A Plethora of P’s / #58: Potato

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

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A moment of quiet reflection, please, in honor of the Potato ~ a humble, understated vegetable of enormous natural value.

Glamour evades the Potato; it isn’t particularly pretty and doesn’t dress-up for attention very often ~ but oh! the versatile delight it possesses! And so, I pay tribute and celebrate this near divine offering from the Good Earth.

It’s hard to imagine a life without potatoes. This is especially true if you’re Irish, I suppose, but we all enjoy their many variations. Red potatoes, golden ones, brown ones, white ones, sweet ones. Mashed potatoes (lumps or no lumps?), baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes, roasted, fried, french-fried, sautéed, grilled, boiled (I even like a raw slice now and then), and of course, potato soup, potato salad and potato pie.

Potatoes go with almost any meal (except maybe ice cream), and as if it couldn’t get any better, aside from their yumminess they’re jam-packed with nutrients.

Some spud facts: Potatoes contain no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium. What they do have is natural fiber in the skins, vitamins and minerals and great flavor. A six-ounce potato contains 2 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, making it a great foundation for a whole meal. One potato has more potassium than a banana, and is a great source of both vitamin’s B and C. And, as a nutritious carbohydrate, your muscles and your brain will thank you for fueling them, saving your heart and other vital organs from trying to do that extra work.

Viva La Potato!

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A Plethora of P’s / #46: Pair of Pears

proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.

– ♥ –

A pair of pears. Why not just pair, or just pear? Because, as we have been taught, things are often better in pairs. Two eyes, two hands, two feet, for example. Or “two heads are better than one”. Noah filled the ark in pairs. Girls always use the ladies room in pairs.

It must be, then, that two pears are more advantageous than one lonely pear all by itself. Twice the fiber, twice the vitamin C, and twice the calming effects on the nervous system.

Of course, the real truth is that I picked Pear as a positive P because, for some reason, I like to paint them. I actually prefer to paint them than eat them. Their curves and colors are incredibly conducive to a pen or brush ~ they practically beg for portraiture. For this reason alone, pears are good. Add in the medicinal benefits and they’ve got “positive” written all over them.

So a pear of pairs presents a dual positive. And I figure we could all use a double-dose of cheerful thinking now and then. Just remember to try and pair up wisely. And yes, eat your fruit.

"Two Pears" / © Patricia Saxton / Oil on Canvas

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