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While I was in college, I took a world religion class. My instructor was a nun who was a lovely person and well-informed on the different religions of the world. It was really an interesting subject to study. It was, and still is, fascinating to me that many of the other religious works are similar to the St. James version of the Bible, which is my personal choice for spiritual instruction. How did the other religions come into being? Was it from a main religion that took off in different directions? Many scholars believe this to be true. For instance, Christianity and Islam is an offshoot of Judaism, and Buddhism is an offshoot of Hinduism. This is fascinating stuff, and, I believe that is the reason all the different religions have similar stories. A site regarding the origin of religion is here. http://www.allaboutreligion.org/origin-of-religion.htm Several years ago, I read a book written by a self-professed atheist. I don’t remember the author’s name but recall he said religion ruined the world. Religion in and of itself cannot ruin the world. Only people can ruin the world by their refusal to accept that everyone has the right to believe the way they choose to believe. If your neighbor believes differently than you do, it’s not your business. If you think they are going to Hell for their beliefs, it’s still not your business. God says in his Word that he will separate the wheat from the chaff. If you think your neighbor is chaff, don’t fight with them. Pray for them! My youngest child is an atheist, despite being raised in the church from the time he was a baby. He thinks that when he dies he’ll just go poof and be gone from existence. No Heaven. No Hell. We have had many philosophical discussions over the years. He believes that because many of the religions have similar stories they all must be false. Lucky for him because of my beliefs (and many hours of prayer), and the promises that God made us, I know he will come to accept the existence of God and go to Heaven when he dies. Of course, I’ll be long gone by then receiving my reward in Heaven, but I’ll be waiting to greet him when it’s his time to leave this life, and lovingly tell him I told you so.

My 14-year-old son graduated from middle school this year. There was a ceremony for the kids on the school’s football field. Several of the faculty and students participated by giving speeches, receiving awards, etc.  Of course, the highlight for me was when my son walked up to the stage and received his three awards. In addition to that moment, though, the principal’s speech really hit home for me. The 2016-17 school year will be his last because he is retiring.  This older gentleman spoke about “being in the moment.”  He asked that everyone put their cell phones away and focus on the surroundings – to think about things like the beautiful sunny morning, the trees that towered behind the stadium and even the thoughts of the graduates at the time. The principal said that by having so much of our time invested in watching the screens of whatever electronic device we choose, we are missing out on so much.  A baby’s first smile, your child’s first perfect dive off the diving board at the pool, that perfect person for you…it all could be there and gone in a few seconds - missed opportunities and milestones because of the addiction of constantly checking our devices. I am definitely not without guilt when it comes to this, but after that speech, I try to watch my usage.  Time flies as it is and I would rather focus on my family and friends as well as my surroundings rather than social media trying to determine who I was in my past life or what cartoon character describes me best.

With the hot weather upon us it’s important to be mindful of keeping your pets comfortable in the heat. To prevent overheating, keep in mind the following: -If they must be outside, your dogs need a cool, shaded place out of the sun to rest. -Clean cool water is very important this time of year for your dogs. -Don’t push your dogs too hard to play or work. Give him/her plenty of breaks throughout the day. -Never leave your dogs in a hot car with the window up or down. -If you must run an errand, leave your beloved dogs at home where it is cool. If you must take your pets with you, please make sure you have cool water for them. If you are planning on leaving them in your car, please make sure to leave the air on for them with a note stating such so others know that you understand the responsibility of having a dog. Their safety comes first. Please note that I DO NOT recommend leaving your pets in your car with the air on in hot weather. This suggestion is only in case of an emergency. -If you do see a dog left in a hot car call the police or the dog warden. In conclusion, Barley and Guinness have a few reminders for you. Dog fighting it not a sport. If you know of anyone who is involved in a dog fighting ring, call the authorities and report this activity. Also, if you have your dog chained outside to a dog box day and night, that is not a life a dog wants to live. They are pack animals and want to be with you. They consider you their family and pack leader. You should consider them your four-legged children. To keep the animal population under control, spayed or neuter your pets. This is your responsibility as your animals cannot do this for themselves. Bark on, Bordas dog nation, bark on!

My family has taken a vacation every summer since I was 5 years old. Last year we went to New Orleans and this summer we are going on a cruise. It used to be just my immediate family (mom, dad, and sisters) but the trip now includes my extended family, too - aunts, uncles and cousins. It’s great. The more the merrier. I absolutely love spending time with my family. Some of my fondest memories are from vacations we have taken together. Although being with family is typically a fun time, sometimes, with so many people in the mix, they can drive you insane. Luckily, my family and I have perfected a way not to become aggravated with each other by the conclusion of the trip. Here are some vacation tips that I have found to work for us when we go on vacation. When putting together the itinerary, be sure everyone is ok with the activities. Doing this prior to the trip saves a lot of stress and everyone will know what to expect. Spending time together is great, but it can start to become annoying after a while. In the trip itinerary, schedule some free time so everyone can do whatever they want whether it be shopping, taking in the sites or, my personal favorite, napping and enjoying the spa. My younger sister was famous for complaining about how she did not get to do anything she wanted during vacation. Adding a free day or two has eliminated the small family arguments. Create a fun hashtag to keep up with your family. That way while you’re out and about on your free day you can check the hashtag and see what the rest of your family is up to. #johnsonfamilyvacay Allow everyone’s input when it comes to deciding dinner. If you are taking a road trip, have everyone put together a playlist and pass along the aux cord or Bluetooth. I think it makes the trip fun when each person plays DJ. I hope these tips help you and your family this summer. Enjoy the sun and each other!!!

With summertime, comes heat, and with heat can come dehydration. As much as we all love summer, please keep in mind our bodies need some extra attention and help to maintain a healthy core.  Water intake can play a big role in this. Myself, like many others, do not consume enough water daily.  I personally would much rather drink something much better tasting than water.  I can assure you it is not my drink of preference as it should be.  Thus, I find myself on the verge of dehydration, especially when I am outside soaking up the sun and not consuming the water my body needs.  Our bodies use water to regulate everything, and we need more depending on physical exercise, external heat and sickness.  Staying hydrated and healthy is important. Here are some sure tell signs that you too may be on the verge of dehydration: Dry, sticky mouth Less frequent urination Muscle cramps Dizziness Increased heart rate Less skin elasticity Thirst Dry, cool skin (feels rough and itchy) Headache The next time you are reaching for that ohhh sooo good diet soda or gusto, ask yourself if you have hydrated sufficiently for the day. If not, reach for the water first!  You won’t be sorry.

One day as I was scrolling through social media, a picture of a beautiful garden caught my attention. Of course I opened up my friend’s online album and looked through her gardening creations. This got my wheels turning and I decided to make some floral creations for my own porch. I know we are all busy, and at first thought I would never have time to spend on gardening.  Then I turned my thoughts around to how I was going to MAKE time. Not only does gardening make our outdoor living space beautiful, but there are major health style benefits as well. According to www.rodalesorganiclife.com, some of the health benefits include the following: 1.  It reduces stress and anxiety. 2.  It decreases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 3.  It makes you happy. 4.  It keeps your mind sharp. 5.  It helps you sleep better. I enjoy watching my flowers and plants grow as a result of the care and feeding I have given them.  I also enjoy my kids asking me to come sit out on our porch with them because of the peaceful atmosphere.  For me, that is the best benefit of all.

When I was a child, my family lived in a rural area that didn’t have much in the way of entertainment. Mind you swinging off a steel cable bolted to a tree from a very large hill and riding my bike off homemade ramps was fun, but the thing I loved most was summer reading from the Bookmobile. It would park at the church every two weeks all summer long. My sisters and I couldn’t wait for it to appear. We were each allowed to borrow six books for the two-week period, which wasn’t nearly enough. My sisters would run to the romance section. Not me. I went for the mysteries. They have always been my go-to reading genre. Probably from the time I was 12 to 15 or so, I avidly read every book by Phyllis A. Whitney I could get my hands on during the summer months. She was one of my favorite authors. She has written many books for young readers and adults alike. Reading her books was like being able to travel the world without leaving my room. Adding mystery, murder and mayhem to the mix made it all the more exciting. I spent many happy hours whiling the summers away helping her solve mysteries in exotic places. I loved her books so much! If you’ve never read any of her books, please do. They are wonderful! Phillis passed away on February 8, 2008 at the age of 104. She led a wonderfully colorful life while she traveled the world gathering background information for her many fantastic books. Rest in peace dear Ms. Whitney with the knowledge that you gave me and many others countless hours of reading pleasure. I will fondly remember you always.

A little over a month ago, I began noticing a strange “crowing” sound every time I stepped out on my deck. I could not figure out what it was, but knew it had to be some kind of bird or animal.  A few days later I was surprised to see a beautiful ring neck pheasant perched on the fence surrounding our yard as I went down my driveway one morning.  When I got home, I was delighted to see that he was still hanging around our house.  I quickly nicknamed him “Phil.” I knew he was a male because only male pheasants have the beautiful coloring, while females are all brown. Pheasants also love to live in high grass, so he has been living in the hayfield by our yard for about six weeks now.  I also have a patch of wildflowers I planted and he occasionally hides there as well.  This past weekend it was time to mow the hay and I was a little worried about how Phil would react to having it (his hiding place) cut down.  My husband had to get off the tractor several times to make Phil get out of the way of the mower.  In addition to Phil, we also found five fawns and three foxes living in the hayfield.  The day after the hay was cut we did not see Phil anywhere.  I guess he didn’t like it very well that we had destroyed his home, and he decided to move on to higher grass.  I also feared the worst—that one of the foxes may have killed him.  A second day went by with no Phil, but on the third day, as I came up the driveway from work, there was Phil perched on the fence again.  He was home and I was ridiculously happy to see him.  I even forgave him for the two times he was hiding in my patch of wildflowers and suddenly flew out of it almost scaring me to death. It’s silly that I have become so attached to this wild bird when I really don’t like birds at all.  Maybe it’s because he’s all alone and seems a little lost and out of place.  We are enjoying him so much that we created his own Facebook page, and “Phil Pheasant” is starting to get quite the following.  I have also been shopping around for a couple of pheasant hens so that Phil will have some companions and not be so lonely—maybe we will call them Phyllis and Felicia.

As summer approaches, the warm weather and sunshine entices us to spend more time outside. As good as the sunshine is for us mentally, is can be very harmful to our skin. As a mother, I was a drill sergant with my daughters about applying sunscreen before they headed outside and I always received the “ugh, Mommmm” response.  As with every kid, they did not want to take the few seconds needed for me to spray them down.  It wasn’t until many years later that I realized, I was always applying it to their skin, and never worried about my own. I should have practiced what I preached. I am now seeing some of the affects of not applying it on my own skin throughout the years. Here are the top five reasons to apply sunscreen daily, even in the winter months: 1.          It shields your skin from harmful rays; 2.          It protects you from developing skin cancer; 3.          It prevents brown spots and skin discolorations; 4.          It reduces red veins and blotchiness; and 5.          It slows down wrinkles. Studies also show that some medications increase your chance of getting sunburn.  Medications prescribed for cardiovascular issues, inflammation and acne can make your skin more susceptible to sunburn.  If you are on any of these medications, be extra cautious. One more quick tip - sunscreen does expire.  Make sure you are applying sunscreen that has not reached its expiration date.   Studies show that expired sunscreen provides no protection against the sun.

I’m sure you’ve seen the memes on social media that reference not wanting to “adult” on any given day. Typically, I don’t mind “adulting,” but recently, with Mother Nature’s dose of hot weather and memories of how much I loved summer break as a kid, I’ve realize how I, and probably most youngsters my age, didn’t appreciate things as they were. Most days would start at the pool. We always went early – just about the time it was opening. Sometimes I had the whole pool to myself for a short while. A few hours and a piece of pizza and some ice cream later, we would head home in time for my mom’s “stories” - better known as afternoon soaps. Yes, that was during the whole Luke and Laura saga. More often than not, an afternoon trip to the local library was typically on my agenda following General Hospital. It was just around the corner from my house and they had big, comfy bean bag chairs – perfect for reading books for the summer reading program. Judy Blume always provided perspectives for the adolescent mind to ponder. Following a supper that was usually prepared on a grill, evenings were commonly spent riding bikes with the other neighborhood kids, playing kickball in the street and after dark, catching lightning bugs. I truly didn’t have a care in the world, but yet was so anxious to grow up. My friends at the time shared those same sentiments – we just wanted to make our own rules and not have to be home when the street lights came on. Years later, with bills to pay and job responsibilities to be concerned about, the days of the care-free summers are long gone. “Adulting” is very much a part of daily life, but it is fun to think back, though. It makes me realize how very blessed I am to have such good childhood memories.

I remember being at Drovers having dinner with friends one evening when the discussion came up about a new coffee machine that would allow the user to quickly brew one cup of coffee at a time via the use of single serving pods. I can remember thinking how crazy that was. I mean what’s wrong with the old way – just brewing a pot of coffee? And then I had my first experience with the Keurig and I was instantly hooked! There are so many coffee flavors from which to choose. Prior to the Keurig, if I desired flavor, my go-to was flavored creamer. The number of choices were few, but creamer would suffice. Now with the Keurig pods, there’s everything from blueberry and chocolate donut to cinnamon roll and butter toffee. And if you’re not a flavored coffee kind of person and prefer just regular coffee, do you know how many varieties of plain coffee are available? French roast extra bold, original blend, morning blend, dark roast, Italian blend and the list goes on. I won’t even get into the number of brands. Prior to becoming a Keurig owner, I typically drank a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and fixed another cup to take to work. Now, my coffee intake is up to three or four cups a day. It’s just so easy…and soooo good! I’ve always loved coffee. Even as a kid, I loved the taste. I would sit on my Nonna’s lap and drink her coffee. Bizarre for a kid, I know. I guess you could say I didn’t outgrow my love of java. And for those of you who aren’t big coffee fans, you may want to reconsider. There are now so many varieties and flavors, you may like coffee after all.

It’s that time of year again. The sun is out, the temperatures are up and there’s probably a good chance you’ve been invited to or are planning a party of some sort - maybe you’re hosting this year’s 4 th of July cookout or you’re taking a side dish to a pot luck. One of my favorite party dishes is somewhat of a classic – deviled eggs - but I make them with sour cream. I’m not sure what possessed me to try a different recipe, but I was thrilled I did. The deviled eggs made with sour cream received rave reviews at a Christmas Eve party several years back, so I’ve not gone back to the traditional way of making them. Perhaps you’d like to try something new with an old classic. The recipe is as follows: Ingredients 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 2 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper Decoration: paprika or cayenne pepper Directions 1. Slice each egg in half. Scoop out the yolks. Place yolks in a bowl. 2. Add sour cream, mayo, mustard, salt and white pepper. Mix with a fork, until smooth. 3. Fill the eggs with a small spoon, or, for a fancy presentation, pipe using a piping bag. Sprinkle the eggs with paprika or cayenne pepper. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!