Feeling Kind of Like...Well, Crap

 

A Picture of Mourning Dove Chicks

Yesterday, G and I were heading out to a movie and dinner (our belated Valentine's Day) and G stopped in the middle of the driveway and pointed down to the ground.  "It's a chick," he said.  And it was.  It was a Mourning Dove day old chick just lying there all by itself and it was alive.  I didn't know it was a Mourning Dove chick at the time.  I thought it was some kind of mutant alien chick, actually.  Uuuugggllllyyy!  Something definitely only a Mother would love.  But, I scooped him up and ran in the house to find a box and something to keep him warm.  We were already late so we skidaddled.

The little guy lived through the night on a heating pad. 

Well, this morning I got up early and began some research on the computer. 

The original nest had been in a tree next to the house so I went out to investigate what might have happened.  Turns out the whole nest had pretty much disintegrated from the rain.

In my research, I discovered that I could remake a nest and place it in the same area and the parents would probably return to use it.  So, that is what I did.  I had some wire fencing that I molded into a nest holder and filled it up with hay and straw.  I put it up in the tree and secured it hoping for the best.  The parents were around watching everything.  I had high hopes that I would be able to place the chick in the nest and have the parents come back and tend to it.

And, then I biffed up big time.  I came in and did some more research and read that I could use a heat lamp to keep the chick warm.  So I set the little guy up with a heating lamp (the one I used for the chickens when they first arrived).  I must have placed the lamp too close because when I came back into the room he had crawled into a corner and was panting.  I immediately lifted the lamp much higher and placed him back into the center.  I thought I had caught him on time but I think the damage had been done.

I then ran to the store to pick up some Gerber baby cereal to feed the little guy.  I mixed it all up and got the little syringe filled up and came downstairs to try to feed him.

I knew it as soon as I touched him.  He was gone.  I feel soooo bad.  If I would have left him on the heating pad in the blankets he probably would have been just fine. 

Not feeling real magickal right at the moment.  Dang it.

Monsanto Is At It Again

I received an urgent alert today from the Organic Consumers Association and I think it is one I definitely need to pass along to you.  We have got to make our voices heard, my friends.  We cannot let this happen.  Please keep reading to see the alert:

Urgent Alert from the Organic Consumers Association:

OCA's worst fears, about what would happen if the man who was Biotech Governor of the Year, Obama's USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, was put in charge of new genetically modified crops, are coming true.

Vilsack is trying to lift a court-ordered ban on Monsanto's genetically modified "Roundup Ready" alfalfa.

This would endanger consumers who eat alfalfa sprouts -- or milk and meat from animals fed alfalfa -- that are genetically engineered or contaminated with GMOs.

Click on this URL to take action now
http://capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/utr/2/?a=14469696&i=97299660&c=&u=capwiz.com%2Fgrassrootsnetroots%2Fissues%2Falert%2F%3Falertid%3D14469696

If your email program does not recognize the URL as a link,
copy the entire URL and paste it into your Web browser.

Make Your Own Wood Furniture

 I guess the theme today is sending you off to other websites and blogs--but I'm fine with that when those other websites and blogs are durned awesome that they just must be shared, LOL.  About a month ago I stumbled upon a blog called Knock Off Wood and I was completely enthralled after about 5 minutes of reading through it.  If you have ever had any interest in building your own furniture--heck even if you haven't--you have got to check out Ana's blog.  She has building plans on her site--for free--to help you build the kind of furniture you would find in the more upscale stores but probably couldn't afford (Okay, I am talking about myself here, but whatev.) 

I have never even attempted to build anything other than a chicken coop in my entire life.  In other words--I ain't got NO skill--but this blog makes the creative juices begin to flow and really makes me think that one of these days, I too, could build something that I would feel okay about putting in my house...you know, instead of out in the chicken yard.  Have fun!  

Anima's New Nature Awareness Coarse

I was just over at the Anima Lifeways & Herbal School's website and read about their new Nature awareness coarse being offered.  It is an intensive 8-week correspondence coarse offered by Jesse Wolf Hardin that promises to aid the student in developing a deeper and more personal  awareness of the natural world they themselves are a part of or to empower them to find out if someplace else might be a better fit for their particular gifts and life purpose.  Check it out:

Nature Awareness: Sense of Place and The Search For Home with Jesse Wolf Hardin

An Afternoon At The River

 

We had such lovely weather this last weekend that we decided to take Tino and the dogs down to the river for a lazy afternoon.  

 

The temps were in the mid-seventies and it was just perfect down by the water's edge.

  

The dogs took to the water right away.  And, yes, that is a rock in CoCo's mouth.  If no balls are to be had, she will retrieve rocks.  She sticks her whole head under the water to get to them--it is pretty funny.

 

It wasn't too long before the humans were in the water, too.

 

It was just such a great day.  It was wonderful being out in the warm sunshine and fresh air.  I know that some of you are still buried deep in snow so I hope these last random pictures will at least fill your heart with a little warmth.  

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, too.

I Want to Go So Baaaddd!!!

Herbal Remedies: Kloss's Liniment

 

Kloss's Liniment is a very old herbal remedy created by Dr. Jethro Kloss.  It is wonderful for reducing inflammation of the muscles, for cleansing wounds, and for soothing insect bites.  

The herbs in this recipe have antiseptic, warming, stimulating, and anti-inflammatory properties--as such they will aid in the increase of circulation in areas where muscles are sore.

I have even used this liniment on family members who had the beginning stages of a boil coming on with very satisfactory results.  I just covered the area with a large gauze pad soaked in the liniment and covered it with a band aid for a day or two. It pretty much stopped the boil in it's tracks and began to heal it up.  This is really great stuff.

Recipe:

1 oz. Echinacea Powder

1 oz. Organically grown Goldenseal Powder

1 oz. Myrrh Powder

1/4 oz. Cayenne Powder

1 Pint Rubbing Alcohol

Directions:

Weight out the powders and put them in a pint sized jar.  Pour rubbing alcohol over the powders, leave a good 2-inch margin above the herbs.  Stir and put a lid on the jar.  Place mixture in a warm location and let sit for four weeks.

Using cheesecloth, strain mixture and re-bottle.  Label bottle clearly FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY as rubbing alcohol should never be taken internally.

It may be useful to bottle liniments in a spray bottle.  It is easy to spray it onto areas with sore muscles or onto wounds that need cleansing.

**This recipe and so much more can be found at  HerbMentor.com.

Daughters

 

She can be the most exasperating creature.  Sassy.  Stubborn.  Filled with angst one minute and loving and caring the next.   Some days we can have really good conversations.  And others, it seems like she takes every word I say and turns it into something bad and not anywhere near what I meant to say in the first place.  Those can be really difficult days.

I love her so much but she has never been an easy child.  There was several occasions when I fervently believed that she just might prove to be the death of me.  There was the quite terrifying year of anorexia and therapists, the guy she began secretly communicating with online when she was 16 and he was 25 who thankfully "saw the light" when my husband informed him of her real age--and that if he didn't vacate her life asap he probably wouldn't live very long, there were the bottles of vodka I found under her bed, there was the running away after she got busted for attending a big kegger party instead of spending the night at a friends house like she told us she was going to.  I could go on but I think you get the picture.  Ya, under this dark brown hair coloring I am pretty sure I am at least 75% gray.  

She is 18 years old and will be 19 in March.  There were many days that I didn't think she would survive this long--either from some of the dumbshit things she did on her own or because she finally drove me to kill her (kidding...I think).  

But, then there are some days--especially lately, that I catch glimpses of the woman she is on her way to becoming.  Yesterday was one of those days.  She knew that money had been pretty tight around here for awhile and she walked in and told me that she wanted to have a "date-day" with me.  She wanted to take me to the movies--her treat.  We went to see Avatar because she had not seen it and I pretty much adore it.  We had a great time.  It was wonderful.

On days like this, I just sit and stare at her for a few seconds, enraptured.  Then, of course, she will turn to me...roll her eyes and say something like, "take a picture why don't you." 

Note to Self: Stay Away From the Keyboard When Immersed in Self Pity

I feel a little chagrined after reading back over my last post of a couple days ago.  With so many other parts of the world going through some very difficult times, I really do need to remember how very blessed I am.  And I am.  My family and I have a home.  G and I have jobs.  There is food on our table and in our pantry.  We are able to pay our bills--well, okay, most of them anyway.  Hey, the electricity, gas and water is still on so it's all good.  And G and I and our kids are healthy.  I could sit here all day and make a list of the good things in my life and I need to hold on to that.  So, I apologize for being such a downer the other day.

On another note, I have been meditating!  The last few days I have been taking 15 to 20 minutes to just get quiet.  I tune my iPod to some nature sounds and find a quiet place to relax.  I would like to report that I am actually enjoying it and find myself looking forward this part of my day.  I don't freak out when thoughts and ideas stream through my mind anymore.  I just let them come and then let them float on down the stream.  It is quite interesting what your mind will begin to show you when you actually turn inside and begin to pay attention.

I also picked up a couple books on jewelry making.  The first is called Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton and I LOVE, LOVE it.

I have never made jewelry before so I am a complete beginner but I have had an inkling to learn how and I just adore how this book is set up and the ideas behind it.  This is from the back cover:


"Transform your ideas into art jewelry.  Learn to infuse meaning in your jewelry with this innovative mixed-media book from Cynthia Thornton, the creative mastermind of Green Girl Studios.


Harness your inspiration, create magical elements from metal clay, wire, resin, and found objects and then turn your ideas into wearable art."

The other book is Beading--The Creative Spirit:  Finding Your Sacred Center through the Art of Beadwork by Rev. Wendy Ellsworth. 

I have not had as much time to look through this one but it also looks very inspiring and I can't wait to get into it.  This is from the back cover:

"Beading and my spiritual path are intricately interwoven.  It would be difficult for me to separate the two because they are so completely intertwined with one another.  As I sit and weave with my beads, I allow the Creative Spirit to flow through me, and though my hands are doing the work, another force is actively participating in the process.  This force is a transmission of Spirit that fills me with deep inner peace and joy as I bead.  As a result, the practice of my art form has become a creative path to my sacred center."

 

A Project From the Book

I also joined a bead kit-of-the-month club thingy to help me learn the whole process.  You only have to pay for the projects you want and can return the others.  I will let you know what I think of it but I am really excited to get started. 

I hope you are all doing well.  I wish you a wonderful blessed day.