grandma's tea cup collection

 Sunday's, I don't set my alarm.  When I wake up, I wake up.  No to do list is waiting.  And every Sunday when I'm home...I find myself wandering into a little project.  This morning was cleaning teacups.  My grandma Ella had a big collection of teacup.  Grandpa had made her 8 tea cup cabinets to hang on their walls.  Each held 9 teacups.  When she passed my sister and I were gifted her collection.  

At the time, I wasn't having tea parties.  Frilly, fancy teacups weren't really my thing.  As much as I love my grandma, I didn't really want a giant collection of teacups.  I didn't even like pink or fancy dishes.

Of course, growing up, I didn't like broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, or beets either.  Everyday you lose cells and gain new cells.  Every 7 years we become new people.

A few weeks ago, I cleaned out, organized, rebooted and downsized all my dishes, my grandma dishes, good dishes, tea cups everything you would find in a china cabinet.  Which is funny because, I also never wanted a china closet and yet somehow, I had enough good dishes and such to fill a china closet.  90% of which were gifted to me or wandered into my life. 

Over the years, I fell in love with tea parties and vegetables.  A friend of mine endeared me to the art of tea.  Sitting, enjoying a cup of tea during a work pause or after work satisfaction.  Maybe I learned to love tea parties by reading about Wabi Sabi, or going to Iona, or from my aunt Darlean.  Or maybe I've always be destined to love tea parties.  I'm a slow bloomer. 

Like the dishes I didn't buy, tea parties wandered into my life.  I didn't search them out, and yet they found me anyway.

This morning, as I was washing my tea cup collection.  (My own collection whittled down to 9 tea cups with saucers.)  I was wondering.  As many tea cups as my grandma had did she ever have tea?  Did she use her tea cups as tea cups?  I never saw her have tea.  And yet, as much as she like collecting tea cups, I can't remember one time her using those tea cups.  Maybe she used them when I wasn't there.  My hunch is, she loved collecting tea cups and making cookies, pies and the most amazing sticky pecan rolls.  But the actual tea party...I don't know.

Now I find myself falling in love with tea parties, tiny bites.   Moments you savor slowly, absorbing the moment as well as the food and tea.  Tea served in a tiny cup feels special.  Deliberate, better?  I'm awake.  Mugs of hot tea go well with books, afghans and afternoons.  Teacups, are used awake-present.

I know my grandma loved her tea collection.  Going to garage sales, on day trips, finding a teacup calling her name.  Having the means to buy something beautiful just for the sake of beauty- was a gift to her.  She grew up very poor.  Her china closet was more than just dishes.  

I understood why she loved teacups.  This morning as I was washing each tiny plate, little cup, I was present. I was so present.  This is what a tea party means to me.  Savoring a moment.  Being fully present and tasting life.  Pausing from my own life to slow down, slow way down and simply sip, or taste a bite a tasty bite.  Tea parties, even tea for one, when served on tiny plates and little teacups with a special treat...makes me... happy. 

With a tiny tea cup you take tiny sips.  You hold your posture a little straighter.  The table set just so.  It's a tiny moment in life. It is special.  Tea parties are special moments.

Thank you, grandma, for my tea collection that took a long time to be appreciated.

If you have a teacup collection.  Dust them off.  Wash them.  Take them out of the cupboard.  Brew a bit of tea.  Make a tiny treat.  Sit up straight, breathe slow and deep - satisfying breaths.  Invite a friend over.  Tea parties don't have to be fancy.  Little peanut butter and jelly sandwiches do just fine.

               Denise

I have an update to this tea party... Yesterday, my mom and I got into a conversation about sewing machines and tea parties.  I gave away my sewing machine this summer.  On paper, I should love to sew. My mom is an amazing seamstress, so is my step mom. I'm not. I'd rather be doing pretty much anything but sewing.  To be fair, I love to sew straight lines, go buy material and fantasize about all the things I could create...but that's as far as it goes.  I was telling my mom I was loving tea parties.  She told me something I don't think I realized.  Denise you have always loved tea parties.  She would know, she is my mom.  Thinking about it, I can't imagine a time that I would turn away a tea party.

A little less wobbling please...

When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit. But above all don’t wobble!  Lin Chi

How much do we wobble? 

 Instead of being present, how much of our lives is spent in wobbling mode... trying to do 2-3-4 things at once?  Have you been to a coffee shop lately?  How many of us are sitting with someone...but looking at our cell phones?  How long do we hold focus on a project before we are interrupted...the phone rings, a text or pop up appears, we get hungry?....
We loose our focus...we start wobbling.

If we want to un-stress our lives and be who we are capable of being … become present... an undistracted version of ourselves.  Imagine showing up everyday...fully us.  Not wobbling, but clear, present and engaged.  

listening, tasting, seeing, smelling, feeling... present...

Who could we all become and what are we cable of doing by just reducing distractions and limiting our wobbling?  

When we are going to write...we write

When we do the dishes... we do the dishes

When we watch tv...we watch tv

When we listen...we listen

When we walk... we walk

When we drive... we drive

What a novel idea right?  It is stupidly simple...and yet

Why are we a society of distracted souls?  

More importantly... how do we want to show up in this world?

The truth is, when we are fully ourselves, nourished, happy and healthy, we make the world a better place.  We show up. 

It's usually in the removal that we find true selves... not in the addition of.  Practicing the art of subtraction makes room for our lives to breath and then to flourish.  A life that flourishes has a way of spreading beyond ourselves.  Like the internet, we are a web of connections.  Imagine if all our connectors we clean, happy and healthy working together.  Presently

A morning thought

   from my desk 

       during my own quiet time

un-wobbled space

Denise Frakes...wobbler, runner, writer.....

       

Thanksgiving day celebration for busy families

 Thanksgiving comes early at our house- we call it fake turkey day.  The second Saturday of November is our big day.  Three 8 foot folding tables and one ping pong table transform our living, kitchen into a giant eating space. Last Saturday, November 10th, we celebrated with 28 two legged family members and 2 four legged.

Since this holiday is still fresh in my thoughts, I thought I would reflect a bit and share those 20-20 hindsight tips to you

Reflecting on Thanksgiving a week later...

     Naps are beneficial no matter how old you are
     Go outside, walk or run around the neighborhood before company arrives
              Breathe! enjoy nature, look for beauty, get out of your own brain

     Welcoming your guest with warmth and happiness is better than a perfect house!
     Pre cooking the turkey and deboning it the day before turkey day is a huge de-stressor

             I would rather spend time chatting than messing with a turkey when I'm tired

     Having 28 people coming to your house is highly motivating to do extra cleaning and organizing

             ride this wave and get things done... hint: look at your home as if you are a guess

     Sharing the cooking around: Many hands make quick and easy work

     Eat dessert first, finish with tea and light foods

     Take a walk after dinner- it helps you unwind and improves your digestion

     

     A good nap, fresh air and light eating the next day is priceless!

And finally, consider scheduling your holidays on offbeat days.  More people can join you, there is less stress and more freedom in your celebrations.  We started this early tradition to help our family who was in retail. We continue it because it is brilliant!!!

From our home to yours- Happy Thanksgiving,

             Denise

            

5 Tried, Tested and Wholeheartedly Approved Ways to Simplify Your Thanksgiving

A gift of celebrating Thanksgiving early is I get to share post Turkey day epiphanies before your Thanksgiving. I hold a local family party the 2nd Sat of November.  I’m not sure why I had so many epiphanies this thanksgiving, but they were popping up everywhere!

   Here are 5 tried, tested and wholeheartedly approved

 ways to simplify your thanksgiving...

1.  Pre Cook your Turkey the day before, debone and then put the meat in oven friendly containers  (debone the turkey while the bird is still warm.)  This step reduces three stressors:  Timing your turkey to be done perfectly and on time, the pressure of carving your turkey and then deboning your turkey when you are done eating. Another option would be to go vegetarian for a shift.

2.   Create a Thanksgiving potluck.  Everyone gets to be part of the celebration, sharing traditions and discoveries.  Plus, you get to try and eat new foods with no effort!

3.  Let go of time sensitive dishes, you know the ones: Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy.  This year I didn't make mashed potatoes or gravy and our turkey was already cooked and deboned!  I realized how much stress it was trying to be a hostess while  finishing up last minute dishes.  I was way more relaxed and got to visit more.

4.  Make dishes you will love as leftovers.  Food that will give you energy and not wear you down.  Food that you will actually eat.  I know this seems obvious but it will keep you healthier with no food waste!  I like simple, colorful, veggie strong dishes.

5.  Make time for your TLC in the am.  Before my house filled up, I went for a run/walk.  Even with all my simplification I was still feeling a bit anxious.  Let's be real, I don't usually have 20 people for lunch.  As I ran, my stress lightened and lessened.  When I got lighter, I remembered gratitude.  I then spent the rest of my run being thankful for my family, for their willingness to give up a Saturday and travel to celebrate with us all.  I returned home grateful, refreshed and ready for the day.

And there you have it... 5 tried, tested and wholeheartedly approved ways to simplify your Thanksgiving.

     May you and yours travel lightly, be lovingly received and well nourished.

                              Denise

Keep your worries at bay and your paper flat

   This is a piece of paper on my office chair.  Why is it there???  Good question, my step mom passed on a little wisdom to me today.  She has a friend who's dad told her "worry is like wrinkling up a piece of paper.  It makes the paper weaker and only give God more to do when it comes time to straighten it back out."
  I liked this thought, as I type my dad is having heart surgery.  I'm sitting on my worries in order to keep my paper flat.  It seems to be working as the paper under my seat doesn't have a wrinkle in it!!
  Just a thought for a Monday morning.
       As always, wishing you a healthy and happy home,
                 Denise

Many hands make quick work

My grandma used to say "many hands make quick work".  Working with friends and family not only makes us more productive but turns a job into a social event.
This weekend, I volunteered with a friend to hand out recycle bags for an apartment complex that was starting recycling this Monday.  The plan was to deliver 170 bags, to 170 apartments, knocking on each door and introducing the new recycling.  With one person, Sunday afternoon in 80 degree weather, this would have been a chore.  But with 3 friends chatting and working together, the afternoon proved fun and it felt good to lend a hand.

  My grandparents had the attitude that many hands make quick work.  I remember my great grandma Biddle's joyful attitude as we would sit at the kitchen table shelling peas and visiting.  One year a fellow farmer/neighbor of my grandpa Alton's hurt his back. He couldn't harvest his farm.  My grandpa showed me a picture of all the neighborhood farmers and their tractors lined up ready to bring in the harvest for their injured friend.  I know my grandpa and his neighbors didn't have free time or extra money.  But what they did possess were big hearts and a strong sense of  what is right.  When my grandpa showed me those pictures later in his life, he was so proud of that "work day".  Not only did their work save a neighbor and friend from loosing a whole years work but the volunteer farmers gained lifetime benefits from their generosity. 

   As our families get scattered around the country, those simple afternoons of shelling peas with family or helping neighbors may be getting fewer and farther between.  But they are just as essential in our lives as they ever were. Maybe if our families no longer live next door, then lets create families in our communities and with our friends.  Getting together not just for fun but to get our work done by making quick work with many hands while enjoying the whole process for years to come.
   Just a thought for Monday.

As always, wishing you and your family a happy and healthy home,
Denise Frakes
Healthy home specialist
Owner- Blue Sky Services

Let food be your medicine- the hippocratic oath

In cleaning and in health the sames rules seem to apply for good

Prevent as much as possible

Use the mildes and safest means possible

and leave nothing behind and do no harm!!

Below is the modern version of the hippocratic oath

I thought spring is a good time to revisit this oath

A widely used modern version of the traditional oath was penned in 1964 by Dr. Louis Lasagna, former Principal of the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences and Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University:[8]

I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:

I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of over treatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.


I will not be ashamed to say "I know not", nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patients recovery.


I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter.

May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

As Always, wishing you a happy and healthy home!
Denise Frakes
Co-owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist- NCHH

Of chips and faith for 6 weeks

"Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest."-Sarah Ban Breathnach

This year I am observing Lent. I'm not catholic nor do I really have any reason to observe lent, yet somehow it seems so right. In college, my roommate and best friend observed lent. She would usually give up candy. She introduced lent to me via her yearly experiences.

I like the idea of changing how you view the world. We live day to day. Sometimes this day to day living gets rut like. We need to shake up our ruts, take off our blinders and open our eyes- or at least I do.

For Lent this year, I am giving up chips. I'm not a big chip eater but lately I find myself snacking away. If I'm going to snack with no thought- chips is my thoughtless snack food of choice. I can sit down to write, bag of chips full. I can stop writing, bag of chips empty??? For the next 6 weeks no chips, maybe more veggies, possibly eaten mindfully.

Besides chips, I am going to give up worrying, fretting, muddling over and stewing. My family has generations of formidable worriers. It is embedded in my bones and blood. But for 6 weeks I am going to try on a new habit on for size. I'm going to practice faith. I do understand this might be a little more difficult than giving up chips. I also realize the benefits of practicing faith far out way the benefits of not mindlessly eating chips.

How will I do this? Change a life pattern? Oh course, I will have to figure it out as I go. I've enlisted Dallas, my hubby, to give me gentle and predetermined reminders (an essential ingredient to a happy marriage:). I will use it as a practice knowing full well, I am human and should treat myself kindly. But don't you love the idea of practicing faith???

Think about it, when something you perceive as stressful comes into your life, instead of wigging out and filling your days and thoughts with worse case scenarios. Wouldn't if feel good to say "all will be well" and truly know all will be well? Living in Faith vs worry may be the ultimate in a residue free life!!!

As always, wishing you a happy and residue free home,
Denise Frakes
Co-owner of Blue Sky Services
Certified Healthy Home Specialist

When a gift lands in your lap - Say Thank you!

Our home has been invaded!!! A few weeks ago, Dallas was driving on a 4 lane road when he spied what looked like a guinea pig waddling across the road. When the little fuzzy fellow tried to climb the curb to the sidewalk, Dallas realized it was a very young kitten. Apparently, he was both brave and strong jawed. As Dallas tried to save him, he bit Dallas's finger!

We tried to find his home and when we couldn't find it, we then looked to find him a home. Of course, trying to find him a home was silly, he was already home. We now have a little Q-tip as part of our family.

He is a brave little guy. Not only did he cross 4 lanes of traffic but he has no fear of our dog, Sally or our big 16 lb cat, Penny. He doesn't even seem the slightest bit concerned with us standing over him like giants.

We weren't looking for another fuzzy family member but now that he has been here a few weeks, it would be hard to imagine life with out him. We have spent a lot of time laughing at his playful moves. Of course, I do realize he is still a baby, I'm not sure what we are in for when he becomes a teenager!!! Holy Moly!

Wishing you many gifts along the way,
Denise

A wild rant

Do you mind if I rant for a second? If you do please scroll to another blog but if you don't mind, I seriously need a moment of your time.

OK, here goes my rant...

We do not need 50 different cleaning products in our homes. And the products we do have don't need to be the strongest and fastest most aggressive cleaners on the market. The reason we clean is not for our neighbors and appearance but for the health of our home and family. Taking our cleaning advice from the companies trying to sell us products is not always a smart choice. And for heaven sake, stop spraying chemicals-disinfectants-deodorizers and cleaners into the air!!!!!!!!! Our homes are cesspools of chemicals. And because we are becoming more aware of our environment and energy use, we close up our homes and those chemicals are trapped inside. It is crazy. You wonder why cancer, asthma, and auto immune diseases are up? Take a hard look at the volume of chemicals our bodies have to process.

It's not just our cleaners, it's also our pesticides, our crafts, our deodorizers, our food, our make up and personal care products. It's our paints, finishes, coatings and strippers. It's even our over abundance of electronics. This excess of chemicals is too much for a home and family. Think: LESS IS MORE!!!!!

OK, I feel a little better. The best advice I can give today is to start being curious. Look at everything. Look under your sinks, in your laundry room and garage. See just how many chemical products you have. Check out how many different products have a fragrance: candles, deodorizers, personal care products, cleaners... How many products do you spray air? Look at your window cleaners, furniture cleaners, general-all purpose cleaners, bleaches, disinfectants, deodorizers, paints, odor neutralizers and fragrances. Are you seeing what I see yet?

Start with wonder. What is in your home to begin with?

Whew! Thank you, my rant is almost over and I can start breathing again. I hate hearing about a child with asthma or a friend with cancer while knowing our homes are full of abundant, unnecessary and excessively over used chemicals. I don't rant that often, so use my wild rant as a starting point to look at your home in a new light.

Residue free homes are a good thing!
Denise Frakes
Certified Healthy Home Specialist
Co-Owner of Blue Sky Services

Turning the page

"Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes radiance"
Morgan Freeman

This quote comes from my office calendar. Today is the first of July and as my monthly tradition, it is also the day I get to turn the page to a new month. It is a simple thing, the changing of the calendar, but I love the first day of each new month. I flip my calendar. We have 3 calendars. July a new beginning, a fresh start and the second half of 2011. Each new month is a mini new year, full of promises and anticipation.

Last month, I traveled to AZ and helped family with the loss of my grandma. She was soon to be 97. The trip was not in my planner or even my consciousness but life moves and changes with certainty. It felt good to turn the page this morning, maybe because I lost my grandma or maybe because life seems a little more precious today. After the sadness and sorrow of June, this little tradition of a new start feels like a gift.

Morgan Freeman's quote on July was interesting. To cherish the day, should it be packed full of life or quite and still?

Wishing you a new month filled with relaxing moments, joyful surprises and sunshine filled days.

Denise

30 days before the big walk

I was visiting with my mom yesterday and she gave me some info that was news to me. Both of my great-grandmothers had breast cancer. My great-grandma Stella died from it. This all happened when I was young and un-aware.

Now that I'm older, I guess I'm still probably

un-aware. But the fact remains, this is a dangerous and deadly disease.

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Journal- today is 30 days before the big walk

My hat is off the the thousands of women and men who have walked before me. This is a big deal. It is kind of like the iron man of walking. We will almost be walking 3 marathons in a row while camping in little pink tents!!!!! (I know, I can't seem to shake my wonder of the 1500 little pink tents.)

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A friend of mine will be walking this Friday in Colorado. She did all her training and fund raising without a team. That is both amazing and tough. These walks are scheduled all over the US, with thousands and thousands of walkers at each event. Good Luck this Friday!!!!

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There are probably thousands of reasons we are all walking. I'm walking to support a friend who had cancer this spring, she is walking in memory of a lost friend to breast cancer last fall, some walk just to feel like an athlete instead of a cancer patient, others walk because a family became ill. I can't even imagine all the reasons but over this summer thousands and thousands of people will take this challenge in hopes to do some good in the face of something so dreadful.

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For all who help us in this journey-thank you. (even if your think we are crazy-thank you!)

Denise

1 in 8

Thought of the day:

One in eight is the statistic for a women's chance of getting breast cancer. I don't doubt that statistic, as I have been visiting with others about the Susan G. Komen's 60 mile 3 day walk. I have been blown away by how many families have been affected by breast cancer: mothers, sisters, fathers, neighbors, aunts, friends and wives. It's not just women either!

Journal:

Today, I went for another walk. I think I walked about 6 or 7 miles. That is a far cry from the 60 miles I'll be walking with my friend come Sept 24-25-26. 60 miles- talk about crazy!!! I've been a runner most of my life but recently more of a 2 mile stroller with our dogs. My comfort zone has been dramatically altered, but this change isn't a fraction of the change that happens in the life of someone diagnosed with breast cancer.

As I walk, I'm feeling stronger. When I started walking in the end of June, my feet hurt more walking 5 miles than they did walking 21 miles. Still, 60 miles seems a little crazy!

Wishing you health and happiness,
Denise

Do not be afraid!

" You must bring freedom, relaxation, knowledge and imagination to the thing and above all, do not be afraid; a failure is no disgrace and may very often be more instructive than a success.... The sense of failure is, in any case, always sharper in the the mind of the practitioner than in those of the guests."

Richard Olney Simple French Food

The Mindful Cook pg 93

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This quote just leaped off the page as I read a bit and eat lunch; one of my new creations straight out of our garden. Don't you just love the thought of cooking with freedom to do as you feel, to be completely relaxed, a touch of knowledge is probably good and with full imagination all the while doing it fearlessly!!

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This past week, I got a chance to visit my mom and grandparents in AZ. While there my grandparents give my mom and I full freedom to explore and play in the kitchen. My grandparents are amazing and brave. As I write this, my grandma is having her 96th birthday today. My grandpa will turn 97 next month. How many people, no matter what there age, will give playful and creative cooks full freedom in their kitchen? The list is very short. Talk about fearless!

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One of our dinner creations had a main dish of brats and sauerkraut. I know this is not all that unique but just wait, it gets better. The only brats I've ever seen cooked was in beer first and then browned on a BBQ or skillet. This is where not being afraid of failure comes in... I bought a can in the beer section called Tilt. How was I suppose to know it is not beer? The label said contains malt, had 8% alcohol and it was right next to Coors-which I know is beer. I wanted to get a single can so 5 cans didn't just sit around until my next visit. Hense, I bought one can of Tilt.

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I opened the can, dinner was to be served in 35 minutes. The liquid that poured out was this fluorescent green, lime tasting stuff, obviously not beer. I tasted it - you kind of have to in this situation. First thing that happened was 10 minutes of hysterical laughter from me and my mom. I dropped the brats in the bright liquid and smiled, why not? From there it got messy, I proceeded to boil green tilt stuff all over my grandma's stove - repeatedly. I kept going until it was done, took it off, sliced it and browned it on the stove, added the sauerkraut to the pan and and exactly 6:00pm give or take a minute it was servied. And it was great/kind of green but great- who knew!!

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Proceed without fear but with imagination, freedom, knowledge and be relaxed while you go. You may make a mess, scare your family and cause a few eyebrows to rise but you will be free to live and your memories will be crystal clear- or in this case bright green.

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Wishing you fearless cooking,

Denise

Lasagna garden done- filled with worms

First day of spring, it was in the low 60s, Saturday and the perfect day to finish off my lasagna garden bed before planting. Yesterday, I finished my layering. So far, setting up has been a little more work than expected, but this might be because I'm a rooky. A seasoned lasagna gardener might have had this done in 1/2 the time.

While I was digging up my composted leaves and straw, I found more worms than I think I've ever seen. I don't even have this many in my worm bin. There were hundreds and hundreds of worms. I even took a picture of one because they were sooooo big. Did you know big worms move slower than little worms?

I'm lucky my grandpa used to take me digging for worms when when we would go fishing. If it weren't for my mom always smiling when she saw worms in her garden or my grandpa taking me fishing, I might have been a little freaked out. Luckily, I come from a strong worm loving family. If I was finding snakes in my garden- this might have been a whole different conversation!!!!

wishing you a happy spring and healthy garden.

Densie

Micro vs Macro Economics

I got an e-mail from my world traveling sister tonight. She is down in the Cook Islands on a boat sailing around delivering supplies to the islands. Her adventures always surprise and amaze me. We are sisters, in some ways we are so similar, in other ways I just watch and marvel. Sometimes I wonder, where in the world did she come from?

It's good to have a sister like mine, she shows me what is possible. Could I keep up with her adventurous spirit? Am I as brave? I don't know, I guess there is no way of knowing unless I was in her shoes.

She travels the world, I play around with daily life. Each is an adventure. I think it is not only what you do but how you do it. She has wild adventures- which she does so well. I have little normal days which I practice mindfully cherishing. Her life is kind of like Macro economics, mine is like Micro economics. Whether you are traveling the high seas, or joyfully creating dinner, your life an created by how you live each day.

Wishing you a happy and healthy day,
Denise

Don't wait for an earthquake to shake you present

"The 7.0 magnitude quake that struck Tuesday is most powerful to hit the Caribbean nation in 200 years" Headline from on online newspaper Voice of America 1-13-10.

You can plan, schedule, dream and work and yet when a 7.0 magnitude earth quake hits your day, your life is forever changed. No matter what we planned or scheduled life is bigger than our to do lists.

Learning to appreciate and cherish the gifts of each day: the morning chat over breakfast, the rowdy afternoon watching football with your husband, the Saturday morning cleaning your house, the phone call with your dad, the walk in the rain with your dogs. Everyday is a gift.

Pause today- stop and just look around. Don't look at what you haven't done or need to do but stop and be present. Look around and see what you have been given. The gift of this day.

Be mindful, enjoy your days and cherish your relationships.

Wishing you a happy and healthy home,
Denise

Halloween cookies that could frighten grown men!

Happy Halloween!!!
This morning I'm traveling to Olympia to see my niece run in a cross country meet. I was going to bring her some of my odd cookies but then I remembered it is Halloween! So I baked her some super scary cookies.

If you want to scare your family try these- if you are easily frightened maybe you should substitute 1/3 cup turbinado for the molasses!

1/3 cup grape seed oil -green if you can find it
1/3 cup turninado or brown sugar
1/3 cup black strap molasses- hauntingly black
1 egg
3/4 cup spelt or whole grain flour
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour- (you can also just use a full cup of flour if you don't have bean flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract -
(if you would rather add some spice, substitute 1/4 tsp each of cinnamon and nutmeg for
the vanilla)
1/4 cup non fat dry milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup grated carrot- who likes veggies in their cookies???
1/2 cup raisins- makes a beautiful Halloween batter- orange and black
1 1/4 cup quick rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Beat together oil, sugars and egg. If you used vanilla add it here.
Mix flours, baking, powder and soda, dry milk and salt. If you used cin and nut spices add here.
Mix together
Add carrots, raisins and oats- mix well
Drop rounded tsp full of cookie dough, two inches apart onto lightly oiled baking sheet
Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly brown on edges
Cool on rack

This recipe has been hauntingly altered for Halloween. the original recipe is from Jean Hewitt's the New York Times Natural Foods Cookbook. I added the green oil, garbanzo beans, black strap molasses, turbinado sugar, spelt flour, and swapped the spices for vanilla.

What better time to scare your family into eating healthy cookies then on Halloween? The scariest way would be to have them help you make the little eerie nuggets. When you break out the garbanzo bean flour and carrots, I think you will see their eye brighten right up!!!

The practice of house work

It's Saturday early afternoon, my house is clean! Did I always love to clean? Heavens no! As a young girl it was like a life sentence. Living on a farm my brothers would go do something fun like build fence or pick up hay. I had to stay inside and help my mom. I'm sure from my brothers perspective I was spoiled rotten and the lucky one. Well -the grass is always greener!

Still house work was not a natural fit for me. Funny how life works out, for the past 19 years it has been my profession. What do I think of house work now? My mood shifts week to week as I clean but in general it has become a friend. In yoga my instructor talks about grounding yourself and doing grounding exercises. There is nothing in the world more grounding than cleaning your toilet!

For me, cleaning has become a practice. A practice of gratitude, a practice of creativity, a practice of relaxing and letting go, a practice in quiet reflection, a practice in awareness, a practice in value, a practice in flow, a practice in remembering and a practice in consistency.

The list of benefits to a clean house is a topic for another day but today I'm thankful my house is clean, that my husband just stopped in to say hi, that I still have plenty of time to stop by the Federal Way farmers market.

Happy cleaning,
Denise

The lost art

Last Sunday I sat on my front deck and hand wrote letters to friends and family.

My step mom and I have had mulitple conversations about the lost art of hand written letters. In the age of texting, facebook, blogging, cell phones, and e-mails the art of hand written letters seems lost. It is a sad loss.

When I was 10 or 11 my great grand mother wrote me a letter. The stationary she used was bright yellow

These are a few of my experiences of letter writing:

When I was in AZ visiting my grandparents, who are not connected to cell phones and computers, I noticed how they wait for each day's mail. The mail is a connection to family and the ouside world. Most days thier mail was filled with donation requests, bills and junk mail.

A friend of ours relocated to help his parents. I forward some mail to him once a month. In his mail I always tuck a littlehand written note. The other day he mentioned how much he looks forward to my notes.

My sister just got married and has been busy for much visiting. I got a letter from her last week. In the letter was two letters- a typed letter to our family in general and a hand written letter just to me. It was surprising how different the hand written personal letter felt vs the typed letter.

Sunday, when I wrote those letters, one of those letters went to a family friend. Yesterday, I got a call from my sister in law. My friends husband had just passed away Tuesday. Before it had happened I had already sent her a note telling her how much she means to us and how her kindness had helped me in a tough time.

The art of hand written letters is an old, out of date way of communicating. Today, there are so many forms of fast and easy communication. The act of sitting down writing a letter is a slow and intentional way of thinking of someone with no distractions. The gift of a hand written letter is your heart.

Happy writing,
Denise