A local community member and past employee passed away from cancer, last week. She had spent her life giving joy to others and in return, been given joy. Her passing was mourned by many. In fact, her memorial service was held at a large, local venue and was attended by more than 1,000 people! In talking with friends and acquaintances, her sense of fun and whimsy in even the smallest of things was notable. One friend said that she was known as the “Candy Lady” because of the bowls of candy all over their house. She even made earrings out of candy and gave them away. Other people said they knew what holiday or season it was by the decorations around their home and property. It was festive all the time. Whatever she put her hand to was for fun. At work and play, to her, life was to be lived and shared with joy. She made class reunions, family reunions, gatherings and parties fun and enjoyable. She gave to those she knew and those she didn’t. She knew that the gift of life is to share it.
When you give happiness, you receive happiness. How impressive it is to be remembered by so many people because you brought that level of specialness into their lives. It is something we can all do. There is enough love in our hearts to share with the world. We don’t have to hide or hold it in check. Clearly, our lives are meant to be shared and through that sharing come the gift of joy and happiness. Make life fun. Don’t be afraid to enjoy even the simple things or the whimsy. Be silly and don’t be afraid to laugh. Your heart and those around you will thank you for it!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Bad Parent
As I was driving to work this morning, the radio morning program was broadcasting. This morning’s topic was on being a bad parent. Callers were sharing different stories or events that showed what they had done to earn the title of “Bad Parent”. I’m sorry. I don’t know about the rest of you who are parents, but we all do or say things that we wish we could take back. I certainly do not need to air my faults on national radio. Given that freedom of speech allows these things, I still had to turn the radio off. I guess my personal belief is that we have an opportunity to learn from our mistakes. If we recognize that we have done someone wrong, especially to our children or significant other, then we have a choice to not only make it up, but change our behavior so that we do not repeat ourselves. It is important to look at each day as a new beginning.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Indoor Herb Gardens
Virtually everyone has heard of container gardens, in all of their myriad of sizes, styles, and content. I might add here, that if you have containers on your balcony and you live in an apartment or condominium, please remember to put drain pans under your containers. That way, when you water them, you don’t drain water over the edge of your balcony onto your neighbor!
Remember, as with any plants that are in containers, it is important to not let them dry out. Conversely, don’t allow them to sit in water. Too much water will drown them. A good rule of thumb is to water just enough so the water begins to drip out of the bottom, then stop. Always use containers that have drip holes and holding pans, especially with container gardens.
People who don’t have a balcony, but have good windows that let in lot’s of sun can still grow plants. Maybe, not tomatoes or peppers, but many herbs do well against an indoor window. Basil, sage, marjoram, oregano, and thyme are nice, basic herbs for indoor growing. Depending on your style of cooking, would depend on the number and types of plants needed to supply you with enough herbs.
Genovese Basil is a nice, compact variety with large, green leaves. It has a wonderful, rich flavor that adds a special quality to salads and sauces. Lemon Basil is not only fantastic in salads, but when you brush you hands over the leaves to release some of the oils, it sends out a fresh, lemony scent into the air. Basils can get leggy or stretched out when grown indoors if they are not getting enough sun, so using them regularly is good.
Try different varieties of the herbs you love. This is a great way to experiment with dishes you already make to add a new flavor. Remember, fresh herbs are much stronger than dry, so use only a leaf or two at a time, especially in cooked meals where you might add a teaspoon of dry. This also gives you permission to frequently taste what you are cooking!
This type of growing is rewarding and money saving. Your house will have that fresh, herbal smell that helps to relieve the stress of the day. What could be more special than that?
Remember, as with any plants that are in containers, it is important to not let them dry out. Conversely, don’t allow them to sit in water. Too much water will drown them. A good rule of thumb is to water just enough so the water begins to drip out of the bottom, then stop. Always use containers that have drip holes and holding pans, especially with container gardens.
People who don’t have a balcony, but have good windows that let in lot’s of sun can still grow plants. Maybe, not tomatoes or peppers, but many herbs do well against an indoor window. Basil, sage, marjoram, oregano, and thyme are nice, basic herbs for indoor growing. Depending on your style of cooking, would depend on the number and types of plants needed to supply you with enough herbs.
Genovese Basil is a nice, compact variety with large, green leaves. It has a wonderful, rich flavor that adds a special quality to salads and sauces. Lemon Basil is not only fantastic in salads, but when you brush you hands over the leaves to release some of the oils, it sends out a fresh, lemony scent into the air. Basils can get leggy or stretched out when grown indoors if they are not getting enough sun, so using them regularly is good.
Try different varieties of the herbs you love. This is a great way to experiment with dishes you already make to add a new flavor. Remember, fresh herbs are much stronger than dry, so use only a leaf or two at a time, especially in cooked meals where you might add a teaspoon of dry. This also gives you permission to frequently taste what you are cooking!
This type of growing is rewarding and money saving. Your house will have that fresh, herbal smell that helps to relieve the stress of the day. What could be more special than that?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Helping Hands
The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
- Swedish Proverb
How many people do you know who complain how awful their life is or that no one is willing to help them? I’m not talking about the people who have just found themselves in a bad situation. I’m talking about the people who perpetually blame everyone but themselves for the state of their affairs.
Often, we help those people for quite some time, until we finally realize there is a pattern of usage. We actually become enablers of the very behaviors we are trying to stop. Let’s turn the table, how often do we ourselves, become caught in that same cycle of self-defeatism? We complain and whine to those around us how something or everything in our lives is wrong and no one wants to help.
The reality is that if we don’t make the first move or moves, why should anyone pitch in to help? That picture isn’t going to paint itself, the book isn’t going pick up a pen, the garden won’t plant the seeds (or at least not the ones we want!), or the promotion/job won’t happen if we don’t first make the effort to prove or help ourselves. When we start making things happen for ourselves, others are encouraged to join in the parade. That’s what hands are for!
- Swedish Proverb
How many people do you know who complain how awful their life is or that no one is willing to help them? I’m not talking about the people who have just found themselves in a bad situation. I’m talking about the people who perpetually blame everyone but themselves for the state of their affairs.
Often, we help those people for quite some time, until we finally realize there is a pattern of usage. We actually become enablers of the very behaviors we are trying to stop. Let’s turn the table, how often do we ourselves, become caught in that same cycle of self-defeatism? We complain and whine to those around us how something or everything in our lives is wrong and no one wants to help.
The reality is that if we don’t make the first move or moves, why should anyone pitch in to help? That picture isn’t going to paint itself, the book isn’t going pick up a pen, the garden won’t plant the seeds (or at least not the ones we want!), or the promotion/job won’t happen if we don’t first make the effort to prove or help ourselves. When we start making things happen for ourselves, others are encouraged to join in the parade. That’s what hands are for!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Mmmm. It’s Spring!
It always smells so good at this time of the year. The pitch has started to move in the trees, bringing a pine-fresh quality to the air which actually seems to signal to our own inner juices that it’s time to stir the hibernating winter soul into awakening. You can hear the birds and insects begin to stretch their vocal cords as nature’s choir begins its annual practice.
As the grass reaches to the sky, there is an unaccountable joy at the sound of lawnmowers as they signal the end of a cold lifeless winter, while they cheerfully clip at extra growth to make an even green carpet and filling the air with a wonderful, grassy aroma.
Even the sun, itself, seems to exude a sort of fragrance that is warm and rich and loving in its embrace. Maybe, it’s a combination of sweet rich soil, plants bursting forth in happy abandon, and clear mountain water, all rejoicing at being reunited with their old friends. But, whatever the reason, it makes every living thing dance and sing in unabashed ecstasy. Oh, herald the rites of spring!
As the grass reaches to the sky, there is an unaccountable joy at the sound of lawnmowers as they signal the end of a cold lifeless winter, while they cheerfully clip at extra growth to make an even green carpet and filling the air with a wonderful, grassy aroma.
Even the sun, itself, seems to exude a sort of fragrance that is warm and rich and loving in its embrace. Maybe, it’s a combination of sweet rich soil, plants bursting forth in happy abandon, and clear mountain water, all rejoicing at being reunited with their old friends. But, whatever the reason, it makes every living thing dance and sing in unabashed ecstasy. Oh, herald the rites of spring!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Lifelong Learner
Learning new things is exciting to me. A couple of years ago, I finished a dual Bachelor degree program in Business and Marketing, graduating with honors in both programs. Though I was working full time and going to school full time, it was an amazing process. The professors were terrific, except for the couple who felt they needed to prove something, and my classmates were great. I usually learned more from my classmates than the Prof. As older students, the majority of us were there to learn and complete our degrees, so we were focused. We also brought a lot of life history to the table. It was so cool to find out what other people know because they may have different values, sets of family norms, traditions, work history, culture, etc.
Research has shown that people who keep an active mind through learning are less apt to suffer dementia. Reading and writing are fantastic activities for working your mind muscles. Painting or other creative pursuits are also helpful. Whatever it is that gets you excited.
My husband and I love to travel. When we plan a vacation, we like to find out the history or important information of the area we are visiting. Even local waterfalls have interesting information, such as who named them, the water source, and more. We love to explore museums, even in towns that we visit regularly, as we discover new information we didn’t know before. It makes our travels far more interesting and we come home enriched by the experience. It is so important to keep being curious and take advantage of our life.
Amaze your family and friends with your wisdom. You, too, can be a lifelong learner!
Research has shown that people who keep an active mind through learning are less apt to suffer dementia. Reading and writing are fantastic activities for working your mind muscles. Painting or other creative pursuits are also helpful. Whatever it is that gets you excited.
My husband and I love to travel. When we plan a vacation, we like to find out the history or important information of the area we are visiting. Even local waterfalls have interesting information, such as who named them, the water source, and more. We love to explore museums, even in towns that we visit regularly, as we discover new information we didn’t know before. It makes our travels far more interesting and we come home enriched by the experience. It is so important to keep being curious and take advantage of our life.
Amaze your family and friends with your wisdom. You, too, can be a lifelong learner!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Pets
My husband and I have a dog and 3 cats. Yes, they rule our lives. Two of the cats are brothers and look identical. In fact, the only way my husband can tell them apart is to feel their tails. One of them has a kink at the end. They are the funniest things on four feet.
They LOVE an inflated Mylar balloon. Any Mylar balloon. As long as the string is within reach, the chase is on. Jerry will pull the balloon down until he can get the base of the balloon in his mouth, at which point, he will take off running around the house. Tom, his brother (yes, we named them Tom & Jerry!), will take off after him, chasing the string that is trailing behind. We have tried to take pictures or video, but it happens so fast, we never have time to catch them. What pictures we have gotten, are incredibly blurry. Fast moving felines. They make us laugh all the time.
It’s amazing how varied our furry kid’s personalities are. Ruby, our yellow lab, thinks the sun rises and sets with my husband. She would follow him to ends of the earth. Henrietta Marie, our old tuxedo kitty, feels the sun rises and sets with her. She’s SUCH a prima donna. Tom and Jerry follow me around like puppy dogs. Writing can be a bit of a challenge with them vying for space on my lap with my computer!
Each of them brings a new dimension into our lives we would miss without them. Though Ruby and Henri will likely pass on in the next year or so, they have enriched our lives through their own.
Who enriches your life?
They LOVE an inflated Mylar balloon. Any Mylar balloon. As long as the string is within reach, the chase is on. Jerry will pull the balloon down until he can get the base of the balloon in his mouth, at which point, he will take off running around the house. Tom, his brother (yes, we named them Tom & Jerry!), will take off after him, chasing the string that is trailing behind. We have tried to take pictures or video, but it happens so fast, we never have time to catch them. What pictures we have gotten, are incredibly blurry. Fast moving felines. They make us laugh all the time.
It’s amazing how varied our furry kid’s personalities are. Ruby, our yellow lab, thinks the sun rises and sets with my husband. She would follow him to ends of the earth. Henrietta Marie, our old tuxedo kitty, feels the sun rises and sets with her. She’s SUCH a prima donna. Tom and Jerry follow me around like puppy dogs. Writing can be a bit of a challenge with them vying for space on my lap with my computer!
Each of them brings a new dimension into our lives we would miss without them. Though Ruby and Henri will likely pass on in the next year or so, they have enriched our lives through their own.
Who enriches your life?
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