September 1 2025

 

The poster says:  “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness.” - Morgan Freeman as God in “Evan Almighty”.

As we move into September 2025, our country, Canada, faces many challenges as prices continue to rise for groceries and clothing - things that we consider basic for survival.  What I have been noticing are the random acts of kindness that folks in our area seem to be doing that ease the sense of strain and pressure around them. 

Acts of kindness including things like:

-mowing the neighbour’s lawn

-handing someone a dollar for a shopping cart

-dropping off food for someone who is ill

-walking a neighbour’s dog when the person has sprained an ankle

….and the list goes on.

My goal as fall settles in is to be aware and do something positive for someone each day.  

What is your goal for September?

Blessings,

Judy

Remembrance Day November 11 2023

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada.  Today, I remember my great grandfather on my mother’s side, my grandfathers on both my mother’s and my father’s side, numerous great uncles, uncles, and cousins. Most of them are no longer here.  Most of them have fought several wars.  Some of them are now retired, and still doing what they can for others.

I am thankful that my Ancestors were very brave and that they had a strong sense of right, of truth, and a belief that no one man, no one country, and no one religion should rule the world.  I am thankful that they fought for what they believed in. Their actions have been a shiny example for me, of standing on one’s truth.  

I am thankful, too, for all the women in my family, who supported the men, and who acted as machinists, nurses, labourers,  and who made do with what was available.  These women taught me about necessity living. 

I am aware that the peace that I have in my life is because all of you stood for what you believed in.  Thank – you.

May all of you know that you are honoured and loved through time. 

Blessings,

Judy

Juniper Berry - An Interesting Herb

Juniper Berry picture from Wikipedia

A good read is Whispers From the Woods by Sandra Kynes (Lewellyn Worldwide, Woodbury, MN www.llewellyn.com). The description of one of the trees really struck a me with a moment of AHA! All over Canada, it seems that juniper bushes get planted in front of the house or behind the house or in the yard.

 

Kynes talks about the fact that juniper bushes were planted in front of a house as a protection against witches. She also talks about the German belief that having a juniper bush in front of your house will prevent thieves from breaking into the house and stealing all the valuables. Did you know that juniper berries could be used to make gin?

What is really striking is that in the West, we have acres of juniper, if it were all together in one lot. It is striking that because of its medicinal purposes for colds, aches, and pains among other things, that almost every home then has a little medicine cabinet outside the door. Yet we are not conscious of the properties of the plant. We do seem to be conscious that somehow juniper is beneficial for we name many things from network systems, to music to designs after the juniper bush. 

The juniper tree's greatest gift is the berries.  These berries may be used to make a diuretic tea that does not seem to diminish one's electrolytes as over the counter diuretics may do.  

Recipe

Pick the berries when they are ripe and then place them on a cookie sheet covered with brown paper. Place the cookie sheet in a dark place - a pantry - for three days. The berries will dry. They may be stored in a cloth pouch and used, a teaspoonful at a time, in tea.  Pour boiling water over the berries, and mash a bit, and let the tea steep for three minutes.  Sweeten with honey if you find the taste too bitter.

This is just one recipe for the use of juniper berries.  Let me know how your medicine from juniper turns out. Let me know too, if you have any juniper recipes to share.

 Bright blessings!

  Judy

Listen to Your Ancestors

                            

I found this poster/saying when I was looking for information on being Swedish.  My husband’s grandparents came from Sweden.  They came to Canada for a different way of life and for the adventure of starting something new.

Our Ancestors had very little in the way of choice for each activity that they did through out the day.  The one thing that they could choose was how they approached life.  The best choice was to be fearless, hopeful, moderate in eating, more quiet than talkative, and very loving.

This sounds like a great mantra for living life every day, even in current times.  While many say that we do not have a choice in things, all of the activities above are choices we can make to change our life.

Today, choose one activity and concentrate on achieving it throughout the day.

Many blessings,

Judy

Remembrance Day November 11 2022

                                                  

Today, in Canada, is Remembrance Day.  It is a time of quiet remembering of our family and friends, and for many of us, of our Ancestors, who believed in their faith and in truth, and have fought in different wars around the world, to help keep democracy strong and to protect others from dictators.  

Blessings,

Judy