Warmer Temperatures Bring Us Out to the Picnic Table

The first truly warm days of April are priceless. It's a great time to wipe down or throw a cloth over the picnic table. Now...what to put on that table? How about starting with a little fruit dessert that is incredibly healthy and, at the same time, a quick fix. Who wants to spend lots of time in the kitchen on these days? Dice up an apple, a pear, and a kiwi. Add some grapes and blueberries. Drizzle a little honey over the fruit and add some pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds. What could be easier, tastier, healthier or simpler? Let's get into practice of creating some easy yet healthy foods...there's too much good weather coming to not be outside. Enjoy!

Walk a Mile in My Shoes...Better Yet, Walk a Mile in YOUR Shoes

Some of us remember the old song, "Walk a Mile in My Shoes".  The basis of the song is one of commiserating with the singer and the hard times he has experienced. He's pretty well down and out. And, he'd like us to experience that as well to better understand his mood.


That song just never did it for me.


How about we just all put on our own shoes and literally walk a mile?


The recent health study on Pike County shows that in the area of morbidity, we rank 91st out of 92 counties. Yikes. What does morbidity mean? This particular study looked at  areas that comprise their definition of morbidity, namely  poor physical health days and poor mental health days.


What to do--what to do?


Let's start with the simple. It's pretty out today and will, more than likely to be pretty more than it's not considering it's April. Besides that, like it or not, it's not really dark until nearly 9:00 p.m. these days. So... when you get up, or get in from work, or take a general notion, put on some comfy shoes and walk a mile in them. Can't do that much at first? That's okay. Set your sights on half a mile--a quarter mile--up and down the driveway. Anything will suffice as long as you're moving. One down--that pesky poor physical health days measure.


If your health is currently in jeopardy, of course you'll want to first check with your doctor. 


People tend to burn themselves out with grandiose notions of jogging a mile or five. Recent studies have shown what people for generations have know--walking does wonders. And, it's cheap. A decent pair of shoes and you're on your way--truly.


Research on humans and their moods has shown conclusively that when we're engaged in something we enjoy, our mood is elevated. We feel happier, or at least more content. Get up and moving about tends to have that effect. When you have a goal--no matter how small--and you accomplish it, you feel better. Another natural mood enhancer. Two down--less poor mental health days.


Give a trip around the block a try. Time to go out, get some fresh air, look at all the green that's appearing everywhere. Your mood will get better and maybe the next time you walk your body will be more willing, too.

Before Turning over the Soil, Turn the Page of a Resource Guide

It's getting greener out there; it's tempting to want to grab a shovel and start planting something. But, in reality, it's still a bit early--the soil hasn't had a chance to warm up much yet. That's okay. There's some prep work that needs to be done before the soil is turned. 

There's a great resource right in Otwell that can help you with gardening know-how--the local library. The nice folks there will be more than happy to help you find the type of gardening book you're looking for, be it a container or patio garden or something larger.

Another resource that's very helpful is the Evergreen system of library loaning throughout the state of Indiana. I put in a quick search for "gardening" on the site and over 15,000 sources were offered. To find Evergreen, go to http://evergreen.lib.in.us/opac/en-US/skin/default/xml/index.xml  Just put in your topic; pick a keyword, i.e. subject; and pick the type of materials you'd like. Click go! and, after a short amount of "thinking" it will give you a nice amount of options from which to choose. You can order the book on line if you have an Evergreen card. (If you don't have a card, drop by the  library and get signed up.) The Otwell Library will then call you when the book arrives, and you can pick it up on-site. If you have any questions about how the Evergreen system works, the phone number at the library is 812-380-0066.

The best way to a successful garden, no matter how small or how large, is knowing what you're doing. Use the local resources, and you'll have a happy success story come summertime!