![]() I love living in a small town. (Well, most of it. But how many of you can say you like 100% about where you live?) Most everyone is so friendly, and connected. I like that feeling, that I am connected to a large part of the community. I didn't feel that way as I got older, when I lived in the city. When I was a kid, there was a sense of neighborhood and community. As I got older, and lived in apartments, that feeling wasn't there. I felt very anonymous.
See, here, you are always looking to see who you know, what they're doing, waving hello. Friends give me a hard time because I don't “do” vehicles-I don't recognize what people are driving a lot of the time. So when I'm driving, sometimes I don't wave because I don't know what their vehicle looks like. (Most newer vehicles all look the same to me.) And you better believe I hear about it the next time I see them! When I go to visit family in the big city, I have to be reminded to stop making eye contact. So then when I go back to where I grew up to visit family, I'm still in that small-town mode of looking at people and smiling, saying hello. It kind of weirds people out, in the city. Try that, at your friendly, neighborhood big box store. You'll probably get escorted out. I KNOW you'll get funny looks! Going to the store or the post office here is a social event. About half the county does not get mail delivered to their house or cluster box, they have to go to the post office to get their mail. Not by choice, but because the USPS won't deliver mail there, and requires you to have a po box at the post office in town. (But that’s another story...) It can take an hour or more, when you see someone you haven't talked to in a while, and chat to catch up. ![]() I knew a guy who got arrested one day a while back. The local cops were out to teach him a lesson, so in addition to arresting him, they towed his pickup truck to the impound garage, located under the courthouse.
Several days went by. People who worked at the courthouse started noticing an unpleasant odor in the parking garage. After a few more days, the smell was so bad that they had to evacuate the courthouse and call in a Hazmat team. The Hazmat team finally found the source of the smell: A burlap bag filled with dead rattlesnakes in the back of the pickup! They asked the guy “Why didn't you tell us about the rattlesnakes when we arrested you?” To which he replied “You guys seemed to know everything! I figured I'd let you find that out for yourselves!” The Elio Motors car is the first fun new car design that I really like, that I have seen in a LONG time. You see, most new cars look so much like everything else out there, that I just can't get excited about them. Granted, my first car was a 66 Mustang, so I guess you could say that I'm pretty spoiled. The Elio has only three wheels, which gives it a look all it's own. It's got plenty of room, and standard safety features like airbags and a reinforced roll cage. And with a top speed of over 100 mph, you can really move! Oh, and it's affordable! Only $6800! They are taking deposits now to reserve your place in line as they come off the line. It gets 84 mpg on the highway. It seats two, front to back. It's American Made! They've got a factory in Shreveport LA. They're planning to reveal the prototype at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Want a sneak peek? Just check out this video: ![]() I am grateful for all of the lovely things we have to eat-the turkey, home made pies, green bean casserole, warm and crusty bread- when there are millions going hungry. I am thankful for my friends when others are lonely. I am thankful for shelter when others are homeless. Gratitude for the lovely things I have to wear when others have no shoes. Use this day as a reminder to be thankful for all of the wonderful delights that we take for granted every day. In our day-to-day bustle, we often forget that we have so much. May your days be filled with gratitude and thanks for the joys and wonder in your life. On these cooler mornings, oatmeal makes a great breakfast. I used to eat the instant flavored oatmeal, until I started reading the labels. Yeah, they taste great and are faster to make, but I am trying to eat healthier, so processed foods with lots of additives aren't coming home with me much anymore. I don't much care for regular oatmeal, the kind made with rolled oats. Rolled oats are great in oatmeal cookies, but not for breakfast. I like my oatmeal to have some oomph to it. So I have been experimenting with steel cut oats and I like steel cut oats MUCH better. Steel cut oats are very chewy, nutty, and hearty. Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index rating than rolled oats. Plus, I make it in the oven, and it's SOOO much easier to make this way. I guess I'm too lazy to want to stand there and stir, stir, stir, so that it doesn't burn while cooking on the stove top.
I use a glass baking dish. Be sure to use one large enough so that when , as it's cooking, it won't bubble over the sides because that can make a huge mess. Spray the inside of the dish with a cooking oil spray, if desired. I haven't found that it makes much difference – sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. (To clean, I'll usually soak the bowl in the sink filled with water. After soaking, the dish cleans easily.) Follow the directions on the package for water to oats ratio. Preheat the oven to 380. I usually bake it for about an hour. Sometimes more, if I want a chewier, dryer texture. I sprinkle cinnamon on top before cooking. Stir it once or twice while baking. Serve with butter and sprinkle sugar on top. Sometimes I'll add some raisins or blueberries after cooking. Yum! Coconut oil is making a comeback. Back in the 70's, coconut oil was perceived as bad for your health due to its saturated fats. But the tests were done using partially hydrogenated coconut oil, and it's the hydrogenation that causes the the dreaded trans-fatty acids. In fact, more and more studies are showing that saturated fats are actually beneficial for your body's proper functioning. For example, studies of Pacific Islanders , who get approximately 30-60% of their calories from fully saturated coconut oil, show nearly non existent levels of cardiovascular disease.1 Also, it’s high lauric acid and MCFA content helps boost metabolism. Studies have also shown that coconut oil may reduce belly fat2, be good for your heart3, and might help prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease4.
For external uses, expeller pressed or other types of refined coconut oil will work, but for internal use, an unrefined virgin coconut oil is best. I use it as a moisturizer. It feel great and smells wonderful. On my face, it reduces fine lines, and makes is silky smooth. It makes an excellent moisturizer and my make up goes on smoother. Just let your skin absorb it before putting on the rest of your makeup. For feet, I no longer have dry, cracked heels. And my elbows are smooth. I live in a cooler climate, and since coconut oil has a melting point of about 76 degrees, my coconut oil is solid most of the time. I scoop some of the solid coconut oil into a small covered glass jar, and then set it in a small bowl of warm water to melt before using. I do this right before I go into the shower, and it's liquid by the time I'm ready to use it. I slather it on while my skin is still wet from the shower, to lock in moisture. Like any oil, coconut oil can stain clothing, so I wait until it's absorbed before dressing. In cooking, it has a high smoke point, so it's great for stir-frys, baking, or as a dairy free replacement to butter. Cooking with coconut oil is easy, just replace the oil that a recipe calls for with the same amount of coconut oil. It makes a great substitute for less healthy vegetable oils and shortening, which can contain GMO's and trans-fats. Melt it to replace vegetable oil. Try it and see-you might become a convert to the wonders of coconut oil! 1http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7270479?dopt=Abstract 2http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11745-009-3306-6 3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20691812 4http://coconutoil.com/AlzheimersDiseaseDrMaryNewport.pdf Meditation. This used to conjure up images of yogis on nail beds, and staring for hours at a candle flame.
It's come a long way, baby. Meditation has become mainstream. Just about everyone can benefit from the practice of meditation. Studies show that mediation can help you manage your stress levels, and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. It can help you focus, and help calm the mind. Studies even suggest that meditation may help prevent disease and help relieve symptoms of chronic pain. But how hard is it? Not very. Even beginning meditation practice can allow you to start reaping the benefits, practically immediately. You just need a quiet spot, comfortable clothing, and you can begin. There are many types of meditation practice out there. One of the easiest is mindful breathing. Sit or lay quietly in a comfortable position, and focus on your breathing, slowly breathing in and out. If you don't have a quiet spot, headphones with soothing music should help. When thoughts come into your mind (and they will) let them go and focus again on your breathing. Even if you only have a few minutes, this practice will help calm and center you. You can start with three to five minutes, which might seem like a very long time at first. You can then gradually work up to longer sessions. There are many different types of meditation. I have used the "Small Universe" Meditation by Chunyi Lin, founder of Spring Forest Qigong, several of Dr. Wayne Dyer meditation cd's, and a few others. It depends on my mood. You can try out different guided meditations and use the ones you like best. The great thing about meditation is, with so many to choose from, there's bound to be one or two that work for you. Try it and see! |