Progress is progress, and is necessary in a growing earth. Yet, sometimes progress leaves things behind.
Lately, I seem to see more clothes hanging to dry on outdoor clothes lines. Sure the dryer is handier, but it costs more. Plus, look at all the exercise that would be lost if you didn't hang the clothes outside to dry.
To compensate for tasks such as those we no longer do, we need to stretch our arms upward. Then we must pinch our fingers together like we used to do when we used the clothes pins. Maybe we should even go through the motions of folding clothes.
How many other things that we "used to do" are of the same caliber? For example, take a moment to remember mopping the floor. Swinging that old rag mop took muscle, and if we wiped up the floor by hand, a different sort of muscle was used.
Farmers have developed alternative exercise routines, by pulling cows teats, cranking a separator, pitching hay and manure, among many other things. Is it any wonder that our dads and grand dads didn't have any problems with obesity that we do today?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize how so many of our health problems today have developed because of progress. Progress?
Yes, I know people live longer now because they don't have to work so hard. There is more medical care available, but we are seeing a trend of losing young people to health problems too.
Hurrah for the people who plant organic gardens, who exercise all parts of their body caring for, planting, weeding and harvesting.
For those who no longer do those things, need to realize we have to compensate for exercise in other ways. That's why we have fitness places, gyms, and machinery that make us move.
It is important that we do even little things to move our muscles. Also remember that it pays to think like that of a child. I've watched their antics in marching, stretching, walking like a penguin and playing sports. Their antics may be different, but they definitely keep their bodies limber and flexible.
New again on the scene is the old-fashioned bean bag toss. It uses lots of muscles to throw those bean bags, and exercises the eyes and brain. Rollerblading and skateboards come and go, but it takes quite a bit of practice and skill to make them go. It’ a good way to build up your muscles too.
My grandma used to sweep with a corn broom, hoe, garden, rake, and mow lawn by walking behind a lawnmower. She had an old butcher knife she would take with her to take out dandelions, "pig weeks" or "lie weeds" by the hundreds. She didn't believe in chemical sprays. Hurrah for her!
When asked how to get rid of obnoxious weeds or aggravating ones like those, she said "just cut out 100 of them a day and eventually they will be gone.” All too true. When any of the "kids" stayed with her, she made games out of picking up sticks or pulling weeds, etc.
Going to the mailbox was worth picking up those pesky oak bits that were just large enough to make mowing the lawn hazardous. Picking strawberries, hoeing garden rows, and shocking grain were all long and tedious tasks, but she did them all. The leaves on the lawn never lingered either, because she would rake them up almost as fast as they fell.
Grandma lived to be 99-plus. She was "supposed to have had heart problems" many years before, though doctors later said there was nothing wrong with her heart.
Natural healing or never? It was hard to say.
Surprisingly, she refused air conditioning, a microwave and even a fan for cooling in hot weather, protesting against her family. It was embarrassing to have neighbors call to inform us that they had seen her outside hoeing the beans or corn rows.
It was something she often did earlier in life, and refused to quit, as she was strong willed. Exercise and healthy simple food habits kept her going.
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• Thursday July 28th: Mike Luhring, Kari Wayne, De Wayne Jensen, Dennis Jensen, Penny Jensen, Eric Lee, Christian Burnes, Donnie Turvold, Jim & Maryalice Hanson, George & Sue Stieglbauer, Gary & Emily Ayers, Melissa & Scott Michie, Ellie & Chad Schutrop.
• Friday, July 29th: Doug Flugum, Candie Underland, Jennifer Huber, Dory Hunt, Jim Misgen, Brent Jepson, Lorrell Beaber, Todd Wangen.
• Saturday, July 30th: Tregg Hagen, Sarah Underwood, Levi Horvei, Trevin Andrew Stollard, Scott Briggs, Amy Hohansee VanderSyde, Gary Sloan, Cindy Vaith, Larry Jensen, Kay Cassen, Shane Christensen, Cindy Esplan, Dani Layland, Kurt & Kelly Krumwiede, Nathan & Lindsey Schlaak, Jerry & Tanya Blouin.
• Sunday, July 31st: Zane Andrew Miller, Michelle Eaker Stevens, Coni Misgen Evenson, Lorie Paulson, Joan Mast, Adena Berg, Brian & Pam Muri.
• Monday, August 1st: Wendy Schultz, Dale Mrotz, Karen Vaith, Stanley Jensen, Rodger Knudson, Lonny Thostenson, Tad Cornelius, Karen Brockman, Rick Christensen, Larry & Carol Spear, Warren & Sharon Jensen.
• Tuesday, August 2nd: Kolten Aaron Michael Hanson, Tara Cromwell Lembke, Cole Lehmberg, Vivian Dulas, Cora Lynn Harpel, Ryan Nelson, Scott Sommers, George Wangsness Jr., Carol Lein, Melissa Marlin.
• Wednesday, August 3rd: Arianna Elizabeth Pence/Ortiz, Jo Lerberg, Kristine Dummer, Cynthia Nelson, Kent Swearingen, Jean Molenaar, Matthew Wayne, Nicholas Wayne, Gerald Flugum.
• Thursday, August 4th: Wally Dunn, Madysen Grace Waage, Karen Edwardson Loge, Harold Jensen, Bryce Ingvaldson, Terry Vaith, Ryan Wangsness, Michael Hanson, Tom Lang, Bethany Cooper, Rachel Reichl, Gary & Kathy Reichl, Warren & Ilsbeth Wayne.
Hope you have a day filled with things that make you smile!
