Welcome to Alice's World

The purpose of this blogsite is to bring glory to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. There will be many different topics discussed, so hopefully you will enjoy your visit with me. Some of the topics may be very controversial, while others may be the normal stuff everybody already knows a little about. Because I am a Christian as well as an herbal enthusiast and also grow and am always learning about organic gardening and heirloom seeds and plants, I believe in going to what I believe to be the "book of books," meaning the Authorized King James Version of 1611 Bible, for most of the things discussed here. The things mentioned will be involving these topics. Of course, from time to time you may see pictures of my family (my grown children and my grandchildren as well as my other half, i.e.HUSBAND), but for now I would just like to say THANKS for joining me!







Monday, April 25, 2011

Beth's Antics

I have decided that from time to time I will be borrowing some, what I consider, good information from my daughter Beth Lassitter's blogspot. She started writing her blog at least a year before me and also was the one who got me started on my own spot. 

Enjoy!!




Friday, January 7, 2011


The Lions' Den

Run the RaceIf you put your child in the Lions' Den (public school), expect for them to be eaten. It will happen. If by some wild chance they don't get eaten, they will come out with the stink of the pit on them. The false religions of evolution and humanism, the perversion of music, the twisting of sexuality....all of this will mar he/she in ways that will never be erased. Do not expect your child to be a "Daniel". Most kids can't live up to those expectations. You shouldn't expect them to. Children are vessels to be shaped, and you as the parent are supposed to help guide them into what they are meant to be. God entrusts you with the raising of his children. Will you then throw them into the pit of despair to worry and stress over the lions? What type of vessel are you molding?

Friday, December 17, 2010


Art Class

My mother in law sent my girls acrylic paints and canvases as a "snow day" activity. Well, it snowed the other day, and since we have started Christmas break, I decided to pull them out. It kept them quiet a LOOONNNGGG time. And they loved it.

 

 

Sunday, December 5, 2010


This is Annelise hugging Geoffrey the giraffe outside of Toys R Us. Annelise wants to hug anyone that is dressed up in a costume...which I don't understand in the least. Maybe it is because she is (like all other children) naturally trusting.

As a parent in these times, I have often wondered where we are supposed to draw the line. Should we teach our children to be friendly to everyone, regardless of race or religion...or do we teach them to be cautious, never talking to strangers? I've heard so many horror stories, as I'm sure you have, of abducted kids, molested kids; kids whose parents leave them in a car by themselves-the list goes on and on. I tend to hang overly cynical and cautious. What if I send these vibes to my children and they grow up paranoid freaks? This is just one more thing in the "worry" pile.

For now...I let her hug, but I am literally 5 steps away. I am ready to tackle the giraffe if needs be (just kidding...I think). Try anything funny, buddy...and you're going down.




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Mama's Boys

For a long time it has been in the back recesses of  my mind to write an article entitled Mama's Boys. Mainly because I see so much of this going on around me and also, to hopefully cause a little less grief to someone out there who will inevitably suffer from being involved with a "Mama's Boy". Maybe some of the men will read this and decide not to let this be a problem in their lives, especially if they are little boys becoming men.

This article is for all the girls and women out there who have had the privilege of coming in contact or being married to the men that I call Mama’s Boys. And for all of you people out there who don’t know who or what are Mama’s Boys, I intend to spend a little time enlightening you.

A Mama’s Boy is the man who has “supposedly” grown up under the preconceived idea that if something goes wrong in his life, Mama is always there to fix it and/or to welcome him back home. She is the one he turns to when he decides to throw all caution to the wind and let everyone know that he intends to have his way or in other words “It’s my way or the highway”. A Mama’s Boy has a tendency to think that once he is married—that is if he gets married—to run to Mama’s house whenever there is a problem arising in his home with his wife. And usually the Man (Boy’s Mama) is there to welcome him with kindness so that he can feel nurtured in his time of need. She usually listens to his side of the story and kisses the boo-boos he is feeling, especially when he feels like he’s being mistreated at home. Many of these Mama’s Boys actually start believing that the wife is the cause of all their troubles and that they should just go back to their Mama and kiss the problem goodbye.

Sometimes when a Mama’s Boy gets into trouble with the law the Boy’s Mama goes right over to the courthouse and bails him out, even if she has to lie to do it. As for the ones that never do marry, but stay at home with Mama—they are usually allowed to hide in the shadows and are coddled to the point of destruction. These Mama’s Boys don’t have to get out of bed until they please. They are allowed to lounge their days away sitting in front of the TV, Internet, or Video games or all of the above. If someone should need their help around the house, they are just plain out not able to exert themselves enough to help. After a while, the Boy’s Mama gets tired of prodding and pushing the Mama’s Boy to help and finally succumbs to the cliché of “I just don’t know what to do with that Boy”—because in the Mama’s mind, he is still “her boy”. She has coddled him to the point that he is unable to make man-sized decisions or even do a man-sized job. But the bad part about this is that when Mama’s Boys are allowed to do as they please, they cause others around them to suffer. Someone has to pick up the slack and it is not the Mama’s Boy that’s doing it. This can also lead to other problems in the home, especially with the Boy’s Mama’s husband (should be his dad!). Either he’s a part of the problem or he has to live with the fact that he has a son living in the house that refuses to do anything to help at home. There is usually constant turmoil in the home because of this. In reality, the husband finds that he either has to succumb or get out.

So, there seems to be no end to the nightmare. And if he isn’t married, then when the Boy’s Mama gets sick or dies, someone else has to do all the things for the Mama’s Boy that the Mama took care of, because after the Mama’s Boy has been allowed to do as he pleases for a few years, he becomes unable to take care of himself—or in taking care of himself, he has to either lie and steal from his parents or he ends up on disability. I hope that all you Boys Mamas out there will take heed to the descriptions above and decide not to be the person to cause untold hurt and misery to those around you just because for some reason you have decided to keep your Boys from growing up!! There are many wives or ex-wives these days that have had to live with the misery and hurt of a Mama’s Boy, and I say dear Mama you are the reason for this happening. Because if you would just stop being there and helping your son out of all his “so-called” mishaps, or tell him when he’s wrong, maybe he would be able to grow up and be A Man!


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

April Newsletter

April, 2011

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth...


Peppermint

From The Herb Patch

Welcome to the April issue of Herbs and Heirlooms!

This month I get to talk about one (I did say one) of my favorite of all herbs! Peppermint!
A few years ago, due to buying eggs from a farm family, I came in contact with the SitKowski family. You pronounce that like “sit cow ski” (that’s what they told me)! They made mostly all of their foods and beverages from scratch. It is the first time I ever had what they called a “garden mint” tea. I thought this was wonderfully good. They grew their own mix of mints, spearmint, peppermint, etc. and mixed them all together to make a delicious mint tea. I have never forgotten it. Of course, they added sugar to the mix. They took this tea to all of their get togethers, seemingly everybody loved it and so did I. Well, they no longer live here in this area, but I decided to start growing my own mix of mint and still make tea from it. It is very easy to grow.

According to Wikipedia:
Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata) The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world. It is found wild occasionally with its parent. Peppermint was first described in 1753 by Carolus Linnaeus from specimens that had been collected in England; he treated it as a species, but it is now universally agreed to be a hybrid.

It is an herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant growing to 12–35 inches tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section. The rhizomes are wide-spreading, fleshy, and bare fibrous roots. The leaves are dark green with reddish veins, and with an acute apex and coarsely toothed margins. The leaves and stems are usually slightly hairy. The flowers are purple, long, with a four-lobed corolla about; they are produced in whorls (verticillasters) around the stem, forming thick, blunt spikes. Flowering is from mid to late summer. Peppermint typically occurs in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches.

Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by its rhizomes. If placed, it can grow anywhere, with a few exceptions. The aroma of peppermint has been found to enhance memory. As such, it can be administered by instructors to their students before examinations, to aid recall. Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as tea and for flavoring ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpaste. It is the oldest and most popular flavor of mint-flavored confectionery.

Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos and soaps, which give the hair a minty scent and produce a cooling sensation on the skin. Used in this way, it has been known to help with insomnia.

In 2007, Italian investigators reported that 75% of the patients in their study who took peppermint oil capsules for four weeks had a major reduction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, compared with just 38% of those who took a placebo. A second study in 2010, conducted in Iran, found similar results. Peppermint relaxes the gastro-esophageal sphincter, thus promoting belching. Peppermint flowers are large nectar producers and honey bees as well as other nectar harvesting organisms forage them heavily. A mild, pleasant varietal honey can be produced if there is a sufficient area of plants. Peppermint oil has a high concentration of natural pesticides, mainly menthone.

Peppermint generally thrives in moist, shaded locations, and expands quickly by underground stolons. It is often grown in containers to restrict rapid spreading. It grows best with a good supply of water, and is often planted in areas with part-sun to shade. The leaves and flowering tops are used, they are collected as soon as the flowers begin to open and then are carefully dried. The wild form of the plant is less suitable for this purpose, with cultivated plants having been selected for more and better oil content. Seeds sold at stores labeled peppermint generally will not germinate into true peppermint, but often produce a less intensely scented spearmint-like plant. The true peppermint rarely produces seeds, and only by fertilization from a spearmint plant, which contributes only their own spearmint genes that dilutes down the scent and flavor.

*A Note From Alice: I really did not realize that peppermint was a plant that could not be reseeded and grow true to type. I wondered why I couldn’t find peppermint seeds in the stores or catalogs, only spearmint.  And to be honest with you I really like the spearmint, pineapple mints and other flavors of mints. They are wonderful for tea! You could mix different flavors together and still get the same benefits. I can attest for the fact that peppermint is good for IBS symptoms because a few years back I had a major problem with this. After being put on drugs to control (relax) this problem and finding that these drugs also relaxed the bladder among other side effects, research into alternative herbal methods led me to peppermint! Also, with this problem I learned that food combining greatly helped. There will be information concerning this (Lord willing) this month on my blog.

Peppermint is one of the ingredients I have put in the arthritis lotion I am making. It is almost ready! I am waiting now for more of the wintergreen that I have on order and have to get this made up and put into containers plus I’ve got to think of a good name for it.


Easy Peppermint Tea:
Peppermint tea is delicious and refreshing. Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves or 1 teaspoon of crushed, dried leaves. Steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Use more or less herb according to your preference. Add whatever sweetener you like and enjoy! Many times I do not add a sweetener to my teas, but for some folks that’s impossible. Drink a cup of this tea up to three times a day to aid digestion.

Guess what!! It’s Dandelion and Wild Onion time!
 
I never did get out there before the freeze last year and so I wasn’t able to gather dandelions for the tincture I was going to make, but I have remedied that. I have taken a good cutting of the wild onions, cut them in pieces with scissors (washed first) and put them in a freezer bag labeled wild onion chives. So, I will use these in my casseroles, or whatever I wish until my (real) herbal garlic chives start producing again. They are good in potato dishes and egg dishes too. The dandelions are good to eat if you pick them early and mix them with other things. So, get out there and gather some onions and dandelions while the supplies last!!


Liquid Herbs
by Heidi Herzberger


EVER SINCE I started gardening, I’ve been improving and maintaining my soil to increase my yields of vigorous herb plants with large, abundant leaves and high levels of essential oils. Long before the term “recycling” became a catchword, I was returning plant nutrients to the soil in the form of homemade compost and cover crops that I tilled under. Over the years, I’ve developed an organic liquid fertilizer that not only makes herbs grow faster and stronger, but is actually made from herbs.

Something I learned from my parents and have always done is to lay fresh cut leaves and stems that I’ve weeded or pruned around the base of my plants and wait for the rain, microorganisms, and time to release their nutrients to the soil. One winter day, while sipping a restorative cup of herbal tea, the idea came to me that my plants might also prefer their tonic in liquid form, a sort of vegetarian manure tea based on a mixture of dried herbs.

I discovered that the practice of using herbs as fertilizer dates back hundreds of years: as far back as the ninth century in the case of comfrey, for example, and to the eleventh for raspberry and dandelion. That’s really not surprising. Like all other green plants, herbs surrender their nutrients to the soil when they decompose.
The fertilizer formula I came up with contains twelve herbs, listed below, which together contribute nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and the ten other mineral elements essential for plant growth along with numerous other beneficial substances. Many have traditionally been used as fertilizers. Two of these herb, tansy, and mint, have a reputation for attracting great numbers of earthworms, which themselves are prodigious fertilizer manufacturers. Most of these herbs are vigorous growers, so if you have them in your garden, you probably have plenty to spare for making fertilizer.

Ø      Tansy                           Dandelion
Ø      Nettle                           Coltsfoot
Ø      Mint                             Purple Coneflower
Ø      Hop                              Soapwort
Ø      Comfrey                       Sage
Ø      Leaves and fruit of raspberry         
Ø      Garlic


The Results
I’ve tested my herbal fertilizer for three years, giving one group of plants fertilizer, compost, and water while giving another group of similar plants just compost and water. Large-and small-scale growers also have used it, in greenhouses as well as outdoors. We’ve all been pleased with the results.


Preparing the Fertilizer
My formula is based on dried herbs. You may purchase them or dry your own. Hang your harvested herbs or lay them on screens to dry in a cool, dry place until they are crisp.

To make about a pound of dried fertilizer blend, combine 2 ½ ounces each of tansy, nettle, mint, and hop, 1 ounce each of comfrey, raspberry (leaves only) if using fruit, add it later when you brew the stock solution), dandelion, coltsfoot, purple coneflower, soapwort, and sage, and 1 clove of garlic. Store the mixture, tightly covered, in a cool, dark place.
If you’d rather substitute fresh herbs for dried, use the same proportions specified above, but in double or triple the amounts.

Don’t be concerned if you don’t have all the herbs called for; just use more of the ones you have. To mix your stock solution, place the herb blend in an old pillowcase or other cloth bag and tie the top shut. Place the bag in a 24-gallon trash can and fill the can with water. Put on the lid to keep out mosquitoes, birds, and small children. Let this stock solution steep for about five days, or until it begins to ferment. In cold weather, I add a teaspoon of fish emulsion fertilizer to the can of water to help fermentation along. Use the stock solution as outlined below, then spread the spent herbs on your compost pile to get every last bit of good out of them.


THE INCREDIBLE EDIBLE SMOOTHIE
Usually each morning I have a “smoothie” for breakfast. I have found that it is the best way to get nutritious food into my body without having to push it down my throat. I confess that I use whole milk and kefir in my smoothie, maybe a half cup each and then add bananas, frozen blueberries, blackberries that came from my property, and other fruit that I might have on hand. Not a lot! I usually add some type of “green food” (such as Barley Max or Jordin Rubin’s Perfect Food powder, maybe a teaspoon). To that I add a ½ scoop of All One Vitamin powder. It actually tastes good. When I have it on hand I put some Children’s Immunity Plus in the blender, so that I get all of the immune fighting stuff in my body just by drinking a shake. I like it! I have grown accustomed to this type of breakfast. Fruit smoothies are a wonderful taste treat that can be substituted as a meal at breakfast, lunch or when life’s activities make it seem impossible to have a meal. It is great for children, too! For the weight conscious, it is interesting to note that when fruit smoothies are consumed on an empty stomach, no weight will be gained...only energy and valuable nutrients.

To make a smoothie, place the following in a blender:
1 cup fresh or organic apple juice                
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit
1 1/2 to 2 frozen bananas                            
1 or 2 organic dates or other natural sweetener (optional)

Blend until a creamy consistency is reached, which takes about 45 seconds. Smoothies are best when consumed immediately, before the bananas have a change to turn brown.
Note: Smoothies can be made with fresh ripe bananas, cold fresh fruit and cold juice; however, they will not be as cold or thick a when using frozen bananas and fruit.

Last month I said I would list some more info on food brands that are non GMO and are healthy:
Arrowhead Mills              Health Valley                  Seeds of Change             Muir Glen   
REAL SALT                   Frontier Herbs                Bragg                        Westbrae Natural Foods
Rumford Baking Powder (Aluminum free baking powder)
(Cleaning Products) Earth Friendly Products
Seventh Generation                  Bi-O-Kleen
There are more that can be found at Health Food Stores, depending on where you shop!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Birthday!

April 2, 2011

Today is my birthday!! This year I turned 56 years old.  Birthdays are important to me. I can't imagine anyone not celebrating a birthday just because of something someone (Herod) did in the Bible that ended up with a great prophet of God (John the Baptist) losing his head! That is one of the things the Jehovah Witnesses don't participate in, the reason being the above mentioned. Does that mean that we should stop eating food, since Herod and his partiers were having a feast? I say nay!!

When I was growing up we hardly ever had a birthday party. We did get something new (I think), and believe me I'm not being unappreciative, but birthdays weren't really all that special. So, when I started my family of three girls, I decided to make their birthday times special. Birthdays only come once a year. When my children were growing up I gave them a day off for their birthday. They didn't even have to go to school. No, the teachers didn't appreciate that, but I wanted to do this for them as something special. And for the one (Grace) who was homeschooled her later years, she had the day off too. On this particular day they didn't have to do any work around the house, they just had the day off. We would probably do something like have a party or go out to eat, and they always got a special gift. They had the added benefit of other people in the family giving them something nice on their birthday.

For me, I usually do something special with my family, but it just depends on our circumstances at the time. Most of the time, I go out and buy something (clothing, purse, or something that I can have as a reminder of my birthday). Something I really need!  My daughter Beth, Todd, and grandchildren gave me a nice gift that really suits me. It just so happens that my grandson Xander's (Alexander) birthday is a day before mine. April 1!  I know go ahead and make an April Fool joke! There really is no reason for Christians to make a big deal over the first of April. I realized a few years ago that this was some more made up tripe that we have fallen for. Curtis and Grace came to our area and had a birthday party for Xander which ended up being on my birthday!! So I guess you could say I had a party too! At least that's how I'm looking at it!

So, this month for my birthday, I want to post Proverbs Chapter 2, which is something I read on the morning of April 2nd. 

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Amen