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Drink Your Cherries

Life Balance

Down at Remic Rapids, on the Ottawa River, artist John Ceprano has been creating rock sculptures for the past 26 years. Balanced by gravity and small flat stones strategically placed as shims, they form a wonderful temporary summer art installation until nature dismantles them. This particular sculpture represents, for me, life balance. The three stones depict work, family and personal time.

Until recently, if I had drawn a pie chart representing my life balance, it would have been divided into three portions, with two good-sized portions for family and work, and a remaining sliver for my own pursuits, in other words, personal time. Such divisions of time are what you'd expect, when working full-time and raising a young family.

But if I divide that same pie today, while the work portion is more or less the same, the other two pieces are more equally divided  between family and "me time." The boys are older and require (or want) less of my time, which leaves me with a larger slice to devote to myself.

I find I have time to read more, paint, write, exercise, socialize, take up new pursuits and learn new skills. What a perfect time to examine how I want to spend my time, set priorities and create new routines for myself.

Kukicha Tea

It was only recently that I learned of kukicha tea, a Japanese tea also known as twig tea. The twigs of the Cameliua sinensi are steamed and fried, then aged and roasted.  The tea has a pleasant nutty flavour which I find quite appealing.  And if simply the flavour wasn't enough, the tea is filled with many healthy properties: vitamin A, B1, B2 and C,  as well as zinc, copper, selenium and manganese, Rich in antioxidants, it is low in caffeine. This tea is quite different from any of the others that I've tried and is one of my favorites.

Moisturize Your Hair

After buying a huge bottle of olive oil , I have been thinking of all the various uses it might have, which made me think about using it as a hair moisturizer. I have very dry hair and scalp, so pouring olive oil on my head actually makes a lot of sense.  Anyway, I was ready to give it a try.  So I did, and my hair felt soft and silky so this is something I might do every to weeks.  If you'd like to try it, here's what I did:

1. Warm about 1/4 cup of olive oil.
2. Pace a towel around your shoulders to keep the olive oil from staining your clothes.
3. Pour a little oil into the palm of your hand, rub hands together.
4. Work oil into your hair (and scalp too, if needed). Repeat, until you have covered all areas.
5. Once the oil is evenly distributed, comb through.
6. Tie your hair up or place hair in a plastic shower cap.
7. Let the oil soak in for 15  to 30 minutes.
8. Shampoo the oil out of your hair until it no longer feels oily. You may need to shampoo several times. 
9. Condition with your regular hair conditioner and rinse well.

Cinnamon

With the return of autumn, my thoughts turn to all sorts of delicious spicy baking that we naturally seem to gravitate to when the cold weather hits. Inevitably, it has cinnamon among its list of ingredients. What a joy it is, then, to discover that cinnamon is a wonder spice! A word, or two, of caution: there are two types of cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon (the true cinnamon) and cassia cinnamon. It is hard to figure which one is the most beneficial. I did read that Ceylon cinnamon is more tasty. As in everything, do not overdo. Ingesting large amounts of cinnamon may be toxic. I am going to try to add cinnamon whenever I can, to flavour some of the foods that I prepare, rather than eat it by the spoonful. Here are just some of the possible benefits of cinnamon that I have been reading about:

1. Regulates blood sugar.
2. Reduces LDL (the bad) cholesterol levels.
3. Reduces inflammation, has antioxidant effects and fights bacteria.
4. A good source of manganese, iron and calcium.
5.4. Detoxifies the system.
6. Stimulates brain function.

I did find a good explanation of the differences between the two types of cinnamon online that may make things a little clearer.

The Happiness Project

Nature