Happy New Year’s Eve. Much like last year at this time, I join you in being glad that 2021 is coming to an end, and maybe we can look forward to a calmer, healthier New Year. At least that’s what I’m going to keep uppermost in my thoughts. It’s hard to focus on positivity all the time, but it sure reduces stress, and who doesn’t want to reduce the stress in their lives?
One of the other things I do to destress is work jigsaw puzzles, and I was delighted to receive several for Christmas gifts this year. It was the year of the puzzles. 🙂 However, I’m having a bit of a hard time deciding which one to do first. One of my son’s already cast his vote, but I’m not going to say for which puzzle, as I’m going to ask for votes from you readers of this blog. I’ve numbered each image to make it easier to vote, since several are too much alike to simply say “the landscape” or “the sunrise.”
This first image is a puzzle that came from one of my sons and his wife. It included a statement from renowned neuroscientist Dr Stan Rodksi. Dr Rodski has over 30 years of experience focusing on peak performance and brain science research. “These techniques will help consumers harness the power of science to enhance their brains while having fun. Incorporating these practices while enjoying this spectacular jigsaw will help everyone find fun, new ways to solve the puzzle, and, more importantly, will create brain food for new neural connections and a healthier brain.”
The puzzle was created by the Hinkler Publishing Company in Australia that has wonderful products for kids and adults. Worth checking out in my opinion.
This next puzzle was a gift from one of my daughters. I love the old-fashioned soda shop & I’m tempted, really tempted. It’s such a charming picture.
This was my gift to myself this year. Another daughter who lives on the east coast goes to the beach a lot and sends me gorgeous pictures of sunrises and sunsets on the water. I decided to have a puzzle made from one of her photographs at Fine Art America. I needed a new puzzle and had no idea that I would be getting others as gifts this year; but one can never have too many puzzles. Or chocolate. Or garlic.
The same daughter who took the photo for the puzzle I gave myself, also had a puzzle made from another photograph she’d taken. When she shared the picture several months ago, we talked about how it would make a nice jigsaw puzzle, but definitely a hard one. I think she channeled her Dad who used to delight in finding a really challenging puzzle for me at least once a year, so she had this one made for me.
So, what do you do for relaxing? I hope you have a hobby that you can do for even a half hour a day because it’s so beneficial. As Dr. Rodski says in the pamphlet that came with the Mindfullness puzzle, “Fun and stimulating activities like working jigsaw puzzles can aid in the growth of dendrites in our brains.” The connections that are made increase our ability to learn understand and remember things. That is most important for those of us of a certain age as we worry about what the mounting years are doing to our brain. Dr. Rodski cites a a 2018 report from ULM University in the journal Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience that suggests that working jigsaw puzzles can protect the brain against aging.
Now if it could just do something about the wrinkles. 🙂
That’s all from me for today, and for the rest of the year. If you are gathering and partying tonight, be safe and be happy.
These are all awesome puzzles, but number one has captured my heart. Perhaps it reminds me of beautiful places l have visited. The science behind jigsaw puzzles is intriguing. Have a wonderful 2022.
Thanks for popping in, Jan. I hope you have a great New Year.