The end of pet overpopulation can only take place by preventing unwanted animals from being born. By spaying or neutering your pet, you become an important part of the solution to animal over population.  Animal rescue groups cannot adopt themselves out of the pet overpopulation - adoptions don’t occur as frequently as births.  All too often, the offspring of a cherished pet companion end up in shelters and are euthanized because there just aren’t enough people to adopt all that are produced.  When you decide you would like a pet companion to join your family, please consider visiting a local rescue or pet adoption center.  And when you do adopt, please also remember to spay or neuter your new family member.  If you are not in the position to adopt an animal, please consider making a tax deductible donation to a non-profit pet adoption center or animal rescue.

Real Estate Agents and animal advocates of Great Triangle Homes - The shuping Advantage Team, will be participating in the Animal Protection Society of Durham’s “Walk for the Animals” for the 6th consecutive year.  These efforts will raise money to help educate the public about humane care & treatment of animals, help promote spay/neuter programs, and help encourage the adoption of homesless animals.   

Please support your local pet adoption center.  The Animal Protection Society of Durham, Orange County Animal Protection Society and Chatham Animal Rescue & Education (CARE) are a few resources in our area who provide foster care to animals until they can be adopted into permanent homes.

Cocoa mulch contains caffeine and theobromine, methylxanthine compounds to which dogs and cats are particularly sensitive. 

Some dogs will eat large quantities of fresh mulch, which can lead to intestinal upset.  If the amount is high enough, it can lead to increased heart rates and trembling.  Dogs metabolize methylxanthine compounds slowly, so symptoms make take hours or days to manifest.  Cats can also be sickened from ingesting the mulch, but are less likely to eat it.  Death is very unlikely with current products because the residual theobromine is very low.

If you suspect a pet has eaten any toxic substance, immediately contact a veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.    

  

It is easy to let the clutter of our lives creep into our homes: dishes stacked in the sink; papers collected on a table; dust gathering under the bed.  How often have you lost your keys, only to find them hidden under the clutter?  Even the brief loss of keys, cell phones or that one important piece of paper creates chaos, distraction and stress.  Recent research supports what we already know - the clutter in our homes elevates our stress levels. 

Clutter can change the energy of a room.  By organizing and creating a more balanced and peaceful space, there is a release of stress and tension.  A clean and organized space is aesthetically pleasing and simplifies life.  When it seems there is never enough time to clean and de-clutter our homes & offices, it is important to make it a priority.  When we come home from that difficult day at work or from driving the kids to all their events, the last thing we want to do is clean or sort through a stack of mail.  Instead, most prefer to relax with their family, create a family meal or focus on other household or personal projects.  However, keeping our home clean and uncluttered will leave us feeling refreshed and saves time, money and energy that can be spent in other areas of life. 

It seems when the stresses in our lives continue to rise, it is time to shift into a place of simplicity, balance and harmony.  Finding Zen - that state of peace and serenity - is a vital part of our physical and emotional health.  Make your home into the oasis you need, and when you come home from a hard day, take a moment to breathe deeply, relax and enjoy your space.  It may be the closest you come to enlightenment.

When selling a home, it is important to present it to the public in the most appealling way possible.  Real Estate Agent Connie Shuping offers solid advice on staging your home so that it is chosen over competing properties on the market.  Find out why top Listing Agent Connie Shuping & The Shuping Advantage Team is a cut above the rest!  Put experience on your side - visit Connie Shuping and her dedicated team of Real Estate Agents online at: www.GreatTriangleHomes.com.  

Trinity Ridge, offers what homebuyers want: dynamic features!  Four to five bedroom plans feature all the designer touches you expect including solid surface countertops, 9’ ceilings, and much more.  You also have the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with a Design Consultant to personalize the home to fit your individual lifestyle.
This well-planned community is designed for today’s busy lifestyle.  Located in Durham, NC – just off Ridge Road past Durham Academy – convenient to shopping, close to Duke University and close to major highways.  Orleans Homebuilders has thoughtfully designed these well-crafted homes built to accommodate your lifestyle, and with only 36 homesites, Trinity Ridge promises to be an exclusive and quaint community.
Looking for that perfect home to suit your specific needs?  Visit Great Triangle Homes to search area properties to find the perfect home for you!  Have the benefits of experienced Real Estate professionals on your side to help you choose the right home and to negotiate on your behalf to get the best possible price.  Click here to learn why Great Triangle Homes – The Shuping Advantage team is a cut above the rest!

Recycling is a great way to do your part to help the environment.  For those of you living in Orange County, North Carolina, recycling is done by the county right at your curbside!  Click here for a list of street names to find out which route your street is on so you can be prepared for pick-up.  You must first obtain orange recycling bins from the county by calling (919) 968-2788 or e-mailing recycling@co.orange.nc.us.    

Another great way to do your part is to Green Your Kitchen.  Click here for the article on how to do this!

Looking to purchase a Green Built home?  Have the benefits of experienced Real Estate professionals on your side to help you find the perfect home to suit your specific needs.  Visit Great Triangle Homes to search area properties and to find the perfect Green Built Home for you!      

Mandarin Oranges contain significant amounts of synephrine, a natural product that can help relieve allergy symptoms.

Honey, not filtered to keep its content of pollen grains, produced locally in your area, is a greeat way to reduce allergy symptoms.  

Apple Cider Vinegar can ease the symptoms of indoor and outdoor allergies and is used to treat sinus infection - reducing the amount of mucus in the sinus cavities.  

Yogurt contains probiotics (helpful bacteria) which can change the immune system’s responses in allergic rhinitis, and may possibly make allergy symptoms less severe.

Headaches related to allergies can be avoided by staying away from trigger foods such as caffeine, chocolate, alcoholic beverages and mint.

Always consult with your physician to determine what is best for you, as some home remedies may not be very effective, or may need to be used with caution if you have certian medical conditions such as high blood pressure.

For relief of allergies, try these treatments:

Saline Flush (after confirming it is not an infection) is a great allergy treatment.  Mix one-fourth teaspoon kosher salt and one fourth teaspoon baking soda with eight ounces of warm water.  Then squirt the liquid into one nostril and let it exit out of the other nostril and repeat on other side.  A neti-pot (vessle to hold this mixture) has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine to alleviate sinus and allergy problems. 

Steam and warm compresses can do wonders for those who have had an allergy attack.  Try puting a towel over your head and breathing over a hot bowl of water or enjoy relief from the steam of a hot shower.

Relaxation can lower your stress level as anxiety can worsen allergy symptoms.  Try yoga, meditation, or even taking some time for yourself. 

Bradford Place Condos are 1& 2 bedroom garden style condominiums and 2 bedroom townhome style condominiums ranging from $134,000 to $239,000 located in the Downing Creek Community.  This new community is located in Chapel Hill about one-half mile from the Friday Center, across Highway 54 from Meadowmont, 2 miles from UNC, and only 1 mile from I-40 for an easy 10 minute commute to RTP.

Choose flooring, cabinetry, countertops, appliances, paint colors, lighting and more.  Select units offer luxury upgrades such as granite countertops, custom cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, laminate flooring, berber carpeting and ceramic tile.

Community ammenities at Downing Creek include swimming pool, tennis courts, walking & jogging trails, playground, picnic areas and two lakes with 47 acres of common nature preserve areas.    

Have the benefits of an experienced Real Estate Professional on your side to guide you through the home buying process and to help you find the best home to suit your unique needs.  Visit Great Triangle Homes to search area properties online and to learn more about The Shuping Advantage Team.  Visit http://www.bradfordplacecondos.com/ to learn more about the ”Bradford Place Condos at Downing Creek” Community.   

Chapel Hill, NC is located in Zone 7.  Zone 7 plants, shrubs, trees and flowers will grow best in our area and can tolerate our typical climate conditions - click here to see the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.  You can also get gardening tips from local garden clubs.  The Chapel Hill Garden Club has been involved in community beautification projects since 1931.  This club maintains a policy of open membership and has a special relationship to the North Carolina Botanical Garden.  Visit: http://www.chapelhillgardenclub.net/ for an abundance of information from educating members of which plants thrive in our area, to demonstrations and garden tours. 

Thinking about selling your property?  The best decision you can make when selling a home is to have Real Estate Professional Connie Shuping on your side with her expertise to give solid advice, to stage your home to appeal to buyers, to have your property marketed with wide exposure, and to negotiate on your behalf - getting the most for your property.  Connie Shuping and The Shuping Advantage Team with over 21 years real estate experience in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas will give you an edge over the competition!  To learn more, visit Connie’s website at: www.GreatTriangleHomes.com.

Photos by Connie Shuping

There will be a parade, hands-on activities and demonstrations to learn about green practices, and green products for purchase at the Sustainability Expo and Earth Art Market.  The Durham Earth Day Celebration is presented by the City of Durham Parks and Recreation and Keep Durham Beautiful, Inc, partnering with The Durham Skywriter, Eartheal, SEEDS, TROSA, the departments of Water Management and Solid Waste, the Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission and the Division of Stormwater Services.  Click here for more information.

Click here to find out why Money Magazine/CNN.com rates Durham #12 in the top 100 best places to live!  Are you thinking about relocating to the Durham area?  A great place to start is at www.GreatTriangleHomes.com to search area properties online.  Benefit from a REALTOR on the Shuping Advantage Team who is knowledgeable about the Durham area, will be your advocate guiding you through your real estate transaction, and will negotiate on your behalf to get you the best deal possible.