Let's Get Back To Nature! A Break From The Negativity Of The State

I have recently started creating my own flower essences. As it is the end of April in New York State, I haven't gotten too many sunny days or spring flowers to experiment with yet, but as of today I have handcrafted four flower essence mother tinctures and I am very excited about them!

Why use natural flower essences? Flower essences can help with emotional disturbances and past traumas. These days, the average American, westerner, first world dweller is encouraged (by every other commercial on cable television) to use antidepressants as a "cure" for their woes. Stifling symptoms with a pill and neglecting to deal with the root causes of these emotional issues cures nothing! In addition, the pharmaceuticals being used to treat these ailments have side effects worse than the original illness.

Here is a list of the side effects caused by the average antidepressant prescribed today:

Gastrointestinal disturbances, weight gain, sleep disturbances, sexual dysfunction, serotonin syndrome, antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, suicidal thoughts or actions.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, different antidepressants possess differing side effects. Further explanation can be found at http://www.pdrhealth.com/antidepressants/common-side-effects-of-antidepressants.

Traditionally, flower essence tinctures are made with brandy, I have decided to craft mine using apple cider vinegar. They are very simple to make! Here is how I have crafted mine.

What you need:
a warm sunny day
living water
a bowl
fresh flowers
a milliliter measuring cup
a jar or bottle (I ordered 4 ml amber bottles from amazon)
unbleached filter papers
labels
brandy or apple cider vinegar

What to do:
Pick the flower tops while open and fresh after the sun has warmed them. Place in a bowl of fresh spring water or filtered water (I use my well water which has been filtered through a reverse osmosis filtration system). Allow the flower heads to float in the water, outside in full sunshine for 3 hours. I then strain 60 ml of the flower essence water into the bottle and add 60 ml of apple cider vinegar. I label and date the jar and place it in a cool dark cupboard for future use.

These directions differ slightly from the standard ones normally used simply because I adjusted them to suit the measurements of the jar sizes I have. For more information, please consult the Bach Centre.

Happy 100th Anniversary, Psychopaths!

An interesting look at a corporation most people recognize as a "helpful" household name. The links provided below are related to topics mentioned in this video and will help with additional research.


                               

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/1796  The Horrifying American Roots of Nazi Eugenics

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16086703 Mortality Study Associated With  Aspirin Use (NSAID)                                                                                 

http://www.reformation.org/wall-st-hitler.html  Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Warburg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_C._Teagle

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/22/business/2-paths-of-bayer-drug-in-80-s-riskier-one-steered-overseas.html   2 Paths of Bayer Drug in 80's...

The "Philanthropists" Behind WWI and WWII

This video may be more lengthy than some are willing to watch but it is an important piece of the overall puzzle which displays the problems facing our world today and why so many people feel as though things are upside down and/or working counter intuitively. Although it may be very uncomfortable at first, the path to complete liberty begins with oneself. Allow your mind to free itself, the rest will follow accordingly.

Mr. Dodd's testimony can easily be verified with a few google searches. I encourage anyone and everyone to research on their own and discover the facts that have been purposefully hidden from humanity.

Purslane

Portulaca oleracea or common purslane grows alongside my vegetables in my garden every summer. For years I pulled it up, hoed it in, composted it or just threw it into the yard to be mulched by the lawn mower. What a silly young woman I was. Now I know better. 

Purslane is a powerhouse of nutrients. Fresh leaves contain more omega-3 fatty acids (α-linolenic acid) than any other leafy vegetable plant. Purslane is also a rich source of vitamin C, and some B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and carotenoids, as well as dietary minerals, such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and manganese. It is a great source of vitamin A.  Vitamin A is a known powerful natural antioxidant and is essential for vision. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Purslane eaten raw has a delicate crunch and slight lemon flavor. It is delicious added to salads or on sandwiches. It can be used as a substitute for spinach in any dish. I blanch and freeze purslane for winter use as well as pickle it which can be eaten as a side or added to potato or pasta salads. 

Plantain

Plantain (Plantago major)

Plantain can be used internally and externally. It makes a delicious tea and used externally helps heal and soothe wounds and bug bites. It is an alterative, astringent, diuretic, and antiseptic. A tea of this delightful herb's leaves I have found to relieve my out breaks of eczema, as well.

The Dandelion!

Take your health into your own hands! While sometimes a surgical procedure is necessary, anyone can maintain their personal constitution with wild crafted plants and/or an herb garden.

The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).

Dandelion contains 7000 units of vitamin A per ounce! Compared to a carrot at 1250 units per ounce, the dandelion is a nutritional powerhouse. Tender, young green leaves are delicious in salads and omelettes. The root can be dried and saved for tea. Taken internally, dandelion aids in cleansing of the blood and liver and applied externally can help with skin conditions such as eczema.

Brigham Wristlets

After making 4 of the Brigham hats I developed a pattern for matching fingerless gloves to accompany the hat. They are super comfortable. My hands are on the small side, approximately 7in. around at the knuckles. Adjust your hook size to obtain the size you need for your hands.

 

WRISTLETS to match Brigham 1 skein hat (make 2); 4ply acrylic yarn

Hook: I/9- 5.5mm

Special Stitch: Cl: Cluster--- Yarn over, insert hook in indicated space and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook); yarn over, insert hook in same space and pull up loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (3 loops remain on hook); yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

Ch 24; taking care not to twist ch, join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc here and throughout), hdc in each ch around; join with sl st in top of beg ch—24 hdc.

Rnds 2 + 3: Ch 2, working in back loops only, hdc in each hdc around; join with sl st in top of beg ch.

Rnd 4: Ch 5, dc in first dc (first V-st made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next dc (V-st made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, sc in next dc, picot, ch 2, sk next 2 dc; repeat from * around; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch— 4 V-sts.

Rnd 5: (Sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 2, Cl, ch 2, Cl) in ch-2 sp of first V-st (first tri- petal made), ch 1, *([Cl, ch 2] twice, Cl) in ch 2 sp of next V-st (tri- petal made), ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of first dc --- 4 tri- petals. Note: First ch- 2 and dc of Round 5 count as first Cl.

Rnd 6: Sl st in first ch- 2 sp, ch 4, *dc in next ch-sp, ch1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in 3^rd ch of beginning ch--- 12 dc and 12 ch-1 sps.

Rnd 7: Ch 3, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch---24 dc.

Rnd 8---11: Repeat Rounds 4---7.

Rnd 12: Ch 1, (sc, dc, sc) in first dc (shell made), sk next 2 dc, * shell in next dc; sk next 2 dc; repeat from * around; join with sl st in first sc---8 shells. Fasten off. Using tapestry needle, weave in all ends.

Rasta Style Beret or Slouchy

Simply Slouchy/Beret Beanie

 The original pattern for this slouchy beanie I found on Ravelry.com with the written pattern located here. Not knowing the gauge of the yarn she used (my quick google of "I Love This Cotton Yarn" yielded me no results), I instead used what I had on hand. Unfortunately, the pattern started having problems with mathematics at round 6 and continued with what I perceived to be typos as well and I had to adjust the pattern as I went along. 

And here are the adjusted written pattern instructions. Enjoy! The stitch count within brackets instead of parenthesis is my adjusted results of the original pattern.

Simple Slouchy Summer Beanie

J hook (6mm)
4 Ply acrylic yarn
Tapestry needle

Start with magic ring

Rnd 1: ch 1, dc 12 in ring, tighten magic ring, slst to first dc (12 dc)

Rnd 2: ch 1, dc 2 in each dc around, slst to first dc (24 dc)

Rnd 3: ch 5 (counts as first tr and ch 1) *tr in next dc, ch 1, repeat from * around, slst to 4th ch in beginning ch (24 tr, 24 ch 1)

Rnd 4: ch 1, dc in first tr, dc in ch 1 space, *dc in first tr, dc in ch-1 space, repeat from * around, slst to first dc (48 dc)

Rnd 5: ch 7 (counts as tr and ch 3) *skip next 2 dc, tr in next dc, ch 3, repeat from * around, slst in 4th ch in beginning ch (16 tr, 16 ch-3)

Rnd 6: ch 4 (counts as first tr), tr 4 in ch 3 space, * tr in next tr, tr 4 in ch-3 space, repeat from * around, slst to first tr [80 tr]

Rnd 7: ch 6 (counts as tr and ch 2) * skip next 2 tr, tr in next tr, ch 2, repeat from * around, slst in 4th ch in beginning ch [26 tr, 26 ch-2]

Rnd 8: ch 4 (counts as first tr), tr 2 in ch-2 space, * tr in next tr, 2 tr in ch 2 space, repeat from * around, slst to top of ch 4 [81 tr]

Rnd 9: ch 6, counts as first tr and ch 2 * sk 2 tr, tr in next tr, ch 2, repeat from * around, slst in top of ch [27trc, 27ch2]

Rnd 10: repeat Rnd 8 [81]

Rnd 11: ch 1, sc in each tr around, slst to first sc [81]

Rnd 12: ch 1, * 1 sc, sc2tog * repeat around [55]

Rnd 13: ch 1, * 1 sc, sc2tog * repeat around [38]

Rnd 14: ch 1, sc around 38 sc

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Crochet Brigham Hat

    I've made a few of these Brigham One Skein Hats. I used 4 ply acrylic yarn and they came out great. At the suggested hook size it is wearable but is a little bit loose so I now make the hats using a 4.5 mm hook and they are snug and cozy.


Home Yarns

Brigham
One Skein
Hat

designed by
Lisa Gentry

Technique used: Crochet


MATERIALS

Naturally Caron.com Country

75% Microdenier acrylic, 25% Merino wool; 3
oz/100 g, 185 yds/170 m ball):
3 oz
Shown in: #0010 Sunset
One size US H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook or size to
obtain gauge.
Yarn needle 

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Hat measures approximately 16"/40.5cm circumference unstretched

SIZE

Hat stretches to fit child’s size M/L and women’s size S/M.

GAUGE

In pattern, 9 dc = 2"/5cm and 4 rows (1 pattern repeat) = 4"/10cm.

STITCHES USED

Chain (ch), double crochet (dc), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (sl st)

SPECIAL STITCHES
Cl: Cluster—Yarn over, insert hook in indicated space and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook); yarn over, insert hook in same space and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (3 loops remain on hook); yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook. 

picot: Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook. 

shell: (Sc, dc, sc) in indicated stitch. 

V-st: (Dc, ch 2, dc) in indicated stitch.


NOTES

Hat is worked, from the top down to the lower edge, in joined rounds with RS facing throughout. Join at the end of each
round, but do not turn.

HAT

Ch 7; join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Round 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), work 17 more dc in ring; join with sl st in top of beginning ch
—18 dc.
Round 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1 here and throughout), [dc in next dc, ch 1] 17 times; join with sl st in 3rd ch of
beginning ch—18 dc and 18 ch-1 sps.
Round 3: Ch 5 (counts as dc, ch 2 here and throughout), [dc in next dc, ch 2] 17 times; join with sl st in 3rd ch of
beginning ch—18 dc and 18 ch-2 sps.
Round 4: (Sl st, ch 3, 3 dc) in first ch-2 sp, 4 dc in each remaining ch-2 sp around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—
72 dc.
Round 5: Ch 5, dc in first dc (first V-st made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook (picot
made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, *(dc, ch 2, dc) in next dc (V-st made), ch 2, sk next 2 dc, sc in next dc, picot, ch 2, sk next 2
dc; repeat from * around; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch—12 V-sts.
Round 6: (Sl st, ch 2, dc, ch 2, Cl, ch 2, Cl) in ch-2 sp of first V-st (first tri-petal made), ch 1, *([Cl, ch 2] twice, Cl) in ch2
sp of next V-st (tri-petal made), ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of first dc—12 tri-petals. Note: First ch-2
and dc of Round 6 count as first Cl.
Round 7: Sl st in first ch-2 sp, ch 4, *dc in next ch-sp, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch
—36 dc and 36 ch-1 sps
Round 8: Ch 3, dc in each dc and ch-1 sp around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—72 dc.
Rounds 9–12: Repeat Rounds 5–8.
Round 13: Ch 1, (sc, dc, sc) in first dc (shell made), sk next 2 dc, *shell in next dc, sk next 2 dc; repeat from * around; join
with sl st in first sc—24 shells. Fasten off.


FINISHING

Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.


©2010 Caron International
 

Hey! Are You Pathologically Normal?!

The following chart (found at GeopoliticsandCognition.com) unfortunately demonstrates the mental state of many Americans currently. Personally, I blame compulsory public schooling first and foremost for this purposeful cultivation of incomplete people. However, at some point everyone must accept responsibility for their personal development. 

The fact that so many humans view their learning experiences as being finished once high school (State indoctrination) and/or college (expensive job training with more State indoctrination) is completed is rather alarming. This leaves society perpetually under the thumb of unthinking, inconsiderate, immature yet fully grown children who are constantly making hasty and irrational decisions which ultimately affect everyone. 

Please, ask yourself, "Am I Pathologically Normal?" And if you are, I beg you, please take action immediately to amend your situation.


                            Two Forms of Normality

Pathological normality	Healthy normality
Absence of symptoms of conflict through total submission to an unhealthy reality	Self-initiated activities to improve aspects of unhealthy reality
Suppressed humanity	Expressed humanity
Illusion of individuality, while being de-individualized	Genuine individuality, expressing of uniqueness, exploration of diversity
Conformity developing towards uniformity and lack of freedom	Self-initiated original contributions to society
De-individualization (like an automaton) destroys the basis for mental health	Well-developed individualization forms the basis of self-initiated and self-maintained care of the physical and mental self.

The following documentary shows how schooling contributes to this and offers insight into the devastating effects of the Western world's desire to homogenize humanity. (Regrettably, parts 2 and 6 have been removed for copyright reasons, however the essence of the film is still intact.)

Herbalicious!

The seedlings for my medicinal herb garden have been growing since about the second week of March. So far they are looking fantastic and today is the first time my stinging nettles decided to actually sting me! YOUCH!

 

 The herbs I am growing include the following:

Calendula, white sage, lovage, tobacco, feverfew, greek oregano, wormwood, lemon balm, 4 O'clock, St. John's wort, hyssop, yarrow, California poppy, valerian, comfrey, bee balm, nettles, and passion flower (not yet growing, can sometimes take up to 2 years to germinate).

 

Are Plants Intelligent?

I certainly think so! As well as some other fine folks who have been conducting research on plant biology.

Got weeds? Great!

 For generations we have been encouraged to kill "weeds" with herbicide and grow beautiful, grass only lawns. Why should anyone have a problem with this? Allow me to explain.

 "Weeds" are not pests, they are ancient, living organisms with hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary experience and intelligence interwoven into their DNA. They are here for the benefit of all living creatures and contain vital medicinal properties. Humans have used plant medicines since time immemorial to treat their ailments. The knowledge of the wisdom held within this plant life has been lost to the majority of humanity. While there is definitely a place for Western medicine e.g. trauma surgeries, appendicitis, etc., regular use of common plants found in your own yard can effectively treat common ailments in a holistic manner and help keep you and your family healthy.

 Please watch the following video and grow to love your "weeds".