buttering n.— «Spread a layer of mortar on the bottom of the opening like you’d spread butter on bread. In fact, the process is called buttering. Do the same to the top and sides of the replacement brick and slide it carefully into the...
thermal roughening n.— «In February, crews started blasting the sidewalks with a blowtorch—or “thermal roughening,” as they call it—to burn away the slippery top layer of stone.» —“Mayor Bloomberg orders $1M worth of...
A caller remembers an odd phrase from her childhood. If she asked too many questions, her mother would brush them off with the phrase “layers for meddlers and crutches for lame ducks.” Say what? This is part of a complete episode.
hero snow n.—Gloss: snow that is soft on top and firm underneath, providing excellent conditions for sport skiing. «The firm base and soft granular top layer found in spring is also sometimes referred to as “hero snow.” It is...
lasagna gardening n.— « Three garden designs that have caught my attention lately are island beds, raised beds and lasagna gardens.…Lasagna gardening is a nontraditional organic technique that relies on a layering method called...
bark n.— «The pulled pork is a good portion for the price. The meat has what is called, in barbecue jargon, a “bark” on the outside. The bark is the dark coating of dry rub cooked on the surface of the meat. Under the bark is...