Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

Visit the Vet

A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren’t on year-round preventive medication. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe flea and tick control program.

Made in the Shade

Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.

Know the Warning Signs

Symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees. Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

No Parking!

Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. “On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time – even with the windows open – which could lead to fatal heat stroke,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Also, leaving pets unattended in cars in extreme weather is illegal in several states, including California:

• California Penal Code § 597.7:  Do not “leave or confine an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal due to heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, or lack of food or water, or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal. Penalty: First conviction: fine not exceeding $100 per animal. If the animal suffers great bodily injury, a fine not exceeding $500, imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 6 months, or by both. Any subsequent violation of this section, regardless of injury to the animal, punishable by a fine not exceeding $500, imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both. Rescue provisions: Peace officer, humane officer, or animal control officer is authorized to take all steps that are reasonably necessary for the removal of an animal from a motor vehicle. Must leave written notice bearing his or her name and office, and the address of the location where the animal can be claimed.

Make a Safe Splash

Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool – not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Screen Test

“During warmer months, the ASPCA sees an increase in injured animals as a result of High-Rise Syndrome, which occurs when pets – mostly cats – fall out of windows or doors and are seriously or fatally injured,” says Dr. Murray. “Pet owners need to know that this is completely preventable if they take simple precautions.” Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured.

Summer Style

Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but never shave your dog: The layers of dogs’ coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.

Street Smarts

When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

Avoid Chemicals

Commonly used flea and tick products, rodenticides (mouse and rat baits), and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, so keep them out of reach. When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. Keep citronella candles, oil products and insect coils out of pets’ reach as well. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance.

Party Animals

Taking Fido to a backyard barbeque or party? Remember that the food and drink offered to guests may be poisonous to pets. Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets, as they can cause intoxication, depression and comas. Similarly, remember that the snacks enjoyed by your human friends should not be a treat for your pet; any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe digestive ailments. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol.

Fireworks

Please leave pets at home when you head out to Fourth of July celebrations, and never use fireworks around pets. Exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma to curious pets, and even unused fireworks can be hazardous. Many types of fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as potassium nitrate, copper, chlorates, arsenic and other heavy metals.

You know you want to begin a fitness program, but don’t know where to start. It’s easy! Walking is one of the easiest and most profitable forms of exercise. All you need is a good pair of shoes, comfortable clothing, and desire.

How to start: First of all, start out slow and easy. Just walk out the door. For most people this means head out the door, walk for 10 minutes, and walk back. That’s it? Yes, that’s it. Do this every day for a week. If this was easy for you, add five minutes to your walks next week (total walking time 25 minutes). Keep adding 5 minutes until you are walking as long as desired.

WATCH your posture. Walk tall. Think of elongating your body. Hold your head up and eyes forward. Your shoulders should be down, back and relaxed. Tighten your abdominal muscles and buttocks and fall into a natural stride.

Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after walking. Incorporate a warm up, cool down and stretches into your routine. Start your walk at a slow warm up pace, stop and do a few warm up / flexibility drills. Then walk for the desired length of time. End your walk with the slower cool down pace and stretch well after your walk. Stretching will make you feel great and assist in injury prevention.

The toughest thing about starting a fitness program is developing a habit. Walking daily will help (a minimum of 5 days a week is a good goal). You should walk fast enough to reach your target heart rate, but you should not be gasping for air.

After you have formed the habit you will want to evaluate your program and your goals. Here are some general guidelines:

If you are walking for the general health benefits try to walk 30 minutes a day, most days of the week, at a “talking” pace. (Talking pace means you have elevated breathing, but you can still carry a conversation.)

To improve cardiovascular fitness you should walk 3 to 4 days a week, 20 to 30 minutes at a very fast pace. At this pace you are breathing hard but not gasping for air.

If you are walking for weight loss you should walk a minimum of five days a week, 45 to 60 minutes at a brisk pace.

Notice: If you’re new to walking, start off with slow, short sessions and build your way up gradually. If you have any health concerns or medical conditions, be sure to check with your doctor for advice before you begin a routine.

Pacific Copy and Print has the tools necessary to help you create fun and fresh personal marketing materials. Why not send a postcard that has the recipient’s name not only in the mailing area, but in the text and the artwork too? This grabs attention quickly.

You can also cater the actual graphics to your customers, as a more subtle influence. Let’s say you’re a car dealership who mails postcards to your customer list. You could put a different vehicle on each postcard so that it matches the one the customer bought. If John Doe bought a Toyota Corolla last year or Mary Smith bought a Jeep Cherokee they should receive postcards that show a newer model of the one they bought. This will grab their attention automatically because it’s something they like.

The possibilities are endless. Call or come in for a free consultation!

Tip #1 – PREPARATION

Get all your cleaning supplies out and into one central area, or place them in the proper rooms as needed (i.e. put bathroom cleaning supplies in the bathroom, etc.) This will save you from having to return again and again to where you keep your cleaning tools. Whatever you need will already be within easy reach.

Place small garbage bags in every room. There is most likely something to be thrown away lurking in every room, under beds, in closets, maybe it’s that ugly dust-collecting curio you received three years ago and can’t bear to look at anymore. If it’s garbage or an unwanted item, toss it and you’ll probably find the room already starting to shape up.

Tip #2 – LIST

Although the idea seems like a time-waster, it actually will save you time in the long run, as once the cleaning process has begun, things can easily be forgotten or skipped out of frustration or laziness. Walk from room to room and prepare a list of what needs to be done in each, in the preferred order of what should be done first. Cross off each item as it is completed. This also provides a little feeling of accomplishment as you complete your goals and will further serve to keep you focused.

Tip #3 – ORGANIZE

Focus on one room at a time. This is mainly important if you own a large home, but still serves to be effective for smaller dwellings as well. We have a tendency during spring cleaning to become distracted by all rooms calling for attention. Rather than view the whole house as the project, break your cleaning process into steps, or rooms, and work one room at a time.

Tip #4 – DELEGATE

Assign tasks to family members. If kids are involved, give them some chores that are more suitable to them, such as putting away the things in their room that are cluttering the floor. Working as a team will move you towards completion faster. Many chores need only one person to execute them, so delegate accordingly, assigning the appropriate amount of manpower (if available) to the required chores.

Tip #5 – PROCESS

Work top to bottom. If dusting is required, begin at the top of furniture, curtains, etc. and move down. You’ll find that your cleaning supplies will not be able to snag every piece of dirt and some of it will fall to the floor. By working top to bottom, you’ll be sure to remove every last bit of dirt when the room needs nothing else but vacuuming, which should be performed after all other cleaning is finished and all items have been put neatly away.

Hopefully these five tips will help you to face the onset of spring cleaning with a little more confidence and a little less dread. And remember, you have the whole summer ahead of you, so spending a day or two cleaning in preparation is a small tradeoff for months of fun and recreation.

The vernal (or spring) equinox occurs just after 7 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 20. If you live in the United States or other places in earth’s Northern Hemisphere, spring began for you at that time.

The Latin word equinox means “equal night.” On the day of an equinox, daytime and nighttime are almost the exact same length. This will happen again on the autumnal equinox in exactly one half year.

Why doesn’t every day have equal parts day and night?

This constantly changing variation in the length of daytime is actually caused by the same thing that gives us changing seasons: the tilt in the earth’s axis.

The earth spins on an axis that has an angle which is 23.5 degrees different from the angle of the path the earth makes around the sun.

Here’s a longer explanation:

Night and day are caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis. Sometimes your part of the earth is facing the sun (day), and sometimes your part is facing away (night). One rotation takes about twenty-four hours.

Meanwhile, the earth is traveling around the sun in a path called an orbit. One full orbit takes one full year.

If the angle of the earth’s orbit and the angle of the earth’s equator were the same, the sun’s rays would hit all of the places of the earth the same way all year long. In addition, every place on earth would have one never-ending season with temperatures that got colder as you moved further from the equator.

However, our orbit and our equator don’t line up. The earth is tilted on its axis. For half a year’s time, the bottom half (Southern Hemisphere) of the earth gets more sun than the top half (Northern Hemisphere). During the next six months, the top half gets more. The vernal equinox begins six months of longer and warmer days for the Northern Hemisphere.

Certified Farmers’ Markets are an effort to reestablish the traditional link between farmers and consumers in California. Certified Farmers’ Markets are “the real thing”: places where genuine farmers offer only agricultural products they grow themselves for direct sale to the public. By eliminating the middleman’s additional costs and multiple product handling, both the farmers and the consumers benefit.

California farmers are the most regulated farmers in the world, but high standards add to the cost of farming and put our farmers at a competitive disadvantage with produce shipped from other areas. By shopping at Certified Farmers’ Markets, consumers directly support our responsible California family farmers, help save our vanishing farmland and maintain a safe food supply in the state where they raise their families.

Farmer’s Market Shopping Tips:

• Always bring lots of small bills and change. You will be paying at each individual farmer’s stand and there is no central checkout or ATM. Bring large cloth shopping bags. It will save multiple trips to your car to unload.
• Old baby and toddler carts make good shopping carts. They fold up nicely in the trunk.
• If you use wire folding cart, put in a box or liner or your produce will work through the wire squares.
• Fanny packs are the best way to keep money and keys. You don’t have to worry about setting a purse or a wallet down and you have both hands free to shop and carry bags.
• Make sure you know where your car keys are. The number one lost and found item are car keys. Nine times out of ten the shopper unconsciously puts the keys in one of the produce bags.
• When you first arrive, walk through the entire market and look at all the offerings before you buy. There are many differences in prices for the same produce type and quality.
• These are outdoor markets. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
• Bargaining for small amounts is not well received. Bargaining for big boxes or great amounts is usually acceptable. Remember that these are the growers of the produce you are bargaining for. Do not insult them. They worked very hard to sell so cheap.
• Most of the produce is unsorted and field run. Some of the best tasting fruit is cosmetically challenged.
• Most of the produce is vine or tree ripened. This means they can be delicate to the touch. This is fruit only found direct from the grower. It is too fragile to ship to the wholesale market.
• If the farmer is not too busy, do not hesitate to ask questions about recipes or growing methods. You might even get to know each other’s name.
• Have patience with the growers. They are not polished sales people, they are just farmers. They were up late picking and irrigating and up early to load and drive the truck several hours to market.
• If you smile at and appreciate them, you will find them smiling back and appreciating you in return. That is what certified farmers’ markets are really about. Smiles and mutual appreciation. Families growing food for families. Californians supporting California.

For a list of your local Farmer’s Markets and their schedules, visit www.california-grown.com

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty -
The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922 and the summer that would change them both. Drawing on the rich history of the 1920s,’30s, and beyond—from the orphan trains to Prohibition, flappers, and the onset of the Great Depression to the burgeoning movement for equal rights and new opportunities for women—The Chaperone illustrates how rapidly everything, from fashion and hemlines to values and attitudes, was changing at this time.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett -
Patchett (Bel Canto) is a master storyteller who has an entertaining habit of dropping ordinary people into extraordinary and exotic circumstances to see what they’re made of. In this expansive page-turner, Marina Singh, a big pharma researcher, is sent by her married boss/lover to the deepest, darkest corner of the Amazon to investigate the death of her colleague, Anders Eckman, who had been dispatched to check on the progress of the incommunicado Dr. Annick Swenson, a rogue scientist on the cusp of developing a fertility drug that could rock the medical profession (and reap enormous profits). After arriving in Manaus, Marina travels into her own heart of darkness, finding Dr. Swenson’s camp among the Lakashi, a gentle but enigmatic tribe whose women go on bearing children until the end of their lives. As Marina settles in, she goes native, losing everything she had held on to so dearly in her prescribed Midwestern life, shedding clothing, technology, old loves, and modern medicine in order to find herself. Patchett’s fluid prose dissolves in the suspense of this out-there adventure, a juggernaut of a trip to the crossroads of science, ethics, and commerce that readers will hate to see end.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova -
Still Alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer’s disease, written by first-time author Lisa Genova, who holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Harvard University. Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what’s it’s like to literally lose your mind.

The Ruins by Scott Smith -
Trapped in the Mexican jungle, a group of friends stumble upon a creeping horror unlike anything they could ever imagine. Two young couples are on a lazy Mexican vacation – sun-drenched days, drunken nights, making friends with fellow tourists. When the brother of one of those friends disappears, they decide to venture into the jungle to look for him. What started out as a fun day-trip slowly spirals into a nightmare when they find an ancient ruins site and the terrifying presence that lurks there.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand -
From Laura Hillenbrand, the bestselling author of Seabiscuit, comes Unbroken, the inspiring true story of a man who lived through a series of catastrophes almost too incredible to be believed. In evocative, immediate descriptions, Hillenbrand unfurls the story of Louie Zamperini–a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic runner-turned-Army hero. During a routine search mission over the Pacific, Louie’s plane crashed into the ocean, and what happened to him over the next three years of his life is a story that will keep you glued to the pages, eagerly awaiting the next turn in the story and fearing it at the same time. You’ll cheer for the man who somehow maintained his selfhood and humanity despite the monumental degradations he suffered, and you’ll want to share this book with everyone you know.

If you’re looking for a good read, pick up one of these!

This is a year of water Snake, and all things will be possible.  Saving money and being thrifty should be your top priorities.  Delusion and deception are common in the year of water Snake.  Stay alert!  To gain the greatest benefits from this year, you must control spending and use your talents wisely.  If you are planning to get married or to begin a business partnership, be sure to thoroughly investigate the other person’s finances and background before you legalize the alliance.

The Sign of the Snake

People born in the Year of the Snake share certain characteristics:  Acute, aware, charming, cunning, elegant, mysterious, passionate, proud, serene, and vain. They are attractive people who take crises with ease and do not become flustered easily.  They are graceful people, exciting and dark at the same time.  They enjoy reading, listening to great music, tasting delicious food, and going to the theater.  They are fascinated with all beautiful things in life.  Many of the most beautiful ladies and men with strongest personalities were born in the Year of the Snake.

Contemplative and private, Snake people are not outwardly emotional.  They usually act according to their own judgment and do not follow the views of others. They can appear cunning and reticent and work very modestly in the business environment.  They will plot and scheme to make certain things turn out exactly as they want them to.  They are not great communicators and can become quite possessive when they set their minds on achieving the interest of a partner.

Snake people become easily stressed and have to avoid hectic schedules or noisy atmospheres.  They need calm and quiet to thrive and succeed.  They must have sleep, relaxation, and peace to live a long, healthy life.

People born in the Year of the Snake are usually very sophisticated and cultured in their choices for home decoration.  They are elegant and graceful and place emphasis on their comfort when deciding what to decorate with.  They are materialistic and need to have as many of everything as possible.

They become bored easily and therefore change jobs quite frequently.  They are very conscientious and diligent at work.  They are organized and precise, cautious and alert when doing business.  They act confidently, calmly and have a strong sense of responsibility and clear goals. Sometimes, because they like to work alone, they can seem as though they are withholding information or being secretive about some important things.

Snake people are oversuspicious, which is their nature.  They hide their suspicion, and acting as if nothing is on their minds.  They like to think deeply, plan carefully and make a systematic and appropriate exposition of their views. They like to follow the fashion and be properly dressed. And, they usually speak with great care.

Snake people are passionate lovers and show a strong desire for control when associating with others.  They will never forgive anyone who breaks a promise.  They show their resentment with ice-cold hostility instead of bitter words.  Some of the people born in the Year of the Snake may strike their enemies with a deadly blow.

It seems not easy to deal with a person born in the Year of the Snake, especially when he thinks one way and behaves in another.  There always lies an alert heart behind his serene appearance.  He has a strong will and will try his best to hold fast to his position.  He is so cunning that when you think you may have seized him, he has already slipped away.

Snake people will face danger fearlessly and deal with unforeseen disasters. They are not annoyed by lack of money and are usually lucky enough to own everything they need.  They can be successful as long as they avoid excess spending.  Although they are intuitive, they should avoid dive right into decisions without weighing the consequences.

Famous Snake People:  Anne Rice, Ann-Margret,  Audrey Hepburn, Christie Brinkley, Elizabeth Hurley, Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy, Kim Basinger, Linda McCartney, Liv Tyler,  Oprah Winfrey, Queen Elizabeth I, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Snake Years:  02/04/1905 to 01/24/1906 (Wood), 01/23/1917 to 02/10/1918 (Fire), 02/10/1929 to 01/29/1930 (Earth), 01/27/1941 to 02/14/1942 (Metal), 02/14/1953 to 02/02/1954 (Water), 02/21/1965 to 01/20/1966 (Wood), 02/18/1977 to 02/06/1978 (Fire), 02/06/1989 to 01/26/1990 (Earth), 01/24/2001 to 02/11/2002 (Metal), 02/10/2013 to 01/30/2014 (Water).

Born in 1809

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Thomas was a strong and determined pioneer who found a moderate level of prosperity and was well respected in the community. The couple had two other children: Abraham’s older sister Sarah and younger brother Thomas, who died in infancy. Due to a land dispute, the Lincolns were forced to move from Kentucky to Perry County, Indiana in 1817, where the family “squatted” on public land to scrap out a living in a crude shelter, hunting game and farming a small plot. Thomas was eventually able to buy the land.

When young Abraham was 9 years old his mother died of tremetol (milk sickness/milk poisoning) at age 34 and the event was devastating on him. The 9-year-old Abraham grew more alienated from his father and quietly resented the hard work placed on him at an early age. A few months after Nancy’s death, Thomas married Sarah Bush Johnston, a Kentucky widow with three children of her own. She was a strong and affectionate woman with whom Abraham quickly bonded. Though both his parents were most likely illiterate, Sarah encouraged Abraham to read. It was while growing into manhood that he received his formal education—an estimated total of 18 months—a few days or weeks at a time. Reading material was in short supply in the Indiana wilderness. Neighbors recalled how Abraham would walk for miles to borrow a book. He undoubtedly read the family Bible and probably other popular books at that time such as Robinson Crusoe, Pilgrims Progress and Aesop’s Fables.

Excerpted from Biography.com

“I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.”  – Abraham Lincoln

•    Keep current on inoculations, and ask your doctor about flu shots.

•    Wash your hands often, with lots of soap and lots of water! Don’t share washcloths or towels.

•    Use disposable towels instead of cloth handkerchiefs. If you’re in a public restroom, shut the faucet off with a paper towel and try to push the door open with your shoulder or use the paper towel to turn the knob.

•    Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into your upper sleeve.

•    Colds are only caught from other people; during cold season, don’t shake hands or touch surfaces and then bring your fingers to your nose or face.

•    Don’t bite your nails; it spreads germs.

•    Don’t share food or drinks, even a taste.

•    When in doubt, hug instead of kiss, even if your heart feels otherwise!

•    Drink plenty of liquids, especially fresh pure water.

•    Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed early!

•    Cut back on sugars and alcoholic drinks.

•    Eat correctly, especially lots of fruits with high vitamin C content as well as veggies and grains which cleanse your system.

•    If you can, take it easy as soon as symptoms develop.

•    Stay at home if you are sick.

And here is some good old-fashioned advice from the 1852 Farmer’s Almanac…

“To avoid fall fevers, eat moderately, drink sparingly, lie not down on the damp earth, nor overheat yourself; but keep your temper, and change your clothes as the weather changes.”