Monday, August 25, 2014

hippie chick :: summer revival

Summer Skincare :: Part 2

Have you ever stepped outside
and found yourself declaring
out loud
what a perfect day
it is

warm sun
gentle breeze 
when you need it
birds chirping
no bugs bugging
kind of perfection

You may start watering the plants
and pulling a weed here
and there
but
you end up putting the cushions
on the chairs
filling the cooler with ice
and beverages
cranking up the beach music
skimming the pool
while
sipping a berry blue beer

and finding yourself
planning an impromptu
 pool party


because this kind of day
is meant to be
enjoyed.

So I did just that.

Did I apply my sunscreen
first thing in the a.m.?
No
because I'm a big baby who
doesn't like the 
feeling of product
on my skin.

Don't get me wrong 
I use SPF on my face
everyday
I spray myself with
sport strength
before long bouts on the bike
at the courts
by the pool
etc.

but 
I'm not a fan of anything
on my skin
daily
maybe something to do with
Michigan humidity
yeah
let's go with that.

so
at nighttime
I treat myself to
Cocoa Butter Creamy Lotion 
For Face and Body
"this non-greasy, deeply moisturizing
and hydrating cream doubles as an after-sun
cream...it leaves skin 
very soft and silky..."
 Stephanie Tourles
(recipe on-line!)
from her 
Organic Body Care Recipes
book...
and she is right.

Like all recipes
I read through it completely
and began gathering/purchasing/borrowing
the necessary ingredients


Mise en place
(MEEZ ahn plahs)
to put in place
prepared and ready to go


using the rarely used
double boiler
to gently warm the oils, butters, wax
until melted
then combining
with the glycerin mixture
in a food processor
until the magic happens


and a smooth
thick
velvety lotion forms
stirring in
my choice options of 
lavender and vanilla
essential oils
then
storing in little
squat-y
wide-mouthed ball canning jars
for easy access


bedside
with all the other
nighttime essentials


an after shower
skincare
embrace.

Cooking up lotions and potions
all kinds of
good-smelling concoctions 
in my kitchen.

It doesn't get any more
natural than that.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

hippie chick :: summer revival

Weeks..."I've Lost Count" :: Love the Skin You're In



We've heard the line
like a slogan for a cosmetic company
telling us now
after years of abuse
never to go outdoors
sans sunscreen
because
white is beautiful
pale is healthy

teaching a new generation
perhaps
since I recall 
those same cosmetic companies
donning
the California look
beach blondes 
tanned and freckled

beautiful
has transformed
as it always does
defined
by new standards

unfortunately
the skin I'm in
has seen teen years
filled with summers
that came with
burns and blisters
going from fuchsia to sun-kissed red

as a blue-eyed blonde
the quest for a tan was fruitless
and yet I tried


today
I wear sunscreen
most of the time
while applying
sunless tanning lotions
that smell funky
feel yucky
like a sticky earthworm
in an attempt to
 capture 
that
 "healthy glow"
that was ingrained in me

loving the skin I'm in
has been a
challenge
when I consider the
makeup
bronzers
blushes
that i have acquired
to get

the look.

a look that is still
perpetuated


despite
the few ads that are sprinkled in
warning of
skin cancer
sunspots
(or what I affectionately call
freckles)
wrinkles
basically damage due to sun
exposure

they persist
the ads...that is

rampant images


saying one thing
showing another

which is one of the reasons
I no longer 
subscribe or purchase
"women's mags"
that are loaded with
conflicting messages

love the skin you're in

treat it with kindness

today

be loving and gentle
to those
freckles
the character lines
that were garnered as you 
soaked-up a good dose of
vitamin D

Wow...
where did that come from?

All that soap-boxing
to introduce a
natural 
handmade 
lotion
that makes my skin feel...

beautiful

but, alas
it will have to wait
since this post 
is already excessively
long
and tedious.

Check back soon
for Part Two.

xo


Friday, August 1, 2014

"walking backwards"


and unless you've ever had that feeling
it might be hard to explain


stay with me as I fumble through it

your scenarios will most likely be different
but
the end result
often the same

take
 homeschool support groups
as a case in point
it's a sad admission
but true none-the-less
I'm sure
 it isn't the intention
of my fellow homeschoolers
regardless
as they share their stories
the educational paths they have embarked on
the vast achievements
the goings on in their homes
I get that feeling
like I'm not doing nearly enough
not getting done what needs to get
done
so much to do...like learning/teaching Latin...
so little
time
and yet they somehow
find the time

My solution:
Stop attending.

I'm not saying that's the
grown-up thing to do
or even
the most beneficial
since we all need
motivation
to exceed ourselves.

Walking backwards.

Whenever you feel stalled in life
it creeps in
like a nasty tick
unnoticed at first
but eventually the symptoms
catch up with you.

I used that phrase this week
as I relayed a moment from my life
one of those memories that
I revisit on occasion
as a reminder of
who I am

I remember it clearly
walking through a corn maze with an
amazing woman
it was our first visit together
so as she pushed a double stroller
which isn't an easy thing to do through a corn field
with two very young children she and her husband
were fostering
we became acquainted



she shared her story
and
 let's just say
she is one of those people who squeezes
every last ounce out of her life
leaving me with feelings
of exhaustion
in the listening of it
exhausted
and wondering
How a person can get so much accomplished
in a day...in a life
(and a shorter one than mine!)
tired and...okay, I'll admit a wee bit insecure
I started asking myself
what the hell I'd been doing
with my time

then the dreaded moment

when she asked me about my life
a what do you do
kind-of-thing
and
I found myself
fluffing my resume
in a feeble attempt to keep up

Don't you love it when
nasty self-talk rears its
ugly head?

I felt my true story was lacking
in comparison.

I didn't lie
but
I did some serious
embellishing.

So
 you may wonder

Why would I revisit such a
wonderful
self loathing moment?
Because
it was on that doubt-ridden
bumpy
winding
unknown
terrain
struggling to find the right path
that I discovered something pretty
amazing
about myself.

And I found a little forgiveness
as well.

How metaphorically beautiful.

Finding my way.

In the cry of a child.



Who I took in my arms
and as he cradled into me for comfort
snuggled in for peace
I knew
that this is what I do.

This is what I've always done.

I needed to be at home
always available

This is who I am.

The nurturer.
The stay-at-home mom.
It may not speak volumes on a resume
but
this simple (to me) act
worked as a reminder
of how fleeting time is
and I never want to miss a
moment
of these
moments.

Knowing your strengths
learning of weaknesses
is a lifelong process

Constantly learning

as we make our way through
this maze
called
life.