grow tomatoes.

These are the last tomatoes of summer picked on October 25, 2010. How glorious. Even though the tomato vines look like scary skeletons, there is fruit to be found. Are they as tasty as the August harvest? No. But are they oodles better than what you can find in a grocery store? Big yes. I recommend that you plant a tomato plant somewhere in your life next spring, and hopefully it will still be surprising you with goodness in the fall.

dating game.

The most sage advice you might ever receive is this:
FOR THE GIRL
Watch and observe how your date treats his mother, sisters and grandmother. This is how he will treat you at the end of the day.
FOR THE BOY
Observe her mother carefully. You are looking at a picture of what your date will be like and look like one day.

Sorry, but there is much truth in these words. Don't be fooled by youth. One day I don't want you to say "If only I had listened to Mother Rabbit"...

journal every night.

Journaling something about my day when I get into bed at night is one of the sweetest parts of my day. I spend just minutes doing it, but there is something very satisfying about capturing the day and holding it in your hands before it is over. There is something rewarding about stopping to remember what really happened in the past 24 hours. There is something rich about taking time to be thankful for specific things that were experienced that very day.

For the past ten years I have used Susan Branch's book called "Days from the Heart of the Home" to record my daily sentiments. There is a tiny space to write in (just the right size!) with much inspiring goodness in the margins. Did you know that Susan Branch is one of my life mentors? She inspires me in countless ways.

Sometimes I write down three favorites from the day. Sometimes I write about a poignant moment. Sometimes I doodle a picture. Sometimes I write a prayer. Sometimes I just list what I did or accomplished. There are no rules! But it sure is fun to look back and read your stories. This is where my history is being written. Join the fun and journal. Don't let life rush by so fast that you don't notice it.

flu shots.

This is just to say that Mother Rabbit does not believe in getting them. I believe that under normal healthy circumstances the body's own immune system is equipped to fight the common cold and flu.
Flu shots mean that the medical community has guessed which strain of flu will be prevalent that year and that is the one they will immunize against. Obviously, Mother Rabbit is not a doctor but she has been around long enough to see that all the 'great' medical breakthroughs that man has come up with have not all been great.
For example, cutting edge cancer research is now working with the body's own immune system to fight the cancer rather than rushing into radiation and chemotherapy treatments which have significant side effects. Everything has side effects, which is important to remember.

I actually feel out of my element commenting on flu shots but my advice is that you don't just do whatever the "medical professionals" tell you without thinking about your options. People do not employ enough common sense anymore.
When I recently found out that babies are required to have 24 immunizations in their first year of life I was alarmed. Maybe it starts with enjoying the choices you still have.

power of a match.

Did you know that the simple act of lighting a match can absorb any stinky smells that might happen in a bathroom? The sulphur in the match head really does remove odors you do not want to be smelling, even if you put the smell in the room. Try it. You'll like it.

And by the way, Mother Rabbit would never spray fake chemicals named Glade into the air to cover a smell.

Speaking of the handiness of matches, did you know that the large head of a wooden match will burn out a nasty canker sore when held on the inflamed spot? It hurts a bit, but it will heal faster and brings immediate relief.

plant flowers.

These are the last flowers of summer 2010 which makes them extra precious. Frost is around the corner and temperatures have dipped enough to take a toll on anything still growing.

Having fresh flowers in the house is one of life's best simple pleasures. Be thinking about what you can plant in the spring and where you can plant it. Even a container garden can yield lots of flowering fun.

I like to collect tiny vases so even snipping two stems can look showy. Flower arrangements don't have to be big to make their impact.

take honey seriously.

Honey deserves your attention. Not only is it a healthy choice, but it has medicinal benefits.

Did you know that honey can sooth a sore throat? It is not just an old wives's tale but has been medically proven that honey can kill certain bacteria at the root of the infection. Add honey, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to warm water to sip or gargle to ease the inflammation of a cold or flu. Mother Rabbit loves this recipe.

I have heard that it lessens allergy symptoms when people use local honey during allergy season. The pollens that irritate would be the same pollens that the bees use. Kind of like a natural vaccine?

Honey is also a natural way to get a needed energy boost. Forget the addictive chemical-laden energy drinks. Try a spoonful of honey. Its natural sugars (glucose and fructose) are absorbed quickly for an instant boost. A honey of a sweet deal.

my airport socks.

My airport socks are the ones that I keep in the outside pocket of my carry-on bag when I travel. It is these socks that I grab from my bag right before I have to remove my shoes for airport security. As my shoes come off my feet, my airport socks slip over my existing socks (or bare feet) in a fluid motion to serve as a bacteria screen for walking through the TSA passageway. Have you ever stopped to think about how many people's bare feet walk through that screening machine every day? And have you ever seen anyone cleaning any of the surfaces? There. You probably aren't laughing anymore.

I happen to like clean feet. For the record, I do not get into bed at night without clean feet. Clean feet are happy feet. The idea of airport socks was birthed when I went through airport security in my beloved Ugg boots. The idea of walking on stinky-feet-surfaces and then putting my foot back inside my warm boot sanctuary was too much for me. Airport socks were born.

salt crystals.

I think I am going on 17 years of not wearing antiperspirant or commerial deodorant. It was that long ago when I first heard that it was not healthy to have your body absorb aluminum chlorohydrate which most antiperspirants contain. Go check out the label on what you rub under your arms everyday.

Instead I switched to using a salt crystal. The ingredient label on my salt crystal simply reads: Natural Mineral Salts, Ammonium Alum.

Here is how I understand it. It is bacteria that causes the odors we do not want. Salt kills the bacteria. Sweating itself is not the culprit. Sweating is our body's natural cooling system. Give salt a try. To use, simply wet the salt rock and apply lavishly.