Am I a Perennial, an Annual or a Vegetable?

Sitting on my flat balcony this morning, I admired the signs of spring in my diverse collection of plant-pots:  Daffodils, tall and healthy, dancing in the wind; blue geraniums getting ready to bloom among their delicate feathery leaves; my magnolia budding and displaying a single white bloom.  I felt very contented and relaxed on my balcony and it seemed like a lifetime ago when I lived in Zimbabwe.  I had a large garden then - over 2 acres.  I allowed my thoughts to drift back to those days: The big old trees standing here and there like silent custodians, watching each season bringing chang as the years rolled by.

Furthest away from the house was our vegetable patch.  This was the area which saw the most change and regimental control.  Crops were rotated at least 4 times a year, the earth fertilised and top-soil added, watering and frost protection were a must to keep them safe and healthy.  A lot of work to make sure we got the very best vegetables possible. 

There was a variety of shrubs and flowering perennials filling in spaces between the lawns and trees.  These were inclined to take care of themselves and needed very little attention except for annual pruning and a little fertilising and watering now and again.  They were taken for granted - those hardy little workers; an amalgamation of blurred colours and shapes in the background.

Nearer the house were the fragile and well-tended annuals.  They were the ones who received a lot of love and attention.  Coaxed along to provide the prettiest and most colourful blooms:  Larkspurs, cosmos, petunias, snapdragons, Iceland poppies, pansies, marigolds, primulas, sweet peas, lobelias, alyssum and many more.  Without constant care, they drooped in a sulk or shrivelled up and died before their time.  They just weren't "stayers" so why I bothered with them, I have no idea!  Slowly but surely they died away and the mess they left behind had to be cleaned up before they were replaced with yet another annual, and so the cycle continued.  Annuals were replaceable!

If I were a plant - what would I be - a perennial, annual or vegetable?  Mmmm I wonder!

Family History: How To Begin Tracing Your Family Tree

I think Family History is very important and spend a lot of time trying to update my family tree. Genealogy can be fascinating.  I confess to having a love-hate relationship with it.  I love it when I add a new family member or find an ancestor and manage to go one step further back in my family history.  This can be so exciting! However, I hate it when I hit a brick wall - especially those built by bigoted family members who "cover-up" information about relatives they may be ashamed of for one reason or another!

Here's some advice and tips on how to get started.  I'd really like to get my friends interested in this interesting pastime.  Why should I be the only one hooked on it?  Hahahahaha!

No really, its great fun.  Who knows, we may find unknown relatives who may only be "friends" on Facebook!!

How To Begin Tracing Your Family Tree

You have a little knowledge about your family history, a few old photos and documents and a consuming curiosity. Here are some basic steps to start you on your family tree adventure!

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: Depends on the family

Here's How:

1.    Begin your family tree by gathering together everything you have -- papers, photos, documents and family heirlooms. Rummage through your attic or basement, the filing cabinet, the back of the closet.... Then check with your relatives to see if they have any family documents they are willing to share. Clues to your family history might be found on the backs of old photographs, in the family bible, or even on a postcard. If your relative is uneasy with lending an original, offer to have copies made.

2.    While you're collecting family records, set aside some time to interview your relatives. Start with Mom and Dad and then move on from there. Try to collect stories, not just names and dates, and be sure to ask open-ended questions. Try these questions to get you started. Interviews may make you nervous, but this is probably the most important step in researching your family history. It may sound cliche, but don't put it off until it's too late!

3.    Write down everything you have learned from your family and begin to enter the information in a pedigree or family tree chart. If you're unfamiliar with these traditional family tree forms, you can find step by step instructions in filling out genealogical forms. These charts provide an at-a-glance overview of your family, making it easy to track your research progress.

4.    Select a single surname, individual, or family with which to begin. Focusing your family history search helps keep your research on track, and reduces the chance of missing important details due to sensory overload. As much as you might want to, you can't do it all at once.

5.    Explore the Internet for information and leads on your ancestors. Good places to start include pedigree databases, message boards, and resources specific to your ancestor's location. If you're new to using the Internet for genealogy research, start with Six Strategies for Finding Your Roots Online. Not sure where to start first? Then follow the research plan in 10 Steps for Finding Your Family Tree Online. Just don't expect to find your entire family tree in one place!

6.    Visit your local Family History Center where you can access the world's largest collection of genealogical information.

7.    Look for the records of your ancestors including wills; birth, marriage and death records; land deeds; immigration records; etc.

8.    Organize your new information -- take notes, make photocopies, etc. Make sure you save and date everything!

9.    Visit the place where your family lived -- look at cemeteries, courthouses, churches, etc. for information.

10.  Make sure you continue to document everything, including taking pictures. You never know when you might need it.

11.  When you have gone as far as you can go, step back and take a break -- then go to Step #4 and choose a new ancestor to start searching for.

12.  Remember to have fun!

Tips:

1.    Ask your family members if there is a genealogy book or other records within the family. This could give you a wonderful head start! Old family Bibles are great.

2.    Keep copies of everything you find in your search. It may not seem important now, but it probably will be in the future.

3.    Make sure that you keep in mind possible alternate spellings of your surname as you are researching.

Stay Positive but Be Prepared - The 72 Hour Kit.

I’ve decided to get my 72 hour kit packed and will then get on with my everyday life in happy mode knowing there is one less thing to worry about!! I thought it was a good idea to share it with everyone as it makes so much sense!

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been counseled to have food storage and be prepared for an emergency which includes having a 72 hour kit. This kit should be put together in a practical manner so that you can carry it with you if you ever need to evacuate your home. It is also important to prepare one for each member of your family who is able to carry one.

Checklist: 72 Hour Kit

Food and Water

(A three day supply of food and water, per person, when no refrigeration or cooking is available)

·         Protein/Granola Bars

·         Trail Mix/Dried Fruit

·         Crackers/Cereals (for munching)

·         Canned Tuna, Beans, Turkey, Beef, Vienna Sausages, etc.

·         Canned Juice

·         Candy/ Chewing gum (not mint flavour as this may taint other foods)

My nephew, Norman, recently told me about this product which sounds wonderful. Easier to carry than canned food too:

·    HOTBOX is ready-to-eat, Hot Instant Food.  The heating source is situated in the  packaging itself and no external heat is required. A knife and fork is included in the packet.

·         Email: sales@hotboxfood.co.uk

Bedding and Clothing

·         Change of Clothing (short and long sleeved shirts, pants, jackets, socks, etc.)

·         Undergarments

·         Rain Coat/Poncho

·         Blankets and Emergency Heat Blanks (that keep in warmth)

·         Cloth Sheet

·         Plastic Sheet

Fuel and Light

·         Battery Lighting (Flashlights, Lamps, etc.) Don't forget batteries!

·         Extra Batteries

·         Flares

·         Candles

·         Lighter

·         Water-Proof Matches

Equipment

·         Can Opener

·         Dishes/Utensils

·         Shovel

·         Radio (with batteries!)

·         Pen and Paper

·         Axe

·         Pocket Knife

·         Rope

·         Duct Tape

Personal Supplies and Medication

·         First Aid Kit and Supplies

·         Toiletries (roll of toilet paper- remove the center tube to easily flatten  into a zip-lock bag, feminine hygiene, folding brush, etc.)

·         Cleaning Supplies (mini hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, dish soap, etc. Warning: Scented soap might "flavour" food items.)

·         Immunizations Up-to Date

·         Medication (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, children's medication etc.)

·         Prescription Medication (for 3 days)

Personal Documents and Money

(Place these items in a water-proof container! Photocopy and laminate documents)

·         Scriptures

·         Genealogy Records

·         Patriarchal Blessing

·         Legal Documents - Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts)

·         Vaccination Papers

·         Insurance Policies

·         Cash

·         Credit Card

·         Pre-Paid Phone Cards

Miscellaneous

• Bag(s) to put 72 Hour Kit items in (such as duffel bags or back packs, which work great) Make sure you can lift/carry it!

• Infant needs (if applicable)

Notes:

Update your 72 Hour Kit every six months (put a note in your calendar/planner) to make sure that: all food, water, and medication is fresh and has not expired; clothing fits; personal documents and credit cards are up to date; and batteries are charged.

Small toys/games are important too as they will provide some comfort and entertainment during a stressful time.

Older children can be responsible for their own pack of items/clothes too.

You can include any other items in your 72 Hour Kit that you feel are necessary for your family's survival.

Some items and/or flavors might leak, melt, "flavour" other items, or break open. Dividing groups of items into individual Ziploc bags might help prevent this.

Love and Kindness? Where are we going wrong?

I'm getting a little confused; if every religion teaches kindness towards our fellow man, why is the world in such a mess?  War against other nations, civil wars, crime and violence, bullying in schools, thoughtlessness and unkindness in our day to day lives!

There's nothing more disappointing for a teacher than to get a low pass rate.  Have all these teachers spoken in vain?

"But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you" ~Jesus Christ (Luke 6: 27,28)
 

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared" ~Buddha

"Kindness is the mark of faith; and whoever has not kindness has not faith"  ~Muhammad

"When one performs kindness with this understanding, the act becomes more than pious duty—it becomes a source of the deepest pleasure" ~Dwarakadhisha Devi Dasi (Krishna Consciousness)

Family - Our Treasure

Today, 24th March, two of my 11 grandchildren share a birthday.  Warren turned 27 today and little Elizabeth Jane is 2 years old! Yes, there is a 25 year difference in their ages!

My children and grandchildren are the treasures of my life. As an added bonus I have the most wonderful nieces and nephews and their children as well!   My fortune grows and grows. 

I think back over the years and remember the joy each arrival brought.  The miracle of a new life and the pleasure felt watching each one developing into unique individuals.  Feeling pride in their achievements whether great or small.  Sharing their happiness and their inevitable heartaches as they grew from children into adulthood.

Family history is close to my heart.  To know yourself you should know your ancestors. In the Book of Mormon, Malachi 4:5-6 teaches, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

This is a lovely true quote: "Family faces are magic mirrors.  Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future"  ~Gail Lumet Buckley

No matter what drives us, we should realise how blessed we are to have a family.  Some are not so blessed.  I cannot begin to imagine what I would be like without my family; they have made me who I am today!