Caroline's alarm clock

"Play with me!"

To tattoo or not to tattoo, that is the question...

Tattooed Lady Doll in Corset by Mimi Kirchner At Caroline's riding lesson the other day, I was discussing tattoos with her riding instructor who just got a rather large one on the side of her lower leg. I remembered this email which came out recently and decided to read it. I've never wanted one, primarily because I'm a wimp when it comes to pain and it's amazing that I even have pierced ears! But now I really know I do not want one and here's why: The Truth About Tattoos: Health Risks, Toxicity and More Friday, September 28, 2007 by: Julie Genser Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/022073.html#ixzz2186bGCOR (NaturalNews) A frighteningly growing number of teens and young adults around the world are injecting dangerous chemicals under their skin in the name of art and self-expression. A trend that started growing in America and Europe in the early '90s, tattooing soon became so popular that 36% of Americans aged 25-29 had at least one body tattoo by 2003.1 The numbers have undoubtedly risen in the four years since; tattoos are now well-entrenched in the mainstream. Even the media regularly glorifies tattoo culture, as evidenced by reality TV shows like The Learning Channel's Miami Ink and LA Ink, and Inked on A&E, as well as frequent magazine sightings of tattoo-sporting celebrities like Paris Hilton, David Beckham, and Angelina Jolie, and print ads featuring tattooed models and athletes, like Calvin Klein Underwear's Fredrik Ljungberg (who, by the way, had a severe allergic reaction to his tattoos and had to have a lymph gland removed).2 What's formaldehyde and antifreeze doing in your skin?Tattooing is an art form that has been used for centuries by tribal societies in religious rites and as a natural part of life. At first banned and then appropriated by Western culture, tattoos have recently developed as a decorative art of self-expression; used by some to celebrate events, memorialize a departed loved one, or as a show of commitment to a life partner. There is one thing for sure: all tattoos have a story. What's not so clear is exactly what we're injecting into our skin for art's sake. A far cry from their tribal predecessors made with dyes from the natural environment, many of today's tattoos contain an unknown conglomeration of metallic salts (oxides, sulphides, selenides), organic dyes or plastics suspended in a carrier solution for consistency of application.3 In the European Commission's report on the health risks of tattooing, they note that close to 40% of organic colorants used in permanent tattoos in Europe are not even approved for use on the skin as a cosmetic ingredient and just under 20% of the colorants studied contained a carcinogenic aromatic amine. Many of the chemicals found were originally intended for use in writing and printer inks, as well as automobile paints.4 These inks are injected deep enough into the skin that often tattoos will not even be destroyed by severe burns.5 In America, the FDA regulates some of the ingredients in cosmetics worn on the skin, and vitamins, drugs and food additives ingested into the body, but it does not regulate these toxic inks we put under our skin. Their official stance: "Because of other public health priorities and a previous lack of evidence of safety concerns, FDA has not traditionally regulated tattoo inks or the pigments used in them."6 The FDA also does not require ingredient disclosure on the inks—they are considered proprietary (trade secrets)—and so tattoo inks may contain any chemical, including those known to be mutagenic (capable of causing mutations), teratogenic (capable of causing birth defects), and carcinogenic (capable of causing cancer), or involved in other biochemical reactions in the body that might take decades to appear.3 Surprisingly, the FDA does not list cancer in their list of potential tattoo risks, citing only infection, removal problems, allergic reactions, granulomas, keloid formation, and MRI complications.6 The job of testing and legislating the use of tattoo pigments in permanent cosmetics is left to the state. In California, specific ingredients are prohibited and the state will even legally pursue companies who fail to disclose tattoo pigment ingredients to the consumer. They recently brought suit against nine pigment and ink manufacturers for inadequate labeling.5 What's in a tattoo?Without full disclosure of ingredients, it is impossible to know for sure what is in tattoo ink. Added to this, each color and each brand of ink has completely different ingredients, according to a 2005 study out of Northern Arizona University.7 The carrier solution itself might contain harmful substances such as denatured alcohols, methanol, rubbing alcohol, antifreeze, detergents, or formaldehyde and other highly toxic aldehydes.3 The oldest pigments came from using ground up minerals and carbon black. According to Wikipedia.org, a wide range of dyes and pigments are now used in tattoos "from inorganic materials like titanium dioxide and iron oxides to carbon black, azo dyes, and acridine, quinoline, phthalocyanine and naphthol derivates, dyes made from ash, and other mixtures." Currently popular is Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS plastic), used in Intenze, Millenium and other ABS pigmented brands.5 The price of ignorance.Although allergic reactions to permanent tattoos are considered rare given the number of tattoos applied yearly—in the neighborhood of 5 million9—they can occur, along with scarring, phototoxic reactions (i.e., reactions from exposure to light, especially sunlight), and other adverse effects. Many people have reported reactions to the intensely colored plastic-based pigments. There are also pigments that glow in the dark or in response to black (ultraviolet) light. Some of these pigments may be safe, but others are toxic and even possibly radioactive.9 Plastic-based inks (e.g., glow-in-the-dark ink) have led to polymerization under the skin, where the tattoo pigment particles converged into one solid piece under the skin.9 Allergic reactions have occurred with some of the many metals put into tattoo inks, nickel being one of the most common metal allergies.8 Others have reacted to the mercury in red cinnabar, to cobalt blue, and to cadmium sulfite when used as a yellow pigment. Some inks were found to have high levels of lead, some contained lithium, and the blue inks were full of copper.7 Allergic reactions may occur infrequently with permanent tattoos, but the long-term health effects are still unknown due to the lack of regulation, testing, and long-term studies. In contrast to the low incidence of reported allergic reactions to permanent tattoos, however, certain temporary Henna tattoos have been very problematic. Henna tattoos that contain the dark brown dye para-phenylenediamine (PPD) can cause a delayed allergic reaction and subsequent PPD hyper-sensitization that may permanently prohibit one from using sulfa drugs, PABA sunscreens, benzocaine and other anesthetics, and hair dyes. Fragrance sensitization may occur, and in some cases, the reaction will include skin necrosis, scarring, and hypo-pigmentation. Analysis of henna dye used on persons who reported allergic reactions has shown the presence of toxic chemicals from hair and textile dyes, in addition to PPD. The question of toxicity is multifaceted; there are others factors that may exponentially increase the serious health risks associated with tattooing. When alcohol is used as part of the carrier base in tattoo ink or to disinfect the skin before application of the tattoo, it increases the skin's permeability, helping to transport more chemicals into the bloodstream. Alcohol also works synergistically with mutagens, teratogens, and carcinogens to make them even more harmful, increasing the chance that they may cause mutation or disease, both at the site of the tattoo and systemically.3 Other health risks.In addition to allergic reactions and the unknown long-term health effects from the metal salts and carrier solutions that make up tattoo inks, there are other health risks involved. Skin infections, psoriasis, dermatitis and other chronic skin conditions, and tumors (both benign, and malignant) have all been associated with tattoos. Due to the use of needles in tattoo application, there is also the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as tetanus, herpes simplex virus, staph, HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, and even Syphilis. And those with tattoos might not be able to get a life-saving MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) test if they need one—some hospitals and testing locations will refuse to do an MRI on people with body tattoos due to the metal particles in the tattoo, which may cause a burning pain during the test.10 If you plan on having your tattoo removed, you should be aware that some of the pigments used (especially Yellow #7) are phototoxic and may break down into toxic chemicals in the body when removed with UV light or laser, common techniques used in tattoo removal. The toxic end-products eventually wind up in the kidneys and liver, adding to your total body burden.5 Think for yourself.In an ideal world, the 'trade secrets' clause that allows companies to put profit over public health would be disallowed for all products used topically, transdermally, or ingested into our bodies. However, in the absence of federal regulation to protect the consumer from unqualified tattoo artists, unhygienic tools and application methods, and highly toxic inks, the best advice for the youth of today is abstinence from tattoos. At the very least, one should find out if their state has any regulations on tattoo inks, and always ask to see the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any pigment or carrier used to see basic health and safety information for the ingredients involved. Skin tests should be performed prior to tattoo application to see if you are allergic to any of the ingredients. Although certain tattoo ink ingredients may be plant-based or otherwise considered safe and non-toxic, the truth is that no long-term studies have been performed confirming that they are safe to inject as a permanent cosmetic. Bottom line: don't trust the government, tattoo ink manufacturers, or tattoo artists to give you accurate and complete information on the toxicity of the pigments and dyes being used—at least not just yet. Sources1. The Harris Poll® #58, Harris Interactive, 2003 http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=407 2. Sam Coates, How Arsenal footballer was brought down by tattoo, Times Online, 2005 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article524829.ece 3. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., Tattoo Ink Carrier Chemistry, About.com http://chemistry.about.com/od/medicalhealth/a/tattoocarrier.htm 4. Workshop on "Technical/scientific and regulatory issues on the safety of tattoos, body piercing and of regulated practices", European Commission, 2003 http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/cons_safe/news/eis_tattoo_pro... 5. Tattoo, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo 6. Tattoos and Permanent Makeup, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2006 http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-204.html 7. Emma Marris, Is tattoo ink safe?, BioEd Online http://www.bioedonline.org/news/news.cfm?art=1657 8. Tattoo Allergies, TattooInfo.net http://www.tattooinfo.net/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=34 9. Tattoo Ink, BMEZINE.com Encyclopedia http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Tattoo_ink 10. Kassidy Emmerson, The Deadly Dangers of Body Tattoos, Associated Content http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/139496/the_deadly_dangers_of...

rent it

We watched "The Big Year" last weekend and it was a really good movie-- entertaining and we learned everything we never knew about the sport of birdwatching! It has this weird effect on you in that now I notice all kinds of birds that I really never paid attention to before. My grandfather was a birder and I inherited one of his bird references. I told Craig that I could really get into this-- it just requires binoculars, a notebook, a reference book and of course, maybe a little travel! But even in the backyard it's easy to go birding. Of course what drew me to this movie was that it starred three of my favorite actors! So, if you're wondering what to rent this weekend, this is a fun pick! Happy Friday!

Real Freedom

Seeds of Freedom from The ABN and The Gaia Foundation on Vimeo.


There is an abundance of food to feed the world. This is a fact. 70% of the world is fed by independent farmers with heritage seeds. This little movie, narrated by Jeromy Irons, is poignant in its presentation of what is happening in our food production world today. It is easy for people like Bill Gates to manipulate our thinking, telling us that the world is starving so we must invest in GMO seeds. This is the worst possible solution and it makes me teary-eyed to think that people believe in this garbage science. Agriculture was working perfectly before industrialization came along.

How to preserve our true freedom in food? Buy from your local farmers who are producing crops by traditional farming methods-- with sustainable crops that don't get sprayed with chemicals, but are diverse and rotated to avoid weeds and pests. They take less land, less water and produce less soil erosion and food that is more full of nutrients that make you healthy and happy, as well as the earth.

Thanks to Willow for sharing this video on her blog! I am going to try to find out which candidates support sustainable agriculture and which have joined the ranks with GMO promoting corporations.

Fridge Pickles

I just tried this great recipe from Sara Foster's book Fresh Every Day and it was so easy and so delicious! If you happen to be growing cucumbers in your garden like we are, you'll love this:

Mom's Fridge Pickles
I grew up eating these crunchy, not-too-sweet pickles. They're great just to snack on or serve with a sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese. In the summertime, I layer them on tomato sandwiches, and they're a must with Peter's All-World Burgers. You want to make them with kirby cucumbers because the seeds are small and the cucumbers are naturally crisp.

Makes About 1 Quart

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dill seed
4 to 5 small kirby (pickling) cucumbers, peeled in stripes and sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
1 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and dill seed in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Layer the cucumbers and onion in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar. Place the lid on the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.

seems like yesterday...

I found our little keychain photos from trips to Virginia Beach in 2001 and 2003. I wished that I could keep the photos inside because they are starting to fade. Caroline figured out how to take a photo with her iPhone!  So here are my little cuties having fun in the sand. It does seem like just yesterday! Of course at the time, we thought these little keychains were way too expensive. Now they are priceless.

We went to Hershey Park last evening and had a blast! Nathaniel and I don't really do many coasters and we had our fill pretty quickly. (He won a stuffed animal for Caroline.) But Caroline and Craig love them, and I was lucky to walk up to the exit of one, just as they posted the photo of those two with their arms in the air in the front car of one of the big coasters! So, I bought it! There aren't too many teenagers that like to hang out with their parents at an Amusement Park, but Caroline and Nathaniel both said they had the best time with us and were lucky kids. I'm so happy! If you ever get a chance to go to Hershey Park then do, because it is a really nice, clean park and they give out free samples of chocolate at the Chocolate World ride! And the town smells like candy and has Hershey Kisses for street lights. :) It's the "sweetest place on earth!"  (And in a side note, if you are a fan of "Modern Family" then you probably saw the episode when they go to Disney and Phil gets sick on the rides... we've adopted the phrase "pulling a Dunphy" to describe what us adults try to do on the coasters!) Ha!

two roads diverged in a yellow wood...

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want in the future... where I want to be living and what I want to be doing. We are surrounded here by a lot of wealth-- I don't know if it's our proximity to NYC or transplants from the East Coast or that the Mennonite and Amish communities have traditionally had a lot of money. Sometimes it seems like we get caught up in the comparisons. Just this afternoon Caroline saw one of her school friends who just got back from her family's cruise to Bermuda. Teens at the High School drive BMW's and more expensive cars than I've ever had. I think to myself that we tend to judge people as being "better" by all of these things and all I want is a more simple life. Real wealth to me is being able to buy good farm fresh food and not worry about paying the bills. It's being able to find a house with a long history and character, and keep it in it's best shape. I actually love vintage cars way more than any new luxury car. I think Caroline has picked up that same love! We get all giggly over seeing anything vintage on the road. It's because it's unique. 

I want to take the road less travelled.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm so thankful for Craig's successful career and he works really hard at it. Nothing we have comes easy.  Every night I thank God for all the people in my life and for everything that we have. I wish everyone had what we had. It's just enough. Sometimes I am sad that I can't afford better education for my kids or to redo my kitchen, but then I realize that it's not those things that determine a happy life. I can still cook delicious meals for everyone. My kids will learn more from their life experiences-- more than any teacher could ever teach them. They'll pursue their passions in life. That's what I hope. They are already embracing the idea of being individuals.

They'll want to take the road less travelled.

So here is my dream-- to find a just-big-enough New England house with a long history and lots of character, in Maine. I want to be able to kayak and paddle board and go sailing. I want to be part of a little community that has lots of stories to tell. I want to see the beautiful foliage in the fall and be able to snow shoe in the winter. I want to keep the windows open to let the ocean breezes find their way in and to hear the crickets and maybe the loons at night. I want to taste fresh seafood and eat from the local farmer's crops and wander into the library weekly. I want to take Elle on long walks and let her enjoy being on the water with us. I want to feel like I am home. While others are retiring to Florida, I want to embrace the North.

I want to take the road less travelled.

So I'm putting this out there in the universe, hoping that I can focus on this goal. I also want to finish my homeopathy degree. I want to start a small practice where you come to my home and sit with me while we drink tea and talk about how to make you feel better. I want to help children and adults to conquer their allergies and be kind to their bodies so that they can enjoy all the seasons and life itself. I want to heal chronic diseases and watch people embrace their lives again. I want to know each person so well that they feel that they matter and that their health is very important. I don't want to have to advertise a lot-- just have referrals from people who have been healed and appreciate this kind and gentle medicine. I want it to be affordable to everyone. And maybe even someday illustrate and write a book or two. Somehow share the important things I've learned so that others can easily know them too.

I want to take the road less travelled.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

Robert Frost

Rainbow over Camden

 I forgot about a few more photos I had taken on my phone. We were out to eat in Camden and went for a walk afterwards. As we were coming over the hill near the library, looking out to the bay, we saw two rainbows over it! It's sort of hard to see in these photos but you can sort of make them out...

I know Elle, I want to go back too!!!

It doesn't get much better than this

These are some random shots of the week. We had our fill of lobster and we found some really, really good restaurants (like 40 Paper which had homemade gluten free pasta and desserts)!  I felt like we all caught up on sleep and rest from a busy school year. We had a lot of fun outside which is way more than I can say for when we are at home (which is way too hot in the summertime). And I think we found a place we just might call home someday.  We always leave Maine thinking that there's so much more we want to do. So, we're planning our next trip back!

sailing on the Olad

We spent one afternoon aboard the Olad, a large sailing schooner with a history in Camden. Craig helped hoist the sails and it was a beautiful day. We saw Michael Dell's boat out sailing too (fifth photo down). Lots of wealthy people seem to buy properties in Camden and hide out from the rest of the world. I guess we were in good company!  I noticed on another brochure that the captain of that boat had been a travel writer and had a degree in Asian Studies. It sounded so much like Caroline! We are hoping she looks at colleges in Maine.

Mount Battie

On July 4th we went to Camden State Park and drove up to Mount Battie which overlooks the Camden Bay and town. We wanted to come back that evening to see fireworks but the fog rolled in and they were postponed until the next night. There is a tower there that gives you the view in the second picture (you can click on the link to see a photo of the tower.) Caroline took these photos with her iPhone (I forgot my camera!). We hiked down a trail in the woods where rocks were covered in moss and looked as if fairies lived everywhere. It came out onto the ocean. It was gorgeous.

Paddle boarding and kayaking

The second day we were there, we took paddle boarding lessons on Megunticook Lake, which is just north of Camden. It was a blast! I sort of felt like I was surfing because the boards are very similar. You have to balance the whole time and then paddle, so it's a full body workout. We were out there paddling around for two hours. We ended up renting a couple boards later in the week to paddle around where we were staying. I loved it. The house we stayed at had two kayaks and a canoe so we could do that too. Elle loved going out in the canoe! It would be perfect to be able to do this every day.

summer vacation

We spent the week up in Maine at a house on Levenseller Pond which is just north of Camden. The sound of the loons and the bullfrogs was better than any radio, and we slept with the windows open every night. Actually, there is no air-conditioning there or in many of the houses in Maine because the ocean air cools everything off in the evening. Elle liked to go canoeing and we spent a lot of time sitting on the dock and playing in the water. I'll do another post on the things we did!

sweet vacation

We slipped out of town for a week, up to our favorite place in the world-- Camden, Maine. It was a good week to do it because the temperatures at home were unbearable, but the temps up North were perfect. Out of cell phone coverage at the house we rented and on a spring fed pond in front of Mt. Megunticook... lots to tell about! I'll post more later. Right now I'm catching up from being gone and trying to conquer my own mountain of laundry!