Tick Explosion?
I know that it is early in the season, but I have already found three ticks on my children and a couple on our cat. I was wondering if this is a particularly bad tick season or if we have just been unlucky. Actually, the tick population has been increasing over the last decade or […]
Childhood Nutrition
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines For Americans published by the CDC states that eating behaviors of young people are not healthy creating concern about the health of the children now, as well as in their future. With data from their research, the CDC has made the following statements and recommendations. Nutrition Facts Adolescents drink more full-calorie […]
Different Languages
I was trying to explain teenage boys to a group of teenage girls last week, and I had a startling revelation. From a girl’s perspective, teenage boys are like goats who think they’re wolves. Consider this: they follow you around (if you’re a teenage girl), they have a few wispy hairs on their chins, and […]
Graduation Smiles
Hello darlings, graduation, as I am sure so many of you have experienced, is a bittersweet experience for parents, grandparents , siblings and all family members. This landmark event tugs at one’s heart strings through the child’s life. Graduation from kindergarten to first grade makes one realize a serious step into childhood and coming to […]
Mosquito Season
I have heard that this is going to be a really bad mosquito season and I have already found a few in our house. What is the best mosquito repellant for me and my husband, as well as my children? There are several fairly reliable mosquito repellants on the market but not all are appropriate […]
George R. R. Martin’s: A Storm of Swords
If you have been following my book reviews, then you know I am a huge fan of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, which has been turned into a show, A Game of Thrones, on HBO. Since the show is currently in the midst of season 3, it seems only fitting […]
Stranger Than Fiction: The Hanging of “Murderous” Mary
Erwin, Tennessee was the scene of one of the most bizarre public executions in American history. The condemned was a female elephant named Mary who was reported to have killed as many as eighteen people by popular accounts. Actual accounts and historical documents proved that she had killed only one person. This was the only […]
The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
Graduation time is upon us and the invitations and announcements are piling up in the mail box. I love to give books as gifts and I usually customize the book to the person. Sometimes, however, it is hard to know what to get a graduate just entering college or looking for their first real job. […]
Childhood Obesity
In the past 30 years, we have seen childhood obesity more than double in children and triple in adolescents. The numbers have shocked many including The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Why we are seeing these rises may have many complex answers, the experts have boiled it down to too little exercise and […]
Interviewing for Pain
Among teachers there is perhaps no greater pain than hearing a parent ask his child, “What did you do in school today?” We find it painful because we know what the answer will be in most cases. I’m not sure why this happens (perhaps the effort of recalling the entire day is simply too much!) […]
She Deserves A Little Back
I’d like to take a different turn this time around and strike a more serious note. Yes, I am capable of being serious. While it’s true that I can inject the mental image of a goat into any situation, it is not the sum total of my existence. For instance, if you ask me, “What […]
Mother’s Day Memories
Mother’s Day is the day we pay tribute to the mother who gave us life and love. Of course, we love and appreciate our mother every day, but today is that special day that comes once a year. This day is filled with memories, not only of our mother, but past Mother’s Day gifts and […]
Java Trend
My teenage daughter has recently gotten into drinking coffee. This seems to be a trend with a lot of her friends and I am concerned that it may not be healthy. I would appreciate any information on the issue and some insight into the trend. While coffee was once considered bad for general health, recent […]
Bronze Bling
Hello darlings, if one wants to be in vogue, one must reach for bronze, gold or silver eye shadow, nail polish or clothes. Bronze is really the trend and the eye shadow looks so pretty on blue eyes- it makes them pop! Gold is the ticket for brown and hazel eyes. Silver is so alluring […]
When Zombies Arrive
I was at the movies this weekend and a frightening fact began to emerge. When a superhuman terrorist attacks, we send Ironman to stop him. A lizard monster evolves from a science experiment and Spiderman swings to the rescue. When a rogue demigod threatens the Earth, Thor and his big hammer are sent to save […]
Stranger Than Fiction: The Heroine of Lime Rock
Being the “keeper of the flame” or a lighthouse keeper was once a very difficult job. Before computers and modern conveniences made the job more automated, keeping a lighthouse required almost constant attention, long hours and hard labor. The job of the lighthouse keeper was to warn ships that are passing too close to land. […]
