The Grinch That Stole Halloween

It should not be shocking that I dislike Halloween. Okay, it is not so much Halloween that I dislike, it is the candy, because the costumes and the fall theme are pretty fun! So I, um...kinda...um, never told my kids about trick or treating. Plus I have never taken them. They know about it now. But they didn't hear it from me. And while they have costumes, I don't plan on taking them trick or treating again this year. And furthermore, I don't feel the slightest guilty about it. Let me try to explain why.

Remember back when you were a kid? Halloween was an exciting time when you got to choose your costume, my mom (and later I) made my costume and then you got to show it off while getting candy from the neighbors? I remember the houses that gave out Snickers, Bottle Caps and caramels (good candy) and the houses that gave out peanut squares, Charleston Chews and bubble gum (lousy candy). And most of all I remember the houses that gave out HANDFULS of candy as opposed to one or two pieces. Those houses rocked. After the evening's haul had been acquired, we would go back home and sort through everything (make sure there were no acid squares or anything that could have had a razor blade in it), eat our most favorite pieces and pass out from all the excitement

Every year I could pour my modest haul between my two legs and count the pieces. My candy was all eaten up in a couple of weeks. I never remember having any leftover at Thanksgiving. Also, I don't think my mother ever took candy away from me in the hopes that I would eat less of it. My mother never worried about that.

Today, things seem so different. First off, I have bought every Halloween costume that my kids have ever had. I never even tried making something. But this year Thing 1 wanted to dress up as Super Why, the leader of the Super Readers on the eponymous show. I was pretty sure that no one makes a Super Why costume. So we went out and bought green tee-shirts, felt, glitter paint and fabric glue and now we have...ta-da!

I am so proud of this! Even though now I know that I spent more on supplies than the costume would have cost, it doesn't matter. Thing 1 loves this. Thing 2 has no idea what is going on, but he loves it too. I do think that part of the fun of Halloween this year has been the homemade costume. I would like to think that I will do this every year until they get old enough to get bored of it. Again, I promise to be inconsistent at best.

But also, I feel like Halloween has turned into a no-rules opportunity for kids to gorge on candy. Perhaps too great a societal focus on healthy eating has created a super demand for unhealthy foods? Even though we don't actually eat all that healthfully as a society, because we know it and obsess over it we create great guilt over our eating habits. Then Halloween rolls around and kids stuff their faces with candy like they will never have it again. This is classic deprivation behavior. What is so crazy is that most people and kids are not junk food or candy deprived. I wish I had more time to study eating behavior and culture.

Remember what I said about those houses that gave out HANDFULS of candy? Well now it seems like everyone is doing it. Our wonderful daycare took Thing 2 trick or treating last Friday around at some local businesses. He came home with easily 2 pounds of candy. He is 2!!! Now I don't fault the daycare. I truly love them. They didn't let him EAT the candy and trick or treating was a very fun activity for the kids. I am glad that Thing 2 went and had such a great time. But can you imagine seeing a dressed up 2 year old and giving him a massive handful of candy? I mean, they don't even care about the candy. The fun for them is the interaction. This is what he came home with.

The quantity is disturbing to me. What ever happened to giving out one or two pieces to each kid? Why am I looked upon as such a stingy Grinch for not letting my kids gorge on candy? Am I depriving them of a rite of passage? Or am I depriving them of a stomach ache? Though perhaps I am not the only adult with a bit of good sense. If you look closely in the pile, you will see two or three small toys and two toothbrushes. Nice.

For the record, I do let my kids have candy. And not just on Halloween. They eat some candy probably every week, though that is usually because DH has something in his pocket when he gets home from work. That is fine, but I don't see the sense in going overboard. I don't restrict my kids food intake. If you are hungry and want thirds, go for it. We eat fat. We eat lots of fat, butter on toast, full fat dairy products, nuts and even coconut oil on our oatmeal! But I do restrict junk food, candy particularly. Does that make me a Grinch? I think it makes me sensible. And it is sad to me to think that such behavior is 'old-fashioned'.

Furthermore, why should I take my kids trick or treating on Halloween? They both went trick or treating at their schools, they'll get treats and parties on top of that, we plan on going to a Halloween party where there will definitely be treats, and every family member and friend that stops by comes with something sweet for the kids. The world has given my kids enough candy. Why the hell do I need to drag them from apartment to apartment in my building and ask for even more handouts from semi-strangers. Isn't the fun of Halloween in dressing up, seeing friends and having a party on a week night? The candy seems like such a sad supporting act.

And lastly, I admit. I am that mom. I will totally throw out all remaining candy that has not been consumed within a week or two. I have done it every year without fail. The kids have never noticed or cared. What a waste. Next time, just give my kid one piece. Any more is like throwing money in the garbage.

Bah Humbug.

The Magic of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are mysterious organisms.  From the moment we see our first one – usually as a child – we are captivated by them - they are fairy umbrellas, toadstools, agents of enchantment.  They come in all shapes and sizes and a range of colors as well.  At some point we learn that what we see is actually a fruiting body – similar to a flower that turns into fruit or a seed.  But if you’re really lucky, you get a chance to learn that there is far more going on underground than you ever thought.

Mushroom growing out the mulch pile

The underground organism that creates the mushroom you see is call “mycelium”.  If you were able to see it, it would look similar to an underground spider web extending for miles perhaps.  The largest known organism, of the species Armillaria ostoyae, lives in Oregon and is 3.5 miles across; it is estimated to be at least 2,400 years old.  These organisms live in two ways: by decomposing dead organic matter, and by forming a symbiotic relationship with living plants and trees.

You can see some of the underground structure here

While the first way is what many of us have learned about (i.e., mushrooms appear because there is decomposing wood underneath them), it is the second way that is of most concern to those of us that love plants.  Some mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with living plants and trees.  This relationship is called “mycorrhizal” which literally means “fungus roots”.  In most cases, the relationship is with the outside of the roots, known as “ectomycorrhizal”.  This complex and often far-reaching relationship allows for better absorption of nutrients and moisture because the mycelial web can extend far beyond the trees’ physical roots.  The fungi gain sugar and nutrients produced by the trees during photosynthesis.  It is a symbiotic relationship – each organism benefits.

 

The gills contain the spores that create new mushrooms

So the next time that you see a mushroom, think of all the work going on underground.  It makes me want to cheer when I see a mushroom in my yard - because I know that means I have good organisms at work below.

Here are some Internet references for identifying mushrooms - I am not advocating that anyone eat mushrooms.  In fact, I think they are better left alone to reproduce!  We need more of these things. 

Mushroom Expert.com

Mushroom Club of Georgia 

North American Mycological Association - be sure to check out their photo contest!

And here are some of the mushrooms that I've seen in my yard and in places that I've been:

Growing at the base of dead trunk

Growing on a log

Bird's nest fungus, Cyathus striatus

Perhaps an Amanita

Cauliflower mushroom, Sparassis radicata
(in my yard every year!)

Might be Russula silvicola

And after several days - gooey!

Evolution of a mushroom - before

Photo by Lillian Huffman

Perhaps Hygrophorus miniatus
(Photo by Lillian Huffman)

I think this is Calbovista subsculpta

Common morel, Morchella esculenta

Heard it First on NHN - Gardasil for Boys

Natural Health News has been convering Gardsil and the issue surrounding Gardsil for boys and men since 2006 and early in 2008.  You can be sure to get the first reports of real health and natural health news at Natural Health News, frequently copied, never duplicated.

 

Health Forensics, the road to new health

 

ask us about remedies for vaccine concerns

 

Natural Health News: MERCK'S GARDASIL VACCINE NOT PROVEN SAFE FOR ...

Jun 30, 2006
Merck says that this vaccine, at $360 a series, will not have data on vaccination of little boys until 2008. Of course adding to the already heavy overlay of harmful vaccines will do little but raise money for Merck in the meantime. The Feds are also boosting profits by ... NVIC maintains that Merck's clinical trials did not prove the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts is safe to give to young girls. ...

Some of our top stories about Gardasil -

Natural Health News: Merck now targeting men with Gardasil, boys ...

Oct 16, 2009
Merck now targeting men with Gardasil, boys weren't enough. UPDATE: 10/17/09. The Risks and Benefits of HPV Vaccination What your doctor or other health care provider is required to tell you by law, before you get a jab, ...

Natural Health News: Boys Now Targeted by Big Pharma's Vaccine ...

Jun 29, 2008

23 December, 2010: Natural Health News first reported on boys and Gardasil in 2006 and early in 2008. ... It found that Gardasil was 78% effective in preventing anal intraepithelial neoplasia related to the HPV-16 and HPV-18 viral serotypes. ...

Natural Health News: Gardasil death and danger update

Mar 22, 2009

Media Issues Propaganda To Boost HPV Vaccine Sales And Renewed Confidence Following Children's Deaths. UPDATE: ... http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/2008/06/boys-now-targeted-by-big-pharmas.html ...

Natural Health News: Gardasil Reports not good - Death toll linked ...

Jul 06, 2008

More evidence the Merck HPV vaccine is not ready for the public and no state funds should be used to provide access for this vaccine. 25-page report: ..... Kids are using diet pop in schools, in chewing gum, especially ...

A TRUE Junk Food Conversation With Thing 1

The hours between drop off and pick up are a bit of a mysteryto me. Thing 1 doesn't always tell me what he does, what he is learning about or who his friends are. I hear from the teachers of course, but Thing 1 doesn't let me in on everything. Then randomly he will dump alot of information out at once. Over dinner last week, Thing 1 had the following to say to me:

Me: {Thing 1}, what did you have for lunch today?

T1: Nothing.

Me: You didn't have very much of the lunch that I packed. Did you eat the school lunch?

T1: No I didn't.

Me: You know it's okay. You can tell me if you eat the school's food. It's okay.

T1: No I didn't. Maybe a little. They had chips.

Me: Okay. You had chips for lunch? You weren't hungry for anything else? You ate a big breakfast. Were you not hungry today? Do you usually get hungry before lunch?

T1: (Looking off in space, not really paying attention) Yes! Very Very Hungry!!

Me: {Thing 1} Do you have a morning snack at school? (BTW-I know they do).

T1: Yes, we do.

Me: What did you have for your snack today?

T1: Your apple.

Me: That's good. What do the other kids bring for snack? (sorry--I couldn't resist)

T1: (Without hesitation) They bring junk food.

Me: They do? {Thing 1} what do they bring?

T1: Like...fruit snacks and......marshmallows. Hahahahaha! That was {So an So..}

Me: {Thing 1}, do you like your apple?

T1: Yes.

What do you think of this interaction? Questions? Concerns?

A 100% Pure Giveaway???

I am thrilled to say that last week when my post Have You Heard About 100% Pure? ran, the wonderful folks at Alex and Von offered to giveaway a $25 100% Pure gift card for one of my readers!!! I thought that was fantastic!

So now is your chance to sample the 100% Pure line of synthetic-, paraben-, fragrance and toxin-free all natural cosmetics. You could choose the cocoa tinted bronzer, the fruit pigmented lip glazes or the various skin washes or scrubs. 100% Pure is missing all the yuckies and synthetic what-nots that you will find in conventional cosmetics. Yet they cover well and perform as well as a department store brand.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment down below telling me what product you would buy with the $25. I will accept comments through Friday at midnight. Then I will use random.org to choose a winner, whom I will announce Monday.

Good Luck Everybody!! And thank you so much to Alex and Von for sponsoring this giveaway!!

This post is shared with Traditional Tuesdays and Fat Tuesdays and Real Food Wednesdays

Recipe: Sausage and Kale Pasta in Creamy Tomato Sauce

This is hands down my favorite new dish. I use pasta to bridge the gap in weeknight meals. Before school started we only did pasta once or twice a month and I viewed it as a cop out meal. But with the new intense school schedule I am changing my tune. Plus my kids usually eat it, which lessens the tantrum duties.

I figure a good way to make pasta more of a meal that sticks to your ribs and not your belly is to load it up with sauce. My sauce to pasta ratio is pretty high. I like it soupy. Then I make sure that the sauce is filled with lots of different veggies and pastured meats! The following combination has been helping me to sneak more green leafies into my kids bellies. After serving this dish 5-6 times in the last few months I am happy to say that they no longer fuss over seeing the greens in the sauce

Sausage and Kale Pasta in Creamy Tomato Sauce
1/2 pound of pork sausage (but really any old thing will do, leftover cooked sausage, ground beef or turkey, even leftover meatloaf)
1 cup of kale chiffonade
2 cups prepared marinara sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces of dried pasta (I am not going to be hypocritical enough to encourage you to eat whole wheat pasta, I have currently fallen off the whole wheat pasta wagon....trying to get back on. It's hard

In a large skillet, sautee your sausage until well browned. I do not drain the fat. I think it adds something to the final dish. Add the kale to the pan and wilt. Next add the prepared marinara. I usually keep a meat free version of this sauce on hand in my freezer. That is what makes this a weeknight meal. When the kale is cooked and the sauce is all unctious and delicious looking, stir in the cream. My kids don't like when the sauce is super pink, so I have to restrain myself to about a quarter of a cup. You can add more if you want, because Good God it is worth it.

Finally cook your pasta in boiling salted water for about 9-10 minutes. Drain. Then let the cooked pasta simmer in the sauce for another 2-3 minutes. Serve and top with grated parmesean and a big salad (if you are more effecient than me).

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm.

On a side note, DO NOT substitute the cream for anything. ANYTHING!! Half and Half will not work in a pinch. The tomatoes are too acidic and will curdle any dairy product without enough fat content. Cream is the only thing that can stand up to tomatoes. Otherwise it will just look like you added ricotta cheese to the sauce. Though that might be good in a pinch now that I mention it....

I hope you will try this. I definitely don't feel 'bad blood sugar' vibes after having this dish. The veggies, meat and fat certainly stand up to the pasta. I always feel full and happy after eating this. You could also easily add in other veggies! Great additions might be fennel, eggplant (I have done that with success!), summer squash, etc. I am sure you could come up with a ton.

Enjoy!

This post is shared with Traditional Tuesdays and Fat Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesdays

Native Fall Foliage - Orange/Red/Purple

The red leaves of autumn complete the pleasing trio of colors that humans seem to prefer: green (the evergreens), yellow and red.  Last week I talked about Yellow fall foliage - a group which ended up being quite big!  However I think that this group - the trees with predictable orange, red or purple foliage - is probably the one that gets the most attention.  The arrival of fall color predictably raises the general interest in trees like Sassafras and Sugar Maples.  In fact, nurseries should just plan to stock those in the fall.

Parsley hawthorn, Crataegus marshallii

As I said before, there is a lot of variation in fall color even for the same type of plant. For example, the Parsley hawthorn leaves shown above were the only two red ones I ever found; the rest of the leaves turned yellow. Differences can be attributed to many factors (and here is an excellent site to explain it):

• Individual plant differences: This is how cultivars are developed. Acer rubrum 'October Glory' was a single plant that was selected for dependably rich red color in the fall.

• Climate differences: Was it wetter than usual, drier than usual, cooler or warmer than usual where this plant resides in the days leading up to autumn?

• Different locations: Some trees change color earlier in one location than another even when they are just a few miles apart.

Most people have learned at some point that chlorophyll is what makes leaves green. It is when trees stop producing chlorophyll that the "true" colors come out. Different trees have different amounts of the components that make the different fall colors: Carotenoids - Browns, yellows and oranges and Anthocyanins - reds and purples. So given those all those explanations, here are the “usual” oranges, reds and purples that I can expect to see in my area, starting with orange:

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a predictable orange fall color tree, but there's a new kid on the block when it comes to screaming orange maples: Freeman hybrids whose parents are Red maple (Acer rubrum) and Silver maple (Acer saccharinum).  Names like Acer x freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' are apt indeed:

Acer x freemanii

Silver maple parentage shows in the leaves

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is another head turner. The bright orange leaves droop in the fall, making the tree rather distinctive (for me anyway) even when spotting it on the side of the road.  The leaves are also unique in shape - the number of lobes on the leaf can vary: no lobes, one lobe or two:

Notice the leaf on the left has no lobes

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) has variable color but I think that orange is the most likely color that I see.  Sometimes you can find good red color as well.  Another orange/red highlight on the side of the road is Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), flaming up the side of trees here and there. This one has a bit of yellow:

Amelanchier arborea

Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans

I could save the best of the reds for last, but I think I'll show you the best first.  This is a Scarlet oak (Quercus coccineus) that is across the street from my house.  It turns red very late in the year (this picture is from an earlier year, it is still fully green right now) but the wait is worth it.  Notice how much more vibrant it is from the other trees around it.  I was thrilled to finally get some acorns from it this year - I have planted them in my yard (hope the squirrels don't find them).  The nice thing about Quercus coccineus is that it is also a fairly fast growing oak. 

Scarlet oak, Quercus coccineus

Red oak (Quercus rubra) has good color as well and I always enjoy spotting it.  If you want to see what the acorns look like, take a look at my post from last fall about acorns.  While it is early in the year for these leaves to change color, I found several examples near my house this year already:

Quercus rubra

Red oak, Quercus rubra

Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a fairly modest tree until the red comes out.  Then people notice it.  The picture on the left below was in a business area - amazing, clear red.  I think it is probably a cultivar, perhaps 'Wildfire'. Wild trees are a little more variable, but I could not resist this picture of the changing leaves with the dark blue berries still present:

Nyssa sylvatica

Nyssa sylvatica

Another surprising tree with consistently good red color is Cornus florida, Flowering dogwood.  Here is a picture showing the good form of the tree and another showing the berries (a nice contrast):

Cornus florida

Cornus florida

Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) with Persimmon (yellow)

Chances are you've seen sumac (Rhus spp.) growing on the side of the road.  With strong red color and large red fruit clusters, it is hard to miss.  We have at least two kinds near me.  I have Winged sumac (Rhus copallinum) in my own yard (this picture) and there is Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) on the roadsides nearby. 


Red maple (Acer rubrum) around my house turns yellow except for one tree in the front of the house that turns mostly red.  They are all wild trees.  It very variable and that is why I put it in as both yellow and red!  Predictable red color can be found in cultivars like 'October Glory'.

Red maple, Acer rubrum

Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), shown above, is another vine that has great fall color - even more predictable than poison ivy!  This one you will also see climbing trees on the side of the road.


Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) has a range of colors - I've seen pale yellow, orange (mixture of yellow and pink), pink, fuschia, almost purple.

Oxydendrum arboreum

Oxydendrum arboreum

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is the only tree that I have that truly turns purple, but the coolest thing about Sweetgum leaves is that they come in so many colors on the same tree!  This picture does not do it justice, but perhaps it will give you an idea of what to look for on the roadsides this fall.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweetgum, Liquidambar styraciflua

Lulled in to Risk: Cell Phones are not as safe as you've been told

Misleading Danish Mobile Phones and Brain Tumour Study

 

Just about every news outlet is telling you that your cell phone is safe, yet no one is really telling you about the faults in the study. 

 

I have been researching the cell phone and related microwave issue for almost 15 years.  Everything I have read issues a risk.  And I have read research dating back to the early 1940s.

 

Of course you can make a choice to use a cell phone, a microwave, a smart meter, or have wi-fi in your home but just don't be lulled by junk science.  Get properly informed first before you wake up in 10 years with leukemia because your red blood cell production is failing because you carry your cell phone on your belt, or you can't have children, or you get thyroid disease or breat cancer, ovariam cancer or your children have behavioral problems or you get a heart attack.

 

"This misleading study has many flaws and serious confounders and should not give anyone reassurance that mobile phone use is not associated with an increase in brain tumours. In our opinion the paper should not have been published in this form — it should have failed peer-review. We recommend that it is disregarded as low quality science.
Denis Henshaw, Emeritus Professor of Human Radiation Effects at the University of Bristol agrees with this view: "This seriously flawed study misleads the public and decision makers about the safety of mobile phone use. I consider that their claims are worthless."" READ complete article

 

and  find more in this press release -

 

INDUSTRY PLAYS ‘DOUBT’ CARD TO DOWNPLAY IARC/WHO FINDINGS’

The BMJ is set to publish an 'update' to a study that finished over 4 years ago

[1](and used dataeven older) and was widely criticised at the time for its design - that it appeared to be

designed tocome out negative for tumours in that they had excluded heavy mobile phone users from the study(the business users).More recent studies - including the Interphone Study (itself somewhat flawed) - have shown asignificant increased incident of brain tumours and related cancers in long-term (10 years use for1/2 hour per day) mobile phone users.Because of these other studies etc. the World Health Organisation (WHO) in conjunction with theInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have this year declared microwave radiation -used by mobile phones and other wireless devices - to be a class 2b carcinogen " Possibly carcinogenic  to  humans "[2]

 

This means that microwave radiation is a possible cause of cancer  .The re-release of the Danish study is part of an industry-orchestrated backlash to delay legislationto limit microwave exposure and place mandatory health warnings on mobile phones (in the style ofcigarette packets) and other radiation emitting devices such as WiFi routers, smart meters andcordless landlines. The 4G spectrum sell-off would be adversely affected with such a move.

References:-

[1]

This is what we said about the Danish Cohort Study back at the end of 2006:-"

Danish Mobile Phone Study : He who pays the piper, calls the tune.

You might have widely read the story in the Press that "A long-term study, carried out by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Denmark and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, has found no increased incidence of cancer among mobile phone users."

However, if you delve a little bit deeper you will find that all is not quite as it seems.

George Carlo, former head of the US WTR research project into Mobile Telephone health effects in the late 1990s had this to say: "John Boice and his colleagues have been on the cell phone industry payroll, and for big money, since the late 1990’s. The money laundering vehicle is the International Epidemiology Institute — the name sounds like a non-profit by design, but make no mistake, this is a big for-profit enterprise. When I ran the WTR, the International  Epidemiology Institute, with  Boice and a fellow  named Joe McLaughlin, applied for funding to do this exact epidemiology study that was released this week. After much discussion within the WTR, they were refused funding because I felt they were blatantly biased and had overtly given us the notion that they would always create findings that were favorable to the industry."

The EM Facts Consultancy had the following to add: "Here’s the latest in industry funded cell phone studies that claim to have the final answer. When you see statements like “There’s really no biological basis for you to be concerned about radio waves,” and “people can become more reassured that these devices are safe” you can be sure the cell phone industry is paying the piper."

EMFacts Article and The Times Article

"http://mastsanity.org/home/2/108-danish-mobile-phone-study--he-who-pays-the-piper-calls-the-tune.html[2] http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf - IARC possible cancer announcement

The Mast Sanity Press Office can now be contacted on 0844 443 5750.

www.mastsanity.org

Registered UK Charity no. 1109757 Calling for Environmentally and Biologically safe  communications networks and radiofrequency devices

Article

 

Selections from Natural Health News

 

Natural Health News: San Francisco Passes Cellphone Radiation Law

Jul 20, 2011

At long last, since the discoveries of Dr. Gerorge Carlo in the 1980s about the carcinogenic risk of cell phones, now perhaps there will be more progess towards the truth. San Francisco supervisors on Tuesday unanimously ...

Natural Health News: New reports tell of more cell phone risks

Mar 07, 2008

There was a time not so very long ago that all of us got along very well without cell phones. This month, being Women's Health Month, I especially hope for women that they come to understand the specific risks uncovered ...

Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks - Natural ...

Jul 23, 2008

A 2008 University of Utah analysis looked at nine studies — including some Herberman cites — with thousands of brain tumor patients and concludes "we found no overall increased risk of brain tumors among cellular phone ...

Natural Health News: Cell Phone Updates -Know Your Risks

Oct 10, 2009

Hang on to your land line phones. Herb Denenberg in an article for The Bulletin says: “The great cell phone cover-up may be coming to an end. A new report may finally wake the public up to the brain cancer risks of cell ...

Have You Heard About 100% Pure?

Around this time last year I stopped using facial creams due to concerns over all the chemicals I was spreading on my skin. I switched to using only pure argan oil on my face, and other oils like apricot kernel or almond oils in lieu of body lotion. The result has been wonderful. I have virtually no dryness. I knew that I needed to switch to a more natural brand of makeup, but I was nervous. My mother was a lifelong militant Clinique user and I admit I have used almost nothing else.

I was turned onto the brand 100% Pure after reading the amazing blog Chic and Green. Karley Zigler Mott reviewed some 100% Pure products that had nothing but natural ingredients. The bronzer is tinted with cocoa power! Upon trying the 100% Pure products for myself I was really impressed at how well they covered, how smooth they felt, etc. The quality of the products is like an expensive boutique brand but without all the icky chemicals.

Since I had never heard of a company offering such pure cosmetics (that actually worked) I figured you might not know either. I asked Karley, since she also sells 100% Pure directly to consumers, to give us some more information about the company and the products. You can find Karley's product offering at OrderPureBeauty.com. Thanks Karley!!

As a former aesthetician, makeup artist, and woman who developed my own successful natural skin care line, I can tell you that I am extremely choosy about ingredients and product quality and safety. In 2009, I closed my business to spend more time with my children and to nurture my writing ventures.

I was no longer making products and needed to switch to products that I approved of in terms of ingredients and effectiveness. I was first introduced to 100% Pure when I heard a fried talking about the line a few years back and I decided to buy a lip gloss. I loved it. I also was receiving products to review for my blog and 100% Pure was one of those brands. After trying their skin care, I was so impressed that I started trying more items. I was hooked.

100% Pure was founded by Susie Wang in 2004. Susie grew up in Japan with her Geisha grandmother and she learned all about herbs, tea, sake, flowers, and more as an avid gardener since the age of 5. She went to college at UC Berkeley and actually discovered a way to use all-natural ingredients to stabilize Vitamin C so it didn't turn brown from oxidation. She actually patented this technology. After this, major cosmetics companies from around the globe sought Susie out for her knowledge and expertise.

She became a product developer and formulator, making the "next big things" in the beauty industry. After accidentally spilling a vial of a chemical that was supposed to go into an eye cream she was making, she noticed that the lab table eroded from the harmful chemical. She was upset about this and began to research ingredients and how they could impact health. She also was upset by the fact that even though companies claimed not to test on animals, many of the ingredients used had actually already been tested on animals.

Susie walked away from millions of dollars in job opportunities to create her own line of beauty products made without any artificial ingredients, chemical preservatives, or harmful toxins. 100% Pure was born and is made with natural, plant-based and food ingredients.

Most everything is gluten-free and Vegan, which the exception of the products made with honey.

As a consumer, I was immediately impressed with not just the products I was using, but also the woman behind the line. I am a true 100% Pure fan, use the line, love the line, and now sell the line. I've been blogging for a living for a few years now and never thought I'd get into selling anything other than my own creations. When alex + von came along with an opportunity for me to sell my favorite brand (they also offer Suki and WeeDecor), continue to work from home, and share something I'm truly passionate about, I couldn't resist.

I love 100% Pure and sharing the line with everyone I talk to who has an interest in skin care and cosmetics. I love my customers and always want them to know I am here to help with anything at all. If your readers would like to, I do offer a complimentary skin care analysis to help them choose their ideal skin care regimen. It takes no more than 5 minutes to fill out and their product recommendations are emailed to them with my notes attached.

Some of my most favorite 100% Pure products-

Brightening Cleanser -- I love this because it really gives new life to tired skin. With natural lemon and kojic acid, it refreshes and enlivens dull skin.

Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream -- This smells wonderful, with natural vanilla and cocoa absolutes. It helps with dark circles, fine lines and puffiness and is my favorite eye cream in any price range.
Fruit Pigmented Tinted Moisturizer -- Using fruit pigments, such as white peach, instead of harmful dyes to color the product, this tinted moisturizer evens out my skin and gives it a natural glow without chemicals

Again, you can contact Karley at her website OrderPureBeauty.com and be sure to read her wonderful blog Chic and Green. I encourage you to consider ditching your old standard cosmetics in favor of some that are held to a higher standard of purity.

This Post is shared with Simple Lives Thursdays and Fresh Bites Friday

The Lush, The Prude and The Kids

When I first heard the song 'Last Friday Night' by Katie Perry I was a little confused, overwhelmed, disgusted and angry. Perry's homage to binge drinking is troubling because her demographic is heavy with those who cannot legally drink (or legally drive, or legally be unattended in public places). Perhaps the song is more unnerving because it is so damned catchy. I found myself shocked that such a song would be on the radio for impressionable ears all while I was turning up the volume. The song is infuriatingly singable.

I have fond New York City memories of staying out all night and going to work with a manageable hangover. My first year out of college was a progression to adulthood. My first stop was the Tom Collins. Next was the Vodka Tonic until I was grown up enough to handle a proper Martini. I took my Martinis dirty until I now I look forward to little more than a glass of straight vodka. Winston Churchill once said that the proper way to craft a martini was to fill a glass with vodka and set the open bottle of vermouth next to it. Then recap the vermouth and enjoy your drink. Hawkeye Pierce from M.A.S.H. famously ordered his martinis so dry that he could 'shake the dust off of them'.

There is something heady about the twilight descending while standing on a tile floor in heels. The chatter of an excited crowd swirling around you all while you smell and taste your first sip of wine of the evening. That first sip is always the best one. But I rather think I have earned my memories. I learned to drink responsibly over the course of many years. My parents drank at home. They enjoyed themselves without going overboard. My college years were not filled with keg parties and trays of shots. I had a handful of overly anxious rebellious drinking bouts at 18 or 19, but they were few and far between.

Today I drink alot less than I used to, and martinis are mostly just a fond memory. But I still worry that my kids will grow up to develop troubling drinking behaviors. In fact I worry that drinking has replaced smoking as the 'cool habit' in ad campaigns and movies. Drinking can develop into an unhealthful and life strangling habit. And songs like Perry's 'Last Friday Night' or that Pink song with the ever-classy name 'You and Your Hand' only romance binge drinking and partying to a very young and impressionable fan base.

Jeez, really? When did I get so uncool? When I was 17 I was able to read Tom Robbins and Charles Buckowski without becoming a sexed up heroin addict. Why do I assume that today's kids don't share my same surprised reaction to the Perry song? I guess I don't find the song so offensive, twenty-somethings will have to learn to navigate this drinking culture. And a little wildness can be good to an otherwise serious youth (like I was). It is that I worry for the 16, 14, 12 and 8 year olds whose exposure to pop music is informing them on what the adult experience really is.

With that being said I can't say that I have been a great musical role model. Last week as I pushed both my kids down the street in their stroller, Thing 1 belts out "I am going, I am gooooooo-ing, Where streams of whiskey are flowing!" I remind you, he is 4. The Pogues may be revered as a traditional Irish band, but they are most certainly of the modern day and their songs of debauchery include the story of a young man who drinks until he chokes only to die the following morning and a man who tosses his cookies in the church collection plate. Do their bagpipes and international status allow them carte blanche to sing blithely about binge drinking? And since we are a family of some Irish decent should I find it less troubling to share this music with my children than that of some make-up faced pop tart? Sure the Pogues' music does not contain that seductive ingredient of sex, but their raw lyrics still make light of alcoholism.

So, if I write a food blog, why on earth bring this topic up? At the risk of painting myself as Tipper Gore, My children are getting bigger and they are more impressionable. I am conscious of what kind of world view I am presenting them. I don't want to be hypocritical, but I fear that this is impossible. There are so many slip ups a parent can make.

Also, I am examining my own complicated relationship with the bottle. I love drinking. Like really love drinking. It is not something I want to give up. But as I am getting older I am finding that my body is not tolerating alcohol like it once did. Drinking less produces a more negative side effect than it once did. I bring the topic up because while I have examined most of what I eat, I have not made similar decisions about what I drink. Perhaps it is time for me to become educated about what happens to one's body after a drink or two. Perhaps then I can educate my kids so that their choices are influenced by fact and not by the lyrics of a Katie Perry song.

This post is shared with Real Food Wednesdays and Healthy 2day Wednesdays, Simple Lives Thursdays and Fresh Bites Friday

Native Fall Foliage - Yellow

Fall color is spreading in my area.  What a beautiful sight - it is almost as if the trees were flowering again.  Generally the colors of tree foliage fall into 2 color groups: yellow and orange/red/purple.  I've decided to do one blog entry devoted to each group.  This entry is Yellow.

A southern form of Sugar Maple, perhaps Acer barbatum

Of course there is a lot of variation in fall color even for the same type of plant.  For example, I've seen Red Maples (Acer rubrum) that turn yellow, others that turn orange/red, and others that turn red/pink.  These differences can be attributed to many factors (and here is an excellent site to explain it):

• Individual plant differences:  This is how cultivars are developed.  Acer rubrum 'October Glory' was a single plant that was selected for dependably rich red color in the fall.

• Climate differences:  Was it wetter than usual, drier than usual, cooler or warmer than usual where this plant resides in the days leading up to autumn?

• Different locations: Some trees change color earlier in one location than another even when they are just a few miles apart.

Most people have learned at some point that chlorophyll is what makes leaves green.  It is when trees stop producing chlorophyll that the "true" colors come out.  Different trees have different amounts of the components that make the different fall colors: Carotenoids - Browns, yellows and oranges and Anthocyanins  - reds and purples. So given those all those explanations, here are the “usual” yellows that I can expect to see in my area:

Two maples here, one is Red maple which often turns yellow in the wild, but sometimes turns orange/red.   There are maple cultivars and hybrids that reliably turn red or orange.  If what you are seeing is a landscape plant (like in a parking lot or business/residence landscape), chances are it is a cultivar and the color would not be yellow.

Southern sugar maple has the leaf shape of a Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) but the color is a pure, deep yellow while Sugar maple turns yellow/orange.  Another local maple is Chalk maple (Acer leucoderme) which has a similar leaf, but it turns more orange/red in color.  The leaf of the Chalk maple usually is pubescent (has fine hairs, feels fuzzy) on the underside.

Red Maple, Acer rubrum

Southern Sugar Maple, Acer barbatum

Black cherry, Prunus serotina

Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana

The next pair of leaves look similar at first glance, both turn a soft yellow and have a similar elliptical shape, but the cherry has a toothed margin where the persimmon does not.









I spent several days this week looking around my yard and neighborhood for leaves to photograph.  Now that the leaves are changing color, it was a shock to realize just how many young persimmons I have.  I know there are fruiting persimmons in my neighborhood (you can see a picture of the fruit in one of my posts from last year), but I've never seen fruit on mine.  Only one of mine ever blooms (the others are too young perhaps), and it would need to be a female to set fruit and would need a male nearby for pollination.

Tuliptree, Liriodendron tulipifera

Muscadine grape, Vitis rotundifolia

Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is generally very boring when it comes to fall color.  Leaves drop early in the year so that by the time fall color season arrives half the leaves on the tree are gone and the rest turn a spotted yellow, a few at a time.






Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) is a plant not much noticed throughout the year, but when the leaves turn yellow - often in advance of neighboring plants - it shows up.  It is especially noticeable twining through pine trees because the yellow foliage just pops out of the green branches.

Bottlebrush buckeye, Aesculus parviflora

Pawpaw, Asimina triloba

Buckeyes (Aesculus spp.) also lose their leaves early in the year - I was hard pressed to find an example of these compound leaves that still have the original 5 leaflets attached on a group of leaves.  Sometimes the color is more soft orange than yellow.









The large, tropical-looking leaves of Paw Paw Asimina triloba) quickly fall off once the leaves turn yellow.










Musclewood's (Carpinus caroliniana) petite, toothed leaves and thin branches are easily confused with Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).  The fall color doesn't offer any better clues - they both turn this nice shade of yellow.


Redbud's heart shaped leaves are very distinctive but unfortunately the fall color is not.  While much favored for it's early purple blooms in the spring, the yellow, spotted fall leaves are nothing to comment on.  This is a picture from my 'Forest Pansy' cultivar (Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy') - I'm not sure if that orange color is attributed to the cultivar, but it is certainly is an improvement over most wild plants.

Musclewood, Carpinus caroliniana

Redbud, Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Compound leaves often confuse people in the fall because the leaflets can fall off in advance of the leaf itself, making it look like the leaflets are indeed true leaves.  Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and Hickory are two of the ones I show here.  The ash leaf turns a pale yellow while the Hickory (Carya spp.) is a deep, almost orange-yellow color.  Hickories can be tall trees - they are quite striking when the whole tree colors up.  Around here, they are an essential part of the yellow-red-green landscape that people think of in the fall.

Green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Hickory, Carya sp.

Other native trees around here with compound leaves that turn yellow are pecan (Carya illinoinensis) and walnut (Juglans spp.).

Bigleaf magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla

American beech, Fagus grandifolia

The deciduous magnolias are especially noticeable this time of year, particularly the large leaves of this Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla). The shorter tree with the darker colored leaves to the right is Umbrella magnolia (Magnolia tripetala).  









American beech turns briefly yellow then transitions to a soft caramel color.  Young trees will retain their leaves during the winter and the leaves will fade to a pale tan, almost the color of old lace.













Other leaves that turn yellow/brown in the fall (and which are not pictured here) include:

• Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
• Some oaks like Post oak (Quercus stellata) and Water oak (Quercus nigra)
• Mulberry (Morus rubra)
• Sugarberry/Hackberry (Celtis spp.)
• American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus)

and sometimes Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), but it also turns purple so I'll show that in the next post.  Next week I'll go through all the ones that turn orange, red, pink and purple.