How are you celebrating Earth Day?

Good morning!  My son just stepped out the door on his way to school and I'm about to get started on my final project for my Public Relations ROI course at Kent State.  This one is a doozy and I'm not looking forward to putting it together--as anyone who knows me can tell by what I end up doing each time I try to focus on it.  Yet I wanted to take the time to wish you a wonderful Earth Day too--even with the millions of people posting about it. (In case you haven't realized, I am the same way with online content as I am with papers, etc--There are so many people out there trying to stand on some sort of bandwagon spewing forth words upon words upon words.  Sometimes--one just needs to listen to the sounds of Mother Earth and give thanks vs. some long winded diatribe on what everyone should already know).

So--what are we at MountainsDreamz focusing on for Earth Day?  or Earth Week?  Tinctures--Balms--and Syrups.  I'm really into making syrups of late.  I've picked up my recipes for more syrups--and just scored a huge order of plastic bottles to store them in. On the work list?

• Horehound Syrup
• Persistent Cough Syrup
• Iron Building Syrup
• Elecampane Syrup
• Elderberry Syrup.

and for the upcoming season outside--Bug and Tick Spray.

The funny thing is, our family doesn't get sick all that much.  There's the occasional stress headache my son gets when things are too piled high at school and outside performances.  The aches and pains of growing up my daughter feels and the occasional issues our eldest dog Babygurl goes thru as she ages. So many folks have so many health issues to work through.  Giving thanks for our constitution I guess, and Mother Nature's blessings in our family.  And regardless of not getting sick alot--I am still in to these syrups.  Honey is my new favorite base for anything I am making.  I love the texture and taste.  I have two syrups in my fridge right now that go in everything I drink.  One is a Spring Pine Syrup (which I have for sale on my etsy site)--made with Northwood's Pine Needles and Osha.  Another is for the pain I have with my back--made with Comfrey, Red Raspberry and Nettle (not for sale--just testing it out). 

Faela and I have been out working in the garden too.  Moving the leaves from last fall that could have been done prior to winter--but we love looking at them so much it's hard to get rid of them.  Watching the new born crocuses or tulips coming up.  Harvesting dandelion for a new tincture.  Finding birch bark for a tincture, balm and syrup. Watching our tinctures and infused oils percolate and set up.  I have a client waiting on a line of products made for skin cancer.  Both her mom and dad have it, and she's wanting a full line of product for all three of them to use.  Soon--in time.  One of the finer lessons Mother Nature teaches us all is patience.  Gathering the herbs, creating the decoction or infusion--finally working it into a soap or a balm and then sending it off with blessings. I am so grateful for this time that I have to do this.  Back pain issues aside--we really are blessed. It really is a beautiful day--week--life! Another lesson we're learning about is back to those leaves.  What is covering up or hiding what's underneath.  How it takes time and work to move aside the barriers, even if we wanted the barrier there in the first place.  I've had friends and family, even prior work friends, try to keep me from working with herbs--Mother Nature.  Getting them to see it's not a thing I'm going through.  Getting them to accept that yes, even white people know how to heal, how to work with plants--sometimes much better than folks whose ancestry should preclude it.  Grateful for those who trained me, grateful for Mother's guidance and love.  Continuing on my journey to heal what humanity continues to do to our Mother Earth.  To my community.  Even if 'they' don't approve....

Last week I complied with doctor's orders and went through one of possibly three procedures for my back.  I only shared it ahead of time with one or two people--thinking, oh, it is supposed to help.  Maybe it will. Or maybe I was just being like my dad and not including you all in the worry before hand or during.  They took me into this room--after giving me some kind of stimulant to speed up the pain relief I'd already taken.  Supposedly put a numbing agent in and around where the injection would go.  And without letting me know stuck a needle in my back.  Their intention was to put a steroid in the spinal cavity around the nerve that is giving me such intense pain.  Sciatic nerve--down my right leg--that has kept my leg and foot numb for months. Apparently my 'fascia' is stronger than most--so once they got the needle in, they needed to push extra hard to penetrate.  Apparently the needle was too short too.  Therein lies the problem.  I screamed out loudly and cursed them to no end under my breath.  Apologies were said, and I was whisked back to my 'room'. Five days after I am still hardly walking around.  Bed rest for two days, stumbling when and where I could.  It was and still is horrible.  They called me to schedule another one for 'shits and giggles' they said. Of course then the earth began spewing volcanic ash, earthquakes everywhere and severe flooding. We'll see if there's a next one.

All in all it's certainly been an interesting journey.  And off I go to work on some more herbal creations.  Take some time today to listen.  Go outside and hug a tree as they used to say.  I'm heading outside I hope later tonite--to explore the sounds of a mystery critter outside my window and make my offerings to Gramma Moon.  We've heard it the past several nights...and as close as I can tell we have either a baby bear...a disgruntled fox...or a yeti baby making itself known.  We'll keep you posted on that explorations...hope you're listening and find out what's going on with us.  Do something good today...and?  Buy more soap!

Sandy

MountainsDreamz