April - IKare Publishing

MAY/ JUNE 2016
LIVE OAK PRESERVE NEWS
A COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER FOR Live Oak Preserve RESIDENTS
one adds 20 to 30 percent to
changed. To also bring up the level the
the value of the home.
homeowner would want to plant one or
So I feel like size of plants and
diversity of materials is pretty
two shade trees in the lawn or maybe a
large evergreen.
self explanatory but
Finally for the most impact the third level
sophistication of the design
of Design Sophistication could be
needs a little more explanation.
achieved. This would be a fully
Think of Design Sophistication
developed landscape with the foundation
in levels. The first level would
planting adjoined by curved beds. There
be foundation planting. These
would also be several island beds
are the sort of standard bushes
throughout the yard. Finally several
Now is the time to get out there and
that are placed around a house
trees would dot the landscape.
plant those annuals to get them
originally. Usually evergreens, like
We all know it when we see it! The fully
established before the heat of the
hollies, or sometimes flowering
landscaped lawn with beautiful beds that
summer. Not only will it make your
bushes such as forsythias
catch are eye and seem to keep
house look better but it will also
or azaleas. They normally hid the actual
developing as we look at it. It is easy to
enhance the value. Look at any true
foundation of the house and add some
see why this would increase the value of
mansion and you will see they always
interest.
your home and if done properly it should
have wonderful gardens. These
enhanced the homes in many different
ways and we too can profit from the
same idea.
The second level of Design Sophistication
would be to add an island bed of
plantings. One large oblong bed with
several different types of plantings.
There are several levels of landscaping
Maybe some perennials to maintain a
that add to the value of your
look throughout the year but also bulbs
home; the sophistication of the design,
to have a change in the spring. This
the size of the plants and finally the
would also be used to plant annuals to
diversity of the plant material. Each
change the look as the seasons
not be cost prohibitive. The initial
planting may incur some expense but if
the right plants are chosen and they are
maintained correctly your landscape
should continue to give you value and
joy for years to come.
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The “Stingray Shuffle”
If you plan to
swim at one of
Florida’s Gulf
beaches
this
summer, you
need to learn
the
“stingray
shuffle”
Some simple
facts
before
venturing into
the Gulf of
Mexico’s warm
waters can make your day at the beach a good one.
LIVE OAK PRESERVE
Florida’s Gulf beaches are among the most beautiful in the world.
Sunbathing and swimming are part of the beach experience. But
good times come with bad. Beach goers must be careful of
stingrays. One misstep can result in a painful, serious injury.
Stepping on a stingray can ruin your vacation
Most beaches have signs warning swimmers to do the “stingray
shuffle” when wading into the water. If you step on a stingray
you will regret it.
Stingrays are bottom feeding, flat fish that live and breed in the
warm, shallow waters of the gulf. They are grayish, about the size
of a small sauté pan. They lie on the sandy bottom in shallow
water. Even in clear water they are hard to see. They eat small
fish and crustaceans.
They have a thin, hard, barbed tail, about eight inches long. The
barb is sharp with a serrated surface like a bread knife. Toxic
venom is contained in a slime that covers the barbs. The sting is
extremely painful and grows even more painful as the venom
spreads.
Stingrays are normally not aggressive. They attack only when
threatened like when a human foot is coming down on them.
The stingray that killed crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin was an
eight foot “bullray” native to Australia. Irwin was swimming
directly above the ray with his cameraman in front. The ray
apparently felt threatened and plunged its barb into Irwin’s chest,
killing him.
However, sting ray barb deaths are extremely rare. At the beach
in Florida, the best way to avoid being stung is to do the “stingray
shuffle” as you wade into the water. By shuffling (or sliding)
your foot over the sand below, the vibrations signal any rays in
the immediate area that you are coming by, and to move away.
You must “shuffle” when both entering and leaving the water.
Wearing rubber beach shoes is also a good idea.
If you are unlucky enough to get stung, wash out the wound and
remove any pieces of the barb that remain. Any bit of the
“stinger” will continue to release venom.
You need to get your foot into a bucket of hot soapy water – the
hottest you can bear. Heat will keep the venom from spreading.
Soap helps clean it out.
You should call 911 and seek medical help immediately to
prevent allergic reactions and infections. Florida lifeguards,
EMTs and firefighters are familiar with the treatment.
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details on the Web sites of the National
C a m p
A s s o c i a t i o n
(www.summercamp.org) and the
American Camping Association
(www.acacamps.org)
Sending children to summer camp can help
them make new friends, learn new skills and
come home brimming with newfound
confidence. If you're a parent who works
full time, this move also can give you untold
relief from stress about child care in the
summer months. But with nearly 10,000
camps across the country, how are you
supposed to pick one? And how much
money will you have to spend? These tips
can help you navigate the selection process.


START NOW. If you haven't already
found a sleep-away camp for this
summer, concentrate on choosing one
this month. After that, you could land
on waiting lists that never yield
openings. (The deadlines may not be as
onerous for day camps in your area, but
ask just in case.)
THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S
INTERESTS AND PERSONALITY.
Just because the child of someone you
know liked a certain camp, that doesn't
mean yours will. The same camp might
not even be a good fit for two siblings.
Interview a variety of camp directors
until you get a good sense of what will
be best for your child.


D E C I D E
B E T W E E N
SPECIALIZED OR GENERAL. For
a first sleep-away camp experience,
many counselors recommend camps
with a general focus so a child can
discover new interests. A host of
specialty camps also have emerged in
recent years, focusing on everything
from ballet to diving to football to
science to video-game animation to
overseas archaeological digs, so
consider those too.
COUNT THE COSTS. Privately run
sleep-away camps charge about $400
to $1,200 a week, which typically
covers general activities, meals, basic
medical care and incidentals such as
laundry. You can search for camp

BARGAIN
SLEEP-AWAY
CAMPS EXIST. Camps offered by
nonprofit and service organizations
such as church groups, YMCA,
YWCA, Boy Scouts of America and
Girl Scouts of the USA.

DAY CAMPS CAN BE GOOD
DEALS. Check now with your city or
county recreation department about
daytime camps in your area. Many
charge $50 to $100 a week for a wide
range of activities, from sports to
nature walks to cultural programs to
swimming.

INQUIRE ABOUT REFUND
POLICIES. Some camps never
provide refunds, while some do so only
by a certain date or if your child gets
sick.

FACTOR IN OTHER COSTS. Most
camp fees do not cover specialized
activities, such as horseback riding or
field trips, or specialized gear such as
team uniforms. Also, don't forget about
the costs of care packages and
spending money for your child.

CONSIDER TIMING. If your child
tends to get homesick, you might be
tempted to choose a short camp
session. Many camp counselors say
longer stays give shy children enough
time to overcome homesickness and
make friends.