Wide brimmed would be best.

While I am thankful for many things… including, but not limited to my family, friends, fellow bloggers, the food I eat, the bed I sleep in and the brave men and women in the military who make it all possible… I’m not thankful at all for my newly blonde hair.

The box said light ash brown.

They lied.

What am I doing coloring my hair on Thanksgiving, anyway? Well, nuking a Stouffer’s turkey dinner takes little to no effort; what else was I supposed to do?

Beer has some healthy side effects. At the very least, taken in moderation, beer can lower your cardiovascular risk!

Researchers at Oregon State University in Corvallis have reported that xanthohumol, an antioxidant in hops, may thwart the growth of prostate cancer by triggering the rampant cells to self-destruct. Unfortunately, the dose used in the study equals 17 beers (please don’t try that at home). Upshot: The findings may lead to the development of a hops-derived pharmaceutical treatment.

An Austrian study published earlier this year suggests that antioxidants in hops, called humulones, may help to soothe chronic inflammation that is the result of an immune system in overdrive. In recent years, scientists have linked inflammation with a variety of chronic ills, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and arthritis.

In a Tufts University study of 2,900 men and women, people who drank a beer or two a day had higher bone-mineral densities than nondrinkers. Scientists say silicon, a mineral in beer that promotes healthy bones, may be to thank.

Twenty percent of people in a University of California, Davis, study said they knew that beer, like wine, contains antioxidants. It’s true. Beer also contains some B vitamins, and certain varieties even have a bit of soluble fiber, which has been linked with reduced cholesterol.

Drink up!

Oh, and scientists in Prague say that they’ve created a new non-alcoholic beer for menopausal women.

It’s long been known hops naturally contain low levels of the same plant estrogens found in soy; the Czech researchers used new technology to boost the concentration (to ten times that of some lagers).

There’s a problem with that… researchers have found that phytoestrogens have little to no effect on menopausal symptoms!

When I was young I thought butterflies were holy because their wings were made of stained glass from church windows.

I also thought the worms that wriggled out onto the sidewalks after the rains would take me back to their underground lair if I got close enough… and when they shriveled up and perished in the afternoon sun, I just knew it was because their quest had proven unfruitful; no new victim to take back to the queen of the worms!

Nope, I’m not on drugs; not even allie. I really did think those things… doesn’t every child?

I love Jan Karon’s novels about Episcopal minister Timothy Kavanagh of Lord’s Chapel in Mitford, NC.
Karon has an undeniable gift that is neither obvious nor overdone. The Father Tim novels -those sweet, simple, faith filled books- brought me back to Christianity when I was about as far away as I’d ever been… and for that I am truly thankful. They have a way of distilling faith down the the simplest common denominator without a lot of pomp and circumstance… and while that might not sound appetizing for some, I would invite them to visit Mitford and judge for themselves. Not a writer myself, I don’t know quite how to describe Karon’s writing style other to note that she won’t describe the baby bedding to you in excruciating detail, but you might know that it’s there.

Karon -or rather Father Tim- also taught me to pray the prayer that never fails: “Thy will be done.” Again, simple… yet powerful.

I have 7 of the 9 ‘Mitford’ series, set in the fictional Mitford, NC and just read Home to Holly Springs, the first of the ‘Father Tim’ series. This is a different book; not since the first novel has Tim been so much on his own. Faster paced than some of the other works, I sometimes had trouble keeping up. No wonder the minister’s head was reeling for much of this trip back to his roots! I think it helps if you’ve visited with Tim and his family before reading this one, but it’s not a prerequisite.

The trip to Holly Springs introduces new characters that are sure to turn up in later novels, but I sincerely hope we also see the usual suspects. More important than any other character was the young Timothy. We have a bird’s eye view of how our venerable Father Tim grew up, where, what obstacles he overcame, what tragedies he endured. I would say that he grew into the man he is in spite, not because of, these things.

Bottom line, there were people in his hometown that he reconnected with; memories he relived. Most importantly, there were blessings to be had for one and all.