Please check out this You Tube video! Donnalou Stevens has given all of us “divine older ladies” a voice!
Why the Movie “Farmland” is Really Worth Seeing
Every single day, every one of us consumes food. It is an element of our survival. We must eat, and we must eat continually. “Farmland” is a documentary film about six young Millenial farmers–five young men and a young woman. All six are in their 20s. All six are part of the 2% of our population who feeds all the rest of us.
Years ago, I took my ten-year-old niece on a vacation to show her the Old Florida in which I was raised. We visited an Alligator Farm, rode an airboat in the Everglades and swam in many of its cool, deep springs. We also visited my cousin’s cattle ranch, because my niece told me earlier in the trip that she thought farmers were kind of boring and sad because they were stuck on the farm. Of course, I begged to differ; and I took her to meet my good looking cousin who was passionate about what he did for a living. He personally took her for a tour of his ranch. It was a great lesson for her.
What the Critics Said
I heard about this movie called “Farmland” and decided to take the time to check it out, though the critics panned it. I liked the movie and wondered why it got such poor ratings. After reading the reviews, I wondered if it had more to do with their dislike of the message than the actual production of the movie itself.
Frankly, I couldn’t help feeling sad. It seems that many in our artistic community are the first to yell “freedom of speech” until they don’t like the message. Then they want to squash it.
I found the movie well done with really beautiful scenery. It did a wonderful job of showing the lives of these young people, two of which grow organic crops. “Farmland” demonstrated how much risk and responsibility goes into producing our food. So what did I rate it? On a five star scale, I gave it four stars. I took off a star because it got a little slow in the middle.
“The movie helps the viewer understand a little something about what it feels like to be a farmer. Today we in America are far removed from the land which grows the food we eat. Most of us have never even seen a farm or ranch up close, let alone had a meaningful conversation with a person who grows the food we eat. This movie would be excellent for children to help them understand the importance of work and responsibility.
The only thing irregular about these six farmers is that they are all fairly young and there was only one woman. Farmers, in general, are disproportionately older. The average age of a farmer in America is 58. Also, about 30% of our farms are either owned or managed by a woman. Other than that, one gets a good sense that farming is both a business and a passion. It is certainly not the romanticized view of farming practices of years gone by but then that romanticized view was not very accurate anyway.
These six young people explain how they must tend to the financial bottom line or go out of business. They also demonstrate how farming is about hard work, long hours, and an enormous amount of uncertainty and risk. It is also about family, community, and doing something that they love to do.
Most Farmers Are Passionate About What They Do
This seemed very real to me. My cattleman cousin once told me that he couldn’t imagine doing anything else for a living. I also come from an agricultural community. Most farmers I know are passionate about what they do.
Most people think of farming as unsophisticated and behind the times, yet the statistics do not support this. Only three percent of our population feeds all of us. Agricultural production is becoming an exact science. Successful farmers today must have a thorough grounding in some type of science.
To be successful, a farmer must know a great deal about his land and the products he plans to raise.
The difficulties associated with keeping a farm in the family are well illustrated as well as the hardships that come about when one generation passes away before the next generation is ready to step in. It deals with the misinformation supplied by groups such as PETA, though it doesn’t dwell on the subject.
Farmland may not be the best documentary ever made but it is far better than the 1/2 star given by one of its critics.
Who Are We Hiding From?
This young woman made some interesting points in her blog post. Entitled “Who Are We Hiding From?”, she raises a question that I for one never thought about. So many in suburbia have privacy fences, but it wasn’t always that way. Please read. The link is below.
Wrinkled Was Not What I Wanted To Be When I Grew Up!
Actually, I once saw that on a bumper sticker; and boy is it true. Sadly, though, it is what it is.
I have these deep nasolabial folds that run from my nose down to each side of my mouth. Some people call them laugh lines, but I’m not laughing. The one on the left side got so big that my left dimple disappeared into it.
Finally, I went searching for a fix; and I found myself once again at my plastic surgeon’s. He suggested soft tissue filler injections to plump the deep lines beneath the folds. These are injectable compounds used to plump and camouflage the line and make the overlying fold less obvious. They are biodegradable, so they need to be repeated at six months to a year intervals.
There are several to choose from, but I usually use whichever one is cheaper. I’ve used both Restylane and Juvederm, and they do a good job of making the folds much less pronounced. They also keep my skin from puddling down into my jowls.
No, I didn’t get my dimple back, but I like the result just the same. I’m just not sure I’ll keep getting the fillers after I retire.
Before & After Juvederm Photo
Resort 2015: Jenny Packham
Love these!
Who Do You Think You Are?
One of my favorite genealogy bloggers recently announced on her blog that a new season of “Who Do You Think You Are?” is returning. I cannot wait.
I loved this show. One of my favorite past episodes was about Tim McGraw, the country singer. It seems that he descends from some hardy pioneer stock, including an ancestor who was written about in a journal by a sixteen-year old surveyor named George Washington. McGraw’s ancestor also came to America in the early 1700s on the same ship as another famous singer’s ancestor. Elvis Presley’s ancestor was on the same voyage.
This is why I love to read about people’s lineages. It makes for wonderful story telling.
Below is a link to learn more about the new episodes. It can be found at Lisa Louise Cooke’s website.
Yeats Described My Eyes to a Tee
WHEN YOU ARE OLD
by William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
Well, Yeats was right because, by my mid-fifties, my eyes no longer had their soft look but bore deep shadows.
This is what 50 looks like!
At the age of fifty, one’s skin around the eyes begins to change—and not for the better. There, the skin thins and collagen is lost. There’s puffiness, swelling, dark circles under the eyes, wrinkles, and crow’s feet.
What’s a girl to do?
Well, I can tell you what I did. I began looking for a plastic surgeon.
First, I had tried everything else. I applied all kinds of creams, serums, concealers, you name it. I wasted a lot of money with no success, and I finally gave up.
My mother’s bags under her eyes were pronounced and very, very aging even in middle age. I was only about 53, and I did not want to look like that yet. So, I went to see a plastic surgeon.
He corrected this with something called blepharoplasty and a brow lift. Blepharoplasty is a procedure used to correct drooping upper eyelids and eliminate puffiness of the lower eyelids. The technique brightens the eyes, leaving a more youthful and rested appearance.
It opened up my eyes, and for at least two years after the surgery, I did not even need to wear concealer. What a wonderful thing!
Now, it is over six years later, and I still do not have bags under my eyes. I have been very happy with this procedure. I do apply concealer and makeup under my eyes now, but that seems to be all I really need.
After my eye surgery and a change in my hair color.
At the same time as the blepharoplasty was done, he also did a brow lift. A forehead lift /brow lift is a cosmetic procedure that restores an aging or drooping eyebrow to a more youthful position, giving the area above your eyes a softer and more refreshed look.
Six years later, my forehead is still smooth, and I still do not have those two parallel creases between my eyes, though they are beginning to appear when I worry too much for too long a period. I don’t need Botox anywhere on my forehead. This part of the surgery was also a huge success for me.
I do use Botox, though. My upper lip is very thin now, and they apply a little to the two highest peaks of my upper lip. I’m not sure how this works, but it gives my upper lip a little fuller look. It is as if a bee (only so slightly stung my lip), and it swelled just a little. Actually, I’m sure it must relax my lips so that they appear fuller. All I know is it works.
I also use a little Botox on my crow’s feet. I try to get in about once every three months, but I don’t get there exactly every three months. I’ll let it slide sometimes up to six months since I really don’t mind the crinkles at the corners of my eyes. I always thought they gave older people character, and let’s face it, I am getting old.
So that is what I’ve done to my eyes and lips, and I’m very happy with the results even as I enter my sixties.
It Smells Like a Little Bit of Nostalgia
The other day I noticed that my facial skin looked very thin. I even thought I could see the forehead section of my skull. Oh no, no, no! What in the world?
And then it hit me. I’ve been using Retin-A, scrubbing cleansers, and all kinds of abrasive creams on my face. I’ve had microdermabrasion. Maybe, my face needs a break. Here’s the problem. Even my cleanser might be over doing it.
After removing my eye makeup at night, I use the Total Facial Cleanser by the Ageless Collection at I-Image Skincare. With wet hands I apply about a dime’s worth and message it into my face, neck and decolletage for one minute. Then I remove it with a damp baby’s wash cloth. I think the secret to this cleanser is the ingredient, glycolic acid. (By the way in the beginning I couldn’t leave it on for an entire minute, it burned. I had to work up to a minute.) So you see, my basic cleanser was part of the problem. I use it three out of every four days.
So what to do? About a month ago, I went looking for a gentler cleansing cream for my face. Oh my gosh! There are so many from which to choose. And the cost!
Finally, I went with a tried and true old favorite. I bought a large jar of Noxzema for about $4.50. I haven’t used this since I was a very young woman. I love the way it feels on my sixty-year old skin.
My first reaction was the smell. It was nostalgic. It reminded me of being 16 and dressing for a date with my boyfriend; but here is the best part, it deep cleans by removing all my makeup and it leaves my skin soft and smooth. I love it, and I noticed recently that my skin doesn’t look so thin.
I went online and found out that Noxzema has been around since 1914. I remember my grandmother used it. There goes my nostalgic emotions, again.
I am so happy I found it. I’ll go back to my Ageless Total Facial Cleanser when the time is right, but I’ll keep my Noxzema for when it is needed. It is good to get an old friend back. It is the best bargain in the skincare aisle!
For Aches &Pains, but also Good for the Soul
I began to take SAM-e several years ago. I read about it in a magazine and thought I would give it a try. I started taking it, because I was having back issues at the time. I made a trip to my pharmacy.
I remember the first time I read the box, because I noticed something interesting. The box said that it was “clinically proven for healthy mood and joint comfort”. Healthy mood? That was certainly unexpected.
I began taking it daily right away.
I’ve noticed that my joints are better, but I also got a side effect–a very good side effect. Before I began taking SAM-e, I noticed that I was beginning to have these brief feelings of dread–like something bad was going to happen. This had been happening for about six months. Thankfully, they were fleeting; but I have never been one to worry about things like that so it did give me pause.
SAM-e took away those feelings. My husband Harold started taking it, and he noticed that his mood lightened as well.
So what is SAM-e?
SAM-e is short for S-adenosylmethionine. It is a naturally occurring compound made from an amino acid. Your body uses SAM-e to produce neurotransmitters. They say that it may boost the brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine, and that low levels of both of these chemicals have been implicated in causes of depression. SAM-e has been used as a treatment for depression in Europe for the last 25 years and is becoming increasingly popular in America.
Your body makes SAM-e on its own. You can’t get it from food; that you can only get it from a supplement. It is available in capsules and tablets. I take it in tablets.
It’s best to take it on an empty stomach between meals for better absorption into your bloodstream. I take it with a glass of water, as soon as I rise. I take my synthroid at the same time.
They say that there is no standard dosage. Supplements range from 400 to 1,600 mg. Experts, though, recommend starting with 800 mg twice a day, but I only take 400 mg a day. As usual, though, you may want to talk to your doctor first.
I’m told that SAM-e can cause some minor side effects, such as stomach upset, anxiety, and trouble sleeping; but I have had none of these side effects. It can interact with certain antidepressant meds, so always talk with your doctor if you’re thinking about taking it and are using other drugs. They say that you shouldn’t take SAM-e for bipolar disorder.
One report from the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research, which analyzed the results of 28 studies, found that SAM-e was about as effective as standard antidepressant meds. It can be pricey, though–up to $200 a month for the recommended dosages. I take half the dosage and buy mine at Cosco when it is on sale.
Doctors aren’t entirely sure why it tamps down pain, but they know that it reduces inflammation. Studies by the University of Maryland School of Nursing and the University of California, Irvine, showed that SAM-e was as effective as some NSAIDs in easing osteoarthritis aches.
The researchers in California found that SAM-e quashed pain by 50% after 2 months, though it took a few weeks to kick in. SAM-e produced no cardiovascular risks and fewer stomach problems than the conventional meds.
Harold and I are believers. We take it every day now, and we have for over a year.
Note: No one paid me for this. I just felt that it has helped us, and I wanted to spread the word.
Delusional Musings on the Meaning of Old
A few weeks ago Blogher mentioned that this day’s comment is “what is old:, so I began writing my thoughts on the subject. Like so many others posts, though, I never got around to finishing it until today.
What is old? This thought enters my mind from time to time. When I was a teenager, I remember thinking that 30 is definitely “old”. In my 30’s, it had moved to 40. When I reached 40, I decided that 60 is “old”.
Well, now I’m 60; and I’m surprised because I don’t feel “old” at all. My mind says that I’m 60, but my body doesn’t feel that way. I’ve had friends who said their body feels 60, but not their mind. I think “old age” will be when I’m in my 80s.
My Uncle’s 90th Birthday Party. I was in my 50s, Chuck was in his 60s, our daughter and her husband were in their late 20s and their baby was not quite one.
I guess you can tell that as I age it has become a moving target.
There’s more! What about all this talk about 40s being the new 30s and 50s being the new 40s. To me it sounds like all of us age-obsessed baby boomers are trying to square it all away in our delusional-collective minds.
Let’s face it, we all look better from a distance in diffused lighting. I love these digital cameras and the bookoodles of pictures that we can take. If I don’t like the way I look, I delete it. I can decide to throw out any photo that makes me look older, but I digress.
I know when I got to be 40, I thought surely this cannot be middle age; and not too long ago I questioned whether middle age ended at 50 or should the senior years begin at the end of our 60s.
Four Generations
Chuck lost a colleague of his own generation last week. They worked together when both of them were in their youthful 30s. Yesterday we went to the viewing, and we happened to be the only two people in the room.
I stood back and watched Chuck look down on his friend’s closed coffin. The sunlight from a window above cast an ethereal ray on Chuck. He looked so forlorn, standing there, silently gazing and lost in his thoughts. I wondered if he were remembering their youthful moments during those days now so far away in time.
I noticed lately that Chuck’s jackets are looking too big on him. He is losing muscle mass. He looked so small standing there. I teared up. It was touching.
I have no idea what was really running through his mind, but I could imagine. Here he is about to retire, and this friend has moved on from this earthly place and moment in time. It must have suddenly hit him that this is yet another milestone–in a series of milestones.
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