A Convenient, Low-Cost Alternative to Bathing at Home or Going to the Groomer
Many pet owners would agree that keeping the family dog clean can be a chore in itself, not to mention the messy clean-up afterwards. When the four-legged family member looks like something the cat dragged in or is trailing an odor reminiscent of yesterday’s garbage, what do you do?

During warmer weather, you could hose your dog off in the back yard with freezing cold water, trying to get him to stay still long enough to scrub on some shampoo, all the while creating mud puddles and ruining the grass.  Then, after that he runs through the mud puddles and rolls in the wet grass – you’re right back where you started!!  With a stinky, dirty dog – soaking wet, to boot!! OR, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, you could wrestle him into the bathtub, make a soggy mess of you, the house, and every towel you own. Then after all that, you could decide to just take him to the groomer, requiring figuring out in advance when to fit it into your crazy schedule, two trips back and forth and an unbudgeted cost. However, there is an easier, lower-cost option that you may not be aware of: The Self-Service Dog Wash.

Self service dog wash businesses have been around for years, primarily in larger cities, but not all pet owners are aware of their existence or benefits. “What exactly IS a dog wash?”, you might ask. Tara Pellegrino, owner of Million Dollar Dog, Inc., a full-service grooming spa in Belmont, North Carolina, explains it simply as “a car wash for dogs”. This service is geared mainly to the ‘Do-It Yourself’ owners and those with larger dogs who want to keep their costs for a squeaky clean dog down.  It is also for those who like their dog bathed in between grooms who may just want to enjoy the bonding experience that ‘bath-time’ can bring!”

Since most dog washes are small, independently-owned businesses, facilities and services will vary from shop to shop. Our facility offers two waist-high grooming tubs with warm water sprayers; waterproof aprons; towels; combs and brushes; high velocity, hand-held air dryers and a choice of pet shampoos. We also offer products to enhance your self-bathing experience such as Milk Baths and Blueberry Facials, as well as the assistance of our professional groomers for teeth brushing, nail trims, or feet, face and ear hair trimming.   Basically, we provide everything you’ll need to keep your VIP (Very Important Pup) smelling fresh and looking great, without all of the hassles and messes of bathing at home, or the expense of the groomer doing it for you.

You are welcome to bring your dog(s) in anytime during our Spa Hours (please see the home page of our website at www.MillionDollarDogInc.com for our hours or call us at 704.266.4137).  No appointment is necessary!!  We look forward to assisting you with your pet care needs!

Everyone is talking about sustainability these days.

It seems we are all subjected to messages of living “greener” through reading, watching and listening to more stories, messages, and marketing of how to “Go Green”.  Increasingly people are recycling, bringing their own bags to the market, and also becoming more concerned of their carbon foot print.   This shift has been in progress for many years, picking up momentum in the past decade. These changes are now becoming more than trends, they are slowly becoming the standard by which we live, as we collectively commit to changing our ways of thinking especially when considering our level of consumption.

While many of us are paying more attention to our consumption of energy, especially fossil fuels, few consider the impact that our food system has or how dependent that single system alone is on a non-renewable resource. In the United States, 400 gallons of oil equivalents are expended annually to feed each American (Kindell). This is figured not only in the transportation of the food, which most travels 1500 miles from its origin to a diner’s plate,  but also in farm inputs like mechanized labor and fertilizers.

To avoid “eating oil”, one must learn to shop and cook sustainably.  Here are 5 tips to not just feed your family, but your lifestyle as you move towards sustainability. Our Earth and children thank you!

Tip #1
Buy Local – It’s shopping day and you do what you always do- head to the grocery store.  But before you do that, head to a farmers market. There are plenty and some weekday markets now. The Cramerton Farmers Market is hopping on Wednesdays from 4:00pm-8:00pm, Gastonia is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:00am-1:00pm and if you are in Charlotte check out the Atherton Mills Market on Tuesdays from 11:30am-6:30pm. Saturday markets are plentiful. Check out Localharvest.org, and type in your zip code for a list of farms and farmers markets in your area.

Tip #2
Buy Organic – Of course you won’t find everything you need at a farmers market, so when you do head to the grocery store by organic, especially when it comes to the Dirty Dozen (the most pesticide ridden foods). Those would be peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. You know those little stickers on the produce you buy at the market? The numbers mean something. Make sure your produce stickers are a five-digit number beginning with a 9. That means they are organically grown.  Avoid sticker numbers that being with an 8. This indicates the produce is genetically modified, and these foods are especially damaging to our environment.

Tip #3

Eat free range, grass fed, organic animal proteins – It is now well documented that free range, grass fed animals  are better for you and better for the environment.  Grass fed beef has less saturated fat and cholesterol and boast up to 6 times more omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventionally raised beef. Chickens that are pasture raised lay eggs that have 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A,  2 times more omega-3 fatty acids, 3 times more vitamin E and  7 times more beta carotene .

Tip #4
Recipes are not sustainable, don’t use them unless you are baking – Ever take out a recipe book, make a shopping list, bring all the ingredients home to cook a meal that leaves you with left over spices and condiments that then sit in your pantry or take up room in your refrigerator until they go bad? This is a waste of money and resources. Focus on learning cooking techniques like, sautéing, braising, stewing, grilling and roasting. Arm yourself with a pantry of flavor profiles you like.  I stock a few vinegars, oils, 5 or 6 spices, aromatics such as onions and garlic, as well as a quality mayonnaise, organic boxed stocks, mustard and soy sauce.

Tip #5
Learn how to and start composting -  Thousands of pound of vegetable scraps enter our waste stream every day. These scraps can easily be turned into health compost for your garden and flower beds. Go to howtocompost.org for more information.
About Kris
Kris Reid, is the Chef/Owner of K.Leigh Cuisine, a catering and consulting business in Belmont, NC.  She is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University. In addition to her business she is currently a volunteer greenhouse and garden space manager for Hope Haven, a non-profit in Charlotte, where she is helping grow food to feed the resident community of 200 men, women and children.   Her motto- “Don’t eat low fat or low cal- just eat food, real food from farmers you know”
You can contact Kris at
kleighreid@yahoo.com or through her website at http://www.kleighcuisine.com

References
Constraints on the Expansion of Global Food Supply, Kindell, Henry H. and Pimentel, David. Ambio Vol. 23 No. 3, May 1994. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

If you have not been to the U.S.
National Whitewater center lately,
you are missing out on some great fun!  Only a short drive from Gaston County, the Whitewater Center is perfect for a family day trip or a last minute jaunt with friends.  Thursdays and Saturdays are the days to go for great live music.   For about the price of dinner and a movie, you can experience everything the Whitewater Center has to offer. Just relax and listen to some hot bands on the deck of the “Rivers Edge Bar and Grille” with a cold beverage and wonderful food.  (Try the steamed soy beans, delicious!)

The biggest surprise is that you don’t need to have any experience to do any of the “fun stuff” out there.  The guides will help you, and there is no real age restriction.  Folks from 8 to 80 can climb rocks and rope, kayak, hike, bike, zip and rip down the water rapids.   For more information on pricing and special events, check out their website.  www.usnwc.org.

THE U.S. WHITEWATER PARK IS:
•A premier outdoor sports and recreation with LOADS of family activities.
•The WORLD’S LARGEST artificial whitewater river.
•4 years old. (2006)
•Operates a retail store (Outfitter’s Store), a restaurant (River’s Edge Bar & Grill), Grab ‘n Go, and a 2,400 foot Conference Center,  and a variety of outdoor gathering spaces.
•A great value, with over 1.6 million visitors since 2006 and prices to fit any budget.
•Now MUCH easier to get to from Gaston County.  (485 towards Statesville and follow the signs.)

If you are looking for fun, it’s in your own backyard at the U.S. Whitewater Center.

An affiliate of Habitat International, Habitat-Gaston was founded in 1989.  Johan Newcombe was the champion for the establishment of the local Habitat affiliate and its first volunteer president and executive director.  She organized the construction of the first Habitat houses and was the major architect of the program in Gastonia.  Becky Carter, former Executive Director of the Community Foundation, was the visionary who aspired to establish a Habitat affiliate in Gastonia.  Both women devoted long hours and tremendous effort to build a broad constituency to advocate for the elimination of substandard housing in our community.  Habitat-Gaston acknowledged the co-founders with their anniversary projects.

The 20th Anniversary House honors Mrs. Newcombe and the 20th Anniversary renovation honors Mrs. Carter.  The homes are located in Gastonia’s Parkdale Neighborhood and were dedicated on Sunday, May 23.

Additionally Habitat-Gaston opened a Habitat ReStore, which accepts and resells donations of new and gently used items.  The ReStore selection is vast and varied, from housewares to hardware; from bikes to building materials.  Located on the Avon Street side of the Habitat-Gaston office building, the ReStore is Gaston County’s best kept bargain secret.  Donating to the store is a green way to discard unneeded items. Purchases at the ReStore help Habitat build more homes.

Habitat for Humanity will persist in its efforts to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for low income families in Gaston County.  Homeowner information meetings are held at the Habitat-Gaston office on the second Saturday of each month at 10 AM.  Pre-registration is required.

There are a number of ways for the community to partner with Habitat-Gaston.  Contact a Habitat-Gaston staff person, based on your level of interest.

•  In National Parks where a “per person” entrance fee is charged, the Senior Pass admits you plus three other adults (who need not be seniors). This is an especially good deal if you are also traveling with grandchildren, because children under 16 have free admission.

•  The lifetime national parks Senior Pass also gives seniors a 50 percent discount on federal use fees charged for camping, swimming, boat launching, parking and tours.

•  In some cases where use fees are charged, only the person named on the Senior Pass will be given the 50 percent discount.

•  The senior pass is non-transferable and does not cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or concession fees charged by private companies.

How to Buy a National Parks Lifetime Senior Pass

The Senior Pass to national parks cannot be purchased by mail or online. It must be purchased in person at a federal area where entrance fees are charged, or at regional offices of the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Proof of age, such as a valid driver’s license, is required at the time you purchase your senior pass.

July is the time of year when you can sit back for a moment and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s also a pretty unpredictable month and depending on your climate, most gardeners have to play it by ear.

While there is no definite list of tasks to perform in the garden in July, one must keep a close eye on pests and diseases,  and water often.

It doesn’t matter how much it rains in June or the earlier months, in July the rain tends to become pretty vague.

Deep watering is the most commonly used method of watering in these hot months; water

thoroughly and deeply each time and allow the soil to dry out in between watering.

In my garden I grow everything from Heirloom Tomatoes of all sizes to Sweet Genovese Basils.

My hopes are high each year as I plan on what to plant in the garden; I try to grow a little bit of everything. My tomato plants are outgrowing their tomato cages and even towering over me, while the beans are just reaching my chest and I hope to have a very late crop of them.

The bees are buzzing throughout the garden, pollinating the squash and cucumbers as they travel back and forth from the lavender plants to the basils. This year most of my vegetables will come in later then most people’s gardens. It will definitely pay off for me in the long run as I will have  the main veggies most people wish they had still growing.

Happy Gardening!

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Rosemary Pete’s Newsletter At
http://rosemarypete.weebly.com

After walking into the beautifully manicured, classic style park, I caught a sweet smell that could only be one thing, the Grizzlies world famous doughnut burger.  The sticky, sweet, greasy piece of heaven called a Krispy Kreme doughnut burger is Gastonia’s answer to the health nut crowd.  I didn’t care if it was bad for me, I wanted one.  Thank the good Lord for people who understand that it’s OK to mix good stuff together every now and then.

That person for the Grizzlies is their GM, Jesse Cole.  I could give you his Bio, but that would not do him justice.  Jesse is that unique guy who just flat “gets it.”  He understands that good baseball is not the only reason people come to Sims Park.  The ball game is only a part of the “Grizzlies experience.”   When I first met Jesse, his eyes were darting around until he focused just off my left shoulder as he was distracted.  “Excuse me” Jesse said, “I have to go make sure the players are dancing between innings.”  “I’ll be back in a minute.”  I turned around to see Jesse and 25 or so ball-players singing  the “YMCA” dance song along with a couple thousand rabid Grizzlies fans, all singing in perfect harmony.

“People are looking to have fun, and that’s what we are trying to provide. I encourage creativity, focus, and caring among all my employees,” Cole said when I asked how the Grizzlies continue to set attendance records.  “I learned that from Bill Veeck, the major league owner best known for having a midget on his baseball team.”  As I watched the sun set from the deck in left field, I suddenly thought of the baseball movie classic, “Field of Dreams.”  “Was this Heaven?”  I thought to myself.  Then I looked over my shoulder and saw Jesse Cole splashing around in the giant dunk tank, hundreds of kids and adults smiling and laughing as he dared them to throw a strike.  Yep, the Gastonia Grizzlies are in good hands.

Rock on Grizzlies!

Acupuncture is a treatment used in Chinese Medicine and has been in existence for 3000 years. It is the careful placement of extremely fine gauge needles (30 acupuncture needles fit into the end of a hypodermic needle) into points that create an energetic message to the body to heal from any imbalance.

Any condition, whether it’s headaches, back pain, depression, grief, the inability to sleep, allergies, the common cold or any disease (notice that disease is really dis-ease), is looked at in Chinese Medicine as the body being out of balance so if the underlying imbalance is treated, then the body will heal.

Case History
(Treatments are confidential. Names have been changed)

Jamie was 14 years old and on several medications for her asthma and allergies. She had been diagnosed when she was 7 years old. Sarah was getting into trouble from mom because she was forgetting to take her medicine when I started seeing her. We started the acupuncture treatments and with permission from her doctor, Jamie cut her meds in half.

Within about 9 months, Jamie was completely off her asthma medications. Today, she is 17 years old and often spends time at the barn with the horses!
Bai Shen Acupuncture is located at 203 Glenway St. in Belmont, NC and is owned by Shari Miller who is Nationally Board Certified in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and Licensed in the state of North Carolina.

Bai Shen Acupuncture website: BaiShen.org email through the website and Shari will answer any questions that you may have!

Ranucci’s Big Butt BBQ, a  catering company that also cooks the wonderful BBQ for Center Street Tavern in downtown Cramerton, won ninth place in the Memphis (Tenn.) in May 2010 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. The top 10 finish automatically qualifies them for the competition in 2011.

For the Memphis competition, Ranucci said he fed judges just like he would a special event or private party in Gaston County.

“When I cater, I try to do what I do for competitions,” Ranucci said. “I always bring the smoker with me. The barbecue we do is hot and fresh, pulled on site.”

A native of upstate New York, Ranucci moved to Boiling Springs in 1991 to attend Gardner-Webb University, where he fell in love with the Carolinas and the regional cuisine. After college, he moved back to New York for a few years, but eventually returned to the area. Two years ago, Ranucci and his family moved to Belmont.

Ranucci previously worked in medical sales, but three or four years ago, he quit his job and started catering full time. After visiting the Carolinas, his father, Ed Ranucci caught the barbecue bug and started a second catering company in New York.

The Ranuccis  have won multiple prizes at more than a dozen events, including a first place pork butt in the 2008 Summer Sizzlin’ BBQ Cook-off in Belmont.

“You’ve got to hit it right on the head,” Ranucci said of the Memphis competition. “The judges down there have been doing this for 25years. If you put out barbecue, it better be good.”

Alex Ranucci said he prepares his pork with a homemade injection and dry rub then smokes it for 13 to 15 hours. He offers Ranucci-brand sauces and rubs online at www.ranuccis.com. At competitions, Ranucci said family is always a key ingredient.

Ranucchi’s Big Butt BBQ grilling sauce is also available at the gift shop “Charlotte’s Landing” at the Charlotte Airport, and has quickly become their best seller.  “It’s mostly northern travelers who buy it.  They love the southern style BBQ and Alex has done a great job bottling his different sauces.

We can’t keep it on the shelves!” says Shirley Warren of Charlotte’s Landing.”

That’s why I decided to write a book called “How to live to 48.” It’s a collection of lessons designed to provide young people with just enough information to stay alive and out of jail.

The most important lesson that I can tell young folks is that “If it starts to hurt, you are doing it too much.” That is the other “golden rule” when it comes to basic survival. Young people will test that theory all the time, but will find the logic very sound.

Another lesson is “Go to bed when the street lights come on and get up when they go off.” If teen-agers would just do that one simple thing they would pretty much be guaranteed to live to at least 48.

Here are a few other gems from my book. I hope they help you reach the minimum level of existence.

The worst way to get somebody to shut up is to tell them to shut up. I don’t know the best way, but that’s the worst way.

Most people are lazy. You can outlast them by just showing up for work and breathing. I call this the “fog up a mirror” strategy. If you can fog up a mirror with your breath, then you are winning.

“Walking it off” is the best medical advice I ever had. It came from my little league baseball coach. I tried “shaking it off” but it doesn’t work as well.

If you don’t understand something, get rid of it. Unless it’s cute and makes you smile.

Never interrupt someone when they are yelling at somebody other than you. This is especially true if they have a gun.

The main thing is to be nice to anything that bites. Don’t look too many crazy people in the eye, and hug your mama every day. Do that stuff and you should make it to 48.

Darryl’s latest book is available online at:

http://www.howtoliveto47.com $12.95