Helps to get through the winter naturally, and healthfully

 This is the first week end of fall, it's raining here, and has been lovely the last week or so.  Cool nights, 50s to 60s and around 80 daytimes. If I could pick the nicest weather of all, it would be just this.  Hope it lasts for many weeks before we face winters challenges.  But with this time of year, colds, allergies, flu and all that come along, so I am reminding you today of things to do to stay well, and to help get you better when you are feeling icky.
  Please keep a good supple of onions and garlic in your kitchen and cook  liberally with them. Both of these veggies are considered natural antibiotics, and can help your system stay well. I am lucky to have fresh ones from the garden to use when ever I like. Last night I did a pasta dish ala Mario on The Chew.  Started with a bowl of fresh tomatoes, cored, and an x cut on the bottom, dipped in boiling water about 6 seconds, then plunged into ice water, peeled and chopped and set aside. In my skillet, I chopped  green onions and whole yellow onion, and celery. Sautéed that until soft, then added the tomatoes. Now the pasta gets cooking, slightly less than called for on the package, 2 minutes, rule of thumb. When pasta is ready, drain and add to tomato mix, then add fresh herbs, I have rosemary, oregano and thyme and basil. Add a scoop of the pasta water and cook slightly. Remove from heat, plate, drizzle with olive oil and grate some parmesan over the top. Yum, and takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. So much better than jar stuff.
  When you are shopping in the produce aisle, pick up a piece of fresh ginger. This can be brewed into tea, or added into muffins, bread etc. I made pear ginger muffins this last week. Ginger is good for inflammation and pain, so use as much as you can.  If I have more than I can use, I grate it and freeze in tablespoon amounts for tea or other recipes.
 Menthol, and eucalyptus are great for congestion, you can put a pot of water on the stove, and when it boils, lower the heat and add essential oil of either type, let simmer and breathe deeply.
  I found a blend of herbs a few years back that I make for my daughter and sister, it's equal parts of dried yarrow, mint and elderberry flowers, brew  10 minutes and drink several cups a day if you feel a cold coming on, this needs to be early on to back off the cold.
  If you have a sore throat, chew on a small bit of fresh garlic for instant relief. It coats the throat and gives instant relief.
  Natural aids for aches and pains include feverfew and willow bark, both of these can be had at Swanson Vitamins, or Mountain Rose Herbs.  They are good for headaches, fever etc. No side effects.
 Any one read Woman's Day magazine? There are fall decorating ideas in the new issue, and the cutest frog choir made from acorn squash. Cut them in half, shape out the mouth on both top and bottom half, create eyes from the cut out pieces and toothpick to head, and make a tongue of a bit of the squash flesh. Put the halves back together. Put tea lights inside and sit a row of them on your table, so cute.
  My sons dog is healing nicely from the snake bites, but sure makes us watch for the snakes when working outside. This is the first year since I moved here that snakes were a real problem. I used to have a fish pond in the yard with a fountain, loved the sound of splashing water to sleep to at night, but so did a lot of critters, including snakes so the fish pond, which was a horse tank, got turned into a sweet potato garden. Anyone need a stock tank heater?
have one for sale cheap. The sweet potatoes  should be ready to harvest soon, looking forward to a supply of those.
 The iced tea will soon be replaced with hot tea, and the heater will be used instead of the air conditioning. Seasons change, sometimes I forget to be grateful for each one I get to see.  There is so much beauty in our world, if we just look for it and give thanks for it. Possessions have lost their hold on me, I have far too many things. Instead, I treasure the songs of birds, the grandeur of the mountains, and the beauty of the changing seasons. Take time to enjoy what we have been given, time is an uncertain thing, and tomorrow is sketchy at best.  Have a great fall, and start now to stay well!