A first time homebuyer will now receive a tax credit of 10% of the purchase price up to $7500 maximum for the tax year in which they purchase their home.  A first time homebuyer qualifies as long as the buyer and spouse if any, has not owned a principal residence in the U.S. for the last three years.  The tax credit is available for homes purchased from April 9, 2008 through June 30, 2009.  For more specifics about this credit please consult with your tax professional.

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss

Every day we wake up in some type of mood.  Although we would like to wake up happy and rested, we often wake up depressed, anxious, sad, tired or excited.  We go through each day feeling a variety of ways.  In the book, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, it talks about different moods and pairs them with specific colors.  As I read this book to my children over and over and over again, they are never bored.  We get the chance to talk about colors and feelings.  Feelings/emotions are important to teach children so they can be aware of how they feel and how to read the way people around them feel.  We have to teach our kids that it is o.k. to feel differently on different days.   It is a terrific and entertaining book to read and share with children. 

This is from Sophia’s 17-soon-to-be-almost-18 year old son, Trent, who will be going to CSU Fresno in the Fall. 

Wow!  These past four years have been a wild ride.  From Freshman year to Senior year felt like a blink of an eye.  But now, off to another adventure.  College.  Moving on from having everything given to me to having to work very hard to it.  High school was tough, but there were teachers willing to help when needed.  I now reaalize that some of my upcoming professors won’t be that way.  I will have to do extra studying.  Also, I will not be living at my home.  I will be moving to an apartment near the school.  It will be nice, but very different.  It is a chance to really get to know myself.  And I feel excited about that.  It will be an experience of a lifetime.  And I pray that everything will work out for the good, whether is be easy or just frustrating. 

There is no doubt that millions of people lives around the world have been saved by Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).  The purpose of taking a class in CPR is to give individuals the knowledge and skills necessary to help someone in need.  Class participants will learn to recognize and provide basic care for breathing, cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses.  Classes usually run in conjunction with first aid training.   Nowadays, CPR class participants will also learn how to work the automated external defibrillator (AED).  AED’s are used on victims who suffer sudden cardiac arrest.  Care is given until emergency personnel arrive and are able to take over care responsibilities.

There are no prerequisite classes to take in order to take a CPR class.  Upon completion of the courses, you will receive a CPR certification which is good for 1 year and a First Aid Certification which is good for 3 years.  It is a great program for adults and even teens who are considering taking up babysitting jobs. 

There usually is a fee involved with becoming certified.   There will be FREE classes offered on June 28th at Yosemite High School.  Classes will begin at 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. (English speaking only).  There will be a class beginning at 11:00 a.m. for Spanish speaking residents.  Each class lasts 4 hours.

If you would like more information or would like to register for a class, call (559) 455-1000.

With nice weather comes the urge to get out the old nag (not your wife) and go for a ride. Horseback riding is a lot of fun. But like lots of fun things, there are dangers and risks as well as enjoyment when being around horses. To help minimize the danger and risk, there are a few rules I have found to observe. Around the Barn Always wear appropriate clothing. Open-toed shoes are a big no-no in the barn or on the horse. Protect your feet. They are almost as important as your horse’s hooves. Put away equipment. Make sure pitchforks, rakes, etc. are stored properly and not left out where human or animal can trip over them. Clean up. Always sweep after doing stalls, grooming, etc. Pay special attention after the farrier visits and make sure there are no nails left out where they could puncture someone’s foot. Watch out for flying hooves. Most horses will not kick someone on purpose. Usually they are startled or really going after a fly. Avoid walking behind a horse. If you must pass behind, walk close to the animal (so his feet cannot gain momentum) and talk to the animal so there are no surprises for either of you. While cleaning hooves be careful to hold the horse’s leg in a position that is comfortable for the animal and not to the side. Place the hoof down after cleaning rather than dropping it to avoid injury to the animal. Keep animals separate. Be aware of which animals get along and which ones do not like each other. Avoid bringing animals’ close together in confined spaces and respect their personal space. Lead them in. Do not allow horses to charge into the barn at meal times. It may take some extra time, but it is worth it to lead them in one by one and escort them personally to their stall. Use a lead rope. Leading a horse by just the halter is not wise. While 99% of the time this may not be a problem, it’s the other 1% when the horse becomes agitated over an imagined danger and ends up in the next county that can be a problem. Do not leave your horse in a pasture wearing a nylon halter. Nylon halters are actually too strong and if he gets caught on a branch, he could be trapped or worse. If you must have a halter on your horse, use a leather one. On the Horse Use an approved helmet! There are plenty of styles to choose from including safety helmets that look like cowboy hats. Your brain is worth protecting! A helmet can be the difference between brushing the dirt off your pants and jumping back on the horse and a trip to the hospital or worse. Wear sturdy shoes with a heel. Good shoes keep your feet safe in the stirrup especially at those times when balance may be hard to get. Wear long pants that fit. While they should not be loose enough to get caught on anything while riding, your clothes should also be comfortable and not too tight. Check your tack. Every time you ride check your saddle and bridle for problems with stitching or rot. Ideally you should clean your tack every time you ride and store it in a dry area to avoid conditions that may cause decay in the leather or stitching. Make sure your stirrup leather can easily slide out of the saddle and the keeper is down. If you do fall with your foot still in the stirrup, you do not want to be dragged. Make sure the bridle fits well and it has not been readjusted since you last rode. A poorly adjusted bridle can make for a horse with a poor attitude. Tighten the girth before getting on and check it again after riding a few minutes. Make sure it is snug but not over-tight. You should barely be able to slide your hand between the girth and the horse. Horses are a great way to reach responsibility and even great therapy for special needs kids. But kids under the age of eighteen should never ride unsupervised and even adults should not go off without a companion. After all equines are unpredictable animals and should be respected as such.

Fishing season is here and whatever your fishing choice, the Sierra National Forest provides numerous opportunities for stream and lake fishing. For information on fishing regulations make sure to check out the California Department of Fish and Game regulations.Fresh water stream fishing on the Sierra National Forest is open from the last weekend in April through November 15. All lakes are open year around, though access may be limited due to seasonal closure of roads due to snow. All lakes and reservoirs on the Forest are open year around for fishing except were seasonal closures apply, such as Mammoth Pool. Anglers, 16 years and older, who plan to fish in creeks, streams, rivers and lakes need to obtain a California fishing license. This year the fee for an annual license is around $32.00 and can be obtained at local stores. When you obtain a permit make sure to pick up a copy of the Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulation Book, as it provides information on fishing restrictions, the type of hooks and bait you can use, the amount of trout you can catch and possess, and how you must display your license.

Have fun, good fishing and following the CATCH & RELEASE practice is a good thing.

It seems like I have always loved to garden. I can remember working side by side with my parents planting groundcover when I was in the 3^rd grade. Maybe the joy was more in spending time with my parents, but the result became a love for being on my hands and knees and working in the dirt. Through the years it has become a place where I can relax, lower my blood pressure, pray and enjoy the sun. Imagine my excitement when we moved to the mountains and I now had 3 ½ acres of undeveloped dirt to plant!

I found out the hard way that gardening in the mountains is different! After planting 16 prized roses, watering, fertilizing, nurturing and awaiting those first gorgeous blooms only to see them stripped of all flowers, leaves, and thorns overnight…..I learned that roses are like candy to deer. They are better purchased from a florist and enjoyed in a vase in your home.

I’ve lived in the mountains of Oakhurst for 16 years and here’s what I’ve found in a nutshell: If it’s purple, there’s a pretty good chance the deer won’t like it. I know there are always exceptions, but here are some plants I’ve had luck with:

Purple Iris

Lilacs

Lily of the Nile

Society Garlic

Butterfly Bush

If you’re just starting a garden in the mountains, give these a try and I guarantee you’ll enjoy the blossoms and the deer won’t!

With the warm weather upon us those pestering mosquitoes are coming out. Here are a few tips that may help relieve some of the annoyance. 

This past April, The State Center Community College District decided that it is time to start the formal college naming process that will give the Willow International Center a moniker of its own. They are now looking for names and the names they select will be presented to the Board of Trustees in October.

Anyone, be they staff, students or a member of the community at large can submit a name for consideration. The college’s websites will allow you to suggest a name via the internet. And there are also suggestion boxes at the Willow International Center, so you can drop off your name suggestion in person.

This is your chance to go down in history as the person who chose the name of a great public institution. Names can make all the difference when it comes to community acceptance, so the school is making sure that the community feels like it is a part of this college. We all have a vested interest in local centers for higher education and this time the community will be there from the start, christening this school with its new name.