I bet you were thinking that it is someone who is 50 years old! Well, no…….this is an article which was on my msn homepage this morning. It has 50 ideas for re-purposing items – the green and recycling thing which we all need to be doing. Anyway, there are some neato ideas here,and some which are sort of borderline for me. Take a look by following this link to the story! Enjoy! Let me know what you think!
If you are a citizen of the United States, how much do you REALLY know about our country and how it works? I think we are bombarded by facts in the news media, through school, in conversation, but how much do we actually know about our government?
This quiz was on my homepage today – a fitting test on July Fourth, our Independence Day. Just click on the word ‘quiz’ and go to it! ‘Take a look and give it your best! After all, the more informed you are, the better decisions you will make! Happy Fourth!
Have you ever wondered when is the best time for you to exercise, or take your vitamins, or have surgery? It seems that there really are the best times for these, and many other activities, because our bodies work rhythmically, in cycles, just as does all of nature. Take a look at this interesting article I found on my homepage this morning! You might be surprised, and helped, by what you discover here! Have a healthy, timely day!
During my lifetime, I have seen myself pretty much as the eternal optimist – I try to look on the bright side of things, believing that it doesn’t cost you anything more to be optimistic, and indeed, it can cost you physically and emotionally to be otherwise. That’s why I was so interested in this article I found online about optimism. Take a look! It is well worth the read! Enjoy! And, have a terrific day! I know I will!
If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know that from time to time I have posted pictures of some of the wildlife in my yard. We live on a marsh, and it is simply gorgeous every day – the trees, the wildflowers, the wildlife — something is always flying over, or walking through, or crawling by. Certainly, at this time of the year, we have many little fledglings learning to be adult birds, AND we have baby ducks! This little family has survived natural predators and everyone is thriving. They literally grow by inches each day! I don’t always see them during the day, but as I work in the kitchen at my bay window, I keep an eye out for them, and today, they and Mama arrived – a bit later than usual, but they are here! I rushed to get my camera to snap a picture for all to see! They have nested down the bank, but not so close to the water’s edge that the eggs or very young ducklings could have been taken by snapping turtles.
My personal feeling is that Nature balances and provides, and it is only when Man intervenes that things are thrown off balance. I believe that we must live in concert WITH Nature, rather than flying in her face. We have large hawks which come to catch the occasional slow moving dove in the yard. We have harriers which nest close by and provide for their young. That is the way that it is.
Because I believe that I live in the environment of the wild things, and because the homes are built on the edge of this setting, I try to provide for the vanishing food supply for my neighbors. I feed vast numbers of birds – cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, blue jays, robins, thrushes, red-wing blackbirds, goldfinches, purple finches, hummingbirds, and even grackles! Oh, the crows swing by during the day as well. And every spring, I have ducklings. And, every summer, I have baby raccoons. I have a steady population of raccoons and possums who come to feed at night. I have never been bitten, scratched, hissed at, or anything else. I think they instinctively can recognize my intentions, and the raccoons love to sit on the windowsill at night, or in the late afternoon, and watch me sculpt and paint. They put their paws against my hand through the glass, and they wait for their evening meal – dog food, sunflower seeds, and they love watermelon rinds! Then, of course, I have many squirrels during the day, and their babies come as well as they learn about their little world. The squirrels will knock on the window if all of their seeds are gone, and they frequently sit and watch me as well.
Enjoy this small peek into my vibrant backyard. Oh, we even have gray foxes occasionally, and muskrats from the river. We are alive, and well, and content here on the marsh in Virginia Beach……
When I read this story online this morning, it gladdened my heart. We don’t hear enough about real people who make real differences, and this article which is online from Newsweek magazine simply lets all of us know that one person always has, always can, and always will make a difference. Read this delightful story of Pete Peterson, the son of a Greek immigrant, who made his fortune by establishing the Blackstone company, and now would like to share his wealth.
Last week, there was a report on one of our local tv stations about proper protection from the sun, and the comparison of sunscreens for effectiveness. Since I live in a seaside community (Virginia Beach), this is a big deal around here. You cannot go to the oceanfront without inhaling the fragrances from dozens of products, all designed to tan and to protect. Having written that, here is the scoop which one local reporter uncovered. We all owe it to ourselves to take care of our vital organ – our skin! Please follow this link and read and take heed!
It’s true! It’s true! Follow this link to a really interesting story and video. Who knew? Personally, I want my penguins live, but I guess this is the next best thing. A German engineering firm, Festo, created these little beauties. Last year, it was jellyfish! What the human brain is capable of…….limitless opportunities!
Enjoy!
Yes, it is true. There are so many ways you can make a difference in someone else’s life, thereby making a personal difference in your own life. If you look on my blog under Places You Should Know About, I have listed some organizations which I feel are worthwhile – organizations making progress, even by small increments, to help those in need. It seems to me that in our bustling world, in our own communities, we can be caught up in the woes of the current economic crisis, the negative news which bombards us. Take a step back, and look at the opportunity for YOU to make a difference. I am a firm believer that one person always has, always can, and always will make a difference. Even $25, or smaller, can be significant to a struggling entrepreneur in impoverished circumstances elsewhere in the world, to a public school teacher who needs extra supplies for a class project, to a mother who needs medication for her children. Please look at Kiva, Wish Upon A Hero, Donors Choose, and the other worthwhile organizations I have listed. Every person is valuable. We cannot afford to lose anyone. It really is true – when you give, you receive so much more in return! Try it! You’ll like it!
Third post for the day! I think I am going to faint! Sandy Wood has tagged me with this neato game. You are to post the fourth picture in your fourth folder, and then tag four others. So, I am tagging
Marie of Marie Patterson Studio
Here’s my photo! Our neighbors have a wandering cat, an adorable little orange and white young man by the name of Scout. Christmas of 2007, we were getting the Christmas tree ready to decorate, when Scout decided that he must supervise! We love our little friend, so we allowed him to determine the placement of all of our decorations, and later on, he decided some were not in the correct places and felt the need to rearrange.
Can’t wait to see what everyone posts! You just never know what we have in our folders!
