How to Install Low-Voltage Outdoor Lighting
Learn how to design and install outdoor low-voltage lighting from home improvement expert Ron Hazelton. This video includes details on walkway lights, deck l...
By: Ron Hazelton
See the article here:
How to Install Low-Voltage Outdoor Lighting - Video
(MENAFN - Arab News) The filipino domestic help who was scalded after having boiling water poured on her by her employer on may 4 is still awaiting the results of the investigation from the philippines embassy according to her relatives.
harrish alagasi posted fresh images of his cousin with a message saying 'these are the latest pictures of my cousin (fahima) for whom we are hoping to get speedy justice."
in a telephone conversation harrish told arab news that he visited fahima on friday and was wondering why he or his cousins had not been given an update on her case.
harrish also told arab news that fahima's employer had been detained and released on bail but he could not confirm the official source of the news having got his information from a philippine media channel.
the department of foreign affairs (dfa) told the media that the victim formally filed charges with saudi authorities with the help of the philippine embassy in riyadh last thursday.
the maid's plight was brought to the media's attention and has evoked strong reactions from readers across the globe.
the philippine overseas employment administration (poea) has issued a preventive suspension against phl and the saudi arabian recruitment agencies in addition to her employer in riyadh.
her parents also traveled all the way from southern philippines to manila to follow up on the case. sen. cynthia villar offered assistance to the victim's parents via sipag (social institute for poverty alleviation and governance).
villar also called on the dfa to use its legal assistance fund to hire good lawyers to assist the victim in her quest for justice.
in an interview with the radio villar told anchorwoman susan 'toots" ople that the government should not tolerate injustices inflicted on ofws who are considered the country's modern day heroes. 'the government should also look into the bilateral labor agreement signed between the philippines and saudi arabia" said villar.
(BPT) Small lawns have many of the same needs and issues as larger lawns, but they dont always require the same bulky tools to get the job done. A smart arsenal for small lawn care includes some sturdy hand tools and a few small, but powerful, gadgets. If youre looking to outfit your arsenal, consider these tools.
Lawn care at the flip of a switch Small lawns need fertilizer and treatment for weeds just like large lawns. But a large awkward push spreader can be overkill for a small lawn and take up valuable storage space in the garage. The new lightweight, hand-carried, battery-powered Ready2Go Spreader is specifically designed to make quick work of small lawns, slopes and tight spaces. It comes pre-loaded with popular lawn care products from Preen, GreenView and Vigoro. Each unit is pre-calibrated for its product so no further adjustments are ever needed. To use the spreader, just pick it up, flip the switch and walk to cover up to 2,500 square feet to fertilize or treat the lawn. To spiff up yards overrun with weeds including tough dandelions, try the Ready2Go Spreader with Preen Lawn Weed Control. For eco-friendly spring lawn feeding, the Ready2Go Spreader with GreenView Lawn Food offers quick green up plus controlled nutrient release over eight weeks. Each unit is refillable, reusable, and its pre-installed AA batteries are replaceable. After use, store the compact, portable tool on a shelf, with no space lost in the garage or shed.
Water the lawn, not the living room For a lawn, water ranks with sunlight in terms of importance. For a small lawn, often nestled up close to the house and open summer windows, putting water only where its wanted is desirable. The Dramm Colorstorm 9-Pattern Turret Sprinkler has adjustable directional sprays in nine different patterns to water small lawns evenly. Durable and efficient, it gives the lawn the good, deep soaking it needs, while leaving the living room curtains dry and blowing in the summer breeze.
Keep the lawn in fighting trim Mowing a lawn regularly is more than aesthetic: keeping grass at the right length, between two-to-four inches, helps grass develop strong roots. The Black and Decker 19-inch cordless electric mulching mower is designed for small lawns. It not only makes it easy to keep the lawn mowed to the correct height, it chops up clippings so they decompose easily, discouraging thatch buildup.
Give a small lawn an edge By their nature, small lawns are often viewed up close and personal. Edged lawns not only look nice, they help keep garden weeds out of the lawn and vice versa. But edging by hand is hard work. The GreenWorks 12 Amp Corded Edger is sturdy, lightweight, easy to maneuver and ideally suited to creating crisp tidy edges in turf along borders of walkways, driveways, paths and garden or landscape beds. With only a connecting cord of its own, attach the edger to the grounded outdoor-rated extension cord of choice, up to 50-feet. For those who prefer a manual edging solution, choose an edging tool with a sturdy handle and a strong hand-forged cutting edge such as the English-made Clarington Edging Knife.
These are tools that get the job done and done quickly, keeping small lawns trim, tidy and naturally strengthened to fend off weeds. Theyre also compact and easy to store and keep until next needed, a boon where storage spaces are also smaller with no room to spare.
Visit link:
For small lawns, choose smart tools that get the job done quickly
Introduction to Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc.
Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc., established in 2004, is a client-focused practice dedicated to providing the highest in client service and design ex...
By: Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc.
Follow this link:
Introduction to Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc. - Video
April 1960 view of the waterfall feature at Lake Phalen in St. Paul. (Image courtesy St. Paul Parks and Recreation)
Poetry readings, high school bands, a clarinetist on a canoe and a short procession will inaugurate a restored stone waterfall in Phalen Regional Park.
"It's been off for a long time," said Bryan Murphy, a landscape architect with St. Paul Parks and Recreation, who believes the stone structure hasn't cascaded water since the 1960s.
The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District will host its annual WaterFest celebration on Saturday to coincide with the dedication of the 1950s-era waterfall.
St. Paul Parks and Recreation secured $296,000 from the state Legacy program to improve the water system. Measuring roughly 15 feet in height, the original waterfall drew well water that cascaded over the stones and into Lake Phalen, which was receding in the 1950s.
"It isn't receding now, and it hasn't been for quite a while," Murphy said. The new system draws water directly from Lake Phalen, which travels through ornamental grates along a pedestrian and bicycle trail and over the limestone slabs just above lake level.
"It looks exactly as it did in the 1950s," said Murphy, who believes the water flow is comparable. "It's a really nice cascade -- it's even, and it's a really nice sound. It brings a lot of life to that area."
The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. with performances by Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet School, St. Peter's Catholic School and Harding High Earth Club on the bridge north of the park pavilion. A procession to the waterfall will begin at 11:25 a.m., followed by a formal dedication 10 minutes later.
Clarinetist Don Rose will arrive by canoe and perform "Turning on of Waterfall." The waterfall is located in the northwest corner of the lake, near a boat ramp.
Launched in the year 2000, the watershed district's WaterFest celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features fishing, archery, boat rides, Hmong dancers, food trucks and additional events. More information is online at http://www.rwmwd.org.
Original post:
Video: Phalen Regional Park waterfall gets new life with rededication
Join the City of Woodland's free Water-Wise Landscape Tour on Saturday, June 7, to explore attractive, water-efficient landscapes.
"Water-wise landscapes not only reduce water consumption and reduce potential of pollution discharges into the storm water system, they can also beautify a home, lower maintenance, and provide welcome habitat for beneficial insects and birds," according to Wayne Blanchard, water conservation coordinator for the city's Public Works Department.
"During warm weather months residential customers with traditional lawn landscapes allocate, sometimes unknowingly, about 50 percent of their water use to landscape irrigation," Blanchard noted. "A properly designed water-wise landscape can easily cut outdoor water consumption in half during those warm months."
The tour includes 10 sites. The example landscapes represent a wide variety of settings, approaches, and features, including an excellent before-and-after example at 829 Lewis Ave., where owner Sandra Jennings-Jones was able to work around an existing redwood tree and a birch tree grove in this medium-sized front yard.
The landscaping incorporated a dry creek bed to reduce runoff, a flagstone walkway, mounded plantings of drought-tolerant plants, and a seating area for enjoying the results. Jennings-Jones stated. "After installing a water-wise garden, I spend less time maintaining the yard and more time enjoying the view."
Blanchard said the inspiration for the tour came from residents' interest in learning first-hand about successful water-wise landscaping in Woodland, including plant selections, designs and landscaping techniques.
The tour complements the city's recent how-to workshop series on low-water landscaping, Water Wise Wednesdays.
Blanchard stated, "We plan on offering this series again in 2015. The workshop has been well received the last three years and allows those on the verge of doing this sort of transformation an opportunity to study issues in more depth."
The Water-Wise Landscape Tour activities will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a registration event at the Woodland Community and Senior Center, 2001 East St. The registration event will include an alternative grass display, relevant literature, mow-strip planting plans for water- wise home landscapes, a presentation on providing for beneficial insects in a drought year, and an overview of the tour sites. The landscape tour guide book and maps will be available at the registration event.
The self-guided tour runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tour participants will have the opportunity to learn how owners removed existing plant material, prepared the sites, addressed challenges, and set up irrigation systems. Homeowners and/or Yolo County Master Gardener volunteers will be on site at the tour destinations to answer additional questions about the landscapes.
Read the rest here:
3rd Annual free Woodland Water-wise landscape tour
Incorporating carefully selected native plants into your garden is a great way to create a landscape that needs less water, fertilizer and pesticides and that also benefits native pollinators, such as bees, moths and hummingbirds. Many western native plants are adapted to strong sunlight, limited amounts of precipitation, soils low in organic matter and challenging winters. Even putting these benefits aside, many gardeners grow native plants to bring more of the natural landscape around them into their day-to-day lives.
As with all landscaping projects, youll first need to assess the conditions in your yard. Take a look at the amount of sunlight and wind you have, the kind of soil and available water. You can then start selecting plants you think will suit the environment. As you begin to research possible plants for your yard, remember that drought-tolerant plantsthose that will help you use less water in your landscapeare often adapted to full sun. If your yard is shady, you may need to look for plants that prefer a bit more water.
Also keep in mind that many western wildflowers are short-lived perennials. Many live for three to five years, during which they will often produce seed thatif given the chancewill grow into plants to replace their parents. Expect your yard to change a bit from one year to the next. Self-sown seedlings are great for expanding your plantings or passing along to friends.
Here are some plants you might consider trying in your yard. The descriptions are from the new booklet Plants with Altitude: Regionally Native Plants for Wyoming Gardens, co-written by myself, Amy Fluent with the Laramie Garden Club, Dorothy Tuthill and Brenna Marsicek with the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute
Kelseys phlox or marsh phlox, Phlox kelseyi
This early bloomer is covered in glowing bright-purple flowers that hide its needle-like green foliage. It stands between 1 and 1.5 inches tall and is between 5 and 8 inches wide. It has a long bloom time (at least a month in many locations) and is less likely to suffer from winterburn than more common creeping phlox species (perhaps because it is so short). Its a great plant for the front of a garden bed. Phlox kelseyi is found in a few locations in Wyoming; the cultivar Lemhi Purple was originally collected in the Lemhi Mountains, which are near the southwest portion of the Montana-Idaho border. Lemhi Purple is becoming increasingly common in quality regional nurseries.
Rocky Mountain beardtongue, Penstemon strictus
Penstemon is the largest genus of wildflowers restricted to the new worldmostly north of Mexico. In Wyoming, there are more than 40 species, some broadly distributed and some restricted to very narrow ranges. They usually stand between 18 and 30 inches tall and are between 12 and 36 inches wide. Of the purple/blue penstemons, Rocky Mountain beardtongue is the species most commonly found at nurseries. (It is also easy to start from seed.) With tall spikes of blue-purple flowers and shiny dark green leaves, it is attractive in any garden and very attractive to pollinators, too. Like most penstemons, it has a short blooming seasontypically a month in summer. Also like most, it prefers dry soils. With excess water or too much shade, it can develop mildew on the leaves, and the root crowns may rot, especially if it goes into winter with wet feet. Rocky Mountain beardtongue can reseed aggressively, but cutting off the flower spikes after the blooms fade is an easy way to control this tendency.
Narrow-leaf coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia
These purple-flowered, hairy-leaved plants are tough, standing between one and two feet high and about 12 and 18 inches wide. Though shorter than the much more common purple coneflower, these plants are definitely more drought tolerant. Plants can be started from seed and should be transplanted when small; they are more difficult to transplant when larger because of their taproot. Plants start out a bit slowly and take a few years to bulk up in size. This plant can reseed a fair amount depending on conditions.
Read the original post:
Bring on variety when landscaping with native plants
Photo by Contributed photo
Scripps Newspapers Be sure to remove pets from yards being sprayed for ticks and fleas.
Even though were in a catastrophic drought, many people still try to maintain flower beds, shrubs, yards and trees. We need to make sure were not using anything that can be dangerous to our pets or at the very least be taking precautions to keep our pets safe. Planting new drought-resistant species in the yard can bring unfamiliar dangers into your pets environment.
Already subscribe to ? Unlimited access to on the web, your smartphone and tablet is included with your subscription. All you will need to do is ACTIVATE now!
Activate Now
Want to keep reading? now offers Premium and Digital Subscriptions. Subscribe now and select how you want to keep up-to-date on local news, reader comments, photos, videos, blogs and more.
Subscribe Now
Pet columnist Katrena Mitchell can be reached at bcs4kat@aol.com.
2014 Times Record News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
See the original post:
Protect pets from potential dangers of new landscape
CLEVELAND: Every year, the major-league baseball draft leaves hundreds of young players across the high school and college landscape hoping for a professional future.
Meanwhile, the leagues scouting directors and their array of scouts do their homework, crisscrossing the country before gambling on the players they believe have the talent and makeup to become the next class of major-league players.
Thats been the life of Indians director of amateur scouting Brad Grant for the past seven seasons as the leader of the department that selects and then develops the organizations future athletes.
On Thursday, Grant and his staff have four good shots at landing some of this years upper-echelon talent. They have four picks on the first day at No. 21, 31, 38 and 61.
The 21st selection is the Indians first-round pick based on their record from last season. The 31st pick came as compensation for losing free-agent pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. The 38th is the clubs competitive balance pick and the 61st is their second-round selection.
For a draft that Grant believes is equal in its high school and college talent and heavy in depth overall, having four early selections could be a coup.
There are a lot of similar players who fall into that range between picks No. 21 and No. 61, he said. Its exciting.
Exciting now, sure, but not so much in the past six months when it made for a bunch of added preparation that led to the Indians increasing their scouting staff, including three national cross-checkers.
Last year we had the fifth overall pick and then we didnt pick again until No. 69 on the second day, Grant said. So, we went and saw the best players just once, making the assumption that they wouldnt get back around to us when it was time for our second pick.
But this year, we definitely spent more time on those we consider to be the top 150 players in the draft. Our area scouts saw a player four to five times, then we had our cross-checkers seeing those guys three to five times. So the number of looks were getting is significant.
Go here to read the rest:
Indians looking for a big haul with four picks on the first day of upcoming MLB draft
JR Landworks Retention Pond Land Clearing
Utilizing our forestry mulcher machine and some hand cutting in steep sections, we cleared the vegetation, trees and debris from the banks of this large wast...
By: Jonathan Baigis
Read more:
JR Landworks Retention Pond Land Clearing - Video