Chamber Chat

The Sun's Up Breakfast will take place on Wednesday, August 10, at the Southern Crescent Technical College downtown CDC Building. Guest speaker will be Dr. Randall Peters, President of SCTC.

Breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m. and the program is expected to begin shortly afterwards. Cost to attend the breakfast meeting is $8 per Member.

Keep Cool When it's Hot

Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn't just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat-related illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The following tips can help you keep cool all summer long.

• Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can't change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color

• Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.
• Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.
• Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.
• Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.
• Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.
• Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.
• Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans. There is a version that attaches to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.
• If you're wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head. A straw hat is also a good way to keep the sun off your head and face.
• Protect exposed skin with sunscreen, high SPF and waterproof varieties are available.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.
• Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products. As an added benefit, you won't have to cook next to a hot stove.
• Add spice... eating spicy foods like hot peppers, fresh ginger and black pepper will help lower your body temperature through sweating.
• Use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors when you can and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and anyone with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don't forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses too.

How Do Fish...

• Swim? Fish swim by flexing their body and tail (caudal fin) back and forth. They do this by expanding the muscles on one side of the body while relaxing the muscles on the other, which propels them forward through the water.

• Breathe? Fish breathe by opening and closing their gill covers to pump water past the gills. They need a constant supply of oxygen, which they get from the water.

• See? Fish see best at close range with eyes that are similar to those of humans.

• Smell? Fish smell through two openings on their head. The sense of smell helps fish find food and warns of danger.

• Taste? Fish use taste buds, just like humans do. Some are on their tongue and others are on the outside of their body. The taste buds are able to distinguish between sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.

• Hear? Fish hear by picking up pressure changes and vibrations in the water through a lateral line (a system of thousands of tiny hair cells that run the length of a fish's body and work as a sensory organ) along each side of their body. The lateral line helps a fish to find and capture food and avoid enemies.

Old-Fashioned “Lemonade Stand” Lemonade

"Here is a treasured old-fashioned memory -- fresh, crisp, cold, and delicious lemonade. On a hot afternoon our guests especially enjoy it while sitting under a shady tree. An ounce of gin or vodka may be added." The Governor's Inn, Ludlow, Vermont

Yield: Makes 7 cups

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 1-1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 cups cold water
• Lemon and lime slices for garnish
• Fresh mint sprigs

Combine sugar and boiling water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, and cold water; mix well. Chill. Serve over crushed ice garnished with lemon and lime slices and fresh mint sprigs.

TUAC Summer Theater Productions

Thomaston Upson Arts Council (TUAC) will present it's Summer Theatre Production beginning
August 5th at 7 pm.

Additional show dates are August 6th, 12th and 13th.

All shows are at 7 pm at the R. E. Lee Auditorium.

Tickets are $6 and are good for both shows.

The cast of Shakespeare's Inferno A Divine Comedy is pictured above, on the left is the cast of of Disney's The Jungle Book Kids.

This years productions are
being sponsored by
Thomaston Hospice.

For a larger view, click the picture.

AHHH…The Fragrant Gardenia

 

Best known for their fragrant white flowers, gardenias are heat-loving evergreen shrubs that have become a gardening symbol in the Southeast. Another common name is cape jasmine.

Plant gardenias near a deck or window where you can enjoy the flowers' fragrance. The plants grow from 2 to 8 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety. Most gardenias grow into a round shape with dark green, glossy leaves and white, fragrant flowers that bloom from mid-spring into summer. Avoid planting gardenias near a concrete walk or foundation where the pH maybe too high for good growth.

Select a site with full sun to light shade and moist, rich, well-drained soil. Gardenias prefer acidic soil with a pH between 5.0 and 6.0.

Plant in spring or fall, spacing plants 3 to 6 feet apart. Have the soil tested to determine pH, and if necessary add the recommended amount of sulfur to reduce the pH to between 5 and 6. Dig a hole only as deep as the root ball and 2 to 3 times as wide. If your soil is in very poor condition, amend the soil you've removed from the hole with a small amount of compost. Otherwise don't amend it at all. Carefully remove the plant from the container and set it in the hole. Fill the hole half full with soil, then water it well to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of hole with soil and water thoroughly.

Gardenias require at least an inch of rain (or equivalent watering) each week. Apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch to help keep soil moist, reduce weeding, and maintain a constant soil temperature. Feed monthly during the growing season with an acidifying fertilizer. Prune in early spring to shape the bush, and deadhead after flowering to encourage more flowering. Check periodically for white flies and mealybugs, using a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to control these pests. In regions where the plant is marginally hardy, protect bushes from hard freezes and drying winter winds

Pet Shop

Here is a young male lab puppy between the ages of 4 and 6 months old. He has a thick, beautiful coat, trimmed nails, and gorgeous teeth. He is floppy and very loving. He is not your typical crazed wild puppy. His calm disposition is remarkable, and yet he is so very happy! He just wants to be held or rubbed.

He already knows how to "sit" on command, and he would rather be loved than take a cookie for praise! He is very attentive and intelligent, and would LOVE to learn anything you'd like to teach him.

Adopting a pet is simple. Have a picture ID, be at Least 18 years old, choose a pet, answer a series of questions and sign the spay/neuter contract. All animals adopted by outside residents of Upson County will be neutered or spayed by a veterinarian in Upson County before they leave.

Upson County Animal Shelter
2371 Yatesville Hwy
Thomaston, GA 30286
Phone: 706-646-4526
Email: goldthangs_2000@yahoo.com

There are many to choose from, large or small, let’s save them all!