Subtle changes

It's been a fun autumn here in Moon Valley, there's a grove of maple trees behind our house and the fall colors are incredible. The light reflecting off the leaves into our house beckons me to come outside and enjoy the weather! The changes day to day are so subtle, but if I pay attention, I notice that the forest is a little more orange each day and there's more light coming through the canopy.  This is also how I approach my clients on the massage table.  The changes in a tense muscle can be so quiet, if I'm not paying attention, it's easy to miss. Recently, I was working hard on a client who just couldn't relax. Intuitively, I lightened up, and felt for the subtle movement of the muscle I was working on. Then I gradually applied a little bit of pressure, followed the movement and held the light pressure while the client took a few deep breaths, and the muscle released. You can't force the muscles to relax any more than you can force a green leaf to turn orange overnight. Now, I've got some fall foliage to admire!

How to identify and treat poison ivy

I’ve seen several wicked patches of poison ivy growing along trails at several of my favorite hiking spots this summer. Poison Ivy comes in many forms, which is one of the main reasons it can be so hard to identify.  It can grow as a shrub, a vine, or a single plant; and it can grow everywhere.

Leaves of three…?

Poison Ivy always comes in leaves of three. but so do many common plants. 

Here are some other ways to identify it.

• The center leaf always sticks out more and is slightly bigger than the other two leaves.
• The two side leaves grow directly from the main stem.
• The stem is reddish.
• The leaves tend to be a bright to dark green when viewed from above. When viewed from underneath, they appear lighter and fuzzier. 
• In spring and summer, the leaves are usually a bright green, in fall they turn red.

Got it anyway?

Here are some natural ways to treat poison ivy:

Aloe Vera Gel- Apply it on affected area to cool and prevent scarring.

Tea Tree Oil- Apply to the affected area to dry out the oil.

Goldenseal Root Powder- This herb draws out the oil and dries it up.  Make a paste and apply it like calamine lotion.  (You can find goldenseal root powder in the bulk section at both Clovers Markets in Columbia.)

Is poison ivy growing in your yard? 

How to get rid of it without chemicals:

White Vinegar- Spray the leaves with undiluted white vinegar, do not soak the ground.  If the plant hasn’t started dying in a few days, reapply.

Boiling Water- Another option if you just have a few stubborn plants or vines in flowerbeds or near walkways.  Take a pan of boiling water and slowly pour it on the base of the plant.  This might take a few applications over a few days, but will eventually do the trick.

If you live on a lot of land, the Missouri Department of Conservation recommends that you leave some for the birds.  The berries and foliage are a popular food for songbirds, small mammals, and deer during fall migration and in winter when other foods are scarce. If you can leave thickets or swags of this plant in remote areas on your property, your wildlife will appreciate it. 

The Queen Bee still reigns... jubilee!

Jacob and I spent some time in the bee yard this past weekend.  I've seen hundreds of bees clustered on the outside the hive and have wondered if it's too hot in there for them.  We staggered the boxes a bit to help facilitate air flow and added a nearby water source.
This time last year, we noticed that the cells had two or more eggs in them, which indicated that worker bees were laying their own eggs because the queen was either sick, or dead.  The worker bees only produce drones, which are the male bees.  The sole purpose of the drones is to mate with the queen in the springtime.  In the fall, they're kicked out of the hive by the worker bees.  The worker bee population dwindles as it gets cooler, and since the hive isn't packed with bees to keep the temperature above freezing, they are unable to survive through winter.  We discovered this problem just before we left for vacation, so we weren't able to reintroduce a new queen in time.  This was a disappointing setback.  When something goes wrong with one hive, you have to wait almost a whole year to start over again. 
But it's a new year, and our skills are better than they've ever been.  This weekend we saw many of the queen's eggs and larvae.  We hope to add a super (to collect honey for us!) in the next few weeks.

A technology detox.

I've been striving for a simplified life.  One where I can enjoy every minute, and be present for my six month old son.  Too much time with technology has turned my brain to mush and I've become addicted to information.  I look at it when I nurse, when I'm about to go to bed, when I wake up, even when I'm playing with him.  I've come to the conclusion that this is bad for us!  He is the one that deserves the most of my attention, not this distracting shiny apple box.  

In an effort to end this, I've done three things.

I turned off all notifications on my phone except for voicemail and texts.
I keep technology out of the bedroom.
I minimized my apps.

So far so good.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to enjoy the evening.

Tips on how to get a massage.

Many people who are getting a massage for the first time ask me how they should prepare, or what they should bring.  Here are some suggestions on what massage therapists appreciate from their clients, and ways for you to get the most out of your massage.  I've come across several Do and Don't lists lately, but instead of commanding, I'm asking Please and Thank you.

Please:

• If it's your first time with a new therapist, arrive 5-10 minutes early to get settled in, fill out the intake form, and discuss any pain you have. 

• Inform the therapist if you have any open sores anywhere.  It's summertime, bug bites happen.

• Are you sick?  Call to cancel your appointment as soon as you can. Massage therapists shouldn't work when they're sick, it's unethical.

• Wear comfortable shoes.  At Moon Valley, there are stairs to descend after the massage.  I would feel horrible if you came in wearing heels, got all relaxed and took a tumble on the steps afterwards

• Let me know about any major surgeries or injuries you've had within the last 5-10 years so I can modify the treatment accordingly.

• Talking is okay, but not required.  I'm happy to let you drift off in to relaxation, or even to sleep!  But I also understand if you enjoy talking.  I'll take your lead, if you want to talk, great!  If not, I will focus all my attention on helping you relax. 

• Jewelry is beautiful, but unnecessary for a massage.  Please remove it before the session begins. I wouldn't want to get it all oily, or disrupt the flow if I have to ask you to take it off.

• Ladies, I'm not offended your hairy legs or armpits.  I too get lazy with the razor and let my own legs get stubbly now and then.

• Your safety is our priority.  If something doesn't feel right, either physically, or mentally, speak up!  I've heard of some recent news where women were molested by therapists who were practicing illegally.  Although I assure you that wouldn't happen here, please be smart when you go to a new therapist.  Look for a license posted in the waiting room or massage room, in Missouri, it's the law to publicly display this information with a picture.  Also, look online for reviews to help you make your decision about wether or not to go to a particular therapist.  If you feel unsafe, or in danger, ask to end the session immediately.  If someone ever tells you "I need to do this to help you heal" after you've informed them to stop, that's bullshit.  It's our ethical duty to listen to you and respect your feelings. 

Thank You!
Ways to thank us.

• At Moon Valley we do accept tips, but they're not expected. A typical gratuity for a massage is about 20%.     

• The best compliment for any therapist, is for you to tell your friends.  Even a shout out on Facebook makes us feel warm and fuzzy. 

• We also love seeing people come out of the massage room with a blissful look on their face.

Take these tips into consideration and your next massage will surely be a huge success, for you and your therapist!

Escape to Moon Valley

Sometimes, for my job, I travel off site to give massages.  Although I am happy to do this, I feel my massages are the best in my studio.  There's a lot of good energy there, it's a clean, safe environment, and I know where everything is.  When I'm off site, my attention is distracted from my client by the drive, setting up my equipment, and adapting to a new environment in a short amount of time.

At my studio, I am in my element.  If my client walks through the door and had a stressful day, I can grab my lavender oil and put a few drops on the sheets.  If they slept on their neck wrong, I can toss a rice bag in the microwave and apply some heat to loosen it up before I work on it.  If the weather's nice, I can open the windows.  If it's too bright, I can close the curtains.  If anything seems off, I have the freedom to adjust it to create balance and harmony in the studio.  These things, although not necessary, are part of the experience of getting a massage.  You come to Moon Valley to escape the stress of your every day, and  unfortunately, I can not create that in your home, or office.

My husband and I went looking for a new car yesterday.  We set off in the morning armed with Car Fax, interest rates, places we wanted to visit, and cars we wanted to drive. We drove around all day being schmoozed by salespeople and captivated by cars that were way out of our price range.  We felt like we were on the television show House Hunters, only without a helpful narrator.

About midday, we took a break from our car hunt and stopped at a place called Sump Coffee, on Jefferson Avenue in South City St. Louis, to hash out some car decisions.  Jacob and I really dug the bar made of salvaged boards and concrete countertops.  The atmosphere was simple, so as not to detract from the coffee. We ordered two hand brewed coffees and sat down while they made them for us.  Hot water was manually poured over the ground beans slowly and served to us in decanters with small coffee cups.  It was pretty high class.  I was afraid to ask for my usual half and half accompaniment, but it turns out, I didn't need it.  The coffee was light and roasted well, it didn't taste bitter at all.

After our pit stop at Sump, we continued on our quest for our new car.  I 'll remember Sump coffee as an oasis in the middle of a crazy, stressful, major decision making day.
...We also found a car within our price range and we are thrilled about it.  I call this weekend, a success!