Sleeping which way in Niagara

Is there a 'best' sleeping position?  It is something we do a lot of, so it would be good to do it well.  And interestingly, we're not taught how to sleep well.   There are dozens of articles with title like "This is why you should sleep on your left side".  They talk about left-side sleeping as the best position. Sleeping on the right side can worsen heartburn.  Another article says that sleeping on the left side can put a strain on internal organs like liver, lungs and stomach, but also reduces acid reflux. Pregnant women?  They are advised to sleep on their left side for optimal blood flow. Sleep on your stomach?  It is considered bad for the neck and is considered the worst position. Ever slept on your side and woken up with a numb arm? That pins and needles feeling comes from "capillary crush," when the weight you're putting on your arm, or another numb body part, is putting intense pressure on your blood vessels. There can be so much crushing pressure that you lose blood circulation. You can even find articles that describe sleeping positions as having a meaning in terms of personality. Of course I had to ask about world records for sleeping.  I am always stunned by other people's crazy creativity.  I found the longest sleep time, the longest time without sleep, the largest sleepover, and loudest snoring.  The most fascinating is likely the sleep deprivation record holder is Randy Gardner.  It was just over 11 days.  Guinness won't certify sleep deprivation anymore, as people have died from the activity. Today's the parking lot sale at Cole's Garden Centre.  I got there before 7:00am to snap this picture of Harry and his two sons. We don't have to worry about line-ups here at sales.  At PlantWorld in Toronto, one had to line up on the roadside in the car on busy Eglinton, and then they opened the parking lot a half hour before the sale, and we lined up for a half hour.  Then it was mayhem.  If you hadn't figured out what you wanted ahead of time...oh well.  But it was great fun.  This sale was fun too.

Wake Up to Spring

Wake Up on the Bright Side Spring starts tomorrow at 12:30am EDT, so we'll wake up to spring.  If we were in the west, it would be 9:30pm tonight on Saturday March 19. Somehow this seems reversed, so it is most interesting. This will be the earliest arrival of spring in our lifetime in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Farmer's Almanac.  On the equinox, Earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the Sun’s rays about equally because the tilt of the Earth is zero relative to the Sun, which means that Earth’s axis neither points toward nor away from the Sun.  (Note, however, that the Earth never orbits upright, but is always tilted on its axis by about 23.5 degrees.)  The Farmer's Almanac is an interesting source of fun facts:  Did you know that the March Moon is called "The Full Worm Moon"?  And if you are planting your garden, blooming crocus are the cue to plant radishes, parsnips and spinach. Our local garden centre is busy making changes - out front is a bob cat and dumpster.  Inside there is a treasure trove of spring flowers. View this email in your browser

Primula Power Grimsby's wonderful garden centre/nursery is Cole's - it is located just up the street from me.  And aren't I so lucky that they have a love of primulas.  I went in last week just before Easter and found a poly house full of primulas and smelling of spring.   There are always new hybrids of everything these days.  This beautiful blue/purple primula with the delicate lines is the most recent novelty that catches one's eye.