This collection fused the most iconic garments that they found in FILAS’ archive with the most exemplary designs in the Y/Projects archive. One of the main standouts this season is this braiding concept in the opening look. Many of the garments have a deconstructed neckline and at certain points, the garments end up in a big braid and a big weave. It’s up to the customer or the client to choose where they want to put their head and depending on where the head comes out, the drape becomes different and it gets more or less tight around the neckline.
Most of the looks grant the customer a chance to play with and morph the garments to their liking. You have doubled layers of garments which are buttons and depending on your mood you can sleek it down. You also have multiple necklines, the triple neckline that they started last season was implemented into many of the looks so you can drape them how you want to create more or less drama.
“I’m very happy because I think Paris fashion week is about the glitz and the glamour and beauty and I think that's the fun part about Paris fashion week especially with the Y/project. I wanted to make sure that for the main collection, with Fila, we pushed it a bit more and made it more elevated without it of course being your classic boring looks with brands. It always has to have that engagement and that fun factor. I think we did it quite well, we have beautiful and sophisticated looks. It was so nice to actually have 6 months to develop all of these looks because Y/Project is a brand that does all the fun elements in house and we are not all these official tailors, we are all designers,” he says.
WMYA MyTV 40 provides MyTV entertainment programming to residents near Greenville, South Carolina, including Berea, Welcome, Mauldin, Conestee, Simpsonville, Spartanburg, Taylors, Greer, Piedmont, Anderson, Clemson, Liberty, Pickens and Easley, South Carolina and Hendersonville, Asheville, Black Mountain, Flat Rock and Fletcher, North Carolina.
Walmart is offering the AeroGarden Harvest 360 with Gourmet Herbs Seed Kit for $74 shipped. For comparison, Amazon has it listed for $100 or so and today’s deal beats the all-time low that we’ve tracked there by $1 for this colorway. If you’ve been wanting to get started with growing herbs and more indoors, this is a great way to do just that. It ships with the Gourmet Herb Seed Kit, which includes Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill, thyme, Thai basil, and mint. The Harvest 360 allows you to grow up to six plants at once, with each one reaching up to 12-inches tall. No soil, mess, or anything similar is required here either, as AeroGarden uses hydroponic technology to grow your herbs. Rated 4.6/5 stars. Head below for more.
During this deal only, get your AeroGarden Harvest 360 with an Heirloom Salad Seed Pod Kit pack-in. Our fastest growing seed kits will have you harvesting fresh salads right from your kitchen counter in no time! No more trips to the grocery store needed
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Herbal traditions have been used for centuries to help boost libido, without modern drugs or medical intervention. In our modern world, we have access to a vast array of over-the-counter drugs, and most people overlook the power of herbs, each one possessing an individual, unique, and subtle way of interacting with the body, to help enhance sexual energy, drive, and performance. Here's how to tap the potential of herbs to enhance and support our sexual health and do it naturally.
As for which one works best? You need to try each one out, then go off of using it for several days, and observe how you feel. Many of the studies have been done on small groups of participants and the research is scarce, so the herbal knowledge is often based in Ayurvedic medicine and centuries-old practices. Try each one on its own, but always talk to your doctor since some herbs interfere with medication and you don't want any adverse side effects.
The effect of plant-based diets on stamina and performance
Diet plays a role in the bedroom as well. A diet rich in plant-based foods with nitric oxide boosts performance in the gym and in the bedroom, so the first task for anyone who wants to improve their libido is to switch to a plant-based diet and ditch red meat and dairy, which causes inflammation and can contribute to ED, as well as heart disease and obesity.
In the documentary about athletes and plant-based diets, The Game Changers researchers studied how diet affected young male collegiate athletes, who were given plant-based dinner versus animal products, and watched the results as they slept in a sleep lab. The athletes who were given the plant-based dinner also had more frequent erections while sleeping, something they were blushing to see when presented with the results by the researchers. A study in the British Journal of Cancer found that vegans had 13 percent higher testosterone levels than those who eat flesh and 8 percent higher testosterone levels than vegetarians.
If you are eating plant-based, or mostly so, you are already doing yourself a favor as far as performance is concerned. Here's how to use herbs to stoke your sex drive and improve libido without taking a prescription.
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1. Tribulus Terrestris
Tibulus is revered in Ayurvedic medicine as an aperitif, astringent, anti-inflammatory, stomach tonic, diuretic, and aphrodisiac. In one study it was found to increase in erectile function in rabbits given the herb for 4 weeks. The herb may indeed increase libido, but the mechanisms by which this happens is difficult to study since it is such a holistic, powerful herb. Start with half a teaspoon of pure organic powder extract a day for five to seven days and assess how you feel but be warned that it is quite bitter. It’s one of the 10 ingredients in dashamula.
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2. Shatavari
The translation from Sanskrit most often used for shatavari is “She who possesses 100 husbands.” Shat means one-hundred, but vari could mean “husbands” or “roots”. I think the translation “she who possesses a hundred roots” may be more on point since it helps a woman grow her family tree, or put down roots. Shatavari is an adaptogen in the same family as the asparagus family that is believed to increases fertility in women, but it is also recommended for men for other holistic benefits.
Studies on Shatavari are more preliminary but researchers have found: “Shatavari may improve female reproductive health complications including hormonal imbalance, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), follicular growth and development, oocyte quality and infertility possibly by reducing OS level and increasing antioxidants level in the body.”
Organic Shatavari can be purchased from herbal supplier Banyan Botanicals.
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3. Horny Goat Weed
Legend has it that Chinese farmers observed goats copulating more after grazing on ying yang huo, hence its name “horny goat weed”, but the plant also helps with pain and fatigue. Since then, Horny Goat Weed has been used for ED and to strengthen sexual desire. Western research has even begun to accept it as an effective treatment for osteoporosis, hay fever, atherosclerosis, nerve pain fatigue, and erectile dysfunction.
Chinese herbalism has long revered yin yang huo, of which there are 15 different species. Herbalists caution against overstimulating the yang and they recommend combining horny goat weed with ying herbs to ward off “hot” symptoms like irritability, aggressiveness, or a racing heartbeat. If you are making a tea, the calming properties of herbs like chamomile or mint will provide the ying to balance out the horny goat weed's yang.
Yohimbe is an evergreen tree native to western and central Africa that's bark contains a natural chemical called yohimbine, which has been used in herbal traditions for centuries.
Yohimbe is shown mixed results when it comes to improving sex drive, though one study showed that 3 of 11 participants reported some improvement in sensation and sexual function. "Under yohimbine, frequency of sexual activities increased," so there may be enough evidence to encourage using it, for men as well as women who want increased sensation. But the herb has been closely examined for its side effects, especially the fact that it can cause racing heart and tremors. For this reason, doctors suggest taking Yohimbe a few hours before sex, rather than as a daily. Yohimbe bark is sold here.
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5. Tongkat Ali
Known as Malaysian ginseng, the root of the Tongkat Ali plant has been shown to help improve stress levels, but people also take it because it appears to stimulate the release of free testosterone, improve sex drive, and can reduce fatigue, according to research.
As an adaptogen, Tongkat Ali may be taken on its own without other herbs. It also improves muscular strength and stamina. Secrets of the Tribe sells an alcohol-free tincture.
Bottom Line: Try herbs for sexual drive and to improve libido and observe how they influence your body, but keep doses low until you figure out which ones work well for you and lower your dose if you feel the effects are too intense. And check with your doctor before trying any new herbal remedy since some of these are known to interact and impinge medications.
Top 10 Sources of Plant-Based Protein According to a Nutritionist
Life in a period of heightened fear and anxiety has brought lucrative business to companies who can cash in on society’s need to be safe. In response, the mother-daughter duo of Velya and Ehris will share information on how people can grow their own herbal remedies right at home.
The duo — known as The Grounded Goodwife — are returning to the Bradford Area Public Library for another virtual program, “What Should I Grow in My Medicinal Herb Garden,” set for 6:30 p.m. July 5. Registration for this free, Zoom-delivered program is necessary for participants to receive the link/password. Interested individuals can call the library (814-362-6527) or email marketing@bradfordlibrary.org to register.
Did you know that peppermint was included on a list of plants to take to the New World? In Elizabethan times, mint was used to treat over 40 different ailments. Or that knights competing in jousting tournaments would drink borage tea to strengthen their spirits? Today’s scientists know that this plant stimulates the adrenal glands, thus encouraging the production of adrenaline. As society has turned to pharmaceutical companies for medicines, many natural remedies have been forgotten.
Why grow and make one’s own remedies? Turning to the plants and “weeds” in the gardens allows individuals to take an active role in one’s health and well-being. But, more importantly, it is fun, inexpensive, safe, effective, and empowering.
This Green Witch program by the duo will engage participants to enter the world of herbs and flowers while learning of their medicinal and healing properties.
While many people are aware of the effectiveness of holistic remedies, their health-store price tags are prohibitive. The Urbans will take the guesswork out of herbal gardening, and will share 11 of their favorite herbs that are easy to grow, do well in virtually every climate, and have a variety of medicinal benefits. They will explain how to harvest, dry, and store herbs, which parts of the herbs to use for remedies, and how to make herbal infusions (teas). According to the Urbans, the right herbal remedies can treat many common ailments, such as cold and flu symptoms, inflammation, minor cuts, infections, pain, muscle spasms, poor digestion, and insomnia.
Ehris Urban, the owner of Grounded Holistic Wellness, is a graduate of the New England School of Homeopathy. She is a flower essence therapy practitioner, herbalist, holistic nutritionist, and a green witch. She and Velya will share their knowledge with reassurance and humor. Once harvest time comes, participants will discover that there’s nothing more rewarding than growing a medicinal herb garden and making herbal remedies from the ground up.
To many lovers of fresh food summer means tomatoes and fresh basil. Basil is known as the “king of herbs.”
Basil is originally native to India and Iran. It came to Europe via Italy. In native India, it is nearly as sacred as the lotus flower.
Like most herbs, it was used in ancient times for medicinal purposes, to treat many maladies. It was used as an antispasmodic, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, for stomach issues, and was conducive to meditation. It was also used for headaches, to increase appetite, improve blood circulation, treat fevers, cough, snake and insect bites, fungal infections and rheumatism.
Interestingly, it was also used to chase away bad luck, as a love charm, for aromatic baths and to keep moths from the wardrobe.
Today, we just love the flavor — whether fresh or as pesto.
Basil is an annual plant you have to start every year, but it is easy to grow. Perhaps one of the biggest problems is the rush to get it into the garden in spring. Basil needs warm temperatures to germinate from seed — 70 to 75 degrees. For this reason, most people buy plants rather than try to grow from seed.
Basil needs a sunny spot in well-drained soil. It should be planted about 8 inches apart. Basil is a “cut-and-come-again” herb, so you can enjoy the same plant nearly all season.
There are many varieties of basil. Perhaps the most popular is sweet or Genovese. This variety is widely used in Italian cooking.
Other popular varieties, are spicy globe, dwarf bush, lemon, African blue (which smells like camphor), Lettuce leaf and purple ruffle.
A hard to find but worth the search variety is pesto perpetuo. Its leaves are edged in white and it does not produce flower spikes. Basil is packed with potassium and calcium. For best flavor don’t let the plant go to flower. As with most other plants, the bitter taste takes over.
Basil does seem to attract slugs and Japanese beetles. Soft-bodied insects like aphids, spider mites and white flies can be controlled with insecticidal soap. Diseases include fusarium wilt, a fungus. The plant grows, then suddenly becomes stunted and brown. Pull and throw away.
Overhead watering and poor aeration may cause gray mold to develop. Basil is also susceptible to downy mildew. Watch for yellowing of leaves and purplish gray spots. Rotate where basil is planted. Basil and tomatoes are good companion crops (and eating crops).
If you have basil, you must make pesto. Here’s my recipe for:
Basil-Walnut Pesto
2 peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup Parmesan cheese
4 cups (packed) fresh basil
1/3 cup light olive oil
Put the garlic and walnuts in the food processor until ground. Drop in the cheese, 2 cups of basil and half of the oil, process. Finally, add remaining basil and oil.
For information and recipes for basil, go to https://ift.tt/3h2KZfO.
McKinley is an Ohio State University Mahoning County Extension Master Gardener volunteer.
Herbert C. “Herb” Carey, 78, of Dagsboro, Del., passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, June 26, 2021, in the comfort of his home. He was born in Dagsboro, Del., on March 24, 1943, son of the late Charles Robert Carey and Aline (Jarman) Sojka.
Carey graduated from John M. Clayton High School, in the Class of 1961, and then completed his professional training at the Delaware State Police Academy in 1972. He was an employee of DuPont Plant in Seaford, Del., for 10 years, followed by faithful service to his community as a Bethany Beach Police Department officer from 1970-1994. He served as the chief of police from 1973 until his retirement in 1994. Following his retirement, Carey and his beloved wife, Bonnie, were bus contractors for the Indian River School District.
He also served his community as a 50-year active member and lifetime member of the Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Company, holding multiple offices with the company. He was a member of Delaware Lodge #37 A.F. & A.M. in Dagsboro, Del., the Fraternal Order of Police, Sussex County Fire Police Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Bethel United Methodist Church in Dagsboro, Del., Selbyville Elks Lodge 2173 and Delaware Mobile Surf Fisherman.
When Carey was not volunteering with the fire company, he enjoyed spending time fishing, hunting, attending University of Delaware football games, and spending time with family and friends. He never missed a sporting event honoring his grandchildren. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor and his love and devotion to his family and many friends. The yearly family trips to Hatteras were always so memorable and meant so much to him.
Carey was preceded in death by his father, Charles Robert Carey; his mother, Aline (Jarman) Sojka; and his stepmother, Ila Carey. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Bonnie (Baker) Carey; a daughter, Dana Warrington and her husband, Guy; four grandchildren, Lindsey McCabe (and Andrew), Kayla Bollinger (and Scott), Jordan McAllister (and Spencer) and Nathan Warrington (and his fiancée, Heather Collins); and six great-grandchildren, Kennedy and Bethany McCabe, Parker and Shelby Bollinger, Reagan Bartkowiak and Jack McAllister.
A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 2, 2021, at the Frankford Chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 43 Thatcher St., Frankford, Del., where a Masonic service will be held at noon, followed by the funeral service. Interment with firefighter honors will follow at Dagsboro Redmen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggested memorial contributions in Carey’s name to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963 or Bethel United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 147, Dagsboro, DE 19939. Condolences may be sent online by visiting www.melsonfuneralservices.com.
SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — If you are looking for an easy entrée in to gardening, look no further than herb gardening. You can grow herbs right in your garden, you can grow them in pots outside, or you can grow them in pots right on your windowsill. Either way, you have fresh herbs to snip and add to salads, marinades, and any summer feast you might prepare.
Master Gardener Chris Pezzullo shares the secret of successfully raising herbs -- water!! That's it. Unlike many garden plants, herbs really do not need to be fed any special food, they just need dirt and water. A great way to get gardening without too much challenge. Chris also shared his recipe for a Fresh Herb Salad Dressing: Mix together 3 TBS of olive oil, 2 TBS of white wine vinegar, a 'splash' of Maine maple syrup. Grab a stem of each herb you are growing (mix it up!), pull off the leaves, and chop the herbs finely. Add chopped herbs to your oil and vinegar mix, shake well, and you are ready to dress your salad!
Organizers canceled an annual event last year in Dubuque due to COVID-19 concerns and were not sure what to expect when planning this year’s edition back in March.
Turns out, Sunday’s Herbfest flourished at the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
“I am amazed,” said Fran Hedeman, one of the organizers of the event with the Herb Society of Dubuque. “We didn’t know how many people would show up.”
About 30 people circulated between the arboretum’s herb garden and a series of nearby tables set up on the arboretum’s grounds about one hour into the four-hour event.
While Hedeman and other society members gave tours of the garden, others staffed the tables, offering bagged herbal treats, handcrafted items for sale, information on herbs and free sample plants.
“We had to totally cancel it last year,” Hedeman said of the event.
Then, organizers had to decide in March whether to hold the event this summer.
“Who knew what it would be like now,” Hedeman said. “We just decided we would do everything outside.”
Previous events featured tables indoors at the arboretum.
Clayton and Allison Stoffel, of Madison, Wis., visited the tables and learned more about various herbs.
“It’s really neat,” Allison Stoffel said. “We don’t bake with herbs, so it’s nice to see what can be done with them. It’s also nice that (the event) is outside.”
Hedeman said interest in gardening in general grew during pandemic-related closures and other restrictions in 2020, and that growing herbs is a good introduction to the hobby of gardening.
“People can grow them in pots and in whatever space they have,” she said. “Most herbs adapt readily to growing in a pot. Some are better in a pot, because they don’t invade your whole garden — like mint.”
Hedeman encourages beginning herb gardeners to start small.
“If you (plant) a lot and it becomes overwhelming, it can be discouraging,” she said. “Start with a few plants and see what you like.”
Hedeman’s tours of the arboretum’s herb garden highlighted the variety of roles herbs have played throughout the centuries of their cultivation.
“It’s fun to share the stories of the herbs and their histories,” she said. “(In the herb garden) we have culinary (herbs), scented or aromatic and medicinal. We have plants used for dyeing fabrics. We have teas. We have edible flowers.”
Sunday’s festival helped show that Hedeman’s society is recovering from the pandemic, too.
“We lost some people during the pandemic because they didn’t feel safe,” she said. “We held all of our meetings outdoors last year and we have had a meeting indoors this year.”
Hedeman said a core group of 15 helped organize this year’s festival.
“This (event) is nice and festive and it’s nice for us all to be together,” Hedeman said.
Cecelia Thorn How we made canna-butter *before* herbal infusers were invented
Herbal infusers make it easy to cook up potent edibles at home. These foolproof machines create perfect canna-butter or THC oil, while helping you get the most out of whatever’s in your weed stash box.
I love the Levo Oil Infuser, which I’ve used to make several batches of infused coconut oil. (Find our detailed Levo 2 review below.)
This guide includes great cheaper herb infusers, too. Read on to discover the best herbal infuser for your budget.
CAMDEN — Gardener Denise DeSpirito will lead an outdoor talk about the dye plants in the herb garden at Merryspring Nature Center on Tuesday, July 13, at 12 p.m.
Dye plants have long been an important part of Merryspring Nature Center. When the herb garden, Merryspring’s first cultivated garden, was originally planted it included a dye garden bed full of plants useful for adding color and vibrancy to textiles, yarns, and even food. After several years of neglect, the dye bed has been restored and updated to include 10 varieties of dye plants.
In this talk, Denise DeSpirito will speak about restoring the dye plant bed, the individual annuals, perennials, and biennials inside its borders, and how to grow these and other dye plants in the home garden.
DeSpirito is a gardener and herbalist. She has grown herbs all over the Northeast, including Avena Botanicals in Rockport, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York, and Farmacy Herbs in Rhode Island. She currently serves as Garden Manager at Merryspring.
This talk is part of Merryspring's Outdoor Summer Talk series, sponsored by The First National Bank. Outdoor Talks are held in a distanced manner in the Hexagon at Merryspring.
The cost of this program is $5 for the general public, with a free admission for Merryspring members. No preregistration is necessary for this event.
Merryspring is your community nature center offering walking trails, cultivated gardens, wildlife, and ecology and horticulture educational programs all year round. The park is located at the end of Conway Road, just off of Route 1 in Camden behind Hannaford Shopping Plaza. For more information on this program, please contact info@merryspring.org or call 207-236-2239.
The 2021 NBA Draft is set to kick off on July 29. LWOS continues its draft profiles with Alabama’s Herb Jones. Jones was one of the key cogs in the resurgence of the Alabama basketball program. The 6’8 forward nearly left for school early last summer, but the decision to stay paid off and he was rewarded with a boost in his draft stock.
Herb Jones 2021 NBA Draft Profile
College
After leading Hale County to it’s first state title, Jones elected to stay home and attend Alabama. He showed incremental improvements throughout his first three years in Tuscaloosa before breaking through during his senior season. As a junior, Jones became a menace on the defensive end and he averaged 7.9 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 2.3 assists per game, and he was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.
Jones nearly tested the NBA waters before returning to Alabama, and the Crimson Tide went on to have one of the best seasons in school history. They posted a 26-7 record and won both the SEC regular season and tournament championships, and he was one of the catalyst to their success. Jones went onto win both the 2021 SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Awards, after averaging 11.2 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, 1.7 steals per game, and 1.1 blocks per game. He turned into quite the swiss-army knife during his final season, and that versatility will be coveted by the NBA.
Jones’ enters as one of the best two-way players, and his versatility is what will set him apart in this draft.
The SEC Defensive Player of the Year has a motor that will allow him to be disrupt who opponents constantly. Jones has the ability to crash the boards, defend the rim and guard positions 1-5 effectively. He can provide perimeter and interior support and he fits the mold as a small-ball 4 in today’s NBA perfectly.
During his senior season Jones showed strides on the offensive ball. He was the swiss-army knife for an offense that ranked second in nation in scoring. The 6’8 forward is a physical attacker with the ability to finish at the rack, create second chance buckets, facilitate and distribute.
Weaknesses
The one glaring, apparent weakness in Jones game is the trey ball. After shooting 35 percent on less than two attempts per game, he’s going to have to develop a three-point shot. He checks all of the NBA’s check marks, but the ability to shoot is at the very top of that list. He’s the prototype 3&D build, with one side of that oozing even more upside.
Jones struggled with foul trouble throughout his career, and while he may not run into as a pro early, he does lean heavily on physicality. The pros will be much more physical than college, so Jones will experience growing pains on the offensive side of the ball. It won’t be as easy to finish, so a jump shot would really take his game to the next level.
Herb Jones Pro Comparison
Jones is such a well-rounded player, he has a lot of Shawn Marion and Draymond Green in his game. He’s plays with physicality and high energy, he can rebound and defend really well, and he can finish at the rack strong. His ability to facilitate an offense in spurts and protect the rim bring even more dimensions to his game.
2021 NBA Draft Projection
Jones should go in the early second, but he has the potential to latch on with a contender late in the first.
A friend was emptying his father's house and gave me two books — from the 5,000 his father owned — by William Styron. The first was "A Tidewater Morning: Three Tales from Youth" and then "Lie Down in Darkness."
I opened the brown cover of the latter and someone (I assume my friend's father) had written "Author's 1st Book" on the inside page and then to the right "5," which appeared to be the price he paid for it at one of the used bookstores he used to visit as if he were attending church.
The book starts with a hearse, the impending funeral of a young woman and her grieving parents who can't stand one other.
Death, funeral, marriage on the rocks, that's OK, I'm a big boy. Sometimes you have to go through some stuff in order to get to better stuff.
By page 8, I was giving myself a pep talk. Hang in there buddy, this is William Styron, not Billy, Bill or Willy, the guy your best friend recommended, the author who won a Pulitzer, a National Book Award and the St Louis Literary Award, whatever that is.
Thirty pages later, I was lying down in darkness when all I wanted to do was get up and make myself a cup of coffee, a toasted bagel spread with raspberry jam and have some cold, sweet watermelon.
I flipped ahead and spot read. Maybe there was some romance further on in the story. A woman whose bonnet wouldn't stay on her head.
If not romance, how about a tornado that would clean out the whole lot of them, unlikable bunch that they were. Nothing wrong with clearing the decks and starting over except Styron was adding more characters who rivaled his existing stock of characters in unlikability.
I'm not a quitter, I don't like quitting in general but quitting a book is like a literary misdemeanor. I feel as if I am letting people down, people I know, people who believe in me and people who always thought I was a lightweight and couldn't get through a serious book that took some stick-to-it-iveness.
You know you're on your way out when you look for reasons not to read the book that you're reading: It's too late. I haven't read the newspaper for awhile. This might be a good time to study the directions for the Levolor blinds I'm putting up in my office.
Other books call out to you and say, "Read me. I know you want to. Give up on the darkness and come to the light."
For me, the book that spoke the loudest and most insistently was "Heaven's Prisoners," by James Lee Burke, which I had recently received in the mail. Burke is like candy corn or a bag of Cheetos. The next thing you know, your hands are orange but you are happy.
"You can't read everything you want with the time you have left." Sue said.
She might as well have said, "Life's too short to drink bad wine."
I hung in there. For a week. For 160 pages. For a moment when the book might catch fire and exert its gravitational pull on me.
Instead, it went anti-gravity on me so I weakened, I equivocated and I told myself that maybe it wasn't the right time for this book. It was the Seinfeld version of "It's not you, it's me."
I closed the brown cover, I put the book on the shelf and as I did I was flooded with a combination of shame and relief. I was a lightweight but I was at peace with that.
I opened the James Lee Burke and placed my bookmark inside as if I were planting an umbrella in the sand at the beach, marking the compound.
The first sentence read: "I was just off Southwest Pass, between Pecan and Marsh Islands, with the green, whitecapping water of the Gulf Stream to the south and the long, flat expanse of the Louisiana coastline behind me — which is really not a coastline at all but instead a huge wetlands area of sawgrass, dead cypress strung with wisps of moss."
I was home. Not home-home but home in a book I couldn't wait to get to every day.
Lie down in darkness? There is plenty of time for that. Right now, I'm reading for the light.
CROSS ROADS — While many annual festivals and events are recovering from a lost year, Cross Roads farmer Russell Foster started from scratch with this weekend’s inaugural North Texas Lavender Festival, a two-day event featuring three lavender farms from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Foster hosted the festival at his Cross Roads business, TX-Ture Farm, which makes hand-crafted products using his own alpacas, Christmas trees, gourds, honey and lavender. Perhaps more important than those products, he said, is the experience — his farm is available for school field trips and offers programs like “Alpaca Yoga” — which led him to plan this year’s inaugural lavender festival.
Russell Foster, right, assists people as they shop for several types of lavender products during the North Texas Lavender Festival on Saturday in Cross Roads.
“Everyone was saying they want to get outside, so we said ‘Hey, let’s throw a party,’” Foster said. “The festival happened because of COVID, but this is the new normal for us.”
The festival was organized in under two months, Foster said, and the two-day celebration features live music, local vendors, food trucks, art exhibits and three North Texas lavender farms — TX-Ture, Anna-based Fields of Fidelis and Rockwall-based Farmers Lavender Co.
“We encourage people to come out and do something they haven’t done before,” Foster said. “It’s kind of a dead zone out here from an entertainment standpoint. It’s just fun to see people out here having a good time.”
Foster said that in Texas, much of the lavender growing activity takes place in Hill Country, but that he’s hoping to expand the North Texas festival next year to help grow the herb’s local presence. AJ Fidelman, who co-owns Fields of Fidelis in Anna along with his wife, said lavender simply takes more effort and attention to grow effectively than many mass-produced crops.
“The reason it’s not popular is because it’s very time-consuming and difficult,” Fidelman said. “But Texas has more lavender farms than most people realize.”
AJ Fidelman, Fields of Fidelis co-owner, fills sachets with lavender during the North Texas Lavender Festival at TX-Ture Farms on Saturday in Cross Roads.
Saturday, Fidelman positioned himself in front of his farm’s tent, selling sachets of dried lavender he filled on the spot for any passersby. An Army veteran, Fidelman said his farm works with veteran-focused organizations, one of which helps him harvest his product when the time comes.
Foster said he’s hoping for a turnout of about 2,500 people across the weekend, and was pleased with the early results from the first few hours Saturday. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for kids, and the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Stacy Burnett brought his girlfriend, a lavender enthusiast, up from Roanoke to the festival on Saturday. They’ve started to get out to more events recently, he said, and the lavender festival was appealing when he found it online because it was unique.
“Obviously, there haven’t been a lot of traditional festivals,” Burnett said. “This wasn’t that far and it’s a little bit unusual.”
This recipe takes summer fruit salad to a whole new level, thanks to a sweet, salty and spicy Thai dressing. It’s from Top Chef alum GregoryGourdet’s new cookbook, Everyone’s Table, and is a gorgeous addition to your Fourth of July menu. The Asian ingredients typically can be found in a large supermarket’s produce section or in an Asian market. Galangal is ginger’s pungent, citrusy cousin. You can substitute ginger in a pinch, although the flavor will be different. Lemongrass is a common herb used in Southeast Asian cooking. If you can’t find it, substitute lemon zest. To bruise the lemongrass, trim off the top of the stalk, remove a few layers and lightly crush the stalk with a meat mallet or the side of a knife. And red Thai chile adds a real punch to the dressing. You can substitute a milder serrano pepper.
2large lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and very thinly sliced
½ cupextra-virgin olive oil
2big handfuls mixed herbs (mint leaves, trimmed, bruised and very thinly sliced Thai or Italian basil leaves, cilantro sprigs)
Key Tags
Directions
Dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend on high speed 2 minutes or until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; shake well before using.
Salad:
Cut watermelon into 3-by-1-by-1-inch sticks, removing seeds as you go. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
In a large bowl, combine chilled watermelon, onion and salt. Add berries, lemongrass and dressing; toss gently to coat. Drizzle with oil, add herbs and gently toss. Arrange on a platter.
Turmeric milk or Haldi Doodh |  Photo Credit: iStock Images
Key Highlights
Rare is the Indian household where Haldi or turmeric (curcumin) is not used in everyday meals in some form or the other.
Haldi powder is used not only as a spice but also as an antiseptic agent on small wounds or mixed with milk as a drink.
Turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties are well-known and need no campaign to prove the same.
Turmeric or Haldi is a herb that is so commonly used in Indian households that it is taken for granted that no home in India lacks it. It is used as a spice in food, as a home remedy for an injury or cough cold etc in milk or for application on wounds.
According to the book "Antioxidants in Food, Vitamins and Supplements: Prevention and Treatment of Disease" by Dr Amitava Dasgupta - Professor at University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and Kimberly Klein - his Asst Professor colleague - "The most active component of turmeric is curcumin. Scientific research has shown that turmeric has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities and also has a potential to reduce the risk of various malignant disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic illness including rheumatoid arthritis."
Research done by doctors at Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan) USA proves that the deadly colorectal cancer (CRC) - the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Western world - has low occurrence in India because "...(of) daily consumption (of turmeric) not only speaks for its safety but has been said to be responsible for the low incidence of CRC in these countries." This, while currently there is no effective treatment for CRC except resection at a very early stage with or without chemotherapy.
Turmeric is a herb worthy of being called magical, purely because of the vast scope of application and use, as well as easy availability and affordability of the herb.
ScienceDirect.com quotes Dr Joseph Eichenseher (cited in a book named "Integrative Medicine" by Dr David Rakel), citing a clinical trial, in which 600-mg turmeric root was administered five times daily to patients with PUD, reported ulcer resolution at 4 weeks and 12 weeks in 48 per cent and 76 per cent of patients, respectively. The same study also demonstrated that turmeric markedly improves symptoms of dyspepsia in 1 to 2 weeks.
How to use turmeric for best results:
Turmeric contains bioactive compounds with medicinal properties - key among them being Curcumin. But turmeric contains only around 2 to 8 per cent curcumin by weight - not achievable by just a bit of spice daily. Also, curcumin is poorly absorbed into your bloodstream. That is why one should consume it with black pepper, which contains piperine - a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2,000 per cent and also makes it substantially more effective.
Curcumin is also fat-soluble, which means it breaks down and dissolves in fat or oil. No wonder then, it was added to a meal being cooked with ghee and fats. Also, it is often used as a drink in milk at night.
According to MedicalNewsToday, turmeric tea, brewed using grated turmeric root or pure powder, is considered one of the most effective ways to consume the spice.
To prepare Haldi Chai or Turmeric Tea, you can use 2 teaspoons of ground Haldi powder in about 4 cups of water - boiling for about 10 minutes before straining it. You can flavour it with honey and whole milk, or cream, coconut oil or ghee to dissolve curcumin and make it available for absorption by the body.
MedicalNewsToday also states that most research in adults supports the safe use of 400 to 600 milligrams (mg) of pure turmeric powder three times daily, or 1 to 3 grams (g) daily of grated or dried turmeric root. Grating the turmeric yourself is the best way to ensure a pure product.
Lemon and ginger with honey and turmeric are a good combination of antioxidants and anti-microbial agents.
When having Turmeric milk or Turmeric Latte as it is fashionably called in the West, you can add ground black pepper to turmeric before consumption. Black pepper contains piperine, a chemical known to help promote curcumin absorption. It also gives a zingy flavour to turmeric tea.
Now supplements of Curcumin (the vital ingredient of turmeric) are also available. Ask your doctor about it.
In Chapter 13 (Turmeric, The Golden Spice) of the book "Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects", the beneficial effects of turmeric are traditionally achieved through dietary consumption, even at low levels, over long periods of time.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
MADISON, WI— The Olbrich Botanical Herb Garden this summer will plant corn, milkweed, sweetgrass and more to pay homage to the indigenous traditions of tribes native to southeastern Wisconsin such as the Ho-Chunk Nation
Given its small size, the Garden has always served as an ideal space to bring in new plants, said Olbrich horticulturist Erin Presley. In this case, it also serves to educate the community about indigenous plants along with the accompanying context and traditions.
And, in an effort to engage community members, Olbrich will host an event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 8, serving milkweed soup and encouraging visitors to explore the garden and ask questions.
Presley worked on the garden with Ho-Chunk chef Elena Terry and University of Wisconsin-Madison student group Wunk Sheek, which helped with find native seeds and translate names, an effort Presley described as "reinvigorating indigenous agricultural traditions."
Rita Peters, Olbrich staff cashier who is a part of the Menominee tribe and a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, helped lead the project.
Food is heavily connected to indigenous cultures, Peters said, especially because that food has been attacked in efforts to assimilate Indigenous peoples.
"No longer having access to our traditional foods changed our relationship with our food and the natural land," Peters said. "Our seeds are our relatives that we've spent time with over generations, cultivating and working together to feed our communities. This relationship between seeds and people plays an important role in supporting indigenous cultures, economies, communities and values."
Some of these indigenous crops have been lost to tribes over the years due to violence, displacement and cultural disruption, Presley said. By bringing them into the herb garden and providing some of this historical context, she said she hopes people can be more cognizant of where food comes from and the culture that surrounds it.
"I guess for my part, is trying to get everybody who comes into the herb garden to have this idea click that there's a lot of history here that we maybe have forgotten about or put aside," Presley said.
While the garden has a lot of ties to the Ho-Chunk Nation, Peters said it incorporates several plants from other, nearby tribes including Ho-Chunk corn and squash, Arikara yellow beans, Potowatomi lima beans, Cherokee trail-of-tears beans and Oneida tobacco.
"Plants that are native and grow wild in these lands don't follow county or state lines to separate regions," Peters explained.
Not only does Peters hope the garden will educate the community, but for her, it was also a way to connect with family and tribal ties.
She was able to work with her aunt, named Rosalene Goodbear on the Ho-Chunk side of her family, to translate seed names. In the garden, Ho-Chunk names will appear next to the English words to "incorporate more into the indigenous garden experience," Peters said.
Her two grandmothers grew up in the nearby Starkweather neighborhood, and they would tell Peters stories of them playing in the gardens. So getting involved at Olbrich, and especially taking a lead on this project, lets Peters share a bit of the Ho-Chunk culture that her family has followed for generations.
And for those who don't have personal ties, Presley said she hopes people can still feel a connected to the garden.
"It's so fun to see people come into the herb garden, and I always hope that no matter who you are or where you're from, you'd be able to see something in the herb garden that makes sense to you or you recognize and make you feel like home," Presley said.
The unique design of Walford Home's galvanized decor herb pot and tray set is now receiving top ratings from many users. These farmhouse-style pot planter sets come with three galvanized steel pots and a custom-designed tray with sturdy handles.
CARY, N.C., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Walford Home continues its tradition of delivering world-class home, kitchen and garden products. The company's galvanized decor flower pot set has emerged as a favorite plant container for those who love to garden. Many customers have strongly recommended this product, particularly for its excellent design.
The flower pot set from Walford Home was designed for indoor and outdoor use. Its farmhouse decor pot planters can effortlessly enhance the aesthetic appeal of any home or garden. Crafted from durable and heavy-duty galvanized steel, these flower pots offer a combination of durability and a touch of rustic charm. In addition, Walford Home's flower pot for succulents can be used to create beautiful herb gardens in the kitchen, porch, deck, or patio.
Each set contains three flower pots along with a tray. The trays are equipped with high-quality protective pads on the underside and durable 4-point connected handles.
"Adorable and well made. These arrived the same day as a snowstorm, so it will be a while before I can use these outside for herbs. Now I may decide to just keep them inside because they look so nice on my dining table. These were well packaged, no damage. There are drainage holes in the bottom if you do use them for real plants. I'm very happy with these," a highly impressed user mentioned in her review.
A family-owned business located in North Carolina, Walford Home started its journey in 2017 with the vision of delivering premium quality home, kitchen and garden products to discerning customers. All its products are designed in the US by the company's in-house team of experts. Products from Walford Home are extremely popular with homeowners looking to bring character and accent their homes.
To find out more about Walford Home and its line of premium galvanized products, please visit https://walfordhome.com.
Contact Name: Lawrence Barnes
Contact Phone: (984)464-2980
Contact Email: contact@walfordhome.com
About WALFORD HOME
WALFORD HOME specializes in premium quality Home, Kitchen and Garden products designed exclusively by us to accent your home. Walford Home's galvanized décor and kitchen products are both functional and decorative in our distinctive farmhouse style.
The 2021 NBA Combine is underway in Chicago with three former Alabama basketball standouts in attendance.
Seniors Herb Jones and John Petty Jr. are joined by freshman Josh Primo in the field of 69 draft-eligible players.
The NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, July 29 (7 p.m. CT) on ABC and ESPN.
Primo and other early entrants have until July 7 to withdraw from the draft to maintain their college eligibility.
Here is a look at how Alabama's representatives have performed:
Herb Jones
Jones showed off his improved shot in front of scouts this week.
Alabama’s Herb Jones showing off his stride length and bounce in transition. One of the draft’s more versatile prospects at 6-8 with a 7-0 wingspan and an excellent feel for the game on both ends. pic.twitter.com/tXq8WCAYRF
He measured 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan and will not compete in scrimmages.
John Petty Jr.
Petty showed off his skills during workouts but withdrew from Thursday's scrimmage.
Josh Primo
Josh Primo looks very comfortable on the ball, given age, level of competition and stakes. No way teams let him go back to school. Doesn’t turn 19 til Christmas.
Primo has been one of the biggest stories at the combine and has some scouts questioning whether he will return to Alabama.
Alabama's Josh Primo had arguably the best day of anyone at the NBA Combine yesterday, especially considering he's just 18-years old. Made shots as always but also showed more upside as a creator than we had previously seen, with some really nice passes. pic.twitter.com/B7NxevGGoz
Ground flower vaporizers used to be exclusively reserved for durable tabletops, as the boxy, dense machinery was far too complex for travel — much less sneaking tokes in a Target bathroom stall. But today, there are a number of palm-sized herb vaporizers on the market, including the G Pen Dash, Grenco Science's most affordable, ergonomic, and discreet contribution to the handheld-dry-herb-vaporizer space.
For flower vape enthusiasts, products like the G Pen Dash are game changers. Not only is it discreet enough to slip into a back pocket, it's convenient, intuitive, and less than a hundred bucks. But there's a lot more to this dainty device than just pocket accessibility, potential duckets saved, and comfortable thumb rests.
Here's everything else you need to know about the G Pen Dash vaporizer.
What is the G Pen Dash?
The G Pen Dash is a one-hitter vaporizer made for dry, ground herbs. Basic units start at around $70, but limited-edition Dash collaborations with Cookies, Dr Greenthumb and BLLRDR cost a bit more and have more decorative housing. Each unit features a glass glazed, stainless steel heating chamber with three temperature settings.
This vaporizer is an affordable option for ground-herb consumption; it functions with the same efficacy of higher priced, bulkier units, but is discreet enough to dangle from a keychain or fit in a novelty clutch, which makes it markedly more attractive to less cavalier users.
How does the G Pen Dash work?
The G Pen Dash is constructed with a magnetic mouthpiece on one end and a charging port on the other. With a slight amount of pressure, the mouthpiece pops off to reveal an almond-sized heating chamber. This modest cavity holds approximately .25 — .5 grams of finely ground herb. Included is a packing tool that helps keep crumbs from escaping during what is a simple packing process: dump the herbs in, reattach the mouthpiece and voila, the device is equipped.
There is a single button on the body of the Dash, once the mouthpiece is snapped back into place, just press this button five times to simultaneously power on the device and activate the heating element. Haptic feedback will alert you when the unit is powered on. Finally, click the button another three times to select the desired vaporization temperature.
When the device reaches temperature, another haptic alert will go off, and the device is ready for use.
After three or four deep draws, the bowl will be spent, and popping the mouthpiece will both shut the device off and reveal ground herb that appears toasted, but not burnt. You can tap the spent plant matter into the palm of your hand and dispose of it in the nearest compost bin.
Changing temperatures
The G Pen Dash's single button contains three tiny LED lights. The lights display both temperature and battery life.
Temperature is controlled similarly to power; once the device is powered on, press the button three additional times to access the heating selection.
Temperature colors:
Red: 428°F
Green: 401°F
Blue: 375°F
This device maintains its heat until its auto-shutoff is activated from non-use or the herbs have been removed, so pack the heating element with only as many hits as you would pack in an analog one-hitter. The G Pen Dash provides excellent personal hits, but can waste material or even become clogged if overpacked.
Charging the G Pen Dash
The LEDs within the G Pen Dash's single button signify both temperature and battery power. While the colors vary for temperature, they are exclusively red while charging.
Power levels:
One light = 30 — 33% battery life
Two lights = 60 — 66% battery life
Three lights = 80 — 100% battery life
Included in its packaging is one micro-USB charging cable. The device is charged from an easily accessed port at the bottom of the unit. The LED lights on the button will glow red as the device charges, blinking in succession. Also has pass through charging capability
The unit is completely charged when all three lights are glowing a steady green.
How to clean it
The G Pen Dash's small heating chamber and low-temperature convection precludes the kind of resin buildup users might expect from burlier, combustion-fueled smoking devices. Cleanup is essentially brushing leftover herbs from the chamber once users have tapped out the bulk of the toasted herbs.
Instructions specifically advise against any type of submersion, even in the name of cleaning, so save the alcohol soak for your spoon pipes and glass rigs, and opt for a post-puff clean sweep with the included tool instead.
What's the appeal?
First and foremost, the price point of $69.95 is considerably more inclusive than commensurate devices from similar brands. Even the special-edition collaborations are relatively affordable. Additionally, the device's size and herb chamber are both designed for not just discretion, but for satisfying personal use.
And though the G Pen Dash holds enough ground herb for a few abundant hits or several dainty sips, it maintains a one-hitter energy that discourages puff puff passing, which feels appropriate for our times. But even for those turned off by non-shareable devices, its mild, low-temp vape hits do a satisfactory job of spotlighting the best of whatever cultivar simmers in its oven — which is a turn-on for cannabis consumers of all makes and models.
Check out the G Pen Dash vaporizer atgpen.com. Photos courtesy of Rio PR.
The Link Lonk
The Link Lonk
The Link Lonk
The Link Lonk
The Link Lonk
The Link Lonk
