I don’t know if it’s the same where you are, but this week in Southern Maryland there’s been a change in the weather. The rustle of the breeze amongst the trees has shifted, the heat is less oppressive and the mornings and evenings are noticeably cooler; it would seem we are already transitioning into fall. Maybe all seasons seem like they come and go in a blink once they’re over but this summer seemed to go by exceptionally fast. I strongly suspect that having the comfort of central AC has helped with that.

From the beginning of summer until now a lot of things have happened and changed- especially since coming back from Los Angeles in early August. I found that attending BlogHer16 in LA this year was exceptionally useful and I felt much more prepared than I had been last year. I actually learned a lot more about my blog and my focuses when talking with other bloggers and was reminded that I- and this blog- am still going through a transition. While I initially declared A Little Rosemary and Time a food and recipe blog, my focuses have changed and I am working to talking more about general health and wellness and along those lines, living sustainably. With that in mind, I should be changing the setup and appearance of this page and releasing it soon.

So a lot of exciting things have been happening behind the scenes recently, many of which will be showing up more in the blog so I wanted to share a little overview with you!

Graduate School:

First on the list- I’ve decided on which graduate schools I’m applying to this spring! Last spring I finally finished the last of the prerequisite classes I needed and so I’ll be spending the fall working on applications and getting everything just right!

Herbal Course:

With all the gardening I’ve been doing and my increasing interest in learning more about the different natural properties of weeds, plants and wild-harvested plants, I decided to take the plunge: I signed up for an Introductory Herbal Course through The Herbal Academy. I’m hoping to be able to identify more wild plants and have more knowledge on what to do with them!

Spinning:

Earlier this summer I was certified as a Spinning Instructor. Since I got back from LA, I have been teaching a ton- 5-6X a week- it’s been crazy! It can be exhausting at times, as I’ve been on-call a lot which is why I’ve been teaching so much but it’s been a lot of fun. I really enjoy helping to motivate others in my classes!

Realistically, I’ve been super sore though- especially because I’ve been using the classes as an excuse to make sure I get the rest of my weight training done (after all, I’m already at the gym). But my muscles have been starting to build back up again!

Essential Oils:

Coinciding with my herbal studies, I’ve taken an interest in exploring and learning more about essential oils and their uses. In early January I shifted away from using a lot of mainstream lotions and body care items. As I have acne-prone skin, I started using tea tree oil diluted with jojoba oil, which has been working wonderfully.

When I was out in LA, I was introduced to an essential oils company called Rocky Mountain Oils. As I have very little experience with essential oils, other than using tea tree for my face, I was very interested. I was able to try a few products but was still relatively skeptical until I tried their Pain Ease when I got back. My neck was completely out of whack, stiff and sore from taking a redeye flight back to the east coast- it was so bad I couldn’t even turn my head. I won’t lie- I was genuinely astounded when I found that each time I massaged the essential oil blend into my neck, it felt immediately better! I ended up using it 2-3X a day for the next few days (yeah, traveling around for 2 weeks and flying overnight can really do a number on your back and neck) and it really helped a lot throughout the day!

So back to present time: I’ve started trying out more of the products and with fall and winter coming, I’m looking forward to working with a lot of their oils to help with colds and immunity building.

Currently however, because my muscles been pretty sore from all the Spinning classes and weight training, I tried out a recipe from their page for a massage oil for sore muscles. I’ve started using it daily after showering and this “hot” oil blend seems to really help alleviate the general stiffness and soreness I’ve been experiencing.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using this link. This is no extra cost to you and helps me support myself and keep this blog going. I only work with and recommend companies that I believe and support myself!

Sore Muscle Rub- Essential Oils for Muscle Pain

Recipe from Rocky Mountain Oils

3 drops Sports Pro
2 drops Pain Ease
2 tablespoons FCO (or some sort of neutral “carrier oil” so that you aren’t applying the essential oils directly to your skin without diluting it- I’ve been using Grapeseed Oil)

Massage into affected areas. Pay special attention to targeted areas!