Unexpected Benefits from Organic Cat Food

I've tried several different cat foods/formulas over the years - adult, senior cats, indoor formula and the "naturals" in an effort to keep hairballs a.k.a. "yaks" to a minimum. We finally made the switch to an organic cat food. It's made from organic brown rice, peas, carrots and has no corn or wheat. Yes, it's a bit more expensive, but totally worth it.

Not only did my cats love the taste, but they have regained some of their playfulness that tends to lessen with age (they are 9 and 14 years old). The oldest cat, Lucy used to "get sick" on a pretty regular basis. She now only produces the occasional hairball. I am absolutely thrilled for my cats who are much happier and there's less cleanup for me!

Should you Reuse plastic water bottles?

I used to re-use my plastic water bottles over and over thinking I was helping reduce the landfill problem. Not a bad idea, but then I learned that plastic bottles can leach chemicals, are petroleum based and take 1000's of years to biodegrade, if ever. Most plastic bottles do not even get recycled.

So, that leads to the question of what to drink out of? A few options are glass, stainless steel and aluminum. None of these are perfect but are certainly better choices. We are now carrying a great line of reusable water bottles from Klean Kanteen. They are made from food grade stainless steel (which is 100% recyclable), are dishwasher safe, extremely durable, light weight and non leaching. Best of all your beverage will taste how it should, not like plastic.

Earth Hour- What to do in the dark?

Tonights the night! Please participate in Earth Hour 2008. On Saturday March 29th, 2008 from 8pm-9pm join a world wide effort to reduce greenhouse gases and turn off all unnecessary lights and appliances. The first Earth Hour took place in 2007 and originated in Australia.

What can we do for an hour in the dark? Hmm...You could have a candlelight dinner, take a bubble bath, cozy up in front of the fireplace, take a nap, or go outside and look at the stars!!! I'm gonna take a walk to the beach- hope its not raining!

Plastic, paper, barbies, OH MY!

I just have to share this. This site was mentioned in a forum and I've gone back to look at it many, many times. It's from an artist named Chris Jordan who creates images of items such as 60,000 plastic bags used in the US every 5 seconds. Everything from cigarettes to paper bags, plastic bottles, cell phones, and yes, barbies too. Disturbing and fascinating. You can find his work and more information at www.chrisjordan.com.

Green Space for Kure Beach

The old Rolling Surf Motel came down this week. The town of Kure Beach bought the vacant property that sits oceanfront and next to the boardwalk. They plan to create a public park in its place which will be a wonderful addition to the often overbuilt oceanfront towns. Read more in the IslandGazette.net.

Good News for the Brown Pelicans

I am lucky enough to see these birds on a regular basis. I was able to sneak up close enough (thanks to zoom lens) to snap this photo of them on the beach a few weeks ago. Even if your not a "bird lover", brown pelicans are fascinating to watch. They skim the top of the waves and just glide in the air and then dive straight down into the water. The federal government wants to take the brown pelican off the endangered species list. The full article can be found at the DailyPress.com.

Fort Fisher Fun Today

If you ever get the chance to visit our lovely area- you may find the Fort Fisher Hermit Bunker of interest! Robert E. Harrill lived in an old world war 2 bunker for 17 years before his mysterious death in 1972. The bunker is about a mile walk from the Ranger station parking area. If you can't make it down here- check out the documentary "The Fort Fisher Hermit" The Life and Death of Robert E. Harrill. at www.thefortfisherhermit.com.