How to Find Your Lost Dog or Cat

Here in Loudoun we are big animal lovers.  In fact, on the Leesburg, Va fan page, we are often posting about lost or found dogs and cats, and one of my greatest joys in administering that page is the number of times we're involved in reuniting lost pets with their scared and lonely owners.  So I wanted to do a post on what to do when your pet is lost.  Check it out:

1. Look for your pet.  Cats that are normally indoor cats don't go to far and are usually hiding close by.  Animals can also be injured, and may not be able to come to you. 
2. Call the local Animal Shelter and register your lost pet.
3. Setting traps for cats is encouraged - they hide well and will not come to you if they are scared.
4. Find that great picture of your pet (maybe a couple) and post them on your facebook page, community pages (like the Leesburg page) and any fan pages of local animal companies or organizations (like rescue organizations, the local shelter, vets, and groomers).  Ask that they all "share" the announcement.
5. Notify your vet.
6. Make flyers and posters.  See tips here.
7. Hand out your flyers to neighbors and visit the local pet stores, vets, groomers and shelter.  If the pet was lost in unfamiliar territory (while on vacation, after a recent move, etc). Be sure to do this kind of outreach in areas where your pet may go, as well as where they were lost. **
8. Put up your posters. See tips here.
9. Tag your car.  See tips here.
10. Visit ALL the local animal shelters, even a few counties away, and continue to revisit the local pet stores and pet adoption organizations. *
11. Register your lost pet online pet finder services like these: http://www.petfinder.com/, http://www.petamberalert.com/, http://www.homeagain.com/.
12. Contact local papers - often they will put free ads for you to announce your lost pet.

*  I really stress visiting the local animal shelters personally.  I lost a dog many years ago and was told repeatedly that there was no dog matching my dog's description there.  When we visited in person guess what we found?  Our dog.  He'd been there 2 weeks.

*  I also stress visiting more than one animal shelter.  My sister was renting a home in Berkley County WV, and her children let her 3 dogs out.  One came home by himself.  My sister tried to do all the "right things" including contacting local shelters about her missing dogs.  Six months later, she was at a picnic in Steven City, VA when someone showed up at the picnic, apologizing for being late, they had adopted a dog in Leesburg, VA... guess whose dog it was! What are the chances?  Somehow the dog ended up in the Loudoun County dog shelter, and after several weeks was given to a rescue organization who held frequent adoption events in Leesburg.  The chances of this happening are so astronomical I can't even fathom how it came together.  Sadly, the third dog was never returned.  The lesson here are that dogs can travel far and live on their own for a very long time - check with shelters even beyond the county where the dog is lost, and also with the rescue organizations (frequently). 

** When I was young, I had a dog that was "in love" with a neighbors dog when we lived in Oakton.  We moved to the Aldie area and my dog went back to his "girlfriend's" house many times - every time he could break away.  It's a long journey, the first time it took him 2 weeks, but after awhile he got the route down pat and he could make it there in a couple days. 

** When I was a teen, my dog got loose in Fauquier County (near Warrenton).  He returned to our home in Aldie on his own within 2 weeks.

** About 8 years ago, my cat (who we were trying to "make" an indoor cat and who was destined to be an indoor/outdoor cat) ran out our door and my husband chased him trying to get him back.  The cat was scared and ran and ran.  Eventually he wanted to come home, but had gotten lost running away.  He was found (thanks to our posters in the neighborhood) by a neighbor 2 streets over at a house that looked a lot like ours and which was also at the end of a culdesac.

Pets are our best friends.  Here in Loudoun we love our pets.  If you have a lost pet, please always post it on our facebook page - with nearly 4K residents online there, we can help you get the word out quickly to a wide audience. www.Facebook.com/LeesburgVa  We've been instrumental in reuniting several owners and their pets, and anytime there is a need, we want to be part of the solution.

This list of helpful hints and resources is brought to you by

Vicky Chrisner

Selling Homes and Land

in Leesburg and Loudoun County

703.669.3142

VChrisner@KW.com

Little League Baseball Opening Day Ceremonies

Central Loudoun Little League held opening day ceremonies, despite the threat of rain, this morning at Good Times Park in NE Leesburg.

There are 976 kids registered in CLLL this year, which includes 22 coach pitch teams.

Little League is open for kids aged 4 to 12.  Last year, Little League adopted a rule allowing children as young as four years old to join.  Loudoun just adopted the rule this year.

FETCH, the Loudoun Hounds mascot, came out to help inspire and motivate during the Opening Day Ceremonies.  The kids loved meeting him personally.

See more photos at www.Facebook.com/LeesburgVA

This message brought to you by Vicky Chrisner, a Real Estate Sales Consultant, wife, mom and long time community member of the Dulles area who currently makes her home in Leesburg, VA.  Managing blogs like these and the Leesburg, VA facebook page are a labor of love. They are created and maintained for the benefit of friends, neighbors, and clients as a community resource.  Please enjoy! And, whenever you need real estate services, please think of her first...after all, now you have a friend in the business.

Tell Congress Our Mortgages Need to be Deductible!

Congress is looking at many potential revisions to the tax code, including limiting the tax deductions for mortgage interest. This change could truly have a negative impact on our local & national real estate market. We need to let Congress know we want the mortgage interest deduction to be left alone! Click the link, follow the prompts.

Contacting Congress is easier than you'd think: CLICK HERE!

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This message brought to you by your local real estate expert.

Vicky Chrisner

Serving Loudoun & the Dulles Area

703.669.3142

All things Local: Loudoun, Dulles and Otherwise

For a long while now, I have been managing and maintaining a facebook page for our community in Leesburg, Virginia (www.Facebook.com/LeesburgVA) and in less than a year with only organic growth, we have over 3700 fans.  There we discuss community happenings, upcoming events, promote fundraisers, swap tips and all sorts of things. 

The banter is quite engaging, but I have found many of the same questions get asked repeatedly, especially as we have new members, and then sometimes I can't put my hand on the information that other "fans" contributed... it seems to get lost in the newsfeed stream on the 'wall'.  So, I've come up with a solution! (I think)

We've launched a complimentary web site.  It's under construction right now, with only the home page and the calendar page (which uses a Google calendar that is imbedded) are complete...but check it out!  It's already becoming a popular resource for community members....and I hope you'll join the Facebook comunity, but if you're not a "facebooker" then perhaps you'll just enjoy our web site.  Either way, it's at your disposal!

http://www.leesburgfanpage.com/

Leesburg is the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia...and a fabulous place to Live, Work & Play! Explore our site and find out why... Calendar of Events, Local Resouces, and Real Estate Information, all in one site!

What To Do In Loudoun This Weekend!

If you're bored this weekend in Loudoun, THAT is a personal problem... because there's no lack of things to do - inside or out, and for every budget or interest!

Saturday Mornings are for....

Farmers Markets and Yard Sales ....taking care of business - like getting rid of hazardous household waste at the county collection site..... and then onto the Used Book Sale (which supports our the summer reading programs at our Loudoun County Libraries!)...and then... on to the real festivities...what's your pleasure?

Saturday afternoons and evenings bring lots of fun options... like a visit to

One of our amazing parks for swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, picnicking, playing or just hanging out. 

Leesburg's Premium Outlet Mall for shopping, and where, between 2 and 4pm, you can catch the Summer Music Series (this week see "Moonlit in the Sun" play)!  Then, hop on the trolley and head over to "Downtown" Leesburg, where you can enjoy yet another FREE live music performance at Acoustic on the Green ("Naked Blue" is playing this weekend), and browse local shops and restaurants.  Music is 7-9 on the Town Green!

Brambleton's Town Center will be exploding with excitment Saturday.  The Loudoun Youth Fest starts at 2, and the Freedom Fest kicks off at 7:30 with a concert, followed by fireworks....all at the Town Center....where, did we mention it? you can eat, shop and catch a movie! 

Or just campout in your backyard... and be part of the 'Great American Backyard Campout' night on Saturday (designated by the National Wildlife Federation).  No backyard?  Check out a local campground, or head to grandma's house.

Sundays are for ...

Lazy, leisurely brunches.....

..........and checking out the neighbor's house that's for sale (it's OPEN - come on, let's go!)....ohhh, and what is this place for only $151,000?  Hmmm...maybe it's time to think of buying an investment property.

And, then, off to the Loudoun Summer Music Fest, where - this week - I plan to watch the Blues Travelers!


But some events are simply too good to be limited to one day and must go on all weekend....

Northern Virginia's Summer Brewfest is at Morven Park this weekend!

There's a Horse and Pony show in Middleburg for our Equestrian enthusiasts!

Any scrapbookers out there?  You know who you are!  Did you know The Great American Scrapbooking Event is at Dulles Expo?  WooHoo! Let's go!

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It's such a great action packed weekend here in Loudoun, you might not even be able to sleep....maybe you should try reading or watching a movie.   So, head back over to that book sale - it's going on all weekend long ....or, maybe we forgot to tell you that if you have FIOS from Verizon, you get free HBO and Cinemax this weekend!

.................zzzzzzzzzz................

With a weekend like this, you might sleep all the way through Monday; and who wouldn't want that?!?!?!

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Do you live in or near Loudoun?  Join us on Facebook where you can keep up to date on all the events going on - check our wall and our Events page... and join the conversation.

www.facebook.com/leesburgva

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Believe it or not, I just barely hit the highlights of Loudoun events this weekend.


If you're an art lover, check out this this site - where you'll see listings of exhibits and all kinds of performances: http://www.loudounarts.org/happenings.html?loc=calindex

Maybe you're looking for more kid oriented stuff - http://www.dullesmoms.com/  has you covered!

And, VISIT LOUDOUN always has information for you.









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Make A Difference, Get A Day

If you read this blog regularly, you know I like to educate and raise awareness of issues that are important to our community. Although I generally steer clear of things that are too political or may divide is, if I can.

You might also know that I am a Girl Scout leader.  I have a second year Daisy troop.  It is the volunteer organization which I commit to most regularly.

Yesterday's meeting was wonderful.  My first grade girls finished up their Journey "Between Earth and Sky".  To celebrate, we had a garden party, where we ate fruits and vegtables and talked about what part of the plant we were eating, and how they are grown. 

Then, we talked about World Water Day and what we could do about the water crisis in the world.  Each girl made the simple promise to turn off the water while they were brushing their teeth, rather than to let it run.  We could save a lot of water if we all did this.  We could make a difference with just a small act like that. And, it is something my 6 and 7 year olds can do personally.

In just a couple hours, I felt that I made the world a better place.  I educated and impacted the thoughts of 10 little girls who will change the world, and hopefully they will impact others.

While I choose Girl Scouts, you may choose any variety of activities that you support.  But, I hope you all pick something that is important to you, something you enjoy, and work to make a positive difference in the world around us and in the lives you touch every day.

While it pales in comparison to the natural reward, Disney has a great promotion going on.  In exchange for your volunteerism today, you get a "Free Day" at a Disney Park.  I got my free day, did you get yours?  Check out http://www.disneyparks.com/ for details.

March is Red Cross Month

March is Red Cross month. Did you know that?

The Red Cross operates locally, nationally and internationally... and when all else fails you, it's often the Red Cross that will come to your aid. Be sure to support them, so that when you need it, they can support you.

You can find out how to support the Loudoun County Red Cross Chapter, as well as the National and Internation relief efforts in Haiti and around the globe, on their web site: http://loudounredcross.org/

In honor of Red Cross Month, the www.Facebook.com/LeesburgVa fan page has added the Leesburg blood drive locations this month on their Events page.

Can you think of a simpler way to save 3 lives and get cookies? I can't. Make time to donate blood today!

Scholarship Opportunities

Many of you have children about to graduate from High School.  Of course, every parent wants to be able to pay for college or technical school after high school, but with the economy the way it is now, the question is how?

Even though the amounts may seem small ($500, $1000) there are many scholarships available locally.   Take a look first at your family.  Are any of you members of industry associations, clubs, churches, sport leagues, credit unions? Where do you (the parents) work? Whom do you regularly pay bills to (utility companies, local governments, your landlord, etc.)?  Check there and see what opportunities might exist to apply for scholarships through those organizations. 

Then, look at your child... what interests does he have?  Where did she go to school (even a couple of local public elementaries are offering scholarships to alumni)? Does he want to work in the transportation, communication, farming, entertainment industries? Did she grow up as a "high risk" kid and beat the odds? Is he an Eagle Scout or does she volunteer every Saturday doing community work "just because"?  Check into what scholarships are available through those interests, too.

I put together a quick list of a few I found.  Of course, there are scholarships offered everywhere... if you just look around.

Best of luck to you and your graduating son or daughter.  This is an exciting and terrifying time.  

I have two 20-something sons myself.  One is pursuing an associates in Computer Networking; another going back to grad school for a degree in the Entertainment Industry.  We are struggling everyday to make ends meet and pay for school related expenses.  I KNOW how hard it can be.  Most local scholarships are available to seniors in High School... and both of my boys took a year off after high school to realize they needed higher education, so they don't qualify for these scholarships.  I hope that your children do.  If you know of others, please comment below, and I will add them to the list.

Dulles Greenway:

http://www.dullesgreenway.com/uploads/forms/2010%20Citizenship%20Award%20app.pdf

Loudoun Volunteer:

http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=297#scholarships

Inova Ladies Board: (Nursing Scholarships)

http://www.ladiesboard.org/

Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

http://www.loudounsoilandwater.com/2010/02/vaswcd-offers-scholarships/

Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation:

http://www.vapt.org/

NOVEC

http://www.novec.com/Community/scholarships.cfm

Loudoun Soccer Association:

http://www.loudounsoccer.com/

Cedar Lane Elementary (for pupils now in HS, but who attended Cedar Lane for 2+ years):
For information: scholarship@stevenshome.us
Virginia Housing Development Authority & Virginia Association of REALTORS
http://www.vhda.com/about/NewsCenter/Pages/2010VHDA-Scholarships.pdf

Washington Gas:
http://www.washingtongasliving.com/EnergyOfTheCity/Scholarship/VoteNow.xml

Verizon:
http://foundation.verizon.com/about/press/scholarship_program.shtml

Other Lo Co Scholarships:
http://cmsweb1.loudoun.k12.va.us/50990510143723/cwp/browse.asp?A=3&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=66352

It's Circus Time!

It's circus time!  For several years running, Lerner Enterprises has hosted "The Big Apple Circus" on grounds adjacent to Lerner's Dulles Town Center in the Dulles area.  It used to come in the late summer/early fall, but we never saw it at all in 2009.  Many of us missed it terribly, and were thrilled to hear it would be appearing in the usual place in March.  They are performing in town through March 27th, and tickets are still available.

This year's show "Bello is Back!"  My family and I went, and felt it was the best show in several years.  (We do like Bello, but the kids are partial to Grandma Clown, who, we're happy to report, is still in the show, too.) This was perhaps our favorite performance EVER.

Many people don't realize that The Big Apple Circus" is a non-profit venture.  They have several outreach programs, including community programs to reach disabled children, children in the hospital, the elderly in nursing homes, and high risk kids.  Plus, they have a reputation for treating their circus animals very good, and retiring them when it's time... not giving them to a zoo or worse.

See more photos of their show n the Leesburg, VA Facebook Fan Page (Just Click Here)

Update: 3/18:  We can now offer you a DISCOUNT ON YOUR TIX, COURTESY OF THE LEESBURG, VA FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.   Follow this link for details: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&suggest¬e_id=376551783333&id=302185423061#!/notes/leesburg-va/discount-to-big-apple-circus/376551783333

And, check out the web site for The Big Apple Circus (Click Here) for more information on their schedule, ticket prices, and about their community programs.  

Go ahead and buy your tickets now.  It's a great show and the proceeds are used for a very good cause.

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For more information about events in and around Leesburg or Loudoun County, stay tuned to http://www.livinginloco.blogspot.com/ and "Fan" the Leesburg, VA Facebook page!

Magical Story Telling

Last week, my daughter's elementary school hosted Mark Daniels, the "Magical StoryTeller".  He performed for the children during an assembly in the daytime, and then for a really special treat, he had a second, evening performance, for the children and their families.

The event hosted at the school by the PTA are always enjoyable and always free, so I packed up my preschool son and elementary aged daughter and headed to the school after dinner. 

I regularly take my children to see kids entertainers of all sorts - singers, bands, puppet shows, dancing shows, you name it, and we enjoy all of them.  THIS particular childrens entertainer truly brought a little magic with him, and I must say he is perhaps the best childrens entertainer I've seen in recent years.

His show incorporates some special friends - like puppets and a live rabbit.  It includes some low tech magic tricks that will capture the interest of the children. And, he tells stories - like Green Eggs and Ham - in a special "fast forward" kind of way - hitting the highlights.  This allows his 1 hour show to include about 5 stories - most of which are children's classics.  By combining these elements, some background scenery and music, and his own special kind of charm, it truly is a magical experience.

I was thoroughly delighted and felt "happy" at the end of the show, ready to fall asleep and dream beautiful dreams full of rainbows.  I could listen to him every night.  My children were absolutely in awe, as they got to hear, see and experience these stories in a truly new and amazing way. 

Mark Daniels fully earns his title of "magical story teller", and his shows truly encourage the love of reading and teach that magic lies within each book if you'll just apply your imagination. Check out his web site and make time to see him if you can: http://www.magicalstoryteller.com/

Thank you to our PTA for sponsoring such a great show and making it available to the families of our school.

A New Years Resolution for 2010

Every year this time, people come up with New Years Resolutions. On January 1, they try to make a change in their life. By January 3rd most have quit trying.

I used to skip the typical New Years Resolutions (which I saw as being pre-destined for failure) and to make resolutions on my birthday...the start of MY New Year.  I had moderate success with this.

But, in 2009 on my Birthday I realized I had 2 years before I would be 40. I thought about who I wanted to be wheby that time. Then, I made a list of things that needed to change in my life for me to become that person, and I have been working toward becoming that person. I did not say, “the day after my birthday I will___” , instead I decided that BY my 40th birthday I would ___.” To reach that goal, I knew I needed to start TRYING, and to keep trying for 2 years, to become that person I envisioned.

Roughly ten months later, I am pleased to report immense success. I do more charity work, I am regularly involved in my church and growing again spiritually, my family recycles our trash, we’ve cut back on our energy usage, I have started going to a gym regularly, and have designated times that I spend with my little kids (it's harder with the older ones, but I am still trying).

All of these were goals that I set; and I feel very good about my accomplishments. However since they are changes to WHO I am and how I approach life daily, maintaining these habits requires constant work.  Not only that, but many of my goals require involvement of my family.... making things even more difficult, since my success depends on my ability to get them to participate - even though they do not all share my same goals.

I am still a work in progress, as is my family. I have many more goals to accomplish, while maintaining the changes I’ve already made in my life, and continuing to motivate my family.

If you see New Years as a time to make resolutions, instead of thinking you can change overnight, and then feeling disappointed that you slipped up and throwing in the towel completely, acknowledge that you are human, and that changes take time and work.

Set your goal to be fully implemented in your life by New Years Eve 2010.   And, stay tuned to http://www.livinginloco.blogspot.com/ because I will post more on this in the coming days - I will share what I've learned about accomplishing goals; and hopefully you'll share what successes and failures you've had, too.  Together, we can move toward becoming who we really are meant to be.

Best wishes for a magical 2010!

Changing The World, One Cookie At A Time!

The Loudoun Chapters of the Girl Scouts are kicking off their cookie sale

December 18th (Friday). 

My girls would LOVE to have your order!!  They are $3.50 a box.

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This year's choices are:

(ALL GS cookies are Kosher)

Lemon Chalet Cremes

Vanilla sandwhich cookie w/ hint of cinnamon-ginger spice and a refreshing zesty lemon creme filling
* I am told these are Vegan!

Trefoils

Shortbread cookies

CLICK HERE to see serving suggestions

and recipes using this classic GS cookie!
Check out the recipe for the original Trefoils

Do-Si-Dos

Oatmeal cookies w/ creamy peanut butter filling

Have You Tried Do-Si-Do Chicken, or Peanut Butter Sandwich & Jelly Pie?  Click here to see these recipes and more!

Samoas

Vanilla Cookies, covered w/ caramel, rolled in toasted coconut and striped with a rich, chocolaty coating

For Recipe Ideas Like Samoan Cheesecake and More, Click Here!

Dulce de leche (New 2009)

Inspired by confections of Latin America, these are bite sized cookies rich with milk caramel chips

Thank U Berry Munch: (New 2010)

Real cranberries provide a delightly tarness in these hearty cookies sweetened with creamy white fudge chips.  Yumm!

*  I am told these are Vegan.
CLICK HERE to get the recipe for a SALAD with these cookies, or trail mix or other recipe ideas. 

Tagalongs

Tasty cookies topped with creamy peanut butter and covered with a chocolaty coating.  (Vicky's favorite)

Find Scrumptious Tagalong Recipes by clicking HERE!

Thin Mints 

Thin wafer, covered in a smooth chocolaty coating,
made w/ natural peppermint.  For Thin Mint Recipe Ideas, Click Here!

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SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

 & HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS

You may also purchase cookies to be donated or contribute to the troop's GIFT OF CARING
- our troop will be sending the donated cookies to Afghanistan/Iraq (if possible).  Alternatively, the cookies will be donated to our local food bank - Interfaith Relief.  Please specify if you'd like to donate to one of these causes. 

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With your help, the Girl Scouts are building the leaders of tomorrow,

 changing the world for the better.... one cookie at a time. 

Learn more about the HISTORY OF GIRL SCOUT COOKIES by clicking HERE.

In Loudoun and Dulles, contact vchrisner@verizon.net
to find out how to place your order.

Outside Loudoun, visit http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/ to find a troop near you!
*  Dietary Information for Girl Scout Cookies can be found here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.littlebrownie.com/downloads/NLIs_All.pdf

Live Nativity in Leesburg

A very special THANK YOU to the Leesburg Church of the Nazarene for the Live Nativity event my family enjoyed tonight!  This is our first time attending it, but, I hope it becomes an annual tradition. 

The outdoor event is a drive through "theatre" of sorts, with eleven separate scenes depicting the biblical story of the birth of Jesus in a manger.  The scenes are acted out by more than 100 actors, and live animals including donkeys, sheep and camels.

There is no cost for the event, although as you exit, they will accept donations (not ask for them, and not "suggest" donations, accept them, should you feel inclined to offer something).

It is a very nice event, tons of effort goes into this, and I know they have significant costs.... and I am happy to support it. We simply didn't have much cash on us tonight (and no one made us feel bad about it), so I plan to send a check.

Not only is the event truly free, but they handed out programs and CDs to each car. I haven't investigated what they gave us, but it is the thought that counts, and so I appreciate it. 

Again, thank you to the Leesburg Church of the Nazarene.  The community clearly appreciates your efforts!  What a wonderful event!

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If you missed it tonight, it's not too late, it will be offered again tomorrow evening,

5:00 to 8:30pm.

A few tips:

*  The address (for your GPS) is 17667 Roxbury Hall Road, Leesburg, VA; but if you are on Rte 7 about 1/2 mile west of Leesburg, you can't miss it - look for the traffic signs, cones and police directing cars.

*  Expect traffic.  Under normal circumstances it would be 5 minutes from the heart of Leesburg, but this is a very popular event.  It took us 30-45 minutes before we got into the event. (It's worth it.)

* To avoid frustrations, plan as if you'll be on a trip for a while. Put little ones in their PJs and bring blankets, pillows and entertainment (DVD, snuggle buddies, whatever works). We brought fresh baked cookies and hot cocoa and listened to Christmas music on the radio (thanks WASH FM - 97.1) while we waited.

*  I gathered from the signs they allow you to line up beginning at 4:30, we left Leesburg at about 5:30 and returned home shortly after 7.

*  You can only get in the line from the East bound lanes on Route 7 (and trust me, you can't miss it).  If you are coming from Leesburg, all the left turn options are blocked.  You'll need to take the exit for Route 9 (on the right), and then make a left off the exit, cross the bridge and make another left onto Route 7 East before you can get into the line.  Then, relax, turn up the tunes and enjoy the cocoa, you'll be seeing angels soon!

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Again, despite my warnings about the traffic, don't let it deter you.  It is a wonderful event, and I hope to be back next year. 

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night!

Rust Manor House and Nature Sanctuary

Rust Manor House and Nature Sanctuary are tucked away in a small nook inside the town of Leesburg. Even long time locals sometimes forget about this wonderful hidden treasure right in our back yard.
With the help of my Daisy Girl Scout troop, I had a wonderful visit yesterday afternoon. We hiked through the trails, visited the pond, snacked on fresh watermelon, climbed on a fallen tree, enjoyed chatting at the empty amphitheatre, and made bird feeders with peanut butter and bird seed at the picnic area. Despite the heat and humidity, the trees provide lots of shade and the area remained cool and comfortable.

The park is 68 acres, and with only an hour and a half, we had very little time to explore, but there are so many more things still to do on future visits. Fishing is allowed at the stocked pond. The historic Manor house is available for tours. Audobon Natrualist Society has many special events there. Certain areas are available for weddings or other private events. And, there are much longer hiking trails throughout the park.
Although the sanctuary boasts tons of wildlife, if you bring a gaggle of 5 to 7 year old squealing girls with you, you’re not too likely to see many animals. You will, however, hear giggles, see infectious smiles and still have a wonderful time. Some elements of nature cannot or will not hide, even from these girls. So, we had lots of chances to talk about gnats, worms, ticks, lyme disease, and poison ivy. And my co leader managed to have a personal visit by a local dragonfly, who sat contently on her hand for quite some time. The lesson here: bring the insect repellent.
Our visit to the sanctuary was in support of our efforts to earn our last petal of the Daisy flower, Rose, which stands for “Make The World A Better Place”. Rust Manor House and Sanctuary were donated to the town, along with the land where Ida Lee Park is, by the Rust Family. We talked about what a great way that was for the Rust family to make the world a better place, by donating land for the use of the community; whichis one of the reasons we selected this location for our last meeting of the year.

We certainly had fun there, and hopefully the girls will return again many times to enjoy the gorgeous scenery, and will share their discovery of this great gift with many others.

Talkin' Trash in Loudoun

The Loudoun County Landfill offers tours each week for scout troops and other groups; and recently my Daisy Girl Scout troop took advantage of this opportunity.

The landfill opened in 1971 and should be able to continue to serve the community for another 60 years. We learned that the Loudoun County Landfill takes in only about a third of the trash from within the county, and the rest of the county's trash is taken to other landfills in Fairfax and throughout Northern Virginia.

Our guide, Tony Hayes, taught us a lot about recycling. Loudoun County is only recycling about 30% of our solid waste. Nationally, the goal is 25%, and Europe is recycling less than 20% of their trash; Sweden, on the other hand, recycles close to 40% of their trash. We can do better.

We learned how plastic bottles are turned into a cotton like material that can be made into clothing. Tony told us that the cost of recycling aluminum cans is cheaper for manufacturers than using raw materials; so the cans we leave there today will be back on the shelves in just a few months. We saw a ruler made from recycled yellow pages, with a bit of recycled plastic thrown in for good measure. We also saw that mulch (made from yard waste) is available free year round.

If you take your own trash to the dump, you probably knew that you pay according to the weight; but the good news is that you can bring in recyclables free of charge, and you can remove them from your truck before you're vehicle is weighed. Not all materials are recyclable at this location. They do take newspapers and magazines, cardboard, bottles and cans, among other things. Special items can be recycled, but you may need to search a little harder for the right collection spot.

On the day of our visit, the landfill had received over 500,000 pounds of trash; which is apparently a lot. My Daisies would tell you that the landfill stinks, although I will admit that the smell is not nearly as bad as I expected, nor as bad as I remember from when I was kid.

We learned about the storm water management efforts at the Landfill, which are taken very seriously here since our storm water eventually makes it to the Chesapeake, an area we're working hard to preserve. At the landfill, they place a plastic liner and an absorbent liner at the bottom of a big hole, and these liners act kind of like a diaper, soaking in the "garbage juice" so it does not leak into the ground. Trash is added, throughout the day, large machines drive over the trash and crush it. At the end of the day, it is covered with 6 inches of dirt. This is repeated several times over, until the area reaches capacity. Then a "raincoat" is placed over the mountain of dirt covered trash. All these efforts result in less contamination of the soil, and therefore support the efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Sadly, as we sat in the county van, my girls could each look into the non-recycled trash pile and see many items that could have been easily recycled. Again, we can do better.

We learned that the sagging economy does have a benefit. Tony "guesstimated" that collections were down about 20% compared to years where we had a more robust economy; and that demand for recycled materials is down, too. But, recycling remains more lucrative than "dumping" the trash in a regular landfill; and it is much better for our environment.

Our tour concluded with each girl promising to do her part, and to convince one more person to start recycling. This is my effort to convince you. Will you join me in my efforts to protect our earth? Start by abiding by my daughter's new motto: "Recycle a little every day!" Every little bit helps.

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Tell us if you see us in the news! http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=2703

Update: Just a few weeks after our visit, I know my family has an increased awareness and a renewed focus on recylcing. This week our overall trash output was reduced by about 25-30%; AND half of what we did produce was destined for a recycling center. Now, I am actively working with my office to see if we can get our office building recycling. Come on, you can do it, too.

Lyme Disease is on the Rise in Loudoun County

It's True, Lyme Disease Is On The Rise In Loudoun County..... I know because my 5 year old daughter was diagnosed with it this weekend.

Being a country girl from Loudoun, I am pretty used to ticks being part of summer time life. I've always had pets, always been in the fields and in the woods, and always been aware of the disease that ticks can carry. When I was young the big fear was Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Today's fears revolve around Lyme Disease. Ticks carry these and many other diseases.

Lyme disease is really not a big deal IF it is caught in time, AND TREATED APPROPRIATELY so I am writing this post in hopes that many will see it, and anyone who gets it will be cured. My daughter, a Kindergartener, was diagnosed this weekend. Saturday morning, she got a fever and was complaining of an upset stomach. By Saturday evening when I still couldn't figure out the origin of her symptoms, I admit to growing concerned. She was sitting on my lap, I was singing a silly song to her, and ran my fingers through her hair. She jumped! I pulled her hair back and this is what I saw!

She quickly reminded me this is where the deer tick (about the size of a flea) had been pulled from her head. Ahh... I knew a trip to the ER was in order. Here's the scary part - the ER doc simply didn't look under her hair. She saw redness behind her ear and thought is was a skin rash from a skin infection or allergic reaction.

I had seen lyme disease before... and so I was a little pushy. Had I not asked the doc to look again, and reminded her of the other symptoms (itchy, hot to the touch, swollen, sensitive, and red around a white "bulls eye" surrounding the bite site), it would have misdiagnosed, and possibly not treated appropriately. So, I am sharing the photo and this information. Moms, trust your instincts. Blind trust can result in dangerous outcomes.

Without proper treatment, lyme disease can cause all kinds of life long, and debilatating conditions. Many people don't realize that symptoms and the visual evidence can take 1-6 weeks to surface; and blood tests done in the first 30 days are often a false negative. If you find a tick on yourself or your child, write it down somewhere - perhaps on a calender. Check the bite site weekly for 6 weeks or more for visual evidence of a problem. Report the tick bite to the doctor if you have any symptoms of ANY illness you get within about 90 days (or more if you think it could be related) - there are many diseases carried by these little things, and the symptoms vary widely.

Prevention is easy. The use of insect repellent and making sure your pets are treated will go far to deter this from happening to you. But the risk remains, so be diligent and check yourself and your kids after you've been outside for a while.

For more information, including tips on preventing this; visit: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=726