Write down one favorite song from every decade of your life; bonus — name one from each year of your life.This may take me longer than a single day. I immediately remembered a song I loved at a child, so I'm ready to start making my list of songs, as suggested by the Crown Center. I'll have to come up with eight decades worth, beginning with the ...
A Loss in Our Church Family — Our sympathy is extended to the family of David Beebe, who died on March 4, 2020.On David's Facebook page, I found this photo of him and a notice that his memorial service, originally scheduled for March 29th, had to be postponed because of COVID-19 concerns. I also found this link to his obituary, for friends who may remember him and his activism in the Chattanooga community. I'm very surprised that the other Bonnie remembered me all this time, since we only spoke that one time, and then only for maybe ten minutes or so. Thank you, Bonnie R, for letting me know about David.
 |
| Click on the Bingo card to enlarge it. |
Monday — ConnectMEMORIES
Tuesday — Brainstorm
- Call a friend who lives in another building (in Crown Center or the community).
Wednesday — Connect
- Write down one favorite song from every decade of your life; bonus — name one from each year of your life.
Thursday — Brainstorm
- Ask a friend about meals they've been eating; or share a recipe for a new idea.
Friday — Connect
- List your favorite characters from books, movies, TV, etc.
Saturday/Sunday — Breathe
- Listen to a piece of music that brings back a memory from childhood.
- Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through pursed lips. Do this five times.
Wednesday, 4/1 at 12:00 pm: Yoga on the Chair with DonnaClick this link to access the Yoga Buzz information on Facebook. You can find older videos of Donna's meditation sessions in the collection at the bottom of this page.
Wednesday, 4/1 at 7:00 pm: Meditation with Donna
Thursday, 4/2 at 5:00 pm: Slow Flow with Donna
"Erlanger goes through 500 medical gowns a day and Parkridge, 300."The gown is one piece, and you don’t have to touch anything to put it on. You literally just open your hands up, and then you put it over your head. One of the doctors said, "This is what America’s about ... people teaming up together to fix the problem." Many thanks to Dr. Lisa Smith, a pediatric surgeon at Erlanger for her prototype.
em·u·late /ˈemyəˌlāt/ ~ verb ~ match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation.HUMOR
1. What am I grateful for today?Trying to answer each of those every day didn't really work, so I came up with my own list to choose from. I'll use these as a reminder of possibilities and share one or more in my blog posts when I feel like it. (So there! LOL.)
2. Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
3. What expectations of "normal" am I letting go of today?
4. How am I getting outside today?
5. How am I moving my body today?
1. Something I'm grateful forHUMOR
2. Find something humorous
3. Something that surprised me
4. How I'm exercising or moving my body
5. Activities I'm enjoying
6. Who I connected with
7. What I did NOT do, like cancelled stuff
8. Today's word
9. Whatever else is on my mind
 |
| Ginnie |
In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, Kentucky, blue-skinned nineteen-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry, has just snuffed out her last courting candle, her last chance for 'respectability' and a marriage bed.
The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky. Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government's new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give those who have nothing a bookly respite.
In this paradigm shifting book, Dale Bredesen, MD, offers real hope to anyone looking to prevent and even reverse Alzheimer's Disease and cognitive decline. Revealing that AD is not one condition, as it is currently treated, but three, this book outlines 36 metabolic factors (micronutrients, hormone levels, sleep) that can trigger "downsizing" in the brain. The protocol shows us how to rebalance these factors using lifestyle modifications like taking B12, eliminating gluten, or improving oral hygiene.
The results are impressive. Of the first ten patients on the protocol, nine displayed significant improvement within 3-6 months. Since then the protocol has yielded similar results with hundreds more. The End of Alzheimer’s brings new hope to patients, caregivers, physicians, and treatment centers with a fascinating look inside the science and a complete step-by-step plan that fundamentally changes how we treat and even think about Alzheimer's Disease.
"Really exciting news folks. Because families and teachers are struggling to find curriculum during the COVID-19 epidemic. Heyday Books, Emilie Lygren, and I have released the complete PDF of our new book How to Teach Nature Journaling for FREE. The book will be available for sale in a few months. Nature journaling can easily be done outside, maintaining social distancing, an ideal science activity for shelter in place. Share the news. Stay healthy my friends. Visit https://johnmuirlaws.com/product/how-to-teach-nature-journaling/ for this and more resources."How to Teach Nature Journaling ~ by John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren, foreword by Amy Tan, 2020, education
A comprehensive guide to using nature journaling as a tool to engage young people with the outdoors, this teacher-friendly book combines curriculum plans, practical advice, and in-the-field experience so that educators of all stripes can bring journaling to their students or families. Full-color illustrations and sample journal pages from notable naturalists and novices show how to put each lesson into practice.
31 hands-on field activities to connect art, science, math, and critical thinking, while encouraging students and mentors alike to recognize and record the wonder and beauty in the natural world.
"We're going on a bear hunt. We're going to catch a big one. Will you come too?" For years, readers have been swishy swashing and splash sploshing through this award-winning favorite, as a brave family romps through sweeping land-scapes. The version shown here features pop-ups, flaps to lift, tabs to pull, and sound effects.Now I want you to imagine going on a "bear hunt" where what we are hunting for is all the encouraging things people are posting for how we can use our "stay at home" time. That's OUR bear hunt for today. One "bear" I found: Parkway United Church of Christ posted this poem on their website today. Thanks, Parkway UCC.
Don’t QuitI had to memorize this poem when I was a child in school, so reading it put a smile on my face and put my memories in overdrive. Here's another "bear" I found on my hunt for encouragement, a book whose title is perfect for our time:
by John Greenleaf Whittier
Contributed by Ellie Svenson
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is strange with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns
And many a failure comes about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
Based on Sue’s almost 20 years living with chronic illnesses in her own family, writing her blog, writing articles on chronic illness, and leading multiple support groups, she provides support and practical advice you can use. Whether you are in the early days of living with chronic illness or have been at it for years (or decades), there are always challenges in living a life framed by limitations and restrictions, where isolation is a common issue.We are all "coping with isolation, anxiety, grief, living a separate life, and looking for small joys each day," Sue Jackson wrote on her blog, telling us her book is now out in paperback, as well as in an ebook. Don't you love it that she emphasizes LIVING, not just enduring? Some of her chapter titles sound perfect for our "new normal" in the time of coronavirus:
This guide provides inspiration, advice on emotional coping, and guidance on living your best life with chronic illness from someone who’s been there. Though it seems impossible at first, your life will eventually settle into a new normal, and while that life may be different than the one you had planned, it can still be a vibrant, fulfilling life based on strong relationships, a healthy emotional state, and finding joy in every day. The emphasis in this book is on LIVING your life, not just enduring it.
Lightman explores the emotional and philosophical questions raised by recent discoveries in science. He looks at the dialogue between science and religion; the conflict between our human desire for permanence and the impermanence of nature; the possibility that our universe is simply an accident; the manner in which modern technology has separated us from direct experience of the world; and our resistance to the view that our bodies and minds can be explained by scientific logic and laws. Behind all of these considerations is the suggestion--at once haunting and exhilarating--that what we see and understand of the world is only a tiny piece of the extraordinary, perhaps unfathomable whole.Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life ~ by Irwin Kula, 2006, religion
Life can be messy and imperfect. We're all looking for answers, yet the yearning for answers is no different now than it was in the times that gave rise to Moses, Buddha, and Jesus. Far from being a burden, these yearnings can themselves become a path to blessing, prompting questions and insights, resulting in new ways of being and believing. Merging ancient wisdom with contemporary insights, Kula shows how traditional practices can enrich our own search for meaning and invites us to embrace the messiness and complexities of our experience as humans in order to fully embrace the endless and glorious project of life.
Boorstin introduces us to some of the pioneering seekers whose faith and thought have for centuries led our search for meaning. Moses sought truth in God above, while Sophocles looked to reason. Thomas More and Machiavelli pursued truth through social change. And in the modern age, Marx and Einstein found meaning in the sciences. Boorstin follows the great seekers from the heroic age of prophets and philosophers to the present age of skepticism as they grapple with the great questions that have always challenged us.
Moltmann reinterprets eschatology as a central Christian Doctrine, seeing it as a starting point for a new understanding of God in history, of Christ and salvation, of the church and its mission. The old hope for the end of time becomes hope in the present reality, a hope opposed to the way things are. (I bought a second copy because the original was falling apart, but I kept the original because it's the one I annotated when I read it in 1987.)
Ehrman reveals that the King James edition of the Bible (1) was based on corrupted and inferior manuscripts that in many cases do not accurately represent the meaning of the original text, (2) the story of Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11) doesn't belong in the Bible, and (3) scribal errors were so common in antiquity that the author of the Book of Revelation threatened damnation to anyone who adds to or takes away words from the text.
Re-imagine what it means to live joyfully and responsibly in today's world as agents of God's justice,creativity, and peace. These readings give an overview of the whole Bible and guide an individual or a group of friends through a year of rich study, interactive learning, and personal growth. If you're seeking a fresh way to experience and practice your faith or if you feel out of place in traditional church circles, this book will inspire and activate you in your spiritual journey.Multiple copies, multiple times
Snow! Strangely, today's rain had turned to SNOW when I glanced up this morning. And then the tiny white flakes became BIG snow flakes. It's too wet to lay. At least, I think so. But who expects snow at the beginning of spring when the temps are above freezing all day?2. Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?
Mary called to check on me this morning and to talk awhile. Donna and I chatted through Facebook's private messages. Sharon texted that she'd left something in the box beside my door. It was a bag of pecans. Thanks, Sharon! I tried to call Tiny, who is now living with her daughter and son-in-law nearby. We still have a lot of hours left in the day, so I may be in contact with several more before bedtime. Evening update: Shannon called to check on me, and when I went down to get yesterday's mail, I spoke to Dorothy in the lobby and Darlene on the desk. I also met Donna in the hall, when Domino's delivered an order for us this evening.3. What expectations of "normal" am I letting go of today?
Having all the foods available that I'm used to. Joy says on her blog today that cabbage lasts longer than lettuce, so she shared her recipes with us (click her links). Her whole post is intersting: "Self love in the time of Coronavirus."4. How am I getting outside today?
I'm not, because it's raining. As of midnight tonight, St. Louis city and county will be under "stay-at-home" orders. We'll still be able to go out for essentials like food and medicines, but I need to look at the details on the St. Louis County website.
I got out my mini-cycle so I can exercise inside a little better. Donna used it while sitting in a chair after she had knee replacement surgery, and I used it with my hands on the pedals during therapy after I broke my shoulder, by putting it on a table.
Joy shared a couple of her exercises in her blog post (see #3 above). Here's one I'll try later: "March in place while tapping the knee with the opposite hand — a cross lateral move that is supposed to help your brain function better."
