The Beauty of Today

I fell in love with this when I saw it not only because Pooh makes profound statements worthy of remembering but because it reminded me of my father.  My father would always say "Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I never do work on the first day of the rest of my life." Or work would be substituted with other things like worry and such.  Although it is different then the above saying it still adds an appreciation or different perspective on looking at today in a more positive attitude.  So from now on I will value Winnie-the-Pooh's philosophies as being of the same caliber as my father's philosophies. 

The Beauty of Butterfly Pies

Calling All Butterfly Watchers

Materials:

• Pie Tin
• Dirt
• Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• Hand Fulls of Flower Petals

Combine dirt and water in pie tin, with bare hands, of course. Mix well into a traditional mud pie.  Add 1 cup of sugar and then the flower petals, again, with bare hands, of course.  Place pie tin outside on a sunny day and watch for butterflies! Don't forget to take pictures!

My students loved this activity, even those who don't always like to get their hands dirty. Maybe prompting was necessary to use more than just their fingers or even two hands, but the excitement of putting out butterfly food was the best motivation of all.

The Beauty of a Lavendar Farm

20 Creative Ways to Use Lavendar

1. Plant the variety "Hidcote" along a walkway to greet guests with fragrance.

2. Dab a drop of essential oil on each temple with a gentle massage to help relieve tension.

3. Make Lavendar Mint ice cubes to chill down lemonade or iced tea.

4. Keep a vial of essential oil in a first aid kit to treat bug bites, scratches, and burns.

5. Make lavendar sugar to sweeten tea & baked goods.

6. Mist sunburned skin with lavendar water to soothe and cool.

7. Weave fresh stems into mini heart wreaths to top gift packages

8. Add fresh buds to brownies or chocolate frosting.

9. Place 5 drops of essential oil on a washcloth and toss in dryer to freshen clothing.

10. Fill fabric bags with dried lavendar buds and place in clothing drawers & closets to keep fresh.

11. Plant a butterfly and bee garden of different varieties of lavendar to attract natural beauty to a sunny spot.

12. Place small envelopes of dried lavendar buds in book pages to keep away musty smells.

13. Promote relaxing sleep by tucking sachets of lavendar in pillowcases.

14. Add a few drops of essential oil to a cotton ball and place in unused ashtray in car for aromatherapy.

15. Infuse fresh lavendar into warm honey to create a flavorful sweetener.

16. Add 10 drops of essential oil per ounce of unscented liquid soap for rich fragrant healing mixes.

17. Add fresh buds to shortbread cookie recipes to infuse a perfumed sweetness.

18. Infuse lavendar and lemon verbena into white vinegar to use as hair rinse or skin tonic.

19. Place dried buds on carpet, allow to sit for at least 15 minutes or longer and vacuum up for an herbal carpet freshener.

20. Plant the variety "Grosso" in a cutting garden for fresh fragrant bouquets in the summer.

The Beauty of Dorothy Lake

A Summer Hike

Dorothy Lake:

2 Miles Long

Elevation 3060 ft.

Fantastic Day

Goal #6

The Beauty of Honey-Balsamic Chicken

Honey-Balsamic Chicken

Salt

Pepper

Thyme

Chicken

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Honey

Weight Watchers Approved: 4 points
Goal # 4

The Beauty of Initiating Change

So now that half of the year has gone by, I have finally decided to make the changes I set out to make at the beginning of the year.

Changes Made:

• Joined Weight Watchers
• Healthy foods bought at Trader Joe's included: broccoli, kale, eggs, non-fat yogurt, & lentils
• Joined the local community center
• Attended a 50 minute workout class (and was impressed with the old lady in front of me who was kicking my butt!)

1920's Ad

And at the end of the day was able to enjoy a glass of red wine while sitting on the porch eating dinner with my husband

Goals Addressed: #3 & #6

The Beauty of Sparseness

Back in the 30's the average woman had nine outfits...now that clothes are so cheap people end up with stuffed closets and "nothing to wear"!!

To Do: Clean Out Closet. Add only good quality articles of clothing. Decide how many outfits would be appropriate to own.

Could you narrow your wardrobe down to nine outfits?