Friday Fotos....

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.

Wednesday's Wisdom....

    

Sometimes, it's better if you....
          



 DO NOT OFFER TO HELP

WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED

Tip for a Tuesday....

Daughter #1 prepared a delicious "Afternoon Tea" for my Mother's Day lunch recently.  Pure heaven!!

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!!

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's Thought for the Day....

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

     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:

Good Housekeeping UK

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.

Shhhh.....these two darling granddaughters kept the secret and surprised "Grandmom" with an early Mother's Day visit!  The celebration called for an impromptu tea party - teddy bears and unicorns included!

Wishing all mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, and the women who "mother" others - a peaceful Mother's Day - filled with love and happy memories!