Smart Living Rockford - April 21

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Your Better Quality of Life Magazine • 95¢ • April • No. II

Ready, Set, Plant!

All About Irrigation Systems Improving Pediatric Mental Health Tips for Choosing the Right Flooring Make Your Outdoor Spaces More Enjoyable

Best of Life Information for Our Region’s Residents & Visitors Proudly Serving the Needs of 326,000 Neighbors - For Your Home, Health & Fun!

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In This Issue

Right in Our Region .................Cover & p. 20 Ready, Set, Plant!

Your Home ................................................. 13 Choose the Right Flooring Inspiration & Worship ................................ 14 Easter to Pentecost Outdoor Living .......................................... 25 Lawn Irrigation; Enhancing Outdoor Spaces Legal Tips .................................................. 29 How to Prevent Legal Problems Your Health ................................................ 31 Mental Health Among Children Your Fun ..................................................... 36

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Bill Hughes Executive Editor/Web Editor Chris Linden Managing Editor Jermaine Pigee Editor Emeritus Janine Pumilia Multimedia Editor Jim Taylor Graphics Director Samantha Behling Graphic Designer Ashley Smith Contributing Writers Peggy Werner General Sales Manager Brent Hughes Sales Manager Brad Hughes Advertising Sales Representatives Brian Hughes, Jeremy Jones, Lisa Brandt, Nita Lasky Administration & Circulation Manager Lisa Hughes Director of Corporate Happiness Hana Hughes Website www.SmartLivingStateline.com Published by Hughes Media Corp.

222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104 (815) 316-2300, Fax: (815) 316-2301 lhughes@northwestquarterly.com Smart Living. Copyright 2022 by Hughes Media Corp., 222 Seventh St., Rockford, IL, 61104. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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Something Good

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t’s good to recall what’s gone right in our country. Earth Day, celebrated April 22 since 1970, is a time to appreciate our cleanedup nation and also the moment of bipartisanship that made it possible.

By the mid-1900s, industrialists had been churning through natural resources for 150 years with little regard for damage caused to the air, land, water and wildlife we share. By 1969, Ohio’s Cuyahoga River was so full of toxic waste that it had burst into flame more than a dozen times. The bald eagle had nearly disappeared because DDT pesticide weakened its eggshells. Smog choked Los Angeles residents more than 200 days per year. And so on.

A groundswell of bipartisan, organic demand arose from we the people and flooded the halls of power – peacefully. Earth Day was a public outcry for our land, air, water and wildlife to be protected through federal legislation. Some 20 million Americans packed public spaces coast to coast on April 22, 1970.

Political leaders listened and responded, even when it meant angering big-donor polluters.

“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard,” said the late U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin who founded Earth Day.

By July 1970, Republican President Richard Nixon signed into law a bill establishing a science-driven Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the Clean Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1972), Endangered Species Act (1973) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). Those acts all passed nearly unanimously. I can’t imagine how our country would look and smell and taste without them.

Today we live in a much healthier country than our ancestors did. Pollution-related cancer and lung disease declined. Our rivers and lakes are playgrounds instead of industrial dump sites. Even the fish in the Cayuhoga were finally deemed safe to eat a few years ago.

We owe a big thanks to the statesmen of yesterday who so improved our lives. May we always reward those who are willing to work across the aisle.

Happy Earth Day! ❚ Janine Pumilia SLW Editor

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Your Home & Garden

Know the Basics When Shopping for Carpet S hopping for carpet can be very confusing, when so much of it looks the same to the untrained eye.

A good salesperson will first ask about your lifestyle as related to flooring.

First, what’s the setting for which you’ll be using this carpet? How many children do you have? What types of pets? Do you entertain?

“Everyone has specific needs,” says Kevin Rose, President of Carpetland USA, 326 N. Alpine Road, Rockford. “It’s nice to try to tailor the correct product for their needs – not pick something (salespeople) think is going to fit into everyone’s needs.”

Next, think about fiber. The most expensive, softest and most durable carpets tend to be name-brand nylons, Rose says.

Then, the next level would be polyesters, made from recycled plastic bottles.

They’re extremely stain-resistant and durable, with softness that has improved

vastly as plastics technology has changed in recent years.

Carpet quality can be measured – and even seen – in three factors: Density. That’s the number of stitches per inch. More means the fibers will support each other better and resist crushing.

Twist: How many yarn twists per inch. This is perhaps the key consideration, Rose says. The tighter a carpet’s twist, the springier and more resilient it will be.

Face weight: How many ounces of fiber are used per square yard of carpet.

Backings can help indicate a carpet’s quality, and especially its moisture resistance. If you have pets, Rose says, consider carpet with moisture-proof backing.

And, Rose says: Realize the impor-

tance of good padding. Some carpet pads are even topped with a moisture-proof membrane. This is of special interest to pet owners.

“Pad is the best dollar spent in carpet,” he says. “It’s another vital element to the durability of the carpet. It takes the shock absorption, so it helps in resiliency of the fiber. If you’re going to save a buck or two, don’t do it in your pad.” ❚

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Inspiration & Worship

Easter to Pentecost

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he resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, as we just celebrated on Easter Sunday. But the story doesn’t end there. In fact, the close of the Easter season is a full 50 days after Easter. Why? “After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3 In the opening of Acts, we read that Jesus has been appearing to various people for 40 days and is now with his 11 apostles.

He tells them to stay in Jerusalem, where they will “receive power” from the holy spirit – a promise that’s fulfilled 10 days later, on the day of Pentecost – 50 days after the resurrection. “Pente” means 50.

Before Christ came, Jews celebrated Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, to recognize the way God provided for them – Moses brought the law to the people from Mt. Sinai 50 days after the miraculous exodus from Egypt and slavery.

Just as Israel was freed from Egyptian captivity and given God’s law 50 days later, Christ’s followers were freed from mortality by his resurrection and transformed by holy spirit 50 days later.

Jesus tells the apostles that once they have received power from the holy spirit, they will be witnesses for him not only in Jerusalem, but throughout the entire earth.

In an age without modern transportation or communication, it was quite a promise.

“And when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” Acts 1:9 Although we don’t celebrate Pentecost with the same fanfare given to Easter and Christmas, it’s a landmark day in the history of Christianity and is the “birthday” of the church.

This year, Pentecost will be celebrated on June 5. It’s always seven weeks after Easter Sunday. Easter is determined by calculating the first Sunday after (but never on) the first full moon after the spring equinox – the day when hours of light and darkness are about the same.

Jesus Christ, the light of this world, has entrusted his ministry of reconciliation to us. ❚ – Janine Pumilia 14

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Right in Our Region

What’s New in 2022 at the Greenhouse

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By Janine Pumilia hether you’re a green thumb with a big garden or you just want a cheery pop of color on your front porch or deck, it’s fun to see what new plant cultivars have come to market in 2022. Here’s a rundown of some new offerings.

Remember that locally owned greenhouses offer valuable guidance, unlike most chain garden centers.

Annuals

Annual plants perish each fall and need to be repurchased in spring, but offer unbeatable color spring through fall.

Lantana: These old-fashioned favorites first appeared in local gardens in the 1800s. Cousins of verbena, they of-

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fer saturated colors in round clusters of blooms, spring to fall, in solid or multicolor hues of yellow, red, orange, pink and white. They’re heat tolerant and attract pollinators. A variety new in 2022 from Proven Winners is Luscious Citron.

Dwarf Morning Glory: Old-fashioned morning glories are easy to grow from seed. The new Blue My Mind dwarf variety brings that rare, true-blue color. It grows just 4 to 8 inches tall but spreads out 20 inches and blooms continuously spring through fall. It thrives in full sun, is heat tolerant, moderately vigorous and has a mounding or trailing habit that spills from containers. Water it well the first several weeks as roots establish and be aware that it’s sensitive to frost.

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Calibrachoa: This is a plant you may not remember from childhood. It burst onto the U.S. market in the late 1980s and new versions just keep rolling out. It often takes center stage in containers and hanging baskets because of its attractive trailing habit and staggering array of colors and special features. A happily situated calibrachoa can produce thousands of bell-shaped blooms over the course of a season and needs no deadheading.

There are Right: This container by Proven Winners features white angelonia, lavender Double Twilight calibrachoa and Prince Tut papyrus. All photos from Proven Winners.

Right in Our Region 38 varieties of calibrachoa offered by Proven Winners. They include the 2022 introduction of Superbells Double Twilight, a lavender double-petal beauty with a purple center.

Cyperus Papyrus: This fun sedge plant emerged in local greenhouses a few years ago but dates back to ancient Egypt.

It sprouts feathery, umbrella-shaped grass plumes that flutter atop tall, green stems to make a dramatic “thriller” (tall element) in large containers and at the edge of ponds. Local gardeners have had great success with 6-foot King Tut and 2-foot Baby Tut. This year we meet Prince Tut, 18 to 30 inches tall. Like all of its family, it likes part-sun and plenty of moisture.

Perennials

Perennial plants spring back to life each year after winter dormancy, offering dependable color and texture. Most have a shorter bloom time than annuals.

Hosta: This beloved staple of shady Midwestern backyards boasts 70 species

and more than 3,000 registered varieties, from tiny fairy garden cultivars to plants with six-foot wingspans.

Hostas bloom with tall spikes of white or lavender flowers but are primarily loved for their lush mounds of foliage. A new variety is Shadlowland ‘Hope Springs Eternal.’ Its heart-shaped blue-green leaves are ruffled with creamy white edges and it grows nearly 2 feet tall and spreads out 4 feet wide.

Astilbe: Also called False Goat’s Beard, this popular perennial brings shades of red, pink and white color to shady areas mid-summer. It prefers light to moderate shade and will scorch in full sun. New this year is Astilbe August Light, which flowers in plumes of red.

Sedum: Believe it or not, this genus of succulents includes more than 400 species with endless colors, forms and habits. New this year is Rock ‘N Grow Back in Black, a fall-blooming sedum with nearly black leaves.

Tickseed: This is a great cutting flower that likes full sun. New this year is Li’l Bang Starlight, a coreopsis hybrid with bright white flowers accented with magenta centers. Deer don’t like it, but pollinators do. It grows just 6 to 10 inches tall, is easy to grow and moderately drought tolerant.

You don’t have to be an expert to grow beautiful plants this season. Just make a good match between plants and their location, and enjoy! ❚

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Rock the Rockford

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4/22

10am: Watch local interior designer Amie McDonald stage a room at the ReStore! follow Amie on Instagram: @amiegmcdonald

11am-1pm: Steve Shannon & Emily broadcasting live 12pm: Live DIY Demo with Karla Reed Free popcorn throughout the day. follow Karla on Instagram: @karlareed

4/23

Rock the Rockford ReStore Sale (Get 2050% off), free popcorn, and food trucks!

Downtown Fancy Frank's Cantina Taco J&C Old Fashioned Ice Cream

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@restorerockford

Outdoor Living

Protect Your Landscape by Irrigating

By Janine Pumilia beautiful home landscape takes time and money to achieve. But weather is unpredictable. Those new bedding plants that thrive so well today may shrivel under hot sun a month from now.

That’s why many homeowners are installing lawn irrigation systems they can count on to keep lawns and gardens healthy, no matter what the weather does.

“It’s an investment in your property that you might not think much about until drought strikes,” says Jeff Page, coowner of RainMaster Irrigation, located in Loves Park. “But when it doesn’t rain, you’re awfully glad you have it.”

Page designs, installs and maintains irrigation systems with his business partner, Kim Schuler. The pair purchased RainMaster Irrigation in 2019 from former owner Jim Johnson, who retired after running the business for three decades.

“We’re still servicing irrigation sys-

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tems installed 30 years ago,” notes Page.

“When they’re regularly used and maintained, they hold up well over time.”

Regular maintenance involves a visit in the fall to remove water from pipes before a hard freeze, and a visit in spring to reopen the system and fix problems like broken sprinkler heads or rodent damage.

“Like most everything else these days, you can buy a system that’s as simple or as ‘smart’ as you need it to be,” says Page. Some people use a phone app to remotely control their wireless system.

A system controller with timer is often located in a garage and plugs into a regular electrical outlet with no special wiring required.

So, what does it cost?

“Installation of an irrigation system for a typical yard that’s a quarter- to halfacre in size runs from $4,500 to $9,000 depending on specific needs,” says Page.

Flower beds have different needs than lawns and should be designed to run separate cycles, he says.

Will the installation process cause a big mess in the yard?

“No,” says Page. “We basically make very narrow slits to install the pipes and wires. It’s not obtrusive. Within 10 to 14 days, you won’t know we were there.”

RainMaster Irrigation serves homes and businesses within a 50-mile radius.

Learn more at rainmasterirrigation. net or call (815) 885-2566. ❚

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Legal Tips

Prevent Legal Headaches: Think Ahead

By Janine Pumilia

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any adults are too young to remember the Terry Schiavo case that began in 1990, after Schiavo, age 26, suffered massive brain damage that left her in a persistent vegetative state. Her husband sought to remove her feeding tube, believing it’s what she would have wanted, but her parents fought him in court for 15 years.

By the time her tube was removed, in 2005, the case had seen 14 appeals in Florida courts, five suits in federal district court and extensive involvement by the Florida legislature, Gov. Jeb Bush, the U.S. Congress and President George Bush. Even the Vatican got involved.

This painful and expensive slugfest could have been avoided had Schiavo put her end-of-life wishes in writing before illness struck. But what 26-year-old thinks of doing that?

“After that case, the living will be-

came a hot topic,” says attorney Jim Meason. “It’s a written directive to your doctor that details your desire regarding medical treatment if you’re no longer able to say it.”

End-of-life planning isn’t just for the elderly, as Schiavo’s case proved. A sudden injury or illness can change anyone’s fate in a moment.

In addition to preparing a living will, every adult should specify a power of attorney for healthcare decisions and for property. If you live in Illinois and your total assets, including your home, exceed $100,000 ($50,000 in Wisconsin), you should prepare a trust, says Meason.

“Some advanced planning can prevent so much heartache and frustration for people you leave behind,” says Meason. “It doesn’t take long to do and is way less expensive and time-consuming than if your estate has to go through probate.”

It’s easy to avoid thinking about endof-life issues.

“None of us wants to deal with our mortality,” says Meason. “And really, a lot of people just aren’t used to paying for the professional services of an attorney.

But my typical client is someone who knows someone who just went through a nightmare because someone else didn’t think ahead and left a mess behind for others to deal with.”

Meason’s services include family law, estate planning, real estate, business law and environmental law. Find him at 113 N. Main St. in Rockton, Ill., go to measonlaw.com or call (815) 624-6517. ❚

Listening to you is where we start every visit.

Accepting new patients

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Your Health

Detecting Mental Illness in Pediatric Patients

By Lindsey Gapen Lukas

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routine doctor’s visit isn’t just about a patient’s physical health.

“Mental health illnesses are pretty common – we probably spend 10 to 15 percent of our days seeing kids or teens who have some sort of mental health diagnosis,” says Dr. Leah Farley, a pediatrician at Beloit Health System. “We see ADHD more often in the younger kids, and with teenagers we tend to see more anxiety and depression.”

Farley asks all of her teenage patients if they have concerns about their mental health. Sometimes this leads to a standardized questionnaire screening.

“I generally try to do counseling with both the parents and the patient in the room about warning signs of anxiety and depression,” Farley says. “These illnesses in teenagers may not always present as the child seeming particularly anxious or sad.”

Teens may display decreased motivation, poor concentration or increased irritability.

If a parent calls with concerns, Farley jumps into triage mode.

“If there’s any concern that the child has any sort of suicidal ideation, then we send them directly to the emergency department where they’ll be evaluated by a social worker or a psychologist to make sure the child is safe at home,” she says.

A diagnosis of depression or anxiety is based on criteria in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Treatment is case by case and depends on the severity of the illness.

“It also depends on the child’s family and social structure,” Farley adds. “I always try and work with families to first do lifestyle modifications to help with mood.”

A common lifestyle modification is making sure the child is getting an appropriate amount of sleep, at least 8 to 10 hours a night, without phones or TVs on.

“The other thing we commonly see is kids who aren’t active enough,” Farley adds. “The more physical activity you get, the better it helps with mood. So, really try to make sure your child is getting out, getting active, moving around, not spending all day on the phone or sitting around at school.” ❚

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SWEET STREAMS.

WATCH 23 NEWS ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.

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Outdoor Living

On Trend: Enjoy Outdoor Spaces More

By Peggy Werner rends in home renovation include bringing the indoors outside by making lawns into more livable spaces.

At Benson Stone Co., General Sales Manager Kevin Obee invites people to bring their landscaping dreams to the store at 1100 11th St. for guidance from his staff. Whether they envision a do-ityourself approach or need to hire landscaping contractors for bigger jobs, they can get expert advice.

“It’s all about appealing to the senses through what looks, sounds and feels good, making yards more functional and aesthetically pleasing,” Obee says.

Benson’s has a huge selection of flagstones, cut stone and limestone, paving bricks, outcropping and retainer walls, boulders, gravel and pebbles of all sizes, mulch and woodchips, fire pits, outdoor kitchen appliances, BBQ grills, smokers and pizza ovens, patio and deck materials, ponds, fountains and water features, landscape lighting and more, all

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sold with a low-price guarantee.

Many new products have been introduced or improved in recent years.

Pavers, a popular choice for patios, now come in a variety of materials, sizes, styles, colors and textures, and are one of the most versatile of all landscaping materials. They reduce lawn care and are used for paths, outdoor flooring, or just to define an area and create visual interest.

“In recent years, better quality pavers are being made with a top mix to give them more durability and to provide richer color to spaces,” Obee says.

Based on sales, outdoor kitchens continue to grow in popularity. They may incorporate grills, smokers, pizza ovens, refrigerators, sinks, patio furniture, fountains and other water features, landscape lighting and more.

Deck boards are now made of materials that don’t require staining, will hold up longer and will prohibit the growth of mold or mildew.

Obee encourages people to start envisioning how much more useful and pleasing the outdoors can be.

“We have everything in one place and can do anything and everything.” ❚

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Your Fun

Entertainment & Events

2 Thursday Concert Series April 21, 7 p.m. The award-winning 2nd City Chorus is comprised of men and women of all ages and backgrounds specializing in four-part harmony a cappella. Concert is free. Katie’s Cup, 502 7th St., Rockford, (815) 986-0628, katiescup.com. nd

Pretzel Fest April 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy all things pretzel on Chicago Avenue, between Main and Stephenson streets. A pretzel contest and BBQ competition will take place, too. Greater Freeport Partnership, 110 W. Main St., Freeport, (815) 2331350, greaterfreeport.com.

BCT: ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’ April 28-May 7, Thurs.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 3 p.m. Four redneck gas station attendants and a pair of waitressing sisters sing a collection of country ballads and rock tunes. Beloit Civic Theatre,

Elizabeth Reinholz Theatre, Beloit High School, 1225 4th St., Beloit, (608) 3621595, beloitcivictheatre.org.

Bullets Over Broadway April 21-24, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday.Loaded with big laughs, colorful characters and the songs that made the ’20s roar, this musical comedy features hits from the 1920s including “Let’s Misbehave,” “‘T’ain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do,” and “There’s a New Day Comin’!”

Maddox Theater, Rockford University, 5050 E. State St. (815) 226-4100.

Pollinator Palooza April 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn how to design a pollinator garden that will impress the neighbors as well as the bees. Pollinator-themed games and craft stations entertain visitors of all ages. Severson Dells Nature Center, 8786 Montague Road.

Learn all about pollinators at Severson Dells Nature Center on April 23.

Avalon String Quartet April 29, 7:30 p.m. The quartet concludes the Beethoven cycle. Mendelssohn PAC, Starr Center, 415 N. Church St., (815) 9649713, mendelssohnpac.org.

It’s All About Fiber May 7 & 8 Macktown Living History, 2221 Freeport Road, Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Vendors, demonstrations, classes. Learn more at Macktownlivinghistory.com. ❚

You Belong Here!

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