I admit I don’t have much of a green thumb, but this year for Mother’s Day, my family surprised me with a selection of perennials and greenery to inspire me to “dig in the dirt” during this time of social distancing.

I’ve also been checking out a few podcasts, as many beverage companies have stepped up efforts to connect with their customers by hosting podcasts and virtual tastings.

For example, Mountain Mel’s, purveyors of loose-leaf herbal teas with such fun labels as Oh So Pret-Tea and Unfrazzle Your Dazzle, is offering online classes and podcasts designed to educate and entertain.

In April, Mountain Mel Founder, aka Melissa Mutterspaugh, hosted her first live online class, “Herbs To Know & Grow for Your Health & Well-Being.” In February, she welcomed Alex Queatham of the Tend and Flourish School of Botanicals to talk about connecting with the Earth, ways to live off the land, and their mutual love of herbs that can support the nervous system and ease stress and anxiety.

Mutterspaugh, a trained clinical herbalist, commented: “Through all of this madness, I still remain true  to my mission of inspiring people to take better care of the planet, by taking better care of themselves and creating a movement where there's an herbalist in every home, again.”

Did you know?

With Americans being asked to social distance, 55 percent say they're hopping on virtual happy hours, and 41 percent admit to drinking more than they did before. After the coronavirus ends, 39 percent of respondents plan to continue virtual happy hours.

A Four Loko study on Virtual Happy Hours surveyed 2,007 Americans between the ages of 21-64 about their recent experiences with socializing virtually.