2010 - Dance of Spirit

Woo hoo - New Year! It feels good already - & (come Feb New Moon) it's a Tiger year - & I'm a metal tiger woman!

I often spend some time revamping my living space (painting, re-arranging, tweeking) & most of Sun was in the kitchen, washing counters, folding laundry (have one of those laundry closets off the kitchen) . . .

& that afternoon, went out for a friend's BD dinner (Chinese, so just had salad & steamed rice, as they cook EVERYTHING with breading &/or soy sauce, which contains wheat!) . . . & a glass of plum wine :) Then a GF desert at a nicer restaurant (chocolate flourless tort!) & off on a shopping expedition where I found this lovely red PURSE!!

My dear friend Gwynne, who is a Feng Shui consultant, suggests a shiny red purse as a statement to the universe that you expect abundance! When I saw this one at our fav. discount store, & checked that it had adequate pockets & a zip for the checkbook etc, I knew it needed to go in my cart for the New Year! One in Purple is another option.

I have a sweet Red Hat coin purse that a friend gave me from her mom's stash, a sweet sparkly addition to that red purse! The Staffordshire 'CALICO' tea pot is full of yummy chai I made from scratch! My Breitenbush housemate Ray (who worked in the kitchen) would be proud - he'd make fresh chai every few days, which our other roomie, Emily & I would happily drink; but always begged off making!

This is a variation on Rosemary Gladstar's "Longevity Chai" (from 'Family Herbal' p. 38)

6 slices fresh ginger (fresh)
a cinnamon stick, broken (or several Tbsp cinnamon chips)
tsp ginseng rootlets
tsp licorice root
6 shizandra berries
6 crushed cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
simmer for 15 min (don't boil!) in 1 quart water.
Strain into a warmed tea pot, add ~ 1/3 C coconut milk per cup of tea (I just added in the teacup) & stir briskly - add a bit of honey (I used 1/4 tsp per cup) - mmmm!! She suggests adding vitex berries or pepper corns, I had the schisandra, an 'adaptogen' like ginseng & other long life herbs - this is from the Mt. Rose Herb website: "The lignans in the (Schisandra) berry appear to protect the liver by stimulating cells that produce much needed antioxidants. Because of its adaptogenic properties, it has been applied next to some herbal medicines like Ginseng as a stimulator for the central nervous system, increased brain efficiency, improved reflexes, and an accelerated rate of endurance."
It's common for Asian users to steep berries in fruit juice, or do the 'soft simmer' (as for the chai), using ~ 1 tsp daily.

Well, I must be 'off' to my office, to RECEIVE a massage from our newest therapist! What a great way to begin the year - 'see' you soon!! & Many blessings for a prosperous 2010!