Sunday 06.14.15

Today is Flag Day - a day to observe and display our national flag. Below are some interesting web sites containing history surrounding the "Grand Old Flag":


Flag Timeline

National Flag Day Organization

Flag Day Quotes

Flag Day Activities

Flag Day Food Ideas

Unhappy Flag Day


Enjoy your Sunday with your family and friends, while proudly displaying the flag of the USA!

Aging and The Mind

I recently watched the movie Still Alice with my beautiful young adult daughter.  The movie is based on a novel by Lisa Genova. The main character Alice Howland, is happily married with three grown children and a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking, and inspiring.

Being in the third stage of my own life journey and having parents in their mid-eighties, this movie resonated with me.  This woman had a life style that would seem to ward off the disease - exercise, diet, mind games and challenging work.  What she couldn't prevent was genetics, which unfortunately neither could her children.

In the aging process people face developmental challenges with emotional consequences such as retirement, loss of status, reduced physical and mental abilities, loss of family and friends, and the inevitability of death.  It is important to recognize and discuss these challenge with family and friends so that proper diagnosis and medical treatment is received.  Otherwise depression, anxiety, diabetes and heart disease can complicate the mental challenges.

As older adults we need to be advocates for our health and well being and not ignore the signs of impending symptoms.  Often times a word or person's name cannot be immediately recalled due to fatigue and dehydration, however when this happens more frequently, it might be time to take more aggressive action.

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.  James 4:14

Sunday 06.07.15

I enjoy reading during the summer for both pleasure and knowledge.  So whether you are on the beach, poolside, lake, hammock, patio either soaking up rays or dodging storm clouds, below are some great summer reads:

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer, involves the reader in a liberating process from life's drama to soar beyond your limitations and discover inner peace and serenity.

The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins, is an emotionally immersive Hitchcockian thriller about a female riding the same morning commuter train every day who becomes entwined in the lives of a couple she sees daily and witnesses something shocking.

What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey, a compilation of Oprah's column of the past fourteen years based upon a question to her by Gene Siskel that caused her to take stock of her life.

Shark Tales: How I turned $1,000 Into A Billion Dollar Business by Barbara Corcoran, best advice for anyone starting a business that provides unconventional lessons learned from Barbara's homemaker mom that inspired her to gradually create a $6M company.

The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon, an enlightening and inspiring ride that reveals 10 secrets for approaching life and work with the kind of positive, forward thinking that leads to true accomplishment - at work and at home.

Pilgrims by Elizabeth Gilbert, short stories that explore the revelations of diverse and memorable characters, each pursuing a singular American pilgrimage.

Enjoy a restful and relaxing Sunday!

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Onion Revealed

Onions may make you cry, but their flavor is enjoyed by people around the world.  Below is the pick of the crop:

Yellow - also called globe or cooking onion are the most common.  Ideal for soups, stews, sauces and caramelizing.

Spanish - milder than the yellow and can be eaten raw in salads and sandwiches.

Red - have a cleaner, sweeter flavor and are delicious in salads and on the grill.

White - mild flavored yet become stronger the longer stored, great in Mexican dishes.

Sweet - large specialty onion with names like Vidalia, Walla Walla and Maui.  Only available for a few weeks in spring and summer and don't keep well.

Green - also known as scallions, have tender white bulb and green tops and can be eaten raw or used in dishes for garnish.

Pearl - sweet, mild flavor available in white, red or gold best when creamed or pickled.

Shallots - mild onion that when peeled separates into cloves like garlic and the smaller the milder the taste, used in sauces or custards.

Sunday Morning Coffee 05.31.15

It's hard to believe that it is the last day of May and Summer Solstice is only a mere 21 days away.  As you spend your weekend with family and friends renewing you spirit, pause and reflect on those spending the weekend trying to put their lives back together after the devastation of flooding across our beautiful country and give thanks that our forefathers modeled self preservation.

Links I like:

Watermelon Salad

My favorite facial hydrator

Delicious summer beverages

Best summer vacations

Fun summer tennis shoes

Cilantro

Cilantro, or Mexican coriander, is an herb with wide delicate lacy green leaves and a pungent flavor.   The herb is available year-round.  It is very low in calories and contains no cholesterol.  Its deep-green leaves possess good amounts of antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins and dietary fiber that help in reducing LDL and rising HDL. 

All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and dried seeds are commonly used in cooking.  Look for a bunch with unwilted leaves in medium green.  Store in refrigerator with cut ends in a jar of water and leaves loosely covered with a plastic bag for several days.  When preparing, wash and pat dry the leaves before using. Use in avocado, chicken, fish, lamb, lentils, mayonnaise, peppers, pork, rice, salads and salsas.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2C water
1T butter
1C long-grain white rice
1tsp lime zest
2T fresh lime juice
1/2C chopped cilantro

Bring water to a boil, stir the butter and rice into the water.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir the lime zest, lime juice and cilantro into the cooked rice just before serving.

 

Sunday Morning Coffee 05.24.15

This Memorial Day weekend celebration began with my daughter and I watching the movie "American Sniper".  The men and women serving our country make extreme sacrifices both mentally and physically.  Their families are torn between loving them from a distance and sharing them with the world to avenge and protect.  It was a very chilling and touching movie that this man sacrificed and endured so much globally only to be killed on American soil by one of his own.

In your celebrations this weekend, please take time to remember those who sacrificed their lives for our wonderful freedoms.

Some items of interest on the internet:

What’s your real age?

Learn DIY Nail Art Designs

Seven ways to outsmart your allergies