C.E. Flores's Blog, page 40

Happiness Happens Month

August is Happiness Happens Month. This cheery holiday has been around for 20 years! Of course, I’m all over this holiday because I am of the firm belief that life is what you make of it. In honor of making happiness happen, this month I’ve made it my goal to smile a little more, enjoy the flowers and butterflies that the rainy season has brought, and take things one day at a time. 

So here are some ways you can celebrate Happiness Happens Month. 

Do A Self-Assessment

Find out how happy you are. Take the Authentic Happiness Inventory sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania to measure your overall happiness. You have to register but it’s free.  While you are there go ahead and take the General Happiness Scale which assesses enduring happiness and the Fordyce Emotions Questionnaire which measures current happiness.  

Take A Course

Take the course The Science of Happiness sponsored by edX and the University of California–Berkeley. It’s free and well worth the effort. If you find you don’t have time for it, you can read my summation of the course here.

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As you probably know, I have my own happiness course designed for expats that are struggling with the adjustment to their new country. Surviving Voluntary Exile: How to overcome common obstacles to making a successful life transition at Coursecraft is deeply discounted when you use this LINK. 

Read A Book

If courses aren’t your thing, you can get a book version of Surviving Voluntary Exile: How to overcome common obstacles to making a successful life transition at Amazon. The ebook version is FREE for the next few days. The printed version has added journal pages for you to get the most out of the activities and information included. 

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Go And Enjoy Every Minute

This month make it a priority to enjoy the moments you have been given, even if you are struggling with physical, mental or emotional overload. Taking time to smell the roses will do you a world of good! 

Do Something For Someone Else

Happiness shared is happiness multiplied. Go out of your way to make someone smile this month and see just how good you feel. If you are looking for volunteer opportunities check these charities and non-profits out. 

So now that you know it’s in your hands, how are you planning on making happiness happen this month? 

My First Podcast!

Expat Mama Kimberlee Thorne-Harper has featured me on one of her podcasts!

Here’s a summary of what we talked about:

“Camille Flores met her husband in the US at a Mexican restaurant where they were both working. After a minor pullover with the police without his driver’s license, it looked like he wouldn’t be able to renew his driver’s license or work in the US ever again. Moreover, his deportation would eventually be imminent, so they as a family decided to “self-deport”. She tells what it was like for her to try and adapt to a new country and culture in a remote area of Mexico, with no basic services like electricity or other services for several years. She discusses her experience with Mexico’s schools are vs. schools in the US, how their now 17-year-old is schooled now and what their lives are like, what they do for work and much more. A discussion on how varied Mexico can be from region to region. She truly has an amazing story. Her quote or motto is this: “I do the difficult immediately; the impossible takes me a little longer.””

While you are there, be sure to check out the other fascinating podcasters featured on Expat Mama’s page![image error]

A Horse of Many Colors

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Cookie waited until we had left for the U.S. last month to have her anxiously awaited baby. My husband was over the moon that it was a boy and promptly named him Red, although I’m not sure the name quite fits him. He’s a mahogany color if anything, with yellow socks and a black muzzle with what looks like mascara rings around his eyes. Horsey people say that the color the hairs around the mouth are will determine what the final coat color the horse will be. So I guess we’ll just wait and see with little Red.

He’s friendly and smart and thinks he’s a dog. This angered Puppy so much that he ran away for a few days right after Red arrived. Puppy wasn’t interested in yet another new friend. He got over it and came back though he has made his new hideyhole where the food is kept because Red can’t get in there. 

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Cookie is an excellent mama, if maybe a little too protective of her son. One day the little Chivita (one of the triplets) managed to get into the stall with Cookie and Red, only mama wasn’t having any of that. She bit Chivita’s tail clean off. Needless to say, Chivita isn’t as curious about the new arrival as she was before. Her tail healed up just fine as well.

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About a week after our return, we had our one and only baby goat of the year. I think she was premature because she was just so small and wasn’t up and around as soon as most of our little ones. She’s doing fine now though, so it’s all good. We haven’t come up with a name though. Suggestions?

Some of our goats are in heat now and our hunka hunka burning love macho goat can’t seem to handle all the hormones in the air. He’s become aggressive. He’s butted the door until it has come off its hinges. He’s butted the wall between the goats and Lady until it fell over. If this keeps up too much longer, it might be time to trade for a new macho.

National Coloring Book Day

Did you know that August 2 is National Coloring Book Day? Well, now you do! 

Did you know that coloring has benefits even for adults? Coloring is equated with meditation. It is low-stress and it relaxes the brain. (See 3 Reasons Adult Coloring Can Actually Relax Your Brain) Coloring also keeps those fine motor skills tuned up and improves your mental focus. (See Health Benefits of Coloring for Adults).

Did you know that I have a coloring book out? My artist friend Claudia and I combined our talents (hers is artist and mine was just compiling the information) to create a coloring book about Moroleon, Guanajuato. 

And did you know that for the next few days, in honor of National Coloring Book Day, you can get The History of Moroleon for Kids free at Amazon?[image error]

Ordering Prescription Eyeglasses Online

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If you remember, the other week I mentioned I had ordered prescription eyeglasses from EyeBuyDirect. Well….they arrived! It took a little more than a week via UPS and we couldn’t be happier! 

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Look at the box each pair came in! It’s perfect for storing my old glasses or other knickknacks.

So let me rave a bit about this company. Not only were we able to get 4 pairs of glasses sent to our doorstep in Mexico (or rather my sister-in-law’s doorstep) for what one pair would have cost at the eye doctor, but EyeBuyDirect donates one pair of glasses for each one you purchase to a country of your choice. I picked Mexico…duh. 

I was a little nervous about ordering and getting the fit right. I went with a small size for me and medium for my son and they are perfect! There are instructions on measuring and sizing on the site to help you get through it too. And if they weren’t, EyeBuyDirect offers a 14-Day Fit & Style guarantee where you can exchange your glasses for another pair if they aren’t quite right. 

And the options! Since both my son and I use our computers probably more than we should, I added the blue light filter on two pairs. There is also a more advanced option called Digital Protection which I might just order next time around. If you’d like to try some Digital Protection Glasses, here’s a 20% off code (DIGI20). 

Here are the glasses with the options we ordered so you can see the phenomenal prices. 

 

So now I feel like I have a new lease on life! I can see my puzzle pieces, thread a needle, read without having to lift my glasses and go down the stairs like a normal person. It’s just amazing what having the correct pair of lenses will do!

If you’d like to try EyeBuyDirect, you can take $10 off your order by using this code at checkout (IFJBT2LGL1) or click here to have it automatically applied.

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Natural Healing –Granada

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The granada (punica granatum) or pomegranate is yet another import from Spain. The tree that we planted about 8 years ago is finally starting to produce fruit. It does well in drought conditions typical to La Yacata.

I don’t know about you, but getting at those juicy seeds can be troublesome so I really appreciated this little video.

Granada is the require garnish for Chiles en Nogadas often served during the patriotic month of September.

Naturally, this delicious fruit has medicinal applications.

The bark and root of the granada have antifungal properties. They have traditionally been used against intestinal parasites and to treat, dysentery, and diarrhea.

To rid a body of tapeworms, 60 grams of granada root is boiled in a liter of water. Half is drunk before bed, the other half when you wake up. This is followed up with a 45-gram dose of castor oil. If the tapeworm is not expelled, the treatment can be repeated in a week.

A second herbal remedy for tapeworm is similar. One part root bark for each 10 parts water is soaked overnight. In the morning, boil it down 2 /3. Then, strain. Drink the concoction first thing in the morning before breakfast then 3 ½ cup doses at half-hour intervals. Repeat the process for 3 days. On the third day, take a good dose of castor oil.

A word of caution: Excessive amounts of the bark and root cause nausea and vomiting.

Never fear, other parts of the granada, including the fruit, will not cause such an adverse reaction. Some of it is quite tasty!

The rind of the granada contains three times as much polyphenols as the fruit, including condensed tannins, catechins, gallocatechins and prodelphinidins. It shows promise in treating diabetic nephropathy. The rind is anti-inflammatory and suitable for treating and preventing inflammations of the gastric tract and malaria.

A tea for stomach ailments is made by boiling a handful of the rind, jamaica (hibuscus flower), canela (cinnamon) and membrillo (quince)  in a liter of water for ten minutes. Cool and strain. Divide the dose into three glasses and drink at intervals throughout the day.

Traditional Mexican medicinal use also includes a gargle or mouthwash to treat swollen tonsils, canker sores and inflamed gums that is made from the boiled rind. A piece of raw rind placed directly on a sore will help dry it up too.

The fruit is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. This bright red delicious edible has also been shown to be antidiabetic. A glass of pomegranate juice daily lowers hypertension and reduces atherosclerosis. It has properties that protect the kidney as well.

The juice is also effective in treating diarrhea. In Mexico, a mixture of juice and sugar is boiled and given to children a tablespoon at a time for treatment.

Oil extracted from the seeds have inhibitory effects on skin and breast cancers. Pomegranate seed oil has phytoestrogenic compounds and contains punicic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid.

The leaves are also antibacterial and can be used to make a poultice to treat wounds. Leaf extract contains compounds that protect the brain from injury.

The flower has been used medicinally to improve insulin resistance in diabetics and is anti-inflammatory. The flowers are antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic and used in the treatment of mouth and stomach ulcers.

Now you have just a little something to think about next time you are nibbling some pomegranate!

 

Making Herbal Preparation Free Course Herbal Academy

From Monday, July 22 to Wednesday, July 31 Herbal Academy is offering Making Herbal Preparations 101 Mini-Course for FREE! You know how much I love these courses!

In this one, we’ll learn about the way that herbs are used and prepared for everyday use and begin making our own herbal recipes at home. In the seven lessons, we’ll cover:

4 basic categories of herbal preparations
12 everyday safe herbs to use at home
33 DIY herbal recipes, from teas and tinctures to salves and oils with chickweed, dandelion, lamb’s quarters, nettle, violet, burdock, hawthorn, oat, raspberry leaf, and red clover.

Laminated recipe and tutorial guides for the course are available as an upgrade.

I’ve already signed up and am anxiously awaiting August 1, when the class opens. Won’t you join me?

Herbal Academy has stated that this course will be re-released in 2020 however it won’t be FREE! So why not take advantage of this amazing offer today?

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International Self-Care Day

Today, July 24, is International Self-Care Day. To that end, I thought I’d take a quick look at my own self-care actions to see how I’m doing. 

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After that LONG trip home from Pennsylvania, I was behind in my writing work and spent the next two days working feverishly to meet the deadline. I did, but then promptly came down with a stellar summer cold which knocked all the gumption right out of me. 

Health

I dosed myself with bone broth and garlic tea and tucked myself into bed. About three days later, I was ready to face the world again. It was time to get my routine up and running again. 

Exercise

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I began by going for my daily walk in the morning again. The puppies loved the resumed daily walks. They certainly missed us while we were away. On days when I had classes or articles to write, I did my very light Tai Chi as a stretching break. It’s just amazing how taking 15 minutes away from the computer relaxed my muscles and cleared my head. 

Setting Aside Time To Grieve

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I thought I was well on the road to recovery, then Facebook kindly reminded me it was the anniversary of my friend’s death and I got mired in an emotional quagmire for a day or two. Daisy, my online best buddy that I actually got to meet last month, was her normal supportive self and I got through it.  Facebook–a blessing and bane!

Taking Time For Memories
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My grandparents on their wedding day.

Summer Savings – 70% off Photo Books with $30+ order! Use code BK70WIN30 (valid thru Jul. 31st).

Snapfish is having an amazing sale this month on photo books, so I made one with our pictures from our June trip. I’m also in the process of compiling pictures for a book for my mom that has all the old pictures she scanned of her parents and grandparents and even some great-grandparents. Some of the pictures are more than 100 years old, so I’m not sure it will be a quality photo book since they’ve yellowed and faded over time, but I’m going to try and preserve them this way.

Hobbies

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I haven’t gotten any reading done, not even the book club books, or worked on that last little bit of the puzzle this month yet, mostly because my eyes have been so tired. So I missed that, but those new glasses are set to arrive any day. I’m hoping that will help.

I’m also behind the writing of my next book. Again, my eyes have been bothering me. So let’s see what we shall see with the new lenses, shall we? 

Self-Improvement

I signed up for the free course Herbal Academy is offering (details to follow) and am excited to begin at the beginning of next month. I also enrolled in the courses included in the Ultimate Bundles Herbs and Essential Oils packet and have been able to complete one and start another.

Cleaning

Instead, I spent the free time I normally devoted to these activities in straightening up the house. Spider webs be gone! We’ve also still are having issues with mice. Mouse-proofing the house was another priority. Better screens, herbs sprinkled here and there and some deadly traps brought the mouse issue back to reasonable levels in short order. 

Gardening

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My little patio garden also was suffering from neglect this month. Little by little, the sprouts are reviving. I also found some new additions to brighten up the bare patches.

Self-Indulgence

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I also splurged a bit. My friend Shannon had these amazing pans that I used while I was visiting. I ordered myself a set during Amazon Prime Days. After all, it’s been nearly 15 years since my last large cookware purchase. I love cooking with them in the remodeled kitchen with the new huge stove. Oh yeah, our kitchen is in the process of being redone yet again.  I’ll post an update once it’s all done 

Financials

Despite the financial generosity of friends and family last month, our month-long visit took a toll on my finances. About mid-month, I started stressing about money, but we ended up having enough to get us through.  I’ll have to rethink the budget for next month though. I am still in need of a new ride and my savings have been depleted.

Self-Care Month in Review

While I haven’t done all that I could have to take care of me this month, I was glad to see that I at least did a few things to foster my self-care and well-being. 

How do you take care of you?

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Natural Healing — Yerba Buena

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Yerba buena, (also spelled hierba buena) otherwise known as Spearmint, is yet another herb that came with the Spanish friars and was gleefully added to the indigenous medicinal herb garden. 

Curanderas (healers) add spearmint to make a concoction more palatable but it also has its own medicinal value.

To treat acid indigestion, gastritis, heartburn, and nausea steep dried or fresh yerba buena for 15 minutes. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature. Add limón and baking soda and drink as needed. Nausea caused by pregnancy tea is made from yerba buena flavored with canela (cinnamon). Nausea caused by a hangover calls for a tea made from a spoonful of yerba buena flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Intestinal inflammations are traditionally treated with an infusion of powdered root. Spearmint has a proven antispasmodic effect.

For the most part, yerba buena (good herb) is still used primarily to treat stomach ailments in Mexico, although the herb has other medicinal properties worth noting.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) has been shown to reduce pain for people who have osteoarthritis. The antioxidant properties protect the liver. Regular ingestion improves memory. Spearmint is effective in reducing anxiety and is antimicrobial. Infusions of spearmint have been traditionally used topically as a mild wound wash to reduce the chance of bacterial infections. A poultice of spearmint leaves and a little olive oil is sometimes used to treat burns.

It is both antiproliferative and antidiabetic. It has been effective in the treatment of Polycystic ovary syndrome and hirsutism. Yerba buena has often been used medicinally particularly digestive issues. It has been shown to have anti-obesity properties.

Yerba buena is often used to reduce flem. To make a tea for colds and flu, boil 10 grams of the leaves for each 1 / 2 liter of water. Tea for a headache is made with a sprig of fresh hierbabuena and a few romero leaves (rosemary).

Babies are given teaspoons weak tea made from yerba buena then they have hiccups and are teething. If a baby is colicky, basil, cempasuchil, eneldo (dill), fennel, senna, yerba buena, brook mint, rosa de castilla (rose) are combined in equal parts. Three fingers full (a good pinch) of the mix is steeped in a liter of water.

Yerba buena is a natural food preservative and can be used as an organic insecticide. It also prohibits the growth of certain fungi on plants.

Overall, yerba buena is a good herb to have on hand.

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Smart Travel Super Bundle

I’m delighted to share yet another amazing bundle of information from the folks at Ultimate Bundles with you today. From July 15 to July 19, the Smart Travel Super Bundle is available for purchase.

This bundle has 30 products worth $1,286.58 including 13 eBooks, 10 eCourses, 5 printable packs, and 2 workbooks all centered around traveling smarter.

Whether you are hitting the road with your RV, going camping, backpacking, or flying this summer, you’ll find something to help you prepare better for your trip in this bundle. Homeschoolers, road schoolers and wandering families will appreciate the tips for making family travel more affordable.

I was especially interested in the materials that focused on traveling with the right attitude. Take a look at just two of the gems found here:

Women on the Road (eBook) by Leyla Giray Alyanak

This eBook will inspire women over 50 to travel solo, whether it’s your first trip or your tenth, starting with getting you out the door to expert personal tips from a lifelong solo traveler.

A Female Guide to Solo Travel (eBook) by Lisa Imogen Eldridge

The most comprehensive guide book to solo female travel. Whether it is your first time or you have traveled solo before, this book will inspire, empower and prepare you for your solo trip.

Another issue I hadn’t thought about was what to do if you get sick while traveling. This last trip I went on was blissfully illness free, but I did get sick just as I arrived home probably because of not taking proper care of myself on vacation (and the recirculated air on the airplane).

DIY Herbal First Aid Travel Kit: The Herbal Remedies You Need to Pack Before You Leave Home (eCourse) by Chris Dalziel

Fill your travel first aid kit with 10 easy herbal remedies that will make your vacation more comfortable and the inevitable minor discomforts more manageable.

And in addition to all the previously mentioned good stuff, there are four bonus offers when you order.

BONUS OFFERS

FREE Skin Care Travel Items from MadeOn Skin Care, $16.50 value

FREE pack of travel size items from Puro Co, $15 value

FREE 2oz bottle of Digest-Support Herbal Supplement, $15.99 value

$25 Credit to SaneBox, $25 value

So don’t wait! Start planning your summer travel now with the Smart Super Travel Bundle from Ultimate Bundles.

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