Three Poems To Mom

My Mother kept a garden, a garden of the heart.

She planted all the good things that gave my life its start.

She turned me to the sunshine and encouraged me to dream,

Fostering and nurturing the seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rain came she protected me enough,

But not too much because she knew Id need to stand up tough.

Her constant good example always taught me right from wrong,

Markers for my pathway that will last a lifetime long.

I am my Mothers garden, I am her legacy,

And I hope today she feels the love reflected back from me.

Happy Mother's Day means more than Have a happy day.

Within those words lie lots of things we never get to say.

It means I love you, first of all, then, Thanks for all you do.

It means You mean a lot to me, and that I honor you.

But most of all, I guess it means that I am thinking of

Your happiness on this, your day, with pleasure and with love.

Mother, youve given me two things:

One is roots

The other is wings.

Lets honor all Moms on May 10!

When Silence
Isnt Golden

Sometimes there is wisdom in saying nothing.  However, saying nothing can run its own risks when theres something that needs to be communicated.

If youre the silent type, experts say you run the risk of unnecessary misunderstandings if your lack of communication is merely an avoidance tactic.  Saying nothing, especially when emotions are involved, is akin to handing someone a blank slate; that person may fill in the void with the script thats undoubtedly unfolding in his or her mind.  Instead, a few well-chosen words can bring clarity and relief to all.  You dont have to say much, but ignoring trouble spots can buy you exactly what youre probably trying to avoid more trouble.

Old Proverbs Made New

A first-grade teacher presented her students with a list of proverbs that were missing the last few words.  She invited the students to finish the proverbs in their own words, and these six-year-olds demonstrated some pretty original thinking!

1.      Happy is the bride whogets all the presents.

2.      Dont change horsesuntil they stop running.

3.      Strike while thebug is close.

4.      Dont bite the hand that looks dirty.

5.      A miss is as good as aMr.

6.      Its always darkest beforeDaylight Saving Time.

7.      The pen is mightier than thepigs.

8.      A penny saved isnot much.

9.      When the blind lead the blindget out of the way.

10. If you lie down with dogs, youllsmell bad in the morning.

11. Dont put off till tomorrow whatyou put on to go to bed.

12. Children should be seen and notspanked or grounded.

Are You Stroke Savvy?

Its all too common to hear about someone suffering a stroke, but do you know what a stroke is, and how to recognize and respond to the symptoms?  Heres a quick true-and-false to test your knowledge:

A stroke is the same as a heart attack.

False:  A stroke is a sudden loss of brain function caused by the interruption of the flow of blood to the brain or the rupture of blood vessels in the brain.  The interruption of blood flow or the rupture of blood vessels causes brain cells (neurons) in the affected area to die.  The effects of a stroke depend on where the brain was injured, as well as how much damage occurred.  A stroke can impact any number of areas including your ability to move, see, remember, speak, reason, read and write.

Only older people have strokes.

False:  Each year, 28 percent of people who suffer a stroke are under age 65, including unborn babies, infants and kids.

A stroke is bad, but most people make a full recovery.

False:  Stroke is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability.  Only about 10 percent of stroke victims recover completely.

A stroke is bad, but you probably wont die from it.

False:  Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and the fourth leading cause in Canada.  Worldwide each year, 15 million people suffer a stroke, and one-third die.

More men than women die from having a stroke.

False:  Women are twice as likely to die from a stroke as men.

If you suspect someone is having a stroke, call their doctor.

False:  Immediately calling emergency services (911 or your local emergency number) can significantly improve survival and recovery.  If the person is diagnosed with a stroke caused by a blood clot, doctors can administer a clot-busting drug available only at a hospital, but it must be within the first few crucial hours after symptoms begin. 

Its easy to tell when someone is having a stroke.

False:  There is often no pain associated with stroke symptoms, and the symptoms may come and go, go away totally, or get worse over the course of several hours.  Here are five signs that someone may be having a stroke:

        Weakness sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary.

        Trouble speaking sudden difficulty speaking or understanding, or sudden confusion, even if temporary.

        Vision problems sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary.

        Headache sudden severe and unusual headache.

        Dizziness sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs.

There are some simple things you can do to help identify if someone is experiencing a stroke.

True:  The instant you notice symptoms, remember S-T-R, the first three letters in the word stroke:

S:  Ask the person to Smile.

T:  Ask the person to Talk by coherently repeating a simple sentence such as It is sunny out today.

R:  Ask the person to Raise both arms.

If the person has trouble with any of these tasks, dont wait call 911 immediately.  Learn more at www.strokeassociation.org; www.kidshavestrokes.org; and ww2.heartand stroke.ca. 

May Is Military Appreciation Month

Its always appropriate but especially during May to honor, remember, recognize, and appreciate all military personnel, those men and women who have served and those who now serve our country.  Its equally important to honor military families by letting them know were grateful for their sacrifices.

The Military Appreciation Month Web site has a number of ideas for honoring our military; visit www.nmam.org.

Beware Warehouse Fees/Savings

Warehouse clubs.  Weve all been there and most of us have carted out a giant container of something that, when we get home, we wonder what we were thinking at the time.  How are we ever going to eat 10 pounds of dill pickles, and why did it seem like a good idea at the time we purchased them?

According to researchers Michael Norton and Leonard Lee in the Harvard Business Schools Working Knowledge for Business Leaders, one in every 11 people in the United States and Canada buys something from Costco.  Warehouse clubs, they say, are estimated to be a $120 billion industry in the United States alone.  Norton and Lee wanted to know why we go to these clubs and overbuy especially items with prices that arent really a bargain.  Their explanation:  The presence of the membership fees alone, regardless of whether theres an actual savings on products, creates a fees/savings link, which leads shoppers to spend more on perceived great deals.

The researchers also found:

        When stores charge fees, consumers infer a fees/savings link because we believe the stores charge the fees in order to offer members better prices.

        The mere presence of fees leads to increased spending.

        Consumers were more likely to express a desire to shop at stores that charged fees than those that did not even when products and savings were similar.

TV Trouble

According to the Kaiser Foundation, 68 percent of eight- to 18-year-olds have a TV in their bedroom.  Yet multiple studies have shown that having a television in a childs bedroom can lead to obesity, sleep problems, and poor school performance.

For example, a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and Stanford University showed that children with TVs in their bedrooms scored significantly lower on school achievement tests than children without TVs in their bedrooms.  Another study by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that having a television in the bedroom directly affected a childs quality of sleep, and heavy television viewing in any room made it harder for children to fall asleep and get a full nights sleep.  And a number of researchers, including those at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Cancer Institute, have concluded that the more hours children watch television, the more likely they are to be obese.

Wiper Reminder

Automotive experts recommend changing the blades in your windshield wipers every six to 12 months for optimum performance and driving visibility.  Worn or damaged wiper blades do a poor job of removing precipitation, and they cant properly clear the mud, salt, and oil that splash up from the roadway.  If your wipers are chattering, streaking, or failing to consistently wipe the windshield clean, then its time to replace them.

All About Asparagus

May is the prime harvesting season for asparagus.  A member of the lily family (along with onions, leeks, and garlic), the vegetable got its name from the Greek asparagos, which means a sprout or shoot.  It comes in several colors:  green, the most common variety; white, which is grown without exposure to sunlight; and purple, which has a fruitier flavor than green or white asparagus. 

Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food, high in folate (which helps produce and maintain new cells), and a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.  It has no fat or cholesterol, and is low in sodium.

When youre shopping for asparagus, look for stalks that are rounded rather than fat or twisted; firm, thin stems with deep green or purplish closed tips; and the cut ends should not be too woody, although a little woodiness at the base prevents the stalk from drying out.  Store asparagus in the refrigerator with the ends wrapped in a damp paper towel, and place it in the back of the refrigerator away from any light, since folate is destroyed by exposure to air, heat or light.  Use within a day or two after purchasing for the best flavor.