Kenneth Davis

     In one sense there is no death. The life of a soul on earth lasts beyond departure. You will always feel that life touching yours, that voice speaking to you. He/She lives on in your life and in the lives of all others that knew him/her.

~Angelo Patri~

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     I'm a survivor of life. I try to give the glory to God and appreciate what's happening to me. I used to be a dusty little child. I left Indiana, and I ain't been back since. I've been doing comedy and paying my bills. The biggest obstacle I've had to overcome is loving myself 100%. And that's still a battle. I love myself, but sometimes you can be your own worst enemy. And I think I've been my worst enemy in life, because others haven't been able to do anything to me unless I allowed them to do it. I think in life, the sense of humor and comedy always exists. I learned that you don't have to be all over the place, that you can be subtle and you can say what you say. The words that you put together can be just as hilarious as falling all over the place or doing something.

~Mike Epps~

IT'S TIME FOR

JUST JOKING MONDAYS

     When my teenage son worked part time in a hardware store, a man came in to buy hooks for hanging plants. But there were only two hooks left in the gold color that he needed. My son, trying to be helpful, suggested, “Could you maybe use the silver or the white instead?” The customer scrutinized him and said, “You’re not married, are you?”

~Nancy Guerico~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Our misconception is in imagining that our suffering or how intensely or how long we grieve is a measure of how much we loved. In truth, none of us would want another's grief as a testimonial of their love for us. More likely we would want our loved ones to live healthy, fulfilled lives without us. Another misconception is that if we truly loved someone, we will never finish with our grief, as if continued sorrow is a testimonial to our love. But true love does not need grief to support its truth. Love can last in a healthy and meaningful way, once our grief is dispelled. We can honor our dead more by the quality of our continued living than by our constantly remembering the past.

~Judy Tatelbaum~

     Judy Tatelbaum, M.S.W., Licensed Clinical Social Worker, psychotherapist, and inspirational speaker, is a popular key note speaker, workshop leader, and professional trainer. Judy is an expert on overcoming grief and emotional suffering, encourages people to face and recover from life's inevitable crises courageously.

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS 
TO
 MARZIE GATES THOMAS
 & 
GEORGE PORTER

     Speak tenderly; let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.

~Mother Teresa~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Do you know the reason egg yolks are different colors?

For a laying hen, the saying "you are what you eat" applies more to the eggs she produces than to herself. Therefore, what a chicken eats incredibly influences the composition of its eggs.

Chickens that eat plants with a higher concentration of certain pigments produce egg yolks with a deep orange color. These eggs are not more nutritious than eggs with a pale yellow yolk. They contain more color-affecting components from the feed of the hen.

Chickens allowed to roam tend to find and devour plants with these pigments (like alfalfa), but chicken feed made of corn often produces a similar effect. Some farmers selling eggs with deep-colored yolks will even feed their chickens marigold petals to ensure the color is right. Prizing an egg with a brighter yolk is no new practice—farmers in Italy have been customizing their chicken feed for centuries to sell eggs that make for a more yellow pasta. 

The next time you crack open an egg and observe the hue of the center, you can rest assured that no matter the color, you're reaping the nutritional benefit of a hard-working chicken.

Kenneth Davis

HEY ESTELLA, THANKS FOR THE INFO....

SUNNY SIDE UP WITH GRITS!!!

CONGRATULATIONS ON AN EGGSELLENT POST

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     So long as thou are ignorant be not ashamed to learn. Ignorance is the greatest of all infirmities, and when justified, the chiefest of all follies. Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience. Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy. Be grateful for the simple things in life. Don't take them for granted. After all... What would a blind man give to see the pleasant rivers and meadows and flowers and fountains; and this and many other like blessings we enjoy daily.

~Izaak Walton~

     Izaak Walton, (born August 9, 1593, Stafford, Staffordshire, England—died December 15, 1683, Winchester, Hampshire), English biographer and author of The Compleat Angler (1653), a pastoral discourse on the joys and stratagems of fishing that has been one of the most frequently reprinted books in English literature.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

This One Food Can Help You Fall Asleep—and Boost Your IQ

Story by Bryce Gruber
The Healthy - A Reader's Digest Brand

     Good news for people looking to sleep better and boost their IQ—a study published by the University of Pennsylvania says that regular fish consumption has been shown to improve cognition and help people fall asleep. They also found that children who consume fish at least weekly fall asleep better and have higher IQs by nearly five points. Fish are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids—a fat that carries numerous health benefits.
     "Neurons need omega-3 fatty acids for proper cell membrane structure and function," explains Don Vaughn, MD, a neuroscientist at UCLA, of the importance of a fish-inclusive diet. "It then comes as no surprise that a dietary insufficiency of omega-3 fatty acids leads to cognitive deficits." While previous studies showed a relationship between omega-3 consumption and improved intelligence, none had established a link between improved sleep, intelligence, and fish consumption.
     The study published in Scientific Reports recruited 541 children in China, almost evenly split between boys and girls. The researchers tracked fish consumption along with the kids' performance on both verbal and non-verbal skill tests such as vocabulary and coding. Parents helped log how well the kids slept. After all the data was collected and analyzed, the Penn researchers found that children who reported eating fish at least weekly scored 4.8 points higher on their IQ exams than those who reported eating fish "seldom" or "never." Those who ate fish regularly also slept sounder.
     "Sleep is essential to brain health and function. The brain consolidates important memories, forgets useless information, and continues practicing skills learned during the day," says Dr. Vaughn. "Good sleep underlies high performance in memory and problem solving." The researchers on the team also noted that poor sleep is often accompanied by antisocial behavior, poor cognition, and a variety of other problems—all of which could be lessened by increasing the amount of fish or omega-3 fatty acids in their diet.
     "It is clear that omega-3 fatty acids affect brain structure and performance," says Dr. Vaughn. "We don't know the 'right' amount of consumption so it's certainly plausible that increased omega-3 dietary intake might lead to small improvements in cognition, with improved sleep as a mediating factor."

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth,

 I will be laughing for days about chickens and eggs. Thanks for the good humor!

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     In the 70s, GEORGE CLINTON and PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC and EARTH WIND & FIRE, we were very serious about our music and who we were trying to touch. I think that's why the music of the 70s has not died - because it has a rejuvenating quality to it. "Do you remember the 21st night of September? Love was changing the minds of pretenders While chasing the clouds away Our hearts were ringing In the key that our souls were singing. As we danced in the night, Remember how the stars stole the night away." 

~Maurice White~

     Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016) was an American singer, band leader, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter, and producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and served as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

EARLY BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS

TO

MARSHA McMILLIAN SHERROD

     Life is the flower for which love is the honey.

When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable.

There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.

Joy's smile is much closer to tears than laughter.
~Victor Hugo~

Kenneth Davis

     A FAMILY MEMBER HAS TRANSITIONED, I'LL BE RETURNING JUST IN TIME FOR JUST JOKING MONDAYS....MUCH LOVE AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS OFFERED PRAYERS ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY....

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

A little Friday jazz!

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Bobby Bland was a founding member of the Beale Streeters, the fabled Memphis aggregation that also included B.B. King and Johnny Ace. He earned his enduring blues superstar status the hard way: without a guitar, harmonica, or any other instrument to fall back upon. All Bland had to offer was his magnificent voice, a tremendously powerful instrument injected with charisma and melisma to spare. 

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     I wasn't always a comic, I used to do honest work. I was teaching airplane mechanics when I realized it was more fun to make them laugh. I was laid off one more time and I never looked back, although it was nice to have a steady paycheck and benefits. Comedy is the drug, when they laugh it's like I'm a jazz musician and they hear it, and they get it. It's power to take the crowd wherever I want them to go. I love it when they laugh, especially when they relate through laughter. It's a beautiful thing. It also means I'm going to get paid, which is nice.

~Alonzo Bodden~

     Alonzo Bodden is an American comedian and actor known for winning the grand prize in the third season of the reality-television series Last Comic Standing. 

IT'S TIME FOR
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

     At the bank where I am a teller, a couple with three large dogs in their minivan pulled up to my drive-in window. When the man handed me his deposit slip, the dogs began to climb over him. Pushing them aside, he looked at me sheepishly. “They think we’re at McDonald’s,” he said. 

~Lissa Snyder~

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND  By Marsha Burns

     July 18, 2023: You are entering a new era. It will not be evident suddenly, but will become a reality one day at a time. You will be required to leave the things of the past behind before you move into the next phase of your existence. It will feel like loss, but your past experiences have become a part of you that cannot be separated out. Take your next steps with grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     The only way to define your limits is by going beyond them. The future is not to be forecast, but created. The one fact about the future of which we can be certain is that it will be utterly fantastic. We stand now at the turning point between two eras. Behind us is a past to which we can never return. I will not be afraid because I understand ... And understanding is happiness.

     In my life I have found two things of priceless worth - learning and loving. Nothing else - not fame, not power, not achievement for its own sake - can possibly have the same lasting value. For when your life is over, if you can say "I have learned" and "I have loved" you will also be able to say 'I have been happy.

~Arthur C. Clarke~

     Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 1917 – 19 March 2008) was an English science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time.

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Avoid the necessity of a physician, if you can, by careful attention to your diet. Eat what best agrees with your system, and resolutely abstain from what hurts you, however well you may like it. A few days' abstinence, and cold water for a beverage, has driven off many an approaching disease.

~Lydia M. Child~

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

The 6 Best Vitamins and Supplements for Joint Health

Hedy Phillips - CNET Contributor - Medically Reviewed

     If you have stiff joints, you aren't alone. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 15 million Americans with arthritis experience severe joint pain and about twice that many say it's persistent. Taking care of your bones and joints can be done with a healthy lifestyle -- like eating a well-balanced diet and regularly engaging in low-impact exercise -- and also with supplements that aid in joint health. Ahead, we'll get into a handful of vitamins and joint health supplements that can help take care of your bones and joints so the mornings are a little less rough.
Best joint supplements
     Many of the best joint supplements are substances already found in your body! Learn more about the best vitamins for your joints.
Collagen
     Collagen is a protein your body makes -- and as you age, you have less and less of it. It's what keeps your skin tight and firm and what keeps your joints working smoothly. But as you get older, there's less collagen in your joints, which is where joint supplements could help. Though there isn't a lot of research on whether collagen can actually help your joints, doctors largely think that it won't hurt either -- if it makes you feel better while paired with low-impact exercises like swimming, then go for it. This supplement is generally safe to take, as the side effects are mild such as stomach discomfort or diarrhea. However, it's not monitored by the Food and Drug Administation, so take care when choosing what to take. 
Omega-3s 
     Omega-3s are fatty acids that can alleviate inflammation and joint pain. Research has shown that these supplements can reduce stiffness in people with arthritis and also combat joint pain. Studies have been conducted on how omega-3s work with arthritis, and it's been proven that this fatty acid can "prevent experimental arthritis and may decrease disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis." Omega-3s are largely safe to take but can cause side effects like heartburn, nausea or diarrhea. If you currently take a blood thinner, speak to your doctor before taking an omega-3, as there is a slight risk of bleeding when you combine the two.
Glucosamine
     You already have glucosamine naturally occurring in your body. It's in your cartilage and helps your joints function. A glucosamine supplement is believed to help with arthritis in that it can bring down some of the pain brought on by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Because it's a substance naturally found in the body, a supplement is generally considered safe. It has the potential to cause side effects like nausea and heartburn, and because it's often made from shellfish, it should be avoided if you have an allergy. There is also a risk of interaction with blood thinners that could cause bleeding issues.
Vitamin D 
     Vitamin D is known to support bone health, which is why some believe a vitamin D supplement could be useful in aiding in joint health. There is some research that suggests taking a vitamin D supplement can help with arthritis pain and inflammation, but the result doesn't necessarily lend itself to a definitive answer. However, this supplement could help. 
     Vitamin D is a great resource for the body, helping you retain calcium, which also helps out your teeth! Take care when adding a vitamin D supplement to your routine, though, as high levels of this vitamin can interact with several drugs. Most notably, high levels of vitamin D can be highly problematic if you're on Lanoxin, as it can put you at risk for hypercalcemia. Other medications mixed with a vitamin D supplement can also affect how your body processes the supplement.
Chondroitin 
     You'll often see chondroitin mentioned alongside glucosamine, as they're similar. Chondroitin is also found in the cartilage in your body, which is why it's believed to be beneficial in boosting joint health. Research into chondroitin has had largely inconclusive results, but it's still accepted as a supplement that could be beneficial in aiding joint health. It's generally viewed as a safe supplement, though, like many others, it can interact with blood thinners like Warfarin and put you at risk for bleeding.
Vitamin E 
     People often turn to vitamin E to support their immune systems, as this vitamin is an antioxidant. However, there is some research on how vitamin E can slow the progression of osteoarthritis and promote the growth of new cartilage cells. However, much of this research requires further study. That being said, vitamin E is a good supplement to keep in your rotation, as it also promotes good vision and brain health. Just note that it can interact with blood thinners and put you at risk for bleeding.
Risks of supplements for joint health 
     As mentioned, most supplements are generally considered safe for people to take, as they're vitamins that your body requires. However, you should always research supplements before you start taking them, especially if you're on medication. Even though these are vitamins, many of them can interact with prescription medications, and you want to know that beforehand. Checking with your doctor is always a good idea, as they can help you navigate which supplements might work best for you. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you'll also want to go over any supplements with your doctor before you start taking them.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND By Marsha Burns

      July 20, 2023: Timing is everything. You must position yourself to go with the flow of change. There are things that you have counted on to make you feel more secure, but these are times when you will have to leave the past behind and move forward into the new era ahead of you. Your security will be found in your relationship to your God and King and not external things. Be flexible. Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

     Our distrust is very expensive. We do not yet trust the unknown power of thoughts. Frankness invites frankness. Wise men put their trust in ideas and not in circumstances. The essence of friendship is entireness, a total magnanimity and trust. It is sublime to think and say of another, I need never meet, or speak, or write to him: we need not reinforce ourselves, or send tokens of remembrance; I rely on him as on myself: if he did thus and thus, I know it was right. The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~  

     Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

     T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N

     True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one's self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. If we hope for what we are not likely to possess, we act and think in vain, and make life a greater dream and shadow than it really is. True benevolence or compassion, extends itself through the whole of existence and sympathizes with the distress of every creature capable of sensation.

~Joseph Addison~

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Kenneth Davis

 T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N 
 

     Delight in the little things. The glory of the garden lies in more than meets the eye. Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade. If you can meet success and failure and treat them both as impostors, then you are a balanced man, my son. Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees that half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees. So when your work is finished, you can wash your hands and pray For the Glory of the Garden, that it may not pass away!

~Rudyard Kipling~
 

How to Revive a Rusty Pair of Gardening Shears
Story by Becca Lewis • https://lifehacker.com/home

     There’s nothing quite like the satisfying sound a sharp pair of sears makes when you’re pruning or deadheading your plants. But every gardener knows the anguish of finding that their shears have been left in the garden by accident, or found in a leaky shed come spring. While your shears might look like they’re past help, there are a few things you can try before you have to replace them. You can likely clean them up and make them shine so they cut just like new.
     To prepare for this project, you’ll need a container, such as a jar, a baking dish, or a cooking pan; salt; vinegar; steel wool; and baking soda; a toothbrush; dish soap; and water. To sharpen, you’ll need a sharpening tool, some sharpening stone oil, some tool oil, and a pair of heavy duty work gloves.
How to make DIY rust-remover
     To remove the rust, you should mix a solution of two tablespoons of salt with three or four cups of vinegar. If your shears come apart, you should disassemble them, as the solution will do better work on exposed surfaces. Then, put your shears in the liquid and let them soak for 24 hours. After they have soaked, you should see a noticeable difference on the surface of the metal parts. To get rid of any stubborn rust spots, scrub the shears with steel wool.
     To avoid what’s called “flash rust,” or fast rusting caused by the acid in the vinegar corroding the surface of the steel, you’ll need to give the blades a soak in a basic solution. Use two tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in three to four cups of water to neutralize the acid. The shears don’t need to be soaked long this time: You can just give them a quick bath and then dry them off.
How to sharpen your gardening shears
     Next, put on your gloves and use your sharpening tool to sharpen the blades. The part of the blade to concentrate on is the beveled edge that does the cutting. It will be slightly angled from the surface of the metal toward the edge. Some shears have two cutting surfaces like scissors, while others will have just one blade, and one blunt side that holds the stem of the plant you’re pruning in place. Use the sharpening tool with a few drops of the sharpening stone oil to gently rub the edge of the blades until they shine. This can usually be accomplished in four or five passes. You can also use a scissors sharpener by running it along the cutting edge of the blade about ten times.
Prevent future damage
     To keep your shears sharp and rust-free, you should use a few drops of tool oil and a rag to spread it over all the metal surfaces of the shears. The layer of oil will protect the metal from moisture, and prevent corrosion from rust. Then, you can reassemble them and do a test cut on a scrap of pruned branch or some other vegetation to make sure they’re sharp. To keep the shears in good condition over time, you should use soapy water to clean them. Use a toothbrush to scrub off any stubborn dirt and then rinse and dry the shears and apply your tool oil to protect them from moisture.