Tea with VanGogh & Betty

June 12, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

On the health benefits of tea

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI- I am a lifelong tea drinker, even though I had my periods of drinking coffee during the early 2000s while working for the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.

My love for tea goes back to my childhood. We cured everything with either chamomile tea or plum brandy.

We used chamomile tea with honey to calm us down and at night to sleep. Quite often stories circulated about giving a brew from raw poppy heads not quite mature yet to kids, so they sleep better.

Healing teas and VanGogh's self-portrait — Healing teas and VanGogh’s self-portrait

The love for tea grew stronger while living in Sudan, Africa. There is a huge misconception that in hot weather you have to drink cold beverages. Actually, the body and the beverage temperatures should be close, just like in cooking.

“Everything has to have the same temperature,” says my cousin Brona Pink, a trained chef. That’s probably why Russians eat ice cream in winter.

Not knowing this fact back then, we drank by default both cold and hot tea in huge pitchers at the African apartment complex. I didn’t know much about herbs back in the 1970s, so we used mostly black tea with caffeine.

Betty Dickinson penned ""Creating a healthy corner" — Betty Dickinson of Ionia

The next run with tea was after I gave birth to my daughter in 1979 and started having problems with my gall bladder and digestion. I looked deeper into herbs and teas. There are many teas that are good for digestion. These are mostly made from bitter herbs like dandelion. Dandelions are not just those ugly yellow flowers in your lawn. Our friend in Czech Republic used to make wine from them.

“They are one of the nature’s best medicine,” writes herbalist Betty Dickinson in her book “Creating a Healthy Corner.”

“I eat the leaves fresh early in the spring before they blossom,” she writes.

My encounter with Dickinson in 2000 after I came back to USA from a trip to Czech Republic was one of the most important milestones in my life.

Dickinson was and still is a columnist for the Ionia Sentinel-Standard and she also writes for EW Emma’s Writings and for E Health & Wellness.

I was already organically bound as opposed to using chemicals, but she helped me understand the workings of nature.

I was overweight at the time and she suggested a tea mix consisting of celery seeds, kelp and nettle. I still use it to this day. Nettle and burdock are in most digestive teas.

Tea has always inspired me to a point that I wrote seven chapters of “Tea Council” in 2000, and lost them later when I switched computers.

The most recent run with tea was in 2012 when I lost my hair for unknown reasons. Dickinson had a cure for me; nettle again and yucca.

I also discovered the best tea line ever the “Health King.” Their “Hair Regeneration” with privet root and black sesame helped me get my hair back. But their “Dong Quai Lady’s tea is the true king.

Ironically, my mom, who is a former pharmacist does not believe in herbs, teas or supplements.

“That’s a bunch of bullshit,” she says.

Well, all I can say is how I feel when I have the teas and when I don’t. The Lady’s tea with Angelica chinensis helps maintain normal gynecological functions and it alleviates cramps.

Whenever tired after long hours of writing I use yerba mate by EcoTeas.

The Organic India tea line is also good.

My love affair with teas continues. I love to serve them, I love to drink them and the artist in me loves their colors. They range from yellow jasmine to dark chocolate yerba mate. Maybe, there is a British or a Russian person in me. Plus drinking tea is a highly social event in many countries like the United Kingdom in the form of “high tea.” The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island also serves “high tea” at 5 p.m.

You can order Dickinson’s book by e-mailing me at emmapalova@yahoo.com

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community, healing, health, wellness, yoga

IW Inspiring Women-Yoga with Elin

June 11, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Yoga changes lives

By Emma Palova

Orchids in full bloom — Enigmatic orchids

Note: This is another installment in a feature series about Inspiring Women. It is dedicated to all women who are trying to make a difference and better other people’s lives, as well as their own. In putting together this feature series, I was inspired by several moments in life that in particular stand out.

No.1 A dedication of a Relax, mind, body & soul book by Barbara Heller from my son Jake: “I dedicate this to my inspiring and motivational mother.” Kuba

No. 2 While on a story before Mother’s Day, I dropped in at Ace Bernard Hardware to talk about the prizes with owner Charlie Bernard. We talked also about the Lowell Area Chamber and its director Liz Baker.

“You know what I like about Liz, she keeps re-inventing herself,” Bernard said.

No. 3 Again on a story for the International Women’s Day I talked to Sow Hope president Mary Dailey Brown.

“If you want to make a difference in this world, seriously consider helping impoverished women. Helping women is the key to unlocking poverty.”

No. 4 At a parents teacher conference at Cherry Creek Elementary in Lowell in mid 1990s: “Mrs. Pala, we do not give up,” teacher Karen Latva said.

Yoga with Elin on Venice Beach changes lives

Yoga instructor Elin Larsen on Venice Beach.

Following is an interview with yoga instructor Elin Larsen. If it wasn’t for Elin I would have never started doing yoga. I started in 2009 with Yoga on the Venice Beach with Elin. Coupled with meditation with Deepak Chopra, it changed my life. I wish it will do the same for all who read this.

Yoga is gentle and relaxing. It doesn’t overpower or overwhelm. It helps me focus and concentrate on writing. It gives me new ideas for my work. It motivates me. I have all three Elin’s DVDs and can’t wait for the fourth one.

Name: Elin Larsen

Occupation: Seasoned Yoga instructor ~ Yoga with Elin

Position: Head honcho

Residence: Venice, Florida

Family: 5 senior dogs and 2 goldfish

Hobbies & Interests: I have many diversified interests. I have a small Stand up paddle board company. I take folks out for lessons, but mostly take my friends out and have fun on the boards in the Gulf of Mexico.

I have extensive gardens, veggie and ornamentals. I spend a lot of time in the dirt. I love dirt! I ride bicycles and motorcycles. I am very interested in my health and am constantly tweaking my habits. I love body structure and posture. I am also a certified Ergonomist. I make much of my dog food.

1-What are you currently working on? Any specific project?

I am always in the gardens. I am tearing out and redoing things. I have a jig saw and make silly things. I want to make another Yoga with Elin DVD and I am beginning to put that together.

2-How and when did you get started with your current profession? It was in 1975 I began. I was an athlete and needed an off-season jolt. Yoga fit the bill. I realized that I never had an injury while all my team mates were plagued with them. Yoga found a permanent place in my life.

3-What was your first job? I baby sat for people for $.25 per hour. I then began to buy my own clothes. Kids loved me because I was so young and had lots of energy to play. I didn’t love it, but it worked for me. My mother was sick most of my life and I have a sister 7 years my junior. Since I was watching her, I would bring her with me and we had a ball! Now I watch over older folks!

4-How would you describe yourself? I am a strong and determined woman. I am a pit bull when it comes to defending my rights, my health and my student’s yoga time with me. I care about people who care about themselves.

To be continued when Elin is not busy.

For more info go to http://www.yogawithelin.us

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blog design

Tea with Mr. Vincent van Gogh

June 5, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Afternoon tea with Mr. Vincent van Gogh

Watch for a story about the health benefits of tea. Each tea has a story coming from the fields with love.

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Uncategorized

Writer’s Digest competition

May 29, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Writer’s Digest competition deadline is coming up

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI -June 5^th is the deadline for the major annual Writer’s Digest contest. I am entering this year with the following pieces in two different categories. The first one is non-fiction article that deeply touched me, “Hiker Babe walks in memory of daughter.”

This article is about a woman whom I have known for a long time. Her name is Gail Lowe. Lowe is a retired nurse, who has hiked the Appalachian Trail twice and most recently the North Country Trail in memory of her daughter Becka.

Lowe’s only fear remains that she won’t be able to hike anymore because of aging. Becka’s fear before she passed from breast cancer was not to be forgotten. So, her mother immortalized her with the 4,600-mile long hike through seven Midwest states. She got sick on the trail and turned 65.

The second piece I am submitting is fiction based in reality, “Twice into the same river.”

There is a saying that you cannot step twice into the same river, meaning that everything flows with time.

Well, I have. First, in the late eighties when I took care of my grandparents until their death. Then, I left Czech Republic for the USA.

Brother and sister in Reed City, a theme for a short story.

Now, I am facing the same destiny with my brother who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. He can and cannot take care of himself. He refuses to take medication and is very angry most of the time.

I fear that I am not going to be able to handle him. The unknown ahead is so overwhelming that’s why I am writing about it to ease the burden.

I will be stepping twice into the same river, only some 25 years later.

community, events, history, traditions

Memorial Day 2015

May 25, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Memorial Day brings in tears & rain

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI – Under the gloomy skies Monday, the people of Lowell honored the 629 veterans who found their final resting place at the Oakwood Cemetery.

Groomed to the nines by Don DeYong and the crew, the lovely cemetery whispered its own stories of 151 Civil War veterans. The Boy Scouts marked each veteran’s grave with a star and a flag.

Emotional Dave Thompson was the featured speaker for the ceremony located by a monument to the unknown soldier.

“I like to think the rain are tears,” he said. “This is the first time in many years it is like this.”

Thompson introduced the beautiful strings band of Wendy Tinney. As the violins played their sad tunes and rain sprinkled, many people were wiping off tears from their faces.

The only two remaining veterans from WW II laid flowers to the monument, much like representatives from the local organizations.

The flags were flying half staff in the wind that was blowing from the south.

“We have 29 new veterans here at the cemetery,” said tearful Thompson.

Mayor Jim Hodges also laid flowers to the monument.

Even though it started to rain heavily, people stood there in the rain under the umbrellas listening to Thompson hauntingly name the deceased veterans followed by a bell ring for each.

We thank you all veterans for our freedoms and your sacrifices.

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astrology, names

Czech calendar names for boys

May 22, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Czech calendar names for boys

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI- I’ve been writing about the Czech female names in the family like Anna, Mary, Martha & Eliska.

Today, I am going to write about the male names in the family. First of all the big ones of course, Joseph. I wouldn’t be able to count how many Josephs we have had in the family. The name day falls on March 19, and it has a flavor of a national holiday.

According to astrologists, the name is a traditional one full of courage, showmanship and personality.

“I want to show the world who I am and that I am here,” say Josephs.

Every Joe likes his beer and gossip in restaurant more than talk in a confession booth. Josephs have bigger personalities than this world, and they are good partners for the right zodiac sign.

Very true, my grandpa Joseph used to like to show off at any and every occasion. I always thought he should have been an actor.

Other old classic is Franta or Frank. We had a lot of those too in the family. It too is a traditional old Czech name that has never grown old. It carries eternal karma with it. We call our men named Frank with love. However, the planet Mercury causes problems, behavioral and health, even though Franks are adaptable to bad luck and destiny.

Later in life they harden inside and grow increasingly sad.

“This name does not bring much good in family life,” according to astrolife.cz and Healing Stars. “The old age comes with crankiness.”

Forty is especially bad for Franks. The astrologist does not recommend this name because of its inner anxiety. The only things that can set Franks free are altruism and love for the nature. It is only recommended in Pisces. The name day for Franks is on Oct. 4.

I do have to attest that all the above facts are true. I had an uncle Frank, and he was a one unhappy soul. He was a train conductor, and later he got divorced.

My other uncle and paternal grandpa had the honest Czech name Anthony. They are good family men with ordinary life without any big ups and downs. It’s appropriate for all zodiac signs, according to astrolife.cz

The name day for Anthony is on July 13.

Another name from this great classy suite is Vaclav. Both my dad and my brother have this great royal name.

Vaclav is intelligent, loves to learn, he loves his family. However, there is some karmic burden in the traditional Czech name that is not too optimistic for normal life. This karma disappears in work for others and in sacrifice.

If Vaclav is a materialist and selfish, this karma works against him causing him to be unhappy with himself. The name day for Vaclav is on Sept. 28.

I do want to mention my cousin’s name Bronislav. The name literally puts brakes on any luck in life. Around 40 it worsens even if there is a good combination with the last name and the date of birth.

“This person gets only minimum luck through parents or partner,” says the astrologist. “The Damocles sword is constantly above his head. I do not recommend this name.”

The name day for Bronislav is on Sept. 3.

More on modern names next time. These will include Jakub, Ludek, Pavel, George and Olin.

Sources: www.astrolife.cz

Healing Stars

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nature, outdoors

My Columbines

May 18, 2015 emmapalova 1 Comment

Columbines bring life to spring gardens

I love these fragile flowers that don’t last too long but bring so much life and spirit to spring gardens.

Fragile columbines bring life to spring garden. — Fragile columbines bring life to spring gardens.

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film

Cannes Film Festival

May 16, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing in beautiful southern France with more than 250,000 industry professionals from all over the world.

Don’t miss out on it.

Cannes Film Festival 2015 with Emma Palova and Selene Alvarez.

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events, Uncategorized, women's

Mother’s Day

May 9, 2015 emmapalova Leave a comment

Two sisters and mothers still at war

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Writer’s note:

This is part of the 200 Posts & beyond series

Today is a big day. As I write to the morning chirping of the birds, I still have my feet wet from watering the flowers for my mother, for Mother’s Day.

My dog Haryk passed in September of last year. So, I don’t have him anymore. It’s bizarre how many things have changed in one year. I’ve made a lot of posts since April of last year. I had around 100 posts, now I am close to 300 posts.

Mistakes. Yes, tons of them. Success, too. I’ve established my company Emma Blogs, LLC in August of last year. I got my eyes fixed with Dr. Verdier.

It’s May 9^th, it’s my birthday. I was born on the national holiday in former Czechoslovakia. On that day, the nation’s capital Prague, the mother of all cities, was freed from the Nazi occupation by the Soviet Army. That was the end of World War II.

Many years later, I was born in the wee hours at 4 a.m. to parents Ella & Vaclav Konecny. My mom woke up to the cracking noises of fireworks announcing the anniversary of the victory.

“I thought it was war again, but then I realized those were fireworks celebrating your birth,” she said to me this morning as she wished me a happy birthday. “The whole nation celebrated.”

Mom says that to me every year, as the nature too celebrates the awakening after long winter.

“The nature blossoms on your birthday,” she says. “You always had the day off and a parade.”

The above note is one of the many reasons why I dedicated the memoir “Greenwich Meridian where East meets west” to my mother.

200 Posts & beyond

This post is inspired by Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” and the constant friction that I have witnessed between sisters in this world.

Mom Ella and aunt Anna

As I watch people drop like flies around me, I realize how time is going by fast. I like the inscription on the clock in the living room, “Tempus fugit.” That’s why I bought that pendulum clock as one of the first things when I arrived on this continent in 1989 for $110. Not that I had that kind of money. I just wanted the clock so bad, that I probably borrowed money for it. It announces the time by boldly striking every full and half hour. My husband Ludek still has to wind it by hand much like the clock that the in-laws had at home in the old country.

“They probably wouldn’t even let us know if Anna’s dead,” mom said about her sister.

Well, I think she is right. There is probably no one left to let us know. That’s all part of the emigration package that I am writing about in the memoir “Greenwich Meridian.”

To be continued as part of the ongoing series 200 Posts & beyond

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