Some people say that less people post then the price of Steem goes down? Not on the @ecotrain folks! This weeks highlights are jammed packed with amazing stories, solstice greetings, recipes, arts'n'crafts, health tips, advice and so much more. The @ecotrain magazine is the best magazine for amazing articles both on and off steemit as far as I'm concerned, with posts on a wide range of topics that are sure to inspire and delight just about everyone with a pulse! I hope you agree and can find a few great posts to enjoy in this week's highlights! Please leave a comment and let us know which posts you like the most and be sure to follow the passengers that you resonate with so you can see more of them in your feed!

@solarsupermama

Small Change, Big Difference: Single Use Plastic Bottles, Straws, and Other Containers

Trash is a huge problem in Belize. People don't think twice about throwing trash on the ground or out the window or putting bags of trash in a pile near the sea. It drives me nuts. In their defense, trash disposal is horrid here. And plastic bottles are everywhere. To be sure, it's really hot here. Cold water is crucial. I keep a rotation of water bottles in the freezer at all times.

Where is this all coming from?! Unfortunately, there's a bad combination. There are a lot of tourists who believe the water isn't clean, even though it is. Then there is an idea among locals that buying water makes you look wealthier. Sigh. Then, there's the cruise ships. We can add to their list of environmental crimes the drastic increase of plastic water bottle trash when they come around.

Gratitude Challenge Day 7: The Winds of Change

Let me begin with my assurances that I don’t inherently have issues with those living as I grew up. There are a few things I will speak up about, but for the most part I know y’all to be good people because I know my parents to be good people, and I know how many of my friends and their families are also good people. I remember how much nicer people were before the mainstream media started pushing us to hate one another. All that said, I am so grateful for who I am today and also for the extraordinary journey I have taken. I just want to talk a little about some of my favorite and most powerful changes, what inspired me to shift, and in some cases how those shifts interact with my “old world.”

@omdemian

INVOKING THE 4 DIRECTIONS SPIRITS - PART 2 - WEST DIRECTION -

WEST DIRECTION :

The West Direction embodies the Mother Jaguar Medicine. It is the direction of the setting Sun, of the end of the day.

This medicine is about Inner Journeying into our wisdom, into our psychic world. It helps us to learn about who we truly are, our soul contracts, our inner skills. It gives us strength and responsibility, to become the leader of our life. It relates to Water Element as it is the power to dive into our emotions to seek truth. It is the direction that supports Dream Time Work, as it seeds intentions for the Night. The journey into our Shadow. It will help us to go beyond our fears, our shame, guilt and negative judgments.

INVOKING THE 4 DIRECTIONS SPIRITS IN YOUR LIFE -part 1 - SOUTH DIRECTION

Of course, the meaning of each direction is a bit different in each tradition. From the Eastern cultures to the American natives, the understanding of what each direction brings as qualities differs, as it relates to the land where people grew. So here I will describe my own understanding, from my own experience.

SOUTH DIRECTION :
This is the direction that embodies SNAKE MEDICINE. This is adopted for ex by the Q'uero from Peru. The south brings Fire element in our life. Energy and Purification. It is a fuel and a cleanser. The Snake is close from the Earth, and slides like Water, but it has a FIRE quality.

SAFETY VS. PROTECTION

Since the 20 years that I explore the Invisible realms and the Healing Universe, there is a subject that always attracted me and fascinated me. It's Protection.

I was long obsessed by learning more and more tools about protection.
Protection from what ? I believed then from negative energies, entities, implants, geopathogenic stress, and black magic.

I learnt and tried so many techniques, tools, tricks to make sure that I was safe.
But I wasn't. I was always feeling attacked, threatened, disempowered at times.

@zen-art

Down the rabbit hole - desserts festival in Zagreb

Ever since I was little, Alice in Wonderland was my favorite story. There is something magical about that book. I have read every version and seen every movie (cartoons too). Even today, when I am an adult, Alice is still an endless source of inspiration for my art whether it is in paintings, writings or sculpture. This year's theme for the desserts festival that is taking place in Zagreb, Croatia (from 17th to 27th June) is Alice in Wonderland. Can you imagine the joy I felt when I visited the festival today?

How do we see colors - physics explained

It is time for some fun science again! Even though it says "physics explained" in the title, we will touch on some biology too. This time, physics and biology will work together and bring us closer to understanding not only the beauty of our world but also its magnificent ability to show us that beauty in all the colors of the visible spectrum. Before we begin, for all of you interested in other "physics explained" posts I have done, here is the list of those published so far:

Hand made felt necklaces - selling and accepting SBD

Here I go again! I have so many designs in my head and so many jewelry pieces already finished that it is impossible to show it all in one post. You have seen some of my work already, toys mostly and some jewelry. Today I am going to show you some of my favorite necklaces that I have made.

The reason why I love making jewelry out of felt is because felt is really light and you do not feel the weight on your body when you wear it. Being easy to work with and the fact it comes in a variety of colors is an added bonus.

@trucklife-family

How Becoming a Mother Has Fulfilled My Life- Gratitude For My Children Day 5

I have always known that I wanted to become a mother. When I was in school and we were being advised to think about our future, I always envisaged having children, even though at that time we were being told that we should be looking for suitable career's. That success and happiness lay in how we would preform academically. But my heart was never made for academics, I tried as most of us did, but my heart was always wild and wanted to be outside amongst the trees, whom I considered to be the real elders in my life.

Summer Solstice- Take The Time to Celebrate You

Nature is at it's peek, it is in total manifestation. Everything is in bloom and flourishing. We are in the time of abundance, so now is the perfect time to reap what you have sown both personally and within the natural world. It is time to celebrate that which we have brought to fruit, what we have achieved and manifested. For we are mirror images of nature. It is the time to celebrate who we are.

Now is the time to really focus on any healing that needs to happen within our lives, it is time to put into action who we wish to be,who we wish to become. To draw energy from the sun. So Today make sure to go outside, allow the Suns Rays to caress you, to re energize you.

@celestialcow

Raw food ideas: Solstice Celebration Breakfast: oats, nice cream & cacao!

Happy Solstice everyone! The longest day of the year is one of my favorite days!

I love how much energy the sunlight brings me and how little sleep can I can last on and how much I can get done in one day. The nights are so short they are gone in a blink of an eye, ready to roll on the next day. Although from now on the days technically get shorter and I also feel a slight sadness, but it's all natural to the cycle of the planet and these days are indicators for us to realign with the greater forces, that we are travelers here and time is of the essence.

Raw food ideas: Garden Salad w/ pink humus (homegrown vegetables)

I've been learning to grow food by starting small and working with the space I have.
A 10 m2 balcony that gets light from just after sunrise to about 2pm. All my food is organic, my approach is to plant quite compactly and I dont always let the plant reach full maturity, just picking them as and when I need them along the way, which thins out some space and allows the ones left to grow bigger.

@afifa

10 Rules for Raising Happy Children

What if experience shows that the secrets to raising a healthy and happy child are hidden behind simplicity? Sometimes small practical everyday actions are enough to make the role of parent lighter and more pleasant and to guarantee the child the growth and attention he deserves. Let's see them together with these 10 rules:

Observe and listen to your child: The eyes are the mirror of the soul and watching a child avoiding the superficiality allows him to feel loved, accepted, to feel that he exists for the love of mom and dad.

@nainaztengra

Why you should not give up on Steemit in this most challenging phase

Steemit has been on a good nerve wrecking stage since the last couple of months, we have been seeing it steadily decline in the last 5 months. The year started with a bang and all were in high spirits as the Steem price touched $6 but in the last few months it gradually sucked away the life of Steemit. Well we all know this is also a phase and there will be reversal trends but it may take some more months then expected, may be by end of the year we may see the trends changing.

Today is International Yoga Day - Let's Celebrate it with some Yoga 💖💖

One thing that Globally people associate India with is Yoga. India is a country with diverse culture, traditions and practices. A country of 29 States and 22 major languages where practically every State has a different culture and language is bonded with one common thing and is proud of which is YOGA, and this has also helped India gain respect and popularity in other parts of the world.

Yoga if done in the right manner and under the right guidance can bring in a lot of benefits, not only at physical level but also at mental and emotional levels. Yoga is one activity where there are no short cuts. In the times we live fitness has become a major challenge and there are lot of fast track solutions available in the market, but what benefits Yoga bring, no other practice gives that.

@wombloom

Cocreative writing: midsummer night magic, part two.

A callous hand reached out to her. Her hand almost disappeared in his, so strong and big they were. And warm... 'I'm David, son of the blacksmith. In town for some time, to give the horses new shoes and such.' That made sense, the big hands, the strong shoulders and even the warmth, coming not only from his hand but also from his smile. She caught herself staring at him with what she thought was a bit of a loony smile. Oh boy, the midsummer magic made her a little lala, this was no way to behave.

Cocreative Story: Midsummer magic

She stood there on her bare feet, along side the gigantic nettle bush that almost looked like a forest. The golden evening light made the big dented leaves look transparent and glowing, the many tiny seeds, forming an upward tassel together, gently swaying in the breeze. She wore her best summer dress, and her eyes were closed, letting the sunlight play on her face, sniffing up the slightly metallic and spicy smell of the nettles. There was magic in the air tonight and no wonder as it was the 20th of June, the forest was at it's peak of abundance.

@mountainjewel

Pollinator Habitat | Milkweeds & the Butterflies Who Love Them

This summer, I've been making a practice to carry around my Nikon DSLR. I've had it for 10 years and for a long time thought it was "too nice" to actually carry around with me and use day to day. For the past 3 years since moving to the homestead, each year I've said more and more:

I want to start getting into photography more.

And you know what, this year I have actually followed through on that. Probably early on, my lack of follow through had something to with Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the fact that I didn't have a place to charge the battery or my computer, but I digress.

Blueberries for the Win! U-Pick! (Vlog)

Today we visited the local blueberry u-pick operation about 20 miles from home.

Our blueberries are just getting established so we decided to fill up on blueberries for the winter from this well established operation. They've been at it 30 years and have a lot of berries! We rigged up a simple bucket-bungee system to facilitate 2 handed picking and we're both happy with the results. This trip is the second of the year and comes closer to the end of the picking season. I was amazed during the first visit just how busy this place was.

My video is at DLive

@ecoinstant

Homestead Caption Contest now Closed!

I am so thrilled by the outcome of the first homestead caption contest! I have learned a few things about the trending page that I will be sharing with you all soon. But what about the prizes?

Currently I am sifting through the entries to select the final winners, and should have the announcement and prizes paid by Sunday!

Steem is a blockchain with so much potential, and the more I look into new blockchain tech, the more I realize how amazing it really is that we are all here, most of us with very little tech knowledge, plugging away on our beta blockchain.

@thegreens

Should we get tired of planting Trees? A week of Trees!

If you had the opportunity to plant trees every day, would you do it? If @thegreens had the opportunity to plant trees every day, they will do it and this explains why for the second time this week (World Day to Combat Desertification Week), @thegreens has been coordinating tree planting exercises and awareness raising campaigns about desertification. On Monday 18th June, we were at Muwatsu Quarter in Mile 8 Mankon, Bamenda – North West Region of Cameroon. More details @ https://steemit.com/ecotrain/@thegreens/we-invested-trees-in-the-land-we-are-adding-the-value-of-land-and-fighting-desertification-2018wdcd

Black Swagger Poetry Slam: The Poetry of Pollution!

Polluted
that was the last time it smiled,
the last time it felt a breath of fresh air
Since we stopped caring about our actions,
Mother Earth has been polluted.

that was the last time we talked,
the last time it listened and heard me.
Ever since she came around,
My Mind has been polluted.

We invested Trees in the Land! We are adding the value of Land and fighting Desertification. #2018WDCD

Tree planting, Tree Nursery establishment, Water Catchment Protection and Football for Nature in Muwatsu Quarter - Mile 8 Mankon in a bid to commemorate the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification.

As early as 07:00AM you could see environmental stakeholders gently carry the trees to carefully pack them in tree baskets. While the Reforestation Task Force Team (RETAFO) packed 200 Trees at their Mile 6 Tree Nursery site, Kedjom-Keku CASUD got set with 400 Indigenous trees and seeds from the Misty Mountain Forests. Phone calls from Better World Cameroon indicated that their 100 Trees pledged were ready for delivery from their Bafut Ecovillage. At The Greens, members of team green were busy packing materials for the Water Catchment Protection and Community Tree Nursery Design, Construction and Management Trainings.

@rainbowrachel

My Life Abroad: The Chiangmai Chronicles Vol. 2 - Costume Party! (Let your inner child be free!)

Hello, hello beautiful soul! Sending you my love and light today! 💗 🌟

It’s been a week since I’ve last written, because life has been incredibly busy! This past week I c elebrated my 29th birthday and decided to take some time away from the computer to relax, unwind, and indulge in many of my other passions -- like painting, reading, eating, and spending time in nature. It was a lovely birthday, and I was surrounded by so many of my amazing friends and simply enjoyed basking in each other’s presence to laugh and drink and be merry. 29 is surely going to be another INCREDIBLE year.

Plus, this week has been another one FULL of events and activities and so much action. Chiang mai is always brimming with super high-quality events and activities (incredible open mic and comedy nights, music jams in botanical gardens, game nights at friends’ houses, intention setting ceremonies, pizza parties…) and it’s taking me some time to transition back into this busy, busy life while still maintaining my own personal growth and goals.

@thelaundrylady

Ever Heard of Ground Cherries?

Once you have tasted a ground cherry, you won't soon forget this sweet & tart fruit. It has a pineapple and a hint of mango taste. It has the appearance of a golden cherry tomato, but with the taste of a tropical fruit and the texture of plum. Ground cherry might be the lesser known plant in the nightshade family, but it is my favorite one to grow. This plant is also known as Cape Gooseberry, Golden Berry, Strawberry Tomato, or Husk Cherry.

Ground Cherry Ground cherries (Physalis peruviana) are native to many parts of the U.S. and can be found growing wild throughout the country. They literally grow like weeds, with a healthy plant producing hundreds of fruit. The little yellow, sweet & tart, husk wrapped fruit never let you down when you need to do some pickin up.

@artemislives

Organic & The Best Kind of Food Miles

Food miles. It's simplistic to say that the further produce has traveled, the less desirable or sustainable it is. When the farmer has personally schlepped a truck full of organic goodness in the wee small hours (often with his young children in tow) to stop his crop rotting in the field, then those food miles are not a problem, but rather a badge of honour.

Eat local, they said. But when one area produces a veritable GLUT of one kind of fruit or food, it doesn't work. Crops rot in the field, organic farmers get discouraged as their produce degrades quickly on the way to market, and some farmers even start contemplating going back to pesticides and artificial ripening techniques to extend the shelf life of their produce. Urgh....

The Newest Asian Love Hotel.

I want SEX in my newest hotel. Lots of it. Mosquito sex, that is. :) And babies. Mosquito babies. Yes, this week has seen me creating the equivalent of an Asian Love Hotel for mosquitoes. To entice them to fornicate and happily breed in my luscious, sexy, still & tranquil little pool (and no where else!). So that my colourful army of guppies can munch on the subsequent mosquito larvae and break their breeding cycle.Yup, it is RAINY SEASON here in tropical Thailand and the mosquitoes are-a-happening.

@misslasvegas

Clarity of mind can come in unexpected ways - and can be funny too!

Last weekend I brought the family to the HEN conference, an annual gathering of Homeschoolers in Ireland. This year there were about 300 people camping at the beautiful Drewstown House in Drewstown, County Meath.

I will tell you all about our trip there in another post, but what I would like to talk about now is what happened after our trip and how it cleared my mind and gave me some insights and ideas. Of course, I could have come up with it either way, but I think it sped things up a bit and besides, it's nice to share.

@vegan.niinja

STRAWBERRY-VANILLA CHIA PARFAIT Sugar Free Recipe - 2 in 1

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZSjyvd3d4MZmAFaSTNzRXBqK9R7YTvcrTTz1tBzjC7oe/niceeee%20(2%20von%202).jpg

Hi dear friends on Steemit!

How about some sweet (but sugar-free) dessert right now? Actually a strawberry-coconut ice cream with a vanilla chia pudding! Sounds good? That is exactly what it is!

I needed something cool and fresh today, so I made this super quick parfait for me and my little one. I also made a video about the process (will share with you soon!), which was quite challenging today, as my little boy wanted to play with the glasses and taste everything before the picture, but somehow I managed to take the videos and shoot the pictures before the BIG MESS happened! Yes, it was a mess! I am happy to show you the result and this easy 2 in 1 recipe!

Oat Bars with Almond-Chocolate Filling! GF & Sugar Free Recipe

https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNMWxz6CGoBsUg4yuT5Bin5CwQ56Jd5xUogNiBwcdznNY/bars%20(1%20von%203).jpg

Hi guys! How do you start your week? I always focus on building the basis for the rest of the week on Mondays, and this is my most productive day! I have created a new recipe for you today, this one is super simple and quick to make. The recipe video is coming soon, as soon as I have figured out how to cut videos and add some music to it! Would you like me to post my recipe videos here or on youtube? I will probably do both! I am reaching for the stars, and I believe I can do anything I want in life! Same goes for you, my friends!

@senorcoconut

More Capital Destined for the Dump... of course I took what I needed 😉

Off-Grid Living has been a hard but fun transition so far! I've been so busy these last few days, it's GREAT! I haven't had much time to spend on Steemit or my faforite Discord groups (I think you all know who you are!), but on top of clearing more brush, making sense of our home, building a shed, seeing family and helping a friend, I did get more junk or Treasure... depends on how you look at it.

Don't mind the mig welder, it didn't come out of a junk pile... I wasn't THAT lucky!
This handy little cart came out of my friend's junk pile. He is moving to California and was sorting through a bunch of broken and cumbersome things... The turning wheels were detatched from it's pin. It had rusted off some years ago and been sitting around waiting for me to weld it back together!!!

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