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If you own any rental property or plan to sell a house or duplex in Oregon, this may apply to you.  

Oregon recently joined at least 20 other states in passing legislation requiring Carbon Monoxide detectors in dwellings. As of April 1, 2011, CO detectors will be required in all rental properties containing a CO source. In addition, they will need to be installed in any single family home or duplex which is sold and contains a CO source, and in all new construction. 

At present the state is not requiring a CO detector in private residences that are not being sold, but they highly recommend it, for good reason. Carbon Monoxide is odorless, colorless, and deadly. A plug-in detector costs as little as $18 (at Home Depot) and can truly save lives.

So what is a CO source that would require a detector?  "Heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, appliances and cooking sources using coal, wood, petroleum products, and other fuels producing carbon monoxide.
Products and equipment powered by an internal combustion engine, such as portable generators, cars, lawn mowers, and power washers."

If any of these are in the dwelling or an attached space (such as a garage), a CO detector is required.

Click here for a detailed information sheet on this important topic.  

Are you still getting the local paper phone book (or several of them)?  Take this quick quiz to see if it's time to stop.

What do you do with the paper phone book when it arrives?

1) Stick it in a drawer until the next one comes.

2) Recycle it

3) Throw it out

4) Use it now and then

5) Refer to it regularly 

If you answered anything but #5, you might be ready to ditch it entirely. More and more people are accessing the phone book information online, from their computers or smart phones. Although Yellow Pages are printed on mostly recycled paper and use soy-based inks, it is still a huge waste of resources to print so many that so few people use. 

Here's the good news. Yellow Pages has now made it very easy to stop or limit delivery. You can pick exactly which, if any editions you want to receive. I did it in about 2 minutes online, and now I'm looking forward to not seeing a big yellow book by my door next time they are delivered!

After February's delightful drought, the heavens have certainly made up for it this month. Did you know there has been at least a trace of rain every day since Feb. 28?  February had 3.3" of rain, this month has had 5.72" so far (as of March 17), and we're only half through.  

Such is spring in Oregon. 

I can hardly set foot in my yard, and my poor chickens wish they were ducks. (Wet hens aren't mad, they're just sad. Especially when they're molting, too...)

While I wait for sun, or at least dry, I'm starting seeds, dreaming about spring plant sales, and sneaking out when I can for a bit of soggy pruning. I think this poem, from another place with lots of rain, sums things up nicely...

THE RAIN

It rained and rained and rained
The average fall was well maintained
And when the tracks were simply bogs,
It started raining cats & dogs.

After a drought of half an hour
We had a most refreshing shower,
And then the most curious thing of all,
A gentle rain began to fall!

Next day but one was fairly dry
Save for one deluge from the sky
Which wetted the party to the skin
And then, at last, the rain set in.

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