Two Kilometer Baby Wearing Earth Walk

Massive chunks of ice on the opposite riverbank from our home remind us that the chill hasn't let go yet!

So Chilly, that the sap barely runs...this will be the first time we've tapped our trees in my adulthood - and so I don't really know what to expect...But the experience is fun anyways.

 A Mom {Marcia}  from our local Natural Living Play group, offered her home for an Earthday Walk!

 How can one not totally be romanced by nature when walking through Cedarwoods, with mossy, root winding forest floors?

Five mothers and fifteen children...lots of room to run, and some of the freshest air in the world...needless to say my littlers slept well that afternoon.

The Best Classroom...hands down, has to be the Outdoors...Exploring...Breathing...Touching...Feeling...Hearing...so many layers of learning and learning styles met here!

 Three baby wearing Mamas trekked the trail, hauling on fronts or back babies from 4 months to 19 months for 2 Km.  When its chilly like it was this Earthday, I'm relieved to have my littlest so close for the warmth on my back.

Happy Spring {Whenever it comes here}...

Therapy is....

Kneading dough...
Reading with my children...
Meditating on a Psalm of comfort...
The days my husband has off from work...
Watching my children play together outside happily...
Drinking a good homemade caffè breve in a beautiful mug..
The smell of one of my children during a hug - smells like heaven...
Listening in the dim lamp light to my husband read to our children...
Sipping a cup of herbal and dried fruit tea at the end of a long day...
Knitting with wood/bamboo needles with inspiring and natural yarn...
Being outside and taking in the sky, feeling the wind and breathing in...
Early in the morning, while the family sleeps, the fresh quiet air in my lungs...
Enjoying the sand under my feet at the beach - and finding sea glass treasures...
The smell of Lavender Oil on my linens, in our hair, in the bath - not meaning to rhyme - but everywhere...

These are a few of my favorite things... What are yours?

Where the Wild things Grow

 

This is year 2 of working a shared garden space. Which is a huge blessing to us. We are unable to garden at our home in the city, besides the pots of greens, some herbs, and a bean tee pee on our front steps, house plants and the occasional batch of sprouts and homeschooling plant experiments....Keeps our hands in the dirt at least a bit on a regular basis.

About 1/2 hour outside the city some dear friends offered for us to share their large garden space, so we share in the work as much as we can.

If you've read past posts you'll know about my little obsession with wild weeds! It's just so fascinating to me how we pull out these "troublesome" weeds - which in many cases are edible, medicinal and power packed with nutrients. Just to name a few that get yanked out on a regular basis; Lambs Quarters, Plantain, Dandelion and there is so much more!

 This weekend after some weeding (snacking on some of that too), we spaced the beets and I'm currently dehydrating batches of beet greens to use for soups, salads, and beet-green-chips (which the 'littles' love). I'm hoping to pickle this first batch of beets - pickled beets and pregnancy go hand in hand for me!

Back to the edible weeds. Mon amour and I discuss how perhaps the art of eating weeds faded when folks became less dependent on the land and chose more "palatable" foods. Plantain has often peaked my curiosity.  Chew it a apply it to bee stings and other skin ailments, steam it like spinach, or eat the baby greens in salad....this is well known information. But the seeds - I have read, soaked in water, become a little gelatinous like chia seeds or flax seeds....I'm thinking that there my be some Omega 3s in there.

So we got ourselves some tall plantain stems that grow near rivers, brought them home - shucks, they weren't brown like the should be when you harvest them in the fall....but then I read that some folks fry up the seed pods in butter anytime of the year - so I thought, I'm sure they could be tasty dried out in the oven  under 150. We gave it a try - Lovely! Delicious! Nice on salad, it has a nutty taste like hemp seed!

Any wild weed revelations or recipes stirring up in your home? I'd love to hear about it!

In the mood for a chocolate milk shake for BREAKFAST?

 I am!

That's right a real chocolate milk shake. Ooops, there isn't any milk - but there is store bought kefir in it. I'm outta step in making kefir these days, and need to come upon some fresh culture to culture it. SO the store bought stuff is A LOT more sweeter (than I would recommend).....

A blender stuffed with fresh frozen spinach later,  we added....

~freshly picked strawberries from a local, non-spray, natural farm
~ yogurt scraped in from the bottom of the jar
~a pour of the flavored kefir
~whey protein powder
~1 heaping spoon of organic (just peanuts) peanut butter
~and the dark wonderful ingredient, Cocoa, 2 Tbsp.

Chocolaty Goodness!

 

This is all part of my pregnancy-health-initiative. Apparently my midwife was a little alarmed to tell me that I had gained twice the amount of weight than I did in my last pregnancy by 17 weeks. I think if we took an average from ALL my pregnancies, not just my last in which I gained the least amount - I'm really probably ok. BUT, I thought I'd be a little more conscious of the flour-y/grain-y goodness type foods at certain meals. So HELLO spinach-protien-chocolate shakes!

Experimental Essential Oils Project

Last night we were admiring our dying Peonies my neighbor had picked for us...their lemony-rose-lily smell, addictive. One of my daughters expressed her wish to somehow hold on to the smell. So our spontaneous project today, was inspired by this wish.

Living in the Canadian Prairies, my dream of growing a field of lavender and then harvesting it for both the dry herb and distilling it into an essential oil, may be far fetched. But I can simplify my dream for the time being.
We harvested the Peony petals and filled an 8 ounce mason jar, and in line with my lavender fantasy, we filled a second jar with Lavender leaves from the large pot outside (that husband dear got me for Mama's Day).

One day I do hope to actually keep a garden/herb prep/homemade remedy journal. It is a good idea, for now some labels will have to suffice. We used Grapeseed Oil, although Sweet Almond Oil would probably be a better choice.

Filling the jars first with the petals and leaves, we then covered them with the oil, making sure they were all under the oil. We shook them and will intend to shake them daily (one of daughter's joyful tasks) for the next 3 weeks - keeping them from sunlight. Yes, a dark bottle would be nice....but this is simpler, I don't have to deal with a tiny opening to get the leaves in or out!

Straining it will be the last step in our experiment. If this turns out positively I may just be reporting back with a new Peony-Wild Rose Deodorant story!

::Any links to herbal oils/essential oil making in the comments are welcome::

A Fresh Start With Homemade Deodorant

 Get a fresh start with your own homemade deodorant!

There is more and more research that indicates a direct correlation between breast cancer and antiperspirant use. For years I’ve been using natural deodorants sold in the health food section. Deodorants like Jason,  Lush’s Aromaco and Aromarant, and other organic brands.

Sadly many of  these "natural deodorants" have known carcinogenic ingredients. Another issue I've faced with varying hormones that nursing or pregnancy bring, is that I often had to apply these natural deodorants a gazillion times a day.

This is my homemade deodorant recipe:

~1/4 C. Cocoa Butter

~1-2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Melt, blend, remove from heat and then add:

~1-3 Heaping Tbsp of Baking Soda

~10-15 drops each of essential oil: Lavender, Patchouli, Sweet Orange, and 5-10 drops of an antiseptic oil like Tea Tree or Cedar Wood.

These are the oils I used but you could make up your own blend.

Mix this thoroughly. Using a spatula, scrape your mixture into a  mold of some sort. I used a 1-2 ounce plastic container. Let it harden and remove.  Depending on your climate this deodorant maybe a solid deodorant that you massage on, or for warmer climates it may be more of a paste that you administer in a pea size amount on your underarm. You can also just keep it in a warmer OR cooler place for your preference.

This is seriously the best deodorant I’ve used, and a simple beautiful satisfaction comes from knowing you did this yourself.

It can get a little messy, but isn't a bathroom or shower filled with chunks of this or pastes of that, or clear wordless bottles look SO MUCH BETTER....if feels much more restful than the busyness of cluttered-color-overloaded shelves that smell of artificial blah. Rather than the smelly cleaning isle of the grocery store, those spa like storage corners will look and smell fresh and clean and resemble more of a garden.

What is your homemade deodorant regime?

Horse-Dung and Childcare

No the two are definitely not related, but I could not resist the title considering my train of thought.

I've heard the term "tomato staking" before, in regards to child rearing.  It has to do with the idea of having your children near to you at all times - it is similar to attachment parenting.  To be honest, I have never really studied or read to much into the philosophy,  but found it natural to keep my children close and be sober minded and careful of who looks after them if or when my husband or I are not around.

In the first year of our first child being born, our baby was probably babysat by grandparents only once or twice.  I don't remember any other childcare.  Since then, 3 children later, childcare outside of myself or husband, is still very sparse in this household.

 Some midwife appointments, occasional small choreography contracts with schools, and special occasion dates with hubby seem to be the main events where I am in need of childcare.  Most of those are lovingly taken care of by my mom, who lives in our neighborhood.  On the occasion that my commitment is not very long, my mom encourages me to go get a coffee somewhere and to take my time.  I welcome the advice and do it!

On some such occasions if I am in the vicinity of a Chapters or ANY bookstore, THAT is where you will find me.  Books are wealth, "readers are leaders" - so I've heard - we love books don't we - especially on the subjects we are passionate about, or that have beautiful illustrations!

I came across a discounted "Culpeper's Complete Herbal" reprint from 1653.  Oh what a find - in my opinion!  I just had to share with you one of recipes!  To be honest I'm not sure if all the advice in the book should be taken seriously - but there must be validity to many of Nicholas Culpeper's findings!

"Some use this medicine: Take so many strawberries as you shall think fitting, and put them into a distillatory, or body of glass, fit for them; which, being well closed, set in a bid of horse-dung for twelve or fourteen days, and afterwards distil it carefully and keep it for your use. It is excellent water for hot inflamed eyes....and for such other defects in them as may be helped by any outward medicine." pg. 368

I don't unfortunately have any horse-dung readily available - but thought this was fun enough to share! If you are ready to try it out - let me know how it goes ;)

A Weekend of Washing the Soul

I feel washed.

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of attending my third Canadian Above Rubies retreat.  This year was pretty spectacular.  Spending Friday evening through Sunday afternoon with an incredibly unique group of women.  Hearing the heartbreaking stories of infant loss, life's challenges and exchanging inspiration was truly a cleansing experience.  I love Nancy Campbel's writing - and hearing and meeting her three daughters is always a pleasure.  We enjoyed Serene and Pearl last year, and this year Evangeline came along and blasted out encouragement.  She began each of her sharing times by blowing a small shofar (ram's horn), calling us up to the adventure and Land of Motherhood. Yes, I know what some of you are thinking - sounds cheesy - It is definitely one of those "you had to be there".

These are a few shots of my vision poster I created a number of years ago.  It still inspires me to look at it today. The writing in the center is the very same quote I posted here.

This quote sums up the vision of Above Rubies.

 

  One of the most refreshing part of the weekend is all the different women we meet.  As eccentric and alternative as I feel I'm perceived amongst my community at home at times, I feel quite the contrary amongst the interesting blend of company at these retreats.  I'm just one of the bunch, who perhaps chooses to birth at home, makes choices contrary to main stream society, and in fact really not as extreme as some of the other beautiful women I meet.

One of the most heart warming scenes (besides the breathtaking Canadian Shield spread), is the amount if nursing babies and toddlers.  Every where you look at an AR retreat, some one is breast feeding.  It is not often you find yourself in the company of 150 or so women with at least a quarter of them accompanied by a nursing baby or toddler!

I hope for you this week, that you find the moments, the community that inspires and refreshes you!

Cinnamon and Honey - Could save a life

I'm so sorry that I cannot give credit where credit is do.  The below is an email forward,  from my sister-in-law, who is an expert in health, nutrition and alternative health education.  We are very blessed with a good ample supply of raw honey from my Husband's parents - who keep bees.  It is fascinating to visit with the children and learn incredible facts about these life giving insects.  We in the prairies experience harsh arctic-like winters, and yet the bees stay alive in their hive, and even make an appearance outdoors on some a sunny winter days.

 Enjoy!
    
  Honey…  Honey  is the only food on the planet that will not  spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning  to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.  However, when left in a cool dark place for a  long time it will do what I rather call  "crystallizing".   When this happens I  loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the  honey container in the hot water,  turn off the heat and let it  liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was.  Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do  so will kill the enzymes in the  honey.


Cinnamon and  Honey…
Bet the drug companies  won't like this one getting around.  Facts  on Honey and Cinnamon:  It is found that a  mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most  diseases. Honey is produced in most of the  countries of the world. Scientists of today also  accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective)  medicine for all kinds of diseases.  Honey  can be used without any side effects for any  kind of diseases.

Today's science says  that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the  right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm  diabetic patients.   Weekly World News, a  magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17  January 1995 has given the following list of  diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon  as researched by western scientists:

HEART  DISEASES…

 Make  a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on  bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it  regularly for breakfast. It reduces the  cholesterol in the arteries and saves the  patient from heart attack. Also,  those who have already had an attack, if they do  this process daily, they are kept miles away  from the next attack. Regular use of the above  process relieves loss of breath and strengthens  the heart beat. In  America and Canada , various nursing homes have  treated patients successfully and have found  that as you age, the arteries and veins lose  their flexibility and get clogged; honey and  cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS…Arthritis  patients may take daily, morning and night, one  cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and  one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken  regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.  In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen  University, it was found that when the doctors  treated their patients with a mixture of one  tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon  powder before breakfast, they found that within  a week, out of the 200 people so treated,  practically 73 patients were totally relieved of  pain, and within a month, mostly all the  patients who could not walk or move around  because of arthritis started walking without  pain.

BLADDER  INFECTIONS…

 Take  two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one  teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water  and drink it. It destroys the germs in the  bladder.

CHOLESTEROL…Two  tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of  Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water  given to a cholesterol patient, was found to  reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by  10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for  arthritic patients, if taken three times a day,  any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to  information received in the said Journal, pure  honey taken with food daily relieves complaints  of cholesterol.

COLDS…  Those suffering from common or severe  colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey  with 1/4 spoon
cinnamon powder daily for  three days. This process will cure most chronic  cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET  STOMACH…Honey taken with  cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also  clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS…According  to the studies done in India and Japan , it is  revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon  powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE  SYSTEM… Daily use of honey  and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune  system and protects the body from bacteria and  viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey  has various vitamins and iron in large amounts.  Constant use of Honey strengthens the white  blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral  diseases.

INDIGESTION…Cinnamon  powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey  taken before food relieves acidity and digests  the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA…A  scientist in Spain has proved that honey  contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the  influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY…
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder,  when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old  age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of  cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and  boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to  four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and  soft and arrests old age. Life spans also  increase and even a 100 year old, starts  performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES…
Three tablespoons of honey and
one  teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this  paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it  next morning with warm water. If done daily for  two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN  INFECTIONS…Applying honey and  cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected  parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of  skin infections.

WEIGHT  LOSS…
Daily in the morning  one half hour before breakfast on an empty  stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink  honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of  water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight  of even the most obese person. Also, drinking  this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to  accumulate in the body even though the person  may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER…  Recent research in Japan  and
Australia has revealed that advanced  cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured  successfully. Patients suffering from these  kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon  of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder  for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE…Recent  studies have shown that the sugar content of  honey is more helpful rather than being  detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior  citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in  equal parts, are more alert and flexible.. Dr.  Milton, who has done research, says that a half  tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water  and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily  after brushing and in the afternoon at about  3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts  to decrease, increases the vitality of the body  within a week.

BAD  BREATH…
People of South  America
, first thing in the morning, gargle  with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder  mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh  throughout the day.

HEARING  LOSS… Daily morning and night  honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts  restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We  had toast with real butter and cinnamon  sprinkled on it!

Organic Pasta Pizza Pie

Tonight we will have pasta pizza pie.  This is a new 'keeper' recipe for our family.  Last week I made extra so to serve one night this week.

Thank-you to all of YOU, who encouraged me in my 5-day challenge last week.  I'm considering setting for myself some kind of 5-day challenge every week.  Any focusing activity for this a.d.d mama is a good activity.  This week will be list week.  I want to make a commitment to write a list of 5 things I want to accomplish every day.  Sounds simple enough.  While many live this everyday - it is foreign enough for me to include it in a challenge!

The organic canned tomatoes that I buy only come whole instead of crushed.  So for pizza and pasta sauces I always throw them in the food processor with some tomato paste, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and basil.

Cook the pasta!  

I was lucky enough to find this organic locally made pasta - of course the best is to make your own - although that would be for another day.  Beat 2 eggs per pie, and mix it into the pasta.  Press pasta into a pizza pan or pie dish.

Top with your toppings.  I was low on veggies - and so saved them for the salad.  Thus loaded this one up with homemade cottage cheese and local grass fed beef, topped with different cheeses.  I remember reading somewhere, that if you had to choose between organic produce OR organic meat (perhaps because of budget), you'd be better off choosing organic meat, because of ALL the chemical, pesticide laden food that average livestock are fed; they are much higher in toxins.  This will all change one day! Right?!

Bake as you would your average pizza.  375 for 30 min. perhaps?

 ~

One of my 5, on my list everyday this week is to - Enjoy the Outdoors! 

Have a beautiful day!

5 Day Blog Challenge and Green Recipe Success

Someone asked me recently what I put in green smoothies.  Here is a compilation of an average smoothie in our home.

• Organic Greens
• Banana (frozen or fresh) - this is the main sweetener and covers up any spinach taste
• Berries (usually frozen)
• Yogurt
• Flax Seed (some Omega 3; ground before adding)
• Nut or Seed Butter
• Filtered/Spring Water

Sorry no measurements.

Blend and Serve!

In the spirit of keeping it real, I have come to notice one of my biggest challenges!  My biggest challenge is leading a disciplined life.  I'm not talking about disciplining my children - I'm talking about myself.  As mothers, as artists, we or I want to do a million things and counting.  Distraction is more than a daily occurrence - it's more like every minute!

So I want to present myself with a challenge, a focusing exercise!  What do they say, it takes like 30 days to cultivate a habit?

My challenge to myself is a 5-day blog challenge.  I know it is not much - but it is a start!  I guess it will be sad if I can't even keep that;)

Have a beautiful day!

Day 1 of my 5 day challenge 

Vintage Gifts On Their Way

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It was the day of our deadline as I sent the small vintage gifts on their way.  Just wanted to share a small peak at it...Of course after they left my hands, other vintage items crossed my mind - 'shucks I should have added that AND that!'
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Finally, I think I can say that our home is healthier, after a lengthy winter sick spell.  Fennel tea here, always good for throats, mama's milk, and colic...With a seed or the bark of a herb, it's best to simmer rather than steep to really take advantage of the healing qualities.

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We were blessed last month with a surprise - We were the happy recipeints of a blog giveaway.  Thank-you so much Miss Mouse Crafts  and fellow Canadian - (Canada you kicked buttocks at the Olymics)! 

Go and check out her delightful Etsy shop HERE!  I love Miss Mouse's handmade maple buttons

amongst her other unique and lovely items - WOW.

~

Have a day of delight and wonder...here comes dose of my day to day real life...gotta run, there is some little one cryn'

No use crying over sour milk!

I've never been more of a fan of milk then I am now.  Though you will pretty much never find me drinking a glass of milk.  Downing a tall, cold glass of it has no lure on me.  However, if you mention a small 4oz glass of cream, accompanied by a warm, soft chocolate chip cookie - you have all my attention.

Since being introduced to Nourishing Traditions and the Weston A. Price foundation, we have become genuine fans of REAL milk (Raw, unpasteurized).  When first dealing with the fresh stuff, I was nervous...my acquaintances ridiculed and scared us with cautionary words, which I would later learn, was based out of ignorance.  Please don't take offense if you are reading this and you were one of those caring folks!

What an amazing feat, Michael Schmidt has accomplished! As we push to regress so that we can progress here in Canada!

Real milk is like any other probiotic food, in that each batch, (if you will), is different.  Some are winners some losers. 

(Yay Canada last night!)

I currently found 5 gallons of fresh but sour milk...what a waste - folks would say.  Not so.  With large pots presently on my stove, I am cooking it up, slowly.  Then I'll add approx. 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar per gallon of milk.  After it cools somewhat I'll strain it, separating the whey. The new product that will emerge is old fashioned cottage cheese, or ricotta. 

What to do with ricotta?   Some of you know more than I.  Feel free to share what you do with ricotta!  We mix it in salads, top it in pizza, in quiche, casseroles, and pastas.  I plan on sharing the mountain of ricotta that will come about today.  And the crumbled stuff that we keep, I'll freeze in meal sized servings.  I did try subbing some ricotta in some sort of cheese cake recipe...it did not go well.  Perhaps I chose the wrong recipe.  I'm still learning how to use kitchen utensils, let alone following recipes. 

Lovely Thursday AND rest of the week to you!

p.s. I have not forgotten the vintage baby giveaway - it is on it's way - to be at the beginning of a new blog launch.

Our One Small Change Update

This week we've had some time to put this post into practice!  People who know me, believe that I'm of the mindset of prevention - and I AM - but in my weakness I still fly to my books on holistic remedies for answers when fevers flare in effort to avoid medicating if possible (how do I prepare that concoction again?).

 The 'littles' have been on and off sick for a couple of weeks now - but this week it erupted in a volcano of...shall I say it?....

s n o t !

Our Cough-Syrup of choice is raw honey infused with garlic and onion, and a drop of oil of oregano per tsp. "Gulp it down as quick as possible!"  I say, as Papa follows them with some fresh squeezed orange juice.  It is NOT tasty!

So between a mountain of extra laundry, a few nights of less sleep (Isn't that just part of the life of families with young children?), enjoying some extra time with our hard working Papa (he took the week off) - that is our week in review.

Our month in review.  January twenty-ten.  One Small Change (thanks to Hip Mountain Mama) has been both a success and challenge!  I started at the beginning declaring that we were going to sprout!  I had forgotten how sprouting is like having a pet, much like a kombucha mushroom or sourdough....it needs some attention - that - unfortunately for my seeds - I did not give that good of attention.  So it became apparent by mid month that I was going to switch my habit for One Small Change and incorporate sprouting at a later date.

The habit that we incorporated this month was the use of cloth wipes for dipes instead of disposable wet wipes.  I really should have done it a long time ago - we cloth diaper much of the time, so you would think by now I would have a cloth wipe regime going on....(blush) I did not.  So what better time to make That change than now!

February welcomes our next small change and that one we started implementing this past week.  As I was rushing through the pages of this or that plant/remedy book,  I came across some teas.  Teas of dried orange, lemon, and grapefruit peels.  So this month instead of throwing of composting our citrus peels, (and I've added the odd apple slices and other organic fruit remains), we're drying them.  I'll follow up on the how the teas go!

Something else that is in the works, is my first blog giveaway! This past year I graciously accepted a huge amount of vintage infant and children's wear from the 60's and 70's.  One grandmother had kept all her favorite items that her children had worn some 40 years ago - and she passed much of it on to me. Some I have already passed on, some I had for sale in my Etsy store, some my family enjoys, and some I want to give away to some other vintage loving folks.

This is the beginnings of a Vintage Baby giveaway that I hope to have put together this upcoming week - so  visit back shortly!