Festival of Owls Weekend

This coming weekend in Houston, TX there are educational activities and entertainment from owl enthusiasts.

The weekend started because of an injured Great Horned Owl and a woman in Austin who cared for her and used her to educate people about owls.

We agree that owls are so fascinating.  These predators have so many different qualities that make them special and oh so interesting.

You will find 19 different owl species in North America.  Many are in local woods where you can find and observe them.  Pretty cool birds.

So much of their makeup allows them to be fierce predators.  They eat voles, mice and some even eat smaller owls.

Who needs symmetrical ears, not owls.  Asymmetrical ears allow owls to find sounds with great precision and in multiple dimensions.

You have seen eyeballs on owls right?  Well it turns out they are really eyeballs as we know them because they don’t move. Built in binoculars.

No eyeballs, no problem.  Their heads can rotate 270 degrees to search an area.

Barn owls swallow their prey whole, about 1,000 mice each year, skins, bones and all.  Gulp.

Owls have four toes, two that face forward and two that face backwards.  To walk and grip one back toe can pivot to help.

There are many more fun facts about owls.  One last one.

The smallest owl in the world is an Elf Owl, 5-6 inches tall and about 1-½ ounces.

The largest owl is the Great Gray Owl which can grow up to 32 inches tall.  

Private Home Health Care finds owls very intriguing.  We wish we could travel to Austin this weekend.  Instead we’ll keep our eyes out now and in the Spring for owls in woods near us.

March 6 – A Day of Unplugging

Private Home Health Care wants you to know of a very important day coming this Friday.  A day you need to prepare for since it changes your way of life temporarily.

In this digital world of Android and iPhones, smart screens and streaming stations on your television the challenge is to spend time unplugged from all of these devices.

The full challenge is from sunrise to sundown.  Can you do it?   

When you unplug you are supposed to go outside, have coffee with a friend, gather a group and play games or another activity.  

Make human connections with family, friends and the outdoors.  You should schedule it ahead of time and then leave your phone at home.

If you are a teacher, challenge yourself to teach without a smart screen, chrome books or iPads.

We know that most days you carry your phone 24/7. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X call you!

Need to pay a bill with Venmo or Apple Pay?  Skip Friday and pay it on Thursday or Saturday.

See why we needed to prepare you now for this? You really need to get your head around it.

Take some deep breaths and set your mind to it.  If you can do a full day, try half a day.  If that’s too much, try it for an hour or two. You might find that it relaxes you.

If you are intrigued, check out this website for more information and encouragement:  www.globaldayofunplugging.org

Essential Tremors

In March one goal for the month is to raise awareness about a condition called Essential Tremors.  

Private Home Health Care thinks this is a worthy goal.  Have you heard of this?

Essential Tremors is a neurological condition, affecting your nervous system. You get rhythmic shaking that you are unable to control.

This affects more people over the age of 40 but you can get them at any age.

Generally, it happens with your hands while you are doing a task.  Your hands may shake involuntarily tying your shoes or drinking water.  It can also affect your head.

It often happens on one side of your body and it can start slowly and worsen over time.  Emotion stress, fatigue, caffeine or extreme temperatures can exacerbate it.

While the tremors sound similar to Parkinson’s Disease they are actually quite different.

If you have Parkinson’s Disease the tremors affect the hands but also the legs, chin and other body parts.  Your hands are resting when it happens as well.  

Essential tremors can worsen and become severe for some people but in general it is not a dangerous condition.

You may find that occupational or physical therapy can be helpful.

Your doctor can also help you manage symptoms with beta blockers, anti-seizure medications, tranquilizers, and nerve blocking injections.

If you have any suspicions about starting to have this condition be sure to reach out to a medical professional.  Early diagnosis can be very helpful.

Snowshoeing

On this next to last day of February and with all the snow we have in the Northeast, today we are thinking about snowshoeing.

Have any of you ever had the experience?  What did you think?  Was it easy or hard?  Did you have a lovely sunny day?  How long did you snowshoe?

Snowshoeing has been around for thousands of years.  

More recently, in the hundreds of years, we have the indigenous people of North America to thank for passing on the activity.

The Athaspascan from the Northwest Coast, the Algonquin and the Cree people from the Great Lakes and the Ojibwa from Canada all had a type of snow shoe.

Snow shoes had a purpose:  to allow people to travel long distances over difficult terrain.

Today snow shoeing is a fun and full body workout for those who try it.  With all the snow we have you can work a whole fitness routine into a snowshoeing session.

Mental Health

Being outdoors can lower stress and give you an overall sense of well-being.

Cardiovascular

Your heart rate elevates.

The lungs expand.

Circulation is improved

Your stamina is increased.

Muscles

Quadriceps, hamstrings and calves are engaged.

Using poles adds workouts to your arms, shoulders and back.

Cardio Workout

It’s a low-impact workout compared to a traditional cardio workout.

Calories

Each snowshoeing trip helps cut those calories.

It’s the same calorie burn as in skiing and snowboarding.

There are a wide variety of prices on snowshoes.  You can get a pair for as low as $49 or as high as $149.  Your boot should fit easily into any of them.

Private Home Health Care had a snowshoeing activity on a beautiful sunny day.  It was thirty minutes through woods, very quiet and pristine.  

It was a full-body workout for certain, but a fun activity.  Find a trail and try it!  It won’t disappoint.

A Long Legacy

Private Home Health Care knows that history is an important fabric in American life.  

In 1976 Gerald Ford signed into law that the month of February would be Black History month.  Ford however, was not the impetus for the commemoration.

The movement of keeping the culture and contributions from African Americans alive started with Dr. Carter G. Woodson.

Dr. Woodson was the son of former slaves, born in Virginia.  His education was delayed working on coal mines but he certainly made up for any lost time.

He worked his way through school, attended college and became a teacher and school administrator.  

Dr. Woodson went so far as to become the second African American to earn a PhD from Harvard University.

His establishment of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) happened in 1926.

That same year he began Negro History week.  Today we have Black History month, commemorating its 100th year thanks to Dr. Carter Woodson.

Are you wondering why the month of February was important?

February is the birthday month for both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, both seen as crucial to Black Freedom.

We hope that as we celebrate the 250th year of our country we also remember the 100 years of keeping alive the culture and contributions of our fellow African Americans.

Snow, Snow and More Snow

This winter has been full of snow.  You’ve had to clear light snow but a lot of it, then less snow with a bit more moisture and now LOTS of snow that’s wet and heavy to shovel.

Private Home Health Care is hunkered down and waiting for the blowing snow to slow down and stop.  We hope you are all doing the same thing.

In Massachusetts, the brunt of the storm seems to have hit the South Shore and there are a number of downed trees and power outages.

In the North Shore, the wind continues to blow with wet snow clinging to windows which makes it impossible for you to see outside.

Local stations are predicting that the storm will continue all day.

They are recommending trying to clear snow twice, between 2-3pm and then again between 8 and 10pm.

Schools, banks and businesses are closed.  Essential workers are hopefully safe in their hospitals and work places.

Private Home Health Care is happy that our clients are safe with their families and we hope that you all stay home if you are able and stay safe and warm.

We can all get through this and pray to have the wind and snow calm down and bring us a new clear day tomorrow.  Stay safe!

Winter Olympics

As the 2026 Winter Olympics come to their closing days we are thinking about the impact the games have on people.

It is estimated that 25.7 million Americans have been watching each day.  If you are home you can see events live.  

For those of you working the network shows key events again or you can see it on a streaming service to catch up.

The Olympians themselves are amazing, especially those who dedicate their lives to training for an event.  

The strength of the human body is really on display during the Olympics.  Eating and sleeping well, exercising and practicing a craft.  

The athletes do all the things that you should be doing to an incredible and amazing point.

You see lots of pride from the athletes for their home countries.  Large and small countries are represented at the games.

The Olympics bring people together, bring patriotic pride and showcase athletic abilities at their strongest.  

We applaud the winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals but we also offer our best wishes and laud all those who complete in the games.

Whether it’s a team sport or individual, everyone goes in hoping for a top spot but only a few achieve it.  

Everyone should hold their head high because they were an Olympian in 2026 and only a small group of people can say that.

Private Home Health Care is proud of everyone participating and we appreciate the dedication and spectacular demonstration of excellence in sports.

Iwo Jima Day

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima.  It is a day to commemorate all those lost in the battle.

What can we say about the battle?

Iwo Jima (now known as Iwo To) was a remote island of Japan.  

The battle was waged after the attack at Pearl Harbor and the goal was to have a launch and land location for potential strategic military tasks.

It was from 2/19/45 to 3/26/45, 36 days and 35 nights.  The Marines were the ones tasked with the job.

The battle is known as one of the bloodiest battles of World War II.  Casualties on both sides were great.

Americans had over 19,000 wounded and 6,800 lost in battle.  The Japanese lost 18,000 men.

This was the first time that our fighting had happened on Japanese soil.

There are not many veterans left from this war.  At last count was only about three or four.  One survivor is named Don Graves, 99 years old.

He would have been 19 at the time of the battle.  Of his Marine Company D, 335 men went on the mission.  Only 18 survived.

This story can be told of many of the Marine companies who fought that battle.

World War II was a long war fighting evil that was spreading in the world.  The battle of Iwo Jima is just one of those battles but one that should be remembered for eternity.

Private Home Health Care honors and remembers those brave men who served in Iwo Jima, those who returned and those who did not.  On this day let us all take time to remember and commemorate. 

Cabbage

How do you feel about eating cabbage?  Are you a fan or does the look and taste of it not appeal to you?

Cabbage has been around for thousands of years and a staple in many households around the world.  

Different forms include bok choy, brussel sprouts, green (cannonball) cabbage, January King cabbage with pink and green leaves, napa cabbage, red and savoy cabbage.  

Quite the variety to choose from if you want to add goodness to your health.

Cabbage has Vitamins C and K, fiber and a small amount of protein.  It’s also rich in potassium.

Eating cabbage regularly can do wonders for your body.

• It helps to fight inflammation.
• Keeps you strong by boosting your immune system.
• Adds bulk to your meals and helps your digestive system.
• Helping with inflammation reduces risk of heart disease.
• Potassium aids in lowering your blood pressure.
• The fiber and plant sterols work to reduce your bad cholesterol.
• High amounts of vitamin K maintains bone health and helps with blood clotting.

There can be times when flatulence can be an issue with too much cabbage added to your diet.  It’s important to moderate intake if that happens to you.

Private Home Health Care loves to eat cabbage in coleslaw, sauerkraut, as cabbage cups with a turkey filling on the inside or of course in a boiled dinner.

Give cabbage a try and experiment a bit to find one that you and your family enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Around the World

For those of you who live in the United States, tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.

Children love Valentine’s Day and today all different types of valentines would have been passed out in schools.  

A valentine and a candy heart can still be found but so can squishies, paints, pop its and much more.  It all depends on where you live and how you celebrate.

For you grown ups, flowers, candy and dinner reservations are probably on order.  A Valentine’s Day on a Saturday is perfect for all of that.

Private Home Health Care hopes that everyone has a Happy Valentine’s Day.  

We found some interesting ways that people in other countries celebrate.  We hope you enjoy learning about these other traditions.

In Europe, Germany celebrates with a pig.  Pork is loved there so on Valentine’s Day you’ll see cartoons about pigs and you’re like to get a chocolate pig for a gift.

Wales celebrates a day of love and happiness in January.  A beautiful decoratively carved spoon is the gift.  

These spoons are so popular they are given out at weddings and anniversaries too.

Travel to Scandinavia and look for lighthearted funny notes written by the men and ending in ellipses.  

The women who guess their “Secret Admirer” correctly get an Easter Egg on Easter Sunday.

Faraway in Japan and South Korea it’s a longer process:

February 14 the women give chocolate to the men.

March 14 is White Day.  Men give white chocolate, flowers and candy to women

April 14 is Black Day.  Single people gather together and eat black bean noodles.

Finally, in South Africa women wear their hearts on a sleeve, literally.  A woman actually makes a heart with the name of their love interest and sews it on to their sleeve.

Who knew of all the different traditions of celebrating love and happiness.  Time for everyone across the world to take time to be with people we care about.