Today I celebrate life; one with a healthier mind and body. I’m on one of my kicks. This time it’s coconut oil. It all started with an article I read in The Tampa Bay Times about Dr. Mary Newport who says coconut oil has significantly lessened the effects of Alzheimer’s on her husband, Steve. I read her book from Amazon, Alzheimer’s Disease, What if There Was a Cure?, and found it amazing. Not only does coconut oil help reduce the ravages of memory loss, but also it helps in weight loss and a host of other neurodegenerative diseases. I immediately hacked down a coconut from my Costa Rican farm and started experimenting.

Some notes about fresh coconut:

• The water is tasty, refreshing, a natural electrolyte and a benefit to bladder health. This part does not contain oil.
• Once the coconut has been stripped of its husk, pound a nail through the softest of the 3 holes in the top and one of the others, to easily extract the water.
• Place coconut on its side, the ends parallel to you, and hit a sharp blow in the middle with a hammer or the non-sharp side of a machete until it cracks in half – perfectly. Don’t believe it? Try it.
• Let it dry out a bit. With a knife or hammer remove flesh from shell.

Now you’re ready to prepare and eat this wonderful nut:

• Just eat the flesh as is.
• Break flesh into small pieces and grate in blender, food processor or by hand.
• You can extract the oil from the flesh by placing in hot boiled water, then straining through a cloth or fine sieve. Reserve the liquid coconut milk for use in smoothies, Thai food or other recipes.
• The remaining flesh can be eaten, used in baking, or placed on a flat cookie sheet and toasted in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
• The toasted coconut (yum) can be sprinkled on ice cream, salad, or as a coating for fish, vegetables, meat, or fruit. No sugar added.
• The oil can be used in baking, sautéing, frying, salad dressings, smoothies and for skin and hair care.

Now for those of you without a good source of coconuts you can buy organic, non-processed, virgin oil from health food and some grocery stores (Publix). If you buy coconut milk make sure it has no sugar added. There are many websites with more information about the benefits and recipes. Just google it and enjoy.

Just got an email from my friend Jolly with a wonderful video of Dr. Mary Newport and her husband Steve’s progress. See here  on http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS

50% SALE – FREE TO BLOOM – SOFTCOVER NOW $7.49 ON freetobloombook.com

Check out my new story here, under new pages Old Times, Good Times, High Times

British tourist murders: Two men at scene; one conviction

Photo from the Sarasota Herald Tribune.

I made some errors in thinking in my last blog while I was contemplating my feelings of missing my jury summons to the Tyson trial where a black man is quickly convicted in killing white men.

• I didn’t have to worry about being kept off the jury because of my views against capital punishment. They were only asking for life in prison.
• With the international media blitz given this crime, it only lasted one week? I wouldn’t have missed my vacation after all.

Whether Tyson was guilty or not, he did not have a fair trial. Plea bargaining (bribery to me, whether legal or not) brought in 5 witnesses to testify for the prosecution and they were fully believed by the jury even though they were adept at lying, crime and jail time themselves. What happened to the defense? I read the accounts. There wasn’t one. There are so many unanswered questions like:

• What were two tourists doing in Newtown? It wasn’t easy to find their way to Gregg Ct. Were they looking for drugs? Women?
• Why were their shirts off? Their pants down?
• Wasn’t there possibly an accomplice?
• How come there was only one black person on the jury?
• Why hadn’t the public defender demanded a more racially fair jury?

TRAYVON MARTIN SHOOTING »

• PHOTOS: Trayvon Martin rallies across the nation

Of course I have to compare this trial with the killing of Trayvon Martin, a black man by George Zimmerman, a white/latino man in Sanford, Fl., a little town with  a legacy of racism. He hasn’t even been arrested, in spite of nationwide outrage, hoodied protests and accusations of injustice.

The news in Florida has finally taken over the nation’s front pages, for better or worse.

March 20 – Back from Costa Rica and after a few days I’m able to attack the 2 month pile of mail. Glaring in big red letters is JURY SUMMONS March 20 8 am.” Oh shit! That’s today. I’ve missed it by hours’. First I’m kind of glad. I fill out the back with my usual excuse: ‘Just returned from Costa Rica where I live for six months a year and received the summons too late. Sorry.’

March 21 – I read the Sarasota Herald Tribune and realize I would have been one of the prospective jurors for the trial of Shawn Tyson, accused of murdering British tourists J. Cooper and J. Kouzaris. Because of the huge media blitz in the notorious Brit tabloids this trial is being watched around the world and Florida tourism is not happy.

Thoughts rush and tumble through my mind:

1. I would have liked to be on this jury. Not like my last experience as a juror, which was a typical whiplash scam.
2. They’d never have chosen me anyway: A. I don’t believe in capital punishment. B. Too pro black with my experience teaching in the black community and having close black friends.
3. The trial could last a really long time and I’d miss a visit from my California/Costa Rican boyfriend who’s already got a ticket to Florida for the Wannee Festival.

March 22 – Headline reads “Witnesses could present obstacle.” The jury is seated, but prosecutors asked questions like: “What do you think about a witness who receives benefit for testifying?” What? I turn the page and there they are – four witnesses who have already received something for their future testimony: avoided 10 years in prison, received a reduced charge, received a housing waver to move to a safer home or avoided being charged as an accessory. What again? Isn’t this bribery?

from Wikipedia: “The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient’s conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege,emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.“

Hmmmm. So this is our democratic system and a right to a fair trial? I always knew this happened – plea bargaining – but this is going too far. Sounds like our judicial system has gone the way of our political system.

And the other murder here in Florida will be the subject of my next blog (which I’ve neglected way too long) – unarmed and black Trayvon Martin being gunned down by neighborhood watcher George Zimmerman. And he’s still not been arrested because of a self defense charge. Huh? Martin only had some Skittles and a bottle of iced tea on him. At least this one has lots of protests.

Ballena Tales

I have a rare quiet moment at home, sit down with my coffee and return to the book world. I have not written, marketed, nor blogged in over a month. I’ve received unexpected offers this month to read and discuss my book at the Costa Ballena Women’s Network on Feb. 18th and be interviewed by the Dagmar Reinhard, editor of Ballena Tales for the spring edition, one of the local magazines still in print. That gives me a boost, but what really gets me off my ass, (or rather on my ass in front of the computer) is awakening in the night to an item on my “to do” list. Shit, the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. What’s the deadline? I’ll check in the morning.

• Task 1 – Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award

My mind’s awhirl and my heart’s beating. Whew! The deadline’s today. I read the rules. The novel must be at least 50,000 words. Shit again. Mine’s only about 32, 000. Maybe I could add on a couple more chapters of the continuing saga of my fictionalized life that I’ve already written. I count up the extra words, still not enough. I take a deep breath and move on.

• Task 2 – Offer Free to Bloom free for 1-5 days

Go to Kindle Direct Publ Select to find out how to set it up. Read the rules. I must give Kindle exclusive rights and my book is already listed with Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. Though I’ve sold only a few books with the others I’m not prepared to drop them. I’m getting discouraged.

• Task 3 – Check on promotional program I paid for through my soft cover publisher Create Space.

They’ve discontinued it after my first month and it’s all very confusing. I’m ready to quit and shut the computer.

• Task 4 – Find and Hire a good Marketer

This item wasn’t originally on the list. It’s a new and brilliant idea.  I just can’t keep up with writing and dealing with the internet life. I need someone to handle my marketing, public relations and internet. Since I’m not making any money except to barely break even on the publishing, and I’m not destitute, why not hire someone to handle the business for me and give me a simplified list of what I must do and probably make money in the process.

• Task 5 - Back to my son for help.

From Goodreads and Amazon:

Maddiehopp‘s review 

Nov 15, 11

Kim‘s review

Nov 22, 11 

At 94 pages, this was a super fast and enjoyable read. Each short story exposes the main character’s life in short blips of time and covers a wide range of emotions- fear, anger, love, passion – and so many others. Despite being short stories, there is never a lack of action, imagery, or detail.
At times, I did find myself wishing that some of the stories were more connected with back story, if only to keep myself chronologically grounded.
Regardless, this was a wonderful read that left me smiling throughout much of it. Very good read.

Brenda Bossman‘s review

Dec 13, 11

Read in April, 2011

Free To Bloom is a delightful book about a woman’s adventure in a remote area of Costa Rica. I found it easy to read and loved the descriptions of her tropical paradise as well as her depictions of some very interesting relationships and experiences.

BW –

Adventures of an independent woman in Costa Rica

OPEN BOOK: Southern Zone resident Jill Green relates her experiences living as a foreign woman alone in Costa Rica in her book, “Free to Bloom.”

What is it about Costa Rica that attracts so many accomplished, independent women to start new lives here? In her first book, “Free to Bloom,” California-born, Florida-reared Jill Green tells a personal story about starting a post-divorce, new life as a pioneering homesteader in a remote area of the Southern Zone. Although thinly disguised, these are autobiographical stories told with heart and humor, leavened with soulful introspection.

From the trials and tribulations of building an off-the-grid house to romantic encounters and harrowing adventures in the wild – including an intimate relationship with a botfly – Green’s tales will resonate especially with like-minded women already living here, and with anyone contemplating the leap into life in Costa Rica.

Green is an excellent storyteller, weaving flowing conversational prose with lyrical passages that capture her love affair with the “stark, shocking beauty” of the southern Pacific coast where she has chosen to live. Along with evocative descriptions, she segues seamlessly into perceptive philosophical musings about the simpler, but never boring, life in Costa Rica. She learns to appreciate, too, the slower pace of life here, accepting the Tico approach to time: “… time isn’t something to beat, it’s a continuum of life from morning to night.”

Green’s book grew out of her personal blog, which she posts to keep friends and family apprised of her adventures. Many women will find her personal aperçus concise and compelling, too. After 25 years of a rocky marriage, Green finally sees her way through to breaking free: “I don’t need to be afraid with him any more. I’m no longer afraid without him.”

Living alone in a foreign country can be challenging for anybody. But in light of some recent horrific attacks on extranjera women living in remote parts of the Southern Zone, does Green have any new concerns about single life on her mountaintop?

“When I look at what’s happening worldwide with the bad economy and the poor getting poorer and hungrier, I don’t think things are much different in other locations,” Green answers. “… On my mountaintop near Uvita, I have lots of big barking dogs and a wonderful caretaker and his family nearby. My daughter and her family living in the area also helps. I don’t have second thoughts of living alone here any more than in the U.S.”

“Costa Rica is the place where I became an independent woman,” Green adds. So the title, “Free to Bloom,” is apropos. And although her author’s note states, “This is a work of fiction,” many local readers, from Dominical down to Uvita, are enjoying some entertaining gossip, trying to work out just who is who in the book – especially a mysterious “caveman” who provides a very steamy interlude in Green’s personal growth.

“Free to Bloom,” published by A Cappella Publishing in Sarasota, Florida, is available as an e-book ($2.99) from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or as a real book ($14.99 plus shipping). Visitwww.freetobloombook.com for ordering details and access to Green’s blog.

There’s nothing like a great review. Thank you so much Dorothy. For those who have asked. My soft cover edition is available in these locations in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica.

1. Green Leaf Art Gallery in Ojochal.
2. Rincon de Uvita Farmer’s Market at Diana’s Made by Scratch booth and at the DAWG Library every Saturday from 8 am – 12pm.
3. Call me at 8892 8135 or email me at jill@hinesfamily.com and I will arrange a delivery.
4. Amazon.com will be publishing the soft cover edition by the end of November. It already carries the ebook.

Benny Walton, Carol Krempel, Jim Lash, Jill Green, Beth Johnson

50th Committee - Ellen Collard, Carol Pearson, Ed Music

My Venice High class of ’61 just celebrated  its 50th class reunion. Amazing! A few interesting statistics:

1. There were 119 graduates. First class over 100.
2. 13 have died. Not bad.
3. 7 are missing. Not bad.
4. 33 have been married once for 30-50 years. Wow. That’s got to be a record. Hope they’re happy.
5. 9 are divorced now. Hope they’re happy.
6. 6 are widows. No widowers.
7. 40 classmates attended. Not counting mates. One third.
8. 35 classmates still live in the area.

Everyone in attendance was stunned at how quickly the years passed and how we all feel the same inside. As you can see by the statistics we’re a very cohesive group and honor our Florida roots. The Venice area was a wonderful, beautiful and unspoiled place to grow up. Continuing health and happiness to us all.

Georgia and David Ross - Committee

While attending the reunion I reconnected with several classmates I hardly knew in high school. Too bad for me. Thank goodness we change and grow, and I’m still alive. Benny Walton was one of them. While catching up we found that both of us had written books. Benny’s will be published by the end of the year. It is part of his “Bucket List”, which I’m hoping he’ll categorize here.

Leo and Gigi Morrell - Committee

Though I don’t have much to regret in my life, I hope I still have lots of room for accomplishing more on my Bucket List. So here goes:

1. Writing a memoir of my life including bringing up a deaf child.
2. Expanding my consciousness.
3. Traveling to Europe to reconnect with my past and experience the grand history there – including France, Italy, Spain, Poland.
4. Relearning French and improving Spanish.
5. Taking my children and grandchildren on trips of their choice.
6. Continuing to volunteer worldwide.
7. Although we all must deal with pain and sorrow, being as content and positive as possible.

I challenge anyone reading this to compile his/her own Bucket LIst and post it here. Let’s see what the future holds.

Follow me to Books Inc – The Book Lovers Cafe at 505 NW 13th St. Gainesville, FL on Oct 23 from 4-6 pm

It would be greatly appreciated if my Florida Facebook friends would share this with theirs.

A description and biography follows:

Description – Free To Bloom

Through eleven partially linked chronological stories we follow Danielle as she splits from a long-term marriage to find her way as a single woman living alone in a foreign country. Her search for both physical and emotional contentment and independence leads her to take risks in life and love from jumping off waterfalls, to discovering a gorgeous young caveman, and learning the art of marijuana growing and harvesting. Follow her journey as she intertwines intimate personal insights with wild adventures.

The first story Of Time and the Mountain reveals that beginning a new life and building a house in an isolated part of a foreign country, Costa Rica, is rampant with challenges: physical, emotional and personal. The frayed threads of a long term marriage begin to unravel one by one.

Learning a new language, meeting new people, living in a strange culture, subsisting in a primitive environment without basic necessities bring a need for a little respite wherever it can be found. And find it Danielle does, whether it’s going to local festivals in the mountain villages, finding archeological artifacts, or getting to know both locals and expats.

Danielle travels back and forth between the U.S. and Costa Rica finding adventure wherever she is. New relationships blossom, grow strong, wilt, revive or die, but all are worthwhile experiences. With Danielle’s newborn independence, taking risks in both love and life becomes necessity. A U.S. doctor is shocked by her little parasite in My Friend George. A scary alligator plies Florida waters in Alligator Dreams.  A Costa Rican cave dweller falls in love with her in God’s Caveman. She is horrified by the ‘dog-eat-dog’ world in Puppy Love. At turns she is terrified and exhilarated by conquering the waterfall in Fear of Falling. Getting to know Adrian in California includes experiencing his illegal lifestyle and feeling his paranoia when the cops appear at the pot growing fields in Getting To Know You – Humboldt County.

Join Danielle as she deals with both the highs and lows of her adventurous life; how she deals with conflict, has fun, learns patience and gains contentment as her life blooms into full flower.

Author Biography

Though born in California, and living in France as a child, Jill Green’s formative years were spent on Florida’s Gulf Coast. After college at the Univ of Florida, marriage, two children – one deaf, she started teaching, helped run two businesses and after 30 years, got divorced.

What a turn life took! Now living in two countries, Sarasota, FL and Costa Rica, she forgot her French, but learned Spanish. Living alone took many adjustments, eventually she has become a self-sufficient, adventuresome individual, traveling the world, volunteering with many organizations, climbing mountains, surfing the seas and teaching ESL in Costa Rica and Florida.

After many years working and bringing up a family she has finally become a published writer with her book of connected short stories Free to Bloom about life in Costa Rica and the United States, hopefully the first of many. Although she has written stories and essays for small magazines, her next big project is auto-biographical: the trials, tribulations, joys and sorrows of living with and educating a deaf child who after the fact designed and now runs a successful website www.gatorcountry.com, one of the top U. of Florida Gator football websites.

Back to my more personal revelations next time.

Visit Jill’s personal blog at http://www.costajill.com and her Free to Bloom blog at http://freetobloombook.com

Print books available at selected Indie bookstores and on my Free to Bloom website. Ebooks available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords.

To preface the assignment, I have been trying hard to publicize my newly published book Free To Bloom about the adventures of a single woman learning to live alone in Costa Rica and around the world. While visiting She Writes, a very helpful and interesting site for women writers, I encountered a group called WordPress Bloggers and finally left a comment listing my blog. Lo and behold, I got tagged. I just haven’t got into the habit of PR: surfing sites, dropping comments, linking to others. It’s hard, maybe harder than writing the damn book. Now, according to Sue Ann this is going geometric. Watch out everyone. Here we go.

You’re It:

• Stepping Into The Water – a socially relevant and inspiring  blog and book by my good friend Marisa, member of my writing group, and author of the book The Sharkman of Cortez.
• In The Company of Gentle Heroes – my wonderful friend Sue who has written a memoir of her life as a miiltary wife and just started her blog..
• M C Coolidge Reality On Line – a fellow writer, lively journalist in the Sarasota, FL area and author of the book Sideways in Sarasota, who will join me next Tues. Sept. 20 at Bookstore1Sarasota for a gathering and book signing for local self-published authors.

Ten Random Facts about Jill:

The Hippie Family

1. Became a Hippie during the 70′s, sold everything to travel and live in a van with husband, kids and dogs with the ulterior motive of finding the best oral school for my deaf son.
2. Taking full advantage of his disabilities, my son has become a psychic and my internet guru, making it possible for me to understand enough of the intricacies of an online world to publish an ebook.
3. Thanks to my adventurous daughter whom I have followed all over the world, I now have a home in Costa Rica, the catalyst of my personal transformation.
4. Need to be close to bodies of water–whether riding the surf, kayaking the rivers or jumping from waterfalls.
5. Teaching is a part of my life– first with my son, then high school science, English as a 2nd language and continues as a volunteer.
6. One of my best life experiences was volunteering in Africa and joining a safari.
7. Champion saving the environment and its people– from bringing water and sanitation to the poor, shopping at thrift stores, cleaning up the beaches.
8. Love to dance.
9. Love my kids but realize that grandkids are way more fun. Without the responsibility of their upbringing I become the old lady scientist and bedtime story-teller.
10. Reading  is a joy and necessity. It brought me to writing and ultimately to publishing my book Free To Bloom.

Malawi Africa

Please pass this exercise on. It really made my think about my life past, present and future.