This week I was going to change the emphasis and talk about Occupational Wellness, but this week became a week full of family & friends and I just had to share how important our social wellness and friendships can be. As I mentioned before, Social Wellness is the ability to interact with people around us and I think this is extremely important as we age. I started and ended last week with car problems and one of my neighbors helped me at least 5 times including 6:50am on Monday before my service appointment. Another friend took me to a doctor’s appointment and yet another friend picked me up. It was also a week to build family memories.
Our featured picture this week of buckwheat pancakes doesn’t look healthy but the social interaction with family is healthy. And surprise, actually buckwheat pancakes are healthy for you and gluten free. Buckwheat flour is not actually a grain. Buckwheat also is nutritious and has a low Glycemic Index . Each March since 1951, Burton has been serving pancakes every spring to over 20,000 guests. The Burton Log Cabin makes maple syrup and maple candy, which is a tradition in the area which dates back for centuries.It is also one of our honored traditions, as we have been going to the Burton Vol. Fire Dept Pancake Breakfast in the Village of Burton, Ohio for 22 years for pancakes in March. When my granddaughters were babies I would come visit during pancake time and now that I live near them it has continued to be a favorite tradition.
Do you take advantage of the events and environment around you? Many of us never visit the sites or events around us, but can’t wait to visit other locations far away. It is healthy to do both and to support your local area and a great way to build memories.There are so many things to do in NE Ohio that it is difficult to find enough time to do them all.
In the spring another fun thing to do, especially if you are a photographer, like me, is to visit the great blue herons in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. They are an impressive and increasingly common sight and they nest in the Park. You can learn more about the Great Blue Herons in a Cuyahoga Valley National Park Great Blue Herons site bulletin.
This last weekend was an especially fun family weekend starting with the Kent-Akron Zips basketball game in Akron where my granddaughter is on the dance team. We met friends at the game and went out afterwards for dinner. Then Sunday was Burton and a leisurely ride around the area and shopping at Eton Chagrin Boulevard Shopping Center and on to Whole Foods for our vegan delights. As it gets warmer the bike trails are a great family time adventure and a great way to stay fit. Walking the trails is also fun. I love hiking in Cuyahoga Valley National Park with my camera and friends.
The Vegetarian Times has a great vegan banana buckwheat pancake recipe. Enjoy! Today is 70 degrees, and I am going to go work on my 10k steps and walk around my neighborhood and say hi to my neighbors, who are also enjoying this beautiful weather. It is a perfect time to build relationships and enjoy the sun. We will get back to Occupational Wellness next week. Are you happy in your job? If you are older, are you retired or still actively working? Safe journeys until next week :).