by Ruth Griffiths

My father died recently at age 101. He was a huge part of my life and I miss him every day. But several other people I had known also died this year, and I realized that everyone I meet somehow has an impact on my life, changing it, often in imperceptible ways.

During three decades working with the local newspaper I had some wonderful experiences. I won awards and was recognized locally and nationally for the service work I had done. But when I tell people about the highlights in my career as a journalist, it’s the “people” who made it special. My life is truly rich because of the people whom I met during my work.

Now, in retirement, I continue to meet people through volunteering and in the fitness classes I lead. Each person adds to my life, helping me to build a richer and more complex version of myself. Without the influence of others, beginning with my parents, I would be a single-dimensional person … a very limited version of me.

I tried to think of a metaphor for this concept. I would love to think that my life was like a bouquet of flowers or a painting, but instead I arrived at the thought that my life is like the dust on my kitchen floor!

When I sweep the floor (which isn’t often enough), I am amazed at the collection of detritus that is collected in the dustpan. There’s a flake of rolled oats from breakfast. There’s an apple seed from last night’s snack. There’s a piece of thread from my quilting project. Sadly, the “dust” in the pan is often composed mainly of my own hair and skin cells! (I’m shedding worse than a cat!)

This unappetizing story helps me to explain how other people touch my life. Everything that happens in my kitchen leaves its imprint on the floor. Everyone I meet leaves an imprint on my life, imperceptibly changing me.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” is a funeral phrase that has richer meaning for me when I think about the rich and cumulative nature of dust. We come from “dust”… the rich heritage of our genealogy … and we return to “dust” … the complex compost of the grave. But along the way we acquire a lot of new dust from the host of people who enter our lives.

I am truly grateful for the people who have “dusted” my life.

by Ruth Griffiths

Since humans started to drape themselves in animal skins, we have needed something to hold it all together. I found it intriguing to research the history of clothing fasteners.

Buttons date back to 2800 BCE, according to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. Buttons were first used “as ornamental details carved from seashells and stones, rather than fasteners. Functional buttons popped up in Germany during the 13th century thanks to the advent of the buttonhole, and by the start of the 14th century, buttons were used widely across Europe, due in part to the popularity of tight-fitting clothing.”

Buckles date back to the Iron Age, between 1200 BCE and 600 BCE. Both square and D-shaped belt buckles have been discovered in ancient graves. Interestingly, the word “buckle” has roots in the Latin “buccula”, or cheek strap, which alludes to the straps that Roman soldiers used to keep helmets in place.

According to a blog by Emily Singer, “hook and eye closures first popped up in 14th century England on doublets and breeches as an invisible button of sorts. Originally crafted by hand from wires, hook and eye closures have primarily been used in women’s clothing, specifically bras and corsets. Arranged in rows, they evenly distribute stress on restrictive garments.”

I had thought that the zipper was an invention without precedent, but the zipper was initially called the “hookless fastener.”

Perhaps there really are no “new” ideas, only innovative improvements on the past.

According to Singer, Elias Howe received a patent for an “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure” in 1851. There have been many refinements of the zipper over the years, including airtight and water-tight zippers. “Invisible” zippers have the teeth hidden behind a tape, so that the zipper is invisible. The zipper tape’s colour matches the colour of the garment, making it “invisible”.

Like buttons, zippers have become a fashion statement. You’ll find zippers on clothing where no openings exist.

Did you ever wonder about the initials YKK that are on most zippers? That Japanese company (formerly called Yoshida Kogyo K.K.) controls half of the market worldwide.

Anyone who struggles with shoelaces will love the story of Velcro. This tape and hook fastener was invented in 1951. Swiss engineer George de Mestral noticed how burrs clung to his dog’s fur and his own clothing while on a hunting trip through the Alps. He made an innovation on the hook and eye closure on a massively reduced scale, taking two fabric strips — one with tiny hooks and one with soft loops — that bound together when pressed.

by Ruth Griffiths

We are well into the home stretch for the 2017 Prince Albert Winter Festival. It’s one of the longest running festivals in Canada, celebrating local talent and the traditional northern lifestyle.

In its beginning, in 1965, Prince Albert Winter Festival events were held on the North Saskatchewan River. When the ice creaked and groaned, it added to the excitement of being on the river. Sadly, because of fluctuations in water levels, the ice is no longer safe for hosting the festival events.

Over the years, Winter Festival has been held at Little Red River Park, in a field south of Marquis Drive and, most recently, at the Alfred Jenkins Field House on 10th Avenue West. The addition of indoor activities for children, the Kidz Fun Zone, has made this a popular venue.

I recall watching the King Trapper events in Memorial Square at City Hall. Contestants dressed in fur hats and buckskin jackets hauled flour, made bannock and chopped logs for prizes and a title. The moose-calling competition was educational and entertaining. This year, the traditional trapper events will be held at the Alfred Jenkins Field House on Saturday and Sunday. Check the schedule at princealbertwinterfestival.com

Most of the outdoor events are free of charge but you need to wear a Winter Festival button. The logo on the button has traditionally been a representation of a sled dog, but this year it celebrates Canada’s 150th birthday with a maple leaf. The WF button is quite attractive and costs only $3. Many people have been collecting the buttons for decades.

The cold fresh air will improve your appetite for the Fish Fry that begins Friday night and continues Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Alfred Jenkins Field House. Fish and chips is $10 per plate.

So lace up your mukluks, zip up your parka and head out to the winter festival. See you there!

by Ruth Griffiths

Along with a group of friends, I’m planning our annual trip to the Watrous Mineral Spa at Lake Manitou. Soaking in the warm mineral-rich pool is a great way to fight the mid-winter blues. 

At Lake Manitou, high concentrations of salts increase the specific gravity of the water and increase buoyancy, so the body feels lighter in the pool. You can float standing up!

Besides being a relaxing social time, many people find that the warm salty water relieves the pain of arthritis and eases skin irritations.

If you can’t get to a mineral spa, you can enjoy similar benefits by adding bath salts to a warm bath. I wondered why bath salts are so popular. Here is what I found:

Bath salts, when used in their natural, pure form, contain many beneficial minerals and nutrients that keep your skin smooth, soft and supple. Some of the minerals found in bath salts include magnesium, potassium, calcium, bromide, and of course, sodium.

Soaking or scrubbing with bath salts releases dead skin cells to make skin soft and supple. This encourages skin to renew itself.

Soaking in a tub sprinkled with bath salt releases muscle tension and promotes restfulness. It relaxes tense, aching muscles and joints. It might help to relieve arthritis and rheumatism.

One source says natural bath salt, such as salt from the Dead Sea, soothes common irritations such as insect bites, minor rashes, calluses on feet, while working on serious skin conditions like athlete’s foot, eczema, and psoriasis.

You can make your own bath salts by adding essential oils to Epsom salts or sea salt. Do not use table salt, as it does not contain all of the beneficial minerals that sea salts have. But which essential oil to choose? I found three suggestions: 

Orange: It has a fresh, sweet, citrus smell, and helps soothe dry, irritated skin as well as acne-prone skin. Excellent for rubbing on calluses on the feet.

Lavender: Eases nervous tension, relieves pain, disinfects scalp and skin, enhances blood circulation and treats respiratory problems. The benefits of lavender can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties, hence the best scent to treat skin disorders including wounds and sunburns.

Lemongrass: Bathing in water infused with lemongrass bath salts revitalizes the body and relieves symptoms of jetlag, clears headache, and busts stress.

As with any skin-care product, test your it out before you immerse your body in a bath containing bath salts.

by Ruth Griffiths

Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated each Feb.14. It originated as a Christian feast day honouring one or more early saints named Valentinus. It is now a commercial celebration around the world, although it is not a public holiday in any country.

According to Wikipedia, there are several stories about the various Valentines, including an account of Saint Valentine of Rome that indicated he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. According to legend, during his imprisonment, Saint Valentine healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius, and before his execution, he wrote her a letter signed “Your Valentine.”

In 18th-century England, Valentine’s Day evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by giving flowers, candy and sending greeting cards.

Here’s a quiz to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day.

1. What are the traditional symbols of Valentine’s Day cards and decorations?
   
2. St. Valentine’s Day is commemorated in various Christian denominations. In what year did it cease to be a feast day in the Roman Catholic Church?
   
3. Saint Valentine supposedly wore a purple amethyst ring, customarily worn by Christian bishops. What image was engraved on his ring?
   
4. What is the significance of Cupid?
   
5. Esther Howland (1828–1904) is credited with the first mass-produced valentine cards in the United States. In what year did she begin to produce and sell embossed paper lace valentines?
   
6. A billion valentines are exchanged in the U.S. each year. Which profession receives the most valentine cards?
   
7. According to RetailMeNot.ca, the average Canadian plans to spend $164 on Valentine’s Day. What are the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts?
   
8. The celebration of Valentine’s Day is relatively recent in Japan, but differs from the West in that women give gifts to men. Why is that?

ANSWERS

1. Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.
   
2. In the 1969 revision of the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, the feast day of Saint Valentine was relegated to secular celebration.
   
3. Cupid
   
4. In mythology, Cupid is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. During the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy with a bow and arrow that represent his source of power. Anyone shot by Cupid’s arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire.
   
5. 1847
   
6. Teachers
   
7. We will spend $190 on jewelry, $76 on tickets to an event or show, $61 on lingerie, $40 on flowers and $18 on candy or chocolate.
   
8. According to the website Mastermedia, a marketing translation mistake started a unique Valentine’s Day tradition in Japan. Morozoff Ltd., a confectionary and cake company headquartered in Kobe, Japan, marketed a Valentine’s Day advertisement in 1936 that featured people giving each other chocolate on Valentine’s Day. In translating the advertisement, the company portrayed women giving chocolate and gifts to men, instead of men giving the items to women. Today it is considered customary for women to give chocolate to every male friend or co-worker.

by Ruth Griffiths

We stepped out into the parking lot and noticed our heightened sense of smell. It was one of those moist, warm winter mornings after a long stretch of frigid temperatures. Why does warm air smell differently from cold air? It seemed like a good topic for research.

I discovered that odours are produced by airborne particles released by things in the environment around us. When we breathe in the air, these molecules are detected by receptors in our noses.

The odour molecules become airborne more quickly in a warmer environment than a colder one, so there are more smells available on a warm day than a cold one.

Humidity is also a factor. Pamela Dalton, a senior scientist at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia: “Warm and humid air enhances our sense of smell, because the humidity carries odour molecules to our noses.”

Temperature and humidity affect odour because they increase molecular volatility. For a chemical to have smell, it must spread its molecules in the air. That’s why a cold dish smells less than a heated one: the vapours carry more of the scented molecules from the food. Warm air holds more moisture than cold air.

It seems that hot or cold air temperature can affect our preferences for foods. The temperature to which food is heated or chilled also affects our enjoyment of it. Think of hot apple pie versus room temperature pie.

Air temperature can also affect our sense of hearing. Sound sometimes seems to travel farther on cold days.

I remember a crisp morning on the farm when we could hear the neighbour’s dog barking. Ordinarily, sound did not travel that far. My father explained that the sound had “skipped off the clouds.” He was mostly right. It was due to thermal inversion.

Wikipedia explains: When a layer of cold air close to the ground is covered by a layer of warmer air, sound waves travelling upward may be bent, or refracted, by the difference in temperature and redirected toward the ground. An observer standing where the descending sound is focused may therefore hear a sound he would not ordinarily have heard because of his distance from its source.

Air temperature can also affect what we see. Again, as a child on the farm, I witnessed a mirage. We clearly saw in the sky the image of a forest over 50 miles away.

Wikipedia explains: A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky.

In contrast to a hallucination, a mirage is a real optical phenomenon that can be captured on camera, since light rays are actually refracted to form the false image at the observer’s location.

We tend to think of our senses are static and defined, but it appears the ocean of air around us can change what we smell, taste, hear and see.

by Ruth Griffiths

At the end of one of the yoga classes that I lead, a participant gave me a big hug.  “That’s from my chiropractor,” he said. He had noticed the difference since he started doing chair yoga.

Yoga has become increasingly popular for many reasons, including relaxation, strengthening and stretching. But many people shy away from yoga because they don’t like the idea of being “stretched into a pretzel” and they worry that if they get onto the floor, they’ll never get up again. The solution is chair yoga. The chair frees me of the fear of falling so that I can practice balancing and stretching in a relaxed frame of mind.

Yoga has been shown to improve overall health. One of my new participants says yoga was recommended because the deep breathing will help her lungs. I know from personal experience that yoga has increased my core strength and eliminated lower back pain. A recent study suggested that chair yoga helps control the pain of arthritis.

Here are some other benefits of chair yoga, taken from doyouyoga.com:

1. Improved Strength — As we age, we are better able to continue with hobbies and daily activities if we keep active. A strong body is better able to withstand an injury, if we do fall.

 2. Improved Flexibility — Regular neck stretches allow me to drive more safely because I can move my head enough to lane check. Chair yoga can help those with mobility issues to undertake activities they have perhaps been unable to, such as reaching down to tie shoelaces or pick things up.

3. Improved proprioception — Proprioception is the skill of knowing where your body is in space, and coordinating your movements accurately. This is particularly important for elderly people and can prevent falls. For people with disabilities or conditions such as MS, it may mean having greater control over your body and its movements.

4. Reduced stress and improved mental clarity — Chair yoga can lessen the impact of chronic illnesses and pain. It may also help us cope with feelings of isolation, especially during our cold winters. Being calmer and more relaxed inevitably leads to a greater feeling of happiness and wellbeing.

5. Opportunities to socialize — Attending chair yoga classes is another way to meet people and make friends. Choose a class that is adapted for the older body.

6. Improved stress and pain management — Yoga includes breath work, which can help with stress management but also for coping and managing pain. Through meditation and paying attention to your breath, you can help your body and mind to cope with the pain of an illness or condition.

I lead a drop-in yoga class for adults each Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Calvary United Church, 114 25^th St. E. The room is wheelchair accessible but most participants are able to stand. The fee is a donation to the church. I invite you to come out and try a chair-assisted yoga class and realize its benefits for yourself.

by Ruth Griffiths

Most of us live our lives on autopilot. We have a series of habits that get us through the day without too many decisions to make. But some of those habits are unhealthy.

You may have chosen to change one of those habits. The first step to changing a habit is making a plan.

Pick just one habit to change. Many people fail at their New Year’s resolutions because they tackle too much change at a time.

Start small. The smaller the better, because habit change is difficult, and trying to take on too much is a recipe for disaster. If your goal is to exercise 30 minutes each day, you can do it 10 minutes at a time. Don’t wait to go to the gym. Build the exercise into your everyday activities. Park the car at the far end of the lot and push your groceries through the snow for a great workout.

Put it on paper. Just saying you’re going to change the habit is not enough of a commitment. You need to actually write it down, on paper. Post that paper on your fridge door.

Make a plan to achieve your goal. Include your reasons for changing, the obstacles you might face and how you will overcome them. List people who will help you achieve your plan.

Pick a healthier habit to replace the habit you are trying to change. If you want to cut out snacking while you watch TV, what are you going to do instead. Maybe you could drink herbal tea or chew gum.

Go public. Tell everyone about your plan. Post it on Facebook Make this your Big Day. It builds up anticipation and excitement, and helps you to prepare.

Telling other people about your plan will encourage you to stick to your plan and allow them to support you in your desire to become a healthier you.

Find a buddy to support you on your plan. You are more likely to head out to a walking program at -30C if you are going to be joining a friend. You will do for others what you won’t do for yourself. Support each other in your plan to make a healthier you.

by Ruth Griffiths

Carrots are part of the cuisine of cultures around the world. Everywhere I have traveled, carrots were on the menu in one form or another.

Carrots are the most popular vegetable in the UK, edging out the potato in popularity. China produces half the carrots grown worldwide.

Carrots are used in many cuisines both cooked and in salads. For the past 30 years, baby carrots (carrots that have been peeled and cut into uniform cylinders) have been a popular ready-to-eat snack food in local supermarkets.

The carrots we grow today, Daucus carota sativus, have been cultivated for centuries. They are thought to have been selected from the wild carrot, Daucus carota carota (Queen Anne’s Lace), which originated on the Iranian Plateau, an area that now includes Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. Wild carrot grows in temperate regions around the globe, particularly Western Asia and Europe, and is widely distributed across much of North America.

Carrot flowers, seeds and roots were first used for medicinal purposes. The domestic carrot has been selectively bred for its greatly enlarged, more palatable, less woody-textured taproot.

According to Wikipedia, carrots appear to have been introduced into Spain by the Moors in 8th century. In the 10th century, in West Asia, India and Europe, the roots were purple. The Jewish scholar Simeon Seth describes both red and yellow carrots in the 11th century. Cultivated carrots appeared in China in the 14th century, and in Japan in the 18th century. Orange-coloured carrots appeared in the Netherlands and England in the 17th century. European settlers introduced the carrot to colonial America in the 17th century.

Carrots are a healthy vegetable, high in Vitamin A, but eating carrots will not help you see in the dark, contrary to what many of us were taught years ago. According to Wikipedia, this myth was propaganda used by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War to explain why their pilots had improved success during night air battles, but was actually used to disguise advances in radar technology and the use of red lights on instrument panels.

Carrots are relatively easy to grown. Because they take only 90 days to mature, carrots can be grown almost anywhere below the tree line in Canada. Pulling a carrot root from the ground and eating it fresh is one of the great pleasures of gardening. As you plan your garden this summer, don’t forget the carrots.

by Ruth Griffiths

Last week I graded my predictions for 2016 and proved my inability to see into the future. But, buoyed by support from readers, I again embrace my fallibility and offer the following predictions for the coming year: 

1. Despite the Christmas market bombings in Germany and an unprecedented influx of refugees during 2016, Angela Merkel will be returned as Chancellor of Germany in national elections this fall.
   
2. Donald Trump will initiate legal action against Hillary Clinton. Why? Because he can.
   
3. Was it hoax or reality that Russia interfered with the U.S. presidential election? I predict that nations around the world will spend more on cyber security this year.
   
4. Oil prices will continue in a slump, continuing to drain the Saskatchewan economy. With workers caught in the pincers of rising prices and dwindling employment, labour unrest will erupt this year.
   
5. Nano technology with a link to Saskatchewan will facilitate the first head transplant. A mesh one molecule thick has been developed to provide a “trellis” on which the spinal column can make connections between the head and the donor body.
   
6. A vaccine for HIV (AIDS) will become commercially available.
   
7. Farmers’ Almanac predicts average snowfall for the Prairies and colder temperatures during the beginning of the year. I predict that colder temperatures will curtail some Winter Festival activities in February.
   
8. The summer of 2017 is predicted to be a little cooler and drier than usual. The dry weather will tend to increase the risk of forest fires. I predict that Prince Albert will see an influx of fire evacuees this summer.
   
9. With the legalization of marijuana on the horizon, I predict that Saskatchewan police will be trained in the use of a device for roadside testing for driver impairment due to marijuana.
   
10. Some of the oil spilled into the North Saskatchewan River last summer still lurks in the riverbed. When spring runoff scours the riverbanks, oil will again become a problem for Prince Albert’s water treatment system. Prepare for water restrictions again this spring.