Blog Posts

The Peace of Wild Things

11/15/2016

The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendell Berry

When despair grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

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Feelings Return for Love

10/31/2016

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You do not heal feelings.
They heal you, when you allow them
to guide you back
to your original Wholeness,
your loving nature,
your breath,
your place on this Earth,
your Indestructible Presence.

- Jeff Foster

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Looking for Gold

10/3/2016

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Looking for Gold
by William Stafford

A flavor like wild honey begins
when you cross the river. On a sandbar
sunlight stretches out its limbs, or is it
a sycamore, so brazen, so clean and bold?
You forget about gold. You stare - and a flavor
is rising all the time from the trees.
Back from the river, over by a thick
forest, you feel the tide of wild honey
flooding your plans, flooding the hours
till they waver forward looking back. They can't
return: that river divides more than
two sides of your life. The only way
is farther, breathing that country, becoming
wise in its flavor, a native of the sun.

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Autumn Recipes: Pumpkin Lasagna with Sage

9/13/2016

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Pumpkin Lasagna
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

This recipe is one of the most delicious creations I've made in a long time! There are so many enticing flavors here: pumpkin, garlic, sage, and fontina cheese. When it comes to salt and pepper, I recommend using a generous amount of both for optimal flavor. This is not a quick recipe - more of a Sunday afternoon project. However, it's worth the effort!

Ingredients:

1 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese (Miriam's note: I used part-skim ricotta).
1 Tbs. julienned fresh sage
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste (Miriam's note: season generously)
2 yellow summer squash, cut into rounds 1/4 inch thick
2 zucchini, cut into rounds 1/4 inch thick
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 jar (24 oz.) pumpkin pasta sauce (Miriam's note: I bought mine at Whole Foods)
2 Tbs. parmesan cheese, optional (Miriam's note: I added this to the pumpkin sauce)
12 sheets dried ruffle-edged lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente (Miriam's note: I used gluten free, no cook lasagna noodles - they worked beautifully).
1/2 lb. Italian fontina cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, sage, 3 Tbs. of the parsley and the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the yellow squash and zucchini with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a oiled baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in an oval Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the yellow squash and zucchini. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.

Spread 1/2 cup pasta sauce in an even layer on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles on top, tearing them as needed to fit. Spread 1/2 cup ricotta mixture on the noodles and scatter 1 cup vegetable mixture on top. Spread 1/2 cup (4 oz./125 g) pasta sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle 1/2 cup fontina on top. Continue layering. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce and fontina.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted and browned, 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley on top. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

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Aromatherapy Tips for Travel

9/7/2016

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If you're traveling soon, don't forget about the benefits of aromatherapy for your trip!

If you're traveling by plane, it's helpful to know that most essential oils cans be taken with you in your carry on luggage. I have traveled with 5 and 15ml bottles with no problem. Larger aromatherapy blends can be stored in your suitcase; I recommend wrapping the blends in bubble wrap and then placing them inside a ziplock bag.

Here are some of the essential oils & aromatherapy blends that I like to travel with:

Essential Oils:

Lavender - Aids sleep and soothes anxiety. Also fantastic for bug bites.
Fennel - Supports healthy digestion. (Not suitable for all individuals, so check with a qualified aromatherapist).
Saro - A powerful, anti-infectious oil that provides amazing immune support.
Helichrysum - In case of minor injuries and accidents, helichrysum saves the day! This versatile oil also soothes emotional distress and upsets.
Geranium - Helpful for jet lag and restores emotional equilibrium.
Tea Tree - Disinfects small cuts and scrapes.

Do you have questions about how to safely and effectively use these essential oils?
Feel free to contact me.

I also suggest trying one of my ready-made aromatherapy blends below:

Aromatherapy Blends:

Cooling Summer Gel - Useful for a multitude of ailments including bug bites, mild sunburns, aching muscles, headaches, anxiety, and insomnia.

Herbal Remedies:

Gin Gins - Ginger candies that are excellent for soothing an upset stomach.
Fennel seeds - If you don't have fennel essential oil, fennel seeds are easy to slip into a ziplock bag. I chew on a few seeds after dining out and they're very helpful for keeping my stomach settled and happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Reader,

Which essential oils and aromatherapy blends do you use while traveling?

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The Laughing Heart

8/12/2016

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The Laughing Heart
by Charles Bukowski

your life is your life
don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can't beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

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7 Reasons to Attend the 2016 NAHA Aromatherapy Conference

7/25/2016

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1. Visit a new state. This year the conference will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Temperatures in October range from the mid 60's to mid 70's, making for ideal autumn weather. The conference will take place from Oct. 20-23, 2016 at the University of Utah Conference Center.

2. Experience the art and science of essential oil distillation. Eric Scott Bresselsmith from House of Aromatics will be leading a live distillation workshop!

3. Visit the Red Butte Botanical Gardens. Located on-site at the University of Utah campus, the Red Butte Garden is one of the top attractions in Salt Lake City. Visit their Fragrance Garden while you're there.

4. Fall in love with aromatherapy. Whether you're brand new to aromatherapy or you're a seasoned pro, there's always fresh inspiration at a NAHA aromatherapy conference. The top experts from all over the world will be there, including Robert Tisserand, Jade Shutes, Gabriel Mojay, and more.

5. Smell hundreds of essential oils from all over the world. Find a few you love? Take them home! You'll discover exotic essential oils that you never even knew existed.

6. Take a post-conference workshop. This year's topics include Aromatic Medicine and Alchemy and Medicine for the Soul.

7. Make new friends. Making new friends is inevitable at a NAHA conference; the community is warm, kind, and inclusive. Be sure to say hello if you see me there - I'd truly love to meet you!

To learn more about the conference, visit: nahaconference.com

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Favorite Essential Oil Diffusor Blends for Summer

7/17/2016

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As summer unfolds, we start to become aware that it won't last forever. Take a moment to savor the unique beauty of the season. Immerse your senses in its radiance.

Lately, the temperatures have been soaring and I appreciate some good downtime indoors.
I invite you to curl up with a good book, iced hibiscus tea, and your favorite essential oil diffusor.
Listen to the cicadas sing as these diffusor blends unfurl their ephemeral aromas . . .

Summer Stillness
7 drops of lavender
2 drops of roman chamomile
1 drop of vetiver

Garden Dreams
4 drops of lime
2 drops of basil
3 drops clary sage
1 drop of spearmint

Pacify Pitta
4 drops of geranium
2 drops of vetiver
4 drops of lime

Sunset Meditation
2 drops of sandalwood
2 drops of myrrh
6 drops red mandarin

Spirit Wing
1 drop of everlasting
2 drops of neroli
7 drops of lemon

Do you have a favorite essential oil or blend for Summer?
Feel free to share in the comments below!

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Summer Recipes: Artichokes

6/27/2016

16 Comments

I'm excited to introduce you to Myrthe Noordegraaf, our newest guest blogger!
Born Dutch, living French, Myrthe is living a simple life at the beautiful French countryside.

I hope you enjoy her musings and photography (pictured below ) . . .

For the first time in my own garden !
Artichokes are beautiful, healthy, easy to cook and a pleasure to eat.
No need to say that it's one of my favorite vegetables.

How to cook :

Cook or steam them until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off.
Cooking : +/- 45 minutes in a large pot of boiling water
Steaming : +/- 15 minutes

How to eat :

Take one leave at the time, dip it in a vinaigrette (mixture of vinegar, oil, mustard) and eat the little fleshy part.
Keep on doing this until the leaves become thinner. You can eat them or pull them of.
To reach the heart remove the hairy part (inedible).
Put some vinaigrette on the heart and enjoy !

Bon appétit,

Myrthe

"L'Art de vivre is to take time to enjoy small simple things." More than 15 years ago, Myrthe chose France as her home. Today she shares flashes out of her daily life and inspiration with you at www.myrthe.fr

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New for Summer 2016 - Solid Crème Perfume Lockets & Tins

5/17/2016

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Cafe Providence is now available as a solid crème perfume in these stunning, engraved brass lockets & tins!

Solid crème perfumes are a unique gift to engage and delight the senses - the sense of sight, smell, and touch. The natural fragrance is highly concentrated. All perfumes are hand poured by me in small batches and are 100% natural and cruelty free.

Cafe Providence is a perfume from the Gourmand/Edible fragrance family.

It features a rare Venezuelan Espresso Bean essence, Vanilla from Madagascar, and exotic Ylang Ylang blossom. Crafted as a solid perfume with jojoba oil and golden beeswax. The scent is equally ravishing on men and women. Take your signature scent with you anywhere and reapply as your heart desires!

If there is another perfume in my shop that strikes your interest, do contact me to see if it's available as a solid perfume. I'd be happy to accommodate you.

I hope you'll adore these luscious crème perfumes as much as I do!

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To learn more about the conference, visit: nahaconference.com​

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To learn more about the conference, visit: nahaconference.com