~ Lavender ‘N Chocolate ~

Autumn brings so many gifts and teachings to help us along our path. Sometimes it just takes opening our eyes, hearts, minds and spirits to our surroundings. My mood seems to fluctuate more during this transitional Season of Autumn/Winter. I also seem to eat a lot more chocolate! My store of this delectable sweet treat is dwindling, and I am on the hunt for something special to satisfy my eternal cravings for chocolate. I have found that lavender is a great companion to chocolate and since I am in a festive mood for giving, I am going to get some Vegan Organic Lavender Dark Chocolate Heart Truffles.They come in an absolutely lovely gift box, so I am adding these lovelies to my list for my daughters and my sister as well.

Vegan Organic Lavender Dark Chocolate Heart Truffles

~ Beautiful Handmade Lavendar Gift Box
~ Lavender Dark Chocolate Truffle Hearts
~ Truffles are individually wrapped in purple foil
~ Certified Organic, Certified Vegan and Fair Trade Certified

A beautiful handmade box is filled with lucious creamy vegan dark chocolate lavender truffles. The truffles come in a heart shape wrapped in lavender foil. They are also a certified Fair Trade product which means by purchasing these products you are directly supporting a better life for farming families through fair trade prices, direct trade community development and enviromental stewardship. (www.fairtradecertified.org)

Well then, all I can say is yummmm! My mouth is watering just thinking about these delicious little truffles, so I think I had better get some, and seek out my secret chocolate stash whilst I am waiting for my Vegan Organic Lavender Dark Chocolate Heart Trufflesto arrive… Enjoy!

Ah… it does feel good to slow down for a moment and just breathe! Listening to music whilst I contemplate my next move. We have less than two weeks before we take another trip to our Sacred Lands where we hold our highest Ceremonies. Camping out for two and a half weeks means we need to really prepare, and make sure everything on the home front is in good order as well.

I still have to get my moccasins re-soled, even though I have the leather cut out and ready to go. Thank goodness I have enough sinew to get the task done! LOL I love crafting, and Sara and I both REALLY love camping. Although it takes a lot more work to get things done, there is something to be said for how well we all work together. At the end of each day we carry in our hearts a certain satisfaction just knowing we had a full and productive day. And we seem to accomplish everything with such good humor, enjoying the great outdoors with plenty of sunshine and fresh air!

So much laughter seems to carry us through the hard times when we don’t get to see our dear friends and family nearly often enough. I truly wish in my heart of hearts that we could always live like we do when so many of us gather for ceremony. It is such a special time, and something to be forever treasured.

So, I will just take this moment in time to just breathe, and allow myself the luxury of sending many, many thanks out into the Universe for all of our Blessings. It feels good to carry some positive vibes forth to help us and those around us to carry through in the face of grief, and all the trials we face in this earthly journey.

Pilamaye (thank you) for allowing me to share this space in time with you, whenever and wherever this moment might find you.

Teri
~

Hmmm… been going out EVERY day for the past month or so. Today I am just staying inside! It feels good to just hang out with my daughter, listen to music, dance, and play on my computer. Of course, our four-legged furry little friends just love all the extra attention, as I am certain they felt quite forgotten lately! We love them all the time, but Life seemed to take us away from home more often than not. We are not usually so busy, but we seem to find ourselves spending more time at my daughters, working out, swimming, and playing with my Grand Children. While this is quality time, and very well spent, some days we love to chill in the house and just enjoy each others company.

This is also a great opportunity to catch up on our adventures in the cyber realms. The virtual worlds online tend to bring a lot of interesting opportunities to socialize with the world at large, and our faraway friends do miss us as well… LOL

So, I have caught up on my blogs (I have 5 blogs, one of which I share with my daughter… our Book blog) and responded to comments in my social spheres. Now I am going to grab a snack and get back to preparing for our camp out of nearly three weeks of Lakota Ceremonies, to fill up on Spiritual goodness. Although this year brings a mixture of Joy and Sadness, as we will have a Placing in the Ground Ceremony for a very dear friend, whom only just recently crossed to the Other Side. I sure miss my brother D, and will shed many healing tears before the next few weeks have passed.

To all who happen upon these pages, I wish you much Happiness and many True Friends to help Light your Path!

Rich, creamy, and simple. Many thanks to Mamaste for the original recipe that inspired this.

4-6 cups chopped veggies, whichever ones you like (I like broccoli tops, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and green onions)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Soy sauce
Maple syrup
1 lb of rice noodles (I like the ones that are fettucini-sized)
1 can of coconut milk
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When it boils, turn off the heat, and add the package of rice noodles. Let these soak in the hot water for about 6 minutes, and then drain in a strainer and set aside.

Return the pot to the burner and turn the heat to high. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the pot, and immediately add the chopped veggies, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry these for a minute or two, then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of soy sauce and a light drizzling of maple syrup. Cook for another minute over high heat, then transfer these to a large plate.

Return the pot to the hot burner and add another couple of tablespoons of oil. Immediately add the drained noodles and stir while they sizzle for a few seconds. Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, maple syrup and seasonings and stir until the entire mixture is heated through. Remove from heat and either stir in the cooked veggies right away, or serve the noodles out onto plates and top with the cooked veggies instead. Mm-mm, creamy spicy goodness.

Serves 4-6 people… Enjoy!

Well then, what is my most favourite escape? Reading, of course! Although I do love to play video and online games as well, especially when I can express my creativity in a role-playing manner… LOL. Anyway, I decided it was about time I found out what all the excitement was over the “Twighlight” series by Stephenie Meyers. I do love a good thriller, and with all the publicity surrounding these vampire novels, I figured I would find a bit of entertainment to while away my relaxation time.

I have only made it through the first novel in the series, being much too busy to read it as quickly as my daughters (who, by the way, are totally finished with the first four books), and am not disappointed thus far. I tend to crave a bit more action, but I must say it is still a great start to a very interesting story. It is tastefully written, and totally suitable for my soon to be teenage daughter, in my opinion. The budding romance between Bella and Edward is endearing and heartbreaking to behold, as this strange tale of Love and pain unfolds. Seriously, I find myself hoping for a happily ever after for the girl and her vampire, as they struggle through the vast differences between their two worlds.

I always tend to find a different perspective on my own Life, if a novel, or series such as this, has the power to touch my emotions in a profound way. It certainly made me realize how complicated Life can truly be under certain circumstances, and how strong we humans really are underneath it all. Reading about Bella and how she stumbles (literally) through Life and survives by some miracle portrays a certain courage that is to be commended. Life’s unexpected challenges can truly be overcome, if we reach deep down inside to find our way.

So, as I have worked hard for most of this day, I am ready to sit back and enjoy “New Moon”, which is the second book in the series. I use the term enjoy loosely at this point, as I am not enjoying the first part of this novel one little bit. I don’t wish to give anything away, but I will say that the poignancy of events have touched my heart with a sadness for how Life tends to toss us around a bit before allowing us to gather our precious amounts of happiness.

Enjoy the moment!

What a perfect day! 80 degrees, and it feels simply lovely. The kids finally get a chance to try out their new squirt guns, and I get to enjoy my fledgling garden. Hmmm… new ideas keep popping up on how to manage our garden space. We want to focus on growing some herbs and veggies, but we love to add lots of colour to our little world as well. So our very own little paradise is about to emerge in full bloom!

One thing is for certain… we will be gathering our own lavender this year! I am excited to grow our own lavender, as well as some sweet culinary herbs. How rewarding it will feel to utilize that which we nurtured in our very own garden space!

Well then, although we worked out with my oldest daughter at her gym, I believe I would like to head out into the wonderfully perfect weather we are having for some Qigong. Time to gather some of the energy in which we expended, yes?

I do hope everyone is enjoying each moment in their space on this planet as much as I am.

I cannot even begin to express the turmoil within my personal journey of late. We all experience a certain degree of struggle in our daily lives, yet I strive to keep drama at bay whenever possible, as I am a peace lover. I am in the middle of a very strange, and sometimes vicious, battle. The wellbeing of my new little granddaughter, who is nearly 9 weeks old, is in jeopardy. My son is little Aliyah’s father, and her mother is struggling with deep mental issues which are affecting all those around her. She needs help, and is taking her time in admiting to this.

Sometimes we just need to realize that we cannot always do everything on our own. We all need help at one time or another, and we need to remember that there are people around us who are placed along our path to help us find our way. And we must always keep the safety and wellbeing of our children first and foremost in our hearts and minds.

As the mother of my little granddaughter has decided to take her daughter away from her father, we are struggling to find a middle ground. We must find the best way to provide a stable environment for the baby, while moving forward with our own lives in a good way. I tried so hard to help our little Aliyah’s mother while she was in our home, yet I realize that sometimes even my wisdom and love is not enough. She needs to find her true path, and recognize her sickness in her own way.

I am missing my little one. We have a very special bond, and her smile lights the moments of my life in so many ways. I know she misses me as well, so in this moment I just pray to see her soon. I know there is always a purpose to Life’s lessons, yet I just wish to give my baby granddaughter the love she deserves, and allow her the benefit of a great big family to teach her about life. I hope her mama see’s that just because she no longer lives in our home, it does not mean she cannot count us as part of her family. No one can walk this Earth alone, and we all need to count our allies and keep our true friends close.

I pray to hold my little one soon….

This has been a very busy start to a new year for me. I homeschool my daughter, the youngest of my four offspring, 3 of which are adults. We are busy going over her academic materials so she can get through her mandatory testing of the 5th grade. As I work from home, I am free to do as I please with my time, yet I have 5 grandchildren ranging from 5 weeks to 8 years old. The newborn, her 3 year old brother, and their parents live with my youngest daughter and I, so as most parents (and grandparents) can imagine, we have a very busy little hive around here!

Since I am proactive, and love to play with the little ones, I tend to push myself pretty hard at times. Life is just too short to waste any of these precious moments, and I strongly feel it is important to make the most of our time as it flows by. Erego, I do get a bit overwhelmed at times (yes, the unthinkable happens to me too, and my family is usually at a loss when I turn myself off and go into self-pamper mode, but they’ll survive!).

So, what do I do to relax? Well, like I have mentioned before, I love to do my Qigong and gather Life Force Energy to keep myself in balance. I also place a bit of lavender under my pillow to get the wonderful benefits of the healing energies lavender carries. It is good to have a nice sachet of lavender handy for a moment in our day when we need to give our senses a bit of a reprieve as well.

Yet the most beneficial thing a busy woman (or man) can do for our bodies as well as our senses, is to take a nice, soothing, long hot bath! Hands down, this is the best way to really relax and let our busy bodies and minds have a chance to find that place of peace which brings us back into perfect balance. Masada Bath Salts, Relaxing Lavender, Dead Sea Mineral is a special treat I found to pamper myself in a way that gives me complete privacy in my quiet time. No one dares enter my space during bath time, so I am certain to get that which I need to keep me sane.

Life on this planet throws a lot of stuff our way (and it is not all peaches and cream), and as the Matriarch of my family, I need to keep myself in top shape to allow me to handle any situation that comes my way with a clear mind, sharp senses, and a whole lot of wisdom! Give me a few precious moments to myself, and I am good to go! So here I go to run that delicious hot bath and thank the heavens for me time!

This is a friendly reminder to take the time to pamper yourself. If you are always busy, even if you don’t have such a big and active family as I do, then you too need a bit of self indulgence to balance out the hectic moments Life throws your way. So do yourself a big favour and go run a really hot bath, throw in some of your favourite scents and salts in and enjoy!

What a great feeling it is to have spent over 46 years on this planet, and I feel as energetic as I did as a child! Truly I have more energy than most of my entire family, and I seem to slide by with less symptoms, of any virus that runs through our household. And my hair and skin are both absolutely gorgeous!

So, one might as what do I owe this awesome virtue of such fine health, beauty, and wellness?

Honestly, I truly must admit it is a combination of things. A positive attitude is a prime factor. I gather and store energy in the form of my Qigong routine each and every day, some days more intense than others. This storing of Life Energy known as Chi, is vital for our health from the inside out. And I love the amazingly abundant amount of ways to enjoy my favourite fruit and veggies! From snacks, to delicious meals and lip smacking desserts, there is a whole world of natural foods to keep my body healthy and happy.

I have found that since I actively cut out most of the non-foods being circulated as real food, I am regaining that healthy and vital glow of my youth. People are noticing, and I smile to think how wonderful it feels to be taking such good care of this body that takes me on so many great adventures! In fact, as a young grandmother, I am often mistaken for the mother of my littlest grand daughter! Everywhere I go, I love to spread this wonderful energy to people I encounter, as I strongly feel the goodness I give to others will serve to lighten the moods of many… just like a friendly chain smile!!

I especially love to start each day with a sweet and nutritious fruity drink, smoothie, or delightful concoction. It just feels right, and I feel so much lighter from my head to my toes! Body odors nearly disappear when we eat food full of Life Energy and natural goodness, as opposed to dead or non foods meant to fill our bellies while clogging our cells with nasties. My breath is a fresh breeze of strawberries, mangoes and pineapple, which is much sweeter for kissing my little ones, no doubt!!

Although I am guilty of the occasional splurge of my favourite chocolate cake, or other such sinful sidetrip off my natural fruit and veggie path, I am always certain to balance everything out in a way that my body is happy, healthy, and fine!

Hmmm… I was sitting here thinking what it is that I am missing in this moment. Ding! A bell went off in my newly energized brain (20 mins of Qigong tends to open up our minds as well as our bodies), and I realized I have been stuck indoors for too long! Time to go outside and absorb two of the most important elements our body and spirits need… fresh air and sunshine!

Did you know that it is vitally essential for our good health (and sane minds) to get a healthy dose of fresh air and sunshine at least once a day if possible? Sunshine is loaded full of goodness (as long as we do not overdo it), which actually feeds our bodies energy. The same goes for fresh air. If we are caring for our bodies properly, then we are gathering this vital energy to fill our bodies with that which can fight dis-ease and all the free radicals which bombard us on a daily basis. Of course fresh water is up there right next to sunshine as far as vital energy goes, so we must be sure to get plenty of natures purest form of energy which flows forth most generously.

I must say, I am feeling as healthy at 46, as I have ever felt in my entire life. Feeling young, vibrant, and alive is such a natural high, and I am ever so grateful for the teachings I have absorbed throughout my life to be in the healthy state of being I am in at this moment. So please… take my example to heart and get out there and enjoy plenty of fresh air and sunshine!