Short-term starvation as larvae actually makes honey bees more resilient to nutritional
deprivation as adults. This suggests they have an anticipatory mechanism like solitary
organisms do. These findings change the current understanding of colony collapse
disorder and provide new avenues to study. 

Dear Friend,

72 years ago, the world's first "miracle drug" came to market.

It could cure severe and potentially fatal diseases.

Diseases like strep throat, pneumonia, and staph infection.

For the first time, we didn't have to worry about dying from minor infections.

It was the single greatest medical discovery in modern history.

A landmark event that not only kicked off modern medicine as we know it...

But single-handedly...

• Expanded human life expectancy by as much as 27 years.
• Allowed us to live normal lives, with no worry of common infections, minor scrapes or cuts, and even some deadly infectious diseases.
• And even helped the Allies win the war against Nazi Germany.

Odds are, your parents or grandparents owe their lives to this "Wonder Drug."

One medical historian even calls it a "turning point in human history."

Of course, I'm talking about penicillin – indisputably the most important medical innovation of the 20th century.

But there was one big problem with this monumental discovery.

It accidentally spun off a handful of all-powerful pharmaceutical companies.

A dangerous cartel we know today as "Big Pharma."

This small group of firms piggy-backed on the original invention of penicillin – without funding the research. They altered and patented various strains. And using clever marketing, they grabbed $1.2 trillion out of your pocket – without curing anything.

And the consequences for our health have been nothing short of disastrous.

Right now, instead of finding cures or preventions, Big Pharma develops drugs to profitably manage the symptoms of disease.

In other words, it's NOT in their financial interest to find real cures. Natural cures they can't patent. Cures that would cut off their profits.

 Billy is on top of the cage

Nancy is the multi color one

 

Do All Roosters Crow?

Most roosters crow? But not all of them. The non-crowers are the exception to the rule. I have two roosters. Billy crows, and Nancy no. I didn't know Nancy was a roo. He doesn't look like a rooster. No long tail feathers and no crow. Roosters crow whenever they feel like it! And because they are showing their turf, authority over another rooster, or even to gloat when a hen cackles after laying an egg.

Jennifer Johnson's 4th graders have the running bug!

http://twitter.com/read2learn4life/status/710520397909860353/photo/1

My Home Made Bread

For most of us, there are few foods more comforting than bread.

Fluffy biscuits, crusty baguettes, flaky croissants… even a simple slice of toast topped with melted butter can taste like heaven.

And that smell… few scents are quite as pleasant as fresh bread baking in the oven.

But there is a lot of confusion as to where bread fits into a healthy diet.

The Bible practically commands followers to eat it: “Give us this day our daily bread…” The government put it at the base of the food pyramid. And for centuries, it has been called “the staff of life.”

Of course, there are some who disagree…

Well-known cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, calls wheat “the perfect chronic poison.”

And for a poison, we sure eat lots of it…

All In A Days Work

Knowing that all the work in my home from scrubbing the floors to tackling another load of laundry, from listening to my husband tell me about his dreams to having my grandchildren over for a meal and listening to how their day went. Moderating a conflict, to having the neighbor over for coffee as she tells me about her latest struggle, is all about loving God and loving others. My home work is about love, and that love overflows through a listening ear, a flower next to a guest’s bed, another homemade meal.

Love is so often in the details.

How Pomegranates Can Help Every Inch Of Your Body

"They are an excellent source of dietary fiber as well as vitamins C, K and several B vitamins. Other nutrients include iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, folate, manganese, selenium and zinc. The fruit is also a good source of omega-6 fatty acids.

"The arils, as well as the rind, have many medicinal benefits due to the antioxidants in them, such as polyphenols, tannins, and flavonoids."

In addition, this tasty fruit has antiviral, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties as well. Relatively low in calories, pomegranates can also be enjoyed by folks who are watching their weight.

The arils, or seed pods, can be eaten raw or made into a healthy juice which has a distinctly tart flavor. Also, the arils can be added to a host of other foods and recipes including soups, main courses, desserts and smoothies. And you can even make oil with the seeds – an oil that has a range of cosmetic benefits, according to Top 10 Home Remedies.

How beneficial are pomegranates? Let's count the ways:

Heart, Cardiovascular health, aches and pains and keeping cancer at bay.



 

Poisons Disguised As Food

1. Gluten: Gluten may start out as food, but after all the factory processes, it ends up as a gooey, chemical mess in your gut that first destroys immunity, then cripples the digestive tract by clogging it up. Watch out for all conventional bread, rice, tortillas and pasta.
2. Vaccines (50 before age 7): Today's vaccines not only contain live versions of the diseases you DO NOT WANT, but also contain GMOs, hormones from infected cows, pigs, chickens and monkeys, untested viruses in new strain combinations, aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, MSG, and cross-bred bacteria from animals, mosquitoes and even diseased humans.
3. Fluoridated water (your whole shortened life): "What cities call 'fluoride' is actually a toxic cocktail of over 100 deadly industrial chemicals and heavy metals, many of which are purchased in bulk from China, where industrial processing plants are trying to get rid of their excess toxic waste by labeling it 'sodium fluoride.'"
4. GMO: Molecular engineers work in laboratories gene-splicing vegetable seedlings with poisonous pesticides and toxic herbicides so that plants are inherently protected from insects, weeds and worms that might damage them. The majority of products Americans eat daily contain some form of GMO soy, corn, canola (rapeseed) or cotton seed oil.

5. White sugar: (irradiated, bleached and refined): Corporations use chemicals to "purify" and "beautify" this processed digestive nightmare.

6. Table salt: (irradiated, bleached and refined): We're not talking about sea salt here.

7. Flu shots: Mercury tests conducted on vaccines at the Natural News Forensic Food Lab using high-end laboratory instrumentation have revealed a shockingly high level of toxic mercury in an influenza vaccine (flu shot) made by Glaxo Smith Kline (lot #9H2GX). Tests conducted document mercury in the "Flulaval" vaccine at a shocking 50 parts per million – that's over 25,000 times HIGHER than the maximum contaminant level of inorganic mercury allowed in drinking water set by the EPA.

8. Pharmaceutical-grade synthetic and chemical-based prescription medications: Statistics reveal at least 46,000 deaths per year in the U.S. for people who take their medicines "as prescribed" by their MDs.

9. Chemotherapy: Why would you ever try to cure a disease CAUSED by chemical consumption with MORE chemicals? That's just pouring gasoline on the fire.

10. Gelatin: All the animal parts that don't get sold as "meat" in the markets and fast food restaurants across America. Gummy bears and gummy worms, and all gelatin-coated supplements are cooked and reduced animal muscles, tendons, eyes, hoofs – everything – mixed with genetically modified, pesticide-laden and herbicide-laden corn sugar (HFCS), and sold to unsuspecting children across the land.

11. Canola: Decades ago, the "Big Food Industry" needed a cheap substitute for imported coconut and palm oil, and they found it. Some insidious Canadian scientist took rapeseed – the most toxic of all food-oil plants which was used to manufacture mustard gas in WWII for genocide – and diluted it to meet FDA "standards." Canola oil is more toxic than soy oil, even when it contains zero pesticides. Studies of rats consuming canola revealed degeneration of the heart, kidneys, thyroid gland and adrenals.

12. Unfermented soy: No soy was fit to eat until the discovery of fermentation techniques during the Chou Dynasty. Anyone eating unfermented soy could suffer abnormalities, kidney stones and food allergies. That explains that.

 



Foot Detox

Yesterday after yoga, 4 of us ladies went to Dr.Juan Gonzales for a foot detox. Look at this water. Unbelievable!
When it comes to produce, the benefit of buying organic is to avoid ingesting pesticides and chemicals that are generally used on non-organic fruits and vegetables.  That said, foods like bananas, avocados, oranges, melons, and grapefruits have a thick skin barrier between the outside world and the fruit itself so the pesticides actually never come in contact with the fruit that you eat, and of course these are fruits where the outer layer is typically discarded.

Most days, I wake up fairly happy. It’s not like I wake up in the mood for a party, but generally I’m not grumpy when I arise. I wake up and things seem pretty good, level and fresh with possibilities. But then inevitably something — or someone — will bump into my happy.

An early morning meltdown by one of my people.

Or a difficult email that makes my heart sink.

Or me underestimating my time and suddenly everything is rushed, hurried and stressful.

Or my husband, David, spilling coffee, crackers etc. on my newly cleaned hardwood floor.

Things happen. Things that bump into my happy. And suddenly I’m a little off-kilter and a little less nice.

Can you relate?

 

Change Is Inevitable

One day you can describe yourself and your life one way, and the next day that description can totally change.

Sometimes those shifts are welcomed and celebrated. Other times those shifts are regarded with a bit of anxiety. Life is always changing.

Maybe the changes you've recently experienced or anticipate in the near future have you so excited you can't stand it. Or maybe those changes are making you so nervous that you shake a little in your boots every time you think about them.

Either way, life has seasons — some of which we are ready for and some we simply don’t think befitting or suitable for who we think we are or what we think our life should look like.

I don’t think Ruth expected her season of widowhood.

A young girl gets married expecting to be happy, to have a family, to live together for a long time. Instead, as we read in Ruth 1:3‑5, Ruth faced a childless, widowed and destitute existence after her husband passed away. There was no one to ensure financial security, nuclear community or generational progeny. Her future was not what she expected, and her identity shifted as a result.

Physical benefits of yoga

According to Yoga Journal many researchers are now accepting that yoga can improve many different health conditions and generally improve your lifestyle. The physical benefits and gentle nature of yoga make it great for almost everyone, no matter what your age or fitness level.

Improved posture, flexibility and muscle strength

First and foremost, yoga loosens your muscles and improves flexibility in both your muscles and connective tissue, while also building your strength as you balance in poses that work your muscles. The combination of strength and flexibility leads to an improvement in your posture and can alleviate joint pain and other general aches that you suffer from as a result of poor posture in your everyday life.

Prevents breakdown of cartilage

Yoga utilizes the full range of motion of your joints, which can help prevent degenerative arthritis and improve movement. The cartilage in your joints and spinal disks are shock absorbers that act like a sponge – only taking in fresh nutrients after fluid is forced or "squeezed" out. If you neglect certain areas, your cartilage can start to become less supple and eventually wear out.

Increased blood flow and lymphatic drainage

Yoga relaxation exercises improve your circulation, which in turn provides more oxygen to your cells and tissues. The twisting and inverted poses are particularly good at moving venous blood from internal organs and improving your lymphatic drainage, which helps your body fight infection and dispose of waste products.

Mind benefits of yoga

Yoga has recently been found to provide therapeutic relief for sufferers of anxiety and may help regulate fluctuating mood patterns and anxiety attacks. Hatha yoga can be particularly helpful, as it works to remind you to release emotions and feelings that have a negative effect on our mental health.

Meanwhile, pranayama yoga encourages you to really focus on your breathing, which can help you relax, meditate and connect with your respiratory system. Yoga has been proven to improve the symptoms of depression and provide a significant increase in your serotonin levels while decreasing your stress hormone, cortisol.

According to Yoga Journal, practicing yoga can also help you focus, solve problems and remember information, while also improving your coordination and reaction times. This is thought to be because yoga helps you regain control of your thoughts, preventing negative or anxious thoughts from dominating your thought process and allowing you to concentrate better.

 

 

How To Poach Eggs

• Bring your pot of water to a full boil before putting your eggs in.
• Then reduce heat until you have no movement in the water at all. The temp should come down to somewhere between 160 F. and 180 F. This is known as the poaching temperature.
• Have your egg already cracked and waiting in a heat-safe bowl.
• Stir the water so that it is moving in a circular motion when you put the egg in.
• Lower the bowl into the water a bit and let the egg gently and slowly slide into the water. Never dump the egg in from above water level. The bowl holding your egg needs to actually be in the water before you empty the egg out (see video below).
• Gently stir the water again to keep the water moving. This keeps the egg from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Some people will put a couple teaspoons of vinegar in the water to help keep the egg whites together. This is a common practice in restaurants. But not everyone does it and it does give the egg a slight vinegary flavor. The choice is yours.
• Cook the egg in this temperature range for about 3-4 minutes.
• You know the egg is done when you lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon and the white is cooked but the yellow still jiggles when you gently shake the spoon in a horizontal direction.
• Allow the egg to drain through the slotted spoon and serve.
• You can make poached eggs ahead of time and keep them in ice water in the fridge to eat later as well. Simply rewarm for about a minute or so in warm water. The eggs will keep that way overnight. But they aren’t very good after about 24 hours. So you can’t cook a batch for the whole week.

 

All that mayhem over a shoe?

 

It may be a very nice shoe, but it's still a shoe – retailing at $140. It's the latest edition in the line of Air Jordon 12 Retro and a more feminine twist on the classic, with a bright pink midsole, lining and heel, according to Nike.com.

During Black Friday 2015, we saw a brawl in the food court of a Kentucky mall, a riot in a Texan Walmart over low-priced TVs and a similar fight over Air Jordon sneakers in Florence, Kentucky, as reported by Syracuse.com. But what will happen when people have more to fight over than a shoe?

If members of the US population in the current socioeconomic climate react that way over buying the latest tennis shoes – how will those affected by the food stamp crisis react when it is a matter of eating food or going hungry?

 David and I planted Asparagus 'plants today between the showers. It has been a rainy week and supposedly a rainy weekend. 

 My Cherry tree is blooming! How about that.

I bought some pansies to put in the pots on the porch. Maybe they will bring Spring in sooner.

 

Spring Primer

The birds and the bees are very busy right now! The blue jays, robins and woodpeckers and other birds are back in most regions of the country and actively involved in early spring activities like nest building and establishing territory. With the spring equinox looming on March 20th, honey bees are rapidly building their colony strength as the queen's egg laying production increases and foraging choices appear.

Busy And Beautiful

The entire bee yard is lit up now by the sun's rays. The bees come and go like a plane airport. Some of the bees are leaving home for the last time. They will die somewhere in the fields. Their short existence is spent performing chores that keep the colony prosperous and insures survival for future generations. The worker bee will literally work herself to death. She will only live to the old age of six weeks. In contrast, the queen lays between 1,500 and 2,500 eggs every day, depending on the time of year.

Many people chew gum because they think it tastes good, want to improve bad breath, or think the tiny treat will keep weight-gaining hunger pangs at bay. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: You should stay as far away from it as possible. Sorry to burst your bubble everyone, but it's true.

Turns out, there's a lot of health-harming, unnatural ingredients in traditionally-made gum. Everything from petroleum and glycerin, to petroleum wax, aspartame and latex, lurks in that wad of chewing gum – and it gets worse.

A "How it's Made" video provides even more shocking details, including the fact that gum was first patented – interestingly – by a dentist in 1869. The introduction of bubblegum came later, and although it used to be made of tree resin, it eventually came to be synthetically made from plastic and rubbers. Yes, plastic and rubbers! This synthetic version is what you're chewing every time you make your gum choice in the candy aisle or supermarket checkout area.

Take It Right To Get The Benefits!

For adults a good daily health maintenance dose for adults is up to;
 1.5 grams, which is about the same as a slightly rounded teaspoon. This can also be split up and taken in two to three smaller doses throughout the day.

For treating specific health conditions, the "therapeutic" adult dose is 2–3 grams. Therapeutic doses should not be used in children under two. Children over two and adults over 65 should start with a dose on the lower end.

The effectiveness of turmeric can be boosted as much as 2,000 percent by mixing it with a little black pepper (perhaps ¹/₈ teaspoon).

Critically, curcumin is fat-soluble, so turmeric should always be consumed along with some form of fat to aid in absorption. It can simply be mixed with two teaspoons of oil and eaten or mixed into food such as yogurt. It can also be mixed into a fat-containing beverage such as milk. If taken on an empty stomach, it can cause some nausea.

Curcumin capsules are also available, but it is unlikely that the full benefits of turmeric can be obtained from consuming any one chemical in isolation, however potent that chemical might be in the laboratory.

Remember that spices sold in the grocery store are typically irradiated, and were grown with toxic chemicals. For medicinal use, be sure to find a reliable source of organic, non-irradiated turmeric.

 Dylan was selected to play French Horn in the High School Honors Band. The only Freshman selected.

 The Program From Western University.

Celebration of Jennifer's Birthday!

Spring Is Sweet

Is there anything better than a beautiful spring morning? Blue skies, dew on the plants kissed by the perfect amount of sunshine, a slight breeze that reminds you that while we have survived the winter,
it is still not quite summer weather. So many of our favorite holidays happen in March, St. Patrick's
Day, Easter and even the first official day of spring! Add on My children's and husbands birthdays, and you have a wonderful March.

“Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)

Our world is confused about love — what true love is and how it makes a difference. Too many of
us have equated love with a feeling and based it on emotion. The only problem with that is as soon as the feeling is gone, the love follows. We’ve made it flowery and feeble when it’s actually the greatest gift that God gave us! (1 Corinthians 13:13)

If we step back and look at the bigger picture of what love is — what God created it to be — it changes everything.

The thing I’m realizing about life is no matter where you are or what season you’re walking through, you’ll find yourself in spaces that require you to lead, which come hand‐in‐hand with challenges to love.

Career changes, new life phases — whatever it may be, we all get thrown into situations where we have to make decisions and choose to grow in who we are and how we love.

The key to leadership is love, so I want to make sure that as I go through life, I leave traces of love behind me. 

 Butch resting by David's shoe. 

 Butch in David's toolbox.

 Working with nuts and bolts.

Butch is busy sorting tools.