About this time every year, I get very nostalgic(怀旧的)．Walking through my neighborhood on a fall afternoon reminds me of a time not too long ago when sounds of children filled the air，children playing games on a hill, and throwing leaves around in the street below. I was one of those children, carefree and happy. I live on a street that is only one block long. I have lived on the same street for sixteen years. I love my street. One side has six houses on it, and the other has only two houses, with a small hill in the middle and a huge cottonwood tree on one end.When I think of home, I think of my street. Only I see it as it was before. Unfortunately things change. One day, not long ago, I looked around and saw how different everything has become.Life on my street will never be the same because neighbors are quickly grown old, friends are growing up and leaving, and the city is planning to destroy my precious hill and sell the property to contractors.

    It is hard for me to accept that many of my wonderful neighbors are growing old and won't be around much longer. I have fond memories of the couple across the street, who sat together on their porch swing almost every evening, the widow next door who yelled at my brother and me for being too loud, and the crazy old man in a black suit who drove an old car. In contrast to these people, the people I see today are very old neighbors who have seen better days. The man in the black suit says he wants to die, and another neighbor just sold his house and moved into a nursing home. The lady who used to yell at us is too tired to bother any more, and the couple across the street rarely go out to their front porch these days. It is difficult to watch these precious people as they near the end of their lives because at once I thought they would live forever.

    The “comings and goings” of the younger generation of my street are now mostly “goings”as friends and peers move on. Once upon a time, my life and the lives of my peers revolved around home. The boundary of our world was the gutter at the end of the street. We got pleasure from playing night games or from a breathtaking ride on a tricycle. Things are different now, as my friends become adults and move on. Children who rode tricycles now drive cars. The kids who once played with me now have new interests and values as they go their separate ways. Some have gone away to college like me, a few got married, two went into the army, and one went to prison. Watching all these people grow up and go away makes me long for the good old days.

    Perhaps the biggest change on my street is the fact that the city is going to turn my precious hill into several lots for now homes. For sixteen years, the view out of my kitchen window has been a view of that hill. The hill was a fundamental part of my childhood life; it was the hub of social activity for the children of my street. We spent hours there building forts, sledding, and playing tag. The view out of my kitchen window now is very different; it is one of tractors and  dump trucks tearing up the hill. When the hill goes, the neighborhood will not be the same. It is  a piece of my childhood. It is a visual reminder of being a kid. Without the hill, my street will be just another pea in the pod.

    There was a time when my street was my world, and I thought my world would never change. But something happened. People grow up, and people grow old. Places changes, and with the change comes the heartache of knowing I can never go back to the times I loved. In a year or so, I will be gone just like many of my neighbors. I will always look back to my years as a child, but the place I remember will not be the silent street whose peace is interrupted by the  sounds of construction. It will be the happy, noisy, somewhat strange, but wonderful street I knew as a child.

    There are many reasons why people can't get a good night's sleep and as with any other health conditions, things are not likely to improve until you find a way to break the cycle.

    These are some of the main factors that need to be addressed.

    Worry and stress

    We have all been kept awake by many factors that cause worry and stress in our lives. Money problems, relationship issues and work stresses can have you sitting up all night. A useful habit is to download your thoughts at the end of the day. Keep a pen and paper next to your bed and before you go to sleep, write down your thought and worries, create a to-do list for the following day or set down solutions and ideas that relate to work.

    Diet and eating patterns

    What and when you eat can have a major impact on your ability to sleep. Eating too late or indulging in a rich or spicy meal can keep you awake. These foods take a long while to digest and the after effects of indigestion and heartburn are not going to set you up well for a good quality sleep.

    A research suggests that both calcium and magnesium may be linked to poor sleep. Even low intakes of magnesium found in green vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds have been shown to make it harder to stay asleep. Calcium is found in dairy foods, soybeans and green vegetables and low levels have also been shown to make it more difficult to nod off.

    Alcohol and caffeine

    Tea, coffee and energy drinks contain caffeine that helps to stimulate the nervous system and make you more alert, which is great if you need a pick-me-up. Dosing up on caffeine during the day can affect your ability to sleep later on in the evening. Try limiting your intake of caffeine to the morning and switch to decaffeinated options such as herbal teas. Alcohol is a double-edged sword when it comes to sleep. While a little may help to induce slumber, even in small amounts it can cause fragmented sleep patterns.

    Bedroom environment

    “Your bedroom should be dark once the lights are switched off because melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone, is very light-sensitive. Maintaining the right temperature can also help with sleep as a room that is too hot may prevent your core temperature from going down, which is essential for switching on the sleep mechanism within the body.

    I had an old neighbor, a doctor named Gibbs. When Doctor Gibbs wasn't saving lives, he was planting trees. He had some interesting theories about planting trees. He hardly watered his new trees.

    Once I asked why and he told me that watering plants damaged them because it made them grow weaker. He said he had to make things difficult for the trees so that only the strongest could survive. He talked about how watering trees made them develop shallow roots and how, if they were not watered, trees would grow deep roots in search of water.

    So, instead of watering his trees every morning, he'd beat them with a rolled up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the trees' attention.

    Doctor Gibbs died a couple of years after I left home. Sometimes I walked by his house and looked at the trees I'd watched him plant 25 years ago. They were tall and strong.

    I planted several trees myself a few years ago. Two years of caring for these trees meant they grew up weakly. Whenever a cold wind blew, my trees trembled. Adversity seemed to benefit Doctor Gibb's trees in ways comfort and ease never could.

    Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I often pray that their lives will be easy. But lately I've been thinking that it's time to change my prayer. I know my children are going to experience difficulties. There's always a cold wind blowing somewhere. What we need to do is to pray for deep roots, so when the rains fall and the winds blow, we won't be torn apart.

Emilia Dobek traces her interest in space and the universe back to third grade when she and her father watched a blood moon—a total lunar eclipse (月蚀)—on the roof of their house.

    Now a seventh-grader at East Prairie Elementary School, Dobek recently won the national Discovery Education Lockheed-Martin Beyond Challenge by designing a space station for travelling to Mars.

    She says that night watching the lunar eclipse started a strong desire in her that has yet to run out of fuel. So when her teacher Andrea Smeeton received information about the national challenge, Smeeton said she immediately had one student in mind.

    "I knew she would love the challenge and that she would go way beyond in her search," Smeeton said. "She immediately started researching bone density (密度) of astronauts and how to have food on Mars."

    "My design will ensure the safety of the astronauts but also make sure their comfort is out of this world," Dobek says.

    Dobek's design calls for building the MSS or Mars Storage Station to put the supplies in. It also includes the SGF or Self-Crowing Farm, and she details how it would work with the elements on Mars.

    Then there is physical and leisure activity for the astronauts under Dobek's design. A simulation (模拟装置) allows astronauts to choose their exercise machine and virtual (虚拟的) reality environment. Rooms have circular ceilings so astronauts will be able to watch downloaded shows and even see places on Earth, such as their homes.

    "I want to tell other kids to follow their passions." Dobek said. "Whatever they want to do they should push for it and always try their best."

    What's your feeling when you step into senior high school? It is a completely new experience, but you shouldn't worry. We've got some tips to help you.

    You're not alone

    Remember that everybody else in your grade is in the same boat. You may not notice it, but they're just as nervous as you are.

    Moving up to senior high school is a chance, not a problem. Things are different, and all you need to do is to be polite and learn the new rules.

    The teachers will help you

    If you don't know what to do or are worried about something, then ask for help. Teachers are probably the best people to turn to because they have experience in helping new students. Pay attention to what your teachers say.

    Everything changes

    There are lots of differences between junior high school and senior high school. You will you're your lessons with different teachers in different schools. You will have homework for different subjects on different days, so make sure you get organized.

    Other points

    If you've got an elder brother or sister at senior high school, then ask them for advice. Be yourself! It sounds simple, but things will become much better if you just act naturally.

    Going to bed early makes a difference. You'll also find it easier to get up in the morning!

Atlantis Waterpark is a great day of fun featuring pools, a giant dumping bucket, hair-raising waterslides, great food, cool souvenirs and fun-filled activities for kids and adults of all ages! Atlantis is open annually from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Our snack bar – Neptune Reef – features all the food, beverages and sweets you'd hope to find.

Bear Path Acres Zoo is a non-profit animal shelter. You get to meet the animals up close and personal! We take pride in working with each animal to make it a wonderful learning experience. We are conveniently located in Southampton County, just 9 miles south of Franklin. Spend an hour or pack your lunch and spend the day!

Belvedere Plantation is a 645 acre heritage farm, built in the 1760s on the historic Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is a working farm, with grain crops such as corn, wheat and soybeans. Come for picnics and parties. Enjoy fall harvest time with pumpkin picking, bonfires, and even a cornfield maze. Group and educational programs available.

Come on out to Hunt Club's Petting Farm for a day of family fun on the farm. Visit everyone's favorite place where you can spend all day feeding and petting our goats, sheep, chickens, and more! Take the time to explore the farm so you don't miss the pigs, rabbits and cows. Our guests love to get to know the animals and we encourage it!