photo of orange cloudy sky

Supports for Fire Season

When I consider which plants have been used historically to support healthy airways, I first think about what would be most accessible to the most people. This post has some choices that are easy to find at most grocery stores, save one local (to me) business offering that I am going to highlight.

Elderflower Mocktail (5 minutes)

Tonight I experimented with a summer mocktail that ended up being a winner! Refreshing, light and crisp, and always a delight to use so many ingredients straight from my yard. Recipe in link.

photo of assorted herbs

Respiratory Supportive Herbs at the Grocery Store

I wanted to take a moment to share some key herbs found at many grocery stores that are historically known for supporting the respiratory system.

The Loveliest DIY Face Cream

This week I made my first attempt at following Rosemary Gladstar’s guidelines for creating her “Perfect Cream” recipe.

I am thrilled with the way it turned out.  This somehow rich yet light moisturizer is positively decadent.  

I am so grateful to Rosemary Gladstar for so freely sharing her knowledge and light with the world! I agree with Gladstar, that traditions involving food, remedies, and plants should be re-connected on a personal basis with every human household, so that we can sense, taste, smell and feel the quality and nourishment nature provides when we mingle with her respectfully. And alternatively, so that we may recognize both overt and subtle clues indicating compromised quality or assault to nature, and ultimately our own health, which helps us know when to take restorative action.

DIY Shampoo & DIY Conditioner in 5 min.

I’ve been curious to see if I can make my own shampoo and conditioner for a while. I finally tried two – and each only took 2 minutes to make! One was a hit at our house and the other was a miss. Let me know if you try either!

DIY Plantain Salve for Burns, Bites, Stings & Eczema

Here is a simple DIY Plantain salve to add to your first aid kit for Burns, Bites, Stings & Eczema. This plant is so abundant you likely have some growing in your own yard!

DIY Peppermint Lip Balm

This DIY peppermint lip balm recipe took me from start to finish about 10 minutes.  It feels great and is about as clean as it comes, with only two ingredients plus optional peppermint essential oil.  

Garden Abundance: Sneaky Greens

When you have an abundance of kale or other greens to consume, here’s an easy, make-ahead ice cube tray recipe to help you add a serving of greens to your smoothies.

Garden Abundance: Cilantro & Parsley Pesto 🌱

If you have an abundance of cilantro and parsley in your garden, check out my easy, make-ahead, Cilantro Parsley Pesto recipe. Both of these herbs have an impressive array of health benefits. Also, ever wonder why some people love cilantro and others hate it?

DIY: Quick & Easy Hand Sanitizing Gel

If you’re like me, you probably prefer soap and water for hand-washing, but every now and then need a hand sanitizer instead.  I try to avoid using alcohol-based products because they dry my skin so much and often have ingredients with concerning health effects like triclosan, Benzalkonium Chloride and phthalates. This recipe literally took me less than 10 minutes to make.  It has a pleasant cinnamon and citrus scent and nice moisturizing effects.

Little Rituals: Pay Attention

When I slow down enough to notice details and deliberately move through the moments of my day, there are so many opportunities to be amazed and feel gratitude.

I don’t always remember to pause and notice, but when I do, my day is better without fail:  I am more grounded in my values, more conscious of the actions I choose to take, and more resilient for any obstacles I face.

This weekend, I challenge us both to take five minutes to intentionally pause for the seemingly small stuff.

Little Rituals: Track Life’s Moments

As humans, we have evolved to track and evaluate our days and lives to allow us the best vantage point to determine if we are on the right path or if we have strayed far and now need to course-correct.

Little Family Rituals: Create a book for reflections and dreams

The holidays are a fantastic time to create ritual that invites us to pause and reflect on the year behind us and consider what we want most for our days ahead.  Not only does taking time to do this allow a way to integrate lessons learned both collectively and individually, it also provides a place to share these things when we might otherwise keep them stored inside.  What’s more, looking back on the ways a family has grown, or the ways dreams were realized (or turned into something completely different) after many years is the way this simple and quick ritual can turn into something priceless that can be enjoyed perhaps even by generations who will follow.

A Love Letter: In the Valley

This is a love letter💌, inspired by a woman’s memories of our neighborhood land and creek, from her childhood days in the early 1900s. This post may only resonate with a few, but for the few it does, I hope it inspires you to write your own love letters about the natural areas you call home. When we love nature, and when we allows others to witness that love, the Earth sings and saves wisps of our souls in its rocks and streams for future generations. It is needed today more than ever. 💗🌿🐇🦉🐛🐠🦎💗

DIY: Whipped Shea Butter with Lavender & Vitamin E

I tend to have really dry hands due to spending all my waking hours with kids – which always includes a lot of hand washing, messy projects, clean up and food prep.  At times, particularly in winter and also when I attend hand drumming classes consistently, my hands can even develop painful cracks.  Store-bought lotions typically […]