Lights at Night

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on December 29, 2022

“The best Christmas trees come very close to exceeding nature.” ~Andy Rooney

Everyone who knows me understands that I am a nature girl. I spend as much time outdoors as possible in all weather conditions. As I meander around my property, I am always investigating the trees, pondering the possibilities for Christmas décor. When December rolls around, there is nothing that gives me more joy than admiring the twinkling lights that illuminate landscapes, glow on houses, and glimmer on Christmas trees.

My family tradition has always been to decorate every inch of the inside and outside with holiday fervor. Growing up, my dad used to joke that for extra excitement, we could watch the electric meter spinning wildly. Our ranch house and surrounding gardens were adorned with thousands of lights, Nativity scenes, sleighs, Santa, elves, reindeer, snowmen, candles, and whatever else was over-the-top festive. Because we lived on a farm in the boondocks, as kids we believed we had to light the night so that Santa would be able to find our house in the deep darkness.

https://www.CynthiaBrian.co

Because my children have flown the coop and have their own homes, I’m not as crazy as earlier in my life with my holiday embellishments, although my extended family still goes all out. My brother’s and nephew’s houses could win awards with for creativity and innovative illumination.

Trimming a Christmas tree is an active sport. Whether we cut a tree, buy a living tree, erect a fake tree, or bedeck a houseplant, festooning our holiday bushes is as varied as our personalities. It doesn’t matter if a tree is perfect or off-kilter. What matters is the meaning of the moment and the joy it delivers during the season. Every year I adorn my aging fiddleleaf fig tree at the base of my stairwell with lights and ornaments as it has grown too large to move. In another room, the Christmas cheer is enhanced with a glistening, garlanded tree as well as freshly cut greenery with flowers from my yard. What makes all trees sparkle and shine are the twinkling lights, clear or colored.

Fresh greenery indoors creates the feeling of Christmas, especially with aromatic boughs of fir, pine, redwood, spruce, and cedar. If you have any conifers in your yard, this is a great time to trim the limbs to use to decorate your porch and patio. Holly is a traditional plant to use in garlands, wreaths, and centerpieces, however, any berry-bearing bush adds color and whimsy to arrangements. All evergreens are welcome to create long-lived wreaths and centerpieces including clippings from boxwood, bay, magnolia, and pepper trees.

In The Art of Living, Wilfred Peterson wrote that “Christmas is not in tinsel, lights, and outward show. The secret lies in an inner glow.” My feeling about the tinsel, lights, ornaments, and outward show is that these accruements provide the inner glow of joy to my world.

Delight in my photos of these beloved, bejeweled Christmas trees and bright night lights. Whatever you celebrate, I wish you seasonal sparkle, and happy health. Glow forth to savor being home for the holidays. There are more than twelve days to celebrate!

Happy New Year!

Photos at https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1622/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Night-lights.html

Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Her newest children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is available now atwww.cynthiabrian.com/online-store For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and exclusive experiences, buy StarStyle® NFTs at

https://StarStyleCommunity.com

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

https://www.GoddessGardener.com

At Christmas….

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on December 19, 2022

Empowerment

Miracle Moment®

“This Christmas…

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first go someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love.

Speak it again.”

Howard Hunter

A Message from Founder/Executive Director, Cynthia Brian

Although published more than twenty eight years ago, I have lived by the credo in this Miracle Moment® for a lifetime. The holidays are the opportune time to share our love, encouragement, kindness, and generosity.

On behalf of everyone here at Be the Star You Are!® as well as StarStyle® Productions LLC, I take this moment to wish you the brightness and joy of this season of light. No matter what your race, religion, culture, or belief, as humans, we are all one. This is a time to come together, be gentle, and express gratitude.

I am personally grateful to everyone who has supported Be the Star You Are!® with their time, money, and ideas. For those who want to make an end-of-year contribution (and get a tax-deduction) there is still time. Make a DONATION through PAYPAL GIVING FUND with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504. Send a check:

Be the Star You Are!®

PO Box 376

Moraga, California 94556

There are many other ways you can help including buying NFTS, shopping through Amazon Smile, or visiting our online store to purchase our books and tank tops.

My Christmas wish for you is that all your dreams and wishes come true. Savor this sacred time with family and friends. Thank you for being part of our galaxy and we wish you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2023.

With love and gratitude,

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza, or whatever you celebrate-from my family to yours….ENJOY!!!

Cynthia Brian

Founder/Executive Director

Be the Star You Are!®

PO Box 376

Moraga, California 94556

Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org

https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org

http://www.BTSYA.org

DONATE: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

No Barnyard Bullies is a Favorite

If you’ve been reading StarStyle® Empowerment for a bit, you may recall that the Kindness Coordinator for Be the Star You Are!®, Karen Kitchel, purchased the book, No Barnyard Bullies, for an entire class in Minnesota. She recently emailed me this, which definitely made my day.

Hi Cynthia,

Just wanted to share a little happening in Kindergarten today. I started one-on-one reading of little five-page paper books with all the kids A student wanted to read with me so I told him he could pick any book, and we would read it together. He came back with your book and proceeded to read every word. I was amazed! I also pointed out how you, the author, signed the book. Loved seeing him smile.

All because of you…

Big hugs,

Karen

So many people have sent photos of kids enjoying the book. The illustrations by Jensen Russell are superb. Book two will be published in 2023. To purchase autographed copies now, visit

http://www.StarStyleStore.net

Buy No Barnyard Bullies

No Barnyard Bullies

SANTA DAY at 5A…the North Pole in Town

The weather was miserable, blustery, cold, and pouring rain, yet Santa and his reindeer made the trek to Moraga. Excited families arrived with children anxious to write letters to Santa, sit on his lap, do crafts, and enjoy treats. Thanks to Mark Hoogs State Farm Insurance, www.TeamHoogs.com for sponsoring Be the Star You Are!® and to 5A Rent-a-Space for asking Be the Star You Are!® to participate annually. Linda Pfost of 5 A Rent a space wrote:

Hi Cynthia,

You and your helpers are such a pleasure to work with. Thank you for your positive energy!

Have a wonderful Holiday!

Volunteers Sharanya, Keerthi, and Sophie were amazing elves! Thank you ladies for making the day fun and special for children. Watch Keerthi’s great video on Instagram of Santa Day at https://www.instagram.com/expressyourselfradio/.

Meet the Newest and Youngest Reporter on Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio, Milan Bains

Milan is an eleven-year-old sixth grader at Highland Middle School who loves looking at structures of buildings and high rises and hopes to one day be an architect. He has played violin since he was 5 years old and now plays for the school orchestra. When you don’t see him playing his violin he is probably playing on the tennis court. From a young age he has loved games whether it was Candyland as a four-year-old, Uno with his cousins (fellow teen radio reporters Nihal and Kirpa), or competitive chess at school. Milan loves math and is challenging himself in accelerated math every day at school. MIlan loves anything that involves technology and innovation and hopes to share some of this passion during his teen radio segments. He is super excited to be part of the “Express Yourself Teen Radio” team with his segment “Well-rounded!”

Listen to Milan’s first interview on the topic of Climate change on the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/140750/climate-change

NFTS for the Holidays

If you are looking for a whimsical and fun gift to give to an internet savvy collector, check out the spectacular NFTS at www.StarStyleCommunity.com. Each NFT depicts one of five characters drawn by talented illustrator, Jensen Russell from Cynthia Brian’s new children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies. You own your purchased unique and original NFT which you can trade or sell.

When you purchase an NFT, you become a member of the StarStyle® community. As a member, you are entitled to participate in exciting events exclusive to the community including hangouts, storytelling, book readings, sneak peeks, classes, discussions, and good old down-on-the-farm fun, all virtually from the comfort of your couch.

Best of all, you will be making a difference by empowering women, families, and youth through increased literacy and positive media messages as all purchases benefit Be the Star You Are!® 501c3 charity.
Get your NFTS today! www.StarStyleCommunity.com

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP!

There is still time to buy gifts and make a difference. We have suggestions for you to shop, save, and stay safe. Please use these web sites for all of your shopping essentials.

1. AmazonSmile donates .5% of purchases https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882

2. Discounted books at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shops/be_the_star_you_a

3. Giving Assistant: Shop. Earn. Give! Use Giving Assistant to earn cash at 3500+ popular online stores :https://givingassistant.org/np#be-the-star-you-are-inc

4. Shop at over 1300 stores on IGIVE: http://www.iGive.com/BTSYA

5. Buy “Read, Lead, Succeed” black tanks and books at StarStyle® Store:

http://www.starstylestore.net/

StarStyle Store

6. Are you a gamer, lover of new software, or other digital content? Buy all of your favorites at Humble Bundle. http://ow.ly/cYs130iN6n4

Everybody wants an NFT! Get yours today athttp://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

DIRECT LINKS

Positive Results: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results

About Us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us

Programs: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs

How to Help: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help

Blog: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/blog-1

Events: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/events

Contact us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/contact

Make a DONATION through PAYPAL GIVING FUND and PAYPAL with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

Top Rated non Profit

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/94-333388 and https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-in

BE THE STAR YOU ARE!® is proud to be honored as a TOP NON PROFIT for numerous consecutive years.

We THANK YOU for making that happen!

Rejoice like the angels and celebrate love.

Season’s Warmest Greetings!

Speak your love! Speak it again!

Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 charity

PO Box 376

Moraga, California

94556

https://www.BetheSTARYouAre.org

http://www.BTSYA.org

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

Nature’s Holiday Ornaments

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on December 19, 2022

Empowerment

“There is material enough in a single flower for the ornaments of a score of cathedrals.”

John Ruskin

Like so many Americans, the day after Thanksgiving I pulled out my stored Christmas décor. I’m not one to shop on Black Friday, preferring not to fight the crowds for sale items that I don’t need. Instead, I chose to bask in the deliciousness of autumn by spending time meandering around my garden with my adopted animals in tow, deciding where to display my holiday treasures. It was a beautiful clear, warm day with a gentle breeze that tickled the leaves to fall like feathers. Songbirds caroled as hawks circled above in the air currents. As I inhaled the fragrance of pine needles, I exhaled joy and gratitude for such natural splendor.

What I realized was that Mother Nature had already decorated my landscape for the holidays with colorful leaves carpeting the flower beds and blooming white chrysanthemums imitating snow.

The merry berry bushes of nandina, cotoneaster, and pyracantha were chock full of fiery red fruit favored by wildlife.

Hachiya persimmons resembled bright orange ornaments hanging on the near-bare branches. I mistook a lone red pomegranate hanging from the golden-leafed tree for a crimson Christmas bulb.

Sprays of yellow Meyer lemons glowed like sunshine, while azalea bushes sported leaves in rainbow hues.

I climbed the hillside steps to marvel at the multitude of cherry-pink pistache berries flanked by the redwood tree that the squirrels had not devoured this year. In the foreground, my weathervane of a prancing deer reminded me of Dancer flying through the night sky.

I hung gold and red giant ornaments on my Japanese Maples. They glistened in the afternoon glare, yet these trinkets made by humans could not compare to what Mother Nature had already designed.

Many people seek a Christmas tree or Hannukah bush to brighten their homes in December. Every tree is a perfect tree, even those Charlie Brown ones, especially if a child chooses. If possible, buy a living tree that can be placed on your patio after the holidays are over this year and be reused for the next festivity. Or any tree can be decorated. I always light up my fiddle leaf fig tree and fill it with ornaments and garlands. Fig trees are terrific for keeping indoor air fresher.

When considering trees, it’s essential to also think about safety. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, last year over 15,000 people ended up in the emergency room due to decorating falls, burns, cuts, strains, and electrical shocks.

Here are a few suggestions to decorate safely:

ü Light your yuletide with the freshest tree whether you buy a tree from a lot or cut one yourself. Look for ultra-green needles that are not falling off the tree. Shake the tree and if the needles stay put, you have a winner.

ü If your tree is not a living tree, soak your tree for 24 hours before installing it and keep the basin always filled with water.

ü Keep all trees, branches, and flammable decorations away from fireplaces, radiators, and high-traffic areas.

ü Hang stockings on chimneys only when there is no fire burning.

ü Buy new lights that have been tested by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Make sure that lights for your garden are labeled as outdoor capable. All lights need good wiring, devoid of any broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires, or loose connections. Only use extension cords that are designed for the outdoors and beware of the number of light sets that may be attached.

ü Never add electric lights to metallic ornamentations as you could be exposing yourself to electrocution.

ü When climbing ladders, use the buddy system.

ü Unplug lights and all electrical devices whenever you leave the premises and especially when you go to bed.

Goddess Gardener December Garden Tips

ü CONSIDER purchasing a living Christmas tree instead of a cut one. Garden centers have a selection of cypress, pine, fir, and even rosemary clipped to resemble a Christmas tree. Place your tree in a charming copper container or wrap it with festive fabric. Live trees will survive year after year and prices are reasonable.

ü FERTILIZE shrubs and trees after all the leaves have fallen to provide food to last for the season.

ü RAKE the overabundance of leaves in your gardens to add to the compost pile.

ü RESEED lawns with Pearl’s Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed if you are keeping a lawn. The roots grow down to six feet with 75% less water, and no chemicals are needed which keeps children, animals, pollinators, and biodiversity safer. Pearl’s Premium lawn seed sequesters 10 times the carbon compared to shallow root grass. Best of all, scatter it over your existing grass to outcompete everything. www.PearlsPremium.com

ü GATHER pinecones, berries, twigs, and grasses to add to your arrangements.

ü ATTRACT birds to your backyard throughout the cold months by keeping feeders filled and baths ready.

ü PICK persimmons, pomegranates, quince, and lemons to use in displays and holiday cooking.

ü PRUNE dormant fruit trees including peach, apricot, prune, plum, apple, and pear. Save the wood for barbecues next summer.

ü LIGHT up your decorations with battery-powered twinkle lights, or other outdoor lights set to timers. Trees trimmed with lights inspire delight.

ü HARVEST cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

ü ALLOW rosehips and berries to remain on the bushes as holiday bird feasts and picturesque ornaments.

Nature provides enough material to decorate the holidays with ornaments as glorious as cathedrals. Embrace them as part of your festivities.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy Holidays!

All photos ©Cynthia Brian

Her newest children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is available now at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and exclusive experiences, buy StarStyle® NFTs at https://StarStyleCommunity.com

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com https://www.GoddessGardener.com

Parks, Plants, and Peace

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on November 28, 2022

Empowerment

“Landscapes move us in a manner more analogous to the action of music than to anything else. Gradually and silently the charm carries over us: the beauty has entered our souls we know not exactly when and how.” Frederick Law Olmstead

It was in the 1860s that America’s pioneer landscape architect brought calming, pastoral public areas to urban dwellers with his design of New York’s Central Park. Throughout his life, Frederick Law Olmstead, designed 100 public parks and recreation grounds and his successor firm has seen the development of over 1090 parkway systems over the last 100 years. With all his parks, he planted peace and tranquility for posterity.

Post Thanksgiving, it is finally feeling like autumn with cooler and crisper air, turning leaves, and stressless strolls through bucolic parks. Our climate is changing and as gardeners we struggle to keep pace.

November is the best time to begin planting spring-blooming bulbs. I picked my first bouquet of narcissi of the season on November 1st before I had even begun planting any other bulbs. Once the ground chills to about 55 degrees, start the process of planting naturalizing narcissi as well as other bulbs in well-drained sandy loam where they’ll receive at least six hours of sunlight daily.

With our dense, nutrition-lacking California clay soil, we need to amend it with sand, peat moss, and compost before digging the holes. All flower bulbs require neutral PH soil around 7.0 to develop a strong root system that supports flowers. Mother Nature is busy spreading her wild seeds via the wind, birds, animal fur, and even our stocking feet. Most flowers need the next few colder months to rest and germinate. Before the geese head south, walk around your yard to ponder what you’ll want to improve, include, edit, or change for the spring. Our year of outdoor work is winding down as our celebration of gratitude approaches. Work off the calories of the holiday season with garden chores in preparation for a respite this coming winter. Head to the park to unwind, encounter stillness, and appreciate beauty. Listen to the music of nature.

ü PROTECT plant roots by mulching your garden.

ü TURN the soil in your vegetable garden, pull out any unwanted growers such as mint, add buckets of compost, and plant a nitrogen-rich cover crop like fava beans or clover. Blanket the ground with straw and continue mulching until planting time in spring.

ü SUPPRESS weeds while enriching the soil by laying newspaper (three or four sheets) on your bare earth. The newspaper will biodegrade and the zinc in the ink adds nutrients to the mulch. Cover with straw, leaves, or wood chips to continue adding nutrients.

ü GRIND fallen leaves with a mower to reduce particle size and increase decomposition time.

ü DIG up bulblets of mother bulbs with numerous offshoots. Separate and replant in other areas.

ü SOAK ranunculus and anemone tubers in tepid water overnight or for at least three or four hours before planting three inches deep and six inches apart in well-draining soil in full sunlight.

ü PLANT spring bulbs beginning this month. Make sure you have refrigerated your tulips and crocus for at least four weeks before being dug. The best bulbs to plant for spring radiance include:

Daffodil: Hardy in cold or warm climates. Daffodils grow great in pots, too!

Tulip: Also great in containers. Group like colors together for the greatest impact.

Freesia: Magnificently scented in a rainbow of colors.

Ranunculus: Cottage-style flowers with peony-like blooms.

Hyacinth: Tough, fragrant, growing in sun or shade.

Iris: Purple, blue, white, yellow, and mauve Dutch iris make great cut flowers.

Anemone: Single or double colorful tubers prefer light shade.

Crocus: Only a few inches high, you’ll know winter is waning when they sprout.

ü FORCE hardy flower bulbs of amaryllis, freesias, and paperwhites for Christmas blooming by potting them in sterile, neutral PH potting soil in an area where they will enjoy a temperature of 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit with good air circulation and low humidity. Give them a big drink of warm water, tamp down the soil, and do not water again until green sprouts. Amaryllis will sprout spectacular shows within eight weeks.

ü CUT stalks of peonies to ground level and discard the cuttings as they are not good for compost. If your peonies didn’t bloom, they may be planted too deep. Dig them up this month, rework the soil, and replant ½ inch higher than the soil level.

ü COOK a pan of cubed winter squash with rosemary for a healthy and satisfying autumn inspired side dish.

ü TURN OFF sprinkler systems. Water by hand when necessary.

ü LOWER mower height as lawn growth slows. If you didn’t fertilize in October or earlier in November, fertilize now with an organic fall blend.

ü GUARD against an unexpected frost by watering deeply and covering susceptible shrubs with burlap, fabric, or blankets the afternoon before the cold arrives.

ü REDUCE your garden work out by seeking out plants that are identified as “compact”. Look for tags that say dwarf, patio, knee-high, tiny, or baby in the variety name. If a plant tag says “perfect for cut flowers” it will grow to be too large for a small space.

ü PICK pomegranates as they ripen or split. Harvest persimmons on trees that are being ravaged by birds and squirrels even before they are ripe. Leave on the countertop to ripen as needed.

ü VISIT our local parks to inhale autumn aromas and savor the sensational fall foliage.

2022 marks the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmstead. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we can add his legacy to our thankfulness list for introducing America to the beauty, tranquility, and necessity of experiencing nature through the development of idyllic parks in towns and cities.

Let us also give our thanks to the hard-working volunteers of local garden clubs who have planted a multitude of bulbs that will blanket our roadways and hillsides with glorious blooms come spring!

My gratitude to YOU for reading my garden musings. Savor the peace of parks this season with friends and family and celebrate the melodic beauty of our rural landscapes.

Pace, plant, pick, and protect!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

Saturday December 10th is Santa Day at 5 A in collaboration with Be the Star You Are!® charity. Come get your photo taken with Santa and his elf plus book signing of the children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies, the perfect holiday gift delivering kindness. Thanks to Mark Hoogs of State Farm Insurance (www.TeamHoogs.com) for sponsoring BTSYA. Info: www.bethestaryouare.org/copy-of-events

Happy gardening and happy growing. Happy Final Days of Fall!

For holiday gifts, buy copies of her newest children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures along with her garden books, Growing with the Goddess Gardener and Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul atwww.cynthiabrian.com/online-store

Buy Cynthia Brian’s Books

Cynthia Brian’s Book

For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and exclusive experiences, buy StarStyle® NFTs at

https://StarStyleCommunity.com

Cynthia is available for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

https://www.GoddessGardener.com

Autumn Aromas

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on November 11, 2022

Empowerment

By Cynthia Brian

“Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day!

Every leaf speaks bliss to me,
Fluttering from the autumn tree…”
~Emily Brontë

When it rained this past week, did you smell it? The scent of earth mixed with fallen leaves and decomposing plant matter signals the transition of the seasons. On the calendar, autumn began on September 22, 2022, but it wasn’t until November that I inhaled this intoxicating aroma that brought back childhood memories of the end of harvest, jumping in piles of leaves, and blazing bonfires.

In just a week, it seemed that so many trees changed their wardrobe from vibrant green to sunset colors of amber, gold, red, bronze, and yellow. The “foliage show” is late here in California, yet it is glorious. As the leaves turn, they also drop, blanketing our landscapes with a marvelous source of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and nutrients that the soil craves.

As much as you want to tidy your garden, refrain from raking the leaves into your green bin. Leave a layer of leaves on the ground to encourage the photosynthesis process in the natural circle of life. If leaves are too big, mow or cut them and add them to a compost pile with food scraps, lawn clippings, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other biodegradables. After a few months, you’ll have a rich mulch filled with worms and beneficial microbes to add back into your garden at no cost to you. When you add organic materials to your soil, you are providing food for the organisms that improve soil aeration and drainage while reducing soil compaction. The nutrients will release over time

As we inhale the delicious flavors of fall and experience the cooler temperatures, it is also time to perform tasks in preparation for winter.

AUTUMN CHORES

ü CLEAN patio furniture before storing or covering it for the season. It is especially critical to remove bird droppings left on your umbrellas, hammocks, or other furniture.

ü TURN OFF sprinkler systems.

ü CHECK for any irrigation leaks.

ü LEAVE leaves where they fall, spread them around your garden, or add them to a compost pile.

ü FERTILIZE grass, especially when it is going to rain.

ü REMOVE debris, sticks, and weeds from garden beds.

ü PLANT cover crops to fix nitrogen. Fava beans, mustard, and clovers are excellent choices.

ü PICK pumpkins, apples, guavas, squash, and any fruits or vegetables left hanging before frost and rain.

ü DIVIDE overgrown clumps of perennials such as daylilies, agapanthus, iris, or naked ladies. Move them to other locations or share them with fellow gardeners.

ü COVER any exposed soil with straw, grass clippings, aged wood chips, pine needles, or even shredded newspaper to reduce weed growth, moderate soil temperatures, retain moisture, and reduce erosion over winter.

ü BUY six packs of perennials including columbine, carnations, penstemon, and coral bells.

ü BRIGHTEN your fall garden with pops of color from pansies, cyclamen, violas, Mums, stock, Iceland poppies, and primroses.

ü FIND favorite fall color trees to add to your landscape where selections are vast at your local nursery.

ü SCATTER California wildflower seeds including poppies and lupines and sow seeds of sweet Alyssum, bachelor buttons, forget-me-nots, and milkweed.

ü DEADHEAD roses for continued blooms during the holidays.

ü PRUNE dead branches from trees and shrubs.

ü BEWARE hungry coyotes have been on a rampage killing poultry, cats, and small dogs. Keep your animals and small children safe.

ü ENJOY the many colors of lantana blooming throughout fall in purple, orange, red, white, and yellow.

ü GET READY to plant bulbs towards the end of the month for a spring show.

IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

During a cold winter, there is nothing better than knowing that you have organic, tasty, greens and vegetables growing right outside your door. Fall is the best time to get these nutritious edibles going for a bountiful harvest in the new year. Most of these plants prefer extra nitrogen. Side-dress them with a balanced fertilizer as they grow.

Plant seeds or seedlings of:

Varieties of lettuce

Asian greens

Spinach

Arugula

Swiss Chard

Chicory

Kale

Cress

Beets

Cabbage

Radish

Broccoli

Broccoli rabe

Carrots

Cauliflower

Kohlrabi

Peas

Turnips

Make sure to plant shallots and garlic now to harvest next summer.

NOT TO BE MISSED

Saturday, November 12^th from 3-5 PM, I’ll be in-person reading, telling stories, and signing books from my new children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies, at Point Richmond Art Gallery, 145 West Richmond Avenue, Point Richmond, California, 9480. Families with children are welcome. If you have purchased an NFT from www.StarStyleCommunity.com, you’ll be given a gift.

Monday, November 21^st at 2 PM, I’ll be hosting a “Thanksgiving is Every Day” celebration via Zoom for members of the StarStyle® Community. Buy a StarStyle® NFT today that benefits Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 charity and participate in numerous exclusive experiences designed for members only. www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Although I don’t like the darkness that descends so much earlier when I still have so many chores to complete, I am reveling in the cooler days that allow for laboring longer with less strain. Digging in the dirt in fall bequeaths the most luscious autumn aromas…musty, musky, intoxicatingly earthy. I wish I could bottle it!

Thank you to so many readers who sent me notes of healing. You touched my heart and my spirit, and I am very appreciative. I am following my own advice. Each day anew…and a wee bit slower!

Go outside and breathe in the fragrance of fall and know that, as gardeners, we will be resting soon, along with Mother Nature.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing!

Photos and more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1619/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-The-musty-sweet-smell-its-fall.html

Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Her newest children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is available now at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and exclusive experiences, buy StarStyle® NFTs at https://StarStyleCommunity.com

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

https://www.GoddessGardener.com

Low Literacy and voting

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on November 1, 2022

Empowerment

How Low Literacy Affects Voting

Post Halloween Messages from Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 charity

Cynthia Brian

16 hr ago

MIRACLE MOMENT®

“With our thoughts, we make the world.”

~ Buddha

A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CYNTHIA BRIAN

Halloween is almost over and we hope it was fun, safe, and spooky for all the kiddos! I love seeing all the costumes and the houses decorated for this very favorite holiday.

Now it’s time to get down to the importance of literacy and your vote.

According to U.S. Code §10508, any voter who requires assistance to vote because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be assisted by a person of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or officer or agent of the voter’s union. Yet with redistricting and the numerous new State laws targeting people of color and other minorities, voting for people who struggle to read is challenging. According to ProLiteracy, more than 35 million adults in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third-grade level. An estimated 63 million adults only read between a sixth and with grade level. Children of those parents have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. Parents are our first teachers.

Understanding a ballot is difficult when one is a proficient reader as many of the statements are confusing. When a person has low or no literacy skills, knowledgeable voting is almost impossible. Some states have required those who need help to sign an affidavit explaining why they need assistance. Other states do not allow voters to bring sample ballots to the polls and some states limit the number of voters a volunteer may assist. Even when federal courts strike down these restrictions, states create more obstacles.

Voter suppression is real, yet voting is a right of all Americans. The cost of illiteracy to American taxpayers has climbed to $250 billion a year. When someone can’t read, they are excluded from innumerable activities that allow them to function as a human or to reach a level of success. Many are forced to live in poverty. Our prisons are filled with illiterate inmates.

The midterm elections are upon us. Carefully read the sample ballots and if you know someone who has difficulty reading, read the information to them.

Although our young children cannot vote, READ to them daily. Reading to kids early on can help to boost literacy rates over the long term. An estimated 77% of children who are read to are more likely to read or attempt to read on their own, versus 57% of kids who don’t have regular story time at home. Growing up in a literacy-rich environment will one day enable them to be voters who understand what’s on the ballot.

In California, one proposition on the ballot that is not contested is Proposition 28 which will provide the arts to our students. As a mom, actor, author, artist, and coach, I’m asking you to Vote YES on California Proposition 28 on the November 8 ballot. If passed, Proposition 28 will funnel nearly $1 billion annually in new funding to arts and music education in our PreK-12 public schools. All without raising taxes!

A well-rounded education might start with language and math, science and history. But it is not complete without the arts, and on that score, too many California schoolchildren are getting shortchanged.

When the state budgets get tight, arts and music programs are often the first to go. As a result, barely 1 in 5 California elementary schools have full-time art and music program.

Children deserve an opportunity to discover and develop their creative talents. Plus, research shows that students in art classes tend to do better in other subjects and are less likely to miss school. Arts education also correlates to better mental and physical well-being.

For the adults reading this newsletter, remember your vote matters. The political environment has been especially hostile, negative, and violent this season. Study the reference guide to familiarize yourself with the ballot. Vote for the people, policies, and programs that will create a better environment for our nation, our states, and our communities, as well as for you.

READ and VOTE!

Have a SAFE and Happy Halloween!

With gratitude,

Cynthia Brian
Founder/Executive Director
Be the Star You Are!®
PO Box 376
Moraga, California 94556
Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org
https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org
http://www.BTSYA.org
DONATE: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

Cynthia on Points of Light Inspiration honor Roll: https://www.pointsoflight.org/inspiration-honor-roll/2022-2/

INSPIRE KINDNESS

by Karen Kitchel

This election season can create stress and division, but it also presents an opportunity to inspire kindness with our words and actions.

The Inspire Kindness organization captures many ideas to make the world a kinder place. They offer some good tips to inspire kindness in conversations.

Be kind today, tomorrow, and always!

Karen Kitchel who penned two chapters in the book, Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers Celebrating Gifts of Positive Voices in a Changing Digital World, is the Kindness Coordinator volunteer with BTSYA. She serves meals to the homeless and is a volunteer teacher, writer, job coach, and mentor. www.scatteringkindness.com

EXPRESS YOURSELF TEEN RADIO’S NEWEST REPORTER

Alix Erlij

Alix Erlij is a senior in high school in Los Angeles who loves all things food! She operates a restaurant review blog and Instagram account called “Sweet and Savory LA” and works at AOC, a well-known farm-to-table restaurant. She also is a volunteer for CCAP, Careers Through Culinary Arts, the managing editor of her school’s newspaper, the leader of a feminist club at her school, and the captain of her water polo team. Alix hopes to share the importance of food and doesn’t hold back any of her strong-willed opinions about restaurants! Her first report is about her favorite picks for Los Angeles Restaurants on Halloween or whenever. Tune in at https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/140013/halloween-and-great-la-restaurants

CYNTHIA BRIAN HONORED ON THE POINTS OF LIGHT INSPIRATION HONOR ROLL

https://www.pointsoflight.org/inspiration-honor-roll/2022-2/

The Points of Light Inspiration Honor Roll was created to celebrate acts of service, kindness, and civic engagement by individuals who create change in communities around the world. It recognizes the people who take action, in both large and small ways, to improve the lives of others. This year, more people are volunteering, using their voices, giving back through work, and taking action when they see a need. Points of Light honors Cynthia Brian, Founder/Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 charity on this year’s Inspiration Honor Roll. Uplifting stories show how in communities worldwide, the power of people continues to drive the world forward. See the honorees: https://www.pointsoflight.org/inspiration-honor-roll/2022-2/

PEAR FESTIVAL A GREAT SUCCESS

Thanks once again to our volunteer coordinator, Sharanya Roy, and our two sponsors, Lamorinda Weekly Newspaper and MB Jessee Painting for helping Be the Star You Are!® create another fantastic event for families. Our volunteers were kept busy with activities for kids and attendees enjoyed the festivities.

Thanks to everyone who bought books and donated. We appreciate you!

No Barnyard Bullies , based on a true story, is the latest book with proceeds benefiting Be the Star You Are!®. Pick up your copies today. They’ll make great holiday gifts that encourage KINDNESS and INCLUSIVITY.

NOT TO BE MISSED!

Buy an NFT for $99 to support Be the Star You Are!® and you are entitled to a bevy of exclusive experiences only for members of the StarStyle® Community.

Check out: https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Mark your calendars and get ready to have fun! Here’s what’s coming up:

Sunday, November 6th, 1pm PT/4pm ET – First ZOOM hangout with Cynthia Brian and Special Guest

First ZOOM hangout with Cynthia Brian and special guest, illustrator Jensen Russell. Find out the true story about the animals behind the book No Barnyard Bullies and how the illustrator interpreted the events. Ask questions and get answers.

Saturday, November 12th, 3-5pm PT – In-Person Book Signing

In-Person Book Storytelling and Signing at Point Richmond Art Gallery, 145 West Richmond Avenue, Point Richmond, California, 94801. Come meet Cynthia, enjoy refreshments, art, and a FREE gift to NFT holders. Bring the kids and the family!

Monday, November 21st, 2pm PT/5pm ET – “Thanksgiving is Everyday”
“Thanksgiving is Every Day” Zoom discussion about how to be grateful with Cynthia Brian
Sunday, December 18th, 4pm PT/7pm ET – Virtual Wine Experience and class
Virtual Wine Experience and class with Sommelier Heather Brittany
Buy your NFT today and support Be the Star You Are!®https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com
HELP CONTINUE THE POSITIVE WORKS! DONATE TODAY!

OUR INTERNATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTS!

Be empowered, motivated, energized, informed and amused.Truthful, heartfelt, and engaging topics and guests!LIVE on Wednesdays from 4-5pm PT, be entertained, informed, amused, and educated on StarStyle-Be the Star You Are!. Then be inspired and motivated onSundays from 3-4pm PT, it’s Express Yourself! Teen Radio with our Be the Star You Are! star teen hosts and reporters.VISIT

https://www.StarStyleRadio.com

for our line-up of topics and guests.

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP!We have suggestions for you to shop, save, and stay safe. Please use these web sites for all of your shopping essentials.1. AmazonSmile donates .5% of purchases https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882

2. Discounted books at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shops/be_the_star_you_are_charity

3. Giving Assistant: Shop. Earn. Give! Use Giving Assistant to earn cash at 3500+ popular online stores :https://givingassistant.org/np#be-the-star-you-are-inc

4. Shop at over 1300 stores on IGIVE: http://www.iGive.com/BTSYA

5. Buy “Read, Lead, Succeed” black tanks and books at StarStyle® Store:

http://www.starstylestore.net/

6. Are you a gamer, lover of new software, or other digital content? Buy all of your favorites at Humble Bundle. http://ow.ly/cYs130iN6n4

DIRECT LINKS

Positive Results: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results

About Us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us

Programs: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs

How to Help: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help

Blog: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/blog-1

Events: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events

Contact us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/contact

CYNTHIA BRIAN

OCT 28

Fall Harvest!

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on October 11, 2022

Empowerment

By Cynthia Brian

“Delicious Autumn! My soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking the successive Autumns.” George Eliot

The sweet smell of the recent rain-dampened soil stimulated my soul. Although it wasn’t enough moisture to revive a parched earth, my brown lawn exhibits more strands of green. This short respite from the horrendous heat of the first part of September was a welcome beacon of the cooler forthcoming autumn.

This surprise rainfall was also an indication that it is time to complete harvesting our summer crops before the rainy season begins. Nature has a way of informing us about the optimum time to pluck our favorite vegetable or fruit at its peak of flavor. Berries are plump, juicy, and deep in color. Apples fall into our hands the second they are touched. Our noses lead us to the sweet smell of ripe Asian pears, our eyes shine when we see that perfect deep red tomato, and our ears listen for the hollow thump of a crunchy melon. We use our senses to identify the best time to harvest, including our common sense.

In my garden, because of the heatwave we experienced, many of my fruits are self-harvesting including apples, pears, and citrus. (Self-harvesting means that when the fruit is ripe, it automatically falls from the tree.) The challenge with self-harvesting is that the fruit bruises or gets dirt, rocks, or sticks stuck in its flesh. Cut out the blemishes, wash, and eat the rest!

To move forward with fall harvesting, pick your produce early in the morning, just as the sun is rising. The air is cooler, and the crops are crisp, allowing them to last longer. If you wait to pick until the heat of the day, lettuces, radishes, peas, chards, and leafy greens will be limp and wilted. The second-best time to harvest your non-droopy crops like zucchini, grapes, tomatoes, and root vegetables is early evening, preferably after the sun has set. The early sunbathing adds to their sugariness.

Harvesting Hints to help you pick, pull, and pluck a sampling of your garden favorites at the peak of perfection.

Apples: When you touch a ripe apple, regardless of variety, it should need only a slight pull to fall off the branch.

Beans: Pick before the pods begin to swell and when the strings are still slender. Pick often to encourage more bean development.

Beets: Pull when beets are 1 ½ inch to 2 inches in diameter. Cut off the tops to use in cooking or chop them into salads.

Carrots: Whether you are growing orange, purple, yellow, or white carrots, loosen the soil when they are ½-1 inch thick, then pull.

Cucumbers: Harvest cucumbers when they are shiny and small. The bigger they get, the more bitter and seedy they become. Lemon cucumbers will be slightly yellow while English and Armenian cucumbers will be green. Frequent picking encourages more growth.

Pepino Dulce Melons: When you see the pink stripe and the fruit is about 2 inches in diameter, these sweet cucumber/melons are ready to eat.

Eggplants: Young eggplants are the tastiest and sweetest. Their flesh is glossy purple. Do not pull eggplants. Cut with a sharp knife.

Fennel: Cut bulbing fennel at the soil line. Use the bulb as well as the ferny leaves in recipes. If your fennel has yellow flowers, save the seeds for your culinary recipes.

Grapes: If you are growing grapes, you know when they are ready to be harvested by doing a taste test. Don’t pull the bunch from the vine. Use a sharp knife to cut individual bunches.

Kale: Leave six to eight leaves of the kale on the stem when picking kale. Kale grows quickly and will continue to send out more leaves.

Peppers: For the ultimate in flavor and sweetness, allow peppers to grow to their deepest colors of green, red, yellow, orange, and purple. Twist and pick whatever size you wish.

Pumpkins: Try to pierce the skin of a pumpkin with your fingernail to determine ripeness. Cut the stem at least 3 inches long and let the pumpkin cure for a week or more in the sun. Pumpkins will last a very long time when stored at 48-50 degrees in a dry environment.

Tomatoes: For the richest flavor, be patient and wait for your tomato to reach its full sun-ripened color for the specific variety. When rain threatens, pick your green tomatoes, and leave them on the counter. Most will ripen at room temperature. Whatever you do, never refrigerate tomatoes after picking or you’ll lose nutrients and flavor.

Leafy greens: Nutritious leafy greens like arugula, lettuce, Swiss chard, and spinach continue to sprout. Harvest as needed to augment and accent your other edibles. The smaller the greens, the more concentrated the vitamins and minerals.

Keep in mind that the birds, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, deer, rabbits, and other critters are as excited about the fall harvest as you are. They may start their feeding frenzy before your yields are at their optimum ripeness. Be vigilant and if necessary, gather your bounty earlier than expected.

The end of crop harvesting heralds the beginning of autumn as a time for rejoicing. When I was a kid growing up on our farm, a barn dance signaled the finality of the harvest and time to rest from a season of working in the fields. In our communities, we celebrate with festivals and fairs that are filled with family fun. Fall is a delightfully delicious time of year with the abundance of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables ripe and ready. Pick, eat, enjoy!

Happy Gardening and Happy Growing!

Photos and more:

https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1616/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Fall-forward.html

Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, is available for hire to help you prepare for your spring garden. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Her newest children’s picture book series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures, will be available soon. Buy copies of her books, www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Receive a FREE inspirational music CD and special savings. For an invitation to hang out with Cynthia for fun virtual events, activities, conversations, and special perks, buy a StarStyle® NFT at https://StarStyleCommunity.com

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures.

Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

Bullies Not Welcome!

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on October 11, 2022

Empowerment

Nobody likes a bully. Not even in the animal kingdom!

Bestselling author, actor, and radio personality, Cynthia Brian, debuts her first book in the children’s picture book series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures, with her charming true-life cadre of characters and endearing illustrations in No Barnyard Bullies, a colorful book about learning to be kind and inclusive.

No Barnyard Bullies follows a pampered piglet who lives in an apartment as she is re-homed to a barnyard filled with a variety of happy critters. Thinking that she is the Queen, she bullies the other animals until she is stopped by a tiny bunny who defends a three-legged goat from her attacks. Everyone is equal in Stella Bella’s barnyard where bullies are not tolerated, and inclusivity is the paramount number one rule.

This is the first book in the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures by Cynthia Brian and illustrated by Jensen Russell. Each book is 32 action-packed pages peppered with lively conversations between the species as they discover how to live together serenely and joyfully in a diverse barnyard. Colorful, animated illustrations of the characters bring the prose and poetry dialog to life with timely and timeless tales that are relatable to humans. The animal family of Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures experiences complex encounters that challenge their integrity, individuality, and character while amplifying an assortment of expressions and original viewpoints to co-exist as a group. The barnyard animals address critical issues facing children including bullying, nature, power struggles, adversity, adoption, homelessness, creativity, justice, health, kindness, ethnicity, and being different through a cultural lens of hope and resolution. With visually rich illustrations, each picture book will inspire, motivate, and move children to appreciate all animals while learning the lessons the natural world teaches.

The goal of Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is to instill in children wonder and awe of Mother Nature and her creatures as they participate in the escapades of the wild kingdom. Children are encouraged to love themselves exactly the way they are while living in peace and harmony with a barnyard of many colors and beliefs. Family is about whom you love and who loves you. In the series, the true tales will emerge from a variety of different animals, all with a prescription for living as better humans.

Like the Be the Star You Are!® series of books for teens and adults by Cynthia Brian, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures will illuminate a simple fact for kids–we were not created equal. We are far better than equal. We are unique. We are individuals. We each have the ability and the responsibility to use our talents, genius, and strengths to sparkle, shine, and make a positive impact in this small galaxy we call Earth. We must strive to be the stars we were born to be.

Proceeds from the sale of the books benefit the 501 c3 charity, Be the Star You Are!® empowering women, families, and youth through increased literacy and positive media messages.

Books are available at these online stores: www.BetheStarYouAre.org, www.CynthiaBrian.com, and Amazon.com

Unique and original NFT’s available of illustrations with special perks and events at www.StarStyleCommunity.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-956503-92-0 print edition

ISBN-13: 978-1-956503-93-7 ebook edition

“What a wonderful book on such an important topic.” Jennifer Wake, Author and Newspaper Editor

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

About Author Cynthia Brian

Cynthia is a SAG/AFTRA actor, producer, radio personality, writer, speaker, and coach who has been adopting and rescuing animals since she was a child. She has published eight award-winning books, including co-authoring the New York Times #1 bestseller, Chicken Soup for the Gardeners Soul. Referred to by the media as a “Renaissance Woman with Soul”, Cynthia is the Founder and Executive Director of the top-rated nonprofit 501 c3 literacy charity, Be the Star You Are!® dedicated to empowering women, families, and youth. Since 1998 she has produced and hosted the popular international lifestyle radio broadcast, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® She also created and produces the young adult radio program, Express Yourself!™, where teens talk and the world listens. She lives on a mini farm with her husband and a menagerie of well-loved animals who inspired Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures true stories. Besides being a dedicated gardener and garden writer, Cynthia grows people. Her goal with this book series is to help children learn lessons in living through the lens of nature’s amazing animal kingdom. www.CynthiaBrian.com, www.StarStyleRadio.com, www.BetheStarYouAre.org

Jensen Russel, Illustrator

Jensen is an illustrator based out of Savannah, Georgia. She is currently finishing her last year as a student at Savannah College of Art and Design working towards a BFA in Illustration with a concentration in Publication. She currently works within children’s book illustration and editorial/commercial freelance. She has always had a taste for the strange and unusual and strives to incorporate this into her art in a way that is comforting and touches upon inner-child healing. Her goal in my art is to exaggerate the human experience and encourage others to feel emotions all the way through.

instagram @nowherejen

Books are available at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/books or http://starstylestore.net/

Direct link: https://www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store/No-Barnyard-Bullies-based-on-a-True-Story-p486474870

Original NFTS of the artwork and photos: https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Metaverse Meets Be the Star You Are! charity

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on October 11, 2022

Empowerment

Metaverse Meets Be the Star You Are! charity

Click to view this email in a browser

The Metaverse Meets Be the Star You Are!

MIRACLE MOMENT®

“We are made of star stuff.” Carl Sagan

A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CYNTHIA BRIAN

Do you have any idea what the metaverse is? Be the Star You Are!® has entered the realm beyond the stars!

Basically the metaverse is an online simulation mimicking the contours of the real world where we live. It is a mix of virtual and augmented realities.

Do I understand it? No!

Do I want to understand and be a part of it? Yes!

The good news for everyone is that the publisher of my newest book, and first children’s picture book, No Barnyard Buddies, has catapulted us into the metaverse via www.StarStyleCommunity.com with the benefits going to Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 charity through the sales of NFTs.

What are NFTs? Glad you asked because I didn’t know either.

NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is a unique digital asset that is transactionalized through a shared ledger system known as the blockchain.

What is a blockchain?

A blockchain is a digitally distributed ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and information across a network. You can think of it as a decentralized or distributed database.

Why should you be interested?

Because only 200 NFTs have been created by the very talented and soon-to-be-a mega-star illustrator, Jensen Russell depicting characters from the new children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies. (Check out her gorgeous art @nowherejen on Instagram!)Through October 25th, these one-of-a-kind art illustrations are discounted to only $89.00 each. Each purchased NFT becomes your golden ticket to enjoy exclusive experiences.

When you purchase an NFT, you become a member of the StarStyle® community. As a member, you are entitled to participate in exciting events exclusive to this community including hangouts, storytelling, book readings, sneak peeks, classes, discussions, and good old down-on-the-farm fun, all virtually from the comfort of your couch.

On October 26th, the price increases and the first 200 NFTS “drop” meaning we get to see what we purchased. Your NFT is collectible, tradeable, and sellable, and best of all you can buy it using a credit card with no crypocurrency involved at https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Be the Star You Are!® and the populations of women, families, and youth that we serve reap the profits. Everyone wins!

Because I want to be in the metaverse, I bought these NFTS and I can’t wait to see what art I purchased on October 26th.

The book, No Barnyard Bullies, has been a mega sensation and we’ve had to order hundreds more copies to fill the orders. Make sure you get your copies and tell your friends. Visit https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store and let me know how you want the books autographed. If you want to buy 30 or more copies, shoot me an email because you’ll get a better deal.

Listen to Encouraging the Arts with special guest artist and illustrator, Jensen Russell. Hosted by Maggie with reporters Sharanya and Keerthi, discover how an art career begins in this creative hour on Express Yourself! Teen Radio.https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/139697/encouraging-the-arts-with-illustrator-jensen-russell

Listen to segment one of StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® to find out more about No Barnyard Bullies and the StarStyle Community on https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/139582/no-barnyard-bullies-amazon-rainforest-teacher-burnout

Read about No Barnyard Bullies: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1615/New-childrens-book-addresses-complex-issues-of-kindness-and-inclusivity.html

Read below for just a few of the upcoming exclusive experiences awaiting you when you buy an NFT benefitting Be the Star You Are!® Visit the facts page for answers to your questions!

Thanks so much for your ongoing support! The metaverse is exciting!

Jump in!

We are made of star stuff!

With gratitude,

Cynthia Brian

Founder/Executive Director

Be the Star You Are!®

PO Box 376

Moraga, California 94556

Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org

https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org

http://www.BTSYA.org

DONATE: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES @ STARSTYLE® NFT COMMUNITY

Your StarStyle® NFT purchase is your golden ticket into the fun, fabulous, and fantastic world of nature, animals, books, art, and inspiration.

https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Here are a few of the exclusive experiences that await you:

October 5th 2022 – NFT Pre-Sale
NFT Pre-Sale launches with 10% discount on purchases
October 26th 2022 – NFT DROP
First Barnyard Bullies NFT DROP
Saturday, November 12th 4-6pm PT – In-Person Book Signing
In-Person Book Signing at Point Richmond Art Gallery, 145 West Richmond Avenue, Point Richmond, California, 94801. Come meet Cynthia, enjoy refreshments, and FREE gift to NFT holders.
Sunday, November 6th 1pm PT/4pm ET – First ZOOM hangout with Cynthia Brian and Special Guest
First ZOOM hangout with Cynthia Brian and special guest, illustrator Jensen Russell. Find out the true story about the animals behind the book No Barnyard Bullies and how the illustrator interpreted the events. Ask questions and get answers.
Monday, November 21st 2pm PT/5pm ET – “Thanksgiving is Everyday”
“Thanksgiving is Everyday” Zoom discussion about how to be grateful with Cynthia Brian
Sunday, December 18th 4pm PT/7pm ET – Virtual Wine Experience and class
Virtual Wine Experience and class with Sommelier Heather Brittany
January 2023 – ZOOM Sneak peek of next book in the Stella Bella series
ZOOM Sneak peek of next book in the Stella Bella series. Learn how you can have the opportunity to name a character in the book or dedicate the book to someone you love.
February 2023 – Share the love.
Share the love. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Cynthia will be reading from one of her books.

DIRECT LINKS

Positive Results: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results

About Us: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us

Programs: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs

How to Help: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help

Blog: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/blog-1

Events: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Be the Star You Are! 501 c3

PO Box 376

Moraga, Ca. 94556

www.BetheStarYouAre.org

www.BTSYA.org

Are the Kids Alright?

Posted by

Cynthia Brian on September 18, 2022

Empowerment

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MIRACLE MOMENT®

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.” Marianne Williamson

PEAR AND WINE FESTIVAL, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH&

Our teen radio host and reporter, Sharayna Roy, is busy chairing the involvement of Be the Star You Are!® in the Pear and Wine Festival to be held Saturday, September 24th at the Moraga Commons Park in Moraga, not far from St. Mary’s College. Our booth will have a variety of super fun activities for kids including making pin wheels, planting seeds for literacy, reading circles, and spin the wheel. She is also organizing a lottery for great prizes, and a bargain book bin. Several of our hosts and reporters from Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio will be in attendance to talk to attendees. Cynthia Brian will be autographing the new picture book, No Barnyard Bullies along with her other bestselling books and there will be more surprises. The festival itself promises food, music, games, jump houses, inflatables, pie eating contests, and of course wine! Come play from 11-3pm for a day of family fun and love. Many thanks to our sponsors, The Lamorinda Weekly, www.LamorindaWeekly.comand MB Jessee Painting, www.MBJessee.com

More info at https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/2022-pear-and-wine-festival-a-day-of-free-family-fun

SIMPLE KINDNESS

It’s often the little things that brighten our moments. We may wonder how a simple nod of the head or a good morning smile could make a difference. But if someone is depressed or even feeling a bit down, that simple gesture can be a reminder that they are valued.

See You At the Pear and Wine Festival!

We invite you to get involved, volunteer, make a difference and donate.

Thanks for being YOU!

DONATE NOW!

Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3

PO Box 376

Moraga, Ca. 94556

www.BTSYA.org

www.BetheStarYouAre.org

Are the Kids Alright?

A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CYNTHIA BRIAN

2021 Pear Festival-covid-masks down (1) 2

Tattooed on seven time Formula 1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton’s chest is the phrase “Powerful Beyond Measure”. As a dyslexic Black kid in a predominantly white school, he struggled academically, was bullied by classmates, and told by teachers that he would never be anything. With determination, grit, and stamina, he proved everyone wrong to become one of the most famous athletes on the planet.

Lewis’s trajectory is an admirable success story. He’s a role model with a lesson about believing in yourself, no matter the odds.

Today’s youth are in crisis with soaring rates of depression and anxiety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 10 high school students attempted suicide in 2021. Between 2010 and 2020 suicide rates rose 53%. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for teenagers.

This is alarming.

At Be the Star You Are!®, the majority of the people we work with are adolescents, many of whom are immigrants or children of immigrants from numerous countries, creeds, and cultures. On our unedited and uncensored teen radio broadcast, Express Yourself!™, our young reporters and hosts tackle and debate issues that concern them. The Supreme Court’s unpopular decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade has many high school seniors, both male and female, deciding not to apply to colleges in states where bodily autonomy and freedom of choice is not guaranteed. The political turmoil, sexism, racial intolerance, white supremacy increase, anti-immigration fervor, conspiracy theories, unabated lies, gun violence, Russia’s war, and the rise of autocracy have these young people understandably worried. Climate change and global warming instill a fear that our future Earth may not be hospitable to humans. By talking about these realities and sharing their opinions, our thoughtful and intelligent teens shine a light on how we can be powerful beyond measure when we embrace democracy, peace, and love. Select a topic and tune in at

https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2014/express-yourself . When teens talk, the world needs to listen.

As parents, teachers, and guardians we strive to understand, to guide, to be truthful. We need to be role models, share experiences, provide love, and show approval. The new children’s picture book, No Barnyard Bullies,addresses these and other complex issues in the hope of instilling kindness and inclusivity in children from a young age. No one likes a bully, not even in the animal kingdom. Read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1615/New-childrens-book-addresses-complex-issues-of-kindness-and-inclusivity.html

For a joyful family day, come join us at the Pear and Wine Festival on Saturday, September 24th in Moraga. Our teen chairperson, Sharayna, has a multitude of free, fun activities to entertain kids.

Remember we don’t have to dim the light of others to have our own shine brightly. Be the unapologetically star you were born to be and be powerful beyond measure.

Let’s help our kids be alright!

With gratitude,

Cynthia Brian

Founder/Executive Director

Be the Star You Are!®

PO Box 376

Moraga, California 94556

Cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org

https://www.BetheStarYouAre.org

http://www.BTSYA.org

DONATE: https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504

NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK COMBATS BULLYING!

Be the Star You Are!® is excited to announce the launch of a new children’s picture book series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures, authored by Executive Director, Cynthia Brian, with proceeds benefiting Be the Star You Are!®. Each book is based on a true story that happened to adopted animals in Cynthia’s menagerie. Debuting in October will be NFT’s related to the series with exclusive experiences and empowerment events.

The animal kingdom is filled with timely and timeless tales that are relatable to humans. The animal family of Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures experiences complex encounters that challenge their integrity, individuality, and character while amplifying diverse expressions and original viewpoints to co-exist as a group. The barnyard animals address critical issues facing children including bullying, nature, power struggles, adversity, adoption, homelessness, creativity, justice, health, kindness, ethnicity, and being different through a cultural lens of hope and resolution. With visually rich illustrations, each picture book moves a child to appreciate all animals while learning the lessons the natural world teaches humans.

Back Cover No Barnyard Bullies

Each book is 32 pages peppered with lively conversations between the species. Glorious, colorful animated illustrations of the characters by the talented Jensen Russell bring the prose and poetry dialog to life. Read more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1615/New-childrens-book-addresses-complex-issues-of-kindness-and-inclusivity.html

Illustrator, Jensen Russell

No Barnyard Bullies follows a pampered piglet who lives in an apartment as she is re-homed to a barnyard filled with happy critters. Thinking that she is the Queen, she bullies the other animals until she is stopped by a tiny bunny who defends a three-legged goat from her attacks. Everyone is equal in Stella Bella’s barnyard where bullies are not tolerated and inclusiveness is paramount . Advance purchases at a discount available in our online store. https://www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store/No-Barnyard-Bullies-COMING-SOON-PRE-ORDERS-ONLY-AT-A-DISCOUNT-p486474870

HELP CONTINUE THE POSITIVE WORKS! DONATE TODAY!

OUR INTERNATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTS!

Be empowered, motivated, energized, informed and amused.

Truthful, heartfelt, and engaging topics and guests!

LIVE on Wednesdays from 4-5pm PT, be entertained, informed, amused, and educated on StarStyle-Be the Star You Are!. Then be inspired and motivated on

Sundays from 3-4pm PT, it’s Express Yourself! Teen Radio with our Be the Star You Are! star teen hosts and reporters.

VISIT https://www.StarStyleRadio.com for our line-up of topics and guests.

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP!

We have suggestions for you to shop, save, and stay safe. Please use these web sites for all of your shopping essentials.

1. AmazonSmile donates .5% of purchases https://smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882

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3. Giving Assistant: Shop. Earn. Give! Use Giving Assistant to earn cash at 3500+ popular online stores :https://givingassistant.org/np#be-the-star-you-are-inc

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