Gonna get this book

I think I am going to have to go out and purchase the "Eat this not that" book. I've read so much about this book; it must have some valuable information.

Here is a link to a story that talks about better/safer/more diet friendly options to make when you are forced to hit a drive through or fast food place.

Of course, being in Canada, we probably don't have a number of the restaurants that this article talks about, but at least it's making some pretty good suggestions. Haven't read the entire thing yet, but now that I have marked the link, I know I will!

Truth about foods

Okay, here is an article that makes me very glad that I can grow my own vegetables and raise my own source of meat.

I was particularly grossed out by number three on the list. I think I will have to dust off my perserving jars this year and make an effort to do a bit more blanching and canning of the foods I am growing this year.

Eeewww, eeewww, eeewww!!!!

Gardening adventures

We had a very busy, but very productive weekend! (parts of this post are similar to my other blog, but not all of it, so if you follow both, you may want to skim...)

My poor gardens have been sadly neglected in the last two years, so I am determined that this year I will get a large portion of some exercise by getting the yard whipped into shape!

Last weekend I had totally cleaned out my one garden by the hot tub. It was so overgrown with the zebra grass and lambs ear that I had planted, I decided it was best to just clear it right out and start all over again. (For the record, there will be no more zebra grass or lambs ear planted in that section again.)
On Saturday I was able to get the topsoil dug out of the area that will be pathway and laid about 3 inches of woodchips for the walkway. I was able to get the white irises back in the ground, and start to figure out what else I want planted in this area.

Hubby and my Dad had been working on the chicken coop for most of the day, and just as I was finishing in that garden, my Mom came to get Dad to head over to the cottage for the rest of the weekend. I went back to the coop to help Hubby with figuring out where we were going to put the roosts (3) for “the girls” and to also determine where the nesting boxes (5) were going to be built. Hubby and I got the roosts all in place and the frame for the nesting boxes finished. Then we had dinner and went to visit some friends for a bit.

Sunday morning – what a beauty day! I started to divide some big clumps of daffodils that I have. The clump is just so big and tight that none of the bulbs were getting a chance. I was able to relocate bulbs to three separate areas as well as leaving some in the original spot. Next I got to working on the biggest compost bin. Raked all the top stuff to one side and starting shoveling out the wonderful compost. Got 4 wheelbarrow fulls of it! Spread that all around my lily garden and my tea garden – which I had totally gutted and started to replant last weekend - plus put a bunch of compost in the night time garden area. While I was working on the compost, I put the boys to work in cleaning up the scrub back by the veggie garden. S used the big clippers to cut down the wild raspberry canes and whatever other things may have sprouted up, and the A-man raked everything back to be level with the large compost bin.

After cleaning out most of the compost, raking up the pine needles from the main garden area and cleaning up the pathways a bit, I got to work on replenishing the pathways with wood chips. I like to lay the chips in/around the gardens that are ‘done’ so that I can see the full effect of the improvement. After a while, the small of my back was screaming at me that it was time to shift to something else, so I decided to get the rotatiller out for the veggie garden area.

Just as I was about to begin the third strip with the tiller, a friend stopped by with a computer issue for Hubby. I took a break to visit while the computer was being looked after, and as I was putting the kettle on, my in-laws stopped by to visit my youngest son - the birthday boy. After a brief visit, everyone cleared out, and I was able to get back to work on the veggie area.

By the time I was finished, I had planted two full rows of onion sets – Spanish and Red onions, and green onions – a partial row of green leaf lettuce completed with spinach in the last quarter, and a partial row of red leaf lettuce, again completed with some spinach. I planted two small rows of radishes for Hubby (ick!) and will do a second planting of both radishes and lettuces next weekend. I’ll probably put the kohl rabi and swiss chard in next weekend, too. Once the spinach is done for the season, I’m planning on putting a zucchini plant in that area. As I was tilling I found some cut up potatoes, so I will have to be careful to get all of those out of that area, because I don’t think I’ll be putting potatoes in that section of the garden this year.

I still have quite a bit of garden to get cleaned out, but I am seeing improvements in the baby steps. The whole front garden has been raked out and edged. The tea garden has been emptied completely. I had ammended the soil, and replanted spearmint and lemon balm, but put them all in pots in the ground to (hopefully) keep the spreading to a minimum. I got more camomile put in the garden yesterday, and next weekend I will transplant some bergamont to this area. The lily garden has also been gutted, amended and replanted. I've added a chimina feature to this garden, and have plans for a copper trelis and climbing nastursiums. Yeah, it won't be a lily-only garden anymore. The rose garden has been cleared, amended and had a few things transplatted in to it this weekend. The pathways have been restablished in/around these gardens. The iris garden and then all the back gardens need attention, but that is what next weekend is for, right?

The yard is slowly taking shape. The trick – as always – will be in keeping it that way!

New Exercise

I’m going to try a new fitness class tonight – it’s actually something that I’ve wanted to do since I realized that I didn’t mind exercising.

Zumba!

Described as “a fusion of Latin and International music that creates a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system.” I like dynamic and exciting. Effective is always helpful.

I went to my stability ball class last night, and I’m not as sore today as I had been last week. My arms are feeling the effects of the pushups done off the ball, but my legs were the ones that were protesting last week.

Next week I start my golf lessons with my assistant. Kind of nice to have this as a “work” project…

Back on track

This weekend, I am going to sit down and read some of my beginning posts on this blog. I am going to get inspired again.

I've been going to the Y, and doing my work outs and fitness classes, but I am simply not 'feeling' it the same anymore. I like how I feel after a class, and I know that I am doing the right thing for my body, but, well, I'm just BLAH.

I am hoping that by reading my original portion of the blog I will be able to get that feeling again. Here's hoping.

Fast Food

Another interesting article about various fast foods, and how bad they REALLY are for you.

Now, most of these are in the US - as a Canadian we don't have many of these restaurants around, but wow - who would have thought?

Portion Distortion

Wow. I came across this article today and was amazed to see that I have always been a victim of what they called "Portion Distortion." Well, maybe not on one of the 8, but the rest? Oh yeah!

It's really hard to ensure that we only take the amount that is truly recommended. Especially when it's something we really enjoy. I'm a fan of salty/fried more so than the sweets that others seem to love.

I simply avoid buying these things to save me the aggravation. How about you? Are you a victim of portion distortion?