50plus LIFE Chester County March 2017

Chester County Edition | March 2017 • Vol. 14 No. 3

Complimentary

Mastering the Arts — Martial Arts, That Is page 4

Easier Screening Tests for Colon Cancer page 9

Special focus: Living your best retirement page 10

Tinseltown Talks

50 Years of The Carol Burnett Show Nick Thomas

A couple of years ago, visitors to Carol Burnett’s home might have observed the comedy legend glued to the TV set, binge-watching every episode of her old variety show. But it wasn’t a case of extreme celebrity vanity sweeping through the Burnett household.

“I’d been getting calls from writers wanting to interview me about the show,” said Burnett from Los Angeles.

“So I thought, maybe I should write a definitive history of the 11 years I worked on The Carol Burnett Show because, after all, I was there!”

Her timing was perfect. In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox was published late last year as a prelude to this year’s 50th anniversary of the show, first broadcast in September 1967.

As she Scrutinizing the episodes, progressed through Burnett jotted down notes the viewing marathon, to help with the book Burnett says it was fascinating preparation. to observe the “I watched all cast evolve. the episodes— “We all over 270 of them—in improved a period of Carol Burnett, center, with Tim Conway, over the first Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner, several weeks. I three or four and Vicki Lawrence in a 1992 years. Harvey fast-forwarded CBS publicity photo.

(Korman) was through the brilliant from sketches that the beginning, but even he honed his I remembered, but really wanted to jog my memory about the ones I’d craft.

“Vicki (Lawrence) was 18 and forgotten. Watching also helped me right out of high school at the start, remember behind-the-scenes stories so Harvey took her under his wing, and the great variety of guests that teaching her accents and giving her appeared each week.”

acting tips. She absorbed everything like a sponge, and millions of viewers watched her evolve into a brilliant comedienne.”

Audiences were also treated to a parade of weekly special guests throughout the series, which collectively could be considered a history of Hollywood from the period.

“We might have had more famous guest stars than any other TV show,” Burnett suggested. “My husband (the late Joe Hamilton) was producing the show, and we would say, ‘Let’s call so-and-so and ask him or her on the show.’”

But their guest wish list wasn’t always fulfilled.

“We wanted Bette Davis and had a standard fee for all our guest stars, but she asked for too much money,”

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recalled Burnett. “I wanted to pay her more, but we couldn’t because everyone would have wanted more.”

In addition to its impressive guest list, the show is legendary for the cast “breaking up” and laughing during filming.

“People remember those sketches and think we did it all the time, but we really didn’t,” she laughed.

“Nor did we ever do it on purpose, and it was mostly when Tim (Conway) was on. We’d tape two shows on Fridays with different audiences. Tim would do it the way we rehearsed for the first taping, then go crazy for the second without

telling anyone what he would be doing.”

For all her television work, Burnett amassed an incredible collection of honors, including The cover of Burnett’s three book, In Such Good personal Company: Eleven Years of Emmys Laughter, Mayhem, and just for The Fun in the Sandbox.

Publicity photo of Carol Burnett.

Carol Burnett Show.

“Of course, I’m proud of the awards and they’re sitting on a shelf—but I don’t go and polish them every day!” she laughed.

Already an author of several other popular

books on her life and career, her latest 320-page memoir on the show has been warmly received by critics and fans. She says she wasn’t too concerned about finding an audience for a book about a 50-year-old TV show.

“It still airs on cable, and there are old and new fans watching it. But I really just wanted to get the memories down on paper for myself, and if others enjoy it, that’s the cherry on top of the sundae.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 600 magazines and newspapers.

At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away.

Dental services Anna Giacalone, DMD 100 Ridge Road, Suite 36, Chadds Ford (610) 558-1760

American Heart Association (610) 940-9540

Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801

Arthritis Foundation (215) 665-9200

Disasters American Red Cross Greater Brandywine (610) 692-1200

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (800) 232-4636

Legal Services Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500

Chester County Emergency Services (610) 344-5000 Salvation Army Coatesville (610) 384-2954 Salvation Army West Chester (610) 696-8746 Emergency Numbers Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110

Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994 PACE (800) 225-7223 Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852

Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100

Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213

Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-3676

Southeastern PA Medical Institute (610) 446-0662

Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Chester County (800) 720-8221 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900 American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345

Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (610) 436-4510 Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500 Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350 orthopedics Premier Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Associates LTD Kennett Square – (610) 444-1344 West Chester – (610) 692-6280 West Grove – (484) 748-6148

Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY

personal services Butler-Ette Services (484) 770-8059

Housing Assistance Community Impact Legal Services (610) 876-0804

Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com

Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200

Physicians The Center for Interventional Pain & Spine Locations in Bryn Mawr, Exton, and Wilmington (844) 365-7246 Gateway Medical Associates Locations in Coatesville, Downingtown, Lionville, and West Chester (610) 423-8181 retirement living Friends Home in Kennett 147 W. State St., Kennett Square (610) 444-2577 Senior Centers Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939 Great Valley (610) 889-2121 Kennett Square (610) 444-4819 Oxford (610) 932-5244 Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Wayne (610) 688-6246 West Chester (610) 431-4242

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

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Cover Story

Mastering the Arts — Martial Arts, That Is Corporate Office

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com

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March 2017

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By Megan Joyce

it’s the application of that knowledge with someone who is an uncooperative attacker resisting If athletic ability is supposed your efforts,” he said. “You cannot to dissipate with age, Ken Eberle’s respond with a predetermined, body clearly hasn’t gotten the practiced set or pattern of [selfmessage. defense] techniques to the reality Eberle is closing in on the 50of an unpatterned event—which is year mark in his dedication to the reality of a confrontation.” the martial arts—but he achieved Eberle appreciates Lee’s emphasis many of his most impressive on developing one’s own martial credentials in his late 40s and arts style, rather than strictly beyond. adhering to one particular system.

Today, at 63, his accreditations “It would be like recreating include a sixth-degree black Eberle with trophies earned a bowl of fruit through an belt in Korean Moo Duk Kwan during his early tournament days. artistic form, say watercolors,” karate and a brown belt in Isshinhe said. “The pictures would be Ryu Okinaman karate. He is a different because of each person’s certified level-three instructor in expression of themselves, but some Jeet Kune Do and has attained styles would say everyone’s painting an intermediate level in Japanese should look the same.” aikido.

This philosophy has also “I always consider myself the made Eberle an effective PPCT student, always learning, and I (pressure point control tactics) enjoy instructing others to improve and STAR (survival tactics and their lives and set an example that Eberle, third from right, doing response) instructor for law one can still be active well into a Filipino Sinalwali double stick enforcement officers. In addition their ‘senior’ years,” Eberle said. drill during a recent Richard to educating officers, Eberle In 1969, Eberle was already a Bustillo seminar. Bustillo was an has conducted training for the successful gymnast at his high original student of Bruce Lee. county’s sheriff’s department and school when he saw a karate than only making corrections after courthouse staff. demonstration by Donald Von someone has been injured.

He is most proud, he said, of his Klopp, his school’s art teacher and “Safety is really about selflaw-enforcement students who have an Okinawan Isshin-Ryu black defense,” Eberle said. “The actually applied their PPCT or belt. increased awareness to potential STAR training and survived a lifeAlthough Eberle would go on to trouble areas is probably the biggest threatening confrontation. become a local 1971 All-Around benefit in both [martial arts and “Some of my students … have Champion in gymnastics, he had safety training].” had to use the skills they learned already joined and achieved a In the late ’90s, Eberle began in class, with great success,” Eberle brown belt in Klopp’s karate club pursuing Bruce Lee’s training said. “Their experience keeps the in the meantime, finding that the concept, “truth in combat,” training real and honest.” body control and attributes needed after attending a seminar by In 2002, Eberle traveled for karate were very similar to internationally known Jeet Kune to Jeet Kune Do Unlimited’s those required for gymnastics.

Do instructor, movie star, fight headquarters in Honolulu to test After graduation, Eberle choreographer, and writer Burton for apprentice instructor, despite regularly competed in local karate Richardson, who founded Jeet being age 49 at the time. Not tournaments, consistently placing Kune Do Unlimited, one of the only did he successfully complete in the top three events: emptytop Jeet Kune Do schools in the seven different rounds of strenuous hand kata, weapons kata, and point world. Eberle became a student and testing requirements, but he also sparring. a member of JKDU in 1999. surpassed apprentice level and He would eventually discover “Truth in combat” emphasizes was promoted directly to JKDU that his “regular job,” that of the use of self-defense tactics instructor level one. safety coordinator for High Steel that are truly effective in real-life To date, he is the only JKDU Structures, marries quite well with scenarios. Eberle said he could member to have achieved this the philosophies and approaches never understand how one trains in and, in 2007, Eberle was certified used in the martial arts, enabling so-called “deadly” techniques. further as a level-three instructor. him to spot potential hazards and “Knowledge is not power; correct them proactively, rather please see MARTIAL ARTS page 7 www.50plusLifePA.com

Dear Pharmacist

Pharmacists Don’t Just Lick, Stick, and Pour Suzy Cohen

When I worked in retail pharmacies, one of the most common questions I had was, “What side effects will this drug cause?”

I remember some of my customers, especially the funny ones or those who gifted me with tokens like flowers, handmade jewelry, or pickled herring, which I craved during my pregnancy in 1993. I had a good relationship with all of my patients.

I used to work 14-hour shifts, day after day, back in the ’90s and 2000s.

I “floated” all around central Florida whenever a pharmacist called off.

The pharmacy would be closed, and I was the pharmacist called upon to go open it.

I thrived in this position, basically walking into a mess and catching the store up, making all the customers suddenly happy.

But there’s a ton of mental chatter to reconcile in our brain when we are not sure that you need what the doctor prescribed, or if there’s a natural vitamin for that, or we realize the side effects will be far worse for you than your condition itself. We are never sure if we should say it out loud.

People trust us. Americans have deemed us to be among the most honest professions, maintaining the highest ethical standards. That’s why pharmacists have been rated in the top two “most trusted professionals in

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the United States” yet again (Gallup survey).

Pharmacists: 1. Keep you safe. As medication experts, we reduce risk of miserable side effects.

Occasionally, one drug is intended, but another drug is prescribed by accident. Maybe Zyrtec for Zantac, Actos for Actonel, or Neurontin for Noroxin. Your pharmacist should catch these errors.

2. Are accessible and fast.

Pharmacists are always on duty if a pharmacy is open. You don’t have to

make appointments weeks in advance to get advice.

3. Are intelligent. If you have a skin rash from poison ivy or a bee sting, your pharmacist can suggest an over-the-counter remedy; if you are constipated or have the flu, we’ve got your back.

4. Aren’t paid off. Pharmacists work for you, not the pharmaceutical companies that probably sent a drug rep over to your doctor’s office with delicious meals, trinkets, and trips.

This colors the decision-making process of some (not all) physicians.

5. Can save you money. The pharmacy technician expertly runs your prescription through your please see PHARMACISTS page 7

We focus on the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic pain.

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Puzzle Page

CROSSWORD

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 16 SUDOKU

brainteasers

Groups with Big Hits in the ’60s Find the names of these groups with big hits in the ’60s, based on the year, title, and minimal letter clues: 1. 1960 – “Save the Last Dance for Me,” The Dr_____ 2. 1960 – “Cathy’s Clown,” The E _____ Brothers 3. 1962 – “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” The Four S _____ 4. 1963 – “Surfer Girl,” The B_____ Boys 5. 1964 – “Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” J_____ and D_____ 6. 1964 – “Sound of Silence,” Si_____ and Ga_____ 7. 1965 – “Stop in the Name of Love,” The S_____ 8. 1966 – “I’m a Believer,” The M_____ 9. 1967 – “Somebody to Love,” Je_____ A_____ 10. 1969 – “Spinning Wheel,” B_____, S_____ and T_____ TV Shows that Started in the ’50s Fill in the blanks of the names of these television shows that premiered during the ’50s: 1. Gu _ _ _ _ ke 2. The Ho _ _ _ _ _ _ ners 3. Ca _ _ _ in Ka _ _ _ _ oo 4. Tr _ _ _ or Con _ _ _ _ _ _ _ es 5. Dr _ _ _ et 6. Am _ _ _ _ an Ba _ _ _ _ _ nd 7. My F _ _ _ _ d F _ _ _ _ a 8. Y _ _ _ H _ _ P _ _ _ de 9. Bo _ _ _ za 10. The Tw _ _ _ _ _ t Z _ _ _ Written by Alan Stillson. Please see http://stillsonworks.com

Across 1. Hyphen 5. Dutch cheese 9. Failure 13. S-shaped molding 14. Cloak 15. Riyadh native 16. Theatrical role 18. Inert gas 19. Solitary 20. Speak haltingly 22. Insect egg 23. Small drink 24. Gangways

27. Camel relatives 32. European sea eagle 33. Burst 36. Run off 37. Tear 39. Regions 41. Comedian Johnson 42. Express contempt 44. Alters paperwork 46. Antiquated 47. Garnered 49. Prayer 51. Double-decker

53. Devotee 54. Crush 58. Search 61. Culpability 62. Accord 65. SA mountain range 66. Debt 67. Waterless 68. Football play 69. Egyptian cobras 70. Allows

21. Suffer 24. Playing field 25. Central 26. Certain 28. Pie ___ mode 29. Imbecile 30. Competently 31. Lawn starter 32. Gaelic 34. Foot (Prefix) 35. Caudal appendage 38. Lair 40. Tightens up 43. Contradicts

45. Gaze 48. Bug for payment 50. Brute 52. Opera’s La ___ 54. Bluefin 55. Frees 56. Bullfight cheers 57. Selves 59. Withered 60. Stitch 61. Breach 63. Knock 64. Football scores (abbr.)

Down 1. MD, briefly 2. Turkish title 3. Close an envelope 4. Wading birds 5. And so forth 6. Morse code blip 7. Develops 8. Retail stores 9. Grange 10. Olympic runner 11. Smell 12. Bowling item 15. Try out 17. See 46 Across

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March 2017

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MARTIAL ARTS from page 4 “The martial arts have enabled me to achieve and maintain a level of confidence, fitness, and flexibility better than most people half my age,” Eberle said. “I continue to challenge myself as an example to the students of the benefits of the martial arts through sparring and training along with my students.”

In 2009, Richard Bustillo, an original student of Bruce Lee and the founder of the International Martial

Arts & Boxing Academy, certified Eberle as an apprentice instructor in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. And in honor of his 60th birthday in 2013, Eberle returned to his tournament roots, entering the State Games of America national competition, where he earned a gold medal in the advanced elite black belt event, age 55-60 division, in forms, weapons, and sparring.

In 2014, Eberle took on the

PHARMACISTS from page 5 insurance company online; they’ll check the cash price against your insurance co-pay in case it’s lower.

Some will phone your insurance company to authorize cheaper alternatives.

6. Know about food, too. They’ll suggest you avoid grapefruit if you take statins or avoid MSG when taking sedatives. Bananas are constipating—you should avoid those with hydrocodone but eat them with some diuretics like HCTZ. Tips like

this are worth their weight in gold.

Your pharmacist may be high up and partially hidden behind glass (that’s for security reasons—they are in charge of millions of dollars of drugs!), but I highly recommend that you develop a relationship with your local pharmacist. We are on your side.

This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease.

For more information about the author, visit SuzyCohen.com

Need more LIFE in your life?

Keystone State Games, where he was a gold medalist, advanced elite black belt, age 60-64 division, in forms and a silver medalist in weapons.

These days, Eberle conducts classes in self-defense mixed martial arts and Filipino battlefield kali private lessons from his home studio. He is currently in JKD Unlimited’s “Indonesian Silat for the Street” program.

Eberle said the many varieties of martial arts all have something

different to offer, making the opportunities for learning endless.

“Over the years, I have discovered the body only moves in so many ways.

What one does with those movements can depend on self-expression or be dictated by a particular style or system,” Eberle said.

“After 45-plus years in the martial arts, I still and will always consider myself the student and see no reason to stop learning, improving, and sharing.”

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March 2017

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Calendar of Events

Chester County

Support Groups Free and open to the public March 1, 6 p.m.

Memory Loss and Dementia Support Group Sunrise Assisted Living of Paoli 324 W. Lancaster Ave., Malvern (610) 251-9994 March 7, 1:30 p.m.

Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216

March 14, 7 p.m.

Hearing Loss Support Group Christ Community Church 1190 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester (610) 444-445 www.hearinglosschesco.com March 14 and 28, 5-6:30 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Main Line Unitarian Church 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 585-6604 phoenixbereavement@yahoo.com Nondenominational; all are welcome.

March 7 and 21, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Brandywine Hospital Conference Room 2N 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville (610) 998-1700, ext. 226 March 8, 1:30 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200, Malvern (610) 251-0801 March 13 and 27, 10:30 a.m. to noon Caregiver Support Group Adult Care of Chester County 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044

March 14 and 28, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Jennersville Hospital Conference Room B 1015 W. Baltimore Pike, West Grove (610) 998-1700, ext. 226 March 21, 6 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464 March 29, 6 p.m.

Living with Cancer Support Group Paoli Hospital Cancer Center 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli (484) 565-1253

Community Programs Free and open to the public March 2, 7:30 p.m.

Compassionate Friends Valley Forge Chapter Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 132 E. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia (484) 919-0820 www.tcfvalleyforge.org March 4 and 18, 5-10 p.m.

Bingo Night Marine Corps League Detachment 430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 429-8174

March 7, 11:30 a.m.

West Chester University Retirees Luncheon For restaurant location, please email darsie@ verizon.net March 21, noon AARP Valley Forge Chapter Meeting St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church 203 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 688-5733

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Parks And Recreation March 4, 9 a.m. – Resolution Hike, Wolf’s Hollow County Park March 11, 9 a.m. – Paws on the Path, Nottingham County Park March 12, 8-1 1 a.m. – Birding on the Schuylkill River Trail, Warwick County Park

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Senior Center Activities Coatesville Area Senior Center – (610) 383-6900 250 Harmony St., Coatesville – www.coatesvilleseniorcenter.org Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10:30–11:15 a.m. – Going Fit Exercise Program March 2 and 16, 11 a.m. to noon – Veterans Coffee Club March 8 and 22, 1-2 p.m. – Bingo Downingtown Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 983 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown – www.downingtownseniors.org Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday s, 11-11:45 a.m. – Wake Up! Cardio Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – Balance and Flexibility Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – Walking Club (at the Mall) Great Valley Senior Center – (610) 889-2121 47 Church Road, Malvern Kennett Area Senior Center – (610) 444-4819 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square – www.kennettseniorcenter.org Tuesdays and Fridays in March, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – AARP Tax Help by Appointment Oxford Senior Center – (610) 932-5244 12 E. Locust St., Oxford – www.oxfordseniors.org Wednesdays, 8:30-11:30 a.m. – Paint Class Phoenixville Area Senior Center – (610) 935-1515 153 Church St., Phoenixville – www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org West Chester Area Senior Center – (610) 431-4242 530 E. Union St., West Chester – www.wcseniors.org Thursdays, 1 p.m. – WCASC Chorus March 2, 10 a.m. – iPad Club March 22, 12:30 p.m. – Book Club Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.

LIBRARY PROGRAMS Atglen Library, 413 Valley Ave., Atglen, (610) 593-6848 Avon Grove Library, 117 Rose Hill Ave., West Grove, (610) 869-2004 Downingtown Library, 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, (610) 269-2741 March 7 and 21, 6 p.m. – Knitters Club March 23, 1 p.m. – Senior Book Club March 23, 6:30 p.m. – Reading the Classics Paoli Library, 18 Darby Road, Paoli, (610) 2967996 Mystery Book Club – Call for dates/times www.50plusLifePA.com

Savvy Senior

Easier Screening Tests for Colon Cancer Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any easier alternatives to a colonoscopy to check for colon cancer?

I’m in my 60s and would like to be tested, but I hate the idea of drinking all that laxative solution and being sedated for the procedure.

– Squeamish Jim Dear Jim, It’s a great question.

While a colonoscopy is considered the gold standard screening test for detecting colon cancer and is widely recommended once adults reach age 50, only about half of Americans who’ve passed that milestone ever get tested.

Why? Because most people, like yourself, dread the all-day laxative prep and sedation, not to mention the procedure itself.

Fortunately, there are some easier alternatives, but be aware that if these tests uncover any suspicious results, you’ll still need to undergo a colonoscopy.

Take-Home Tests There are two different types of tests on the market today that you can take in the privacy of your own home that require no laxative-taking/bowelcleansing preparation.

The best option is the new FDAapproved Cologuard test (see www. cologuardtest.com), which has a 92 percent sensitivity rate for detecting colon cancers.

With this test you simply take a sample of a bowel movement and mail it in to the lab for analysis. The lab looks for both blood and cancerrelated DNA cells in your stool.

The Cologuard test, which is recommended every three years, requires a prescription from your doctor and costs $599 but is covered

by Medicare and many private insurers.

If, however, you find that the Cologuard test is not covered by your insurer, and you can’t afford or don’t www.50plusLifePA.com

want to causing symptoms especially in This is a pay the the early stages of the disease, is much faster $599 fee, and less the second largest cancer killer in the other the U.S., killing around 50,000 involved option is Americans a year. procedure the fecal The U.S. Preventive Services than a occult colonoscopy Task Force—an independent panel blood test of medical experts that advises the and one that (FOBT) or doesn’t require government on health policies— the fecal recommends colon cancer screening sedation. You immunofollow a clear- to all adults, ages 50 to 75. Earlier chemical screenings are recommended to liquid diet test (FIT), the day before people who have an increased risk due which the exam and to family history or other factors.

March is Colorectal Cancer detects 74 Experts believe that as many as take a laxative Awareness Month percent or enema the 20,000 lives could be saved each year of colon if the screening rate went up to 90 or morning of. cancers.

95 percent.

These tests, which are also provided Colon Cancer Numbers Jim Miller is a regular contributor to by your doctor, check for traces of Colon cancer, which develops the NBC Today show and author of The blood in the stool that could indicate slowly over several years without Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org cancer or large polyps that can develop into cancer, but they don’t look at the DNA. You simply send a stool sample to the lab.

Recommended annually, both of these fecal tests cost only around $25 and are covered by Medicare and Our practice is devoted to diagnosing and treating your most insurers.

Brandywine Gastroenterology Associates & Brandywine Valley Endoscopy Center

Less Invasive Tests Two other tests to consider that are less invasive than a colonoscopy but more entailed than the take-home tests are the virtual colonoscopy and the sigmoidoscopy (both tests are recommended every five years).

A virtual colonoscopy uses a CT scan to view your colon instead of a scope in the rectum, so it’s a less invasive procedure than a traditional colonoscopy and doesn’t require sedation. But, it still requires the same bowel-cleansing prep. It’s also more expensive, typically costing between $400 and $800 and is not covered by Medicare or most insurers.

A sigmoidoscopy exam, which is covered by Medicare and most insurers, uses a short, flexible scope inserted in the rectum like a colonoscopy to look at the lower colon only.

digestive disorders and promoting digestive health.

From top left: Ronald I. Waloff, M.D. Debra T. Wright , CRNP Michael A. Waronker, D.O. Alicia F. Wise, PA-C Dawn M. Capaldo, CRNP Frederic A. Meyers, M.D.

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Living Your Best Retirement Boomers Downsize to Tiny Houses

By Jeffrey B. Roth Millennials and boomers are the two largest demographic groups who are driving the tiny-house movement.

Tennessee Edwards, executive producer for Loud TV and the FYI network’s reality TV series Tiny House Nation, said millennials are the primary force behind the tinyhouse trend. But the number of boomers choosing tiny-house living is increasing.

“Boomers are growing in the tiny-house world,” Edwards said.

“Boomers are catching on, and the good thing about tiny is that it’s a fit for anyone looking to change their lives and reduce the daily pressures of having stuff and to try and do more with less. That message relates to millennials and baby boomers and all in between. Less is more.”

An average-size home in the United States is about 2,600 square feet, according to the website The Tiny Life. Living space for a typical tiny house is between 100 and 400 square feet, but in some cases may be larger.

“Lots of people decide to get an RV when they retire, which is a similar concept since you downsize from a large home to a small space that gives you more freedom,” Edwards said.

“With the growing popularity of tiny homes, we have seen an uptick in boomers wanting to go tiny, and it fits into their concept of seeing the country and living with less when they retire. I think the main concern for boomers is a place that gives them freedom—control of retirement funds—and a tiny home can give you

all of that.” habitat A Garrett and not an County, allusion Maryland, to J.R.R. contractor Tolkien’s who began book The specializing Hobbit, in building said the tiny houses tiny houses in 2012, or hobs, Hobbitat has as they completed call them, more than encompass a dozen 250-600 custom-built square feet. tiny vacation At the homes—13 time of for Blue interview, Moon Rising Bill Center for Thomas Sustainable was Education, building an a 573ecotourism square-foot venture hob for located on David and Deep Creek Katharine Lake in the Tiny houses, or “hobs,” built by Hobbitat Spaces Law of Allegheny Reston, at Blue Moon Rising development at Mountains, Virginia, as Deep Creek Lake, Garrett County, Md. near the a retirement Marylandhome.

West Virginia border.

David is 70 and Katharine is 60.

Known as the “Lake Tahoe of the Katharine works with the elderly by East,” the 3,900-acre lake features taking them to medical and other 65 miles of shoreline and is 12 miles appointments. in length. A four-season resort, the For a number of years, the lake is about two to three hours Laws have been in the process of from Washington, D.C., making downsizing their living space from it a popular weekend and vacation a 3,000-square-foot residence in destination.

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to a Sue and Bill Thomas, the owners 1,500-square-foot home in Reston; of Hobbitat, a variation of the word and now, they live in a condo/

Your guide to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one.

21st annual edition

apartment with about 1,100 square feet of living space. The Laws’ hob is the first fulltime hob residence Bill Thomas has built.

While there are hob plans available on the Hobbitat website, no two hobs are identical, Thomas said. The hob being built for the Laws includes a washer/dryer, a stove and oven, and a refrigerator. It features a loft bedroom with a built-in bed, which can be accessed from both sides, and closets.

The vacation hobs, by comparison, include a three-quarter-size kitchen without an oven; a small, undercounter refrigerator; and no washer or dryer. They are equipped with a pulldown Murphy-type bed located in the loft.

Others feature a nook with a small bed that can only be accessed from one side—think accommodations found in sailboats, which provided a model of efficiency that is applied to the hob design, Sue Thomas noted.

“I’ve been [very] interested in these small houses for a long time,” said David Law, who works as a safety manager for an airport authority in the D.C. area. “My wife and I are on the same page. The bottom line is that it seems to be the wave of the future.”

Law said many people of his generation downsize their living arrangements and un-clutter their lives by paring down their possessions.

Any remaining items they wanted to keep, but would not fit in their smaller living space, were already consigned to a storage unit; other items are to be given to their son and his fiancée. please see TINY HOUSES page 12

Read it online, in print, and on mobile/tablet devices. onlinepub.com

Call today for your free copy! (717) 285-1350 10

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Living Your Best Retirement Explore New Career Options after Retirement People live longer, healthier lives these days, and that means many would-be retirees are opting to pursue new careers after leaving their jobs.

If you’re thinking of trying a new career instead of retirement, consider these tips before you dive headlong into your new life:

Update your technical skills. The rapid pace of technological change may require that you get additional training for the career you’re thinking of pursuing. Check out

your options with government, nonprofit, and corporatetechnology training programs.

Evaluate your talents and values. Talk to people you know well both professionally and personally and find out what they think your strengths are. Get a

good handle on your talents and values so your new career matches them.

Enjoy the work. Do something you love, and let yourself enjoy the work.

If, for example, you tended to be a workaholic in your former career, don’t make the same mistake in your new pursuit.

Work Past 70? Be Sure You’re Able If you’re planning to work until you’re 70 or older, be sure you’re actually capable of it.

The 2015/2016 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey by Willis Towers Watson found that among workers age 50 or older, those who expect to be working longer may be least able

to do so.

The survey questioned more than 5,000 U.S. employees and approximately 25,000 workers in 18 other countries.

Among workers planning to stay in the workforce after 70, only 47 percent consider themselves to be in good health, 40 percent say they’re “stuck” in their jobs, 40 percent feel

average or high levels of stress in their jobs, and 48 percent earn less than $35,000 a year.

All these figures add up to the possibility that these workers will have to make some difficult decisions about finances and lifestyle if they hope to work longer.

Discover Sycamore Springs Seminar & Lunch

EXCITING NEWS! As a result of popular requests the Garden Spot Experience is now available to people as young as 55 in a new, unique community, Sycamore Springs.

“We looked at traditional 55+ communities & Sycamore Springs is so much better,” says new resident Art Petrosemolo, who just relocated from Shrewsburry, NJ. Register today for one of our upcoming Seminars at sycamoresprings.net or call the registration hotline at 717.355.6500.

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TINY HOUSES from page 10 it isn’t your standard carpet, drywall, Their hob is located on the lake people interested in the hobs take a “We really love the way they’re or standard ceiling. It takes on the and will have a view of the Wisp Ski test drive by renting a hob at Blue put together; they’re very cool. With everything built in ... there’s not much personality of the people it’s built for.” Resort, Law said.

Moon Rising. If couples considering Three Tiffany lamps acquired over “Start unloading stuff,” he advised a hob can’t get along with each other need for furniture, so I think our next the years by the Laws are to be wired other boomers preparing to downsize. in a small space, living in a hob step is to have a fire sale. The whole would only magnify idea is to eventually relationship problems, pare down to the bare essentials.”

Sue Thomas said.

“Tiny houses contain Letting go of all the necessities of a possessions accrued larger house, but do so over a lifetime is a very in under 500 square difficult chore, Law said. feet,” Edwards said, People, as they get older, noting that Tiny House get very attached to things.

Nation has been on the air for four seasons and “Most people really Tiny House Hunting is in won’t be willing to its third season. do this,” Law said.

“Tiny houses are part “Eventually what we’ll do is give up the storage of a social movement where people are room and put in a shed Tiny House Nation featured some of Blue Moon Rising’s 13 hobs in a special Halloween episode. at the cabin. We’ve got drastically downsizing the space they live in.” a beautiful lot. [The Thomases] use a lot of repurposed For more information on Hobbitat, directly into the ceiling. The amount “Life’s not about collecting stuff—not visit http://hobbitatspaces.com; for more things like the wood door they found, of possessions—clothes and a couple about hoarding. The prices of the information on Tiny House Nation which was 100 years old. pieces of furniture that they plan to hobs are really fair. We won’t have to and Tiny House Hunting, visit www.

“The hob has a funky, cool, move into the hob—would fit in a worry about a big mortgage.” fyi.tv/shows/tiny-house-nation. different kind of quirky appearance— large van.

The Thomases recommended that

Where friends become family.

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Free Tax Assistance Offered

Downingtown Senior Center 985 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown Tuesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

(610) 269-3939 Easttown Township Library 720 First Ave., Berwyn Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

(610) 644-0138

Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(610) 935-1515 State Rep. Warren Kampf’s Office 42 E. Lancaster Ave., Paoli Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

(610) 251-2876 Surrey Services for Seniors 60 Surrey Way, Devon Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(610) 647-6404 West Chester Area Senior Center 530 E. Union St., West Chester Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

(610) 431-4242

Try These Tips for Better Napping Sleep is important to your health, and regular naps can make a positive difference.

One Harvard study found that people who nap at least three times a week for a half hour or more have a much lower risk of heart disease. Other studies suggest that a 40-minute nap can improve performance on the job.

So what’s the best way to nap? The Science of Us website summarized the findings of different studies.

First, try to sleep for at least an www.50plusLifePA.com

hour to get a deeper sleep, even though shorter naps have positive benefits as well.

Second, lie down for your nap; you’ll wake up feeling more alert than if you sleep sitting up in a chair.

Finally, nap in the morning if possible. You’re more likely to get REM sleep because your brain still craves it from the night before.

Although, on the other hand, afternoon naps tend to be more restorative and improve memory.

18th Annual

Hershey Lodge

325 University Drive Hershey

DAUPHIN COUNTY

May 18, 2017

18th Annual

Oxford Senior Center 12 E. Locust St., Oxford Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(610) 932-5244

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Shady Maple Conference Center Smorgasbord Building 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl

LANCASTER COUNTY

June 8, 2017

14th Annual

Coatesville Senior Center 22 N. Fifth Ave., Coatesville Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(610) 383-6900

Oxford Neighborhood Services Center 35 N. Third St., Oxford Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(610) 932-8557

May 9, 2017

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School

1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton

CHESTER COUNTY

Sept. 21, 2017

21st Annual

Chester County Library 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton Mondays, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(610) 399-0515

Kennett Area Senior Center 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(610) 444-4819

Always free parking!

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Spooky Nook Sports

2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim

LANCASTER COUNTY

Sept. 28, 2017

15th Annual

Avon Grove Library 117 Rosehill Ave., West Grove (610) 869-2004 Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Henrietta Hankin Branch Library 215 Windgate Drive, Chester Springs Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

(610) 321-1710

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

York Expo Center

Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue, York

YORK COUNTY

Oct. 19, 2017

18th Annual

Through April 18 of each year, the AARP Tax-Aide program offers free one-on-one counseling as well as assistance on the telephone and Internet to help individuals prepare basic tax forms, including the 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, and other standard documents.

The following are locations in your area. Please call for an appointment (unless otherwise noted) or visit www. aarp.org/money/taxaide for more information.

Please join us for these FREE events!

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Carlisle Expo Center CUMBERLAND COUNTY

100 K Street Carlisle

Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes

Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available

(717) 285-1350 (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240

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March 2017

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Study Finds EEG Can Help Tell Apart PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury A recent VA study points to a possible breakthrough in differentiating between post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as a concussion.

The two disorders often carry similar symptoms, such as irritability, restlessness, hypersensitivity to stimulation, memory loss, fatigue, and dizziness.

Scientists have tried to distinguish between mTBI and PTSD in hopes of improving treatment options for veterans, but many symptombased studies have been inconclusive because the chronic effects of the two conditions are so similar.

The researchers used electroencephalogram, or EEG, a test that measures electrical activity in the brain. The size and direction of the brainwaves can signal abnormalities.

Analyzing a large set of EEGs given to military personnel from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the researchers saw patterns of activity at different locations on the scalp for mTBI and

PTSD. They saw brainwaves moving slowly in opposite directions, likely coming from separate places in the brain.

The researchers emphasize that these effects don’t pinpoint a region in the brain where the disorders differ. Rather, they show a pattern that distinguishes the disorders when the EEG results are averaged among a large group.

The study linked mTBI with increases in low-frequency waves, especially in the prefrontal and right temporal regions of the brain, and PTSD with decreases in lowfrequency waves, notably in the right temporoparietal region.

The differences in the levels of the waves may explain some of the symptoms of the two disorders,

suggesting a decline in responsiveness for someone with mTBI, for example, and more anxiety for someone with PTSD. Laura Manning Franke, Ph.D., the study’s lead researcher and research psychologist at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia, noted that more low-frequency power has also been linked to cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Less low-frequency power has been linked to problems such as drug addiction.

Additionally, spotting distinct patterns of mTBI and PTSD in separate parts of the brain is key for two reasons: First, the possibility these conditions can be confused with each other is reduced. That can help

improve diagnosis and treatment.

Second, the patterns show that electrical activity appears to be affected long after combat-related mTBI, suggesting long-term changes in neural communication, the signaling between cells in the nervous system.

“That could help, in part, explain the reason for persistent problems,” Franke said.

Despite the new findings, Franke and her team believe more work is needed to better explain the differences in the patterns of both conditions in the brain’s electrical activity.

Meanwhile, she said she hopes the research will play a role in helping medical professionals better diagnose someone’s condition through an individual EEG—whether that person has PTSD, a brain injury, or a combination of the two.

For more information, visit the VA’s webpages for PTSD (www.research. va.gov/topics/ptsd.cfm) and TBI (www. research.va.gov/topics/tbi.cfm).

Stories of ordinary men and women called to perform extraordinary military service.

Since 1999, writer and World War II veteran Col. Robert D. Wilcox has preserved the firsthand wartime experiences of more than 200 veterans through Salute to a Veteran, his monthly column featured in 50plus LIFE. Now, for the first time, 50 of those stories— selected by Wilcox himself—are available to own in this soft-cover book.

Simply complete and mail this form with your payment to the address below to order Salute to Our Veterans.

On-Line Publishers • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Name_ _______________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ ______________ Phone_ _____________________ Email______________________________ Number of copies_ ______ (Please include $20.80 for each copy)

Every Hero Has a Name.

Is your military hero also your spouse, child, grandchild, friend, or neighbor?

Help us put a face and a name to the courageous men and women who are currently serving or who have served in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Salute to Service

is an online photo gallery honoring the military heroes in our lives.

Upload your hero’s picture, name, and information at VeteransExpo.com/salute-to-service.

Credit card #______________________________________ Exp. date________ Signature of cardholder_________________________________CVV #________

Or send a check made payable to On-Line Publishers, Inc. You can also order online at www.50plusLIFEpa.com!

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The Beauty in Nature

Bluebirds and Phoebes Clyde McMillan-Gamber

Though from different bird Today they also hatch babies on families, eastern bluebirds and eastern support beams under small bridges phoebes have much in common, over little waterways and under porch besides their first name. roofs in woodlands.

Both are attractive and a bit larger However, eastern bluebirds than house sparrows. Males of both and eastern phoebes are feathered kinds sing lovely neighbors in songs to establish certain local nesting territories meadows shaded and attract by many trees mates for raising and bushes and young. Both divided by a nest in eastern stream with a North America, small bridge over including here it. There, the in southeastern nesting needs of Pennsylvania. each species are Each is a good Photo by John Benson met. The bluebirds neighbor to us raise young in Eastern phoebe. by eating pesky tree hollows in insects during the the pastures while warmer months, the phoebes rear the bluebirds in offspring under overgrown pastures the bridge. and fields and In summer over the phoebes in the years, I’ve seen bottomland woods families of lovely near streams and bluebirds and boulders. phoebes sharing Bluebirds and several humanphoebes arrive in made meadows our area in March in southeastern to nest, though Pennsylvania.

Eastern bluebird. some bluebirds It’s exciting and are here all winter, inspiring to watch eating berries and roosting overnight both kinds of attractive birds in a treein little groups to share body heat in dotted pasture catching invertebrates tree hollows and nesting boxes. and feeding them to their fledged Being adaptable, both kinds raise youngsters. young in sheltered places, both Eastern bluebirds and eastern natural and human-made, and feed phoebes are another local example invertebrates to their progeny. of two species of adaptable life from Pairs of bluebirds hatch two two different habitats converging in a or three broods in abandoned habitat that suits both their needs. woodpecker holes and other tree Therefore, a meadow bird and a cavities or in birdhouses erected woodland bird perch in the same particularly for them in proper habitat watching for the same food. habitats, which are pastures studded They could be competitors for insects, with a few trees and shrubs. except bluebirds get more of that food Each phoebe pair produces one or off grass tips, while phoebes get more two broods per summer, traditionally of it from mid-air. on rock ledges, under overhanging Nature always has a way of working boulders, and near streams in woods. things out. www.50plusLifePA.com

April 20, 2017 May 31, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

York Expo Center

Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Ave., York

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Crowne Plaza Reading Hotel 1741 Papermill Road Wyomissing

Please, join us!

This combined event is FREE for veterans of all ages, active military, and their families.

At the Expo

Veterans Benefits Community Services Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs Education/Training Services

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Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsors:

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Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

Wonderful Wall Designs Using Antiques Lori Verderame

designers like Louis Vuitton would love.

Forget painting one wall a different color than the other three and consider this feature-wall technique: wall world map! Cut out various pieces of printed wallpaper in the shapes of the world’s continents.

Apply the wallpaper shapes as they would appear on the pages of an atlas and create a cool and decorative feature wall.

Vintage suitcase shelves.

March 2017

Wallpaper wall map.

Little League player.

If you want to make a wall of your craft room both functional and fancy, use a hanging, metal plate rack to hold rolls of wrapping paper; blank, stretched canvases; or empty flea market frames, which are ready to be filled with mirrors, needlepoint pictures, or vintage prints.

When it comes to antiques, don’t cry over broken antiques or family heirlooms. Don’t trash the broken pieces, either. Pick up the pieces and make something useful and special.

Broken china plates are a common craft source, and you can also make a good-looking picture frame from old transferware plates of ironstone ceramic or from red terracotta pottery pieces. Be sure to use a tile grout in a secured wooden frame surround.

Don’t forget to wear gloves in order to protect your hands from the sharp, broken ceramic pieces.

When it comes to antiques, make them part of your home design and keep the memories of loved ones close to heart.

Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality on History channel’s hit treasure-hunting TV show, The Curse of Oak Island, Dr. Lori Verderame hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Visit www.

DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/ DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.

Brainteasers

Groups with Big Hits in the ’60s 6. 1964 – Simon and Garfunkel 7. 1965 – The Supremes 8. 1966 – The Monkees 9. 1967 – Jefferson Airplane 10. 1969 – Blood, Sweat and Tears

Puzzles shown on page 6

16

Enhance the cutout shapes with rubon lettering to indicate famous cities, landmarks, or places that you have visited.

Also, use this featurewall method to make wallpaper cutouts of a color wheel for the bedroom of a budding artist, a map of the United States for a geography fanatic, or a baseball diamond for your favorite

Transferware frame.

Puzzle Solutions

Integrating antiques, vintage items, and family heirlooms into a home’s interior design aesthetic sparks memories and brings dazzle to a room. Don’t be afraid to place something old alongside something new and contemporary.

While there are traditional ways to decorate all four walls of a room—paintings, prints, wreaths, and the like—there are also some nontraditional solutions that can make your walls wonderful.

And, when it comes to making bedroom walls say wow, use vintage objects in new ways. For instance, to make a built-in storage area or shelf space on your wall, try using whimsical vintage objects.

Take a few well-worn yet vintage suitcases—available at flea markets for $15 to $50 each—and carefully cut them in half using a hand saw. Use sand paper on any rough edges that will touch the wall.

Then, attach the half with the handle to your wall studs using wallbracket hardware. A few suitcases hung near each other will give your guest bedroom a travel-ready look.

To complete the look, use an old makeup-carrying case on a nearby table as a catchall for jewelry and other small keepsakes.

The result of reusing these vintage travel items will be a nifty and stylish space that even travel-accessory

1. 1960 – The Drifters 2. 1960 – The Everly Brothers 3. 1962 – The Four Seasons 4. 1963 – The Beach Boys 5. 1964 – Jan and Dean

TV Shows that Started in the ’50s 1. Gunsmoke 6. American Bandstand 2. The Honeymooners 7. My Friend Flicka 3. Captain Kangaroo 8. Your Hit Parade 4. Truth or Consequences 9. Bonanza 5. Dragnet 10. The Twilight Zone

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The Bookworm Sez

Cradles of Power Terri Schlichenmeyer

Your parents had such high hopes for you.

You were going to make it, and make something of yourself. You’d have a better life than they had: more wealth, stronger health, bigger home, more opportunities.

You were going to be somebody, even if, as in the new book Cradles of Power by Harold I. Gullan, it took everything they had.

Walk through any bookstore or library and you’ll learn that over the last 240 years, a lot has been written about America’s presidents. We know what history says about those men, but what about the people who raised them?

George Washington, for instance, loved his mother very much but, according to Gullan, she was a bit of a nag. She also embarrassed her son by complaining so much about a lack of money that the Virginia House of Delegates granted her a pension.

Thomas Jefferson also loved his mother but “he wrote next to nothing” about her. When her home burned to the ground in 1770, Jefferson’s main concern was not Mom, but the loss of his personal library.

When he was just a child, James Madison’s father lost his father.

Because there was a plantation to run and his mother couldn’t do it, the 9-year-old future father of our fourth president stepped up to the plate.

Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson had

three sons. the guy after The eldest him, author was killed in Harold battle; the I. Gullan younger two writes of the promptly influences joined the that cavalry shaped our and were presidents, captured by for better the British. or worse, “Betty” going back rode sometimes Cradles of Power horseback for

By Harold I. Gullan to the generations. c. 2016, Skyhorse Publishing 379 pages prisoner’s Because camp, the new bargained for the release of Robert nation (or the journey here) could be and Andrew, brought them home, a hardship, we clearly see how outside and the following summer rode back forces shaped early leaders and how to broker the release of her neighbors’ modern times led to different issues. sons. The second trip resulted in “the fever,” and she died that fall.

Martin Van Buren’s father was a tavern keeper. John Tyler’s father raised eight children and 21 wards.

The only president not to marry grew up “at the center of a circle of adoring females.” Chester Arthur’s parents had “Canadian connections” that caused a stir when he ran for office.

And, perhaps significantly, a number of presidents used their mothers’ maiden names as their own.

Sick of politics, you say? That’s fine; Cradles of Power is really more biographical in nature anyway.

From George W. to George W. and

Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others?

Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus LIFE’s Volunteer Spotlight!

Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged.

Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus LIFE, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

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Gullan does the occasional comparison between sets of parents, which is a viewpoint that becomes quite fascinating, and he doesn’t gloss over negative aspects of our presidents’ childhoods. That offers a nice balance and a great peek through history.

Perfect for parents or grandparents, this book might also be enjoyed by teens who are just gaining an appreciation for the past and its players.

And, of course, if that’s you, then Cradles of Power is a book to hope for.

The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer.

Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 14,000 books.

Check out our NEW Online Resource Directory!

Time is a Priceless Gift

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March 2017

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The Green Mountain Gardener

10 Ways to Get from March to May Dr. Leonard Perry

If you’re like most in the Northeast, you’re ready for spring to be here in March, when the days become longer than the nights once again.

This is really true for most gardeners. While you can’t spend too

much time in the garden yet, here are 10 projects to get you through until the real gardening fun gets underway in May.

1. If you haven’t been browsing

seed and plant catalogs, or checking out these firms online, don’t wait. Lots of new varieties, particularly perennials, sell out quickly. If you’re starting flowers from seeds, you want to order them as some

are started this month and many next month.

2. There are many home-andgarden shows, garden seminars, and symposia you can make plans to

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attend. For example, the Philadelphia Flower Show returns March 11–19.

3. Easter is approaching, so it’s a great time to visit local greenhouse growers to see all the Easter flowers and even bring some home: Easter lilies, azaleas, potted bulbs, and even cut flowers.

4. If you have houseplants, fertilize them if you haven’t done so in a few weeks, and check them closely for pests. If dusty, give them a rinse in the shower or wipe leaves with a damp cloth. If they dry out quickly, and roots are totally filling the pot, perhaps you need to repot them.

5. Many varieties of flowers and vegetables can’t be purchased locally, so you’ll need to start them yourself from seeds. This really is easy, and there is not much better in spring than to watch new plants growing indoors.

Inventory your seed-starting supplies or, if you don’t have any, make a list of what you’ll need. Visit a garden supply store to stock up.

6. March is the month to start some seeds, but not all. Start too many too soon, and you’ll run out of space and plants will get too leggy.

Since it is about eight to 10 weeks before you’ll be planting seedlings outside, some of those to start now indoors include ageratum, coleus, dianthus, dusty miller, annual geranium, impatiens, American

marigold, ornamental pepper, petunia, salvia, and snapdragon.

7. When any snow has gone, you can begin cleanup of beds. Remove straw or winter mulch from strawberries, garlic beds, and from around roses or tender perennials. Rake leaves from beds.

Cut back perennials if you didn’t do so already last fall.

8. When days are slightly warm or sunny, you can prune any broken branches from shrubs and trees, or prune fruit trees to shape them.

Pruning when it is too cold may damage the plant tissues and set their growth back this spring.

9. If you didn’t clean your garden tools the end of last season, do so now. Check to make sure none need replacing, and to see if pruners or hoes need sharpening. You can do this yourself with sharpening stones, those with diamond bits being the best. If you have mowers or power tools, now is a good time to get them tuned up.

10. If you have some springflowering trees and shrubs, such as forsythia, crabapples, or pussy willows, cut some branches to force into bloom indoors.

When buds show color, you can bring them into more warmth and use them in arrangements. They’ll remind you that spring is not too far off!

Dr. Leonard P. Perry is an extension professor at the University of Vermont.

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