of the solar disc, and the experience begins. At that time, there is one thing you must remember—NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT SPECIAL EYE PROTECTION. DIRECT VIEWING OF THE SUN WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR EYES. Even as the Moon continues to cover the Sun making it into a crescent and reducing the glare, it is dangerous to look at the Sun with the naked eye. So what can we do? Inexpensive cardboard or plastic framed eclipse glasses can be purchased online. Alternatives to eclipse glasses are solar Mylar sheets in a frame or #14 welder’s glass. Be sure to put the glasses or other protection on before looking up to see the Sun. Other things you might need are some folding chairs, sunscreen, and water since you will be outdoors for a few hours. A broad brimmed hat and an umbrella for some shade might be useful, too. So, what will you see during the eclipse? At first contact, the Moon begins to pass in front of the Sun and continues for about an hour and a half to totality when the entire Sun is covered. Through your eclipse glasses, you will see a black area continue to grow. As it covers the face of the Sun, the solar disc takes on a crescent shape, becoming narrower as the eclipse progresses. One of the best ways to view this partial phase of an eclipse is a projection type eclipse viewer. These can be made out of common materials found around the house such as a cardboard box or tube, aluminum foil, paper, tape, and glue. These use a small pin-size hole in one side to project an image of the Sun on a piece of white paper glued to the inside of the opposite side from the hole. A cutout on the side allows viewing of the projected image of the Sun. Low power telescopes or binoculars can also be used to make projection type viewers. Look online for plans to make various types of safe eclipse viewers. As the crescent narrows, you will notice a multitude of crescent sunlight spots on the ground where sunlight filters between leaves on trees. Hold up anything with a small hole in it and observe the crescent shaped spots of sunlight in its shadow. A fun thing to do as the Sun becomes a narrow crescent is to hold up a piece of pegboard and see the many crescent shapes in its shadow where the
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sunlight shines through the holes. The shadow of a loosely woven straw hat will also give an interesting array of crescents. If you bring a camera, don’t point it at the crescent Sun without a solar filter. Otherwise, you might damage it. You will want to use it to take pictures of people, crescent shaped shadows, and the darkened landscape to capture your experience. As totality approaches, the daylight dims, and the air temperature drops. Animals may react to the strange darkness coming during the middle of the day. Watch to see if birds take roost in the trees. Finally, the moment you have been waiting for—the beginning of the total eclipse! As the last rays of the Sun shine through a low place between mountains on the Moon, the “diamond ring” effect can be seen; then the Moon completely covers the Sun. As soon as the solar disc is covered, and you can’t see anything through your eclipse glasses, you should take them off and see the eclipsed Sun directly. You must be in the path of totality to see this main event. If you are not in the path, you will see only a partial eclipse. This “mid-eclipse” phase lasts only a short time, so observe quickly and be alert for a second “diamond ring” meaning the Sun is emerging and you must put on eye protection. Notice the glowing white corona of super-heated plasma streaming away from the Sun—with a temperature of millions of degrees—hotter than the Sun’s surface! Then, scan the sky away from the Sun to locate Venus and Jupiter which should be visible. If you have an unobstructed view, you may be able to see light miles away on the horizon where the Sun is still shining. How does this work out since the Sun is so much bigger than the Moon? Luckily for us, the geometry is just right. The Sun is about 400 times larger in diameter than the Moon; it is also 4oo times farther away. This means they are about the same size from our viewpoint. The Moon’s orbit is elliptical, so sometimes it is closer to us and appears slightly larger than the solar disc. If you are in the line between the Sun and Moon, the Sun will be completely covered. That results in a total eclipse. When the Moon is farther away and appears smaller in the sky, it doesn’t quite cover the solar disc. In that case, an annular eclipse occurs, and the edge of the Sun forms a glowing ring around the Moon. Some of you may remember the May 30, 1984, eclipse that passed through North Georgia and the Atlanta area—that one was an annular eclipse.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein
a three-dimensional performance, into which they invested themselves. Several actors who got their start in Tater Patch productions have honed their skills and have gone on to larger roles in other theater settings as well as TV and movie parts. Two veterans, G. Douglas Ray and Paul Carden, have advanced to professional actor status. But lest you think the Players are content and ready to rest on their laurels and 40 years of success, think again. Every Monday is work day at the Playhouse, and depending on what needs to be done, a group of men and women reports for duty. Whether it’s dismantling a set and returning props to their storage space, cleaning bathrooms, or sweeping the floor, you’ll find unpaid volunteers doing the grunt work. Just as they did before they found their forever home, the group often talks about their dreams for the future. It would be nice, they say, to have a second rehearsal stage, where they can begin initial prep on the next production, while the main stage is in use for the
current production. A larger, more productive scenery shop would be nice. And they want to continue to attract and recruit young people, to introduce them to the joy of theater, and inspire them to someday take over the leadership roles. And it goes without saying, they’d love to pay off their mortgage! For now, however, they’re thankful for the space they have and the opportunities they enjoy every time they stage a new performance. In the past, they have taken entire multiact performances off site, even out of doors. But they’re quick to admit what a massive undertaking such is. More recently, they’ve begun taking one-act performances into the community. Earlier this year, a mini-troupe of Players journeyed over to Big Canoe, where they entertained the “Ridgerunners” ladies with a one-act performance. So whether you want to go and enjoy full performances, complete with drinks and popcorn – you can even bring in your own concessions – or if you’d prefer to bring a select group of players to your organi-
zation or special event, Tater Patch Players is at the ready. They also host specialty events, movies and concerts at the Playhouse, all with convenient, free parking. Following the conclusion of “Charlotte’s Web,” the players will offer three more fulltheater performances this year. Opening August 11, running on selected dates, closing on August 27, “Man of La Mancha” will headline the Players’ stage. “The Savannah Sipping Society” will run from September 29 through October 15. Concluding the year, “You Can’t Take It With You” will open on November 24 and close on December 10. This will be the second time “You Can’t Take It With You,” has been performed. The last time was in 1986. Every time an actor takes on a role, they’re attempting to give such a convincing performance, that audience members are drawn and entrapped completely within the story. The Tater Patch Players have been successfully deceiving in that fashion for 40 years. Thank goodness for deceptive appearances. They’re just so entertaining!
In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. - Aristotle
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which makes them real men in my book. They do this to prevent other fish from putting the little baby guppies in their mouths, which would be okay except other fish tend to swallow. As I mused on this I watched her face go through several calculations just like a papa guppy. Finally she said, "I have to charge you for 16 ounces." "Why?" I asked. "I am only buying 12 ounces of coffee." "It's on inventory," she said. I could immediately tell that there would be no reasoning with her. What she meant was that some accountant with a hooked nose and glasses with lenses like the bottom of a Coke bottle in his or her infinite wisdom had come up with a way of measuring the amount of coffee sold that didn't involve the actual coffee. They counted the cups. So instead of buying coffee I was buying a cup. It was diabolical. That may make sense to a hook-nosed accountant, but it didn't make sense to me. However regardless of the injustice of it all, I paid for a cup with four ounces of air. I didn't like it. In fact I resented the heck out of it. But what could I do? I was just a customer and what I wanted was pitted against a corporate system. It wasn't a very efficient one, but I imagine they had that figured in.
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What they did not take into account was a case like mine where through no fault of my own I was forced to buy four ounces of air. I was an anomaly and a rarity, so in effect I didn't count. Now I don't like being considered an anomaly. Who does? I am a human being crushed beneath the corporate wheels like a bug. So naturally I harbored some resentment and like any sentient being plotted my revenge. The most obvious solution to get 16 ounces of coffee in a 12 oz. cup was not practical. I could start a movement. The Citizens Against Buying Air movement. But that seemed to be a lot of trouble. Still I knew that somebody had to stand up for the little man who didn’t want to buy four ounces of air. I finally decided on a simple solution; I would let the punishment fit the crime. So the next time I went into the store I threw a 16-ounce cup in the trash. I was only doing my part to end the tyranny of myopic, hooknosed bean counters everywhere. (Ted Smith, aka Marion T. Smith, recently had his first novel published, “Life in the Park.” It is available on Amazon and from Barnes & Noble.)
The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Funny how plans get changed in all our lives. Now, hang on, for this is not about the actual house nor our living there. I will say that before we moved I already had in my mind all of the furniture placed and every picture on the wall! Amazing how there is a difference in what's in your mind and reality! Briefly, I will say that the house finally took on its own personality with family pieces, their artwork, and treasures from yard sales and auctions, plus my creations. I am a decorator and designer by nature, so it is changing all the time. Speaking of what's on your mind and reality, I had no idea what I was going to do with the outside. It was a fairly new house, and there was nothing in the way of landscape except grass and the big oak trees. My only thought was to just get started! I always have felt that if the Lord provides something for me, I will do my best to fix it and keep it up. You notice I said “I,” for my husband had businesses to attend to and at one he
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worked until 11 o'clock at night. I had an office job which gave me more time at home. Anyway, he had no interest nor ability in landscaping! Wow, what a challenge. It was divided in so many different areas, and I had no plan for any of it. I just started after work one day and worked until about 10 at night by the street lights! This began to be not only my project but my joy and delight. Now, I am not including all the digging and hard work! Let me add here that this story is to tell you that you can do a project too on a shoestring by doing a little at a time with shovel, wheelbarrow, and no more sense than to do it! Yes, I could have hired it done, but with a daughter in high school and one in college, I thought better about it. Anyway, I would have missed the satisfaction of a job well done. Now, I can call it “mine!” You noticed that I said, “I started!” The driveway had just been paved, leaving red dirt on each side, along with a filled in wide area,
filled in with gravel which my husband thought we would use as a place to back into and turn round. Wrong! What a wonderful flower bed this would make since the dirt seemed a little better, but there was that doggoned ole gravel. Never let anything get into your mind that you really can't deal with! Well, I took a little portion at a time, dug through the gravel, planted shrubs and flowers, covered it with mulch. While I waited for the mulch to rot and make good dirt, I had a “patch” already planted as a starter. Think about it – it took awhile, but over my tired, aching body I got it done! Looking at it now, it is lush with plants, thick with mulch, and covered with rich dirt. Yep, make your own dirt! This is how I did it. My neighbor had several stockpiles of well-seasoned wood chips which he offered me to go across the street and get all I wanted. Naturally, he thought I'd get a little and he would never miss it.
Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. - Henry Ward Beecher
Wrong again! One day in teasing me he asked what happened to several piles of his mulch. I told him it was now in my flower beds! Over a period of time I hauled hundreds of wheelbarrows, dumped, spread, and hauled again. I have already said I did this “on a shoestring,” taking advantage of freebies and my hard work. Another wonderful and inexhaustible source was the farm and garden plots of my aunts. My whole property is a “memorial” to my now deceased family members, their generosity with plants and advice. I guess I forgot to tell you that in the other two houses I had not had a need nor time for landscape so this was all new to me, even though I have always liked to play in the dirt. I would go to my aunt's house only a few miles away with my tools and containers, and good ears for advice. My aunt loved to garden and work in the yard, so with her willingness to help me, I always had a great supply of shrubs, bulbs, and flowers. At the beginning, let me say that I inherited
all my love of gardening from my family, especially my aunts who encouraged me, supplied me with plants and advice, with their grounds as my inspiration. I shall never forget her constant advice, over and above how to plant my supply we were digging. She would always say in my eagerness, “I don't care how much you get, but just remember when you get home you will have to plant all of it!” Another life-saving remark was, “Dig a fifty dollar hole for a fifty cent plant.” Did I really have to? Now, I must have been quite a shock to this quiet little neighborhood. I would get out with my fertilizer spreader for the lawn, or start digging, and all the dogs would start to bark or come over and try to help me! They had never seen a woman do such things. One neighbor told me that I was setting a bad example for the men in the neighborhood. I said it was probably good if my place got to looking pretty good! Thinking about what the neighbors could really see, we hired a nursery to put in all the shrubs across the front and next to the house.
Of course, I was out there telling them what to do and where to put things. All of this did not happen overnight, and do not think that I ended up with a yard you would see in a magazine. No, it is just my creation, which anyone can do. It is not like pictures you see of expensive grounds that nobody could afford. I'll bet you never thought I would get into rock hauling. Don't ever let my mind get an idea for I am in trouble! I decided that it would be really nice to have pretty good sized rocks between the driveway pavement and my flower beds. Mercy! What a thought! We didn't have many large rocks on our property so after gathering a few, I realized I would have to get them somewhere else. Now, you know you could buy them, but I didn't think of this. I set out to collect rocks wherever I could find them. We were always wanting to drive through the mountains, and it just so happened that they were working on this back country road, so we found many, many large
Sunset is still my favorite color, and rainbow is second. - Mattie Stepanek
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be more easily burned and disposed of by the body naturally. You lay with the paddles on your problem areas for 20 to 30 minutes for a session. It is best to start out with three sessions a week. It is important not to let more than 72 hours pass between sessions in the beginning when you are trying to reach your goal. Once you have completed your session you will be placed on a whole body vibration machine. This machine is used by many athletes and gyms to help increase flexibility, enhance blood flow and oxygenation to tissues, and to move fluids around to help hydrate discs. In this case it also helps to move the now-liquefied fat around for quicker processing by the body. This machine also helps to lower the cortisol levels in the body which aids in weight loss and stress reduction, works and tones the core muscles, and strengthens muscles around the spine. Health benefits include improving joint conditions and arthritis, increasing growth hormones, healing muscle, ligament, and tendon injury, and reducing chronic pain. As you can see this process is not only great for weight loss but for many other wellness benefits. After you have completed the session in the office it is advised that you walk or do some other form of exercise within three to four hours lasting at least 30 minutes. It is also important that you stay hydrated drinking eight to 10 glasses of water daily to help remove the waste from the body and allow your system to work at its best. If you will commit to doing your sessions and a healthy lifestyle you
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will see results in many parts of your life physically and mentally. It is a great way to target specific areas on the body as well as getting the self-care we all need. Once you have gotten to your goal there are maintenance sessions you can book to help you stay where you want to be. Terri’s company is called True Intentions Wellness, and her motto is be true, be intentional, and be well. She is the owner and was once a client so she has firsthand knowledge of how to help you on your wellness journey to a happier and healthier you. You can find her in Jasper, Ga. Her e-mail is terri@trueintentionswellness.com and she can be contacted by phone at 706-253-2241 if you have any further questions or would like to book a session. You will find she is dedicated, knowledgeable and friendly. Terri hopes to continue to grow her wellness business and offer more products, classes, workouts, and more in the near future. I know she is a true inspiration to me, and I am confident she will be the same for you. Remember self-care is very important. We often get so busy with our everyday chores and jobs that we don’t make the time to take care of ourselves. When we do have leftover time we often spend it taking care of others. I am a big supporter of taking care of each other and showing compassion and humanity for all you meet, but if we do not take care of ourselves first we will not be able to continue to care for others. You cannot draw from an empty well, my friends.
I think as a woman it’s in our nature to nurture someone else. Sometimes at the expense of ourselves. - Emilia Clarke
When you have seen one ant, one bird, one tree, you have not seen them all. - E. O. Wilson
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