Debi is a multi-state and international award winner in several areas of the fiber arts. She is known especially for her designer yarns and for spinning exotic fibers. Dog, wolf, sheep and goats of course, yak, and the list goes on.  She has spun many Goldens and is known for her dog spinning. Seriously! She spins it so well that the bark is still in it when she’s done! She shares this with a childhood and ongoing love for astronomy. In this pic, Debi is looking through a telescope while spinning yarn. She’s looking through a “Sun Filter” on the front of the telescope.... Read More

Antioxidants are like the superheroes of your body.  They’re tiny molecules that protect your cells from harm caused by toxins and stress like midterms, air pollution, poor sleep, and even too much exercise. How does this happen? Toxins and stress can produce free radicals, unstable molecules that wreak havoc in the body.  But what are these free radicals? Think of them as little troublemakers – they’re unstable compounds that can mess things up inside your body, including your skin, cells, organs, and even your DNA! Never fear though, antioxidants – which we consume through... Read More

Smoothies are all the rage these days, but are they really all they’re cracked up to be? From the green vegetable variety to the more-like-milkshake fare, we’ve got the skinny on smoothies here.     Do you want to boost your health, energy, and mood with a simple and delicious drink? If so, you might want to try smoothies! Smoothies are not only tasty, but also packed with benefits for your body and mind. In this column, you will learn how smoothies can help you improve your nutrition, digestion, immunity, cognition, and more. You will also discover how to avoid... Read More

  Rocky Mountain Goat Hanging Loose While Watching Its Visitors. The Visitors Are Behind The Bars   Boulder is virtually surrounded by Rocky Mountain Goats. From the quite nearby Denver Zoo to the top of Mt. Evans, we are surrounded by these glorious proud beasts of the mountains. Whether “walking” straight up and down walls of rock, seemingly defying the laws of gravity, or basking in the sun watching the visitors to the zoo habitat, the goats are magical. Please don’t divulge this photographer’s secret! It is about impossible to take a bad picture of Rocky Mountain... Read More

  Prepped Fiber Can Be Spun on a Spinning Wheel, taken up on a Bobbin Looking directly at the sun through  a telescope, even from the Oz that we call Boulder and call Home, especially during a total solar eclipse can cause blindness. UNLESS you have a custom-made sun-viewing filter. The special filter consists of three layers of Mylar. It looks like the filter is really layers of aluminum foil.  Totally opaque. Looking at sunspots , eclipses and the like becomes safe and magical.   The “magical” is taken to a new level when Debi truly multi-tasks, viewing and spinning at the... Read More

 The Ballot in Boulder County has topics to vote on this year that if passed will not only benefit individuals but also strengthen the community as a whole. Mentioned below are some of the topics that have the potential to boost Boulder’s resilience in the long term against future threats.  Boulder Weekly has put up a voter guide with info on all the different topics to vote on this year and the ballot is available to read and for use on Boulder County’s website.  GMO Labeling Across the country, states are voting on GMO labeling that would help protect consumers’ rights to know what... Read More

 If you’ve read my blog before, then you already know that studies show 80% of all diseases people in the US are experiencing are inflammatory based.  I’ve also mentioned that inflammation used by the immune system is a good thing, but when it gets out of control, inflammation can potentially cause chronic health problems; including swollen joints, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.  One of the best ways to reduce inflammation is through diet, and cucumbers are at the top of the anti-inflammatory list.   Cucumbers help to “cool” the inflammatory response in the body by inhibiting the... Read More

80% of all diseases in the US are inflammatory based.  Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis of all types, inflammatory bowel diseases, asthma, MS, diabetes, cancer, and atherosclerosis, all have inflammatory components.  Adipose (fat tissue) is known to secrete several inflammatory factors, known as adipocytokines.  Adipose tissue also produces excessive amounts of dangerous estrogen, which promotes tumor growth. Inflammation is essential to the immune system, as it is used by the body to reduce injury and promote healing.  This is the acute critical response that we also experience when we get... Read More