"It is only in the present moment that we experience being alive."
For the last 2 weeks I had to stay in the moment. When a lot is happening in any of our lives, it is best not to let the mind wander and ponder. I have been living and being alive each and every day. It is the only way to make it through difficult times. My mind wandered to the 'what if'. I then thought of all the good wishes/prayers/meditations that others were sending my way. I am a grateful man with an abundance of gratitude and love. As I am writing this, my friend Karen sent me this :
" Things happen in our lives for a reason, even if that reason is not clear to you right away "
This is living in the moment. This quote is so on target for me today.
When you hear the words, " Blue angel " what comes to your mind? For those who are movie buffs, The Blue Angel conjures up a woman with a pair of gorgeous legs, a sexy body and a sultry voice. Her name is Marlene Dietrich. Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In 1920's Berlin she acted on the stage and in silent films. Her performance as "Lola-Lola" in The Blue Angel, directed by Josef von Sternberg, brought her international fame and provided her a contract with Paramount Pictures in the US. Hollywood films such as Shanghai Express and Desire capitalised on her glamour and exotic looks, cementing her stardom and making her one of the highest-paid actresses of the era. Dietrich became a US citizen in 1939 and throughout World War II she was a high-profile frontline entertainer. Although she still made occasional films in the post-war years, Dietrich spent most of the 1950's - 1970's touring the world as a successful show performer. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Dietrich the ninth-greatest female star of all time. She died in 1992 in Paris. I love her films, especially Manpower with George Raft and Witness for the Prosecution. She never won an Academy Award.
The next 'blue angel' is actually 'Blue Sky'. She is seated above playing the sacred flute in honor of me, Red Star and my husband, Rick, Silver Cloud. Her other name is Christian. She is very dear friend. Surgeons are amazing with their skills, but other modalities as healing rituals, homeopathy, botanical medicine, reiki, and American Indian medicine are equally effective. Thank you, Blue Sky
The third "blue angel' is now considered a superfood. It is the blueberry. (Vaccinium myrtillus) We are in the midst of a blueberry revolution. It is appropiate to discuss an herb today as TODAY IS HERB DAY.
The seventh annual HerbDay will take place Saturday, May 5, 2012. HerbDay is an international celebration of herbs and herbal products packed with events aimed at educating and sharing ideas about the many ways herbs bring joy and well-being into our daily lives. We celebrate herbs' use in food, beverages, medicine, beauty products, and crafts, along with the art of growing and gardening with herbs. Herb Day is a grassroots movement and its events belong to everyone who chooses to participate.
Although May 5 will be the focal point of our celebration, we encourage you to commemorate Herb Day any time, any day, any time of year!
The Herb Day Coalition is comprised of the American Botanical Council, United Plant Savers, the American Herbal Products Association, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and the American Herbalists Guild. I am a proud member of the highlighted associations.
The blueberry is native to the United States. It was here when the first European stepped foot on this land. The American Indians have eaten blueberries for hundreds of years. When I think of collecting blueberries, I think of Katherine Hepburn as Ethel Thayer telling Henry Fonda (Norman Thayer Jr) in the 1981 film On Golden Pond to collect berries. He gets lost because he is developing dementia. Both actors won an Academy Award for this film.
Today we know that the risk of developing dementia is lower in subjects who have a diet rich in flavinoids. Blueberries are rich is flavinoids. With only 80 calories per cup, these tiny berries are full of enrichment and nutrition. What's not to like about the blueberry - delicious fruit, pretty flowers, and great foliage with an expanded growing range. You gotta love em! Blueberries grow wild on Fire Island. They can thrive without chemical intervention. Honeybees love collecting the nectar. Blueberry bushes require little maintenance unlike growing other fruit. Blueberries grow best in well drained acidic soil, with regular moisture and good multch.
So what's in the blueberry? There are vitamins C, K and A plus a range of antioxidants including flavinoids. The anthocyanine from blueberries display a strong vasoprotective (protect the heart and the vascular system) and anti-inflammatory properties. These tiny berries top the list for protecting the brain. Blueberries have shown to increase the dopamine levels in the brain. Thus, these super foods can be used to treat patients with Alzheimer's .
This is my dream ... waking up early, listening to the birds outside. Rick is still in bed. I wake him up and we sit on the wrap around porch (in a different state at a different time in our lives). We slide up to the southeast corner of the table with a beautifully set table. Our largest blueberry bush overhangs near the table. I pick two bowls of fresh blueberries. We sit in peace and serenity without conversation and eat a blueberry at a time together....
Until tomorrow....
No comments:
Post a Comment