As This Year Gets Ready to Flip to the Next

Friends Around the World,

It´s me Carla. It is New Years Eve....not quite the evening yet, but still the afternoon and  I want to take a minute and write y´all a note.

I just want to say that I am grateful for each one of you. I thank you for your support this year :) I thank you for your views, your clicking on the links, your sharing my blog posts on your social media and your comments. They have really been a blessing! Thank you so very much from my heart!

I also want to say this. I have a wish for you in this coming year.

Let me write it here...

My readers and viewers, I pray that you will find an open door this new year in 2024. I pray that you will have the strength and courage to open this new door. I pray that when you open this new door, that you will find the knowledge to succeed with what you find behind that new door. I pray that the new knowledge you have been seeking will open itself to you and no longer remain a mystery. I pray that you will use this knowledge for your own good and others around the world. I pray that you will know patience in the timing of your steps, without waiting too long to step into the unknown. 

 I pray that your success will be noticed and that your prosperity will begin to solidify...if it has thus far been elusive. 

I pray that good people will take the time to pray for you and for your family, and that you will see progress in your life and in your family´s life in 2024. When these things, these movements....begin to occur in this new year of 2024, I pray that you will give God the glory and thank Him. I pray that you will smile and know God´s smile.

And finally, I pray that you will have peace knowing that God is not competitive, but gentle and kind.

in Jesus´s name.

amen.

Carla

Gourd Curry by Grandma and Daughter | Village Life

I don´t know what it is about this channel...these videos of a hardworking grandma and her daughter in a village somewhere.....simply making food.

Perhaps it is the sanctity of the ritual of prepping a meal with a loved one. That sense of safety, of good will and the desire to feed your family and guests well.

Watch the way the grandma sits washing each vegetable thoroughly before calmly slicing and dicing each one to the right size. The garlic is washed and sliced and then mashed into a paste with an old fashioned mortar and pestle. Lovely.

Sometimes, we in north america look too much at recipies, at fancy notions of gourmet meals, when the answer lies in humility.....

The answer sometimes lies in being content to do that which is simple and repetitive until it yields a tasty result.

I am sure this grandma has prepared this kind of meal a hundred or perhaps thousands of times. She never rushes and never endangers herself with the sharp utensils. Both the grandma and the daughter work peacefully and silently together.

The result? A healthy beautiful hand made home cooked meal, bursting with flavour and fresh natural foods.

I just must say ¨Hallelujah¨ for mothers and grandmothers such as these who show us ladies the way...how to provide, prepare and above....to be patient in the process.

Peace,

Carla

He Called me Handsome?

Not sure what this is all about....is it the brown hair? or is it the curls?

For most of my life I have been a curly/wavy haired brunette, unless I dive head first into the red hair dye, which does happen upon occasion.

But, I have noticed that I kinda fall into a certain ¨type¨...

Think  
@TheRachelMaria ....or the Mom from the sitcom Ïn the Middle¨ played by Patricia Heaton, or 

the curly haired attorney who plays Helen Tudor Fisk on the netflix show ¨Fisk¨, named Kitty Flanagan.

We are all cute and sometimes fabulous, but none of us are devastatingly gorgeous.....and for the most part, I´d say.... we are ok with that. ( sorry ladies if you´re not).

But what is the deal when a man says you are  ¨handsome¨...... is that an insult? Is it some kind of compliment? 

Er ...um  ....Is it flattering for a woman to be handsome? Or should I be ticked off???

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Heaton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Flanagan 

https://youtu.be/eIzJFbAVZr8?feature=shared   (the Rachel Maria´s youtube channel)

She does a hilarious Nancy Pelosi skit...

 (screen grab below courtesy of https://www.therachelmaria.com/team/rachel-maria/  )

Is it comparable for a guy to be called a pretty boy, as for a woman to be called handsome?

Should a guy be annoyed for being called a pretty boy?

Ok folks, I´m still in a quandary on this one.

Do spill.... tell me what you think on this one....unless you try to call me handsome....please don´t :)

from your fave brown curly haired middle aged blogger,

Carla.

Tweet

Why Do Meditation Gurus Tell Us to Empty our Minds?

Oh Lord, I do feel a rant coming on. 

Why do those who teach meditation try to get their followers to empty their minds.....and then call it mindfulness?

If my observations of the folks of my modern world are any indication .....we need more FULL minds.....not empty ones.

I suppose the argument then is about WHAT to fill one´s mind with. Yes, I can understand how one would desire to empty out the annoying and unimportant stuff floating about one´s mind....But hey....our human minds are not garbage cans....we can´t just take them to the curb and empty out that brain can.

If I have any accurate understanding of the human brain ....it would be this: If you don´t like what´s floating in your brain....you need to input more of the good solid stuff....stuff that is filled with truth and light and love.

And if you are saying ¨Öh my,,,,, now she is going to evangelize¨......then you might be partially correct.

It is no secret that I am fan of the old King James Version of the Bible. I like it in the audio  version and play it often. I have discovered that the chaos of modern society bows down to the gentle and concrete wisdom of this ancient book. But hey, truth be told, the bible is more than just an old book. It is alive.

It is the book that you never really finish reading. That used to be make me mad....because I would try over and over and over to ¨finish¨ reading the bible.....and discovered much to my dismay that every time I read the book, I found more depth....more territory to explore and more beauty and kindness and wisdom than I had ever thought possible. 

The bible is literally an unending book, written by the Spirit of the Unending Father....who keeps us and entrusts us with this miracle book. It is a book of fire....that fire consumes that which gets in it´s way.

No need to empty one´s mind first before reading the bible aloud or listening to it in audio form or listening to someone else read it to you. This book is most gentle and yet most powerful....a mysterious contradiction. 

Friends, before I chat on too long, I just want to say this....please be careful of those who try to get you to empty your mind. Your mind was not intended to be empty, but to be full of the words of your heavenly Father. The good will push out the wasted thoughts and useless obsessions. You are a created being. Commune with your Father, the Creator. 

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Your Gifts will Carve out a Place for You

Tweet

A word of encouragement today. My thoughts today are propelled by a verse from Proverbs 18:

16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Sometimes, friends we need to trust the process....know that the good things we do naturally because they are gifts given to us by God, will prepare a place for us in this world.

Yes, I am talking about this world,  and not some ethereal mystical place.

This is another reason why I like the book of Proverbs, because it is really grounded and practical. It is fabulously encouraging to sense this truth spiritually that verse 16 talks about.

Let´s say for example, you love to sing and sing whenever you get the chance. When you sing it´s like Heaven opens and the atmosphere in the room becomes electric. That is a sign that you are practicing one of your personal spiritual gifts. God gave you that gift and the gift itself will propel you forward. You can trust the process and keep singing regularly and know that God will open doors for you in this area of life.

May God bless you and the exercising of the gifts He has personally given to you. May it be easy to recognize your gifts. May you see the signs of His prospering what you have put your hands or voice to do.

Peace,

Carla

Come Walk This Way

Did you ever have an experience like little Bobby?

¨Bobby said they don´t like him on that sports field, where he just waddled up to join a team on a whim. Why do you think they don´t like you Bobby? Because they told me to get lost....Bobby stuttered as a tear trickled down his little cheek.....¨

Anyone who has gone through any kind of rejection, whether they were young or over 50, it can carry a sting unlike any other. It feels like a slap in the face, an utterance that stuns and shocks the beauty and joy out of a day....a crushing blow especially to the young who seem to be born naturally optimistic.

The thought I wanted to talk about today is that one of the most beautiful attributes that I have learned and experienced of Ǵod is that HE absolutely does not play favourites. He doesn´t pick and choose which humans to love.  

God does not carry a grudge against certain people. God does not carry a spirit of rejection towards any human being. Rejection is not a part of God´s character. God is the Healer. He heals people physically and He also heals their hearts. Emotional and social wounds from years ago can be healed by God´s Spirit, if we give Him the chance. He, the Spirit of God, is truly patient and kind.

Sometimes, we may not even remember an experience of rejection that we may have suffered from many years ago. But God´s love is thorough and patient. His love penetrates the crevices of our hearts, where no one may go. His Spirit has such a delicate love that wipes away fear and trauma. He allows juicy golden tears to wash away the sorrows we have kept locked down for too long.

God loves us all, every single one of us. No matter where you were born, and who your parents were or are, and what your appearance is or isn´t......God´s love is stable. His love is supreme.

Yes, there is hatred in the world, but we can choose not to walk in it. We can face hateful situations without becoming hateful ourselves. It is something we all will face at some point in life. But we must come know that God is Love. He is love personified.

Come walk this way.....walk with the carpenter that taught us all the value of sacrificial love.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Celebrities and their Low Net Worths....Huh?

I don´t know if this is just me....but I always assumed as soon as someone achieved a certain celebrity status on t.v., that their net worth would increase accordingly and promptly.

But the more I read about the net worth of several reality tv show stars, I see that that is often NOT the case. Many many reality stars who have spent years churning out popular episodes are reported as having net worths of less than one million dollars.

Now, let´s just put net worth into the perspective of a  ¨Toronto¨ homeowner. The average house as per Zolo ( as of Dec 1, 2023)  in Toronto is worth $1,077,531. in canadian funds. That means if you own an average home in Toronto and have  no mortgage on it....you are technically a millionaire. You have a net worth of at least 1 million dollars.

But if we look at, let´s say just for an example, ¨Sue Aiken¨ from the popular northern survival show 

¨Life Below Zero¨ reality series,....Sue is reported by (https://briefly.co.za/97983-sue-aikens-net-worth-salary-husband-divorce-children-career.html) as having a net worth of only $500,000. Now, that is probably in US dollars, so that would be higher if translated into Canadian funds. But still, it would still put her net worth under a million dollars.

But if you look at how many views her episodes have garnered over the years and how recognizeable Sue Aikens is.....you  begin to see a disconnect. The shocking truth is that celebrity and fame does not equal instant wealth. You can be popular and well known and still have a  net worth of less than a million dollars.

Now, you may be correct by saying, that websites that pretend to estimate a celebrity´s net worth are just guessing....and have little factual support. Yes, you may be correct.

But try a little exercise today....what is your favourite reality series? Is it  ¨Selling Sunset¨? Is it 

¨Life Below Zero¨ or ¨Extreme Cheapskates¨? Try typing your favourite actor on one of these shows into your favourite search engine and add the words ¨Net worth¨ and you will be sure to be surprised. Some of the most glamourous tv personalities with very fancy tv wardrobes may have a lower net worth than you do!

So, my blab fest is done. My point is made. TV fame does not equal wealth. Perhaps the net works do not offer good compensation to many celebrities for their participation. Or is it perhaps that many actors or actresses do not know how to negotiate better deals for themselves when it comes to reality tv episodes?

Good business people learn how to leverage their celebrity into several income streams, with licensing deals and merch. They develop the ability to monetize their images into cash machines.

It does bear repeating that fame does not necessarily guarantee a good sense for business. 

So, in summary, if you have had the good fortune of garnering some fame, take the time to learn how to monetize that stardom. Write a book..... produce a line of goods that takes advantage of your perceived area of expertise. Go on podcasts and promote your merch. Become a promoter of a brand you can partner with. Be sure to get good agents and lawyers who will help you maximize the earning power of your fame and help you negotiate the best dollar deals for your next TV appearance. Be a good brand ambassador!

The networks make billions of dollars from the backs of eager reality tv stars. Think they all have the right to prosper? Sure they do.

Peace out,

Carla.

Tweet

Simple Luxuries

I know folks are struggling. But in the midst of the juggling....sometimes it´s helpful to enjoy the simple things that give you joy.

Simple mushrooms fried with salt and paprika and vegetable oil over the stove.....the most basic appetizer, but loaded with yum.

What are somethings you enjoy in their most simple forms? Scrambled eggs? Without milk or other spices....just eggs scrambled with some salt?

Or a toasted bagel with butter?

Or a spoonful of peanut butter  straight from the jar?

Come on folks, don´t let the hard times steal all your happiness.

There is so much good left in the world, so many kind people, honest people and hardworking people who share the fruits of their labor every week with their families, churches and causes they believe in.

Don´t ever feel like things can only go from bad to worse. Things can get better. We do not know the future, but we do know what to do. We know to continue to do the basics, to work hard, to spend within our limits and put something aside for investing and savings. We know to share with those who have less than we do, and we know how to give to God.

We know how to be honest. We know how to earn an honest day´s wage.

The rest is up to your imagination and the the Lord above. Don´t give mankind access to all your emotions. Don´t let the newcasts of the day cause you to feel like life is terrible. Turn that news off sometimes, when you need to get a hold of yourself and reframe your mindset to that which is productive.

You are smart. You are kind, you are generous. You know good people.

Pray for your friends. Pray for your clients, Pray for those who run things in your region. They need your prayers right now. Tell yourself your prayers are important and powerful.....because they are.

You may not see the result of your prayers instantly, but every now and then God will allow you to see how powerful a change your prayers bring about.

Remember that Spirit is always greater than Flesh and live accordingly. I know I know....easier said than done, but know that God loves you....with open arms and great patience.

Know that you are not alone. You are loved and you are needed. Maybe you don´t feel this way right now. But it´s ok to feel whatever you are feeling whether passive or productive.

Just know that you are great worth in God´s eyes. Don´t give up on getting what you need.

Sow some good seeds into someone else´s life today....you never know what God will do for you  in return.

Peace in Christ,

Carla

Tweet

Blocking Muting Type Type Type

Photo credit: Roseanne Barr and Patrick Bet David Podcast/youtube videos.

This animal....this beast called social media has given us all powers...powers that many of us grip with glee over one another.

I was on X (formerly known as Twitter) this weekend and I playfully asked someone if I disagreed with them would they block me....and their stoic answer was ¨Yes, I'll block you if you badger me¨.

Well, that kinda sums it up eh? We all kinda relish that blocking muting cancelling power don´t we?

Yes, myself included. I am often tempted to block folks who don´t believe what I believe and don´t agree with my personal views. But I am starting to wonder if that is a tad childish on my part. 

Why? Because in the real world, we can´t actually block folks we disagree with. We share the roads with people we don´t agree with.... We share church pews with folks we may not agree with on some issues. We share workplaces and restaurants with many folks who don´t feel the same as we do..

So, I guess my question today to myself is this? How far do I go with trying to control the narratives that come my way? How far do I go to sidestep folks who strongly disagree with some of my most cherished beliefs?

And just to bring it to another level.....if I profess to believe in Jesus, how much love and acceptance do I show towards those I am supposed to be blessing and praying for? Is it possible to block and mute someone on social media and then pray for them in the same heart beat? It is possible to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ if I am trying to build a virtual island where only my own words echo off the walls?

Do I really want to build an island where only I have permission to speak?

Cancelling folks and muting and blocking folks....perhaps we relish it so much because we don´t have enough control over other areas of the public sphere. Where you fall on this issue? Do you let anyone speak whatever they wish on your channels and different social media apps? Or do you clamp down and silence every voice that doesn´t sound like yours? Do share.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

New Season

Hi Friends,

A new day.... another day of choices. We actually had snow on the ground yesterday and folks hauled out their winter coats.

It isn´t that that is all that unusual....but it was still October....yesterday.

It has been predicted that our area in Northern Ontario is going to have a drier and warmer winter than what is ¨normal¨. But we do have a lake nearby and that can skew the results.....

(it´s called lake effect snow).

Do you have certain rituals or household preps you do every year before the cold weather sets in? Do you cover some of your windows and plug up some of the drafts coming in from your doors?

So far, all that I have is a sweater that I knit many months ago....warm and snuggly, but altogether too heavy to wear in any weather other than ¨freezing¨. Oh, yes, I forgot...I also knit a hat and a few vests too. We will see if I will dare to wear those....they have a ¨different¨ look that takes some courage.

Some folks who heat their homes with woodstoves have taken care to load up their wood piles earlier this year, to be sure the wood had time to mature and dry out. Those who rely on natural gas to heat their homes are imploring our federal government to halt or slow down the carbon tax that is scheduled to impact natural gas costs.

With rising interet rates, I see that folks are simply spending and investing more conservatively....counting their coins first before splurging. It hasn´t stopped folks from travelling, but perhaps they are scouring for cheaper air fares and better package deals for accomodation. Folks still drive a lot....our roads and highways are full.

Those who are savers, who simply accumulate cash and sit on it in a savings account, are enjoying these higher interest rates. But folks who use debt to build businesses, buy real estate and other investments are scratching their heads. A technical recession is on the way into the 3rd quarter in Canada. That means a lot of Canadian investments will be ¨ön sale¨ and ripe for the picking.

Are you the type to buy when things go down in price? Do you wait until your dollars fetch more in a bear market? Or do you hunker down and wait until the bull market returns and ride the upswing?

What´s nice about the markets and real estate is that there is always something brewing, no matter what the weather is doing outside. Always a trend to watch, a category that looks interesting and someone having an opinion somewhere in the world aching for someone to listen. 

Colder weather beckons me to good books and warm steamy mugs.What´s on your reading table today?

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Weeping Willows and Camouflaged Mushrooms...

Greetings friends.....Tis that time of year when a stroll in the autumn leaves and crisp air is essential. No worries about frost just yet....but the leaves are still giving up a great colourful show and the living things that inhabit the forests and paths are still visible....prepping the soil before the snows will fall in a month or two.

Weeping willows are one of the most recognizeable trees that adorn many residential areas in Ontario, both central and northern Ontario. Folks don´t find them depressing despite their downturned limbs and leaves, because the abundance of the foliage and the way they sway in the breezes is lovely and reassuring.

Below is another gift of the season, the discovery of mushrooms growing camouflaged among the fallen crunchy leaves. 

Well friends, there is no profound speech today, nor rants or intellectual discussions.....just the peaceful sigh of a restful sunday. We are grateful for our country, for this time of year and the beauty that God has bestowed upon us here in Northern Ontario. Enjoy your weekend friends. Drink deep of the beauty.

Peace,

Carla.

Tweet

In Favor of Dabbling

Don´t let someone call your dabbling a lack of focus.

I dabble for fun. I dabble because that is how adults play. I don´t get out toy trucks or dollies....but I taste and test out whatever hobby or craft I find interesting.

Don´t take yourself so seriously all the time. Yes, there is time for mad hatter work ethic where you are beedy eyed and uber focussed. 

But on your down time, learn to play a little ok?

Some of the things I´ve dabbled in over the past year....

Collecting wild apples without catching poison ivy.

Painting cement molded items and then glazing them with decoupage...

Writing a song. Stay tuned :)

Making a few youtube videos, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeUYJ6-lcy0bUWbC0k_Brxg

and doing random photo shoots of whatever tickles my fancy.

Watching baby pine trees grow from the seeds that fell from the dry pine cones I used to decorate my houseplants.  

 Harvesting and cooking with the chives that grew back again this year.

and the list is neverending.

Yes, I have my list of goals, and yes, I am uber focussed on them. But I work hard and I play hard. Dabbling is serious play time.

May you play a little or a lot this weekend.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Seth Godin — The Pursuit of Meaning, Choosing Your Attitude, Overcoming ...

 

The time I spent this weekend just soaking up the gentle admonishing of Seth Godin in this interview was time well wasted. Not much else I can possibly say to convince you my friends to invest some of your valuable time listening to Seth Godin. He is the ultimate gentleman who has not lost his teeth.

My Experience with Alkaline Water

Tweet

Big Fat Disclaimer: This story is  my personal experience and is not to be used as medical or health advice. This blog post is intended for conversational and entertainment purposes only. Please seek medical advice from your licensed medical practicitioners. This blog and it´s publishers and author do not accept any liability for the ideas discussed in this post.

I had listend to an acquaintance rave about what he had experienced drinking alkaline water regularly. He even suggested that it helped his body fend off colds when he felt one approaching.

So I decided to try drinking more of it. And this is what I have experienced so far.

I do find that  it stimulates the digestion....and in layman´s terms basically makes you use the bathroom more easily. It brings about a clarity and calmness because you can feel that your system is being cleansed... from the inside out.

Did it do anything for my immune system? Well, I can say that while I have been consuming alkaline water regularly I do find that my body does it´s own ¨fighting¨ against whatever kind of germs or bactaeria may be trying to get me unwell. I have experienced that my body goes into detox mode while I am sleeping and sometimes I will awake in the middle of the night with an elevated temperature which goes away by the time I awake in the morning. I then feel better and more refreshed and no cold or flu symptoms stick around.

But is it fair to say that I do practice other health enhancing habits to keep me well at the same time as consuming alkaline water regularly? Yes, I do.

So, all things being considered, I don´t think i can scientifically prove that the alkaline water consumption is improving my immune system, but I would state that I can confirm that it definitely does improve my body´s ability to process digestion and provide a more easy and comfortable elimination of waste. 

I have heard of more than one person experiencing weight loss from drinking alkaline water regularly, but I can´t say that this has been the case for me as of yet.  

I am curious if you have had any experiene with alkaline water? Did you enjoy it´s effects on your body, digestion, and immune response? Did you notice any effect on weight gain or loss? Did it make you feel more peaceful and content?

Leave your thoughts and comments below. I appreciate your input.

Peace,

Carla

Autumn Harvest Time

This time of year....ah the bounty of it all. The apples are still awaiting some of us to glean the last ones still hanging from the branches.

I´ve always been a fan of gathering local wild edibles....learned that from the joy of wandering the fields with my little friends when I was a child. That was back in the day when parents didn´t worry so much and let their kids roam free unsupervised.

I remember there was a patch of wild strawberries growing under the hydro towers that loomed above our favourite bike paths.

In my neck of the woods up here in Northern Ontario, Canada, we have wild apples hiding in plain sight. The issue being that folks are so accustomed to shopping for their food in the stores, that they don´t really grasp the concept of gleaning food that grows freely near their homes. I can honestly say that I have never seen any of my neighbours walking down the street with any food that they have collected in the wild. Now, this is not to say that they don´t do this beyond my observation, but in this semi-modern suburb, it just isn´t a trendy thing to be seen doing.

The things I have collected in the wild up here have included things like apples, and pears and raspberries. I have also dabbled in tasting little nibbles of spruce tips, as well as dandelion greens and even mulberry leaves.

Foraging for mushrooms in our local forest would be quite a hoot, because our location seems to sponsor a healthy bunch of mushroom varieties. I just am extra cautious and have never eaten any mushrooms I have found or photographed, simply because I don´t know enough about foraging yet to be able to confidently know whether  a local mushroom is safe for eating or not. Better to be safe than sorry eh!

If you are interested in learning more about foraging from someone who actually lives a life closer to local plant life, you may wish to check out the youtube videos of Rob Greenfield from the USA. He is an activist who seems to thrive on foraging and making do with what he can find, instead of going to stores like most folks do. Here is the link to his youtube channel  https://www.youtube.com/@RobGreenfield

Note that Rob Greenfield has made some pretty wild personal choices in his quest to live according to his beliefs. I am not here to endorse all of his choices, but merely to suggest that you may find his foraging videos to be helpful if you wish to learn more about living off the land.

Well, that is all for now friends. May God bless you with the eyes to see the bounty that is all around you....and the courage to harvest some of it. 

Peace,

Carla.

Tweet

Tiny Homes in Low Income States....the Investment Opportunity of our Generation?

I wrote in a former blog post, about how there are 15 states in the USA that require incomes under 50K for a single person to survive.(courtesy of an article written by Mike Winters)

I happened to watch a video this morning about tiny homes in the USA. Some were as small as 350 square feet. So, if North America is stairing down the prospect of a recession...there will be opportunities that empower lower income or cash strapped families to thrive in a tighter economy.

So enters the tiny home industry. Fixed home address on minimal land with minimal square footage that folks can buy while earning a modest income or on a fixed income due to retirement, lifestyle choice or disability.

The article written by Mike Winters spoke of the following 15 states...

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennesee, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

So, if you are looking for an idea for your next investment, perhaps you may want to consider investing in the tiny home industry being built in any of the above 15 states. Why focus on these low income states? Because you don´t want folks who buy these kind of homes, to not be able to afford them. You want to build them in states where folks have a lower cost of living. That will prevent foreclosures and folks living beyond their means.

What do you think friends....is this a golden opportunity? Could your family afford to invest less than 200 grand on a tiny home or more than one tiny home in one of the above 15 states? You could buy it for an income property to rent out or as an extra vacation home.

I live in Northen Ontario Canada and I see the struggles folks face finding affordable housing on a basic working family´s income. Where there is struggle there is also opportunity.

Do you want to help other people? Perhaps you can build a struggling working person or retired person a tiny home, so they have a safe stable place to live and sleep. 

We all have different abilities that God can use to support the other people we share the planet with. If you feel called to help people with housing...would building or investing in tiny home structures be a strategy?

Let me know what you think...I respect your voices.

Peace,

Carla

Disclaimer: This blog post is for conversation purposes only, it is not intended to be investment or financial advice. This blog and it´s author do not accept any liability for the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog.

Tweet

Living Single on Less Than 50K in the Good Ole USA

I was delighted to read the article Mike Winters wrote that was featured on CNBC.com which described the minimum income  that  a single person needs in order to survive in each American state.

To read the original article here is the link

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/29/the-salary-a-single-person-needs-to-get-by-in-every-us-state.html

And so, playing the part of the truly frugalista, that I sometimes like to do....I went through all the states and ferretted out the ones that required less than 50K for a single person to survive on per year.

There were only 15 states that made this cut:

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennesee, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

So friends, if some of you are trying to plan a modest retirement, this list might become helpful. As a Canadian, I was surprised to see Oklahoma and Tennesee on the list....as the folklore we hear up here about those states is so lovely, that a certain wealthiness for the average citizen was kinda my assumption. But myths are lovely for story time...and don´t always represent reality.

So, does this list help you picture what you could afford if you are a single person trying to thrive in America? Does it help you budget for potential costs of rent or groceries? 

Let´s say you were trying to go really low budget and live from just side gigs, such as food delivery, would it be comforting to know that you don´t need 70K to afford to live in these 15 states?

One of my fave bloggers, https://annienygma.com/

often wrote about Kentucky and how it was pretty simple to find below market rentals for 2 or 3 people. She made a reasonable life from her self published writings and various side gigs to provide for her and her daughter with room left for her to spend time with her family.

Do you look at retirement in such a broad sweeping way? Would you be willing to move to a completely unknown state just to afford to 

¨not work¨ in your retirement?

Do you expect to do any kind of income producing labor in your retirement years? Do you expect any kind of pension income? Do you have any extra health concerns that are not going to be covered by any private or public health insurance policies? Do you want to retire in an area where the average income is below average or above average? Do you want to retire near a hospital or university or have access to great entertainment venues like theatres and concert stages?

Do you have a special diet that requires access to specialty shops?

Well, I have prattled on enough. I love it when authors take the time the report the facts and I respect Mike Winters for attempting to illuminate our understanding of what is a necessary basic income for a single person in each state of the USA. Thanks Mike!

May God bless your preparation for retirement or any kind of lifestyle you design to fit your budget.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Increasing My Mobility in a Small City that Hates Walking

It's true....folks in my city hate walking. Ok, ok....i'm exaggerating a tad....but you hear me right? I live in suburbia in a smallish northern Ontario city. There are lots of places that are walkable....or at least bike-able with a fairly cheap bicycle....and yet.....99% of the residents of my town drive or are driven EVERYWHERE they go. Ugh.

And so.... back to my dilemma. I knew that increasing my mobility was going to do wonders for my sense of wellness and not to mention my muscle tone and can-do spirit. I knew from experience how even ten minutes in the sunshine on a sunny day could improve my mood measureably. But yet..... it still feels odd, that when I do these outdoor activities....walking, hiking,. sunsitting on the grass....and biking....that I see very very few folks doing the same. And yet, the gyms are full of avid athletes and the sports teams are active on every weekend for the younguns. Sports is a big thing in my town...but non-registered casual physical activity for the purpose of getting gracefully from a to b....is not real trendy.

And so, I have a problem I have not yet solved. How to make walking and biking cool again? I did my small effort the other day, when I noticed a local food store did not have a bike rack. So I contacted the head office of that shop and complained that they needed  a bike rack for their location in my city. I was successful. The head honchos were glad to receive my feedback and promptly had their landlord install a brand new bike rack a couple steps from the food shop. Well done Carla! 

In my city's defense, they have recently put in more bike lanes on newly updated roadways near my suburb. I applaud this. But the social climate has not really changed. Ladies in my age phase and snappy style are not often seen on bikes. It just isn't perceived as the thing to do.

The only time I see really stylish folks biking are those who spend thousands on ultra sleek racing bikes and join bike clubs and wear neon spandex and sharp helmets. That's not the kind of societal change I am seeking.

I'm seeking the notion of biking the way it was when I visited Holland often as a kid. My relatives let me bike around their beautiful dutch city on a great big black bike. Bikes were common. The land is nice and flat so the rides were not stressful. To see adults on bikes is normal in Holland....or at least it was those years ago when I  traveled there.

Biking, when you are not huffing and puffing is a graceful activity, especially if you have a well maintained bike with the tires pumped to perfection.

Tweet

And so...my friend, I plunder on and take the blessings along the way that all this activity brings to me and my life. I have learned to recognize several plants this year that I didn't know were edible before...such as mullein and sumac.

I have take some of the best wildflower pics I have to date. I have discovered that even when I meet a small hill, that if I shift into the highest gear that I don't have to get off my bike and walk to make it up the hill. The gears make the bike ride enjoyable and my muscles thank me later.

Peace friends, and bike on......

Carla

What It all Means...

Truth be told, I have been accused upon occasion of being ¨too deep¨....and that may be true once in a blue moon.....

Today my deep thought was about what these summer rains gushing into Ontario might mean.

Our city is overgrown with all kinds of planted and ¨volunteer¨ plants that just pop up without invitation. It´s like one small shrub finds a juicy spot to grow and then it sends a wire over to it´s cousins to come take over the place.

There is all manner of everything growing up here in Simcoe County. Wild apples, planted apples, wild raspberries, planted domestic raspberries....wild mullein. And then there is this weird looking invasive vine-ish plant that is trying to climb up and over almost every tree in every forest or meadow.

It isn´t that I need to hear a mysterious reason for this affluence of growth....but the rains have been a blessing. There is no better word for it....than a blessing. Why? Because rain means growth for plants means more food for animals and ultimately for the many humans that grow in my city and the surrounding territories. While we are not considered a ¨bread basket¨ of Canada, we might be referred to as corn row. There are farms that circle the outskirts of my city....with tidy rows of machine fed corn.....towering high into the fluffy blue clouds.

In the business world, of which I am a part, mankind feels so powerful, that every little decision weighs so much and is so important to the present and future tense of the business.

But when we step outside and walk quietly on an overgrown path in a dewy forest that fosters exquisite wild birds calling out to the stranger in their midst, we are reminded that we ain´t that big a deal. 

At the end of the day, it isn´t us that controls the rains here. We don´t have the forest fire smoke anymore that haunted us a few weeks ago....We don´t have rampant unemployment. We don´t have floods.

We have loads of ¨normal¨.

Normal days of normal work and plans for normal school years. We eat normal foods on normal days and watch somewhat normal news on the telly.

We send normal cards to normal folks on normal days of celebration. We pray for rain and then we pause. Oh ya, we already have that....loads of that.

And so, dear God, in case I didn´t mention it....I thank you for the rains....the extravagant growth that reaches into all corners and up to the wooded hills. Thank you for the cooing doves that sit on our fence in a pair. Thank you for the hand drawn picture of a blue jay from my nephew´s little one.

Thank you for growth and thank You for normal. Loads of growth....and loads of normal. Amen.

Tweet

If You Are A Woman and You Have Goals

If you are going to be a woman who sets goals and actually accomplishes them.....you just might come up against some opposition.

Folks will be offended by your ¨driven¨ qualities and may even call you the ¨b¨ word.  You are going to have to learn to carry on in spite of that stuff. They are just distractions trying to keep you from your chosen path.

I want to encourage you today ladies. I see how even today a woman resented my confidence and productivity and proceeded to call me an offensive word in a public place. Of course, this was not what you would call a ¨glamourous¨ place I was at, but still, it was a bit shocking to have such a loud and unpredictabl outburst from a total stranger.

But there is a verse in the bible (Ephesians 6:12) that talks about how ¨we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities and against the rulers of the darkness of this world...( there is more to this verse...but you get the general idea)

What does this mean? It means that what seems to just be a weird natural occurence, may actually be a malicious movement by the powers of darkness. 

Now why would anyone care about your success or feel threatened by your movement towards your goals? Perhaps because the devil knows when you get some momentum going you are going to be unstoppable! Unstoppable goal oriented women are POWERFUL! Unstoppable goal oriented women CHANGE the WORLD!

So, if someone starts behaving differently towards you since you started making new progress in life, please don´t be  alarmed. They are just part of that ¨ old structure¨ that resents change and likes to hold women in obscurity.

Sisters, friends, cousins, mothers, daughters, please write down your goals and do not loose sight of them.

Know that the time you invest in pursuing your goals is not wasted time or money. Don´t give up! Go full force! Don´t let anyone stop you! Don´t let any emotion or ¨feeling¨ or weird occurence slow you down.

You are powerful because you know the power of a certain decision, a focused choice.

Someone who can stay on target and move with all their heart towards one written goal is a force to be reckoned with!

Well, friends, that´s all I got for you today. 

Be blessed, be powerful....be good.

Peace,

Carla

Tweet

Calm and Earthy....Sand and Gentle Suns

Tweet

There is a certain kind of nervana....not sure if that is the right word....but sounds just about right. It´s not nervous energy....not flighty thoughts of paradise or hyper productivity, but a certain quiet peace that comes when all is right around you. When communications with friends and colleagues are pleasant and patient....and when the sun has a chance to bake through the cosmos of our little suburban haven.

I am growing Mullein, that beloved herb that most folks think is just a weed....but it is valued highly among my people. I bought the tea bags of organic Mullein leaves from online....and using it to heal the coughs that afflicted me some weeks ago. Have been gently surprised that it works.....so quietly. You forget the power of a gentle herb. You forget the power of prayer and quiet contemplation. 

I walk slowly through my neighborhood, nodding ever so subtly at those who recognize my gait. It is nice to be known...to feel the hedges of shelter by those who have grown familiar with the sight and presence of my thoughtful meanderings.

I hope the neighbors also feel that sense of peace, of quiet confidence and security that comes from being recognized...of someone knowing and recognizing their soul. Some neighbors I have never known nor thought to ask their last name. It doesn´t matter. Their souls have inhabited this block of modernity for more than a decade. Their children have grown up with my children.

There is a blessing in the clouds, and sometimes in the valleys. When it rains too much, we hunker down....we don´t go out. We prep the furnace and hide the furniture from any outdoor sprinkles.

To slow down is serenity. To slow down is the let the world stop spinning. To pause the spin. To enter in...that peaceful place of calm and quiet observation. 

To say to the Lord, of heaven and earth, that we exist in peace together, not yelling, not raising our voices, but no....staying quiet and entering in. There is a verse from deep in the scriptures...that says ¨Be still and know that I am God¨. This is where I rest. This is the sacred rock of truth.

I have all that I need. 

Peace.

C.

Are We Alone?

Tweet

As a church goer, I thought i would have a little chat with you, my friends about the possibility of ¨alien¨ or other kinds of creatures living on other planets.

The approach I want to take is simply to address what I feel needs to be said about Christianity and the possibility of the existence of aliens.

I am going to keep this chat really short, because I feel strongly that we need to come against the weird fear that seems to creep up on those consider themselves to be people of faith.

So, in a nut shell, this is my humble opinion. I have no idea if there are any people or creatures living on other planets other than earth. But I do know this....that if we as a human race, begin to interact with people or creatures from ¨elsewhere¨...then, the christian folks will simply explain the story of Jesus Christ to them, in whatever manner or language that they can understand. It would be a grand privilege to share the existence of Jesus with another type of being. It does not change the message. Jesus´s love and awesomeness does not change if there are other creatures that exist that we have yet to meet.

Knowing Jesus is the greatest honour of my life. I am not afraid of the unknown and I don´t feel that any other Christian should be afraid of what is or what will be. We are people of faith and courage and joy. We have the great gift to know our Creator and our Saviour.

We live by faith, not fear. And no, the existence of aliens would not shatter my faith in God. It would merely give us another frontier in which to spread his beautiful message of love, healing, peace and joy.

Peace out,

Carla

Yay! I recognized a Native Herbal plant growing in my own City

I´ve been an amateur noob forager for years....always interested in learning how to find local edibles in the natural environment of my home town in Northern Ontario, Canada.     I´ve watched too many youtube videos and finally had a breakthrough this week. I was able to find and identify a local plant that I had seen described as Mullein. The leaves and flowers of this plant can be dried and made into a medicinal tea. It has been described as helpful for many areas of human health. Note that this post is not intended as medical advice. All medical advice should be obtained from a licensed medical professional. 

The leafy parts you can see better in the photo below.

I had recently purchased tea bags of the Mullein Leaf to make tea at home to do a cleanse of the lungs. I do find the tea to be calming and has a similar taste and feel as nettle tea.

Rob Greenfield is a radical forager from the USA that I must admit I have learned a lot from. He has learned so much about what is readily available in his American environment to nibble on and assist him in living a healthy natural lifestyle.

It is that bond that nature lovers have with the earth that has always drawn in my respect. Itś not that we worship the earth. No....we worship God who created the earth and all that there is. There is a big difference between worshipping God and worshipping what He has made.

Anyway, there is a wonderful earthiness that I appreciate when I can make a connection between what I can find and identify in my environment and what I choose to eat. In this case, of finding wild Mullein... I have not yet chosen to harvest what I found, as I am using the tea bags that I purchased on line. But it is a big step for me to be able to even name something in the wild that I did not previously know and that does not come up in casual conversation.

So friends, have you ever found something in the wild that you were able to identify and actually consume? Did it work out well? Did you feel ok after consuming it? Or better yet, did that plant make you feel healthier? Calmer? Or more connected to the natural world?

Do tell :)

Blessings from Northern Ontario,  Canada.

Carla

Tweet