LET'S TALK ABOUT GIFTS, and I don't mean Christmas. Santa Claus, Schmanta Claus. Tooth Fairy? Easter Bunny? I scoff. Brrroiyt! That's the sound of me lightly trumpeting an insouciant nether-toot in their general direction, because they are rank amateurs. You want the gifts that keep on giving, year-round? Straight up largesse? Talk to Mother Nature. Hers is the bag that holds the bounty to be harvested from the circle of life itself, every day of the year!
When you can unplug from the modern, consumerist distraction channels to be found pretty much anywhere "on the grid" 24/7 and immerse yourself in the quietude of a hike, spelunk, dive or paddle, the riches that become available to you are quite tasty, indeed.
Let's take the Great Lakes for starters. You can hike through unlimited acres of near-virgin conifer forest, lousy with squirrels, raccoons, you name it. Skunks. Cute as hell. You emerge along the shores of Lake Superior, where you're able to employ your large, strong hands in the harvesting of willow fronds, enough for a goodsized creel, or fish basket. Please note that these fronds cost zero dollars. When gathering your willow, select at least three contrasting "autumn" colors so your basket wouldn't feel out of place on the cover of Sunset magazine. Take your time and weave the hell out of that creel, adding the final flourish of a hand-tooled leather strap to serve as a hasp. Next, take that creel to the nearest big town and find a local butcher or meat counter at a grocery and cannily barter your weaving project for literal pounds of smoked bacon. Boom. Mother Nature just paid you. With the gift of pork.
Denne historien er fra March - April 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
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Denne historien er fra March - April 2023-utgaven av Reader's Digest US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Do You Kiss Your Dog? - Find out how gross your questionable habits really are, according to health experts
I admit it, when it comes to food, I have some eeew-inducing practices, like skimming mold off old cheddar and feeding the rest to my unsuspecting family. We're still alive, so how bad can it be? Because our gross human habits fall somewhere along the spectrum from mildly cringeworthy to full-on repulsive, I reached out to experts to find out where some common behaviors land on the gross-o-meter.
What's Ailing Our Doctors? - Today's physicians are burned out and battered by spreadsheets. We patients suffer too.
Today’s physicians are burned out and battered by spreadsheets. We patients suffer too. America's doctors are in crisis. Six in 10 physicians say they're burned out, with burnout rates for some specialties, such as primary care, reaching 70%. When polled by the American Medical Association, 40% of doctors said they were considering leaving their practices in the next two years. Another study, conducted by health-care industry publisher Elsevier, revealed concerns about mental health and burnout: 63% of med students in the United States reported that they had no intention of practicing clinical medicine after graduation and will instead work as lab researchers or academics. This is despite a predicted shortage of 124,000 physicians over the next 10 years.
Now Hear This
Losing your hearing suddenly, even if there is no pain, is always urgent
Go for the Gumbo
The soulful stew synonymous with Louisiana is delicious anywhere you eat it
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Pinned by a giant boulder, a hiker had two choices: panic or gut it out. He did both.
Fathers of the Bride
A young woman finds a unique way to honor the many men who helped her survive her childhood
MY SMART PET
These clever critters are some smart C-O-O-K-I-E-S
How Hobbies Help Us
Far from a waste of time, pastimes are good for body, brain and spirit
1+1 = MORE (or LESS)
A math whiz encourages you to play with your numbers
That Kind of Time
A dressing-room encounter made me get real about aging
