Abberly Place Blog

The summer may be drawing to a close, but in North Carolina that’s okay, because our weather stays great, and our sports are about to begin. Without a professional baseball team, once the Carolina Hurricanes are done for the season, we settle in for a long sports drought.

But it is time to get the team schedules out, and set up the get-togethers and the fantasy football teams in your apartment in Raleigh, NC.

This weekend is game one of preseason against the Giants, and we are all looking for a better season than last year and everyone is excited to see how Cam Newton plays. September 11th is the first season’s official first game at the Cardinals. Keep your fingers crossed. This could be the year, right?

And of course, Isaiah Hicks signed with the TarHeels, but that isn’t until 2013. The Tarheels are a little closer to home, at the University of North Carolina. Also, for fans overall, college basketball has been a bit more fun and easier to watch than the NFL.

So buckle up North Carolina, we’re in for an interesting ride. We’re ready for some football.

This Saturday there will be an arts-and-music festival to help victims of the Raleigh tornadoes that struck this spring. The ComeUnityNow street festival will be at City Plaza and Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday.

This festival has been created to encouraged  unity.

The festival's theme of unity will be displayed through all aspects of the event. For example, bands will play 15- to 20-minute sets, and then remain on stage to play a bit with the act that follows. The bands are going to jam and improvise with other musicians they've never practiced with before - it's bands working together.

Street artists also will be painting what they see before them at the event - not just bringing works from their studios to sell.

More than 30 local bands, musicians and dancers will perform throughout the day on two stages. Some of the acts include the Mary Selvidge Band, Outside Soul, Monika Jaymes, Bull City Syndicate, BushHawg Band, Colandra McDowell and Bernard Harris.

Oil and watercolor painters and clay sculptors will be crafting their art along the street during the day. At the end of the festival, the pieces will be sold in a silent auction.

A Kids Zone will have inflatable play areas and carnival games. There is also a parade scheduled at noon on Fayetteville Street to honor first responders and disaster relief workers. A misting tent will provide refuge from the heat.

The event is free, but special VIP music tickets will cost $10 for adults and $20 for a family of three or more. Discount cards for merchants will be on sale for $20.

This Saturday, hit the streets and have fun, while helping to support those whose homes, businesses and apartments in Raleigh, NC were damaged this past spring by the tornadoes.

The combination of high temperatures and high humidity will cause heat indexes to soar, making it feel 105 degrees or hotter in Raleigh especially tomorrow and Friday.

If you live in an apartment in Raleigh, NC, be aware of your neighbors, and take an extra dip in the pool to stay cool. Take caution while outdoors to avoid heat illnesses.

A common sense approach to the heat can reduce heat-related problems, especially for the elderly, the very young and people with respiratory ailments. These folks are more susceptible to the effects of high temperatures.

Here are some tips to follow during hot, humid weather:

• Slow down, avoid strenuous activity. Do not try to do too much on a hot day.
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing. Protect your face with a wide-brimmed hat.
• Drink plenty of water regularly and often, even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.
• Eat well-balanced, light, regular meals. Avoid high protein foods that increase metabolic heat.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• If you do not have air conditioning, stay on the lowest floor, out of the sun.  Electric fans do not cool the air, but they do help evaporate perspiration, which cools your body.
• Go to a place where you can get relief from the heat, such as air conditioned stores, libraries, theaters and other community facilities that may offer refuge during the warmest times of the day.
• Check with your community for information about possible local "cooling centers."
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings or louvers. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80%.
•  Avoid too much sunshine. Sunburn slows the skin’s ability to cool itself. If you are outside, use sunscreen lotion with a high SPF.
• Never leave children or pets alone in a closed vehicle.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors.

It’s Memorial Day weekend this weekend; the official start of summer. Are you looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors near Raleigh? If so, try Jordan Lake.  Jordan Lake's 46,768 acres are not only a popular source of recreation. They also provide the water supply for surrounding cities, and fish and wildlife conservation.

Imagine fishing in a cove, or just relaxing and listening to the sounds of the water rippling by. Picture the surface of the lake glistening, water spraying your face. Take a boat if you have one. You’ll hear the laughter of children, smell burgers roasting over a charcoal fire, and feel a cooling breeze blowing through.

Jordan Lake is part of the New Hope River Valley, now home to the corporate world of Research Triangle Park. This has been the site of a broad range of cultures for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists have explored the remains of 450 prehistoric and historic sites in the area and have uncovered many Native American artifacts.

With almost 14,000 acres of water, all this and more is yours to discover at Jordan Lake. The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation operates nine recreation areas on the lake — Crosswinds Campground, Ebenezer Church, Parker's Creek, Poplar Point, Seaforth, Vista Point, Robeson Creek, New Hope Overlook, and White Oak Recreation Area. Whether you're looking for fun in the sun or an evening under the stars, Jordan Lake offers it all. All of this is conveniently located in Chatham County, 21 miles southwest of Raleigh off US 64. Enjoy!