Digging Winter Medicine

The next morning, Helen and I drove up above alpine altitudes to dig Osha root. The Aspen trees were dressed in golds and reds. The drive up was beautiful and the weather was perfect. Cool and crisp. The last warm blush before winter sets in.

Visiting RV Vagabonds!!!

Linda and Denny of RV Vagabonds hit the Nevada desert this week!! Woot!! I've been enjoying their website for quite some time.

Linda takes excellent pictures of all their travels with great commentary on the places they visit as they follow the sun. Living in their RV full-time, I think of them as cruising in a land-yacht as they travel the asphalt rivers of America!

We met up at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area with plans for geocaching and lunch.
The famous 'Red Rock' Stripe.


Linda and Denny are BIG geocachers. And, even bigger FUN!! We hiked, laughed and talked like we had been friends for a long time. Luna loved Denny on-the-spot.

Always smiling these two!


They had a GPS unit that Linda had already programmed with the coordinates for a number of caches that would be somewhat easy to get to on foot.

She had previously tweaked a knee and needed to 'baby' it. HA!! I think know she could out hike me!! Both of them scrambled over rocks and down steep trails like they were 20 years old.

Denny locates a geocache.


While hiking around looking for the caches, the opportunity to enjoy and smell many of the native Mojave Desert flowers in bloom presents itself. And it is not to be denied.

Cliffrose, Purshia mexicana. Very sweet smelling.


Luna always has too much fun in the desert, runing-running-running, smelling everything and keeping a watchful eye out for the next thing we should be aware of. She's always happy to meet people on the trail with kisses and rubs.

Luna in a 'Super Model' pose.


Red Rock has a number of 'outlook' points and it's always easy to find other people enjoying the view that are willing to help you snap a photo. And yes, I did cut off ALL my hair AGAIN. I donated TWO huge braids to Locks of Love. Guess I should put up pics of the braids someday.

'No Hair' holds on to 'Wiggle Worm' with Linda and Denny


Geocaching is really a fun thing to go out and do. Some of the geocaches have themes, some don't. The main objective is to find them and fill out the log that is in the box. Then you can take something out of the box, leave something in the box, or any combination it seems. The Geocaching site has tons of information for caches all over the world!!

Another cache of the day!!


Lichen along the way.


More Cliffrose.


We stopped for lunch at the Lost Creek Canyon of the park. Yum. Linda and Denny made deviled eggs, hummus and BROWNIES!!! I made sandwiches, potato salad and snacks. It was a feast under tall Cottonwoods. Just lovely would describe it perfectly!!

I'm always amazed when wild life has such little fear of man and dog. This beautiful bird, who I have heard about all my life from hunting friends, pretty much hung out with us for our entire lunch. I threw him bits of pita which he gobbled up. He even took a piece from my hand.

A friendly Chukkar.


After lunch, we continued on with some geocaching in that area.

Blooming Prickly Pear


Another find!!! This cache had a 'children's theme.

Luna approves!!


Inside the cache box.


Mormon Tea


Luna and I had a great time with Linda and Denny. They are delightful humans. We looking forward to their return for more geocaching and BROWNIES.

Please check out their RV Vagabonds site and if you're smart, you'll invite them for a picnic. They're both geocaching and picnic experts. And Linda and Denny, when you come back......

Don't forget the BROWNIES.

Accidental Hedonist's "Herbed Leek Tart"


The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

'Cinnamon,' Diabetes & Cholesterol

Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes

"OBJECTIVE—The objective of this study was to determine whether cinnamon improves blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A total of 60 people with type 2 diabetes, 30 men and 30 women aged 52.2 ± 6.32 years, were divided randomly into six groups. Groups 1, 2, and 3 consumed 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon daily, respectively, and groups 4, 5, and 6 were given placebo capsules corresponding to the number of capsules consumed for the three levels of cinnamon. The cinnamon was consumed for 40 days followed by a 20-day washout period.

RESULTS—After 40 days, all three levels of cinnamon reduced the mean fasting serum glucose (18–29%), triglyceride (23–30%), LDL cholesterol (7–27%), and total cholesterol (12–26%) levels; no significant changes were noted in the placebo groups. Changes in HDL cholesterol were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS—The results of this study demonstrate that intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases."

I'm still researching WHICH 'cinnamon' was used in this study. Cinnamon is not always 'Cinnamon' which is why herbalists always use the FULL and CORRECT name of the plant.

...Cinamomum Cassia and cinnamon are not the same plant, and are different in character above and beyond their geographical source. Cinamomum ceylon and cassia are not precisely the same, they are closely related (they are the only members of the genus Cinamomum, being Cinamomum cassia and Cinamomum zeylonica).

Nevertheless, if further studies bear the theory to be true, 'cinnamon' has far fewer side effects than many of the current cholesterol and diabetic drugs. I am NOT saying to not use current allopathic medicine; I am saying there may be an opportunity to get ahead of the game before such drastic medicine is required by implementing changes in lifestyle and herbal additions. Or lessening the total uptake of allopathic medicines by the addition of herbal medicines.

Further study and research is required. When I figure out WHICH 'Cinnamon' was used in this study, I'll update my blog.

Simply Recipes' "Lamb Stew with Almonds, Apricots & Cinnamon

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.-Alice May Brock, author (1941- )
Just a thought:
"Medicine in our country has been on a crusade over the last 100 years to wipe out every other form of medicine. One of the things they did that was unique was they lobbied to make words legal only for them to use. Today in the US, only a medical doctor can diagnose a disease, prescribe something, and cure you.

Nobody else can say "diagnose", "prescribe" and "cure". That means that nobody can cure you but a medical doctor….I can’t say "Chaparral is the cure for a tumour". I can’t say garlic is the cure for cholesterol or high blood pressure. They have made the laws. So that makes me look stupid, impotent, and it makes the herbs look weak and wimpy.

I can’t as a herbalist, say that an herb will cure, even though a lot of prescription drugs are made from herbs.

This was a tactic by organised medicine to wipe out the opposition, by making them look silly and impotent…they have the words…they control the high ground. They can walk out and say, "Yes, if you take this drug, you will cure yourself." But they hired lawyers and got the government behind them.

If I say that I go to jail. It isn’t because the herbs don’t work and the drugs are better, it’s just because they have more money, they lobbied more and got the law passed in their favour. That is why people get this idea that herbs don’t cure you."
—Dick Shulze, N.D. M.H.