High Winds

The coast had almost two weeks of intermittant storms and high winds. One gust, just a mile up the bay from us, was clocked at 89 mph. Lots of rain makes for wet ground, which renders the shallow rooted alder trees very fragile when the winds kick up over 30 mph.
At 2 a.m. a few nights ago, mom and I met each other in the kitchen, unable to sleep because of the howling wind and whipping rain on the windows. The power was flicking in and out, which is a nuisance because you have to reset every electric clock and contraption in the house!

The next day revealed a downed tree in the park just below mom's house. This old alder smacked right through one of the newly painted picnic tables. Fortunately, we only had a lot of limbs and a boatload of leaves in the front yard. THIS time we're waiting until the weatherman says the storm systems are through for a few days before we rake that yard!

I'm making a private wager with myself on just when that pesky tree hanging over the neighbor's fence will stop sharing all it's leaves with us. I thought the maple in the backyard was going to hang onto those last five leaves until Christmas, they just wouldn't give up. But they are now decorating the hedge, so there's hope for that tree out front...

The Garden Gang

My backlog of photos still has a few jewels to share, so from time to time I'll slip in a few from home, amongst the new photos from my Oregon sojourn.
The last group of this season's turkeys had one final job - helping with the garden cleanup before tucking it in for the winter. They love helping in the garden, often "volunteering" by pushing through their gate into the garden area - which was fine, except they would then wander over to the fence stile, climb out, and I'd find them on the front porch!

After several hours of gobbling bugs and seeds (um - that sounds like a pun of some sort...), they were tired and waiting to go back in their own large fenced area - nothing to climb over or through in there, much easier for a fat turkey to navigate! They did a good job in the garden, and were good company for the rest of us as we cleaned up spent foliage and packed away boards and wire.

The other two-legged garden crew was tired, too. As the late afternoon sun was sinking and turning the air golden, they took a rest on the big old beam pile, fortified with animal crackers, nuts, and some water. Cheap labor!

Nikki had done her job, too - supervising everything and everyone.

We have a good time working together. And a sunny late fall day makes it perfect!

Don't you wish you had this garden gang?!

Sherpas

This is a fast update, from the small library in my hometown of Bay City, Oregon. Traveling heavier than my usual one roll-on, I had to enlist some sherpas to get all of my entourage to the plane in Milwaukee. Nothing like home-grown sherpas! I miss them already...


An all-too short visit with KATHY during the two hour layover in Phoenix, then on to Portland, Oregon where I spent a fun and relaxing week with niece Anne and her household of critters (no, Matt, you're not one of the "critters"!).


Now I'm cozily settled at Mom's for the winter, in the bedroom where I slept most of my younger years. We are enjoying daily walks rain or shine (and we are having a LOT of storms and wind right now), cribbage (I've won 4 out of 5 so far - but who's keeping track :>), raking leaves (there will be much rejoicing when that pesky tree is BARE again), and our favorite activity - birdwatching - things that keep us happily busy.

I've also knitted 3 and 1/2 hats (pics on next post) while Mom is embroidering with her amazingly tiny stitches, looks like we'll be doing lots of needlework over the winter. It just feels like a "knitty" year...

My posting will be dependent on keeping the battery charged in my stand-in laptop: Carrie's cute little mini (no room for the big one this time...). And how often I trundle down to the library, which is only a few blocks away. Barring being blown away by the winds (gusts at 89 yesterday), I'll keep posting, hopefully at least once a week, more often when anything exciting happens - but don't count on it if the roof goes...

Homemade Hand Sanitizer

It's one thing to try keeping the winter "bugs" at bay (Nikki has the right idea - extra layers!), quite another to be poisoning yourself or your kids with chemicals. Commercial handsanitizers are truly a mixed blessing - fast and easy, which encourages hand cleaning that is crucial for not spreading the germies, but the ingredients are scary.



Here's a wonderful solution, one of probably many sanitizer recipes popping up as people seek healthier alternatives to keeping healthy.

Make Your Own Handsanitizer

1 cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp rubbing alcohol
2 tsp vegetable glycerin
8-10 drops tea tree essential oil or lavender essential oil

Mix and store in recycled, fun jars and bottles. This could be the gift of the season, share with family and friends!

For the whole story and some ideas, go see what Patricia has to share at:



http://handmaidenkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/homemade-hand-sanitizer.html



Essential oils are one of my favorite healthcare items. Besides smelling wonderful, they carry the healing properties of each type of plant. The key is to use THERAPEUTIC GRADE essential oils, such as Young Living which I've used for years. DO NOT use craft-type aromothery oils, they won't give the results that pure distilled oils provide.



Here are some oils I use specifically for their antibacterial, antiviral action:



lemon, eucalyptus radiata, peppermint, lavender, melaleuca alternifolia, ravensara, cinnamon, clove, rosemary CT cineol, marjoram, oregano, thyme



Remember, these oils are powerful, treat them with respect. Unless you are completely familiar with them, do not use undiluted on your skin. They can also, along with a number of other essential oils, be diffused to kill airborne bacteria and virus. We have a diffusor for almost every room, and use them generously during "the buggy season".


If you have questions about essential oils and their uses, I'm always just a click away!

While I'm thinking about it, if you are arguing with a cold, or want to prevent one, I have a tasty remedy over at EarthHeart (http://cstauffer.blogspot.com/), labeled "Killer Garlic" - I LOVE this stuff!

Bottom line: Take loving care of YOU!

Best Day Ever

As I've been "dejunking" closets and cupboards, packing my suitcases, and mentally preparing for an extended trip to Oregon, I keep coming across "notes to myself", tucked away in art books, journals, photo albums, cards, etc (can you tell, I'm easily distracted?!!). Some have brought a laugh, or a chuckle, sometimes a few tears, always a memory - some poignant, some joyful. And some stuff went straight into the circular file...there's a place for everything.

Anyway, when I read over this particular note, I felt it worth sharing, because it's such a good exercise. (No, you don't have to hit the floor.) I keep an off-and-on gratitude journal, which is often a just-before-lights-out reminder of how blessed I really am. This little exercise falls into that category. And exercising your "attitude of gratitude" is ALWAYS a healthy thing! Here we go:

Round up a nice pen (no pencil; no over-analyzing and erasing things), a nice piece of paper or your favorite little journal, pour a cup of fragrant tea (or cocoa!) if that relaxes you, put on your favorite soothing music and take five deep Buddha breathes (clear to your tummy and out again, S - L - O - W- L - Y), and smile. That's mandatory.

At the top of your page, write:

Adding Joy to My Day

Then make a list of the small, ordinary everyday things that bring joy to your life. It doesn't have to be a long list, just go with the flow. You may be surprised at how many things keep popping into your mind once you get going.

Here's one of my lists, from a couple of years ago:

*watching birds out my kitchen window

*scent of the essential oils I use
*listening to favorite music

*warm wet wash cloth on my face first thing in the morning

*cup of herbal tea

*walking outdoors, rain or shine

*wildflowers

*playing piano or guitar

*reading to the grandpunks

*sketching

*breathing meditation

*sharing fresh baking

*holding my cat, stroking my dog

*nap

*soft blankie

*being present - listening with eye contact

*re-reading favorite books

Notice none of those things cost money, or demand much time, or require anyone's permission - except my own. How often do we deprive ourselves of the simple joy of living because we don't give ourselves permission to simply live? That "TO DO " list will still be there after you refresh yourself with this recess.

OK, here's my list for today - first, picture me, I'm sitting in my favorite arm chair, a glass of kombucha at hand (don't ask unless you really want to know...), the flames glowing and flickering in the window of the pellet stove which is blowing comforting heat through the cabin on a cold breezy day, the ambiance of Bronn Journey's Christmas album in the background.

TODAY'S JOY:

*sturdy old log walls to keep out the wind
*a body-and-soul warming fire
*cat in my lap
*memories, emerging from storage bins and tattered envelopes
*three bags of clothes ready to go to GoodWill
*crisp greens in my salad
*nuthatches in the bird feeder
*T-Tapp
*avocados
*snuggy wool slippers/clogs
*sourdough rising
*red limbs of osier dogwood
*Christmas music - thank you, Anne Murray and El Divo
*turkeys running to greet me at the gate
*sandhill cranes and Canada geese calling overhead
*apple walnut cookies
*farmhouse windows glowing in the dusk

I could just keep on going, the list is actually endless. And each day is the same but different.

I really love doing this little exercise in mindfulness, it is such a positive affirmation of my Heavenly Father's love and my place in the grand scheme of things.

It brings me comfort, and joy.

Now go and write down YOUR joy!