Happy Year of the Earth Pig 2019

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: February 11, 2019

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2019 is the Year of the Earth Pig according to Chinese Zodiac. Starting from Feb. 5, 2019 (Chinese New Year) and lasting to Jan. 24, 2020.

Pig is the twelfth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese Zodiac Sign. The Years of the Pig include: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043…

Come on out of the doghouse—there’s a party in the pig pen! The pleasant and genial Earth Pig’s arrival is a welcome relief after 2018’s Earth Dog antics. Dogs are pack animals, and in the past year, groups have stuck together out of “loyalty,” at times, to a fault.

People with Chinese Zodiac Pig sign are considerate, responsible, independent and optimistic. They always show generousness and mercy to endure other people’s mistakes, which help them gain harmonious interpersonal relationships. However, sometimes they have a lazy and indolent streak and can lack actions. In addition, pure hearts would let them be cheated easily in daily life.

  • Strengths: Warm-hearted, good-tempered, loyal, honest, gentle.
  • Weaknesses: Naive, gullible, sluggish, short-tempered. Read More »
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Soup Basics: How to Make Soup in 6 Easy Steps

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: February 10, 2019

chicken soupIf you know the basics of soup making, you don’t need to follow the recipe word for word, but instead can glean inspiration from recipes and use what you have on hand. With a nice sharp chef knife, a cutting board and a Dutch oven there are endless possibilities. See equipment below.

Step 1: Soup base –  Mirepoix

The base of the soup usually starts with sautéing some vegetables, which flavors the oil or fat. Choose a fat that can handle the temperature. Read more about FATS here.

  • Ghee, clarified butter
  • Coconut Oil
  • Lard
  • Bacon Fat
  • Tallow (beef fat)
  • Butter – keep heat fairly low
  • Olive oil – also not recommended to sautéed at high heat

Warm the oil/fat on medium heat in a thick-bottomed deep soup pan, such as a Dutch oven, and sauté:

1-2 finely chopped onion, shallot or leek

then 1-2 carrots, and if I have it, celery, both chopped finely, or medium-fine, about a half inch chunks.

Sprinkle with sea salt (maybe a ½ teaspoon or so, I dunno exactly, I don’t measure, I add a little as I go along and usually end up needing to add more at the end.)

Chefs call the classic mixture “mirepoix”, otherwise known as the “holy trinity” in the cooking world.

Step 2: More vegetables

If you want to add more vegetables, you can add them to the mirepoix about 5-10 minutes after the carrots and onions.

What do you have in the fridge? Here are some vegetable ideas:

  • Sweet potatoes, parsnips, celerac, butternut squash
  • Mushrooms – crimini, shiitake
  • Bell peppers – green, red, yellow
  • Kale, any variety Read More »
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Gretchen Hidell

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: February 19, 2018

headshot_gretchen_smallGretchen Hidell: Intuitive Astrologer, NLP Life Coach, Hypnotist, & Reiki Master

Gretchen has worked with me in my office for, wow, 10 years. If you haven’t had an astrology reading with her, it might be time. Gretchen is just fabulous.

Introducing, Gretchen Hidell:
Make personal discoveries which lead to self-empowerment & healing. Allow me to guide you through the exploration of your Soul’s Blueprint. Release patterns, gain knowledge, and reconnect with your own beautiful Spirit!! I have been studying the art of Astrology for 35+ years now! Both my mother & grandmother had interest in the subject and my mother started buying me Dell Astrology Books when I was just 12yrs old. Since then, I’ve been reading Astrological Charts for friends & family throughout my life. I have many types of Astrology charts to choose from and several styles of Readings.

In addition to my extensive knowledge in Astrology, I also use my Intuition and Physical Mediumship abilities. I am clairvoyant, clairaudient, & clairsentient – meaning I see, hear, and feel energy. I will often have “visions” about missing person cases, medical issues, and remote viewing – using these skills to expertly guide you. Being a psychical medium means that I assist people in connecting with deceased loved ones. After a person (or pet) has passed away, very often our conversations with them feel very one-sided. I love connecting people to remind them that the veil between worlds is actually very thin. Read More »

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Year of the Dog 2018

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: February 19, 2018

2018 is the Year of the Earth Dog.

Friday 16 February was the first day of the Chinese New Year this year.

Dog years: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, and 2030…

The Dog is known to be friendly, kind, loyal and pack-oriented. Some of the major themes of the Dog Year are justice, practicality, protection. Honesty and truthfulness are also Dog values.

Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are Dogs.

OK, so obviously we need to take the Chinese horoscope with a grain of salt, along with some common sense. Here are some themes that can help everyone, especially during a Dog Year.

Read More »

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Spring Cleansing

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: February 16, 2018

Every spring for the last 15 years or so, I do a cleanse of some sort. It started with one month of no sugar, and I did that several years in a row. It was such a great reset. I had been finding it hard toIMG_3294 resist all the wonderful sweet treats available everywhere. Quitting sugar for a month was like hitting the reset button and afterwards I definitely found I craved sugar less and was able to resist the sultry temptations. And now to this day, I can walk into Stone Soup and admire the piles of sweet yumminess, pay for my savory selections, and go on with it, without a second thought. Success!

Since then I have probably done about five different cleanse programs, each one a couple times, including Clean and Restart, and now I am 25 days into what I call a Whole 30-inspired month (the Whole 30 with some modifications – and perhaps I will do it for longer than a month). Read More »

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Zero Balancing I in Burlington, Vermont 22-25 March 2018

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: January 3, 2018

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Zero Balancing I      March 22-25, 2018

A 25 hour professional bodymind therapy training for health professionals with Michele Doucette DC

Zero Balancing is a leading-edge, hands-on, body-mind therapy. It combines the Western view of medicine and science from the field of osteopathy with Eastern concepts of energy and healing from the field of acupuncture. ZB affects the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) by providing both structural therapy and energy medicine simultaneously. It promotes a deeply meditative state in which sub-optimal tension patterns are easily released. Like adjusting the tension on a guitar string, ZB leaves a person more in tune with their essential being, more resonant with their true self…more relaxed, comfortable, resilient, awake, self-aware, grounded, and expanded. Read More »

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Zero Balancing intro Thursday 18 May 2017 and ZB I in September 2017

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: May 11, 2017

free Intro to Zero Balancingzba

with Michele Doucette DC

Thurs 18 May, 6:30-8:00 pm
Vermont Center for Acupuncture & Wellness
161 North Street Burlington, VT
 

Please join us for a free talk and demonstration about Zero Balancing (ZB). Come if you are interested in learning about energy, receiving ZB, or studying Zero Balancing.

Zero Balancing I

A 25 hour professional bodymind therapy training for health professionals
with Michele Doucette DC
 
September 21-24, 2017
Vermont Center for Acupuncture & Wellness
161 North Street Burlington, VT
  Read More »
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YEAR OF THE ROOSTER 2017

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: January 28, 2017

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

IMG_0487Saturday 28 January is the first day of the Chinese New Year, the year of the Fire Rooster.

Rooster years: 1909, 1921, 1933, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2017

Rooster qualities – commitment, loyalty, honesty and outspokenness – can help us all in 2017. The Rooster’s vivacious and charming energy draws people to them and they can be quite influential. In 2017 with Rooster energy abound, we can all be change-makers.

Don’t’ be afraid to take the spotlight and speak up for what you believe in.

With right effort, goals will be realized and projects completed.

Best place to start is with yourself and your health. Implement your exercise, meditation, nutrition intentions. 2017 brings an open slate for you to begin your next masterpiece.

In numerology, 2017 is a 1, which signifies new beginnings. Astrologer Gretchen Hidell advises that we choose to put our energy where we want to see it grow in the coming years.  “Energy flows where attention goes,” Gretchen always says. Listen to Gretchen’s You Tube video about 2017.

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DRAGON PARADE

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: January 27, 2017

 

Every year on First Night there is a Dragon Parade down Church Street just before the early fireworks. The dragons were made by different schools and other groups and the parade is led by Sambatucata, the Argentinian marching percussion band.

Here are some photos from the Sustainability Academy’s dragon and baby dragons, animated by students, family and friends of SA. Happy New Year to you and your family.

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Read More »

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Death by Food Pyramid by Denise Minger

By Kelly Kaeding | Published: January 25, 2017

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For years I have been frustrated with what I call the brainwashing of our society about what foods are healthy. Even medical professionals routinely recommend dangerously unhealthy diets to their patients. Where is the confusion coming from? Denise Minger hits the nail on the head with her new book, Death by Food Pyramid, and clearly shows where the food pyramid came from and why it is so up-side-down..

Denise Minger is research scientist with a doctorate in Nutritional Sciences who started her career with a powerful critique of The China Study, a study that condemns animal foods. She has since published hundreds of articles about health and nutrition. She advocates for traditional whole food diets which include healthy fats.

Michael R. Eades, MD, too, found her work fascinating and wrote a sort of cliff notes/blog trailer for it, which you can read here.

Check out: Death By Food Pyramid: How Shoddy Science, Sketchy Politics and Shady Special Interests Ruined Your Health and How to Reclaim It

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