Murray Life Magazine :: 2008 Back-to-School Issue
If the Shoe Fits…BUY IT!
By Jessica Jeffress
Along with all the school supplies and clothes kids need to gear up for back-to-school comes one task many dread: shopping for shoes. The high cost of shoes and the uncooperativeness of kids are often detrimental to the fun of shopping, but if you follow these tips, your shoe shopping experience can be a walk down Easy Street.
Before heading out to the store, decide what type of athletic shoe your son or daughter needs—everyday walking shoes, running shoes, basketball shoes or tennis shoes.
Athletic shoes are made to be worn for particular tasks—running shoes have extra cushioning and are designed for forward movement, while tennis shoes support side-to-side movement—so determining what your child will need them for the most is helpful.
Once you know what type of shoes your child needs, take a look at his or her feet. Is the arch low, medium or high? Let the sales clerk know how high your child’s arch is and ask for shoes made specifically for that type of foot.
...Read More in the Back-to-School 2008 issue of Murray Life Magazine
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Standing on Top of the World
By Rita Oldham
Have you ever wanted to stand on top of the world? Or feel like a great eagle perched on a high cliff? A visit to the Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois may just fulfill your dreams.
Garden of the Gods is located in the Shawnee National Forest which occupies a large portion of the southernmost tip of the state. The rock formations in the 3,300-acre Garden of the Gods National Recreation Area are estimated to be over 320 million years old. In sharp contrast to the mostly flat landscape of the rest of the state, this area was untouched by the massive glaciers of the Ice Age, leaving many stone bluffs and overlooks.
Breathtaking views and magnificent rock formations bring many visitors to the area year-round. Many unique natural formations resemble animals and objects. With names such as Camel Rock, Devil’s Smokestack and Monkey Face, all it takes is a little imagination to visualize their namesakes.
...Read More in the Back-to-School 2008 issue of Murray Life Magazine
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The Year of the Deer
By Julie Des Plaines
Would you like to track down the largest mammal in the area? It’s not easy, but it can be done. Hundreds of thousands of people do it every fall when men and women all over the country wake up early, tromp out into the woods and wait for the big one to walk past. Some people do it for the thrill of being hidden in nature, while others do it to provide meat for their family or for that once in a lifetime trophy buck. You don’t have to be hunting deer to want to get close to them. Whitetail deer are one of the most identifiable animals around, and the rush of getting close to one only makes a person appreciate them more.
Fall is when hunters get fired-up for deer season. During the height of deer breeding season, also known as “the rut,” hunters wake up early to sit and wait in the woods for an unsuspecting deer. However, deer senses are hard to fool. Everything has to be in the hunters’ favor for them to make a kill. With eyes located on the sides of their heads, deer can see ahead and behind them without moving their heads from side to side. They also have big ears which can be rotated in different directions to help them capture sounds coming from other locations, like a satellite dish. Their sense of smell is perhaps their best sense of all. Deer can also smell things about 100 times better than humans. Combine all of these amazing super-senses and it adds up to one tough animal to hunt. Sure, hunters kill thousands of deer every year but the animals are not to be underestimated. The older the deer, the wiser they become, and the harder they are to hunt. Deer are not animals to be underappreciated.
...Read More in the Back-to-School 2008 issue of Murray Life Magazine
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 Hot August Blues
By: Kara McCombs
Things are going to be heating up in Hardin, Ky., the weekend of the August 22 and 23, and we’re not talking about the balmy summer weather. Eleven hot blues acts will be “getting their mojo working,” compelling nearly 7,000 people to “shake that thing.”
Hot August Blues began with only a few local artists playing for 500 people. Now the performers come from as far as Canada to entertain the large crowd at Kenlake's Amphitheater.
Debbie Howard, the festival coordinator and newfound blues lover, listens to over 100 CDs to determine the entertainment line-up. All forms of blues are considered, from traditional to more modern blues.
...Read More in the Back-to-School 2008 issue of Murray Life Magazine
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 Back to School for Dogs!
By Toni Napier
Sit. Come. Stay. Heel. These are all commands we give to our beloved pets. Whether your canine companion is a puppy or an older dog, it is never too early or too late to start training your dog.
Training can be accomplished by taking your dog to an obedience/training group or on your own. A dog with solid obedience training is a joy to live with. He responds to household routines, displaying good manners with people and other dogs. They enjoy the company of the people who have invested the time training them, giving them intellectual stimulation and a higher quality of life.
Training gives your dog a job and we all need jobs. Well-trained dogs exhibit fewer nuisance behaviors such as fighting, biting, destructive chewing, barking, and digging. Training is the best gift you can ever give your four-legged family member; it will open a line of communication between you and your dog that will last a lifetime.
...Read More in the Back-to-School 2008 issue of Murray Life Magazine
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