You want to cut back your grass once a year, as late in the season as possible. For warm season grasses, you want to trim them between late fall and mid-spring. For cool season grasses, cut them back in early spring. Cutting your grass in the wrong season can impact its ability to grow and pollinate. Your grass should be brown before you start cutting it back. Ideally, you should wait until at least mid-winter or early spring to cut it back. Some insect species will spend the winter in bunch grasses. Wait until the spring to cut the previous season's growth to protect wildlife. Examples of warm-season grasses include Japanese forest grass, Japanese silver grass, switchgrass, fountain grass, maiden grass, and prairie cordgrass. Examples of cool-season grasses include fescues, blue oat grass, tufted hair grass, and autumn moor grass. Long grasses are easiest to trim after you gather them into bundles. Use a piece of rope, bungee cords, or gardening twine to gather each grass plant into a column, and cinch the grass about a third to halfway up the length of the stocks. You should tie the grass tight enough that you will be able to cut through multiple stocks at the same time, but not so much that you break the grass. If your grass is as tall or taller than you, you may want to tie a second length of rope up toward the top of the stocks so that trimmings don't fall down on you and obscure your vision during the cutting process. You can use either handheld or powered shears for this process. Once that is cleared out, you can go in to make final cuts and clean up. Try to keep the grass lengths as uniform as possible. If you are using powered shears, remember to wear thick pants, gardening gloves, and durable closed-toed shoes to help protect against accidents. If your ornamental grasses are thick enough that shears won't do the job, a weed eater or bush cutter may be a good alternative. Look for a model with a blade, and use this to trim your grass one bundle at a time. You can buy weed eaters and bush cutters at most home improvement and gardening stores. You may also be able to rent one if you do not want to purchase one yourself. Never operate your weed or hedge trimmer above chest-level, as that makes it easier for you to lose control of the blade. Even when they've been tied up, tall grasses can make a big mess. Compost your grass bundles or dispose of them in a green waste bin. You may be able to rake up some of the smaller clippings, or you can put a layer of mulch down around the trimmed plant to cover small clippings while improving the soil quality.

Summary: Wait until late in the season to cut brown or spent grass. Gather your grass and tie it in a bundle. Cut the grass to about 10 inches (25cm) tall using hedging shears. Use a weed eater with a blade to trim thick grasses. Compost or throw away your grass clippings.

Arrange a small cup or dish for each color of acrylic paint. Use an eyedropper or paintbrush to transfer a drop of paint to the liquid starch (or a small, separate test dish of starch left until still). Most brands and colors will sink, in which case you should add marbling gall to that container of paint. Vegetable oil is a cheap substitute, but may leave your paper a little greasy. Stir in one drop at a time, testing in between, until a drop of paint float on the surface and spreads out slowly. Stir in more if the drop rapidly spreads to more than 3 inches (7.5 cm). Old-fashioned ox gall will not work with acrylic paints. Use a detergent-based marbling gall that does not contain animal products. This is also sold as surfactant or dispersant. Test each color separately, and test before each marbling session. Changes in temperature and humidity can change the amount of gall required.

Summary: Mix your paint with gall or oil.

If you want to be more than friends, work on conveying confidence around the guy. If you want him to return your attraction, simple confidence goes a long way. Many people feel inclined to be goofy or self-depreciating when first meeting people. While this tactic goes a long way in terms of making friends, it may falter when you're trying to attract a new romantic interest. Instead of jokingly poking fun at yourself, strive to convey confidence. You can be funny. Funny can be very charming, but stick to making jokes about topics other than yourself. Try to be comfortable with yourself in general, smiling, standing up straight, and participating in conversation without hesitance. Try to get a sense of whether the feeling is mutual. If you sense mutual attraction, you may feel more comfortable eventually asking the guy out. Keep an eye out for signs of interest. Watch his body language. If a guy wants to be more than friends, he'll use many excuses to touch you. He may offer a hug upon seeing you for the first time. He may brush his fingers on your forearm. You may also catch him looking at you during odd times. He may also ask you questions to gauge whether you're interested. He may, for example, ask about your weekend plans. He may also ask if you have dates for certain events, and even offer to escort you as a friend. If you want to show you're interested, start getting a little more physical with the guy. Touch his forearm while talking. Sit closer to him than you usually would on the couch. Offer a hug when first seeing him at social events. A little physical contact can show you're interested in something more than friendship. Flirtation is also key to showing a guy your'e interested. This can help pave the way to asking him out. Aim for subtle flirting at first, as not to make the relationship too awkward. Brief eye contact can convey romantic interest. Catch the guy's gaze for a few seconds and then look away. You should also smile and act happy in general when around him. Try to mimic his body language. Do not be too obvious about this, but try to imitate his hand gestures and the way he's positioning his body. For example, if he's crossing his legs, cross your legs as well. If you're really interested in someone, especially someone who's also a friend, you may be inclined to clear your schedule to make room for a potential date. Refrain from doing so, however. If you make yourself completely available, while the other person remains occupied with his or her life, you risk creating an one-sided dynamic. You'll be left waiting for a text or call, while the guy carries on with his life. Keep up with existing social obligations and plans until you've made solid plans for a date. Do not, for example, clear you're weekend because you're planning to ask the guy out. Staying busy can also convey confidence, which can be attractive to many. Having your own life and obligations makes you look more desirable in the eye of the guy.
Summary: Be confident around the guy. Watch for signs he's interested in you. Start being more physical. Flirt with him. Remain busy and engaged with other social obligations.