Rockin’ Rio Nido February 2012

Winter has officially arrived

Rio Nido has had a visit by Mother Nature recently that packed a nice solid punch throughout the canyons and streets. The cold weather, fog and rains have done a number on this little village. Downed trees, falling branches and puddles are some of the culprits neighbors have been dealing with while trying to stay warm and dry.  Let’s all hope for plenty of rain but keep your fingers and toes crossed that we dont experience a river flood.

Winterize your home

If you have been putting it off, now is the time to get out your rain gear and get busy, busy, busy.

Here are a few simple tips to assist you in winterizing your home:

1) Check your furnace and make sure it is functioning properly. It is important to have your furnace cleaned once a year and don’t forget to change your furnace filters periodically.

2) Clean your gutters. In Rio Nido especially, the leaves from the Redwoods can fall into your gutters and clog them. The simplest way to clean them is to hose them down.

3) Check your chimney and make sure it’s clean and functioning properly. You may want to call a chimney sweep if you’re unable to do so on your own.

4) Face your windows. Purchase a window insulator kit. The plastic sheeting works miracles and can be easily affixed to your home’s windows interior. It’s effective and inexpensive to do on your own.

5) Wrap your pipes so they don’t burst when the temperature drops suddenly.

6) If you have a wood burning stove, stock up on wood for those rainy, cold and damp days. Hope these tips will be helpful.

Love is in the Air

February 14th is the date and celebration of Valentine’s Day. In researching Valentine’s Day over the years I have found that there are varying opinions as to the origin of this day. One in particular that caught my eye was the account that Valentine’s Day began at the time of the Roman empire. In ancient Rome, Febuary 14th was a holiday to honor Juno.  Juno was the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was known as the goddess of women and marriage. Today Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the globe with its main focus being on couples. The holiday is also considered by many as a Hallmark holiday, raking in millions of dollars on one simple day.  February has long been a month of romance and is considered the most romantic month of the year. Approximately one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year making this the second largest card sending holiday of the year. How will you be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Although the holiday is focused on lovers, I have always exchanged cards with family members, friends and co-workers too. Growing up as a child in grade school I would bring a small Valentine to each classmate with a heart shaped candy. It was such a fun day exchanging cards with all my classmates.

Soooo... romantic or not, get some candy, flowers or take that special someone out to a nice dinner or give a card to a lonely person or friend to make their day. Be adventurous and cook something new to make a Valentine’s Day to remember and cherish. If dining out, get your reservations in early. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday. May love fill your hearts with sweetness and joy. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! 

Pets of the Month

Max and Lilly are two adorable pomeranian/jack russell mixed pups. They were adopted by their mom Vincinza Gregori while taking a walk on Willow Ave. Their owner had a litter and when Vincinza saw Max and Lilly she immediately fell in love with the brother and sister pups. Lilly is her mom’s little shadow and follows her everywhere and loves to explore all things outdoors. She is a good listener and listens to every command obediently. Max, on the other hand, marches to his own beat. He is a big cuddler in bed and loves to get into everything he shouldn’t. He likes to run off to the dog park on his own and gets reprimanded for doing so each and every time. Max and Lilly came into Vincinza’s life at a time when she needed them most. They are very much loved and spoiled rotten, as they should be.