I love to spend my free days exploring and enjoying my own local area. On sunny warm days I am compelled to spend time exploring our endless varieties of parks, beaches and waterways, but when mother nature decides to show her split personality, I move on the opportunity to spend my time treasure hunting in secondhand stores, antique shops and flea markets. I get lost in my journey, with little regard for the time or stopping for a meal, diligently seeking that one item I will admire forever, especially because in found in for a steal.

I especially enjoy finding items I can repurpose in such a way that every time a walk by them, I can’t help but snicker at my own cleverness. My newest mission has been to find glass jars and bottles that I can use for leftovers in place of plastic containers. A glass jar for under a dollar can be used forever, never melts in the dishwasher and is more sanitary and healthier. The greatest benefit, as my family soon discovered, is that you can actually see what’s in the container. Leftover soups, dressings and casseroles are much more appealing, and so are being consumed more often and faster.

This month our Managing Editor Jude Forsyth has gathered our readers favorite nearby, no-airfair-required destinations and local escapes in a delightful feature article, “Explore, Enjoy and Save with the Jewels of the Emerald Coast.’

Although “save-cations” are a great concept in today’s economy, lately I have been dreaming of taking a trip overseas to explore others cultures and treasures of our world. My bucket list has recently become a barrel list, am I counting on my recent “save-cations” to add up to a chance to take advantage of a trip-of-a-lifetime.

Last month’s feature article, “Healthy Escapes,” got the larger family of Natural Awakenings publishers inspired to investigate more travel and retreat opportunities, which led to our joining together and aligning with a travel group to promote our own Natural Awakenings trips-of-a-lifetime. The first scheduled adventure this fall is a visit to China and Peru, a 10-day journey specially designed to ignite the imagination and encourage a fresh understanding of our connection with others.  Read more about our new trips on page XX and consider clearing your calendar to join us! Our intent is to bring you conscious travel and retreat opportunities each month.

Another first for us this month is the launch of our first Natural Awakenings branded product: “detoxified iodine.” John Voell, co-founder of this magazine, has long been a proponent of this supplement. “I started taking the drops years ago, when my thyroid levels were out of whack, and they are now in the ideal range. So I’m a fan!” To read more about this product, turn to page 3. To purchase, shop online at NAwebstore.com.

Speaking of our family of publishers, I want to mention that our sister Baldwin County Natural Awakenings publisher, Meredith Montgomery, is selling her franchise. Both of our publications were the highly admired offspring’s of Melony Rankin’s talented works and five years of love and dedication. Meredith has only enhanced the long-loved publication with her very personal love and connection to the industry and has utilized her special talents to offer our family of publishers delightful national articles. I hope that we’ll soon welcome a new Natural Awakenings publisher to our family. Could it be you or someone you know? Please help us spread the word. Thank you!

Wishing you a simply refreshing summer!

Daralyn