bobbie joh

Grant Holle wrote:
*Passionflower tea--works like a charm but gives me the runs

Hi Grant - another thought is to make a dream pillow with calming herbs, passionflower being one of them. I had a mix for my little ones that was really nice which included hops and lavender. There are many herbs which are calming to the system.. by making a pillow you are able to release the scents of the herbs without injesting. I also have some "dream" aromatherapy blends I have used to help with sleeping (mostly lavender based). I bought a great diffuser for about $20, got one for all the (now grown) kids and everyone really appreciates them!

Things that have helped me with insomnia: cod liver oil supplement daily, avacados, Motherwort herb (for women- hormone balancing). Also homeopathic remedies, depending on symptoms. I also have a bit of a trick that I do to calm my mind, not sure where I found out about this but the more I do it, the more I appreciate it. I will write it as I visualize it in my mind; as though it's almost a ladder.. I will use the 12 times tables, just as an example.

Multiplication tables. From 0 to 12. You recite them in your head beginning with 0, and going up to 12, then back down again starting with 12 and ending with 0. You go through the whole way WITHOUT MESSING UP. If you mess up, you begin (whichever number you are working through) again. it is also important that you say it the exact same way each time, so that the pattern is reinforced.
12x12=144
12x11=122
12x10=120
12x9  =108
12x8  = 96
12x7  = 84
12x6  = 72
12x5  = 60
12x4  = 48
12x3  = 36
12x2  = 24
12x1  = 12
12x0  = 0
I begin at the bottom of the ladder, go up from 0 to 12, and then back from 12 down to 0 again. Then you can start another number. Sometimes I start at the 0 times tables, sometimes i start at 2 or 7 or whatever.. but I always go up from 0 to 12 and down again. Any goofs mean a complete repeat of the number. The words are repeated exactly. (The original reasoning for going up to 12 is that these are the most common multiplication tables used, so the best to know.) I find it IS worthwhile to start with the 0 multiplication tables, even though the answer is always 0, just to get the repitition and patterning easily started.

This is not judgemental, it forces your brain to stay focused on one super boring task... It is sort of like repetitious prayer, but, again, non judgmental and forcing to work with your logical brain. I have never made it completely through from the 0 multiplication tables to the 12's! The more you do it, i think your brain sort of gets into a relaxing mode of working with it as well - lately i seem to be able to work on it less and get back to sleep faster. I hope this is not only clear, but helpful to people! Bonus: you get better at multiplication.

Best "mending" job I've ever seen: I was once visiting my godfather at his office. He was a pipe smoker back then. It was the 70's and, as he started his pipe, a small bit of ash blew out and melted into his polyester blend white shirt. Of course, it left a small hole, singed in black. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, and grabbed the white-out! As far as I know, all his white work shirts had this same badge... and my godmother was never the wiser

Anne Miller wrote:

bobbie joh wrote:.. these are two separate plants and, while the Rotundifolia variety is a lovely plant (and one of my faves) the Diversifolia is considered invasive in SOME locales, and is useful as a permaculture plant when it is controlled. Confusing the two due to their common names is, well.... common.

Bobbie, can you tell me how to determine which variety I have? Mine came in a packet of mystery seeds.  It seems the genus is correct.  Can you tell by the leaves? My leaves sound like the description of diversifolia.  And the Wikipedia for rotoudifolia only says "Leaves, despite the epithet, are deltoid to lanceolate, occasionally lobed."  Which doesn't tell me much.  And both have orange flowers.  Mine was very much like a tree rather than a shrub.

Anne - the two look quite different: the photo by the original poster is the Rotundifolia variety.. there is another photo further down the topic of the Diversifolia, which also shows some flowers at the top of the growth. The flowers of Rotundifolia (often sold by seed companies) are very orange. I believe the Diversifolia is usually more of a yellow - sunflower color. The Diversifolia is the one used for permaculture application. Sadly, I have never seen the seed for this variety so I cannot tell you if it looks different from Rotundifolia. Hope this offers some small help.

the photo is of Tithonia rotundifolia.. the wiki. entry is for Tithonia Diversifolia.. these are two separate plants and, while the Rotundifolia variety is a lovely plant (and one of my faves) the Diversifolia is considered invasive in SOME locales, and is useful as a permaculture plant when it is controlled. Confusing the two due to their common names is, well.... common.