Bahhh. Now is the transition from classes to fieldwork. I have to work on my thesis as well as apply for jobs. I am very glad to be done with classes forever though. Now I can study things I actually want to study.

Applying for jobs is a lot of work though. I want something interesting, more than anything. We shall see.

I have a new side interest: reading blogs of people doing the "paleo" diet. It's so funny, because they're so similar to the raw vegans, though what they allow is much different: meat, meat, some veg, berries, some starch, cooked is generally okay. As far as doing what they think is natural, and searching for the perfect diet, they are nearly the same. I feel like an anthropologist, wading through the claims of perfect health and all-problems-vanishing. It's true that we can control more than we sometimes think--but far more often, we have no control over things that happen.

In the meantime, I am thinking that a great sandwich would consist of: 80% chocolate squares with a nut butter inside. Not perfect anything, but delicious and not too sweet. Mmmm....

Herbal teas!

Today is a beautiful day! I'm finishing up classes, getting ready for the summer and looking over my resume. In the background, the sky is so blue and it's warm enough to wear dresses.

I've been experimenting with herbal teas a lot lately, going by my gut feeling. I imagine what each will feel like, once taken into my body. I've been spending a lot of time by the bulk herb and spice jars at the coop! I'm also gathering edible weeds again, and juicing them with lemons. It doesn't always taste that great, but I know it's good for me.

Some of the teas:
-hibiscus--high in vitamin C, it makes up "te de jamaica" in Spanish (not sure which countries). I add this because it tastes good. Adds a red hue. I wonder if this is the major ingredient in that "Red Zinger" tea (Celestial Seasonings).
-nettle--recommended for allergies. It can often be gathered, just watch out for the stinging! It was pretty cheap in bulk, so I just bought that.
-pau d'arco--supposed to be good for lots of different things. Just tastes like bark or something. It's very mildly bitter, so not hard to take.
-licorice (the real stuff)--sweet, supposed to help with digestion at times
-mint--I sometimes add for the flavor
-echinacea--I *love* the flavor of the Traditional Medicinals echinacea teas. However, the bulk tea isn't the same as their particular mix, so it doesn't taste the same. It doesn't taste like much at all. I should figure out what else is in it, that I like so much, if it can be pinned down to one herb. Maybe it is that mix, though.
-Yerba mate. The bitterness feels right for me at this time, and it gives a gentle morning boost.

Other ones I would like to try:
-lemongrass (yummy)
-cat's claw (had this in Peru, supposed to be good for almost everything, harder to find here)
-there was a bulk decaffeinated mango green tea in bulk at Greenstar. It smelled sooooo good!~

Beautiful summary day today! I went to the farmer's market and a compost fair--I am in love with the idea of a composting toilet (recycling nutrients!). They do NOT smell, but you have to manage it like any compost pile.

I also went shopping in the bulk herbs and spices section. I must have spent 20 minutes, looking around, trying to listen to my gut: "How will I feel if I ingest this?" In the end, I left with not as much as I wanted (but I have ideas for the future!): onion granules (more for flavor than medicinal purposes), hibiscus (for tea), nettle (for tea--helps with allergies), and ginger (for medicinal purposes). I've been making loose teas with my mini-French press, originally for coffee (got it for my bday). It works great.

Have also been mixing coconut flour with water or almond milk, cinnamon, and a little stevia powder. Coconut flour is expensive but I love it so much!