I have three maples -- two silver, one red -- and want to find a perennial ground cover for their beds. I would like to use epimediums. Are there any varieties that would thrive under the trees?

When an army of life-size clay figures was buried to provide an afterlife entourage for Qin Shihuangdi, China's first emperor, it's unlikely the plan was for the army to take a swing through the nation's capital. But life's funny that way for the Terra Cotta Warriors. The traveling exhibition "Terra...

Nov. 19 THE BRAD LINDE ENSEMBLE The 10-piece band that experiments with bebop celebrates the work of Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk and Lester Young. 5-7 p.m. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Kogod Courtyard, Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000. Free.

Acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell has performed in Washington several times, most recently at the White House this month . And there was that time two years ago when he played incognito at L'Enfant Plaza Metro station during rush hour for a story in The Washington Post Magazine. This time, he performs...

Gift wrapping advice from Paper Source in Georgetown.

It's thrilling to get a package in the mail, but not so great if the box looks as though it has been through the mulcher. Here are ways to make sure your holiday gifts get to their destinations in one piece:

For delivery by Dec. 25, send cards and packages by these dates:

Learn how to create homemade napkins featuring photos of beloved people and places.

These were among sales recorded recently in the District and supplied to The Washington Post by Spatial Systems Associates Inc. and the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue. To find sale and assessment records for homes in the District and elsewhere in the Washington area, visit...

Growing a vegetable garden is an exercise in humility, disappointment and pride. And sometimes, anger. Hungry deer or rabbits undo the gardener's hard work, but you can accept that there is no mischief involved.

Sow corn or Shirley poppy seeds in garden beds for a display in the spring. The seed should be sown on the surface of sunny beds that are free of heavy mulch and fallen leaves. Winter weeds are beginning to germinate, so weed the beds before sowing the poppy seeds.

Despite your best efforts, certain apple varieties will still be more prone to scab than others.

Do you know of any place that could repair my several pieces of antique white wicker furniture? One piece, a chaise, has attached upholstery.

-- Put your napkin in your lap. -- Have a clean face and hands when you sit down at the table.

Doris Burton taught U.S. history in Prince George's County for 27 years. She had her students write 3,000-word term papers. She guided them step by step: first an outline, then note cards, a bibliography, a draft and then the final paper. They were graded at each stage.

The D.C. Animal Shelter, 1201 New York Ave. NE, and the Washington Humane Society Shelter, 7319 Georgia Ave. NW, offer animals for adoption. The D.C. shelter has viewing and adoption hours from noon to 8 p.m. weekdays except Wednesdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends. Hours at the society's shelter are...

These were among cases handled by the Washington Humane Society. The society operates its shelter at 7319 Georgia Ave. NW and the District's at 1201 New York Ave. NE. For information or assistance, 24 hours a day, call 202-723-5730 or visit http://www.washhumane.org .

Mari Ann Donnelly's 9-year-old is a fan of sports and competition, her 7-year-old likes Dora the Explorer and dolls, and her 4-year-old is all about trucks and trains.

The D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer has received more than $1 million in stimulus funds from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for broadband mapping and planning activities in the District.

202-636-2950 http://www.arcdc.net This nonprofit advocacy group representing individuals with intellectual disabilities needs items such as collared shirts, blouses, gloves, wallets, iPods and jackets to support people with disabilities on their jobs. Donations can be delivered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m....

These were among incidents reported by D.C. police. For information, call your police district station.

This is the meeting schedule for the D.C. Council and its committees for the coming week. All meetings are in the Council Chamber of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, unless otherwise noted.

"SPIES IN THE VATICAN," journalist John Koehler discusses the history of Soviet espionage, the Soviet Union's war against the Catholic Church and the assassination order against Pope John Paul II. Noon-1 p.m., International Spy Museum, 800 F St. NW. Free. 202-393-7798 or http://www.spymuseum.org .

Dear Dr. Fox: My son has a 6-year-old male Great Dane. A couple of years ago, the dog began to get an open sore on his leg. We took him to our vet, who treated him, but it continues to grow. When asked to have it removed and the wound closed, the vet said that because of the location, that would be...

Fifty years ago this month, Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens became the first goaltender in NHL history to wear a full-face protective mask in a game.

These food establishments were closed because of health code violations. The list, compiled from health department reports, reflects actions taken by the departments.

Dear Dr. Gridlock : Your article about the District reviving streetcars [ Commuter page, Nov. 1 ] made me recall my experiences in the Boston area in the late 1960s. Streetcars were in use on several lines then, but the suburb of Watertown, Mass., used electric buses, powered by overhead lines.

A rundown of this year's gift wrapping trends, and tips on creating beautiful environmentally-friendly packages.

The second Sunday of every December, you'll find Eileen Milner of Alexandria pulling a filet (medium rare, hopefully) out of her oven as 20 friends crunch on homemade coleslaw and trim her tree.

Scared of having a holiday party with everything else you have to do? Take this advice from those who throw festive gatherings every December.

"Help! We have a walkout basement that is one large room. We currently have multiple uses for the space, including a home theater and kids' play area."

It may be getting colder outside, but in the kitchen things are starting to heat up. I think of November and December as the Grand Slam season for the cook and entertainer: a blur of Thanksgiving feasts, holiday buffets, open houses, brunches and New Year's parties.

Rich Williamson and his girlfriend were talking about kids. Not necessarily whether they'd have them, but what sport their hypothetical offspring might play. "I don't want my children to play football. It's too violent," the 38-year-old Alexandria resident decided. Baseball was deemed boring. And as...

Along with the joy of holiday gatherings comes an intense fear of your child doing something egregious at the table: chewing with his mouth open, burping the first half of the alphabet, constructing a volcano with her mashed potatoes.

Confidence was in high supply at the first Fashion With a Purpose event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Southwest Washington.