A Glimpse of the Universe

Hello our bright and beautiful friends! It has been a bit o' time since I've emailed and I so apologize! I had some 'technical difficulties' that were solved with a simple cord purchase--and a talking to to our new puppy as I'm almost certain she chewed right through it. On to our March Newsletter! Since I began bringing my products out only a mere year ago I have little history to go on as far as what is popular, what is selling and what needs to find a new home. With that in mind, I'm revamping many of my original products that I'd made originally as melt and pour soaps. Nothing wrong with these products at all--it was an incredibly easy way for me to learn to make soaps and blend the herbal knowledge within. In this last year though I've found that on hot sweltering days under a tent at a farmer's market---they can re-melt. Sooooooo we are reformulating them and making them from scratch. Several of my original products will then be offered on sale, and you'll have the opportunity to try out some new ones as well. Exciting right?

In the yearly spirit of revamping or tweaking what's been less than successful--I'm going for a stronger presence with my marketing. I know, right? For those of you who knew me when....I have my yearly marketing calendar in place and will begin this month to make some changes. The first? I've asked several guest bloggers to help out this year and today you will meet them both. Shari E. lives here in Eagle River like we do and has been a Natural health product supplier, advocate and educator for years. Please take some time to amble over to her sight and see what is going on! Diana lives down near Madison and after purchasing several of our products has embarked on a journey with essential oils that is changing her and the fams life! She has a small article this month with more to come. Both of these lovely ladies work with product lines that I myself do not create so cannot carry on my Etsy site, but know that as we work together, all of us can be successful doing what we love

Two--make that three-- things I need from you....all or some of even just five of you!!!!

One? testers....I have last years products and the new year's products. I need to know the down low and the up high on what you think, feel or see with the differences. I also have new product that will need new testers---but I need honest answers!!! I love that you love my products---don't get me wrong---but what is it doing to your skin? photos? (or not) lol. and thank you!

Two? Every three or four months I'll be calling on several of you to write a testimonial or -- if you work in a related field-- asking pretty please for a guest blog.

and Three? anyone have ideas or photos of what they've done to have a garden while living in the town of? I'm bursting at the seams as it is and will have to build something in order to get my hands dirty this year. Easy peasy though--and yes I do know about the Community Garden. Just really feeling the need to have something to putter around in during the wee hours of the morning!

I'm thinking that is about all for now---thank you for helping to support our dreams over the long winter! Let's think Spring!

Bright blessings,
Sandy
MountainsDreamz

Ready in 4 - 6 weeks!

Forward

Ready Now!

Naturally Clean and Safe Home

Have you made the switch? It's easier than you think! Chemicals used in the housecleaning products are often toxic & harmful. Fragrances, Phenols, Petroleum solvents, and many other ingredients not only reduce the quality of drinking water, pollute the land and soil, but also are a contributor to many health issues.
Cleaning with essential oils is not only a safe alternative but an effective one.
My top 6 essential oils for household cleaning is Oregano, Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary, Lavender and Melaleuca.

Melaleuca is ideal antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antifungal and insecticidal.
Lavender great for refreshing air and nice additive to laundry
Rosemary used as a antibacterial, anti-infectious and antifungal. Bonus increases concentration and mental activity!
Lemon dissolves adhesive, polishes chrome & wood, antimicrobial, antiseptic and fungicidal.
Peppermint deters spiders and ants, antibacterial & antiviral
Oregano destroys virus, mold, bacteria & fungus

Essential Oils can be made into sprays, scrubbing pastes and air fresheners with little effort. These cleaners will kill germs safely, have healthy benefits, save money and are responsible to the environment.
Contact me for great cleaning recipes bluenatureoils@gmail.com
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or like us on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Bluenatureoils/

Natural Solutions For You, Your Home & Health

Shari Ebinal

Wellness Advocate/Educator

Dandelion Tart Recipe
Martha Rose Shulman

This tart tastes rich and creamy, though there is no cream in it. When you blanch the dandelion greens, they lose some of their bitterness.

Featured in: Just Don’T Call Them Weeds.

INGREDIENTS

1 generous bunch dandelion greens, about 12 ounces
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
6 mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup sliced mushrooms)
1 or 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced
4 large or extra large eggs
¾ cup low-fat milk
Freshly ground pepper
¾ cup Gruyère cheese, grated (3 ounces)
1 yeasted olive oil crust

PREPARATION

Cut the tough stems from the dandelion greens, about 1 inch from the bottom, and wash in two changes of water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the dandelion greens. Blanch four minutes and transfer to the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and chop.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes, and add a pinch of salt and the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for four to five minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the dandelion greens. Stir together for a minute, and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Brush the bottom of the pastry shell, and place in the preheated oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven. Whisk the milk into the eggs, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste and stir in the cooked vegetables and cheese. Turn into the crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm

Tip

Variation: Omit the crust and make this as a gratin. If you wish, you can make the gratin using only three eggs and 1/2 cup milk. Advance preparation: You can prepare the greens up to three days in advance and keep them in the refrigerator. You can make the recipe through step 2 several hours before assembling and baking the tart. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom: The Ultimate Guide

As we continue our journey researching other powerful medicinal mushrooms, today we're looking at another fine example - Lion's Mane Mushroom.

Lion's Mane is a charming, almost otherworldly mushroom that may look alien but contains some of the best medicinal compounds of any food on earth.

Named for its flowing "hair," it is also called Bearded Tooth, Satyr's Beard, Pom Pom Blanc, and in Japan Yamabushitake. Its scientific name is Hericium erinaceus.

While Lion's Mane has been used in Asian folk medicine for centuries, it used to be reserved for the rich and powerful because of how uncommon it is in the wild.

Fortunately, it takes well to cultivation, so today everyone can benefit from its properties. It can even be grown at home with minimal effort using commercially available "fruiting blocks" as you can see in the video below.

Chaga mushrooms and cancer: what does the science say?

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is one of the most widely researched medicinal mushrooms. People all over the world now routinely drink Chaga tea as a means to keep their body strong in the cold and flu season.

The health benefits of Chaga extract have been explored in more than 1,600 scientific papers. Much of this research focuses on the ability of Chaga mushrooms to enhance our immune systems and serve as an anti-oxidant (Glamočlija, 2015).

Interestingly, there is an additional health aspect of Chaga that is actively being explored by scientists. Preliminary data suggests the capacity for Chaga to fight certain cancers. I want to stress that this research is preliminary. I am unaware of any human, clinical data on the subject. That said, there are some interesting cell culture and animal studies showing anti-tumor and pro-apoptotic results. I think these reports are intriguing and worth exploring.

4 Rare Herbs to Add to Your Garden

from Mother Earth Living
By Ashley Houk
Tags: Lemongrass, Loveage, Rue, Szechuan Buttons, Toothache Plant, Natural Remedies, Herb Gardening, Ashley Houk,

Before hospitals, clinics or doctors were available to everyone, herbs were an important part of peoples’ lives. As time progressed, many medicinal herbs were used for their culinary properties to add flavor. Although you can find plenty of herbs, fresh and dried, in most grocery stores, growing your own herbs is much more satisfying, economical and will guarantee their freshness.

Herbs are easy-to-grow and can be thrive in containers if you have limited space. When selecting which herbs to plant in your garden, always consider your needs and what your family will use the most. If you already know your most-used herbs, try incorporating some of these harder-to-find, rare herbs into your garden design to add beauty and more variety.