Local Living

Table talk

Conversation expert Deborah Tannen offers advice on handling holiday gatherings.

• Tips to get the conversations started
• Also: Holiday Planning Guide | Holiday Dining Guide

Clearing the air

The right vacuum and a well-maintained HVAC system can help make breathing easier.

• How to: Getting rid of mold
• A low-guilt Thanksgiving feast yields a bountiful, sustainable table
• On Parenting: Stay-at-home dads are here to, well, stay
• Salestalk: Looking for super deals

An evergreen subject

Adrian Higgins says be careful to choose the proper trees for privacy and yard size.

• Online-only: Digging In with Scott Aker on dogwood trees losing their leaves and treating artillery fungus
• Gardening tip of the week: Recycling leaves