Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Blossom

Your smart garden options are growing, and Blossom, a new irrigation controller designed to compete with the Rachio Iro, hopes to stand out from the crowd. Like the Iro, you install Blossom using your existing wires, then control your sprinkler system remotely via an app. But Blossom is promising increased range and durability.

Blossom, the product of a new California-based startup of the same name, further differentiates itself from the Wi-Fi-only Iro by adding weather resistance, in case your controller is outside, and by broadcasting its signal via Power-line in addition to Wi-Fi. Power-line networking transmits signal through the wiring in your home, passing information between the controller and a bridge that plugs into your network. The bridge translates for the router, so the system can talk to the cloud. In theory, the signal strength isn't reduced as much by distance or location as it is when a controller relies solely on Wi-Fi.

Blossom

Adding cloud connectivity to your sprinkler system allows Blossom to help you take weather into account when planning your watering schedule. You can set things up manually if you'd like, or simply indicate the type of plant in each zone and let Blossom go to work. By watering based on this plant and weather data, Blossom claims it can get your plants the moisture they need while saving you an average of 30 percent on your water bill.

You can pre-order Blossom now via the Kickstarter campaign that launched today. It'll retail for $179 and can cover up to 12 zones. That's a good price compared to the 8-zone controller from Rachio that costs $250. Rachio also sells a $300 16-zone model. Early birds will get an even better deal, with a limited number of Blossoms available for as little as $89.

Blossom plans to ship in January of 2015, whether or not they receive funding. At first, the product will be offered only in the US, but the company plans to expand internationally late in 2015.

The system will track when sunset happens for you. Blossom

You can interact with Blossom via the iOS or Android app; the app will work with both phones and tablets, or you can use the browser interface from your computer. Get things rolling and you can name each zone and give it a picture. Turn each sprinkler set on and off with the push of a button, then schedule them individually yourself if you'd like. Blossom even has a time option simply labeled "sunset" which I'm hoping means it'll give your yard an automatic sprinkle at the golden hour, changing the time accordingly as the seasons progress.

As mentioned above, Blossom can automate these schedules based on plant type, which is an especially nice feature. App screenshots show five levels of moisture to pick from, starting with "Ultra Eco" and working up to "Very Wet," and you'll be able to tinker with the specific settings of each one.

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Blossom lets your sprinklers know when rain's coming

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo -

The cold weather that we've seen hasn't just been bad for people and pets, it's been bad for pipes too.

And it's not just plumbing - sprinkler systems can be affected by the Arctic chill as well.

Many large buildings such as Eastside Church of Christ in Colorado Springs have sprinkler systems.

The church shares a building with Pike's Peak Christian School and has a system that serves both.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) says that maintaining the sprinkler system is the way to avoid damage that could cost you thousands of dollars in case of a break and that there are things that you should look for.

"Exposed sprinkler pipe. Also, look for any indications of cracks within the pipe or any moisture that has built up. And check the temperature. If the temperature is under 40 degrees in the attic, there's a good chance that you're exposing those pipes," said Kris Cooper, the Deputy Fire Marshal for the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

CSFD said that they received around a dozen reports of frozen sprinkler systems during the last cold snap.

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Don't forget sprinklers when it's cold

Grand Haven High School Athletic Director Scott Robertson confirmed today that interim head football coach Jason Duram has been permanently hired as the programs varsity head coach.

"Jason did a great job leading the varsity team during this interim basis," Robertson said. "His passion for student-athletes and commitment to developing a successful football program was key in our decision."

Duram, a GHHS social studies teacher, has been on the varsity coaching staff since 2003, last serving as defensive coordinator before taking over as the interim head coach this past season.

"I am excited to begin a new chapter in the Grand Haven football program," said Duram, whose Buccaneers finished 3-6 this past fall. "We have assembled an excellent coaching staff, and look forward to developing the necessary belief, unity and character within our program to achieve success both on and off the field.

"We are fortunate to have such a supportive administration, school staff, student body and community. Together we will make this program successful."

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Jason Duram sheds interim tag

15 hours ago by David Lambert And Michael Westaway, The Conversation Ancient DNA can tell you a lot more than skull shape about the origins of the first Europeans. Credit: Flickr/Sebastian Dooris , CC BY

Much of the evidence of where the first Europeans came from was originally derived from comparisons of skulls but our work looking at ancient DNA is revealing new insight, with results published this month in Science.

Before we go any further, we need to look at what the skulls were telling us. Over a number of decades from the 1970s the US physical anthropologist William Howells recorded tens of thousands of human skulls held in museum collections across the world.

The patterns identified by Howells established that there were distinct correlations between geography and human biology, which provided insights into our understanding of the population history of the world.

In 1989 Howells included a number of fossil human skulls in this comparison to see if they could shed insights into the understanding of modern human dispersals.

Are the first Australians and Europeans related?

One of the patterns to emerge was that many of the earliest European modern human skulls from the last Ice Age, commonly referred to as the Cro-Magnon people, sat statistically very close to Aboriginal Australians and Papua New Guineans.

Did this reflect a close common origin between the first Europeans and the first Australians? Our research, led by Eske Willerslev from the University of Copenhagen, reveals the answer to this is "not really".

The genome recovered from an ancient skeleton, from a site known as Kostenki 14, has revealed an important story about the human history of Europe.

The remains there, found in 1954 at Kostenki, in south western Russia, were from a short, dark-skinned man who lived between 38,700 to 36,200 years ago.

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Ancient DNA sheds light on the origin of Europeans

Delays as lorry sheds bricks over road

Delays as lorry shed bricks over road

Delays as lorry shed bricks over road

First published in News Last updated by Maxwell Kusi-Obodum, Senior reporter

MOTORISTS sufferedsevere delays on a Hampshire main road after a lorry shed its load.

The truck blocked Dimmicks Corner in Locks Heath after spilling a consignment of bricks it was carrying onto the carriageway.

The incident, which took place next to the mini roundabout, causedtraffic to build up in the surrounding area.

The truck tipped over and crashed to the groundat 10.20am as it turned the corner.

Passers-by rushed to help the driver out of his cab.

The man in his 40s is believed to be unharmed.

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Delays as lorry sheds bricks over road

Simple Family room addition ideas
Simple Family room addition ideas.

By: Simple Home Art Decor Ideas

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Simple Family room addition ideas - Video

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Its not set to open until May, but you can already reserve your room at the Big Cypress Lodge, the hotel inside the Pyramid.

In addition to shopping for outdoor gear, the new Bass Pro will feature the 100-room hotel. We got a look at the only finished room during a recent tour of the Pyramid.

Rooms feature fireplaces, handcrafted furniture, and a very uniquely designed, screened-in porch, a woman with Big Cypress Lodge said.

Call 1-800-BC-LODGE (225-6343) to make your reservation. Rooms start at $259 a night.

Earlier this month, Bass Pro told WREG that for the past ten months, construction, creative, and design teams have been transforming the Pyramid into a cypress swamp with fish and alligators, as well as 24 faux cypress trees that stretch to the upper reaches of the building.

The opening date has been delayed several times, with the most recent date being this Christmas, but Bass Pro executives promise it will be well worth the wait.

More than 200 construction workers are reportedly in the Pyramid daily. After keeping anyone from seeing inside for eight months, Bass Pro finally let WREG inside at the beginning of November to show you how its transforming the old home of the Grizzlies and Tigers.

In addition to the hotel, there will be an ocean-themed bowling alley called the Fishbowl, two restaurants, and Ducks Unlimited Waterfowling center.

We are going to have a mock-up duck lodge, a Ducks Unlimited official said. There you can relax by the fireplace, watch videos, view art work and taxidermy.

Observation decks will also line the outside of the Pyramid.

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New hotel inside Pyramid accepting reservations

Two mothers of former pupils at a Medway school which has been investigated over alleged child abuse for apparently locking children in a cupboard claim their children were locked inside it with a key.

The pair, who also used to be parent volunteers at the Brompton Westbrook Primary School, where they say they did their teaching assistant training, say the way their children were treated has had a lasting effect on them, so much so, one, aged just 11, is on now antidepressants.

Trustees at the academy in Kings Bastion have appointed an independent investigator to look into claims that up to eight children have been locked in a room.

Mums Patricia Wilkins and Alison Lovett

A previous inquiry by Medway Council concluded that four staff had cases to answer for gross misconduct. No one has been suspended as a result of the allegations.

She does not trust adults now, especially teachers and I was never told she was put in this room and locked in it as a punishment" - Mrs Wilkins

This week, Patricia Wilkins and Alison Lovett, both 37, said their children used to fight tooth and nail not to be taken to school when they were pupils there as they were so frightened to go into class.

Mrs Wilkins, from Gillingham, said her daughter was a star pupil until she reached Year 3 and then things started to go wrong and she noticed a change in her.

She said: She was about eight when it first started, she was too frightened to talk to me about anything that had happened at school.

She went from being a normal child to one who hid away from people.

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Brompton Westbrook Primary school locked children in room claim mums Patricia Wilkins and Alison Lovett

By Derrick Bills | Published 26 minutes ago

Chapel Hill residents spoke out Monday night abouta proposed development on Eubanks Road that could include more than 900,000 square feet in over 20 buildings.

The Edge, which would sit on 55 acres of property, would provide housing, retail space and offices.

The supporters of the development said the developer, Northwood Ravin, is credible and has been involved in multiple other projects in Chapel Hill.

Including retail stores in this new development area is important to its success, said John McAdams, founder of the John R. McAdams Company. But nothing is set in stone at the moment, and Northwood Ravin will have to do some work to get businesses to build new store locations.

A significant amount of retail already exists in the greater Chapel Hill area, and the opportunities to land retail tenants is a lot lower here, McAdams said. The visibility is not usually what retailers want.

John Felton, director of design for Cline Design Associates, provided details about what the space will look like and what types of materials will be used in construction.

We have a requirement for a recreational area, he said. The guts of the project will be made up of great streets and public spaces.

Council member Maria Palmer said she was concerned about pedestrians and bikers having to cross such a busy intersection.

Bob Reinheimer, a resident of the Northwood neighborhood since 1983, said he was excited about the development at first but has started to second-guess it.

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Chapel Hill residents evaluate plan for The Edge

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR (News release) McCain Mall will soon welcome another popular restaurant to its lineup. BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse will open its doors in the summer of 2015. Construction is underway on a new building located on the southeast parking lot near McCain Blvd. and Warden Rd.

BJs is known for its signature deep-dish pizza, award winning handcrafted brews in a variety of ales and lagers, and famous Pizookie, a warm, fresh-from-the-oven deep-dish cookie offered in a variety of flavors and topped with ice cream.

With more than 120 menu items and 50 craft beers, the extensive menu offers something for everyone, including salads, sandwiches, pastas, steaks, and baby back ribs. The restaurant also caters to the allergen sensitive customer and features an additional gluten-free menu as well as BJs EnLIGHTened Entrees for the calorie conscious.

In addition to the contemporary, casual, welcoming environment for dining in, BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse also offers catering, online ordering, and curbside takeout.

BJs consistently serves delicious, high-quality food and great beers, and it is a welcome addition to the mall, said Lisa Meyer, manager of McCain Mall. We know our guests will be as excited to welcome the restaurant as we are.

BJs is the latest in a series of exciting openings and announcements at McCain Mall, including new restaurants Tazikis Mediterranean Caf, which opened this fall, and Bar Louie, which is set to open in early 2015. The mall also welcomed several new retailers this year, including Zumiez, Windsor Fashions, and Torrid.

For the latest news and event information at McCain Mall, visit http://www.facebook.com/McCainMall or follow the mall on Twitter @McCainMall.

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BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse Coming to North Little Rock