Squirrel pic of the day, and some words
This is how I have been feeling a bit lately.I have been busy with a kids birthday ( I feel so old) and with the kids being home for the summer. They are getting restless already.My daughter wants to go back to school now and my son says theres nothing to do in our area and hes bored out of his mind.I remember when I was younger, and that wasn't all the long ago, that I was just happy to hang out with friends.But not my kids, they want a damn itinerary handed out to them.They are moping around and spending more time complaining than anything else.So I guess my whole house is looking like this furry guy here.He just makes it look better than we do.
♪♫♪ Music from a tree ♪♫♪
Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo. Posted by
Homemade: Green Tea Facial
Let me start by saying I am a firm believer that you shouldn't put anything on your body that you wont put in it.The skin absorbs EVERYTHING.All of these recipes are made from things you can eat and are more than likely in your kitchen cupboards.Just think,within minutes you could be treating your skin to a gourmet facial!Green tea has such beneficial qualities that its a shame to only drink it.It not only works as a detox for your body it can detox your face as well.And if you happen to have any left over in your mug theres no longer need to waste it by pouring it down the drain! Green tea is chock full of antioxidants and many crucial elements that we need, if you sweeten up your tea with sugar or honey all the better.(But more on that later)Green tea is cheap and readily available.If you use a bag to cleanse your face you wont miss it out of the box.It can also be used as a daily toner and as a soother for sunburn.There are many simple recipes that are easy to alter to suit your needs.I have a few basic ones that you can have fun with.*Please take care to avoid the eye area with all of these recipes.Basic tea cleaner 1-2 bags of green tea1/3-3/4 cup boiling waterThat's it.This is the base for all the other recipes.Let the tea bags steep in the water for 10-15 mins.Much longer then if you are going to drink it but you want all the goodness extracted from the tea and your skin wont mind the bitterness.Let the tea cool, to speed it up put it in the fridge.Then use it to wash your face.Or instead of cooling it use this as a steam to open and cleanse the pores.If your looking for a exfoliant try this out.Green tea Sugar exfoliant 1-2 tbsp of the basic tea cleaner3 tbsp sugar of your choice ( white, brown or a mix)With tea at lukewarm temp mix with 2 tbsp sugar.( Don't use hot tea, it will melt the sugar)Add the rest of the sugar till it is at the texture you want.Apply using your fingers to your face and GENTLY massage into the skin for 1-2 mins.Then rinse well with warm water and pat dry.If you notice any redness to your skin after exfoliating this is normal and should subside within minutes.Exfoliating is great for the skin because it removes dead skin cells and opens pores for a thorough cleaning.It helps in circulation of the area and promotes the repair of stressed skin.Next if you chose to you can apply the green tea as a toner.This will further help detox the skin and sooth it.Simply take some of the left over basic tea cleanser and apply it to your skin and let dry.There are countless things you can add to the basic cleaner tomake this fit your skins needs.Here are a few to start you off:Honey: Helps sooth sensitive skin and moisturizes.Lemon: Works as a deep cleaner and is good for oily skin.Yogurt: Is for sensitive skin and soothes problem skin.Olive oil: Works great as a deep moisturizer for dry skin.Green Tea Mask: 1/4 cup of the basic tea cleanerAdd one or many of the following. Rice or Oatmeal flour:Easy enough to make if you have a food processor.Soother, moisturizes and makes skin super smooth. Powdered milk:Will moisturize your skin and make it smoother than you have felt in years.*Herbs: Since there are too many to cover and some people should avoid certain ones due to health issues or pregnancy I wont list any.Do your research.So give these a try.They are cheap and you have nothing to lose.All of these recipes are safe to use on children (research thoroughly the herbs if you chose to use).So why not pamper yourself and have a fun spa day right there in your kitchen?Merry Mixing!
My friend just sent this to me and I have fallen in love with this lil guy.[link]
What the squirrels and I are listening to
This is on the top 5 of my all time fav songs.The person who has this video posted has had some issues with youtube taking the video down so this time I hope it stays up.Sorry about the size...but then again its Bob,he can take up as much room as he wants :)
July's Full Moon falls on Tuesday, July 7th and is known several names - Blessing Moon, Thunder Moon and Meadow Moon, just to name a few.The July 2009 Full Moon distinguishes itself from other 2009 Full Moons, because it’s the smallest, farthest full moon of the year.Farthest and closest full moons recur in regular cycles. The closest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the farthest full moon. And the farthest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the closest full moon.For the next 7 lunar months, the full moon will come progressively closer to Earth. Seven full moons after tomorrow’s July full moon, the closest full moon of the cycle will fall on January 30, 2010. On that date, the full moon will be closer than 222,000 miles. Then 7 full moons after the January 30, 2010 full moon, it’ll be the farthest full moon again on August 24, 2010!Correspondences: * Colors: Green, silver, blue-gray * Gemstones: Moonstone, white agate, opals or pearls * Trees: Ash and oak * Gods: Juno, Venus, Cerridwen, Athena, Nephthys, Lugh * Herbs: Mugwort, hyssop, lemon balm * Element: WaterThis is a great time to do divination and dreamwork. Find a way to incorporate the watery energy of the Blessing Moon into your spell crafting and ritual.This article was written and used with permission by Witchy Mama.Check her blog out, it's AMAZING!
This is an amazing artist and the history she tells in this story is so moving.It's totally worth the time to watch.
10 Things YOU can do to curb global warming
1) Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Look closely at labels when buying light bulbs. Those marked as CFLs last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while delivering the same light levels. CFLs also reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions and are safer because they burn at a lower temperature (160° F or less) than incandescent and halogen lights, which can burn at temperatures up to 500° F.2) Turn down the thermostat just three degrees in the winter and up three degrees in the summer. You can prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.3) Inflate your car tires. When walking or biking isn't feasible, you can do something to better protect the Earth while driving. Take a step in the right direction by inflating your car tires. Pumping them up can improve your gas mileage by about 3.3 percent -- a savings of about 7 cents per gallon. It's the right thing to do for your wallet and the right thing to do for the Earth.4) Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you're at it, turn down your house thermostat during the winter to 55° F when you go to bed or leave home. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year, while cutting your energy bill by more than 10 percent. And that's just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.5) Choose your seafood wisely. The world's seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to a report in the journal Science. That means the moment to do something about this is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.6) Purchase EnergyStar-labeled appliances. EnergyStar products are among the top 25 percent most efficient and can provide a 30 percent return or better through lower utility bills.7) Wash and rinse in cold water. If everyone in the United States alone switched to cold water with their washing machines, we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year -- and more than $3 billion in energy costs, collectively. And what's more? Cold water cleans your laundry just as well as hot water.8) Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don't know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers' markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!9) Drink more water from reusable glassware. It's great for your bank account, your health, and your planet.Water does the body good. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.10) Walk, bike, and carpool. In the United States, the car represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. You can significantly reduce your emissions by commuting to work. Try combining trips to minimize emissions, which are greatest at the beginning of a journey before the engine has reached optimum temperature and efficiency. When purchasing your next car, make it a fuel-efficient one. Hybrid cars can get twice the fuel efficiency of the average new car, cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, and reduce urban air pollutants. Carpooling saves energy, cuts on additional pollution, and allows you to take a turn as a passenger instead of driving everyday. Car-sharing (not pooling) is available in numerous U.S. cities. Car-sharing enables you to rent a car just when you need it. Each car-share vehicle displaces four to eight privately held cars, requiring less parking area and creating less road congestion.(My brother has gotten rid of his car and does this.He LOVES it.) If you live within an hour's bicycle ride to the office (~10 miles), consider biking to work one or more days a week.One little change can make a great impact.
Squirrel pic of the day, and some words
This is how I have been feeling a bit lately.I have been busy with a kids birthday ( I feel so old) and with the kids being home for the summer. They are getting restless already.My daughter wants to go back to school now and my son says theres nothing to do in our area and hes bored out of his mind.I remember when I was younger, and that wasn't all the long ago, that I was just happy to hang out with friends.But not my kids, they want a damn itinerary handed out to them.They are moping around and spending more time complaining than anything else.So I guess my whole house is looking like this furry guy here.He just makes it look better than we do.
♪♫♪ Music from a tree ♪♫♪
Diego Stocco - Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo. Posted by
Homemade: Green Tea Facial
Let me start by saying I am a firm believer that you shouldn't put anything on your body that you wont put in it.The skin absorbs EVERYTHING.All of these recipes are made from things you can eat and are more than likely in your kitchen cupboards.Just think,within minutes you could be treating your skin to a gourmet facial!Green tea has such beneficial qualities that its a shame to only drink it.It not only works as a detox for your body it can detox your face as well.And if you happen to have any left over in your mug theres no longer need to waste it by pouring it down the drain! Green tea is chock full of antioxidants and many crucial elements that we need, if you sweeten up your tea with sugar or honey all the better.(But more on that later)Green tea is cheap and readily available.If you use a bag to cleanse your face you wont miss it out of the box.It can also be used as a daily toner and as a soother for sunburn.There are many simple recipes that are easy to alter to suit your needs.I have a few basic ones that you can have fun with.*Please take care to avoid the eye area with all of these recipes.Basic tea cleaner 1-2 bags of green tea1/3-3/4 cup boiling waterThat's it.This is the base for all the other recipes.Let the tea bags steep in the water for 10-15 mins.Much longer then if you are going to drink it but you want all the goodness extracted from the tea and your skin wont mind the bitterness.Let the tea cool, to speed it up put it in the fridge.Then use it to wash your face.Or instead of cooling it use this as a steam to open and cleanse the pores.If your looking for a exfoliant try this out.Green tea Sugar exfoliant 1-2 tbsp of the basic tea cleaner3 tbsp sugar of your choice ( white, brown or a mix)With tea at lukewarm temp mix with 2 tbsp sugar.( Don't use hot tea, it will melt the sugar)Add the rest of the sugar till it is at the texture you want.Apply using your fingers to your face and GENTLY massage into the skin for 1-2 mins.Then rinse well with warm water and pat dry.If you notice any redness to your skin after exfoliating this is normal and should subside within minutes.Exfoliating is great for the skin because it removes dead skin cells and opens pores for a thorough cleaning.It helps in circulation of the area and promotes the repair of stressed skin.Next if you chose to you can apply the green tea as a toner.This will further help detox the skin and sooth it.Simply take some of the left over basic tea cleanser and apply it to your skin and let dry.There are countless things you can add to the basic cleaner tomake this fit your skins needs.Here are a few to start you off:Honey: Helps sooth sensitive skin and moisturizes.Lemon: Works as a deep cleaner and is good for oily skin.Yogurt: Is for sensitive skin and soothes problem skin.Olive oil: Works great as a deep moisturizer for dry skin.Green Tea Mask: 1/4 cup of the basic tea cleanerAdd one or many of the following. Rice or Oatmeal flour:Easy enough to make if you have a food processor.Soother, moisturizes and makes skin super smooth. Powdered milk:Will moisturize your skin and make it smoother than you have felt in years.*Herbs: Since there are too many to cover and some people should avoid certain ones due to health issues or pregnancy I wont list any.Do your research.So give these a try.They are cheap and you have nothing to lose.All of these recipes are safe to use on children (research thoroughly the herbs if you chose to use).So why not pamper yourself and have a fun spa day right there in your kitchen?Merry Mixing!
My friend just sent this to me and I have fallen in love with this lil guy.[link]
What the squirrels and I are listening to
This is on the top 5 of my all time fav songs.The person who has this video posted has had some issues with youtube taking the video down so this time I hope it stays up.Sorry about the size...but then again its Bob,he can take up as much room as he wants :)
July's Full Moon falls on Tuesday, July 7th and is known several names - Blessing Moon, Thunder Moon and Meadow Moon, just to name a few.The July 2009 Full Moon distinguishes itself from other 2009 Full Moons, because it’s the smallest, farthest full moon of the year.Farthest and closest full moons recur in regular cycles. The closest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the farthest full moon. And the farthest full moon comes 7 lunar months – full moons – after the closest full moon.For the next 7 lunar months, the full moon will come progressively closer to Earth. Seven full moons after tomorrow’s July full moon, the closest full moon of the cycle will fall on January 30, 2010. On that date, the full moon will be closer than 222,
000 miles. Then 7 full moons after the January 30, 2010 full moon, it’ll be the farthest full moon again on August 24, 2010!Correspondences: * Colors: Green, silver, blue-gray * Gemstones: Moonstone, white agate, opals or pearls * Trees: Ash and oak * Gods: Juno, Venus, Cerridwen, Athena, Nephthys, Lugh * Herbs: Mugwort, hyssop, lemon balm * Element: WaterThis is a great time to do divination and dreamwork. Find a way to incorporate the watery energy of the Blessing Moon into your spell crafting and ritual.This article was written and used with permission by Witchy Mama.Check her blog out, it's AMAZING!
This is an amazing artist and the history she tells in this story is so moving.It's totally worth the time to watch.
10 Things YOU can do to curb global warming
1) Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Look closely at labels when buying light bulbs. Those marked as CFLs last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs while delivering the same light levels. CFLs also reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions and are safer because they burn at a lower temperature (160° F or less) than incandescent and halogen lights, which can burn at temperatures up to 500° F.2) Turn down the thermostat just three degrees in the winter and up three degrees in the summer. You can prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.3) Inflate your car tires. When walking or biking isn't feasible, you can do something to better protect the Earth while driving. Take a step in the right direction by inflating your car tires. Pumping them up can improve your gas mileage by about 3.3 percent -- a savings of about 7 cents per gallon. It's the right thing to do for your wallet and the right thing to do for the Earth.4) Turn down the hot water heater. Set your water heater to 130° F. While you're at it, turn down your house thermostat during the winter to 55° F when you go to bed or leave home. These simple actions can have enormous positive consequences, preventing the emission of more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide over the course of the year, while cutting your energy bill by more than 10 percent. And that's just from you! Get your friends on board, and the benefits will multiply.5) Choose your seafood wisely. The world's seafood will be entirely depleted by 2048, according to a report in the journal Science. That means the moment to do something about this is now. By buying and eating certain types of seafood, you can discourage harmful fishing practices and avoid the more depleted or threatened species. Take a look at Seafood Choices Alliance or Seafood Watch to make smart choices.6) Purchase EnergyStar-labeled appliances. EnergyStar products are among the top 25 percent most efficient and can provide a 30 percent return or better through lower utility bills.7) Wash and rinse in cold water. If everyone in the United States alone switched to cold water with their washing machines, we could save about 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year -- and more than $3 billion in energy costs, collectively. And what's more? Cold water cleans your laundry just as well as hot water.8) Buy locally produced meats and produce. Sounds like a good idea, but you don't know where to start? Just type in your zip code on Local Harvest's website to see a list of farms and farmers' markets close to home, as well as nearby restaurants committed to supporting their neighbors. Buying locally produced food cuts out the middlemen and the vast amounts of energy required to get your products onto store shelves. Most produce in U.S. supermarkets travels an average 1,500 miles before it is sold!9) Drink more water from reusable glassware. It's great for your bank account, your health, and your planet.Water does the body good. The average American consumed more than 400 beverage bottles and cans in 2006, leaving behind wasted glass, plastic, steel, and aluminum. That adds up to excessive amounts of fossil fuels and hydropower for mining, processing, refining, shaping, shipping, storing, refrigerating, and disposing of those materials. Of course, changing your drinking habits both at home and at work is applicable to just about every other habit, as well. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.10) Walk, bike, and carpool. In the United States, the car represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. You can significantly reduce your emissions by commuting to work. Try combining trips to minimize emissions, which are greatest at the beginning of a journey before the engine has reached optimum temperature and efficiency. When purchasing your next car, make it a fuel-efficient one. Hybrid cars can get twice the fuel efficiency of the average new car, cut greenhouse gas emissions by half or more, and reduce urban air pollutants. Carpooling saves energy, cuts on additional pollution, and allows you to take a turn as a passenger instead of driving everyday. Car-sharing (not pooling) is available in numerous U.S. cities. Car-sharing enables you to rent a car just when you need it. Each car-share vehicle displaces four to eight privately held cars, requiring less parking area and creating less road congestion.(My brother has gotten rid of his car and does this.He LOVES it.) If you live within an hour's bicycle ride to the office (~10 miles), consider biking to work one or more days a week.One little change can make a great impact.