Quiet day

Good morning
Just stopping the world and getting off the wheel to say hello.
Things are good here. Relaxed and steady. Little tasks accomplished and I am pacing my self much better. Choosing not to keep so busy. Different for me I must say. It feels so good though. Keeping to my own tasks. Slowing down a bit. Tending to a simpler way of life. Picking the poppy pods and drying them for seed. Next years crop will be awesome!
Herbs are getting harvested too.
I'm sewing for my daughter and myself dresses. Getting back on a good routine of weekly chores. Cooking and lunches and such. Right now I am looking at a bird called a thrasher just outside the window near me. He or his buddy was in the garage when I got home from a morning walk today. The new knee brace is really making a huge difference.

No cost natural air conditioning

Our seasons are at hand here in the American South West.

Nights are still in the 50's but the day temperatures are climbing.

The following tips will help to keep the air conditioner off as long as possible.

IF...your neighborhood is secure (a very big brown dog) and the windows face the back of the yard behind gated grounds open the windows at the break in evening temperatures. For us this is late evening.

At night it is important to keep privacy. Opening the windows then lowering the blinds to hip level helps in this regard. This space of the house is kept dark during the evenings. Any light welcomes views, not good.

In the morning the South of your estate and the West will offer cool air. The East of the estate will only offer cooler air in the very early A.M. hours. Close the Eastern windows by 9 a.m. or so. The sun will warm the glass = warm air coming in. Shade the windows and close.

The Southern windows can last a good hour or so longer.

North and West is open till noon if the conditions allow. Shut Southern exposed windows by noon. The Northern ones can stay open as long as cooler temps stay. By the 70+* shut the house down. Reopen again in the evening when the heat breaks.

 In the desert if your fortunate and have high ceilings. They can offer a heat exchange. In the summer switch the fans...
 

 During the warm months of summer, the fan blades should spin in counter-clockwise direction.
They should be blowing straight down. Cutting the air in a downward motion 

Read more: How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Summer

 Northern exposure opens early am and stays open most of the day until the heat hits 80* close until afternoon temps come back down.

 Western face under shade of Northern alcove

 Northern/Eastern exposure as the shade increases in the afternoon so does the heat. In the eavening this is a wonderful vent. As the shade recedes the widow gets closed as does the blind.

Note the ledge.

 Eastern exposure has a shade tree near. Will be closed at night and mid morning. Ceiling fan circulates the air and when window is closed all the hot air of the ceiling (warm air rises) has been exchanged with fresh cooler air. It will then circulate that cooler air.

shade tenting on all southern and western windows a must!
Eastern windows were shade tented when we budgeted them.
HUGE added value. I'll try to link to that page for a tutorial.

 This is the way to keep our costs down and our earth preserved.

When it gets hotter a moist clothe is a wonderful addition in front of a breezy window. 

It is 9:30 here time to close the East windows.

Have a wonderful cool morning without running your AC until the low temps are too high to chill your home.

In the morning the West and South shades are open for natural light. In the afternoon the West and South shades are drawn, and the East and north shades open for natural light.

The AC here has not been used, nor has heating for several weeks now. In the winter do just the opposite the sun being your heater (only keeping the window it self closed). Using the elements to our favor is the old way. Wisdom knew this once. Now we must learn the knowledge forgotten by way of extravagance few nations have known.
It is time to humble our self, learn and make the effort to keep our resources with respect.

2:30 p.pm it is 86* outside and 77* inside.
7:30 p.m. House stands at 82*. It is 91* outside right now! 
All but the kids windows are now opened and fans on. Cooling fast to mid 70's*.

Oh Nuts!, and seeds. Preservation and storage

 

 We eat a lot of raw nuts and seeds here at this uncommon estate. When they are purchased it is in bulk. Nuts have natural oils that can go rancid. It is important to keep them fresh. The large jars are frozen. The smaller containers are for the kitchen refrigerator and are refilled weekly. This is a way to keep eye on the amounts and variety used. The rectangles store nicely on a shelf.

HERBS and SPICES
Sesame Seed

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Desiderata (Latin: "desired things", plural of desideratum) is a 1927 prose poem by American writer Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)

Scholarship letter to attend the Primary Immune confrence

In June here in Phoenix is the conference for the Immune foundation. It is my hope to attend. The scholarship covers almost $700 in costs. The other entry costs are not covered, another $150?. What do you think? I have never written a letter like this.

Read more HERE at the Immune Deficiency Foundation about the upcoming 2011 conference in Phx AZ

Hello and Good Morning

It is with a grateful heart that I received this request for an application letter to attend the upcoming conference here in Phoenix. It was so strong in my heart to attend the conference but I saw little way to make it so. With a very tight budget two wonderful (adopted) special needs children (10 &13) the idea of getting off to tend to my own health needs seamed out of the question. My sweet husband so wants me to attend and has expressed full willingness to do to my tasks if I were able to go. Even in that however the added loss of his hours along with the cost wold just make it all too impossible. So I let it go, asking a prayer if there were a way dear Lord to make it so.

I received an email this morning encouraging me to make this effort to request a scholarship to attend. With the scholarship the loss of income could be weighed as a good cost and investment toward good health, affiliation and encouragement.

I was diagnosed almost a year ago. With CVIG IgA deficient. A more complicated issue I understand. A nurse met at the physicians office the first infusion due to the threat of aniphylactic (sp?) shock. The vomiting on that first infusion was rather scary. Since then she has come to my home monthly to administer six hour infusions. I am blessed she is a  wonderful nurse.

My diagnosis came at 49 years of age. Years of medical folks saying "It shouldn't" to me as if it were all in my mind. Sickness kept returning over and over. Years that came to a definitive point when anti biotic were at a twice a month necessity. With the kids health pulling strong and now after years of the intervention for them my health had even suffered more. Stress is an awful foe.
Last January my health was so bad. Within a four month period pneumonia and then bronchitis three times.

I thought I was dying. Truly I learned I was slowly dieing.

In late January my eldest sister and I were on the phone her taking her last breath in a hospital bed. She died of issues so odd that hit her all her life. Same thing was told to her year after year. "It shouldn't'' My niece held the phone to her ear and she passed away hour later.

I went to the doctor for my appointment's the next day or so. Telling him of her death and my fear. He looked at me funny and said he needed to run a few tests. The most amazing thing was that after 49 years of suffering he found it! He studied at a university that specialized in PI. He saw it. In my dear sisters passing I was given a chance for life. This a gift.

Infusions have taken some numbers of IGg from 28 on one line (of the lab results) to over 1000 in 11 months. My lymphatic system is almost to a low average range, it was gone. I had gotten very close to death. Now I turn 50 this year. My dignity restored. Now it is a resounding 'IT'S NO WONDER! CVIG caused so many issues all my days. The medical field was ignorant to discern it.

With the IgA thing little information is out there. I especially noticed the lecture on that topic.

My veins began to blow out after only three months. ER's for stroke scare over and over due to tiny , very tiny veins.  Now I have a new port with a few complications. Strange to have this thing in my chest.

It is my utmost desire to come be with those who would cause this obscure experience to be less so. To sit and share a cup of coffee and be a part of those who would so identify and understand. To sit at the feet and humbly learn from those who have walked this path. To no longer feel as if I am walking it alone.

Thank you for your consideration
Donetta Jonas

So what do you think?

For the love of heirloom south west wild flowers

 The Poppies have been in full splinter. 

Bringing me such a pleasure as I go out to 'play' in my wild flowers

 The center bed is getting happy with the colors.

Soon the Hollyhocks and the others will see color

 The Rue is up now interesting meaning there. Rue means war. My husbands office is there on the other side of the window . He is a civil war and WW11 buff. Iris are blue beard.

Stocks are just starting to show the purple/pink

b. buttons are very happy here

Feathery Blue Flax is in foreground real young yet

Spring has been in full bloom at my house

This is the blue garden our front walkway faces North. 

With feng shui design in mind (loosely) the best entry colors for north facing are the blues.

Heirloom
Sweet peas

Bachelor Buttons

lupines are young yet

 The big fern needed transplanting

 just a little bit har har

 All the rhizomes were harvested set aside.
See the 'Bee Bliss Blog' for post click here for details.
Some planted in pots on the porch.

Have you ever seen so many possible baby ferns?

 Along the west side of the house sunflowers planted in a long row just two weeks ago.

Now sprouted and beginning the long growth cycle to glory.

The fern was moved under the canopy into this HUGE pot. 

That root ball filled it!

Gotta keep on with the day. 

Hope you enjoyed the wonder that is the joy of wild flowers

Monday laundry day

Washing clothes Recipe......... 

Never thought of a "warsher" in this light before..what a blessing!
"Warshing Clothes Recipe" -- imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !
Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe: this is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook - with spelling errors and all.  

WARSHING CLOTHES   Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water. 
Sort things, make 3 piles 
1 pile white, 
1 pile colored, 
1 pile work britches and rags. 
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water. 
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch. 
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.   
Hang old rags on fence. 
Spread tea towels on grass. 
Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water. 
Turn tubs upside down. 
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings. 
================================================ 
Paste this over your washer and dryer Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks.. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer. 
For you non-southerners - wrench means, rinse ;)