Big Changes

Do you ever wonder why things don't really seem like they are economically improving?  Every time I do, I try to realize that we're still not hit as hard as other places like Spain (27% unemployment).  There are people who believe our institutions will ultimately fail (even our governments).  I see it in education as well as the financial world.  There is real concern about global warming and the wars for resources.  I don't think the US really understands just how many people in China and India are getting to a place to be able to pay for those resources, and since we owe so many people money I'm afraid they'll get those resources.  That means that the 20% of the world eating up 80% of the worlds' resources will have to learn how to get out of the consumerist hamster wheel.

This kind of collapse leads some to believe that it's a blessing, that it's just the coming apocalypse and that the earth was never our dwelling place, not really.  The Christian Bible says we'll neither know the day nor the hour so I don't entertain all that.  I'd rather look at things the way the Mayans did in terms of that tumultuous 2012.  To them, the point wasn't destruction, it was the ushering in of a new era a human brotherhood.  What does it look like in my community, my neighborhood, my home?  I actually don't see my domestic hobbies as simply hobbies (even though I really do enjoy learning all of this good stuff)--I see them as eventualities.  Perhaps things won't show up until the girls are in their hey days, but they're learning along with me.

It's good to need each other.  I'm not talking about codependence or dependence; I'm thinking more along the lines of interdependence.  That would actually solve some of our current problems.  Sherry Turkle (author of "Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other") talks about our needs not being met socially and that we don't really know how to have a conversation anymore.  Working together on need-based projects in our local areas certainly might give us that opportunity back.

There is a sinister concern here too.  When people find themselves in great need, ever do opportunists see room to appoint themselves caretakers and to control us.  Fascism is a possibility when collapses come.  Dystopic stories like "The Handmaid's Tale," "Farenheight 451" and "Brave New World" (along with the more modern movies like "Equilibrium").  You can halfway see it, right?  We're already addicted to tons of pharmaceuticals, and we don't even have touch with the basic skills and knowledge about living and working in nature.  Media tells us what to think and essentially lulls us into a kind of static at times.  I'm not a doomsdayer over all, but I do think we need to be aware and extremely thoughtful.

Taking back our Health: Digestive Stuff

I started down this path of taking care of myself without taking dangerous pharmaceuticals, and I have dropped down from a PPI each day and two zantac to half a PPI every other day with a little zantac off and on for trouble shooting.  I learned that you can use slippery elm lozenges and a safer antacid called briochi (brand name I think).  I read various places that taking aloe juice/water helps and that supplements like L-glutamine and Colostrum would be beneficial.  I read that some people use traditional bitters etc. to aid in digestion.

Before the gallbladder surgery, I heard about DGL as a protectant in the stomach; and after surgery, one friend recommended some kind of daily essential enzymes since I wouldn't have a gallbladder to break down fats.

I've done a combination of some of things, and as you read, I've been dropping down.  Now I'd like to get rid of that detrimental medicine all together (search the dangers of PPIs like nexium and protonix to see what I'm talking about).  There are several things I learned I could do (from Naturopathic Practioner, Donna Ritter, at that workshop I recently attended) to address digestive problems related to reflux, my gallbladder being taken out and general acid discomfort.

Donna recommended the aloe juice/water for sure, and she added aloe capsules.  There's a blend (Traditional Chinese Medicine I think) called "Liv/Gall Calm" to take, and she'd like me to use another blend (likely also TCM) called Fiber Cleanse (mainly for the Cascada Sagrada included).  To help further alkalize the inner body, I'm doing a green drink called "Life Source."  Obviously, I'm incorporating the Essiac Tea as a general health preventative, and it too helps those organs/systems.

Several of these things were found at a little company out of NC called "New Sun."  I need to brag about them a bit.  The stuff I ordered got here in two days.  They are accessible online or by phone.  The Life Source green drink is the main thing I'd like to mention.  Oh my: we're talking spirulina, wheat grass, and chlorella (along with a bunch of other really healthy stuff).  Those drinks usually don't make it down my esophagus without severe gagging and nose-plugging, but I handle this one just fine!  What a relief.  (It does come in capsule form if you're not up for the drink.)

Essiac Tea Workshop

I have no lovely photos to post especially since my attention was so focused on my workshop today.  I learned so much!  We were there to learn how to brew the "original" Essiac Tea (don't be fooled by all the variety on the internet purporting to be the right blend).  Donna Ritter is a naturopathic practitioner, and I got as much from simply talking with her and listening to her general perspective as I did in learning how to do the tea (and acquire materials).  It was eye-opening, and she talked with me about my own health for a while.  She made suggestions and didn't charge a thing.  The thing I really enjoyed about her was her down home feel and way of being honest and hilarious.  I'm going to ask her to present a workshop or two up here also (the tea and making your own kefir).

Pillowcases

In last two years, I have been gathering vintage linens for the girls' bedding.  We have lovely mismatched sheets and pillowcases.  Only this year have we sought the embroidered cases.  Part of my reasoning for loving them (besides the obvious) is because usually they are made originally of this awesome, thick, soft cotton.  These two pillowcases I found today are so nice to touch!

Quilt

This is almost a thrift store find since I paid so very little for this handmade quilt, but I found it in an antiques booth.  It's for a twin bed.  There are no holes or stains.  It's soft and lovely!!!  I took pictures close up of a few of the flowers so you can see how the maker had to get creative with relatively close fabric to finish up.  Most flowers are consistent all the way around.

Bird's Nest Cookies

After finding so many food things we wanted to try from Jean Van't Hul's The Artful Spring (e-book), we decided on these dandies: Bird's Nest Cookies.  They weren't challenging to make in terms of steps, and it was nice to have multiple steps that both girls could help with.  If I had been even more patient, they would've helped me add the initial ingredients and measure perhaps.

Still looking good after a few days sitting in that pyrex...

What We Talk about When Talk about God

Rob Bell has another thought-provoking book here.  I really appreciated how he integrated what we know these days through quantum physics and the general types of knowledge we discounted after the Enlightenment (honestly but perhaps unfairly given that our subconscious, he points out, runs the show about 70% of the time).  I won't paraphrase his book since did a good job explaining himself.  All in all, though, I recommend this one.  As is usual with his style of writing, the pages move along nicely between stories, questions and teaching.