficiency. 224 pages, Fully Illustrated. Homes from 1,248 to 4,796 square feet. Gateways to gracious living. Porches extend our living space, connect to the outdoors and provide a place where we can socialize with friends and meet our neighbors - they give us a place to step back from our busy lifestyles without ever leaving home. This comprehensive collection, with more than 200 fully illustrated designs, showcased homes with truly inviting porches. Whatever you're dreaming of - a charming bungalow with a cozy portico, a country Victorian design with a unique wraparound porch, or a lavish Mediterranean home with an expansive terrace or deck that's designed for entertaining - you'll find it here. And, best of all, these homes are more than just dreams - complete construction drawings are available for each design.

For a partnership that's close and strong.Want to strengthen your marriage but unsure how to start? Marriage will help you and your spouse draw insight from one another and from the other couples in your group to build the kind of close relationship you've always wanted. Whether you need to stabilize shaky foundations or just want to make a good marriage even better, here's how to • Get the most from you and your partner's different personality traits using a brief, eye-opening self test • Weed out common “romance busters” that drain the excitement from your marriage • Resolve conflicts quickly using a simple three-step peace process• Prevent daily responsibilities from robbing you of real intimacy . . . and more. Marriage will help you and your mate not only recapture the thrill in your marriage, but also maintain and build upon it to create a satisfying, lasting relationship—the kind God designed you both to enjoyInteractions—a powerful and challenging tool for building deep relationships between you and your group members, and you and God. Interactions is far more than another group Bible study. It's a cutting-edge series designed to help small group participants develop into fully devoted followers of Christ.

A brief foray into a moral thicket, exploring why we should protect nature despite tsunamis, malaria, bird flu, cancer, killer asteroids, and tofu. Most of us think that in order to be environmentalists, we have to love nature. Essentially, we should be tree huggers—embracing majestic redwoods, mighty oaks, graceful birches, etc. We ought to eat granola, drive hybrids, cook tofu, and write our appointments in Sierra Club calendars. Nature's splendor, in other words, justifies our protection of it. But, asks Benjamin Hale in this provocative book, what about tsunamis, earthquakes, cancer, bird flu, killer asteroids? They are nature, too. For years, environmentalists have insisted that nature is fundamentally good. In The Wild and the Wicked, Benjamin Hale adopts the opposite position—that much of the time nature can be bad—in order to show that even if nature is cruel, we still need to be environmentally conscientious. Hale argues that environmentalists needn't feel compelled to defend the value of nature, or even to adopt the attitudes of tree-hugging nature lovers. We can acknowledge nature's indifference and periodic hostility. Deftly weaving anecdote and philosophy, he shows that we don't need to love nature to be green. What really ought to be driving our environmentalism is our humanity, not nature's value. Hale argues that our unique burden as human beings is that we can act for reasons, good or bad. He claims that we should be environmentalists because environmentalism is right, because we humans have the capacity to be better than nature. As humans, we fail to live up to our moral potential if we act as brutally as nature. Hale argues that despite nature's indifference to the plight of humanity, humanity cannot be indifferent to the plight of nature.

A modern twist on a nostalgic favorite Nothing says elegant, genteel living like a well built, well appointed porch or sunroom. The Complete Guide to Porches & Patio Rooms offers design advice and easy-to-follow, concise instructions for adding living spaces that bring the indoors and outdoors together in delightful ways. In addition to offering hundreds of inspirational ideas, the book provides thorough plans and photo directions for six versatile, flexible architectural projects. For the 500,000 homeowners now building sunrooms each year, this book explores the most popular functions and then offers step-by-step instructions to design and build those specific spaces. For example, an open porch can be used for social gatherings, as a sheltered outdoor cooking space, or simply be added simply to improve a home’s curb appeal. A sunroom can serve as a full room addition to a home, complete with protective walls, ceilings, and electrical service; can serve as an indoor garden space for green living plants; or could be put into service as a music conservatory for an elegant grand piano. This book is an indispensable source of information on planning, designing, and building the addition of your dreams, from digging foundations to final decorating.

Filled with local history, down-to-earth tips, and offbeat observations, this guide will lead you to the region's favorite spots to stay, eat, drink, and celebrate. Central Texas is an unpretentious, free-spirited region filled with treasured taquerias, hallowed music venues, juicy BBQ, and revered natural wonders. A non-stop schedule of cultural festivals makes for year-round revelry. Explore San Antonio's pedestrian-friendly River Walk, legendary Alamo and historic Mission Trail. Austin's internationally recognized music scene keeps feet tapping and its parks, trails, and swimming holes offer endless recreation. Take a carefree road trip through the Hill Country, past vineyards and wildflowers, to towns brimming with gourmet restaurants and relaxing B&Bs.

In The Power to Prevail, David Foster explores the paradox of adversity.

THE MONEY PIT®, hosted by Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete, is a syndicated home improvement call-in radio program that airs every weekend all over North America on more than 200 stations, as well as on XM Satellite Radio. Tom and Leslie give homeowners like you real information on how to get things done the right way by alerting you to what you need to know before you start a project. Room by room, Tom and Leslie share their extensive experience in home improvement, decorating, and remodeling in kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, family spaces, basements, and laundry rooms. They tell you secrets about lowering your energy bills. They've got great ideas about curb appeal and making exterior maintenance easier. And they give the best counsel anywhere on home safety and security, insurance, and preparing your home for sale. Before you start your next project, get advice from Tom and Leslie.