… “There is a story about a beautiful bird that was known for it’s great singing. It would sit at the top of a tree and make lovely melodies. One day a man walking through the woods passed by the tree and heard the beautiful bird singing. The bird saw the man and that he was holding a box
“what do you have in the box?” the bird asked the man.
The man replied that he had large juicy earthworms in the box. “I will sell you a worm for one of your beautiful feathers,” he offered.
The bird pulled out a feather and exchanged it for a worm. He reflected to himself, Why should I work hard to get worms when it is so easy to get them this way?
The bird and the man repeated this process over the course of many days, and soon the bird no longer had any more beautiful feathers with which to pay for worms. Furthermore, he could no longer fly, nor was he still pretty. He did not feel like singing beautiful songs, and he was very unhappy.
Think about it…
from – “An Enemy Called Average” by John L. Mason
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Extreme Yard Makeover - News
Extreme Yard Makeover unveiled
Posted: Jul 07, 2009 12:03 PM CDT
Extreme Yard Makeover unveiled
by Natalie Sparacio
MOSINEE (WAOW)-- They've gone through their fair share of hardships,following the death of their husband and dad, the day before Christmas Eve.
But this morning, a Mosinee family received the surprise of a lifetime.
Less than 2 weeks ago, Holly's yard looked nothing like this, the swing set didn't have a swing, the front walkway... was breaking, and there was no landscaping.
Now, to name just a few of the changes, she have a nice cobblestone step into her home,her 2 small kids have a swing set with a race track around it, there's a fire pit, a waterfall, invisible fence for their dog Ramsey,and newly planted trees, shrubs, and grass.
Holly says, "... this is a like a dream come true it's way better than I imagined, and that they did this in a matter of a week is just beyond what Icould even expect and Ijust really want to thank everyone for your hard work and it means a lot to us. "
The landscaping crew made a point of keeping the old and mixing it with the new. In honor of Holly's late husband Tom, family and friends capped off the celebration by planting a tree... in his honor.
Holly says,"... I was crying in the shower this morning just thinking this is all awesome and totally wonderful, but ... the person I would want to share it with the most isn't here to share it with me."
A bittersweet experience that's brought strangers together, and truly made a difference to everyone involved.
James Merritt, with Living Color Landscape, the company who spearheaded the project says, "... it's great feeling of joy and satisfaction...it's very cool to know a group of people from within our company and in the community, plus all the sponsors came together and made a difference in the lives of a mom and two small kids and at the end of the day what else is there..that's a good day."
Holly says, "...I'm just truly happy that good things are happening in our life, even though we had a rough year we feel very fortunate for all the people who have reached out to us in the community as well, I just tell people I've never been so lonely and yet felt so loved in my whole entire life."
Online Reporter: Natalie Sparacio
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
“Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so
called scientific knowledge.”
- Thomas Edison
Last week we challenged conventional thinking with an organic approach to feeding our lawns and gardens. I had no idea that after submitting my article, that later that afternoon I would meet a gentleman named Arnie, who is a field rep for Specialty Turf. Arnie is a walking seminar on organics, biology, crop science, and some stuff that made my brain itch. I guess my point is that you never stop learning, and I feel better informed this week than the last. I would like to pick up from where we left off last week and talk a little about the important fundamentals of developing and maintaining a healthy and beautiful lawn.
Let’s start with preparation. The majority of turf problems begin here. If you are planning on installing a new lawn, make sure that you have at the very minimum 4” to a preferred 8” of good humic topsoil. This allows strong root development and moisture retention. Typically this is an area where I see landscape clients try to cut back on to save money. …Bad idea. Inadequate topsoil amounts open the door to thin and patchy turf, requiring excessive amounts of water and chemicals. And, over time costing you more in dollars and frustration.
Next you will be facing an important decision; “To irrigate or not to irrigate…That is the question”. I was speaking with Wally Skic of Green Lawn Sprinkler Systems, and he told me that “the installation price of a basic irrigation system for a city lot runs between 3,000.00 to 3,800.00.” All things considered, this is a bargain! When seeding a new lawn, you will need to keep the area damp through the germination process then watering heavier until you have established turf. Skic said; “Water until you get the desired color… (Nice and green), then back off until you see a bit of a change”. “You need to experiment a little, because it all depends on the amount and type of topsoil under your turf”. “For thinner topsoil 4” or less, you will want about 1/3 of an inch of water about every other day – For ideal topsoil depths of approximately 8 inches… 1/2 inch of water twice a week will produce a lush and beautiful lawn”.
OK, it’s TOOL TIME… We are heading for the land of facial hair and Adam’s Apples. It’s time to talk about maintaining that patch of paradise. Now that we have cultivated our green pride and joy, we need to think about some crucial aspects of turf maintenance… Let’s talk mowers.. “Ehh, Ehh, Ehh”. Yes there is a definite “thing” that a lot of us have with our riding mowers. We head out to the garage on a Saturday morning and fire up the John Deere and ride off into battle. We take pride in our lawns and at times invest heavily in them. We seek a neat, groomed appearance, but often times our approach works against our desired outcome. Cutting with dull blades and “scalping” or cutting too short are two of the more common mistakes. “Short Cutting” retards root development, requires more water, and invites weed invasion – especially annual weeds such as Crab Grass. We should maintain a height of 2 to 3 inches for the common types of turf in our area (Fescues and Bluegrass) and observe the “one-third rule” (Never removing more than one third of the leaf area per mowing”. Following proper installation and maintenance guidelines will give you the results you are looking for. Information is available on line or the Public Library on best practice turf techniques, or, consult an industry professional. The results are worth the investment!
“The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to mow it.”
- Anonymous
James Merritt/ Landscape Designer
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
called scientific knowledge.”
- Thomas Edison
Last week we challenged conventional thinking with an organic approach to feeding our lawns and gardens. I had no idea that after submitting my article, that later that afternoon I would meet a gentleman named Arnie, who is a field rep for Specialty Turf. Arnie is a walking seminar on organics, biology, crop science, and some stuff that made my brain itch. I guess my point is that you never stop learning, and I feel better informed this week than the last. I would like to pick up from where we left off last week and talk a little about the important fundamentals of developing and maintaining a healthy and beautiful lawn.
Let’s start with preparation. The majority of turf problems begin here. If you are planning on installing a new lawn, make sure that you have at the very minimum 4” to a preferred 8” of good humic topsoil. This allows strong root development and moisture retention. Typically this is an area where I see landscape clients try to cut back on to save money. …Bad idea. Inadequate topsoil amounts open the door to thin and patchy turf, requiring excessive amounts of water and chemicals. And, over time costing you more in dollars and frustration.
Next you will be facing an important decision; “To irrigate or not to irrigate…That is the question”. I was speaking with Wally Skic of Green Lawn Sprinkler Systems, and he told me that “the installation price of a basic irrigation system for a city lot runs between 3,000.00 to 3,800.00.” All things considered, this is a bargain! When seeding a new lawn, you will need to keep the area damp through the germination process then watering heavier until you have established turf. Skic said; “Water until you get the desired color… (Nice and green), then back off until you see a bit of a change”. “You need to experiment a little, because it all depends on the amount and type of topsoil under your turf”. “For thinner topsoil 4” or less, you will want about 1/3 of an inch of water about every other day – For ideal topsoil depths of approximately 8 inches… 1/2 inch of water twice a week will produce a lush and beautiful lawn”.
OK, it’s TOOL TIME… We are heading for the land of facial hair and Adam’s Apples. It’s time to talk about maintaining that patch of paradise. Now that we have cultivated our green pride and joy, we need to think about some crucial aspects of turf maintenance… Let’s talk mowers.. “Ehh, Ehh, Ehh”. Yes there is a definite “thing” that a lot of us have with our riding mowers. We head out to the garage on a Saturday morning and fire up the John Deere and ride off into battle. We take pride in our lawns and at times invest heavily in them. We seek a neat, groomed appearance, but often times our approach works against our desired outcome. Cutting with dull blades and “scalping” or cutting too short are two of the more common mistakes. “Short Cutting” retards root development, requires more water, and invites weed invasion – especially annual weeds such as Crab Grass. We should maintain a height of 2 to 3 inches for the common types of turf in our area (Fescues and Bluegrass) and observe the “one-third rule” (Never removing more than one third of the leaf area per mowing”. Following proper installation and maintenance guidelines will give you the results you are looking for. Information is available on line or the Public Library on best practice turf techniques, or, consult an industry professional. The results are worth the investment!
“The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but you still have to mow it.”
- Anonymous
James Merritt/ Landscape Designer
www.livingcolorlandscapes.net
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