Angels Have Bird Wings and Fairies Have Butterfly Wings

Last week, I posted a blog describing how to use essential oils to very easily make hydrating atomizer misting sprays using essential oils. I bought the supplies at a great herb and gift shop in Somers, CT called Kassandra, It’s About Thyme, Herbs Unlimited, and had mentioned that I would be introducing the owner very soon. Well, yesterday, I met with Katherine (Kassy) Mashiak at her shop. Kassy has been studying herbs for about three decades and spoke about her interest in herbs. You can meet Kassy in the video below:

Kassy began gardening and wanted to learn more about preparing teas, and a lecture many years ago on herbs got the ball rolling for her. She incorporates herbs into her everyday life and uses them medicinally and her shop carries over 200 herbs and herb related items in bulk for health and wellness as well as for cooking. Kassy is also a founding member of the Connecticut Herb Association (CHAI), a group that brings an amalgam of information to the table about everything herbs, from growing to harvesting to using medicinally or in foods or extracting essential oils; a member of CHAI will have extensive knowledge and expertise. CHAI also hosts an annual Herb Fest of CT, that happens the first Saturday in June. This year, it will be held in Somers, CT and for anyone interested, please check the CHAI website for more information.

Back to Kassandra, It’s About Thyme, Herbs Unlimited; what I didn’t mention yet, is that Kassy’s shop is set in a circa 1830 post and beam barn, a very bright, pink barn! Walking in the front entrance, I fell in love with the rustic setting that was softened by the flood of the sun’s rays beaming in through the windows and that made so many of the items sparkle. This front room was a feast for the eyes. It has an array of jewelry, loose leaf and bagged teas (and bags to make your own bagged teas), books, diffusers, ornaments, stones and crystals, beautiful scarves, wind chimes, and a section dedicated to a beautiful collection of angels and fairies (which are her favorites).

She pointed out that angels have bird winds and fairies have butterfly wings. I had never thought about that before yesterday! In fact, she told me about a favorite illustrator of hers, Cicely Mary Barker, who was fascinated with flowers and used them to design her fairies. Venturing into her back room, you’ll find her extensive selection of bulk herbs, supplements, homeopathic remedies, natural cosmetics, more jewelry, essential oils and clays, and gourmet foods. I’m sure I’m forgetting something; in fact, I’m sure of it because I bet I’ve still only seen half of what she has to offer. Kassy's shop is the type of place where you discover something new each time you visit.

It’s always fun to meet new people. Everyone has a story to tell and a wealth of knowledge to share and you just never know what you’ll learn. Yesterday, I learned some things about herbs I didn’t know (and yes, there’s so much more for me to learn if I choose) and was introduced to a artist whose love of flowers inspired a beautiful collection of fairies.

So, if you’d like to treat yourself to something fun or are looking for a unique gift, visit Kassandra, It’s About Thyme, Herbs Unlimited, 53 Springfield Road, Somers, CT. It’s like dessert without all the calories : )

Interview with a Great Scientist

For almost three years, I’ve been practicing Bikram Yoga, a series of 26 postures that are performed in a very hot room. The experience has been a life-changing one for me. It has helped me to get into the best shape physically that I have ever been in my life and it has allowed me to move past so many of my self-imposed limitations. It has also introduced me to lots of great people who share the same values about their health and well-being. One such person is Francois Franceschi. You can meet him here:

Francois is a scientist who has spent most of his scientific career studying a structure in our cells called the ribosome. Without this large enzyme, our lives would not exist –neither would the lives of bacteria and it’s their ribosomes that are often targeted with antibiotics. For many years, Francois collaborated with Ada Yonath, another great scientist who is one of the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year and he made significant contributions into that work. In fact, even when it was believed that what they were trying to achieve was impossible, they never gave up, understanding that the reward would be well worth the risk of persevering. This work did finally pay off because of ingenuity and because the tools used to reach their goal became more sophisticated.

Today, Francois is still studying the ribosome, working for a company founded by a second Nobel Prize winner, Thomas Steitz (the third is Venkatraman Ramakrishnan). There, he works together with an outstanding group of people to further the studies on bacterial ribosomes in order to develop new drugs to treat infections against antibiotic-resistant bugs, which is a very real issue we face today.

Francois is one of those remarkable people whose passion and commitment to excellence is helping to improve the lives of us all. We know they’re out there when we see the fruits of their dedicated work show up and it’s even more of a blessing to personally know some of these great human beings who inspire others to follow their passions. Knowing Francois and practicing yoga with him is one of those rare opportunities for me. One for which I am truly grateful.

A Talented Glass Blower Demonstrates His Art

Often times we are unaware of the great things going on in our own backyards, which is why I was delighted to recently meet Morgan Schwartz. Morgan is a young artist here in New Haven who discovered a passion for glass blowing after getting a degree in art education and studying with a Venetian master at the Corning Museum of Glass. Since then, he’s focused his artwork on glass. Yesterday, he was kind enough to invite me to his studio to talk and to explain his craft. He uses a technique called lampworking that uses a blazing hot torch to melt tubes and bars of glass that can then be pulled, shaped, twisted and transformed into just about anything the imagination can come up with.

He’s created a beautiful and unique collection of glass sculptures, goblets, jars, pendants, marbles, and holiday ornaments and yesterday he demonstrated how he makes a spiraling glass Christmas tree ornament beginning with a bar of clear glass. You can see the process in the video below. I was so impressed with the steadiness of his hands at the flame as he laid down stripes of colored glass onto the bar and how, while heating the glass, he was able to twist and lengthen the glass to take on its final shape. He made it look so easy : ) Like anything else, it takes continuous practice to master these skills and he’s learned how to produce some beautiful effects in his pieces such as metallic flecks swirled into pendants using dichroic glass, imploded glass in wine stoppers that looked like tentacles from a sea plant, and vortexes that give the illusion of depth in contemporary marbles. You can see all of this in the video below.

I had a wonderful time meeting with Morgan and I’m thrilled to have discovered another talented artist in New Haven that is creating objects of beauty. I can never get enough of those because of the richness they add to our lives and the happiness they make me feel. And yes, I am grateful!! If you’re interested in seeing more of Morgan’s work, you can contact him at misticglass@gmail.com.

Leading with Passion in Communities

I believe we all have something we’re passionate about. For some it may be music or art or fashion. For others it could be baseball or skiing or yoga. The possibilities are endless, but whatever your passion, it is likely something that inspires you, that can get you up in the morning, that you devote time and energy to and that brings you happiness.

To me this combination is a recipe for success and for friends of mine this is no exception. Over thirty-four years ago, Claire and Frank Criscuolo opened Claire’s Corner Copia, a vegetarian café in New Haven, CT. Growing up with garden fresh food and delicious made-from-scratch meals was something Claire came to appreciate when she went away to college, which is one of the things that inspired her and Frank to open the restaurant. Since then, they have been committed to using the highest quality, fresh ingredients in their dishes, including lots of organic produce and baking products. Over the years, they’ve improved upon their practices by removing trans fats from their tempting baked goods and taken a proactive approach to reducing their impact on the environment by installing energy saving appliances or by using environmentally friendly disposable items.

But one of the most fundamental and significant approaches they have taken over the years has been to establish strong and meaningful relationships, not only with their employees and customers but with groups and members of the local community. They offer an Artist in Residence program that allows local artists to showcase their work in the restaurant. They’ve raised and continue to raise thousands of dollars for many local charities and organizations including Aids Project New Haven, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, and All Our Kin and they provide space for organizations to display their literature to help raise awareness to these causes. You can see and hear all about this from Frank and Claire in the following video:

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself...” When you eat at Claire’s Corner Copia, you not only support a great vegetarian restaurant, you support meaningful and compassionate organizations who strive to improve the lives of individuals in the community - which is ultimately good for everyone.

Please visit Claire’s at 1000 Chapel Street in New Haven, CT. You can find more information at the website. You can also become a fan on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

The Joy Blooms

Monday night, I went to listen to The Joy Blooms at The Space in Hamden, CT. It was my first time at The Space, a venue whose mission is “to build a safe and positive community for people of all ages through music and the arts.” They house an eclectic décor and even have a vintage boutique upstairs where you can find everything from old LPs, clothing and jewelry.

The Joy Blooms are a local band started by Adam Christoferson, a young and talented poet, songwriter and performer who gets his inspiration from within and who shares his joy and happiness through his songs. He also works with children in a psychiatric hospital and teaches them to use music as a form of self- expression. You can see and hear some of the band’s music and meet Adam and Brendan Page, who plays the mandolin in the band, in the video below. You’ll also learn about the origin of the band’s name. Adam’s Dad Paul, who is a Vietnam Veteran, began making colorful flowers from pinecones and calls them Joy Blooms because of the joy they bring to others and to himself as an artist. You can find him at the band’s performances selling his flowers.

It’s always a breath of fresh air to meet people who want to spread light and happiness throughout our World today and The Joy Blooms are doing just that. You can learn more about Adam and The Joy Blooms at his website.

There are Angels Among Us

I’ve been on vacation in Southern Maine all week, visiting family that I haven’t seen in a few years. The other day, my Aunt Terry shared a story with me and my Mom about how she walked into a consignment shop called Heart’s Desire, in Saco, ME and asked the owner if she needed help. She explained that she didn’t want to get paid. She adores the shop and wanted to simply come in and help. At the time, the owner of the Heart’s Desire, Barbara, was facing challenges and was thinking of closing down. She saw my Aunt’s request as a sign that she should stay open. Please hear what they have to say below:

My Aunt helps out at the shop because she likes Barbara and her shop and because she enjoys the work. Barbara sees my Aunt as an angel with wings. I believe there are stories like these unfolding all around us on a daily basis - angels that are quietly blessing our lives with their acts of humanity. We just don’t hear enough about them. And I believe we should…

Community and Relationships

So many of us work on our inner selves because this is where true happiness and love reside. We read books on personal growth and learn to meditate, care for our health, recite positive affirmations, reflect, set goals, face our fears and learn to embrace failure. But we don’t live in vacuums, we are sharing the planet Earth with ~6 billion people. And a significant level of our growth arises from the influence these tools and exercises have on our relationships with others that then challenge us, teach us and allow us to evaluate our progress. It’s so much the events in our lives with people that catalyze our rate of growth. The plus side of this is that when we strengthen our relationships with each other, we create synergy and can all expand in positive ways.

Last weekend at the City Seed Farmer’s Market, I interviewed some members of this community, Nate and Joanna Price - owners of Nate’s Naturals. Nate has been making granola for almost twenty years and last year he and his wife Jo launched their business around it.

Their pride and love for their granola is exhibited in their enthusiasm at the market and in their product and they declare on their website that they’re “learning how to make a business out of doing something that we love”. I’m a huge fan of granola and theirs is one of the best I’ve ever had. But what impressed me even more with Nate and Jo was that this endeavor has become more about relationships with the local community than about making money. While in the past they were supporters of the local, whole foods movement, they are now active participants at the local farmer's markets and even purchase some of their ingredients like maple syrup and honey from local vendors. They are supporting the local community as their own business grows. This is what it’s all about. Whether in business or life in general, we grow when we are helping others to grow and collectively generate a strong foundation of support greater than any individual alone could ever create or maintain. Thank goodness for people who love to do what they do and thank goodness we’re here together. : )

Creativity

We are all unique and our differences go far beyond the color of our hair or eyes or skin. We each have particular food preferences, tastes in music, art, movies and books, special talents and/or hobbies and fashion preferences. These are just a few of the components of our lives that help to characterize us as individuals. Our tastes are often a reflection of how we see the World and are intimately linked to our past experiences. And everything we absorb through our senses shapes our impressions. This is why no two people who witness a particular event will have the same reaction to it and also why our perceptions are in a constant state of flux. Our unique characters are something that we each should be grateful for - that we should celebrate, nurture and develop. Instead of working so hard to “fit in” we should have the courage to “stand out from the crowd, let our creative juices flow and shine because when we present our special gifts to the World, we live authentically, through our spirits and we give others permission to do the same. In fact, the World would be a far richer place if we all lived our lives in this way.

I’ve posted a video interview of a friend of mine, Don Schwartz. He’s used his creative talents and innovation to make some very cool pieces of art and to produce an environment in his home that clearly defines his individuality. I hope you enjoy it. You can also see some of his art at www.wontondon.com.

Giving is Receiving

Some of my greatest pleasures in life are some of the simplest. Quiet early mornings, a steaming cup of coffee, a good book, a walk in the woods, a few flowers in a vase to brighten the room and good food. Today, I took a trip to the farmer’s market where I picked up a few fresh daisies, organic salad greens, locally made granola and some organic milk products (milk, half and half and yogurt) from Trinity Farms who are out of Enfield, CT. A few weeks ago, I talked with Dale Smyth, one of the owners:

I love that the farm is small and family-owned, they pasture-breed cows that produce a sweeter tasting, organic milk and they still use glass bottles. I also asked Dale about her thoughts on Independence Day and she explained how grateful her and her family are to be living in this country, that they always give back and are always learning. Today when I spoke to her about life her response was, “we’re moving forward!” They are passionate about what they do and don’t let life stand in the way.

To me, the attention and care they put into raising their cows is a form of giving back. Their cows in turn, produce a high quality milk that they then can offer to their customers. And their stand is always busy at the market so it’s wonderful to see the community supporting them. It makes me think that the giving and receiving is indistinguishable.

Lunch With a Side of Gratitude

Gratitude. It’s not something given to us, it’s something that we give. It’s an attitude, a perspective on our Worlds. It allows us to weather the storms with more strength and grace, keeps us humble, and teaches us compassion. In her book, Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, Sarah Ban Breathnach says that “abundance and lack are parallel realities; everyday I make the choice of which one to inhabit.” Under gratitude’s influence, we focus on what we “have” rather than what we “have not”. The more grateful we are for where we are at a given moment, the richer our lives become. And a positive feedback loop develops whereby the better our lives become, the happier we get. I was at the farmer’s market on July 4^th and met Glen Colello, owner of Catch a Healthy Habit, a raw foods café in West Haven, CT. I stopped by there today for lunch and had their zucchini pasta. Very tasty. You can meet Glen in the video below and listen to his description of Café Gratitude in California.

Glen explains the dining experience that nourishes both the body and soul, thereby instilling in its customers the idea that they are special. And demonstrating a deep level of appreciation for what we have begins with us, within ourselves. Just imagine a World in which we all chose to elevate those we connect with everyday. I believe our greatest offering of gratitude would be for each other. I would like the “I Am Beautiful” to go, please…

What are You Afraid of?

I wouldn’t say that I have too many vices. Coffee, chocolate, and wine are what immediately come to mind and not much else. And actually in moderation, I would argue that they are not vices at all. Coffee is an everyday thing, while chocolate and wine I indulge in less frequently. So what is it about entering a wine shop, though, that makes many people uncomfortable? Is it the atmosphere or a perception that wine drinking is an elite sport and unless one knows what to look for, it can’t be appreciated? Years ago, I had a fear of wine shops : ) In truth, they were intimidating to me because of my own ignorance. But several things changed that. For one, I began to read about the basics of grapes and wine making, then I took a couple of classes and began to visit vineyards to taste wine whenever I had the opportunity. This helped tremendously and allowed me to learn exactly what I like in wine. In addition, I realized that wine really is an art and for many, a profession, and those passionate about wine were more than likely working with it on a daily basis and those authentically passionate souls were also teaching it to others. In class one night, the instructor made the statement, “Good wine is wine that you like.” True, many high priced wines are far superior to less expensive wines, but I’ve tried high-end wines in the past that I wasn’t crazy about while I’ve fallen in love with some inexpensive bottles. It truly is what you like. One particular wine shop that I’ve come to adore is the Wine Thief in New Haven, CT. The staff is knowledgeable, they make picking out wine fun, and they have a mission:

…”to ensure that every bottle of wine we sell is savored and enjoyed. If your wine selection fails to meet your expectations, simply return the unused portion for a complete refund.”

This takes the risk out of buying wine and keeps me coming back. With most visits to the Wine Thief, I’ll know the type of wine I’ll looking for, but not sure exactly which bottle to buy. Other times, I’ll walk in just start asking questions and they’re happy to walk me around some of the options. I visited the Wine Thief to buy wine for a 4^th of July barbecue. You can meet Robert Jordan in the video below who once again made my experience at their shop enjoyable and who recommended two wines that worked well that day.

So what’s the message in gratitude here? There are several. The most obvious is my appreciation of a nice glass of wine with dinner and to celebrate with friends. Second, we all have the choice to alleviate our fears by running towards them. Sometimes a fear originates from nothing more than a lack of understanding or knowledge. I’m grateful that I took the opportunity to learn something about wine. It eliminated the fear of entering wine shops, which I now see as fun and sometimes even an adventure. And I've met lots of people in the process. Third, people generally want to help and be of service and I found that to be true with the Wine Thief. They are leaders within this community, truly committed to their customers and I’m grateful to have them here in my back yard to provide an invaluable service to us all.

What are you grateful for?