Yet this spooky-fun event had its beginnings 2,000 years ago when the Celtic New Year was celebrated at summer’s end with bonfires and people wore costumes to ward off evil spirits.

M&M’s are one of the most popular candy treats given out for Halloween. The sugar-coated goodies even have their own special recognition – Oct. 13 was National M&M Day. Introduced in 1941, M&M’s are sold in over 100 countries. The original colors were red, brown and yellow with the logo lettering in black, which was changed to white in 1954.

Over the years, colors have come and gone and returned again by popular demand. Orange, for instance, debuted in 1997, was discontinued in 2006 and returned in 2010. A special blue M&M was introduced to promote “The Blues Brothers” in 1979 and was only available for a short time. Considered to be a rare M&M, one recently sold at auction for $600.

Today there are a total of 25 colors and 61 flavors that range from the original “plain” chocolate, peanut, caramel and mint to flavors commemorating many holidays and tastes such as Mexican Jalapeño Peanut M&M’s.

Some of the M&M colors have been animated and outfitted. Red is portrayed as the life of the party, always up for a fun time. Wonder if that is why red M&M’s are the most popular color.

Yellow is considered the happy one who smiles and laughs. Typical of blue, this color’s character is calm and collected. And green is the fiercely independent one, the one who likes the outdoors.

If you’re in a quandary about a costume for Halloween this year, consider being one of the M&M’s.

M&M’s offer plenty of trivia for those so inclined – they’re the most popular chocolate candy in NASA’s space program, became the official chocolate of NASCAR in 2006, and Google employees have unlimited access to M&M’s.

The famous slogan, “The milk chocolate that melts in your mouth, not in your hand” and the M&M’s brand characters were trademarked in 1954. The voice of Ms. Brown is Vanessa Williams and the character first appeared at the Super Bowl in 2012.

It’s reported that more than 400 million M&M’s are produced each day, which means there should be plenty of colors and flavors for trick or treaters to enjoy this Halloween.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Many more inventions, such as refrigeration, printing presses, steam engines and cars, followed during the machine age, paving the way for technology and production as we know it today, including the onset of 3D printing initially used to make prototypes in the early 1980s.

Today, the merits of 3D printing are vast, with successful applications in a considerable number of industries, from housing construction to medical technology. Many homers have been hit with this new knowhow, but I’m not sure about 3D printing of pastries and pizza, which could be a stretch for my picky taste buds.

As for the idea of 3D printed fish fillets, I’m calling it a “foul ball.”

There are two companies that are very excited to bring their new 3D fish fillets to market – Steakholder Foods in Israel and Umami Meats in Singapore.

According to a CNN report about this latest techno phenom, their “secret sauce” info claims that actual grouper fish cells are lab-cultivated and then “fed” to the 3D printer to create fish fillets that look and taste like real fish and are said to also be “clean and antibiotics-free.”

That’s quite a mouthful, which for some could be just a bit hard to digest.

Regarding the business side of this fishing expedition, the fish fillets are more costly to produce compared to plant-based chicken and beef products, and there are also regulatory requirements that need to be met. Yet both companies are optimistically reporting a 2024 launch date in Singapore; it will be a few years before the fish fillets are available in the U.S.

The idea of 3D printing fascinates me, and I love learning about the latest applications of this technology. Still, it’s hard to picture a house or a bone made with 3D printed materials. I’d love to be on site and watch the process in person, although I don’t feel the same about manufactured food since I prefer mine “au naturel.”

Facts are one thing, but personal preferences are something different. When it comes to food, just like some may call raisins fruit while others might call them candy, for now I’m sticking with the real thing — that my fish is marinated and grilled.

However, just like the automation of cotton picking, I could be eating 3D printed fish someday.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Visualize what it would be like to board a plane or boat from the U.K. and land at the Port Lockroy scientific base on Goudier Island that is still buried in 4 meters of snow from last December. That’s what four women who were selected from a group of 4,000 applicants faced when they arrived in Antarctica during summertime in the Southern Hemisphere to manage the world’s most remote post office, according to a recent CNN report.

To get an idea of the setting, in addition to the post office, there’s a gift shop and a museum that is frequented by visitors from 200 expedition ships that annually stop at the busiest place on this frozen continent. About 16,000 visitors are expected for the 2022/23 season along with explorers and scientists.

It’s also home to 1,000 Gentoo penguins, the fastest swimming penguins in the world with speeds up to 22 miles per hour. What a sight that must be.

Clare Ballantyne is the 23-year-old postmaster who is joined by base leader Lucy Bruzzone, wildlife monitor Mairi Hilton and shop manager Natalie Corbett. It certainly wasn’t the housing accommodations that attracted the women, since they share a room with no running water or internet, they take advantage of showers when ships are in port, and they have limited access to fresh food.

Collectively they claim the motivation was to live and work in a place that is so vast and unlike “anywhere else on Earth.” That and being responsible for keeping scientific tabs on the whereabouts of the penguins.

Cheeriness goes a long way to solving problems quickly and making the most of the unique experience. For their biweekly day off, catching up on sleep is a priority, followed by contemplative walks to enjoy the island’s pristine clear air and vast environment teeming with limpets, moss, starfish and krill. Photography is big, along with reading and reflection.

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators manages the tourism. There are codes to monitor waste and water, biosecurity and the worthiness of ships traveling in the polar region to protect tourists. Yet, so much of the Antarctic plains that are larger than the U.K. remain untouched.

For me, Antarctica sounds exciting to visit but not to live. I’m grateful my mom came to California from Nebraska when she was 18 years old. Her first time back was 50 years later when we went for a family reunion.

I loved meeting relatives and am happy SoCal is my home.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at cheryl@starheart.com.

It’s pretty hard to imagine running out of travel destinations, right?

Actually, Randy “R Dub” Williams, a well-known San Diego late-night DJ, has visited all 200 countries, which is why he created his own on an 11.07-acre plot of arid land in California that he purchased for $19,000. In December 2021, Williams broadcast the Republic of Slowjamastan’s secession from the United States from his open-air government office in Dublandia, the capital. To date, there are 500 registered citizens, with 4,500 more conditionally approved and waiting in line for citizenship.

Interested in visiting this newest country? It’s located off Route 78, a two-and-a-half-hour drive northwest of San Diego. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the enormous “Welcome to Slowjamastan” sign. There’s no infrastructure yet, but Williams is optimistic about the future of the world’s foremost “micronation.”

My guess is that visitors with an RV could stay overnight, which would make for great bragging rights, plus there are photo ops in front of the welcome sign or flag. Some of the country’s currency (the duble) could be a novel souvenir.

While Williams has the newest country on record, he’s not the first to have established a micronation. In 1998, a slightly smaller micronation – Molossia – was established in Nevada. Visiting this “sovereign neighbor,” Williams had his passport stamped and photo taken at the “border” separating the nation and the U.S.

Apparently, these countries can have a sense of humor: Molossia’s President Kevin Baugh has established the valora as its currency backed by chocolate chip cookie dough rather than gold.

Williams admits that some aspects of his country may be a bit outlandish, but that’s the intention. In his travels, he has experienced firsthand the contradictions of many leaders; thus his future projects fit right in with his paradoxical perspective. He’s planning to build a lazy river, an armadillo farm, an all-you-can-eat Mongolian BBQ establishment and, of course, a giant statue of its Great Leader.

Even if those don’t come to fruition in the near future, this geographical novelty could be worth a day trip just to say you’ve been there. Be sure to pack a picnic lunch, plenty of water, and bring chairs with those attached umbrellas. If you go, please send a selfie.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Did I really need it? After a bit of mental back and forth about not having a camera or the step tracking app, I decided to keep going and appreciate an outing free of distractions to observe everything around me as well as underfoot, which really paid off in the end.

First up were two delightfully different critters – a small blackish bug trying to carry the equivalent of what looked like half of a miniature acorn. I applauded its perseverance and made a mental note to remember that little guy in tough times.

Next was a fun-to-watch, 1-inch version of a moving bottle brush – picture a bristly-looking worm slowly plugging along.

Feathered friends also showed up, in particular a taller, thinner version of an orange-throated house finch. At the lake, there were the usual mallards and cormorants along with happy hummers hovering in the trees.

As I meandered south down the Lake Trail, a first-time surprise treat was waiting for me. Just past the three tree canopies and off to the right in one of what I call see-through trees, there has always been a huge empty nest. Doing a double take, I could hardly contain my excitement seeing what looked like two Cooper’s hawks standing guard. Such a thrill.

Next a purple-flowered plant caught my attention because it looked similar to comfrey, which is grown in Europe, Asia and parts of North America.

As I approached an offshoot of the lake, I heard what sounded like a mooing cow. Listening more intently, I recognized the sound of a deep baritone bullfrog and grinned knowing how funny they looked all puffed up.

When I was approaching the canyon road underpass, I quickly realized that I was about to step on a snake. Dodging it, I nearly landed on a much smaller one, and if someone had had their phone handy, I’m sure they would have captured a hilarious TikTok video. I laughed at the thought and moved on.

What was my takeaway? Photos are indeed lovely treasures and I do cherish mine; however, there’s no question that I captured pictures of another kind – the ones forever etched in my mind’s eye.

Could that be another aspect of being a minimalist, the theme of last month’s column?

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell  is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Since I was going to be like a turtle and carry my belongings everywhere, I weighed everything and made critical choices to protect my back. Pretty sure it weighed close to its original weight when I returned nearly a year later.

So imagine what it was like in 1980 to plan such a travel adventure when there were no ATMs, cellphones and other kinds of digital assistance to make such a journey easier. I’m talking about cutting up multiple resources to create a customized guidebook, choosing a lightweight 35mm camera, figuring out versatile clothing for all four seasons, finding safe places for travelers checks, and including a small container with a few of my favorite things to remind me of home — some sand, a seashell, a suncatcher, a ceramic turtle.

My journey took me to the East Coast first to explore my own country’s roots and government. My budget was $20 a day, which was tough in New York City. Staying at the President’s Hotel, I thought that no president ever slept there.

Then it was off to Europe, Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, Japan and down under to Australia and New Zealand.

During a train ride from Munich to Salzburg, my decision to become a travel consultant when I returned became a reality for 10 great years before the internet made it easy for people to plan their own travels.

My first residence post world travels was a 200-square-foot studio overlooking the ocean in Manhattan Beach. Compared to my previous lifestyle, I lived in a palace that I relished for 12 years. Since then, I’ve lived in a 150-square-foot space with kitchen access and up to 1,500-square-foot residences.

People often tell me I’m a minimalist regardless of the space I live in. For me, my home reflects what I learned traveling — that I get so much more out of life with less stuff.

Of course over time, I have acquired the basic furniture, but the essentials and accessories are carefully chosen. I like empty drawers, cupboards and shelves.

From what I’ve read about the importance of decluttering and keeping it simple, the underlying benefit is the feeling of peace and tranquility. Isn’t that what we all want? To feel there is a serene place to relax, rest and recharge.

For some reason, this story came to mind this month. Maybe it’ll speak to you.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at cheryl@starheart.com.

The world had its first look at the now famous photo on Christmas Eve 1972, although it did not make front-page news due to coverage of the Vietnam War and the death of former President Harry Truman.

For photography buffs, a Hasselblad camera and Zeiss lens were used to take the awe-inspiring photograph with its solid black background of space, which was the last ever taken by an astronaut using analogue film. To this day, the crew has remained silent about who clicked the shutter.

The Blue Marble has been used on the cover of books and featured on a stamp, and it also became a symbol of science and technology. And it was adopted by activist groups and annual events such as Earth Day.

Twenty million people participated in the first Earth Day, which was organized by Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson and Harvard student Denis Hayes on April 22, 1970, to educate participants in the importance of environmental conservation.

Two decades later, Earth Day was celebrated by 200 million participants in 140 countries. Today’s organizers say the event brings together more than 20,000 partners, 190 countries and over 1 billion people — one of the biggest secular events in the world.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet.” It never hurts to be reminded how important it is to reduce, reuse, recycle and renew.

It’s also a time for children and adults to do something special, from taking part in Earth Day birthdays and music festivals to helping in beach cleanups and tree planting. Trees are considered to be one of the most beneficial for the planet, and gratefully our community is filled with them.

Two of my favorite spots that are perfect for celebrating Earth Day are in Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. If you haven’t visited the Niguel Botanical Preserve on Crown Valley Parkway, volunteers are always welcome Saturdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. to help plant, weed and clean up areas of the preserve. The city of Mission Viejo is sponsoring a tree-planting event near Oso Creek Trail plus a Green Expo from 8 a.m. to noon.

However, regardless of where you were and what you did on April 22, remember that Earth Day should be celebrated each and every day. Our planet depends on us.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Thinking it was a defunct water tower, I checked out the Village History Center and learned that it’s actually a surge tower above a potable water pipeline owned jointly by several water districts and operated by the South Coast Water District. While the pipeline is on Village property, it doesn’t supply water to us because our water comes from the El Toro Water District.

On road trips, I’ve always been fascinated with water tower shapes, sizes and colors. Apparently, the size and shape are determined by its intended use.

If a tower is holding water for a small area nearby, most likely it will be squatty and sitting on the ground. Towering tanks visible from miles away can hold as much as 1.5 million gallons and provide water for large metropolitan areas.

In Gaffney, South Carolina, a popular tourist attraction known as the Giant Peach is actually a water tower that sits upon a 150-foot structure and holds 1 million gallons.

Water towers are very active inside. When demand is low during the night, they will fill up with water pumped at a treatment plant that is then used during daytime hours. Stored water is especially important during a power outage since electricity isn’t required for the available water to flow out of the tank.

In big cities like New York, many apartment and office buildings have water towers on top of their roofs. Some are iconic, such as the Brooks Catsup Bottle water tower in Collinsville, Illinois, and Rochester, Minnesota’s corn-shaped water tower.

Even though I referred to our surge tower as lighthouse-looking, lighthouse fans say otherwise because water towers are functional, and lighthouses are mystifying.

A lighthouse is considered to be a beacon of hope for distant travelers and a source of solitude for the caretaker. Both purposes conjure up feelings of mystery and romance. Lighthouses have become such popular tourist attractions that many have been converted into bed and breakfasts.

Even though our surge tower isn’t a lighthouse or tourist attraction, it’s definitely worth a visit at the end of cul-de-sac 306. Along with a picturesque white tower, you’ll find stunning views amongst the serenity of pine trees plus benches and chairs.

You can bring a picnic meal, do some tai chi or meditate. You could even be serenaded by the gentle sounds of an occasional clarinetist. It’s our little slice of heaven.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at cheryl@starheart.com.

And that’s not the Mona Lisa’s only mystery. The painting has many unanswered questions that have kept researchers investigating the bewildering woman for centuries.

The issue of who painted the Mona Lisa had long been in contention until 2005, when historians concurred that Leonardo Da Vinci was the artist, based upon a notation in one of the many books and artifacts housed at Windsor Castle. It stated that the wealthy husband of Lisa del Giocondo had commissioned Da Vinci to paint his wife’s portrait in celebration of their second child’s birth.

Painted on a poplar plank measuring a little more than 2 square feet, the Mona Lisa lived with several monarchs, including King Francis I, King Louis XIV and Napoleon Bonaparte. Eventually, the painting made its way to the Louvre.

It became an overnight sensation when an Italian handyman smuggled the painting out of the museum. People mourned its loss and cheered its return two years later.

More recently, the world-renowned painting had a $6.3 million renovation; it’s insured for $100 million, remains behind bulletproof glass and can never be sold, according to French heritage law.

The painting is still a topic of conversation among the art world’s aficionados, in particular Mona Lisa’s eyes, which convey an uncanny presence. Since women were not depicted to look so directly, it raises the question: What is she thinking?

Another uncertainty is whether the painting is truly finished since Da Vinci’s right hand became partially paralyzed in 1517 before he could complete the Mona Lisa, thus possibly explaining why she doesn’t have eyebrows.

My question is whether or not the Mona Lisa has ever received a Valentine, since people left countless notes, flowers and other mementos when the painting went missing more than 100 years ago. Because of the advanced security measures around the Mona Lisa, doing anything like that today is probably prohibited.

But one thing remains the same when it comes to Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday where people let others know of their feelings with cards, flowers and special occasions. And this “love” holiday dates back to 1380, when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote 699 lines of romantic poetry to celebrate the union of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia.

Just like the adoration people have for the Mona Lisa, Feb. 14 has also literally captured our hearts. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.

Since the latest stats report that only 9% to 12% follow through on their resolutions, I think it’s more beneficial to consider some daily R & R, that is taking time to renew and refresh with rest. However, I’m not talking about the long winter’s nap kind, or the importance of getting eight hours of sleep each night.

There are four types of “rest stops” that are excellent daily practices when done in order. They are recovery, restoration, recreation and celebration.

No need to worry – these practices won’t take up half your day. Their purpose is to give your mind and body a quick break to restore your energy.

Recovery rest means taking a short time out to be outdoors in nature, which can be right outside your front door. It’s a few minutes to listen to the birds, watch the trees sway in the breeze, let your mind wander and think about nothing. If you can’t get outside, you can water a plant or stand by a window and observe.

The key to recovery is to connect with nature in some way to break your mental or physical activity for 5 to 10 minutes. When you resume your activity, you’re rested and refreshed.

Restoration is about reconnecting with yourself by journaling, giving yourself a hand massage, drinking a cup of tea or talking with a friend if you’re feeling “off track.”

These activities don’t have to be lengthy, and neither does the third type of rest which is recreation.

Researchers say your recreational activities are more effective and enjoyable if you take a little time to rest and relax first. With your energy recharged, you’re more likely to enjoy playing a sport, going to a museum or taking an exercise class. Yes, there are stats to prove that too.

Celebration is the last form of rest because noting your daily accomplishments generates positive chemistry in your body. Taking the time to acknowledge your successes can be a journaling activity or shared with a loved one in a way that works best for you.

The key here is to pause and take stock of what is working and what you’ve done well. What a way to rest, right?

On that note, my New Year wishes are for your daily health and happiness wrapped in restfulness, with this in mind by Ravi Shankar: “Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have.”

Writer, editor and speaker Cheryl Russell is a Laguna Woods Village resident. Contact her at Cheryl@starheart.com.