Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Dwarf lilac species and hybrids handle Maryland conditions much better than the traditional varieties. Some recent introductions will also re-bloom sporadically later in the summer. (Photo by Miri Talabac/ The Baltimore Sun) (Miri Talabac)

Q: My lilacs look like death-warmed-over this time of year. Do you know whats wrong, and is there anything I can do at this point?

A: Lilacs are sadly not very well-suited to our Mid-Atlantic conditions. Were at the southern edge of their heat tolerance, so while they werent among the best flowering shrub choices to begin with, climate change is only going to worsen their prognosis. Several types of leaf-spotting fungi and bacteria, plus general heat stress (which also increases their vulnerability to borers), results in foliage that looks quite beat-up by late summer. Brown spots, crispy leaf edges and bare stems from premature leaf drop are all typical. You can explore lilac ailments and their management on our lilac diagnostic page.

No fungicide will reverse these symptoms once they appear, and while they might work as a preventive if applied before bud-break (and reapplied repeatedly well into the summer), its simpler to just grow something else if a plant is going to be that much of a hassle. This is especially true if the treatments dont work and the plant still winds up looking horrible. Fungicides also carry the risk of harming other organisms.

For now, you can rake up and dispose of any fallen leaves, though this isnt a foolproof way of removing a source of infectious spores. Cut down the oldest, thickest stems this winter (they tend not to bloom well at that age anyway) and open up the canopy by selectively removing some stems that contribute to foliage crowding. You can do this thinning after bloom next spring.

For anyone really wanting to grow lilac despite these challenges, try cultivars with above-average disease resistance and heat tolerance. While not immune to problems, they perform much better, even if they dont look exactly the same or have blooms as large or heavily perfumed. Miss Kim is a round, compact-growing cultivar with pale lavender-purple flowers thats been around for decades. Other varieties are now available with pink or deeper purple blooms, some of which even rebloom a bit, sporadically producing flowers into summer and early autumn, though high heat could still hamper that.

All lilacs, but especially the traditional, classic French types, should be planted in a location with great air circulation (so, not up against a fence or wall) so wet leaves dry quickly after rain, dew, or irrigation. Wet foliage is more easily infected by diseases.

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The main perk of growing lilacs is fragrance, so if you want a scented replacement, consider: winterhazel (corylopsis), Koreanspice viburnum (viburnum carlesii) and its hybrids, summersweet (clethra), seven-son Flower (Hhptacodium), Carolina allspice (calycanthus), various deciduous azaleas (rhododendron viscosum and several others), mock orange (philadelphus), and fragrant abelia (abelia mosanensis). Their scent characteristics, flower colors, mature sizes, and preferred growing conditions may differ from lilac, but nothing is going to be an exact substitute. Plus, several of these species will offer the additional bonus of showy autumn foliage or (for the native ones) better wildlife value. These are just some shrub ideas; there are also fragrant perennials and, if you have the room, several fragrant trees.

Q: I know we should ideally be growing alternatives to lawn, but for now I need to rehab a section of turf until I can figure out what to convert it to. Is this too early to begin fall lawn care?

A: Actually, nows a great time to start the rehab process for fescue-based lawns. Begin with a laboratory soil test if its been a few years since your last one (or have never done one), so you know what the soil characteristics are in terms of acidity and nutrient levels. Mid-August through September is when conditions are preferable for overseeding or seeding/sodding areas that need to be stripped and reestablished due to heavy weed infestation.

Core-aeration can be done just prior to seeding for better seed-to-soil contact and to lessen compaction, and applications of starter fertilizer and lime (if needed) can be made at the same time you seed/sod. Give careful attention to watering since germinating seeds and establishing lawns are intolerant of drying out.

This is the one of the rare scenarios where watering method goes against the deeply, infrequently recommendation, since youll need to irrigate lightly but more frequently. As the grass matures, wean it off that pampering to the typical technique of only watering thoroughly once the top few inches of soil becomes relatively dry. This encourages deeper rooting for a more self-sufficient lawn, conserves water, and reduces the risk of disease from frequently-wet foliage.

You can find a plethora of pages about lawn care on our website. A good starting point is the collection of page links under our Lawn Care and Maintenance tag.

University of Maryland Extensions Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension.umd.edu/hgic. Click Ask Extension to send questions and photos.

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Garden Q&A: How to survive the lilac apocalypse - Baltimore Sun

One day after federal government monitors classified most of Morris County as a "moderate drought" zone, Denville is partially relaxing emergency restrictions on water use imposed last week on residents and businesses.

Thursday night, township officials posted an advisory on Facebook that the restrictions were immediately amended to allow the use of outdoor handheld watering devices on an odd/even schedule.

"This includes the use of a handheld watering device (garden hose, watering can, etc.) to water lawns, shrubs, ornamental plants, sod, etc." the advisory reads.

The use of automatic sprinkler systems or "any other water-delivering device that is not handheld" is strictly prohibited while the restrictions remain in effect, up to 90 days "or until otherwise altered, repealed or extended."

The odd/even schedule refers to your street address, allowing homes with odd numbers to water on odd-numbered days and even-numbered addresses to water on even-number days. Commercial businesses such as landscapers working at a residential address also are required to comply with the odd/even water restrictions.

Denville was already under water-use restrictions last week when a malfunctioning well pump forced officials to enact further emergency restrictions that banned lawn watering, car washing and other outdoor uses. Mayor Tom Andes said the seized pump was quickly repaired but the restrictions remained in place "out of an abundance of caution."

Violators are subject to summons, fines and penalties.

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Denville relaxes water restrictions, but automatic sprinklers banned - Daily Record

For the second year in a row, SingleOps was the highest-ranked and fastest-growing software company in the green industry on the list.

ATLANTA (PRWEB) August 17, 2022

SingleOps announced today the companys inclusion on the Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. For the second year in a row, SingleOps was the highest-ranked and fastest-growing software company in the green industry on the list. SingleOps is used by tree care, lawn care, full-service landscaping, sod farming and landscape supply professionals. SingleOps ranked 1,317 on the list with three year revenue growth of 495%, an increase from last years 423%.

Since founding SingleOps, our mission has been to help green industry businesses win customers for life by elevating the customer experience and improving operational efficiency through technology, said Sean McCormick, CEO at SingleOps. Weve seen tremendous growth the last few years and have truly begun to make a lasting positive impact in the green industry, as evidenced by our being the fastest-growing software company in our industry the past two years. Our success has only been possible thanks to our amazing team and customers.

About SingleOpsSingleOps is an all-in-one business management software for outdoor service industries, including tree care, lawn care, full-service landscaping, sod farms, and landscape supply. The company serves thousands of users who have collectively processed over $2 billion in revenue through SingleOps, and use it daily to operate their businesses and interact with clients. SingleOps is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more information, please visit singleops.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

MethodologyCompanies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2021. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. MediaThe worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

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SingleOps Named to 2022 Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Companies in North America - PR Web

The food industry isnt known for its proverbs. If I were to write one, it might be: Give a man a frying pan, and he can stand by the stove and make himself dinner. Give a man some oven trays, and he is free to sit on the sofa and watch Love Island while dinner cooks itself. With that in mind, Ive adapted one of my favourite things to eat: a scoopable tomato, chickpea and aubergine dish made with just enough spice to raise an eyebrow into an oven-based recipe.

Think of this recipe as a starting point: you could drop the spices or add a spoonful of harissa, Thai curry paste, some lemongrass, perhaps you choose! to change up the flavours, and swap the chickpeas for whatever tinned beans you have in the cupboard.

Prep 5 minCook 1 hr 10 minServes 4-6

100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing3 medium aubergines (about 775g)6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes1 tsp salt tsp ground black pepper tsp ground cinnamon2 tsp urfa chilli flakes2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained

To serve200g vegan yoghurt 2 tbsp tahini mixed with 2 tbsp waterScant tsp fine sea saltMint leaves, chopped

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Line a large baking sheet (or two medium ones) with reusable baking paper and brush with oil.

Chop the aubergines into 1cm-thick rounds, put these side by side on the baking tray(s) and brush the tops with oil.

Put the oil and crushed garlic in a 30cm x 40cm baking dish, then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, cinnamon and urfa chilli, and stir gently to combine.

Pop the aubergine tray(s) and tomato dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until the aubergine slices are collapsing when squished together; if theyre not, bake them for another five to 10 minutes. Scrape the aubergines into the tomato dish, add the chickpeas, mix and bake for another 30 minutes, by which time the sauce should be oily, dark and rich.

Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt, loosened tahini and salt in a pretty serving bowl. Spoon the aubergines, tomatoes and chickpeas into another large bowl, add a generous dollop of the tahini yoghurt, scatter over the mint leaves and serve with the remaining yoghurt mix on the side.

This article was edited on 19 August 2022, to clarify that both the aubergines and tomatoes are baked separately, before being combined and baked again.

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Meera Sodhas vegan recipe for baked aubergines, chickpeas and tomatoes - The Guardian

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IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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More Thoughts While Weeding: Raised beds for many reasons - Conway Daily Sun

CHURCHILL DOWNS INC. HAS a market capitalization that touches $8 billion.

That's a nice number for a corporation that specializes in little more than gaming pies in the sky and shareholder value.

But its bosses can no longer get this crazy little thing called horse racing right.

In Arlington Heights, Euclid Avenue has turned into a death row as one of the most lush turf courses on the planet awaits extinction.

There is no compelling reason that Arlington Park isn't up and running this summer.

Other than perhaps that CDI CEO Bunker Bill Carstanjen and crew might not have been able to gather their kind of Insane Clown Posse to hover around it.

So this past weekend, the Arlington Million was moved to Churchill Downs, site of one of the most troublesome grass surfaces in America.

And in the end, matching Million Day '21 at Arlington, the event was nothing more than an embarrassment for Carstanjen and Co.

LAST AUGUST AT AP, with the honorable Dick Duchossois approaching his 100th and final earthly birthday, Carstanjen's crew tried to get clever.

They're not very good at that.

The cut the purse of The Million to $600,000. And, to "honor" Duchossois with the cheapened centerpiece, they renamed the race "The Mr. D Stakes."

But they still billed the afternoon as "Million Day" -- without a Million.

Had Duchossois been in his prime, anyone who came up with such low-rent distortion at a staff meeting would have been unemployed within hours.

Instead, the lame event went on. Few really cared about it.

TO CAP THE BIZARRE FAREWELL, a track hireling named Anthony Petrillo petulantly stormed into the press box approximately 90 minutes after "The Mr. D" and ordered nine members of the media -- almost all working on deadline -- out.

No coherent reason for the snit was given since there was no coherent reason.

Petrillo, CDI and Arlington were national laughingstocks.

Again, Insane Clown Posse stuff.

SO, THE TABLE WAS SET for transplanted Million Day '22 in Louisville.

That despite dangerous irregularities with Churchill's re-sod turf course.

A new top was planted last October. Racing on it this spring proved highly problematic.

Those flaws reached tragic proportion in June when a $50K claimer named Gingrich was coasting to victory and his legs suddenly slid out from underneath him.

Jockey Jimmy Graham did his best to avoid catastrophe.

But it wasn't enough for the crippled horse. He was vanned off and "humanely" destroyed.

And turf racing at CD was suspended -- until last Saturday.

INITIALLY, CARSTANJEN AND HIGHWAYMEN planned to move the Million, the Bev D., the Secretariat and the Pucker Up to their base track.

But the Secretariat and the Pucker Up were quietly ditched.

Then, rather than being run consecutively -- as had been tradition at Arlington -- the Million and the Bev D. were spaced 3 hours apart.

That was so the entire turf rail could be moved approximately 24 feet in after the Bev D.

In theory, that would give the eight Million starters fresh -- and safer -- primary lanes to run on.

TO PROMOTE THE BIG DAY, Carstanjen underling Tonya Abeln -- who appears to have power alleys of racetrack recipes and paddock hats -- announced that the oval would be offering "Chicago-style hot dogs" and "Italians beef sandwiches."

Apparently blown away by such imaginative inducements, an on-site paid attendance of less than 3,000 was reported by authoritative sources.

This at a Camptown that regularly claimed pre-pandemic Kentucky Derby attendances of 150,000-plus.

THE CD MILLION ITSELF came across as a colossal afterthought.

The turf looked awful.

The tarnished relic played out as "a merry-go-round race."

That means a few speed horses got out and no one made any chancy moves.

A race like that suggests jockeys were prioritizing their own safety.

A 4-year-old named Santin was among the leaders from the start. He made a mild move to first down the stretch and won.

As racetrack theater, the nine-furlong exhibition was about as exciting as watching Abeln stir up a pot of burgoo on a morning TV show in Kentuckiana.

SO, CARSTANJEN AND SUITE MATES apparently think they've preserved the legacy of the Arlington Million.

They haven't. Last weekend, travesty prevailed.

It's a lot easier to program slots with return rates of 94% or so.

They took the one day of the Arlington season that meant the most to Dick Duchossois and diced it into disrespectful tripe.

On their quarterly earnings calls, the CDI scavengers may continually boast of increased profits and fertile new gaming jurisdictions.

But Carstanjen, Abeln and carnivores will never have the one thing that set Richard Louis Duchossois apart.

And that's class.

Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears Sunday and Thursday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.

Originally posted here:
O'Donnell: With "Louisville Million," Churchill Inc. dissed the legacy of Dick Duchossois - Daily Herald

What a really silly thing for Darwin Nunez to do. He was probably just frustrated that Liverpool were sh*t.

Dont you just hate it when you accidentally headbutt somebody?We can only really start in one place, and that place is a murky area between fan and journalist which has only got murkier as more outlets have basically become something akin to fanzines. Which is how you arrive here from the Daily Mirrors Merseyside correspondent

He didnt actually mean it! He had literally tried to headbutt Joachim Andersen literally ten seconds before which earned him that shove in the back but he didnt actually mean it just a few seconds later.

If anything, he just turned around too quickly, Jeff.

Frustration!And David Maddock continued that theme in his piece from Anfield on Monday night, as he opened with statistics about Liverpool conceding the first goal far too often and arrived quickly here:

The pressure of trailing so often was painfully evident in the frustrated reaction of Darwin Nunez guilty of missing at least three proper chances when he placed his head into the face of Joachim Andersen, to be dismissed on his home debut.

Leaving aside both the stupidity of that, AND the overreaction of the Palace defender, it all came about because of the home sides inability to take the many chances they createdand the pressure that brings.

So, so much to unpick here.

Firstly, why was Nunez feeling the pressure of trailing so often in literally his second competitive appearance for the club?

Secondly, placed his head!? He headbutted him. He literally headbutted him.

Thirdly, the overreaction of the Palace defender? Now Mediawatch has thankfully never been headbutted but we suspect we might fall down. At the very least we might stumble. It looks like it might smart.

And no, it did not all come about because of thehome sides inability to take the many chances they created. It came about because a man-child lost his temper and needlessly smashed somebody in the face with his head.

Were caught in a trapHeres the headline on MailOnline:

Darwin Nunez endured a nightmare Anfield bow as he fell into Palaces trap with a STUPID headbutt. The meltdown was coming he hasnt yet got the technical mastery of Roberto Firmino

How clever of Crystal Palace to set a trap that gave Nunez almost no choice but to headbutt a fellow footballer.

Crazy, stupid loveThe Liverpool Echo do admit that it was a silly, stupid and mindless sending-off, though at this point we wonder why nobody is condemning Nunez for an act of violence rather than just being silly and stupid, which makes a 23-year-old man sound like a child.

How silly of him to headbutt a man in the face. The big daft sod.

Here is Ian Doyles description:

Eight minutes into the second half, Joachim Andersen had taken umbrage with Nunez and prodded his finger towards the Liverpool striker before invading his personal space. Unwise, yes. But that still wasnt sufficient reason for Nunez to then plant a headbutt on the Crystal Palace defender, who needed no invitation to hit the ground and ensure the inevitable sending-off.

The idea that there is a concept of invading personal space within a contact sport is simply wonderful. And when we say simply wonderful we mean absolute bollocks.

And why had Andersen taken umbrage with Nunez? Why, because he had literally just tried to headbutt him but missed. He really is a silly, silly man.

Defensive masterclassUnlike some of the Liverpool fans masquerading as journalists, Jurgen Klopp had no doubt that Nunez was in the wrong with his headbutt, that did not stop some outlets claiming otherwise. This was Eurosport

HE WAS PROVOKED LIVERPOOL MANAGER JURGEN KLOPP DEFENDS DARWIN NUNEZ AFTER HIS HEADBUTT RED CARD

He really f***ing didnt.

Read the gloomThe Sun website have moved on from Liverpool because the laws of Our Game decree that there can only be one crisis club at any one time and that club is currently Manchester United.

And their biggest story this giddy Tuesday?

Glum Man Utd flops arrive at training as Cristiano Ronaldo and Co look to end horror start to season against Liverpool

So in short, some men have arrived at work and they werent grinning as they arrived at work.

CRISTIANO RONALDO cut a glum figure as he rolled through the gates for Manchester United training this morning.

And his Red Devils team-mates didnt look particularly happy either as they reported for duty at the clubs Carrington HQ.

Lets imagine for a second the headlines if they had looked particularly happy.

Mediawatch did really enjoy the description of Ronaldo arriving behind the wheel of a beefy Cadillac 44. Suddenly, we are craving crisps.

How much is that alleged rapist in the window?Onto more serious matters and we arrive at the front page of The Sun:

If Benjamin Mendy did indeed rape three women in 24 hours then he is simply an evil man. What the actual f*** has that got to do with his transfer fee? Its as irrelevant as his waist measurement.

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What did Darwin Nunez do to get a red card? He turned around too quickly, the daft sod - Football365

It only takes one spur-of-the-moment storm derailing your cookout plans before you start Googling questions like Can I barbecue underneath an umbrella? or Is a rain-soaked pot roast still safe to eat? But what you really need to ask is: How much does it cost to cover a patio?

First, be prepared to budget based on the material (do you prefer aluminum or wood?) and the cover size (a basic 10-by-10-foot pergola, for instance), among other factors. For estimate breakdowns considering these specifications and more, we tapped professional DIYer and woodworker Dondra Howard of Matriarchy Build. Read on for the details.

The average patio cover costs anywhere from $4,000 to $8,500. However, DIY projects or structures constructed with less expensive materials like aluminum or canvas can cost as little as $700. Other factors that influence the overall price include but arent limited to: cover type; materials; location (costs vary for freestanding or attached patios); permits; and accessories like retractability, outdoor ceiling fans, light installation, and electrical outlets.

Vinyl is among the most cost-effective patio cover materials; it can range from $5 to $13 per square foot (or anywhere from $2,520 to $6,300, Howard notes) and is durable and low-maintenance.

A wood cover, such as a pergola, is also relatively affordable, costing anywhere between $15 and $35 per square foot, with the potential to add up to as much as $18,900, Howard says. But it can be subject to rotting, cracking, and peeling due to the elements, and youll need to factor in a fresh coat of paint or new stain application every couple of years.

Prepare to shell out from $16 to $39 per square foot on fiberglass, a relatively lightweight, UV-resistant surface that stands up to harsh weather. Want a transparent shield? Expect to spend between $25 and $45 per square foot on a glass-covered patio.

Howard suggests aluminum ($20 to $70 per square foot) because of its protective, durable propertiesit wont crack or warpbut recommends to use it in less sunnier settings since it conducts heat easily. If the rays are beating down on it, you can opt for an insulated cover for $26 to $59 per square foot; Howard estimates that an insulated aluminum patio cover can cost anywhere from $3,280 to $7,028, before factoring in size, location, and the condition of the patio space.

An awning installation averages between $380 and $700, but that figure goes up to $3,400 depending on if the structure is retractable or fixed.

Pergolas are some of the more eye-catching patio coverslike gazebos, they can be either freestanding or attached to a main structure. Theyre also fully open to the outside (no walls) and consist of a lattice grid of rafters and beams supported by columns. The price of owning one of these backyard beauties? Howard estimates that a 10-by-10-foot pergola with a retractable canvas patio cover comes in at between $1,746 and $2,870. Overall, depending on accessories, size, location, and labor, its safe to budget for $30 to $60 per square foot.

As the most intricate of the bunch, gazebos can be fully customized, but the bulk of the price boils down to sizeanticipate a bill in the ballpark of $75 to $100 per square foot.

Depending on your location, you may have to factor in the cost of a building permit, which averages between $60 and $150. The project total increases with add-ons. A fancy outdoor lighting setup might end up averaging between $2,000 and $4,000 (but you could easily slash this number by hanging string lights or adding a soft glow to your space with lanterns or torches). Planning to keep it cool beneath the cover? Add an extra $100 to $300 for a ceiling fan installation.

Then theres custom sizing, mechanical retraction, and the list goes on. If youre starting from scratch, tack on the price of cover installation to the overall cost of building a patio.

If the project is simple and straightforward, and youre comfortable with basic woodworking, using a skill saw, measuring accurately, and climbing a ladder, you can probably install a simple patio cover, Howard says. Another must-be-able-to-do? The ability to problem-solve on the fly, because as she notes, every project presents its own set of unforeseen challenges.

Above all else, Howard advises that patio cover shoppers base their decision on budget, needs, and personal preference, and take into account the strengths and weaknesses of each material. None of the materials are perfect and all have flaws, she explains. You have to find a balance between functionality and aesthetics and what will serve you for a long time.

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How Much Does It Cost to Cover a Patio? We Have the Answer for All You Shade Seekers - Domino

A wedding for the ages.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are set to seal the deal with an elaborate fireworks show at their wedding this weekend.

The couple will say I do for the second time at Afflecks riverside estate in Georgia in front of their famous friends and family.

New images from the plantation home show a large barge floating near what looks like their reception area equipped with dozens of fireworks to celebrate the newlyweds.

Tables and chairs are already set up under a waterside gazebo, including two pink chairs for the bride and groom to have some alone time while enjoying the live music.

People have been working around the clock at the sprawling 87-acre Riceboro estate getting ready for the star-studded event.

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"I found out a few days before my wedding that...

On Thursday, employees were seen constructing a marquee near the main home for the three-day festivities.

The celebrations will kick off with a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, followed by aJay Shetty-officiated ceremonyat the estate on Saturday. The next day, guests are invited to stay for a send-off barbecue to finish the weekend off strong.

While workers prepared for the lavish nuptials, guests were welcomed with ATV rides and a bonfire, according to the Daily Mail.

However, plans were thrown off course on Friday when the grooms mother, Christopher Anne Boldt,was rushed to the hospital after falling off the dock and cutting her leg, the Daily Mail also reported.

Pictures showed an ambulance departing the actors property to head to St. Joseph Candler childrens hospital in Savannah where the Argo actor and Lopez rushed to check on Boldt.

Aside from the mayhem Friday morning, Lopez, 53, and Affleck, 50 seemed relaxed in the days leading up to the big event.

The couple was seenshopping in town and going on a stroll with their blended family.

Affleck kept things casual in a tan button-up shirt with the same color cap, jeans and sneakers while his bride matched in a beige crop top, wide-leg linen pants and wedges.

Lopez will step things up when she walks down the aisle in a custom Ralph Lauren gown.

The Wedding Planner actress already wore two dresses a simple Alexander McQueen stylethat she saved for so many yearsand an elaborate lace Zuhair Murad wedding gown for their surpriseLas Vegas weddingin July.

Originally posted here:
Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck's wedding to feature fireworks and live music - Page Six

The annual Ox Cart Days Ice Cream Social was held at the University of Minnesota Crookston Campus Mall and Gazebo on Wednesday afternoon. UMC staff ran a booth serving bowls of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream with water and lemonade with music performed by the wind ensemble Windblown in the gazebo as people enjoyed their cold treat on a warm summer day. Children were allowed to play around in the mall fields or could also pet some sheep, thanks to Crookston Ambulance running Animals on the Mall.

At 4:00 p.m., the United Way of Crookston, with the help of the Crookston Fire Department, commenced their Golf Ball Drop fundraiser off the ladder of one of their fire trucks, raining down hundreds of golf balls towards a hula hoop with a small hole in the center below it. The closest person was Mallorie Zapata, who won a $100 gift certificate to Hugos Family Marketplace, with Robbie Nobles and Kayla Smith coming in second and third.

Pictures of the social and Golf Ball Drop can be seen below.

Original post:
UMC HOSTS ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL AND UNITED WAY GOLF BALL DROP - kroxam.com