Women on the road...

When I was on the road I was surprised to find many many folks travelling about, going all different directions in all manner of ways.

Erik on his bicycle.

New York to LA - now what.  Read more.  Awesome kid.

These folks on a Harley.

I saw Minnie Winnies, super big Winnebago's, buses, lots of "vintage" looking trailers.  I took a lot of pics but not to many of vehicles for some reason.

Another thing I noted were the number of women on the road, solo.  Just like me.  Lots.  I can think of  5 right off the top. We all had two things in common - we were in cars we felt secure and safe in and we all had dogs.

Here is one of my road friends.

I had many many friends, customers and folks on the road, tell me "how brave I was."  Hmmmm.  I never really thought of it that way.  I wanted to go and had no one to go with......what else is one to do.  The stark difference of my life, not only because I never married or had children, but also that I as an entrepreneur, march to a slightly different rhythm then most.  I may not be happy with every situation of my life in reflection, but being a business owner has taught me to "push on."  Everything will be alright.  I am not saying, by any means, that it is never stressful either.  I have learned in business, and on this trip I just made, that one must trust and ask for the help one needs, in whatever way that is.

It was a good lesson.
Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid

It was a wonderful journey

And....as you might imagine....good to be home.  No place like home.  Friends, family, kitties and the land.....all awaited me.  I drove 6942 miles.  In just under 5 weeks.  And I did not get to even 1/2 the places I wanted to.  There is another trip in me just down the road.

Nissan, my travelling companion, had quite a trip himself.  He saw the ocean for the first time, experienced the "big city" and made a bunch of friends.  He travelled really well.  I was so glad to have him along.

Nissan in San Francisco, his friend Ellie and Nissan again at the beach.

So many things "happened" I saw so much, I met so many interesting people, most of whom I will never see again.  I learned a lot about this country and most of all myself.  I challenged and stretched my capabilities and my sense of trust.  It was awesome, terrifying, confounding and Fun!!!

This kid, Eric, was riding from New York to LA - he made it.  It turned out, we were sort of on the same path, he even went to Redlands, where I had lunch with my brother.  I met him somewhere on Hwy 66 - where I veered off for a bit, in Texas I think. Hwy 66 run right alonside I40 and is an interesting bit of history itself.  That's another trip.

I started out in Arkansas and dinner with a new friend.

Off to Oklahoma City for dinner with a long time customer

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Then to Santa Fe where I did a demo and chatted with customers

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Then to the magical Sedona.  It was so beautiful and decided to play a trick with my car's air conditioning.  It stopped...and then started again just as suddenly as it quit.  Who knows.

In Sedona

I then went to Yuma for a evening with some a couple of women I have been working with for a few years.  Lisa and Nancy, mother and daughter team of BigBlend Magazines.  I left them off a bottle of Dandelion Wine which I understand they enjoyed very much.  It is indeed like sipping a bowl full of flowers.  Intoxicating.

DandelionWine

Then to Los Angeles.  I spent a couple of nights in Long Beach with an old friend.  Most fun!!  I went to our family cemetery then off to a wedding and family gathering. I love hanging out with family.

                                 

   

The trip to the family cemetery kept me long while just sitting at my Dad's grave.  It was nearing the anniversary of his death, I now realize.  It felt good and healing.

I then found myself in Boulder Creek, near Santa Cruz.....after a brief visit with my very first love.  I wish I could say it was magical and exciting.  Instead,  it wasn't so I moved on to the great Redwoods to visit two old friends.  I got to spend a bit of real time.  I took the suitcase out of the car for the first time in two weeks.

Linda and Doug in Boulder Creek, CA

Visited a store that has carried my products for ever and ever in Santa Cruz!!  We go back to the beginning.

To Sonoma County and Santa Rosa to hang out for a week.  Got to have a quick visit with Mr. Michael Newman.   

We drove out to the coast watching for whales.  Did not see any but did enjoy a bit of sunshine and exhilirating ocean air.

I unwound here, for the second time.  Stayed a week.  Unpacked.  Went out to stores, saw old places.  I rested.  I healed some more, as one always does at MomsHead.  Karen and Vivien are the most excellent hostesses and friends.  They call me their "spirit daughter."  I always leave feeling like a highly valued princess.

I got to see my friend Scully too.  She plays music and is an extremely cool woman. I am extremely impressed.   She makes me smile!!

I left Santa Rosa and Sonoma County and headed to Redding.  This is a town where I have spent much time as a young person.  We had family in town, we camped on Shasta Lake.  It was a huge part of my life.  Spent a couple of nights with my Aunt Edna.  It was very very lovely.                                            

Aunt Edna

Off from here to Ashland Oregon.  Driving to Ashland requires a drive through Mt. Shasta City.  Mt. Shasta is a most impressive volcano.   It is a place I always take time to "veer off" to.  Catch the vibe of the mountain.  Visit the very cool natural food store and maybe even head to the town park where the Sacramento River begins.

Mt. Shasta

The Houstons

Ashland was a lot of fun with Tom, Stephanie and Olivia Houston, another couple of long time friends and their lovely daughter.   Again, I found we did not "do" much except spend time, visiting and hanging out at the homestead.  Making food and solving the problems of the world.  I found it a nicer way to "visit" then trying to cram a bunch of "stuff" into the itinerary.

It seemed like I had all the time in the world when I first set out.  As I clipped along from one place to another......it was clear, I was trying to pack a lot in. And suddenly, I had to turn home.  I had planned to go to Portland to see my dear friend Meredith...but sadly the time had come for me to turn East before I made it that far North.

                                              Shirley kept things going while I was away.

I jammed home.  I went from Ashland to Reno, NV. Then to Then to Little America Wyoming through Salt Lake.  Then North Platte then on to Columbia Missouri.  When I left Columbia I was pretty sure I would make the 10 hour drive on in to Cosby.  It was time to get home.  And I did.
Did you know that they really collect salt from the salt flats in Utah.  There was a great big Morton Girl Sign.  Nevada is really really flat.......you have to be careful not to fall asleep.  Wyoming smells like cows.  All of it.  It has never been 90 degrees in Salt Lake City, except the day I went through.  It was a really big deal.  The Sherwin Williams headquarters is just outside Reno.  There was a lot lot lot of natural gas, oil and railroad work going on.  If I were a young man.....I'd be working in the West. I am sure there are many more stories I am neglecting to include.  But this is it for now.

It was quite a journey.  Glad to be home.  Straight in to plans for an Air B & B here on the Botanical Sanctuary, as I really enjoyed staying in them myself.  I need a few things to get going so I started a GoFundMe platform called "EcoGlamping in the Smokies."  You can read about it here.

Just enough to keep me busy until it's time for the next journey, sometime in 2016......

Until then - Cynthia @ MoonMaid

Creating a Living Classroom....

After my travels around America this September, I had some revelations!!  MoonMaid, while a product business for sure, and it/I am also a valuable resource for information on herbs, endangered plant species, living in "community" with my land, alternative methods of dealing with "waste" of all kinds, know much about recycling and composting and on and on.....

I had incredible experiences at Air B & B's on my trek which inspired me to create one here on the property.  This "gem in the woods" is a 5 acre spot nestled in the Smoky Mountains and minutes from the National Park.  These woods are rich in endangered plants like ginseng, black and blue cohosh, and our favorite, wild yam, a key herb in a number of MoonMaid Botanicals products.  This spot offers a unique opportunity for upscale camping and a chance to learn about native medicinals that find themselves endangered due to over harvesting in the wild and increased usage as herbal medicines become ever more popular.

Native Plants @ MoonMaid's Botanical Sanctuary
Preserving, Protecting & Propagating Woodland Herbs

My vision for this is a EcoGlamping experience in a luxurious tent outfitted with a plush bed, cook-stove, and outdoor shower.  It will be stocked with organic teas and snacks to compliment your stay. This lovely spot will be located near the spring fed pond and developing organic garden.  A short nature trail, a natural woodland herb garden is delightful. for those who want something slightly up-scale from car camping, this will be an excellent choice.  AirB&B's are super popular in my area.  After having stayed in some, I can see why.  Far better then a hotel in almost every situation.

To assist in getting this project up and running sooner then later, I decided to try crowdfunding.  Our first goal - the tent and it's "construction."   I sure don't expect folks to participate without getting something back, hence there are several "gift levels" to choose from.    Here is a link.   If you have questions - email and I will get back to you.  i am excited to say that the campaign already has a donor.  Super excited about that.

Thanks all - until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals.

Trekking....

I am still on my Trek Across America.  I can't believe I have been gone 4 weeks.  One more to go as I work my way back home.  I have been to a lot of places, I have made new friends and partners, I saw inspiring things, I saw some sadness, I learned and continue to learn a lot from the people out there. I thought this young man was especially awesome....biking from Ithaca NY to Santa Monica, CA.  His journey was fun to check in on, via his blog, after I met him somewhere in New Mexico on Hwy. 66.

                                                                                                                   

I have been to Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, California and am on my way to Oregon tomorrow.  That's as far North as this trip will take me...to Ashland and then Portland where I will turn East into Idaho.  I am beginning to long for home, my cabin, my cats, and my trees.  Well, the tress I tend, the trees that gift me with the joy of nature.

I have been in the plains, the high and low desert, the Pacific Coast, the redwoods, and now the forests of Oregon.  I'll stop in Shoshone Idaho to do some family history research  Here is a picture from the wedding I attended in LA with my brother and a bunch of cousins.  It was great!!!

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted.  I hope to post a bit more regularly as I journey home.  Until then - Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals who is currently in Redding, California.

Trek begins -

Ready for the Road

I started out on Monday and made it to the Little Rock Arkansas area.  On to Oklahoma City on Tuesday where I had dinner with a long time customer.  We had so much to talk about, so much in common!

Here I am in Santa Fe on Day 4 of my Trek.   Did a demo at a wonderful Co-op - La Montanita Market.  Met a lot of cool women and great foks.  My favorite kind of store.

 It has been lots and lots of driving - over 1500 miles so far.  Half way I guess.  Seen lots, met lots of great people.  I have to say, most impressive is Eric, a 18 year old who is taking some time before starting college and has biked from Ithaca NY (yes New York) to Santa Rosa New Mexico - in a month.

                   Hugely moved by this young man!!  Go Eric.  Follow his travels @ Ericbikes.com

I am off to Sedona, AZ tomorrow to see friends and stop in at another Co-op.  Will hope to place my products in the store!!!  You never know.  But I know, this is how it all began and continues!!!
Until next time - Cynthia from on the Road!!

Getting Close.....

Less then a week until I leave on my Tour Around America or my 60/20 Tour or Trunk Tour.....it's had a lot of names this past week....my 5 week car trek to a wedding in Los Angeles via Santa Fe, Sedona, Yuma, and Huntington Beach.  Then North to Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa (where MoonMaid was born), Ashland, Portland....and then parts East as I journey home.

Mom's Head Gardens where MoonMaid was born!

I am taking my business back to it's roots - where I use to walk into a store, smile, put out my hand and begin a conversation.  That always ended with a few products and a price list left in the hands of someone I was sure to have to speak to in the future.  That's hard to do these days in the world of Whole Foods.  I'll focus on the "little stores" dotted across this landscape.

Store Demo

I am super excited!!! The TravelKits have been selling well...I still have 5 more bundled up to mail our or take with me.  You can support the journey and check them out here.  It's the "group" of MoonMaid products I am taking on my trip, offered at a 50% off price, all sales go directly into my travel fund.

Trek Across America Kit

I feel like this trip is my opportunity to "reset" my business.  Who am I?  Why do I do this? What is my "overall" goal?  That is a "huge" topic and will require a continuing flow of blog posts - developing as I go along.  I clearly know, at this moment, that one of my missions is to "connect with women."  To "empower" women to "take charge of their health."  So often we simply "follow instructions" because they come from a "professional."  Maybe - just maybe - there are other ways to deal with the many "health concerns related to chemical toxicity" and how can I be a part of that answer.

Herbal alternatives to bio-identical hormone products

I got in to this business out of concerns for horses.  Regarding how Premarin is produced.  It is amazing how one "point" can lead one to a life path - as it has for me.  20 years in business AND  60 years old - a milestone to be sure.

I am in the midst of figuring out how to load up the car - needing camping gear, doggie gear, products and luggage enough for me.  Not to mention how to operate a "small business" from the road.  Thankful for my co-worker Shirley who will produce and ship products as I send her the orders I receive.  I should have sufficient time to journal this journey, and blog it out to my loyal customers.

Shirley on a production day.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts on MoonMaid's Trek Across America
Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals
www.moonmaidbotanicals.com

60/20 Tour........trekking across America

My trip begins in less then 2 weeks.  I couldn't be more excited.   If you need any wild yam products, I have put together a travel kit and it is a great deal.  It includes a ProMeno Wild Yam Cream and a Vital "V" Wild Yam Salve plus some other things I will be taking on my celebratory journey.    Yes....I turned 60 and my business turned 20 this year!!  Can't believe it.....and the success of this business is thanks to you, my loyal customers.If you'd like to contribute to my 60/20 Trek Across America. the kit is the way to do so.   All sales of this kit go towards my travel budget.

60/20 Trek Across America Kit

First night out I will be in Bebee, Arkansas to stay with a friend I met on my last journey to the West.  Then on towards Amarillo Texas for a working night in a hotel somewhere on I40.  Then on to Santa Fe where I will be doing a customer demo at LaMontanita Co-op.  I will be in the store on Thursday, September 3rd.  If you'r in the area, please stop by and say hello.  I look forward to adobe and chili's!!  I love mexican food and I expect I will find the finest.

Then I am on to Sedona AZ to spend some time with a friend I have known for 30 years!!  Passing through Flagstaff to visit Phyllis Hogan @ WinterSun.  It is one of the oldest herb shops in the country and I love visiting it and the wise woman who founded it.  Then on to Yuma AZ where I will meet, in person, two gals I have been working with for years.

Lisa and Nancy of  Big Blend Magazine and Show.  They are a hilarious mother and daughter team and incredible historians.  I look forward to checking out the historic Coronado Motor Hotel and hanging out with the ladies.  There is a museum where I can check out the history of Yuma - and I look forward to that!

Then I am off to Lake Arrowhead for a wedding in Twin Peaks California.  I find that kind of quirky, I loved the show on years ago, and I never realized there was really a town of that name.

Then heading to the Pacific Coast, still creating the plans!  Until next time - Cynthia @ MoonMaid