Woman's World July 4, 2022

MONDAY, JULY 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY Toast to the USA! Celebrate America’s birthday with a patriotic cocktail featuring red, white and blue fruit! This easy sangria from the Woman’s World mixologists is light, fizzy and subtly sweet—a perfect contrast to heavier picnics foods. Add some festive straws for even more fun! To make Star-Spangled Spritzers: In a large pitcher with ice, combine ½ cup of blueberries, ½ cup of chopped strawberries and 2 red apples (sliced and cut into 2" stars). Add 1 (750 ml.) bottle of white wine, 1 cup of tonic and 2 Tbs. of lime juice. Makes 6 drinks JOKE OF THE WEEK How to perfect that all-natural, no-makeup look: Step 1: You will need these 27 cosmetic products… SATURDAY, JULY 9 CALL OF THE HORIZON DAY Feel the awe! Today is all about celebrating the feeling…

ABC Challenge your brain with Kelly Ripa in Generation Gap! Belly-laugh your way through this funny game show based on a 1969 hit of the same name. This new, updated version, hosted by Kelly Ripa, pairs teams of family members from different generations—like grandparents and grandchildren—together and challenges them to answer questions about pop culture from each other’s childhood while their families cheer them on. The team that answers the most questions correctly and scores the most points wins a big cash prize. Generation Gap premieres July 7. MUSIC Tap your toes to new music from Brett Eldredge! Sing along with country crooner Brett Eldredge, who’s back with a new album, Songs About You, available now. “I wanted the album to be songs that connect us all. The songs that make you remember all the…

• Family Feud premiered on ABC in 1976 with host Richard Dawson, who ended up marrying a contestant! • Pineapple upside-down cake became an American classic dessert for July 4th celebrations in 1961. • French designer Louis Réard unveils the first two-piece swimsuit in 1946, which he later called “bikini.” • The sci-fi hit Back to the Future was released in theaters in 1985 and became the highest-grossing film of the year worldwide. • In 1947, Doughboy Plastics created the first inflatable “kiddie” pool for families to enjoy in their backyard, at an affordable price.…

Fiction COZY MYSTERY A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert This quirky-fun whodunit begins when Chapters Bed and Breakfast owner Charlotte Reed welcomes a group of guests for a book club retreat focused on fairy tales. As a booklover herself, she’s delighted…until one of the guests is poisoned at the Mad Hatter tea party. With a list of suspects, Charlotte enlists her neighbor Ellen, a former spy, to help her gather all the clues—and close the book on the killer! ROMANCE Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley Filled with swoon-worthy moments and charmingly fun characters, this rom-com stars Jada Townsend-Matthews, who seeks refuge in her hometown after publicly turning down a dating show proposal. She gets a job at a San Diego bakery called Sugar Blitz, owned by Donovan Dell. A reporter mistakenly says Jada and…

Sun beamed down as Anne Marie Mucci dug her shovel into a patch of earth in her West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, yard. Anne Marie usually planted flowers, but this time, the then-54-year-old was going to try a vegetable garden. As she turned the soil, suddenly, her son, Jason Landry, came up behind her. “Let me do that,” he offered—and Anne Marie couldn’t have been more shocked or grateful. When, after four years of Marine service in Iraq, Jason had come home, he was a changed man. Struggling with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury, he barely spoke. His depression deepened when a Marine buddy of his died by suicide. Jason had a warehouse job, but spent most of his time in his room, sleeping, watching TV and playing video games. But that spring…

1 Boosts memory! Handling plants and soil boosts recall by 40%, say scientists at The Sage Colleges in New York. The reason? Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria in dirt, releases serotonin, leading to a peaceful state, so the mind retains information. You inhale these healthy “bugs” anytime you’re near dirt, so keeping plants on a windowsill brings the same memory-boosting perks. 2 Slashes stress! Studies show that gardening improves mood and increases self-esteem. A study in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing monitored people with depression who participated in a 12-week gardening intervention. Their mental health was measured, including depression and anxiety, and all were significantly improved for months after. 3 Strengthens your heart! Time in the dirt burns calories and bolsters your heart—just ask the CDC, which classifies gardening as exercise. “There are many…