Dawning of the New Year...

túrána hott kurdís by hasta la otra méxico! from Till Credner on Vimeo.

See this video for a condensed bit of time-lapse sky gazing. And know that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy.
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Today ends 2008. Tomorrow a new day, a new year, full of possibilities. What governs this calculation of time is literally our place in the universe, something I was thinking about last night as I gazed at the glorious crescent moon and opulent Venus.
If you do not sky gaze, make it one of your New Year's Resolutions to begin.
The sky is always amazing and always a source for reflection on beauty, the cosmos, on things bigger than ourselves and wholly detached from the petty goings on down here at human level. The universe is pretty grand, and that's all there is to it!
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As we are just human, wandering on the surface of our lovely planet, our thoughts for the New Year tend to have more terrestrial roots.
Given that, I hope you are all looking to toast the turning of time with the universal toast: "To your Health". That is probably the best toast - and the best New Year's resolution we can all make.

Our health is one of the few things that we can truly change through our personal actions (or inaction, as the case may be), and it is by far the most precious thing we own on a personal level. Each of us knows deep in our being what we are lacking and what we need to do if we can summon the focus to accept it. Be it exercise or eating healthier foods, quitting smoking or other addictive behavior. Working on our health from within.

There are also the things that are outside of us that influence our health negatively and it is up to us to moderate those as best we can. Try to remove toxins from your lifestyle, be they chemical air fresheners, super toxic cleaners or moldy furnace filters. And always try to use the safest, least harmful products available - which, of course, is why we are in business. We hope you choose the soaps and basic body care products from Simmons Natural Bodycare for 2009 and beyond!

We wish you a Merry...

Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah... the holiday which speaks to you in these cold, dark days of winter.

And all the best now and for the coming year...

May your days be warm and safe and your future be bright.

May the world see more peaceful, more balanced times in 2009.

May we find the time to relax, time to share, time to enjoy life.

May we find peace with who we are and who others are, as well.

May we find acceptance of those things that are new and different, freedom from fear, and the strength to face our challenges.

May we bring a smile to our friends and family.

May our life journey be one of wonder and curiosity and endless discovery.

From our home to yours, our family to your family, all the best wishes for the Holidays and year to come.

"A Hungry Man...

... is an angry man" Bob Marley would sing. Sage fellow, Marley.

I have been thinking a lot lately, perhaps inspired by this season - as it were - of "giving", about the way poverty and need have such broad ranging effects on the way we humans treat each other. To me it appears as if we Americans often see those who are destitute as lazy, as crazy, as being in despair, as living in a third world country, as different from us... as dangerous.

Yet this is actually about the point in our existence where we are all exactly the same. We all want to be healthy. We all want to have enough food and adequate shelter and, given that, provide for our families. When we can provide those basics for our families, we hope to better our lives and have our children be educated... For children are the future and education is the key that unlocks its potential.

We also, fairly universally, do not want to be dependent on others. And finding ourselves through circumstance to be forced to be in that position individually, as a family, group, community, or tribe, can elicit deep emotions from frustration to sorrow to rage. Yes, a hungry man is an angry man, and an impoverished community is desperate. It is difficult to focus on peace, education, or anything but survival when times are hard and the situation is only one of frustration.

And hard times are here. The economy has reached a tipping point and the results are being felt at all levels, with the promise of a slower time before it gets any better. We could be in it for a long haul. But as difficult as things may be getting for us, with those for whom it has always been rough it is now harder still. While the number of those in need in our towns, our states, our country and, in fact, the world, gets to be more and more, the ability of others to help support them is decreasing. Food banks and other charities are facing more challenges than ever trying to do their important work.

While there should be no specific season of giving - generosity and caring for others should always be part of our lives - the Christmas season is traditionally associated with the spirit of sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves. We would like to share a few of our favorite methods and organizations who do good work.

Of course, do what you can to support your community. Volunteer or otherwise assist the schools, churches, food banks, and other groups that tend to the health, welfare, and education of our neighbors.
Be aware of what is happening in the larger picture and follow your heart to participate and support those issues which speak to you. From donations to writing letters to mentoring a child, your effort is valuable. Visit someone who is housebound and lonely, take food to someone who is hungry.

Many fine organizations exist which address the needs of others on every level. We particularly like:
Heifer International, working to end hunger and care for the earth by giving people around the world the knowledge and tools they need to improve their environment and support themselves.
The Stamp Project is one’s woman’s simple organization where you send stamps you tear off of letters and she sells them to a jobber and uses the money to support rural health programs in India and Nepal. Send stamps to: The Stamp Project, 340 Carter Street#2, Vallejo, Ca. 94590
Kiva is an online platform for making small loans (as little as $25) to entrepreneurs in the developing world, similar to the Grameen Bank of India, helping them lift themselves out of poverty.
Another simple way to help that is fun for even the youngest computer savvy child is a word game that gives away free rice through the U.N. world food program. While only 20 grains of rice are donated for each correct answer, it is a perfect example of how every little bit adds up... over 54 BILLION grains of rice have been donated since the game began. And you really do improve your vocabulary in the process. It drives me nuts when I don't know the correct answer!
The possibilities are endless.
The list goes on and on...

And, remember, every time you buy a bar of Simmons special Soap we donate 2% of its cost to Heifer International.

May your holiday be peaceful, joyous, and both prosperous and generous.

Over the meadow and through the woods...

Well, we had a delectable and fun Thanksgiving Holiday. A small one after last year's reunion (see the photo on our blog "Belonging"). Our son is traveling, but both daughter's families were here along with a few friends.

It really is a trek to get here... to Grandmother's house, as it is. Where we live is very rural and the highway is the kind of winding road that separates those who must have fresh air and the front seat from the rest of us. Actually, I belong to the fresh air group myself. I never saw the road to my own Grandmother's house in Pennsylvania. My parents drugged me with Dramamine before they let me near a car, and I slept en route to everywhere we went. Fortunately, none of our clan needs medication to make the journey.

I find it interesting that one of the things that always impresses everyone about our holiday meals is that I save the ends of bread all year to make stuffing. Is this so odd? Once they start to dry out (or before they mold) I will take bread and tear it into small pieces and spread it out in a shallow bowl to dry. Once dry I put it in a gallon jar to save for stuffing. It makes for interesting and very good sage stuffing - I have mostly whole wheat bread with sunflower seeds and cracked grains in it, but also white sourdough, rye bread, whatever comes through the house. It is such a favorite that I need two full gallons of dried bread to make enough! It can be made vegetarian or not and is good all year. Here is the recipe:

Simmonsville Sage Stuffing
(Measurements are approximate)
4 cups dried bread cubes or pieces, all kinds
1 c. chopped onion
6 cloved diced garlic
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped mushrooms
Bell's Seasoning
salt
Pepper
Paprika
Chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten in 1 c. water or stock.
1/4 c. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onions in oil and butter until soft, add garlic and other vegetables and saute until mushrooms are soft and celery still slightly crunchy.
Place bread in large bowl. Add cooked vegetables. Put a little water in the pan, swirl and add to bread mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper and up to 1 tablespoon of the Bell's Seasoning.
Toss it all together, then add the egg liquid and a liberal amount of sweet paprika. Toss again and correct the seasoning as needed.
If stuffing a bird remember to do it loosely to leave room for expansion. As a bird-less side dish, place stuffing in covered casserole, dot with butter, cover and bake until heated through - about 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.
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So, with Thanksgiving behind us we are left with a very small window ahead for getting all the Christmas/Hanukkah orders out. How this season gets compressed!
For us, part of the difficulty lies with our wonderful, but remote, location. One pays the price for being far from urban centers. In our case, for one thing, it slows delivery time.

During regular order flow we ship 2 times weekly, Monday and Thursday. That way all orders go out within 1-3 business days. Once we start in the morning the race is on to get the UPS orders ready before the driver gets here - between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Then we can take a break, as the Postal Service pick up is on their way back to town around 3:30 p.m. (we would never make their morning schedule of 9:30 a.m.).
If we receive an order after the orders are shipped, it will go out the next shipment day. When order volume is up, we ship more days per week to make sure all the orders get out within the same week (excepting orders received after pick up on Fridays). We are shipping every day this time of year.

So, while ground shipping and Priority Mail generally take a "normal" amount of time, due to our remote rural location 3-day generally takes 4 days. What happens is, when the driver gets back to the main office in town after driving his 120 - 230 mile route, the express plane has already left, delaying the package by 1 day.
This is why we do not offer overnite (which is impossible from here) or 2-day, except in very special circumstances, which is a lot more expensive considering it cannot be that fast anyway.

When a customer lets us know it is imperative a package arrive by 'X' date, we do everything we can (and they are willing to pay for) to get it there on that date. But we always recommend that you order up to 2 weeks ahead to guarantee early delivery, as for a gift.

So, with this in mind should you want to bestow a gift of our special Soaps or lovely Gifts this Holiday Season, here is our Holiday Shipping Schedule.

Last possible dates to place orders for on time delivery of Christmas Gifts:

UPS Ground
East Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Military & Territories: order by Dec. 14 to ship on Dec.15
Rocky Mountain States to Midwest: order by Dec. 16 to ship Dec. 17
Western States: Order by Dec. 17 to ship on Dec. 18
UPS 3 Day Select
From anywhere: Order by 10 a.m. Dec. 18 to ship Dec. 19
U.S. Priority mail
Order from anywhere by 10 a.m. Dec. 18 to ship on Dec.20

Change is in the Air...

This country is nothing if not amazing. What an election!
Yet again, a peaceful r/evolution from one group to another. As we write the outgoing administration works together with the new for the transition to go smoothly.

I have always been non-partisan. I do not follow completely any party's platform, I vote for the people and programs that I believe will do what needs to be done. And, now, I am ecstatic about the possibilities for the future.
It will be a long hard road to get this country economically and otherwise stable again but, with an attitude change away from the philosophy of fear, I think great things are possible.
But then, I believe in manifestation. And I believe the future of the U.S.A., as well as that of the world, depends on the participation of all of us.

The transition team has put up a website where you can learn more about President-Elect Obama and Vice-President Elect Biden, and about their proposed agenda. But more intriguingly, they ask for your vision and opinions to help shape the future. This site promotes open government through both transparency and participation.

I want to share here the experience of someone who was at Grant Park in Chicago as the beginning of this monumental change was confirmed:

I was there to share History. Obama is now, my President - too!

I don't know why, but I feel spirited for some reason - may be, because I am always known to find the hidden gems in moments.. no matter
how distraught time seems, at the time.

It was an amazing experience to stand in the midst of 250,000 people all chanting: 'yes we can"...and filled with hope.. my husband Chris and I in our beloved
Chicago - surrounded by this ocean of love, hope and joy....emanating from fellow humans..
I must say - i was moved to tears too....... and I am not, ; I stand corrected - I WAS not an Obama supporter till last night!

Crowds, row upon row of an elated people....bonded in some magical, invisible yet powerful joy and hope filled way .
Young and old, men and women, dressed up and dressed down - with flags, badges, slogan covered shirts - clutching that palpable air of elation and joy, eyes misty, yet mouths wreathed in smiles....striding purposefully yet politely towards giant jumbo trons that beamed the heralding a new era in global politics.

They waited. Patiently .
It was not a sports arena.
It was not a rock concert.
It was not the winner of a big lottery to be announced over national television.
It was just a balmy night in Grant Park, Chicago.
Yet they waited. Calmly, patiently. With bated breath.
Waited to hear what one man had to say, as he took a mantle , before he took a title, a title conferred to him,
of the people, by the people, for the people - a grand finale to events that culminated a glowing autumn day.

It may be sentimental to say that their eyes were bright as well, but of all the subtle corrosives that broke down the old order and gave rise to the new America,
surely none is as important as the spread of confidence and hope that filled the air around, to an extent unprecedented and as yet unmatched in modern American political history.

People tire of government, tire of endless debates, tire of wars, tire of poverty and above all tire of indifference and apathy from their chosen leaders. Having a democracy that is yet controlled and promoted and sustained by the powers that be, of big corporate interests, or to be held captive by corrupt politicians - to continue only as a 2 party system. Having to live with one of two pre determined leaders, being forced to vote for one of two 'nominated' candidates is bound to be the demise of the enthusiastic voter.....

We know all these things to be true--and yet there, in Grant Park, Chicago, last night, Nov 4th, 2008, I saw a counter case. People had shifted. Energies moved.
A demographic Himalaya suddenly rising on my mental atlas.
It was if someone demonstrated to me in a lab that flame didn't necessarily need oxygen, or that water could freeze at 60 degrees.
It demanded of me, a new chemistry to explain it, a whole new science.... to understand this new brave American Spirit!!

America is indeed still filled with hope and love... people like each of you who so tirelessly work so that you can share your life's passion for life ..is the direct opposite of a global market. It is the essence of an enterprise, so exquisitely local--it demands democracy, literacy, participation, a true cooperation...of its people on a scale that is unprecedented before.

This is a land where the mantle of leadership has passed gently without blood shed from one leader to another... a non relative... over and over again....for 200 years that is karma that cannot be pushed away. That is priceless.

Like Ron Paul, my political star said today : "And, most of all, we have awokened within ourselves a spirit of freedom and independence that cannot be suppressed by any ruler, army, or philosophy of subservience and fear. Yet we must not reflect long. We must press our efforts and lay the groundwork for the future of our movement and our country. ...let the revolution begin. "

I say to you all:
Support Obama.
Not his party, not his politics, not his rhetoric.
But the man. The man who is now your president. The vision he espoused yesterday as your president.
President of the American people. Question his politics, question his policies, seek clarity when you are confused by his party ideas, or him.
Challenge him when you think he is wrong.
Seek and enforce that he rely NOT on color or race or status BUT ON integrity in his decision's for America and Americans.
Demand truth, justice and equality.
But for now, at this moment of a triumph for a nation, for a people who for so long -only dreamed of this day, that a day like this would come to pass in their lifetimes....
- set aside pettiness, strife and insecurities.

This is a colossal moment in History, and you have a leader. Help him be a real leader.
He is no demigod. But a man. A human like you and like me. Human with fragilities, a human who needs both questioning and support.
Your support to help him take the correct decisions and lead this nation along the right path, always.

Don't forget that nation's have destinies that are greater than individuals...

This is OUR LAND.., This is OUR EARTH . .. this is OUR MOTHER.. giver of our Life to live, cherish and protect and that WILL Prevail.... against all odds.
Let America be the one that brings that beacon of hope again!

Yes We Can!

Blessings, love and light.
A'isha Be

Aisha Bauer from www.eSutras.com