Ever since childhood, I have been interested in making things that take time and effort. It’s nice to have convenient and easy things to do, but I was not interested in them. My elementary school teacher and my parents called me “slow” since I took longer than others to do many things. So, when I…
Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 3
Nalu and Kai’s puppies enjoyed their weaning food, and the weaning stage went very successfully. As they ate weaning food, I could see they grew much more and started to show their dognality (personality) a lot.
If you missed Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 1 and Part 2 here are the links:
They played with each other, also with Nalu mama and Kai papa and continue played with Eric (my husband) and me very often. They had fun with many different toys and cat’s tunnel.
They became more active, so Nalu mama’s job is mostly done feeding and cleaning. My turn to take care of puppies has come into the spotlight. I needed to spend more time cleaning them up, feeding homemade puppy food, play and take care of them carefully with love.
As much as I spent my time and committed to puppies, I felt that this was essential work and my favorite time.
I think Eric had so much fun in their whelping box and play-pen.
This is a sample schedule that I and Eric did for puppies every day.
I did not write here, but we sang, danced and slept together also.
6 am: When puppies got up, they did poo and pee right away, so I cleaned up them and whelping box. Hugged each puppy and told “good morning” and “I love you so much!” and played with them, and they also played with each other while I was preparing homemade food for them. Fed them and made sure they had enough food. If they were not eating enough, they were just licking and wandering around. If they ate enough, they did poo and pee again (of course, I had to clean up again), and they played and fell asleep again.
Meantime, of course, I had to take care of their parents, Nalu, Kai and two aunties and one uncle with their homemade food and took them out to the yard. Also, fed cats’ family and cleaned their litters.
This whole thing took about 2 hours.
8 am: Ate my breakfast and rest a little bit and take care of other things.
9 am: Set up the play-pen in the living room or if the weather was suitable then set up the play-pan outside.
10 am Puppies got up, cleaned up again, moved puppies to the play pan, gave snack and played again.
This time, when I cleaned their body (fur), I rub/massaged with an organic cloth (cotton or hemp), dip in a loquat leaves warm water. They loved this body(fur) rub a lot. Loquat leaves are very medicinal. Read my blog ” Loquat Leaves Body Acrub/Rub”
I comb them also then massaged their paw as they need and they fell asleep. I took some of the dogs out for a walk.
12:30 am: When lunchtime came, they got up so I cleaned up again and fed lunch and cleaned up another time and played and slept. Then I ate my lunch. Take other dogs out for a walk.
3 pm: As they were getting up, I cleaned up again, gave snack and played also, and I gave Animal Reiki this time, and they went back to sleep right away.
5 pm: They got up, I cleaned up, fed dinner, and played again and they just stayed around me in the living room and played each other while I was preparing my dinner or watched Netflix or news or Japanese show.
7 pm: Ate my dinner and checked puppies how they were doing.
9 pm: They got up, I cleaned up and played and moved them to whelping box to sleep.
Additionally, they love to play and talk with us.
They also really enjoyed holistic modalities (animal massage, animal reiki, etc.) and gentle touch.
It is so privileged for me to be their human mom and to take care of them and choose what good for them.
I wish I could keep them all, but physically I can’t take care of all of them as they grow bigger, so one of the necessary commitments for me to do is finding a trusted people to be their guardians.
I have met wonderful people through this process, and also some of my friends, students, and clients became my dog family.
Once in a while, some people would say what I want to hear, and they did not keep their words to raise puppies holistically or mindfully or blame me when something happened. So finding suitable guardians are not easy and have created my heartache and sadness. But I believe they came into my life to teach something, and wherever they go, they would teach everyone there too.
No matter where these puppies have gone to live in a new home, I continue to communicate with them and send metta to them because they are my dog’s grandchildren.
The puppies are leaving home usually around 8 weeks old. I need to get ready for puppies to leave home completed the weaning stage, giving the first puppy vaccination a few days before they leave home, and deworm them the next day.
Conventional veterinarians would give the first puppy vaccination 6 weeks or sometimes even younger, but we wait till close to 8 weeks and also giving them only necessary vaccinations, which Distemper-parve only/puppy DPV and deworming separating date.
Unfortunately, most conventional veterinarians give maximum vaccinations of 5 combinations at once and give deworm on the same day which is very harsh for puppies. I thought that I had to give all these 5 combination vaccinations, but it is not true. I found out the truth after I met a holistic veterinarian and studied myself about vaccinations.
I appreciate holistic veterinarian doctor Sally Lane who wrote Healthy Happy Pooch book forward to have taught me so much about vaccinations and other holistic approaches.
Here are photos of puppies getting check up to be ready for their first vaccination by holistic veterinarian doctor Sally Lane before they left the home. The number of puppies are the order of birth.
Getting vaccination from a holistic veterinarian doctor is important so you are not giving them vaccination at too young age and only unnecessary vaccination it means give only necessary vaccination to puppies and not maximum vaccination and no mercury and unhealthy preservative vaccinations. The better and safer vaccines have limited antigens.
Love,
Sanae ❤️
Language of flowers 1 Japanese Ume Plum
Have you heard Language of flowers?
If you never heard of it, you are not alone.
It is known as “Hana Kotoba” in Japan, the direct translation is “flower word”.
I never heard anybody talk Hana Kotoba in English so I had to check and it shows Language of flowers and Wikipedia said Floriography (language of flowers) is a means of cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_of_flowers
Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced in traditional cultures throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.
I heard “Hana Kotoba” when I was around 8 years old when I started to have interested grown my own flowers. I was curious that each flower has meaning and I have thought of it whenever I grow flowers and plants and felt connections with them.
As I grew up I have started to use Language of flowers meaning when I send flowers to family, friends or people and let them know why I chose this flower for them. I believe that people who received flowers appreciate more than just receiving the flowers and I feel joy using Language of flowers too.
It is wonderful for me to share Language of flowers with you!
My first language of flowers that I picked is Japanese Ume Plum Flower.
I chose it because it is also a January flower in Japan (now I looked at the date and it is the end of January, but I made it!).
As I checked Language of flowers on https://hananokotoba.com/hanakotoba-ichiran/
Japanese Ume Plum Flower showed Language of flowers in Japan,
「nobility」, 「faithfulness」, and 「patience」
and in the West,
「Keep your promise」,「fidelity」and「beauty and longevity」
I did not realize there were different meanings, but I thought that is understanding too.
My father had a Japanese Ume tree in the garden which was just a flowering ume tree so no plums and it was a beautiful reddish color.
The one I shared here is the Japanese Ume Plum Flower that produces plums.
You might hear that Japanese Ume pickles (Umeboshi).
It is a medicinal and traditional pickle of salty and sour in Japan.
I have been making my own Japanese Ume plum pickles every year with organic California Ume plums. Last year I made famous Japanese “Nankou” Ume Plum pickles, Enzyme juice, Jam, and Sauce.
My friend, Kazuko used to make her Umeboshi plum of organic Northern California so I also offer aged Umeboshi plums that she made and my Umeboshi plums if you are interested.
If you know how to use/eat Umeboshi plums then they will help for longevity just like one of Language of flowers meanings so whoever made this language of flowers meaning knew that Japanese Ume plum can be medicinal.
This year I am trying to grow my Japanese Ume plum tree so I hope to see the flowers someday in January.
Love,
Sanae ❤️
New Year Sunrise and Sunset Wish
I feel fortunate to keep some of the Japanese traditions, especially I have been keeping “Hatsuhinode” Japanese tradition for many years here in America.
“Hatsuhinode” is viewing the first sunrise of the New Year.
According to both Shinto belief and Buddhist tradition, “Toshigami”—the god of the new year, harvests, and the spirits of ancestors—arrives when the sun rises on New Year’s Day. If you stand outside and make a wish during the sunrise, you will be blessed by Toshigami and your wish will come true during the year to come.
I have two dreams of “Hatsuhinode”. One is to view the New Year sunrise from Mt. Ryugatake to see “Diamond Fuji” and the other one is to climb up to Mt. Fuji to view the New Year sunrise.
Because I have had physical challenges both mechanical parts and internal organs past 27 years so these are probably just dreams, but I enjoyed viewing “Hatsuhinode” from Santa Monica mountain every year with my husband, Eric, and the dogs’ family. I remembered that I even went to see New Year sunrise when I was in a wheelchair so I will continue to view it for a long time.
My New Year sunrise routine is no matter what time I go to bed at new years’ even night, I get up about 5 am and leave home around 5:30 am.
New Year’s sunrise time is usually just before 7 am, but every new year’s morning has different weather.
I remember one new year it was so foggy and could not see anything, but just before new year’s sunrise came up it got cleared up.
It was the mysterious new year’s sunrises I ever saw.
I love to be on the hill when it is still dark and the sky is indigo blue and slowly reddish-orange light is oose out.
I believe this is the quietest moment of the year and I am able to feel the silence before the god of the new year coming.
I have experienced unconsciously the peaceful joy of tears wet my cheek which is very precious.
This year of 2021, it was very windy.
When I hiked up the mountain wind blow so strong I was almost blown away.
The wind blew off and bought New Year’s sunrise clear and blighter.
Since 2020 was a very upheaval and challenging year of Corona Covid-19 various pandemic for the whole world.
It was a sad and difficult time.
Because of stage IV lymphoma cancer that I had three years and a half ago, I have been taking care of myself carefully. I started “a new me” life and have been practicing social distance before the pandemic came, so I am kind of used to it, but of course, I feel lonely to not see a few frineds that I was seeing and spend time going out for lunch and dinner.
My husband, Eric and I do our best to be kind to each other more than ever and practice self-empathy.
We found out some of our friends got Covid-19 various after Thanksgiving and flighting right now so my wish for this 2021 New Year sunrise…
“Wishing us and everyone in the world a safe, healthy, peaceful, and healing new year!
And full recovery for people in the world including our friends to heal soon.”
There is no Japanese tradition to go to New Year sunset and make a wish, but I thought making another wish or more wish with gorgeous New Year sunset might give us a more excellent spirit start so we also went to see the New Year sunset at Santa Monica beach.
We watched sunrise and sunset on New Year’s day; we appreciate “Sun” so much. Sun’s hard work for us, earth, and nature.
No matter what, the sunrise shows blight light, which I feel hope and strength, and the sunset promises us faith and trust for the next day.
Sun is truly god for us!
Sunrise, Sunset!
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as they gaze
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears
Nature always teaching us, humans.
Let’s notice the blight side over dark shadow and enjoy this moment!
New Year Elderberry Mocktail
The last day of 2020.
The whole world has been to go through an upheaval year.
This America has had the most Covid 19 virus-infected in the whole world;19,455,045 cases and 350,778 death was reported so far.
The sad year of 2020.
Not Pandemic related, but I have had my own painful experienced this year.
I have been meditating every day more mindfully observe and purified my mind to see the blight side.
I’m ready for the new year of 2021.
Christmas weekend, Eric and I went to North Fork, California (near Yosemite) with our six dogs and two cats family.
For the first time, we just did not do much, ate, slept, did meditation, walked in nature, and watched Netflix.
We came back to Santa Monica and we had lots of rain three days ago.
It was a beautiful day today.
Looked at the sky and felt sunlight.
I spent a slow relaxing time and just planted shallots in the planter on the rooftop garden.
Usually, I feel I needed to plant much more after rain, but it was just shallots and I was satisfied and relaxed.
I am learning to do much less.
Animal family is also relaxed when I am relaxed.
I am grateful for this relaxing last day of 2020.
Grateful to have health and welcome 2021.
Grateful to Eric and the animal family to live with me.
Grateful to family, friends who support my soul.
Grateful to my garden, trees, flowers, plants, and birds.
Grateful to sky, sun, moon, ocean, mountain, and nature.
Grateful to be able to write this blog.
Grateful to people who read my blog.
Grateful to 12 steps program.
Grateful to Vipassana meditation.
Grateful to macrobiotics practice.
Grateful to myself.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
I want to introduce a tasteful new year mocktail (none alcohol cocktail) with elderberry which I love to make tea and introduce on my blog before
I am in 12 steps program and sober for almost 36 years so I am looking forward to drinking this special mocktail to enjoy.
New Year Elderberry Mocktail
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients
- Peach juice
- Infused elderberry and white grape juice (*see below how to make)
- Lime juice
Directions
- Fill a champagne flute or a glass about halfway with peach juice.
- Gently pour infused elderberry and grape juice over the top to create layers of color.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice to add.
- Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Using a spoon to catch the initial splash helps to maintain the two-tone color.
*Infused Elderberry and White Grape Juice
Makes 6-8 drinks
Ingredients
- 8 ounces organic white grape juice
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup dried elderberries, to taste
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup dried lemon peel, to taste
Directions
- Put all ingredients into a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Heat to approximately 200°F, just before boiling.
- Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let infuse for 30 minutes.
- Strain the grape juice into a separate pint jar.
- Store infused-grape juice in the refrigerator—it should be used within 5 days.
Recipes source from https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/elderberry-bellini
Love,
Sanae ❤️
Loquat Leaves Body Scrub/Rub
I moved to the house where I live now in 1985.
When I moved, I noticed right away my next neighbor, the older couple, Joe and Virginia, had a big beautiful loquat tree ( I think it was about 20 feet) in their back yard.
I just moved and I did not know them yet, but I had to give my compliment to them about their loquat tree. Joe and Virginia did not know much about loquat except it produce fruits. I told them leaves have health benefits in Japan and Asia.
The loquat trees that I see here in the Santa Monica area produce smaller and little sour fruit than those I saw and tasted in Japan. But I am grateful to see loquat trees are here.
I got loquat leaves from Virginia and made tea and extract for wound and skin inflammation like my mother made in Japan. Later, I got a seedling of a loquat tree from the next neighbor and started to grow my own loquat tree in my garden. It took time to grow, but it has been growing well and I have been using their leaves for making medicinal teas, skin compresses, medicinal hot water for body scrub/rub, and moxibustion treatment.
* Loquat (<i>Eriobotrya japonica</i> Lindl.) is a subtropical fruit tree with high medicinal value native to China. Different organs of loquat have been used historically as folk medicines and this has been recorded in Chinese history for thousands of years.
** Also, Loquat leaves are listed for their health benefits in Japanese Pharmacopoeia (Nippon Yakkyoku-hō,) the official record of approved medicinal herbs, published by the Government of Japan since 1886.
* sauce from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187783/
** sauce from https://wawaza.com/pages/how-to-make-loquat-leaves-tea-biwa-cha-japanese-way/
Loquat flowers are modest-looking and the color is very pale cream. It is the season right now to bloom here.
Most people here in America don’t know much about loquat leaves benefits so I want to introduce what I use for it every day as body/rub today here. I will write about loquat tea some other time.
Generally, in macrobiotics practice, we recommend body scrub/rub.
The body scrub/rub helps activate circulation and better energy flow through the entire body. It helps to discharge excess fat accumulated under the skin and open pores to promote smooth and regular elimination of any toxins. It also promotes clean, clear skin.
The body scrub/rub can be done once or twice daily, in the morning and/or at night, before or after a shower or bath, but apart from it.
I add loquat leaves because in Japan, where I grew up using loquat leaves as a traditional cure for preventing and treating respiratory ailments and have many benefit of preventing and treating respiratory ailments.
Also, loquat leaves contain compounds demonstrated to lower blood lipid and sugar levels and alleviate inflammatory skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis (eczema.)
I love the earthy greenish (when you use fresh leaves) aroma of loquat leaves when I apply scrub/rub to my face and body every morning.
I did it when I was taking chemotherapy, when I broke my legs, when I was going through PTSD, when I was feeling “shit” and sad, and loquat leaves body scrub/rub always have helped me and lift me up to start my day.
If you are going through your hands/fingers or legs with side effects from chemotherapy (neuropathy, nerve pain, numbness, or weakness) like I did or/and other medications, you soak your hands and legs in loquat leaves hot water (it should be very hot, but not too hot to get burn yourself) and rub/massage them inside the hot water.
Doctors don’t know this kind of holistic healing method so if you ask them, they might not recommend it. You are taking medication so you have to do this for yourself with commitment. It works for me so I do this every day. I hope you try it for at least three months and get the benefit.
Here is how to make and apply medicinal loquat leaves hot water for body scrub/rub:
- Add two heaping tablespoons of loquat leaves (dried or fresh) to 4 cups of cold water in a stainless pot.
- Heat to a full, rolling boil.
- Turn heat down and let simmer for 15~20 minutes.
- Strain the leaves and put medicinal liquid in a bowl of glass or stainless (not plastic).
- When you can put your hands in, then dip your organic washcloth (cotton or hemp), squeeze or wring out excess liquid and start scrub/rub your whole body one section at a time and dip the cloth and squeeze or wring out the liquid again.
- If it gets cold, must heat it.
- I start from my face, ears, neck, shoulders, chest, arms, hands, fingers, belly, back (you might need a longer cloth if you want to do it all by yourself), thighs, legs, feet, toes, and I go back up and also do the area I have pain, pressure, or discomfort.
- The skin should become pink or slightly red. This result may take a few days to achieve if the skin is clogged with accumulated fats.
For your animal family:
When you apply loquat leaves scrub/rub for animals (puppies/dogs & kittens/cats) make medicinal hot water shorter simmering time of 5 ~ 10 minutes to make it less intense and make sure to cool it down so it is not too hot for them. If they taste or drink it, there is no harm, but if they are especially puppies and kittens, I will not encourage them to drink because it might be too stimulating. After all, their digestive system is too venerable.
It is beneficial if your animal has skin issues and fleas’ itchiness. It will soothe their skin and help and preventing fleas if you apply every day.
Especially, puppies and kittens up till 1-year-old at least are fragile and fleas love their skin. I would never recommend any chemical flea treatments and flea shampoo to puppies and kittens so instead, I gave them gentle scrub/rub using this loquat leaves warm water for them after I comb with a flea comb. I will write about this subject another time that how much these chemical is harming our beloved animal family.
Below is Lani, who is four months old, getting loquat leaves body scrub/rub and he enjoyed it so much and was getting sleepy. You can see the liquid I made for him is much lighter than the one I use for me above photo.
I do this for myself every morning, almost no matter what.
I also recommend and offer it for my family including animal family, friends, and my clients, whenever I can.
If you do not have loquat leaves, you can scrub/rub your body with sea salt hot water: 4 cups hot water with one tablespoon sea salt. For animals, use one teaspoon sea salt.
If you do not have sea salt then just do with hot /warm water.
I know that scrub/rub helps my skin and my bloodstream move smoothly and purify and activate my blood. Also, help my animal family getting benefits for their health.
I hope this blog helps you and your animal family’s health.
Love,
Sanae ❤️
Raising Healthy Happy Puppies Part 2
Nalu (mother) and Kai (father)’s puppies are growing smoothly.
These puppies have been teaching me about what preciousness is in life.
After three weeks old, some puppies’ teeth started to show up, but some of them had no sign of teeth so I could see their growth difference as much as their dognality (personality).
Nalu is a tall, slender, active dog so she did not grain too much weight when she got pregnant. After she gave birth, she lost weight. I want to make sure she gains weight.
Nalu ate lots of protein (beans, tofu, natto, etc. ) and sweet rice, which helps produce milk and gain weight. She also ate mochi (sweet rice cake) with nori seaweed every day.
She ate three times a day and morning snack and afternoon snack and after dinner snack.
Four weeks old, all the puppies’ teeth are growing and they started to play with each other so much. I knew that weaning time was coming so I started to make their fast weaning food.
I have done this many times, but I was hoping that this litter puppies also like my homemade weaning food for the first time.
These are some recipes I have been using and published in my Healthy Happy Pooch (HHP) book.
Puppies weaning food for breakfast and lunch (ingredients are all organic)
4 tablespoon rolled oat
4 tablespoon soy, almond, oat, or rice milk, soaked
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon raw carob
1 teaspoon apple sauce
1 pinch slippery elm
1 pinch powder kelp
1/2 tsp flax seed meal
1/2 teaspoon Vegedog supplement
Mixed in a blender in the beginning.
They loved my food!
Look at Lani’s face.
As they grow, I add boiled sweet potato, broccoli, and carrot to their breakfast and lunch food.
Also, I add cooked beans and pasta instead of conventional puppy food (kibbles or canned food).
The pasta is very digestible and chewable so they like a lot.
Snack and Treats (ingredients are all organic) for the mid-morning and mid-afternoon
- Fruits: Apple sauce and/or mashed banana
- Cooked vegetables: carrot, sweet potato, squash, or soft broccoli
- Cooked whole-grain pasta
- Whole-grain bread with seed butter (pumpkin or sunflower) or dipped in lukewarm vegetable/miso soup or fruits juice
- HHP homemade sweet vegetable paste for puppies (Healthy Happy Pooch (HHP) page97)
- HHP homemade chia seed pudding and sesame seed paste (Healthy Happy Pooch (HHP) page 102)
- Nori (dried sea vegetables)
- Natural, organic plant-based dry puppy food
Puppies weaning food for dinner (ingredients are all organic)
1/4 cup beans soft-cooked pureed
1/8 cup brown rice soft-cooked, pureed
1/8 cup raw carrot, grated
1/8 cup raw leafy greens (kale or collard), finely minced
1 pinch powder kelp
1 1/2 teaspoon lukewarm vegetable soup or purified water (moisten food, if necessary)
1/2 teaspoon flax seed meal
1~2 tablespoons Natto (fermented soybeans )
Mixed in a blender a little bit.
Quantity needs to change/add as they have grown, also depending on what kind and size of the puppy.
I believe all my animal families come to me to teach me so I am grateful to learn more.
One more thing I cut their nails for the first time.
As you see, I did while they were asleep.