Love to Sing? It’s GOOD For You Too!! ;-)
I have always loved to sing! 😉
Many years ago I sang on a semi-professional basis for quite some time.
I was also a finalist (twice) in one of Canada’s prestigious country music competitions at that time: THE BIG COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, in the late 80’s.
I “belted out” 😉 a respectable rendition of some of the musical hits of the time, including:
Desperado, Someday Soon, Stand By Your Man and Catch the Wind…
to name but a few.
What fun it was and what an unexpected pleasure to find that other people (including some who had been in the biz for a long time) thought I had a talent for singing too.
Years later, in 2000 I decided to get back into singing and took more voice lessons, in a more classical vein this time. What a joy it was to rediscover the freedom and pleasure of singing!
Of course I’ve always tried to remember to “lighten up the day” with a song, humming along to a CD, singing while driving etc. The times I really remember the true joy of singing are many and varied. One thing I did not know until recently were the many health benefits associated with singing.
This article is interesting, listing various health benefits directly related to singing. These include: improved memory, lung capacity, reduced stress and lower blood pressure to name but a few. There are many other lists/articles online, describing the numerous physical, emotional and mental health benefits of singing.
Whether you consider yourself a singer or not, it’s a great way to improve each day and your life. And it doesn’t have to cost a dime! Even if you start in the shower and go from there, you might surprise yourself and go on to share your singing voice with the world. You just never know! It’s all good. 🙂
PS: A version of this post was previously shared at one of my now inactive blogs: Take A Happy Break. I thought my Veggie…readers might enjoy this info. too. 😉
Lovely Lavender
This gorgeous photo of a lavender field caught my attention as I browsed my WP Reader today.
I ♥ lavender!
Do you use medicinal plants on a regular basis?
Have a healthy, happy day, G 🙂
Posted by Gwyn MacDonald
We had a sneak preview of spring weather on Tuesday, with warm sun and cool breezes. I stopped by the garden between clients to get a boost from the crocus and mini iris that have been blooming steadily for a few weeks now. I walked around the garden, catching glimpses of little goodies slowly but surely poking out of the earth. So good for the spirit to see that!
And I really only intended to observe… but suddenly I found the clippers in my hand, my jacket thrown aside and there I was, pruning away the winter!
I cleared the old, withered leaves from the lambs ear, cut the dried stems from the chrysanthemums and straightened the wire frame that will soon be entwined with a lovely, low growing pink clematis. Then I noticed the lavender plant toppling out into the aisle. “ Oh my, do…
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Are You a Multi-Tasker? (I AM!!!) ;-)
No, I can’t juggle (but Joe can) 🙂 but I DO ♥ to multi-task!
8 Benefits of Yoga – Infographic
I ♥ yoga for all these reasons and many more.
Do you practice yoga on a regular basis?
Have a happy, healthy week. 🙂
I was fortunate enough to get involved with yoga about 30 years ago when I was dating a woman who also taught yoga. I practiced religiously for years after she and I had gone our separate ways. To this day, I am grateful for learning how to still my body and reduce my stress by the simple practice of controlling my breathing. As you can see from the infographic below there are profound benefits to doing yoga. There is also a good section on myth-information about yoga.
To read further posts on yoga, check out:
Why Should I Do Yoga?
New Study Shows that Yoga and Meditation May Help Train the Brain
Body Strengthening Yoga Poses – Infographic
How can yoga benefit your brain?
Why is Yoga Good for You?
Yoga for Arthritis; Yoga for Seniors
Tony
HP Printer Conundrum!!! :-(
If any of my Veggie…readers have suggestions re: this HP printer conundrum, please let me know.
I’d be oh so grateful for your advice. 😉
For the most part, I’ve been happy with my HP Deskjet 3052A printer,which I reviewed here (click to read detailed review).
But recently, it’s been “acting up” in a very strange way.
To explain: I changed both of the ink cartridges recently and that’s when the problem started.
When I print out the test page for aligning the printer, after putting in the new cartridges, it comes out fine, the text etc, is nice and clear. Also, when I clean the print heads and print out a test page, fine too. BUT when I print anything from a page on my computer, it’s all blurry.
I went to the HP site and tried out all the troubleshooting steps I could find, including removing and adding the printer back again, nada…nothing worked, it’s still doing the same thing.
If it was just dust on the cartridges or faulty cartridges…
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Dear Veggie… Readers, I Need Your “Helpful Votes” ;-)
As any of my regular readers already know, I’m an avid product reviewer at my review blog: My Real Life Reviews and also at Amazon.com and a few other sites online.
Over at Amazon.com, I’m currently ranked at about #1800 on the TOP 10,000 reviewers list. I write reviews there on a regular basis and would like to get up into the Top 1000 Reviewers list.
I REALLY do ♥ to review products, books and eBooks of all kinds.
I hope that my reviews have been helpful to many, many people, over the years. I’ve been told that they have been many times, by individuals, authors and also companies who’s products I’ve reviewed. That always makes me smile. 🙂
I base a lot of my own purchases on reading other people’s reviews and I’m so grateful that a lot of people DO take the time to write honest and detailed reviews that really help with deciding what to buy or to pass on.
A big part of moving up on the Top Reviewers List at Amazon is getting lots of helpful votes and this is where I need your help.
If you stop by my Amazon profile/review page you’ll see a list of the 800+ reviews that I’ve written there to date.
Yes, more than 800…I can’t believe it myself but I do type fast! 😉
If you have a bit of time, I’d really appreciate you reading one or more of my reviews and if you find them helpful, I’d be very grateful for your helpful vote, at the bottom of the review. All you need to have is an Amazon account to sign in with and you can click away!
Thanks if you can help. Happy Shopping, Reading and Weekend! 🙂
PS: And DO take care out there if you’ve got snow and ice. We’ve got a light skiff of snow here and I’m guessing icy streets. Although I’m a big fan of snow, the ice I could definitely live without!
Handmade and Heartfelt Holiday Gifts!
I ♥ handmade and heartfelt gifts, to give and to receive.
Made with ♥, special and one of a kind gifts. Also, giving of our time, in big and small ways. Treasures and memories that will be enjoyed and remembered for years to come.
Gotta ♥ all those reasons and more. 😉
On the eve of Black Friday, I thought I’d share some suggestions here at Veggies…for easy to make handmade gifts and other ideas, just in time for Christmas.
What is your fav handmade gift that you’ve made for someone or received?
***
From the kitchen:
Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters
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Knit and Crochet:
How to Knit Socks and an Easy Peasy Pattern
***
Giving of Your Time and Talents
(the most special gifts of all, IMO) 🙂
-Volunteer to read to someone on a regular basis who is blind or vision impaired.
-Spend a day exploring winter’s wonderland with a child in need. Perhaps a way to also give a single parent a much-needed break.
-Befriend a older person at a care home who has no family or friends that regularly visit.
-Knit prayer shawls and give them to recipients personally, throughout the year.
Offer to help a neighbor who is living alone with some household chores like: snow shoveling, small home repairs, bringing over a fresh plate of cookies…There are a lot of lonely people out there and the holiday season is a particularly difficult time for many people.
-Volunteer to take calls at a local crisis center.
-Volunteer to help with a local literacy program.
-Plan small gifts to give as random acts of kindness: to people you meet on the streets, delivery people, letter carriers, clerks at stores you regularly shop at…and watch their faces light up with your thoughtful gesture.
Some suggestions: Coffee cards, a stack of fresh cookies tied up in a small gift bag, lip balms to help with winter chapped lips, simple hand-knit scarves, good-quality chocolate bars.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
World Hello Day- Friday November 21st
Friday November 21st is World Hello Day
(click to read more about this non-official holiday).
A day to honor the process and power of communication especially when it comes to resolving issues and building peace in the world.
Simply greet at least 10 people on Friday to participate. Even better, keep it going, every day!
I really like this idea! 🙂 I hope you do too.
Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Trip Advisor and Their Policy Re: Censoring Reviews
I would appreciate your opinion re: this recent experience I had posting a review at Trip Advisor, which was subsequently removed from their site.
Thanks so much and Happy Mid-Week!
As any of my regular readers already know, I’m an avid online reviewer, including at Amazon.com (I’m in the top 2000 reviewers there), at my 3 blogs and also at various commercial sites online.
I signed up at the TripAdvisor.casite a while ago and wrote a few reviews there since then.
My questions re: their censoring reviews came up recently when I noted that my review of The Preserved Seed Restaurant in Nelson, BCwhich had been posted for several months on the Trip Advisor site, had now been removed.
What I ALSO noted at the same time was that all other negative reviews in a similar vein to the review I had written about this restaurant (they have more than one location) had also been removed.
I was not able to find the original review I wrote as they have deleted it off their site and…
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And the Winners of the Veggies…Summer Giveaway Are… :-)
**Diane at Garden Sunshine has won 2 Lucky Penny Pouches**
**Wendy at Green Light Lady has won the Cotton Crochet Shawl**
**Katherine at Pillows A La Mode has won the 3 Kindle Books**
****
Diane and Wendy, please send me your mailing address:
(veggiecook at myway .com)
and I’ll get your prizes sent out.
Katherine, I just need your email address to send your Amazon gift downloads.
Hope you all enjoy your prizes and Happy Weekend to All! 😉
VEGGIES, YARNS & TAILS 