's Motd Thurs. March 20 - Spring Break

[Guest guest]

SPRING BREAK!

Thursday, 20 March 2008

I was watching the Weather Channel last night and couldn't help but notice that something wonderful is headed our way. That's right, today is the very first day of SPRING! Ahhh, Spring. From coast-to-coast, looks like warmer temps are on the way. Oh, I just love this time of year!

You know what Spring means. Get ready to open your front doors and throw yourselves out there and mix it up with Mother Nature. Blue skies, warmer weather and plenty of sunshine are on the way!

Soon, everything will be turning green again and it won't be long before those colorful flowers begin blooming. No more staying indoors and watching the snow fall outside your window. No more whining about how bad the weather is. Hey, it's time to practice seizing the day and getting in some exercise for your mind, body and soul...outdoors!In every city, there are beautiful places to walk. Here in Los Angeles, there are some very pretty fountains around the city. I love to walk over to a fountain and sit there for a few moments and watch the glorious water dance as it shoots up and out of the fountains. And I love to watch families with their kids at the fountains. Kids are always enthralled and love to dance along to the streams of water.

I'm sure there are some nice parks in your city or, if you live in a more rural setting, some nice woods close to your house. How tranquil is it to walk amongst the big trees that have stood there for 80, 90 or 100 years?Every time I go to the park, I always see so many people with their dogs. Last week, I even saw a man walking with a parrot on each of his shoulders.I love to walk at the zoo when the weather is nice. I become like Dr. Doolittle and like to talk to all of the animals, whether they talk back to me or not! I like to sing to the animals and you should see how they react. When you sing to them, softly, in a little baby voice, some of them will come right over to you for a closer look.There are a few neighborhoods around Los Angeles that I love to walk around. We have Chinatown, Korea Town and even a little Thai Town. We also have Olvera Street which is just like walking down a little street in a city in Mexico. We also have some sweet, small neighborhoods, like Larchmont, that have their own little Main Streets filled with lots of interesting shops. They feel like little villages and some of them remind me of the French Quarter back home in New Orleans.

When you're outdoors, walking in the fresh air, it does a lot good for your body and mind. Just being out there and having so much freedom, puts you in a happy place. And all of that walking you're doing is also helping you burn calories. You're having fun while you walk as the time seems to just breeze by and before you know it, you've walked a couple of miles!So get ready to spring into SPRING, everybody! And if you live in a colder part of the country, worry, not...those warmer days will be here for you soon!Love,