Monday, November 20, 2023

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




Wednesday, November 1, 2023

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









Sunday, October 29, 2023

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.





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Saturday, October 21, 2023

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







Sunday, October 15, 2023

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.




Saturday, October 7, 2023

My Experience with Alkaline Water


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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

Saturday, September 30, 2023

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.




Saturday, September 9, 2023

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.








Saturday, September 2, 2023

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









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.

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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








Saturday, August 26, 2023

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.






Thursday, August 3, 2023

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



Saturday, July 22, 2023

Calm and Earthy....Sand and Gentle Suns





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.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Are We Alone?

















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





Saturday, June 24, 2023

To Pray or Not to Pray





Perhaps you are wondering if prayer is a waste of time or not. 
I want to help you understand that prayer is one of the most powerful tools a human being can hold in their hands.

I was thinking this week about how to put this into words based upon my own experience. 

I have experienced that prayer determines my life and path. Life is not the boss of you. Your prayers literally create and direct your timeline and experiences. If you choose to not pray, you are allowing other forces to control and direct your destiny. Wouldn´t you rather be in the driver´s seat? Wouldn´t you rather see God move in your life and in those for whom you pray?

Never believe that lie that prayer is wasted time. Prayer is one of the most valuable expenditures of time in the universe. Prayer moves promotion. Prayer moves healings into place. Prayer moves protections into place. Prayer removes temptations.  Prayer provides opportunity for growth.

I want to add one more thing if you are deciding to invest some precious time into prayer. Be aware of who you are praying to. Pray to God the Father in the name of 
Jesus. It is the best way, in my humble opinion.


Don´t be afraid to make mistakes in prayer. God appreciates your willingness to try and communitcate with Him. He will welcome your presence before Him with open arms. Allow Him to bless you in this area of life and you will begin to see other people get blessed too, when you take the time to pray for them by name.
Thanks for listening.

Carla












Sunday, June 18, 2023

Land was barren. He dug 10-acre underground village & orchard


This, my friends is the story of a maker. Back in the days when no one needed permits to build or dig....the man simply created whatever he imagined in his own mind to create. No one stopped him. Perhaps some people tried....but he was persistent. Clever use of land and hand held tools....acres of rooms and indoor orchards designed to protect and nurture a perpetual harvest.

I was reading the comments beneath this video as it is posted on youtube....and one person commented about how the modern notion of permits stops folks from doing things like this. But I would have to say....that if God has given you the desire to build...you must obey what God has given you to do in this life. Yes, fight for the right permits....but never stop building.


Peace,
Carla

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Eat Common Chives Right from the Garden


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Today I grabbed a handful of fresh chives right from the backyard and ate them raw....with no dressing or additives. Ahh....that to me....is living.

I discovered that the kind of chives we grow here are called "common chives".

They are almost maintenance free and grow back every year. They seem to like it when I pull away the weeds and dump a wee bit of new dark rich soil to their space.

Up here in Northern Ontario, it can be a challenge to grow foods easily, unless you have a sunny location and great soil. Some things grow easily and somethings require more effort than I am willing to provide at this time in my life.

Wild raspberries are another favourite that grows easily in our rough climate. Our location's climate is usually about 5 degrees colder than Toronto, Ontario, Canada....(just in case you are new to my blog and don't know I am Canadian eh.)

If you are thinking about planting some low maintenance food supply type of plants, I think that the common chive is a good option. It doesn't provide a lot of calories, but they freeze up well in a simply zippy bag....and you can throw them easily into your fave soup or stew or salad. I love plants that don't require fancy fertilizer or any special spot. They like to have their own space, free of weeds and they don't need much more than one square foot of space to produce a healthy patch. 

If you would like to learn from the Farmer's almanac, here's their link :https://www.almanac.com/plant/chives

Happy Growing Season, my friends.

Peace,
Carla.

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Lecture 21: Periodic Lattices Part 2


Lecture 21Periodic Lattices Part 2
brought to youtube by M.I.T's online courseware
Professor is Allan Adams
For more information about this professor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Adams


I can not exaggerate the significance of what M.I.T's online courseware has given to the world. And by using the word "world" I believe I am being quite accurate. Classes such as the one pasted above are an excellent example of why "free" does not always coincide with "low quality".

M.I.T's OCW program is provided for free on youtube, which is also totally free to access to anyone with internet access and enough of a highspeed that they can watch  a youtube video without it pausing or glitching too often :)

I thank God for this access. And the more I look, I see that other Ivy League schools of higher learning are following this excellent example of providing free access for any human being to be able to virtually sit in on these university classes.

Do you value knowledge? Do you value your time? Increasing knowledge is a valuable expenditure of time. Do you agree?

An extra benefit of these classes is simply the mystical notion of "blessing by community"...or in other words...."the blessing of association". When you associate with those of great accomplishment and knowledge, (even if it is done virtually through your computer, laptop or phone) you are building up your level. When you respect knowledge.....more knowledge is attracted to you. You may even start to carry yourself differently. You may start to feel more qualified to enter into different kind of conversations with your colleagues or neighbors or those in the community....far or near. You will no longer be attracted to those who simply waste time.

What we value flashes through our eyes. Our gaze indicates what we are looking for. Our gaze leads us into greater knowledge and wisdom....or away from it.

If you are blessed with a high speed internet connection.....use it to fill your life with good things. Good connections, good mentors (yes, you can be mentored by those whom you have never personally met).....good examples, all will feed your life with the spirit of knowledge and truth and productivity.

Enjoy Friends,

Peace,
Carla.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

How to Avoid Burnout when Learning from Ivy League Schools


What are some of the ways you manage your work load when embarking into Ivy League Schools for online classes?

One way I use, is simply by looking at the limits of what is available. Instead of thinking "Oh wow, I have to learn everything there is to know about Quantum Physics". I look at the course that I have chosen to audit and I count the classes....

In the above course (sampled above ) there are only 24 lectures.  So if I listened to one lecture per week (repeatedly if desired) 
Then it would take me just under 6 months to complete my audit of this Quantum physics Course from M.I.T. That is a whole lot more manageable than feeling or thinking that the class is going to last forever.

Another strategy is simply by taking advantage of every feasible opportunity to listen to your online class. Do you walk a ways to the mail box to get your mail? Plug in your earphones, download or stream your class to your phone and listen while you walk to the mailbox. 

Do you have a long commute to work? If you can safely drive while listening to a class, then enjoy your audio download while you are driving to work. Or if you take public transport, then try to download or stream your class onto whatever format that is portable for you. I don't care if you think you look nerdy for wearing earphones while sitting on the bus or the subway. I don't care if your headphones don't match your purse or if they are bigger than fashionable....it just doesn't matter when it comes to completing your goal. Set your self led learning goal and CRUSH IT!

When you make a choice to value your own "self led educational journey" you are going to discover the power of your own choices. The power you have to make a simple decision to continue learning .....no matter what age you are at.

Don't misunderstand me, I am not talking about "learning" just for the sake of preventing boredom in life.... No! I am talking about understanding that you can continue your learning journey well beyond your traditional school age years.....and that the knowledge you gain may just transform your life and career and investing path.

I believe it was the late apologist Ravi Zacharias who taught that there is "Unity in Diversity"....and that this is the root of the word "University".  I have gleaned from this idea and from my experiences in life, to understand and appreciate that when we build knowledge in one area of life, it also empowers and uplifts our knowledge base in other arenas of life. Why is this so? Because all knowledge is connected.

Well friends, that is all for now. I have much to do, and at the same time, much rest to enjoy. 

Peace,
Carla.

Using Your Memory Without Emotion to Build your Base






Over the years, I have studies how people study...how they gain knowledge and how they propel themselves forward. Of particular interest to me, have been those who have labelled themselves as 
"self led learners". It may be noted that many of today's leaders are great readers and continue to invest into their own personal knowledge bank by amassing books and other media with interesting topics.

Bill Gates, makes it a point to regularly travel with a load of fresh books in tow. His assistant is entrusted to pack his bag with his preferred list of new reads....ready for any long or short journey..

Anyway, back to my point. Today I wanted to chat about ....for lack of a better word..."emotionless memorization".
If you are trying to build up your own knowledge bank that is readily available for you to pluck data from on demand, it is important for you to able and willing to input chunks of information without getting all emotional and opinionated about the contents.

For example, If you wanted to memorize the mulitiplication tables right up from 1's to 15's....you may wish to create or locate an audio recording of the answers to all these "times tables". (that's what we used to call them when I was a child...)
Then, format the audio into a format that you are able to access easily in your day to day activities. You can listen to these audio recordings while you are driving (if safe to do so) or while you are working out at the gym or while you are riding the train or trolley.

When you are simply trying to input knowledge, repetition is key. Don't get caught up in how you feel about the knowledge or even the "quality" of the narrator. It doesn't matter as much as you think it might. Your brain is a living computer and it will store as much as you put into it. Try to refrain from getting bogged down by emotions.

Social media has inadvertently taught us that our "reactions"...our likes and dislikes are more important that the actual facts being discussed. That is not helping humanity more forward. If you want to become a person with a personal stash of facts and knowledge, then you may want to try out this method of blind memorization. 

Simply replay the recording of the knowledge of your choice until you are comfortably able to retrieve any of that particular batch of knowledge on demand. It will feed your vocabulary and your way of thinking during important conversations. 

This is why I am such a fan of M.I.T's online coureware  .....also known as "OCW". You can relentlessly replay these high level classes over and over and over ....at no financial cost and add these treasure troves of data to your personal data set. Yes, it costs your time. Yes, it costs you personally, as your social media "followers" may complain that you are not as "available" or interactive as you used to  be. Who cares? 

To make gains in life, we must be willing to sacrifice. We must be willing to invest time to gain what we lack. In this case, in this discussion....I am simply discussing the desire for knowledge. I am presenting the option of inputting more knowledge into your brain through "emotionless" repetition of audio recordings.

May this method will not jive with you and your personality. May it is too cold and calculating. Maybe it is too cerebral. However, it does work. I can testify that this method does work wonders if you invest significant chunks of time into it. 

It just might annoy some of the folks with whom you share air with. But do not despair. Knowledge is connected to all other knowledge..... Therefore when you gain knowledge in one sphere of life....it will bless and empower many other spheres of your life as well.

Be encouraged. Don't give up on building up your personal knowledge bank. 
Below you will find an example of M.I.T.'s online courseware, which is free for the taking from youtube.

Peace,
Carla.




Sunday, April 30, 2023

They Were Just a Pair of Socks She Thought



But it´s just a knitted sock she thought to herself.

How can it be so important.....

But a voice inside her mind told her to not give up.  Some folks suspected she might have a learning disability, or some kind of attention deficit type of disorder. She couldn´t read a manual  for any new 
gadget she bought. She jumped from job to job and rarely stayed friends with anyone for more than 3 months. She was restless, with a constant hyper-ness one could only guess was connected to her all consuming coffee habit.
 
 But some dear older folks who lived a few doors down the street, began to notice her lack of direction and thought perhaps that her sense of accomplishment upon reaching middle age, was not where she wanted it to be. 
They noticed that occasionally she could be seen with the signs of frustrated artistic creativity hanging on her clothes and fingernails. Paint in her hair and smudges of ink adorned her flowing blouses. Once in a while they saw some well worn wooden knitting needles poking out of the misshapen hand bag she slung around her shoulder.

But hidden in her neighborhood was a Christian couple, who loved to pray. They walked so humbly in their neighborhood that most folks didn´t even realize that they lived on that same street. Enormous lilac bushes hid their wee bungalow from prying eyes. But this dear spiritually inclined elderly couple, bowed with years and crowned with frosty grey hair, with eyes full of life and wisdom, took the time once a day to pray for this dear woman in her constant disarray and confusion. They prayed fervently, asking God to lead and guide her towards the fulfillment of her potential on this earth. They prayed for God to grant her patience with herself and with her circumstances. They prayed for God to give her favor with others with whom she worked, lived and played. They prayed for her family members, that they would all work together in perfect harmony.

They prayed for this middle aged impulsively creative woman for a full 2 years. Yes, twas a full 2 years of ardent daily prayer. Sometimes they would even forgo a lunch time meal, in order to come before their beloved Lord to fast and pray for this woman that God had allowed to invade their prayer time. 

In due time, God allowed this compassionate couple to see what this wandering woman was capable of, if indeed she would learn how to focus. These timely revelations only stirred them up more passionately to pray until the spiritual burden lifted....once a day, every day for 2 years.

They prayed also for her character, that she would learn how to persist through with a project until it was complete, despite any obstacles that may arise.

It was after the one year mark of ardent prayer, that the dear couple began to notice changes in the   woman´s habits. They noticed she drove more calmly through the neighborhood and the shrubs surrounding her fence were suddenly tidy and trim. They saw her quietly sitting thoughtfully on her porch knitting what looked like a pair of pink socks.

When the elderly couple would walk by after dinner in the twilight past the woman´s porch, they could see her sticking out her tongue as she tried to focus intently on this pink knitted item.

The months wore on, and the elderly couple began to ask the Lord if their job of prayer support for the lady down the street was complete. Even though they had noticed concrete improvements in the woman´s ways, The Lord encouraged them to continue in prayer until the burden lifted.

I could go on. I could go on for many pages....describing the small victories that added up over time, because the dear elderly couple were faithful to pray for that one dear soul. But I feel that the story has just begun.

The pair of socks were indeed knitted...and they were a fine and fabulous work of craftsmanship. The woman who knitted the socks wrapped them in some delicate pale yellow tissue paper and laid the package carefully at the front door of the elderly couple that lived a few doors down. She had noticed that the older woman would walk down the street after dinner wearing brown leather shoes without socks. She began to pray for the dear older woman. She knit and she prayed.

As she practiced and fought her way through to finish the masterpiece, the intricately designed pink wool socks, she knew her task was complete. She proudly laid the parcel at the dear older couple´s door and tip toed back to her tidy yard.

The sunset shone a little brighter that evening. .....just bright enough for her to catch sight of a dear old couple walking slowly down the lane in the twilight after dinner. And in the haze of dusk, the little woman strode proudly  in her well worn leather shoes beside her husband, who held her hand. The pink woolen ankle cuffs peaked out above the brown walking shoes. The burden was lifted.  

The End.



Sunday, March 19, 2023

Photons and the loss of determinism



May God bless those of you who have chosen to continue learning throughout your life....especially if you are way past your college or university years. I applaud you.
There are so many new options for these kind of self led learners.
As clipped above...this is any example of the free online classes that anyone with an internet connection can view for free. This past week, it also occurred to me to check to see if these classes have written transcripts and turns out they do!! So, now if I am struggling to spell something that I have heard in these classes, I can simply scroll down underneath the video and click on the transcript, find the corresponding words that connect with the timestamp I am listening to, and find the accurate spelling and wording.

Thank you M.I.T.
Thank you youtube!

Peacefully productive,
Carla

Don't ever talk yourself out of listening in on new things, things that you think are beyond your "ken".

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Easy Cheapskate Hat with ONE Ball of Yarn


Hi Friends, I seem to back in knitting mode. And joy oh bliss, I made my way finally over to the legendary store called Len's Mill Store in Ontario, Canada. 

Not sure if these kind of stores are all over the world and frankly not gonna google it today. But hopefully you have discount arts and crafts stores or warehouses in your region of the world.

Since many years ago, I have gravitated to things that are easy to do, easy to learn and easy to master. Not because I don't like difficult challenges, but because I like to choose my battles. Knitting is a hobby, an enjoyable and practical creative outlet. If God allows me to make money from it some day, then so be it. I do so enjoy knitting and making something that is useful and I can taylor it to suit an ideal in my head and in my chosen budget. I will always be in the mode of discovery and exploration in the world of 
"cheap diy knits". I love the challenge of making something that makes sense to my wallet as well as to my skill level. I have refused to become  a "pattern slave" and make whatever I wish, whenever I choose. I do not compare myself to other knitters.  I knit for the happy of it all.

Did I mention that I don't really like to follow a pattern? I prefer to catch only the basics from better knitters and then make up my own designs along the way. I don't like the way modern knitting patterns seem to simply be a mathematical formula, which takes the creativity pretty much out of the equation.

With social media being so strong and prevalent, it is so easy to get caught up in some kind of bragging race to the top. But does this competition help us or hurt us? Not sure yet. All I can say is....if you are trying to create a hobby or art work for yourself to enjoy and to develop your own creativity, don't let anyone else set the standards for your art. Be yourself and create something that makes YOU happy....not the professional knitter on youtube or facebook. 
Knit at your own pace with the tools that you are most comfortable with.

 Knit for fun and relaxation.

 Any who, back to this simple one ball hat. All I used was one ball of Bernat Softee Chunky acrylic yarn. I don't really use the word "skein"....I still prefer to call a ball of yarn....a ball of yarn.
I cast on 48 stitches onto my metal circular knitting needs and I was off to the races. I did  a bit of ribbing with knit 4  purl 4 pattern until I felt that there was enough of a brim on the hat and then the rest was simple knitting. Eventually I  reduced stitches gradually by knitting 2 together occasionally with a bit of consistency until the crown of the hat was covered.  When I start reducing stitches I take care to do this with somewhat equal spacing between the reductions, so as to not produce a lop sided hat.

All the supplies I used are feature in the photos above.

I know that folks who like to think of themselves as "professional" knitters tend to use more fancy and expensive yarns, but for now, I am happy with using 100% acrylic...because the texture is consistent and the yarn does not cause any kind of allergic reaction to me or anyone else. And of course, this yarn is nice and cheap for a "super bulky" yarn.

The price for one ball of Bernat Softee Chunky yarn at the Len's Mill Store in Ontario is currently 3.99 per ball (you may call it a skein) plus tax

Other chain stores sell this type of yarn too, but at a higher price point. 

Well, that's all for now. Do you like to knit simple hats with cheap yarns? Do your friends and family wear them happily? Do tell!

May God bless your productivity and artistic adventures.

Peace,
Carla