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136 Articles

Pruning Roses and Making Stock!

Posted by Cynthia Brian on February 3, 2023
0
Empowerment
Pruning Roses and Making Stock!

“It’s the time that you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important…People have forgotten this truth, but you mustn’t forget it. You become responsible forever for what you’ve tamed. You’re responsible for your rose.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

After three weeks of tumultuous torrents, we have exhaled a communal sign of relief with the respite of sunshine and dry days. Standing water is thankfully penetrating the soggy soil as storm clean-ups are underway. The freezing night temperatures combined with gale-force winds have caused citrus to fall to the ground.

Make sure to pick up the fruit to use as soon as possible, and refrigerate whatever is not damaged. Mushrooms are sprouting in unlikely places.

 

Unless you are a mycologist or are certain that the fungi are edible, do not touch them, as numerous mushrooms are deadly poisonous.

Hopping into the Year of the Rabbit, heavy pruning of my roses, and ongoing weeding are on my agenda this month as well as dormant spraying of the fruit trees.

Pruning Roses:

Although my numerous rose bushes continued to be prolific bloomers throughout the holiday season, the nine atmospheric rivers and the frigid nights contributed to the demise of new buds. As a Northern California gardener, I have always performed a heavy pruning of my roses in late January or early February. I always detest having to prune flowering plants, procrastinating as long as possible. Because of the storms, this February is the opportune month to heavily prune your roses before the new growth begins, allowing you to shape the bushes while the plant is dormant and prevent the spreading of any disease.

Before you begin pruning, cut any buds or blooms for a final flush of flowers for an indoor bouquet. If you are growing Chinese Fringe flowers, add sprigs of it to your arrangement for a pop of cotton candy pink or a few stems of early blooming daffodils for a sunny smile.

When pruning, wear gloves and always use sharp, clean tools to make clean cuts: secateurs, loppers, and saws. Sterilize often between bushes. Pruning with a hedge trimmer can be very effective to shape the larger shrub roses or big groups of one variety, but not recommended unless you have a very large number of plants. Begin by removing any dead, diseased, damaged wood, or leaves. Remove canes that are crossing or rubbing against each other, as well as weak steams or canes that are growing from the base of the bush. These canes won’t produce many blooms and may crowd out healthier growth. To stimulate new growth, open the center of the bush.

Next, thin out the remaining canes, selecting the strongest and most vigorous canes. Keep only five to seven per plant and cut them back to approximately twenty-four inches. Ideally, make the pruning cut above an outward-facing bud and at a slight angle to encourage the new growth to emerge in the desired direction.  This is not crucial and won’t harm the rose if ignored, but it is best practice.

After pruning, remove any remaining attached leaves, and clean up the cut stems and debris around the base of the bush to prevent diseases and pests. Mulching and fertilizing will occur in spring.

Stock Up:

Since it is cold, damp, and dreary, I find myself in the kitchen creating comfort foods that nourish the body and warm the spirit.

During the winter, my potager prides itself on growing arugula, lettuce, nasturtium, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, Swiss chard, beets, carrots, parsley, fennel, onions, chives, and numerous herbs and edible flowers including mint, oregano, rosemary, calendula, peppercorns, lemongrass, and bay.

I am an apostle for “no waste” meal preparations. Except for any woody stems that go to the compost pile, all parts of produce are used in culinary creations. With peelings, tops, and scraps, I make a rich, nutritious, and tasty vegetable stock. There is no set recipe as the bits and pieces are always changing, apart from the allium family (garlic and onions), which are critical to every batch. The finished stock becomes a base for soups, sauces, stews, and spaghetti.

Before you begin to experiment with making your homemade stock, be aware that leaves of potatoes, tomatoes, and rhubarb are poisonous, especially if ingested in large quantities. Do not use them in your preparations. Toss them in the compost pile.

Making Stock:

Sauté onions, garlic, leeks, or shallots in olive oil. Chop up any fresh or wilted vegetables you have, including leafy tops and green stems. The ends of carrots, turnips, parsnips, pieces of peppers, peppercorns, and any vegetable you have on hand will do.

Place the vegetables in a large pot filled with boiling water. Add whatever herbs you wish along with the sautéed onion and garlic mixture. If you want a meat broth, add meat or bones. Simmer until the mixture reduces, the longer, the better. Add wine for extra flavor. Season to taste if desired and strain when completed. Use your stock immediately or freeze the extra. You can even fill ice cube trays with the stock to use as needed. Stock can be made in a slow cooker if you don’t have time to watch the stove, or it can be made in a pot in the oven with a temperature set at 250 degrees. Once you start making homemade stock, you won’t want to buy boxed or canned stock again. Making stock is a fantastic way to use up veggies in your refrigerator that may be past their prime, but still good. Mushrooms, celery, fennel, and ginger always offer an extra zing. You may want to make a rich sauce to pour over steak or other meats by allowing the stock to simmer longer until the concoction is thick. It’s fun to experiment with your creativity. Stock up!

 

It has been my experience that by pruning by early February, my rose garden begins its delightful display of gorgeous new blooms by late March. It only takes a bit of care and attention to love and tame our roses. As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry so exquisitely explains, we are responsible for what we’ve tamed.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy February. Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit!

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

Cynthia Brian’s Books

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

o   All Photos © 2023 Cynthia Brian

Keep Digging Deeper and be your unapologetically authentic self!

Thanks for being part of StarStyle® Empowerment! Smiles!

Severe Storms + Additional 2023 Garden Trends

Posted by Cynthia Brian on January 20, 2023
0
Empowerment
Severe Storms + Additional 2023 Garden Trends

“Hope and faith flower from the cheerful seeds of the old year to the sprouting garden of the new year’s dawn.”

~Terri Guillemets

For the past three-plus weeks, Californians have endured intense storms (bombogenesis) with strong winds and extreme precipitation. Substantial atmospheric rivers caused flooding, mudslides, debris flows, and power outages. Rock-filled dry creeks are raging, trees have been uprooted, and many residences required sandbags as protection from the heavy showers.

 

I am grateful for the rain and only wish I had personal reservoirs and underground cisterns to capture the run-off as my barrels and buckets are overflowing. Despite the torrents, the drought is not over. We need more rain.

Weeds and seeds are sprouting everywhere. On my hillside, orange and yellow self-seeded calendula plants are blooming while poppy plants are peaking through the soggy soil.

 

I have begun weeding daily, even in the downpours, as the small seedlings are so much easier to pull. A regular reader and an Ambassador for the Fire Adapted Community program wrote me to encourage gardeners to start pulling out non-native, invasive, flammable, and difficult-to-control Brooms including Cystisus, Gentista, and Spartum while the soil is soft. For those big broom plants that are difficult to eradicate, local fire departments have a special tool available to lend to the public which will pull out these unwanted invaders, including the taproot.

The Garden Media Group’s Trend Report for 2023 suggests that age 100 will be the new 50. I like that idea, although it does seem to be a bit of science fiction at the moment. In any case, gardening at age one hundred will require raised beds to avoid having to bend over as well as provide a manageable height for wheelchairs.

This year, classic columns, statues, boxwood hedges, and iconic Greek gardens offer inspiration, especially with Gen Z.

 

Stone walls, archways, and olive trees are in demand. For a timeless arrangement, roses, agapanthus, cyclamen, and water-wise succulents are included in designs as key plants. A staple of Greek design is gravel gardens, excellent choices for large and small spaces, requiring minimal maintenance in drought times.

Arbors have graced gardens throughout history. They provide shade and add a focal point to any landscape design. Although Greek decor will be progressively popular, when considering an arbor, select one that will complement the style of your home and garden. Choose durable materials that will withstand the weight of vines.

Climate action is also addressed in the trend report. The first hardiness zone map was drawn in 1960 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The country is half a zone warmer since the last map was updated in 2012 indicating that the climate velocity of heat will increase 13 miles per decade. Our earth’s climate is projected to warm by an additional 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century. Planting climate-resilient trees will be one way to combat this warming planet. Reforestation produces clouds that cool the climate. Trees sequester and store carbon, conserve energy through their shade, decrease stormwater runoff, filter air pollutants, and reduce urban heat. It is critical to plant the correct trees in the correct places to increase biodiversity and resilient ecosystems. Hiring a gardening coach or arborist for specific zip codes will become increasingly important.

Orange is the designated color of the year. Orange has spiritual connotations deeply rooted throughout history. In Buddhism, it is the color of perfection and illumination. In Confucianism, it is the color of transformation. In Hinduism, Krishna’s dresses are orange. In Western culture, orange is considered earthy, amusing, exciting, and warm. It is also the preferred pigment for prison apparel. Showcasing plants with orange or terra cotta hues will be the rage in garden centers this year.

Although we don’t need to implement suggested trends, it’s always beneficial to understand what is happening in the world. With a new year ahead of us, we can plan how we want to spend the next eleven months and how we want our landscapes to look and operate.

Attract wildlife, especially birds, to your property by enticing them with native plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers. These will provide a consistent source of food throughout the year. Hang feeders, nesting boxes, fountains, and birdbaths to welcome these avian guests who will pollinate and protect your yard.

What’s happening on my property right now? Listening to the cascading waterfalls, thunderous creeks, and croaking frogs brings joy to my heart.

 

Watching the birds find shelter throughout my landscape indicates these feathered friends call my garden home. Newts and salamanders are frequenting my pond. My camellia tree is full of buds and blooming.

Pink Bergenia brightens the understory of shrubs. The thirty-seven-year-old olive tree boasts big black olives, although I am not planning on harvesting them.

 

The hillsides are carpeted with sprouts of wildflower seeds scattered in the fall. Sage and Madeira are dazzling companions.

 

The grass is emerald with new growth. Deciduous trees fascinate with branches of architectural interest. Lemons, limes, and tangerines knocked out of trees by the rains are gathered daily to use in the kitchen.

 

The ground is saturated and unable to drain quickly. Retaining walls, gravel walks, and sandbags are protecting my home from the deluge. Thousands of narcissi blossoms scent the air. The heavy pruning of rose bushes will commence soon.

 

Indeed, with the stunning storms, hope and faith flower from the cheerful seeds of the old year to the sprouting garden of this new year’s dawn.

I am grateful. Stay safe and weather the storms.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy January!

Photos and more: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1624/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Stunning-storms-and-2023-Garden-Trends-Part-two.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

Hop to it!

Posted by Cynthia Brian on January 15, 2023
0
Empowerment
Hop to it!

 

 Miracle Moment®

“I have a rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, and a lucky charm. The only problem is, none of them become effective until I do.”

~Ziggy


A Message from Founder/Executive Director, Cynthia Brian

As we welcome in the Year of the Rabbit, it’s a perfect time to focus on empowerment and encouragement.  I have adopted and raised bunnies since I was a little girl and find them to be smart, sweet, strong, affectionate, and fast. Rabbits are one of my favorite creatures. People born in the year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious. Does this describe you?

Empowerment is about giving people the tools and resources they need to take control of their lives, to make their own decisions, and to create the future they want. Encouragement is about providing support and motivation to help people achieve their goals. Together, empowerment and encouragement can help us all to lead happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.

In the coming year, let us all make a commitment to empowering and encouraging those around us. Whether it’s a family member, a friend, a colleague, or a stranger, we can all make a difference by offering a helping hand, a kind word, or a listening ear.

One way to empower others is by giving them a voice. This can be done by being an active listener and providing an opportunity for them to express themselves and have their opinions heard. Encourage them to share their ideas, thoughts, and feelings, and create an environment where they feel safe and respected.

Another way to empower others is by providing them with the resources they need to succeed. This can be done by sharing knowledge, providing access to education, or offering financial assistance. Encourage them to take risks, to learn from their mistakes and to strive for their goals.

Finally, let us all endeavor to be a positive influence in the lives of others. Encourage others to be their best selves, to believe in themselves and to be resilient in the face of challenges. Let us be a light in the darkness, a beacon of hope, and an inspiration to all those around us.

As we hop into the Year of the Rabbit, aspire to assist, support, and motivate those around us, while being empowered and encouraged in return. When you are your unapologetically authentic self, service to others is easy. Every one is unique and everyone counts.

 

No matter how many lucky charms you have, until you go into action to be affective, nothing will be effective.

For 2023, I pledge to welcome, support, listen, value, and encourage our constellation of stars through kindness, inclusivity, generosity, and gratitude.

Will you join me?

Together, we can create a brighter future for ourselves and for the world.

Happy New Year!

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


Words To Remember

by Karen Kitchel

I asked many people this important question: “What was something said to you that you will never forget?”

Here’s a sampling of the responses:

“When I grow up, I want to be you.”

 “Your mental health is more important than maintaining a toxic friendship.”

  “I do believe in fairies. And Santa Claus. And leprechauns. Don’t let the magic go away.”

“If you don’t believe in miracles, miracles won’t happen.”

“Life’s most difficult issue, which causes so much pain, is learning to say goodbye.”

“Don’t say ‘good-bye’. Say ‘farewell, until we meet again.’”

“Never say never.”

“Everything is possible when you are willing to work to achieve it.”

“Be brave.”

“Take measured risks.”

“Be the Star You Are!”

What words will you speak today that may empower someone to remember?

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


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Please join our Galaxy of Stars and support BE THE STAR YOU ARE!® with your contributions and/or ask your company to be on our team. Visit our creative community at http://www.BTSYA.org for book reviews, news items, newsletters, and press pass clips.


 

 

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Be a Honey Bunny! Welcome, support, listen, value, and encourage others!

Happy Hopping!

With gratitude and encouragement to make 2023 a great year!

https://cynthiabrian.substack.com/p/hopping-into-2023

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

The Garden of 2023!

Posted by Cynthia Brian on January 9, 2023
0
Empowerment
The Garden of 2023!

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn

Where did the year go? It seems like only yesterday that I was writing gardening goals for 2022, and it is already 2023. Time to start anew!

Happy New Year!

 

Every year, the Garden Media Group releases trends for the forthcoming year. The Garden Trends Report for 2023 is aptly named, I Believe in Me! Individuality and access to critical resources will be in vogue throughout these next twelve months. As an Empowerment Architect, I resonate with this craze outlined for 2023 and hope that personal expression and self-reliance will become a style, not just a fad. Our choices and lifestyles need to reflect who we are as individuals so that we become our unapologetically authentic selves in service of others.

When it comes to designing any interior or exterior place, I have always believed that to fully function for the family, the space must be personalized, reflecting the colors, shapes, objects, and souvenirs that are meaningful to the individuals living in the location. We need to feel comfortable, secure, relaxed, and rejuvenated. Home is where our heart resides. Cookie-cutter installations may be magazine-worthy, but they won’t necessarily showcase the depth, passions, and character of the dwellers.

As we begin to plan for 2023, learn about the forthcoming trends, but decide what resonates with you. Just because something is au currant, it doesn’t mean that it will empower everyone. In part one of my interpretation of the Garden Media Report, I’ve chosen a few gems that may trigger a positive possibility for you.

The report shares the smart benefits of the garden green industry which has gone electric or battery-powered more quickly than any other industry, including electric vehicles. Mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws, and other electric equipment accounted for 17% of the gardening sales in the United States in 2022. Smart garden tools are becoming as critical to gardening as shovels and picks, especially for those who are just entering the gardening arena. Although I have not tried it yet, there is a new smart device on the market that is a weeding robot. Solar-powered, it lives in the garden chopping weeds. Now that is an innovation I will be checking out as weeding my landscape requires grueling work for months on end.

Another huge trend will be shopping online for garden products. Many companies are offering not only plants for sale but identification and information for various plants. It is as easy as taking a photo of a flower, leaf, tree, or other specimen and clicking a button. Several matches will appear on the app, but it is up to you to determine which is the correct one. Other garden apps provide tips on how to plant, when to plant, and where to plant as well as healthy recipes for harvesting crops.

Because of the housing crisis with buying a home being out of reach for numerous people, ADUs (accessory dwelling units) have become popular in the past year and will continue to be in demand. Container gardening will linger as a major trend as gardens and patios become smaller. Vertical gardening, trellises, fences, and living green walls will be integral to adding privacy and protected places to enjoy nature.  Millennials and Boomers are embracing vintage and mid-century patio furniture including wrought iron, retro lawn chairs, and pagoda umbrellas.

In the section called Super Agers, the Garden Trends Report boldly states that “In 2023 and beyond, 100 is the new 50!”  I’m not so certain that this is a truism, but it does bode well for gardeners who want to continue being active with tilling, filling, and thrilling with nature long into their golden years. Accessibility options such as raised beds, wider paths for wheelchairs, and plants at levels that don’t require bending will allow anyone to enjoy the outdoors.

 

When it comes to plants, tropical and exotic are the favorites for all age groups. Orchids, bromeliads, anthuriums, birds of paradise, cordylines, Ficus, palms, philodendrons, and peace lilies are only a sampling of specimens that are attractive to Gen X, Y, Z as well as Boomers.

I speculate that water features, especially creative fountains based on individual themes, will be a big focus this year. Besides the health benefits of the negative ions that running water provides to humans helping us refocus and recharge, birds and wildlife rely on them in the backyard garden for bathing and drinking.

These are just a few of the projections for our outdoor enjoyment for 2023. In my next column, I’ll offer more suggestions. Believe in tomorrow. Plan to plant a garden.

Live to 100?

What’s on your list?

 

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing. Happy 2023!

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

Lights at Night

Posted by Cynthia Brian on December 29, 2022
0
Empowerment
Lights at Night

“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
0
Empowerment
At Christmas….

 

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

No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies
No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies
No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies No Barnyard Bullies
Everyone loves 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

2020 Amazon smile logo

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

Giving Assistant Icon 234x60

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

2020 IGIVE logo

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

http://www.starstylestore.net/

 

StarStyle Store

Visit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle Store
Visit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle Store
Visit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle StoreVisit the StarStyle Store
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

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


    DIRECT LINKS

    BTSYA cuff Bracelets

    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

    https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-inhttps://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-in
    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
0
Empowerment
Nature’s Holiday Ornaments

“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

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

Buy No Barnyard Bullies for holiday Gifts! A great present for kids. https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store

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

Giving the Gift of You!

Posted by presspass on December 5, 2022
0
Empowerment
Giving the Gift of You!

https://cynthiabrian.substack.com/p/the-gift-of-you

The Gift of You!

Celebrating Giving

Cynthia Brian
19 hr ago

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

 

Miracle Moment®

“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.”~  F. Scott Fitzgerald


 

A Message from founder/Executive Director, Cynthia Brian

Have you ever stopped to contemplate the importance of your smile? When we walk down the street and smile at a stranger, we give the gift of recognition. A smile says “I see you” and every person desires to be seen. As humans, we want to be appreciated and acknowledged. Smiling costs us nothing yet it offers innumerable value to the recipient. We never know what is transpiring in the life of another person. Your smile could be life saving.

This holiday season as we write checks to donate to causes dear to our heart, I encourage you to also give the gift of a smile to everyone you encounter. You will feel empowered and you will shine a light on the soul of another.

Give the gift of YOU!

Thank you for your generosity of spirt.

Sending star smiles across the miles.

Cheers for the holidays.

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

 


Do you have five minutes….

by Shubham Acharya

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Folks, can you think of an entity that is both easy to come-by and very hard to find at the same time? It’s time, my friends. So why talk about time when talking about giving back to society? The answer lies in the inherent value of time. Time is the most precious resource that an individual can contribute to any worthy cause or person.

This philosophy of donating time to people in need forms the bedrock of human culture. Both in moments of joy and sorrow, we look to share our feelings with others.

Moreover, the scale does not matter. What matters is the gesture itself. Taking the time to listen to someone’s problems and offer a shoulder to cry on relieves some of their pain and replaces it with peace. If you manage to do this with just one person a day, you have made the world a little more emphatic. So, giving back to society does not have to involve grand gestures and major financial commitments; it can simply be achieved by devoting a little time and effort to being emotionally available.

Shubham Acharya is a Be the Star You Are!® volunteer in Mumbai, India who believes strongly in women’s empowerment and children’s literacy. Shubbam writes: “My mother was a teacher in a government sponsored school in one of the poorest localities in my area, so I grew up very aware of the importance of education and literacy in changing people’s lives. Having said this, I fell in love with the Be the Star You are!® motto ‘To be a leader, you must be a READER’.”


 

The Gift of Friendship

By Karen Kitchel

Not all gifts come wrapped in shiny paper with a bow on top. When we think about a time we’ve felt real joy or comfort, it was often because someone had given us the gift of friendship. It’s not the number of years we’ve known them. It’s the feeling we get when they cross our minds.

During the last year, many of us have turned to those special folks for both support and laughter. It would be easy to take these kind souls for granted, but they deserve so much more.

Let us all take a moment now to speak the names of those whom we consider to be our friend and give thanks for the gift of their presence in our life.

 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


Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Come celebrate the holidays as Be the Star You Are!® charity and 5 A Rent-A-Space bring the North Pole to Moraga. Children will write letters to Santa and talk to Jolly St. Nick. Buy gifts for the holidays with autographed copies of the new children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies while enjoying complimentary refreshments, music, and crafts for kids. The event is FREE! Lots of fun giveaways, too! Bring the family. BTSYA sponsored by Mark hoogs, State Farm Insurance, www.TeamHoogs.com. Thank you!

Location: 5 A Rent a Space, 455 Moraga Rd f, Moraga, CA 94556, USA

Info: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/santa-day-at-5a-december-10-2022

https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/150

Santa Day at 5

Santa Day at 5A

Make a Donation and Receive a Beautiful Dayspring Engraved Pen

Dayspring Pens is proud to partner with Be the Star You Are! through a donation of 50 engraved pens. With a donation of $250 to Be the Star You Are!®, the donor will receive a unique luxury gift pen with custom engraving. Dayspring is honored to be able to donate to an organization that works so diligently to produce positive media and encourage families through books to be what they are! Dayspring hopes that this donation of pens can show the respect and appreciation they hold for those who are vital to Be the Star You Are!’s work of empowering women, families, and youth through the power of positive role models. Visit Dayspring Pens @ https://www.dayspringpens.com

Make a DONATION of $250 through PAYPAL GIVING FUND with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES:  https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/1504. Email your receipt to cynthia@BetheStarYouAre.org and provide your shipping address. You will receive your tax-receipt and your beautiful engraved and boxed pen.


 

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP!

The holiday shopping spree is in full swing. 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

2020 Amazon smile logo

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

Giving Assistant Icon 234x60

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

2020 IGIVE logo

  1. Join the StarStyle® Community with a unique NFT and enjoy exclusive experiences. https://StarStyleCommunity.com

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

http://www.starstylestore.net/

Buy books and Shirt

Buy Book


DIRECT LINKS

BTSYA cuff Bracelets

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


 

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

https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-in

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/94-333388

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!


Sending Season’s Greetings and Season’s Giving.

 

You are a GIFT! Thank you for being part of our STAR Galaxy. Give the GIFT OF YOU! SMILE!


 

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

 

Parks, Plants, and Peace

Posted by Cynthia Brian on November 28, 2022
0
Empowerment
Parks, Plants, and Peace

“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!

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.

 

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

We THANK YOU!

Posted by presspass on November 22, 2022
0
Empowerment
We THANK YOU!

StarStyle® Empowerment

Thank YOU Very Much!

Tips for Creating an Attitude of Gratitude Every Day

Cynthia Brian
Nov 20
4

THANKSGIVING IS EVERY DAY!

 

MIRACLE MOMENT®

“The more gratitude you show in life, the more you will have to be grateful for.”

A MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CYNTHIA BRIAN

America is a country of great abundance, yet, everyday most of us complain about the lack in our lives.  Being human means that all of us, regardless of race, religion, economics, politics, or sex, will have difficult times and challenges to overcome. This is a plan that my daughter and I created together when she was a teenager.

It’s called, Thanksgiving is Today.

Take time to give thanks for the little things every day, not just once a year. Be grateful for what you have. When we are grateful, we are rewarded with a sense of honor and personal strength. Say “thank-you,” for every gift you receive, positive or negative, because everything in life is a blessing.  Life may be giving you a lesson in appreciation. Learn to be grateful for everything. Gratitude exalts the heart and feeds the soul. Having an attitude of gratitude makes every moment shine brightly.

1. Say “Thank You”

During the next hour, say a sincere “thank-you” to everyone who does anything nice for you, your family, your friends, or the world. Write one thank-you note, and mail it.

2. Cook up a Treat

Create something nourishing, sweet, and delicious to give to a friend or loved one. Bake a cake and say “Thank you for being you!” The recipe for living a life of happiness is gratitude.

3. Create a Gratitude Journal

Find a beautiful journal to keep by your night stand and every night write down all the people, places and things that your are grateful for on this day. Date it. When you are having a bad day, re-read your entries.  You’ll be surprised by all your blessings.

4. Learn to Receive

Allow others to feel good about them selves by giving to you. Learn to accept appreciatively and to enjoy the spirit of the gift. Sometimes the way you receive can be the greatest gift of generosity.

5. Write a letter

Letter writing is a dying art.  Get pretty note cards and write a heartfelt “thank you” to those who have made a difference in your life…just because.

6. Party On

Throw a Gratitude Party and invite everyone you admire.  What better way to say “thank you” than to eat, drink, dance, and be merry with friends?

7. Color My World

Get out your crayons and get creative. Make a collage. Cut photos and slogans from magazines to express your love of life.  Make meaning from madness.

8. Offer Compliments

Beauty and grace are everywhere around us.  When you “feel the love” say so.  Compliment often and from the heart.  You’ll be amazed at how wonderful you can make others feel.

9. Reward Yourself

Who is the most important person in the world? YOU!  Before you can serve others, you must serve yourself.  That means that you give yourself the gifts you need- more sleep, a hot bath, new clothing, a pat on the back, a romp with your dog, a glass of champagne, a luxurious vacation or a relaxing massage.  The important thing is for you to get the message that you are important. You count.  You are worthwhile. You DESERVE to be special. And then express your gratefulness for being the star you already are.

Everyday is Thanksgiving Day when you live, learn, laugh, and love in the moment. Thanksgiving is today. Share the abundance.

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”    Charles Dickens, 1812-1870, Novelist

On behalf of all the volunteers at Be the Star You Are!®, we THANK YOU for being part of our STAR family. We appreciate your ongoing support of our efforts to empower women, families, and youth while increasing literacy and positive media.

May you have a hearty, happy, healthy Thanksgiving with those you love.

With gratitude,

“To be a leader, you must be a reader. Read, lead, succeed!”

THANK YOU!

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 matter what the situation is…close your eyes and think of all the things in your life you could be grateful for right now.” — Deepak Chopra


THANKSGIVING RADIO BROADCASTS

To help you get into the spirit of this holiday of gratefulness, tune in to our two Be the Star You Are!® uplifting radio broadcasts: Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio and StarStyle®. Both shows air on the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel, and are available wherever you listen to radio or podcasts including iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Tunein, Pocketcasts, and more.

On Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio Keerthi hosts this holiday favorite and surprisingly she is not a fan of Thanksgiving food because she is a vegetarian. But she is a believer in appreciation and thankfulness and offers several quotes to ignite our gratefulness. She interviews Kirpa and Nihal Gill who testify that Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday. They share their family traditions and meal preparations. Spending time with their extended family is the highlight. Kirpa provides some historical context to the holiday while Nihal encourages others to volunteer to help others less fortunate during the holiday season. Alix, our resident restaurant reviewer and foodie talks about the favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal…dessert and offers three places to buy the best pies and cakes. Alix makes our mouth water with her divine descriptions of the buttery crusts and creamy fillings. Keerthi is humorous, as always, with her wacky comments and fun improvisational tone.

Listen at Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/140324/thanksgiving-gratitude

 
Express Yourself! Radio Reporters

 On StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®, airing LIVE on Wednesday November 23 at 4PM PT, Cynthia Brian hosts an hour of power in the StarStyle® playground with a program focusing on gratitude, Thanksgiving, overcoming pain, and planting peace. For holiday gifts that keep on giving, buy first edition autographed books at http://starstylestore.net and NFTS at https://www.StarStyleCommunity.com

Listen at the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/140320/thanksgiving-psychological-pain-planting-peace


HOLIDAY IN-PERSON EVENT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

Come celebrate the holidays as Be the Star You Are!® charity and 5 A Rent-A-Space bring the North Pole to Moraga. Children will write letters to Santa and talk to Jolly St. Nick. Buy gifts for the holidays with autographed copies of the new children’s book, No Barnyard Bullies while enjoying complimentary refreshments, music, and crafts for kids. The event is FREE! Lots of fun giveaways, too! Bring the family. BTSYA sponsored by Mark hoogs, State Farm Insurance, www.TeamHoogs.com. Thank you!

Location: 5 A Rent a Space, 455 Moraga Rd f, Moraga, CA 94556, USA

Info: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/santa-day-at-5a-december-10-2022

https://www.Starstylestore.ne

https://www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/150

Holiday Event: Santa Day at 5 A

WHO SHOULD YOU THANK?

By Karen Kitchel

We often say thank you without even thinking about who we thanked or what just happened.  Are automatic thanks valued?

If we think about the last time someone thanked us, can we remember who it was or what we did?  Perhaps the person who wanted to express their gratitude was hoping they brightened your day. Maybe they did.

This week we are likely to spend a bit more time thinking about all the wonderful people who make our life better.  You know who they are, but in case someone has slipped your mind, here are a few to consider:

*Janitors *Receptionists *Mechanics *Coaches *Nursing assistants *Childcare workers *Construction laborers *DJs *Editors *Fast food cooks *High school principals *Ice cream servers *Snow shovelers *Butchers  *Grandparents *Organists *Truck drivers *Pizza makers *Librarians *Bank tellers  *Bus drivers *Readers of blogs

Keep some thank you coins or notes in your pocket, and you will never miss an opportunity to say THANKS!

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


SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP!

The holiday shopping sprees begin this week. 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

2020 Amazon smile logo

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

Giving Assistant Icon 234x60

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

2020 IGIVE logo

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

7. BUY NFTS from https://StarStyleCommunity.com to trade, sell, hold, and be invited to exclusive experiences and events.

Starstyle NFTS happy-alone.jpeg


“I’m grateful for the opportunity to live on this beautiful and astonishing Planet Earth. In the morning, I woke up with a sense of gratitude.” –Earl Nightingale


ALL WE NEED IS A THANK YOU!!

by Shubham Acharya

The show of appreciation is one of the most effective ways of motivating anyone. We may not realise it but when someone thanks us for our service, it fills us with a sense of accomplishment. We feel as if we made the other person’s life a little bit better. The power of gratitude is so profound that it forms the bedrock of employee motivation even in the cutthroat corporate culture.

There is reciprocity involved as well, we feel good in return after having thanked someone. Have you ever noticed that whenever you acknowledge the service of a waiter at a restaurant or thank a customer service personnel at a call centre, it immediately brings about a subtle change in their tone. We might not realise it, but that little extra effort goes a long way to improve someone’s day. They might be dealing with serious problems or simply having a bad day, but that simple ‘thank you’ might give them the fortitude to grit their teeth and battle it out.

So next time when the waiter brings your order say, “Thank You!”, when you accept a parcel delivery say, ‘Thank You!’, whenever someone offers you a service, no matter how trivial, remember to say, ‘Thank You!’. Our small token of appreciation will go a long way towards making this world just a little bit better.

Shubham Acharya is a Be the Star You Are!® volunteer in Mumbai, India who believes strongly in women’s empowerment and children’s literacy. Shubbam writes: “My mother was a teacher in a government sponsored school in one of the poorest localities in my area, so I grew up very aware of the importance of education and literacy in changing people’s lives. Having said this, I fell in love with the Be the Star You are!® motto ‘To be a leader, you must be a READER’.”

shubhamn achera from mumbai.jpg

 


DIRECT LINKS

BTSYA cuff Bracelets

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

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

https://greatnonprofits.org/org/be-the-star-you-are-in

https://www.guidestar.org/profile/94-333388

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!

Be the Star You Are!® is a TOP NON PROFIT

From our homes to yours, we wish you all joy and blessings of Thanksgiving.

Make Thanksgiving everyday and express gratitude for living.

“There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation than for bread.” Mother Theresa

THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!

Share StarStyle® Empowerment

 

© 2022 Cynthia Brian

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