Update: You got food on your face!

Update on the honey and Coconut oil experiment.  

My experiment for the last two weeks is complete and I am happy to say it seems to be a complete sucsess!
This is going to be my wonderful new facial regimen.

Coconut oil (organic) every morning and night
and a weekly honey facial, my skin is so much better than it has been in a long time. It is soft, moisturized and glowing!

Added to this is my new favorite body moisturizer of extra virgin olive oil.

Oh I am so very naturally Country now.
Just don't sit too close to me as I kind of smell like Olive oil, :-)
 
                                                                                 

18 years and still going strong!

18 years is a long time right?
Well that is exactly how long I will have been married come the first of July.
A long time.
Really though it seems like a blink of an eye, I love my dear husband so much, he really is my soul mate, and God did well when he chose him for me.

We were far too young to really make an informed decision about those sorts of matters and I am sure there were many who bet their lunch on us not making to a year. I was 19 years old. I thought I was brilliantly mature for my age, and that I had it all figured out, Haha, that is so very funny right?

My childhood as you have probably figured by my posts was so far form normal, so far that I thought it was normal, until I left home and got married. :-)
This was quite a journey; a must needed journey that lead me to understanding my self and life.
I was able to fly, and test my wings in a whole new way that was so very freeing yet so very scary.

What I learned is that in order to grow you really do need to look at your deepest fears in the face and press on through the fire.
Yep it burnt, but it also refined and I am who I am because of the life I have lived.

Wow what a ramble, sorry back to marriage and the long but wonderful 18 years.

My dear Husband was so patient and loving through it all. He stuck by me and I him and together we have made it this far, happy dance inserted here.

I will admit I am not so very easy to live with,

I like clean, he likes mess.
I like organization and he could care less.
I like fun and he likes work.
And to top it off I am kinda self centered.
He would gladly give the shirt off his back, and I have been known to sneak into the closet to eat the last chocolate square. He always gives it to the kids..hard to live with a saint!

I like movies, city life, and shopping he likes walks by the river, a rental, and never, never steps into a mall unless it has a grocery store.

But despite all our differences we get along like oatmeal and peanut butter, my new favorite by the way.
So what to do to commemorate this special day?
I asked Google what to do on your anniversary (because Google is my best friend) and this is what she came up with....

Here are some excellent tips and ideas of some special actions that you can take to help keep love alive in your life. (Has this guy been marries or did he Google it too?)

1. Give your loved one a top ten list: Top Ten Reasons Why I Love You. (It's okay to include bonus reasons.) Uh no....
2. Change the screen saver on the computer to something like "You Are the Light of My Life" in fancy or bold letters. You gotta be serious, nope...
3. Stick an "I Love You" note on his or her steering wheel while they are at work. OK better I’ve at least done this!
4. Give her the top half of a pair of your pajamas on a cold night. Wink wink how about I give him mine LOL!! Sorry keep it clean, I know!
5. Write a poem for her, even if it is short, and even if you can't write poems. This was written by a man?
6. Bake fortune cookies that contain special "I Love You" messages. Did he just say bake?
7. Give her a rose for every year you've known her. Its 18, mister!
8. Give him a golf ball for every year you've known him. What would he do with a golf ball.....
9. Learn how to say "I Love You" is as many different languages as possible. I know many I make them up to impress my kids, which for some reason really does not impress them...I'm really good at pig latten!
10. Reenact the best date the two of you ever had. It involves chicken barns do I have to go to the barn to do this because all the dust would ruin the moment.....No hey NO, we met in a chicken barn, is all I’m saying, me singing rubber ducky you’re the one from Sesame Street. I was 17 OK? Never mind.
11. Put your favorite love note in a frame. Blah!
12. Take walks together after midnight. Yep do that, because we work so much that is the only time we have. Alone..
13. Memorize your favorite love poem. Did he say memorize I can't even remember my dogs name half the time.
14. Read the story of Romeo and Juliet to each other. Oh this is sure to put DH asleep!
15. Rent a bicycle built for two and ride in the park. That is a long way from here my friend..
16. Serenade her with a song, preferably beneath a window. OK now I am truly laughing out loud, the dog what's his name? Would howl and wake the neighbors.
17. Buy him or her copy of their favorite magazine. Popular Science, yippee, so romantic.
18. Give her one of her favorite flowers for each year you've known her. We mentioned that.
19. Write a love letter in a code. Chirp, chirp, and gobble, gobble.Moooo.
20. Give him or her a t-shirt with their pet name on it. Honey? I am so sure he would not be caught dead wearing that!

So as you can see I am at quite a loss. These suggestions border on sappy and unrealistic. I am a City girl; this is so not my speed.

So I was suppose to plan this "date" two months ago, but with no budget and no sound ideas I reverted back to my ol'stand by. Dinner and a movie.

Dear husband really does not want to go to a movie, so we shall go for a walk along the ocean instead.

A wonderful couple from our sweet little church has even offered to watch the three children. Oh she is so sweet! It will be nice to get a whole conversation in!

So please give me some ideas on what your favorite anniversary activities are, as you can see I am pretty lame at this.

Bible Verses About Marriage - Marriage is a sacred vow between a man and woman and the Bible offers many verses that offer guidance for married couples, husbands, wives, newlyweds and engagement. Here are a few....

• Genesis 2:22-24

  Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man."  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
  
  

• Proverbs 5:18-19

  May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.  A loving doe, a graceful deer-- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.
  
  

• Proverbs 12:4

  A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
  
  

• Proverbs 18:22

  He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
  
  

• Proverbs 19:14

  Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.
  
  

• Proverbs 20:6-7

  Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?  The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
  Dear Husband I love you!

I am so NOT a farmer girl!

These were the healthy ones :-) See cute right?

We were blessed with driving around some darn cute chicks this Thursday, I mean the fluffy chirpy ones, not the girly ones. They are girls..ah never mind!

They were even black. We have started to sell  heritage breeds, which has created some major stress in our house, expanding your product always comes with some growing pains.

Of course I fell in love with them, Did I mention fluffy, chirpy and cute?
Yep I wanted them,... only one problem they were all spoken for, and then some.

So when Dear husband did some culling of the weaker chicks I hurriedly stashed them into a wee box into the front of the vehicle...it's not stealing if you bought it right?

So after my busy day of deliveries I gingerly took out my hidden box of  rejects, oh they were so cute and fluffy, I was feeling pretty sure that I could nurse them back to health, I mean their legs would get stronger, right?. Picture chicks laying flat like a pancake...ugh..

What was I thinking?

Those poor little chicks lasted about half a day until, I feeling dreadful for having made them suffer had to do the deed of putting them out of their misery.

Oh how I felt like sludge, Little one was so attached to them and I was unaware she was watching me and my feeble attempts to kill her "friends"

This has made me realize I am so not a Farmer,
I felt the full effects of killing sweet little critters. And I am so not good at it.
My heart felt so sad!
The look my child gave me when I returned was even worse Ugh! We both had a good little cry..

So now I have promised her that we will raise some healthy happy little "black" chickies.
I sure hope I don't have to do that again! I know my farm friends are calling me some wimpy names right about now..R.K. Stop the eye rolling...I mean it!

This made me think about how our sins stain us, and with out the forgiveness of our Savior we just could not live with the things we have done.

The choices we make don't have to define us.
We are forgiven, we are free.

Do you feel free?
Do you feel released from your fears, your childhood,  the disappointments and losses of your life?
Or are you living half the life you could be, stuck in the bondage of your past?

I challenge you today right now, give it up to God. What do you have to loose?
 See what Your God can do for you, the freedom, it is yours for the asking.

Can I pray for you today?

Dear Father,
you know right where we are, you know our deepest secrets, the person we are when no one is looking.

Lord I ask you right now to come into our life to come and cleanse us from any hurts, disappointments and losses we are holding onto.
Show us the person YOU see. The person who you delight in.
Lord please forgive us for our hard hearts, our unkind words or disregard for your still small voice.

I ask you to come into our life and show us where we can change, show us your beautiful, loving, sweet spirit, guide us and lift us up to where we are meant to be.

Show us the love you have for us and lead us in the path you have set out.
Lord I love you, and I thank you in advance for the wonderful things you are going to reveal to us.
Let me be your hands and feet, I am here willingly ready to serve you in any way I can.
Amen.

Friends I pray you live in freedom, I love you and I will pray for you daily!

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

And some more..

1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."

Titus 2:14, "Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from EVERY lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."

Psalms 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

Hugs!

 

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

This weekend I have been craving pizza!

Now that I am Gluten intolerant I am not able to indulge in this delicacy. 

So in my search for a good crust that doesn't taste like cardboard or resemble any form of rice, I stumbled across this one.  

So friends, here it is. I can't take credit for this recipe I am merely passing it on!

Enjoy!

I would double the crust recipe if I were you, you can freeze the leftovers for another day!

Sorry I don't have a picture I ate it too fast for the flash!

 Wheat-free pizza crust is perfect for those with allergies and the herbed pizza sauce is made in 15 minutes. (I used Perego pasta sauce) Easy peasy lemon squeezey!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• Pizza Crust:
• 1 Tablespoon dry yeast
• 2/3 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour (see note)
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour (see note)
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder (Knox)
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
• 2/3 cup warm milk (110 degrees F.) or non-dairy liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• Extra rice flour for sprinkling
• .
• Pizza Sauce:
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• .
• Toppings of your choice

Preparation:

Sauce: Combine tomato sauce, oregano, basil, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic powder, sugar, and salt in small saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, while Pizza Crust is being assembled. Makes about 1 cup. (Or open a can)

Crust: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In medium mixer bowl using regular beaters (not dough hooks), blend the yeast, flours, xanthan gum, salt, gelatin powder, and Italian seasoning on low speed. Add warm milk, sugar, oil, and vinegar.

Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. (If the mixer bounces around the bowl, the dough is too stiff. Add water if necessary, one tablespoon at a time, until dough does not resist beaters.) The dough will resemble soft bread dough.

Put mixture on a greased 12-inch pizza pan. Liberally sprinkle rice flour onto dough, then press dough into pan, continuing to sprinkle dough with flour to prevent sticking to your hands. Make edges thicker to hold the toppings.

Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Top Pizza Crust with sauce and your preferred toppings. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

some ideas for Fathers Day!

blast from the past!

Fathers day is in one day,
Did I mention fathers day is in one day......

I was hoping for some great ideas, I have not gotten the children to make any thing this year, ops!

Usually we have a whole gamete of goodies by now, running your own child care business always inspired me to create wonderful useful things for the children's dads.
Skip forward to this year, and I have no clue what I am going to pull out of this country straw bonnet!
 So when I asked  Goggle what to make your dad for father's day this is what he came up with, the following insert is taken from the website www.wikihow.com :

1. Help dad to enjoy the day. Perhaps you'll let him sleep-in this morning, or perhaps you won't badger him to be somewhere on time, for a change. Whatever it is, let it be his day. Some nice ways to start it include:

   Kobo Touch Father's Day (Hahah no that would be for me, but sneakily disguised as a gift for him!!)

   Does Your Dad Deserve a Kobo Touch?  (Pick me pick me!!)
   • Making him breakfast in bed
   • Bringing him the newspaper to read in bed
   • Making his favorite pot of coffee. (I can do that)
2. Make it a family event. Father's Day is by nature a family event. Use this opportunity to get everyone in the family together for a fun day. Think about including all the dads in your family, not just your own father. Could your celebration include husbands, would-be future dads, your uncles, and brothers? If so, do it—the more the merrier! And don't forget step-fathers—they're important too. You don't have to remain at home; you could go to the beach, a local park, a favorite spot of dad
3. Consider building the celebration around an activity you all can enjoy. Some ideas include:
   • Having a family picnic
   • Enjoying a family barbecue
   • Taking dad to a favorite sporting event
   • Go fishing together
   • Go plane spotting or train spotting together
   • Play golf together.
4. 
   Be creative. When it comes to making gifts for Father's Day, perhaps steer clear of the traditional store-bought gifts of tie and socks. He's probably still got last year's socks stuffed at the back of the drawer. Expensive or typical gifts are not necessary, but the time and effort you put in to create a personalized tribute, will be deeply appreciated. Instead, let your own creative abilities shine and make him something special:
   • Bake a cake
   • Make his favorite dinner
   • Make a gift basket and fill it with homemade candies, cookies, crossword or other puzzles you've created yourself, hand-crafted woodwork objects, etc.
   • If you're artistically inclined, draw or paint a portrait of your dad from a favorite photo or from memory
   • Write a poem.. not likely!
   • Write a song and perform it..... Only if you want to clear the room fast!
5. Celebrate your shared experiences. Look at old photos of you and your dad doing fun things together. Take a walk down memory lane by creating either a photo album or a photo slideshow. You may be surprised at how many things you both have forgotten about and how much they mean to you.
   • Especially if he doesn't talk much about his life, consider recording his voice or taking notes as you talk about old times or old photographs. Make his words and memories part of the family history.
6. Acknowledge the importance of fatherhood. Being a father is a tough job. Dads are responsible for at least one half of the financial and emotional well-being of the family. A thoughtful card, a letter, or short speech that expresses your love will benefit both you and your dad. Giving dad a heartfelt speech, toast, or card of genuine, loving words at the dinner table, or at some other point when all the family are around (siblings especially), will make this a poignant occasion. Here are some ways to prepare:
   • Make a handmade card
   • Write a letter
   • Write a speech or prepare a toast
   • Have all of your siblings explain why dad matters to them.
7. Make the day joyful. The most important aspect of the day is that you are present and attentive. It does not take material presents to make a dad happy—it takes showing your love, and reassuring your dad that you're proud of him and all he's done for you. For many fathers, the most rewarding part of being a father is feeling that your children love you, and the knowledge that each child is on a path to a successful future, no matter what age, coping well with the problems that life inevitably throws at us all.                             
8. telling your father you love him.
   End his "Fun-filled day" by telling your father you love him. Don't forget his hug and kiss!

This list was thought provoking.
Coming from a single parent family I didn't see what a relationship with a father looked like first hand.

I have had the blessing, however of having a few wonderful father substitutes throughout my life and have learned a great deal from these wonderful men!
So thank you to those two wonderful guys who came into my life and shared their fatherly influences!

Thank you to my Heavenly father who created me and breathed life into me, words are not enough. I give what little I have, me.

Happy father's day (in one day)
Good luck finding some ways to show your love and appreciation to those wonderful dads out there!

Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous man has great joy;
he who has a wise son delights in him. (NIV)

Bad, no good, terrible kinda day!

Not the real chicken mobile, but it was cute, much cuter than the real thing!

You ever have one of those days when just as soon as you get up you KNOW, and I mean know you should just head on back and cozy up to your soft warm pillow..today was one of those days.
The kind of day that your mother warns you about, the kind that dissolves you into a gooey puddle of tears, yep just that kind.

It actually all started yesterday when an "angel" I know offered to take me to "the big city", for an appointment I had, (it was not a child friendly appointment, and she was going to watch little one)

It started out so fun we went to a wonderful little market filled with fun and unique things, I could have spent hours just wondering through the stores!
I was enjoying our time together immensely, even though I had woken that morning with the beginnings of a migraine.
However by the end of my appointment my head felt as if it was going to hop off my body and run back to the country, I was valiantly trying to ignore the pain, but when the dizziness and nausea set in I was left unable to pretend any longer. The poor "angel" had to drive us back to our little town, as I was a puddle on the seat beside her. Bless her heart she was just the sweetest woman on the planet, I however was so very embarrassed and just needed to get on home and die!

That brings us to today, the no good, terrible, bad horrible day!
(Don’t worry it ends well)
I woke up made some rosemary tea, which by the way reminds me of chicken, which then reminds me that I had to work with the cute fuzzes, which reminds me that rosemary tea may cure the headache that never seems to leave. Whew!
Then I broke my cute green tea pot. But being the optimistic person I am, I say oh well no use crying over a tea pot! Little one pipes up "mommy that was your favoritest one right"? I reply "yep, too bad eh"

We leave and when I am nearing the city center I decide Dear Husband needs a coffee, Secretly I am saying "I need a coffee" in my tiny inside my head whisper voice...

So I detour to Timmy's order, then proceed to the cashier, I love the city center because unlike our small town center it has a DRIVE through!!!
One thing about a drive through, those pesky poles they put up so crazy drivers don't hit their building, I always laugh at those people who misjudge the corner and hit them anyway I mean really!

Until today.........Yepo I admit it I was in such a rush to get my caffeine that I clipped it. Wowzers, did you know it actually rocks your whole vehicle when you hit them,.....yes,  really!

Also since I love red so much I have a nice handy dandy red line on my white van! Cool eh?
So I arrive to the till and say, "so like, you didn't really want that big ol' pole back there did you"? (I was trying to refine my country jargon)
She looks bewildered and says you hit it, and I reply "Yep, sure did, it isn’t plastic is it" She goes on to tell me no indeed it is not it is fine, hard concrete, and points to the nice sized mark and dints along the side of my van. I look at her and laugh, saying "well good thing I hate this van"!

I carry on get the chicks on board, proceed to getting lost for an hour in a big city center, in a van I am so not good at driving.
I mean what is it with mirrors that say objects are closer than they appear?? With the other side mirror being farther than they appear, how is a midget sitting on a kids booster seat with a big pink peony flower cushion behind her suppose to judge the distance or even see a car beside her, I ask you that!

Well needless to say I was lost, (in so many more ways that one), my GPS was taking me in circles and I was very very late for all my drops."I didn't get the satisfaction of You have reached your destination"

This very moment will define my day. Me sitting crying, frustrated, lost, and miserable beyond words, then I think this is what it feels like to be lost. Really LOST!
I then thought I don't have to be lost I can count my blessings, so as I drove aimlessly I started to count my blessings, one at a time. I started easy...this is what it looked like:

-God thanks for work (not happy!)

-Thanks for my dear husband who is I'm sure so frustrated with me but keeps telling me it's OK. Sweet,
Sweet man!

-Thank you for my wonderful three children who I adore and love beyond words.

-Thank you for life, health, a roof over our heads, clean water (yeah!), and a church I love.

-Thank you for my relationship with you and that you are my heavenly father who never leaves me and always holds me dear, no matter how miserable I am.

Something happened, I felt a little better, I stopped my blubbering started to drive, found my way and continued on my day.

I realized after half way that all that getting lost time ate up my propane. Dear husband always says "never let the mileage get past 250 km" (the gas gauge is broken)
The mileage was reading 200 I had a lot of kilometers to go before I got to the one and only gas station that sells auto propane.
 I was sweating bullets, let me tell you, and it was not from the heat to keep the chicks warm either!

But I kept up my blessing tally....

(If I ran out the only option would be to call the tow truck, which would essentially kill all the chicks on board! eeekkkkk!)

~God is good Dear Husband is wrong! It still runs up to 289 km..

The day was not perfect, I was still not very happy, but something in me changed, I counted my blessings and every time I found my thinking, stinking I started over again.
After I got home to my beautiful kids, and my healthy crock pot dinner, my day transformed into a happy laugh at my mistakes kinda night.

The kids and I joked about the day, I told them of my "adventures" and they looked on in wide eyed awe, then we laughed about it all, afterwards I shared my "blessing" story with them.

So all in all it was a pretty rotten day that turned out just fine, all the chicks are in the right place, and life goes on.
So my friends God can turn the worst day into a funny memory, and a lifetime into a story!

Remember to laugh, and count your blessings it is the best cure to a rotten, no good, terrible day!

Psalm 118:1-18 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. ...

a·lone·ness

the saved

a·lone·ness, noun

Synonyms
1.  single, solitary; unaccompanied, unattended. Alone, lone, lonely, lonesome  all imply being without companionship or association. Alone  is colorless unless reinforced by all;  it then suggests solitariness or desolation: alone in the house; all alone on an island. Lone  is somewhat poetic or is intended humorously: a lone sentinel. Lonely  implies a sad or disquieting feeling of isolation. Lonesome  connotes emotion, a longing for companionship.
 
It has been quite the month so far!
I have been experiencing the joys of learning to live alone, with three kids in the middle of no where.
Disclaimer: (yes I am still a happily married woman!)

It has been a mixed blessing. I have learned to count on my dear neighbor we affectionately call "Bob the builder".
He is patient with my calls, my I want's and my desperate pleas to fix this or build that.

Little one LOVES him, and I have a sneaking suspicion she has stole his heart as well!

But in all this ALONE time I have realized things about my self, things I would rather not look too closely at. I realized I really like to be surrounded by friends, I like to be a friend, I like to talk to friends, I just really like friends.
I am not very knowledgeable about fixing anything. I mean who knew measuring was so important when building a structure, or that gardener snakes eats frogs, (we have "rescued" two so far) So I guess we sort have fixed that, minus the one without any toes left....

I mean really these things seem pretty simple to you, but not so when you are facing them Alone!
My husband has always worked long and hard, I have been blessed with someone who is not afraid of hard work, and for that I am abundantly thankful.
But when I lived in the City I had a whole social network, people who I knew I could depend on, those people were my FRIENDS!

This brings me back to here and now, I am probably just hormonal. I am probably just overly sensitive, or it could be that I ate 20 chocolate chips for supper. It may be watching the families at church, so close and "together", that has set me off, or it could just be that I am here again, facing another week of work, and isolation.

I look around and see the beauty that surrounds me. I see all the creations God has made so fragile, yet so strong. Take that little snake for instance, how small and inconsequential he looked but to watch him eat a huge frog one bite at a time, one leg at a time, yuck!

So that is what I have learned from a gardener snake, no less!
I am going to take life one bite at a time, (Chocolate chips, frogs??)
No, Life silly.
I will  not let my feeling rule me, but by Faith I will live each day to the FULLEST. I will trust in Gods Plan for my life, surrendering all my cares and needs onto HIM who strengthens me, and EXPECT the good things to come!
Life is really too short to stay trapped and bogged down in the pits of lonesomeness, So there I am feeling better already,  it is true that if you write something down it is cleansing, but the real truth of the matter is that if you give it to God he will restore you.

He has the power to transform our lives, and he is just waiting for you to ask, Will you?
So if you will excuse me, I'm going to have a heart to heart with my maker, I've got to ask for some friends on this side of the ocean, because my favorite ones are just a little too far away to help me rescue frogs and to bake for!
But if you guys are reading this you had better be coming for a summer visit! I mean it!
:-) I will bake you cinnamon buns......

path to the river

Psalm 38:9 

O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you.

Give me a little honey, honey facial, and all that good stuff!

All you need is Honey, (Pure unpasteurized) Best to buy from your local farmers market,
 water, and a towel for patting dry.

Yep I am turning into a Country girl,
nah just kidding.
But seriously here is some sweet face cleaning tips that are sure to make you buzz right on to your local farmers market.
With all my allergies and old age slowly wrecking havoc on my skin I thought heck why not try something natural.
I am hoping it is not a repeat of the Extra virgin olive oil facial fiasco, which really made my skin glow by the way. I was however quickly reminded of my teen years and my bout with acne! Seems oil clogs pores. I still use it for an all over moisturizer, that works great! Just don't put it on your face!

How to Wash Your Face With Honey

First, remember that these directions are for washing a face that doesn’t have makeup on it. Honey alone doesn’t take off all the goopy gunk, so wash off that make up ladies!

Here is your honey wash wash instructions:

1. Tie your hair back or get it out of your face. (Honey makes hair really sticky, unless you want to have a natural hair gel, But I will save that for another post!)
2. Pour 1/2-ish teaspoons of honey into the palm of your hands and rub your hands together for 2-3 seconds, just to warm up the honey.
3. Place the honey on your face and massage it in for a minute or two – all over not your eyes though, or everything will look sweet!
4. Optional – leave the honey sitting there on your face for 5 or 10 minutes, just so your skin can drink the goodness in. Feels nice and warm...
5. Rinse a few times with water. You’ll be surprised at how quickly and easily it rinses off!
6. Bask in the beauty that is your face now.

That’s it! That's all perfectly perfect, simply simple!
Enjoy, let me know how it works for you!

Matthew 3:4 

Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

If it was good for John, it must be good for me! I don't think I am up for the Locuses though..too crunchy..and I am a texture girl..

How to kill sluggies er ..naturally!

OK so I must confess, my wonderful happy moment was dashed when I went to look at all the new and wonderful  foliage that should have been sprouting in my garden.

 After using some of the remedies I found to rid the grass, I went and planted a huge garden filled with wonderful produce.
It took all day to hoe, dig, pull, mutter and toil to get it finished, but I felt a certain satisfaction an earthly, human "I'm growing my own food" giddiness.
A few days later however I was not so giddy.

 2 things struck me #1) the grass was back. and #2) all I saw was nubbins of green, then to my utter horror I saw Little and big slimy sluggies all over the garden bed!
I did what all good gardeners do I walked away, left my garden bed and vowed never to set foot in it again! On my way out I stomped on a few for good measure, unfortunately one squirted on the little one and made her cry, ops. More therapy to pay for.

So after cooling down a tad and thinking more rationally I decided to look up ways to kill the pesky things, I am hoping I can catch it in time to repair some of the damage done.
I know what your thinking, and yes I do have crushed egg shells all the way around the outer edge of my beds. I was hoping to make the beasts mighty uncomfortable so they would leave my veggies alone, since this didn't work I am thinking I will incorporate #'s 2, #3,and possibly #4

I still don't feel too inclined to go and look at all the damage done, the grass growing and the nibbins, but one must face the slime and walk on through right? Besides if I don't do it, no one else will, and frankly how can I show my face in this Eco community with a garden filled with spoiled toil....You would have to see the neighborhood to understand, every one and I do mean every one has a garden filled with beautiful green edible goodies. Not a weed, not a blade of resistant grass, not a slug...I tell you it's a darn shame!
So here you are, a list complied not only for me but for you as well.



  1)    Beer. Yes, It’s also greatest way to confirm that overnight damage is due to the slimy beasts, without having to wake up at night. Just don’t use “stale beer”, which slugs figure is about as tasteless as well stale beer! Put out old margarine tubs on top of the soil close to the damaged plants, wait until dusk and then fill them with the cheapest—but freshest—beer you can find. The next morning, they should be filled with dead drunken slugs. Dump this defeated debris nearby (where it will attract their cannibalistic pals) and repeat every evening. Oh so much fun!
2)     Coffee. New research has found caffeine to be very effective at dispatching slugs. Save your dregs and spray them full strength directly on the beasts in the evening. Surround plants under attack with a mulch of used coffee grounds to deter slugs and feed the plants. OK sorry chickens no more caffeine for you!
3)    Copper. Slugs get shocked when they touch this shiny metal. You can buy ready-made copper plant guards or just adorn your raised bed frames with copper flashing. Hot-glue rings of pennies around the tops of your containers. Drop captured slugs into a jar of pennies and watch ‘em spark! Hahaha OK so here is a  use for our soon to be disbanded pennies! I always loved crafting!
4)    Boards. Lay some old planks between your garden beds. The vampiric slugs will crawl underneath to hide from the sun. Come morning, lift the boards and scrape the slugs into a bucket with a flat piece of metal. Then do with them what you will. Hey—got any pennies?
5)    Human hair. Surround your plants with a protective barrier of hair. The slugs will get all tangled up in it and strangle (hey—it was them or the hostas!); and the hair will eventually add plant-feeding nitrogen to the soil. weird!
6)    Citrus. Leave lemon, orange and grapefruit rinds out overnight near slug prone plants, and then collect and trash them—covered with slugs—first thing the next morning. Old lettuce leaves work well too. No thanks, I don't want contact with the beasts!
7)    Vinegar. A spray bottle filled with plain white vinegar is a great cure for slugs that aren’t on plants. An extremely effective mollusk dissolver, vinegar is also an herbicide—
 8)    Toads. Avoid all pesticides, provide water low to the ground and a damp shady spot for them to hide during the heat of the day, and these wonderful nocturnal predators will eat lots of slugs for you.Haha a defense for the frog festavel. I will be an activist as well. Can you see me with my sandwich sign, SAVE the Toads or suffer the slimy consequences. Toads have rights too. Hahahaha!
9)    Rove beetles. These big black bugs don’t bother plants, but do eat LOTS of slugs and their eggs. So don’t hurt them!
10)    Ducks! Just turn a few loose in the garden—these feathered friends (and natural fertilizer providers) are among nature’s FINEST slug-eaters! Ah, darn Dear Husband was right again! I guess we will be adding ducks to our little "farm"...My question is won't they eat your garden too?