For some homeowners, a house is a canvas

Friday, May 24, 2013 5:00 pm

SEATTLE — It's hard to miss the enormous 20-foot-wide American flag on the side of Richard Ormbrek's home. Comprised of around 180 tiles painted with scenes of Americana against a background of red and white stripes, the flag pops from the orange cedar shingles with traffic-stopping audacity.

Homes-Unusual Houses

This undated photo provided by courtesy of New Orleans Airlift shows The Music Box, a temporary community art project built in the yard of a private homeowner in New Orleans. The Music Box was phase one of the Dithyrambalina project--a permanent musical structure planned for New Orleans. (AP Photo/Courtesy New Orleans Airlift, Melissa Stryker)

Jay Pennington

This undated photo provided by courtesy of New Orleans Airlift shows Jay Pennington, associate curator, in the window of The Music Box, a temporary community art project built in the yard of a private homeowner in New Orleans. The Music Box was phase one of the Dithyrambalina project--a permanent musical structure planned for New Orleans. (AP Photo/Courtesy New Orleans Airlift, Zach Smith)

Thurston Moore Rob Cambre

In this undated photo provided by courtesy of New Orleans Airlift, musicians Thurston Moore, left, and Rob Cambre play an instrumental house in The Music Box, a temporary community art project built in the yard of a private homeowner in New Orleans. The Music Box was phase one of the Dithyrambalina project--a permanent musical structure planned for New Orleans. (AP Photo/Courtesy New Orleans Airlift, Jose Fernandes)

Homes-Unusual Houses

In this undated photo provided by courtesy of New Orleans Airlift, an unidentified child plays an instrumental house in The Music Box, a temporary community art project built in the yard of a private homeowner in New Orleans. The Music Box was phase one of the Dithyrambalina project--a permanent musical structure planned for New Orleans. (AP Photo/Courtesy New Orleans Airlift, Morgan Sasser)

Homes-Unusual Houses

This undated photo provided by courtesy of New Orleans Airlift, shows a detail of Brooklyn street artist, Swoon's "Thalassa" print wheat-pasted on a section of fence in New Orleans. The fence sits outside the yard of Jay Pennington, the associate curator of The Music Box, a temporary community art project in New Orleans. The Music Box was phase one of the Dithyrambalina project--a permanent musical structure planned for the city. AP Photo/Courtesy New Orleans Airlift, Jay Pennington)

Found fruit: Online map is gateway to edibles

Saturday, May 18, 2013 6:00 am

BOULDER, Colo. — Ethan Welty is thinking ahead to harvest time as he cycles through tidy Boulder streets pointing out apple, plum and mulberry trees on public and private land.

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Motorcyclist killed in Mesa crash

Friday, May 17, 2013 10:25 am

A motorcyclist was killed when he crashed into a car in Mesa Thursday night, according to authorities.

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Letter: I've made my last call to Mesa PD for help

Thursday, May 16, 2013 12:04 pm

We had a shoplifter at our store just waltz out with a bag of chips, a peach (that he was eating) and a bottle of whiskey. I demanded the items back, he raised the bottle with “come and get it”. Now, my work has a strict no-physical-confrontation policy and I don’t want to risk getting fired. I told him that I just wanted the items back or I’d call the police. “Go ahead and call the police”, he said, and continued walking away. So I called Mesa’s non-emergency number and explained what was going on.

Ask a Designer: style in a small outdoor space

Tuesday, May 14, 2013 6:00 am

Design magazines and home decorating catalogs tend to feature sprawling backyards with big wooden decks and room for everything from decorative fountains to artificial ponds.

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A conversation with ‘Starlet’ director Sean Baker

Saturday, May 11, 2013 4:00 pm

With the onslaught of Oscar contenders that debuted last November, there’s a good chance that a little-seen indie gem, “Starlet,” managed to fall off your radar during its short, theatrical run. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW film festival, “Starlet” explores the unlikely friendship between a cheerful, aspiring actress (played by the winsome Dree Hemingway) and a cantankerous, elderly widow (the late Besedka Johnson).

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Hang with butterflies for free May 10 at Desert Botanical Garden

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 9:00 am

A smattering of butterflies have flitted through my yard this spring, loitering briefly around the lantana and aloe stalks before moving on to lusher landscapes. Those fleeting backyard glimpses are nothing compared to the up-close and personal look you get at hundreds of butterflies inside The Marshall Butterfly Pavilion at Desert Botanical Garden.

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McClellan: No Gilbert rec center? Sure, let’s just privatize the whole town

Monday, May 6, 2013 7:58 am

It’s time to privatize Gilbert.

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Garden walls can come alive with 'living pictures'

Monday, May 6, 2013 5:00 am

Looking for a fresh way to liven up your garden walls? Think plants, not paintings.

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Create garden color the artist's way

Monday, April 29, 2013 5:00 pm

Long a companion for artists, the color wheel can also be a handy tool for gardeners.

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Chandler High robotics team prepares for national competition

Sunday, April 21, 2013 7:49 am

On the second floor of a back building on the campus of Chandler High School, wires, metal and ingenious student planning come together to make an inanimate object come to life.

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Dion Jordan about to hit the NFL 'big time'

Sunday, April 21, 2013 7:24 am

Fittingly for a guy who’s about to become “big time,” Dion Jordan’s life has been hectic.

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Pat's Run a smooth scene as runners honor Boston

Saturday, April 20, 2013 2:48 pm

A mob of runners and many well wishers flocked to Tempe on Saturday for the ninth annual Pat's Run to honor one of Arizona's finest and pay respect to the victims of Monday's attack on the Boston Marathon.

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