Rumor Has It

Do you think you attract mosquitoes more so than the average person? Well, you may very well be right. It seems that certain people do attract mosquitoes more than others and are more apt to be bitten. In other words you will be their dinner! There is something else I did not know…male mosquitoes do not bite humans. Only female mosquitoes bite, as they need human blood to develop fertile eggs. Interesting!

As to who attracts mosquitoes, research has shown that people with high concentrations of cholesterol in their skin are more apt to be bitten. This is not to say that you have high cholesterol, but that you may be more efficent at processing cholesterol. High levels of uric acid also attract mosquitoes, as does the emission of carbon dioxide. People that are more prone to omit higher levels of carbon dioxide include pregnant women, those that are overweight, and those that are active or exerting themselves.

So, if you want to avoid those pesky mosquitoes at your next outdoor event it seems advisable to eat veggies with no butter, urinate frequently, and lay in your chaise lounge for the duration of the event. Sounds like fun, huh?

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I love vegetables fresh from the garden! I like them raw, but I like them even better cooked. Many people say that cooked vegetables are bland. Not if you cook them correctly. If you overcook them, they certainly are. The best way to cook them is by steaming them in a steaming basket or by cooking them in a sauce pan with a small amount of water. All you need to do is bring your water to a rapid boil, add a dash of salt (some people don’t..I think it is a must), your favorite herbs that compliments the veggie and cook over a slow boil until tender crisp. You want your vegetable to retain it’s color, or actually it should even become a bit more brilliant, and to be to your desired crispness…the crisper, the more nutrients and flavor it retains. You can add any number of herbs, seasonings, oils, or other vegetables to compliment the flavor of your main vegetable. There  is no reason to ever think of your garden fresh vegetables as being a bland dish…the combinations are as endless as your imagination.

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I have been having a bothersome day with yellow jackets, I think one in particular has been out for me! I am at a friends house while she is at the beach, so I am doing her everyday tasks, which includes her gardening and flowers. Well, come to find out, there is a yellow jacket nest under one of her bird baths and I seem to have upset the dear things. I suppose I understand why. As I was filling the bath, one flew into the bowl and I proceeded to attempt to drown it..to no avail. It escaped and it seems for the rest of the day it has been able to find me, no matter where I have been! Honestly, I think it must be the same one or it’s mate. I have been sitting on the back deck every evening for the past 3 evenings and have not seen one yellow jacket. Tonight I could not sit down without this single yellow jacket making a beeline (lol) in my direction!!!

I know that yellow jackets are not bees, but are actually in the wasp family and are a very aggressive specie of the wasp. They will sting you, will follow you if you disturb their nest, but normally they follow you from the nest only as far as they can see you. They are also known to sting you without provocation. They are most aggressive at the summer’s end, normally after they have quit tending to their young. What seems unusual is they are less agressive while tending to their young, possibly because they are busy or pre-occupied. Though, if you disturb their nest during this time they are fierce defenders of their young and their nest and will aggressively attack. Unprovoked attacks seem to be more common after the young have left the nest.

I think I upset one that just kicked her kid out! She sure did come after me this evening! I moved out of her way, she was very persistent, to the point of sending me inside. Now, I thought, is this fair? I deserve to sit here, enjoy the evening and relax. Well, I eventually stood my ground and defended my rocking chair. I found that streaming spray in the green can…this Yellow Jacket will no longer be a problem.

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Affirmations: A positive assertion. Simply said per Webster’s, but are affirmations something we can use effectively in our everyday life to help us change behavior? If we use them correctly, and with dedication, they will help us overcome negative habits, such as smoking, over-eating, impulsive spending…the list goes on. I will concentrate on affirmations and smoking cessation, as this was helpful for me. I recently quit smoking, breaking a 20+ year habit and I found affirmations to be very beneficial.

1. Make a list of some of your positive attributes. Write them in the present tense (such as “I am courageous.” or “I am a good mother“). Make a list of all your attributes, think hard, you have more than you think. Go back over these and focus on them instead of dwelling on what you perceive as your negative points. This may sound simple, but it is truly difficult for people to look at themselves in a positive light, they tend to dwell on their negative points. Focus on these affirmations, with conviction (don’t just say the words) and begin to remove the negative thoughts from your mind. Every time the negative thoughts come in, replace it with a positive thought.

2. Your next step is to make a goal using affirmations. “I can quit smoking”. Make the script a positive one, not “I want to quit smoking”, make it an emphatic and powerful statement about something that you can, and are going to do.

3. Write your affirmations from #1 and #2 on 3×5 cards or paper that you can fold and put in your wallet, anything that you can take with you while away from home. You can begin stating these affirmations to yourself daily and set a “Stop Smoking Date” or go ahead and Stop now, you will know what will work best for you. If you select a date in the future, make sure to put that date on the calendar and write the affirmation “I will quit smoking on whatever day you selected”. Some people choose to cut back, but this rarely works. If you try this method, your affirmation would be, “I am going to smoke amount of cigarettes today”, then cut back daily. Just make sure you write your affirmation on paper and look at it and repeat it to yourself often. Every time you want a cigarette, repeat your affirmation and repeat as many of your affirmations from #1 that you need to until the urge passes. I chose to quit totally, no cutting back, no putting it off. This seems to work best for most people.

4. When you get the urge to pick up a cigarette (and you will), repeat an affirmation such as, “I am smoke-free today” and your positive affirmations from #1. I promise it does get easier. I still have to use my affirmations occasionally, but have found that they are beneficial in other areas of my life as well .

Good Luck!

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