Really comfortable leather shoes

You know how sometimes you try something on in the store and it feels great, just to get home and be worn for a few hours and feel horrible? This happens to me mostly with shoes and bras. Sometimes other things, but these are the main culprits. Bras I have figured out that if I just stick to a couple brands that I know feel good, that helps tremendously. And shoes? Well, I am pretty careful now about buying expensive shoes -- I walk around the store in them for as long as I can get away with, and after 35 years I seem  to finally know which styles bring me the most joy. But still, sometimes I fail. Recently I bought a pair of beauitful Liz Claiborne shoes. Usually her shoes fit so nicely, and these felt great in the store, but now I realize they are uncomfortable in a few places.Luckily, they are leather, and I have a few tried a true tricks to stretch them out.

First, I tried walking in them with thicker socks to stretch them out. Ouch! They needed help. So I moved on to step two: I moisturized them with some great beeswax shoe paste, all over the outside (which will waterproof them too) and a bit on the inside where they hurt, and I stuffed some plastic cups in the to strech right where they hurt. If that didn't work I could spray 1/4 alcohol and 3/4 water solution on the spots that hurt and walk around in them until they are dry -- this would get me a great custom fit. If I needed some all over stretching, I could fill some baggies with water and stuff the shoes with them. Then, freeze the whole thing, which results in gentle expansion of the water as it turns to ice, and a good all over stretching!

Flea Control

Though it's September we are still experiencing warm, dry weather here in the Northeast, and with it the flea populations continue to multiply throughout the region. Vets say that many people are experiencing infestations and general irritation with the little buggers. Our own home has been no exception, as well as that of my mother's. We have bathed the animals, used flea collars, diatomaceous earth, garlic, sprays for bedding, and even bombed the homes multiple times. My mother has sprayed the areas just outside the house, too. 

All these chemicals make me nervous. Obviously, they aren't working, and layering them on one after the other, powder on top of spot treatment on top of collar seems very dangerous for the enture household, but most especially for the animals themselves.

I am especially wary of yard treatments: isn't this part of the reason why there are less bees and praying mantis and such? I usually just stick with diatomaceous earth, a safe inseect killer, and lots of vacuuming though in an infestation situation I have done what I have to keep the home safe. I am ill at ease with the concept that we humans have the right to kill ALL insects outside the house. I mean, I hate the ants that come in my home every year and I do put out traps in the kitchen and spray the base of the house to keep them away, but they are more than welcome to inhabit all space oustide of my home. I have similar distaste for Roundup, and will only use it on persistant poison ivy which refuses annihilation by pulling up (yeah, you know who you are, you, you plant in the back!)... 

There are tons of safe alternatives for flea control out there -- beneficial nematode spray will decrease flea larvae in the yard by 90% within 24 hours. D.E. can be put around your home and rubbed safely into your pet's fur. Nylar is a safe chemical that you can use indoors with a lot less fear of toxicity than other products -- try I.G. Regulator. Flea collars are less toxic to animals than the spot on treatments, but not as effective, and a bit more hazardous to your humans...try natural neem oil or repellants. 

And if you still want to believe all those chemicals are good for your animals, or you, here is this excerpt from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association’s newsletter:

In response to more than 44,000 potential adverse reactions to spot-on flea and tick products reported in 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of these products. No recalls have been issued at this time. The AVMA will continue to maintain contact with the EPA and monitor the situation, and updates will be posted as they come to our attention. To see the EPA’s statement, including a chart of products, go to www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/flea-tick-control.html. For information about reporting adverse events, go to www.avma.org/animal_health/reporting_adverse_events.asp.

And this from the EPA itself:

U.S. and Canada to Increase Scrutiny of Flea and Tick Pet Products
Release date: 04/16/2009

(Washington, DC - April 16, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control for pets due to recent increases in the number of reported incidents. Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, the death of pets. . . . Incidents with flea and tick products can involve the use of spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. However, the majority of the incidents reported to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products.

For more info check out this great site:
http://www.alt4animals.com/flea.htm

Smoother Legs, More Free Time, Less Resources: A Product Review!

I'll just start this off by saying that I am a hairy girl. Thank you, mom, for the black Spanish hair that grows in furry profusion  :)  Over the years I have tried waxing, cream depilatories, razors, sugaring, bleaching, tweezing and it was all a losing battle...until my sister-in-law let me try her epilator. This is not the epilady (OUCH!) of the 1980's. These little machines have come a long way, and while not pain-free, are not all that bad. The first time was the worst, and each time after hurts less and less. Most parts of the leg don't really hurt at all after the first time! And, being that VERY hairy girl whose hair also grows incredibly fast (can you say 5 o'clock shadow... on your legs?) I can vouch that the results are long lasting. I only use it once a week. The best part is that my machine (the Revlon RV565 Gentle 2-in-1 Hair Removal System) comes with an electric razor on the other end that actually works!! It shaves really, really close. I never used one that worked on leg hair before, and am ecstatic that this one does. It is perfect for the bikini area and for any hairs that the epilator misses.

So, not only am I more hair-free, but I have more time, and am saving precious resources. I use less electricity and water epilating my legs for 20 minutes than I did shaving each day since I had to take incredibly hot, long showers and shave in the shower to prevent razor burn. I use 100% green energy in my home, so I am good with using an electric machine. Before, I could only use high-end razors like the Venus, so this saves me money (one time price for my epilator/shaver 18.95 on Amazon.) I also save money and resources by not needing to buy shaving cream anymore. After years of experimentation, only hair conditioner would work to prevent razor burn afterwards on my sensitive skin. I used VO5. Amazingly, the epilating doesn't cause me any skin irritation, I just moisturize afterwards as I did with shaving, and I am good to go. I haven't even had a single ingrown hair!

I wish I had owned one of these earlier. I'd probably be leg-hair free by now, since every time you epilate or tweeze or wax you damage hair follicles a bit, and there's always some that simply don't grow back. Ever. And that, in itself, is enough incentive for me :)

Today is.

http://landscaping.about.com
/od/galleryoflandscapephotos
/ss/yard_pictures_9.htm

a beautiful day!  The dogwood leaves are starting to turn colors, and the air is crisp and bright.

Life is always beautiful after you've had a full night's sleep and you and your children are all feeling better after a fall cold.

Perhaps that is why we have illness. So we know what  feeling better really feels like.

Today my daughter is dressed in one of my favorite outfits of my son's, and it brings back such fond memories. She has little pigtails, and has made the outfit all hers, complete with drool and bits of wet paper stuck all over her. Enchanting :)

Holly Flower Essence: Hurricane Holly #9

I've been having some crazy dreams about the number 9 and various herbs, and Holly came up as a good flower essence to create this week. Flower essences are wonderful healing tools: basically you imbue pure water with the healing, energetic imprint of a flower by setting the water and flower out in the sun or the light of the moon. Then you preserve this essence with an equal amount pure alcohol or vinegar and make a dosage bottle according to homeopathic dilution principles. 

Yesterday I made "Hurricane Holly #9", which I really can't wait to start using. This essence was made during the buildup and approach of Hurricane Earl, with two Holly flowers, a four-petaled flower and a five-petaled flower, and with 9 quartz crystals surrounding it. This Holly essence empowers and balances all the forces of nature and the five elements within you to create the strongest clearing effects possible. Parasites, miasms, dark beings and genetic disturbances scurry and flee before it. Damaged cells are purged and you are left feeling clean and clear. If you suffer any de-tox symptoms while taking this essence, drink an 8-ounce glass of water with ¼ teaspoon salt (the higher-vibration the salt, the better: Himalayan, Pure Sea Salt, etc) up to three times a day. Traditionally, holly essence is used to heal and expand the heart chakra, and to alleviate anger and envy while generating acceptance.

Flower and crystal essences are available at www.earthlodgeherbals.com/flowers.htm

Back with a Review and a Smile

Ok, really, I'm back! My son starts school again next week, I've finally got a schedule down for my newly booming jewelry business and my baby, too, and my mind has been returning to posting. It was a busy, fun-filled, work-enjoying summer, but I am sooo ready for fall. For my first post back, I thought I would introduce you all to one of my best friends: the VeggieChop. I use it almost every day, and think it is one of the coolest, most convenient kitchen tools I've ever used (and believe me, I own way too many!)

What is the VeggieChop? It is basically a small hand-powered food processor that works a lot like a pull-geared salad spinner. It is the perfect size for a bowl of guacamole or salsa, and makes baby food in seconds from just about anything. Now, I do own a big, gorgeous Cuisanart processor that can do all sorts of things. But like I said, it's big, is kept in a cupboard making a bit hard to get to, and is harder to wash. So I save that one for larger jobs like processing nuts or making Gazpacho (mmm, summer tomatoes!) My husband bought the VeggieChop for me last year at William-Sonoma for Christmas, and I was a little confused because I had just received the Cuisanart from my mom the month before. But after the first use, I was sold! This little tool is just too cool :)

Where Have I been? Making Necklaces!

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I posted anything. I haven't forgotten you all, but I have been super busy making jewelry for babies. I started with an amber anklet for my 4 month old daughter, and it worked so well for her (she's totally stopped spitting up, and now only does so when I take the anklet off for more than an hour) that I began to make them for other people's babies and even sell them alongside my grownup jewelry on etsy. 

So what are these necklaces all about? Well, to start off I use pure Baltic amber, which has natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been used for centuries in Europe to help naturally relieve teething pain, and calm and soothe colicky infants. Amber jewelry is meant to be worn close to skin, not chewed on. As baby wears the amber, trace amounts of Succinic Acid are released into the skin, a safe and effective analgesic recognized by allopathic medicine to benefit pain and boost the immune system. Baltic Amber distinguishes itself from other ambers in that it contains higher traces of succinic acid, and therefore is best for teething purposes. It is also believed to be a good source of beneficial negative ions when worn close to or on the skin.  

Fossilized resin of the giant prehistoric conifer 'Pinus Succinfera', Amber Essential Oil is estimated to be between 40 and 60 million years old, and has been credited with numerous beneficial properties both physical and spiritual. The Ancient Romans and Greeks used Amber essential oil to cure ailments such as asthma, rheumatism and internal problems. It's purported healing powers have extended to epilepsy, jaundice, kidney and bladder complaints and even the plague. It has also been used as an aphrodisiac and to guard against witchcraft. The resin is used in aromatherapy to soothe the nerves, as an antispasmodic, and general healing oil. Amber has the added metaphysical property of being considered protective and healing, and the color is believed to impart joy and confidence to the wearer and aid digestion.

I combine the the amber with beautiful gemstone beads which I pick specifically for their metaphysical healing properties, always keeping my mind on what is good for babies and small children. Most of the gems I use are geared towards soothing, calming, and healing. Finally, each piece is reiki-charged by me, a Karuna and Usui Reiki Master. Each piece is one of a kind and carries a high healing vibration. I  knot the beads at regular intervals in each piece to minimize bead loss should the necklace break, and the barrel and lobster clasps I use ensure that baby cannot take it off. Under serious tension the necklace should release at the clasp, where the rings are left unsoldered for safety.

Once I'm done with a few pieces, Baby J. gets to do a photo shoot, which she just loves. Isn't she pretty? My little fairy princess.

Tutus!

I spent the day making adorable little tutus for my baby and other little girls. I have them on etsy (see link on the left) and am going to see if some nearby children's stores want them, too. Now, if it would just be warm enough to dress the wee fairy princess in it for the day!

A beautiful foggy morning

I was out at 8am yesterday driving through the sunny fog, thinking how gorgeous it all was. After I drove through town and started climbing the hills, I thought the fog had lifted: when I saw this amazing vista I realized it was I who had lifted above the fog. 

Wonderful world we live in :)

Of Wind Farms, Wind Storms and Big Oil

As most people now, I am both disheartened and perturbed by the lack of success by BP to shut off the oil hole, and the poor cleanup efforts by both company and country thus far. It is, unfortunately, not much of a surprise.

What I find most irritating is the language being used by BP employees: "We will clean it up." Not "We ARE cleaning it up." Not "We ARE fixing it," but "We plan to try to fix it." This language, in everyday speak, is harmless, but to me it is indicative of how companies like this generally tackle their environmental mishaps. Believe it, every word out of their spokespersons' mouths are carefully planned. So pay attention to their verb tenses. Pay attention to what they aren't saying.

Big companies approach the immediate disaster efforts slowly, and generally figure out that a delayed response and cleanup effort will cost them less. They always promise to cover all the cleanup costs down the line, but they never actually do. They always promise to be responsible and make sure every last bit is taken care of, but then... well, they don't.

Here in NW CT, GE still has not cleaned up or paid for the damage they caused by releasing massive amount of PCBs into the Housatonic River. Sorry folks, costs too much, you didn't want to eat those fish, anyway... Exxon did not pay for the full cost and efforts of the cleanup for Valdez that they were "required" to. These companies are allowed to get away with it, because their lawyers are better than the states' and their lobbies pay good money to Washington to hush things up.

And, meanwhile, WE THE PEOPLE are so enamored with oil and so fearful of wind and solar farms that we just can't seem to get anywhere. Really, seriously people, these things are NOT unattractive. They are NOT noisy. And while a few drunken birds may fly into a turbine here or there, the cost to wildlife is certainly minimal compared to drilling and spilling. On the cape, NIMBY (Not in my backyard) is threatening to stall real progress, because people like to sail and where the farms are. Get over it. Let the world evolve.

I think the most effective cleanup effort (certainly as much as anything being done by the officials) will be to create a giant wind and rain storm to drive the oil away from the coast and out to open waters where it can disperse more safely (b/c hey, the animals we can't see thousands of feet down don't really matter, anyway. It's not like we fish them.)

I'm putting on my feathers and starting a wind dance now.

Visioning the future now

Today I ventured out to a local shop that carries beautiful notebooks and journals made from handcrafted paper and worn saris from India to buy a new dream journal (mine is full!!) and a notebook for visioning. Everytime I have driven by in the last 2 months it as been open but I haven't had time or energy to stop with two kids in tow. Today I made a special trip, but alas it was closed.

I still had time before picking L up from school, tho, so I went to our local Goodwill, hoping to find a nice journal: they only had one, purple and girly with a fancy woman on the cover and the words: "It's all about me! Me, me, me, me, Me, me, ME."

Well. That's not really, um, me.

But then I thought: hey, if you're going to have a notebook for visioning, a place where you write your desires and wants, a place where you work on crystallizing your visions and manifesting your dreams, if you really want it all to COME TRUE, then girl, you better get comfortable with the phrase: "it's all about me". Because this is ALL about you. OK. ok. So, I'll work on it ;)

If you haven't ever had a visioning notebook, it can take many forms... You may fill a binder with clear sheet protectors in which you stick photos and cuttings from magaines of things you want or ideas you like. It might be filled completely with affirmations. It might be filled with prayers for you and loved ones. It might be filled with drawings or sketches. Ideas. Inspirations.

You might not use a notebook, but instead create a vision board that you can post on your wall and look at every day. I have done that, and it is a lot of fun, too.

The key with all visioning is to be in the moment, to be full of joy and excitement, for your strong emotion is a strong factor in the success your dreaming.

Here, here, let's have a group cheer for the NOW!

Tasty tea from your backyard

This month I have been really enjoying the wild harvests of my yard -- stinging nettles cooked up like spinach, chive pancakes, and garlic mustard pestos. To accompany my foraged finds, I have been drinking Eastern White Pine tea, simply taking a handful of needles still attached to small branches which are freshly fallen to the ground and steeping them in boiling water for 15 minutes with a dash of honey or agave. The tea is delicious, nutritious, and not at all like pine-sol, I promise!

White Pine Bark is an old and trusted remedy for colds and flu. It loosens and expels phlegm from the respiratory tract, easing bronchitis and lung congestion, and its warming qualities stimulate circulation, which may ward off colds and flu before they settle in. The high content of nature's most powerful antioxidants (proanthocyanidins/PCSs/OPCs) in White Pine Bark have made it the focus of much attention in the area of combating free radicals, arteriosclerosis and strokes.

White Pine Bark is an excellent expectorant and is used to loosen and expel phlegm and mucous excretions from the respiratory system. The inner bark has been a longtime standard herbal remedy for coughs, whooping cough, croup, bronchitis, laryngitis and chest congestion due to colds.

As a warming and aromatic stimulant, White Pine Bark is said to increase circulation and further help to overcome or prevent the onset of colds and flu by raising circulatory action.

White Pine Bark contains the second highest source (the first is Grapeseed) of nature's most potent antioxidants, tannin compounds, called proanthocyanidins (also called OPCs for oligomeric procyanidins or PCOs for procyanidolic oligomers) that provide a high degree of antioxidant capacity, which fight free radical damage in the body. These compounds allow the body's cells to absorb vitamin C, which is helpful in protecting cells from the free radicals that can bind to and destroy cellular compounds. These qualities may be helpful in building the immune system and fighting invasive material and other infections. They are classified as flavonols, and the way in which these versatile healing compounds are distinct from flavonoids is their simple chemical structure, which allows them to be readily absorbed into the bloodstream. They work actively against fat-soluble and water-soluble oxidants, thus protecting the cells from damage, and their antioxidant activity is thought to have great potential in combating cellular damage caused by foreign infectious attack.

White Pine Bark's OPCs, which may also be derived from Grapeseed, Red Wine, Hops, Pomegranate and various other fruits, nuts and beans are believed to contribute to a lowered incidence of arteriosclerosis and coronary heart problems. White Pine Bark is also a source of resveratrol, which is thought to raise the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs or “good” cholesterol) in the blood, while decreasing the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, or “bad” cholesterol) and thereby possibly helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes. It is also said to prevent fat in the bloodstream from sticking together and clogging the arteries, which is thought to promote better circulation of blood throughout the body, especially to the heart.

The inner bark of White Pine Bark (cambium) is the source of resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin, which is produced in plants that is reputed to have antifungal properties.

According to recent research (2008) from Peninsula Medical School, England, the resveratrol found in Pine Bark, Grape Skin and Red Wine can protect against cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in diabetes, claiming resveratrol's antioxidant effects are well documented. But the new research establishes the link between high levels of glucose, its damaging effect on cell structure and the ability of resveratrol to protect against and mend that damage. Moreover, resveratrol could be used to block the damaging effect of glucose, which, in turn, might fight the often life threatening complications that accompany diabetes. It could well be the basis of effective diet-based therapies for the prevention of vascular damage caused by hyperglycemia in the future.

White Pine Bark is considered a diuretic, and as such, encourages the flow of urine, which is said to be very helpful in cases of urinary tract infections and kidney problems.

Please note: Pregnant Women should probably avoid or limit their intake of White Pine, just to be safe.

(White Pine information found on herbalextractsplus.com)

Pretty Orbs in the Sacred Grove

My mother created a sacred grove on her property this winter, amongst some eastern white pines, a tamarack tree, and a hawthorn tree next to a babbling brook.

It is a wonderfull place to sit and enjoy a warm cup of tea in the morning or a cold beer at the end of the day after mucking out the horses' stalls. We housesat this past weekend for her and enjoyed the grove, and took some nice photos of nature spirits around the trees. See the big peach orb above?

Later that night I enjoyed a very fine tea steeped from the white pine needles (shown above with an orb on the left side) and a bit of local honey.