The Hippie Blog
Geranium Essential Oil: Top 5 Uses
With its strong rosy floral scent, geranium essential oil is uplifting and powerful and proves to be useful in a variety of situations. Perhaps first used by the ancient Egyptians, geranium has stood the test of time and remained a popular aromatherapy ingredient.
Essential Oil of the Month: Bergamot
While they may share a name Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) and Wild Bergamot (aka Bee Balm) couldn't be more different. The fruit peel of the citrus bergamot is what is used to make up the popular essential oil.
Essential Oil of the Month: Cypress
Much like pine and cedar wood, cypress totes a woodsy, pine scent, reminiscent of walking through a forest. Cypress trees are native to the Mediterranean region and can live over 1000 years! The essential oil is distilled from the needles resulting in a thin yellow oil.
Raised Garden Beds: The Shou Sugi Ban Method
Our Sharon garden has been nothing short of challenging. The entire garden area and yard has started flooding nearly every time it rains. With our wet spring seasons that means we had flooded plants several times a year. That just doesn't work for our vegetable crop, so we decided to go the raised bed route. I fought the idea for many years, but I think our new beds are going to be a great way to grow our future crops.
Cedarwood Essential Oil: Top 5 Uses
The Virginia Cedarwood is a slow-growing evergreen, also known as Red Cedar. Originally used by native North Americans, Cedar is an important tree of North America whose fragrant wood is made into cabinets, fence posts, and even pencils.
Lime Essential Oil: Top 5 Uses
Citrus essential oils are always a bright and invigorating addition to any aromatherapy blend. Often taking a back seat to lemon, lime essential oil is a powerhouse that deserves attention!
Make Your Own Oat Milk from Scratch
I've been seeing oat milk everywhere lately but at $3.49 for a half gallon I decided to try out making it for myself, and I'm sure glad I did! It is simple and quick to make.
Adaptogens: What are they and how to use them
When we deal with stress, especially chronic stress, our body responds by asking our nervous system to work harder. This will eventually lead to the nervous system becoming worn out and ineffective. Symptoms of nervous system fatigue are lowered immune system, insomnia, and weakness.
Essential Oil of the Month: Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a fast-growing tree native to Australia but is also found in New Guinea and Indonesia. The essential oil is steam distilled from the wood and leaves and has a strong, herbaceous scent.
Never Stop Learning
So many nights this is our view, wondering what the heck we are going to watch to keep us entertained. Now I know we could easily spend this time at the gym, or reading a book, or doing some spiritual practice, but sometimes we like to relax together (the hippie hubby and I) and do something that involves very little effort after a long day. Television fits that bill nicely.
Turn Everyday Chores into Long Term Wellness
We all know that exercise is imperative to our long-term wellness. So many of us (myself included) spend countless hours working in front of a computer, with no real physical activity during the day. With a busy life it is easy to find excuses not to exercise. How can I take time out of my day to go to the gym when there is a house to clean, clothes to fold, and dinner to make? But what if we took those excuses and turned them into the wellness plan?
Hot Water - The simple switch for better health.
When I first heard of this concept, I was quite sure I wasn't going to like it. Most of us, when thirsty, crave a cool glass of ice water so the thought of a steaming glass of hot water seems just wrong. But to be honest, it's not bad at all. I have been experimenting with ginger and lemon infusions but just plain is okay too.