"Mama, do you like cats?" Cole asked one day. This was shortly after I had brought the latest puppy home a few weeks ago. Read More

I have had several cases within the past year of people coming into my office, handing me a plastic baggy or jar filled with small, winged insects and saying: "Tell me those are flying ants!" Unfortunately, more often than not, they turn out to be termite flyers. Read More

Everyone has disappointments. It's a part of life and sometimes those disappointments can offer us many learning experiences. Read More

One of my biggest pet peeves is someone being late. So why I am constantly late getting my child to school, I have no idea. Read More

Azaleas are a staple of traditional southern landscapes. Read More

Spring is a beautiful time of year. Longer days, green grass and leaves reappearing on the trees really brighten up my mood. Read More

Have you started noticing mysterious raised tunnels forming seemingly overnight in your lawn or garden? If so, you probably have a mole infestation. Don't worry, you are not alone. We have received many calls in the past week regarding tunneling activity. Read More

Children learn a lot more by what they see us doing than what we tell them. I can tell Cole all day long the things he shouldn't do, but it's my example he's watching. I don't want him to follow my example, but to be better than I am at this game of life. Read More

We have all heard the saying "April showers bring May Flowers." Rainfall in April helps replenish our plants as they gear up for another growing season. However, this precipitation also brings unwanted consequences to our landscapes - disease. Read More

It had been a long time since I had a puppy and I forgot how much work they are. Middle of the night feedings and potty outings, crying incessantly. I think comparing them to a newborn would be reasonable. I was on night five of no sleep - Angel the parking lot pup would wake me up at 1 a.m., wanting to play after sleeping all day. I was exhausted. Read More

Dawson County 4-H Club, All Animals Veterinary Hospital and Dawsonville Veterinary Hospital will be hosting an annual rabies clinic on April 13. It will be held at several locations throughout Dawson County. Because of strict vaccination laws, rabies outbreaks have become much less prevalent since vaccination programs began in the 1940s. Read More

There was an unspoken law at my house growing up for every stray critter that managed to find its way in our yard. Once my uncle Bobby named it, it was ours. If the animal made it to day two without Bobby sticking some name on it, we were safe according to Granny. Of course, no animal made it beyond a few hours, let alone two days. Read More

I think when I turned 40, something happened. Not to my posterior either - that happened a long time before I hit the big 4-0. Read More

Berms, or raised areas, can be used in the landscape to add visual interest to flat or dull areas of the yard. Berms are simply mounded hills of soil that are constructed to serve a purpose in a landscaped area. Read More

Early March can be one of the blandest times in the landscape. It can be downright depressing not being able to see any green leaves or any signs of colorful flowers. However, as the month moves on, March soon becomes one of my favorite times of the year. Seemingly out of nowhere, small clusters of bright yellow flowers begin to pop up on shrubs all over town. These flowers belong to one of the most revered shrubs in our area - forsythia. Read More

There are a few words that my child knows I will not tolerate being uttered. Fat. Stupid. Retarded. Hate. Ugly. Read More