Wishing you a fulfilled New Year!

I didn't want to start out saying happy new year although I do want it to be a year filled with happiness and peace and health but I know you will have all those things if it has been a year that is fulfilled.  We all start out the new year with our various goals of losing weight, stop smoking, stop drinking, be more disciplined, spend more time praying and this list can go on and on. So whatever your goals may be for this new year or whatever changes you would like to see in your life it's my prayer and wish that they will be fulfilled.

May your life be filled with determination, diligence, an attitude of I will never, never give up. And on the other side of that coin remember to be gentle with yourself, don't take life too seriously and always remember tomorrow is a new day.

These are the words to a song I have been listening to recently and they are my prayer for you this  new year.   Always love to you~

May the angels protect you and trouble neglect you
May you always have plenty your glass never empty
Know in your heart your never alone
May your tears come from laughing
You find friends worth having  with every year passing they mean more than gold
May you ever stay humble and smile more than grumble and
Know when you stumble your never alone.

Will I have to be honest as much as I want it I'm not going to promise the cold
winds won't blow but when hard times have found you and fears surround you
know in your heart that you're never alone.

Cauliflower Salad

This is a salad that we have had for years only on Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mother loved this salad and years ago she had eaten it at Dodson's Cafeteria.  Luckily, she found the recipe and after that we always had this on holidays.  For some reason the men folk in our family do not eat this. But the women love it.

It is a wonderful salad and of course I have carried on the tradition.  My sister usually brings the salads for our holiday meals and this Christmas she was out of town and so I had to make it.  It only has four ingredients but I couldn't remember if it was mayo or miracle whip for the dressing.  I looked in several recipe books and no one had this salad.  So I thought this might be a good one to share on my blog.  It is a wonderful addition to turkey and dressing and all the fixins.

1 head of cauliflower (sliced very thin) use just the flower part not the stalk
1 tablespoon of chopped onion (if it is a large head you might want to use 2 tablespoons)
1 small can of chopped black olives ( I used sliced but chopped is better)
1/4 to 1/3 cup of Miracle Whip
salt and pepper to taste

New Table Ideas

Sorry the picture is sideways! :( 

This morning I was sitting and thinking about dishes, new glasses, redecorating and I became very excited.  I know there are a lot of you who are thinking, are you kidding, you got excited thinking about dishes, glasses etc.  Well, it's really true.  My energy level starts to go through the roof when I start thinking about things like this.  I truly love it.  I love putting things together that you think wouldn't work but comes out looking wonderful. 

I really do need new glasses and everyday dishes but I haven't seen yet what I love.  I would like red or green dishes.  My mom used to have an everyday set dishes that had huge red roses on them.  You would have to see it.  It wasn't an expensive set but I still remember them (that should say something) and I loved them.  I have wanted red dishes for years but haven't seen just what I want.  I recently saw some green glasses that I liked at Tuesday Morning. I loved the color and the glass but they didn't have a full set.

The picture above is my china pattern.  Years ago I got a free set of china and crystal with my cookware.  My cookware was very expensive but it was great and has lasted a long time but it is starting to ware  also. When I got married, I liked the cream colored china with the small gold edging. The china I have, I have never been totally happy with but decided to go with it because it was free. It was not exactly what I wanted but it was close and I thought I would be happy with it.  I wasn't! I find that I just don't use it.  First Lesson - Never buy what you are not totally happy with even if it's free!

This is my new idea for my china.  I going to start looking at garage sales, thrift stores, and junk stores for salad plates that are china that are patterned to go with my plates. I will keep you posted on my discoveries.

The other thing I have decided to do is to start using my mother's silverware.  I love the pattern and it all needs to be shined up.  Again, my everyday silver ware that I bought when we got married has seen better days.  Some of it is missing and I still love it and will use it some but I am going to use my mom's too. She has tea spoons and soup spoons and I love the shape of them. Why not use these things that are beautiful and get enjoyment of out them instead of keeping them put up and out of sight.

I am excited to see what I'm going to find and I'll keep you posted of my discoveries.

Frankincense

Since today is Christmas eve and the Bible tells the story of the gifts that were brought to Jesus, one of those gifts was Frankincense. There are over 52 references to Frankincense in the Bible.  Frankincense is considered the holy anointing oil in the Middle East and has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years.  During the time of Christ, it was well known for its healing powers.  Used to treat every conceivable ill known to man, frankincense was valued more than gold during ancient times and only those with great wealth and abundance possessed it.  It is mentioned in one of the oldest known medical records, Ebers Payrus (dating from the sixteenth century B.C.) an ancient Egyptian list of 877 prescriptions and recipes.

The medical properties of Frankincense - Antitumoral, immunostimulant, antidepressant, muscle relaxing.

The uses for Frankincense are depression, cancer, respiratory infections, inflammation, immune-stimulating. Frankincense contains sesquiterpenes which stimulate the limbic system of the brain (the center of memory and emotions) and the hypothalamus, pineal and pituitary glands.  The hypothalamus is the master gland of the human body, producing many vital hormones including thyroid and growth hormones.

Dr. Linn at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is now doing clinical studies on treating cancer patients with Frankincense. The Frankincense for his clinical studies is being provided by Young Living Essential Oils.  Thus far, he is having phenomenal results having cured 4 to 5 different types of cancer in a matter of a few months.

Also Frankincense coupled with copaiba (an essential oil) is a great fighter against inflammation in the body.

Frankincense can be taken internally, diffused, inhaled, 2-4 drops on chakras/vita flex points.

BURZYNSKI

Last night I watched a documentary on Netflix, it is simply called Burzynski.  Dr. Burzynski came from Poland, he is a medical doctor and the bottom line is, he found a cure for cancer. He lived in Houston and treated patients from there.  When the documentary was over, I wasn't sure if he was still living in Houston and practicing medicine. I'm assuming he is.  I didn't do any research on him presently before I started writing this.

I was outraged as I watched this documentary. Dr. Burzynski must have thought he was living back in Poland and the communist had taken over. The FDA took him to court 7 or 8 times and every time he was acquitted. He had patented his drugs and it's protocol.  They were not toxic! When the FDA couldn't get him The National Cancer Institute started after him.  To make a long story short ( I can't urge you enough to watch this documentary) the United States government stole his patent and made it their own.

Our government  is corrupt to the core but when I watched this documentary, and we all know the devastating effects that cancer has on the victim and the family it touches, I am still surprised at the ruthlessness that greed and power can put in the hearts of men and woman.

I can't remember if I've told this story on my blog before, but 25 years ago I was having symptoms with my heart.  Thankfully, the doctor didn't find anything and my heart was ok. But I was explaining something to my doctor and I said, "I know this is going to sound weird to you" and it was the concept that if there is not a physical cause for illness it could be something spiritual.  When I got in my car that day to leave the doctor's office, out of the blue God said, "don't ever say my ways are weird again, it's their ways that are weird." I asked God that day, "what are YOUR ways"?  I've spent the last 25 years learning what God's ways are and I by no means have it figured out but through the years He has led me to alternatives that work.

Good organic food and good water is a good place to start. Not the public water supply! I know organic is expensive and if you can't afford that (and I can't always either) I try to buy the freshest food possible.  That's why I try to grow our own. God made your body to heal itself.

In the last year, I've found Young Living essential oils and I believe these oils are a game changer for your health. And by the way, the FDA is after Gary Young, owner of Young Living. So that should tell you something about how good essential oils are if they are a therapeutic grade.

Drugs are made from chemicals that have terrible side effects.  There are other alternatives.
I hope you will be able to watch this documentary.

Southern Italian Chicken Soup

I made this soup for dinner last night and it is a very hearty delicious soup.  The recipe calls for chicken breast and you brown them in a skillet for about 5 minutes.  I already had a whole chicken, so I boiled my chicken, let it cool and then took the meat off of the bone. The fried chicken breast may really give the soup a little different flavor and next time I make it I am going to try the fried breast but you now have two options. I love soup and I cannot have to many soup recipes!

1 large onion diced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced  (the recipe calls for only one)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups chicken broth
1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes flavored with basil, onion and garlic)
1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 (6 to 8 oz.) skinned and boned chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups sliced fresh okra ( I used frozen)
1 (15.5 ounce)can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed ( I had frozen and used them)
1 (9 ounce) package refrigerated cheese filled tortelini
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Saute first 4 ingredients in 2 tablespoons of hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Cook in remaining olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly (about 5 minutes) cut into 1 inch pieces.

Add okra, black-eyed peas, and chicken to Dutch oven, simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until okra (and if you use frozen blackeyed peas) and peas are tender.  Add tortelini and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes or until tortelini is done.  Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

This soup is great alone but would be good with a small salad or a big piece of garlic crusty french bread. We had the bread and it was great for dipping. :)

Proof of Heaven

A couple of days ago, I finished reading Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, M. D.  He is a neurosurgeon that contracted bacterial mennigitis.  He was in a coma for one week and during that week is his Proof of Heaven.

It was very interesting because he didn't believe in God and scientifically he had come to the conclusion  that there wasn't any consciousness after death.  His experience was very interesting, he didn't start out seeing the tunnel with the bright light at the end.

I became interested in what happens when you die when my dad died.  I had one of those (the light came on experiences) when he died.  I had been in his room only 10 minutes before he died and even though he was in a coma I knew he was there.  After his death, and we went back into his room because we were not permitted to be in the room when he died, immediately even though his body was there I knew he was gone.  I know you are probably thinking duh, yes he is gone, but for me it was an awakening point where I realized we are not our body, that our body is just a shell that carries us around. So I really wanted to know what happens when you die and over the years I have read quite a few books on the subject.

It's probably the best book I've read on near death experiences and it's a quick read.

YUM! Chocolate

The first thing I want to tell you about is Woody's Candy Company.  He is located east off of North Western on 72nd.  Check the address before you go over but I think it is 72nd.  He has been in business for years.  My best friend's mother in grade school worked for him and she always had tons of candy canes at Christmas time.  Then for years, the old Farmer's Market carried all of his candies during the holidays as well as privately owned grocery stores.  In the past two years, he stopped supplying the grocery stores with his candy and the old Farmer's Market has closed their doors.  So believe me when I say," it is worth a trip to his candy store." You will be so glad you took my advice. He also sells candy for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

He makes the best chocolate peanut clusters I have ever eaten and his almond chocolate toffee is out of this world.  All kinds of brittle, peanut, cashew and pecan.  All kinds of hard candy - peppermint and old fashioned lemon drops just to name a few.  Chocolate covered raisins, white chocolate covered pretzels and I could go on and on.  Everything is beautifully packaged and these candies make wonderful gifts. For the person who has everything.....they will love these candies.

Now for Katie's (our daughter) wonderful peanut butter balls.  This is a recipe from my beloved aunt.  I used to get with her every holiday season and we would make these peanut butter balls. This is one of those candies that our family loves and I haven't made them in a long time.  Katie came down Sunday and brought us a container full of some she had made.  They were wonderful.  I had forgotten how good they are.  I couldn't stop eating them :(  

I wanted to share the recipe with you.  If you have never tried these and you like peanut butter and chocolate....you'll love them.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 pound 14 ounce jar crunchy peanut butter, 1 box powdered sugar, 1 stick butter, 3 cups rice crispies.
Mix the peanut butter and butter together then add the powdered sugar.  When the powdered sugar is incorporated well then stir in the rice crispies. Then form walnut size balls. 
Melt one slab of paraffin over low heat the it is melted add one 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips.  When the chips are melted, dip the balls into the chocolate and let the balls set on wax paper.
My daughter used just chocolate chips this year because she didn't want to use the paraffin and they turned out great.  If you do not use the paraffin, they cannot stay out at room temperature for a long period of time.

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.  Try not to get so busy that you need a holiday from the holiday. Keep it simple and enjoy the people you love!

Thieves Oil

This oil is named after a group of 15th-century thieves who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying.  When apprehended, these thieves disclosed the formula of herbs, spices and oils they used to protect themselves in exchange for more lenient punishment.

Thieves is a blend of several oils; clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus and rosemary.  I have been diffusing this a lot lately in our home.  It has great killing power against airborne microorganisms.  One analysis showed a 90 percent reduction in the number of gram positive Micrococcus luteus organisms after diffusing for 12 minutes.  After diffusing for 20 minutes, the killing jumped to 99.3 percent.  I run the diffuser for 15 to 20 minutes every 3 to 4 hours.  It really makes the house smell good also. 

This is great for sore throats, colds, sinus problems.  You can apply on the bottoms of your feet. Or if you have a headache put a drop on your tongue and then push against the roof of your mouth.

You can also put 4 to 8 drops on a cotton ball and stick it in your air vents.  Add several drops to a wet cloth and put in clothes dryer.

Pecans, Pecans, Pecans!

We have a bumper crop of pecans this year.  This may be the only benefit of the mild winter from last year.  Our fruit trees and pecans trees had wonderful crops this year.  It did not freeze in the spring this year so all the fruits and nuts did very well.  You would not believe all the pecans, Gary and I will be cracking nuts for quite some time.

I'm not complaining, very thankful for these especially when I see the prices continually rising at the grocery store.

Making Wreaths

A very dear friend and (my Indian food eating buddy) invited me out for the day to celebrate my birthday.  We had a wonderful time.  First on the agenda, was a wreath making class at Will Rogers Community Center (not sure if that's the exact title).  This is a well kept secret.  There are gardening classes there once a month taught by a very knowlegeable horticulturalist.  I have attended a few of his classes and I always learn something new.  The last class of the year is a wreath making class and the wonderful thing is, it is FREE.  You can't believe all of the different types of natural greenry.  It is all the trimmings from the park and another property. And there are tons of it. 

I didn't really know what to expect from the class but was pleasantly surprised.  I made a small wreath for our bedroom window and when the class was over they passed out huge plastic bags so you could bring more greenry home.  I brought home enough greenry to decorate the wreath that hangs on our pickett fence and to fill my old wheelbarrow by the den door.

Well, after we loaded our cars with all our greenry we headed for our favorite Indian restaurant. It was wonderful, all the Indian dishes I love plus their wonderful mint sauce and cucumber sauce.  You already know, I ate too much, but I always do when I go there.  We then headed back to her home for some afternoon tea and a good visit. We were both so full, if we had been honest with each other we probably could have laid down and took a good nap! :)

It was a wonderful day, an activity that I loved, great food and I shared it with a great friend.


P.S.  Next time you are trimming shrubs or a neighbor is see if you can be creative with the clippings!

Making hand and body lotion

Ok, this is my first attempt at making lotion.  One of my dear friends gave me some lotion she made last year at about this time of the year and it was wonderful.  My husband always has trouble this time of the year with the skin around his fingers cracking (it gets very painful) and the lotion you buy at the store didn't seem to help that well.  The lotion my friend made, he loved.  In fact, he told me to never run out of this, it's great.  It was a jar about the size of the ones in the picture and it lasted all winter.  It was very soothing and my hands and legs were very soft.  It really helped my dry skin.

Why make your own lotion?  Read the label on the lotion you use and then google the ingredients and find out what you are rubbing into your body.  It will be quite an eye opener.  So making lotion has become another item on my resume. :) 

This is my first batch that I made for my children and me and my hubby.  It's not as smooth as the lotion from my friend.  I haven't got to talk to her yet so I don't know why it's a little grainy but it still does the trick of making our skin very soft.  I even use it as a moisturizer for my face.

These are the ingredients:
Small batch:  2 ounces raw Shea butter, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Larger batch: 8 ounces of Shea butter, 1/2 cup of coconut oil, 1/4 cup olive oil

This is the basic recipe.  I added to this coco butter , bees wax.  I also added red raspberry seed oil, lavender essential oil and peppermint essential oil.  Red raspberry seed oil is extraordinarily high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and is a superb anti-oxidant.  Research shows that its high level of Vitamin E is known to give it an important role in skin repair and conditioning.   Red raspberry oil is known for its prevention of gingivitis, rashes, eczema and other skin lesions.  It creates a lipid barrier providing protection to the skin and provides moisture retention for the skin. It is also a natural sunblock. I added the lavender and peppermint because lavender is great for skin repair, burns, ecemza, psoriasis and peppermint is also good for ecemza and psoriasis and they both smell wonderful.  There are other essential oils that are wonderful for skin problems, these were the two that I had purchased.

So this was my recipe:
12 ounces Shea butter
1 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup coco butter
2 ounces bees wax
6 teaspoons red raspberry seed oil
10 drops of lavender
10 drops of peppermint oil

I melted the first 5 ingredients and allowed them to cool but not completely and then added the red raspberry seed oil, lavender, and peppermint oil.  As I said early, my lotion is grainy I don't know why but I will keep you informed as I perfect this lotion. It is wonderful for your skin and it makes it feel very soft.

Something else I have started to do, got this idea from my daughter, I take about a tablespoon of coconut oil and put 4 drops of lavender and use this also as a moisturizer at night. This will also keep in a small glass container.  Do not put essential oils in plastic containers the plastic will leach into the essential oil.

If you have babies or toddlers read the ingredients on the Johnson's and Johnson's baby lotion. 

Catering a Ladies Christmas Luncheon

Some ideas for your next party or for celebrating the holidays.  First, let me point out the tablecloth how the ends are tied. I love the look and it also keeps your guests from catching their toe in a cloth that goes to the floor. It's hard to tell from these pictures but my client had a beautiful gold tablecloth and I accented it with a white cloth that had gold and silver strands in it. 

Elevating foods on the table looks so much more appealing than having everything the same level. Foods all have such beautiful colors it is easy celebrating the season with so many red and green combinations. The red and greens apples, red cherry tomatoes with green basil and mozzarella cheese balls, red and green peppers and I decorated the top of an herb cheesecake with rosemary from my garden and pomegranate seeds. For the veggie platter, red pepper hummus dip and creamy green avacado dip.

Last but not least, I put cranberries on the ends of picks for the cranberry meatballs I made.  I think it made a great presentation and looked very festive.  The ladies at the luncheon loved the idea.

A lot of work, but I love seeing it all come together.  The food was wonderful and my client was very pleased!

Cranberry Meatballs

2 pounds of ground chuck
2 large eggs,
1/3 cup of dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 garlic
1/2 t. onion powder (I used 1/2 cup finely diced onion, I like the flavor of the real onion)
1/2 teaspoon of thyme ( I used fresh thyme from my garden and I used 1 heaping tablespoon)
1-16 ounce can cranberry sauce
1-12 ounce jar chili sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl.  Shape mixture into about 54 (l inch ) balls.  I used a melon baller to help me get the correct amount.
Cook meatballs, in batches, in a large skillet over medium heat until brown. Remove meatballs from pan and drain well on paper towels. I then put meatballs in a casserole dish and finished them off in the oven, 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  I don't like pink meat. When meatballs are done, drain off any grease.

Stir together cranberry and chili sauces and next 5 ingredients in large dutch oven over medium heat and cook whisking occasionally until smooth.  Let sauce simmer about 10 minutes on low heat and then cover the meatballs. Then transfer to a chafin dish or crock pot on low.  When I am catering, I put the crock pot on low and occasionally will turn it off for about 20 minutes and then turn it on again  because I don't want the meatballs to cook I just warm to keep them warm.

Note:  To make ahead you can place cook meatballs in a zip-lock plastic freezer bag and freeze up to one month.  Thaw in frig, warm sligthly in oven and then cover with warmed sauce.

Hungry Cats

I never thought I would be a cat person but after we moved to the country they won my heart.  It's so funny because in the morning when they see me in the kitchen they start to gather around the back door and if I don't bring out the grub, Susie stands and looks in the kitchen window at me until I cooperate.

I've been posting information about essential oils but just a short testimony from me.  Yesterday, I was taking something from the oven and my index finger hit the element and burned the heck out of it.  When I looked at my finger, it was white where it had burned it.  I immediately put a drop of lavendar oil on it and immediately the burning and reddness was gone.  I have a very small blister now but no reddness or burning. It does burn just a little if water hits it but that's it.  I am continually amazed by these oils.  I just can't say enough about them. I love it because it is all natural.

Both of our daughters at different times recently started getting symptoms of a sore throat and sinus congestion. They had some swollen lymph glands in their neck.  One daughter rubbed peppermint oil on her throat and on her sinus area, the other daughter took 4 drops of clove oil in a capsule and they both got up the next morning with no symptoms and the lymph glands were down.

If you are interested in more information about essential oils please contact me at ggschwartz2@juno.com. 

I almost forgot.  This weather is perfect for star gazing in the evening.  Saturday evening I was out for several hours.  It was so nice, perfect temperature, no bugs and in less than an hour I saw two shooting starts. If I had a more comfortable chair I would have dozed off to sleep.

Lemon Oil

As I said in the last post, lemon and peppermint were two of the first oils I used.  The smell of lemon oil is also so refreshing. It's amazing to me that lemon oil has so many benefits.

First, let me tell you of some of the research that has been done on lemon oil.  Vaporized lemon oil can kill meningococcus bacteria in 15 minutes, typhoid bacilli in one hour, staphylococcus in two hours, and pneumococcus bacteria within three hours. Lemon oil has been widely used in skin care and can reduce wrinkles (yeah) and combat acne.

The medical properities  - lemon oil is antitumoral, antiseptic, improves microcirculation, and immune stimulant (increases white blood cells) improves memory, relaxation.  Rich in limonene, which has ben extensively studied for its ability to combat tumor growth in over 50 clinical studies.

The uses for lemon oil are circulatory problems, arteriosclerosis, obestiy, parasite, urinary tract infections, varicose veins, anxiety, hypertension, digestive probems and acne.

When this fragance is diffused it promotes clarity of thought and purpose.  In a study, when lemon was diffused it resulted in 54 percent fewer errors.

It can be used internally and externally but avoid getting in the sun or UV light within 72 hours of using it.

Lemon oil has become my deodorant.  When I firsted started using it, it would sting my underarms but after a week or so it stopped.  It doesn't keep you from perspiring but there is no smell.  It really works great.  Since you have a good amount of lymph system under your arm and it is also close to your breast and lemon oil is antitumoral this is a good place to apply it.  Lemon oil is also good in your water and you can also use it for baking.  If you have granite counter tops it cleans them very well with no streaks and also sterilizes them. It will remove gum, oil and grease spots. Add one teaspoon to mineral oil for a furniture polish. Add a few drops to your dishwasher for spot free dishes. It also helps with bleeding gums and cold sores.

If you have any serious health issues always check with your physician before using essential oils.

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~

Pumpkin Pie and Remembering Grandma

My husband has been hinting several days that it's time for pumpkin pie.  I have to agree with him.  As I am writing this, the smell is so wonderful I can't wait to get a big slice and a big dollop of whipping cream.  I guess that means an extra several laps around the pool this evening.  :(

I never make a pumpkin pie that I don't think of my dear sweet grandma.  I make my pumpkin pie just the way she did.  I can still see her little chubby hands holding a knife and slicing three slices of butter to put on the top of her pie.  I always put butter on the tops of my pumpkin pies for no other reason than in rememberance of her.  I loved watching her cook and she was a wonderful cook.  I loved spending weekends with her because she would play with me and she always made me something wonderful to eat.

I made an extra pie for our vet.  He has helped us so much with our animals.....just a little thank you gift.  Well, the timer is calling me and I must go.  :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Caramel Apple Cake

Just a reminder.  In May, I posted a recipe for Caramel Apple Cake.  It's my first post for May.  I would just like to encourage to make this cake, and be sure and greased the bundt pan, so it won't look like mine. :)  This cake is so wonderful and has all the flavors you want to taste this time of the year. This is a great Sunday dinner dessert or you would love it for the holidays too.

I can already smell it.  This Sunday, pot roast, cauliflower salad and this wonderful caramel cake.

Last Baling of the Season

I know I have posted this probably too many times but I love bailing. I love looking at the tractors, the hay bales, the pasture freshly mowed,  the whole process.  I have on our barn the quote "Barnes are the shrines of a good life and they ought to be remembered." So farming and baling hay is another part of the good life that I think should be remembered.  So, I suppose I will continue to post these pictures as I see them from time to time.  It so moves my soul I can't help myself. It's my hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.

These are pictures of our neighbor once again getting the last bit of hay for his cows. He was here at the crack of dawn working.  My pictures don't capture the beauty of the rising sun on him as he does his labor.