By Nanette Wiser
SMART GARDENS
Self-watering pots and LED lights keep indoor herbs and flowers blooming. For a small space, Amazon offers the Click and Grow Garden 3 with space to grow three plant pods at a time or seedless pods to use with seeds you buy elsewhere. It’s great for basil, lettuce and other herbs and you don’t have to worry about watering every day. For microgreens, I like Ingarden; it uses autonomous watering complete with a ventilation system and wicking structure. Simply place the included pads onto the growing beds, pour water over them, hold the light timer at the top for three seconds, and get fresh microgreens about a week later.
MOOD BOOSTERS
Get healthy and happy in a flash. A cool water foot bath with Epsom salts can restore your vigor according to research. Even brief dips in skin temperature prompt your brain to release hormones that energize muscles and boost oxygen-rich blood flow to tissues and stimulate the brain. A little reflexology at Paradise Foot Spa or Happy Feet works wonders as well. Garden gazing can also boost focus and alleviate brain fog as does playing your favorite song or escaping into a book to restore calm. And the best? Connecting with friends daily. Send a text or an inspiring image to elevate your and their mood. Walking the dog? Call your far-away pal for a quick check-in. For more ideas, check out Own Your Morning by Liz Baker Plosser.
FIT & FUN
Too hot to run or bike outside? Check out some indoor adventures. Through October 2022, NYC’s Rockefeller Center’s ice rink is Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace, an homage to the ‘70s popular Los Angeles roller rink and retro blue suede skates with red wheels to rent. Why not roll into this fitness craze at Pinellas Park’s Astro Skate Family Fun Center? Wednesday 8:30-11pm is Adult Night and you can learn to skate on Sat. 9-10am. Or take up bowling. At Seminole Lanes, you can enjoy the game room, laser tag and the hip light show and tunes of Galactic bowling Thurs. 9:30pm and Fri./Sat. 9pm to close, a great date night excursion. On Wednesdays, ladies bowl free after 9:30pm. At Pasadena’s Ten Pin Lanes, seniors can bowl Mon. and Wed. 11am-5pm for just $2/game; there’s a snack bar.