May 18, 2010

IMPROVEMENT VISION CALENDAR

This is February's flag on my Vision Calendar. 
The theme is tea.  I actually started to have more tea parties in December and January because of this lovely
tea cozy that Ancient Cloth sent me.
Well I had to be honest with myself and admit that drinking caffeinated tea was not good for me.
I love Earlgrey.  We have had a love affair for a long time, to the detriment of the family and my head.
You see I get head aches when I don''t have the same dose of caffeine as the day before.
I start trying to manage my caffeine like a drug junkie.
It just doesn't work for me.  I need more to get me "going" harder the next day.  After a few weeks of this kind of yo yo managing I finally admit that I can't keep doing this...usually after I have also over ate (I don't know what they connection is but it is a kind of self medicating) then crash...with a migraine and nausea.
I decided in February to give up all caffeinated teas.
Migraine headaches are not the only thing that I have suffered from Earl Grey.  I have also received gut wrenching gall bladder attacks.
I have been a pain slut too long for Earl Grey and I am not going to let him take advantage of me anymore.

To be honest this was one of the easier improvements that I have made.
Success breeds success...as you will see in my next Calendar Flag.


I wanted to keep the ritual of tea celebrations...but without the bad side affect.
There is a sprig of mint in the design on my flag, which reminds me there are alternatives...choices.
I grow two  different kinds, spearmint and chocolate peppermint.
  I also have a chia tea mix that I love to brew.

Becky's Chia Tea Mix
1/2c cinnamon pieces
1/2 c roasted chicory
2T Peppercorns cracked
3 T Fennel
2T whole cloves
1 t ground nutmeg
1/3 c cardamon in green pods.
3T organic orange peels
add 1 t fresh ginger

Bring a 2 cups of water to a boil.
Put 2 T chia tea mix and ginger in the boiling water.
(being careful because it make boil over when you add it...
so I wait for it to cool just a bit or add right before boiling)
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain.
Heat 1 cup of milk.
Add to the chia and sweeten preferably with palm sugar
which you can get at an oriental grocery store.

8 comments:

Misti Ko said...

Your vision flags are beautiful. I can empathize on the gall bladder pain. I endured a long struggle with it last year - had a plugged bile duct at one point. I was determined to not have surgery, but ended up in the hospital with pancreatitis, and ended up having it removed.

the wild magnolia said...

Love your February Vision Calendar & Becky's Chia Tea Recipe.

Unknown said...

Ooh. Very nice.

Anonymous said...

That's a great concept, and the whole calendar will be full of meaning and memories for you. I really like how you've adapted the idea to the form of prayer flags.

Erika C. said...

Your flag is beautiful and thanks for the tea recipe. I am on the last week of a three week cleanse. I can tell you more about it if you want but it has been transformational.

Take care,

Erika

Anonymous said...

hmmm. I sent you a comment on this one a while back...don't know what happened to it. Anyway, Love the chai recipe...it sounds delicious.
Also, the flag turned out really nice. You have a way with putting fabrics together so beautifully.
Thank you for your kind words.
Earl can be hard "man" to live with or without lol! Right?

Kari said...

I feel as if my morning cup (I mean cups!) of coffee are the last thing I would be able to give up, but I've been trying to cut back. I used to drink two cups a day, but when I retired, this increased to four, so now I'm trying to get back to two again. Oh my, as we get older, it seems as if everything we put in our tummies has an adverse effect! I hope you will find a way to stop your migraines ~ there is nothing more crippling than a terrible headache. I love your flag, and your whole idea of your Vision Calendar. You have the most wonderful sense of color!! xo Kari

Quilt Architect said...

I thought I had left a message as well Ancient Cloth...but I don't see it either. Thanks to everyone. Kari, I think color is a tricky thing, so I really appreciated you saying this. Erika, I am going to get up with you about your cleansing program. I am waiting till I can take it seriously...I don't want the enthusiasm to be lost because I am not in the best place.
My headaches are much better...because of the changes that I am making. I did have one on Friday but it was from the roofing that they did at the house. It was also a totally different kind of headache from the caffeine, which I was thankful for. I didn't get nauseous like I did with the caffeine withdrawals.
Another addition that I make with the tea recipe is to add Genatian Root...to make it just a little bit bitter...this is to substitute for the fact that I don't add black tea that has tannic acid in it.
Thank you everyone for your visit.