This post is all you'll be hearing from me this week. I am taking another little hiatus while my friend Amber is here to visit. We have a lot of fun planned so blogging will take a back seat. I promise to try and take photos while I'm away.
Mark and I painted the dining room over the weekend. I did take some before and during photos but we aren't removing the trim tape and putting our things back on the wall until later tonight, so I will have to wait and share that story with you next week too. Stay tuned.
I have a lot to do still to get ready for my guest so I am going to get back to it. Enjoy a few shots of my peace lily. She is standing tall and very proud of her bloom. So cute.
I like books... no...I LOVE books. I just can't get into the e-reader thing. I love the smell and the feel of the pages, the cover art, and making notes and highlighting passages. I know you can do all of those things with an e-reader, but to me it isn't the same. All of the romance is zapped straight outta the thing!
In a world where everyone texts, e-mails, sends e-cards and Instant Messages, hand written notes scrawled in books and letters are a thing of the past. We no longer put our personal signature into our communications. Our hand writing is an extension of who we are. The way we shape our letters, how large or small we write, which way our words slant. All of these things reveal something about the person we are.
It is so meaningful when someone takes the time to sit down and hand write a letter or a message in a card. When I receive a letter in the mail my heart speeds a little (and thanks to a close friend who also loves to write I DO get letters in the mail). I make a point to send out Christmas cards every year. Each year the cards I get in return are fewer and fewer with more people just giving a shout out on Facebook. To me it just won't do. Words and symbols carry an energy, a vibration. Using your hand and a pen to create them on paper seals your personal intention and vibration into the words as well. It is one of the easiest and most powerful forms of magic.
When you hand write notes, you retain the information better than you do when you are mindlessly punching away at a keyboard. By writing it out, the information is imprinting in your mind as well. By writing it out or journaling our thoughts and plans we are purging the storage cabinets of the mind and creating room to relax. We are also leaving a trail of our soul's journey by keeping a log of our thoughts, dreams and events in our lives.
I think of Autumn as a romantic season. The chill in the air is a good reason to wrap your arms around someone, go on a coffee date or roll around in a pile of leaves. It is also my favorite time to sit outside and write. Write letters to my friend, journal, make lists, sketch, and make notes in the books I'm reading. I love to put on a cozy sweater with comfy leggings and sip some hot tea while I transfer the thoughts from my mind onto paper. So romantic. So magical.
Happy Mabon, everyone! It is a GORGEOUS day here in Oz. One of those days with just the right amount of breeze, the perfect temperature and lots of sunshine! Penny and I started the morning off relaxing in the sun and reading a book.
Penny enjoying the view.
We had a great weekend here at Chigger Chalet and now the house is properly dressed for Autumn. My favorite is the fireplace mantel.
Mantel dressed for Fall.
The dreamcatcher was made by a Native American at the Taos Pueblo. The center is a turquoise bear, the dark hair is from buffalo and the red hair in the center is horse hair dyed with plant material. We haven't decided where we want to put it yet, (we have a very special one in our room already) so for now it is going to stay there.
Dreamcatcher from the Taos Pueblo.
I'm keeping this one short today, it is just too beautiful to be strapped to the laptop. I'll close by reminding everyone about the fall festival at Rutledge-Wilson Farm happening now through October 26th. I am hoping to go with my little nieces when they come to visit in October. The photo below is a screen shot from my phone, but it works! :)
I started my day with another awesome yoga session at Yoga Belly with Jill Michaels. By getting up and going to class I had set the tone for an awesome day. I felt relaxed and ready to get shit done! (and I did. I even vacuumed).
This coming Sunday is the Autumn Equinox or Mabon as it is known to Pagans. If you are in Springfield you might be planning to celebrate at Cider Days or maybe Autumn Daze in Branson? We are leaning towards Autumn Daze in Branson since we did Cider Days last year, but the weekend is so busy I don't know if we will get a chance! I know for sure that I will be stopping in at Wheeler Gardens and Florist here in Ozark for their annual Fall Open House. I want to check out all of the decorations and arrangements (plus they'll have refreshments and a raffle contest!).
Sunday at 1:00pm is the Wild Edibles Herb Walk led by Bo Brown with the Springfield Herb Society. I have never been on an official herb walk before and I'm really glad my friend Cynarra will be joining me in the experience! If you want to come too just bring $8.00 and meet at the commuter parking lot off Evans road and Hwy. 65. around 12:30pm.
I am going to decorate the house tonight after dinner. I thought I would wait until Mabon, but with such a busy weekend I think I'll go ahead and put things out.
I hauled up the Fall decor from the basement.
To kick off the first weekend of Fall (kinda) I am going to make Sausage Stuffed Squash for dinner. Below is the recipe for this classic dish if you wanna try it. It is from the 1962 Betty Crocker Cooking Calendar. I love, love, love this book. It has fun recipes for every holiday!
Seasonal comfort food!
When I got home from the market with my squash and sausage in tow, the gifts I won from Sapphire Soul had arrived! I love all three items. What a special treat to start the weekend. The bracelets are inspired by the Disney movie Frozen and I am going to make a point to watch it this holiday season (with my little nieces if I'm lucky).
Prizes I won from the Sapphire Soul *Frozen* inspired giveaway!
Well, I can hardly wait to close this laptop and get started with the decorating! If you have followed my blog for a while then you know that this is my absolute favorite time of year. As a matter of fact, the image below pretty much sums it all up. ;)
It looks like I finally have a yoga studio to practice at that is close to my house! After struggling to stay committed to the drive to Springfield on a regular basis and my teacher moving locations again, I decided to look to my own backyard for a solution.
I googled "yoga studios Ozark MO" not expecting to find anything. What popped up was a pleasant surprise. Located in the Every Body Pilates building at 700 N 22nd st. in Ozark is Yoga Belly. Yoga Belly? That's an interesting name, I thought, and after reading about the instructor, Jill Michaels, it made perfect sense. Along with being a yoga teacher, Jill has been a dietician for almost 20 years. In addition to group and private yoga sessions, she also offers one-on-one nutritional counseling and cooking classes. You can read her full story HERE.
Yoga Belly shares space with Every Body Pilates 700 N 22nd st. Ozark, MO.
I had a good feeling about Jill after spending time reading about her and looking at her blog. When I arrived for class, I was pleased with the studio space and how clean and inviting it felt. Since Jill shares the space with a pilates business, it doesn't have the spiritual decor I am used to seeing in a yoga studio. Pilates equipment is lined up against a wall and exercise balls are randomly positioned on the floor. The floor itself though, is the nice faux hardwood that is a little springy. The studio I practiced at in KC had this type of floor and I really like it. So who cares if a big Om symbol or Namaste' aren't painted on any of the walls? I can live without those things, right?
Jill lit two candles and placed one on either side of her mat at the head of the class. She led us through a relaxing one hour class that I really enjoyed. About ten students were there and we had more than enough space. After class Jill even served some hot tea she had brought to share. I got the impression that she is well versed in anatomy and I felt I could trust her to make sure I was safe in every asana. She has been practicing yoga for six years now and conveys a real attitude of concern for her students happiness and growth.
Jill Michaels of Yoga Belly
I plan to attend my second class tomorrow morning, and although I intend to do most of my yoga at my home studio, I look forward to having a place to go for inspiration and to connect with others a few times a week. If you are in the Ozark area and have an interest in yoga, contact Jill and she will help you find a class to suit your needs.
It occurred to me as I left the meeting last night that I hadn't done a post on the Springfield Herb Society. It is a gray stormy day today, so I think I'll sit down and tell you guys all about it.
If you are interested in herbs and live in the Springfield area, this group is for you. The club meets once a month at the Botanical Gardens Center at Nathanael Greene Park and also has some special events throughout the year like the Wild Edibles Herb Walk happening this coming Sunday. The Springfield Herb Society monthly meetings are free to the public, but membership does have its perks! Members receive discounts on events like the herb walks, are eligible for the raffle prizes at the end of each meeting and more!
Each month we hear from a volunteer lecturer on an herbal topic ranging from herb gardening, tinctures and remedies, aromatherapy, etc. We also hear an "Herb Highlight" from a member who would like to speak specifically about one herb and we are also reminded of coming volunteer work days in the herb gardens at the park and other events. Members are encouraged to bring a food item to share. The food spreads at these meetings are pretty incredible! At the end of each meeting there is a raffle drawing with door prizes for members. Membership is very affordable and provides the funding to make it all possible.
I love attending the monthly meetings and learning from other herb enthusiasts in my community. If you have any interest in expanding your herbal education please consider joining us next month on October 21st from 6:00pm-8:00pm. For complete details please see the website. I hope to see you there!
Man! I am on a winning streak! Not long ago I won a $100 gift card to Renaissance Bookstore. Before we went on vacation a few weeks ago I won fancy spa grade skin care products from a company called Repechage, and this morning I was notified that I won some jewelry from Sapphire Soul! Weeeeeeee!!!! The bracelets are inspired by the movie Frozen. One is called the Elsa, the other Anna. I haven't seen the movie yet, but now I totally will. I am really excited about the crystal pendant too.
Jewelry I won from Sapphire Soul.
Winning the jewelry is just the capstone on the pyramid though, September has been awesome all around (starting the month off in Taos didn't hurt matters).
Let's talk about my hair for a second. Beside the fact that I need to get it trimmed, I have been really happy with it recently. I am back to the shade of blonde I love and I have a new favorite hair product to share with you. I love to stalk and become friends with super talented people via Facebook. I friended a woman who lives in Santa Fe earlier this year after learning about the herbal body care products she makes. Her business is Plantfolk Apothecary and you should give her products a look if only for the Vetiver + Argan hair oil (although I'm sure you'll want to try everything!). We met at the Taos Farmer's Market a few Saturdays back and she is just a sweet, lovely person. I love it when virtual friends become real friends. Oh yeah, and I thought it worth mentioning that Julia Roberts bought a bunch of her products recently! How fun is that!
Vetiver + Argan hair elixer by Plantfolk Apothecary
Loving my hair lately.
Also Taos related is the amethyst point Mark picked out while we were there. He has a good eye! I think it is beautiful and just want to show it off.
Amethyst point.
Just no way to capture its brilliance in a photo.
It is looking like the end of the tomato season around here. These might be my last Cherokee Purples. I have a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes still on the vine to harvest later today and then I think we are done until next year.
Late summer cherokee purple tomatoes.
And today's recipe from the Taos Whole Foods Cook Book is...
The Master Cleanse
The cayenne makes it nice and warming. I used boiling water and natural (no fructose corn syrup) maple syrup in mine. Yum.
We have many oak trees on our property and I have been busy collecting acorns that fall on the deck (if I can get them before Penny does) and using them for a little Fall decor on the table outside. I filled small mason jars with the acorns and stuck battery operated tea light candles in the center. We have plenty of acorns to go around even if the squirrels raid my stash.
Fall inspired candles on back deck table.
Here is a shot of Penny the acorn eater...
Acorn gathering is very tiring work.
Mark and I were at Lowe's the other night and saw this custom job on a box. Nice, right? We got a giggle out of it. Why not carry google eyes around with you for when opportunity presents itself?
He is really excited by that plate of BBQ.
Probably the best thing about September so far was the family gathering we hosted yesterday. The weather was perfect for sitting outside and I love spending time with our family. Of course, it's the moments I am having a good time that I forget to take photos. I am going to make a better effort to remember to capture some of these moments from now on.
I really hope you are having a great September too.
I am currently reading Initiation In The Great Pyramid by Earlyne Chaney. I had written down the title on a piece of paper at some point and came across it last month. I couldn't remember what made me think I should read it but I decided that if I wrote it down I had good reason. I ordered a used copy off Amazon and read the first few pages a few days ago. I am excited to discover how the story will unfold.
From the book: "This book, Initiation in the Great Pyramid, relates the training and initiations that occurred in the days of ancient Egypt. It vividly portrays the progression of a postulant through his journey as a neophyte, as a disciple, then as an initiate through the highest initiation in the Mystery School of the Great Pyramid - and then the attainment as a hierophant or Master of the Lodge, and finally the ultimate achievement, that of Ptah the supreme pontiff, or Pope, of the Lodge. The purpose of the book is to help seekers on the path of light better to understand the highest possible initiation - that which occurs during death.
#Egypt #Past Life Recall #Death Journey
I also wanted to mention a sweet little book trilogy I found on the shelf at the casita we stayed at while in Taos. I can't feature them as a "currently reading" because I read them already but they are beautifully illustrated and are little treasures I couldn't keep to myself. The lady who owns the casita said we could take any of the books we wanted because they were there when she bought the place and she has no attachment to them.
I love to read near a scented candle, especially when it isn't practical to have a fire burning. The scent and the warm glow of the flame make me feel cozy. While we were driving The Enchanted Circle in New Mexico, we stopped in the town of Eagle Nest (it was an accident really, we missed our turn). While taking in the storybook scene of this tiny mountain town we stopped at a little gift shop advertising a sale. We ended up getting a few "travel" candles...you know, the kind in a little tin container with a lid. I always end up putting a bunch of tea lights in a plastic baggie when I travel but these are much more practical! I've bought them before but it never occurred to me how they are perfect for tossing in a bag. I will forever take them on all trips, picnics, camping, etc. It really warms your home away from home to have a comforting scent and the glow of the candle light.
Why did I not make the connection before? Duh!
The lily pads are receding on the river banks, the leaves are slowly dropping from the trees, and today the air has a slight nip in it...a promise of Fall. I have the back door open letting in fresh air and I just poured a hot cup of tea and lit my candle...time to escape to the great pyramid.
We decided to drive through Texas along the Mexico border through El Paso and then into southern New Mexico on our road trip. I had never been to the southern half of New Mexico so that was the main motivation for taking this indirect route but I was also very curious about the border. It was exciting! Most of the Texas/Mexico border drive was desolate. Just oil fields, cactus and blue skies. Then we entered the Guadalupe Mountain Range and enjoyed hours of breathtaking views. The drive through this range is called the Texas Mountain Trail and super easy (if you don't feel too nervous not having cell reception the entire way) you never drive up into the mountains, just through them at the base, so you can keep a good speed (80 mph speed limit in Texas!) and not have to climb up and then descend (I am now a master mountain navigator after conquering what seemed like a million of them on this trip). Other exciting things about driving along the border? Seeing border patrol vehicles, driving through checkpoints and signal jammers, looking at mountains in Mexico while driving in Texas, listening to Mexican radio stations and getting a text message on the cell phones saying we had been switched to international rates because we had left the country. :D This might not sound fun to you but I thought it was exciting and interesting. I am so glad I got to see a part of the country that most people will never visit (not much reason to be down there). The mountains alone were worth it. It was also mind boggling to see oil field after oil field and cactus varieties I had never seen before. We drove around for a minute through some residential neighborhood in El Paso. We were right on the border of Juarez but we may as well have been in Mexico for the way the houses, shops and even the people in this area looked. I had no expectations for that portion of the drive and ended up being really pleased with the experience.
Some friends I made in Texas.
After being in Texas for a few days my shoulders, arms and chest were pretty scorched. It only got worse as we made our way into New Mexico and spent more and more time outdoors in the desert. I tried to keep my shoulders and arms covered with a keffiyah but the sun found my skin anyway. I had brought a bottle of aloe vera with me and applied it liberally each morning and night and I STILL haven't peeled. Yesterday I found an aloe stalk that I had cut from my plant and put in the fridge before we left. Yes! I will put pure aloe on my skin.
Slice into the stalk but don't cut all the way through.
Squeeze the gel out and apply directly to burned skin.
It was nice and cold because the stalk had been stored in the fridge and it felt very nourishing to my skin and my being in general. If you have an aloe plant don't just admire its awesome looks, pamper yourself with its loving gift for your skin.
I have been having fun making recipes from the Taos Whole Foods Cookbook and today I made almond milk.
I omitted the lecithin and whey and used both vanilla and molasses.
Gathering the ingredients.
I only used about 1/2 cup of water and ended up using the whole banana cause I like a thicker consistency.
Molasses swirls. Yum.
The color isn't great but the flavor is super yummy. Adding water and thinning it out makes it more "milky" if you want to use it for cereal or something like that. I have plenty of almonds and blueberries left so I'll probably make this for lunch the rest of the week. Cheers!
I honestly thought I would blog from the road while we were on vacation for the past 12 days, but we were so busy and having so much fun and it just didn't happen. So, here I am, home from the journey with many stories and experiences to share...and I will, over time. For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook you can see our vacation album here. Not my Facebook friend? Fret not, you can look at most of the album over on my instagram page--lmj14. A picture speaks a thousand words and I took A LOT of pictures! Here are three of my favorites...
While we were in Alamogordo, New Mexico we visited White Sands Desert. It is a magical experience. White sand dunes as far as the eye can see. The sand is warm but doesn't burn so I ran around barefoot. If you dig your feet in just a few inches, the sand is cold. It is white because it is actually gypsum. Usually gypsum just gets washed to the ocean, but because this desert is surrounded by a mountain range the gypsum is trapped. Gypsum is water soluble and when it solidifies is it selenite. I have a selenite lamp in my bedroom, so I thought that was pretty neat. Anyway, we did a little photo shoot in the desert and below is the first one we took.
White Sands National Monument
On our last night in Alamogordo we drove east to a town called Cloudcroft over 8,000 feet up a mountain. This small mountain town is so cute. You leave the desert and its adobe houses and sand and shrubs and escape to a place with log cabins and alpine vegetation. Mark said it reminded him of being in Switzerland. We went to The Lodge Resort At Cloudcroft and ate at the lodge restaurant called Rebecca's. The lodge is beautiful and our table looked out over the mountains. I remarked how the place had the same type of feeling as The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs. Later that night I read the flyer I had grabbed at the front desk when we left and discovered that The Lodge is haunted by a woman named Rebecca who died there many moons ago. She was a chambermaid and went missing after her lover found her with another man. No wonder it had the same vibe as The Crescent Hotel. I've always been very attuned to the spirit realm and sensitive to "haunted" places. We watched the sunset over the mountains while we were there. It was gorgeous.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Below is a photo I took of our front view from the casita we rented for a few nights while in Taos. We had a storm that night and the sky and the light of the setting sun on the mountains was breathtaking. When the rain began to fall it kicked up the smell of the loamy soil and the sage shrubs. Nothing smells that way...it is what perfume alchemists strive to create.
Sangre de Cristo mountains in Taos, New Mexico.
I took a short video of the interior of the casita. We stayed at the historic Taos Inn and The Hilton Santa Fe, among other fancy places on our trip but the casita was my favorite. I love the neighborhood it is in and imagine that if we ever move to Taos, that is the area I would want to live.
Before we left New Mexico I harvested some sage and mountain flowers. I am keeping a bundle on the dash in my car because it smells so yummy.
Mountain wild flowers and sage.
We did so much while we were gone and I plan to share about it in future posts. For now I will pace myself or I could go on forever!
When we got home yesterday, the first thing I did was check my plants. Everything outdoors looks good and I heard we had plenty of rain while we were away. The flowers I planted look a lot better now than when we left! The houseplants are fine too. I cut the jasmine and philodendron way back before we left and it forced bloom on the jasmine! I also have a few spiky tropical plants that Alicia gave to me about three years ago. I don't know what they are called though. Anyway, I was watering all of the plants and when I got to the larger of the two tropicals I noticed mushrooms growing from the pot! MUSHROOMS! What the... They are attached to the conch shell I had placed in the pot. I found the shell in the tiered garden area that I attempted to clear of weeds earlier in the summer. When I broke out with poison sumac rash, I abandoned the project but I had already collected interesting rocks, geodes, quartz crystal and shells from deep in the soil. I don't know how the shell had mushroom spores in it though? I pulled that shell out of the soil. Maybe the spores have been dormant for The Gods knows how long?
Mushrooms growing from shell.
Have a closer look.
Today I went to pick up Penny from Caroline's Pampered Pet Resort. Look how tired she is...
One tired hound.
She plopped down on the couch right away.
Running around with other pups for 12 days was exhausting!
Right now I'm enjoying a hot cup of lemon tea sweetened with cactus honey that we bought when we were at the Heart Of The Desert pistachio farm in Alamogordo. Prickly Pear Cactus Honey is potent and it only takes a small drop to sweeten beverages.
Check out the sweet mugs we picked up at White Sands!
Let me end by telling you that I did indeed finish the Yoga Girl Challenge. I took one photo on the day we hit the road but after that I was too busy taking vacation photos to remember to do the challenge photos. I enjoyed following along though! Okay, this post has been a giant brain dump. I better sign off for now!
