Peppermint Oil

When I first started using essential oils, peppermint along with lemon were the first two I used.  I used peppermint and lemon to do a 28 day liver cleanse.  The recipe for the liver cleanse is one drop of peppermint oil and one drop of lemon oil and one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in eight ounces of water.  Drink first thing in the morning and do this for 28 days.  Seems so simple, at first, I wondered if this would really work.  It really does work.  Lemon is the first stage for a liver cleanse.  I have done this 3 times now and I would highly recommend it.

The essential oil of peppermint first of all smells wonderful.  The fragrance is purifying and stimulating to the conscious mind.  Studies have shown that inhaling peppermint oil increased mental accuracy by 28 percent.  When inhaled it can curb the appetite, it improves a sense of taste and researchers have found that peppermint blocked headache pain.

The medical properties - Peppermint is an anti-inflammatory, antitumoral, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, gallbladder/digestive stimulant, pain-reliever, curbs appetite.

You can use peppermint oil for arthritis, respiratory infections (pneumonia, tuberculosis,etc) obesity, viral infections (Herpes simplex, herpes zoster, cold sore, human papilloma virus) funal infections/Candida, digestive problems, headaches, nausea, skin conditions (itchy skin, varicose veins, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, scliosis/lumbago/back problems.

Avoid contact with eyes, mucus membranes, sensitive skin, or fresh wounds or burns.  Do not apply to infants younger than 18 months of age.

Never put any essential oils in the eyes or ears.

On several occasions I have had a tickling in my throat and I put drop of peppermint oil on the palm of my hand and rub my hands together and then cupped my hands over my nose and mouth and inhaled it in and it totally stopped my cough.

As always, check with your physician before trying any oils if you have health issues.

Thanksgiving Trip

We had a wonderful trip to Beavers Bend.  We enjoyed the beautiful change in scenery.  The colors of the leaves were amazing.  I thought all of the leaves would be off of the trees by the time we made our trip but to my surprise the majority of leaves were still on the trees. As we got closer to our destination it reminded me of eastern Texas.  Huge pine trees and the colors were deep reds, burnt oranges and bright yellows and then the deep green of the pines, well it was so beautiful.

They have these beautiful rocks in that part of the state.  They are white and they glisten and some have streaks of orange.  They are very unusual. The picture of the huge shrub is a rosemary bush. I've never seen one that large before.

The log cabin was deep into the woods on top of a hill. Our bedroom faced the east and was upstairs. We had a beautiful view of the forest from our bedroom and was priviledge to see the beautiful sunrise every morning.  The days were warm and we enjoyed all of the outdoor rooms.  Sitting listening to the quite, watching all these beautiful colors fall from the sky as a breeze would break the leaves from their home. The timing of our visit was perfect. Perfect days to go hiking, found a waterfall and a old bus, did a little fishing but no takers, wonderful experience to sit in warm hot tub on a cool night and enjoy the stars.  I was disappointed in the winery.  I was hoping to see how they made the wine.  We enjoyed the tasting and brought back a couple of bottles to enjoy during the holidays.

I was a little sad when it was time to go.....it just passed too quickly.

Blueberry Scones

I think I have posted another recipe for blueberry scones but this new one is the best.  This scone will melt in your mouth.  I got this recipe from a wonderful friend who is also an amazing cook.  I stopped by her home one morning on my way to the city to drop off something and she handed me one of these scones as I was leaving, still warm from the oven.  From the first bite, I knew these were the best scones I had ever eaten.  Trust me, you will love these.

8 tablespoons butter, very cold
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teapsoons baking powder
1/4 teapsoon baking soda
1/2 teapsoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons of melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, for dusting

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and zest in a large bowl.  Grate the butter into the bowl and mix together with your hands to break up any clumps.  In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and sour cream.  Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until mixture just comes together.  Turn out onto a  lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times.  Fold the dough by thirds (like a letter) and place back into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Roll into a 12" square.  Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press to embed them in the dough.  Roll up to form a tight log, then flatten slightly.  Cut into rectangular pieces.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Brush the tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes.  Can drizzle a glaze over the top is desired.  Make glaze with about 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar with a little cream.

Happy Thanksgiving

Our family is headed today to the hills and hollers of southeastern Oklahoma for a very nontraditional Thanksgiving.  There will be hiking, maybe kikacking, a hot tub under the stars and a visit to a local winery.  The menu will consist of hot dogs roasted on a fire pit with, of course, smores.  I have assured my troubled husband that he will get his traditional turkey and dressing on Christmas day and so he is willing to roll now.  :)

Actually, I'm excited about a little change in pace.  I really think it will be fun.  I have always wanted to try kikacking and I have always wanted to visit a winery.  One of the things on my Bucket List is to make my own Blackberry Wine.  A big smile! Maybe I'll get some ideas...who knows!  I also love visiting those little out of the way shops that are crammed full of junk.  You can find so many treasures.

I cooked most of the day yesterday so there will be minimal preparation while we are gone.  Our days will be free to play and have fun and our nights will be filled with rivalry and competition as we play some of our favorite card games.  We'll need a relaxing soak in the hot tub after that. :)

I wish you a memorable Thanksgiving with your family. May it be filled with the things money can't buy.


Always love~

Essential Oils - Lavender

Twenty-five years ago I started looking at alternative ways to health.  I checked out a lot of books from the library and started doing my own research.  I learned a lot of things but one of the major things I learned back then was  the body is made to health itself. Now, I need to say the body is made to heal itself with proper nutrition.

I have always felt that God put herbs and plants on the planet that would help with our healing. Our food source is so deplete of vitamins and minerals and so filled with chemicals that we really need to be taking super foods to give us what we need. One super food that our family has taken for years is Barley Green by AIM Corporation.  Now, we have added Ningxia Red Wolfberry juice which is the highest known antioxidant food, possessing an unmatched ability to abosrb injurious free radicals that attack the body.

I used to buy food from a coop and in their catalog they sold essential oils.  I was always interested in them but didn't purchase any because I wasn't sure how to use them.   A dear friend that I was in the coop with has been telling me recently about some essential oils she was using and the amazing results she was getting. So I joined the company (Young Living Essential Oils) and for a little over six months now I have been using the essential oils. I am really amazed at the results I am getting with these oils. From time to time, I will be sharing information about these oils and how they can improve your health.

As we get older, our blood becomes thicker. The first thing we need to do to thin our blood is to be drinking more water.  Divide your weight in half and that is the amount in ounces that you need to be drinking every day.  That will seem like a lot because none of us drink the amount of water that our bodies need but you can build into drinking that much. Then you can use one drop of lavender oil over your heart (rub it in) this will also thin your blood. No need to take the aspirin a day that the doctors recommend. If you are on a blood thinner do not use the lavender because it will make your blood too thin. 

Lavender also promotes tissue regeneration and speeds wound healing. I bit into a fried mushroom over the weekend and it was hotter than I realized and it burnt the heck out of my lower lip.  I came home and put lavender mixed with a little coconut oil on my lip and it immediately took out the burning and felt so much better. Before we got home a little blister was starting to form. I have applied the lavender several times and it is almost healed. Lavender also is an antifungal, analgesic, antitumoral, vasodilator, anti-inflammatory, reduces blood fat/cholesterol.

You can use lavender for calming (drop several drops in your bath water), respiratory infections, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, menstrual problems, eczema, psoriasis, scarring, stretch marks, burns, hair loss and insomina.

If you are interested in purchasing these oils I would appreciate it if you would contact me at ggschwartz2@juno.com.  I would be happy to sell you the oils or give you more information on how you can purchase your oils direct from the company.  Today, I have just talked about lavender but I can't wait to tell you about the other oils I have been using. I can also give you information on purchasing Barley Green and Ningxia Red Wolfberry juice.

If you have any major health problems always check with your physician before trying any of these oils.

Assumptions!!

Making assumptions are life changers and not life changers for the good. 

I recently read a book and the author was talking about four major "agreements" that people make or do in their life.  They were all thought provoking but the one that played a huge role in my life was the agreement on "Don't Make Assumptions." 

Years ago God taught me a very good lesson in making assumptions. I was making an assumption in a situation and drawing conclusions. It became so real to me that I bellieved it was true not really even knowing if it was true. From my perspective, my assumptions seemed logical...I was evaluating the situation correctly (or so I thought).  Finally, I got the courage to address the situation.  I met with the person involved in my dilemma and I presented my case and asked if I was correct.  To my utter amazement, I was totally wrong and my assumptions couldn't have been further from the truth.

Literally, I was so shocked that I was wrong (because I thought I was so right) that God showed me don't ever make assumptions because you saw how wrong you were in this situation and how it has affected you. In my situation, it was bringing resentment and bitterness and totally affecting my attitude toward this person. When in reality she had done none of the things I thought she had done.
I recently became ensnared again in making assumptions and at times it was consuming my thoughts and robbing my happiness.  I realized I had fallen prey once again to this ghost and I had to find the courage to once again seek the truth to this situation.  I did, and once again what seemed liked actual truth to me turned out to be nothing but fabrications in my own mind. 

We make assumptions all the time.....thinking our partners or our friends know what we think and that we don't have to say what we want. We assume they just know and are going to do what we want.  When they don't we feel hurt. And the drama begins.  I have realized that in life all kinds of assumptions are made because we don't have the courage to ask questions.  It becomes uncomfortable to ask questions.

What is so dangerous about assumptions is that relationships are destroyed over them. For me, I've learned to start asking questions and to make sure communication is clear. And this is another biggy for me, to find my voice and to ask for what I want.  Everyone has the right to tell me yes or no.

Making assumptions is emotional posion.  I have started becoming more aware of this and choosing to not do this and my life is becoming more of what I want it to be. It is one thing to have the knowledge of making assumptions but it's another thing to take the action to not do it.

Thankfully, I have not destroyed any relationships through assumptions.  I eventually got the courage to ask questions but if I hadn't I would not like to think of where I would be now.

Caramel Apples

For days I have been craving caramel apples. So I made some. The sweet/tartness of the Granny Smith apple with the sweetness of the caramel was just what I was wanting.  It hit the spot.  I haven't made caramel apples in years but they were really good.  Two for me and one for my husband.  :)

I had some coconut and pecan mixture left from a Italian Coconut Cream Cake I had made for a customer and I added that to the caramel apples.  I had first thought about rolling the caramel apples in chopped peanuts.

I just melted a package of caramels with 2 tablespoons of water and then dipped the apples in the caramel, rolled the apples in the coconut and pecan and then let them cool on wax paper.

PERFECT Fall Days

I woke up this morning thinking about how perfect these fall days are. 

The perfect coolness in the morning where my old chenille robe and furry houseshoes are perfect to keep me warm along with my one cup of coffee.

Perfect weather to work outside. Long sleeve shirts can give way to old T-shirts. The perfect light breeze to cool me down.  Just no humidity this time of the year. 

The sun this time of the year is just perfect to warm your bones and to take an afternoon nap in the hammock.  The sun just feels good on my body.

The colors are so perfect this time of the year.....my favorites.

The perfect harvest moon this time of the year. That big round ball coming up over the hill. Just beautiful!

Then the perfect coolness of the evening where I am looking for my favorite fleece vest to warm me up.

Lastly, there is nothing like that perfect cup of hot tea in the evening before bed on these perfect fall evenings.

What abundance to have so many perfect beautiful days!   I'm truly blessed~