Living Lightly in Suburbia

Homemade Cleaning Supplies Not Just for Home

2012-02-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

A few years ago my sister sent an amazing book called Clean House, Clean Planet ( see 28 Jan 2009 post). I love how the author rates each product in terms of effectiveness against a similar store bought brand. I have been faithfully using a few of the recipes but decided to try out a few more out and bring them to work. Why not spread the love?

I work in an office and often do a spot clean up, especially in the slushy season. I much prefer this to the commercial stuff the staff use as the smell is overpowering. This has an effectiveness rating of 90%. Mix with equal amounts of white distilled vinegar (recommend Heinz brand) and water. Add 15-20 gtts of peppermint essential oil.

This surface cleaner works very well. I use it to wipe off my desk and any table top surfaces. Smells great too. According to the book it has an effectiveness rating of 70-80% but I find it to be closer to 100%. Mix 2 tsp vinegar with 1 tsp borax. Fill rest of bottle with hot water. Mix until Borax dissolves. Add 1/4 cup liquid soap and 15 gtts of essential oil. I used peppermint.

Ingredients: baking soda and lemon essential oil. Don't waste your energy making this!

Last but not least, the bathroom air freshener. Someone in my office is addicted to a popular store bought brand. The fake smell makes me want to gag. This is much better. Effective rating 90% but I would rate it even higher. Once I find another spray bottle to bring to work, the other brand may go "missing". Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and add 30 gtts essential oil. Give a little shake before using and for the love of God do not get this stuff in your eyes. You will not go blind or anything but you will not forget the experience either. Again I used peppermint essential oil but lemon would also work great. This is my favourite because of the cost savings. It costs $7-$15 to buy an organic type air freshener but only pennies to make your own. You can go and buy yourself a few organic chocolate bars with the savings.

On a last note, I was too lazy to buy distilled water. Tap water was used in all of the recipes.

Little Accomplishments

2012-02-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

Managed to pull myself out of bed to see Carolyn-the-Torturer yesterday. I never work so hard as when I am with her, but can only afford to go once a week. I need activity in my life, but working out under her direction puts it at a whole different level and feels great ( about half hour after working out, that is). I made a promise to never tell her I can't do something. I will collapse or vomit before quitting. She is the professional and always brings me to the edge, but never over the edge. I trust her. She laughed when I told her I haven't been running or biking, or doing any activity at all even though I have a race to do in a few weeks. I told her once I fall off the routine, fatigue sets in followed by the Big Slump . She told me she never stops. Indeed, you can never stop. It sucks.

I lack in natural athletic talent, but have come to realize physical activity feeds my mental state. A healthy mental state leads to a positive outlook, and for this I must keep going no matter what. Balance is everything.

2012-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

The run the other night gave me a much needed lift. I hope not to fall into fatigue again. Life got busy and I am in adjustment mode. One of the realities is that if I want to see my trainer then I will have to suck it up and rise at 4 am in order to do the things that need to be done before leaving the house. Oh Lord, give me the resolve to follow through with this plan.

2012-01-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

I have been changing my perspective on education these last few years due to learning first hand the practicality of a "good education". This question came to mind again as I sat in my frozen dead car the other day when temps dipped to -41C .

I am educated, have a good paying job, and am reasonably intelligent. Still, my immediate solution was to take a $30 cab ride to where I had to go and then call my garage to come deal with it for a couple hundred dollars. Thankfully neighbour Bill came to the rescue and showed me how to charge my car battery instead. Neighbour Bill has a wealth of knowledge. He grew up on a farm back in the day and that pretty much says it all.

Charging your car battery is seriously easy if done correctly.
Go out and buy one of these things right now.

Get someone who knows about cars to show you how to use it properly. Then read about it in your car manual for good measure. I don't want to be responsible for someone reading my directions wrong and ending up with battery acid all over their face.

Knowing how to start your car in this crazy ass weather is what I call good education.

Training

2012-01-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Decided to try skating after 15 years in preparation for the upcoming Ice Donkey event in less than a month. Although never a great skater, I was surprised to learn I can barely skate now at all. The ice trail at The Forks is an ideal training ground for those of us worrying about falling on a child (you can easily jump off the path if needed!). The ice is choppy which I figure is close to river skating conditions.

This photo was taken from the Forks pedestrain bridge you can skate on. There is a river clearing below, but I wasn't about to be the first one to try it.

Crossing the bridge.

Construction of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
All in all it was a great spot to do some training. Now if only I could pull a team of almost skaters together so I won't be the only one fumbling around out there on race day.

Happy New Year - Auld Lang Syne by Sissel (Live).wmv

2011-12-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

Running Edmonton

2011-12-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

This is some awesome opportunity to do stair training. 187 stairs! On the walk up yesterday , the B man commented that his quads were burning. Thanks to my trainer, Carolyn-the-Torturer, my quads faired quite nicely. This day, however, trying to run up with a backpack was another experience and I was reduced to walking a lot of it.

Part 2 of the stairs.

I have a poor sense of direction (ummm, that is an understatement). Here is one of my shoe signs. Surprisingly it was still there on the way back.

This is a beautiful walk area in Oliver area.
The valley. So many places to run below.
The bridge I feared for nothing.
One of the best things about running Edmonton were the motorists. Every single vehicle I came across stopped to let me cross the street. Every single one. Thank you Edmonton. What a great city to run in!

2011-12-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Keeping Feet Warm When Winter Biking and Other Tidbits

2011-12-15T05:28:00.001-08:00

Last night I attended a winter bike race info session. Might as well go to where the pros gather when you are searching for some answers. Now I'm not crazy and have no intention of riding across lake Winnipeg in February like the rest of those guys, but it is nice to hear what experienced winter cyclists have to say. I was hoping to learn once and for all what can be done to keep my feet warm. Eureka! The big boys and girls wear these galoshes over their footwear. You can get them padded or not and either way they are super lightweight. You can wear them over your boots. They can be purchased at Canadian Footwear for about $130. I would say these are good for super long rides or in crazy cold temps of -35C and colder. I would wear them on my hour long commute to work.

I wear these neoprene and rubber winter boots. They are 2 sizes too big to accomodate shoes or extra socks with warmers. Although these have worked well, my feet still get cold even if its only -15C. Mine are purple for the cuteness factor which is also very important. My teenagers would say that I am very much mistaken and that they are not at all cute. I am planning to put the galoshes over these.

It took a year for me to break down and buy disposable heat packs. It makes me crazy to generate this much waste. However, there doesn't seem to be a way around this one and they are good in emergencies. I used these in the Kamiks and they have saved my feet. They are supposed to work for up to 20 hours. A nice hint from the pros is that if you haven't used them up, store them in a plastic bag and remove the air. The absence of air makes them stop working so that you can use the same ones again!

Best to go with a screw top water bottle because the sippie part of the regular water bottles will freeze up ( I lack the technical term , but you know what I mean). It is for this reason that I experimented with gatorade ice cubes. If only I had known....

Even this will eventually freeze up in an insulator so another tip is to invert the water bottle so the ice will form first at the bottom instead of the top. The pros say to take a sip every 15 minutes even though you won't want to.

It really is possible to ride your bike in the winter and it is fun too!

"Mom's Dumb Sign"

2011-12-04T12:37:00.001-08:00

Bunker Roy: Learning from a barefoot movement

2011-11-29T05:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the B Man for sending this. It is amazing how things fall in your path. Earlier in the day I slipped back into that hopeless feeling after listening to a CBC interview about climate change. Couldn't get the comment about the drum beat from the scientists getting louder and yet continue to be ignored by the powers that be out of my head. Then the B Man sends me this and my spirit is immediately lifted. I am back on the trail of hope, baby. It is another example that if we look in another direction we can see positive change in the world. Better yet, we can be the change.

2011-11-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly one of the best moments of today's run was when the iPod died. It allowed me to hear the crunch crunch crunch of the snow with every step and this reminded me of Tim. He was a friend of the B man who had been hit by a car and had to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life as a result. He said the thing he missed most was hearing the crunching sound when he walked in the snow. I had never really thought about how nice that is, to feel and hear this crunching sound on a crisp winter day. Thank you for that perspective, Tim. I hope you are walking to your heart's content in crunchy snow in Heaven.

On Hope

2011-11-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

In the last post I mentioned looking forward to reading The Leap in hopes of getting a big dose of optimism for the future back into my life. Little did I know that Daughter Elder had arranged to go to the We Day celebration that took place yesterday. She came home and completely opened my eyes about what youth are thinking about ( so it isn't all about shopping. Who knew?!). Our youth are concerned about the future but they do not have that weariness about them. They are full of confidence. The energy they possess that goes along with their passion to change the world for the better leaves me with feelings of hope that they can do a better job at managing their world than the generations before them! As parents we must continue to set an example. It might seem like the youth are not watching or listening to the examples that parents try to set, but today it was confirmed to me that they truly are. Check out www.weday.com to see what the kids are up to.

A few pictures of the event taken by Daughter Elder:

Check out all these kids!

Go Gore Man...rev these kids up!

The leap

2011-11-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

Maybe I am in this negative place because we ditched the TV a few years ago. I wouldn't have read so many books about the environment in my spare time (Just finished Collapse)No, I would still be watching David Letterman, gossip shows, and Cake Boss. When one of my daughters tells me she thinks she doesn't want to have kids I secretly think this is good because the thought of bringing up children in this world is too depressing. In fact, if I was a young woman I wouldn't even have children knowing what they are going to deal with in their own lives (water, fuel shortage, unpredictable weather, blah blah blah...). Being only halfway though my life (hopefully), I don't want to spend the rest of it in this place of negativity. It sucks! Thats where Chris Turner comes in. I just read a review about his new book and promptly put my name on the waiting list at the library. This dude better deliver the dose of optimism I am looking for. I am ready to be convinced and can't wait to dig into his book.

PS: The B man broke down and ordered cable. He blames it on the return of the Jets (Go Jets!!). Its basically ok except that Daughter Younger is now addicted to the Kardashians.

Fast Food

2011-11-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hummus, pita, olives, and my garden salsa. Its not the safest idea to use the dashboard as a dining room table while going 110 miles/hour down the highway, but travelling 2500 miles in 3 days called for drastic measures.

Using this plug in cooler has helped us avoid eating take out while on the road. Ok, the B man broke down once and got a double cheeseburger.

Snowing, Finally!

2011-11-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

I was getting anxious that it would never snow around here. Really! Winter is harsh, for sure, but manitoba is meant to experience cold weather. Some of my perennials ( maybe all of them?) need a good freeze in order to have a good growth season next year. We need the snow so it can melt in the Spring and quench the thirst of our parched land (the parts that weren't flooded, that is). Farewell to warm weather and rain. Time to dig out the wool clothing and snuggle in for the season.

Here is what the Farmer's Almanac has to say about what us Canadians can expect for 2012 winter (please, no rain in February!):

This will be a winter of “clime and punishment.” We are forecasting the upcoming winter will be cold to very cold, from Alberta east across Saskatchewan and Manitoba into western Ontario. Meanwhile, we predict temperatures will average above normal for much of Nova Scotia and, possibly, southern New Brunswick. Near-normal temperatures are expected elsewhere. A very active storm track will bring copious precipitation through the Great Lakes into central and eastern Ontario, Quebec, and much of the Maritimes. Another active storm track over the Pacific Ocean will guide systems into southern and central British Columbia and western Alberta, giving them a wetter-than-normal winter.

To see a more detailed long-range forecast for your area, pick up a copy of the 2012 Canadian Farmers’ Almanac today!

Ugliest Cold Frame Ever

2011-11-02T09:10:00.001-07:00

Concealed beneath this thick piece of plastic is a large wooden planter supported by tomato wire frames and is held together by clothespins. Ugly as it is, this has extended the growing season by a month or more. We are experiencing warmer than usual temperatures. Even so it has been dipping below zero every evening (average -5C).

Look how happy the radishes and lettuce are. Downright cozy.

This was definitely a success. Will have to get the B man to build me a respectable cold frame next year. Another project he doesn't know about.

Stirring Compost

2011-10-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Don't believe it when you read you have to frequently stir your compost. This is for obsessive compulsive people. The idea of stirring compost almost made me not want to start in the first place. While you are at it, ignore the part about straining compost too. Do people do that, really??

The bin on the left is the box I throw stuff into. The one on the right is usually empty at this time of year. Here you see a bit of stuff in it. I threw rotten tomatoes in there so my husband wouldn't see it (forgot they were in a closet ripening). He seriously would try to eat a rotten tomato. When it is cool out, just before it is about to snow, shovel out the stuff from the left bin into the right. It took me 20 minutes and that is the only time I "stir the compost". Doing this allows the least decomposed material to go to the bottom, and the most to go to the top. Come Spring time you will have lovely compost. The bin on the left will get filled up with food all throughout the winter. It will almost fill the top as nothing decomposes in winter ( you knew this, right?). When it starts to melt in the Spring, pile a bunch of soil on top before it starts to smell bad. It'll shrink down in no time and you will be able to use the same bin all summer long. Come fall you transfer to the bin on the right, starting the cycle over. NOTE: The lid and front part have been removed , but the covers need to go back on as soon as you are done to avoid attracting rodents.

I found this lovely potato almost at the bottom of the pile. It must have grown from a discarded potato peel!! Now I know what that plant was that was growing out of the compost bin all summer. I'm going to feed it to the husband. I'm not at a place where I can eat stuff that lives amoung rotting things.

This is the compost transferred to the bin on the right. Look how it almost looks like soil! By next Spring this will be ready to get mixed into the garden. Note: There was no sign of the dead squirrel that the husband threw in the compost a month ago. The poor thing got hit by a car. I figured nature could take care of it better that if it was stuffed into a plastic bag and thrown into the garbage.

Seed Saving - Dill

2011-10-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

My aunt has a spot in this communal garden. She planted carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, and zucchini. She did not grow dill. Yet, when I went to pull up her garden there was a most beautiful dill plant growing right in the middle of a row. It had managed to grow itself! a plant with such hardy genes must not be wasted! I took a snip and hung it in the basement to dry.

Here it is a month later all nicely dried out. Thankfully I had labelled it because I forgot about the lovely dill plant and thought this was parsley seed. It is really very easy. Just rub them gently in between your fingers and they will fall of the dried stem. I put them in a paper envelope and keep it in the basement until Spring. It gives me something to look forward to as winter is closing in.

Winter Closing In

2011-10-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Its that time again.

Canning Inventory 2011

2011-10-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Now all I need is a place to store all of it...

Apple Cinnamon tart Filling 8 jars
Applesauce 7 jars
Asparagus ( Pickled) 6 jars
Blueberry Basil Vinegar 3 jars
Crabapple jelly 8 jars
Cranberry Sauce 3 jars
Maple Strawberry Smooch 6 jars
Pears in Light Syrup 4 jars
Pickles ( Dill) 32 jars ( OMG)
Relish ( Dill) 12 jars
Rhubarb Concentrate 3 jars
Salsa 6 jars
Strawberry Raspberry Spread with Chocolate Liquor 5 jars
Maple Strawberry Smooch 6 jars
Strawberry rhubarb Jam 5 jars
Strawberry Jam 15 jars
Tomatoes ( crushed) 12 jars
Watermelon Jelly 11 jars
Zucchini ( Pickled) 6 jars

An Ecology of Hope

2011-09-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Pierre Dansereau and Wargani Maathai (see last post). I love the optimism they both possessed, in spite of it all ( and in spite of his age!). I confess to feeling rather hopeless in regards to the state of the world these days. I think of my kids and get a sick feeling to think what their world will be like by the time they are my age. I blame this recent pessimistic view on reading two depressing books, These Crazy Times and Stupid to the Last Drop: How Alberta is Bringing Environmental Armageddon To Canada. Then I look around and see examples of greed on a small scale. People who don't give a damn about anyone else but themselves and cannot see the bigger picture because their intelligence is too limited or their greed too big. Those who don't lend a helping hand, those that want only for themselves even though it is not theirs to have. Those that give nothing in return yet want everything. It is such a pathetic sight to witness and on a bad day I wonder if most people are like this even though I know most people aren't.

It is during times like these I want to remember the other people . Those who live on another level. Those that give hope. Those that know the beauty of life on a deeper level. These people are my role models.

I am thankful for my little family. My husband who has a huge heart, who is the most fair person I have ever come across gives me great hope. My children who have helped others on their own accord, without searching for praise, who have returned found objects because they understood it might be greatly missed &/or needed by its rightful owner. It looks like they desire to live true and understand the joy in it. This gives me hope. I have faith in these teenagers, and their friends. I think of my positive friends, those I have chosen carefully to be surrounded by. I aspire to hang on to the positive even when I temporarily lose sight of hope.

"I Will Be A Hummingbird" | Wangari Maathai

2011-09-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

Crabapple Jelly

2011-09-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

The other day I found myself parked beside this beautiful tree admiring its huge apples and was overcome with appreciation for this gift of nature. As they weren't already picked and frost was on its way, I decided to ask permission to pick them. The lady I spoke with seemed relieved I would be taking them off her hands as "nobody uses them anymore".

These are some bad ass crabapples!

Crabapple jelly is delicious. It really truly is. I didn't much care for jams/jellies until I started making my own and controlling the amount of sugar added. 'Bernardin No Sugar Needed' is the best pectin if you are looking for the least amount of sugar. I use 3/4 cup of honey for 6 jars of jam. Regular pectin calls for 7 1/2 cups of sugar and you don't get the option of substituting with honey. The recipe for the jelly is right in the box.

The left over strained crabapples were mixed with ginger ale and served to the family. The kids loved it. I took special delight in telling them they were drinking the crabapples hand picked by their mother from a stranger's tree. If you have teenage daughters you know how well this went over.

One of the jars was given to the kind lady who agreed to let me have the apples, and another was given to the daughter of an eldery woman who came out to talk with me as I was picking them. She never noticed apples on the tree before. I gave her a jar so she wouldn't forget.

Treherne Recap

2011-09-18T02:59:00.000-07:00

Woke up at 4 am feeling chipper ( I know, its disgusting). Hope was in the air, baby. There is something magical about this little race and the people who make it happen. At some point during our drive out I mentioned that today is going to be my turnaround day, a new beginning or something like that. Nicole replied by saying I make that statement every Sunday during our long runs. Here is a re-cap...

MILE 1: Nicole is always on track of how far we've gone and how fast we are going on account of of the little B___TCH she wears on her wrist. Mostly it tells us we are going too slow. Wonder of wonders it tells us we are going out too fast. The weather is beautiful and people cheering on the runners make for a great send off. I loved the little house that had Chariots of Fire flowing out its wide open windows. Thank you whoever you are!

MILE 2:Nicole announces this milestone which comes faster than expected. I reply with an enthusiastic " Only 11 more to go!". The B__TCH is telling Nicole that we ran this mile faster than the last. Nicole seems a bit concerned. I'm chasing after hope ( for a new goal I can excited about) and this just feels like the right pace. I didn't bring anything on the run today...not even a camera. The only thing I can't leave behind is a bit of fast sugar, just in case. Today it was dried banana chips stuffed up the wristband.

MILE 3: A big truck passes by kicking up a lot of dust and I think we encounter our first hill around here. The memory of seeing this hill for the first time makes me laugh. At the time I thought it was the only hill. Hahahaha. This is just the warm up hill. The hill knocked us back to our usual Sunday run long slow pace. I never know how I'm going to feel until this point in any run and this was going to be a good day ( woo hoo!). I was going to run every hill. I wasn't in any shape to say I could race this race, but it was going to be a good and steady run.

MILE 4-6: Somewhere during this time I lost Nicole on a hill. A talented runner once told me she finds flat races more difficult because you use the same muscles continously, but with hills you get to mix it up. Some muscles get to relax while others work and she found this less tiring. Remembering her words helped to get up the Mother Hill. You know which one I am talking about.

This song came on somewhere during this time and was a perfect fit to the surroundings and the mood of the day.

MILE 7: I am running off the positive vibes from the above song when a very sad song comes on. All of a sudden my mood changes as I think about this day, the anniversary of 9/11 and start bawling ( WTF?). There is a big lump in my throat and it is becoming hard to breath, cry and run at the same time. Eventually I pull myself together and silently dedicate this run to the victims, heroes, and loved ones left behind.

MILE 8:I am glad to leave the emotions of Mile 7 behind and get back to thinking about running. I am runnng more or less with a group. 2 athletic young women are quite a bit ahead but always within sight, 2 other athletic women are playing leap frog with me. I get the impression this is a training run for them as they are steady runners and chatting the whole way. There is a fellow about my age who probably doesn't have a lot of running history behind him but he generally is keeping up with us. He seems to start in spurts, push it hard, fall back and start the cycle over again. I figure we are going to lose him near the end.

MILE 9-11: Life is good. Everything is flowing nicely except that the bottom of my feet are a bit sore with all of the stones on the road. It is a bit much for my minimalist shoes. I haven't been watching where I was stepping up until this point. I catch up with Bob. He should be finished by now but his feet have taken a beating and he is taking it slow to give them a rest.

MILE 12-13: I pass the two women that were far ahead of me. Not sure why they slowed down because they still look good and strong. Or maybe it was I who sped up? All of a sudden the guy who has been trying to catch up zooms past us. This is clearly a struggle for him but his mind is in control. He is going on sheer determination and he is going to succeed. This is incredibly inspiring and I think to myself, a bit too late, that I would like to try and see if I can catch him! I pass the leap frog girls and wonder why they don't speed up. Don't they know there is food at the end???

My finishing time is 2:17:28 according to my watch. I am feeling happy because the goal of the day was to search for a new running goal and in that sense it was a success. Today is a new begining! Oh right, I say that every Sunday.

The above was written a week ago. I wanted to make sure the positive running vibes didn't slip away before posting it. This week my attitude changed. Instead of just running ( from habit or whatever) I had a goal. For the first time in 3 years I timed my run. This next little bit will be to discover what my baseline is and then step it up from there. I have a goal. It has been nudging me or a long while and there is a long way to go to even have a stab at it, but here it is:

I will run a 2 hour 1/2 marathon at Next year's Police 1/2. Ack! Did I just write that?

This Crazy Time

2011-09-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

What it takes to make a difference in world

Click on the above link to see the B man's review. He summed it up pretty well.

Treherne Revisited

2011-09-11T02:15:00.000-07:00

On this day a year ago I ran my first full marathon. Six years ago on this day I ran what my coach at the time said would have been a PB had it not been for the pouring rain and slogging through muck. What I remember about both those runs is the training and the determination... and wonder where did it go and why has it gone for so long? These are the thoughts as I prepare to leave for today's Treherne experience. Truth be told I registered only a few days ago because of a promise to the Beer Fairies I would return the favour this year (its not as bad as it sounds).

It seems for a year I have been running while patiently waiting for my determination and goals to return. If there was a race for aimless running I would win it. One has to examine a slump that lasts this long. Maybe it is due to a bit of depression? That is not entirely right because life is full and rewarding in many areas and I am not hiding under the covers avoiding life. However, there is a certain underlying stress that has been there for awhile...a long while perhaps. According to the author of The Black Swan book ( has nothing to do about the movie) it is easier to manage a huge loss all at once, than to suffer little consistent ones over a long period of time. Its seems to fit and maybe somehow it is related to this lack of drive, the dry spell. The drought.

A friend recently said, we're going to suck today out there on the course. It makes me laugh but he is right. In some ways it isn't much fun running the same route and feeling weaker than you did in the past, but I am going to try to embrace the moment. Maybe this race will be the turnaround moment...the one that jolts me out of the slump and gets me training and dreaming about future races again. Although the motivation for today's race is to return the beer favour, it really is about hope.

Now I feel guilty about whining on this day of all days. 9/11 is a day to look outside of oneself. Just realized that.

Mandan Red Clay Corn. Fail!

2011-09-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

Last year the bunnies ate the young stalks. This year things were looking good until the squirrels came along and either ate through the mature stalks or went straight for the cob. Here you can see the squirrel is making a nice straight line as he chomps his way through the kernels after knocking it over. Sometimes I wake up to find corn leaves strewn across the lawn. One morning I even saw a fat grey squirrel take a flying leap from the fence attaching itself to the cob while the plant was rocking back and forth.

I have come to the conclusion if you have a garden close to mature trees, you will probably have an issue with squirrels. It doesn't help that at least 2 neighbours are feeding them peanuts as well. Feeding squirrels is a bit like feeding mice. I don't get it.

Total cobs harvested for human consumption: 1

Total cobs harvested for squirrel consumption: 10

I'd rather have to deal with bunnies than squirrels.

Sign Spotted on Today's Run

2011-09-04T12:10:00.001-07:00

I turned left.

Golden Lemon Thyme

2011-08-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

One day the B man left to go to a meeting only to run back into the house 30 seconds later telling me our entire yard is filled with a beautiful scent( I love when something in the garden stops him in his tracks like that). It was some cuttings off this plant that was in the dehydrator by the mailbox that caught his attention. It is worth growing just for the smell of it. That is unless you don't like the smell of lemon.

You can add it to pretty much anything but I use it mostly mixed into butter. I will add it to sugar cookies when the urge strikes as it is supposed to be a delicious addition. You can also add it to chicken, fish, veggies, and rice dishes.

This plant produced enough dried herb to fill one snack sized ziploc bag.
Oh how I wish I had grown more. Next year, baby, next year.

Harvesting the Great Northern Bean

2011-08-22T17:11:00.001-07:00

Background History:

The GN Bean was given to Oscar H. Will ( I think he was a seed collector) in 1883 by a Hidatsa Indian. The Hidatsas were from North Dakota so it is possible the bean was also grown here. I like to imagine my ancestors grew them but that is a romantic notion. Still, it is possible.

The bean has been this years greatest success in my garden because it is drought resistant. How strange to live in a province that saw massive flooding this year and yet parts of the province have been so terribly dry. Where I live July saw the least amount of rain in recorded history. Anyway, the beans did well in spite of it. They don't grow much taller than what you see here. They like to grab onto something so growing them with corn is good.

After awhile you will notice your bean plants starting to die off. Worry not, this means your beans are almost ready. Great Northern Bean is not like a pole bean. You harvest it dry.

It is time to take the bean from the plant when the skin is crunchy. At this stage the beans will pop out easily from the shell. I cut up the used shells and put them in the compost.

I am not sure if this next step is necessary but it seems like a reasonable thing to do. I leave the beans out on a paper towel for a week to let all the moisture out before storing them in a bag. Keep the bag in a dry cool place. Don't forget to save some beans for next year's crop.

...and remember to give thanks for the harvest in whatever way you know.

Collecting Seeds from the Milkweed Plant

2011-08-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is the beautiful milkweed plant that brought all the monarchs to the yard. This year I decided to collect the seed. Maybe I will drop the seeds when I go for trail runs as they will have a better chance of growing there than blowing all over our suburban yards and getting mowed.

When the flowers die off they will be replaced by pods. The lighter one on the right is about to crack open. When that happens the little seeds which are attached to fluff will float away . It is nearly impossible to collect the seeds in that state so you should try to get them when they crack open but haven't gotten to the fluffy stage yet.
They are easy to collect when they look like this. Just run your finger down the side and they will come off the base easily. Slide them into a container. Ignore the white beans in the background.

They will initially be attached to the softest fluff you have ever felt and the goal is to separate the seed from the fluff. I put a few coins in the container and shook it gently. This seemed to work very well. You can easily remove the fluff which collects at the top. The fluff is actually water repellant silk and was once used to insulate moccasins. They were also used to stuff life jackets for the military.

The seeds will be left out to dry completely and then put into an envelope.

Pickled

2011-08-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

$45 at the farmer's market will yield you 40 jars plus a bunch of cucumbers to eat fresh. I got a little carried away when I saw how fast the cucs were selling and snatched up the last 3/4 box. The thing about preserving is that it should be done the same day as the cucumbers are picked to get the best taste. As a result there was a marathon going on around here and by the end of it I felt like a half crazed woman who smelled like vinegar.
The breakdown:

Sandwich Pickles: 8 jars

Dill Spears: 8 jars

Dill Slices using Bernardin Quick Mix: 8 jars.

Cold Pack Method : 4 jars

Dill Relish: 12 jars

Radioactive Rain in Lake Louise?

2011-08-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

My cousin sent this Youtube clip to me and I ignored it until the B man expressed concern after watching it.

I don't know who "ConectingDots" is. What are his credentials? How do I know he is using the geiger meter correctly? Yet at the same time it makes me wonder why there is NO recent news on the radioactive fallout from Fukushima and this makes me suspicious.

I found a reference to this Youtube clip on a forum from the department of Nuclear Engineering at University of California, Berkeley : "All readings are immediately after rainfall - but not necessarily when the Jet Stream was overhead, so the figures could be even higher". On that cheery note, take a look at the clip and stay out of the rain until you know it is safe.

My Black Hungarians

2011-07-28T04:01:00.001-07:00

This one was the biggest and earliest of the bunch so I saved the seeds and hopefully the genes will carry on to produce beautiful peppers next year. But I am getting ahead of myself.....

The first plant was about double the size of these ones and the only difference is that the other is located behind a raspberry bush. I put up row covers as a short of shade to see if it would help these grow.

And it did! There are about 12 peppers per plant and they are still blooming! The frost will eventually kill off its true potential unless I can come up with a cold frame idea to stretch out the season a bit(the B man will have to do it but he doesn't know it yet. I am waiting for the right time to break the news to him)..

The peppers will make my salsa taste yummy. Spicy, but not as hot as a jalapeno.

On the topic of peppers, look how sad my green peppers are. Last year they grew in between tomato plants and were double the size. I think there is a pattern here.....

Chives

2011-07-28T03:58:00.000-07:00

I bought 3 of these plants 2 years ago not realizing that one is enough. I also didn't realize they are perennials and that they grow and multiply quickly. The first year I forgot about using them most of the time but enjoyed looking at the flowers in the garden. Guilt set in eventually and I decided to freeze some to use in the winter. There they sat for 2 years because I do not think about going to the freezer for herbs.

This year I decided to dehydrate them. Pick early in the morning when the flavour and aroma is at its peak. They only need a few hours in the dehydrator.

I started off the summer by bringing the blooms indoors ( they were
placed in vases on the dining room table. An odd floral arrangement) until I came across a blog about how to make chive blossom vinegar.

Cut off the flower tops. let them sit in water for awhile so that any little bugs hiding in the blooms will float to the top. Discard the water and add vinegar. I only use Heinz when looking for a regular vinegar as theirs is NOT a petroleum product.

Strain the flowers and pour into jar. Keep in dark place or the colour will fade. I plan to use this when making dressings or in canning recipes.

Harvesting Garlic

2011-07-25T18:43:00.001-07:00

This is what they looked like in June. I just love how they all stand to attention, looking all neat and orderly. These guys are called Music, a Heardneck variety.

And this is how they looked a few days ago, all flopped over and half dead. My first instinct was to water them but they didn't look any better for it. Then I remembered to consult my garlic bible. Doh! These babies are ready to be harvested and watering them at this point is bad. Don't do it! The soil should be allowed to dry for harvest.
I learned after pulling the first garlic that it is not a good idea to grab by the neck and yank it out of the ground. Dig a bit around the bulb first and then gently pull out.The next step is to cure it (you may wash the soil off before curing but I decided not to because I was afraid to damage my little garlics in the washing process).

At first they were drying on the rail of the front steps because it looked cute but then I came to my senses...
...and hung them off the rafters in the basement laundry room. Leave the roots and leaves intact and hang for the required time. The time will vary depending upon where you live. Dry in a shaded well ventilated area. If you hang them outside they must not be in the sun or get wet. Remove dirt, roots and leaves after the garlic has cured.
Remember if you are planning to replant some of your garlic, make sure you pick the best looking ones and mark them so you don't eat them by mistake. By replanting your own stock you will be developing a stronger garlic that is most suited to the growing conditions of your garden.

The garlic bible is called The Complete Book of Garlic by Ted Jordan Meredith.

Fear

2011-07-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

There are many discoveries going on in the garden that I am almost ready to share, but in the meantime I want to post this so as not to forget. I seem to forget authors and which books they belong to which really sucks when you are trying to remember what great things you once learned. This one will kick you in the ass. At least, it did me.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield:

"Resistance feeds on fear. We experience resistance as fear. But fear of what?

Fear of consequences of following our heart. Fear of bankruptcy, fear of poverty, fear of insolvency. Fear of groveling when we try to make it on our own, and of groveling when we give up and come crawling back to where we started. fear of being selfish, of being rotten wives or disloyal husbands; fear of failing to support our families, of sacrificing their dreams for ours. Fear of betraying our race, our 'hood, our homies. Fear of failure. Fear of being ridiculous. Fear of throwing away the education, the training, the preparation that those we love have sacrificed so much for, that we ourselves have worked our butts off for. Fear of launching into the void, of hurtling too far out there; fear of passing some point of no return, beyond which we cannot recant, cannot reverse, cannot rescind, but must live with this cocked-up choice for the rest of our lives. Fear of madness. Fear of insanity. Fear of death.

These are serious fears. But they're not the real fear. Not the Master Fear, the Mother of all Fears that's so close to us that even when we verbalize it we don't believe it.
Fear that we will succeed.
That we can access the powers we secretly know we possess.
That we can become the person we sense in our hearts we truly are.
This is the most terrifying prospect a human being can face, because it ejects him at one go (he imagines) from all the tribal inclusions his psyche is wired for and has been for fifty million years.
We fear discovering that we are more than we think we are. More than our parents/children/teachers think we are. We fear that we actually possess the talent that our still, small voice tells us. That we actually have the guts, the perseverance, the capacity. We fear that we truly can steer our ship, plant our flag, reach our Promised land. We fear this because, if it's true, then we become estranged from all we know. we pass through a membrane. We become monsters and monstrous.

We know that if we embrace our ideals, we must prove worthy of them. And that scares the hell out of us. What will become of us? We will lose our friends and family, who will no longer recognize us. we will wind up alone, in the cold void of starry space, with nothing and no one to hold on to.

Of course this is exactly what happens. But here's the trick. we wind up in space, but not alone. Instead we are tapped into an unquenchable, undepletable, inexhaustible source of wisdom, consciousness, companionship. Yeah, we lose friends. But we find friends too, in places we never thought to look. And they're better friends, truer friends. And we're better and truer to them."

Whew! Now I can return this very late library book.

Parsley-Walnut Pesto

2011-07-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Pick parsley in the morning when it is at its tastiest. You will need 2 cups, tightly packed.

recipe from Country Living:

Place the parsley, 3/4 cup roasted chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 2 cloves crushed garlic ( I used 3 and just chopped them up), and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor with a metal blade. Pulse until well combined.

Combine 1 cup EVOO, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tsp. lemon zest in small bowl. Add this to the parsley mixture in a slow stream, pulsing to combine. Serve immediately or freeze.

It actually doesn't look as yellow or soupy as this pic indicates.

I spread some on home made naan bread and cooked in the toaster oven. I could easily make 5 more and eat them all in one sitting. It is THAT good.

Drying For Freedom

2011-07-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Oak Park battles city over vegetable garden in their front yard

2011-07-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

Oak Park battles city over vegetable garden in their front yard

Yikes.

June Canning

2011-06-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

Both recipes are from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Rhubarb concentrate with orange and lemon zest. Mix equal parts with ginger ale, or water to drink on a hot day ( or in this case in the middle of winter when I will be dreaming of summer). Its a great way to use up all that rhubarb that is taking over your yard.

Pickled asparagus. So hard to find local asparagus this year on account of the flood and the season is short anyway. After we ate some fresh I decided to pickle the rest to eat in the winter or whenever.

This doesn't have anything to do with canning and I am too lazy to make another post ( I blogged excessively about Monarchs last year). Anyway, look what I found in the milkweed. The first monarch caterpillar of the year! This caterpillar is likely a direct descendant of a monarch that came to this plant last year. Apparently they keep coming back to the same plant. Think about it...is that crazy or what?!

Clover Lawn. Why Not?

2011-06-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Doesn't need to be watered.
Adds nitrogen to the soil.
Can tolerate drought and won't turn brown.
A good control for other weeds.
Attracts butterflies and bees.
Dogs can pee on it and it won't turn brown.
Most clovers are low growing so you don't have to mow as much.

This was a tiny clover patch last year but it is spreading nicely.I just mow around it to keep the flowers intact that the bees love so much.

First Garden Offerings

2011-06-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

I almost didn't get any on account of the squirrels. They are into everything! Thankfully I was able to find row covers which seem to help.

The radishes are ready. This year I saved the leaves.....
...and made pesto ( sort of)!
So easy. All I did was collect about 2 1/2 handfuls of leaves and removed the stems. Chopped them a bit and threw in food processor with olive oil, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, a squirt of lemon juice, left over dried parsley from last year's crop, salt, pepper, and some sunflower seeds ( I don't think its really pesto unless you use pine nuts but I didn't have any). MMmmm....

First Vegetable Garden Flower

2011-05-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

Some Spring

2011-05-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

I live in the city limits and am not in danger of flooding (although we are only about 15 miles away from it), but many people are. My neighbour's friend from Elie, Manitoba says it looks like a war zone with the military all over the place. Looting of sandbags are an issue. Some homes have sand bags and some have not been delivered yet. The controlled breach of the dike is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and although there is speculation as how this will work out nobody really knows for sure. I hear this is a once in 300 year flood. Then I hear there has never been a flood like this.

I continue on in the garden and wonder if it will be wet and cold all summer. Its a good time to think about raised garden beds. On that note, here is an update...

The B man built a 3 x12 ft raised garden bed in a part of the yard that gets lots of sun. About a hundred years ago, when our yard was still part of someone's farm , an outhouse sat on this very site. Then we had our compost on it for 2 years. Imagine how fertile this site must be! I have great hopes for whatever will be grown here. Daughter Younger wants to plant peas. We'll see. We are waiting for the weather to cooperate. It is still too cold.
The garlic survived last year's warm autumn weather! Lets see if they survive the wet. So far so good. The raspberry bush is coming along nicely too. I heard somewhere they like damp soil, but do they like flooded soil??
We are already eating the green onions. Seeing these bits of growth really gives some hope for things to come.
These recycled pallet garden boxes have been moved to a sunnier ( what sun??) location. Deer Tongue, Purple Velvet, and Cimarron Lettuce got planted in the far left one a few days ago. Radishes will go in the remaining one or two boxes. I can hardly wait to collect the leaves and make radish leaf pesto. Such a thing exists and it is supposed to be tasty. Mmmmm.

The B man built 3 of these boxes to go where there has been successful harvest ( sometimes it pays to experiment with location. People said nothing would grow but for 2 years pole beans thrived here anyway) Being raised will allow the soil to warm up faster and drain better. Pole beans, my favourite vegetable plant of all, will get planted here again. Such beautiful flowers that bloom the entire season attracting butterflies, bees, and humming birds.

Socks 'n' Stuff

2011-05-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

What motivated me to knit them was that I make my husband scream in bed. Thats what I told the civilized ladies on day 1 in sock knitting class (but could not finish my sentence in time to recover). For some reason when I get into bed my feet are always freezing and in an attempt to put them against his warm legs he screams. My feet are so cold its surprising they are attached to a living body, but these super soft wool socks will put an end to all that. They are so cozy the husband wants a pair now.
(Thanks to daughter younger for modeling my bed socks but not for running in the wet grass in them, and to daughter elder for taking the pic).

This is a nice method for the bind off. Its super stretchy and sits nicely against the leg without being too snug.

...or you can read about it here.
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall09/FEATjssbo.php

I woke up to see this card from daughter elder. She's 15 now and you never quite know what to expect. I did not expect this card.

This from my anti-organic daughter. I made pickled beets last week. Didn't think she noticed. I love it.

Indoor Lights for Vegetable Plants

2011-04-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

We inherited the shelf and the B man got these fluorescent lights on a blow out sale at Canadian Tire. I'll confess to not really knowing what I am doing except to say lights are used to prevent stems of the vegetable plants from going spindly. The stems ARE looking strong, especially on the pole beans and cabbage. Some are even ready to start the hardening off process. Only problem is we got snow last night and Spring seems to be long in coming. Still, we plant on ever hopeful.

Eggs

2011-04-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

It creeps me out when I see eggs at the store that are all exactly the same size. Little egg clones. These ones are colourful eggs from heritage-breed hens. Some are tiny and some are extra large. Some are even blue.

Make Your Own Sprouts

2011-04-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

The B man recently came home with a container of sprouts. I began to worry about all the plastic container garbage we were going to have to deal with as a result of his new passion for sprouts and decided to make our own. It is ridiculously easy to make. I got the certified organic clover seeds from a local farmer who supplies it to our food group. The sprout seeds also come in plastic containers but I won't be using nearly as much plastic because this container will make a whole whack of sprouts. The container cost $4.00 so there is a huge monetary savings as well. They are stored in the fridge.

Take 2 tbsp seeds, or enough to cover bottom of jar, and soak in water overnight.

Drain and rinse the next day (sometimes I rinse twice a day just because). Replace the snap lid with some kind of mesh. Apparently you can buy cute mesh rings in health food stores but I haven't seen them. Instead I used a jelly strainer and it works just fine. Keep out of direct sun as some of the seeds may dry out.

After about 4 days you get a load of sprouts.

Winter Composting

2011-04-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

The nice thing about winter composting is that all you have to do is dump and run. Everything freezes quickly and there is no rotting food smell. Once the Spring thaw arrives cover the compost quickly with a brown layer otherwise the smell of decomposing food might attract critters. I keep a big pail of soil in the shed for this purpose and so far have never had a critter or foul smell problem.

I find it easiest to keep composting material handy to prevent procrastination at which I normally excel. The paper bag is to collect scraps of paper to throw on top of the compost, white bowl contains crushed eggshells, and a bowl for food scraps. There is no need to buy a special composting bucket. I have a fruit fly trap nearby just in case which I learned from experience after eating one too many bananas and not emptying the bowl in time.

Daughter Elder took this picture of the compost which I thought was kind of cool. I like the way she sees things through the lense.

A picture of our air conditioner by Daughter Elder. This is a result of her being deprived of watching television and has nothing to do with composting.

Airing my Dirty Laundry

2011-03-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

I didn't notice until part way through this winter that our whites were becoming a bit grey from being hung indoors. My homemade laundry soap doesn't have optical brighteners so it has to be done the old fashioned way which is way more fun anyway.

What Marjory Wildcraft Says

2011-03-04T17:40:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I watched the following series from the Subsistence Pattern blog. It was good information but I wasn't keen on the doomsday approach to her lecture. The survivalist mentality is kind of creepy in its paranoid perception of the world, or maybe I just live in a bubble. Anyway, today on my way to work CBC radio announced there will soon be a 30% increase(!) in our food prices which means she has come very close to hitting the bullseye with her first prediction of a 50% increase. Maybe it really is time to learn how to plant something....

Kiwi Preserves

2011-02-25T12:06:00.000-08:00

Somewhere along this journey I learned how to shop differently. When you are buying fresh, organic, or local foods you learn to buy what looks good, what is in season, instead of pre-planning everything. You buy the food that looks the most fresh and then figure out what to do with it, instead of deciding what to make first and then trying to find it ( and then getting frustrated when the store doesn't have it because its not in season or whatever) That is how I ended up with 3 bags of kiwis one afternoon. They are organic, cheap, and beautifully ripe ( but definitely not local). In the dead of winter it is quite the find to see organic fresh food this beautiful. Thankfully the Complete Book of Home Preserves had a few recipes and I chose the easiest one. It is sooooo delicious. I like to spread it on cheese and crackers. This recipe made seven 125ml jars.

Peel and thinly slice 4 kiwis.

Combine kiwis with 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice, and 1/4 cup lime juice. Stir over high heat until there is a full rolling boil that doesn't stir down. Stir in 1 pouch liquid pectin (3 oz/85 ml) and boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir off foam.

Jars should be prepared and ready ( directions are at front of book or you can research on internet). Ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 0.5 cm headspace. Remove air bubbles and put on lid until there is resistance, then increase to fingertip-tight.Put jars in canner and boil to process for 10 minutes. Remove caner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Most of these are going to be gifts or opened when company comes over.

About Packaged Cereal....

2011-02-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

Slowly we have been getting rid of packaged foods. Pretty sure the box of cereal sitting in the pantry will be the last I buy. Consider this from the Weston A. Price Foundation. This is a snippet from a presentation given at the annual conference of Consumer health of Canada March 2002:

Packaged Cereals

Dry breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion. Cereal makers first create a slurry of the grains and then put them in a machine called an extruder. The grains are forced out of a little hole at high temperature and pressure. Depending on the shape of the hole, the grains are made into little o's, flakes, animal shapes, or shreds (as in Shredded Wheat or Triscuits), or they are puffed (as in puffed rice). A blade slices off each little flake or shape, which is then carried past a nozzle and sprayed with a coating of oil and sugar to seal off the cereal from the ravages of milk and to give it crunch.

In his book Fighting the Food Giants, Paul Stitt has tells us that the extrusion process used for these cereals destroys most of the nutrients in the grains. It destroys the fatty acids; it even destroys the chemical vitamins that are added at the end. The amino acids are rendered very toxic by this process. The amino acid lysine, a crucial nutrient, is especially denatured by extrusion. This is how all the boxed cereals are made, even the ones sold in the health food stores. They are all made in the same way and mostly in the same factories. All dry cereals that come in boxes are extruded cereals.

The only advances made in the extrusion process are those that will cut cost regardless of how these will alter the nutrient content of the product. Cereals are a multi-billion dollar business, one that has created huge fortunes.

With so many people eating breakfast cereals, you might expect to find some studies on the effect of extruded cereals on animals or humans. Yet, there are no published studies at all in the scientific literature.

The Rat Experiments

Let me tell you about two studies which were not published. The first was described by Paul Stitt who wrote about an experiment conducted by a cereal company in which four sets of rats were given special diets. One group received plain whole wheat, water and synthetic vitamins and minerals. A second group received puffed wheat (an extruded cereal), water and the same nutrient solution. A third set was given only water. A fourth set was given nothing but water and chemical nutrients. The rats that received the whole wheat lived over a year on this diet. The rats that got nothing but water and vitamins lived about two months. The animals on water alone lived about a month. But the company's own laboratory study showed that the rats given the vitamins, water and all the puffed wheat they wanted died within two weeks---they died before the rats that got no food at all. It wasn't a matter of the rats dying of malnutrition. Autopsy revealed dysfunction of the pancreas, liver and kidneys and degeneration of the nerves of the spine, all signs of insulin shock.

Results like these suggested that there was something actually very toxic in the puffed wheat itself! Proteins are very similar to certain toxins in molecular structure, and the pressure of the puffing process may produce chemical changes, which turn a nutritious grain into a poisonous substance.

Another unpublished experiment was carried out in the 1960s. Researchers at University of Michigan were given 18 laboratory rats. They were divided into three groups: one group received corn flakes and water; a second group was given the cardboard box that the corn flakes came in and water; the control group received rat chow and water. The rats in the control group remained in good health throughout the experiment. The rats eating the box became lethargic and eventually died of malnutrition. But the rats receiving the corn flakes and water died before the rats that were eating the box! (The last corn flake rat died the day the first box rat died.) But before death, the corn flake rats developed schizophrenic behavior, threw fits, bit each other and finally went into convulsions. The startling conclusion of this study is that there was more nourishment in the box than there was in the corn flakes.

This experiment was actually designed as a joke, but the results were far from funny. The results were never published and similar studies have not been conducted.

Most of America eats this kind of cereal. In fact, the USDA is gloating over the fact that children today get the vast majority of their important nutrients from the nutrients added to these boxed cereals.

Cereals sold in the health food stores are made by the same method. It may come as a shock to you, but these whole grain extruded cereals are probably more dangerous than those sold in the supermarket, because they are higher in protein and it is the proteins in these cereals that are so denatured by this type of processing.

There are no published studies on the effects of these extruded grains on animals or humans, but I did find one study in a literature search that described the microscopic effects of extrusion on the proteins. "Zeins," which comprise the majority of proteins in corn, are located in spherical organelles called protein bodies. During extrusion, these protein bodies are completely disrupted and deformed. The extrusion process breaks down the organelles, disperses the proteins and the proteins become toxic. When they are disrupted in this way, you have absolute chaos in your food, and it can result in a disruption of the nervous system.

Honey and High Fructose Corn Syrup

2011-02-10T16:32:00.000-08:00

Did you know that if you purchase honey you may actually be buying high fructose corn syrup? Organic honey is created by a conversion of sap, nectars , or pollen. Only 1/3 of North American honey production is organic. The rest of the honey is made by force feeding bees high fructose corn syrup, or other sugar syrup that fools the bees into making more honey outside of their natural production times of spring and sumer. This is done by using 24 hour hive lighting with the result being part honey and part HFCS, even though you think you are buying pure honey. Non organic honey is harvested with potentially toxic chemicals (and antibiotics) in an attempt to control disease and parasites.

Source: Sweet Deception by Dr. Joseph Mercola

Freezer Jam

2011-01-23T16:42:00.001-08:00

This is the B man one July morning when I dragged him out of the cottage to pick strawberries. It was the last day for picking and I was feeling desperate about having enough strawberries to last the year. Its hard to know how much is enough when you are planning 12 months worth.
I met many people this day and was surprised to see many had driven across the Ontario border to pick at this location. Its best not to be in a rush when doing this and to take time to chat with the people around as they seem to have interesting stories to share.

Notice how red my fingers are? I am practically delirious from being out 3 times frantically picking and getting too much sun ( but man did we score big!). we dragged all 3 loads (15-20 boxes in total) in the canoe to the cottage to freeze and then a month later drove them all back to the city to store in the basement freezer. I got a bit of a reputation lugging all those strawberries back and forth.

Now it is January and I have made loads of strawberry jam, but his time I wanted a change and decided to make freezer jam. A lady whom I met strawberry picking mentioned she makes it all the time and claims it to be delicious. She is the same lady who told me you can buy Certo with 1/2 the sugar which is great because I find jam to be overly sweet tasting. See all the things you can pick up while hunched over searching for berries in a field? This batch is Strawberry Banana Jam and it is sooo easy to make. You don't need any canning equipment which makes it a wonderful first project. The picture doesn't capture the colour but in real life it is bright...way brighter than cooked jam. I call it raw food jam and is probably healthier than the cooked stuff. I mix it wth home made plain yogurt with a few nuts. Mmmmmm. So far those strawberries have lasted 7 months and there are 2 more bags left.

More on Bees

2011-01-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Its -45C with windchill today, not the time of year one normally thinks of bees. I stumbled upon the subject again in chapter nineteen in Growing Older, a Chronicle of Death, Life, and vegetables by Joan Dye Gussow. In the book A World Without Bees, it talks about Colony Collapse Disorder and how it is in large part responsible for bees dying off, with 2009 being the worst year yet. But it was a quote in Joan's book that sealed my love affair with bees....

"They're dying of unrequited love. They love what they do for us. we just don't love them back".

Next year I'm planting more perennials that attract bees to the yard but right now I must get back to shoveling.

PS: I want to be like Joan when I grow up, but instead of getting ears pierced at age 80 I'll get a bee tattoo. Oh ya.

Bike is Back

2011-01-07T12:07:00.001-08:00

25 years ago there was a girl who commuted via her bike. She rode through heat, rain, snow and blizzards. Most of her bike time was spent travelling to University or to her waitress job. Surprisingly her only wipe out occurred while making an overly confident turn on ice which resulted in showing up to a first date with a boy (who would later become her husband) in ripped blood stained overalls with a battered knee poking through. The girl was not what you would call a cautious cyclist. She was more about the adventure.

The girl was still riding her bike when she got married. She graduated and rode her bike to her first career job. One night the bike was stolen, she bought a car and that was the end of that.

Until now!

Grown up woman is sick to death of driving everywhere, especially to work where there is minimal space to park and no plug in for her sensitive diesel car. She dug the bike out of her shed and parked it by the front door because she worries about things like getting ice and salt in her bike chain, things she never gave a thought to 25 years ago. She equipped her bike with studded tires because she is more interested in the commute than adventures on ice. Grown up woman marvels at how long it took to get back to it but knows it is better late than never.

Laundry Soap Recipe

2011-01-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

The idea for the following recipe was taken from the green spa which is connected to the David Suzuki Foundation. The most difficult thing about the recipe is finding some of the ingredients. I found most of them at Eat It...a little organic and local food store on Wall St. I tweeked the recipe a bit and have been using it for months with very good results.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Dr.Bonner's Peppermint castile bar soap
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda

Grate the bar soap with a parmesan grater then mix with the other 2 ingredients and voila! you are done.

Use 2 Tbsp for large soiled loads and 1 Tbsp for light loads.

...remember to always label your jars.

By using a natural soap instead of detergent you will you no longer need fabric softener. I once read that chemicals in detergent is what causes static cling. It took about 3 washings before I noticed a difference when originally switching over. In the interim you may want to add a little vinegar to the rinse cycle until the problem is gone. It worked for us.

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber's Remarkable Story

2011-01-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

A friend made a comment which reminded me of a book written by this medical Doctor. Anticancer- A New Way of Life. I didn't have cancer but the information found in the book were a reinforcement that I am on the right path, especially in light of my recent Dr's visit ( Dec 30th post).Go ahead and have a read. Its a good one!

Happy New year

2011-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

Cheers to Good Health

2010-12-30T08:31:00.001-08:00

I am completely bursting at the seams. My blood pressure is NORMAL. Not even just normal. Its athletic type normal. Oh I know how ironic life can be but for this moment there is much to celebrate and it is a good indicator for the future.

My Doctor, bless her for being understanding, withheld a lecture about me discontinuing one of my meds and allowed me to ramble on about taking megadoses of certain vitamins. I expected to see a steadily rising blood pressure reflected in her office in spite of my efforts but when it showed to be fantastic ( 5 readings in a row!) she said to keep it up and to come back in a month. What is my secret? There is no magic bullet folks...no guarantee that if we do all the "right" things we will be blessed with good health. In spite of this why not try anyway? Making positive changes can't make the situation worse. I only know what seems to be working for me. I had a few inklings of areas of improvement and went full heartedly ahead to elimate them within a 1 month time frame. There had to be some improvement, nothing drastic but at least something. I looked at it as a last kick at the can before accepting my fate of multiple BP medications. The list is extensive but a few of the more physical changes were: Replacing coffee with tea and eliminating soda pop, eating more fruits and vegetables, taking certain vitamins under the guidance of a Naturopath, meditating, and decreasing stress in my life. So far so good. Its a great day to celebrate.
Cheers to good health!

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

2010-12-09T22:07:00.001-08:00

Daughter Younger volunteered me to bring treats to her upcoming Dance Christmas party which is causing some anxiety because it is difficult to compete with taste buds that are accustomed to processed high fat and high sugar morsels. My idea of a treat is not the same as others according to my kids and some of their friends ( you know who you are!). However I hope this is a happy medium. It is homemade with pure ingredients but has enough sugar to throw insulin levels through the roof and enough butter to help clog those arteries. The original oatmeal cookie recipe came from Canadian Living Cookbook the B man and I received as a wedding present once upon a time. It has been tweeked quite a bit that I think I might almost be able to claim it as my own.

Note: If you can use organic and local it is best, but if not try to make sure the butter, eggs, and flour are.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1.5 cups white unbleached flour

1/8 cup ground flax seed

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt.

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1.5 cups slow cooking oats

Dried cranberries for tops of cookies.

Grease baking pan with virgin coconut oil. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Cream together butter and brown sugar. beat in egg and vanilla.

Separate bowl combine flour,flax, soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in oats.

Drop 1 Tbsp. dough onto cookie sheet, flatten and then top with cranberries.

Bake for 8 or 9 minutes and then let cool for 2 more minuteson baking sheets before removing to racks to cool completely.

Knitting Bender

2010-11-30T09:51:00.000-08:00

Winter came with a bang and with it my obsession with cozy knitted things has returned. These are my first man mitts. Inside is my attempt at a home made label.

Finally made a pair of mitts for myself. Decided to attach a flower as the colour of the wool made the mitt look harsh. The cuff is a whopping 6 inches in length because the wind is forever blowing up my jacket sleeve. I don't normally go around in head to toe wool but in this pic I had just come in from and hour of shovelling on a very cold day. The green scarf is from last year and always makes me think of my sista when wearing it as she has one in the same colour.
Neck warmer to match the mitts. This is the best model I could find. The pattern is from ravelry and it is called Little christmas Woolies.

A lesson learned. I bought this horrible polyester yarn for Daughter Younger for her first knitting project. She used some of it but then quickly moved on to the real stuff. This is not fun to knit with and my advice would be to get natural fibers. Your daughter will thank you for it. I am now stuck trying to knit up anything in the hopes somebody might like it and liberate it from my home.

Non-Toxic Food Storage Containers

2010-11-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I chanced upon a couple of these stainless steel food containers made by Greentainer. I tend to use these for bagels or wraps as they are well protected and remain intact come lunch time. The lid stays on well but I would not put any juicy fruit (like strawberries) in them as the juice tends to leak out. They are easy to wash and must not be too embarrassing to eat out of because Daughter Elder hasn't refused to take it to school.

I found these reusable snack bags at a local craft fair last weekend. The outside is made of cotton and the inside is made from DEHP and BPA free nylon. I put cut up vegetables in them and it is working very well. Daughter Younger said the first day she used them she had a few people asking why she put her carrots in a pencil case holder. Daughter Elder said I was insane but as she is not complaining about using it I will consider it a success.

The vinyl is sturdy and easy to clean. I just pull out the liner and give it a wipe. The bags can also be put into the washing machine using cold water. They are made locally by two talented sisters. Check out their sling...sort of makes me wish I had a baby (slap me now).

You can check them out at theslingsisters.com

Cold Outside but Warm in the Kitchen

2010-11-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

As winter is settling in, I find myself retreating into the kitchen.

Currant Cream Scones. I first made them for the B man when we were dating and he fell in love with them. I bake these always as an expression of love for him, from my cherished Tassajara Recipe Book that was a gift to me before I met him. Always I think of love and friendship when making them.

Yesterday I tried my hand at making French Bread. It did not turn out perfectly, but was still pretty good. Daughter Elder took a bite and said enthusiastically that she LOVED it. Making this bread is a labour of love and a test of one's patience. It is best to make it with a glass of wine at hand, good music on the stereo, during an evening where there is peace in the house and heart.

Winter has Arrived

2010-11-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

It arrived, surrounded in grey.

Carpet Deodorizer

2010-11-14T13:17:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from 'Clean can be Green' which I found from the David Suzuki site a few years ago. I use it around this time of year when giving the house a good Fall cleaning. It smells really good.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups baking soda
4-5 crumbled bay leaves
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:
Mix. Sprinkle on carpets and let sit up to 24 hours and vacuum.

2010 Garden Summary

2010-11-02T09:22:00.001-07:00

The time has come to give a final account of this year's garden experience to wrap it up and put to rest. Was I ever lucky last year to have had such a bountiful garden on my very first year of gardening. I knew nothing upon my first planting, and still most of the vegetables grew. That first experience planted the seed of hope and anticipation within me, even in times of very little yield. There is always next year to look forward to, right? RIGHT???

Early spring I grew many seedlings indoors. I learned which do well and which are better left to be planted straight into the ground. Most were a success and next year I plan to get into grow lights so the seedlings will be larger by the time they are ready to be planted. I learned about cold frames quite by accident by throwing a bunch of seedling plants into an empty raised planter and threw over heavy sheet plastic that was laying around from an old repair job. That early spring evening there were so many seedlings to bring indoors for the night that I chose to throw the ones that looked the weakest
into the planter assuming they would die anyway. When the wind blew off the plastic sheeting days later ( I had forgotten about my lost causes by then), I discovered those weak little plants were thriving and strong looking. This idea is still in the making but have confidence by the time next April rolls around I will have thought of some novel way to make a cold frame.

Then came the animals. Or rodents, depending how you look at them. The bunnies came and chewed off a large percent of my small plants. They are tricky little guys. They will leave some varieties of your young plants alone until you become comfortable with thinking they do not care for it. Then a month or so later as if struck by a sudden whim they will come and chew off the final plants that they had previously left alone. I tried many ways to deter them but have come to the final conclusion that only sure way to save your garden is to fence off the whole thing. By the time I learned this lesson it was too late for my backyard garden.
Then came the deer to polish off the front yard. It nibbled off a branch of my young apple tree and ate most of the apples, leaving me with a measly 8 apples. Bound to save the fate of my tree I promptly went out and bought chicken wire and fenced off the entire tree. It has worked but it is a bit ugly to look at. The deer continued to come at night and ate a lot of my flowers and when they were desperate they ate the leaves off my bean pole plants. Evidently they do not care for over grown seeds as they spit those ones out and left them scattered across the lawn. I was saving them for seeds but they are probably not much use once they have seen the inside a deer's mouth.

There is the matter of having too many seeds and not enough garden space to plant them all. I decided to plant my extras anywhere I could, in an old sand box with plastic sheeting underground, in shaded areas and behind a boat in between a fence with a big Ash tree looming over. To my surprise they grew...at first. Then I made the mistake of being hopeful. When it came time to produce they did not because they were stunted. By that time I had forgotten that it was just an experiment to begin with and I was terribly dissapointed.. My conclusion is not to bother planting them where they should not be planted. Find good soil to plant in or give your extra seedling to friends with garden space.

Never take the weather for granted. We started out with warmer than average temps and I could not resist the urge to plant before I knew I should have. That in itself did away with some of my plants even before the bunnies came along. Once the Fall came I was determined to plant garlic so that I would get to reap the benefits of early growth next Spring. But then we had a very warm fall and they pretty much all sprouted. You can try and cover them with mulch but unless you can figure out a way to pile it 2 feet high the garlic will still poke through.

Then there was the blight. I had blight last year but didn't know what it was and it hadn't affected the tomatoes. This year was another story. The spores had already settled into the air and soil and so they did not have a hope. I chose not to resort to chemicals and tried to save the plants by cutting off the diseased leaves. A few of the worse ones I actually pulled out of the ground in an attempt to save the others. I still got tomatoes but not as many as I would have liked. I have concluded that the best way to get rid of blight is to not plant tomatoes for a few years.

I still had some pleasure even considering the huge loss. The first is the abundance of birds and butterflies that have come to our yard. They like some of the flowers from our vegetable plants and our yard was always full of life. One of the biggest surprises was when I glanced out the kitchen window one day to see a humming bird! More came and they stayed for the rest of the sumer. They love the bean pole flowers. Another joy was in seeing my raspberry bush produce fruit twice. The herbs did very well. soup celery and mint are my favourite.

Having not much produce gave me time to consider the soil in which we grow things. When the topsoil blows away or becomes destroyed by chemicals it takes more than a few lifetimes to recover. I once read it takes 1,000 years or more to recover but the estimates vary. I came to value my compost even more this summer and plan to research more about how I can keep the soil healthy and fertile as composting seems to be part of the equation and not the whole. [insert scary music] I think this is going to involve the application of manure in the future.

In conclusion, this planting season was a year for learning. I hope to not have to do so much of it next year.

Cooking with Honey

2010-10-27T13:05:00.001-07:00

I have been having a lot of success with cooking with honey. However, is recommended to make a few changes to your recipe. I am using the guide from Bee Maid Honey.

If recipe calls for 2 cups sugar:
Use 1 1/3 cup honey, add 1 tsp baking soda and decrease liquid by 1/3 cup.

To replace 1 cup sugar:
Use 2/3 cup honey, add 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and decrease liquid by 2 Tbsp and 2 tsp.

To Replace 1/2 cup sugar:
Use 1/3 cup honey, and 1/4 tsp baking soda, and decrease liquid by 4 tsp.

Note: I use unpasteurized local honey. Unpasteurized honey is supposed to have anti-bacterial properties. Local honey is said to
reduce allergy symptoms. I don't know if this is true, but it tastes good and I like supporting my local farmer. Also, you should do your own research before switching to honey, especially if you are planning to feed it to children under the age of 1.

Honey

2010-10-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

The honey show at The Forks reminded me of my honey bender in July. This photo was taken at the cottage, right after spending an afternoon picking strawberries and I was on a total strawberry/honey high...or maybe it was just being in the sun too long. In any case, the neighbouring farm had just harvested ( right word?) honey and the strawberry farmer was selling it for him. I bought all of his biggest pails hoping it will last a year. My main goal is to replace white sugar with it. I love that honey doesn't go bad. Just keep it in the cupboard, and whatever you do, do NOT store it in the fridge as it will get all granular looking.

I added this site because I had never heard of Honey Launderers before, but it is not surprising either. Yikes.
http://insects.about.com/b/2009/07/16/why-you-should-buy-local-honey.htm

Easy Fall Composting

2010-10-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Now is a good time to do some easy composting because it won't be long until the ground freezes up (some people throw the compost right on top of the garden as this time of year, but I wouldn't recommend it on account of possibly attracting rodents). We tried this dig-a-hole method at the lake where there are a lot of bears and the compost was left intact. I figure if it worked there, it'll work in my garden. Besides, Joan mentioned this method in her book and she knows EVERYTHING!

Fill up the hole. Easy! Note the cut up clear plastic looking bag on top of the compost. It's a used pasta bag from Natures Farm ( a local company) which is compostable. It is made from cellulose derived from wood pulp.

Voila! The compost process will be completed by the time you prepare your garden in the Spring.

Front Yard Vegetable Gardens

2010-09-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

Awhile ago I took my bike around the city looking for inspiration. These are not your grandmother's gardens.

Discovering Joan

2010-09-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

The book came in at last. This Organic Life ..Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader by Joan Gussow. I cannot wait to eat up her words as the taste I had after reading only the Preface is delicious. I think it might be like when I discovered the words of Michael Pollan for the first time. Oh, the anticipation!

Birth of a Butterfly

2010-09-24T06:02:00.000-07:00

August 1/10. This was just outside our front door. we left the house 2 hours prior and it was a caterpillar in a J shape. This is what it looked like only a few hours later.

23 days later the crysalis turns into this colour. This means it will hatch the next morning when the sun is shining.

I read that it takes 10 minutes to hatch but the ones in my yard take longer.

The Monarch will sit beside its old casing for about 20 minutes to dry off and stretch its wings. Initially the wings appear to be stuck together.

flying away to a new life.

.

The Secret Ingredient

2010-09-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

"Now, as you knead this dough in your warm hands, bear good thoughts in your heart, that there be no stain of evil in the food. Ask that it may have in it the greatness and power of Mother Earth: then those who eat it will be nourished in spirit as well as in body."

Daughter Elder would still rather be 'nourished' by Wonderbread.

The Day After

2010-09-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to put into words the feelings I have after completing this goal. It was an amazing day. I could write the logistics of how the day went, but it is the emotion of it that I can't find the words for. It was simply an incredible day and I am so very thankful to have been able to experience it.

ONE MORE SLEEP

2010-09-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

I am ready for this experience. I know why I chose this race. It is not all full of cement like in the city. I will feel the ground, the breeze. I will feel alive and I will finish.

2!

2010-09-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

Ran 5 miles just to keep things loose. Not sure if I should have done more or less during this taper week but there is no time for second guessing now. Feeling relaxed. I better enjoy it because tomorrow I may be a ball of nerves.

4!

2010-09-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Did weights and abs. My legs are itching to run and I have a slight jittery feel. I want to move! Which is kind of funny because I don't move very fast.

It is advised not to try anything new on race day. Stick to your tried and true. I ran out of Gatorade and bought Vegn fluid replacement instead. Gatorade has been with me on my runs for about 7 years. Never bought Vegn before. This could be interesting.

Hoping to update my running tunes before the night is through. Time to bring out the beats that make me feel strong.

5

2010-09-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ran 5 miles so my legs don't forget how to run on Sunday. Listened to Fleet Foxes the entire time and was very emotional and reflective.

6 DAYS LEFT

2010-09-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Did a weight workout and 100 sit ups.

I cannot believe I will be running this in less than a week. I have trained to the degree that I thought appropriate, or that time would allow, have been hydrating, and eating good solid food. Well, except for the beer and my coffee indulgence. For someone who has been dreading the marathon it seems odd to choose this hilly one for a first. I will dig deep, from places I have not had to go for a long time and will grow from this experience. I will be humbled and hopefully a better person for having experienced it.

DAY 7 AND LEARNING A LESSON

2010-09-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Day 8 was spent with the family at the lake. I got to see a jelly fish everyone is talking about. The story goes that they arrived from China on the backs of birds. My bro-in-law, the fisherman says they are everywhere in the lake now.

Day 7:
We arrived home late from the lake and I was fretting for not having done anything physical yet ( today is usually a weight training day). Early evening Nicole phones to ask if I want a ride to our monday night run group which is to take place in a forest/park just outside the city limits.. The B man said it was fine so I immediately ditch dinner to put on shorts and head out the door. Upon arrival we see a trail in white chalk to follow to our group. By this time there are 4 of us running ( and N and B's blind dog) and there comes a point where Bob tells us we can go in the opposite direction as it is a short cut to our group. I look to see Nicole following him, but I choose to go in the other direction because the marks clearly show that this is the correct way. So basically I do the entire run with these 2 guys who are way faster than me. I sense they are competing with each other in speed and by God, I have to keep up because I have a brutal sense of direction and will surely get lost without them. I also have no cell phone. We finally reach our destination about 40 minutes later and I see Bob but don't notice Nicole is NOT with him. I was so out of breath and only focussed on beer ( that is our treat at the end of these runs) and tying to control my laboured breathing. Bob was also preoccupied and thought Nicole was with me. Shortly after he asks where Nicole is, and I freak out realizing that all this time he thinks she is with me, and I thought she was with him. A search party of 3 set out to find her and after what seems like a brutally long time she comes back alone with her blind dog and says she did not see the other 3 people who went to search for her. Nicole has a very poor sense of direction like myself and I am taking this really badly because I lost my friend in the woods and feel like the worst friend ever. She on the other hand seems calm and cool about the whole ordeal. I tell her this is a lesson and we must always carry a cell phone on us at all times ( she had hers. She is smarter than I am) and also must carry marking tape. She asks me why and I say this is because if we get lost in the woods we can mark the trees to help guide us. Someone in the group asks why do we do trail running seeing as we both have such a poor sense of direction. It is a good question. The mosquitos drive us all insane so so we head to a bar for the remainder of the visit. I have 3 1/2 beers while trying to recover from the evening and Nicole buys us both shooter. I get completely drunk as a result due to not having any dinner. I notice Nicole drinking more than I have ever seen her drink before and realize she is probably also freaked out by the whole ordeal although she is graceful about the whole thing. Thank goodness Bob was driving. My 7th final night of marathon training turned out to be a doozie.

9

2010-09-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ate a bowl of plain yogurt, 1/2 cup raw oats with an apple for breakfast. Had a 1/2 and 1/2 on the way to work. Made the B Man drive me so that I would be forced to run home afterwards. It turned out to be a long a tiring day and I was thankful for not having the option of driving home. I only ate a salad during the day so as not to have a full stomach.

Hour 1: Gearing up with 2 L of gatorade ( finishing off my old stuff before switching to Vegn) and a full backpack was tiresome for the first bit but was fairly certain energy would come back if i could just make it thought this hour. At one point a car drove by, honked and the passenger gave me the thumbs up. I knew immediately it was a fellow runner and that encouragement gave me a great lift for the next little while.

Hour 2: Decided my next move would be to run over to Sturgeon Heights track for the third hour so that kept me occupied. Almost stepped on a dead mouse on a path. Started thinking about how I was going to fuel myself for the remainder of the hours. I didn't feel hungry but bought a small hamburger on route and ate it anyway.

HOUR 3: Met up with Bob at the track and we ran around it for an hour. The mosquitos were horrible and there were 2 men arguing nearby. Nicole showed up with homemade bannock and cake. darn! I shouldn't have had that hamburger as her goods were much better!

HOUR 4: Bob and I decided we would run somewhere else. At this point I was needing some incentive and was starting to get an idea. We agreed to run down Portage and after about 1/2 hour Bob asked where we were going ( or something like that). I told him I would like to go get a beer at the end of this hour.... 1/2 beer each wouldn't do any harm and he was agreeable. We found a place exactly at the end of the 4th hour ( perfect timing!) but Bob was struggling with putting his vibrams on while trying not to expose his back end while doing so as he runs in a kilt. This was too much work after running for 4 hours so I said lets press on and told him I didn't need a beer after all. Lucky me, a few steps later we found a more appropriate restaurant without any patrons that we were able to duck into for a few minutes without Bob having to put his shoes on. I bought one beer but it looked so cold and refreshing that I decided that a whole beer each would be better. I must say I have never polished off a beer so quickly in my life and we were out of there in 5 minutes or less.

HOUR 5: Wow! That beer had no negative effect on me at all...no sloshing around in the stomach or anything. My legs felt less heavy after drinking it, but that is probably a placebo effect. It is very interesting running with a man in a kilt as you do get a lot of attention from people passing by in their cars.
I was able to run home and felt very good that I did what I set out to do. This is the last day of heavy training until the big M.

10

2010-09-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

Made it to the gym after work to do weights. The trick is to not go home first or else I won't get back out the door. Caught a glimpse of the personal trainer that Bryan gave my email to the other day ( she was with a client at the other end of the room). He tells me she is a runner and and seems very excited about the prospect of her training me for the 50k, which makes me laugh because she just happens to be gorgeous. I'm sure that didn't factor into his thinking at all. Anyway, she has a total runners body, not an ounce of fat on her and MY GAWD, her back muscles are ripped. This is probably good advertising for a trainer but I find it intimidating and am going to do my best to avoid meeting with her.

Ate and hydrated well. Lots of good food now that harvest time has arrived. Tonight I had spaghetti squash that was just picked the night before. MMmmm.

Have to get in 5 hours of running tomorrow and it looks like it will have to be done after work. This is not ideal but has to get done, otherwise will psych myself out. Sunday is unfortunately not an option.

Race day is getting near. I am beginning to feel mentally up for the challenge. But then again I may be completely delusional.

11

2010-09-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

6:00AM: Ate an apple and did 45 min water running in place of a tempo run. Had a large 1/2 capp 1/2 black coffee afterwards.

LATER:
Then got some sad news and am reminded that each and every day is a gift. My daughter's teacher died . She taught my girls for a total of 3 years so we got to know her well. She was only in her 30's, was newly married and had a lifetime yet to live. Not sure how the evening will go with my younger daughter upon hearing this news, therefore may not make it to the gym before work in the morning.

12 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS...I MEAN TREHERNE.

2010-09-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

9:00AM: Weights, sit ups, and those splint things as per usual. My legs are not painful, not stiff and the balls of my feet feel fine, but something is going on. If i wasn't running a race in 2 weeks I would even ignore it because it is only a subtle feeling. Earlier today I did a little run from the car to house and my legs were not reacting quickly at all even though I had just instructed then to sprint! I guess they are tired from yesterday and will try do water running till Sunday to give them a rest. Drank 2 cups of coffee for breakfast and I piece of pb&j toast.

12:00 Chicken tomato sandwich and dehydrated salted vegetables. Vics supermarket sells them ( I think they make it on site because there isn't a commercial label on the bag). I could have eaten the whole bag but decided to stop at a handful because I know the kids and their friends will want to chow down on them ( insert sarcasm here).

6:30PM: Found a note from an old run. At every mile I made sure to give thanks for something. I jotted down whatever came to mind at that mile. I think I actually ran 17 miles that day, but only jotted down up to mile 11.
Mile 1. Thankful for being motivated enough to get out the door this morning.
Mile 2. The B Man who is always supportive of my running ( if I was writing the note now, it would say thankful that he is putting up with my running...)
Mile 3. My health.
Mile 4. My children's fresh perspectives.
Mile 5. Reuniting with my sisas I never knew I had
Mile 6. Thankful for the beautiful morning.
Mile 7. For one of my running partners who gave me a verbal kick in the butt a couple miles back.
Mile 8. Thankful to have running buddies.
Mile 9. Thankful for the one who said sorry and opened up my heart.
Mile 10. For my running partners who refused to let me leave my running shoes behind.
Mile 11. Thankful that I am still going.

7:30 PM: Bowl of homemade chicken soup and....I guess thats it. 1 L water.

8:30PM: 2 handfuls of those veggie snacks and 1 cup white tea.

13...

2010-08-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

The balls of my feet are a bit stiff so I contemplated doing speed work in the water instead of a track run. As usual, I missed my window of opportunity and spent the good part of the day trying to figure out how I was going to make up for it.
Today I bought some candied ginger. I've read about other runners who pop some on their long runs and I have been meaning to try it.

5:30 PM: Ran 2 miles to outdoor track. Started off with 4 sprints to warm up. Then I ran 4x400m. First 400 m (not sure if that is right. Translation: ran twice around the track) at as fast as possible pace without stopping. I timed it at just over 7 min pace. Got a big pain under right rib as soon as I stopped running but it went away after a two minute rest. I did the 2nd 400 m in 7 1/2 minutes, 3rd set at just under eight. As I was doing the second lap of the third round, Nicole drove up and yelled something at me which sounded like "Go faster!" and then she drove off. That gave me something to think about as I was trying to go faster for my 4th round. It was my slowest of the 4 at 8.10 min pace. Ran 2 miles home. The ginger burns my mouth so it will not be going in my running bag of treats. Getting tired of jotting down what I eat, so it was the usual. slacked off on the hydration yesterday and today though.

9:45PM: 100 sit ups. I couldn't remember the name of that other abd exercise until now....they are called Planks and Side Plank-Split Leg. It sounds impressive but I can only do 40 seconds each ( is that laughing I hear??).

14 DAYS TILL TREHERNE

2010-08-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

4:30AM: Throw something in crockpot for tonight's dinner and make lunch for family. This is my way of letting them know I love them because mommy isn't going to be home tonight. Eat a handful of strawberries and 2 cups of water. Pack for work and do 100 sit ups.

SOMEWHERE BTWN 4:30AM and 10PM: Drink 4 glasses of water. Get some good news at work. Eat 2 egg wraps, 1/2 cucumber, 1 large 1/2 and 1/2 coffeeat lunch.
Weights at the gym after work.
eat a piece of toast with green beans from the garden and a bit of melted cheese on top, carrots & cherry tomatoes from the garden, followed by an apple crisp the neighbour dropped off ( yum!). Snuck in a super strong cup of decaf with mucho cream.

Ran only 1/2 mile in the rain with Mon night run/drinking group. What can I say, except I was left wanting more. Afterwards drank 1.5 beer and a handful of chips and had a good visit with a bunch of other stinky runners. Talked for a time with a fellow runner, SS who was out running for the first time since his cardiac arrest about a month ago ( while on a run). He told me about how he had no idea there was a problem except his runs had gotten to feeling difficult when they shouldn't have and I knew exactly what he meant. It reminded me of that time 3 years ago. I'm sure I will think back to it come race day. Events that have shaped your life tend to pop up on long runs. It took a long time to get rid of the The Great Fear while running. SS will feel more confident when the time comes when there are many miles separating him from that fateful day. On On.

15 DAYS TILL TREHERNE

2010-08-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Rest day. Already thinking about next Sunday's run. Oh, I know, I know. Its supposed to be a taper run. But.....

16 DAYS TILL TREHERNE

2010-08-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

4:00AM: Have a bowl of plain yogurt with oats and maple syrup. Down a bottle of water. Check to see if my running partners responded to my run request. Nope. Get dressed, prepare pack and go back to bed.

8:00AM-NOON: Head out 3 hours later than planned. First hour I run around an outdoor track. The mosquitos drive me insane so I head for pavement. Hour 2 goes by fine. I have 2 L gatorade in my pack but start thinking I need to eat something. I remember something about eating 250cals every hour after that first hour of running so buy a Toblerone and eat half of it. Phone Bryan. I suggest he meet me on the way to the lake and say I'd like to get in 5 hours of running first. He wants to leave sooner so we agree to 4. His patience is running thin and I don't blame him. Hour 3 and my feet start to hurt so I exchange the running shoes for the swim shoes and my toes are happy to have the extra room. Finish off the other half of Toblerone. I am feeling better than I thought especially since running alone is such a challenge and I tend to throw in the towel early. Hour 4 and my knees are beginning to complain. I want to walk but know better. Even with the knee pain its not bad but my running time is up. The family picks me up at McD's and I enjoy - i can't believe I'm saying this - a cheeseburger, small fries and 1 large fries and a large coffee. Breaking down this run into hourly intervals made the time go by smoothly. I wish I could have done the 5th hour but it has been a successful run.

5PM: Feel lightheaded. Down 1/2 orange and then share a veggie wrap with Bryan. Will have a beer later with a late supper and enjoy our time at the lake.

17 DAYS TILL TREHEREN

2010-08-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

2:00 AM: Woken up by 3 loud teenagers in the basement and immediately thought I would like to ride my bike on the Treherne marathon course and count each and every hill. That way I can mentally mark them off as I tackle each one come race day. Wonder why being woken up by those girls made me think that.

6:45AM: Should go do weights but I have those teenagers in the basement to feed so have to make pancakes instead. Drink 1 cup of earl grey tea. Eat yogurt concoction.

10:00AM: Suck back a large 1/2 cap1/2 black coffee. Bike down to Portage Ave for 35 min. Getting on the seat again hurts my butt from a few days ago and my quads are a bit sore ( not bad though). Exchanged my compression leg sleeves for a smaller size. I am adding a little plug for City Park Runners who have been very helpful. Afterwards did weights at the gym and added 5 Lbs to some of them. I don't like working that hard and I really hope the lady at the desk doesn't come and ask me if I am ok again.

1:00 PM: Ate 2 hard boiled eggs, hummus and crackers and a handful of carrots. Thinking if I run around the outdoor track 80 times it would equal 20 miles and wondering if I am crazy enough to do that some day. Also wondering if I am going to be around for Sunday's long run, and if not then I should start thinking about doing it Saturday. Family life can put a dent in your long run plans.

3PM: 1 cup of tea. Oh, and up till now I drank probably 3 bottles of water. I am hydrating. You can't start this in the last week because you'll just pee it out, that is why you should start at least 3 weeks ahead of time. At least, thats what I was told once.

7:30PM: Mucho pressure from the B Man to go to the lake tonight which would mean missing my long run. "Blow it off" he says. Ummm, like I need to get a 20 mile in this weekend or else I'm screwed. I can't believe he just said that! Phoned B & N to see if they might be up for a 4 am run tomorrow. had a carbo supper and am feeling sluggish. I'm going to bed.

18 DAYS TILL TREHERNE

2010-08-26T04:09:00.001-07:00

5:00 AM: Alarm goes off. Tell myself I am NOT doing a tempo run at this bloody hell hour. Go back to sleep.

7AM: eat same yogurt concoction as yesterday plus a cup of white tea.

7:30AM:Stub my unsplinted toe(JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH!!!!!!) while opening door for the B man who has just returned from his workout. Decide to remove nail polish from said toe to get a better look. Hey look! The black nail matches the carpet. Go back to reading the mommy running book. Discover that you run more on your toes when going up hills( i used to do hill training, how did I forget this?). I need to buy more splint tape. Treherne is all hills. Remember to bring Advil. If I write it twice it might just happen.

9:00AM-11:30 AM: Splinted up the toe with painting tape and then ran to the gym. Did 1/2 hour tempo run @9:41PPM which is 6.2 on the treadmill setting ( don't laugh) then went back outside post treadmill to run for 1 hr. 20 minutes longer. During that time I had to have a small coffee before the morning slipped away on me. I also had 1 small bag of baked S&V chips and 2 cups gatorade w. 4 Tbsp chia seeds. On the way home I passed a poster of someone offering their services for an exorcism. Drank 2 cups of homo milk (gross!) as soon I got home.

AFTERNOON: 100 sit ups. Out with Sprog #2 and mom. Somehow missed lunch but found an apple to eat. Drank 3 cups of water and had 1 large coffee in a moment of weakness.

SUPPER: 1 1/2 veggie wrap and handful of strawberries and piece of puffed wheat square.

9:30 PM: Joined up with B & N for part of their run for 3.5 miles. Felt light headed part way through and was happy to have a water bottle filled with with Vegn Sport powder in it which was given to us in our race package from last weekend. I found the taste offensive but it did the trick. came home and had the last of zucchini soup. Looking forward to reading and going to bed.

19 DAYS TILL TREHERNE

2010-08-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

5:45 AM: Eat an apple then go do weights at the gym followed by 100 sit ups at home ( there is no way I'll do those in public). Afterwards I run 1/4 mile to get a coffee then walk the rest of the way home.

8:45AM-8:30 PM:Eat 1/2 cup raw oats with 3/4 cup plain yogurt and fresh blueberries and a dollop of maple syrup. Drank 3 cups of water. Rode my bike to work then hopped on the bike after work for a total of 4 hours. Somewhere between work and post work bike ride I ate 2 pieces of banana bread, 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 handfuls of carrots, 2 veggie wraps and an apple. Drank 6 cups of water. Had a headache when I got home. Must remember to bring Advil on race day.

8:30pm-10:30PM: Had a plate of lasagna noodles with a tomato, a bit of oil and a dollop of cheese. Drank another glass of water. Continued reading Run Like a Mother How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Family, Job or Sanity. I can totally relate to Dimiti's way of thinking and it makes me smile. Totally neglected my family today.

20 DAYS TILL TREHERNE.

2010-08-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

Decided last night I need to write down my final almost 3 week journey till D-Day. For the next 20 days I will be writing exclusively all things marathon, probably every mundane detail. The activities will basically be what I've already been doing for months. Writing it out it makes me accountable, at least that is the hope.

7:30 am: Check computer. Nicole didn't respond to my 8 am speed training offer. Talk myself into doing it later and go back to bed.

7:45: Nicole phones. Its on after all. No time for breakfast. I fill up a bottle of lemon lime gatorade with a tablespoon of chia seeds in case I get light headed during the run ( stupid hypoglycemia). I decide to wear my worn out running shoes as the bottoms of my feet are sore from running the last 2 days in swim shoes.

8:15 am: Run 4 times around the track to warm up. Do 2 sprints. I try to convince Nicole we should run around the track full out ( as full out as you can be for running that distance), rest and do it again 3 more times. She tells me that sounds good except we should double up what I suggested ( damn). We compromise and do one round once around the track full out. rest 2 minutes. Run around the track twice full out before resting for another 2 minutes. Third round is once around the track full out. Rest 2 minutes. Final time we run twice around the track full out. I almost feel like barfing. Then we run a mile around the track to cool down. Finish off the bottle of gatorade/chia seed mix.

9:45am: Drink one large cup 1/2&1/2 coffee and vanilla cappucino. Eat 1/4 of homemade granola bar. Feeling good to have pushed it. Its all thanks to Nicole. I am grateful to have an awesome running partner. My 4 day old broken toe started to throb.

11:45am:1 veggie wrap. 3 cups water ( not all at once).

12:30pm:1 cup spearmint tea w. 1/2 tsp honey.

4 pm: 1/2 cucumber, 1 cup white tea, smallcup of turkey rice soup.

5 pm: 2 crackers with humus

6pm: Out for bike ride with hubby. We go at a good clip riding on grass by the creek for 1/2 hour. Even though this was our little date time, I'm going to count it as training anyway.

7 pm: Family dinner. Lasagna, zucchini soup ( want some Bob?), and white tea. Toe feels just fine. No throbbing. Blood build up under toenail is going down.

8 pm: 100 sit ups. Then did those other core excercises I'll have to find the name of it. Drank 3 cups of water between noon and now. I feel good.

9:30 pm: Bed with a book about mommy runners. Contemplating riding my bike to work tomorrow. can't remember how many miles it is but it'll be about 2 hours total riding time. Debating whether I should make it 4 hours. Feel good.

2010-08-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

Finally registered for the Treherne marathon. I thought it was the usual lackadaisical attitude that kept me from registering sooner. When I pressed the 'Confirm registration' option, I realized it was repressed FEAR that kept me from registering. I felt like throwing up and my heart started racing. The marathon block in my head is out of control. I can't go running a marathon like this. You have to believe you can do it. You need to have mental toughness. I used to be tough. What happened? I've delivered 2 kids without anaesthetic for crying out loud (ok, so it wasn't by choice, but still). Surely I can run 26.2 miles. I've run 21 miles, so whats 5 more miles? The rational side of me says of course I can do this. Its not like I haven't been training. Its not like I'm aiming for a good time either. I just want to finish and move on to the next goal ( Vulture Bait!). Right now I do not feel at all like the person who writes in this blog. Presently I am a trembling blob of anxiety.

2010-08-21T17:44:00.000-07:00

Bees are Back

2010-08-20T09:34:00.001-07:00

August 14th saw another malathion spraying on my street, but this time the bees and butterflies did not disappear! Even being in a buffer zone, I assume it depends upon the wind and I was happy to see this as it took the bees a long time to come back to the yard after previous sprayings. There have been 4 sprayings on my street so far this season.

The bumble bee is my absolute favourite to watch. There are not many in the yard since the initial fogging, so it gives me great joy when I spot one in the flowers. I love how the legs dangle when they fly and watch in awe how they are able to fly with such a fat body! Another type of bee seems to be in abundance, especially in the Joe Pie Weed located just outside our front door. I ljust learned of its name.... tricoloured bumblebee. They are described as large bees, although the ones in the yard are not.

On a completely different note, I spotted a humming bird fluttering around the bean pole today!

The Future of Food - Introduction

2010-08-16T10:51:00.000-07:00