All posts by Deidre

A child of Colorado, Delaware, Oregon, and California – where she obtained her first college degree and became a Nursing Home Administrator – Deidre Edwards now resides in North Carolina. While helping her husband start a video production business and raising their two children, Deidre returned to college to earn her nursing degree. A teacher at heart, she soon applied her nursing skills and knowledge to helping high school students expand their medical career interests through the Health Science Program she established. After retiring from teaching, Deidre wrote her first book – Toolkit for Wellness – as a response to the health issues she witnessed while working. She witnessed both students and staff had struggling with excess weight, diabetes, poor food choices, and stress issues – yet everyone shared the desire for a healthier life. Her easy-to-understand explanations of body functions and how foods break down, clearly show her passion for teaching others. Deidre’s dual passion in learning about habits and habit formation is expressed in her books and regular blog writings so others can learn how to make big improvements through daily small changes. Life took a dramatic turn when Deidre’s husband became confined to bed under Hospice care at home for over two years. With all of her nursing skills on board, and a deep love between them to sweeten the moments, she provided the loving, quality-of-life care he needed. Still the teacher at heart, Deidre realized there was a huge need to light the way for others as they walked the path of caregiving for a loved one. Hence, she wrote Toolkit for Caregivers and Love Lives Here, Toolkit for Caregiver Survival. Together, both books address the caregiving processes, skills, and issues for before, during, and afterward. Deidre continues to be involved with her community through choral singing groups, volunteering for the North Carolina Symphony, Chamber of Commerce, church functions, and activities with friends and family. She also enjoys the time she spends promoting her books and speaking with others about health and caregiving.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Titles Worth Reading

Playing The Game Of Clue

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We are presented with a victim covered in band aids.

Every year, more and more band aids are applied to stop our victim’s various leaks. Each effort is quelling one leak, but more leaks keep popping up.

What is the cause?

Are we so busy treating the symptoms, that a true understanding of the causes for our collective diseases are being ignored? Or maybe truly fixing the cause is not financially advantageous to those who are supplying their vast resources of expensive band aids to us?

We explored leaky gut last year HERE, but now I want to soar even higher for an even broader, 50,000-foot view.

Ever wanting to learn more about health and wellness, I have discovered Metabolical by Robert H. Lustig, MD. He compliments my messages in Toolkit for Wellness– our being designed for good health and eating an anti-inflammatory diet – and focuses his prescription for health into 1) protecting the liver and 2) feeding the gut.

In his scholarly book, he peels back layer-after-layer of the band aids to reveal the long-ignored causes. His descriptions of the intricate physiology of cells and body systems underscores my determination to not use band aids – but to prevent needing them in the first place.

Lustig calls this solving the problem upstream – at the source of the trouble.

Where’s the trouble?

In the food.

Processed food, specifically.

Not vegan vs. keto vs. organic vs. fill-in-the-blank.

This is not a new message, I know. Hang with me for a moment.

Lustig supports his conclusions that 75% of the US health dollars and 50% of the world’s health dollars go towards efforts to medically “fix” the host of chronic non-infectious diseases that affect modern society: diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

These fixes are failing at dizzying speed as numbers of cases rise every day despite all the money being spent AND as our life expectancies shrink.

He likens our efforts to medically “fix” these and other noncommunicable diseases that plague us as “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” for all the good they are doing.

Even cancer, autoimmune disease, dementia, and psychiatric disease is being shown to be processed food related, and more cases of advanced disease processes of all kinds are being seen in teenagers.

As I have long said, we are not crumbling genetically – we are feeding our bodies the wrong food. These startling statistics are simply the culmination of 40-50 years of relying upon food-like substances, not real food.

I’m just on page 55 so far, but the over-arching message is that the chronic diseases of today are a result of abnormal metabolism in different cells and different organs of the body. Abnormal metabolism becomes metabolic syndrome which is the springboard for insulin resistance, diabetes, and fatty liver disease – and obesity.

Abnormal metabolism is set aright not by a fix of pills, (band aids), but by food choice.

What’s for dinner tonight? Is there added sugar and/or salt to the ingredients list? When was the last time any of us cooked a meal totally from real/whole food with no labels?

I’ll be sharing more from his book in future posts but let me leave you with Lustig’s experience with trying to advance treatments for his pediatric diabetic patients.

After years of falling in line with the likes of the American Diabetic Association and others who rested their diabetes approaches on “covering” blood sugars with appropriate amounts of insulin, Dr. Lustig proposed something novel: How about decreasing the need for insulin by NOT eating sugar?

He was regarded as if he had sprouted horns.

Why?

Because some studies have not been conclusive as to what raises blood glucose levels. Really? Oh, you mean the studies that were backed by food interests – including Pepsi? Hmmm…

The studies not backed by food/beverage interests did show that sugar causes diabetes (Type 2).

Ta-da!

Food for thought, dear readers. That’s why we call this foodtalk4you.

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In health-

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That, Titles Worth Reading

GOD: Yes, I Hear You …

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There are those who pride themselves in avoiding all forms of social media. That’s fine. Taken to an extreme, we are apt to have permanently bent over necks and backs as we gaze at our phones instead of looking up or out at the world in the first person.

Checking on the latest news in my respective feeds is something I do have to rein in from time to time. There is the element of becoming addicted.

But hearing the daily “Banjoy” from George Oliver as he plays a short banjo ditty from his front porch or seeing the latest photograph or drone video from photographer friends, Elaine Varley, Sue Williams, Steve Smith, and Ben Linderman, and my day is brighter.

Then, a friend will post an inspiring thought I might share as well.

Some posts seem to come around every so often. I appreciate the repeated messages of hope and love. Often, they seem to appear just when I need them.

Then, there’s this poem that found its way to my Facebook feed again earlier this month. Perhaps you, too, have seen it:

HEY GOD – Author, John Roedel

Me: Hey God

God: Hello …

Me: I’m falling apart. Can you put me back together?

God: I would rather not.

Me: Why?

God: Because you aren’t a puzzle.

Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground?

God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell off for a reason. Take some time and decide if you need any of those pieces back.

Me: You don’t understand! I’m breaking down!

God: No – you don’t understand. You are breaking through. What you are feeling are just growing pains. You are shedding the things and the people in your life that are holding you back. You aren’t falling apart. You are falling into place. Relax. Take some deep breaths and allow those things you don’t need any more to fall off of you. Quit holding onto the pieces that don’t fit you anymore. Let them fall off. Let them go.

Me: Once I start doing that, what will be left of me?

God: Only the very best pieces of you.

Me: I’m scared of changing.

God: I keep telling you – YOU AREN’T CHANGING!! YOU ARE BECOMING!

Me: Becoming who?

God: Becoming who I created you to be! A person of light and love and charity and hope and courage and joy and mercy and grace and compassion. I made you for more than the shallow pieces you have decided to adorn yourself with that you cling to with such greed and fear. Let those things fall off of you. I love you! Don’t change! … Become! Become! Become who I made you to be. I’m going to keep telling you this until you remember it.

Me: There goes another piece.

God: Yep. Let it be.

Me: So … I’m not broken?

God: Of course Not! – but you are breaking like the dawn. It’s a new day. Become!! Become!!

Becoming is our everyday state, our journey. My appreciation for the state of becoming increases with each passing year – it’s a part of gaining perspective.

It’s easy to see the uncomfortable changing processes on the heels of tragedy, grief, loss, or enormous positive shifts in our lives. But the subtleties of cleaning out a closet cannot be ignored as we let go, realizing we no longer need this or that.

This becoming thing has lessons for us on cosmic, earthly, and on mundane levels.

The words of John Roedel are resonating with me to the point I have now purchased two of his books and am following him on Facebook. The details of the birth of his writing journey may inspire your own life journey. Check him out HERE.

Just wanted to share something of value with you today.

In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building

Work That Body – Do The Lunge!

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You can lunge in so many directions.

You can step forward.

You can step backward.

You can step to the side.

You can even do a curtsy lunge. Just saying – in case you are going to be bowing down to any kind of royalty, this one’s for you.

As we spring into the new year of 2022, my body just seems to naturally want to move more.

Is it because I am pre-programmed to work off those sitting-around-watching-Hallmark-movies-or-bowl-game habits I so easily acquired in November and December? Or is it from the January TV commercial blitz to lose weight or firm up at the gym?

Whatever the reason, my MIND and BODY are telling me – it’s time to get real. Time to dust off my forgotten planks, daily walks, and those morning movements in the kitchen prior to breakfast.

I know that returning to a daily commitment will often rely upon whether the house has warmed up enough yet or if the sun is cheering me on, but first steps have happened.

A start is a start. Small starts count.

So, what has been my start?

Lunges.

Inspired by my past experiences in a pre-Covid gym class and by a loved one’s recent physical therapy exercise recommendations, I am lunging.

It is possible to lunge-walk your way around the house.

Rather than saying, “I need to get back to the gym,” or “I’ll watch that YouTube exercise video after breakfast,” just lunge your way into the kitchen or any other room RIGHT NOW.

How do lunges help your most important areas?

Lunges target the largest muscles in the body – quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core muscles – thus, they can reeve up metabolism and contribute to weight loss.

Lunges strengthen your back, hips, and legs, while improving mobility and stability.

A stronger core helps other movements happen more smoothly and naturally – allowing for increased ease and a more upright stance.

Before starting your lunges do this:

Make sure any exercise routine is safe for you by checking with your doctor or medical professional. The first rule of exercise is do no harm.

Since lunges fire up the big muscles, it is always wise to place lunges toward the middle of your routine – after you have warmed up. At the very least, for a quick bout of exercise, start with gentle stretches like marching in place, and gradually work up to full lunges.

Lunging 101

One of my favorite online resources HERE provides us with some good lunge basis, and I quote:

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart
  2. Take a large step forward with one leg
  3. Keep the majority of your weight on your front foot as you lower your hips, keeping the front foot flat and back heel lifted
  4. Descend until your rear knee almost touches the floor and the front knee is stacked directly above the ankle, creating 90° bend in both knees
  5. Drive through the heel of your front foot and push yourself back up to your starting position

If you are new to lunges or if it’s been a while since you have done them, the wonderful thing is that you can modify the length of your forward step and you can limit how far down you lower your hips. My Silver Sneakers instructor often had us just bounce down at a higher hip level before having us lower our hips for a deeper stretch.

You are not cheating if you are holding onto a counter’s edge or chair back for stability. This is a balance strengthening move – eventually, you may be able to let go of any stabilizing tool. Remember- safety first!

Lunges as therapy

If you are experiencing nerve/muscle pain, tingling, and numbness in your thigh or leg – as I and my sweetheart are – you might find your therapist recommending lunges as a part of your therapy. Consult with your specialist to see what approach would serve you best.

Another good lunge resource is found HERE. 

Well, that’s a wrap! Sending this on to Sheree and then … I’m lunging!

In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

A Time For Reflection, 2022 Is Finally Here!

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Sometime this week, I will dump out the contents of my 2021’s Blessing Jar.

There, strewn across the counter, will be small pieces of paper – each with a notation about a blessing that came my way in the past year.

Random things.

Sometimes it’s a happy touch of unexpected sunshine on my face on a cool fall day. Perhaps the blessing came in meeting someone special.

A blessing can also come from knowing I had been a blessing to someone else.

The process of pausing beside the Blessings Jar occasionally to note recent positives helps to keep me focused on the good – the positive – and on the opportunities to give and receive blessings.

And, wow, what an amazing experience it is to revisit a year’s worth of blessings in one sitting!

The blessings are there all the time – even in challenging and life-changing circumstances. Bad health? How about the nurse who took extra care in helping you? Difficult times at work? Maybe you found a way to overcome obstacles, or maybe you found a better position.

In this time of reflection, my thoughts have been boosted by two authors whose writings crossed my path recently.

One involves the realization there are more years behind me than there are ahead of me. Truly absorbing this reality colors my choices in how I want to spend my limited currency of precious moments. Trivial pursuits/people/conversations, or rehashing things that will never change, only serves to rob my limited resources.

In the words attributed to Antonio Marulli:

“I want to surround myself with people who know how to touch hearts, people who have been taught to grow up with gentle touches of their soul.

Yes, I’m in a hurry, I’m rushing to live with the intensity that only maturity can give.”

The second author, Rachel – who writes as Finding Joy on Facebook, inspired me as she wrote about longing to counsel her former broken self, saying that though the path would be hard, brighter days lay ahead.

I knew brighter days would eventually come to me, while still in the depths of anticipatory grief as a caregiver. I knew the price would be paid of having even harder, gut-wrenching events happen first – thus, making the hope of joy almost shameful.

Creating as much light during the dark-yet-blessed days of caregiving and pushing myself forward through the time of abject grief, I held onto the hope of brighter days ahead.

Now, I can fully write my former shell-shocked self, saying:

Dearest Self-

Your journey is about to get more challenging than you can even imagine, but fear not!

You are blessed with enough strength, faith, family, friends, and seemingly random connections that will pave every step of this journey.

The more you let go, the more will be given to you.

Continue to do your best, be your best, and reach out to the best.

Like a fine piece of metal being hammered into shape, every blow, every challenge will shape you into a more beautiful vessel than you could ever have imagined.

There will be times when you will need to just lean into the suffering, sadness, and challenge.

At other times, you will find the strength to say “Stop” to the downward pull of negativity so that you can push forward – maybe not even knowing why/how/or where you are going – and you’ll be able to feel the sunshine once again on your face.

While you will wrestle with impatience to be whisked through the Valley of Despair, you know fully well that timing is Divine. Delay often means that lessons are yet to be learned.

Each lesson prepares you for success in the next steps you desire.

And that which you desire will be out-shined by the reality of the full manifestation!

May each of our foodtalk4you readers take some moments to reflect on last year’s blessings and know that we can identify with your anxiety, cares, and concerns.

We often resolve one set of issues – only to pick up new ones along the way. But …

Reflection can yield a healthier view with a very comforting perspective.

Have you started your Blessings Jar yet? Read more about this HERE. With link to 3rd post for 2021 re blessings jar and word of the year.

Maybe you, too, could write your former self a letter of encouragement.

In health for the New Year-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, This -n- That

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut … And That’s Okay

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If you are blessed to be in the 98%+ of people who can safely eat tree nuts, we have some good news for you.  

Not only are nuts satisfying to consume, but they can be impressive sources of good fats, protein, and fiber. When eaten slowly and deliberately – read “mindfully” – regular, modest nut consumption can contribute to good health.

Let’s dive into a bowl of cashews:

Raw – I prefer to buy my cashews in-the-raw, so I’ll know for sure how they are handled. Raw cashews lack that satisfying crunch we associate with nuts but can easily be added to blended sauces or beverage blends often crafted with almond milk.

Activated – Whenever possible, soaking and dehydrating all nuts is a plus to make them more digestible. See my book, Toolkit for Wellness, for background information and a method that preserves a live state. When activated, nuts will have crunch without high heat, oil, or salt. 

Dry-roasted – The method we often choose because it seems healthier, but manufacturers of dry-roasted nuts often add extra salt to boost the flavor factors lost with the elimination of oil. Sodium contributes to higher blood pressure and a host of other health issues. Go for the lower-salt versions.

Oil-roasted – This is the method we were probably introduced to in our youth. I remember happily nibbling on oil-roasted nuts at holiday parties as a kid, only to dread dropping one on my clothes because of the oil stains they left. The very thought of highly refined, processed oils used in manufacturing this type of nuts makes me shudder today.

Even without a dehydrator, raw cashews can be dry roasted in the home oven – ideally after soaking. Check THIS out for a good method.

I have even roasted nuts in a sauté pan over medium low heat – just keep the nuts stirred as they warm in the pan; constant vigilance is mandatory to prevent burning.

Okay- How can cashews help us? Here’s a summary of what I have learned:

Heart health – Cashews are linked to a lowering of bad cholesterol and an increase in good cholesterol. This translates to lower blood pressure and lower LDL cholesterol. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids found in cashews helps improve overall heart health.

Blood sugar stability – The high fiber content of cashews is the probable link in a 2019 study showing Type 2 diabetics achieving better control of blood sugar when eating cashews daily. Fiber directly contributes to a slower release of glucose into the blood.

Weight control – High fiber foods are very satiating – especially coupled with the healthy fats contained in cashews. A one ounce serving makes a great snack.

Copper – As a trace mineral, copper packs a powerhouse of benefits for heart, vascular, and blood health, as well as assisting the proper functioning of the immune system. That one-ounce snack of cashews delivers 70% of our copper needs.

Antioxidants – Long recognized as being the supermen of fighting off the bad guys – free radicals – the antioxidants found in roasted cashews are particularly high in two types of antioxidants critical to living the inflammation-free life we need.

“What does one ounce of cashews look like?” Good question, because going overboard – even with a healthy food – could result in consuming too many calories.

An ounce would consist of 16-18 cashews of medium size. It would take fewer of those giant ones that are often sold. Gee, do we have to biggie-size everything?

I often use a little dish to portion out a snack of cashews. Mindfully munching one cashew at a time really ramps up the enjoyment of a controlled-size portion.

Cashews are also versatile ingredients that can add smoothness, flavor, and all the nutrition mentioned above. Check out this article for a variety of cashew recipes that could inspire your menu tonight, or for your New Year’s celebrations.

Sheree and I both wish you a happy, safe, and healthy New Year. We look forward to sharing more mind-body-spirit health ideas next year, along with some big news about a new release in books.

Crunching on cashews in health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

What’s in Your Sugar Plum?

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Is it the sights of the season that dazzle? Is it the explosion of flavors in your mouth that have set your taste buds dancing? Is it the sound of the choir and orchestra sending you on a journey to the heavens above?

It’s fun to partake in such things. Spirits soar in delight. Imaginations are tickled.

This year, the usually full music experience has been much less because I have not been able to safely sing thanks to Covid concerns.

But seeing and exploring new sights has filled my holiday calendar this year. My companion and I have managed to check off two items on our mutual bucket lists.

Returning to Colonial Williamsburg to experience and learn about how Christmas was celebrated in the living museum town did not disappoint.

Our leisurely week there afforded us so many opportunities to stroll the streets just soaking up the beauty of the lingering colors of fall as seen in the glorious ginkgo trees; smelling the smoke from the blacksmith’s fires; hearing the clomping of passing horse drawn carts and learning of colonial life.

To top things off, we were further rewarded by a weekend of Grand Illuminations activities unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before.

We reflected on our hopes and dreams for the new year and burned up our woes as we tossed our evergreen sprigs into the Yule Log fire.

The following evening, the fireworks-to-end-all-fireworks were seen from the Colonial Governor’s Palace.  It was an indescribable experience!

Our grand holiday trek concluded with a host of sensory delights as we experienced the Biltmore Estate’s annual candlelight tour.

Biltmore Gingerbread House – Time to completion: 1,200 Hours and 5 months 78.5″ W x 32″ D x 32″ H

Check out this grand gingerbread house version of the Biltmore. Wow!

We sit back in reflection of having seen such wonders. Fully sated and happy.

Then there comes a text message with a picture that shuffles our thoughts of contentment back to reality.

Here is my sweet joy. My own sugar plum. My newest granddaughter.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, sweet readers. May your sugar plums be ones that fill your soul.

Deidre

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From Sheree: I want to extend my good wishes and prayers for all that you have a very merry, happy, and healthy Christmas. Remember the true reason for the season.

The First Christmas

Marian Swinger

It never snows at Christmas in that dry and dusty land.

Instead of freezing blizzards, there are palms and drifting sands,

and years ago a stable and a most unusual star

and three wise men who followed it, by camel, not by car,

while, sleepy on the quiet hills, a shepherd gave a cry.

He’d seen a crowd of angels in the silent starlit sky.

In the stable, ox and ass stood very still and calm

and gazed upon the baby, safe and snug in Mary’s arms.

And Joseph, lost in shadows, face lit by an oil lamp’s glow

stood wondering, that first Christmas Day, two thousand years ago.

God bless us everyone …

Sheree Alderman, Editor

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Echinacea is The Powerhouse!

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Is your body feeling challenged?

Have you ever crumpled on the couch after a day that has taken a toll on your limited energies only to feel – how shall I describe this – a bit challenged? Maybe there’s a feeling niggling inside that says, “Whoa! I might be sensing something not good starting to happen”?

Whether we are experiencing good stress – called eustress – or bad stress, the toll on the body is often the same.

Factor in our increased holiday activities, and there’s a recipe for being more susceptible to colds, flu, and the like – not to mention COVID.

Elderberry

Whenever I am feeling overly tired, challenged, or have that niggling feeling, my go-to is echinacea or elderberry.

The coneflowers of the echinacea plant may grace your garden with their stunning beauty and variety of color options. It’s long been used by Native Americans for its medicinal properties when taken internally or used on the skin to treat wounds.

Before you dive into using any form of echinacea, please check out THIS POST for vital information about precautions, interactions, and dosing. All medicines started out in nature – just because we can get them over the counter does not mean we should casually use them on our own.

Echinacea

Echinacea as an anti-inflammatory agent helps to support proper immune function. Its antioxidants bolster our immune response. It is not a treatment for COVID.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that many studies have been done on echinacea’s use with the common cold and other respiratory tract infections. This is what I am trying to ward off or lessen when I turn to echinacea.

I have also discovered elderberry syrup can be helpful in boosting my immune response, so I have added it to my ward-off-getting-sick arsenal by either preparing a cup of tea with one dropperful of an echinacea or elderberry containing extract OR by chewing up five Nature’s Way Esberitox Chewable Tabs.

This is anecdotal evidence, but when coupled with a smart approach that includes –

Respecting my body’s messages to slow down

Getting adequate sleep

Eating real food with no additives

Maintaining modest exercise

Then I can successfully keep the wolf on the other side of the door, and can wake up with stable energies and no more niggling feelings of impending badness.

Taking a couple days of down time to catch up and recharge before continuing our vacation explorations – this time in the mountains –

In health –

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

A Holiday Challenge

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We are all familiar with the dietary temptations of this holiday season – starting with Halloween and culminating with New Year’s … or the Super Bowl … or maybe Valentine’s Day.

That’s at least four months of over-the-top sweets, fat, and decadent beverages. I’m letting St. Patrick’s Day slide because it features corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes – well, there is the beer.

I have compounded my personal challenge of not going crazy with holiday food by also being on the road visiting family for Thanksgiving and then vacationing for over two weeks. Yikes!

There is no way I want to re-lose those 25 pounds I lost over 6 months on Noom. No, siree!

My companion and I have met the challenge, not through denial and lack of participation in the local culinary and beverage scene, but by sharing a generous app or meal, doing lots of tourist-y walking to take in the magnificent views, and in eating at least one meal prepared in our micro kitchen each day.

A few bananas, apples, and a jar of peanut butter go a long way to save money and calories on breakfast. Using the microwave in our lodgings, I’ve added bowls of steel cut oats to the morning menu.

The one day, so far, which we each had our own meal, leftovers were kept and enjoyed the next night.

This approach to holiday/vacation eating seems to be working. My slacks are still quite comfortable to wear and there are no bulges.

Yet, we have marveled at the divine wonderfulness of our shared bowl of oyster “stew” – which looked like an oyster version of she-crab soup – as we tried not to audibly sigh with too much delight.

How are you managing your holiday eating? It does take some pre-planning and commitment, for sure, but blood sugars and waist sizes can be maintained.

Enjoy the holiday decorations

In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Great Expectations Ahead

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Can you feel the rise of expectations during the holidays – especially since it’s our first fully-vaccinated and “boosted” holiday season since 2019?

We have GREAT EXPECTATIONS!

It’s a hallmark version of life we may long for, but the reality of changing circumstances may give us something less than what we had envisioned.

Should we feel like failures? Maybe we’ll just let the holiday season slip right on past and pretend it never happened.

Every religious holiday I can think of is centered around the theme of love – giving it, receiving it, revering the gift of love, and being inspired by it. Most secular and national holidays recognize love and gratitude in some way.

Halloween may be the exception, however; but it does highlight a love of candy, having fun, and all things pumpkin.

So, are all the Hallmark accoutrements of over-the-top decorations, festivals, and parades just so much window dressing?

Like the famous Wendy’s commercial of old which asked, “Where’s the beef,” we might be asking, where’s the love?

Our social calendar may look a little empty due to infirmity, circumstances, moving, or a host of other reasons. There may be a little less to work with this year.

But it’s not the window dressings  we remember or hold in our hearts – it’s the love and how we felt.

The memories that last are the songs our hearts were singing at the time – love songs of joy, warmth, and care.

The theme of changing expectations to focus on the love – instead of the window dressings – is reverberating more and more with many of us.

Gathering a few of the many decorations from my home of over 40 years to my nascent home in another town, I kept repeating my new mantra of “expectations” to adjust what environment I wanted to create and WHY I felt it was important.

I did not need the full Hallmark effect. What I needed was the LOVE.

May we not lament the things and experiences we do not have.

More than ever, we need to rejoice in the loving relationships we are nurturing. Strengthening the loving bonds may look a bit different again this year, but the resulting full hearts will forever be warmed by something that endures, crossing distance, time, and space.

With love and appreciation for each foodtalk4you subscriber –

Deidre

#RAISEcaregiving (ACL’s official tag for RAISE activities)
#CaregivingInCrisis (CAN’s 2020 observance)
#NFCMonth (Annual observance hashtag)
#FamilyCaregiver (A larger conversation on family caregiving) 
#Caregivers (Broadest conversation around caregiving)
Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

A Thanksgiving Wish And Puzzle Answers

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We at FoodTalk4You, would like to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy every morsel of your shared feast, whether it be with family, friends, or those needing a warm meal. Whomever you find around your table this holiday – even if it’s just a plate in front of the TV like me – may God richly bless you and yours, and hold you safe.

Sheree

Thanksgiving Time

When the night winds whistle through the trees and blow the crisp brown leaves a-crackling down,
When the autumn moon is big and yellow-orange and round,
When old Jack Frost is sparkling on the ground,

It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the pantry jars are full of mince-meat and the shelves are laden with sweet spices for a cake,
When the butcher man sends up a turkey nice and fat to bake,
When the stores are crammed with everything ingenious cooks can make,

It’s Thanksgiving Time!

When the gales of coming winter outside your window howl,
When the air is sharp and cheery so it drives away your scowl,
When one’s appetite craves turkey and will have no other fowl,

It’s Thanksgiving Time!

Langston Hughes

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