Raw Ginger..for Day...Raw Garlic.... for Night

As  you meander through life, you may come across certain items that you have discovered to be helpful in keeping you energized and your body revitalized. Two such items, for me, are raw ginger and raw garlic.

Both items though, are very different in nature and can be used at different times throughout your week.

Garlic has a heavy, almost meaty quality to it. It revitalizes and purifies the blood, and cleanses the digestive system, killing bacteria. But it is also very pungent and is better suited to be taken raw before bedtime.
A single garlic clove can be peeled and then chopped or crushes into "swallow-able" size and downed with water or tea. Be sure to drink enough water when you take raw garlic as raw garlic can also give a burning sensation and the water dilutes any harshness the rawness of the garlic brings with it. Water is also helpful for the quickening of the digestive system which always occurs after one has ingested raw garlic.

Some folks encourage the habit of taking one raw garlic clove every night, but not all. Raw garlic, fresh from the clove is a feisty substance and one needs to get to know how their particular body may react to it's active ingredients. Be prepared for any kind of effect which may or may not include a loosening of the stools and urgency to use the bathroom. Note that these effects may not always occur, once your body has become more accustomed to the presence of raw garlic.

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And now for Ginger, yes it can also be taken raw. Raw ginger, after you have just peeled it, has a rather odd stringy juicy texture. Ginger has a more gentle and pleasant taste and aroma when compared to raw garlic, but it is no less feisty in terms of it's effects on the body. Ginger is a sweet success. You can peel it from it's knubby brown state, and then mash or chop it into bits, and swallow just about half of a teaspoon of some of the smaller sized pieces with water. Or you can just add some to boiling water and make a tea out of it.
Ginger has been known for centuries as a digestive aid. That's why our grandmas always endorsed the use of "ginger ale" to help calm down an upset stomach.

Well, that's about all for now. My blurt is done.

Peaceful Productivity,
Carla

Disclaimer: Note that this blog is not intended as medical advice. The ideas in this post and the entire blog are intended for conversational purposes only. Medical advice should be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. The author and publisher of this blog does not accept any liability for the ideas presented or discussed.

When the Log Becomes Earth

Tip toeing through the forest with my little one, we came across this camouflaged treasure. To walk quickly through this area without paying close attention, one could easily miss it.

Right before our eyes was nature's exquisite example of how it naturally replenishes itself....the circle of life, through the symbol of a tree melting slowing into the earth from which it grew.

Can you see the faint outline of a fallen log?  The mystical and scientific process known as 

decomposition, or "composting" in more suburban terms.... had begun to break down the mighty fallen tree

into a luscious  brown earthy soil.  See the chocolaty shade of the dirt?

I love composting, but i love it even more when nature provides a real life example of what it has done by God's design for thousands of years. This is how the forests and swamps and wetlands continue to create nutritiously rich soils from which to grow more vibrant foliage and trees to house wildlife.

Without this cycle of growth, death and renewal, the soils would quickly become sandy like the desert and there would be little flora and fauna to boast about. And so it was a lovely classroom in which to teach my young one about this precious truth of how God made the earth to replenish itself, without any interference or "help" from mankind.

Peaceful  Day,

Carla

Knowing What Makes You Happy

The more obscure and kooky, the better, as long as I myself have arranged, designed, knit, glued, or drawn or painted it,.....or written it....ultimately it is the act of being creative that gives me immense joy.

I look around and think through some of the things that I've made over the past year and whether it's some earthy homespun wall hanging or a kooky cheapskate blog post, or a way to up-cycle an old chair or iron flower trough....I love them all, because I myself "thunk" them up. Sometimes it's just about gathering
up some lovely enormous pine cones, still coated in sticky white pine tar, and arranging them in a bowl for a table top. All the while, staying thoughtful, peaceful and philosophical and sharing the tidbits of wisdom I discover in my journey.

Sometimes it's about getting back to basics and using what I have on hand or using something utilitarian such as "jute" twine and re-purposing it into something I can use .......like learning  how to knit rugged earthy looking place mats.

(By the way if you want to learn how to make them....it's really super easy: You can buy plain brown colored jute in most dollar stores or you can sometimes find it dyed into red or green.
You simply use a basic garter stitch and load up the desired width of place mat you are trying to create and thereby choose the right amount of stitches to load onto your knitting needles. I tend to use metal circular needles because I like how they work fast, and how the jute slips easily off the metal needles. Then you just keep going with your garter stitch until the place mat is the size you want it to be. 
Then cast off the stitches, and you can duplicate the process to produce a whole table setting's worth of earthy jute place mats.

Note that jute is a very rough material to knit with and it does feel rough on the hands and also does shed while you are working with it.  These kind of place mats are best used in a rugged setting such as for camping or cottaging....because the jute continues to shed and wouldn't match a fine china type of decor.)

Well that is just a snap shot of some of the stuff that makes my day.....the heart of which is simply the "opportunity to be creative with anything I fancy" 

May this day bring you another glimpse into what brings you true joy.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla

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Shoot From the Hip

     

I used to draw a lot, especially if someone

gave me something to sign or write a comment in....like a yearbook or somethin' like that.

It seems like when I am in a kooky mood, that my imagination gets the best of me....How 'bout you?

Do you doodle and just allow your imagination to erupt ?

I used a pencil, ,my fave blue Sharpie and a possle of old fashioned Laurentian pencil crayons on a plain white art pad to make this sketch. Voila.

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Never Apologize for Wanting More

If this sounds like a feminist rant....don't be alarmed.it's really not and applies to all of us human mortals..

I have noticed in my neck of the woods that there is such a huge pressure in our local environment to "settle" for simply whatever you currently have and are. To be too ambitious or goal oriented is frowned upon . The idea is perpetuated by the business owners as well as by many volunteer organizations who glean a massive "free" work force from the locals who are "stuck" here. The business owners likewise glean a loyal work force who refuse to demand higher pay or decent benefits.

I have lived here for many years and the spirit and tone of this attitude still completely baffles me.

Why would any healthy society want to encourage people to accept much less than what they can potentially achieve and possess? Why would we want to "force" folks to live on less income than what they could be earning....either through active work or through passive investing?

Is it just the "devil" at work or just plain ole stupid human nature......or has the mind of the locals been kidnapped by aliens ?

I want to see people excel all around me. I want to see them become well read and fulfilled because they are meeting up with challenges and discovering the gift of "mastery" . (Yes, if you recognize that word "mastery" from Tony Robbins materials, then yes, you caught me....I am unashamedly a fan)

Some folks seem to live their lives with the sole purpose of "avoiding embarrassment". Is it really that important? Is it not more significant to be willing to fall flat on your face once in a while, so that in the long run, you might actually achieve something of value?

We have so much potential, both individually and corporately. My personal habit of reading the bible, has expanded my mind to great heights and depths. Despite the popular opinion that Christianity fosters a narrow minded attitude or mental frame work.....I have discovered the opposite to be true. The words of the bible have empowered me to become even more courageous and adventurous than I would ever have considered to become in the past. The words of Bible have shown me that at the end of the day, God has the final say, and therefore, we mere humans can actually chill out, relax a bit and learn to play in the awesome world that God gave to us as our own wonderful backyard.

Therefore, if perhaps a bit of Spring Fever has hit you, and you find yourself feeling restless......don't panic. You are not a rebel. You simply are feeling like you just might want more........

Go for it folks. Want more from life. Want more from God. Want more from yourself. Want more from the earth. When you seek "more" you will find "more". But if you stop seeking and simply settle with what you already have .....that is all you will ever have and ever be.

So, in a nutshell, I just want to say that I will never apologize for wanting more. I also would like to encourage you to give yourself permission to want more too. It's not greedy and it's not self-centered.....its about embracing with zest, this incredible life that God has given to us.

Peaceful productivity,
Carla.