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Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/24/10)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Health, inspiration, Photography, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 24, 2010| 1 Comment »

Yesterday morning while washing my breakfast dishes, I looked out my kitchen window and saw, just yards away from me, the most beautiful hummingbird. I ran and grabbed my camera and with one arm propped on a compost bin and the other on the sink faucet, I waited for more hummingbirds to come. Because they are quick and skittish, they are tricky to photograph – but good things come to those who are patient!

#1 – Modern Day Etch A Sketch?
If you enjoyed playing with your Etch A Sketch when you were young, you will love this site. As a kid I was a horrible at Etch A Sketching, but this morning I had to pull myself away from creating more colorful designs. This site presents you with a blank page that has circles gliding around it. Drag the circles to see what colors and patterns appear. There are 20 “tools” at the bottom of the page for your creative enjoyment! Take a study or coffee break and create a masterpiece!

#2 – Sound Memory Game
Tune up your auditory processing today! At the same site as above, there is a link to a sound memory game. Click on a square and listen to the song and then click on another square to see if you’ve found the musical match to that song.

#3 – Check Out These Rocks!
No, they are not diamonds, sapphires, or rubies, but some equally amazing rock formations. An article in Mental Floss features a short photo essay on some incredible natural stone formations around the world and the folklore that surrounds them.

#4 – Adjust Your Mood with Food
According to an article in Woman’s Day there are 7 Foods That Boost Every Type of Bad Mood. Who knew that if you feel sluggish you should eat a spinach salad or if you are cranky, you should eat an apple with peanut butter? Does that mean that if you are stressed, sluggish, cranky, anxious, angry, and sad because you have PMS, you have to eat all the foods listed?

#5 – Hope
Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops . . . at all.  ~Emily Dickinson

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/17/10)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Gardening, Gift Ideas, Health, Recipes, Recycling, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »

My backyard has become Grand Central Station – for the birds! With several types of bird feeders and bird baths scattered throughout my backyard, it has become a bustling playground of activity. I enjoy taking breaks from my daily routine to listen to the songs and watch the ongoings of the birds. The few minutes I take everyday to observe these beautiful creatures is always enough to remind me to “be present.”

#1 – Hummingbird Tale
For two years straight, my front door shrubbery was selected by hummingbirds as nest-worthy. My children were young then and were fascinated by the tiny nests made from spider webs and lichen. As to not disturb the nest, we observed the Jelly Belly-sized eggs via a hand mirror’s reflection. Eventually, the eggs hatched and the babies grew. One by one the babies seemed to fly away without any of us noticing. Then one afternoon we walked out the front door just in time to see the last little one perched on the edge of the nest, teetering a bit, waiting to take off. And just like that, he was gone. We felt sad to see “our” little birds leave, but were happy to see another nest in almost the exact same spot the following year! My fascination with hummingbirds has continued through the years and because I live in an area where we have hummingbirds year round, I make sure their feeder is kept clean and full.

According to Hummingbirds.net and my local bird store, it’s not necessary to buy commercial “nectar” mixes. These birds get all the nutrition they need from flower nectar and insects they consume. They do, however, get quick energy from ordinary white cane sugar – fuel for going after bugs.

Here’s a simple Hummingbird Nectar Recipe I got from my local bird store:

1. Add one part sugar to four parts hot water (boiled water optional). Store surplus in the refrigerator.

2. Never use honey to sweeten your nectar! Honey harbors a fungus that is deadly to these delicate creatures.

3. Never use food coloring in your feeders.

4. Nectar ferments rapidly. Clean and refill daily when temperatures are over 100 degrees; at least twice weekly during cooler weather. Avoid placing your feeder in the afternoon sun side of your house.

#2 – Double Duty
Whenever my husband and I take road trips or even just car trips for more than a few hours, we always take along a small ice chest. We never know what tasty morsel might be procured along the way or better yet, what leftovers mom and dad might send home with us! Plus, we like to have bottles of water to sip on during the trip. Instead of using space-consuming ice packs, I freeze a few water bottles and throw them into the ice chest. It’s a two-for-one deal: The frozen bottles keep everything nice and cold in the ice chest, but the defrosted bottles quench our thirst! The best way to freeze the bottles is to lean them against something in the freezer so that the water freezes at an angle (air space is redistributed). Not a biggie, but freezing water bottles standing straight up creates bulging bottles that don’t stand up on their own!

Even when we take our refillable water bottles on trips, I still pack frozen water bottles in the ice chest. Often times the same unopened water bottles get frozen over and over gain.

#3 – Mercury and Compact Fluorescent Lights
If a CFL bulb breaks in your home, should you be concerned about mercury exposure? Here’s an article by Helen Suh MacIntosh, a professor in environmental health at Harvard University, that answers the question.

#4 – Recyclable Gift Wrap
This You Tube video on Furoshiki gift wrapping demonstrates the versatility of Furoshiki. Furoshiki are reusable Japanese wrapping cloths that can be used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. The video shows how to wrap books, bottles, chocolates, and how to make a bag.

#5 – Sing!
Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.
~Emory Austin

Enjoy your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/3/10)

Posted in Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

School buses roaring down the street combined with the high-pitched symphony of chirping birds act as my alarm clock these days. Kids are back in school now and daily routines for some get needed adjustments. Hard to believe that summer is almost over. Finally turned the page on my calendar today – so September’s officially here! In the back of my head, though, I know that Halloween is just around the corner, Thanksgiving is just a ways down the stretch, and Christmas is only 16 weeks away!

#1 – Self Portrait
This cartoon made me both laugh and think, thereby qualifying itself for inclusion in today’s post. How accurate would your self portrait be?

#2 – Recycling Books for a Better World
Better World Books is a business that collects books from colleges, universities, and libraries and sells them for profit to help fund literacy programs throughout the world. The website states, “BetterWorldBooks is a for-profit social enterprise that collects used books and sells them online to raise money for literacy initiatives worldwide. We offer great bargains on used books – over 6 million used and new titles, with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. and just $3.97 worldwide. What’s more, you love cheap used books and so does the environment – when you buy used, you save books from landfill and conserve resources.”

#3 – Is It Skin Cancer?
I’ve known a few people who developed Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, and who sadly lost their battle with it. Having my share of beauty marks and freckles, I’ve always been concerned with their appearance. Here’s an iVillage article that contains the ABCDE photo guide that helps to differentiate harmless moles from the more dangerous ones. Take a look at the photos and the study the ABCDE’s of moles – this information could save your life or the life of someone you know.

#4 – Don’t Fork It Over!
Never use a fork to turn over a piece of meat on the barbecue. A fork will pierce the meat and let natural juices escape, causing a loss in flavor and moisture. Use a pair of tongs instead!

#5 – Be In Charge of Your Attitude
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
Charles R. Swindoll (American Writer and Clergyman)

Have a safe holiday weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/27/10)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2010| 1 Comment »

I was telling a friend that I should be a cast member on the hit television series Glee. Not because I can sing, because I can’t, but because songs are always playing in my head. Not just the latest catchy tunes, but songs that describe how I’m feeling at the moment. Like this morning the Mamas and the Papa’s song Monday, Monday was playing in my head as I sat down at the computer. Except in my head it went like this, “Friday, Friday, so good to me . . . .” Don’t you think that sounds better than the original? Who doesn’t prefer Fridays over Mondays?

#1 – Thought-Provoking Questions
Here’s a beautiful photo series with thought-provoking questions for all of us to ponder. Which ones hit home with you?

#2 – Food Dyes
Here’s another thought provoking question. Are food dyes safe and if not, why are they still allowed to be put in our food? I’ve mentioned before that one of my favorite monthly reads is the Nutrition Action Health Letter published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. This month’s featured article is titled, Color Us Worried which questions the continued use of food dyes in America and their related health risks. To read the report Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks and to look over a 1,300 dyed foods list, click here.

#3 – Signs of Dehydration
In another health education newsletter that I received from my community hospital, there was an article about dehydration. Since thermometers in my neighborhood hit triple digits this week, I thought it might be a good idea to refresh everyone’s memory on the signs of dehydration. Initial signs of dehydration are obvious – increased thirst and decreased urine output, but if dehydration continues these additional symptoms may occur, but are not limited to:

Lack of perspiration
Confusion
Increased body temperature
Fatigue
Nausea, vomiting and chills
Dry mouth
Eyes stop producing tears
Muscle cramps
Heart palpitations
Becoming lightheaded
Loss of appetite
Dry skin
Skin flushing

Obviously, a doctor should be called if you have any questions or concerns about any of these symptoms or if you suspect dehydration is a possibility.

Athletes, please remember to hydrate adequately during hot weather. Dr. Gerry Lee, a family practitioner interviewed in the article, recommends that if you must exercise in hot weather you should, “Drink two to four glasses of water or sports drink per hour during activity.”

#4 – 100 Ways to Live a Better Life
I accidentally found this site and so enjoyed reading the author’s list of 100 Ways to Live a Better Life. Many entries on the list are things that I am personally working on to improve myself. Maybe we need to print this list up and reread it every morning as a reminder of the potential we all hold and the promise that each new day brings.

#5 – Bird Songs
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.”
Chinese Proverb

“Use the talents you possess – for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best.”
Henry Van Dyke

“If I keep a green bough in my heart, then the singing bird will come.”
Chinese Proverb

Take time to listen to the birds sing this weekend. Have a good one!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/20/10)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 20, 2010| 2 Comments »

I was born on a Friday and somehow Fridays have become my favorite day of the week. Who could resist a day whose doorway holds so much promise for the weekend ahead? Plus, writing my Friday’s Fresh Five posts are always a fun challenge. Finding those helpful (and maybe a bit quirky) tidbits of information to present to you every week keeps me on my toes and nourishes my brain!

#1 – Apple Flavors
Ever wonder which apple varieties are sweet and which are tart and which ones can be baked with, but not cooked with? Print up this chart and post it in your pantry for quick reference.

#2 – Mosquitoes
Sitting outdoors and enjoying summer evening activities can often be ruined by nasty mosquitoes. Looking for a non-DEET repellent, I found a couple of posts that recommended using vitamin B1 or Thiamine as a mosquito repellent. It seems that after ingesting vitamin B1, it is excreted in your sweat which the mosquitoes find repelling. I guess plain old sweat isn’t repelling enough! I haven’t tried this, yet, so I can’t say if it works for sure and if you’re concerned about adding more vitamin B1 to your diet, please check with your doctor.

So that you can read about this yourself, here are a few links:
ehow
bigtravelclub
mothernature.com
dermnetnz

#3 – Body By Numbers
In an online article entitled 100 Very Cool Facts About the Human Body, amazing properties of our bodies are highlighted. If what the author states is true, then we should be darned impressed with ourselves! Here are a few snippets of information you probably didn’t know:

80% of the brain is water. Your brain isn’t the firm, gray mass you’ve seen on TV. Living brain tissue is a squishy, pink and jelly-like organ thanks to the loads of blood and high water content of the tissue. So the next time you’re feeling dehydrated get a drink to keep your brain hydrated.

The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razorblades. While you certainly shouldn’t test the fortitude of your stomach by eating a razorblade or any other metal object for that matter, the acids that digest the food you eat aren’t to be taken lightly. Hydrochloric acid, the type found in your stomach, is not only good at dissolving the pizza you had for dinner but can also eat through many types of metal.

By 60 years of age, 60-percent of men and 40-percent of women will snore. If you’ve ever been kept awake by a snoring loved one you know the sound can be deafening. Normal snores average around 60 decibels, the noise level of normal speech, intense snores can reach more than 80 decibels, the approximate level caused by a jackhammer breaking up concrete.

The human body is estimated to have 60,000 miles of blood vessels. To put that in perspective, the distance around the earth is about 25,000 miles, making the distance your blood vessels could travel if laid end to end more than two times around the earth.

#4 – Craftster
Reading the words on a cartoon at the top of a Craftster.org page made me laugh. Unfortunately, this particular Craftster’s phrase, “Save everything – you might need it someday,” describes one of my better known behavioral patterns! What is Craftster? The website explains, “Craftster is an online community where people share hip, off-beat, crafty diy (do it yourself) projects. The term “Craftster” means “crafty hipster” and is also meant to be an homage to the pioneer peer-to-peer sites Napster and Friendster. Check it out if you “save everything” and are looking for ways to use all of your stuff!

#5 – Gracious Living
“Awareness, attentiveness, and appreciation are the energies that light our path toward gracious living.”
~Alexandra Stoddard, Author

Hope today is the start of a wonderful weekend for you!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/13/10)

Posted in Aging, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Marriage, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Originally the words embedded in the wall struck me as being cute, but after a little more consideration, I thought they were perfect. I spotted this sign in the village of Oia in Santorini, Greece – a no hurry and no worries destination. In Oia it’s okay to be slow and to rest. How many restaurants in America boast slow food? My guess is not very many, but maybe that’s what our country needs to return to – savoring our food and enjoying the company of others.

#1 – Slow Food and Eco-Gastronomy
Coincidentally, I found an organization online called Slow Food that has a snail as its logo. Read Slow Food’s philosophy below and if you want to find out more about the organization, click on the link above.

We believe that everyone has a fundamental right to pleasure and consequently the responsibility to protect the heritage of food, tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. Our movement is founded upon this concept of eco-gastronomy – a recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet.

Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.

#2 – Slow Dancing
Do you remember the song you danced your first dance to as a married couple? Looking for a perfect song to slow dance to at your daughter’s wedding? Here’s a link to a D.J.’s list of his most popular and most requested slow dance songs. Is your favorite slow dance song on his list?

#3 – Slow Cooking
Most of us own slow cookers and enjoy the convenience of this type of food preparation. To remind everyone of food safety tips when using a slow cooker, here’s the link to the USDA’s article on slow cookers and food safety.

#4 – Slow Brain?
Is your brain a little sluggish these days? Sharpen them up with some brain games! I’ve posted links to sites with brain games before and here’s another one I just discovered.

#5 – Slow Down
“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”
Eddie Cantor

Enjoy a slow weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/6/10)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Gardening, Health, Husbands, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 6, 2010| 10 Comments »

” Smash it! Smash it! Smash it!!” the crowd chanted. Goaded on by his peers the bridegroom smashes a piece of wedding cake into his young bride’s face and then ducks to miss her intended aim. What you don’t see is the next frame in which the angry young bride (angry that he had the nerve to duck) grabs another handful of cake from the bottom-most tier and firmly plants it on his face. Turnabout is fair play after all, right? And thus our marriage began. Amazingly, we celebrate our 33rd year of marriage today and through the years we’ve learned the art of compromise and diplomacy, and that there’s no ducking when the cake flies!!

#1 – Two Foods
The Two Foods site offers food nutrition comparisons. In one space type in a food item and in the other space type in the other food item you want to compare it with. The site will give you the calorie, carbohydrate, fat and protein breakdown of both foods.

#2 – Running the Numbers
Okay, here’s my seemingly weekly link to a photo series. Had to pass this one along because it depicts the huge environmental impact of our “throw away” society.

#3 – Color Scheme in a Snap
In my Friday’s Fresh Five post dated 10/23/09 I wrote an entry called Simple Color Theory about determining complementary colors based on primary colors. My son, the artist, told me that this site makes a snap out of determining color schemes for projects and has almost infinite possibilities. Well maybe not infinite, but close to it!

#4 – Making Cut Flowers Last Longer
A. Cut garden flowers early in the morning, avoiding the heat of the day.
B. Remove all the leaves from the part of the stem that will be submerged under water.
C. It is better to cut the stems under water. Cut at a 45 degree angle with sharp pruners/scissors.
D. Change the water everyday to keep the bacteria level low.
E. Adding a teaspoon of sugar to the water will help refresh the flowers. Some use a crushed aspirin instead of sugar.
F. Avoid placing the flowers in direct sunlight and or in drafts.
G. At night store them in the refrigerator or in the coolest room of the house.

#5 – Soul Mates
“A soul mate marriage does not at all mean that you have found someone
you match up with on all the cards – on all the issues, on everything. That
would be the most deadly dull thing to even imagine. Instead, it means you’re
with someone who wants to take care of your soul – they want to make sure
your soul continues to grow, they don’t ever want to blow out that little light
inside you. And you feel the same way about them.”
Diane Sollee, NPR, The Real Life Survival Guide


All’s well that ends well . . .

Celebrate your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/30/10)

Posted in Creativity, Health, inspiration, Pets, tagged , , , , , , on July 30, 2010| 2 Comments »

July is almost gone now, but it was a month filled with the highs and lows of life. Milestone birthdays of 80, 83, and 88 years were joyously celebrated, but tempered with sad news from friends. July brought the reminder that life is to always be appreciated and celebrated.

#1 – Artistic Skylines
Lately I seem to be posting links to series of photos taken around the world, and, although I promised myself I would not do it this week, I am again linking to another series of photos. It features artistic skylines created out of a myriad of materials. Ever consider Jello as a building block before? Sorry, I find these types of things interesting!

#2 – Anyway the Wind Blows
Every year at about this time, I take a close look at the ceiling fans in my home to see which way they are rotating. In the summer, ceiling fans should rotate in a direction that pushes the air downward. The fan blades should spin with the leading edge up and you should be able to feel this downward air flow by standing underneath it. For most, but not all fans, this means a counter-clockwise rotation.

#3 – Good to Know
My local newspaper featured an article about poison control that had some good-to-know information. The most important bit of information is the phone number for the state’s (California) poison control hotline: (800) 222-1222. “It’s staffed around the clock, including holidays, and language interpreters are available.”

#4 – Lesson Learned
Another recent article in my local newspaper brought back memories for me. I wrote a post in April called What Not to Feed Your Pet and I thought it was a pretty comprehensive list, but the newspaper article listed a category that I had not included in mine. How could I have forgotten this one category?! One day when my little Romeo was just a pup, I came in from gardening and removed my shoes and thin nylon socks. I was reading the newspaper when I heard one of my sons say, “Mom, Romeo is sniffing your socks.” I continued reading the newspaper and calmly said, “Okay, keep an eye on him.” A split second later my son yelled out, “Mom, Romeo just ate your sock!” Well, my little dog was lucky that he didn’t need abdominal surgery, but boy was he a pathetic little thing after the veterinarian forced him to swallow charcoal and throw up the sock.

This is what the newspaper article says:
Socks, underwear and nylons: Unsafe. Keep laundry picked up and in hampers, and always watch what your dog has in her mouth – especially during the chew-everything stages of growing up.

Lesson learned for all of us that day. Please add socks, underwear and nylons to my What Not to Feed Your Pet list. It might save you some money on vet bills, but more importantly, it might save your pet’s life.

#5 – Part of Our Lives
“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.”
Roger Carras

Today is a great day – it’s my dad’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/16/10)

Posted in Creativity, Gardening, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 16, 2010| 1 Comment »

It’s the middle of summer already and a couple of 100+ degree days are coming my way. All this heat must be good for something, right? I’m taking advantage of the heat by drying my laundry in my oven-of-a-garage. I have five large drying racks out there and my laundry dries quickly and without wrinkles. Heat brings good and bad news for me; on the one hand, my vegetable garden is thriving in this weather, but on the other hand, it’s too hot to turn on my oven, so no baking for awhile. Haven’t yet convinced my husband that solar cooking is safe!

#1 – Desk Travels
Even though my international travels are done for the year, I can still see other parts of the world. The internet is filled with breathtaking snapshots of wonderful worldly sights, that for the most part, most of us will never see in person. Here are two photo essays that transport you to amazing sights without the need to leave your seat: The World’s Most Spectacular Roads, Vol. 2 and the World’s Most Extraordinary Swimming Pools.

#2 – Daily Limits
I’ve mentioned this before, but one of my favorite monthly reads is the Nutrition Action Health Letter. Once a month it provides easy to read, relevant articles about nutrition and health. For example, are you aware of what the daily limits of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar are for a basic 2,000-calorie diet? With today’s dining-out lifestyle it’s easy to exceed those limits. In an issue of the Health Letter there was an article called How Many Sugars? that provided a breakdown of several no-no ingredients found on menu items from popular dining spots. Here’s a quick look at daily limits and a sample menu item from the article:

Daily Limit of Sodium: 1,500 milligrams.
One McDonald’s Sausage, Egg, & Cheese on a Croissant contains 1,250 milligrams.

Daily Limit of Saturated Fat: 20 grams.
One Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee with Cream Coolata contains 22 grams.

Daily Limit of Added Sugars: 25 grams or 6.5 teaspoons.
One Starbuck’s Green Tea Blended Creme Frappuccino with whipped cream has 13 teaspoons.

Choose wisely when you dine out!

#3 – Thumping Watermelons!
According to several sources (my local newspaper, produce guides, and my dad, a former grocery store owner) to select the best watermelon you must consider these characteristics:
1. Shape – Look for a symmetrical shape (no flat sides or dents)
2. Weight – Since watermelons are over 90% water, select ones that are heavy for their size.
3. Sound – Several sources recommend lightly thumping the melon with your knuckle and listening for a hollow sound.
4. Appearance – Besides being firm and having a dull-colored skin, look for the spot where it sat on the ground. This area should be creamy yellow and it indicates the melon was vine ripened.

#4  – Mindless Computer Doodling
Sometimes when I have writer’s block, I look for interesting ways to refocus. I found this site that allows you to spend endless, mindless minutes doodling. The fun part is that the colors change on their own as you scribble and the squiggles move constantly. All you have to do is move the finger icon/cursor around. After doodling for a couple of minutes, I was back to writing!

#5 – Set Sail
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

– Mark Twain

Set your sails this weekend to explore, dream and discover!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/2/10)

Posted in Gardening, Gift Ideas, Health, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Pets, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »


Fourth of July weekend usually means patriotism, fireworks, barbecues, picnics, and cooling down in some form of water. No matter what you do for your holiday weekend, please take necessary precautions and be safe! Wear sunscreen and hats, store picnic food at safe temperatures, and if you are going to a lake, river, or beach don’t forget to pack life vests! My little dog wears his life vest when he swims in my pool. He’s had two surgeries to repair torn ACLs, so he begrudgingly dog paddles to rehabilitate his knees and stave off arthritis.

#1 -Independence Day Trivia
Here’s a sampling of Fourth of July trivia questions from Starpress.com and a few I threw in to keep you are on your toes:

Q: July 4 celebrates the passage of what important document?
A: Declaration of Independence

Q: What is the name of the group that passed the Declaration of Independence and when?
A: Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

Q: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
A: Thomas Jefferson was the primary writer. Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingstone and John Adams also were members of the committee charged with writing the Declaration of Independence and revisions.

Q: By what title did the Continental Congress call the Declaration of Independence?
A: The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America.

Q: How many people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776?
A: Two

Q: How many signatures are on the Declaration of Independence?
A: 56

Q: The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution are familiarly known as?
A: The Bill of Rights

Q: What do the colors on the flag stand for?
A: There is no record stating why red, white, and blue where chosen for the flag.

Q: The dollar amount of all U.S. fireworks imported?
A: $211 million

Q: Estimated number of Fourth of July cookouts?
A: 150 million

#2 – Picnic Safety Tips
If you’re planning a picnic this Fourth of July, take care that you’re following these safety tips as provided in an article by whatscookinginamerica.net. Click on the link to read the entire article, otherwise here’s a synopsis:

A. As always, wash hands and work areas before preparing food.

B. Cook foods in plenty of time to thoroughly chill them in shallow containers in the refrigerator.

C. Have enough coolers with ice or frozen gel packs and pack foods right from the refrigerator into the coolers.

D. Don’t put the cooler in the car trunk; Carry it inside an air-conditioned car. At picnics, keep the cooler in the shade and keep the lid closed. Replenish the ice if it melts.

E. Use a separate cooler for drinks so the one containing the food won’t constantly be opened and closed.

F. Find out if there’s a source of safe drinking water at your destination. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning; or pack clean, wet, disposable cloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces. Cross-contamination during preparation, grilling, and serving food is a prime cause of food borne illness.

G. Pack raw meats, poultry, or seafood on the bottom of the cooler.

H. If you plan on getting takeout foods such as fried chicken, eat them within an hour of pick up.

I. Do not partially grill extra meat or poultry to use later.

J. Don’t put the cooked items on the same platter which held the raw meat.

K. Two Hour Rule. Don’t leave perishable food un-refrigerated for more than two hours.

L. Discard leftovers.

#3 – Patriotic Flower Pots
Buy red, white, or blue flower pots and plant them with red geraniums, blue salvia, and white petunias or any other combination of red, white, and blue summer annuals. Purchase some patriotic-colored, wide, wired ribbon at your local crafts store. Plant the flowers, tie the ribbon in a bow at the front of the pot, and place pots wherever you need a pop of patriotic color that will last all summer long.

#4 – Patriotic Drink
The secret to creating a red, white, and blue multilayered drink is finding beverages with different sugar contents, so says an article in Disney Family Fun. Beverages with more sugar, like fruit juices, are denser and are poured first. The second layer the article suggests would be something like an athletic beverage and the top layer, which would have the least amount of sugar, would be a diet drink. The following recipe from the article is for a children’s patriotic drink, but think of all the possibilities for adult drinks!

Ingredients:
Ice cubes
Cranberry juice
Wild Berry flavor Gatorade Fierce
Diet 7-Up

Instructions:
1. Fill a clear glass with ice cubes. Pour the drink with the most sugar (check the nutrition label) into the glass. For our red, white, and blue recipe, start with the cranberry juice.
2. Very slowly add a beverage that contains less sugar — in this case, Wild Berry flavor Gatorade Fierce. Be careful to pour it onto an ice cube — not directly into the other drink — to keep them from mixing.
3. Use the same technique to add a layer of Diet 7-Up.

#5 – Freedom
Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend!

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