And You Will

Most gardeners who live in cold climates just pack up for winter and head inside. Watching the landscape through a window, they see stretches of snow covered ground, dead stalks and a few hardy evergreens. Not a bad view, actually!

But for the truly adventurous there are many choices of shrub or tree that can help brighten even those gloomy winter scenes, inside and out.

If you are committed to getting fit when you head into retirement, you must not neglect the winter months. Just because it is cold outside does not mean you can slack off on your commitment to get and stay fit! Embrace winter and learn some savvy techniques to not only stay warm in the wintertime, but also enjoy working out.

There are some great benefits to keeping up the exercise pace in the winter time. First of all, you do not lose that precious ground you have gained in the warmer months. Second, there are plenty of winter sports and ideas for great workouts. Third, staying active in the winter months also helps you fight off normal cold weather illnesses such as the flu and colds. In addition, weight is kept off and you will also keep those winter blahs and blues away.

A major part of good communication between parent and child is active listening. But, what is ACTIVE listening? It means not merely staring at the child while he or she talks, but actively taking in what is said and exploring its meaning.

The mechanics of active listening are simple, though a parent may need to remind him or herself of them when interrupted during a busy day.