On the home front

Need help, mom?

Casting for the second season of "Hannah, Help Me!" is about to begin.

The show, which stars Hannah Keeley, a Chester wife and mother of seven, is putting out a casting call for local moms who need help organizing their lives.

The reality show, which airs Saturdays at 7 a.m. on Richmond PBS affiliate WCVE, features Keeley helping America's overwhelmed mothers manage their households, declutter their homes, get in shape and try to take control of their personal lives and careers.

Keeley, a homeschooling parent, author, lifestyle expert and founder of HannahKeeley.com, gives a two-day life-skills makeover to one desperate mom in each of the series' 13 episodes.

To sign up, go to http://www.hannahhelpme.com. Art to drink from

If you serve your guests a drink in a piece of Lolita's hand-painted glassware, they may beg you to let them keep it. They are that adorable.

The designs are painted on everything from pilsners to margarita glasses, party shots, sundae bowls -- all featuring a recipe on or under the glass -- and flasks (these come with a mini martini glass).

Other products include gel candles in the shape of martini, wine and champagne glasses; bottle stoppers; mini-pilsner Christmas tree ornaments; and paper products, such as cocktail napkins and bottle bags. Coming next month: beach towels in her widely collected designs and themes. The cost for products starts at $11. For details, visit http://www.thelolitastore.com. Corner lots

As the chilly weather of fall begins, consider doing some upkeep on your home in order to save on energy costs.

• Clean or replace your furnace filters once a month. Dirty filters can block warm air from the furnace and make it operate less efficiently, costing you money.

• Lower your thermostat 5 to 7 degrees at night. Your energy savings will increase as much as 3 to 5 percent for every degree the thermostat is below 68.

• Keep your shades and curtains open during the day to let in sunlight and warmth. Close them at night to retain heat.

• Weatherize your home by caulking and weather-stripping all exterior doors and windows.

• To read more on fall savings strategies, visit the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants Web site at http://www.vscpa.com. .

It's time to . .

Establish some new perennial beds. If there are sections of your yard that always give you trouble growing grass, this is the perfect time to convert them to perennial beds, which are much easier to maintain than grass and will provide great color next spring and summer.

Richard Nunnally's
gardening Q&A, D3