Another OUCH!

You may recall that some months ago I had hackers steadily attacking the blog on which I hosted my RoseBouquet posts. I moved that over to a section on my static website, and I've learned to go through the paces now, just as quickly as I did when I posted this Rosebouquet as 3 blog posts, then as an ezine sent to my mailings of faithful subscribers, and then also as an xml (feed) which appears in the feed-readers that some people use to keep abreast of the latest articles on their favourite websites.

I've become extra cautious and wary with the blogs and sites built on WordPress. It seems that once the hackers point their robotic software on your site, they persist until they can break in and create havoc.

Last evening I was working on the site where I set up my brother Tom's models to sell. Things went as normal for most of the evening, but then when I'd just about finished I discovered problems.

I won't go into details here in case the guilty parties check here to see how much I know. But my next big interruption is going to be finding out how feasible it is to convert that site to a static site only. No more WP. Fortunately, I do know how to build a site from raw HTML coding, even the new responsive design method.

I've put up WordPress sites for clients because they wanted to be able to maintain and edit or add to it without having to pay me to do so. However, as they neglect their site for months on end, the hackers discover them and they gleefully decide to become squatters there.

When I've taken care of this one, and two others, I think I'll approach three clients and say to them, "If you are not going to login and tend your WP site yourself, I will take it down and put the information on static webpages. Or you are likely to be hacked, and your site messed up - or they will claim a corner and build a private site of their own on your domain.

This project with the eCommerce site I found myself locked out of last night is going to take some time. I had about 213 products researched and written up with at least 3-6 photos for each one! Another OUCH!

(Maybe another sacrifice to pour out?)

<<*>> TIPS & SOLUTIONS: <<*>>

10 Healthy Reasons To Grow Lemon Balm

(I bought an envelope of Lemon Balm seeds the other day, and decided to research this plant; I'd forgotten its properties since I last had it in my garden. Now I'm really looking forward to this!)

1. Heals minor wounds and skin disorders. To stop bacterial infections, heal minor cuts, acne, and eczema, make a strong topical lemon balm tea.

2. Relieves pain and swelling of insect bites. When you get an insect bite or bee sting, reach for a lemon balm plant. To release the plant’s beneficial oil, crush or chew a leaf or two, and apply directly to the affected area to relieve pain and reduce swelling.

3. Treats cold sores. Lemon balm helps reduce swelling, relieve discomfort and heal a cold sore. Dilute a drop or two of lemon balm essential oil (or extract) in ¼ teaspoon of jojoba or almond oil, and apply directly on affected area. Or make a strong topical tea.

4. Soothes sore muscles. Soothe tired muscles, calm nerves, and nourish the skin with the fragrant aroma of lemon balm in an Epsom salt bath for 30 minutes.

5. Mosquitoes be gone! Keep mosquitoes from biting while working in the yard or spending time outdoors. Crush several lemon balm leaves and rub onto exposed skin.

6. Improves alertness, eases anxiety, and elevates mood. Elevate the mood and mental focus by crushing lemon balm leaves and rubbing them topically behind the ears, and on your wrists.

7. Regulates blood sugar. The antioxidants in lemon balm help balance and normalize blood sugar levels, thus helping to fight against diabetes.

8. Protects the brain. The antioxidants in lemon balm support healthy brain cells, protecting against free-radical damage.

9. Supports the liver. Lemon balm protects the liver against damage while enhancing liver metabolism and function.

10. Lowers blood pressure. Several compounds in lemon balm have been found to assist in reducing high blood pressure.