Sincerely Samski

A LOT of people are very judgmental about how hardcore organic I can be. I think that the benefits of organic meats and produce on our own health are generally well understood. They have more nutrients, taste better, and contain less pesticides, chemical, hormones, antibiotics and other drugs that we don't want to be putting into our bodies. What I think is less widely understood is the toll that conventional farming practices take on our environment, REGARDLESS of the type of produce. I can't tell you the how often i see people completely disregard organic labels on specific produce staples. I'll hear "But Sam, things like bananas, oranges, pineapples and avocados have peels that act like a layer of armor, protecting the insides from chemicals and pesticides." Sure, this is a solid argument for anyone who is ONLY concerned with themselves. But there is a whole big world out there people. It's important to remember that the conventional farming system p...

I spent the last weekend visiting a friend in Whispering Pines, North Carolina. I had always heard her talk about the natural soaps that she made as gifts and I was very interested in seeing how the process worked. She eagerly whipped out all of her supplies and turned the kitchen of her home into an all-natural soap production line.  I really enjoyed the process and spending time with her whole family as we made each soapy loaf. Assessing the quality of each product that we used got me thinking about the quality of the products that we use everyday. We all want to do what is best for ourselves personally. But how often do we stop to think, what are the ingredients in this product I'm putting on my body? Are they natural? Are they organic? Does it contain anything that could be harmful? Admittedly, I was someone who had just that morning washed their face with an over the counter Neutrogena type gel of which I had no idea the ingredients.  I noticed myself selecting...

Girona is a small medieval city with a lot of history. Traveling to Girona from Barcelona can be done by train, bus or rental car. We arrived in Girona that afternoon after our day trip to Figueres to see the Salavaldor Dali Museum. Finding parking was not the easiest task, but after about 15 minutes of circling parking areas close to our Air B&B in the city, we were able to find a spot open up. We began the 15 minute walk from the parking lot to our the apartment and, much to our surprise, found a stairway leading up to the top of a wall that we just couldn't resist. We discovered walkways on top of the Roman walls surrounding the Old Quarter. We walked along the top of the wall, stopping at each of its towers to get a better look from higher up. We were able to see all the way to the Pyrenees Mountains. The sun was setting as we made it to the end of the walkway, which was blocked off just before the beginning of the Cathedral. We passed the bottom of the Cath...

 We picked up a rental car in Barcelona with plans to head towards Cadaques for the evening, but not before a quick stop at the monastery in the mountains, Monsurrat. The drive took a little over the hour and required navigating many windy roads up the mountain. Looking down over the neighboring regions was indescribable. The pictures did not do this view justice. I could see all the way to snow topped mountains. On the other side of the mountain, Barcelona was visible in the distance. As we walked towards the cathedral, we saw numerous sculptures, each one out-doing the next.  We first made our way into a courtyard area with an amazing façade with a clock and additional sculptures. The detail was incredible.  The thirteen apostles staggered were a sight to see. Balconies of the rooms on either side of the building completed either side. Mass was just coming to an end as we entered the church.  The golden arches and alter made for the most re...