Today is your day Boomer! Do you cut them or keep them?  Those nasty flowers that grow up in your lush, green lawn during the crazy-weather month of June.  Like this picture of numerous Buttercups growing beautifully in my lawn and being enjoyed by my dogs and family.  The Buttercup, by the way, is part of the Ranunculus family, which includes flowers with many positive and negative qualities. Positive: "buttercups have simple, yellow flowers with five to 10 petals. They are especially bright and glossy. This is because the petals curve inward and are constructed in such a way that they reflect light onto the flower center, thus increasing the heat. This warms the stamens (which produce the pollen), boosts their growth, and increases the chance of fertilization. Also, this warmth attracts the pollinators. Buttercups are considered a source of food for bees and hummingbirds. This reflection is why children like to hold a buttercup flower under their chin. If the reflection on their chins is yellow, it is supposed to mean they like butter."(southernliving.com) Also...they look great! Negatives: they invade your lawn, spread rapidly, and are considered by some people to be a weed!  They also can cause skin irritation. Well, Boomers, I don't care. I love them! They remind me of spring, growth, life, beauty and my daughter.  Grow on buttercups. I refuse to mow you....
 Today is your day Boomer!  And today is another day for wining......and I don't mean complaining.  I mean drinking some pressed grapes and enjoying the health benefits.  That's right, drinking alcohol is good for you.  First, let's state the obvious....only in moderate amounts: two glasses per day for men and one for women.  Research shows the following positive health effects: (1) reduces risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson disease (2) is an anti-flammatory(white wine is better for this) (3) decreases risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol(red wine is a better choice) (4) good for mental health, may increase age longevity, may promote healthy gut bacteria. All of this sounds good and much of it boils down to the antioxidants which are higher in red wine.  It seems reds--like Merlot, Cab Sav, and Shiraz--have been studied more.....which means more research is needed on whites.  Boomers, maybe we could volunteer for a new study!  Cheers!

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