This is what Memorial Day is about.
A flag has been placed for each of the 6,882 lives lost.
Remembering, with a grateful heart,
those who gave their all, who gave their lives.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Wednesday's Wisdom....
Sometimes, it's better if you....
DO NOT OFFER TO HELP
WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED
DO NOT OFFER TO HELP
WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Tip for a Tuesday....
In addition to the obligatory pot of tea, she also prepared a refreshing pitcher of water. I enjoyed it so much, I've done the same at home.
Fill a pitcher with water and multiple thin slices of lemon. Refrigerate.
Easy Peasy!!Monday, May 16, 2016
A Monday Memory....
"Look it up!"
Growing up, if I asked my Dad a question about something, inevitably his response would be "Look it up." He believed that it would be more meaningful to me if I looked up the information, rather than simply getting the answer from him. Despite my inward protestations, a rewarding habit developed that has lasted a lifetime.
The fact that we had access to both the Encyclopedia Britannica and The World Book Encyclopedia right in our house meant I really couldn't argue that it would take too much effort.
And those weren't the only sources of information under our roof. There were floor to ceiling shelves in my parents' bedroom, and a virtual library in the basement, stacked with subjects ranging from the study of birds, the complete set of Shakespeare's Comedies and Tragedies, to the Merck Manual (the world's best selling medical textbook). No matter how obscure a topic I would come up with, my Dad could produce a book on the subject and tell me to "look it up in the Index."
Of course these days, looking it up is a simple as typing in a question on the computer and hitting "enter." Seconds later, you have dozens if not hundreds of sites offering detailed information.
My Dad would have celebrated his 103rd birthday yesterday. Were he alive today, I suspect that despite his true love of actually holding a book in his hand, he would have been thrilled by the access to such a vast amount of knowledge via the computer, and would have spent the bulk of his day "surfing the net!"
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Wednesday's Wisdom....
Why I garden....
I recently came across an article from the Good Housekeeping UK website on Facebook entitled,
"WHY GARDENING THERAPY IS BEING PRESCRIBED BY DOCTORS" and was not surprised by the findings. The benefits of digging in the garden apparently go beyond exercise and something pretty to look at.
"Professor Tim Lang, Centre for Food Policy at City University London says it's widely recognised that regular contact with plants, animals and the natural environment can improve our physical health and mental wellbeing. When we grow food and flowers, we're engaging with the natural world at a pace that provides a welcome antidote to the stresses of modern life. 'For the large number of people in our society – children and adults – who live with challenging physical or mental health problems, gardening and community food growing can be especially beneficial. Such activities can relieve the symptoms of serious illnesses, prevent the development of some conditions, and introduce people to a way of life that can help them to improve their well-being in the longer term. And even if you are feeling fine, gardening is… well, just a very nice thing to do.'"
The article goes on further to list three specific benefits:
1. Soil is *actually* an antidepressant
I recently came across an article from the Good Housekeeping UK website on Facebook entitled,
"WHY GARDENING THERAPY IS BEING PRESCRIBED BY DOCTORS" and was not surprised by the findings. The benefits of digging in the garden apparently go beyond exercise and something pretty to look at.
"Professor Tim Lang, Centre for Food Policy at City University London says it's widely recognised that regular contact with plants, animals and the natural environment can improve our physical health and mental wellbeing. When we grow food and flowers, we're engaging with the natural world at a pace that provides a welcome antidote to the stresses of modern life. 'For the large number of people in our society – children and adults – who live with challenging physical or mental health problems, gardening and community food growing can be especially beneficial. Such activities can relieve the symptoms of serious illnesses, prevent the development of some conditions, and introduce people to a way of life that can help them to improve their well-being in the longer term. And even if you are feeling fine, gardening is… well, just a very nice thing to do.'"
The article goes on further to list three specific benefits:
1. Soil is *actually* an antidepressant
2. It incorporates mindfulness
3. It boosts brain health
Sounds good to me. So if you need me later, best look outside. I'll be the one with the trowel in one hand and my new watering can from Granddaughter M in the other.
Click here for the original article:
Friday, May 6, 2016
Friday Fotos....
Busy at the feeders this week - goldfinches, cardinals and mourning doves.
The Englishman surprised me with these gorgeous coins. It is truly incredible the technology that can place a photograph on a piece of precious metal.
Wishing all mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, and the women who "mother" others - a peaceful Mother's Day - filled with love and happy memories!
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Thursday's Thought for the Day...
For those of us
who no longer have our mothers physically with us....
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Wednesday's Wisdom....
This is a repost from several years ago....
What I've learned from years of mothering....
I was delighted when Mommy Mandy accepted my offer to guest post on her blog. I am known as "The Mom" to Mandy - she is the middle child of my three daughters. Raising my girls has given me such profound happiness. I would like to just share some of what I have learned over the years, sort of a "What I know for sure" as Oprah says.
Time goes much too fast. I know, I know - some of you are thinking will they ever sleep through the night, stop crying, do their homework themselves, or parallel park without hitting the curb? I learned early on to live in the moment. When my first child outgrew her 3 mo outfits I cried because that stage was over. My husband assured me that every stage from then on would be wonderful. He was so right - from infancy to taking them to college, each and every stage was wonderful, including the tough ones. I learned to be where my feet were, to live with them in the stage they were in at the moment. Don't be looking too far down the road.....
Take care of yourself! Part of the instructions for parents who fly is to remember that in an emergency the mother should put on her oxygen mask first before assisting her child. Sounds backwards, I'm sure, but they are correct. I learned I had to take care of the basics for myself if I wanted to do the best mothering I possibly could. For me, that meant getting up a half hour before my girls so I could shower and get properly dressed for the day. Schlepping around in pj's and slippers made me feel unable to do anything. There's an acronym I've used that has helped me - HALT. It means be on guard not to succumb to any of the following: hungry, angry, lonely, tired. I made sure I ate 3 mostly healthy meals, went to bed early, kept in touch with grownups, ate a small amount of chocolate each day (stashed in the kitchen cabinet) and had at least an hour to myself each week.
Remember when you were that age? I worked very hard to think back to my own childhood and remember what certain phrases and behaviors used towards me felt like. How did it feel when I was made to sit at the table until I had eaten everything on my plate? Did it increase my love of vegetables? Hardly. How did it feel when you accidentally spilled something and were shouted at? Would it have felt better if your Mom said, "it's ok, we can clean it up." What would my Mother do for me when I was sick that helped me feel better? I also tried to remember that feeling when I would open my lunch bag at school on my birthday and find a special note and birthday napkin from my Mother. Look back and find the good memories that you can repeat with your kids.
They are so capable! Allow your kids to do as much for themselves as possible. Yes, sometimes it takes a little longer or requires your patience to show them, but the look of pride on their faces is worth every bit of effort on your part. Assigning them chores around the house is not punishment, it makes them feel part of the family. A sense of love and belonging is far more valuable than the latest tech toy.
You can not hold them enough ! There was a time when the so-called experts thought you would spoil a child if you held them. Nothing could be farther from the truth! I held mine so much I once asked, "Where's the baby" and there was Mandy right on my hip! She was just an extension of me. Some children need more holding than others. You will get to know your child and what works best for them. More than one? You'll learn that what works for one, may not work for another. That's ok - everyone is different.
Motherhood has been the most amazing journey. It has enriched me as a woman, a wife, and a friend. And now, thanks to Mandy and her wonderful husband, I am on the journey of being "Grandmom" to two darling girls who fill my heart with immense joy! Tips on that in another 30 years!
UPDATE: Grandchild #3, courtesy of Daughter #3 and her husband, will be arriving in October!
What I've learned from years of mothering....
I was delighted when Mommy Mandy accepted my offer to guest post on her blog. I am known as "The Mom" to Mandy - she is the middle child of my three daughters. Raising my girls has given me such profound happiness. I would like to just share some of what I have learned over the years, sort of a "What I know for sure" as Oprah says.
Time goes much too fast. I know, I know - some of you are thinking will they ever sleep through the night, stop crying, do their homework themselves, or parallel park without hitting the curb? I learned early on to live in the moment. When my first child outgrew her 3 mo outfits I cried because that stage was over. My husband assured me that every stage from then on would be wonderful. He was so right - from infancy to taking them to college, each and every stage was wonderful, including the tough ones. I learned to be where my feet were, to live with them in the stage they were in at the moment. Don't be looking too far down the road.....
Take care of yourself! Part of the instructions for parents who fly is to remember that in an emergency the mother should put on her oxygen mask first before assisting her child. Sounds backwards, I'm sure, but they are correct. I learned I had to take care of the basics for myself if I wanted to do the best mothering I possibly could. For me, that meant getting up a half hour before my girls so I could shower and get properly dressed for the day. Schlepping around in pj's and slippers made me feel unable to do anything. There's an acronym I've used that has helped me - HALT. It means be on guard not to succumb to any of the following: hungry, angry, lonely, tired. I made sure I ate 3 mostly healthy meals, went to bed early, kept in touch with grownups, ate a small amount of chocolate each day (stashed in the kitchen cabinet) and had at least an hour to myself each week.
Remember when you were that age? I worked very hard to think back to my own childhood and remember what certain phrases and behaviors used towards me felt like. How did it feel when I was made to sit at the table until I had eaten everything on my plate? Did it increase my love of vegetables? Hardly. How did it feel when you accidentally spilled something and were shouted at? Would it have felt better if your Mom said, "it's ok, we can clean it up." What would my Mother do for me when I was sick that helped me feel better? I also tried to remember that feeling when I would open my lunch bag at school on my birthday and find a special note and birthday napkin from my Mother. Look back and find the good memories that you can repeat with your kids.
They are so capable! Allow your kids to do as much for themselves as possible. Yes, sometimes it takes a little longer or requires your patience to show them, but the look of pride on their faces is worth every bit of effort on your part. Assigning them chores around the house is not punishment, it makes them feel part of the family. A sense of love and belonging is far more valuable than the latest tech toy.
You can not hold them enough ! There was a time when the so-called experts thought you would spoil a child if you held them. Nothing could be farther from the truth! I held mine so much I once asked, "Where's the baby" and there was Mandy right on my hip! She was just an extension of me. Some children need more holding than others. You will get to know your child and what works best for them. More than one? You'll learn that what works for one, may not work for another. That's ok - everyone is different.
Motherhood has been the most amazing journey. It has enriched me as a woman, a wife, and a friend. And now, thanks to Mandy and her wonderful husband, I am on the journey of being "Grandmom" to two darling girls who fill my heart with immense joy! Tips on that in another 30 years!
UPDATE: Grandchild #3, courtesy of Daughter #3 and her husband, will be arriving in October!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Tip for a Tuesday.....
Who knew you had to "wash" your washing machine?
I confess, I've never done anything more than wipe down the inside drum and outside of my machine. But, after coming across the following set of directions for doing a proper job of it, I gave it a try.
1. Pour 3-4 cups white vinegar into a full tub of hot water. Agitate for one minute to combine.
2. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the water - agitate for one minute to combine.
3. Allow mixture to sit for thirty minutes. Then drain.
Easy Peasy.
Monday, May 2, 2016
A Monday Memory....
Girls are not allowed to go to school....
The first year I taught Third Grade, back in 1998, the class and I were settling down to read their first edition of, I believe, Scholastic News. The cover story concerned young girls in Afghanistan and the fact that they were not allowed to go to school.
No sooner had I read the headline aloud, when a roar erupted in the classroom. The girls began cheering while the boys tried to outdo them with their moans of protest. Once they quieted, I asked them to take a moment and actually think through what it meant.
What if they couldn't go to school? What are some of the things they learn in school?
Hands shot up - "We learn to read!" "We learn how to count" "We learn how to write."
Continuing the discussion, I asked them to think about the things they wouldn't be able to do if they couldn't read, write or count, for instance, money. Ah.... the light started to dawn.
Then I suggested how different life would be if their mothers had not been able to go to school. Wow - that seemed to unsettle several of them.
No more bedtime stories. Mom wouldn't be allowed to drive and take them places. Who would read recipes or directions?
By the time we finished our discussion, the students had a much different view of the headline. In addition to the information they gathered on the subject, I hope they also learned the importance of thinking things through when reading something that stirs their emotions.
Sadly, positive changes for women living in Afghanistan are still painfully slow in coming. The statistics say that today only 15% of the female population can read and write.
Makes me so very grateful that I, my daughters, and granddaughters, were born in the USA.
The first year I taught Third Grade, back in 1998, the class and I were settling down to read their first edition of, I believe, Scholastic News. The cover story concerned young girls in Afghanistan and the fact that they were not allowed to go to school.
No sooner had I read the headline aloud, when a roar erupted in the classroom. The girls began cheering while the boys tried to outdo them with their moans of protest. Once they quieted, I asked them to take a moment and actually think through what it meant.
What if they couldn't go to school? What are some of the things they learn in school?
Hands shot up - "We learn to read!" "We learn how to count" "We learn how to write."
Continuing the discussion, I asked them to think about the things they wouldn't be able to do if they couldn't read, write or count, for instance, money. Ah.... the light started to dawn.
Then I suggested how different life would be if their mothers had not been able to go to school. Wow - that seemed to unsettle several of them.
No more bedtime stories. Mom wouldn't be allowed to drive and take them places. Who would read recipes or directions?
By the time we finished our discussion, the students had a much different view of the headline. In addition to the information they gathered on the subject, I hope they also learned the importance of thinking things through when reading something that stirs their emotions.
Sadly, positive changes for women living in Afghanistan are still painfully slow in coming. The statistics say that today only 15% of the female population can read and write.
Makes me so very grateful that I, my daughters, and granddaughters, were born in the USA.
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