by B.J. Armstrong

M...marching into Spring.
A...as we listen to the birds sing.
R...raking leaves and pulling weeds.
C...clearing away winter's waste.
H...hoeing and planting flower seeds.

March and Spring are here at last!

March is the third month and it's a "kite-flying" month, because the wind is usually blowing quite frequently. If you have dry eyes, be careful outside. Shield your eyes using glasses with protective side shields. Tears keep the eyes moist, but the wind increases tear evaporation and can contribute to dry, itchy eyes. In addition, the tear glands shrink with age and produce less eye lubrication. Women suffer dry eyes more frequently than men. Usually, both eyes are affected. Dry eyes tend to be more prone to infection.

St. Patrick's Day is on March 17. Tradition says to wear green or get pinched. I know school kids love this time of year. If you're lucky, you may get to pinch the teacher.

It's that time of  the year when grass starts to turn green. While cleaning away winter's mess, bugs begin to emerge. Tiny insects sometimes find their way into our ears. Don't try to fish it out with your fingernails or a Q-Tip. You might push it further or damage the ear. Here's what to do: Using an ear dropper full of alcohol, flood the ear to kill the bug. Then, gently irrigate the ear with warm water from an ear syringe.

If March wind bothers your ears, wear a cap or a scarf when outside. Cotton is always good to put into ears when all else fails.

Winter sometimes leaves our skin dry and cracked. Heels and hands are the most likely places for this condition. For dry feet, soak them in warm water each night for about twenty minutes. Pat them dry and then apply a coating of good lotion, or even petroleum jelly can seal the cracks. For added protection, sleep in a light pair of socks for really bad, cracked heels.

Hands need a daily moisturizer. Put on lotion every time you go outside. Don't forget the gloves when you are getting soil ready for flower planting. Gloves protect the hands from scrapes, bug bites, and broken and dry skin. Probably the most important thing you can do to protect and treat dry skin is to moisturize daily with a cream-based moisturizer. You don't need expensive skin creams to keep skin looking and feeling good. If nothing else, you can just use plain petroleum jelly. Again, for added protection, put on a lighter pair of gloves at night for really bad, cracked skin.

Make the most of bath-time by adding bath oil rich in moisturizers... even though you apply cream after bathing. Again, there's no need for the fancy and expensive stuff. Plain old castor oil is a good low-cost choice. Or, make your own bath oil by mixing a half cup of castor oil with ten drops of pine, rosemary, or mint-scented oil. Add one teaspoon of mixture each time you bathe. A couple of pats with the towel is all you need before applying lots of lotion. A good reminder for your lotion is to have it in each room of the house just for using when needed.

Spring is the rebirth and growing of flowers and vegetables. To begin, the soil has to be made ready for planting. The ground has to be cleared by pulling weeds, raking, and smoothing the soil, and sometimes hoeing the hard ground.
Oh yes, winter softens up the body, so get ready for some sore muscles and leg cramps.

Leg cramps can happen when you are walking, bending, standing, and doing other things. You can use the direct approach to relieve it by grabbing the cramping muscle. Massage and push your fingers along the cramp until you get some relief. After the cramp is gone, stretch out the muscle slowly. Leg cramps may surely happen while you are gardening. Be prepared by drinking water before, during, and after you begin working in your flower bed.

At the end of the first day of garden work, you can be sure that you will have muscle soreness. So, head for the hot tub. This will help the tightness and stiffness. Then, later on, a bath will give you a more soothing effect. Before you retire for the night, take an aspirin, lie down, and stretch your body. Get up the next morning and stretch your arms, legs, and body before you get dressed. The second day of work will be much better on the muscles.

The question could be asked, "Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumbbells?" To dig a vegetable or flower garden is much more worthy exercise for men!

March into Spring.
Spring into action.

And have a great beginning of a new Season.

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