Monday, March 11, 2024

My Mother...Her Condition...My Many Thanks, and More

I had plans to write this article, thanking many of you for your response and information you provided regarding recommendations for in-home care for my mother. 

In the meantime, many of you corresponded in writing or even called me about Mom and wishing her well. A few of you spoke with her...not difficult, she's so inviting.

The other night, another customer, and I feel, a friend, called me and asked how Mom is doing. I was so thankful, overwhelmed. I had a good, healthy cry after we hung up. The contact was so impacting, so true. Thank you, Della.

Several of you know my mother, but most of you do not. Yet, the concern is so heartfelt and lifting although Mom is doing quite well in spite of the physical limitations she must incur for recovery.

Related, is the fact that I have some of the best customers in the world. I often make mention of this while speaking to other owners of businesses and they usually smirk, never asking why I say such. I imagine they don't believe so or they have never experienced such, or nowhere near.

My mother, an RN by trade, but a singer, actor and artist, when she found time, was no businesswoman; yet, she instilled in me a huge amount of integrity in most everything one does - her father, my grandfather, gave her (and I) that.

She's a wonderful lady, taking no prescription drugs, only vitamins or supplements - has wonderful vitals, bone density and muscles. Wine and chocolate are her only vices/pleasures, and at 94, she can have all she wants. 

The head care person (RN) for her is magnificent and the other care giver is well-tuned for her job. We are fortunate.

Thank you all for your concerns. I take a knee occasionally and this helps. All is well. When I do so I am usually giving thanks, not asking...this works well for me and the God I have come to know. And, his son. 

I am working on a substantial project right now and many of you have contacted me about other concerns. I (we) will get there. Please, bear with me, but feel free to call on me as Mom loves plants and wants to know I am out there with them. It's somewhat spiritual for her.

I am doing the best I can for her, which may not be the best, but the best I can.

Thank you! 

 

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Bethel Boston Butt Bonanza

It's that time again.

The response was fantastic last fall, butt The MOB (Men of Bethel) of Bethel United Methodist Church aren't looking behind.

Once again, we are having our semi-annual Boston Butt Bonanza (bigger and better) and this is a wonderful time to let someone else do the cookin'.

In fact, these wonderful cuts of pork, smoked and prepared by Award Winning Smokers -  DOKO Smoke BBQ - will be available just in time for Easter.

Do we even need a holiday to enjoy such flavor? Heck no.

Get creative! You can freeze your butt off (in the freezer) and feed your family and friends later, host a party or have some bona fide pulled pork for your next picnic.

No ifs, ands; just butts - one of the best butts you'll ever get your hands on.

The Butt: A cooked-weight of approximately seven (7) pounds of shapely deliciousness, packaged in tin foil...Only $40.00.

If you run out of ideas (silly thought) for what to do with your Boston Butt, you can always leave a few pounds for making Chalupas.

If you are not a fan of Boston Butt or still have some hanging out in your freezer, you can always designate your purchase to go to Epworth Children's Home. They are nothing, butt fans.

Proceeds go to church and community projects including funding for Family Promise (hosting homeless families once per quarter), sponsoring and volunteering for the National Prayer Line the first Saturday of each month and funding for Sheriff Leon Lott's Elder Watch Program.

Tickets are now on sale through March 22 at the Bethel United Methodist Church office Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The church is located at 4600 Daniel Drive in Forest Acres.

OR, you can use the purchase feature below and select as many butts as you can handle.

Please enter Epworth if purchase is for Epworth Children's Home.

Pick-up for the Boston Butts will be between 4PM to 7PM Friday, March 29 - just in time for Easter. Pick-up will be in the rear parking lot, off Willingham Drive.

IMPORTANT! If you use the on-line purchase feature above, please print and bring your receipt when picking up as this will serve as your ticket. Your receipt will come from dingbretsen@gmail.com, so please check your e-mail spam or junk folder if you don't shortly find this in your in-box.

Please contact Doug at 803-553-5757 if you have any questions or difficulty ordering.

Thank you, very much!

K N O W I N G,  L O V I N G,  S E R V I N G





Sunday, November 12, 2023

Those Delightful Daffodils - Limited Time Giveaway

 

Yes, Daffodils are delightful.

And, thanks to a customer, we have a substantial number to give away.

These Daffodils - Dutch Masters, were meant to be a contribution to The Daffodil Project to build a worldwide Living Holocaust Memorial.

The manager of the project had already acquired the Daffodils needed, so this individual is donating them to the community, via me. I'm honored.

Daffodils will enhance most any landscape in an area with ample sun exposure. These will work well in an existing plant bed, a tree understory, potted or most any application.

Mature Daffodils can easily be split to expand a plant bed or to be transplanted elsewhere. It's truly a gift that keeps giving.

We are offering to design a plant bed in the shape of a Daffodil (other shape if you desire) and install the bulbs (groups of 7, 9 or 11) only for the cost of labor, compost and mulch. Or, we will plant them where ever you prefer. If you wish to make a donation to The Daffodil Project, please do so.

If you wish to receive bulbs only (after those remaining from those who wish for us to install), we will provide them to residents in the east Columbia area and Forest Acres during our travels or charge a minimal fee to deliver. If you wish to make a donation to The Daffodil Project, please do so.

The optimum time for planting Dutch Master Daffodil bulbs in this region is over the next several weeks, so please respond soon in the following fashions by using the Contact Us button above or by calling me, Doug Ingbretsen, at 803-553-5757:


Yes, I want my Daffodil bulbs installed.


No, I simply want Daffodil bulbs.


IMPORTANT: In either case, please provide:

  • Your Full Name
  • Your Phone Number
  • Your Street Address

Thank you for your interest and perhaps, if you choose so, supporting a needed and wonderful cause.

Again, thank you.

Doug Ingbretsen

Monday, October 23, 2023

Now Offering Safety and Security Lighting



I primarily became involved with this after my 94 year-old mother's second fall.

Although she was rarely unassisted when coming home after sunset, I thought she needed a more well-lit approach to the home.

Since, I have installed a few for friends and customers for a variety of reasons.

The system is solar powered and very reliable based on where the solar collector can be placed in regard to sun-exposure.

Other than security, to detect and illuminate any unwanted person(s) (often, critters), is to provide a safe lighted pathway or coverage lighting for the homeowner in areas such as:

  • Driveway
  • Front Entrance
  • Rear or Side Entrance
  • Detached Patio
  • Detached Carport or Garage
  • Pathway/Entrance to Shed or Workshop
  • Dock/Boat Ramp

The detection coverage is roughly 160 degrees (although I've seen it detect at 180 degrees) up to about 35 feet.

The coverage lighting is LED and adequate (my experience) to well light a 60 x 60 area.

Being that the solar collector is not physically part of the lighting unit, this provides more flexibility as far as not needing the lighting unit placed in direct sunlight.

The unit has 3 light heads which can adjust to varying angles of azimuth and bearing.

Based upon where the unit and solar collector are placed, there may be a need for routine maintenance/cleaning of the varying surfaces of the system to promote optimum detection, and operation of the lighting. This usually involves light blowing and cleaning - we can provide such service over the years to come.

Please contact us to discuss doing so or to schedule an assessment. As we are not charging a fee for an assessment, we ask that a responsible party be able to meet us at an appointed time, if such party wishes to do so.

Otherwise, we can visit the property and discuss our findings later, along with your concerns or desires.

If you are interested in ground lighting or aesthetic lighting, please contact us as we will recommend a good friend of ours who does so.

Please use the CONTACT US form to the right or feel free to call me.

Thank you.

Doug Ingbretsen

803-553-5757


It's Fall - Such a Wonderful Time to Do So Much with Your Landscape

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased, but for many of us our landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth.

You had (or perhaps, had not) spent much of the summer keeping up with or keeping your property, beautiful.

Some of this growth is obvious in some of your more open format trees and shrubs while much of the interior mess is hidden beneath the surface of those more compact shrubs and hedges you've been trimming since April.

Fall (and Winter) is a wonderful season to get at those plants with some well planned and executed pruning to keep them healthy, airy and attractive for next season. A few may need some corrective measures, but you will need to get inside them a little to know what's truly going on with those gorgeous things you spent time and money on.

There are many shrubs and trees which can be pruned in Fall depending on the plants bloom-habit and your preference. Actually, there aren't many plants which can't be pruned (not indiscriminately trimmed or sheared) most any time of year if the right care and techniques are used. And, many will still produce plenty of blooms to enjoy when the time comes. So, if you've missed that ideal time and your favorite whatever(s) is now a mess, let's take care of it soon so you can enjoy it through the holidays and even more so in the Spring.

Depending on the plant, there are many which can be planted or transplanted during the Fall, getting established before and during Winter (If we have one.) and ready to roll next Spring. We don't live in Vermont so the ground temperatures allow for planting virtually year-round. And, you won't be scrambling around during Spring when your existing plants need attention.

NOTE: I have been planting, designing and installing plant beds more and more each year, more and more throughout the year, throughout the Fall and Winter. Many or most property owners only consider doing such when temperatures are warm and life is great during the early Spring, and thereafter. The problem - growers, nurseries and guys like me can't keep up, meet the demand and we simply run out of solutions. If it, the plant you desire, is an evergreen or woody perennial it would rather be in the ground (much warmer) than sitting in a pot (more exposed to colder temps). In other words, most all these plants do well, but they'd do much better in your properties soil and you could avoid availability issues in the Spring.

Also, with all the humidity, rainfall, growth, and reproduction and its associate droppings, pitch and debris our properties experienced over Spring and Summer, Fall is the perfect time to:
  • Prune and/or remove (overgrowth, intruding and encroaching branches, vines, etc.).
  • Clean out weeds (remove).
  • Pressure wash man-made surfaces - drive and walkways, decks, retaining walls, siding, foundations, etc.
  • Re-establish plant bed borders.
  • Re-stain/seal decks.
  • Simply do some outdoor housekeeping for football season, family and friend visits and the approaching holidays.
And, please remember two things about lawn grasses even after we get out of the growing season (whenever that may be):
  • They still take advantage of sunlight so don't wait until you have this downy-like comforter of leaves and/or pine straw on your yard to blow or rake them away - do it when needed.
  • Their root system will still enjoy some H2O occasionally even when it's not 90° and 85% humidity.
Need assistance? Give us a call at 803-553-5757, go to back40.us or use the Contact Us feature to the right.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Does Landscaping Increase Your Home's Value?

Following is a link to a fairly comprehensive article regarding this topic, but first let me share some thoughts and experiences.

I have helped rehabilitate/restore, maintain and enhance many properties' landscapes aesthetically and/or health wise.

Of course, you want to enjoy your landscape as it is your property's environment - its look, its feel, its comfort.

Several years ago, I began asking some customers where they spend most of their time in their home when relaxing, perhaps even working. There were usually one, two or possibly three different places. These rooms or spaces almost always had window views, vistas offering views of nature's venues.

This aided me (us) in prioritizing where to begin concentrating our efforts. I often found, if I had visited these spaces, that these venues had received more attention than others, except for the front yard. 

I call the front yard the "coming home" feel. This is where pleasure and pride-in-ownership kick in. To a quest, visitor or potential home buyer, this is curb appeal. For a home seller, the latter individual(s) gets more involved with the property if they get the "coming home" feel - more appeal, greater value.

Having performed several pre-sale landscape stagings (more so, renovations), minor or much more, customers usually sense the difference in curb appeal and value. In fact, a few decided not to sell.

If you are a home buyer, consider landscape concerns such as routine maintenance or improvement costs, dying or dead plants (particularly trees), natural safety hazards, drainage/erosion, tree root growth near man-made materials and future plant growth near the home or other structures.

Fall in love with the whole property, not just the house. The landscape is going to grow on its own, not the home.

Alright, so here's the link: Does Landscaping Increase Home Value? Great information.

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Bethel Boston Butts - Let's Do it Again!

The MOB (Men of Bethel) of Bethel United Methodist Church are back at it.

The Boston Butt Bonanza last Spring was our largest ever.

It's almost Fall, when Carolina folklore tells us the pig is living high on the hog. Ruminate on that one.

This is a great time to let someone else do the cookin'.

These wonderful cuts of pork are smoked and prepared by Award Winning Smokers - DOKO Smoke BBQ.

Get creative! You can freeze your butt off (in the freezer) and feed your family and friends later, host a party or have some bona fide pulled pork for your next picnic.

No ifs, ands; just butts - one of the best butts you'll ever get your hands on. The reviews have been phenomenal and the demand grows stronger every year.

The Butt: A cooked-weight of approximately seven (7) pounds of shapely deliciousness, packaged in tin foil...Only $40.00.

If you run out of ideas (silly thought) for what to do with your Boston Butt, you can always leave a few pounds for making Chalupas.

Proceeds go to church and community projects including funding for Family Promise (hosting homeless families once per quarter), sponsoring and volunteering for the National Prayer Line the first Saturday of each month and funding for Sheriff Leon Lott's Elder Watch Program.

Tickets are now on sale through October 20 at the Bethel United Methodist Church office Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The church is located at 4600 Daniel Drive in Forest Acres.

OR, you can use the purchase feature below and select as many butts as you can handle.




Pick-up for the Boston Butts will be between 4PM to 7PM Friday, October 27. Pick-up will be in the rear parking lot, on Willingham Drive.

IMPORTANT! If you use the on-line purchase feature above, please print and bring your receipt when picking up as this will serve as your ticket. Your receipt will come from dingbretsen@gmail.com, so please check your e-mail spam or junk folder if you don't shortly find this in your in-box.

Please contact Doug at 803-553-5757 if you have any questions or difficulty ordering.

Thank you, very much!

K N O W I N G,  L O V I N G,  S E R V I N G