Velvet Verbosity

Hate the smell of chemicals in your home or on your skin? Worried about what you’re flushing down the sink drain? Environmentally conscientious but still want things that work?

Myself, I’ve been called a “domestic bohemian” and a “pampered hippy”. I think what people are getting at is that I try to do my best by the environment and my body, but I still like products that WORK!

Recently I’ve discovered some new products and rediscovered some old ones and I thought I would share my recommendations for anyone who cares.

For cleaning house:

1. Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint soap (you can choose any other scent but I particularly like this one). I rediscovered Dr. Bronner’s while at someone’s house who used it on their floors. I used to use it to kill white flies on herb plants and in a pinch for soap and shampoo. I don’t recommend it for shampoo as it seems to leave my hair tangled and a bit dry. HOWEVER, I discovered that it does make an excellent floor cleaner, is great on the bathtub and sink, and even for dishes. When mixed with hot water it dissolves soap scum and dirt easily, and no gloves needed since it’s all natural! It does also make a great soap if you run out of deoderant and keeps you odor free all day.

2. Sun and Earth dish soap and all purpose cleaner. Mmmmm, smells like orange, suds but rinses easily. And the benefit of putting money into a small conscientious company.

Body products:

1. Burt’s Bees has some of the best natural make-up around. I prefer natural because it feels better on my skin, and isn’t perfumed. Their lip tints are the best for every day casual wear when you don’t want to wear full on lipstick.

2. Burt’s Bees pore refining mask. This is the absolute best clay mask I’ve ever found that isn’t high cost. This is what turned me on to Burt’s Bees in the first place. Totally transforms the skin.

3. Just found the best best wax kit EVER! It’s called Moom, also all-natural, not actually a wax but works the same. Comes with reusable cloth strips and the stuff is soooo easy to rinse off. Just warm water and it comes right off. For men and women, for face and body, I highly recommend it. HIGHLY.

4. Also just found an essential oil perfume that I actually like. Tunisian Opium…yummy.

5. Tea Tree Oil. You need to have this in your medicine cabinet. Especially if you spend time outdoors. I’ve used this for so many things for myself and children. Helps clear acne, natural antiseptic, kills skin fungus like athlete’s foot, repels ticks and mosquitos (also removes ticks), put a few drops in steamy water and inhale to open airways and clear congestion …I know there’s tons more. Just about any skin or scalp condition you can think of except ones that need moisturizing.

That should hold you for a while. Got any recommendations for me?

Before we meet, before the first kiss is gifted, before I smell the scent of your neck, before your hand brushes a bare bit of my skin, before the space between us is closed, there is innocence.

I know nothing of you before these moments…no more than a stranger can know, no more than the truths you try to tell me. These truths are not real truths, they are only reflections of truths. Real truths are in the knowing of skin and what our eyes say to each other during passion or anger or in the soft light of morning

(The image is a woodcarving by Jean-Claude Gaugy: http://www.weinstein.com/gaugy/Innocence.jpg)

He grew down instead of up. Sometimes people do that. It’s not that he didn’t try, but he built his stairs like a house of cards, only without grace and patience. It couldn’t bear the weight of his pain.

He found it easier, when the cards began to fall, to go down..gravity and velocity his companions. He tried to take me with him, grabbed my ankles as he fell, and God help me I almost went. But my resolve to live was stronger than his pain, stronger than the force of gravity.

I didn’t bother struggling. I slicked my ankles with vaseline, watched him slip, and said good-bye.

(Image from: http://abyss.hubbe.net/jeremiah/gallery/gfx/covers/jtv/lg/ep/s2/205-falling-lg.jpg)

Driving this morning, I see him walking. Old man with a fisherman’s hat, walking slowly. Maybe it is because I am halfway to 70 that I wonder if I will love an old man someday. If I will find the stoop in his shoulders and the shuffle of his feet endearing. If I will kiss his thinned softened lips and still feel a little spark.

As it happens in imperceptable increments, will I notice him growing old with me? Or will we look at each other and see each other exactly as the day we met?

This morning is the Ivy Day Parade…a Smith College tradition. “Junior ushers lead a parade through campus, carrying vines of ivy (laurel vines) to be planted by the departing seniors as a symbol of their lifelong connection to the college. ” Then we seniors will line the street, and Smith Alumnae will march through us by class year, led by a marching band.

It is quite a sight to see the alumnae who range in ages from their 20’s to 80+. All lively, and still very connected to their Alma Mater.

I do love Smith.