rural photos

I went for a little drive into the rural areas surrounding my neighborhood and these were some of my favorites. Note: The first photo is a bald eagle sitting on a branch protruding from a lake. Too bad I am not a professional or it would have focused better.

5 Ways to Learn

One of the lessons I learned in our first Karate class of the New Year was that there are five ways to make yourself better at learning. I figured that I should post them so that I don't forget. Here they are:

1. Pay attention. You begin to learn by paying attention to what you are taught.

2. Repitition. You must practice the same thing over and over, striving to improve each time.

3. Review. Remind yourself where you need improvement.

4. Relax. This will develop your focus and power.

5. Discipline. You must make yourself do the things you do not want to do.

Yes, I know I took a long hiatus, but sometimes you just have other things to focus on. Anyway, I was thinking about all of the hard work I have done over the past 6 months and realized that I have had no play time! So I came up with 5 reasons why I need to go surfing:

1. Because it so damn fun!

2. I need to give my brother something to do besides drinking.

3. Because it is so #$@*ing fun!

4. I need to put everything back into perspective.

5. Because it is so gosh darn, amazingly, incredibly, ridiculously FUN!!!!!!!!!

Morning Walks

Recently I have been taking our dog, Bell, out for weekend morning walks along the bike trail that runs parallel to the local creek. I can't believe how much quieter things are at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Not to mention how fun it is to watch my collie bounce and bark at the squirrels and birds. The squirrels even make barking noises at the dogs that walk by just to tease them.
The other thing that makes it fun is to listen to all the bird song in the morning as the sun comes up. The mockingbirds are especially fun to hear because they make sounds like frogs, dogs, whistles (the kind that the yard duty blows at the school in the morning), car alarms, and even crickets.
I recommend that if you can, you should try to wake up early every morning and take a short walk while it is quiet and enjoy the sound that you hear in the morning. I think that with our busy lives, we don't get to be in tune with the nature all around us. Also, pay attention to the plant life while on your walk. Sometimes you can find fruits and vegetables growing wild. There is nothing better than free fresh produce.

Summer Tips

The children have one week left of school, which means summer is right around the corner. Here are some tips to have a good, healthy summer:

1. Drink lots of water. Hydration is something we all forget to do.

2. Protect skin from ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen is alright, but there chemicals that can be harmful in certain brands. Long sleeve shirts and full brim hats are a great idea.

3. Do your outside chores early in the day. This will help you acclimate to the warmer weather without overheating.

4. Eat lots of fruit. Fruit will help keep you hydrated and it is so good in the summer!

5. Plant a garden. (This should have been started in the spring.) Whether it is vegetables or flowers or herbs, a garden will give you a good reason to go outside. Besides, it is fun to watch the plants grow.

Have a great summer!