Recommendations

Welcome to my Recommendations page. I wanted to share some of my favorite books and products. Maybe they will become your favorites, too.

Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Any purchases made will not cost you any additional cost.

Honesty is my Superpower

Giraffes Can’t Dance

Been grumpy today.  Actually, a whole range of sad, frustrated, irritated, discouraged and grumpy.  Didn’t feel like doing anything.  Physical or mental.  Felt cold and wanted to curl up in a blanket.  But that sounded kinda boring.

At loose ends, I grabbed a little book that I bought as a present for my neighbor girl–now about a year old.  Read it curled on the sofa with a blankie over my legs.  Perked up.  Started laughing.

Was exactly the right thing to do.

Love that little “board book” for kids. 

Maybe I never grew up inside…

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Author Judy Blume tells it like it is with having a younger brother.  Who gets all the attention.  Who knows how to escape from trouble.  And who knows how to get on Peter’s last nerve.

You’ll love to read the adventure in.

maybe

I discovered this book while on a camping trip.  Not a fun trip.  A cold, wet, miserable, I’m-spending-too-much-time-in-shops, not enough in nature.  Ready to exit a shop where I found nothing that I wanted, I glimpsed this book by itself on a back shelf.  Well, why not take a look?

It spoke to me.  It landed in a bag on my wrist.  That evening, ensconced in my car during a cold, steady downpour, I read the book by using the cosmetic light in the driver’s seat.  Not exactly the peaceful setting that I had envisioned, but I LOVED the book.

Perfect for all of us adult/child beings.

So I drove back to the shop the next day to buy the book for my friend.

The Velveteen Rabbit

Delightful classic.  One of those books to take to a desert island without any frills.  Have you ever been loved until your hair is all rubbed off?  Do you know the truth that…

“Once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.”

The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree is a picture book for children of all ages.  About love and endless capacity for giving without thought of self.  Giving until your pockets are empty.

A 50-year-old classic.

Etched in Granite

Etched in Granite is an amazing tale of the numbered souls—anonymous grave markers in a New England poor farm.  What are their stories?  How did they live?  And why does no one remember them?

MJ Pettengill was called to write these tales.  She did meticulous research and listened to her heart to hear the silenced ones speaking.  This is the first in a series of three.  Well worth reading.

How to Be an Adult in Relationships

How to Be an Adult in Relationships is one of the best books about realistic love that I’ve found.  It details the five keys to mindful loving—attention, acceptance, appreciation, affection and allowing.  How to have a deeper, more meaningful relationship.

E.T. 101

Well, we should have all read the manual before we got here.  But most of us didn’t.  How hard could it be?

Much harder than we expected, apparently.

Hilarious take on the messages that we need to absorb to deal with life on this unpredictable planet.  Read on—and make it so!

Weepers

Oh my. I just finished Weepers. What a book! It delves deeply into character, captivates with its attention to detail and races with heart-stopping plot twists. I loved it. Couldn’t put it down.

The author handles flawed characters, complicated relationships and scenes of violence with skillful sensitivity. His gritty narrative explains the character’s motivations in unflinching detail, sharing the “why” that informs each character’s actions. Even his descriptions of Italian cuisine will make your mouth water.

Nicholas Chiarkas definitely needs to keep writing novels. He has more stories to share. I can’t wait to see what he will craft next.

Tolkien

Tolkien is always magical.  And here’s the whole package.

Frogs and the Ballet

Frogs and the Ballet—my very favorite “children’s” book.  Hilarious text and illustrations.  Laughed out loud when I discovered it in an independent book store.  Have given copies to newlyweds because it perfectly explains the pas de duex.

17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore

17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore.  One little girl discovers EVERYthing that gets her into trouble.  One thing after another…

You Are a Badass

It’s time.  You need to get You Are a Badass.  Want some laughs?  Some “oh, I recognize that”?  A much needed kick to get started?

Don’t wait.

The Untethered Soul

A delightful book about expanding beyond your limitations and exploring your inner space.  Dwell in the present moment.  Free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness.

The Heart-Mind Matrix

Messages about activating the compassionate intelligence of the heart to reconnect to the universe and our spiritual future.

The Body Keeps the Score

Trauma reshapes both body and brain.  Most of us have suffered trauma of some kind.  The body remembers.

Are there new paths to recovery?

Anam Cara

Delve into the depths of Irish wisdom.  Know what it means to be a “soul friend.”  Ancient teachings and stories.

A Symphony in the Brain

Fascinating research into neurofeedback and biofeedback.  A new approach to problems without medication?

A Soprano on her Head

Do you need to sing on your head?  Or do whatever you need to do without the usual restrictions?  Explore the possibilities…

The Open-Focus Brain

Learn to develop an open focus to life.  Step out of survival mode, stress and all the negative effects.  Learn drug-free, safe and effective techniques.

The YES Frequency

How often do we say “no” when we want to say “yes”?  Maybe you need to learn to say “yes” more often.

Always Wear Clean Underwear

Wear clean underwear?  Whhhyyy do I haaave to?  If you don’t know the hidden messages of love from parents as they give you the rules for life, you need to read this book.

Between Parent and Child

How can you communicate with your children without unintentionally damaging your relationship?  Without missing the hidden meaning of their questions?  A guide for parents to live with children in mutual respect and dignity.

Angry Men, Passive Men

Know a man who is emotionally blocked?  Unable to express himself?  This book details a gender-specific approach to restore men’s sense of joy and well-being.  An inspiring book for men who want to understand themselves better. And for the women who want to understand them, too.

The Biology of Belief

Explore the mind-body-spirit connection from a scientific perspective.  Quantum physics meets our own energy field of beliefs.  Do our beliefs create our reality?

The Creature from Jekyll Island

Who really controls our money supply?  Why is it hidden?  Why does our system seem plagued with instability?  Read this detective story about our economic system.  You will never see things the same way again.

Stand Up For Your Life

How to take a leadership role in your own life by knowing who you are, defining your values and standing up for your own life.  Are you ready?

Touching a Nerve

This author harmonizes science and philosophy, the mind and the brain, abstract ideals and daily life.  How do we understand personality?  Decision-making?  Responsibility?

The Hidden Messages in Water

Japanese scientist Dr. Masaru Emoto shows how the influence of our thoughts, words and feelings on molecules of water can positively impact the earth and our personal health.  Using high-speed photography, he discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. Water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. Polluted water or water exposed to negative thoughts creates asymmetrical patterns in dull colors.

So we have the power to affect the life-giving force of water.  Isn’t that amazing?

The Emotion Code

Do you carry unseen baggage?  Don’t we all?  Traumatic events can cause emotions to become trapped in the body…where they can create pain, malfunction and disease.  Dr. Nelson’s method will give you the tools to release those trapped emotions, freeing you to enjoy the positive energies of the world.

Spirulina

If I could give you one hint for your health, it would be this: take Spirulina as a supplement.  What?!?  Spirulina is basically blue-green algae or that pond scum that they said that our ancesters thrived on.  As a superfood, it’s very beneficial.  Nothing that will harm you.  About 70% protein.  Helps relieve inflammation, which all of us have from our toxic environment and food supply.  Aids blood pressure, blood sugar and heart issues.  Anxiety, depression, all kinds of other ailments.  For me, it has helped my eyesight, thickened my hair and eliminated my psoriasis–amazing!  I figure that it must be doing good things on the inside because it’s showing results on the outside.  

Let’s just say that taking Spirulina is like eating six huge dark leafy green salads per day.  More than most of us could handle.

One day I accidentally dropped a Spirulina capsule on the floor.  Out of nowhere, my cat appeared and was fascinated with the spot where the supplement had dropped.  “Oh, you want some?” I asked her.  I carefully opened the capsule and gave her about 1/3 of it.  Man, that cat wolfed it down.  I thought that was very interesting because cats can’t read advertisements or evaluate supplements.  They just know what is good for them.  That carried a lot of weight with me.

Blue Forest Farms CBD Oil

Curious about the benefits of CBD oil, I was willing to try it.  But I wasn’t sure where to buy it.  Who could I trust?  While reading an article that discussed 10 different providers of hemp and CBD products, the page with Blue Forest Farms lit up when I read it.  “Ahh…so this is where I should buy my CBD oil.”

I was impressed that they offered different formulations for people’s needs and specific sensitivities.  After reading through their options, I decided that formula #3 best fit my needs.

Since taking Blue Forest Farms CBC oil, my left knee that had not healed from an old injury has been ready to kick, skip and hike for miles.  No pain, no problem.  Reducing inflammation, one of the properties of CBD, fosters long-term healing.  In addition, my psoriasis has disappeared.  Taming psoriasis is nearly impossible, but now I only have one thumb-sized spot on my body.  I have plenty of energy.  Feeling really great.

Blue Forest Farms CBD Face Serum

Decided to order the CBD face serum.  Very happy with the results.  A  gentle oil that coats the skin smoothly.  Healing for that delicate facial skin.

Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer

I love this moisturizer!  Smooth and light.  Soaks in quickly.  Makes skin feel soft and nourished. 

The Illumination Process

Would you like to step away from limiting beliefs and toxic emotions?  Travel through the pages of this book to discover new perspectives.  Let go of anger, shame and whatever holds you back without blaming anyone.  Especially not yourself.

The Divine Matrix

Science and spirituality hold hands. With quantum physics and ancient wisdom, Gregg Braden asserts that we already know the language to communicate—and change—our divine reality. Interesting and engaging.

The God Code

Gregg Braden on another exploratory venture.  What is our DNA saying to us?  Are we ready to listen?

The ACV Secret Cream

This ACV cream is amazing. Light like whipped cream. Applies smoothly and absorbs well. Makes my skin soft and smooth. A definite winner!