YC Magazine - February 2021

FREE February 2021

Information you can use today Unique ways to celebrate the Month of Love Volunteer Income Tax Assistance now available Protect your pup from this common toxin ‌ And more!

The Magazine For York County!

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Weather, Astronomy, and Mustard A View From The Keyboard

By Pam Henson

Volume 18, Issue 2 YC Magazine is an entertainingly informative monthly magazine distributed throughout York County, South Carolina. © 2021 Pluto Publishing LLC Publisher ..... Pam Henson Design................ SC Biz News Editor ..... Jim Tatum Graphic Designer ..... Nicole Haggard For Advertising call Andrea Mounts at 704-817-1346 or email amounts@mecktimes.com All rights reserved. YC Magazine may not be reproduced in part or in whole in any form, format, or media without the permission of YC Magazine. The opinions expressed in YC Magazine are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or staff of YC Magazine or Pluto Publishing LLC.

Letters to the Editor are welcome. Must include name, phone number, and email address. Email to YCeditorial@scbiznews.com. We are unable to respond to letters without an email address.

PAGE 2

The Farmers’ Almanac has been used as a source of long-range weather for agricultural needs since its first publication in 1818. Back in 1853, maritime nations agreed to collaborate efforts to prevent deadly weather incidents at sea, logging details such as wind speed and direction, air pressure, and temperature at a set time, along with their ship’s position. Gathering and transmitting data was slow back then, using morse code and telegraphs in order to produce a comprehensive map as a precursor for a storm-warning service. If a storm was detected from the compiled data, major ports would hang a series of cones to warn passing ships. Weather interpretations or two-day predictions began printing in newspapers in 1861.

All weather is local. But if you shift your gaze farther, another kind of scientific observation that gained popularity in the 1800s was astronomy. Though a shift on

C o l u m n i s t s

O

ne phone app I check frequently is for weather information. Especially in the winter, wind chills can secretly require more layers for spending time outdoors. And the radar feature helps me time an outdoor excursion to avoid raindrops.

Way before apps and weather forecasters, people observed signs in nature to help prepare for impending weather. Some signs were subtle and learned from oral tradition. Simple observation, learned patterns, and weatherlore have helped people through the ages until scientific methods and data transmission were developed. I found some interesting lore about helping predict wintry weather — thunder during winter, the thickness of a deer’s coat, cows laying on the ground, a halo around the moon, the tightness of corn husks, the abundance of acorns, and how long the wooly bear caterpillar’s orange stripe is.

the globe produces varying views of the sky, what is out there is the same, no matter where you are.

Amateur astronomers are plentiful in York County and around the world, using telescopes, binoculars, and the naked eye to view our celestial theater. Bill introduced the world of astronomy to me, and I have viewed spectacular objects through telescopes — the wispy ghost fingers in the Veil Nebula; Saturn’s rings; awe-inspiring globular clusters and nebulae; and our closest galaxy, Andromeda. I’ve stood in Doughton Park, N.C., and watched the shadow of one of Jupiter’s moons projected on the planet surface creep along. Bill set me up with star charts and pointed me toward the Teapot asterism to explore on my own (it’s a stellar nursery, so celestial objects are plentiful).

We had several dark-sky viewing spots, many in the mountains, and frequent-

ly congregated with amateur astronomy friends. Two areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway were regular hangouts. One thing you learn quickly by spending time outdoors in the mountains at night and basically standing still or sitting — it gets cold. Getting cold can ruin any sky-show fun, so I learned from the best about clothing layers and staying warm, no matter the wind or temperature.

Most gatherings included exploring the sky together, sharing telescope views, swapping tips and tricks, and bringing enough snacks to share. One time there was a table of food set up, including hot dogs and fixins. Hot dogs were Bill’s favorite food, and when he went back for another hot dog later, he shook the mustard and squeezed. It was so cold outside, the mustard had frozen. He yelled out to his fellow observers, “When the mustard freezes, it’s time to go home.” yc

YC Magazine Columnists: Dr. Kelly Baete.................................. Animal Health Mike Baker........................................ Photography Beth Crosby....................................... Wordsmithing Dr. Steve Fields................................. Nature Angela P. Forbes............................... Nutrition & Food Safety Todd Harrell.................................... Disc Golf Walt Heinsohn................................. Law Carole Holmberg.............................. Astronomy Tim Jones......................................... Music Zach Lemhouse................................. History Dr. Robert Lesslie............................. Health Stuart Lord........................................ Track Talk Mollie Rose....................................... Service Deb Pittman..................................... Aging Lauren Paige Powell........................ Dog’s Life Pluto.................................................. Furry Philosopher Nancy Sambets................................. Photo Gallery Cameron Shook................................ The Great Outdoors Paul Thompson................................. Horticulture Dr. Kevin Wickes.............................. Psychology Stacy Williams.................................. Library

About the cover: A chilly but beautiful winter day on Lake Wylie. (Photo/Jan Todd)

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Yes!

YOU can have a beautiful smile...

It’s just a phone call away!

CONTENTS column

list

Aging...............................32

Photography ...................18

Animal Health.................31

Pluto-ism ..........................5

Astronomy ......................19 Connections.................... 17 Disc Golf......................... 14

Psychology ...................... 11 Service ............................16

Dog’s Life........................29

Track Talk.......................20

Great Outdoors...............28

Wordsmithing.................22

Health.............................. 8 History..............................6 Horticulture ....................12 Law..................................21

Family

Library ........................... 33

Cauthen

Dental Care Lewis J. Cauthen, DMD

Fear Reduction Program • Sedation Dentistry 35 Years of Experience Patient-Friendly TOOTHACHE Relief Flexible Payment Options Appointments Available for Emergency Visits

Moon Phases .................. 35 Music.............................. 23

Knowledge is POWER. Become powerful TODAY! Read YC Magazine and Power Up!

Nature..............................10

89

$

Nutrition ........................ 30 Photo Gallery..................24

If you would like to see a specific topic covered by one of our columnists, email us at YCeditorial@scbiznews.com

An exam, X-rays & smile consu ltation (Value $17 9)

Mercury-free tooth-colored fillings, Crowns & Bridges, Partial & Full Dentures, and Extractions

803-684-9220

1015 Creekside Medical Drive • York, SC • www.cauthendental.com

PAGE 3

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Gardendale Road | Fort Mill, SC | 29708 803.547.7781 | www.carolinascornerstone.org

Care Flu Shots | Flu eekends. w » Open late and ome. » Walk-ins welc Rock Hill

2174 Cherry Rd (803) 325-8280 PAGE 4

Indian Land

Hwy 8384 Charlotte (803) 547-2426

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Pluto’s Corner

Deep Dog Thoughts

By Pluto

“One of the oldest human needs is having someone wonder where you are when you don’t come home at night.” – Margaret Meade

Depositphotos.com

Editor’s note: If you have some pet-related wisdom to share with other readers, please email your submission for consideration to YCeditorial@scbiznews.com.

PAGE 5

February 2021

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

History

York County’s Yesteryears

By Zach Lemhouse

Patent medication in York County

Advertisement for Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup (Yorkville Enquirer, York, SC, April 5, 1860. 3) “Patent medicines” were over-thecounter drugs that, despite the name, were generally not patented. Some were simple combinations of flavoring and coloring and held no real medicinal value while others contained dangerous opiates or alcohol that could easily be lethal in the wrong doses. Patent medicines often claimed to cure a variety of ailments but, because they were sold in a time before consumer protection laws, they were rarely as effective as advertised and often included a litany of harmful side effects.

York County citizens of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were no strangers to patent medication. Local newspapers were filled with advertisements and testimonials touting their effectiveness. Let’s take a look at some of the more common patent medications in York County.

Advertisement for Peruna (The Lexington Dispatch, Lexington, SC, Dec. 17, 1902. 4) PAGE 6

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup According to tradition, Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup was created by a pediatric nurse named Charlotte N. Winslow.

In 1849, her son-in-law, Jerimiah Curtis, made the remedy commercially available. The drug was advertised as a cure-all for fussy babies who were crying, teething, or had dysentery. The primary ingredients of the syrup were morphine and alcohol. It was reported that a single teaspoon full contained the equivalent of 15-20 drops of laudanum. Considering that health practitioners of the day recommended that babies receive no more than two to three drops of laudanum, the contents of Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup are startling. In fact, a teaspoonful was enough to kill the average child, which led to the eventual coining of the syrup’s nickname, “the baby killer.”

Unfortunately, many failed to link the

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Advertisement for Dr. Williams Pink Pill’s for Pale People (The Egyptian Gazette, Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 6, 1906) deaths to the syrup. It was not until the Pure Food and Drug Act was instituted in 1906 that the true contents of Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup were revealed to the public. As a result, morphine was removed from the syrup as well as the word “soothing” from the brand name.

Despite the denunciation of the product by the American Medical Association in 1911, Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup continued to be sold until the 1930s. 1 Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills for Pale People As its name implies, Dr. William’s Pink Pills for Pale People promised to cure “pale and sallow complexions” as well as a number of other maladies including heart palpitations, headaches, rheumatism, influenza, and weakness. Follow-

ing the American Civil War, they were advertised to veterans as a solution to war wounds, digestive problems, malaria, and emotional disturbances. In 1877, George Fulford, of Ontario, Canada, established G.T. Fulford & Company to distribute patent medicines. He acquired the rights to Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills and, within five years, they were available throughout North America and Europe.

The pills themselves were oval shaped, coated with sugar, and colored pink. Unlike Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, they contained no opiates. Instead, ingredients included Ferrous Sulfate, Potassium Carbonate, magnesia, powdered licorice, and sugar. Dr. Williams’ pills were not the only iron carbonate pill on the market. Others included Carter’s Little Liver Pills and Dr. Wilson’s Blue Pills for Blue

People. In addition to containing similar ingredients, these pills took advantage of alliteration in their advertising to attract the attention of consumers. 2 Peruna Peruna was the brainchild of Dr. Samuel Hartman, a Pennsylvania doctor who boasted that he prescribed his proprietary medication so frequently that he could write the formula “in the dark with his eyes shut.” It was advertised as a cure-all for any catarrh related ailment. Catarrh is a buildup of mucus in the nose or throat. In fact, in December of 1902, the Peruna Company made the claim that half of all human illnesses were catarrh in nature. Peruna’s initial success was due, in no small part, to Hartman’s aggressive advertising which

“Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup,” Yorkville Enquirer. (York, SC: Thursday July 3, 1873) 1; Editors at the Museum of Healthcare. “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup: The Baby Killer,” Museum of Healthcare (Kingston, Ontario: Museum of Healthcare, July 28, 2017) Accessed: 1/12/2021. https://museumofhealthcare.wordpress.com/2017/07/28/mrs-winslows-soothing-syrupthe-baby-killer/.

1

Grist Cousins. “Medicines,” Yorkville Enquirer. (York, SC: Wednesday, June 2, 1897) 3. British Medical Association. Secret Remedies: What They Cost and What They Contain. (London, England: British Medical Association, 1909) 174-175. https:// archive.org/details/secretremedieswh00brit/page/174/mode/2up?q=Winslow; Kansas Historical Society. “Pink Pills for Pale People,” Kansapedia (Topeka, KS: Kansas Historical Society, July, 2002) https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/pink-pills-for-palepeople/10240 2

“Pe-ru-na,” Yorkville Enquirer. (York, SC: Wednesday, April 5, 1893) 3; “The Home of Peruna, the Greatest Medicine Plant in the World,” The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California: Sunday, February 5, 1905) 28; Editors for the Library of Congress: Chronicling America. “Catarrh Remedy and Peruna Scandal: Topics in Chronicling America,” Chronicling America (Washington, DC: Library of Congress) https://guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-peruna-scandal-catarrh-remedy

3

By supporting our advertisers, you’re supporting YC Magazine & York County.

Thank You!

included endorsements from politicians, military leaders, and business professionals. In 1905, Hartman opened what many considered to be the “greatest medicine plant in the world.” His nearly seven-acre facility in Columbus, Ohio, produced Peruna for use in millions of homes. Unfortunately for Hartman, muckraking journalist Samuel Hopkins Adams included Peruna in a series of articles exposing patent medicine. Adams claimed patent medicines were frauds and asserted that Peruna contained up to 28% alcohol, despite the fact that it was advertised as being free of “cocaine, opium, whisky, and other narcotics.”

On Dec. 11, 1914, the New York Tribune followed suit, expressing the need to “curb quack ‘cures’” such as Peruna.

Despite the negative press, Peruna grew in popularity during the 1920s due to its alcohol content. With the sale and distribution of alcohol curbed due to prohibition, Americans turned to Peruna and other similar patent medicines to get their alcohol fix. 3 yc Zach Lemhouse is the resident historian for the Culture and Heritage Museums of York County and the Director of the Southern Revolutionary War Institute. If you have any questions or suggestions for future article topics you can reach Zach at ZacharyLemhouse@gmail.com

Creekside

Pharmacy Darlene Gardiner, R.Ph.

803-684-9096

1007 Creekside Medical Drive York, SC

To us, it’s personal.

Locally owned & operated.

Part of YOUR COMMUNITY! • Still OPEN for business 9AM-6PM Monday-Friday Saturday 9AM-1:30PM • Drive-Up window only • 24-hour drop box • Free Local Delivery • Friendly prescription assistance to synchronize your refills • Complete line of OTC products- Special Ordering available.

Select products are Buy 1 Get Second one 50% off • We accept most insurances • Fast Response

PAGE 7

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Health

The Doctor’s Corner

By Robert D. Lesslie, MD, MPH

A few COVID questions

T

he pandemic continues…and continues…and continues. With no end in sight, we continue to have a lot of questions about this virus.

lastly, there’s vitamin D. We know this vitamin is important with regards to bone, muscle, and even heart function, but now there’s solid evidence that adequate blood levels can lower the incidence of acute respiratory infections and the severity of these infections in both adults and children. This goes for COVID-19 as well. A recent study published in JAMA indicated that those of us who are deficient in vitamin D have twice the risk of getting the infection, and when infected, have worse outcomes than those with normal levels.

Is there anything we can do to help keep us from getting this infection or to boost our immune systems?

The coronavirus is out there and continues to infect millions of people — some close to home, or maybe even you’ve experienced this yourself. The same basic principles apply: wash your hands, socially distance, wear a mask when in public, and avoid the public when you can. Interestingly, it’s almost January and we’ve seen very little of the flu in our office. The flu season might be coming later this year, but it’s also possible that enough people are taking the above precautions that’s it’s helping prevent the normally widespread outbreaks that we usually experience. We’ll have to wait and see. A double whammy of COVID-19 and

Depositphotos.com the flu is something that none of us want.

As far as “boosting our immune systems” is concerned, there are a couple of things I advise my patients to consider. First, it’s probably a good idea to increase your intake of vitamin C. I recommend 500 or 1,000 mgs twice a day, in the form of a sup-

plement. Twice a day because we rapidly metabolize this vitamin and maintaining a significant blood level makes sense. Secondly, there is anecdotal evidence that zinc may be helpful. Thirty mgs a day, or even every other day, should be sufficient. And

But what’s an adequate blood level and how do I know if my level is low?

This is easily checked with a blood study, with currently accepted levels being between 30 and 100 mg/ml. And I can tell you that a lot of us are deficient in this important vitamin. Around 75% of the people we test in our office have levels that are below the norm. And it’s estimated that as many 12920 Dorman Rd. Pineville, NC 28134

55+

ACTIVE 55+

SENIOR LIVING 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments À la Carte Services Maintenance Free Living Active & Social Living

dorchestercharlotte.com

STA RT IN G AT

1,280

$

PER MONTH

manorcharlotte.com

STARTING AT

2,180

$

PER MONTH

WINTER SPECIAL! 2-Months FREE RENT*- THE MANOR $5,960 Value!

1-Month FREE RENT *+ 1-Month FREE Dining* THE DORCHESTER SOUTH $2,015 Value! *move-ins within 60 days of touring!

PAGE 8

CALL TODAY! 833-834-8827

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

as 1 billion people around the world are deficient. That’s alarming, especially since this is something that is easily corrected. (More exposure to the sun is not the answer. And for those of us over the age of 60, our skin doesn’t convert sunlight to vitamin D as well as it did when we were younger.) Safe, effective, and inexpensive supplements are widely available. The goal is to get your blood level into the normal range.

I’m taking a multivitamin and it has vitamin D in it. Shouldn’t that be enough? And what if I can’t afford the blood test?

Most multivitamins don’t contain enough vitamin D to correct a deficiency. And some insurance companies don’t cover this test, which doesn’t make any sense to me. But that’s something you can work around. I think it’s reasonable to take a supplement containing 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamins D3 without knowing your blood level. Some of us need more, depending on individual health factors and guided by blood studies, but this amount of supplementation is safe and effective.

That sounds great! I’m going to load up on this and just checked the prices on the internet. Not very expensive, and I’m going to order some right now.

Not so fast. As with most things, more is not necessarily better. It’s possible to take too much of this vitamin. 2,000 units should be the max (unless recommended by your healthcare provider) since excessively elevated blood levels can lead to problems with bone density and other things.

So, this is important and something to conside — vitamins C and D, and zinc.

Depositphotos.com

Okay. Now what do you think about the vaccine, and what’s the science supporting the use of face masks?

Those are important questions, but we’ve run out of space. We’ll consider these and other COVID questions next time. In the meantime, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, exercise, socially distance, and if you smoke, stop. yc Dr Lesslie’s Angels in the ER is available at bookstores and on the internet. For more information check out RobertLesslie.com.

Advanced

Chiropractic Solutions, P.A. Protecting & Enhancing Your Wellness

Rock Hill, SC 980-0556 York, SC 628-6800

Jude Konow

PAGE 9

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Nature The Naturalist’s Journal

By Dr. Steve Fields

Love is in the air …

The upland chorus frog is one of the first species to start singing on even the cold nights of late winter. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Hoekstra, former graduate student at Winthrop University)

depositphotos.com “Love is in the air everywhere I look around. Love is in the air, every sight and every sound” --- John Paul Young, 1978

B

y the time this issue of YC Magazine is distributed, we will have just observed Valentine’s Day, a day definitely devoted to the celebration of love. But while humans may be ready to move on to the next holiday, most of nature is just gearing up for the annual “celebration of love.” Many hawks and owls initiated courtship and other mating behaviors in December.

I have already heard the calls of a few in intrepid chorus frogs over the last few weeks. The songs were low and slow, but still audible on the cold, clear nights. It reminds me that the seasons are about to change.

Spring is a perfect time of year to see PAGE 10

examples of plants and animals that “show off.” Numerous plants will invest significant energy in the production of brightly colored, aroma-rich flowers to grab the attention of a host of insect pollinators. In many species of birds, the males will be looking their best, hoping to change their bachelor’s status by advertising their eligibility to the females through brightly-colored feathers and alluring songs. All of this will be brought on by the increasing amount of daylight, to which the birds’ bodies respond with a surge of hormones and pigments, resulting in the more colorful feathery coverings and the desire to display them.

During the breeding season, which generally lasts from March to September, many of our resident songbirds will go through some very interesting physical and behavioral changes. No doubt you have noticed that male birds of some species look different than the females. Typically, males take on brighter feather coloration. This makes the male stand out to potential mates as well as rival males. Males also engage in singing to vocalize their availability and territory. Both the color changes and the increased vocal activity are initiated by the previously mentioned changing hormone levels.

As the days get longer, the amount of light that the bird receives on a daily basis increases. These increasing light levels are responsible for stimulating the hormone production.

Remember the chorus frogs I mentioned earlier? They will soon be joined by a “chorus” of many other species of toads and frogs. During their mating season, males sing their little three-chambered hearts out to establish territories and attract females.

When a female succumbs to the amorous amphibian song of her suitor, she allows him to climb on her back, and with the aid of special “thumb” pads, initiate a passionate hold known as amplexus from which escape is nearly impossible. In fact, the word amplexus is Latin for “embrace.” Since amphibians have external fertilization (meaning the eggs are fertilized outside of the female’s body), the male must stay with his mate until she releases her eggs, at which time he can fertilize them.

Our resident birds and frogs are not

the only groups soon to be engaged in “amore.” Obviously, it is vital for all species to reproduce. In fact, almost every adaption of every organism is geared toward the survival and reproduction of that organism. It is all about getting their genes into the next generation.

I wrote about horns and antlers in a previous issue of YC Magazine. While horns and antlers are structurally different, they basically serve the same function. They are visual indicators of male fitness, something that the females are constantly assessing. Males bring these structures to bear in contests with other males, and these rivalries usually end with the victor gaining the rights to mate, to pass his genes to the next generation. Since the female is watching and carefully choosing her mate, she, too, is ensuring that the most fit male will contribute to her offspring. This fascinating system of competition among males and careful selection by females plays out in the natural world year after year. It explains why deer bucks spar with one another. It reveals the motivation of the brightly-colored cardinals and bluebirds singing their hearts out. It makes sense of the seemingly endless serenade of the chorus frog. The drive to procreate cannot be ignored; the survival of the species is at stake. Indeed, love is in the air! yc Dr. Steven E. Fields is the curator of natural history for the Culture and Heritage Museums and an adjunct instructor of biology at Winthrop University and York Technical College. You can contact “Dr. Steve” at 803-909-7216 or email stevefields@chmuseums.org.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Psychology

Working Within

By Dr. Kevin Wickes, LPC, NCC, CEAP

Be still and know the Truth musical instruments with no words.

• Quiet your mind. Practice of quieting (“nonjudgmental observation”) the mind.

• Be present. Be mindful – present in the moment. It is the most important time you have. It is the only time you have at this moment.

• Learn to return. This has been the most helpful component. In involves recalling a “place of peace,” where you had a particularly vivid experience of peace and stillness.

• Find a favorite spot (either physically such as quiet room, church, park, and etc.) or in your mind (visualize a place such as ocean, mountains, country, and etc.)

• Listen to soft music (often without words) – classical music, light/soft jazz, and etc.

• Repeat a mantra such as “I am calm and still” or I can create stillness” or favorite positive quote/saying • Be thankful (attitude of gratitude) or positive

T

here has been a lot of “noise” (i.e., COVID-19/vaccination, politics, economy, Valentine’s Day, etc.) going through our country, and I suspect it has been difficult to find the truth in all the surrounding events. We’ve read quotes “the truth will set you free” or “truth be told” but how through all the noise do we hear the “truth?” Personally, how often do you find truth in yourself being burdened by the noise of life?

Being still might provide the answer to the truth. I have put into practice in starting the day with being “quiet (or meditating),” literally. I go through the morning preparing the cup of coffee and being in the moment. Then, I “feed” my thoughts with guidance from sources of “truth,” along with substance to provide energy for my body.

Thus, how does one “be still?” and how is that different from doing “nothing?” At times, we need to “pause” to do nothing to renew or refresh from everyday demands of life. “Nothing” can mean no matter how relaxed the activity, is just another task we do. It’s a period when we unplug and rest (physically, doing nothing); however, but just another way

depositphotos.com to use time.

Being still, by contrast, is the opposite of doing. Not something we do to use time. It is being quiet. How often have you said to yourself, if I only had time to myself to do nothing? We think doing nothing is the answer to the busy lives we lead, but we forget that our thoughts are still running “100 miles a minute.” Being still means allowing ourselves to be completely still on the inside (with less noise or thoughts). It is being entirely present – the moment. Being still is a state of mind. Doing nothing might help us to regain balance, while being in the moment heals us. The difference between being still and doing nothing lies not in the activities themselves, but how we let those activities impact us. It comes down to the how not the what.

Just a thought – “being in the moment can be eternal.”

“If Life could speak, being still is listening closely to what it has to say. Doing nothing merely hears. Being still awakens us to the lessons embedded inside every single creation that is right in front of us, just waiting to be noticed.

Life is trying to send us messages and

signals, but in our constant oscillation between productivity and doing nothing, those messages have a tendency to fall on deaf ears.”

Here are some ways to “be still”:

• Breathing – focus on your breathing (inhale deeply through your nose, exhale slowly through your mouth) several times.

• Give yourself permission to “be still (without guilt/shame) • The logistics of “being still” • Schedule a time. Mornings are often the effective time, where often times, the activities are relatively quiet.

• Find a place. Go somewhere where there is minimal disruptions.

• Set a timer. Fifteen minutes a day appears to be optimal.

• Relax your body. Being comfortable in the place of being still is essential such as a soft chair. Then systematically relax my body and be quiet. Beck says that if you can’t sit still, then engage in any mindless physical activity, like rocking in a chair or watching some natural motion like fire or running water. I also listen to a recording of

In summarizing, the following are quotes to “be still”:

“Stillness is not about focusing on nothingness; it’s about creating a clearing. It’s opening up an emotionally clutter-free space and allowing ourselves to feel and think and dream and question.”

by Brené Brown “We can never hope to know the presence of God or other people until we can be with ourselves in stillness, openness, and attentiveness.” by David G. Benner and Richard Rohr “Inner stillness is letting go. Rather than trying to drive away the distractions, the posture of inner stillness is simply to release them. Being still is, therefore, being free from the distraction of my attachments.” by David G. Benner “All speech that moves men was minted when some man’s mind was poised and still.” by R.E.C. Browne “Be still” and know the “truth.” The second part of the phrase will be in the next article – “What is knowing the truth?” yc Dr. Kevin Wickes, LPC, NCC, CEAP, is a seasoned, licensed, and certified counselor and professor of Integrative Counseling Services, LLC. Contact him at 843-647-1162 or dr.kwickes@gmail.

PAGE 11

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Horticulture

Growing York County

By Paul Thompson

Time for taters

Potatoes in containers and raised beds about one month after planting. Potatoes are very easy and fun to grow -- and yield large crops. (Photos/Paul Thompson)

B

etween now and the end of March is a great time to plant potatoes. If you ask “why should I plant potatoes” then obviously you have never eaten a potato that was dug from the ground the day you ate it. I’ve always heard people rant about home grown tomatoes; truth is that anything you grow and harvest in your home garden is going to taste better because it is fresher. A potato you buy from the market could have been stored for up to six months before you bring it home, and although it is good and nutritious, the flavor does not compare.

Potatoes are actually very easy, and fun, to grow. Growing potatoes with kids can be a rewarding experience as well, and there are not too many kids I know who refuse to eat potatoes. Potatoes can be grown in a conventional garden in hilled rows, they can be grown in raised beds, and even in containers. Potatoes can be highly productive. You can harvest from two to 10 pounds of potatoes per plant depending on the variety and growing conditions.

PAGE 12

There are many different types and varieties of potatoes that are grown. The Russet potatoes (think Idaho baking potato) are not typically grown here because they require a longer season to develop before hot weather. The white-skinned potatoes such as Kennebec are also commonly called Irish potatoes, and the red-skinned varieties are the two main types for home garden production here in South Carolina, but there are also yellow fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold and small specialty potatoes in many colors of the rainbow that can be ordered from seed catalogs.

Potatoes need to grow in a full sun location: at the very minimum, about six hours of direct sunlight. They also need a well-drained soil that is nice and loose.

If you have heavy clay soils, it might take several years of amending with compost to create a perfect soil for growing potatoes. Potatoes also need to be watered if we do not get enough rainfall, especially in May, when they begin to flower and the tubers are starting to form.

Potatoes are planted by using the tuber (potato) to start a new plant. These are called “seed potatoes,” even though they are not seeds. Seed potatoes can be mail ordered or bought at a garden center.

Three varieties commonly found locally are Pontiac Red, a red-skinned, whitefleshed potato, Kennebec, a popular Irish potato, and Yukon Gold, a light-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety. Seed potatoes are ideally the size of a hen’s egg. Larger tubers can be cut into similar-sized pieces making sure each piece has one or two eyes where the sprouts will develop. Ideally, cut seed pieces should be left to cure for a day so the cuts can form a tough dehydrated skin. This helps prevent the invasion by disease organisms possibly in the soil.

When growing potatoes, buy certified seed potatoes. These are certified disease-free, so you are not introducing pest problems into your soil. Although you could plant store-bought potatoes, they are more susceptible to diseases, and they might have also been treated with a

sprout inhibitor to extend the storage life.

Twelve pounds of seed potatoes will plant 100 feet of row.

There are multiple methods of planting potatoes. There’s the traditional hill method, planting in containers, and my new deep planting method in raised beds.

The traditional hill method is useful for in-ground planting in our predominately clay soils. Seed pieces are planted 8 to 10 inches apart in a shallow trench and covered with one or two inches of soil.

As the eyes on the potatoes sprout and grow shoots to the surface, roots are developed along these shoots below ground.

The tubers are formed on these roots. By continuing to bury the stems with straw or compost as it grows, it will form many more tubers. The shallow planting keeps the seed pieces from rotting as they might if planted deep in the ground. Shallow planting also allows you to use small seed pieces, since the sprouts don’t have to grow far to get the leaves out into sunlight to produce the food the plant needs for further growth.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

If you don’t have a garden spot, growing in containers might be an option for you. If you choose to grow in containers, the larger, the better to reduce watering frequency and allow plenty of space for tuber production. I have used some recycling bins that I had on hand, but just about any deep container will do, as long as you have drainage holes. Containers can sit in places that are sunny and convenient for taking care of them. Put four to six inches of potting soil in the container. Push the seed potatoes into the potting soil and cover with several inches of soil. Add more soil as the shoots and leaves emerge and watch the watering carefully, as containers can dry out rapidly in the heat. At harvest, you can simply dump the containers and avoid injuring the tubers with digging tools.

I started growing potatoes about 10 years ago. In my raised beds, I experimented with early deep planting in early February, which is about a month earlier than the recommended planting date. I surmised that planting early, the potatoes needed to be deeper in the ground where the soil would be warmer, and because I was planting deeply, it would take longer for the sprouts to reach the surface, and the seed pieces needed to be larger to have enough stored food to grow the stems to the surface.

I have found this method to be very successful, and much easier, since I do not have to add any more soil as they grow. I buy my seed potatoes locally and pick through the bins to find egg-sized

ones that I don’t cut into smaller pieces. Using uncut seed pieces reduces the chances of diseases, especially when they are planted deeper in the soil where it is often wetter. I also double the spacing between the seed potatoes since I will have multiple shoots emerging from multiple eyes on each seed potato. These are planted about 8 to 10 inches deep. In my raised beds which have a very loose soil, I can use a bulb planting auger with a cordless drill to make planting quick and easy.

Small “new” potatoes can be harvested in May after the plants begin to flower.

There is nothing better that eating those first new potatoes, a small sampling of what is to come. New potatoes are harvested by gently probing the ground with your fingers without damaging all the roots. Just pick a few every week or so to satisfy your impatience, but don’t over harvest or you will not have anything large to harvest later.

The bulk of the harvest happens towards the end of June as the plants begin to yellow and wither in the heat. You can harvest everything at once, or you can harvest as you need them and leave the rest “stored” in the soil. Use a digging fork to go deep and underneath the plants to pry them from the soil. Allow the potatoes to air dry for an hour or two, and then brush any soil before storing in a cool, dry location for later use. yc Paul Thompson is a Horticulture Agent with the Clemson Extension Service. Contact him at (803) 684-9919, ext. 112.

February 2021

Clockwise, from top left; Flowers signal tubers growing; common potato varieties grown in York County include Red Pontiac, Yukon Gold and Kennebec; potatoes harvested from just two containers; and potatoes in a raised bed two months after planting.

Get ready for the lawn wars!

NEW!

PRO-TURN Series

Prices starting as low as $5,999 BOYD TIRE & APPLIANCE 803-222-3231 • 110 N. Main Street • Clover, SC 803-684-3587 •124 S. Congress Street • York, SC Monday-Friday 8am-5:30pm •Saturday 8am-1pm

PAGE 13

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Disc Golf

Turn And Fade

By Todd Harrell

Nice shot! Wait, scratch that

depositphotos.com

W

hen you start a new sport, you focus first on learning the basic rules. Rightly so. It’s only natural that you want to limit the amount of time you look like a moron. Learning, the ins and outs of the sport — the unofficial rules, as it were — takes time, years. So, to help jumpstart your disc golf knowledge, I will share one of the most important unofficial rules of disc golf. Read closely, because this column could save you some embarrassment down the road.

Don’t Nice my disc, bro Perhaps one of the most infamous Don’ts of Disc Golf is Nice’ing someone’s disc. First, let me clarify that I’m not talking about praising the appearance of someone’s driver or putter disc. I’m talking about something else; something that to most would never seem to be an issue.

PAGE 14

Let me explain: Although disc golfers are known for being a largely supportive bunch (encouraging each other through good and bad shots during a round), one thing you avoid is complimenting someone else’s shot soon after it was released.

Why? Well, many feel (even in some tiny way) that by exclaiming “Nice shot,” or some other flattering compliment before the disc finishes its flight, an unintentional jinx is set upon the shot and the disc soon finds trouble like hitting an early tree or taking a bad roll.

I cast a spell on you Now, we all know that someone else’s spoken words cannot have bearing on a disc that’s already in-flight. If it did, the game would turn into some weird sorcerer - revenge game in which rounds would

take forever because everyone would be casting spells on each other’s shots.

However, misfortune arising from Nice’ing someone’s shot does happen often enough to where it has become a ‘thing’ in disc golf.

So much so that you might even get the evil eye from a disc golfer whose shot just careened into the woods after you Nice’d it.

If you’ve played disc golf enough you’ve Nice’d or been Nice’d by someone Every disc golfer who has played enough rounds with other people has run into this at some point. A disc golfer releases a drive and knows it feels perfect. The disc is humming down the fairway in the desired line. Then a card mate yells, “Awesome shot,” and the next thing you know, the disc finds what was before a nearly invis-

ible branch and is knocked into the rough.

The thrower, who was once salivating over the potential for birdie is now dejected by his/her turn of luck — and often looks to find the culprit who “Nice’d” his/her shot.

Being on the other side of the Nice’d shot is just as bad. I’ve been there. You see your card mate, who might not be playing so hot, throw what looks to be a beautiful, pure shot. Excited for the chance to praise your struggling friend you let out a “great shot!,” only to see the disc deflect off a tiny tree seconds later and land OB in the water. Seeing the disc sink into the water, you are mortified that you may have had some hand in their misfortune and sheepishly slink to the back of the group.

Why does Nice’ing gotta be bad?

I really do think that it’s unfair that we as

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine disc golfers (in many cases) have attached negative connotations to prematurely praising someone’s shot. Because often the Nice’ing of a shot happens when someone is genuinely impressed with another’s performance and wants to immediately share that. Positivity, in any of its forms, should not be punished, in my view. I truly believe it breeds more positivity.

Go ahead, nice someone’s shot Of course, you don’t have to follow this unofficial rule of not Nice’ing shots and do whatever you want. But, you may change your mind after seeing disaster unfold upon your friends when you emit a few premature “Nice shots.”

What to do when you’ve Nice’d someone’s shot Despite mostly adhering to this rule, I still lose my composure occasionally and Nice someone’s shot. Sometimes you get away with it, but when you don’t, I try my best to acknowledge it happened and make a lighthearted apology. And almost every time the thrower and I have a nice chuckle about it.

You might be saying, “C’mon. Really?

Apologize for something you can’t even control?”

That’s true. I can’t control their shot.

And most disc golfers couldn’t honestly

February 2021

blame you if you Nice’d them and it resulted in a bad break. But let me explain something to you about disc golf. For many of us who tried their luck at the traditional sports, disc golf is the last chance at finding a sport that truly fits and the last chance to try to excel in one too. And many of us believe that. It’s cheap. Anyone can play it.

It’s not too hard to figure out. And it’s fun.

So when it comes to playing a round with others, we truly want to see the best in each other. And if that means refraining from a premature “Nice” or “Great shot” to avoid any bad luck (real or fictional), then that’s what it takes.

Alternatives to Nice’ing I do try to avoid saying such things as “Nice Shot,” or “Great shot” or “Awesome” while the disc is in flight. But I see nothing wrong with providing audible encouragement to the disc.

• • • • •

Things like: “Yeah!”

“Go, go, go!”

“Turn over!

“Be a friend!

“Move tree, Move!”

Feel free to use any of these.

yc

Todd Harrell plays disc golf, among other things.

Graphic/Kirk Covington

A New Vision In Service 803-329-1132

774 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 106 • Rock Hill, SC

www.OutlookFlooring.com

Need new Carpe

Call to us ask how 803-329-1132 or v FREE in-home consultation / Monthly specials

Need Financing?

Visit our website for additional information!

FREE in-home consultation/ Monthly specials/Design Center.

PAGE 15

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Service A Helping Hand for the Community

By Mollie Rose

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

W

orking families face many barriers and challenges that prevent them from being financially stable. From generational difficulties to low-wage jobs, to the cost of housing

or childcare, working families need assistance in a variety of areas. In pursuit of our Bold Goal to help 3,000 York County families achieve financial stability by 2030, we are excited about this year’s

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and United Way. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance to individuals and families with a household income of approximately $56,000 a year or less. In addition to providing free tax preparation, VITA works to ensure everyone in the community receives all of the tax credits and deductions for which they are eligible.

South Carolina taxpayers can expect to pay $176 for a professional to prepare their taxes if they do not itemize their deductions. This cost will be even more if they do itemize. For a family struggling to make ends meet, this cost to complete their taxes can be an insurmountable burden.

This leads to many families trying to complete their taxes themselves online.

While this is a more affordable option, in one survey of 2,000 taxpayers, self-filers received an average of $1,775 per return. Those that used a tax professional received an average refund of $2,615, an increase of $840. Those additional funds throughout the year, in addition to tax credits a family may not realize they qualify for, can make a big difference in helping a family achieve financial stability.

In 2019, the VITA program completed 5,592 returns for York County families, saving the community nearly a million dollars on tax preparation costs ($984,192) and helping York County families to maximize their income and make ends meet.

Please note no returns will be started after 3 p.m. drop off.

VITA Details

All tax information received is strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals. For any questions concerning the VITA program, please contact Bill Perry, VITA Coordinator at perrybh@comporium.net or 803.322.4195.

Additionally, we have also partnered with H&R Block for households with a simple return to file their state and federal taxes online for free. Please visit www.myfreetaxes.com for more information. yc

VITA Volunteers are I.R.S. certified and trained by the S.C. & N.C. Department of Revenues. Volunteers will electronically file federal and state income tax returns, free of charge. It is fast, accurate, secure, and simple. The estimated turn-around time for a direct-deposited refund is within days of e-filing. Below is the information needed to take advantage of this invaluable resource.

VITA services will be available from January 25, 2021 - April 14, 2021, at Pathways Community Center located at 546 South Cherry Road, Suite N, Rock Hill, SC 29732. VITA site hours are 8:30 am - 4:00 pm, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

PAGE 16

What to bring: • Copy of photo ID and social security card • Copy of social security card for spouse and/or all dependents • 2019 tax return (if available) • Complete 13614-C Intake Interview & Quality Review Sheet • Complete Form 14446 Virtual/TCE Taxpayer Consent – Page 2 • Copy of W-2s, 1099-G Unemployment, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-R, Social Security SSA-1099, Refunds, etc.

• Copy of deductions/credits/adjustments: Child Care, Tuition, Student Loan Interest, HSA, Self-employment Expenses, etc.

• Proof of account for direct deposit of refunds (e.g. voided check)

VITA can prepare the following forms: • • • • • • •

1040 with Schedule 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & A 1040-V 1040-ES 2441 Child & Dependent Care Credit 8863 Education Credits 8812 Additional Child Tax Credit SC & N.C. State Income Tax Returns and other states • Many more Tax Credits and forms not listed above

Mollie Rose is the Marketing and Communications Director for United Way of York County. Contact her at mrose@unitedwayofyc.org.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Connections Helping Hands

By Beth Covington

Celebrating the month of love

F

ebruary, the month of love. Not just hot and steamy couples love, but LOVE. Love for all, all for love.

Friends, family, the cat, our next-door neighbors, the random man on the elevator at work. For those of us who are Christian – we are called to “love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

– Romans 12:10” I like the expanded version of Valentine’s Day. For those of us who are always single on this momentous holiday, Valentine’s Day can be a bit of a drag. For those who have lost their sweetie, it can be very depressing. And for folks who have endured tremendous hardships at the expense of a loved one, it can be traumatic. But this year, we are going to take on the “love one another” mission and make Valentine’s Day one that can be positive for all people.

So how exactly do we do this? Well, I don’t think there is a recipe to making a successful Valentine’s Day (or any holiday, for that matter). Let’s start with your sweetie. One option is to whip up something yourself. Yeah, yeah, don’t tell me you

Depositphotos.com aren’t creative. You can surf the net like everyone else and find ideas to help you out and YouTube videos to tell you step-by-step what to do. Items made from the heart are more precious than anything you can buy.

And don’t underestimate the “wow” impact of your handwriting! Sit down and write your feelings, memories, thoughts, dreams, etc and gift it. This is one of those things that will be treasured for years to come!

Stretch beyond your comfort zone and give a loving, memorable gift.

OK, so you’ve nixed being creative. Well then, at least support our local businesses and artisans. Find a locally owned restaurant to order dinner from, a local florist for your flowers, a local bakery or chocolatier for your sweets. Branch outside of the traditional and find a local Etsy store (www.etsy.com, hit search for more options and type in the city you’d like to search).

The possibilities of cool gifts are endless here. By shopping with a local merchant or artisan, you are keeping the influence of your money closer to home. And you’ll find unique items that are more personal to the receiver.

Go beyond your romantic partner and

make the month of love extremely special!

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are full of folks missing the regular visits from loved ones. Many never receive mail and are now on lock down, which can be a huge downer. Consider rallying the kids or your friends and create cards and/or art to share with “adopted grandparents.” Or send them to any resident and the staff will share your creations with someone who needs a piece of mail to pick them up in a difficult moment. Think about men and women, so include some pictures of the kids fishing or hunting, beautiful flowers grown in your yard, sunsets on the lake – whatever.

Encouraging cards and messages would also be great for victims of domestic violence. I can’t imagine the struggles they have seen and Valentine’s Day is probably not the happiest day of the year for these folks. The shelters also have needs for residents – ask what they may need and host a drive to help out. Maybe it’s socks and underwear, maybe it’s books for children, or food for the families. Whatever it is, mobilize your family and friends and give a gift of love to these brave women, men, and

children who have overcome so much.

Of course, puppies and kitties need love, too! Check with the shelters, do they need food? Puppy pads? Kitty toys? People to foster an animal until their furever home is found? If animals are your passion, find a way to use your interest in a way to improve the lives of the less fortunate.

In keeping with my Little Word(s) for the year, I will be spreading a little bit of Candid Kindness in handwritten notes. 2020 took it out of us and so for 2021, I want to help replenish what was lost. Thanks to all who shared their word with me! I hope you are finding it inspiring and uplifting as you adopt your word into your everyday life.

Keep your chin up out there, y’all, and know we have better days ahead. The month of love is an excellent reason to be someone’s sunshine on a cloudy day! Let’s follow the example given to us and Love One Another and Honor One Another.

Let’s make 2021 all about love! I hope you’ll join me. Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all! yc Beth Covington is a life-long York County resident with a passion for nice people and ranch dressing.

Contact her at beth.covington@gmail.com.

PAGE 17

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Photography View Finder

By Mike Baker

Collaboration and your photography

These photos are from the Light Factory’s Moment Mile photography collaboration event, held in Charlotte, N.C. in 2014. (Photos: Mike Baker)

W

hen working for photo clients, I am usually collaborating with at least one other person; sometimes it’s a team of people. Whether collaborating with an art director, a stylist, hair and make-up, a publisher or even simple collaboration with the person I may be creating a portrait of, collaboration is important and required. However, when it comes to the majority of my personnel photography projects, those are usually solo undertakings. One of the ways in which I hope to up my personnel photography game in 2021, is to seek out collaboration with photographers and other creative folk.

One of the most creative collaborations that I’ve been involved with was the Light Factory’s Moment Mile in Charlotte, N.C. On Nov. 1, 2014, 138 photographers met in Charlotte, each was given a predetermined location along a 1.2 mile stretch of Tryon Street. At precisely 6:15 p.m., each photographer was to capture one image of the location before them. Later, the digital files were collected, printed, mounted together, and exhibited as one continuous photo. The premise was to capture a single moment in time and produce, perhaps, the world’s longest photo. I don’t know if we achieved the world’s longest photo part, but I do know it was a hugely successful collaboration. I left PAGE 18

the event with a new appreciation for the level of organization it took to pull off the event, and by participating, I made several enduring photography friendships. My one very small photo, by itself, was inconsequential, but the project as a whole was huge. While a Moment Mile-sized collaboration is on a scale we are not too likely to undertake, I have a few suggestions that are much more doable.

Portrait and people photographers are always trying to get someone to sit in front of their camera so that they can practice a new technique or use fancy new lights. But photographers are also some of the hardest people to actually get to sit for a portrait. One possible collaboration would be for photographers to sit or model for one another. Currently, there would be a concern with the safety of being in an enclosed space or in close proximity with one another. This is where using a longer telephoto lens would be a good choice, both due to safety concerns and the fact that, in many situations, a telephoto lens is often the go to lens for portrait photographers. To make this type of collaboration most rewarding, don’t go out willy-nilly without a plan. In advance, decide on one or two portrait techniques or lighting set-ups to practice.

Take this exercise as an opportunity to bet-

ter learn how to give direction to a person posing and to better learn what it’s like to have to take posing directions. Make sure that everyone has ample time both in front of and behind the camera and be generous in sharing images created of other photographers. Do be courteous about not sharing photos that might not represent someone in their best way.

Maybe people photography is not your thing. That’s cool. How about food photography? Do you have a foodie friend in your life that you could collaborate with?

Beautiful food photos don’t require expensive foods or fancy plates. Heck, a Big Mac can be made to look all artsy if you try. On the part of the photographer, good food photography does require attention to detail, solid compositions, good lighting, and practice. A collaboration with a budding chef, a good biscuit maker or barbeque pit master could reap lots of good shots as well as tasty dividends A little more outside the box thinking of collaboration could include working with a writer. Perhaps a collaboration to create photos illustrating a short story, a children’s book or a poem. Musicians, dancers, and thespians all could be fertile ground for collaborations. Telling history is another collaboration that comes to mind. While

it’s definitely a possibility, I’m not addressing historical reenactments, I’m more suggesting the possibility of working on family history or local lore.

One simple collaboration involving film photography that I hope to do in the coming months is a film swap. In a film swap, I would shoot a roll of 35mm film, rewind the film into its cannister and then give the film to another photographer who would shoot the film again. The film would then be developed to see how our images combined.

While 2021 may seem like an odd time to start seeking more collaboration, to me, it makes perfect sense. The possibilities for collaborations are truly endless and collaboration can be tailored to anyone’s safety comfort level. When passions combine, collaboration and experimentation can spark the imagination and get the creative juices flowing. I think we could all go for some increased creativity. yc Mike Baker is an awarding-winning photographer whose work has been published by national and regional publications. Mike is an Artist in Residence at the Arts Council of York County and a member of NPS (Nikon Professional Services).

Mike can be reached at mike@mbakerphotographic.com.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Astronomy

Looking Up

By Carole Holmberg

Roses are red and so are these celestial objects

Left Image: Mark Stanford Sr. of Rock Hill captured this image of the Heart Nebula. Right Image: This picture of Mars was taken during the close approach in 2018 by Stanford. Mars has a rusty orange color and a white polar cap.

B

ecause February is the month of Valentine’s Day, I thought to focus on objects in the sky that are red.

Celestial things look black and white at first glance because they are so dim. The cones in your eyes, used to show color, need a minimum threshold of light for color to register, so dimmer things appear in black and white.

Emission nebulae, clouds of glowing gas, are often red because of hydrogen.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe. Each atom has a nucleus at its center consisting of protons and neutrons. Negatively charged electrons circle the nucleus in discrete orbits. Whenever a hydrogen atom’s single electron moves from one level to a lower one, closer to the nucleus, it emits a photon as it loses energy. These photons are released at discrete energies only and their wavelengths define the composition of the gas like a fingerprint. A photon created when an electron drops from hydrogen level 3 to level 2 emits light at wavelength 656.28 nanometers, a very deep red which is dubbed H-alpha. A bright deep-red color means lots of hydrogen gas, but temperature also comes into play. If the nebula is too

hot, the hydrogen electrons are no longer bound to a particular nucleus. If it is too cold, then the electrons remain at level 1 or 2 and cannot climb to level 3.

The Heart Nebula is an example of an emission nebula. It lies 7,500 light years away in the constellation of Cassiopeia. The nebula shines bright in red light due to the emission of H-alpha photons by the excited nearby hydrogen gas. The darker lanes are caused by dust that block the light from glowing gas behind it. The result is a shape that resembles a heart.

It’s also called the Running Dog Nebula because it looks a bit like a running dog.

Can you see the dog in the accompanying image?

The nebula needs an energy source to excite its electrons. What powers the Heart Nebula? Its glow comes from a small group of stars near its center. This open cluster contains a few bright supergiant stars nearly 50 times the mass of the Sun, plus many other fainter stars less massive than the Sun. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, can also be red, although the most common color is yellow-green. The Northern Lights are caused by collisions

between fast-moving particles from space and Earth’s atmosphere. These particles, called the solar wind, are attracted to Earth’s magnetic field. Our atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen gas. As the solar wind particles strike our atmosphere, they impart energy to the oxygen and nitrogen particles. Excited oxygen atoms cause both the yellow-green and the red color. The oxygen red is at 630.0 nanometers, is not quite as deep as the red of emission nebulae.

Sometimes stars are red. There are red stars whose color is visible every night.

In February evenings, I enjoy looking at bright red Betelgeuse, the shoulder star in the constellation of Orion. To the right of Orion is another bright red star, Aldebaran, in the constellation of Taurus the Bull.

The color of a star comes from the temperature of its photosphere, the layer of a star’s atmosphere where energy radiates into space. Rather than discrete wavelengths, stars emit in all wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Red stars have a cooler photosphere than yellow stars like the Sun, or hot blue-white stars.

The color is a function of the temperature

of a star’s photosphere; red stars vary from tiny cool red dwarves to enormous supergiant stars.

Mars’ red color inspired ancient peoples to name it after their god of war.

Mars has dimmed considerably from its closest approach to Earth last year, but it still ranks among the brightest objects in the evening sky. The red color of Mars is more of an orange or salmon color than true red. That is because its color comes not from glowing gas, but from rust. The surface rocks of Mars contain iron, which rust in the thin Martian atmosphere, giving the entire planet a rusty appearance.

Mars will be in the news in February, as two landers are to arrive there this month: the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission at Utopia Planitia and the U.S. Mars Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater. Perseverance will be looking for evidence of fossilized life on Mars. yc Carole Holmberg is the Planetarium Manager at the Museum of York County. She gives planetarium shows each Tuesday through Saturday at 3:30 p.m., with additional shows on Saturdays and school holidays. Ms. Holmberg can be reached at CHolmberg@chmuseums.org.

PAGE 19

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Track Talk

The Local Racing Scene

By Stuart Lord

Hannah Patterson: Running with the guys

Hannah Patterson doing what she loves and doing it well. (Photo/Hannah Patterson)

I

n the world of sports, there aren’t many places where a girl can compete with a guy. Won’t happen in baseball, football, hockey, but in the world of auto racing, that’s another story. Women can compete with the guys, be it on a go-cart or a full-blown dirt series race car. If you have the funding and experience, a girl can not only run with them, they can reach Victory Lane.

Maybe you don’t follow racing closely, but for those of you who do, these competitors should sound familiar. Danica Patrick, Hailie Deagan, Natalie Decker, past

PAGE 20

multi-time champion in drag racing Shirley Muldowney current champion Erica Enders and so many more who have made a name for themselves.

On any given weekend, at racetracks across the nation, there are girls of all ages competing against their male counter parts.

Locally, on the dirt tracks I cover, there are a number of girls trading paint and eating dust — and loving it. One such girt is Hannah Patterson of York. Competing in the tough Pro4 division, she’s a constant top four finisher, and actually running against four other girls.

For Patterson, she started at age 12 in

the Young Gun division at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney. When asked how those first years went, she said, “I didn’t get a lot of respect in the beginning, maybe I sort of expected it being new and a girl, but that didn’t stop me from showing up every week and learning.” Having not run a cart like so many other starting out did early in their career, Hannah started out in a full-size car. “That first year was filled with a lot of learning how to drive on dirt, learning how to handle adversity, just a lot of things other than just driving, but that’s part of the sport.”

There was a lot of help along the way.

“Of course, my dad is my number one fan, and nothing was and is possible without him. But there have been a number of people who have given me more help than I ever thought was possible. Bubba Sutton and Chris Huffstetler at Woodshed Racecars and Bodies have been more than friends, they have built me a fast, safe race car. Chris is the right-hand man for setups, for fabrication, and with both Bubba and Chris, accomplished drivers, they advise me, always giving me tips and that help has gotten me to where I am in 2020.”

Even with the help from those around her, it’s not an easy sport to be in. “The biggest thing are the expenses we have with putting the car on the track every week. My

dad doesn’t have a bottomless pocket to take money out of. He recently had to have a new Ford engine built after we blew up our one and only engine. Normally costing $10,000, we got a break and it still cost him $8,000. Thank goodness for the sponsors we have.”

For 2021, the team will be competing at Carolina Speedway with the rules package they will be running. They did try to travel to other tracks, like 311 Speedway, but it’s just so expensive and you have to be able to go where the rules allow them to compete.

The tough part is with such an expensive class, the payout is only $500 to win.

Some of those who help Hannah are McConnell Plumbing, Woodshed Race Cars, JBC Builders and 3D Racing Motors. There is one other name on the race car, Palmetto Suds. A short time ago, the owner of Palmetto Suds passed away. The owner, Hunter Bigger, was a big supporter, and even though the sponsorship ended, Hannah says that his name will always be on any car she drives. Her crew consists of her dad Rusty, of course Chris and Bubba, Brooklin Huffstetler, and Bo. And does Hannah simply sit around in the garage? Not a chance. “I love working on our Ford Mustang race car whenever I can, after school work” This 16-yearold, however, is looking at her future. “I would love to get into a Late Model or Open Wheel Modified at some point, but I know it’s going to be expensive, needing more sponsorship, but I think we can do it in the future.”

So how is the racing now and what about other drivers? “I have been accepted, and respected. The other drivers are not going to give you a spot on the track, they’re going to race you just as hard as they would anyone else, and that’s the way I want it.

Yes, you have to pay your dues, just like anything else you do or compete in, but I love this sport, the people I race against, I can’t wait to see what the future will hold for me.”

If Hannah continues her progress in the PRO 4 division and believes in herself, the future looks bright for the 16 year old. And like so many young up and coming stars I have written about, I look forward to watching her journey in the world of highly competitive and exciting dirt racing. yc Stu Lord is a former NASCAR track manager, writer and talk show host living in York. His email address is relichunting@gmail.com.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Law Navigating The Law

By Walter Heinsohn

Down a legal rabbit hole

depositphotos.com palm reading, card reading and the like to promote another business. Here’s one that “Uncle Frank” isn’t going to like.

It is against the law to sell or possess a

Walter Heinsohn is a lawyer who has served the area since 1985. You can reach him at 803-366-5181.

SPOIL YOURSELF THIS VALENTINE’S DAY �em�S�re En�i �rea�men�� minimize �acial �ine line� and wrinkle�, �i���en� �kin� wi��o�� injec�ion� and down�ime.

Call �or an a��oin�men�� (803) 274-6646 Jewell Family & Elder Medicine PA 1147 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732 www.jewelleldermedicine.com

*Through soft tissue coagulation. © 2020 Cynosure, LLC. All rights reserved. Cynosure, LLC owns exclusive rights to photography. Use of photography without written permission of Cynosure is prohibited. . TempSure Envi is a trademark of Cynosure, LLC. Model for illustrative purposes only and not an actual consumer of the product. The TempSure Envi treatment provides heating for the purpose of elevating tissue temperature for selected medical conditions such as temporary relief of pain, muscle spasms, and increase in local circulation and for non-ablative treatment of mild to moderate facial wrinkles and rhytids. Like all medical procedures, not all patients are suitable for the treatment. Talk to your medical provider about the risks and benefits of this procedure. A qualified practitioner is solely responsible for evaluating each subject’s suitability to undergo treatment and for informing those being treated about any risks associated with the treatment, pre- and postoperative care, and any other relevant information. Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.

©2019 Hologic, Inc. All rights reserved. ThreeForMe is a trademark of Cynosure, LLC. Hologic, Inc. owns exclusive rights to photography. Use of photography without written permission of Hologic is prohibited.Model used for illustrative purposes only. Patient results will vary. AMP_2321

AMP_3152

Febr�ary S�ecial� 20� o�� �em�S�re En�i �rea�men��

Before & After 2 Tx Courtesy of S. Doherty, MD

this law to go to church intoxicated. I’ve been to some midnight Christmas Eve services where some of the attendees may have been perilously close to the line on that one.

It is against the law to disturb a funeral service. Fortunately for those aged aunts from the old country who moan and wail at funerals, the words “maliciously and willfully” are also a part of this law.

You will find the public drunk and disorderly law in this section of the South Carolina code. That, and the three examples above, make it clear that it is public policy in this state that public life and gatherings be allowed to proceed in an orderly fashion, free from disturbance by drunks and jerks.

But also in the “Offenses Against Public Policy” section you will find laws that prohibit cockfighting, eavesdropping, peeping, obscene phone calling, selling tobacco to minors, desecrating the American flag, desecrating human remains, desecrating gravestones, filing false police reports, and impersonating law enforcement officers. We all know that such conduct is against the law. But there are other laws in this section that are archaic or weird or make you think, “I didn’t know that.” Let me give you some examples.

It is against the law to remove a state line boundary marker, refuse to relinquish a party telephone line for an emergency call, desecrate the confederate flag, solicit people outside the state to come work in the state unless you are licensed to do so, use fortune telling,

�e��re � ���er � TempSure Tx Courtesy of Dr. J. Khalil

T

here is a phenomenon experienced by most lawyers while doing legal research. The phenomenon is running across something interesting while looking for something else. That happened to me recently.

Criminal defense work is outside my areas of practice but for some reason I found myself having to look something up in the South Carolina criminal law.

While there I noticed a section entitled, “Offenses Against Public Policy.”

It piqued my curiosity so I clicked on it and discovered a veritable smorgasboard of prohibited offenses. A first offense violation of most of these laws appears to be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail sentence up to thirty days. But subsequent violations result in heavier penalties in case a violator didn’t get the point the first time.

I thought I would share some of these with you.

It is against the law to disturb a school or “act in an obnoxious manner thereon.” It occurs to me that at least half of all middle school students may be guilty of violating this law. But let this stand as a word of caution to any parent who may be inclined to charge into school to “bless out” the principal or teacher over “little Billy’s” failing grade.

It is against the law to willfully and maliciously disturb a religious service. Isn’t it fortuitous that the words “willfully and maliciously” are in this law? Otherwise, snoring men, perfume drenched women, and off-key choirs might be arrested for disturbing a religious service. It is also a violation of

cigarette load, you know, one of those things that makes the end of a cigar or cigarette blow up when lit.

I found some laws that I don’t understand why they were ever laws in the first place. For example, dealers of crossties have to keep a public record of from whom the crossties were purchased, the number of crossties purchased, and the land from whence the crossties were cut.

Figure that one out. If you want to read these laws in depth they are found in Title 16, Chapter 17, of the South Carolina Code of Laws and there is a link to the South Carolina Code at our state’s official web-site, www.sc.gov. yc

PAGE 21

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Wordsmithing

Articulate Creativity

By Beth Crosby

Put your goals into action today: Here’s how

I

hope you are celebrating your daily writing successes.

In the January column, you read how to establish goals and take incremental actions to achieve success.

Start today

Were you able to determine your specific goals? If not, now is a good time to start. The January column will be helpful to you too.

Develop SMART Goals

The acronym SMART helps you create successful goals.

Your goals should be: Specific Measurable Achievable Results based Time sensitive

Maybe you want to write 60,000 words this year, or 165 words per day, seven days per week. If that’s a stretch, plan an achievable goal of 40,000 words this year, which is 125 words per day if you start February 15.

To really stretch, consider writing more on weekends or holidays and aspire to a goal of 100,000 words. (You won’t keep all you write during the year, so the final project won’t be too large for your hard drive!)

Another idea is to set a minimum amount of time to write each day or week. Are you committed to writing five hours per week?

If you commit to write an hour per day, five days per week, you’ll write 20 hours per month, and 240 hours this year (based on 365 days). Over the course of a year, you will have put

Take advantage of 24/7 digital access!

You’ll never have to wait to access the latest legal news, opinion digests, and legal resources.

A digital access account is included with your print subscription to South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.

in the equivalent of six work weeks (240/40=6). See how easy that was?

What can you accomplish in six weeks? Maybe you want to stretch to nine hours weekly. Write an hour daily and more on the weekends or when you have more time. That brings you to 12 work weeks devoted to writing in one year!

Start where you are comfortable, then challenge yourself to reach your full potential.

Practice believing

Read your goals aloud. If you read them believing you can achieve them, you will inspire yourself daily. If you don’t believe your goals, you won’t achieve them.

Even if you don’t believe you can achieve the goals you set, you can physiologically make your brain believe.

Read your goals with conviction. Smile.

Put your hands on your hips. Lift your chin and your voice.

After faking your excitement, you’ll see that you begin to enthusiastically claim your goals. You’ll believe your own hype! If you don’t believe in yourself who else will?

Begin to complete the daily, weekly, and monthly steps you’ve established as the route to accomplish your goals.

Write your short-term goals for the next 90 days then read them daily to celebrate small wins! (Put an X on your calendar every day to remind yourself that you read your goals out loud. Add another every day that you see daily, for example.)

Perhaps you’ve chosen to write daily in your journal to establish your commitment to writing. Daily achievements motivate you to continue.

Write these goals where you can see them, read them aloud, and acknowledge your achievement daily.

Set your number

Register your email to get full, behind-the-paywall access at sclawyersweekly.com PAGE 22

Your goals must be measurable, or tied to a number. This aspect of your goal lets you know how well you succeeded. You can determine your success or how to improve by using the daily time or word count as a benchmark.

Will you write 500 words per day?

That’s shorter than this column.

Recording your word count is easy.

Look at the bottom left corner of your Word document, and you will see it there. You can also highlight the whole document (CTRL+A), go under the REVIEW tab, and select WORD COUNT in the upper left.

If you’re writing a first draft, the writing will be stream of consciousness or pulling your writing together. If you’re working on rewrites, you might commit to writing for time instead of word count.

You must determine what works for you. If word counts don’t work, try setting a time goal. If writing alone doesn’t work, turn on the radio or TV for ambient noise.

Perhaps you need to be in the company of other writers or online with them. The Writers Circle Group on Facebook writes together every second Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m.

Perhaps you would benefit from an accountability.

Regularly measure your commitment by the actions you carried out. Set a reminder to measure your performance at the end of every week.

Set times to write and celebrate your achievement with something that doesn’t cost much. For some people, earning a hot bath for writing an hour is worth setting aside all projects to focus on their goal.

How will you achieve your writing goals this year? yc Beth Crosby is a freelance editor and writing coach. She works with individuals, publishers, and businesses. Contact her at Beth@ EditorBeth.com.

Recording your word count is easy. Look at the bottom left corner of your Word document, and you will see it there. You can also highlight the whole document (CTRL+A) and go under the REVIEW tab and select WORD COUNT in the upper left.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Music

Tuning In To York County

By Tim Jones

Honoring Alex Trebek with some Musical Jeopardy

M

any folks in the YC area were saddened by the recent passing of TV show Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek.

Thousands of YC residents tuned in during Trebek’s 37 year run as host. A number of YC residents were contestants. I was a fan and remain a fan as a permanent replacement host is being sought. I maintain that if I were allowed to compete, I would be a contender, provided I was allowed a pause button and internet access. A recliner, a bowl of popcorn and a diet soda would be nice, too.

In honor of Alex Trebek, this month we play musical jeopardy. 5 musical categories, 5 answers each category, questions at

Key Who’s in a name?

1. Bob Dylan 2. Conway Twitty 3. Snoop Dog 4. Sting 5. Sade Who’s she in a song title?

1. Amy 2. Alison 3. Beth 4. Prudence 5. Fancy Who’s he in a song title?

1. Charlie Brown 2. Bobby McGee 3. Sue 4. Johnny B. Goode 5. Kenneth Who first wrote this?

1. Wolfgang 2. Johann 3. Ludwig 4. Johannes 5. Claude Who wrote this?

1. Woody Guthrie 2. Stephen Foster 3. Jimmie Davis, governor of Louisiana 4. Neil Diamond 5. The Bee Gees

the end. Have fun, and we will play double jeopardy next month.

Who’s in a name? ( birth name is given. Looking for celebrity name) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Robert Allen Zimmerman Harold Lloyd Jenkins Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner Helen Folasade Adu

Who’s she in a song title?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pure Prairie League didn’t know what she was going to do in 1975.

Elvis Costello said her aim was true in 1977 Kiss heard her calling in 1976 The Beatles called her dear in 1968 Reba McEntire gave her one chance in 1990

Who’s he in a song title?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

He walked in the classroom cool and slow with The Coasters in 1959 Janis Joplin sang about me and this guy in 1969 Johnny Cash sang about a boy named this in 1969 Chuck Berry sang about this country boy who could play a guitar just like a’ringin’ a bell in 1958 R.E.M. asked this guy about the frequency in 1994

Who first wrote this?

(Give the first name of the classical composer) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Mozart Bach Beethoven Brahms Debussy

South Carolina Lawyers Weekly will host the thirteenth annual Leadership in Law awards event in 2021 to recognize South Carolina lawyers who are going above and beyond within their career and community.

We accept nominations from anyone who would like to nominate an influential leader who has achieved success in his or her law practice, made contributions to society and had an impact on the legal profession.

Nominees should be licensed attorneys practicing law in South Carolina.

NOMINATE A LEADER TODAY! Visit: sclawyersweekly.com/south-carolinaleadership-in-law-nominations/ INTERESTED IN BEING A SPONSOR?

Contact Andrea Mounts for more information at 704.817.1346 or amounts@sclawyersweekly.com

Who wrote this?

(Name the songwriter) 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“This Land is Your Land” 1944 “The Swanee River” 1851 “You Are My Sunshine” 1939 “I’m a Believer” 1967 and “Red, Red Wine” 1983 “Islands in the Stream” 1982 yc

In partnership with

Tim Jones is owner of Woody’s Music in Rock Hill and co-owner of Woody’s Music in Tega Cay. PAGE 23

February 2021

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

Photo Gallery York County Scrapbook Prepared by Nancy Sambets, Director of Archives

Puppy Love

M

ost dog owners consider their pet to be a member of the family. But prior to the 19th century, these domesticated animals were used for practical purposes such as hunting, tracking and guarding. Often referred to as man’s best friend, dogs today may serve as a protector, helper, life saver or companion. It appears that these delightful pups from the past were held in affection by their owners. yc

This furry dog appears to have barked when its photo was taken c. 1950 while posing with an unidentified young woman. This image is from the Francis Lewis Collection. Courtesy of the Historical Center of York County, SC.

Nancy Sambets is the Director of Archives at the Historical Center of York County in York. She has a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of South Carolina and has been employed as an archivist with the Culture & Heritage Museums since 2001. Contact her at nsambets@chmuseums.org or 803-818-6766.

This lucky dog seems to enjoy its wagon ride in a photograph taken about 1910 and marked “Mrs. S.E. Willice, Filbert” possibly Sarah Emma Wallace (1870-1944) wife of Robert Lee Wallace (1859-1904). All photos courtesy of the Historical Center of York County, SC.

PAGE 24

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

This alert dog had its photo taken about 1930 with two unidentified children. This image is part of the Mary Alice Sifford Collection.

In this undated photograph, a cute pup belonging to the Col. W.W. Lewis family appears to be going for a drink of water at the nearby spigot.

This relaxed pup belonging to Mrs. Betsy Abernathy had its picture taken c. 1960 by York photographer David “Dave” L. Good (1931-1995).

PAGE 25

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

This clever dog appears to be waiting for a treat from an unidentified woman in this photograph taken about 1910. The image is from the Francis Lewis Collection.

This easygoing pup looks comfortable sitting in a wooden soapbox, or go-cart, with an unidentified young friend in this photograph taken about 1910. The image is from the Francis Lewis Collection.

PAGE 26

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

This happy dog is getting attention from an unidentified young friend while having its photo taken about 1910.

This image is from the Francis Lewis Collection.

A handsome bulldog posing with an unidentified young boy and unidentified man had its picture taken c. 1950. This image is from the Tripp Family Collection.

A pretty pup sits next to an unidentified young woman in this photograph taken about 1910.

Could this be the same dog that was sitting in the go-cart? This image is from the Francis Lewis Collection.

PAGE 27

yc The Great Outdoors February 2021

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

Go Play Outside

By Cameron Shook

Hiking with kids

The author and his family demonstrate different child carriers for the serious hiker. Photos/Cameron Shook

H

iking with kids can mean a lot of different things. Does it mean, like in my childhood, hikes of three or less miles where dad has one of my siblings on his shoulders until he begs for relief?

Or does it mean — what’s happened to me before — having someone come up from behind and excuse themselves for overtaking me, just to find it’s some super dad with their kid in a backpack tackling the hill like a Sherpa on amphetamines? There’s a spectrum, obviously, but as we continue to deal with pandemic culture shock nearly a year later, I’m seeing more people out hiking with children than ever before. And considering this is a rather new hobby of mine for the last year and a half, I figured I’d share what I’ve found that helps.

Let me preface the rest of the article by saying that, like many things in this world, quality gear can turn something from a mediocre experience to a great time. You also, inevitably, will pay for cheap twice (or more). All the gear I’m about to discuss we purchased second hand through Facebook marketplace, sample sales, or from other parents we knew whose kids had outgrown it. While there’s nothing wrong with buying new, buying inferior quality gear because the “good stuff” is too expensive is definitely PAGE 28

not true when it comes to any kind of baby item; there’s always someone looking to sell a “used” one that maybe has been out of the house twice.

We took our son on his first “hiking” trip when he was four weeks old; he covered very little ground on his own, as you might imagine, so we definitely had to do all the work. With infants who can’t properly support their own heads you’re really limited to either strollers, chest carriers, or sling style carriers. With the diligence of a sniper, my wife had been watching for a good deal on a jogger type stroller to better transport our child off pavement. It allowed us to go into areas that didn’t just have pavement, and the shocks actually allowed some very slight bumpiness to not jostle them too badly. She ended up finding a Thule model that would double as a bike trailer if need ever arose.

This was my main method during the babyheavy-head stage, but my wife preferred a soft structured carrier like a Sakura Bloom sling style carrier. I tried one of the tacticool, appeal-to-young-dads, chest carriers and neither the kid or I enjoyed the experience and I quickly sold that to fund other purchases.

Once your kid is able to sit up on their own, a new world opens up in terms of

transport options. Some kids still love the sling style carriers, but we found that our kid loved a backpack style carrier where he could sit upright and look out over our heads; he’s always been adamant he has to see what’s going on, and this gave him the best seat in the house. It also allowed us to carry him more efficiently on pretty much any terrain we ourselves could walk with a backpack. He’s been in a backpack carrier up mountains, down mountains, across streams and even occasionally he wanted to sit in it at home and quietly play by himself for a few blessed minutes. In the outdoor company realm, there are really only two players for a backpack child carrier: Dueter and Osprey. We’ve actually bought both over the last year and, while similar, they’re very different in terms of what they do best.

The Osprey Poco is hands down our winner for the carrier’s comfort: the adjustable length waistband, the precise torso adjustments, and overall fit is much better than the Dueter. The pockets are well thought out, the kickstand is robust, and it even has a hydration bladder sleeve and tube ports so you can easily keep drinking on the go. The problem, at least with our kid, is the limited adjustability in how tightly it conforms to his torso seems to make him a little claustrophobic. He has great visibility out of the top, and the shoulder retaining straps are a breeze to lock him into place, but it’s a topdown child loading system, so now that he’s beginning to walk for a bit on his own, we have to shove his muddy boots down past where he’s going to be sitting, getting him muddy in the process. Overall, the Osprey Poco would be the winner — except my kid just doesn’t like it as much as the Deuter.

The Deuter Kid Comfort we have is much more...well...German. It’s built like a tank and is very functional. It does feature ad-

justing torso length for me and my wife to both use the same pack, but the stiffness of all its suspension components just doesn’t conform as well as the Osprey. Also, there’s not a separate hydration sleeve/hose ports unless you spring for the Kid Comfort Pro model. However, there is a side access to keep your kid’s muddy feet out of the seating area as much as possible, plenty of adjustability to allow your kid to lean back and have some room to spare, and while the adjustment system isn’t the best, I’ve easily carried my kid for over eight miles on a day hike and didn’t feel any more sore than I do after carrying my camera bag.

And once your kid begins to walk, at least with mine, we now have to build in time for our favorite game of pick up the rock, throw the rock, investigate that leaf, splash in that puddle, go touch that sign, go look for that rock that was thrown, wave at the dog walking by, and in 20 or 30 minutes I’ll be ready to be carried again for an hour before we play the game again. That said, he’s now progressed to where he’s walking, at a decent clip, for up to a half mile before getting tired and letting us carry him; not bad for being not even a year and a half old yet. As for advice on what to do from here? I don’t know; I haven’t gotten there yet.

I read something Corran Addison, a world famous kayaker said about teaching his two and three- year-olds to solo whitewater kayak. “Always make it fun. Some days you want to go paddling, but instead they just want to skip rocks. Or they want to swim. Or they want to go play in the mud.

Forcing it will only make them want to do it less, so just enjoy it for what it is.” While I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to take a two-year-old and let them solo kayak on a river, there’s definitely a lot of truth in just enjoying it for what it is. There have been some trips where, in an hour, we covered 200 yards...and then we went home. But that’s fine; I’m just happy that for now, he seems to enjoy being outside as much as I do. yc Cameron Shook is an avid outdoors enthusiast who has more outdoor experience than most people twice his age. Cameron is also an avid photographer whose images have been seen in YC Magazine for several years. You can contact Cameron through camshuck@gmail.com. You can locate other columns and comments by Cam at www.shookscamphere.com or follow him on Instagram @shookscamphere.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

yc A Dog’s Life February 2021

Pawprints On Our Heart

By Lauren Paige Powell

Positive doorbell reaction

I

have dog owners contact me weekly about their dog’s reaction to the doorbell. “My dog barks and goes nuts when somebody is at our front door,” or “He doesn’t stop barking at the front door when I constantly yell at him ‘No.’” Most of us want to be alerted if a stranger approaches our home or our family. We want our land, our homes and our children protected. We all would like to be notified if unexpected visitors are heading to our front door. This is just another reason why I love and appreciate dogs so much -- they watch over us, they protect us.

Your dog barking at the front door is a good thing, trust me. Instead of yelling your dog’s name, yelling “No” in a negative tone, try the opposite. After the doorbell rings and they bark a few times, call your dog’s name in a positive tone and thank him for letting you know someone is out-

depositphotos.com side, cheer “Yes!” Everyone loves to be told “Yes!” Get excited and call their name, clap your hands and redirect them into another room so you can see who is at your door.

In the early stages of training, I always recommend using healthy treats to get them excited to follow you. Using high value rewards as often as you can is the most effective way to teach a new behavior using positive reinforcement. Treats are like paychecks to dogs, could you imagine working for weeks and not getting a paycheck? If your dog isn’t necessarily food motivated, discover what he values and utilize it as a reward instead of food. Some dogs absolutely love tennis balls, or car rides, or fetching a frisbee. Each dog is different and have their own value system, just like humans do.

I have one dog who will lick your face off if someone walks through the front door. I

have another dog who will put you in the hospital if you walk through our front door.

They balance each other out very nicely, though. They play beautifully and are the best of friends, which is rare, because they are both females. However, my dog that will give you stitches is impeccably trained and she’s one of the most phenomenal dogs I’ve ever had the pleasure of rescuing. I had her DNA sent in and she is a Chow Chow (tend to be fiercely protective), Staffordshire Terrier, Boxer and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. She is naturally wired to protect; it’s in her DNA. I can modify that behavior, but I will never be able to 100% stop that behavior. It’s naturally how she is wired. With her being female, she is very protective of our two toddlers. We respect that wholeheartedly and we always set her up for success.

When someone is at our front door and

she starts to bark, I give her a second and then I thank her for barking and call her name and tell her “place.” “Place” is wherever I point for her to go and sit and wait until I give their next command.

This way, if it is not a stranger at my front door, I can invite them in and not have to worry about tails and paws in the way. However, if it’s someone that looks intimidating at my front door? I most definitely keep my guard dog at my hip. There are some dogs that are wired to be naturally protective -- respect that. Compromise.

Put them in a place behind a door they can see from, to see that you are okay. If your dog goes nuts and makes it worse then put them in a different room. If I have to put my dog behind a door she can’t see out of, after a minute I open the door and let her know “I am OK” and give her the command to “wait one moment.” Then I hand her a special treat to reward her and keep her occupied while I talk to my guests. This way she won’t associate the doorbell or guests with something negative, she gets a special treat while she patiently waits. You can also put a small sign on your front door that tells your guests “Our dog is in training, please be patient with us.”

When I teach “Place” to my clients and their dogs, the next step is adding “sit” and finally “stay.” So, wherever you point and say “Place” your dog will go to that location, sit and stay, and wait for your next command. Mastering this exercise takes consistency, trust, communication, and patience. As I stated before, not every dog is able to guarantee they will never break a command. I recommend trying something new this year if your dog barks uncontrollably at the doorbell. Reward them for letting you know someone is there and redirect them in a positive way. Get excited! They feed off your energy! Always remember, you have to be more exciting and valuable than any other distraction out there in your dog’s mind. Once you develop that relationship and communication with your dog, your possibilities are endless.

Try saying “Yes” this year instead of “No.” It’s a guaranteed game changer. yc Lauren Paige Powell is a canine behavioral specialist and the owner/operator of Gallop and Growl. For more information visit www.

GallopAndGrowl.com.

PAGE 29

yc Nutrition & Food Safety

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Your Food, Your Kitchen, And You

By Angela P. Forbes, MS, RDN, LD

Focus on fluid needs for optimal health

T

he following is information from Clemson’s Home and Garden information Center. During colder months, it may be harder for us to remember to consume adequate fluid each day. All beverages are mostly water, a nutrient essential to life. Body function is dependent on water; you can survive only a few days without. Your total body weight is 55-65% water - approximately 10 to 12 gallons. Water makes up about 83% of blood, 79% of muscles, 25% of body fat, 31% of bones, and 64% of skin.

Eighty percent of total fluid intake comes from beverages of all kinds — the other 20% comes from the foods. Fruits and vegetables — fresh, frozen, canned — contain water. Watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce and celery are composed of more than 90% water; oranges are 87% water.

Milk, soymilk, juice and soup all pro-

Wine Made In The True Small Batch Craftsman Style.

803-327-6622

www.CatsPawWinery.com For a Unique Tasting Experience!

York County’s only Winery “Visit for a Tasting…Stay for a Bottle.”

18 Varieties • Whites & Reds Tasting Room 1567 Fayrene Road • Rock Hill, SC Open Thursday-Saturday 12p-8p PAGE 30

vide water.

Choose water as your primary beverage. Water is (usually) inexpensive, readily available, contains no calories, fat, cholesterol, or caffeine, and low in sodium. Other benefits of water include: • Prevents dehydration • Regulates body temperature to about 98.6° F • Reduces fluid retention • Gives the feeling of fullness when consumed with a meal • Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells • Provides moisture to skin and other tissues • Helps prevent constipation • Cushions and lubricates joints • Helps strengthen muscles • Assists in removing waste from the body through urination Tap water, especially from large municipal water systems, is just as safe as bottled water and less expensive. If bottled water encourages you to drink more water, it may be worthwhile. Some bottled water is reprocessed tap water and some bottled others have added sugar and sodium.

The simple daily recommendation has been to consume 8 to12 cups of water replacing that lost through perspiration, breathing, urination, and bowel movements. This will help avoid dehydration and to keep the body working normally.

In general, one quart of water is needed daily for every 50 pounds of body weight. The exact amount of water needed depends on age; gender; weight; health; level of physical activity; foods eaten; any medications taken; and the weather.

Thirst is one sign that you need fluids. Your current fluid intake is probably adequate if you drink enough water to quench your thirst, you feel well, and you produce a normal amount of urine that is colorless or slightly yellow. However, do not wait until you feel thirsty before drinking something. Sometimes the brain doesn’t get the thirst signal. Older adults often lose the ability to sense thirst.

Signs of dehydration

• Increased body temperature • Nausea

Depositphotos.com • Fragmented sleep • Constipation • Labored breathing *If you are properly hydrated, urine should be clear to pale yellow. You should urinate every 2 to 3 hours.

Tips for drinking more water

• Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up each day.

• Every morning fill a 64-ounce to 96-ounce container with water for the day. When you drink all the water in the container, you have met your daily water need of 8 to 12 cups.

• Drink water with meals and snacks.

• Add slices of lemon, lime or orange to water for a hint of flavor.

• Start your meal with soup occasionally.

• Enjoy water breaks instead of coffee or tea breaks.

• Take water bottles* with you to work and when running errands.

• Keep a cup of water on your desk to sip on as you work at the computer.

• When passing a water fountain, stop and take a drink.

• Instead of a soft drink, or soda, reach for bottled water in the convenience store, as well as from the vending machine.

• At social gatherings substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks, or

alternate them.

• Pack bottled water in your carry-on luggage when traveling by plane.

Drink 1 cup of fluid for every hour of your flight.

• Drink water before, every 15 minutes during, and after physical activity.

• Weigh before and after exercise. The difference is almost all water. Replace each pound lost with 2 cups of water. *Every time you drink, bacteria from your mouth contaminate water in the bottle. Keep your water bottle clean or replace it often.

Wash it in hot, soapy water or run it through a dishwasher. If you use a bottle repeatedly, make sure it is designed for reuse.

Although it is extremely rare in healthy adults, it is possible to drink too much water. If you are concerned about drinking too much or too little water, let your doctor or a registered dietitian help you determine the amount that is best for you. See a doctor if you are always thirsty or urinate too much, because these may be signs of diabetes. yc Angela P. Forbes, MS, RDN, LD, is the Regional Food Safety and Nutrition Agent at the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offices in York. She strives to bring practical, useful, research-based information to the citizens of South Carolina. Contact her at 803-385-6181.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

yc Animal Health February 2021

Living With Animals

By Kelly Baete, DVM

Avoid this common toxin

pen after hours or when you least expect it, the ASPCA has an Animal Poison Control Center with a 24-hour hotline (888-4264435) that can connect you with a veterinary toxicology specialist. Consultations with Animal Poison Control are around $65. However, if your pet has a microchip that is registered with HomeAgain, poison control consultations are free. Simply provide your pet’s microchip number to the person on the phone. As with most accidental poisonings, prevention is key. Check labels when purchasing sugar free products and try to avoid products that contain xylitol - opting instead for non-toxic sugar alcohols like sorbitol or mannitol. Keep purses, packets of gum, and chocolate of course, out of reach of curious pets who have a knack for sniffing out sweets. Here’s to wishing you and your furry Valentine a safe and healthy holiday!

Animal-specific poison control centers:

• The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC): 888-426-4435 ($65 consultation fee) • Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661 ($49 consultation fee). yc

W

in toothpaste, vitamins, cosmetics, deodorant, and even athletic clothing! For humans, xylitol is not harmful and may even have some health benefits. But for dogs, even small quantities can be deadly.

While Xylitol is ubiquitous in our daily lives, the most commonly ingested form of this toxin in dogs is sugar free gum. A small dog can easily be poisoned by a single stick of gum that contains xylitol. The amount of xylitol found in sugar free gum varies widely between different brands and even between different flavors of the same brand. In dogs, small doses of xylitol cause the pancreas to release disproportionately large amounts of insulin, resulting in a rapid drop in the blood sugar. Signs of hypoglycemia occur within 30 minutes of ingestion and can last more than 12 hours. Symptoms often begin with vomiting and diarrhea, progressing to incoordination, collapse, and seizures. If left untreated, loss of consciousness and death will occur. In addition to this life-threatening drop in blood sugar, many dogs also suffer severe damage to their liver 2-3 days

after the ingestion of xylitol. Damage to the liver can occur even if the dog does not show symptoms of hypoglycemia. Sadly, many dogs will succumb to symptoms associated with liver failure weeks to months after consuming xylitol.

If you are concerned that your dog ingested a product containing artificial sweeteners, contact your veterinary clinic, emergency veterinary facility, or poison control hotline right away. It is very important to have the package with the ingredient list available along with an idea of when and how much of the substance was ingested.

Treatment of xylitol poisoning involves intensive care and hospitalization with careful monitoring of the blood sugar and liver function. Vomiting can be induced if the toxin has recently been ingested. But because xylitol can be rapidly absorbed, additional therapy will almost always be needed.

Interestingly, most other species (including cats) do not seem to be affected by xylitol in the same way as our canine companions.

Because these types of things often hap-

Dr. Kelly Baete is founder and co-owner of Baxter Veterinary Clinic in Tega Cay. She met her husband, Dr. James Doyle, in veterinary school at Purdue University and they live in Fort Mill with their 2 children, 2 dogs, and a cat. Professionally, Dr. Baete enjoys internal medicine, small exotic mammals, ophthalmology, and animal behavior. In her free time she enjoys reading, riding horses, walking her dogs at the ASC Greenway, and spending time with family and friends.

NT

RA

L CA

S ANIMAL H ROLINA OSP ITA L,L LC

ith Valentine’s Day coming up, there are sure to be plenty of sweets laying around. Most people are well aware that chocolate is toxic to pets. Chocolate contains caffeine and a compound called theobromine that can cause heart arrhythmias and seizures. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine, with cocoa powder being the most poisonous to dogs. What many people don’t realize is that there is an even more toxic “sweet” that is easily accessible and very poisonous to dogs.

What is this poisonous “sweet?” It is an artificial sweetener called Xylitol that is popular because it has the same level of sweetness as sugar with far fewer calories.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is extracted from hardwood trees and is found naturally in a variety of different plants and mushrooms. Because of its low glycemic index, xylitol is commonly used in gum, candy, baked goods, jelly, peanut butter, and many other sugar free foods. It also has antimicrobial properties and can be found

CE

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in products like sugarless chewing gum, is very dangerous for your pup.

Treat your pet to a spa day!

Now offering grooming services

We treat your pets

like family Dr. Robin LePardo

803-985-2224

2360 Celanese Road • Rock Hill, SC CentralCarolinasAnimalHospital.com PAGE 31

yc Aging

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Successfully Senior

By Deb Pittman

Staying well in the wintertime

A

lthough contagious viruses are active year-round, seniors are most vulnerable to contagious viruses in fall and winter. That’s because we spend more time indoors with other people when the weather gets cold. Fortunately, you can fight back with several medicines and vaccines.

Most respiratory bugs come and go within a few days, with no lasting effects.

But some cause serious health problems.

People who use tobacco or who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more prone to respiratory illnesses and more severe complications than nonsmokers.

Colds or Flu? Colds usually cause a stuffy or runny nose and sneezing. Other symptoms include coughing, a scratchy throat, and wa-

tery eyes. There is no vaccine against colds, which come on gradually and often spread through contact with infected mucus.

Flu comes on suddenly and lasts longer than colds. Flu symptoms include fever, headache chills, dry cough, body aches, fatigue, and general misery. Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. You can also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it.

Flu season in the United States may begin as early as October and can last as late as May, and generally peaks between December and February.

It’s not too late to get vaccinated. Everyone ages 6 months and older should be vaccinated against the flu. It’s ideal to be vaccinated by October, although vaccination into February and beyond can still offer protection. Annual vaccination is especially

Aging & Disability Resource Center • • •

Family Caregiver Support Program Long Term Care Options Medicare Counseling Extra Help Programs

• • •

Medication Management Fraud Prevention Information, Referral & Assistance

important for people at high risk for developing serious complication from flu—including people with certain health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart and lung disease and people 65 and older.

The Department of Health & Human Services (DHEC) clinics offer flu shots by appointment.

York Health Department 116 North Congress Street in York Appointment only – call 855-472-3432

Rock Hill Health Department 1070 Heckle Blvd in Rock Hill Appointment only – call 855-472-3432

Practice healthy habits • Wash your hands often. Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds.

• Limit exposure to infected people.

• Eat a balanced diet.

• Get enough sleep.

• Exercise.

• Do your best to keep stress in check.

What to do is you’re already sick • Call your healthcare provider to start treatment as early as possible.

• Limit your exposure to other people.

When around people cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

• Stay hydrated and rested. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks.

• Gargle with salt water may relieve a sore throat.

• Use a cool-mist humidifier to help relieve stuffy noses.

Talk to your health care provider and pharmacist to find out what medicines will work best for you.

In addition to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, there are FDA-approved prescription medications for treating flu.

Chester, Lancaster, Union, York Counties (803) 329-9670 1-800-662-8330 www.Catawba-Aging.com 2051 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732

PAGE 32

Cold and flu complications may include bacterial infections (e.g., bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infections, and pneumonia) that could require antibiotics. Read medicine labels carefully and follow the directions.

People with certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, should check with their health care provider or pharmacist before taking a new cough and cold medicines.

Choose OTC medicines appropriate for your symptoms.

• Nasal decongestants unclog a stuffy nose.

• Cough suppressants quiet coughs.

• Expectorants loosen mucus.

• Antihistamines help stop a runny nose and sneezing.

• Pain relievers can ease fever, headaches, and minor aches.

Check the medicine’s side effects. Medications can cause drowsiness and interact with food, alcohol, dietary supplements, and each other. It’s best to tell your health care professional and pharmacist about every medical product and supplement you are taking.

See a health care professional if you aren’t getting any better. Be alert for high fevers and for abnormal behavior such as unusual drowsiness, lack of appetite and wheezing.

Signs of trouble for all people can include: • • • • •

A cough that disrupts sleep.

A fever that won’t respond to treatment.

Increased shortness of breath.

Face pain caused by a sinus infection.

High fever, chest pain, or a difference in the mucus you’re producing, after feeling better for a short time. yc

More information about aging and issues important to senior citizens is available at www. aging.sc.gov or by calling Deb Pittman at 803329-9670

Mobile Pantry Schedule The 2021 Mobile Pantry Schedule is being finalized.

For more information, call Catawba Area Agency on Aging, 803-329-9670.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

yc Your Library February 2021

Check It Out

By Stacy Williams

Celebrating Black History Month

D

uring the month of February, York County Library will host its annual Black History Month Trivia Contest and will host a virtual program honoring the life of Jackie Robinson. You can also check out Black History books on display and online through YCL’s Virtual Library.

Black History Month Trivia Contest To participate, pick up a copy of the quiz at any York County Library location and return the completed form by 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27. Special thanks to quiz creator and law librarian Melanie Creech.

Bright Star Theatre presents Jackie Robinson - This 45-minute play will highlight some of the best moments of Jackie Robinson’s career and his contribution to ending segregation. Best appreciated by audiences in Pre-K to 5th grade and family audiences. To view this video, visit the YCL YouTube Channel starting Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. and replay it at your convenience until Feb. 15. For more information on Bright Star Theatre, visit: www.brightstartheatre.com.

York County Reads: Find Your Voice Through Art

The Second Annual York County Reads program ends Feb. 28. This exciting program connects readers throughout York County as they read the same books at the same time. Our goal is to promote literacy and community engagement. This year, all ages can read about finding your voice through art. Read one or both of our featured books and get inspired to be creative! Encourage others around you to sign up and read together and tag us on social media with #yorkcountyreads2021. You can also meet the authors virtually for discussions and Q&As. Here is a list of upcoming events: • Poetry Corner for Kids: “One Word” – Thursday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m., Join Miss Karen to explore the importance of finding your voice. Then, write and decorate your own acrostic poem – it is yours to keep or give away! Use materials you have around your house to create your poem or pick up “take and make” supplies at the Main Library in Rock Hill, starting February 1. Supplies are limited. Recommended for ages 5 and up. To view this video, vis-

it the YCL YouTube Channel starting Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. and replay it at your convenience until Feb. 28.

• Cookin’ in the Kitchen with Ms. Rhonda – Thursday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m., Let’s celebrate reading “The Word Collector” by Peter Reynolds for York County Reads by whipping up a piping hot pot of alphabet soup. To view this video, visit the YCL YouTube Channel starting Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. and replay it at your convenience until March 31.

• Virtual Author Visit with Renée Watson: Saturday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m.

Renée Watson is a New York Times-bestselling author, educator, and activist. Her young adult novel, “Piecing Me Together,” received a Coretta Scott King Award and Newbery Honor. Register online beginning Feb. 6 at events. yclibrary.org or call 803-981-5841.

Save the Date: Patchwork Tales 20th Anniversary

York County Library is pleased to present the 20th Annual Patchwork Tales Storytelling Festival March 11-13. Experience the magic of storytelling through one-of-a-kind performances from global, national, and local performers. Due to the global pandemic, we are offering storytelling concerts to everyone in the virtual world via YouTube, Facebook Live, and Zoom. Mark your calendars and join us as our community comes together to celebrate a time-honored tradition during this three-day storytelling extravaganza. Patchwork Tales is a community event created to support reading and literacy for all ages through traditional storytelling and other cultural art forms.

We will celebrate 20 years, with 20 performances! Regi Carpenter, Roger Day, Diane Ferlatte, Angelo Geter, Bil Lepp, Tim Lowery and more will highlight their individual styles for an unforgettable weekend of stories, music, and poetry. Participants can also enjoy humorous and colorful adaptations of classic folk and fairy tales with Pumpernickel Puppets. Theater students from Rock Hill High School, Northwestern High School, and York Preparatory Academy will also perform virtually. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary, youth ages 10-18

are encouraged to participate in our inaugural Patchwork Tales Visual Art Contest. Youth participants can submit 2D, 3D, digital art and photography Feb. 1 -15, 2021. Please submit visual entries to any YCL branch or digitally contact yclibrary.org/ask-a-ya-librarian.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit PatchWorkTales.org.

YCL’s New Resources

Discover YCL’s online Virtual Library for access to fast, reliable research resources. With a Library card, you can access free e-books, audiobooks, movies, music, and magazines from your phone, tablet, e-reader, or computer. Visit yclibrary.org/virtual-library, yclibrary.org/ self-publishing, and yclibrary.org/all-resources for a complete list of offerings.

New services include: • Flipster: Find popular magazines for all ages, with no overdue items and no limit to the number you can check out.

Access them anytime, anywhere, on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

• Salem Press E-Reference Books: A collection of current full-text sources covering diverse topics in the fields of health, science, literature and history.

• BiblioBoard Library: Discover local content from self-published S.C. authors, publish your own, and find new indie books from others around the world. All content has unlimited access and simultaneous use.

• Pressbooks: Create and publish, in BiblioBoard Library, professional-quality e-book and print-ready files using easy online software, in EPUB, MOBI, and PDF formats.

• Indie Author Project: Publish and submit your indie e-book to share across the area. Increase the exposure of your book, while retaining its rights, for a chance at statewide and national exposure.

Library Closings: All YCL locations will close for staff training on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Fort Mill Public Library will be close to the public February 8 – Feb. 28 for building and facility improvements. Thanks to

York County funding, this location will have its final HVAC unit replaced and new carpet installed. During this closing, Fort Mill Library staff will work at other YCL locations, curbside services and the book drop will be unavailable, no fines or fines will accrue while closed, holds will remain at the branch until opening, and holds already in transit cannot be redirected to another location. Please hold onto returns until reopening or return to another YCL location. We thank you in advance for your patience while we bring you a more efficient building and Library experience.

For scheduled closings and updates, please visit yclibrary.org. yc Stacy Williams is the Marketing Manager of the York County Library. She may be contacted by email at stacy.williams@yclibrary.org.

York County Libraries are located in Fort Mill, Clover, York, Lake Wylie and Rock Hill.

Creekside

Pharmacy Darlene Gardiner, R.Ph.

803-684-9096

1007 Creekside Medical Drive York, SC • Still OPEN for business 9AM-6PM Monday-Friday Saturday 9AM-1:30PM • Drive-Up window only • 24-hour drop box • Free Local Delivery • Friendly prescription assistance to synchronize your refills • Complete line of OTC products- Special Ordering available.

Select products are Buy 1 Get Second one 50% off • We accept most insurances • Fast Response

To us, it’s personal.

Locally owned & operated.

Part of YOUR COMMUNITY! PAGE 33

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

Small Arts Grants application deadline is March 1

Y

Poetry & Short Story | Youth & Adult

ork County artists, non-profit organizations, schools, and units of government are encouraged to apply for a Small Grant from the Arts Council of York County for events and activities happening in April through June 2021.

Small Grants were developed by the Arts Council of York County to help support projects of high artistic quality throughout York County, including Clover, Fort Mill, McConnells, Rock Hill, Sharon, York, and rural Western York County. New and developing programs and organizations throughout York County are eligible to apply for a Small Grant to support small or pilot arts activities. Special art projects that develop during the year are also eligible for small grants.

The deadline to apply for programs occurring April through June 2021 is Monday, March 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. This is a hard delivery deadline. It is not a postmark deadline. Should the deadline fall on a holiday or weekend, grant applications are due the last business day prior to the deadline.

Previous grant recipients include Lisa Bzowski (children’s book), ChristmasVille in Rock Hill, S.C. (window displays and themed alleys), Concerts at the Courtroom (Sidebar Sessions), Fort Mill Middle School (soprano ukuleles), and York County Library (winter reading program).

Organizations and individual artists may request up to $1,000 per grant and may receive up to two grants in a calendar year. Prospective applicants must consult with Reba Bowens, Interim Associate Director for Operations and Membership, at least 10 days in advance of the application deadline date. Email Reba at rbowens@yorkcountyarts.org for more information and to schedule a meeting. The Arts Council will only accept applications beginning 1 week prior to each deadline through 5 p.m. on the date of the deadline. Information and applications are available through the Arts Council at (803)328-2787, or on the Arts Council’s website at www. yorkcountyarts.org/grants.

Want to get Noticed?

Advertise in YC Magazine!

Contact Andrea Mounts (803) 638-0366 PAGE 34

Please be aware: • applying for Small Grants is a competitive process. There is always more demand for funding than there are available funds.

• It is imperative that you submit a complete application and prepare for a 10-minute interview with the panel members who will be judging the applications.

• Applications must be complete and include bios/resumes and any other information that would make the application stronger. When available, include budget narrative, partners, confirmed dates/ locations, and itemized expenses. Check your work.

• Consult with the Reba Bowens in advance and submit the application for review prior to the deadline to verify that the application has been completed correctly and in full.

• Do NOT place the Small Grant Application or accompanying materials in binders or folders. Staple or use a binder clip to secure the materials together.

• Be prepared for a personal interview and any questions the panel may ask. In

preparing for the interview, applicants should assume that panel members do not know their background, or any details of the proposed project. During the interview, applicants must be familiar with the guidelines and application itself.

• Submitting a correctly completed application and arriving prepared for the interview will assure that your application receives the highest marks and the largest funding for the quarter.

Incomplete applications will NOT be accepted.

This Small Grants program is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation, and Comporium Communications. yc The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at (803)3282787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at www.yorkcountyarts.org.

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

February 2021

LAST QUARTER Feb. 4, 12:38 p.m.

NEW MOON Feb. 11, 2:08 p.m.

FIRST QUARTER Feb. 19, 1:49 p.m.

FULL MOON Feb. 27, 3:19 a.m.

PAGE 35

yc magazine... York County’s Entertainingly Informative Magazine

February 2021

c

es

ss Gla

LET’S TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Cl

oth

ing

Coolers

See Us for All Your Valentines!

Golf Carts

Safes

Fir e

arm

s