https://crookedcreek.live/2018/12/30/the-un-lived-year/
Month: December 2019
Faster Google Searches
Searching on Google has become second nature for all of us but there’s still a lot we can learn about how to search faster and more effectively.
Here are some of the key tips from an expert:
- Think an extra second about what it is you are really asking for
Here is a search example “What is the distance to the sun?”
It seems simple. But where are you measuring from?
- Don’t include your answer in a search
People sometimes include the expected answer into their search. It’s better to ask, “What is the average length of an octopus” rather than “Is the average length of an octopus 21 inches?”
- Use ‘context’ search terms
Numerous “context” terms will help you better pinpoint a search, including words such as lesson, background, summary, tutorial, define and history.
- Search by voice for a spelling
Use your voice if you are unsure of the spelling of a word, pneumonia, for example. Using voice or text, you can also determine how a word is pronounced.
From: Senior Google research scientist Daniel M. Russell’s “The Joy of Search: A Google Insider’s Guide Going Beyond The Basics” and USA TODAY
Happy Holidays
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas or some other special day, I wish you a very happy time with those you love!
Happy X-Mas
Carol
Carol of the Brown King by Langston Hughes
Of the three Wise Men
Who came to the King,
One was a brown man,
So they sing.
Of the three Wise Men
Who followed the Star,
One was a brown king
From afar.
They brought fine gifts
Of spices and gold
In jewel boxes
Of beauty untold.
Unto His humble
Manager they came
And bowed their heads
In Jesus’ name.
Three Wise Men,
One dark like me —–
Part of His
Nativity.
Langston Hughes Photo by Bing
Theme graphic by Pixabay
Forgotten Cookies
I’ve been making these cookies since the 1980s and they are still a family favorite. The recipe was given to me by a sweet elderly neighbor, Helen Peters. I think of her each time that I make them which includes today. They are easy. Give this recipe a try!
Forgotten Cookies
2 egg whites at room temperature
3/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Beat egg whites until foamy. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until mixture is stiff. Mix in vanilla. Fold in nuts and chips. Drop by teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet. Place in oven and immediately TURN OVEN OFF. Leave overnight. Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies.
At My Feet – A Poem by Sylvia
at my feet
in a postage stamp yard
behind a small bungalow
i have the world at my feet
“my world”…
of speckled starlings and common house sparrows…
Carolina wrens and cardinals…
chipmunks who scurry about
beneath the fern fronds and boxwood…
and families of gray squirrels
who travel the branching highways
of the mighty oaks…
this is my world
among my animal friends
who come to me
like I’m Snow White…
and I to them
like they’re nature’s counselors…
and they are…
gathering at their feeders
and eating peanuts
at my feet
Sylvia L. Mattingly
September 8, 2019
Photos by Pixabay
Save the Bees
The Good News
Bees have been declared the most important living being on the planet by the Earthwatch Institute. Seventy percent of the world’s agriculture depends exclusively on bees for pollination which enables plants to reproduce. A study conducted in Chili with the support of the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA), concluded bees are the only living being that does not carry any type of pathogen, viral, fungal or bacterial.
The Bad
Alarmingly almost 90% of the world’s bee population has disappeared in the past few years, putting bees on the endangered species list. The main reasons for the loss of these tiny helpers are the uncontrolled use of pesticides, a lack of flowers, and deforestation.
According to Greenpeace, we can restore and protect the world’s bees using ‘common sense actions’ such as banning the most dangerous pesticides, protecting pollinator health by preserving wild habitat and restoring ecological agriculture.
You can help save the BEES! https://engage.us.greenpeace.org/onlineactions/syPysRdalUKLC5HuhjTFKA2?_ga=2.163208949.837567094.1571055076-1018024124.1571055076
Read more about dangerous pesticides and the EPA’s lack of action at https://crookedcreek.live/2019/01/23/pollinators/
Benefits of Owning a Dog
Why Own a Dog
The most obvious reason is that they are wonderful pets who bring immense joy to one’s life.
As pointed out in an earlier post https://crookedcreek.live/2019/03/06/staying-alive/ owning a dog may help you to live longer. This is strongly indicated in a recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal “Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes” of the American Heart Association.
The study was a meta-analysis of research published from 1950 to May of this year. This research evaluated dog ownership and its association to mortality. The data was from more than 3 million participants.
Scientists found dog owners had a 24% risk reduction for death from any cause, according to the study. For people with heart problems, living with a dog had an even greater benefit, the authors said.
Walking a dog daily for twenty or thirty minutes is one of the obvious benefits and stress reduction and social interaction may also play a role. The scientists emphasized that dog ownership would not make up for cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking.
While there are reasons why it is not practical for some individuals to own a dog, longevity might be enhanced by noting the importance of daily walking or other exercises. The American Heart Association recommends weekly activity of 150 minutes of moderate exercise to improve overall cardiovascular health.
Title Art of Luke by Pat Brooks
Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly 