 The election of 2016 has been an extreme roller coaster ride over the past year and a half. As a country we have witnessed events and behaviors that have been unprecedented. We have seen some of the best but more of the worst sides of human nature.. We have witnessed deep divides. We have seemed to have lost our way in being civil toward one another. Or are we only being exposed to a marginal voice of the overall amount of people who live here?
It has been a week filled with deep emotions for millions of Americans as a result of the election.. I am not one to share my political thoughts on social media but I do read what others have written. And I feel I need to assert my voice here. I believe in the goodness and kindness of humanity, I feel most people strive to be respectful and dignified toward others. But the less angry may not be sharing their points of view in a mature and responsible way to the degree that those who are feeling outraged are. Therefore, if they are not putting a voice to their thoughts, it may appear as if this perspective is close to silent. This week emotional wounds have been rubbed raw. It has been disturbing to me to read what has been written from both sides...the anger and nastiness that has come through saddens me on the innermost level.. I worry about the examples we are setting for the youngest among us. Children look to adults to learn and then model behaviors and attitudes. We need to recognize our responsibility in this process., and do our best to be the best. So I have written my 8 point plan to not make America great again- but ourselves first- then as goes the microcosm, the macrocosm follows, Please give it some thought! !
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 Aromatherapy is the inhalation and bodily application of essential oils from aromatic plants to relax, balance, rejuvenate, restore or enhance body, mind and spirit. Pure essential oils are extracted from many parts of the plant including the flower, leaf, resin, bark, root, twig, seed, berry, rind and rhizome. A basic principle of Aromatherapy is to strengthen the self-healing processes by indirect stimulation of the immune system. The depth of use of essential oils is quite wide, ranging from deep and penetrating therapeutic uses to the extreme subtlety of a unique fragrance. Aromatherapy is considered by some to be an ancient yet timely and modern approach to total well being that is in tune with nature. Aromatherapists, armed with a technical understanding of an oil`s constituents, artfully blend essential oils to produce new aromas. The results of Aromatherapy are very individual. While there is general agreement about the actions of certain oils, Aromatherapy texts may vary in their descriptions of the properties and characteristics of an essential oil. In addition, no two people are affected by the same essential oil in exactly the same way. Even the same person can be affected differently by the same oil depending on surroundings, time of day or mood. Today in the West, the popularity of Aromatherapy as an alternative or complementary therapy is growing rapidly. According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, in the U.S. Aromatherapy is a $300 million dollar business, and they project it to be a $1 billion dollar business by the year 2000. (Health Foods Business 12/98, p.26) Already, in areas of Europe it is common to find mainstream doctors who practice Aromatherapy and health insurance companies that reimburse for treatments. What are the Different Types of Aromatherapy?The different types of Aromatherapy are cosmetic, massage and olfactory. Regardless of which type of Aromatherapy you choose, essential oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil.  Cosmetic Aromatherapy combines essential oils with facial, skin, body and hair care products containing all natural ingredients.  Aromatherapy for Massage combines the healing touch of massage therapy with the aromatic benefits of essential oils..  Olfactory Aromatherapy releases essential oils into the environment around you either by inhaling or diffusion. For inhalation, you can either dispense the essential oil into a handkerchief or spray a mixture of essential oils and distilled water into the air and breathe in. Diffusion is the evaporation of the aromatic components of an oil into the atmosphere using Aromatherapy equipment. Several different devises are used to fill the air space of a room. Some use heat as a means of "evaporating" the essential oils; this spreads the essential oil vapor throughout the room. Candle diffusers and ceramic or brass rings placed on light bulbs are commonly used. Other diffusers consist of an electrical air pump and glass nebulizer, which micro-ionizes the volatile oil, thus allowing for the most efficient form of inhalation treatment. How Does Aromatherapy Work? When inhaled, essential oils affect our bodies in several ways. The essential oil component molecules enter the nasal passages where they stimulate the olfactory nerve. This sends messages directly into the limbic system. The limbic system, located in the brain, is the seat of memory, learning and emotion. The inhalation of the essential oils triggers changes within the limbic system which in turn can stimulate physiological responses within the body via the nervous, endocrine or immune systems. Either stimulation or sedation of body systems or organs may occur. Certain essential oils may have certain effects. For example, due to their effect on the brain and the subsequent sedating or stimulating of the nervous system, essential oils can also indirectly raise and lower blood pressure and possibly aid in normalization of hormonal secretion. The inhalation method can be useful for respiratory symptoms. Local application of diluted oils on various points (i.e. spinal nerves, chakras, and meridians) is effective for certain conditions. Massage Aromatherapy provides relaxation as well as a physiological action through the nervous system. In addition, when applied topically, essential oils can exhibit anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, or anti-inflammatory properties. Although essential oils produce certain effects that can be counted on, they also adapt to the needs of different people How Can I Learn More? When learning something new, the amount of information can be very overwhelming. So to help those who want to dive in and learn more, Seeds for Change Wellness has published a beginners guide to help you get started with the basics- laying the foundation for safe use. This guide focuses on 5 starter essential oils that are helpful for personal and home care use.: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Tea Tree and Peppermeint Essential Oils. This guide is available on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback format. Be sure to take a peek!  WHAT IS KITCHEN SINK WISDOM? Kitchen Sink Wisdom is about using natural remedies, easily done from home, with supplies and materials that you most likey have around the house..Some remedies and advice have a long family history, being handed down from generation to generation. CASTOR OIL Castor oil is a pale yellow vegetable oil, extracted through the pressing of the castor oil beans from the castor plant. It is commonly available in stores and online. When using the castor oil pack remedy, it is best to purchase a high quality product that has been cold pressed and free from chemical additives and pesticides. Castor oil may be administered externally or internally. Internally, it has been used mainly as a cathartic (i.e. powerful laxative) and in induction of labor. The constituent ricin, in castor oil is acutely toxic, and for this reason castor oil should never be taken internally except under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor or other qualified health care professional. Used externally, it is applied as a heated compress over the affected area THE GENTLE WARRIOR Castor oil has many benefits and uses for improving health, the skin and our hair.
A day or two later, a health newsletter, called Alternatives, which I received monthly arrived. In that issue was an article on the use of castor oil packs for the treatment of arthritis. I was in so much pain, pretty much confined to bed, with every joint in my body inflamed. So, I figured, why not give it a try. I began the treatments as described, continuing daily for one week. With each treatment, the pain began subsiding, the areas of inflammation reduced, and finally after a week, I was up and resuming my normal day-to-day activities. Since that time, I may have an occasional flare-up, localized to one spot, upon which I promptly give myself a treatment, within a day or two, the pain disappears and I am off and running again. I am not saying others will see the results I had. Everyone's situation is different, but I know it will help. The reason II suggest this treatment to many is because of the personal results both I and others have experienced from its use. Having used it in a variety of situations, it has been helpful. The cost is cheap, and it is not a risky treatemnt, but it does involve committing to the time to follow the treatment protocols. BRUCE BAAR, MS ND “Castor Oil has been used through out the ages as a natural therapy. Castor oil applied externally in the form of "packs" is very popular with natural health practitioners. The Edgar Cayce Readings inform us that castor oil packs are to be used to improve assimilations, eliminations and circulation; especially of the lymphatic system. A castor oil pack is made with layers of flannel like material, enough to absorb and hold the castor oil during application. The flannel material is wool, cotton or the newly designed disposable pack, each of which you will need to saturate with cold-pressed castor oil before using.. A common area to apply the castor oil pack is on the right side of the abdomen, between the upper part of the rib cage and the upper edge of the hipbone. Another common area is across the abdomen from the right to the left side of the body, covering from the sternum to the pubic or groin area. Application is usually for 1 to 2 hours. A heating pad is placed on top of the castor oil pack to keep it very warm during application. It is best to consult your health care practitioner to determine frequency of application.” - CASTOR OIL PACKS Applying a castor oil pack is easy. It is the go to remedy in our household when we are dealing with inflammation and muscle aches and pains. This is how we apply a castor oil pack. Instead of using the wool flannel, we use those disposable blue bed sheets and cut a piece to size. Sometimes we add in a pinch of tumeric or ginger which have inflammation fighting properites, to give it an additional boost.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION A good reference source is the book: The Oil That Heals: A Physician’s Successes with Castor Oil Treatments . Author: William A McGarey, M.D. .Publisher: A.R.E. Press, 215 67th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-2061   See Video on how to apply a Cold Pressed Castor oil pack  One of my favorite vegetables from the garden is butternut squash. And it's a good thing, because my hubby definitely overplants! Besides the yummy taste of butternut, a big plus is that when you plant enough of it, like in our garden, it can be stored in a cool garage and your harvest will last until the next season. Storage: We live in the northeast, with cold winters, so I have a space in our garage when I can store the butternut on an old bookcase. I stand them up, next to each other on the shelve.and that's it! When I want butternut for dinner, throughout the year, I just go out and get one. They stay wonderfully! I think the best way to make this squash is to bake it. It is so quick and easy. Often when it is just my husband and me looking for a quick meal, we will each have a whole butternut squash and small salad as our dinner. What could be simplier than that? MY BAKED BUTTERNUT RECIPE 1 butternut squash 2 TBS melted butter real maple syrup brown sugar cinnamon nutmeg
Saving Your Seeds
If you want to save your seeds for next year, it's a simple process. Put your seeds in a colander and rinse with cold water to wash off all the gook. Dry them with a paper towel. Then lay out your seeds on a sheet of wax paper to dry. Once dried, put in an envelope, date and lable. Place in the fridge until needed next season.  FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD 9/18 & 9/19 AT AMAZON Is the start to your day crazy? Maybe you get up late and are rushig to get ready for work. Maybe you have kids that you that you need to get ready and out the door in time to catch the school bus. Or maybe you are just trying to get off to a good start- calm, cool, relaxed. Fuel Up! Whatever the case may be, it is important to get get fueled up to face the day.. Just like your car doesn't run when the gas gauge registers empty- you too don't perform at you peak level if your body is not energized and ready for action. So, make a promise to yourself- and treat your body like it desevers to be treated! One of the ways to do this is to get a good, healthy nutritious meal inside so you function well on the outside. I'd like to share a few of my favorite recipes from my book Grab & Go Breakfast Recipes that can help you keep that promise. Recipe Ideas:  Strawberry Breakfast Parfait Indredients: Low fat plain yogurt Cut up frozen strawberries Brown Rice Syrup Wheat & Barley Cereal Flaxseed meal and wheat germ Grab a glass, and cover the bottom with yogurt. Add some cut up frozen fruit. Put on another layer of yogurt. Mix in a little bit of sweetener. Top with cereal, wheat germ and flaxseed. Mix up and eat. Mix up your parfait the night before in a mason jar, Cover, and put in the fridge for a really easy grab and go breakfast!  Mango Lassie Smoothie Ingredients: 1 cup low fat plain yogurt 1 mango- cut up 2/3 cup water Handful of ice Flaxseed meal and wheat germ Dash of cinnamon Dash of cardamom The best way to make the perfect smoothie is to forget the measuring cups and rely on a little trial and error. The ripeness of your fruit, whether it is frozen or not, and how good your blender is, all factor into the amount of time you will need to blend your smoothie. A good smoothie will be just liquidly enough that you can suck it up through a straw without having to strain your lungs to the point of bursting. Toss your ingredients into your blender, liquids first, then buzz away! If your smoothie is too thick, add more liquid, if it is too watery, thicken it up with more ice, yogurt or frozen banana.  No Cook Breakfast Bars Ingredients Kashi cereal Dates Nuts: Sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds Optional ingredients: Unsweetened coconut Unsweetened coco powder Cinnamon Brown sugar A great grab and go breakfast! Make a big batch and freeze what you will not use within a few days. You are only limited by your imagination- no specific measurements needed. Use what you have in the pantry at the time. Place all ingredients into a food processor to blend. Form into bars, place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet overnight to dry. Cut into bars, wrap and freeze the extras Well I hope I have inspired you with a few of these recipes! Give them a try and let me know what you think. FOR MORE RECIPE IDEAS CHECK OUT   Freshen Up Your Clothes!I love working with essential oils for so many reasons They smell wonderful, are natural and mutlifaceted in use. Whether you are dealing with a minor ailment, want to make a personal care product or need some help with household chores --there is an essential oil out there that can help.
One of my least favorite chores is ironing! There is no TV in the room where I iron to distract my attention, but when I use this linen spray- it does help make me feel more cheerful- the aroma just transports me and I forget about how much I'd rather be doing something else! It is very easy to make, is much less costly than buying a spray from the department store and you get the satification that you have make something special for yourself. WHAT YOU NEED: - a 4 oz spray bottle - 2 tbs of witch hazel - 6 drops of Lavender essential oil --tje real stuff, not a cheap fragrance - distilled water In your spray bottle, add the witch hazel and drops of Lavender. Shake it up for about a minute or so to really blend the essenial oil with the witch hazel. Then fill the rest of the sprayer with distilled water. Cap and shake well! It is as simple as that. Oh, yes, before you use your spray again- don't forget to shake it up! Ironing may not be fun, but your clothes will smell wonderful! Have you always been interested in the magical ability of dowsers? Wishing you could do the same thing yourself? Well the bad news is---there is no magic; the good news is---we all can dowse. Now how well you dowse, that degree of skill and ability is entirely up to you.
Just like any other skill in life, we become competent with practice, we become good with more practice plus understanding, and finally we become the master with more practice, understanding, and willingness to allow our intuitive abilities to shine through the veil we hide behind. The purpose of this article is to outline the basics so you can begin your adventure into the world of dowsing as soon as you have finished reading. There are any number of tools that can be used to dowse, such as L-rods, Y-rods, bobbers, and pendulums. For the master dowser, tools begin to be unnecessary and a large number of tool-less dowsing techniques are employed. I will be discussing learning to dowse using the pendulum, simply because this is my tool of choice. The First Thing You Need is a Pendulum You can purchase one from a store or online, but if a simple tool is all you need to get started, begin by looking around your house. Any string or chain can be used which has something suspended from the end of it. I have made hundreds of pendulums in the past ten years using gemstones, crystals, stones and beads but my favorite pendulum is the necklace I wear. It is a simple quartz crystal pendant on a silver chain. It is my signature jewelry piece, not wearing it feels like walking around without underwear. So it is always with me. The trouble with my other pendulums was that I wouldn't always have it with me then I would want to dowse something and ughhh! no pendulum. The necklace eliminates the problem. You can use a needle on a thread, a key on a keychain, a screw looped through a string. The possibilities are limited my your imagination. Now We are Ready to Get Started: Step 1: Get Clear Empty your mind of any busyness that is cluttering it up...pretend there is a port hole on the side of your head... open it up, allow the thoughts, chatter, mind-mess to drain out. If you have some trouble with this, concentrate on your breathing...breathe in open space, breathe out stuffiness, continue until you feel very clear headed. Step 2: Get Connected & Grounded Get connected to your higher self, this is a continuation of step one, once the gunk is moved out, our higher energies have space. Use whatever means gets you into this space. I like to center myself and ask to be in perfect alignment with my higher self, by focusing my attention on the crown chakra at the top of the head, while imagining a strong golden cord between me and the Source. I then ground myself. This is done simply by visualizing strong roots growing out of the bottom of my feet, moving deeply into Mother Earth. Here I am provided with a two way flow...if I need to discharge energy it can flow into the earth to be transmuted, if I need to gather earth energy, it is absorbed upward. Step 3: Find Your Yes & No In order to dowse, you must know what your Yes response will look like as well as your No response. Holding your pendulum chain or string comfortably in one hand, position your elbow on a table or solid foundation. Give the direction: "Please Show Me My Yes Response". Then let go of any expectation and wait. It may take a minute to have your pendulum show a reaction, although most people can get a response much quicker, within 10 -15 seconds on their first attempt. The swing may be a vertical or horizontal line, a clockwise or counterclockwise swing, or a diagonal to the left or right. Record what your Yes Response was. Next give the direction: "Please Show Me My No Response." Generally it will be the opposite of your Yes response. If your received a horizontal line for a Yes, then in most cases you will receive a vertical line for a No. This is not always the case but it is more frequently than not. Record what your No response was. On the first few attempts the response may be a weak signal. If this is the case, you can strengthen the response just by asking. For example, when you direct "Show Me My Yes" and you get a weak (slow moving/barely moving) horizontal line, follow with the direction "Show Me a Stronger Yes". The pendulum will move faster or quicker, in a more definite or defined way. A few times practicing this will generally result in strong swings from then on. Step 4: Questions to Ask Before Dowsing Dowers practice asking 3 questions before beginning. May I? Can I? Should I? The questions refer to: May I dowse for this information? Can I- do I have the ability/experience to dowse for this information? Should I dowse for this information or is it best to leave it alone? Step 5: Some More about Your Questions The subconscious mind is very literal and does not make assumptions.....
Step 6: Begin to Dowse Start dowsing very simple things until you get comfortable. Here are a few examples of what you can do::
Other Important Things to Remember As with any new skill: Practice! Practice! Practice! is necessary to achieve accuracy.
If this has peaked your interest and you want to learn more, check out my Beginner's Guide to Dowsing.  I don't know about you, but I love watermelon! So if you are reading this, you are probably a watermeloner as well!
Watermelon is great any which way it is served. I love its juicy sweetness. I love to chop it up to put in the freezer to use as frozen ice cubes for drinks or to make popsicles with. But my all time favorite is this watermelon salad that also does double duty as a salsa. So, if you are a watermelon fan- take it to the next level and give this a try! Ingredients:
Raspberry Mint Dressing
This is a great dish or salsa to serve at your next summer get-together. And be prepared, everyone will want to know how you made it!  If you are a gardener growing basil, this time of year is when the plant begins to really fill out and provide you with a lot of aromatic abundance. So what are some of the ways to use this garden delight?. Let's see... how can I count the ways? How about 10 great ways to use up those beautiful basil leaves? 1. BASIL INFUSED OIL This has so many uses- for your salad dressing, to make your pesto with, or to use when when cooking. At Preserving Your Harvest, they take you through two easy methods to make your own. 2. INFUSED BASIL VINEGAR If you are making an infused oil, why not also try making a companion vinegar? Red Fern Farm gives a great pictorial, taking you through the entire process.. 3. SHARE THE WEALTH Still have more basil coming in- give it away to family and friends ,Unlike zucchini, no one says no! Then they will come back asking for more. 4. WINTER FRESH LEAVES Want to save some basil for the winter? Freeze the leaves- Here is a trick I learned a few years ago. Clean and dry the basil leaves, then place in a small jar with good quality olive oil, just enough to keep the leaves wet. Place in the freezer. When you pull out your basil in the dead of the winter, it will be fresh and green. If you just freeze your leaves they will retain their flavor but not their color. 5. STOP THE ITCH Crush a few fresh basil leaves to use as a herbal rub and topical treatment for insect bites to reduce the itching and inflammation. 6. MAKE A HERBAL TINCTURE Make a herbal tincture with basil leaves to help relieve nervous conditions and induce relaxation. Follow the steps at the Herbal Information Center to learn how to make a herbal tincture.. 7. MAKE A HERBAL TEA Make a herbal tea with fresh basil leaves and a few of the seeds. Basil is known as a herbal aid in digestive issues. Studies show that basil contain anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. 8. RELAXING BATH Need a relaxing bath? Fill the tub with warm water than add a large handful of fresh leaves to the tub. The fresh aroma will awaken you senses and make you feel refrshed. 9. BASIL SALT At Birds & Bloom they show you how to make a basil flaovred salt, how wonderful it that! 10. BASIL PESTO No list is complete without the addition of the yummy Basil Pesto. This is how I make mine. I don't measure, just create! In the food processor I put a bunch of cleaned and dried fresh basil leaves, the add a handful of pine nuts, a few pieces of peeled garlic and a good sprinkling of parmasean cheese. Give it a few good pulses to roughly chop everything up. Then using a good quality olive oil, begin to drizzle it into the food processor, a little at a time. Keep adding oil until you get it to the consistency you want.. Either use it right away or store some for the rest of the year. I lay out wax paper, then drop a large tablespoon full of pesto down, leave a space and repeat. When I have 3 tablespoons full I wrap it up and start another row. After using up all my pesto, I then wrap the wax paper in plastic wrap and put it into a baggie for the freezer. Don't forget to date and label it. Then later in the year when you want fresh pesto for whatever you are cooking up, just take out the amount you need.  Remember the lyrics to a song from childhood that went, "The ants come marching one by one, hoorah! hoorah!"? Well that is exactly what is playing out on our kitchen counter right now. And to say the least, I would rather have them marching to their catchy little tune outside, instead of tramping through our house.
Each summer it seems these tiny little creatures make their pilgrimage into our house. Sometimes they come by route of the front door, at other times they come from the kitchen window sill, but regardless of their point of entry, they remain uninvited. My first attempt is always to ask them politely to remain outside, but my communication skills with these insects isn't honed enough yet that they respond to my requests. So the second try is to use non-toxic remedies. Let me clarify, the non-toxic methods are for humans and pets, but are a deterrent to the ants to keep them out. So if you have GOT ANTS too, here is a list of suggestions. Depending on your conditions and the type of ants entering the premises, different suggestions work better than others. So read on to find out what can be done to keep them marching four by four out the door. It is always a good idea to find the point of entry and work from that direction onward. SOME SOLUTIONS TO TRY: White Vinegar: Place in a spray bottle and squirt the area where you see the ants, let is dry. Reapply as needed Cinnamon Sprinkle plain old cinnamon where you see the ants coming into the house. Black Pepper: This can also be sprinkled at the point of entry to keep the ants from marching on in. Apple Cider Vinegar & Water Mix a 50/50 blend of apple cider vinegar and water and sray as needed. Windex & Ivory Soap Mix equal parts of each, then spray the problem area. Bay Leaves Keeping Bay Leaves out in the areas that are affected by the ants. Borax with Sugar Mixing a bit of borax with sugar then spreading out on the counter where the ants will come for a taste. Drawing a Line with White Chalk Drawing a line with white chalk where the ants are entering is supposed to keep the ants from crossing over. Mint: Not a favorite of ants and they will stay away. Instead of using the herb, try a few drops of Peppermint Essential Oil mixed with water to spray at the entry areas. Diatomaceous Earth: Sprinkle where the ants will be walking. There are plenty more solutions-- this being just the short list of possibilities. This year we had the teeny tiny little black ants coming through by the kitchen window so I used a combination approach. First, I wiped down around the affected window and counter area with straight white vinegar. After that dried I then mixed cinnamon with some crushed mint leaves and spread a line of the blend right below the window on the kitchen counter, and so far so good- I no longer have ants marching into the house at this point in time! Good luck to you. Send in suggestions or approaches that have worked for you, I would love to hear them. |
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