Documenting my day

Yesterday was a good day but it didn't start out that way because of the wild blasts of cold air. As I started walking to the first adventure of the day, I asked myself if I had gone totally mad. Probably, I thought, but stubborn, too. It was the first day of the year that felt like winter. I fought the wind and kept going. My feet felt like ice and my face was hit hard by random bursts of frozen air.

But everything got better when my friend Diane picked me up. She said that the weather was too atrocious for taking a walk. She was generous enough to provide me with transportation for all of the day's activities.

Celia Spacone of Crisis Services
shares information about
suicide prevention, as well
as other mental health issues.

My first stop was to Trinity United Methodist Church, which was hosting a health fair, sponsored by the Grand Island Lions' Club. There were all sorts of exhibits there, offering information about a diverse variety of health needs.

Domestic violence occurs behind
closed doors and in the shadows.
Joe and Debbie of the Erie
County Sheriff's Department
Domestic Violence Unit
are there to support victims and
to help them find safety.

These included physical fitness, nutrition, dentistry, mental health, hearing, eyesight, and more. There were plenty of people to talk to about how to maintain good health, in addition to how to deal with various issues. There were fun things that were given out by various organizations. I think that my favorite freebie was a four-in-one kitchen tool.

One of the displays at the health fair

It's a slotted spoon, a turner, a stirring spoon, and it has a serrated edge! One utensil that has that many uses means fewer things to wash in the kitchen sink! There was also a "table raffle." Tickets were available to purchase. So I did! Today, I found out that I won two baskets!

After the health fair ended, I went to the library, where I met some lovely therapy dogs. They were there for a monthy program. Children can read to dogs once a month. They sign up for a fifteen-minute slot and they read to a therapy dog. This is a great way for kids to practice their reading skills with a kind, nonjudgmental audience. The dogs are pure delight, and the kids love the dogs. 

Art exhibit at the library

The library is a busy place, with programming for both kids and adults.

Like to put together jigsaw
puzzles? You could add a piece
to this puzzle, being put to-
gether in the library.

I was able to attend a demonstration of jam making. The instructor, Tina T. Ames, is an artist and a blogger who writes about food. You can find her blog at Simply Abundant Living with Tina T. Ames.

The demonstration was really interesting. Tina showed us how to make a berry jam. The main ingredients are fruit, fruit pectin, and sugar. Fruit pectin is used to thicken the jam as it is cooking on the stove.

Tina prepares the jam

Tina also demonstrated how to sterilize the jars and lids used for jams and jellies. They are placed in boiling water, which gets rid of any impurities that could cause food poisoning. After the jars and lids are sterilized, the jam is placed in them. The lid is attached, and the jar goes back into the hot water bath, where it stays until a little pop is heard. This is essential. Tight lids are the key to good jam that is safe to eat.

We also got taste tests of several types of jam: a "regular" berry jam, a "low-sugar" version of berry jam, and "chia seed berry jam."

The chia seed berry jam was sweetened with honey, instead of granulated sugar. Oh, and chia seed jam is very healthy. It's a superfood jam.

Chia seeds are loaded with protein, calcium, and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. So... hey! It's both nutritious and delicious! 

I was sent home with a cute little jar of jam and a recipe for fruit jam and another for chia seed berry jam (honey sweetened).