KissMe Organic Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelions! Always considered a pest. True, I heard that people gather dandelion greens for salad, but I never did. It just didn't seem appealing to me to traipse into the yard and poke through the grass for a few dandelion leaves. True my kiddes picked the little yellow flowers and brought them in to Mommy. So proud of their bouquet. Little did I realize that there was a wealth of good in the lowly dandelion plant.

I have been given the opportunity to try some KissMe Organic Dandelion Root Tea and I have enjoyed a few cups of this interesting plant. The tea is made from the root in this particular instance. The leaves and flowers can also be utilized. But the KissMe Organic Dandelion Root Tea is made from the roots of the plant.

The KissMe company sent me a nice online booklet just filled with a variety of recipes for food and beverages utilizing the dandelion root. I haven't tried any of them, but the tea is nice. I have brewed for 10 minutes the little tea bags and enjoyed the hot tea. I used a bit of honey to sweeten it. It is light in color and taste.

 I don't know what I was expecting other than an herbal tea. It does have hibiscus and cinnamon in it as well as the dandelion root. I found it pleasant to drink and there was a surprise element as well. It seems to function as a diuretic. I then began to research for more information on pros and cons of organic dandelion tea. So while I don't object to the diuretic aspect, I understand that caution must also be exercised so that one doesn't experience too high a level of phosphate. 

I advise anyone interested in pursuing the health aspects of using dandelion root tea to do their research. Yes, do enjoy drinking it as I am. But be aware that there are effects pro and con to consuming it. I can readily recommend the tea as a pleasant, alternative to my regular cup of tea and will be enjoying it.

About the Product Organic Dandelion Root Tea - With Hibiscus & Cinnamon - 

1. SUPPORTS HEALTHY DIGESTION, KIDNEY HEALTH & LIVER FUNCTION Detox the liver and kidneys from toxins that can build up over time. Healthy digestion helps the body to absorb more nutrients and improve physical and cognitive functions.
2. RAW & ORGANIC Raw Dandelion Root is extremely nutrient rich and provides more vital minerals and vitamins to your body when compared to roasted Dandelion Root.
3. VITAMIN RICH Raw Dandelion root is rich in Vitamins A, C, D and B-complex plus Iron, Potassium and Zinc. A diet rich in these nutrients can help treat mood disorders, liver disorders and boost a weakened immune system.
4. HIBISCUS & CINNAMON While enhancing the earthy flavor, and adding a hint of flowery sweetness to every cup; Hibiscus has been shown to help regulate blood pressure and Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood sugar and reduce bad cholesterol.

Check them out on Facebook

Sponsored post: I received a complimentary product to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Miracle Oil Body Wash with Marula Oil from Dial {Review & Giveaway}

Don't you just love quality products. Especially the good stuff from a long-time reputable brand at a doesn't-break-the-bank price? I do! And Dial Miracle Oil Body Wash is just that. Dial has produced another fine new produce - Miracle Oil Body Wash with Marula Oil. This body wash feels so very good when you're washing and after. So soothing.

I love the fragrance. Floral. Nice. Rich. Yet, it isn't overcoming to one's senses. It lathers wonderfully creating a soft bubbly wash using a bath poof or wash cloth.

So many of the products on the market today for bath or skin care have fragrances that are simply over powering. But not so with this Dial Miracle Oil Body Wash. I have found the scent to be a feminine and lady-like flora with just a touch some other note I can't distinguish. Just lovely.

It doesn't leave an "oily" residue but rinses off leaving you with refreshingly smooth skin after bath. I found I still need lotion to smooth and hydrate my skin, but this is a very good bath wash.

About Marula Oil: Dial's Miracle Oil body wash is formulated with Micro Oil Technology for a luxurious, clean-rinsing lather that leaves skin feeling clean, soft and smooth. Marula oil is a major trend in hair care and cosmetics now growing in personal care items like body washes and soaps. Marula Oil Fact: Marula Oil comes from the fruit of the Marula tree. It is rich in omega fatty acids, Vitamins E and C, and antioxidants, and known to deeply hydrate and nourish skin.

Just what is Marula Oil? 

The Tsonga people of South Africa and Mozambique have used the oil as a moisturising body lotion for women and also as a massage oil for babies. In the past, women used Marula oil rather than water to clean themselves. Marula oil is extracted from the kernels (nuts) of the Marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea), from the Anacardiaceae family. Marula oil is traditionally used in cosmetics, in food as a cooking oil and as a meat preservative and to treat leather. copied

GIVEAWAY: Two of Chat With Vera's readers will be randomly chosen from the entries in the Rafflecopter form to each receive a 1-free-product coupon. Begins March 6 & ENDS March 18 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA addresses only. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Did you know that... This past December, employees from Dial’s parent company Henkel and the Fritz Henkel Foundation worked together to donate $15,675 to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). All donations are being used to support MSF’s Ebola emergency response, which provides funding for treatment and prevention in infected areas. Find out more about MSF and the organization’s work: www.doctorswithoutborders.org

DISCLOSURE: As a member of the Purex Insiders Group, I was provided a complimentary product by the Dial company to facilitate this review. I received no compensation for the review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

P. ZONKA LAYS AN EGG by Julie Paschkis

Hardcover: $16.95
ISBN: 978-1-56145-819-6
Ages 4-8

About the book: Why doesn't P. Zonka lay eggs?

Extraordinary hen P. Zonka spends her time taking in the beauty around her: the shiny green of the grass, the buttery yellow of the dandelions, the deep blue of the sky. The other hens can't understand why she never lays eggs like they do - they think she's just plain lazy. But when P. Zonka finally decides to give egg-laying a try, the other chickens are in for a spectacular surprise!

My thoughts: Bright! Cheerful! Folksy art! Those were my first impressions of P.Zonka Lays An Egg. Julie Paschkis has an enviable talent for different, folksy, engaging art. When I visited her website, I saw a huge selection of books she has illustrated and they show a artist who excels in her particular style of artistic expression.

In the story of the barn yard filled with chickens, P.Zonka being one of them, we have an unproductive loner, P.Zonka, who just doesn't lay eggs like the other chickens. I guess there is always one in the hen house that is different. That is often the case in society at large - someone might be a bit different. It may be their style of dress, their proclivity for a different type of music (march to their own drummer), or the artist in the group who just sees the world in a different way.

The text for the story flows beautifully as the chickens chastise P.Zonka for not laying an egg. She tries to explain what she has been doing (instead of laying eggs) when she looks at the sky, the sun, the flowers, the grass. Eventually, they get her to "conform" to what all good chickens do and she lays an egg. And oh what an egg!

I absolutely love the combination of story, text, and wildly exuberant illustrations! This is a book to place on your child's home library shelf and one they will want read repeatedly. Because, you see, they will fall in love with P.Zonka and her world of beauty.

NOTE: P.Zonka was born of an ancient Ukrainian tradition, closely associated with Easter. It is the custom of an egg decorating technique called pysanky. Julie Paschkis and her family hold a big party where they decorate eggs every year after the tradition of pysanky. I found it interesting to read about the history egg decorating on Wikipedia. Perhaps you will, too.

Mix of disaporan & traditional Ukrainian pysanka
copied from Wikipedia

Julie Paschkis was born in 1957 and grew up in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Her parents encouraged the children to read, to draw and to play outside. Julie still like to do those things. She attended Germantown Friends School, Ringerike Folkehogskole in Norway, Cornell University, and the School for American Craftsmen at RIT where she received BFA. Please visit Julie's BLOG - Books Around the Table.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Deadly Echoes (Finding Sanctuary #2) by Nancy Mehl

When Sarah’s sister suddenly reappears, only to disappear again—in the same manner as her parents—can Deputy Sheriff Paul Gleason help her to solve the mystery that’s still haunting her?

My thoughts: I've read several of Nancy Mehl's books and while Deadly Echoes is not a favorite, it is definitely a winner. This contemporary suspense set in a conservative Mennonite community is believable to those who understand the conservative lives of those who live there. Sharing a small town, Mennonite and non-Mennonite folks have found a way of life that is quite, caring, and grounded in a faith-based lifestyle.

However, as with many good things and locales, the bubble bursts and evil creeps in. In the first book of the series, Gathering Shadows, the mother and father of Deadly Echoes female protagonist are killed in this little town of Sanctuary. Years later, another burst bubble in their quiet existence happens when one of the two little girls, now grown, who survived the Gathering Shadows murder is herself killed.

Echoing similarities the two devastating events define Sarah's life. She seems to be as troubled as Biblical Job in that she loses those she loves to tragedy. 

Sometimes the gentle, probing conversations get tiresome to the reader (me), but they are leading toward solutions and dropping tidbits of information that help in the resolution of this terror-filled story. 

A good clean read. One you wouldn't be afraid to hand a teen or your grand mother to read.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely  my own. I received no compensation for this review.

Looking back..... 70th Anniversary of the liberation of

We must NEVER forget!

NEVER AGAIN!

Body Merry's Age Defense Neck Firming and Tightening Cream with Vitamin C + Glycolic Acid + CoenzymeQ10

Most folks protect the skin on their face, their hands (oh, they get so chapped), their legs, and perhaps their feet. They might rub the trace of lotion or cream that remains on their hands onto their neck. But we tend to neglect  our neck and chest and it ages. It wrinkles. It becomes unattractive.

Body Merry has developed a very nice moisturizer specifically for our necks - Age Defense Neck Cream. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now, and I have found it refreshingly pleasant to use. The fragrance notes are reminiscent of a fresh salad or freshly sliced cucumber but that is a quite brief sensation.

The "feel" of this neck cream applied to my under-chin, neck, chest, and shoulders is really pleasant. I am enjoying it and believe it can only do good to my skin. Of course, one can only judge the true effectiveness of a product when used over a long period of time. But short-term, I'd say that Body Merry has again developed a very nice product. I also like that the formula is free from harsh chemicals such as parabens, sulfates, and phthalates

Product Description (from Body Merry) - Lift, firm and hydrate the delicate skin of your neck and chest with Body Merry's Age Defense Neck Cream - a powerful moisturizer that firms, smoothes, nourishes and improves the suppleness and elasticity of your neck and décolleté. The cream provides your skin with its daily staple requirements of vitamins, antioxidants and AHAs. 4% Vitamin C, 5% Glycolic Acid and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) are supported by powerful natural and organic ingredients such as Plant Derived Hyaluronic Acid, Propolis, Royal Jelly, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Oil, Green Tea, Avocado Oil, Licorice, Lemongrass and Rosehip Oil, to name just a few. Like all our products, the formula is free from harsh chemicals such as parabens, sulfates and phthalates. Made in the USA.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary product from Body Merry to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I only recommend products I have used on myself. I received no compensation for this review.

Betting on Hope by Debra Clopton {Review & Giveaway}

About the book: One sophisticated advice columnist. One rough-around-the-edges cowboy. And an entire small town rooting for love. The first book in Debra Clopton's Four of Hearts Ranch Romance series, Betting on Hope, will win your heart!

Advice columnist Maggie Hope never dreamed she'd be shaking hands with champion horse trainer Tru Monahan over a high-stakes bet, especially one that involves horses. And saddles. And everything else a city girl like Maggie feels uncomfortable around. But after filling in for a coworker and interviewing the handsome cowboy, she finds herself doing just that. Anything to save her advice column.

Despite Maggie's two left feet, Tru is bound and determined to bring out her inner cowgirl by teaching her to ride a cutting horse --- in Maggie's eyes, a wild beast trained to separate cattle from the rest of the herd. While her riding improves, the two grow closer, but Tru knows he can never let her into his heart --- for her own good.

In Wishing Springs, a community full of meddling --- yet well-meaning --- townsfolk, Maggie discovers a home far from what she's ever had and exactly what she's always longed for. But she's holding something back---a secret with the power to destroy her reputation and any future she's ever hoped for with the cowboy she's come to love.

My thoughts: This was a fun read. Contemporary. "Cowboy" element. Bit of romance. Clean. And for those who love 'em - horses.

As with many works of fiction, they drive me to look further into what is going on by doing a bit of research. The internet is great for that. Having no knowledge of horses, especially cutting horses, I looked it up. I read about quarter horses and training on cutting horses. This helped me enjoy the story more.

Of course, the story wasn't just about horses. It was about people and their past. About how the past effects their current lives and decisions. About the secrets we harbor. It is also about overcoming fears.

There are several characters besides the main protagonists and each of these supporting characters bring elements to the story that enrich it and further develop the theme of dealing with one's past as it effects one's present life. The courage of an unwed teen mother. The despair and wrecked life of an older gentleman. The September romance that doesn't happen.

This is a light, easy read romance without all the cheezy stuff romantic fiction usually harbors. All the characters' issues are not resolved, but there is a nice, predictable ending.  I love how the name "Hope" is interwoven throughout the story. This is a story of hope in more ways than one. 
GIVEAWAY: Use the Rafflecopter entry form. One of Chat With Vera's readers will win a copy. Begins March 1 & ENDS March 18 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author, Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist first published in 2005 and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra is the author of the acclaimed Mule Hollow Matchmaker Series, and her goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse Publicity Group to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for the review.