Today's Feature

Art In The HeARTland.

News release

On June 4, 2005 the Fourth Art in the HeARTland quality art, music and dance event will occur at Red Oak II, which is just East of Carthage. This year’s show will feature the works of local artists including Lowell Davis, Bob Tommey, Andy Thomas, Joe HiJoe, Sean Shuster, Skyla Fiorentina, April Leiter, Joe Prater, Anabelle Fuhr, Sheryl Hubbs, Doug Hall, Linda Simpson, and author Glen Snyder.

Entertainment will be provided by the Dancer’s Studio of Carthage. Free musical presentations will also be given throughout the day under the direction of Jim Hunter. Visitors may also tour the grounds, see antique cars, visit the artists and enjoy delicious food from the Black Hen Restaurant.

The Art in the HeARTland show is made possible as a result of a generous grant from the Helen S.Boylan Foundation. Additional support is also being provided by Missouri’s Civil War Foundation and the Carthage Heritage Gallery and Museum, L.L.C. Proceeds from the show will be used to benefit the historic Kendrick House located nearby. Admission is free.

‘Bout the only thing I think of bein’ delivered these days is pizzas and prescriptions. I suppose I just am not accustomed to havin’ deliveries. I hop in the car and go get things.

Most lumber yards will deliver, and some office supply outfits. Those travelin’ ice cream and meat trucks seem to keep plenty busy makin’ their regular routes to various homes in the area. Even some newspapers make deliveries on a regular basis.

The small town I grew up in didn’t even deliver the mail. ‘Course the Post Office was across the street from the grocery and next to the drug store and the lumber yard. We did at least have a newspaper boy so we were aware of the deliver system.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Keeping Pests Out

Q: We’ve developed a bit of a bug problem in our home lately, and we’re not sure why. The exterminator is coming next week, but what caused this problem? We’ve never had trouble before. — Elias K., Kennesaw, Ga.

A: If you clean your home regularly (and of course you do), and bugs suddenly appear, a change in the environment around the house — inside or out — is often to blame. The abundance of multi-legged pests can be caused by anything from a change in normal weather patterns, a shift in the location of certain items, or undetected access points to the house.

Check your home, inside and out. Inspect the outside walls and foundation for cracks or holes and patch any you find. Check all windows and doors, and make sure they fit snugly in their frames. If a window is drafty (signaling a possible access point), add weatherstripping or caulk around the drafty area. Inspect screens for holes or rips, and repair any you find.

Check out foliage near the foundation of your house. Are foundation plants (shrubs or ground covers) located right up against the wall? If so, prune the branches back a few inches. If they’re planted very close to the foundation, consider removing them and replanting shrubs farther out from the wall, so that encroaching roots don’t damage the foundation and create an entry point.

Now, note the location of potential trouble spots. Extra-large bags of pet food shouldn’t be stored inside the house; tuck them into a dry, elevated spot in the garage (always check carefully before reaching in to scoop out food, in case an unfriendly animal is rooting around in there, too. Trust me, I know). Or, store pet food in a large plastic container that can be sealed tightly. Don’t store firewood inside the house either, since woodpiles often harbor various pests, including spiders and roaches. Store it outside, at least 12 feet from the foundation. Keep the compost pile away from the house, too.

In the kitchen, store all food, including dry goods, in airtight containers. Clean up leftovers from dinner immediately, and don’t allow food to be eaten in other areas of the house. It’s inconvenient, but will limit the range of pests and make it easier to eradicate them. Some of these measures are pretty extreme, but until the pest problem goes away, you’ll need to reduce the temptation for them to come inside.