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Landscape Design for a Backyard Office Space
The Design Challenge
This homeowner renovated a small outbuilding to accommodate an office space on her Midwestern suburban property. The homeowner loved the short commute to work (just across the backyard!), but the entryway was not visually clear from the parking area at the front of the house, so her clients had a hard time finding her office door. Additionally, the homeowner wanted more separation between office landscape and private residential landscape, so that her clients would not accidentally miss the office door and wander around her backyard.
Before: The small backyard lacked definition and clear destinations.
The Home Outside Solution
To help turn this utility building into an office, Home Outside developed a simple paved walkway framed by bushy, shade-tolerant plantings to help guide clients to the office door from the parking area. At the office door, a small paved patio area with bistro seating and window box plantings, framed by white picket fence, helped make this small building feel more like a cottage, rather than a utility structure. Plantings and fencing physically divide the landscape into a backyard for the main house and a front yard for the office, to deter wandering clients. And finally, beautiful screening plantings block views of utilities such as the A/C unit.
Get some design help from the Home Outside experts and start your own backyard makeover today!
After: The Home Outside design makes the space feel surprisingly larger, with clear lines of access as well as spaces to sit and enjoy the beautiful plantings.
The post Landscape Design for a Backyard Office Space appeared first on Home Outside.
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Custom Cabinets For Master Bathroom
When it comes to deciding what kind of cabinets you want to put in your kitchen or bathroom, we always tell our customers that the options are endless!
Where To Find Your Inspiration
You can look around on the internet at Houzz, Pinterest, or any picture from anywhere, and we can make it happen!
Recently we had a homeowner who found a particular cabinet she loved on Houzz. This particular cabinet had drawers with lots of space on the bottom while still having large enough cabinets to use for plumbing and storage. We were able to build these for her. We made the doors with a soft close option, and the whole thing looks fantastic.
Custom Cabinets Vs. Prefab
This was a custom build, so we actually built the entire cabinet to fit the exact size of her bathroom wall. You don't get that kind of fit with a prefab cabinet. The problem with a prefab cabinet is that you have to adjust it to the size of the space you have available. You often have to add fitters on the sides and in the middle of the cabinets, to fill in the space. But what we can do is build you cabinets that are a perfect custom fit for your specific bathroom.
If you are interested in getting some custom work done for your bathroom or kitchen, give us a call! We can give you a free estimate, and we will be more than happy to make your dream happen for you!
The post Custom Cabinets For Master Bathroom appeared first on Nielsen's Painting & Remodeling.
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Nastya Kolchina builds beautifully industrial chic offices for Expert Electric Company
Deep in the heart of Moscow, Russia, an innovative urban architectural firm has designed an expansive, industrial chic office space for Expert Electric Company. View in gallery The sophisticated, loft-style space comes complete with a metallic silver ceiling, some unique and cutting edge styled furnishing pieces, bright but comforting lighting, and an overall atmosphere that distinguishes the space in a huge way from your average traditional office space. View in..
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The post Nastya Kolchina builds beautifully industrial chic offices for Expert Electric Company appeared first on HomeDSGN.
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7 Tips That Can Help You Avoid Being Audited by the Taxman
Nothing scares the taxpayer more than the prospect of being audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). However, you should find comfort in the fact that tax audits are a rare occurrence. In fact, a measly 1% of all returns were audited last year.
Of course, to avoid being audited, you should file your returns as stipulated by the law. Here are some additional tips to helpyou can avoid IRS officers.
Report All Income
The number one reason why the IRS conducts audits is because of the failure to report all sources of income. However, you should never contemplate taking this route because the agency has every copy of the W-2 and 1099 forms received by you.
For people who make money off capital gains, it is mandatory to fill out their respective Schedule D forms. You must also factor in miscellaneous income.
Assess Your Data
Data entered on the tax forms must be consistent with your income records; the IRS has software that compares the two aforementioned sets of data and reports any inconsistencies. If the two don't match, it's highly likely that the taxman will conduct a tax audit.
To avoid making errors, it is advisable to use software designated for preparing tax reports, even then, you must exercise care when keying in the figures. Alternatively, you can enlist this service of a tax professional to assist you with this process. Even so,the data provided to either the software or the tax professional needs to be double-checked for accuracy. It's also important to wait for all income reports before starting the filing process.
Be Honest
Taxpayers often overstate their charitable contributions to reduce their tax liability. But since the IRS knows your income range, they also have a good estimate of the maximum amount you can donate to humanitarian causes.
You can also catch the attention of the IRS by indicating dubious expenses on your tax report, such as unrealistic expenses to get higher tax deductions. All claims must be validated by receipts or other relevant documentation.
Make Money (But Not Too Much)
You need money to survive, and the IRS is well aware of this fact. If your business is continually making losses every year, that usually raises a red flag. Likewise, if your expenses are more than your earnings, the taxman will take notice. On the other hand,too much income attracts the attention of the IRS too. Stats show that taxpayers whose gross income exceeds $10 million per year make up the majority of audited reports - approximately 35%. In contrast, people who make up to $80,000 annually contributed only 0.5% of the audited reports.
Double Check Your Report
Humans make errors; it's a fact of life. So always double check your report before putting it in the mail. And when you do find errors, instead of neglecting them, fix them to reduce your chance of being audited.
Include Explanations
Include explanations if you think that your tax returns will raise concerns. Some of the items that raise flags include your name, dependents, expense, income, and deductions. Explanations should be backed by relevant documentation such as receipts, checks and other supporting records. Although the IRS computer might detect inconsistencies, a human IRS officer will be able to examine the attached explanations and clear you from a potential audit.
Get the Timing Right
According to a majority of tax advisors, filing late reduces your chances of getting an audit. Indeed, a sizable portion of these consultants says that you should file for extensions because the IRS usually earmarks their targets for auditing every financial year before the extension deadline. Regardless, all taxes should be paid before the April 15 deadline, as failure to do so can result in penalties.
Conclusion
The best way of reducing the chances of a tax audit is by filing a return. That being said, there is no surefire method of entirely avoiding a tax audit by the IRS. The good news is, following these tips you should have nothing to fear when the taxman comes knocking.
Photo Credit: stock photo
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#126: Is Your Home Making You Grumpy?
Lots of us want a more organized home, but are we going about it the wrong way? Today we're talking with a home efficiency expert about how rethinking our approach to organizing could end up making us all happier – and maybe even help us be more patient partners and more present parents. She also explains why we should treat our kitchen like an operating room, how Sherry's minimized closet could be better, and why garages are so hard to keep under control. We're also sharing how a random phone call and a dicey forecast sucked the momentum right out of our duplex progress, but we're still finding some silver lining in the news. Plus Sherry falls hard for some fairies.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify – or listen to it below! Note: If you're reading in a feed reader, you may have to click through to the post to see the player.
What's New
That's a quick video tour of our messy garage, filled with boxes and stuff to be hauled in a big moving truck to the duplex – including the two Crate & Barrel sofas we ordered over a year ago! (Bonus: some dining room insanity)
NOTE: If you're reading in a feed reader you may need to click through to view the video. You can also watch it here on YouTube.
We bought those sofas way back in Nov of 2017 (!!!) right after buying one for our Richmond house because they were having a crazy sale and we loved the one we got for our house. We have the “Steel” color here, but the duplex couches are both “Truffle” because it was the color that was deeply discounted.
The rest of the boxes include things like window blinds, curtain rods, curtain rings, toilet paper holders, shower rods, and hardware for kitchen. Oh, and there are some rugs in there too.
And here's the picture of my infamous moving-truck-in-the-ditch moment when moving out of our first house eight years ago. You can read about the whole ordeal here.
Stephanie Sikora, Life Made Simple
If you'd like to learn more from Stephanie, check out her new book Simplified: A Real-Life Guide To Organizing Your Space And Saving Your Sanity
Or check out her website, Life Made Simple, for blog posts, online courses, and consultations.
We're Digging
Those are the books Sherry has been poring over these last few weeks. The first book in the series is A Court of Thorns And Roses, followed by A Court of Mist And Fury, and finally A Court of Wings And Ruin. (There's also a box set if that's your jam).
Sherry says it's similar to The Selection series she recommended a while back – although she might slightly prefer these (in her words, “they're a bit more Game Of Thrones meets Hunger Games – plus fairies, but cool ones that wear leather outfits”)
And she's already picked up the first book in Sarah Maas' next series, A Throne of Glass.
Below are just some examples of the range of shower heads that have that H20Kinetic technology (again, not sponsored – I just really like the ones we've bought and can tell a difference). Most of these also come in multiple finishes: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7
The one we found on the clearance rack doesn't seem to be sold anywhere anymore, but it's similar to #7
If you're looking for something we've dug in a past episode, but don't remember which show notes to click into, here's a master list of everything we've been digging from all of our past episodes. You can also see all the books we've recommended on our Book Club page.
And lastly, a big thank you to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Grove.co/YHL to receive their FREE gift: a trio of Mrs. Meyers cleaners, a set of walnut scrubber sponges AND a tin cleaning caddy. Yup, all of that's FREE!
Thanks for listening, guys!
*This post contains affiliate links*
The post #126: Is Your Home Making You Grumpy? appeared first on Young House Love.
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Whole Grain Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Baking tends to get a lot of attention in the weeks leading up to the winter holidays, yet it's often overlooked in January. Perhaps this is because the holidays are regarded as a time to celebrate and indulge, while the arrival of a new year prompts a lot of focus on healthful eating. In my mind, though, baked treats are a part of the balanced picture that constitutes a healthful diet. And it's easy to craft baked goods with quality, wholesome ingredients.
These cookies are the best of both worlds: sweet, chewy, and studded with dark chocolate, yet also created with One Degree Sprouted Spelt Flour and Sprouted Quick Oats for fiber-rich, whole grain goodness.
Banana, along with ground flax meal, replaces egg, so the cookies are easily dairy-free and vegan. They're kid friendly, easy to prepare with everyday ingredients, and absolutely delicious. In the past year, my schedule has shifted to necessitate packed lunches every weekday. Including a few of these cookies as afternoon snacks or lunchtime desserts has brought a lot of brightness to otherwise long afternoons.
There's no collection of baking ingredients I'd rather use and support than One Degree Organics; I love the brand's commitment to supporting local farmers and sustainable agriculture, and its breads and cereals have been favorites in my home for years. The Sprouted Quick Oats thicken these cookies perfectly, and of course whatever's left in the bag can be used in future wholesome breakfasts. You can substitute rolled oats if that's what you have, though I think the texture of quick oats is better for a chewy, tender cookie.
I've had mixed luck with spelt flour as a baking ingredient; typically I need to use light spelt to get the tender crumb and lightness I'm looking for in muffins, cookies, and the like. The One Degree Sprouted Spelt Flour worked every bit as well as light spelt usually does, which is a happy new discovery for me. I can't wait to try it in cakes and quick breads. For now, I'll savor it in cookie form-maybe with a glass of soy milk for dunking.
You can check out the full recipe on the One Degree Organics website by clicking here.
Enjoy, friends! And I'll be back later this week with a new non-recipe recipe: this time, an easy, hearty vegan pasta supper.
xo
The post Whole Grain Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies appeared first on The Full Helping.
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How to Prune Boxwoods to Minimize the Threat of Boxwood Blight
Boxwood blight, or boxwood leaf drop, is a relatively new fungal plant disease that was first identified in the UK in the 1990's. Since then it has spread to many areas of the world, and has become a disease of great concern in the U.S.
Boxwood blight is extremely contagious and affects every species of boxwood. The disease first presents itself as brown spotting on the leaves. Affected plants then form distinctive black or dark brown lesions on the stems, accompanied by leaf drop and severe dieback. Boxwood blight is often fatal, especially to young plants.
This devastating, aggressive fungal disease has already meant millions of dollars of lost material nationwide.
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3 Commercial Property Tax Strategy Considerations for the Next Recession
Is a recession on the way in 2019? If you ask a CFO, there is nearly a coin-flip chance that the answer is yes. Ask a CFO if a recession will start by the end of 2020 and that number skyrockets to 82%, according to the latest Duke University/CFO Global Business Outlook survey.
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Vibrant, Bright and Filled with Coastal Charm: Summer Cabana that Sizzles!
The idea of a lazy summer evening on the beach with the sun shining on your back and a lovely tan at the end of it all is an image that seems so very distant in the middle of winter chill. But those longing for the dreamy summer days can take some console from the fact that we are already into January and the warmer months are not too far away. (Depending on where you live, of course) Now is the time to plan for those cozier times and to get things ready and if you wish to get started, then the gorgeous Summer Cabana designed by Lauren Christine Henno offers ample inspiration!
Summer cabana in white with blue accents and a natural vibe
Every little detail inside this relaxing, cheerful and inviting summer hangout is inspired by laid-back coastal and beach styles with white and blue taking over the entire setting. You can easily notice how a flood of natural light makes a big difference to the overall ambiance and gives the home its true meaning. Every space feels much larger than it really is with the living area, kitchen, dining room and bedrooms being engulfed in a world of white.
RELATED: 1960's Bungalow Altered into a Hypnotic Coastal Home with an Amazing View
Summer cabana bedroom in white with blue accents and decor all around
Accent pillows and decor bring blue to the white living room
Acrylic bar stools add modernity to the beach style kitchen
Blue, acrylic and white combine to create the perfect, relaxing cabana
Coastal accents bring uniqueness to the dining space in white
Accent pillows in blue, patterns like the starfish and posters that remind you sun, sand and surf make sure that this home feels 'summery' all year long irrespective of the weather and season outside. Acrylic bar stools and console tables along with bright, navy blue furniture in the bedroom create a balance between beach style and modernity that you just cannot miss. Plenty to learn from in here! [Photography: Alex Vertikoff]
RELATED: Embracing Summer Vibes: 25 Bedrooms Filled with Soft Pastel Beauty
Coastal style bedroom in deep blue and white with lots of natural light
Entry with console table and twin table lamps along with lush green plant next to it
Girls' bedroom in white and pink with coastal themed additions on the wall
Spacious and functional white kitchen with distinctive countertops
You're reading Vibrant, Bright and Filled with Coastal Charm: Summer Cabana that Sizzles!, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
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Things Are Getting Homier At The Duplex!
Last month we shared how refinishing the floors at the duplex made us feel like we turned a major corner at a house we've been renovating for over a year (remember when it looked like this?!). And now we are firmly in “the fun part!” You know, where you get to start bringing in rugs and light fixtures and furniture and accessories so it goes from looking like a construction zone to an actual home. It's THE. BEST. Especially after months and months of expensive improvements that you don't even see when the drywall goes back up (like plumbing and electrical upgrades).
So let's just get right into it. Behold, this wall of the left side's master bedroom that we pretty much rebuilt from scratch:
bench / similar light / similar rug / walls: SW Spare White / doors: SW White Truffle
That rug is the one we originally bought for the pink house's living room (you can see it there in this post) but it often looked too dark paired with our dark sectional. But in this room with a fluffy white bed on top of it, we think it'll look worlds lighter and brighter – especially paired with our pretty pink closet doors and that capiz chandelier that we hung between them (which used to hang above our dining table in the pink house – more on that switcheroo here).
We actually added those two closets during framing because it was the largest room but it didn't have a closet at all originally. So we thought flanking the window with two of 'em added lots of storage and symmetry (whereas just one closet would take a bite out of the corner of the room and feel less balanced).
Here's the same bedroom, as you view it from the door. We can't wait to add some thick wooden shelves in that little chimney nook that we were able to expose during the renovation.
Below is a similar view of this bedroom when we bought the house. It was just a boring box, complete with a drop ceiling to hide a whole lot of mold and rot that was going on above it.
The photo below is a picture of the back bedroom on the other side (the right side of the duplex) as it looks now. Over here we reused the only set of original doors that we could salvage: these cool skinny little pine doors, complete with their original hardware.
bench / similar plant / similar light / basket / Walls: SW Spare White
They have tiny little latches on each side that stole my heart the second I saw them, along with little faux drawers at the bottom with old cup pulls. So much quirk & character!
And since they're not standard height (they're shorter than standard interior doors) we got to add cute little cubbies above them. I love how the curved baskets bring in some texture and some softness with so many rectangles going on around them. Same with the curved chandelier.
We're also pretty excited about our kitchen progress, since we worked over the holiday break to assemble both sides (not without hiccups – more on that here) but we're really happy to be mostly over that hump. The appliances are on their way, and our counters should be getting templated and installed before the end of the month. We can see the finish line!!! (Ok, and then we have to add shelves, hardware, and a bold patterned backsplash, but we're closer to the end than the beginning!)
cabinets / hood / pendant light
That's the kitchen on the right side and here we are in the adjacent mudroom/laundry room. We still need to build in that storage cabinet, but we're waiting for the stacked washer & dryer to be installed first. And those painted pocket doors (they're Oyster Bay by Sherwin Williams) lead to the kitchen, and will probably stay open most of the time. We added them in case people want to shut out the noise when laundry's going. And because they're just so dang cute.
pendant light / floor tile / walls: Spare White by SW / doors: Oyster Bay by SW
We'll also be adding lots of mudroom storage in here, like hooks and baskets galore for shoes, bathing suits, towels and all that good stuff. The outdoor showers are a few steps away from the back door that leads into this room, so this space is going to be a workhorse for sure.
Ok, but now let's take a peek at the kitchen on the left side of the duplex. We chose some moody blue-green-gray cabinets for this side, but they look bright blue here. Wait for it…
cabinets / hood / pendant light
They're still covered with a protective film that we aren't going to remove until after the appliances and counters are installed, but you can see from the piece John's holding up below that they're a lot grayer and greener underneath the film. We LOVE the color for a beach house. Feels really playful but not too out there.
This is the mudroom off of that kitchen, where we did a similar tile pattern as the other mudroom, but in a totally different colorway. We love how each side feels related to the other side – but not identical. Kinda like they're cousins but not twins. We still need quarter round trim in here (most of the other rooms are done – but we held off on this room so we can add a few built-ins and then install it).
floor tiles: pink, white, & taupe / door color: White Truffle by SW / door: secondhand find (!!!)
So those are just a few of the spaces that look SO MUCH BETTER already – even before our huge truckload of furniture arrives (yes, we're renting a giant box truck and driving things down ourselves in less than a week!). But even without all the beds and tables and sofas and chairs that are coming, we're soaking up this PROGRESS, BEAUTIFUL PROGRESS! And you know I'm counting down the days until I can share more photos with furniture and curtains and art and ALL THE THINGS!!!
P.S. To see all of our duplex progress from the very beginning, click here for around a dozen posts that'll cover a lot of ground (from buying it and floor planning to rebuilding it, tiling, and refinishing the floors).
*This post contains affiliate links*
One more P.S. – If you like blog posts, you can get an additional one each week delivered straight to your inbox – and it's free! Just sign up here (and if you'd like to see a few sample emails first, here's one, and here's another one).
The post Things Are Getting Homier At The Duplex! appeared first on Young House Love.
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New Year, New Home?
It turns out a lot of millennials want to buy a home someday - a whooping 89 percent according to a new Apartment List survey. But, just 5 percent expect to buy in 2019 and 34 percent say they will wait at least five years. Why the lag?
While the dream of homeownership is strong, 72 percent cite affordability as the critical issue.
Down payment funds are primary challenge
Sixty-two percent of millennials specifically mention the lack of funds for a down payment. Only 11 percent have saved $10,000 or more for a home and 48 percent have zero down payment savings.
What the study overlooks
The survey also found that two-thirds of Millennial renters would require at least two decades to save enough for a 20 percent down payment on a median-priced condo in their market.
What this study overlooks is that a 20 percent down payment isn't required and isn't even typical for a first-time homebuyer. The average down payment for a first-time buyer is about 7 percent today, according to the National Association of REALTORS. So, don't despair - you have options.
Today, there are multiple loan programs are available with as little as 3 or 3.5 percent required as a down payment. keep reading
The post New Year, New Home? appeared first on Down Payment Resource.
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The First Step to Getting Out of Survival Mode – I Had to Let Go of the Fantasy
This post is an excerpt from my book Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection not Perfection. To enjoy my kids I had to come to grips with the fact that parenting would be nothing like I imagined and, in fact, many sweet, memorable moments often happen at the same time as the messy and loud moments.
Letting Go of How I Thought It Would Be
I started out parenting with stars in my eyes. I believed if I just tried hard enough I could do everything right and not make any mistakes. In fact, I built it up as the one thing I could not make mistakes in. I'd do it right! and everything would be cozy! and nice! and . . . perfect! I would be the envy of my other parent friends because I would do it “right.”
And then I had my first baby.
And oh man, everything was emotions and sleeplessness. It immediately became apparent that having a kid was not going to be just how I thought it would be. I felt jumbled and fearful; I was pretty sure I was doing it wrong, certainly not perfectly. I longed to feel competent again instead of confused.
Survival Mode
Years passed filled with ups and downs, sweetness and spit-up, and adding two more kids to our family.
I kept looking for the perfect solution to things like sleep, tantrums, eating . . . Each time I thought I had it figured out though, things would change, my kids would hit a new stage, and I'd be back to searching for another solution.
One day, I realized I was spending most of my time in survival mode, not enjoying the moment, enduring my kids rather than noticing them, and anxious the whole time that I was screwing it all up. I was worried I'd be filled with regret later if I couldn't stop feeling so frantic and exhausted.
I needed a starting place to change how I was feeling. I didn't want to spend their entire childhood in survival mode.
I thought about the brightest moments in my own childhood-they were often simple, like my mom teaching me to shuffle cards, or my dad teaching me to whistle with a blade of grass. I thought about the most treasured moments in our family life. Many of them were just as simple, and yet nothing like I thought they would be.
I'd pictured special times at our dining table doing crafts together. I didn't realize some of our best memories would instead be made when we gave up on the failed craft and, to escape the house, drove down to eat lunch while watching trains.
I was focused on the end result of activities, like swimming lessons, and didn't realize some of our most precious memories would be made on the way there, looking for prairie dogs that make their homes in the lot near the city pool.
When I thought parenting had to be perfect like the picture in my head, I hardly could enjoy the “perfectly imperfect” moments that came every day….
Field Notes: Letting GoWhat did you imagine parenting to look and feel like? What shocked you about the reality versus your expectations? Do you have parenting “fantasies” or imaginings that are getting in the way of noticing the way your family really is? Would you like to let go of any of these ideas?
For more like this check out my book, Bounceback Parenting: A Field Guide for Creating Connection not Perfection. Read more here.
The post The First Step to Getting Out of Survival Mode – I Had to Let Go of the Fantasy appeared first on Bounceback Parenting.
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An Open Letter to Kim Kardashian
Dear Kim,
I need your help. I am impressed that a reality television star, like you, with star status as big as the President's (I mean HUGE), can walk into the White House and bend the President's ear. Thomas Rainer cannot. And that's a shame.
Rainer, a landscape architect, author and teacher, lives and breathes reality. He loves gardens, nature and clean air, but he doesn't have a television show or a cosmetics line.
Phyto partners Claudia West, Melissa and Thomas Rainer.
I applaud you for making a successful argument for prison and sentencing reform.
Congratulations!
I don't want you to lose momentum because I've got another big idea for you and the President.
If you read Garden Rant, and we hope you do, you will know our readers are crazy about gardens, nature and a healthy planet.
We may argue details, but we do not dispute the main point: We all want clean air and water.
The President's EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, and Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, each left office due to a blind eye toward ethics that complicated their efforts to cozy up to oil, gas and developers who wanted to horn in on public land. Their departure hasn't slowed the unwinding of environmental regulations. The president has recently doubled down on fossil fuels and poisonous toxins.
Baltimore Orioles Park. Claudia West, lead designer.
It goes on.
There was worrisome news, yesterday, about a 3.4% uptick in U.S. carbon emissions, the largest increase in eight years.
I worry about environmental insolence.
Rainer does, too, whether the government is shut down or open.
Rainer quoted environmentalist Aldo Leopold on Twitter a few weeks ago. I have included here a bit more of Leopold's piece from Round River:
“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen… We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.”
We are not striving enough.
We are living and gardening on God's green earth, so why do we ignore what others have warned us about for years?
In late December, the President rolled back more environmental regulations.
The utility companies scratched their heads. They had already invested heavily in Obama-era EPA mandates. The utility companies would have preferred that Obama had not been proactive on these regulations, but now that the cleaner-energy infrastructure is in place, they don't seem interested in going backwards.
Evolve IP Corporate Center, Wayne, PA. Claudia West, lead designer.
Lawyers are lining up to argue the cost-benefit ratio of clean air and water. It's déjà vu-René Descartes-style-all over again.
“I think therefore I am.”
I think?
Why do we need to continue arguing whether clean air and water are good for you?
We are stuck in the winter mud with remorseless greedheads.
Kim, next time you're invited to the White House, please insist that Thomas Rainer come with you. You've got the president's attention. He'll listen to Rainer if you tell him.
Rainer is the principal partner for Phyto, the design firm, in Arlington, Virginia. So not that far from the White House!
Rainer is compelling. On his blog he wrote “More than ever, we need planting solutions that are resilient, ecologically functional and beautiful. Our goal is not merely to create more functional landscapes, but to make people see again, to make them remember.”
Evolve IP Corporate Center
In Planting in a Post-Wild World, the book Rainer co-authored with his colleague Claudia West, he lays out a new way of thinking, and an “optimism for the future of design” that “…does not seek nature in remote mountaintops, but finds it instead in the middle of our cities and suburbs. It looks at our degraded built landscapes with unjaded eyes, seeing the archipelago of leftover land-suburban yards, utility easements, parking lots, road right of ways and municipal drainage channels-not as useless remnants, but as territories of vast potential.”
Kim, before you return to the White House with Rainer, I am willing to solicit nursery and greenhouse sponsors for seed and plant giveaways for Rainer's presentation. (I know people in high places.) The White House staff will love the free goodies.
Don't worry if the giveaway idea smells like influence peddling. The President's Press Secretary Sarah Sanders can take care of anyone who gets testy.
Rainer might even give the President a signed copy of Planting In A Post-Wild World. No, I take that back. The President doesn't read books. You can have the signed copy. I haven't read a more instructive gardening and design book in years.
One more favor: I'm sure Rainer wouldn't mind if you plugged his book to your 124 million Instagram followers.
Yours truly,
Allen Bush
An Open Letter to Kim Kardashian originally appeared on GardenRant on January 9, 2019.
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Prepare like a Pro – 4 Winter Landscaping Tips
As the temperatures continue to fall, daylight hours get shorter, and the final leaves begin to fall off the trees. One might think this marks the end to another season in the landscape. In one aspect, this is correct; the growing season is over. But, there is still much you should do to the landscape to prepare it for the stresses of Winter. Here's 4 Winter landscaping tips from a pro.
Winter Landscaping Tip #1 – Dormant Season Pruning
Pruning of your trees and shrubs during the growing season, in most cases, is a must. To keep the plant clean and shaped, cut back some of the new growth that comes out as it grows.
Once the plant goes dormant however, one would think that there is no need to prune anymore. That is not the case! When there are no longer any leaves on the trees and shrubs, you can easily see up into the plants. This inspection may reveal a very thick and densely branched tree or shrub. In most cases, this is not an ideal growth habit for the plant. Thinning to reduce that density of the branches will help the overall health of the tree or shrub.
Another benefit that dormant season pruning has for you is that the debris that you create from the pruning is substantially less because there are no leaves to worry about. In some cases, this translates to a lower cost to have a professional do the job. Less debris means less for them to haul away.
Winter Landscaping Tip #2 – Perennial Cut Back
Another type of plant that benefits from pruning are perennials. As freezing temperatures hit, most Spring, Summer and Fall blooming perennials begin to store their energy for the Winter down in their root system. The result is a brown plant on top. You could leave these ugly, brown remnants of the perennial in your landscape, but that isn't very visually appealing. Also, having a lot of dead foliage in your garden provides great places for rodents to hide and feed on the root system of your plants. The best thing to do is to cut back the foliage remnants of your perennials. Your final result will be plants cut to a few inches above ground level.
Winter Landscaping Tip #3 – Fertilization of Trees and Shrubs
Giving your trees and shrubs the proper nutrition is vital to the success of their growth and structure. With a low amount of nutrition in the soil, many plants will struggle to stay healthy. Plants will lack the proper color foliage and have limited blooms. Additionally, having a stressed tree or shrubs increases the chance of disease or insect infestations. There are two main type of fertilization that can be done in the Fall that help the landscape. A liquid fertilization can be performed around the drip line of a tree or shrub and instantly puts the nutrients into the soil. A granular fertilization is also placed around the drip line of the tree or shrub and the product will slowly dissolve into the soil.
Either option is a good choice for the Fall. The vital nutrients that are in the fertilizers will remain in the soil until the Spring time. This means these nutrients are ready be there to be taken up once the plant emerges from Winter. Fertilization can be done in the Spring time for trees and shrubs too, but it can take some time in order for nutrients to be absorbed. So, having the greatest impact starting the Spring season off would be a Fall fertilization.
Winter Landscaping Tip #4 – Fall Planting
Once you have gone through your landscape pruning your trees and shrubs, cutting back your perennials, and fertilized the beds, you may begin to starting thinking about what next Spring could bring and what you could do now to fill in a few areas that just seem to be missing something. A good thing to do in the fall is planting of perennials, trees and shrubs.
A large benefit of planting in the fall is the reduced amount of watering you will need to do. When you plant something in the spring or early summer, the foliage and root system are actively growing. This means a large amount of water to keep them going. When you plant in the Fall, perennials, trees and shrubs are just about dormant. Because the ground stays moist with more frequent rainfalls it takes the watering labor away from you.
Also, when planting in the Fall make sure to provide your new and existing plants with a good layer of mulch to help insulate the soil. This practice helps reduce the chance of heaving from the alternating freezing and thawing of the ground.
Being outside in late Fall weather may not always be pleasant, but making sure your trees and shrubs are protected from the potential damages of the Winter are necessary. Making sure you tackle each of these steps above will help to ensure that your landscape is properly protected this Winter. If you'd like a free consultation about Winter landscaping, please Contact Us.
The post Prepare like a Pro – 4 Winter Landscaping Tips appeared first on Tomlinson Bomberger.
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4 Types of Clutter: How Many Are You Hanging Onto?
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We all have clutter, but do you know what type of clutter you have?
I confess I'm hanging onto a bunch of plastic tubs filled with teaching supplies: arts and crafts materials, books, office supplies, lesson plans, and more. I gave up teaching long ago, but somehow I can't seem to let go of these items.
I know I'm not the only one with storage issues. After all, self-storage is a $38 billion industry. So what are we storing? Why are we keeping it? And how on Earth do we get rid of it?
To find answers, I connected with organizing professionals around the country. They helped me sort through the various types of clutter inhabiting our home, and provided insights on how to tackle the mess once and for all.
1. Sentimental clutter
What it is: Your child's artwork and school projects. A not-quite-right gift from a well-meaning aunt. Greeting cards. Prints of vacation photographs (remember those?).
“It's common for these kinds of things to be enjoyed in the moment,” says Julie Bestry, a certified professional organizer and president of Best Results Organizing in Chattanooga, TN. “Then pretty much forgotten about until we go spelunking to find something we haven't seen in years.”
How to tackle it: “Gently,” says Felice Cohen, a professional organizer in New York City. Cohen encourages her clients to tell her about the item and its history. “I would then point out that the story would live on without the item.”
Robyn Reynolds, a professional organizer and the owner and CEO of Organize2Harmonize in Los Angeles, suggests holding onto memories, but not the items themselves.
To do this, take a photo and save it electronically (where it won't hog up physical space), or post it to social media so you can share your memories with others.
2. Painful clutter
What it is: A wedding dress postdivorce. Angry notes from a parent. A broken rocking chair from a deceased grandmother. Plastic tubs of supplies from a job gone wrong.
How to tackle it: Find ways to give the clutter new meaning.
For my situation, Tracy McCubbin, author of the upcoming book “Making Space, Clutter Free” and a Los Angeles–based professional organizer, suggested going through the items and gifting the usable supplies to a new teacher who's just starting out.
Doing so gives it new meaning “instead of it languishing in your home, and taking up space, and making you feel bad,” McCubbin explains.
3. Sunk-cost fallacy clutter
What it is: Anything you're keeping because you spent a lot of money on it. According to economic theory, the “sunk-cost fallacy” is continuing to do something-or keep something-just because we've invested in it, even if it's useless or a drain on our lives.
How to tackle it: Accept your current reality.
“Sometimes you just have to accept that you made a mistake,” says McCubbin. “It's an awareness or a consciousness to take a moment and say, 'OK, I spent money on this but I'm not going to use this.' 'I don't like this.' Or, 'My life has changed' or 'It's a burden to me.'”
To make it easier to let go, gift the item to someone who needs it or donate it to a charity you support. If you have the time and energy, consider selling it online.
4. Identity and self-worth clutter
What it is: Items that tie into your sense of identity. It could be items from a job you enjoyed but no longer have, maternity clothes, or old athletic uniforms. Or it could be more aspirational items, like a yoga mat you're sure you'll use eventually or yarn for that knitting project you'll totally do on your next vacation. Or it could be items in general and the sense of safety that they give us.
“When we grow up in poverty or experience profound, tangible loss at some point in our lives-through family separation, natural disaster, etc.-each possession we do have can feel tied to our feelings of self-worth,” says Bestry.
How to tackle it: Start by acknowledging the hold these things have over you.
“A lot of time people get stuck in the past and they don't allow themselves to live in the now,” says Reynolds.
Bestry suggests acknowledging the part these items played in our lives and remembering that things don't define us, and that our identity isn't dependent on our stuff.
The post 4 Types of Clutter: How Many Are You Hanging Onto? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
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Vegan Burgers and Burritos Cookbook Review
Today I am sharing an awesome cookbook with you guys. Vegan Burgers and Burritos by my friend Sophia DeSantis. You probably already know Sophia from her amazing food blog, Veggies Don't Bite. I think Sophia's cookbook can be summed up in one word: FLAVOR. OK, maybe two words: EPIC flavor. Keep reading to get a glimpse inside + enter my giveaway for a book!...Read more »
This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!
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What To Do If Clover Mites Invade Your Home This Winter
Finding hundreds of tiny red bugs in your home can be a little unnerving, no matter what time of the year you find them. And, if you know that clover mites are closely related to spiders, scorpions, and ticks, that may be cause for you to worry even more. But you don't have to worry. Those clover mites won't hurt you. They don't bite people and they don't spread diseases like ticks. They can, however, cause other issues. Let's take a look at these tiny pests and see what we can learn.
What Are Clover Mites?
These are tiny household-invading pests that have long front legs. To the naked eye, they are nothing more than a little red speck, no larger than a pinhead. Usually, they stay outside feeding on clover, grassy lawns, weeds, and other plants. But sometimes they come into homes by the thousands, especially in spring and fall months.
Why Clover Mites Do Not Belong Indoors
While clover mites may not sting or bite or transmit diseases, they are still not good to have inside homes. The red pigmentation in their bodies can stain surfaces that they are resting on when they are squished or wiped away. This can be a problem, especially if they have invaded in large numbers and if your home has light-colored curtains, carpets, walls, furniture, and other belongings.
How Do Clover Mites Get Into Homes?
When temperatures begin to drop in the autumn months, many insects will begin to congregate on the sunny sides of buildings, seeking warmth. They can sometimes be seen by the thousands on siding, brick walls, porch areas, and anywhere else that is sunny and sheltered from the cold. And clover mites are so tiny that, when they do this, it isn't hard for them to find tiny gaps and cracks in which to crawl through and gain access to the inside of a home. They may crawl in through a gap in the foundation. They may squeeze in through a space underneath a screen that is not securely in place. Or they may crawl in through a gap around a pipe or some wiring that is passing through a wall. There are many ways a tiny creature like a clover mite can find its way into a home.
Clover mites are also attracted to heavily fertilized lawns. They feed on plants, grass, weeds, and clover. If you have a large number of them in your yard or on your home, this may be the reason why.
DIY Steps To Prevent Clover Mites From Entering Homes
While it may be difficult to eliminate an infestation of clover mites once they come inside in large numbers, there are some steps homeowners can take to try to keep these little red curtain stainers from getting inside in the first place. But keep in mind that clover mites are so tiny, it is difficult to seal your home enough to keep them out completely.
Carefully examine the perimeter of your home, looking all around the foundation and outer walls. If you find any gaps, holes or cracks, seal them up using a caulking gun or other repair material, or hire a professional to fix these areas. Not only will this help to keep clover mites from entering, it will also help keep a host of other pests from finding their way in as well.
Clover mites love gardens/grass that is rich and abundant. Keeping your perimeter as free of grass and weeds and other growth as possible will help in keeping clover mites away.
Address any areas of wood rot, especially the sills of your home just above the foundation wall.
Make sure all of your doors have weather stripping that makes good contact all the way around.
Call in the professionals. Professional pest control companies can be a huge help, not only in keeping clover mites out of homes but in keeping a host of other insect and animal pests away from and out of your home.
When To Call In Professional Pest Control
If you are seeing a large infestation of clover mites or you would like to be proactive in keeping them out, the best solution is to call upon a professional pest control company. Over-the-counter insecticides are often not catered to a specific pest. This decreases their chances of being effective. At American Pest, we have specific, EPA approved products designed to eradicate clover mite issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. For clover mites, or any other pest problem, reach out to American Pest today.
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