Notes from the Lake

Some herbs are seasonal, even in the mild climate of central Texas, and I miss cooking with basil too much to part with it altogether in the winter months. Basil loses its flavor as a dried herb, so freezing if the method I prefer to use to preserve it.

Other herbs which die back seasonally are dill, cilantro, chervil and parsley. They can be difficult to keep alive in the summer months so are worth freezing since they don’t dry very well. Lemon balm, lemon verbena and Mexican…

Some Causes of Low Back Pain: 
Backaches often result from a tug-of-war between the abdomen muscles and the gluteals (muscles in the bottom) and the hamstrings (muscles in the back of the thigh). 
If the abdomen or thigh muscles are weak, the lower back frequently wins the tug-of-war and takes the load thereby working harder than it should. 
Also, if you are carrying extra weight in the abdomen area, the body is pulled out of line and the lower back feels stress and strain from…

Do you know that climbing stairs and hills can be great for your heart and overall conditioning but also damaging for your knees?  As you’re stepping/climbing UP, your knees absorb approximately one to two times your body weight—which is okay and safe and actually strengthens your muscles and joints.  However, as you’re stepping DOWN, your knees absorb six to seven times your body weight—which is not okay and with repetition, might eventually lead to joint problems and knee…