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Archive for the ‘inspiration’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/22/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, Health, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A mass of red Lady Bird poppies moves with the breeze and resembles lady bugs in flight. Bees buzz from flower to flower. In the background, water trickles over rectangular-shaped stones. The wonder that is the Central Garden of the Getty Museum surrounds me. Robert Irwin, artist and planner of this garden, wrote these words to describe this living work of art:

EVER

PRESENT

NEVER

TWICE THE

SAME,

EVER

CHANGING

NEVER

LESS THAN

WHOLE.

Robert Irwin 1997

But as I stand in this garden, his thoughtful words make me think about how they relate to moments, minutes, and my life.

#1 – Carrying a Torch

The Olympic flame arrived in the United Kingdom on May 18th. Since then it has traveled “through villages and cities, across lakes and mountain ranges, on foot, by train, on horseback, and through the air, from Cornwall to the Shetland Islands.” Follow it’s journey in this series of photographs from The Atlantic. 8,000 torchbearers will have had the privilege of carrying the Olympic flame by the time it reaches London for the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics – only 35 days away.

#2 – Breaking Point

A podiatrist once told me to buy “P-shaped or clown shoes.” Ha! Ha! Except he was serious. Did he realize how hard it is to find stylish clown shoes? For days, I have been walking around the house in a new pair of high heels that I bought for my son’s wedding. The idea of breaking them in before the big day is a good one, however, my splayed toes ultimately are not meant to be forced into pointy shoes! After some research I found a great post The Secrets My High Heels Are Hiding on the style blog Alterations Needed. The article suggests several shoe aids that ease foot pain as a result of wearing high heels and ill-fitting shoes. The author’s suggestions are good ones, particularly the slingback foot liners, as are some of the suggestions from her readers. For instance, taping toes 3 and 4 together makes wearing pointy-toed shoes more bearable. Even though my toes look funny while taped together, I think the technique helps!

#3 – Intolerable Beauty

Oil filters, Seattle 2003, by photographer Chris Jordan

Photographer Chris Jordan’s series Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption is both a sobering reminder of the wasteful, throw-away-world we live in and an example of art existing everywhere and in everything, even in the least expected places. Linger on his website a while and view the powerful photos of In Katrina’s Wake: Portraits of Loss from an Unnatural Disaster.

#4 – Re-purpose It!

Chris Jordan’s photos speak to us about our wasteful ways, so let’s find more ways to re-purpose things. I’ve saved Altoid tins and other metal candy containers for years and was excited to stumble upon these clever 15 Cool Crafts Made With Altoid Tins!

#5 – Peace
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
Unknown

Have a peaceful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/15/12)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Holidays, Husbands, inspiration, Marriage, Parenting, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 15, 2012| 1 Comment »

Standing in front of the card rack, I search for the perfect Father’s Day card for my dad. One after another, I pick them up, read them, and put them back. None will do – too schmaltzy, too formal, or too silly. Why must cards rhyme? My expectations are too high. How can a card, a mere piece of paper, possibly convey all that my my dad means to me? He’s taught me many things, like how to: ride a bike, pick out the best produce and meat in a grocery store, cook, buy a car, select wines, and manage money. More importantly, by example, he’s taught me how to treat people with respect, how to be a responsible citizen, and how to age gracefully. But most of all, he’s taught me how to love. Thanks for all the lessons, Dad. I love you with all my heart!

#1 – Searching For the Right Words
Opa, pater, and padre are just some of the names that children from around the world call their fathers. In this Father’s Day Word Search, find 13 names for “Dad” either horizontally, vertically or diagonally in the puzzle. Oh, and did I mentioned that you’re being timed?

#2 – He Did, He Did Knot
The ache in my hip reminds me of slipping on black ice and tying a necktie. Tying a tie is one of the those things my dad never taught me. Back in the day, females had little use for that sort of knowledge. But I could have used it one morning several decades ago. My husband had left for work before tying my son’s tie – something he needed to wear for a school program. I quickly rushed my son over to a neighbor’s house for help. In my haste, I didn’t see the black ice that my husband made earlier in the morning when hosing off his windshield. I slipped and fell and have forever associated my aching hip with tying ties. Avoid my fate and learn how to tie a necktie by following the illustrations in Things My Father Didn’t Teach Me.

#3 – A Father’s Love
Many examples of a mother’s love can be found, but here’s a video from the ’92 Barcelona Olympics that gives testament to a father’s love and devotion.

#4 – The Gift
What am I giving to my husband for Father’s Day? Well, I have a gift that keeps on giving. Many posts ago, I wrote about my daughter being born on Father’s Day and how I will never be able to give my husband anything better than his only daughter, who looks a lot like him. That doesn’t mean I don’t treat him like the superman that he is on his day. If you want a man in your life to know he’s special, check out this list of 67 Ways to Make Him Feel Super Respected.

#5 – The Best Role Model
He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~Clarence Budington Kelland

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there! Enjoy your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/8/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »


Friends. They make our world infinitely better. Like a favorite pair of jeans, they are comfortable and without pretense. They are the twin sails of support as we steer through rough seas. They blanket us with gentle security, like the warm fuzzy blankets of our childhood. They listen, but need no answers. They bring laughter to our hearts and add sparkle to our eyes. They embellish our souls. Friends need no rewards or thanks and without them we are not whole.

#1 – Size Is Relative
A friend sent me this link to a wondrous lesson on perspective, The Scale of the Universe 2. Whether this perspective is 100% accurate or not, is not as important as the contemplation of the big picture of life.

#2 – It’s In The Jar

Source: Good Housekeeping

Ask your friends to start saving jars for you! There are so many ways to re-purpose glass jars. Serving drinks and food in them are very popular trends, but there are also many ways jars can be used to decorate your home and garden. Check out these links for creative ways to use glass jars:

DIY 101 Ways to Upcycle Glass Jars and Bottles
50 Ways to Re-Purpose and Reuse Glass Jars
20 Brilliant Things To Make In A Jar
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Repeat – Mason Jars
10 great Ways to Use Empty Glass Jars and Bottles

#3 – Easy Shopping

Most of the time I’m dressed in old jeans, a tee-shirt, and depending on the time of the year, either a pair of flip flops or Uggs. When I need to dress up, I always look to my friends for advice. Knowing that I’m frantically struggling to pull together a mother-of-the-groom outfit, one of my friends shared this shopping link with me. ShopStyle is like a personal shopper shopping the grandest and largest store in the world for you. It’s been said, “ShopStyle combines fashion, social networking, and shopping, providing readers with the tools to interpret style trends so they can create, share, and shop personalized looks.” Prices for items run from “Not too bad” to “Oh my!”

#4 – Friendly Photos

This series of photos about The True Meaning of Friendship was too cute and poignant to pass up! Enjoy!

#5 – Four For Friends
“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.”
Jon Katz

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live ’em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give ’em.”
Shel Silverstein

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
Anaïs Nin

“I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.”
Robert Brault

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/1/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Words failed me when the dressmaker said, “You didn’t tell me you wanted to move your arms!” Had I been wrong to assume that a store designing mother-of-the groom dresses would know that dancing and hugging were an integral part of any wedding? Defensively, she went on to say that models and movie stars can’t move in their dresses either. Her ludicrous words still ring in my ears and with only two months to go until the wedding and no dress to wear, words fail me again.

#1 – Word Portraits
While a reading volunteer at an inner-city elementary school, artist Judy Gelles found that children’s real-life stories were more captivating than the stories she was helping them to read. After interviewing 4th graders from around the world, she created word portraits – the combination of an image of a child with their answers to specific questions. The accumulation of these word portraits yields an insightful social commentary aptly titled, “4th Grade.”

#2 – Pillow Talk
Surround yourself with your favorite words or sayings by stenciling them on pillows. Follow the easy steps for this DIY project. These pillows would also make great gifts – think graduation!

#3 – Word Ruffle
Word Ruffle is a game that that challenges your vocabulary and spelling. You are given a set of letters and must make as many words as possible. In order to qualify for the next level you must create increasingly longer words until you run out of time. For help, hit the “ruffle” button to rearrange the letters.

#4 – Watch the Words
Watch the movie. Find the words.


Were you able to find the different meanings and uses of words in this 3 minute video?

#5 – Meanings Behind Words

There’s always . . .
A little truth behind every “Just kidding.”
A little knowledge behind every “I don’t know.”
A little emotion behind every “I don’t care.”
A little pain behind every “It’s okay.”
A little fear behind every “Leave me alone.”
A little hope behind every “Goodbye.”
There’s always “something” behind every “nothing.”
Unknown

Enjoy your weekend!

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Ode to Growing Old

Posted in About me, Aging, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 30, 2012| 3 Comments »

Waiting in a doctor’s office for a yearly examination can give rise to poetic prowess! Here’s a poem I wrote today while waiting:

Ode to Growing Old

by Linnell Chang

 

I’m growing so old from my head to my toes,

No part is immune, that’s just how life goes.

 

I look in the mirror and see same old me,

Though most of my body’s changed ‘bove the knee.

 

A sleek stylish haircut provides youthful flair,

But, Sharpie pens need to touch up white hair.

 

My face has no pimples of an eighteen-year-old,

but my age is revealed through wrinkles and folds.

 

The light of my soul shines bright through my eyes,

But my sight’s changed, fonts need to resize.

 

A double chin makes a great safety hold,

For keeping those scarves under control.

 

My upper arms have a life of their own,

Reps of tricep curls . . . I wish I had known.

 

The darts on my dress are lower than before,

 ‘Cause “the girls” on my chest are nearer the floor.

 

The abdominal work at the gym that I go,

Does not make a difference to the belly I show.

 

Smooth shapely thighs are a thing of my past,

Discover a cure for cellulite – fast!

 

Can’t turn back the clock, even if I chose,

That’s my growing-old story, so I’ll close.

 

Despite moaning and groaning, I’ve come to learn,

That growing old is a gift, something one earns.

 

By living and loving, without any restraint,

I’m so glad I’m alive and that’s no complaint!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/25/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Health, inspiration, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 25, 2012| 2 Comments »

Always expect the unexpected. Life is unpredictable. With an open mind, on any given day, you can turn the corner and find hot pink alligators clinging to the sides of buildings. Open yourself to new ideas and new possibilities, for these are the things that make life richer and more rewarding. Friday’s Fresh Five! tries to engage your interest and nudge your conscience by exposing you to things you might not normally come across. Hope you enjoy its unpredictability and keep looking for those hot pink alligators!

#1 – Name Game
Can you name all fifty states in 5 minutes? Test your knowledge by taking this Name All 50 States quiz. Not challenging enough? Try to Name All 50 State Capitals! Thanks to mental_floss for always keeping us on our toes!

#2 – Low Cal Cocktails

Drinking refreshing cocktails can cool you down on a warm day, but they can also add a few extra calories to your diet. Check out these recipes for 200 calories or less cocktails that quench your thirst and help you watch your waistline! Tequila Bramble, anyone?

#3 – Draw a Stickman

Draw a stickman and use your artistic talents to assist him on his adventures. I discovered this cute site and discovered that I can’t draw worth beans. It’s a nice short diversion that breaks up hours of working at your desk!

#4 – Water, Water, Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink
This line from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, is a fitting description for All the Water on Earth, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution animated clip. After viewing it, you may think twice about ever wasting water again.

#5 – All Great Things
All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
Winston Churchill

Give thanks to our veterans this holiday weekend.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/18/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Helping Others, inspiration, Organization, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Zoom! Zoom! Ka-Boom! Aggression rages outside my kitchen window – thanks to one particular alpha male. With all his speed and might, this guy slams his body into another male. Zoom! He’s back to his guard post. This mighty hummingbird perches protectively on a chain that supports a sweet nectar feeder. A few seconds later, he spies approaching invaders and darts off to give chase. I watch as other hummingbirds attempt over and over again to reach the feeder, but alpha-bird will have none of that. I sigh, “Come on guys. Why can’t we all get along?”

#1 – Love Those Hummingbirds
In order to learn more about this hummingbird’s aggressive behavior, I searched the internet for information. From the World Of Hummingbirds and How To Enjoy Hummingbirds sites I learned:

♥ Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world and they are also the smallest of all animals that have a backbone.

♥ Because hummingbirds can rotate their wings in a circle, they are the only birds that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways and hover in mid air.

♥ The bright flashing-colored feathers of the hummingbird’s neck is called a Gorget.

♥ A hummingbird’s brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom.

♥ Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill.

♥ Hummingbirds can hear better and see farther than humans, but they have nearly no sense of smell.

♥ A hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,260 times per minute.

♥ A hummingbird baby is generally smaller than a penny.

♥ Most hummingbirds die in the first year of life, but those that survive have an average life span of 5 years.

♥ Hummingbirds are very territorial and will perch in trees, vines or bushes, between feedings to watch the area . . . and will attack other birds that might try to feed at their food source.

#2 – No Limitations
In another inspirational video from TED, activist Caroline Casey “tells the story of her extraordinary life” and “asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.” Worth watching.

#3 – A Can You Can Hang

This repurposing idea from Brian Jewett is beyond clever. By attaching cleaned paint cans to a wall, he creates multipurpose hooks. A garment can be hung over the can, stuff can be stored in the can (I’m thinking keys), and something, like a scarf, can be hung on the can’s handle! Directions for this project can be found on Instructables. These can hooks would look great in a garage, an artist’s workshop, a child’s bedroom or playroom, etc.! There’s no end to creative ideas!

#4 – Yosemite HD
The talented combination of Sheldon Neill and Colin Delahanty, two young videographers, brings us this under-four-minute incredibly beautiful video of Yosemite National Park. Yosemite HD, a high definition, time lapse video, depicts the majesty of nature. Even if you’ve seen Yosemite with your own eyes, you’ll still want to see it through their eyes!

#5 – Every Moment
Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul.
Thomas Merton

Enjoy every moment of your weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/11/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Health, Husbands, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Running with unbridled joy, Buster, my “grand puppy,” leaps into the air and performs his signature belly-flop into the water. Quickly, he locates his float-toy, snatches it with his mouth, dog paddles back, drops the float on the ground, sprays water over everyone as he shakes it off, and then barks a resounding “Let’s do that again!” Sitting in the cool shade of a tree, I watch Buster repeat this series of actions for almost an hour. During this time, my thoughts shift from “dog hair clogging the pool filter” to “what a joy it is to live in the moment.” This is just another life lesson I’ve learned from a dog!

#1 – Gelato or Ice Cream?

My family would leap in the air for a bowl of good gelato. It started several years ago, when my husband made it his job to find us the best gelato in each city that we visited in Italy. Thanks to him, we tasted some of the freshest-flavored and creamiest gelato we’ve ever had. Finding good gelato back here in the states is more challenging, so we soothe our demanding taste buds with ice cream. Both gelato and ice cream are delicious, but have you ever wondered what the primary differences between the two are? Here’s what I learned from TravelDudes:

1. Gelato is made with mostly milk, whereas ice cream is made with mostly cream. Therefore, ice cream has 2-3 times the fat content.

2. Gelato is made using a slow churning process, whereas ice cream is whipped. This means gelato has a lower air content making it denser and richer.

3. Gelato is served at a warmer temperature than ice cream, and freezes at a lower temperature, so it is soft from the first spoonful.

#2 – Don’t Just Sit There
During an NPR interview, Gretchen Reynolds, the New York Times PhysEd columnist, discusses the importance of standing up every two minutes of sitting. If you sit at a desk for the better part of the day, you might want to read or listen to her interview as she details “simple ways you can combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle” and other health and fitness issues.

#3 – Take the Mystery Out Recycling Plastic
If recycling were made simpler, more people would do it. Storing recyclable items at home until enough accumulates to warrant a trip to a recycling center is a minor inconvenience compared to the problem of figuring out what is accepted and what is not accepted at recycling centers. The Daily Green’s helpful article, “What Do Recycling Symbols on Plastics Mean?” takes some of the mystery out of recycling plastic.

#4 – The Net Worth of Imagination


Artist Janet Echelman took a leap of faith fourteen years ago when her paints went missing and she was forced to create an art piece using an unfamiliar medium – fishing nets. Years later, hers is a story of pursuing and adapting her vision and creating building-sized, billowy, volumetric sculptures. The nine minute TED video is inspiring, but what I found most inspiring were the TED conversations regarding “Creative vision – how do you develop and hold onto it, especially when obstacles appear in your path?” Look for these conversations under “Comment On This Talk.”

#5 – Make the Leap
“Leap and the net will appear” ~ Zen Saying

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms!

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Moving On

Posted in About me, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2012| 6 Comments »

A long embrace and a quick murmured, “Love you. Take care of yourself,” and he was gone. My firstborn, who has always marched to his own drumbeat, is moving on with his life. Although I am extremely grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that awaits him in New York City and for the fact that he is not moving out of the country, I allow myself to experience the bittersweet feelings that stir within.

With less than four adrenaline-fueled days to adjust to the idea of him leaving and to tie up loose ends here, I didn’t have time to sit, feel, and acknowledge the rumblings of my heart and brain until now. My brain confirms all the positive aspects of this transition, but my heart stubbornly refuses to let go of that last bit of apron string tied to him. I remind myself that he is following his dream, something that I endlessly supported. But in this mother’s mind, at this moment in time, I can’t help but think that this wonderful opportunity is carrying him far away from home and family. His hard work and perseverance paid off. He held fast to his dream even when his life didn’t go according to plan – when life’s zigs and zags carried him their unpredictable ways. How could I not be happy for him now?

In reality, he’s not lived at home for a while, but he’s always lived in the same state as the rest of the family. As he heads to the opposite coast, I take comfort in the marvel of today’s technology, which will help to appease my motherly worries. I worry about this son of mine because he has a different approach to life than my other children and because things seem to happen to him that don’t happen to the others.

His decision to drive across the country with his girlfriend rather than fly, a decision that baffled many, did not surprise me. I asked him why he wanted to drive for five days and arrive at his new job road-weary and tired. I asked him why he wanted to drive a car that already has 150,000 miles on it and risk it breaking down in the middle of nowhere. I asked him why he was making things so complicated. He told me calmly, “It’s only complicated to you, Mom.” And then he added, “In my line of work, you draw on life’s experiences for ideas.” I understood what he was telling me. It’s my fault, I thought to myself. Throughout the years I reminded my children about “life being a journey and not a destination.” It’s no wonder that they yearn to do more, see more, and experience more.

For three decades my identity has been wrapped up with my children. It’s inevitable that as they transition, so must I. With one child moving away and another getting married in a few months, the focus of my life must shift away from them. It is only natural. My time is coming again. My children’s growth and good fortune affords me the time and energy to fulfill more of my life’s dreams. It is now abundantly clear to me, that my children are not the only ones moving on.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (5/4/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Entertainment, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2012| 1 Comment »

They’re finally here! After a seemingly long wait, the little strawberry stand down the way from my home finally reopened. Baskets overflow with big, red, ripe, juicy strawberries and customers eagerly stand in line to get some of the first-of-the-season beauties. They are just one of the reasons I love spring!

#1 – Strawberry Trivia – True or False?
A. Strawberries are the only fruit with the seeds on the outside.
B. The average strawberry has about 200 seeds.
C. Strawberries were once used as a toothpaste to clean teeth.
D. Strawberries are the most valuable fruit crop in the U.S.
E. Strawberries will continue to ripen once picked.
F. Strawberries are part of the rose family.
G. Strawberries offer more Vitamin C than any other berry.
I. Strawberries are the second fruit to ripen in the spring.

Answers: A (T ), B (T), C (T), D (F – strawberries are in fourth place after grapes, apples, oranges), E (F – strawberries will not ripen once picked), F (T), G (T), I (F – strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.

#2 – Berry Beautiful
Forget about drinking your strawberry smoothie! Slather it on your face instead! Because strawberries contain salicylic acid and antioxidants, you can use them to make beneficial and natural face masks at home. Go to Strawberry-Recipes to read about the benefits of strawberry facial masks and try its recipe below:

Homemade Strawberry Facial Mask

Ingredients:
4 to 5 very ripe, medium size strawberries
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon honey

Directions:
Rinse the strawberries and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. In a small bowl, mash fruit with a fork. Add cream and honey, mixing well. Apply immediately and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse of with lots of warm water.

#3 – A Wall to Watch
Friday’s Fresh Five! is all about sharing, so when I came across Wall to Watch, an “online gallery of undiscovered content,” I knew I had to share it. It’s a site that presents nine interesting articles a day. Check it out and enjoy!

#4 – Berry Good For You
Eating blueberries and strawberries are one of the nine things listed in the article “Boost your brain: things to do, eat and drink which could stave off Alzheimer’s.” I already feed my husband nutrient-packed strawberries and blueberries; now if I could only get him to follow tip number 2 and clean the house for his own good!

#5 – Love Is A Fruit
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Mother Teresa

Have a wonderful weekend!

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