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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2018)
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Wednesday, November 21, 2018 East Oregonian Page 7C Give the gift of slowing down Use the slow lane when choosing holiday gifts By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press N EW YORK — The world is fast and furi- ous. Why not slow it down for the holidays? Ways to achieve that lofty goal are plentiful. Some ideas on how to give the gift of slow living: THE SLOW HOME PODCAST: The podcast is hosted by the Australian Brook McAlary, a mother of two. She’s a 30-some- thing writer from the Blue Mountains near Sydney who suffered severe post- natal depression in 2011. That’s when she decided to embrace minimalism and simplicity in her life. In addition to the podcast, she has written two books: “SLOW: Simple Living for a Frantic World” and “Des- tination Simple: Everyday Rituals for a Slower Life.” THE ART OF SLOW GROWING: For loved ones with a green thumb, and those who aspire, set them up with seeds and everything else they need to get their hands in soil and plant. The shop SmartSeed- sEmporium on Etsy offers a way to grow a living sculp- ture, the Queen Victoria agave plant . With a spi- ral of deep green leaves, it grows slowly and can reach a foot tall and wide. Mature plants, considered hardy and drought tolerant, can cost up to $1,000. For $4.99, gift 20 seeds. Queen Victorias can live for several decades and spike reddish-purple blooms. This Etsy seller offers a variety of rare, exotic seeds from the around the world as well, but the queen seeds hail from the United States. WALKING STICKS: For people who aspire to walk more, appreciate the woods, get out to the local park trails or get just an hour outside to get the blood flowing, do it in style with a walking stick or cane. In addition to specialty % makers and hiking stores, bigger chains are in on the idea. Bed, Bath & Beyond carries a 48-inch twisted oak walking stick in red for $55.99. It has others along the same lines in different wood and color schemes. A site called Fashionable- canes.com is full of options, including a hazel walking stick handcrafted in Ireland . $53.99. Antique canes and sticks are all over eBay if your gift recipient likes retro. WRAP UP MY CALM BLANKET: Do you know somebody who feels they’re failing at sleep? The folks at MyCalmBlanket have bor- rowed a tool used to soothe anxiety and other sleep disrupters — a weighted blanket. The cotton inner blanket uses glass beads to provide mild pressure based on body weight. The blanket, which measures 48 inches by 72 inches, should weigh 7 to 12 percent of the sleeper. For a person who weighs 80 to 100 pounds, for example, a 10-pound blanket would do. An outer duvet, in a gray square quilted design, is made of minky, a soft poly- ester velour. The creators caution that the blanket should not be used by anyone who likely would not be able to remove it on their own. Buying the right weight is key oth- erwise. It comes in four weights, from 10 pounds to 25 pounds. Search around because many other weighted blan- kets are available. This one, intended for use year- round by one person at a time, costs $169.99 for the 10-, 15- and 20-pound ver- sions, and $199.99 for the 25-pound blanket. BUDDHA BOARDS & SAND GARDENS: A token gift or actually pretty Zen? Your gift recipient may get a tickle out of one of these either way. Buddha Boards come in a range of styles and sizes now. They provide a surface for creating fleeting designs with water, a bamboo brush, a bowl and a stand to catch drips included. Mini Zen sand gardens SmartSeedsEmporium via AP AP Photo/Sourcebooks A mature Queen Victoria Agave plant grown from seeds sold by the Etsy shop SmartSeedsEmporium. With a spiral of deep green leaves, the plant grows slowly and can reach a foot tall and wide. “SLOW: Simple Living for a Frantic World” by Brooke McAlary. My Calm Blanket via AP My Calm Blanket, a weighted blanket intended to pro- mote high quality sleep. are a world onto themselves, with little tools, bridges, rocks, trees and Buddha stat- ues available. One company, Zen Life, offers a set of eight sand stamps in floral, spiral and polygon shapes. $17.95 on Amazon. DEFY THE INSTANT POT: The multi-use pres- sure cooker has been all the rage. Slow it on down with a simple, single-function slow cooker. Consider a stoneware insert, make sure the lid is tight fitting and look for easy, intuitive controls. Also, it would be nice if the STORE CLOSING SALE! 70 OFF ALL MERCHANDISE *not on consignment • handles stayed cool. The idea is to make it easy but more importantly slow, providing the best aromatherapy of all: Eight hours of pot roast wafting through the house. Buddha Board via AP A water-art Buddha Board. AP Photo/Fashionablecanes.com A walking cane in hazelwood that was handcrafted and harvested in Ireland. Looking for the Perfect Holiday Gift? Purchase a 1-year subscription to the East Oregonian and receive this highly collectable book, “Pendleton Round-up at 100,” absolutely free! All Fixtures + Slat Walls on Sale Starts Friday, November 23rd • 2018 Store Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10AM - 5:30PM SUNSHINE GOURMET SHOPPE 29 Southeast Dorian • Pendleton, OR 97801 • 541-276-4974 May Your Holidays be Merry & BRIGHT More than just your electricity provider. Being a member has perks. Ask about ways to save with our energy efficiency and rebate programs. Visit our website for detailed information on all your cooperative membership benefits. Makes a great gift or a wonderful addition for your own coff ee table. CHOOSE: 1-year subscription $173.67 Home Delivery + 24/7 Online access www.UmatillaElectric.com Hermiston gffiCe 750 W. Elm Ave. Hermiston, OR 978)8 (541) 567-6414 Boardman gffiCe 400 N.E. Eldrige Drive Boardman, OR 97818 (541) 481-2220 To Report An gutage Call 888-765-5701 day or night Call 1-800-522-0255 or stop by our offi ce at 211 SE Byers Ave in Pendleton or 333 East Main Street in Hermiston
