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Dégagé Gardens     ( 973 ) 827 ~ 3369

Special notes: Welcome to the Dégagé Gardens webpage. Thanks for your interest: hope you enjoy your visit! To navigate the page ~ please click on the bolded topics at the top of the page, which will bring you to your point of interest within the page! NOTE: If you're on a cellphone, switiching to desktop version, typically improves navigation! All links within the page, will open in a new separate page, leaving this one open to return to. The newest addition to the menu at the top of the page is Purchase Online! Please click the highlighted colored words above or on the menu at the top of this page = ) Thank you ~ from Paul & Tina at Just Jersey, & from myself! This first section admittedly contains a plethora of environmental info, videos & links, for which I am passionate! The right hand column contains more of the same, some links to some of my favorite websites, some amazing inspirational quotes & some in memoriams. I have been intending to separate this page into individual topic pages for years, and somehow, always find other things to do! It's like a 22 year on-going blog! If you're looking for something in particular, please click my bolded bright green email anne@degagegardens.com to email me, & I'll send you a link to the exact location! NOTE: I do not receive any funds from anybody for whom I advocate on my webpage (except for 1 $25.00 check from a solar company when a friend signed up & all the info for that is no longer current, I just haven't gotten around to taking it down) . I've never even received a complimentary dessert or coupon from any of the folks I admire & about whom I boast. I simply & firmly believe in completely gratuitously highlighting those who are exhibiting care for our planet = ) I prefer to place my own dollars where they are affirming respect for our natural resources & those who share this incredibly lush & lovely planet. And, as you have likely read on this page, I'm also passionate about exposing those who are being unkind to the innocent flora & fauna, which provide for us so freely & make it possible for us to live with them! May something which I've shared on this page encourage you to embrace this precious planet more lovingly = ) Thank you all who continue to support me financially & spiritually. Thank you to all who share their planet passion with everyone around them! May we all fill each day with gracious giving & gratitude! Peace & Joy, Anne I was raised to keep vigilant trust close at hand, and I encourage everyone to do so also. LISTEN to WHAT is being said, and WHO is saying it. Lately, I've been listening more to different people's PERSONAL experiences, and have been seeking out a wider range of news sources. There are so many voices to be heard! When everyone's saying the same exact things, I find it quite odd. Aren't there usually different viewpoints? I love hearing from people with disparate thoughts. I'm digging deeper. I'm doing the math. I'm reading the peer reviewed studies, and yearning to understand the science. I'm also looking back on history. I prefer putting my attention & focus on those who are consistently moving forward, with EVERYONE (and the planet and its denizens) in mind. I'm also revisiting all the wonderful works, which have shown me that resilience is an option, and that HOPE is what we THINK, SAY & DO! May we all embrace kindness, love, and truth, while moving forward together. 6/7/21 "As long as I have any choice in the matter, I shall live only in a country where civil liberty, tolerance, and equality of all citizens before the law prevail." ~ Albert Einstein RIGHT NOW! Latest update: Wednesday, June 7th 2023 June 2023: Two More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ! Seeds is a super soft sateen!!   Easy Life                                   Seeds Please know that I have not increased my wholesale prices since 2009. In April 2023, I raised the price of one of my products (my Organic Body Comfort Wraps) $1.00. Some of the increases, which you may be seeing in the stores which stock my products, are increases being made on their end. Please consult my Stockists/Where Available list to find a store near you or online, which offers products closest to your price range. Thank you so much. November 2022 9 New spectacular Organic fabrics from designer (& owner), Jennifer, of Monaluna Fabrics, and !                           Petunias                    Glitter                    Monaco       Rosa                    Liliana       Lavender Dots                   Tassels       Keys                   Point AND: Another New Whimsical Pattern & a Holiday one From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Kind    Xmas Past N E W     S T O C K I S T ! 17 Main St Lower AND NOW UPPER Level too! Sparta, NJ (973) 362 ~ 6960 Thank you Mikeala for bringing my Body Wraps into your incredible Zero Waste store! Continued success in expanding business!! Please visit Mikeala & Morgan soon, & support our local business women! I have picked up several gifts, which were warmly welcomed by friends! Thanks ladies! “Simple Bare Necessities is stemmed from just that – necessities that are low waste and plastic-free.” Bring in your own containers (some are available for purchase also) & stock up on spices, grains, legumes, dried fruits, coffee, pastas, cooking oils, liquid soaps, cleansers ... Please click on their above lovely logo, or below image of Mikeala & Jake at our local Sparta Farmers Market, for additional info on their refill service, which is offered to residents of Sussex County! James "Jim" Andrew Giller December 1960 ~ April 2022 Gentle, Passionate, Kind & Comedic... is only his Beginning In a recent exchange with our brother, James, I wrote "Feel we'll always have a deep connection." I know he made a deep connection with so many. While you're reading this, you may be experiencing some sadness, which I'm confident is kept company by the laughter & delight we've all enjoyed with our gentle brother, brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin & friend. As Helen Keller so beautifully wrote: "What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us." I am so grateful for my Skamur (this was one of his MANY nicknames & my go-to one for many years!), sharing himself, his time, his palpable passions, enlightened encouragements, expansive conversations, clever comedic creations, learned perceptions, & his Sound Anarchy. He turned me on to musical legends local & far flung; from Billy Hector, to Clarence Gatemouth Brown & Midnight Oil. He afforded me countless opportunities to experience a wide breadth of arts up close. He broadened my mental & spiritual horizons thru BAI, FMU & my new family at PRN.live, where they never screen their callers & value everyone's contributions, just like James! He truly loved connecting people. His 'more crayons' optimism, when faced with broken crayons, is reflected in his favourite colour: rainbow! He reached so many lives with his gracious giving. From neighbors in our hometown of Oak Ridge, & in South Orange, Newark, Maplewood, Orange & Nutley; schoolmates in Sparta & at SHU in South Orange; co-workers at Action Park, Berkshire Valley Clam Bar, Bailey Cable, SHU Law School, Nabisco, St Barnabas, Action Park, Berkshire Valley Clambar, Bailey's Cable...; Bottomfeeders Ultimate frisbee folk; & fellow volunteers at New Jersey Peace Action ~ he has touched so many. I envision our grandparents, parents, Aunts, Uncles, Mike & Ronnie, Mikie Goforth, Rafael, Amoryl, & sometimes cuddly companions ~ Toopee, Neebly Beebly Bop, Susu, ChiChu, GobbyHead, & countless others greeting him in the Great Beyond. I'm intending to honour James each day, as I actively choose that same gentleness, patience, kindness & gratitude he evinced, in my exchanges with our wondrous planet & it's denizens. May we all reflect on Jim's many gifts to each of us, & carry those feelings & the love, & continue to harmonize with his lovely being! "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because dawn has come." ~ Rabindranath Tagore "As long as you live ~ keep learning how to live." ~ Seneca N E W ! Organic Fabric! Just got in this fantastic Organic Poplin fabric       Cool Cats by a wonderful designer, Jennifer, who is the owner of Monaluna Fabrics! Thanks for sharing your talented gifts, Jennifer!                     April 2022: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Flutter                    Firefly       Parrot Play                   Dragonfly N E W ! GRAND OPENING! 180 Spring St ~ Newton (973) 756 ~ 3053 Thank you Arielle for bringing my Body Wraps, Eye Pillows & Sachets into your lovely Gallery ~ Studio Boutique & Apothecary! Continued success in your renewed space & expanded business!! Please visit Arielle & Michela soon, & support our local artists & crafters! I picked up a lovely Organic Tea Blend that is amazing! Thanks ladies. Please click on their above beautiful logo, or below store image, for additional info. A fond farewell to Reese & Debbie & all the wonderful folks at the Sussex County Food Co-op. I am grateful to have been able to witness such a vibrant atmosphere of community for so many years. Thank you for all the wonderful opportunities you provided for our local area. I continue to appreciate the many locally crafted gifts I purchased (I'd bought for others first, & liked them so much, I kept them & had to purchase more to share!). When they'd curtailed placing orders, I inquired about some great products I could only find at their location, & they graciously pointed me in new directions = ) While closing out our account, another patron who'd recently bought out all of my Organic Sachets, said she'd just gifted one to the owner of a new shop opening, at the top of the street.... 9/17/2021 N E W ! NOW OPEN!! 165 Spring St ~ Newton (973) 383 ~ 0440 www.TheFarmersDaughterNJ.com Thank you Kristi & Alex for bringing my Body Wraps & Eye Pillows into your beautiful space! Best to you in your new adventures!! Please visit them soon & be impressed & inspired! June 2021: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Tulip Cat                    Generosity       Love                   Sunshine March 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                   Felipe           Good Vibrations                   Little Grasses Feb 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                   Dahlia           Flora 2021                   Heirloom Thursday, June 4rth 2020 I'm listening to Tuesday's The Sweet Spot show (new night!) on WBAI archives. This is my favorite music show! Tonite it’s hosted by 2 wonderful people, who I feel have a direct connection to my musical tastes. Tonight, DJ Baby K seems to speak more to my soul "Going from a `me society' to a `we' society"! & "soul vitamin for the body, mind & spirit"! & DJ Kyle McNeill seems to speak more to my feet tonight! Check this show out, & feel supported by their "serving musical medicine for dark days. Happiness is part of fortifying your immune system - tune in from the comfort of your car or home and celebrate life with us". Such a precious relief from all the disheartening news of another soul being selfishly taken by officers for NO reason other than that they could; by those who are supposed to be protecting & serving... they had eight long minutes to alter their course & chose not to. A swirling mix of shame for our country, & a desire to connect with sanity, respect, gratitude, honor, compassion, love, peace, honesty, kindness, grace, forgiveness, & to deepen my faith & hope. As we place more of our attention upon the glorious people around us who continue to give & heal, we will do more of the same ourselves. On this anniversary of Tiananmen Square, let us be reminded of the power of protest, and also of the sacrifice which so many have given, and continue to give. May peaceful protests continue, until there is no longer a need for them. As DJ Baby K talks about on this particular broadcast, staying healthy is so helpful. I know my mood is very linked to my eating. Please click HERE to be brought to another part of this page, which contains some more relaxing info, including different foods I consume to achieve & maintain calm! Namaste, Anne June 2020: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Unique Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                    Lisbon             Cats                   Flourish Lavender & Dream Comfort Body Wraps Now Available Online at Just Jersey! Please click on above image to go to Just Jersey's website! Oh! & now they're offering all 4 scents of my Eye Pillows too! Click below image for those! OH!! They are selling my 100% Organic Dream AND 100% Organic Lavender Sachets too now!!! Just Jersey is located in Morristown, NJ. The owners Tina & Paul, with the help of Karen, have brought almost 200 different creative folks & a myriad of handcrafted products & small batch edibles into one space! If you're looking for that unique holiday, special occassion, birthday, hostess, or just because gift, I'm confident you'll find something! I know I have, many times! My Comfort Body Wraps & 2 of my Eye Pillows contain Lavender, which studies have shown is a scent which may help our bodies release oxytocin, that is believed to help suppress cortisol. When cortisol is suppressed, it's been reported, ones blood pressure typically correspondingly, goes down. If you're looking for a more active way to help release oxytocin, I'm re-pasting an earlier share below! Ahhhhh! Below are some of those potential Oxytocin boosting suggestions I've gathered. I'm confident you will enjoy finding or creating additional ones of your own! Namaste, Anne Also, for additional info on melatonin & more relaxing info, including different foods I consume to achieve a deeper calm, please click HERE to be brought to another part of this page! Sing. Touch. Pet an animal. Send a Thank You card. Call a friend to share a highlight of your day, or when you've thought about them. Ask someone a direct & personal question to show that you've been listening, in this conversation or during a previous one. Hug. Let's take one of my grandma's golden rules "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all", to another level: Find kind things to say & share them often! Holding back our tears may increase our testosterone levels, which thereby may reduce Oxytocin levels. Watching a tearjerker may boost oxytocin! Become more aware of loving kindness and affectionate touch, even when you see it on TV. It is said that even witnessing these may boost our oxytocin! Perform your own acts of kindness: hold doors open; bring an extra healthy snack to class, work, or on a hike to share; contribute those few cents someone needs to not break a bill! Say 'I love you" & demonstrate it = ) Taking a walk! Doing it with someone may increase levels more. Inquire from anyone what the favorite part of their day, week, month, summer, or life has been! Dance. Volunteer your time, for something that holds meaning for you or a loved one. Give or receive a hand, neck or foot massage. Practice vigilant trust. Our oxytocin may rise in direct relation to when someone puts trusts in us. The oxytocin that may get released, when we reach out to lovingly understand and forgive, may make us more trusting and allow us see world views we may not have realized existed. Kiss. Resist an argument by asking more about why someone is upset, and actively pursuing a dissolution of it. When feeling overwhelmed, impatient, or anxious remember: Smell the flowers (Breathe deeply in through your nose) & Cool the Soup (Exhaling deeply through your mouth)! Seek out opportunities to be of service, to listen, to share joy, & to remind everyone around you of all of the simply amazing things, which already quietly surround us on a daily basis! Please click HERE to be brought to another part of this page, which contains some more relaxing info, including different foods I consume to achieve calm! November 2019: Seven More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Classy Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!          Linnea                     Falling Leaves                    Snowflakes 2019             Fall Floral                   Prince            Orange Blossom           Natural Fall March 2019: Five More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Fabulous New Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                Floral in Indigo                             Henri                                                             Margot                Yolanda                             Sunset Stars Thank you Carole, for bringing my products into your Whole Body section at the Marlboro store, located in Marlboro Commons! Please click on the below logo to visit this stores webpage for details. N E W ! 113 Route 9 South ... Marlboro, NJ 07726 (732) 792 ~ 5900 October 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics!      Milkflower                             Lilac       Magnolia                                 Whitehaven N E W     L O C A T I O N! Just Jersey 179 Glenridge Ave, Montclair, NJ (973) 337-6694 ORIGINAL LOCATION: 163 South Street (at Elm)..Morristown 973 . 590 ~ 2820 Please click on the below image of their store front to learn more!            Posted April 2018: Thank you all who have reached out so sweetly & softly during my mother's 'long walk home'. She was so fortunate to have spent her 80th year in a bucolic setting in northern New Jersey, with spectacular sunsets & horses wandering. The staff was so very compassionate & caring. My mother said she felted loved by them. The journey we each took with her was a special one. I am grateful to have made the opportunity to take that prolonged & profound sojourn with her. I am confident that the space she left will continue to fill with all things wondrous! "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because dawn has come." ~ Floyd Lotito April 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics!       Rose                                         Garden     Sweetbriar                                    Tulip N O W     O P E N ! 319 Chimney Rock Road ... Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (732) 584 ~ 1960 Thank you Chris Howerton for bringing me into your gorgeously decorated Plant & Plate section in the new Whole Foods Bridgewater! Please click above logo to see more about what is special about this particular location which opened Friday, March 23rd, 2018. Please click below image to visit this location's Plant & Plate page. Thanks for joining Maria at her lovely Holiday & Pottery Gift Sale! She is always open for small business Saturday, and the day before & after. Every year she invites some wonderful local folks to add to her outstanding gift selections!! Please continue to support throughout the year. Please click on image below for larger image, which will open in a separate page. The following was posted on July 4, 2014, & feel it's a good reminder at this time of year, when many small businesses like my own, are being refreshed by holiday monetary fulfillment, as well as the convivial kind: Today, as we celebrate our independence from rule by another, let us support our American companies! I was just reading a local health food stores' newsletter online, and felt the need to share the following from it: "~ Small businesses accounted for 65 percent of all net new jobs over the past 17 years. ~ Small businesses currently employ 77 million Americans. ~ Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the local economy than chain stores. ~ If every family in the country spent $10 a month at local businesses, more than $9.3 billion would be returned to local economies." Sources: Small Business Administration; Civic Economics; American Booksellers Association Please take a listen & look at a clever 2.5 minute video I just posted in my GMO Info area: Top 5 GMO Lies. Click those bolded words to get there! After you've finished watching, there are plenty of other videos & a link to join millions of concerned Americans in signing a petition to ask our government to require labeling, like 65 other nations have! It's time. Happy Autumn!! I picked up 5 new organic fabrics this January (2017), from our local amazing artists at Cloud9 Fabrics! The two pictured below at the bottom, are from their Winter 2016 Festive collection & are for our 2017 winter holiday season. They are, quite appropriately festive ; ) The other three are from their Moody Blues collection & to me, speak as harbingers of spring, but are, oh so lovely, year round = ) I believe they will delight all!       Moody Floral                       Moody Blooms                              Moody White Butterflies       Festive Holly                       Festive Snowflakes Thank you Leslie, for bringing my products into your new store in December! I wish you, Jill & Sara all the best in this new endeavor! N O W     O P E N ! 1933 State Road 35 ... Wall (732) 359 ~ 3400 Thank you all who joined us for the 30th annual Gingerbread Show at Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Plains the 1st 2nd weekends of December! It was so wonderful to be there for the 2nd weekend, in a room with fun, familiar & favorite faces! A true joy to be next to & across from two true treasures, & to share the space with some new gals too! Thanks Erin, from Lebanon Soap, for filling the air with festive laughter!! Mark your calendars for next year ~ the 1st two weeks of December!! Please click on the below Gingerbread display to visit the hosts' website! Another Autumn is here & another opportunity to directly support several small business owners before the now traditional Support Small Business Saturday after Thanksgiving! I was so thankful to receive Maria�s call the other day, to be a part of her annual sale! Maria is a very accomplished local artist & potter who gathers several other local handcrafters' items into her cozy Holiday home. Thanks to all who took advantage of an incredible opportunity to meet a lovely lady, support their local folks, and took home & shared wonderful lovingly created treasures! Please click on the above image to view larger one! Please visit Maria online by clicking below on her store name in lavender: Stonehill Pottery Shoppe Thanks for your support, Anne i posted the following on July 4, 2014: Today, as we celebrate our independence from rule by another, let us support our American companies! I was just reading a local health food stores' newsletter online, and felt the need to share the following from it: "~ Small businesses accounted for 65 percent of all net new jobs over the past 17 years. ~Small businesses currently employ 77 million Americans. ~ Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the local economy than chain stores. ~ If every family in the country spent $10 a month at local businesses, more than $9.3 billion would be returned to local economies." Sources: Small Business Administration; Civic Economics; American Booksellers Association Small businesses are also the ones which are sponsoring our summer outdoor concerts, Farmers Markets, parades, local festivals, street fairs, kids sports, park clean-ups etc.. They live & are involved directly with us & our community goals & intentions. Green Life Market 238 Newton~Sparta Road ... Andover (973) 512 ~ 3900 "We are so excited to announce that we will be hosting a Grand Opening Event for our new Andover location on Saturday, October 22nd! The Andover location is the second Green Life Market home and we are so excited to celebrate this growth with our members and the rest of the community!" Thanks for bringing my Eye Pillows, Comfort Wraps, Lavender Refills & Lavender Skin Relief in to your lovely new space! (& since, for bringing in sachets!) Please click on their below logo to visit their facebook page: Thank you to all who came to the 7th Annual Sussex County Harvest, Honey & Garlic Festival! Thousands of Jerseyans gathered on Saturday, October 8th at the Fairgrounds, to celebrate the final local harvests & learn about important environmental issues, while gleaning healthy tips from many of the wondrous participants! So encouraging to see this event grow over the years. Thanks to all who made it possible, behind & on the scene & by attending! N E W ! Natural Food Market IN CHESTER is NOW OPEN !!!! 270 Route 206 S. Chester (908) 888 ~ 2256 Robyn, from the old Health Shoppe in Chester, is daily greeting wonderful faces in this incredible new space in the 'Streets of Chester', just a stones-throw away from where they all formed bonds over the many years before the Shapiro family shuttered their shops after 40 years! Thanks for bringing me back to Chester, & welcoming me into your wondrous store on September 21st!! "Established in 1996, Dean's Natural Food Market is committed to providing you the highest-quality organic foods and natural products available. Our friendly, dedicated and knowledgeable staff is here to provide you with the best customer service around and will assist you in understanding the value of a sound, well-balanced way of living. We offer the area's best selection of organic produce, groceries & bulk foods; a dedicated gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods section; our award-winning organic juice and smoothie bar and our Fresh Foods department, which offers a wide selection of grab-n-go organic entrees, sides, sandwiches and more." I was so grateful to SIT & eat lunch, before making my first delivery on the 21st of September. Such a warm tasty meal from their hot bar ~ with home-cooked flavors I look forward to savoring again!! Thanks to all who came out Friday, May 13th for It was a delight to speak with so many passionate & compassionate people. The energy from the event kept me up & active until 3 a.m.! Please click above image to visit the hostess' page. A portion of proceeds were donated to Lifestraw: "LifeStraw water filters convert contaminated water into clean, safe drinking water. The easy-to-use filters are a vital tool for some of the 780 million people who don't have ready access to safe drinking water. This leaves them at risk for diarrheal disease, which kills more than 1.5 million people every year." Please click HERE to visit Lifestraw's website. Thank you to all who came out & supported all the local folks who blessed us with their sustainable foods & products on Saturday, April 30th! Sparta is very fortunate to now have a year round farmers market! Please click their above logo for more details. Four More New Organic Fabrics for Spring 2016!  First Light                   Moody Blues Dancing Vines              Mad Mend   Below are 5 new Organic fabrics I've been utilizing in my eco~handcrafted aromatherapeutic products since 2016! All are from our local NJ designers at Cloud 9!    Tumbling ~ Aqua        Tumbling ~ Coral Branches   Tweetly Tweet ~ Blue    Tweetly Tweet ~ Pink Thanks to all who joined us for the 7th Annual Slow Food Winter market on Sunday, Feb 7th, at The Woodland in Maplewood! Gratitude to our hosts who were as gracious & giving as last year! This venue is so beautiful & always attracts pleasant passersby, as it warmly welcomes those anxiously awaiting this amazing yearly event! We are all also grateful for all the wonderful volunteers who always jump right in to lend their lovely hands = ) Thanks to all who came out for the final market of 2015 at Sparta's Winter Farm Market! So nice to see those familiar faces, and meet some folks too! Thanks, Mitch for going above & beyond, as usual. To see the great variety of vendors which this market offers year round, click on market info displayed above. If Nicole is reading this, I brought a freshly crafted Mint Body Wrap in the Deep Lavender fabric you'd requested. Still have that wrong phone#, so please contact me. Thank you to all who joined us at Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown the first 2 weekends of December for the Gingerbread Wonderland! Click on above image for details & to set a reminder for next year! If anyone misplaced any of the healing info I shared with you, please click my email below & you will likely get some additional nuggets from a more relaxed mind = ) anne@degagegardens.com Thank you again to Karen & the staff for swiftly relocating me this weekend to a different area, and an extra special thanks to Erin from Mt. Lebanon Soap Company for switching spots! Thanks Maria for once again hosting an amazing hand-picked selection of gifts for us at your lovely Stonehill Pottery! Such a wondrous opportunity to Shop Local, REALLY Local!! Thank you all who came out Saturday, October 10th for the 6th Annual Garlic & Honey Festival at the Sussex County Fairgrounds! It was so wonderful to see so many familiar faces, and to meet some new folks & puppies too! Thank you all for your support & for sharing in my enthusiasm for health 'gems', which I am confident will keep being passed along! The Food Justice Rally was scheduled to be at the West Lawn of the Capitol at noon on Saturday, Oct. 17th. Scheduled speakers included Dr. Edward Group, Steven Druker, and Anthony Gucciardi & were to start promptly at noon and to last until approximately 1:30pm. For more information on this event, please check http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/d-c-october-info/. One can also send an email to addmymarch@gmail.com Click above hyperlink & also above image for more info! If you've tried a non-GMO diet & are still experiencing some health challenges, please consider the below paragraph. And, if you're still consuming non-organic meats &/or dairy, please remember that U.S. feed animals are fed GM grains! "Consumers need to understand that Roundup is sprayed on nearly all GMO crops to control weeds, & the doses continue to increase; it's further used on wheat, rye, rice, lentils, barley & numerous other non-organic crops just before harvest to accelerate drying. Glyphosate has been widely found in water, rain & air samples, plus in breast milk, blood & urine, meaning virtually everyone has been exposed to this toxic chemical." To read the entire article in Natural Awakenings, from which I copied the above, please click HERE. For Fall 2015 there are 5 new Organic Fabric selections, from our Jersey girls at Cloud9 Fabrics now available! Thank you Dr. Davis & Julia for welcoming me into your incredible space in late July! I am confident that your patients will appreciate your bringing in another avenue of healing to them = ) One can click their below image to be redirected to their lovely website with great information for everyone! New patients receive a Complimentary Wellness Examination! Davis Integrated Medicine 309 Orange Rd. Montclair, NJ 07042 (973) 783-3606 Thanks to all who attended the local March Against Monsanto, Food Matters March, Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 in Sparta, NJ! The solidarity of concerned citizens from 48 countries, including ALL 50 states in the US, was invoked throughout the day. We were buoyed by the many wonderful speakers, who inspired us all to continue to get the word out on this, & many other important subjects addressed throughout a gorgeous late spring afternoon, filled with petition signing & chanting! Please click the below image to bookmark, so you can locate where you can participate near you .... next time .... well, may there be such an increased awareness of this, that there needn't be a next time! Please click below image for details of this march. Please click on the following picture taken by Mitch Morrison who runs the Sparta Farmers Market (& countless other local wonders!), to read an article in the NJ Herald. I also want to share these wise words written by Barbara Thomas of GMO Free NJ: "Most genetically engineered crops are designed and required to be sprayed multiple times in the growing season with the weed killer Roundup, which ends up in our food. The active agent in Roundup is glyphosate. Glyphosate has been classified by the World Health Organization's cancer research branch as a probable human carcinogen. Glyphosate is also a powerful mineral chelator, meaning that it creates a molecular bond with any and all macro- and micro-nutrients, subsequently depriving the plant and the organisms that feed upon that plant of many essential nutrients. Also, glyphosate is a known neurotoxin. It is also an endocrine disruptor--there are no safe levels for endocrine disrupting chemicals. There is one more bit of information you should know. Glyphosate is patented as a pharmaceutical anti-microbial which is in the antibiotic family. Everyone knows that we are facing a crisis in this country with antibiotic resistant diseases. And guess what? Long term low dose consumption of antibiotic type drugs leads to antibiotic resistant diseases for which we have no treatment. Further, this drug is being administered to the public through the food supply without our informed consent, which is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code. Oh, that's just the nutshell story of the ACTIVE ingredient in Roundup. The Roundup formula also contains "inactive" ingredients that make it much more dangerous. These chemicals are surfactants, which help the glyphosate penetrate the cell walls of plants, animals and humans." Barbara E Thomas GMO Free NJ Click HERE to visit that source. You can also click on GMOFreeNJ to visit her webpage, which is filled with great resources & information! Was happily surprised to find a good article featured in Consumer Reports, on another well-rounded clearinghouse of GMO info. I'm pasting an excerpt from it below. Please click HERE to be brought to the livingnongmo.org webpage = ) "One main selling point for crops containing GMOs has been that they reduce the use of pesticides. The use of insecticides (which kill bugs) has declined since these crops were introduced in the mid-1990s, but the use of herbicides (which kill weeds) has soared. The majority of corn, soybeans, and other GMO crops grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered to be resistant to glyphosate, a weed killer, better known as Roundup. Roundup is made by Monsanto, which also produces the seeds that enable crops to survive being doused with the herbicide. Since that technology was introduced in 1996, there has been almost a tenfold increase in the use of the herbicide, as illustrated in the graph from the U.S. Geological Survey (see above*). That in turn created an epidemic of super-weeds, which have quickly evolved to become immune to glyphosate. A survey conducted by Stratus Agri-Marketing in 2012 found that almost half of farmers throughout the U.S. are now battling the crop-choking plants. The solution proposed by the biotech industry? Creating a new generation of crops that are genetically altered to be immune to glyphosate and to other herbicides that are capable of killing the glyphosate-resistant super-weeds. Dow AgroSciences recently got the green light from federal officials to sell its new Enlist brand of GMO corn and soybeans, which are both engineered to be resistant to glyphosate as well as to an herbicide known as 2,4-D. The USDA has estimated that Dow's new GMO corn and soybean crops would at least triple the use of 2,4-D and could lead to an almost sevenfold increase over the next five years. 'Since this is likely to make even more weeds immune to both Roundup and 2,4-D, this "solution" to the super-weed problem makes about as much sense as pouring gasoline on a fire to put it out,' says Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., a research professor at Washington State University who also serves on a USDA advisory committee on agricultural biotechnology. Significant increases in the use of these herbicides could potentially affect consumers' health as well, because residue from the chemicals can end up in food crops. In a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency, raising concerns about increased exposure to 2,4-D that would result from approval of Dow's new GMO corn and soy, a group of 70 scientists, doctors, and other health professionals pointed out that studies in humans have reported associations between exposure to the herbicide, and increased risks of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, birth defects, and other reproductive problems." *in the actual article NOTE: the article also features some great info about how labeling for GMO's will barely affect any consumers' pocket! Click HERE to view entire article. Unsure why people from 40 countries are choosing to march globally against this corporate giant again this for the fifth time? Curious why 64 nations already require labeling of GM foods? Please click HERE to be brought to a section of my webpage which contains some short & long videos about this topic (& some written info also), which deeply & directly affects every single living thing on our beautiful planet & for which I have a great passion! You will also find a link to join more than 1.4 million Americans in signing a petition to ask our government to finally require labeling, 23 years after France! Let's not make it 24 years, please!?! And please, share this widely on all of your favorite social media platforms. Remember, the tipping point is ONLY FIVE PERCENT! I can feel that we're almost there folks! What an incredible opportunity to be a part of changing something SO HUGE in our lifetimes! Clicking the below image will bring you to a recent article with THREE petitions you can sign: one to FDA, another to congress, and the last to Quaker/Pepisco! Thank you to all who came to Sustainable Morristown's Festival Earth at Vail Mansion, on Sunday, May 17th, 2015! I was so fortunate to be surrounded by so many incredible people, so passionate about our planet! For details on the event, please click HERE Thank you to all who came out Saturday, May 9th for the 8th Annual Glen Ridge Eco Fair = ) Thankfully there was much less rain than years past = ) Thanks to all who stopped to chat at the Annual Earth Day Sale at Taste of Dawn in Butler on Saturday, April 25th = ) My products are now available at the Whole Foods in Morristown, which opened on April 22nd 2015! I simply LOVE my life. I am led to things at the precise right moment; when I have a true NEED, it is filled; when others are in need, I have the TIME or RESOURCE to be of service. A friend sent a FB link to a 'must see video' about GMO's. I click & am brought to their sign-in page, asking for a password. I don't have an account, so I copy & paste something pertinent from their email to see if I can locate it somewhere else out there . It's the independent in me. Instead, I find this incredible songstress & her amazing song with great musical & vocal back-up. Their energy lifts my spirit; their message lifts my soul. Thank you Maimouna Youssef for your gifts & for sharing them! Oh, so here's what my friend wanted to share: A short interview with MIT Dr. Stephanie Seneff definitely proving connection between so many of our modern diseases with a chemical sprayed on ALL American non-organic crops (including those consumed by the animals you eat!)! Please watch & share widely. Your children, family & friends will thank you = ) In happy health, Anne If you'd like to learn more about why I avoid consuming GMO's, please click HERE & you will be brought to another part of my page which has more info, videos & a link to join more than 1.4 million Americans in signing a petition to ask our government to require labeling, like 64 other nations have! It's past time. Thank you to all who joined us for the 7th Annual Winter Farmers Market on Sunday, February 1st! It was held at The Woodland in Maplewood this year. This spacious beautiful building swiftly filled with wonderful people & incredible energy! Thank you Margaret, Brant, Julia & Diane for making it such a positively amazing event for all ages. It is truly an event which so many look forward to every year! Did you know that there's a new store that open recently in Morristown, which features only items Please visit located at 163 South Street (at Elm) in Morristown, New Jersey 07960. Their phone is 973 . 590 ~ 2820 I dropped off lots of goodies on Saturday, Dec. 20th, & was so impressed by all of the talent they've assembled in one space! So, if you're in the Morristown area! Please click on the below image of their store front to learn more! Thank you all who came to the on Saturday, Dec. 20th! It was so festive & fun. Click on banner image above to learn more about future markets! And, Nicole ~ if you see this ~ please give me a call, as I took down your phone number with 11 digits & have tried many combinations of those & have not been able to reach you !!! Thank you all who joined us for the 29th annual Gingerbread Show at Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Plains the 1st 2 weekends of December! It was so wonderful to see so many fine & familiar faces! A true joy! Mark your calendars for next year ~ the 1st two weeks of December!! Please click on the below Gingerbread display to visit the hosts' website! I am so grateful to Colleen & her staff for welcoming in my products to their amazing salon! You can breathe deeply & easily in their relaxing space with a complimentary organic tea or coffee, before enjoying one of their many spa offerings! "FiG was created to give everyone a place considered by all as a home away from home and a healthier place to be. From the cozy feel of the salon, warm atmosphere, and friendly staff to the convenient location, hours of operation and all the natural and organic services and products provided." Please visit them soon & often at their new lovely location: 274 Spring Street, Station House Plaza in Newton! Please call 973-300-Hair (4247) for your appointment soon! Please click on their above logo to be brought to their gorgeous website! Thank you to all who came out for the 5th Annual Garlic & Honey Fest on October 11th, 2014 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds! This free event brought out the best of Sussex County's harvests, efforts, gifts, talents & folks! It's that time of year again! Harvest time! When I emailed the below opportunity for gardeners to my Environmental list, one of them responded the following: "The Denville Food Pantry (which I also work with) is looking for donations of produce in particular for our Thanksgiving distribution. All donations would be needed by November 19th (as they are given out in advance of the holiday). Donations can be dropped off at the Municipal Building in Denville or at Restyle Renew." NOTE: Restyle Renew is no longer open. Thanks Melissa for offering another opportunity for folks to give = ) 27 E. Main Street ... Denville Every year gardeners ask themselves why they planted so many cucumber or squash plants?! Now we know the reason, and it's not just to have extras for those groundhogs & deer! Instead of scrambling to find homes for your excess tomatoes & other perishable produce, or trying to foist another zucchini on a neighbor, we can all donate it to our local food pantries! In 2012, I became aware of this great site: When I put in my zip code, I found that there are 17 food pantries within 20 miles of my home. There are an additional 13 pantries in the next 5 miles from me! There are 30 food pantries listed within 25 miles of my home! So, no matter which way I'm driving that day, I'm sure to pass one along the way! If you know of a local food pantry by you that is not listed, please assist in getting the word out to them, and help get them listed, so their clients will be able to share in all of our ample harvests! Click their below logo to find your local pantries now. Thanks! If you don't have a garden, & still wish to contribute to a local food pantry, please utilize their site to locate a local food pantry & find out what they are needing most! Thanks to all who joined us Saturday, Sept. 13th, 2014 located at 192 Main St. in Butler, NJ 07405 for their To learn more about this great healthy Jersey gem, please click on their above logo & you will be brought to their webpage. You can also click on the above garlic photo, & check out their FB page! Their phone number is:(973) 838 ~ 0287 Thank you all who came & visited Jen's & my space at the Sparta Farmers Market on Saturday, August 9th! I am so very grateful to be a part of this growing & nurturing community = ) I have located another organic fabric designer right in Pennsylvania! These are the 1st two of hopefully many more lovely patterns, which I will be getting from Jan to utilize in the eco hand~crafting of my Body Wraps, Eye Pillows & Sachets. Great additions to my blossoming selections of organic fabrics! Thank you to all who came out & joined us for the Sparta Farm Market on Saturday, July 12th! It was another fabulous day at this market, filled with all sorts of healthy options, great music, and fantastic supportive customers & creators! An update on recent advances to get genetically modified organisms (GMOs) labeled here in the US (22 years since France started the ball rolling!). On May 8, 2014, after years of hard work, Vermont successfully & overwhelming passed a labeling initiative in BOTH houses, which is not contingent on having bordering states sign on (as is the case with CT & MA)! Barely a month later, the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association), the International Dairy Foods Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Snack Food Association challenged the constitutionality of the law by filing a lawsuit in federal court. Why? Food manufacturers are always changing their labels to highlight salable qualities of their products. So what's the big deal? Why don't they want to highlight their use of something they claim is better for our planet, and, since each state has the right to protect its own citizens, then what's the hold-up? Perhaps it's the lack of people knowing that they've been part of an experiment for decades. We've all had easy access to potentially harmful foods, which have never been tested by those producing products using them. In the US 88% of the wheat is genetically modified, as well as 90% of soy, 89% of sugar beets (which means when a label says sugar ~ it's likely from sugar beets, otherwise, it would state sugar cane, or whatever source from which it same), and 90% of corn! 64 countries require labeling, including India. Entire countries have banned the growing of these foods, or the sale of them! American companies create non-GM versions of our foods for these other countries because they stopped buying the GM ones! So, if you're one of those people who do not believe in the democratic process, or believe that it takes way too long, or understand that much of it is guided by lobbyists from companies who wish to do what they want, regardless of their environmental impact... then, vote with your dollars! I only purchase organic foods. Going without cable tv, a fancy car/home/clothes & enjoying stay-cations are well worth it, because I am supporting the health of our farmers, farm workers, the community surrounding them, & that of the planet, as well as my own! Even though I'm purchasing only organic products, I may still be supporting those who are trying to keep our foods unlabeled for GM ingredients. I used to buy Dagoba chocolate bars. On the label it says Artisan Confections Company, but they were bought by the Hershey Company in 2006 who spent $395,100 in 2012 to help defeat Prop 37 in California. Hershey also bought Scharffen Berger in 2005. Kraft bought Cadbury in 2010, which had bought Green & Blacks in 2005. Kraft has spent $2 million trying to avoid GM label. All of this knowledge is awesome for me, because in this particular instance, I'm now supporting 2 great companies whose chocolates are as awesome as their sources & their mission = ) & I'm quite fond of the chocolate bars & truffles from these eco~minded companies! Eating well tastes so great! "So when you bite into this bar of Alter Eco organic chocolate, rest assured that every bar ' just like every tree ' makes a big difference. Not just for the farmers of Acopagro, but for the Amazon, our planet and your taste buds." Theo is "Proud to be the first Organic and Fair Trade fair for Life Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory in North America." "We think about every choice we make, every action we take and how it will impact our interconnected world." Please click on the above images to learn more about these fantastic folks! Coca-Cola (also makes Honest Tea, Simply Orange & Odwalla) has now not-so-secretly contributed more than $1.5 million to campaign against the labeling of GMOs. In total $46 million dollars were spent on preventing labeling just in California alone! This doesn't cover the dozens of state & county initiative at which these companies are also throwing large sums of money! Where are your dollars going? In my cell phone, I have a list of all the organic foods I used to buy, before I found out they're blocking labeling of GMO's! So, in case I see something organic on sale, I can double check that it's not on my list! Click below image to see a larger one! Click HERE to get more details on what companies monetarily trying to prevent GM labeling, so we can better know where not to spend our dollars in a boycott fashion! To find out more about this issue, including why & who to boycott & buycott & videos galore, please click HERE to be redirected to that area of my webpage = ) Thanks for getting & staying involved! The following I created on July 4, 2014: Today, as we celebrate our independence from rule by another, let us support our American companies! I was just reading a local health food stores' newsletter online, and felt the need to share the following from it: "~ Small businesses accounted for 65 percent of all net new jobs over the past 17 years. ~Small businesses currently employ 77 million Americans. ~ Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the local economy than chain stores. ~ If every family in the country spent $10 a month at local businesses, more than $9.3 billion would be returned to local economies." Sources: Small Business Administration; Civic Economics; American Booksellers Association Small businesses are also the ones which are sponsoring our summer outdoor concerts, Farmers Markets, parades, local festivals, street fairs, kids sports, park clean-ups etc.. They live & are involved directly with us & our community goals & intentions. Thank you, Maya Angelou, for sharing your gracious spirit in so many artful ways over the past 86 years! You have truly been a guiding light to me for many of mine & am grateful to have your guiding words to continue to do so! We are so very thankful that we have many of your girlish giggles in interviews, & your inspiring words in song, movies, poetry & book form = ) The following has created a deeper compassion within me, for myself, and for others: "We do the best we can with what we know, and when we know better, we do better." Maya Angelou 5-28-2014 Thank you to all who participated in & attended the Green Fair in Glen Ridge on May 10th! Such a gorgerous green day to spend advocating for green = ) To find out more about Glen Ridge's Eco efforts, accomplishments or about their upcoming events, including their community-wide freecycle day on June 4th, please click the above image! Thank you for joining me for and for supporting local jewelers & crafters, as well as one of the friendliest communities in NJ! It is always such a pleasure to spend time here! For details click on the below image & you will be able to view a 2 page pdf with details about this event, on the organizers website! My apologies for not being able to attend For details click on the below image & you will be able to view a 2 page pdf with details about this event, on the organizers website! I am confident this event is proving powerfully eco~inspiring! On April 4th, I picked up 2 new ORGANIC LOW IMPACT DYED COTTON prints from our local NJ artists at Cloud9 Fabrics!           Feathers ~ Blue      Making Tracks ~ Indigo Thank you to all who joined us For the 5th Annual Madison Green Fair which was held outside the: Museum of Early Trades & Crafts It was an excellent turn-out of incredibly nice people, amazing musical entertainment, and a great opportunity to gain some valuable eco ideas! Please click on above image to view larger image! Please click HERE for more detailed info on the borough's website. Each year the event grows ~ so please bookmark for next year! One of my customers called me on March 23rd, 2014. We talked for almost 2 hours! She opened my eyes to another Monsanto monstrosity. Being an animal lover, I jumped online to find out more about this Ethoxyquin, which has been used as a food preservative since .. as far as I can tell .. the 1950's, and is permitted by the FDA to be "used in pet foods at a rate of 300 times higher than permitted as residue in beef, port, etc. consumed by humans." I am fortunate to have been raised by a mom who listened to a doctor who warned of the effects of: food preservatives, dyes, colors, aspartame (the 1st genetically modified carcinogenic 'food' of which I became aware as a child of the '60's & '70's. I can sill remember reading a cranberry juice bottle label in the store stating: "has caused cancer in lab rats"!), cottonseed oil, hydrogenated oils, and HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) ~ none of which came into our home, or were consumed by us. I read my cats food labels as well, as I just cannot tolerate suffering of anyone, especially those who are innocent: children & animals! This is also one of the reasons why I am adamant about purchasing only organic food: to think that I am responsible for anyone, especially a child or animal, being on or living near land which is being sprayed, and they are being exposed to this UNNECESSARILY! 100 years ago & for eons before, we did not have any manmade chemicals. We relied solely on the chemicals, which are naturally occurring in plants & trees to ward off insects & disease in our gardens, homes, animals & ourselves. This is where the pharmaceutical & agricultural companies get the basis for their drugs & herbicides & pesticides. But with nature, most of her creations do not contain the severe & persistent side-effects of the toxic knock-offs created in the laboratories. It's time to return to the safety of the sagacity of nature, instead of defiling it with our constant barrage of insults. Following is excerpted from online; reference is noted below excerpt: "According to Dr. Wendell 0. Belfied, D.V.M, practicing veterinarian for 26 years, co-author of How to Have a Healthier Dog and The Very healthy Cat, and founder of the first Orthomolecular Veterinary Hospital In the United States, both BHA and BHT are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are banned in some European countries. He adds that ethoxyquin is suspected of causing cancer and that propylene glycol, another common pet food Ingredient (closely related to anti-freeze), causes the destruction of red blood cells." ETHOXYQUIN was often listed as simply "E" (or E324) on pet food labels. Some dog food makers fail to list ethoxyquin on their labels but when pressured to disclose the facts, will admit it's use. Ethoxyquin is manufactured by Monsanto who requires employees handling the substance to wear eye and respiratory protection. Containers are marked with ~ skull and crossbones and prominently display the word, POISON. Etnoxyquin Is listed and Identified as a hazardous chemical by OSHA. Ethoxyquin has a rating of "3,' In the Chemical Toxicology of Commercial Products listings (on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 being super toxic requiring less than 7 drops to cause death.) The Department of Agriculture lists ethoxyquin as a pesticide. It is also used as a rubber preservative. Based on body weight, the FDA allows ethoxyquin to be used in pet foods at a rate of 300 times higher than permitted as residue in beef, port, etc. consumed by humans. Monsanto issues a disclaimer regarding use of ethoxyquin, stating that, 'Although, the Company makes no representations as to the completeness of accuracy thereof... (users must) make their own determination as to it suitability.. Monsanto will not be responsible for damages of any nature whatsoever...'" http://www.myfineequine.com/chemicalsinpetfood.htm Please remember that Monsanto's the company that told us that Agent Orange is safe, and the US just started cleanup in Vietnam, 50 years later because Agent Orange is still wreaking havoc on this nation, its people, and their children! Monsanto is also the largest producer of GM corn, soy, canola, & alfalfa, which has either been banned, or requires labeling in 64 countries (not the US). Other countries will not purchase meats from the US, because the animals are fed GMO's. Thousands of US doctors & Veterinarians are now prescribing non-GMO diets: Remarkable Recoveries Result! So, if you or your pet is presently confronted with a health challenge, check your labels for soy, corn, alfalfa & canola, which are likely GM & toxic; as well as BHT, BHA & Ethoxyquin. Monsanto has known all along that GMO's are unsafe. They resist any sort of trial to prove that it is safe. Instead, they've been using the US population as a huge trial, and the incidence of obesity, heart disease & diabetes paralleling the increase in levels of GMO ingestion is not just a coincidence! There are now over 100 scientific studies indicating the health risks of GMO's! Did you know that many US brands produce non-GMO versions of their foods for other countries? BECAUSE those other countries reached a tipping point! More than 5% of their consumers stopped buying the brands that contained GM ingredients, which then forced those companies to provide a product that the consumers would buy. 1991 ~ 2014. 23 years later & we still have not even gotten labeling, let alone a ban! In 2013, India became the 64th country to require labeling of GMO's! Monsanto has also known that is Ethoxyquin a toxin. Our US pets have been ingesting this for decades, and combined with their increased ingestion of GMO's in their foods, and an increase in obesity, diabetes & cancer in our pets, coincidence again? Up to 90% of U.S. soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, and sugar beets are now genetically engineered and routinely inserted into human and animal foods with no labels or safety testing. Approximately 80% of current grocery food items contain GMO! Other than reading labels, talking to others about the health & environmental hazards of GMO's & preservatives; you can learn more about this issue, so that you further understand why this is a global issue affecting everyone. Click on: LEARN MORE which will bring you to some great videos & links on my page, and clicking on THIS, will redirect to another page filled with great resources from OCA, a great organization which is committed to informing us about GMO's & helping us to get our foods labeled here in the US! You can also sign their petition (click OCA image below to be redirected to petition!) to say that you want your foods to be identified as containing GM ingredients: You can get lots more info & resources on this issue on this page: & sign another petition! If you feel that you only have time to sign petition, click You can also join one of the local Marches on Monsanto this May 24th 2014! Over 63 countries/territories are marching against Monsanto. ALL 50 states have at least one location (3 in Jersey this year!) to gather with others who wish change too = ) Click above image to open a new window listing all dates & locations for upcoming worldwide march! This organization also has great info on Monsanto & Agent Orange: click HERE to learn more! Let's give our planet an extra special spring this year, by becoming more aware of our actions & their effects on it! I'm sure a hammer rang out last night (January 27th, 2014) when Pete Seeger passed from this planet, for which he actively cared so deeply! May the many whom he influenced to be stewards for our planet continue in his footsteps, and bring more into the know! "I think the world's going to be saved by millions of small things." ~ Pete Seeger "The key to the future of the world is finding optimistic stories and letting them be known." ~ Pete Seeger This was one of his favorite quotes: "Think Globally, Act Locally" ~ Rene Dubois Thank you to all who joined us at the 6th Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, & Family on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum This rare cold-weather afternoon brought an "opportunity to stock up on the local, sustainably produced foods from farmers and artisanal food makers that are normally only available during the warmer months at farmers' markets," while growing the Slow Food Northern NJ School Vegetable Garden Programs! "Proceeds from the event will help advance Slow Food Northern NJ"s mission of helping schools start vegetable gardens." For info on this & future events from this non-profit, please click on below logo: A personal thank you, to the gentleman who gave me the hawks eye for my friend. Your intuition, caring, sharing & time are so very much appreciated! Thank you also for my pretty quartz! It was so nice meeting so many wonderful people at the Holiday Boutique on Dec 22nd at the Thank you all! For information about this Center, please click on the above image! Thank you to all who came out to support a new local business on Saturday, Dec 21st right here in Franklin! Over a dozen local artisans were there, along with some music, fire~spinning, & much more! I stopped in towards dusk & the atmosphere was vibrant! It was the shortest day of the year, & so nice to take an hour to celebrate the days lengthening, while sipping some delicious organic chai or espresso, and nibbling some tasty local treats! I got a wonderful locally handcrafted gift for a friend! May this busy day keep bringing Brian & his family more busy days! Yes, I'm tired ; ) For details on the cafe where the event was held, click here Thanks to all who attended & vended the at Frelinghuysen Arboretum the 1st 2 weekends in December. This 22nd Annual event brought over 200 gingerbread homes to the eyes of 1,000's! Thanks Morris County Park System & Friends of the Arboretum for bringing delight to so many! To check out some images of the event, and to keep an eye out for next years' event click below! Thanks to all who came to for the owner, Maria's Annual Holiday Boutique! which was the weekend before & after Thanksgiving. Maria closes for a couple of weeks & re-opens in January ~ until the summer, when she is again closed. Please visit her store soon & support a local artist! Visit her online by clicking below on her store name in lavender: Stonehill Pottery Shoppe For more details about Maria's Holiday Boutique & other Holiday shopping in West Milford, please click on the below linked article: West Milford residents urged to support town by shopping locally Thanks to all who came out & supported myself & other local growers, at the SUSSEX COUNTY HARVEST, HONEY & GARLIC FESTIVAL at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 12, 2013 This wonderful fall day provided a wonderful backdrop to the plenty which Sussex County has to offer = ) "On Oct. 12, millions of activists from around the world will once again March Against Monsanto, calling for the permanent boycott of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and other harmful agro-chemicals. Currently, marches will occur on six continents, in 52 countries,with events in over 400 cities. In the US, solidarity marches are slated to occur in 47 states. A comprehensive list of marches can be accessed at www.march-against-monsanto.com." Please click on the below banner for details about marches in your area, and to watch videos about Monsanto & GMO's, & for info on future events. Please note, that many venues are having special speakers on the dangers of Agent Orange. These are being organized by: "COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC., was founded by Kelly L. Derricks and Heather A. Bowser. Both disabled daughters of deceased Vietnam Veterans, are committed to serving as a voice for the children of Vietnam Veterans including second and third generation victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin Exposures worldwide. They believe in empowering each other to hold the companies (such as Monsanto) and governments responsible for causing so much devastation and suffering to generations." "We are asking our supporters who are attending their local marches to make copies of our COVVHA Flyer and hand them out to help raise Agent Orange Awareness in communities across the country." Please click the following for more info: Cities Hosting Agent Orange Speakers For those of you new to this campaign against Genetically Modified Organisms in our foods, please click HERE to a 2.6 minute video = ) You can also click HERE, and be brought to another part of my webpage, to read more about GMO's & to watch 4 short videos, or an entire movie on the subject! N O W     M O V I N G ! ! I've been watching the progress of a new store taking shape at the bottom of my hill. I've now met Brian & his entire family over the last few months, & am so excited about their promising new venture! Their opening last Saturday is still abuzz! (August 2014 ~ note: they are in the process of moving a little north of here into a larger venue!) "Serving Coffee, Tea & Tranquility for the Body & Soul" Relocating elsewhere in Franklin (973) 810 ~ 5617 See What YOU Can Experience At The Bodhi Tree Cafe "The self-help center will feature motivational workshops along with guided meditations, weekly discussion groups, life coaching, hypno-counselors, Reiki masters, massage therapist, tarot card readers, and much more to come. The store will consist of a wide assortment of self-help & spiritually-based items such as books, crystals, incense, herbs, candles, motivational items, etc. We will also feature many homemade items to give a platform to some very talented & gifted artisans. Some of the items will be homemade jams, soaps, dream-catchers, & jewelry. Experience is everything, and here at The Bodhi Tree Cafe, your experience is completely original to your needs and wants. Our philosophy is to create a space that is a peaceful oasis in a hectic world, where you can enjoy the company of like minded people. The Bodhi Tree Cafe will grow based on your needs, wants and ideas. Our cafe is your home away from home." To check out their website for hours, more info, upcoming events, & to watch an inspirational video, click on flower below! On July 8th HBO premiered Josh Fox's Gasland II! If you haven't seen Gasland, & have HBO through your cable provider, you can view it on HBO GO. Click on the following to access: I just tried to watch Gasland II on HBOgo, and it wouldn't load ~ perhaps too many are trying to load at same time? Yeah, that's the optimist in me ; ) I'll try back another time. There will be opportunities soon, to view in theatres also! Click HERE to find out about current & upcoming screenings, get the latest updates, take action, view a map to see how extensive fracking is. I rented and would recommend to those who more prefer a movie. Promised Land is a 2012 movie, directed by Gus Van Sant, and stars Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, and Hal Holbrook ~ who each have their own unique perspective on how fracking may affect a small town, which is struggling economically. Please contact your legislators TODAY, and let them know that you do NOT want any more fracking waste brought into our state! We're hoping to resolve this issue by the end of June. Please, click on the above image for larger view! If you are in the Trenton area on Thursday, June 20th from 11:30 am ~ 2 pm, please join others who will be raising their voices on this issue. They are meeting on the steps of the State House, next to the State Capitol, 125 W State Street in Trenton! Last year, the governor of NJ vetoed a bipartisan effort to ban fracking waste in NJ. The legislation states: "No wastewater, wastewater solids, sludge, drill cuttings or other byproducts resulting from hydraulic fracturing for the purpose of natural gas exploration or production in any state may be treated, discharged, disposed of or stored in the state." This language treats everyone fairly, and legally states our states right to protect the health, welfare and safety of NJ citizens. The governors reasoning for vetoing this legislation, was our Constitutions Commerce Clause, which obviously, it does not. NJ's already the home of most superfund sites in the US, and we can also boast, that we're the only state who has a superfund site which was declared safe & resolved, and then had to be re-opened twice for failure to properly resolve the toxic waste issue. (Note: this site was closed a 3rd, and the tons of chemical waste, which was dumped down abandoned mines is still being overlooked.) So, now, why would we want to bring radioactive waste, with lots of wonderful radiation, into our state? This has already been done several times (that we know of), and, this waste CANNOT be 'cleaned', and instead joins the rest of the waste which NJ apparently is comfortable having. We need to protect our drinking water! I'm personally not comfortable with it. I personally love our GARDEN state & wish to keep it green in a more natural way! Please click here to view a recent well written letter, from a local NJ man to editor of local paper! Thank you to all who came out & supported the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship fundraiser, on Friday & Saturday, June 14th & 15th, while supporting local artisans & crafters! So many artful & creative creations were on hand. Thanks to all the helpful volunteers & to all the other crafters for making it a fun time & for their supportive purchases, too! Click above images for more info about MUF, and their future events, which include many opportunities each year to view films, including hosting one of the Black Maria Film Fests each year! These are the 5 most recent additions to my organic fabric selection! These are also from my local fabric designers, right here in NJ! *******Sussex County has many wonderful qualities, my internet connection not being one of them! Waited sort of patiently to get online, for 8 hours that day, to say that I wouldn't be able to make the following event! My apologies to anyone I may have inconvienced! Best, Anne******* Sunday, May 19th! This would have been the 3rd time I'd be joining in this wonderful event, in its 3rd location! This year it's being held on the Green in Morristown! This great park is located in the heart of Morristown. Hoping it was an awesome event for ALL! Click HERE to check out the Sustainable Morristown website & for more info on event. Click on the below little poster to view larger image. Thank you Dr. Paul Marston, director of for bringing in some of my Body Wraps & Eye Pillows for your patients! You have a wonderful facility, which truly emanates wellness through the countless options you & your tremendous staff give your clients to help regain & maintains their health! is located at 300 Kakeout Road in Kinnelon, NJ (973) 838 ~ 6252 Please click on their above logo for more info, helpful health articles, and informative blog! Thanks to all who joined in Saturday, May 11th for the 6th Annual Glen Ridge Eco~Fair To view larger version, click on above image. There was a plentitude of really kind people. Thanks to all who stopped & talked, supported & signed the label GMO's petitions. Thanks to Kai for bringing me a chai from the chai guy = ) When I was able to stray from my table in the train station, I loved everything I saw! Am confident that next year I'll be personally joined by someone, so that I can get out & see more of the amazing folks who will be there again! To learn more about the event, please click on the below image. Below is a 2 minute video from This is an amazing organization that is devoted to our planet. "Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law organization dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment." When you are finished viewing, please click the below underlined, to find ways which you can Take Action Thanks to all who came Sunday, May 5th, to the Clinton Community Center for the Click above to view larger image! It was an indoor & outdoor event, which included speakers, holistic practitioners & holistic vendors, handmade crafts & chair massages! Thank you Christina for the invitation! To read more about the event & to participate in their Fall event, click on the below image! *****My apologies ~ I will not be able to make the following event due to health. I hope the event provides many with lots of pertinent environmental information, which will help our planet!***** Please join me this Saturday, April 27th from 11 am ~ 4 pm This 6th Annual Maplewood Green Day Fair will be held at Maplewood Memorial Park Maplewood, NJ 07040 You can use the Municipal building address (574 Valley St Maplewood, NJ 07040) for a map location also. This building is located directly across one of the streets from the venue! This event is accessible by train & bus ~ with stops just a block from event! There will be eco~entertainment, local food & farmers, demos, ? price, kid planet~friendly fun, gardening attractions, & 80 green vendors, environmental organizations, and health and fitness representatives! *****My apologies ~ I will not be able to make this event due to health. I hope the event provides many with lots of pertinent environmental information, which will help our planet!***** Click below for event schedule, how to get there, & more details! Thank you all who joined in last Saturday, April 20th for the 7th Annual Earth Day Fair held at the Pearl R Miller School. There was such a wonderful variety of earth friendly ideas; eye opening displays & presentations on our human effects on our planet; & plenty of opportunities to get involved in some of the solutions currently offered, including actions like signing petitions to ban fracking & GMO's! Bravo to a well rounded event, & for offering snacks which included organic veggies, popcorn, cookies & brownies! For more info on the organization which hosted this event, please, click on their below logo! At the above event, I met one of the founders of a wonderful local charity, which hosts bike rides for hunger! Proceeds go toward helping the hungry of New Jersey (food banks) and building clean water sources globally. Please join them for northern New Jersey's largest charity bike event on Saturday, May 5th in Kinnelon! For more details about this event, future rides, or about this organization, please click on their logo below: N E W ! 15 Washington Street ... Morristown (973) 267 ~ 0079 Thank you Nicole, for bringing in my NEW Dream Body Wraps & Lavender ones, too! Thanks also for sharing these wraps over the years with your clients, to warm & relax them while they ready for their massages! The energy in your space is so very calming & healing. Please visit Nicole for "Swedish, Deep Tissue, Integrated Massage Therapy, Reflexology, Sports Massage, Manual Lymph Drainage and Raindrop Technique. Achieve relaxation, pain relief and athletic performance." For more information, including explanations of different massages, benefits of them, & current special, please click on picture below to be redirected to her website: N E W ! Morristown, NJ (973) 267 ~ 4816 Thank you, Dian for bringing in some Aromatherapy Eye Pillows for your clients! Dian offers a series of classes, including a 6 month nutritional certification course, biannually. Dian promotes "self-sufficiency through education". Dian & two other staff nutritionists, "offer private nutritional consultations leading to personalized diet & supplement protocols." " we hope to empower others, through education, to make better decisions about maintaining their own health and well being." For additional info, please click on image below: It was so wonderful to be in the former Health Shoppe in Morristown on Monday, April 8th, for the pre-opening party for the New The energy of the attendees, which this event brought together, was incredibly warm & vibrant! This party included tasty treats, samples from local gluten free food providers, demos from local alternative health practitioners, an informative display from Grow It Green Morristown, and lots of wonderful laughter! A recurring thread throughout the evening: anticipation for their Monday, April 15th opening! Conscious Fork 20 McEwen St � NOTE: THEY HAVE MOVED to: 14 Railroad Avenue Warwick NY (845) 988 ~ KALE (5253) Thank you Kim for previously bringing in a selection of sachets & refills into your original delicious space! I've tried various items off your local & organic menu & have thoroughly enjoyed the hommus, guacamole, olive tapenade, juices & smoothies! When you're ready to bring my products into your new larger space, please call. Visit their FB page, by clicking below logo! 35,000 caring people from 30-plus states & Canada, braved the cold & stood up for our planet last Sunday, February 17th, 2013. I've been listening to the DC Rally in the background while working today. You can click on the above photo to view/listen. A bit choppy in places. Wish there was a way to send people just bits & pieces.... hey, perhaps there is & I'm just not tech savvy enough ... yet ; ) Most of the speeches which took place on a stage near the Washington Monument, are made within the 1st half hour & the last 17 minutes. They include one of the main organizers, Bill McKibben of 350.org, Reverend Lennox Yearwood, environmental advocate ~ civil rights activist and attorney Van Jones, Sierra Club's Michael Brune, & Chief Jacqueline Thomas. I share my highlights below, for those who are limited on time. I was completely impressed by tribes from Northern Alberta Canada coming all the way down to share their experiences & lend their support. Starting a little before the 20 minute mark, one of their tribal leaders, Chief Jacqueline Thomas, is so poignant, & points out that spills are not just present in Canada. She shares those which we have not able to clean up here in US ~ after 2 years! Two other representatives speak volumes, in just a short time, at about the 31 minute mark. Their personal experiences are invaluable. Here's to more people gaining understanding & more compassion for the earth = ) The only member of congress to speak was Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. He can be heard at 24 minute mark. At 2:50 ~ the march returns to the mall & the stage, & there's an energetic performance by Eve backed by DJ Dallas Green, which looks to warm the crowd, which is enduring single digit temps with the wind chill! At 2:58 ~ Bill McKibben from 350.org & Michael Brune from the Sierra Club speak some closing words. At 3:01 ~ there is a Round Dance by Native North Americans, who are joined off stage by participants holding hands = ) At 3:06 ~ Two minute segment including some wonderful closing words, thank you's, & a moment of silence, "for those who have gone before us, and those unborns who are on their way". And the last few minutes have no sound, but it's wonderful to watch how much energy these folks have, after being outdoors for hours in such cold weather. Bravo to all who went! Thank you for representing me & our earth! The day after President Obama delivered his fourth State of the Union address, Actress Daryl Hannah, CREDO President and CEO Michael Kieschnick, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., & his son Conor were arrested again yesterday in front of the White House protesting the Keystone XL Pipeline. After 120 years, the Sierra Club suspended its longtime avoidance of civil disobedience, and its executive director, Michael Brune also joined 44 other activitsts in plastic handcuffs. Daryl Hannah said that they were taking the president's words to action "it's incumbent upon the citizens of the United Sates to push him on the global climate crisis". Eloquent as ever Kennedy stated, that the pipeline "is a project that will enrich a few billionaires, by impoverishing the rest of humanity". Perhaps you cannot get down to DC this Sunday. Instead, we can use our hands to pick up the phone & make a quick call to the While House! Call President Obama 202-456-1111 Reject Keystone XL! This link will redirect you to a page where you can record what happened when you called. While composing this, another 107 people have reported their calls! Let's keep that number rolling! Morgan Freeman. Edward Norton. Bonnie Raitt. Alec Baldwin. Yoko Ono. "24 celebrities joined with the Sierra Club, the NAACP, and other major progressive organizations today (Feb 7 2013) for a full-page newspaper ad in D.C. They called on President Obama to take immediate climate action and declared their support for everyone attending Sunday's Forward On Climate Rally." On Sunday, February 17th 2013, 35,000 took part in one of the largest climate rally in history! More than 50,000 activists. 168 partner organizations. 150 buses. One cause. They all gathered at The National mall in DC to demand that President Obama live up to his promise to address climate change. Thank you 350.org for taping over 3 of the 4 hours of marching & speakers, including moving & wise words from a Canadian Indian Tribal Leader. Click on below Logo to view: This 2 minute video speaks volumes: To register for the event, or to learn more about why OCA will be there promoting climate change through their : Boycott Factory Farmed Food! Campaign, click on underlined. There is also an option at the bottom of this linked page to register through Facebook. And, for a little deserved comedy amidst all of this ~ here's a dark comedic video titled "We Love Oil". Great for teaching kids how valuable the relief of sarcasm can be! Happy St. Valentine's Day! So. Yesterday, another stumbling block, which felt more like a WALL yesterday, falls in my way. So today, I turn on the radio to distract me from the overwhelming effects, which this stumbling block is having on me. And, once again, I'm reminded how small the possible end of my 13 year old business is, compared to the constant continuation of the loss of the health of our planet, due our daily blind use of detrimental chemicals in food & products purchased. A segment of The Leonard Lopate Show today, January 30, 2013, was titled "How Safe Are Our Oceans?". "Fabien Cousteau, a filmmaker, oceanographic explorer and grandson of Jacques Cousteau, and marine toxicologist Susan Shaw talk about the health of the oceans and conservation." This segment mentioned that The Safe Chemicals Act was introduced by Senator Frank Lautenberg in 2011. If you are unfamiliar with this Act & are looking for a way in which you can contribute, please watch this short 3 minute video on youtube. And being who I am ~ I need to find an immediate way which I can be a part of this voice. I found the following information on a website called www.SafeChemicals.org "Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families represents over 450 organizations and millions of Americans who are concerned about toxic chemicals. We are nurses, moms, learning disability advocates, small business owners, reproductive health advocates, cancer survivors and people with varied interests all coming together to protect families from toxic chemicals. Our coalition is working to repair our broken system and pass the Safe Chemicals Act. Senator Frank Lautenberg, along with 29 co-sponsors, has introduced the Safe Chemicals Act, a bill that would put common sense limits on toxic chemicals. Partnership, hard work, and commitment to protecting the health of American families can drive this bill forward. This spring we expect to see a vote on the bill in the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee and hope to see it move to the Senate floor." Please, make one minute right now & join this nationwide effort to protect American families from toxic chemicals. Click: Tell your Senators you support the Safe Chemicals Act and ask them to step up and become co-sponsors today! & fill in your zip code. It will auto-populate with your local Senators. Fill in your 1st & last name & email address & click send! Please make one minute right now to let our government know that you care about the health of our children, our selves, our water, air & environment. Once you send your message, there's an opportunity to share on Facebook & Twitter also = ) And, please, feel free to share this text, or any part of it, via email, Facebook, Twitter etc.. There are also phone numbers given, if you wish to engage your local Senators in this discussion by phone. Thank you all who came out for the 5th Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, & Family on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morristown The event was sponsored by & brought "together local farmers, food artisans, and like-minded organizations for an afternoon of sustainably, locally produced foods to stock up on for the winter." The $3 donation taken at the door supports Slow Food Northern NJ School Vegetable Garden Programs For more information and list of participating farms, foods artisans, & friends, click here: www.slowfoodnnj.org! 2012 was a wonderful year for me, because I found out about an amazing organization that is devoted to our planet. "Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law organization dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment." Click the underlined, Take Action for ways you can, i.e.: " Watch this video, share it with your friends, & tell your senators to vote against any attempts to delay or prevent federal regulation of coal ash!" Check/click events calendar for upcoming public events. Subscribe to Earthjustice emails & receive evites to invitation-only events. I believe that every moment spent exhibiting care for the earth, are moments of blessed bliss! Thanks to all who joined us at the yesterday Saturday, December 15th Please click on the image above to learn more about the Holiday Bazaar which was hosted by the local zoo, at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, NJ. "A portion of the proceeds will benefit wildlife." Thank you Lory for bringing my products into your relaxing healing center! This day is all about making the care of one's self the very first thought on our list of "Things to Do"! For, once we do this, we are able to help others more often & more deeply. Whatever our life experience for this moment will only be changed by you! Each moment is an experience and each experience is a lesson. I find it so beneficial to be grateful for all times, because they are learning points in our lives. Even the hardest of times can bring forth new found Blessings and Rainbows. With each lesson will come healing and wisdom. Please come to my healing center, and take part in your own healing. My center has many healing opportunities, including Reiki & Maluhia Healing, hypnosis, and Hawaiian Mana Card Readings. One can also become certified in Reiki, so they too can assist others in their healing. Please stop by this unique healing center soon! To learn more about all that Lory offers, please click on the picture below. 23 Diamond Spring Rd. 2nd Floor Denville, NJ 07834 (973) 224 ~ 6773 Thank you to all who came to the 21st Annual Gingerbread Wonderland and Holiday Craft Show on Saturday & Sunday December 1st & 2nd It was so lovely seeing so many familiar faces, meeting new people, learning new things, and being a part of such a wonderful event! If anyone wants additonal info on anything about which we talked, please send me an email or call, and I'll be happy to help! All of your support is so greatly appreciated! Please note that the Gingerbread Wonderland will be open through Sunday December 9th from 10 am - 5 pm (8 pm on Friday!). Also, there will be a host of vendors there again from 10 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. Saturday, December 8th & Sunday, December 9th The Arboretum is located at 353 East Hanover Ave. Morristown, NJ 07962 The event is being held in the Haggerty Education Center, located at the top of the hill on the left. There is ample free parking. Hopefully, the weather will be mild, and folks will be able to walk around this wonderful Morris County park, which I have enjoyed watching evolve over the 25 years, which I've been frequenting it! There is a suggested donation of $2 per person, and $1 per person for seniors and students, which is collected at the door. Donations benefit Horticultural Education Programs. "This December marks the 21st Anniversary of Gingerbread Wonderland. Guests young and old marvel at the creativity, skills and sense of optimism that characterizes this charming and ecumenical exhibit of over 200 edible structures. Past year's "gingerbreads" have included models of Notre Dame cathedral, Hanukah menorahs, Japanese temples, Chinese pagodas, European castles and neighborhood sweet shops. Groups of 10 or more must make a reservation by calling at 973-326-7601. Please note that the Gingerbread Wonderland will be open from Friday November 30th, 2012 through Sunday December 9th from 10 am - 5 pm (8 pm on Fridays). The Gingerbread contest is so very creative, and choosing a favorite, on which to cast your vote is so very challenging! To view larger picture of above flyer, click on it. For more info about future events at the arboretum, please visit their website by clicking on their below logo. Or, visit their facebook page by clicking picture below: Annual Holiday Boutique Thanks for supporting our local crafts people the last couple of weekends. Hostess, Maria Glaser-Roeser, owner of Stonehill Pottery in Newfoundland, offered her own incredible pottery, & brought in other local artists gifts, some of which she will be keeping on hand until the week before Christmas. Please visit which is located at 145 Union Valley Road Newfoundland, NJ Note: Google Maps shows location 7/10ths of a mile off of Route 23 north in West Milford Phone : (973) 697 ~ 4114 For more detailed info, please refer to the below article, posted in November 15th, 2012's Holiday Boutique at Stonehill Pottery Offers Unique Gifts Please visit her store soon & support a local artist! Visit her on line by clicking her store name in lavender below: Stonehill Pottery Shoppe 145 Union Valley Road Newfoundland, NJ (just 1/2 mile off Rt. 23 ~ part of West Milford) 973 - 697 - 4114 My prayers and positive thoughts are ever present while so many are picking up the pieces after the storm. With limited gas, to get me to my mothers and back, I've been given the opportunity to watch a free documentary, which was sent to me. It is a documentary of a Canadian farmer who fought Monsanto & won! This is the LINK to the 5 minute trailer, which also contains recent study info on the ill effects of GMO's. The offer to watch for free has expired. This is the LINK to the films creator, where you can buy the DVD, and it also has an opportunity for one to make a donation = ) If you are short on cash, you can "rent" it on amazon for $2.99 for the week: David vs Monsanto Please also make ONE minute to sign ~~~ Join 1.2 million Americans, and sign the petition to say that you want the US to become the 51st nation to require GM labeling! To find out why 95% of consumers believe GE foods should be labeled & why 92% of Americans want the federal government to require mandatory labeling of GE foods, please watch a 3 minute video, created by "Just Label It.org". Where are the other 91% of Americans who are saying they want labeling ? Please click below now, if you have not already signed. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. ~ Edmund Burke Irish political philosopher 1700's Monsanto told us DDT was safe. Monsanto told us PCBs were safe. Monsanto told us Agent Orange was safe. DDT, PCB's & Agent Orange are all carcinogens, and are unsafe, and should not be consumed. August 2012, the US began a massive cleanup of Agent Orange in Vietnam, 50 years after its use as a defoliant. It is responsible for nearly a half million deaths, and another half million children being born with birth defects. There is a higher incidence of birth defects (some families have 6 of 6 kids with birth defects, and on-going medical needs in those children who have survived) in areas where this chemical warfare was used. In January 2012, West Virginians near a Monsanto chemical plant filed a class action lawsuit against Monsanto. This plant has produced 2,4,5-T (a chemical which comprises about half of Agent Orange) for decades, and continues to pollute their town. They suffer from the effects of exposure, and have a much higher incidence of cancer. At the very same time, the Dow Chemical Company is seeking government deregulation of a new genetically-modified (GM) variety of corn resistant to 2,4-D, the other half of Agent Orange. This means, of course, that the company will need to spray 2,4-D on the crops in order for them to grow, which would require the EPA to lift its ban on the chemical. So, 50 years after we sprayed Agent Orange, it still lingers, and enters the food supply (thru fish and animals). Why in the world would we want to start spraying it again ? Monsanto told us GMO's are safe. They have been creating hazardous GMO foods since 1996. Entire countries have banned GMO's. 49 nations require labeling of the foods, which contain GMO's. In 2013, India will become the 50th country to require labeling. Have you signed the petition in the United States to finally label our food? Did you know that over 30,000 products in our super markets contain GMO's ? Did you know that Aspartame is a carcinogenic GMO which is in 6,000 products in the US? A conservative estimate concludes that 75+ % of American foods and body products contain genetically modified organisms. Did you know that 96% Soy, 86% of Corn, 75 % of Canola, and 76% of Cotton/Cottonseed grown in the US are GMO? Since the introduction of GMO crops in 1996, one farmer every 30 seconds has committed suicide. One in five choose to drink the very chemicals, which they were forced to buy, and which bankrupted their families. Did you know?: "~The world's first lifetime feeding study discovered that rats fed a diet containing 11 percent GE corn developed massive breast tumors, kidney and liver damage and other serious health problems in the 13th month of life. ~ To put this into human perspective, if the average lifespan of a person is 80 years, these health problems would start rearing their ugly head somewhere during the 43rd year of life, provided your diet contained just over 10 percent GE foods and you began eating them in early childhood ~ According to a report released by the Environmental Working Group, Americans are eating their weight and more in genetically engineered food every year ~ an average of 193 pounds of GE foods annually David vs Monsanto The above link also contains a one hour movie, which is available to watch for free until November 11th, 2012. It is a documentary of a Canadian farmer who fought Monsanto & won! Please, remember to click below & sign this petition NOW! Let's help America become the 51st nation to require labeling! Thanks to all at who came to their Fall Green Market! It is always so nice to spend the day at your location, and get to talk to so many who care so much! Thanks to all who came out to the Ringwood Farm Market on Saturday, October 27th. What a pleasant surprise to not only see the sun peak thru, but also the eagles who blessed & impressed us with their flying, and the pileated woodpecker which graced us while packing up! Thank you to all who joined me Saturday, October, 13th for a day of bounty! Lots of local fresh & prepared fall food selections & locally handcrafted items were available & lots of tasty honey! For more info, please click on the image below: Please watch this 18 second video: Thanks to all who joined the Global Frackdown on Saturday, September 22, 2012! Events to educate & demonstrate were scheduled all over the world. There are 2 events scheduled in Poland & Austria for later in October. You can post your event too! Please click on the below image to find out about an event in your area (by zip code), help spread the word, and to sign a petition to help ban fracking! Thanks to those who came out to St. Cat's in Ringwood last weekend & supported us! I have been enjoying reading several articles & watching several videos online about this weeks Global Occupy Monsanto events. And, thank God for the young in our world, for coming out & speaking out! Scroll down to read more about this global event, and how you can participate! Stay-cation Invitation! If you are like myself, you were blessed with being able to take another stay-cation this year (this is lucky year # 7, 2012)! I know my gardens look better for it ; ) Every couple few weeks this summer 2012, I took an afternoon & took advantage of some of the nearby scenic wonders in Jersey, & am so fortunate to have finally had an opportunity to see Duke Gardens down in Hillsborough, which is now open to the public for free! We stopped at the now closed Health Shoppe in Morristown while their deli was still open, & brought a picnic lunch with us! My Stay-cation 2012 was the start of a more active on-line advocacy for many issues which pull at my heart strings, and which all have one thing in common: Honouring our Earth! Last September, there was a March on Monsanto ~ which is being reprised in 2013! Well, we all have a wonderful upcoming opportunity on May 25th,2013 at 2 pm WORLDWIDE to participate in a really great stay-cation! A worldwide Occupy Monsanto week of action is being organized now! To find out where you can be involved, or where you can start the involvement, click on the above Occupy Monsanto medical bracelet = ) "This is a Call to Action for a Non-Hierarchical Occupation of Monsanto Everywhere Whether you like it or not, chances are Monsanto contaminated the food you ate today with chemicals and unlabeled GMOs. Monsanto controls much of the world's food supply at the expense of food democracy worldwide. This site is dedicated to empowering citizens of the world to take action against Monsanto & it's enablers like the FDA, USDA, EPA, GMA, BIO, and the processed food companies that use Monsanto's products." Monsanto has hundreds of facilities for our protest convenience in the US, as well as over 300 more in other countries! As of May 14th 2013, the following have confirmed locations in the following states in the US & countries. Please consult their above link to website, to find the exact locations in each state or country: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tenneesee, Tennessee/Virginia, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, & the District of Columbia/Washington, DC. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Channel Islands, Chile, Columbia, Croatia, Denmark, Ecaudor, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatamala, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovokia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, & Switzerland! Note: many places have multiple locations! South Dakota has a Monsanto facility, which needs us to organize an occupation! If your state does not have a facility, and you are not near a state which has one, they are suggesting our state capitals as another option for an occupy site! There are other non-Monsanto venues listed on the site, and some additional dates where things are happening. The following countries also have Monsanto facilities, which need people to organize an occupation: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brussels, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, & Zimbabwe. I am completely thrilled that since September 2012, when I posted the last March on Monsanto participants, 30 more countries have joined the march, as well as 21 US states! Bravo to all who have grown this movement!! Clicking on either the above or the below Occupy Monsanto bracelet image, will bring you to a site which has tools for everyone & anyone to use to schedule & organize. Please note, that folks can just wear their street clothes. Being present is what really matters, bio-hazard gear or not. If you're unsure why people are doing this, please click on the following image & you'll be brought to the same image in my Links section in the right hand column of this page. There you can view some information & videos which will give you some ideas of the lengths that Monsanto has gone to, to make money while indiscriminately polluting & destroying our planet, farmers, and worldwide health. Let's share this with more people, so that less people have to unknowingly suffer at their hands. Did you know that there are currently now 30,000 products, which contain GMOs on our grocery store shelves ? "A conservative estimate concludes that 75+ % of American foods and body products contain genetically modified organisms. Regardless of dozens of scientific warnings, the FDA has approved widespread use of GMO ingredients in America's foods and body products." Did you know that 93% of soy & 86% of corn grown in the US is Genetically Modified? 36 countries have restricted or banned the sale, distribution, import, use, and commercial planting or field trials of GMO's. In January 2013, India became the 50th nation to require labeling of GM products. The US is not one of the 36 countries to restrict/ban use/sale/import/planting of GMO's. The US is not one of the 49 countries to require labeling of GMO's. Together, we will push to become both! What else can we do? Join 1.2 million Americans, and sign the petition to say that you want the US to become the 51st nation to require GM labeling! To find out why 95% of consumers believe GE foods should be labeled & why 93% of Americans want the federal government to require mandatory labeling of GE foods, please watch a 3 minute video, created by "Just Label It.org". What else can we do? We can avoid buying GM (soy, corn, cottonseed oil, canola, Hawaiian Papayas, sugar beets, zucchini, alfalfa, aspartame, & Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) ~~ rice in 2013) by watching our product labels, or purchase their organic versions, so that we know we are not buying GM food! Please note that soy, corn, & canola are quite prevalent in those ingredients lists! Keep in mind that high-fructose corn syrup is on more and more labels. It is also listed as HFCS. Avoid aspartame by not purchasing products which labels do not contain the words: Nutrasweet, Equal, or aspartame. It's found in most diet sodas & in over 6,000 products now! Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a GM synthetic hormone which is injected into approximately 20% of the dairy cows in the US to boost the production of milk, which contain Insulin Growth Factor-1, which is associated with increasing the risk for certain cancers. Look for milk products, ice cream, cheeses etc, which contain a label stating that they do not contain rBGH, and organic products, which are not permitted to contain GM. When one does buy beef, they can now purchase it from farmers (it's now available locally, everywhere in our garden state, NJ) who are raising their cattle on grass. This way, one can also avoid ingesting GM soy, corn, & rBGH, while also foregoing the antibiotics, which are so prevalent now in feed animals in the US & GB. What else can we do? When we buy seed to plant in our own pots, planters, and gardens, we will buy from a company which does not buy ANY GM seed ~ like Fedco Seeds: I have been a fan & supporter of Fedco for many years. Their seed has always been very reliable, and I've always gotten more seed for less money from them. This may be due to the fact that they still offer generic 1 color seed packages, and still buy their seeds from alot of the smaller farmers. They are "your source for cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate. Each year we observe hundreds of varieties, selecting only the best for inclusion in our catalogs. Through our product lines and cultural hints, we encourage sustainable growing methods. We offer a large selection of certified organic cultivars and regional heirloom varieties. We buy products from all over the world." What else can we do? We can buy our plants from folks who are using non-GM seed! There was a new local (Hardwick, NJ) place which was utilizing seeds from Fedco! In May 2012, I met a young farmer, Erin who, with a friend, Lisa, were renting land & growing Herb, Flower, & Veggie seedlings ~ including some great greens ~ & they were Grown Locally with Sustainable, Organic Practices HEIRLOOM ORGANIC OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS NO GMO SEED NO PESTICIDES NO SYNTHETIC or PETROLEUM-BASED FERTILIZERS "Harmony Starts sells seedlings grown from certified organic, heirloom and/or open-pollinated seeds. We use carefully mixed potting soil made with organic compost and organic coconut coir with the addition of slow-release nutrients for an abundant crop." ** May 21, 2013 ~ just spoke with Erin & she was not able to locate a space to grow her organic seedlings this year. She is currently working with the non~profit, Genesis Farm in Blairstown ~ which has a lovely CSG (Community Supported Garden = an opportunity to dig in the dirt & participate in growing your food!) Erin is offering Heirloom tomato seedlings only this year, at this venue. She is hoping to return to growing her organic seedlings in 2014. So, if you're looking for Heirloom tomato seedlings, or if know of a space which she can utilize ~ please contact her thru her website, by clicking on her Harmony Starts logo above! What else can we do? We can also boycott those seed companies, which buy from the GM giant Monsanto & subsidiaries (a partial list is below). Once companies see that healthy food & a safe environment are important, they will stop buying from Monsanto, and other GM creators & suppliers. Several countries have changed their policies, by listening to their citizens choices at the checkout! The change starts here & now. With you. With me. With our neighbors. With our friends. With our relatives. With our co-workers. With our team mates. With our classmates. With our fellow planet sharers! A partial list of seed companies to which, I have been told, Seminis (Owned by GM giant Monsanto) supplies seed & which we can all boycott: * Audubon Workshop * Breck's Bulbs * Burpee * Cook's Garden * Earl May Seed * E & R Seed Co. * Flower of the Month Club * Gardens Alive * Garden Trends * Germania Seed Co. * Gurneys * Henry Fields * HPS * Jungs * Lindenberg Seeds * McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers * Mountain Valley Seed * Nichol's * Osborne * Otis S.Twilley Seed Co * Park Bulbs * Park Seed * Park's Countryside Garden * R.H. Shumway * Rocky Mountain Seed Co. * Roots and Rhizomes * Rupp * Seeds for the World * Seymour's Selected Seeds * Snow * Spring Hill Nurseries * Stokes * T&T Seeds * Territorial Seeds ***** NOTE: Tom Johns, the owner of Territorial, is committed to seed diversity and non-GMO products, and has been finding replacements for the few seed strains that were from Seminis. * Tomato Growers Supply * Totally Tomato * The Vermont Bean Seed Company * Wayside Gardens * Willhite Seed Co. Please notify me with documentation, if I have been misinformed about a particular company on this list, and I will remove them promptly. What else can we do? Please copy & paste this information into an email ~ Facebook it ~ Tweet the web address to Just Label It: http://justlabelit.org/ ~ Pin it ~ SHARE IT ~ with our friends, our neighbors, our relatives, our co-workers, our team mates, our classmates, and with our fellow planet sharers! Now the question is: What WILL we do ?! Or rather, What ARE we doing ?! And tomorrow, we must ask the same question again: What ARE we doing ?! "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead "The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything." ~ Albert Einstein Thanks to all who participated in the National Rally "Stop the Frack Attack" which was organized & held on Saturday, July 28th in Washington, D.C.. Thanks to all who participated in the Lobby Day on Thursday, July 26th ~ for those who were unable to make the rally, and who aided in the swell of lobbyists in DC that day! On July 28th, Pete Seeger, Holly Near, Ed Asner, Margot Kidder, Mark Ruffalo, Ed Begley Jr., Josh Fox, Lois Gibbs, Bill McKibben, Gus Speth, Cornel West, Vandana Shiva, James Hansen, Dar Williams, Michael Kieschnick, Joe Uehlein, and over 100 organizations and community groups were at the rally which demanded Congress stop fracking! "The event will have three demands for Congress: stop dangerous hydraulic fracturing, aka fracking; close 7 legal loopholes that exempt the oil and gas industry from parts of the Safe Drinking Water, Clean Air, and Clean Water Acts; and implement a pathway towards 100% clean renewable energy." For more info on this event, please click on their logo: If you haven't called yet, to tell your members of Congress how you feel, you can still do so! It's easy. Just call the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121 and ask to speak to your member of Congress. OR call them directly ~ click on/use the site below & look to the left of map a little down. You can select your personal location, by entering you state & zip code, & it will show you your Congressmen (Senators & Representatives) which represent where you live = ) http://www.contactingthecongress.org/ Once you are connected, you can tell whoever answers this: 'I am calling to ask for your support for the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, also known as the FRAC Act. The House bill is H.R. 1084, sponsored by Representatives DeGette, Hinchey and Polis. The Senate bill is S. 587, sponsored by Senator Casey. Passing this law would repeal the oil and gas industry's exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act. This would allow the EPA to regulate fracking's impacts on our drinking water supply and force the oil and gas industry to publicly disclose the types, amounts, and combinations of chemicals they use in fracking. Will you cosponsor the FRAC Act and support national drinking water protections?' Of course, you can use your own words too = ) Please call your member of Congress TODAY! Thank you to all who joined us Saturday, July 14th at the which was themed "Local Life and Learning" at Rock Spring Park in Long Valley, NJ This green themed free festival hosted over 30 environmental exhibits, kids' educational programs, live music, food from local farms, and documentary films which were shown throughout the day. Music ranged from classic rock to environmentally conscious. Attendees brought blanket & picnics, & relaxed for a day of fun in the partial sun = ) Click HERE for details about the day! It's that time of year when a lot of gardeners are asking themselves why they planted so many cucumber or squash plants. With in the next few weeks, you'll be scrambling to find homes for your excess tomatoes. Neighbors will kindly accept your offerings. But, what if you were to donate it to you local food pantry? I recently became aware of this great site: When I put in my zip code, I was so surprised to find that there are 5 food pantries within 10 miles of my home. There are an additional 15 pantries in the next 10 miles from me! There are 35 food pantries listed within 25 miles of my home! So, no matter which way I'm driving that day, I'm sure to pass one along the way! If you know of a local food pantry by you that is not listed, please assist in getting the word out to them, and help get them listed, so their clients will be able to share in all of our ample harvests! Thanks! Want to find out how you & your household matches up against your average American or German .. Swede .. Mexican.. Kenyan? Click here to calculate: Was so happy to find out that I'm producing only 32% of what the average American produces, & am looking forward to finding new ways to lower that number even more = ) Did you know that 10 of the hottest years on record, globally, have all been in the last 15 years! I'm sweating as I type this on the 16th hot day in July 2012! Yes, it's the 16th of July! According to one of US governments websites, www.ncdc.noaa.gov : "These are the warmest 12-month periods on record for the contiguous United States. During the June 2011-June 2012 period, each of the 13 months ranked among the warmest third of their historical distribution for the first time in the 1895-present record. The odds of this occurring randomly are 1 in 1,594,323. The July 2011-June 2012 12-month period surpassed the June 2011-May 2012 period as the warmest consecutive 12-months that the contiguous U.S. has experienced." Here's a resource, which is helping empower all people to be a part of the solution! I just joined & became the 1,433,592nd supporter of the Stop Global Warming Virtual March! You too can become part of the movement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, & demand that our leaders freeze it now. And, they gently remind us that "We are all contributors to global warming". To join, click image below! You don't have to join to utilize this site, which is chock full of ideas to bring to schools and classrooms & your next game night; videos & articles to educate & motivate; news articles which are continually being added; petitions to sign.... While we're all anticipating the release of Gasland 2, Josh Fox has given us another gem to share. The following link will bring you to an article in Rolling Stone which features this 18 minute video: THE SKY IS PINK This link The Sky is Pink will lead you to just the video on vimeo. After watching this video & sharing with others, please take a few minutes to call the Governors and President Obama TODAY and tell them Don't Drill the Delaware, and Don't approve ANY regulations to permit fracking! Governor Christie's office - 609-292-6000 Governor Cuomo's office - 518-474-8390 Gov Corbett's office - 717-787-2500 Gov Markell's Wilmington Office - 302-577-3210 And the white house comment line is 202-456-1111 Here is a brief synopsis of the video, if you are still on dial up & unable to view the movie. In 2009, the American Natural Gas Association (ANGA) hired Hill & Knowlton, the same PR firm used by tobacco industry in 1950's to dispel the notion that cigarette smoking can cause lung cancer. Bogus science was created by the firm & used in advertising to deceive millions of Americans into thinking that smoking cigarettes was not only safe, but doctor recommended & healthful. Decades later, while tobacco execs lied, memos surfaced proving they KNEW from the get-go, that nicotine's addictive & tobacco causes cancer. Josh does a great job at clearing the air of 'questionable' items in his 1st film: Gasland. Actual documents from inside the gas industry & from the State of Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's 2010 Groundwater Report, are shown, stating that the concrete barriers on gas wells do NOT keep all gas inside & some of the gas is able to leak out & migrate into aquifers (= our drinking water). This migrating gas is mixed with the fracking solution which is comprised of over 596 chemicals, almost all of which have never been tested for their effects on human health. The most prevalent ingredient is benzene ~ a known carcinogen, which is toxic even at low levels of concentration. 6% of well casings have already failed immediately upon drilling, & over a 30 year period, 50% have failed! Remember, it was cement casing failure that caused the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill which took months to contain! Shocking statistics include: 45% = 6,650 wells in Gulf of Mexico & 34% 1,600 wells in North Sea, UK have integrity issues, with 40% having 'high rates of discharge'. Recent Pennsylvania DEP statistic : of the 1,454 wells drilled, 90 of them had failures. That's 6.2% failure. In 2011, 1,937 wells drilled, 121 failures = 6.2% In just Jan/Feb 2012 alone, 262 wells were drilled, of which 19 were failures = 7.2% Scarily, these statistics are consistent with previous industry data, and not improving. America already has 200,000 wells drilled: over 16.7% of them leaking! That's 33,400 wells leaking across America! Compare that to Australia who only has 46 wells, of which 44% are leaking. Remember Weston Wilson ~ EPA environmental engineer statements in Gasland ? "Once they're introduced, they're going to stay in the groundwater system, and these lighter components can be on top of the groundwater system, if they're moving into a domestic aquifer. So, unlike the same chemicals at the surface, where they'll either volatize or eventually dilute, they'll persist in the groundwater." Remember Josh Fox's question "For how long?" Final reminder ~ Weston Wilson's answer: "Forever." The Sky is Pink hits home with facts like: The industry has known for years that it's not safe, and they haven't been able to find a solution. Sounds like the tobacco industry all over again. "Just as there's no safe cigarette, there's no safe drilling." Garfield County in Colorado did the 1st major health study of the effects of gas drilling, and concluded that the health risks were moderate to high, and found potential acute health problems in the water & the air. FACT: Breast cancer rates in US fell except for in one place in Texas, the Barnett Shale. In the 5 counties, which are atop this huge drilling area, the rate rose 23% between just 2007 and 2008! Why are we still drilling at least one gas well every day in the US when it is NOT safe?! Oh, right, right! The gas industry gives millions of dollars in campaign contributions! Tom Corbett, Gov. of PA got 1.6 million! And, they've got A LOT of gas wells in PA ! They spent 3 million dollars already lobbying Albany & ? of a billion lobbying Washington! Please keep these 2 amazing quotes in mind when you�re viewing, sharing, & disseminating this info: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead "The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything." ~ Albert Einstein I for one no longer wish to be one of the people who overlooks the science just so I can continue life as usual. Thanks to all who joined us Sat. June 16th at the for one of three special Artisans' Market which they are offering this year! For more info, please click on their above logo. Please note: "Beginning June 9th, EBT card holders can go to the Market Manager tent and use their cards registered under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to purchase "Green Market Bucks." The "Green Market Bucks" can then be used to purchase eligible food and beverages at the market." Click on the below article title to read more! Ringwood Farmers' Market now accepts food stamps Wonderful music, & kind folks made the day the a joy! While in town, I stopped at a local health food store, about which I'd been hearing wonderful things & which I had to see for myself. I am so glad I stoppped. The owner, Dona Garofono & her staff welcomed me with open arms, and graciously took a basket of some of my aromatherapy products to offer their clients. **They may be bringing back my products in Fall 2013** Dona is also a Naturopathic Doctor and Master Herbalist who is a trememdous local resource, providing many services to her community, including nutritional counseling! Please stop in & check out all which they have to offer soon. Food For Thought is located at 123 Skyline Drive, Ringwood, NJ 07456. Phone: 973-962-6355 For more info, please click on their above image. Thanks! Thanks to all who joined us at the last Saturday, June 9th. This market will be featuring additional artisans like myself on the 2nd Saturday of each month, through October, while coordinating it with a theme ~ which was strawberries this time. To learn more about this market click on their above logo! So many familiar faces & new faces, all as happy as I was to see the fresh bounty from the local farms! I was so very fortunate to be placed next to a local woman, who was so delightful! Her exuberance & joie de vie are infectious, her organic perfumes ~ devine! To learn more about her & all that she creates, please click on her logo below. If you are looking for a Farm Market, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), farm, co-op, restaurant which is local to you in USA, please use this great resource: Daily, I receive a video from my doctor. About twice a week, I get online to check & respond to emails & enjoy listening to these videos while emailing. I gain knowledge from every video to which I listen. I also think of at least one person with whom to share. And, I transcribe the best tidbit, paste the link & send to someone who is challenged by this or that particular health topic being discussed in that daily video. At the end of each video, Dr. Ali provides details on how anyone can obtain more of his free knowledge & requests that the viewer share this good health information with everyone. So, after emailing my personal friend some useful info, I'm also taking another step today by posting this entry, along with adding Dr. Ali's site to my Links section! Dr. Ali was personally instrumental in assisting me in regaining my health about 5 years ago, and I highly recommend him & his staff to everyone who is in need of a great doctor who will assist you in your journey back to health! I'll end here, by quoting his customary farewell which he uses at the end of each of his radio broadcasts, and his on-line videos: "Until we meet again, may you be gracious, grateful, & generous in your spirit." Majid Ali's Aging Healthfully Virtual Library Thanks to all who joined us Sunday, May 20th for the 4th Annual Medicine Wheel Community Garden Weekend at Lusscroft Farm in Wantage, NJ "This family friendly event celebrated people and nature together, with live entertainment, a plant sale, chain saw art, local farmers and crafters with their products, guest speakers, educational workshops, good food, wagon rides and activities for children. Workshop topics were Woodlot and Forest Management, Growing Mushrooms, Honeybees, Garlic, and Gardening & Composting. Guest speakers included Eric Olsen from the Nature Conservancy, Eric Derby from Transition Newton, Dr. William Thomas from the N.J. School of Conservation, and Heritage & Agriculture's Brian Hennessey. Chain saw artists Brett McLain and Sean Egan will be performed their craft, and 'Three Treasures' Tai Chi Class will provided an interactive demonstration. Musical entertainment will be provided by: Mike Lawlor Banned, Mingo Lodge (Morning Door and Big Boss Sausage), Maura Glynn and more to be announced. Activities for children include the Spirit Hoopers, Mandala making with artist Francine Garrido, and planting a children's garden. Directions and a schedule of the weekend events available on www.lusscroftfarm.com Presented by the Medicine Wheel Council/Heritage & Agriculture Association in cooperation with the NJ DEP/Division of Parks & Forestry." Thanks to all who came Saturday, May 19th to the Halsted Middle School Auditorium in Newton for a free screening of which was followed by a panel of young farmers. A farmers market was also on-site following the film ~ which featured 2 of the farmers with their plants, and fresh picked goodies, and another local farmer with meat products & eggs. Bought some great crisp spicy French Breakfast radishes ~ picture long pinkish red with white tips! Yum! The event was presented by Newton High School Coordinated School Health Program. "Monoculture, monopoly, cheap food and poor diets-- these are the consequences of an agricultural system gone awry, driven by policy and corporate control. Here we are, unhealthy. Re-orienting our foodsystem is a project worth tackling, and the one chosen by our film's subjects. We are young farmers who have chosen to become a part of the solution, addressing the crisis we see by learning the skills needed, and starting the kinds of businesses that, one by one, can replace complicated, entrenched systems. Today's young farmers are dynamic entrepreneurs, stewards of place. They are involved in local politics, partnering with others, inventing new social institutions such as CROP MOB, working with mentors, starting their careers as apprentices, borrowing money from the bank, putting in long ours, taking risks, innovating, experimenting. Farming with horses, with hacked tractors, with forgotten urban lots and Appalachian coal country. These young farmers have vision: a prosperous, satisfying, sustainable food system. It is ambitious, it will take work , but it won't be boring." NOTE: excerpted from: www.collectiveeye.org/catalog/greenhorns.html Click below to watch trailer, learn more about, or request a screening: Thanks to all who joined us Thursday, May 17th at the Unitarian Fellowship in Newton, NJ for the free screening & discussion of "I AM is an utterly engaging and entertaining non-fiction film that poses two practical and provocative questions: what's wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better? The filmmaker behind the inquiry is Tom Shadyac, one of Hollywood's leading comedy practitioners and the creative force behind such blockbusters as 'Ace Ventura', 'Liar Liar', 'The Nutty Professor', and 'Bruce Almighty'. However, in I AM, Shadyac steps in front of the camera to recount what happened to him after a cycling accident left him incapacitated, possibly for good. Though he ultimately recovered, he emerged with a new sense of purpose, determined to share his own awakening to his prior life of excess and greed, and to investigate how he as an individual, and we as a race, could improve the way we live and walk in the world." In his quest to find out was is wrong with our world, and how we can go about fixing it, he also finds & illustrates much of what is wonderful in our world, and innately right in people = ) To read more about the movie, see all the awards its won, watch the trailer, or schedule your own screening, please visit their website by clicking on image below: To visit the site of the people who hosted this viewing & discussion, & who host an eco related movie the 3rd Thursday of every month (except in July & August) at 7 pm, please click on their below logo: I listened to a very informative discussion that aired May 9th on the Brian Lehrer show, with Robert Kennedy, Jr (You & your family are in my prayers & peaceful thoughts at this difficult time); & Alec Baldwin about the environmental, health, and infrastructure costs of fracking which have not been fully researched & taken into consideration. They also disarmed the only reason that I can understand about this toxic industry: jobs. Most jobs are not created on site, but engineers are brought in from out of state & send their money home to their families located in other states. Once the wells are established, these pre-existing employees move on to the next site. Not many jobs are actually being created. Environmental impact studies have not taken into consideration road costs, and other community services costs, or the health & safety costs. We now know the cost of this excess truck traffic will cost local municipalities $375 million per year! "Each one of these wells is going to take about 4,200 truck trips to bring clean water in to the well, and to bring contaminated water out of the well. Each one of those truck trips has the capacity to crush local roads, and pulverize local roads, and plus, stir up dust, run over dogs, run over kids who are on their way to school, and all of these other impacts of these (over) 4,000 truck trips PER WELL. So, who pays when the road gets destroyed? You know, there may be one neighbor who's making money, but all the other neighbors are paying for that road re-construction." Robert Kennedy, Jr Most towns do not have a town engineer to count those trucks & charge the gas company "x" amount per truck to rebuild their roads. The health impact of fracking is now known. Texas & Oklahoma have had time to study the health impacts of fracking, and have found that it is associated with various cancers, asthma, severe respiratory conditions & other illnesses. Did you know that the gas industry does not have to disclose any of the over 495 chemicals which are injected into the ground (contaminating countless wells, and underground water supplies/aquifers/drinking water!) until 30 days after they have irreversibly polluted our waterways. To listen to the entire 27 minute discussion click on logo below "New Jersey's public lands are meant for public benefit, not natural gas industry profits." Land purchased through our New Jersey "Green Acres" program is meant to be set aside for recreation and conservation." It has already polluted one lake near Waywayanda State Park, and, it is proposed to go thru lands which were designated preserved. These areas include Ramapo State Forest, High Point State Park, & Wanaque reservoir ~ which supplies over 2 million New Jerseyans with drinking water! At Lake Lookover, they blasted under the lake, polluting the water & killing all the fish. No one could swim in the lake last summer. Can you imagine trying to drink water from the Wanaque reservoir if they do the same thing there? Please know: the terms for destruction were to be a maximum of 100 feet wide, & in some areas, they've destroyed paths up to 200 feet wide! So many families over the years have deeded land, with the stipulation that it not be disturbed. Our tax dollars are a part of keeping these lands pristine. New Jersey already has the most superfund sites (read: toxically polluted areas) in the nation. Let's not add to them! Click below logo to sign the petition to keep NJ water clean, stop a giveaway of our public lands, and stop the Tennessee Gas pipeline expansion: Thanks to all who came Saturday, April 28th to for a special crafting event they offered: Create A Fragrant Herbal Sachet Note: Actually 2 sachets were created = ) The Lavender, Red Rose, & Bergamot flowers which were leftover, may still on hand for anyone wishing to created their own sachets! Please visit this great Home & Garden Center for a great selection of locally & sustainably handcrafted items; a wonderful selection of organic edible plants, seeds & soils; helpful Plant Healthcare; demos, talks, tours; landscape design ~ as well as planting & delivery services; and a wonderful display of all else growing = ) "At Back to Nature Home & Garden we carefully select products favoring American made, artisanal craftsmanship and quality design." I am grateful for an opportunity to be a part of this inspiring sustainable hub in Somerset County! Please visit them: 3055 Valley Road Basking Ridge, NJ 908 . 350 . 7506 Click below to be taken to their website: www.BackToNature.net Thank you to all of the folks who supported the Green Fair at on Wednesday, April 25th! It was so lovely to visit with you all again, & be a part of your special day. What a truly warm, welcoming & spirted place you have = ) I was so impressed by your display table, explaining the many ways in which you have become more green since the last time I was there in October! May other companies follow your lead! Thanks to all who joined us Sunday, April 22nd and brought warmth to the day at the at the DeHart Street Parking Garage 14 Maple Ave. Morristown, NJ 07960 Photo credit: A.F. Menezes The Earth Day Experience occupied multiple floors of the open-air garage site & offered a wide variety of events for all! Click on either of the images below to read all about this fabulous free event complete with car show, music & tours!         To visit their website, please click on their below logo! Thanks for reading. Looking forward to seeing you all there! My apologies for not being able to attend "Earth Day 2012" on Saturday, April 21st at the located at 621-B Eagle Rock Ave. in Roseland, NJ "Earth Day 2012 is for all ages. The public is invited to the Environmental Center's annual outdoor Earth Day festival. Play in nature with crafts, games, recreation opportunities, demonstrations, local green vendor products and services, and information on all partner groups at the Center. The event is sponsored by Public Service Electric and Gas, Covanta Energy-Essex, and Whole Foods of West Orange." I am confident that the event was enjoyed by many = ) Please, click below to enlarge I just took a minute out of my day for something I find extremely important. "Lorco Petroleum, based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, has accepted at least two shipments of fracking waste. There is likely more fracking waste on the way to this facility or other facilities across the state unless our legislators act now. Take action to keep more fracking waste from coming to Jersey. Fracking waste has been shown to contain radioactive elements and known carcinogens, which could be discharged into NJ drinking water supplies even if we never frack a single well in the state. Federal exemptions from hazardous waste standards make fracking waste even more dangerous because facilities that accept the waste may not take necessary steps to treat this waste, leading to harmful impacts on NJ waterways and drinking water sources." *** update: 5/4/12 I just learned that even more fracking waste is coming to Kearny and Carteret ! I also heard on NPR today that in 2010, 6.8 million gallons of gas-drilling wastewater were spread on roads in NY for deicing or dust control! What ? Here's an excerpt: "The report notes that industry reporting forms obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request were vague about where wastewater went, with 16 drillers saying only that it was 'hauled away'. In four cases, drillers said fluids may have been sent to a landfill but gave no details. Twenty-seven drillers said they would dispose of drilling fluids by hauling them to an approved facility and/or by road spreading for deicing or dust control." To read entire AP article, please click on article title below: Report NY Regulations for Drilling Waste Too Lax Please take this minute of your day ~ for you, your family, our water, and the environment. Together we will make a difference = ) To sign a petition to Help Stop Fracking Waste from Poisoning NJ's Waterways! please, click image below: Last year, I found a local Organic Fabric Designer right here in NJ !! Thanks to my many holiday customers, I am able to bring in 7 new fabulous fabrics from these local ladies at which I picked up on March 1st! Organic Fabric Care (from bolt of Cloud9 fabric): "Machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non-chloriene bleach when needed. Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Warm iron if needed" Below are images of these gorgeous organic fabrics! Most are from their Miscellany collection     Flora                Endless Knot  Solid Sky       Petal Pusher       Solid Shell Variegated Butterflies        Stacked 5 new Organic Fabrics for 2013! Top left: Lotus Sky Top Right: Red Triangles Middle: Blue Hearts Bottom Left: Blue Triangles Bottom Right: Lotus Grass For 2014, 2 new ORGANIC LOW IMPACT DYED COTTON prints from our local NJ artists at Cloud9 Fabrics!         Feathers ~ Blue             Making Tracks ~ Indigo For Fall 2015 there are 5 new Organic Fabric selections, from our Jersey girls at Cloud9 Fabrics now available! Top left: Folky Daisy ~ Egg Blue Top Right: Forest Floor Middle: Gentle Vines ~ Coral Bottom Left: Bunting Bottom Right: Traveler's Blanket Below are 5 new Organic fabrics I've been utilizing in my eco~handcrafted aromatherapeutic products to begin 2016!    Tumbling ~ Aqua           Tumbling ~ Coral Branches   Tweetly Tweet ~ Blue       Tweetly Tweet ~ Pink Four More New Organic Fabrics for Spring 2016!  First Light                   Moody Blues Dancing Vines              Mad Mend   January 2017: Five More New Organic Fabrics!       Moody Floral                       Moody Blooms                              Moody White Butterflies       Festive Holly                       Festive Snowflakes April 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics! I will be picking up these new fabrics from our local organic fabric ladies at Cloud 9 soon!       Rose                                         Garden     Sweetbriar                                          Tulip October 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics!      Milkflower                             Lilac       Magnolia                                 Whitehaven March 2019: Five More New Organic Fabrics!                Floral in Indigo                             Henri                                                             Margot                Yolanda                             Sunset Stars November 2019: Seven More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Classy Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!          Linnea                     Falling Leaves                    Snowflakes 2019             Fall Floral                   Prince            Orange Blossom           Natural Fall June 2020: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Unique Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                    Lisbon             Cats                   Flourish Feb 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics                   Dahlia               Flora 2021               Heirloom March 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                   Felipe           Good Vibrations                   Little Grasses June 2021: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Tulip Cat                    Generosity       Love                   Sunshine April 2022: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Flutter                    Firefly       Parrot Play                   Dragonfly May 2022 Fantastic Organic Poplin From designer & owner Jennifer Thanks for sharing your talented gifts, Jennifer!                     November 2022 10 New spectacular Organic fabrics from designer (& owner), Jennifer, of Monaluna Fabrics!                           Petunias                    Glitter       Kind                   Monaco       Rosa                    Liliana       Lavender Dots                   Tassels       Keys                   Point AND: Another New Holiday Organic Fabric From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ! Organic Fabric Care (from bolt of Cloud9 fabric): "Machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non-chloriene bleach when needed. Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Warm iron if needed" Thanks to all who joined us on Saturday, Feb. 25th for clinical herbal practitioner & educator, Donna Reynolds amazing workshop Herbs 101: Using Your Spice Rack as a Medicine Cabinet at in Brookside, NJ. The class was a wonderful introduction to the medicinal properties of culinary herbs & spices which we commonly use in food preparation! The tasty tea & many delicious tasty foods which were sampled all contained the herbs & spices being discussed. I believe we all walked away with a greater understanding of how we can help ourselves & others safely gain relief from many of life's curveballs! This class is one of a series which Donna is offering at this particular location. To find out about her future classes please click on her below logo! www.WillowMoonHerbals Thank you to Gina & Maureen for helping us a feel so comfortable in your warm & wonderful place! I look forward to seeing you both soon! Thank you for bringing some of my products into your therapy rooms ~ I hope your clients enjoy their relaxation! My Lavender Body Wraps, Refillable Eye Pillows (Lavender style & also the Sinus one which contains Eucalyptus, Clove & Cinnamon), and Refillable Lavender Sachets are now being offered for sale! Thanks also for your kind exposure on Facebook. By clicking on their below logo, you can find out about this unique place & all of their special events! Last night I went to a screening of a very moving movie, The Last Mountain at a Transition Newton meeting at the Unitarian Fellowship in Newton, NJ. If you click on the coloured movie title above, it will bring to the movie's website. Many alarming facts are given throughout a poignantly well filmed documentary on a valley of people who have lived for generations next to the last Appalachian mountain, Coal River. All around it stand these barren moonscaped mountains, which have been blown up for coal. If you put in zip code 25204 in google maps & turn on the satelite feature & zoom around ~ you can see the path of destruction left behind. The environmental & human impact is huge, and somehow this immensity is matched by the spirit of the people who stay & fight to preserve this last mountain. I was taken by the passion, patience & grace of Bobby Kennedy, Jr.. I was filled with empathy for the surviving citizens, and the losses of family members they endured. I was moved by a miner's conviction for getting his granddaughter a safe school. I was touched by the people who came from all over the country to lend their time, resources, and bodies to this cause. I was stirred by a woman whose entire family works for the coal industry, yet she set out to find a way to preserve this last mountain with wind power turbines! The statistic which impressed me the most, was how many jobs the county would gain if they persued this clean energy option. Also, 10 years from now, their coffers would have reaped 14.8 million dollars. Their current plan of action would give them only 310,000 dollars in taxes; would leave them with no mountain or jobs; and would add to the million gallons of toxic sludge, air & water pollution which already plagues them. The wind solution would continue to offer jobs, and would add 1.48 million dollars to their county tax intake, each & every year! So, apparently the biggest reason for continuing the archaic blasting (comparable to a Hiroshima size bomb blast each week), the money, is no longer an issue! Once one learns how inter~connected we all are ~ by water & air ~ one feels compelled to do something. As one of the local citizens & avid advocate stated in the film, "We're all connected to coal." And later in the film, as images of electrical items like traffic signals & lights in stores flashed across the screen, I realized that even if I'm now paying to support wind & solar power in my home & business, I'm still buying products from businesses, and at businesses which do not support clean energy! It is no wonder that this film was the Official Selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival! I hope each person reading this gets to see this movie with someone, and you both tell another of it. If you'd like to find a local screening, or to host your own movie night ~ click here! If you'd like to "Take Action" by helping spread the word; supporting the cause; lobbying for change; reducing your energy use; or simply getting more informed, click here! As Margaret Mead once said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." To learn more about mountain top removal mining click on the picture below of Kayford "ridge", which I 'borrowed' from a local West Virginia non-profit website ~ thank you. This site is a great resource for information, & ways one can take action. Clicking on the below photo, will bring you to 1 minute video, posted on youtube on July 12, 2012 which says A LOT, & gives us another opportunity to be of assistance by weighing in on House Bill HR5959 The ACHE Act! If you'd like to read a paragraph about my switch to wind power, please click on wind image below. Thank you = ) Thanks to all who joined us for the The 4rth Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Morristown High School in Morristown The event was sponsored by the & brought together many local farmers & food artisans for an afternoon of sampling and purchasing. The new venue was more spacious than in years past, creating a more flowing & casual event this year = ) Following is a link to an article published today, Feb. 13th on the event, by Cathy Veit of the Morristown Green! Who says you can't farm in winter? Morristown welcomes Slow Food and sows seeds for permanent garden Click below for press release, which was released prior to the event. The 4rth Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family It's time again ~ to make time to have an effect on our futures! Click highlighted below to watch the Frack Off Cartoon on youtube, which concisely shares some of many peoples concerns. To visit the site which created this cartoon, please click below = ) FrackOffNow.com There are still free public screenings of at vazrious locations. I believe viewing this movie, prior to the release of the upcoming release by Josh Fox, will be beneficial! For a partial list of places which will be showing the movie, please click below: Gasland Some public libraries now have copies to lend also. Another website which has a searchable map of places showing the movie, and also lists public meetings, forums, board meetings, candle light vigils, discussions, Rallies, Film Screenings & Other Events, click below: Campaign to Ban Fracking DRILLING DOWN Regulation Lax as Gas Wells' Tainted Water Hits Rivers By IAN URBINA Published: February 26, 2011 "While the existence of the toxic wastes has been reported, thousands of internal documents obtained by The New York Times from the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and drillers show that the dangers to the environment and health are greater than previously understood." "The Times also found never-reported studies by the E.P.A. and a confidential study by the drilling industry that all concluded that radioactivity in drilling waste cannot be fully diluted in rivers and other waterways." "The rigs announce their presence with the occasional boom and quiver of underground explosions. Smelling like raw sewage mixed with gasoline, drilling-waste pits, some as large as a football field, sit close to homes. Anywhere from 10 percent to 40 percent of the water sent down the well during hydrofracking returns to the surface, carrying drilling chemicals, very high levels of salts and, at times, naturally occurring radioactive material." Among The Times's findings: More than 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater was produced by Pennsylvania wells over the past three years, far more than has been previously disclosed. Most of this water (enough to cover Manhattan in three inches) was sent to treatment plants not equipped to remove many of the toxic materials in drilling waste. At least 12 sewage treatment plants in three states accepted gas industry wastewater and discharged waste that was only partly treated into rivers, lakes and streams. Of more than 179 wells producing wastewater with high levels of radiation, at least 116 reported levels of radium or other radioactive materials 100 times as high as the levels set by federal drinking-water standards. At least 15 wells produced wastewater carrying more than 1,000 times the amount of radioactive elements considered acceptable.." "Once radium enters a person"s body, by eating, drinking or breathing, it can cause cancer and other health problems, many federal studies show." "Like most of the sewage treatment plant operators interviewed, Mr. McCurdy said his plant was not equipped to remove radioactive material and was not required to test for it. Documents filed by drillers with the state, though, show that in 2009 his facility was sent water from wells whose wastewater was laced with radium at 275 times the drinking-water standard and with other types of radiation at more than 780 times the standard." Click here to read entire NY Times article. Thanks to all who joined us Thursday, December 15th for Ladies' Night at the 20 Schooley's Mountain Road .. Long Valley, NJ Thanks Kate for inviting me to such a wonderful venue with so many incredible artists, & patrons! Please visit the market website ~ click image below: Thanks Judy for the invite to the special HOLIDAY MARKET on Thursday, December 8th in the Princeton Public Library's Community room 55 Witherspoon Street .. Princeton, NJ 08542 It was wonderful seeing everyone again & meeting more local artisans & town folk! I thank you all for your support. The Winter Farm Market continues through April on the 2nd Thursday of each month. "It will include farmers with produce, fruits, cheese, honey, cheesecakes, mushrooms, breads, eggs, chickens, pastries, gift baskets, pickles, jams, & teas---and fine crafters and artists with their creations." For more info, please visit the markets website by clicking their below logo: Or, visit them on facebook by clicking on image of Lemon Bergamot below: Pat from the Jefferson Township Museum is now carrying some of my products in the Museum store! This is so exciting to me, as my mother used to work in this same place, when it was the Violet Riker Library! What a beautiful renovation the Jefferson Township Historical Society has accomplished. The museum will be closed for renovations & maintenance until Sunday, March 4rth 2012. Location: 315 Dover-Milton Rd. ~ Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 Phone: (973) 697 . 0258 To read an article about the Holiday event, please click on link below: Museum Christmas Weekend For more info, please visit: www.jt historical society.org by clicking on the above link. My gratitude to all who hosted, volunteered, created gingerbread displays, and visited the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township for the 20th Annual Gingerbread Wonderland and Holiday Craft Show "This December marks the 20th Anniversary of Gingerbread Wonderland. Guests young and old marvel at the creativity, skills and sense of optimism that characterizes this charming and ecumenical exhibit of over 200 edible structures. Past year's "gingerbreads" have included models of Notre Dame cathedral, Hanukah menorahs, Japanese temples, Chinese pagodas, European castles and neighborhood sweet shops. Groups of 8 or more must make a reservation by calling at 973-326-7601. The Gingerbread contest was so very creative & so very difficult to choose a favorite! To view larger picture of above flyer, click on it. For more info about future events at the arboretum, please visit their website by clicking on their below logo. Or, visit their facebook page by clicking picture below: Thank you Deb & Chuck for bringing in an overstuffed basket of Lavender sachets & a nice assortment of body wraps & eye pillows! "ASANA HOUSE is a juice bar yoga lounge offering a space for your practice in addition to a place where you can kick back, hook up to the internet and enjoy fresh juice combinantions, smoothies, organic coffee, tea and homemade chai. Let your natural beauty radiate through you. We all know the saying, 'you are what you eat'. We are also what we think, what we say and what we do. Our physical exercise is essential to our mental and emotional bodies. 'Body, spirit and mind.' Yoga is one of the oldest forms of physical purification, its effectiveness has been proven over centuries, and juicing is one of the best ways to enhance the benefits of this experience." 127 Valley Road .. Montclair , NJ (973) 744 ~ 1500 For more info, please visit their actual store & studio / juice bar .. or their website & virtual store ~ by clicking on their below logo! Above painting by Louis Larson Courtesy of Fred Space & The H&AA, Inc Thanks to all who joined us for the Lusscroft Annual Winter/Holiday Event in the Manor House up in Wantage, NJ Saturday & Sunday Dec 3rd & 4rth Lusscroft Farm is a part of High Point State Park & is Sussex County's best kept secret, neatly tucked away in the hills northern New Jersey! "Reminisce in the past as we illustrate holidays of yore. Tour through four buildings ~ the Turner Mansion, the Garage, the Manager's Dwelling & the upstairs of the Main Barn. The event featured: Area Farmers with Their Products for Sale Local Vendors ☼ Local Crafters ☼ Music Sweet Shop ☼ Candy Store ☼ Gift Shop Bake Sale ☼ Hot Food ☼ Live Animals Autographed Book From Local Authors including Country Lanes~Portrait of a Century Past Featuring: Complete Works of Louis Larsen by William R. Turan Presented by: Heritage & Agriculture Assoc. in cooperation with the NJ DEP/Div. Of Parks & Forestry" Lusscroft Farm is on both sides of Neilson Rd. For more info, please visit www.LusscroftFarm.com By clicking on link to their website above. Thank you all who joined us in officially kicking off our nations' Small Business / Local Saturday tradition on the Saturday after Thanksgiving! The VENDOR DAYS FUNDRAISER FOR MORRIS COUNTY BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER! event ran both Saturday & Sunday, and was well attended. We all eagerly await the results of the silent auction. The event was hosted by & held at: THE ART OF THE HEART 15 Perry Street Chester, NJ 07930 (908) 879 ~ 3937 The following was their press release: "We will be hosting vendors days on Thanksgiving weekend as a fundraiser! In addition to store items & gift certificates for sale, we will have between 12 & 14 vendors available with both hand-crafted & other items for sale. There will also be a couple other service type vendors available for gift certificate purchase & information on their services. In addition, we will have a silent auction with 100% of proceeds going to the battered women's shelter." For more info, please visit their website: www.TheArtOfTheHeart-Chester.com Thank you Maria at Stonehill Pottery Shoppe for calling again this year & including me in your Annual Holiday Boutique! This event is always held the Friday, Saturday & Sunday prior to & following Thanksgiving. She will be keeping my products on hand for anyone who will be stopping in her shoppe. Her regular hours are: Wednesday ~ Friday from 10 ~ 6 & some Saturdays. They suggest calling ahead to confirm they're open. Stonehill Pottery Shoppe is located at 145 Union Valley Road Newfoundland, NJ Note: Google Maps shows location 7/10ths of a mile off of Route 23 north in West Milford Phone : (973) 697 ~ 4114 For more detailed info, please refer to the below article, posted in November 10th's Unique gifts at Stonehill Pottery Shoppe's Holiday Boutique Or, visit her website by clicking link below: mysite.verizon.net/stonehillpottery Give Green Gifts & Gingerbread Contest Click above to see larger version. Saturday, December 3rd 11 am ~ 4 pm Essex County Environmental Center 621-B Eagle Rock Ave. Roseland, NJ 07068 (973) 228 ~ 8776 Thanks to all who joined us today & participated in the Essex County Environmental Center's Annual Give Green Holiday Gift Fair and Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest "These free to the public holiday inspired programs provide an excellent opportunity for families to learn about and purchase eco-friendly gifts, as well as, alternative gift-giving options; and offer up some fun and education by discovering environmentally sustainable home design and lifestyle options." As usual, the friendly staff, volunteers, fellow vendors & patrons all made for a lovely day! For more info about this event & the Essex County Environmental Center, please click on the link below. Essex County Environmental Center Thank you for joining us at the located in Morristown on Monday, November 21st & in Chester today for the Local Holiday Gift Fair! Several local artisans were there, offering their unique gifts directly to the public! Thank to all who helped us kick off our nations' Local Saturday tradition early this year! And thank you Brant, Leslie, Robin & Marlin for hosting these lovely local events! Thank you to all of the folks who supported the Green Fair at on October 27th! It was so lovely to visit & be a part of your special day. What a truly warm, welcoming & spirted place you have = ) Thanks to all who attended the 2nd Annual Sussex County Harvest Festival Saturday, October 15, 2011 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds It was a gorgeous fall day which was a wondrous backdrop for this celebration of agritourism, ecotourism, and arts and heritage tourism. The County of Sussex joined with the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show to highlight New Jersey's great northwest. There was a Jersey Fresh farmers market; displays and information from environmental and agricultural organizations highlighting our public open spaces; intro to Birding walks, photography displays as well as games & activities for children. For more info visit the Sussex County website: 2nd Annual Sussex County Harvest Festival Also on Saturday ~ at 2:30 pm In the Newton townsquare Spring St. & Route 206 people gathered in wall street 99% style, to listen to 4 speakers &.... "On October 15th, local members of the American Dream Movement, in partnership with the Northwest NJ Progressive Alliance, Northwest NJ MoveOn Council, New Jersey Peace Action, and NJ State Industrial Union Council will rally on Newton Green to demand a meaningful shift in our nation's priorities. In solidarity with actions taking place around the country, including Occupy Wall Street in NYC and Freedom Plaza in Washington DC, as well as peaceful demonstrations blossoming around the world, we'll call on our leaders to end the wars and invest at home." "Most importantly, we'll come together to show our community that we are strong in our diversity and united in our struggle for economic, social, and environmental justice." Click below for more details. 99% Thanks to all who joined us Spa Day at the Whole Foods in Madison on Sunday, Oct 9th & supported a local & holistic event = ) You Don't Have to Stand Alone Against Genetically Engineered Food (GMOs)! Together Let's Demand GMO Labeling Now! Join the GMO Right2Know March October 1st ~ 16th 2011 Right2Know March Thanks to all who joined me & over 40 other local farmers, artists and crafters for the 1st Annual Sparta Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 1st 2011 It was a busy day ~ filled with music, dancing, cooking demos & fun for the entire family! The market continues until the end of October with their core farmers in attendance. For more info, please click on their logo below = ) Please remember to reach out to your local politicians, our state DEP & Green Acres program about the gas pipeline which is already being installed. Do it right now = ) It has already polluted one lake near Waywayanda State Park, and, it is proposed to go thru lands which were designated preserved. These areas include Ramapo State Forest, High Point State Park, & Wanaque reservoir ~ which supplies over 2 million New Jerseyans with drinking water! At Lake Lookover, they blasted under the lake, polluting the water & killing all the fish. Can you imagine trying to drink water from the Wanaque reservoir if they do the same thing there? Please know: the terms for destruction were to be a maximum of 100 feet wide, & in some areas, they've destroyed paths up to 200 feet wide! So many families over the years have deeded land, with the stipulation that it not be disturbed. Our tax dollars are a part of keeping these lands pristine. New Jersey already has the most superfund sites (read: toxically polluted areas) in the nation. Let's not add to them! Oh, and also, this pipeline which is being installed by the Tennessee Gas Co., is not even for use in NJ ~ they're just passing thru!! Contact the office of the governor of NJ: 609-292-6000 Click on below link to find out who your current members of congress are. Just enter your physical location into the box to the left of the map, to find out who they are & what their phone & fax #'s are, and to send an email through their forms! For more info, please click on the link below: SaveNJStateParks.org Click below to view flyer & when done, please arrow back to continue reading: Save Parks Flyer Thanks Mike, for wonderful flyer, pictures, updates, & all efforts on this!! NJ is fortunate to have you! Below are also several articles which are related: Mud in Pristine Lake ~ a Harbinger Voice Your Opposition ALERT - Fracked Gas Pipeline proposed in our backyard: Ramapo Reservation and Ringwood State Park Skylands CLEAN on Facebook N.J. appeals court upholds validity of Highlands Regional Master Plan Please view the movie Gasland, to get informed about what is headed to our tri state (NJ/PA/NY) area. Thank you Josh Fox for placing the value of our land, water & health over your bank account, & for making such an extraordinarily moving movie! We really need to implement legislature NOW to protect our lives, our families, & our health. Let's not allow this happen in our own backyards. Tell your representatives & senators TODAY to support the FRAC Act!! Take Action Clicking on the above link will bring you to different ways in which you can voice your opinion/s. EPA report from 2004 states that upwards of 70% of fracking solution stays in the ground. No research has been done to find out how far it migrates underground. Estimates of at least one mile may be conservative. Only 50% of the ingredients of fracking solution have been forthcoming. Of that 50%, there are 596 chemicals ~ almost all of which have never been tested for their effects on human health. The most prevalent ingredient is benzene ~ a known carcinogen, which is toxic even at low levels of concentration! When I returned this movie to my local library, I suggested that they might add it to their horror selections display on the counter, for Halloween. Here is just one small taste, which is taken from the bonus footage of the film. "Once they're introduced, they're going to stay in the groundwater system, and these lighter components can be on top of the groundwater system, if they're moving into a domestic aquifer. So, unlike the same chemicals at the surface, where they'll either volatize or eventually dilute, they'll persist in the groundwater." Weston Wilson ~ EPA environmental engineer. Film~maker Josh Fox asks, "For how long?" Weston Wilson: "Forever". Learn more about this movie, click pic below Tell your representatives & senators TODAY to support the FRAC Act!! "The Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act (H.R. 1084), (S. 587)�was introduced to both houses of the United States Congress on June 9, 2009, and aims to repeal the exemption for hydraulic fracturing in the Safe Drinking Water Act. It would require the energy industry to disclose the chemicals it mixes with the water and sand it pumps underground in the hydraulic fracturing process (also known as fracking), information that has largely been protected as trade secrets. Controversy surrounds the practice of hydraulic fracturing as a threat to drinking water supplies. The gas industry opposes the legislation. The House bill was introduced by representatives Diana DeGette, D-Colo., Maurice Hinchey D-N.Y., and Jared Polis, D-Colo. The Senate version was introduced by senators Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y." Take Action Clicking on the above link will bring you to different ways in which you can voice your opinion/s. Note: 1 ~ 7 million gallons of water are required each time they frack an existing well, which can be fracked up to 18 times! Since this procedure began 20 years ago, 40 trillion gallons of water, all infused with at least 596 chemicals have been forced underground. The waste products are left to air in pits which are not covered ~ next to schools, homes, hospitals, day care centers, & places of business. Fort Worth was over 1000 of these toxic wells within its' city limits! They are proposing 50 thousand gas wells along a 75 mile stretch of the Delaware River & 100's of 1,000's more across NY, PA, OH, & WV! The Bureau of Land Management ~ with was formed to sustain health & productivity of public lands for the use & enjoyment of present & future generations has leased millions of these acres in the Wyoming area out for gas exploration. The footage of this area is devastating. The "land farms" which are created to deal with the toxic waste from this exploration will likely never grow anything! The smell is horrific! They also burn off any of the gas which is too wet & will cost too much to refine. I'll end here ~ so you can become better acquainted with this topic. A food for thought for this week: According to the Sierra Club, 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles, the majority of which then end up in landfills! And, that's just in the good old US of A ! Please remember to Rethink ~ Refuse ~ Reduce Reuse ~ Repair ~ Repurpose ~ Recycle Thank You! Thank you to all who joined me at The Red Mill Museum for their Go Green Fair on Saturday September 17, 2011 The Red Mill's 2nd Annual Green Fair featured ways to reduce your carbon footprint. The grounds showcased green vendors with information and products relating to green building design, green energy, recycling, preservation, organic farming and holistic living. There was also a schedule of programs ~ with living greener demonstrations, children's activities, and live music. Visitors had an opportunity to learn how to weave; how to tie a fishing fly; how to lower their energy bills; do's and don'ts of solar energy, & to visit with Humdinger alpacas. Throughout the day there was live music by the Swamp Grass Jug Band, who used recycled objects for instruments! Also featured was an environmental scientist Joey Bee, from Joey Bee's Outdoor Adventures, who talked about ways in which we can protect & preserve our natural habitats. For more info on The Red Mill Museum, please click on the lovely picture below: The event encouraged me to look into some ways in which I could make my home more energy efficient, and I came across this great article online which features 5 hot water heater tips! The 3rd one I was already doing, but, not properly! "Your water heater probably came from the factory with its temperature set high. For every 10 degrees you turn it down, you'll save 3% to 5% on your bill. A setting at 120 to 140 degrees is hot enough. Just don't go below 120 degrees, which could lead to bacteria growth inside the tank. If the thermostat on your water heater doesn't have a numbered gauge, put it midway between the 'low' and 'medium' marks. Wait a day, and then measure the tap temperature with a cooking thermometer. Keep adjusting until you hit your target temperature." To read the full article please click on link below: 5 Hot Water Heater Tips for Energy Saving I give thanks of appreciation and gratitude to Irene for the stronger people & structures which are being created. May we all continue to make an extra effort to be more gentle on our mother earth ~ and perhaps in turn ~ mother nature may be more gentle. A couple of days before Irene arrived, lightening struck right outside my window. With amazement, I saw & felt the explosion! The only thing affected was my computers' motherboard & power supply. And, yes, it was plugged into a surge protector. So, that's why I'm sharing this ~~~ is to advise folks ~ that if you know there's going to be a storm, unplug your computer & disconnect your internet connection (as lightening may come thru telephone line) & save yourself some downtime, time, & money = ) Thanks to all who joined me & my artist friend, Teresa on Saturday, August 13th at the Ringwood Farmers' Market for their special Artisans' Market ! Teresa's crocheted blankets, hats, & presence added much beauty to market! There will be future Artisans' Market at the Ringwood Farmers Market next season ~ to which I'm looking forward! *******Due to expected snow, the market ended early last Saturday (Oct 29th) with the snow & wind. Until next season ~ happy holidays to all! The Ringwood Farmers' Market is located at the Ringwood Park & Ride (Cannici Drive off of Skyline Drive) For more info ~ including directions, Please click on their icon below = ) Each week I try to do at least one thing which will have a positive effect on our fair planet. Some weeks it's simply trying to share some information I feel may inspire another to make a change ~ which I found handwritten on a piece of a cardboard box in The Health Shoppe in Chester, NJ & which was very easy to find on the web: "At least 400,000 trees would be saved if EVERY home in the U.S. replaced just ONE roll of toilet paper made from virgin pulp with ONE roll of toilet paper made from recycled paper". Just one time ! What if we all returned to cloth napkins in our homes ? I always carry around a spoon & fork wrapped in a cloth napkin in the outer pocket of my purse ~ in case I need to stop to re-fuel, if I've been away from home longer than I expected. I could go on ... but here's the something new I did on June 1st, 2011: I switched my electric to be sourced from "100% wind power" (50% of which comes from a wind farm down in Atlantic City, 49% is sourced from wind farms in PA, and 1% is from NJ SOLAR!). It costs me approximately 1% more to support cleaner technology, & took about only 2 minutes to reduce my carbon footprint! Will you make those 2 minutes right now ~ for our environment, our air, our water? Each time I turn on an appliance, I know I'm still making a difference for everyone's future, by promoting local energy independence, & advancing our economy by supporting local green jobs! My utility company is the same I've had for years, for billing, delivery & service, but my supplier is now 100% green! No cost to switch, no contract. When you call Community Energy 1.877.321.0465, please mention Dégagé Gardens, & you'll receive a $50 rebate check & I may receive (haven't yet....) a $25 referral fee! I believe that you can still receive the same rebate on line. Note: there's no longer a choice for Dégagé Gardens in the How Did You Hear About Us? box in the last line of form, but believe they're still offering a $50 rebate check for anyone who signs up! www.CommunityEnergyInc.com Win ~ Win - Win! The first win is for the environment! All you need is your current bill in hand. To learn more about the wind & solar energy from the company I'm utilizing, click on the below picture to bring you to their website. I have recently added this symbol to my tags: New venues have been added! Please click Where Available to see the entire list of places where my eco~handcrafted organic aromatherapy products are being graciously offered for sale! Since April 2009, I had been looking for a new home & place to work. The wondrous place I had been for the last 10 years was no longer feasible for its owner. It was an incredible challenge to find a place which is large enough to live & work in; environmentally safe (indoors & out ~ due to my MCS = Multiple Chemical Sensitivity ~ any new paint & flooring .. carpeting .. appliances ... any items which can outgas; closeness to highways or businesses which use chemicals & other homes being too close; older homes which have not been maintained & contain molds & ... disqualifies the home); and affordable! My limited health = limited income is ... limiting : ) My expenses increased 600% this past year, and I pray that new markets continue to open their doors to my products so I may continue to support myself, and not have to apply for disability. I don't want to find myself living down to my diagnosis/dis-ease. The place which I have found is approximately half of the size of where I was ~ I am coming to the end of the seemingly endless process of purging many wonderful items which I no longer need for the defunct parts of my business, & which I can no longer own due to reduced space. I think I now covet the covered wagons long held title for "longest move in American history"..... Thank you all for your continuing support. I am blessed, and thankful to you all. My attitude of gratitude expands each day!! What a difference 8 years make! Summer '07, I found myself getting lost on familiar roads. September '07, I stopped driving, and found myself lost in my own home. It is an extraordinary journey which I have taken, and continue to take. May I never take anything for granted in my future! And may everyone know that even if you can't see a "disability", it is still real! I want to take this time to say THANK YOU to all of my customers ~ the stores who continue to stock my products & support me; those who have reached out, offered, & given assistance; & those 'faceless' customers whom I never meet, but who keep returning to these stores to support our wondrous planet, and a local organic grower. Your generosity is so very appreciated! I am still struggling with my multiple chemical sensitivity and PTSD, which limit my ability to be out in public and my exposure to toxins. I am thankful for all those who are supporting my ability to support myself!! In summer of 2014 I was eating like a half pound of cherries or strawberries every day when they were in season & reasonably priced. I could not resist the amazing bounty of the years harvests. It was as if my body craved it! During this same summer, while doing research for someone who is challenged by muscular dystrophy, I was finding many success stories from others who shared his challenge. It was all about vitamin C. As I went further down that rabbit hole in search of affirming information, I came across this wonderful article written by a librarian who had been wearing gloves to work, and feeling like her weekends were simply for recharging her body so she could return to work again. I could totally relate! A doctor approached her one day when checking out a book, and asked her about the gloves. When he learned of her protective measures from the printed materials she handled daily, he asked if she had ever tried high doses of vitamin C. Later that week, and ever since, she was glove free & could tolerate most chemicals in her environment! While reading this story, I realized that I had been very active recently. I immediately started researching sources of vitamin C & was amazed to find both cherries & strawberries high on the list. I'd always thought: oranges, grapefruits & peppers. I was delighted! I immediately shared this success with the person for whom I was doing the research, to encourage them to try it too! Perhaps he will regain his energy & increase the use of his legs as this man with MD had done. I just LOVE sharing simple & gratifying information, that, when we apply this knowledge, it has the potential to completely change our lives!! Year after year, I feel so fulfilled when sharing with others! I truly believe the reason why I am alive is to share my healing with others. This has overflowed into my business, and each year, between 5 & 10% of my profits go to different causes. A few of my favorites are: Changing the World.... One Woman at a Time Helping Women Survivors of War Rebuild Their Lives Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. For only $30 a month, a dollar a day, you can help a woman survivor of war rebuild her life. Since 1993 over 70,000 sponsors from 70 countries have supported more than 300,000 women in conflict and post-conflict countries. You will also provide your "sister" with critical emotional support that comes from knowing someone cares about them. 2012 was a wonderful year for me, because I found out about an amazing organization that is devoted to our planet. "Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law organization dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment." Click the underlined, to find ways which you can Take Action ~ like : " Watch this video, share it with your friends, and tell your senators to vote against any attempts to delay or prevent federal regulation of coal ash!" Check the events calendar for upcoming events that are open to the public. Subscribe to Earthjustice emailsto receive evites to invitation-only events. I believe that every moment we spend exhibiting a care for the earth, is a moment of blessed bliss!      &      Click above logos for more info about either = ) "Habitat's ReStore resale outlets sell reusable and surplus building materials to the public. While every ReStore outlet is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods like furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances. ReStore resale outlets accept donated goods which are sold to the general public at a fraction of the retail price. The proceeds help local Habitat affiliates fund the construction of Habitat homes within their communities." "Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing ministry. Habitat welcomes all people "regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or any other difference ~ to build and repair simple, decent, affordable houses with those who lack adequate shelter." Former President Jimmy Carter & 2 of my neighbors from Rockaway are just a few of their many inspirational volunteers! With projects in every state ~ it's now easier than ever to join in the joy of building for & with another in need. & Salesian Missions "The Salesian Missions ...comprised of Priests, Brothers and Sisters, care for disadvantaged youth in developing countries. We do this through education, job training and constructive recreational activities. We help youngsters achieve intellectual, emotional and spiritual maturity, thus becoming self-sufficient contributing members of society, with Christian values and good social skills." "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Ghandi For me Earth Day is Everyday!! Let's all try a little harder this year to do more, please: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose & Recycle! Take the Refuse Pledge: Say NO to disposable plastics! by clicking on below link! PlasticPollutionCoalition.org And below is a link to the same site, with suggestions about getting started! GetStarted! According to the Sierra Club, 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles, the majority of which then end up in landfills! And, that's just in the good old US of A ! "Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand." ~ Native American or Chinese Proverb NEW!! In honor of Earth Day (read, "EVERY day"), I picked up 7 new incredible organic fabrics from a local NJ designer yesterday (March 1st, 2012)! Below are images of these gorgeous organic fabrics! I will continue to carry the four low impact dyed solid fabric choices & undyed organic sateen, which are pictured below, until they run out: From top to bottom: A vibrant RED, SAGE, BLUE, and BERRY BERRY. The original natural undyed cotton sateen fabric I've been carrying for years is sandwiched in between! They are SKAL certified. I utilize dozens of gorgeous fabrics to eco~handcraft my Organic Body Wraps & all of my Refillable Organic Eye Pillows! All of these organic fabrics are also now available in a 100% Organic Lavender Sachet & A 100% Organic Rose & Lavender Sachet ~ fashioned after the 100% Organic Dream Sachet. All utilize 100% Organic fabrics, ingredients, low impact dyed cotton yarn tie and batting (to hold in ingredients in the event that it becomes untied). And, yes, because they're tied shut, they are refillable!! I am continuing to use the eco~friendly Inego fiberfill to hold in the lavender & dream mix in my sachets made with conventional fabrics. This alternative to the conventional polyester fiberfill is soft & resillient! This hypoallergenic material is called Pla-fiber, & is made with a 100% annually renewable resource: corn! I am currently wholesaling my organic sachets, eye pillows, body wraps, and skin relief through various retailers - click to bring you to Where Available below! If you are a local store & would like to carry my products, please contact me! Just Jersey is now offering my Comfort Body Wraps & Eye Pillows AND 100% ORGANIC SACHETS online!! Please click below images to be directed to my products there!!       OH!! Now they’re selling my 100% Organic Dream AND 100% Organic Lavender Sachets too!! Thanks Tina & Paul!! NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: NEWEST CATALOG I can also email the new catalog to anyone who wishes ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! I created a new page a few years back ~ linked to this one on which I give some details as to what is going on behind the scenes here, & also lists some items for sale. I will be posting my business moving sale soon ~ with many many deals !! Thank you all who have supported me through this difficult time in my life. Come By & Buy I still receive calls asking about my Organic potted herbs, flowers & veggies. I just (May 2012) met a young farmer, Erin who, with a friend, Lisa, is now filling this niche with their Organic, Heirloom and Open-Pollinated plants! "Harmony Starts sells seedlings grown from certified organic, heirloom and/or open-pollinated seeds. We use carefully mixed potting soil made with organic compost and organic coconut coir with the addition of slow-release nutrients for an abundant crop." **** NOTE: They are in transition .... and may no longer be offering .... To find out where to purchase them, what's currently available, and what's growing, please visit their website by clicking on their below logo: I am also still get calls asking what organic produce is available ~~ and, since I am no longer growing veggies, I always tell folks about the the Health Shopppe in Morristown which offers a completely organic produce section, AND a juice bar, AND a salad bar. The owners work with many local farmers to bring you the freshest and most local produce, meat, eggs, milk, honey .... Their hot & cold cases also utilize many organic items, while offering many vegan and gluten free options! The Health Shoppe in Chester also has a completely organic produce section! *****************Please note: the Health Shoppes in Morristown & Chester closed June 2012 after 40 years of business. The Morristown location is now occupied by a 2nd location of Grass Roots Natural Market! Many of the talented, knowledgeable & caring staff from the Health Shoppe are currently working with the new owner!!*************** I also tell folks about closest Farmers Market to me, including the one in Sparta! It typically opens in June, runs into October. For more detailed info about this farmers market visit: LocalHarvest.org This website also helps anyone in the US find local growers, u-pick farms, Christmas tree farms, CSA's etc., as well as their local Farmers Markets : ) Spring Potted Plants ~ Due to the loss of a greenhouse, a malfunction in the cooling system of the other greenhouse, & a general malfunction in me! ~ there were sadly no greenhouse seedlings started this year (2007). There are perennials & annuals which can lifted from the gardens upon request. Update August '10: The last greenhouses was removed, & the largest was purchased & reconstructed at a friends' home. There are many medicinal herbs which are still available. For a full list of plants which can be dug & shared, please click following: Potted Plants About Dégagé Gardens: Dégagé**Gardens is a small organic market farm located in bucolic Rockaway, NJ in historic Morris County, which has served the local area with its' herbs, flowers, and vegetables - available potted (in the Spring), fresh (during the Late Spring, Summer & early Fall) & dried (in the Fall) for 10 years. Only my handcrafted products are now available & they are available all year ~ well, with the exception of a couple of them ~ which, when supplies run out ~ that's it 'til next season! My wholesale customers are primarily health food stores, spas & garden centers within a 25 mile radius of the farm. Call me to place an order (for delivery or pick-up), ask a question, make a suggestion, give feedback ... I'll return your call typically within 24 hours! Contact by e-mail .... I typically answer emails within 48 hours. So, if you're in a hurry, please call. Please note: My new phone number is: (973) 827 - 3369 My customers appreciated my motto: "The day it's picked is the day it's delivered". My customers' feedback is still extremely important to me even if it no longer has to do with heirloom varieties = ) (What's an heirloom?: It's any variety which has been passed down over the years for its' beneficial characteristics: flavor, texture, storage life, and/or resistance to insects, drought, and extreme weather. They are the survivors that we seek out & keep around! They are open pollinated - which means that you can save the seed!). My everchanging landscape continuously welcomes new varieties. In 2006 I was proud to offer 142 varieties (60 herbs, 37 flowers & 35 veggies) with 23 of these being Heirloom varieties (9 herbs, 4 flowers & 10 veggies) ~ Due to illness, no veggies were available in 2007 or 2008, and will no longer be available in the future ~ unless something changes = ) I still do grow & offer over 27 varieties of herbs which possess medicinal qualities. These are always available as they are constants, prolific, and generally maintain themselves! The majority of my seeds and rootstock have come from certified organic farms in Maine, where biodiversity and biodynamics run rampant and gardening reigns supreme. I use only certified organic seeds, soil, fertilizers, and amendments, and control "pests" with handpicking, predatory insects, & companion planting. I am a self-certified grower who'll never use any GMO products, pesticides or herbicides. My environmentally friendly approach is apparent throughout my production: from recycled/recyclable pots; deliveries made in tubs; identification tags, signs, and photo cards made from recycled paper; to biodegradable cellulose bags for packaging of my body wraps, & sachets. Below are many of the ways in which I see myself as Keeping It Green! As the wise Chief Seattle said back in 1854: "Take only memories leave only footprints". Many efforts to be gentle to our environment are made, from preparation to presentation. Rethink ~ Refuse ~ Reduce Reuse ~ Repair ~ Repurpose ~ Recycle Please! Take the Refuse Pledge: Say NO to disposable plastics! by clicking on below link! PlasticPollutionCoalition.org And below is a link to the same site, with suggestions about getting started! GetStarted! According to the Sierra Club, 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles, the majority of which then end up in landfills! And, that's just in the good old US of A ! In Office and Studio: ~Solar calculator is used to total receipts. ~Purchase supplies as local as possible, and made in USA. ~Purchased herbs & spices (i.e. cinnamon, clove, & eucalyptus) come from reputable wholesalers who sample, screen & analyze each lot to assure they are free of irradiation, ozone, sulfur, gas & chemical treatment. ~Solar scale is used to weigh ingredients. ~Converted lighting to low watt compact fluorescent bulbs. ~All but one of my handcrafted products are refillable. ~Most brochures are paperless: emailed. ~Sustainable paper is used for signs & photo cards. For more info visit: www.paperbecause.com or click here: ~Strips of paper, and cut outs (in shape of circle & quote bubble/apostrophe) are used by local school arts and reading programs. ~I switched my electric to be sourced from 100% wind power. Well, they actually recently notified me that 1% is now being supplied by solar! It costs me approximately 1% more to support cleaner technology, & took about only 2 minutes to reduce my carbon footprint! Will you make those 2 minutes right now ~ for our environment, our air, our water? Each time I turn on an appliance, I know I'm still making a difference for everyone's future, by promoting local energy independence, & advancing our economy by supporting local green jobs! My utility company is the same I've had for years, for billing, delivery & service, but my supplier is now 100% green! No cost to switch, no contract. When you call Community Energy 1.877.321.0465, please mention Dégagé Gardens, & you'll receive a $50 rebate check & I may still be able to receive a $25 referral fee. You can receive the same rebate on line. www.CommunityEnergyInc.com Win ~ Win - Win! The first win is for the environment! All you need is your current bill in hand. To learn more about the wind & solar energy from the company I'm utilizing, click on the below picture to bring you to their website. I have recently added this symbol to my tags: Thanks for caring & making all of the extra efforts you make! ~Most shipments are made re-using boxes & packing from incoming deliveries. ~Organic flax is used for my eye pillows and body wraps ~ which is more economical if heated ~ because it gives a prolonged moist heat, due to its' 30~40% oil content AND it keeps the herbs in my products hydrated ~ keeping them fresher MUCH longer = ) ~Converting to organic fabrics as they become available to me. (Please read more info on why I am focusing on organic fabrics below) ~Organic yarn. ~Organic batting. ~Cellulose biodegradable bags are used to package handcrafted products. ~Receipts are pre-printed with soy ink. ~Use Pla-fiber (made with a 100% annually renewable resource, corn) for keeping in organic ingredients in conventional fabric sachets, in case they become untied. ~Almost all office & studio furniture ~ gifted or purchased at thrift stores, garage sales, and ~I've also untilized to find new homes for items I no longer need, as my business & life have changed over the years. ~Eco flooring in Studio & storage areas, which can be composted if ever not needed/wanted by the next owner. To learn more about the brand that I chose click on image. ~Organic fabrics: Since Monsanto entered India with its GM cotton, over 150,000 farmers have committed suicide since 1993. (note: any organic crop cannot contain GMO's) " Each year, around 2,500,000 tons = 5 billion pounds of pesticide are dumped on the planet's crops. ~ Five of the top nine pesticides used in conventional cotton production in the US are known cancer-causing chemicals. (These are cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite and trifluralin.) ~ To make just ONE T-shirt takes about a third of a pound of toxic chemicals ~ In some recent tests, 90% of water and fish samples from streams in the USA had pesticides. About 50% of all sampled wells contained one or more pesticides. ~ DDT and chlordane pesticides have been found in vegetables grown in contaminated soil 38 years after being banned. ~ In 2002, an estimated 69,000 children were poisoned by pesticides in the US ~ The World Health Organization reports 220,000 people die every year worldwide because of pesticide poisoning. ~ Cotton can have much stronger chemicals used on it than food crops." Please visit for more info! "When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us." Arapaho Proverb "An estimated one to five million cases of pesticide poisoning occur every year, resulting in several thousand fatalities among agricultural workers. Most of these poisonings occur in the developing world where safe health standards can be inadequate or non-existent. Although these countries use only 25% of global pesticide production, they account for a staggering 99% of the related deaths." The above quote is taken from a non-profit organization based in Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Click the below icon for full article = ) In Greenhouse: ~Non~chlorine bleach & biodegradable dish liquid is used to wash tubs & shelves... ~Purchased pots are made from recycled materials & are recyclable. ~Plug trays are sturdy & reused each season. ~A potting bench, and a small starter greenhouse bought at garage sale. ~Outdoors: ~All plant displays / racks had been salvaged from roadsides & the woods ~ including tables and benches & have found new homes. ~Greensand is added to raised beds to minimize watering. ~Utilize rain barrels for watering. ~I eat all organic foods & compost all vegetative matter from my kitchen & gardens, which helps build soil. ~When I leave for a delivery, I typically utilize the trip to accomplish other tasks (i.e. banking). ~Deliveries are made in washable tubs. ~Sales receipt is totaled with a solar calculator. ~Solar lights. ~I have had lovely neighbors who called before going to a store which carries my products, and have made deliveries for me. Tasks done by hand without use of electricity, in available daylight: Indoors: ~Mixing soil ~Sowing seeds ~Transplanting ~Watering ~Stripping dried botanicals & hanging to dry ~Cutting fabric ~Cutting, scoring, perforating & punching tags ~Stapling on tags to cellulose bags ~Filling, tagging, & tying sachets ~Applying snaps to eye pillows ~Packaging Outdoors: ~Sowing seeds ~Pulling weeds ~Tilling ~Hoeing ~Watering (from rain barrels ~Harvesting ~Mending fences ~Building trellises & raised beds I encourage all to investigate how you, too, can: Rethink ~ Refuse ~ Reduce Reuse ~ Repair ~ Repurpose ~ Recycle which can ease our impact on our environment, landfills, and futures. Take the Refuse Pledge: Say NO to disposable plastics! by clicking on below link! PlasticPollutionCoalition.org And below is a link to same site, with suggestions about getting started! GetStarted! "Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it" Edward W. Bok To visit the Organic Consumers Association, click their symbol below: To visit my listing on their site ~ click below: To visit the Green Business Association ~ click symbol: Return to the top of Page Press You can click on any of the articles or events flyers listed below, if the title is underlined, & you will be brought to a new page with the article or flyer. I was very diligent in gathering & posting articles which featured my at home enterprise, but in recent times (since 2012), I've become more involved in just being in the moment, and have no longer pursued posting articles & press & let this go. If anyone wishes me to post certain things here, please ask & I will. Thanks! Earth Day Experience in Morristown fetes sustainability 6:58 AM, Apr. 20, 2012 "A Hybrid-Electric Car Show at Earth Day Experience in the DeHart Street parking garage features fuel-efficient vehicles, including Gearhart Chevrolet's 2012 Volt. A spring farmers market features: Griggstown Quail Farm, Valley Shepherd Creamery, Joy B's Farm, Mini Mac farm, Glenmalure Farm. The Health Shoppe, Peony's Envy, Saltopia, Made with Love Organics and Degage Gardens will also host tables at the Healthy Food Festival. Earth Day Experience is rain or shine. Also appearing at Earth Day Experience: Grow It Green Morristown, Church of the Redeemer, Marty's Reliable Cycle and the Tower Garden. The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation will be giving tours of 14 Maple. Ave from 1 to 3 p.m. on the half hour. Pre-registration is required; sign up at the Sustainable Morristown table." An article in the Grassroots Section of the Daily Record, released on April 19th, 2012, which refeatures the picture taken for the below Nov. 25th article: Titled Vegan, gluten-free are Health Shoppe's specialty The 4rth Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at the Morristown High School in Morristown Sponsored by the Following is a link to an article published February 13th, 2012 about the event, by Cathy Veit of the Morristown Green! Who says you can't farm in winter? Morristown welcomes Slow Food and sows seeds for permanent garden Click below for press release, which was released prior to the event. The 4rth Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family Following is a link to an article written on November 25th, 2011 by Cara Townsend ~ NJ Press Media ~ for the GrassRoots section of the Daily Record. It is the online version which has been edited: Made local, bought local: Area retailers show what it means to 'shop small' Thank you to all who joined me at The Red Mill Museum for their Go Green Fair on Saturday September 17, 2011 The Red Mill's 2nd Annual Green Fair featured ways to reduce your carbon footprint. The grounds showcased green vendors with information and products relating to green building design, green energy, recycling, preservation, organic farming and holistic living. There was also be a schedule of programs ~ with living greener demonstrations, children's activities, and live music. Visitors had an opportunity to learn how to weave & tie a fishing fly; find out how to lower their energy bills; learn the do's and don'ts of solar energy, & to visit with Humdinger alpacas. Throughout the day there was live music by the Swamp Grass Jug Band, which used recycled objects for instruments! Also featured was an environmental scientist Joey Bee, from Joey Bee's Outdoor Adventures, who talked about all the ways we can protect & preserve our natural habitats. For more info on The Red Mill Museum, please click on the lovely picture below: Thanks also to those who have come by the Princeton Farm Market in the Princeton Public Library! I look forward to re~joining the market when it moves back indoors in the fall! There is a special market scheduled for Thursday, December 8th. Click on logo below to bring you to the markets website. Thanks Jean~Claude & Judith for including me = ) Thank you to all who came out for Festival Earth on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011 at the new located at 55 Bank St. Click below to view a flyer with more details about that days events. A Celebration of Sustainable Morristown NOTE: The event was a 2 day event ~ preceeded by a Green Building Expo which was held the previous 2 days! Please visit their website for future sustainable events ~ click below or go to: www.MorristownEcoCenter.com Thank you to all who braved the inclement weather & came to the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland on Saturday, April 16th 2011 for their 6th Annual Earth Day Celebration = ) Sharing a table with the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Essex County, I learned much! Click below to view press release from the Essex County Parks Commission: Earth Day 2011 Click on their logo above for more info about the center & their upcoming events! Thank you to all who attended the The 3rd Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family which was held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at the: Cultural Center in Morristown Sponsored by the in partnership with the Morris County Park Commission the event brought together many local farmers and food artisans. Please note, that due to an overwhelming response to this years event, they are looking for a larger venue for next year = ) Follow~up: They did find larger venue & held 2012 event at local H.S.! Click below to view press release from Slow Food = ) The 3rd Annual Local Harvest: Farms, Food, and Family Thank you Jen Chaky, owner of for home . for life . for planet is no longer located at 4 So. Fullerton Ave. in Montclair, NJ : ( Thanks Jen for writing such a lovely article in HERBAL REMEDIES Just in time for the holidays ~ published on December 23rd, 2010 ! Ever eco & ever supportive ~ So very glad to know you = ) A fair at the Essex County Environmental Center, in which I participated. Click below to view the Center's flyer: 4rth ANNUAL GIVE GREEN HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR 2010! You can also click on their logo above for more info about the center & their upcoming events! An article, dated January 28th, 2010 from a local blog: Herbal Goodness by Abby Ray Thank you so much, Abby! The following is a Daily Record article by Jennifer L. Nelson from January 13th, 2010. 2nd Annual Slower is better: Jan. 16 event celebrates locally produced winter bounty Click below for press releases for the 2nd Annual Slow Food Event: Local Harvest: Farms, Food, & Family Slow Food Northern NJ Invites Garden State Residents To Eat Local Year Round Thanks to all those who who tuned in on Thursday, Dec. 3rd, 2009 to the Green Divas Radio Internet Show. A big thanks also to Jen & Meg for inviting me on as a guest to their show! Meg has going solo on another radio station ~ and as soon as she gets me the copy ~ I will post it here for her. I am leaving the place from which that '09 interview was broadcast ~ because I like listening to them ~ and hopefully the below link to them will bring them some exposure. Go to ~ click on: & then, click on the symbol at the top right hand corner of the screen to tune in! : ) Here's an article which was published in on Nov 25th, 2009: Essex County Environmental Center's Green Gift Fair offered lots of very green tips By: SEAN CARLSON, Contributing Writer. Thanks for the mention : ) Jane, the owner of in Boonton asked me to write an article on Aromatherapy which she used in one of her newsletters. To view this article, please click on the following: Aromatherapy Article. On August 20th, 2008 Lisa at the wrote the following article: Local Gardens & Grocers are Going Green. Photos of some of my products were included in a wonderful review of The Outside In in Piermont on Thank you Mary Shustack for including me in your photos = ) A Hidden Gem ran another article titled "Organic Farmer Turns Love of Nature into Good Business" on Sunday, August 19th, '07 on the front page of their "Morris People" section. It's one of their "Human Interests" stories which "appears every Sunday and other days of the week from time to time. In each column Lorraine Ash explores interesting angles on local life that may otherwise escape attention. Reader mail is welcome at lvash@gannett.com." Thanks Lorraine for the wonderful pieces you've written! I could not find it online ~ so link I wanted to put is not here ; ) On July 31st, '07, my skin relief products were featured in an article titled "Heads up on sun damage screening" by Lorraine Ash in the Daily Record: under paragraph heading: Aftersun creams ** Note: Only print copy had photos of farm & skin products. For more info about my skin relief products, click this link & it will bring you down this page to: Skin Relief Please click below to view an article which I wrote about Lavender: Lavender Everlasting for, & which was published in, Degage Gardens Succeeding at Growing the Small Farm By Tamara Scully (AFP Correspondent) was published on 3.01.2007 in Tammy is available for hire! Her freelance writing specializes "in agriculture and local food system articles, my work includes farming history, heritage and rural life." Please click here: Tamara's Writing Services for more information. Or, "Do you need a press release for your business, organization or special event? Would you like to enhance your web site content?" "Trade and consumer magazines, newspapers, newsletters, websites and non-profit organizations can all benefit from feature articles" Click on the pink link to bring you to her Hire page : ) Tammy also wrote Local Products and Handcrafted Goods which appeared in New Jersey's Thank you Tammy for your awesome support & as always, great writing! December '06, Lorraine Ash wrote a nice holiday article featuring local stores for the titled: Have yourself a natural Christmas. Click above title to view! A less recent article is still floating around the net in different versions ~ as it was published in both the local & and then picked up by local communities after that: "Matchmaking site levels dating field for single farmers" by Laura Bruno (Morris County, N.J.) Daily Record Jan. 19, 2006 Thanks to all who have responded to this article ~~ the most recent almost 5 years later! reviews written by customers! Following is from an email dated December 3, 2010 "Hi Anne, So happy to see your name pop up in the email. I wanted to write you yesterday to say how great it was to see you again and to thank you. I had hoped to save the body wrap for Christmas but I couldn't wait to put it around my neck once i got home. The weight of the wrap puts just the right amount of pressure where I need it most and the lavender fragrance is so soothing that I think I am breathing better (not hyperventilating when stressed.) I am finding the older I get - the more I have to make time to relax. This is not an easy thing for me. Perhaps most people are this way. It is very thoughtful of you to send this information on sleep. You are a good listener. This is a very rare quality these days. I feel very fortunate you were at Wholefoods Market in Ridgewood the other day. Funny how sometimes good things can happen when you really need them to! Sincerely, Lisa The following are reviews which can be found on line at : "Products are always fresh, Anna' s always knowledgable and SO Eco-friendly! Products last and last, probably since they come right from her! I've had the same sachet on my dash for years, and when I hit that defrost button, the aroma still fills the car! Her skin care products are great, too!" Lori of Lake Hopatcong, NJ on October 01, 2007 "I have purchased Degage Gardens Organic Herbal Eye Pillows and Body Wraps, as well as Lip Balm and other products to sell in my office to my Massage clients. They sell well, with clients making repeated purchases. I love the quality of the products and having had the opportunity to visit the gardens in Rockaway on a trip to New Jersey, I saw the care and attention that is given to the whole creation process of the variety of products made by Degage Gardens." A Balanced Feeling Massage of Phoenix, AZ on September 30, 2007 "Anne Giller is an interesting, amazing woman. Single-handedly, she runs an organic garden, and hand-crafts items from the botanicals she grows. I have bought pretty much everything she has made - from the fantastically aromatic sachets to those thingies that you light and they smoke up and clear the air. During the summer, I buy all my greens and herbs from her. You can't get any fresher than going into the garden with her and picking the plants on the spot. We always have interesting conversations when we do that - being with her is always an education in plant life. To my mind, this woman - and what she has accomplished on her little farm - is a modern day miracle - and just knowing her has improved my life." Jane Goldberg of Bloomingdale, NJ on September 26, 2007 "Terrific, fresh herbs and gift items! All sold by a funny, intelligent, terrific woman. You have to check this place out!!!" Holly of Bloomfield, NJ on September 26, 2007 "Degage gardens has the best fresh salad pickens, potted plants and hand made hand creams. The sachets are delightfully fragrant. I wouldn't buy them anywhere else." Patricia Fernot of Newfoundland, NJ on July 25, 2007 "A couple of years ago, my husband and I lived in New Jersey and came across Degage Gardens on a drive. We stopped and bought some fresh produce and were amazed at how long it remained fresh after we brought it home. The owner actually walked around the garden with us and handpicked everything right then and there! Needless to say, we became regular customers and since we've moved to Michigan, we haven't been able to find anything that comes close to Degage Gardens. I highly recommend the produce, the seedlings and the home products (sachets, lotions, etc.)." Christine of Utica, MI on July 25, 2007 HOW TO EAT SMARTER Thursday, July 24th, 2008 This free workshop was held at Rockaway Township Library, and featured food sampling and tips on how to eat healthier from NJ Local Harvest farms and organizations: Smadar English from the community supported gardens (CSG) at Genesis Farms, Anne ~ Degage Gardens and Margaret Noon from SlowFood ~ NJ. Thank you Barb for putting together a great program, and for use of below photo from that evening! Barb brings so many amazing programs to our local library every month! Pictured Left to Right: Myself, Smadar w/ my flowers, & Margaret. Thanks to all who attended the Slow Food North Jersey Local Harvest: Farms, Food and Family event at Frelinghuysen Arboretum on Saturday, January 17th, 2009. It was an amazing experience ~ so very well attended: a true indication that local is thriving! To learn more about this organization & their future events, click on: Return to the top of Page STOCKISTS ! Where Available: How do you get my organic eco~handcrafted aromatherapy products, like my sachets, potpourris, skincreams, eye pillows, & body wraps? I offer my goods wholesale. Please see my selection below. The following retail establishments carry various products throughout the year. Most establishments have websites of their own, to which you can nagivate by clicking on their underlined name or their logo! If you are a retailer & wish to carry my products, please contact me! Thank You in advance! Those who are not local now have an online option for purchasing all 4 of my Refillable Organic Eye Pillows, & both my Lavender & my Dream Comfort Body Wraps!! Just Jersey is now offering my Comfort Body Wraps, Eye Pillows & 100% Organic Sachets online from Just Jersey!! Please click below images to be directed to my products there!!       Many people have purchased my eco handmade products for fund raisers, unique gifts or as party favors for many occasions including: housewarming, baby showers, wedding showers, birthday party favors, wedding favors & going abroad presents! If you typically purchase my products at local stores, but need a "bulk" order for a special occassion, wedding favors, bridal or baby showers, anniversary parties, or a fund raiser please email or call me! Thanks! NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG I can also email the new catalog to anyone who wishes ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! 15 Washington Street ... Morristown (973) 267 ~ 0079 Thank you Nicole, for bringing in my NEW Dream Body Wraps & Lavender ones, too! Thanks also for sharing these wraps over the years with your clients, to warm & relax them while they ready for their massages! The energy in your space is so very calming & healing. Please visit Nicole for "Swedish, Deep Tissue, Integrated Massage Therapy, Reflexology, Sports Massage, Manual Lymph Drainage and Raindrop Technique. Achieve relaxation, pain relief and athletic performance." For more information, including explanations of different massages, benefits of them, & current special, please click on picture below to be redirected to her website: Moved ! THE ART OF THE HEART 44 Main Street .. 2nd Floor .. Chester (908) 879 ~ 3937 Thank you Sue for offering my products in the past! I'm sure your customers loved your selection of my products! This is a wonderfully vital hub for holistic practitioners, and their clients! For more information on all the classes, Open Houses, training, certification, and therapies which are offered, please visit her website: www.TheArtOfTheHeart-Chester.com To learn more about the monthly meetings, hosted here for their Holistic networking group, please click their logo below: Amy & Kate brought in some of my products a few years ago, as well as some dried bergamot flowers, roses & lavender to make your sachets! Please visit this great Home & Garden Center for a great selection of locally & sustainably handcrafted items; a wonderful selection of organic edible plants, seeds & soils; helpful Plant Healthcare; demos, talks, tours; landscape design ~ as well as planting & delivery services; and a wonderful display of all else growing = ) "At Back to Nature Home & Garden we carefully select products favoring American made, artisanal craftsmanship and quality design." I am grateful for an opportunity to be a part of this inspiring sustainable hub in Somerset County! Please visit them: 3055 Valley Road Basking Ridge, NJ 908 . 350 . 7506 Click below to be taken to their website: www.BackToNature.net Basil Bandwagon Natural Market 276 Rt. 202-31 .... Store #1 ... Flemington (908) 788 - 5737 Please help support your local health food stores. The owner, Ralph is an herbalist, & he & his staff are very knowledgable & friendly! The store has its own brand of herbs & offers a juice bar, deli, organic produce & bulk food section & much more! Click here to visit them on line at www.BasilBandwagon.com Basil Bandwagon Natural Market "Second Store is now OPEN!! Basil Bandwagon has come to Clinton. We took over the Sunflower Seed at 38 Old Rt 22. (908) 735-3822 Make sure to stop by and check it out!" not R E O P E N I N G    !?! "Serving Coffee, Tea & Tranquility for the Body & Soul" No longer MOVING elsewhere in Franklin Just found this on their FB book, which was posted in Sept. 2015: "We will not be reopening the Bodhi Tree. To everyone who reached out with open arms during difficult times and offered themselves freely ... thank you. For endless deep conversations about life, empathy and love ... thank you. To all of the musicians who took time to play in the cafe ... thank you. To all the instructors who taught classes and workshops ... thank you. To all of you who would pop in for a cup of coffee and leave two hours later ... thank you. To Michelle and Lisa thank you for all of the work you did and your efforts to keep the cafe up and running. To our Friday night group which has truly become family ... thank you. I am so grateful for so many things that came out of the cafe, you all have changed my life in so many ways ... thank you. Love, peace and happiness to all of you and your loved ones. Blessings ~ Brian, Monica, Ashton & Zachary" No    Longer    Available     Here ! Conscious Fork 20 McEwen St *** NOTE: They Have Moved AGAIN ~ right next door to: 16 Railroad Avenue Warwick NY (845) 988 ~ KALE (5253) Thank you Kim for previously bringing in a selection of sachets & refills into your original delicious space! I've tried various items off your local & organic menu & have thoroughly enjoyed the hommus, guacamole, olive tapenade, juices & smoothies! When you're ready to bring my products into your new larger space, please call. 309 Orange Rd. Montclair, NJ 07042 (973) 783-3606 "Come to us for pain relief, stay with us for health and wellness" "Our mission is to release the positive qualities in as many children and adults as humanly possible by delivering specific adjustments and techniques, and treatments to eliminate the devastating effect of nerve damage, toxicity, and stress. We are focused, congruent and successful wellness providers serving humanity by offering the finest wellness care with professionalism, clinical expertise, integrity, love and compassion." N E W ! Natural Food Market IN CHESTER 270 Route 206 S. Chester (908) 888 ~ 2256 Robyn, from the old Health Shoppe in Chester, is daily greeting wonderful faces in this incredible new space in the 'Streets of Chester', just a stones-throw away from where they all formed bonds over the many years before the Shapiro family shuttered their shops after 40 years! Thanks for bringing me back to Chester, & welcoming me into your wondrous store!! "Established in 1996, Dean's Natural Food Market is committed to providing you the highest-quality organic foods and natural products available. Our friendly, dedicated and knowledgeable staff is here to provide you with the best customer service around and will assist you in understanding the value of a sound, well-balanced way of living. We offer the area's best selection of organic produce, groceries & bulk foods; a dedicated gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods section; our award-winning organic juice and smoothie bar and our Fresh Foods department, which offers a wide selection of grab-n-go organic entrees, sides, sandwiches and more." I was so grateful to SIT & eat lunch, before making my first delivery on the 21st of September (2016). Such a warm tasty meal from their hot bar ~ with home-cooked flavors I look forward to savoring again!! N O W    A V A I L A B L E! Dean's Natural Food Market 25 Mountainview Blvd. Basking Ridge (908) 495 ~ 1600 Currently sold out !! Dean's Natural Food Market 490B Broad St ... Shrewsbury 732 - 842 - 8686 My products are currently sold out at a wonderful health food store ~ complete with awesome organic juice bar & organic produce section! This is one of my very favorite spots to stop when I'm in the shore region. Always a tasty treat that you don't find elsewhere! Please visit Mary Jane & the rest of the terrific staff soon! Dégagé Gardens My new phone number is: (973) 827 - 3369 Just Jersey is now offering my Comfort Body Wraps & Eye Pillows AND 100% ORGANIC SACHETS online!! Please click below images to be directed to my products there!!       OH!! Now they’re selling my 100% Organic Dream AND 100% Organic Lavender Sachets online too!! Thanks Tina & Paul!! NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG I can also email the new catalog to anyone who wishes ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! Market     No    Longer    Active! DigIN on the Farm Online Farmers' Market The Online Farmers' Market is now open every Monday & closes at 4 pm on Wednesdays. Thank you Tammy for holding my hand thru the process of listing my products in your online famers market ~ for pickup at 3 locations in Northern Jersey: Triple Creek Nursery in Blairstown; Gristmill Cafe parking area, Andover Boro; and a NEW LOCATION: Best's Fruit Farm, Route 46 west, Hackettstown. Tammy has brought together an eclectic farm feast for you. Her motto: "Local food is for everyone." Following is a link to her on-line market ~ which is constantly changing & offering farm fresh goodness from soap to nuts : ) and meats, cheese, alpaca fibers, honey, pet edibles, and gift certificates!! Please note, market was discontinued due to lack of participation! DigIN on the Farm Online Farmers' Market N E W ! NOW OPEN!! Looking forward to restocking my Body Wraps & Eye Pillows with Kristi & Alex for the 2022 Hoidays! 165 Spring St ~ Newton (973) 383 ~ 0440 www.TheFarmersDaughterNJ.com "FiG was created to give everyone a place considered by all as a home away from home and a healthier place to be. From the cozy feel of the salon, warm atmosphere, and friendly staff to the convenient location, hours of operation and all the natural and organic services and products provided." Please visit them soon & often at their new lovely location: 274 Spring Street .... Newton (973) 300 ~ 4247 123 Skyline Drive, Ringwood, NJ 07456 973-962-6355 After the Ringwood Farmers Market, I stopped at the local health food store, about which I'd been hearing wonderful things, & which I had to see for myself. I am so glad I stoppped. The owner, Dona Garofono & her staff welcomed me with open arms, and graciously took a display of some of my aromatherapy products to offer their clients. ***My products may return in the future*** Dona is also a Naturopathic Doctor and Master Herbalist who is a trememdous local resource, providing many services to her community, including nutritional counseling! Please stop in & check out all which they have to offer soon. For more info, please click on their above image. Thanks! North Church Professional Center 2 Oxbow Lane ~ Hardyston 973-600-3933 Dawn has moved her space AGAIN! Seems her focus is more on massage & yoga. Waiting to hear back from her ... after she reached out about getting my products back in the future. 104 Glenwild Avenue ..... Bloomingdale (973) 838 ~ 0174 Am unsure what products of mine they may still have on hand ... but always a pleasure to stop in & support a wonderful local family business! www.GlenwildGardens.com The family also offers many gardening classes throughout the year ~ click on link below to view their upcoming events! www.GlenwildGardens.com/classes Moved ! 282 Bloomfield Ave ... Verona (973) 919 ~ 3600 Offering wonderful unique treasures for giving & sharing. Seven women offering a wide range of guidance & healing! "I am always exploring the metaphysical realm to offer you interesting classes, workshops & events for your self-empowerment & spiritual enlightenment." Robin Mansfield Click below image to find out more! Location Closed ! 66 Morris St ~ Morristown This location is now closed (March 31st, 2020) ~ due to space they were renting (& entire plaza), is being rebuilt! On November 1st, Ameer & his family took over the space previously filled by Grassroots Natural Market for 3.5 years ... and also The Health Shoppe, for decades.April 15th, 2013! Several of the staff from this location, including Julie &, Jim from Health Shoppe days, have continued on at the other locations! Best to all!! 1388 Route 23 North ... Butler (973) 283 ~ 8322 Thank you Camel, Mervet, & Julie for meeting with me & taking a nice selection of Comfort Body Wraps, Sachets (Lavender, Dream, and Rose & Lavender), & Refills for your customers. I am so blessed to be working with these lovely new owners of the former Art of Healthy Living! They are currently offering a tasty Mediterranean Deli, fresh organic produce, a juice bar, natural & organic foods & vitamins, & have expanded their gluten free section downstairs! You must try one of their fabulous steam bowls! NOTE: This location is currently Out Of Stock of my products Feb 2021 Please visit their store & website (click on logo!) soon = ) N E W    L O C A T I O N ! 238 Newton~Sparta Road ... Andover (973) 512 ~ 3900 Kamel & Mervet are proud to announce opening another location, this time, for their son, Ram & his Alaa! Such a lovely spot in a landmark location! Their new amazing store has the same great energy as their Butler location, & also offers a 100% organic produce section & juice bar, a fantastic deli with home~cooked everything, a wholesome & healthful grocery & supplement selection, as well as bath & beauty. This family is very health conscious & truly enjoys sharing their knowledge with everyone! I was advised yesterday that they will be bringing over some of my products from their other location, so that they have them on hand for their grand opening tomorrow, October 22nd, 2016. Please click on their below logo to visit their facebook page: HARVEST MOON 22 Marshall Hill Road ... West Milford (973) 728 ~ 6300 FRED & SIERRA, THE OWNERS OF TASTE OF DAWN IN BUTLER FOR OVER 40 YEARS, ARE NOW THE CURRENT OF OWNERS = ) Thanks Sally (now an angel above us ~ I'm confident your wings were immediately obtained!) & John & Steve for supporting your local community with healthful knowledge & your nurturing spirits! I learned something wonderful every time I stopped in! 66 Morris Street ... Morristown Their 100% Organic Salad Bar, Organic Juice Bar, & large Organic Produce sections are missed! I crave their delicious deli delicacies & tasty gluten free & vegan baked goods as I'm driving by! The Morristown store closed after 40 years of wonderful service in our community. Thanks Brant, for welcoming me all those years ago, and for carrying my "lavender stuff" after I stopped growing organic plants & produce = ) Their partnerships with local farmers to bring the freshest seasonal veggies, cheeses, meats, honey, eggs, milk etc.. will be truly missed! We will also miss the terrific staff, who were always available with healing knowledge which assisted many in their journeys back to healh! Thank you Leslie, Jim, Luis, & Rafael for always being supportive & smiling! Chester, NJ (Much like their store in Morristown, but in a smaller venue, the Health Shoppe in Chester served their local area with their Organic Juice Bar, organic produce section, and wonderful selection of herbs and foods to feed the body & soul! On Saturday, July 14th, I was fortunate to be able to pack the last few items up for the local food pantry. Such a giving spirit, at such a time of change. To take the time to think of others, at a time when most would be thinking about their own next move, confirmed for me why this store was one of my favorites! The Morristown store is now also closed, after 40 years of wonderful service in our community. Folks are already looking for a replacement ~ which is most needed & will be wonderfully received! We are all looking forward to seeing the old Health Shoppe staff in a new health venue with some of their same amazing foods = ) Thank you Marlin & Robin for carrying my products, and to Eva for encouraging them to carry more. Best to all! THE HEALTH SHOPPES.COM Moved ! Diamond Spring Rd. ... Denville N E W    N A M E ! N E W ! NOW OPEN!! Lory has moved across town & her lovely business is now called Inner Soul Wellness! 3108 Route 10 W ~ Denville (973) 747 ~ 9404 Thank you Lory for bringing my Comfort Body Wraps into your relaxing healing center! "This day is all about making the care of one's self the very first thought on our list of 'Things to Do'! For, once we do this, we are able to help others more often & more deeply. Please come to my healing center, and take part in your own healing. My center has many healing opportunities, including Reiki & Maluhia Healing, hypnosis, and Hawaiian Mana Card Readings. One can also become certified in Reiki, so they too can assist others in their healing." Please stop by this unique wellness center soon! To learn more about all that Lory offers, please click on the picture below. Pat from the Jefferson Township Museum brought in some of my products to the Museum store in Fall 2011! This is so exciting to me, as my mother used to work in this same place, when it was the Violet Riker Library! What a beautiful renovation the Jefferson Township Historical Society has accomplished. Location: 315 Dover-Milton Rd. ~ Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 Phone: (973) 697 . 0258 To read an article about the Holiday event, please click on link below: Museum Christmas Weekend For more info, please visit: www.jt historical society.org by clicking on the above link. A V A I L A B L E    O N ~ L I N E ! Click above text to purchase O N ~ L I N E! Thanks! Just Jersey 163 South Street (at Elm)..Morristown 973 . 590 ~ 2820 Just Jersey is now offering my Comfort Body Wraps & Eye Pillows AND 100% ORGANIC SACHETS online!! Please click below images to be directed to my products there!!       OH!! Now they’re selling my 100% Organic Dream AND 100% Organic Lavender Sachets too!! Thanks Tina & Paul!! Please click on the below image of their store front to learn more! Thank you Dr. Paul Marston, director of for bringing in some of my Body Wraps & Eye Pillows for your patients! You have a wonderful facility, which truly emanates wellness through the countless options you & your tremendous staff give your clients to help regain & maintains their health! is located at 300 Kakeout Road in Kinnelon, NJ (973) 838 ~ 6252 Please click on their above logo for more info, helpful health articles, and informative blog! 41 E. 20th Street, New York, NY (212) 673-2272 (CASA) Click here to go their webpage: www.LaCasaSpa.com La Casa is now the only place in NYC where you can purchase my products : ) Thanks Gregg & Jane! 273 Pleasant Grove Rd....Long Valley, NJ (973) 713 ~ 9770 If you're in the area ~ stop by! You can also sign up for delivery. Unsure of whether Helen still has anything of mine ... so, please don't go there anticpating to buy something of mine ~~ just leaving this up to support a local grower. Click on the below colored link to learn more = ) Mini Mac Farm 2 Industrial Drive ... Florida, NY (845) 651 ~ 3200 The 1st time I walked into Cindy's place, I knew I was in the right place! I could breathe! I'm usually unable to even walk past a nail or hair salon ~ but this is not your ordinary nail place. "Mother Earth's Nail Spa is a feel good kind of place. It's not like other nail spas where they rush you in and out. We want to get to know you. We want you to feel special. We know you work hard and need to be nurtured. It makes you a better person, mom and partner. We created the Green With Envy Club so you can afford it all and we can reward you for your loyalty. You've earned it. So, kick back, relax and enjoy Mother Earth." Special Note: This is the only store in NY state which has special ordered & is currently carrying my Unscented Eye Pillows & Body Wraps! Click on image below to be taken to her website: M O V E D across highway! ! 481 Route 23 SOUTH ... Pompton Plains (973) 831 ~ 5804 Steve & Shai opened Nature's Pavilion "to provide you with the finest quality fresh, natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products and health information in a fun comfortable clean, safe environment." They have their own line of tinctures, Bio Essence International. Their cold & flu virus formula knocked it right out of me! Thank you Anthony, for actively promoting my products!! Special Note: This is only one of 2 stores in Jersey which accepts special orders! One can order Unscented Body Wraps or Eye Pillows, or have a Body Wraps or Eye Pillows created with a unique fragrance of their own, from the botanicals I offer! To find out about upcoming events, their products, specials, hours & more: click on theit store name below & you will be brought to their website! Nature's Pavillion 112 Willow Avenue ~ Hoboken (201) 683 ~ 7766 Thank you Rebeca for contacting me to be a part of your new "Eco~friendly Pregnancy, Parenting & Lifestyle store" which also proffers "Educational offerings and Support Groups"! Best to you in your new location! Please click below image for details on this new NJ store! 17 Olcott Square ... Bernardsville (908) 204 ~ 1988 Incredibly wonderful & everchanging! Please visit her store & if you can't make it in, or, live too far away, please visit her on - line store! Click above nest & it'll bring you to her lovely site! My Organic Refillable Lavender Eye Pillows are NO LONGER available online in a soft & lovely Certified Organic Sky Blue fabric! Please help support one of Jersey's gems, a literal Organic Nest, located in Bernardsville, NJ. 249 Ferdon Ave. ... Piermont, NY (845) 398 ~ 0706 A Gallery of Uncommon Artifacts for the Inside & Out Bill & Joe now have over 40 artists under their roof!! Looking forward to bringing them new products soon! NEW! Joe & Bill now have a website: click below! www.theoutsideinpiermont.com C L O S E D ! 5 Broadway ... Denville (973) 983 ~ 8100 Missing this "fabulous ever-changing inventory ranging from hand-crafted works from local artisans ~ including ~ pottery & jewelry, to consignment clothing and furniture ~ offering all of us a unique opportunity to reuse, renew and recycle". Owner, Melissa, was constantly involved with our communities, and offers countless ways in which we can share in them! I wish her the best in her new endeavors! SACRED CIRCLE Long Branch (732) 389 ~ 4859 "... lovingly filled with unique, cultural products difficult to come by, along with personal services for the body and soul as well as alternative education." I walked into this space looking for another & found a truly unique & loving place ~ it was just meant to be! Thanks for the royal treatment which I witnessed you giving to everyone who walked & wandered through your door. Al, Mary, & Lois: thank you! In Feb 2012, their store burned to the ground, but they are still servicing their clients in different locations. Please click below to enter their website Their Online Store is now available!!! www.SacredCircleNewAge.com "FiG was created to give everyone a place considered by all as a home away from home and a healthier place to be. From the cozy feel of the salon, warm atmosphere, and friendly staff to the convenient location, hours of operation and all the natural and organic services and products provided." 274 Spring Street Station House Plaza Newton, NJ (973) 300 ~ 4247 N E W ! NEW STOCKIST! 17 Main St Lower AND NOW UPPER Level too! Sparta, NJ (973) 362-6960 Thank you Mikeala for bringing my Body Wraps, Eye Pillows & Sachets into your incredible Zero Waste store! Continued success in expanding business!! Please visit Mikeala & Morgan soon, & support our local business women! I’ve picked up several gifts that were warmly welcomed by friends! Thanks ladies! “Simple Bare Necessities is stemmed from just that – necessities that are low waste and plastic-free.” Bring in your own containers (some are available for purchase also) & stock up on spices, grains, legumes, dried fruits coffee, liquid soaps etc. Please click on their above lovely logo, or below image of Mikeala & Jake at our local Sparta Farmers Market, for additional info on their refill service, which is offered to residents of Sussex County! 145 Union Valley Road Newfoundland, NJ ONLY 7/10ths of a mile off Route 23 North! (973) 697 ~ 4114 The owner, Maria has an amazing talent ~ she makes pottery! Every year she asks me to participate in her Annual Holiday Boutique! which is the weekend before & after Thanksgiving. She keeps local artists gifts on hand until the week before Christams. She closes for a couple of weeks & re-opens in January ~ until the summer, when she is again closed. Please visit her store soon & support a local artist! Visit her online by clicking below on her store name in lavender: Stonehill Pottery Shoppe For more details about Maria's Holiday Boutique & other Holiday shopping in West Milford, please click on the below linked article: West Milford residents urged to support town by shopping locally C L O S E D ! 30 Moran Street ... Newton Thanks Ladies !!!! NO LONGER OPEN to the public.... , & you could also join for a nominal fee & get discounts every time you shop! The public is offered a 10% discount on Tuesdays. "SCFC members have been working together for more than thirty years to supply themselves and their neighbors with access to high quality natural and organic foods, including locally-produced foodstuffs. Among other items, SCFC offers locally-grown produce in season, honey, eggs, chicken, and seasonal baked goods. Handmade pottery and textile crafts from local artisans are also for sale. Many of our members and patrons have special dietary needs. Our shelves are stocked with specialty foods free of dairy, gluten, wheat, soy, tree nuts, and other allergens." I am proud & thankful to HAVE BEEN a part of one of my county's landmarks! Click on their weblink below to go to their site. www.SussexCountyFoods.org HAS MOVED!! FROM: 192 Main St. ... Butler, NJ (973) 838 - 0287 AND ARE NOW IN JOHN & SALLY'S HARVEST MOON IN WEST MILFORD: 22 Marshall Hill Road ... West Milford (973) 728 ~ 6300 This is a great health food store I've been frequenting over the years when I'm going through Butler. Always something new & tasty & always a smile & oodles of knowledge from the staff. I've even gotten some great recipes too! Family owned & operated for 41 years! To learn more about this wonderful gem, & their new one, please click below: http://www.tasteofdawn.com/visit-us K i n d     o f     C l o s i n g ! 50 South Fullerton Ave ... Montclair ** at the Montclair Public Library ** (973) 744 ~ 6600 or 0500 After 5 years, The Terra Tea Salon moved from Church Street, & remained very involved in fair trade & sustainable for 5 more years! Grace & staff offered lunch, tea, snacks, a great local co-op & fair trade gifts, including some of my Sachets & Loose Lavender! "Terra will continue to sell our fair trade teas and local products through our website, and we may pop up for tea time and a fair trade holiday sale." Visit their webpage by clicking below: N E W ! GRAND OPEN!ING! 180 Spring St ~ Newton (973) 756 ~ 3053 Thank you Arielle for bringing my Body Wraps, Eye Pillows & Sachets into your lovely Gallery ~ Studio Boutique & Apothecary! Continued success in your renewed space & expanded business!! Please visit Arielle & Michela soon, & support our local artists & crafters! I picked up a lovely Organic Tea Blend that is amazing! Thanks ladies. K i n d     o f     C l o s e d ! Brookside, NJ Thank you to Gina & Maureen for bringing some of my products into your therapy rooms ~ I hope your clients enjoyed their relaxation! Best of luck to both of you & all of your gifted teachers who shared their knowledge & spirit with your lovely community! "The physical space at The Room Above closed on November 15 but please follow us here on Facebook to stay tuned for continued offerings of the partners and co-op members in new locations!" Click on their below logo for more info! Gifts .. Spa .. Gallery Elegant .. Relaxing .. Rejuvenating 82 Broadway Denville, NJ (973) 627 - 3455 www.TheUrbanMuse.com Thanks Kristen & Tracy for your support! Thank you Dr. Mark Spratford for purchasing some of my Body Wraps for your patients! I hope they enjoy them & that I'll be seeing you again soon. Dr. Mark Spratford's practice is located at 736 Mountain Blvd ... Watchung (908) 754 ~ 6888 Please click on his website below for more info www.WatchungChiropractic.com Morristown, NJ (973) 267 ~ 4816 Thank you, Dian for bringing in some Aromatherapy Eye Pillows for your clients! Dian offers a series of classes, including a 6 month nutritional certification course, biannually. Dian promotes "self-sufficiency through education". Dian & two other staff nutritionists, "offer private nutritional consultations leading to personalized diet & supplement protocols." " we hope to empower others, through education, to make better decisions about maintaining their own health and well being." For additional info, please click on image below: 283 Sparta Ave ... Sparta, NJ Elizabeth Bell (973) 600 ~ 5698 White Oak Center for Natural Health "White Oak Center is an alternative health center with a focus on self-care, building a wellness community in Sparta over the past 25 years." N O W     O P E N ! 319 Chimney Rock Road ... Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (732) 584 ~ 1960 Thank you Chris Howerton for bringing me into your gorgeously decorated Plant & Plate section in the new Whole Foods Bridgewater! Please click above logo to see more about what is special about this particular location which opened Friday, March 23rd, 2018. Please click below image to visit this location's Plant & Plate page. Marilyne & her wonderful team constantly impress with their creative presentation skills!! many thanks for their continuous support in showcasing my products!!! Whole Foods Market 1255 Raritan Road .... Clark (732) 381 ~ 1010 Whole Foods Market 905 River Road ... Edgewater (201) 941 ~ 4000 Whole Foods Market 222 Main Street .... Madison (973) 822 ~ 8444 N E W ! 113 Route 9 South ... Marlboro, NJ 07726 (732) 792 ~ 5900 Thank you Carole for bringing me into your Whole Body section in Marlboro! I look forward to seeing this store soon! Whole Foods Market 471 State Route 35 North ... Middletown (732) 758 ~ 1688 Whole Foods Market 701 Bloomfield Avenue ... Montclair (973) 746 ~ 5110 N O W     O P E N ! Whole Foods Market 110 Washington Street ... Morristown (973) 385 ~ 1900 Whole Foods Market 300 Bergen Town Center ... Paramus (201) 226 ~ 1244 Whole Foods Market 44 Godwin Place ... Ridgewood (201) 670 ~ 0383 Whole Foods Market 2245 Springfield Ave. ... Union (908) 688 ~ 1455 N O W     O P E N ! Whole Foods Market 1933 State Road 35 ... Wall (732) 359 ~ 3400 Whole Foods Market 235 Prospect St ... West Orange (973) 669 ~ 3196 N E W    ! Whole Foods Market 1551 3rd Ave (bet. E 88th & E 87th) ... NY, NY 10128 (646) 891 ~ 3888 N E W    ! Whole Foods Market 226 East 57th Street ... New York, NY (646) 497 ~ 1222 Whole Foods Market 110 Bloomingdale Rd. .... White Plains, NY (914) 288 ~ 1300 Click on each of the Whole Foods Market above to navigate to that store locations' website. Click below to go to the general Whole Foods site for store hours, directions, recipes, to sign up for their newsletter & weekly specials, & more. Return to the top of Page PRODUCTS: SPRING: POTTED SEEDLINGS Due to the loss of my greenhouses & a general malfunction in me!, there are sadly no seedlings started or available this year. 2013:I am no longer offering my hardy herb & flower seedlings which have overwintered! I am thankful that so many of these are scattered around NJ in various gardens & still providing so many with so much beauty, relaxation & enjoyment! For 12 years, I offered plants which were already potted up & ready for sale, & also offered the option of allowing customers to chose which seedlings they want, which could be dug at the time of sale. Customers could also call & have their order waiting. 3.25" square & 4" round pots were $1.50 - $3.00 6" round pots & 1 quart pots ranged from $3.50 ~ $5.00, & 1 gallon pots were priced between $5.00 and $8.00. Ready To Dig & Share 2012: HERBS: Bugleweed ~ Ajuga reptans ~ flowering groundcover Chives Chives ~ corkscrew Chocolate Mint Echinacea - Purpurea - Medicinal Feverfew Horsetail - Medicinal Jewelweed Korean Mint ~ Agastache Rugosa ~ like Anise Hyssop Lady's Mantle ~ Alchemilla mollis - Medicinal - best dug in spring Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis - Medicinal Mints - Chocolate, Korean/Licorice, & Spearmint - Medicinal Spearmint Motherwort - Medicinal Oregano - Greek - Medicinal Red Perilla - Shiso - Medicinal Tansy FLOWERS: Ajuga reptans ~ Bugleweed ~ flowering groundcover Columbine Euphorbia Liatris Lysimachia clethroides - Gooseneck Loosestrife Plume Poppy - Macleaya Cordata - 8 feet Sedum - Autumn Joy & Miniatures Thalictrum ~ rochebrunianum ~ Lavender Mist Meadow Rue - 7 feet - lavender flowers VEGGIE: Egyptian Walking ~ Perennial Onion Horseradish Return to the top of Page SUMMER into FALL: FRESH PICKED! My Herbs were sold by the ounce: $0.50 to $1.00 per ounce. Flowers were sold by the stem: $0.25 - $1.50 per stem Berries: came in clear breathable recycleable containers made from recycled/recyclable plastic: $3.00 wholesale for a 1/2 pint. My wineberries (think really sweet raspberries if you've never had their extreme pleasure!) typically were ready for harvest mid-late July, and are pickable for approximately 2 - 3 weeks thereafter - mother nature depending! Flowers 2010: In the Perennial department: Echinacea, Globe Thistle, Lavender (Buena Vista, Grosso, Lady, Munstead, & Provence), Liatris, Lily - Asiatic, Lysimachia - Gooseneck Loosestrife, Peony, Sedums - Autumn Joy & Stonecrop, Tansy, Verbena, & Yarrow (White). My Annuals Baby's breath, Poppies, & Verbena. Veggies '10: ******* Due to poor health, I was not able to plant again this spring. I am working to regain my strength & hope & pray that next year will bring change! Perhaps some day I will grow herb & flower plants for sale again. I miss sharing my gardens & plants with others, and am still blessed to be able to share my harvested & dried herbs which I sew into aromatherapy items, like sachets, eye pillows & body wraps. If I ever re-locate to a place where I can offer this again, I will definitely post here! Sharing restorative healthful information seems to have filled this niche!! Thanks for your support & understanding, Anne******* I sometimes still get calls about my potted plants. I sometimes receive calls asking about my Organic potted herbs, flowers & veggies. I just (May 2012) met a young farmer, Erin who, with a friend, Lisa, is now filling this niche with their Organic, Heirloom and Open-Pollinated plants! Grown Locally ~ Sustainable, Organic Practices HEIRLOOM, ORGANIC, OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS NO PESTICIDES ~ NO GMO SEED NO SYNTHETIC or PETROLEUM-BASED FERTILIZERS "Harmony Starts sells seedlings grown from certified organic, heirloom and/or open-pollinated seeds. We use carefully mixed potting soil made with organic compost and organic coconut coir with the addition of slow-release nutrients for an abundant crop." To find out where to purchase them, what's currently available, and what's growing, please visit click on their logo: I also continue to get calls asking what organic produce is available ~~ and, since I am no longer growing veggies, I always tell folks about the the Health Shopppe in Morristown which offers a completely organic produce section, AND a juice bar, AND a salad bar. The owners work with many local farmers to bring you the freshest and most local produce, meat, eggs, milk, honey .... Their hot & cold cases also utilize many organic items, while offering many vegan and gluten free options! The Health Shoppe in Chester also has a completely organic produce section! And, the Health Shoppe in Montclair has a delicious fridge with many raw options! I also tell folks about closest Farmers Markets to me ~ including the one in Sparta & in the one in Morristown. Brant Shapiro & The Health Shoppe of Morristown have been the sponsors for several years! It typically opens in June, runs into October. For more detailed info about this farmers market visit: LocalHarvest.org This website also helps anyone in the US find local growers, u-pick farms, Christmas tree farms, etc., as well as their local Farmers Markets : ) Local Harvest also has an online market ~ which ships. Please also visit our local Farm Market ~ with pick-ups in 3 locations: DigIN on the Farm Online Farmers' Market I believe that the The Online Farmers' Market is no longer open. Thank you Tammy for holding my hand thru the process of listing my products in your online famers market ~ for pickup at 3 locations in Northern Jersey: Triple Creek Nursery in Blairstown; Gristmill Cafe parking area, Andover Boro; and a NEW LOCATION: Best's Fruit Farm, Route 46 west, Hackettstown. Tammy has brought together an eclectic farm feast for you. Her motto: "Local food is for everyone." Following is a link to her on-line market ~ which is constantly changing & offering farm fresh goodness from soap to nuts : ) and meats, cheese, alpaca fibers, honey, pet edibles, and gift certificates!! This is a sampling of what I'd offered over the years: Beans - Pole, Carrots (eating & juicing), Chard - Ruby Red Rhubarb, Cucumbers (Boothby's Blonde & Marketmore - & 3 pickling), Greens (Arugula; Mizuna - Early & Kyona; Komatsuna; Lettuce mix; Mesclun mix; Mustard mix; Spinach, Tatsoi......); Kale - Lacinato, Siberian & White; Mustard Greens; Peas - Snap & Snow; Peppers hot & sweet; Squash - traditional zucchinis, patty pan - "scallopini", & buttercup desert squash ~ what a sweet treat that is!; Tomatoes - Grape Cherry, beefsteak, salad, sandwich, & slicing. Return to the top of Page YEAR ROUND: 100% ORGANIC HANDCRAFTED REFILLABLE SACHETS, REFILLS, EYE PILLOWS, BODY WRAPS, & SKINCREAM! If you are a local store & would like to carry my products, please contact me! NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG I can also email my Wholesale Brochure to any store which requests it ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! Those who are not local (& who are local!!) now have an ONLINE OPTION for purchasing all 4 of my Refillable Organic Eye Pillows, my Lavender & Dream Body Wraps & 100% Organic Sachets! Please click HERE for details about one of my customers lovely online stores! Just Jersey Goods! ORGANIC REFILLABLE CATNIP SACHETS: I use the same 100% unbleached cotton muslin drawstring bag which I use for my laundry & herbal bath sachets, & fill it with my homegrown hand-harvested organic catnip! Tested & hugely approved by oodles of cats over the years! See the refill section below if you need to refill an old toy, want to make one of your own, or would rather enjoy a relaxing pot of tea! NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. Thank you for supporting a local grower!!!! ORGANIC REFILLABLE HERBAL MOTH SACHETS 2 pack ! Pictured left This delicious 100% Organic Blend of Lavender, Clove, Cinnamon, Mountain Mint, Spearmint & Essential Oil of Pine is available now only in the muslin drawstring 2 pack. Put it in your luggage, auto, linen closet, dresser, or anywhere you want a fresh scent! All ingredients are safe insect repellents! Sachets measure approximately 3" x 5" & weigh approx. .75 oz. each = approx. 1.5 oz. NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. REFILLABLE ORGANIC ROSEMARY HERBAL MOTH SACHETS 2 pack! Pictured right Bring a summer garden into your home, auto, closets, office & locker! A wonderful mixture of Rosemary, Tansy & Korean Mint (also called licorice mint for its' anise scent & flavor!) & that extra touch: Organic Rosemary Essential Oil! All ingredients are safe insect repellents. Available now only in natural muslin drawstring sachets (approx. 3"x5" each) as a 2 pack. Each sachets weighs approximately 1.05 oz. each = approx. 2.1 oz. total NO LONGER BEING OFFERED ~ THANKS REFILLABLE ORGANIC ROSE & LAVENDER SACHETS 2 pack ! Just like it says: organic red rose buds & lavender! Available now only in the 2 pack of drawstring muslin (3" x 5") sachets & weigh approximately .75 oz. each = approx. 1.5 oz. total NOW AVAILABLE ONLY IN 100% ORGANIC ~ PLEASE SEE BELOW ~ THANKS REFILLABLE ORGANIC LAVENDER SACHETS These sachets measure 2 1/2" x 5 1/2". These Lavender sachets are made from 100% cotton. Each season there are more than a dozen different prints, ranging from floral to snowflakes, from which to choose! Stuffed full with 1/2 cup of Organic Lavender flowers & about a tablespoon or so of Organic Whole Flax to keep the Lavender fresher for longer! NOW AVAILABLE ONLY IN 100% ORGANIC ~ PLEASE SEE BELOW ~ THANKS Now Available: 100% Organic - that means the cotton batting & the low impact dyed cotton fabric & cotton yarn! In the same 2 1/2" x 5 1/2" size and with the same wonderfully scented relaxing Organic Lavender! NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT JUST JERSEY!! Click on below image. Thank you. Many certified organic fabrics also available, which are not pictured above! A wide variety of patterns & solids are now available! Wholesale price: $4.00 REFILLABLE ORGANIC SPICE SACHETS These sachets measure 2 1/2" x 5 1/2". They are available all year - but always sell best in the fall & winter. Many tasteful holiday patterns from which to chose! Each sachet is stuffed with 100% organic: Cinnamon, coriander, clove, orange peel, & star anise! The spicy sweet scent lasts for years to come! Wholesale price: $3.50 NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. REFILLABLE ORGANIC DREAM SACHETS: 2 1/2" X 5 1/2" 100% cotton sachets also available in over 35 different prints! My 100% Organic Dream Mix includes 1/2 of a cup of: Lavender (Relaxing), Bergamot (Calming), & Lemon Balm (Sedating) & about a tablespoon or so of Organic Whole Flax to keep the botanicals fresher for longer! I tuck inside my pillowcase for a restful sleep! Can be refilled (pictured on left below) or, essential oils can be added as scents fade. NOW AVAILABLE ONLY IN 100% ORGANIC ~ PLEASE SEE BELOW ~ THANKS Now Available: 100% Organic - that means cotton batting & low impact dyed fabrics & cotton yarns! In the same 2 1/2" x 5 1/2" size as the handcrafted lavender sachets for the same price! Many certified organic fabrics also available, which are not pictured above! A wide variety of patterns & solids are now available! Wholesale price: $4.00 NOW AVAILABLE ON LINE AT JUST JERSEY!! Click on below image. Thank you. REFILLABLE ORGANIC LAVENDER LAUNDRY SACHETS: Two 3"x5" unbleached cotton muslin drawstring sachets packed with organic Lavender flowers. A natural way to have a lingering hint of gentle antibacterial lavender: Just toss a sachet in the dryer with wet laundry. No residues, artificial perfumes or chemicals. Can be reused at least a dozen times (crush to refresh!) & then, can be refreshed with a few drops of essential oil! Also useful in cars, airducts, drawers, office, closets, storage areas, under pillows, & as a fresh substitute for mothballs. One customer gets a new package of them every year to stuff inside of her husbands jogging sneakers ! They're packaged in a biodegradable cellulose bag that can be tossed in the compost pile! NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. Return to the top of Page SACHET REFILLS: 1.5 oz (approx. 1.3 cups) bags of Organic Lavender!       Wonderful & fragrant! Use to refill my handcrafted fabric sachets & Eye Pillows, or my cotton muslin laundry sachets. No chemicals, pesticides or oils: Just Pure Organic Lavender! 1.5 oz. Lavender has been safely used for 1,000's of years, and is typically associated with calmness & peacefulness. To read a article titled VITAL SIGNS: TREATMENTS Calming Agitation in Alzheimer's, please click the above article title. 2 oz. Dream Mix contains 1/4 cup of flax & 3/4 cup of Lavender, Bergamot, & Lemon Balm. This is the same amount which is inside of my Dream Sachets! 2 oz. NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. 100% Organic Catnip! Use to refill my 100% unbleached cotton muslin drawstring cat sachet, to refill an old toy you already have, or, make one of your own!! .25 oz. Wholesale price: $1.75 **All of these refills come packaged in biodegradable cellulose bags.** Return to the top of Page AROMATHERAPY EVERLASTING EYE PILLOWS : All 4 Eye Pillows now available on line: Just Jersey Goods! Everlasting Eye Pillow! Now Available Only as Refillable!!! Inner pouch has an open end which is folded down & snapped shut. The snaps are made from polyacetal resin, a type of plastic that is stronger and more durable than other types. They are BPA free, & have been tested for lead and phthalates, in accordance with CPSIA regulations regarding children's products. I was initially going to use metal snaps, as that's what I would personally use. Before I began offering the refillable ones, so many of my customers had reached out to me about heating my eye pillows in a microwave, that I had to change my tags. When I started researching snap suppliers, a friend who owns a microwave (which she thankfully only uses to sanitize her sponges now!), advised me that I would need to alter my metal choice. The factory recommends heat less 104 F (40 degrees C). These inner refillable pouches can be refilled with my lavender or dream mix refills! Same price for conventional & organic fabrics! Everlasting Eye Pillows Only $11.00! (Wholesale) I've gotten so many inquiries about heating the eye pillows that it is now included on the tags. The old fashioned way: Set under pet for 15 minutes. Conventional way: Wrap in aluminum foil & place in oven after you use it to bake & when oven is off & cooling. Microwave method: 15 second intervals on high: all microwaves vary: so, please use your discretion. NEW HEATING INFO: Over the 2010 holidays, someone shared their body wrap microwave heating tip: They place a cup 1/2 filled with warm water into the microwave with the body wrap. They swear by this humidity giving technique. Thanks Angie! ALL of my Refillable Eye Pillows & Body Wraps contain Organic Flax Seeds. I have received many inquiries as to "Why such an expensive filler?" Here's the answer: Flaxseed contains 30-40%* oil, which aids in its ability to be quickly heated, and to retain that heat for over 1/2 hour! When heated, its soft seed shell absorbs moisture, & as it cools, releases a moist heat. This oil content also helps keep the other ingredients in my eye pillows, body wraps & sachets hydrated & fresher, longer !*Approximate Did you know that when you use an eye pillow, it may help to block out light also? Our pineal glands (located between our eyes) are apparently very sensitive to light, and when adequately blocked from light, the pineal gland may produce more of the hormone melatonin. Having elevated levels of melatonin is said to deepen sleep, thereby it may help reduce stress & ultimately may boost our immunity! When I'm wishing an even deeper calm, I eat complex carbs & foods rich in tryptophan (oats, almonds, rice, tomatoes, organic soy products, spirulina, sweet corn, brewers yeast, daikon radishes, pumpkin seeds). Studies show that our bodies use tryptophan to produce serotonin, which apparently in turn produces melatonin! Fascinating, right?! Ensuring that we eat plenty of foods that are high in B vitamins (think whole unrefined vegetal foods) may also help the body manufacture tryptophan & serotonin, which, as we just discussed, may increase that melatonin our bodies crave to achieve a deep sleep, & the calm & focus which may boost our immunity! Making sure that our Magnesium levels are adequatel may also ensure that melatonin is present. Magnesium may help keep our stress hormones in balance, which may be integral to those who are sleep challenged, because their challenge may often be set off by elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol. If magnesium relaxes our nervous systems, it may also be assisting in raising our serotonin, which in turn may elevate our moods! Some of the better sources of magnesium may include: vegetables, especially dark green & leafy vegetables. Some other good sources may be: Fruits or vegetables (bananas, dried apricots, avocados); Nuts (almonds, cashews); Peas and beans (legumes), seeds; Organic/non-GMO Soy products (fermented best bet); & whole grains (brown rice, millet). If you're unable to get enough magnesium from your diet, I've read that many doctors suggest supplementing within an hour prior to bedtime. You'll find the perfect time for you! Did you know that the release of Oxytocin may be stimulated in many ways & by several different senses?! Inhaling the scents of Lavender, Melissa (lemon balm) & Vanilla may help release Oxytocin, which aids in reducing cortisol levels thereby decreasing ones blood pressure! Oxytocin is a neuropeptide which is secreted from the pituitary gland, & which acts as a neurotransmitter. Oxytocin receptors are located in the amygdala (slows process & transmission of fear to the rest of brain/body), brainstem, & spinal cord. A deficiency of Oxytocin has been found in many emotional challenges, including ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Borderline Personality, Depression, & Schizophrenia; as well as in Type I Diabetics. These protein rich foods do not contain Oxytocin, but may help promote the release of it & other 'feel good' brain chemicals, like serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine: apples, bananas, beans, beets, chicken, eggs, watermelon & wheat germ. I encourage you to look into the myriad of ways in which we may all easily boost our levels of this hugely beneficial neuropeptide & try one on today = ) Below are some Oxytocin boosting suggestions I've gathered. I'm confident you will enjoy finding or creating additional ones of your own! Sing. Touch. Pet an animal. Send a Thank You card. Call a friend to share a highlight of your day, or when you've thought about them. Ask someone a direct & personal question to show that you've been listening, in this conversation or during a previous one. Hug. Let us take one of my grandma's golden rules "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all", to another level: Find kind things to say & share them often! Holding back our tears may increase our testosterone levels, which thereby may reduce Oxytocin levels. Watching a tearjerker may boost oxytocin! Become more aware of loving kindness and affectionate touch, even when you see it on TV. It is said that even witnessing these may boost our oxytocin! Perform your own acts of kindness: hold doors open; bring an extra healthy snack to class, work, or on a hike to share; contribute those few cents someone needs to not break a bill! Say 'I love you" & demonstrate it = ) Taking a walk! Doing it with someone may increase levels more. Inquire from anyone what the favorite part of their day, week, month, summer, or life has been! Dance. Volunteer your time, for something that holds meaning for you or a loved one. Give or receive a hand, neck or foot massage. Practice vigilant trust. Our oxytocin may rise in direct relation to when someone puts trusts in us. The oxytocin that may get released, when we reach out to lovingly understand and forgive, may make us more trusting and allow us see world views we may not have realized existed. Kiss. Resist an argument by asking more about why someone is upset, and actively pursuing a dissolution of it. When feeling overwhelmed, impatient, or anxious remember: Smell the flowers (Breathe deeply in through your nose) & Cool the Soup (Exhaling deeply through your mouth)! Seek out opportunities to be of service, to listen, to share joy, & to remind everyone around you of all of the simply amazing things, which already quietly surround us on a daily basis! All 4 Eye Pillows now available on line: Just Jersey Goods! The long awaited MINT & DREAM Refillable Everlasting Eye Pillows are now here!! MINT HEADACHE RESCUE These naturally aromatic herbs may soothe even the harshest of headaches. A different & delicious combination created for refreshing comfort. Mint may also assist in alleviating nausea & travel sickness. 100% Organic: Flax, Rosemary, & handharvested, gently dried whole leaves of Mints (Apple, Chocolate, Licorice, Mountain, & Spearmint) & Lemon Balm. May you be soothed : ) DREAM contains the same ingredients that are in my dream sachets: 100% Organic: Lavender, Flax, & handharvested, gently dried whole Lemon Balm & Bergamot. LAVENDER : "Experience the aromatherapeutic benefits of natural lavender. Its calming scent may promote the release of oxytocin, which may help reduce cortisol & blood pressure; & may aid relief from insomnia & depression. Pillow may be warmed (microwave: high in 15 second intervals; or wrap in foil 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes); or chilled (bag & freeze at least 1/2 hour: may ease tension headache & reduce puffy eyes). Conforms to contour of your face, & applies light pressure to acupressure points around eyes. Pillow blocks light to pineal gland (releases melatonin); which may result in an increase of melatonin that may deepen sleep, lessen stress & boost immunity! Contains: 100% Organic Flax (35%* oil content helps provides prolonged moist heat & keeps herb hydrated), & Lavender. 100% unbleached cotton refillable insert has removable washable cover: 100% low impact dyed organic cotton. Pinch to refresh scent. Bag & freeze for freshness. Thank you for making an eco choice." These are the words on the card that comes with each unique eye pillow which is available in dozens of wonderful patterns, which change with the seasons - each fabric softer than the last! Tag & pillow come in an attractive see-thru package. Pillow measures approximately 3.75" x 8.25". *Approximate Wholesale price: $11.00 All 4 Eye Pillows now available on line: Just Jersey Goods! SINUS RELIEF AROMATHERAPY EYE PILLOWS: EUCALYPTUS, CLOVE & CINNAMON ! "Experience the aromatherapeutic benefits of Organic Eucalyptus, Clove, & Cinnamon. Naturally aromatic Eucalyptus is said to relieve sinus congestion, to help you to breathe more easily. Clove & Cinnamon may provide one with comfort & calmness. Pillow may be warmed (in microwave on high in 15 second intervals; or in 350 degree oven wrapped in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes) to relax tense aching eye muscles; or chilled bag & place in freezer, for at least 1/2 hr & it reduce inflammation & puffy eyes). Conforms to contour of your face, applying light pressure to acupressure points around eyes; blocking light to pineal gland which may promote deep sleep, strong immunity & a calm & focused mind. 100% Organic: Flax (35%* oil content provides prolonged moist heat & keeps spices hydrated), Eucalyptus, Clove, & Cinnamon. Inner pouch is 100% organic cotton, & can be refilled time & again! Cover is 100% low impact dyed organic cotton which can be easily removed for washing. Pinch to refresh scent. Bag & freeze for freshness" These are the words on the card that comes with each unique eye pillow which is available in dozens of wonderful certified organic cotton patterns, which change with the seasons! Tag & pillow come in an attractive see-thru package. Pillow measures approximately 3.75" x 8.25". Wholesale price: $11.00 *Approximate All 4 Eye Pillows now available on line: Just Jersey Goods! Return to the top of Page LAVENDER COMFORT WRAPS! Lavender Comfort Wraps In November 2016, I took the advice of a customer & changed by the labels on these products from "Body" to "Comfort". My Lavender & my Dream Comfort Wraps are now AVAILABLE ONLINE AT JUST JERSEY! Click below Image to purchase! Just Jersey Goods! The top horizontal image in above picture is the insert, which is baffled in 2 places, to keep the ingredients from bunching together on one side, or the other. The bottom horizonal image is one of covers (paisley!), with an insert inside. The other vertical images (other than the tag in the center) are top edges of various covers which are representative of some of my past fabric pattern offerings! All current covers are Certified Organic Low Impact Dyed, and the inserts are also certified organic!! FLAX ONLY ~ By Request = ) ALL of my Refillable Eye Pillows & Comfort Wraps contain Organic Flax Seeds. I have received many inquiries as to "Why such an expensive filler?" Here's the answer: Flaxseed contains 30-40% oil, which aids in its ability to be quickly heated, and to retain that heat for up to 1/2 hour! When heated, its soft seed shell absorbs moisture, & as it cools, releases a moist heat. The oil in the flax also helps keep the herbs hydrated & fresher longer! Wraps can also be warmed or chilled like the eye pillows (see above). Warmed: Wraps may help relax tense muscles & joints, achy shoulders & neck, tired lower back, crampy abdomen, or sore leg muscles .... You can also use them to warm your bed or your feet! NEW HEATING INFO: Over the 2010 holidays, someone shared their Comfort Wrap microwave heating tip: They place a cup 1/2 filled with warm water into the microwave with the body wrap. They swear by this humidity giving technique. Thanks Angie! Chilled: For cooling comfort right after you pull that muscle .... or ... use to chill out a hot flash. Wraps measure approximately 4.25" wide & 24" long. Like the eye pillow, they have a removable, washable cover. They are packaged in an attractive see-thru cellulose bag (Yes! Biodegradable!!) with a fine looking 3 fold card that tents the thrice folded product inside of its snug bag! Can you tell I'm proud of this one?!!! Wholesale price: $16.00 If you are looking for an unscented body wrap, please contact me & I can make one with only organic FLAX, specifically for you, at no additional cost! Wholesale price: $16.00 Return to the top of Page ORGANIC LAVENDER SKINCREAM: My silky smooth skincream now comes in 1 ounce screw top tins (due to lack of amber glass jars in industry). My simple 100% Organic blend: 1st cold pressed olive oil, beeswax, & essential oil of lavender. I have personally used this on every inch of my skin over the years, including my lips, as I've found that lip balm wasn't working for me! It's been so soothing when I've stayed too long in the sun, when I've gotten bitten by mosquitoes, scratched by thorns or kitties, or just when my skin's been white, flaky & dried out! I've used it as a touch of perfume, when I want a fresh floral scent! I've heard some mothers use it to soothe their children with ADD & ADHD. Other mothers have shared their using it on their breast to calm their baby for feeding. I could go on & I'm sure others could also! NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. At a green fest on Nov. 21st, 2009, a woman, Tara, was telling me about how lavender essential oil can affect hormone production. I just spent the last hour researching this and was amazed, as always, at how much information there is on the internet on any given subject! Wish I had more time to devote to this ~ but this is what I'd like to share. The skin is our largest organ, and does an incredible job protecting us from many things. It also is very absorbent. Did you know that if you rub a clove of garlic on the bottom of your foot, within 30 minutes, the smell of garlic will be detected on your breathe? Ergo, anything we slather on (and ingest, or breathe in, of course) will be absorbed into us. It will mix into our blood. It will be metabolized in our livers. And because children have immature livers, they'd probably do better with being given less to metabolize. As with anything ~ moderation is key : ) So, the lavender oil in our worlds' body products (including my Lavender Skin Relief), along with petroleum derived perfumes and plastics, and pesticides, and soy products all produce estrogen-like effects, and therefore are likely best in moderation. Just wanted to share with folks. Oh, and that's just a surface scratcher. There's tons of info out there on all the other things, which can interfere with all sorts of hormones (over 30!), and the 22 amino acids & and the more than 3,000 known enzymes, which work with these hormones in our bodies to perform millions of functions every hour! Did you know that at least 100,000 different chemical reactions occur in the brain every second? I believe we would be wise to look at the whole picture to gain a complete understanding of our causes & effects. And please, remember, applied knowledge is power!! My thanks to Tara for opening another door of learning! Return to the top of Page YEAR ROUND: While Supplies Last! POTPOURRIS, & CALENDULA SKIN RELIEF Return to the top of Page ORGANIC POTPOURRI: Rosemary, Red rose buds & petals, Lavender, Celosia, Globe Amaranths, Holly, Echinacea, Foxtail, Statice, Tansy, Teasel, Yarrow, Anise Hyssop, Bergamot, Artemisia, Chamomile, Red Perilla, Sweet Birch Winter Catkins, & Mountain, Chocolate & Orange Mints are among the possible ingredients! Each small batch which is made has its' own unique look & smell. Scented solely by its' pure botanical aromas with nothing added to enhance its' nature color either! Packaged in a see-through 4" x 9" cellulose bag which stands like a lunch bag would. This mix looks wonderful displayed in a decorative bowl or basket. There's one in my bathroom, living room & bedroom! {Custom bowls & baskets are made upon request.} 3oz. Wholesale price: $5.00 NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. ORGANIC SIMMERING POTPOURRI: Contains 100% Organic: Cinnamon Sticks & Chips, Coriander, Orange Peel, Clove, & Star Anise. Place 2-3 heaping tablespoons of my sweet & spicy mix & a couple of cinnamon sticks in a pan or stovetop safe dish. Add 2-3 cups of water & gently simmer on range top or woodstove, adding water as it evaporates. Can be used for several days to bring a wondrous scent & humidity into your home! 3.5 oz. packaged in a biodegradable cellulose bag: Wholesale price: $3.50 NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. Return to the top of Page ORGANIC CALENDULA SKINCREAM: A most amazing discovery of nature. My hands will never be rough again! I personally have experienced a 3rd degree burn, scratches & blisters melt away in its healing presence, when I have used it! It is gentle enough, that I use it on cats (known for their cleanliness ~ they're constantly licking themselves!) & it has improved their healing time immensely! I have steady customers for this skincream who have told me that they use it to help relieve shingles, stretch marks, reduce scarring... I take cups of my fresh organic calendula flowers and pour organic unrefined cold pressed (first press - which retains more nutrients! Did you know that Olive Oil soothes, heals and lubricates the skin without clogging pores? That it has naturally occurring anti-oxidants?) olive oil over it. Each day, I shake it & every few weeks strain off the old calendula & add new. I repeat this process until I have a strongly infused oil. I add pure filtered Beeswax and some organic grapefruit seed extract as a preservative. I offer this in 2 1/4" diameter x 2" high cobalt blue glass jars with black plastic screw on lids. Please note: Since I use fresh flowers, this product can run out as the year winds down. It is also listed under the Year round section with the other skin relief products so it would not be neglected! Thanks, Anne 2 oz. jars: Wholesale: $7.50 NO LONGER BEING OFFERED. THANKS. 2 oz. screw~top tins: Wholesale: $7.00 *My Calendula Skin Relief is currently out of stock* My Lavender Skin Relief is currently available at Just Jersey in Morristown, Dean's Natural Food Markets in Chester, & Green Life Market in Butler! Return to the top of Page HANDMADE PHOTO CARDS & HONEY INFO!! Each roll of film I've taken, I had doubles printed. The best of these doubles, I mounted on one of 20 coloured cardstocks. This makes them truly one of a kind! Each photos' focus seemingly pops when it meets its appropriate background! All cards are hand-signed, dated, & placed in see-through jackets with an envelope. Photos measure 3 1/2" x 5" ... Cards measure 4 1/2" x 6 1/4" All cards: Wholesale price: $1.75 HONEYI used to sell a local mans' honey. He has since moved to upstate NY. I would feel remiss if I were to remove the following wonderful info: Honey treatment is called apitherapy & includes boosting energy, increasing stamina & strengthening those whose immune systems are weak from stress or illness. There are so many benefits to honey ... I'll list a few more. Relieve indigestion. Disinfectant (inhibine kills germs & prevents infections). Helps dissolve mucus! Allergy relief (grains of pollen in honey may have a desensitizing effect) & hay fever relief (this is where the LOCAL honey is most helpful!!) Respiratory relief (Mix with 1 tsp of fresh chopped thyme & take orally: soothes inflamed airways). Relaxing Bath: Use 1 - 2 tbsp. & couple of drops of lavender oil in bathwater. Honey "can be used in diverse ways from baked goods to a topping for cereal to a glaze for meat to a sweetener for tea. When substituting honey for sugar in a recipe, add one cup honey in place of each cup of sugar called for, and reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey added. (Note: because honey has more sweetening power than sugar, a reduced quantity of honey may be appropriate - adjust per your taste). Recipes containing honey need to be beaten longer and more vigorously than sugar recipes, and when baking with honey, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used and lower the temperature by 25 degrees. Honey batter becomes crisp and browns faster than sugar batter. The floral source of the honey should be considered when cooking with honey since honey will impart some of it's flavor (darker, stronger honeys will allow more of a honey taste to come through in your finished product). Honey will provide a firmer, heavier texture." The quoted text is from Draper's Super Bee Apiaries, Inc. website. Return to the top of Page Feel free to call me: (973) 827 - 3369 & I'll return the call within 48 hours (typically less than 24!); click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. The response time on this is varying. So, if you're in a hurry: please call! If you are a local store & would like to carry my products, please contact me! NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! Thanks for viewing my really long webpage & for supporting a local organic grower & eco~handcrafter! Anne Last Updated : 11/11/2023 **pronounced: day - gah - zhay. A French word meaning carefree, or without boundaries/constraints. I chose this name to represent the essence of my gardens and intentions of Dégagé Gardens ! NOTE: I do not receive any funds from anybody for whom I advocate on my webpage (except for 1 $25.00 check from a solar company when a friend signed up & all the info for that is moot, I just haven't gotten around to taking it down). I've never even received a complimentary dessert or coupon from any of the folks I admire & about whom I boast. I simply & firmly believe in completely gratuitously highlighting those who are exhibiting care for our planet = ) I prefer to place my own dollars where they are affirming respect for our natural resources & those who share this incredibly lush & lovely planet. And, as you have likely read on this page, I'm also passionate about celebrating those who are being unkind to the innocent flora & fauna, which provide for us so freely & make it possible for us to live with them! May something which I've shared on this page encourage you to embrace this precious planet more lovingly = ) Peace, Anne Photo credits: Above of me & my signs: Bob Karp. Dad with his plane: Jim Giller Products, flowers & other: Sandy Morrison, Mitch Morrison, Ellen Hoverkamp, Donna Becker, Donna Reynolds, Margaret Longo, Lori Kuzma, Rafael Fernandez, A.F. Menezes, Karen Haskell, Edible Jersey, Cloud9 Fabrics, Patch.com, myself & various unknown contributors from the web community at large : ) My apologies for not retaining credit info on earlier photos I obtained on the web ~ that info got lost in my shuffle. Many thanks to all! Recently my webpage provider did some updating, which eliminated some of the code I have used in my webpage for about 17 years. Today, October 26th, 2018 when I just uploaded some new photos, & and I clicked Save ~ all sorts of lovely images have replaced quotation marks, accent marks and .... My apologies for the "interesting" read this is now providing .... It would take me hours to read thru 131 pages of text to locate all these changes which just happened in an instant ..... & since some of their replacements are not things I can simply paste (i.e. upside question mark with 2 periods above it), I'm unable to just do a search in copied text to word doc & easily replace .... I will take some time each time I'm printing my product tags, to edit out these little gifted mistakes! Again, my apologies. If I'd know this was going to happen, I would have taken the time to ..... Today, April 9, 2019 I scanned through & corrected likely over 1,000 changes & believe I got most of them = ) It was interesting to peruse through so many years of creation. So many wonderful people I've met, experiences I've had, and such a huge exposure to so much. I am grateful for having my eyes open to so much of what is happening to our planet and gain hope from all the Inspirational quotes & from all that so many are doing to expose environmental crimes. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart & soul! Namaste, Anne 2/6/2021 New mistakes are appearing again on webpage ... trying to keep up with corrections = )

CURRENT MOON moon phases On June 1st, 2011 I decided to make a change. I switched my electric to be sourced from "100% wind power". Well, 50% of it comes from a wind farm down in Atlantic City, 49% is sourced from wind farms in PA, and 1% is created by NJ SOLAR! It costs me approximately only 10% more to support this cleaner technology. It only took about 2 minutes of my time to reduce my carbon footprint! Will you make those 2 minutes right now ~ for our environment, our air, our water? I know it was the best 2 minutes I spent that day ~ because each day, I get to know that I'm still doing something worthwhile & supportive for everyone. Each time I turn on an appliance, I know I'm still making a difference for everyone's future, by promoting local energy independence, & advancing our economy by supporting local green jobs! My utility company is the same I've had for years, for billing, delivery & service, but my supplier is now 100% green! No cost to switch, no contract. When you call Community Energy 1.877.321.0465, please mention Dégagé Gardens, & you'll receive a $50 rebate check & I may receive (haven't yet....) a $25 referral fee! I believe that you can still receive the same rebate on line. Note: there's no longer a choice for Dégagé Gardens in the How Did You Hear About Us? box in the last line of form, but believe they're still offering a $50 rebate check for anyone who signs up! www.CommunityEnergyInc.com Win ~ Win - Win! The first win is for the environment! All you need is your current bill in hand. Thanks for caring & making all your extra efforts! To learn more about the wind & solar energy from the company I'm utilizing, click on the below picture to bring you to their website. I have recently added this symbol to my tags: Join more than 1.4 million Americans by signing a petition to say that you want the US to become the 64th nation to require GM labeling! To find out why over 90% of consumers believe GE foods should be labeled & why 92% of Americans want the federal government to require mandatory labeling of GE foods, please watch a 3 minute video, created by "Just Label It.org". Where are the other 91% of Americans who are saying they want labeling ? Please click below now, if you have not already signed. Monsanto told us DDT was safe. Monsanto told us PCBs were safe. Monsanto told us Agent Orange was safe. DDT, PCB's & Agent Orange are all carcinogens, and are unsafe, and should not be consumed. August 2012, the US began a massive cleanup of Agent Orange in Vietnam, 50 years after its use as a defoliant. It is responsible for nearly a half million deaths, and another half million children being born with birth defects. There is a higher incidence of birth defects (some families have 6 of 6 kids with birth defects, and on-going medical needs in those children who have survived) in areas where this chemical warfare was used. In January 2012, West Virginians near a Monsanto chemical plant filed a class action lawsuit against Monsanto. This plant has produced 2,4,5-T (a chemical which comprises about half of Agent Orange) for decades, and continues to pollute their town. They suffer from the effects of exposure, and have a much higher incidence of cancer. At the very same time, the Dow Chemical Company is seeking government deregulation of a new genetically-modified (GM) variety of corn resistant to 2,4-D (one half of Agent Orange). Dioxins are known/proven carcinogens. This means, of course, that the company will need to spray 2,4-D on the crops in order for them to grow, which would require the EPA to lift its ban on the chemical. So, 50 years after we sprayed Agent Orange, it still lingers, and enters the food supply (thru fish and animals). Why in the world would we want to start spraying it again ? Monsanto told us PCB's are safe. If PCB's were so safe then, why did Monsanto agree to pay $700 million to settle claims made by more than 20,000 residents in Anniston, Alabama in 2003. For decades this town was knowingly poisoned by a plant making PCB's. Internal documents confirm that they even tested the local river by releasing live fish, which all rose to the top dead within minutes of release. A federal judde in Birmingham at that time approved an agreement with the EPA & the current property owner, to move forward on contamination studies & cleanup. Monsanto told us GMO's are safe. They have been creating hazardous GMO foods since 1996. Entire countries have banned GMO's. 64 nations require labeling of the foods, which contain GMO�s. In 2013, India will began requiring labeling. Have you signed the petition in the United States to finally label our food? Did you know that over 30,000 products in our super markets contain GMO's ? Did you know that Aspartame is a carcinogenic GMO which is in 6,000 products in the US? A conservative estimate concludes that 75+ % of American foods and body products contain genetically modified organisms. Did you know that 90% Soy, 90% of Corn, 89% of sugar beets, 88% of wheat, 75 % of Canola, and 76% of Cotton/Cottonseed grown in the US are GMO? Since the introduction of GMO crops in 1996, one farmer every 30 seconds has committed suicide. One in five choose to drink the very chemicals, which they were forced to buy, and which bankrupted their families. Update: March 2014. China has refused shipments of 887,000 TONS of GMO corn from the US since November 2013! Last year, China destroyed at least 3 shipments of GMO corn from the US. Did you know that one of Monsanto's largest competitors, Syngenta, has had "criminal charges drawn against them for hiding animal deaths linked to strains of their Bt GMO corn"? "Syngenta has been criminally charged for denying knowledge that its GM Bt corn actually kills livestock. What's more is not only did the company deny this fact, but they did so in a civil court case that ended back in 2007. The charges were finally issued after a long legal struggle against the mega corp initiated by a German farmer named Gottfried Gloeckner whose dairy cattle died after eating the Bt toxin and coming down with a 'mysterious' illness'." Did you know, as of May 7, 2015, the merger of Monsanto & Syngenta is on hold? Did you know?: ~ "The world's first lifetime feeding study discovered that rats fed a diet containing 11 percent GE corn developed massive breast tumors, kidney and liver damage and other serious health problems in the 13th month of life. ~ To put this into human perspective, if the average lifespan of a person is 80 years, these health problems would start rearing their ugly head somewhere during the 43rd year of life, provided your diet contained just over 10 percent GE foods and you began eating them in early childhood ~ According to a report released by the Environmental Working Group, Americans are eating their weight and more in genetically engineered food every year: an average of 193 pounds of GE foods annually. " David vs Monsanto The above link now contains only a 5 minute trailer of the one hour movie which was available to watch for free in 2012. It is a documentary of a Canadian farmer who fought Monsanto & won! Please, remember to click below & sign this petition NOW! Let's help America become one of the last nations to require labeling! Want to learn more about GMO's & why they're ... ridiculous ?! Please click HERE & a new window will open, which will have brought you further down this column. There are some wonderful videos, including a great song! And remember, APPLIED knowledge is POWER!! If you would rather remain on this page, and just be brought to that section, please click HERE. Thanks! If you are a local store & would like to carry my products, please contact me! New phone number is: (973) 827 - 3369 "NEW" BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG I can also email the new catalog to anyone who wishes ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! Any questions please contact me: anne@degagegardens.com Calling me is typically the quicker response time!! Please note: my new phone number is: (973) 827 - 3369 Thanks! Return to the top of Page Click below image to purchase 100% Organic Sachets from Just Jersey online!! They're Here! 100% Organic Lavender Sachets 100% Organic Dream Sachets & NOW 100% Organic Rose & Lavender Sachets Now available in dozens of certified organic cottons in gorgeous patterns, scroll down to see more images below! Organic Fabric Care (from bolt of Cloud9 fabric): "Machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non-chloriene bleach when needed. Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Warm iron if needed" From top to bottom: A vibrant RED, SAGE, BLUE, and BERRY BERRY. The original natural undyed cotton sateen fabric I've been carrying for years is sandwiched in between! They are SKAL certified. I picked up 7 new fabulous fabrics on March 1st, 2012 from a local fabric designer! Below are images of these gorgeous organic fabrics! 5 new Organic Fabrics for 2013! For 2014, 2 new ORGANIC LOW IMPACT DYED COTTON prints from our local NJ artists at Cloud9 Fabrics!                    Feathers ~ Blue             Making Tracks ~ Indigo For Fall 2015 there are 5 new Organic Fabric selections, from our Jersey girls at Cloud9 Fabrics now available! Top left: Folky Daisy ~ Egg Blue Top Right: Forest Floor Middle: Gentle Vines ~ Coral Bottom Left: Bunting Bottom Right: Traveler's Blanket Below are 5 new Organic fabrics I've been utilizing in my eco~handcrafted aromatherapeutic products to begin 2016!          Tumbling ~ Aqua           Tumbling ~ Coral             Branches     Tweetly Tweet ~ Blue        Tweetly Tweet ~ Pink Four More New Organic Fabrics for Spring 2016!               First Light                           Moody Blues              Dancing Vines                Mad Mend   January 2017: Five More New Organic Fabrics!                Moody Floral                             Moody Blooms                                                             Moody White Butterflies                Festive Holly                             Festive Snowflakes April 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics!       Rose                                         Garden     Sweetbriar                                    Tulip October 2018: Four More New Organic Fabrics!      Milkflower                             Lilac       Magnolia                                 Whitehaven March 2019: Five More New Organic Fabrics!                Floral in Indigo                             Henri                                                             Margot                Yolanda                             Sunset Stars November 2019: Seven More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Classy Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!          Linnea                     Falling Leaves                    Snowflakes 2019             Fall Floral                   Prince            Orange Blossom           Natural Fall June 2020: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Unique Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                    Lisbon             Cats                   Flourish Feb 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics                   Dahlia               Flora 2021               Heirloom March 2021: Three More New Organic Fabrics From 3 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                                Felipe                        Good Vibrations                       Little Grasses June 2021: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 3 marvelous new Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!                               Tulip Cat                            Generosity                               Love                               Sunshine April 2022: Four More New Organic Fabrics From 2 Incredible Collections From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ!       Flutter                    Firefly       Parrot Play                   Dragonfly May 2022 Fantastic Organic Poplin From designer & owner Jennifer Thanks for sharing your talented gifts, Jennifer!                     November 2022 10 New spectacular Organic fabrics from designer (& owner), Jennifer, of Monaluna Fabrics!<                           Petunias                    Glitter       Kind                   Monaco       Rosa                    Liliana       Lavender Dots                   Tassels       Keys                   Point AND: Another New Holiday Organic Fabric From Cloud 9 Fabrics in Cranford, NJ! Christmas Past Organic Fabric Care (from bolt of Cloud9 fabric): "Machine wash cold with like colors, gentle cycle, only non-chloriene bleach when needed. Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Warm iron if needed" My dream and lavender sachets also contain organic batting to keep the ingredients in & low impact dyed cotton yarn to tie it shut! All ingredients remain organic! New Refillable Everlasting Wholesale Sachets: $ 4.00 Eye Pillows: $11.00 Wholesale Body Wraps: $16.00 All 4 Refillable Organic Eye Pillows & my Lavender Body Wraps NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE from Just Jersey! Also available in their store in Morristown! Click on images to be brought to their webpage to purchase! Thanks !! Click below image to purchase 100% Organic Sachets from Just Jersey online!! Did you know that when you use an eye pillow, it can help to block out light also? Our pineal glands are very sensitive to light, and when adequately blocked from light, studies have indicated that the pineal gland will produce more of the hormone melatonin. Having elevated levels of melatonin is said to deepen sleep, thereby reducing stress & ultimately boosting our immunity! When I'm wishing an even deeper calm, I eat complex carbs & foods rich in tryptophan (oats, almonds, rice, tomatoes, organic soy products, spirulina, sweet corn, brewers yeast, daikon radishes, pumpkin seeds). Our bodies use tryptophan to produce serotonin, which in turn apparently produces melatonin! Fascinating, right?! I make sure I eat plenty of foods that are high in B vitamins (think whole unrefined vegetal foods) also may help my body manufacture tryptophan & serotonin, which, as we just discussed, may increase that melatonin our bodies crave to achieve a deep sleep, & the calm & focus which may in turn boost our immunity! For additional info on how we may be able to get a better nights' sleep, click HERE, to be redirected to the Eye Pillow section of my page = ) Return to the top of Page My Favorite Links: Click logo below to view a 2.5 minute video titled "Is Your Water at Risk from Fracking?", which helps explain why it's SO important for us to stand up & ban fracking NOW! (This video title is also available on youtube) This non-profit website also has plenty of fact sheets, research, reports, tools, resources, & 59 other videos to view, and lots opportunities for you to take action & take part in protecting our water & food NOW! The following organization aids us in lessening the load on our landfills by finding someone in your own town, or a neighboring town to give something you can no longer use, another life / home: "Just because that old shirt you used to love is too threadbare to wear anymore doesn't mean it has to end up in a landfill." "Ninety-nine percent of used textiles are recyclable." BUT According to the U.S. EPA, a whopping 85% of all discarded textiles 12 million tons are sent to U.S. landfills every year. " USAgain, a green for-profit enterprise, works to reduce this textile waste by providing thousands of convenient locations across the US where you can recycle textiles any time of the day, any day of the year." I put in my zip, and was surprised to see that there were 4 drop-off locations within 10 miles of my remote North Jersey home! They've been recycling since 1999 & service 18 states! To find a drop-off location for your worn out or stained clothes, click their above logo! "Non-profits like Goodwill and the Salvation Army play a crucial role in recycling worn out clothing. When they get donations of clothes that are too threadbare to re-sell in one of their shops, they send them to rag sorters that specialize in recycling pieces of fabric large and small. Says Hawley, these textile recyclers sell about half the clothing they get back overseas in developing countries, while unusable garments, especially cotton t-shirts, are turned into wiping and polishing clothes used by a variety of industries and sold to consumers. She adds that other textiles are shredded into fibers used to make new products, such as sound-deadening materials for the automotive industry, archival-quality paper, blankets and even plastic fencing." Click HERE to read the entire article from which I pulled the above quotes, and to research their other suggestions! I am fortunate to have a best friend who works in an industry that requires rags for spills, so I've always had a place for my raggedy clothes. A big 'THANK YOU!' to Jim D. for asking me about this, and giving me that reason to look into info to share with all! The new location of at 274 South Salem Street, near the Kmart Plaza on Route 10 in Randolph which opened on May 2nd, 2012 & it is spacious, clean & very well lit! Click on image above to find if there's one near you! A marvelous opportunity to either donate your new or usable furniture, appliances, or building materials/flooring ~ or pick up that new or gently used fixture, rug, or thing~a~ma~jig at a nice discount. "While every ReStore outlet is a little different, most focus on home improvement goods like furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances." Did you know that the movie "Evan Almighty" donated the materials from their ark building to one ?! (among many other eco~conscious things) Go Tom Shadyac ! To find a place to recycle plastics & ..... Click below = ) To find a location at which drop your PP5 containers, click below to find a store. There are drop off locations at 6 independent healthy locations (in WI, NC, NY, & 2 in NH!)& at Whole Foods Markets in 36 states! "If you don't live near a Preserve Gimme 5 location, you can mail your #5 plastics directly to Preserve. Turn your yogurt cups into toothbrushes, your takeout containers into razors by joining Gimme 5." "Preserve products are available at thousands of retail locations in the US and Canada, including Target stores, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods Market." NOTE: The used toothbrushes, tongue cleaners & razors which you can mail back in their postage paid envelopes are ground down into plastic lumber which is "used for park benches, decks and other useful products." I met Jen Dowd at a Green Event a couple of years back, and was heartened by her enthusiasm for all things green! "Our vision is for global learning communities. Our mission is to create the structures needed for the critical mass to shift towards sustainability through an alternative Free and Independent School System. Greener Oranges provides sustainability site coordination and management for communities and schools to work together towards financial solutions, increased student access to authentic learning opportunities, and thriving local systems." If you are looking for a Farm Market, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), farm, co-op, restaurant which is local to you in USA, please use this great resource: Every year gardeners ask themselves why they planted so many cucumber or squash plants?! Now we know the reason, and it's not just to have extras for those groundhogs & deer! Instead of scrambling to find homes for your excess tomatoes & other perishable produce, or trying to foist another zucchini on a neighbor, we can all donate it to our local food pantries! In 2012, I became aware of this great site: When I put in my zip code, I found that there are 17 food pantries within 20 miles of my home. There are an additional 13 pantries in the next 5 miles from me! There are 30 food pantries listed within 25 miles of my home! So, no matter which way I'm driving that day, I'm sure to pass one along the way! If you know of a local food pantry by you that is not listed, please assist in getting the word out to them, and help get them listed, so their clients will be able to share in all of our ample harvests! Click their below logo to find your local pantries now. Thanks! If you don't have a garden, & still wish to contribute to a local food pantry, please utilize their site to locate a local food pantry. If you wish to contribute to a local food pantry & get exercise too, please read the following! On Saturday, I met one of the founders of a wonderful local charity, which hosts bike rides for hunger! Proceeds go toward helping the hungry of New Jersey (food banks) and building clean water sources globally. For more details about future rides, or about this organization, please click on their logo below: The tastiest place I've ever eaten is EVERYTHING is ORGANIC! I've thoroughly enjoyed every meal & marvelous smoothie I've had! Friends who don't typically eat these types of foods, are always game for going back again! "Our rotating menu is lovingly built out of fresh, organic and local ingredients from the plant kingdom. Expect something delightfully different on each visit. Selections change based on availability of ingredients, season, and inspiration. We use no animal products or dairy, and most of our menu is gluten-free. If you have any food sensitivities, your server can help guide you to some dishes that might be appropriate for you." Karma Road 11 Main Street New Paltz, NY (845) 255 ~ 1099 25 North Front St. New Paltz, NY (845) 255 ~ 8VEG I found an additional reason to go to New Paltz when I went for a staycation (read day trip) there last week! I will easily remember to stop there for a treat after I've worked off a great lunch from Karma Road (see above, please)! "From our 100% fair trade and organic chocolate to our 100% post-consumer recycled paper boxes and packing materials, we are a completely vegan business committed to sustainability without sacrifice." I shared one of their hazelnut macaroons will my two accompanying friends & savored the other 3 treats over the next 3 days. I am so grateful that my first artisanal gourmet chocolate experience was here!! Well worth the wait! 17 East Front St. Red Bank NJ (732) 450 ~ 8344 One of my staycations last year was to Red Bank, NJ. What a fantastic day with a memorable meal to finish! It's been an entire year & I can still tell you what I had! OK, granted, it was the only sit down dinner out I had last year, but I can still remember the taste & why they "made Forbes list of the top 10 most wholesome restaurants in the US!" I am looking forward to returning here! If you're in the area, or going down for vacation, please, check them out! Interesting that the only other eatery I go to, has Karma in its name too! Visualizing another Karma opening right in my area soon! "Good Karma Cafe does organic vegan food in a much different way. They make it easy to eat any cuisine: Mexican, Thai, Indian, with peace of mind. Between daily specials, our organic juice bar, to-go items for picnics or the Jazz Lunch in Red Bank, we are your healthy go-to source." Dr. Ali was personally instrumental in assisting me in regaining my health back in 2007, and I highly recommend him & his staff to everyone who is in need of a great doctor who will assist you in your journey back to health! How fortunate we all are to have someone so learned & compassion so close to home! Please click on his above picture to connect to new patient information. He has office hours in Denville, NJ & in NYC. Please sign up for his daily newsletter, which is always useful, insigntful, & encouraging! Please click on the bolded virtual library, to browse through his online library of healthful videos, and sign up for his newsletter to get a daily video from the collection. Dr Ali's incredible spirit is apparent in all he does, including his customary farewell which he uses at the end of each of his radio broadcasts, and his on-line videos, after encouraging all of us to freely share his free information which he has compiled over the years from decades of experience: "Until we meet again, may you be gracious, grateful, & generous in your spirit." Majid Ali's Aging Healthfully Virtual Library Jennifer is a gifted local artist, who has created a line of "products that are natural and safe for our bodies and for our planet. We strive to use the highest quality organic , natural and ehtically wildharvested ingredients for its products. We strive to buy fair trade and feel it is everyones responsibility to make informed purchasing desicions. We are continuing to improve our products and packaging whenever possible so that we are making the most environmental choice." "A core belief is that there is enough for all. It is time for change, a time for all things good for everyone!" Her products are available locally & at a party, which she can host in your home or business! Her products are also available online ~ click above. When I saw her at the Sparta Farm Market, she gave me a bottle of her Organic Bug Off, which smells & feels terrific. There have been no bugs out since she gave it to me, and can't wait to share it with fellow hikers & bikers when the warm weather returns! I was so very fortunate to be placed next to a local woman at a recent Sparta Farmers Market. She was so delightful! Her exuberance & joie de vie are infectious, her organic perfumes ~ devine! "Artisan perfumer Tara Krause is a fourth generation artist alchemist passionate about botanicals and herbs since childhood forest gathering and exploring the gardens and parquet floors of the Versailles. The Organic Perfumer is the only New Jersey local farm natural perfumery. We are 45 miles out of Manhattan in rural Sussex County's Highlands Mountains. We create organic, wild-crafted and ethically farmed botanical artisan perfumes and luxury beauty products in the grand tradition of the 17th and 18th century royal perfumers to the court of Versailles." "Located in Northwest New Jersey Everlasting Garden has been growing quality fresh cut flowers and herbs for over twenty-five years. As a third generation grower, we take pride in our premium greenhouse and field grown flowers and herbs. Our field crops especially our herbs are grown without chemicals. Our cuts may be purchased farm direct or at the Montclair Farmers Market, the Sparta Farmers Market and The Farmers Market at the Fair Grounds (Frankford Township). Dried wreaths and flowers are available year round. Throughout the year floral arrangements for special occasions are designed right here on our farm." For more info about this wonderful resource for weddings, special occassions, & a special treat just for you, please click on the beautiful bouquet below! SaveNJStateParks.org "Protection of New Jersey State Parks from gas and logging industry plans of environmental destruction." Find out about an upcoming meeting & keep abreast of what's going on in our state parks. After visiting their site by clicking on colored website link above, please arrow back to view the incredible photos of last years destruction. Please click coloured link below: Save Parks Flyer Thanks Mike for wonderful flyer, pictures, updates, & all efforts on this!! NJ is fortunate to have you! Let's be as gentle as we can on Mother Earth while supporting our own economy! A like-minded friend is now in her ? 10th year of her herbal business! Donna is an experienced herbalist & an herbal educator, who has years of studying behind her & who constantly is learning more about natural healing! She is currently offering a variety of classes & giving herb walks, & is working on her book-in-progress, Tree Spirit Medicine: Re-establishing Our Sacred Connection. She will be offering a hands-on apprentice program in Hackettstown area this summer & fall! "Willow Moon Herbals is a woman-owned enterprise dedicated to maintaining wellness, health and healing. Our approach is rooted in the Wise Woman Tradition: attaining wholeness through supportive compassion, the use of basic, simple ritual, and the gracious assistance of our common, green plant herbal allies." Donna, the owner of Willow Moon Herbals, has a sister who now has this website ..... well she did .... & I'm still waiting for an answer from her about whether there's a new link ... or if she's moved on to something else ?! So, I'll leave faux~link, in hopes she'll have something for me soon on this! Apologies for non~link! UResurrected.com "Flex, Relax and Breathe. Sharing knowledge of Stretch, Massage and ways to improve the health and well being of yourself and your loved ones! " I wish you the best, Margaret : ) eco Motown I met Abby at a Slow Food event & am delighted by her blog : ) "ecoMotown is a blog that highlights all of the green activities and businesses in the Greater Morristown, NJ area. We'll provide tips on great restaurants, stores and more that are making sustainable choices. We'll also let you know about events or things to do in the area that promote an eco-friendly lifestyle. Join us in Morristown's next revolution; the green one!" I have been a fan & supporter of Fedco for many years. Their seed has always been very reliable, and I've always gotten more seed for less money from them. This may be due to the fact that they still offer generic 1 color seed packages, and still buy their seeds from alot of the smaller farmers. They are "your source for cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate. Each year we observe hundreds of varieties, selecting only the best for inclusion in our catalogs. Through our product lines and cultural hints, we encourage sustainable growing methods. We offer a large selection of certified organic cultivars and regional heirloom varieties. We buy products from all over the world." And, here's a local (Hardwick, NJ) place which has utilized seeds from Fedco! In May 2012, I met a young farmer, Erin who, with a friend, Lisa, were growing Herb, Flower, & Veggie seedlings ~ including some great greens ~ & they were Grown Locally with Sustainable, Organic Practices HEIRLOOM ORGANIC OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS NO GMO SEED NO PESTICIDES NO SYNTHETIC or PETROLEUM-BASED FERTILIZERS "Harmony Starts sells seedlings grown from certified organic, heirloom and/or open-pollinated seeds. We use carefully mixed potting soil made with organic compost and organic coconut coir with the addition of slow-release nutrients for an abundant crop." ** May 21, 2013 ~ just spoke with Erin & she was not able to locate a space to grow her organic seedlings this year. She is currently working with the non~profit, Genesis Farm in Blairstown ~ which has a lovely CSG (Community Supported Garden = an opportunity to dig in the dirt & participate in growing your food!) Erin is offering Heirloom tomato seedlings only this year, at this venue. She is hoping to return to growing her organic seedlings in 2014. So, if you're looking for Heirloom tomato seedlings, or if know of a space which she can utilize ~ please contact her thru her website, by clicking on her Harmony Starts logo above! In 2013, the FDA Deleted 1 Million Signatures for GMO Labeling Campaign. Apparently, all signatures which appeared the same ~ i.e. from signing forms on line which were pre-written ~ were deleted. I am therefore advising petition signers who signed & sent without adding their 2 cents, to personalize their petitions & resend! For the last year, I've been simplifying the petitions I've been signing. I've also been adding a please & thank you. I've been doing these simple alterations, hoping that the petition may have a better chance of being read by our politicians, & taken more to heart. A spark if you will = ) If you need to sign this petition, or if you believe you were one of the deleted signatures, click below! Also, many petitions require providing a street address. I just enter a period, to prevent any potential snail mail. ~~~Join 1.2 million Americans, and sign the petition to say that you want the US to become the 51st nation to require GM labeling! Click below to go to petition.~~~ Since I first posted this .... it's 2015 & now over 1.4 million have signed this petition, & over 60 other nations now require GM labeling!! Please watch the following MUST SEE short 3 minute video from JustLabelIt.org This short 2 minute video from Jeffrey Smith titled "It's Time For A Food Fight" shows farm animals refusing To Eat GMOs! They've changed the link, & you can no longer view this here, but there's an option to view on youtube. Thanks I was pleasantly surprised to find the following video gem, Top 5 GMO Lies, when checking my links tonight. Informative AND Clever! "David Lettuceman and the Late Night GMO Band explore the biggest lies told about GMOs." Let's get that viewing number (I was the 5,731th to view on Sept. 30, 2017 & it was Published on Sep 3, 2014!!) WAY UP = ) Thanks. Another great short video (4 minute) by Jeffrey Smith titled, What is GMO?, speaks about what many patients have gained by following their doctor's recommendation of a following a non-GMO diet. Please click below! Please click below to hear & watch a more detailed explanation of GMO's, and how they have effected us, are effecting us & how they will continue to effect us & our environment in the future, if we do not demand a different future. This feature length video is Jeffrey Smith of the IRT giving his 2008 Keynote Speech "Everything You HAVE TO KNOW about Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods". His delivery is entertaining; information ~ mindful & provocative; his visual aids ~ eye-opening. The entire presentation is inspiring! Please share. Tired of watching videos?! Click below to view Jeffrey Smith's 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs Would you prefer to watch an enlightening movie with friends at home? Would you like to own a copy of one of Jeffrey Smith's Genetic Roulette to share with others? Please click HERE to be brought to the Institute for Responsible Technology website, which is a great informational resource! Thank you Jeffrey for your passion. I found further purchasing options at his Seeds of Deception website also. Please click here, to be redirected to that website. Here's a resource to help you understand a little more about GMO's & a downloadable shopping guide, & shopping tips, to help you avoid hidden GM ingredients in your food. You can bring it with when you're shopping & you can bring along an extra one or ... 25 ... to share with others = ) Non-GMO Shopping Guide & Tips This short informative video begins to explain why I & many others just say "no to GMO's"! Thank you Jeffrey Smith for your dedication & passion! This video can only be viewed on YouTube; please click on either the title at the top of video viewer or the YouTube icon below it, to be redirected to watch. Thanks! Thinking about getting pregnant, already pregnant, or do you already have an infant, or a child/children of any age? Click below for a concise 2 minute video titled Don't Experiment with Your Baby to introduce you to thinking about GMO's, for your health & theirs. This video can only be viewed on YouTube; please click on either the title at the top of video viewer or the YouTube icon below it, to be redirected to watch. Thanks! 15 countries have either banned the growing or sale of GM's, &/or have facilitated labeling of products with GM ingredients (in America ~ this would amount to an estimated 80% of products having to be labeled!). 64 countries require labeling of GM ingredients! Bravo to California for being the ONLY state in the US which has successfully banned GM crops in 3 of their counties!! California, Colorado, Connecticutt, Florida, Oregon, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvanis, Rhode Island, & Virginia all have legislature presented, or are actively persuing it. There are also active campaigns on the ground in the following states: Idaho, Ohio, Michigan, Utah & the city of Phoenix, in Arizona. Please learn more about your local initiatives & get involved! Even providing a signature, which only takes a minute can really help! State Initiatives A partial list of seed companies to which, I have been told, Seminis (Owned by GM giant Monsanto) supplies seed & which we can all boycott: * Audubon Workshop * Breck's Bulbs * Burpee * Cook's Garden * Earl May Seed * E & R Seed Co. * Flower of the Month Club * Gardens Alive * Garden Trends * Germania Seed Co. * Gurneys * Henry Fields * HPS * Jungs * Lindenberg Seeds * McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers * Mountain Valley Seed * Nichol's * Osborne * Otis S.Twilley Seed Co * Park Bulbs * Park Seed * Park's Countryside Garden * R.H. Shumway * Rocky Mountain Seed Co. * Roots and Rhizomes * Rupp * Seeds for the World * Seymour's Selected Seeds * Snow * Spring Hill Nurseries * Stokes * T&T Seeds * Territorial Seeds ***** NOTE: Tom Johns, the owner of Territorial, is committed to seed diversity and non-GMO products, and has been finding replacements for the few seed strains that were from Seminis. * Tomato Growers Supply * Totally Tomato * The Vermont Bean Seed Company * Wayside Gardens * Willhite Seed Co. Please notify me with documentation, if I have been misinformed about a particular company on this list, and I will remove them promptly. July 14, 2014: An update on recent advances to get genetically modified organisms (GMOs) labeled here in the US ~~ 22 years since France started the ball rolling! On May 8, 2014, after years of hard work, Vermont successfully & overwhelming passed a labeling initiative in BOTH houses, which is not contingent on having bordering states sign on (as is the case with CT & MA)! Barely a month later, the GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association), the International Dairy Foods Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Snack Food Association challenged the constitutionality of the law by filing a lawsuit in federal court. Why? Food manufacturers are always changing their labels to highlight salable qualities of their products. So what's the big deal? Why don't they want to highlight their use of something they claim is better for our planet, and, since each state has the right to protect its own citizens, then what's the hold-up? Perhaps it's the lack of people knowing that they've been part of an experiment for decades. We've all had easy access to potentially harmful foods, which have never been tested by those producing products using them. In the US 88% of the wheat is genetically modified, as well as 90% of soy, 89% of sugar beets (which means when a label says sugar ~ it's likely from sugar beets, otherwise, it would state sugar cane, or whatever source from which it same), and 90% of corn! 64 countries require labeling, including India. Entire countries have banned the growing of these foods, or the sale of them! American companies create non-GM versions of our foods for these other countries because they stopped buying the GM ones! So, if you're one of those people who do not believe in the democratic process, or believe that it takes way too long, or understand that much of it is guided by lobbyists from companies who wish to do what they want, regardless of their environmental impact... then, vote with your dollars! I only purchase organic foods. Going without cable tv, a fancy car/home/clothes & enjoying staycations are well worth it, because I am supporting the health of our farmers, farm workers, the community surrounding them, & that of the planet, as well as my own! Even though I'm purchasing only organic products, I may still be supporting those who are trying to keep our foods unlabeled for GM ingredients. I used to buy Dagoba chocolate bars. On the label it says Artisan Confections Company, but they were bought by the Hershey Company in 2006 who spent $395,100 in 2012 to help defeat Prop 37 in California. Hershey also bought Scharffen Berger in 2005. Kraft bought Cadbury in 2010, which had bought Green & Blacks in 2005. Kraft has spent $2 million trying to avoid GM label. All of this knowledge is awesome for me, because in this particular instance, I'm now supporting 2 great companies whose chocolates are as awesome as their sources & their mission = ) & I'm quite fond of the chocolate bars & truffles from these eco~minded companies! Eating well tastes so great! "So when you bite into this bar of Alter Eco organic chocolate, rest assured that every bar, just like every tree, makes a big difference. Not just for the farmers of Acopagro, but for the Amazon, our planet and your taste buds." Theo is "Proud to be the first Organic and Fair Trade fair for Life Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory in North America." "We think about every choice we make, every action we take and how it will impact our interconnected world." 10/24/2015 note: just found Theo Organic Fair Trade Pure 85% Dark Chocolate on a chart indicating that a lab found it to have enough of an elevated level of cadmium, by California's standards, to be labeled. "As You Sow, a consumer health protection organization, commissioned an independent state-certified laboratory to measure levels of lead and cadmium in 42 chocolate products available at retailers across California. The charts indicate whether, pursuant to test results, the product requires a warning under California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act." To access this info, click HERE. I filled out a form on Theo's website inquiring about accuracy of this & will remove this if they can provide assurances otherwise = ) Please click on the above images to learn more about these fantastic folks! Coca-Cola (also makes Honest Tea, Simply Orange & Odwalla) has now not-so-secretly contributed more than $1.5 million to campaign against the labeling of GMOs. In total $46 million dollars were spent on preventing labeling just in California alone! This doesn't cover the dozens of state & county initiative at which these companies are also throwing large sums of money! Where are your dollars going? Click below image to see a larger one! Click HERE to get more details on what companies monetarily trying to prevent GM labeling! Thanks for getting & staying involved! I simply LOVE my life. I am led to things at the precise right moment; when I have a true NEED, it is filled; when others are in need, I have the TIME or RESOURCE to be of service. A friend sent a FB link to a 'must see video' about GMO's. I click & am brought to their sign-in page, asking for a password. I don't have an account, so I copy & paste something pertinent from their email to see if I can locate it out there somewhere else. It's the independent in me. Instead, I find this incredible songstress & her amazing song with great musical & vocal back-up. Their energy lifts my spirit; their message lifts my soul. Thank you Maimouna Youssef for your gifts & for sharing them! Oh, so here's what my friend wanted to share: A short interview with MIT Dr. Stephanie Seneff definitely proving connection between so many of our modern diseases with a chemical sprayed on ALL American non-organic crops (including those consumed by the animals you eat!)! Please watch & share widely. Your children, family & friends will thank you = ) In happy health, Anne Wouldn't it be an amazing day, if everyone returned ALL of their GMO foods to the supermarkets all on the SAME DAY?! Wouldn't that make a huge impact?! What a statement this would make! The following is copied & pasted from the beginning of this column... so, it you start reading this & it sounds familiar, it's because you really did already read it! Really, you're fine ; ) Join more than 1.4 million Americans by signing a petition to say that you want the US to become the 64th nation to require GM labeling! Over 90% of consumers believe GE foods should be labeled & 92% of Americans want the federal government to require mandatory labeling of GE foods: Where are the signatures of the other 91% of Americans who are saying they want labeling? Please click below now, if you have not already signed. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. ~ Edmund Burke Irish political philosopher 1700's Monsanto told us DDT was safe. Monsanto told us PCBs were safe. Monsanto told us Agent Orange was safe. DDT, PCB's & Agent Orange are all carcinogens, and are unsafe, and should not be consumed. August 2012, the US began a massive cleanup of Agent Orange in Vietnam, 50 years after its use as a defoliant. It is responsible for nearly a half million deaths, and another half million children being born with birth defects. There is a higher incidence of birth defects (some families have 6 of 6 kids with birth defects, and on-going medical needs in those children who have survived) in areas where this chemical warfare was used. In January 2012, West Virginians near a Monsanto chemical plant filed a class action lawsuit against Monsanto. This plant has produced 2,4,5-T (a chemical which comprises about half of Agent Orange) for decades, and continues to pollute their town. They suffer from the effects of exposure, and have a much higher incidence of cancer. At the very same time, the Dow Chemical Company is seeking government deregulation of a new genetically-modified (GM) variety of corn resistant to 2,4-D (one half of Agent Orange). Dioxins are known/proven carcinogens. This means, of course, that the company will need to spray 2,4-D on the crops in order for them to grow, which would require the EPA to lift its ban on the chemical. So, 50 years after we sprayed Agent Orange, it still lingers, and enters the food supply (thru fish and animals). Why in the world would we want to start spraying it again ? Monsanto told us PCB's are safe. If PCB's were so safe then, why did Monsanto agree to pay $700 million to settle claims made by more than 20,000 residents in Anniston, Alabama in 2003. For decades this town was knowingly poisoned by a plant making PCB's. Internal documents confirm that they even tested the local river by releasing live fish, which all rose to the top dead within minutes of release. A federal judde in Birmingham at that time approved an agreement with the EPA & the current property owner, to move forward on contamination studies & cleanup. Monsanto told us GMO's are safe. They have been creating hazardous GMO foods since 1996. Entire countries have banned GMO's. 63 nations require labeling of the foods, which contain GMO's. In 2013, India will begin to require labeling. Have you signed the petition in the United States to finally label our food? Did you know that over 30,000 products in our super markets contain GMO's ? Did you know that Aspartame is a carcinogenic GMO which is in 6,000 products in the US? A conservative estimate concludes that 75+ % of American foods and body products contain genetically modified organisms. Did you know that 90% Soy, 90% of Corn, 89% of sugar beets, 88% of wheat, 75 % of Canola, and 76% of Cotton/Cottonseed grown in the US are GMO? Since the introduction of GMO crops in 1996, one farmer every 30 seconds has committed suicide. One in five choose to drink the very chemicals, which they were forced to buy, and which bankrupted their families. Update: March 2014. China has refused shipments of 887,000 TONS of GMO corn from the US since November 2013! last year, China destroyed at least 3 shipments of GMO corn from the US. Did you know that one of Monsanto's largest competitors, Syngenta, has had "criminal charges drawn against them for hiding animal deaths linked to strains of their Bt GMO corn"? "Syngenta has been criminally charged for denying knowledge that its GM Bt corn actually kills livestock. What's more is not only did the company deny this fact, but they did so in a civil court case that ended back in 2007. The charges were finally issued after a long legal struggle against the mega corp initiated by a German farmer named Gottfried Gloeckner whose dairy cattle died after eating the Bt toxin and coming down with a 'mysterious' illness". Did you know?: ~ The world's first lifetime feeding study discovered that rats fed a diet containing 11 percent GE corn developed massive breast tumors, kidney and liver damage and other serious health problems in the 13th month of life. ~ To put this into human perspective, if the average lifespan of a person is 80 years, these health problems would start rearing their ugly head somewhere during the 43rd year of life, provided your diet contained just over 10 percent GE foods and you began eating them in early childhood ~ According to a report released by the Environmental Working Group, Americans are eating their weight and more in genetically engineered food every year ~ an average of 193 pounds of GE foods annually. " David vs Monsanto The above link now contains only a 5 minute trailer of the one hour movie which was available to watch for free in 2012. It is a documentary of a Canadian farmer who fought Monsanto & won! Please, remember to click below & sign this petition NOW! Let's help America become one of the last nations to require labeling! 56 Degree Wines Chris Cree offers a fine selection of organic & biodynamic wines! Jodie Bross is following her organic heart & is offering more & more organic choices at their garden center ~ including my organic handcrafted products! Please visit her website for upcoming events & informative classes! Robin is a local herbalist & teacher. One of her weed walks brought her to my gardens in Rockaway! Please click on her above logo to visit her website & learn more about her. GreenPeople.org Click website above to go directly to my listing at Green People! Click on the symbol at the top right hand corner of the screen to tune in! : ) a web portal with 10 types of search Return to the top of Page Incredibly Inspirational Quotes: "The right to search for truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true." ~ Albert Einstein "Be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Mahatma Gandhi "When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us." ~ Arapaho Proverb "We don't see things as they are. We see them as we are." ~ Talmud "What we perceive is our own projection." ~ Pema Chodron "The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." ~ Henri Bergson "You don't get what you want, You get what you are." ~ Lao Tzu "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~ Thornton Wilder "Life is an echo. What you send out comes back." ~ Chinese Proverb "If you want to know the past, look at your present life. If you want to know the future, look at your present actions." ~ Buddha "We become what we think about." ~ Earl Nightingale "Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved." ~ Soren Kierkegaard "Letting Go Is the Path to Everything!" ~ Deepak Chopra "When we are no longer able to change a situation ~ we are challenged to change ourselves." ~ Viktor E. Frankl "Suffering is mistaking the relative for the absolute." ~ Eckhart Tolle "Don't downgrade your dream to match your reality, upgrade your faith to match your destiny!" ~ Bishop Ansah "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door,that we do not see the one which has opened for us." ~ Alexander Graham Bell "Isn't it wonderful that none of us need wait a moment before starting to change the world." ~ Anne Frank "Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest." ~ Sri Chinmoy I saw this on a friends' fridge: When I speak, I will Think First & Ask: Are my words Truthful Helpful Inspiring Necessary Kind ? "What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself." ~ Abraham Maslow "What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind." ~ THE DHAMMAPADA "There is no such thing as THE truth. Truth is not something ... you can think of possessing. Truth is search. Truth can only be found by stretching the limits of your horizon, by widening your way of thinking." ~ Dr. Carmello Lombardo "Real medicine can only exist when it penetrates into knowledge which embraces the human being in respect to body, soul and spirit." ~ Rudolf Steiner "Signal transduction science recognizes that the fate and behavior of an organism is directly linked to its perception of the environment." ~ Bruce H. Lipton, The Biology of Belief "By believing passionately in something that still does not exist, we create it. The nonexistent is whatever we have not sufficiently desired." ~ Nikos Kazantzakis "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems, because you need their gifts." ~ Richard Bach "The world is not dangerous because of those who do harm, but because of those who look at it without doing anything." ~ Albert Einstein "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca "The key to the future of the world is finding optimistic stories and letting them be known." ~ Pete Seeger Benjamin Franklin asked himself the same self-improvement question every night: "What good have I done today?" "Love binds everything together in perfect harmony." ~ St Paul Colossians 3:14 "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." ~ Jimi Hendrix "When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that in itself is a choice." ~ William James "Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom." ~ Viktor Frankl "Every person, all the events of your life, are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you." ~ Richard Bach "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~ Gandhi "Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." ~ Martin Luther King Jr "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." ~ Albert Schweitzer "Things that matter most, must never be at the mercy of things that matter least." ~ Goethe "Know the love is out there. All around us ~ it just takes a second to open our minds and our hearts and our eyes and it will fill you up and sustain us all." ~ Tom Rowan "You cannot pour from an empty vessel." ~ Michele Martin "I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision." ~ Maya Angelou "If you have not clearly stated your expectations in the beginning, how can you expect your expectations to be met later?" ~ Vanessa Green "3 questions I ask myself each day: How can I grow? How can I give? What can I celebrate?" ~ Michael Beckwith "I can heal anything, if I heal my beliefs first." ~ Wayne Dyer "Everything on the earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, and every person a mission." ~ Mourning Dove Salish "Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality." ~ Viktor Frankl "Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who need us desperately." ~ Elie Weisel December 10, 1986 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech Oslo "The greatest happiness is tranquility of the mind." ~ Tibetan Wisdom "Cherish sincerity" ~ Lao Tzu "If someone does not smile at you, be generous and offer your own smile. Nobody needs a smile more than the one who cannot smile to others." ~ Dalai Lama "Study to overcome that in yourself which disturbs you most in others." ~ Thomas A Kempis "Why do you see the speck in your brother�s eye, but do not notice the log in your own?" ~ Jesus Christ "May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly   where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite   possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that   you have received, And pass on the love that    has been given to you. May you be content knowing   you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones And allow your soul the freedom   to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." ~ Saint Thérése   "The Little Flower" "All spirituality is about   relieving suffering." ~ Buddha "The real voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." ~ Marcel Proust "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact." ~ William James "let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" ~ James 1:19 "Confidence is directness & openness in dealing with the facts of life." A quote posted outside of a church on Henry St. in Brooklyn, NY 5/15/2002 "Give it all you got today. Follow your heart go out and play, you might never find what you seek, so before you're old and weak, give it all you got today." ~ Beres Hammond "Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand." ~ Native American or Chinese Proverb "You may never know what results came of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." ~ Mahatma Gandhi "Think Globally, Act Locally" ~ Rene Dubois "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~ Margaret Mead "I think the world's going to be saved by millions of small things." ~ Pete Seeger "Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must ~ at that moment ~ become the center of the universe. And action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all." ~ Elie Weisel Nobel Prize acceptance speech, 1986 "It's never too late to be what you might have been." ~ George Eliot "Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness." ~ Frank Tyger American Editorial Cartoonist (1929-2011) "Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it." ~ Edward W. Bok "We do the best we can with what we know, and when we know better, we do better." ~ Maya Angelou "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardens who make our souls blossom. " ~ Marcel Proust "Help heal the earth & each other with this reminder: To live with love, compassion, & honor in your life each day." ~ Ojibway Prayer "Every time I'm in the woods, I feel like I'm in church!" ~ Pete Seeger "Man is not on the earth solely for his own happiness. He is there to realize great things for humanity." ~ Vincent Van Gogh "If you've opened to love, you're helping people you don't know and have never seen." ~ Rumi "The rhythm of the rain draws me into mothers nature's safe hands, where she teaches me how to dance in step with her." ~ Debbie Foster "If your willingness to give blessings is limited, so also is your ability to receive them." ~ Lao Tzu "One begins to recognize that Nature, Goodness, and God are words for the same glue that holds the creation together." ~ Dr Majid Ali "For attractive lips,   speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes,   seek out the good in people. For a slim figure,   share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair,   let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise,   walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things,   have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a   helping hand, you will find   one at the end of each   of your arms. As you grow older, you will   discover that you have two   hands, one for helping your   -self and the other for   helping others." ~ Audrey Hepburn "I have learned so much from God that I can no longer call myself a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew." ~ Hafiz "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." ~ Martin Luther King Jr "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." ~ Thomas Edison "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." ~ Hippocrates "One quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three quarters keeps your doctor alive" ~ Egyptian Proverb "It is part of the cure to want to be cured." ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca "It's supposed to be a professional secret, but I'll tell you anyway. We doctors do nothing. We only help and encourage the doctor within." ~ ALBERT SCHWEITZER, M.D. "So often, when we simply stop for a moment and clearly see the nature of our destructive patterns, the brightness of our awareness causes them to dissolve ~ without a struggle." ~ Paul Pitchford Epilogue p653 Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition Third Edition I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make a difference in their health & wellbeing! Over the years, it has been instrumental in my journey to a stronger self ! The following are excerpts from another book I read in Fall 2013, & have shared with many. It is written by an MD who researched & studied the science behind healing, after she facing her own health challenges, which had been made worse by her peers. In this book she investigates the placebo effort, shares why some patients miraculously rebound from their predicted incurable illnesses, and identifies what is missing in our typical American medical practices. She encourages everyone to appreciate our body's self-repairing capabilities, and to embrace the power of our healing minds! "The key is to remember that how our minds feel as we go about our day: how relaxed, happy, and fulfilled we are, gets translated into the physiology of the body." "Whether you fear uncertainty and let it trigger stress responses, or embrace uncertainty and let it elicit relaxation responses, is your choice. Personally, I've come to recognize the beauty in uncertainty. While one face of uncertainty is the vast, scary unknown, the flip side of uncertainty is infinite possibility." "Gratitude keeps you optimistic, and as we've seen, evidence shows that optimism improves your health. When you focus on gratitude, positive things flow in more readily, making you even more grateful. As long as you keep your gratitude vessel full, you'll avoid the unhealthy plunge into dark places." "As it turns out, the difference between optimists and pessimists lies in how permanent, pervasive, and personal they perceive good and bad events to be." "When you're happy, relaxed, and free of stress, the body can accomplish amazing, even miraculous, feats of self-repair." Mind Over Medicine: Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself ~ Lissa Rankin, MD In Memory Dulcius ex asperis ~ Sweetness After Difficulty     January 23, 2015 Perhaps it was because we'd retold the 'burying of not-Bella' story so many times, that I somehow thought the actual burying of Bella would be easier. About 10 years ago, after a late summer hike, a friend was driving back to where I lived. It was dusk & we were about 2 miles away, when I asked him to stop & back up. It sure looked like Bella from the truck, passing at about 40 mph, but as I walked towards the motionless gray body, I knew this was a different Russian Blue looking cat. After feeding the still living Bella & her housemates Chi Chu & Genda, we left for a late dinner. When he dropped me off later, I opened the door and heard the thump of work boots, quickly coming towards me on the parquet wood floor. Bill stopped at the end of the hall & uncharacteristically stuttered "Buh Buh Buh Bella's" and he barely choked out the word 'dead'. With each strained syllable, I tried to tell him that everything was fine. The more I attempted to interrupt his sputtering, the more sorrowful he was becoming. There was nothing I could say that would console him, because he was stuck in his story about how he brought 'Bella' home & buried her in the side yard. Oh, no! Next, he was telling me which of Bella's favorite toys he'd entombed with this mystery doppelganger! As I was still trying to redirect his story, I watched a sleepy eyed Bella mosey up the hallway behind the teary eyed Bill. I pointed down and she wound round his left leg, looked up at him & greeted him with her traditional "ruh ruh ruh raow". A split second later and her soft gray fuzzy face rubbed his, purring away. They were quite the pair. It always astonished me that Bill could pet her anywhere without a single scratch or hiss! 2 years after Chi had passed, Bella, Genda, & LB (Little Boy came a few months after the initial not-Bella Burial to stay for a 'month'. Ahem. Still here!), & I moved to the county north of the one we'd enjoyed with Bill for over 10 years. Almost 3 years after that move, & 13 years since Bella & I began living together, Bella finally permitted me to stroke her south of her head without repercussion! I have so enjoyed this mellow old girl these past couple of years: smothering me with kisses; stirring throughout the night asking me to pick up the covers from which she just wandered out to make a 3 second u-turn before returning, so she could continue to cuddle underneath next to me! To wake up to that sweet green-eyed beauty looking at me on the pillow next to me, was truly a gift. To be woken each morning for the past few months by her unique call, a blessing. To hold & soothe her in her last hours was an honor. She's been full of surprises these past couple of years, too, from crazy catapulting off the rocker; wild bolting up the old dead oak in the back; to the shock of finding this completely independent cat curled up with the newest arrival, Riley, when she'd previously permitted no other near her ever before! She was probably 20 years old, and still had the reckless abandon of a kitten. She brought so much laughter with her crazy antics! An entire week before she passed, like Genda, Bella pulled a Houdini. As I was coming out of my studio to put in the next CD of an audio book, I did my customary look over to her spot on the chair. She's gone! My eyes flit to her other chair, the basket, & both litter boxes. No Bella! Not in her tent. Not under the couch. Not in the kitchen, living room, bathroom, or bedroom! Had she rediscovered the cat door after all these months of her disuse of it? I peeked out the window & there she was, sunning herself on the front lawn by one of the spruces! I swiftly swapped my slippers for sneakers, and dashed out the door, & joined her in a sunbath. Yes, January in the northeast, patches of snow lingered from the last storm! But the sun was warm & she wanted to be there. 10 minutes later, she accepted her relocation back to her warm chair. Over this past summer, I thought I was seeing signs of her aging. By now, she'd surely used up her nine lives. I'd pop my head out of the studio now & then, to do a head count. When I'd get to 2, I'd slip on my sandals & check the usual places, which had become more numerous as the warm weeks passed. One of Bella's favorites was across the street in the shade on the neighbor's back deck. When I brought her back, I'd set her down in the cool shade on the grass, or a dewy patch of moss. In this past hour since she took her last little breath, I'd begun to theorize. Perhaps she was feigning senility, and when she'd get little kittens to 'take pity on an old cat', she'd then steal away one of their lives under the ruse that she needed it to get home safely. Oh, the things we create when we're trying to keep the calm in the missing that's already begun. Three hours after I gently laid her in a blanketed box, I got out of bed feeling a lack of being needed. I found myself reminiscing. Like a best-of video clip montage, different images floated by. She was a consummate flirt. She'd always walked my dad to his car when he was leaving after a visit, and she'd roll & roll as he cooed, 'What a good roller you are!" I remember when LB discovered this attention getter & joined her in the rolling! And dad would lavish him too. She also loved the critter chase & capture! Whenever she moved towards me with living creature in mouth, I'd say, "drop it, Bella" and she always immediately did! It amazed me every time! Three hours later, I pushed myself to leave to make the delayed deliveries to customers who all understood my emailed explanation of delay the week prior, which ended with: "Envisioning this graceful old girl passing peacefully in one of her dreamy naps." I just love when I get what I want! One thing catches my eye, & I think "now that's gonna be difficult". It's her bowl; the bowl from which each of my now deceased female felines had eaten these past 25 years. So, here is this gorgeous floral china bowl in a home, which now held only 2 boy cats. Why I felt that I had to choose anything to be difficult, I'm not quite sure. I suppose partly because of having only 3 hours of sleep after a 22 hour day, while out on deliveries I heard myself somehow finding & sharing a silver lining with my compassionate customers: "maybe I'll get to finally see my Christmas cactus bloom, and my spider plant may finally have babies". Bella LOVED eating plants. She managed to polish off an entire lemon geranium in one afternoon! Yes, a LEMON geranium! And on the way back from deliveries & grocery shopping, I drove to Bills. He'd already been to my home & unable to hand dig a hole there, had brought Bella back to his place. He'd gotten the backhoe running & had scooped a hole for her about a bucket's width away from the imposter Bella, who was buried approximately another bucket's width south of Chi's grave. The scoop indicated that the frost line was at least 8 inches. And, so, nearly 10 years of retelling the 'not-Bella burying story', Bella's really being buried, this time with a little soft 4 legged rattle ball toy, which she'd 'converted' to a 2 footed one, & either her 9th life ~ or one of those borrowed ones! And, even though we'd already told the story of the burying of Bella dozens of times, I'm unsure whether it made the real one any easier. Tears streamed down as Bill gently placed her in that hole and softly sifted loose soil atop her. I returned home 8 hours after I'd left, to an empty Bella bowl, and the other two bowls nearly full. I watched as LB & Riley took turns sharing the food in her refilled bowl, while the other bowls remained full. And in the future, when these two are less than angelic, I will recall your gentle nuzzling & soft kisses, Bella, reminding me of these boys graceful honoring of you, while reshaping this potential bowl challenge into another fond memory! The following morning as I'm telling Bill about the unprecedented bowl sharing, I noticed a drooping dragon's tongue. I must have somehow missed that plant. As I watered it, I noticed tiny white flowers at the tips of some of the stems! This plant had never flowered. In fact, I didn't even know that it was capable of flowering! SO, it might have been that I'd stressed it into producing flowers, thinking that it needed to create seed to propagate itself. But, in my heart, I know my silver lining had already arrived, & I chose to take it as a sign that she is resting sweetly. June 10, 2011 Apparently my oldest kitty did not agree to the bargain I'd made with her last summer ~ when I said she had to wait 2 years before passing ~ because that seems to be the separating number these past few years, between losses. I met Genda Lynn over 15 years ago & fell for her immediately ~ much to the chagrin of ChiChu who'd already been with me for 6 years. But Chi & I'd recently moved & she no longer had my brother & his friends around to keep her company & open the door for her every 2.5 seconds. You cat lovers know exactly what I'm talking about! So Genda aka No Kidding (the Japanese translation I read in subtitles at the bottom of some foreign movie, years after she'd gotten her name ~ sounds more like 'kidding' when you listen to the online translation) endured the wrath of ChiChu ~ including a literal physical slap in the face most every morning & every night in bed. Chi sure made sure that Genda & I never forgot that huge misstep! Genda was the greatest of hunters, and the sweetest ~ as she never felt compelled to bring me home any of her treasures! I remember the 1st time I saw her with a kill. I looked out the old apartment window in Bloomfield (almost equi-distant between exits 148 & 149 on the north bound side of the parkway ~ a decade in Essex & in all 3 places I lived, I really could give an answer to that age old out-of-state question "what exit?"; which was also the name we gave to a regional ultimate tournament our team sponsored back then!). Genda looked up & saw me at the window, with a look almost saying "you're not seeing this ~ please don't think less of me", and remained statue still, with bird in mouth, until I moved from that window. And 14 years later, I never saw a conquered creature again. But she was the garbage pail of our home in Rockaway for over a decade, & would trundle away anything deceased to 'properly' dispose of it. We wouldn't want anything to go to waste! And, she also had so many adventures & was always exploring ~ gaining her the nickname MaGellen. A poor slang of 'my-gen-lynn' ~ one of her many shortened nicknames, with a nod to the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan. Even a cataract wouldn't stop her. And, after she sustained an eye injury last year, which gave her a competive edge for any Marty Feldman look alike contest ~ she continued to feel & hear her away around indoors & out. Just yesterday she sought out the shade in the thicket between my neighbors place & mine ~ a great hiding spot which took me an hour to find her last year before she went blind. A true inspiration on days when one might feel challenged by the events at hand. But she always came when you called ~~ well, she may have dawdled now & then ... & gotten locked in a neighbors' shed a block .. or two over .. or unable ~ because she was being treed by a coyote or stuck atop the garage of an older neighbor, who never took to the 2 cats 'trespassing' while cutting through to greener pastures! So strange that she is so still now. I'm almost partial to the thought that she might just show back up again. Such a gentle little girl who will be so very much missed ~ until we meet again, Genda Lynn & I fall for you .. all over again = ) In honor of my father, who passed away on July 10, 2010. Each time I was asked if flowers should be sent to my mom, I responded that I thought my dad would've preferred that everyone just do something nice in his honor. A random act of kindness, if you will. Of course, whatever level this comes on, was (& is still) up to you, the giver: helping someone struggling with their packages or any task, sending a donation, volunteering time in a place which reminds you of him (or, of someone you are missing), calling/writing/visiting someone who may be lonely, extending some extra patience, stepping back a moment with compassion, taking the time to take care of yourself ~ so that you may be of more help to another in the future, sending that 'thinking of you' card to someone well after a loss they've had. A year has passed now ~ and I think of all those who he touched, & who touched him, & am reminded of his many kindnesses. I look forward to another year of honoring him with more acts of kindness! When I went to look for the farewell to him that I was working on in July 2010, I found this : "I wish I could just take his place for a couple of days & make a whole bunch of progress & he could come back to a better body" I wrote that sentence on August 22, 2009. What are the chances that I'd find this exactly 1 year later ? Since a year ago 'today', he managed to get back his appetite, leave the hospital, move to a nursing home & regain the 30 plus pounds that he'd lost from the overdose of chemo they'd given him. He was home a month later & back to his old self ~ going out on his walks & enjoying his favorite foods & friends. Fast-forward 6 months and his appetite was again eluding him, and he shrank before me. 2 weeks after leaving home, he lay in bed, still hoping that maybe tomorrow he'd be strong enough to get out of bed, still thinking that he was going to have a repeat performance of last years weight gain & return to life. A day later and he lay silent, an eye opening: his only real movement. Very early the following morning, he passed away quietly: July 10th. My heart is still so very heavy from his loss. A dull ache in the center of my chest sucks the air from my lungs at certain moments, while tears over-fill my eyes, my jaw tightens, and throat tenses. I cling to all those countless moments we shared when he was his former self ~ able to do all he wanted, desired for nearly 83 of his 83 years! I feel so blessed to have known him; so thankful for all that he taught me, shared with me, gave & took from me. His friends have been so very supportive, and I pray that I will be as surrounded by love when my time comes. Like attracts like, so I guess I gotta start being more of a source of delight. A dream I had of my dad, a week after he died, speaks volumes. He was teaching me this incredibly silly game he'd just invented. Mind you, my father created countless silly nonsense words that his kids & grandkids & their friends still use = ) His last nickname that he created for me was Drag-along-Musko, which he bestowed on me when I was lagging behind as were walking back to the car after walking the Brooklyn Bridge & promenade with my brother, Jim. I'd been distracted by a quote outside of a church on Henry St.: "Confidence is directness & openness in dealing with the facts of life." A real keeper ~ just like my dad = ) So, he was teaching me this incredibly silly game, and we both began to laugh & I started to say, "I miss ", and realized that he was saying the same thing: "your laughter" we said in unison. May his generous and fun spirit guide us to many wonderful things! In honor of my father who was born in 1927, went for his 1st ride in the 1930's, bought his 1st plane in the 1940's & loved to take us all flying with him, I share with you laughter ~ taken & re-worked from ahajokes.com: "In the early 1930's, a farmer and his farm hand went to a fair. The farmer was fascinated by the airplanes and asked a pilot how much a ride would cost. "$10 for 3 minutes," replied the pilot. "That's too much," said the farmer. The pilot thought for a second and then said, "I'll make you a deal. If you both sit & ride without uttering a sound, the ride will be free. But if you make a sound while you're in my plane, you'll have to pay $10." The farmer looked at his partner, who nodded in agreement, and they went for a WILD ride. After they landed, the pilot said to the farmer, "I want to congratulate you for not making a sound. You are a brave man." "Maybe so," said the farmer, "But I gotta tell ya, I almost screamed when my farm hand fell out." August 22, 2010 On Memorial day '08, a doe jumped into my main garden and had her fawn. It was delightful to watch the two of them for the next few weeks ~ it was a grand distraction, watching this new fragile life grow in strength and vitality. The mother was so cautious, and would graze for upwards of a half hour around the gardens, to make sure that it was safe to call out to her young one while effortlessly clearing the fence to enter the garden. (How blessed I was all those years by all the deer leaving those gardens alone! Perhaps they knew how groundhog challenged I already was!) Pure joy to watch the little one bound about the garden when its mother would arrive to care for it. The fawn would run circles around the original central 40x40 garden. In the interim, my oldest feline, ChiChu, was fighting like heck to get to her 18th birthday, but finally gave up ~ June 18, 2008. She is mighty missed, and the other cats honored the spaces she used to occupy for quite some time. Happy heavenly hunting, honey! Amazing to experience these two widely different events in the span of one month. On Friday, April 28th, 2006 two of the greatest people I've ever had the blessing of knowing, were taken in an accident. When I heard the news, it was like all of the air had been sucked out my lungs, while all of the strength flowed out of my legs & my knees thudded onto the threadbare living room rug. To imagine not seeing them on all the holidays, and not joining them on vacation, and no longer having that family home where I'd sought & received comfort for over 2 decades... it seemed entirely impossible. Those who knew Veronica & Mike were asked (in lieu of flowers) to send a giving donation to Heifer International - an organization which they both actively supported over the years. In honor of their memories, I continue to display this link. Even if you never met them, you can still give ~ to honor your own missed loved one, or just to help another in a unique way!! Click on the logo below to connect to their site: Or call: 1 - 800 - 422 - 0474. It's a wonderful opportunity to help someone less fortunate to help themselves & others around them for years to come! Return to the top of Page Contact Me: NEW phone number is: (973) 827 - 3369 Most calls are returned within 24 hours! Email: Please note: Most e-mails are returned within 48 hours! anne@degagegardens.com Mailing Address: 35 Skyview Dr. Franklin, NJ 07416 NEW BROCHURE IS HERE! New pictures & revised catalog are now available!! It is a Word 2000 document. Click on the bolded coloured link below to view: LATEST CATALOG I can also email the new catalog to anyone who wishes ~ click here on anne@degagegardens.com to e me, or send one yourself to anne@degagegardens.com. Thanks ! Return to the top of Page