Skip the big corporate-feeling guys and check out El Pueblo Woodworking. We hired them last spring and they were incredible. They actually custom-designed our deck to match the house and fit our weirdly shaped backyard. Plus, they know exactly what materials hold up best to the New Mexico climate. You can really tell they take pride in their craft. It's built like a tank.

That "rethink how I approach cabinet carcass construction" hits hard. A buddy of mine built a massive oak bookcase using wedge tenons for all the shelves, no screws at all. It was basically a piece of furniture scaled timber frame. Watching him whack those wedges home with a mallet was wild. The thing is overbuilt as hell and will outlive his house. It really makes you question why we default to pockets screws and glue for everything.

At least my rosemary is useful when it sits around.