I discovered, when we lived in the RV, that I liked blogging outside around a campfire. The days aren't terribly quiet around here with everyone traveling...but the evenings ARE. Nolan and Dad both go to bed around 8 p.m. I've been reading outside...while the chickens get ready for bed and the garden gets watered....but tonight, I discovered something even better.
Blogging from our own deck....
 |
Dad planted these flowers - I love the peak; can't see as much of it in the
summer....but the green is nice. |
On either side of the deck are these lovely lilacs. They smell wonderful!
And I'm sipping on a mug of home-grown spearmint tea...If I weren't daydreaming I'd be inspired to blog. ::snort::
 |
| My favorite little pot from a Japanese thrift store |
This morning I was up early spending time with Jesus, working out, watering, weeding corn, . I even pulled two watermelon plants. It hurt my heart to do so...but I chose the healthiest two to give the space to. I think my cantaloupe needs more room. I don't think it gets warm enough in the garden for it to grow. I may have to choose between the cucumbers and cantaloupe.
I left the house to visit with my nurse practitioner before Dad was up. It was a great appointment. After nine years of being a vegan, she had suggested I switch to a
Mediterranean diet. I was introduced to the
Blue Zone Lifestyle . This helped me see how to make it all work together. She felt my cholesterol would be managed, and I'd benefit from more food choices, as I worked to limit complex carbs and eliminate sugar. My A1C was high, I didn't want to go on Metformin (it had been high for a year). I had been trying to "limit" sugar, and it kept rising. I needed to eliminate it. If I agreed to only have sugar "occasionally," and make sure my heart is in target range at least 150 min a week, I could re-check in 3 months. I was willing to make the changes.
I had no sugar/bread/meat until Easter. I had sugar on Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day. In May I had meat once. I didn't like how I felt when I ate meat and haven't had any more since then. I made a conscious effort to "eat more fish." I ate all the fruit I wanted. I made a couple of desserts with dates and apples.
I had been trying to cut out sugar for years....having a cancer scare and a big D diagnosis in the same month motivated me to get serious.
Today was the moment of truth. We'd see how my cholesterol and blood sugar reacted to the changes. I lost weight. My HDL was up (viva la salmon!), my LDL was down. My triglycerides were up a bit, but she said that is genetic. I'd gone off the drugs for that and so a slight increase was better than we had thought. She said we don't need to worry about this with my lab numbers.
My A1C had been one higher than the top of the pre-diabetic range this practice uses (and I'm noting there are several scales online). It is now the very lowest of the pre-diabetic range. If it had been one point lower the diagnosis would go away....but she told me I need to eat like a diabetic if I want to keep my sugars low....I am managing it with diet and lifestyle and if I begin to think it's "gone," I'll slide back to old habits. She encouraged me to continue plodding away at these changes as they are a total lifestyle and it's working. She added strength training to my workout routine...which I'll begin when I find the handout with the exercises. ::snort::
I have lost weight - even on the "doctor scale." My Vitamin D has tanked. I'm about to get huge doses of D for 16 weeks....and then go back to the daily 5,000 IU. Repeat of my Misawa experience. My liver and kidney functions have both improved. My electrolytes and protein et al were fine.
I'm relieved not to have to limit or give up fruit.
She didn't mention colonoscopy once today.
I came home to watch Benny so CoRielle could go out. He and Dad took a nap. This is what I got done while I watched Benny. ::wink::
I planted 150 corn starts, 24 beet starts, and 3 kinds of squash. I checked the packages and all had a 50 - 60 days to maturity range. All were seeds I had hanging around. I'm hopeful as we get twice the sunshine of the lower 48. Michael and Alex planted 155 corn seeds...and only 11 have germinated (yes, I soaked them). We decided to start more corn inside - because it worked last year. LOL Everyone told me they NEVER start corn inside - but.....I guess you have to do what works for YOU.
I planted some forget-me-nots in my "Gather" pot, and replanted all 3 things on the shelf. I'm not sure what the first one is - a 2018 Mother's Day gift, the second pot contains spearmint, and the 3rd pot is chocolate spearmint. I clipped it back and put it in a bigger pot. I put the clippings in a jar to stick in here and there when they grow some roots. I saved some leaves for my evening tea.
I tried to put together a greenhouse shelf we have. It wouldn't stay together. I'd planned to use it for some of the starts. I put them in the greenhouse....I hope it works. If not - it's all seeds I had...and the main garden is in - I just want to fill up some of the spaces. LOL
 |
| I have ALWAYS had a black thumb - I'm a bit amused at all the green |
CoRielle came home and proceeded to make fun family memories....Dad is teasing about finding a bear tape to play. I watched Benny chase moths for a bit and then headed in to make dinner.
After dinner Nolan, Dad and I played two rounds of Farkle. It's become our habit. I won both - I'm ok if THAT becomes a habit. LOL
It's been HOT around here....Its predicted we'll hit 80's in the next day or so. Cory told me I need to be watering more. I took advantage of the watering to get some photos.
Isn't this the prettiest kale you've ever seen?
I swear this stuff is bigger each time I go out....the heat, sun and water are working magic.
 |
| 3 kinds of Kale |
The potatoes are finally big enough for this novice gardener to feel comfortable telling them from the weeds. I'll weed them tomorrow.
Good grief it's 11 p.m. again. The days are long when one has a rooster outside one's bedroom window. Phoenix hasn't learned to go to bed before the sun goes down....he is up making noise at 1:30 a.m. and crowing the sun up at 4:30 a.m.
