Memorial Day: Say Thank You and Hug A Soldier Today

I just wanted to pop in here for a brief moment to say a big heartfelt Thank You to all the soldiers, and all the families like mine that support and have supported them, all across America. Thank You so much, and we love you, to men like my Dad R.I.P. Army, who served in the Korean Conflict 52 -53, my brother  Joe, Air Force,  active in Desert Storm, and recently returned to the states from Korea. My Army members, brother Ted operation Iraqi Freedom, and say a prayer for safety please, currently in Afghanistan at this moment, and My nephews Brian and Larry. My Marines which include my brother Dean, My daughter Tennille, and two sons in law Kev and Bri, To ALL who stand under, behind and for our Flag, which IS the people’s flag…

THANK YOU
HUG A SOLDIER TODAY:)

This is about my Brother Ted:) SO proud of him

http://www.cjtf82.com/regional-command-east-news-mainmenu-401/2825-thinking-outside-of-the-box.html

GARDEZ, Afghanistan - Just as some look at a blank canvas and imagine art, U.S. Army Sgt. Theodore Sweet looks at a piece of metal and sees innovations.

With the creativity of a sculptor and the weathered hands of a metal worker, he uses his workshop as his studioand scrap metal as his canvas to create everything from brackets to bed frames.

His work isn’t displayed in a gallery. It is used by Soldiers everyday in the field.

Sweet is a welder with Company E, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment whose inventions and repairs have been integral to the success of not only the Soldiers in his battalion, but also the Afghan National Army and special operations Soldiers.
“It seems like every day I make a new creation,” Sweet said “Sometimes it seems like they’re looking for miracles, but in the end it always works out.” 

One of his more famous inventions includes a mount for an M-240B machine gun that he engineered for an all-terrain vehicle for special forces soldiers. The vehicle, similar to a common four-wheeler, had no weapon system before Sweet got his hands on it.

It turned out to be an effective tool aiding special operations soldiers during a fire fight.

“It definitely enhanced our capability to maneuver on the enemy,” said one Soldier, who didn’t give his name for security reasons.

Another of Sweet’s inventions include an improved ammunition box for an Mark 19 Automatic Grenade Launcher. The weapon is mounted in the turret on top of  Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles, which Soldiers use every day to travel around Afghanistan and is one of their first lines of defense against attacks on their convoys.

Normally, the Soldiers can expend about 50 rounds of ammunition before they have to reload.

With Sweet’s invention mounted in the turret, they can fire three times as many rounds before having to reload. This invention has also been tested and proven in combat by Soldiers, Sweet said.

Sweet is also asked daily to invent or replicate tools and hardware that are normally made by industrial machines.

“I just give him a drawing and he makes it work,” said Gerard Pantin, a civilian contractor. “Any type of welding we want he comes up with the design and executes.”      

“It’s like molding clay,” Sweet said.

Sweet has only been a certified military welder for about two years. As a traditional National Guard Soldier, this is not his full-time occupation.

At his home in Burke Ny., Sweet is a Clinton County corrections officer. His background in welding came from growing up on a farm, restoring old Mustangs, and working in a junkyard.

Sweet also knows first-hand the importance of effective equipment in combat. In addition to his civilian experience, he also draws on his combat experience from his first deployment where he served as a tanker in Ramadi, Iraq from 2005 to 2006.

“There’s not much we can give him that he can’t fix,” said Chief Warrant Officer Larry Grace, the support maintenance technician supervisor for Company E.

Through his ingenuity, Sweet has proven that it is possible to not only think outside the box, but take that box and weld it into a life-saving innovation.

GARDEZ, Afghanistan -- U.S. Army Sgt. Theodore Sweet, a welder with Company E, 3rd Battalion of the 172nd Infantry Regiment of Burke,NY., holds a piece of hardware that he welded May 18. Sweet welds this and many other pieces of hardware from scrap metal that would normally be made by industrial machinery at his metal shop onForward Operating Base Lightning. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Whitney Hughes)

GARDEZ, Afghanistan -- U.S. Army Sgt. Theodore Sweet, a welder with Company E, 3rd Battalion of the 172nd Infantry Regiment stands behind a mount for an M240B that he created for an all-terrain vehicle, May 18. The mount was used during a fire fight by special forces Soldiers recently. Sweet, of Burke, Ny., welds this and many inventions from scrap metal that would normally be made by industrial machinery at his metal shop on Forward Operating Base Lightning. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Whitney Hughes)

Harvesting Persimmon Leaves Today

I had to take a break, so I figured it was a good time to get in an update here. Some day  people may actually find this blog:) 

Today I have been outside harvesting persimmon leaves, so this pause in my work would be a good opportunity to go over some of the benefits research, and thousands of years of use, have indicated may be gained from this particular natural herbal remedy when used in tea blends.

For example in a study conducted by the Deptartment of  Food Science & Nutrtion, at the Catholic University Of Taegu-Hyosung, Hayang 712-702, in Korea, it was found that "Persimmon leaves, which are a good source of important dietary antioxidants, such as vitamin A & C, and flavonoids, have been widely used as a tea in oriental countries. In particular, several tannins and flavonoids isolated from persimmon leaf were recently found to have antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, and antimutagenic actions" .  It is the tannins and flavonoids in Persimmon leaves that provide the anti-hypertensive, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-mutagenic properties.
Persimmon leaf, which contains astragalin, when taken orally, acts as a natural antihistamine and may help reduce allergic reactions as well.Efficacy tests of the lipid-lowering actions of persimmon leaves indicate whole persimmon leaf tea could prove beneficial for regulation of lipid metabolism.  


Now of course the corporate view, and the reason the majority of these studies are conducted are to process the natural leaves. Take the good ingredients, available  in their natural state, and produce them in pill, or liquid form. I say why, When you can use the unaltered natural form? Do you want to trust science to make it better? They have done such a great job within the food industry over the past decade haven't they? (Insert sarcasm here).

The fact remains that cultures from various parts of the world, over the test of time, have used persimmon to treat a number of ills.  More importantly, like many of the natural herbal remedies nature provides us, persimmon leaves can be beneficial as a preventative to illness, by strengthening our bodies natural defenses. 

Like most teas, persimmon leaf tea originated in the Orient. For thousands of years it has been a traditional tea in Korea. It is believed to be superior in preventing and curing diseases of the blood and circulatory system. Persimmon leaf tea contains  more than 3.5~20.8 times the vitamin C content than green tea.

I need to return to finish spreading my leaves into one single layer. 
Which is More time consuming than you may think:)

  Here, once spread the Persimmon leaves will stay in a darkened, well ventilated room, fluffed daily, until fully dry.

Gathering St. John's Wort Today

Hey just got back in from gathering some of my St. John's Wort, it is just coming into bloom. I have tied them in small bunches, and they are now hanging to dry. This is one of the ingredients in the tea blend I call Attitude Adjuster. It has been said that St. John's wort blooms from late May through September, and some say that it blooms on the birth day of St. John the Baptist, June 24 - hence the name St. John's wort. Mine is a little early I guess, but since it originated in the EU, and I live down south the hot climate here probably is responsible for that.

The major active ingredients in St. John's wort include hypericin and other dianthrones, flavonoids, xanthones, and hyperforin. Today, like many natural herbal remedies available, commercialism is all about extracts and pill forms of this herb. St. John's Wort has been studied for it's effectiveness to treat depression for quite some time now. Research has suggested that extracts of St. John's Wort may exert their antidepressant actions by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This action may be due to hyperforin. St. John's wort's may work as an antidepressant, by making more of hyperforin (a neurotransmitter) available to the brain.

This herb has been used for medical purposes for thousands of years. According to an article on Web M.D. " St. John's wort is continually being studied to try to validate its alleged mood-improving benefits. More than 30 clinical studies have been conducted over the past 22 years to evaluate the effectiveness of St. John's wort.
Due to the strength of these concentrations some have said that there may be contradictions when using this herbal remedy while taking other medications, but these concerns are misplaced when the herb is used in its natural dried state as an herbal tea, or infusion. One must keep in mind when purchasing pill form extracts as supplements that the commercial process is targeting specific components of the plant to extract. For  example individuals suffering from depression may be prescribed 500-1,000 mg per day of St. John's extract per day.

This is far beyond the amount of hypericin and other dianthrones that would be available in a soothing cup of tea, but as always I would recommend that anyone who is on medication for treatment of any conditions, such as high blood pressure for example should  consult with their physician.Also keep in mind that ST. John's is not intended for long term use, but is generally taken for 2- 3 weeks.

The Web MD article states that typically St. John's wort is taken three times a day for several weeks, or It may also be taken twice a day as a tea made with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried herb.

My Attitude Adjuster blend is a mix of ST. John's, Mint, Lemon Balm, Stevia, and chamomile.

Herbal Wisdom says of St. John's :

Properties:
Strengthens the nervous system and speeds healing. Analgesic (pain relieving), Antidepressant, Antiviral, Anti-inflammatory, Antispasmodic, Diuretic (increases the flow of urine), Emmenagogic (Promotes menstrual flow), Nutritive tonic

Uses:
Hypothyroidism
Neuralgia, sciatica and back pain
Pain from deep wounds
Mild depression (not severe depression)
Shingles, cold sores and herpes
Spinal problems
Joint pain
Aging
Trauma
Eczema

Indicated for:
Stomachache, colic, lung congestion, insomnia, anemia, headaches, jaundice, catarrh, Carcinoma (type of cancer), bedwetting, melancholy, uterine cramps, menstrual problems, antidote for intestinal worms. Source of hypercin which may counter the HIV virus.

I do Not Come Up In Searches

Have not been posting as regularly lately. There are a couple of reasons for that though. Number one I have been so super busy with my herbal tea preparations, but also because NONE of my blogs or the website storefront to buy my teas shows up in any searches. Very disappointing:(

http://debslooseleafherbaltea.yolasite.com/

Getting Your Website or Blog Listed In Search Engines

Talk about frustrating! I am not even sure if I have accomplished a successful meta whatever yet,lol. I have been trying to get this blog, and my Deb's Loose leaf herbal Tea yola site up and running. If I can't do a search and find them in google or bing when I type the "exact" words in the title, then of course no one is going to pull them up in a random search. I am starting to see why people end up paying someone to make their websites.

I realize there are a vast number of sites related to the topic of cancer, and the subject of herbal loose leaf tea benefits, but like I said, if I enter the name of the blog, or the name of the web site, it should be there. Did the google webmaster scene, but apparently it can take WEEKS before they "crawl" over your site.
Bing, and Yahoo both had super simple links to get added:

Here is yahoo site submit
and here is Bing and google, in case anyone has had trouble locating it can be found  here 
for google you can also go to webmaster tools, and follow directionsfor meta tag search
Hope this helps someone else, but as I said, it can take weeks to get in and start getting hits.

Getting Lost in the Herbal Tea and Cancer searches

Wow I never knew it was so complicated to create a web site, which you need first before you can create a storefront. All this confusing stuff about Html codes and dreamweaver or frontpage software and blah blah blah. I feel like my ideals, opinions and intentions are going to get lost in translation before I am actually selling anything. Of course the economic situation is not helping much either. For me it would be like a dream come true to be able work for myself, with the earth and my hands and actually earn a living to pay those darn pesky bills that my husband and I are constantly worrying over. I have even considered going back into painting again.

It has been a long past year battling cancer and we have just about depleted every saved penny, and I am still not ready to return to full time work. With the blessing of my Higher Power I survived cancer, but I fought for it, and my body is still healing and recovering. I used to be 5'3 125 lbs of solid muscle, now I am 5 2 1/2 and 97 lbs. I miss my muscles:(

I am just a simple country girl, raised on a Dairy Farm in New Milford Ct after being adopted by two of the greatest people in the world, God Bless em'. My four brothers and I roamed all over those 100's of acres, we helped "up the barn" and we helped Ma tend the gardens each year as well.

You didn't run to the store at the drop of a hat nowadays. Back then a trip to the store to go shopping was an event that occurred once every two weeks. We went shopping outside all the time. That garden was just a starting point to find good eats. Instead of candy bars in our fists we were more likely to be walking around crunching cucumbers. Seasons for various nuts and berries came and went, and kept us well supplied. There was never any telling what might get cooked up, or made into a sun tea brew. Living close to the land is more than a lifestyle choice, it's in your blood, it's a way of life that for me is as natural as breathing my next breath.

Plants, animals, the weather,spiritual moments, family... these are the things I like to think about, and occupy my time with, not figuring out computer stuff.

Well okay I'm glad I at least got to vent anyway, even though no one reads any of this it still feels good. Hopefully, maybe someday if I manage to figure out how to market my tea, and we are doing better financially this blog will help people understand where I came from. Yes, yes I do need to earn an income, but for me this is about a lot more than just making money, it's about more than making a cup of tea with good stuff in it...

It's about helping others develop a desire to experience the wonders of mother nature, the cycle of life, getting outdoors, demanding accountability from giant corporations like the one that starts with M, who shall remain nameless because they like to sue everybody. It's about right and wrong and good and bad, preserving ideals and ideas from past generations, and worrying about what we will leave to our future generations.

I'm not a scammer or a planner, I'm not greedy trying to rake in a million, I am just one of many Americans being true to my roots.

Persimmon Leaves for Loose Leaf Tea

So I have been experimenting to find the best drying process for larger quantities of the persimmon leaves to obtain the highest quality brew. As I have noted earlier, all of my blends could be considered green teas, because I only pick and dry the leaves.

The persimmon leaves must be harvested in June, after June the leaves will start to get splotchy black spots. I have seen this happen year after year, and I believe this natural occurrence happens  as the astringent fruit ripens.

I have read multiple articles regarding a forced wilt period of 6 hours, flipping leaves midway. This is to be followed by final drying and curing in a dark airy space .

For my dark airy space, since I have an empty nest at this point, I have been using multiple large closets I have available, as well as rolled out brown packing paper in every space available. I keep the blinds drawn in the rooms, and have the herbs spread on screens, on racks. I keep the closet doors open, and the ceiling fans always on. This arrangement has been working out wonderfully.

With the persimmons leaves I have so far been most satisfied with a compromise of 2 hours in warm air outside, on sheets of brown paper, shaded from the sun. This brief forced the wilt, is  followed by final drying in the "dark and airy space". The leaves have retained color very nicely in this manner with almost zero oxidation.

The tea itself has a rather strong taste, but personal taste will be able to manage this with steeping time, and the stevia definitely takes the edge off. It could give coffee a run for it's money. As a matter of fact in colonial times the large seeds were harvested and used as a form of coffee, although the leaves are naturally caffeine free.

Okay, kind of late getting off now.