flowers

respect for the beauty

Grocery Store Free Literature...

Natural Awakenings is one of those publications. Catered with ads and articles from your local area, this magazine is quite a wealth of information and so is their website. Natural Awakenings provides alternative and natural solutions for recipes, supplements, and natural care practitioners. There are also articles submitted to share helpful information in the healthy living, healthy planet areas.

If there is not already a Natural Awakening Magazine in your area...it could be a job opportunity!

In an issue from March of this year I have found a clinic that offers free therapy sessions once a month for PTSD patients. The National Institute for Mental health is an excellent online resource to help you decide if you have a PTSD type disorder. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is very difficult for anyone involved, it is important to have help and support, and it is really nice to know someone is offering help to those who may not be able to afford it. Santa Fe is very fortunate to have so many modalities of healing offered by many practitioners. Santa Fe Soul Health & Healing is just one of those. They are even offering the treatment to those who simply wish to come and give it a shot. The idea is to reset the flight-or-flight response and create a sense of calm for those who have experienced a traumatic event that has left them emotionally wounded.

Right under our noses in the simplest and least likely of places, the possibilty exists that just the answer you need at just the right time is there. Respond to your instincts, pick up that flyer or take that class you've been thinking about and listen to what you discover.

Books...Old Books

I LOVE books. Totally passionate about books. The way they look on shelf after shelf, the wealth of information, the art in them, of them, the typeface and how they seem to weave together the tales of a person's life. Oh the adventures books have been on! It is the first thing I notice when I go to someone's house or office and if allowed I am ambitious to peruse other's collections whenever I can.

I was at a meeting with my pastor today and I came across a gem. I picked it up, the cute little volume, and expressed my love for old books, classic books like this small gray hard bound beauty. Books that have that smell. That old smell. Ummm. The spine is decorated yet overall the book is plain. It it simply speaks to my senses and asks to be held and enjoyed. The paper has a waterwark and the pages are edged with goldleaf. Aside from a small gap in the spine by the front cover, it is in near mint condition.

I was smitten and then in a state of total joy when my pastor says, "Oh you can have that, I've not looked at it in all the years it has been here."

Really?

I am now the owner of a book printed in 1915 and given to Howard Richard Starke as a birthday gift. In His Steps, by J.R. Miller. A book for those beginning the Christian life, a Presbyterian publication.

Handy pocket sized old school wisdom.
TYG!

Singing. What's with the singing karaoke? How come you don't have your own band?

Jar of Hearts


I sang this with all the passion, tragedy, feeling, beauty, skill and truth I could muster. I felt every single syllable as a release of the pain inside my chest. This whole series of Christina Perri at the Ocean Way Studios just blows me away.


And when I have the opportunity to pay her tribute and sing her songs, I do it with the respect, the appreciation, and the love that both Christina and I deserve.

It is one of the best ways to release the emotions I hold inside.
To touch others.
To live.
What a gift.

And in regards to not having my own band/music. Well I ain't dead and this ride ain't over. I am ready. And it's going to happen. soon enough. and until then, I'll be singing every Sunday at church and with the children at Sunday school. And on occasional evenings when I go out to rock the town. oh and all the time at home.

Random Music Searching...found me this amongst other things.

The Rapture - In The Grace of Your Love

I like it. I had not heard of The Rapture prior to this experience. And I probably know more about them now than I want.

Alas...I like this and felt it was worthy of passing along.

Enjoy!

Miniature Horses

Why Miniature horses?

Well. This question has come about after a trip to El Rancho de los Golondrinas for their annual Fiesta de los Ninos. One of the attractions was a couple of miniature horses. My daughter was fearless and ready for action...and she decided to sneak under the fence to get a closer look. The horses, Miss Priss and Uncle Buck, were very gracious as we got her out and there was no threat thankfully.

I spoke to the woman who brought them from a local place called Dawg House Ranch. They have a ranch with other miniatures including a baby. Apparently they really prefer children due to their size and they are very friendly companions. We are excited to go and visit these horses at their home and interact with them as my daughter seemed like she was having a blast.

So..why miniature horses?

In the 17th century, miniature horses were bred as pets for Europe's nobility.

In the United States, the miniature horse breed was refined during the 20th century. Miniature horses in the USA added additional lines from sources that included the Hackney Pony and the Pony Of the Americas.

These adorable little animals are also used as companion and assistance animals. Although they are still horses in every way and need to be housed and cared for as horses. They thrive in an outdoor environment and can live to be 25-35 years old.

For free information regarding Miniature horses check out this website, amha.

I'm breastfeeding...what can I take to help with anxiety and stress?

Continuing your prenatal vitamins is a first thing to help keep your body full of all the nutrients that you need plus what the baby needs! I used these...Rainbow Light Just Once
I also took Cal-Mag Citrate (from Whole Foods) to help with headaches and build up those bones. Babies take a good deal of calcium to make and sometimes mom's can suffer.

I also continued taking Prenatal DHA while breastfeeding which really helped us both!

For any nervous stomach and nausea problems red raspberry leaf/nettle tea.
These can be purchased at your local natural grocer or herb specialist store and the above online links.

Remember that the important things are being calm, taking good care of your baby and other children, and enjoying what you do. If you need help relieving stress or anxiety, read here from About.com on how to Calm Down Quickly.

All moms are super moms if they are being moms at all. It is not easy to juggle children and your own identity ( it is for them as well) and add the needs of other children, pets, spouses, and relatives into the mix... Go easy on yourself! Make time for you. And do everything as best you can with as much patience and calm as possible. Here are 19 Tips for new mothers!


Homeopathics are great for helping to calm your nerves, combat anxiety, depression, and a whole host of other normal parts of postpartum times. They are safe for use while breastfeeding (and during pregnancy) when used according to directions. For any anxiety and emotional problems that you may have during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, see listing here, for safe homeopathics to take. And for digestive issues, see here.

When you are multitasking (as all mothers do), remember that baby likes to be snug and close or re interested in watching. So baby carriers and wraps are amazing. Get those hands free to be able to attend to other things and be close to your little one. Mei Tei Baby Carriers are great!

If you are pregnant and prone to post partum depression or have a history of emotional imbalance it may be a good idea to look into saving your placenta, which can be dried, ground and put into capsules, to aid in the extreme changes your body faces surrounding birth. The service is not all around that expensive and the benefits of having this effective medicine around is worth the cost. To find out more visit Placenta Benefits and find a local practitioner and for the more industrious ladies, you can also find ways to do the process yourself.

Practice Yoga Postures

Physical exercise and stretching always help me feel more invigorated and able to tackle the day. My daughter is much more active and interactive these days, so I have to make sure to keep up with her. She is also very inquisitive and ready to learn. She is excited about trying new things. I have shown her stretching before and we also watch a dvd of prenatal yoga (it's what I've got). She is very interested in learning and seems to have no trouble giving the poses a shot.

Among the information I have saved over the years...I found this really wonderful short and sweet at home yoga routine that anyone can do!

You can find this easy routine online at yogajournal.com

I showed these papers to my daughter and she was thrilled!
We will put it up on the wall and give it a try daily to get us moving!

Sun Flowers

National Sunflower Association has...

FREE COLORING PAGES to teach children about Sunflowers. Totally cool!
Just Download and print.

I love flowers. And photography. and COLORING!

All of these are possible when sunflowers are the topic!

I collected this information for a lesson when I was teaching pre-school a few years ago. I found this really colorful chart that shows many of the different varieties. (I am not sure where I found it originally.)

These pics are recent of my garden and at Los Golondrinas.


Post your sunflower pics here!

Humility.

The virtue of humility may be defined: "A quality by which a person considering his own defects has a lowly opinion of himself and willingly submits himself to God and to others for God's sake."


hmmm...

hu·mil·i·ty

---

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English humilite < Latin humilitās.

Synonyms

lowliness, meekness, submissiveness.
Antonyms

pride.

Ok.
BUT...

Humility.
Isn't that when you are driving in a hurry cussing the world right on someone's bumper and you stop (not the car unless it's safe) and you reflect.
"Hey haven't I driven like a total dork (or worse) once or twice?"
You breathe. you slow down. you remember that you will get there when you get there. and next time you don't get all hysterical when you are late, behind a leisurely driver with continuous blinking for 27 miles...you change.

You soften through God's compassion for you, for that other driver, for us all.
God loves us all the same. and a whole heck of a lot.
LIKE HUGE LOVE!
Because we admit we are human we can look to God for the answers, the steps, the wise way to walk
And to say thanks...we express our gratitude, we pray and get close to God, we praise the fact that He hooks us up in this crazy life ( I like to sing for Him), and we take BOLD action to...
PASS IT ON!

Concept Drawing

"Everything ever experienced is available to you if you are open to receiving it."

That's what I call the greatest gift from God.
we are all connected. the same. one. loved.
pass it on