Sun, Jan 1st - 12:04PM

I Resolve

I know. I know. New Year's resolutions! Who keeps them anyway?  I usually don't bother. But this year I resolve to do it, especially since I have started doing "it" anyway.

The "it" is to strive to become less product dependent than I have been in the past. I started thinking this way when I posted pictures on my other website http://www.wordsfromagarden.blogspot.com showing the pots and pans that my father made out of cast off aluminum airplane and war wreckage after WWII in Europe.  I started to ask myself, "How can I be creative like that?"

I don't think I will be a metal smith.  But I am making my own soap, and household cleaning stuff.  Last week I made some cold cream.  I call it my face mayonaise.  It is very emollient.  I like the way it feels on my face and hands.  With the price of beauty products a person can save a lot of money by making their own.  Plus I am not exposing myself to all kinds of unwanted and possibly carcinogenic chemicals. Cosmetics are full of them.  I am even washing my hair with homemade product.  I discovered that my hair is not so fly-away when I use my own product. For hairspray, if that should be necessary, squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into your hands and brush it over your hair.  The hair will stay where you put it. It works.

I'm looking at a packet of Oregano seed, which is sitting on the table right in front of me.  That needs to get planted this morning.  I'm planning on enlarging my herb garden, both medicinal and culinary.  I'm working on getting less doctor dependent.  So far it's working well.  Never before have I been able to live this far into the winter without having to resort to anti-biotics.  This year when the flu bug hit.  I went to my garden and picked Sage, Hyssop and Thyme and made a strong tea.  With that and additional vitamin C, I kicked the flu. 

I found a recipe on the inter-net for making lavender water.  I thought that would be a nice perfume.  It didn't turn out so well.  I have more studying to do.

My reasons for doing this are two-fold.  I want to emulate my father's creativity which helped us to survive after WWII.  And should there be another 9/11,  but on a grander scale, I want us to be able to not only survive but thrive.  These are only the beginnings of what I am planning.  More will be added to this as I become aware of them.

Alice