August Newsletter 2

Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional Goal: Is this all getting a bit routine and mundane? Even though we should find joy in improvement, it sometimes feels lonely. You don't have to do it all alone. Why not invite a few friends to join your daily exercise or begin a challenge group like Sister Kimball? "Each year she challenged the women to read along with her the Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Jesus the Christ, or some other such book. She rewarded those who met the challenge with lunch at her home," Camilla, Caroline Eyring Miner, 178. If you can find a copy of this old favorite of mine, read it for some great inspiration.

Storage Goal: Are you diligent with usage, inventory, and rotation? Do you have the basics and beyond? If you are just beginning, go back to the very first newsletter and begin there. If you have been following the program, here's a thought. Do you have means of personal sanitation, a portable potty, hygiene kits, and a portable bath/shower? How about a James Washer or 5-gallong bucket+plunger to wash clothing? These are more than just a good idea, they are vital in an emergency situation. When the sewers and water go, one of the first problems is cholera. Remember Haiti after the recent catastrophe? A toilet can be as simple as a lined 5-gallon bucket or as complex as your budget allows. The same is true of showering. Do your research and find a solution. But, you say, water is too precious in an emergency situation. True, but shower/bath water can be reused to wash clothing. It's called grey water. Read about the spiritual importance of basic food and hygiene in this moving New Era article.

Provident Living: “We hope you are making this [gardening project] a family affair, with everyone, even the little ones, assigned to something. There is so much to learn and harvest from your garden, far more than just a crop itself,” Spencer W. Kimball, Apr. 1978. "[Gardening will] remind us all of the law of the harvest...We do reap what we sow. Even if the plot of soil you cultivate, plant, and harvest is a small one, it brings human nature closer to nature as was the case in the beginning with our first parents," Spencer W. Kimball, Apr. 1976. Since the secret to good health is greens, I'm always on the lookout for delicious, non-bitter varieties. I found a new one out here on my mission at a tiny Thai restaurant that deserves a shout out. Food allergies require me to order off menu. When I asked for steamed vegetables, they brought me a plate of perfection that contained an extremely delicious, unknown, mild green; the stems were similar to asparagus in texture with tender, sweet greens. Upon inquiry I was told it was Chinese Broccoli (Kai Lan). After researching, I discovered it can be grown as an annual or perennial. To grow as perennial, sew in late summer, harvest throughout the fall, cut down to stump, and mulch heavily. In the spring, it should come back up similar to asparagus for a spring harvest, stall out during summer, and have a second life in fall. Repeat. If you buy the open pollinated variety from Kitazawa Seed Co, you can use as an annual (or perennial), planting as broccoli in spring and saving the seeds in fall. Definitely going to give this one a try in pots up here, since it's like bonus asparagus that lasts for months instead of weeks and is ready in weeks instead of years.

More Provident Living Ideas

I am seriously addicted to finding frugal ways. It's not that I really need to be ultrafrugal anymore. It's more like a hobby to squeeze my pennies until they scream for mercy. Since I am allergic to many ingredients in commercial, personal hygiene products, I needed to find an alternative to shampoo and conditioner. Baking soda and apple cider vinegar work very well, causing me to realize we are better off without the chemicals in shampoos, conditioners, and many soaps. How is it done?

The first time I tried no-poo, I did it all wrong and practically recked my hair. After research and experimentation, I learned the best formula. When you begin, dissolve 1 T baking soda in a cup or two of warm water. Work through roots of hair and message scalp for about 30 seconds. Focusing on the roots and scalp, rinse with 1 T apple cider vinegar diluted in a cup or two of warm water. Then rinse with running water. If you tend toward dry hair, put a drop or two of olive, grape seed, apricot, kukui, or coconut oil in your palms and rub it into your hands as if for lotion. When it is nearly absorbed run your hands over the ends of your hair. (These also make great lotion or facial moisturize, especially grape seed for oily skin. Or try making my variation of Rosemary Gladstar's famous cream below.) As your hair becomes accustomed to this method, you will likely need to reduce the baking soda and vinegar amounts until you only use 1/4 t baking soda and 1 t vinegar. I also like to use herbal infusions in place of the water. Sage, comfrey leaf, calendula flower, marshmallow root, rosemary, nettle leaf, and yarrow are some hair-nourishing favorites.

Right after we began our mission, we ran out of soap. (I am used to having a huge supply of sundries to fall back upon. Out here it is just like being a newly wed again.) Anyway, I remembered reading an interview with Queen Latifa whose grandmother taught her to wash her face with baking soda. With that inspiration and my good experience with no-poo, I tried it. Weird at first, it worked quite well. Since soap always left me itchy in the past, I switched to baking soda for good. How is it done? Put a tablespoon or so of baking soda on a washcloth or your palm. Add a bit of water in the shower and use the paste to wash as you would soap. It's that easy.

Baking soda is so useful. Another personal hygiene usage is tooth brushing. Either by itself or mixed with a drop of mint essential oil, it gets teeth squeaky clean and breath nicely fresh. Sucking on whole cloves helps freshen breath after eating strong foods as well.

Finally, body deodorants don't have to come from the drug store either. Talc has been linked to ovarian and lung cancers. Aluminum is toxic and linked to Alzheimers and breast cancer. If it's not safe to eat, it's not safe to put on your skin. After all skin absorbs everything you put on it. Mix 1 part tapioca starch, 1 part cornstarch or rice starch, 1 part arrowroot Powder, 1 part baking soda, 1 part redmond or white clay, and 1 part dried, powdered citrus peel or flower petals or orris root for a delightful deodorant powder. If one ingredient is not available, double one of the others. This is so nice stored in an old fashioned powder box and applied with a puff for the feminine set or in a powder shaker for others. Something else to consider on this vein. Most body odors can be reduced or eliminated with diet. Since processed 'foods' and animal products contribute to the build up of bad bacteria in the body, body odor sweat is exacerbated with their consumption. A high intake of chlorophyll from green plants reduces odor. (Also true for bad breath, eating and/or eliminating poorly naturally cause odors.) Once again, the secret is in the greens.

Some people will only use naturally mined Baking Soda from Frontier or Bob's Red Mill. I'm not sure about that one yet.

Ingredients: 3/8 c. apricot kernel oil, 3/8 c. sweet almond oil, 1/8 c. cocoa butter, 1/8 c. coconut oil, 1/2 oz. bees wax, and 8 oz. calendula hydrosol or distilled water. Any of these oils can be substituted with other natural, cold pressed oils such as kukui, olive, grape seed, avocado oil, macadamia oil, mango butter, shea butter, etc. Melt wax, butter, and oils over a double boiler. Let cool, mixing every now and then, until creamy. Pour into the blender. Turn speed on high and slowly drizzle hydrosol or water into the running blender until all has been absorbed and the cream clunks agains the side of the blender. Add 25 drops essential oil (or not) and blend briefly to combine. Put in small jars and refrigerate overnight. Usually, I fill 4-5 4 oz. canning jars and store the unopened ones in the back of the fridge until needed. Clean out the blender with a cloth and use it to oil wood furniture. This works fantastically from hair to toe especially on cracked heals.