NCTV BLOG

    King Tide Is Amazing  The water rises so high that it can come right over the dock.  In this video you'll see it at about dock level, but, earlier in the morning, it was about a foot over the dock!   I Love Boating  More than ever.  We got our first boat, a deck boat, when our kids were 4 and 9 years old, so they grew up being on the water.  It was fun for sure and we have lots of great memories from our time together.   But This Is Different  My husband and I get time for just us that we never really had before.  And that is such a beautiful bonus!   Indian River  It's a huge, huge, river that is brings spectacular beauty to our area.  Running close to the ocean, the water is salty, and the fishing great.   We frequently see manatee, jelly fish, dolphins and even sea turtles swimming in our lovely river.   Underwater Photography  Christmas 2022 my hub got me an underwater c...

   This is my short list.  I enjoy taking care of my skin.  It's a terrific practice that results in a great complexion, and gives me my little bit of time off from the daily routine.   What is Nancy's Choice #1   I'd have to give that honor to the RoC cleanser.  It's fantastic.  One of the best I've ever used.  It contains retinol, and niacinamide which combine to brighten the skin and calm it at the same time.  I started using this product about a month or so ago and so it quickly moved up the ladder for me.   How often for the scrubs  Some facial cleansers also serve double duty as scrubs.  Note the Olay Regenerist and the Bliss cleanser in particular.  So, I don't use them daily.   The St. Ives Scrub I use only once per month.  I bring it into the shower and it works very well to get the little bits of scrub rinsed off completely.   Facial cleansers are not all created alike...

2023 Summer Is Almost Here  And I'm getting ready for it!  I love summer fashion.  Good thing because I live in South Florida and it's almost a year-round thing.   These two nice additions to my (large, ok, no it's huge ) collection of swimsuits are really keepers.   Nancy's Choice The Bandeau  It's always nice to have strapless in your swimwear supply.  No tan lines on your shoulders which do show in those nice little sundresses and such that go great all summer long.   For this item, I chose to get a large.  Remember that on Amazon sizing tends to be junior cuts not misses, so they do run small.  This suit runs especially small, though.  But the the large did the trick for me.   The color, as listed on the item page, is actually called yellow.  Not to me it isn't yellow but that's the official color name if you're interested.   Nancy's Choice The Halter  I tend to relate to Marilyn Monr...

    Enjoying My Zone 10a Garden Here is my latest video on my Green Kids.  They are making progress every day!   The color is a bit off, too yellowy for me, but that has so much to with weather conditions this month.  We have had unusually dry, hot weather for a South Florida Spring.  Not ideal for growing plants from seeds.   But even with the weather not cooperating, I have had a great deal of success!  My squash is taking off.  The seeds put forth three separate yellow squash plants.  And my green beans are the stars at present.  I've got three big, healthy, green bean plants that I look forward to seeing bear fruit.  All else is coming along nicely.  Herbs are bushing out and getting taller.  Spinach, lettuce, peas, tomatoes and onions are all showing up and growing up.   My Pepperocini plant seems to have stalled.  I planted two groups of seeds for Pepperocini , and only one sprouted, wh...

    Yes, you can be too thin.  I don't care what the magazines say.  You need X poundage on your body to look and feel your best.  And since so much of the fitness industry is (sadly) only focused on dieting to lose weight, us ladies can really feel the pressure to be a certain size.   Gave up that nonsense for good.   I have a lot of training in fitness and nutrition.  I have published ebooks on the subjects. I was Yoga Editor at Bellaonline from 2009 to 2010.  And with all that I simply allowed myself to get too thin. Like about 15 to 18 pounds too thin.  Ugh.   Why would I do that?  I was doing some modeling and acting and didn't eat my normal amount.  Which is quite a bit.  I have fast metabolism and need quite a bit of fuel every day.  But I wasn't eating enough.  So the weight fell away and I became too thin.   I'm in a great place now And I'm staying there.  I've been 130...

    Love Long Hair?  Me too!  I am so happy I decided to ditch the salons and let my hair grow a few years back.  I made the right decision!  Beautiful Hair Is Not Too Difficult To Have It takes dedication mostly.  The cost isn't too bad, either.  As an example, the hair serums I use are not high priced.  But you need to apply a few drops of each, every day.  When I did that, I saw softer, smoother, and even fuller hair.   Over 50 - Over 60  Age is not the issue.  Diet can be.  You will need lots of clear water, 8 glasses or more, every day.  You will also need good fats such as avocados, olives and fresh caught salmon in your diet a few times per week at least.   Exercise matters.  Get going, walking, running, dancing, whatever you like, at least 3 times per week.  5 is best!   Don't expect it to be an overnight success story.  That does not happen!  But with regular ...

  I Have Become An Expert  Back five or six years ago, before I started using retinol products, I was not one to apply skincare products with SPF necessarily.  If the item had sun protection, all the better, but I did not make it a point to seek out ones that did.   Since the past 4 or so years, and my continual use of retinol skincare, I have become an expert at what brands of tinted moisturizers are the best, and of course, ones that come with the now must-have SPF 30 or higher.    Both Used And Loved  In the video above, I give you a look a five of the brands I am currently using.  Hey, a girl needs options, right?  And for the most part I have to give Maybelline high marks, and, as an overall winner, the Obagi product is just wonderful.   Tinted Moisturizer  I love the feel and look of a tinted moisturizer.  It's not as heavy as typical foundations, which especially in the humid climate I live in, can be "cloggy" ...

After all... What looks best on any of us?  That designer blouse?  Those pricey shoes?  They're great, no doubt.  But what looks best is something that doesn't cost a dime....your smile!   In this chat video I'm giving you a bit about what to expect on the YouTube channel, and here on the blog as well.   I'm at the point of 7 weeks back to using my NuFace device.  Cheek area only.  5x per week.  I took a break from it for the past couple of years because I was using other treatments.   Frankly, I am loving what I'm seeing and plan to never stop using my NuFace again!   What gives you a NuFace Smile  The microcurrent the NuFace device emits works beneath the skin to stimulate the facial muscles, increase  circulation, and even help drive the nutrients from products down where they can do the most good.  I apply a peptide serum underneath the activator gel that gives me benefits I can see. ...

I AM SO THE DOODLE MOM Good Heavens, yes!!  I love my pups like they are my kids.  And if you feel the same about your pets you understand that.   But even more than pet love, let me tell you a bit about how my labradoodles, Macky and Krissy, are so very near and dear to my heart.   We have an autistic son.  He's 30, and on the severe end of the spectrum.  For anyone who is wondering what that means I'm saying he's Rain Man  - not The Good Doctor (don't get me started on that show right now or maybe ever).   These amazing dogs are perfect with Corbin.  They naturally understand and we could not have better dogs to be around a son with behavioral problems.  They are truly angels with fur.   And so I made this video.  Bragging.  The proud Doodle Mom.   Yes, God Bless Puppies!  For He surely blessed us with them!   AMAZON AFFILIATE LINKS BELOW DOG ITEMS Stainless Steel Dog Bowls (...

Well, RoC can't actually turn back the clock and make you 20 again.  But it can make you look so good you could care less!   I was skeptical about retinol.  I figured it was too good to be true.  And, honestly, not every retinol product on the market lives up to its claims.  At any price.  But, RoC is one company that really does make products that ease wrinkles, reduce discoloration, and actually strengthen your skin.   It's not a facelift.  It's not an overnight miracle either.  But, RoC is a product that when you use it day in and day out, month after month, year after year, you see a continually more youthful complexion.  Including a kind of "lifted" look.   ** TIPS ** Wait 20 minutes after cleansing to allow your skin to dry.   Begin using RoC once or twice per week until your skin is stronger and retinol will not cause irritation.  Expect it to be 3, 4 or even 6 months before you can use RoC night...

My little Green Kids are really taking off now!  Sadly, there are a few no-shows, but my success rate starting off with seeds is far higher than I expected.   It's interesting how some of the harvest dates stated on the seed packages seem to be off the mark.  To me it looks like the lettuce will be one of the latest plants to mature and yet it was supposed to be first.   Sorry if the video is not perfect.  The sun was literally in my face and I was looking at shadows in the garden the whole time.   Come to my YouTube channel and subscribe!  I'd love to see you there!  AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK  Women's Garden Gloves           https://amzn.to/3JWqKyz

You can feel the difference right away.  The silky texture of the lather.  The fresh smell of pure essential oils.  It's an indulgence every woman should give herself!   You can buy my soap here:   OUR CRAFTWORKS ON ETSY 

The NuFace device is likely the most effective at-home treatment for signs of aging.  It's FDA approved, which is what got my attention right away.   And it's easy to use!   AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK NUFACE - (kit great deal!) https://amzn.to/3JSJMWD

Yes You Can Also Have Great Hair  I struggled for decades.  Really.  I moved to Florida in 1984 and it was from then up until a few years ago that I hated my hair.  I have enough curl in it to be problematic in this humid environment, and I went from salon to salon.  To salon to salon.  And heard the same answer over and over "There's nothing we can do."  Except, according to the hair stylists I went to, cut my hair off.   Well.  Cutting curly hair is not the answer.  If you have curly locks you know what I'm about to say.  Shorter makes the curl tighter.  There's nothing to weigh it down.  And so, when I did give in and chop it all off, I had an even bigger problem.  It stuck up in all directions like a damn weather vane.  Forget wearing hats.  Forget ever, ever,  taking a day off from shampooing and styling.  And even then, the nice styling job I did went to pieces as soon as I went outdoors...

Photo:  My garden beans! Day 16 Shows So Much Growth!  OK.  First.  I was worried about my seeds.  I mean I'd wake up at 3AM and think - "Is there anything I didn't do?"  "Maybe they are too dry?"  God!  It's not easy being a parent to Green Kids!  I never fretted this much over the starter plants I used in the past.  But seeds?  I had no confidence whatsoever when I planted them and as soon as I saw the first sign of something green happening I assumed it must be weeds.  We had a very dry spell at the beginning of March and I figured that even with hand watering 3x a day, it might not be enough.  But the Gardening Angels were in my court because I started seeing not just a bit of green - but lots of green.   Second.  At about 10 or 12 days I had about 80% of my seeds popping.  I have learned from much more experienced gardeners that that's not bad at all.  However, the feeling that my seeds would ...

  MY GARDEN IS POPPING Very exciting!  It's nothing short of a miracle that you can plant these tiny seeds, some of them actually look more like dust than seeds, and keeping them watered, in a few days you start to see a plant growing.  I am truly a garden lover!  Garden Beans Sprouting Day 6  My garden beans are sending up their first little bit of vine.  The harvest time is estimated at 40 to 48 days so at day 6 it's excellent to see them coming into being right on time.  (photo at top) Summer Squash Sprouting Day 6  Also estimated to reach maturity at 40 to 48 days, my summer squash is sending up tiny vines, with leaves on them.  Gosh!  (photo at right) Planting Seeds  This is my first experience starting with seeds.  I've been gardening for 5 years, with 2022 completely off due to COVID, and during that time I always started with small plants.   This year, I decided that since my garden is bigger and I have so muc...

SO GLAD TO BE BACK  Last year, 2022, my family had our turn with COVID.  My husband, my son and myself, were all sick.  My hub had the worst of it, spending 2 weeks in the hospital, and it was a bit of slow road to recovery for us all.   With that said, my garden was not replanted, as it was due to be.  But, feeling better and pretty much back to normal, my husband rebuilt my garden, making raised boxes that are bigger and better than ever.   MADE A PLAN  Here in Jensen Beach, FL, growing green things is easy in many ways, and also tricky.  As a gardener who wants to literally see the fruits of my labors, I have made it my aim to study first, and know what I'm doing.  In other, if you simply stick plants or seeds in the ground you are probably wasting your time.  That was never for me!  Temperature is really the main issue when it comes to planting.  And going bigger and better as I did, I needed to be sure that I was...