I recently attended a Kansas City Royals game with my mom for Mother’s Day and forgot how much fun it is to go to The K every once in awhile. It was incredible to see all of the renovations that are taking place at The K which will make a Royals outing even more enjoyable. Inside the stadium they already have a new jumbo screen up that is amazing. It was a little bit chilly, but so nice to sit in the sun with a beer and hot dog in hand and watch some baseball. They gave out free Mother’s Day t-shirts and had tons of giveaways during the game. The team actually played really well and won the game!

Being a lifelong Kansas City Royals fan, it’s always exciting when you get to meet a player or when you get to see them doing something great for a charity event. This past winter, George Brett stopped by our office for a meeting with Jason. Its funny how we all put people like George on a pedestal, but after getting to meet him and chat for a few minutes, it became very clear how down to earth and how humble of a person he is. While at the game on Mother’s day, I walked by a cardboard poster of George and I thought to myself how neat it was that just a few months ago he was at the Highland Outdoor office cracking jokes and laughing with Jason.

If you are ever looking for something to do on a weekend, go check out the Royals if they are in town. (Check out the schedule here) It is guaranteed fun and even better when they win, not to mention parking is not as expensive as it is at a KC Chief’s game ☺

A project that was finished several years ago was featured in a recent issue of Kansas City Homes & Gardens - the article was focused on how clients use swimming pools as a feature accent in design/build projects.

Click the photo below for the larger version.

Here is the May & June 2008 Kansas City Home Improvement Resources column.  This month, David Rowan and Mitch Benjamin offered tips on some regular and irregular annual flowers.

Here is the link to the .pdf.

A few weeks ago, I was asked to write a guest column for the Grow Section for the Kansas City Star. I wrote about something that I’ve thought of for quite some time (and those of you who I’ve been able to work with on your landscape design have undoubtedly heard me talk about it) - the fact that you truly do have a blank canvas in regards to your landscape and design/build project. And… it’s our job to paint that canvas into a creative, long-term outdoor living space. Honestly, it’s one of my true passions about this industry - to work with clients to transform they way they live based on their outdoors. I know, as I sit and type this, I’m on my back patio at my home, admiring the incredible landscape we installed four or five years ago - it does change the way I live, that is for sure.

I might be “one and out” but still, it’s incredible to have this article be on the front page of the Lawn and Garden section… I hope you enjoy it… (Click the image for a larger version)

I think Project Evergreen’s Mission Statement from their website says it best:

Mission Statement: Project EverGreen’s mission is to raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes and promote the significance of those who preserve and enhance green spaces at home, work and play.

This is an incredible organization, because they help people apply a common sense approach to educating people on the environmental, economical, and lifestyle benefits of their personal green space, and then actually apply them by their programs and articles, as well as putting you in touch with green industry professionals who can also help you. The website is projectevergreen.com.

One of there initiatives is GreenCare for Troops:

The mission statement says: “its mission is a nation wide outreach program coordinated by Project EverGreen that connects local lawn and landscape firms with men and women serving our country in the armed forces away from home”.

According to their website, GreenCare has helped over 1,200 volunteers provide free lawn and landscape services for over 4,800 military families nationwide. The cost to manage the GreenCare for Troops Program is underwritten by Cub Cadet Commercial.

This is where I come in. My sister lives in Clarksville TN; she has a husband of 14 years and four Children ranging in age from 9 years old down to 2 years old. My brother in law is with the 101st airborne out of Fort Campbell KY, he is currently deployed overseas in a combat zone. For most people mowing the lawn is not an arduous task but when you are a single mom with four young children while your husband is away - mowing 10,000 sqft of turf with a 21-inch mower takes along time - and it is time that you could use taking care of the kids, making dinner, or doing the laundry just to say the least.

I am very proud of my brother in law and what he, and many other men and women do for our country, but the families have to sacrifice, as well while children miss there parents, spouses have more than twice the load of work to do, and taking care of your lawn is the last thing on your mind. This is a way that our industry can give back to our men and women in uniform.

To some of us, mowing the lawn for someone else is no big deal, and it makes us feel good as person and as a company.  Speaking for my sister, who has four young children, it does more than just make her lawn look good, it makes her feel good and boosts her morale. It is easier to get through the hard times when there is a person or a company who is willing to just give a helping hand. Some person smarter than me once said, “if each one of us does a little to help out we can accomplish a lot.”

Highland Outdoor is pleased to support Project Evergreen and GreenCare for Troops through our membership in PLANET - the Professional Landcare Network.

I enjoy reading blogs for several reasons. One of my favorite things is to hear about exciting new things that others have stumbled upon. So for a change, I am going to pass along something that I have stumbled upon.

How many times a day to you use Google? I would say I probably Google search at least 10 times on a normal day. What if for each time you search for something the site would donate 1 penny to the charity of your choice? Doesn’t sound like much but for my searches alone for an entire month I would raise $2.20, in a year that would raise about $30. Sounds small but just think you just helped a charity and you didn’t even get up from your computer!! So, go to www.goodsearch.com.  Search for your favorite charity, mine is the Kelsey Smith Foundation (kelseysarmy.org), they are the lovely folks who passed it on to me, and get to searching!