pine tea & all the moon could say

today i am going to reuse the christmas tree that my mom got us for the holidays. i will never get another one though because i feel that it is wrong to grow so many trees for a holiday and then cut all of them down and kill them. it has never really bothered me before this year, but then i started really thinking about it. ive been thinking about a lot today actually. about animals and how so many people dont know what they are actually putting into their mouths and bodies. i have watched a few documentaries today about the supermarkets that most of us shop from and buy our meats, eggs, dairy, and many other chemically filled foods and beverages. i am merely sick. it makes me want to throw up when i see what goes on in the "farms" and slaughter houses and think about the many people who either have no idea whats going on, or do know and just ignore it. they ignore it because it is so far away from them. if they ever went there though, they would think differently. i dont usually talk much about veganism because i dont want people think i am trying to control them. but seriously people. read a little.

beyond that because i cant think about it anymore. i found a baby deer that was hit by a car several months ago. he has been sitting on the side of the road for a very long time and is now completely decayed. i went for a walk with my bear friend and we came across him again. i felt very sad for him. after examining him for a long while, i decided to tell him how i wish he were still alive and in his meadow or forest. he told me to be happy and take two of his baby teeth and that i would find something to do with them later. so i took them with me on the rest of my journey. found many things along the way. some old corn husks and lonely cobs. old men sitting in their houses thinking about the fresh eggs for the next morning. smoking their pipes and dreaming of the horse hoof. the family of the baby deer. the trees and their cunning stories of the kids from the day before. i went home and turned on the lights. lit a few candles and wished there was no rent. the black squirrels in the ceilings and the unflushable toilet. i got some twine and old leather. grabbed a couple metal strings. and made a necklace for the baby deer. his words will always speak for me and for the other animal friends. he will tell them that i am here to be kind. not to shoot or drive. he will always be around my neck and in my dreams. goodbye dear deer. i will miss you

▲recycle your tree. use it for tea. they smell wonderful, and taste even better.▲

1

First, collect enough pine needles to fill the pot about half full. Wash the needles thoroughly with water. Then, place pot 3/4 full of water onto heat source.

2
Bring to boil and let boil for about 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove lid and extract needles from pot. The water color should be a light brown to yellowish. Now let the tea steep for 45 minutes to an hour. Once it has had ample steeping time, strain the tea through a coffee filter to remove smaller particles. You may need more than one filter.

3

After filtering into a pitcher, add about 2 cups sugar.(2 cups per gallon of tea) Stir well. Now you can have your pine needle tea.