Women For Women

Many of you know that Women for Women has been our "charity of the quarter" since September, 2007. We normally rotate every quarter, but our clients have donated so generously to this cause that we've continued it.

Last night I was browsing a week old copy of Time Magazine (their 100 most influential people issue) and found on nearly the back page an article about "The Power of One" by Caroline Kennedy. Focus of the article? Zainab Salbi, the founder of Women for Women. An amazing story of courage and determination. You may read the article at this link.

We already knew Women for Women was a cause worth supporting, but the personal insight on the founder just amazed me.

Book Reviews

New (to me!) Books of Note:

for those inflicted with the recurring pain of Migraines:

Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches by Teri Robert. An amazingly complete guide to dealing with Migraine Disease. Ms. Roberts helps us understand side effects, explores treatments for long-term relief, thoroughly explains the risks and symptoms, identifies different types of headaches; (Migraine is one one type of disabling headache!), explores traditional and alternative therapies (including, of course, my beloved essential oils), gives guidance on finding the appropriate health care providers and support, as well as including case studies and expert advice.

Ms. Roberts suggests that the judicious use of essential oils may relieve the nausea that often accompanies a migraine, as well as help ease the pain of the migraine itself. She mentions a commercial product that is based on a diluted blend of Lavender and Peppermint oils, in a carrier oil. Packaged in a "rollerball" bottle, this blend would be ideal for applying to the temples, and lavender and peppermint are the most commonly recommended essential oils for relieving the pain of any type headache.
As well as Lavender and Peppermint, Ms Roberts also recommends Chamomile (I'd suggest Roman), Clary Sage, Melissa, Jasmine, and Rosemary for use, either diluted for massage, or in a diffuser.


For the Herbalist :

Whether you are a herb gardener, someone who uses herbs for their healing benefits, or a gourmet cook, adding fresh and dried herbs to all sorts of yummies, you NEED a copy of Under the Sun - the First Five Years. The Essential Herbal Magazine is must reading for any one interested in any uses of herbs. Tina Sams, the world's most delightful editor, has compiled a charming book based on the first five years worth of issues from the magazine (most now out of print and unavailable elsewhere!)

Over 200 pages of growing tips, wild-crafting, yummy recipes, first aid, traditional uses, suggestions on starting an herb business... this book covers it all. Plus while browsing through its pages I feel as though I'm sitting across the kitchen table from Tina and some other friends, sharing what works, what doesn't, laughter and tears over... a cup of herb tea, of course! Only available from the magazine's website.

My favorite Earth Week Message

The message below arrived in last week's mail. I took too long to ask the author for permission to quote it. Fascinating ideas on specific actions we can take during this time of threatened food shortages, to make our families and neighborhoods a bit more self sufficient.

I feel obligated to come out of hiding to address a very serious issue. Out of nowhere, as many “catastrophes” often appear, America is facing a food shortage. Completely laudable, some would argue, and agree that if a real threat at all, must indeed be related to increasing gasoline prices. Now whether you believe this shortage to be inevitable or a capitalistic ploy (I vote for number two), we Americans are not completely helpless. There are some who want us to believe we are helpless, but as long as we believe we are not, we are not! There are ways that we can take back control of our food supply and decrease cancer rates and pollution at the same time.

From Tammie Umbel, CEO
Shea Terra Organics


"The area surrounding my ten acre, organically managed farm in Leesburg, VA is a picture that I have seen again and again in my travels across the country. What used to be cow pastures and cash crop farms are now miniature, luxury estates. Across from a five hundred acre cow farm are houses over ten thousand square feet with five to twenty acres a piece. Now some might hate me for what I am about to say, and frankly I could care less. It wouldn’t be the first or last time anyhow. But while the owners of these houses look outside to their kingdom of lush, manicured “pastures”, I see giant junk yards, endless pits of waste that are the real reason America might face a food shortage, and why food prices are soaring. Not only do these yards require a lot of environment polluting diesel to manicure them , but they are also eating up land that could be used for local food production- to feed the masses so we can stop importing the majority of our food from across the globe.

And she goes on to make suggestions that many of us may be able to follow. Read more here.

Spring Means Fighting Ticks & Fleas

We are having the most beautiful Spring here in Middle Tennessee. In fact, one of the best in many years. Everything is lush & green so I've been spending a lot of time outdoors & in the dog park with my dogs Lexi & Cooper. I'm happy to report they are tick & flea free so far, even though ticks have been much worse than usual during our lovely weather. Unfortunately, I've not been tick free, at least not until I started using our Rose Geranium in my Skeeter Beater Body Oil. Ticks frighten me because of the possibility of Lyme Disease. I have several friends who battle it chronically & after seeing their struggles, I am even more aware of the dangers of ticks. I've found a few crawling on me (but not the dogs) & T, our production manager, has also reported seeing high numbers of them this year. (as have several other friends) I apply Skeeter Beater Oil to my doggies once a week from about November-April. But in Spring they usually get two applications a week. With the body oil, you just apply it high below the back of the neck or top of the spine where they cannot reach it. (Just like you would with topical flea & tick control from the vet.) I add a few drops of Rose Geranium to our blend for added protection against ticks. (Reportedly, it repels them.) And you don't need much because the scent of Rose Geranium can be overwhelming. Since adding the Rose Geranium, no more tick sightings on my body or clothing. Hopefully, that tip will also help you as you enjoy the great outdoors throughout the Summer season! Christi

re-usuable money stretcher

we can re-use our empty nature's gift bottles for all sorts of things.
after using all the product from one of our bottles with a treatment pump i cleaned it out thoroughly and refilled it with a diluted version of my hair conditioner. my hair is very long, and needs conditioning frequently, but not everyday. it does, however, need to be untangled. by diluting my favorite over the counter conditioner about 50-50 with H2O i had the perfect consistency to use on the ends of my hair as a detangling agent.
if i buy super size bottles of conditioner i can decant small amounts of it into one of our bottles with a lotion pump to more easily use in the shower.
if you love to use the old timey hair rinses try the atomizer top bottle as a spray.
the atomizer top especially has many uses: filled with water and handy for misting your houseplants. homemade pet spray is easily dispensed with it, too. if you work in watercolors it's a great spray for your creative endeavors.
i shouldn't neglect to mention the disc lid which was the first of our tops i experimented with for re-use. one of our used bottles with a disc lid dispenses my dishwashing liquid. i could go on and on.
i'm interested to know if you have any ideas about re-using our packaging. use your imagination, and please let me know what you come up with in the comments area. we might put it in our newsletter as we move forward into the "green age"!
bright blessings to you-
t

Happy Earth Day from Sadie

"the earth laughs in flowers."
ee cummings

That is one of my favorite quotes. I know we've all also heard the old adage that "Laughter is the best medicine." So if flowers are the Earth's laughter, and laughter is medicine, it follows that the glorious beautiful essential oils that we distill from said flowers are Mother Earth's truest medicine. Liquid Laughter from our Mother...


We Have a Beautiful Mother
By Alice Walker

We have a beautiful mother
Her hills are buffaloes
Her buffaloes hills.

We have a beautiful mother
Her oceans are wombs
Her wombs oceans.

We have a beautiful mother
Her teeth the white stones at the edge of the water
The summer grasses her plentiful hair.

We have a beautiful mother
Her green lap immense
Her brown embrace eternal
Her blue body everything we know.


Happy Earth Day!!!

earthday/birthday

every year on April 22 i have two reasons to celebrate. along with many of our fellow inhabitants i celebrate and give thanks for our beloved planet. on a more personal level i have the unlimited joy of celebrating the birth of my beautiful daughter. Gretchen was born on April 22, 1971, the first celebrated earth day. i am grateful to have her in my life and for everything she has done to make my life a happier one. i truly admire the woman Gretchen has become. i enjoy having her to share things with. if i need a shoulder i can count on her to listen carefully and respond with wisdom beyond her years. if i have good news she celebrates with me. she very simply is the brightest blessing in my life.



today we at nature's gift celebrated earth day by hanging flower baskets and tending to our pots out back. we planted pink geraniums and purple petunias. later we will add a rosemary plant, and maybe another herb or two. the herbs from last year died across the winter except for the st. john's wort. affectionatly known as "st. johnny", he thinned down during the dark season, but we expect him to be picking up real soon. johnny got a good haircut today and is looking quite spiffy in time for new growth.

please indulge me as i add a word regarding our mother. all we have, all we need and all that we are originates with our mother earth. on the other side everything we don't need returns to the earth as well. to our disgrace we have been less than dilligent in honoring earth for all the blessings she has provided. on the contrary, it's as though we create open wounds in her, insert the most horrendous materials that she can never absorb, cover the wound with a band-aid and forget it.

thankfully, it has gotten much easier to recycle, and it is great that so many have had the inititive to take that first step towards liberating the earth from our misuse. but to heal earth's wounds and re-create an acceptable balance will take more than recycling alone. because we have neglected our duty for so long extreme measures must be taken. one way we can contribute on an individual level is to thoroughly research products we buy and who we are buying them from. if we boycott those who don't manufacture responsibly possibly we could have an impact on their decision making processes. manufacturing responsibly includes every aspect of the process, from where they purchase their supplies to how they dispose of their waste.

it is shameful that so many, for so long, have taken so much that they've forgotten there is a cost. self interest and the obsession with wealth has robbed people of their sensibilities.

i know there are numbers of responsible world citizens out there who are willing to help turn this thing around. we can impress on the selfish and desensitized members of society that there is no place in our lives for the products they produce nor the leavings of their processes. consider yourself a volunteer. volunteers give back because they are grateful for what they have been given.

we should not shrug it off and wait for someone else to do it. the time is now. express gratitude for the powerful opportunity to learn more about what you can do and the even more powerful opportunity of doing it!



bright blessings, love and light to you all!
t smith

Earth

We have been blessed with so many amazing plants on this earth. Tastes and scents soothe our mind, feed our body, and produce our oxygen to breathe. Essential oils can not exist without the amazing species from which they are distilled. So many are already extinct. With all of the technology of our time, it seems as if we could do something about this. Unfortunately, technology cannot save these plants; only we can.
If every person could just plant one rare species, think of the impact it could have. If everyone could plant one tree, think of how much better our air could be.
The earth seems so huge. What can one person do to make a difference? What does one little plastic grocery bag matter? 1,000 years is the number I've read. One little plastic bag could hang around that long. If we could all just recycle or not use that one bag, think of the thousands.....millions.......billions fewer bags. Less Pollution, better aromatherapy.
EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS. It adds up so quick. Please, don't forget to love the planet which keeps us alive. Thank you for trying.