Is Beeswax the Cure for Allergy Suffering?

AAACHOOOO!!! My conversation was cut short as I hastily whipped my head to the left and brought up my arm just in time to block my sneeze before covering the lady two feet in front of me with a goobery barrage of Chris germs. “¡Perdóneme!” I said while fervently searching my pockets for anything to wipe my nose with. I had inconveniently used the last of my tissue paper just minutes before. The only option was to keep my arm up in front of my face; to bring it down would mean displaying to the world the inner workings of my nasal cavity.

The sneeze had made my eyes water, adding to their itchy redness. “I’m not sick,” I hastily commented. “It’s just allergies; they’re killing me!”

The lady backed behind her entry-way door, sure that I was sick and contagious. “Then you should chew some beeswax,” she hastily replied. Though my arm still covered my face, our eyes made brief contact. Hers said, “Duh!” and mine said, “Are you crazy?”

The notion of chewing beeswax to cure allergies seemed preposterous to me—so preposterous, in fact, that I have never forgotten it. That was 10 years ago in Ipala, Guatemala, and I could still take you to the exact door where I sneezed. Not that it really matters (it was red, by the way), but it’s fun to think about visiting my old sneezing grounds. It’s almost like marking my territory, but we won’t go there. Moving on…
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A Peach Full of Memories

Of all the fresh fruits I look forward to eating the most each year, peaches rank the highest (raspberries take a very close second). Peaches are better than candy–and I don’t care how much sugar content they have, I can eat six thousand and one in a single sitting and remain 100% guilt free.

This morning I blended up the last of my second bushel. When only four peaches remained in the box, I realized that if I didn’t eat one of them, I would most likely not have another fresh peach until September of next year. Without a second thought I cut it open, removed the pit and skin and sunk my teeth into its juicy flesh. My taste buds knew exactly what to expect and they weren’t disappointed. But what I didn’t expect was the flood of memories that came rushing into my head with that first bite.
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How to Make Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake

How to Make Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake

As a kid I really disliked pumpkin flavored desserts. My gag reflex would automatically kick in as I mushed the pumpkin around in my mouth. Thinking back, it must have been the texture that really turned me off–most likely a mental thing. Thank goodness though that my tastes have changed over the years, or I would be missing out on some excellent foods (Asian dishes in particular) and desserts. Although I’m still not a raving fan of pumpkin desserts, I’m getting more used to, and even enjoying a number of them. Today’s post and recipe (pumpkin-swirl cheesecake) is one of those pumpkin delights that my anti-pumpkin taste buds have taken a liking to, joining the small list of pumpkin dishes I enjoy. At the top of that list is Great Harvest’s pumpkin chocolate chip bread, which I crave this time of year.

And now that I’m in the middle of writing this post, I realize I don’t have much else to say about it. Give this recipe a try, it really is good (that’s supposed to be convincing, by the way). On another note, after taking a picture of this delicious pumpkin dessert I decided that I needed to buy some different dishes for taking pictures in the fall. I think sunflowers are a little out of season, ha ha.
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