Native Texas Park: Rediscovering a lost prairie at George W. Bush Presidential Library

Nancy

October 23, 2020

Blackland prairie, a sash of Texas grassland across the center of the state, running southwest from the Oklahoma border to San Antonio, is the most endangered ecosystem in the U.S., with less than 1% remaining, according to Austin environmental designer John Hart Asher in a Wildflower article. One hundred and seventy years ago, bison grazed and fertilized the prairie, and natural wildfires and controlled burns by native peoples kept the land free of trees and shrubs, allowing grasses and perennials to thrive. That ecosystem disappeared when Europeans arrived and claimed the rich land for agriculture and settlement. Today small pockets of preserved Blackland prairie are all that remain.

Native grasses make a meadowy lawn at the Bush Library

Encouragingly, however, reconstructed Blackland prairie landscapes are increasingly being created for urban sites, like Native Texas Park, a 15-acre prairie surrounding the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas. Located on the Southern Methodist University campus, just off a busy interstate and overlooked by glass business towers, the park was designed and planted in partnership with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and completed in 2013.

Map of Native Texas Park

I visited for

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Inside Too Faced Cosmetics Co-Founder Jerrod Blandino’s Perfectly Organized Kitchen

Nancy

Jerrod Blandino, co-founder and chief creative officer of Too Faced Cosmetics, gave us a glimpse inside his home (which he shares with his husband, Too Faced co-founder and CEO, Jeremy Johnson) to show off his kitchens (yes, plural!), pantry, and beauty skincare closet.

While looking at the beautiful decor, products, and more is so much fun, the best part of the tour is that Jerrod shares all of his tips and tricks for keeping each room perfectly organized.

For instance, with a little help from his friends at Well Organized, Jerrod has transformed his main kitchen into a chef’s dream by organizing his most frequently used cooking tools and accessories in a functional and low-stress way.

Jerrod follows the same rule when it comes to his baking kitchen (some the brand’s most popular products are inpsired by Jerrod’s love of baking!). That means, all the important baking items (sugar, candy, chocolate, mixes, etc) are front and center (and labeled!).

For all of Jerrod’s great tips, watch the video above, and shop a few of his favorite products below:

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    10 Best Tie Dye Kits 2020 for Kids, Beginners and Adults

    Nancy

    Melissa RossGetty Images

    From our favorite loungewear sets to this year’s most popular manicure style (have you tried tie-dye nails yet?), there’s something that the children of the 1960s and the teens of TikTok alike can agree on: tie-dye is kind of the best. It may have something to do 2020’s lax dress code and all of the time we have on our hands, but regardless — if you’ve ever tie-dyed, you know how fun the creative process is, and how satisfying it is to show off your creation.

    Whether you’re shopping for a gift for teens or you’re looking for a new DIY project to take on, these kits make tie dyeing fun and oh-so-simple. Give a new life to the old t-shirt, hat or pair of sweatpants in your closet with a little bit of colorful dye. See the difference tie-dye can make on your wardrobe for yourself with these kits — but don’t forget to check out our guide on how to tie-dye first!

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    1

    Best Tie Dye Kit for Teens

    3 Pack Pastel Tie Dye Kit

    Doodle Hog
    amazon.com

    $10.99

    Not only does this kit come with three trendy scrunchies

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    8 Exterior Additions That Will Up Your Home’s Curb Appeal

    Nancy

    • Small touches that can be done in a day — think hardware swaps or new plants.
    • Bigger investments add a wow factor — like new gutters or a deep clean.

      It’s likely that, if you have one, your outdoor space — be it a yard, front porch, or back patio — has seen more use than normal this year. With everyone spending more time at home, renovation projects have surged over the last six months (just look at the numbers), and upgrades to exteriors have been of particular interest.

      Englert LeafGuard Gutters

      leafguard.com

      If your home is in need of an exterior refresh — maybe after six months of looking at the same color, you just want a change — there are so many ways to upgrade, both cosmetically and for functionality. Any dedicated DIYer has cycled through dozens of projects by now, but there are other changes you can make to up your home’s curb appeal. Here are eight ways that you may not have considered, from easy updates that can be done in a day, like upgrading hardware, to bigger interventions like replacing gutters (yes, seriously!).

      Small touches

      Give your home a new look in just a

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