Theme Gardens - Pick One & Plant With It

Theme garden ideas:
BIRDS-Use plants with bird names or plants that birds love.
CHOCOLATE OR FOOD-There are many plants with food names.
EDIBLE-Vegetables, herbs and fruits.
FAIRY-Use dainty, miniature plants
HEALING-Use medicinal herbs and plants
HISTORICAL-Choose a period such as medieval, colonial, or renaissance.
MOONLIGHT-Use night-blooming plants.
PATRIOTIC-Use red and white blooms.
SCENTED-Use both fragrant blooms and scented foliage.
SPORTS-Use your favorite team's colors.
TROPICAL-Use tropical plants in containers on patios.

Choose a size, shape and location. Theme gardens can be as small as a window box or patio planter, or as large as you want to make it...

The Right Way To Reward

Many workers are feeling left out and unappreciated at work as organizations cut incentives. Here's how to avoid bad morale and poor productivity:

Four free ways to show staff they're appreciated:
1) Offer a sincere thank you. Do it verbally, or better yet, write a personal note to thank an employee for a job well done.
2) Ditch trash and trinkets. If you're offering material rewards, make them items staff will really appreciate. rather than throw-aways that will end up in the trash.
3) Give the gift of time. Your staff will really appreciate time off to catch up on errands or recharge after wrapping up a time-intensive projects
4) Foster an environment of inclusiveness. Communicate regularly with employees; share information and ask for feedback and ideas.

OR alternatively consider *Performance Enhancers (source: PWC's Poll2010)* - What workers want in the absence of a pay raise:
- Cash bonus for work on a particular project (90%)
- Gift cards (89%)
- A couple of days of extra annual leave (89%)
- Technology gift ie iPod Nano, digital camera, etc (80%)
- Lunch with family or friends paid for by the employer (68%)
- Being 'fast-tracked" for promotion (67%)
- Lunch or drinks with colleagues paid for by employer (62%)
- Access to internal training course (62%)
- Ticket to leisure or sporting activities for use with family/friends (61%)
- Option to gain experience in a different department within the organization (58%)
- A couple of extra days off to do charity/volunteer work (49%)
- A promotion without pay rise (37%)

Q: When was the last time you received a THANK YOU from your boss for a job well done?

Charity Starts At Home

Q1: When a letter arrives in the mail asking for money, do you toss it in the recycling bin or do you take a closer look?
Q2: Have you ever wondered how these small gestures are interpreted by your children?

*Interesting Facts To Ponder* Recent research and study related to culture of active caring demonstrate:
1) a clear connection between a child's direct and observed experiences of volunteering and donating and his or her involvement in charitable activities later in life;
2) a teenager's family is the "Number One" role model influencing his or her decisions about charitable giving and volunteerism; and
3) benefits derive from these activities including increased self esteem, a feeling of being valued, exposure to environments in which they can meet new people, and the opportunity to learn new skills (ie leadership skill).

Charity Starts at Home - instill and nurture charitable giving (sadaqah) value and habits in your children's heart by helping the poor and needy.

Better To Be Apple-Shaped

RESEARCH: Good news for gals with full behinds, big hips and extra fat on the thighs - it may be considered healthy, according to research out of Oxford University. Researchers at the university have found that women with fat in these target areas actually helps protect against diabetes and heart disease. Such apple-shaped figures are generally considered better than carrying additional squish around the belly, which is linked to the release of harmful fatty acids in the body.