Pecking Order quilt, a pattern from Missouri Star Quilt Company

Young Living Essential Oils – Singles

Basil: Anti-inflammatory, helps intestinal problems, muscle spasms, headaches, and mental fatigue. Dilute with carrier oil.

Bergamot: Analgesic, anti-depressant, anxiety, female hormone balance. Anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, allergies, sedative.

Birch: Analgesic, anti-spasmodic, natural cortisone, may give relief to arthritis, bone, joint, and muscle pain. Helps back pain.

Cardamon: Diuretic, anti-bacterial, normalizes appetite, colic, coughs, heartburn, nausea, menstrual period.

Cedar (Canadian red): Anti-bacterial, antiseptic, follicle stimulant, helps dandruff, hair loss, respiratory system.

Cedarwood: Purifies animal odors. Helps cellulite, bronchitis, hair loss, dandruff, and oily hair. Supports lymphatic system.

Chamomile (Roman): Skin care, acne, boils, rashes, and hair care. Helps relieve migraine headaches and inflamed joints.

Cinnamon Bark: Always dilute with carrier oil. Helps with strep and virus conditions. Strengthens circulatory system.

Cistus: Stops viruses from mutating, anti-microbial, works directly on immune system.

Clary Sage: May help PMS and hot flashes, helps regulate hormones and relieves menstrual cramps. Use during labor.

Clove: Used in Egypt to strengthen respiratory system. Improves memory.  Anti-viral helps toothaches and gum pain. Enhances Immunce functioning

Coriander: Cairo University research: lowers glucose levels by normalizing insulin levels, supports pancreas function.

Cypress: Anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, lymphatic decongestant. Used for arthritis, bronchitis, circulation, cramps, parasites.

Davana: Anti-infectious, helps dry chapped skin. Stimulates endocrine glands. Treats PMS symptoms.

Dill: Helps lower glucose levels by normalizing insulin levels. Supports bronchial congestion and liver deficiencies.

Eucalyptus: Assists respiratory system, sinuses, flu, and allergies. Helps hypoglycemia and Candida.

Fennel: Assists the adrenal cortex.  Helps break up toxins and fluid in tissues. Balances pituitary, thyroid and pineal glands.

Fir: Known to fight airborne germs and bacteria. Can help reduce symptoms of arthritis, rheumatism and fevers.

Frankincense: Has helped some cases of cancer. Supports the immune system. Has reduced tumors and external ulcers.

Galbanum: Helps wounds, boils and abscesses. Calms mind for meditation.

Geranium: Anti-depressant, may assist dissolving kidney stones.  Helps shingles and ulceration. May be used as deodorant and bug repellant.

Ginger: Anti-parasitic, relieves sprains, breaks up chest congestion, colic and indigestion.  Used for motion sickness and chills.

Grapefruit: Good for acne, flabby arms, reduces cellulite. Relieves water retention.

Helichrysum: Anti-bacterial, reduces bleeding in accidents, skin regenerator, helps repair nerves.
Hyssop: Thins mucous, for bruises, immune stimulator, anti-viral. May help asthma sufferers. Not for children.

Jasmine: Helps childbirth, labor pain, frigidity, and coughs. Anti-spasmodic, muscle spasms and uterine disorders.

Juniper: A nerve stimulator, natural diuretic and cleanser. Reduces dermatitis, eczema and acne.

Lavender: Universal oil, can use pure. May help allergies, all types of burns, ulcers, insomnia, diaper rash. Many more uses.

Lemon: Germicide, purifies air and water. Relives heartburn, anti-parasitic, stimulates white and red blood cell formation.

Lemongrass: Mosquito repellant, helps connective tissue repair and regenerate. Reduces varicose veins. Sedative.

Marjoram: Especially good for tight muscles, may calm spasms and respiratory problems. Insomnia.

Melalueca: Used in war for gangrene and wounds. Can be taken before, during and after
radiation treatment.

Melissa: Powerful anti-viral, anti-depressant, skin problems and eczema. Regulates menstrual cycle and calms emotions.

Mountain Savory: Kills all airborne bacteria and viruses. Discovered in 1996 lab studies. Best to diffuse. Anti-bacterial

Myrrh: Helps gum infections, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, wrinkles, and hemorrhoids. Can help abnormal vaginal discharge.

Myrtle: Helps treat hypothyroidism. Used for chronic coughs as an expectorant. Fights colds and flu.

Nutmeg: Good for chronic bowel disorder. Eases digestion difficulties. Good for circulation, gout, flatulence, neuralgia.

Orange: Reduces fluid retention, overcomes sadness, calming to children, aids digestion, mouth ulcers and gas.

Oregano: Strong anti-viral and anti-fungal. It stimulates and helps protect the immune system.

Patchouli: Helps relieve anxiety, influences physical and sexual energies. Used for centuries for skin care and wrinkles.

Peppermint: Keeps one mentally alert and awake. Relieves some headaches. Digestion. Reduces fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Petitgrain: Antiseptic, calming, mood enhancing, helps heartburn, and insomnia. Nerve equilibrium.

Pine: Hormone-like, anti-diabetic, cortisone-like, antiseptic, anti-fungal, used on sore muscles.

Ravensara: From Madagascar – the oil that heals, helps flu and hay fever, respiratory problems and walking cramps.

Rose: Anti-aging, anti-depressant. Great for skin.

Rosemary: Mental stimulant, fights Candida, good for dandruff, helps open bile duct, helps reduce cholesterol.

Rosewood: Known for slowing the aging process. Used for skin care, acne, eczema, vaginitis.

Sage: Oral infection and skin condition. Asthma, bronchitis, menopause, and menstrual irregularities.

Sandalwood: Stimulates pineal and pituitary glands to enhance meditation. Helps with cystitis and urinary tract infections.

Spearmint: Helps to reduce weight. Good for colic, diarrhea, nausea, helps balance metabolism, stimulates gallbladder.

Spikenard: Antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, used as a deodorant and skin tonic.

Spruce: Helps reduce weight. Beneficial for bone pain, arthritis, rheumatism, aching joints, prostatitis.

Tangerine: Assists dissolving cellulite, improves circulation, treats dizziness, laxative, cleanses the lymphatic system.

Tansy (Blue): Anti-inflammatory, reduces pain, relieves itching, antihistamine and calms nerves.

Tarragon: Relief and balance to intestinal tract. Neuromuscular antispasmodic. Anti-microbial and antiseptic. Colitis, hiccups.

Thyme: Anti-bacterial. Respiratory problems, digestive complaints, treatment for gastritis, bronchitis, asthma, laryngitis.

Valerian: Sedative and tranquilizing to the central nervous system. Treats sleep disorders, insomnia, stress, tension.

Vetiver: Anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory used for arthritis symptoms. Antiseptic, warming properties to help hypothermia.

Ylang Ylang: Anti-depressant, alleviates headaches, hot flashes, and hypertension. Calms the nervous system.

Pumpkin Praline Pudding Cake

Right click and choose 'print'

Defeat any virus!

Click to enlarge

Italian Chicken and Potatoes

I found a fabulous recipe online.  I can't believe I didn't think of this myself!  I don't buy packets of zesty Italian dressing, I make my own and the recipe for it is below.

Your participles are danglin', honey

I had the pleasure of reading several resumes this week. [sarcasm]
Some were better than others on the entertainment spectrum.  R U gettin' me?

Each person wanted feedback on their resume.  I gave them a link to this fabulous video:



Now, if only I could write the word 'weird' without having to 
first visualise it as "i before e" every time!

Do you have negative energy today?

Created by Natalie Pascoe

You know that like attracts like, right? So here’s the deal: Positive people are drawn to positive energy; negative people are drawn to negative energy. We tend to perceive negative energy as something other people have. Sure, sometimes we feel negative – as in, “go away and leave me alone, world!” but did you know that negativity can be so ingrained in you that it goes unnoticed?

That’s because negativity sometimes wears a disguise called ‘reality’. It’s easy to rationalize that you’re ‘just being realistic’ in not daring to act on a dream – and believe it! You may assume that positive people are not being realistic – that they’re being naive, that they are in denial with their heads stuck in the sand, that they put on fake smiles in the face of difficulty and so forth. But are they really happy fools or is there something to their positive attitude?

Consider this: since when does ‘being realistic’ necessarily mean that things will go wrong and that you have to accept that as the truth? That doesn't mean that being realistic is automatically negative. When you view the world from a ‘realistic’ standpoint, you can’t help but be negative.

"IF" your version of reality is negative, you are conditioned to believe that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and whatever can go right, will probably go wrong too. Your unconsciously held beliefs make you into a negative person without your being aware of it!
So – if this negativity is so ingrained in you that you don’t notice it, how do you determine whether you’re stuck in a cloud of negative energy that is attracting the wrong people, wrong situations and wrong feelings? And how can you be sure you’re not perpetuating that negativity?

Here’s a quick quiz to gauge the level of negative energy within you:

• Do you complain? All the time or just sometimes?
• Do you often discuss what’s wrong in the world more than what’s right? This includes the ‘terrible’ weather, ‘horrible’ traffic, ‘idiotic’ government, ‘lousy’ economy, ‘stupid’ in-laws, etc.
• Do you criticize? All the time or just certain people?
• Are you attracted to drama and disaster (can you unglue yourself from the TV when there’s a news story of a disaster and can you avoid getting involved in the lives of dysfunctional celebrities?)
• Do you blame? All the time or just certain situations?
• Do you believe that you have no control over most of your results?
• Do you feel like a victim? Do you talk about people doing things to you?
• Are you grateful for what is or will you be grateful when things finally start going right for you?
• Do you feel like things are happening to you? Or do you feel that they are happening through you?

These last two points are important:

• If you’re not grateful except when things go right, you are negative.
• Gratitude is positive. If you are grateful for what is (including the unpleasant school of life lessons), then you can invite more and more positive energy into your life.

Here’s another interesting idea to consider: have you noticed that positive people seem to get what they want out of life, and even if things don’t go their way, they still enjoy their lives… while negative people whine and moan about their misfortunes and even the good things in their lives?

To clear negative energy, try this 3 -step process:

1. Take ownership: “When you think everything is someone else’s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.” – the Dalai Lama
2. Cancel negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. This takes practice, dedication and making a decision to see the world through the eyes of “what can go right” instead of “what can go wrong.” You’ll have to catch yourself anytime you are acting out or speaking out your negativity, and immediately change your tune.
3. And when you feel drawn back to negative thinking, remember...
   Visualize the positive instead of getting sucked into negativity; overcome past conditioning; think intuitively from the soul instead from ‘reality’; create a new, desired reality in your imagination and manifest it in the outer world. Nobody wants negative energy to permeate their lives, yet many of us allow it. But we allow it unconsciously, based on past conditioning that suggests an inevitable outcome to certain situations. When you overcome that conditioning and realize that the future is NOT cast in stone but that you have more control over your circumstances than you believe – then you can begin to consciously design your life.

What’s going to happen then? Your positive energy will magnetically attract what you consider to be good and right for you: people, situations, things… and you’ll notice a huge, huge increase in your happiness and inner peace.

Why not start today?

(sources include the website Raw for Beauty)

Were you the victim of bad, bigoted parents?

(Please note, I did not write this.  You will find this on Carl Trueman's blog.)

Carl Trueman

 In light of this story, about a girl who became a boy at the age of five, I resisted the temptation to rearrange the word 'lunatics,' 'asylum,' and 'have taken over' to make a well known phrase or saying, and instead spent a moment or two reflecting on my own childhood.

I well remember one afternoon at age three deciding that I was not a human being but actually a monkey -- to be precise, a common marmoset. Consistent with my identity, I ran round the house making monkey noises and climbing on the furniture.  I subsequently refused to eat chicken nuggets, preferring fruit and raw nuts.

Tragically, my parents were a pair of reactionary bigots.  Rather than facilitate my self-realisation by handing me over to the zoo or taking me to a rain forest in order to release me into the wild, I seem to remember my mother physically and verbally abused me (by clipping me round the ear and telling me not to clamber all over her nice furniture).   I know, I know: It sends shivers down the spine to imagine the psychological damage wreaked upon me by the imposition of what Insider Movement advocates would no doubt call the Greco-Latin-European concept of 'human nature' on a common marmoset trapped inside a three year old human body.  But those were dark, ill-informed times.





It is good that we now live in a more enlightened age, is it not?