Hitting Send

Summer has finally arrived! June 20 marks Summer Solstice (Litha), the longest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. In California, we’ll get to enjoy nearly 15 hours of daylight. Don’t be fooled by the fact that during this period the Summer Solstice always occurred on 21 June. This is just a feature of the slow drift through the dates on a 400 year cycle. The last time the Solstice was not on this date was 1975 when it occurred on 22 June, and in the year 2012 it will occur on 20 June.

The cause of the Summer Solstice - the name of which is derived from the Latin words sol meaning “Sun,” and sistere, meaning “stand still” - is due to the angle of the Earth on its axis. On this day, the Earth is at its greatest tilt toward the Sun (in Winter, it is tilted away), and the Sun is in its northernmost position of the year, above the Tropic of Cancer, where it will hover, shedding maximum rays toward Earth before beginning its journey back toward the equator.

Known as “midsummer” in previous centuries, the day was revered by many cultures, from the Druids to the Incas to ancient Egyptians. They held festivals and feasts to celebrate the bounty of the warmer months and, in some locations, the monsoon rains, which enriched the land. Summer Solstice was also viewed by many as a time of fertility and good fortune, with weddings traditionally taking place on the day or within the month. This is because many ancient peoples believed that the “grand [sexual] union” of the Goddess and God occurred in early May at Beltaine. Since it was unlucky to compete with the deities, many couples delayed their weddings until June (June continues to be the most popular month for weddings).

Although the name Litha is not well attested, it may come from Saxon tradition — the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant. At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks.

While observance is relatively low in the states, I am encouraging everyone to celebrate! It’s time to indulge in some Sun-worshipping, Moon and star gazing! Head for the beach, lake, or favorite hiking trail. Gather with friends over some refreshing drinks and bask in the Moonlight!

Whatever is dreamed on this night, will come to pass.

~William Shakespeare on Summer Solstice~

I will take time to appreciate the day with some thoughtful solitude about what the next phase of the year will bring. After all, for ancient civilizations, Summer Solstice was like our modern-day New Year’s Eve and was viewed as a time of rebirth and renewal.

However you choose to spend the day and weekend, I hope that it is a joyous celebration of the beauty of Summer. Blessed Solstice, my friends!

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Laughter is the closest distance between two people.

~Victor Borge~

I love to laugh and do so often. In fact, amongst my friends, I am known for my frequent laughing and my laugh. Perhaps because of my giggles as well. hehe My girlfriend recently confessed that she’ll ask herself, “Would this make Antonia laugh?” And how awesome is that? In turn, I do my best to crack her up as well. After all, there are plenty of things going on in the World which we could allow to dampen our spirits, but by laughing we can reduce the levels of chronic stress in our body and enhance our lifespan, boost our immune system function, protect our nervous system and sanity, and give our endocrine system a much-needed rest.

Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.

~Lord Byron~

At the biophysical level, laughter moves lymph fluid around the body simply by the convulsions experienced during the process of laughing; so it boosts immune system function and helps clear out old lingering materials from organs and tissues.
Secondly, laughter increases oxygenation of the body at both the cellular and organ level. By laughing, you intake vast amounts of oxygen in huge gulps, and you repeat this process in a sort of temporary hyperventilation session. As you take in oxygen, you release carbon dioxide, and that added oxygen makes it difficult for parasites and bacteria to survive. t’s also interesting to note that cancer cells are destroyed in the presence of oxygen.

He who laughs, lasts!

~Mary Pettibone Poole~

Laughing also boosts circulation, so at the same time that you’re distributing oxygen around your body, you’re boosting the circulation of your blood; you’re exercising abdominal muscles; you’re exercising the muscles of your face; and you’re enhancing the flexibility of various joints throughout your body. So it’s a bit of physical exercise and healthful body movement as well. In fact, the harder you laugh, the greater this effect. Have you ever laughed so hard that your stomach muscles were sore the next day? I have!

“Laughter is the spark of the soul”

~Unknown~

When you laugh, you generate a wealth of healing biochemicals such as serotonin; others are immune-boosting chemicals such as interleukins. If you were to make a long list of all the chemicals created by engaging in healthy laughter, you would have quite a list of healthy body chemicals that would carry a hefty price tag if you purchased them retail. And yet, you can create these chemicals for yourself at no cost by simply engaging in laughter. In other words, laughing makes us feel great, helps bond people together and is really good for us!

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

~e e cummings~

How can we laugh more often? Rent your favourite comedies, go to your local comedy club, spend time with children, as they most certainly know how to have fun and laugh at life. Visit websites which host funny videos, subscribe to a “Joke of the Day” service, and pass along that which you find funny so others can enjoy it as well. Tonight I will be going to a “Laughter Party”, and I promise to tell you all about it next time! Just laugh! And laugh often, my beautiful friends!

I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me to be the most civilized music in the world.

~Peter Ustinov~

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As I mentioned in my last post, I have been researching toxic-free ways to live my life, for both myself and our beautiful Mother Earth. One very clear way to do this is to begin eating more organic foods. Organic means that the fruits and vegetables were grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, are not genetically modified, and are not irradiated. Clearly, man-made toxic pesticides are bad for both our bodies, and our air, earth and water, not to mention the effects these pesticides have on low-wage farm workers having to work around them. And, I know that organics are more expensive, and that is because it is more labour intensive and because organic farmers are not subsidized by the government, like conventional farms. However, as global citizens, we can begin making the shift towards what is right for ourselves and our planet, and by increasing the demand for organic products, we will also reduce costs! But, where to begin?

The Environmental Working Group, (EWG), a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., has developed a list called the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables, which they say you should always buy organic, if possible, because their conventionally grown counterparts are laden with pesticides. I especially recommend this list for pregnant and nursing women and for small children. Pesticides can adversely affect people, but this is especially true during vulnerable periods of fetal development. Childhood exposure can also have long lasting effects. After all, the body mass index of a child is much less than a fully grown adult and therefore it takes far fewer non-organic berries, for example, to inflict harm on a little one. And, whatever a nursing mother ingests, is going to show up in her breast milk.

Based on an analysis of more than 100,000 U.S. government pesticide test results, the “dirty dozen” ranks produce from worst to best. That peach at the top of the list received a score of 100, meaning that it is ladden with pesticides that you cannot remove. Buy organic peaches! The next on the list, apples. The FDA found that more than 93% of conventionally grown apples tested still had pesticide residues on them after being thoroughly washed.

The Dirty Dozen (starting with the worst culprits)
*peaches
*apples
*sweet bell peppers
*celery
*nectarines
*strawberries
*cherries
*grapes (imported)
*pears
*spinach/lettuce
*potatoes
*raspberries

At the other end of the spectrum, here are the fruits and veggies least ladden with pesticides:

*onions
*avocados
*sweet corn
*pineapples
*mangos
*sweet peas
*asparagus
*kiwi
*bananas
*cabbage
*broccoli
*eggplant

Washing produce in cold water reduces levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them. Peeling reduces exposure but also takes valuable nutrients with it. It is recommended that you thoroughly wash all produce in cold water, even if you are going to peel it. Commercial spray washes have not been evaluated by the FDA as of yet, but I am including a home-made version below. It is called a “veggie” spray, but is meant for both fruits and vegetables. The grapefruit seed extract can be purchased at a health food store.

Veggie Cleaner Spray (by Sophie Uliano)

Ingredients:

* 1 Cup water
* 1 Cup distilled white vinegar
* 1 Tablespoon baking soda
* 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract

Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce, and rinse thoroughly after 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

We all know that we should be eating at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables. These nutrient-dense foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber which will provide our bodies with healthy fuel and they taste great! If we can begin replacing the chemical ladden versions, it will be better for us and help create a healthier world. If you can purchase them locally, all the better, as it is healthier for the body, supports the community, and reduces the need to ship produce half-way around the world. A tremendous amount of fossil fuel is used to transport foods such long distances. Combustion of these fuels releases carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to global climate change, acid rain, smog and air pollution. Local foods from small farms usually undergo minimal processing, are produced in relatively small quantities, and are distributed within a few dozen miles of where they originate. Thus, they are better for us and the environment. A win-win situation! Happy, healthy eating, my friends!

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This being a particularly challenging week, I knew that taking time for myself, my inner child and creativity was more important than ever. I chose to venture out into an unexplored arena by making my Herb Pots! After all, the Universe had so kindly provided the pots, so it was meant to be! Plus, having access to fresh herbs for cooking was going to be so wonderful!

With my sights set upon the purchase of dirt and herbs, I headed for my local home store. The staff was eager to assist in helping me find what I needed. His first question surprised me, “Do you want it to be organic?” Well, yes! Of course! And, truth be told, I am in a place in my life where I am looking for toxic free solutions, whether it be in what I use to clean my house, or my face, I just don’t see the point of allowing poisons into the home and environment. However, as I listened to this man explain all of the problems I would have by going organic, I found myself giving in and purchasing the regular potting soil he highly recommended. Their herb selection left must to be desired, but I picked out some basil, oregano, sage and rosemary and headed home. Man! Did that basil smell good!

When I got home, I thoroughly washed my pots and prepared them for planting. Somehow I got the dirt from my trunk to the pots and began preparations. Golly! The smell was intense! Which had me asking myself, “What is in this dirt?” It felt great to have my hands in earth again, but I found myself questioning the slightly toxic smell. After all, this was the foundation for something I would be ingesting.

Once the herbs were properly planted, I stood back and admired my herb pots. I would be doing a great deal of research to learn what is actually in my potting soil, but the sheer act of taking time for myself, my creativity, and reconnecting with nature was a beautiful gift to give myself and I felt recharged by this loving act. And, my herb pots are lovely! I cannot wait to watch them grow and be able to enhance my everyday meals with the blessings of home grown herbs.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday commemorating U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. Originally known as Decoration Day, it was established in Waterloo, New York on May 5, 1866. The date was later changed to May 30, because it was not the anniversary of any battle. This was later changed to the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day Holiday weekend. Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 9 p.m. US Eastern time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers place an American flag upon each grave site located in a National Cemetery.

This Holiday led me to calling my grandfather to ask him about his service in World War II and learned that of the 1,000 soldiers with whom he fought, less than one hundred are still alive today. After being rejected by the Air Force, due to less than perfect vision, he was quickly drafted by the U.S. Army on September 24, 1942. My grandmother was three months pregnant with my mother when he was shipped to Indio, CA. He was then sent from base to base around the states, before being shipped overseas on a passenger ship, the Cape Town Castle, bound for England. It was there that he received further training for duties in a Tank Battalion, before being sent to assist in the liberation of France. Here is what he has written about being sent to Omaha Beach:

We would be attached to the First Division, an experienced outfit that had won its spurs in North Africa and Sicily. Though we didn’t know it at the moment, the destination for our people was Omaha Beach.

I had few thoughts of being placed in great danger as D Day approached, for my job as message center sergeant would place me in the rear area with the division headquarters, not up on the front with the combat units. With a location like that I should suffer little stress, and worry only about long range artillery, or air strikes, but not be concerned with the shorter range weapons such as mortars, machine guns and rifle fire.

On June 6 it was announced over the radio and in the newspapers that the invasion had begun. The long waiting was over. Now we only had to learn what had happened to our Battalion of medium tanks. The light tanks were still with us.

It was not until we had been shipped across the channel that we finally discovered the extent of our losses. This event took place some four or five days after D Day, since the big question of whether or not the beach could be held was not answered until that time.

We went over in what was called an LST, or Landing Ship Tank, the same sort of vessel that had been used to ferry our tanks across the water on June 5th and 6th. It was a cumbersome ship, that handled poorly in the choppy waves that were still churning up the channel, following the big storm that had come right after the landings.

We docked at what was called a Mulberry, a huge floating dock that had been towed across from England and installed at the edge of the water on Omaha Beach. It was now receiving the thousands of reinforcements that were being poured into the beachhead, as well as we noncombatants.

Upon arrival I was struck by the solemnity of the men who were awaiting us. Their demeanor was sad, and the strain of the past four days showed mightily on their faces. The bad news came quickly, as we learned of the disaster that had over taken these men in the first hours of the landing.

There are two beautiful tales he shared with me about his experiences. The first was when he went into Paris after the Liberation. He said that the joy, and appreciation was something to behold. French locals were running up to the American soldiers to offer them wine! The second tale was of his return to Paris exactly fifty years later for the celebratory parade, as his Regent had been invited to participate. It was an evening parade through the streets of Paris, ending at City Hall. Now, my grandfather met up with those with whom he fought annually, and would not miss this event either. It is unfortunate that somebody stole his wallet during the parade, but he celebrated and enjoyed despite that. Grandpa, you do us all proud.

I hope that you will all take a moment to honour the soldiers who have given their lives to fight for this country on Monday. In rememberance of their bravery, Blessed Memorial Day.

It’s a gorgeous Spring day. The Sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and hopefully they are further along in their nest building than I am. I once read “You didn’t pack in a day, so don’t expect to unpack in one either,” which is good advice. I threw everything together in a weekend and perhaps therein lies the problem. (grin) To make matters more interesting, everything that I had left in storage a couple of years ago, was taken out of storage and moved in amongst my other stuff into one jumble. It’s pretty cool finding stuff I had forgotten I owned!

I had said that if I’ve lived without it for a couple of years, how could it possibly be anything that I needed? I was wrong. One of the first boxes I came across revealed family photos. A beautiful, framed picture of my mom with her father. A picture of my great-grandmother on her 100th birthday, God/dess bless her. And, the one and only picture I have of my father. How did I ever live without these? In another box I found my baby booties from Mexico! Too cute! The irony is that if I had to salvage only a few things, these would be the ones I would hold dearest to me. That same article warned me not to worry about placing decorations right away, and, honestly, I haven’t any furniture upon which to place them.

My nesting is going way back to basics. Upon hearing of my needs, my mother immediately went out and purchased new sheets and towels for me! I know, she’s the best! I reminded her that I wasn’t sure of what I had, as of yet, but she wasn’t taking any chances. “What colour are your floors?” she asked from her cell, while pouring over potential towels for me. She purchased them and immediately got them in the mail to me. I soon had lovely peach towels with perfect complimentary coloured wash clothes and bathrug to make my bathroom look organized. And the sheets she found are divine! Soft, latte coloured decadence! Thank you, mom!

I have been wanting to create an herb garden for myself for a long time now. I asked mom what I would need. “Pots,” she told me. Get a couple of big pots and fill them with soil and then create an herb pot. Hmmm… Well, it was only a couple of days later that I found two, big, beautifully painted pots on my property which are not being used. YAY! Ask and you shall receive! “Perfect,” my mom declared when I told her of my discovery. She then began explaining which herbs could be placed with which without overgrowth issues. Knowing the ‘what’ I want to grow helped a great deal. Now I get to learn the ‘how’ because it has been awhile since I have done it.

I’m enjoying taking my time creating my nest. Slowly rediscovering my own possessions, and creating those I desire, is a fun adventure. My focus has not been so much upon what the current situation looks like, but upon the potential of my environment. With my energy on what I want my house to look and feel like, I can create it in a flowing and easy manner, just as I do my life. Many blessings to you, my reader. I hope that you too are creating things as you wish for them to be.