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Seasonal Lawn care for february & March Regardless of the current climate, you’ll keep your curb appeal in tip-top shape by practicing simple lawn care projects for every month of the year. With that in mind, now is the perfect time to think about February and March.

February

March

Depending on the state you live in, your lawn may still have frosts, frozen ground, or waterlogged soil during the month of February. If this is the case, be sure to avoid walking on the lawn until everything is melted.

However, if the weather conditions allow you to do so, you can begin by brushing with a broom to remove any leaves.

Then, using a light rake, get rid of twigs and other debris around your yard.

February is also when you should take your lawn mower in for a service.

For those who are familiar with seasonal lawn care, it’s pretty commonly known that March means it’s time to mow! This is exactly why we advise homeowners to get their lawn mower serviced in February.

During March, the temperatures start increasing high enough to spur the growth of more grass and weeds in your lawn, making it a busy month for major lawn projects. Before cutting, though, be sure to first rake your grass using a spring tine rake until the grass looks like it’s standing up for the mower. Then adjust your mower blades so they’ll only cut the tips.

Once you’re finished mowing, create a polished and professional look by going around the edges of trees and any garden elements in your yard using a lawn strimmer.

At the end of March, seasonal lawn care professionals advise homeowners to remove dead grass and moss with either a spring tine rake or electric lawn scarifier.

Source: LawnandMower.com

Honoring George Washington Carver

for Black History Month

For Black History Month, we have chosen to honor George Washington Carver. This African-American man’s life as a botanist, agronomist, chemist and inventor earned him a long-lasting place in the history books. Through his inventions, Carver strongly influenced the development of our society, culture, and even contributed to the inventions of many products that we use every day.

Did you know that TIME Magazine nicknamed George Washington Carver “Black Leonardo” in 1941? That nickname alone demonstrates his prominent impact on 20th century African-American history. Carver succeeded in revolutionizing agriculture in the South, which is not surprising, considering he discovered nearly 300 uses for the peanut.

As a black man in a time of slavery and unrelenting racial discrimination, his climb to the top wasn’t easy. By embracing his strong will to overcome the most difficult obstacles, he kept fighting for the common man or fulfilling his own potential. At the end of the day, Carver knew that changing the world wouldn’t be easy, but he also knew it was worth fighting for.

“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you demand the attention of the world.”

–George Washington Carver Let’s go back to the beginning. In Missouri around 1864, George Washington Carver was born to slave parents. It’s believed that a couple bought George and his mother Mary, after which they were set free, and the couple let George use their last name (Carver).

As a teenager, Carver moved to Kansas with some ex-slaves and was actually accepted into Highland Presbyterian College. However, he was refused admission immediately after they discovered the color of Carver’s skin.

Later on, he was successfully admitted to Iowa’s Simpson College and later moved to Ames, where Iowa State University housed its agricultural college. Carver was the very first African-American faculty member at Ames Agricultural College.

In 1896, after developing quite the reputation as the “Plant Doctor”, none other than Booker T. Washington asked Carver if he would join the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

This is where Carver spent the next 50 years, and where he developed his most significant inventions.

Using the peanut, George Washington Carver discovered endless recipes for daily items like cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, as well as medicinal oils and cosmetics. He significantly contributed to the daily products that we use every day, both in the kitchen and throughout the home.

In addition to the peanut, Carver also performed research and developed inventions using the sweet potato. Carver transformed farming in the South by introducing farmers of that time to the many uses and benefits of sweet potatoes. He told the Ways and Means Committee that sweet potatoes perform well in the South and they provide nutrition that’s very affordable. During his promotion of sweet potatoes, he demonstrated the most notable uses of the product, including vinegar, molasses, postage stamp glue, along with a type of synthetic rubber and ink.

Moreover, George Washington Carver discovered how to make natural and inexpensive paint out of fertile soil by extracting pigments from Alabama red clay. These paints became very popular as Southern farmers wanted to decorate their homes. He didn’t stop at paint, though.

Carver went on to use that same red clay to create wood stains, face powder, and ceramics.

In regards to home construction, we also have Carver to thank for concrete reinforcing, which he built from sawdust and wood shavings, as well as synthetic marble and vegetable dyes.

After learning more about the admired and revered life of George Washington Carver throughout African-American history, it’s simple to see his impact on our lifestyles, the homes we live in, the products we put on our skin, and the food we eat every day. During an intense period of racial discrimination attempting to weigh him down from every angle, not once did that stop or slow him down from creating an agricultural revolution.

Source: Science, Mark Boyer; Tuskegee University

Is  Your  Lawn  Ready  for  Spring?

Springtime is right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to prepare your lawn for the ĂŠ ( $ É$+ĂŠ ÆÊ &+ Y Ĺ‚ĂŠ $ Ăˆ &+ Y É" $

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1.  Remove  debris.  Give your lawn a fresh start in the spring by raking away all leaves, sticks, and anything else that collected over the fall and winter months. Raking your lawn will even encourage healthy airflow by loosening the soil’s surface.

2.  Heal  your  grass.  Grass seed is extremely helpful for areas of your lawn that have weak grass growth or dead grass. Open the surface with a strong rake then mix the grass seed with new soil to be spread over the surface. You can even speed up the grass growth by watering.

3.  Add  mulch.

Even in my personal gardening projects, mulch is always my finishing touch.

Mulch adds a huge benefit to your lawn by providing a protective covering on soil

that locks in the moisture. You’ll keep your plants warm by simply spreading it around the bases of trees, shrubs and in your fresh spring flowerbeds.

4.  Water  wisely.

It’s more beneficial to water your lawn only when it needs it, and with a lot of water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, watering sparingly and deeply trains your grass roots to dig deeper into the soil. On the other hand, watering lightly and constantly will keep the roots closer to the surface.

5.  Let’s  go  mowing.  Mow your lawn high with a sharp blade, and keep it frequent. Remember that keeping your grass long while mowing often will keep it thick and healthy.

Source: Preparing Your Lawn for Spring, WeedManUSA

5 REASONS TO USE A HANDYMAN FOR HOME REPAIRS Whether you need help with small home maintenance projects like cleaning the gutters or larger repairs like fixing a leaky ceiling or faucet, using a handyman can offer huge payoffs for homeowners, not to mention a lot less stress!

If you’re not convinced, here are 5 reasons to use a handyman for home repairs and maintenance.

1. SAVE MONEY

3. SAFETY

Before you assume that doing a project or repairs on your own will help save money, think again. A professional will get it done the YHU\ ௕UVW WLPH ZKLOH JRLQJ LW \RXUVHOI PD\ require more supplies throughout the process to get it exactly how you want it. Why go out and spend your money on all the hardware and equipment when your handyman has everything within arm’s reach?

When you hire a handyman to perform a home repair or service, you do not risk LQMXULQJ \RXUVHOI E\ WU\LQJ WR ௕JXUH LW RXW RQ your own.

2. SAVE TIME With ample experience under his belt, chances are that a handyman can get a project done in one or two hours, while you may spend all day working on replacing the insulation in your attic or installing a new appliance.

4. AVOIDS MAJOR & COSTLY REPAIRS %\ KDYLQJ D WUXVW\ KDQG\PDQ WR ௕[ VPDOO home issues as they arise, you’ll be able to prevent those issues from developing into larger ones that can put a big hole in your wallet. Even further, a well maintained home retains your property value.

5. THE JOB WILL FINALLY BE DONE $ TXDOLŕŻ&#x2022;HG DQG H[SHULHQFHG KDQG\PDQ ZLOO JHW WKH MRE GRQH TXLFNO\ DQG HŕŻ&#x2014;FLHQWO\ which will make your family happy that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ŕŻ&#x2022;QDOO\ ŕŻ&#x2022;QLVKHG $QG WKH EHVW SDUW" <RXÖ˘OO KDYH more time to do the things you enjoy!

Steps to Take Before You Paint The single most important stage in tackling a home improvement project is through preparation. After all, can a masterpiece be created without a prepped, clean canvas? I think not.

First, you should understand how to properly prepare a room to be painted, because you and I both know that the last thing you want is to end up feeling frustrated and overwhelmed before you even begin.

To help save your time, money, and sanity, follow these painting preparation steps for your next home project!

1. Clear the room.

Do your best to clear the room of all furniture, décor, as well as any light switch covers and outlet covers. This will make it much easier to move around the room, without the chance of ruining any of your belongings with paint splatters.

2. Use plastic to protect large items.

If there’s anything that is too large to be removed, move them to the middle of the room. Then, cover them in plastic to provide protection from paint.

3. Clean and dust.

Give the room a deep cleaning. This includes vacuuming and mopping the floors, and getting rid of dust and cobwebs. Then, use a damp cloth to wipe down any woodwork or molding on the walls.

As a general rule, walls should be dry and dull before applying any paint or primer.

4. Line the room’s edges with paper.

Complete this step with either leftover newspaper, or a simple purchase of a disposable paper roll from any home improvement store. You also use large pieces of plastic, typically found at a dollar store.

5. Spackle and sand.

If there is loose or peeling paint, be sure to scrape and sand that area.

Use Spackle or any patching material to fill in any cracks, holes, or dents.

After applying the Spackle, allow it to dry according the instructions on the package (normally about 2-4 hours).

Lastly, use sandpaper to create a smooth surface. If necessary, you may apply a second coat and repeat the process.

6. Wash the walls.

Thoroughly wash the room’s walls with a mild soap and water solution. Then, rinse with clean water and allow them to dry completely.

7. It’s primer time.

A primer must be used in order to protect bare, unfinished drywall.

Applying a primer is also beneficial for walls that were previously painted with a darker color, stained, or are generally in need of repair.

8. Apply painter’s tape.

This step is essential in keeping paint off the windows and trim. Using the tips of your fingers, press the tape firmly onto the wall’s surface while ensuring there aren’t any air bubbles or folds that paint could get into.

9. Always paint from the top down.

Paint the ceiling first. After that, go ahead and start on painting the walls, but be sure to start in a corner.

Throughout the project, you should always try to keep a wet edge. Next, you’ll want to paint the trim, followed by the cabinets, and finish it off by painting the doors.

10. Remove the painter’s tape.

Once your project is finished and completely dry, slowly pull the tape off in a continuous and steady motion, all the while keeping a 90-degree angle to the painted surface. Sticking to that angle will give your walls the cleanest possible paint line.

Source: WikiHow; RISMedia

Is a Cleaning Service Right for You? Between taking the kids to school, extracurricular activities, working at your job, and still having time to make dinner at the end of the day, the last thing you want to think about is cleaning the entire house once a week.

Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to determine if a cleaning service is right for you.

1. What does a maid do?

Contrary to what most people think of a cleaning service, a “maid” is not that cliché woman dressed in black in white that lives in a home and basically cleans all day, every day. In the real world, a maid or cleaning service will come to your home once a week for about an hour, giving them enough time to go through each of the rooms in your house to get everything clean. They will normally take special requests, as well.

2. How often do you ACTUALLY clean your house?

If you answered any duration longer than weekly or biweekly, then you could probably use some extra help.

This is typically the major reason that homeowners will choose to hire a cleaning service. Who has time for that, anyway?

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Depending on how often you clean your house, how would you rate the cleanliness h_ rhnk ahf^8 Mkr mabl kng rhnk Ûg`^k across your mantle or counters and see ahp fn\a ]nlm rhnk Ûg`^k ib\dl ni' =h you wish it were cleaner?

4. Is a cleaning service in your budget?

First, get some quotes from different cleaning companies to determine if you can afford it. Then, try it out once or twice Zg] Zld rhnkl^e_ b_ bm l phkma bm' If you weigh the value you get from a maid service against the cost of a maid l^kob\^% rhn ee l^^ maZm oZen^ pbgl Zefhlm every time.

So, is a cleaning service right for you?

Source: Maid Day Makeovers