An Afternoon at the Vineyard

To celebrate my sister's birthday, we spent a wonderful afternoon at Willocroft Vineyard enjoying good wine, great friends, and a killer view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Homemade Lip Balm

For a safer, non toxic lip balm, make your own. Here is a super easy recipe I found at Care2.

Basic Lip Balm Formula
From Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond (Three Rivers Press, 1999).

2 ounces oil
¼ ounce beeswax
1 teaspoon honey or glycerin

In a double boiler, cook oil and beeswax over medium heat until wax has melted. Remove from heat and stir in honey. Blend with a handheld mixer until creamy. Add flavoring oil to taste, stirring to combine.

Makes one-quarter cup.

Two Fave Non Toxic Cleaners

Window Cleaner

1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap/detergent
2 cups of water

Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.

Hand Cleanser

In any foaming pump container (I use empty Clean Well brand pumps cuz I like the colors), combine a few squirts of your favorite non-toxic liquid soap (I use the Dr. Bronner's soaps) and fill with water.

While you don't necessarily need soap/bubbles to get your hands clean since warm water and time are all you really need, this makes for a fun non-toxic way to enjoy the benefits of the foam so many of us have been programmed to believe equals cleanliness.

Enjoy!

Back from a sad and at the same time wonderful visit to Michigan to mourn the loss of Gram O. I took the caboose with me and left the rest of the gang at home with daddy. It was very healing and rejuvenating to gather with family to share fond memories and otherwise goof off after a serious lack of visiting over the last several years. Considering we are all well into our adult years, the conversations with my siblings and cousins were much more R rated than in the past. I can't remember the last time I laughed and cried so hard. Cheers to my family up in MI for the terrific hospitality, all the amazing folks who provided us with enough food to feed an army, and most of all, the cheers and tears in celebration of Gram O's wonderful life. She was an incredible woman who touched the lives of so many people who will miss her terribly.

My Gram

Merna June Ofield, aged 89, joined her beloved husband of 65 years, Oliver "Barney" Ofield, in Heaven on April 29, 2008. She was a lifelong member and past director of Christian Education at First Park Congregational Church. She was also involved with Muir Ten and the Tapestry Group at church. She took great joy in preserving vintage clothes and did many fashion shows with Pages from the Past. She was a needlework artist and a leader of The Campfire Girls for 12 years. The Garden Club, PEO, EGA, and Potluck were just some of her many interests. We'll always remember the good old days on Silver Lake. She enjoyed cooking, walking around the lake and being outdoors. She loved all animals but was especially fond of dogs. Most of all, she loved her family. Merna lived her life with patience, love, loyalty, honesty and generosity. Her family would like to send a heart-felt thank you to the staff at Clark Retirement Community for taking such wonderful care of mom. She was preceded in death by her brother, William Metcalf and sister, Margaret Pickens. She is survived by her children, Sandy and John Henbest and Larry and Mary Ofield; grandchildren, Lance (Kelly) Gilmore, Paige (John) Kirkman, Meghan Allen, Kim (Mark) Zeitter, Jay (Rachel) Ofield, Tim Ofield and 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 2nd at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel at Clark Retirement Community, 1551 Franklin S.E. Interment Oakhill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to First Park Congregational Church. Her family will receive friends and relatives Thursday 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ofield Funeral Home. Ofield Funeral Home

In Loving Memory - Grandma O

The Camera's Back!!!!