Beech Tree News Network

June is a busy month! Since the days are longer, many of us are filling those daylight hours with activity. I’m making use of the longer days, but I have also done some late afternoon reading. Below I’ve listed some of that information.

First, having just celebrated Father’s Day, I read some interesting facts about the day (http://www.krem.com/news/ten-facts-you-may-not-know-about-fathers-day/44...):
•    According to Hallmark, Father's Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with 72 million cards given every year. About 20 percent of Father's Day cards are bought for husbands.
•    The top three gifts for Father’s Day are: 3) clothing; 2) electronic gadgets; and 1) a special outing, like a round of golf, dinner, or a sporting event.
•    The top 3 most popular things to toss on the BBQ this Father’s Day are: ribs, hotdogs, and steaks.
I hope all the fathers had a great day!

Second, my daughters and I had a yard sale about a week ago. Information about yard sales is readily available in the Internet, including yard sale statistics (http://infographicjournal.com/yard-sale-stats-and-facts/; http://www.statisticbrain.com/garage-sale-statistics/). I learned the following:
•    Average number of people who buy an item at a garage sale each week: 690,000.
•    Average number of yard sales held each week in the U.S.: 165,000.
•    Average price of an item at a yard sale: 85 cents.
•    Top three best-loved yard sale items: tools, collectibles, and sports equipment.
•    42% of shoppers expect to negotiate the price.
•    78% prefer items to be clearly marked with a price.
•    Biggest turnoff? Overpriced items 43%, disorganization 22%, dirty items 19%, and hard to find 14%.
One website (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291678513346492022/) has posted “The Ultimate Yard Sale Pricing Guide.” For example, the guide suggested plain jeans be priced at $1 and designer jeans be priced at $3. Helpful information!
 
Finally, according to an article in WellNews (the Summer 2017 issue), one in eight women will develop breast cancer. Cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John said, “In June 1992, I discovered a lump in my breast. A subsequent mammogram, ultrasound and a needle biopsy proved negative. But my instinct said it still didn't feel right, so I had a lumpectomy. I then got the news that it was cancer” (https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/june.html). To reduce the risk of developing cancer, the WellNews article suggested activities for each decade, for example increasing the intake of extra-virgin olive oil in one’s 60s. Women who do so reduce their risk of developing breast cancer by about 62 percent.

June has been busy. But most days, I’ve carved out a little time to sit and read or work a puzzle – a good reward for me. As someone once said, “Life is a balance between rest and movement.”