News From Them Thar Hills!

Volume 3, Issue 5, May 2012

Whither the Weather?

Well, It started off as the winter that wasn’t. Then came the spring and heat in the 80’s. Then came a frost and then heat and then another light frost. As far as we can tell, the crepe myrtles in the area were severely, and in some cases irreparably, damaged by the successive late frosts. Some have begun to recover but the ones that were not previously pruned seemed to have suffered the most. Most of the poplars in the area still have yet to leaf out fully. The new growth on most landscape plants were damaged. Some fared better than others but even the small and large leaved hollies were damaged.

Of course, the warm winter got some folks all twitchy with anticipatory excitement. They just couldn’t wait to get out there, armed with a plethora of annuals and early veggies, and get the planting season started. Up around these here parts, most of us know it is generally safe to plant after April 15th. May 1st is an even safer bet, but that’s just for the chicken-hearted. So they come home from the Depot or some big box store with their plants and fertilizer and what-not, ready to tame the wilds of their garden beds and break out the Ben-Gay afterwards. Then in sneaks a quick little frost. The next morning they are running all over their yard bemoaning their bad luck. Then it’s off to the plant store to buy another round. Ever wondered why the big stores get all of their plants in way too early for them to be planted out? Cha-ching!!!    Does that make me cynical?

Insurance Assurance

I know many view insurance as one of those necessary evils that one  must endure. Some view it as just plain evil. Regardless, there are times when insurance is certainly essential, especially in business. Many clients want to know that we carry liability insurance, which we do. Others, especially businesses, want to know that we have a workers comp. program in place, which we do. The costs associated with insurance are one of the “costs of doing business.” Of course, there are many “associated business costs” that any business must bear. Insurance is just a particularly onerous one!  So you might want to keep that in mind as you seek companies to do work for you. If the bid comes in a good bit lower that another, there is probably a good reason for that. After all, you do get what you pay for, mostly.

Dam Movement

According to a story that ran in The News Observer on May 3rd, Lake Blue Ridge is not expected to reach full pool this year. It is currently at 1,672 feet. Normal summer pool is 1,687 feet. According to the story: “On March 7, TVA put the project on hold because of a long crack that was discovered in the new material on the downstream side of the dam. Since then engineers have been monitoring data from seismographic instruments around the crack. On April 22 another smaller crack was found on the same side of the dam. Both cracks are considered surface cracks, according to TVA.”

A news release by the TVA: “May 1, 2012 — TVA will continuing holding the water level in Blue Ridge Reservoir at approximately 1,672 feet (its current elevation) at least through the end of July 2012. This means the reservoir will remain below normal summer pool for this year. Blue Ridge Dam is safe and stable. There is no change in the dam’s ability to hold water. Because public safety is TVA’s number one priority, we are being overly cautious and holding the reservoir at this level after we saw unexpected ground movement on March 7, 2012. This movement occurred during the completion of the two-year Blue Ridge Dam rehabilitation project. To ensure long-term dam safety, we are conducting significant monitoring, testing and analysis on the earlier ground movement at the dam. Holding the reservoir steady provides TVA consistent conditions for collecting the data necessary to complete a full engineering evaluation. It removes the variable of fluctuating water pressure against the dam from monitoring readings. This will allow us to determine if additional long-term stability work is necessary before completing the dam rehabilitation project.”

I don’t imagine folks located on Lake Blue Ridge are enthralled with the TVA. Dealing with the near draining of the lake and the subsequent low lake levels the last couple of years have worn thin the patience of lake residents. As far as the TVA goes, I suppose erring on the side of caution is best.

…a note from Cindy

Soon Memorial Day will be here as well as many of our friends and clients.It is the kick of off the Summer Season with lots of things to do from Festivals to Memorial Day parades. Think about hiking as it is the perfect of year, or maybe you would like to go for a swim.Check out the beach at Poteet Creek Recreation Area Park near Lake Nottely Dam or spend some time at Vogel park and go for a dip.If you will be here thru the first week of June you will be able to do some of that grocery shopping at the Union Counties Farmers Market as it will be the first week open.Have you checked out the new Union County Chamber of Commerce and Community Center?If not you need to go and take a look, it is beautiful!You can find brochures for all kinds of places in the area, play a round of golf or have lunch with an incredibly beautiful view.It is located at the Butternut Creek Golf Course located in Blairsville.

We want to wish you a safe and happy Holiday hope you can make it up here to the hills for a little down time, rest and relaxation!!!!!!

We were up for the afternoon last Saturday and the house was beautiful!!  Thank you so much for such a great job.  The porches were unbelievable–they looked brand new.

I had mentioned to Becka to have Donald check for carpenter bees.  I’ve seen a few flying around, but have not seen any sign of drilling.  If he didn’t do that, would it be possible for him to check it out for signs of destruction.

The check is on it’s way and thanks again to you and your crew for such wonderful service.

Lou Daffin

Wow am I sore =) … mentally I feel better than I have in years … amazing how I think all the stuff was weighing on me mentally, and physically I am sooo out of shape … but thank you times 100 for your help yesterday … we certainly exceeded our own expectations.

We are having a staffing issue this week and with taxes due on Tuesday we are going to opt out of Saturday. We will talk later in the month when things stabilize a bit.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Diane Oliver

Carla Murphy

News From Them Thar Hills!

Volume 3, Issue 4, April 2012

What’s Happenin’?

The season is getting underway… tourist season, that is.

I know I used to list all sorts of goings-on in the newsletter but it seems every time I would find a listing of events on the local scene it would be in some sort of incompatible format. In order for me to list the events for ya’ll, it would take forever! I’m not exactly the fastest typist in the world.

I think a better plan would be to insert links to said lists so you folks can peruse them at your leisure. That, and I didn’t list every event due to time and space constraints. So this way you will get the lists un-edited!

While the lists may come from different cities and/or counties, be sure and take a minute to look through them. There are many events that are sure to suit the varied tastes associated with this newsletter.

I will take a moment to highlight one particular event. Actually, it occurs twice this month.

I know, for some of you, Led Zeppelin may not be your preferred genre of music. You could always bring earplugs!  Groovy, man.

4/13/2012 & 4/20/2012

Rollins Planetarium – Cosmic Concert: Led Zeppelin

Campus of Young Harris College
Young Harris, GA 30582

Location: Rollins Planetarium
Hours: 7:00 & 8:00 PM April 13th, & 20th
Phone: 706-379-5195
Sponsor: Young Harris College
Cost: Adults $3.00 Children & Non-YHC Students $2.00 YHC Students/Faculty/Staff Free with ID
Description: Led Zeppelin’s cosmic laser concert remains one of the most popular music shows ever performed in planetariums. Now see it as a full-dome video extravaganza! This one-of-a-kind concert transports the audience into a series of fantastical and surrealistic settings, taking visitors on a captivating journey led by this legendary rock band. The motions are calculated to heighten the transportive feeling, drawing audiences deeper into the ever-changing landscape of sight and sound. The soundtrack includes Led Zeppelin classics such as “Kashmir,” “Black Dog,” “Over the Hills and Far Away,” “Stairway to Heaven” and “Rock and Roll.” Cosmic Concerts contain loud music, flashing lights, spinning stars and other effects that some may find disruptive. This show is

The End of Impatiens?!?

It seems the pickins’ for shade plants are about to get a bit slimmer. Impatiens Downy Mildew is hitting growers hard all across the US, Europe and South Africa. Nurseries are warning customers to choose other shade loving annuals for future plantings.

Plasmopara obducens, the type of downy mildew that’s killing the impatiens, attacks only the Impatiens walleriana, which is most prevalent here. Two less common varieties that are more expensive and aren’t available in as many colors, SunPatiens and New Guinea, are not susceptible.

High humidity coupled with cool nights exacerbates the problem. There are some chemical products that may help with prevention but once infected, the impatiens don’t stand a chance. There are also signs this particular strain of downy mildew is developing some resistance to fungicides in general.

All is not lost! Besides the Impatiens varieties mentioned above, there are begonias, lobelia and osteospermum. There are also foliage annuals like caladiums, shade alternantheras and stromanthes.

So get out there and play in the dirt! It’s good for ya!!! Remember, you heard it here first.

Libations, Anyone?

If you enjoy a good glass of wine you should check out the Wine Shoppe located in Blairsville at 305 Murphy Hwy. in Union Station next to AT&T.

Owner Bill McGlamery has been collecting and studying wine for over 30 years. The Wine Shoppe carries wines from the world over, ranging in price from $9.00 to $200.00. Bill prides himself in helping his customer pick out that perfect bottle of wine. In addition to the amazing customer service, he will special order you favorite wine if need be.

Stop by and check out the store, and his wine tastings! We think you will be pleasantly surprised. Tell Bill that Cindy & Donald sent you!

Hours M—F  10 am—7 pm

Sat. 10:30 am—7 pm

706-745-WINE (9463)

North Georgia Happenings!

Here are a few links to “goin’s on” in the area.

Blue Ridge area – April Events

Blairsville area – April Events

Hiawassee area- Spring Events

We hope you find this format easy enough to navigate and find things that are of some interest to you!

If not, there is always “chip tossin” over at the cow pasture!

…a note from Cindy

We all know the weather has been unusually warm and accompanying the odd weather are some odd occurrences! Mosquitoes are already out. Carpenter bees are going crazy. We are seeing Carpenter ants (the big black ones) in many houses. On the good side, we did not have the usual swarms of the Asian ladybugs this year (yea!).

The big thing I want to make sure you are aware of is… the TICKS are out! Not only are they out early, we are seeing them in numbers. If you walk through any area with brush or tall grass please check to make sure you haven’t picked up any unwanted hitchhikers.

You should also make sure to get an early start with pet treatments. However, even with treatment, the ticks can hitch a ride and drop off in your house. At that time, you become the target!

Hopefully we will make it through April without any severe weather. If we do have any such occurrences, we will send out an email blast to make you aware of what is going on. Remember, if at any time you want to know what the weather is doing (or any thing else, for that matter) please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

As you can imagine, the weather has been fantastic! Everything bloomed at once and is/was beautiful. We are currently in the middle of the pollen release but it should be through soon. If you are not here, I hope you can make it soon!

Questions or comments? E-mail us at donald@gamtnhome.com or call 678-439-9125

Copyright 2012 by Donald Caraway and Cindy Cohen.

Wow!  Thanks so much, Cindy!  It was very easy to recommend you guys, since you do such wonderful work.

Jessica

News From Them Thar Hills!

Volume 3, Issue 3, March 2012

Cleaning For A Cause!

As part of Complete Home Services’ continuing commitment to give back to the community, we are starting “Cleaning For A Cause.” Our goal is to offer a service to those truly in need. We were recently contacted by a person interested in getting a quote for cleaning her home. In the course of her conversation with Cindy, she mentions that she had recently been diagnosed with cancer and is now receiving regular chemotherapy treatments. Cindy informed her of our special service and we will be servicing our first “Cleaning For A Cause” client next week.

As our most valued clients, if you are aware of someone in a difficult situation due to a sickness, death, accident (or whatever), contact us and we will see if we can be of service. If we can’t, perhaps we can be of assistance in finding the help that is required to provide someone with a little break, peace of mind or just a really great deal on a deep house clean. Who doesn’t like to come home to a clean house?

In Memoriam

Last Saturday Cindy was dropping me off at home after visiting a potential new client and received a call informing her that Lisa Skomp, owner of Cozy Cove Realty and Marina, had just passed that morning. It took everyone by surprise, as these things often do.

Lisa was super nice and will be greatly missed by all. Her funeral service was attended by relatives, friends and business persons from all over the area, a testament to her appeal and esteem. She will be deeply missed.

Playing in the Dirt!

When I was working on a Biodynamic farm, we used to get interns and apprentices from all over, of all different ages and backgrounds. Most of them didn’t know very much about farming but had a willingness to learn. We would have liked to have experienced workers as opposed to interns and apprentices but just try to get someone to work on a farm. Most people think it’s the hardest work there is… and it is! But it’s not that bad. There are certainly worse jobs. Working in a cubicle ranks as about the worst, as far as I’m concerned.

One thing that all these people had in common, once they were at the farm working for a time, was they all said they felt much better. The work was hard but they felt more relaxed and at ease with themselves and their surroundings. Some of our farm shareholders reported the same thing when only working there for a day or two.

Well, it seems there is a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. It was accidentally discovered about 10 years ago by Dr. Mary O’Brien, an oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. She was undertaking an experimental treatment for lung cancer. She inoculated patients with killed Mycobacterium vaccae, expecting the bacteria, which is related to ones that cause tuberculoses and leprosy, to boost their immune system. It succeeded, as reported in The Economist (2007), but it also improved her patients’ “emotional health, vitality and general cognitive function.” Later experiments with mice confirmed the bacteria’s effects; the study was published in a 2007 edition of the journal “Neuroscience.”

The mouse study’s lead author, neuroscientist Dr. Christopher Lowry, commented, “These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health. They also leave us wondering if we shouldn’t all be spending more time playing in the dirt. We believe that prolonged exposure to [M. vaccae] from childhood could have a beneficial effect.”

So, are you afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder? Feeling a little out of sorts? Life got you down? Perhaps all you need is a little time playing in the dirt. I know it does me a world of good! Grandma always said that, to be healthy, every child should eat a pound of dirt. When I heard that, I ate 3 pounds, just to be on the safe side.

Correction

Gawd, I hate issuing corrections! Departing from my usual fastidious research of the facts before dissemination to clients or the public, I hastily included a photo credited to the recent tornado in Murphy, NC. You probably remember the email. You definitely can’t forget the photo! The sender sent a correction the very next morning, saying the photo was actually a storm cloud that resulted from a large volcanic eruption in Chile. See even more dramatic photos #here. Here is a cell phone photo from the storm in Murphy.

Apologies for my temporary deficiency of authentication skills. I shall re-double my efforts!

Smoke On The Water

No, I’m not having a flashback. Instead, I’m reporting the passing of a local icon. The Toccoa Riverside Restaurant burned to the ground February 13th. An employee and myself were on our way to a clients property and when turning off Aska Road across from the restaurant, I noticed yellow tape. When I looked over, the rubble was actually still smoking! Turns out that the fire occurred just after 2:00 am that very morning!

18 firefighters and 3 trucks were involved in fighting the fire. As of press time the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. This year was to be the 20 year anniversary of the restaurant’s opening.

Smoke On The Mountain

Sunday afternoon February 26th Cindy calls me and says there is smoke everywhere at her house and wants to know if I know anything about it. I didn’t and didn’t see any at my house… until about 2 hours later. There was light to medium density of smoke with some ash particles falling as well. I called Nema (owner of my cow pasture) and she said someone was burning limbs from a fallen tree and maybe that was it. Hmmm… that’s a lot of smoke from a limb fire to be spread over the 10 miles from my house to the office.

When I get to work the next day I find out the Forestry Service had conducted a controlled burn in Suches on Sunday. Surprising, considering it was quite windy and had been for quite some time. The burn covered 1550 acres! The Forest Service used 2 brush truck engines, 1 dozer, a helicopter and 15 people. The helicopter flew over and dropped plastic spheres that contained a dry chemical injected with glycol, which causes combustion. By dropping them in a grid pattern the Forestry Service was able to control the spread of the fire in order to facilitate containment.

What a relief, I had my water hose out and everything!

N. Georgia Enters 21st Century!

The North Georgia Network is building and operating a 1000 mile fiber optic network that will benefit an eight-county area of more than 334,000 people in Dawson, Forsyth, Habersham, Lumpkin, Rabun, Towns, Union and White counties. The system, which is 100% fiber optic, boasts speeds as fast as anywhere in the world. With core speeds up to 3.6 terabits (Screamin’ fast!), the system will be fully symmetrical -  the same speed for uploads or downloads! The system should be operational sometime in April.

Most of you are aware of my love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with winter. The lack of green, the icy wind, oh, and did I mention the cold? It seems the cold is trying to pass us by this year. It’s not all bad as the summer’s lack of rain was very hard on my pastures and as a result we have had to feed much more hay this winter than last. The colder it is, the more hay the cows consume. Also, I have been working on a major greenhouse project that has been a twinge in my stern (the nicest way I can put it in this missive). Problems with wrong parts and slow shipping over the holidays has pushed me to the limit. And my tolerance to pain and aggravation is nearly limitless! Although as I age I find more things less tolerable than in days past. Am I alone in that?

One of the potential downsides to the lack of sustained cold spells is the insect larvae overwintering just beneath the soil or the leaves. They can handle a bit of sub-freezing temperatures just fine but to really knock them back a bit we need a certain number of days-in-a-row of really cold weather. Flies can be a problem for me and my cattle. We employ fly predators, as well as a variety of traps for a variety of flies so the cows won’t have to suffer with swarms of blood-meal seeking flies.

For the rest of you flies can certainly be a nuisance, but skeeters are the real problem for most. Did you know mosquito larvae can overwinter in moist soil? If that soil freezes solid for a length of time then a depressed population would be the result. This applies to many other creepy-crawlies as well. Those of you with pets should be on the look-out for fleas and ticks once the warmth begins.

It is disconcerting to find myself wishing for some good cold spells, but it would be for the best. Of course, I would be happy living where the cold never comes but Patti likes the seasons. If not for that I might be in some tropical paradise but we can’t have that, can we?!?

The Buzz Is…

…about to return. Yep, it’s that time of year again. Time to think about Carpenter Bees.

After the rousing success of last year’s trapping, we are gearing up early to keep your home from being riddled like Swiss cheese. Our target for setting out traps this year is the middle of March. If the traps are in place before the bees come out, then we are ahead of the game. It’s best to capture the bees when they first emerge from winter’s hibernation instead of trying to play catch-up after they are already scouting out new places to drill into your homes exterior.

Also, the capture of the bees seems to have a cascading effect as far as the attraction of new bees. They can sense the presence of the bees in the trap and decide to drop in to see if they can exploit the situation to their advantage. At this point they become trapped themselves and continue to attract more bees to their doom.

With the winter being unusually warm, we expect the bees to emerge a bit earlier than usual. We have already seen the Pileated woodpeckers chiseling away at the exterior of some homes to get to the tasty morsels inside. The more bees we trap, the less of that we will see as well. Unless the woodpeckers discover how to get into the traps. Then we will have to come up with a trap for them. Just not made out of wood.

If you are interested in signing up for our Carpenter Bee Trap Service this year then contact us without delay so we can get you on the schedule. It does take a bit of time to get out to all the locations and hang all the traps. Luckily, we have the tall ladders needed to reach the lofty heights that are crucial for proper placement in order to entice the bees into the traps in the first place. Our service includes placing the traps, monitoring, emptying and removal at the end of the season, usually around September.

The average home, sans outbuildings, takes at least 4 traps to provide adequate coverage. Some larger homes with chopped up rooflines can use 6 traps. Same with homes with outbuildings that need protecting. The longer you wait, the less effective the traps will be.

Hey there kiddies! It’s time for another exciting installment of…

Did You Know?

Whilst there are plenty of food scares out there, there are the little everyday things that often go un-noticed. Take lemon wedges for example.

“What would you like to drink?” asks the waitress. Being health and weight conscious you say, “Water, please.”

The waitress brings you a nice glass of water. In said water floats an unrequested wedge of lemon. Not that you mind the lemon, after all, you can simply remove it if you wish. But what exactly resides on that wedge of lemon?

That is the question that was in the mind of Anne LaGrange Loving, assistant professor at Passaic County Community College in New Jersey. After a similar encounter at a local restaurant she decided to do a study. They sampled a total of 76 lemon wedges served with water or soda at 21 eateries for microbial growth. The study found 69.7% of the lemon wedges sampled produced some form of microbial growth from the rind and/or flesh, encompassing 25 different microorganisms including bacteria and yeasts. The study noted that “The microbes found on the lemon samples all have the potential to cause infectious diseases.”

Now the study, published in the Journal of Environmental Health in December 2007, did not show the likelihood of one actually contracting an infectious disease, nor did it identify the source of the contamination. But that is all beside the fact that it was present on food served to a customer! Lemons certainly aren’t grown locally in most locales of the United States. Imagine how far they travel and how many hands touch them on there way to your table. Not to mention, although I will, all of the road dust, bird poop, bug leavings and various other fragments the lemon picked up in it’s travels. Did anyone wash the lemon before they served them? Of course this brings to mind all of the other fruits, vegetables and garnishes we consume on a daily basis.

As someone who has raised many types and numbers of animals, I am no stranger to the plethora of bacteria oozing around. My immune system eats E. coli for breakfast. I can hardly remember the last time I was sick. But what about someone with a compromised immune system? Whether one knows it or not?

The bottom line is there are microorganisms everywhere. In, on and around everything. Most of them won’t hurt a relatively healthy person. Many actually help you. In fact, without many of them, you could not exist!

So, far from being an alarmist, I just wanted to know… lemon anyone?

…a note from Cindy

Spring is in the air a little earlier than usual this year! This weather always reminds us of spring cleaning, so with the thought of cleaning in mind I am pleased to announce a change which has taken place within Complete Home Services. Rebekah Hunter whom many of you know as “Bekah” is now the manager of the cleaning department. She will be the one to schedule cleanings, let you know cleanings have been completed, monitor quality control and a variety of other tasks which fall upon that department. In addition, I am hoping we can convince her to contribute an article or two for the newsletter.

Bekah was born and raised in this area, knows every back road, half the population and could probably teach Paula Deen a thing or two about country cooking. She is very conscientious and well loved here in the Complete Home Services family. Her promotion will help us to continue to run efficiently. For your records her e-mail address is beka@gahomeservices.com and her direct number is 706-994-4850. Of course you can still direct your correspondence to me as I love hearing from ya’ll and I will get the information to Bekah. Daffodils are springing up, birds are singing! Come on up to the mountains!

News From Them Thar Hills!

Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2012

Happy New Year!

Well, another year has come and gone. They just seem to keep coming, don’t they?

There are some signs that the economy is trying to struggle forward. That is fairly evident by the increase in winter activity here at CHS. This is the busiest winter we have had to date. In fact, the whole of 2011 was pretty dang busy! Our company has grown quite a bit this last year. We have several new employees and a plethora of new clients, with more each week. So much for the winter downtime!

We are busy training new employees as well as bringing greater efficiency into our business routine. Our website has figured greatly in the growth of 2011, as well as our top rating on the search engines.

One of the greatest assets we have these days is our top-notch customer base. Word of mouth is a great asset. If the referral rewards we offer are any indication, it seems we are doing a pretty good job. We constantly strive for perfection! Although ultimately an un-attainable goal, it is the continual effort that trumps the actual attainment. We are always working to improve our service, constantly looking for innovative and economical solutions to the challenges presented by an ever varied and growing customer base.

So a great big hearty THANK YOU goes out to all of you for making 2011 a great year! We seek to return the favor by taking the lessons learned and applying them in the coming year. We appreciate the trust you place in us and plan to reward that trust by living up to your expectations of Complete Home Services while always working to exceed them.

Archeology in the Appalachians!

You may (or may not) be familiar with Archeological Zone 9UN367 at Trackrock Gap but it is a nice place to visit and a pretty good hike to boot. There are some ruins there that have been partially explored/excavated. One of the mounds, which has yet to be excavated, have qualities that make it unique when compared to other mounds found across the US.

A writer for Architecture & Design Examiner, Richard Thornton, has made the assertion that this is possibly a Mayan settlement. It has been previously established that the site dates back to a time prior to Cherokee settlement of the area. Also, the Cherokee never claimed to have built it. They referred to it as a “sacred place.”

Well, as one might imagine, this has created a bit of a stir among the scientific community, especially with the researcher cited in the article, archaeologist Mark Williams of the University of Georgia and Director of the LAMAR Institute. Mr. Williams dismisses the story out of hand and many others have even less nice things to say about the claims by Richard Thornton.

Rather than inserting my opinion regarding the matter, I am choosing instead to post a link to the story, Maya Ruins in N. Georgia?, so you might peruse the story and read the abundance of comments following same and come to your own opinion.

Either way, it is a bit exciting to think there could be a link to the once-powerful and vast Mayan civilization right here in our own backyard. The scientific community consensus that there is no factual evidence to support the assertion the Maya settled in this area is correct… thus far. There doesn’t seem to be anyone with credentials looking for said evidence at the moment. That could very well change in the near future.

Please Insert Input Here

All right folks, it’s time for a little company/client interaction. No, we’re not going to hold hands and sing Kumbaya (unless you really want to), we just need to ask you something.

Having spent some time in the service industry in my short time on planet Earth, I have found that many people are not easy to please. However, most of our clientele seem to be very flattering and amenable to working with us as far as scheduling, etc. (you know who you are).

Now, I know that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, which brings me to the heart of this article. Please finish these sentences: I like the way you (clean house, windows, etc.) but I really wish you would ________.  All of the services you offer are great but we would like you to offer ________.  The newsletter is fine but could you write more about __________?  I hope you get the gist of what we are trying to find out. We want to know what you want!

Of course, we could be achieving the aforementioned perfection and you have no lacking needs in regard to our services (which means the psychics I talked Cindy into hiring really are working!).

Please be frank when responding, our skin isn’t too thin. Well, mine isn’t anyway.

…a note from Cindy

This winter has been so mild compared to the freezing, snowy winter of 2011.The year has started with warm temperatures and a lot of rain, even a thunderstorm or two. I sit hear pondering the New Year I cannot help but wonder what a mild winter will bring to the North Georgia Mountains.The first thing that pops into my head is BUGS.Being in so many cabins during the course of the year we see many insect patterns.Last spring with all the rain we were routinely finding ants in the houses.Last fall when the Lady bugs usually start invading the houses there were virtually none.One thing we have been seeing a little more than usual is Scorpions. If you have found them in your house do not be alarmed as we usually find them in everyone’s house at one time or another.

Scorpions are best known for their sting.In some areas of the world they are very dangerous however those found in Georgia have a sting equal to that of a bee. Stings typically produce a burning pain but it usually does not last long.However, anyone allergic to venoms should immediately seek medical attention. Here in the mountains we have the Southern Devil Scorpion.

To minimize your scorpion population reduce their habitat such as stones, bricks or firewood on the ground, wood debris, buckets, etc and other places where they can hide. You will find scorpions most appear in cool damp places. entry points and when necessary there are insecticides labeled for scorpion control.

In closing, scorpions play an important role in nature and prey on a large number of insects which could easily become “pests”. They especially like those scary looking mole crickets that like to lurk in your basement areas.They are not looking to sting you but only out venturing for food or mates during the hours of darkness.So, even though they look scary you do not need to panic as they are a part of these mountains.

I hope each and every one of you has a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012!

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at donald@gamtnhome.com or call 678-439-9125

Copyright 2011 by Donald Caraway and Cindy Cohen.