…how much they love to chew the leaves and meaty fruit of the gnarly argan tree, native to Morocco.  Climbing the tree is child’s play, they’ll say, and sometimes as many as 8 or 9 goats will challenge the swaying limbs. They do not seem to care if they damage or destroy the tree, or eat the fruit before it has ripened.  After all, they are goats. Ask the goats about the succulent argan oil hidden in the inner kernels, and they’ll look down at the Berbers anxiously waiting below.  They will tell you that they can’t digest everything so they poop out the small nuts.  The Berbers are then able…

We often tout the benefits of a cold shower, cold water. Years ago I wrote about the cold in   ‘Go Cold so no Cold’.  It’s winter. It’s flu season.  It’s time to remember cold can be good. Be 2, or 3 or 4 years old in Siberia. Have your parents take you outside and rub you down with snow.You do not get the cold or flu. Or live in Sweden. Have your parents pour very cold water on your head.This is a routine. Especially during flu season.So no flu. Be an adult. Take the cold showers, or snow rubs, or cold lake dips alone, or with friends. Take your children with you. In these countries, cold…

Squeeze the Colgate. Brush the teethCovergirl dark on eyes beneathRevlon the lips, a kiss so sweetApply Estee cream. It can’t be beatMaybelline the lash, a divine allureThis routine?  It is less than pure How much more can the skin endure?   You may have just drowned in siloxanes.   SILOXANE. “Is that the same as silicone?”, you ask?  Similar yes. If you have never heard of siloxane, now you have. Beware. Be glad that you are reading this. It may be in your fast or processed foods, packaging, toothpaste, deodorant, soaps, detergents and cosmetics. A siloxane is sometimes commonly called…

  Had a rough year? Does it help to know you aren't the only one? Some days may be so bad you couldn't care less about the rest of the world. We get it. We've had those days too. Thank goodness the end is in sight. By the spring/summer, we hope to be back to a ‘normal’. Or hopefully a better normal, but a normal without cumbersome masks and difficulty breathing. A normalcy of being able to hug friends and family and not being deprived of the necessity of closeness and physical affection! just around the corner! Hang in there. Until then, let's take advantage of a quiet slow holiday. No…

Masking is a challenge  To be effective, the mask needs to be snuggly placed across the bridge of the nose, flattened against the cheeks and secured under the chin. But all too often, we are witnessing on others, or perhaps ourselves, a mask that is too big or too small.  Masks that are so tight we feel the suffocation, so loose we hear the wind tunnelling, so misshaped it cannot even find the chin. But the worst is the mask that pops the nose.  In this scenario, the mask has dropped completely off the nose, still hiding the mouth but exposing the nostrils. This circus act tends to make the…

10% off Summer Must-Haves Neem Body BarNori-Neem SoapSheamu Butter (both sizes)Shargan ButterZinc Oxide Blend (tub and tube)July 8, 9, 10 only Wednesday, Thursday, Friday3 day Special Summer must-haves never change. We love the outdoors and while adapting to the new rules and staying safe, there are still  the Canadian summer go-tos! Neem Body Bar Hiking in a provincial park?Golfing at dusk?Camping under the cedar trees?Fishing for pickerel at dawn? Or quietly enjoying the rhythms of lapping lake waters?  Whenever the activity ventures outdoors, remember your Neem Body Bar. It is 100% natural…

“Amazon delivery!  Wahoo! My new shadow from ColourPop is here, Spiker.” Val chimes to her pet lab as he barks his approval. She then rips open the package and being smart and savvy, peruses the label. “OK. Label. Let’s see what you say. Everyone is telling me to READ YOU. So here goes.” Val scrunches her face as she skims the listing. The ingredients do not seem to be making much sense.   “OK. I’ll admit I do not understand the ingredients but, then, who does? “ Val explains to Spiker as she nuzzles his ears. “All my friends are using cool eyeshadows and stuff and they absolutely love it.  …

Dictionary definition before Covid 19:moosenoun: 1. a large deer with palmate antlers, a sloping back, and a growth of skin hanging from the neck. It is native to northern Eurasia and northern North America.  Dictionary definition during Covid 19:1. same as above 2. the distance of 2 metres required in ‘social distancing’ *advised during the Covid 19 pandemic based on the length of a moose verb: to separate a distance of 2 metres between people to achieve required ‘physical distancing’*“The lineup moosed into place to await entry into the grocery store” adjective:the length of separation (2…