Tracks of Gratitude

I'll be traveling over this Thanksgiving holiday, so it is that today I point myself westward and make tracks along the highways and byways. Blogging will not be on my agenda until I return. I will miss you and I truly hope that you have much to be grateful for in your life - today, tomorrow, and every day.

I thought I'd leave you with a few images to gaze upon, ponder and - hopefully - inspire.

Be well. Be grateful. Be joyous. Peace. Ashe. Ashe.

A Day for Football

Hey, what can I tell ya ... it's what I do on Sunday's in this "season."

Simple Preparations

I prepared an upcoming page in my journal, but not before blending a little discipline and friendship into the cauldron. Bills and paperwork were managed, more calendula-confetti rolls were made, and a vegetable rice soup was prepared. A couple of hours were shared over tea with spirited friend who came by to pick up some herbals and our conversation scattered everywhere while remaining remarkably grounded ... reminding us both of how All is connected. I sat outdoors to watch the sky fade into darkness as the crescent moon appeared to offer even more blessings to the day. That's what I made today.

MySelf Feel Good

My mother asked me for more of my herbal cream and since I'm visiting her next week I figured I'd better get on this task. So today I made a water infusion of organic calendula flowers (dried and fresh), pink rose petals and green tea leaves as a preparation to my luscious winter skin cream. I blended the oils of infused calendula, coconut, a bit of lanolin and castor oil, and bees wax.

The strained infusion was blended with the warm oils, and essential oils (of carrot seed and patchouli), and vitamin E were all added to the mix. The finished product was lovingly poured into jars where they cooled. They were capped, labeled and are now ready to nourish and protect my skin, and my mother's, as the drying winter season begins creeping in.

The best part to making this cream is taking a nice shower, then slathering my body with all that I can scrape out of the blender vessel. It feels so good. So very, very good. That's what I made today.

Herbals & Sustenance

Today I started two (overdue) tinctures, both handy medicinals to possess during flu season. One of Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly called boneset and another of Sambucus nigra (fuctus), the european elder berry. I tried something a little different this go around with the elder berry. I simmered some berries first, allowed it to cool and then added it to the maceration jar with more dried berries and enough grain alcohol to compensate for the water to make about 40-50% alcohol ratio. I'm not sure what my peers will think of this method, but as I often say, "I just do what the voices tell me." Or as my friend Kate says, "what the Rice Crispies tell me." I have a good feeling about it.

I made a couple-few hundred capsules of glucosamine/MSM for my mom as well as some Salix alba (white willow bark) for a client. Capsule making is very Zen.

I harvested a little green onion, sage and calendula (yep! It's still blooming) to go into the roasted turban squash puree, which will be served as a pasta sauce. The pasta is about to be served with a nice green confetti salad topped with a homemade garlic-ginger-flax seed dressing and a few calendula petals (thus the confetti!). That's what I made today.

Tea-n-Art

That's what I made today.

Words, Doodles & Cocktails

... 'nough said.

A Dispensary Day

Today was a Dispensary day. I made several balms for winter skin care from the oils I had infused this summer. I blended a fresh batch of wood cleaner-n-conditioner and actually polished some furniture. I pulled out my recipes for creams which I'll review and revise for a batch I plan to whip up in the next few days.

I'm facilitating an Essential Oil Basics workshop tomorrow and so made a final review of my notes, pulled together my demo items, browsed through some of my books, made copies of the handouts, all the while sipping tea - cup after cup after cup ...

That's what I made today.

Structure from Chaos

I invested most of my day in my dispensary. If you've visited this room lately you will know it has been as outta control as its even been. Granted, it is a work room and so is always in a state of flux from project to project, research to research, task to task, and on occasion it can really get out of control. Managing this room with the harmony it (and I) deserve is a thorny challenge in this physical realm of mine. Well, the realm of home and hearth.

So today I sorted and organized and cleaned. I created a sense of structure where chaos once ruled and restored that fluid sort of structure that serves me so well. Now that my workbench is cleared and cleaned I'm ready to start measuring, mixing, blending, and re-growing those thorny vines of work and love, and love and work.

A Spirited Harvest

There's still plenty of swiss chard and kale in the garden, and that pleases me. I'll be able to continue harvesting the kale even in the snow. I did pluck the final few carrots and more dandelion root. I left the last of the cabbages in place for today since the weather is still cooperating ... the leeks too. I'll get them another day. But most of the sedum is cut back now, along with the bee balm, mints, sweet peas, peonies, and a host of other plants. Mulch was spread and my little acre is starting to look ready for winter. But as I cut back what was left of the Artemisia vulgaris stand I salvaged a bit of new growth, a final late-season offering to dry and use ... when the spirit moves me.

Kitchen & Fiber Magic

Today I made bread, pasta sauce, chicken soup. I jarred up the sauerkraut that is ready for cold storage. I pickled some cauliflower. I strained the calendula oil, not without incident, but we don't need to go there. I got some beans soaking so they may ferment over the next couple days. And I finished these two little crocheted bags and have a pale green one in the works.

That's what I made today.

☮Peace☮

No matter where you look ...

... there it is.

Acknowledge it. Honor it. Ingest it. Absorb it. Nurture it. Express it. Share it. Be it.

A Wee Pouch

For some wee cards.

Peaceful Creations

Every November I revisit my relationship with Peace. Through writing and other artful expressions I explore its meaning as it relates to my life and the choices that make. I reflect on my own peaceful actions and choices as well as of those I share this life with. I ponder the ways that I might enhance its presence in my world and in the lives of others.

One thing seems certain, peace is born deep in the flames of the hearths of our hearts. If we don't nurture it there, we will not find, tend or create it elsewhere.

That's what I made today.

Peaceful Preparations

Today I made preparations for BlogBlast for Peace. Hope you'll be joining us- - November 5th!

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