June 2, 2023

In this issue we celebrate the first successful summit of Mt. Everest and the Sherpas who make climbing the mountain possible.

I misspoke about Dr. Sethi's whereabouts when I said he was back in the US of A, so this week we’ll give you an update on his continued travels and good works in India.

Thanks to a submission from one of our first and most loyal Flockers, Rick Robinson, we pay tribute to American soldiers who fell while defending the freedom of not only America, but also the freedom of other countries. Rick is a man who gave much to this country.

We share more insight from our favorite teacher, Dr. Hayward M. Fox. We will continue our deep dive into his mindful exercises.

I have a guided meditation below.

Then we check in again with the Jim and Angela Gannon. They're newly added to our FLOCK and want to share where they go with us.

My sweetie Mike loves trivia and when I'm passing on these trivia quizzes, I can't help but think I'm honoring not only young and old minds but finding an opportunity for fun across ages of time. As you know, our children were born in Hawaii, and I thought it would be fun to have a little Shark Trivia.

One of our favorite and most popular categories is Wellness, and meditation.

As I look into my garden, I see mint coming into bloom,

so we'll take a look at mint, an easy to grow herb whether you're in Arizona, Pennsylvania or Hawaii.

None of us are getting any younger and we want to compliment those to follow us. One of my favorite next gens is William George who has recently had two articles published.

Ten years ago, just by chance, I ran into Edmund Hillary's son while trekking with Yaks to the Everest Base Camp to celebrate the 60th anniversaryof the first summit. He must have had 20 Yaks with him carrying supplies up to base camp.

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay stand on the summit of Mt. Everest May 29, 1953

From Gripped, May 29, 2023

Today is the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest by Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal. Since 1953, over 6,000 climbers have reached the summit of Everest.

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, 1953.

photo: Kami Rita Sherpa, 53, pictured on the summit of Mount Everest on May 23, 2023.

From: Cheddar News, By: Associated Press, may 29, 2023

Nepal's government honored record-holding climbers Monday during celebrations of the first ascent of Mount Everest 70 years ago.

The celebrations come amid a growing concern about temperatures rising, glaciers and snow melting, and weather being harsh and unpredictable on the world’s tallest mountain.

Himalyan Monal

Oops, we made a mistake here at The Flock. Dr. Gulshan Sethi had not returned to the U.S.A. when we thought he had. Instead, he decided to stay in India and visit with his brother in New Delhi. While visiting with his brother, he also decided to help the local community. This comes as no surprise to those who know Dr. Sethi. The Triveni Garden Road that borders the Gadpur Farm neighborhood in New Delhi was in rough shape with overgrown shoulders and piles of garbage on the roadside. This was bothersome to Dr. Sethi, so he and a group of locals took it to themselves to clean the road up and show how beautiful it could be. They did this all in scorching 110°F heat. The photos below document their efforts.

The light blue pin indicates Gulshan's current location, New Delhi, India. The other colors indicate locations he has visited in previous weeks.

Dr. Sethi surveys the condition of Triveni Garden Road in New Delhi. It was in bad shape, with lots of trash and overgrown plants on its shoulders.

The condition of the Triveni Garden Road before the cleanup project began.

More trash alongside and in the Triveni Garden Road.

Dr. Sethi clears debris from the side of Triveni Garden Road.

Local help arrives to assist in cleaning the road.

Dr. Sethi with one of the local helpers.

Gulshan works with the local crew to finish the project.

Triveni Garden Road after the cleanup project.

The newly cleaned road is a sight that all involved can be proud of.

The following article was submitted by a long-time subscriber to The Flock, Rick Robinson. Rick resides in Hawaii, he's an Ironman competitor, and a Vietnam veteran. We thank Rick for his service and appreciate this contribution to The Flock.

About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands, lie buried 8,301 American soldiers who died in "Operation Market Garden" in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944.

Every one of the men buried in the cemetery, as well as those in the Canadian and British military cemeteries, has been adopted by a Dutch family who mind the grave, decorate it, and keep alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted. It is even the custom to keep a portrait of "their" American soldier in a place of honor in their home. Annually, on "Liberation Day," memorial services are held for "the men who died to liberate Holland." The day concludes with a concert. The final piece is always "Il Silenzio," a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Holland's liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since.

The year is 2014 the soloist is a 13-year-old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands). This beautiful concert piece is based upon the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.

This week, we would like to share with you some of the wisdom from the Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge website. for more insights, simply visit the site with the link below, and follow the page-by-page links through the website. 

The Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge recognizes personal knowledge and experience as strong interpretive tendencies. Self-concept and habits of mind have well-worn neuronal pathways giving way to automatic patterns of thought, action, and feelings. This consolidating experience gives rise to a sense of self with all its personal concerns and reactive tendencies. Is this view on the world, wide and deep enough for us to feel a sense of fullness and belonging?

Angela Gannon, a best friend going on 40 years. It's been an honor knowing her and having her and husband Jim share their world-wide experiences with us.

Lay down on your back and breathe into your tummy and down to your toes. 

Hold for a count of three.

Now gently exhale.

Breathe up and out through your mouth.

Now go into simple stretching.

Raise your hands to the sky,

rock left, rock right, and stretch up.

Hold for a count of three.

Repeat this three times.

Sit on the floor.

Stretch out your legs and wiggle your toes.

Pull your knees up and squeeze into your chest.

Breathe in and out 5 times.

Repeat this five times.

Lay back down and stretch out your legs.

Close your eyes and think of something beautiful.

Hold this thought for five minutes.

Sit up, stand up, and bow to your God.

Namaste

Last week we introduced you to the Jim & Angela Gannon and the photos from the Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa that they shared with The Flock. 

This week we pick up with them again at the Garden Route Game Lodge in Albertinia, South Africa.

The accommodations at Garden Route Game Lodge

Rhinoceroses

An African Buffalo

A pair of lions making the buffalo nervous.

Giraffes

Evening comes to the Garden Route Game Lodge

This is the number one international bestseller. Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. 

A captivating blend of personal biography and public drama, The Wise Men introduces six close friends who shaped the role their country would play in the dangerous years following World War II.

In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima—and into history. Through a hail of machine-gun and mortar fire that left the beaches strewn with comrades, they battled to the island’s highest peak. And after climbing through a landscape of hell itself, they raised a flag.

Fom A-Z Animals: By: Retha Lombard, March 6, 2023

Think you know a lot about sharks? Take this quiz and find out just how much you know.

From: PharmEasy, By: Dr. Nikia Toshi, march 31, 2023

Mint leaves also known as Pudina are a popular aromatic herb for its freshness with several health benefits. Since ancient times, people have used different types of mints all over the world. A variety of mint plants offer you a lot of anti-oxidant properties and health benefits. 

According to science, mint is an amazing herb with a lot of benefits. You can’t go wrong by adding mint in your diet as it is full of antioxidants, vitamins, iron, and so on. In simple words, include mint in your diet if you want to stay healthy and happy. 

From: The Spruce Eats, By: Lindsey Goodwin, July 14, 2022

Fresh mint leaves give this mint tea recipe an alluring herbal aroma and flavor. Since this tea is made with an herb instead of tea leaves, it is considered an herbal tea or tisane and does not contain any caffeine. You can enjoy a cup of mint tea before bed without worries about it keeping you up.

You can vary the mint in this recipe as long as it's fresh. Peppermint or spearmint are classic choices, but other varieties will work just as well. You can even use a mixture of them. While you can use dried mint for tea, it doesn't compare to the flavor of fresh herbs. Serve it hot or iced, sweetened or unsweetened, and with or without lemon. It's easy to adjust to your taste and customize to each drinker.

We would like to feature next genner William George for a second time. William is an up-and-coming journalist. He specializes in doing deep dive analysis of data and statistics and then taking that information and conveying it in a clear manner that people can understand. Most recently, William contributed to a report in the NewYork Times on Russian airlines circumventing U.S. sanctions.

From: TakeLessons, May27, 2014

Does your child love to write? Writing offers children not only a medium for communication, but the ability to create and use their imagination! What’s more, writing aids your child’s emotional growth and helps build the critical thinking skills necessary for success in school and in life. Writing retreats and camps can help foster these abilities.

What Happens at Writing Retreats?

At writing camps, children can focus on their creating writing while having fun at the same time! In a community environment, they will learn and refine the basics of composition, including how to plan, develop, organize, revise, and edit the written pieces they have constructed. There are many types of writing retreats, from half-day and full-day camps to overnight programs, with most including fun, relationship-building recreational activities as part of the retreat experience.

In loving memory to little Buster. A loyal Beagle who passed at 15. You can see his soul n this portrait that his poppa Mark painted for his momma Ellen.

Truffle is a graduation present for one of our young Flockers, Simran, and will arrive in about one month. Truffle is a little brother of my own American Eskie Dogs.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our second year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Indian Coral

Our favorite triathlete and "Ultra King", Mike is healing and doing super good! Don't hesitate to call.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

520-818-4433

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