New Family Members

SPRING TIME!!! Which means it is time to start blogging!!! Just kidding, it means I can start growing some new plants. This year, I don't have the courage to try growing things from seed. I keep using the excuse, "I'm going to move soon, I wouldn't want to transport them in such a delicate condition." Which is true. I am moving soon out, hopefully into a house with a good backyard or at least a nice spacious deck where I can put all my potted plants. So, it is kind-of, sort-of not an excuse. Then there is the classic, "I'm just going to kill them before they have a chance to live!" Rather than beating myself up about it, I just purchased a new healing herb and rescued a dying Jade from work. But before I get talking about my new plants, I wanted to talk about a new pot I discovered. These pots are made of bamboo, which makes them biodegradable and eco-friendly. They last about 3 to 5 years, I guess depending on what you plant in them and their moisture content. They come in various sizes and styles. I was lucky to find these on sale at my local grocery store, but even not on-sale they are priced the same as any other plant pot. I conducted highway robbery with these new pots and might get some more for future plants.

Now, allow me to introduce you to Lavendula Lady, She is a healthy little lady who loves the sun and dry feet, or so I've learned from and about her. She currently lives between outside and inside. Being April in Utah, the weather is pretty unpredictable. I mean, just last week we had a good snow storm that would have easily killed her. So, I take her out on sunny days to sit in the sun, and on colder overcast days, she hangs out inside with the other plants.

So far, what I've learned she makes a great relaxant and antiseptic. All the healing is in the buds right before they really bloom. Right now, I have a lot of buds about to bloom and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. I could easily drop them in a bath with some epsom salts and have a nice relaxing bath. Or I could dehydrate them and store them away until I have enough to make a tea. I haven't ever had lavender tea, but I certainly love lavender kombucha! It is so tasty! I guess I don't have enough to really make it into an oil or an eye pillow. I guess we'll see how this progresses with time. Right now, I'm just focusing on keeping her alive and healthy. What more of a task does a ameture gardener have?

Next is a rescue story. This little jade plant belonged to one of my co-workers. It originally started out in one of those large 12-inch diameter clay pots. It was beautiful when she brought it into the office. Over time, though, it started not looking so good. The leaves started dropping rapidly and the shoots began to wither away. My co-worker asked me if I would like to take it home and try to rescue it like I did with my mom's bamboo plant. So, I did to Jade what I did to the little bamboo, I cleaned the leaves and stocks of any dust and mites it might have collected. While doing that I started hearing it complain that it felt really wet. I took the plant outside and started digging. I was amazed at what I found. The first thing is, the root ball hadn't even broke apart the tiniest bit. It looked as though who ever transplanted it into the larger pot just plopped it in with some dirt and left it at that. This wasn't a good move for the Jade, as it needed well draining soil and this root ball was so dense, it was not draining any water -- leaving the soil damp. Worried there may be root rot in the core, hence the withering stocks, I began massaging the soil loose to expose the roots. As the damp soil started falling away, I found a ball of healthy roots! The thickest roots were connected to the stocks that had withered away and were soaking wet, but still alive. The smaller ones that had survived had the smallest roots and didn't go very deep into the root ball. So, I took the healthy ones and transplanted them into this tiny new pot and left the dying ones out for the birds and the bugs to eat.

It always surprises me how poorly treated plants are before they even leave the store. I know my co-worker was upset at the idea she had killed her Jade plant, but it looks as though the root ball would have caused issues for anyone who took it home. I suppose that is why there are people who are willing to pay premium dollar to buy plants from a reputable nursery.

My experience with both the bamboo and the jade has made me consider opening a rescue nursery, or at least my own plant nursery where you can trade in one of your dying plants for a new one. I just get so sad when I see a plant thrown out with the trash, when it has the possibility of a second life and home. I feel plants are just as alive and sacred as any other living being on our plant, and they should be treated with respect, love, and kindness. It has been a nice experience being able to save these two plants and others in the past. Perhaps this will turn into something. Yay for possibilities!

The Power of Meditation

This last year held some devastating events that really forced me to stop and give meditation a second chance. I was hospitalized for clinical depression. It was a scary but enlightening event in my life. I saw people of different walks of life going through things similar to myself and others who's circumstances were beyond my understanding. In the end, we all suffered from demons that swelled deep within us and that we wanted to be rid of. One of the greatest pieces of wisdom I received was from a technician. I was describing to him my day and how horrible I felt. I told him how I thought my psychologist was pretty much telling me to suck it up and act better. I felt like a failure because I couldn't get my act together like everyone expected. He patiently listened to me and when I was done talking he said, "[something supporting what my psychologist said]..., but it also means being kind to yourself."

I had not really considered being kind to myself until he said that. I always thought life was a struggle and I just had to muscle through unpleasantness to reap the rewards. In the end, the rewards were bitter, unsatisfying at best, leaving me resentful at the world that cheated me. I didn't realize it at the time, but those words set me off on a journey. I think at a subconscious level I needed to learn to cultivate this idea in my life. I needed to learn to be kind to myself. So, I began exploring different avenues that could support this goal.

I did what was natural to me at the time. I began intellectualizing this goal. I turned it into a problem that just needed to be solved. I mean, years of software development and business analysis kind of lends my mind to problem solving. I just needed to fix myself. I so desperately wanted to be happy. I wanted to be "normal". I wanted to erase the effects of being in the hospital, of feeling broken or being a mess. I read books upon books. So many acronyms! DBT, CBT, ACT, PTSD. I was reading if you could master these skills you would finally break through that cloud of depression. Yet, each new acronym left me more frustrated and broken -- until I learned about smart mind. My psychiatrist was recommending learning to just learn to acknowledge how I feel, which at the time felt stupid. I could tell him, "I'm depressed! What more can I say?" But this idea started marinating and my brain, my brilliantly analytical brain, started rummaging around to find something I could relate his words to. I had come across this idea before.

Then one day it clicked, silently in the back of my mind. I remembered how much yoga promised at least calm, which would be a relief for my overly anxious and depressed brain. I did yoga when I was younger, but only for the physical health benefits and to feed my vanity of keeping a "dancer" body. (I have never been a dancer, just to be clear. But I thought they were beautiful, graceful people -- which I never felt I was. So, it was always faltering to be compared to them.) I wanted to flexible and beautiful and healthy. I totally ignored the meditation portion of yoga thinking that was for old farts who had life all figured out and had time to sit around for hours at a time. This time around, my yoga teacher recommended doing a 30 day affirmation program, where I would get a new affirmation every morning to take around with me for the day. Of course she had to explain to that meditation wasn't about sitting around thinking about one thing all day. She said meditation was learning to sit and be, either with an idea, with your environment or simply with yourself. She recommended, when I felt like I was slipping into old thought patterns, pull out the affirmation (either literally or figuratively) and sit with it.

The first affirmation sent me on a trip that broke the cycles of my depression and allowed my mind to finally acknowledge my feelings. It was, "Self-compassion: Stepping back into warmth and kindness." She recommended allowing ourselves to step back int warmth and kindness for ourselves, especially at time when we felt sad and angry. It was in these moments where one needs warmth and kindness the most. Upon reading this, I figured "Psh, piece of cake!" Then just hours after receiving the first affirmation, I found myself beating myself up for screwing up on a work assignment. I tried reaching for warmth and kindness, but my mind stopped short telling me I didn't deserve this warmth and kindness. "Only after you fix your mistake can you have this warmth and kindness." Whoa! This internal dialogue really made me conscious of how I felt. I felt the familiar chill of depression creeping over me. My brain was going to explode attempting to hold all these emotions in, fixing my mistake, and trying to practice my affirmation. Hour 6 and I was ready to quit. I was ready to quit. I didn't have what it takes to make these kind of internal paradigm shifts. But a quick revisit to the affirmation and my teachers description of what this affirmation meant, I realized that I needed to acknowledge my feelings to withhold warmth and kindness from myself and the effects those feelings had on my emotional state. My psychiatrists words finally made sense! I could find that within my depression I was not only sad, but I was frustrated that I couldn't be loved when I needed it most, I felt unworthy of affection in general, belittled and ashamed. So, I coaxed the part of my mind that felt I needed to withhold to give just a little affection. When I did, I found my mind eased up and I was able to fix my mistakes at work with a feeling of accomplishment when I was done! It was amazing!

Moving forward from that first day, I have been able to sit with some very difficult emotions and memories that I never thought I could revisit, as well as redefine relationships with other people, myself and reality to suit my needs and desires. With warmth and kindness, I can accept the things I cannot change -- whether it is my internal or external reality. There are things from my past that have haunted me for years, but at least now I can look at them and give myself the support I need to heal. I may not currently be in a position to forgive those who have wronged me, but I know eventually it will happen as long as I can forgive myself.

Healing Properties of Aloe Vera

I wanted to introduce you all to the latest addition in my family. Say hello to my first Aloe Vera! Yay!

I found this gal at Millcreek Gardens. From my research, Aloe Vera plants contain a ton of nutrients good for the human body. I'm starting to wonder what this little plant CAN'T do for people. I think given enough time and resources this plant could bring about world peace and end world hunger... Well, mmmmmmmmaybe not. But seriously, this magical little plant can do so much for you. Take a look.

High in Vitamins, Minerals and Other Good Stuff
Aloe Vera contains vitamins such as A, C, and E -- all antioxidants that are great for breaking down free radicals in your body. If you are suffering from depression and anxiety, this little guy is rich in B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and folic acids. It's quantities, when ingested, could help replenish your energy like a 5 Hour Energy drink! Yay for perkiness! It has somewhere around 20 minerals, such as calcium, zinc, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, and magnesium. There are some great fatty acids, especially HCL Cholesterol (lowers fats in the blood), campesterol (lowers cholesterol), and β-sisosterol (great anti-inflammatory), just to name a few. The most common way to ingest Aloe Vera is in juice form, that can be purchased at your local natural food store.

Healing the Body Inside and Out
It is a great antiseptic when the gel is applied to open wounds. It helps accelerate the healing process and reduce the likeliness of resulting scar tissue. It has an abundance of chemicals (such as sulphur, cinnimonic acid, salicylic acid) which hinder bacterial growth, reduces inflammation, and fights off infections. It's cooling gel also soothes the infected area. It works great for burns (including any type of blistering), insect bites, sores (e.g. bruises, warts, cold sores), cuts, vaginal infections, and urinary tract infections. When ingested in a juice or a tea, it is known to kill off bacterial and viral infections -- hence being able to fight of those last two infections mentioned. Aloe Vera juice can boost the immune system with it's anthraquinones to fight off illnesses caused by environmental, emotional, and physical stress. 

Cures Tummy Aces and Pains
The anthraquinones in the juice will introduce more water into your system, acting as a natural laxative to alleviate constipation. A juice could also hydrate you if you have a touch of the D (diarrhea). Its gel like consistency also helps flush the system out by absorbing toxins as it moves through your digestive tract all the way to your colon. Too much bad bacteria in your stomach? Aloe Vera juice will help get your intestinal flora back in balance, whether from long use of antibiotics or eating something that is causing heartburn.

Air Purifier
I'm so happy I purchased this plant before the horrible inversion settles into the Salt Lake valley during the winter months. It intakes carbon dioxide and converts it into oxygen at night, as well as during the day! (To my surprise, not all plants do this.) This makes it safe and helpful to put in each room of your home. I mean, why wouldn't you with such a beautiful plant?

Of course there are some side effects. Please read this link about possible side effects and do your homework if you do plan to use Aloe Vera, especially internally. Consult your healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy or supplement. Always discontinue use and consult your physician if your experience any side effects.

I could go on about this little plant.  Although this is my initial research, my plant contains a lot of healing secrets that I am really excited to discover.

References

• "The Healing Power of Aloe Vera and How to Use it at Home" by Paleo Mama, http://thepaleomama.com/2013/08/the-healing-powers-of-aloe-vera-how-to-use-it-at-home/
• "The 12 Benefits of Aloe Vera" Laura Dawn, Happy and Raw http://happyandraw.com/top-12-benefits-of-aloe-vera/
• "Aloe Vera: A Short Review" Indiana Journal of Dermatology http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/
• "Aloe Vera Used as an Antiseptic", We Love Aloe http://www.aloeplant.info/aloe-vera-used-as-an-antiseptic/
• "5 Reasons You Should Have an Aloe Vera Plant", The Parsimonious Princess http://theparsimoniousprincess.blogspot.com/2011/08/5-reasons-why-you-should-have-aloe-vera.html

The Little Bamboo That Could

About a month ago, I noticed my mom's bamboo plant was looking really sick. The leaves were drooping and turning a yellow-green color, while the stocks were starting to fade. My mom has had the bamboo for less than a year and has been trying everything she knew to keep that plant from dying. She would clean out the water every week, put it various parts of the house with different lighting, and tried feeding it once a month with no results. I figured there was something a miss when my mom said it was doing better when she put it in direct light. Putting a bamboo in direct light is the quickest way to burn the leaves. So, I decided to take it home and see if I could help out. One of the first things I did was clean off the leaves. There was a thick layer of dust on each leaf that I suspected was not letting it get the light it needed when it was in partial sun. I carefully wiped down each leaf with a paper towel soaked in distilled water. As the paper towel moved down the leave, a black streak started moving with it, reminding me of wiping down a shelf that hasn't been used in years. Seeing that much dust made me consider the plant was having trouble photosynthesizing and getting the energy it needed from the sun. That's why it seemed to do better when it was put in direct sun light.

Once I was done cleaning off the leaves, I could feel the little bamboo was still stressed out. I took the little bamboo to my kitchen and began removing the stones to reveal algae building up around the rocks and the roots. I took everything out of the container. To my surprise, the stocks were wrapped in plastic with only two holes for the roots to come out of. I clipped off all the plastic and the roots covered in algae with disinfected clippers. Then very thoroughly disinfected the rocks. I also disinfected the glass planter. I put everything back and put some new water with plant food into the container.

I wish  I had photos of the bamboo when I first took it in and the in between steps. I was a little more preoccupied with saving the bamboo, it didn't occur to me. Here is what the plant looked a week after being cleaned.

It started looking much perkier and the roots started spreading throughout the pot really fast. To prevent the algae from building up again I transplanted the little guy into a new opaque planter. Here is the cute little guy after 3 weeks and in his new home.

The leaves are getting a darker color and they don't have a funky film on them. The little guy also feels a lot less stressed out and seems to be producing new leaves. Yay for happy plants! I hope this little guy continues living a strong and happy life.

Oh! Here is also another bamboo plant that I've had for almost 4 years now. I transplanted it into a new pot that it was out growing around the same time as the one above.

Unfortunately, the green container did not hold water well and started leaking. I think it was also emitting something to the bamboo, as it caused the bamboo to start drooping. So, here it is in its new little purple home. Hopefully it starts to perk up soon. 

I'll be following up with this little guys progress. I'm really enjoying the new container. It doesn't leak and contrasts great with the green from the plant. I just hope my resilient bamboo starts looking better soon. But it's a little early to tell. *crossing fingers* 

I  realized from taking care of these two bamboo plants how much I can learn from gardening and trying to communicate with the plants. I'm really excited to take care of more plants in the future and learning new things from them!