Passport America

Hello my friends, here's a little update on our travels and move.  We left Sarasota and we're currently staying at an RV park near Orlando.  We will be heading for New Mexico December mid-month.  So, we just found out about a great campground discount club and we joined and we just saved $150 by joining and it's paid for itself.  They even have a great referral program where you can earn great money.  I highly recommend that anyone who is going camping and wants to save money join this great program.  Just click on the banner below for more information and to join.
Thank You

 


Passport America - Discount Camping Club

I Love Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics

I just have to sing praises of a wonderful soap I started using from Melinda Olson's wonderful organic health company, Earth Mama Angel Baby® Family Products I'm very chemically sensitive and I can only use 100% non-toxic organic soaps that contain 100% organic plant essences. Now that I'm a Mommy-to-be, I'm even more sensitive and I'm extra careful about everything I use in my hair and on my skin. EMAB's Natural Non Scents Hand to Toe Wash is a wonderful soap that foams and with a little added water, the soap gently and efficiently cleans my skin and feels very light. Natural, safe, non-toxic plant essences like coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, and aloe make this soap very efficient and wonderful. I also enjoy EMAB's Happy Mama Soap, which has the lovely organic aromas of orange oil and ginger oil. I love these soaps and I love the fact that Melinda Olson, the Mama in charge of the company, is a caring, devoted Earth Mama Wise Woman who genuinely cares about other Mamas and their children. I highly recommend her wonderful organic products to everyone who cares about their family's health and the environment.

Appreciate The Indoor and Outdoor Air You Breathe

Do you appreciate the air you breathe?  We’re in the year 2011 and while the principle of green living is becoming increasingly popular, it seems that there are still many people who take fresh clean air for granted.  The evidence of this is the consistent use of those nasty toxic air poisoners fragrance products.  I’ve read many posts online about the importance of recycling, composting, and solar energy and the importance of contributing to the solution.  This is very true and I completely agree, but it’s hypocritical to do these things and continue to pollute the very air we breathe.  

I applaud and support all the efforts to take toward conservation, but it’s very important to pay more attention to those products we use everyday on our persons, in the home and office, and in the air.  When was the last time you stepped outside and paused and took a deep cleansing breath?  The very fact that you can even do this is a blessing and a gift and should not be taken for granted.  Indoor and outdoor air are precious gifts that should be treasured, honored, appreciated, and respected.  The lungs are terrible things to waste.  Let’s contribute to the solution and keep Mother Earth clean and healthy for future generations.

Photos Courtesy of jupiterimages.com

My Special Affinity With Mother Nature's Medicine Cabinet

I've been a devout herbalist since childhood and I've always had a special affinity for herbs and Mother Nature. Many times, my parents tried to give me big pharma meds when I felt sick and they often urged me to take the pills, convinced they would help me feel better and recuperate. When I was suffering from a painful draining cold, my Mom really urged me to take medicine, especially those prescribed by my pediatrician, but once again, I refused and protested.

One time, I relented and tried to swallow a pill, but it was enormous, and I nearly gagged and choked on it. I felt sick to my stomach and promised myself that I would never take another synthetic big pharma pill again.  To this day, I have not taken one synthetic big pharma pill in 25 years.

When I was upset and feeling weepy, my Mom wanted me to drink a mainstream caffeinated tea that she thought would help me feel calmer and more relaxed. I told her that it had caffeine in it and I only wanted a tea if it had an herbal blend in it. She didn't understand and argued with me, but finally let it go and gave me the space to make my own choices.

As upsetting as it was, I tried to understand that my parents didn't know better and were only suggesting something that they thought would help.  Since I'm the only person in my family who prefers herbs to meds, I'm unique.

To this day, as an adult, I still have difficult communication with my family because I'm different, but I'm grateful and proud of who I am and the sage wisdom I've gleaned from such marvelous wise women as Susun Weed, Marisa Herrera, and Dr. Christiane Northrup, M.D.

I take heart in knowing that I'm learning to be self-sufficient and I'm relying on Mother Nature's wonderful medicine cabinet, whose majestic beautiful herbal gardens grow in beautiful bounty all over the world. I feel very deeply grateful to know that I'm developing a healthy strong relationship with a natural healing modality that has no dangerous side effects and contains no harmful synthetic ingredients that will harm me.

Photos Courtesy of jupiterimages

Non-Toxic Organic Insect Repellent

In order to enjoy the holiday and be comfortable, it's a good idea to use a non-toxic organic insect repellent so the pesky bugs don't bug you.  You can buy a good effective spray at your local organic  health food store or you can make your own.  Here is a good blend my husband and I make that is very helpful:

Soak 4 thick slices of fresh cut lemon in 4 C boiling hot water overnight.  The next day, once the lemon water has cooled, gently slowly pour into a spray bottle.  Add 3 drops organic citronella essential oil, 3 drops organic peppermint essential oil, 3 drops organic tea tree oil, (melaleuca) and 1 drop organic clove essential oil to the mixture and close the spray bottle tightly and shake well so the blend is thoroughly mixed.  Keep this mixture on hand to use when you need it.  Use caution, as some of the essential oils may cause skin sensitivity.  It's best to use the spray mixture to spray the bugs near you, instead of spraying directly to your skin.

Photos Courtesy of jupiterimages

Green Your Laundry and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

One of the most important steps you can take toward greening your life and reducing your carbon footprint on Mother Earth is using 100% organic environmentally friendly laundry detergent. With the wide array of detergent products available on the market, it's very easy to feel confused. Unfortunately, the 21st Century has complicated a very simple necessary task. The best way to ensure that your laundry is green, safe, and non-toxic and that your carbon footprint is small, is to buy your products from an organic health food store.

To save money and your health, you can also make your own detergent. My husband and I have been using the following non-toxic method for more than 15 years and we are very happy with the positive efficient results. Please remember that the overpowering fumes from the toxic products you use seep into the groundwater and pollute the outdoor air and the wildlife. We tend to forget that we share this beautiful blue green living planet with beautiful graceful creatures that grace our skies everyday, including sea gulls, eagles, turtledoves, hummingbirds, butterflies, and little finches. These beautiful creatures deserve the right to breathe clean healthy air as much as we do. The following is a recipe I use every week to do my non-toxic green laundry.

For A Large Load of Laundry, Mix:
1 C baking soda
1 C white distilled vinegar

Instructions:
Begin a hot water load of laundry. As hot water fills the washing machine, pour the baking soda. Make sure you empty the bowl of all the baking soda residue and then pour the vinegar. The reason for this is that when you pour the vinegar in the bowl while there's some baking soda residue, the 2 ingredients fizz when mixed together and you don't want the bowl to overflow before you pour the ingredients into the washing machine. This mixture is great because it's affordable, easy to use, non-toxic, earth-friendly and completely free of toxic petrochemicals and irritants. My husband and I use this efficient method every time we do laundry and we always have very positive results!

When you add the number of people doing toxic laundry every week in every city across North America, the numbers are staggering and the air pollution that's being caused from this is a horrible environmental nightmare. It's the 21st Century and it's high time to vote green with our wallets and contribute to those companies that genuinely care about the environment, the humans, and the animals.

Photos Courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Decluttering Is Important For Good Health and Peace of Mind

One of the activities that make moving very stressful and difficult is packing and moving your belongings from one address to another. My dear husband and I have had to endure this several times and it's very stressful and draining. The more belongings you have to pack and move, the more stressful and exhausting your move will be. Unfortunately, many of us tend to accumulate a lot of things throughout our life and it becomes very difficult to let it go, especially the sentimental things. Although packing is an important part of moving, it's wise to consider de-cluttering your life and making a strong effort to minimize the amount of things you own. Here are a few tips to consider when de-cluttering:

1. Have you used the item in the last six months?

2. Is the item clean or can it be cleaned efficiently for use?

3. How many of the item do you have?

4. Is the item necessary or is it weighing you down as extra clutter?

5. Is the item going to contribute to your health and happiness?

Photo Courtesy of jupiterimages

If you haven't use the item in the last six months, chances are you won't use it, so, it's wise to sell it or donate it. If the item cannot be cleaned efficiently, it's wise to throw it out and forget about it. Unless you're collecting for a special event or occasion or it's part of your special collectibles, it's wise to donate the excess items. If the item is just weighing you down and does not serve a purpose, it's wise to donate, recycle, or discard it. Having excess clutter adds to the stress in our life and prevents us from moving forward and enjoying healthy happy lives.

Intentional Cooperative Communal Living Is A Must For Survival

Photo Courtesy of jupiterimages.com

Now more than ever, owning land in common with like-minded Kindred Spirits and living cooperatively in a communal manner is very important. Gone are the days of men and women being an island. In other words, we can no longer survive with the mentality of “every man or woman to him or herself”. Challenging economic times and daily stressors make it so we must turn to our dear close friends, neighbors, and family loved ones for support, comfort, and survival. Yesterday, we asked our next-door neighbor for a cup of sugar. 

Photo Courtesy of fotosearch.com

Today, we'll be asking our next-door neighbor for extra drinking water and seeds or soil to help grow a healthy organic vegetable garden. It is because of this that it is wise to have next-door neighbors with whom we feel safe and comfortable with whom we can trust, especially in the event of an emergency. When we own land in common with these next-door neighbors with whom we trust and feel safe, we can rest easy knowing that we will be there for each other, regardless of the situation. As we learn to trust and feel safe and comfortable with each other, we'll be able to make wise important decisions together and help each other enjoy healthy happy lives together. This is the best form of healthy living and survival.

Seeking Community

My dear husband and I are looking for a non-smoking vegetarian non-religious intentional cooperative community with acres in the Continental USA 100 miles from the nearest nuclear reactor and New Madrid and San Andreas earthquake fault lines. We prefer to join a self-sufficient community that's already formed that has a clean spring as a clean source of water, a healthy thriving organic vegetable garden, herb garden, fruit groves, and is either currently using off-grid alternative green energy or is working toward that as an immediate goal. It's very important that we like-minded Kindred Spirits come together to live together in cooperative communities and work together toward common goals and intentions. We have 2 cats, our babies, and we prefer to live in a community where the other members have animals living with them and animals are a beloved part of the family. 

Photos Courtesy of jupiterimages.com

In this day and age with all the unsettling uncertainty of Earth changes, corona mass ejectas solar flares (CME's) and the uncertain shaky geo-political climates, it is very important that we come together and live together in a cooperative communal manner and help each other survive the coming changes.  Please visit http://www.coasttocoastam.com for more information on CME's.  If you know of anything like this, please contact me and send me an e-mail so we can discuss it further. Thank you. Peace and Love. permadeva@yahoo.com

Important Message From The Hopis: A Hopi Elder Speaks

As we get closer to the year 2012, Mother Earth's changes become more profound and intense everyday and life becomes more stressful and challenging as a result.  The recent Japan earthquake and tsunami literally turned the lives upside down of the Tokyo residents and life will never be the same.  Unfortunately, as much as no one wants to face the reality of these devastating events hitting closer to home in the USA, the potential for natural disasters increase tremendously, leaving all of us extremely vulnerable.  

The following information I want to share with you is intended to empower you, not cause fear, and I write these words with love and kindness from my heart.  I've seen all too often what happens when people choose not to prepare themselves for the eventuality of potential natural disasters and it's not good. Please read the following tips to understand and learn how you can empower yourself and take the necessary action steps to protect your family and be safe and healthy: 

Garden Photo Courtesy of jupiterimages.com

1. Learn to be self-sufficient and own land acreage in common with like-minded Kindred Spirits in a healthy safe region that's higher ground.
2. Grown your own healthy organic vegetable garden, herb garden, and fruit groves.
3. Make sure you have your own clean source of water, preferably a well or spring.
4. Learn to live off-grid and install your own safe alternative green energy power sources: solar, wind, and hydro (water).

There are several informative websites that can help you and your family learn to prepare for the upcoming Earth changes and stressful challenges.

Please visit http://www.coasttocoastam.com and tune in to their live Internet radio show to listen to guests who are experts on the topics of survival, living off-grid, and healthy, safe, alternative, green lifestyle.  Please read the following website to read A Hopi Elder Speaks: http://www.communityworks.info/hopi.htm for more information and please share with your dear friends and loved ones!    Education is empowering!

Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day In A Healthy Organic Vegan Manner

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite special Holidays because it honors Saint Patrick, the man who wrote the beautiful song, “Amazing Grace”. It's also special to me because it honors and celebrates Ireland, a beautiful country, whose magnificent majestic emerald isles and Magickal Spirit permeate its beautiful essence. 

When I celebrate, I wear healthy non-toxic cotton green clothing and I use organic vegan food and cosmetics. Instead of using toxic green food coloring that contains F.D.&C.'s, which contain coal tar (petroleum), I enjoy eating green herbs and foods, like peppermint, parsley, broccoli, asparagus, and spinach. I also enjoy calming uplifting organic essential oils, like peppermint, patchouli, pine, spruce, lime, and lemon. Celebrating St. Patrick's day in an organic vegan manner is a great way to honor the beautiful island of Ireland in a healthy manner that honors Mother Earth.


Photos Courtesy of jupiterimages.com and treehugger.com

Laughter Is Truly The Best Medicine

Laughter is truly the best medicine and it keeps me healthy and feeling good and alive.   When I'm feeling under the weather, tired, or emotionally distressed, the first thing I do is watch my favorite comedy on TV or watch a great movie comedy.   It's wonderful and amazing how quickly I feel distracted, good, and relaxed when I laugh and forget about how miserable I feel.  Norman Cousins, the beloved author and peace activist, suffered from various debilitating ailments, and he did everything he could to watch as much comedy as possible to expedite his healing during his hospitalization.   The laughter was great healing medicine for him and it helped to alleviate his pain in the last days of his life.   Norman Cousins is one of my favorite historical heroes because he knew intuitively how to alleviate his painful anguish and create much needed levity. 

Photo Courtesy of jupiterimages.com

When I laugh so hard that my face and belly hurt and I can't catch my breath, my cells are happy and the woes of the world cease to exist.   Laughter is very alkalizing for the body's ph and enlivens the blood cells because it is very healing and gives the immune system a nice energizing healing boost.   Laughter releases natural endorphins, which are natural hormones that are released to make the body feel relaxed and happy.   Laughter is one of my favorite parts of my healthy lifestyle.   I recommend it to everyone!

Make Green New Year's Resolutions and Keep Them!

Greening your life and improving your health, keeping your carbon footprint small, is becoming easier and simpler. Here are a few tips you can do everyday to begin to make your life greener.

Planet Earth Photo,

Courtesy of

http://www.istockphoto.com

1. Ride a bicycle. Riding a bicycle is great exercise and uses zero gasoline - a very green activity.

2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Reduce your consumption and do your best to buy groceries in bulk, reducing packaging.  Reuse storage and packaging containers. Recycle as much as possible. We can work together to prevent more garbage from rotting in toxic landfills for years to come!

3. Green your bathroom, medicine cabinet, and kitchen. Many toxic petro-chemicals lurk in your everyday cosmetics, personal care products, and cleaning products. One of the most important things you can do to green your life is give your bathroom a green makeover.   

It's the year 2011 in the 21st Century and it's very timely to make the conscious green choice to vote with your wallet and only purchase products from companies who genuinely care about the environment, the animals, and the humans.  Become an avid label reader and simplify your life.  

Did you know that all synthetic color dyes that are in foods and cosmetics are derived from coal tar, which is derived from crude oil petroleum?  So, unless the shampoo, cleanser, or hand soap you're using contains henna, peppermint, and natural wild blue indigo for natural color tint, you're exposing your health and your family's health to poisonous toxins that are going to put your family's health at dangerous risk.  

To learn more about how you can green your home and contribute to the healthy green solution for Mother Earth, please visit my website:  http://www.notperfume.com

My Historical Hero For Peace and Equality: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 15 is the Birthday of one of my favorite historical heroes, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked very hard to promote peace, equality, and justice and spoke to thousands of receptive listeners who promised to share his message.  I've been in humble awe of this wonderful man since I was a young girl and the Holiday observing his Birthday has always been very special to me.  I cry and smile when I hear his voice because he warms my heart and fills my heart with hope and courage.  He inspires me to be a better stronger woman and it's largely because of him that I am a survivor and work hard to promote peace, equality, and justice.  

Photo of 

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Courtesy of

http://free-stock-photos.com

I'm deeply saddened by the hateful violence that took his life.  It saddens me even more that this mad world continues to be full of toxic hate, ignorance, and intolerance.  This is one of the reasons I'm vegan.  Peace indeed begins on the dinner plate.  As long as people continue to eat a being that was violently slaughtered and had fear and terror coursing through the animal's being right before the slaughter, hate and violence will continue.  This is also the reason I have a pink twibbon on my Twitter avatar.  It's the year 2011 in the 21st Century and the time for love, peace, and compassion are long overdue!

Photo of Vegan Burger, Courtesy of

http://www.fotosearch.com