Daily Bread

Happy Memorial Day, everybody. I'm one of the fortunate ones whose son came home from war; but not a day goes by I'm not conscious of and sensitive to the families whose hero paid the ultimate price for our freedom. All the rights and privileges we enjoy today are the result of our soldiers' loyalty, valor, commitment and sacrifice.

Yesterday's meals were less artistic than others we have enjoyed on this trip, but were more representative of the historical traditions of the area. At French colonial Ft. Saint John Baptiste, we sampled a one-pot meat and corn stew cooked over an open fire, started by using "char cloth" to catch a spark from flint rock and cedar shavings.



An oven made from bousillage (pronounced BOO-see-yahzh) - a mixture of clay, Spanish moss and animal hair (usually deer or horse) - takes several hours to heat, then about 45 minutes to cook bread, which the costumed historical interpreter offered for tasting.

Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed a picnic on the grounds of Oakland Plantation, one of only two National Bicentennial Farms (owned by the same family for 200 years) west of the Mississippi River. Shaded by centuries-old live oaks and surrounded by the most complete set of plantation buildings in the South, it was easy to get lost in the romance of plantation life - until we remembered how much hard work it really was. Thank GOD for air conditioning!

Plenty of walking, plus nibbling on the fruit and protein bars in my camera bag helped to keep me on course with healthy eating, despite limited food choices during the day.

Have you had similar experiences where advance planning has helped you eat right?

Inspiration: A Taste of Spring

Azaleas are decked out like flocks of pink flamingos outside my office window. Tulips, irises, dogwoods and wisteria accent the canopy of delicate greens at Garvan Woodland Gardens, where I have spent most of the weekend officiating wedding ceremonies.

Martin Luther once said, "God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”

This morning, I put together a "gratitude video" to help me remember the beautiful flowers I have seen during the past year.
In fact, I think I'll take a long walk outside this afternoon, just to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the season.

Music on the video is "Credo III" from the Solitudes collection,
"Illumination:Peaceful Gregorian Chants." Enjoy!

(To view Full Screen - which is really prettier - click here . After the video opens, click on the icon in the bottom right corner of the viewing screen.)

Travel? That's Stretching It.

Looking at the snow outside, you wouldn't know that the Spring travel season
has already begun for
travel writers like me.
My top priority while I'm on the road is to maintain
the healthy lifestyle I started January 15 by making responsible food choices (with a back-up plan if I'm stuck with a fixed menu) and by continuing a daily exercise regimen.

My plan is to structure a fitness routine using the GoFit Ultimate Pro Gym, which I have just now ordered. According to the product description, this go anywhere, train anytime home gym comes complete with its own personal trainer on DVD to help build size and strength, or to increase muscle definition. (I'll take Door No. 2, Alex.)

The key to the ProGym is supposedly the ability to add or subtract seven levels of resistance using different combinations of the tube strengths. (Here's a three-minute video showing how exercise tubes work.)

The ProGym contains two handles, three resistance tubes, two ankle straps, one door anchor, an exercise wall chart a 25-minute workout on DVD. The best part is the whole thing (including the mesh storage bag) weights only one pound. Perfect to stuff into my suitcase.

Want one for around $30? GoFit Ultimate ProGym with DVD

Here's a single Xertube for about $10: SPRI ES503R Xertube Resistance Band With Door Attachment and Exercise Charts (Purple, Very Heavy)

Any other suggestions how to "stay on plan" while traveling?

Inspiration: Love Not Expressed is Love Not Received

Does your gratitude level need a boost?

Watch this short video about the power of saying thank you.

A written note can be enduring, poignant, personal and timeless. Too often today, it's easy to forget the value of a heartfelt, handwritten note or card. Several times on this blog, I've mentioned how prolifically my mother writes thank-you notes.

Years ago, when I was a stay-at-home mom, I had a travel-agent friend who sent me postcards from exotic destinations. Terry Seale's cards postmarked my dreams. Now, I pay her gesture forward by sending nearly 80 post cards from each place I visit. It’s a great tradition, and in many ways, a lost art.

HBO and the U.S. Postal Service have joined forces for a retail and online campaign to encourage consumers to send a handwritten card to someone they care about.

The Power of the Letter campaign promotes HBO's epic miniseries John Adams, which explores American history through one of its greatest founding fathers, a fiercely independent spirit whose unwavering vision steered America through a tumultuous period. Adams was a prolific letter-writer: He and his wife Abigail exchanged over 1,100 letters over the course of their courtship and marriage.

Starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, and produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, the John Adams film premieres on HBO
March 16.

I'm especially grateful to my new HYC friends who have so faithfully encouraged me to live a healthy life.

Who deserves your gratitude today?

"Let us dare to read, think, speak and write." (John Adams)

You Inspire Me: A Song of Gratitude for HYC

My mom is a great thank-you note writer. When we kids were still at home, she often served us breakfast in bed on Sunday mornings. Each tray - carefully adorned with a pansy or other fresh flower in a small crystal vase - was laden with the labors of her love. Between the linen napkin and the china plate, she often tucked a love-note of affirmation, telling us kids how special we are, and how much she enjoys being our mom. She is still one of the strongest influences in my life.

This morning, I want to thank each of you for supporting me on my BestLife journey. Listen as Skye Dyer sings words of affirmation, encouraging each of us to be the best we can be. (And since I play the cello, be sure to enjoy the tender musical conversation between this talented cellist and Skye.)

Lynn Berring Wins by Losing 168 Pounds

Lynn Bering is half the woman she used to be. CNN reports she has lost 168 pounds and is blogging to inspire others.

I first read the story on Scale Junkie's blog, home of the
2008 Healthy You Challenge.

Lynn's practical advice has already found a home in my heart:

"I still write down everything I eat. I still ask myself, 'How will I feel five minutes after I eat this?'
If the answer is anything other than, 'I will feel good having made this food choice,' then I don't eat it. Or, at least most of the time, I don't. Sometimes, that whiney voice wins. But the point is, I think about it. Am I eating because I want to, or because I need to? Am I feeding some emotion I'm afraid to examine?"

Congratulations, Lynn, and thanks to Diana for sharing the good news.

Watch Lynn's interview from The Today Show.

Inspiration: Randy Pausch

Everybody has their own version of inspiration – usually tailored to a particular time in their lives.

Last week, two people sent me links to a
You Tube video with accompanying accolades for “the most amazing video ever” or something similar. I made a note on my calendar to watch the video over coffee Saturday morning, but, you guessed it, got busy and blew it off. Yesterday morning, another email arrived with the same link. Yesterday afternoon, I brewed a pot of green tea and pulled up a chair to watch it while Myron was on the golf course.

Randy Pausch, a young professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His doctors gave him only a few months to live…last September.

Regardless how “amazing” you consider the video, Randy Pausch has a message for everybody. Here’s the short version, about 15 minutes, from a recent Oprah show.

Here’s the original version, his final lecture to students, fellow faculty and friends, about 76 minutes.

If you can’t squeeze it in today, please bookmark it for later.

I Just Don't Look Good Naked Anymore

Don't know how long this video will stay posted, so watch it now!

Upsize My Thighs, Please.

What is "The Best Life?"