Cynthia Brian

Empowerment Architect

Passion, Purpose, & Possibility Producer

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Risky Business

4 min

Risky Business

https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1416/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Risky-business.html Risky Business By Cynthia Brian “Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from a cornfield.” Dwight D. Eisenhower When you bite into a crunchy apple, eat a bunch of juicy grapes, or slather butter on roasted sweet corn, unless you’ve grown these crops in your personal garden, do you ever wonder about the life of the fa

Wilderness and Survival

3 min

Wilderness and Survival

https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/125176/wilderness-and-survival Survival can be highly dramatic, worthy of the front pages. It can also be ordinary, something we do daily almost without taking notice. Hosts Katelyn Darrow and Siri Phaneendra tackle the topic of survival and wilderness training. Katelyn shares her experiences as a solo female backpacker. She advocates the importance of preparedness whether hiking, camping, or backpacking to thrive survive in the wilderness

Possiblities, Safety First, Garden Fire Defenses

3 min

Possiblities, Safety First, Garden Fire Defenses

Everything is possible. You were born to be the star you are and there are ways you can make your dreams a reality. Find out how to become the best you and shine with empowerment architect, Cynthia Brian. Natural disasters know no boundaries. One never knows if a fire, earthquake, flood, mudslide, or other calamity is on the horizon. It’s imperative to be prepared for all emergencies. Cynthia Brian provides ways to be prepared for all emergencies to keep you safe and sound. A

Awaken Spring

4 min

Awaken Spring

by Cynthia Brian “The ghostly winter silences have given way to the great spring murmur of awakening life.” Jack London It all began when I witnessed the new growth unfurling on one of my loquat trees. The leaves were a mesmerizing bright green, like the color of lime with a hint of sunshine. Ah, sunshine, I thought! How I longed for warm, sun-drenched days. The darkness, cold, and wet of winter had begun to unravel my soul. The rains throughout the winter, although welcome a

Petal Powered

5 min

Petal Powered

by Cynthia Brian “Blossom by blossom the spring begins.” AC Shinburne Even on the darkest, dreariest, rainiest day, looking out my dining room window to my ever-blooming hillside garden gives me great joy. For the past two months, the daffodils and cyclamen have been in full bloom, now joined by the radiant pink blossoms of the Italian white peach tree, the purple fronds of lavender, and the delicate periwinkle flowers of vinca minor. My Meyer lemon tree is bursting with brig

Love is a Rose

4 min

Love is a Rose

by Cynthia Brian “Everything is coming up roses!” Ethel Merman When Cupid shoots his arrow of amour on February 14th, more than 51% of the flowers bestowed upon the lovers will be roses. The allure of roses dates back more than 5,000 years when rose cultivation began in China. Evidence in fossils indicates that the wild rose is as ancient as 35 million years. No wonder that the rose has symbolized beauty, love, politics, and war for the past five centuries in our modern world

Reaping What You Sow!

5 min

Reaping What You Sow!

by Cynthia Brian “Sow a thought, reap a word. Sow a word, reap a deed. Sow a deed, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” ~Charles Reade Where I grew up there were no pre-schools or kindergartens, so until I started first grade, my days were spent mostly outside in the dirt, playing, or helping my parents with farming and ranching chores. I attribute a great deal of my horticultural acumen to those early years when a child’s brain is li

2019 Garden Trends

5 min

2019 Garden Trends

“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends, fads, and popular opinion.” Jack Kerouac I’ll never forget how excited my Mother was to play “Vanna” alongside Pat Sajak on the TV hit, Wheel of Fortune. It was the first time in the thirty plus years of the show that anyone stepped into Vanna's beautiful shoes to wave bye-bye, and at 87 years young, my Mom definitely had a reason to gloat. Mom never owned a computer nor even knew what social media was, but a fe

Joy to the World!

5 min

Joy to the World!

Only those who go where few have gone can see what few have seen. ~ Buddha Did you know that poinsettias grow into trees? Or that mother’s tongue, also known as snake plant, is an excellent fence barrier? Without a thought from whence a plant derives, most of us buy our indoor plants at nurseries, grocery stores, and big-box centers. Our holiday décor includes colorful tropical specimens that thrive inside. On a quest to discover the flora and fauna that bring joy to our worl

Making Scents

4 min

Making Scents

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Marcus Cicero With all of the disasters and tragedies of this year, logic seems to have disappeared. The senseless shootings of innocent people and the devastating California fires have rendered so many of us feeling helpless and hopeless. But in times of turbulence, besides the consolation of close relationships with family and friends, I advise my clients to turn to two things––gardens and books. The smoke

Cultivating Thankfulness

4 min

Cultivating Thankfulness

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” Henry Ward Beecher As I was admiring the crimson leaves fluttering to the ground from the liquid amber tree, I was overcome with gratitude for our distinct California seasons. How boring life would be if every day and every thing remained constant, unaltered, impervious to transformation. November ushers a time for reflection, providing the perfect opportunity to express our gratitude for being alive in a rapidly