A version of this story ran in The Virginian-Pilot on Sept. 14, 2005. Hurricane or no, we’re in for a blow. Time to start thinking about how to secure the woodpile or lash the garbage cans to a tree.

This part of the globe is currently teetering on the precipice between summer and fall, and it’s prime outdoor season. It’s still warm enough outside for most summer activities, and over the next few ...

J.D. Lenzen, the inventor of fusion knotting, explains knot tying in 15 levels of difficulty, from easy to complex. J.D. starts from the very beginning, with overhead, bowline, and square knots, and ...

The improved clinch knot, sometimes called the fisherman’s knot, is what I’d call a necessary oddball. It’s remarkably easy to tie and comes in handy for a variety of applications. It can essentially ...

Many people find this an almost instinctive way to form a loop that tightens under load — a slip knot. It’s clearly based on the Overhand Knot and is an easy way to attach a line to a post or bar. To ...