It’s harder to stick with a rational, mature eating plan when the weather is yelling for comfort food. It’s 17 degrees F here in Greenwood, Arkansas. February is always our coldest month, but I was beginning to believe we wouldn’t have much of a winter this year. Hahahahahahhaha! Our highs are in the 20s, we have ice everywhere, our deck is a skating rink unfit for old folks to fill the bird feeders, and our 650+ foot long, STEEP driveway and the road that runs in front of our place are not encouraging travel – even to retrieve our mail at the bottom of the driveway. The forecast is for ‘dangerous cold, and snow Sat – Monday, then again Wednesday of next week. Did I tell you I HATE February?
I’m trying to be the “mature adult woman” that I’m supposed to be, NOT stuffing my face while continuing to earn my gold stars on my desk calendar for exercise. I put on my sweatshirt, sweat pants, puffy vest, knit hat, and gloves to go out to the garage to put in my time on my elliptical trainer. The good thing is I feel very proud of myself if I manage to get my time in out there each day. The yoga in the afternoons is easier.
Yesterday I finally got the seeds planted for my spring garden. The seed starter tray is sitting on our dining area table where the seeds will get the best sun. I’m watching the tray like a mother hen, hoping my seeds will sprout and then do really well so that I’ll have healthy, good-looking plants to put into my raised bed square foot garden the first week of April.
I am planning to continue my efforts to clean and reorganize my art room today. So far, the only clean area is my drafting table. Today I’ll tackle this table.
I hope you’re having a good Friday. Maybe we can start a petition to do away with February…
This afternoon I have finally planted seeds that I HOPE will make transplants for my spring garden.
It was more involved than I thought it would be. I simplified it as much as I could, but it still took me two days. The biggest problem was trying to get the seed starter medium wet. That sounds like a dumb problem, but the medium is VERY light. If I had sneezed into the bag, the medium would have covered the whole kitchen – I kid you not. I added water VERY carefully and slowly. The spray in the kitchen sink was MUCH too strong. I finally used a turkey baster to ease water into each of the peat planter pods, making sure each didn’t overflow. I also didn’t want the peat pots to fall apart, so I stopped several times in the process. I did it last thing last night, hoping that things might settle in overnight.
This afternoon I found a spray bottle in the garage and used it to add more water. Then I used a pencil to make two planting holes in most of the pots, but only one hole in the ones for the broccoli. I planted two rows of spinach, two of broccoli, two of lettuce, and one row of green pepper. I split the last two rows, planting some yellow squash, zucchini, and two kinds of tomatoes.
I pushed the holes closed and tamped down the medium a bit in each peat pot, and then sprinkled some fertilizer pellets. Finally I sprayed everything carefully one more time and added the clear plastic seed starter tray top. I had to hold it down with some pill bottles because it didn’t want to close tightly.
Supposedly, things will start sprouting in 8 to 14 days, depending on the seed. When that happens, I’ll take the plastic top off and turn the tray around each day, hoping the sprouts will grow up reasonably straight.
I have little clue what I’m doing. Everything I have read is like the recipes for bread that say, “Knead it until it feels right.” :0(
It’s exciting to be TRYING to grow plants that I can move to my spring garden around the 5th of April.
Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
Filed under Oil Paintings I Love
My scales gave me a thumbs up again this morning. I’m determined to take this one day at a time, though my goal is a long way off.
The MyFitnessPal.com website is helping me stay accountable for what I’m consuming. It’s so easy to tell yourself you’re not eating that much, but the ‘grazing’ adds up around here, and the website makes me acknowledge where the problems are and help me concentrate on solving them. Today I will cut up raw veggies to enjoy with dip for my mid afternoon snack.
My efforts to do 35 minutes a day on my elliptical are having varied success. My excuse NOW is the weather. I’m wearing a vest and my gloves, but the elliptical trainer is out in the garage and it is REALLY cold out there, even though I’m moving. I’ve decided that if I get out there and do as much as I can before freezing to death, that’s all anyone should ask. I’m really earning my gold star there.
My afternoon yoga is going much better. My body is starting to loosen up a bit. It’s amazing to me that I must spend much of the day trying to curl up into a ball. It’s hard for this old broad to stretch out. It actually takes me a minute or two for the act of lying down flat on my back on my mat to stop being really uncomfortable. I have to concentrate on relaxing (“relaxing jaw – relaaaaaaaxing face) with my head and neck propped up on a wonderful wedge I bought online after my massage therapist tried it one day a couple of years ago. When I stop hurting, I then put my head flat on the floor and relax some more.
I spend 30 -45 minutes most afternoons doing slow, careful, thorough stretching. My body feels a lot better afterwards.
This post reminded me of a sign I found recently –
I hope I’m not boring you to tears. If I am please just scroll through it rapidly, delete it, write me a note…..
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Mother Nature, Seasons
We are iced in on top of our ridge line in Greenwood, Arkansas today. Our deck is like a skating rink. I almost landed on my head yesterday – filling up our bird feeders and hanging a double container of suet – and so threatened my husband with death if he tried to go out there. I haven’t been out enough to know if we have broken branches yet.
Our forecast reminds me of a gathering my parents had at their house years ago. My dad had his own advertising agency in Tulsa, OK, and the gathering was a business one, full of people who had to do with radio and TV advertising. The talk turned to the weather, and weather forecasts. Someone laughed and said their very FAVORITE forecast was a local one, where the weather forecaster predicted, “FLEEZING DIZZLE.” Someone else held their head and said, “Oh, no! That was me!”
So “Fleezing Dizzle” is forecast to continue here, with the addition of probably snow over the weekend and even worse Monday. It’s 18 degrees F. right now. A GREAT day to have a warm, dry house.
We did have things scheduled, but I rescheduled a doctor appointment, so I don’t have to get a blood test this morning, plus we cancelled Lunch Bunch for tomorrow. The Greenwood Public Schools have gone to “Online Learning” today, and I suspect, also tomorrow.
Amber, our 95 pound yellow lab, discovered the hard way that ice is slippery this morning. She went rushing out, barking, as she does routinely, and ended up sliding all the way down the sidewalk behind our house. I didn’t see the look on her face, but I know she was shocked.
She might have looked like this –
I hope you have a safe, warm day ahead.
Filed under Mother Nature, Seasons
Filed under Oil Paintings I Love
I’m beginning to see a welcome difference when I step on the scales each morning. Not a huge one, but a good one, nonetheless. (I know, some people say you shouldn’t weigh every day. Each person has to do what works for him or her, though, and being accountable every morning seems to help motivate ME not to stuff my face.)
I’m still RE-losing, but soon I will be at a new point in my losing-the-lard efforts. I’m earning gold stars for my exercising, too.
I also decided to start using MyFitnessPal.com again, since we have moved to frozen meals coupled with our own, and I need to be more mindful of my eating – particularly of snacks – which can get out of hand quickly.
It’s good to finally feel things coming together to make a difference.
Filed under DIET!, exercise, getting the lard off
When ideas are coming fast and furious, rattling around in my poor brain until I’m dreaming of them, it’s a relief – and so much fun! – to spend time zipping from one idea and medium to the next, shoving things out of the way enough that I can keep playing.
Every once in a while, though, the adult emerges and looks – appalled – at the mess I’ve created once again. The stern taskmaster says that I MUST clean things up before starting anything else.
I went upstairs several days ago. intending to at least START with the tractor in there, but got some ideas for new magnets and I simply gave in to the need to play. I had a GREAT time, got the magnets finished, priced them yesterday and put them into the basket I take back and forth to my local booth in town.
I then listened to the taskmaster and decided to at LEAST get the drafting table cleared off.
My plan is to continue my cleaning efforts up there today. at LEAST getting another table cleaned off.
Happy Tuesday!
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” – Victor Hugo
“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they do when they stick together.” ~ Verna M. Kelly
“Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.” ~ Victor Hugo
“The problem with winter sports is that – follow me closely here – they generally take place in winter.” ~Dave Barry
Filed under Favorite Pictures, Favorite Quotes, Seasons
Hahahahahahahahaha! I love this!
So far, it’s mostly words and little action on my efforts to start some seeds for my spring garden.
I’ve found and printed a “starting seeds guide,” gone through the seeds I have on hand, listed 3 kinds of seed I need to buy, found my seed starter tray, a calendar, a note pad, and a pencil. Not much, huh.
The next step is to research when to try to start each type of seed. Instructions are based on the last frost date in your area. Then you count backwards from there to figure out when each type of seed should be planted.
I’ll make a list of those,
Fill my seed starter with Mel’s Mix,
Cross my fingers and see what happens!
I’m going to TRY to start seeds for: head lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, green pepper, crookneck squash, and zucchini. At the proper time, I’ll look for sweet onion sets. I’ll plant radishes directly into the garden around the 1st of April.
If the seeds don’t make, I will HOPE that I can find starter plants at the local stores in Greenwood. It would do my heart good, though, to be able to do this on my own this year.
Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
Two days ago I went to my art room full of good intentions to clean things up and organize. I’ve been reasonably productive lately, so things are really a mess. :0)
I started with my drafting table because that’s where I do most of my work. As I cleaned it off, I got some ideas for new magnets to make for sale in my booth in Rags & Roses. The cleaning stopped as I started gathering the things I wanted…
Today I will go up and see if I can actually finish cleaning off the drafting table, as well as tackling more of the art room…
Oddly enough, we had our splurge last night during the Super Bowl, but my weight was down a bit today. Probably just a teaser – waiting to lower the boom tomorrow when I’m not expecting it.
We are finishing getting the freezer reasonably stocked up today. Last week we ordered from Stu’s Clean Cookin.’ Today we’ll pick up our order from Real Food. Our weather is supposed to get much more winter-like starting Wednesday, I think, so we’ll be in good shape if we’re snowed or iced in. I feel very fortunate to have two places that provide really good, healthy frozen individual meals.
After our splurge last night, we’re back to our regular eating regimen of tuna fish salad, sugar-free jello, maybe a few grapes, olives for me and sweet pickles for my husband for lunch, and one of the frozen dinners, sometimes sharing some extra veggies, for dinner. I will make sure I have some raw veggies ready for a snack, if needed.
I also have marked my desk calendar with “E’s and “Y’s” each day, hoping to add gold stars next to them for doing my time on the elliptical trainer and my yoga stretches daily. I’m hoping to make the scales and my tape measure sit up and take notice by the end of this month.
I’m not really a football fan, but I love the Super Bowl. I enjoy watching the best of the best each year, both teams having already proven how special they are.
I love the commercials, the special half time show, the excitement.
Most of all, I love a super close game – a nail biter to the very end.
It’s probably a very good thing that I don’t have the money to actually go to a game. I like a close game so much that I change allegiances – rooting for whoever is behind at the moment. I would probably be pounded into the stands by a loyalist from either or both teams.
I love excellence. In sports, in art, in everyday work. I love that people strive to do and be more than they’ve ever been before, achieving great things even if they don’t win the award that day. It makes me proud to live on the same planet.
During the game my husband and I will splurge – all by ourselves – enjoying sandwiches (BREAD!), some chips (GREASY, NUTRITIONLESS CARBS!), and – best of all – popcorn (A FOOD GROUP UNTO ITSELF!) It’s been over 2 years since we have had any. My husband will enjoy a beer and I will have a root beer.
Super Bowl Sunday is an American classic. We ALL win.
Filed under Favorite Things
In November of last year I ordered an Everblade knife after seeing the ad on TV. I waited and waited, but it didn’t come. In January of this year I finally wrote to the people and said, “Either send it or refund my money.” Miraculously, in a few days I received an email that my knife had shipped!
I received it on January 25th, and I told you then on the blog that I would get back to you when I had had a chance to use it.
I love it. This is a large knife and was advertised that it would cut through tough squash easily, as well as cut bread nicely. I have cut the bread, and it works really well. I haven’t tried the tough squash yet. I love the nice, thin slices I can get with meat. Even my husband noticed the niceness of our roast beef sandwiches. It makes quick work of slicing celery for our tuna fish salads.
The blade comes in a holder that has a sticky thing on the bottom. I stuck it between two wooden block holders I have on my island, and it works there well. Each time you take the knife out or put it back in, the built-in sharper is supposed to do its trick, keeping the blade sharp.
Since it isn’t stainless steel, it needs to be hand washed. This is easily done, but I have to warn you to be careful when you do it. I got a bit too close to the edge, even though I was trying to be careful, and cut my finger a bit. I can attest that the knife is REALLY SHARP.
It works nicely, cleans up easily (being CAREFUL!) and is ready for the next job. I use it almost every day – sometimes several times a day.
So even though I was afraid I had been scammed at first, I am very happy with my purchase and recommend it.
Filed under Product Follow Ups
“Sawyer Reed is heading home after rambling for seven years after the Civil War ended. His family’s cattle ranch is waiting, and he is ready to get to work. On his way home from Mexico, Sawyer runs into a mysterious woman who will change his life and his future forever.
Josephine Alverez is a chef at a posh restaurant in San Antonio, Texas in the year 2020. She is off for a weekend of fun when she is sucked into a miniature blue twister. Jo is thrown back in time to 1872. A man saves her life after she is nearly murdered, and Jo must come to grips and adapt to this new world. It is the wild west and she has fallen into an old fashion western.”
My husband recommended this book to me, and loaned it to me on my Kindle when I finished reading the last book in the In Death Series, # 51, Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts.)
This is a very intriguing time travel story. The characters were well drawn. When I finished the book, I was a bit sad because I would have liked it to continue.
I recommend this book. I will look for other books by S.A. Ison.
If you read it, please let me know what you think.
Full disclosure – if you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you already KNOW what a slob I am, and along with that, a lousy housekeeper. I decided that my current project will be cleaning up my art room – AGAIN.
The only time my art room is clean is when I’m not in there and have no current art projects going on. I have some images I took for my shops on Etsy, and they look really good. But nothing is happening in those images. :0)
I started cleaning in here this afternoon. I decided to start with my drafting table. I made a bit of progress, but then got caught up in a new idea for painted magnets. I started rummaging around, gathering things to try my new idea.
Under here is a drafting table, believe it or not.
And under here is a nice work table.
My art room has actually looked worse before. Sometimes it’s a challenge to walk from the door to the drafting table. :0)
Tomorrow I’ll show you more of the cleaning project, plus progress on the new magnets!
I’m starting to plan my spring garden.
I’m HOPING to be able to start and grow some plants this time, rather than hoping our local resources will have what I want when I’m reading to plant.
A lot of people do this routinely. Part of my hope is that THIS TIME I’ll be successful, having some good, healthy plants that I can transfer to my garden when the time for the last spring frost for my area is past – April 5th. I will try to plant seeds in my seed starter in tranches, so if one group doesn’t make, another may. It would also be good not to have all of my plants needing to be harvested or eaten at one time. Talk about hope!
So far, I’ve found that the last spring frost date is April 5th, and the first fall frost date is October 31st. I found my seed starter tray and brought it in. It has a cardboard covering that gives directions for use. I have a bunch of seed packets, also with instructions.
LOTS of reading and research to do before actual planting, but my excitement is growing as I type.
I have a raised bed, square foot garden into which I would like to transfer these plants. Before winter started, I weeded the six 4′ square chest-high planters we built. I mixed barrels of Mel’s Mix (vermiculite, peat moss, and at least 3 different types of compost) and filled up the planters to the top. Then I covered the planters with tarps to try to keep the weeds to a minimum over the winter to make less work when I start my spring garden.
I will try to take pics of each step in the process – success or fail – in case you’re interested in following the process with me.
Hope springs eternal that I will have success this time!
Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
Filed under Favorite Things
It’s run amok because I am a stress eater. My appetite would choke a horse on regular days. Under stress, I could win awards at the hot dog eating contests at the fair.
When we were dating, my husband would suddenly decide we should stop and get something to eat – a thing I later realized was a reaction to my getting terse, sarcastic, and maybe even downright ‘snipe-y’ when I got too hungry.
My appetite is endless and I end up stuffing my face with all sorts of things I shouldn’t eat. Afterwards, my more mature side comes out and takes the lead. Happily, MOST of my days are more controlled. I’m having a bit more trouble lately.
The good thing, as far as I’m concerned, is that each day is a new one. I’m coming up with more and more things to do that are fun and distracting – or productive – to do, resulting in fewer ‘stuff-my-face’ binges. I’m trying to plan our meals and any snacks. When my husband brings home things we shouldn’t eat, I put them somewhere I don’t see them – or, better yet, have HIM put them somewhere HE can access them if he wants, but that I don’t run across them continually.
I’m writing down my elliptical practice and my yoga stretches on my to-do list, scheduling them in my day as priorities. As a part of the to-do stuff is one project each day that will make me feel productive. (Today’s project is working on a clean-up of my art room.)
SO – as I type, my mouth is firmly closed. :0) I’m going to heed this suggestion –
One day at a time.
Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise, taking care of yourself
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