It is so wonderful to discover all the bounties nature provides, from nutritious foods to give us optimum health, to roots and herbs created to heal our bodies when we are injured, in discomfort or suffering from dis-ease. We have been blessed with an added bonus from the thoughtful creator of thousands of organics and minerals which give us the ingredients for a special form of maintaining great health on the outside as well as within…

 Natural Beauty Products. It only makes sense to care for ourselves on the outside with the same consideration of health consciousness as we give to the care of our bodies on the inside. Our skin is like a giant sponge, and by now we should understand there is a very good reason our ancestors relied so strongly upon Nature to provide everything we need in this aspect. I just love it when I find new places dedicated to natural beauty, and am especially impressed when I discover they never test on animals, as these are the only beauty products I will consider. Even though I have a good supply of home-made soaps and such, it is always fun to supplement this with delightful organics from different places around the world. Each of us is different in our own special way, and it is so sweet to be able to let the Beauty of Nature shine through.

My experiences as a mother, and compassionate human being sharing this Earth with so many wondrous creatures, has served to give me a greater perspective of all it entails to be a parent in a world full of unexpected events and moments of crisis. I feel quite strongly the bond we all share in these struggles, whether it be with my fellow humans or those beings of a different nature. We are all part of the same web, all things being connected, and therefor we carry equal shares in responsibility of helping to keep the great Balance. 

As Mother’s Day approaches, penguin moms and families are facing a meltdown. You can help support our work to save these beloved birds — and their families — by adopting a penguin today.

Penguins may sing and dance in the movies, but — in the real world — times are tough. Rising temperatures are destroying vital penguin habitat and depriving them of crucial food sources, such as the shrimp-like krill. Many penguins can’t find enough food to feed their chicks.

Already, penguin populations have decreased by nearly 80 percent in some areas.

Adopt a penguin, a penguin family, or a Penguin Mom & Chick for your favorite “Moms” this Mother’s Day. It’s a great gift and you’ll be helping to save these precious creatures at the same time!

With your Penguin Mom & Chick gift adoption, those special ‘moms’ in your life will receive a soft and cuddly 11″ Tall, Penguin Mom & Chick Plushes, a framed personalized Certificate of Adoption and penguin photo, a penguin fact sheet, chock full of information about these feathered friends, and a Kids Wildlife Activity Book.

More importantly, your penguin gift adoption for Mom will help support our efforts to address global warming, pass legislation to help animals adapt to a changing climate, and our education and mobilization efforts to protect these wonderful animals.

Adopt a penguin or another imperiled animal by 7AM eastern on May 5th for FREE shipping in time for Mother’s Day.

P.S. Remember to place your adoption by 7AM Eastern Monday, May 5th for arrival by Mother’s Day with with FREE shipping! You can also get your adoption there on time with Express shipping if you order by 7AM Eastern Tuesday, May 6th.

P.P.S. Place your order by May 5th and receive a 10 percent discount off all your animal adoptions. Simply enter discount code MOM on your order. You can also make your wildlife gift adoption over the phone at (800) 385-9712.

When it comes to educating my children, I am always on the lookout for reliable resources to help fulfill our academic needs. Currently I am home-schooling my youngest daughter, yet even I am at times faced with challenges which require me to touch up on a subject matter. Especially with my least favourite subject of English, with all the silly requirements of a subject that truly should be simplified. Luckily I do have a good grasp of this particular subject and am able to keep her moving forward in a good way.

Tutoring may someday become a desirable option I am willing to look into if either of us happen to run into an academic roadblock and get stuck along the way. I do not forsee any major problems cropping up for us, yet I do know of some teens who have dropped out of school simply because they either do not have the confidence to move forward once they fall behind, or they cannot seem to grasp the concept of certain subjects. They are passed on to the next grade anyway, and then they fall even further behind. Eventually this becomes so frustrating that they give up. This may create difficulties later on in life.

Although so far so good for us, as I have totally been up to the challenge, and my curious nature brings a lot of interesting aspects to this home learning experience. Not only are we having lots of fun, while getting smarter, we are both expanding our knowledge of the World in so many different ways. And it is exciting to see that my daughter is leaping way beyond her supposed grade level. A great bonus is knowing that I still have the capacity to learn new things and expand my own horizon as well. This is an experience that I would not trade for anything in the World.

Wow, I almost missed this one! I am really busy playing catch-up after taking a bit of time away from taking care of business, so I wish to offer a belated ~*~ Happy Birthday ~*~ to the wonderful people who have dedicated so much to the World’s wildlife… Defenders of Wildlife.

Defenders of Wildlife was born on March 25, 1947, which makes them 61 years old. They rightly feel it is the people who contribute, no matter how big or small, who deserve credit for the victories scored throughout the years. So I would like to extend a special ‘thank you’ from my heart to all those who have offered up their support, in their own special way, in this fight to save the Earths beautiful, strange and totally unique creatures. It matters not how you help… what counts is your love and dedication to preserve that which naturally belongs on this planet, all of which is part of the great Balance.

Here are just a few victories Defenders wish to celebrate thanks to all the wonderful supporters…

And a word from the Defenders of Wildlife…

As we celebrate these achievements, we’re also looking forward. Our wildlife faces some pretty daunting challenges — and we’re ready to tackle them with you by our side.

We’ll continue our 35-year fight to ensure the long-term survival of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone region and beyond. And our biggest challenge will be addressing global warming and its impacts on our wildlife.

Thanks to you, we’ve been there for our wildlife and wild places — and with your help, we’ll continue to be there well into the future.

Let’s take a few moments to check in and see how we are doing in our fight to save America’s Wolves.

Yesterday, Defenders of Wildlife and eleven other conservation groups filed a lawsuit in federal court and asked for an emergency injunction to stop the slaughter of Greater Yellowstone’s wolves and restore some common sense to wolf management in the Northern Rockies.

The case, Defenders of Wildlife vs. Hall, is our second legal challenge since January aimed at preserving one of the greatest conservation victories in the last century — the return of wolves to the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone.

These legal efforts wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous support of caring supporters like you who have made more than 8,000 individual contributions to help support our work over the last weeks and months.

But our fight isn’t limited to the courts. Since the Bush Administration ended protections for wolves in the Northern Rockies, at least fourteen wolves have been killed in Wyoming — the most of any state in the region.

Help change the political climate that is driving the wolf slaughter. Call the Wyoming Governor’s Office at (307) 777-7434 and deliver this message:

“My name is ((Your Name)) and I’m calling from ((Your State)) because I’m deeply concerned about the widely reported killing of wolves in your state and urge your office to help ensure a lasting future for wolves in Wyoming by…

• Ending the shoot-on-sight policy that is now in effect in 88% of the state.

• Releasing a public statement urging restraint in wolf management

• Providing a full account of the number of wolves killed in Wyoming.

The return of wolves to the Northern Rockies was an amazing conservation achievement, but inadequate state protections for wolves in Wyoming and lax reporting of wolf kills are hurting Wyoming’s image and threatening an achievement that should be a point of pride for the state.”

Once you’re done, please take a moment to let us know that you called. Also, please remember to be civil on your call. Comments that are overly emotional or threatening can be disregarded by officials (or worse, used to undermine our efforts to save wolves).

Phone calls will be most effective, but you can also email Governor Freudenthal through his website.

Stay tuned for more ways to help, and as always, thank you for taking the time to make a difference.

P.S. We’ve almost met our May 16th fundraising goal for the Yellowstone Wolf Defense Fund. You can make your tax-deductible contribution online now via our secure website or you can call 1-800-385-9712 to make your contribution by phone.

Have you heard of the Blue Man Fraud? Well, until just recently, I had not. It appears this man decided to make a home-made solution which he claimed was Colloidal Silver. When he prepared the solution, he believed he was making colloidal silver, which is not true. The fact is that Paul has a condition called argyria, which turns the skin a blue gray color, that he got by taking his homemade silver compound that was mostly an ionic silver solution. Apparently there was a campaign to scare the public away from using colloidal silver products. The tactic was to claim that the Blue Man’s condition was caused by his use of Colloidal Silver, thus implying that anyone who uses colloidal silver would suffer a similar fate. Sounds more like simple insanity if you ask me! Who in their right mind would do such a dangerous thing?

Well then, let’s take a look at some facts about true Colloidal Silver…

Colloidal silver appears to be a powerful, natural antibiotic and preventative against infections. Acting as a catalyst, it reportedly disables the enzyme that one-celled bacteria, viruses and fungi need for their oxygen metabolism. They suffocate without corresponding harm occurring to human enzymes or parts of the human body chemistry. The result is the destruction of disease-causing organisms in the body and in the food.

How it Works

The presence of colloidal silver near a virus, fungus, bacterium or any other single celled pathogen disables its oxygen metabolism enzyme, its chemical lung, so to say. Within a few minutes, the pathogen suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes, colloidal silver leaves these tissue-cell enzymes intact, as they are radically different from the enzymes of primitive single-celled life. Thus colloidal silver is absolutely safe for humans, reptiles, plants and all multi-celled living matter.

Product Quality

Many brands of colloidal silver are inferior. The highest grade is produced by the electro-colloidal / non-chemical method where the silver particles and water have been colloided, i.e., dispersed within and bound to each other by an electric current. The super-fine silver particles are suspended indefinitely in demineralized water. The ideal color of colloidal silver is a golden yellow. Darker colors indicate larger silver particles that tend to collect at the bottom of the container and are not true colloids. If a product contains a stabilizer or lists trace elements other than silver, or if it needs to be shaken, it is inferior. If a product requires refrigeration, some other ingredient is present that could spoil. The container and dropper must be glass, as plastic cannot preserve the silver in liquid suspension for any length of time. Some brands with high concentrations of silver may actually not be completely safe. High concentrations of silver do not kill disease germs more effectively than the safe range of 3 to 5 parts per million (ppm.).

Note – This post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health condition or disease. Contact your Health Care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem, or may be prone to allergic reactions before using new forms of medicine.

It truly sickens me to hear about wolves being hunted down and killed! So many people have worked so hard to bring awareness to the caring public, and at times like this it seems all for nothing. What is it that makes some people believe they can dominate nature in such a cruel way? Lifting protections that took so much to bring about in the first place, and are quite necessary to save these beautiful creatures, is simple insanity! We have better things to do with our time than promoting the death of a species. There are so many positive ways we can create and promote Life instead. It truly makes me wonder why the Creator placed us on this beautiful Earth when so many humans are so set upon destroying all that has been placed beside and around us. And to think that the first to die with the lift of these protections was a wolf who has survived in the wild against all odds is a tragedy beyond belief, and brings so much sadness to my heart.

I will pass along a sad, yet so very important, message I have recieved…

Dear Teri,

The killing in the Greater Yellowstone region has already begun.

One of the first victims: Wolf 253M — a celebrity wolf, affectionately known as “Limpy.”

Help us stop the senseless killing of Greater Yellowstone wolves now. Please make a tax-deductible contribution today.

Limpy was many things to many people – to wolf-watchers, he was the hobbling member of Yellowstone’s famous Druid Peak Pack. To Utahans, he was the first wolf to be seen in the state for more than 70 years.

But wolf 253M’s celebrity didn’t save him in the end. Limpy and two other wolves were shot dead in an elk feeding ground, part of Wyoming’s brutal shoot-on-sight policy that covers virtually the entire state.

The killing has already begun. Please donate now to support our work to save wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area.

Limpy’s death was just the beginning. It’s been 26 days since wolves were stripped of federal protections in the Greater Yellowstone area — and at least 17 wolves have already been killed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. And there are surely more to come.

Officials in Idaho changed their state law on the day wolves were delisted, making it far easier for anyone to kill wolves near livestock or domestic animals.

In Wyoming, state officials stripped all protection from wolves in 88% of the state. Locals have organized weekend eradication “wolf hunts” to kill any wolf that they find. One group tracked a wolf for 35 miles on snowmobiles before shooting it dead.[1]

Your contribution will help us…

• Fight for our wolves in court;

• Confront flawed state wolf policies with science and common sense;

• Help ranchers reduce conflicts with wolves using non-lethal methods;

• Debunk the myths and misinformation about wolves through on-the-ground education and outreach; and

• Much, much more…

Will you make a tax-deductible emergency donation right now to help?

We can win the battle to save our wolves. But we can’t do it without your help.

Sincerely, Rodger Schlickeisen President Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. You can make your tax-deductible contribution online now via our secure website or you can call 1-800-385-9712 to make your contribution by phone.

In honor of my love for nature and all things natural, I am always curious to find places which represent the natural world in ways meant to benefit all, while providing quality education to help nurture a love of the wonders of nature in children. It is so very important to allow these young minds a chance to explore their natural environments, while encouraging them to learn how they too can become responsible and good stewards.

I would like to take this moment to direct those who feel as I do to a wonderful place which opened to the public on March 11th, 2008. Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center really impressed me with their history, as well as their current mission. Originally developed more than 60 years ago, through the vision of H.J Lutcher Stark, a prominent philanthropist who resided in Orange, Texas. Inspired by the mystical retreat represented in the book Lost Horizon, Stark sought to create his own haven of indescribable beauty where time would stand still. His vision became a reality in 1937 when he began creating Shangri-La Botanical Gardens within significant acreage owned by him along Adams Bayou in his hometown of Orange, Texas. Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center represents a place of enlightenment, peace and beauty.

Nestled within 252 acres in the heart of Orange, Texas, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is the first project in Texas and the 50th project in the world to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum certification for LEED®-NC, which verifies the design and construction of Shangri La reached the highest green building and performance measures.

As one of the most earth-friendly projects in the world, Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn. I strongly encourage you to visit the Shangri La website to learn more about the wondrous history, the tragic events which caused this beautiful place to close down for 50 years, and the current mission of this magical place of nature. You will discover an ancient Pond Cyprus tree which is at least 1,200 years old, situated within Shangri La. Don’t miss this! I will be taking my daughter on a visit real soon, you can be most certain.

Although I am mindful of this wonderful and beautiful Earth each and every day, today is as fine as any to create awareness. As folks celebrate world-wide, I send out my heartfelt prayers for the healing and preservation of this Sacred planet.

We lost a Great and Ancient tree to the machinations of modernization, just recently. My daughter and I have loved to walk a path through the trees near a river by our home. Along this path lived a beautiful Cottonwood tree, the largest I have ever seen, standing watch over all the smaller plants and trees nearby. Each time we passed this Ancient Spirit we would stop and touch it, giving a prayer of thanks for the air we breathe and the wonderful shade provided during hot days. Although we love all that is green and natural, this Ancient One held a special place in our hearts. It had been here for much longer than the ugliness of some places nearby, and brought a timeless beauty to this place.

Last week we were walking across the river from this favourite tree, and I stumbled when I looked to see this tree. I could not seem to catch my breath and tears came to my eyes. My daughter grew concerned and asked me what was wrong. When I could speak I pointed across the river with a heavy heart. Our dear and beautiful tree still stood, yet all of it’s branches had been cut off. This still-living tree was about to be cut down, for no reason that I could see. It was still healthy and strong! I felt the pain of this quite deeply, and was so sad!

We crossed the river the next day. I truly dreaded approaching the part of the path where this Great tree had lived for so long. It still stood, and I swear I could feel the pain of this poor tree as it stood, with all of its branches full of new life, lying in piles around it. My daughter was very sad as well and asked me why. Why had they done this to a tree in a place where nothing was to be built and the tree represented Life, and was no danger to folks walking? I do not know why… so I approached the tree and offered tobacco to the spirit of this Ancient One. I cried and prayed and asked forgiveness for man’s folly. We said goodbye to this wonderful tree that had given us such pleasure and comfort on our many walks. This place no longer brought me pleasure, and I am not certain we shall return. I prefer to stroll in the wild places that man has not touched.

Each day it is good to take time to honor Life, and all living things. We do not own this planet… we are just here for a little while. The Earth is Ancient, and generous in her gifts. It is only right to be thankful for what we have been blessed with, and to teach our children to be caring and thankful as well. This is part of the great Balance. So each day, let us promote Life by planting seeds, and nurturing our gardens and forests. Let us care for each other as well.

Here are a few helpful tips to get started…

Reduce – Reuse – Recycle; bring your reusable grocery totes. If you must buy disposables, buy paper products rather than plastic or Styrofoam. The manufacture of Styrofoam depletes the ozone layer.

Conserve water, waste not and fix leaks.

Use fewer harmful chemicals and pollutants, and dispose of them properly.

Try to use phosphate-free laundry and dish soaps.

Don’t use electrical appliances for things you can easily do by hand.

Save your kitchen scraps for the compost pile.

Boycott tuna or buy only “dolphin-safe”

Use Seafood Watch to choose seafood that’s good for you, and good for the oceans.

Volunteer your time to conservation projects.

Participate in stream and beach cleaning programs.

Become more involved in marine environmental issues.

Vote for candidates that share your sentiments.

Write your legislators when you have an opinion about pending legislation on environmental, land use and other issues.

Plant native, insect resistant, trees and shrubs in your backyard to provide food and shelter for birds and other creatures.

Pull weeds instead of using herbicides.. Learn about natural insect controls as alternatives to pesticides.

Use public transit.. Ride your bike or walk instead.. Drive a more gas efficient car.