In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve (also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries), the last day of the year, is on December 31 which is the seventh day of the Christmas season. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat, drink alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the new year. Some people attend a watch night service. The celebrations generally go on past midnight into January 1st (New Year's Day).
Samoa, Tonga and Kiritimati (Christmas Island), part of Kiribati, are the first places to welcome the New Year while American Samoa and Baker Island in the United States of America are among the last.
In the United States, New Year's Eve is celebrated with formal parties, family-oriented activities, and other large public events.
One of the most prominent celebrations in the country is the "ball drop" held in New York City's Times Square. Inspired by the time balls that were formally used as a time signal, at 11:59 p.m. ET, an 11,875-pound 12-foot diameter Waterford crystal ball located on the roof of One Times Square is lowered down a pole that is 70 feet high, reaching the roof of the building 60 seconds later to signal the start of the New Year. The Ball Drop has been held since 1907, and in recent years has averaged around a million spectators annually. The popularity of the spectacle also inspired similar "drop" events outside of New York City, which often use objects that represent a region's culture, geography, or history—such as Atlanta's "Peach Drop", representing Georgia's identity as the "Peach State". Alongside the festivities in Times Square, New York's Central Park hosts a "Midnight Run" event organized by the New York Road Runners, which culminates in a fireworks show and a race around the park that begins at midnight.
Radio and television broadcasts from festivities in New York helped to ingrain aspects of them in American pop culture; beginning on the radio in 1928, and on CBS television from 1956 to 1976 with ball drop coverage, Guy Lombardo and his band, The Royal Canadians, presented an annual New Year's Eve broadcast from the ballroom of New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The broadcasts were best known for the Royal Canadians' signature performance of "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight, which made the standard synonymous with New Year's in the United States. Following Lombardo's death in 1977, ABC's competing program New Year's Rockin' Eve succeeded the Royal Canadians as the dominant New Year's Eve special on television. Its creator and host Dick Clark intended the program to be a modern and youthful alternative to Lombardo's big band music. Including ABC's special coverage of the year 2000, Clark would host New Year's Eve coverage on ABC for 33 straight years. After suffering a stroke, Clark ceded hosting duties in 2005 to talk show host Regis Philbin, and retired as full-time host in 2006 in favor of Ryan Seacrest due to a speech impediment caused by the stroke. Clark continued to make appearances from a studio on the program annually until his death in 2012.
Notable celebrations occur in other cities as well. On the Las Vegas Strip, the streets are closed to vehicle traffic on the evening of New Year's Eve, and a large fireworks show is held at midnight which spans across multiple resort buildings. Major theme parks may also hold New Year's celebrations; Disney theme parks, such as Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, are traditionally the busiest during the days up to and including New Year's Eve. Los Angeles, a city long without a major public New Year celebration, held an inaugural gathering in Downtown's newly completed Grand Park to celebrate the beginning of 2014. The event included food trucks, art installations, and light shows, culminating with a projection mapping show on the side of Los Angeles City Hall near midnight. The inaugural event drew over 25,000 spectators and participants. In 2015, Chicago held Chi-Town Rising, the city's first ever outdoor New Year's Eve festival on the Magnificent Mile. The event was hosted by Mario Lopez with musical guests American Authors and Chicago. Nearly 100,000 people attended the inaugural event.
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The Times Square Ball is a time ball located in New York City's Times Square. Located on the roof of One Times Square, the ball is a prominent part of a New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square commonly referred to as the ball drop, where the ball descends 141 feet in 60 seconds down a specially designed flagpole, beginning at 11:59:00 p.m. Eastern Time and resting at midnight to signal the start of the new year. In recent years, the festivities have been preceded by live entertainment, including performances by musicians.
The event was first organized by Adolph Ochs, owner of The New York Times newspaper, as a successor to a series of New Year's Eve fireworks displays he held at the building to promote its status as the new headquarters of the Times, while the ball itself was designed by Artkraft Strauss. First held on December 31, 1907, to welcome 1908, the ball drop has been held annually since, except in 1942 and 1943 in observance of wartime blackouts.
The ball's design has also been updated over the years to reflect improvements in lighting technology; the original design was made from wood and iron and lit with 100 incandescent light bulbs, while its current incarnation features a computerized LED lighting system and an outer surface consisting of triangle-shaped crystal panels. Since 2009, the current ball has been displayed atop the building year-round, while the original, smaller version of the current ball that was used in 2008 is on display at Times Square's visitor center.
The event is organized by the Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment, a company led by Jeff Strauss, and is among the most notable New Year's celebrations internationally: it is attended by at least 2 million spectators yearly, and is nationally televised as part of New Year's Eve specials broadcast by a number of networks and cable channels. The prevalence of the Times Square ball drop has inspired similar "drops" at other local New Year's Eve events across the country; while some use balls, some instead drop objects that represent local culture or history.
Festivities
Festivities formally begin in the early evening with the raising of the ball at around 6:00 p.m. Party favors are also distributed to attendees, which have historically included large balloons, hats, and other items branded with the event's corporate sponsors. The hours before the drop are preceded by hourly countdowns for the arrival of the new year in other countries, along with live music performances by popular musicians. Some of these performances are organized by, and aired on New Year's Eve television specials which are broadcast from Times Square.
The drop itself occurs at 11:59 p.m.—the last minute of the year, and is ceremonially "activated" by a dignitary or celebrity joined on-stage by the current Mayor of New York City. The conclusion of the drop is followed by fireworks shot from the roof of One Times Square, along with the playing of "Auld Lang Syne" by Guy Lombardo, "Theme from New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra, "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, and "Over the Rainbow".
Since the 1996 New Year's Eve celebration, the current Mayor of New York City has been joined by a special guest, selected yearly to recognize their community involvement or significance, in ceremonially "activating" the ball drop by pressing a button, resembling a smaller version of the ball itself, at exactly one minute to midnight. The button itself does not actually trigger the drop; that is done from a control room, synchronized using a government time signal.
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We all have holiday traditions, as New Years approaches here are some to consider.
Auld Lang Syne
The most commonly sung song for English-speakers on New Year's eve, "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish song that was first published by the poet Robert Burns in the 1796 edition of the book, Scots Musical Museum. Burns transcribed it (and made some refinements to the lyrics) after he heard it sung by an old man from the Ayrshire area of Scotland, Burns's homeland.
It is often remarked that "Auld Lang Syne" is one of the most popular songs that nobody knows the lyrics to. "Auld Lang Syne" literally translates as "old long since" and means "times gone by." The song asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness, "For auld lang syne, we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet."
But it was bandleader Guy Lombardo, and not Robert Burns, who popularized the song and turned it into a New Year's tradition. Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. When he and his brothers formed the famous dance band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, the song became one of their standards. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and a tradition was born. After that, Lombardo's version of the song was played every New Year's eve from the 1930s until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria. In the first years it was broadcast on radio, and then on television. The song became such a New Year's tradition that "Life magazine wrote that if Lombardo failed to play 'Auld Lang Syne,' the American public would not believe that the new year had really arrived."
Hogmanay (Scotland)
The birthplace of "Auld Lang Syne" is also the home of Hogmanay (hog-mah-NAY), the rousing Scottish New Year's celebration (the origins of the name are obscure). One of the traditions is "first-footing." Shortly after midnight on New Year's eve, neighbors pay visits to each other and impart New Year's wishes. Traditionally, First foots used to bring along a gift of coal for the fire, or shortbread. It is considered especially lucky if a tall, dark, and handsome man is the first to enter your house after the new year is rung in. The Edinburgh Hogmanay celebration is the largest in the country, and consists of an all-night street party (visit their Hagmanay website here).
Oshogatsu (Japan)
The new year is the most important holiday in Japan, and is a symbol of renewal. In December, various Bonenkai or "forget-the-year parties" are held to bid farewell to the problems and concerns of the past year and prepare for a new beginning. Misunderstandings and grudges are forgiven and houses are scrubbed. At midnight on Dec. 31, Buddhist temples strike their gongs 108 times, in a effort to expel 108 types of human weakness. New Year's day itself is a day of joy and no work is to be done. Children receive otoshidamas, small gifts with money inside. Sending New Year's cards is a popular tradition—if postmarked by a certain date, the Japanese post office guarantees delivery of all New Year's cards on Jan. 1.
Spain
The Spanish ritual on New Year's eve is to eat twelve grapes at midnight. The tradition is meant to secure twelve happy months in the coming year.
The Netherlands
The Dutch burn bonfires of Christmas trees on the street and launch fireworks. The fires are meant to purge the old and welcome the new.
Greece
In Greece, New Year's day is also the Festival of St. Basil, one of the founders of the Greek Orthodox Church. One of the traditional foods served is Vassilopitta, or St Basil's cake. A silver or gold coin is baked inside the cake. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake will be especially lucky during the coming year.
United States
Probably the most famous tradition in the United States is the dropping of the New Year ball in Times Square, New York City, at 11:59 P.M. Thousands gather to watch the ball make its one-minute descent, arriving exactly at midnight. The tradition first began in 1907. The original ball was made of iron and wood; the current ball is made of Waterford Crystal, weighs 1,070 pounds, and is six feet in diameter.
A traditional southern New Year's dish is Hoppin' John—black eyed peas and ham hocks. An old saying goes, "Eat peas on New Year's day to have plenty of everything the rest of the year."
Another American tradition is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the football game on New Year's day is made up of elaborate and inventive floats. The first parade was held in 1886.
Widely Observed New Year Symbols and Traditions
Resolutions: It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year's resolutions, and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.
Fireworks: Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck. The Chinese are credited with inventing fireworks and use them to spectacular effect in their New Year's celebrations.
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The North Pole, also known as the Terrestrial North Pole, is defined as the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface.
Try as hard as you can, you will not find jolly old St. Nick, elves, his workshop, or a barn with eight tiny reindeer. Now, I am not saying they don't exist ... they are just impossible to find.
The North Pole is the northernmost point on the Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. It defines geodetic latitude 90° North, as well as the direction of true north. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value. Along tight latitude circles, counterclockwise is east and clockwise is west. The North Pole is at the center of the Northern Hemisphere.
While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean amid waters that are almost permanently covered w ith constantly shifting sea ice. This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole (unlike the South Pole). However, the Soviet Union, and later Russia, constructed a number of manned drifting stations on a generally annual basis since 1937, some of which have passed over or very close to the Pole. Since 2002, the Russians have also annually established a base, Barneo, close to the Pole. This operates for a few weeks during early spring. Studies in the 2000s predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free because of Arctic ice shrinkage, with timescales varying from 2016 to the late 21st century or later.
The sea depth at the North Pole has been measured at 13,980 ft by the Russian Mir submersible in 2007 and at 13,410 ft by USS Nautilus in 1958. The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about 430 mi away, though some perhaps non-permanent gravel banks lie slightly closer. The nearest permanently inhabited place is Alert in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada,which is located 508 mi from the Pole.
So it is fair to question whether the North Pole can really be called a landmark.
The US explorer Frederick Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole on 21 April 1908 with two Inuit men, Ahwelah and Etukishook, but he was unable to produce convincing proof and his claim is not widely accepted.
The conquest of the North Pole was for many years credited to US Navy engineer Robert Peary, who claimed to have reached the Pole on 6 April 1909, accompanied by Matthew Henson and four Inuit men, Ootah, Seeglo, Egingwah, and Ooqueah. However, Peary's claim remains highly disputed and controversial. Those who accompanied Peary on the final stage of the journey were not trained in navigation, and thus could not independently confirm his navigational work, which some claim to have been particularly sloppy as he approached the Pole.
The sun at the North Pole is continuously above the horizon during the summer and continuously below the horizon during the winter. Sunrise is just before the March equinox (around 20 March); the sun then takes three months to reach its highest point of near 23½° elevation at the summer solstice (around 21 June), after which time it begins to sink, reaching sunset just after the September equinox (around 23 September). When the sun is visible in the polar sky, it appears to move in a horizontal circle above the horizon. This circle gradually rises from near the horizon just after the vernal equinox to its maximum elevation (in degrees) above the horizon at summer solstice and then sinks back toward the horizon before sinking below it at the autumnal equinox.
A civil twilight period of about two weeks occurs before sunrise and after sunset, a nautical twilight period of about five weeks occurs before sunrise and after sunset and an astronomical twilight period of about seven weeks occurs before sunrise and after sunset.
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We all use spices and herbs when we cook during the year. At Christmas time, , however, certain spices, and certain herbs just make the holidays come to life. They add a different taste to our foods and smells to our rooms. You’re no doubt familiar with the smell of freshly baked pumpkin pie, what holiday does it make you think of?
Smell isn’t everything, though. How about the taste of hot chocolate, egg nog, holiday cookies or candy canes? Our childhood Christmas memories are likely full of the aromas of certain spices or herbs.
Spices and herbs produce the smells of the holiday and spark special memories. There are many customs, legends and memories created by these spices and smells. They add flavor and aromas to the season; normal dishes have an extra festive flair when you put just the right spice or herb in them. Not only do the spices and herbs smell wonderful, but they also have many proven health benefits.
Here are three you may like and use.
Myrrh. This, of course, was given to the baby Jesus. Myrrh comes from Commiphora Myrrha Tree resin. It is another spice often used during church services. This spice was worth more than frankincense in the ancient world. It is used as an oral antiseptic
When a tree wound penetrates through the bark and into the sapwood, the tree bleeds a resin. Myrrh gum, like frankincense, is such a resin. When people harvest myrrh, they wound the trees repeatedly to bleed them of the gum. Myrrh gum is waxy and coagulates quickly. After the harvest, the gum becomes hard and glossy. The gum is yellowish and may be either clear or opaque. It darkens deeply as it ages, and white streaks emerge..
Cloves: Buds of the clove plant are often used for baking and cooking, and putting in drinks and teas, and in wonderfully smelling decorations of the season. It has anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities and can help in digestion.
Cloves are used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese medicine, and western herbalism and dentistry where the essential oil is used as an anodyne (painkiller) for dental emergencies. Cloves are used as a carminative, to increase hydrochloric acid in the stomach and to improve peristalsis. Cloves are also said to be a natural anthelmintic. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy when stimulation and warming are needed, especially for digestive problems. Topical application over the stomach or abdomen are said to warm the digestive tract. Applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, it also relieves toothache.
Nutmeg. Often used in baking, cooking, drinks and teas, nutmeg also helps settle and relax nerves.
Nutmeg and mace have similar sensory qualities, with nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavour. Mace is often preferred in light dishes for the bright orange, saffron-like hue it imparts. Nutmeg is used for flavouring many dishes, usually in ground or grated form, and is best grated fresh in a nutmeg grater.
Indonesian manisan pala (nutmeg sweets)
In Indonesian cuisine, nutmeg is used in various dishes, mainly in many spicy soups, such as some variant of soto, konro, oxtail soup, sup iga (ribs soup), bakso and sup kambing. It is also used in gravy for meat dishes, such as semur beef stew, ribs with tomato, to European derived dishes such as bistik (beef steak), rolade (minced meat roll) and bistik lidah (beef tongue steak). Sliced nutmeg fruit flesh could be made as manisan (sweets), either wet, which is seasoned in sugary syrup liquid, or dry coated with sugar.
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Make Your Own Christmas Topiaries
Topiaries used as Christmas decorations add eloquence to the home during the holidays. They are an excellent way to decorate a fireplace, mantle, or entry way. Typical retail prices for a standard topiary start at $45.00, making them an expensive investment during an already financially taxing holiday season. With a few tools, some floral foam, a base, and some creativity, topiaries can be custom decorated by you for just a few dollars. Each is simple to make regardless of skill level. Topiaries are an excellent indoor or outdoor Christmas decoration.
A decorated grapevine topiary tree.
A decorated grapevine topiary tree.
A wire tomato cage turned upside down makes a great base for a homemade topiary.
A wire tomato cage turned upside down makes a great base for a homemade topiary.
Grapevine Topiary
A grapevine topiary is a beautiful accent that adds country Christmas charm to home. To make this craft easier, you can purchase a pre-assembled grapevine topiary at a craft store. They come in many sizes.
For an authentic handmade look, a grapevine topiary can be made with a wire tomato cage.
Supplies for one Grapevine Topiary:
One wire tomato cage in the size of your choice
Wire cutters and pliers
Brown floral wire
One large spiral of grapevine.
Your favorite lights, berry picks and decorations
Instructions:
Turn the wire tomato cage upside down with the narrow end at the top. Gather the three wire ends and secure them with brown floral wire and pliers.
Start weaving grapevine at the base of the cage around the bottom section. Be sure to cover wire. Every three inches, secure the grapevine to the cage with a piece of floral wire.
Continue to wrap the grapevine around the cage going up. When one round is complete around the cage, push it down to avoid gaps and secure it to the level below it with brown floral wire. Continue until you get to the top of the cage.
When you get to the top, secure the last piece of grapevine securely with the brown floral wire.
Decorate your tree with lights, berry picks, and your favorite ornaments. Can be used indoors or outdoors.
To make thinner or shorter trees like in this little forest, carve away portions of the floral cone before decorating.
To make thinner or shorter trees like in this little forest, carve away portions of the floral cone before decorating.
You can make this peacock feather tree for less than $8.00. Retails for $35.00 at Amazon.
You can make this peacock feather tree for less than $8.00. Retails for $35.00 at Amazon.
Use a floral cone to make a feather topiary.
Use a floral cone to make a feather topiary.
Feather Topiary
Of all the topiaries to make by hand, the feather topiary is the simplest and least expensive of all. Basic topiaries can be made for just the cost of the floral cone and feather picks. This type of topiary can be set on a shelf as is when finished, or you can place it in a festive Christmas planter. These also work well with year round décor in your favorite colors and styles.
Supplies for one feather topiary:
One Styrofoam floral cone
A pack of 50 feather plume picks in your favorite color and style
Floral wire cutters
Spray snow or glitter if desired
Feather water proofing spray (if being used outdoors)
Instructions:
Set up the floral cone on your workspace.
Start at the bottom of the cone and insert the flower picks into the foam at an upward angle.
Keep them close together so they are touching to avoid bare spots.
Work to the top of the cone adding even layers of feathers at an upward angle. When you get to 3/4ths of the way to the top, trim the the feather plume picks with the floral cutters. Shorten the stems by 1/4th to 1/2" until you reach the top.
When finished, you can spray your feather topiary tree with decorative snow or glitter. If this topiary will be used outside or exposed to the elements, spray the feathers with waterproofing spray.
A Christmas ball topiary is very simple to make and is an excellent project for beginners.
A Christmas ball topiary is very simple to make and is an excellent project for beginners.
Use your imagination with Christmas balls!
Use your imagination with Christmas balls!
Basic construction of any topiary. Includes Floral foam and a stem.
Basic construction of any topiary. Includes Floral foam and a stem.
Christmas Ball Topiary
For a topiary with more color, try one made with Christmas balls in your favorite color or that can be customized to match your holiday theme.
Supplies:
A decorator pot in your favorite color and style. Consider decorating a planter with paint or Christmas paper for a festive topiary.
One floral block to fit the base of the planter you choose
One large floral craft stem to make the the topiary trunk
One extra large floral ball for the top of the trunk
Ribbon to make a large bow for the trunk
Christmas balls in your favorite colors. Assorted sizes add interest. If you mix sizes you will need about 84. If using all large ornaments, you will need 70.
Craft Glue
Craft moss to cover the base of the floral foam in container
Instructions:
Attach the floral ball to the top of the stem.
Attach the base floral foam to the bottom of the stick.
Insert the foam construction into the planter. The foam at the base can be shaved down with a knife if it is too big for the planter. If this will be placed outdoors, add rocks before adding the floral foam. This will keep the topiary from blowing over.
Cover the foam in the planter with decorative moss to hide the floral foam. If using a natural stem, it can be left bare. Otherwise, it can be covered with decorative material such as decorative duct tape. For a festive look, use red and white tape to create a candy cane pattern.
Attach the Christmas balls to the round foam ball. Start at the top and work down, adding a touch of craft glue to each ball and pushing the hanging portion of the ball into the foam.
When balls are secured to the floral foam ball, attach a festive bow to the top of the trunk. You are ready to enjoy your topiary.
A pre-fabricated topiary can be purchased at a craft store.
A pre-fabricated topiary can be purchased at a craft store.
How to Make a Spiral Christmas Topiary
A spiral topiary may look intimidating, but it is an easy project. You can make one from a real miniature evergreen tree such as Alberta Spruce or even a Blue Spruce. This topiary can also be made with artificial evergreen foliage.
Supplies for One Spiral Christmas Topiary:
One cone shaped evergreen miniature tree (it can remain in the container it comes in, or you can transfer it to a more festive, decorative container.)
Freezer tape
Pruning shears
Decorative Planter for indoors or out
Festive foil and bows to decorate the pot
Christmas lights if you want a lighted topiary
Instructions:
Working outdoors, wind the tape around the tree starting at the top. Continue to the bottom and make a spiral shape in the branches.
Next, prune the branches of the tree to match the spiral shape of the tree. Don't over snip.
Remove the tape and make sure your spiral design is the way you want it. Touch up any necessary areas.
As long as you keep the evergreen alive it will continue to grow. Try placing it in a bigger pot or transplanting it into the ground.
Your spiral is ready for decoration.
A Red Berry Christmas topiary adds color and elegance to your decor.
A Red Berry Christmas topiary adds color and elegance to your decor.
Sprigs of red berries make for a festive Christmas design.
Sprigs of red berries make for a festive Christmas design.
A styrofoam cone is a great way to make a simple Christmas tree.
A styrofoam cone is a great way to make a simple Christmas tree.
Christmas Berry Topiary
A berry topiary is a natural and festive way to create your own outdoor Christmas décor.
Supplies for one Christmas Berry Topiary:
One styrofoam cone (sold at most craft stores)
10-12 sprigs of dried or artificial red berries (for a medium tree)
One festive decorative planter in the size of your styrofoam cone
Instructions:
Set the styrofoam cone inside the planter. Trim it and push into the planter to make sure it fits tightly.
Glue sprigs of dried or artificial red canella berries to a cone shaped styrofoam tree with white glue. Start from the bottom and work up in sections, allowing some of the sprigs to hang over the planter for a natural look.
If you are setting this topiary outdoors, you will need to anchor it to prevent it from blowing away. Craft rocks can be added to the bottom of the planter before adding the cone to it.
It doesn’t
matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some
type of landscaping in between, we can help. We serve businesses like
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I can understand why that headline on our blog may seem a bit out of place. After all Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance is not directly involved is selling Christmas anything to the public. But we are a business to business company and our clients are businesses in the mists of selling Christmas gifts, services or many other related business products and the like.
I am super you are already shopping online to save time and money. But just how well is that working for you. Are you suffering from delivery problems and out-of-stock disappointments?
Call your local stores and see what they have in stock and go pick it up … no disappointments. Many local stores may just match a fair no gimmick online price as well.
You will find your local stores a great source for product education. They can save you both time and money by helping with the correct gift or item for your needs.
Here are some more great reasons to shop local;
The casual encounters you enjoy at neighborhood–scale businesses and the public spaces around them build relationships and community cohesiveness.
Strengthen Our Local Economy!
Each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns 3 times more money (source 2) to your local economy than one spent at a chain (almost 50 times more than buying from an online mega-retailer) — a benefit we all can bank on.
Shape Our Character!
Independent businesses help give your community its distinct personality.
You Can Buy It Where You Try It!
Local stores enable you to try on and try out items before you buy — and get real expertise — saving your time and money.
Create Jobs And Opportunities!
Not only do independent businesses employ more people directly per dollar of revenue, they also are the customers of local printers, accountants, wholesalers, farms, attorneys, etc., expanding opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help. We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.
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There are distinct cool and warm growing seasons in the Phoenix Metro area, with different types of turf thriving in each. Because the temperatures in the Valley of the Sun range from 25-degree winter nights to 120 degree plus summer days, it is impossible to find one grass type that will remain green and healthy all year long. Instead, desert gardeners who choose to have year-round green turf must overseed their warm-weather Bermuda-grass in fall with cool-season ryegrass.
Overseeding is not necessary for the health of the lawn, nor is it a regulatory requirement of any city, county or state government in Arizona. If temperatures are mild and remain above freezing at night, and above 50 degrees during the day, bermudagrass lawns may remain fairly green and actively growing through November.
Once the frosts of a typical November hit, however, bermudagrass turns brown and goes dormant until February or March, when temperatures warm up. That is just a couple of months without a green lawn in a typical winter, and it provides a respite from mowing and fertilizing, while conserving water.
If you decide to overseed your bermudagrass, experts recommend waiting until it has been established for one year. Also, bermudagrass recovers faster in spring and stays healthier if not overseeded year after year. According to many professional turf managers in the southwestern U.S. overseed every other year to strengthen the health of their base bermudagrass and to help control weeds during the coolest months.
Preparation
1. Overseed mature lawns between late September and mid-November, when nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees.
2. Four to six weeks prior to overseeding, stop fertilizing your bermudagrass.
3. Cut irrigation frequency in half a few weeks before you overseed.
4. Don’t mow your lawn one week before overseeding.
5. The day of overseeding, mow Bermuda-grass as low as your mower will go, preferably down to one-half inch high, and thoroughly remove the clippings from your greenscape.
Overseeding
1. Spread ryegrass seed in amounts specified on the packaging.
2. Rake the seed in to promote good soil contact.
3. Cover seed with one-quarter inch of weed-free mulch, composted steer manure or grass clippings. This top-dressing helps maintain moisture and moderate soil temperatures needed to promote seed germination, and deters birds from feeding on the seed.
4. Water 3 to 4 times daily for 5 to 10 minutes until seeds germinate in 5 to 7 days.
Ryegrass Care
After ryegrass begins to establish, around the third or fourth week, gradually start reducing irrigation to every 3 to 5 days in November and December, then every 5 to 10 days for the remainder of the season, depending on local conditions and rainfall. For healthy ryegrass, irrigation must run for longer periods than the original 5 to 10 minutes, allowing water to soak 4 to 6 inches deep with each irrigation. This promotes a vigorous root system that can withstand longer periods without water.
Do not mow until ryegrass grows 2 inches tall; then mow lightly, no lower than 11/2 inches tall. After ryegrass establishes (each plant has 3 or 4 shoots), it can be mowed to a lower height, if desired.
Do not fertilize until after the first mowing. Feed monthly with a complete fertilizer, such as 21-7-14, 16-6-8.
It doesn’t matter to us whether you want commercial desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help. We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.
Presented By:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
We are a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance.
While our normal hours of operations are from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM we offer 24/7 service and Storm Damage Clean-up as needed by our customers.
We keep our overhead low and pass the savings on to our customers. We provide high quality service and pride ourselves on our open communication practices.
Our hourly rate is $26 per hour. Our special project rate, including sprinkler repairs, is $30. We offer convenient payment terms of 2/10 net 30.
All of our vehicles are clearly marked and all of our employees are in uniform for easy identification. Many of the small unexpected things that other companies charge for, we include.
If there are minor sprinkler repairs that are needed, most of them are also included (no charge). We accomplish this by providing an allowance for sprinkler heads, drip emitters, shrub heads, and repairs to lateral lines and drip lines. The only sprinkler issues that we would have to charge for would be main line repairs, valves & timers. And we always get these pre approved by our customers.
Unlike other companies we don't mark-up inventory, whenever possible. Another one of our popular services is safety and visibility trimming at no extra charge. This means that if you have things we think could be a liability on your property related to the landscape, we will communicate with you and work together to resolve these issues before they cause an accident or damage vehicles or buildings. If there is vegetation blocking the view of signs or safe passage in and out of the parking lot, trees blocking safety lighting, we will keep those items at their smallest manageable size (no charge).
We don't charge anything for the installation of winter lawns. This means you do not pay anything for scalping and removal of summer lawn, sprinkler tune up, and top dressing where needed. And the seed is provided at the market price. We also offer a full range of tree trimming options for our customers including emergency storm damage clean up and tree removal. Lawn fertilizer is done quarterly for the price of fertilizer only.
We will strive to keep your landscape safe, clean and beautiful. At the same time keeping your costs as low as possible.
We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2,000,000 business liability, $1,000,000 commercial auto, and $1,000,000 workman's comp. And we can list you (the customer) as additional insured at no extra charge.
We can Help! Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277 We serve the entire Phoenix Metro Area.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
The smell of the Christmas holiday! Just thinking about it conjures up aromas of sage-scented turkey roasting and pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon and nutmeg. While most Americans incorporate some family heirloom recipe into the Christmas dinner, most of us have some commonality with regards to the type of Christmas herbs and spices we use on this celebratory day; anytime, anywhere, the sudden aroma of which may take us back to a special Christmas Day in our lives.
The smell of the Christmas holiday! Just thinking about it conjures up aromas of sage-scented turkey roasting and pumpkin pie spice with cinnamon and nutmeg. While most Americans incorporate some family heirloom recipe into the Christmas dinner, most of us have some commonality with regards to the type of Christmas herbs and spices we use on this celebratory day; anytime, anywhere, the sudden aroma of which may take us back to a special Christmas Day in our lives.
Parsley has a clean, mildly anise flavor of this herb makes it one of the most versatile on the holiday table, and since it rarely overwhelms the ingredients around it you can turn to it anytime you think a dish could use a boost. I love whole parsley leaves added to green salads, stems packed into the cavity of a turkey for aroma and a dust of chopped leaves over just about anything that needs freshness and color
Sage will do well with rosemary and comes in many varieties including variegated. When using potted herbs for holiday dishes, sage is a must have for Christmas dinner, sage stuffing anyone?
Rosemary makes a stunning topiary and can do double duty both as a decorative item and a useful culinary specimen. Again, at some point, you will probably want to relegate the herb to the garden since it will eventually become more of a bush. Rosemary is a common Christmas herb used to flavor potatoes or stuffed into the cavity of your turkey.
Thyme is another popular Christmas herb, which again, has a tendency to spread. There is quite a variety of thyme to grow from those with creeping habitats to more upright types.
Did you sing along as you read the list? Oops, sorry it is an age group thing.
https://youtu.be/-Jj4s9I-53g Simon & Garfunkel - Scarborough Fair
Chives tend to spread, but again if constantly harvesting the herb, will do well potted and can then be moved to the garden in the spring.
Marjoram and oregano are members of the same family and will begin to taste much the same if grown in the same container, so separate these herbs. Both of these are vigorous spreaders and should be relocated to the garden eventually to allow them to flourish.
Bay will eventually grow into a large tree but does well for a time in a container.
Or you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for your property and take the burden off your shoulders all together. Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
Putting Christmas lights in tree branches, around tree trunks, and elsewhere can be easy and fun if you know how to do it. Some people even use "cherry-pickers."
Before you start climbing the branches, though, remember that holiday lights have to plug into an electrical outlet, or at least an extension cord that leads to an outlet. The shorter the stretch between light bulbs and outlet, the less risk you face from frayed wires or other electrical problems. If the tree stands far from an outlet, consider letting the tree stay unlit.
Ways to Install Christmas Lights in Trees
There's no single perfect way to install holiday lights in tree branches. Some people simply toss light strands into the trees. This method doesn't let you control where the strands go, but it can be lot of fun. One caveat, though: a tossed light strand may not reach the highest branches unless you have a strong arm or a short tree.
Another method is to get a long pole or rod, preferably with a hook at the end. If you have no poles that have hooks, untwist a coat hanger until it's as flat and straight as a pole, and use its head for a hook. (Better still, combine pole and hanger by taping them together.) Drape a string of lights over the hook and extend the pole over one of the tree's branches. Turn the pole until the strand slips off of the hook and onto the branch; it should dangle from the branch like a kite string. If possible, grab the dangling end of the lights strand with the hook and wrap it around the branch so as to secure them to each other.
Cherry Picker, Bucket Truck, Aerial Lift
People who decorate really tall trees and high branches often use a bucket truck, sometimes also called a lift truck, aerial lift or cherry-picker. The driver rolls the truck up to a location, enters a bucket big enough for a human being and his tools and lights, and by manipulating the controls raises the bucket into the air.
You can do it yourself — but it’s not easy. "Only trained persons shall operate an aerial lift," says the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration 's rule 1910.67(c)(2)(ii). If you raise the bucket too fast, it can rip through a tree's branches. What’s more, according to an article in Communications Technology, a magazine for (among others) people who string wires in high places, "An average bucket truck weighs 10,000 pounds and cannot stop on a dime.
Final Words of Caution and Safety
Whatever method you use to hang Christmas lights in trees, you’ll need to make sure that the lights stay there throughout the winter weather. You can attach lights to branches with specialized tree clips or the twist ties that come with plastic bags.
Or you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together. Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
Devils Tower or "Bear Lodge" and "Brown Buffalo Horn", is a laccolithic butte composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Mountains (part of the Black Hills) near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River. It rises dramatically 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet from summit to base. The summit is 5,112 feet above sea level.
Devils Tower was the first declared United States National Monument, established on September 24, 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. The Monument's boundary encloses an area of 1,347 acres. In recent years, about 1% of the Monument's 400,000 annual visitors climbed Devils Tower, mostly using traditional climbing techniques.
Tribes including the Arapaho, Crow, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Lakota, and Shoshone had cultural and geographic ties to the monolith before non-Native Americans reached Wyoming. Their names for the monolith include: Aloft on a Rock (Kiowa), Bear's House (Cheyenne, Crow), Bear's Lair (Cheyenne, Crow), Daxpitcheeaasáao, "Home of bears" (Crow), Bear's Lodge (Cheyenne, Lakota), Bear's Lodge Butte (Lakota), Bear's Tipi (Arapaho, Cheyenne), Tree Rock (Kiowa), and Grizzly Bear Lodge (Lakota).
The name Devil's Tower originated in 1875 during an expedition led by Col. Richard Irving Dodge when his interpreter misinterpreted the name to mean Bad God's Tower, which then became Devil's Tower. All information signs in that area use the name "Devils Tower", following a geographic naming standard whereby the apostrophe is eliminated.
In 2005, a proposal to recognize several American Indian ties through the additional designation of the monolith as Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark met with opposition from United States Representative Barbara Cubin, arguing that a "name change will harm the tourist trade and bring economic hardship to area communities".
In November 2014, Arvol Looking Horse, an American Indian spiritual leader, again proposed renaming the geographical feature "Bear Lodge", and submitted the request to the Board of Geographic Names. A second proposal was submitted to request that the US acknowledge the "offensive" mistake and to rename the monument and sacred site Bear Lodge National Historic Landmark. The formal public comment period ended in fall 2015. Local state senator Ogden Driskill opposed the change. The name was not changed.
The landscape surrounding Devils Tower is composed mostly of sedimentary rocks. The oldest rocks visible in Devils Tower National Monument were laid down in a shallow sea during the Triassic period, 225 to 195 million years ago. This dark red sandstone and maroon siltstone, interbedded with shale, can be seen along the Belle Fourche River. Oxidation of iron minerals causes the redness of the rocks. This rock layer is known as the Spearfish Formation.
Above the Spearfish formation is a thin band of white gypsum, called the Gypsum Springs Formation. This layer of gypsum was deposited during the Jurassic period, 195 to 136 million years ago.
Created as sea levels and climates repeatedly changed, gray-green shales (deposited in low-oxygen environments such as marshes) were interbedded with fine-grained sandstones, limestones, and sometimes thin beds of red mudstone. This composition, called the Stockade Beaver member, is part of the Sundance Formation. The Hulett Sandstone member, also part of the Sundance formation, is composed of yellow fine-grained sandstone. Resistant to weathering, it forms the nearly vertical cliffs which encircle the Tower itself.
During the Paleocene Epoch, 56 to 66 million years ago, the Rocky Mountains and the Black Hills were uplifted. Magma rose through the crust, intruding into the existing sedimentary rock layers.
It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help. We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.
Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net
