Art and life have many similarities. Finding a sense of peace in the chaos is the hard part, and knowing when to take a break is key. — Mood and Inspiration As an artist and crafter, I’m also a problem solver. In art, I must find ways to make something. Then find a way to make the ‘something’ look aesthetically beautiful. It’s a creative journey of acceptance. In life, we must complete a task and then make sure that the task…

When I see a book about women’s rights and a historical take on their suffrage, I’m all in. — Reviews From Henry Roi I review a number of books for Henry Roi PR. I love all of the books he sends my way but I have to say that Whispering Women by Trish MacEnulty was a real treat. I’m so happy that she’s writing more and that this will be a series. …

Every time I turn on the T.V. I see reports about food safety, food shortages, a looming recession and more. Stocking up sounds like a good idea. It can’t hurt right? — Not All Rice is Created Equal While raw (uncooked) rice has a long pantry life, the life span is different depending on the type of rice you’re storing. There are several types of rice, including basmati, brown, jasmine, long grain, wild, or white rice. This is a short list because there are many more.

A treasure hunt is fun and doing a photo themed hunt creates tangible memories. — Eco-Friendly Photo Treasure Hunt I was thinking about summer and what I might do when the weather improves. A treasure hunt popped into my mind but setting one up takes a lot of planning. Hiding clues, writing the clue riddles and so on. I remember doing one for my son’s 8th birthday. Then I…

Dan Rice combines two realities while addressing current issues like race, bullying and climate change. In Dragons Walk Among Us, Dan Rice masterfully joins two realities. The main character, Allison Lee, is a typical high school teenager until she is brutally attacked. …

I love to exercise but I’m not good at remembering to fit physical activity into my daily routine. Being sneaky has helped. — Finding the Time I’m up by 4:45am every day — 5:30am on the weekends — because it’s my ‘me’ time when the rest of the family is still sleeping. This is when I should exercise but I’m protective of my time. So, I use it to draw, paint or write instead. By the…

Aseptic Food Packaging is a process used to prevent micro-organisms from entering the packing unit during and after packaging. A perfect disaster relief food source. — The Packaging Process Sterilized food (almost always liquid) is poured into a sterilized packing unit (carton), then sealed in a sterile environment. The food is sterilized by rapidly exposing it to very high temperatures, then cooled quicky to an ambient temperature. Finally it’s poured into the packing unit.

I’ve used clove essential oil in my pain relief aromatherapy recipes for a while now. Its strong spicy aroma is due to the eugenol content. — Clove Essential Oil Is a Holistic Pain Reliever I remember buying clove oil from the pharmacy to treat my tooth ache. It was one of those home remedies that was a staple in the first aid kit. In aromatherapy massage oils, clove essential oil is added to a base oil to warm the skin and relieve muscle aches…

Being a writer has made me a better listener. I’m always listening for story ideas. — Odd Observations This morning my son asked me what the plural of moose is. I don’t have a clue. It was 5 am and my brain hadn’t caught up to my body as yet. I call it my BBC — brain before coffee — moment. According to Grammarly, the plural for moose…