A Monogram Pendant

It’s my first personalized jewelry. The ‘LG’ initials are my full name and ‘R’ is my husband’s nick name.

The Weekend in Black and White

Tips for Front Yard Landscaping

Having a well-designed and manicured front yard is usually the area that most homeowners want to fix up the first because it is the part of the property that they see the most. It is also the first thing that others see when they come over or pass by. Here are some ideas to keep in mind that might help you choose a particular front yard design for your home.

image:westcolawn.com/services/landscaping/

1.  The first thing to keep in mind is that the layout looks much better if you are able to use the natural patterns in the ground to create the layouts and walkways. Once you are able to lay down a path it will put your flowers and plants at a lesser risk of being stomped on, and it will also present a more defined route to the front door of your home.

2. When it comes to adding any walls, bush hedges or fences in your front lawn, it is a good idea to keep them under two feet tall so that visitors don’t feel like they are caving in to your property. In addition to that, only add steps and curves in areas that call for it and not just for the heck of it. It is important to combine both aesthetics and practical matters when it comes to the outside of your home, and take note that it is best to have the shortest path possible from the edge of the yard to the front door.

3. If you have a very large front yard you will want to make sure that you don’t have to work hard to keep it looking nice. Think of ways to section off areas to replace with stones or turf, and even mulch in round spaces under trees to reduce the amount of yard work you will have to do. Just fence off the area that you want to keep as a lawn, and work to replace the rest of the grass with something less high maintenance.

4. For homes that do have very large and deep front yards, a great way to use up some of that space is by putting in large trees or bushes. They are great for adding some visual stimulation and also make it so that area of the home is less work to take care of.

5. After planting new trees the space surrounding the little trunk can appear very empty or barren, and you might want to fill that space up with a flower that will be good for at least a year, like strawflower, angel’s trumpet, or kochia, until the tree or shrub is mature enough to fill that space on its own.

6. If your property is one that you think would benefit from putting stairs in, keep in mind that as a general rule of thumb you should always have at least three there. If you don’t think the slope is high enough for three steps, put in a ramp instead. In addition to that, never make the steps wider or skinnier than the pathway they are coming from. It can be nice to accent the area with flowers or plants and use a different texture for the stairs compared to the path, but in the end that is really your decision.

7. While it might not seem like a big deal, keeping your front yard to scale is something else to consider. Choosing plants and structures that complement the size of your house are always the best way to handle the decorating and landscaping process.

Written by Mike West, owner of WestCo Grounds Maintenance. WestCo provides the best solutions for landscaping Jefferson City MO has to offer. They also specialize in irrigation and lawn sprinkler service.

The Best Indoor Trees

Trees and plants add not only to the outdoor landscape, but they also add to our internal environments.  For those people without a green thumb, there are many options to bring greenery indoors with the purchase of artificial trees. However, there is something about the touch that a real, living and breathing tree can bring to the atmosphere in your home.  There are options for you regardless of the size of your home or apartment no matter where you live. You do need to consider how much space you have to put your tree.  Are you looking for a smaller ornamental tree?  Or do you have extended, high ceilings, and you want to add a larger tree to the internal decor?  

For the smaller spaces you have a number of ornamental trees to consider. Listed below are a number of options.

 

Bonsai indoor tree (image:en.wikipedia.org)

1.  Bonsai Trees - One of the most well known small trees are the bonsai trees.   Some of the most well known are the perennial woody stemmed bush or tree which can be encouraged to grow in particular shapes by utilizing wire to shape it as well as pruning.

2.  Hawaiian Umbrella Tree - this is an excellent option for your indoor small space.  They are a type of bonsai tree, but they are one of the best, as they require little light.  It does prefer to have wet soil, so make sure you are fully drenching it to keep its environment moist.  Please note, every part of the tree is poisonous, so keep it up high or at least not within reach of your pets or children.

3.  Ficus Trees - This is a very common tree to find indoors both at home and at the office.  They are fairly easy to take care of.  One of the most interesting things about the ficus trees is that they are frequently multiple small trees braided together.  You can get them small, and if well taken care of over the years they can grow into bigger trees.

4.  Money Trees - These trees are rather fun and make good companions in homes or the office.  They are frequently braided like the ficus trees, but they also typically grown as a bonsai.  These trees were thought to bring prosperity and good fortune.

For larger spaces there are many other options for you to peruse.  Listed below are a number of large tree options.

1.  Arbequina Olive Tree - An interesting selection for an indoor tree, this olive tree will produce for you year round.  They are tolerant of the outdoors, and you can plant them nearly anywhere in the United States.

2.  Meyer Lemon Tree - Not only does this tree do well indoors, bur if it ever gets too big you can plant it in nearly any environment in the United States.  It is very weather tolerant and will produce lots and lots of lemons.

3.  Cold Hardy Avocado Tree- If you are an avocado fan you will enjoy growing this lovely tree.  You can keep it indoors and move outdoors as needed, as it will remain at about 5 - 7 feet.  However, if you ever decide to move it outdoors, this self-pollinating tree can grow up to 20 feet tall and live anywhere in the United States.

          There are many more options to choose from, and the above mentioned are just a few of the more unique options.  Happy tree hunting!

Stewart Scott is a certified arborist and is the owner of Cevet Tree Care, where he offers the best tree service Columbia MO has to offer. Cevet has provided tree trimming and other tree care services to mid-Missouri for almost 20 years.

Fees Associated with Buying a House

image:missourimortgagesource.com

Buying a house isn’t black and white. There are many smaller fees that come out of the woodwork once you get the process going. It would be nice to take the price tag at face value, but there are many other things that need to be paid for along the way before you move into your new home. This is the main reason why purchasing a home can seem so complicated. Here are some of the other fees that will come up as you move along the home buying process.

1. Home inspection costs can run you over several hundred dollars, but more often than not your mortgage insurer is likely going to require that your new house be checked out before you officially close. That way you can get it documented with exactly what condition the house was in prior to putting money down for it, and insurance companies are also going to want you to get it done. Even if there are no requirements from the mortgage company, insurance company or realtor, it is highly recommended that you go this.

2. Everyone assumes that there are taxes involved when buying a new home, but it can come as a shock to many people just how much that can cost upfront during the closing process. Oftentimes new home owners will have to pay for most of the property taxes and homeowners fees for the year right in the first couple of months, if not instantly. It can feel like a very heavy burden to have to cough up that much money from the get go, so keep in mind that this is likely going to be the case for you as well. Once in a while the additional fees get grouped in with the taxes, and they can be financed with the mortgage loan. Usually it has to be taken care of right away.

3. If your mortgage lender has to do the work to get your credit score and documentation, you can count on being charged for that, too. That is why if you have a chance to attain your credit information prior to the initial application process, you will be very glad you did. While the fees won’t be nearly as costly as some of the others, it would just be an extra stress that can be avoided.

4. On a year-to-year basis, the government has the power to change the zones for flooding areas, and if you happen to buy a house in such a region it is likely that you will have to pay for it. Even though it won’t be too much money, it can seem like just one more way that your wallet is under attack.

5. Depending on the company that you choose to borrow from, there will be a lender's fee that is to be determined by that business. Normally they like to float around the 3% range, but it is important to note it so that you know you will be paying for that fee on top of what you are borrowing from them. It wouldn’t hurt to shop around to see what kind of rates you can get before you fully commit to taking a loan from one of the lender’s businesses, and it is likely that you will be able to find one fit into your needs and hopefully won’t put too much of a dent in your overall spending.

Written by Reza Abadi of USA Mortgage. USA Mortgage is the best company for home loans Columbia MO has to offer!