Lake CabinWhat Buyers: WhatFor to Look Lake Home andHome Cabinand Buyers: to Look For atEdge The Water’s Edge at The Water’s
Whether you call it a lake home, cabin, cottage or camp, buyers are naturally drawn to the water's edge when looking at lakeshore properties. The wide variety of shoreline conditions gives buyers a lot to consider before they write a purchase agreement, says John Gehring, owner of Solo Dock, a tip-in dock manufacturer in Long Lake, Minnesota. Some buyers seek a tranquil retreat with a spectacular view. Others want a shoreline suited to an active watersports lifestyle. One important consideration is the set of local ordinances governing each lake. Some municipalities have enacted no-wake or quiet hours rules that allow boat motors to only run at idle from 5:00 pm to 10:00 am, for example. Next, consider the natural environment at the water's edge. "The shoreline transition to the water, the depth of the water, and lake bottom conditions all factor into enjoyable use of the lake or river," says John Gehring, owner of Solo Dock, a tip-in dock manufacturer in Long Lake, Minnesota. "Thoughtful selection of a dock or pier will take advantage of the desirable conditions and overcome any challenging aspects of the lakeshore." A relatively level shoreline allows for easy access to the water and the dock. Lakeshore owners can simply anchor a starter bracket at the water's edge and install the dock. On a shoreline with a hill, the dock can be installed on the beach, at the water's edge, or attached to a new or existing stairway. In either case, Gehring says dock selection decisions need to factor in ease of transporting to a safe and secure location for storage, often at the top of the hill or stairs. Docks that break down into sections as small as six feet long allow one person to install and remove the dock by themselves. Lakeshore buyers should consider that steep banks may also require stabilization, landscaping and stairs to prevent the bank from sliding into the lake. However, these improvements also preserve the owner's investment, beautifies the property and enhances the view from up top. Gehring also advises prospective buyers to get water measurements every six feet from shore until the water is at least four-to-six feet deep. Boats typically need a minimum of three feet of water to float if tied to the dock, and four or more feet of water if kept on a lift. Water depth measurements will tell you how many feet of dock you will need to purchase, and how long the pipes need to be for each dock section when you order a dock. "Getting water depth measurements helps prospective lakeshore owners formulate a plan and a budget for a dock, a boat and maybe a boat lift," says Gehring. "I occasionally talk to new lakeshore owners that didn't get water depth measurements, and when spring arrived they discovered they need 100 or 200 feet of dock, which they didn't budget for. Fortunately, Solo Dock offers a 0 percent financing option to help customers get the dock they need to enjoy the summer on the lake." you to purchase flood insurance. FEMA recently reclassified property that previously didn't require flood insurance. Finally, Gehring advises prospective buyers to include a dock or boat lift that's on the property in the purchase agreement if it might fit their needs. But if the dock is old, wooden, heavy, etc., buyers should specify that the seller remove and dispose of the dock prior to closing, and start their search for a dock they will enjoy for decades to come.
Gehring suggests buyers ask if the DNR or lake association regulates the water depth in the lake or river with a dam, and how much the water level fluctuates during the summer. It's an advantage to have a dock that can be installed without getting into the water, especially when the water is high and cold in spring. If getting help to install a dock early in spring and remove it late in fall is in question, consider a dock that one person can install, level and remove to take advantage of the early sunny spring days and the last warm days of fall. Gehring also suggests finding out what the lake bottom consists of. Is the lake bottom mucky? If so, how deep is the muck? Often there is a few inches to a foot of muck on top of a firm bottom like sand, gravel or clay. This is the result of decayed leaves, etc. accumulating on the lake bottom over many years, especially in lakeshore that hasn't seen active use. Large footpads (12-inch diameter, for example) give dock posts stable support in firm or soft lake bottoms. A removal winch tripod tool allows one person to pull the dock out of sand, silt or muck without getting into the water. Also, prospective buyers should determine if they will need to purchase flood insurance. If you will have a mortgage on the property and the building is classified as being in a flood plain, your lender will require you to purchase flood insurance. FEMA recently reclassified property that previously didn't require flood insurance. Finally, Gehring advises prospective buyers to include a dock or boat lift that's on the property in the purchase agreement if it might fit their needs. But if the dock is old, wooden, heavy, etc., buyers should specify that the seller remove and dispose of the dock prior to closing, and start their search for a dock they will enjoy for decades to come.
Not So Happy Mother’s Not So Happy Mother’s Day! Day!
all women are happy to be greeted on Mother's Not allNot women are happy to be greeted on Mother's Day. Day.
It’s that time of year again, when women are told over and over, “Happy Mother’s Day!” I myself get the greeting all through the week leading up to that most special day of recognition and gratitude. I am not a mother, and my personal response is to chuckle and move on with my life, but for so many thousands of women, there is a stabbing in the heart that does lift. These are women who yearned to have a child, and perhaps are still trying, and have been unable to make it happen. I read their stories on the Internet, and I interviewed Miriam about this very topic when writing my book, Complete Without Kids. Miriam was at the time ninety years old, and she shared that she had never gotten over her grief at not being able to become a mother. She had tried without success to get pregnant and she was married to a man who refused to consider adoption. Miriam told me that she had always felt like a flawed woman, who never fit in with others who were mothers. She truly experienced a sense of loss with not being a mom that she was unable to fill with other elements of her life. Miriam is not alone. There are so many other women who will avoid going to church tomorrow, because they cannot bear the pain of hearing yet another Mother’s Day message. They won’t go out to the stores this weekend, because they don’t want to see the flower, chocolate, and card displays. They will wake up on Monday morning feeling relieved that it’s over for another year. Even women like me who are either childfree by choice or who feel mostly content with not having had kids may experience sadness on Mother’s Day. After all, it’s a classic Hallmark Holiday, and mothers are treated like celebrities. Mothering is portrayed in the most positive light on this day, and we have images of children preparing breakfast trays for their moms and making handmade card and presents. When we go out, we see the special women surrounded by their families being lavished with attention. Witnessing and imagining these warm, loving mother/child interactions sometimes causes me to feel tinges of grief for the children I never had..
So What’s the Solution? First of all, let’s keep all of this in perspective. Remember that Mother’s Day was deemed an official holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, and this started the commercialization of the day that we now enjoy. Prior to that, Mother’s Day was celebrated on a smaller scale all over the world. Today, it is the biggest day of the entire year for restaurants, so reaching out to consumers by big business is a must. They have done a super job of making sure that we all jump on the bandwagon! I think it helps to keep in mind the most basic definition of mothering, as an action that is nurturing, supportive, and comforting. Think of all the women in your life who have provided these elements for you, and thank them on this day for mothers. Honor yourself as well, whether or not you are a mom, for what you have given and continue to give to others in your life. Treat yourself to something special on Mother’s Day, and if going out to witness the mother/child parade does not feel good, give yourself permission to avoid it. Remember, it’s just another day, and tomorrow will be Monday and back to the routine. For those of you who like to throw out, “Happy Mother’s Day” greetings, try to control yourself. Many childfree women will respond with annoyance. Some of them take great pride in their choice to not have children for personal/social consciousness/environmental reasons and they perceive Mother’s Day as a celebration of breeding!! For others, your words may be hurtful rather than cheerful. In addition to those who have not been able to have children, there are many whose mothers have died or who do not have pleasant memories of their childhood experiences. Don’t simply take it for granted that every woman you run into on the street or where your work is a mom. And for women everywhere, celebrate yourself on this special day!
The hummingbird species living in North Carolina is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird that, as you would assume, has a characteristic ruby throat. However, while males do have a red patch of feathers on their throats, these often appear black unless seen from the perfect angle. Both male and females have beautiful shiny green back feathers. Migrating to Southern Florida and Central America during the winter, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds tend to stay in the Carolinas from mid March to mid October.
Flowers and Shrubs That Attract Hummingbirds Hummingbirds love tubular blossoms that provide them with sweet nectar. While they are drawn to anything of the color red, once they are in your garden, they will be happy with any of the tubular trumpet bloomers. Popular flower and shrub species to attract hummingbirds in North Carolina are:
Bee Balm Butterfly Bush Cardinal Flower Coral Bells Day Lilies Fire Pink Foxgloves Garden Phlox Gloxinia Hollyhocks Indian Pink Lupines
Hummingbird Feeders
To supplement natural blooms, hummingbird feeders have also been very successful in attracting hummingbirds to Charlotte gardens. Blackhawk Hardware carries a large variety of beautiful hummingbird feeders and some of them truly double as yard art with their beautiful design. Fill your hummingbird feeder with a boiled solution of 4 parts water and 1 part white sugar or a storebought solution mix to provide the cute hummers with a high-caloric meal needed to sustain them. Replace the solution and wash your hummingbird feeder with hot water every 3-5 days to prevent mold and fermentation!
Parents need to know that UglyDolls is about a group of plushy toys who learn they're worthy of love despite their unconventional looks. While that core message is undeniably positive, other messages weaken its impact, including catchy songs that tell listeners they're unworthy if they're "ugly" and that it's important to follow conventional beauty standards if you want others to like you. Adults are likely to understand that these lyrics aren't intended to be taken at face value, but that's much less certain for kids. Happily, other songs have more positive messages -- including "your differences make you special." And characters demonstrate perseverance and teamwork in pursuing their goals. There's a bit more scary stuff and violence than parents might expect, including hand-to-hand combat (no blood or injuries); several scenes in which characters fall or are pushed from great heights or down dark, scary holes; and a very frightening bit in which dolls are threatened with being "recycled" and are almost shredded by a big, loud, monster-like machine with sharp metal teeth. There's no sex or romance, but a male character offers his crush a bottle of sparkling wine and asks whether she can feel the "energy" between them. A few characters are stereotyped as "mean girls"; they do the bad guy's dirty work and talk in a clichĂŠd way about boys, hairstyles, and makeup. Other characters are more sympathetic, including a doll who's dreaming of having a child to love her and a girl who's been trying to appear perfect and learns that she's lovable even if she's not. Kelly Clarkson and Nick Jonas co-star.
Parents need to know that Ploey, an Icelandic animated adventure, features a plucky young chick who is separated from his flock when they go south for the winter without him. Like The Jungle Book, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story, this movie emphasizes recovering from setbacks and highlights the difficulties of loss and overcoming loneliness, plus the importance of family and good friends. While it's appropriate for kids, some may worry when the lead character is being chased by predators. A predatory falcon takes down Ploey's father. A fox tries to eat Giron, Ploey, and several mice. A cat grabs a bird, but the bird escapes. Ploey shivers in the cold and nearly starves, falls down cliffs, into rivers, and down waterfalls and, with the help of friends, manages to survive. It looks as if someone has died, but he hasn't.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
Parents need to know that Avengers: Endgame is the final film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's current generation of movies, bringing together storylines and characters from 21 previous movies, starting with 2008's Iron Man. Families with younger kids should know that there's definitely as much intense violence (decapitation, explosions, stabbings, impalement, crushing, shooting, etc.), and even more pain, trauma, and grief here than there was in Avengers: Infinity War. Spoiler alert: A couple of beloved characters die, which will prove particularly upsetting. The language is similar to that in previous movies (mostly uses of "s--t," "ass," "d--k" -- even Captain America swears this time!), but there's no romance beyond a few brief embraces and kisses between established couples; a very minor male character talks about dating another man. Thor drinks a lot to numb his pain. Those who haven't seen any of the previous MCU installments should at least watch Infinity War and Captain America: Civil War to follow the plot, but those who are familiar with the movies and comics will be rewarded with plenty of inside jokes and references. With themes of courage, teamwork, and perseverance, this epic Avengers finale is the ultimate gift to Marvel fans -- they'll laugh, cry, and cheer as their favorite superheroes team up to save the universe one more time.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
Parents need to know that Grass Is Greener is a 2019 documentary that traces both the history of marijuana's influence on jazz and hip-hop musicians and also the racist underpinnings of the War on Drugs. Unsurprisingly, there's a tremendous amount of marijuana smoking, and when there isn't marijuana smoking, people are talking about marijuana smoking, as well as the perceived benefits of using cannabis. On the whole, this is a serious documentary that explores how the antimarijuana laws from the 1930s onward have led to the persecution of minority communities and the unprecedented spike in convictions has led to the prison industrial complex. Furthermore, now that cannabis is, in some states and cities, decriminalized if not legalized, and turning into a burgeoning billion-dollar industry, this documentary addresses the shocking fact that less than 1% of legal dispensaries are owned and operated by African Americans. Parents will want to talk with their teens about the consequences of smoking marijuana since the numerous scenes of people using the drug will come off as glamorizing its use without discussing any possible negative effects.
While it was previously speculated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal baby may share a birthday with his cousin Princess Charlotte, the newborn has actually been born on the same day as one of the couple’s close friends – George Clooney. The actor, who attended the royal wedding with his wife Amal, turned 58 on Monday.
George is close with both Prince Harry and Meghan, and has spoken out in defence of his "good friend" Meghan and the "unfair" attention he thinks she has received since joining the royal family. Meanwhile, his wife Amal was one of the guests at the Duchess’ baby shower in New York in February, so they will no doubt be incredibly excited to meet the new arrival and share in the special day. George is close with both Prince Harry and Meghan, and has spoken out in defence of his "good friend" Meghan and the "unfair" attention he thinks she has received since joining the royal family. Meanwhile, his wife Amal was one of the guests at the Duchess’ baby shower in New York in February, so they will no doubt be incredibly excited to meet the new arrival and share in the special day.
Prince Harry and Meghan's baby boy shares a birthday with their friend George Clooney The former ER actor is not the only famous face to share a birthday with Prince Harry and Meghan’s son; Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell turned 30 on Monday, while Precious actress Gabourey Sidibe turned 36. RELATED: Prince Harry's first speech in full as baby boy is born Prince Harry and Meghan’s son’s birthday comes just four days after Princess Charlotte celebrated her fourth birthday on 2 May. Both young royals share the zodiac sign of Taurus, with their characteristics said to include wisdom, loyalty, endurance and prudence. It was announced on Monday afternoon that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had welcomed their first child – a baby boy. Many fans were surprised at the baby’s gender as so many signs appeared to indicate the couple were expecting a baby girl, and now all attention will turn to what they choose to name their son. Speaking after the safe arrival of his baby, proud dad and husband Prince Harry said: "I'm very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy earlier this morning, a very healthy boy. Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined."
DOES THE SUN AFFECT OUR WEATHER CLIMATE? There have many arguments about whether or not variations in the Sun’s activity affect our weather and climate. The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s long-range forecasts are based predominantly upon solar activity, with their basis being that changes in activity on the Sun do indeed directly cause changes in weather patterns on Earth.
Although our seasonal forecasts have been far more accurate than any others made with a similar time frame, until recently nearly all meteorologists and climatologists have not believed that it was even possible for changes in solar output to affect Earth’s weather, let alone control it to a large extent, as we believe is the case. The reason for their skepticism has to do with the energy output from the Sun, which is known as the solar constant. Technically, it is not really a constant—it does change significantly over billions of years. It also varies over days and years, but as these variations are a tiny fraction of its value, the scientific consensus has been that any changes in solar energy on a shorter-than-geological-era scale are much too small to have any effect on Earth’s weather. A defining feature of science that helps to make it so valuable is that as new information comes to light, scientific consensus changes, and what was once believed to be incorrect can become the new truth.
EMERGING EVIDENCE
Several years ago, a research paper was published by some Russian meteorologists who believed that they had discovered and defined a mechanism by which tiny changes in solar output could have an effect on Earth’s weather. They postulated that these changes affected the top of Earth’s atmosphere, an area known as the thermosphere, which was thin enough for these small changes to have an effect on it—and that these changes were then enhanced by orders of magnitude as they reflected into the troposphere, the lowest portion of the atmosphere, where our weather occurs. Recently, others have picked up on this research, and its concepts seem to be moving into the scientific mainstream. The SABER instrumentation aboard the TIMED satellite launched 17 years ago has provided data on the infrared emissions from carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitric oxide (NO), two substances that play a key role in the energy balance of air in the thermosphere. By measuring the infrared glow of these molecules, SABER can assess the temperature at the very top of the atmosphere.
HAMMOCKS BEACH STATE PARK TOPSIL AREA Anglers might want to set up camp on Bear Island in Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro. Open dunes awash with sea oats wait campers here, as well as waters chock full of fish. Puppy drum, flounder, trout and blue fish bite now as they did in centuries past, when the park was a hunting and fishing haven for Native American tribes.
ROANOKE RIVER PLATFORM SITES
Inner CKayakers will love platform camping with Roanoke River Partners, a nonprofit group that maintains the Roanoke River Paddle Trail. Campers pack all their gear into kayaks, and then paddle out to one of several platform sites located along the Roanoke or Cashie River. Each platform is different in habitat and amenities—some contain just the platform itself, others have covered platforms, in-ground bathroom facilities and one even has two bikes you can use to pedal to nearby civiliza oastal Plain
CAROLINA BEACH STATE PARK Wilmington area
Carolina Beach State Park, just outside Wilmington, sits astride the 761-acre island. In addition to RV and group campsites, the park features a marina with two launch ramps and 40 boat slips. Spot and flounder wait both the boating and shore-bound angler. Miles of trails allow you to explore distinctive habitats, including one that is home to carnivorous plants like the pitcher plant and Venus flytrap.
CAPE LOOKOUT NATIONAL SEASHORE Crystal Coast
Imagine setting up camp on the beach, building a fire and watching the rhythmic sweep of the light from Cape Lookout Lighthouse. All camping within the Cape Lookout National Seashore is primitive beach camping – there are no designated campgrounds – which is what makes this a truly special experience. During the day, visit the wild horses that roam the Shackleford Banks or see historic Portsmouth Village nearby. At nearby Whispering Pines RV Park near Morehead City and Emerald Isle, families can enjoy easy access to Bogue Sound with a boat ramp and pier, a swimming pool and clubhouse, playground with a dog park and a freshwater fishing pond for anglers.