Thank You!

“Never underestimate the power of a
small group of committed people to change the world.
In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead

 On April 22, 2013, Earth Day, a beautiful jewel was tossed into the *A-Field’s pond. Long before impact, it was already causing wavelets of anticipation. For this was not some random pebble tossed on a lark—it was On Purpose and meant to create a stir. The splashdown activated pulsations across the planet as crewmembers on our Mothership Earth gathered on their Internet-holodecks to take in the show. And now, we watch and help to accelerate the ripple effects.

The event that the poet in me described above was the première of the documentary-fundraiser, Sirius. Beginning over a year ago with a call for assistance from Dr. Steven Greer, it was “crowd-funded,” meaning that people, not corporations, took up a collection to fund the creation of the movie and made history by doing so in the biggest way to date. This was a shining example of democracy in action: funded and made by the people for the people.

It really wasn’t surprising that his clarion call was answered quickly and in a big way. Those of us who’ve followed and encouraged the work of Dr. Greer for decades know he’s the kind of man Robert F. Kennedy described in a 1966 speech when he said: “Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.”

Robert Kennedy also said: “Some believe there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills—against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the world’s great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man.” Dr. Steven Greer is one of those courageous men.

And these words by Father Theodore Hesburgh describe the kind of guidance Steven Greer provides: “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” While some might be derisive in calling it ego, I see it as Dr. Greer’s certainty in his vision.

Much-deserved, profound gratitude goes to Dr. Steven Greer, Amardeep Kaleka, J.D. Seraphine, Laurie Knapp, Kosta Makreas, the Global CE-5 ET Contact Family-Peoples’ Disclosure Movement and everyone else who helped fund, produce and promote the Sirius documentary. Congratulations! Thanks to your efforts, on Earth Day 2013, more small steps were taken by men and women that will one day be seen as another giant leap for humankind. For as the press release said:

“‘Sirius’ deals not only with the subject of UFO and ET visitation disclosure but also with the advanced, clean, and alternative energy technology that’s getting them here. ‘Sirius’ goes into eye-opening detail regarding how the disclosure of such technologies, some of which have been suppressed for decades, can enable humanity to leave the age of the polluting petrodollar, transform society and improve mankind’s chances for the survival.

Indicative of the integrity of the Sirius disclosure effort is the fact that 100% of the net proceeds that SiriusDisclosure receives from the distribution of ‘Sirius’ will go into building a free energy lab. Learn more about this aspect and how one cannot only help promote the important message of ‘Sirius,’ but also how one can benefit from doing so.”

As a longtime follower of the work of Dr. Greer and many others working for Disclosure, I was already familiar with a lot that was covered in the Sirius documentary, but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. Not surprisingly, emotions and expectations were running high, and some of them were unrealistic, which led to reports of disappointment for those who wanted too much from an already ambitious, 100-minute film. However, my take-aways were that it deserves accolades for accomplishing several important goals:

– Through information, it serves to educate previously uniformed citizens to help wake them up to what’s been going on secretly behind their backs using their money.

– It presents solutions to help heal our ailing planet whilst empowering people to work toward sustainability. Net proceeds from the film will go to establishing a new energy research lab in the Charlottesville, Virginia area where discoveries and inventions will be shared for the benefit of humanity.

– It reminds people that we are all connected with each other and the Universe through consciousness. I can well-imagine that a major realization occurred to those lonely souls who’ve spent a lifetime being discounted and ridiculed by family, friends and colleagues who rolled their eyes whenever said visionaries summoned the courage to utter the word “UFO”—you are not alone! Vindication! Those of us who often retreated to the comfort-zone of like-minded communities organized and revealed through the wonderment of Internet connections rejoiced and reached out. CE-5 Global is no longer a secret and is already growing quickly as new members on every continent are welcomed.

– It tantalized with information about Ata, the Atacama Humanoid. People wanted to know, “Did ET phone home?” During a time of Realty Shows and tabloid journalism that’s conditioned people to want instant, sensationalized gratification, many were disappointed and exasperated by methodical science’s conclusions. The bottom line so far according to Dr. Greer’s report: “We cannot say the Atacama Humanoid is an ET. Nor is he any known–or clinically conceivable-human that could have lived. So who is he?” The search for answers continues. Yet, reading the report that also has links to Dr. Nolan’s and Dr. Lachman’s DNA, genetic and other findings, the results so far are mind-blowing! The photos are amazing and the ongoing research will be fascinating to follow.

– It inspires all of us to work together under the CSETI motto:
One Universe—One People!

But…I’m left with some puzzling questions:

– Why has the mainstream media ignored the testimony of our astronaut heroes? They are aging and it’s imperative that we listen to them while we still can. Even a cursory search on YouTube turns up many videos of them describing their personal experiences with UFOs.

Mercury 9 and Gemini 5 astronaut Gordon Cooper, one of the seven original astronauts in Project Mercury, talks openly about his UFO sightings and experiences.

Apollo astronaut, Dr. Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the Moon, has spoken often on the subject. Having grown up in Roswell, and having talked to high military officials, he feels without a doubt that ET/UFOs are real and that our government is well aware of that. He gave a press conference about it and has also addressed the ideas of UFOs and Consciousness.

– There was a time when CNN was the major news outlet pursuing information around the world. Perhaps it was prophetic that they chose the voice of Darth Vader to represent them? It appears they’ve gone over to the Dark Side of simply chasing ratings and money, rather than important news.

– And what’s with National Geographic? According to their own PR: “The National Geographic Society has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888. It is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, and the promotion of environmental and historical conservation.” Why aren’t they shining a light on today’s energy-pioneers? Why haven’t they launched an expedition to the Atacama Desert or followed up on our astronauts’ stories?

“All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”
—Arthur Schopenhauer, philosopher

“The future belongs to those
who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
—John Sculley, Former CEO of Pepsi and Apple Computer

“We are like islands in the sea,
separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”
—William James

It’s time to help people see these truths as self-evident and step into the future—get Sirius, pass along the links, talk to your friends and family. Connect, make a difference, cause ripples—toss in your pebble!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION — please click on the red highlighted words in the text above or below here to be transported to the site described.

View the Sirius trailer, rent/watch the movie, purchase the DVD and check out associated links.

Read the press release with description of Sirius. Perhaps, Earth Day 2013 will be celebrated in the future as an extra special one on so many fronts with the revelations provided in the documentary, “Sirius” that will inspire others to join us in our people-powered energy research and peace projects.

Watch Dr. Steven Greer’s introduction of Sirius at the L. A. premiere on April 22, 2013 and scroll down to see video of the interviews on the Red Carpet that night.

Read Dr. Greer’s report on Ata, the humanoid featured in Sirius–it includes a link within it to Dr. Nolan’s DNA and genetic findings.

To keep up-to-date on the latest developments, read Dr. Greer’s blog and/or sign up for the free newsletter.

Global CE-5 ET Contact: “Join the ETLetsTalk Social Network, a community of like-minded people who welcome ET Contact! We are a collective of more than 2500+ peaceful groups and individuals from 50+ countries who join once a month to make coordinated, interactive and united contact with numerous loving and peaceful ET civilizations.”

For links to ET-Contact apps and protocols and other related info, please see the Additional Information at the bottom of my previous blog, “Time to Get Excited About Getting Sirius.”

You can learn more about CSETI’s different Contact Expeditions with Dr. Greer by reading the sections in the right-hand sidebar, under “Contact Expeditions” here.

The pursuit of truth continues with the Citizen Hearing on Disclosure: “An event with historical implications will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC from April 29 to May 3, 2013.  At that time as many as forty researchers (including Dr. Steven Greer) and military/agency witnesses will testify for thirty hours over five days before former members of the United States Congress.”

*Ervin László trying in one fell swoop to present, as the author says, “An Integral Theory of Everything,” using the Sanskrit and Vedic term for “space,” Akasha, he calls this information field the “Akashic field” or “A-field.” He knows a thing or two: Ervin László, as the “holder of the highest degree of the Sorbonne (the State Doctorate), is recipient of four Honorary Ph.D.s and numerous awards and distinctions, including the 2001 Goi Award (the Japan Peace Prize) and nominations for the 2004 and 2005 Nobel Peace Prizes. He is a former professor of philosophy, systems theory, and futures studies in the U.S., Europe, and the Far East and founder and president of the international think-tank the Club of Budapest as well as of the General Evolution Research Group. The author of 75 books, translated into 20 languages, he lives in Italy.”

Quoted from the back cover of Ervin László’s book, Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything: “Mystics and sages have long maintained that there exists an interconnecting cosmic field at the roots of reality that conserves and conveys information, a field known as the Akashic record.” Read more here.

For more on this Intersection of Science and Spirit with links to research, you’re invited to read my previous blog, “Riding The Wave Of Evolving Consciousness.”

The Slowpoke

There’s an old Wisconsin saying: “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes—it will change.” While we chuckle, it’s with uneasiness, as we also know that’s factual. I suspect residents of other states and countries are nodding their heads in experienced agreement. That quote’s never been truer than over the past decade as global climate change has become increasingly more evident. When politicians deny the science and refuse to believe it’s happening, I want to shout at them: “Don’t you ever go outside and look around?!”

Last year at this time, southwest Wisconsin and surrounding areas were basking in unprecedented warmth, breaking records with temperatures ranging from 68F to 82F degrees during a time when 43-44F is average. Day after day, we were astonished and confused, as were the plants, animals and birds. The words, “freaked out” summed it up. Something happened last March. On the second day, we got five inches of snow with below freezing temperatures. Then suddenly, a switch flipped, and by the eleventh, it was 69F, ushering in bizarre swings in the weather that haven’t stopped. April was colder than March, then May turned hotter than normal and summer sizzled with record-shattering heat and no moisture. We had the driest June ever recorded with only a quarter-inch of rain. Between scorching temperatures and lack of precipitation, we were experiencing a severe drought by mid-summer and went into winter with little improvement.

We traditionally get our first measurable snow in late October. But other than a few dustings that melted on contact during November, we had no snow, and temperatures hovered above average in the low 50s for most the month. On December 3, 2012, we set an all-time, record-high temperature for the month of December with 65F degrees on a foggy, misty day. Our first real snowfall of the season arrived on December 9 when the temperature hovered around 32F. It snowed from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., dropping four inches, which then compacted into three inches of a heavy, concrete-like mess when it finished as mist. On December 20, we had an all-day blizzard, so by the dawn of Winter Solstice the next day, the landscape was covered with 20 inches of snow.

Our winter featured multiple big snowfalls in-between small doses, alternating with melting temperatures and rain. Every time we started to see hints of bare ground, the pattern would repeat, whipping up drifts and rebuilding plow-mounds. Average snowfall for our area is approximately 51 inches for the entire season, which often sneaks into April. As of March 19, 2013, the last astronomical day of winter, I’ve tallied 71.75 inches of snow, plus five inches of rain since Dec. 1, 2012. I’m grateful all that rain wasn’t snow, as it could have equated to as much as another 50 inches of flakes! I have no wish to ever replay our winter of 2007-8 when we shoveled a whopping 108 inches. Still, we’re already running more than 20 inches over our seasonal average, and we’re not done yet. There are forecast models predicting a possible snowstorm this coming weekend and rumors of yet another big one further out. It feels like we’re stuck in a Groundhog-Day-movie-loop, repeating the same week over and over. And speaking of shadow-dancing rodents, back on February 2, all the local ones predicted an early spring. The moral of that story is: never trust a rodent.

Spring is still benched.

Newscasters talk about how great it is that we’ve gotten all that snow and rain this winter to help bring us out of the drought. However, it’s a mixed blessing at best. With the ground still frozen solid, most of the snow-melt and rain runs off into lakes, rivers and basements. Meanwhile, farm fields and lawns are covered with a heavy snow pack atop suffocating glaciers of ice.

The last Sun bows of winter.

Winter’s last sunset with mounds to go before Spring.

Spirit of Ol’ Man Winter huffs and puffs, trying to scare off Spring.      (Venting furnace exhaust sculpted by the wind.)

Ghosts of Winter not yet past begin to vaporize and float away.              (Venting furnace exhaust sculpted by the wind.)

The Vernal Equinox arrived today at 6:02 a.m. CDT, heralding the first official day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. No one in Southwest Wisconsin (or the rest of the state) could be faulted for thinking they’d time-warped back to January instead. Overnight temperatures dropped to single digits with below zero wind-chills, and the forecast high is for a mere 19F degrees—that’s 24 degrees below our average high and six degrees below our average low thermometer readings! The extended forecast for the next ten days is for continued, below average temperatures, stuck in the 30′s at most.

Spring? It’s going to be a while…

The patio garden beds aren’t quite ready for planting flowers yet.

Jade plant, magenta Geranium and orange Kalanchoe stare out the patio window in disbelief but keep hope alive!

Alexander Pope wrote, “Hope springs eternal…” Here’s hoping Spring honors her eternal contract, as we’re weary of Old Man Winter’s cold winds and snow and ready for renewal. And so, I’ll finish with a poem that’s a reflection of our feelings:

Snow and rain alternate
With Ol’ Sol’s welcoming rays,
As he advances northward
To bring us longer days.

Birds rehearsing songs now,
Practice their musical parts,
To coax the change of season,
And warmth back to our hearts.

Between the gusting winds
Blowing away Winter’s freeze,
Ever so gently arrives,
Life…dancing on the breeze.

The landscape is nurtured
By the Sun’s light from above,
Signaling bulbs, shrubs and seeds
To blossom forth with Love.

Trees that stood in quiet,
Awaiting the call to leaf,
Stir their sap to feed their buds–
Their green restores belief.

Billions of times this act
Mother Nature has performed.
And once again, she comes through:
The countryside’s transformed.

Through each year of our lives,
Spring has arrived without fail,
Why does it feel like she rides
In on the back of a snail?

Happy Vernal Equinox!

Vernal Equinox–March 20, 2013–20 minutes after sunrise. Only 6F degrees with a -4F wind-chill. Beautiful light, but no evidence of the Slowpoke Spring.

******©UluOla 2013******

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Happy Valentine’s Day

Love IS…moment-to-moment…eternal. Poets and songwriters have heralded that fact since before recorded history when human beings were passing along their wisdom with verbal traditions.

Many cynics moan about Valentine’s Day having been invented by card and gift companies to merely make money. They obviously don’t know their history, since it’s been celebrated with handmade greetings since the fifteenth century, long before Hallmark was around. But given how many jobs those businesses generate, is that such a bad thing in an economy that needs stimulating? And then there are those that say the day makes people who are alone feel sad. But once folks realize those feelings are their choice, that no one is ever alone because we are all One, they can move beyond them. Shouldn’t the real point be to honor love in all its many forms? While it’s always time to celebrate Love, isn’t having one special day to focus on it the least we can do? If Ground Hogs, St. Patrick, April Fools and Columbus have special days on the calendar, certainly Love deserves to have one!

Valentine’s Day needn’t be just for romantic couples. Love is the subject of an Intersection of Science and Spirit I’ve been exploring on multiple levels.

Last February, I acknowledged the Unconditional Love shown by volunteers with a poem dedicated to them on my blog, “A Gratitude Valentine for Volunteers.”

In February 2011, I chronicled the science that’s validating how emotions, including Love, affect other human beings around the world in “Riding The Wave of Evolving Consciousness” that shows how we are all One.

And on my March 2010 blog, “The Languages of Separateness or Oneness,” I wrote: “I’ve noticed that other languages use words that are much richer in meaning [than English], showing respect and acknowledgment of the other person in welcoming ways that recognize and celebrate Oneness.” I included a brief description of the use of the word “Aloha.”

In honor of this Valentine’s Day, I’d like to shine a light on one of the Seven Universal Principles as first taught to me by my Hawaiian Huna shamanic mentor, Serge Kahali King. [I plan to relate and expand on the other six principles in future blogs—please stay tuned.]

I’ll begin with an explanation of my personal use of “Aloha” and its deeper meaning. It’s been a favorite word of mine for a long time. The Hawai’ians have a beautiful language that expresses feelings and nuances that English doesn’t. When a good friend and I started flipping e-mails to each other, she would sign off with Aloha, because she liked the way another friend of hers used it, in much the same manner as some people adopt foreign words for good-bye like “ciao,” “au revoir,” or “adieu.” Some people use them because they are linked to fond memories, others only as an affectation. After I relayed to her the true meanings of aloha, it became almost like a code word between us. I cracked her up when I wrote it “~~~ALOHA~~~” and explained that I used the little ~‘s to represent “waving, hula hands.”

Over the years, I’ve shared this with other friends, and I’d like to share it with you, too. The parts of the word “aloha” mean “to love” and “to be with.” When Hawai’ians use it as a greeting, it means “hello, I love being with you (again).” When they use it in parting, it means, “farewell (or until we meet again), I loved having been with you (again).” It can be used in a platonic or romantic sense; it’s a greeting of love and compassion and, most especially, can also mean to be in the presence of the “divine breath” or “divinity,” acknowledging the “God within” the other person, in much the same way Buddhists use “Namasté” or Mayans use “In Lak’ech Ala K’in.” As you can see, with an alphabet of only 13 letters (including the apostrophe), each of the words in Hawai’ian must take on multiple meanings, depending on the context…nuances…lots of nuances.

But “Aloha” is so much more than a simple word—it is at the heart of one of the Seven Principles of Huna as explained by Serge King in this way:

“To Love is to Be Happy With
(Aloha—Love—Stop Criticizing)

To love is to be happy with.
Aloha is the word for love.
The root ‘alo’ means “to be with,
to share and experience, “here and now.”
The root ‘oha’ means “affection, joy.”
The root ‘alo’ also means “to be in the presence of.”
The root ‘ha’ means “breath, spirit, life force.”

Love exists to the degree that you are happy with the object of your love. The unhappy part comes from fear, anger and doubt. To be deeply in love means to be deeply connected, and the depth and clarity of the connection increases as fear, anger and doubt are removed.

Corollary: Love increases as judgment decreases.

Criticism kills relationships; praise builds and rebuilds them. When you give praise, you reinforce the good and it grows. When you criticize, you reinforce the bad and it grows.

Corollary: Everything is alive, aware and responsive.

Your subconscious takes any praise or criticisms it hears to heart, even if it’s directed elsewhere, even if you’re saying it. Each criticism separates you from and decreases your awareness of what you criticize, until you end up responding to a secondary creation of your own that may no longer resemble the original. When someone criticizes you, praise yourself to counteract it.”

In his book, Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer: The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt, Gregg Braden explores ideas both scientific and spiritual in the quest for understanding the mechanics of prayer—a real technology that was lost to us over the ages. Great minds! Reflecting Gregg’s conclusions, in his “The Little Pink Booklet of Aloha,” Serge King, Ph.D. teaches us practical ways to use the power of blessing (prayer).

With permission, I’m sharing Dr. King’s wisdom of “The Aloha Spirit” below. If you would like your free own copy, you can download the PDF file here.

How appropriate that 70-plus years ago, Serge Kahali King was born with the Aloha Spirit on February 15. Hau’oli la hanau [Happy Birthday] Serge—mahalo nui loa [thank you very much] for all the wisdom you have shared with us—may you continue to do so in good health for many more years.

So in celebration of Valentine’s Day, I bless you and invite you to adopt the Aloha Spirit. Carry it in your heart every day of the year. May it bless you, everything in your life, and everyone and everything you come in contact with. Amama!

~~~ALOHA~~~

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION — please click on the red highlighted words in the text above or below here to go to the site described.

Aloha International’s Hawaiian Huna Village has a cornucopia of wisdom.

“The Aloha Project was conceived by Serge Kahili King in 1973 as a way to join the people of the world together in a spirit of Aloha to bring about physical, emotional, mental, environmental, social, and spiritual harmony based on the wisdom found in Hawaiian philosophy and culture.” Scroll down to the bottom of the Aloha International site for some specific ways in which you can participate. See menu on left-hand side for translations into 23 other languages.

“The Aloha Spirit” a.k.a. “The Little Pink Booklet of Aloha”—download free PDF copy here.

Huna and Hawaiiana Articles and Information: What is Huna? Current Articles and The Teaching Hut Library of archived articles by Serge and other wisdom keepers.

The Gospel of Huna—The Seven Principles of Huna as taught by Jesus of Nazareth compiled by Serge Kahili King.

Serge’s Cybership—library of articles, essays and poetry on Huna, shamanism and life in general, along with a treasury of photos and experiences.

Serge King’s Huna Store for books, audio, video and home study courses.

In Lak’ech Ala K’in—the Living Code of the Heart by Aluna Joy Yaxkin.

The Lost Mode of Prayer explanation by Gregg Braden.

Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer: The Hidden Power of Beauty, Blessings, Wisdom, and Hurt—Gregg Braden explores ideas both scientific and spiritual in the quest for understanding the mechanics of prayer—a real technology that was lost to us over the ages.

Love Is In The Air—John Paul Young

Love Train—O’Jays

Namasté—an explanation.

Valentine’s Day—read the history here.

******©UluOla 2013******

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“It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”
– Carl Sagan

If you haven’t experienced the growing excitement yet, please allow me to introduce you to it. Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics to “Something’s Coming” are applicable, and perhaps, prophetic:

“Could be!
Who knows?
There’s something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannonballing down through the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!

Who knows?
It’s only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree.
I got a feeling there’s a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!

Could it be? Yes, it could.
Something’s coming, something good,
If I can wait!
Something’s coming, I don’t know what it is,
But it is
Gonna be great!

With a click, with a shock,
Phone’ll jingle, door’ll knock,
Open the latch!
Something’s coming, don’t know when, but it’s soon;
Catch the moon,
One-handed catch!

Around the corner,
Or whistling down the river,
Come on, deliver
To me!
Will it be? Yes, it will.
Maybe just by holding still,
It’ll be there!

Come on, something, come on in, don’t be shy,
Meet a guy,
Pull up a chair!
The air is humming,
And something great is coming!
Who knows?
It’s only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Maybe tonight . . .”

[Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. © 1956, 1957 Amberson Holdings LLC and Stephen Sondheim. Copyright renewed. Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company LLC, Publisher.]

“So…what’s coming?” you ask. “Sirius” the documentary! This may very well change the way the people of the world think about themselves and their place in the universe. Yes…it is that big!

Okay, I know there are now a bunch of folks who think I’ve lost my mind, or at least, most my marbles. While that might be true, I still maintain my assertion after following Carl Sagan’s advice and continuing to do so.

First some context. I’d long been a supporter of Steven Greer, M.D. when I finally had the honor and great pleasure of meeting him in March 2008 at the 10^th International Conference on Science and Consciousness in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I thoroughly enjoyed his keynote address, “The Perfectly Integrating and Connecting Effect of Pure Consciousness,” and then I attended his workshop, “Contact: The CSETI Experience” where he led us in an amazing meditation. If anyone had doubts about his integrity and dedication to his work, all they had to do was look at him that day—he was on crutches due to a very bad accident while riding his mountain bike. He’d completely torn up his knee and was scheduled for surgery a few days after the conference. (Thankfully, the surgery was a great success.) Everyone told him it would be understandable if he cancelled his appearance at the conference, but he said he simply could not disappoint us by doing so. He managed to put aside his pain and treat us to fabulous presentations.

I was also doing orb research photography throughout the conference and was thrilled to capture exquisite blue orbs surrounding Dr. Greer.

A blue orb hovers next to Dr. Greer as he prepares to give his workshop.

Orbs rally round Dr. Greer as he begins to facilitate our meditation.

After the workshop, I went up to thank Dr. Greer with a gift packet of herbal tea known for its healing properties, which I handed to his wife, Emily. I was astonished when he hobbled over, balanced precariously on his crutches, gave me a thank you kiss on the cheek and a big hug! I felt the pure love he embodies. He is not only a very serious doctor-scientist-researcher, but also, one of the most spiritually evolved people I’ve ever met. I told him that I’m a certified Reconnective Healing® practitioner and offered him a session. However, his schedule was so jam-packed, he didn’t have any time for one—he was going directly to a book signing in the lobby. Since I subscribe to the shamanic principle that “there’s always another way to do something,” I suggested that I could simply stand nearby while he signed books and surreptitiously do my thing, since “the energy knows where to go.” He understood and agreed. Anyone who does “energy work” will understand when I say that while doing so, there is a special connection between practitioner and client. It allows a practitioner to experience an intuitive, heart-to-heart knowing of who the client is at a deep level. That’s especially true when working with the Reconnective frequencies. Those few minutes that I spent in that connection with Dr. Greer validated for me everything I already thought I knew about him: his dedication to disclosing the truth and assisting humanity is genuine. One can read books, watch videos and hear what others say, but none of that compares with personal experience.

Oh yes, he has a lot of detractors who try hard to discredit and intimidate him, because they do not want the truth to come out about their nefarious actions, but they will fail in the end—the truth will out!

Due to my personal experience with Dr. Greer and others working with him and my involvement with the CE-5 Community, I have no hesitation in helping get the word out about his work and the coming documentary chronicling it. It’s time to get Sirius! What’s that you ask?

“Dr. Steven Greer has teamed up with Emmy Award winning filmmaker Amardeep Kaleka at Neverending Light Productions to produce the documentary Sirius. Together, they will produce the Disclosure documentary that will connect the dots and rock the world. This film will include witnesses to the UFO secrecy, explain the connection to Free Energy and provide the vision of Contact with ET Civilizations as witnessed by the *CE-5 contact teams. Never before has the wealth of information and insight of Dr. Greer been connected to such a talented filmmaker.”

We in the *CE-5 community were horrified and profoundly saddened by the tragic killing of Amardeep Kaleka’s father at the Sikh Temple shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last August. We’re inspired and heartened by Arm’s continued dedication to this project in light of his terrible loss and are so grateful to him.

In order to prevent any corporate pressure to manipulate the truth, this documentary and everything associated with it has been funded solely by small donations from ordinary people—the grass roots fundraising work was rapid, unprecedented and amazing.

From the Sirius Disclosure website: “The Earth has been visited by advanced Inter-Stellar Civilizations that can travel through other dimensions faster than the speed of light. What we have learned from them about energy propulsion can bring us to a new era, but those in power have suppressed this information in order to keep us at their mercy. It is time for you to know…and this documentary will let you in.”

From the Sirius Neverending Light site: “WHAT WILL YOU SEE?

Dr. Steven Greer, founder of the worldwide Disclosure Movement and the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence is working with Emmy award-winning filmmaker Amardeep Kaleka and his team at Neverending Light Productions to produce one of the most significant films of our time. This film exposes the greatest story never told:

— The Earth has been visited by people from other worlds who are not malicious, but in fact concerned for the future of humanity.

— A cabal of military, industrial and financial interests have kept this contact and what we have learned from it secret for over 60 years.

— Their secrecy is meant to suppress the knowledge that can liberate the world from the yoke of oil, gas, coal and nuclear power and replace the current world order with one of New Energy and true Freedom.”

But wait…there’s more…way more! This is not just a documentary chronicling decades of Dr. Greer’s work toward disclosure, etc. The planned December 2012 release was postponed due to a startling development that may be the cherry on top of an incredible sundae. It will include the results of extensive testing on a biological entity that, so far, appears to be an authentic ET! You can read “Research on the 6″ Being and Jonathan Weygandt’s Testimony” on Dr. Greer’s blog here.

View post-production video with close-ups of the biological entity undergoing extensive testing here.

Hear the January 2013 up-date on the results of the geneticist’s testing of the biological entity here.

Yes…I’m serious! This is actually happening. And I’m chronicling it on this blog with lots of informational links below to share the excitement, and also, so that when all this truth finally comes out, prove that maybe I wasn’t so crazy after all.

The Sirius documentary is due to be released this spring after the final DNA testing of the biological entity is complete. After a premier event still in the planning stage, it will be released on-line, and we will work to have it “go viral” so that everyone on Earth will have the opportunity to know the truth that’s been hidden from us for so long.

So…stay tuned…Something’s Coming!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION — please click on the red highlighted words in the text above or below here to be taken to the site described.

Blog written by Dr. Steven Greer.

“The Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI) is an international scientific research and education organization dedicated to the furtherance of our understanding of extraterrestrial intelligence. CSETI was founded in 1990 by Dr. Steven M. Greer, who is the International Director. CSETI’s projects include the CE-5 Initiative, and the Disclosure Project.”

Go to ET Contact Now to shop for Dr. Greer’s books, CDs, Contact Expeditions in the field with him, Contact Training Program Kit, Three-Day Workshops, and more. You can learn more about the different Contact Expeditions with Dr. Greer by reading the sections in the right-hand sidebar, under “Contact Expeditions.”

*“CE-5 is a term describing a fifth category of close encounters with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (ETI), characterized by mutual, bilateral communication rather than unilateral contact.” No surprise—there’s an App for that! In fact, there are two:

“The ET Contact Tool app for Android provides a handy reference guide of the demonstrated CE-5 ET contact protocol, including text written by Dr. Greer as well as audio and video material, compass and magnetometer. The app was designed to be used in the field where Internet connectivity is not available.”

The ET iPhone App Contact Tool “is a self-contained course on making contact with ET beings authored by Steven M. Greer, M.D., which includes working scientific instruments for detecting anomalous activity.”

“Join the ETLetsTalk Social Network, a community of like-minded people who welcome ET contact! We are a collective of more than 1800 peaceful groups and individuals from 50+ countries who join once a month to make coordinated, interactive and united contact with numerous loving and peaceful ET civilizations.” We use the CE-5 protocols created by Dr. Greer that are available on the Apps listed above and at various other links.

“The Disclosure Project is a research project working to fully disclose the facts about UFOs, extraterrestrial intelligence, and classified advanced energy and propulsion systems. We have over 500 government, military, and intelligence community witnesses testifying to their direct, personal, first hand experience with UFOs, ETs, ET technology, and the cover-up that keeps this information secret.”

Neil Armstrong’s UFO Secret

Neverending Light’s trailers for the Sirius documentary.

“The Orion Project is an organization created to transform the current energy, environmental and social crisis into a world of sustainability and enlightened abundance. Technological progress in the areas of advanced physics and electromagnetic systems, if appropriately supported, will enable humanity to live on the Earth with a minimal footprint with genuine long-term sustainability. For over 100 years, these advanced concepts in energy generation have either been ignored or actively suppressed due to the power of fossil fuel based economic and industrial interests.”

“Sirius Disclosure is a research project working to fully disclose the facts about UFOs, extraterrestrial intelligence, and classified advanced energy & propulsion systems. We have over 500 government, military, and intelligence community witnesses testifying to their direct, personal, first-hand experience with UFOs, ETs, ET technology, and the cover-up that keeps this information secret.”

Synchronistically, my Reconnective Healing® instructor, Eric Pearl, also gave a workshop at the above conference a couple days after Dr. Greer and it was wonderful to re-connect with him. “The Reconnection is a comprehensive spectrum of vibrational frequencies with the power to catalyze spontaneous healings. Embodying universal intelligence that surpasses technique and technology, these frequencies are accessible to those who encounter it, regardless of spiritual orientation or prior experience with healing. Across the world, everyday people have transformed into extraordinary healing facilitators, by learning how to apply these frequencies in service to those in need. If you believe in the transcendent power of healing; if you want to extract healthcare from the hands of corporate greed; and if you know that a shift in consciousness can lead to personal and global evolution, you are in the right place. This website will educate you about The Reconnection and Reconnective Healing, inspire you with healing stories from around the world, and guide you on how to get involved worldwide — as a practitioner or recipient of Reconnective Healing.”

“Something’s Coming”—listen to the song.

******©UluOla 2013******

~~~ Dreams and Wishes For You ~~~

 Our thoughts, feelings and words have potent force,
Providing us power to change our course.
Mine, dream for you in two thousand thirteen,
These wonderments gleaned both seen and unseen:

May you be blessed with Love, Peace and Good Health,
Abundance in ways exceeding mere wealth;
Spiritual Growth and Enlightenment, too,
With Inspired Answers out of the blue;
Ah-Ha! Glitters of Synchronicity,
Bringing shouts of Eureka! and Whoopee!
Fun and Laughter and Surprises of Joy,
DeLightful encounters your heart to buoy;
Serenity even during Adventure,
Balance and Inner Calm during any stir;
Your Now Moments enjoyed to their fullest,
Whilst living them all with Passion and Zest;
And then, finally, more than all of this,
May you discover and walk in your Bliss.
I’ve dreamt everything I possibly could,
To help you manifest your Highest Good.
Hold this Vision with me—make it your Own,
Knowing full well, you’re never alone.

~~~ Happy New Year ~~~

Now here’s a Star—Make a Wish:

******©UluOla 2012******

Now on to creating with eggs.

“When you boil it down to the basics, creating new recipes is the art of cooking up chemistry experiments to feed our biology.”
– Michelle UluOla

Araucana chickens from South America have been crossed with
other breeds to produce Americauna, or Easter Egg Chickens,
that lay beautiful, multicolored eggs.

Eggs are an excellent source of relatively inexpensive, high-quality protein, along with 30 beneficial nutrients, and have been unfairly maligned by uneducated media and those with their own agendas. Eggs are one of Nature’s perfect, low-calorie foods, but that’s a blog for another day. [See links under Additional Information at the end of this one.]

Many people who live alone like I do, especially older folks who don’t do much entertaining, share a common dilemma: they either have too many eggs in stock or too few. Living in a rural area, I can sometimes get organic eggs from free-range chickens at local farms, but they often stop laying during the decreased day lengths of fall and winter or during heat and drought stresses of summer. Pastured chickens are not vending machines; so there again, it’s a matter of over-abundance or scarcity. Supermarkets are miles away, and between the high price of gasoline and icy roads in winter, I make it a habit to carefully plan my shopping trips to maximize my fuel savings.

Since I subscribe to the shamanic principle that “there’s always another way to do something,” I’ve been working on methods to get around all those challenges. And the older I get, the more I’m all about fast, easy, the fewest dirty dishes feasible…oh, and…the most chocolate consumable. Sometimes, I crack myself up; sometimes, I crack a bunch of eggs.

My strategy begins by purchasing lots of eggs whenever I have the opportunity, with the longest expiration dates I can find, and then, consuming them before they go bad. To alleviate the boredom of eating them the same way over and over, I’ve created recipes to suit my palate. I always purchase jumbo-sized eggs, which is just a personal preference. They have the added giggle of providing the occasional, surprise double-yolker—my mini version of winning the lottery or getting a Chinese, good-fortune-cookie kind of a smile. Yeah…I know…I’m easily entertained, huh?

Whenever I’m unsure about the freshness of my egg stock, I use a simple test that’s pretty accurate in determining their viability. Put the eggs in a pan and cover them with at least an inch of cold water. If the eggs lay against the bottom in a horizontal position, they’re fresh. If the eggs rotate vertically but still touch the bottom of the pot, they’re okay to use, especially for hard-boiling, as eggs that are a bit older tend to peel easier after cooking and quickly cooling. But if an egg floats to the top of the water, that’s an indication that it’s outlived its usefulness and should probably be tossed–in the compost pile, not at someone!

The overall theme of this blog is my favorite places: the intersections of science and spirit and how to work with them. I try to walk my talk. So, before I share my recipes, I’d like to address the concerns of those individuals who will want to entertain all the various fears and warnings they’ve collected via the information they’ve absorbed from grandmothers, mothers, conventional health providers, and/or orbiting on the Internet about both eggs and cooking procedures. Over the course of most of my adult life, I’ve heard or read them all, adjusted my behavior accordingly and lived in a state of frustration over the contradictions. I’ve done the go-ahead-back-up cha-cha-cha, and I’m done with that dance. I’m over letting other people tell me what I should or shouldn’t do. As I entered my sixth decade, I decided it was time to stop just “liking” the metaphysical gems and start actually living them. So, I have a policy of applying this quote to everything in my life, including cooking and eating, and recommend it to others:

“Do not believe anything because it is said by an authority, or if it is said to come from angels, or from Gods, or from an inspired source. Believe it only if you have explored it in your own heart and mind and body and found it to be true. Work out your own path, through diligence [and common sense].”
– Guatama Buddha

Also, for me, life experiences have validated wisdom gleaned from shamanic teachings:

“The world is what you think it is: what you believe the world to be is what you will experience. Positive thoughts attract positive people, things and events, and negative thoughts attract negative people, things and events.”

“Energy flows where attention goes and everything is energy. What you resist persists, and the energy of resisting actually gives more energy to whatever you’re resisting. Thought is energy and one kind of energy can be converted into another kind of energy. Thoughts, feelings and words have power.”

From those principles, I’ve arrived at the conclusion that as long as I don’t entertain all those negative, Old World fears and beliefs, I can create food that is healthy for me with my intentionality. This is not, I can eat and drink anything I want, but rather, about balance, listening to my body, using as many healthy ingredients as I can, and being mindful. There is copious research showing that our emotions and words affect how our bodies and DNA use what we put into them. So, I add one other component from my spiritual path and work with energy modalities: before consuming any food or drink, I place my hands around it, and with love and gratitude-in-advance, while envisioning Light energy, bless it for my vibrant good health and the delight of my taste buds. Amama!

Use your own discernment in everything, including trying the recipes below. Read through each before beginning so as to garner any extra tips. And have fun doing your own lab experiments!

When setting out to create a new recipe, I begin with the idea that if I like each of the separate ingredients, chances are I’ll enjoy them in combination. My personal caveat is not combining savory elements with sweet ones, but that’s also an individual taste. I’ve never cared for sweet pickles or sweet and sour dishes. The recipes below are guidelines, as I consider cooking to be akin to chemistry experiments and make up things as I go along, taking notes so I can duplicate the successes or correct the failures. I never buy liquid milk, so cook with non-fat powdered and make a lot of things sugar-free. I use butter, as it’s a natural ingredient that enhances the flavor of eggs and onions. I also cook with virgin olive oil or organic coconut oil, but only when their flavors work better. I don’t add salt during or after cooking, as my body doesn’t tolerate excess, and herbs and spices add plenty of flavor.

Conventional directions for hard-boiling, scrambling, frying, making omelets, freezing, etc. can be found under Additional Information at the end of this blog. There are also recipes and health and safety tips there. Never cook an egg in its shell in the microwave, as it will explode, which totally negates quick, easy and fast cleanup. Here are my recipes:

Scrambled Eggs with Sautéed Onions:

Place a handful of fresh or frozen chopped onions in a casserole dish along with three pats of butter (approx. one tablespoon). Cover and microwave on high for about two minutes or until onions are soft. Crack two or three eggs into the dish and scramble them into the onions and butter. Stir in preferred flavorings like onion powder, basil, chives, pepper, Italian or Mexican seasonings. Cook covered on medium (50%) power for three minutes. Stir and continue cooking just until set, one to three minutes depending on your machine’s power. If you like cheese, put thin slices on top of eggs and re-cover for a minute or two until melted. Eat as is or use to make sandwiches or to chop for casserole dishes. Or, top with pasta, marinara or salsa sauce. Have it your way!

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Cooking Noodles in the Microwave:

The first two recipes below start with a base of cooked noodles. In keeping with my goal of having the fewest pots and pans to clean, I cook pasta and macaroni in the microwave. In a 1 ½ quart Corningware or deep-sided glass casserole dish, stir together two cups of very hot water and one cup of chosen type of noodles. [For extra nutrition, I like to use Barilla Plus brand, as it’s much higher in protein and fiber than others and has added, beneficial Omega-3.] I’ve never tried this with string spaghetti, as I prefer noodles that are less messy to eat, but don’t let that stop you. Cook uncovered on high for approximately eight minutes; stir, un-sticking any clumps; add the extra ingredients in the recipe; and continue cooking until the noodles are done, approx. six more minutes. Every microwave is different, so adjust cooking times depending on the power of yours. Drain off cooking water using a colander, or by just pouring it off using a slotted spoon to hold back the contents. Obviously, the pot will be very hot, so use caution and hot pads.

PLEASE NOTE: To maintain the health of your microwave, immediately after boiling noodles (or anything else that creates steam) use a paper or cloth towel to dry the interior of your oven, especially the ceiling that will be covered with droplets of condensed water—it only takes a minute. The efficiency of a microwave is diminished if the inside is covered with food splatters, so this procedure has the excellent, added benefit of steam cleaning and sanitizing, as food particles easily wipe away. With this method, you never need to use chemical cleansers with residues that could contaminate cooking food.

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Egg and Noodle Casserole (with lots of variations):

Cook one cup of elbow noodles (or any type of pasta) using the above directions. At the eight-minute point, gently separate any clumps and stir in your choice of fresh or frozen veggies—peas, green beans, corn, onions, diced or sliced carrots, broccoli florets—whatever goes best with your selected dressing. Continue cooking another six minutes or until everything’s done to your preference. Drain.

Finish the dish by dressing it with your choice of mayonnaise, olive oil or tomato-based sauce and seasonings. Stir in chopped, hard-boiled eggs (or flaked tuna, chicken chunks, sausage, mini meatballs, etc.). Garnish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

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Macaroni and Eggs:

I created this recipe in lieu of macaroni and cheese. It’s completely adaptable to personal tastes and available ingredients.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave—only takes about 15 seconds on high; set aside.

Using instructions above, cook, uncovered, one cup of elbow macaroni in microwave for 13 minutes, adding (optional) raw or frozen chopped onions halfway through. Noodles should be slightly undercooked, as they will finish with the eggs.

Scramble three eggs into melted butter.

Drain cooked macaroni, stir in scrambled eggs, onion powder, (optional) Italian or other seasonings and several heaping spoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese. Cook, covered, in microwave on medium (50%) power for 3 minutes, stir, and continue cooking until eggs are set, 1-3 minutes. Optionally, finish by stirring in a big dollop of mayo or sour cream for added flavor or some shredded cheddar or other cheese.

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Chocolate Scrambled Eggs:

Okay…at first blush, chocolate scrambled eggs might sound a bit wacky. But if you’re a chocoholic like I am, trust me, these are a delightful way to start the day. They’re a decadent addition to the brunch buffet table next to French toast, waffles and pancakes. They just might be the bribe needed to get kids to eat eggs. And with a little imagination, they can also be a low-carb dessert–I haven’t tried it yet, but perhaps topped with a dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate shavings?

This tastes like a chocolate soufflé, but is fast and easy, skipping all the putzy, time-consuming steps of the traditional recipe.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup powdered milk OR 1/3 cup milk or cream

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Sweetener to taste (a very personal thing)–I usually use all Stevia, but sometimes add a little sugar, too. Obviously, you can use all sugar–start with about 1/3 of a cup (see directions below)

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons ground Flaxseed (optional–good source of fiber and adds subtle, nutty flavor)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or ground cinnamon

3 eggs (I use jumbo)

In a 1 1/2 quart, covered casserole dish, heat water (or milk) in microwave on high for a minute or until hot (but not boiling); stir in and dissolve powdered milk, cocoa powder and butter–this step is needed to get cocoa powder incorporated and create chocolate.

Stir in vanilla or cinnamon, flaxseed and sweetener. Taste at this point, since the eggs won’t change the flavor and you want enough sweetening to make it taste chocolaty and not bitter. Scramble eggs into the mixture until blended. Cook covered in microwave on 50% power for 3 minutes, stir, and continue cooking just until firm, approx. 2 more minutes depending on power of your microwave. (Never cook eggs in the microwave on high power, as that destroys the protein and makes them tough.)

Of course, you can make this on the stove in a frying pan, beginning by heating and stirring the first four ingredients on medium heat until they’re dissolved and blended. Then, stir in other ingredients and beaten eggs. Finish in the same manner you cook regular scrambled eggs.

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Hard-Boiling Eggs:

Once eggs get to their expiration date, viability can be extended another week by hard-boiling to make egg salad or deviled eggs, eaten plain or added to casseroles.

Organic eggs ready to hard-boil

Generic instructions for hard-boiling eggs are not strict rules–you need to experiment to find what works for you, depending on where you live and what size eggs you’re using. Did you know that the boiling point of water depends on the atmospheric pressure, which changes according to elevation? The boiling point is 100°C or 212°F at 1 atmosphere of pressure (sea level), but water comes to a boil at a lower temperature (so faster) as you gain altitude (atop a mountain) and boils at a higher temperature (takes longer) if you increase atmospheric pressure (live below sea level like folks on Staten Island or in New Orleans). Thanks to the altimeter my dad had mounted on his car’s dashboard, I know my kitchen is at an elevation of 1365 feet above see level. That’s just a fun fact; I don’t need to know what the temperature of the water is when it comes to a bubbling boil. I have determined that it takes approximately 15 minutes for my covered pot of cold water containing a dozen, cold, jumbo eggs to come to a boil on high heat. I then switch off the burner, let the eggs sit in the hot water (covered) for 23 minutes, drain and quickly chill in a couple changes of cold water before drying and refrigerating. They turn out perfect every time.
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Freezing Eggs:

My last eggsperiments were to extend the life of my stock beyond hard-boiling. The freezer section at the grocery store has frozen egg sandwiches, so I figured maybe I could do something similar at home. I tried making big batches of scrambled eggs with sautéed onions, freezing them in meal-sized portions, and then thawing in the microwave. I had mixed results: the flavor was okay, but the texture was a bit off. So, I moved on to freezing raw eggs so I can choose how I want to cook them later, and also, to have for baking. Here’s the technique I developed:

Fill a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners, crack an egg into each one, gently stir the yolk and white together with a fork (you don’t want to incorporate air), and then put the pan in the freezer for about four hours. Once the eggs are frozen solid, pop the cups out and stack them in a Zip-Loc freezer bag. To use, practice food safety by defrosting the eggs in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or on low setting in the microwave. The paper can be peeled away once the eggs start to defrost. Cook as soon as they’re defrosted to avoid bacterial growth and spoilage.

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It’s said that the word “FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real.” One of the greatest attributes of the human spirit is creative imagination—use yours with no fear. You don’t need to depend on Martha Stewart or (the late) Julia Childs for all your recipes. Create your own! Not to worry—any flops can be fed to the critters—they’ll still think you’re a gourmet cook. And share your triumphs with the rest of us! Bon Appétit!

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Additional Information:

Chocolate Substitution Chart–How to substitute different forms of chocolate in recipes

Egg Safety

Safe Food Handling Tips–scroll down menu for eggscellent advice on how to store and use leftover eggs.

How to freeze eggs, whole or separated, along with a conversion chart for measurements to use in recipes.

Eggs 101: Basic Cooking Techniques

How To: Hard-Boil an Egg

How To: Make Scrambled Eggs

How To: Fry Eggs

How To: Make French Omelets

Egg Recipes & More

Egg Nutrients: “The protein in eggs is the highest-quality protein found in any food.”

Cracking the Cholesterol Myth

For the freshest eggs possible, you can raise your own chickens.

Factors Affecting Egg Production in Backyard Chicken Flock

Explore links to research on how human thoughts and emotions affect the heart, mind and body at The Institute of HearthMath.

Intriguing article that speaks to why words of love and gratitude can increase nutrition of food: Scientists Prove DNA Can Be Reprogrammed by Words and Frequencies

******©UluOla 2012******

 

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A bird in the hand is more fun than two in the bush!

Everyone seems to be living such busy lives these days, often consumed by technology. Consequently, many people have become disconnected from Nature and Her ability to help de-stress and bring joy to life. Perhaps a few stories will inspire reconnection?

As far back as I can recall, I’ve been an avid birdwatcher, and for decades, I’ve happily logged new sightings into my Birder’s Life List Diary. I’m often stymied over how some folks seem to be completely oblivious to the rich, avian life around them. I still laugh to myself over one incident that validated my observation.

Back in 1986, my husband and I were returning home from an engineering job he’d finished down in Texarkana, Texas. It was early morning and we were driving northeast along a rural stretch of Highway 67 just over the border into Arkansas. Every five to ten miles along the way, I noticed large, handsome hawks perched atop wooden fence posts—they were facing east, obviously warming themselves in the sunshine in preparation for hunting their first meals of the day across the open expanses of farm fields. I was unfamiliar with the species, and unfortunately, didn’t have my Peterson or Audubon Field Guides with me. Eventually, we stopped at a diner to hunt and gather our own breakfast.

After enjoying our delicious meals, we went up to the cash register to settle our bill, and I asked the young cashier, “Do you happen to know what kind of hawks you have around here?”

She looked at me a bit puzzled, then exclaimed, “Why…ham hocks, of course!”

I could barely contain myself but managed to hold a straight face, and relating our experience along the highway, explained that I meant birds. She laughed and said, “Oh, with your thick accent, I didn’t understand what you said. No, I’m sorry, I don’t know; I’ve never seen them.”

That struck me as both extra funny and strange. Wisconsinites aren’t exactly known for our “thick accents,” and it never occurred to me that I had one. Of course to my ear, she was the one with an accent. And, I found it so odd and sad that she had lived her whole life traversing that same highway and had never noticed the majestic hawks along her way. But after my animated description, she said she’d be on the lookout. I never did find out what kind of hawks they were.

When we built our retirement home in rural southwest Wisconsin in 1990, our small plot of land was completely barren of vegetation except for pasture grass, so we set about planting trees and shrubs. With a 185-acre farm abutting our back yard, there’s no lack of visitors, including raccoons, possums, moles, rabbits, thirteen-striped ground squirrels and a groundhog. Coyotes keep their distance but make their presence known with their howling. Years ago, I was astonished to see a mother grouse escort her line of chicks under an opening in the barbed wire fence to drink at the large, artificial puddle we’d dug to attract thirsty critters. A pair of wild turkeys stopped by one winter day to eat the berries off our viburnum. The big brush and compost pile in the back corner serves as cover for all manner of wildlife, and I recall being startled to see an American Kestrel dive in for a treat.

While raptor sightings are exciting, I’ve always taken pleasure in the everyday activity of smaller birds and encourage them with enhanced habitat, feeders and birdbaths. Now twenty-two years later, the yard hosts mature trees, shrubs and flower gardens that attract many guests. Wrens arrive the beginning of April. They raise their broods in both the wooden and gourd houses I provide, and until they leave at the end of August, earn their keep by patrolling my gardens for bugs.

Hummingbirds keep me entertained all summer, and I’ve had the delight of rescuing a couple that ran out of gas, gently holding them up to coral bell flowers to sip nectar until they could resume visits to their hanging feeders. This year, our local hummers lingered almost a month longer than usual, finally heading south during the final days of September.

So now, my attention has turned to fostering various other avian visitors passing through on their migration, along with gearing up for those who spend the cold months here. The list of three-season regulars is a colorful and jaunty mix of cardinals, blue jays, both white and red-breasted nuthatches, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, goldfinches, house finches, weaver finches (common sparrows), tufted titmice, juncos, and chickadees. Most of those species tend to go fly-about during the summer, except to stop by for a drink or quick bath, and then return to populate feeders come fall. There are still some mourning doves and robins hanging around, but they’ll be shifting a bit further south as the weather turns colder.

My favorites are the chickadees. They’re intelligent, curious opportunists who are usually the first to check out any new feeder that magically appears in their environment, like my yard, which they consider theirs. They announce their arrival with loud, dee-dee-dee vocalizations and continue their busybody chattering as they quickly bounce from branch-to-feeder-to-branch. Holding a sunflower seed between their feet, they crack off the shell by pounding it with their beaks and are a constant source of amusement.

In 1994, I bought a (still available) copy of the revised classic, A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding by the late ornithologist, John V. Dennis, and was most intrigued by Chapter Seven: “How to Hand Tame.” The notion of a wild bird landing on my hand was very appealing, so that winter, I followed his instructions and gave it a try. Before re-filling my platform feeder, I stood frozen in place, gloved-hand filled with birdseed and patiently waited. It took several tries, but then one day, a chickadee landed with such authority that I was startled by the abruptness and flinched—it flew off and didn’t return. However the next day, while holding seeds in my bare palm, I had a red-breasted nuthatch gently alight and sort through the food, feeling like little, nibble-kisses on my skin. I was tickled and thrilled and have never forgotten that first experience. I’m not sure why I stopped after that. Perhaps it was the severity of the weather that discouraged me from standing out there in the freezing cold. Or maybe that had been enough to satisfy me at a time when I was busy with more important things, like taking care of my husband who was in failing health.

Fast-forward to an early morning late last winter. A boisterous flock of black-capped chickadees was making constant visits, so just for the fun of it, I held out a handful of seeds before re-filling their empty, fly-through, fast food diner. Within two minutes, one landed in my palm, grabbed a sunflower seed and dashed off. I was ecstatic. Dressed in my trademark, black-hooded sweat jacket, I laughed at the thought that perhaps it saw me as some sort of giant chickadee goddess suddenly providing vittles from avian-heaven. Feeding out of my hand continued almost daily for a few weeks, and by then I’d determined that it seemed to be the same brave chickadee that came each time, rather than multiple family members. With the arrival of summer, many of the birds moved down the valley into the pine forests to raise their families, and grackles and squirrel-piggies were monopolizing the seed and suet feeders. So, I took those in and switched to maintaining hummingbird stations.

As summer segued into autumn, the seedeaters returned and we resumed our routine. This time, in addition to sparsely used platform and suet feeders, I have a fabulous, grackle and squirrel-proof hanging feeder. (See sources at end of blog.)

Once again, it appears that only one chickadee is courageous enough to eat out of my hand—I think it’s a distant cousin of that early bird that always gets the worm. However, other birds seem to be taking notice and are venturing closer. They have no fear of making nonstop trips to the hanging feeder while I stand beneath it. The nuthatches are getting closer each day, and I think with patience, I’ll be able to coax them to my hand, too.

This past week, I went out several times, spending as long as an hour frozen in place holding seeds in my left hand whilst focusing the camera with my right. I took turns standing under the hanging feeder or positioning my palm just above my makeshift platform. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to capture my friend in a photo, but determination and persistence paid off! I also alternated between my bare hand and holding a mini basket of seeds. He/she really likes the basket and its handle for perching. At one point, the chickadee landed on my head, hopped down to my shoulder and along my arm before sitting in the basket to sort through seeds to select the perfect one. I find it fascinating that it’s so fussy. A few minutes later, I felt someone much heavier land on my head and was amazed to see a female house finch hop down my arm in the same manner!

To view a gallery of photos, click on any of the small images below and then use the large arrows on either side of the enlarged photos to advance the show. When finished, click the small “x” in the upper left-hand corner to exit and return here. This blog continues below the photos with tips for hand feeding, along with additional information.

Chickadee perches on my finger

Chickadee with seed

Chickadee with seed in beak

You lookin’ at me?

Why am I in this hand basket and where am I going?

That one looks good

Posing

Gymnastics

Maybe I’ll take that one

How’s my profile?

Swingin’ on the ring

So many decisions

Sunbeam-striped adolescent squirrel thinking about climbing my leg–not!

Setting sun turns female house finch golden

Sitting pretty

Time to hurry

The shadow knows

With Ol’ Sol’s help, I get in the photo with my little chickadee friend

Suet and squirrel-proof feeder

Tufted Titmouse

Chickadee at feeder

Chickadee at suet with wren house in background over garden gate

Downy woodpecker

White-breasted nuthatch

Red-breasted nuthatch

White-breasted nuthatch digs sunflower seed out of crevice in log atop makeshift platform feeder

Disneyland for critters including pool

Hand held over make-shift platform feeder

Close-up of Easy Lift Hanger

Easy Lift Hanger on broom handle for hoisting feeders up onto tree branches

Combining the instructions I gleaned from Mr. Dennis’s book and my personal experience, here are a few tips if you’d like to entice birds to your hand:

1. Wear the same clothes every time—that makes the birds comfortable and they will recognize you. You might try wearing gloves in the beginning, as birds are a bit leery of bare hands.

2. Go out at the same time every day, so they get in the habit of expecting you as a food source.

3. In the beginning, wait until feeders are empty, so hungry birds have no other option but your handheld offerings. Try holding out a little container of seeds, instead of your hand, to get them used to coming to you.

4. Approach slowly, then hold still and don’t swallow, as birds associate that with predators. Be quiet. If you like, talk to them in low, soft tones, never high-pitched and use the same words or phrases over and over.

5. Be patient! And experiment, realizing that birds have individual preferences just like people.

Keep looking up…and down…and all around. Enjoy Mother Nature’s delights that are organic stress-relievers with no negative side effects. And extend a welcoming hand…

Additional Information:

While nothing can replace having a high-quality, physical field guide at the ready, here are excellent, on-line sources for identifying birds and learning about their habits and preferred habitats. A pair of binoculars, a notebook and a camera round out birders’ gear. Sources for hanging hooks and a squirrel-proof feeder are also listed below.

Audubon: The Online Guide to North American Birds: “This online guide to North American Birds features 750 species of birds in 22 Orders and 74 families. The guide covers all of North America’s regular breeding birds-approximately 580 species – as well as an additional 180 or so non-breeding species that regularly or occasionally visit North America north of Mexico.”

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an on-line guide and you can also participate in their “Take Part in the Scientific Process with Citizen Science” projects.

eNature’s comprehensive site is filled with info on birds and birding.

Biography: “Roger Tory Peterson (August 28, 1908 – July 28, 1996) was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.”

The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History is loaded with info.

Easy Lift Hangers are super-handy, eliminating the need for a ladder so it’s fast and easy to hang and change positions of feeders in trees. I purchased a five-foot, replacement broom handle at the hardware store, which allows me to hoist feeders over nine feet onto tree branches. Available many places including here.

The Perky-Pet 5109 Fortress Bird Shelter Squirrel Proof Wild Bird Feeder featured in my photos is available from several sources including Amazon, which features free shipping. Positioned near the end of a tree branch, this is truly squirrel-proof! Be patient—it takes the birds a while to figure out how to use it, but once they do, they love it.

******©UluOla 2012******

Autumn Sighs Good-Bye to Summer

Last sunrise of Summer

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
– From Essential Rumi

Do you know that vast numbers of crewmates on our Spaceship Earth are working hard to make our voyage together a better one? Maybe you’re one of them? Here’s the latest update.

At dawn yesterday, Friday, September 21, 2012, millions of people around the world began lighting up the day with their intentions, meditations, prayers, ceremonies and events in observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace. Facebook was filled with posts inviting everyone to participate throughout the day and night. Thank you to everyone who did.

Summer’s last reflections

Then, following the sunset from east to west around the globe starting at 7:00 p.m. CDT Friday night, thousands of participants began drumming during the fourth annual, 10 Billion Beats Global Intention Event that will complete its circumnavigation of the Earth tonight (Saturday, Sept. 22) from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT. Individuals and groups that gathered in homes, town squares, city parks, country fields, and indoor facilities drummed for an hour, then handed off to those in the next time zone. Drumming is used to focus a collective, positive intention-vibration for connection in peace, love and oneness, sending it around the world “in a continuous wave to improve our relationship with each other, and with a living planet upon which we live, breath, and have our being”—“a joyous commemoration of the human family and all that shares this planet with us.” Thank you to everyone connecting heartbeat-to-heartbeat, assisting all of us.

Equinox: the sun crosses the celestial equator

How synchronistic that the events above coincide with the celebrations of the Equinox that arrives today, Saturday, September 22 at 9:49 a.m. CDT–one of the two times during the year when the sun crosses the celestial equator, and when the length of day and night are approximately equal. This is an intersection of science and spirit: an astronomical occurrence and a time to physically and spiritually connect with the rhythms of Nature, honor our Mother Earth and celebrate Balance. Thank you to all who do so.

The above actions are not pie-in-the-sky-wishful-hoping. There is abundant scientific data validating the positive outcomes of human beings connecting in those ways. I wrote about that data and shared links to the research in my February 2011 blog, Riding The Wave of Evolving Consciousness.

If you were unaware of or unable to take part in any of those events, please know that you can always make a positive difference. Regardless of when you read this, where you live or what your circumstances are, simply stop for a minute, take a few deep breaths, and focus your intention on peace and love for all. If you’re feeling stressed out or are in pain, gift yourself with a ten-minute, mini vacation. It’s free. Scroll halfway down my blog, Easy Do-It-Yourself Stress and Pain Relief, and follow the simple directions. When you reduce your stress and enhance your own well-being, you contribute to the well-being of all because we are connected across time and space. Thank you.

Whilst my friends in the Southern Hemisphere are celebrating the Vernal Equinox and the first day of their spring, we here in the northern climes are observing the Autumnal one. Here is my nod to this occasion:

The greens of leaves lighten each day,
’Till they slip into party frocks.
Grackles rally from miles around
To gather in boisterous flocks.

Flowers look their showoff-best,
A last hurrah before the frost,
While tomatoes hurry to ripen red,
Begging harvest before they’re lost.

A stroll down the garden path
Finds evenings are cool and crisp.
The air is quieted of crickets’ chirp
And shimmers with a golden mist.

Tired from summer shining,
The sun is slower to rise,
Then retires early to bed as Fall…
Slips in on gentle sighs.

Nostalgic feelings wash over us,
As September turns “twenty-two,”
One season gives way to another,
And we bid Summer…a fond adieu.

First sunset of Autumn

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

******©UluOla 2012******

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A Blue Orb, upper right, competes for attention with the Full Moon, lower left.

Many of us born in July, which in astrological terms, is ruled by the Moon, have an affinity with that orb beyond what other signs might feel. So, my lunar allegiance calls for an acknowledgement of today’s astronomical event.

Our second Full Moon of the month, on August 31, 2012, is commonly referred to as a “Blue Moon,” something that only happens every two to three years. The next one will occur on July 31, 2015. A bit more rare, there will be two Blue Moons in 2018–on January and March 31 (when February doesn’t have a full moon).

Be it first, second or only; white, orange or blue; a Full Moon is always beautiful and captures the imagination and heart of poets and lovers.

*********

Blue Dreamer Rises

A drop of sunshine dripped through
Pinhole in the bedroom shade–
A golden slash of flash
Cut the sheet like a blade.

Keeping her eyes tightly closed,
She ignored the glare of day,
Waiting for the intrusion
To once again move away.

Blessed slumber returning,
She escaped into her dreams.
Fantasy life feels better,
Than her real life ever seems.

The shade aligns yet again,
With a heavenly orb’s light,
But this time, a silver beam
Comes glittering into sight.

She heeds the call and rises
As Night Owls are wont to do,
Celebrating this rare time:
The Full Moon has turned to Blue.

A large Blue Orb, upper left, impersonates a Full Blue Moon.

If you’re interested in the history of how the appellation of Blue Moon came about, there are explanations and photos on these sites:

EarthSky has some beautiful moon shots using a blue filter.

See FAQs about the Blue Moon from The Astronomy Cafe.

And for astrological insights on this particular Blue Moon, visit the School of Shamanism.

******©UluOla 2012******

Weather…We Like It Or Not…

We’re now finished with seven months of 2012. As I marked my 63^rd orbit around the sun in mid-July, I could easily proclaim that this year’s weather has been the weirdest of my entire life. My 89-year-old mother has declared the same for hers. And we’re not alone.

As the year began, southern Wisconsin had far less snowfall than is average for our winter and that continued to be the case. Meanwhile, folks across Europe were shivering through intense cold whilst being literally buried by excessive amounts of snow. On the flip side, Australians were coping with devastating summer floods. Other areas of Earth were experiencing their own, weather-related challenges.

Southwest Wisconsin’s March started out with five inches of snow on the 2^nd that melted within a day or two. The month that’s usually blustery with variable temperatures spanning the upper 20’s into the 60’s, then turned hot with many days that kissed 80F. Plants, animals and insects were fooled into reacting as if we’d skipped a month and it was actually May. Then April completely reversed course with several hard frosts that literally nipped confused plants in the bud. For the first time on record, our April was colder by several degrees than March!

During May, rainfall started to get spotty, and then, it stopped all together for all of June and much of July as temperatures soared to extremes never before experienced. Along with a substantial part of the United States’ other agricultural regions, southern Wisconsin descended into an ongoing, severe drought, decimating the crops of farmers and fruit growers and causing major stress on livestock, not to mention people.

As a dedicated observer and note taker, I’ve chronicled a long list of local plant, animal, bird and insect behaviors that are completely outside of the norm–here are some of them:

Some plants bloomed so early that insects that normally pollinate them missed their chance. My milkweed matured, bloomed and set seed pods almost a month and a half early. Monarch butterflies have been conspicuous by their absence. Sedums that usually flower the end of August are already blooming. Meanwhile in an even more bizarre twist, many annuals like Moss Roses and Morning Glories that are heat-loving plants were over a month late in starting their bloom cycles. Sunflower seedlings wilted away despite my watering them.

An over-population of rabbits and chipmunks has been decimating gardens and digging up potted plants that we’ve been watering during the drought. While it’s understandable that they’re following their survival instincts, it maddening for us.

Four full birdbaths at different heights throughout my yard have helped quench the thirst of panting birds and other critters. Sadly, there was nothing I could do but commiserate when the wrens lost their second clutch of eggs to the extreme heat, even though their house was ventilated.

The only plus side of the prolonged drought is mosquito-free evenings. However, moisture-loving earwigs have still managed to survive and chew tender leaves and buds, and over the last week, there’s been an explosive hatching of box elder bugs–also about a month early. Usually not a nuisance around here until the end of August, hornets (also known as wasps or yellow jackets) were already in evidence the beginning of June. When locusts start buzzing in the treetops the middle of August, we’re alerted that autumn is a month around the corner. What does it mean that they started their signature drone this year in early July?

Weather records have been smashed across the planet for high and low temperatures, moisture and lack thereof. Befuddled meteorologists scratch their collective heads, as forecasting has become more of a guessing game than a scientific job. There are so many variables; it’s difficult to pinpoint the reasons for the wild swings in weather. There are copious amounts of data pointing to human activities having a major impact, and even scientists who were naysayers are now changing their tune in the face of mounting proof. One also wonders if Ol’ Sol’s accelerated, mass coronal ejections into the solar wind, as he enters solar maximum, are also part of that scenario. Regardless of the causes, anyone who doesn’t acknowledge the realities of global climate change is either deluded, in total denial or living in a windowless cave with no access to world news. It’s feeling like we’re living in a science fiction disaster movie.

In my looking-glass I see,
The ghost of Alice, not me!
And what is that I can hear?
Dorothy’s echo in my ear.

It’s a topsy-turvy world,
Into which I feel I’m hurled.
Nature’s too early or late–
Makes me wonder what’s our fate?

Time for humans to confess,
That we’ve created this mess.
Our thoughts and deeds impact more
Than just what’s inside our door.

Whether we like it or not,
We’re making our planet hot!
It’s not too late to reverse,
Turning it into our hearse.

Our action now can undo,
Many past mistakes we’ve fueled.
Remember we have power;
Don’t even waste the next hour.

We’re all a part of the cause.
That alone should give us pause.
Now banish the fear and blame;
Ignite inspiration’s flame.

Stop the bickering and the feud,
Hold the vision of renewed,
Pristine waters and the air,
And balance brought to bear.

Join hearts, minds and hands to forge
Solutions to Gaia’s scourge.
Learn from history’s blunders.
Now help restore her wonders!

With five months to go in 2012, most of us are already weary of discussing this year’s weather, but we still can’t help wondering aloud what the next seasons will bring. Only linear time will tell.

Meanwhile as my figurative, Google-Earth survey refocuses on my little yard with its small gardens, I search for any reason to celebrate during this most challenging of growing seasons. As the heat and drought continues to take its toll, I do nightly triage, watering prized shrubs and perennials in hopes of keeping them alive to bloom another season. I fuss over annuals that got off to a wonderful start before the high temperatures and insects started destroying them. While the weather has been so different, one thing has remained the same. Every year’s growing season has its stars: extra-hardy plants that surprise and delight with stellar performances that outshine the rest. I have a few this year, so as a way to end by accentuating the positive, here they are posing for their close-ups—wish I could also share their lovely scents:

Container next to my front porch featuring a lime-green Hosta flanked by red Impatiens with a double, spicy-bouqueted, red and white Petunia peeking up at the rear:

Lime-green Hosta flanked by red Impatiens with double, red and white Petunia at the back

Castor Bean started from seed the end of May, now about four feet tall:

A Castor Bean plant adds a tropical look to my patio with its large leaves

A Master Gardener friend of mine introduced me to her Datura a couple of years ago. One look and a whiff, and I was hooked! She gave me some seeds, which I started inside; they provided two plants, one that bloomed several times late last August. Ta-da! This year’s star-of-stars is last summer’s Datura that I cut back to eight inches, over-wintered in a pot in the garage, then transplanted into the patio planter. It took off early and never looked back, continuing to branch, bloom and produce more and more buds. It’s now about five feet tall and forty-four inches across. The pure white, trumpet-shaped flowers are a spectacular seven inches long and over four inches across. They open during the early evening and perfume the air with their exquisite fragrance, attracting night-flying moths to work their pollination magic. By Noon the next day, the previous night’s flowers are wilted and starting to produce seedpods before jettisoning their petals. I generally keep them dead-headed to encourage the plant to continue producing flowers; otherwise, it will think its propagating mission is done and will start to shut down. But, I am nurturing the formation of a couple of seedpods in hopes they cure properly before first frost—given our strange weather, it’s impossible to know when that will happen, so I’m not taking any chances! I hope to start a plant inside in January to produce a new transplant for next spring. And in keeping with the tradition of gardeners, I also want to have seeds to share.

The Datura by day as it prepares to put on its evening show

A night-blooming Datura is the perfect company for a Night Owl like me!

A little closer look at the Datura’s gigantic flowers

Datura flowers are over four inches across when fully open

Lower right corner: spiky Datura seedpod forming, looking like something from another planet

******©UluOla 2012******