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!
A Resource for the Homeowners in LongCreek Plantation
Friday, September 26, 2014
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.
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.
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