Williston Observer

Redhawk Joey O’Brien serves the ball to South Burlington High’s Cody Yu on May 6. (Observer photo by Jayson Argento)

Champlain Valley Union High School tennis teams are set to compete against St. Johnsbury High School on Saturday, the girls at their home court at Shelburne and the boys on the road.

On May 6, the 4-4 boys lost to strong South Burlington High School, which also defeated the Redhawks in late April.

On Tuesday, the boys played a long-overdue makeup game against Essex High, which was rained out on April 12. Essex tipped CVU 6-1.

The girls tennis team will head into Saturday’s match undefeated, with a 9-0 record. It will be the first time they face St. Johnsbury.

“They are undefeated as well and we anticipate they will be especially strong at the top of their singles ladder,” Coach Amy deGroot wrote in an email to the Observer.

On Monday, the Redhawks beat South Burlington High 5-2 for the second time this season, though deGroot said it was a closer match than the score indicates. On Friday, the beat Stowe High 6-1 and May 1 toppled Rice 7-0.

—Stephanie Choate, Observer staff

The Champlain Valley Union High baseball and softball teams will hit the road to play Burlington High on Thursday, before welcoming North Country and Rice Memorial high schools to their home fields on Saturday and Tuesday.

The baseball team will head into Thursday’s game with a 5-2 record.

Essex pitcher Luke Salerno and the Hornets held off CVU in the later innings to beat the Redhawks 3-1 on Tuesday.

“Essex came through with a couple hits,” Coach Tim Albertson wrote in an email. “Salerno threw the ball well and his defense made plays when he needed too.  We (CVU) just need to do a better job putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position. It was a great metro match up.”

Essex scored two runs in the first inning and later scored their final run in the sixth.  The Redhawks stranded ten base runners including eight in scoring position. Dylan Ireland led the offense with two singles for CVU. Davis Mikell took the complete game loss striking out ten batters, scattering four hits and giving up one earned run.

On May 2, CVU took home a 6-3 win against Mount Mansfield Union High.

CVU capitalized on some mistakes in the top of the eighth inning, Albertson said.

Rayne Supple walked and scored, Jamie Pierson singled, Deagan Poland reached on a bunt single and later scored on a wild pitched to put the Redhawks ahead in the eighth inning.  Supple started the game throwing five innings and striking out 10, he also had an RBI double in the fourth inning. Mikell drove in the tying run in the top of the seventh for the Redhawks. He went two for two and was intentionally walked three times. Mikell earned the win in relief, striking out six batters over three innings. Mitch Lane took the loss.

“The team never gave up,” Albertson wrote. “In the 7th inning, they stuck with the basics and produced the game tying run. We continued to apply pressure as we have done all year. Eventually, mistakes occurred and we capitalized on them.”

The softball team had a close game against Mount Mansfield on May 2, losing 5-6. On Tuesday, Essex defeated the Redhawks 1-16.

—Stephanie Choate, Observer staff

Fresh off a successful run at the Burlington Invitational track meet, the Champlain Valley Union High School team will head into a meet at Burlington High Thursday before competing in annual relay events on the weekend.

The boys will head to BFA St. Albans for the Bobwhite relays on Friday afternoon, and the girls will board a bus to South Burlington Saturday for the Iverson relays.

At the Burlington Invitational meet—one of the biggest track meets of the year—on May 4, Autumn Eastman took home the top spot in the girls 1,500 meter run. Teammate Julienne Devita was sixth.

Eastman and Devita were also on the winning 4 x 800 relay team—which set a meet record—along with Rachel Slimovitch and Taylor Spillane.

The girls team tied with Mount Anthony Union High School for second place with 68 points, behind Essex High’s 161 points.

“Our goals for the girls team as a whole is to match our second place finish from the Burlington Invitation at the State Championship,” Coach Kasie Enman wrote in an email to the Observer. “It will take the whole team coming together and performing at their best, but we definitely have the potential to contend for a team podium spot.”

Slimovitch also claimed second place in the pole vault, with Emily Geske in the fourth spot.

A team of Abigail Eddy, Abbey Norris, Haliana Burhans and Katie Arms took fourth place in the 4 x 100 relay.

Eliza Giles came in second in the 300 meter hurdles and Katie Arms took sixth in the 100 meter hurdles. Eddy was also sixth in the high jump. Brianna Hake claimed the fourth spot in the javelin throw.

On the boys’ side, Roshi Brooklyn took fourth in the 110-meter hurdles.

The boys 4 x 800 meter relay team—Sam Logenbach, Sean Delaney, Jared Keyes and Zach Marshall—came in second.

Oren Klempner and Brian Boisjoli took the third and fourth spots in the pole vault.

“Our boys team has strength in its depth and a top 5 team finish at States is a goal, anything higher than that would be awesome,” Enman wrote.

—Stephanie Choate, Observer staff

Easy shower fix-ups create a calming oasis without a major remodel. (Photo courtesy of Pfister)

By Sharon Naylor

Creators.com

Your shower is your oasis. Make your shower a place of pure relaxation and rejuvenation with a few easy refurbishing projects that don’t take a pricey remodeling project.

Here are eight easy additions to spruce up your shower.

Sensational Showerhead

A new showerhead is easy to install, using manufacturer instructions and the installation videos found on some manufacturer websites. You can change your old-fashioned spray showerhead into an indulgent waterfall showerhead, and with a twist of the wide circular disk, choose from gentle rainfall-type spray to a more massaging shiatsu-style stream. Taller homeowners can even choose a new showerhead with an extender arm to raise the showerhead up above their head.

Shower Curtain Rod

You may have experienced the airy, roomier shower in a luxury hotel, with an arched curtain rod moving that curtain liner further away from your body so that you can move freely without bumping into that liner. It’s an easy installation project requiring just a screwdriver in most cases, and your new, arched rod can then be dressed up with new, easy-slide metal ball or disk curtain rings holding your new, luxe shower curtain.

Fixtures

A little bit more plumbing talent is often required for this task, or you could have a plumber come in to install new, non-rusted shower handles or single shower pull. Plumbing experts say that older turnstile shower knobs can sometimes rust inside the connection, which can cost expensive leaks inside your wall down to the level below. So changing out your shower knob fixtures could wind up saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars down the road. A new, more modern style of fixtures adds to the luxury of your shower.

Chromatherapy

It sounds space-age, but some top shower supply companies now offer showerheads that project relaxing colors of light, such as purple, blue or green in a relaxing pattern meant to stimulate the de-stressing sensors of the brain. Also in the holistic realm — and pricey — is the “healing power of crystals via Ondine’s Krystal ELS, boasting Swarovski crystals around the perimeter.” If you don’t have the budget for crystals in your showerhead, think about colored light options in your overhead shower light fixture.

Fix That Grout

It can be a do-it-yourself project, using the grout-eliminating attachment in your Dremel tool and a practiced hand with fresh caulking application, or you can hire a pro to knock this job out for you in a fraction of the time. Whichever method you choose, fresh, white grout and caulk create the impression of a new shower and add value to your home.

De-Clutter

Just removing that collection of mostly-used shampoo bottles and conditioners from your shower shelf and shower organizing caddy, leaving just one shampoo and conditioner set and body wash in a soothing scent removes the stressful energy of clutter and creates a more calming atmosphere.

Plants

Freshen up the air in your bathroom with live plants chosen for their love of a steamy environment and also the amount of light you get in your shower room. Having plants in your shower space adds to the spa-like atmosphere.

Sound

As great as your shower singing voice might be, it can be immensely relaxing to set your iPod in a dock on your bathroom countertop — safely distanced from water — and play calming instrumental spa music or the sounds of a rainforest to create a soothing experience before, during and after your shower.

Some of these shower spruce-ups are free, some cost less than $30, and some might cost $200 or so, but the improved experience of your shower oasis will be worth it.

Outdoor rooms provide fabulous party space and add value to your home. (Photo courtesy of The Outdoor Greatroom Co.)

By Sharon Naylor

Creators.com

You’ve seen it on TV home remodels: the transformation of a basic backyard into a jaw-dropping outdoor room with an arched-roof pergola housing a flame-flickering fire pit table, fabulous couches and tables, a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen and magical lighting illuminating the cozy and chic space for gathering family and friends. Now, more homeowners are designing their own outdoor rooms to give themselves a fabulous open-air space in top design style.

According to the experts at The Outdoor Greatroom Co., “the wonderful thing about adding an outdoor great room is that the cost per square foot is much less than any other inside-the-home remodel job.” They also report high returns of joy from their investment. The family can revel in living the good life via their new, enviable, high style outdoor space. Party guests will marvel at the transformation of the corner of the yard that previously offered nothing more than patchy grass during the celebrations and outdoor family dinners commencing throughout the year.

Aside from the entertaining perks, a new outdoor room adds value to the home. According to the American Institute of Architects, outdoor living is the number one growth category in American lifestyles, and installing an outdoor room increases a home’s value by 10 to 20 percent, which The Outdoor Greatroom Co. says delivers a 100 percent return on investment.

To begin your process of designing an outdoor room, browse Pinterest to gather enticing images, from the ultra-exorbitant to the most simple. Show these to your professional designer or outdoor room company stylist. (It is advisable to hire an expert to assess and measure your property’s grading and anchoring needs, advise on township codes and suggest the most durable, weather-resistant materials for your outdoor room.) Completing this project alone presents serious risk to the amateur home remodeler, as there are so many details and codes to consider.

A professional team also makes easy work of installing the room’s pergola and support beams, which The Outdoor Greatroom Co. says can be “easily installed in less than a day with two people.” However, the flooring may take longer depending on your need and choice of flooring materials. “It is also necessary to do the planning for the electrical and gas lines if these are to be utilized” for gas fire pits, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces. Licensed and insured professionals know how and where lines may be run and can handle permit acquisitions tasks for you.

A pergola is the most popular design, with thick support legs holding up the lofty beamed roof, in either flat or arched design. The legs may be simple beams with decorative bases, or you can give your outdoor room a feel of Tuscany through pedestal-round legs. Overhead, choose from an open beam design or add a latticework layer to increase visual interest while allowing for wind and rain to pass through harmlessly. You also need to decide if your structure will be anchored into the ground or raised on a deck.

Choose furniture for comfort and style in materials specifically designed for outdoor use. New trends in outdoor furniture include love seats, gliders, coffee tables and end tables in addition to the traditional table and chairs set. Adding a cushioned bench seat to one side of your pergola outdoor room is also popular. Materials for stylish outdoor furniture sets are resistant to mildew and mold and are often UV ray resilient to prevent fading. Furniture may be accessorized with cushions and pillows in complementary colors such as hunter green or Caribbean blue, to coordinate with colors existing in your landscaping or pool areas. You could also choose trendy patterns such as preppy stripes or romantic garden florals.

“Outdoor lighting is an important element for creating the perfect outdoor living space,” says The Outdoor Greatroom Co. French colonial lanterns add elegance to an outdoor room, and the design experts at Restoration Hardware suggest grouping several different sizes of metal lanterns to add extra visual appeal. Other lighting effects include lights strung throughout the latticework ceiling or wrap around pergola beams, LED or solar lights in pillar candle form, and lanterns hung from S-hooks on tree branches around the structure. Portable light-and-heater fixtures add to the lighting effect while warming up the space on cool evenings.

Speaking of heat, the top trend in outdoor rooms is the gas fire pit table, which is often a low-set round, square or rectangular table with a clean-burning gas fuel feature in the center, creating a fireplace flame effect emerging from center-placed clear or colored stones.

Fire pit tables come in contemporary designs such as polished marble, Lucite and stainless steel details, reflective surfaces, linear burners, innovative graphical or asymmetrical patterns, and metallic, stone or modern color designs.

Additional outdoor room features include an outdoor fireplace or footed chiminea, an outdoor kitchen with wet bar, a sound system via hidden speakers, a ledge for an iPod dock and potted flowers coordinating your outdoor room with the landscaping around it, creating a magical and gorgeous space for your family’s enjoyment.