Living Rural

This morning I checked my email accounts, as I do every morning, and this video was in one from a dear friend, who BTW has no children. This concept is totally new to me - I truly wish it has been available when my girls were small and constantly in or near our pool. It takes a deep breath and some constraint with a lot of will power to watch it through. I want you to know it is so very worth watching it with your family and passing it on to others.

If you are still raising small children, or have grandchildren in and around your pool… then please take the small amount of time it takes to watch. The video gives links to the home site, etc., if you’re interested in having the program come to your area. The program is infant rescue swimming (IRS.)

Swimming Then go to near the end page and watch the three videos there.

Remember… “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Garfield has the right idea.

Our weekends should be relaxing - giving our mind and our body time to recover from the busy-ness of our lives. Saturday should be filled with whatever de-stresses you: mind, body, and soul. Sunday should be spent in YOUR CHURCH; whatever that means to you - in the Church of your choice, walking in nature, being creative, meditating, exercising, etc. A time to reconnect, rejuvinate your inner self, and dream of things to come.

Weekends should be about family and friends; sharing together; playing together; and loving one another without any expectations or conditions - the true meaning of kindness.

Just think about how we treat strangers during the week… with respect. Do we treat the people who mean the most to us the same way? Usually not. In the presence of those we care about we feel safe which allows us to let go and “be ourselves.” When stress builds up, we take it out on those we love. Let’s make a conscientious effort to treat the people we love with respect everyday this week.

Deal?

Check out The Quote Garden

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. ~Seneca

A kind word is like a Spring day. ~Russian Proverb

Let’s set the example.

Remember… “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

The new American Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs played against the ‘old school’ 

National Football League’s Green Bay Packers in the championship game, which was the

very FIRST SUPER BOWL! Now fellow Baby boomers can probably remember the hysteria it

caused, or at least heard their parents talking about it because it was played before 61,946

fans in Los Angeles’ 100,000-seat Memorial Coliseum. The television audience for this game

estimated to have been approximately 60 million viewers. Small potatoes compared to the

views it attracts now. Do you remember how it got its name?

Lamar Hunt, founder of the AFL and owner of the Kansas City chiefs, found his daughter’s

Super Ball, which inspired the phrase, “Super Bowl” - and by golly, it stuck! The Super Bowl

was born. Just think what our men would do, if Mr. Hunt had not stumbled upon his

daughter’s super ball, and started the tradition of the BIG GAME.  Vince Lombardi and his

Packers were 13-2, while Hank Stram and his Chief’s were 12-2-1 going into the game. Max

McGee, a wide receiver of the Packers, was the unlikely hero going into the game. He is

quoted as saying, “I waddled in about 7:30 in the morning, and I could barely stand up for

the kickoff. On the bench, Paul (Hornung) kept needling me, ‘What would you do if you had

to play?’ And I said, ‘No way, there’s no way I could make it.’” (Adler, 1967) Just moments

after entering the game though, he caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr to cap

off an 80-yard drive that gave the Packers an early lead. On the day, McGee caught seven

passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns as the Packers went on to win the first Super

Bowl, 35-10. Each player on the Packers received a $15,000 bonus for winning the game,

while members of the Chiefs earned $7,500. A one-minute television commercial sold for

$75,000 to $85,000; pocket change compared to the millions spent on airtime now. (1967) 

   More Super bowl history.

That was number one and now…

Future Super Bowl Sites                                                                      

Who will play?      

          Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia

                   Pittsburgh vs. Arizona

          Baltimore vs. Philadelphia

                   Baltimore vs. Arizona?

Between now and the BIG GAME, we will talk some football, share SUPER BOWL

PARTY foods, and get ready to cheer for our team.

 Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Adler, (1967) Super bowl. Retrieved January 14, 2009

     from, http://www.about.com/sports/ 

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Auld Lang Syne

2 0 0 9

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce quotes (Poet b.1904)

“We meet today
To thank Thee for the era done,
And Thee for the opening one”

John Greenleaf Whittier quotes (American Writer, 1807-1892)

“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

William Arthur Ward quotes (American dedicated scholar, author, editor, pastor and teacher)

Remember … “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

… sounds strange, I know.

Now that winter is in full swing in most parts of the country, all types of heat sources are being used to keep our homes warm. Most of these heat sources cause the air in our to be extremely DRY. This causes problems for some of us. The problem can be solved! How you ask… by using a humidifier. You have many to choose from, information on types and reviews of each can be found HERE.

HUMIDIFIER: You may choose warm or cool mist, both work - it is your preference

• it will help soothe scratchy throats

• prevents static electricity

• keeps wood floors and wood furniture from cracking, but furniture polish will still be required

When looking for your humidifier, check for these features:

• refill container - needs to be easy to remove for cleaning, short enough to fit under the faucet with an opening large enough for a hand and scrubber to get inside

• indicator light - a light to signal when it is time to refill the tank and automatice shut off when the tank is empty

• antimicrobial system - filter or a UV light designed to kill mildew and bacteria

• adjustable moisture control - if room is to humid, condensation and peeling paint will occur

Best humidifier overall                                 Best warm mist humidifier                                   Quietest humidifier

There is a cool mist humidifier, but a picture was not available. Also, a whole home system is available.

I hope this helps in your search for the right unit for your needs.

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Here is an article from our Extension Service in Clemson,  South Carolina about Christmas trees:

:

for December 28, 2008, the first Sunday of Christmas…

• Endangered Species Act signed, 1973

• sunrise- 7:07 AM

• sunset- 4:57 PM

The New Moon began on Saturday, December 27, at 7:22 AM. I’m sure you are wondering, who cares? If you do not know the reason, then you are not the spouse or significant other of a HUNTER!

Every evening when HOM (husband of mine) returns from his ‘outing’, he gives a blow-by-blow account of everything he saw, missed, etc. and then the question, “When is sunrise and sunset tomorrow?” Now you would think he would/could use the Farmer’s Almanac that I bought for him in 2008, but he would rather his DG (Domestic Goddess) look it up on the weather site on the Web … usually request made when the DG is in the middle of writing or studying. Most of the time I stop and look it up for him - for 2009, I will not do it! He has a copy of Farmer’s Almanac for 2009 and my New Year’s resolution is: HOM WILL LEARN to USE IT!

A quote: “When all is said and done, more is said than done.” Unknown

Don’t forget December is the month to find gardening tools on sale.

Also, review gardening tips, plantings, plants, and items on sale in December here

Remember… “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Technorati Tags: December, gardening, hunting, weather, quote

Economics in a Global Environment… B   : )

I realize this may not impress everyone, but for a 59 year old
Stay-at-a-Home-Mom/Blogger, it is SOMETHING!  

If you have thought about continuing your education and time is of the
essence, I suggest that you visit online colleges. My first suggestion would be,
of course,  American
Intercontinental University online.

Now that AIU is officially on winter break, Living Rural will be up and
running with information that should prove to be helpful for your daily lives.
Until the next post …

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Exactly what is S.A.D.?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seasonal affective disorder
Light therapy lamp for Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, repeatedly, year after year. The US National Library of Medicine notes that “some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up.” The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, and can also include heightened anxiety.

There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapies with bright lights, anti-depression medication, ionized-air administration,cognitive-behavioral therapy, and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.

Wikipedia is not a source that I use often, but when a simple explanation is desired it is a good quick read. I, also, do not like to copy and paste, but for this post I did. I know some readers will not click on a link to read further and I wanted each of you to get a good definition S.A.D.  You may wonder, what is the big deal … it is many people suffer with these symptoms and do not know about S.A.D. It can disrupt your life. The remedy, in most cases, is getting outside in the sun for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day … simple!

If you have been inside for an extended period of time and have begun to feel down, depressed, etc. … get up … head outside … walk and enjoy the fresh air and SUNSHINE!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

SUCCESS

You will need the help of others… connect.

• Focus on people
• Be likable
• Show others you  care
• Remember every one’s name
• Walk slowly through the crowd
• Be generous

Do more than exist … LIVE.

Do more than touch … FEEL.

Do more than look … OBSERVE.

Do more than read … ABSORB.

Do more than hear … LISTEN.

Do more than listen … UNDERSTAND.

Do more than think … REFLECT.

Do more than just talk … SAY SOMETHING.

Author Unknown

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

It is here! Blog Action Post Day 2008! The topic this year is POVERTY. Wow, this is a tough one … especially with the problems in our economy over the last several weeks. It has hit most, if not, ALL Americans where it hurts the most - being able to take care of their families by providing shelter, food, clothing and the necessities for living, the basics. Jobs have been lost, homes foreclosed and families displaced, pension depleted, and people are scared!

Poverty falls across the board and shows no mercy to race, gender, religion, politics, or economics. Persons with a lot of money have “lost it all” and placed in the Welfare system of the Federal Government. Some are able to get jobs and pull themselves up and out of “the system.” The people in poverty that pull at my heart the most are those that have been in this “hell” for three generations and longer … whole families - father, mother, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. It some areas the entire family is sharing a bathroom and sleeping in 1 or 2 bedrooms or on the floor, if they are blessed to have a house to live in. Others are in shelters with their belongings in trash bags, carried from shelter to shelter - no privacy at all. Yet, they manage to get through the day, only to face the same situation when they awake the next day.

Then we find poverty in the lowest form and the hardest to help or understand, those living on the streets of ALL towns and cities across our country. Some (a few) choose this life, I think, because it is all they have ever known. Others removed from mental health institutions and prisons and left without any means of taking care of themselves - if they even know how! This section will grow as our economy continues to stagnate. Whose responsibility is it to change the conditions of people in our society that fall into this awful category of poverty?

EVERYONE … that is the only way to help to eliminate poverty - the buddy system - every adult becomes the friend of an adult in poverty. The BUDDY helps in this way … when shopping for groceries purchase TWO of what they buy, bagged separately, and taken to their buddy. Food is the first need to fill. If a person is not hungry, the chances increase that strength and health improve allowing the search for work each day until a job is found. Each BUDDY will check on their friend each week, offering transportation to health care appointments, job interviews, and church.

Very strong Christian men and women founded our country. Prayer was a daily part of their lives. Church is where you could find them on the Sabbath. What we have forgotten is this is what made us strong as a nation and what kept us strong. Now we have removed prayer from schools, we try to separate church and state, and we ridicule the beliefs held dear by Christians. This MUST change; freedom of religion needs to return. No one is forced to pray, believe, attend, or practice something that is not what he or she wants to do. However, my personal opinion, is one that feels in some cases poverty can be helped by having the strength of prayer and a home church to help person(s) and families.

Will we end poverty in a short amount of time? NO! Can we make a difference? YES!

Let’s start today.

After posting last night (very early this morning) and putting our economy “to bed”, I awoke at 11 am to hear Congress did NOT pass the President’s Bill. I guess, we are back to square one. And is it a chess move? I was not happy about the bail-out, but I did think the President and his advisers were honestly trying to do the “right thing” for all concerned. I, also, thought that Congress was in agreement with the proposed plan yesterday … what happened? Did the Speaker of the House out fox everyone? And why? Could the party politics not be put aside for the good of America? Apparently not. Could this be one of the reasons we find ourselves where we are tonight? Politics, interest me, but at times are past my understanding … remember, small town Country Gal writing this post. 

On the way home, later today, what is being discussed on NPR? My bank, Wachovia, has been bought by Citigroup, Inc.! What next? Then I read how  Charlotte, NC - home of Wachovia reacts to news … After following the link and reading the article did you wonder, as I did, was the corporate office in denial or suffering from a big case of stupid? Wachovia, forgive me, it is my anger over once again getting to know yet another “hometown bank” while wondering - do I stay or do I go?

What will be in the news tomorrow? Congress works out differences and moves forward … Wall Street rallies … Palin is given a chance to let viewers form an opinion of her “worthiness” as a candidate - after the debate on Thursday … guess the morning news will not be dull. Goodnight all.

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” 

Because our economy is the talk EVERYWHERE consider these tips:

1. Banks are insured up to one hundred thousand dollars per account. If you have more than that amount in a single account … move your money around with no more than the insured amount in each account. Also, using more than one bank (BB&T, Wachovia, NBSC, etc.) is a good idea.
2. US Treasury Bills or Bonds are insured and safe … no interest, but SAFE. Seriously, consider this option.
3. Now is the time to go over your portfolio with your banker, accountant, estate planner - get the best advice from each … for your needs NOW and the FUTURE.
4. Do Not Panic. Do Not React. Do Not Act Without Advice.
5. Stop living on “credit.” If you cannot pay cash, you do not need it!
6. If you have outstanding bills, pay twice the minimum amount each month.
7. If you do not have your “safety net” set aside, BEGIN now to get three to six months of living expenses in an account with immediate access.

This is a frightening time … remain calm … concentrate on family, friends, church, work, and helping someone in need outside of your normal contacts. Remember our leaders, our country, our families (both immediate and church) in prayer.

In the meantime look around and be thankful for all God has given us. Autumn is such a beautiful time of year, get out and enjoy the changing colors, the cooler weather and FOOTBALL!

Also, remember we are all in this together. Americans will persevere and solve our countries financial woes. Have faith.

For additional information go to Reuters

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

The proposed coal-fired power plant(shown here) reared its ugly head again today. The documents (a case by case Maximum Achievable Control Technology, MACT) submitted by Santee Cooper to DHEC for approval has been given a Draft Notice of MACT Approval (NOMA) written by the Bureau of Air Quality outlining the proposed  project and applicable regulations. The draft is not approved and is STILL open for comment from the PUBLIC, Santee Cooper, and the US EPA.

As I have discussed,

Energy Challenge while livingrural …,

before, it is being promoted as a positive addition to the Kingsburg area due to the new jobs it should bring, the additional electricity demands it will meet and an overall boost to a sluggish economy in this area after the closing of Delta Mills and just recently announced closing of Wellman Industries. This is all true;  however, may be exaggerated in the favor of Santee Cooper.

What has not been talked about in groups of people actually living in the area is the reason for the NOMA (Notice of MACT Approval). It is necessary because the US Court of Appeals eliminatd the Federal Clean Air Mercury Rule for power plants! So until the EPA issues a new power plant regulation, EACH NEW POWER PLANT will have to propose emission limits to control hazardous air pollutants, including mercury. Which is a ‘biggy’ for this area, being located on the Great Pee Dee River - fished by many and enjoyed as a recreational get-a-way. Does it not seem strange that the power plant will write its own emission controls? It bothers me, but apparently only a few others as shown by the poor turn out for the public meetings held in the surrounding towns over the last year and a half. Although, publication of dates and times were publicised, it was not enough to get the word out into the community. But as they say - past is past.

These are the hazardous air pollutants that will be emitted from this plant: Mercury, Hydrocholric acid, Hydrogen Floride, non-Mercury HAP metals and organic HAPs. Property is available, would you like to make an appointment to view it?  The real worry is the following wording, “If approved, the conditions of this NOMA will be incorporated into Santee Cooper Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permit … this permit is still in draft form and has not been approved. The BAQ WILL make a final NOMA decision and PSD decision at the same time.” (Public Notice #08-085-N-H, September 23, 2008)

DHEC is holding a public hearing on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the gymnasium of Hannah-Pamplico High School at 2055 S. Pamplico Highway, Pamplico, SC. DHEC representatives will explain the NOMA at this hearing. Oral and written commnets will be accepted. If you have strong feelings either for or against, this will be your last opportunity to voice them. Written comments will be accepted through the close of business on November 6, 2008. To learn more about the project, the webpage is:  http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/SanteeCooper.aspx

I will try to post the outcome of the hearing in October. It feels good to get that out to the public!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

not in our household! Oh we thought this year would be ‘THE YEAR’… hahaha - the joke is on us. The housing market is in a steady decline which for baby boomers thinking about downsizing is causing a longer selling time of homes and at a lower price! This changed the projected figures in most portfolios; however, this was offset by the purchase of a smaller home at a stealdeal. For some, the economy has taken homes, lifestyles, and dignity. Retirement is changing for lots of “Boomers”. Many are finding they will work longer than planned. Some will retire, but find the need to work ‘filler’ jobs to make ends meet. Many will be offered packages to retire early … and will take them. Somehow this picture does not look, feel, or seem right. Is it because the news is filled with another bail-out by the government of another huge financial corporation, in my opinion, that mismanaged their business. Everyone says it is a direct result of our economy, probably … but, at some point - sooner, rather than later - these corporations need to operate within their means … a balanced budget for business and government would be wonderful! Does any of this affect retirement?

Possibly. Especially if your retirement account/plan/pension is associated with one of the companies about to declare bankruptcy. However, the Government continues to bailout these companies, the latest, AIG. Please follow the highlighted link and read the full story which tells the figure has reached $900 billion! Impossible to truly comprehend. And happening in an election year. “Baby Boomers” need to research how this may affect them and their retirement - Will the retirement accounts, 401Ks, IRAs, pension plans and bank accounts be there when they are needed? Retirees hope so. One of the best organizations offering help with all aspects of retirement is The Lure of Money