Wordless Wednesday

A view of the marsh from observation tower  in Irving Nature Park

 

Wellness

July 3 ,2012
                                                                                                      
Being "almost" retired means that I should have more  time on my hands, but lately I feel the time is on someone else's hands 'cause it sure hasn't been staying too long on mine!  Not that I  mind as it sure makes the time fly, but with summer finally upon us and the knowledge that we only have about 8 weeks of "summer-like" weather, I plan on making the most of it.

I love posting my blogs each Tuesday on Wellness and  on Frivolous Friday  about what ever happens to tickle my fancy!. Wordless Wednesday is also a fav, but usually only requires a picture and not a lot of words. However, there is a certain urgency and pressure to maintain the quality of each post, and with that in mind I am giving myself permission to take a "vacation"from deadlines and pressures!
I plan on spending a few days camping with my two sisters , you probably know them, Monica, from Older Mommy Still Yummy   Kathy, from Oak Lawn Images
When the three of us get together, minus hubbies, kids, grand kids, computers,phones and such, it is pure relaxation. Walks on the beach..... yes, we really do that and we are not looking for "friends"!! Walks /hikes through the woods, and endless hours contemplating the flames of a campfire!!! The rest of the summer I will spend with my husband of many many  years and our wonderful family and friends, doing what ever the mood and the moment asks of us. It really doesn't get much better than that, does it??!!

I hope everyone that takes the time to read this post, takes the time to relax,  to enjoy the everyday pleasures and to be grateful for all that we have. As I wrote about in an earlier post it is all about perspective!  Will be back on track either later this summer or in early autumn ( with occasional posts in between). Have a safe  and happy summer!!

Be well and be safe!!
                                                                                                             
Patricia

Wellness

June 26,2012



Congratulations to all the participants of the Biannual  Blogathon Bash! It was a fun week-end and a great learning experience.  But for now, back to what is "usual", and for me that is a post on  Wellness. After a brisk walk along a harbour front and the smell of sea air I feel rather invigorated. Also noticed that despite what you would think, I actually feel less tired,less stressed and better able to deal with  whatever this day has in store for me.

What  a  topic for  "Wellness" , says I!!!    Q. What causes this feeling of wellness?

A.  Endorphins are among the brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which function to transmit electrical signals within the nervous system. At least 20 types of endorphins have been demonstrated in humans. Endorphins can be found in the pituitary gland, in other parts of the brain, or distributed throughout the nervous system.
In addition to decreased feelings of pain, secretion of endorphins leads to feelings of euphoria modulation of appetite, release of sex hormones, and enhancement of the immune response. With high endorphin levels, we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.

 Certain foods contain endorphins.  Chocolate..... that's right... and spicy foods, like  chili peppers, also release endorphins.The release of endorphins upon ingestion of chocolate likely explains the comforting feelings that many people associate with this food and the craving for chocolate. Endorphin release varies among individuals. You and I could both exercise the same amount, experience similar amounts of discomfort but not feel the same effects  of endorphins.

I came across this video  that discusses endorphins and  thought perhaps you might enjoy it.
Here's to chocolate, spicy foods, and....... feeling well!!  Cheers!

Take care !

Information for this post was obtained from MedicineNet.com

For  further information on this topic see: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=55001

Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.

Biannual Blogathon Bash Day #3

 The finish line is in sight ( barely) now!  Although I have not been on my laptop as many hours as I had hoped , I still have been here longer than I was for  the Blogathon in the winter!!
The object, I believe is to learn something new or thanks to our Mini Challenge hosts, teach something new. That object has been achieved for me. Still more to learn but I am still at the point where I" don't know what I don't know"!!
Checking out the list:

1. Learn more about the basics of blogging
2. Learn more about how to successfully use the HTML thingy!!- I see there is a mini challenge for this
3. Interact with more bloggers and hopefully have them reply in kind!
4. See how to change my home page to something more "catchy"
5. Become acquainted with  product review aspect of blogging.
6. Have fun!(continues)
7. Clean up my home page and rewrite my "about me" section.                       

Well, that's 5 1/2 out of 7..... Not so bad at all. After all I have to leave room for improvement the next time!!
 I have spent (aprox)  19 hours at this Bash. 6hrs Friday, 8 hrs, Sat and only 5 today.

Tons of thanks to all of those who put so much effort and ability into this season's Blogathon Bash, special thank-you to Kathleen Garber for her tireless efforts... Hope you have time to catch up on your sleep!!

Pat

http://sugarspiceallthings-nice.blogspot.com/>Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice

Biannual Blogathon Bash

Here it is  Day #2 of the Blogathon Bash!!!
I have to thank  Callista's Ramblings for the expertise she showed for my mini challenge on" How to write a better tweet on Twitter".
Also to Geek with Style  for the Challenge "HTML-the Basics"
I gave them both a try and have learned something, and that, at least for me is what it is about!

Now on the more mini challenges and hopefully to cross a few more items off my list.
I have been trying to "meet" followers but have encountered a bit of trouble. Many of you are so advanced and have so many "gadgets", to click I am not sure which one to "follow". Any ideas to help?

Here's how my list is progressing:


My Goals for this Blogathon  are - (  list subject to change as much as I change my mind!!!)

1. Learn more about the basics of blogging
2. Learn more about how to successfully use the HTML thingy!!- I see there is a mini challenge for this
3. Interact with more bloggers and hopefully have them reply in kind!
4. See how to change my home page to something more "catchy"
5. Become acquainted with  product review aspect of blogging.
6. Have fun!(continues)
7. Clean up my home page and rewrite my "about me" section.

I am now off and running in the rain here in our city. Hope you have a great morning.

This is my attempt to do something on the mini challenge  re HTML sponsored by Aeryn Lynn in Basics of HTML 

This is a picture that was added to a post of mine several weeks ago.

 This is my attempt at a "subheading"

I seem to be having difficulty with the "table" thing...... funny 'cause at my house the TABLE is the thing that I am most familiar with!!!!LOL

I see that another blogger was advised to "copy and paste" so am applying that strategy here so that the mandatory requisite is met!!

  After doing this I was unable to go any further as my cursor kept refusing to go beneath the table. ? to do?  

 This was fun... take care!

    
    
    

    
    
    
                                               

Not quite sure what this would be used for, but at least it is here!!			<--

Biannual Blogathon Bash

Alright, I am off and running.... well, perhaps it's only a brisk walk for now... will start the running part after I have "warmed up"!!!

My Goals for this Blogathon  are - (  list subject to change as much as I change my mind!!!)

1. Learn more about the basics of blogging
2. Learn more about how to successfully use the HTML thingy!!- I see there is a mini challenge for this
3. Interact with more bloggers and hopefully have them reply in kind!
4. See how to change my home page to something more "catchy"
5. Become acquainted with  product review aspect of blogging.
6. Have fun!
7. Meet new bloggers!!

Cheers all,
Patricia

Wordless Wednesday

This was ``growing`` next to our house. Used as a science project for a little girl!

Wellness

June 18,2012


Although I am trying to keep my blogs short and hopefully sweet, I cannot  contain them in one word, but if I could that word for today would be "appreciate".Now, this word covers a huge range of emotions and feelings.

Frivolous Friday

June 8,2012

Marigolds on Main

I live in a comparatively small city on the east coast of Canada. We have   a fantastic view of the Bay of Fundy.... which empties into the Atlantic Ocean for those of you not familiar with the area.... four beautiful seasons  to enjoy each year, friendly people and an amazing population of young people,aka, kids!!

Every year for the past 15 years, the children of our city are bused or walked to one of the main streets in the  city which  is called....hmmmm,  what is it called again, oh yeah, Main Street!! Here the children, accompanied by their faithful and patient teachers and family come to plant Marigolds. The students have nurtured these plants from seeds, and in the process have learned first hand about biology, history of that part of the city,  community  involvement,planning, patience, co-operation and  the immeasurable joy of seeing the fruits of  ones labor. I personally think their teachers should each receive an award of merit as well!!!

Here, little guys, you stay here and grow up strong!!

Each year  over 1,000 children give 30,000 marigold plants a  new home down the center of the street and provide beauty and a sense of pride to all that view them.  To date about  2.5 million plants have been planted by students from neighboring schools.  This project has served as a model with more than 50 other sites  taking part in other areas.

I happened to be present at the fun exercise this year and was able to get a couple of pictures to show you what can happen at the grass roots....  or  in this case, the marigold roots, level!!!!

Just a bit of water to get started!

It was a cool day so some of the pre-K youngsters sought refuge after their work was done.

Everyone loves a day away from the books!!

For more information on this project see the following sites:

http://www.marigolds.ca/

http://www.saintjohn.ca/en/home/cityservices/communityenrichment/neighbourhoodsupport/marigoldsonmainstreet.aspx

Wordless Wednesday

Barnyard Bedtime Snack

Frivolous Friday

This post of frivolity is aimed at the life we have become accustomed to and how I deal with said life when it is not as I have become accustomed to.    Alright, now that have committed so many grammatical errors,I can't count them, I will continue.

Wordless Wednesday - Perspective

Downside looking Up

A very large spine.... or a trial of smoke????

Wellness

May 29,2012

I am taking a little "detour"  to get to the health aspect of this post. Emotional and mental wellness is about how we feel about ourselves, and although there is a definite  plus to the experience and knowledge gained with aging, most of us don't anticipate looking like we have "aged".  I , for one, accept the fact that many years have gone by since I was in my teens and twenties, but that doesn't mean that am willing to accept that my body and skin have to reflect this number of years, if there are ways to help prevent it.  I recently came across this article in AFPA -American Fitness Professionals and Associates ,written by   Vivian Rivera  and thought I would share some of it with you.
The seven most common factors of  Premature Aging

Miscellaneous

YEAH!!! I won something.!!!!  Special thanks to   Oak Lawn Images- Photo Greeting Cards and Prints ( http://oaklawnimages.blogspot.ca/  ), as I was picked to receive an e- book  called  Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge by Scott Schmaltz!! I have just started this amazing book and feel better already!! Can't wait to see the results as I sure am up for the Challenge !!!   Will let you know how I did really soon! Check out Scott Schmaltz at
 http://facebook.com/scottschmaltz.fanpage 
or   http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Schmaltz/e/B005ME8NOO

Frivolous Friday

May 25,2012

It has been  unusually warm and sunny  for Eastern Canada in May. Consequently I have been outside much more than usual and as I am 97% retired I am thoroughly enjoying it.  However, it has caused me to miss a few blogs, and instead of being  contrite, I am putting things in "my" perspective.  Putting  my  words on .... I almost said "paper" ....a blog, versus being outside enjoying the sun and working in my yard, well, even if you don't know me, you can guess which side of Lady Justice's scales are tipping!!

Frivolous Friday

OK, so this is going to be a real "off the cuff" post. There has been a string of wet, grey days lately, there are a hundred things I "should" be doing now instead of sitting here at my computer and to say that I am frazzled would be an understatement!. Ever have a time when as much as you try to be all things to all people,you fail miserably, and realize the person you have failed the most is YOU!!   I have reached a point in my life when time seems to have taken on a whole new significance . It has become a lot more important and for once in my life I would like to spend some of it doing what I would like to do.
Phew, now that I have that rant out of the way, I can begin to tell you what I wanted to post for this week's Frivolous Friday.   There is, ironically, a connection between my little"hissy fit"( see above) and my topic. It is called "Relaxing Places to Be"  
Frequently......or would it be "often".... I never really fullly understood the subtle difference between the two... I would drive to an area near by and just sit and think or just sit and put my  mind in neutral.  It helps if you also have a cup of coffee, tea, or just a bottle of water with you, to refresh you as you engage in this arduous task.
Amazingly, just allowing yourself to be still and see the scenery around you has a calming and peaceful action. It is uncanny how often we "look" but don't "see". Everyone has their own name for what is around us, but I am calling it Mother Nature for now.  How life unfolds, slowly, surely,  and without fanfare has always and hopefully will continue to bring me peace and an acceptance of who or what I am.
Having a friend, spouse, or confidant with you can also be beneficial as you can bounce ideas and thoughts off them  and perhaps gain a whole new perspective of whatever it is that has you operating at less than optimal level.
I am putting a couple of photos here as they are beautiful places at any time, but seemed especially "peaceful" on the evening last week when I snapped them.  They  all are of the Kennebecasis River ( say that fast three times!) on a late spring evening.Maybe later in  year I will show you a  few others at different times of the year. Perhaps it is the combination of water, trees, new beginnings , but whatever it was it makes me relax and enjoy life even more than I already do!!

Wordless Wednesday

May 16,2012

                                      Our granddaughter's Spring Concert !! They grow so fast!

Wellness

May 15,2012


I've spent the last wee while trying to decide what mental health wellness topic to peruse for today's blog.  With Mother's Day just behind us for another year I was thinking how that "day" made me feel. Many years ago when I was a child,  I would pick violets for Mum as they were the only wild flower in bloom at this time of year. They had their stems carefully wrapped in  dampened paper and presented to her as if they were made of gold!!And amazingly the gift was received with equal  admiration.  Now this is where the thought part comes in.
It is not the "gift" but the thought that was so special to both the "giver" and "receiver".

We all have mothers or mother figures in our life at one time or another so we can relate to this emotion.  What happens here is that  we spend time and effort trying to make someone we care about  feel  special.  Now, just for a moment imagine if that type of emotion  could be experienced  on a daily, or at least very frequent basis, how  it might cause a pleasurable ripple effect to those around us. We don't have to even know the person, just imagine that they too, could benefit from the gift of your concern or at the very least your acknowledgement.

Let's take an example:  Start with something simple, say a smile.  Walking down the street, glance up and smile at a passerby. This is particularly helpful  if you are engrossed by texting on your phone, as it also allows you to check your surroundings and prevent walking into a wall or falling off the curb!! If you are fortunate enough to receive a smile in return there is a tiny little spark in you that is happy. It's OK to admit it, others feel it too!!

Another example: Going into or out of a store, bank, or other building, hold the door open for the person behind you. So easy to do, and the effect it has on the shopper usually causes them to do likewise, in the "pay it forward" fashion. Now, you say this is "just being polite", and although  you are right, it does make the recipient of your manners feel just a little "special" for that moment. Correct me if I'm wrong but who do you know that does not like feeling "special"???   

You get the point I am trying to make here. By treating others in a respectful and  compassionate manner  two wonderful events take place on a small but meaningful scale. You feel better about yourself and the  other person feels better about themselves..

I am not  naive enough to entertain the  idea that we  live in a Pollyanna world but come on, watch that lonely soul across from you and your friends at the coffee shop and see how they respond to  a smile or nod  as you pass by them.

Worse case scenario is no one retaliates in a positive fashion, but you tried . Maybe next time.

Be well!

Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.                                                           

Frivolous Friday

May11,2012

                                                               Hypnosis                                                                  

 

After recently attending an entertaining evening  of stage hypnosis, I thought that would be a good topic for the Frivolous Friday post.  Like many people, I have over the years, been to a few such shows and found them quite entertaining  and a bit frivolous and just left it at that. After checking a bit, it is worth noting that  there are some beneficial results from hypnotherapy that are used in the medical field.  It is important to be aware of the difference in the two terms, however.

Wikipedia describes "hypnosis" as  "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."The use of hypnotism for therapeutic purposes is referred to as "hypnotherapy", while its use as a form of entertainment for an audience is known as "stage hypnosis"
.
Mayo Clinic describes this procedure as "Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus, concentration and inner absorption. When you're under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions." Hypnotism is used for a number of reasons intended to help you gain more control over undesired behaviors or emotions or to help you cope better with a wide range of medical conditions. Hypnosis isn't considered a treatment or a type of psychotherapy. Rather, it's a procedure typically used along with certain treatments and therapies to help a wide variety of conditions.Some of these include pain control, smoking cessation, allergies, asthma .Skin conditions and Gastrointestinal problems are also among the areas that benefit from hypnosis.
Hypnosis that's conducted under the care of a trained therapist or health care professional is considered a safe complementary and alternative medicine treatment.                 





Stage hypnosis is  performed in front of an audience for the purposes of entertainment, usually in a theatre or club. Expert opinion is divided over whether participants' responses are best explained as being due to an altered state of consciousness ("hypnotic trance") or by a combination of deliberate deception and ordinary social psychological factors such as disorientation, compliance, peer pressure, and ordinary suggestion.
A modern stage hypnosis performance regularly delivers a comedic performance rather than trying to impress and audience with the powers of persuasion. Stage hypnosis performances often encourage
audience members to further look into the benefits of mind powers.

It was the latter that I attended and had a wonderful evening out and certainly had a lot of laughs, but am I a "believer"....... well, let's say that it has indeed encouraged me to delve more into the amazing power of our mind.       Close your eyes......you are getting sleepy!!!!!   ;-)






  Information found at www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypnosis/MY01020   and  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis