Endings and Beginnings

It has been a time of endings....my cousin Chris died suddenly.  A year younger then me.  It makes you think........

Chris and Jeri

And beginnings....my niece Lydia just graduated and is preparing to enter college @ Eckerd University.  She is a very talented artist.  She will be near her Aunts, Kim and Karen, my sisters, and her cousins.  I am sure this will include the start of new traditions in the events of family.  I look forward to that!!

Lydia Johnston

she had this to say about her years in school......

"I don't think I'll miss being a part of a system that is more concerned with how much information I can regurgitate on paper and how many hours I sit, idly or not, in a building under the guise of learning. I don't think I'll miss the Americanized, industrialized form of public education that has enveloped the last 13 years of my life and has nearly burnt out my motivation, my curiosity, my creativity, and my general desire to learn and explore. I'll miss caring educators like Paul Gantt and all of the other mentors, family members, and friends that have encouraged me to grow, though I don't think I'm alone in saying that graduation has been long overdue for some time."

I found her comments a bit sad and hope her new beginnings @ college inspire her quite a lot more.

We are beginning the start of the Summer season.  My season!!!  I love summer, it includes my birthday.  I will be entering the end of my 50's.  I have ended a long term relationship.  I am getting to know my self, by my self again.  It feels like I have spent a lot of my life alone, searching for "that perfect something."  The events of these last several weeks have enlightened me.....life is happening now!!!  Don't Wait!!  Go for it, start now, appreciate every moment.  It is the time of Day Lily's and Rhododendrons strong and resilient.  Bright.  I love that too!!

At MoonMaid we are going through changes as well.  We are discontinuing a couple of things and are making new items.   Our face serum is almost complete.  You love our soap, it is flying off the shelves, so we have created BathBliss Soaking Salts in the very same unique scent - our special combination of essential oils and flower essences.  If you have enjoyed Dianne's Homemade....get it now @ 50% off.  Write "50%" in the "COMMENT" box @ checkout.

Our podcasts on BlogTalk Radio continue monthly.  On July 7th my guest will be Gia Combs-Ramirez speaking on Crystalline Consciousness.  Get the show and call in details here.  On July 14 I will be hosting my first MenopauseChat.  For 30 minutes I will take your calls related to menopause, aging, nutrition and helpful herbs.  Details for this show are here.

We have a product giveaway each month AND we do a monthly drawing.  Sign up for this newsletter here. This month, every person who orders will be entered in our drawing for a BathBliss Tub Kit.  You'll love it.  Our giveaway in June is a sample of our SignatureSoap, an organic goat milk blend with our special essential oil blend and flower essences.  Like I said, flying off the shelf.

Check out our new website and all of our products @ www.moonmaidbotanicals.com

Monday @ MoonMaid Botanicals

It is Monday!!  And it is June!!!  Whew.....where is the year going.  As one of my nieces said - "It's June?  It was only Christmas last week."  And wait until this new graduate notes how much faster time will begin to fly as she enters college, her 20's and beyond.  It flies.  And, I had the "slap in the face" reminder that "you never know when your time will come."  One of my cousins passed away very suddenly this past Saturday.  A healthy guy, taking good care of himself, drops dead @ 58.
It is so true......you never know.  So.....love life to it's fullest each and every day!!!

The mountain laurels are blooming and the wild roses and honeysuckle fill the air with sweetness.

We are featuring our BathBliss Tub Kit this month and giving a free sample soap with every order. Put "soap" in the "COMMENT" box @ checkout.

I am also doing a BOGO special of Dianne's Homemade.  It is the perfect trail snack!!  I am sure you will love it as much as I do!!              

 I am doing my podcast - Women of A Certain Age and.....monthly.  Mondays show was about "Getting Outdoors" with my dear friend Vesna Plakanis of A Walk in the Woods.  Not only does she have this fabulous hiking and guide company, she is working with the crew that is filming the movie A Walk In The Woods in our area. A Robert Redford project!!  When in the Smoky Mountains, this is the company you want to make your trip and experience of the best kind!!!!
In two weeks, on Monday, I will be launching Menopause Chat on the same platform.  A 30 minute call in show where I will take your calls related to menopause.  Products, nutrition, and remedies will all be offered for you!!  Call in details here.  7 PM ET Mondays as the summer goes along.

As the days grow longer and longer approaching June 21st, the Summer Solstice, I trust you will feel the abundance all around us!!

                                                                         

Memorial Day

It is Memorial Day.  A day to remember those lost.  I lost a friend this last year, who suffered side effects to Agent Orange, from the Vietnam War.  His loss, all loss of life, is sad, there is someone on any side who is grieving.

When I think of loss of life - the many animals that perish on this planet, for our tables, for our floors, for our pleasure.  Just going along living life - and WHAM.  Death, grief, saddness to some being.

When I spend time in my garden, I am reminded that there is a circle to life.  With one loss, comes new life.  Plants remind me of that.  They remind me to be mindful when I prune, plant, or pick.
I talk to my plants - they talk to me.  It is a relationship that goes round and round.  And they sure are beautiful.

                                              

I  hope you have had a lovely long weekend if you are so graced to have one.  I long for the days when on a "holiday" like this - everything, even gas stations, are closed.  

Through the rest of the month, I am including a sample size SignatureScent Soap or BathBliss Bath Salts with every order.  Put "soap" or "salt" in the COMMENT box @ checkout.

My podcast, Women of a Certain Age and......is broadcast monthly on the first Monday of each month.  On June 2 @ 7PM ET, I am doing a show with my two dear friends Vesna Plakanis of A Walk in the Woods and Elaine Miller a long time supporter of the Smoky Mountain National Park. on Women, MotherNature and Camping ( in style!!!).  Vesna is a hiker, backbacker and wild food enthusiast and Elaine is the "glamping queen" and will be the chef extraordinaire for MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary Gals Glampout, coming up in the spectacular Fall season at the Sanctuary.  Details here.  

I am also the herbalist for Vesna's Women In Wilderness Weekend Retreat on September 12th thru the 14th.  Details here.

Have you signed up for our newsletter?  Every month we have a giveaway of a one of our products.  You never know what it will be.  We won't bombard you with email.   I write a bit about an herb, what's new @ MoonMaid and always include a few pictures of the garden. I send it out 2 times monthly.  Stay informed.  Sign up here.

Until next week - may you be blessed with good health, good work and a good life.  

Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

MoonMaid's Botanical Blog

I spent last week in Florida.  I am amazed at the difference in Spring in different locations around our country.  In Florida, you have a bit of everything from no winter at all (i.e. Miami) to a pretty good winter (i.e. Tallahassee), but still no snow.  A cold winter really, seems to "do" something for many plants.  I have seen extremely large trillium, masses of violets, mountain laurel covered in blooms and plantain the size of hostas!!  So many  "extreme" displays of growth and flowers that I attribute to the very cold spells we had!!  I have not seen blooms like this in a very long time.    I went out in the yard and "picked a pot of tea."  Delightful after spending 12 (yikes) hours in the car.

I have enjoyed walking round the place and noting all of the kinds of plants popping up.

Around the garden.

My podcast, "Women of a Certain Age and.....," is scheduled monthly.  Next show is June 2, 7PM ET.  I will be joined by some outdoor enthusiasts like myself.  Vesna Plakanis of A Walk In The Woods, Elaine Miller, who has a long history with the National Park Service in The Smoky Mountains, and I will talk about how wonderful it is to take a hike or go camping.  It does not have to be "rustic!" You can treat yourself and still enjoy the benefits of a tent and sleeping!!  In October @ MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary we are sponsoring an event we are calling Gals Glamp-Out to benefit our land trust fund.  Details here!!!  We will be announcing more about the land trust soon.  

Every month we do a product giveaway!!  Something we are working on, a plant special, our newest products - you just never know.  This month we are giving away trial sizes of our Signature Soap.  It is available in a 3 and 6 pack.  We love it and think you will too!!  To find out what our offering is for June - sign up here.

If you have not been to the website lately - check it out.  We have a new look @ moonmaidbotanicals.com

Until next week - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

May @ MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary

MoonMaid's gardens are incredible!!  Lot's of color, but this week it was really the white flowers that stood out.  I missed a few here like foam flower but you get the idea.  I love this time of year as the grass goes wild and the plants seem to shout yippee!!!  

The White Album

Wild Yam, which is a main herb in our menopause and andropause related products - is just popping out in the garden.  I love the brilliant green color.

 Check out the look of our new website!!!  It is new!!!  It was a lot of work and I like it!!!  I hope you do too.

Sign up for MoonMaid Mail and be informed about our monthly specials - usually a free product with your order!!!

The special for May is a grabbag.  We will send you one of our new products like our Signature Soap, our BathBliss Soaking Salts or maybe a face serum I am working on.  You just never know.

MoonMaid's BlogTalk Radio Show airs the first Monday of every month.  Tomorrow Cynthia will be joined by Donna Marie Coles Johnson of the Indie Business Network.  We will be discussing how women are reinventing themselves as they transition into a new phase of life.  Menopause stirs up those raw emotions to "try something new" and we will cover how that is empowering and transforming lives both older and young!!!

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend and have a fabulous week ahead. 

Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

It's Earth Day!!

Today is EarthDay - the 40th anniversary.  I remember vividly the first one.  I was 18, it was a full day of peace love and hippies.  Colorful people and flowers everywhere.  No kidding!!!  We picked up trash!!  It felt great and community building.  I did the same thing today.  40 years later and it still felt good, it felt great in fact, to be participating in my community!!!  Way to go Gatlinburg, and to all the cities across this country that sponsor litter pick-ups.  It is a particular pet peeve of mine.  It is an incredible problem here in East Tennessee, just about the worst I have ever seen, and in such a beautiful area.

And it is beautiful!!!  MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary is bustin' at the seams with flowers and herbs popping up everywhere.  I hope you enjoy this sampling as I enjoy taking the pictures and looking back at my past posts, noticing the changes, the sameness, and all the wonder of living on this little gem nestled in the Smoky Mountains.

I want to remind you that we publish a newsletter monthly with our "special of the month."  It is a product giveaway, or free shipping or samples of new things we are working on.  You never know what we will dream up.  Sign up here 

Check out MoonMaid Botanicals on Pinterest, on Facebook or on our website.  In the very near future we will be announcing some exciting news about MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary.  Stay tuned for that.

For now - that's the news from MoonMaid Botanicals and   Cynthia.

April and Spring are in Full Swing

                                                         It certainly looks like Spring!!!

Around the Garden

Dandelions are everywhere.  We are picking in earnest @ MoonMaid as we prepare to make tinctures, glycerites, oil and some wine.  I may even give jelly a try!!  I love the beautiful yellow color of dandelions.  I am amazed at the nourishing tonic the leaves and roots make when you create an infusion with them, right from the yard or garden.  They are a prefect Spring cleanser. Here is a link that shows how to make an infusion

When you hear this fellow call, you can be sure Spring has arrived.  I think this is the earliest date he has arrived since I have lived here.  His song is a welcome sound!!!

     

         Whipporwill

This month's free gift with your order of $20 - BathBliss Soaking Salts!!!  We think they are essential for your bathing pleasure, we think you will too!!  Sign up here.  Put "salts" in the Promo Box @ checkout.

Women of a Certain Age and......podcasts resume on Monday April 14 @ 7PM EDT.  My April show features Stephanie Houston, EFT Practitioner.  EFT is also known as "Tapping" or Emotional Freedom Technique.  Join us as we do an on air session.