A Resource for the Homeowners in LongCreek Plantation

Friday, September 26, 2014

Scarecrows Spotted On the Horizon!


Halloween is fast approaching, and just as we ready our costumes and jack-o-lanterns for the festivities, the Robert Mills House in Historic Columbia gears up for its annual Scarecrow in the Garden Contest. Put on every year, the Scarecrow in the Garden Contest calls upon Columbia’s finest scarecrow constructors to come up with some of the most unique and interesting scarecrows to put on display throughout the month of October at the Robert Mills House. The general public is invited to participate and vote on the best scarecrow; which will be announced at the end of October. Prizes include cash, trophies, and tour passes. If you have any interest in entering your scarecrow creation into the contest, visit their website (link below) and complete the “Scarecrow Registration Form.” We’re looking forward to seeing all the spooky scarecrows all throughout the month!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Time for the Okra Strut!

Next Friday marks the beginning of Irmo, South Carolina’s famous Okra Strut! This
two-day festival dedicated to celebrating one of the Southeastern United States’ major crops, started all from a small fundraiser for a library back in 1973. The annual festival has been held each year since then, and has grown from a modest arts-and-crafts sale into a grand scale festival featuring vendors, rides, food, and performances. This year boasts an impressive line up of activities and performances. Columbia’s own Tokyo Joe will kick off the festival on Friday, September 26, 2014 at 6:00PM in the Palmetto Health Amphitheater, followed by featured guests, Mother’s Finest going at 9:00PM.
Day 2 of the festival brings the famous Okra Strut Parade and outdoor festival. The festival is spending its first year in its new home at the Irmo Community Park in Irmo (7505 East View Drive). The brand new park was constructed specifically for housing the festival, and the excitement is building throughout the city in preparation for the upcoming festivities. The festival will continue into Saturday night, to be closed by musical performances from Fatback and The Groove Band, J. Edwards Band, and RJ Rockerz. All money raised during the festival goes back the community in form of various enrichments programs. Come help support the Okra Strut and enjoy some good vibes while doing so! See you there!!

Friday, September 12, 2014

Stepping up your Curb Appeal


When you stop to look at your house, are you impressed or distressed? If you chose the latter, it’s time to start looking into adding some personal touches that will change the way you feel about your home; and turn that eye sore into something you can take pride in! Owning a home is a lot of work, and after a long day’s work, the last thing anyone wants to do is start toiling away at another project to eat the rest of your day, but there are some simple and small tasks you can do to revolutionize your home, and make it the belle-on-the-block!
                  We’ve taken the time to come up with and arrange some ideas that you can use to makeover that home into the personal haven you deserve. The following ideas are organized by average completion time to make it easy to choose something that fits your time frame!

One-Day Projects:
                  There are plenty of things to do in a matter of a few hours to completely change the way your home looks. Something as simple as replacing old planters on the front porch, adding a new welcome mat, or updating the patio furniture will help give the front of your home a personality and keep it from blending in from all the homes around it. If spending a lot of money isn’t to your tastes, there are some cheaper alternatives to replacing what you have altogether. For just the cost of a can of paint and a brush, you can give your old furniture a new life, or even repaint your door for a great unique flourish!

Multiple-Day Projects:
                  These projects are great for redefining the feel of your house, but also require a bit more time to execute.
                  Try some new landscaping! Removing dead or old plants and replacing them with seasonal, brighter flora (Emphasis on COLOR!) will make your house look much homier, and create a welcoming atmosphere to anyone who stops or passes by. Another great way to change it up is to redo your walkways, or make a new walkway! Whether it’s adding a brick lining to your existing walkway, fixing cracks, or completely redoing it, any change for the better will ultimately help you give your home a completely different feel. 

No matter how you go about doing your home makeover, the important to not forget the power of details. Those small, simple changes (trimming a dead branch, replacing a broken shutter, picking up the yard, etc.) add up over time to help your house grow into something you never imagined it could be. Don’t be overwhelmed at what’s yet to be done. Just pick one project per week, and before you know it, you will be the proud owner of the prettiest plot on the street!

Monday, September 8, 2014

Fall Gardening


Spring and Summer are not the only productive times for backyard gardens.  Fall can produce an excellent harvest of healthy, delicious greens and vegetables to get you through the changing season.

It's time to plant cool-weather crops such as:

- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Onions
- Turnips
- Collards

While you're working in the yard don't forget the following Fall maintenance tips:
- Moving houseplants back inside
- Cut back and remove flower stalks
- Don't prune shrubs or trees! This will encourage new growth which may be damaged during the winter months.
- Continue to fertilize container plants
- Roses are continuing to produce - water and fertilize as appropriate

The fall months can be a wonderful time to be outdoors. Take advantage of the cooler temperatures to make the yard of your new home a beautiful place to be.