The Simple Wisdom of the Farmers' Almanac

The Farmers' Almanac been published each and every year since 1818, and for that it is known as "North America's oldest continuously published periodical," and it has been providing information about everything from gardening to having fluffier scrambled eggs. Simple as it is, everything in it is very useful. And who doesn't want to find simple ways to make your everyday life just a little better?

I had never even looked at one until yesterday. My husband had just bought a 2006 copy, and I must admit I was surprised at what I found in it. Page one offered the life saving advice of how to recognize a stroke. Now doctors say that anyone standing by can recognize a possible stroke by asking the victim these three questions:

*Ask the person to smile
*Ask him or her to raise both arms
*Ask the individual to speak a simple sentence

If the person has trouble with any of these tasks, you should phone 9-1-1 immediately. The brief article went on to say that the use of this simple test could result in the prompt diagnosis, which leads to effective treatment, and prevention of brain damage.

On the same page was insight to natural remedies for rashes, poison ivy, and insect bites. A section called "From the Editor's Desk" spoke about the insight behind each and every edition, and how the Farmers' Almanac also "guards the past by reminding people how to keep the present simple," which I feel is great advice.

My favorite section was the "Philosofacts" section, which included one page of simple and concise thoughts that are valuable in anyone's life. Here are just a few of my favorites:

*Don't lose your temper - -unless you have a bad one

*Time is like money - the less of it we have to spare, the further we make it go

*Only those who have patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily

*You can't take it with you, and sometimes you can't even keep it while you're here.

*Always try to drive so that your license will expire before you do

*Don't waste time looking back. your eyes are in the front of your head

You can read more of them in this year's issue, and it is so worth your time. Sometimes the simplest thoughts can redirect your focus to the biggest goals in your life, which can make all the difference in the world to meeting that goal.

The "Helpful Hints" section will help you discover the secret to fluffier eggs, which is to add water instead of milk. I have been making this mistake forever! According to the almanac, milk cannot mix well with the egg, hence making them watery. When I told my husband about this miraculous discovery, of course, I heard, "Everyone knows that."

Some other invaluable tidbits are:

*To prevent mice, simply put steel wool around your pipes or any small openings to your house. The mice will not even try to chew the steel wool. This is one I actually heard from my grandmother years ago.

*If you break a glass, try using a piece of damp bread to quickly remove it from your kitchen floor. Those pesky little slivers will be absorbed by the bread. This is essential because it isn't always easy to see every piece of glass, especially the small slivers.

*For delicious vegetables, try cooking them in chicken, beef, or vegetable broth.

*A few drops of Tea Tree oil in your favorite shampoo will help prevent head lice.

*For great chili, try adding a teaspoon or so of baking cocoa to the pot with chili powder.

The 2006 Farmer's Almanac also includes a planting and gardening calendar, average frost dates for different states, some great recipes to try using pumpkin, riddles and brainteasers to try on your family, beauty secrets you can try at home, the 10 on-nonsense ways to better communication, horoscopes, information about hurricanes and the history of Christmas, and so much more. The next time you're in the grocery store and you spot one, you might want to check it out. It isn't just for farmers! It is for anyone who wants to focus on the important things in life, as well as to live in harmony with nature, people, and the technological world.