Mud Season

Early signs of Spring are finally here! Those teasing glimpses aren't yet those pretty peaking crocuses or flash of the first bluebirds. It is when the lawn and gardens are finally exposed again, the snow has turned to mud and I can gaze out at all the clean up to be done.

Branches and twigs are everywhere, needing to be collected for next years kindling before the mowing can begin.

Broken, trailing tree limbs need to be pruned before they rip down the tree any farther.

The grass is a beaten down mess along the paths we shoveled to get to the necessary areas like the barn, birdfeeders, and driveway. The grass always seems to repair itself which is a wonder in itself of how tough a lawn can be.

Scattered stones from the snow plow need to be raked back into the driveway where they belong.

Evidence of having dogs is now quite obvious. At least I know they're staying in their own yard to do their business. We have an underground fencing system which I know is working and try to pay attention to keeping fresh batteries in the dogs' collars. But it so easy to just let them out and not pay full attention to what they are doing.

Today the winds will reach 50-60 mph which to us means the dogs suddenly have found so many new toys to drag around...trash can lids, buckets, battered Christmas decorations. All stuff from who knows where it came from.

I tell the family it's all in the name of exercise. Bend, bend and bend those knees again! Somehow they don't see the humor in that and still prefer going nowhere on the treadmill.

What I am anxious to do now that the snow is gone is walk around and take cuttings from the Pussy Willow trees and Forsythia bushes. Putting them in vases and watch for them to open their sleepy buds is so welcome.

I love to wander around the garden areas and watch for the first peak of green from the garlic and start scoping out this years layout.

Though considered pesky weeds to many people, I look forward to those early edible and medicinal plants. When I start bringing those early tender greens of plantain, chickweed, dandelion and violets to our guinea pig, he is in his glory. Those who are familiar with the sounds of an excited guinea pig can appreciate the humor in that.


Those early greens have been sought out by people for eons for their cleansing and nutritional benefits after a long winter of heavier foods. Young nettle leaves, dandelions and wild garlic are so very good for you. To say the least they add interest to your salads. Chickweed has the reputation for helping with the battle of losing those extra pounds put on over the Winter months.

Have to get out there, the bird feeders are empty and I can hear the chickens squawking. The dogs are ready to come in and we're back to wiping muddy paws and underbellies.
When I have to switch my head gear from my hood to my brimmed hat, then I know there is no turning back, Spring is really on its way.

Two more neat treasuries to check out!
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http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d68486731b76d9131b97c44/spring-is-natures-way-of-saying-lets?index=0

Love and Be Loved

Sensuous Bath Oil

Contentment in this life basically boils down to the need to love and be loved. To feel productive, have a role in something that matters. Should we just disappear, that someone would notice. Even those who like being alone need social stimulation once in a while.
Doing for others for the sake of helping isn't purely altruistic, since if we really examined ourselves we do what we do not only for that other person but because those actions make us feel better about ourselves. The desire to please and help others are wonderful qualities, but if you go into it with expectations of the other person's reaction, you cannot be overly sensitive. Trying to understand why people don't behave the way we think they would, or should. will drive you crazy.

Perhaps that is why Valentine's Day can range from being a day of fulfilled expectations to heart shattering disappointment. As long and men and women are wired so differently, men will always feel they did something wrong and women will always have their hearts in an unrealistic reality. If men could just remember that most of the supposedly irrational behavior of women all stems from the plea to "notice me"! Feeling appreciated and noticed goes a long way in the love bank point system. It's the little everyday things that matter, not the seesaw of going overboard just because it's a Hallmark holiday and then slipping right back into indifference.

As long as we remember that love is a verb; an ongoing stretch of efforts, highs, lows, tears, joys and rewards. What it is not is fleeting feelings wrapped up in emotion or temporary passion. Keep those moments in perspective and you'll be on your way to wisdomville. In order for romance to remain alive and full of hot energy we must periodically add some fuel and stir up the simmering ashes. Remember the actual meaning of the word "passion" is an intense, burning desire for something. Those embers don't spark all by themselves. Throw some of yourself into the relationship once in a while and see how hot your fires can get!

A bit of information on St. Valentine history:
Valentine's Day History

Pagan festivals, Christian saints, Chaucer's love birds, and the Greeting Card Association of America

by Borgna Brunner

Roman Roots

The history of Valentine's Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. The holiday's roots are in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. Pope Gelasius I recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day.

Valentines Galore

Which St. Valentine this early pope intended to honor remains a mystery: according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Terni, and of a third St. Valentine almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14.
Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. At this stage, the factual ends and the mythic begins. According to one legend, Claudius II had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and put to death. Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed "from your Valentine." Probably the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.
In 1969, the Catholic Church revised its liturgical calendar, removing the feast days of saints whose historical origins were questionable. St. Valentine was one of the casualties.

Chaucer's Love Birds

It was not until the 14th century that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, author of Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance.
In 1381, Chaucer composed a poem in honor of the engagement between England's Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day. In "The Parliament of Fowls," the royal engagement, the mating season of birds, and St. Valentine's Day are linked:

For this was on St. Valentine's Day,
When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate.

Tradition of Valentine's Cards

Over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine's Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The tradition of Valentine's cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until the 1850s, when Esther A. Howland, a Mount Holyoke graduate and native of Worcester, Mass., began mass-producing them. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.

Read more: Valentine's Day History — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/spot/valentinesdayhistory.html#ixzz1DiIsQIfh

Let Go, Let God

Every crack was followed by a shattering crash of splintered wood and ice crystals.
Fascinating how drawn we are to witness destruction by nature herself.

Such similarities to our human condition.
Tree limbs are designed to give and flex amidst a storm.
Given the right conditions even the mighty oak will be pushed beyond its limits.

So as we build up our safety net of walls, something changes within our very hearts.
Just as the tree limbs are encased in these shields of ice, our inner souls begin to withdraw.

Smiling to the world, though one step out of reach.
The icy weight pulls down a little,
a little more 'till we snap.

Broken branches litter the ground, the fury of the natural world is spent.
Those tears too need to fall, surround you in a pool to drown the hurt.

Show the dark an open door,
Allow in the sun, so full of cheer.
Tears may be jewels, our own to keep,
But let them melt, and smile as you weep.
Let it go,
Let it all out.

It's Groundhog Day in PA!

Considering here in PA we've been blasted with an icy storm there hasn't been any sign of the sun on this slip sloshy day. So if the good old groundhog did emerge from hibernation, it is doubtful he saw his shadow. Which supposedly means old man winter is nearing its end. Somehow I doubt it. It's been 12 hours and we are still without power, relying on our wonderful generator (which started on the first pull...yeah!)

If you are not from Pennsylvania, you probably wonder or maybe could care less where this silly tradition started anyway.

Groundhog Day all started in Germany as one more way people tried to figure out the earth's cycle based on observing the wildlife. In Germany they have the Badger rather than the groundhog, and when the immigrants settled in Pennsylvania they discovered the eastern part of the country didn't have badgers but did have a similar looking animal, the groundhog.

The Punxutawney Groundhog Club has been watching the groundhogs on Gobbler's Knob since 1898. Another group joined them in 1908, the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge of Quarryville, PA. The theory goes like this..
A groundhog emerges from hibernation on February 2. If it is cloudy, winter is nearing its end. But if it is a sunny day and the groundhog is spooked by his own shadow, he'll jump back into his hole for another six weeks. The point was that farmers were to observe and time the planting of their crops with the true arrival of spring. Weathermen claim Punxutawney is only correct 30% of the time, but its fun for those who get into predicting the weather.

This humorous treasury hits home with how many of us on the east coast feel about our weather.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d481667031c8eef951b040f/punxsutawneys-advicejust-chill?index=0

This Cold Weather Bites

It is Monday morning and the energies around here just seem off kilter. Here is a list of what seems to be wrong in the world of those around me:

1. It is a Monday morning and if that isn't bad enough the temperature is in the single digits.
2. Another storm is on its way and backs still hurt from the last dealing with the elements.
3. The holidays are barely a month behind us and already people seem to have forgotten what they received for Christmas. Gifts that took so much energy and money to get under that tree on time.
4. The credit card bills are arriving to remind us we couldn't afford those "have to have it" gifts anyway.
5. Tax statements are arriving and no one is in the mood nor has the time to get everything organized.
6. FAFSA forms need to get filled out by the deadline for our college students, something else we're not in the mood to deal with.
7. The energy cap has been lifted and we're expecting our electric bills to peak anyway and now have record breaking cold.
8. Gas prices are expecting to be on the rise again to remind us how we're so dependent on the system.
9. We're told by our family physician we're low in this and that and everything and should buy this and that and every vitamin and not a multi, we have to buy each individually to get a high enough dose, and we wonder what is in the foods we eat in the balanced diet we pay top price for......
10. Ok, we're low in Vit. D which is now good for every health concern yet we shouldn't depend on the sun because to be out in the sun can cause skin cancer so we should cover up, but do you know what exactly is in the sun screen?
11. The car inspection showed expensive repairs needed due to salt damage which is something we cannot avoid even if we do try to wash it off and is considered wear and tear so once again that expensive warranty covers nothing needed.
12. Too much time spent at a desk or computer is causing the need for a chiropractor which is usually out of pocket expense, we're told we have to change our lifestyle, yet we thought this lifestyle was called a job, and what is the alternative when few positions are available in this job market.
13. New Year's resolutions are already passing by the wayside and we feel like we failed, again.
14. Don't even start on the "feeling fat syndrome"

Ok how to rise out of this slump?

All you can do is make a list of what you do have and remember my mother's great words of wisdom
"THIS TOO SHALL PASS"
Whether referring to money issues, husband issues, children issues, health issues, job issues, in the end that philosophy always ended up being the best advise.

This winter will end as they always have in the past. The days keep turning, the cycle continues.

A bit of humor, check out this treasury on Etsy and start planning that warm get-a-way!
Vacation Is it warm there by meadowmuffin2010 on Etsy

And in the meantime ponder this treasury!
Life in the dead of winter by meadowmuffin2010 on Etsy

Of course you can always soak away those headaches in a hot tub
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http://www.etsy.com/listing/51538350/glowing-skin-body-polish-salt-scrub
http://www.etsy.com/listing/50375095/natural-therapeutic-sea-salt-baths

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The Five Senses of Love

"Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."
Kahlil Gibran

What plans do you have for an ideal romantic Valentine's Day experience?

A little imagination and you can create an evening worthy of any romantic novel. And you certainly do not need to spend a lot of money to impress. Men may not admit it but they do enjoy a romantic setting to stir things up a little, and not just for the woman's benefit as they often say.

Have on hand the following things to please the five senses:
Touch - Plan a relaxing massage and/ or a warm, sensuous bath for two.

Taste - Wine and chocolate, what better combination!?

Smell - The sense of smell holds deep seated memories. Stir up a fantasy or two with a sensual
bath oil and let the essential oils do their thing!

Hear - Background "noise" is a personal thing. Choose wisely.

Sight - A visibly pleasing atmosphere and everything in it will be the first thing a man notices. Candles add a touch of magic and do wonders for that warm glow to your complexion.

Think you can't cook? The following recipe is a no-cook candy/bar that tastes like a cross between a Tandycake and a Reese's peanut butter cup. Easy to make with only five ingredients and can be done within fifteen minutes!

NO COOK CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TREATS

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 pound box (or 4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 28 oz. jar chunky or smooth peanut butter
1 12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) or chocolate melting wafers

Combine brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter and peanut butter.
Mix well. May need to use your hands. Pat the mixture into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly-roll pan. Smooth the top of the mixture.

Melt the chocolate and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in the top of a double boiler or the microwave. To melt in the microwave set it for one minute, stir, set it for another minute, stir till creamy.
Spread chocolate over the peanut better mixture.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set the chocolate. Allow to come to room temperature before cutting into squares or the chocolate topping will crack.

Store in refrigerator or freeze.

There you have the makings for a wonderful evening with that special someone.
Below is a poem that can make you cry but let it be known that this poem was written between two teenagers thirty years ago, and in 2011 they'll have been married twenty years!
People love, people lose, they learn, they grow.

EVERYTHING IN DUE TIME
With all things considered, from past events gone by
I know it's hard to trust me, but I wish for you to try.

My heart has been like a pendulum, on and off with love
But as confusion persisted, so did my faith,
and help to me came from far above.

Commitments for tomorrow, I am unable to give
Since I don't want to hurt you, with something more to forgive.

So let us be together, as long as was meant to be,
Because life is to love, and to love is to set free.

Anonymous

"The richest love is that which submits to the arbitration of time."
Lawrence Durrell

Light My Fire Bath Oil can be found within my Meadow Muffins shop!
Relaxing Sensuous Massage and Body Oil is also available.
The difference between a bath oil and a massage/body oil is that a bath oil has a stronger concentration of essential oils.
http://www.meadowmuffingardens.com
http://www.meadowmuffin2010@etsy.com

Home Remedies for Colds and Flu

We cannot live in a bubble so even with every practical precaution we still are susceptible to the viruses for colds and influenza. A way to know if you have just a cold or are coming down with the flu is the presence of a fever as one of your symptoms of misery. Colds bring upper respiratory sniffling, coughing, sinus congestion and headache but rarely keep us from functioning. The flu can put you to bed for days and take weeks to regain your energy. Antibiotics are usually needed only should a secondary bacterial infection result from the initial viral infection.

Colds have to run their course but you can help things along with home herbal remedies. Our natural world supplies what we need for health and if we pay attention we are instinctively drawn to these trusted methods. The following home remedies have been used by many a generation before pharmacies were convenient. They are gentle methods of healing without the possible side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. Your body's energy becomes totally focused on the elimination of invaders and infection. What is needed is rest and time. Over the counter cold remedies may quickly help you feel better, but what often happens is a person tends to return to his or her daily routine too soon which puts a strain on the body and full recovery takes much longer. And we wonder why we're tired all the time!

The best thing to deal with a cold or flu is to get plenty of rest and allow your body's energy to focus on combating the invading infection. The Sleep Aid Dream Mist Linen or Air Spray consists of a combination of essential oils therapeutically known for their value in relaxing nervous excitability and emotional conflict. To create a feeling of peace often helps dispel gloomy thoughts and once things are put in perspective our minds and bodies can relax.
Spray the linens of your sleeping area but do so sparingly in case you find the aromatics too strong. Spraying your pillow directly is optional, as there is always the risk of skin sensitivity.
Sweet dreams!

Baths are wonderful to not only relax but for home treatment of colds they are great. The steam and humidity opens up congested airways and gets things flowing. Blocked sinuses and a throbbing head certainly is no picnic. Mineral salt baths offer you the beneficial gifts of our soil and ocean waters. Sea salt baths are cleansing and detoxifying. So what is different about this blend? This soak is meant for when your goal is to sweat out impurities with the help of therapeutic mustard seed powder.

Perfect for when cold and flu symptoms leave you achy and stiff. This combination of salts, dry mustard, borax, clay and essential oils are a potent mix meant to open up the pores and provide essential minerals needed by our bodies for improved health.

The mustard stimulates the sweat glands to assist in the elimination of impurities, toxins and infection. Mustard baths can be used to help relieve chest congestion and blocked sinuses, all the while aiding those tired, stressed joints and muscles. By drawing blood to the surface capillaries, there is an increase in circulation and oxygenation of cells. This helps reduce inflammation in the tissues, thereby wonderful for those with arthritic pain.

Borax (sodium borate) is added as a pH stabilizer being it is high in alkalinity. It is a naturally occurring mineral compound of sodium, boron, oxygen and water. Only cosmetic grade borax is used, therefore it does not contain the surfactants and detergents in commercial Borax powders.

Essential oils Eucalyptus, Spearmint, Thyme and Rosemary have antiseptic, antimicrobial, and expectorant properties that help combat respiratory conditions. Reduce congestion, open up the sinuses, relieve muscle aches and headaches, all an aid to helping the body fight infection and break a fever.

Add 1-2 TBSP to a tub of warm hot water and relax for about 30 minutes. When you get out of the tub be sure to dry off and dress warmly. Expect to sweat so drink plenty of fluids and go to bed. It takes a while for your pores to close and you don't want to be chilled.

An alternative would be to add 1 TBSP to a basin of hot water and enjoy a foot bath. Good choice for children who may not enjoy a bath or the strong aroma of the essential oils.

For children under the age of eight, please check with your doctor before use.
Not for use by pregnant women.
Those with heart conditions or should check with physician before using this salt bath.


Our Sinus and Chest Vapor Rub can help fight infection and relieve sinus and lung congestion.

If you look at commercial vapor balms,you'll notice they probably contain ingredients such as thymol, menthol, and eucalyptol. These are components of the essential oils: thyme, mint, and eucalyptus.

A common remedy often used is wintergreen (menthyl salicylate). Wintergreen is left out of our balm as menthyl slaicylate is similar to aspirin and we felt it best not to be used on children.

Check with physician before using on children under the age of eight or if pregnant or breast feeding. Good alternatives for young children would be to substitute the essential oils for Pine, Spruce, Fir, Cypress, Orange or Lavender.

A very effective, alternate method of application is to apply to the soles of the feet rather than to the chest. This is advised for children who may find the aroma too strong.
Whether you choose to massage this vapor rub onto the chest or the feet should you want to increase its warming action lay a warm piece of flannel onto the chest or over the feet.
An option to help open clogged sinuses is to apply just a bit under the nose.

A viral infection has to run its course but if you help things along you may find it easier to breathe and lessen those headaches.


Trying to get our children to cooperate when it comes to taking cold medicine can easily become a power struggle. Perhaps the reason is because its taste is usually not all that appealing. Herbal Syrups may make life a bit easier.

The elderberry itself is very tart but once boiled down into a syrup with the addition of honey, cinnamon, cloves and ginger, the result is a very tasty blend your child just may request when feeling out of sorts.

For centuries, the berry from the shrubby elderberry tree (Sambucus nigra) has been a popular remedy for colds and influenza. Used as a hot tea it promotes sweating and helps break a fever. Taken straight as a syrup it is very soothing for coughs, sore throats and bronchial infections. Sambucus contains compounds that are active against flu viruses and aids in stimulating the immune system. Elderberry syrup can also be taken on a daily basis as a preventative measure during cold season.

As with any herbal remedy this information or syrup formula has not been regulated by the FDA. Herbal lore has been trusted and handed down through the years but it is within your discretion how you use this information in treating a condition.

Dosage is as follows:
Do not use on babies under 2 years due to the honey content.
Children 2-5 years can take 1 tsp. daily as a preventative or every hour while ill.
Children 6-12 years can take 2 tsp. daily as a preventative or every hour while ill.
Adults can take 1 tbsp daily as a preventative or every hour while ill.
Dosages are taken straight as a syrup or mixed with hot water for a tea.

Best kept under refrigeration. Potency lasts about a year.


Objects with which we come into contact every day are a constant source of potential bacterial or viral infection. Shopping carts, computer keypads, remote controls, phones, door handles, light switches, cash register keys and gas pumps. All examples of surfaces that carry germs which can spread from one person to another.

Germ Fighting Air and Surface Spray contains three essential oils known for their broad spectrum action.
Tea tree oil is called the Australian wonder. It is known for its antimicrobial qualities as it is effective against bacterial, fungal and viral sources of infection.
Thyme is another aromatherapy classic against infectious conditions, particularly those of the throat and chest. Pleasing is its woodsy yet warm aroma.
Eucalyptus has the distinct camphor scent most people recognize and associate with preventing or treating colds and flu. Very useful as an expectorant and clearing the head.

This powerful air spray can be a blessing for people who are sensitive to the synthetics and perfumes in commercial air sprays.

Use to spray surface areas or spray around the room to destroy airborne germs while freshening the air.

Shake before use and store out of direct sunlight.


So we do what we can to remain in good health. But it certainly doesn't hurt to be prepared!
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