EAT MORE SO YOU CAN EAT LESS

Eat more salad, at the start of the meal that is, and you will eat less of the main meal.

In a study reported in the American Dietetic Association, people who received three cups of salad (100 calories) at the start of a meal ate 12 percent fewer calories during the main meal than people who received no pre-dinner salad.

The result occurred only with low-calorie salad. People who received a 400-calorie high-fat salad actually consumed 17 percent more calories during the main meal than people who received no salad at all.

GRANDKID'S GAZETTE, DECEMBER 2008

The 2008 fall weather had been quite mild, mostly without frost at night and only a few skiffs of snow. A week before Christmas a heavy snowstorm zoomed in with a bang. Even Vancouver weather changed and almost forgot how to rain as heavy snow blocked many streets.

"We're going to Grandma Stewart's today," the grandchildren announced, "and our two uncles will be there too." The "two" was emphasized since one of the uncles had been living overseas and had now moved back to Vernon. It was always a delight when the uncles offered them a "donkey back ride," but that would happen after dinner. One of the uncles volunteered to be a kitchen helper as the biscuits were freshly baked and the feast spread. Daddy carved the turkey and Grandma had already set the table. A blessing was offered and the children picked up their plates and selected from the feast at the buffet table. When grandchild number 2 returned with her plate her older sister had usurped her place. "Now which one had selected that place first?" Daddy asked. That was the rule to quietly and gently bring differences to an end. Both wanted to sit between Mommie and one of the uncles. "But wait," Daddy said, "you can sit across the table between your other uncle and GiGi. The baby is sitting in her booster seat between grandma and Mommy". That all made sense, and the usual rule was honored. I've never heard any voices raised, having the rules in place seems to bring each difference to a close.

After dinner gifts were passed out, the most popular ones being the puppets who are soon talking to each other as well as with the girls. Grandma had even brought home a Tasmania devil puppet when she returned from her vacation in Australia. Being a puppet, it was mild and gentle without the sharp bite they are noted for. She tells us their teeth are so sharp they can gnaw the hoof off an animal. When the animal is sleeping they do not feel it. In the case of a horse the owner can have a smith install a horse shoe so they can walk without stumbling. GiGi always requests no gifts because she needs nothing new, but never refuses garden vegetables like beets when people have extra. Then one of the girls brought a gift over for me but that was okay because it was a calendar their grandmother purchases to help raise money for Grannies a Gogo who care for African children whose parents have died from Aids. It was a lovely Christmas celebration.

PREVENT A COLD THE EASY WAY

This is from a Victorian Order of Nurses

1. Drink plenty of water. (eight glasses a day) Keep the 'plumbing'
clean and flowing.

2. Eat raw fruits and vegetables every day. Keeps the bowels clean and
rolling on. Eat raw carrots, raw celery and lettuce daily, and support
the immune system, and it will support you. It's your best friend.
3. Avoid sugars and starches.

4. Get outside in fresh air (hopefully with sunshine). Skin and retina need
it to do their preventive jobs.
5. Laugh and smile often. A l0 minute belly laugh elevates T-cell (immune
system's fighter cells) for 72 hours.
6. Avoid cold drafts and stay dry.
7. Lovingly and sincerely pray for others.

GETTING RID OF A COLD:

l. No sugar.
2. Drink plenty of water (ten glasses a day).
3. No starches, None! (always consult your doctor to confirm).
4. No juices. Drink water instead.
5. Have a nice soak in a steamy tub with epsom salts and sea salt.
6. Sip a cup of red clover tea.
7. Put on a funny movie or read the comics and have lots of laughs!
(If you start this regime at the beginning of a cold, and have a day
of fresh fruits and vegetables with plenty of water (organic black
coffee is okay) the cold will not be supported and be gone in a day.

COMMUNING WITH A FRIEND

Sometimes all one needs to help another is a listening ear or an understanding heart even if it be in silence, a word, sentence or poem. We're so busy these days with distractions like i-pods or television entertainment that it is hard to find time to help unburden a needy soul who just needs someone to talk to. If you have an experience to share, a thought, or a question, enter a comment. We do not need real names or dates since names will be substituted.

This is my story and poem to a friend who needed an understanding heart.

Who thought before a new day dawned, My friendly shadow would be gone.
A decade she had been with me, A joy to all the family.
A spotted nose checked each new tot, From bassinet, to crib, to cot,
A prop when each one tried to stand, Small hands tugged before they'd land.

When tired from teaching school all day, A wagging tail said, "All's okay."
On weekend hikes through trails and bog, A treasure true, our faithful dog.
Her nose checked at my bed each night, Meant we were safe 'til morning light.
Next day, if I forgot my key, Her nose the doorlatch opened free.

Unsteady steps in her last years, Betrayed the aching joint we feared,
But still she felt she must keep on, "Who'd care for them if I were gone."
The night before she passed a way, She raised her paw as if to say,
"Good bye please let my spirit free," Her spotted nose pressed close to me.

Her eyes beseeched, we understood, Those treasured memories, all so good,
A faithful servant through each day, I gave her leave to slip away.
Why were our hearts so touched with pain? Perhaps because no selfish gain,
Mars this comradship that binds, A fellowship so pure and kind.

VEGETABLES, ARE WE REMEMBERING

By 20l0 U.S. health officials want 75 percent of Americans to eat two fruits a day and 50 percent to eat three vegetables a day. Since 1994 the percentage of Americans meeting this goal has held steady at about 27 percent. Caucasians, college graduates, older adults and people with higher incomes were more likely to meet the goals for fruit and vegetable consumption, according to an analysis of survey data that was published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

Given the increasing amount of publicity devoted to the importance of diet to health, it seems surprising that this information has had such little effect upon behaviour. Researchers at the Center for Disease Control speculate that we are bombarded with information, much of it conflicting. They also believe that our desire for convenience in food preparation is a contributing factor to our ignoring our veggies.

TEEN TALK

"Don't be a wimp, come have a drink," A friendly co-ed said,
One, two, then three - Could this take me, Down with the daring dead?
A silent whisper from within, Warned of a rocky road,
Where fearful gnomes in darkened tones, Demanded heavier loads.

"No thanks," I said, "I'll pass this one." Their words become a taunt.
"Be one of our crew, we've picked you, And naught for friends you'll want."
My frightened ego cried in pain, Can these my true friends be?
My own small war I fought within, To set my conscience free.

I chose a group of other friends, And noted later on,
Former friends slipped into drugs. Their power in life had gone.
Death's chilly hands continued on, As darker darker channels led,
Some struggled through its murky depths, Some were the living dead.

THE HELPER

Charming with her lovely smile, Letters ask to add a word,
Fragrant flowers share their scent, Dews sparkle to emerge.
I asked the dictionary, For words that speak of hearts,
"I'm here to help you anytime, I'd love to do my part."

Heart feelings, where its meaning found? Appreciation for
This kindly one with helpful deeds, Not understood before.
Hearts told about their arteries, and veins important part,
That helps all body systems work, Employed to feed each part.

But that's not what I really meant, It's words that inspire "change."
Its inner feelings - something else, "Your job is rearrange."
So I searched for words throughout the world, Looking for a tool,
Explaining who and what made change, Was it that Golden Rule?

"Where does it dwell, Within the heart, Its hidden desire found?"
What tool could open up its door, Where hidden hopes abound.
I opened up my Bible, Folks gave me long ago.
"To dwell in Unity," it said, "Works for both friend and foe."

"How sweet and pleasant it can be", Psalms sang forth with a smile,
It's called "The oil of gladness, It's been here all this while."
Two thousand years ago it told, That actions could bring change,
To live this joy and gladness, When acts are rearranged.

This wondrous thing required "Change" - Words with actions too.
Joy and gladness be for all, Change is the needed tool.
"Unity" that pleasant word, With it to bring this change,
It works so well, each does a part, It means, just rearrange.
Now I can better understand, How I might be like you.
With tiny steps to move ahead, This change brings life anew.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Every Christmas Eve, about 7:30 pm a CBC radio has a program featuring a reading by Allan Maitland called "The Shepherd." I invite everyone to listen to it with me, whether virtually or otherwise. It's about a World War pilot coming in for a landing - you've likely heard it before but it always deserves another listen.

Today's news has been full of experiences about people in airports waiting for their flights. There have been many delays because of extra time required to de-ice the plane's wings during this year's unusually frigid temperatures. I feel so grateful to not have to travel and still be with family nearby requiring no more than a mile of travel. On Christmas day I'm happy to be invited to dinner at the home of a fellow volunteer, a foursome with my friend, her daughter and son-in-law. The day following is boxing day of course and another celebration dinner with my grandson and his lovely wife at the home of her mother who has included me in the invitation. Watching their three small children playing together is always a delight. They've been telling me about the nifty computer Grandma Stewart gave them last year. It gives them a safe introduction to computers. Children have so many toys these days so it is always best for me to think of creative ways that will provide a container for loonies and toonies. Little draw-string bags, a snap-shut change purse that can be used at any age, or a decorative box that can rattle change or just be handy for their "wish money." One can always fall back on cash or a gift card - as long as we do not misplace the card before it is spent.

During the fifteen years we lived in the United States we always found other Canadians to invite for Christmas who were too far from home to make the trip. They gave us many happy memories. May you all have a safe and wonderful Christmas season and happinesss throughout 2009.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS

Family memories decorate, The day at Christmas time,
Memories of Christmas past, All families, yours and mine.
Some members do live far away, But there are other ways,
To cheer and share our happiness, Near that special day.

Our Mother Earth with gentle speech, In her own quiet tones,
Said, "I'm a mother to you all, We do not walk alone."
Then Father Time came rushing in, "I've checked with Earth's time clock,
It's ticking to the midnight hour, Soon on your door must knock.

I'm listening to the scientists, They're checking on Earth's dome,
They tell us carbons are too high, Earth's in a danger zone.
Unless we take the way of change, That cyber greetings bring,
With e-mails and our telephones, Both commoners and kings".

Expressing thanks, lives have been saved, It fills our hearts with cheer.
We still can play "Remember when", Memories we hold dear,
A thank you to our cousin Paul, When through his strength of arms,
Snatched our boat from ocean's depths, And saved us all from harm.

The time black ice caused the car, To take off like a plane,
Hit a ditch and spun around, Then took the opposite lane,
It tried to climb a steep side ditch, Avoid oncoming trucks,
We survived, the car did not, An angel? Some said its just luck.

Thank you auntie when you snatched, Our child from speeding wheels,
Split second timing, life was spared, To grow and live ideals.
Dialing up the speaker phone, We still can talk together,
Avoiding airports, unsafe roads, And worries 'bout the weather.
At home, a meeting place or church, We'll cheer with gifts of song,
Still in touch with family, As safe ways move us on.

MUSCLE ACTIVITY LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE

Physical activity or exercise, research has long established, lowers blood pressure both by strengthening the heart and by dilating blood vessels. Regular activity can prevent the development of hypertension, or keep it under control if it does develop. New research has shown that muscle mass is associated with low blood pressure, while body fat is associated with higher blood pressure.

When there is too much body fat, stress creates an excess of sodium in the system, according to research conducted at the Georgia Prevention Institute at the Medical College of Georgia. The increase in sodium raises blood pressure. According to their research, recently published in the "American Journal of Hypertension," a person who has a lower body fat index is less susceptible to this effect. In their study, they stressed young adults by having them play an exciting video game. Afterwards, the stress showed itself in elevated blood pressure. However, those participants who had higher muscle-to-fat ratio evidenced a significantly faster return to normal blood pressure levels than those participants with a greater proportion of body fat.

This result received added confirmation by examining the sodium content in the urine of the participants. Under conditions of increased blood pressure, the body excretes sodium into the urine. Participants with more muscle evidenced more sodium in their urine than did the participants with more fat, showing that the leaner bodies were more efficient in lowering blood pressure.

PRECOGNITIONS CAN AFFECT PERCEPTIONS

Knowing the future, even though we don't know we know, can affect how we respond now. Or is the future affecting the present?

In several experiments conducted by Dean Radin, senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, persons show a precognitive emotional reaction detectable by the electrodes. A person watches a computer. Electrodes attached to the person's hand measure infinitesimal changes in sweating, like a lie detector does. When the person indicates "ready" by pressing a button, the computer randomly chooses a picture to display for three seconds. Unknown to the person, the picture is either emotionally upsetting or rather neutral in content. They sweat slightly more just before the computer shows an upsetting picture than when they show a neutral picture.

Reporting in "Shift: At the Frontiers of Consciousness," Radin describes similar experiments by others who have obtained similar results. In one study, disturbing sounds were the stimuli precognitively reacted to by the participants. In another study Radin described, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researcher monitored not only skin sweat, but also brain waves and heart activity. All three dimensions showed precognitive ability to predict the person's viewing the upsetting photo. In this experiment the heart responded first, followed by the brain.

GARLIC, ONIONS, NUTS CUT HEALTH RISKS

In a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and involving tens of thousands of women followed for 16 years, it was found that eating the equivalent of a handful of nuts, or a tablespoon of peanut butter, at least five days a week, cut the incidence of adult-onset diabetes by 20 percent. In an earlier study by the same institution it was found that nuts contain fats that are heart-healthy and, when nuts are eaten in moderation, their caloric content is more than compensated for by their positive contribution to heart health.

Eating almonds, in moderation, can reduce levels of "LDL (the bad cholesterol). According to a recent Canadian study it was reported in the journal "Circulation" participants received either almonds or muffins as snack food and had their blood tested periodically. Those who ate almonds as snacks showed a reduction in cholesterol greater than shown by those who ate muffins.

The more garlic, shallots, and onions a man eats, the less chance he has of getting prostate cancer, according to a report published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute." This study was based upon interviews with several hundred Chinese men. Scallions proved most helpful, with the researchers estimating that eating one-tenth of an ounce of scallions daily reduced the chance of prostate cancer by 70 percent.

HORSE SENSE - A TRUE STORY

One of those crisp cool days promised good weather for the yearly Christmas concert. Volunteers had the tree decorated, and a Santa suit borrowed for this event at the local country school. Evening chores were completed early as our mothers packed food for refreshments after the program and dance.

All bedded in for the night, the horses may have been surprised to find themselves being harnessed for the trip to deliver the four children and their parents to this much anticipated event. The teacher had her pupils ready to present a well practiced program. Parents responded enthusiastically as each of the children delighted them with a Charles Dickens play. Outside sleigh bells jingled as Santa's Ho Ho Ho! rang out as he entered the one room school. Everyone clapped as he called the names on the brightly wrapped gifts under the tree. Each child was presented with a small see-through net red or green sack of candy and nuts with an orange tied in at the top. The mothers had sewn them the week before. That orange would be savoured with the candy and nuts to be treasured and eaten at home during the two week Christmas break.

But this evening would be different than any other. After the program dancing began to the music of local volunteers with banjo and trumpet. The eldest Davis teenager had stretched to six feet of handsome elegance as he led the small band to the tunes of country music. It seemed the school house virtually shook as they danced the night away. Small children slept on the benches that lined the walls as the midnight hour approached. Someone had made coffee on the pot bellied stove and food boxes were opened. The orchestra and dancers seated themselves on the benches as some of the older students prepared to pass the food-laden plates around. But the turbulent shaking of the room continued intermittently. Gusts of wind? Some of the men went outside as the building shuttered again. Not quite winter on the calendar but it had swept in early with a frigid blast. Horses sheltered in the shaky school's barn were snorting with alarm. The men hitched them to their sleighs as all celebrations ceased. The Davis family of six huddled together in their sleigh. Mother had wisely brought a blanket that helped as a real arctic blizzard knifed through us and every family group. George, the orchestra leader dressed in flimsy fall wear had not even worn his coat. Worst of all it seemed a white-out enveloped the sky itself. Not even the top of a post could be seen to show where the road had been for the two miles home as Dad tried to guide them. The horses were jumpy, resistant and reared up. Finally my Dad gave them free reign as the family must crowd closer for warmth. The next thing we felt was a sudden thump as we jerked to a stop. We peered out and there saw the tall poles of our clothes line. The horses were petted with accolades all the way to the barn. We stoked the home fires and hugged each other in gratitude. An ancient inner message "horse sense" had guided all the families home.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICI NE USAGE INCREASING

More people are turning to alternative medicines, according to the largest government survey ever on this subject. As of 2002, of more than 30,000 citizens surveyed, over one-third of the population was using either prayer (43 percent), herbs and natural products (19 percent), meditation (8 percent), or diets such as Atkins or Ornish (4 percent), according to news releases. A frequent use of these alternatives is for pain and other chronic conditions for which conventional medicine seems to provide no relief.

In a recent television story, for example, Tom Cruise was shown helping World Trade Towers rescue workers remove toxins from their bodies by using sweat baths, an approach advocated within Scientology, but something conventional medicine overlooks.

MAPS WILL BE CHANGED

World maps will have to be changed as global warming accelerates with the melting of the ice caps. According to reports shared and published in the British paper, "The Independent". Some members at an European gathering felt it may soon reach an irreversible point.

If the ice cap were to melt entirely sea levels would rise about 20 feet, which would inundate cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Bombay, Calcutta, and other large cities located near oceans.

DOGS ARE ABLE TO SMELL CANCER

In times gone by, doctors could diagnose some diseases by smell. Modern technology helped make such skills unnecessary. However, dogs have about l00,000 times more sensitive a nose than humans. Researchers in Britain now have trained dogs to detect the presence of bladder cancer by smelling human urine. In one case, the dog correctly detected cancer in one patient that medical tests had shown was cancer-free, thus saving that person's life. According to an article published in the British Medical Journal, other researchers are extending this finding to other types of cancer.

Canine accuracy on these tests is not yet up to a level necessary for applied work in the clinic, but the results are encouraging. If the method can be improved, it will mean less expensive and less intrusive tests for cancer detection. A dog can apparently differentiate between a benign and a malignant tumor, something that no medical test, with the exception of a biopsy, can duplicate.

SPIRITUALITY HELPS STUDENTS COPE

Students who are involved in some spiritual activity are more likely to demonstrate better mental health than those who do not, according to research conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Their study indicated that as students progress through college, their stress level increases and so does the frequency of depression. Those students who do not participate in any spiritual activities are more than twice as likely to report depression than students who do participate in spiritual activities or religious services. Spiritual acivity also diminishes the probability of a student drinking alcoholic beverages.

The study found a high proportion of the students involved in some form of spiritual activity. They found that 77 percent report saying prayers regularly. 78 percent report discussing religion with friends, and 76 percent report being involved in a search for meaning and purpose in life.

FEELING SAD AND HOW OFTEN

During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt sad, blue or depressed? Three days is the average answer among Americans, according to a survey of 166,000 persons conducted by Rosemarie Robau and her colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and reported in Health and Quality of Life outcomes. Women reported one more sad day a month than men.

Young adults aged 18-24 years reported the highest number of sad days. People who exercised reported less than two sad days a month. Those who smoked reported more than five sad days a month.

The researchers interpreted their results to suggest that when people are sad or depressed, they tend to engage in unhealthy behaviour such as inactivity and cigarette smoking.

HELPING OTHERS AT CHRISTMAS

Winter has slipped in a few days early with a heavy blanket of snow reminding us of special greetings to our friends with just a dozen days left.
until Christmas. Fortunately there are many ways to do so with e-mails, postal letters as well as voice mail.

Here are some reminders from famous people that are always relevant in helping others this season and works for all seasons as well..

Madame De Stael, "Sow good services; and sweet remembrances will grow from them."

George Eliot, "What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other."

Davy, "Life is made up not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindnesses and small obligations, given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort.

MEDITATION RESEARCH

Meditation has entered the mainstream, and studies of the benefits of daily meditation continue to be published. Here are some samples.

Researchers at the University of Oregon found that after five days of meditation practice, students scored better on a computerized attention task that required them to ignore distracting information. Students who received only relaxation instructions did not show this improvement.

Meditation makes attention more efficient. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin had students looking at a computer screen which would flash two numbers in quick succession. Because of the brain's limited powers, most students were able to see only the first two numbers. After three months of meditation training, the students were able to see both numbers reliably, whereas a control group showed no such improvements.

Meditation can ameliorate the effects of congestive heart disease. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania gave meditation training to adults who had been admitted to the hospital for heart failure. Compared to how they functioned at the start of training, three months later these patients performed significantly better on the six-minute walk test, and showed alleviation of depression, fewer readmissions to the hospital and an improved quality of life.

HOSPITALS PROVIDE MUSIC THERAPY

A survey of U.S. health facilities by the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, along with the Joint Commission and Americans for the Arts, found that of the l,923 facilities, 35% offered some type of music to patients.

Among recent findings:

Patients on respirators in an intensive care unit who were exposed to Mozart's piano sonatas evidenced decreased stress hormones and increased growth hormones needed for healing, according to a study conducted at Harvard University Medical School and published in the journal "Critical Care Medicine."

Patients suffering from a severe stroke who were admited to a Finnish hospital and who listened to one hour of music daily recovered their verbal memory and experienced less depression, according to a study published in the journal "Brain."

EXERCISE IS A HEALTH PILL

Writing in "Harvard Magazine" Frank Hu, epidemiologist at Harvard School of Public Health, noted, "The single thing that comes close to a magic bullet, in terms of its strong and universal benefits, is exercise."

Marilyn Moffat, a professor of physical therapy at New York University and co-author with Carole B. Lewis of "Age Defying Fitness" (Peachtree, 2006) concurs, noting "The data show that regular moderate exercise increases your ability to battle the effects of disease. It has a positive effet on both physical and mental well-being. The goal is to do as much physical activity as your body lets you do, and rest when you need to rest."

CHRISTMAS AT THE CONDO

December brings us Christmas cheer, We celebrate together,
Our building has a banquet room, For cozy indoor weather.
Connie heads our social group, She makes the banquet plans,
We are glad to volunteer, Together willing hands.

It's fun to work together, Like family days of yore,
Special foods the season brings, Are part of Christmas lore.
Speaking of the foods we make, some wave or make a speech.
Some brag about their benefits, Lets hear a word from each.

The salad waves a willing wing, And modestly implies,
I'm digestion's expert here, Would I ever lie?
And while I do all that for you, A line-up starts within,
Every body cell speaks up, Enzymes are coming in!

Cranberries proudly paint the scene, On tables and on plates,
With small amounts of sweetness mixed, To make a perfect date.
We all make a dandy team, And work so well together,
Like the folks preparing us, We're here in any weather.

Sir Tryptophan rings the bell, And prancing, joins the group,
At Christmas, turkey is the best, That day and next day's soup.
We turkeys are a great protein, (He bows to all the crew,)
Who roast us, slice us, share with all, In everything they do.

We join up with the gravies, vegetables and greens,
Connie's drained all fat away, It even won't be seen.
Desserts with guilty smiles wave, Some small amounts won't hurt,
Keep healthy all the season through, With you we always flirt.

Some carbs sharpen up the brain, Food science adds their word,
Through study and a balance act, With exercise we've heard.
Mix it all with music notes, Harps, violins, guitars,
Any kind to tap your feet, The great folks that you are.

ODE TO THE FLOUR SACK

Do you ever wonder as you look back,
'Bout that life-line of hard times, the flour sack?
At the corners we tugged and unravelled the string,
Then wound on a ball to be used in the spring.

Then plunged in cold water overnight to soak,
On the board we would scrub it with Fel's Naptha soap.
To erase printed colour of varying hue,
"Ogilvies Royal Household" in red and in blue.

Then sewn, and embroidered with colourful flowers,
Keeping happy hands busy for many long hours.
An edging we did, crocheting fine lace,
A gift one could treasure, a new pillow case.

With some dye, and some frills with rick-rack braid,
Many of the things our flour sacks made.
Blouses and slips and aprons to wear,
Bloomers to cover a cold derriere.

Tablecloths, curtains and tea towels no end,
And little rag dolls we made for our friends.
Six sewn together made a good sheet,
Tucked in at the bottom to cover cold feet.

Strong backing it made for a log cabin quilt,
We knew not the texture of satin or silk.
And for store-bought goods we never felt lack,
We made them all from a flour sack.

Written by Violet Carswell
Excerpted from "Talk Time Treasures".

SAYINGS OF THE SAGES - WOLFE

Ruth Patterson Wolfe, June 8, 1914 - October 29, 2008

Ruth Wolfe was a teacher, pioneer with her husband Elmo,
and organizer of many volunteer projects. She was awarded
with "Canada's Voluneer of the Year" and was presented with this
honour in Ottawa.
You can expect to read many of her sayings as well as her
poetry in my future blogs. Her credit line will appear each time
as we continue to be challenged with her writings.

As a lifetime member of Schubert Center she gave a reading
on Talent Night that encouraged others to spend more of
their retirement days doing volunteer work. Her presentation
closed with these words:
"SO WELCOME NEW FRIENDS, RECYCLE YOURSELVES,
Join Schubert Centre's happy fairies and elves!"

Excerpted from "Talk Time Treasures", Editor: Nettie Turner

FRIENDSHIP

Good friends shine like stars, Not always in view,
But you know who they are, Mind sees and reviews,
When special days come - Touch buds of recall,
They burst into bloom, Sending fragrance to all.

Hearts flash them to mind - Hearts feel it first,
In just nano seconds, Comes that joyous burst.
Old friends or new friends, We wrap them with love,
Your treasure of friendship, God's gift from above.

With love's power of thought, Mind sends them through space,
Your friend gets the message, Mind screens up your face,
The gift of your kindness, With joyous recall,
With the music of friendship, It's a virtual ball.

THE LIBRARY BOOK

I hope to be helpful - I'm a Library Book,
Teaching Science and Health,
Even learning to cook.
Delighted I was and happy to see,
That from those on his desk,
My mentor picked me.
For library status, which surely would mean,
That for thousands of readers I'd always be seen.
And for someone for whom the shekels aren't handy,
Can borrow and study - now isn't that dandy.

But someone who borrowed forgot where I was,
I was left in a corner with the dust and the fuzz.
I felt like one blind, unable to move.
Know what it's like to be stuck in a groove?
I'm buried alive, even tears could not come.
With no hands to help - like one deaf, blind and dumb.
Then someone bestirred after having a dream,
Of people and books that made a great team.

"Of writing them, reading them - Others helping to find,
As Libraries keep helping, Improving our minds.
So I searched and was found, and the lost one returned.
I'm taking it back - So others can learn.
And believe it or not - while looking around,
An heirloom, a ring, for my family I found".

December 5, 2008. This morning we awoke to a blanket
of white in Vernon, BC, extending to our northern areas. It
looked warm and cozy, but also contained a warning of winter
around the corner. I strolled down to Shubert Center to
attend the farewell Celebration of Life for Ruth Wolfe,
winner of Volunteer of the Year given her in Ottawa.

She left us a legacy of much wisdom. In future Blogs you
will learn more about her pioneer days and her volunteer work.
The Library was one of her favorite interests.

THE MUSCLE MAN

From inner waters sea of life, An eager being arose,
To work out patterns planned before, And walk the path he chose.
And so grew up a fine young man, Such pride and joy he brought.
And who could dream this child might, In evil webs be caught.

The happy years rolled pleasantly, Upon the waves of time,
And then a special tribute came, A chance to rise and shine
A star that might in time rise high, Into the Hall of Fame,
In sports to fascinate the crowd, And be a famous name.

Temptation shaped its beckoning form, Through drugs to waters deep,
Could he resist his friend's advice, And to his ideals keep?
False beauty of this dreamy pool, Urged on to further chance,
Then swirled him down its murky depths, In death defying dance.

The handsome muscle man was gone, A family's final blow,
A friend's advice had dragged him in, This final undertow.

TRAVEL TIPS

Of travel, there is much advice, That comes in books and papers,
But most of all, draw up a plan, For every little caper.
Some airline tickets, once I bought, To save on the commission,
I skipped the travel agent's fee, And that was an omission.

I laid them on the baggage desk, Claim check took, then waited,
I should have handed her just one, For two bags, not inflated.
Then rushed to get our boarding pass, "Two tickets, where's the other?"
We left it with the baggage girl, "Then you must buy another."

No names were on the tickets, As with an agency,
"You'll have to wait a year, no less, If finders used it, See?"
There's nothing like a ticket lost, To spoil a Christmas trip,
So watch each movement carefully, To keep from getting gypped.

'Twas great to spend the Christmas with, Our Texas family,
We thought our grandson wonderful, Forgot the tickets fee.
They took us to the center where, Astronauts explained,
About their work and further trips, That brought the country fame.

"We'll answer questions if you wish," The speaker told the crowd.
Guess whose hand first shot up? Our grandson's (7), Gramps was proud.
I wrote the airline several times, And asked about our claim.
One Year passed, they sent a cheque, Made out in my name.

FIXING THE EARTH

A lovely planet moved in space, Providing all a family base,
A home and friends to show our love, And blessings from our God above.
Serene in beauty everywhere, Requiring only cautious care.
Dwelling lightly on the land, As season's growth brings food to hand.

Towering mountains, mighty trees, Fragrant air with needed breeze.
In harmony might Earthlings dwell, In wisdom's learning to excel.
Yet some forces through the land, Demanded luxuries to expand.
Searching for excitement's need, Was this care replaced by greed?

As possessions cluttered up the place, Crowded homes asked more space,
From verdant hills we clear-cut trees, As Earth's dwellers too more ease.
Some never seemed to have enough, Planning wars for still more stuff.
For homes and cars and still more things, As the Earth its death knell rings.

She's choking with this trash and smog, That's turning streams to messy bogs.
Polluted air looked for a place, And for relief made holes in space,
That opened Earth's protective dome, Affecting crops and people's homes.
The food chain that supplies all life, As overcrowding led to strife.

Possessions - power, with angry deeds, Some chose instead of basic needs.
Rejecting harmony within, Instead of joy that might have been.
Some still choose to help each other, The Earth our mate - companion -
Mother.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

December rings the Christmas bells,
Time to think of gifts,
What could I find for a surprise
To give someone a lift.
It's said that Santa's helpers are,
The ones who make his toys,
Together making gifts up North,
For all good girls and boys.

But then they found those girls and boys,
Already had so much,
Last year's toys must be sent,
To landfills and turned to smutch.
And as their sleigh flew overhead,
Saw last year's toys just waste,
Prancer said, "Let's make some books,
With empty pages placed,
Their stories - even numbered page,
Odd numbers for our space.

Then we can tell each other what
We had done all year,
Kind words and deeds for others,
And things we had done to cheer.
And as ideas come to mind
Thoughts or pictures say,
Some elves are real people that
We see most every day.
They live in normal houses,
And walk on normal streets,
Look nornal every day - except,
Within a great heart beats.

These gifts will need no wrapping,
Or colored ribbons bright,
Their love moves softly, heart to heart,
With warmth that makes things right.
Kind deeds that only hearts can give,
The ones that are the best,
This lovely essence from the heart,
Brings love to friends and guests.

WONDERFUL NEIGHBOURS

Recent books here in Vernon have been published about pioneer days. The best feedback I get from my blog are items I write about pioneer days.
I wrote this verse for the Golden Wedding celebration of:
ANNE AND CHARLIE CAREY

Let me tell you 'bout a friend I knew, Pushing ninety and still working too,
Chopping firewood from dead snag trees, Keeping forests safe and filling his need.
His sweet shy wife, early in the morn', Busy as a bee cooking up a storm.
Planting flowers and watching them grow, Weeding the garden, every row.

Time every day with others to share, Lending a hand and knowing they care.
A gate left open, some stock got out, Charlie took care of it, there's no doubt.
When my guests arrive he waves and shouts "See you got feeders, I'm sure they will thrive." Should a skunk or a weasel your chickens desire, His 22-trusty is ready to fire.

If flocks of starlings hove in your ken, He's ready with buckshot, just tell him when. They'll strip off your cherries quick as a wink, Testing each one fast as you think. One time a thief thought his house to rob, Stole Anne's poppyseed cake to finish the job. But neighbours nearby kept open sharp eyes, Called on the Mounties to go get their guy.

Pursuing them south to the border gate, The poppyseed cake sealed their fate.
Though his "good argument" stays close at hand, The guns of the Mounties still take the best stand. When I "scold them" for late nights dancing 'til two,
He just cheers for noticing that they made it through.

Late night moving traffic, a blizzard or storm, Still their early-rise habits bring an early-up morn. Hear the sound of his chain saw next morning bright,
After calling the square dance half of the night. Time for the wedge on a wide-angled log, But don't drop the axe, could get lost in a bog.

He takes aim at a pole, standing fast in the yard, The axe is implanted - it didn't seem hard. After years as a bush-boss it seems mighty clear, There's a lot of good knowing gone into those years. Early fall they present me with huckleberries blue, I'm surprised they are picking when the bears have been through.
"Just wear a small bell, pick your side of the patch, The bears won't molest you, They have their own catch." Good advice, sweet Anne, and thanks for the treat. Here, try out my cot squares, not as tasty but neat. Your blueberry muffins are topnotch I know, But to wild berry pataches, I fear I won't go.
Sixty years plus since Anne and Charles met, At sixteen a camp cook and to visit her set, A river he'd swim, leave his work clothes one side, O'er the stream Sunday clothes in a tree box would hide.
But one Sunday night, with the moon shining bright, Over waters, no working clothes showed in its light. The cattle had chewed them to bits by the stream, And the country's first streaker never ran out of steam.
We treasure their stories, Such fun to be with, Your friends and your family, both kin and kith. And always remaining in this neighbour's dream, Is you'll start your next century - right on this beam.

TOOLS

It's time to salute the one with the tools,
Always so welcome, always so cool,
A briefcase, a belt-swing, a brilliant mind,
All working together, Solutions to find.
For the needs of the body we find kitchen tools,
To nourish the body, All part of life's rules,
The tool of the mind to search inner life,
With thoughts to avoid the stresses and strife.

New visions take shape, With forgiveness and love,
Attuned to the songs of heaven's peace dove,
Trusting the heart, a great step to take,
The tool of decision, a great working mate.
Headlights give warning, Through the darkness of night,
A vision takes shape, With love's guiding light.

All growing together as parthways show change,
The way will be seen for our whole vision range.
Each challenge a lesson, like the man with his tools,
Who needs them as well as his learning from school.
Tools work with the lessons in each aspect of life,
Contentions - bad tools as well in political strife,
But using the tool - that great Golden Rule,
By doing to others, as you would wish done to you.

GROWING UP

At almost thirteen years of age, the yard stick recorded my height at almost five foot, eight inches. The nearest high school was 65 miles distant and our parents counted their savings to see if they could find funds to send their children to the city for high school. A pharmacist and his wife in Medicine Hat offered to keep me as a household helper and baby sitter while I attended high school. They were nice people to work for and their toddler, Joyce was a pleasant child. Mother had trained my older sister and I in household cleaning, baking bread, and following instructions. She worked hard to see that her daughters would have an easier life than had been her lot. The depression of 1929 was in full force with World War II looming on the horizon.

Ready to bounce into the big wide world, I asked my mother to tell me about the day I arrived on the scene to clarify what might lay ahead in life. After preliminary details she told me about that hot July day. Farm dinners were served at noon and presumably provided the energies for busy hours ahead with animals to feed, cows to milk, weeding and cultivating, summer fallowing fields, and monitoring the water flow in the dikes.

"You arrived on a Sunday," Mother said. "Church was in the school house in the morning. A United Church divinity student arrived every summer for his practicum, a neighbor played the organ, and other volunteers taught Sunday School behind a curtain at one side of of the one room school. It was good to get home and have the main meal over for the six of us. You would be child No. five. I let the wood stove die down and hoped to get a little rest. Too soon the distant sounds of jingling harness was heard and my sister's wagon with her brood turned in and unloaded her family for a Sunday visit with noisy play. Phones were not available in those days and the cousins looked forward to these get-togethers. Vegetable peelers sprang into action as the fire was stoked up to prepare another Dinner.

Fast food consisted of hurrying to the garden, digging potatoes, gathering lettuce and other vegetables. A jar of meat canned the previous winter would be the protein with boiled eggs in the salad. My aunt rattled on about the community news while Mother hinted about milking the cows and getting the chores done. Around 6 pm her sister finally directed her noisy children back into their wagon and left to do her own chores and Mother finally had a little privacy. I arrived an hour later. Air conditioning consisted of opening all the windows and doors and wishing for a little breeze. Mother had a busy day.

CAT PLAY

I am a cat - my part to play, to help us balance life,
It takes all kinds while here to show, The challenges of strife.
Ebony - my name you gave, I really chose it too.
Obama is my second name, It means, "Within, I do love you."

Back to the script - the scene unfolds, Lessons may be learned,
To be more selfish - just like me, Those other parts to earn.
An inner sense tells me that, Dogs don't really like me,
But I ignore their prejudice, And foolish tries to fight me.

I zip up trees and handy poles, And laugh at all their barking,
Find dining chairs for comfort, Or TV sets for parking.
And if my tail should hang below, And hide your screening view,
Do not disturb my slumber hour, I could run away from you.

Your residence is mine you know, But don't move anywhere,
Just feed me what and when I want, And brush me with great care.
I make no promises to you, If neighbours feed me better,
I'm out of here within a flash, I'm really no one's debtor.

So brush me, pet me, feed me well, I warn you, please take heed,
If its loyalty you're looking for, A dog is what you need.
So if you see yourself displayed, Within this little verse.
Choose the part you wish to play, Your lessons while on Earth.

BLESSINGS AT CHRISTMAS

Christmas giving and receiving reflected a new light in the life of Susan Lendvay, now Editor of Venture Inward, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. With her father and grandmother they had become penniless refugees in Vienna. As a child of five she had often wondered what became of the money that was placed in the offering basket at church. Her father had told her "It goes to God." But how did God get it was the unexplained answer.

Later they escaped from the Communist regime in their native Hungary. At Christmas time she became the recipient of a treasured package of children's books. But who had sent this gift? Later she learned that strangers from other countries had sent them. But why? When she was sent to a children's home in the Alps, and again was the recipient of a gift box containing letters written in a foreign language she was told that some kind people she did not know were sponsoring her care from faraway Holland. Although not understanding that it took money to house, feed and clothe all the children there, a sense of comfort and wonderment was felt. "Somebody cared about us and didn't ask anything in return except to know we were OK. This made a deep impression on me as a child," she wrote.

As an adult now living in Virginia Beach, she finally found out how God gets the money intended for Him and what He does with it. "Since all things come from God and all things belong to Him, the earth and the fullness thereof, it is up to us to share and pass on these gifts. With gratitude to use for our needs and share with others in need, a 'substance,' a physical manifestation of unseen forces, to be used in the world."

Through her writing, Susan Lendvay brings hope to the world, "making manifest God's love - we are our brother's keepers, our souls live forever, there is a loving God, available to each individual for personal guidance and help." Our care and concern for Mother Earth herself shows our appreciation. There are many ways of reducing the pollution of air, land and water that may seem small but gathered together each one brings new hope and life to us all.

WALKING IN THEIR SHOES

With the sounds of possible world depression on the lips of many commentators, it might be interesting to step into the shoes of one of those who walked though the years of two world wars and two depressions.

My parents gave each other the Christmas gift of marriage in 1915. A four day round trip to a justice of the peace required an overnight stay half way there. They travelled in a horse drawn wagon - the first night required an overnight stay and two rooms must be rented since they were not yet married. Stones were heated in the oven the night before and kept them warm on their journey. Eleven months later a son joined them in their twelve by fourteen clapboard dwelling. My mother's small shoes walked willingly and bravely through their fifty years of marriage as seven more children joined the family, supported with mixed farming. Her large fenced-off garden fed the family, with half a dozen cattle, chickens and mixed farming activities on their half section. Dikes were built to keep the spring run-off from the Cyprus Hills at bay. Mother traded eggs and butter for luxuries such as thread, coffee, cocoa and any items not produced in her garden. During one summer she noticed a herd of the neighbour's pigs raiding her garden. Ready to nurse their son who was eight months old, she hurried to clear out the pigs. My father was away at the time. In her rush of anger at possibly losing their winter's food supply she finally cleared them out and then finished nursing her baby. Her stress fed into the child's system and he became very ill. Later she learned from a doctor they could have lost him. With simple home grown foods none of their children had a tooth cavity or required glasses while still at home.

The next year brought a small but good wheat crop. It was important to get the grain to the Orion elevator before the rains came since no grainery was yet built on their farm. Father drove one grain wagon and Mother was at the reigns of the other team and both loads were deposited in the elevator. He took their toddler with him to cash the grain cheques at the post office, the closest bank was 65 miles distant in Medicine Hat. Their second child was due soon. Into the sixth mile of the l0 mile journey home, Mother sensed labour pains. She descended from the high grain box and tied her team to an abandoned shack that once had been home for a homesteader who had not been able to cope on those parched southern Alberta plains. She entered the dusty place knowing her husband was waiting in a line-up at the post office. He noticed her team being hurried up the one steep hill in view - very unusual. He, with their two year old toddler rushed back to their wagon and headed toward home on that rough trail that called itself a road. They found Mother's team tied at the homesteaders shack. During that hour's trip their second son had already arrived. "Rush over to Mrs. Cup's place and borrow some scissors to cut the chord," Mother ordered. Another two mile drive there and both returned but were too shaky to do it, so Mother completed the job herself. Both teams arrived home finally, and a friend, who knew a second child was expected in the fall had come early. No one locked their doors in those days. Mother had wrapped the baby in her undershirt and handed it to her, saying, "Here he is." and hurried to stoke the fire and heat water to bathe the baby and make supper. The friend thought it was a bag of rolled oats and tossed the bundle to the couch. The baby protested loudly but landed safely. The friend nearly fainted. In years ahead this son was always in hurry to get somewhere, and had many more safe landings with his plane that was part of his future work. Mother's very busy shoes pedaled her sewing machine through many flour sacks, as tea towels softened themselves and then were recycled into diapers. Underwear was made from new flour sacks. Soap (with a little lye from the store) was made from farm products. All eight of their children were born at home.

THE REAL YOU

The harmonious personality is one in which the unseen soul
flows easily through that part of itself that is in touch with the
physical life. It blends this essence through every physical
cell as it radiates through the whole body.

The soul recognizes all intentions and responds to them with
honesty and is felt through intuition. A cold heart may lay beneath
polished and pleasing words.

MOTHS HAVE PAST LIFE RECALL

Although the caterpillar goes throuigh an amazing metamorphosis to become a moth, passing through a stage where it completely dissolves into a soup while waiting for a total re-organization as a winged creature, the emerging moth has memories from its life as a creepy-crawly.

According to research conducted at Georgetown University and published in the journal PLoS One, when a caterpillar is trained to avoid a certain odor because of being shocked, it later avoids that same odor when it becomes a moth.

ISAAC NEWTON'S SECRET

In today's debate between science and religion, there seems to be no common ground. That is, there appears to be none to those unenlightened by history. Sir Isaac Newton, the man most often associated with the creation of science and its separation from religion, was secretly one of the founders of Freemasonry. In the book, "Isaac Newton's Freemasonry: The Alchemy of Science and Mysticism (Inner Traditions), Alain Bauer, the author, tells the tale of how this famous first scientist envisioned expressing spirituality through the scientific method. His science was rooted in the Hermetic tradition including alchemy. The origins of science were founded on a spiritual impulse to move beyond the constraints of institutional religion to express more universal spiritual truths.

BRAIN SCANS KNOW INTENTIONS

Brain researchers are helping to bring about just what the movie "Minority Report" envisioned: the ability to determine if you are about to commit a crime, even before you've realized it yourself! Research in the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to watch brain activity on a real-time basis has advanced to the point that scanning can detect a person's intentions, according to a report of experiments conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany and reported in "The Guardian."

In this preliminary research, researchers showed subjects two numbers on a screen. Prior to the appearance of the numbers, the subject was asked to either add the two numbers together, or subtract the smaller from the larger. Just prior to the appearance of the numbers, the brain scan could detect, in a certain brain region, specific activity that allowed the reseearchers to predict which action, adding or subtracting, the subjects would pursue.

The results have caused a debate about the ethics of brain scans. Having developed scanning methods that detect lying versus truth-telling, this research may help detect potential terrorists. Or it could be abused. The researchers are now planning on learning how to tell the difference between an actual intention, which will be acted upon, and a mere passing thought that won't.

SPIRITUALITY LEADS MEGATRENDS

Spiritual principles seem to be gaining in public prominence and are becoming principles of leadership and good business. In the book "Megatrends 2010: The Rise of Conscious Capitalism (Hampton Roads), best selling author Patricia Aburdene lists the trends of the coming decade that will affect us all. The number one trend she identifies, which then influences all the others, is "The Power of Spirituality: From Personal to Organizational."

Her book spells out the innumerable ways in which we are interconnected and how the realization of that fact is affecting the way people do business. She shows how spiritual values such as integrity and trust create greater profits. The value of relationships, in business and in personal life, is emphasized. People express their faith in the way they behave at work and in the ideals set for the businesses they create. Capitalism gets a makeover to become a servant of spiritual principles.

VOLUNTEERING IN ARIZONA

When my husband and I retired we decided to do some volunteer work at a Phoenix, Arizona clinic. A fellow worker had told my husband about this non-profit clinic that practiced complimentary as well as allopathic medicine. The Clinic was looking for volunteers to help in the office and in the medical area. Perhaps we could find a solution for my husband's severe headaches that had plagued him for years. After the five day work week he often spent his Saturdays recovering from these headaches. We would later learn they were caused from inhaling fumes from the chemicals he worked with as a technician. I purchased a special reclining chair that friends thought would help relieve these knock-out headaches as he tried to relax by our large window. One Saturday our door bell rang and the seven year old boy from next door innocently asked, "Is Mr. Davis dead?"

At the Clinic I was assigned a desk with the necessary equipment to transcribe letters dictated by the husband and wife team, Drs. William A. McGarey, and his wife, Gladys Taylor McGarey, both medical doctors. Volunteering fingers spun out paper words dictated by these doctors. Both have authored books as well. My desk faced a window and I could watch the palm trees gently swaying in the Arizona's winters. A slender lady often strolled by my window glancing at a file in one hand, and nibbling on a crusty bagel with the other as she continued on to the treatment rooms. A little multi-tasking is needed at times. She is Dr. Gladys Taylor McGarey, daughter of missionaries who was born in India where her parents, both medical doctors, helped the needy. Now in her eighties she still writes a column for the magazine "Venture Inward" in Virginia Beach, Va., as well as being a consultant at her daughter's Scottsdale Holistic Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. As a child she recalls watching the women of India working in their gardens with kurpe and sickle to feed their families. These tools are used until so worn they are useful only as play tools in the hands of a child. "Use what you have on hand while you look for better tools." was always her mother's advice.

At the A.R.E. Clinic in Phoenix and the Scottsdale Holistic Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, many were willing to switch to an organic diet with fruits and vegetables making up to eighty per cent of their food intake, they were able to keep the body in an alkaline condition. Fish, chicken and wild meats are considered best for protein needs. The old fashioned castor oil pack was often suggested. It can be difficult to give up desserts but with diabetes on the rise it can be a matter of life or death. Avoiding sprays, chemicals and pollution was suggested. With regular physical exercise, encouraging thoughts for self as well as others, were among the common everyday tools to restore and maintain health of body and mind. Doing volunteer work taught us new ways to keep the body healthy. "Using that in hand while searching for better tools." like the good doctor advised.

EATING NO FRUITS CREATES PROBLEMS

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a commonly accepted formula for good health. On the other side of this equation, the consequences of not eating such healthy foods are becoming more clearly established.

Teenagers who eat the least fruit, for example, are much more likely to develop respiratory problems, such as asthma, wheezing, and chronic bronchitis, according to a study conducted by the Harvard University School of Medicine. Those teenagers who ate less than two servings of fruit a week were most likely to already manifest respiratory problems. The study involved over 2,000 teenagers and found this effect regarding fruits.

HEART HEALTHY DIET GOOD FOR PROSTATE

As baby-boomer men gain appreciation for the value of a healthy prostate gland, research indicates that the same low-fat diet that is good for the heart is also good at slowing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

According to research published at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and published in the American Journal oif Epidemiology, the risk of BPH was reduced 32 percent by eating four or morre servings of vegetables daily and l5 percent by making lean protein 20 percent of the daily calorie intake.

CONFORMITY

The jeweler in a small town noticed a man stopping each morning in front of his store, pulled a gold watch and set the time to his large clock in the store window. He did this every day. One day the jeweler was at the door and spoke to this man who always wore overalls. "I see you setting your watch by my big clock each morning. What do you do at the factory?' he asked. The man finished winding his watch, and replied. "I'm the timekeeper and every day at noon my job is to blow the big whistle which tells everyone in town that it is noon and time to quit for lunch."

The jeweler then said "That's odd. I've been setting that big clock in the window every day, by the noon whistle at the factory." Whether this story is true or not, it makes each of us realize that what others do, their conduct, and how to behave should be checked for generalizations.

Emerson once said "Insist on being yourself; never imitate. Your own
gift can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you have only an extemporaneous half-possession.

GIVING IS A BETTER 'SECRET'

A new book, "The Moses Code" (Hay House), by James Twyman, proposes, echoing a theme in the Edgar Cayce material, that the true secret of manifestation comes from the soul level, and it is activated by the soul's true nature, which is giving, not getting.

After so much publicity and attention, the book "The Secret" has stimulated criticism because it is totally focused on the ego dream of "getting" all our desires fulfilled. It will be interesting to watch for further comparisons of these two books as studies proceed.

HEART SOUNDS

TUNING TO THE MUSIC OF THE HEART

Here are some words that came to me this morning, let me share this
heart tune with you. It is always available in any empty moment.

More than you have realized, You're loved more than you know,
It seeps through dark and sunshine, Through dreams and daylight grow,
Seeing with the heart's eyes - Its gentle quiet beat,
Moves throughout each cell to seal, Safely in soul's seat.

To cheer each passing moment as, The heart releases tones,
Of Caring, Love and Gratitude, Assures you're not alone.
A joyous prayer of thankfulness, Rises from its font,
Heart's music stealing silently, Life's problems to surmount.

HAPPY HEARTS ARE HEALTHY

While a low-fat diet may be heart-healthy, being happy favors the heart as well.

In a study conducted at the University College London, involving over 3,000 healthy adults, those adults who reported being happy had significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their systems.

The study, published in the Amercan Journal of Epidemiology found that among women who reported happy moods, there was also significantly less inflammatory protein in their blood stream.

The study involved monitoring both mood and body chemistry as it fluctuated during the day, and uncovered an ongoing correlation between mood and body chemistry.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

From Flanders fields red poppies flash,
Their silent show speaks from the ash,
With undulating waves that flow,
Their sounds of silence tell of old,
Of wars that promised force brought change,
For life on Earth to rearrange.

To those who fell in lines of fire,
In death have joined this silent choir.
All so simple, yet profound,
Through change of thought - new life is found.
This hidden secret - thoughts bring power,
To demonstrate from modern towers.

Flashing from the heart to mind,
Translates with choice as speech refines.
That offers care with love for change,
And magnifies to rearrange.
Thoughts that prove from new in power,
Speak for the dead in fields of flowers.
From history's page, as thoughts renew,
New President, new change in view.

Young voices help to speed the race,
A change through internet of space,
Pictures flash, hearts choose to change,
Fingers tap - thoughts rearrange.
Rejecting hate through power of mind
Renewed through love - ALL peoples bind.

STRESS RELATED PROBLEMS REDUCED

Although psychology has tended to focus on the negative side of human nature, in recent years, positive psychology has received increasing attention. Past research has established that keeping mum about personal traumas can increase the stress associated with those events, while talking about them in a supportive atmosphere, or even writing about them in a private journal, has healing effects.

Is the same true for exceptionally positive experiences, such as mystical moments, near death experiences, and the like? Many folks who have these experiences keep mum for fear of how other folks would react.

To determine if sharing these exceptional experiences in a supportive atmosphere would have positive consequences, researchers at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology invited people who had had such experiences to participate in a special study project. These folks wrote an account of their experiences and participated in group discussions about them over a period of ten weeks.

According to the report published in the Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, the researchers evaluated the participants, before and after the program, on a variety of attributes and qualities. The results indicated that the opportunity to write about and discuss their experiences was beneficial, improving their sense of well being, of having purpose in life, and reducing complaints of stress-related problems.

THE HEART 'FEELS' THE FUTURE

The heart appears to respond precognitively to emotional events, and able to discern whether or not an arousing stimulus is about to impinge upon the heart's owner. In the research study responsible for this conclusion, conducted at the Heart-Math Institute by Dr. Rollin McCraty, subjects sat in front of a computer screen that presented pictures at a steady rate. Randomly, at unannounced moments, the computer would display a very arousing picture, either erotic or morbid. The participants had their brain activity (EEG), as well as their heart activity (EKG), recorded during the experiment.

The data from these recording instruments, according to a report published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, showed that the heart anticipated the arousing pictures by approximately five seconds. Amazingly, the brain also responded, but slightly after the heart, as if the brain were responding to the heart and not to the about-to-be-presented stimulus.

Besides implicating the heart in psychic perception or intuition, it also shows that perception generally is not the exclusive province of the brain.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 10

"Our volunteers have been just fabulous," Ole observed in his sincere and silent way, "Together we have inspired the media people through our "thought letters," poetry and have even entered their nightly dreamscapes in living color so they could better understand the urgency of the situation. Now whoever wishes can fly with me to check the forests again this very dry August.

Soaring gracefully through the skies they observed another heavily forested mountainside of burnished trees. A gentle breeze scattered the frail needles from their bowed branches, forming a growing and dangerous layer of tinder-dry kindling. They noticed a camper at a rest area beside the road and hovered near. "This isn't the area we camped at last year, there's nothing here, let's move on - all aboard everyone!" said the driver, as he stepped on his discarded cigarette butt.

Ole's sharp ears detected a crackling sound. The children had just buckled their seat belts as their father drove away. At the speed of light, Ole swooped down followed by all his helpers in relays, deftly missing the startled driver's windshield. Checking his mirrors he saw a dangerous scene back at the rest stop. He handed the cell phone to his wife, "Call the fire department and tell them to check on a forest blaze, I should have taken more care to stamp out that cigarette butt, hang on, we'll try to outrun it - did you get through to the fire department? "It's not ringing, we must be out of range of the cell phone tower," she answered.

Sensing the camper driver got their message, Ole's group caught a quickening updraft that gave them top speed back to home base. The construction crew working at the towers paused as they listened to the strange sounds. All eyes turned skyward. To assure attention the birds dived at the crew as other family members joined in the "Sky Dance." They circled, then followed their director making a sharp "arrow-like" turn in the direction of the forest blaze and repeated the performance until the foreman of the crew took notice, reached for his cell phone and called the Fire Department. He ordered his crew to drop their tools, abandon the working site and prepare to assist the fire crews as truck sirens raced toward the smoking skies and planes roared overhead to drop fire-retardant chemicals. After considering the raging fast moving fire Ole suggested it would be wise for all birds to leave for their winter home immediately since the young are already excellent fliers while sending messages to humans in their efforts to save the trees. The parent birds who had lost their first hatching due to fragile shells from crop pesticides were told to tell their young to hitch brief rides from larger birds. Even swans and geese have been seen accepting smaller birds on their backs.

We may not hear from Ole and his helpers again until they return in the spring to their summer home for another nesting season. We hope their tree homes will still be there.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 9

As the weeks rolled into summer, parent birds were busy giving flying lessons to their young. Inner knowledge told them that all the family must be prepared when cooler weather reminds of the necessity to be ready for the long flight to a warmer climate. During flying practice they were shown how to direct attention to the nuclear towers being prepared by diving at them whenever such work was in progress.. Those with strong enough beaks tapped holes in the earth, placing an ear to the ground to direct attention to the heat energy that could be captured there.

Small birds including the dazzling goldfinch flew in circles around the humans working on the projects. Some brought gifts and if a hand was extended they presented a ripe berry or nut in season. Filberts and walnuts were easily carried by the larger birds. When the flyers noticed they were being watched, they bowed and chirped a song. It was obvious the humans enjoyed these antics and no doubt thought of their message which could mean "Let's work together."

With a Hoo-hooo-hoo-hoo, Ole gathered his group together and commended them for their help and great cooperation. He told them that although many scientists had known for nearly half a dozen years that decomposing forests would add to all other pollution, it had not been accepted by powers in charge. Rulers may have feared the project might be costly, and not suitable for the timing of an upcoming election and thus lose their position and power.

Dr. Ole asked his helpers to continue to inspire humans magnetically to write articles and poetry to submit to their local representatives. Even the writings of children and their thoughts of love have created remarkable changes, he told them. If the general population held meetings to discuss Global warming with their members of parliament they would be more willing to support wind, water, sun and underground heat so they could in conscience vote for them again. He felt that those in charge of choosing news items, publishing through paper, radio, television and other electronic devices, truly wanted the situation to be known. Many e-mails from ordinary caring individuals are read on radio, TV, printed in letters to editors of local papers as well as to other countrywide and worldwide publications. He challenged all his helpers to inspire someone to write a poem, perhaps just a few lines, that speaks directly for the trees, the air and all life to help solve the problem faced by Mother Earth.

COMPOSERS DREAM IN MUSIC

Many composers have written about their sources of inspiration, including meditation, auditory visions, and other intuitional sources. A recent study indicates that dreams are also a frequent source of inspiration.

When composers were asked about hearing music in their dreams, in a study conducted at the University of Florence Sleep Lab and reported in Psychology Today, the results indicated that more than one-fourth of the dreams in which the composer heard music, it was unfamiliar music, not heard before by that composer.

The frequency with which a composer heard music in dreams was positively related to how young the composer was when first beginning the practice of music.

New ideas and inventions have also come to light in the mind of the dreamer. A familiar example is the invention of the sewing machine. In his dream he saw the spears of soldiers being held with the needle being threaded from the opposite end as his thinking had been.

TOUGH-GUY ATTITUDE PROMOTES HEALING

Although some macho attitudes have detrimental effects on health, such as suppression of emotion or feeling, or resistance to seeking help, some attitudes are actually helpful when it comes to recovering from trauma, according to a study conducted at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity.

Researchers interviewed a group of middle-aged rural white men who had experienced traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. They found that men who focused on their careers, success, power, and competition reported better relations in their community. These same partricipants showed greater improvement a year after their hospitalization. The reserchers conclude that such men affirm, "Yeah, there are tough challenges, but nothing will stop me from reaching my goal."

MILK NEGATES BENEFITS OF TEA

According to German researchers seeking to understand the possible role of tea drinking in promoting a healthy heart, it was found that within tea is a chemical that induces the arteries to relax. The catechins in the tea produced this effect. When milk is added to the tea, the catechins were neutralized and without the same relaxing effect on the arteries. It was the caseins, a type of protein, in milk that neutralized the tea's important catechins. Comments from Britain noted that it was much more important to exercise regularly than to elininate milk from tea.

When I was volunteering at the non-profit A.R.E. Clinic in Phoenix during the winters, the doctors there also recommended that milk products not be added to coffee either.

PURPLE POINTS TO BRAIN POWER

According to a study conducted at the University of Glasgow and reported in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, red and purple juices, such as grape, cranberry, pomegranate, and blueberry have more of the health providing ingredients than the yellow juices, such as orange and pineapple.

Ever since scientists discovered that red wine has healthy antioxidants, there has been a great deal of research on the health value of fruit juices. The study found that whether the juice is fresh or prepared from concentrate does not affect the quantity or quality of those ingredients.

A related, longitudinal study found that drinking three glasses of juice weekly reduced the incidence of Alzheimer's by 75%. Diabetics are usually encouraged to consume fresh fruit to avoid any possible sugars that may have been added.

GRANDKID'S GAZETTE OCTOBER, 2008

October of 2008 brought an unusual event. Mommie spent a weekend away from home with some other parents to share ideas about scrapbooking. I know it was all for the good so later we could see and read about our early days. Even though Daddy was home and took good care of us, our house was so empty without her. Daddy arrived home after lunch and Mommie left with some other ladies, so I asked if we could go over to visit GiGi. But GiGi didn't know about Mommie being away and had walked downtown to do some errands. So only the answering machine was there. We went to the pet shop to look at the animals and left a message for GiGi to call us there on our cell phone.

GiGi had not returned home. Daddy said she was likely buying groceries. Come to think of it, she does have to eat meals somewhere and I don't recall ever seeing her eating with us at our table. So I guess she was busy buying groceries. So we went home and Daddy said he would call her in the evening and see if we could come in the morning. But it was lonely not having Mommie to tuck us in, and feel her loving arms around us, and the nice fragrance we always feel when she is near. Daddy gave us supper and our baths, tucked us in, put our baby sister in her crib and reminded us how she would be one whole year old on October 23rd.

We enjoy pressing the numbers at GiGi's condo and hear her welcoming voice saying, "Come right in." The big outside door opens like magic and we race down the hallway and soon happy arms embrace us. She always has pages and pencils placed on a little table just our size. We can draw anything we like. We both drew a picture of her and in the picture we are standing beside her. We both have big smiles on our faces and look quite a bit alike. GiGi loves to hold our baby sister who always has such a nice smile. Daddy walked around the corner and was out of sight for a few seconds. That pretty little smile of hers twisted itself instantly into an upside down one, while her voice neurons raced to help her cry "Emergency." Daddy came back and her bright smile spun right back. We three know we always want be near them both forever. The time went so fast but we had to leave GiGi since Mommie had arranged for us to have lunch with friends who had children our age to play with. As we left I told Daddy "I want to come to GiGi's house more often."

A MEDICAL DOCTOR'S EXPERIENCE

Was it a dream? A BANG, a crash, where am I now? Four days later doctors were standing over him. In the morgue he was being prepared for cremation when unmistakable signs of life appeared. He had been on his way to the airport but the secret police zeroed in. Here is an account of one of the events that he saw during those four days. He felt he was at a borderland observing another plane. More details can be found in his book "My Life After Dying" by Dr. George Ritchie, Jr., Hampton Roads Publishing Co., Virginia Beach, Va. 1991. Perhaps a poem will condense in a few words one of the events he viewed.

I watch a man approach the gate/ The Pearly Gates ahead? "That long dark tunnel frightened me/ When the nurse announced, 'He's dead.'/ Saint Peter said, "The choice is yours, Check each window here/ As on Earth, decisions count/ You've only shifted gears./ Look through each window, find your one/ Select your comfort zone/ The sum of what you've built on Earth/ Is where you'll feel at home."
I see my Grandma through this one/ A saintly lovely soul/ She seems to be a volunteer/ Helps others choose a goal./ She waves a welcome, "You're so young/ Come in, we'll work together/ So many need a helping hand/ Here we have great weather."/ 'Thanks Grandma, I'll still look around/ There's Grandpa waving too/ Bye now, other windows wait, I wanna see what's new.'
Gramps and Grandma, health restored/ Seem so happy now/ While helping others find their way/ Encouraging, showing how/ But I still want to get revenge/ Some others come to view/ That guy who killed me with that blow/ I'll show what I can do./ Through that window counting chips/ That cheat, I'll get him yet, Lucky that I found him soon/ I'll make him feel regrets./
He sees me now -- With deadly blows/ We battle through the night/ His form is there, but flesh is gone/ Our empty shadows fight/ I hear his swearing in my ear/ Yet my flesh ears are gone/ Buried with the rest of me/ The truth begins to dawn./ Those whispering words again I hear/ And sounds like angel wings/ Seems to offer choice to change/ And Grandma's voice still rings./ And so through time and endless years,/ If blame and hate remain/ For only he, within his soul/ Can make the choice to change.
Addendum: Dr. Richie did go to America and changed to became a minister.

TIME IS ACCELERATING

Did you ever get the feeling that time is speeding up, making you hurry faster and faster, feeling farther and farther behind?

Evidence that time is indeed speeding up, accelerating even, has been compiled by James Gleick in his book "Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything (Pantheon)." According to some interpretations of the Mayan calendar, as we approach the year 2012, the end date of their calendar, each successive cycle of time happens in half the amount of time (termed in other worlds perhaps) of the previous one.

Although not as metaphysically oriented as the interpreters of the Mayan calendar, the book discusses such accelerating realities as e-mail, caffeine, 23-hour news cycles, the microwave ovens, and cell phones, to name but a few of the items today's culture takes for granted but which makes our lives run even faster. Time is speeding up. This gives us a wonderful excuse for not being able to keep up with everything.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW CHAPTER 8

Sparkie remained balancing on his branch while all the other birds on the Tree Helpers Committee flew away to relieve their nest mates. Sparkie confided, "Dr. Ole, did you know that there is a Web Cam spying on your family's nest all day long?" "Hoo-hooo-hoo, yes our family knows about it and we are all pleased with the attention, and it is apparent they mean no harm. Our babies think they'll soon be ready for flying lessons and like to show off. Humans think we are interesting. Our fledglings will soon acquire the feathers necessary for flight. As they become expert fliers they will be important helpers in carrying out our future plans. They'll have all the rest of the summer to practice. They're growing fast and always hungry as they watch Mother Owl deftly zero in on a rat for the family dinner. Rats can be very harmful to humans so we are helping them and able to feed our family at the same time. One time a lady drank from a can of pop without washing off the top of it and died within a day of Leptospirosos. While the pop was being stored in a warehouse some rat urine remained on the lid and there was no medical help for her. She should have washed the lid off first. Nature protects us with an antiseptic we hold in our systems so we are not harmed when eating rats.

Sparkie continued his interview with Dr. Owl, always addressing him formally when carrying out his reporting duties. He wondered about the rumor going around that some officials are planning to tap into nuclear power and start to build more reactors. "It's more than a rumor and we are watching their plan carefully. Our nesting mothers often pick up information from cyberspace during their quiet hours on the nest and tune into many interesting things. It is sad that humans do not realize that every day they are walking over the best source of energy available. They are aware of the fact that there is heat within the Earth but to many scientists the nuclear way sounds more modern and exciting," concluded Dr. Ole. No doubt they both were visualizing how proud parents will be as their fledglings would soon be expert fliers - perhaps dive bombing the towers they were beginning to construct since it may take a dozen years to put them into action. History has proved that amazing things have happened when a few kind, caring, and willing hearts have changed the course of history.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 7

As Ole and his helpers paused to consider what the next step might be for each of them the man thought about the time he was trimming one of his large trees in the early spring and spotted a tiny nest in a fallen branch. It had been delicately fabricated together by the small mother, all from recycled material from the yard. He trimmed the branch and carried it inside to show his family. He guessed from the fallen shells that it had held four baby humming birds who with others were now likely on their way back from the south to build their new nest in the spring. He held the nest in the palm of his hand, trying to imagine how tiny the little birds must have been.

Ole raised and lowered his wings, ready to speak after their quiet time. Thought pictures were streaming through their minds, perhaps trying to grasp the enormity of the loss of twenty five million huge trees that had been destroyed, one bite at a time by the small rice-sized beetles, according to a CBC radio news report.

There are many families of owls ranging in size from six to thirty inches in length. Great Horned Owls like Ole are among the larger ones with the Grey Owl and the Arctic Snowy Owl. Ole and many others have key-shaped eyes, ready for all to unlock wisdom for those who wish to tune in, according to ancient lore. What appears to be horns are merely tufts of feathers that lead past great wise eyes to immerse in depressed circles of plumage. Owls are often seen perched silently in their tree-home for hours but can be quite vocal when necessary.

"Since trees have no gift of wings for flight or feet to flee like we have, I sense that each one of you is expressing a desire to help, in line with your gifts bestowed at birth, according to your abilities in either size or salary. I sense that Kn, has formulated a plan and believe I can speak for him. My minds-eye sees him with his mate Ln, family and friends taking flight, then descending at top speed whenever they see any of the scientists or researchers. At twenty kilometers per second, each would pause in front of any researcher for a split second, then dart toward the windmill in the nearby yard to perch on one of the crossbars. By the time a researcher's hand is extended inviting a landing spot, Kn is already at the crossbar awaiting each of his family and others as they repeat his performance in relay form. Another relay of other birds might wish to join in this action as a long formation of birds speed in the direction of the nearest grove of trees that is calling for help. Yes, it has been determined by scientists that trees produce chemicals that can carry warnings to other trees so they get the urgent message in time to produce an antidote to frighten enemies away. Without a beetle scout nearby for direction, the beetles cannot proceed and fall in the grass and die. Researchers will soon get the message for their research. Excellent plan," said Ole.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 6

Scroll down for earlier Chapers dated October 16, 17, 19, 21 and 24

Tara, the family dog always followed the farmer around. The day before he was digging post holes to fix his fence behind the barn. With one post short, he drove to town for the post and other supplies. When he returned darkness had fallen so he decided to finish the job in the morning. Early next next day Tara went outside through her "doggie door" to make her usual rounds and sniff out her territory. She heard faint sounds behind the barn. Knowing it might be urgent, she ran to the house door and scratched but when the man came she refused to enter. He sensed it was important or she would have used her own door. Tara pointed her nose in the direction of the barn and eagerly led the way, pausing at intervals to look back to be sure he was following her.

The man reached down the hole with a gloved hand and pulled up a soft ball of fluff. He placed a cover over the empty hole and decided to go back for a bowl of water. When he returned he found the ball of fluff had a visitor - the mother bird. She sensed telepathically that the man meant only good as he placed the baby back into its nest. She chirped her thanks. The parent birds had been out gathering harmful but edible bugs for breakfast. Their growing babies would soon be ready for flying lessons and able to collect their own breakfast. No doubt the parent birds would be reminding their brood to be more careful and the man would be telling himself he must always place a cover over any vacant cavity.

Downy's idea was to get the attention of some forward thinking scientists who would be willing to work on this project in a similar manner. Many farmers had windmills in their yards to pump water from their wells. By determining the time migrating beetles were set to form a cloud to be blown to the next grove of trees their scout had found for them, the windmills would blow the cloud off course into a lake or grasslands with no trees to eat. When their last last grove of trees lay dying, scientists would be able to determine when the cloud of invading beetles were ready to invade their next healthy grove of trees.

Just then the air was split at the speed of a bullet as a streak of green flashed into the bird's brainstorming session. All eyes turned toward Ole and Downy as they tuned in to what message might be forthcoming telepathically. "Here comes Kn, a hummingbird of the Annus family - the dictionary translation is 'wonderful' Ole observed in his silent way. They can speed at nearly 20 kilometers per second. What they lack in size they make up for in action. His mate Ln is completing their nesting routine." A quick note rang forth from Kn as he landed, that sounds like a 'high-e' note of human music. Males of the Annus family have an extra tail feather they use for fast flight take-off as well as braking when landing. This feature will turn out to be very helpful in the next step of the plan.

PRAYER SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE

In a study published in "Research on Social Work Practice" the investigator, David H. Hodge, assistant professor of social work in the College of Human Services at Arizona State University, compiled all available studies on the use of prayer in aiding patients of either psychological or physical problems. He combined their statistics into one large body of data. The evidence was significantly in favor of the power of prayer.

He notes that an earlier meta-analysis conducted by Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School included only those involving patients undergoing heart surgery and was felt to be inconclusive. The one by David Hodge included all other studies as well. This may indicate that the patient is less involved. A praying doctor might make a difference.

FAREWELL BETTE

Family, friends, extended "family" here, many from the Davidson Lawyers Team that Betty worked with for 28 years, as well as others who had helped her with many volunteer projects in the community, assembled here at the Fireside Lounge for a Celebration of Life for this most worthy soul. Fond memories of the warmth of her presence guiding other volunteers in the community and here as well as our Strata Council President, diffused itself throughout the gathering. Our large patio provided the extra space required to move with cautious ease as choices of foods from a long table offered every variety of cuisine with coffee, punch and teas. And no dishes were broken.

Sunny skies cheered the day as we listened to the remembrances from many who had been a part of her sixty seven years of fruitful living. The gratitude expressed sometimes mingled with unwilling tears that silently found a way to blend with the nearest handy tissue. I feel that Bette herself (her real spirit and soul) seemed to be with us. Just how cyber space carries this along has not been scientifically proven but it resonates through the feelings in hearts. One person opined, "I could phone Bette about any problem and always felt comforted and encouraged, now who can I go to." Many others felt that way.
One hundred and twelve signed the condolence book and several dozen we chatted with did not get to the guest book. The following quote is from an ancient unknown author:
"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she is only a speck of white cloud, just where the sea and sky meet and mingle with each other. Someone at my side exclaims, 'There, she is gone!'
"Gone where?" Gone from my sight, that is all. She is the same size in hull and mast and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of her destination. Her diminished size is in my mind, not in her. And just at that moment when someone at my side says, 'She is gone,' there are other eyes watching for her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'There, she comes!' "And That Is Dying."
Many thanks to this Unknown Author for this lovely analogy. SD
http://stayingintouchblog.blogspot.com.

CONCEIVE, BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE

What you CONCEIVE and then BELIEVE,
Together practiced, you will ACHIEVE.
How and when it will be,
Take baby steps and you will see.
A monster FEAR, can make you fail,
But trust and faith sees through life's gales.

And since your goal is peace and love,
You'll get guidance from above,
Tune to Spirit's light within,
You'll reach your goal and you will win.

SLEEP MORE TO LOSE WEIGHT

New research has uncovered the basis of the relationship of sleep to loss of weight. It turns out that sleep deprivation creates an imbalance in certain hormones that govern appetite.

Dr. Shahrad Teheri, an endocrinologist at Bristol University, found that with less sleep, there is more ghrelin in the blood, a hormone secreted by the stomach that creates hunger sensations. He also found less leptin in the blood, a hormone created by fat cells that send satiation messages to the brain.

In another study, conducted at the University of Chicago's sleep laboratory, it was found that after a single night of insomnia, folks showed this same pattern of hunger-making hormones in the blood. When volunteers were made to sleep only four hours a night for three nights in a row, they would awaken with complaints of being hungry.

THE ROBIN AND THE SPARROW, CHAPTER 5

The head of every bird in the group tilted to one side as each tuned in to Sparkie's news. According to his cousin Barney, a generous early morning breakfast buffet went on in the farmyard and he joined them. It was like rice-sized manna from Heaven and sound like small rocks raining down on the tin roof of the barn. An unusual storm had blown in a cloud of pine beetles and all the neighborhood birds had a feast. He said the beetles had been on their way to a nearby grove of trees. A beetle scout had found this new healthy grove to feed upon since the forest where they now lived was almost dead. The thirsty beetles had consumed all the moisture that contained the nourishing foods the trees needed for life itself. With no feet to run away nor wings like birds to flee to another place they had been left to die, and could no longer grow and supply homes, shade, and food for all living things. Facing a gradual death each tree left a red flag of warning. Deprived of nourishing moisture required, it discolored, turned red, died, and became a desolate place for all life. A careless cigarette ash or any other spark could start a forest fire that could race through nearby lands, destroying people, wildlife, homes and businesses. Dr. Ole's head seemed to almost turn a complete circle as he listened carefully.

Downy, one of the smallest in the woodpecker family raised a wing and Dr. Ole raised both wings to signify silence and gave Downy the nod to speak. He had noticed before that although small in size, her clever mind had come up with very interesting ideas at times.

"What do you think about having windmills placed not too far from the stands of trees to blow away the clouds of invading beetles? As the velocity of the wind acts on the oblique vanes radiating from a horizontal shaft, this power could supply all that is needed for the lands below. People would be more willing to give up the fossil fuels used for cars, heat required in winter and other necessary power needs. This must sound like a 'tall' order - realizing she had made a pun - but I have an idea about how to begin implementing it. The windmills need not disturb the birds or other forest dwellers when placed at a safe distance. I was watching a dog speak to his master last week, not in words, but his master clearly understood.