Vacation

I'm headed to a summer camp and won't be back for a couple weeks :( I've been just about every year since 7th grade! I love it there and I love working with the kids. They are just so much fun and every kid makes everything new. Plus, its set in the mountains in New Mexico, its just beautiful. Check it out if you're interested www.campmonakiwa.org

Coco-Mango Massage

I love massages (especially from someone special), but I hate massage oil that just runs everywhere or doesn't absorb quickly enough and you end up with oily sheets. Yuck! So, I whipped this up and I (we) love it. The measurements are based on weight, but would not be hard to adjust for volume if you wanted.

1.5 oz mango butter (I think cocoa would probably work, but I didn't want the scent)
1 oz virgin coconut oil (because I love the scent)
1-1.5 oz macadamia nut oil (start with less and then add some to get the consistency you like)

Melt the mango butter and coconut oil in a double boiler. Take off heat before completely melted and let residual heat finish the job. Let it cool until it just starts to get solid. You can stick it in the freezer to speed this up, just don't forget it! Add your macadamia nut oil (you could substitute any other oil of your choice), blend together. Once at room temp you can add anything you want to change the consistency, play around a little with it. It just have a fluffy whipped look, stick in a container of your choice (baby food jars are soooo handy). This will literally melt right onto your skin. I didn't scent mine because the coconut smell is just so yummy on its own.

Choosing a Pet Rabbit That’s Right For You

Having a pet rabbit can be such a rewarding experience. But with all the breeds, sizes and colors, how do you select the rabbit that is just right for you? This article will help you select that perfect rabbit.

Choosing the right rabbit for you and your family can be a very exciting process. There are currently over 40 recognized breeds of rabbits. Many of the breeds have multiple varieties and colors. Rabbits range in size from 2 pounds to over 10 pounds. So the choices are very abundant.

Many breeders give different answers regarding the preferred gender for a pet rabbit. This is compounded by the individual temperament of the rabbit. Often a doe (girl rabbit) that is not spayed, can become territorial was she reaches maturity. She may nip at you when reaching for her or even her food or water dishes.

Some does will eliminate that aggression when a familiar face does the feeding on a daily basis. Some does we’ve found to be non-aggressive, and yet others can become territorial towards everybody, but that is very rare. If you do not plan to breed your rabbit, and you want a doe, it is best to have her spayed to help reduce the chances that she may protect her den.

Bucks present a different problem all together. Bucks generally are not aggressive. However, spraying can be a problem. When the buck reaches maturity he may start to spray his urine everywhere to let the whole world know he is ready for a mate.

Again, not all bucks will do this, and typically the ones that do, will only do so for a short period of time. This problem can be eliminated by having the buck neutered.

Grooming is another consideration. The wool breeds such as angoras and jersey woolies require extra work in grooming. All rabbits need a good routine of grooming by their caretaker, but the wool breeds require more time because of the nature of their fur type.

The best way to see and find out about rabbits is to attend a rabbit show. At the rabbit show you will find many breeders and most of the breeds of rabbits. To find a show near you visit our calendar page and search for a show in your state.

I would not recommend buying a rabbit without first seeing it, nor would I recommend purchasing a rabbit from a pet store. It would be in your best interest to find a breeder in your area of the breed you think you would like. Visit with that breeder. See what the conditions are in the barn.

Ask if you can hold a rabbit. Watch the rabbit’s reaction to their cage being opened. Rabbits that love attention, will immediately come to the door, some will even make happy grunting type noises. Other rabbits will immediately go to the back of the cage. If a rabbit moves to the back its probably not a good rabbit for you.

Most of all have fun. Enjoy your search for that perfect rabbit. There are many sizes colors and choices and finding the fit for you can be time consuming but will be very rewarding in the end.

About the Author

Rob Usakowski is owner of Three Little Ladies Rabbitry which is run by his wife Cathie and their three daughters. Visit their site Three Little Ladies Holland Lops for lots of rabbit raising information for both pet owners and breeders alike.

Originally posted at: http://www.natural-pet-care.com/natural-pet-health-blog/choosing-a-pet-rabbit-thats-right-for-you/

Smile Power Day

Did you know that everyday is a holiday? I mean, we can celebrate anything we want (besides just life in general). Well, today is SMILE POWER DAY! That just makes me happy. I mean, who couldn't use an extra smile in their day. Smiles are contagious and I know we make a big deal about sharing germs and all, but I think that's one bug we should all share with each other. I think we'd all feel a lot better if we were busier sharing the power of smiles rather than the impairment of anger. So, do everyone a favor and get out and share your power, give the gift of a smile.

Check out http://library.thinkquest.org/2886/ for other random holidays.

Shoulda Stayed in Bed

So, I had three big things I needed to make today. First, I needed to make some coffee soap, then honey soap, and last a new batch of lotion. Since I need coffee to make coffee soap, I decided to make some with breakfast and then stick it in the fridge to cool (see I know what I supposed to do). Well, for some reason known only to my vacationing brain, I left out the filter. Anyone know what happens when you do that? Yep, coffee and coffee grounds everywhere. That took a nice long time to clean up, you should try it some time. So, I got that cleaned up and made another pot (with filter). It seems weak, but I guess will work.

While that was cooling I decided to make my honey soap. Now, let me say, I have made successful batches of honey soap. I know it will get excessively hot and you should start at a lower temp and DO NOT INSULATE. I mixed my lye and oils and stirred until it was almost at trace and then I added my slightly warmed honey. Finished mixing it and poured this loving smelling concoction in the mold. I did notice that it was already much warmer than when I started mixing, so I didn't want to do anything to keep heat in. I set the whole thing on a counter and put the lid on crooked to vent, but still keep everything out. I started to clean up and for some reason thought I should sneak a peak. Lucky I did, it had already started blowing up, so I took off the lid and it continued to rise. It never did actually volcano out of the mold, but I'm not sure its going to be usable.

I think I'll do the coffee soap and my lotion tomorrow. I should not be allowed near sharp objects, hot mixtures, and definitely not lye! So, for now I think I'll stay in my office and get some work done there.

Lye Soap

I know every soaper has heard it and most have commented on it, but I'm going to add my two cents. So I was at a show and a lady walked up and asked me if I made my soap using lye. My response (of course) was "yes, all soap is made using lye, but through a chemical process all of the lye is reacted to form soap." She told me that she couldn't use soap with any lye in it. I tried to explain that there wasn't any lye left in my soap, and all soap was made using lye (again). She informed me that she knew for a fact that you could get soap made from glycerin instead of lye and this was a much gentler way to cleanse your skin. I can recognize a lost cause, so I let it go, but its still irritating.

You cannot mix oils and glycerin to get soap, although depending on the mix, you might have the beginnings of a very nice lotion. Glycerin is a by-product of saponification (or the soap making process), so guess what! All true soap has glycerin in it, its not added and its not used in the soap making process. Even the glycerin soap bases that people buy to melt and pour into molds were made using lye. There simply is no way around that! Oh well, at least I didn't have someone telling me that Ivory was the only thing that doesn't irritate their skin.