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.

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

"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.