ORANGE is a powerful color, it is one of the healing colors, stimulates enthusiasm and creativity. Orange also means vitality and endurance.
The CARROT, a highly popular and common vegetable, versatile, healthy and enjoyable raw or cooked. The list of recipes using carrots is endless and the fact that the root with the pretty orange color is high in potassium, beta carotene and vitamin A makes it a powerful addition to one's daily nutrition.

Plenty of sunlight provided indoors is the only requirement needed along with keeping the soil/sand mixture (50% high quality rich potting soil and 50% sand - no play sand) on the dry side.
Carrots do not appreciate wet soil.

Links:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

http://www.gardenguides.com/79857-grow-indoor-carrots.html

http://www.thecreativeideashop.com/seed-gifts.html

Don't we all have those days when we wish things would be as simple as black and white with nothing in between, without the millions of shades of grey that make our world as complex as it is? All the madness on this planet might be fixed easily if there was only either "good" or "bad".

For some unknown reason though the Universe doesn't work like that. Instead, we are all part of that mind blowing web called "life", where all is connected, where each single action of each single person matters and all is one.

It is my deepest desire to be part of something good, to be one of the many tiny little seeds in our society who crave for fundamental change on this planet, and who want to contribute somehow with something in this process of awakening the kind of human qualities that are lacking, but essential in becoming what we claim to be: HUMANE.

I chose Vegetable Seeds as a symbol of life, of new beginnings and of nurturing the human mind and soul, and combined them with one of my passions - being creative - for sowing Goodness and ultimately growing KINDNESS, COMPASSION, PEACE, HARMONY and HAPPINESS, envelope by envelope and seed by seed.

Contact for free logo personalization for businesses, organizations and non-profits and for wholesale.


Links:

http://www.welcometoplanetvegan.com/store.html

http://www.thecreativeideashop.com/seed-gifts.html

Susan Placek, Owner of WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN & THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

A tractor is not necessarily what one would expect to find in the middle of a big city like L.A, you'll find it in front of the Sage Vegan Bistro though in Culver City, California. After planning on going there for a long time, finally last weekend I made it happen.

Flowering artichokes, herbs, fruit and greens planted along the parking lot give patrons a nice first impression. The spacious outdoor beer garden is the perfect place for those sizzling hot Southern California days where olive trees provide plenty of natural shade for enjoyable meals.

The lunch invitation I owe to a friend of mine gives me the chance to check out the second location, in Echo Park. I am thinking of Saturday or Sunday Brunch ....

Links:

Sage Vegan Bistro
http://sageveganbistro.com/index.html


Photography Susan Placek/CocoonWorx
http://www.cocoonworx.com/
http://www.TheCreativeIdeaShop.com

Susan Placek, Owner of WELCOME TO PLANET VEGAN & THE CREATIVE IDEA SHOP

Anyone who has ever welcomed an animal to the home, bonded and developed emotional ties with that other being, just like with other family members, dreads the day that might come when a decision would have to be made. I was always hoping that life would allow all of our animals someday to just fall asleep whenever their time had come.

Lucky joined our family in 2002 when my husband found and adopted her through a private rescue place. He had been searching for a friend and companion for our then 12 year old son and I remember him bringing her home, entering our house for the very first time, I can still see her standing there quietly, looking around, checking everything out while her eyes kind of asked, "Will this be my new home?"

One could sense that she never wanted to be a burden, she was just grateful for being able to be with us. She was such a good dog and the best four-legged friend and family member we could have wished for.

The natural flower essence I found online worked so well to make her bad seizures go away, I can only recommend it to anyone who's dog experiences those viscous and scary attacks.

In the last few weeks her health again started to slowly deteriorate, she became so frail and weak, yet tried so hard not to be a burden by keeping her bodily functions going and taking her business to the yard. She sometimes walked like a drunk and bumped into things, and when she stopped drinking water it became obvious that this time there would be no recovery. Still I was hoping she would be allowed to just fall asleep peacefully at her home in one of her many dog beds. I just couldn't imagine making that decision and having to ask someone to take her life.

Last night - in spite of her bad condition and weakness - she was restless. The sound of the "tap tap tap" when she walked through the house always kept me on alert even when I was asleep, and sleep had been interrupted many times a night during the last few month. So I got up at 4 am to check on her and found her resting by the entrance door of the house. It was a very unusual place for her to linger, never ever had she done that before and she stayed there until my husband left for work.
When I got up in the morning she walked out of our bedroom and there was this look in her eyes, telling me that she didn't want to live like that anymore, asking me to let her go. Suddenly it dawned on me, the place she chose last night - right by the entrance door - was her way of telling me that she wanted to leave, that it was her time to go. In the end, she was the one making the decision for me, giving me the strength I needed to take her to the vet. She took the weight off my shoulders and it feels like her final gift of love to me, all she had left to give.

Back at the house everything reminds me of her, I hear the sound of her steps, I see her coming to me,  licking her mouth and signaling that she is hungry, jumping for joy when I put on my red sweat shirt before our evening walks and I think of that little dog's happiness whenever a family member came back home, even when gone for just a few minutes.

Links:

http://www.petessences.com

Ulrike Maria, Owner of MODERN THOUGHT THEORIES

I read on a flyer the Sanitation Department sent out a while ago, that cleansing the cans and bottles of food or debris before discarding them into the proper vessels, really will help them out in the recycling process. So why not – it takes 2 seconds!

Unfortunately, the American culture in general is used to wastefulness and the selfish ‘someone-else-can-deal-with-it’ attitude. I cannot speak about the rest of the world, but I can speak about a small and often overlooked country called Austria, my birthplace.

Even 30-plus years ago, I still remember clearly, my mother and other family members would bundle paper neatly (yes, neatly) before stashing it into a container until the weekly assigned drop-off day had arrived. The food cans and bottles were rinsed out and driven to the nearest recycling center, with the boxes of paper and plastic items. The convenience of trucks picking up those items at your door step wasn’t available at the time. However, the City expected all citizens to participate and no one thought that was in any way intrusive or inappropriate. Everyone felt it was their duty.

So let us take another look at how we can make the same commitment to our planet. Each of us, individually, might not have a great impact in this undertaking, but like with all matters a collective effort can move mountains, literally.

Here are some facts about recycling that might interest you: The average person uses 650 pounds of paper each year, 2.5 million plastic bottles are used every hour in this country, about 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, and our recycling rate is only 28%. I think, like with everything in life, education is the key. Do you spend your time researching environmental issues and how to solve the problems? Probably not - but starting right here and now in your household, and teaching your children the importance of living with compassion and concern for our planet is a must. Each and every one of us counts, each and every one of us can make a difference.

From a metaphysical/ mental perspective taking care of our mother Earth has of course great importance. Our carelessness reflects the uncaring attitude about everything but ourselves. Having said that, and knowing that our thoughts and actions are causative and responsible for everything that befalls us every day of our lives, we must change our habits and mind models about life itself.

Life is a gift. It is to be cherished and nurtured. We are here to learn and grow and find our way back to the Light. As our journey includes the all-inclusiveness of Love and the responsibility to help and uplift our fellow men, it makes sense to start with the smaller things first. How will you be able to live according to the Laws of the Universe if you cannot event live according to earthly Laws?

Our capacity to love does not stop at people - it includes all living creatures, plant life and Nature itself; and if you and each and every one of us creates a little piece of heaven – just imagine! The world would be heaven itself!

Links:

http://www.ModernThoughtTheories.com

http://www.examiner.com/mind-and-body-2-in-los-angeles/ulrike-maria-wilson

Susan Placek, Owner of The Creative Idea Shop

It is about courage, about standing up for your beliefs, granting the right to live and raising your voice against animal exploitation and abuse and waste of valuable resources, when ignorant silence would be way more convenient.
It is about being a voice for those millions and billions of animals who's cries go unheard every day and every year.
It is the only logical consequence after opening your eyes to the sad and brutal reality of today's food industry, the mass production of foods, that are killers for both, humans and animals alike and that serve one purpose only: Filling the bank accounts of greedy corporations.

Veganism means restricting yourself by choice to a plant based diet and respecting animals for what they are: Living sentient beings. It is about letting go of human arrogance and bad food choices, about healing your body and your soul. Veganism is a positive revolution of gratitude, of people changing individually, thriving and reaching out to unite in the desire to change our planet, discovering what Earth and Life has to offer to all of its inhabitants.