Over the last several months we have been making a number of changes in how we use water in our home. We just received our bi-monthly water bill and for the last period compared to last year at the same time, we reduced our water usage by 47%! I was amazed. So what did we do?

1. Use only the low-water washing machine. We actually have two washing machines in our home. I used to be a massage therapist and my husband is a small engine mechanic.

Today, I made Rosemary's Face Cream. The general recipe is pretty famous in herbal circles because it is so wonderful. I recently saw a video on HerbMentor.com by Rosemary Gladstar showing how to make this great cream. I had made it before but it was interesting to see her approach.

One of the things she talked about was cleaning up after making the cream. She said she takes the extra cream that is in the blender or bowl and rubs it all over and sometimes in her hair. So, today, when I was finished making lotion I did just that.

Yesterday, I shared about our chickens and how there seem to be similarities to people. It reminded me of something I saw at a lecture once about Johari's Window.

Johari's Window is named after Joseph Luft and Harry Ingram using parts of their names. It represents our own inner landscape and how it affects our interactions with others.

We have chickens in our suburban backyard. We received our first chickens a little over a year ago and have had an interesting journey. We lost some to an illness and a dog attack and we've adopted others from multiple people. Our flock now contains 6 different girls of different breeds.

If we were farmers, we would likely raise a lot of chickens and perhaps never really take the time to get to know each different personality. But, as farmers in the burbs, we actually spend a fair amount of time with the girls.

I've spent the last two weeks sick with the latest flu going around. Last evening I talked with my son and he had been sick as well. The main difference is it only lasted a few days for him. As we talked, I was thinking about why he would be healthier than me, besides age. In the course of the conversation he told me about several of his friends who had been ill. The common theme that seemed to run throughout how long someone was sick had to do with walking.

You see, my son uses public transportation almost exclusively. And, it requires he walk between some points.