Category Archives: Maryann’s Articles & Podcasts

Holiday Stress Busters: Great Tips to Make Your Holidays Bright

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Holiday Stress Busters!

The November-December Holiday season is a great time to celebrate with family and friends.

However, while it’s a joyous time, it can also be a stressful and demanding time.  Perhaps you’ll have a houseful of guests?  If that’s the case cleaning, cooking and entertaining can be daunting.  Maybe you have a lot of gifts to buy in a down economy or perhaps it will be the first season you’ll be without a cherished loved one?

What are some ways you can keep the joy and curb the stress?

•Plan ahead.  If you’re the host for a big event, seek out assistance for shopping, cooking, cleaning and sharing the holiday-related chores.

•Make a list and do check it twice. Planning ahead and designating a budget for gift shopping as well as entertaining items, will allow you to limit your trips to the store and the pain on your pocketbook.

•During the holidays, maintain your health and waistline with regular exercise, eating right and getting enough slip.  Indulging too much in alcohol, sweets and cakes will not only make you feel bad, it can cause guilt and stress levels to rise. (Not to mention panic when you step on the scale!).

•If too much family togetherness is getting you down and you find yourself needing a breather ­— clear your head and take some time for yourself doing what you like to do. Try talking a long nature walk, reading a good book, listening to a symphony or watching a good movie.

•If you’re feeling alone at the holidays, get social and volunteer your time at a church, temple or community event.

•If you’re traveling, check the weather and plan for unexpected delays.  Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or get to the airport.  If you’re traveling with children, bring games, reading material and other amusements that can keep the children interested if you’re delayed.  If you’re not a fan of plane food or those high calories, unhealthy snacks you find at airports, you may also want to pack your own meal and bring some healthy snacks along.  Eating right will keep you feeling balanced and positive.

•A great way to get in the spirit is to plan a fun arts and crafts or baking day with family and/or friends.  Put on your favorite music, get creative and enjoy the company.

•Fill your heart and your time with those people and things you truly love. Take heed of the past, if you know a situation is going to cause you too much pain or stress, avoid it.  Make this the best holiday season ever!

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“HOLIDAY STRESS BUSTERS” Podcast, CLICK HERE.

 

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REDUCE THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE - FREE AUDIO PROGRAM DOWNLOAD

If you’d like to learn more about how you can REDUCE STRESS in your life, visit Dr. Bunny Vreeland’s website and CLICK HERE to download a FREE Stress Reduction Audio Program!

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10 Tips for Keeping Green at Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving marks the true beginning of the holiday eating and gift-giving season.

Here are some great tips to keep green and sustainable and GIVE THANKS to MOTHER EARTH!

  • Save on postage stamps and paper.   Send a FREE email invitation.  For example, an Evite from Evite.com!
  • Save on greenhouse gas emissions!  Create a shopping list of what you’ll need for the holiday celebration so that you can avoid extra trips to the market.
  • Another way to cut down on gas and fuel – buy LOCAL fresh produce and vegetables to support your local economy.  When you’re shopping, make sure you have plenty of your own reusable, recyclable shopping bags.
  • If you’re having a crowd to dinner, suggest that your friends and relatives car pool! Even car pool to do your Thanksgiving shopping!
  • If you’re going to have a crowd and each person is bringing a dish, plan ahead of time so there’s enough food. This limits waste.   For leftovers, make sure you have some reusable, recyclable containers on hand for your guests to take home to enjoy tasty leftovers.
  • Compost the kitchen scraps!
  • Break out the family china and silverware! Use cloth napkins.  Cut down on disposable dinnerware and dining items in order to limit the trash that goes into the landfill.
  • For thrifty and reusable centerpieces consider using multicolored dry leaves to decorate the table, put together a basket of pretty fall vegetables to display or flowers from your garden in a reusable vase.  You can also create an “organic” vase by hollowing out a pumpkin or other fall vegetable and place a glass in the middle that you fill with water to display your garden arrangement!  Scoop out apples and miniature pumpkins and fill with tea candles or potpourri to decorate!
  • Make sure you have enough recycle and trash bins to accommodate Thanksgiving waste.
  • Clean up for the party (and after the party), with non-toxic household cleaning products.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!

*This article, written by Maryann,  first appeared as an article in the  Sustainable Ventura newsletter.

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Reduce•Reuse•Recycle with Creative Halloween Costumes!

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Halloween costumes, can cost at a minimum, $25 dollars on up per costume.  If you’ve got several children or family members to outfit, the costume bills (along with candy and other fun fare) can really start to mount.

So why not get creative with reusable, eco-friendly Halloween costumes? How do you start?

Look in your closet!

What do you have that might  make a great costume?

Maybe you have all the items you need or perhaps you may have to buy one piece rather than an entire costume.  Check with friends and relatives to see what you can mix and match.  Thrift shops, are also a great place to find the little nuances to add to your costume.

Below are some great ideas for reusable Halloween costumes to try:

Princess –Pair a long gown with gloves (short or long). Wear a tiara and carry a star wand. Your Halloween subjects will bow in appreciation.

Cowboy or Cowgirl – Flannel shirt with Jeans, cowboy boots and hat. You might even tie a red bandana around your neck.  Don’t forget to carry some rope – to lasso in your candy of course.

Halloween Masked Man – Everyone knows the iconic white mask from the John Carpenter Halloween movies.  How to create this look? Black pants, black top and white mask of course.  BOO!

Hippie or 70’s person – Think colorful.  For girls and women – pair a long skirt with a flowered top.  Wear several long necklaces and dangly earrings.  A headband or floppy hat also works.  For a man – pull out some ripped jeans and wear a cool t-shirt with a peace sign (or your favorite band logo).  Put on the boots and/or sandals and maybe a funky hat. Now you’re lookin’ groovy!

Witch – Pair a black skirt and top with pointy hat.  Bring a long a broom  (or for a wand, carry a long glow stick!). Instead of black, you can also opt for being a good witch and wear blue or white.  Whatever it is you choose to do, just remember to say, “Bippity Boppity Boo!”  Now you’re ready to cast some spells!

Vampire – I vant to drink your blood!  To transform into a creature of the night that would even give Bram Stoker a scare, almost any type of dress with creative make-up will do. If you have a red or black cape, fantastic.  However, the only purchase that might be needed to complete the look – Vampire fangs!  (Even a red lipsticked-mouth with droplets of blood dripping from the corners will do!).

Maid – Coffee or tea anyone?  A maid’s outfit might be anything from a black dress or skirt and top paired with a white apron.  Don’t forget to carry your broom, feather duster or even a silver serving tray!

Hobo –To create the look of an authentic hobo, try wearing some ripped or patched jeans or pants.  An oversized jacket and t-shirt and a funny looking hat add great touches.  Of course, don’t forget your hobo stick (a long stick with a red kerchief pouch – which can double as another place to stash your candy!).

Hollywood director – Lights! Cameras! Action!  If you want to get the look of an old time Hollywood director – wear some jeans or black pants, paired with a white or dark top.  Don’t forget the beret, dark shades.  You might also want to carry a video camera to document the Halloween fun!

Let your creativity run wild.

Creating your own costume will be almost as much fun as going out Trick-or-Treating!

 

 

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This article originally appeared at SustainableVentura.wordpress.com

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Ring Shui: Move Your Rings, Change Your Life Podcast Interview with author Barbara A. Berg

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Would you like to improve your love life?

Do you have a desire for a more intimate marriage? 

Are you looking to land a better paying job?

Interested in finding your perfect partner?

SimplyDeliciousLiving.TV Host Maryann Ridini Spencer talks to author Barbara A. Bergabout her latest book, Ring Shui™ – More About Move Your Rings, Change Your Life (Revised & Expanded Edition).  When it comes to hand/ring accessorizing, Barbara Berg explains how utilizing a combination of ancient art and modern psychology (“Ring Shui”) can impact your life.  For more information on Barbara, visit:  RingShui.com.  To make an appointment with Barbara for a FREE consultation and/or to book her for a speaking engagement, party or event, call (909) 786-7201.

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A Father’s Day Tribute to My Dad & Father’s Everywhere

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LtoR: Mom, Maryann, Dad

LtoR: Mom, Maryann, Dad

Father’s Day honors fathers and celebrates the influence father’s make in their children’s lives.

Many countries around the world celebrate the day.  Father’s Day became a recognized holiday in the early 20th century, following the recognition of Mother’s Day – a holiday that was founded by Anna Jarvis in honor of her mother.

The first celebration of Father’s Day was at the YMCA in Spokane, Washington in 1910.  Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honor her father, a Civil war veteran, William Jackson Smart, a single parent who raised his six children.  After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis’s Mother’s Day in 1909, she told her pastor that Father’s should have a similar holiday honoring them.

Although it did not catch on right away, by the 1930s, Dodd stepped up the process to raise awareness for the holiday on a national level.  However, it wasn’t until the mid 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.  Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard signed it into law in 1972.

Growing up and today, I have so many wonderful memories of my Father, Len, and my mother, Kathleen, who are both in their 80s.

My father, a college professor, PhD and author, continues to be a wonderful role model as loving, caring father.

Our education was top priority always.   He taught my brothers, sister and I, to always be the best we can be and to pursue our dreams.  He instills positive family values and lives by their example.

He and my mother set an amazing legacy of what a loving marriage should be.

Below is a poem I’d like to dedicate to my father and all the men in my family and to father’s everywhere:

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad

-Anonymous

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Listen to A Father’s Day Tribute Podcast in iTunes, CLICK HERE or below.

 

Happy Father’s Day! 

 

Mom and Dad on their Wedding Day, November 5, 1956

Mom and Dad on their Wedding Day, November 5, 1956

 

 

 

 

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Healing Meditation & Prayer Podcast

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Many studies have been conducted that demonstrate that those who believe in a higher power, pray and meditate, tend to be healthier and happier.  The reasons for this, in part, may find its roots in the recognition of being loved by a Divine power, a sense of purpose, and for the general well-being these practices promote.  Both prayer and meditation have been linked to fighting depression, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress and keeping an individual in balance mentally and physically – all factors that contribute to positive health.

To pray and to mediate, it’s important to find time where you can be free from distraction.

For meditation in particular, it’s important to clear at least 20-30 minutes of alone time.

Meditation is something you’ll be doing for yourself, but that will impact not only you, but those around  you – in a positive way.

Some tips to get you started:

•Wear comfortable clothing

Meditate in your PJs, in your yoga pants, baggy sweats — something comfortable!

•Create a quiet space that is free from distraction

Turn off the phone, TV and Music. No technology, please.

•Get in a comfortable position

Sit cross-legged, lay down – whatever position makes you the most comfortable.  You’ll be in it for at least 20-30 minutes, so comfort is key.

•Close your eyes

•Breathe

Take deliberate breaths. Develop an in and out rhythm.

•Accept thoughts in to your mind and then let them leave

The goal in meditation is to clear the mind of all thoughts. Concentrate on your breathing can help you quiet your mind.

The more you meditate, the easier it will be and the more you will realize the benefits of the calm and harmony it creates.

There are many helpful books about meditation and prayer available.  I personally enjoy the guided meditation tapes for health, well-being, spiritual wellness.

Some great resources include:

How To Mediate:  A Practical Guide by Kathleen McDonald and Robina Courtin

Meditation for Beginners by Jack Kornfield

Your Present:  A Half-Hour of Peace:  A Guided Imagery Meditation for Physical & Spiritual Wellness by Susie Mantell

Getting in the Gap:  Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation by Dr. Wayne Dyer

How to Pray When You Don’t Know What To Say:  More than 40 Ways to Approach God by Elmer L. Towns

and of course, there is always the Bible – Old and New Testament!

 

LISTEN TO: HEALING MEDITATION AND PRAYER PODCAST,

CLICK HERE!

 

Enjoy!

Maryann

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STOP: Smell the Flowers!

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STOP and Smell the Flowers!

 

Do you find yourself rushing off to work in the morning, and getting home late every night?

Are you taking meals in the car or at your computer?

When you look at your calendar for the week, do you find that you are ever overwhelmed by the endless schedule of activities?

As the years pass by, do you find them getting shorter and shorter with dreams and vacations always put on the back burner?

It’s important for your health, well-being and success to stop and smell the flowers – or the coffee – EVERY DAY!

TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE

*Look at your calendar. Is every meeting and every appointment absolutely necessary?  You might find you can combine a few meetings and/or eliminate one or two.

*Are you driving all over town without any plan?   Try to organize your meetings in certain areas of town back-to-back.  You might also want to coordinate meetings out of the office only 1 day a week.  This will save on time and gas money.

*Make a part of every evening and weekends an opportunity to spend quality time with your family.  Prepare dinner and weekend meals together.  Use this time for uninterrupted conversation minus the electronics.  Plan family activities.

*Enjoy the moment – the wind on your face, the taste of morning coffee, the sun on your shoulders.

*When you’re eating a meal – Sit down to a table or to nature, and enjoy your meal. Taste it.  Eat natural, fresh foods and produce. You’ll feel better and find you need less food to satisfy you. 

*Meditate and Pray every day.  Give thanks for what you have. 

*Write down your goals and dreams.  Look at them often.   You’ll find by doing this, you’ll begin to see them transpire in your life.

*If you are unhappy or depressed, look inside honestly and work to change what is ailing you.  Seek counsel if necessary.

*Whether at home or at work – ask for the guidance and support you need – Delegate when possible.

*Plan ahead for vacations, weekend trips and special getaways that you can look forward to.

*Start TODAY to create love and happiness in your life.  It starts with you. Express your love with a card, a text or a small token of your affection.

*Put a smile on someone’s face and SMILE a lot!

A friend of mine recently lost a young family member in an accident.  Another person I know lost their parent suddenly.   Don’t let a tragic event find you wishing you spent more time with a friend or loved one.

Take heed that it is the QUALITY of life, and the deep personal relationships that bring meaning – not the superficial material things we can’t take with us.

Enjoy simply delicious living EVERYDAY. 

Visit my blog at SimplyDeliciousLiving.com for joyous living inspirations and great easy-to-make, simply delicious recipes and cooking videos!

 

Listen to STOP: SMELL THE FLOWERS Podcast in ITunes, CLICK HERE or below.

 

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GREEN Tips for Watering Your Landscape This Summer

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GREEN Tips for a Waterwise Landscape This Summer

Did you know that more than half of the average household’s water expense is from outdoor water usage?

With temperatures on the rise during the summer months, below you’ll find some great water-saving, eco-friendly tips that will help you save on your water bill too.

•Water Early in the Morning

Irrigate your lawn  before 8:00 am, when less water is lost to wind and evaporation.

•Don’t water when it rains or if the soil is wet

Touch the soil. Is it dry to a depth of one inch?  If so, then it’s okay to water.

•Water Deep vs. Often

When your landscape is dry, water it well, soaking the soil to a depth of 4-5 inches.  This will promote root growth and make your lawn and other plants more drought tolerant.

•Don’t use sprinklers on windy days

The use of sprinklers on windy days can lead to uneven watering and overspray onto the sidewalks and streets.  If you get a lot of wind on your property, install a drip irrigation system and low angle sprinkler heads in order to keep water near the ground vs. blowing away.

•Know your landscape and your plants

Are your plants brown at the tips?  If so, you’re plants are drowning.  They do not need more water.  Get to know your lawn and plant watering needs.  Learn to recognize the signs of moisture stress.

•Go Native

A great way to reduce your landscape’s requirement for water, and help the environment by saving water, is to plant with native trees and flowers. Talk to your local nursery and/or landscape professional about plants native to where you live!

•Cycle your sprinklers

Run your sprinklers for 2 or 3 short cycles instead of one long cycle on the days you water to ensure that water soaks into the ground rather than running off into your yard.

•Use Drip or sub-surface irrigation systems & water-based smart controllers

Sub-surface irrigation systems are the best means of watering your lawn and garden.  These systems, especially when applied with a weather-based smart controller, apply water directly to the roots, where the water is needed and avoids evapotranspiration (evaporation into the earth’s atmosphere).

•Watch for and Fix Leaks!

The next time you run your watering cycle, check for leaks, puddles and runoff.  If you notice a neighbor’s got a leaky problem, let them know immediately.

•Compost and Apply CPR

Apply a three-inch layer of mulch or compost around your garden plants to reduce weeds and evaporation and promote plant growth.  (Keep mulch away from tree trunks to prevent rot).  Improve the quality of your soil by using Surfrider’s CPR (Conservation, Permeability, Retention)! Visit:  http://www.surfrider.org/programs/entry/ocean-friendly-gardens

•Harvest Rain

Save money and the environment by harvesting the water that falls on your landscape in a rain barrel.  Visit your local nursery to purchase and/or inquire about rain barrels and rain harvesting.

- Maryann Ridini Spencer for Simply Green Living@ SimplyDeliciousLiving.tv

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Creating a Workspace that Works!

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Whether you’re working in a corporate office, or, as many people are these days, in a home office, it’s important that you create a space that will support you in your career and keep you productive and focused.

Design a space that makes you smile, where you can feel comfortable and ready to “dig in” to your day.

It may take some time, and trial and error, to determine what works for you and what doesn’t, but here are some helpful pointers to help guide you.

Separate home and office

If you do work at home, make it a point to have your office in an area that’s separate from the living space – and yours alone – where you can work without distraction and can close the door and leave work behind at the end of the workday.

Make Yourself Comfortable

Choose a desk that is just right for you.   Be mindful of its color and materials.  Are you more comfortable working on a desk made of wood?  What about the size? You want to be comfortable in your workspace.

Choose a chair that you can easily sit in for hours.  You may want to try out a few brands before settling.

Decorate your room with personal items that highlight your success

Showcase your awards, certificates, artwork, memorable photos, client thank yous and other items that are a positive reminder of your achievements.

Say Hello to Nature

Natural abundant light and clean, flowing air sources promote a harmonious feng shui.  Decorate with potted plants.  Place your desk in front of a garden view. You might even want to bring in nature sounds with a waterfall.

Get Organized

Clutter has been known to drain energy, not to mention being an eye sore.  Design a workspace where you can easily organize your books, journals and paperwork in an organized fashion that is also eye appealing and conducive to work. Maybe you’d like to have an armoire with doors or a bookcase with baskets or colored notebooks to hold your paperwork and miscellaneous items?

Choose Your Colors

I prefer working in light, bright white spaces that are accented with color and close to nature.

However, a blue room, the color of the sky and ocean water, is known to be relaxing in a good way – and also known to increase productivity and work efficiency.  Find what works for you and makes you the most focused and energetic.

Creative a Positive Feng Shui

You’ve heard of people using feng shui in their homes – well feng shui can also be used in creating a productive and creative workspace – be it in a formal office or a home office.

Feng Shui is a geomantic practice that is used to configure and harmonize spiritual forces to improve life by allowing positive energy forces to flow.

You might want to have a feng shui professional visit your office for some helpful pointers – or read up on the practice yourself.

 

Again, this is YOUR space.  You’ll be spending many hours a day in this area making money as well as your dreams come true.  Don’t compromise.  Make your space work for you.

For some great recipes and simply delicious living ideas, visit my blog at:  SimplyDeliciousLiving.com

Enjoy simply delicious living today, and every day!

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A Mother’s Love: The Origins of Mother’s Day

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Sunday, May 13 is Mother’s Day – the day when we honor and celebrate mothers and motherhood.

The celebration of the day occurs on various dates throughout the world and can be traced back to elaborate ancient festivals in Greece and Rome.

However, the more modern day version of the holiday began in the early 1900s.

A woman by the name of Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis, hailing from West Virginia, founded Mother’s Day clubs in several cities at the time, to improve poor sanitary and health conditions.  Anna and The Mother’s Day Work Club also fed, clothed and treated the wounds of both Union and Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

The mothers and women, who worked good deeds as part of The Mother’s Day Club, truly served the people not only as loving mothers, but demonstrating characteristic “unconditional motherly love” and support to all.

In 1907, two years after Anna’s death, her daughter, also named Anna, rightly began a campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday in the U.S.   Her desire came to pass, and in 1914, Mother’s Day became recognized as a nationally celebrated holiday.  Honoring mothers with their special day soon became popular around the globe.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’d like to dedicate the following poem to mothers everywhere, and especially to my wonderful Mom, Kay.

LtoR: Mom, Maryann and Dad, Christmas 2007

A Mother’s Love
by Helen Steiner Rice
A Mother’s love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God’s tender guiding hand.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Visit My Recipe & Video blog for simply delicious easy recipes and joyous living inspirations. At SimplyDeliciousLiving.com

Enjoy Simply Delicious Living today and Everyday!

 

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