Nature’s Scavengers

Clear and Clean Catawba, By Alice Battle – June 30, 2012

A familiar sight in the sky is a large black bird soaring high above the trees. Often there is more than one. They are vultures, and they are hunting for carrion.

When a meal is sighted, several vultures gather for dinner. A deer carcass will attract as many as 50 to 75 vultures. They take turns eating. It does not take them long to eat the flesh. When they leave all that is left is the bones.

Several years ago a large group was hanging around the power lines near our house. That many do not stay unless there is food. What attracted them were fish parts left by fishermen who were net fishing. The people cleaned the fish on the beach. The remains provided a feast for the vultures. They resembled sentries sitting on the power lines, looking down.

I have watched a group of vultures tear apart a fish carcass on the beach in a matter of minutes. All that is left are the bones.

My son was sitting on the back porch when a vulture swooped down and picked up a dead bird that was lying in the yard. Our backyard has a lot of trees. How did that vulture spot such a small object from the sky? Their eyesight must be far sharper than the human eye.

The excrement from these birds is strong enough to corrode a metal roof. Luckily they do not stick around unless there is a meal nearby. No carrion is left for long when a vulture is around. 

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

The River District's great assets

Keep It Local, by Barbara Lawrence – June 28, 2012

When you think of a destination, what are some of the features that make it special? 

Mountain Island Lake, by CMS

Water!

Water for boating, fishing and just enjoying is available at Mountain Island Lake, and the Catawba River as it flows into Lake Wylie.

Mountain Island Lake has approximately 3,281 acres of surface area and 61 miles of shoreline. Duke Energy provides two boating access areas on the lake and a tailrace fishing platform for bank fishing in cooperation with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. There are several public access areas for boating and fishing.  Along the river, there are parks and access points in Mount Holly and Belmont.  Kayaks and canoe rentals are available. Without going into great detail here about access, this is just a reminder that many people in our area enjoy getting out on a boat and fishing on a regular basis. You may be out on the highway everyday and just don't think about the great water resource we have. An adventure unique to our region, and right here in the Catawba River District, is the U.S. National Whitewater Center. The Today Show featured a great segment just this week illustrating some of the fun available.  I like maps, especially when there is so much to see and do.  USNWC Map Golf There is always a golf course in a destination area, and we have a great place here in the Catawba River District, Pine Island Country Club, 1701 Stoneyridge Drive, Charlotte. The entrance is off Hwy 27 (Mount Holly Road) just west of I-485. Pine Island Country Club location in relation to major highways and the Catawba River College and history Belmont Abbey College, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road at I-85, is a great asset to our region.  The church was built in 1893. The campus serves 1,700 plus students according to US News college rankings.    There are many great assets in our area, making it a special destination.  I have only focused on a few that are located within the Catawba River District.  About Barbara Lawrence – Barbara has a background in economic development and real-estate research. Her work has included revitalization of downtown Boone, downtown Gastonia and now Mount Holly.

Sage and the Seniors

One of the privileges of being an AKC registered Canine Good Citizen Dog is that you are allowed in a lot of different venues from schools to churches to nursing homes.



Sage being welcomed by Mary Ellen



I make a weekly visit to the Stanley Total Living Center in Stanley North Carolina.  My 92 year old “grandmother” Ms Mary Ellen lives there.  We pick her up and bring her home on Sundays.

I got used to wheelchairs as a puppy and learned a command called “go say hi”, where I am supposed to gently go up to a wheelchair or person and put my head on their lap or sit beside them and wait for them to pet me and if I’m lucky they will give me a treat.



Sage "saying hi"



It’s a great way to make new friends and have a positive impact on Ms. Mary Ellen’s neighbors.  If you haven’t been hearing it on the news, dogs are an incredible benefit to your health.  Dog and cat owners have a significantly lower risk of heart attacks than non pet owners.

Give that pet of yours or your neighbors an extra treat today for their added value to your life.



Sage in the middle of conversation



Keys To Vibrant and Healthy Living - Juicing

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – June 23, 2012

Oh my, it is hot today, highs in the 90’s with no break in sight. Summer is officially here! I bet you are craving a big glass of icy homemade lemonade or some sweet North Carolina tea, right?  Unfortunately, our favorite summertime beverages come with a lot of unwanted sugar and calories– great flavor, but bad for our waistlines and overall health.

This year I challenged myself to find healthy, satisfying, summertime beverages that rivaled my favorites, without the added sugar.  The simple answer is juicing. Juicing can be the key to giving you a radiant, energetic life and truly optimal health without the added refined sugars and calories, keeping us hydrated, nourished and beach-body ready.

Benefits of daily juicing: 

• Juicing provides large serving of vegetables and fruits at one time. 
• Juicing increases absorption of the nutrients.
• Juicing can help you add a wider variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet. 
• Juicing is also an incredibly effective way to cleanse the body, especially the green juices!
• Juicing is simple, fun, tasty, creative, healthy and most important in this summer heat, refreshing.

My two favorite and simple green juice recipes are: 

Green Lantern Lemonade: Spinach, kale, lemon and apple

Lemon Sorbet: 2 golden delicious apples and a ½ of a lemon.  Watch Jason Vale http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVrTj0QfOA4&feature=player_embedded

Keep focused on getting as much greens as possible. Green juices contain high levels of the powerful phytonutrient chlorophyll, which attaches to toxins and heavy metals and helps remove them from your body. It also increases your blood's oxygen-carrying capacity by stimulating red blood cell production. Having sweeter fruit juices is OK, but just not in excessive amounts.

For more information on juicing check out: www.foodmatters.tv/articles... and www.articles.mercola.com/sites...

About Sheila Mullen – The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.

Some Do and Some Don’t (Take Home Their Trash)

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle – June 22, 2012

The area lakes are very popular recreational resources. People relate that they love the outdoors, the clean water and the pristine feeling when they are out in the boat. Boats are pulled ashore on vacant land to provide a beach experience.

Unfortunately, there are too many who do not consider the next party that occupies the area they leave behind. What they also leave behind are bottles, cans, paper plates, dirty diapers, plastic utensils and even barbecues. These items were carried in. Is it too much to ask that they be carried out by the same group?

None of the lakes maintain a crew to pick up garbage left behind. The cleanup crews on the lakes are volunteers who care about the environment. Last week a couple of jet skiers came across a littered beach. They cleaned up the area, but could not carry out the trash they collected. Other volunteers had to go out by boat to haul the debris.

There is no place to deposit that much trash for pick-up. The volunteers must make a run to the dump on their own.

If everyone did their part to maintain the vacant land, the lakes would always be pristine and clean. The burden of maintenance would be spread over more than just a few volunteers.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

What is your neighborhood?

Keep It Local, by Barbara Lawrence – June 20, 2012

What is your neighborhood? Some people think first of the particular housing development, or a broader community. There have always been changes in post office locations, so in some cases the post office name was the neighborhood. It is worth some thought, because if you don’t really know your neighborhood, something is missing about the sense of place.  Do you identify with the local gas station/convenience store, the local church, a restaurant or diner, the local volunteer fire department, or perhaps the major company nearby? Along the Catawba River, maybe there are families that think in terms of the river cove they live on.  Where are your social connections?

Nichols on Hwy 74 at Old Dowd Road

The east side of the Catawba River District

I took a ride along the east boundary of the Catawba River District, which happens to be the most western portion of Mecklenburg County and touches the City of Charlotte occasionally. Older communities usually have some road network or location that lets you know there is a "place" there where people gather. Much of this land was in family farms, and you can see a few scattered new housing developments on land changing use. I asked at Nichols gas station/convenience store at Hwy 74 and Old Dowd Road what they called this "place."  Some refer to it is West Mecklenburg, some Southside, and some use the names of recent housing developments. One thing is certain, Nichols is the location for fried chicken, taters, and other conveniences for the families and workers in the area.

From Mountain Island Village to Catawba Village to Nichols, residents form and identity of place.  What community assets do you identify as having special meaning to building relationships in your neighborhood?  

Great restaurant space at Mountain Island Village

Sonic Drive-in at Catawba Village Shopping Center

Place: food for thought 

Richard Florida is one of the world’s best-known urban theorists. In an online article by Andrew Price published by the news site Good.is, Florida states, “Every time we come back to these neighborhoods that are exciting, that are great, there’s a long history behind them. We can make the new ones better, but it’s hard to think about a neighborhood that we’ve invented from scratch that has made the list of America’s best neighborhoods. There’s no formula; it may just take a lot of trial and error and evolution to make a great neighborhood.”

Local businesses, churches, recreation spots, big work centers and the people who gather at these places enhance our sense of place and the value of our community. 

Donovan Rypkema of Washington, D.C.-based Place Economics, …(provided) a powerful set of criteria for what should constitute sustainable economic development. These criteria, backed by his firm’s work and research, laid out a model for economic development driven by local assets and identity, long-term thinking and a commitment to small local businesses.  Rypkema also noted that since the recent recession began, large corporations have continued to shed jobs, and the recovery in employment has been due almost exclusively to hiring by small businesses. (speech, 2012)

It is important to identify the community assets that set your "place" apart. Local people and local business workers can help pass along some local stories, building new relationships.  Otherwise, we become "anywhere" – those places that you don't know where you are unless there is a road sign.

About Barbara Lawrence – Barbara has a background in economic development and real-estate research. Her work has included revitalization of downtown Boone, downtown Gastonia and now Mount Holly.

Father's Day: A dog's perspective

Sage and Pepper in their human father's arms - John

Sage Canine Advice, by Sage Riverdog – June 17, 2012

Dogs don’t really have much involvement with their canine fathers. They have been domesticated and bred to become part of a human pack. The pack instinct is still very strong. They look to the leader of their pack to play the traditional role of a “father”. 

To a dog that leader is the alpha male. That doesn’t mean the gender of the leader of the pack needs to be male or a dog. The alpha male provides leadership, food, security, discipline and comfort. Human owners should assume the role of pack leader.

Humans have influenced the evolution of dogs to the extent that dogs never grow up to be independent, like human children. Humans provide for all the needs of a dog and in many ways keep that dog in a state of perpetual puppyhood. Humans replace the instinct to hunt and chase with fetching and walks. Human provide the food and water, so the hunting/killing instinct is seldom used.

A main challenge with this relationship is when a human doesn’t assume the role of pack leader and they confuse a dog by assuming a dog is human, too. Dogs think and act like dogs. Without a human pack leader, dogs will try to assume the pack leader role and become aggressive, which often creates problems.

To all the Father (pack leaders) out there – I wish you a Happy Father’s Day. 

About Sage – Sage is an 8-year-old black Labrador retriever who lives with River District Executive Director Edna Chirico and Edna’s husband, John Huber. Sage earned a Canine Good Citizen award, which allows her to visit nursing homes, hospitals and schools. Sage loves to run, fetch, swim, ride in boats, travel in the car and play with just about anyone, especially children. 

Great herbal guide - from National Geographic!

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – June 16, 2012

“A wise [wo]man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings.”  Hippocrates

At the library, I discovered an amazing new book you will want to have on hand as a source to natural sustainable health, National Geographic Guide to Medicinal Herbs: The World's Most Effective Healing Plants. The beautiful book attracted me to pick it up, but I was immediately captivated by this informative guide connecting 72 of the world's most common and useful medicinal herbs with the body systems they help and heal.

A team of highly qualified botanical and medical experts created this exceptional guide. For example, one of the four principal contributors, Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., was appointed by President Clinton to the White House Commission of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and served for 10 years as chair of the U.S. Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplements and Botanicals Expert Committee. She maintains a clinical practice and teaches on the faculty of Andrew Weil's Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. 

Lending to the book’s credibility, the forward is written by Dr. Weil, a long-term enthusiast of the healing properties of what Mother Nature provides.

Each chapter offers:

• An overview of how plants can bring health to the body.
• Stories about traditional herbal remedies from around the world.
• Current scientific findings on herbal remedies for specific illnesses.
• Combined botanical and medical information for each plant: therapeutic uses, effectiveness, preparations, cautions and advice.
• Consolidation of current science research about the active ingredients in the plant.
• A photo gallery showing how the herb is cultivated and processed commercially.
• A special feature of "Over the Kitchen Counter" – quick and easy ways to use herbs in your everyday life.

The overall theme of the book acknowledges the world of health and healing all around us in our spice rack, our backyard and on the shelves of health food and grocery stores.  You can learn more about the book and buy it at the National Geographic website.

Be well. 

About Sheila Mullen – The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.

A place with history you can visit

Keep It Local, by Barbara Lawrence – June 14, 2012

Whether you are paying your water bill, or getting involved in local historical societies, we hardly notice the facilities that make our place in the Catawba River District interesting.  A variety of historic facilities have been restored to continue to serve the community.  Here is just a small start to get you thinking and looking around.

First, keep up to date on the Catawba River District and what is going on in the area. Visit the website's community calendar often and follow along on Facebook, and sign up to get email updates.

Mount Holly's old and new city halls

The Mount Holly Historical Society is off to a great start as volunteers work through the archives and set up displays for the public to see in the former City Hall on Main Street.  Find out more about participating in this effort in their new home in Downtown Mount Holly.  Contact Sandy Carter at 704-827-7552 or email her.



Mount Holly Historic Archives in the former City Hall, Main Street, Mount Holly, NC

City of Mount Holly Municipal Complex and Grand Hall, 411 E Central Ave

Most city offices are now housed in the Mount Holly Muncipal Complex at 411 E. Central Ave. The Grand Hall in this restored mill building can handle 1,000 for special events such as wedding receptions.

Joe DePriest, columnist stated, “If you were looking for a symbol of change in Mount Holly, and the whole region for that matter, you couldn't find a better example than the two-story citizens center."

According to Robert Allison Ragan's “The Textile Heritage of Gaston County,” the building went up in 1888 as home for Mount Holly Knitting, the city's third textile mill.

The Catawba River flowed about 150 yards to the east; to the north were tracks that later became part of CSX Railroad.” (July 20, 2008 Charlotte Observer)

Find out more about the City of Mount Holly and Visit Mount Holly for information.

Belmont Historic Society located at 40 Catawba Ave, Belmont, NC

Belmont Historical Society Cultural and Heritage Learning Center 

This historic house at 40 Catawba Street in downtown Belmont is believed to have been the third house built in Belmont, and built during a time when the kitchen was separate from the main house. The restored house is now home to the Belmont Historical Society. You can see displays, a restoration project on a 1920 mill house, and several projects underway.

Hours of operation: 1-5 p.m. Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Special group tours can be arranged by calling Monday - Thursday 9AM - 2PM - 704-825-4848. Admission is free, but the group welcomes (and needs) donations for its operation.

Learn more about the society's activities at its Facebook page.

City of Belmont City Hall, 115 N Main St, Belmont, NC

Belmont City Hall

The City of Belmont preserved this historic building at the center of Downtown Belmont and provides convenient services for residents and visitors. Learn more about the City of Belmont and Visit Belmont. 

About Barbara Lawrence – Barbara has a background in economic development and real-estate research. Her work has included revitalization of downtown Boone, downtown Gastonia and now Mount Holly.

Getting Out

Clean And Clear Catawba, by Alice Battle – June 12, 2012
The outdoors offers so much to those who venture out.  Earlier blogs have highlighted the generosity of people who put their lands in conservancy.  Their love of the land does not stop there.  Sharing the land with others continues to educate the public as to the value of the gift.

Each year Kay Killian offers to the Mountain Island Covekeepers and the Mountain Island Marine Commission a chance to walk the conserved land.  This year the hike took place on April 14^th. 

It was an ideal day.  The weather was sunny, the air was cool and the leaves were not completely out plus the insects were not out in full force.  This allowed a view of the landscape.  Wild azaleas were blooming.

The hikers were treated to the sight of a beaver dam and the pond it created.  Along the edge of the pond were examples of the power of the beaver’s teeth.  The children took home log samples of downed trees.

Sharp eyes picked out an Eastern ribbon snake in the leafy floor of the woods.  Hikers were able to examine the snake closely while it was being held.

And then there is the Catawba River.  In this area it runs through an uninhabited landscape.  The water is so clear and free flowing.  It is hard not to admire the beauty of the River.  Everyone should spend time out in nature.

About Alice Battle – Alice lives on Mountain Island Lake has served on numerous groups devoted to protecting the lake, including the Duke Energy Relicensing stakeholders group. She currently is Lakekeeper for the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation.

What I learned on our family vacation

That's Farming, by Jeffie Hardin – June 11, 2012


Our family just returned from a wonderful vacation to Whitetop, Virginia where we got our fill of riding the Creeper Trail, hiking a few mountainsides and meadering through quaint towns.

Enjoying family time on a mountain hike

We made a couple of obervations which I thought were interesting.  Amongst the numerous dairy and Christmas tree farms were so many small country houses.  Probably 90% of them had vegetable gardens on their property. Most of the plots were average in size - enough room to provide vegetables for a family's summer needs as well as pantry and canning supplies.  The houses were located on winding mountain roads, far removed from grocery stores.  If the cook needed an onion, a trip to local Harris Teeter wasn't going to happen.  Having a fully stocked pantry and freezer would be necessary during those snowy winter months.  Most city families that I know wouldn't be able to produce a meal without going to the grocery store at least once a week.  Us city-folk rarely think, plan and act ahead for our provisions.


Sarah is a friend of mine who grew up in a small mountain town in West Virginia.  She told me an intersting story about being prepared for any kind of weather.  Whenever a storm threatened her town, a normal practice was to fill the bathtub with water.  If the electricity went out, the well couldn't operate.  The water in the tub would keep the family going with their basic needs until the lines were fixed.  Even as a married woman living in Charlotte, Sarah continued to take this precaution until her husband explained that filling up the tub wasn't necessary in a large city.  Preparedness and self-reliance had become second-nature to her, as I'm sure it is to those whom we passed on the way to our cabin.


Another interesting observation we made was concerning the crops grown in the more mountainous terrain.  While the Catawba area gardens are brimming right now with squash, cucumbers and beans, the mountain area gardens are filled with cooler crops of cabbage, onions and lots and lots of potatoes.  Any corn I saw was ankle high, while mine is mid-thigh right now.  It was a very vivid example of different climates producing different vegetation and planting calendars.  Even though the Catwaba area gardeners have to deal with hard, red clay, we are fortunate to have such a long growing season which produces crops long into the fall.


But the mountain terrain and weather can produce something that we can't....a wonderful supply of Christmas trees.  It almost put me in the holiday mood just seeing them.  Beautiful!

About Jeffie and Chris Hardin – The Hardins left suburban life in 2001 for an 8-acre farm near Mountain Island Lake. Now the Hardins and their children seek to grow half of their family’s food and help others grow food, too.

Digging in the Garden

Sage Canine Advice, by Sage Riverdog – June 10, 2012
Dogs and Gardens don’t always go together.  I love to be outside helping in the garden.  When I was younger I used to get in a lot of trouble digging up flowers right after they were planted.  I certainly thought I was helping.

To dig or not to dig

Digging is something dogs do by instinct.  Some more than others.  Terriers and Dachshunds were bred specifically for the ability to dig out game like foxes and badgers.

Dogs dig for a number of reasons.  Sometimes they dig because they are bored, especially if left alone in the yard for a long time.  That’s why it’s important to have chew bones or chew toys to play with.

I’m pretty happy in my yard, but some dogs will dig to escape a fenced yard.  They think there is always something more interesting on the other side of the fence. 

Sage digging for cool ground

I dig sometimes to get to cooler ground when it’s hot.  I have a lot of shade and water, but the little extra coolness is nice.

Some dogs are great savers and dig to bury bones or treats for a later day – I just gather those things up and put them in a corner in my yard.

Some female dogs dig to excavate a den in preparation for puppies, whether they are pregnant or not.  I’ve never had the urge to do that.

The best way to make sure I don’t get the urge to dig is to make sure I get lots of exercise and have chew bones for when I get bored.

By the way, I learned to stop pulling out the newly dug plants – I got scolded enough times I figured it out. 

About Sage – Sage is an 8-year-old black Labrador retriever who lives with River District Executive Director Edna Chirico and Edna’s husband, John Huber. Sage earned a Canine Good Citizen award, which allows her to visit nursing homes, hospitals and schools. Sage loves to run, fetch, swim, ride in boats, travel in the car and play with just about anyone, especially children.