Warm breezes and sunny days, summer is the time for outdoor activities. But along with the summer fun comes summer skin irritations like sunburn, blisters, insect bites, and the dreaded poison ivy. You can buy over-the-counter products to treat all of these, but you will also be getting the added chemicals and ...
7 Things to Do With Basil Beyond Pesto
Every year I tell myself - plant less basil. But then spring rolls around and I think I can’t possibly have too much fresh basil, can I? And so the seeds get planted and my excitement rises as I pinch my first fresh leaves. Oh, the aroma of fresh basil! The plants start slow, but by July I just can’t keep up. ...
Chickweed Recipe – Chickweed Pesto
Chickweed is a great-tasting weed that offers plenty of flavor and nutrition. Making chickweed pesto is a great way to enjoy this early spring weed. Chickweed - A Simple Nourishing Weed Traditional cultures looked forward to taking in the fresh green plants erupting in the early ...
Sensual Pleasures – Herbal Aphrodisiacs and Recipes to Spice Up Your Love Life
Herbal Aphrodisiacs “Love is something that arises from the gentleness of true intimacy, the comfort of deep support, the nourishment of open and honest communication. Love and sexual arousal begins on the unseen level of both emotional and spiritual connection. Simply sitting down, gazing into your beloved’s ...
Beating the Winter Blues
Five Ways to Beat the Winter Blues This is the time of year that many of us start feeling down, as the days turn gray and the long nights leave us missing the sun. Instead of suffering another year with the winter blues, and trying to find relief through caffeine, sugar, and comfort foods, let's make a promise to take ...
Simple Hearty Winter Breakfast – Crockpot Barley with Apple
If we are forced to drag ourselves from bed, especially on a cold and dark winter morning, wouldn’t it be nice to rise to the smell of apples and cinnamon? Entering the kitchen with a wholesome, healthy, tasty meal all ready to warm and energize you for the day ahead? This simple hearty winter breakfast with barley and ...
The Introvert’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays
“Quiet people have the loudest minds.” Stephen Hawking “Don’t underestimate me because I’m quiet. I know more than I say, think more than I speak and observe more than you know.” ~ Michaela Chung The busy holiday season is on the way, are you ready? The annual holiday rush can be a joyful time, but it can also be ...
Learning to Let Go
All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. ~ Havelock Ellis Walking the gardens, I notice the changing beauty. The flowers have shed their colors, the red berries are in full bloom, and the plants are releasing their seeds. It seems there could be a message ...
Autumn Gold Tea Blend – Make Your Own Nourishing Herbal Infusion
The herbs in this tea blend are nourishing and warming. Perfect for supporting our immune systems as we transition to the new season. This DIY fall tea blend contains the anti-inflammatory turmeric, providing health benefits and a delightful golden glow as embrace the brisk fall season. Make your own nourishing herbal ...
The Most Important Thing – Having the Courage to Live with Authenticity
Living with Authenticity Requires a Great Deal of Courage "The ego must hide all that we believe is unacceptable about ourselves. To accomplish this task, it constructs a mask to prove to others that we are not as defective, inferior, worthless, and bad as we might fear we are. None of us likes to admit that we have ...
A Better Way to Start Your Day – How to Start Your Day with a Positive Attitude
How do you start your day? Are you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, feeling excited and optimistic? Or do you drag yourself from bed with weariness and dread? Despite our personal challenges, we can choose how we start our days. I say "choose", because we can be intentional in how we begin each day. Although I ...
Calm the Heck Down – Motherwort Herb Benefits
Benefits of Motherwort Motherwort herb is a lovely plant with a long history of use in supporting women’s health. The benefits of motherwort include effects on the circulatory, digestive, and nervous systems. Motherwort herb is a wonderful way to calm frazzled nerves and emotions. Motherwort Herb – Offering ...
Seeking Joyful Simplicity is about living your best life after 40. I write about using a holistic approach combining herbal remedies, nourishing foods, and self-care to reduce overwhelm, manage our weight, and enjoy more vibrant health in our 40's, 50's, and beyond.