on dog poo...

As I was tidying up our village a bit earlier today, I saw a green plastic bag in a bush, and thought I’d pick it up to throw into the garbage.  As I got close to it, I wondered if it was someone’s bag for their dog’s poo – presumably on its way to... what, a dog poo container somewhere.

And I was reminded of how ridiculous it seems to me to put dog poo in a plastic bag, where it would seem to me it won’t be able to rot down properly – perhaps anaerobic as opposed to aerobic breakdown.  So often, it seems to me that things aren’t thought through properly.

Such as all the worry about plastic bags, and the production of ‘bags for life’.  I often use a lovely wicker basket for shopping that was my mother’s.  People frequently comment on it, and admire it.  [though, as an aside, I do wonder if supermarket staff these days are not told to pick on something unusual about a person and comment on it, so as to strike up a positive relationship – or to congratulate them on their shopping choices!].  Wicker baskets like this work really well, and could mean that the ‘bags for life’ are not necessary.  I also find that the ‘biodegradable plastic’ ones are kind of weird.

anyway, regarding dog poo, of course it is desirable not to have it in the way, and to step in it.  But, couldn’t we find a better way to dispose of it, so that it can break down properly.

ideas welcome – do post your comments or thoughts here in this blog.

cheers,

c.

a few thoughts on aloe vera

Aloe vera is well known to be a healing plant.  I remember living in Puerto Rico in the 1980s, and using the sap from plants growing there on burns, and there were also sprays produced commercially for burns, which were made of aloe.

In the UK, I often hear about Forever Living which uses aloe vera in its products, and although for some reason this kind of pyramid selling doesn’t appeal to me, I know many people who are reps, with varying degrees of financial success from it.

Recently, I thought I had sustained a chemical burn on my forehead, and used aloe vera sap on it, to help heal it, and I think it felt quite good.  Subsequently, I discovered it was in fact a shingles rash, and a health practitioner I visited recommended aloe vera for this, and kindly gave me a plant.

I don’t think it is always easy to know about these kinds of remedies, and then what to do with them, in what dose, how frequently.  My friendly practitioner suggested applying it twice a day, but I actually found it better to use at least that, and as the area felt itchy.  As the shingles faded I found myself tired of having the area covered in ‘stuff’, and reduced application.  I think I have heard among herbalists, such as Christopher Hedley, this idea of attuning to appropriate use and does, and a shiatsu colleague I was discussing this kind of thing with recently, also made a comment along these lines.

Does anyone else have any thoughts on these topics:  use of aloe vera, traditional remedies for burns and shingles, how to know what to use, in what way and how often.

cheers, c.