Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Posted by Allyn Under Life & Lawns |

According to IBISWorld, an organization of analysts that researches economic, demographic and government data, lawn care is a multi-billion dollar industry. With so many choices available, it can be easy to get caught up in the vast array of products and services designed to help you improve your landscape. But you should keep in mind that an effective lawn care strategy typically values simplicity over technology. From pests to disease, here are three mistakes that you must avoid when you have kids.

1. Treating all pests instead of focusing on the ones you have. Many homeowners make the mistake of attempting the blanket approach when treating a yard for pests. However, Purdue Pesticides Programs encourages you to identify specific pests that are the root of your problem and treat your yard exclusively for them. Using kill-all treatments can waste money and time, as some pests require specific pesticides. Plus, its a smart idea to keep pesticides to a minimum whenever children are around.

2. Ignoring turf density and focusing on quick growth. Some homeowners place too much emphasis on growing a quick lawn and forget the value of dense turf. Ruth Micelli of Daytona Beachs Flagler County Cooperative Extension maintains that thick turf is the best weed prevention possible. Not only does properly established turf prevent weeds from getting the direct sunlight weeds require, but it also reduces the area that weeds can expand into. A weed-free lawn means healthier grass for children to run on.

3. Cutting too much and too short. Nothing symbolizes spring and summer lawn care more than a good mowing. However, it is very easy to cut too often or too short for your lawn to recover. The Iowa State University Extension recommends cutting once per week at an average height of 2.5 inches. Cutting just about one-third the length of your grass blades allows for nitrogen-rich clippings to fall and encourage healthy growth. Using this strategy means less need for commercial fertilizer and less chance children will be exposed to it.

The bottom line is that savvy lawn care strategies can give you a lawn youll not only be proud of but also confident is safe for the kids to play on. And the best part is that these tips and tricks mean more money in your pocket at seasons end.

Posted by Allyn Under Uncategorized |

How you treat your lawn in the spring has everything to do with how well the grass flourishes come summertime. Many people think that lawns have the capacity to jump-start themselves in the spring and maintain their health all alone. As with all growing things, your immature lawn needs nutrients, sunlight and TLC. Here are six ways to get your lawn ready for the year.

There you have it: lawn care secrets to build your grass into splendid shape by summer.

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Life and Lawns- Lawn Care Tips Blog

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For JCPS officials, the decision on whether to cancel class due to snowy weather and cold temperatures depends on the time it all hits.

"In a perfect world, we make the call about 9:00 the night before,"said Dr. Michael Raisor, Chief Operations Officer for JCPS. "This is really a worst case scenario for us, what happened this morningsnow coming in right about the same time that we would be transporting kids."

Dr. Michael Raisor says this is the earliest snow day for JCPS in at least 15 years.He says they didn't want buses hitting the road Monday in the middle of the snow falling.

"So that played a big factor into our decision as well as the dropping temperatures throughout the day," said Dr. Raisor.

The cold and sometimes freezing temperatures are what they want students to be prepared for.

"It is very prevalent in our district where we have students who don't have a coat, or don't have a proper coat, or don't have pants that they need... don't have gloves," said JCPS spokesman Ben Jackey.

They are doing a blitz to get the community to donate to the Clothing Assistance Program by Friday. Many schools are already reaching out for help for kids.

"We've had over 10 schools so far send over requests for approximately 300 coats for each school for kids and these are coats that are actually being delivered and going straight on the kids," said Heather Wampler, 15th District PTA President.

We're told last year a lot of adult coats were donated, but the big need now is for children's coats.Pants are also needed, along with gloves and other items that can keep students warm.

As the years go by, Heather Wampler says it is a need that keeps increasing.

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JCPS students in need of warm clothing for winter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Three teenagers are facing murder charges after Louisville cab driver Papa Thiam was shot to death.

Thiam was 31-years-old and a native of Africa.

Police say he was killed by a single gunshot wound to the body, and robbery appears to be the motive.It happened at around 8:00 Sunday night on Garden Green Way in Newburg.

Within hours, police had arrested three juveniles - ages 15, 16 and 17. They're charged with murder and tampering with evidence.

The victim was found inside the cab, but police will not say whether the suspects were passengers.

"I'm not going to get into the exact reason why they were there, at this stage," said LMPD spokesperson Dwight Mitchell. "What I can tell you is what have I told you. That is the fact that it was a robbery -- apparent robbery -- that subsequently led to the cab driver being shot."

After the driver was shot, the cab continued to roll forward, first hitting a lamppost, thenplowing througha fence, and speeding through Patricia Williams' yard.

"I was standing outside, and heard, 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.' I looked at my daughter, and I'm like, that was real, real close," said Williams.

Williams says she was in her driveway saying goodbye to her daughter and grandchildren, when she heard the gunshots, then saw the cab barreling towards her.

"It could have been my life along with his. He had no control at that point when he came hurling through the yard. It could have been me," she said.

More here:
Three juveniles arrested, charged with murder after cab driver shooting; victim identified

Realtime Landscape Architect 2014 - Landscape Concept by Land Architect Studio
Atlanta Artists Center Garden Renovation Design in 3D by Joe Hoyle @ http://www.landarchitectstudio.com.

By: Land Architect Studio llc

Originally posted here:
Realtime Landscape Architect 2014 - Landscape Concept by Land Architect Studio - Video

It's time. After weeks spent accepting nominations and sifting through hundreds of talented designers, builders, and architects, Curbed is ready to announce the finalists of Young Guns 2014. All week long we'll be rolling out the nominees. Today: The Community Builders.

Today we kick off the revelation of this year's Young Guns 2014 finalists by introducing a group of designers whose work, be it housing and revitalization in rural areas or landscape design in places particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, directly impact the public. There's an agrarian housing pioneer, an urban dweller battling the perception that architecture is "an accessory professional pursuit" to be dismissed when funds aren't available, and an L.A. denizen looking to better connect architecture and academia with the communities they serve. For them, it's about building and nurturing society first and foremost.

Age: 28 Location: Green River, Utah What he does: Co-Founder, Citizen Architect, and Principal of Housing at The Epicenter

As someone with a design background, what are the nontraditional ways in which you serve your local community?

"Rural places always struggle with having enough resources, enough services, and enough people to attract businesses and professions. It's hard to promote a story without the big shiny building. A lot of what we do is not glossy images, it's getting business managers to sit down at a table and talk about how they can work together, what they can ask the city to do, and what we can do for them to make the economy improve. It's mentoring a youth from the high school."

His work:

Age: 33 Location: New York, New York What he does: Associate Landscape Architect at Robert A.M. Stern Architects and Landscape Design Instructor at The New York Botanical Garden

What is an overarching trend in landscape design that you think will become more prevalent over the next decade?

"A lot of people were woken up by Hurricane Sandy and the potential for damage and devastation that can happen in our urban environment. Landscape architects are really at the forefront of the circulation of all these conversations about resiliency and how to anticipate the next global challenge. We deal with land, we deal with water, and we deal with people and how to integrate communities. We educate them about the new solutions that are being developed, which are sometimes aesthetically not the same as conventional landscapes that they may be used to. They're fuzzier, or more naturalistic - which is a nice way of saying they may look like weeds. Natural spaces are actually really good for defending ourselves against the climate challenges that are coming."

Originally posted here:
Young Guns 2014: Meet the Curbed Young Guns Finalists: the Community Builders

Fall Land Clearing Pt1
Cutting the tree line edge for the Fall. But, as always getting some larger stuff for fun. Enjoy the vue....

By: ClearCut8

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Fall Land Clearing Pt1 - Video

Fall Land Clearing Pt2
Little Mistakes on Brush Cutting. Things Happen.

By: ClearCut8

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Fall Land Clearing Pt2 - Video

Nov. 17, 2014, 9:33 p.m.

BRADDON Liberal MHA Joan Rylah has blamed a contractor for land clearing on her property, which led to council intervention and a state authority's investigation.

BRADDON Liberal MHA Joan Rylah has blamed a contractor for land clearing on her property, which led to council intervention and a state authority's investigation.

"We engaged an independent contractor to undertake work to clear fire hazards, clear fence lines, remove weeds and dangerous trees at risk of falling, from beside the road and to protect infrastructure," Mrs Rylah told The Advocate.

"Many of the trees were considered a danger to stock and ourselves, as land owners."

Mrs Rylah said she was not on site (near Somerset) when any of the work was done.

She said she and her husband, Rod, believed the contractor should have been aware of the riparian reserve.

"On October 27, we were notified by the Forest Practices Board of a possible breach," Mrs Rylah said.

"We immediately instructed the contractor to stop all works and complied with FPB directions.

"Approximately two weeks later, the Waratah-Wynyard Council notified us that a development application was required.

Continued here:
Contractor blamed for land clearing

BAYBORO | The matter of a controversial land-clearing project in Pamlico County could be headed to court, and the Pamlico County Board of Commissioners will be asked for its support Monday at a 7 p.m. meeting.

The Atlas Tract, a 4,658-acre tract of forest and wetlands in the Florence community, is the subject of a possible lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers by the Coastal Federation and local citizens.

Those groups allege illegal ditching and the destruction of wetlands, charges that were first offered by citizens in 2013, with complaints to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That federal agency gave an Illinois company the authority to clear and ditch land for conversion to agricultural use.

The land owners are Spring Creek Farms LLC, of Illinois.

Spokesmen for the Southern Environmental Law Center and the property owners are on the agenda for Mondays commissioners meeting at the county courthouse.

According to Alan Propst of Oriental, a leader of the citizens group, the request will be for the commissioners to support a letter of intent to sue the federal agencies.

The commissioners last year sent letters to the federal authorities for information and to voice concerns.

The clearing allegedly will undermine the water table in the area and adversely affect nearby estuaries.

Propst said the support of commissioners was vital if a lawsuit goes to federal court.

According to Propst, 251 acres have been cleared and ditched to date.

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Land-clearing issue to come before Pamlico commissioners

November 17, 2014

The move is to keep an eye on illegal land-clearing and fight corruption.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will station its officers in Cameron Highlands to tighten surveillance and monitor corruption to combat the problem of illegal land-clearing activities.

The move was made following MACC checks conducted since May last year which found there was no specific and systematic centre for the public to submit complaints effectively on illegal land-clearing and corruption.

Its deputy chief commissioner (operations), Mohd Shukri Abdull, said while waiting for government approval on the posting of permanent officers, the MACC would station officers there temporarily as soon as possible.

People can pass any information to MACC, he said in a statement here yesterday.

Mohd Shukri said although the MACC received complaints and information from time to time, it had a problem with inadequate evidence.

The MACC, through its inspection and consultancy division, has conducted checks to determine the cause of the problem in Cameron Highlands, he added.

On Nov 5, a mudslide occurred in Ringlet and Lembah Bertam, Cameron Highlands believed to have been partly contributed by illegal land-clearing activities resulting in the death of five people.

Last year, Mohd Shukri said the MACC had charged the people who illegally cleared land and tried to bribe an officer at the Land and District Office in Cameron Highlands.

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MACC to station officers in Camerons