Poinsettias and more

Good morning friends, from my neck of the cold woods.    It went from summer to winter in  about 15 minutes here.   hahaha    It's all good though.   I have to trust that God is in charge and He will look after us.    I always heard the saying "cold hands, warm hearts" and I do believe there is some truth to that.   Most of the time, working hands will be cold hands, if you work outside.    And most of the people that work outside, work for the good of others.   So with that thought in mind, "cold hands, warm hearts" is very true. 

I still have to get my little deck garden wrapped up for the winter.    I need to get my pots off the deck and put up, and the soil in the pots in a container, so I can use it again next year, and with a little amending to the soil, it will be good to go next spring.   I have been saving seed from some of the veggies and peppers and the like, so I can get a few plants started inside, so I have my own starts and not have to buy as much as I did last year.  Plus I have some ideas and intentions on some other stuff too.   Hopefully it will work out as I plan.   If not, that's ok too.   It's just fun to think and plan a little.

I wish I would have gotten some pictures of some of my pots this past summer.   I will certainly have to make sure I do get some pics next season, for sure.

Speaking of seasons and growing, yesterday was open house at one of the local green house companies in my area.    They have over 25 acres of green houses that are all connecting and it makes for a huge city of green houses.   This time of year, they are all about poinsettias!!!   Some of the most beautiful ones I ever seen.   A friend of mine and I went yesterday morning and toured the place and it was a wonderful outing and we actually got a free, small poinsettia!!   It is really cute.    They had oceans of color and it was breathtaking to see.   Even seeing some of the machinery that they use.   It was a wonderful day.

This is most of the pictures I took yesterday.   It really is a beautiful place to walk through.   If you get the opportunity to tour a place like this where you live, do it.    You won't be disappointed.   It is one of the season's must do activities in my neck of the woods.  They get bigger every year as people learn about it.   They come from all around the state and neighboring state.   I can't wait to hear how many people toured the place.

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I don't know if any y'all have ever heard of "Fire Cider".   I have been watching videos and seen people making it.   It is really good for you to help stave off some of the winter ailments that we are prone to come in contact with during the season.    I have been sick with allergies, and a chest cold, and on the verge of pneumonia as of late and I just needed something as an extra boost and when I seen these videos, I knew that's what I needed.     So, I got all the items to go in it and I have a gallon jug of "Fire Cider" steeping right now.    You can put most anything in you want, but I stuck with the more traditional recipe.   This isn't an exact science.   You chop what you have or what you got, don't worry about the measurements.    It's all about the ingredients.   I'll share the ingredients I used.

Fire Cider

turmeric roots, chopped
ginger root, chopped
horseradish root, chopped
cinnamon sticks, several
black peppercorns, couple tablespoons
lemon, 1, zest the peel and slice lemon when zest is removed
orange, 1, zest the peel and slice orange when zest is removed
jalapenos or habenaros, hottest you can stand, several sliced, at least 6 or 8
garlic, good amount, course slice
large onion, diced
apple cider vinegar, raw, with mother

Chop and dice everything.   You want as much of each item exposed to the vinegar as possible.  That's why you to slice thin or dice pretty fine.    As you get one item diced or sliced, put it in your large jug and just layer it all in there.   When all items are diced, sliced and in the container, pour vinegar over the ingredients, make sure everything is down in the vinegar, put the lid on and sit somewhere out of heat and cold.    Remove the lid daily or at least about every other day and stir it around a little.    Let it sit for at least 4 to 6 weeks with checking it daily or every other day.  You want as much of the nutrients to be leached from the vegetables, citrus and roots as possible.   When the appropriate time has passed, strain it into a container and you have just made your own "Fire Cider".   Take a tablespoon or so each day.   If you feel something coming on, take a tablespoon several times a day.   I'm not a dr or anything like this, so if you know you are allergic to something in this, do not use it.    The spicy heat from horseradish root, ginger root, onions, peppercorns and jalapenos or whatever HOT pepper you choose is what really helps to ward off sickness.   Some people sweeten it with raw local honey, but I'm not going to do that yet. 

Mine is almost 3 weeks in the making, so I still have a few days to go.   As soon I get this batch strained, I may try to use the same ingredients again and just add more HOT pepper and cinnamon sticks this time.   And make another batch.   When that is done making Fire Cider, I'm going to get out my dehydrator and dehydrate everything left from making Fire Cider mixture and then grind it in to powder and see if it will maybe have the same kind of medicinal affect in powdered form.    It may be a waste of time, but at that point, that's all it will be, is a waste of time.   So, we'll see what I can come up with.   But for now, my Fire Cider is in the making and I am so anxious for it to get done.

I am also going to try my hand at making some elderberry syrup.   The medicinal compounds in elderberries is wonderful and it works great as medicine to ward off some of the winter ailments also.   I think with that, all you have to do is steep the elderberries in water, and reduce the water down and then add local raw honey as a sweetener.   I have some elderberries, just haven't gotten around to try that yet. 

This is just a couple of natural remedies that can be made at home to help you stay healthy and ward off some of the winter bugs that we come in contact with.   And since they are using all natural items, there shouldn't be any problem with them other than if someone has allergies to any of the ingredients.     If you know you have an allergy to something, you can just leave it out.

Anyway, this is what I'm doing to try to get healthy and stay healthy.   If you have a problem getting over something like I do, you might want to try something like this too.    Do not hear me say that this is to take the place of medical treatment by a dr, because it's NOT.   These are just to boost your immune system and it is definitely not to replace seeing a dr when necessary.    Just trying to make that clear.    I am not a professional in any way.    hahaha     Maybe a professional gabber, but nothing else.    So don't use this as treatment when you should see a dr!!!!!!   Got that!!   hahahaha

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Well, that's about all I have today.   Let me just say that God is waiting to have a relationship with you thru the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.    He loves His creation, but the only way to have a relationship with Him, is thru Jesus.     He wants to have personal connection to each one of us.   But it's up to us.    Just know that He is waiting for you/us to come to Him.    Don't put that relationship off too long, the opportunity may not come again.    Confess your sin, admit your guilt and accept Christ as your Savior.   That's the best thing that will ever happen to you in this life.    That single step will settle your eternal future.    Praise His Holy Name!!!!!

Have a blessed day and hope to see your right back here real soon.    Until then, I have over 6 years worth of reading and pictures and stories to captivate you.   hahaha    I hope you seen something here today that you like,  andif you did, share it with someone you know and love.    Until we meet again, stay warm and be blessed.    God loves you and so do I!!!!   hugs, patty

Judging others and fussing on others for mentioning it

Oh November!!!!!     Thou art upon us!!!!      What surprises dost thou hold forth for us?     Well, that's my shabby attempt at Shakespearean Old English.    hahahahaha       But, as November is here and swiftly passing by, those are some questions I've had.     I don't think I used those particular words in my head when I was asking myself that question,  but never the less, I have thought about it.      It actually did do a flurry or two here in my neck of the southern woods on Halloween night.    We've had 3 freezes since then, possibly more by the time this gets posted.     Leaves are really falling and fall has finally fallen.     We went from the 90's to the 60's and now down in the freezing digits.   So, it's almost like we only have 2 seasons, hot and cold.    hahaha      Not the terms everyone uses for seasons, but I do, because I'm not like everyone else.    hahahaha

My husband and I have both been sick.    I have been sick since back in August and he has been sick since the first of October.     It is a tough thing to kick.     I have had a lowered immune system for a few years, so when I come in contact with something, it knocks me out worse than it does my husband and most everyone else I know.    So my goal here lately has been to try to find something that will help boost my immune system.      I have searched blogs and you tubers and found something that may just do the trick.     It certainly has the potential to do it and I pray that it does.      It is called "Fire Cider" or "Master Starter".     It is loaded with all natural items that are natural immune boosters.    You can order it or you can make it.   I did both.    I ordered some from Amazon while I wait on mine to ferment and do it's thing to get ready for me to start drinking.      Just a tablespoon or two a day is all you take.   So a batch of mine should last for a while once it's ready.    I can tell you that my husband will NOT partake of this lovely concoction, because he doesn't like heat like I do.     What I ordered from Amazon was called "Fire Cider", in a brown bottle.   Everything was organic.    And it is good and hot!!!!!      But I also found a recipe that has more ingredients than what I ordered from Amazon.     I will share what I found in case anyone is interested in it.

Fire Cider 

(I'm not giving measurements, just ingredients, and I used a pretty good bunch of everything.   Just consider "the more the better" as my rule of thumb. lots of everything!!!!)

ginger root
turmeric root
horseradish root
1 lemon
1 orange
onion
garlic
jalapeno or habenaro peppers
cinnamon sticks
black peppercorns
raw apple cider vinegar with mother

Now, you want a generous amount of everything.    Look for the largest freshest roots you can find.    I soaked all my veggies and roots in a vinegar wash for about 15-20 minutes to clean them real well.     I did not even peel the ginger or turmeric, but I did peel the horseradish root, because it looked like an elephant leg.   hahaha.   When you get everything diced or cut up, you want at least a big cup or more of each of the roots and onions, the more the better.   One big bulb of garlic will be enough.  Several cinnamon sticks and black peppercorns and extra generous amt of the hot peppers, probably a cup or more when diced.    You want enough of this to fill a half gallon or gallon mason jar.   You can even do quarts.   Just remember if you go smaller, just make sure you have about equal amts of the roots and onions and peppers and then use everything else accordingly.    If you go larger, use more of everything.

Once you get your jug, what ever size filled with all the goodies, pack it down and then pour the raw apple cider vinegar over all the ingredients till everything is covered with the vinegar.  Put the lid on and set it on the counter away from heat and stir it daily.   Do this every day for 4 to 6 weeks.    If you use a metal lid, be sure and put some parchment paper between the lid and the vinegar in the jug.    Vinegar will corrode the metal lid and cause an off putting taste.    If you have real ball or mason jars, half gallon or gallon sized, you can buy plastic lids for those now.     Yay!!!

The raw apple cider vinegar will leach all the nutrients from all the roots and veggies and citrus fruits and makes a powerful, antioxidant laden concoction that is immune boosting.     Make sure you get ENOUGH hot peppers in it.   Apparently, that's where the name comes from.    Ginger and horseradish is spicy, and so are the onions, but the real heat will come from the peppers and you want a lot of heat.

One thing I'm gonna try when this first batch I have going now is done, I'm gonna try to reuse the ingredients to try to make a second batch from the all the ingredients.     I seen someone on you tube say they were gonna try it, so I thought I would too.    If I can get 2 batches, then yay me.    If not, I've not lost anything but the vinegar.

So, I hope you give this a try.    If you do, let me know how yours turns out. 

Something I also have, but I haven't tried it yet is "elderberries".    We went to our local Amish store last Friday and I picked up a 1 lb bag of dried elderberries to make some syrup with.    That is also very excellent for this time of year to help ward off colds and the like and to help keep you healthy and supports the immune system.  When I get that made, I will share with y'all how that turned out too.

This time of the year is all about trying to stay healthy all the way thru to the Spring and then on beyond.    Hopefully, some of this will help me get my immune system where it needs to be , I sure hope so anyway.     I have got to at least try.

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When I see how people treat others, in person or online, it makes me think twice about whether I want to have anything to do with them, in person and online.   The other day someone that I was friends with online had a post about something in particular.   Others was responding that we should not judge others.  Well, in my lifetime, when ever I have experienced people saying we should not judge others, it's all about them not wanting their own sins exposed to the light and judged.   No one wants their sins aired online and I get that.   But to say, that as Christians, we are not to judge the actions that are not becoming of brothers and sisters in Christ, is a bogus, false claim.   Most people take what Jesus was talking about, out of context.  As a matter of fact, when anything is taken out of context, that is wrong!!   But in my life, when I see or hear this particular situation taken out of context, I do tell that it is not wrong to judge other brothers and sisters in Christ, when their actions are not becoming of Christians.   Paul addressed it on several different occasions, but we don't want to remember that.   It's some of those pages that we would rather have torn out of the bible.   So, when the dust settled, from my response below, I did unsubscribe from every form of media that I was subscribed to with this person.  It showed me that this person had nothing of importance that I needed to be a part of.   But below is my response to the post that this person had written.  Nothing was against anything this person had said, but I was attacked by this individual and I feel I explained myself well enough, but this person kept on harassing me.   This person is supposed to be a Christian, but I think this person is full of themselves and can't stand it if someone else has something to say that this person didn't say.  This person needs to realize that other people have brains also, and know how to use them.  Other people also have a relationship with the Lord.   The Holy Spirit gives discernment to other people.   Some people can't stand it and this person couldn't.   But, below is my response to what one of the readers of this person had said, and after the writer of the post jumped on me, I explained myself, then left after deleting my comment and then I politely blocked this person.

(start of my comment)  If Christians are not to judge, how are we to make decisions that certain behavior is pleasing or not pleasing to God. At one place in scripture, we are called to judge those inside the church, Christians, and expel the wicked person from among us.  We are to judge correctly, not hypocritical.  Get the log from our own eye before getting the speck from someone else's eye.  I can't judge another person on what they think, but I can judge a Christian on their actions.  We all have personal convictions, and that is where the grace of God steps in and helps us if we want the help to help us judge correctly.  And if we do see a brother sin, then our main objective should be restoring their relationship with God.  If we get haughty in our own actions, then we too, may find ourselves in sin and in need of restoration.  If God has already called it sin, then we as Christians should make the judgement call for ourselves and not purposefully be doing what God has already called sin.  There has to be humility in our own lives.  We see how the Pharisees behaved and that is not our goal.   But to say that Christians are not ever supposed to judge, that is wrong.  I can't judge the world, those not professing Christ, that's God's to judge.  But we as Christians are to be wise and make judgement calls for ourselves, and for our family, and hopefully for our friends, in humility.  Paul wrote extensively about this in various places in the Epistles.   Galatians 6:1 is one of several places Paul mentioned.  If we don't make the judgement call that someone is sinning, how can we help restore that person.  Paul also said that an immoral Christian should be disciplined so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.  So, for anyone who is claiming Christianity, we have the responsibility to live our lives in such a manner that we are heartbroken when a brother or sister sins and then we should be willing to help restore them back into full fellowship.  This is not my judgement, but what the Word says in several different places. (end of my comment)

One thing for sure, if you have ever stood up against sin, then you have judged, and rightfully so, if you have stood up against sin.      We make judgement calls every single day.     Our actions speak louder than our written words.      God's written words and Holy Spirit inside of us are the only means we have that is tangible to help us know what is right and wrong.     If we are Christians, then we should be standing up and judging sin, regardless of who's sin it is, even our own.     Just my opinion, and I do believe it lines up with the Word of God. 

If you go out of your way to cut someone down or off, then you are a pharisee.   Plain and simple.    If you think you are the only person with something valid to say, then you are a pharisee, plain and simple.     If you see that everyone else is wrong and you are the only that is right, then you are a pharisee, plain and simple.     If you are so highly educated that you try to speak above those around you, then you are a pharisee.       If you think you are better than anyone else in the room, then you are a pharisee.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want anyone to ever consider me as a  pharisee.     I have been around plenty of them in my life time and I make it my mission in life to NOT be like those who try to flaunt an education or their position or their money in the faces of others that they deem "less than".   I have had some of them try to correct the way I talk or write.    I hope I do bug people the way I talk and write.    When I got out of school and out in the world, I seen how people treated others.    I seen how the educated would try to correct the working class people in the way they talked.    I started making it my mission in life to try to get under the skin of the "hoity toity", and I have done a pretty good job at it.      I know how to use proper english.     But a lot of the people where I come from don't use proper english and some don't know how to use it and I will NOT be the one who makes anyone feel bad over the way they speak.    And, to be honest with you, there is no way I could even TRY to care less about speaking or writing proper english.   So, if you read my writings on my blog, or if you read my Creative Writings, or if speak to me, just understand that I already know you want to correct me and that I am prepared to defend myself when you say something about it.    And more than likely, you will try to correct me in public, because that's where it always happens, and that's when I will laugh in your face.     If this sounds a little bit mean spirited, then turn it around.     How did you want your correction of me, in public, to sound?      Take it from someone who knows first hand, it sounded "mean spirited".      Just bear in mind that there was a time when I may have given you a cussing, but since Christ is the determining factor in my life now, I will laugh at your comments and maybe say something to turn the tables on you and move on. 

As you can see, there are a lot ways that people try to hurt others, intimidate others, and try to be just plain hateful.    But as a Christian, you can overcome.     Jesus always put the pharisees in their place and we have that option too.   They was always trying to turn His words or catch Him in a lie and since they couldn't, they was plotting to kill Him from early on in His ministry.     While I will not plot to kill you any more than you will plot to kill me, when we are mean spirited to one another, we can certainly assassinate ones character.     By trying to cut someone down online, in person,  public humiliation, making fun of someone, trying to correct someone in public for your own gratification, these are all ways of plotting to kill ones character.   Shame on any of us who do that, especially those of us who align ourselves with Christ Jesus.    Paul said that when he was a child, he spoke as a child, but when he grew to be a man he put away childish things.     It's about time to put away childish things and do the best we can to push, pull or drag others into eternity with us.     That means we are to have the heart of Christ in all we do.    That is the only we can every push, pull or drag others into eternity.    Do you love others enough to push, pull, or drag them into eternity with you?     If so, let's start living and acting like it.     We can start this very second.

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I have made bunches more beads here lately.   When I don't feel well, that's one thing that I can do to pass the time and it's not taxing on my body and wearing me out.    I love making my beads and can't wait to get jewelry made with it.    I share some of it with a not for profit organization in my town to put in their silent auctions.    I want to start selling some of it too.    I can't wait to get more jewelry made.    When I do, I'll share those pictures.

I guess this is all I have to share today.    But let me share this one last thing, since this is November, find something to be thankful and grateful for each day and talk to God about that.    Express your gratefulness to Him for all the provisions He has made for you.    Find a way to be thankful and grateful every day.    It will make a difference in your life and the lives of those around you seeing you thank God, even for the small things, like a lovely sunset, or a beautiful flower, or a song from your favorite song bird.    Just be thankful and grateful.    God loves you and so do I!!!   Be blessed today, hugs, patty