Change your focus...sit down and listen to the sea!

 This morning I woke up to a state full of fires, smoke, social rage, COVID, economic unease, and a hot political season...and I woke up to a purring kitty, a morning, my family, a cup of hot water and a batch of beet soup waiting to be created.

A few years ago, I traveled to Iona Scotland on a pilgrimage.  It was exactly that, not exactly a vacation, more of an adventure in traveling and weather...and some absolutely delightful people and delicious tea and scones.

While we were on the Island, we discovered an old land fill with hidden treasures from a lost time.  Why I was so captivated by an old dump, is just me and very wabi sabi   This dump, was in the north side of Iona- a very small island.  My traveling mates and I discovered it and then I tried to find in on my own.  I wandered around searching for the "dump". 

A little back story, Iona old with a long history. It is know as a place with a very thin veil...meaning your ability to connect outside of this normal life we lead is natural here.  As I was wondering and looking, a voice popped into my head- a clear and authoritative voice

    "Denise stop looking for the dump.  Sit down and listen to the sea!"  These were more like marching orders instead of a internal suggestion.  It woke me up. I looked up.  In front of me, beyond the blowing grass and hidden dump was the sea.  It was beautiful, colorful and full of energy... I looked down a perfectly cut out from the grass bank... right in front of me, was a place to sit and listen to the sea.

Since that day, when I get lost looking for the "dump" I remember those words and think.  "Denise, stop looking for the dump.  Sit down and listen to the sea."

Today is such a day.  Yes, there is a lot going on.  A majestic level of unrest...and yet, it is essential we don't put all our focus on what is wrong, or dangerous, or unsettling... that we also put some time aside to sit down and listen to the sea, or make a batch of beet soup, or dance to an old song, or write a blog. 

Where ever you are today, I wish you and yours safety, love and health...and I also share the words from Iona Scotland.... "stop looking for the dump...sit down and listen to the sea!" 

        From my home to yours, may you be safe, healthy and a wee bit curious to what the sea has to say,     

                                Denise Frakes

       

     

Rebooting our Immune System

Good morning, It's early Sat morning as I writing you.  How are you doing this morning?  We are in some strange and stressful times.  How are you managing all this?  I've found I have days of feeling super confident and powerful which will be followed by a day of wondering and low energy.  I know this is normal, it is stress showing up.  We all have stress.  The stress level of our entire world has exponentially increased.

Yesterday I was reading one of my favorite books.  Born to Run- if you follow me, you know I'm a huge fan of journeys. exploration, nature, human nature and running... this book has it all in spades.  It's about modern day ultra athletes and an ancient running people the Tarahumara.  On page 37 they are talking about a group of Tarahumara who started living the modern life...with it came foods they had "rarely eaten - soda, chocolate, rice, sugar, butter, flower.  They developed a taste for starch and treats.....that was twenty years ago. "Now, there are no runners in Yerbabuena."  What I know for sure...Food is Medicine.  Food can also be a thief.  Poor food choices steal our health.

This passage struck a cord with me.  I've been giving myself more than normal treats, comfort foods, baked goods, chocolate, butter... rich foods.  My body doesn't work as well on these foods. My brain gets foggy.  My immune system isn't as powerful.  I know eating has a tremendous impact of my own vitality.  I've known this for years.  Just because we know something doesn't mean we always are perfect- hardly. 

 Nutrition and stress are directly linked.  Up your nutrition...your stress decreases...lower your nutrition...your stress will increase.

I run a pretty clean personal health ship because I like to feel good.  When I'm stressed, I up my self care...which includes nourishing foods. foods that reduce my own stress.  Lately I'm feeling signs of high stress... I'm more emotional, fuzzy brained, up's and downs in my energy, lowered decision making... that's my body, mind and spirit talking to me.  I'm listening...

I invite you to join me.  For the next two weeks, I'll be upping self care and lowering things I know drop my vitality, focus and immunity.  Two weeks isn't very long. It's doable.  I know from experience rebooting my vitality is priceless.- it is essential.  

Why I'm getting up at 5:30am during this quarantine

Why am I getting up at 5:30am, during this quarantine?

 Waking up early is like putting on my own oxygen mask.  You've heard the saying in the airline safety announcement... "put your oxygen mask on first".

 At first when we got asked to stay home, I went into speed drive.  Then I relaxed my normal schedule and started sleeping in.  But an interesting thing happened...my stress when up, my confidence went down. 

So I shifted my own plan.  I don't really like getting out of my nice warm bed any more than you do... but waking up early, drinking hot water and then going for a run or walk starts my day beautiful.  Since I returned to my early wake up and early morning nature... my anxiety and stress have dropped by at least 80%!  That's significant!!!!

What's the law of physics?  Things in motion tend to stay in motion...Things at rest tend to stay at rest?  It's the same for routines and rhythms.
           

Start off well...end well. 

 Start off muddled = end muddled

You may or may not need to wake up early, get am fresh air and keep a clean house... This works for me.  Find your own rhythm.  What works for you.  Maybe you do better with a great night time routine.  Listen to yourself.  Our actions have cause and effects.  This is especially when we are under stress.  The greater the stress the higher the need for better self care.

When I'm on vacation..I can sleep in and eat more junk..apparently but not during a world stress event.  Nope, now I need to wake up early, be at my best and put my oxygen mask on first...

Because the healthier, more confident, vibrant we are.. the better we will be at problem solving, resilience, compassion and supporting others.  This is true for all of us.  

My rules of thumb...

              When I wake up I get up and wash my face

               I go outside...listen, see beauty, smell the flowers and fresh air

               I reach out to others

               Tidy up my home

               Eat healthy...not crap.. drink water

               Relax before I go to sleep

I know it's hard out there.  We are all stressed.  Be kind to yourself.  Practice kind habits.

 I'm here for you!!  

                        Denise

What do you love?

Yesterday, my good friend Nancy L sent me the link to Plum Deluxe's tea and food blog.  Nancy is tea brilliant.

If you put a scone and a delightful cup of tea in front of me, I become surprisingly happy!  Friendships come with conversations over tea.

   

Happiness is really so simple.  A cup of tea, a scone, an afternoon to sit and visit.  Simple pleasures are not complicated, expensive or taxing.  When we simplify our lives ... magical moments appear.

 I challenge you to have a tea party this month.  Invite friends, neighbors or just you.  Bring your heart, taste buds and notepad.  If not a tea party, then pick something you would love to do.

June simple and rich:  Downsize your stuff, your to-do list, your schedule.  Add in play, adventures and rediscover what you love about June

Play!!  Celebrate Strawberries- go to a festival and each strawberry shortcake, watch clouds, celebrate the first day of summer, plant rosemary just to smell, do yoga outside. Walk at night, sleep with the windows wide open.  Enjoy early mornings and late nights.

   Happy travels,
           Denise
            Send me pics of your tea party!

Plum Deluxe Blog          British Strawberry Scones   

The Practice of Smiling as a Meditation

The practice of smiling as a meditation is one of the most profound and flexible meditations you will ever find.  By thoughtfully taking time to smile, no matter the weather, day's events or season, you will not only relax your nervous system and up your resiliency but you also become present.

The Practice of Smiling as a Meditation

   by Thich Nhat Hahn from Be Free Where you are

  "Smiling is a practice.  There are over 300 muscles in your face.

When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up.

The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness.

If you know how to breathe and produce a smile however, the tension will disappear."

"Make smiling an exercise."

"There are times when your joy produces a smile.

There are also times when a smile causes relaxation, calm and joyu.

I do not wait until there is joy in me to smile:  Joy will come later

Sometimes when I am along in my room in the dark, 

 I practice smiling to myself.

I do this to be kind to myself, to take good care of myself, to love myself.

I know that if I cannot take care of myself, I cannot take care of anyone else."

"Being compassionate to yourself is a very important practice.  

When you are tired, angry or in despair,

you should know hoe to take care of your tiredness, your anger and your despair.

That is why we practice smiling, mindful walking, breathing and mindful eating."

To create smiling as a practice, I recommend incorporating this smiling practice into an already established habit.  Something you do everyday- rain or shine: washing your face, cooking dinner, exercising, driving, right before you go to sleep and when you wake up.  By connecting this new baby practice with a current habit you are using what is called a trigger habit.  When you connect a new habit with an existing habit it ups its chances of becoming a habit exponentially.

Just a FYI, there are days this practice comes easy and there are times it is a deep practice.                     Be kind, consistent and persistent - the benefits are huge!!

Happy travels,
      Denise
                                         Life Coach and Speaker for home and health

Waking up- the practice of 17 things

Familiarity - lulls us to sleep

My dad and I stopped by a bakery.  As we chatted with the baker, she mentioned the bakery no longer smelled like fresh doughnuts.  The longer she has worked there the less she can smell donuts.

It is not just scent either, sound has the same way of disappearing.  Have you ever lived by a train track?  I did when I was little.  At first, the trains rattle your home and your brain.  But over time something peculiar happens, we stop hearing trains.

A few years ago, my father in law asked me if we got many airplanes flying over our home.  I said, no, not too much.  But then I paused and listened, sure enough one was flying over our home that very minute!!  Amazing- our senses are amazing!

The same thing happens with our vision.  What we see all the time, we stopped seeing.  I see this in houses all the time. The longer something sits, the more invisible it becomes. 

Our senses, they give us so much.  They also protect us and help us adapt to any situation.

 If you want to see your life clearly, you must shift the normal.  Travel new paths with your senses and life.

Look at what has become consistent in your life, your daily actions.  What has become stagnate.  Dust them off, move them completely out of their entrenched space and see what happens.

Spring brings a fresh start. If you want to see it clearly, re-spark your senses.  Start with a clean slate, a fresh canvas.  Sometimes what you have been looking for has been sitting right in front of you the whole time.  Keeping your life fresh and alive requires movement and change.  Let the gift of your senses start to shine again.

This month shift 17 things.  Start March by waking up your senses.  Eat 3 new foods,  travel a route to work, play new music, move 17 things in your home, call old friends, turn off your cell phone, try a new hobby- juggling?  Add flowers to your kitchen, read from a new author, read nothing. Shake up 17 of your normal habits.  Wake up your senses and your life.

Let me know what you shift and what happens to your senses when you do,

         Happy Travels,
                  Denise
                       Life Coach and Healthy Home Specialist

Running on auto pilot? Look at your habits.

This morning I woke up, the birds were singing, my house was still asleep.  Well, except for Penny kitty who was trying to convince me she needed a snack before breakfast. She lives for food- funny girl.
I grabbed my running shoes, camera and out I went.  I do this sometimes but not as much as my mind, body and spirit would like.  Why is that?  Why do we spend time on things that don't give us energy instead of things that do?  What do we fill our days with and why?

According to Tom Corley in his book Change your habits, change your life.  "An average of 40 percent of all daily human activities are habits... Habits include both physical and mental behaviors.  These daily habits unconsciously control our lives... the blueprint of our life and the lives of our children are determined by daily habits.  That's how important habits are.  If you want to change your life you must change your daily habits."

40% of our days are on auto pilot! No wonder!  Our habits could be anything: What we eat,  how we handle stress, if we exercise, how we clean our houses, and even how and if you play...  the list is long and rich.

Do you/we even know what our habits are?  It is unlikely, most of our habits are unconscious actions- habitual actions.  Tom goes on to say most of our habits are formed when we are kids.  Our habit are our normal- our family normal.

Habits are what makes us drive the same route everyday- they save our brain work and conserve our brain's fuel for more important things.  Fortunately and unfortunately once an action is a habit we have to deliberately, consciously and persistently take another action in order to shift a habit.  

This is why goals are so important.  They give our brains a place to set our sites on and then create intentional actions to create a path to get there.  If we are persistent, consistent and wise in our goal actions these actions will become habits that will keep us on our desired paths.

What does that have to do with me getting out of bed and putting my shoes on? What does it have to do with time clutter? This morning I walked and I pondered my own habits and wondered do they serve or deplete? By going off road this morning, I took a step towards shifting a habit.  A new way of moving, it felt good.

There are times in our lives when being on auto pilot saves our sanity.  Putting one foot in front of the other and letting our habits, chores and daily requirements give us a familiar rhythm and direction when it is too painful or exhausting to think.  

  And yet there are times, like this morning when you have the energy and desire to go off road and explore your life on a new path.  Letting that spark of curiosity override your habit of normal.  This is where we differ from robots, we become fully present and alive.  Engaged.  This is the space you'll want to cultivate.

If you need to be on auto pilot right now, then put one foot in front of the other, breathe and keep moving.  But if you are wishing for another path.  Go off road today.  Chart a new path.  Put your spirit in 4 wheel drive and hit the gas.  Set a vision and go.

Wishing you happy, inspired and nourished habits

    Denise Frakes

        Coach for you and your home

A few of my favorite things:
    Tom's book on habits is a eye opener.  If you would like to read it- click here to go directly to Amazon and order Change your habits, change your life by Tom Corley.  Thanks for supporting my writing and inspired thoughts.  Life is too short to let our unconscious habits run the show.

Try This:  Pay attention to how you spend your time.  How do you feel?  What are you craving?  Time to play, sunshine, writing, naps?  Best place to start is in curiosity. Want to change your life?  Change your habits.

Chocolate the wonder food...

Chocolate!  I love chocolate.  My family loves chocolate.  Chocolate is my go to food when I need a pick me up, nourishing, TLC, a satisfying treat, a warm cup of love.... plus chocolate is so good for you.  It has massive antioxidants and it is even skin nourishing.  It's a wonder food!

I eat or drink chocolate most everyday.  In the winter, holiday months nothing soothes the soul better than a big old mug of hot chocolate.... If you are reading this blog, we are probably kindred spirits

What I'm about to share with you may feel disturbing... but I must share.  The other day, my hubby returned from our naturopath with a suggested strategy for food intolerance. I read it and paused....

" Consider the foods you love or crave as well as those foods you frequently eat, especially foods that you eat as a pick-me up when you are low in energy or out of sorts..."   hummmmmm  heavy sigh 

 

It took me a couple days of pondering before I decided.  For the season between Thanksgiving and Epiphany day (January 6th), I'm giving up my beloved chocolate as an experiment.   How will I feel during the darkest months, the holidays, the season of desert abundance, of friends and family giving you baskets and trays of chocolate, the season of snuggling under a big blanket, drinking hot chocolate and reading a book???  WOW 

While emptying my big mugs from our dishwashing, this morning, I realized hot cocoa is chocolate!  Oh dear- did I really think this through??  Yes Denise, a deal is a deal!

 I quickly texted my sister- who totally gets the challenge of no chocolate- she immediately replied with three options to hot chocolate- bless you Tara!  My hubby offered two more- thank you Dallas. whew!

   
When you let go and try new paths your creativity flows, you get out of your habits and life becomes more interesting.  When your "go to plan" is not longer available, you pop out of your rut and create a new trails.  Chocolate is a little rut- Ok maybe a big rut. Shifting your life with simple changes can bring big beautiful blessings.  

If you have a go to food or drink, consider putting it on hold during the holiday season.  Experiment, see how you feel, travel new roads with food.  You don't have to do it forever- just play.

   Please share your discoveries with us in the comments below- thanks!

            Happy holidays, to you all.  May the season of gratitude blend beautifully throughout the season.

                 Denise

This is the link a great foodie site my sister sent as options to my hot cocoa drought .   Great foodie site!  Thanks Tara - my brain is feeling healthier by the minute...

    Warm Spiced Carob Milk

     

  

Today: slightly spicy with sweet overtones

The sun is shining.  The wind is blowing.  I ate lemon, chia seed pound cake with my 3 year old niece this morning.  For lunch my hubby and I tried a new Korean restaurant and had radish soup.  It tasted like a clear potato soup.

This afternoon Lauren came over to practice my talk for her upcoming Synergy Talks.  I will add in some of my experiences with cows and kittens.  After our practice we chatted about giving talks, love and life.

After my hubby gets done giving a sound bath/singing bowl treatment I'm going to see if he wants to go for a run in the woods.

This is life.  This is my life today.  The spring flowers are starting to bloom.
    

I wonder, will I remember the sweetness of this day or the moments in between?  There are always moments in-between.  Those moments range in flavor from spicy, savory, bitter, salty to bland.    

When I write life feelings in terms of flavors- they all are needed in the dish.  Which flavors do I notice?  Which ones will I remember?  Do I like complicated or simple flavors?

This blog is three blogs in one.  That's what I'm going with today. 
       Notice the sweetness of the day, look for new flowers and think of the day's moments as of flavors and not judgements.

             Sat nam;-)
                    Denise

Your life hidden in plain sight- the practice of 17

Familiarity - lulls us to sleep

My dad and I stopped by a bakery the other day.  As we chatted with the baker, she mentioned the bakery no longer smelled like fresh doughnuts to her.  The longer she has worked there the less she could smell the donuts.

It is not just scent either; sound has the same diminishing quality.  Have you ever lived by a train track?  At first, those trains rattle your home and your brain.  But over time something peculiar happens, we stop hearing trains.

A few years ago, my father in law asked me if we got many airplanes flying over our home.  I said, no, not too much.  But then I paused and listened, sure enough one was flying over our home that very minute!!  Amazing- our senses are amazing!

The same thing happens with our vision.  What we see all the time, we stopped seeing.  I see this in houses all the time. The longer something sits, the more invisible it becomes. 

Our senses, they give us so much.  They also protect us and help us adapt to any situation.

 If you want to see your life clearly, you must shift the normal.  Travel new paths with your senses and life.

Look at what has become consistent in your life, your daily actions.  What has become stagnate.  Dust them off, move them completely out of their entrenched space and see what happens.

Spring brings a fresh start. If you want to see it clearly, re-spark your senses.  Start with a clean slate, a fresh canvas.  Sometimes what you have been looking for has been sitting right in front of you the whole time.  Keeping your life fresh and alive requires movement and change.  Let the gift of your senses start to shine again.

This month shift 17 things.  Start March by waking up your senses.  Eat 3 new foods,  travel a route to work, play new music, move 17 things in your home, call old friends, turn off your cell phone, try a new hobby- juggling?  Add flowers to your kitchen, read from a new author, read nothing. Shake up 17 of your normal habits.  Wake up your senses and your life.

Let me know how your shift and what happens when you do,
         Happy Travels,
                  Denise
                       Life Coach and Healthy Home Specialist

Your life hidden in plain sight

There is a natural rhythm to our senses, always shifting and re-balancing. What we are constantly in contact with shifts our awareness.  The more consistent the sense input the less awareness we have.  It is our an internal protection.  

My dad and I stopped by a bakery one day and as we chatted with the baker she mentioned the bakery no longer smelled like fresh doughnuts to her.  The longer she has worked there the less she smells the bakery scents.   

It is not just scent either; sound has the same diminishing quality.  Have you ever lived by a train track?  At first, those trains rattle your home and your brain.  But over time something peculiar happens, we all start to tune out the consistent.  A few years ago, my father in law asked me if we got many airplanes flying over our home.  I said, no, I don't think too much.  But as I then paused and listened, sure enough one was flying over our home that very minute!!  Amazing- our senses are amazing!

The same thing happens with our vision.  What we see all the time, we stopped seeing.  Have you ever looked for something- everywhere you search without success?  And then someone looks for you and what you were searching for was right in front of you the whole time.  The longer something sits, the more it becomes the backdrop and no longer present to us. 

Our senses, that give us so much, also protect us by taking away.  If you want to see your life clearly, you must clear out what has become background noise, daily scents and composted possessions.  

As the New Year appears, kindly look at what has become consistent in your life, your every days, your things that have sat in place for over a year.  Dust them off, move them completely out of their entrenched space and see what happens.  Let go of what has become background noise.  Let go of your stagnate spaces.  Breathe life into your days again. Maybe some of your background noise needs to move on.  Let it go out of your home and life with gratitude.

The New Year brings a fresh start and if you want to see it clearly, re-spark your senses.  Start with a clean slate, a fresh canvas.  Sometimes what you have been looking for has been sitting right in front of you the whole time.  Keeping your life fresh and alive requires movement and change.  Let the gift of your senses start to shine again.

Summer is demanding- feed it!

    Is it only me or do your taste buds change right along with the seasons?  About this same time every year,  I find myself blankly staring into our refrigerator.  I'm not the least bit interested in our "favorite go-to" meals.  I have no desire to cook our normal dinners: none-zero-null!

  

   Come autumn, I'm pretty sure I will once again have a burning desire for comfort foods, bright orange- squashes, sweet potatoes and pumpkins.  A rich, steamy bowl of soup will sound heavenly.  But in the heart of nature's abundance, my taste buds are loudly begging for vibrant, crunchy, juicy, light, cool and bright foods.  It is as if my natural instincts pitch a fit. 

   And so, if we are going to eat, I have to listen.  Seasonal food inspires me. It must, because when I create dishes in flow with the natural order of food, I am happy.  When I try to cook autumn foods or winter foods in the middle of July- bad things happen!

   Below is a recipe, we ate growing up. Before dinner we would head to the garden pick: baby tender white corn; juicy, beefy, rich tomatoes; dig up crunchy sweet onions.  Together this trio created a perfectly coherent symphony of summer!

   Wishing you inspired meals from the delights of summer!!

          Denise

Symphony of summer salad

Ingredients: 
Corn:  Pick freshly picked and baby- husk
    (I prefer white corn to yellow but both with work- tender is key)
Tomato:  Cut up a juicy, ripe and fragrant tomato
Onion:  Dice or small chop a fresh sweet onion 
     (You can also dice a green onion- either is amazing)
Butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:  
   Boil ears of corn water for about 5 minutes- keep your kernels crunchy!!
   Cut kernels off ear- put into bowl
   Add a dab of butter
   Add chopped tomatoes and onions
   Season with salt and pepper to taste
           I don't use pepper but that is just me

Enjoy!!!!!  So insanely simple - so delicious!!

Do the farmers market experiment

Last night for dinner we had fresh asparagus. I can't believe I'm saying this but the asparagus was melt in your mouth heavenly! As a kid growing up in Colorado, we would go pick wild asparagus from the lake bank over by my grandpa's house. I hated asparagus- loved picking it- hated eating it. It's amazing what your taste buds do as you get older. Thinking asparagus is heavenly would have been like thinking going to the dentist was a treat. Things sure have changed!

.

Last night's asparagus came from our local farmers market. May is a month to celebrate the return of our farmers markets and farmers. The local honey, fresh baked bread, beautiful bouquets of flowers, fresh picked in the morning veggies: pea vines, mustard greens, tender baby broccoli, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, baby garlic, onions, asparagus . So much local abundance waiting to come home for dinner.

.

This summer I invite you to do a little experiment. Spend some time at a normal grocery store or discount store. Just listen, smell, look and notice- what do you see and how do you feel? What are your fellow shoppers doing? Now go directly to your local farmers market and conduct the same research. I think you will be amazed at the differences.

.

When I did this experiment, I spent a morning at the farmers market as a volunteer, afterwords I had to stop by a discount store and pick up something. My senses were shocked. Inside the store I found shinny floors, clanking carts, florescent lights, advertisements and folks looking a bit sad and lost. In contrast, the morning at the farmers market, I had been surrounded by flowers, popcorn popping, families strolling and laughing, sunshine, fresh air, fresh food, local growers visiting with customers and lots of contented, happy looking faces.

.

It was truly an ah ha moment. This spring, summer and fall go shopping and support our local markets. You will be helping local farmers and in return you will get a slice of life. If you are not sure when or where to find these markets not to worry, I found this little web site with all the details. It will also give you the local harvest schedule. http://www.pugetsoundfresh.org/.

.

I can't say as a kid this asparagus would have been better than the wild we cut, learning to love fresh asparagus just takes time, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed shopping at the farmers market more than the grocery store.

.

Happy fresh and local shopping,

Denise

"Go outside and get the stink blown off"

"Go outside and get the stink blown off" These are words my mom must have said to me on a weekly base when I was growing up. I don't know what led to her saying. Was I getting grumpy, acting up, was I bored, pale, snippy, tired, edgy??? I have no idea- well that's not entirely true. Her words sound off in my head even now when I'm a bit out of sorts or feeling caged up.

Going up in Colorado, even in the winter, I still had outside chores. I was suppose to water the cattle. In the winter, this also meant, chipping ice out of the tank, so there was room for fresh water. It meant being extra careful not to run the tank over. After it was filled, I needed to stretch out the hose and carefully lift it up over my head. From one end to the other end until all the water had run out. Do you know how much trouble it is to thaw a hose in the middle of winter??? Do you know how unhappy your family memebers are with you if you freeze a hose?

I now live in the city, I don't have cows I need to water. I walk my dogs most everyday but it isn't quite the same as accomplishing a chore. This afternoon it was sunny and all I wanted to do was go outside and clean out my rock/herb garden bed outside my living room window.

This whole day I had been plaged with a heavy feeling of dispair. I took a little break and my mom's advice and went outside. I pulled weeds, cut off perenials and moved around little rocks. It wasn't a big job but I paused from my day and put my hands in rich winter soil. Smelling the sage leaves as I raked, I looked at the dark soil, saw little worms. This pause was a little bit of heaven. Taking me less than 1 hour I went outside and "got the stink blown off" and in the midst of my mothers advice my day was so much sweeter.

Wishing you a good trip outside,
Denise

Smacked in the face with smelly dryer sheets

The dogs are walked and I'm back in for the evening. As I was walking, I noticed how earthy it smelled outside. All the leaves decomposing on the ground, it smelled so rich.

As we trotted along- whack- the smell of dryer sheets covered up all the autumn smells and flooded my nose with thick fake flowers. Fake fragrances are like having plastic flowers. Maybe, I'm jaded from being in the cleaning industry for so long. No, tonight the dryer sheets were powerfully obnoxious!

When I smell plastic fragrances I cringe. Partly from my own sensitivities and partly because the man made fragrances pale in comparison to nature and yet are so strong they smack you over the head. Those smells are out place and sneaky, like an invading pest attacking our sense of smell. The evening smelled so fresh, so clean, so earthy and then -wham- fake plastic rose smells. Yuk.

Have a residue free stroll,
Denise