Lisa Desatnik
There is always a way
Hamilton County’s Largest Dog Park Coming Soon
We are so blessed in Greater Cincinnati to have so many beautiful, lush parks. I was reminded of it as I drove on Winton
Road recently on my way to the Hamilton County Park District office.
It was a brilliant, sunny day, the kind of day that calls to you to come play. And, as I looked to my right I saw the body of water where I remembered feeding ducks as a child and grilled marshmallows and hot dogs on its banks. Only as an adult, what I saw in the over 2,500 acres surrounding me was a wonderland of lush greenery. It was inviting me to walk its trails and etch ripples in its mirror-like lake. “I will definitely be back soon,” I thought as I looked for the turn.
I was headed that day to the administrative offices for the Hamilton County Park District and Hamilton County Parks Foundation to talk with Amy Hoffman about the new Simmonds Family Dog Park, which, when it is finished will be our region’s largest and probably most beautiful dog park.
I heard about it at the SPC
A Cincinnati Walk and I couldn’t wait to learn more. Play has such an important role in our dogs’ physical and psychological success, and it is so important in building strong relationships with our pets. It is no wonder dog parks are becoming so popular.
What makes the Simmonds Family Dog Park different is that is part of Hamilton County Parks. Actually it is being designed on over 11 acres at the scenic Miami Whitewater Forest. And if you have ever spent time at Miami Whitewater Forest, you know it is a spectacular setting for relaxing, learning, playing, and growing.
The new Dog Park, scheduled for completion in the spring of 2014, will include four separate fields including an all-season play field; trees and structures to provide needed shade on hot summer days; strategically placed benches; dog agility and a play zone.
Also part of the project, the SPCA Cincinnati is building an adjacent facility to provide care for large animals and provide farm educational opportunities for school age children.
Can you imagine? 11 acres of total fun for you and your dog in one of the region’s most beautiful settings!
Hamilton County Parks Needs Your Help
While the land for the new park was donated, there are still a lot of expenses in preparing the land, purchasing and building the structures, building roadways and other infrastructure. Not to mention the maintenance expenses.
They are $500,000 away from their fund raising goal of $1.1 million to pay for the project. There are a variety of contribution levels.
If you can help, please visit HCParksfoundation.org
Lots of Good in Cincinnati Contest for World Choir Games
What or Who Gives You Reason To Smile in Greater Cincinnati?
The World Choir Games are coming to our awesome city of Cincinnati and thanks to my friends at Metro, I have some great tickets to give-a-way. Show your Greater Cincinnati pride and share either a picture or comment about a ‘Good Thing’ in our region; and you may WIN FREE great tickets thanks to Cincinnati Metro to be part of international history, right here in July.
By the way, you can avoid the hassle of parking and ride Metro to all the World Choir Game festivities. Parking and transportation updates will be posted on the Cincinnati Metro Facebook page and information will also be available on their website.
PRIZES:
2 tickets to the Opening Ceremony, U.S. Bank Arena, July 4
2 tickets to the Celebration Concert, Aronoff Center, July 6 (two sets)
2 tickets to the Celebration Concert, Aronoff Center, July 11
4 tickets to the Celebration Concert, Cincinnati Music Hall, July 12 (this is Gospel & spiritual – split in two sets)
2 tickets to the Closing Ceremony, U.S. Bank Arena, July 14
NOTE:
I will be drawing winner names on the following dates for the following:
June 26 – drawing for July 4 Opening Ceremony
June 27 – drawing for July 6 Celebration Concert
July 2 – drawing for July 11 and July 12 Celebration Concerts
July 2 – drawing for Closing Ceremony, July 14
Entering:
This contest is open to any adult (18 years old or older) living in the Greater Cincinnati area (including Hamilton, Clermont, Butler Counties in Ohio; and Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties in Kentucky)
Each entrant is only eligible to win ONE time; however, you can boost your chances by entering multiple times. If your name was not randomly drawn, you will continue to be eligible for other drawings during the contest period.
Entrants will not have a choice in concerts. Drawings including prizes will be randomly drawn.
PLEASE note the terms and conditions below.
Ways to enter:
1. Post a comment below saying what or who in Greater Cincinnati makes you smile. (can be a place, business, event, people, pet)
2. Submit a photograph of what makes you smile in Greater Cincinnati (can be a place, business, event, people, pet) by emailing to contest@goodthingsgoingaround.com. NOTE: By submitting a photo to us, you are representing: (i) that you are the owner of the photo, or are making your posting or submission with the express consent of the owner of the material; and (ii) that you are eighteen years of age or older. In addition, when you submit or post any material, you are granting us, and anyone authorized by us, a royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, copy, transmit, create derivative works from, distribute, and/or publicly display the image, in whole or in part. Also, in connection with the exercise of such rights, you grant us, and anyone authorized by us, the right to identify you as the author of any of your postings or submissions by name as we deem appropriate. No copyrighted material will be accepted.
3. Tweet about what makes you smile and include @goodthingslisa in your tweet. Then leave a comment below that you tweeted.
4. For additional chances, share the contest on Facebook and ‘tag’ the Good Things Going Around Facebook page and post a comment saying that you did. (NOTE: I will be posting the main image for the contest on the Good Things Going Around page so that you can just click ‘share’ for easier posting.) I also encourage you to ‘LIKE’ Cincinnati Metro on Facebook for updated information on transportation to the World Choir Games.
Other information:
The contest will run through July 2, 2012 at 2:30 p.m.
Please note the drawing dates above. Entries must be submitted no later than 2 p.m. on the drawing dates to be eligible for that day’s drawing.
Each entrant is only eligible to win one time. If your name was not randomly drawn, you will continue to be eligible for other drawings during the contest period.
Entrants will not have a choice in concerts. Drawings including prizes will be randomly drawn.
We want to acknowledge that this promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. By entering, you understand that you are providing information to Good Things Going Around and not to Facebook.
If you win:
We will email you when your name is drawn and you will have 24 hours to reply. If you do not reply within the 24 hours, another name will be drawn.
Tickets will be mailed in regular USPS mail. We are not responsible for lost or damaged tickets.
Why Do Pet Birds Bite?
(this is one of my past columns from Hyde Park Living)
Okay enough already. I have seen and heard enough of people telling me about mean, aggressive, grouchy, or dominant birds that bite.
I have heard too many anecdotes for ‘curing’ or ‘fixing’ the problem that are all about ‘fixing’ the bird by being the boss of it. About the only thing all these stories seem to have in common is that the fault always seems to rest on the bird. To that, I will emphatically say – wrong!
One such answer involved clipping wings so that the bird can’t escape. Ironically, letting my birds grow in all their flight feathers has given them so much more confidence because they CAN escape. It has also made me much more aware of how important it is for me to ensure the reinforcing value of their being somewhere because if I don’t, well, they can easily decide to be somewhere else.
In the wild, although vicious attacks occur when a nest site is involved, rarely does competition or conflict escalate into physical violence. Instead they vocalize and/or use body language (such as flapping their wings, posturing, fluffing feathers) until ultimately one will fly or move away.
Why then do birds bite humans? Well, for one humans who get bit generally aren’t very good listeners when it comes to watching their bird’s body language. They don’t allow their bird to nonagressively warn them to back off. Instead they push the limit and they have their body parts where they shouldn’t be (that’d be too close to a bird’s beak when the bird doesn’t want you there). They teach their birds that nonaggressive body language just doesn’t work in communicating to aggressive, grouchy or dominant humans.
Remember – behavior is a function of its environment. It happens because it serves the animal a purpose. If a behavior reoccurs, it is because it is being reinforced. And, every time it reoccurs is practice until perfect.
If your bird is on his cage with his tail flailed out and his pupils dilated and you force your hand in his belly to make him step up, I can predict what will happen. You’ll get nailed, you’ll back off (probably yell a thing or two), and your bird will remain where he wants to be. That one occurrence has taught your bird that the only way to get you to leave him alone is to bite you because dilating his pupils, flailing his tail or standing erect is of no use. The funny thing about this is that, when you do give your bird the power to choose whether or not to be with you (that is, assuming you are worthy of being with), he will be more likely to choose to be with you.
I can tell you the reason that I talk about Barnaby as a bird who doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his little body is because his entire life he has been with people who have allowed him to speak with his body language. He has never needed to resort to biting to make a human back off and as a result, he chooses to want to be around humans more. No matter what I do I always watch him to ‘tell’ me he wants me to do what I’m doing (either by his lifting his foot for a step up, running toward me, leaning into me, etc.).
Instead of keeping strangers from him I encourage them to interact with him; however, I always watch his body language to ensure he wants their interaction. If I notice any body language that says ‘stop, you’re too close’, I make sure those people back up.
Of course there may be times when I have to tilt the scale in my favor with his favorite food treats – like when I need him to go to sleep and he wants to stay up and watch tv instead.
Please, stop blaming your bird for just doing what works for him. Instead learn to pay close attention to his body language and what is going on in his environment. Learn to remove the need for your bird to bite in the first place.
Walnut Hills Kids Growing Vegetables This Summer
This summer, children in Walnut Hills are learning to appreciate and enjoy vegetables at Camp Walnut Hills at the Melrose YMCA.
In the center of a grassy lot across the street from the branch, youth have been working side-by-side with YMCA staff building and nurturing a vegetable garden…even making colorful signage. It is important work – planting, weeding, and making sure the plants are watered so that in the fall they will have lots of colorful nourishment to try for themselves and share with older adults in their neighborhood.
It is all part of the Let’s Move It! program partnership between the YMCA and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital aimed at encouraging youth throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky students to lead healthier lifestyles. The Programs goals are to encourage kids to strive daily to eat FIVE servings of fruits and vegetables; aim for less than TWO hours of screen time; engage in ONE hour of physical activity; and have ZERO sugary drinks. In addition, the program focuses on water consumption and making physical activity fun.
“Exposing children to healthy eating and social responsibility is an important focus for us at the YMCA,” said Sara Lewis, Director of Out-of-School Time Programs. “Through creating the garden and participating in its cultivation at every step of the way, youth learned the importance of giving back to their
communities and gained a true appreciation of vegetables and the farm to table journey.”
In the fall the students will be sampling their produce, sharing it with community members, and preparing healthy meals for their families.
