The Streets of Quito, Ecuador

This lovely photo, shot by my friend Winston F. Cepeda of Guayaquil, Ecuador, shows the dynamic layers of humanity within the city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Winston explains that shooting sharp, clear photos is assisted by the ever present sun in his country. It still takes a certain amount of talent to find that perfect angle. Here the scope reaches down through a side street where remnants of the very ancient city and its magnificent layers of activity and history show through. The people is a strong and cohesive one and celebrate all facets of life. Below is a wider shot of the city taken also by Sr. Cepeda, taken from an upper level apartment window that shows the glorious mountain range visible from there.

Pennsylvania Neighbors to the North

This is an earlier shots of the beautiful Montoursville, PA in one of their typical early winter frostings. While we in South Jersey are set to expect a little snow in the coming day, these folks are gifted with feet of it on a regular basis. Isn't there something lovely about that brilliant blue sky after a snow storm?

Winter is Beautiful

It's Game Time Again--the Table Kind!

There's only so much cold outdoors a person can take. And hey, with flu season and everyone and his brother having a cold right now, why not take out the old Monopoly board and give the winter brain a jump? This ancient game--well, I think from the 1920s anyway--has brought conversation, laughter, and yeah, disagreements, too, I guess, between family and friends for years, as they wait out the ice and snow. These folks are having sodas, and I think popcorn is on the way. I think I'll join in!

A Great Time for a Leisurely Journey

When was the last time you were on a train? The New Jersey Transit System and Amtrak travel are a wonderful way to take in beautiful eastern sites. Unlike air travel, passengers on a train hoist their own luggage, but there it stays, and once aboard, one need not depart, change gates, watch for turbulence, or wait for the luggage return.

But the greatest part about a train journey is the journey itself. Watching through the large plated glass is mesmerizing. Winter time offers a view of those seldom or never visited scenes in true Americana. As they fly by in afternoon, with a setting sun, or as sun rises just after dawn, we remember the beauty and magnitude of our bright and glorious country.  Why not stop off for a trip to Philly or even down to Richmond, Virginia--and back!

Keep Crafting Alive!

What better activity in winter than your favorite crafting project. I like to make comforters, whether traditionally quilted, as above, or crocheted, also above. Each has its own great comforting qualities and both are easily maintained via wash and wear. The main point though is that they come from our own two hands and serve us through those tough times, lonely times, or just plain cold times! If you always wanted to quilt or you always wondered how to crochet, find a good YouTube teacher and enjoy the indoor hours of winter.
Here is a great teacher on YouTube with a very gentle and funny approach:
Click for Crochet Teacher Link
And here is an example of a nice quilting teacher:
Click for Quilting Teacher Link
Have a great time!

The Microwave is our Friend

Have you ever wished it were possible to lose weight without trying--much? It actually is. This may surprise you, but if you work from home, or at any office, the chances are good that you are well acquainted with your microwave. Heating up coffee, making quick snacks, lunch in a box, or even boiling water are frequently done via microwave for the simplicity and cleanliness aspects.

So how does this possibly not-so-interesting fact tie in with losing weight? Simple. While your coffee is being internally radiated, don't sit down, don't just stand there, either. Jog. Yep, jog. Jog in place, or jog around the room. It may seem funny at first. In reality, it will probably look funny, especially if you're in a big office and even more so if you have the open floor plan of a Microsoft or Apple office arrangement. But don't let that stop you! You can be the trend setter.

So you've jogged in place for a grand total of 60 seconds. Wow. Big deal, you say. What's that supposed to do? Well, how many times do you heat up your coffee? Make popcorn? Or pizza? Most people average around 10 times per day, according to my informal survey. If you use the microwave, your friend, for an average of 1 minute, that is to say a mere 60 seconds per use, that's 10 minutes of jogging in place each day.

I'm not a youngster and not quite elderly, but I am at the stage where losing weight doesn't come as naturally to me as it does to my 23-year-old. And I can tell you, I was amazed at how easily the weight came off, and I'm talking about behind-me weight. It was such an great feeling. It was the first time I felt I had been amply rewarded for my creativity. The idea started out as a joke to entertain my shih tzus. But then I thought, why not do it every time? Less than a week later, I was down 2 pounds. If you combine this idea with the one in my previous blog post about shutting down the eating part of your day after dinner, you might have the same great success that we're having in our neck of the woods.