Switching Formats

3/7/2020 - Moving the blog to a different location within my website.  Click here to find it.

              It is my sincere hope to write monthly.  An informative post about Medicine Woods (our United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary), the herbs and flowers popping up, and hope to include a recipe.  It seems logical to

               compose at the end of the month, with the "happening's" that have occurred!  Wish me luck.

The colors of Spring, faithfully, each and every year.

Lot's of funny characters and fungi life abound!!!

        

          

I find, that I never make it over to "this blogspot" space because I am busy taking care of business on my website, and managing the products and store.  

In light of that, I am moving my blog over to the website.  You can find it by clicking here.  

3/7/2020 - It is my sincerest intention to write an informative article, with a recipe, monthly.

Spring brings yellow.

Yellow is a color of happiness.  Cheerfulness.  Sunshine and warmer days.  There is an abundance of it around here.  It's still February.  The daffodils appeared before the crocus.  I love the color....but I wonder about this incredibly warm dry winter we have had. 

 The yellow egg man is one of my favorite "yard decorations."  He makes me smile.  The daffodils are everywhere.  

This little angel is being kissed by a sweet flower.  The forsythia (really early) was amazing to note 

this morning.

I have this buncy of double daffy's and even the centers of this crocus is a lovely yellow.  And even though I love this blast of Spring and I enjoy all of this color, I cannot help but wonder "what's going on here?  I am concerned for my planet.  While I plot and plan, whilst caring for this lovely piece of land, I will enjoy, all of THIS immensely.!!!

Bullying......

The story below was written by a young lady who is very important to me.....it happened on Friday.

"Yesterday, near the end of my lunch break, I was walking back to work from a little Chinese restaurant down the street.  I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings. I almost didn't see the huge truck coming up the hill with an equally huge blue flag sticking out off the back, proudly waving around "TRUMP: make America great again." I was just standing there, minding my own business, waiting for the light to change so I could cross the street.

Through the rumble of all the cars, I caught most of "Hey! I'd like grab ya by the pussy " and then he sped off.  I felt disgusted with myself. And so it begins... or rather, so it continues. So it worsens.

And I know I'm not the only one, and I definitely don't have the worst of it. So many people are reaping the consequences that they did not sow of having a president-elect normalize filthy behaviors. I am not an object to be yelled at, to be grabbed, or to be treated as anything other than a human being. I am disgusted by the people that do this. I am disgusted by the people who think this is okay. I am disgusted by the people who laughed when I told them about this incident. This is not okay. This not funny."

I must admit that when the election was over I wondered if bullying would hapen, would this 'fringe" part of our country feel empowered. Is this going to be the "new normal" because the president elect behaves this way, is it now "okay?"

I am sickened that this young lady was subjected to this behavior by an alleged adult.  I am sickened

the people believe they can treat another human being in this matter.  Even more troubling, a man verbally abusing a young lady. 

The most disturbing "piece of this" to me......is that she felt disgusted about herself.  Did you catch that when you read her story?  I did.  It jumped out at me.  A woman feeling that "she is something wrong."

I don't like bully's. Particularly a man abusing a women.  I have worked, in my business at empowering women for 20 years....but that's another story.

I don't care what you think.....as long as you don't insist I think that way.  You may be devoted to a religion....and I admire that.  But I don't have your religion.  I have my own.  I appreciate your strong feelings.....but please don't try to govern me with your "religious beliefs."  I don't share them.

When you point to the Bible as a reason for your feelings about lesbians, gays, queers, trans or bisexual folks I say to myself....I don't read that in the Bible.  I don't see that on the page.  I don't find that "judgement."  But, if you do....that's great, just don't try to govern me with your views.

And when you do judge me I immediately think, in that same Bible, is their not a commandment that says "judge not lest you be judged.

I noted a large evangelical population voted Republican.  I note that Mr. Trump is the farthest thing from Jesus you can possibly get.  Jesus was not a bully.  He was a Liberal pacifist.  

I note a lot of white woman voted for Mr. Trump.....and I have a lot to say about that....again....that's the next post - 

Until then, be kind to each other, grab the misfits, the dis-abled, the elderly, the ethnic and all the "strange ones" around you.....and give them a great big hug.  Bekind to each other.

And I will be doing the same - until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

Identity Theft.....

I think this "term" puts a little fear in all of us.  It is horrible. All of the trouble to replace everything, montoring your credit to make sure it does not happen again....just a big hassle.

I recently became the victim of another sort of "identity theft" in the manner of a telephone scam Targeting my elderly mother, she received a phone call from her alleged "grandson who stated he had been arrested for drunk driving.  She was visibly upset so I got on the phone.   I became upset, my sister got involved, the mother of the kid was having a very challenging day but ultimately became involved, then my brother was called and began was making plane reservations to help the kid.   And in the end, it was a scam.  It is remarkable how these folks "suck you in" and the ball is rolling before you really stop...and think.

I see now all the questions "I did not ask."  That would have nipped this thing in the bud sooner.  At the end of the hour or so it took to figure it all out......I went through a variety of very strong emotions.  This is such a good kid, how did this happen and on and on..............it was exhausting.
My mother in the end, would not have been able to wire money.....these thieves were left out in the cold.  And yet still.....it was very very upsetting.

The really beautiful picture that emerged, on the other side, is what a great family I have.  In a crisis we all bonded together.  We were making plans, sticking to our phones, changing travels so we could be together, to support each other.  It was a quite lovely.  We know we have a crazy story to share on Thanksgiving around the table.

And one bit of advice I can give from this........when an unexpected, upsetting phone call comes in, ask a lot of questions.  Make sure it is really a crisis before you jump into crisis mode.  Just a thought for your peace of mind....and my own as well.

Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

www.moonmaidbotanicals.com

Changes.....

As we all know.......and some of us know more then others.....life is full of changes.

I have recently experienced a lot of shifting in my personal life and in my business life.  Sometimes I feel like I am twirling.......like the herbs in this bowl.  When this blend stopped twirling...it is a beautiful blend of minerals and wonderfulness.

I can only hope that life "behaves" the same way.  I have found, that is seems that all things happen "for a reason" and that usually, at some end, I see the "good in it all."



My business is changing.  I am amazed at the women who seem completely unable to live without my products.  The 2 little products I started making 21 years ago.....have become "essential" to at the very least, 100's of women.  I am amazed at the power of plants.  Yes....it is the Plants, not me.  I have my "role" for sure in the making and marketing and planning and social media and printing and....
Yes...there are a lot of "ands."  It's a busy little machine.

I have learned a lot.  I continue to learn, from the plants, from my peers, and from my customers.  I am trying to figure out how to best serve, how to best reach my customers.  I love to write.  So....I hope to develop this blog into a meaningful place to share what is happening with me, what is happening with MoonMaid, what is happening with the plants.

They talk to me regularly.  Some softly, some loudly, most are happy....sometimes a little grumbly.
Sometimes they ramble.....and before I begin to.....I shall call this the first of my weekly blogs.

Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

Creating change.....

I learned a long time ago that I can be more effective at "change" from the inside...instead of battling from without.

I heard a young Bernie supporter, one who walked out of the DNC convention, I heard him say to an NPR reporter "it is not about Bernie, it never was about Bernie."  Quote.  What????? I say to myself.  What's the big deal about the DNC favoring Hillary?  (I don't know why it was anyway, did not the RNC not "favor" Trump).  What's all the noise.

Frankly, I have to say of these millenials.......it doesn't happen all at once.  You don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.  You have been saying for weeks it's the Bern.  Now it isn't?  Do you understand how "shallow" that seems?  Such an "I want it now generation and I shall have it now or else" generation.  Walking out....won't do anything.  If you think Mr. Trump will be better then Hillary, or that voting Liberatarian, or not voting will help, well, you are alas sadly mistaken.

I learned when I was a young anti-war protester in 1970 that making noise is wonderful.  It is fantastic to shake things up, make yourself seen.  It is also helpful to be able to put on a suit (which we did not generally wear then) to go to meet with government, local councils, school leaders.  It got us a lot farther.

I learned when I became a massage therapist that being "profesional" meant showing up and looking right.  I changed my name from Cyndi to Cynthia, I developed a uniform, I was always always on time.  This allowed me to be one of the more successful therapists in my area of Miami.

As owner of MoonMaid Botanicals I have learned that if I want to swim in the big pool I have to follow the rules of the "big boss."  In this case the FDA with labeling guidelines and rules, with standards I must adhere too.  A pain - but like I said I want to "swim."  I give discounts to have a large wholesaler, something I hear many small business owners say...they cannot afford.  Hmmmm, I wonder how I could have gotten so far without this decision.

To the point in the title of this post, in order for me to create change in my school, my community, as a professional therapist, as an herbalist trying to reach as many women as I can, I must do "create change" by following a steady path.  Sometimes I have to "put on a costume" that may not be my regular dress.  If it helps people to "hear me,"  what is the issue.

At MoonMaid, it all about "offering a change, a choice" to women who are experiencing "hormone imbalance" that comes with all sorts of unpleasant issues.  It is happening to younger and younger women, which increasingly encourages me to suggest to women "they change" some of their "habits."  Like using and cooking in plastic, having water in plastic.  It brings me to the "consciousness of plastic."  Or eating organic.  Those pesticides have "hormonal effects."  Can't afford organic, I say "how can you afford Not to."  These two things as well as other "zeno-estogens/environmentl estrogens" have a huge effect on your menopause, PMS, peri-menopause, even fertility.

 Women, we, Americans, want a "magic fix."  A pill, an herb, the perfect combination of this or that.  When I suggest to women that it will take more then my product, more then a tea, it will also take "change" in daily lifestyle habits, if you want any long term effects.  This is my humble opinion and 21 years of experience, of course.  We have to allow our bodies to "change gracefully."  We can take hormones, we can have "work," we can exercise ourselves silly, at some moment we "change."  We are softer, wider, older.

My mission is to help women embrace this "change."  Without cutting out body parts, without pills, without hormones, without "harshness."

It is simply a kinder gentler and more effective way.

Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

Where did you go to school?

I was asked that question recently.   What first pops to mind is "what do you mean?  School of herbs?  College? ???"    It got me to thinking.  What school "did" I go to - to become the woman I am today.  The one "embodied" by the image below - that I have created just for this blog.

This got me to thinking.  I went to public school.  Which is where my high school classmates introduced me to "herbs" via dandelion wine.  Dandelions picked in my front yard.

I went to "junior college" where I studied pre-school education, got introduced to yoga, then went on to Recording Arts education - where I met these guys.

I went to massage school.

During a very successful massage career I started studying herbs. I happened upon starting a products business.  MoonMaid - for women with hormone imbalance issues.

And all the while I have been "doing" MoonMaid Botanicals - I have been learning from the "school of women."  While working with this very very intense "school" I have been attending the "school of herbs" to whom I give full credit for my success.

Without my customers, without the plants, I would be nothing at all.  That's the beauty of my work.
Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid