Nothing shouts spring like a beautiful tulip! So many colors, so many shapes and sizes. I have been painting a canvas inspired by the spring garden, full of tulips. So I thought I would share some tips I have found with my tulips.
"I choose to feel good about myself each day. Every morning I remind myself that I can make the choice to feel good. This is a new habit for me to cultivate." Another delicious piece of wisdom by Ms. Hay. With choice comes the necessity for us to put in place the infrastructures in our lives to keep the cultivation going.
The start of cheesemaking for the New Year. With history of cheesemaking in our household for both families, it seems to be the only thing to do on a cold January day!
I received a lot of questions and IMs about the cheesemaking process I shared recently. . .so I wanted to give a quick overview of "how" for those interesting in trying this at home. Ingredients: Whole milk or half & half (approximately a quart) + apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
Tools: Pan, wooden spoon, cheese cloth, thermometer and cheese cloth
Another sign that we are in the heart of January. . .time to organize and put away the holiday decorations. And a Sunday morning in January is the perfect time to put Christmas away and get your it ready for next year.
With swirling uncertainty surrounding us these days, I am thankful for an understanding of the need to develop appreciation. We know that gratitude, the ability to appreciate, is fundamental to any spiritual journey and a foundation of becoming a member of the conscious community. People who consistently practice gratitude have more positive emotions, feel more connected to others, sleep better, have the ability to better express compassion and kindness, and according to studies have stronger immune systems.
OK so that’s really not the correct saying but everyone loves pizza, right? It’s really a basic recipe that can be made into so many different combinations and used for a variety of meals.
Once the chicken is done cooking, generously spoon the hot honey sauce over each piece of chicken and serve immediately. We have paired this with sautéed corn or with mashed potatoes or with a large salad. All three combinations have been successful.
If you’re like me and you don’t notice iris borer until mid-summer, you have more work on your hands. If you are seeing yellowed leaves and rot at the base of the iris stalk, you have to dig up the plants to inspect them. Knock off all of the dirt. Cut away rotten parts with a sharp knife (and remember to throw these in the garbage). Place the remaining rhizomes in a bucket of water that is 9 parts water and one part bleach. Let the plants soak for 5 to 10 minutes. The borers will drown.
There is a Chinese curse which says “May he live in interesting times.” Like it or not, we are living in interesting times, times of uncertainty; but they also can be the most creative of any time we have available to us. We just need to allow them to be. As Louise Hay, one of my favorite authors, states "The point of power is always in the present moment." Let us all live this now.
As I take off the slippers and get ready to put them in the thrift store pile. I also ask myself why I waited so long to use them. Why do I wait? Why save something for just the right moment instead of enjoying it now? It's interesting how something like a pair of clearance slippers can trigger all this reflection and self examination.
The original name of the practice is metta bhavana. Metta means platonic love or kindness, and thus, ‘loving-kindness.’ The word bhavana means development or cultivation. The practice centers on cultivating the emotion you feel in your heart and directing it towards others. Although traditionally associated with Buddhism, the meditation could have easily been born out of Christian roots given its goals. Metta is done in stages, much like gardening.
Nothing shouts spring like a beautiful tulip! So many colors, so many shapes and sizes. I have been painting a canvas inspired by the spring garden, full of tulips. So I thought I would share some tips I have found with my tulips.
"I choose to feel good about myself each day. Every morning I remind myself that I can make the choice to feel good. This is a new habit for me to cultivate." Another delicious piece of wisdom by Ms. Hay. With choice comes the necessity for us to put in place the infrastructures in our lives to keep the cultivation going.
The start of cheesemaking for the New Year. With history of cheesemaking in our household for both families, it seems to be the only thing to do on a cold January day! 
Another sign that we are in the heart of January. . .time to organize and put away the holiday decorations. And a Sunday morning in January is the perfect time to put Christmas away and get your it ready for next year.
With swirling uncertainty surrounding us these days, I am thankful for an understanding of the need to develop appreciation. We know that gratitude, the ability to appreciate, is fundamental to any spiritual journey and a foundation of becoming a member of the conscious community. People who consistently practice gratitude have more positive emotions, feel more connected to others, sleep better, have the ability to better express compassion and kindness, and according to studies have stronger immune systems.
OK so that’s really not the correct saying but everyone loves pizza, right? It’s really a basic recipe that can be made into so many different combinations and used for a variety of meals.
Once the chicken is done cooking, generously spoon the hot honey sauce over each piece of chicken and serve immediately. We have paired this with sautéed corn or with mashed potatoes or with a large salad. All three combinations have been successful.
If you’re like me and you don’t notice iris borer until mid-summer, you have more work on your hands. If you are seeing yellowed leaves and rot at the base of the iris stalk, you have to dig up the plants to inspect them. Knock off all of the dirt. Cut away rotten parts with a sharp knife (and remember to throw these in the garbage). Place the remaining rhizomes in a bucket of water that is 9 parts water and one part bleach. Let the plants soak for 5 to 10 minutes. The borers will drown.
There is a Chinese curse which says “May he live in interesting times.” Like it or not, we are living in interesting times, times of uncertainty; but they also can be the most creative of any time we have available to us. We just need to allow them to be. As Louise Hay, one of my favorite authors, states "The point of power is always in the present moment." Let us all live this now.
As I take off the slippers and get ready to put them in the thrift store pile. I also ask myself why I waited so long to use them. Why do I wait? Why save something for just the right moment instead of enjoying it now? It's interesting how something like a pair of clearance slippers can trigger all this reflection and self examination.
The original name of the practice is metta bhavana. Metta means platonic love or kindness, and thus, ‘loving-kindness.’ The word bhavana means development or cultivation. The practice centers on cultivating the emotion you feel in your heart and directing it towards others. Although traditionally associated with Buddhism, the meditation could have easily been born out of Christian roots given its goals. Metta is done in stages, much like gardening.
