Plant Lady Garden Column by Joyce Lavene

 Garden  No Responses »
Apr 122011
 

Looking for something new?
Every year, new types of plants and seeds come out on the market. We can’t replace what we have each year—it would be too much work and if you’re like me, the older plants have too many memories. But we can add a few things here and there, if one of the new plants strikes our fancy. Take a look at some of the new plants for 2011. They are just varieties of the old plants we already have in our yards. But there might be one here that would fit exactly what you’re looking for.

Flowering Quince
Pink Storm is the name for the flowering quince that looks like a camellia. The plant has large, double flowers that are great as cut flowers for your house. They are extremely drought tolerant.

Show Off Forsythia
This new forsythia solves a problem gardeners have had with this shrub. The plant stays small so you never have to prune. Older forsythias have had a problem with getting out of control. Also, the blooms are supposed to be from the ground to the tip of each branch every year.

Mophead Hydrangea
Fantasia has pink ruffled edges with green faces. It continues to bloom throughout the summer.  This is a smaller plant with very prety leaves.

Mary Ann Lantana
This new Lantana has improved cold hardiness and compact growth. It has multicolor orange, yellow and pink flower clusters blooming from spring to late fall.

This is only a few of the new plants available. Check these and the new seeds out at your local garden centers.

The new flowering quince has much larger flowers than the ones you probably have in your yard right now. Though diminished size and drought hardiness seem to be recurring themes in this year’s new plants, this one is very large and colorful.
Photo by Joyce Lavene

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 Posted by at 9:30 am

TUESDAY IS EQUAL PAY DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA

 Breaking News, Growth, People  No Responses »
Apr 122011
 

Gov. Bev Perdue has proclaimed Tuesday as Equal Pay Day in North Carolina to recognize the continued disparity in earnings between male and female workers in America.

“Over a 30 year career, pay inequity results in the loss of thousands of dollars, which impacts Social Security benefits and pensions,” said Jill Dinwiddie, Executive Director of the N.C. Council for Women.

“Addressing pay inequity and eliminating barriers faced by women in the workforce is vital to the success of our economy.”

While the 1963 Equal Pay Act prohibits discrimination on the basis on gender, countless studies have shown that women continue to lag in pay behind male counterparts doing the same work. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act of 2009 amends the statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination. One of the first new laws enacted by President Obama, it provides women improved opportunity to seek wage fairness.

In March, the White House issued Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being. It is the first such federal initiative since 1963, when the Commission on Status of Women, established by President Kennedy and chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, produced a report on the conditions of women.

Produced by the Council on Women and Girls, the Office of Management and Budget and the Economics and Statistics Administration within the Department of Commerce, the report pulls together information from across the federal statistical agencies to compile baseline information on how women are faring in the United States today and how these trends have changed over time.

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 Posted by at 9:25 am

 Permalink  Things to do  No Responses »
Apr 122011
 

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 Posted by at 9:22 am

Gov. Perdue Proclaims National Volunteer Week in NC

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Apr 122011
 

RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that AmeriCorps members across the state will participate in a wide variety of service projects for National Volunteer Week, April 10-16. AmeriCorps members will host read-a-thons, participate in land beautifications projects, educate high school students about job preparation and other activities detailed below.

“National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the invaluable work of volunteers across our state,” said Gov. Perdue. “I encourage all North Carolinians to give back to their communities through volunteer service.”

National Volunteer Week is a signature event sponsored by the Points of Light Institute and the Hands On Network.  This year’s theme is “Celebrating People in Action,” honoring ordinary people doing extraordinary things to improve communities across the nation.

The following are AmeriCorps volunteer activities that will take place during National Volunteer Week:

Project HEART of Wayne County: Members and volunteers will participate in a school beautification project at Wayne School of Engineering from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 16.  Participants will paint the school hallways and classrooms, clean the grounds and plant flowers. For more information contact Dr. Betty Beacham, director at 252-328-1849 or beachamb@ecu.edu.

UNC-Greensboro Center for New North Carolinians, AmeriCorps Cross Cultural Education Service Systems (ACCESS): Members will participate in a health fair aimed at the immigrant and refugee community from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. Members will providing information about healthcare resources, interpretation needs and assistance throughout the fair. For more information please contact Khouan Rodriguez, ACCESS project director at 336-256-1060 or khouanrodriguez@gmail.com.

AmeriCorps Access JobLink Members will conduct mock interviews with Wake County high school students from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday, April 15. For more information contact Lynne Taylor, career development coordinator at 919-856-7716 or ltaylor@wcpss.net.

Child Care Services Association T.E.A.C.H. ® Early Childhood Corps: Members will provide support for the upcoming Healthy Kids Day hosted by the Orange County Health Department and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. Healthy Kids Day is a community-wide family event where parents and caregivers can access resources to help guide their child’s development. For more information contact Allie Davis, Americorps program coordinator at 919-403-6950 or allied@childcareservices.org.

Stokes County Partnership for Children/AmeriCorps and Children Together (ACT): Members and the Stokes Family YMCA will partner together to participate in Healthy Kids Day in conjunction with the Little Folks Festival at 10 a.m. on Saturday,  April 16. YMCA Healthy Kids Day is the nation’s largest health day for children and families and the Little Folks Festival is designed to promote early care and education to  families.  For more information contact Katie Snow, program director at 336-985-2676 or ksnow@stokespfc.com.

The Servant Center, AmeriCorps Partnership to End Homelessness: Members and volunteers will paint, clean and beautify the facilities at The Servant Center that are used primarily by the homeless and disabled veterans at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 16. For more information contact Kathy Vohs, program director at 336-275-8585 or krvohs@hotmail.com.

Black Child Development Institute, Spirit of Excellence and The Spirit of SUCCESS: Members will host a “read-a-thon” tour on April 12-14 at four different Guilford County Schools.  For more information contact Chris Wallace, program director at 336-542-7768 or cwallace@blackchilddevelopment.org.

Carolina Land Conservancy, AmeriCorps Project Conserve: Members will participate in a land beautification project by maintaining and restoring trails at Panthertown Valley and the Bat Cave Preserve from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 15-16.  For more information contact Jacqueline Bilello, stewardship assistant at 828-350-1431 ext. 105 or mtns_volunteers@tnc.org.

The North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, a federally- and state-funded agency housed in the Governor’s Office, administered funding to 10 N.C. AmeriCorps programs for the 2010-2011 program year. AmeriCorps is a national service initiative designed to increase volunteering and civic engagement in America. Since 1994, more than 12,153 individuals have participated in N.C. AmeriCorps programs. Members tutor and mentor school-aged youth, improve the quality of care for preschool children and address the need for energy-efficient housing for low-income families. For more information on the N.C. AmeriCorps programs, visit the Commission’s website at www.VolunteerNC.org or call 1-800-820-4483 or 1-877-877-1765 (TTY).

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 Posted by at 9:19 am

Kissell holds satellite office hours

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Apr 112011
 

Congressman Larry Kissell (NC-08) announced his staff will host satellite office hours in Stanly County on Monday, April 11th in the Commissioner’s Meeting Room at Stanly Commons, 1000 N. First Street, Albemarle from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. A caseworker will be on hand to answer constituent questions and provide assistance with casework.
“I refuse to let Washington’s bureaucracy affect service to my constituents, and so my office will continue to do all we can to ensure that the people of this district have every opportunity to get the help they need,” said Kissell. “All of our offices will remain open, with full staff ready to help our constituents. In addition to that, we will hold these satellite hours throughout the district to provide folks with a more convenient way to come out and let my staff know they need assistance and have their questions answered. I will continue to do everything I can to make sure that contact with our office is readily available to every single constituent.”
Kissell’s District Offices are located at:

Concord Office

325 McGill Ave Suite 500
Concord, NC  28027

Phone: 704-786-1612
Fax: 704-782-1004

·         Rockingham Office

230 E Franklin St.
Rockingham, NC  28379

Phone: 910-997-2070
Fax: 910-997-7987

·         Fayetteville Office

6257 Raeford Rd. Suite 2
Fayetteville, NC  28304

Phone: 910-920-2070
Fax: 910-920-2069

For more information, contact the Concord District Office at 704-786-1612.

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 Posted by at 9:13 am

Locust, NC Plant Lady

 Featured Posts, Garden, Things to do  No Responses »
Apr 052011
 

Your secret garden
People have been fascinated for centuries with the idea of having a secret garden—a place they could hide away from the world. They would come on it unexpectedly and be enthralled with the spot. There might be a secret door that only you could find.
But this doesn’t have to be a pretty notion. You could create this space with a little ingenuity and imagination. It would be there for you when you’re stressed out or just want to get away without going away, as is so often the case these days.
The garden would probably be small for most people with a variety of things inside from comfortable chairs to fountains and perhaps a place to cook a meal. Your favorite things could be here, items you scoured shops and antique stores for.
People try to create this idea with gazebos but it can be difficult since they sometimes blow away or simply fall apart. Why not create something living that grows and changes as you change, something that won’t blow away? Of course you would have to take care of this secret garden but that would be part of the fun.
Most people don’t have a set up where they can have a garden within their homes but you can create a small space outside a door that isn’t used often or even just at one corner of the house that is in a secluded spot. Maybe there’s a little nook tucked away at the base of an old weeping willow tree that you always thought was perfect for something like this. Or maybe you could enclose an area you’re already fond of in your yard.
Some people might think to use fast growing trees for sheltering this space from the world but really any kind of fencing and fast growing vines would make this a reality much sooner. You could use a fence made of wood, wire, or cloth to make the walls of your secret garden. You could even use an awning for protection from the sun. Trellis panels would work too for top and bottom.
As for vines that would grow quickly, protect your secret garden from prying eyes and look nice, consider morning glories. moonflowers, climbing roses would be nice too. Honeysuckle would smell heavenly while you spend time in your secret garden. Consider scents as well when thinking about your vines.
Pots of flowers seem to me like they would be nice in this environment. Maybe some cute pots full of geraniums next to a tinkling water fountain. Some herbs would be good here too—rosemary and sweet lavender.
Maybe you’d like to add a hammock, a chaise with a table for lemonade on a hot day. Consider some favorite statuary, maybe even some lighting so you could enjoy your secret garden at night. Sip coffee in the morning here or drink a glass of wine and read a book before bed. Anything is possible!
Of course, all good things must come to an end. Winter would put an end to this romantic place that is straight out of imagination. Or would it?
You might want to consider making that wall a little sturdier over the cold months, still enjoying your privacy on warmer days. A nice romantic brick wall might be just the ticket to add seclusion once the vines have died away.
There are endless possibilities for creating this private little world for yourself. You still have time before summer to make it a reality!
Cutline:
A sundial (if you have enough sun for it) would also be very romantic in a secret garden. Remember, this is one place that can be exactly what you want it to be. Sit and dream of the possibilities.
Photo and story  by Joyce Lavene

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 Posted by at 9:16 am

Stanly County Museum Holds Plant Sale

 Garden, Things to do  No Responses »
Apr 052011
 

Plants and Easter eggs at Stanly County Museum
On Saturday April 9, the Stanly County Museum will continue the Second Saturday at the Museum series with a special program on the history of Easter Eggs.  Students will also learn about other traditions and symbols such as the bunnies, cards, and parades. The Second Saturday sessions meet at the Stanly County Museum located at 245 East Main Street in downtown Albemarle from 1 pm – 3 pm. Activities are planned for students in grades  four through seven.   All Second Saturday programs are free and refreshments will be served to participating students.
The annual Stanly County Museum Plant Sale will also be held on  April 9 on the Green at the Stanly County Museum.  The sale will begin at 9 am. Flowers will include a variety of hanging baskets, geraniums (red, pink, and salmon), spreading petunia and petunia baskets. A number of herbs will also be available. Some of the herbs to look for are: basil, catnip, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and thyme. George’s Plant Farm will be providing most of the flowers and herbs to be sold at the museum plant sale this year.
For more information or to pre-register for Second Saturday, contact the Stanly County Museum at 704-986-3777.

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 Posted by at 9:04 am

ROSE Scholars and Mentors at Crutchfield, Locust, NC

 Schools  No Responses »
Apr 052011
 

Annual luncheon for the ROSE scholars and mentors at the Crutchfield Education Center in Locust.

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 Posted by at 8:58 am

 Permalink  Development, Growth, Weekly Post  No Responses »
Apr 052011
 

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 Posted by at 8:53 am

Storms take out power in Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly, Union and Mecklenburg Counties

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Apr 052011
 

Union Power Cooperative is experiencing power outages due to severe thunderstorms that moved through the area early this morning.  Currently, we have a total of 5,300 outages, with 3,500 of those in Union County and 1,400 in Mecklenburg County. There are approximately 300 in Stanly County and less than 100 in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties. Crews will continue to work until all power has been restored.

The two largest outages at this time are due to a broken pole on Hwy 16 in western Union County and in the Mint Hill area of Mecklenburg County.

Members of Union Power Cooperative can report their outages by calling our Outage Reporting Number at 1-800-794-4423.

Please remember to stay away from downed power lines, and call 911 to report them immediately.

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 Posted by at 8:50 am
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