Blog Posts

Garden Center

11/2/2023

0 Comments

These are some of the flowers most seem in this fall season

Allium Globemaster Magnolia Brackens

Hyacinth Miss Saigon Amaryllis Picotee

Amaryllis Minerva Tulip White Prince

Muscari Grape Hyacinth (Grape-Ice) Narcissus Daffodils Chinese Sacred Lily

Allium Roseum (Rosy Garlic) Tulip Berry Blast

Dutch Iris Spring Sparkle Mix Paperwhite Ziva

Lilium Asiatic Lily Mix Winter Aconite

0 Comments

BERMUDA
Historically known as Bermudas- named after Spanish explorer Juan de Bermudez, who discovered it in 1505. It is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. In fact, Bermuda is an archipelago of 181 islands with the most significant ones connected by bridges and appear to form one land mass. It's total area measures just 21 sq miles.
Sometimes thought to be a Caribbean island, this country is not and is closer to mainland USA -just about 600 miles off North Carolina. It has a subtropical climate with mild winters and warm summers.
In 1612 The British started settling there forming part of British America during the slave trade era. After the abolition of the slave trade, the economy became maritime- focused, serving as a base for merchants, privateers and the Royal Navy.
Bermuda is divided into nine parishes. It's capital is Hamilton. With a population of around 64 thousand people, there are 52% Blacks, 31% Whites, 9% Multiracial, 4% Asians and others totalling the same as Asians.
It's economy is booming, ranking as having the fourth highest per capita income in the world. This is fueled mainly by off-shore financial services, non-residential firms( insurance and reinsurance) and tourism. It's GDP is estimated at 7.55 billion USD.

0 Comments

Did You Know?

10/28/2023

0 Comments

Do we secretly like to have an experience that scares the hell out of us? Our hearts race, we sweat, we scream, we faint. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
A scary Halloween to you. Wishing you the scariest day.

0 Comments

Health News

10/26/2023

0 Comments

Back Pain
You may feel like resting, but moving is good for your back. Exercise for lower back , stomach , and leg muscles. They help support your spine, relieving back pain. Always ask your health care care professional before doing any exercise for back pain.
Depending on the cause and intensity of your pain, some exercises may not be recommended and can be harmful.

Avoid Toe Touches
Exercise is good for lower back pain--but not all exercises are beneficial. Any mild discomfort felt at the start of these exercises should disappear as muscles become stronger. But if pain is more than mild and lasts more than 15 minutes during exercise, patients should stop exercising and contact a doctor.
Some exercises may aggravate pain. Standing toe touches, for example , put greater stress on the disks and ligaments in your spine. They can also overstretch lower back muscles and hamstrings.

Try Partial Crunches.
Some exercises can aggravate back pain and should be avoided when you have acute low back pain.
Partial crunches can strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross arms over your chest or put put hands behind your neck.
Tighten stomach muscles and raise your shoulders off the floor. Breathe out as you raise your shoulders.
Don't lead with your elbows or use arms to pull your neck off the floor. Hold for a second, then slowly lower back down.Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Proper form prevents excessive stress on your back. Your fee, tailbone, and lower back should remain in contact with the mat at all times.

Avoid Sit-Ups
Although you might think sit-ups can strengthen your core or abdominal muscles, most people tend to use muscles in the hips when doing sit-ups. Sit-ups may also put a lot of pressure on the discs in your spine.

Try Hamstring Stretches
Lie on your back and bend one knee. Loop a towel under the ball of your foot. Straighten your knees and slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Hold for at least 15 to 30 second. Do 2 to 4 times for each leg.

Avoid Leg Lifts.
Leg lifts are sometimes suggested as an exercise to " strengthen your core" or abdominal muscles.
Exercising to restore strength to your lower back can be very helpful in relieving pain yet lifting both legs together while lying on your back is very demanding on your core. If weak, this exercise can make back worse.
Instead, try lying on your back with one leg straight and the other leg bent at the knee. Keeping your back flat on the floor. Slowly lift the straight leg up about 6 inches and hold briefly. Lower leg slowly. Repeat ten times then switch legs.

Try Wall Sits.
Stand 10 to 12 inches from the wall , then lean back until your back is flat against the wall . Slowly slide down until your knees are slightly bent, pressing your lower back into the wall. Hold for a count of ten, then carefully slide back up the wall. Repeat 8 to 12 times.

Try Press-up Back Extensions
Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. push with our hands so that your shoulders begin to lift off the floor. If it's comfortable for you, put your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders and hold this position for several seconds.

Lifting Weights May Help
Done properly, lifting weights doesn't usually hurt your back. In fact, it may help relieve chronic back pain. But when you have acute (sudden) back pain, putting extra stress on back muscles and ligaments could raise risk of further injury. Ask your doctor whether you should lift weights, and which exercises to avoid.

Credit: WebMD

0 Comments

ART

10/19/2023

0 Comments

"The Lady of Shalott" by John William Waterhouse (1888)
Oil paint on canvas. This is a depiction of the part IV of Tennyson's poem of the same name.

0 Comments

Humor Corner

10/19/2023

0 Comments

1. Why does a mermaid wear seashells? Because she outgrew her B shells.
2. Why does Dr. Pepper come in a bottle? Because his wife died.

0 Comments

Quotations

10/19/2023

0 Comments

3.1. " Virtually nothing is impossible in this world if you just put your mind to it and maintain a positive attitude." Lou Holtz.
2. " Take responsibility for your own happiness, never put it in other people's hands." Roy. T. Bennett
3. " Do not be afraid to start over." Pam Munoz Ryan.
4. "Gratitude is the closest thing to beauty manifested in an emotion." Mindy Kaling

0 Comments

10/11/2023

0 Comments

In life nothing is absolutely certain. We can make plans, and rightfully for so many things in the future. Some may come to fruition and some may not. But, there might be some things that we feel passionate about but can sometimes get the cold feet to take the plunge and swim or sink. It's risky. However, like the birds we might as well just fly off our safe limb because there is little or no food to be had. Fly bird, fly, and see the beauty on the other side.
Hoping everyone spread their wings when they feel compelled to fly,
Have a great week.

0 Comments

All About the Music

10/11/2023

0 Comments

Anita Baker
Eight Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, four Platinum Albums, and two Gold Albums and more are credited to this vocal queen of Urban Adult Contemporary music.
Emerging from the Detroit soul group, Chapter 8 as lead singer, Baker never looked back when she launched her solo career. Her contralto voice resonates with beauty and style in every song she sings. When she plays on the lower octave, it's magic and then, she rises to her higher pitch with such ease and you are mesmerized. A thoroughbred of a songstress.
This talent has earned her 5 number one hits on the Billboards' Adult R&B Airplay and 13 top ten hits on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-hop songs. It challenging to select a song from her repertoire to highlight in this article. However, I have selected,"Giving You the Best That I Got" - released in 1988 This song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B chart. It also spent one week on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. Like a true classic, it's her voice that carries the song. Baker co-wrote this song with Skip Scarborough and Randy Holland. Here are the lyrics.

Giving You the Best That I Got.

Weeh-ah-ooh
Oh-oh-oh
Ain't something I can give
In exchange for everything
you gave to me
Read my mind just
let me feel just fine
When I think my peace of mind
is out of reach

The scales are sometimes unbalanced
And you bear the weight
of all that has to be
I hope you see that
you can lean on me
And together we can
calm a stormy sea

With love so strong
and so unselfishly
And I tell you now
that I made a vow
I'm giving you the
best that I got , baby
Yes I tell you
that I made a vow
I'm giving you the best
that I got, honey

Everybody's got
opinions
'Bout the way they
think our story's
gonna end

Some folks feel it's
just a superficial thrill
Everybody's gonna have
to think again
With love so strong
and so unselfishly
They don't bother me

So I'm gonna keep
on giving you the best
that I got, baby
They don't bother me
Said I'm gonna keep
on giving you the
best I got, listen baby

Somebody understands me
Somebody gave his
heart to me

I stumbled my whole
life long
Always on my own,
now I'm home
And my weary mind
is rested
And I feel as if my
home is in your arms
My fears are all gone'
I like sound of
your song
And I think I wanna
sing it forever

With love so strong
and so unselfishly
And I made a vow
so I tell you now: I'm
giving you the best
that I got, listen baby
I bet everything on
my wedding ring
I'm (giving you the
best that I got) giving
it to you baby

Mm-mm--mm(giving you the best
That I got)
Giving you the best
that I got
Giving you the best
that got
Giving you the best
that I got

Writers: Anita Baker/Randy Holland/ Skip Scarborough
Copyright©1988 Elektra

0 Comments