AGING WELL May 6th

Today it is a little bit of this and a little bit of that: something that just might tickle your fancy. So let’s start by getting our hands dirty with a little bit of gardening news.

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” Alfred Austin

If you enjoy working in the garden, and I know there are many of you because I’ve been hearing stories of stiff joints and tired bodies, the Spring 2014 edition of the excellent “Garden Highlights” is now available by email. The Garden Highlights is produced by Marty Miller, an OSU Lifetime Master Gardener™, and includes all the local gardening tips and news that you need to know including water-wise gardening, plant clinics and raised beds. It is in full color, at no cost and emailed quarterly. If you are interested, all you have to do is email Marty at gardenhighlights@hrecn.net and he will put you on the email list. And if you don’t have access to email, we can make a copy of “Garden Highlights” for you at the Center.

And if you enjoy fine and unique gardens, Lauren Kraemer, who among her many responsibilities at OSU Extension is an instructor for Family and Community Health, sent me a notice for the Mid-Columbia Family and Community Education Study Groups’ 2014 Spring Tour, “Portland’s Glorious Gardens Tour”. I’ll just whet your appetite by sharing some snippets from the spring tour flyer: “stunning”, “Lan Su Chinese Garden, Rose Garden, and Japanese Garden”, “touring and shopping”, “lunch in the Pearl District”, “VooDoo doughnuts” and “detailed information about the horticulture, history, and other facets of each garden”. Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it. It costs $55 for FCE Members and $60 for non-FCE members which includes all costs for transportation, entry fees, lunch, gratuity, & membership for non-FCE members. The trip is on Thursday May 22nd, 2014 and you will need to arrive at the Best Western Hood River Inn by 8:00 AM to be picked up and you will return by 5:00 PM. Pre-paid registration is required and must be received by May 15th For more information and to register contact the Hood River County Extension Office at 541-386-3343. But if you are interested, don’t dilly-dally. There is only 16 spots available and I am not sure how many are left.

If you missed Julie Reynolds’ presentation in February at the Original Wasco County Courthouse titled "Close Encounters: Wasco County Residents Remember the Rajneeshees" this is your lucky day. Actually, next Tuesday will be your lucky day because that is when she will again share what she learned from her interviews with a wide range of folks who were touched by the Bhagwan saga. See you next Tuesday May 13^th at 11:00 at the Center for this fascinating presentation about a unique piece of Wasco County history.

Now if I remember correctly, I let you off easy the last two weeks - no head scratching trying to decipher the Center’s music announcement.  So this week it is back to exercising your prefrontal cortex (that part of your brain used for problem solving, emotions and complex thought.)

Ta eht Retnec no Yadseut, Yam ht31, Nitram dna Sdneirf lliw eb gniyalp rieht yrtnuoc dna nretsew skcil rof ruoy gnicnad dna gninetsil tnemyojne. Ereht lliw eb eip dna Eci maerc rof elas dna gnirb a wef skcub ot troppus eht dnab. Cisum strats ta 7:00, sdne yb 9:00 dna enoyreve si emoclew.

The answers to last week’s “Double your Pleasure” questions were the Rebel Without a Cause star James Dean and “Big Bad John” Jimmy Dean. (And the winner of five quilt tickets is Vicki Fricano.) But was that too easy?

If so this week’s Remember When question should be a little more difficult.  Who was one of America's best-known gossip columnists; who started working for the Los Angeles Times in 1938 and was considered much more vicious and unforgiving than her arch rival Louella Parsons, with whom she competed with for the title “Queen of Hollywood”? For five free Quilt Raffle tickets, e-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a large showy women’s hat of your choice.

Well, it has been another week trying to remember to pick up my feet. Until we meet again, if you learn to see without fear, you will find incredible opportunities.  

“A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.” Doug Larson