I'm Moving!

Z-man helping

 My daughter and son in law are building me a Grannie Flat in their back yard (!!)

So after 19 years here, I'm engaged in downsizing and purging for that move, which will be in stages!

During construction, I'll be mere yards away, in a back nook in their home! Able to watch over and bless the process at every stage! Deciding what to take with for that 3-6 months, what can go into short term storage! 

I've ordered my new mattress, but for the nonce, I'll borrow one of the kids bed, that fits in the space. 

My new room

Note to self: Wash the walls with a bit of salt and citrus Essential Oil in the walls to clear predecessor Chi.

Meanwhile, I've lived the longest in this  house on Galloway! So there's much accumulation of - stuff!! My daughter and her first 2 girls lived with me 17 years ago - and left some things in my garage (we've sorted that). 

That nest egg included things from my mom (who died the previous winter) and dad,  who's now been gone 30 years. And of course many things from my own 72 years circling the sun.

Having their help has been huge! 

I asked a new neighbor if he was intersted in buying my house - and his brother is! A realtor friend is overseeing the sale, and I have a week and 1/2 left to finish up! 

I've been sweeping the front porch and spritzing the door with cinnamon (thanks to tips from Amanda Gibby Peters) and have a virtual consultation scheduled later in the month with my BD twin Gwynne, who is a Feng Shui practioner! 

Partway through many of my moves, I often just want a backhoe at the end - and sometimes just brought junk along! On the weekend I thanked Mary and Matt for "being my backhoe BEFORE the very end!" 

Construction beginning

The stuff! The books! The plants!! 

We began moving the plants first - I had kept many in pots, and dug up others  .... I somehow found time to garden (rather than being going through stuff!) this summer ... and my grandson Z and I put in a little bed on their back garden, which he helps check and tend!

I've been listening to lots of podcasts and watching decluttering videos, and realize I'm 'motivational challenged and have problems wroth executive function - my dad would say, "Penny wise, pound foolish!" I can focus for hours on non-essentials!! But often delay important tasks. Procrastination often goes with this challenge getting motivated! And sticking to one task (they are a subset of ADHD!)

One clutter clearing champ, Cass, invites us to learn to "eat the Frog First!" Do that hard thing you don't want to do, 'cause you know you'll never want to!!

I'm assisting in a virtual creative class (scheduled months ago!) Last week we created glyphs / sigals - I used the non-repeating letters from 'Eat the Frog First' in creating this one - 

Eat The Frog First 

So - I'm eating the frog 🐸  and find its getting easier with practice. 

Some tips on dealing with the stuff - whether you're simply dethugging (and we all need to at times - toddy people have less stuff - who knew??) or preparing for a move! 

✔ have trash bags/ bins in every room, plus recycling, shredding, and areas for donations. 

✔ thank / bless the items as you bundle them up 

✔ it can help to start with things you're less attached to - and handle quickly! 

✔ Our brains release bonding hormones when stimulated by touch - have a friend hold up/ point to/ ask you about things! A good phrase is, 'it looks tired' ... another,  'close your eyes and think of the house you want to live in - does this fit?' 

✔ Choose what you want to keep and work on boxing those, let a helper bag/ box up donations (that helps keep me from rebonding!) If they want it, it's theirs!! Since we're dealing with family things, we have a box set aside for my son, and my daughter reclaims special items.  

Books for Matt to box

✔ Engage a friend or your kids to witness /go with you for the first donation drop!
✔ get yourself some flowers 💐 and/or favorite coffee ☕ on the way home! 

✔ If you can, have someone else handle some of the drop offs! Have a clear staging station, and just let them do it - go along occasionally if you want - up to you! The less disposal I'm copingwith, the easier sorting becomes 

In the past, those bags🎒 🛍 rumbled around in my car for months ... it's such a blessing to just set them on the porch for them to load up! 

✔ Selling? If you're good at it and have time .... or there's a garage sale you can tag into .... Matt is listing a few things on marketplace, and deals with those, I sold one of my old massage tables (don't judge!) to a friend who's taken Reiki from me.

When you need to do a donation run, set yourself up for success ✔ Have a system for when and how you'll bookend it with other errands, and where in your car you'll put them. 
✔ include a treat once a week - fresh flowers are great! Amanda Gibby Peters of Simple Shui has some great stories about it being a quick way to freshen Chi! Find her Simple Shui tips on Instagram.

✔ be good to you! Stay hydrated!! Have glasses of water, maybe with a bit of lemon and cucumber, stashed around. Schedule breaks - go on a little walk, sit down, take a bath or shower at the end of the day.
You've got this!! 💕 💐 

Time for tea

 Each year around this time, my beautiful tea Camellia begins putting on new growth, and it's time to harvest the first flush of leaves! Last fall I pruned my Sochi Camellia, which increases the number of new leaves to harvest.

Over a decade ago, my friend Nikki and I began growing Sochi Camellia sinensis. The most northern tea, this variety grows in Sochi Russia near the Black Sea, and is well suited to our latitude at nearly 45° N. 

It is both aromatic and frost Hardy. While the flowers are small (about the size of a strawberry flower) its mature leaves are about the size of those on my ornamental Camellia. I dry some of the flowers in January which can be used for a light and fragrant tea. 

CODEX with tea Camellia blossom

Several years ago, Nikki invited me over for a tea party, both teaching me the process, and sharing afternoon tea from a previous harvest when finished. She sent me home with a basket of fresh leaves we pluckedfrom her bushes, which I augmented with leaves from my own for a second batch. 

It is such a satisfying process, and I'm always struck by the fragrance of the leaves as they dry. As this Camellia association article notes, few people realize that whenever they sit down with a cup of green, black or white tea, the brew comes from Camellia leaves! 

Camellia sinensis Sochi

High in antioxidants, especially catechins, green tea is preventative for cancers, lowers the risk of stroke, and helps control blood sugar. In Okinawa Japan, one of the "Blue Zones" for longevity, drinking several cups of green tea daily was common. They often added jasmine flowers and a bit of turmeric for shan-pien, "tea with a bit of scent."

Harvest - 24 hour rest

The leaves are resting in three baskets, and around 3:30 this afternoon, I'll begin the next steps of the process, which you can find here and here.

Do you grow herbs you use for herbal Tea? I have a number of those as well, and enjoy their medicinal qualities and varying flavors.

Essence Cards

This fall I've been enjoying learning about, and beginning to do Neurographica. This way of creating helps "Balance the mind, inspire creativity, and explore different approaches to problem solving." 

The basics:

• Think of your intention or conflict
• Draw random lines (not an even zigzag!) 
• Round the intersections -calms the neurons, reduces tension
• Circles bring harmony (observe how your body feels as you draw, stood those intersections as wewel
• Color - 3 or more colours, color in at least three segments with one color 

Through November I drew and colored a number gratitude cards, and some centered around handprints or leaves.

Neuro-Noodle Labyrinth

After seeing a friends Neurographic Christmas cards, I was inspired to some as well - In the 70s and 80s, I often drew our cards, and sets of paper dolls. A couple of those were printed in doll magazines. 

California Poppy - true gold in your heart

I've been creating essence bouquets for my grandkids, and began drawing essence cards - I did a few cards decades ago when I began creating my first essences and combining them into bouquets 💐 The first were larger (poppy and fuscia)

Fuscia - soul warmth

Using 5.5x8.5" mixed media paper, I began creating smaller cards - the #Neurolines interconnect if I draw before separating them ❤ I start with the circle for the flower cameo, then add the neurolines (on larger cards there's room for circles) I haven't colored any yet, and may print these! 

Essence cards

• Forsythia – announce presence, golden trumpet, Gabriella
• Hyssop – takes the strain off DNA, purify, release guilt 
• Rosemary – liquid ambrosia, strengthen immune system, enhances memory
• Violet – trust warmth of others, express own warmth, comfort in groups

• Aster - illumination, sacred play, create time and space for creativity 
• Borage  – optimism, seed of Hope · opens heart, comfort and courage, joy, illuminates your unique path  
• Nettle (Sister Spinster) - align with personal truth, speak up in prickly situations, don't panic! 
• Yarrow - strong, healthy boundaries, compassionate awareness, seals energy leaks, wholeness         

Drawing these cards is a sweet way to connect with the energy signatures. Do you have a favourite you'd like as a card? Let me know in the comments! 

Self Heal for health

I love Self heal as a flower essence, and this simple, easy to find and identify Tonic herb in the mint family has a long history of herbal use in Native, Western and traditional Chinese medicine. Its gentle healing properties and general safety are backed up by current research. 

This YouTube clip by Herbal Jedi gives a great overview on how to identify, harvest and use this mint relative, Prunella vulgaris, (Western native variety: lanceolata)

* antioxidant and adaptogen

* soothes and aids digestion

* stabilizes blood sugar

* skin: cuts, wounds (staunches blood), bruises, inflammation, sunburn

* mouth sores, sore throat

* calms allergy response - use with nettles in spring pesto or tea (with Reishi, skullcap, etc)

* supports lymphatic health

* reduces arteriosclerosis

* liver and kidney support and detoxification

*enhances protein metabolism

* antiviral - biofilm disrupter like elderberry

* immune support in cancer treatment (natural or medical model)

Self heal's flowers are popular with a wide variety of insects, butterflies, skippers, bumble bees, native bees, and their low growth makes them audible for inclusion in an eco lawn that is occasionally mowed.

August Planting - through the Lions Gate

 Last summer I picked up a couple of damaged wading pools from Hopscotch toy store (for a donation) with the thought of making a couple of beds. While my soil is good clay, our dry summers and the shade in my overgrown yard make it challenging for some pants ... And my daughter has a BIG garden!

This spring while Kayleen and I cut back blackberries on one side, I noticed that area receives good sun, and moved one of the pools into place in June! I have been enjoying no-dig and container gardening videos, and used ideas from both. The soil is a mix from other areas, my compost, and from various pots. 

I got a Taro and Chinese yam from my friend Melissa Van Hevlingen, and had two tomatoes and a garden marigold from the Farmers Market, which I put in back of the empty pots.

Seeds included red Orach, spicy lettuce, Asian greens and Mesculin mixes, Okra, New Zealand spinach, chiogga beet, Kuroda carrot, and Pattypan squash. Borage, tomatillos and purslane volunteered in the surrounding soil and in the pots. ... And an avocado sprouted (from the compost!) The purple tulle provides a bit of shade for the Taro

I began working on the second pool this week, (note Percy kitty, enjoying the shade!) I cleared the brush, tied back the spearmint and vitex - which the bees love! 

I filled the bottom of this pool with the dried blackberry brambles, and the same soil and compost combo, topped with a bit of potting soul, and planted many of the same veggies, with the addition of lemon cukes, a round zucchini, endive and radiccio, sets from my topset leek, and a mix of flower seeds in the center for the pollinators.

I put a plant cage in for the peas that are soaking, and will plant beans as well ... Added a clump of garlic chives and baby Mullein, and covered the lot with tulle to deter the kitties! 

I sprinkled fresh seed from my Good King Henry, and hope some sprout to share. My plant is over a decade old, and going strong! 

Flower Spirits - at play with the essences

"Not all of us have an Ascended Master living in our neighborhood, but we all have access to flowers. The flowers have never forgotten they are One with the Creator!
"Flower essences are problem solving tools for whenever we feel out of balance. They are like road maps for our electrical systems."
- Molly Sheehan, Green Hope Farm Essence Guide.

Sacred Flame 'BOUQUETS'
Fascinated by and in love with flowers all my life, I began formulating essences in 1991 after reading about them, & how simple they are to make! I had just moved Breitenbush Hot Springs & was a recently initiated Reiki Master. Discovering flower essences at that time was perfect!

Synchronously, a few weeks later, another NW Essence Practitioner, Oupiti Robintree, attended the Summer Solstice Healing Gathering, & gave a mini-workshop on essences! She began our session giving us all drops of an essence 'bouquet' that included Rosemary (memory) & Shasta Daisy (Spiritualize the intellect!) .... I was off & running! 

My friend Kimbo lent me several of her books on flower essences & gem elixors, & a few years later, I attended a NW essence practitioner conference, & took workshops with Ian White (Australian Bush Essences, Ian is an ND) & Lila Devi (Spirit in Nature Essences)
The essences have been a vital part of my journey for over 20 years, they may also be an appropriate addition to your selfcare 'toolkit.'

Garden Bouquet of Essences

Flower essences are generally made by floating flowers of the chosen plant in a bowl of spring water in the sunlight (or occasionally moonlight) for several hours on a clear day - bringing the energy of the elements Earth (flowers), Water, Fire (sun) & Air into play, infusing the water with the energetic pattern of the flower. 

The angels, guides and Devas of the land & flowers are also invited to participate in the alchemy. Similar to preserving the nutrition & flavor of berries by making jam, the essence preserves the energetic pattern each flower has to offer.

We can utilize Essences to bring out positive qualities, & to assist as we release behaviors that no longer serve one's highest good. They are not medications for physical ailments, though they can support physical healing, & are compatible with traditional & modern medical treatments.  My middle granddaughter, now 10, has been choosing essences for her own bouquets since she was a toddler, & is surprisingly accurate in her choice of flowers!

As vibrational remedies, flower essences act on our electrical systems to bring balance. Everything vibrates - flower essences help us align with & vibrate at a higher frequency, offering a 'Blueprint" for perfect balance. Finding our balance is vital in these changing times, the Essences can assist us in attaining harmony between body, mind, spirit & emotions; and attune to the new frequencies. 

Artichoke with Bees

I tend to combine a number of essences in a given 'bouquet,' others choose to utilize one essence at a time, then go on to another.

Flower Essences are self-adjusting, if one is 'incorrect,' it simply has no effect. As Molly Sheehan observes, we are bombarded with electrical input from various devices, & even our lights & stoves, on a daily basis. By contrast, the energy offered by the flowers are harmonizing & uplifting!


* When using vibrational healing, including flower essences, you may experience a 'healing crisis' - the symptoms may seem more intense for a bit. 
When you recognize this, you have the opportunity to truly release a negative pattern, & move on.  Resist the temptation to 'stuff' feelings by overindulging in food, busy-ness, or use of substances.

Breathe, take a walk, drink water, journal, meditate, take a bath or a nap, & it will soon pass! Simply standing by a tree & grounding, imagining your 'roots' going down into the earth like a tree's, will help you move over the 'roadbump.'

You can take them internally, a few drops of the 'mother essence' are bottled with pure water & a little alcohol, glycerine, or vinegar to preserve them. You may also add a few drops to a water bottle to use as a spray, (add a few drops of essential oil, if you wish), or in a bath. If you have companion animals, you may wish to add a drop or two of your bouquet to their drinking water (Molly has a whole series of bouquets specifically for their issues as well!)

The usual 'formula' - take 4 drops 4 times a day, 'till you begin forgetting!' I suggest you name your bouquet, & work with an affirmation as you use it. Journaling about your process can be helpful, as you integrate changes.

Some essence bouquets are formulated for a specific purpose, & would be taken at that time - a healing bouquet before giving (or receiving) a session, a grounding formula when you feel out of balance. A clearing formula might be added to a spray, to use around your home or office. You might have a bouquet to use when taking classes & studying, practicing a musical instrument, painting, the options are unlimited! 

Here are several recent Sacred Flame Flower Essence Bouquets:

• Creativity - drawing energy from the flowers for Creative Expression

• Ground & Balance -   Helps 'keep pace' with Earth Changes, integration of bodywork

• Healing Heart & Hands - formulated for students enrolled in Reiki I, or those beginning a Reiki or other healing practice

• Heart & Soul  - healing a broken heart, opening to love , making healthy choices

• He'lade - lightness of being, NW Native American for "having everything right"

• I Align with the New - Alignment with current energies & Earth Changes

• Legendary - embodying your Legendary Life (especially for women enrolled in the Legend course)

• Paradigm Shift - when it's time to shift perspective, make career/life changes         

• Our Lady - for connecting with Mother Mary, (especially for women enrolled in this painting/creativity community

• RNA/DNA - enhancing & normalizing our genetic patterns

• Soul Spin - clearing PL Karma, negative family pattern

• Sparkle & Shine - integrating new habits, especially daily tasks, including cleaning

               (Chicory, Daylily, Hornbeam, Rehmania, Thyme)

• UFYH - releasing clutter, deep cleaning

If you live in the US & are interested in ordering one of these formulas, or a personal bouquet, send a message with your specific need to ladyharp1 @gmail.com & a list of two or three issues you'd like to address. 

A few favorite Flower Essence resources:

Molly Sheehan's  Green Hope Farm Essences

Plumaria - native traditions

Barbara Olive: The Flower Healer (2007) Chock full of lovely photos & an overview of essence use & meanings. "I believe the scope of healing available through flower essences is truly miraculous & ever-expanding.

"Nikki Bradford Heal Yourself with FLOWERS & other Essences (2005) A 'dictionary' of essences, with photos & descriptions of more than 100 essences. "An essence is the energy imprint of something therapeutic, held & preserved in water".

Flower Essence Society is another great resource.

Enjoy the blessings of the flowers - do you already use flower essences?

Spa Water

Happy Easter!!
It's a lovely, sunny day, & I've been playing in my garden .... came in to put on some music, & found this fun post on making your own 'spa water' with fruits & herbs, etc marinating a bit in your water!

A dear harper friend often gathers FLOWERS (edible & OG) & herbs, & keeps a supply of pretty pitchers on hand for gatherings. The first I attended, she sent me out to the garden with a basket to gather the herbs & flowers, then we rinsed them & put into the pitchers with lemon slices for the tables! Beautiful. And tasty!

So if you struggle to drink enough water - try some 'spa water' with flowers & herbs from your own (hopefully unsprayed) yard! Remember to stick to plants you KNOW - here's a nice chart of edible flowers, with some tips on use & cautions.

God of Wealth

Feels like spring!! Sunny, sunny day, & flowers are starting to bloom! Here are some violets & a bit of daphne (mmm) from my yard!
Thursday marks the 'God of Wealth's birthday,' & again my lovely friend Gwynne will be at Portland's Chinese Gardens, doing ritual & talk. I want to visit the gardens again soon - haven't been there for more than a year!

This seems to be a week for ordering goodies! My daughter helped me sign up as a practitioner with Pure, so we could order vitamins & other supplements (it's the brand her doc's office carries) & they should arrive on Friday! They're very high quality & 'hypoallergenic,' a real plus for us Gluten Free folk!

I love using mineral make-up! Most of the time, I don't bother; but I tend to use some when I go to a dance or other 'dress up' activities. A little over a year ago I ordered sample sizes from CMH Essentials, & I've been very pleased!! The 'sample' 5 gram size is $1.95m & I've only used up two - Chamelion Sparkle eyeshadow, & the Shimmer Veil!!
My order included an eye shadow collection, so I substituted the Chamelion for 'Enchanted Emerald" (which I have) & got the 10g size of the Veil (the only larger size I ordered - a little really does go a long way!) One reviewer said: "This eyeshadow (Chamelion Sparkle) is FUN! It adds a great twist to any other darker eyeshadow you may have, reflecting lots of different colors. The base color for Chamelion Sparkle is brown." It's the one I use most, & do still have a bit left!
Christine writes: "Being natural, they are allergen-free and contain no chemical dyes, added preservatives, fillers, perfumes, oils, talc or other ingredients commonly found in traditional mineral makeup products. CMH Essentials makeup contains only pure mineral pigments in concentrated form. Due to their concentration they perform the functions of concealer, foundation, eyeshadow and skin care all in a single application which binds to the skin so well that very little touch-up is required as the day progresses."
What a treat that is!! I looked at 'mineral make-up' in our local beauty supply shop - & there were lots of fillers inc talc!!
This line doesn't contain "Bismuth.Oxychloride, a thick, heavy mineral, which makes it difficult for many people to wear. It must be packed into your pores (heavy application), which can sometimes result in plugged pores and irritation of the skin. B.O will feel smooth between the fingers." The popular 'Bare Essentials' line contains B.O.! I've gotten a few of their products, as a local spa carries them, & I went for a 'make-over' several years ago. CMH also carries make up brushes - again, a lot less expensive than elsewhere.

The other item I ordered is a yogurt maker!! I found it on Amazon a few weeks ago, & called our Health Food store to see if they might be able to stock it, as I'm trying to buy local when possible. The manager called back, to say she'd looked it up, & was having trouble finding a distributor she could buy from - & that Target seems to stock it! Since we don't have a Target in town, & I don't know when I'd get to one, I decided to order from Amazon, as it qualified for the free shipping . . .

The 'Yolife' yogurt maker comes with glass jars & has 2 lids, a short one for the little jars, & a higher one for using your own pint or quart jars - nice option! I've written before about our trecks to buy raw milk when my kids were young, & finding a great little local dairy. We also frequently made our own yogurt, wrapping the jar of warm milk in a towel, & leaving it in the oven (turned off) overnight.
A common problem with gluten sensitivity is developing problems with other foods, which frequently includes milk. (after 6 months or so aftter going Gluten Free, the other sensitivities may go away!) These days, I use coconut milk for most recipes, & did try making my own coconut milk yogurt once or twice. It didn't set too well, so I plan to experiment with adding tapioca & perhaps a bit of gelatin.
I also like the 'greek style' yogurt (OK - Greek Gods yogurt is almost better than ice cream!!) & intend to use some of that as my 'starter' . . . another suggestion is to use buttermilk as a starter for one's own 'quark' (that was in one of the Amazon reviews!) . . .
I found this post on making coconut yogurt - she used 2 T agar agar - (seaweed) (I'd grind it in my trusty seed mill!!) & I think a combo of that & some tapioca (either starch, or making a batch of tapioca & using some of that) should work well!
When I want a sweetish treat, I often make tapioca, adding dried fruit & cocoa or carob powder, & a bit of sweetening. My son-in law also REALLY likes tapioca, my daughter's more neutral. It's so easy to make 'from scratch' rather than using a pudding mix! Just soak the tapioca for 20 min or so, then add some more liquid (I add coconut milk) & bring to a boil, stirring frequently, & simmer for ~ 15-20 min more!

Ooo - & then I decided to check out Kefir, & found Dom from Austrailia's fascinating site!! So much info - inc. how to make 'water kefir' - cultured on sugar water (& possibility of adding herbs, fruit, etc, to make your effervescent potion even more delicious!) He responded quickly to a question about ordering - but pretty expensive to ship stateside . . . . (do check his site!)
So I poked around on one of my yahoo forums, & found the suggestion to check out Marilyn the Kefir lady - so will be sending her $20 for live Water Kefir Grains!!! She only takes cash ("I don't bank!") & ships on Monday - so one can order today & have the 'grains' next week!

Have a great week - SO enjoying the sunshine! Red Hat 'do' Friday :)

ARRIVAL of the BROOM!

It's here!! I ordered 'the broom' on Sunday, asking for 'Rust' (the spring colour) - with this note "I was torn between 'fall' colours & 'spring,' want a preponderance of rust, but a bit of other colours would be fine :) Blessings"

I returned from Deep Water Aerobics (first time I've gone this year) & it was by the door! Here it 'poses' with the dear old Brown Beauty, (worn & pale on the Left) 15-20 years of good service.
There's a handwritten blit 'see notes' on the invoice, & paler straws in the center.
"The tools, techniques and raw materials used to make our brooms are from an 1878 broom shop. They are made for use from the highest quality 100% broomcorn and kiln-dried hardwoods. They are noticeably more functional and durable than their commercial counterparts."
There's a leather loop for hanging at the top, & I've got a hook to mount on the wall; still hoping for an unusual dustpan to 'match.' There are a couple of antique shops in the area, some with these more mundane items.

The other day at Bi-Mart (which still carries some US made corn brooms!) I got this pot of 'daffydowndillies!' The ones in my yard are just starting to poke their noses out.

You can see some of my shelves & stacks in the background :) I have some ideas from the Creative Spaces book - back to the earlier thought of rearranging the 'dinning nook' for crafting! 3 hours till my first appointment - so a window for doing some shifting, & a bit of sweeping with my broom chant. Or the simple one from 'Kindness' - "Remove all Dust, Remove all Dirt"