Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’

Laura’s Gift of Hope

Posted in Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on February 16, 2011| 7 Comments »

Can numbers tell a story of courage and inspiration? Consider the staggering numbers in this story and the incredible story in its numbers.

The house is peacefully quiet and broad bands of sunlight stream into the room through large windows as my friend Laura eases herself into a comfortable recliner that is her safe haven for most of the day. An eight-inch scar races down her abdomen and painfully reminds her of her sixth cancer-related surgery. With her aging dog lying at her feet, she shows me colored photos of the cancerous “stalactites” that peppered her peritoneum, the membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity. I am in awe of her while she calmly reminds me about the details of her eleven-year fight against three primary forms of cancer. While most of us would be daunted by the prospect of a single round of chemotherapy, Laura is about to begin her fourth – she has Stage 4 peritoneal cancer. Saying that Laura is one of the most courageous and inspirational people I know is clearly an understatement and is one that I wish I didn’t have to make.

“What do you say to yourself every morning when you wake up? What gives you the strength to get through the hard days?” “What words keep coming back to you as you go on this journey?” A couple of weeks ago I asked Laura to think of several words that answer these questions. Because she is a gift to me, I want to make a gift for her. I want to know what “her words” are so that I can make an indelible version of them for her to wear close to her heart – in a necklace. The words come easily to her: “Faith, Hope, and Love.”

As bright as the sunlight that streams into the room, so is Laura’s hope. The mere fact that Laura is involved in fundraising for three major cancer organizations while in the throes of her own battle is proof. As an eight-year active volunteer for her county’s American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days Campaign, Laura has an ambitious goal. She hopes that during Daffodil Days as many cancer patients as possible will be able to receive a Gift of Hope. A Gift of Hope is a bouquet of daffodils that is donated anonymously and is delivered to someone undergoing cancer treatment during Daffodil Days. She vividly recalls the day, more than a decade ago and during one of her chemotherapy sessions, when a stranger walked into the room and handed her a bouquet of cheerful yellow daffodils. That person was a cancer survivor and an ACS volunteer. Laura’s eyes light up as she explains to me how much receiving that bouquet meant to her that day. Her emotional words and her dedication to this campaign make it clear just how very much that bouquet means to her even now.

Last September Laura and nine of her friends participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Walking thirty-nine miles over a two-day period can be a grueling task, but for Laura, who had just finished her third round of chemotherapy, and her friends, each step gave them another measure of hope. With Laura by their side as an inspirational guide, they all completed their 39-mile journey and raised almost $40,000 to go towards breast cancer screening, support, treatment, and research.

Laura is a gift to all who know her and is a gift of hope for all cancer patients that she tirelessly raises money for in an effort to find cures. If her story inspires you or if you want to bring hope to people facing cancer and help save lives through cancer research, please consider donating a Gift of Hope during the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days Campaign. You can access Laura’s Daffodil Days donation page by clicking here. Online orders can be made through February 28th. Laura and I thank you.

“Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”
Lin Yutang

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/11/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Gardening, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The sun bathes my skin in warmth as I tend to the rose bushes in my garden. The hard work of pruning is finished, but I am far from done with my work. To receive gifts of magnificent blooms, such as the heavenly one in the photo taken last year, the bushes need a little more TLC. What living thing on this earth does not benefit from a little extra love?

#1 – How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Instead of buying Valentine’s Day cards at the grocery store, try doing this for each special person in your life. In your own imperfect handwriting, make a list of all the reasons you love him/her. At the top of your paper write Twenty Reasons Why I Love You and begin your list. Obviously 20 is just a number used as an example. Don’t stop at 20 if you have more reasons why you love this person. Think about what this person does that makes you smile or laugh. Consider the ways this person allows you to be yourself. Write down how you feel when you are around this person. What does this person bring to your life? You get my drift. What better Valentine’s Day gift than telling your special people what is truly in your heart!

#2 – Kiss Me Pink
Like to sip on cocktails, but, for whatever reason, don’t want the alcohol? DrinkAlternatives.Com has a list of Non-Alcoholic Mocktails Recipes that you’ll want to check out. Here’s a recipe from the list that would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day brunch:

Kiss Me Pink Mocktail
Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup sparkling cider
* 1/4 cup cranberry juice
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* whipped cream

Recipe: Mix sparkling cider with pineapple and cranberry juice. Top with whipped cream.

Garnish: Add a small lime slice and a maraschino cherry on top.

Serve: Champagne flute

#3 – Best Movies to Watch on Valentine’s Day
I love watching chick-flicks and all I can say is thank goodness I have sons who like to watch scary or deep, dark, action movies with my husband. Here’s a list of movies more to my liking – Better Homes and Garden’s Editors’ Picks for 30 Top Romantic Movies for Valentines Day:

1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Pride & Prejudice
3. Pretty Woman
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Sleepless in Seattle
6. An Officer and a Gentleman
7. The Notebook
8. Bridget Jone’s Diary
9. Bull Durham
10. Casablanca
11. The Sound of Music
12. Shakespeare in Love
13. Sense and Sensibility
14. Overboard
15. Dirty Dancing
16. Say Anything
17. Rebecca
18. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
19. Ghost
20. Love Actually
21. Notting Hill
22. Moonstruck
23. Somewhere in Time
24. Emma
25. Room with a View
26. The Fabulous Baker Boys
27. Love Story
28. Dr. Zhivago
29. Always
30. The Thorn Birds

#4 – Romantic Destinations
Want to get away to a romantic destination for Valentine’s Day, but can’t? Take a look at these photos of some of the most romantic travel destinations courtesy of the Global Grasshopper. Oia and Venice are as romantic in person as they seem in the photos. I’m sure, though, they would have been a whole lot more romantic for me and my husband, if we hadn’t taken our kids with us!

#5 – Imagine Love
“It matters not who you love, where you love, why you love, when you love or how you love, it matters only that you love”
— John Lennon

Have a simply lovely weekend!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/4/11)

Posted in Creativity, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 4, 2011| 2 Comments »

Seeing red? The month of February brings this powerful color to the forefront. The Chinese Year of the Rabbit hopped in this week bringing with it an abundance of red. Red is a color of happiness and prosperity in China and is used to attract good luck. Red firecrackers and red lucky envelopes abound. But February also takes a romantic turn as we think of cupids and love. Valentine’s Day is just ten days away and soon we’ll be deluged with red hearts, cupids and candies! And speaking of red hearts . . .

#1 – Wear Something Red Today!
Today is the Go Red for Women “Wear Red” Day. Go Red is the American Heart Association’s campaign that “celebrates the energy, passion, and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke.” Heart disease is the number one killer of women. To learn more about the warning signs of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest click here.

Wear something red today – a red scarf, a red flower, a red pair of shoes,  a red whatever – to proudly show your support for women’s heart disease awareness!

#2 – Carrying Aspirin?
For Christmas my sister gave me a pill tote that attaches to a key chain. The intention is to have aspirin readily available in case of a heart attack. The card that accompanied it states, “Chewing at least two (81mg) baby aspirin or one regular-strength (325 mg) aspirin at the first sign of a suspected heart attack can help save your life.” To verify the validity of the statement and the dose, please consult your doctor.

If you are interested in purchasing a pill tote similar to mine, here is a link. Quantities are limited.

#3 – Street Art
The website Street Art Utopia states “We declare the world as our canvas” and has just posted the 20 Most Loved Street Art Photos. Creative and interesting stuff!

#4 – 360 Virtual Reality Panoramas
Have you ever wondered what the view is like from the top of Mt. Everest? Thanks to some of the best 360 virtual reality panoramic photographers in the world, you can enjoy this view and others, too! At panoramas.dk you can see the breathtaking panoramic view at the summit of Mt. Everest, as well as, many other locations and events such as New Years in Times Squares, Carnival in Rio, or paragliding over France. I highly recommend watching it in fullscreen mode and if you’re prone to motion sickness, take a Dramamine first!

#5 – How Big is Your World?
A person’s world is only as big as their heart.
Tanya A. Moore

Share your world with someone this weekend!

Read Full Post »

Vows I Made

Posted in About me, Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

During our lifetimes we make many vows and take many oaths. Some are official and spoken out loud such as wedding vows and oaths of allegiance. Others are silent vows made to God or vows of love and protection that mothers say to their newborn babies when they are put in their arms for the very first time.

A couple of nights ago, while I was waiting for my computer to install updates, I decided to explore a new “magnetic” poetry application on my iPad. Like on a Ouija board, the words seemed to move and form groups magically by themselves. When all was said and done, I found myself staring at the the screen. No ordinary wordplay transpired here, as I noticed the messages behind the words. Then the impact of the words hit me and I realized that these thoughts were significant and were vows I needed to make to myself. When was the last time you made a vow to your true self? So from the depths of “magnetic” poetry, I share these vows with you.

Create Joy – I must create joy for others, to find joy in myself.

Breathe Hope – Hope is a force inside of me like the air I breathe in out out. As I inhale the power of hope from others, I must also exhale it to share with others.

Grow Imagination – More than ever the world needs people with imagination. I will nurture mine in every way I can.

Accept Love – I give love freely, but also open myself to accept love in all of its forms.

Thank Nature – For all the gifts that nature bestows upon me, I thank her by taking pleasure in them and by taking great care of them.

Applaud Gifts – I gratefully acknowledge my unique gifts and, like a super hero, will find ways to use them to make the world a better place.

Remember Dream – I will keep my dreams in the forefront of my consciousness and will work to make them a reality.

Feel Passion – To really live, I must feel passion or be passionate about something.

Shine – There is a light inside of me that shines through my whole being and is reflected in my thoughts and deeds.

Become Thought – If I am the sum total of my thoughts, then my thoughts must reflect the person I desire to be.

Show Heart – I will show compassion for others. Mother Teresa once said, ” Let us not make a mistake – that the hunger is only for a piece of bread. The hunger of today is so much greater: for love – to be wanted, to be loved, to be cared for, to be somebody.”

Live Life – With only a finite number of breaths in my life, I will breathe deep and live my life to the fullest!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/28/11)

Posted in About me, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2011| 3 Comments »

“Enough birds,” my mom says. “What?” I confusedly reply. “Enough birds,” she reiterates. “Okay,” I say as her meaning sinks in. My mom thinks I’ve posted too many photos of birds in my blog recently. Admittedly, I have become a bit bird crazy. Today’s photo of a Black-chinned Hummingbird is one that took great patience and a little luck to capture, so I have to share it! But I’ll try to give the little creatures a rest and aim my camera elsewhere for a little while . . . .

#1 -A Giving Challenge
“Give one thing away each day for 29 days. Share your stories about how it impacts your life to focus on giving. Join the 29-Day Giving Challenge today. Why? Because to see our world change, we have to do something to change our world. Plus, the best way to attract abundance into your life is to be in a perpetual state of giving and gratitude. Be an important part of the global giving movement that inspires more generosity on our planet.” These are the words on the 29-Day Giving Challenge: Changing Lives One Gift at a Time website that I learned about at a workshop I attended last weekend. Take on the challenge and see if your life doesn’t change!

#2 – Great Quotes and Great Images
Many of my favorite inspirational quotes have been paired up with some great photo images or artwork on the Present Outlook site. Check them out and print some up.

#3 – Get Organized!
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, January is the official Get Organized Month.

As I sit here in my office, I am surrounded by piles of junk. I impulsively decided to clean my study yesterday. Cleaning and organizing are my favorite forms of procrastination! After spending half a day pulling everything off the bookshelves to sort and dust, I now have a bigger mess than I had before. What to do? Well, right now I’m procrastinating by writing this post instead of choosing to clean up my newly-created mess. It’s a vicious cycle, isn’t it?

If mail clutter seems to be taking over your living quarters, then here’s a tip from a book I found yesterday while cleaning. Sheree Bykofsky author of 500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything says, “Never let your mail sit around. Read your mail as soon as it arrives and sort each envelope into the following categories: pay, answer, file, dump. Then do it. Be selective about what you choose to file; think about whether you’ll ever need to locate that paper again, and if you do, will you really be able to find it? Your time is too valuable to spend constantly filing; and your home shouldn’t resemble the archives of the Library of Congress.”

#4 – Got Lemons?
Got lemons? Do what I do when I’ve got lots of lemons. I freeze some of them, so I can enjoy their flavor throughout the year. One way I like to freeze them is in round slices. After washing the lemons, I slice them with a sharp knife into thin rounds. Then I place the slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. After the slices are frozen solid, I transfer them to a freezer-safe container, alternating layers of wax paper and lemon slices. When I have company over and want to serve them a refreshing pitcher of water, I just reach into my freezer and grab a couple of frozen lemon slices and toss them into the water. I also keep lime slices, quartered orange slices, cucumber slices, and melon chunks in my freezer just for that purpose, too!

# 5 – How Do You Say Thank You?
How do you say “thank you” for sunshine or health . . . for clear days or gentle rains . . . for happiness, joy or love? You say it by sharing what you have. You say it by making the world a better place in which to live.
~Thomas D. Willhite~

May you experience joy this weekend!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/21/11)

Posted in Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Like Midas, the sun transformed everything it touched into gold as the bride and groom exchanged their wedding vows. “No gifts please,” the invitation read. But what about the beautiful gift they gave to their guests?  Was not the sharing of this glorious golden sunset on their wedding day a gift to others?

#1 – Live Your Life To the Fullest
I found another great list filled with food for thought. It’s from the Personal Excellence Blog and it’s called 101 Ways To Live Your Life to The Fullest. The article starts with this quote from Steve Jobs:

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

This list may seem daunting to some of you, but even if only one or two of the author’s suggestions appeal to you, you are still ahead of the game and closer to living your life to the fullest.

#2 – Reuse It!
If you have a wool sweater that you or someone in your family no longer wears, try making a cute handbag/tote out of it. I’ve not tried making one yet, but I’m definitely going to do it. The whole process seems simple enough. I may even attempt to add lining to my handbag! If you don’t have any old sweaters, search a thrift store for one. Click the link for the 30 Minutes to a Recycled Sweater Bag instructions.

#3 – Recycling Is An Art
This is a fun site to explore and inspire. Browse through the pages of RECYCLART to view ways to reuse and recycle “stuff” in a fun and artistic way. This site proves that with imagination anything can be reused!

#4 – Give Yourself a Time Out!
After I saw this gorgeous photo, I had to share it with you! Give yourself a time out to enjoy it. I guarantee you’ll feel much more relaxed after looking at this incredible sunset. Click on the link, then take a deep breath and simply gaze at the photo. Study the silhouette of the canoe and its solitary passenger. Is it a man or woman? Admire the vibrant colors – did you know that blue and orange are complementary colors? Have your eyes find the horizon and then let yourself sink deep into the warmth of its image. See how the clouds are smaller and fainter at the horizon then at the top and bottom of the photo? Notice the movement of the clouds and appreciate the beauty of their reflected image on the shimmering water. Feel better now?

#5 – Point of View
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
Rabindranath Tagore

Enjoy your weekend!
And a Happy Birthday to my niece Stephanie!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/14/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

A guessing game: I rarely leave home without it. It’s always in my back pocket. It’s loaded with information that I check during the day. What is it? No, it’s not my cell phone. It’s my pedometer! Thanks to a friend and neighbor, I walk over 10,000 steps almost every day. If not for her, I would be a slug. I used to hate waking up early and walking in the cold or in the rain, but now I actually enjoy it! Everything is always more enjoyable when you can share it with someone!

#1 – 100 Weight Loss Tips
Already blown one of your New Year’s resolutions? All is not lost. Every day of our lives, we have the opportunity to start over. If losing weight is something you’d like to accomplish, then read Dr. Oz’s 100 Weight Loss Tips and start implementing some of his tips today. His list is more helpful than most and I think you’ll agree that it’s never too late to start taking better care of yourself!

#2 – Yarn Bombs
This isn’t earth-shattering news, but I thought it was interesting. I recently read an article in my local newspaper about a yarn bombing that occurred at a newly renovated art museum in town. The museum directors weren’t upset and thought the ruffled strips of yarn wrapped around a pole were rather interesting. It seems some people are going to great lengths (sorry, I couldn’t help myself!) to leave their mark in the world. Yarn bombing is akin to graffiti. People sneak out at night and tag public objects, but in the case of yarn bombing, they leave their mark with knitted or crocheted yarn. Click here to see a few examples of it. Wikipedia states, “While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.”

#3 – Wax On, Wax Off
Over the holidays, the charming snowmen candles on my kitchen table fell out of favor when they dripped wax on my red tablecloth. With minimal fuss, my tablecloth is as good as new now. Here’s how I removed the wax:

A. Used ice to solidify wax.
B. Scraped off as much wax as possible using a dull knife.
C. Sandwiched wax spots between paper bags – one bag under and one bag over the spots.
D. Ironed spots on medium-high while periodically shifting to fresh areas on bags.
E. After melting off as much wax as possible with the iron, I pretreated the areas with a stain remover and sent it through a warm wash.

#4 – My 50 List
I read in an article that people live for an average of 28,616 days. I don’t have a “bucket list,” but after roughly calculating that I’ve used over 20,000 of my days already, I think it’s about time that I set some additional goals for myself. On the site my50 (Things to do in a lifetime) you are invited to create a list of things you’d like to do during your lifetime. You can add descriptions, pictures, deadlines, and achievements to your list. You can make your list public, to help inspire others, or you can keep it private. Thinking of my life in terms of days versus years, is a perspective that reminds me not to squander any of my time on this earth!

#5 – Recognizing Miracles
“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child — our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

Read Full Post »

The Perfection of the Imperfect

Posted in About me, Aging, Handcrafted Cards, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on November 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Wabi-sabi is the quintessential Japanese aesthetic. It is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional . . . . It is also two separate words, with related but different meanings. “Wabi” is the kind of perfect beauty that is seemingly-paradoxically caused by just the right kind of imperfection, such as an asymmetry in a ceramic bowl which reflects the handmade craftsmanship, as opposed to another bowl which is perfect, but soul-less and machine-made. “Sabi” is the kind of beauty that can come only with age, such as the patina on a very old bronze statue. Reading those words on Wiki Wiki Web soothed the ever-shrinking perfectionist in me. As I’ve grown older and wiser, I’ve come to embrace the notion that some things in life are actually better when they are not perfect.

For example, rows of tiny striations marred the smooth surface of a pair of shiny, black, patent leather footwear I purchased six months ago. Noticing the striations, I became distressed. “How could this be? I’ve only worn them to work a few times! Is it too late to return these shoes? Can they be repaired?” were the thoughts making noises in my head. Knowing that the shoe manufacturer was a reputable one, I did a little online research. I happily found out that a warranty policy existed, but the manufacturer would need to inspect my footwear to determine whether or not the striations were a warranty-related issue. Emailing the manufacturer a close-up photo of the striations was a possible first step. Using my little point and shoot digital camera, I snapped several close-up shots. As the photos were downloading to my computer, I saw images of dark, blue-black ripples combined with rust-colored areas. Art can be found in amazing places! Upon closer examination, I liked how the dirt speckles gave the photo a feeling of texture and how the strong diagonal line created by the rough rubber sole and the horizontal line created by the suede stitching both led my eyes to the largest rust-colored image. You’ve probably guessed by now that the photo that many of you have been staring at for the last two weeks is nothing more than a close-up of the striations on my footwear and that the rust-colored areas are nothing more than the reflections of my hands holding the camera.

From comments I’ve received, I’m guessing this was a challenging mystery photo. Sorry, for some reason I thought this one was going to be easier than the last! But thanks to all of you who participated in the contest and submitted guesses. Without a doubt, I think my readers have some of the most creative minds out there. But alas, there can only be one winner. So without further ado, I would like to congratulate Ella L. for winning the Birthday Contest! Your prize, a set of handmade cards, inserts, envelopes, and adhesive, will be mailed to you soon! Hope you enjoy the cards as much as I enjoyed making them!

What about my footwear with the striations? Bowing to the philosophy of wabi-sabi, I respect the perfection of their imperfection and they’re still in my closet.

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/29/10)

Posted in Handcrafted Cards, Health, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2010| 2 Comments »

Happy talk, keep talkin’ happy talk,
Talk about things you’d like to do.
You got to have a dream,
If you don’t have a dream,
How you gonna have a dream come true?

Rodgers & Hammerstein

#1 – Habits of Happy People
What do happy people do to help them to stay happy? Read this article to learn about 21 habits of happy people.

#2 – Stories of Inspiration
Inspirational-Short-Stories.com focuses on brief stories that are intended to quickly inspire you. I’m big on positive affirmations, so here’s one that’s titled Words of Affirmation.

#3 – The Happiest Place on Earth
Test your knowledge of the Happiest Place on Earth. Take this Mental_Floss trivia quiz and find out little known facts about Disneyland!

#4 – Foods That Make You Happy
Can diet affect your mood and behavior? Read this article from Men’s Health about 30 foods that research shows will change the way you feel. You’ll be happy you did!

#5 – Definition of Happiness
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
Denis Waitley

Have a great weekend and a Happy Halloween, too!

Read Full Post »

Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/22/10)

Posted in About me, Health, inspiration, Recipes, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Two little birds were delighting in a round of Birdie Hokey Pokey – jumping in out and shaking all about – in the bubbling water of my fountain. The sun was low in the sky when I stood under a tree in my backyard hoping to snap a photo of these bathing beauties. With their thirst quenched and feathers cleaned and fluffed, the happy pair ignored the clicks of my camera and quickly flew off into the autumn sky. I don’t know who enjoyed the bird bath more – me or them.

#1 – Don’t Forget to Guess!
Don’t forget to email me your three guesses for the Birthday Contest. Click here to view the mystery photo and read the contest rules. Remember, I only have a point and shoot digital camera, but have a great imagination! The Contest ends on November 1st, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to win a unique prize!

#2 – What’s Your FRAX?
Osteoporosis is a concern for both men and women. According to the latest edition of Nutrition Action Health Letter, “One in two women and one in four men over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis . . . . By the time you are 40, your body starts losing more bone than it makes. Losing just 10% of your bone mass can double your risk of fracturing a spine or hip.” The article provides information to reach a site where you can use FRAX (Fracture Risk Assessment Tool) to estimate your risk of fracture. Open the page, click on Calculation Tool and then answer the 12 questions. It immediately calculates your percentages. Supposedly, you can still use the FRAX whether or not you have had your BMD (bone mineral densit) tested. I was pleased to discover that the ten year probability of my fracturing a hip was 0.0 percent!

#3 – 9 Yummy Drink Recipes for Fall and Winter
Couldn’t pass up this one up when I read the title in Mother Nature Network. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, Spiked Apple Pie Punch, Eggnog Latte, and Cranberry Martinis were some of the recipes that looked interesting enough to try. Check out the recipes here to see if you agree!

#4 – Reusing Plastic Bottles and Caps
Thanks to those of you who sent me emails with this tip. With a sharp pair of scissors, very carefully cut off the “neck” of a plastic bottle (one with a threaded cap such as a water bottle or a soda bottle). Make sure to cut it so that no sharp or jagged areas remain that could possibly inflict injury. Recycle the bottom part of the bottle, but save the “neck” and cap. After rinsing and drying these parts, they can be used to seal plastic bags. Insert a plastic bag through the bottle neck, fold over some of the bag and then screw the cap back on. I found this worked better with thinner plastic bags such as produce bags. This idea didn’t work well on thick or stiff plastic bags such as cereal bags, but nonetheless, it’s a great idea and worth experimenting with larger plastic bottles and caps.

#5 – Don’t Underestimate Your Power
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
Leo F. Buscaglia

Enjoy your weekend!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »