Why Practice?

A class of high school basketball players with similar skills was divided into three groups to conduct an experiment.

Group one was told not to practice shooting free throws for one month. Group two was told to practice shooting free throws an hour a day for a month. Group three was told to practice shooting free throws an hour a day for a month – but only in their imaginations.

At the end of the month, all three groups were tested. The group that didn’t practice slipped slightly in its percentage of free throw successes. The group that practiced an hour a day also slipped slightly. But the third group, which practiced only in their minds, increased its success rate by two percentage points.

How could actual practice, such as that done by the second group, fail to improve performances as much as practicing in the mind?

The explanation is that in your mind, you never miss a shot.

What are you practicing in your mind?

How To Grow A Great Garden

The trees are budding, the grass is growing, and you’re thinking of all those wonderful garden plans you never got around to last year. This year, get a head start on the season with some tips to help save time and avoid disappointment. And don’t forget to involve the kids – this is one of the few times you can give them permission to play in the dirt!

• If your only winter crop was couch potatoes, be careful. Don’t strain those underworked winter muscles. Bend at the knees and lift with your legs, not your back.


• Check your garden chemicals and dispose of last season’s leftovers appropriately. Don’t buy more chemicals than you can use in a season – the smaller the bottle, the better.


• Avoid using insecticides by planting marigolds, basil, mint, chives, onions, and chrysanthemums near or in your garden. Secretions from these and many other plants act as a natural insect repellent.


• If cleaning out the fireplace is on your schedule, great! Save the ashes – your flower beds love them.


• Starting seedlings in vermiculite to get a jump on the season? Be sure to transplant them as soon as the second pair of true leaves form, or they’ll starve.


• Your soil is ready for planting when you grab a handful and it crumbles. If it forms a ball, it’s still too wet to start gardening.


• Mulches can keep the soil from warming up, so wait to apply mulches until plants are three to four inches tall and the soil is warm.


• Use leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, and tea bags to form a compost pile, and use it to enrich your soil. For best results, chop elements into small pieces before adding them to the pile.


• Many of last year’s plants will multiply. If you’re going to thin them out, pack up a few as gifts for your neighbors (this is a great job for kids).
  
  And don’t forget to sit back and enjoy your handiwork! – Adapted from homemadesimple.com