Category: After My Coffee

Protecting Your Online Privacy

5/20/2018

It is my desire to respect the privacy and trust of my readers. Please take responsibility of your data and online privacy. Be careful with what you share and who you share it with. As our world becomes more virtual, awareness is vital.

For those who receive this in your email box, please do reply if you would like to stay on my list. Privacy laws are updating and terms are being redefined regarding online data. It is my desire to respect the privacy and trust of my readers. Especially if you are in the EU, in order to be GDPR compliant, I need your consent to keep your information in my records. I am not a lawyer or law professional. I have researched General Data Protection Regulation to the best of my ability and have updated my policies to reflect my understanding. Please take responsibility of your data and online privacy. Be careful what you share and who you share it with. As our world becomes more virtual, awareness is vital. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for visiting Prairie Dust Trail! Your data is important. Please see our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, Terms & Disclaimers, and Affiliate Disclosure for more details. I dearly appreciate all my readers and Pray that God blesses you in a special way today.

There use to be a time when people trusted each other. At least in the perfect history of my imagination... Once, a hand-shake sealed a deal. The integrity of a person's word was key to their reputation. I'm naive enough to still be shocked when I find out someone has lied to me or when someone cheats. It's hard for me to fathom why someone would even consider lying or cheating once they have reached adulthood. It seems all the lessons of such childish behavior should have been learned. As we grow older, time becomes more precious and the waste of it in deceit seems tragic. Unfortunately I also know the world as a whole is very different.

Today it's hard to trust anyone. You may be sued for the smallest thing at any moment. People seldom stand by their word. Even worse, there are people purposely working hard to exploit others especially online. Yes, we've always had thieves, pirates, and scoundrels in the world. With the internet, their population seems to have exploded. There are companies who monitor "Cyber Attacks" across the world. The more people using the internet, the more data breeches there are. Online security companies have to update regularly to stay ahead of hackers. No matter how careful you are, or how private you try to be, if you are using the internet, you are at risk.

At the same time, privacy isn't what it use to be. Not long ago, party-line telephones were normal and someone could easily listen in. Neighbors had a pretty good guess what was going on in your life simply by what you had hanging on your clothes line. If you wanted something to be private, you were very careful who you spoke to about it and how you handled things. Many families had proverbial "skeletons in the closet" that were kept secret for only few to know.

Now, people are very free with what they put on the internet. At the same time, the same information they are so free about on social media, they tend to get very upset if they see it in an unexpected place from an unexpected source. It seems very inconsistent to me. For some reason, people fail to see social media platforms as the public bulletin boards they are meant to be.

Tips for being more conscientious online:

If you wouldn't want the information on a public board at the post office, coffee shop, or in the news paper, don't post it.
If you don't want someone in your family to find out, don't post it.
If you wouldn't want it said about you, don't post it about someone else.
If you wouldn't say it in front of a particular person, don't post it.

Another thing I often see that is dangerous are the "get to know me" games going around on facebook with random personal questions. Many times these are the same questions secure sites, like online banking use as security questions and answers.

Name of your first pet.
Best friend in school.
Childhood nickname.
Where you met your spouse.
Favorite food, color, or vacation spot.

I've been guilty. I was filling out one of these games once and suddenly realized how many questions were similar to the options when I set up a recent online account. The realization startled me.

While we should not have unreasonable expectations for the internet keeping our privacy, we also should not be flippant about the things we share. I love the "Intentional" movement I've seen over the past few years. We should be more intentional in our prayer life, in our parenting, in our marriage... Should we not also be more intentional in what we post online?

Please do read through my updated policies. Let me know what you think.

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Why do I hesitate to follow through?

4/8/2018

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Most things that hold us back from success are doubt and comparison. They can both be crippling. These Bible verses help me not doubt my purpose or ability.

Sometimes I’m full of ideas and ready to take on the world. Then all of the sudden, I sit down with the keyboard in front of me and that blank screen and I go blank. These days I’ll even have a tendency to tear up and wonder what I’m doing here. Why am I writing? Why do I even have the computer on? Aren’t there a dozen other things I should be doing? Will anyone even care what I have to say?

For Heaven’s sake girl, get a grip! You had a great idea. You have set aside this time. Didn’t you get some wonderful comments last week? Let’s get this ball rolling!

It’s been a few months since I posted. Can you believe the year is going by so fast already? We say this every year don’t we? As we grow older, time seems to speed up. For me, the past few years especially it’s worse for the first six months. I start January with all these plans, goals, and great ideas. Then things just seem to fall apart. By May, I’m totally overwhelmed. It’s the first week of April as I write this and I have made a decision to never plan anything for the first of the year ever again! LOL. I’m not sure how that will go. I’ll try to post an update next year. I think it’s not a totally bad idea though.
I think it’s good for us to have an idea of what we’d like to accomplish but it’s really hard to be flexible and have set goals at the same time.

I’ve been watching the fad of “Word for the Year” for the past few years and have noticed what I think is a trend. People seem to be moving to words like, “Intentional”, “Grow”, “Flourish”… Those are very open-ended words that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. My word for this year was Simplicity. As usual, the Lord is making sure I’m adequately challenged. I find myself almost half way through the year thinking, “Lord, I had this great plan and these wonderful goals. What am I supposed to do?” I feel like He’s saying, “Duh… Simplify!” So I’m stepping back and taking another look from another angle trying to figure out what my next step needs to be.

Why do I hesitate to follow through? Why do I always seem to be second guessing myself? I have so many reasons to confidently follow my dreams:

I know I can do it. (I can do all things through the Messiah who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13)
God gives me words to say. Obviously not everything I say is from Him or with His approval. I’m still working on that, but when I let Him speak through me, I don’t have to worry about what to say. (Matthew 10:19, Luke 12:11, Mark 13:9-13)
I know people appreciate me. My husband often comes home telling me he met someone who said something I posted touched them. I also get comments and emails of appreciation. God’s word always hits the mark. If someone needs a word from Him, He will make sure they get it, usually from more than one or two sources. I’m blessed when I hear I was one of His tools. (Isaiah 55:11, 2 Timothy 3:16)
I’m inspired and creative. (Genesis 1:27)

So, when I hit this little brick wall, what is it that causes me to freeze up? Most things that hold us back from success are doubt and comparison. They can both be crippling. The Bible verses above help me not doubt my purpose or ability. I also know and embrace my uniqueness. I can’t say I never get caught in the comparison trap, but it happens much less and I tend to catch myself much faster the older I get.

So, when that blank white screen is staring at me, what makes me hesitate?

Sometimes I get overwhelmed at how much I’ve been blessed. Even when "my" plans fall apart, I always know things will be fine because HIS plans always produce results far beyond my expectations. I don't always see results in the time frame I'd like. As a matter of a fact, being the impatient person I am, HIS time usually seems unbearably slow to me. Our blessings aren't always what the world counts as success or prosperity. Our blessings are very simple, yet very fulfilling. I'm seldom concerned with being too busy or too tired. Yes, I get busy, but it's with simple things that can easily be set aside at any moment. Yes, I get tired, but I have plenty of opportunity to rest and recuperate in between spurts of business or catastrophe. We have a very laid back life that doesn't rely on a day-to-day grind of frustration I see most people struggle with.

When I set down to write. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the fact that I could be writing to that person who is struggling with who-knows what. What can I say to encourage her and let her know God cares? Yes I struggle. Where is the balance between whining about my struggles and bragging about my blessings?

I share my struggles AND my blessings here to let others know that no matter what your struggle is, God has blessings in store for you. {Click to Tweet}

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Finding Joy After a Wildfire

12/22/2017

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Since the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas wildfires of March 2017, I have consistently gone back and forth asking myself, “What would I replace if the fire had burnt our house down.” If you missed my posts during that time, visit here, here, here, here, and here. Needless to say, it’s been one of the hardest years of my life. At the same time, my perspective has been refocused. For instance, our house is very… lived in. Okay, it’s messy. I’m generally a very organized person who likes things tidy but eight people live in this house twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. This is roughly 1800 square feet. That is about 225 square feet per person. Talk about tiny house living!

Two of our children are grown adults who have (or need) their own office space and have accumulated household and business supplies of their own. Three are teens who are in that process as well. I have 12+ grades of school curriculum and supplies. Think “one room schoolhouse” inside our home. Paul and I also have “office space” for our businesses and a menagerie of antiques, collectibles, and general hand-me-down treasures. I could probably almost set up my own quilt, craft, and used book store. Paul could almost have his own Radio Shack type electronics store. Yeah, there’s a lot going on here.

I’m sure many of you can relate in some way.

One thing we don’t tend to be overboard on is clothing. We are pretty minimalist but… We live on a farm so we need a full week’s worth of work clothes for each season plus town clothes and a few special occasion outfits. That’s around fourteen outfits each, again times eight is over a hundred pair of jeans or overalls in our house plus 50+ pair of shoes and boots. (Kathryn may have that many herself. She hasn’t jumped on the minimalist bandwagon as far as shoes… LOL)

So, to the point, what would I replace if the fire had burnt our house down? Maybe I should start with what I wouldn’t replace.

I would not replace the house. Okay, now you're sure I’ve gone off my rocker, right? Seriously we would have probably started our own little RV park with a pavilion for the family dining and living area. For our family, this makes a lot more sense. If the children need to transplant they can simply take their home with them. When they all are settled elsewhere we can take our home to visit each of them. I wonder what our property taxes would be? (I HATE property tax!)
I would not replace dressers. Armiores or portable wardrobes would suite our needs much better. Of course, if we were living in RVs they usually have wonderful storage. (Except maybe for winter coats and boots. They do tend to lack a designated area for that, but I'm sure we'd figure something out.)

Now, what would I replace?

Kitchen items. When I came home to help Paul later that week, he was still fighting some fires on and around our property. I needed to clean the ash and soot as much as possible before we could bring the children home. Kathryn was having breathing problems from the escape. She is still having to use her inhaler twice a day compared to once every week or two before. I went into the kitchen to clean up some things and fix breakfast. I picked up my little cast iron skillet and started to cry. I use my "baby skillet" every single morning. I asked Paul, “If the house burned down could I get a new baby skillet?” He hugged me and let me know that would be fine. I looked around the kitchen imagining the things I would miss and was surprised to realize there were only a few things I really would. Most of them are listed on my Kitchen Essentials page. I would honestly have fun searching for other essential items on Etsy or at antique shops.
Necessities. Clothes, towels, shoes, boots. Most of these things were available through donations and we were blessed to receive needed items. Boots wore out much faster walking around in soot and burnt nails. Work clothes got snagged and torn on burnt wire and jagged leftover trees and posts. We were also given shampoo, toothpaste, and cleaning supplies which were so very helpful. I know these may seem obvious but I know a family who’s house burned down and they went a week before telling anyone they didn’t have any clean undies. Having to go through all the ash and soot, seriously new toiletries and a fresh change of clean clothes means a lot.
Books. Specifically Bibles for each family member. His Word is so important especially at a time like this. I’d also need books for our homeschooling. One must carry on. I can homeschool with Bible, Math-U-See, and a computer but it’s really nice to have reference books. Of course we need notebooks, crayons, rulers, tape, glue, pencils and paper. I have a few health reference books and cookbooks also I’d want to replace very quickly and Hymnals are something we use regularly too.
Audio. Music and audio-books are a big part of our lives. Diana Waring’s History series is essential to our homeschool. The Piano Guys music has become an uplifting delight. We also love Celtic hymns, classical music, epic soundtracks, and happy pop and inspirational country artists. In our house, we would rather have music playing than to have a TV on. We don’t prescribe to cable or satellite. It’s not worth the money to us.
Computers. I have a love/hate relationship with electronic devices but we have to have them to make a living.
Pictures. I’d be begging for copies of pictures I had shared with people throughout the years. DON’T rely on facebook for pictures. Facebook downsizes the pictures you put on there and they will NOT print out as nice. I love being surrounded by pictures and flipping through scrapbooks of my friends and family.
Rocking Chair. We all love my four post glider. I might even try to replace it with a love-seat style so more bottoms can fit more comfortably. (I’d MAKE it fit in an RV!)
Organizers. If we moved into RVs most of our other needs would be met. I’m sure I’d end up needing a few organizers. I love my ThirtyOne organizers and Longaberger baskets with organizer inserts. But those are things I’d probably need to wait and make sure I got things suited to exact spaces and needs. I love shelves, even little wooden shelves and shadowboxes.
Appliances. Washer, Dryer, Deep Freeze & full size (or larger) Range. RVs usually have nice, efficient refrigerators so with 4 or more RVs, we’d be in good shape. Paul and I have always had a separate deep freeze but we have come to the conclusion that it would be more economical to have a frig only without the freezer. Whatever the RVs had would be fine but when we have to buy a new frig it will probably be a frig only version and maybe propane instead of electric. They are MUCH more efficient.

When the fire initially happened the community was inundated with generous donations. Most of the household and clothing donations had to move on. Our neighbors couldn’t think past the next thing that needed to be done and seriously we all have so much stuff. Going through more stuff to find a few things we may need was overwhelming. Our family did avail ourselves of much needed clothing items because to be honest, we needed many of them before the fire. Working in the corrosive ash and soot wore down boots in a hurry. Rolling up burnt wire and stringing up new left jeans and gloves with rips and holes. We are grateful for the donations of boots and jeans especially. Hopefully the rest of those donations found people who really needed and appreciated them. Who can blame a cowboy for not caring if his jeans and boots have holes in them as long as his cattle were fed, watered, doctored, or buried. Seriously, between relief for the safe and grief for the losses, who wants to think about clothes and household items?

Nine months after those awful wildfires we are still finding damage. Some things have taken time to deteriorate to a point we realized the damage done. The 2-ton truck Paul uses to haul water for the animals had melted pipe and wire on it but we thought the rest was fine until the airbags under the bed gave way this past month. Another expense we need to pray about. We haven’t been able to afford to replace the tiller or lawn mower. He is having to ask customers to pay for materials up front because there is no inventory. Did I tell you this has been a very hard year?

I am very grateful for all the Lord has done for us through it all. The new perspective we all have has been refreshing. At any moment everything can go up in smoke. Are we preparing our family for that possibility? Do our attitudes project material worth or eternal focus? Do our struggles overwhelm us with stress or do we rise above them in faith and prayer?

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” James 1:2–12

I do count it all JOY today. Our family is appreciating the simple joys of life. We are enjoying time together doing simple things. We are laughing more and taking things far less serious. We are relaxing more and stressing far less. As this calendar year wraps up, I pray you find JOY in the simple things of life. And may we all pray 2018 is a far, FAR better year than 2017 was. Many blessings to you and yours!

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Favorite Gifts That Will Be Remembered

11/21/2017

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They were favorites because of who they came from, the thought behind them, and how or when they were given. It was the who, when, where, how, and why of the gift rather than the what, that made it a favorite.

Gift giving can be a delight or extremely stressful. Whether you are shopping or creating homemade, the question remains the same. “What will this person like.” The gifts we give others say something about us and most of us take that seriously even if we don’t realize it.

If you are practical your gifts are useful.
If you are thoughtful your gifts are decorative.
If you are carefree your gifts reflect a simple pleasure.
If you are fun-loving your gifts reflect your desire to make people laugh.

If you are romantic your gifts conjure memories past or create memories present.
If you are competitive your gifts are comparable or better in some way than others.

Most of us are different from year to year depending on circumstances. If you are rushed for time your gifts may be more carefree. If you are short on funds your gifts may be more practical. If you’ve recently experienced a loss your gifts may be more romantic or thoughtful.

I asked my friends on facebook what their favorite gifts were. The responses shouldn’t have amazed me a bit. Only one gift stood out and I’ll get to that one later. The other gifts weren’t the focus of the favoritism. They were favorites because of who they came from, the thought behind them, and how or when they were given. It was the who, when, where, how, and why of the gift rather than the what, that made it a favorite.

Examples included:

Historic or ancestral heirloom items.
A gift that created comfort in a hard time.
A tool from parents for a first time endeavor.
Something as simple as a pretty box to hold keepsakes.
A piece of jewelry because of the special occasion it was bestowed.

Sometimes favorite gifts can accumulate over time. One person use to give us a set of bathroom towels each year. Another gave us a pretty popcorn tin each year. Let me be real about this. It use to frustrate me. They didn’t seem to put much thought into these gifts. They never asked or seemed to even consider what we wanted or needed at the time. The towels were a useful item from someone who preferred thoughtful or romantic gifts. The tins were a carefree item from someone who had plenty of time and money to put more thought into gifts. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated that they thought of us at all and always sent a thank you card. I never had to worry about frayed towels when company came over. The tins have been useful for years and the flavored popcorn was a treat. We miss these gifts now. In time, I realized these two people just didn’t know how to show their love for us in any other way. I have definitely learned to be more gracious and though the towels are now all frayed beyond use and the tins have had their day, they are some of my favorite gifts in retrospect.

Another type of gift I’ve always found special has been those gifts that show a person stepped out of their comfort zone or usual pattern. The practical or thoughtful gift from the carefree or fun-loving person always stands out.

When you know a person is busy and/or broke and you receive as special coffee cup that matches your kitchen and personality, it’s something you want to keep and take good care of. The carefree or fun-loving gift from the practical or competitive giver can be a comfort. I’ll be real again here, few people know me well and those aren’t usually the ones who feel obligated to give me a gift. I would usually rather have a gift card to go toward something I personally pick out to fit my needs. I also like it when a practical giver gives me something simple like a music cd or mittens. It’s smaller and less likely to clutter up my house. I dislike feeling obligated to keep things because the giver may notice it missing. (Worse yet when they continually ask you if you are using it!)

My suggestions for making your holiday shopping less stressful?

Step out of your comfort zone. Do something unlike you. Surprise them! If you usually give quality items, back off and do something fun this year. If you usually skimp, try to find a deal on something quality that matches that persons personality or decor. You don’t always have to spend a lot of money to invest in quality. More and more people are appreciating the value of “vintage” items. Our family loves used and re-purposed things.
Be practical. Even if you are the practical giver, consider what is actually needed. I know I’m not the only one who’s washing machine eats socks and mittens. Gift cards are so nice. It doesn’t have to be much to help someone who is saving for a new appliance or is just in need of little necessities.
Support small businesses. Again most companies or sales representatives offer gift certificates. Most direct sales and multi level marketing companies have a higher quality standard. Support a local business, friend or family member who is trying to bring in extra income. Don’t forget books! Local authors are usually thrilled to offer signed copies.
Homemade. If you bake, consider a baked item especially for people who have food allergies. Paleo "Danish" Cookies are easy to make and are so nice for someone who has to watch their diet closely. If you sew, who can’t use a few new potholders or a lap quilt? If you are crafty, make something fun. If you are none of these but the person you are shopping for is, consider giving them supplies. Again, a gift certificate to a supply store is always nice.
Pictures are always special. I have always appreciated pictures more than any other gift. I hear other people more and more say how they wish they didn’t have to search social media for pictures of friends and loved ones. It is so easy these days to make up photo books online. A picture or two of your family for each month of the year with a little caption would be a joy for someone on your list.

Consider where the person on your list is in their life. Spend some time in prayer asking the Father to show you a need. He may prompt you to buy a little stuffed animal and a box of hot cocoa mix. Whatever He puts on your mind is sure to be exactly what they need no matter how small it may seem. Pray before you go shopping and while you are browsing isles and shelves you may see something that looks like it belongs with someone on your list.

This brings me to the BEST gift:

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” Hebrews 2:9-13 KJV

WINTER WONDER Shimmering snowflake gently settles amidst the lucid crystals of ice blue, aurora borealis, and clear. A delicate arrangement of silver plated beadwork and faceted glass. Perfect for the updo, the warm winter scarf, and even as napkin rings at a lovely holiday dinner setting.

Strong, Flexible and Beautiful hair accessories. Independent Lilla Rose Consultant #823087 logo and name used with permission

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Exploring Herbs: Lemongrass #AfterMyCoffee

5/26/2016

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I use Lemongrass a lot. It numbs the nerves and helps relieve pain. I had untreated whiplash several times as a child in addition to a broken pelvic bone from a horse flipping over on top of me. I experience pain almost constantly. Lavender oil helps relax the muscles but the Lemongrass essential oil really helps with the pain. Unfortunately I still end up taking some ibuprofen all too often. I keep lemongrass near me on the couch, next to my bed, in the medicine cabinet, and by the table. Be careful with this oil though. It can burn sensitive skin. I use it directly but most people will probably need to dilute it with olive or almond oil. Essential oils can cause chemical burn.

Lemongrass can also be used as a tea. It has a wonderful lemony taste.

Calming Sleep Aid
Digestive Support
Menstrual Relief
Stimulate Metabolism
Decrease Cholesterol
Relieve Acne

Lemongrass is also a bug deterrent. I mix it with citronella, tea tree oil, and apple cider vinegar for a homemade bug spray.

Some links in the post below are “affiliate links.” See our disclosure policy for details.

Last week's favorite:

This is my last week to host After My Coffee linkup, at least for summer. I have a busy summer ahead and want to concentrate more on our home and family. Thank you all for participating. I'll still be posting about herbs and such, Lord willing. Have a wonderful summer!

Capturing the Heart of a Strong Willed Child

After My Coffee Blog Hop Linky Party at Prairie Dust Trail

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Exploring Herbs: Cloves #AfterMyCoffee

5/19/2016

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I bet you didn't realize you could do so much with Cloves? I'm amazed at how wonderful God's Creation is!

I'm exploring herbs again this week with another breath freshener, cloves. Cloves or Clove oil have also been used for tooth ache. Constituents in the oil also cause warming and increase the production of hydrochloric acid, which can be very soothing to the digestive system.

Cloves smell so nice cooked. My favorite use is in Wassail in the winter time. The Wassail simmering on the stove smells so good!

I need to try making a Pomander which is poking dried cloves in an orange and hanging it up for an air freshener and bug replant.

Be careful searching for recipes or instructions. The witches like to use these for rituals and such. You'll also find some beautiful wedding ideas, yummy recipes. Just be discerning... Here is a sampling of what I found:

Coconut Chai Tea
Cinnamon Clove Coffee Cookies
One Bowl Spiced Gingerbread Muffins
Ginger Clove Anti-inflammatory Liniment
Christmas Pomanders (Which would work for summer bug repellent as well.)

I think we have the makings of a wonderful tea party with all this. Even a nice liniment for Granny. (Or the daughter who just got bucked off her horse...) I bet you didn't realize you could do so much with Cloves? I'm amazed at how wonderful God's Creation is!

Last week's After my Coffee favorite:

Chores teach our Kids Character by Life with your Kids

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Peppermint #AfterMyCoffee

5/12/2016

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Who wants a peppermint stick with their hot tea?

"Me!" is always the overwhelming response.

No, I don't ask if they want one lump or two, or one spoonful or two... I think I'm the only one who occasionally likes lemon in my tea. Peppermint is the favorite around our house. After all, who wouldn't want a pretty, striped, sweet, minty, sticky, peppermint? If the children are young, grab a warm, wet wash rag and set beside each of them instead of a pretty napkin. It will serve much better and you'll be glad you did!

Since I covered Spearmint last week, I won't go into all the same information that applies to all the mint family. Peppermint is special. When I was going through morning sickness (six times!) I made up a tea of peppermint and ginger and sipped it ALL DAY LONG. I still felt miserable, but it did help immensely.

We have also made our own tooth brushing powder before. My tooth powder is very, very simple:

Baking Soda
Crushed Mint Leaves

Yep, that's it. I like putting mine in a Tupperware salt & pepper shakers. They are the perfect shape to pour just a little into your hand. I soak our toothbrushes in peroxide and scoop up the powder out of my hand and brush away. Simple as that. If that's too easy, here are a couple of really nice tooth powder recipes:

While my mother was sick with cancer, I rubbed a Peppermint essential oil mixture on her after her bath. She would sigh and say how much better it made her feel. It didn't stop her from being sick, but it gave her a bit of soothing and comfort.

Our oldest always likes Peppermint flavoring in her birthday cake. Yummy! Just use your favorite Chocolate cake recipe and substitute the Vanilla extract for Peppermint. Sometimes I put it in the frosting instead. (...now I'm getting hungry!)

Isn't it wonderful how GOD created this little herb that even I can grow in my yard that can be so comforting to the whole family? Thank you Lord!

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Last week's favorite:

God has shown me four basic ways that I can embrace the gift of waiting and make the most of this lovely season in my life. I would like to share them with all the ladies who may be in a similar season in their lives.

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Please also follow my lovely co-hostesses:

Phyllis Sather @ Phyllis-Sather.com
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Kathryn @ Depths Of Imagination
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Exploring Herbs: Spearmint #AfterMyCoffee

5/5/2016

4 Comments

Mints are amazing herbs. They contain constituents that increase digestive juices and relax gut muscles making them very soothing to the tummy. The menthol in Spearmint is anesthetic and antifungal. We often use menthol products when we have respiratory illness, usually rubbing salve on our feet and chests. I remember my grandmother rubbing menthol salve on my feet as a child. I was incredibly ticklish and she had a hard time holding my feet still. Out of all six of our children, only one has had the super ticklish problem. I like cough drops with menthol too. I only use it in Essential oil if it's in a mixture with other oils. It always has a nice clean smell.

I personally don't care for Spearmint tea but our children do enjoy it. The tea has a very strong flavor so I like to blend it with other herbs. If you have a clear glass teapot, the Hibiscus Mint Tea is really pretty in addition to tasty. It would make an awesome "tea for two" gift for Mother's Day. My husband prefers Spearmint mouthwash. Of course, Spearmint gum is popular too.

The only caution I have for Spearmint is that if you have someone in your family who has recently quit dipping or smoking tobacco, they may be extra sensitive to the smell of the Spearmint. Make sure to ask because they often don't want to bring attention to the struggle.

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Last week's favorite:

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Exploring Herbs: Echinacea #AfterMyCoffee

4/28/2016

3 Comments

Echinacea is something that does grow naturally out here on the prairie. It's one of the easier flowers to grow too. That is always helpful. Granted, it's not as easy as dandelions, but we'll get to them later. Ten to fifteen years ago there was a lot of hype about Echinacea. I hate hype, but the fad did seem to make people a bit more comfortable with the idea of using herbs. I saw people who would otherwise never even consider herbal remedies taking supplements with Echinacea as an ingredient. A few of the doctors out here even hinted that it might be beneficial. Unfortunately people forget things pretty fast and move on to the next fad before they really learn much.

What is there to learn about Echinacea? Hasn't everything been written about it that can be?

Maybe, but have you read everything that has been written about it? I know I haven't. I'll just start with a 'Did You Know' and let's see... Pop quiz anyone?

Did you know Echinacea is an immune system stimulant?
Did you know the Sioux Native Americans took it for snakebites and rabies?
Did you know it's antibiotic?
Did you know the petals are harvested yearly but the roots need to be at least four years old to harvest?
Did you know the Comanche used it for sore throats and toothaches?
Did you know it can be used topically on acne and cold sores?

Bonus question: Can you guess my favorite way to use Echinacea?

TEA!

Yep, when anyone in our home starts to get the sniffles or a scratchy throat, I pull out the tea pot again. During allergy season I mix it with other herbs that are also good for the respiratory system. We like our Echinacea tea with a cinnamon stick. When you're filling in your flower garden this year, make sure to put in some of these beautiful cone flowers. They are so pretty, you may not want to gather them. They look pretty and rustic too when they are hanging upside down by strings drying for your cold & flu season tea. I keep my dried Echinacea in a 1/2 gallon mason jar with a pretty label. It's something that delights me long after the flower garden is gone!

Here are some seeds, dried herb, tea bags already made up, and a devotional to go with your tea!

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Last week's favorite & Congratulations on your new book Beth!:

Krista Hamrick’s beautiful original art print, Name Above All Names Alphabet, has so inspired me. Each of the 26 individual Names she has identified are so special, as Krista has intricately painted, almost like stained glass windows, each one with its Scripture reference.

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Exploring Herbs: Elderberry #AfterMyCoffee

4/21/2016

2 Comments

Elderberry is one of my very favorite herbs. The berries are good for everyone in the family. Berries in general tend to be very nutritious but elderberries are special. My favorite way to use the dried berries is in tea with Nettle and Echinacea. I'll usually put a tablespoon of elderberries in ANY herbal tea I make. They mix well with anything, give a nice flavor, and beautiful color to the herbal teas. I don't buy any of the fancy cough syrups for our children, I just make up tea with peppermint for them. They really like it and it's soothing when they aren't feeling well. A hot cup of tea is always comforting.

I usually buy my elderberries by the pound. I use a strainer like the one below and I have a dark green teapot. (The rose color is on my wishlist!) I heat up our purified water to a boil and slowly pour it into the pot over the herbs in the strainer. Then I let it set for about 3-5 minutes before pouring. I usually get 2 or 3 pots from the same strainer full of herbs. The more they soak, especially the berries, the more they release their wonderful juice. In summer sometimes I will even pour it over a glass of ice for an herbal ice tea. Yum! If you have a sweet tooth, add a spoonful of honey for added benifit. When the children are having a tea party, I let them stir their tea with a peppermint stick. (King Leo peppermint sticks are made with real sugar.)

I really feel like elderberries should be a staple in every home. I'm not a "health care professional" so I have to be careful or the FDA may try to come get me... But our family seriously loves our Elderberry Tea. I encourage you to try it.

Last week's favorites (These young ladies are doing an awesome job with their blogs!):

A couple weeks ago the sand plum bushes were in bloom! They were gorgeous so I had to capture photos of Ike in them.

Sand Plum Blossoms at Faith Has Made Me blog

WAITING? OR LIVING OUT GOD’S PLAN? at Shining Stars Magazine

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