Spring Late, But Finally Here

This is how spring has been here. The green leaves and buds would pop up through the cold ground, but then would pause as snow covered them, several times over.

This photo, though taken indoors, shows the dichotomy of spring: Bright, beautiful flowers with snow in the background.

I hope spring is bursting through where you are and that you are enjoying it. I am waiting for the lilacs, my favorite to mature and flower. My mom and I picked a bunch of them to decorate tables at my wedding reception in mid-May years ago. The lilacs always evoke that beautiful memory.

Happy Valentine's Day!

T

There is nothing sweeter than vintage Valentine cards. I found this charmer in an antique store recently. I can't seem to resist buying these for an unspecified project that never happens. But that doesn't mean I don't want more.


I still have a heart-shaped box of Valentines I received when I was in grade school. (I suppose that makes them vintage, too?) I remember decorating shoe boxes to put all of our treasures in, the parties at school and what a nice ray of light the day was in the middle of winter.

My mother used to buy us small gifts for this day, something I have tried to continue in our family. Nothing big, just a reminder that the day is worth celebrating with everyone you love.

Wishing you a beautiful, Happy Valentine's Day and many gifts as the year continues.

Avoid These Fire Hazards in Your Home

Here are 20 ways to prevent fire hazards in your home. You probably do a lot of these things already, but it never hurts to get a little reminder sometime on safety.

I especially was interested in No. 8: I often walk out of the kitchen with something on the stove and forget all about it as I sit in another room. Setting a timer makes good, safe sense!

1. Keep heat-generating items like computers, TVs and cable boxes well ventilated.
2. Switch them off (and unplug if you can) when nobody is going to be around.
3. Store flammable items securely (locked if possible) in a cool area, away from flames.
4. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
5. Know which clothing and furnishing fabrics are flammable and keep them away from flames.
6. Use fireguards to protect against accidental contact with flames.
7. Avoid loose clothing, especially sleeves, when you're using the stove.
8. If you leave items cooking, set an audible timer to remind you to check back.
9. Have the gas company check your appliances regularly.
10. Regularly inspect appliance wiring and plugs for signs of damage or heat.
11. Don’t use extension cords with space heaters (actually, always avoid them where possible).
12. Don’t plug too many items into one outlet or too high wattage a light bulb into a restricted fitting.
13. Avoid storing stacks of combustible material like paper that sometimes ignite by themselves.
14. Put a proper fitting over an exposed closet light bulb and don’t store items too close to it.
15. If there are smokers in the house: no smoking in bed or when they/you are sleepy.
16. Ensure all fire and dryer vents are clear and regularly cleaned.
17. Monitor all outside burning (yard fires, BBQs etc.) and extinguish them fully.
18. Position barbecues at least 10 feet from walls and fences when in use or cooling.
19. Don’t set electric blankets too high when you're not there, or allow pets to sleep on them,
20. Workshop tools that throw out sparks should be used away from all combustible material.

This list kindly provided by D. Aaron Buhl of the  Buhl Insurance Agency Inc., Gibsonia PA.

Grow Your Brain by Walking

We all know that walking is good for us, but did you know you can actually prevent shrinkage in the memory retention part of your brain by walking?

According to an item in a national magazine, middle-aged adults who took three 40-minute walks a week for a year saw a two percent increase in the size of their hippocampus, the part of the brain that deals with memory.

The article goes on to say that "preventing shrinkage could improve a person's retention for years", something that should be worth walking for.

Enjoy the Holidays More: Get Rid of Holiday Crap

Guest Blogger Erika Oliver, MPA, gives a good lesson in how to relax and enjoy the holidays more by getting rid of the "crap" that holds up back.

Whether you embrace the magic of Christmas, are kin to the Grinch, or fall somewhere in between, the holiday season brings many opportunities for both stress and joy. It's easy to get caught up in the stress but often hard to tap into the joy. Holiday "crap" -- obligations, deadlines, expectations -- can make the season more stressful than joyful.

Don't despair. You can cut the crap and enjoy the season by choosing your perspective, deciding what you want to focus on, and taking action to avoid or relieve the holiday pressure.

1.  Cut the crap by sharing three good things. Share three good things about the day or season before you even think about complaining. The most common words during the holiday season are "busy", "stressed", and "tired". Throw the negative words into your mental back seat and replace them with words of gratitude.

2.  Cut the crap by revising, replacing or removing traditions that no longer serve you. A child asks his mother why they cut off the end of the holiday ham and the mother says, "Because that's the way my mother did it." The child asks the grandmother, who says the same thing. When asked, the great-grandmother says, "Because the ham wouldn't fit in the pan!" Maybe it's time to recheck traditions and routines to be sure they still fit, have the same meaning they once did, or produce the intended results. If you are doing something that creates tension, cut the crap by revising, replacing or removing something that no longer serves you.

3.  Cut the crap by creating a holiday exit strategy. Prepare for a positive finish to the holiday season. Decide what experiences are important for you and how you want to feel when the season is over. If you don't want to be tired, broke and stressed, then make a plan to end the season with energy, joy and financial well-being.

4.  Cut the crap by taking your eyes off your plate. Holiday negativity festers in a closed environment. Stress can cause us to isolate ourselves emotionally and physically, so cut the crap by reaching out. The holidays are the perfect time to take your eyes off your own plate and look to fill those of others.

5.  Cut the crap by dousing the flames of negativity. Firefighters teach people to "stop, drop, and roll" if their clothes catch on fire. The same strategy works to cut the tendency to focus on the negative and miss the positive. When you feel tension, stop what you are doing, drop your negative feelings and roll into appreciation of the moment. Go back to step one and share three good things about the day, moment or season with someone to tap into the positivity of the season.

Happy Holidays to one and all.

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As a positive communication coach, business consultant, and author of the award-winning Three Good Things: Happiness Every Day, No Matter What! and Three Good Things: A Coloring Book for Everyone! and now Happy Crap: The Power of Positive Assumptions, Erika Oliver, MPA, helps people, teams, and organizations find their "happy." She uses the principles detailed in her books to help people and organizations choose a positive approach.

Before focusing on spreading the happy kind of crap, Oliver consulted with businesses of all shapes and sizes to build teams and share their positive messages with the world. Oliver has taught at a community college in business and communication and addresses audiences that are ready for business -- personal or professional -- as unusual.

To learn more about this recovering pessimist's positive communications approach, please visit Oliver's web site http://erikaoliver.com

Thankful? Then Shopping

My son just sent me a note to say that the infamous Black Friday shopping extravaganza is beginning even earlier this year. WalMart stores will be open at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day to kick off the chaotic holiday shopping season.

8 p.m.? That's so early that most of the dishes won't even be rinsed and washed from the feast and will there even be time to enjoy some pumpkin pie?

I wonder. 

I doubt that it will be too long before the stores are open 365 days a year, with no holidays off for any of the employees.

I think maybe we all should put our foot down and say that this one day, Thanksgiving Day -- possibly the best holiday of all because it's about gratitude and sharing with loved ones -- is off limits to commercialism.

I can't help but think that spending time with family and friends or seeking out old friends who are home for the holiday should be the main activities Thanksgiving night, not waiting in long lines at the big box stores.

But maybe this is a Boomer thing and I am way out of touch. Won't be the first time!

Have a wonderful holiday. Wishing you good times with your friends and family.
 

Good-Bye to Leaves, Color

 

This maple tree sits in our front yard. This October, the tree fairly glowed with its brilliant yellow leaves. To its right were some trees with bright orange leaves which set it off perfectly. 

I took this photo on a Friday and texted it to the family, especially to our son and his wife who now live in Florida and miss the changing of the seasons.

Several days later, I took the photo below of that same tree. Not a trace of yellow in sight.

Even though we love the seasonal changes, wouldn't it be nice to have these colors stay for a while longer, say two or three months? Not asking too much I don't think, and it would make November much easier to enjoy!