Lovey Dovey in the New Year!

Eggscellent Sculpt-Your-Soap (Shea butter castile moldable goodness:-)

Eggscellent Sculpt-Your-Soap (Shea butter castile moldable goodness:-) 12-

at www.emmetsessentials.com

413-210-0495

info@emmetsessentials.com

Paypal

The Essential Oil Bar!

Now available for your custom-goodies!

Call 413-210-0495 to customize or email us @

info@emmetsessentials.com

choice

"...Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." ~ Viktor Frankl from Man's Search for Meaning

Get a FREE subscription to Philosophers Notes- http://philosophersnotes.com/freebies

we love-

We are shaped and fashioned by what we love. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832, German Poet/Dramatist/Novelist

(from selfgrowth.com)

Dinner On Us

Rachel Cassia Trigere Besserman wrote
at 3:13pm
This is an awesome class/program at UMASS where you meet and learn with other parents . . pizza first and the kids all get to play while you earn credit towards your degree.

A degree in parenting, how novel!

R:-)

Emmet self-portrait

mum show - Smith College

Warrior II Pose

"Yoga can help improve your posture by increasing your flexibility, toning your muscles, and releasing tension - it's a good exercise option for everyone, regardless of age."
-- Andrew Weil, M.D.

Today's Tip

Why Do the Warrior II?

If you want to increase stamina and express your inner fierceness, try the Warrior II Pose. It was named in honor of an incarnation of Shiva, a fierce warrior described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet, wielding a thousand clubs.
What the Warrior II Can Do for You

-http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03058/Why-Do-the-Warrior-II.html

risk

Dare to risk

"To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard of life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, live, and love."

-- Leo Buscaglia

http://www.higherawareness.com

October Gardening Tips
Moss in the City - with William Moss
National Gardening Association

1. As a family activity, paint some of your pumpkins instead of carving them all. Use nontoxic paints to create colorful, scary faces, or whatever you can imagine. After Halloween, use the pumpkins to make bread, muffins, or pies with the kids.

2. Pot up amaryllis, gloxinias, freesias, and other winter-blooming bulbs now for blooms by Dec.

3. Spend some time outside under the Hunter's Moon. The full moon in mid-October is one of the brightest of the year. Enjoy brisk evening walks before the cold months arrive.

http://www.garden.org/urbangardening/index.php?page=october_seeds

sing

culture

[Hilltown Families] News & Updates


Big Yellow School Bus Grant Program for Schools


New Massachusetts grant program provides essential funds for cultural field trips

We have heard from Local Cultural Councils across Massachusetts that transportation costs are a growing factor in whether or not schools can afford to send students on cultural field trips. Given that there are already huge demands on LCC funds, the Massachusetts Cultural Council has sought ways to support LCCs in their work and to supplement the funding available for young people to connect with art and culture across the state. We are pleased to report that Bank of America Charitable Foundation has invested in a partnership with MCC to help communities meet these rising transportation costs.

The Big Yellow School Bus is a new grant program to help schools meet the costs of providing educational field trips to cultural institutions and events across the Commonwealth for their students. The program invites any K-12 school in Massachusetts to apply for a $200 grant to be put towards the cost of transportation for cultural field trips during the 2008-2009 school year; grants will be awarded on a first come first served basis.

Big Yellow School Bus is an ideal complement to the Local Cultural Council PASS program, which subsidizes the cost of tickets and often transportation to cultural field trips. Because Big Yellow School Bus funds are limited, LCCs that fund transportation for PASS field trips should continue to do so. The Big Yellow School Bus program cannot replace the valuable support that LCCs offer schools around the state. Our hope is that schools will take full advantage of both the PASS and Big Yellow School Bus programs to ensure that as many of their students as possible gain exposure to art and science museums, historic sites, and music and theatre performances.

Please help us spread the word to your local schools about this exciting new grant program! Applications and more information can be found online at http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/programs/bigyellow.html

pie

Ala!-

National Gardening Association

http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=october_recipe

Best-Ever Pumpkin Pie

by Sandra Oliver

There's nothing like the smell and taste of a fresh pumpkin pie hot
out of the oven. It is the quintessential autumn comfort food. Here's a
classic, easy-to-make recipe that features earthy spices and not too
much sugar. Enjoy!

• Pie dough for one crust (recipe follows)
• 2 cups pumpkin puree (from a 3- to 5-pound pumpkin), well drained
• 1 1/2 cups milk (or one 12-ounce can evaporated milk)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (or molasses, or a combination of the two)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Rum, bourbon, or vanilla, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a 9-inch pie tin with one crust. With a
mixer or wooden spoon, mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar or molasses,
spices, salt, and flavoring. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes
at 425 F., then reduce the heat to 350 F. and bake for 45 minutes
longer or until center jiggles slightly when pan is shaken. Makes 6 to
8 servings.

Pie Dough for One Crust

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup chilled vegetable shortening, cut into four cubes
• Ice water

Toss the flours together in a broad bowl. Cut in shortening with a
pastry blender, two knives, or better yet, your food processor. Blend
until mixture looks like coarse meal. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a
time, tossing flour and shortening mixture with a rubber spatula after
each addition until a ball of dough begins to form. Add only enough to
make the dough cling together. Chill. Roll out to fit a 9-inch pie pan.

family herbal medicine

2008 Northeast Grassroots Community Herbal Convergence

October 3rd-5th
This year's Convergence will be held at Earthfire Farm in Ashfield, MA

The Community Herbal Convergence is an annual bioregional gathering co-created by herbalists and activists. We are committed to accessibility, diversity, equality, and sustainability within the fields of Clinical and Community Herbalism, and Herbal Education. The convergence is a celebration of honoring ancient roots and new traditions. With our elders, teachers, and plants as guides, we envision healthcare that moves beyond racism, classism, homophobia, sexism, cultural appropriation, environmental degradation, and the corporate takeover of herbal medicine. This gathering is a space for creativity, sharing, education, gratitude, inquiry, healing, and empowerment. Our intention is to support and nourish diverse, inclusive, and reciprocal healthcare networks in the Northeast.

http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/museum/schoolyard.html

http://www.muralmosaic.com/Cadeau.html

www.schoolofthinking.com

School of Thinking - What are YOUR strengths?

www.schoolofthinking.com

Dr Martin Seligman is the founder of Positive Psychology, a new branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions.

Creativity!

Meridian Yoga

Dear Yoga Friends
I hope your summer is going well!

I'm writing you from New Mexico, deep in the Monzano Mountains, near Albuquerque. I'm attending a retreat with a Sufi teacher named Adnan Sardan. He's amazing by the way.
Last May a forest fire burnt part of the retreat center and the surrounding environs, so the mountains are both black and green .... dark with burnt trees and vividly green where new growth is coming.
When I practice yoga outside in the mornings here, and gaze at the mountains I reflect on the cycle of destruction and creation, dramatically evident in front of my eyes. Life is change, so if you're only feeling the aftermath of the fire, look for the birthing too. Find the little bursts of green in the dark areas of your life. These little spurts of life are there and important. Find them and nurture them .... for you and the world too.

Here are some upcoming Yoga trainings .... offered in the spirit of new, courageous, green life. May we all be blessed with that!

Namaste, Mountain
Daniel Orlansky
www.yogaofenergyflow.com

When you feel there is no hope,
be the hope. ~ Yogi Bhajan

http://www.meridianyoga.com/index.shtml
New Birth on the Mountain

House Rules

Are rather simple really- Be Gentle and Clean up!

Wow Mushroom!

LOOK!

What IS that?

WOw! It's a mushroom:-)

Oh my! Emmet pointed this out to me on our way to the library- at first I was confused as i thought I might be looking at an ocean booee (sp?) then it truly looked like a dinosour egg, to me. When we went up to it and realized it was a mushroom we were in complete awe!!!

Our best searches on the net reveal this to be an earthball musroom! What a sight:-)
The Audubon Field Guide to New England has a picture of this mushroom and lists it as a Giant Puffball (Calvatia Gigantea) With much curiousity we delved into it and found it rather solid inside, much like a mozzarella ball. Later we found that the lawnmower had shredded it to bits, spores all over the place!

Sunflower Summer

We just transplanted a whole family of sunflowers to the front of our apt. building-
people are loving them! :-)

Lightening McQueen snowboots!

Sabba and Savta (Grandparents) sent the coolest gift! A gift certificate for whatever we want-

We got Emmet these awesome light up boots for only 14 bucks or so . . . ok, so they're probably not fair trade. And who knows where they're made . . . still they light up and Emmet is wearing them now in the heat of summer. They're pretty big and yet he can still walk well in them. Yay! Snow boots:-)

Between the Lions LIVE!

The Academy of Music in Northampton featured a live performance of the lovely lions from PBS Kids.

Read Between the Lions . . . as they say and check out this amazing show to help kids learn to read!

change

stay motivated more-

http://greatday.com/motivate/index.html

be the change!

from heartmath

dancing globally!

http://drbenkim.com/matt-harding-dancing-around-world.htm

PVC Free!

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/852/t/2088/signUp.jsp?key=3567

Tile Zen watercolor for children

A simple tile with watercolor = hours of fun for the beginner's mind of a child.

Simply wash and create anew!

Be sure to document with your handy cam and get creative on the computer.

The possibilities are endless!

R:-)

Chocolate!

Looking for something fun to do this summer in the kitchen? Something that will also be just as fun to eat-

CHOCOLATE!

Buying in bulk is essential here-

go wild in the kitchen with melted chocolate which can be shaped or drizzled onto a cooking sheet.

Have fun and yum!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art!

Another backyard gem for us to explore- now that school's out take the kids for a day of art and creativity at this spacious
art museum. Plenty for a full day of fun!
R

p.s. send an Eric Carle postcard below


http://www.picturebookart.org/Send_Ecard

Look Park!

Looking for a fun adventure this summer?

http://www.lookpark.org/

Right in our back yard is the lovely Look Park!

Cardinal Creation!

A pair of mating Cardinals is dancing in my backyard . . right across the street from the Veteran's Skate Park in Northampton, MA. Beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1h4vGFO_Qg&feature=related

They dance and prance and chirp so loudly.

Here is what i found on the meaning of Cardinals:
Symbolic Meaning of Cardinals
September 28, 2007, 7:56 pm
Filed under: animal symbolism, animal totems, nature, new age, spirituality, symbolism | Tags: animal guides, animals, bird watchers, bird watching, birds, cardinals, meanings, signs, Symbol, thoughts, totems, wildlife, winter

The symbolic meaning of cardinals deals with vibrancy and brilliance.

As we observe the cardinal - particularly against the backdrop of the stark winter months, we are reminded that even when things appear bleak or isolated, there is always the presence of beauty, hope, and love.

Cardinals encourage us to express our brilliance and reveal our truest selves. Their radiant red is a symbol for us to recognize the gifts in our hearts that we have to give to others in love and friendship.

Here is a quick summary of the attributes & symbolic meaning of cardinals:

* Sexuality
* Vibrancy
* Renewal
* Self-reflection
* Friendliness
* Vitality
* Goodwill
* Industry
* Brilliance

More on the symbolic meaning of cardinals can be found here.

http://symbolic-meanings.com/2007/09/28/symbolic-meaning-of-cardinals/

Here is another video, especially pleasant to watch! Enjoy and be well friend,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cmr2IDIbdc&feature=related

Rachel

p.s. Cardinals must really like Holly trees because here is another Holly tree just like the one in our yard and the Cardinal looks red as a berry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS45FgG2LyQ&feature=related

Sweet Cider-making video!

For a long time now I have wished I could drink cider vinegar for health, but it's just too intense. Now I have found cider syrup . . and I am a very excidered about it! lOL! mix the two and I've got a match made in New England!


http://woodscidermill.com/VIDEO/CiderVideo_Broadband.html

Horse as Healer-Artemis born at the Epona riding community!

http://taoofequus.com/

Heart Math on Attention!

green media

Heart Math on Truth

Hilltown Families on tree learning

Tree Books Worth Discovering

TREES: A READING LIST

By HF Contributing Writer, Tony(a) Lemos

Sienna’s Arbor Day Episode on HFVS inspired me to compile a list of some of our favorite tree books I thought readers might find useful this time of year. One of my favorite things to do is to take my daughter Zoe on a hike with the intention of finding a new tree friend. We will hike until she finds one, then we’ll stop and spend some time with “her” doing a bark rubbing, tracing/ drawing the leaves, photographing, hugging, identifying and finally sitting up against her quietly to see if she has a message for us. Often we will end our time together by me reading or telling Zoe a story. Our favorites for our tree walks are nature tales by Thornton Burgess.

There are so many kids books about trees. Some fiction and some not. I am drawn to them all. There are the typical early science ones by Gail Gibbon or Bobbie Kalman, but here are a few of our favorites:

Fiction:

• The Tree Farmer - By Leavell & Cravotta
• The Old Tree - By Ruth Brown (A fun nature story with a great surprise at the end!)
• An Elm Tree and Three Sisters - By Norma Sommerdorf
• Sarah’s Willow - By Friedrich Recknagel
• Spirit of the Forest: Tree Tales From Around the World - By Eric Madde

Art/Science:

• Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art - Illustrated by Thomas Locker & written by Candace Christiansen (Beautiful Illustrations as we all expect from Thomas Locker.)
• The Tree in the Ancient Forest - By Carol Reed-Jones (Beautiful lyrical story of life around an old-growth fir tree

Non-fiction:

• Around the Oak - By Gerda Muller
• My Favorite Tree: Terrific Trees of North America - By Diane Iverson (Kids share their special tree. Somewhat of a field guide)
• A Logs Life - By Wendy Pfeffer (Decomposition for kids.)
• Exploring the Forest with Grandforest Tree - By Joanne & Hand (Great homeschooling book! Like no other.

Guide Books:

• Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take-Along Guide) - By Diane Burn

I have to stop. Oh don’t forget the story the Man Who Planted Trees and Hope, another classic! I’ll have to gather up some of my favorites from my adult collection and share a list one of these days!

After a couple of season of doing these tree walks I have found that Zoe notices trees where ever we are, ” Oh that would be a great tree house tree” or “look mama that tree needs a hug”.

---

About the Author: Tony(a) Lemos

Tony(a) is the director of Blazing Star Herbal School in Ashfield, MA and maintains an herbal practice in Northampton, MA. She is a graduate of Natural Therapy at Raworth College in England and has apprenticed with many influential herbalist, including Susun Weed. She is the vice president of the North East Herbal Association, and has taught at conferences and festivals all over New England, including Green Nations Gathering and the Women’s Herbal Conference. tlemos@noho.com

Spring Newsletter '08!

Hello from Emmet's Essentials!

Happy Spring! Enjoy our seasonal newsletter! In the Spring edition,

we share colorful photos as usual, and some earthly delights!

Enter by clicking the image below:

Imagery for healing!

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/natural-health/healing/guided-imagery/

Make your own toothpaste!

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Toothpaste

Green Vacations!

What riches we have in this country to explore-

Find a local park and go primitive. Bonfire and all!

We will be on Lovell Island at the Boston Harbor Islands this summer- we'll be Island hopping.

How luxurious and local!

Btw, it's 58- a week, incredible.

Do it.

R:-)