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- Saturday, May 18, 2013 DAWSONVILLE, GA
Archive By Section - Lifestyle Columnists
I’m clearly not the boss around my house
As many parents, including my mother, have done, I have pulled out the "I am the Mother" card as my carte blanche reason for many decisions. I also pepper mine with: "I'm the boss, I call the shots, what I say goes."
My son, the future president of 2038
The first grade class voted a few weeks ago and it was announced during awards day that the "Most Likely to be President of the USA" was my child. Cole's teacher, Mrs. Robin even declared that Cole would be one to get things done if he was in the White House and she'd vote for him tomorrow if he ran.
Fire blight on fruit trees
Backyard apple trees are popular in this area of Georgia. Many people see the apples being grown just down the road in Ellijay and assume it should be easy to grow them at home. While home fruit trees can be rewarding, they also require a lot of work. One reason for this is the prevalence of diseases.
An open letter to Mr. Black Bear
Dear Mr. Black Bear, Allow me to introduce myself; I am the owner of the trash you so enthusiastically dismantled and scattered all over my backyard recently. Several times actually. I'd like to have a few moments of your time if possible.
Screen tree alternatives
The Leyland cypress tree is one of the most popular plants used in the landscape as a natural screen. Unfortunately, increasing disease problems, improper plant placement and the sheer prevalence of Leyland cypresses have all contributed to the need for alternative plant selection. Leyland cypress trees are susceptible to a number of diseases, such as Seridium canker, Botryosphaeria dieback and Cercosporidium needle blight.
We’re gonna just ‘bless it’
Part of our Southern heritage dictates that before or after we say anything disparaging about anyone, we should add a "bless their heart" to it. I knew this early on; in fact, I would bet good money the first words I uttered after the dog's name were tagging a blessing onto someone.
What I share with my mama
I recently read an article in a magazine that talked about how the physical features you share with your mother reveal similar personality traits. Similar eyes meant you both were optimistic. Lips meant you both were openhearted; noses, equally trusting. The article offered some keen insights that I am sure for many, rang very true. But not for me, because unfortunately, I don't share any physical traits with my mother. My Mama has always ...
Contents of a woman’s purse
"What is in here?" Lamar will ask as he tries to move my bag to the floorboard of the back seat. "Stuff I need," I reply.
Control poison ivy
Poison ivy is a weed that affects almost every gardener and outdoor lover in Georgia. It is found in nearly every outdoor environment, and most folks can tell you not so fondly of the after-effects of a poison ivy encounter.
Too bad life doesn’t come with an ‘edit’ button
I am beginning to think me and microphones don't mix well. It seems like if I am around one, you better hope like the dickens there's a way to edit afterwards. Starting as a small child in my first of only two pageants, Mama made the mistake of telling me what every mother tells her child backstage.
Annual 4-H rabies clinic set Saturday
Because of strict vaccination laws, rabies outbreaks have become much less prevalent since vaccination programs began in the 1940s. However, this does not mean that rabies is no longer a threat in our community. According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, there were more than 6,000 reported cases of animal rabies, and two reported cases of rabies in humans in the United States in 2010.
Adult friendships can bring disappointments
As a child, the start of the school year brought a lot of trepidation. Would I still be friends with the same children from the year before?
Starting a vegetable garden
With our traditional last frost date, April 20, soon approaching, many folks are getting ready to start planting summer vegetable gardens. Home gardens can be an enjoyable way to stay active and provide your family with fresh produce throughout the summer. However, a productive garden takes a lot of work and proper planning can greatly increase a garden's success.
Mama said there’d be days like this
Spring has sprung in all of its bright colorful splendor and that means one thing. No, not the beautiful array of flowers blooming everywhere but in my yard.
Honey bees important
For most people, the mention of bees conjures up thoughts of annoyance and fear. Bees make nests around our homes, buzz around us in the garden, and occasionally sting us. What good could these little pests do? Even though they may seem a nuisance, bees more than make up for it in their most important role - plant pollination.
Articles by Section - Lifestyle Columnists
The legend of my first cat, Callahan
"Mama, do you like cats?" Cole asked one day. This was shortly after I had brought the latest puppy home a few weeks ago.
Prevent termites
I have had several cases within the past year of people coming into my office, handing me a plastic baggy or jar filled with small, winged insects and saying: "Tell me those are flying ants!" Unfortunately, more often than not, they turn out to be termite flyers.
Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes the bug
Everyone has disappointments. It's a part of life and sometimes those disappointments can offer us many learning experiences.
Mama in Wonderland
One of my biggest pet peeves is someone being late. So why I am constantly late getting my child to school, I have no idea.
When to prune azaleas
Azaleas are a staple of traditional southern landscapes.
What causes pollen
Spring is a beautiful time of year. Longer days, green grass and leaves reappearing on the trees really brighten up my mood.
Controlling moles
Have you started noticing mysterious raised tunnels forming seemingly overnight in your lawn or garden? If so, you probably have a mole infestation. Don't worry, you are not alone. We have received many calls in the past week regarding tunneling activity.
My manifesto of life to my darling son
Children learn a lot more by what they see us doing than what we tell them. I can tell Cole all day long the things he shouldn't do, but it's my example he's watching. I don't want him to follow my example, but to be better than I am at this game of life.
Take pictures for diagnosis
We have all heard the saying "April showers bring May Flowers." Rainfall in April helps replenish our plants as they gear up for another growing season. However, this precipitation also brings unwanted consequences to our landscapes - disease.
Running with the big dogs
It had been a long time since I had a puppy and I forgot how much work they are. Middle of the night feedings and potty outings, crying incessantly. I think comparing them to a newborn would be reasonable. I was on night five of no sleep - Angel the parking lot pup would wake me up at 1 a.m., wanting to play after sleeping all day. I was exhausted.
Annual 4-H rabies clinic scheduled for April 13
Dawson County 4-H Club, All Animals Veterinary Hospital and Dawsonville Veterinary Hospital will be hosting an annual rabies clinic on April 13. It will be held at several locations throughout Dawson County. Because of strict vaccination laws, rabies outbreaks have become much less prevalent since vaccination programs began in the 1940s.
Once you name the puppy, it becomes yours
There was an unspoken law at my house growing up for every stray critter that managed to find its way in our yard. Once my uncle Bobby named it, it was ours. If the animal made it to day two without Bobby sticking some name on it, we were safe according to Granny. Of course, no animal made it beyond a few hours, let alone two days.
Middle of a mid-life crisis
I think when I turned 40, something happened. Not to my posterior either - that happened a long time before I hit the big 4-0.
Use berms for looks, function
Berms, or raised areas, can be used in the landscape to add visual interest to flat or dull areas of the yard. Berms are simply mounded hills of soil that are constructed to serve a purpose in a landscaped area.
Forsythia signals the arrival of spring
Early March can be one of the blandest times in the landscape. It can be downright depressing not being able to see any green leaves or any signs of colorful flowers. However, as the month moves on, March soon becomes one of my favorite times of the year. Seemingly out of nowhere, small clusters of bright yellow flowers begin to pop up on shrubs all over town. These flowers belong to one of the most revered shrubs in our area - forsythia.
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