My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

Q&A: Why do people in hot climates eat spicy foods?

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Question from Lawrence:  I was trying to decide what to order at a Thai restaurant the other day and I noticed that most of the dishes on the menu were spicy (as in hot).

That got me to wondering why people from countries with hot climates seem to prefer spicy foods.

You’d think something spicy would be the last thing you’d want to eat if you lived in a place where it’s hot all the time.  [Read more…]

Video: Intrigued by Tiny Houses? Check this out.

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Tiny houses are quite popular these days thanks to their relative affordability and lower maintenance costs.

Some folks are attracted to tiny homes as a means of maximizing their retirement incomes.

Others simply desire the simple lifestyle that comes from not buying (and therefore not storing) a lot of “stuff”.

Most tiny houses end up in places where the owners can have lots of privacy and individual freedom, but others are located in actual tiny house communities, surrounded by dozens of other tiny homes that are inhabited by like-minded owners and renters.  [Read more…]

Q&A: Has anyone ever survived a really high fall without a parachute?

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Living (and loving) Life

Question from Jane:  I recently saw on the news that two navy jets had crashed into each other.

One of the planes managed to land safely but the pilot of the other plane was violently ejected from his plane by the force of the crash.

He fell about 2,000 feet without his parachute ever opening. Sadly, he didn’t survive.

That got my husband to wondering if anyone has ever survived a fall from such great heights without using a parachute, and now I’m wondering the same thing.

Do you know if such a thing has ever happened?  [Read more…]

Video: Drone’s eye view of the mountains that surround Shady Valley, Tennessee

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“When snow falls, nature listens.”
     –Antoinette Van Kleef

A while back I featured a video depicting one of our planet’s most beautiful tropical destinations.

Today I’m going to share the beauty that winter can bring to a locale that’s just a very short drive from my home.

If you have ever visited or driven through the rural northeastern Tennessee community of Shady Valley you surely must have noticed how beautiful it is there.  [Read more…]

How’s this for a winter vacation?

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Most folks love heading south to spend a little time in the sun during the winter, but there are actually many among us who prefer to head north instead.

New England is famous the world over for its breathtaking fall foliage, especially when the leaves are at full peak color.

But truth be told, there’s plenty of beauty up north even after the last of those gorgeous leaves have fallen to the ground.

[Read more…]