Eventful Summer, 2017

I love looking out my kitchen window while I sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the beauty of this mountain. Early spring, March, is yellow time. Forsythias, daffodils, are abundant. Soon they are replaced with Dogwoods and Red Buds, creating a pink and white scene. Around the first of June, the Mimosa's are in bloom. And by later June, the Crepe Myrtles are giving us a brilliant showing of pinks, lavenders, reds and whites. We are just beginning to loose these now, the rain last night seems to have started the flowers falling off the trees. Every season has a color, always something to marvel at. Earlier this spring, my starter in the car gave out, requiring replacement. That was followed by needing new tires, and a few days later, the brakes failed. Spent a lot on repairs, some of which I ma still paying off. Somewhere in this time frame, my daughter Laurie and her son Paul came to visit. Paul designed a great website for my products. Thanks Paul The first of July, my son Brian and his little gals, Erin and Samantha came to visit. We had a wonderful time. Went to Grill 73 for lunch the first day, and after that we went to Bybee, then Dandridge to lunch at a new restaurant there, then Pigeon Forge to the Pottery Barn, their food was good and we watched pottery being made. Went to White Pine to the Burger Bar, and then the next day to Hot Springs N C to the Iron Horse. Whew. One afternoon late into the visit we came home to a backed up septic system. Total yuck, nasty thing to share with guests. Thank goodness my plumber is fast and reasonable, he came and got the tank pumped, but sadly had to take out the pear trees that had grown roots into the system. I have been making pear butter, and pear sauce and canning those pears for a good many years. No more. I am grateful for Brian's help with the clean up and disinfecting, we had a real mess. And the kids kicked in to help me pay the damages, now I am paying them back and grateful for their help. Just 2 days after the Nebraska kids went home, I was canning dill pickles and someone knocked on the door, by gosh, it was Dave and Kim, my son and wife from S. C. What a treat, I rarely get to see them. It's a little cooler today, we finally got some much needed rain. I am also pleased with the orders I am getting from Etsy, and my website, joyfulbodycreations. Each order helps me pay of some of the debt. Will be glad to get it all square again. School has started in some areas around us, and by the end of next week, most of the kids will be back at it. Summer sure flew by. Hope you had a good one too. Take care, stay well, enjoy the beauty around you. Til next time, stay well.

Do it Yourself

Finally, more people are waking up to the dangers of our food, water, cosmetics and what we are doing to ourselves and our environment. I started my journey about 8 years ago when I began to wonder why the tomatoes grown around us were being sprayed with deadly poison all summer. I began a journey through the world of herbs, which I now grow a good many of, and my son has more in his area that I can latch on to. Guess most of you know that a great many drugs that are handed out do not heal anything, just mask symptoms and give side effects. Way back when, the Indians and our grandparents knew much more about healing with herbs that were abundant around them. Feverfew and Willowbark are great ones for headaches, if you ever watched Dr Quinn, she used willowbark for migraines. I have been making salves from pine trees and plantain and comfrey for sometime now. My next venture is into soaps, the first being one that repels insects when you are working outside. The molds I ordered arrived yesterday so will be trying my hand with them in the next few days. I also love my Mother Earth Living magazine, always has so many new things in it. Well worth subscribing to if you are interested in healthy living. Did you know for abdominal cramping and pain, you can put 3 or so drops of peppermint oil into into a teaspoon of organic oil, like sunflower or olive, mix and rub into your belly? The yarrow I grow is good for skin, heals wounds and can be added to facial products to help create a lovely complexion. If you want to make a great toner, boil a cup of water, add 2 teaspoons of yarrow, steep for 15 minutes, strain and add 1 Tablespoon of witch hazel. Apply to your face with a clean cotton ball. If your hair needs a little TLC, boil a quart o water, add 3 6 inch sprigs of fresh Rosemary, steep for 20 minutes, cool, strain and keep in frig. Spritz a little on your hair daily to improve condition. For achy joints, use 2 tablespoons of carrier oil, jojoba, grapeseed, almond, olive, what you have, add 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 10 drops rosemary essential oil, use as a rub to achy places. If you have age spots, use fresh lemon juice several times a day. See, getting natural is easy. The Crepe Myrtle trees are starting to bloom, soon the mountain side will be filled with purples, pinks,reds, and white. Most of the time something lovely is blooming here. I love the delicate Mimosas, tho Iam told they are a "weed" tree, they are still beautiful. Despite the very warm days, summer is my favorite time, not fond of cold weather. I tend to head out and do my gardining and outside work very early when its the most refreshing time of the day. Something about gardening is just good for the body and soul, there is an old saying, One's nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth. If you haven;t, please visit my website on Etsy, joyfulbodycreations, I will be adding things as I learn more. Enjoy a safe Fourth of July, hard to believe we are already this late in the summer. And the eclipse coming up in August. Have a great week.