I love to make my own potions and lotions, so I figured I’d give this recipe a try, especially since it seems really easy.
A DIY Epsom salt lotion can be made by dissolving Epsom salts in warm water and then mixing it with a moisturizer lotion. The mixture can be used as a body scrub or lotion.
Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral compound made of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen, known scientifically as magnesium sulfate.
Potential benefits include muscle relaxation, skin exfoliation, and moisturizing. For years, my doc has prescribed magnesium to take, but I’ve yet to try it externally, except for the rare bath or foot soak.
Here’s a basic recipe:
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Epsom salts (I used lavender infused salts.) 3/4 cup warm water 2 cups of your preferred moisturizer lotion, I used an Olay body lotion, nothing too fancy. Optional: Essential oils for fragrance (like lavender).
Instructions:
Dissolve the Epsom salts in warm water, stirring until fully dissolved.
Combine the Epsom salt solution with the lotion, mixing thoroughly.
Add any desired essential oils for fragrance.
Store in a clean, airtight container.
Note: If using this as a scrub, be gentle to avoid irritation.
It’s completely simple, straightforward, and uncomplicated, sort of how I view myself, and that made me feel good.
Myrmecophobia: that huge word describes a fear of ants.
I don’t mind if they stay outside and it’s not like I have intense physical reactions like panic attacks. but I do admit to compulsive cleaning and excessive use of toxic chemical sprays to prevent any possibility of an ant infestation.
I read some articles about how to overcome a fear of ants but I don’t really want to do that. Overcoming this phobia isn’t my goal. I like that I’m diligent about NOT allowing an army of ants to occupy my living space.
Updated ant saga: After I initially encountered the scout ants in my bathroom and quickly dispatched them, the next day I walked into the kitchen and was shocked to see a MILLION ants. I’m not exaggerating. Well, maybe I am, but only slightly.
I had been hopeful that the scouts found in the bathroom had been successfully “dealt” with, but I guess a message was still able to reach the collective.
The colony decided to retaliate in a big way and war was imminent. It seems as if they gathered their forces and decided to descend on my kitchen counters and sink during the night. I awoke to large-scale hostility.
I had to take immediate action, and I’m quietly optimistic that this will be the end of the 2026 ant assault. All surfaces have been compulsively scrubbed and bleached and there isn’t a single crumb of food in the sink to attract another interloper.
The part that terrifies me is when I ruminate about how they breached my defenses and found a way to stealthily sneak in the house while I was asleep and vulnerable. Was it revenge for the “scout” episode? Are their tiny ant minds capable of such machination?
But why me?
A couple days have passed and the enemy lines have been drawn. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morningvand I check to make sure my perimeters haven’t been breached.
However, it appears that these militant ants have honored the agreement to stay outside (at least for now). My fears have slightly subsided but I am on high alert.
I woke up to this sexysexy tropical sky. Even if none of these heavenly clouds brought any rain, only extremely high humidity, aren’t they breathtaking?
I was never a Girl Scout for several reasons: I hate uniforms, especially ugly brown ones, and I don’t enjoy enforced gatherings and/or making weird crafty things to earn useless badges.
Don’t even get me started on how much I would LOATHE being forced to go door to door or stand in front of a grocery store to hawk cookies. That’s a firm and hard NO from me, at any age.
Yeah, I’m not a joiner of anything; I guess I’m a lone wolf by nature.
So…when I noticed a couple ants here and there in my bathroom, on the wall and in the shower — not a steady stream of them but a few that seemed to be aimlessly wandering around, I was perplexed.
A little research taught me something I had never known–these seemingly random ants are actually SCOUTS.
Scout ants are lone worker ants sent out by a colony to explore unfamiliar terrain, locate food sources, and assess potential nesting sites or threats, however, they chose the wrong location here because there’s no food in my bathroom!
They wander independently away from the nest using keen senses of smell and visual cues. When food is located, they consume a small sample and head straight back to the nest. Before they go, they leave a chemical scent called a pheromone trail on their return trip so other worker ants can follow the path to the food.
As fascinating as that info IS, I don’t want them anywhere near me. I get totally freaked out if I think an ant could possibly crawl on me in any way.
I don’t even care if the spiritual meaning of a scout ant represents a call to explore uncharted territory, to trust our inner instincts, or even to pioneer new paths before bringing others along.
I can admire their industrious nature, but stay away from me.
If you’re wondering what ultimately happened to these scout ants, the short answer is that these good little scouts are no longer able to bring back any info to their colony, which isn’t very animal-ioving of me, but I have my limits.
Let’s raise a glass to honor those brave, selfless little soldiers. RIP.
“If you become a bird and fly away from me, I will be a tree that you come home to.” Margaret Wise Brown
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Margaret Wise Brown wrote at least a hundred books, including The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon.
Our oppressive heat seems to have abated a bit and there’s the slightest chance we might see rain from Tropical Storm Marie, but I’m not overly optimistic. It would be awesome, though.
Not too long ago, we were at the beach and while the ‘rents were surfing (of course), the Ferals and I searched for treasures in the sand. (The kids also surf, but this time the waves were too big for them.)
Suddenly, Feral Boy shouted, “Grampsie (my new moniker), look at what I found for you!” and he poured this heart into my outstretched hand.
It’s really really difficult to photograph properly. My pic doesn’t do its beauty justice at all.
It’s a tiny, shiny, perfectly formed heart.
“OMG, are you kidding me, did you really just find this NOW?”
“Yup, right here! Is it a keeper?”
“It’s a HEART! Of course it’s a for sure keeper, but don’t you want it for yourself?”
“No, Grampsie, it’s for you.”
“Let me see!” yelled Feral Girl, “I want to see what it is!”
“Wow, that’s really cool, T!”
How crazy was it for him to find this little heart by happenstance? Or was it happenstance?
I told them it must be very special and meaningful and I’d keep it safe, but if they ever wanted it back, I’d be happy to return it.
So far, it looks like I’m the keeper of the heart treasure, and that makes MY heart full. I promise to hold on to their hearts forever, no matter how Feral/Angelic they might become.
I think it’s an Apache Tear, a type of volcanic obsidian made from the fire energy deep within the Earth.
How it made its way to the beach, buried in the sand, is a lovely mystery, or were we meant to find it?
Apache Tears are named after a Native American legend about the grief of Apache women mourning warriors who died during a 1870s conflict with the U.S. Cavalry.
It’s an excellent protection stone to help ground our energy into the Earth before, during, and after energy work. Black stones absorb negative energy.
The heart shape adds an element of compassion, self-forgiveness, and emotional warmth to the grounding energy of the stone.
It helps us peek into the core of an issue to assist with deep healing and to lend support during times of sorrow, as well as relieving stress by offering opportunities for positive change.
What an exceptionally magical find from Mother Earth!
It’s just really really difficult to capture the smooth shiny pure blackness, but as long as I’m the keeper of the heart, it’ll live on my bedside table, protecting my dreams, definitely enchanted.
P.S. I’m grandma and the kids started calling me “Grampsie” when Feral Boy started reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I think it’s funnycute and I always answer to the many creative nicknames they’ve chosen for me.
It’s the end of August, time for another full moon and she’s already shining big and bright in the night sky, this time with the added bonus of a partial lunar eclipse.
The weather here in SoCal has been miserable. We’ve had a veryvery hot summer with record temps, which normally isn’t so bad, but the humidity has been sky high and that makes it nearly intolerable, especially at night. We normally only have a dry heat — Santa Ana — which is hot but pleasant, but this moist air is so draining. Since I don’t have A/C, I’ve resorted to a fan to sleep since it never really cools off.
On top of the heat, we haven’t had rain in months. I’ve given up on the garden because there’s really no point in fighting the drought, especially since our water is so expensive. I’d have to literally spend hours a day watering, mostly to no avail since it immediately dries up. The rats and bunnies have taken their toll too, and I’m not sure what the cosmic message is, but I won’t resist it, whatever it is.
Enough ranting about the weather…
From Liverpool Echo
This full Sturgeon Moon will be special because the Earth’s shadow will swallow 96% of the lunar surface overnight on Aug. 27-28, potentially coloring the moon a gorgeous bright red as it bathes in light filtered and refracted by our planet’s atmosphere.
The partial lunar eclipse will occur as Earth passes between the sun and moon during the full moon. Around this time, Earth’s curved inner shadow will appear to creep across the lunar surface while leaving a thin crescent exposed to direct sunlight at the point of maximum eclipse.
For stargazers on the west coast of the United States, the point of maximum eclipse will arrive just a few hours after sunset, while anyone watching from the east coast will hopefully see the lunar spectacle peak around midnight.
The spiritual significance of the August Sturgeon Moon is all about resilience, inner strength, and processing deep emotional truths.
Unlike a solar eclipse, no safety glasses will be necessary.
Ahimsa is an ancient Indian ethical principle meaning nonviolence, non-harm, or harmlessness toward all living creatures.
It’s a core virtue in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It forms the first restraint (yama) in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and inspired Mahatma Gandhi’s peaceful resistance movements.
Non-harming: Avoiding injury or pain to any living being, including animals and insects, through the smallest footprint possible. Three Levels: Practiced through thoughts, words, and physical deeds. Universal Benevolence: Cultivating an inner attitude of peace, empathy, and love instead of malice or aggression.
I think we need to include the Three Gates that I annoy the Ferals with on a regular basis.
When they’re being obnoxious to each other, I ask if what they’re saying passes through the three gates…
The three gates of speech are a mindful communication framework often attributed to Sufi mystic traditions and the poet Rumi, as well as Buddhist teachings.
They act as a filter to pause and evaluate our words before we speak:
Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?
I think we all can benefit from the practice of Ahimsa and think before we speak, right?
This highly anticipated spiritual and astrological event aligns the Sun in Leo, the bright star Sirius, and the Earth, creating a powerful window for manifestation.
Found on Pinterest. Credit to designer.
There’s a reason so many people circle August 8th on their calendar each year.
The Lion’s Gate Portal (July 26-Aug 12) is widely regarded as one of the most powerful energetic windows of the year for manifestation and the single most magical day of the entire year for calling our dreams into being.
Many believe this alignment symbolizes a time of expanded awareness, greater clarity, and the chance to intentionally shape what’s next.
This year’s portal invites us to align more closely with the life we hope to create. Whether we’re calling in a chapter of greater abundance, deeper relationships, renewed purpose, or simply more peace, the Lion’s Gate is an invitation to move forward with greater intention. If we feel more intuitive, inspired, emotional, or ready for change, we may already notice this energy.
As the portal opens fully, the veil between the seen and the unseen grows thin enough for our intentions to pass straight through, and this year the opening is wider and more charged than it has felt in a very long time.
There is a rare kind of alchemy hidden inside this particular date. Eight is the number of infinity turned on its side, the number of abundance, of energy leaving and returning multiplied, and here it appears twice, magnifying its power beyond measure at the exact moment the portal opens.
This year also carries the vibration of one, since 2026 reduces to a single 1, the number of new beginnings and untouched pages. Abundance and a brand new chapter are merging into one rare, charged moment, which means whatever we call in today becomes the cornerstone of an entirely new life.
Far overhead, Sirius, the star our ancestors called the Spiritual Sun, moves into alignment with our own Sun and with the ground beneath our feet. The Egyptians built temples to honor this exact ascent, believing it the moment the heavens bent low to touch the earth and pour blessings across everything below. That same timeless magic streams toward us now, made even brighter by Leo season — the reign of the radiant heart, of fearless courage, of being seen at last in our full and dazzling light.
Today is the day to ask for everything our hearts have kept hidden in silence. Speak what our soul has been too afraid to say out loud and release it into the air.
The portal responds to certainty, so stand in it as someone who already holds what they are calling in, moving and speaking from a place of calm knowing instead of longing. Whatever intention we set today threads itself permanently into the story of our future.
Between August 8th and the total solar eclipse on August 12th unfolds the most enchanted window of our whole year. An eclipse in Leo arrives to close one chapter of our life and opens another, peaking just as the Lions Gate reaches its highest.
Rest, surround ourselves with softness, give thanks to the sun, and hold our hearts wide open, because our energy right now is the exact frequency the Universe leans in to answer.
Something miraculous is turning toward us now, and the portal leads into a life we may have only ever glimpsed in our most hopeful dreams.
Walk through the portal with confidence because very star and planet in the cosmos has arranged itself to let us know that the wonderful things arriving were always, beyond any shadow of any doubt, meant for us.
