Brush-a Brush-a Brush-a

Brush-a    Brush-a    Brush-a  New Ipana 
                        Toothpaste
A jingle from a commercial during the 50's. Ipana was a leading toothpaste. It's still being made but mostly sold in other countries. I've rarely used toothpaste in my life. Don't withdraw in shock and give me that look.  I still have all my teeth.  Do you?

If I feel the need to use toothpaste with a regular brush, I use Vicco, made in India. It's rather brackish looking and lacks the added incentive of a sweet taste, in other words it tastes like crap, but it does the job. 
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But mostly I just use a Peelu Miswak, a twig from a Salvadora Persica tree.  It's a natural toothbrush in Middle Eastern countries. The ones I use come from Pakistan.  When you get it,  it's a moist twig and comes in that long plastic in the photo. One tears away a short portion of the bark and you can moisten in your mouth and kind of form the bristles with your teeth. Very effective for removing plaque.

Here's some boring info.... the salvadora persica extract is comparable to oral disinfectants and anti-plaque agents..... as in triclosan and chlorhexidine. The twig gives a mild protection to your teeth.
(I'm not connected with the above products in any way nor am I trying to sell them.... just trying to think of something interesting to post on.  Ha ha ha ha)
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Below is a short funny commercial video of Bucky Beaver and Ipana during the 50's. Listen, they are really touting that poison fluoride back then. The same dumb-down toxic waste Hitler used in drinking water in camps for control and the same ....(I was going to use a-not-so-nice word but since I'm a Lady, I won't)  ah er stuff they put in all our drinking water now.  Adios Amigos

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Somebody Is Taking Over My House

After restoring the barn loft from pack rats, I knew I needed cats.  I got 2 from the shelter.  The big orange guy was friendly to the point of being a nuisance.  The Puddy above wouldn't let me near her but I was in a hurry so I just said, "I'll take that one too." Being chums didn't seem to be a requirement for an 8 year old barn cat.

It wasn't until I got her home that I realized how pathetic she was with her thin, stubbly hair over a bag of bones. Her eyes were squinty all the time and her head sort of wobbled. She made sure there was at least 15 feet between us.

There have been no cats in my house since the kids were little so I set out to research cat nutrition.  Here's what I found out.  Because cats are carnivores, they do the best on a raw meat diet.  Cats need a lot of water and Taurine with each meal.  Wet food is better for them than dry. I already make Cody's (dog) raw food so I have the grinder, a Tasin 108. Just one hitch, Puddy didn't like wet food. She must have always been fed dry food and it's probably the reason she's so sick.

All summer I was "tearing-out-my-hair" busy and I didn't have time to make animal food so I mixed up dry and canned food with water and sprinkled a little taurine,  N-Zymes and salmon oil on top. Gradually she started eating some of the wet food. Actually she had to because it was stuck all over her dry food :)  The best dry food I found was a brand called Origen.  It's 80% animal, 20% veggies/fruits and NO GRAIN.  Yay....... that was good enough for the summer.

Come winter, I moved back to town. Someone took the big orange cat and Puddy had to come with Cody and me.  Getting the cat and dog to socialize is another story, for another time. Puddy was warming up to me but still held her distance.  Getting her into the moving carrier left me with scratched arms and frustration.  Now my life started running at a slower pace and I would have time to make the raw cat food.
I follow Dr. Lisa Pierson's raw cat diet. For meat, I use poultry and rabbit (when I can get it), liver and other organ meats.  I grind the meat and add a slurry of water, supplements and sometimes eggs.  For supplements I use taurine, vitamins E and B, salmon oil and a little kelp.  It's so easy. As Lisa Pierson says, "It takes less time than watching a lousy sitcom." Put it in small jars and pop it into the freezer.

She eats 3 small meals a day.  I give her a heaping tsp. of the raw food mixed with a little water. On top I sprinkle taurine, salmon oil, N-Zymes, Solid Gold Sealmeal and Forti-flora.  A few times a week I also sprinkle a little diatomacous earth to discourage parasites and bugs.  The Solid Gold Sealmeal is all vitamins and minerals. It's like a miracle in a jar. Someone said, it will grow hair on a bucket.  Probably so, because Puddy's scrawny hair is becoming thick and lustrous.

I am absolutely amazed at her progress. She is not only getting more beautiful each day, her personality has completely changed. She became a normal, friendly cat, who now sits very still when I brush her or clean her ears.  The pictures are all recent. I wish I had taken pictures of the before but I was far to busy and "who'd a thunk" there would be this much improvement. She almost looks like a kitten again.
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I saw Les Miserables Christmas Day. It has always been one of my favorite classics and I was curious how it would work as a musical.  It definitely works and I was enthralled. I had no idea Hugh Jackman could sing.  I'd like to see it again.
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Dr. Lisa Pierson's link is HERE.

A Few Silly Thoughts

No, Cody didn't really go missing but it's suddenly tough to share when you've been TOP DOG. Cody has a huge laundry basket full of toys and all Puddy wants is a broken elastic band and a twistie. Go figure. 

Well Happy Dec 22. I see we're all still here. Is Nibiru just hanging out there like a big bat, winding up for the fly-by? So rumor has it, but I have other things to think about.

I really like my life as it is. No change, please. I get annoyed when a fella extra likes me. Ok, OK, you got it out of me. It's the knife sharpening man. He goes out of his way to talk to me and twice he won't let me pay for my knives. That's embarrassing. Making the dog and cat food requires chopping whole chickens and bones and even the best cleaver is only sharp for 3 or 4 batches. The outcome, I visit the knife sharpener's mobile often.  He's kinda cute, intelligent and makes me laugh. Knife sharpening is just his post retirement old age hobby.  But I'm finished trying to impress a fella. The last guy I dated, I'd put a paper bag over MY HEAD.  I'd be so embarrassed for dating outside my species. Well, close to it. The knife sharpener guy is probably an 8.

My youngest son had a winter solstice, end of world and birthday party last night. He turned 50. The way time zips past, I could turn that number around.  Since I now live in Helena, I didn't want to drive the hundred miles on icy roads. He's always been such a sweetie and invites me to his parties. I drop in for only a short stay when I can, because I appreciate that he asks me but I doubt if they need a mother hanging out at their parties. Last July 4th,  when his wife was out of town, he insisted I accompany him to a friend's party. He assured me there would be a lot of parents there and indeed it was so. We all had a good time and his friends are neat to include their parents.

Well I  think most of you are taking a bloggy snooze until after Christmas.  May your Christmas star be bright and shiny and you go out and spread peace and good will. Oh deck them halls  :)

My Kitchen Smells Like My Grandmothers

I just ate the best-tasting shitaki mushroom of any I've ever tasted.

I'm growing them from a kit. Absolutely fantastic.

Below you see jars of fermenting veggies. Some kimchi and some assorted veggies. I use different  herbs for different flavors. A little bit with each meal keeps the good bacteria in the gut.

This is a jar of Irish Moss gel. It was fresh Irish Moss that has been thoroughly washed and then blended with water into the gel below. It acts as a thickening agent with various recipes. My favorite is using it in raw cacao pudding.

This is a shelf in my fridge freezer. The little jars contain frozen cat food. I follow Dr. Lisa Pierson's  cat food recipe. I have a Tasin 108 electric grinder that pulverizes whole chicken and rabbits, bones et al. I add a lot of supplements and here is the raw cat food. I took a pathetic-looking scroungy cat from the shelter and started feeding her a raw diet with added supplements. At first she wouldn't come within 20 feet of humans. Now she's gorgeous, silky fur and friendly with everyone. Blame it on the food.

Below is a 4 gallon crock that is half filled with sauerkraut. There's a plate on top of the kraut and a rock on top of the plate to put pressure on the kraut. Kraut is also wonderful for the digestion. If you've never eaten home-made sauerkraut, you ain't eaten kraut at all.  I grew up on it.

And last is a tonic in the making. It's been fermenting 6 weeks and I could strain it now (you just use the liquid) but I haven't had the time.  It can ferment longer and I think I'll let it go a couple more months.  This tonic will cure most everything. NO KIDDING. This summer I had a lung congestion and I was hacking around for a month. My daughter had made this tonic and forgot about it.  She remembered it when she saw how miserable I was and brought me some. I took a little of it twice a day for 3 days and like magic, my lungs felt normal again. No more coughing. There's a video of a man making it on YouTube. It's called the Master Tonic if you are interested in making your own.

These are a few of my health secrets. I also just came off of a 2 week water fast. That, my Bloggy Friends, is 14 days without food.  I've done periodic water fasts all of my adult life.  I laugh when younger people gasp and tell me that fasting isn't good for me. I tell them I'll listen to them when they are 83.  Adios Bloggy friends.  My love and good health to you.

Some Things I Did This Summer

My Granddaughter's band played at an outdoor concert. While they were packing up instruments I noticed 5 Hunky young cowboys hanging around the stage. I said to Ashly, "I think you have some fans waiting." She's a very gracious young lady and always makes time for her fans.

Ashly (Granddaughter) Visits With Her Fans After a Concert

L. Granddaughter Ashly, Center, Me, R. Daughter Lisa, Front Little Girl Sat in for a song with band

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A new propane wok cooker. The maiden voyage and I was scared of the thing so my son
showed me how it works. I later got a new wok with a long handle. Those little handles
were ouchy burny. The flame is terrific and it's fast. Love it.
 


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On Saturdays I usually dropped in at the Farmers Market. This is a Mother and her 2 little girls, giving the shoppers some "down home country music." It was amusing the way they started out on a slower tempo for the first tune but the one little girl wanted it faster and added speed.