Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Cracked but intact, the tile mosaic was saved from the demolition hammer in 2018 when the Arts Centre Melbourne was undergoing major renovations. Now, 20 years after it was first installed alongside 24 others, the mosaic is being reconsidered in a wider historical context, looking at its place in the long and rich history of Melbournes street art and the recurring motif of the grid.

Invaders work references the early video game, Space Invaders (1978). To fully understand the work, consideration needs to be given to the longer history of both computing and aerial warfare, which stretches back to the 19th century, along with the history of Melbourne itself.

Explore Melbournes latest art events, exhibitions and performances here.

Guest curator Lachlan MacDowell said Melbournes gridded streets mirror the grids of Invaders work and Tomohiro Nishikados games.

By placing his art in Melbourne, Invader activated a longer history that draws together Melbournes colonial streetscapes and the pixelated screens of digital culture a reminder, via art and games, of the fused histories of technological experimentation, aerial warfare and frontier violence, he said.

Examining street art from this period, Invader was not the only artist making work inspired by digital culture and the aesthetics of the grid. The exhibition displays photographs of five street artists from this period, which responded to the grid and the rise of digital technology.

They include:

Off The Grid: Invader and Melbourne Street Art in the early 2000s from 14 September 2022 until 15 February 2023 at the City Gallery, Melbourne Town Hall.

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New exhibition tracks Melbourne street art and the history of Invader - Beat Magazine

I tried the Pet Stain Eraser for the first time when my cat had a nasty incident on my white (!!) carpet, and within seconds literally seconds the stain, the gunk, and the smell were disappearing. My partner returned to the room and couldn't tell where the stain had been at all. And another huge bonus is the compact size. I live in a small apartment with limited storage space, so the fact the something handheld can be so powerful is awesome.Highly highly recommend for any pet household!

Promising review: "Love! A must for pet owners! Its light and easy to take wherever you want. Especially when I was going room to room cleaning up spots. I cleaned carpet stains, porch cushions, and car trunk. I was very impressed how well such a small machine worked. Definitely would recommend for a portable cleaner! Also, it was easy to clean the actual machine. I dont feel like Im spreading grossness from place to place with a dirty machine."Christina C.

Get it from Amazon for $133.89.

BTW, this tool comes with two small bottles of ready-to-use cleaning formula, but if you need more, grab a bigger bottle for $10.99!

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Do Yourself A Favor And Check Out These 38 Cleaning Products - BuzzFeed

From a distance, the exterior of Greenwood Happy Haunts looks like a typical business.

Once inside though, people are met with all things Halloween and fall.

Upon entering, people are greeted by an animatronic werewolf, mannequins of Freddie Krueger and Michael Myers and fall decor. Further inside, the offerings only expand with decor ranging from Halloween beer bottles and glassware, wall art, hanging decor, doll houses, masks and more.

Some items are as small as a toy truck, others are as large as a wooden hearse. Theres even a wooden electric chair with a skeleton that, when activated, flashes lights simulating an execution.

Greenwood Happy Haunts, a year-round Halloween store located at 248 Market Plaza in Old Town Greenwood, will officially open to the public on Saturday. For Cory and Scott Steenbergen, opening the store is the culmination of a love of Halloween and a dream to build something fun for both them and the community.

Its been our dream for several years now to do it, said Scott Steenbergen, one of the owners of the store.

The idea for a year-round Halloween store stems from a lifelong love of the holiday. For years, the couple has gone all out decorating their home for the holiday. They also hosted Halloween parties in a warehouse behind the store featuring animatronics with their friends, and eventually, more and more people asked to come, Scott Steenbergen said.

The state of another business of theirs also factored in. The Steenbergens are the owners of Greenwood Marble & Tile Co., Inc., a business that Cory Steenbergens grandfather started nearly 70 years ago. The tile company currently shares a space with the Halloween store.

In the last few years, many of the companys suppliers have stopped making the products they used. Theyve also faced issues with finding qualified workers and keeping their crews running, they said.

This change came at a time when they started to realize they were ready to slow down and do something different.

We decided we just wanted to do something fun and different and this is what wed love to do, Scott Steenbergen said.

With half of their tile showroom now gone, the Steenbergens decided to use the other half of the building for a Halloween store. It continued to grow and grow over the last three years to the point where they hoped to have the store open this year.

The Steenbergens marble and tile business still exists, although it has a much smaller footprint inside the building now. The goal is to keep the business going for right now before eventually getting out of the marble business, Scott Steenbergen said.

The goal is to get out of our 70-year-old business and enjoy life a little bit and have something down here that has never been here before, he said.

Stores that offer Halloween decor and products are typically only open at certain times of the year. With Happy Haunts, thats not the case, as the plan is for the store to be open year-round.

Its also not like a traditional retail store where there may be five copies of the same item, Cory Steenbergen said.

A vast majority of the items inside the store are handmade or remade by the couple. Sometimes they order things to make the props, but almost everything else is handmade.

Everything from the electric chairs to the guillotines and the hearse that were gonna have in here, thats all handmade by me, Scott Steenbergen said. Im the guy that makes it; I like the science behind it. Theyre all wood other than my buddy that cuts the metal out for me.

He also works on illuminating some of the items and setting up the animatronics, he said.

Cory Steenbergen does all of the etchings, paintings and vinyl signs. The couple also goes to garage stores to get secondhand items to use as props, Scott Steenbergen said.

The goal of Greenwood Happy Haunts is to bring more happiness back into the fall and Halloween season, as its not always looked at as a positive holiday. This is why the store is called Happy Haunts, Cory Steenbergen said.

Were trying to just bring some happiness to people, she said.

Scott Steenbergen has big dreams for the business and hopes it will continue to expand and maybe even become a tourist attraction for Greenwood. In his eyes, it seems children and families do not have many things to do in Johnson County, so hes hoping this business will bring people in, he said.

Im hoping to become a little bit of a tourist thing with all the animatronics and the props and then sell stuff and still be able to keep making stuff, he said.

Another goal is to expand the store to include the entire building, so customers can walk all the way through the building, front-to-back, surrounded by animatronics displays and props for sale, he said.

The couple has been approached by photographers who have asked if they could use the Steenbergens back warehouse as a place for Halloween- and fall-themed photo shoots.

I never would have dreamed someone would ask me about that, but I am open to doing that, Scott Steenbergen said.

The Steenbergens have also considered maybe doing spooky readings where someone comes in and reads ghost stories to whoever is interested. Another idea is to have a place for area ghost hunters to come and share their stories, Cory Steenbergen said.

Cory and Scott Steenbergen are also ghost hunters and are considering having their group, Past, Present, Future Investigations, or PPFI, use the store as a headquarters, Cory Steenbergen said. The group is mainly interested in finding out peoples stories, the history of things and being respectful about it, she said.

Members of the public have already shown a lot of interest in the store. Ever since Cory Steenbergen launched the stores Facebook page launched and people began sharing news about the store in local social media groups, both she and Scott Steenbergen have been surprised by the reactions, they said.

The interest is not only online, but in-person as well. Members of a local corvette club have asked when the store is opening so they can tour it and people walking by have stopped to take a look through the windows. Some people have even taken photos in front of the mannequins placed in the front Windows, the couple said.

We were just really surprised at the support weve had, I mean, between family and friends, of course, but to the community, Cory Steenbergen said. Its been really welcoming and we hope it continues like that.

Scott Steenbergen hopes the public will enjoy. Both he and his wife love a passion for Halloween, and this is their way of sharing this passion.

I just want to put smiles on peoples faces, Cory Steenbergen said.

Scott Steenbergen replied, Yeah, I do too.

IF YOU GO

What: Greenwood Happy Haunts Grand Opening

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: 248 Market Plaza, Greenwood

Read more:
Year-round Halloween store Greenwood Happy Haunts opens Saturday - Daily Journal

When a 1920s colonial-style beach house in New Jersey needed a kitchen facelift, its owners called upon New York-based interior designer Nicole Cohen. With a background as a multidisciplinary artist, Cohen approaches design through a visual lens that plays with composition, color, and form in an approachable way.

Here she found inspiration in the original architecture, including stucco walls and arches, choosing to work with the period features rather than against them. That said, The original kitchen was too small and in bad condition, says Cohen, citing the lack of color, nonfunctional floorplan, and dated Formica finishes. It didnt make sense for a young family who wanted to spend a lot of time together in the home.

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Nicole Cohen

Cohen aimed to create a kitchen that would fit the family easilywithout it feeling crowded when cooking or entertaining. Working with the team at Monmouth Custom Builders, the designer embarked on an eight-month renovation that included the kitchen, pool, basement, and porch, all of which combined for a 4,000-square-foot retreat.

In order to make the kitchen the true heart of the home, the team opened up the space into an L-shape that connects the dining room, den, and back porch. Now its filled with color and light.

Take, for example, the star of the show: green Mosaic House floor tiles. The couple let us know that they had a mutual love for the color green, and we wanted to make sure that was featured prominently, says Cohen. I found this tile when I was shopping for other materials for this project, and it felt like it was a perfect fit.

Custom cabinetry by Castle Woodcraft, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and a custom terrazzo dining table all combine to make the kitchen feel special, says Cohen. In each of the projects I work on, I always try to create one piece of furniture that can live on in the clients home. With this table, we custom-made the aggregate and shape.

Nicole Cohen

Nicole Cohen

Simply White by Benjamin Moore throughout helps the room feel more open, deVOL Kitchens and mounts by Schoolhouse create glowing layered lighting, and Mosaic House floor tiles add personality. The color makes the room vibrant and exciting, she says. I love how happy the space feels, like the perfect place to eat ripe peaches and homemade pasta.

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A Nondescript Kitchen Is Now Colorful, Connected, and Welcoming Thanks to Designer Nicole Cohen - House Beautiful

I highly recommend Zengel Industries. For the past three years, Brian has been cutting, aerating and seeding our lawn. Last year we even signed up for his fertilization program, and were very happy with the results. He is very dependable--one of his crews are always there on the scheduled day (or the next if we had rain). We even have Brian come in the spring for yard cleanup (remove branches and cut shrubbery). I have never had a problem--I find Brian to be very professional, answers all calls or messages that I have sent, and even reached out to me about snow removal when we had a storm a few years back and he knew I might need plowing. I plan on having Zengel Industries again this year for the fertilization program, weekly lawn cutting, and spring cleanup and shrubbery cutting. I am also happy to know I can call him if we need the driveway plowed this winter. I can't say enough about how much we like Brian Zengel and his crew. Thanks Brian!

- Patricia R....

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Top 10 Lawn Mowing Services Near Me | Free Reviews & Grades Nearby - Angi

Lawn Mowing Prices

Lawn mowing is very important for not just the appearance of your lawn but its health as well. Regular mowing promotes growth, makes your grass stronger, and helps it get more nutrients from the mulch. Every company prices out services in its own way. Some charge by the size of the area, others by the hour. Some adjust the cost based on how often they come, with the biweekly costing slightly more than weekly mows. Below, you will see some of the average costs for lawn mowing service based on common pricing methods and the average cost you can expect to spend for each.

On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between $0.01 to $0.05 per sq.ft. for mowing. Mowing costs are sometimes calculated by the square foot, especially for smaller yards. Keep in mind that as the size of the area approaches a full acre, your costs may switch to acreage to make the estimates more accurate. Your professional may also choose to charge by square footage if your yard has large, landscaped areas.

You can expect to pay between $50 and $100 per acre for average lawn mowing prices. Charging lawn care prices per acre is more common with commercial services providing maintenance for large plots of land. However, some smaller companies charge a per acre cost for homes with less acreage as well. The lawn care prices per acre are typically a little higher than per square foot, primarily because they will use additional gas and time going to the far edge of the property and back than they would with a smaller space. Below you will see the lawn care cost per acre average per mow for companies that charge their services based on acreage.

The average hourly rate for lawn mowing runs between $25 and $80. For tricky properties with fences, trees, childrens play equipment, and other obstacles, your company may charge by the hour rather than by the job. The more obstacles they encounter, the higher the price. Working around many small odd-shaped landscaped areas may also result in an hourly rate charge. Some yards require multiple workers, making the price per hour increase. However, the total cost should remain the same because the total number of hours will be reduced.

Regular lawn mowing once a week will run you an average of $30 to $80 per visit. Weekly costs are generally calculated based on the property size and type of work being done. Weekly mowing service is the most common contract option, especially during peak growing season, normally the spring and summer. This is because your lawn will grow faster, and the watering, sunshine, and fertilizer continue to nourish it.

If you are looking for a one time lawn mowing, you will be charged a flat rate for the service. A flat rate mowing runs from $40 to $90, depending on the size of the yard. Flat rate or one time mowing is most often utilized when people are out of town and will be unable to mow during their time away.

You can expect to pay an average of $200 to $250 a month for monthly lawn care on a 3,000 to 5,000 sq.ft. area if you contract for a monthly service. A monthly contract allows you to get lower rates than you would for a one-time service. Keep in mind that monthly service plans are only for weekly or biweekly mows and services. Most companies do not offer plans with three-week or monthly mows.

Find the best residential lawn mowing service near me

Mowing is not the only service that these professionals usually provide, nor is it the only service your lawn may require. Your yard maintenance cost may include many maintenance tasks that may be used to help bring your lawn back to a healthy state, prepare it for the upcoming season, or reduce the risk of weeds, pests, and other intrusions into your yard that can damage its aesthetic. Below, you will see the average lawn maintenance cost based on the most common maintenance tasks that may be combined with your mowing to keep the outdoor of your home as beautiful and healthy as possible.

You can expect to pay $65 to $150 per visit for weeding. You can choose to have regular weeding throughout the growing season, which may lower your cost, or call for service as needed. Taking care of weeds periodically keeps your grass healthy, makes it look more aesthetically pleasing, and eliminates some of the hiding spots for insects.

As with any living thing, your lawn needs food to help it grow. Fertilizer is its food, and you can expect to pay between $150 and $500 per application, depending on the size of the area. Fertilizing in the spring helps your grass bounce back from its winter dormancy. Fertilization in the fall prepares it for the harsh upcoming season and is referred to as winterization.

Tree trimming is an additional cost you can include in your landscape maintenance which runs between $175 to $750. Tree trimming will often be a one-time occurrence for your seasonal maintenance and may be done for aesthetic purposes or to take care of dead branches and brush. The cost you pay for tree trimming varies widely. The thickness of the branches, type of tree or shrub, and its location play a role in the cost.

Leaf removal services run from $200 to $400 per visit. Larger yards and yards with more trees cost more. You may choose to have your leaf removal performed in spring or fall, depending on what time of year your leaves fall and whether or not you are in an area that sees snow. If you live in a colder climate, leaf removal in the fall is the ideal option.

If your yard has a large amount of natural debris, you may want to consider a yard cleanup, which costs from $200 to $500 for a visit. While most yard cleanup services include leaf removal, they also include the removal of brush, branches, acorns, and anything else that has fallen in your yard throughout the season.

Whether you have had a recent tree removal or are fighting with a stump that takes up space in your yard, removing it costs between $200 and $700, depending on the size of the stump. Removing stumps from your yard gives you more open space, improves the aesthetic of your yard, and gets rid of a potential home for carpenter ants. The tree stump removal process often involves using heavy equipment to pull out the stump whole, along with any attached roots.

Aeration of your lawn costs from $220 to $870 per visit. The aeration process entails putting holes into the grass and soil. This process allows the oxygen and nutrients to penetrate down into the soil, where it can better fuel your grass. This process should be used in conjunction with fertilization to maximize the health of your yard.

The cost of tree pruning will run from $350 to $650, depending on the type of trees and the number that need to be tended. If you have fruit trees, pruning is essential. This keeps them healthy and helps them produce more fruit. Pruning is different from trimming because it focuses only on dead branches on the tree, keeps the tree healthy, and maintains its shape.

Pest control is another common maintenance process that costs between $350 and $1,000. The cost varies depending on the size of your yard and the type of pests. Common services to control pests in your yard include tick treatment, earwig treatment, mosquito prevention, and other pests removal.

Pest control is a very common maintenance task that costs between $350 and $1,000. The cost varies depending on the size of your yard and the type of pests. Common services to control pests in your yard include tick treatment, earwig treatment, mosquito prevention, and other pests removal.

Another popular maintenance project is landscape edging, which costs from $1,200 to $2,000. Popular options include concrete and brick. Edging can be made from several materials. The cost you will pay for your edging project will be determined by your type of edging, the length that needs to be edged, and whether or not mulch is included in the price.

There are several ways that your lawn care professional may bill for the maintenance services provided. Their method of billing depends on the size of the project, the project scope, or the companys preferred method. Below you will see the average cost for lawn maintenance by rate, which is higher than mowing prices because it typically includes one or more maintenance items mentioned in previous sections.

Though pricing per square foot is not the most common method for pricing this type of project, you can expect to pay between $0.03 and $0.08 per sq.ft. The square foot pricing method is almost always reserved for yard sizes that are less than an acre and may be the preferred method for heavily landscaped or wooded yards.

Lawn care prices per acre run from $150 to $250. Just like with mowing, more significant lawn care such as seeding, weed control, fertilization, and aeration is typically priced per acre, with many companies performing more than one of these services at a time. Maintenance costs range widely due to the variety of services that may be needed. They may include one or more services, such as seeding with fertilization or aeration. These services are usually performed and billed separately from mowing. If you have several acres, costs will definitely be higher:

Most professionals offer hourly rates on lawn care maintenance. You can expect to pay from $40 to $90 per hour for these services, depending on the additional maintenance tasks required. It is important to note that this price is per person per hour, so if multiple workers are used, the price per hour will go up, but the overall cost will likely be the same since having more people means it will be completed sooner. Very large areas often require multiple workers.

Weekly grass maintenance averages from $65 to $125 per week, depending on the size of your lawn and maintenance items involved. Your maintenance company may choose to bill you for the services performed on a specific week or include all of the seasonal items and break it out to a weekly contract price. Most often, contracts include leaf removal, mowing, fertilizing, and aeration.

If you call a maintenance company for a one-time service visit, you can expect to pay from $80 to $150 per call. Rates run extensively higher if you have major projects such as significant tree trimming, but the most common services fall in the average range. During a one-time visit, your professional will likely recommend needed services for that time in the growing season.

The average cost of lawn maintenance if you have all of your maintenance services billed monthly is between $350 and $450 per month. Monthly service most often includes weekly mowing and different maintenance items based on the season. Because different services will be performed each month, your monthly service cost will be higher some months and lower on others.

Get free estimates from lawn mowing companies near me

Many factors determine the final cost of your lawn care. These include the size of the area, your location, grass type, number of fences, how many sidewalks to edge, required maintenance like aeration or fertilization, and number of trees. Many services provide discounts if neighbors hire the same maintenance service at the same time.

Location can be a major factor because it often determines the types of services you need and the frequency. For example, in locations that see all four seasons and are heavily wooded, like the Midwest, you can expect to pay more for leaf cleanup, pruning, etc. For warmer weather, climates such as the south, you may need to have more frequent mowings that go much longer into the year.

If your lawn is in poor health, your starting costs may be higher than if it only needs maintenance. Costs for residential areas differ from costs for commercial properties.

While there are many grass varieties, most are broken down into two categories: cool-season and warm-season. Cool-season grasses grow the most during the spring and fall and include popular varieties like ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass. These varieties are hardy enough to survive frigid temperatures and moderate summers, ideal for northern climates. Their ideal temperatures for growth ranges between 65 and 80 degrees, which is why they grow the most in spring and fall. Warm-season grasses grow the most during the summer and include widespread varieties like Bermuda grass. Warm grasses grow best when the temperature is above 75 degrees. You mostly find these grasses in the south. These varieties grow during late spring and summer before going dormant in the fall. Each grass type has a different maintenance schedule, some requiring care more frequently or at a specific time of year. All this impacts your final costs.

Keeping your lawn regularly maintained comes with a lot of benefits. The first and most noticeable is the appearance of your yard. When kept in good condition, it can add beauty to the look of your home and even value when it comes time to sell it. Maintaining it also helps you to have a healthy grass that prevents bare and burnt patches. Keeping your yard weeded and properly mowed lowers your risk of pests since it removes one of their most popular hiding spots.

The frequency of mowing your lawn depends on the weather in your area, the season, and your personal preference. During the prime growing season, you will most likely want to mow your yard weekly, though you may stretch that to ten days if you live in a hot area with lots of sun and prefer longer grass to protect the roots from the heat. Preseason and the end of the growing season see slower growth, so bi-weekly mowing will likely be sufficient.

If a healthy lawn is what you want, then year-round maintenance is vital. Your lawn needs different treatments and maintenance depending on the season to ensure that it is properly prepared for the months when it is at its peak for growing. Below you will see some of the most common maintenance tasks performed during each season of the year.

During the fall season, the goal is to prepare your lawn for hibernation during winter. You will likely need to continue mowing during this season, though you may be able to move from weekly mowings to bi-weekly mowings at this point. You will want to have all sticks and leaves removed from your yard to allow the lawn to aerate as needed. Special fertilizers will also be put on by your maintenance specialist to protect your grass through the winter and allow for better recovery in the spring.

Many professionals urge you to continue to mow your grass until the point that it ceases to grow. If you live in more temperate or warmer climates, you will not complete your final mowing until as late as December. Aside from that, no maintenance will need to be done during the winter months.

The spring season is the biggest time for preparation for the upcoming growing season. There are several maintenance items you will want to perform to help your lawn bounce back from winter and give it a healthy start to the season. Common maintenance during this time of year includes mowing, fertilization, aeration, and application of crabgrass control.

Summer is considered the main growing season for your grass and the time of the year when your it is considered most on display. During the summer months, it is important to stay on top of mowing, with weekly mowing being ideal. You will also want to make sure that you water your grass frequently during this time of year, making sure to avoid watering at the hottest times of the day.

Compare prices from lawn mowing services near me

The total cost you pay for lawn maintenance largely depends on the services you choose to have performed. Most homeowners pay between $35 and $100 per visit for basic mowing, weeding, and fertilization when necessary.

Calculating your cost for lawn care depends on the services you use and the pricing method used by the service provider. Some services are more often charged by visit, such as mowing and fertilizing. Others are more commonly charged by the hour, like weeding. It is best to calculate the total costs for the year and divide it by 12 to get an average monthly cost.

You can expect to pay between $50 and $100 to have one acre of yard mowed. The total cost you pay will be determined by the way the professional charges and the type of ground and landscaping contained in the yard.

It depends on the individual. If you have the time and energy to do the mowing yourself, then no, but many people find the convenience worth the cost.

Mowing your grass may make it thicker since the tips of the blades of grass contain hormones designed to restrict horizontal growth. By trimming these, you remove the tips which can allow it to spread. Yet, the best way to thicken your grass is by adding more seed.

Frequent watering and fertilizing keep your grass green in the summer. Also, weeding and adding new grass seed to bald areas improves the overall color of your yard.

No, the sun simply evaporates the water before it penetrates the soil and benefits your grass. Therefore, it is best to water in the early morning or evening. If you choose to water midday, be sure to run the water longer so it will be able to get to the roots before evaporating.

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2022 Lawn Mowing Prices | Cost of Lawn Service - Fixr.com

When Erica Tharpand her husband bought their home in Framingham four years ago, the lawn needed some work. Tharp looked at the scraggly grass with its dying tree, and decided she wanted something that was less work and more eco-friendly.

"That was the goal minimal maintenance and as least harm as possible," she said.

So Tharp, a yoga teacher, decided to rip out her front lawn and replace it withdrought-resistant grass and native wildflowers. Now theres waist-high goldenrod, orange butterfly weed and black-eyed Susans.

It's not all free and easy; Tharp is fighting back some overly ambitious clover, and even the native plants are suffering from the summer drought. But it's a lot less work than a traditional lawn, she says: No weekly mowing, no fertilizer, and lots of happy bees.

"My lawn is much more wild than I think the average lawn is," said Tharp, who also posted signs reading "please excuse the weeds, we're feeding the bees" in case the neighbors wondered what was up. "It's not neat and tidy right now, not at all. But neat and tidy isn't always good for us, right?"

Lawns may seemlike a trivialplace to focus your eco-energies, but they cover about 40 million acres of the United States that'sabout the same land area as wheat. (And that estimate is from 2012; researchers say the amount of lawn has almost certainly increased as the suburbs have sprawled ever outward.)

To keep all this grass green, Americans use about 59 million pounds of pesticides on their lawns and gardens each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and an astonishing9 billion gallons of wateroutdoorseach day.

"It sucks up resources, whether it's money, whether it's gasoline, whether it's fertilizer, whether it's pesticides," saidUli Lorimer, the director of horticulture at the Native Plant Trust. And when there's a big rainstorm, all those extra chemicals wash into local waterways, prompting algae blooms and other hazards."So there is real environmental harm that comes from the average stereotypical suburban house."

While interest inalternative lawns has been growingfor decades in the drought-stricken Southwest, it's been slower to catch on in New England. But that's starting to change.

"Inthe beginning I was having to explain things a little bit more, now it's people coming to us wanting what we're offering," saidAndrew Whittaker, the owner of the eco-landscape company Green Abundance by Design, which did Tharp's lawn. He started thebusiness in 2016 and has seen sales increase 50 to 100% each year. He says greater Boston is primed for a "suburban reformation" a rethinking of the traditional lawn.

Whittaker says most of his clients are motivated by a desire to attract and support pollinators and other wildlife. Other lawn-watchers say the growing intereststems from several factors: the alarming decline of bees; the sudden popularity of No Mow May; and the extreme heat, drought and torrential downpours becoming more common with the changing climate.

Dorchester resident Estella Mabrey had another motive: she grew up in rural Alabama and longed for that proximity to nature. "My mother had flowers all the time. Big, beautiful flowers. And we always had the monarch butterflies coming and hummingbirds," she said.

So, over the 28 years she has lived in her house, she's replaced her yard with a colorful array of flowers and vegetables. "It's just a breath of fresh air," she said. "You can sit out here and just enjoy the beauty of nature."

Other people, likeRacy Cardosa, just got fed up with lawn care.

Tips to make your lawn more eco-friendly:

1. Set your mower blade higher

2. Leave the lawn clippings

3. Stop pouring chemicals on your lawn

4. Water it less often

5. Don't be that sprinkler guy

6. Mow less frequently

7. Don't mow the weird parts

8. Leave the leaves on the lawn

"I wasn't getting anything out of it," she said. "It was just a big waste of time. Like, what am I getting out of grass? Nothing."

Her house in Dorchester had grassy yards on the front and side. They were small, but there was enough room for a vegetable bed. She installed one a couple years ago, and over time added another, then another. Then twopeartrees, grapes, strawberries, flowers for the bees, and peppermint under the flowers.

"I just kinda went crazy with it," she said.

Now instead of a time-sucking lawn that gives her nothing but grief, she has huge heads of broccoli, heaps of tomatoes, enoughcollard greens to last all winter and a beloved blueberry bush. Because she chose plants that thrive in our climate, she uses only a little organic fertilizer and no pesticides.

Cardosa said she gets a lot of positive remarks from the neighbors especially when handing them free organic vegetables. "They always walk by and they go, 'Oh, it looks great!' " she said. But so far none of them have followed suit.

There is, of course, a place for lawns it's hard to have a family cookout or slip-n-slide without them. Lawns also suck up rainwater and store some carbon (though far less than deeper-rooted plants). And having a green lawn in New England isless disruptivethan having one in the desert Southwest.

But most of the lawn around here is non-native turf, so it needs a lot of water, fertilizer and pesticides to stay green. And it doesnt offer much food or habitat to native animals, especially when cut very short.

So scientists who study how people manage their lawns yes, there are such people, many associated with the federally funded Yard Futures Project are looking for ways to encourage alternative lawns, or at least alternative lawn care.

In other words, "how do we make things less bad?"asks research ecologistSusannah Lerman, who works for the U.S. Forest Service in Springfield, Massachusetts.

So far, social science research has found that most people want mainly two things from their lawn: They want it to look neat and they want it to be easy. Lerman's most famous studyis a case in point.

For the 2018 study, she convinced 16families in Springfield to let researchers mow their lawns at different intervals either every one, two or three weeks. She found that mowing every other week increased the number of bees and wildflowers in the yards. (A follow-up study found that the longer grass didn't bring more ticks.)

"When you really let it go, it kind of looks messy. And so it's really trying to find that sweet spot."

But she also found that people kinda freak out if their lawn is a mess.

"The yards that were mowed every three weeks, they just did not look nice," said Lerman. "The homeowner would run out to the carto meet us and be like, 'I am so glad you're here! My neighbors were getting so upset with me!' "

"That, to me, was an indication that ... people aren't ready for that three weeks," she said."When you really let it go, it kind of looks messy. And so it's really trying to find that sweet spot."

There are lots of small things people can do to make their lawns more eco-friendly. For instance, clover helps enrich soil with nitrogen, so maybe you dont need to kill it with pesticides? That part of your lawn on a hill thats really hard to mow, maybe dont mow it. And if you get really ambitious, put in some native wildflowers.

If you're worried about letting the lawn look too wacky, Katrina Crocker, lead horticulturist with Belmont's Landscape Collaborative, suggests using "cues to care" visual signals that your lawn "isn't just a wild place of mayhem." For instance, you can grow a patch of wildflowers, but mow a border to show you're actually doing it on purpose.

As for No Mow May,experts I interviewed were unsure how much it actually helps pollinators who feed off spring flowers it depends where you live and what's growing in your lawn. But they all loved the idea of shaking up lawn care for a month, and getting people to see their lawns differently.

Framingham homeowner Erica Tharp feels the same way. "If we all did something little, we could maybe change future generations' concept of what a housing tract could look like, what lawn care should be," she said.

It starts with changing our idea of a lawn from something that takes and takes, to something that gives back.

Originally posted here:
Want to help the planet? Rethink your lawn - WBUR News

The first way to help out seniors in your community is by volunteering at a senior care facility. If you're unfamiliar, there are several different long-term living options for elderly individuals who may need everyday assistance or special medical care. Most commonly, these are nursing homes, board homes, or senior care facilities, each providing varying levels of care (per National Institute on Aging).

According to How Stuff Works, these places often rely on volunteer help to provide a fulfilling experience for their members. In fact, depending on their funding, some facilities are even required by federal law to have 5% of their patient care performed by volunteers. Plus, those living in such homes often have few visitors, so your time and attention would be greatly appreciated (per Upworthy).

If you're interested in helping out seniors in this way, start by researching the various elderly care facilities in your area and identify what specific volunteer opportunities they offer. You may want to visit a couple of afternoons a month and just chat with the seniors or you might prefer something more structured like helping out with events or outings.

Read more:
5 Rewarding Ways To Help Seniors In Your Community - The List

Bentley Kinzer carved a bear sculpture out of wood with a chainsaw at his house in Parkersburg. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG Parkersburg South High School student Bentley Kinzer thought he wanted to pursue a career in the medical field, and his thought was only reassured after taking Human Anatomy with PSHS teacher Christopher Meckley.

I really enjoyed human anatomy last year, he said. I have always thought I wanted to do something in the medical field and that class made me know that is what I want to pursue.

Kinzer plans to attend West Virginia University after finishing his high school degree. He wants to go there to be closer to his sister Hannah. He is unsure of what exactly he will study but is trying to decide between biology or exercise physiology. He said he could see himself working at a hospital or in a physical therapy department in the future.

I picked biology because I think that it is a major that could lead me into multiple different avenues of the medical field because Im not exactly sure which route I want to take yet, he said. I thought about exercise physiology because Ive also thought about becoming a physical therapist and that is a common major to become that.

Kinzer dreams of eventually opening up a gym and a baseball facility so he can teach kids like him how to lift and play baseball. He said his inspiration for this dream came from Mary and Dave Jeffery, friends of his family, who taught him how to lift.

Bentley Kinzer is the catcher for the Parkersburg South High School baseball team. This was taken during a game at City Park in Parkersburg. (Photo Provided)

They have been such great role models to me, he said.

Kinzer is the catcher on the PSHS baseball team and said his baseball skills have only improved since he started lifting. He started playing baseball at the age of 4 and hasnt stopped playing since. It didnt take long for him to realize how much he truly loves the game.

My interest began right when I started playing, he said. Baseball means everything to me.

Kinzer is also incredibly active in his school community.

The four years I have been here at South I have been a part of the South Side Psychos, which has been an absolute blast, he said.

From left, Hannah Kinzer and Bentley Kinzer take a photo together at Way Back Burger in Hilton Island, S.C. (Photo Provided)

Kinzer leads the PSHS student section and helps support other teams during games. He also works in the main office as a co-op student.

In his spare time, Kinzer likes to volunteer in the community. He has volunteered at local soup kitchens, the Humane Society of Parkersburg and with a wide variety of other causes.

It is truly a rewarding feeling, he said. It gives me the feeling that I am a part of something bigger than myself.

Kinzer also enjoys running his own landscaping business, spending time with his friends and carving bears out of wood with a chainsaw. He said his landscaping business, Bentleys Lawn Care, really took off this summer.

I do everything from landscaping, pressure washing and mowing, he said. I enjoy how Ive been able to hire my own workers and schedule jobs, sometimes even three weeks out.

From left, Brandon Holiday, Bentley Kinzer and Josh Smith attend the Parkersburg South High School 2022 Prom. (Photo Provided)

Kinzers chainsaw technique also took off this summer. He watched a YouTube video of someone else carving a bear out of wood with a chainsaw and thought hed like to do it himself. He tried it and was surprisingly pleased with the results.

James Dobbs can be reached at jdobbs@newsandsentinel.com.

From left, Mary Jeffrey, Bentley Kinzer and Dave Jeffrey take a photo to commemorate a powerlifting competition Kinzer participated in. The Jeffreys helped Kinzer train for the competition that he competed in at the Dils Center in Parkersburg. (Photo Provided)

Bentley Kinzer was a member of the 2022 Post 15 legion baseball team. (Photo Provided)

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Teen of the Week: Parkersburg South's Bentley Kinzer is a man of many talents - Parkersburg News

While the kitchen received over 23% (146 people) of the vote, the bathroom gained over 26% (165 people). This may be shocking, as the kitchen is one of the most common areas to renovate. Further, Go Banking Rates says that renovating the kitchen before the bathroom makes the most sense, especially for those who want to sell soon. This is because, while remodeling the kitchen will cost more upfront, it will give you more return on your investment once sold. Even if you're not planning to sell your home soon, you may still want to remodel the kitchen first because this space is typically seen by guests, while your private bathroom probably isn't.

However, Petri points out that remodeling the bathroom may make it easier for you to relax in your space. Updating the tub or shower could help you really enjoy the time you spend in the bathroom. Additionally, it could make the space safer by updating slippery flooring or exposed electrical outlets. Lamont Bros. says that a bathroom remodel may be more convenient than a kitchen remodel since most homes have more than one bathroom, while they typically only have one kitchen. If you're sticking to a tight budget, renovating the bathroom will make more sense because it costs less money upfront.

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26% Of Homeowners Would Rather Renovate This Room Instead Of Their Kitchen - House Digest