YOUR PLACE.

DESERT DELIGHTS: What do you get when you cross a pineapple with a cactus? One big, prickly plant show.

This weekend, the Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society and the San Fernando Bromeliad Society are holding a joint show and sale at the Sepulveda Garden Center in Encino.

There is a judged cactus and succulent show and an unjudged bromeliad show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. And, best of all, there are plants, books and pottery for sale all weekend. The event and parking are free. The Sepulveda Garden Center is at 16633 Magnolia Blvd.

- Daily News

LOOK! NO FRACTIONS!: The latest candidate for computerization is the lowly tape measure. Stanley's IntelliTape Digital Tape Rule features a microprocessor and optical readers that convert this ancient tool into a high-tech measuring marvel. You can use the steel tape the old-fashioned way or you can use the digital functions to take a measurement, calculate the midpoint of a measurement for centering, store a series of measurements and recall the measurements at the touch of a button. Neat, eh? Priced at about $35, the tool is available at most larger home centers. For information, call [phone] or check the Web site at www.stanleyworks.com.

- Knight Ridder Newspapers

USEFUL WISDOM: ``Red sky at night, sailors' delight; red sky at morning, sailors' warning.'' You've probably heard that kind of folk wisdom, but did you ever wonder why it seems to hold true? Gardening writer Charlie Ryrie did, so she delved into the science behind the folklore in researching her new book, ``Garden Folklore That Works'' (Reader's Digest; $24.95). Ryrie uncovered the reasons behind the quaint gardening advice that's been passed down through generations, helping modern gardeners decide what's valid and what's myth. Take the red-sky saying, for example. Ryrie explains that it has to do with the eastward movement of most bad weather. The evening sky is red when clearing on the western horizon allows the setting sun to shine on clouds in the east, which are most likely moving away. A red morning sky, however, is caused by the light from the rising sun shining on clouds in the west, which are probably heading toward you and bringing rain.

- Knight Ridder Newspapers

TRY YOUR LUCK: Imagine how you could spend $25,000 in an Ethan Allen home furnishings store. New table? New chairs? A whole new living room? To celebrate the release of its new coffee table book ``Ethan Allen's New American Style'' and the new Swedish Home Collection, the company is sponsoring a sweepstakes. One winner will receive a $25,000 gift certificate, while 10 second-place winners will receive copies of the book. To enter, visit any Ethan Allen store or visit the Web site at www.ethanallen.com before July 15.

- Daily News

GOING 'ROUND WITH PAINT: If you're into painting in a big way lately, you've probably taken up a roller to get the job done faster. Rollers work fine on walls, but stairways and radiator pipes continue to be a pain. That's where the Whizz Roller System's Round Roller (55001) comes in. It's designed to get around spindles and pipes, including the back side. The roller of this model is velour and is used with semigloss and gloss coatings on architectural features up to three inches in diameter. It's $7.95 and is available in most hardware stores and home centers.

- Knight Ridder Newspapers

IMPRESS THE NEIGHBORS: You want your front yard to get noticed? You need to check out Topiary Joe at www.topiaryjoe.com. The Florida company has made topiaries in the shape of a P-38 Lightning plane, the state of Texas, the Eiffel Tower and even an oversize version of an Absolut vodka bottle. Photos on the Web site display his company's work: lots of giraffes, elephants, dolphins and the like, as well as whimsical images like a man raking and three bears hoisting one another over a wall. The company can also create topiaries in the shape of corporate logos, team mascots and cartoon characters, as well as mazes and portable living walls. Extras like fog systems and mechanical jaws and arms are available, too. The neighbors should really like that.

- Knight Ridder Newspapers

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(2) no caption (IntelliTape Digital Tape Rule)

(3) no caption (``Garden Folklore That Works''

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(5) no caption (Whizz Roller System's Round Roller)