Exactly What I'm Going To Do

It seems my hair is finally back to normal. No more gunky weighed down locks. I think I'll stick with The Seaweed Bath Co. shampoo for now. It cleans nicely and I love the way it smells. I did extensive research last night and found all kinds of beauty products made with seaweed (even makeup!). Seaweed. It's my new thing. And coconut oil. I finally got my coconut oil order from Tropical Traditions last week.

My goodies from Tropical Traditions

First of all, the oil is awesome! It tastes delicious and feels great on the skin too. I have been taking a teaspoon in the morning and one in the evening. I am also using the teeth cleaner and really liking it. I usually just use baking soda and this is a mix of baking soda, coconut oil and essential oils...so it tastes a whole lot better than plain baking soda. The deodorant was a gift for Mark and he isn't exactly loving it, but I don't think anyone transitioning from a heavy duty antiperspirant to a natural deodorant loves it at first. He has decided to keep at it for a while. The lip balm...well, it is coconut oil lip balm! What's not to love? If nothing else, I am really pleased with the oil and plan to keep ordering it. 

Below is a couple photos of a strange little alien I found on the back deck a few days ago. Crazy, right? What is it? 

And today I snapped a few photos of the sweet cows who live down the road. It is a beautiful day in the mid-seventies and they were having a great time relaxing in the pond. It was a lot of fun watching them. 

Last night I went to the Springfield Area Herb Society meeting and had a great time. This meeting was a Christmas In July and we shared ideas for handmade Christmas gifts involving herbs. One of the members brought in some seed pods from a money plant to share. I only came away with one silver dollar and a few seeds but I will plant them and see what happens. I also think I will continue to go to the monthly meeting to enhance my journey into herbalism. 

Seeds from a money plant. Looks like I got three.

I don't know if it is all of the work with herbs I am doing or the book I am working on (more about my book later) but I am feeling super witchy lately. I feel happiest when I am learning about herbs, the elements, alchemy, animal and plant totems and all things that to me define the interests of a witch. They say to give your attention to the things that excite you and make you happy, and that is exactly what I'm going to do.

~ Love & Light ~

PS- I haven't given up on my projects from How To Be An Explorer Of The World. The one I am currently working on is just taking me a long time. :)

Weekend Fun

Let me start with another hair situation update. I was in Springfield yesterday and found myself at MaMa Jean's so I decided to find something there to clean my dirty locks with. I had an idea of making a hair wash with seaweed but have you seen the price of a not-so-big bag of seaweed lately? It would have been about ten dollars a wash! So no seaweed. I took a look at the shampoo section and to my delight I spotted a seaweed shampoo free of detergents and harsh chemicals made by a company called The Seaweed Bath Co. I decided to get it (it was only ten dollars for the bottle) and am really hoping it works well.

P.S. They make soap, lotion, and other products too.

I was actually out yesterday with my mom. It was her birthday and she, my youngest sister Dallis, and I went to Nearly Famous for lunch. The food at this deli and pasta house is absolutely delicious and we shared a piece of some kind of magical cake after our meal that was fabulous! Nearly Famous is on Glenstone across from the Battlefield Mall. If you find yourself over there grab some lunch. 

A magical cake that (according to our waiter) is made by faeries.

Speaking of food, get a load of the salad I ate for lunch today. It was bursting with greens, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, carrots, mushrooms, beets, celery, almond slivers, sunflower seeds, tomato, goat cheese and blueberries drizzled with champagne vinaigrette. Whew! Deeelicious! 

I try to eat one of these bad boys every day. 

It was also a beautiful afternoon for sunbathing.

Oh! And I don't want to forget to mention that tonight through Sunday is the Christian County Fair at the Finley River Park (complete with a rodeo). Have a great weekend! 

~ Love & Light ~

So Much Randomness

It has been seven days since shampoo has touched my hair. Today it is significantly less gunky than it has been. I am using the chamomile tea rinse one day and then just water the next. If you missed my post from the other day, I am going 100% natural with my toiletries. At least I'm trying. So that's the update. Hair is less gunky but not exactly um...nice. I'll keep experimenting.

Last night we went to Cruisin' USA Custard in Nixa. It was so delicious! Mark had the raspberry in vanilla custard and I had brownie bites in vanilla custard. AH-MAY-ZING! You gotta try it if you're in the Nixa area...or make a special trip that way. 

The second season of Witches Of East End started this past Sunday. I am really loving it. Truth be told, it isn't the story that I am crazy about it's the sets! The house the main characters live in is pretty much my dream home...so witchy! Here are a few photos of the house.

I love the gardens and the huge porch

That fireplace!

I LOVE the sunroom!

We were walking at the Finley River Park the other night and I took a short video of the little replica mill made to resemble the old mill I walk the dog to everyday. I like a lot of the plants in the garden surrounding it and want to add something similar at Chigger Chalet.

And as a sign of the times I snapped a photo of a girl texting while riding. Yep, we have a horse riding ring at the park and I saw a girl riding her horse while texting. So Ozark! :) 

~ Love & Light ~

During Slow Hot Summer Days

How am I filling my time during these slow hot summer days?


Late last week I got wind that a coconut oil company named Tropical Traditions was running a special...spend a minimum of $12.99 and get a free quart of organic extra virgin coconut oil (retail of $40.00). I've been oil pilling every morning for a while now, so heck yeah I wanted to buy some cool coconut based products and get free oil too! I placed the order and while checking out I noticed that the company was also sending me a free book. Sweet. The book arrived on Saturday (the rest of the order shipped from a different location and hasn't arrived yet) and it is very informative. I can't wait for my coconut oil to arrive...I have many new uses I want to experiment with now beside oil pulling. So yeah, I'm on a coconut oil kick.


Mark and I took Penny for a walk yesterday at the Bluff Springs Trail near our house. I mention this because we stopped to admire an interesting tree along the way and guess what Mark spotted on one of the branches? A praying mantis! This one was a different variety than the typical green guys. He was smaller and curvier and a grayish-blue color. Very cool. I couldn't get a snap of him but he looked like the guy in the photo below.

Speaking of strange creatures, you remember the fun muppet movies from the 80's, right? The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth? Think back to the wacky Labyrinth starring David Bowie. Remember the baby he snatches? The cute little guy in the stripped pajamas?

Well, his name is Toby Froud and he is all grown up.

Why is this exciting? Because he and Jim Henson's daughter, Heather, recently premiered their own puppet fantasy short film called Lessons Learned! Woo! It looks really cool. 

As soon as I learn more about it and when we can watch it I'll let you know. 

Can you handle more awesomeness than a new Froud/Hansen puppet movie? If so, you should check out the new Tori Amos album, Unrepentant Geraldines. It is so nice to have new Tori music. I picked up the deluxe edition at CD Warehouse on Saturday and have been devouring it ever since. Yes, I bought an actual CD. I never do anymore unless it's Tori, then I just have to have a physical disc. Old school over here. ;) I can't wait to see her in a few weeks in KC! WEE!

So that's how I've been passing the time. What are you guys up to? 

~ Love & Light ~

It Was Independence Day

For those of you  not in the cool kids club, the title of this post is a nod to the band 311. And, of course, tomorrow is the 4th of July. We are going to a party with some friends and we get to see more fireworks, but really this post isn't so much about the holiday as it is a mix of random things spilling from my mind. :)

First, let me say that I am drinking bitters and I have tea in my hair. True story. I am really excited about the bitters and I really want to share with you. So, I had been looking for something to turn up my digestive fire, get the juices flowing. I am kind of in the middle of a cleansing period and revving up my digestion was just instinctual. Lucky for me a friend recommended I try the organic bitters from a company in Vermont called Urban Moonshine. 

I chose Joy and Citrus Digestive Bitters. I have been using Joy periodically throughout the day whenever I get the urge (like right before a Yoga session) and the digestive bitters I have been taking before and after meals. I love them! A little booklet came in the package and it showed how to make a bitter beverage (among other cool things). You put a dash of the bitters in a cup, add ice and pour in soda water. Okay...so I am looking at the booklet again and it seems they may have been suggesting making like a shot of this. Oh well. I put several dashes of the bitters into a cup, added ice, filled it with lime flavored soda water and then squeezed real lime juice into it. So good. If you are intrigued with the idea of bitters for aiding digestion you should visit the Urban Moonshine page and read up on them. If you're not into ordering things online, you can probably find bitters at your local health food store. I remember taking Swedish Bitters in my twenties and I'm pretty sure they came from a small herb shop. 

As for the tea in my hair, well, it is chamomile. I brewed it early this afternoon in a BIG cup and let it sit for several hours getting really potent and cooling down. See, I use pretty much all simple, natural ingredients for my skin and body care, and shampoo was the last area I needed an overhaul. I have been reading about tea rinses and thought it sounded nice. Supposedly the tea is around the same pH your hair wants to be. I picked chamomile because I already had some, and because it adds golden highlights to blonde hair. You can use many different teas though. We shall see how the experiment goes...I mean, I don't think the tea will clean it really, so I might have to find something else for that. I will say that I am ALWAYS red and splotchy when I get out of the shower and today I didn't have even the slightest hint of red irritated skin. Hmmm....coincidence? I think not. I bet I was getting all kinds of irritating ingredients on my skin from my conventional shampoo and conditioner. 

The Wednesday night Farmers Market here in Oz has been awesome this year, with more vendors and food to choose from. Last night was the Patriotic Pet Parade. Super cute. Dogs of all shapes and sizes decked out in their red, white, and blues. 

We have been buying delicious blueberries and tomatoes and yesterday we also got peaches and some wheatgrass. Isn't the bounty of summer divine? 

I planted the passion flower last night. Two tiny plants on either side of the light post. I'm guessing they will climb the pole and look awesome! *fingers crossed*

The birds are acting like weirdos today. I'm pretty sure it is all the young people running around popping off fireworks. They are pretty freaked out and I don't blame them. Penny doesn't like them either. Hopefully the worst of it will be over for them this weekend. 

Finally, I would like to mention that Stephen Gaskin, founder of The Farm and author of one of my most beloved books, This Season's People, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79. His writing, along with books written by his wife, Ina May Gaskin, were so very eye opening to me in my early twenties. I have always been fascinated by the counter culture and the characters of those days. If you have an opportunity to add This Season's People to your library, you really should. Stephen was one of the great free thinkers of our time and he will truly be missed. <3

Stephen and Ina May Gaskin

~ Love & Light ~

The Beauty Of July

July! What a wonderful month here in the Ozarks. The flowers are in full bloom everywhere you look, people are out and about taking advantage of the long days, we celebrate Independence Day and slow down the pace of life in the heat and humidity. 

I forgot to post a picture of the hostas I planted on the side of the house and I promised I would several posts back. It isn't the most beautiful bed but I love them anyway. 

I spotted a small bunny while I was watering the herb garden this morning. It lives under the honeysuckle bush to the right. She was munching on grass when I paused to take her photo but I have a feeling she might have been planning to dine on some of my herbs! 

The honeysuckle bush is in bloom and smells as lovely as it looks. My sister Sara and I used to love to taste the sweet nectar from these flowers when we were kids. I read the other day that honeysuckle represents prosperity and that you should bring some of the blooms indoors to invite prosperity into your life. 

The monarda (aka bee balm) in the herb garden is also flowering. I love these interesting flowers!

Below is a photo of a small passion flower plant that a fellow student in my herb study group gave to me. Mark and I are going to walk around the grounds of Chigger Chalet tonight and find the perfect place to plant it. It is a climbing vine so it has to be just the right spot. 

We have a break today from the intense heat and humidity of the past week. I am in heaven relaxing on the deck in my old rocking chair, watching the trees sway in the wind and listening to the children playing across the river at the park. Truly a perfect summer day. 

~ Love & Light ~

Must Be In My Totem

I had another visit from a praying mantis today. I would like to think that it is the same little guy that visited last week but who knows? Regardless, I was really happy to see another tiny alien hanging out on the back porch.

Penny loves to eat bugs of all kinds and went running towards this guy. Luckily I noticed what she was heading towards and saved him from becoming a hound dog snack.

I hope they continue to visit me often. They are so interesting and calming to watch. Plus, I have heard they are great for gardens because they eat bugs that munch on the plants. Anyway, as long as they keep making appearances for me I am going to assume the praying mantis must be in my totem.

~ Love & Light ~