March 2011 | Seeds 4Thoughts

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Attack the Smoke not the Smoker!

Cigarette smoke causes migraines.

In a quest for better health I am constantly researching topics that affect our health. I have a very strong allergy to cigarette smoke. I can get an instant migraine from coming in contact with the lingering smell so when I read a few months ago that studies are indicating we have a new concern; "third hand smoke" I read on. Some people think I am over reacting when I say that cigarette smoke makes me sick, literally, but I am not! When my husband smoked I was always using home remedies for odor removal.

Third hand smoke produces dangerous carcinogens.

Science Daily writes in its issue dated February 9, 2010 “Nicotine in third hand smoke, the residue from tobacco smoke that clings to virtually all surfaces long after a cigarette has been extinguished, reacts with the common indoor air pollutant nitrous acid to produce dangerous carcinogens.”

The left over residue is particularly dangerous for our children!

I have 26 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. I consider their health and welfare to be very precious. Did you know that smoking in a home where there is children is hazardous to their health even if they are not present when you smoke? New studies are indicating that "third hand smoke" poses health risks particularly for our infants and toddlers. To learn more about these risks and findings read here.

According to the National Toxicology Program there ae 250 poisonous gases, chemicals and metals contained in cigarette smoke. When the cigarette goes out the danger is still present; clinging on hair, clothing, walls, floors, upholstery and in the very air we breathe. I wonder how to clean smoke damage from the floors and smoke damage from walls plus all the other places it clings to.

Smokers are not malicious beasts.

It is the cigarette that is insidious, not the smoker. I know and love smokers, but how can I live around them and not get sick? How can our children live in a healthy atmosphere? In a perfect world cigarettes would not have been invented, but in our imperfect world we need to make the best of what life hands us.

This post linked to Thursday Two Questions. It is here that we get to pose our question and see what kind of responses we get and we also get to join in the conversations of our fellow bloggers. Hey, I get to but in and no one considers it rude! I'm loving it! Thanks, Amanda.

My questions:

What are your most dreaded chores? I don't like doing the dishes.
What are the shortcuts you have adopted to make them easier? I keep them done so they do not pile up on me.

Thanks for visiting me today. Take care and God bless.

photo source

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Just Judy

J My sister's name is Jeanne. My best friend's name is too!
Mine is just Judy, not Judith or Judi

When I was just a little snot I was quite a cutie

Now that I'm all grown up
I'm just plain Judy

Just a few "j"s I'd like to throw your way:

My email is Judy loves Jesus;

Just, as in justice, justified, judicious, juicy as in fruit, joy, joyful, joyous, jovial, jubilant, jocular, jewels, and at this juncture I will just say join us in ABC Wednesday.

Thanks for the visit. Take care and God bless!

Photos borrowed from here and here. Thanks!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Microfiction Challenge

The chair looked so inviting. She was tired, bone tired, tired of having to cater to everyone's needs. Oh to sit for a moment, but no.~ 135 ~

This post linked to Succinctly Yours! Join in the microfiction challenge. Post your story of 140 words or less. Use the Design 215 counter if you like.

Thanks so much for visiting me today. Take care and God bless!

Barriers against birds

I am late in posting as my computer had issues yesterday. Blogger did not want me to upload pics for some reason, so after a few hours I gave up and went to Triond to publish an article and had photos ready to insert there and could not upload those either. I thought I would try the photos again this morning. Just about a month ago Google required me to increase my storage space and pay to upload?!

I like to look at birds nesting in the letters of stores and found that Kroger's pharmacy came up with a solution to stop the birds. I wonder if bird nests hit shoppers?

Thanks so much for visiting me today. Have a glorious Sunday! This post linked to Shadow Shot Sunday. Let's all go to Hey Harriet's and enjoy some shadow shots! Have a blessed day!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Sore Muscles

Thanks for the post from Sylvester Campbell
Every morning , after we send the kids off to school, a few of us mom's get together for coffee. Today we decided to do something different, but what was the question. We all came to the conclusion that we needed some form of exercise that would be fun, not the usual work out routine we had tried before. How about we go bowling? It looked like fun and seemed pretty easy, after all if the kids can do it, so can we. After everyone left to change clothes, it was what in the world do I wear to the bowling alley? A comfortable pair of slacks and a loose top should fill the bill. All ready to go, I had to set the security alarm from Allhomesecurity.com/and go pick up the others. What fun this will be! , as most of us haven't bowled in many years. Oh dear, the balls are pretty heavy and the really light weight ones don't fit my fingers, but I'll make do. We are all pretty excited and a little bit nervous, as I get ready to throw that first ball. Oh my goodness, I think I have just thrown every bone in my body out of place. It did get better as the day finished up, but I knew I needed a hot bath and a good massage. All in all it was a fun afternoon.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Winter

Thanks for visiting me!

This post linked to Outdoor Wednesday, Watery Wednesday, White Wednesday, and Wordless Wednesday .

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Nutrition that is free! Yes free!

As children we were taught to be thrifty.

While raising my children it became quickly apparent to me that often times they would take it for granted that there would always be food and clothing for them and usually thought that costly was better. It is not until we start paying our own way that we truly appreciate the actual cost of items or a true bargain when we can get one. Even when our parents gently then more forcefully remind us of the cost of items it still does not truly make an impact until we are stretching our own pay check to pay for the many living expenses we incur.

It is a food source that is abundant and free!

While researching one of the wonderful foods that I grew up eating, one that grew abundantly and was free for the picking I learned so much. One of the most nutritious foods we can eat is also one that is free. As winter gives way to spring yards will soon fill with an array of their sunny yellow heads. Mail boxes and door steps will be full of adverts for those who boast their talents of ridding lawns of weeds. Before you enlist the aid of these enterprising individuals please take a moment to read the wonders of dandelion greens. I did and found some interesting facts I will gladly share:

Dandelions detoxify our systems.

In Dont' Kill that Dandelion Darlene McFarlane advises on herbal uses highlighting tips of detoxifying your system. We ate the greens but I never knew that any of the flower or stem was useful so I was amazed as she shared with the reader use of dandelion stems to aid in purifying our system of toxins. Sarah1215 gives us some interesting background information and more herbal benefits of dandelions, plus a how-to in creating your own dandelion crown in her article called How to Make a Dandelion Crown.

Dandelions have a long history of use.

Sandra Stiles Furstal gives us a glimpse of the roots of the dandelion (pun intended) dating back to medieval France. The dandelion was one of the more than 2000 herbs that were used when the settlers came from England. The roots have been used in tonics and liver cures, as well as to stop infections, skin diseases, dropsy, and to settle the digestive tract in Dandelion Facts and History. I grew up eating dandelions, as I said earlier. Once the leaf became broad enough, we harvested them. In Dandelions are not just a Weed J Martin gives tips on cooking and using dandelions providing you with a guide in step by step preparation and cooking.

They have a high nutritional content.

You don’t have to sell me on eating dandelion greens. I grew up eating them, plus their free, but I decided to check out the nutritional content in 1 cup of cooked dandelion.

· Just 59 calories
· Calcium 252 mg. (compared to 93 in spinach)
· Iron 3.24 mg. (compared to 2.20 in spinach)
· Phosphorous 75.6 mg. (compared to 38 in spinach)
· Potassium 418 mg. (compared to 324 in spinach)
· Vitamin A 21,060 IU (compared to 8,100 in spinach)
· Vitamin C 32.40 mg. (compared to 28. in spinach)

This is not to down play the role that spinach plays in eating nutritiously but to point out that there is much to gain by adding dandelion greens to our diets.

Dandelions are beneficial to our health in many ways.

According to the Reader’s Digest Family Guide to Natural Medicine the dandelion was first introduced to the New World by the Europeans and quickly put to use by Native Americans for a multitude of remedies from health tonics, chest pain and knitting broken bones. They would often follow the animals to see which herbs they sought for remedies and learn from them. One of their favorite animals to watch was the bear.

Common uses of the dandelion are wine, coffee, salad, and greens. It has been long approved as an over the counter medicine to treat liver, gall bladder and kidney problems, as a mild laxative, appetite stimulant, and a diuretic and also to improve potassium levels and thereby improve health and lower blood pressure. I hope that I have whetted your appetite for more information on dandelions and that you soon will be enjoying the free rewards of nature’s bounty.

Thanks so much for visiting me today. This post linked to mellow yellow Monday and I hope you have a wonderfully "mellow" one! Take care and God bless!

Photo sources

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Sunrise in a hundred eyes

It was just an ordinary day when I rushed out my door bidding my youngest a good day

I noticed golden lights reflecting off the home across the way.

At the first red light I had camera ready, and rolled my window down

I took the first picture as I headed out of town

The golden glow of the sun reflected from a hundred eyes

In windows watching me and smiling in surprise

Nature by God

Poem by Judy

This post linked to Skywatch Friday. Thanks so much for visiting me. Take care and God bless.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Thankful Thursday - Trust

Whether it be a child, pet or an adult there is a point where a decision has to be made. Do I trust this person/animal? Do I allow myself to let down my guard? I snapped at least a dozen pictures of Cookie and hubby napping before she lifted her head to check ms out. Her nap was interrupted by my bothersome picture taking!

Cookie trusts. Tiger doesn't!

Our tom cat will not sleep on my husband. He won't even climb in his lap and is skittish around him. His mother Cookie has none of this reserve. She completely trusts everyone who comes through our door. He, on the other hand, runs and hides whenever anyone besides my husband or I are at home and will only cuddle with Cookie or me.

1) Do you trust by instinct or do you reserve judgement and wait until someone has proved themself? I usually trust by instinct but once I have been betrayed my trust has to be earned.

2) Have you ever had your trust betrayed? I have had my trust deeply and irreparably broken at times, and other times we have been able to mend fences and forge a stronger bond.

This post linked to Thursday Two Questions, a wonderful idea hatched by Amanda. Icy BC aided her sister in the launch. You can find more issues addressed by Amanda at SelfSagacity. She is doing a fantastic job. Check her out. Thanks for visiting me and God bless!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Never higher than the sky!

Hanging low in golden skies

The sun is falling before my eyes

Suspended somewhere far away

Ushering out another day

Gently closing the curtains of light

And pulling closed the ones of night

Velvet shades of midnight blue

Indicating the day is through

God grants us darkness after light

So we can rest from our daily plight

He gives us beauty to restore

The worries the world leaves at our door

If we don’t stop and take it in

Then how can we begin again

To deal with problems heaped up high

Never higher than the sky!

Nature by God

Poetry by Judy

This post linked to Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday.

Ever looked at the links of those who were playing a meme with you and went to visit one, but did not find the post for the meme but others which were compelling? I just left Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.

She posted these words:

"Please link up a poem, old or new, and leave a few words behind. It is the ethos of this poetry community to support the work of other poets who share their work alongside our own, so visit and review a few of the posts you find linked today."

That's all it took for me to start looking through my poetry. You know I love writing it. Thanks so much for visiting me. Take care and God bless!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Can you create a sunrise

And hang it in the skies?

Can you break upon the horizon

And usher in the dawn?

Can you illuminate the sky

So all the world can see?

God can.

Nature by God

poem by Judy

This post linked to SkyWatch Friday.

Thanks for your visit today. Take care and God bless.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

V is for Violets: A Treatment for Varicose Veins

Very pretty violets lift up their vibrant heads

Victoriously, valiantly they stand in flower beds.

While researching and writing about flowers that can be eaten in A Guide for Preparing and Eating Flowers

I came across a recipe for crystallized violets:

Crystallized Violets

Using perfectly formed violets, take a clean artist’s paint brush and carefully paint each violet with a lightly beaten *egg white. While still wet, dip violets into extra-fine sugar. Dry in a very slow oven or food dehydrator until crisp. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.

Violas or other small edible flowers can be substituted. These flowers will transform a plain frosted cake into a work of art.

*Powdered egg whites should be used to avoid the risk of salmonella.

James A. Duke, PhD advises in his book The Green Pharmacy that violets and pansies carry a significant amount of rutin. A daily intake of this compound will aid in strengthening and maintaining the capillary walls so rutin is beneficial in the treatment of varicose veins. If violets are not to your liking, you may want to try buckwheat or kasha.

This post linked to

Alphabe-Thursday

picture source

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Snowy reflections

These photos are all taken of the same building, but taken of two different windows. Please join me in weekend reflections and have a fantastic weekend. Thanks for visiting me. Take care and God bless!