Sunday, May 31, 2020

May Musings - 2020

Didn't the May mini re-open feel great? We are all a bit cautious but being able to be out again (even if just a bit) was good! I've been doing Saturday walks with tea and a friend. We had a take-out dinner on a blanket overlooking the lake. Small steps.

Reading (Books):  I gifted a local Little Free Library with a heaping handful of books which was a high point of my month! (See the red arrow for the donated set.)


Current book count: 59 for the year. 
And I read a ridiculous amount this month. Seriously. R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S.
- You Are a BadAss by Jen Sincero
- Double Down on Demons by Annabel Chase (Kindle Unlimited)
- The Messengers by Lindsay Joelle (Audible)
- Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter (Kindle Unlimited)
- The New Rules of Money by Rick Edelman (Little Free Library find). Seriously out of date.
- Once Bitten  and Wicked Deal, a new series by Linsey Hall (Kindle Unlimited)
- Books 1 and 2 of The Jezebel Files by Deborah Wilde, which was the best thing I've read in some time.  (Kindle Unlimited)
- Fangs & Fiction (part of the Library Witch Mysteries) by Elle Adams (Kindle Unlimited)
- High Stakes and Vampires (Pandora's Pride 2) by Annabel Chase (Kindle Unlimited) 
- Suddenly Psychic and Semi-Psychic Life from Elizabeth Hunter's Glimmer Lake series (Kindle Unlimited) 
- Knights Magica  by B.R. Kingsolver (finale? of the Rosie O'Grady's Paranormal Bar and Grill series) (Kindle Unlimited)
- All 4 of the Stolen Magic series by Jayne Hawke. (Which, after reading the first book of her Hidden Magic series is apparently a total repeat. And explains the name mix up in book 3 of Stolen Magic.) (Kindle Unlimited) 

 Don't judge me. There was a holiday weekend and I was recuperating from putting in the garden, which required laying quietly and reading while the aspirin did its thing for the back and knee pain. Also, Kindle Unlimited is amazing!


Cooking: OMG, so I cooked so much at the beginning of the month that I killed the oven! (I'm still pandemic cooking.) I was making a double batch of breakfast casserole (tater tots, eggs, green peppers, jalapeño and cheese) and the oven just did not heat up! That became a take-and-bake for Israel instead of me bringing it to her. Now I'm Stove-top Sally - peirogies, tortellini, black bean tacos, various macaroni salads, stirfries.

 Also I apparently now have batch cook days when I make like 2-4 meals so we don't have to think about it every day. (I still want a personal chef. #LifeGoals )

 Garden: I put in everything. Ghost peppers. Okra. Cherry tomatoes. Carolina reapers. Strawberries. Early Girl tomatoes. Lettuce. More broccoli. Serrano peppers. Red peppers like crushed flakes. Yellow tomatoes. Thai basil. Purple basil. Thyme.

 Some things came back as planned- the oregano, the tarragon, strawberries, mint. And that ginormous fennel. (I'm the only one who likes it and I never eat quite enough.

 Gratitude: Saturday chai latte and a walk. 
Aquatic cats. Cute face masks. Fun perfume. Dried strawberries. Hummingbirds at the window sipping flowers while Kali kitten watches. Garden shopping with Israel.* The view of my newly weeded garden - very over-planted with marigolds due to BAD BUNNIES who at the cold garden (but are still cute). Summer return of the farmer's market.

Listening:  Center Yourself sleep meditation. (So much).  A little bit to podcasts (Hello 7, Redefining Wealth, Planet Money, Rich Coach Club).  A LOT of Cocktails and Crooners. 

Watching: Killed off Designated Survivor, Season 3. (Hannah Wells deserved better.) The Good Witch, Season 5. And Martha Tinsdale is underrated. Claws, Season 3. Those girls wear a lot of pattern on pattern. I started, belatedly, with Ozark.  Lots of popular shows about laundering drug money - Claws, Good Girls, Ozark. How popular is this as a line of work?? 

 Also, so much Shark Tank. This is our new thing - Guy and I  watch old episodes and Google what happened to them.

Wearing (Perfume & Skin Care):
Perfume

Let's break it down between Sucreabeille and Imaginary Authors. Because I wore a lot of perfume this month.

Sucreabeille - I wore each just a few days rather than finish things off. 
- We Ride at Dawn. Scent notes: Hot black tea with honey and coffee absolute to rise early, cardamom vanilla for comfort, bitter almonds for the lost, a shot of whiskey for strength. I got bitter almond with a whisper of whiskey off this right off the bat. About 5 hours in the cardamon settled in with the whiskey and almond for the ride. 8 hours sillage, easy.
- The Mountain. Scent notes: amber, a pint of oatmeal stout, pure golden honey. The biggest feeling I got off this was warmth - like a morning hearth. And then oatmeal. So much oatmeal. I ended up mixing this for a more rounded profile.
- Toxic Masculinity Ruins the Party Again - Scent notes: A delightfully feminine blend of lavender, vanilla, honey nectar, and a light floral aldehyde. This is a very powdery, floral that dries down even more powdery. Nice sillage.
- Out West - This had been my sleep perfume but with the start of summer, I feel like it's a little heavy and have started mixing it with other scents. Scent notes: Gourmand swirl of honeyed chocolate with a smokey undertone of palo santo. Sandalwood, black musk, coumarin and a drop of camphor create a mysterious, dark undercurrent. It used to be the camphor hits first and I'd have a "WHAT" moment because it's got a medicinal scent. But it fades to warmth of the honeyed chocolate and sandalwood as the lingering dusky scent. (January description). Now, either the scent has shifted or my perception has. I get the honeyed chocolate and black musk right off with a later bloom of sandalwood and light touch of the musk.
- I Come From a Long Line of Terrifying Women - Scent notes: rosewood, whiskey, and amber, gunpowder, guiacwood, and tobacco absolute. Which just smells tobacco on me with some amber. I like it. Okay sillage. 3-5 hours. 
- GlitterTrash - Scent Notes: Watermelon Blow-Pops, baby powder, fistfulls of sticky white cake, last night's champagne and coconut cream. I decided THIS was my last week of May perfume after the long holiday weekend. Something in it - the baby powder? - reminds me of Toxic Masculinity. Right off, I got baby powder, coconut cream and the sticky white cake - also it is very possible there is glitter in this as my skin shimmered a bit. Sillage is light, about 3 hours. 


Imaginary Authors
- Whispered Myths - Scent notes: Natural Cambodian Oud, Cantaloupe, Cedarwood, Muskdana, Honey, Salvaged Shipwreck. I loved this scent! And oddly, everyone said it smelled floral on me. (Salvaged Shipwreck perhaps is a wreath of flowers?) And it easily lasted more than 7 hours.
- Memoirs of a Trespasser  - Scent notes: Madagascar Vanilla, Giaiacwood, Myrrh, Benzoin Resin, Ambrette Seeds, Oak Barrels. I get a lot of Vanilla and Ambrette seed with a touch of oak barrels. It almost smells like vanilla root beer. 
- Yesterday Haze - Scent notes: Fig, Iris, Cream, Tonka, Tree Bark, Walnut Bitters, Orchard Dust. Iris is not a strong scent. And this drifted off inside of a half hour to a vaguely creamy scent dusted with fig and iris. This became my second sleep perfume (basically for hot nights I felt this was a better option.) 
- Sundrunk - Scent notes: Neroli, Rhubarb, Honeysuckle, Rose Water, Orange Zest, First Kiss. With summer officially kicked off by Memorial Day, this seemed like the best way to celebrate - citrus and summer in a bottle.  This became my third sleep perfume - great for a night of summer dreams.
(If you are keeping score - I'd buy Every Storm a Serenade and Whispered Myths. Those deserve a longer wearing.) 

All Mixed Up
I did a weird thing. I mixed two brands. A City on Fire. Notes: Cade oil, Spikenard, Cardamon, Clearwood, Dark Berries, Labdanum, Burnt Match. Plus Out West - . Scent notes: Gourmand swirl of honeyed chocolate with a smokey undertone of palo santo. Sandalwood, black musk, coumarin and a drop of camphor create a mysterious, dark undercurrent. I made "Los Angeles" - because this feels like, name-wise, what Los Angeles would be.

 I also mixed Sucreabeille scents as well - The Mountain with Out West (code name: Sierra Nevada) because I felt like The Mountain needed a non-breakfest breaker scent.
Skincare

I read this scandalous article about less skin care. HAHAHAHAH. No. More is MORE, and choices are great. This month just proves that because I may have tried everything in my skincare kit.

 Day time - I started the month alternating between 1) the Lepaar Luminous Beauty Balm/ Moisture Lock + Stress Recovery (December 2019 Boxwalla Box) until I felt like it was too hot to wear that and started on  2)  African Botanics Le Masque Hydralift Intense (October 2019 Boxwalla box) which I killed in the first 10 days.  Most of the rest of the month, I used the Sweet Briar Hydrating Nectar by Heart of Gold (August Boxwalla find) topped with the African Botanics's Fleur d'Afrique Oil with a little Earthwise Farizad's Veil mix-in sun protector.  Still trying to beat back those eye creases with the 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream. 


Night time -  I just basically threw the kitchen sink at my night-time skincare this month.  You name something in my "arsenal" and I used it!  After cleansing with my favorite 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm and DHC Face Wash (or a couple of fancy nights of Odacite face wash), and then gently daubing on 100% Pure night eye cream - I went crazy with options.  At the beginning of the month, I alternated between 1) the African Botanics Le Masque Hydralift Intense (October 2019 Boxwalla box) all over plus African Botanics's Fleur d'Afrique Oil  until I ran the Masque out or 2) the Lepaar Balm. 3) I did stray  a few nights and try Votary Super Seed Nutrient Cream (February 2020 Boxwalla box). The Super Seed cream is very emollient and just sinks into the skin.) And that became my go-to for the second half of the month. Love how this Super Seed just sinks into the skin and feels so nourishing. 4) A couple of nights, I tried the April Boxwalla - Monastery. the XX Rose Glycolic Gel is a great light exfoliator when topped by the Aloe Hyaluronic Moisture Boost. 5) A couple of nights I also threw the Sweet Briar Hydrating Nectar from August Boxwalla Box on top. I love the Heart of Gold products! 6) A couple of nights - hot nights - I put on nothing but the eye cream because my skin felt smothered.  7) A few days I also put on a bit of Bloom Facial Oil from Generation Bee on my neck and forehead but left everything else blank. 


 Random: I may like gummy vitamins too much.

 Our basement flooded with the big May rain. Days of dehumidifying and clean up. And a stupid Queen of Heaven tree is killing off my lilacs!  (Guy is unconcerned as he wants to remove things and create a porch - for the last 4 years.)

 Speaking of lilac, my new favorite candle has a scent like neon Lilac! WickedPop Candle Company's Do You Suppose She's A Wildflower. Gorgeous! 

Take-away: Sometimes you have to put yourself first. Self-care. Time alone. Rest. Remember, that's okay.

 *Israel, age 22. Oldest. Has her own home and garden.
Original musings posts you may enjoy:



All photos by moi! And you can tell...

*Juice Beauty is a staple in my beauty cabinet. I stray, I try other things - but it's my favorite "foundation" (I used the CC Cream) and great skin care. If you like Juice Beauty too, here is a link. I do get a small commission (at no cost to you) when you use these links which helps support this blog.

- Skin Care by Juice Beauty
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Friday, May 1, 2020

April Musings - 2020

The world is a different place for many of us now than it was in early March. And we are doing the best we can. Be kind to each other. Help if you can. Find the simple joys.

 For me, this is also my birthday month! This was my favorite card.

 Reading (Books): I did a bit of stress reading which meant I made out like a bloody bandit on Kindle Unlimited! (And I'm up to 39 books for the year)
- Blue Goldfish: Using Technology, Data and Analytics to Drive both Profits and Prophets by Stan Phelps and Evan Carroll (hard copy)
- Secrets and Alchemy by Linsey Hall
- Whisper of the Moon Moth by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
- Midlife Fairy Hunter by Shannon Mayer
- Talk Triggers by Jay Baer (hard copy)
- The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (hard copy)
- Reset Your Mindset by Nicole Eckdahl
- Number 4 in Rosie O'Grady's Paranormal Bar and Grill, Well of Magic by B.R. Kingsolver
- The last two of CN Crawford's Court of the Sea Fae Trilogy, Fallen King  and Rising Queen 
- The last two of an Amy Boyles Southern Belles and Spells Matchmaker Mysteries, Magical Dames and Dating Games + Some Pig and A Mummy Dig 
- All 3 of the Newborn Pixie Cozy Mystery Books by Willow Mason

 Cooking: I've made all the things. I have made things I haven't even made in a million years - chicken salad, tuna fish casserole, chicken with roasted garlic and tomatoes, pasta with asparagus and mushrooms, cornbread-topped chicken pot pie, Greek chickpea and rice salad. Chocolate Chess pie. Something about this lock-down situation has made me crave comfort food. (Reminder - I was a hard-core vegetarian for nearly 30 years. I still only rarely eat meat.)
Actually, I'm realizing I haven't shared the Greek chickpea and rice salad recipe. It's super easy and very delicious. 
- 1 can of chickpeas (15 oz) rinsed and drained
- 1 red or yellow pepper, diced
- 1 small red onion or an handful of spring onions
- Make a rice according to package (I like brown rice - 1 cup dried rice/2.25 cups of water)
- Good quality Greek (not Italian) dressing
- Red wine vinegar
- Oregano, salt and pepper

 Cook rice. Dice onions and splash with red wine vinegar. Add diced pepper and the chickpeas. Add warm cooked rice and 1/2 bottle of Greek dressing to start. 1 - 2 tablespoons of oregano, a dash or salt and pepper. Mix. You may choose to add more of the dressing - just do it slowly so it doesn't get get sloppy wet. The rice will hold a good bit of dressing but there are limits.

 This salad can be served warm or cold. On its own. Over a bed of lettuce or beside a bed of chicken. It will deepen in flavor over the first few hours. I like to make it in the morning for an afternoon event. It's a great summer salad because it is heat resistant and keeps for several days in the fridge.

 Gratitude: Old red barns with giant yellow forsythia bushes in the corner as blue jays swoop across the sky - like all the primary crayons brought to life on a country road. To do lists to keep things simple. Good dogs. Cats who think they are dogs. Lawn bunnies - even when they eat my freaking broccoli plants! Garden centers. Flowering spring trees.

 Listening: Classical channel on Apple music. Cocktails and Crooners channel on Apple Music. Nikki Rausch the Sales Maven podcast. NPR How I Built This.

 Watching: Quantico seasons 2 & 3. Killed it and man, season 3 sucked. There is a reason it was short. I swear they hired all new writers who didn't know the backstory. The only good take-away is how Shelby can do damn near anything. Good role modeling. Designated Survivor Season 3.

 Wearing (Perfume & Skin Care):
Perfume

Let's break it down between Sucreabeille and Imaginary Authors. (And people, I have so much perfume that I now have sleep perfume.)


 Sucreabeille was a lot like last month but I killed off the first 3 on this list.
- Here's the thing, F*ck Everyone! - Scent notes: Bourbon, Rich chocolate, Dark amber, touch of dirt - This one opens on the bourbon and the chocolate is lighter than some of the others in the line. Sillage is good. It will last all day.
- Irish Cream - Scent notes: Irish cream, salted caramel, espresso. Decided last month that this is more of a beer perfume than red wine. The sillage is decent, 8-10 hours.
 - Rictus - Scent notes: Funeral wreath of white lilies and black orchids sprinkled with a dusting of graveyard dirt. A somber wake feast of dark chocolate drenched raspberries and a shot of dark rum. - I get straight up rum and chocolate off this. After about 8 hours, I get a touch of lily. This lasts forever - like 16 hours or more on me.
- Out West - Scent notes: Gourmand swirl of honeyed chocolate with a smokey undertone of palo santo. Sandalwood, black musk, coumarin and a drop of camphor create a mysterious, dark undercurrent. It used to be the camphor hits first and I'd have a "WHAT" moment because it's got a medicinal scent. But it fades to warmth of the honeyed chocolate and sandalwood as the lingering dusky scent. (January description). Now, either the scent has shifted or my perception has. I get the honeyed chocolate and black musk right off with a later bloom of sandalwood and light touch of the musk.
- We Ride at Dawn. Scent notes: Hot black tea with honey and coffee absolute to rise early, cardamom vanilla for comfort, bitter almonds for the lost, a shot of whiskey for strength. I got bitter almond with a whisper of whiskey off this right off the bat. About 5 hours in the cardamon settled in with the whiskey and almond for the ride. 8 hours sillage, easy.
- The Mountain. Scent notes: amber, a pint of oatmeal stout, pure golden honey. The biggest feeling I got off this was warmth - like a morning hearth. And then oatmeal. So much oatmeal. I ended up mixing this with a OutWest for a more rounded profile.
- Toxic Masculinity Ruins the Party Again - Scent notes: A delightfully feminine blend of lavender, vanilla, honey nectar, and a light floral aldehyde. This is a very powdery, floral that dries down even more powdery. Nice sillage.
- I Come From a Long Line of Terrifying Women - Scent notes: rosewood, whiskey, and amber, gunpowder, guiacwood, and tobacco absolute. Which just smells tobacco on me with some amber. I like it. Okay sillage. 3-5 hours. 


 Imaginary Authors
Memoirs of a Trespasser - Scent notes: Madagascar Vanilla, Guaiacwood, Myrrh, Benzoin Resin, Ambrette Seeds, Oak Barrels. The benzoin in this line is the first thing that always hits me. After that, it was the myrrh and the amberette seeds. It settled down to a vanilla with guaiacwood.  I got about 3 hours of sillage off it with a lingering hint at 5 hours. 

Skincare

Day time - Oh, time to finish things out! The Mad Hippie's Vitamin C Serum. (Definite re-purchase). I won't be buying the FlowerSpice Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturizer again. It was fine but I noticed my skin doesn't glow with it. My skin does glow with the Lepaar Luminous Beauty Balm/ Moisture Lock + Stress Recovery (December 2019 Boxwalla Box). All my favorite products make my skin glow! Still trying to keep the eye creases at bay with the 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream. 
Night time - Nearly the same as last month, after cleansing with my favorite 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm and DHC Face Wash, and then gently daubing on 100% Pure night eye cream, The change is in what comes next. I've been alternating between 1) the African Botanics Le Masque Hydralift Intense (October 2019 Boxwalla box) all over plus African Botanics's Fleur d'Afrique Oil or 2) the Lepaar Balm. (I did stray 2 nights and try Votary Super Seed Nutrient Cream (February 2020 Boxwalla box). The Super Seed cream is very emollient and just sinks into the skin. Can't wait to use it more often!)

Things 13 Says: I was describing something difficult for most people, drawing hands. Her answer was "They weren't that hard for me. I just looked at my hands and was like 'I'mma draw this'." And that, my friends, is why she will end up a life coach. Because how often do we let the drama in our heads and all the self-imposed restrictions stop or limit us? We should just DO things!

 Random: Dyeing my own hair is not one of my strong suits, and I really miss pedicures. I also had to bathe the dog myself and I'm out of practice. Also it was very weird for the kidlets to be gone for a whole month.

 Who else has a list of things they have bought due to Shark Tank? Brazi balls. The Fit Board. Neuro gum.  It's a whole new level of "As Seen on TV"!

 Take-away: It may be true that everyone you meet is fighting a war you can not see and you don't know what their struggles are. But no one says you have to be their target practice!
PS - Need a creative spark revived? Going crazy during Covid and wanting to journal?  This FREE ebook is for you. 2 journal prompts a day. 1 great quote per day + 1  gorgeous image. 



Click here to download this free book via Gumroad, a secure online platform for creatives.


Original musings posts you may enjoy:



All photos by moi! And you can tell...

*Juice Beauty is a staple in my beauty cabinet. I stray, I try other things - but it's my favorite "foundation" (I used the CC Cream) and great skin care. If you like Juice Beauty too, here is a link. I do get a small commission (at no cost to you) when you use these links which helps support this blog.

- Skin Care by Juice Beauty
Follow my blog with Bloglovin  - A new way to follow!
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Saturday, April 18, 2020

2019 - What I learned

This is late! But 2019 was a challenging year. Especially the last few months. (Although beautiful too. I still owe you all a post from our amazing Belize trip. Maybe this covid shut-down is a good time to dream about far-away shores.) Here's the 5 things I took away from 2019.
  1. Life can look impossible but then it unfolds, and it is awesome. You have to believe the impossible is possible.
  2. No matter how cute, never never never buy sheets that are not cotton (or at least bamboo). 
  3. No one is going to use your referral code - even if it would help them. (Click here for mine.)
  4. If people habitually treat you like an after-thought, it's okay to let them be in your rearview mirror - even if they are "family". (Click here for the story.) Because Oprah was right - the first time people show you who they are, believe them.
  5. Other people do not see you as you see yourself and that's okay. Just don't let them make you forget yourself.

 If you'd like to see what I learned at other points: lessons in 2018,  lessons in 2017, lessons in 2016 , lessons in 2015 or learn about the rules. 

Other posts you might enjoy:

Pictures by me.
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Tuesday, March 31, 2020

March Musings - 2020

Hello! Virtual hugs to all. It's been a troublesome month!

 And I did what I do when stressed. I got plants. Broccoli plants. Strawberry plants. Columbine and peony plants to ward off deer. Seeds for beets, carrots and lettuce. All of these do well in early spring and made me feel productive.

 (I also had to bring office plants home - see below - and wow that was a cat-sized challenge!)

 Right now, I'm about making changes that work for me. Doing what works for me and simplifying every damned thing. So, there is a shake up in the topics!

 Reading (Books): Let the trumpets sound! I finally killed off that book of Irish fairytales I've been dragging around forever! (As one friend said, "It did not capture your imagination." No, it did not.) And I gave it away, so you won't be seeing photos of that cover in the book line-up any more! I also binged a new book and read useful things.
- Irish Fairy and Folk Tales by WB Yeats (editor)
- Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson #12) by Patricia Briggs
- The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity by Edwene Gaines
- The Checklist Book by Alexandra Franzen

 Cooking: March is a birthday month, so there were pies. Raspberry and chocolate chess. (They seem to have gone over well.) Then a request for berry cobbler.

 And then, the limited contact of coronavirus kicked in and we just kind of ate whatever was in the pantry.

 Gratitude: Good health. Kitten snuggles. Hugs. Friends who get tickets to cool things. Streaming services. Mail. Couch snuggles. Grocery stores trying their damned best. (Seriously. Say thank you.) Early spring gardens.

 Listening: Hello Seven podcast. Classical channel on Apple music. Cocktails and Crooners channel on Apple Music. Dave Ramsey podcast. Secrets of Wealthy Women WSJ podcast. 

 Watching: Good Girls. (All caught up with the current season!) Full first season of Blood & Treasure. (The girls in this have real fight scenes!)  Quantico , Season 1.

 Wearing (Perfume & Skin Care):
Perfume

People. I now speak in scent thanks to Sucreabeille. Go ahead... ask what I'm wearing!

 - Toxic Masculinity Ruins the Party Again - Scent notes: A delightfully feminine blend of lavender, vanilla, honey nectar, and a light floral aldehyde. - This is a very powdery, floral that dries down even more powdery. Nice sillage.
- Here's the thing, F*ck Everyone! - Scent notes: Bourbon, Rich chocolate, Dark amber, touch of dirt - I'm trying to figure out why so many of the scents have dirt in them... This one opens on the bourbon and the chocolate is lighter than some of the others in the line. Sillage is good but not extraordinary. 
- Rictus - Scent notes:  funeral wreath of white lilies and black orchids sprinkled with a dusting of graveyard dirt. A somber wake feast of dark chocolate drenched raspberries and a shot of dark rum. - I get straight up rum and chocolate off this. After about 8 hours, I get a touch of lily. This lasts forever - like 16 hours or more on me.
- Irish Cream - Scent notes: Irish cream, salted caramel, espresso. Decided this is more of a beer perfume than red wine. The sillage is decent, 8-10 hours.
- Xanadu - Scent notes: fragrant white tea, grated ginger, saffron, a field of lavender swaying in a cool breeze, carrot seed oil, damp pine needles.I LOVE this one. The ginger makes it feel warm on the skin and gives it a clean spice sent. The pine needles is the tiniest bit medicinal - as is the lavender. The sad thing is that sillage is low on this - less than 3 hours on the skin for me and then drifts off.
- We Ride at Dawn. Scent notes: Hot black tea with honey and coffee absolute to rise early, cardamom vanilla for comfort, bitter almonds for the lost, a shot of whiskey for strength. I got bitter almond with a whisper of whiskey off this right off the bat. About 5 hours in the cardamon settled in with the whiskey and almond for the ride. 8 hours sillage, easy.

 (So sad that this Firefly scent is discontinued because I think this is my signature scent... I Can Kill You With My Brain: Amber, Tahitian vanilla, smoked patchouli, English rose, wild rose.)
Skin care
Day time - using  Mad Hippie's Vitamin C Serum then 100% Pure's Super Fruit Oil Nourishing Eye Cream and then top it off with FlowerSpice Soothe and Repair Daily Moisturizer from the April 2019 box. 

 Night time - After cleansing with my favorite 100% Pure Blood Orange Cleansing Balm and DHC Face Wash, and then gently daubing on 100% Pure night eye cream, I've been using the African Botanics Le Masque Hydralift Intense (October Boxwalla box) all over plus African Botanics's Fleur d'Afrique Oil. Winter is finishing out and my skin needs the extra moisture. Sometimes if we have to go out for the dog in the early morning, I'll do a rosewater spritz and then Bloom Oil on the corners of the eyes.

 And let's have an update about the FlowerSpice Soothe and Repair. It's nice...but with daily use I have noticed that my skin gets "hot" (red spots at the forehead and splotchy cheeks) if I use it morning and night. It actually does best for me if I only use it once every other day. Then, somehow, my skin finds it comforting.

 Also, no one thought I was 15 years younger. But I did get hit on a lot the week before lockdown. 

Random: I had a minor health scare that require a few in-office doctor procedures. Never underestimate the value of having someone to take you to that kind of thing; and, by all means, get your regular check-ups and catch stuff early! As a result of some of my clarity around that, I also took a new job. I'd been at my prior job for 7 years so that was a big change! This will also shift my stress. I had political and social stress at the prior position due to a misalignment with the culture (I think women should be in leadership, they didn't). Now I just have the stress of learning a new product line and audience!

 I made a scarf for Isy (22) and forgot to document it with a photo. So I guess that didn't happen! 

 Also, Roxanne and I went to a super fun Women's Expo (early March, before we all knew to self-isolate). We did all the things. We got fitted for bras. (I wasn't even close on the size I was wearing!) She got her hair styled. We made candles. We made perfume (mine is Jade, Rain, Fig)! We decided we might join the roller derby. All in the space of just a few hours! (And then we went to Trader Joe's because that place has the foodz.)

 Take-away - Only connect. (EM Forester). Don't forget that in this time of troubles. And be kind because it matters now more than ever.

Original musings posts you may enjoy:



All photos by moi! And you can tell...

*Juice Beauty is a staple in my beauty cabinet. I stray, I try other things - but it's my favorite "foundation" (I used the CC Cream) and great skin care. If you like Juice Beauty too, here is a link. I do get a small commission (at no cost to you) when you use these links which helps support this blog.

- Skin Care by Juice Beauty
Follow my blog with Bloglovin  - A new way to follow!
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