What’s the Buzz?

Are honey bees as busy as they say? Do they really dance? How do they make honey? Let’s find out!

A colony is a group of bees that live and fly together. One colony can contain around 20,000 to 60,000 bees. The colony is divided into three groups; a queen, who will lay eggs to bring the next generation of bees to the hive; drones, male bees whose only function is to mate with the queen; workers, the female bees responsible for everything else…lol. They collect the pollen and nectar, circulate and clean the air in the hive, tend to the queen and build and protect that hive.

Queen

During the winter season, a productive queen will form a new colony by laying eggs within each cell inside a honeycomb. She lays one egg after every 45 seconds resulting in around 2500 eggs in a day. Compared to other insects and other honey bees, the queen bee has a longer lifespan, because she is the one to bring the next generations of bees. In her 2-3 years of life, she may lay up to 2500 eggs per day, so in her lifetime, she will have produced over 1 million offspring. As she ages, her productivity declines though she can live up to 5 years. Mature queen bees have larger body sizes, because of their long abdomen containing several ovaries, enabling them to produce a lifetime’s supply of eggs. This length also enables her to cement an egg into the bottom of a honey comb cell. If the queen is absent, honey bees will notice that absence within a span of one hour. After a few hours of agitation, emergency cells are constructed on existing worker larvae. The worker larvae is built for a new comb and fed royal jelly to enable its fast growth and development into a new queen.

Drone Bees

Male bees, called drones, exist to mate with the queen. After that happens, they die. Tough life.

Worker Bees

Worker bees teach younger members how to make honey at an early age. They are first made to fly miles away from the hive, and then taught how to gather nectar and pollen from blooming flowers. Young honey bees then fly with the collected nectar back to the hive. In the hive, worker bees make them chew up the nectar and then deposit that into honeycomb wax cells. They then fan their wings vigorously over the nectar to dehydrate the liquid inside in the cells. This will transform a slightly thin liquid into very thick honey. Once they have mastered this art, they officially start producing honey like other worker bees.

Honey Bees actually will perform a ‘waggle dance’ to share information about the best food sources. They move in a figure-eight and waggle their body to indicate the direction of the food source, distance to patches of flowers and to new-site locations with other members of the colony. Nectar is carried by scooping it in a special sac behind the bee’s leg. In order to make one pound of honey, 556 worker bees must fly to around 2 million flowers to gather nectar and pollen. In their lifespan of 6-8 weeks, worker bees have to fly approximately 90,000 miles, equivalent to 1½ times the earth’s circumference in search of quality pollen and nectar, to produce that one pound of honey. Amazingly, in one collection trip, 50-100 flowers are pollinated. And only 4 species of honey bees are kept for producing honey: the Apis melifera, meliponines, Apis lithohermaea and Apis nearctica.

Basic Honey Bee Facts

Your basic honey bee has 170 odorant receptors that enable it to recognize its relative’s signals, social communication within the hive and recognition of odor for finding food. Their sense of smell is so precise (and 50 times more powerful than a dog), that they can recognize different floral varieties when looking for pollen and nectar. Pheromones released by the honey bees together with compounds building up the nest wax, such as fatty acids and carbohydrates, make up the volatile mixture of odor. A honey bee’s odor helps it to determine its own colony, and distinguish between nest mates and foreign bees so they can identify intruders from other species. The sense of smell of a honey bee is so sensitive that carbon dioxide released from human breath may smell threatening to them, stimulating them to sting…so no heavy breathing around bees!

Honey bees rarely sleep; they work the whole day and night. When they want to sleep, they take shifts inside the hive. Their sleep pattern changes with their age. The younger bees will sleep a lot less while the older bees will sleep more than the younger bees. Older bees need more sleep because it helps their memory. Honey bees will hardly work when the temperatures are below 57⁰F or above 100⁰F. When the temperature is below 55⁰F, they can’t fly. They can only fly when the temperatures are between 55⁰F and 60⁰F. On extremely hot days, they will cluster outside unshaded hives because too much shade makes them irritable, especially in the summer.

A honey bee has two barbed lancets on its stinger, that if it stings you with it, it is unable to pull it back. Due to this fact, not only the stinger is left behind, but part of his abdomen, digestive tract, muscles and nerves are also left. This results into a massive abdominal rupture that kills the bee. Honey bees have three simple eyes called ocelli and two large compound eyes. They use their ocelli eyes to detect light intensity. The other two large eyes are used for detecting movement.

Honey bees belong in the hymenopterans family, therefore have four wings. Their wings are arranged in two pairs, connected by a row of hooks called hamulus on the back wing. Although their wings help in flight, the fore wings are much larger than the hind wings. Apart from flight, the fore wings are also used as a cooling mechanism. The hind wings are used for flight and fanning away heat from the hive. The sound of a honey bee is called a buzz. This is their trademark sound, which is created as a result of rapid beating of their wings. They flap their wings 200 times per second, creating vibrations in the air that result into the sound perception called buzzing.

Have you ever wondered why beekeepers wear white overalls? Honey bees dislike dark colors probably because they came to realize that most of the honey predators, bears and other animals, have dark colors. Dark colors make them defensive of their sweet honey. Therefore, beekeepers wear white colors to decrease their chances of being stung. Studies have proven that honey bees have the ability to recognize human faces and remember them for at least two days. It is said that they have a better memory of remembering faces than some humans. Honey bees are lovers of caffeine and can get hooked on caffeine like people. Studies reveal that honey bees love caffeine because it boosts their long-term memory.

What Shall We Cook Today?

Today I am sharing my favorite lasagna recipe! I do not like ricotta cheese, so I use a combination of sour cream and cream cheese instead. I have tried the lasagna noodles that do not require pre-cooking, but I was unsatisfied with the results, but you could always choose to substitute those if you wish. And while I like mozzarella cheese, I am not in love with it, lol, so I do not add it between layers—some folks do. Again, it’s what YOU like that counts. This is a wonderful dish to assemble early in the day and put in the fridge till an hour or so before supper. Then remove from the fridge while you preheat the oven. Slide it in the oven for an hour and it’s done!

LASAGNA

1 pound ground beef, browned, rinsed, drained and seasoned to your taste

1 jar Spaghetti sauce (we like Prego)

9 Lasagna noodles cooked and drained*

1 8-ounce cream cheese slightly softened

1 16-ounce sour cream

Mozzarella cheese (I prefer finely shredded)

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine the seasoned, browned ground beef with the spaghetti sauce. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and the sour cream. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Assemble the lasagna in this manner: a layer of 3 noodles, then ladle 1/3 of the sauce/ground beef, then drop tablespoons of the sour cream/cream cheese mixture over that using approximately 1/3 of the mixture per layer. You should be able to make 3 layers ending with the sour cream/cream cheese mixture. Top with mozzarella cheese. I top that with oregano, but any Italian seasonings you prefer would work also. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted. Enjoy!

*Lasagna noodles expand slightly when they are cooked, so you may want to trim them to fit your dish (I do, but I am admittedly anal about such things).

National Lighthouse Day

In honor of National Lighthouse Day, I present 10 amazing lighthouses from Michigan–the state with the most lighthouses in the whole country. With it’s 3,200 miles of shoreline, Michigan has about 115 lighthouses! Tall and elegant or short and utilitarian, beautifully restored or lying silently forgotten, they are worth a visit. Many of Michigan’s lighthouses are open for tours, if only seasonally. Others are home to bed and breakfast lodging or museums. Still, others are privately owned or otherwise inaccessible, inviting admiration from afar a few souvenir photographs. Here are some of my favorites…

Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Trevor Mahlmann

Built in 1870, Grand Island’s East Channel light sits surrounded by the wilderness of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Although the light is privately owned and inaccessible to travelers, its weathered wooden exterior is so attractive that shutterbugs are still drawn to photograph the light on boat cruises through the channel.

Granite Island Lighthouse in Marquette | Photo Courtesy of Instagram fan emmafink

Tiny Granite Island pokes up above the surface of Lake Superior north of the city of Marquette, its rocky promontory topped with the Granite Island Lighthouse. Originally built in 1869, the stone lighthouse fell into horrid repair after its decommissioning. But a complete renovation of the light was completed in 2011. The Granite Island Lighthouse is available to rent for special functions.

Port Austin Reef Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Instagram fan michiganskymedia

Built in 1878, the striking six-story Port Austin Reef Light sits in a shallow area of Saginaw Bay nearly 2 miles from the mainland. The six-story tower and its adjoining keeper’s house were crafted of a tough, buff-colored brick meant to withstand the most severe weather conditions. The lovely Queen Anne “Castle on the Lake” isn’t open to tours but can be viewed up close via boat.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Trevor Mahlmann

In the 19th century, the narrow Straits of Mackinac were no tourist attraction. They ranked among the most treacherous stretches of water for mariners. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, the unusual Norman Revival “Castle of the Straits,” began illuminating the shipping lane in 1889. The light served an immensely important role until 1957 when the Mackinac Bridge and its superior navigational aids rendered the lighthouse obsolete. Costumed interpreters guide visitors through the lighthouse tower, a restored keeper’s quarters as well as the Straits Shipwreck Museum.

Bois Blanc Light | Photo Courtesy of Instagram fan katielx

Set on an island neighboring Mackinac Island, the Bois Blanc Lighthouse stands out from its wooded backdrop, its tower and keeper’s quarters of sand-colored brick, the lantern atop its 38-foot tower a vivid white. The light was constructed in 1867 and operated along the Lake Huron shoreline until the mid-1920s. Today the light is privately owned and can only be enjoyed from a distance, by boat.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Trevor Mahlmann

Set at the end of the Leelanau Peninsula near Traverse City, the 1858 Grand Traverse Lighthouse stands vividly white and red against the deep green pine forests and turquoise waters of Lake Michigan. Visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse tower and explore the keeper’s quarters, which have been restored to their 1920s and ‘30s appearance.

Ludington North Breakwater Light | Photo Courtesy of Mark Miller Photography

The white, bullet-shaped Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse sits at the end of a pleasant pier in the heart of Ludington, surrounded by the beach and playground facility at Stearns Park. Built in 1924, the light is open to tower climbs all summer long.

Holland Harbor Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Brian Hammond

Referred to merely as Big Red by locals, the Holland Harbor Lighthouse dates from 1907. Fire-engine-red against the blue waters of Lake Michigan, the lighthouse sits at the end of the city’s southern pier, which in turn leads to Lake Macatawa and Holland’s working docks. Entrance to the lighthouse tower is rare, and to its grounds through a gated community. It is best to enjoy Big Red from the beach at Holland State Park, just across the channel.

St. Joseph North Pier Outer Lighthouse | Photo Courtesy of Pure Michigan

In 1907 St. Joseph extended its pier by 1,000 feet, rendering its 1859 lighthouse obsolete. In its place were built the North Pier Inner and Outer Lights that you see today. The white lights rank as a beloved landmark in St. Joseph, the lights are still joined by their original catwalk. Access to the lights themselves is prohibited, but visitors and locals enjoy walking the pier to see the lights up close. Good photo opportunities can be had at Tiscornia and Silver Beach Parks.

40 Mile Point Lighthouse (Rogers City) Photo Courtesy of Mike Fritcher

This lovely brick lighthouse in Rogers City sits tucked among greenery and trees, giving it an almost ethereal appearance. You’ll want to snap a few photos of the picturesque building, which was constructed in 1896. Depending on the time of year, it’s also possible to climb to the top and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Great Lake.

This map details a lighthouse road trip: driving time for this lighthouse road trip in Michigan is just over 18 hours, so if you want to stop and get out at each lighthouse you’ll probably want to plan on doing the trip over a long weekend.

Cramping Your Style

If you’re like me, you’ve experienced painful, sleep-disturbing leg cramps at some point. About 60% of people report experiencing nocturnal leg cramps. Nocturnal leg cramps — also commonly called charley horses — are painful, involuntary contractions of the leg muscles during the night. Although nocturnal leg cramps generally pass after a few minutes, they are unpleasant and can disrupt sleep enough to create problems. Usually, the calves and feet are most affected, and these cramps are more prevalent in women and older adults, but anyone can experience them.The exact causes of nocturnal leg cramps are unknown. However, there are some factors that may increase the chance of experiencing leg cramps during the night.

Medications: Some medications, like diuretics, steroids, and antidepressants, are associated with nocturnal leg cramping. Talk to your doctor about any medications you are taking if you experience leg cramps during the night.

Pregnancy: Leg cramps are a common experience in pregnant women, although some professionals consider pregnancy-related leg cramps different from nocturnal leg cramps. Researchers are unsure if this leg cramping occurs due to pregnancy itself, or because of a lack of blood flow in the veins as a result of pregnancy. Magnesium supplements have been shown to reduce leg cramping in pregnancy, but you should talk to your doctor before beginning any new supplements.

Dehydration: Not drinking enough water during the day can result in dehydration. Dehydration causes muscle weakness and cramping. Nocturnal leg cramps in particular are not associated with dehydration, but drinking water is still important. The exact amount of water you need to drink each day depends on your body weight, activity level, medications, and local climate.

Standing for Extended Periods: Being on your feet for long periods of time can increase the risk of experiencing these leg cramps, making them a problem for people who must stand while they work. Taking breaks from standing and setting aside time to elevate your feet may help.

Exercise: Exercising at the gym or through team sports may lead to muscle cramps. When muscles are fatigued or overworked, they can be more susceptible to cramping. Exercise-associated muscle cramps may be mistaken for nocturnal leg cramps when they occur at night. Stretching during an exercise-induced cramp has been shown to help relieve pain.

Alcohol: Research of people over age 60 shows that those who drink alcohol are more likely to report nocturnal leg cramping. This cramping could be a result of alcohol’s ability to damage muscle fibers, but more research is needed.

So what can be done to reduce the likelihood of experiencing these awful cramps? Although the exact cause of nocturnal leg cramps is unknown, there are ways to reduce the chances that you will experience them. Typically, leg cramps do not indicate a serious health problem. However, if you are experiencing frequent leg cramping, you should reach out to your doctor, but here are some possible helpful precautions:

Hydration: Staying consistently hydrated throughout the day may help reduce the frequency of muscle cramps, since dehydration can cause cramps. Though some research suggests that nocturnal leg cramps are not caused by dehydration, it may help to drink water during long periods of outdoor activity or strenuous activity. There is also research to suggest that drinking pickle juice during a cramping episode helps inhibit the cramp quickly.

Stretching: Doing some stretching or yoga before bed may help you reduce both the frequency and intensity of nocturnal leg cramps. Research suggests that engaging in a stretching routine before bed helps reduce cramps and leg pain after about six weeks.

Baths: Some people claim that taking a bath helps relieve their nighttime cramps, though further research is needed. An epsom salt bath in particular could help reduce muscle pain mistaken for leg cramps. Epsom salt contains magnesium sulfate. An epsom salt bath could increase your magnesium levels, which may help relieve leg cramping.

Massage: Massaging your calves or feet before bed may help you reduce cramping during the night by relaxing the muscles in your legs. If you have limited mobility, consider asking a partner to help.

Heel Walking: Some people find that walking on their heels helps reduce nocturnal leg cramping. If you wake up in the middle of the night with a cramp in your calf, try getting up and walking on your heels. Although this type of walking helps release the tight calf muscle, research has found that it is not as effective as stretching during a leg cramp.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

If you are experiencing cramping in your feet and calves frequently during the night that does not go away with changes in lifestyle or diet, consult your doctor. In many cases, the cause of nocturnal leg cramps is unknown. Some leg cramps could indicate a more serious underlying disease, however, including:

Cardiovascular disease

Cirrhosis

Kidney disease

Osteoarthritis

Narrowing of the spinal canal

Nerve damage in legs

Circulation disorders

Reptiland

No, not Congress. Although Congress IS filled with snakes, I am referring to Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland in Allenwood, PA. We pass Reptiland every time we visit home and the parking lot is always FULL! I wondered what was the attraction with snakes, but I discovered Reptiland is much, much more than just snakes!

In many zoos around the country, reptiles are relegated to a single building in the back corner. True, many visitors take the time to see the snakes, gators, and lizards housed here, but it’s often an afterthought to the main attractions like the big cats, elephants, and other popular animals. However, at Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, reptiles are the star attraction.

Begun in 1964, Reptiland has grown to over 75 species and 2,000 total animals. In Peelings’ own words, they are “his passion.” Reptiland is one of only 8 zoos in PA that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

There are five main areas to Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland. Walking around the park clockwise, the first area you’ll come to is a small number of outdoor enclosures featuring several varieties of turtles and tortoises. The most popular enclosure houses three Galápagos tortoises. These are some of the largest tortoises in the world and are quite fascinating to see in person.

Next to the Galápagos tortoises is the Program Center. Here, shows are held five times a day and feature a zookeeper taking about the animals at the park, along with a few special friends. It’s a 30 minute show geared more for kids, but very informative–with the added bonus of getting to touch a small crocodile at the end!

The second area of the park surprised me the most– the Butterfly Garden. While it does seem a bit out of place, given the reptile theme, you can walk in this greenhouse and see butterflies all around you. They even hatch their own butterflies in the garden, giving visitors a great chance to see what they look like in different stages of their lives. (The Butterfly Garden is closed during the colder months of the year, so plan your trip accordingly.)

Next, the tour goes into the Reptile and Amphibian Gallery. In many ways, this is a typical reptile house you’d find at any other zoo. A variety of animals are contained within the building, including frogs, snakes, and even small crocodiles.

The snakes were interesting for their variety. In addition to having some of the most well-known snakes like the black mamba or the anaconda, the area also included snakes you might see while hiking in Pennsylvania, such as the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead.

Also inside the Reptile and Amphibian Gallery are the zoo’s alligators. The two alligators are housed in a nice enclosure that features a large viewing area, ensuring you’ll get a great view no matter how crowded Reptiland is. There are programs here that tell you a bit more about the alligators. While there is no set feeding schedule, you might be able to see the alligators fed if you are lucky.

The fourth area of the park, the Island Giants exhibit, is home to the Aldabra tortoises and Komodo dragons. These animals are unique in that they both are very large but confined to a very small natural habitat. The Aldabra tortoises are one of the world’s largest tortoise species and are primarily found on one island in the Indian Ocean. Komodo dragons are relatively uncommon in zoos, and there is only one other zoo in Pennsylvania that has them (the Pittsburgh Zoo).

The last section of Reptiland is the most curious. Here, animatronic dinosaurs move and roar as you walk along the paths of the Dinosaurs Come to Life exhibit. The goal here is to teach people about the reptiles that used to walk the earth, and it is well done with realistic dinosaurs but again, this display is only open during the warmer months, so plan accordingly.

Source: UncoveringPA

Ladies Love Country Boys

There’s a really good, older country song called “Ladies Love Country Boys” by Trace Adkins. These are the lyrics:

“Ladies Love Country Boys”

She grew up in the city in a little subdivision
Her daddy wore a tie, mama never fried a chicken
Ballet, straight-As, most likely to succeed
They bought her a car after graduation
Sent her down South for some higher education
Put her on the fast track to a law degree

Now shes coming home to visit
Holding the hand of a wild-eyed boy
With a farmers tan

Shes riding in the middle of his pickup truck
Blaring Charlie Daniels, yelling, Turn it up!
They raised her up a lady but theres one thing
They couldnt avoid
Ladies love country boys

You know mamas and daddies want better for their daughters
Hope theyll settle down with a doctor or a lawyer
And their uptown, ball gown, hand-me-down royalty

They never understand why their princess falls
For some camouflage britches and a southern-boy-drawl

Or why shes riding in the middle of a pickup truck
Blaring Hank Jr., yelling, Turn it up!
They raised her up a lady but theres one thing
They couldnt avoid
Ladies love country boys

You can train em, you can try to teach em
Right from wrong but its still gonna turn em on

And they go riding in the middle of a pickup truck
Blaring Lynyrd Skynyrd, yelling, Turn it up!
You can raise her up a lady but theres one thing
You just cant avoid
Ladies love country boys
They love us country boys

Upon hearing this the other day, I realized instead of blindly accepting Mr Adkins’ lyrics, I would fact check them…it’s all the rage, right? Will country boys have the STATS? (STATS: Smile, Transportation, Attitude, Talent, and Sex Appeal.)

Let’s start with Smile…a city guy smiling…

versus a country boy smiling.

NO CONTEST! Am I right???

Let’s talk transportation…city guy transportation:

versus country boy transportation:

hmmmmm…little scooter versus a pick-up truck? Can two even ride those scooter things?

“A” is for attitude. Compare the attitude of a city guy…

with a country man’s attitude:

I don’t know about you, but i think the merman is creepy!

When it comes to talent, a lot of city guys are limited to destructive screaming and protesting…

but country boys have impressive, life affirming talents.

Which brings us to sex appeal. This is a typical city man…

versus a typical country man…

Not even close!

I think I can rate the above song as TRUE!

National Watermelon Day!

Watermelons are made up of 92% water, hence the name.

A watermelon is one of the only foods to be classified as both a fruit and a vegetable.

Wild watermelons are native to South Africa.

The novelty of a cubed watermelon began in Japan where they would grow them in glass boxed to hold their shape.

In Egypt and Israel it is common for watermelon to be served with feta cheese.

Watermelon is a relative of pumpkins and cucumbers.

Early explorers used watermelons similar to a drink bottle to hold fluids.

Watermelon is grown in 96 countries.

Watermelon has a greater concentrated source of lycopene in comparison to tomatoes.

In the United States amongst different melons, watermelon is the most consumed.

There are more than 1,200 varieties of different watermelons.

Although many people prefer not to, all of the watermelon including the rind can be eaten.

Globally, China is the leading producers of watermelons.

There is evidence showing that the first watermelon ever grown was in Egypt approximately 5,000 years ago.

United States are the fifth largest producers of watermelon globally.

The scientific name for a watermelon is ‘Citrullus Lanatus’.

Watermelon juice may relieve muscle tension.

Watermelon is rich in many vitamins.

Watermelon contains 6% sugar.

The heaviest watermelon recorded weighed 350.5 lbs and was grown in 2013.

In the United States an entire month has been dedicated to watermelons.

Watermelon has been known as a natural Viagra due to its citrulline content.

Seedless watermelons are not genetically modified but are a hybrid species.

Going on weight, watermelons are the most consumed fruit in America.

Watermelon has only about 40 calories per cup.

Chinese offer watermelons as gifts to a hostess.

A watermelon’s flesh is not always red alternatively can be orange, green, yellow or white.

Some varieties of watermelon need 130 warm days to fully ripen.

In some cases watermelon can reduce inflammation in the body.

Watermelon does not contain any bad fat or cholesterol.

In ancient Egypt, watermelons were placed in burial tombs to nourish the soul after they had passed.

Watermelon only began growing in China in the 10th century and Europe in the 13th century.

But to me, the most amazing fact about watermelon is that the part most people discard–the rind–can be carved into the most beautiful designs!

okay, technically not the rind…but it’s gorgeous!

And then, of course, there are the whimsical carvings…

So, get them while they’re in season!!

Red Fox

Red foxes are gorgeous! In general, foxes live on every continent in the world, except Antartica and thrive in cities or rural settings. Foxes are members of the Canidae family, which means they’re related to wolves, jackals, and dogs. They’re medium-sized, weighing anywhere between 2 and 24 pounds, with pointy faces, lithe frames, and bushy tails.

Unlike their relatives, foxes are not pack animals. When raising their young, they live in small families—called a “leash of foxes” or a “skulk of foxes”—in underground burrows. Otherwise, they hunt and sleep alone. Fox pups are born blind and don’t open their eyes until 9 days after birth. During that time, they stay with the vixen (female) in the den while the dog (male) brings them food. They live with their parents until they’re 7 months old.

Even though they are related to dogs, foxes have a lot in common with cats. Like a cat, the fox is most active after the sun goes down. It has vertically oriented pupils so it can see in dim light, and it hunts by stalking and pouncing on its prey. The fox also has sensitive cat-like whiskers and spines on its tongue. It walks on its toes, which accounts for its elegant, feline-like tread. The gray fox even has semi-retractable claws, making it the only member of the dog family that climbs trees and it has been known to sleep in the branches—just like a cat.

The red fox also comes in many colors, including silver, black, orange, or a mix of all three. While color variations happen naturally, people have bred foxes for fur, leading to many different patterns. These include the marble fox, which is white with gray or black streaks; the cross fox, which is red with black patches; and the pink champagne fox, which has peachy-white fur and a pink nose.

Some foxes can run up to 42 mph, giving new meaning to the phrase “quick like a fox.” They’re also agile. They can jump three feet in the air and climb fences and over roofs. They also have impressive endurance: One Arctic fox walked 2,700 miles, from Norway to Canada, in three months. That’s over 30 miles a day!

Foxes can make about 40 (!) different sounds ranging from screams to barks and howls. Some calls are used during their mating season, some are used while protecting their territory, while others are just warnings.

Researchers have found that foxes are the first animals to use the earth’s magnetic fields to judge the distance and direction of their prey. They use this to their advantage when hunting for small animals located in high grass and deep snowy environments. They use the magnetic field to jump on their prey and successfully capture them. Their pouncing is also referred to as mousing by others.

In contrast, a silver fox is an entirely different animal…sigh

The Experiment

Getting older is not for sissies. This I know. As I’ve gotten older, my long-term memory has remained fairly accurate. (Full disclosure: I can’t remember my locker combination from high school, but to be honest, I forgot it a lot back then too.) But facts, dates, and people? Those I can remember.

My short-term memory, however is like intermittent rain—hit or miss. Certain words elude me –only to pop up in my mind during an entirely different conversation. And don’t get me started on why I go into another room…LOL

My experiment is going to be a simple one. I read an article online concerning tips to improve your memory and I intend to try those tips for a month. I will then report my findings…did they help? Or am I as lost as I ever was?

Here are the 12 memory tricks that are supposed to help me remember anything EASILY.

Do puzzles or play games that target your memory.

The study suggests apps (which I won’t use) or flash cards—even just trying to memorize a string of cards from a deck of cards.

Keep your brain active.

Just like your muscles weaken from physical inactivity, brain inactivity may lead to mental decline. It stands to reason that a more active brain is likely to be a healthier brain, and that having a healthy brain will benefit your short-term memory.

Eat a brain healthy diet.

The MIND diet (which is a hybrid of the DASH diet and Mediterranean diet) appears to slow down cognitive decline. It prioritizes leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, occasional fish consumption, and reduced red meat consumption. Drink plenty of water as well. Dehydration negatively impacts the brain along with the rest of the body. (Reduced red meat? Not likely)

Exercise regularly.

In general, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week for overall health benefits. (I already do this.)

Get enough sleep.

Research indicates that high quality sleep helps to encode existing memories so that they “stick” much better. (I do this too.)

Focus on what you want to remember.

Scientifically speaking, short term memory only lasts around 15-30 seconds—after that, the information is either discarded or moved to long term memory. Therefore, focusing closely on a new piece of info for 15-30 seconds can keep it in your short-term memory and may help transfer it to your long-term memory.

Engage multiple senses.

When you meet someone new, listen carefully and look directly at them as they state their name. Repeat their name immediately afterward. Shake their hand and feel their grip. Even take notice of their perfume or cologne! The more sensory associations you build, the more firmly the memory is encoded.

Utilize mnemonic devices.

Try constructing colorful, even silly visualizations or verbalizations to help encode a group of things in your short-term memory.

Try “chunking” items into groups.

Chunking is related to mnemonics and is the principle behind using hyphens to break up 10-digit phone numbers in the U.S.—remembering individual groups of 3, 3, and 4 numbers is easier than recalling a single string of 10. It works even better when you can create associations within each “chunk” — for instance, maybe the “3015” section of a phone number contains the jersey numbers of two of your favorite athletes.

Lay out structured associations.

Create a bubble map. In other words, prioritize remembering the most vital information, but also focus on memorizing the structure that connects this vital info to the less important material you also want to remember.

Address existing health issues.

Some medications can affect short-term memory.

Reduce your memory demands.

In other words, write yourself notes. Again, I already do this.

So that’s the list of tips. I intend to try as many of these as I can over the next 4 weeks. Wish me luck!

Source: Wiki How: How to Increase Your Short Term Memory

What Shall We Bake Today?

Since it will soon be time to harvest veggies from the garden, I thought I’d share my 2 favorite zucchini dessert recipes. The first is zucchini bread—a moist, flavorful bread.

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Chopped nuts and/or raisins (optional: I use both)

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour 2 8-inch loaf pans. Beat the eggs till frothy. Then add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat till thick and lemon colored. Stir in the zucchini. Mix all of the last ingredients (except the nuts or raisins) in a smaller bowl, then add to the egg mixture. Mix well. Stir in the nuts and raisins if desired. Divide into the 2 loaf pans. (I have also made this recipe using the mini loaf pans to share.) Bake for one hour. Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup cocoa

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs

1 ½ cups oil

3 cups grated zucchini

¾ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour a bundt or angel food pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add eggs and oil, and mix well. Fold in the zucchini and nuts. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool completely before frosting with your favorite frosting. I like to dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!