I found out how truly delicious stinging nettles could be when I chucked them into a soup I have made for years. This recipe is so simple and easy, no puree involved, and nearly all ingredients are modifyable!  I found a few small Smilax tips and chucked them in as well. I ended up adding another potato too. So, here it is: Peel and dice a few (3 or so) potatoes and one onion. Put on to boil in just enough water to get the job done, salt & pepper to taste. While this is boiling, chop your cup or two of greens. Be careful not to get stung!  When your potatoes are tender, dump your chopped greens in and simmer them down for several minutes, with a pat of butter tossed in.  After your greens have simmered in, add enough whole milk to rise the liquid in the pot almost an inch, cut up a block of cream cheese, plop that in with a glob of sour cream. Now let all that melt in there on low so it does not burn. After its all melted, its done, enjoy! 

I wish I could say that my hair has not changed after menopause, but it has. I have become a much less oily person, a much less hairy person, a more wrinkled and fragile skinned person, and my wattles are here til the end. My hair is like spider webs now. Each strand annoyingly fine and prone to tangling. I have learned to be ok with once a week washings, a faux silk pillowcase, and a boar bristle brush. Those really do wonders on spider silk hair! A lot of crones my age opt for short hair but I find it just as easy to keep mine in a braid. Cover the growing grays? Helll naw, I am letting it shine. Since my scalp is now extremely slow at exuding its own protective oils, I do a pre wash rosemary olive oil treatment the day before I wash. My thirsty scalp drinks most of it by the next day, here lately. Then, I mix about 2 tablespoons aritha powder with 1/4 teaspoon of slippery elm powder in a silver pitcher with enough warm springwater to make it like a pudding. I work this into my hair from the scalp out. I let it sit for a bit, then I rinse thoroughly. I do not need a detangler after this regimen. I also never use any heat styling or blow drying. I discovered the spider silk hates that. Festus Bones has nothing to do with human hair care, other than occasionally licking mine and looking adorable all of the time.