Warmer weather brings plenty of great opportunities to get outside. But what happens when mosquito bites butt in on the fun?
Over on the Smart magazine Facebook page this week, we asked if anyone had any insider advice on staying mosquito-free — without the harsh chemicals. From recipes to links to local shops, everyone had ideas.
Smart magazine: Does anyone have any good non-chemical tricks to keeping away mosquitoes this time of year? Does Skin So Soft really work? — Kara
Christy Havens of Lemoyne lit up the alley at Eudaimonia in this orange outfit from New York Trends. Special thanks to Ana Tuali, owner of New York Trends, for allowing us to use her clothing for the shoot. Fun fact: Ana lived in Brazil before moving to York and opening her shop on South George Street.
We had a beautiful spring day in York for our fashion shoot for the July/August issue yesterday.
Our models — Krista McKenzie of Paradise Township, Tamar Jones of York and Christy Havens of Lemoyne — looked fabulous in clothes from New York Trends, 205 S. George St. in York, and Baker’s Dress Shop, 33 Broadway in Hanover. (My phone died before I could get photos of the models in outfits from Baker’s!)
The gracious Cherie Mansberger opened up her shop, Cherie Anne Designs, 48 W. Philadelphia St. in York, and her new tea bar, Eudaimonia, for us to use for the shoot. The courtyard outside of the tea bar is beautiful with a rustic, urban feel and lots of character. Thank you, Cherie!
Below are some of the shots I took while York Daily Record/Sunday News staffer Ashley May took photos and Smart graphic artist Samantha Dellinger prepped the models by doing their hair and makeup.
Look for more photos from the shoot in the July/August issue, which comes out the last week of June. Click here to subscribe. Continue reading
As an HR generalist, I take on the responsibility of hiring the caregivers that 
work for my company, Senior Helpers. Because of the part time nature of the home care industry, turn over is substantial. Being a caregiver is not for everyone. It takes compassion, understanding and the ability to put another person’s needs before your own. I believe that caregivers are born, not trained for the job. Yet the ongoing need is astonishing….
Did You Know?
By 2020, health care will account for nearly one in nine U.S. jobs… a 30% jump in employment between 2010 and 2020, adding 4.2 million new jobs. Many will be low-paying positions… home health aides, medical assistants, nursing aides, medical secretaries, personal care aides and so on.
A 70% increase, for example, in the number of home health aides, a job paying about $20,000 a year. But also rising demand for registered nurses, physicians and surgeons. More than 1.2 million new RNs will be needed to fill new and existing nursing slots. Most jobs won’t be at hospitals, but in at-home care or at providers’ offices, as the focus shifts from acute health care to preventive and outpatient services.
Source: The Kiplinger Letter Vol. 89, No. 15
This post is brought to you by Senior Helpers, which has locations in York (1541 East Market Street) and Camp Hill (3400 Trindle Road). They can be reached by phone at 717-787-8081(York) or 717-920-0707(Camp Hill). Learn more about Senior Helpers at www.seniorhelpers.com/York. Call today to schedule a free assessment for your home care needs.
My husband says that I’m not the verbose person in the world. He’s right, I’m not. I spend most of the time stuck in my own head so it makes conversation a bit difficult because rarely will I share what I’m thinking. Drives my husband insane. The past three weeks, I’ve been abnormally quiet. After much deliberation, list making and general internal introspection, I’ve decided to leave my position as Research Manager for MediaOnePA. 
I don’t make decisions lightly, so leaving a job that I love and have had for the past 13 years is a bit difficult. I started with the company in November of 1999, a short six months after I graduated college. To say that I was a quiet and shy person when I started with the company would be a huge understatement. I was fine once I got to know people, but I’ve always been extremely guarded, of course, that was before I met some of the craziest and most supportive people on the planet.
People who work in the advertising business are crazy. Seriously, they are crazy. They also happen to be some of the most creative people in the world. Over the past 13 years, I’ve met some interesting characters. Some have been great, others not so much. All have made an impact on my life for the good or the bad. For me, the constant change of people, job duties and deadlines helped me thrive. I was the constant in an ever changing environment.
Veggies from the Pollick garden! (Supplied photo)
I told my boyfriend it may in fact be a good thing he’s going to be out of town for 6 weeks as he tours the country with his band…. because our house will have ESPN playing permanently for the months of May/June. This time of year, I disappear under a rock. I’m glued to the TV. I’ve played/coached softball for almost 15 years, and when ESPN airs the Women’s College World Series, I watch every game. I may not be there in Oklahoma City, but I eat like it. Hot dogs, chips, candy; it’s sugar, carbs and calories galore.
I’m don’t follow diet/health crazes and my mother just taught me very recently to read food labels. But lately, I’ve been into the healthy living kick because it feels just plain old gross eating junk food.
And I have to say; I’m doing okay with my meals. But I find what really gets me is the snacking…the time that’s the Lunchtime/Dinnertime ‘tween-time… the snacking that I will probably do all of May and June from sitting in front of a TV.
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve playing in the dirt. With my very own miniature gloves and shovel, I would spend a good part of the summer planting in the garden with my mom. Nothing seemed more satisfying than watching my garden grow on those hot summer days. To this day, I still enjoy planting in the garden. But did you know that the healing aspects of gardening are being used as therapy?
The relaxed atmosphere of gardening reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and fights depression, increases self-esteem and fosters independence as well as socialization. It also improves motor skills and problem solving. For this reason, gardening as therapy is being used in both children and adults with all kinds of needs in schools, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
Having plants to nurture allows for a role reversal. People who are otherwise dependant are placed in a caregiver role. Children with behavioral disorder for example can learn to translate the care they devote to a plant to other areas of their life. For that reason, many schools across the county are implementing horticulture programs into their curriculum.
Hoeing, weeding, repotting and planting can become an outlet for angry or aggressive emotions. These activities also encourage good communication skills and talking through problems, while promoting team work in a group setting.
So, to get started on your own gardening project, visit your local library for gardening books or look up gardening sites on the internet. Then decide if you want to start with seeds or buy plants at a nursery. Ask yourself if you want to grow them inside or out. It’s also important to ensure success. So, plant a variety of seeds or plants and make sure to use good topsoil that can be found at your local garden center.
Whether you are an experienced gardener or just finding your green thumb, you might volunteer to help brighten the landscapes of other. One such option to consider is Bell Socialization Services’ Gardening Angels program, where you can lend a hand to help maintain flower beds at community living homes or at the Bell Family Shelter.
Youth and adult groups are encouraged to take part along with individual volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering for Bell’s Gardening Angels program, please contact Janel Fox at jfox@bellsocialization.com.
Article submitted by Bell volunteer Kimberly Hondos
You can pack a healthy lunch for work each day. Smart blogger Leigh Zaleski shows you how.
(Video produced by Smart blogger Emileigh Clare.)
Learn more about the importance of a healthy lunch in the office here.
What do you do to stay fit at work? Do you sit on a stability ball instead of an office chair? Do you eat a salad for lunch or take walking breaks when possible? Efforts like these can really add up when it comes to having a healthy lifestyle and I want to interview you about it. Email me at eclare@ydr.com to share your healthy tips with others.
Talk more about staying fit at work by using the Twitter hashtag #FitAtWork. Or leave a comment below!
Find more tips to stay healthy at work here.
Graphic artist Samantha Dellinger is working on her tan and the cover for the 100 Days of Summer tab today.
The idea — creating the 100 Days of Summer logo in chalk art — was thought up by April Trotter, who will be laying out the tab next week. (The logo also was created by April, by the way.)
Check back throughout the day for updates on Sam’s progress.
She works fast! (as of 11:30 a.m.)
And, except for some tweaking, it’s done! (as of 12:50 p.m.)
A few weeks ago, a co-worker brought in several tomato, pepper and basil plants her husband had started from seed. I jumped all over that, of course — the cherry tomatoes her husband grows taste like candy.
But I knew I’d need to re-pot them. And because I’d mooched off Leigh when I started my (now dead) seeds in a few egg cartons, I knew I’d have to buy soil.
So I headed to the home improvement store after work last week to explore my options. It was drizzling, and the soil was outside, so I was motivated to make a pick and get going. But among the piles (and piles!) of bags of soil, there were a lot of options.
Moisture control. With six months of plant food. With three months of plant food. Top soil. Potting soil. Organic. For flowers and vegetables. And so on.
By Allie Hardy
Registered Dietitian for Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center
Allie Hardy, registered dietitian
Nutrients of virtue include protein, calcium and potassium, but be mindful of the “health halo” effect. Just because a non-fat or low-fat variety of plain Greek yogurt boasts a stellar nutrient profile doesn’t mean that flavored or full fat varieties have the same health benefits.
Added sugars and saturated fats still lurk inside those innocent little containers, so be mindful next time you pick up a cup containing sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cream, chocolate or preserves. Keep an eye out for the fat content of the milk used to make the yogurt, as full fat varieties of Greek yogurt contain hefty amounts of unhealthy saturated fats.
Continue reading
