NOVEMBER 17, 2010 OPPORTUNITIES

"THE MORE FLEXIBLE OUR LIVES, THE MORE EASILY WE WILL BE ATTRACTED TO AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY."

Thanks Karen

Opportunities. How many have we missed? Nothing is so often irretrievably missed as a daily opportunity. ~Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach


Every day we have opportunities. The opportunity to start the day with a smile. We have the opportunity to do a good deed. We have the opportunity to start the day over anytime we want to, especially when it starts on a bad note. We have the opportunity to shake a hand or give a hug. We have the opportunity to be self-less, honest and trustworthy to another individual.


I used to think of opportunity only as growth for me in terms of business. Yes I have those kind of opportunities too. But today I am discussing opportunities of the soul. The opportunities we often take for granted. The opportunities that can help someone less fortunate and in need of assistance. You must be flexible and ready for such opportunities. You have to be open-minded. You have to be less rigid. You have to let go. You might even say a little impulsive and risky.
Did you miss an opportunity today?


Even though it is not summer I want to discuss bites and stings from insects. Yes we do have a bed bug problem in New York City. The dynamic duo (Rick and I!) will be beekeepers by the time summer begins. In order to prepare for our courses we are doing much reading about our bees. I am doing research on stings and bites. Neither of us want to get stung, but we will get stung. That is for sure. I will make sure we each have headgear with netting so we do not get stung in the face. There are herbs to stop the itching and swelling. The minor bites from mosquitoes and other insects respond quickly to herbal oils. If you have fresh or dry lavender flowers available that works well. However it is not what I carry around in my bag. In preparation for the summer I will make an Herbal First Aid Kit. I think everyone should have one at home.

Insect Bite Oil:
1. 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil
2. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions: Combine the two oils. Dab the mixture directly on the bite. Store in a bottle or glass container. Put a tight lid on it. Label the bottle. Keep this mixture away from small children and away from the eyes.

Bite and Sting Poultice:

This mixture is called a poultice. A poultice is a hot, soft, moist mass, as of flour, herbs, mustard, etc., sometimes spread on cloth, applied to a sore or inflamed part of the body
Let's make one:

1. 1 tablespoon of echinacea root tincture
2. 1 tablespoon of distilled water
3. 1/8 teaspoon of lavender essential oil
4. 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay

Directions: Combine all the liquid ingredients together. Add this mixture to the clay
The paste should be tacky enough to apply to the skin. Apply to the bite and then store remaining in a labeled glass container. Be sure the lid is tight. You do not want the mixture to dry out. Mine did, so I added a little bit more distilled water.

I remember my Poppy putting mud and some oil in a bowl and applying it to a bee sting on my left leg when I was younger. I wonder where he learned to do this. An old Italian custom? Before you apply this poultice to the bite, look at yourself in the mirror. See if the area of the bite is reddened, swollen or puffy. Make sure you do not have shortness of breath. Seek medical attention if there is any possibility of allergy to the bite or sting.

These are just two of many items for your herbal first aid kit.

Until tomorrow...