Fun on a Nickel

5

simple yet meaningful activities for grandchildren

By Cynthia Drake

Iwas a child during the 1950s — a time when my brothers and I were mostly spared the troubles of the adult world. Our parents let us play in the mud, climb trees or read books while lying on an old quilt in the backyard. My Halloween costume was an old sheet with two holes cut out for ghost eyes. A piece of chalk and a sidewalk would be enough to keep me and my neighborhood girlfriends hopscotching all morning. After a bowl of cereal for breakfast, my mother sent us out to play with the instruction to be back for supper.

When my grandchildren began to arrive 17 years ago, those carefree memories of days gone by resurfaced, and I experienced a “second childhood” with my children’s children. I taught young children in elementary school for many years, and that prepared me for the delight of playing and learning with my grandchildren. Now that the grandchildren are older, we love remembering those early days spent cooking together, doing science experiments in the kitchen, producing simple plays in the summer, reading books using flashlights during overnight visits.

That joy inspired me to write “A Grandmother’s Sourcebook,” filled with activities and ideas for grandparents and their grandchildren to share. Below are five entries from the book for your own “fun on a nickel.” 1. Make a concentration game. Choose a dozen or more favorite 4x6 photos of family events. At the copy shop, reduce photo size by 50%, print two of each, then glue to the “suit” side of regular playing cards. Set out all the cards with photo sides down. Play! 2. Teach the children how to offer a strong firm handshake and clearly state their name (as if they are meeting a new person). “Hi, my name is ______.” Then have them help you bake some chocolate chip cookies. Drive to the neighborhood firehouse, meet the firefighters, shake hands and thank them for their service. Finally, offer a tin of homemade cookies. 3. Help the children paint a Van Gogh-style painting. Find “The Usborne Art Treasury” by Rosie Dickens at the library. Directions are given about using forks and dabs of white paint to recreate Van Gogh’s swirly clouds! 4. A really fun science experiment is creating a crystal. Directions are provided in “Geology Lab for Kids” by Garret Romaine. Bend a pipe cleaner into a cube shape. Tie 2 feet of string to the middle of a pencil and to a corner of the pipe cleaner cube. Pour 3 cups of boiling water into a wide-mouth jar. Stir in 9 tablespoons of Borax. Lower the pipe cleaner down into the jar. In the morning there will be a crystal-covered pipe cleaner floating in the jar! If you add food coloring, you’ll create a beautifully colored crystal. 5. On a sunny day, take the children to your local cemetery. Walk through the lanes and stop to read names, dates and quotes. Talk about how these folks were loved by many people. Talk about the circle of life. Your ease will be appreciated by the children. Then read them the wonderful storybook, “City Dog, Country Frog” by Mo Willems. It is a perfect tale of friendship, loss and hope.

Cynthia Drake, author of “A Grandmother’s Sourcebook,” lives in Durham and is a member of Piedmont Electric Cooperative.

Visit agrandmotherssourcebook.com to learn more about “A Grandmother’s Sourcebook,” 10 chapters covering resources and activities to get grandchildren engaged in art, story, poetry, science, service, music, cooking, plays and games.

Reawaken Your 2022 Resolutions

Your goals don’t have to start and end with a date

By Rue Reynold

The new year is a popular time to find motivation and inspiration to make changes or meet goals. However, life or doubts can make achieving resolutions more difficult until they are given up or forgotten. Sometimes it can be tough to get back on track, but it’s never too late to reach your goals no matter how much time has passed. Follow these five tips to renew passion and progress farther than you have before.

1Make a checklist Put everything into perspective by listing any materials needed and the steps necessary to progress toward your end goal.

2Start slow Learning more about a subject sets you up for success. Start at stage one and gradually work your way up to more complex or hands-on objectives. 3Take a second look and adjust as necessary What problems have arrived? Do you need to change initial plans? Brainstorm different ways around obstacles.

4Connect with like-minded people Local clubs, programs and online groups are the best ways to find people like you. Share unique experiences, receive advice and make a new friend.

5Forgive, forget and try again Making a mistake, missing a day or not seeing improvement right away can be frustrating, but don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re learning, growing and improving. Keep going. Whether you’re trying to renew old passions or begin something for the first time, take each step as it comes and get back up, even if you fall. You got this.

Rue Reynold is the editorial assistant for Carolina Country.

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Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative June 2022, Vol. 53, No. 6 www.chec.coop

Teachers, Apply for a Bright Ideas Grant!

CHEC is partnering with outstanding educators to bring creative learning to life! Starting this month, teachers can apply for a Bright Ideas education grant of up to $1,500 to fund projects that enhance student success in K-12 classrooms and would otherwise not be possible. Applications and more information about the program can be found at ncbrightideas.com.

Grants are available in all curriculum areas including art, science, history, and mathematics, and CHEC expects to award two grants to local teachers during the 2022-2023 school year.

Bright Ideas grant applications will be accepted through Sept. 15, but teachers are encouraged to apply early. Those who submit their application by Aug. 15 will be entered to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards.

Supported by all 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina, Bright Ideas grants have contributed $14.3 million to N.C. classrooms, funding a total of 13,536 projects that have benefited well over 2.8 million students statewide since 1994.

Support for youth and education is part of our continued commitment to building a brighter future for the communities we serve. To learn more, visit chec.coop.

CHEC board appoints new director

The Board of Directors of Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative has appointed Angela Conner Tawes to fill the District-at-Large seat that was left open after the recent passing of Elvin Hooper, who had served on the board for 37 years. Conner Tawes will complete Hooper’s three-year term, which began in May 2021 and runs through May 2024.

Conner Tawes is the president of Conner’s Cape Hatteras Supermarket, Inc and a lifelong resident of Hatteras Island. She holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and speech communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is well known for her leadership in the community and will bring a unique perspective to the board with over 27 years of experience in business management.

Service Awards

Susan Flythe, executive vice president and general manager, and Dan Oden, District 1 director for CHEC, have recently been recognized for their years of service to the cooperative. Flythe received her 20-year service award and Oden received his 15-year service award.

These commendable service awards were presented at the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives’ (NCAEC) annual meeting on April 6. NCAEC is the trade association for North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives, including CHEC.

CHEC Director Dan Oden and EVP and General Manager Susan Flythe

Touchstone Energy sports camp scholarships awarded to local students

CHEC has awarded Touchstone Energy Sports Camp scholarships that will send three local middle school students to basketball camps this month at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and NC State University in Raleigh.

Tucker Salyers and Axel Valencia, both of Buxton, have received scholarships for the Carolina Men’s Basketball Camp at UNC-Chapel Hill. Leah Kenner of Buxton was selected for a scholarship to attend the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp at NC State.

At the camps, students stay overnight in campus dorms, learn fundamental basketball and life skills, and receive individual and group instruction from Division 1 coaches.

CHEC is one of 26 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in North Carolina that collectively award more than 50 sports camp scholarships to students statewide each year.

Visit ncelectriccooperatives.com/in-the-community/sports-camps for more information.

Published by:

Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative

PO Box 9, 47109 Light Plant Road, Buxton, NC 27920 Office Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Phone: 252-995-5616 Toll Free: 800-454-5616

Outage Report: 866-511-9862 Fax: 252-995-4088 www.chec.coop Board of Directors: Richard A. (Richie) Midgett, president;

John R. Hooper, vice president; Dan G. Oden, Jr., secretary-treasurer; Angela Conner Tawes; Bryan Mattingly;

Tami J. Thompson, Briggs McEwan Susan E. Flythe, executive vice president & general manager Laura Ertle, editor

World Taste with a Fiesta Fusion

Explore creamy and crunchy textures in a fiery and zesty package

If you want to take mealtime from bland and boring to new and vibrant, look no further than these home fiesta recipes. Visit freshcravings.com for more fiesta-worthy recipes.

—FamilyFeatures.com. Photos courtesy of Fresh Cravings

Red Pepper Chickpea Soup

With gazpacho relish and tortilla croutons Visit ncfarmfresh.com for fresh tomatoes to bring an elevated taste to your relish. ¼ cup finely diced seeded English cucumbers ¼ cup finely diced seeded Roma tomato 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1 lime, juice only, divided 2 cups canned low-sodium vegetable stock, divided ½ cup salsa (mild or medium) 1 container (10 ounces) roasted red pepper hummus

Tri-colored fried tortilla strips

Salt and pepper

In small bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, onion and cilantro.

Add half of the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Let relish sit at room temperature.

In blender or food processor, process 1 cup stock and salsa until smooth.

Pour mixture into medium saucepan. Add remaining stock and hummus. Season with salt and pepper and bring to boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining lime juice. Divide soup between two bowls and top with relish and tortilla strips.

Yield: 2 servings Mexican Style Paella

With chicken and sausage The lively flavors of this paella will set off a fiesta in your mouth. 1 container (16 ounces) chunky salsa (mild or medium) 12 ounces chicken tenders, patted dry 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 12 ounces fully cooked chicken sausage or pork sausage links 3 cups low-sodium canned chicken stock, water or combination 2 cups long-grain rice 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste, divided 1 cup frozen peas ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Lime wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

Remove ½ cup salsa. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, process remaining salsa until smooth.

Put chicken in a bowl, add ½ cup puréed salsa and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

In a high-sided sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until it simmers. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Remove to plate, loosely tent with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 2-inch pieces.

Add remaining oil to pan and heat until simmering. Cook sausage about 3 minutes per side.

Remove to plate, loosely tent with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Slice on bias into 2-inch pieces.

Wipe out pan with paper towels and add remaining puréed salsa and stock; bring to boil. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 18 minutes.

Remove from heat. Sprinkle peas on top. Cover with lid and sit for 5 minutes.

Fluff with fork then stir in chicken, sausage, peas and cilantro. Spoon remaining salsa on top.

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What You Need to Know Before Going Solar

Work with your co-op to make the right choice

By Miranda Boutelle

When I tell people I work in energy efficiency, one of the first responses I hear is, “Oh, I’m thinking about getting solar installed on my house.” I hear it around campfires, meeting other parents at the park and on the ride to the airport.

Most people don’t realize solar is not energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is finding ways to use less energy. Solar is generating energy. I can see the association because both are thought of as beneficial to the environment and a way to save money.

My follow-up question is, “What are your motivations for installing solar?”

In my experience, people are motivated by saving money, concern for the environment or both. Focusing first on energy efficiency addresses both motivations.

Here are some considerations if you are interested in installing solar.

Energy consumption Solar systems are sized based on a home’s energy needs. The larger the system, the higher the cost. Before installing solar, make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. That means it will use less energy and allow you to install a smaller solar system — which will save money and reduce your home’s environmental impact.

Verify the efficiency of your lighting, HVAC systems and insulation. A fully insulated and air-sealed home uses less energy, and those measures are less expensive than solar panels. Finish these energy efficiency projects before installing solar.

Affordability Consider your overall out-of-pocket expenses. The expected lifespan of a heating and cooling system is 15 to 25 years. Check the age and condition of your HVAC equipment and consider the expenses of replacement. If something happens, will you be able to afford to fix or replace it?

Roofing Consider the age, orientation and shade of your roof. It is more difficult — and expensive — to reroof a home with solar panels. Will the roof need to be replaced before the solar panels need to be replaced?

The best orientation for solar panels is south facing to receive direct light throughout the day. A shaded roof helps keep your home cool in the summertime but reduces solar energy production.

Maintenance and reliability A solar system doesn’t last forever. Lifespans range from 25 to 30 years. As systems degrade over time, they produce less energy. Maintenance and repairs may be needed.

Solar panels only produce power when the sun is shining. If you want solar to power your home at other times, like after dark, you’ll need to invest in battery storage system, which comes at an additional cost.

Contact your electric co-op As with any other system for your home, I recommend getting bids from three contractors to compare equipment and pricing. Solar contractors often work in several utility service territories and may not be familiar with your co-op’s offerings, rate structures and interconnection agreements. So before signing an agreement, check with your electric co-op for local information rather than relying on what the contractor says.

Another option may be community-owned solar. Many electric co-ops offer community solar programs. You may have an option to enjoy the benefits of solar without the responsibilities of ownership and maintenance.

Understanding these considerations before installing solar will ensure you meet your money-saving and environmental goals.

This column was written by Miranda Boutelle of the Efficiency Services Group. Visit carolinacountry.com/your-energy for more ideas on energy efficiency.

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