Two sisters, aged fourteen and fifteen, offer their views of events that occur during the year after their mother is diagnosed with schizophrenia and their family, including a recently adopted Russian orphan, begins to disintegrate.

If you live in the city but want to be close to nature . . . If you call the countryside home but have no time to step outside . . . If you are confined to an office fifty hours a week . . . If your home needs the soothing touch of the natural world . . . In The New Terrarium, Tovah Martin, one of America’s favorite gardeners, introduces you to the whimsical yet practical world of gardens under glass—a no-fuss way to bring snippets of nature indoors. Wherever you are, in whatever little time you have, terrariums are the perfect tool for nature lovers and gardeners everywhere. With gorgeous photography, The New Terrarium reveals how this classic garden tool has been reimagined in a modern way. When encased in glass, plants thrive with almost no help from outside their little enclosed world, so you can host a plant almost anywhere—in your apartment where the air is dry or in your cubicle where there’s little natural light. Tucked inside something crystal and contained, the bounty of the forest or treasures from the beach or the meadow can merge seamlessly into your home or office environment. It’s amazing how some frothy fern fronds or colorful blossoms can transform a room by giving it a burst of vibrant green life. With clear, simple step-by-step instructions and photographs to inspire and guide you along the way, Martin shares her years of experience growing and tending terrariums and shows how terrariums can enrich your life, including: • different venues for cultivating your terrarium • plants that flourish in these gardens under glass • ideas and designs for creating your first terrarium • how to care for and maintain the environment you’ve made Martin has designed a unique range of imaginative terrarium projects, including ones that are suitable for children, enliven the seasons, incorporate plant propagation, and show off a nature collection. Whether you are a gardener or city-dwelling nature lover, The New Terrarium is the perfect way to spark your creativity, while helping you to bring your favorite plants into your home and giving them a place to thrive. When nature is out of arm’s reach and you crave a little greenery, The New Terrarium can show you how to bring all the benefits of the outdoors close to you.

Now in a fully revised and updated second edition, this volume provides a contemporary overview of food processing/packaging technologies. It acquaints the reader with food preservation processes, shelf life and logistical considerations, as well as packaging materials, machines and processes necessary for a wide range of packaging presentations. The new edition addresses environmental and sustainability concerns, and also examines applications of emerging technologies such as RFID and nanotechnology. It is directed at packaging technologists, those involved in the design and development of packaging, users of packaging in food companies and those who specify or purchase packaging. Key Features: An up-to-date and comprehensive handbook on the most important sector of packaging technology Links methods of food preservation to the packaging requirements of the common types of food and the available food packages Covers all the key packaging materials - glass, plastics and paperboard Fully revised second edition now covers sustainability, nanotechnology and RFID