MCKINNEY, Texas — The heart of harvest season is here, and one Collin County farm offers not just fruits and vegetables but an agricultural experience.

CHICAGO — Every other weekend or so, if you head up seven floors to The Walnut Room, in the store once known as Marshall Field’s on State Street in Chicago, you’ll feel the music before you see the spotlights beaming from the show.

MECCA, Saudi Arabia — Straw hats, cross-body bags, and collapsible chairs: These are just some of the essentials Muslims bring to the Hajj pilgrimage.

One of the biggest ways to gain equity in your home is a kitchen remodel. Gutting the entire kitchen and getting brand new cabinets and countertops, though, is expensive.

Grilling can and should be a year-round endeavor. But summer seems to be when we up the ante, becoming self-proclaimed barbecue masters seemingly overnight. We get saucy with new marinades and rubs, boost burgers by experimenting with different meats and accompaniments, and work in our farmers market finds, putting everything from berries and stone fruits to vegetables and cheese over hot coals.

Travel anywhere on the planet and you’ll find some version of ice cream. Grab a lemon gelato in Italy; a stick of butterscotch kulfi in Nepal; a cinnamon paleta bar in Mexico. If you’re in Seoul, try a “J”-shaped puffed corn cone filled with soft ice cream.

When Caz DiMarco was reassigned Garrett Webb’s lease on the ag lot at 73-4261 Lau‘i Street, he had plans for the nursery to augment his landscaping business, Hawaii Lawn and Landscape. Over the last few years, it has done that and more. He has recently expanded the nursery space, added new staff members and, of course, added a lot more plants.

Father’s Day sometimes gets lost during all the activities at this time of year. It can be kind of anticlimactic especially after Mother’s Day. However, this day has been celebrated for over one hundred years in the United States. It was founded by Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington at the local YMCA in 1910. Her father, William Jackson Smart, was a Civil War veteran who raised his six children as a single parent. In Catholic countries of Europe it has been celebrated as Saint Joseph’s Day since the Middle Ages.

Ice cream has been a quintessential summer treat for generations, whether you prefer a twist of soft-serve chocolate and vanilla on a cake cone or two scoops of gourmet mint chip stacked on a hand-rolled waffle.

Iwas surprised by a light and refreshing sauce served at a local restaurant. They used gazpacho, a fresh tomato mixture usually served as a cold soup. I decided to use this style of sauce over a seared tuna steak. The flavorful sauce and tender tuna were a perfect match. A slice of garlicky toast with the dish was perfect for sopping up extra sauce.

Ginger, soy sauce and scallions flavor this Chinese Steamed Fish meal. The food takes only minutes to cook, but the chopping and cutting to prepare ingredients can be time-consuming. This recipe has very little preparation time and few ingredients making it a very speedy Chinese supper.

For this meat lover, there may be no better summer dinner than a fat and juicy ribeye steak cooked to perfection over a bed of hot coals. But boy, is that a splurge in these days of high inflation, especially when you’re also cooking for others.

Homes make a first impression on visitors within seconds of entering the space. The foyer, or point of entry, serves as a sneak peek of what’s to come. The initial message can be warm and welcoming, bold and bright, or functional and inviting. Regardless of the feeling you want to convey, look for opportunities to introduce a sense of style to create a great first impression.

I’ve previously waxed poetic about my adoration of textiles. You may even know that in my past life I worked for a batik company. That fondness has only deepened in recent years.