Jan/Feb 09

COVER PHOTO
BY JOHN LINN

CONTESTS: 2008 Photo Contest
See these Photo Contest entries that were just too good to pass up!

Raclette was born during the Middle Ages.

Although they are grown as perennials (lasting for several years) in other parts of the country, these herbs are considered annuals (only one season) here in Lake Country:

• Lavender: Semi-hardy; over-winters in mild years. Try “Munstead” or “Hidcote” varieties and mulch in late fall.

The ivory-billed woodpecker, a southern cousin of our distinctive pileated woodpecker, is believed by many to be extinct. But is it? There have been sightings, most recently in the woods and swamps of Arkansas. Wildlife biologists, conservationists, birders—everybody seems to want to take part in the search for this elusive, reclusive, and haunting bird.

At midnight on February 17, 2009, television stations across the United States will change from broadcasting in analog to digital broadcasting. If you currently receive your television signal through an antenna or “rabbit ears,” you will have three options:

• Keep your analog TV and buy a converter box.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers these tips for proper use of antibiotics:

Learn when antibiotics are appropriate—and when they are not. Taking antibiotics for viral infections, such as a cold, cough, or acute bronchitis:

• will not cure the infection;
• will not keep other people from getting sick;
• will not help you feel better;

To read Susan G. Komen’s own story, written by her sister, Nancy Brinker, please click here. Ms. Brinker is the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Breast Cancer Vocabulary: Important Terms to Know

Here are some interesting facts about the fabled Mt. Kilimanjaro:

• Mt. Kilimanjaro, at 19,563 feet, is the tallest mountain, and therefore the highest point, in Africa.
It is located in Tanzania near the border of Kenya. Most of the mountain is included in the Kilimanjaro National Park, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Learning to talk the talk can take some practice:

• Kicker: A word with several meanings. “Whoa, dude, there is a kicker before turn one.” One kicker is a bump that is developing on the race course. This kicker gets worse as the race goes on.