Peaceful Daily Blog

Azure Standard

Every month for the last several months, I have been doing a sizable portion of my grocery shopping online through Azure Standard, an oregon-based company specializing in organic, natural, and earth-friendly products. Azure Standard sells directly to customers anywhere, though if you are lucky enough to live in the western two thirds of the U.S., they deliver monthly via semi truck to a predetermined "drop point" free of charge. That's right, no shipping fees.  And no tax for anyone living outside of Oregon. As if these two savings weren't enough,  their prices (especially bulk pricing) seem to be better than most health food stores that I've frequented. And let's not forget the precious opportunity to support the independent grocer once again in this era of large scale health food chains.

Then there's the variety! I have found products there that I didn't know existed, and I spend a fair portion of time seeking out fairly obscure food products. Powdered goat milk? Check.  Ten pound bags of organic kelp granuels for the chickens? Check. Gallon size mason jars? Check. I'm a bit of a jar phile, so this last little discovery cemented my love for this company.

But I don't stop at food products. I get my soy candles, light bulbs, Himalayan salt lights, pet food, supplements and personal products all through Azure Standard. Once more, they carry an impressive variety of bulk items, and I'm all about bulk shopping: it's cheaper, it's more efficient, and it's generally less packaging which means less waste. I just pile it all up on a shelf in the garage and forget about it until the appropriate time.

Those with the homesteading spirit and those living in more isolated communities have known about Azure Standard since its humble beginnings in 1987. I'm delighted to finally be in on the shopping scoop and can hardly wait until my next shipment. 

Peace,

Annie

 

How to braid hair

I took my 87 year old grandmother with me to Vermont this past weekend.  The trees already spectacular with burst of amber, fire, and pumpkin.  The air crisp but still warm enough for a light sweatshirt.

We filled our time with general store purchases of Maple Syrup, flea market finds, and healthy portions of apple pie(Ok, the portions were rather large). The hours drifted calmly from one simple moment to the next.

And in one of those simple moments everything seemed to change.  My grandmother just recently battled Breast Cancer, has emphysema, osteoporosis, weighs 90 pounds, and shows signs of congestive heart failure.No one expected her to be chopping wood for the fire.  AT this point, her frailty of body seemed natural and OK.  We have gotten use to it, accepted it.  SO has she. What we were not prepared for was the changes in her mind.

She asked to braid my hair on Saturday morning.

"Like I did when you were a kid."  she winked

I gathered the comb, rubber bands, and got myself in that familiar cross-legged sitting position nestled between her legs.

She tried.  She tried so hard.  But for all her want, my grandmother simple could not remember how to braid.  Near tears, she settled on coiffing my hair in this sort of half braid pony tail number then quietly tucked herself into a bedroom.

I suspect she cried.  Being in that place somewhere between blissfully unaware and painfully astute.

I have heard it called a "Second Childhood" before.  I suppose because of lose of independence and the needing to be looked after like a child might. But what I witnessed was far from anything like a childhood.  Laughter and lollipops of real childhood were noticeably missing.  The joy and magic  somehow alluded my grandmother.

So, her body and now mind are starting to journey.  My heart tells me though, her spirit , even though outwardly diminished, soars inside of her.  As she changes, I must change.  Because that is how I can reach her now.   I think when she wants to remember how to braid my hair again I will say to her , "Not today mom, but let's talk about how it felt to do it when I was little."  Truthfully, it is not the hair braiding she really wants to do and remember, but rather a time in our lives that was pure and sweet.  Through that sprit connection we can be together again in a real second childhood of simple happiness. 

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you how to braid hair: with love.

I love you, Mom mom.

Namaste,

Krissy