Healthy Habits: Castor Oil

     so today we're talking about castor oil very briefly.
     now, most of you probably know it by it's use in aiding bowel movements, but you might not know that it's also amazing for hair growth. It can be used once a week in your hair, either by itself or with a carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil, and left in anywhere between two hours to all night; just be sure you either wear a shower cap, or a warm towel wrapped around your head. I've only used it once, and my dad has already commented that my hair is appearing a bit thicker. It's also great for eyelashes and eyebrows, too; I've used it on my eyelashes for about a week now, and there's already a noticeable difference. So, if you have any castor oil handy, try it. The stuff tastes horrible, but it really does work wonders for your hair. Not only does it help it grow, but promotes excellent circulation in your scalp and heals up split ends. Give it a shot!

     - the writer

p.s. As an added bonus, try rosemary essential oil in your hair every day; this also promotes hair growth and smells awesome.

Birds on a Wire

All of Creation really does sing God's praise.

Healthy Habits: Green Smoothies

     SO. i have at least one reader that's interested in the world of essential oils, herbs, and green stuff. maybe there's more of you out there, so in the meantime, i'm going to carry on and go ahead and post a few things.

    let's talk green smoothies.
    a lot of people usually raise and eyebrow in scepticism at the mention of a green smoothie, myself included. my mom tried to get me interested in them a while back, and i told her i'd never drink that awful looking green stuff. then i had a couple of friends who were into the whole "green smoothie" thing, so i started reading about it and looking it up. then i got dared to try one. so i did.
     the truth is, they aren't all that bad. i've had  a few that certainly don't wow my taste buds, and i've had a few that are really quite excellent.
     for example: the one i have right now, in the picture above, is part of a batch that i made yesterday and it's very good. it consists of:

        - 2 cups of milk
        - 1 cup (more, in this case) of spinach
        - 8 to 10 slices of frozen banana
        - 1/4 of an apple
        - 1/2 of a large cucumber

     that was it. and it's quite excellent. It doesn't have an overwhelming 'green' taste, and has a very subtle sweetness to it due to the apple and banana. and, it's VERY good for you. the nutrients in the greens are amazing for your body, and it's a really good way to get them into you. green smoothies give you an energy boost, work very nicely in your digestive system. so, don't cringe until you've tried it. and there really isn't very much of a limit to the veggies you can put into a smoothie, and fruit to sweeten it up a little. however, the one thing i'm careful of when i make a green smoothie, is to not forget that its supposed to be /green/. not fruity. fruit is excellent for you, but it also has a lot of sugar in it; bananas are a prime example, and they are the most common ingredient in your typical fruit smoothie.
     the recipe above is what i'd recommend to someone who wants to try a green smoothie for the first time. i made the mistake of making the first smoothie i tried with kale, which is pretty strong, and it was kinda hard to down. this one is very fresh and light tasting, thanks to the cucumber and spinach. try it out!

     - the writer

The Road Goes Ever On

Feeling Better and... More Snow

     so, for the most part, we're all feeling better.
     and it's snowing. again. i want spring to come sooo badly! i miss the warm weather.
     how's life for all of you? i'm getting along with my own, despite any ups and downs. although i must say, winter is proving to be quite a drag for me.
    
     this year, one of the things i'm really going to be focusing on is my health. i've come to realize how important the state of your body, both inside and out, is and should be, and am working diligently on fixing it. things like lots of greens and exercise and lemon water and yeah, even salt flushes. i'm actually wanting to get my hands on a good amount and variation of essential oils; they really do work wonders. i'll probably smell like a walking diffuser before its over with (even at this very moment i smell like a walking rosemary plant... it helps your hair grow, you know.) so yeah. who's interested in this sort of thing? if there's enough of you out there that might be vaguely interested, i could post my findings and discoveries for you to look at. maybe they'll be helpful to you.


     - the writer

Of Long Nights

     the last couple of days have been rough.
     thursday night, i spent the night sleeping (or not) on the bathroom floor; my mom was on the couch, my brother was in the other bathroom, and my dad was drifting in and out of sleep somewhere between the bedroom and the den.
     it was awful.
     as bad as everyone else had it, i threw up 13 times; i still feel incredibly weak, and am trying to keep a lot of liquids in me. everyone else, save mom to an extent, seems to be feeling a bit better.
     right now, we're just all enjoying a quiet evening, sitting in the den by the fire and watching The Return of the King.
     it's cold outside, and i'm wishing for someone to cuddle with. i went to feed the horses this evening, and the sun felt so amazing; i can't wait until spring. i want spring to come so badly... the warmth and the sun and the sound of birds... i just want spring. i'll feel much better when i can shed the layers and soak up the sun.

     hopefully we'll all be healed up soon. we're kind of all feeling very weak and lethargic, but hopefully within the next few days we'll be getting better. prayers would be appreciated.

Summer Nights

Best Friends

I'm Waiting for You

When a Pet Returns

     both of our dogs, marshall and dillon, ran away two weeks ago.
     we determined that they were gone after 14 inches of snow, a very bad storm, and searching for them without any results.
    however, marshall came back saturday. he was very weak and it was hard for him to even get up on the couch in the den, but once he was safe, he slept peacefully for a long time.
    we though dillon would not return, because neither of them will separate if they are out together, but dillon came back tuesday. he was weak, tired, and very skinny, but both of them are recuperating. i was very happy to have my dogs back.