Search Results for:

Kiwi food and friendships

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 814 Views
Simply put, New Zealand is a breathtaking place. Situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the air feels like the color blue, fresh, gentle and crisp. The green landscape this time of year is lush and full. So many cattle and sheep dot the countryside that you expect a herd of shepherds to crest the hills at any moment. All the beauty New Zealand offers makes believing in God as our Creator...

Winter blahs

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 695 Views
Well it is officially here, that dreaded month of March. Unless you are a college basketball fan, or lucky enough to head south for a while, March in Ohio is a tough place for an outdoorsman. The hunting seasons are all over, until spring turkey and groundhog season. The ice is very questionable, even though the fish are still biting. Now that I have you all depressed, I will list some things...

Wow, what a winter: Now is the time to assess damage

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 516 Views
After our beautiful but very heavy December snowfall, I have been bombarded with e-mails and questions on the radio about what to do about damage caused by the buildup of snow and ice on evergreen trees and shrubs, and even some deciduous trees and shrubs as well. Don’t do anything yet! My advice is to wait until the snow melts away and the weather warms a bit - then assess the damage. The snow...

Choosing syrup can be sticky

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 856 Views
Is “real” maple syrup healthier than “maple-flavored” or “pancake” syrups? Not really. Although many people prefer the flavor -- and the very idea -- of real maple syrup over syrups that are primarily made from corn syrup or cane sugar, there’s no reliable evidence to suggest that it’s better for you. Like other pancake-type syrups, pure maple syrup has about 50 calories and 13 grams of...

Plan now for unexpected early retirement

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 845 Views
None of us can see what the future holds for us. But you have to make certain assumptions if you’re going to create a strategy for building the resources you’ll need for a comfortable retirement. But what happens when those assumptions prove unrealistic? Unfortunately, many people are wrestling with this very problem. Specifically, they plan to work until a certain age — but they leave the...

Taking the silver bird to a place farther west than I’ve ever been

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 789 Views
This is all I know about the state of Arizona: It’s a breeding ground for rock-ribbed Republican presidential candidates, both of whom -- Barry Goldwater and John McCain -- lost. It’s the spring training home for a number of major league teams. It’s got desert, mountains, cacti and roadrunners, with perhaps a Joshua Tree in the mix. It’s blistering hot nine months out of the year. “Dry...

Dust off the clothesline and prepare for warmer days

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 796 Views
My Amish neighbors hang their laundry throughout the winds of winter; I use the appliances in my laundry room all season long. But I do look forward to hanging bedding and T-shirts on my own clothesline. Mary Zook, my down-the-road, township neighbor, clips her clothes to a high swinging line from the house, across the drive, and to the barn. I, on the other hand, must venture across a...

Putting your house on a diet: Being organized just feels good

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 751 Views
Getting organized is not like going on a diet. Granted, it is like putting your house on a diet, but it is not personally painful like giving up french vanilla creamer in my coffee in favor of skim with Splenda. I would rather give up caffeine altogether. Not so with uncluttering. It’s the one thing I have found to be immediately gratifying without breaking any rules or commitments to myself or...

Sleepiness: You’re not alone in the nightly battle

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 662 Views
Not sleeping enough and just not sleeping are common complaints of the elderly. Often these problems are thought to be a normal process of aging. However, individuals with such complaints likely have an underlying sleep disorder. To date there are more than 80 known sleep disorders; they affect all races, sexes and age groups. Some of the more common sleep disorders include: Obstructive Sleep...

Evangeline--literary and historical figure

  • March 15, 2010
  • Comments
  • 676 Views
The book Evangeline, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is a history of the Acadians who were shipped from England by the king fearing that they would not be loyal to him. Their property was confiscated and they were loaded on ships bound for America. Evangeline and her lover were put on different ships. Evangeline spent her lifetime trying to find Gabriel and was immortalized in...