helps for hard times blog

Essiac Tea Aggressive Dose Plus

2012-02-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

Homeopathy and Toothache | KNOW-HOW

2012-02-05T12:20:00.000-05:00

Holistic Dentistry - Biological Dentist - Mercury Free Dentist Directory - Mercury Poisoning Symptom - Silver Filling - Dental Amalgam Information

2011-11-25T11:52:00.000-05:00

Holistic Dentistry - Biological Dentist - Mercury Free Dentist Directory - Mercury Poisoning Symptom - Silver Filling - Dental Amalgam Information

Seed Sowing Guide

2011-11-06T15:42:00.001-05:00

Be sure to check out this site. I think you will add it to you favs!

SEED SOWING GUIDE

Blogging the Recession: Can I tell you a secret? | chaos in the kitchen

2011-10-10T08:53:00.000-04:00

A fun blog that will make you want to cook from scratch! Blogging the Recession: Can I tell you a secret? | chaos in the kitchen

Life With Dogs – What a Dog Does When It’s Cold

2011-10-08T15:48:00.000-04:00

Life With Dogs – What a Dog Does When It’s Cold

Zack Woods Herb Farm

2011-10-07T16:17:00.000-04:00

Zack Woods Herb Farm

MrBrownThumb

2011-09-25T11:17:00.000-04:00

MrBrownThumb

SilkSpeak: Third Time's a Charm (or How to Outsmart the Call Center Technician)

2011-09-24T09:51:00.000-04:00

SilkSpeak: Third Time's a Charm (or How to Outsmart the Call Center Technician)

Budget Living | Taste of Home Community

2011-07-09T19:47:00.000-04:00

Budget Living | Taste of Home Community

Easily Custom Make Your Own Insect Repellent | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

2011-07-09T09:40:00.000-04:00

Easily Custom Make Your Own Insect Repellent | Care2 Healthy & Green Living

Homeopathy Blog - Hot Weather Homeopathic Remedies

2011-07-07T11:46:00.000-04:00

Homeopathy Blog - Hot Weather Homeopathic Remedies

America's biggest teacher and principal cheating scandal unfolds in Atlanta

2011-07-06T12:20:00.000-04:00

America's biggest teacher and principal cheating scandal unfolds in Atlanta

A tribute to America's Farmers

2011-04-22T07:55:00.005-04:00

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This tribute to America's farmers So, God Made a Farmer was recorded by the late radio broadcaster Paul Harvey. My grandfather was a farmer. As a young girl I witnessed his dedication to the his land, his family, his Country. Most of us have or have had a farmer in the family at some point and I am glad to share this recorded tribute posted on YouTube. Feel free to leave a comment if you like.

Write your hurts in the sand

2011-03-10T18:51:00.004-05:00

Two friends were walking through the desert and began to argue. One friend slapped the other in the face. Without a word, he bent down and wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face.

The two friends continued to walk and came upon an oasis. They decided to bathe and the friend who had been slapped got stuck in the sand and started to sink. The friend who had slapped him saved him.

After he recovered from the near death experience, he wrote on a stone: "Today my best friend saved my life."

His friend asked: "Why did you write that on a stone after I hurt you?"

The friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where the winds of forgiveness will erase it away."

But, if someone does something good, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

Conclusion:

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and carve your blessings in stone. It is said that it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them and an entire life to forget them. Send this to the people you'll never forget. I just did.

Posted elsewhere and shared here with permission. Thank you Fredd! BiggFredd's Toy Stash

Why homeopathy? Simple. It works.

2011-03-06T11:42:00.003-05:00

In early 1986, I became extremely ill. My weight dropped to 82 pounds, I was in constant severe pain and I was unable to work. I had been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, mitral valve prolapse, multiple food, environmental and chemical allergies, and other maladies too numerous to mention. On numerous medications with no improvement, doctors were telling me that my problem was all in my head; i.e. a psychological one. As a certified medical transcriptionist working in the medical field for ten years, this diagnosis was not acceptable. In retrospect, had I listened to the doctors, and not sought homeopathic treatment, I would not be writing this. Nonetheless, my road to recovery has been a long arduous one. Although I still suffer from my illness, mercury poisoning, I am not spending my days in bed in excruciating pain, I can work as a medical transcriptionist from my home office and my will to live has never left me.

I had become somewhat aware of the practice of homeopathic medicine during my extensive travel and studies in Europe from 1959 through 1963. Like most Americans, I had never before been exposed to any other form of medical treatment other than Western medicine. I was therefore skeptical that homeopathic medicine in the form of little sugar pills could really heal anything. That was before I met my current husband Michael in October, 1986.

Michael was introduced to homeopathic medicine by his sister after suffering for over a decade the ill effects of his combat duty in Viet Nam in the early 1960s. All the solders on the ground in certain areas were subjected to overhead sprays of Agent Orange, DDT and other toxic chemicals by air in an effort to destroy the dense vegetation that served as a dense canopy for the enemy troops to hide. The the skin over Michael's entire body would break out in burning and bleeding ulcers. No amount of skin lotions, steroids, antibiotics or oral medications helped. Within a few weeks after his evaluation and treatment at a homeopathic clinic, Michael's skin had cleared significantly and he no longer woke up during the night with blood soaked sheets.

All too often, for patients in the United States at least, this is the manner in which desperate very ill people find their way to homeopathic medicine. Unfortunately, if an illness has been too long in its process and been treated with too many allopathic drugs, homeopathy can sometimes not offer more than palliative relief of pain and/or discomfort. Homeopathic medicine has a well established successful record of relieving suffering and death in people with severe radiation poisoning (Chernobyl, Ukraine 1986), world-wide outbreaks of malaria, typhoid and cholera, in addition to preventing many thousands of potential deaths during the Bubonic Plague of the early 20th Century.

My knowledge of and enthusiasm for the practice of homeopathic medicine has grown after having transcribed and edited five books for my own licensed homeopathic practitioner. I feel impelled to pass along my enthusiasm in the hope that others who read this will do their own research if faced with no other alternatives.

Poisonous Snake Bite Victim Benefits from Homeopathy

2011-03-05T18:15:00.015-05:00

For the past eight years, I have typed and edited five books, and am now transcribing and editing the sixth book in the series, for my family's licensed homeopath, Dr. Philip K. Parsons, now retired and living in Florida. What is shared in this blog post, with permission, is one of the cases that makes one a believer in the power of homeopathy in the right homeopathic practitioners’ hands.

7/10/89 32 year old male

Patient was traveling on a remote highway in West Florida when he saw a Diamond-Back rattlesnake lying in the road. He often picked up freshly killed rattlesnakes along the highways which he would skin and sell for a good price. He usually picked up the snakes with a stick, but he was certain this one was dead so he grabbed it with his left hand. To his horror, the snake bit him. He knew that if he let it go it would strike him again at another site, so he let the snake inject all of its venom and then threw it into the woods. He then drove for thirty minutes to the nearest hospital.

His entire left side was swollen and by the following day, the skin of his left arm was beginning to crack. His hand was totally stiff and he was unable to bend it. He was given anti-venom which had no effect. A friend of his, who was also a patient of mine, contacted me noting her friend’s symptoms which I then entered into the Radar computer (See repertorization). Lachesis scored as the top remedy, so I sent the 200C/1M/10M potencies by the friend who then drove four hours to the hospital to see the patient. She was instructed to give the 200C potency and then wait five minutes. If there was no change, she was to then give the other two potencies. She gave the remedies in a clandestine manner, not wishing to provoke the allopathic doctors, since she knew that homeopathy was her friend’s only hope for survival. The 200C and 1M potencies did nothing, but within five minutes after taking the 10M potency, the patient was able to move his fingers. The next day he was released from the hospital and fortunately (or unfortunately) the allopaths never knew why their patient recovered so quickly!

Up until that time, the patient had been uncertain about his direction in life and had tried many occupations. Shortly after this incident, he entered a massage school, graduated and is now a massage therapist.

2/15/93 Follow-Up
I spoke to him by phone and he told me that during the first winter after the snake bite he had a residual effect of poor circulation in his third and fourth fingers, but after that incident he had no further symptoms. He said that he was in perfect health and that his life was in good order.

Dr. Parsons Dental Homeopathy Publications can be purchased through Minimum Price Homeopathic Books:

Homemade gravy. Take your lumps, but not in your gravy!

2011-02-19T18:49:00.005-05:00

Learn to make homemade gravy from scratch. You'll save a lot of money over time. No need to worry about lumps either, if you prepare it they way I always do. I actually grew up thinking that gravy was one of the major food groups!

The secret to perfect lump-free homemade gravy or sauce is to heat your chosen liquid (water, milk or pan drippings) in a saucepan to almost boiling before adding to your gravy base. The best gravy or sauce base, called a roux in French, is a well-mixed hot blend of melted butter and flour.

Things You'll Need
2 medium-size saucepans
Glass measuring cup
2 cups liquid (water, milk or pan drippings)
Butter knife
Measuring spoons
Wire whisk
Large metal spoon
White flour
Butter (no substitutes)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons your choice chopped fresh herbs (optional)
1 teaspoon dry spice of your choice (optional)

Step 1
Decide how much gravy you will need for your dish. Measure all of the ingredients and set them aside. For two cups of gravy you will need:

4 tablespoons butter, no substitutes
4 tablespoons white all purpose flour
2 to 3 cups liquid (water, milk, or pan drippings combined to make 2 cups)

Step 2
Heat the liquid in one of the saucepans until just boiling. Turn off the heat source, cover the pan and leave it on the burner until ready to add to the roux.

Step 3
Place the second saucepan on another stove burner set on medium high. Add the pre-measured butter and stir gently with large spoon until evenly melted. Sprinkle all of the pre-measured flour in a thin film over the entire top of the melted butter and briskly stir with wire whisk to combine. Continue to whisk until the roux is smooth and caramel, or dark brown in color. Watch this mixture closely as it will brown very quickly.

Step 4
Add 1/2 cup of the still hot liquid in the first saucepan to the roux and continue whisk to blend. Continue to add more of the hot liquid a little at a time until your gravy is the thickness you want.

Step 5
Lower the heat source under the saucepan to simmer. Add the salt, pepper and other fresh herbs or spices you have pre-measured. Stir gently with a large spoon for one to two minutes to marry the flavors.

Step 6
Turn down the heat source to warm. Cover the pan and allow the completed gravy to rest for five to ten minutes prior to serving.

Tips
If you need a larger amount of gravy, double the ingredient measurements and prepare in the same manner.

To make a more robust gravy, add a small amount of pre-cooked chopped onions, garlic, canned or lightly sauteed fresh mushrooms at the same time you add the salt, pepper and other seasonings.

To serve the gravy, pour only a medium sized spoonful over the prepared meat. Place the remainder of the gravy in a serving bowl with a ladle or gravy boat with a pour spout.

Add a tablespoon or two of red or white wine to your gravy for an even richer taste.

Little things DO count

2011-02-08T19:02:00.001-05:00

Some very wise advice from conjurewoman

It’s really all the little things combined and done over a long period of time that gets you back on your feet. There is no quick and easy cure. I have absolutely done my share of dumpster diving. I also do the rounds of yard sales especially on the last day (Sunday afternoons) and whatever is left over I pick through for freebies since by that time they just want to get rid of stuff. I peruse the “free stuff” listings on Craig's List every few days and I have actually gotten some really nice stuff that way. Sometimes it’s items I can personally use to make my home more comfortable, other times it’s something I can sell. Big things I sell on Craig's List, smaller easy to ship items are sold on one of the internet selling sites.

I grew up in Salvation Army clothes and never had a new anything, even at Christmas, that I can remember. It irks me to see good things being thrown away, or for charities like Toys for Tots turning down perfectly good, clean, usable toys because they aren’t new with boxes and tags. I learned to make a lot of my own things, and to fix and repair almost anything.

When I first moved to my present location, Washington, I had it rough for about three years. I was in debt to my eyeballs and had to take any job I could find. I assessed all my expenses and habits, and gave up a lot that I thought I could not live without. I started getting drinking water from the local Artesian well (free) and stopped drinking coca cola, drinking unsweetened generic store brand iced tea instead. Gave up my brand name individual coffee packs and bought a used coffee maker to use (and RE-use) store-brand coffee. I also got a re-usable coffee filter so I wasn’t buying the paper ones and throwing them away. I did laundry about half as often. I realized that I could actually steam iron or air dry some items without visible soiling and wear a second or third time. Saves on soap, water, and electricity.

All these things seem like nickels and dimes, but it’s the nickels and dimes that will slowly add up and help you stand on your own two feet again. Patience and faith. Mostly faith in yourself. You DO have a skill, you just need to find it. It’s hard times that inspires us to be our most creative.

Save Money on Food by Planting a Garden

2010-12-27T17:58:00.020-05:00

I remember sitting in a big wooden chair, my legs and feet dangling over the edge of the seat in front of my grandfather’s wooden desk in the dining room. It’s the day after Christmas and looking out the window I’m watching the bushy tailed gray squirrels chasing each other around the trunks and limbs of the large pine trees now covered in a heavy snow. Hardly a time to think of hot days and a summer garden. Yet, the large desk top is covered with all sorts of colorful catalogs that have been arriving by mail since early December. There are catalogs for feed, for seeds, for flour, for rice, for beans and other staples that would be delivered in large colorful flower design cotton fabric sacks. Those same sacks would later be transformed into an apron or even a dress the following year. For serious gardeners, such as my grandfather, the time to plant a garden (in one’s mind that is), was in early January.

The largest and most fun catalog to look through was always the one from the Burpee Seed company.

My grandfather would plan his garden, order the seeds, and plant them in the cold frame he had in a sunny spot on the south side of the house until all danger of frost had passed and the young seedlings could be planted in the garden.

Perhaps one of the oldest mail order seed companies, the Burpee seed company, is still in business. You can request a catalog by mail, or order garden seeds through their online digital seed catalog HERE

Another seed company my grandfather ordered from is now on the internet. He would be AMAZED at this thing called the internet! The Park Seed Company

So, the time to plan a vegetable garden is in late December or early January. If you have never had a summer garden, try not to be too ambitious. Choose your garden location wisely for sun and shade exposure. For your first garden, choose easy to grow plants. If you are successful with your first summer garden, plan to expand the following year. Buy only non-hybrid seeds which will permit you to save the seeds from your garden for next year’s crop.

Not much space for a garden? No problem. Just think small. Check your local library for small space gardening books. Or check Amazon books using the search term Square Foot Gardening. Want to trade all types of seeds with others? Check out the Free Heirloom Seed Swap

Feed your family well for less

2010-12-26T12:00:00.005-05:00

When thinking of how to cut corners and make do with less, the mere thought can make you feel like a flea on an elephant. However, when you realize that you can chop away at a large problem little by little, the task to achieve your goal need not keep you awake at night. Simply put, there are only three basic necessities in life. Food, clothing and shelter. Everything else is secondary. Put in proper perspective, I just made the elephant a bit smaller for you.

A thought or two on filling your elephant’s belly (grin). No matter how little money you have to spend on food, make a conscious decision to spend it wisely. You CAN eat well for less. First things first, I'll repeat a mantra I’m sure you have already heard....Remove fast and convenience foods and empty calorie foods, such as sodas and candies, from your grocery shopping list.

When preparing your grocery shopping list, plan meals so that you use all the leftovers. For example, make a meat loaf then use the leftovers to make two more meals. Depending upon the size of your family, purchase three small, medium or large sized packages of ground meats (lamb, beef, veal, or pork). Prepare your favorite meat loaf recipe as the first meal. For a second meal, make meat loaf sandwiches (hot or cold) and serve with a hot soup or salad and fresh fruit. For a third meal, break up the leftover meat loaf into small pieces and make sloppy joes to serve over hamburger buns. Or, combine with a small amount of spaghetti sauce you can make yourself. My own dry mix recipe on this blog is HERE. Serve over spaghetti noodles with garlic bread (made from hot dog rolls spread with butter and garlic powder baked under the broiler) and fresh fruit.

Did you notice that I suggested that you make your own spaghetti sauce and that you serve fresh fruit with a meal two times in the last paragraph? You should make your own seasoning sauces and mixes. Purchase only fresh fruit and vegetables during their peak seasons, as their cost will be lower during those months. You could also plant fruit and nut trees in your yard. Don't let empty yard space go to waste. This will be a topic for another blog in the future.

I plan to post more blog entries with suggestions for saving on food costs. In the meantime, I urge you to learn to cook meals from scratch. If you do not own an older cookbook, say from the 1940's, or earlier, find one. Sell your other cookbooks and with the bit of extra money, start buying extra food staples (such as flour, sugar, rice and beans) and set aside space to store them in a spare inside wall closet or small room off your kitchen that can be kept dark, cool and dry. More on that in another blog post.

If you have the time, a visit to the cooking series $10 Meals with Melissa d’Arabian" of the Food Network channel is very enlightening.

And, why not forage for nature's bounty in your area. For a starter, check out Steve Brill's site to educate yourself on foraging for food in your part of the country.

Buckle up folks. Hard times are coming.

2010-12-25T15:03:00.005-05:00

My parents and grandparents lived through the roaring 20's, the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the Great Depression, and World War II. Those were hard times for most Americans, but expectations and values were much different than those of today. In the early 20th century, parents and grandparents advised the young to "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." If we are to survive the tough economic times ahead, each of us needs to adopt this way of living.

The cost of EVERYTHING will be rising. The cost to feed, house and provide for yourself and your family will challenge you to find ways to cope with less money and to be content with much less. Because our local cities, state and Federal government have not spent their funds wisely, each of us will need to sacrifice in the months and most likely years ahead.

In addition to the increased cost of food, water, gas and electric, other unavoidable fees and taxes will raise their ugly heads. For example, the fees for automobile tags, drivers license fees, property taxes and home and automobile insurance costs will rise, along with bank and credit card fees. Oh yes, and postal fees. They have risen as well. Most recent postal rate increases.

What follows is one small sample of how cities throughout the United States may plan to increase their revenues. (You will be amazed.) The link is to an article in The Arizona Republic by Lynh Bui on 8/6/2010. Phoenix, Arizona proposed new fees for 2011. There are six small paragraphs, on six pages. Be sure to read all six. Then, do yourself a favor and check with your local city, county and State financial offices for a list of new or proposed fees and taxes in your area.

Think you've thought of all the ways cities will raise revenue? Think again. Chicago street parking set to rise again.

So....what can each of us do to survive the hard times? Lots. Stay tuned. In the meantime, here is a helpful eHow.com article How to apply for help for hard times through your local Federal government agencies.