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Goldenrod
Our honeybees and wild pollinators are so happy to see the emergence of goldenrod in the late summer. It signals the end of the summer dearth for bees and other pollinators. Believe it or not, once the spring flowers have dried up and before fall flowers bloom, pollinators can experience a scarcity of fresh nectar.…
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Coconut Quinoa Cereal
You might be surprised by how delicious and filling this Coconut Quinoa Cereal is, while being quite possibly the healthiest breakfast on the planet. Let’s look at the ingredients. Quinoa is a versatile whole grain that can be made into a salad, a lunch casserole, or a dinner side. Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein,…
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I am a small part of the big picture.
Bees are magical. They pollinate plants and are responsible for many of the foods we eat. Without bees, there would be widespread famine. Bees also make a magical potion called honey. Honey is medicinal and lasts forever. It has recently been touted as the “new” cure for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is laughable considering the medicinal…
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Coconut Muffins
Coconuts made quite an impression on my husband and daughter when we visited the Philippines. My home has coconut trees growing right on our front yard. One Sunday morning a boy climbed one of the trees with a machete and carefully lowered bunches of coconuts down to our driveway. We drank fresh coconut juice and…
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My Daughter’s Homemade Lipbalm
I tend to skip the lipbalm. Instead of putting on lipbalm when my lips are dry I just drink more water and eat more hydrating fruits. Most lipbalm is made of petroleum, which is a burden on the immune system and obviously wouldn’t be helping me in the long run. Until I tried my daughter’s…
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Honey Lemon Ginger Tea
It’s a lifesaver. Ginger is known to alleviate headaches, stomach aches, nausea and many other pains. In addition, raw honey is an antibacterial elixir and lemon is rich in vitamin C, which boosts the immune system. Here’s the recipe for Honey Lemon Ginger Tea (or Ginger Lemonade, if you like it cold): sliced organic ginger…
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Honey Lemon Garlic Tea
Every year I revisit this recipe, from Dr. Aviva Jill Romm’s book, Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent’s Guide: How to Make Safe, Sensible Decisions about the Risks, Benefits, and Alternatives. The recipe is listed as Garlic Lemonade, but I call it Honey Lemon Garlic Tea. Sounds sweeter (trying to just sneak in the “garlic” in there,…
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Yogurt Face Mask
The most fabulous beauty products can be found in our very own kitchen pantries. Michelle Pino, Spa Manager at Skana, a luxury spa in Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, upstate New York, sent me a few recipes for DIY body products we can whip up easily at home. I tried one of them today.…
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Carrots for Red Highlights in Hair
My husband’s grandmother was an Irish redhead. My husband’s mother had auburn hair. Our daughter’s hair bleached blond under the sun, and darkened as she grew older. She has natural copper highlights in her hair when the sun hits it. She wanted more of that red to come out. Tonight she showed me a YouTube…
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My Daughter’s Snack Recipe
I don’t remember when my daughter started helping me in the kitchen. Was it at age 3 or was it even younger? I remember her taking initiative making us snacks not even a mother could love. Now that she’s 8 she’s become quite a cook. She can cook her own breakfast eggs. She’s been my…