Amarillo Texas is named #7 on the Top 10 Real Estate Markets to watch in 2012 put out by Inman News today! Several factors were taken into consideration that made us rank high on the national list, including - job market, home affordability, low foreclosure and a low vacancy rate. What a wonderful place to live, work and play! Take a moment to read this article and let me know if you are ready to make this great city your home or ready to purchase a home now that you know you are living in this top city already!
It's a Good Life, Treat Yourself Right and Call Me Today!
http://www.inman.com/reports/markets-watch2012#continueintro
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
Wondering what will look pretty in your garden as you dream of spring flowers? I found out, take a look at this article in a favorite magazine of mine, Home by Design.
African Violets Will Bloom throughout the Winter Season!
Written by Robyn Roehm Cannon
For gardeners, winter can be a terribly long and colorless season. But if you’re a plant lover who’s discovered the joys of growing African violets, just the opposite is true. Their dainty blooms, in a wide array of purple, pink, blue, white, and multicolored combinations, will appear almost constantly and brighten any gloomy January day.
This member of the same botanical family that includes gloxinias and lipstick plants has a long history, and although they’re called “violets,” they’re really not violets at all. The first plants were discovered by Baron von Saint Paul in Africa in 1892 and were given the botanical name Saintpaulia ionantha by the director of the Royal Botanical Gardens in honor of the baron. The species name, ionantha, Greek for “resembling a violet,” is in reference to the flower.
Just two years after they were discovered, a New York florist brought African violets to the United States. But in drafty homes of the late-nineteenth century, the plants often became chilled and died. They became known as finicky and hard to grow, a reputation that proved untrue after the fluorescent lightbulb was introduced in 1938. It was then that people discovered that with just a small amount of care and under lights, healthy plants would bloom for six months and rest for three before starting their cycle again.
Today, African violet hybridizers have created countless foliage types and a rainbow of flower colors by combining the parent plants Saintpaulia ionantha and Saintpaulia confusa. Some beauties to look for include plants with variegated, blotched, wavy, oak leaf, quilted, and fringed leaves, with flowers that range from single, double, star, ruffled, bicolored, and even striped. The combinations are endless!
Temperature, Soil, and Light. One thing to remember when raising African violets is that they like the same temperature as people do. If you keep your home at seventy degrees during the day and lower the thermostat to sixty at night, your plants will be happy. Any hotter or cooler, and it tends to stunt their growth.
They love soil that is loose, porous, and drains well. Look for a specific African violet potting mix, which has better drainage and more acidity than regular houseplant potting soil. If your house lacks humidity, choose a soil that is higher in organic matter, which will hold more water and not dry out as quickly. Also, consider your pot: choose plastic pots instead of clay, which lose more water through evaporation. And for the best bloom, keep your plants a bit root-bound.
A huge consideration for continuous bloom success has to do with the quality of light you provide your plants. Giving your African violets enough—but not too much—light will be your challenge. Generally speaking, a location with bright, indirect light from a south- or east-facing window is best. Turn your pots a quarter rotation weekly and they will grown evenly and retain their symmetrical rosette form. A good way to test the intensity of the light your plants are receiving is by putting your hand between the plant and the window with the back of your hand toward the light. If the light casts a shadow but your hand doesn’t feel hot, you’re headed in the right direction.
Water. One of the most important things you can do to ensure your African violets stay healthy and continue to bloom with profusion is to learn how and when to water them. Develop a timeline in which the plants are watered thoroughly and allowed to dry out a bit in between. African violets are particularly susceptible to leaf spotting caused by cold water splashed on the delicate, furry leaves, so be very careful to lift the leaves and water only the soil if you water from the top.
Watering from the bottom in a tray that allows the roots to wick the moisture is the safest method; just be sure to empty the tray so the roots will not become waterlogged. Use only tepid water and mix in a diluted solution of chemically balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20. Once every six weeks, give your African violets a “flushing” by watering well from the top to flush the fertilizer salts from the soil.
For Additional Information Visit the African Violet Society of North America
www.avsa.org
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
Sunday, January 1st, 2012, the start of a new week and a new year all in one day! Are you one of the estimated 44% that make New Year’s Resolutions? Do you have a plan to make them happen, or will you then become part of the estimated 80% that fail or quit?
Here is a list of the Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Eat healthier
2. Get a better job
3. Spend more time with family and friends
4. Get fit / Work out more
5. Get out of debt
6. Recycle
7. Save money
8. Volunteer
9. Quit smoking
10. Lose weight
We must be optimistic if we plan to succeed! Start preparing now, do some research if you need to on what you need to do to make a plan and outline your steps for your goals. You should always write them down and make them public. In our technology world, it is easy to get support and encouragement from others by posting your goals on twitter or facebook. You may have to start with one at a time. Remember old habits are hard to break and it can take 20 consecutive days of doing something to make it a habit!
Start today! Prepare for Sunday and surround yourself with positive reinforcement and have things already in place to make it a smooth transition and a successful start! You can always start smaller if you need to, with maybe taking care of the 5 or more email addresses you have that you never consolidated!
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
Are you looking for something to do this weekend in Amarillo Texas? Spend the evening at Amarillo Botanical Gardens for their second annual Christmas in the Garden. Enjoy caroling from different local groups each night from 6:45 - 7:15 PM. This is a free event with donations appreciated. Take your family on a stroll through the lighted gardens and have a hot beverage. The event is from 6 – 8 PM. Amarillo Botanical Gardens are located at 1400 Streit Drive. Call them at 352-6513 for more details!
www.amarillobotanicalgardens.org
This information is presented by:
Connie Taylor
Keller Williams
Information is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.
Connie Taylor Specializes in the Potter & Randall County Communities of: Amarillo Real Estate * Canyon Real Estate * Lake Tanglewood * Bushland Real Estate
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2012 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
