10 USES FOR PLASTIC BAGS

At our house everything that can be recycled/re-used is - whether it's glass, plastic, aluminum cans, newspaper (for starting the woodstoves!) or plastic bags. Supermarkets will recycle your plastic bags if you return them on your next trip, but what to do when you end up with extras? Check out 10 other uses for reusing plastic bags here.

via Real Simple Magazine

TRAILER SOLD

Thanks for your inquiries!

EAGER BEAVER TRAILER FOR SALE

Know anyone looking for a trailer? We have a 1986, tri-axle, 9 ton Eager Beaver trailer for sale. Sandblasted, painted and new wood decking installed in 2005. Great condition. $2,500 or best offer. Call us at 978-475-0841 or email retelletree@gmail.com for more information.

EVELYN AND AL TAKE ON THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS!

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The founders of Retelle Tree Corp, Evelyn and Al Retelle, recently spent two weeks in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands scoping out the birds - such as this Blue Footed Booby - and wildlife there. If you missed the write-up in the Townsman, you can check it out here. You can also join Al and Evelyn for a presentation recounting their trip on February 8th at noon at the Andover Senior Center.

WINTER PRUNING ADVICE

"FEW external features enhance the value and attractiveness of a home more than its trees, those actually on the property as well as any street trees that might frame the setting. A careful program of pruning - whether through a a professional landscaper, in cooperation with the municipality or by one's own labors - is therefore not a luxury but an integral part of any prudent property maintenance program.

The healthier growth that follows pruning, professionals have found, can add privacy and shade, abate noise and even clean the air. Moreover, a neglected tree is more likely to snap in a storm, which can be hazardous.

Pruning is ideally, but not necessarily, done during the deep winter months, when deciduous trees are free of foliage, making them easier and safer to work on. The sap is not flowing, so there is less bleeding, and disease is not as rampant. It is also the time to shop for saplings to replace any dead trees or add new ones for spring planting, since business is slower in the winter and vendors can take more time with each inquiry."

Exerpt by Andree Brooks for the New York Times