Earth smart

        Over-the-Rhine flowers: Organizers of the Miracle Mile, a project aimed at lining 5,280 feet of Over-the-Rhine buildings with flowering window boxes to help change its image, hope to make it a long-term planting plan.

        The Over-the-Rhine Foundation, the project's collection agent, hopes to raise $250,000 to cover the cost of planting a mile of window boxes. Donations, information: 321-7001, 721-1317.

        Yes or no, deer: I like life on a wooded lot. The trees screen out the neighbors most of the year. I've gotten used to the birds as an alarm clock. And the squirrels provide a circus of entertainment. I've even surrendered to the moles.

        But now that the deer are chomping my hostas in the dark, I took notice of an unusual deterrent from veterinarian Keith Betzen of Bloomington, Ind. His Wireless Deer Fence, tested “for over three years with outstanding results” consists of posts, set up 5 feet to 25 feet apart and powered by two AA batteries each.

        Deer are attracted by perfumed oil on the posts. When they make contact, it delivers a uncomfortable shock (less than 0.15 joules of energy), which he describes “like static electricity.” After contact, Dr. Betzen says the deer associate the smell with the discomfort and stay away. Three posts come in a box for $59.95 with a one-ounce bottle of oil, enough for a year. For a small yard ( 1/4- 1/3 acre) three to six posts would be required. The vet recommends nine to 12 posts for 1/2-acre lots and 15-18 for 3/4- to one-acre lots.

        Information www.wirelessdeerfence.com or (800) 927-5356.

        I think I'll just continue to sacrifice the hostas and feed the deer.

Wise Buys

        Wallpaper to learn by: Decorating and back-to-school can go hand in hand. Surround the kids with this whopping 8-foot-8-inch-high, 13-foot-wide map of the world on the walls and they can't help but learn a little. The Executive World Map shows major cities, capitals, world time zones, land elevations, updated political boundaries, ocean depths and nautical miles. It's printed on laminated paper panels with a dry-erase surface and is applied like wallpaper. It even comes with a marker. Best of all, it's easy to remove. $114.95 at www.executiveworldmap.com or (800) 759-6255.

        Pergo patterns: Pergo, the king of laminate flooring from Sweden, has taken a new step in making its flooring look more like wood. This summer, it introduced a collection of accessory pieces of wood inlays, borders and small pieces for custom-designing floors. The 26 pieces come in five shapes and 14 colors and are designed to work with the 43 designs found in the Pergo line. The pieces are precut and premilled. Pergo Select Accents are available at Carpet One. Information, www.pergo.com or (800) 337-3746.

        Contact Joy Kraft by phone: 768-8467; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jkraft@enquirer.com.

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