Greening My Air - My World Tuesday

I haven't had any plants now for some time so I bought a small aloe vera plant last summer. It needed repotting then but I still haven't repotted it! Something I know I need to do so it can really spread out and grow.

The aloe plant is well known as a medicinal plant. I've mostly known of this plant for its gel. When one gets a cut or scrape you can break a stem from this plant and squeeze the gel from the shoot onto your cut. It has many other uses besides applying to cuts and scrapes.  You can read more about it here.

The aloe vera plant originates in northern Africa. When I was in Kenya, East Africa,  I saw these huge aloe plants like these ones in the photos below. I was on my way to Marigat, Kenya.

You can see just how dry the climate is by looking at the plants and the ground.  These aloe plants are outside the aloe farm.

Look at how large some of these aloe plants are!

This is the company that is growing aloe plants and seedlings for sale.  I didn't have time to stop and have a closer look at the business operations.

Another plant I purchased in November (see photo below)  is not doing so well. It is of the Dracaena family. I believe it's path to illness was due to an episode of over watering.  I've cut off all the brown and dead leaves but now the plant has leaves on one side only and is looking rather bare.  I have fertilized it.  I hope it can recover and become more balanced looking over time. Perhaps I need to cut all the leaves back, I'm just not sure. I will have to do some research.

The Draecena plants make up an important group of plants used to decorate the home, keep the air clean and "green" private and public spaces.   Apparently there are approximately 40 or so assorted species of this plant and it comes in various shapes and sizes.


The plant above is one of the popular Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ is more commonly known as the Corn Plant. It is supposed to do  well in low light conditions and its wide leaves are long and arc gracefully from the stalk.

You can't tell from my little plant above, but years ago I did have a beautiful and healthy Corn Plant. I don't remember what happened to it but I believe the movers packed it up and put it in storage when we had the fire. They literally put it in a box and didn't water it. Needless to say it was not thriving when I got it back and it didn't take long before it expired completely. Though it doesn't need a lot of water, it does need some.

I love the leaves on a larger Corn Plant so I had to buy it when I saw it on the weekend.  I think it is good for cleaning the air in my small apartment. Especially during the winter when the windows are seldom kept open.

Hopefully this plant will be with me for years to come and clean the air that I breathe.

For more insight into what others around the world are doing this Tuesday, click here.

A Pause - Blue Monday, January 24, 2011

Hi friends,

I have organized a schedule of posts for the next week or so while I'm travelling. I hope you enjoy them.  Right now though I would like to draw your attention to two worthwhile posts which you probably won't have had a chance to read.

First, there was the installation of the new Bishop for the Africa Gospel Church in Kenya. The installation of Rev. Doctor R. Langat was a huge event which included his family and many dignitaries in attendance. You can read about his installation here. There was also gospel music by the renowned singer, Emmy Kosgei and performances by traditional Kenyan dancers.

Second, there is a serious drought problem in some parts of Kenya. This has led to a build up of tensions and clashes in various communities over food and water.

My friends are doing their part to try and assist the people. Please see their efforts in a photo essay here.  I was so proud of my friends. They are of humble means but they go above and beyond the call of duty to assist and lift up their countrymen.  It is very touching to me to see this kind of love in action.

Feel free to leave a comment at either of these posts and say a prayer that the wounds would be healed and that these people would have adequate food and water. You can see by their faces and by their bodies, that the challenges are taking a huge toll on the people.

For more Blue Monday, join Smiling Sally and many others here.

Cantaloupe and Shrimp Salad

At the salon on Saturday the young beautician was talking about a mango salad she had made. I decided to try a similar salad using cantaloupe.  I figure incorporating salads like these are a great addition to my overall health regime.  Besides it just tastes so good!

 Ingredients:

-  chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
-  red grapes
-  semi-peeled and chopped english cucumbers
-  finely sliced red onion
-  steamed prawns/shrimp
-  chunks of cantaloupe. 

Once you put all these ingredients in your platter, squeeze some lime and grind some fresh pepper on top.

There are endless variations of this salad but this is my simple approach. It was delicious and I had some on Sunday for a snack.
Enjoy!

Happy Friday

Thank you to my newest follower Colleen. Hello  my fellow Canadian.

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.  (Kenyan Proverb)

In my last post I wrote about how I was waiting to pick up a table and chairs from the city. I have them home now and I am very happy!  I still have the antique dining table and chairs to offload so I haven't got a photo of new set in my home for you yet but I do have this photo of the exact table and chairs I purchased.

I'm sure I will like the set very much.  The table is round and they say that round tables are good for smaller spaces.  I was also able to gift my friends with a recliner that I wanted to sell. They have need of a recliner so it worked out great!

(Update added later:  As an afterthought I figured I should let you know that this purchase is the first furniture purchase I've made for the apartment for about 11 years, with the exception of replacing furniture ruined by the fire. Those costs were covered by the insurance company.  I'm working very hard to cut down or cut out other household purchases altogether in my quest for a simple life although my sofa and chair which are  almost two decades old may need to be replaced soon. I've been looking at reupholstery, second hand and new options for the sofa and chair.  Really I think they need to be replaced rather than reupholstered as they are a little too large for the space.)

I have now finished my 5th full day of the whole body cleanse which I told you about here. I haven't noticed any major changes though I can say the fibre and laxative are keeping me more regular and that is a key benefit for me right now. I do have a few breakouts on my face the past few days but nothing atrocious. I understand that this happens when toxins are being eliminated from the body. I think in another 9 days I will feel a little better, a little lighter somehow, and that is all good.

It snowed yesterday and overnight the night before.  This was very surprising after a warm spell but the snow didn't last long. In fact it is all gone today and there is still a gray sky with some light rain falling. I am grateful for rain and warmer weather because it means that spring will come early here and with that the lovely spring blossoms which I love so much.

A photo from Kenya. I was fascinated by all the bird's nests in each tree.

I may be taking a few days break from posting as I 

am busy with a lot of things at the moment. 

In the meantime, enjoy your weekend and your 

loved ones.  I'd love to hear what you have planned.

My Simple Woman's Daybook ~ January 19, 2010

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...I see a cloudy sky though the sun was just out for a few hours this morning.  I was glad for the sun as I walked home from my diabetes support group.

I am thinking...how warm it has been this week. A few weeks ago it was so cold! Last night on the news they showed video of early blossoms. We often get early blossoms in early February.

I am thankful for ...my quarterly diabetes group meeting. Today we received a nice surprise of a an exercise DVD for daily exercise routines. This is just what I need at this time as I am often out of town and I can take it with me to continue my exercise.

From the kitchen..there is nothing cooking. I just had some milk and a cheese sandwich on a nice baguette.

I am wearing... my workout clothes. I had a meeting at the medical clinic this morning and we even did a few exercises.

I am creating...nothing at this time. I've been too busy! There is lots in my "to do" basket(s).

I am going...to the city to pick up a smallish table and 4 chairs to replace my largish antique table and 6 chairs.  My friends are helping me and there is a possibility this won't be done today at all but tomorrow instead. Am waiting for their call.

I am reading...a novel by Vikram Seth entitled A Suitable Boy.  I re-started it last week but only made real progress on it two days ago and then last night. I am not sure why but it doesn't seem to grab me as much as it did in my first attempt. Perhaps that will change as I get further along.   I did my devotional reading this morning. I am participating in my church's initiative called "Practising the Presence" in which we commit to reading our bibles for at least 15 minutes a day on 4 days a week.  I have switched my bible reading to first thing in the day rather than try to fit it in during the day.  That way the distractions of the day do not interfere with devotional and study time.

I am hoping...that my mom doesn't have to go through surgery. I just learned she has diverticulitis (amongst a plethora of other serious health concerns) and she is still quite weak though responding slowly, very slowly to antibiotics.  As soon as I get my table and chairs delivered I will try to go and spend some time with her.

I am hearing...the fan circulating across from where I am sitting at my desk. I have found with the warmer temperatures I like to feel a breeze.

Around the house...I see my Bible, my study aids and mail spread out on the table and my timer close by. My cleansing supplements and medication are at my desk. Everything is at the ready.

One of my favorite things...looking at things of beauty. Today I saw some beautiful things on line from some of the many talented bloggers who know how to create scenes of beauty and rest.

A few plans for the rest of the week...I am not fully sure though I will continue with my exercise regime and my devotional studies.  The rest of the week is a bit up in the air as to when I will travel.

You can follow others on this meme at this place here.

Thank you for dropping by. I hope to see you again soon!

Whole Body Cleanse

New Year- New Body!

Well that is the hope * wink.

As some of you know I battle with some health challenges though I don't often discuss them and don't plan to get into any detail here. But I do want to say that in an effort to increase energy and generally feel better, I have decided to do a whole body cleanse this month. In fact I've already started it and I am now into my third day of a 14 day cleanse.

It has been many years since I did a cleansing.  Last time I did it I wasn't a happy camper. That one involved using psyillium husk and some kind of clay and I don't wish to repeat it. This one comes in an easy to use kit which includes
- fibre
- laxative and
- liver support in the form of Milk Thistle

These three formulas are supposed to help my body cleanse, detoxify and rejuvenate without the use of hard laxatives. So far, so good though I'm not noticing a whole lot of anything. Perhaps it is too early yet to notice any difference. I will hold off on any major observations until the end of the 14 days.

In addition to the cleanse, it is recommended to do some walking, gentle stretching or yoga and avoid certain food products and beverages ~ the usual suspects like:  foods with nitrates, alcoholic beverages, coffee, dairy products, soy products, and too much meat protein.  I've gone for a short walk or two and am hopping on the stationary bike almost every day.  I haven't yet got around to the recommended stretching I know I should do except for some stretches I do at my desk.  I will add overall body stretches when I feel more up to it.  I am hoping that this regime once completed will help me feel cleaner and rejuvenated and have the effect of "jump starting" my health improvement efforts.

Overall this month has been very busy as I try to get into a regular fitness regime, ensure adequate sleep, be more regular in my devotional time and church related activities and make progress on my household projects. So far am off to a good start. Since none of my activities are "New Year's Resolutions", I am hopeful of keeping them going throughout the year.

I've also been reading a lot in the blogosphere about people identifying a word or theme to guide them over this new year. I don't usually identify a word or theme by which to guide my life but perhaps this year is different as I find a word keeps coming to me.  That word is "Trust".

It's a beautiful word and scary at the same time. I think it means I haven't been trusting God enough for the challenges I've been facing in many areas of my life. I need to work on that and learn to let go and let God, giving Him more control over my daily life, my thought life and my future.  I will try and I need His grace in doing so. I know His Word says that He has plans to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). How much better could it be? I pray you also find the trust you need as you deal with any challenges you may face.

Compassion's Children

There are so many ways to help children in Africa and so many non-profit agencies both at home and abroad who provide opportunities to each of us to help these children.  

I choose to help orphans mainly through the Missions of Hope  whenever I can. But recently I also took on sponsorship of several boys through Compassion International's Canadian office. My sponsorship involvement is very new so I haven't received a letter from one of my boys yet. 

 

First I sponsored little Peter. 

Peter is 6 years old and lives near Nakuru, Kenya.  I didn't get a chance to visit Peter when I travelled to Kenya.  My sponsorship was too new for the organization to prepare everything in time for my visit. I am hopeful that I can visit Peter some day.

 
Two weeks after I sponsored little Peter, I felt led to sponsor John.

Doesn't John's smile just grab you? I really felt a connection with him and especially upon learning he lives in the slums near Nairobi. I also hope to visit little John in future.

 

During the process of learning more about Compassion and its sponsors, I learned that there are also many children who have sponsors but these sponsors do not write to them for whatever reason.  For example, a company might sponsor a child or several children but not assign anyone to write to these children.

I found out that volunteers are needed to correspond with these kinds of children who don't have anyone to write to them.  Through letters a child is shown love and care and can receive the encouragement to overcome the challenges they face.   The benefit to you and me is that we can take on child sponsorship in a budget friendly manner.

After only a month or so of waiting, I received an information package in the mail.  The package sent along a photo of the little 10 year old boy I will correspond with in Ethiopia. His name is Haile.

I am only permitted to send letters, cards and flat paper items to sponsored children in the mail.

I've already sent Peter a card for Christmas and a photo and information about me and will need to send similar information to John and Haile (minus the Christmas cards). I also plan to send all three boys  a postcard "fun" map of Canada and some "Canadian stickers".

I am very excited to embark on this new addition to my support of children in Africa. I look forward to a long association with these young boys and hope to be a positive influence on them.

In closing, I want to encourage any of my readers to please check out children on the Compassion International website for your country and consider sponsoring a child.  There are so many who need sponsorship. If you really do not have the funds to sponsor a child would you please consider taking on a correspondence child? You simply write to the Compassion office in your country and let them know of your interest in writing to a "correspondent child".  Can you imagine the excitement a small child has when they get a letter from a stranger across the world? A stranger who takes an active interest in who they are and encourages them throughout their childhood years. It is a simple joy we can have in life to bring joy to others and to receive joy in their joy.