The Chrysanthemums by the front door:
The Nasturtiums on the path to the front deck:
24 September 2008
Here's a picture of our yard - I made a roof frame (of sorts) for the garden and put poly on it to make it a kind of greenhouse for winter. I meant to take a picture of what's growing in it - raspberries, strawberries, corn, 3 types of kale, 3 types of broccoli, cabbages, chard, prize choy, silverbeet, parsley, a few herbs, some nasturtiums...
The Chrysanthemums by the front door:
The Nasturtiums on the path to the front deck:
The Chrysanthemums by the front door: The Nasturtiums on the path to the front deck:
My One-Day Juice Feast
I'm very pleased to say that I made it through an entire day yesterday on juices (yes, it really CAN be done!). Officially, I guess I did a one-day juice feast! :) I made a lot of juice in the morning so that I would be able to just get something whenever hunger struck throughout the day. I made different mixes of kale, celery, beetroot, romaine lettuce, carrot, apple, and plum juices (nice rainbow, eh). I feel really good about the amount of greens that I got into me.
In Dr. Walker's book he says that kale juice, like cabbage, can cause gas to bubble up in the intestines as it allows the waste matter to release and be carried out. I don't know that I could actually drink a glass of it straight (but what he says is quite true)!
It was amazing to me, that even just one day of juicing could cause such massive change in my body - not only the effect of the kale juice, but also the mucous that came pouring out (sorry if that's tmi)... I couldn't decided whether it was the cold I thought I'd been fighting off or a detox symptom. I'm quite sure it was detox though because the odd thing is that there was a little sleep coming out of my eye corners (during the day) and my sinuses were quite plugged by the end of the day, but fine this morning (and if it was a true cold, I'd expect it to be the opposite).
The other minor thing was that I was so COLD. I know it's only 14 C outside and our house is a cool 13 inside (might be time to fire up the woodstove soon), but I was chilly. This is not the first time lately I've experienced this, and at the advice of a good friend, a nice hot bath warmed me up. The naturopath has me on this white 'alkalizing powder' (heaven knows what it really is) which I take with warm water twice a day - it feels really nice to have something warm to drink when you're chilly.
Monday night I stayed up until 3:30 making travel plans. I simply wasn't tired and felt invigorated after having a pink bath (which aids in releasing anger and aggression, helps to build compassion and loving kindness) with rose essential oil and rose petals - sounds extravagant, doesn't it! And despite staying up half the night, I was up at 8 without too much struggle. Last night, however, I slept solidly from 10:30 until 8:30 this morning - a solid 10 hours. Usually I'll get 8-10 hrs of sleep, but it'll have been disturbed at least once, between the children & the dog. It felt wonderful to have an uninterrupted sleep of that length. I used to have issues with sleeping in (thoughts like "what a waste of your day! get up and get going!") but I have since learned to see it as very restorative and important for good health and well-being, and I must admit I live a rather pampered life that I rarely get up to the buzzing of an alarm clock.
I haven't yet "broke the feast"; this morning I'll be having some cantaloupe juice to start the day. Maybe I'll just keep going on this fast for the time being. Just taking it one moment at a time...
In Dr. Walker's book he says that kale juice, like cabbage, can cause gas to bubble up in the intestines as it allows the waste matter to release and be carried out. I don't know that I could actually drink a glass of it straight (but what he says is quite true)!
It was amazing to me, that even just one day of juicing could cause such massive change in my body - not only the effect of the kale juice, but also the mucous that came pouring out (sorry if that's tmi)... I couldn't decided whether it was the cold I thought I'd been fighting off or a detox symptom. I'm quite sure it was detox though because the odd thing is that there was a little sleep coming out of my eye corners (during the day) and my sinuses were quite plugged by the end of the day, but fine this morning (and if it was a true cold, I'd expect it to be the opposite).
The other minor thing was that I was so COLD. I know it's only 14 C outside and our house is a cool 13 inside (might be time to fire up the woodstove soon), but I was chilly. This is not the first time lately I've experienced this, and at the advice of a good friend, a nice hot bath warmed me up. The naturopath has me on this white 'alkalizing powder' (heaven knows what it really is) which I take with warm water twice a day - it feels really nice to have something warm to drink when you're chilly.
Monday night I stayed up until 3:30 making travel plans. I simply wasn't tired and felt invigorated after having a pink bath (which aids in releasing anger and aggression, helps to build compassion and loving kindness) with rose essential oil and rose petals - sounds extravagant, doesn't it! And despite staying up half the night, I was up at 8 without too much struggle. Last night, however, I slept solidly from 10:30 until 8:30 this morning - a solid 10 hours. Usually I'll get 8-10 hrs of sleep, but it'll have been disturbed at least once, between the children & the dog. It felt wonderful to have an uninterrupted sleep of that length. I used to have issues with sleeping in (thoughts like "what a waste of your day! get up and get going!") but I have since learned to see it as very restorative and important for good health and well-being, and I must admit I live a rather pampered life that I rarely get up to the buzzing of an alarm clock.
I haven't yet "broke the feast"; this morning I'll be having some cantaloupe juice to start the day. Maybe I'll just keep going on this fast for the time being. Just taking it one moment at a time...
22 September 2008
Communication Skills
I've been thinking lately about the importance of good communication skills. Have you ever experienced conflict or controversy? Do you ever reflect on (and take responsibility for) how you could learn to communicate better?
I like the work of Marshall Rosenberg on Nonviolent Communication. It is a great (in my opinion) framework for good communication and can be learned and practiced by children. Another good book is Robert Bolton's People Skills (which is recommended by La Leche League). I took a couple Group Behaviour courses when I was at university, which were really helpful in understanding how I behave in groups and in conflict.
I am learning, as I grow through life, to speak mindfully. I try to stay conscious of which thoughts I'm having are judgments and I consciously set them aside. I know that I don't always speak up when I'm feeling stress or conflict in a relationship. (btw, here's a red flag: I read that holding in resentments can actually cause cancer. CANCER, people. Do you see how important it is we learn to communicate well?!) I have a difficult time initiating conflict. Conflict isn't seen as a good thing, most of the time, even though it is such a great opportunity for growth and for a deeper relationship to develop. Often, I'll talk myself out of it - well, that's your opinion, this is mine, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Is that the ONLY solution? Is it an ACCEPTABLE solution? Often not, and yet, sometimes we're so entrenched in our opinions and judgments that we have a very difficult time seeing (and respecting) others' opinions and working through to an acceptable resolution. (I will ask myself, WHY am I holding on so dearly to this judgment/opinion? Why can't I just let it go? It's an opportunity to examine why we are willing to give this judgment so much energy).
When I was a kid, I was easily overwhelmed by difficult emotions. When I got angry, I'd stomp down the hallway and slam my bedroom door. Eventually my parents took the door off my room as punishment. But that didn't help me sort through my heavy emotions. Then when my dh and I moved in together, when conflict would arise, I'd grab the keys and head for the door. "I just need some time alone," I'd say. But the reality is that when I went for a drive, or a jog around the lake, or just out shopping - whatever your crutch may be - that I'd return all refreshed but still have to deal with the conflict. I'd attempt to sweep it under the rug, but would never actually come back, sit and resolve it. He has helped me see the benefit in talking through these difficult emotions - in giving each other the space to have emotions - no judgments on them. This has been critical for my growth - learning to respect myself and the other person as human beings, and seeing that "I am not my emotions," and that emotions aren't things to be feared - I like to think of them as clouds, passing across a brilliant blue sky (which is more like the truth of who I am, and who you are). No attachment to the emotion - whether it's happiness, sadness, anger. They just drift by. There's no need for me to create drama around them.
Giving others the respect we all want and deserve can be difficult if we're just in a casual interaction. If you're driving down the road and buddy cuts you off, you don't even know who he is, so you figure it's alright to lash out and release some anger on him - you might tailgate or swear or give him the finger. But how does any of that help? When someone cuts me off, I can now say, geez, I didn't feel safe when he did that, but maybe he's on his way to a family emergency, maybe he's having a really hard day; he's not intentionally trying to take it out on me, not intentionally trying to make me feel unsafe. But what if someone IS intentionally trying to infringe upon your boundaries? How do you learn to initiate conflict and resolve it? This is really challenging (for me, anyways), but I do recall reading about it in Rosenberg's work - I should revisit that.
For me, communication skills are so KEY to our growth, both as individuals and within Community. Learning how to interact well with others is so important; it's a wonder why as a society we don't value it more - why isn't it a part of our daily fabric? a part of what we pass along to our children? Something for all of us to mindfully keep working on, always.
I like the work of Marshall Rosenberg on Nonviolent Communication. It is a great (in my opinion) framework for good communication and can be learned and practiced by children. Another good book is Robert Bolton's People Skills (which is recommended by La Leche League). I took a couple Group Behaviour courses when I was at university, which were really helpful in understanding how I behave in groups and in conflict.
I am learning, as I grow through life, to speak mindfully. I try to stay conscious of which thoughts I'm having are judgments and I consciously set them aside. I know that I don't always speak up when I'm feeling stress or conflict in a relationship. (btw, here's a red flag: I read that holding in resentments can actually cause cancer. CANCER, people. Do you see how important it is we learn to communicate well?!) I have a difficult time initiating conflict. Conflict isn't seen as a good thing, most of the time, even though it is such a great opportunity for growth and for a deeper relationship to develop. Often, I'll talk myself out of it - well, that's your opinion, this is mine, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Is that the ONLY solution? Is it an ACCEPTABLE solution? Often not, and yet, sometimes we're so entrenched in our opinions and judgments that we have a very difficult time seeing (and respecting) others' opinions and working through to an acceptable resolution. (I will ask myself, WHY am I holding on so dearly to this judgment/opinion? Why can't I just let it go? It's an opportunity to examine why we are willing to give this judgment so much energy).
When I was a kid, I was easily overwhelmed by difficult emotions. When I got angry, I'd stomp down the hallway and slam my bedroom door. Eventually my parents took the door off my room as punishment. But that didn't help me sort through my heavy emotions. Then when my dh and I moved in together, when conflict would arise, I'd grab the keys and head for the door. "I just need some time alone," I'd say. But the reality is that when I went for a drive, or a jog around the lake, or just out shopping - whatever your crutch may be - that I'd return all refreshed but still have to deal with the conflict. I'd attempt to sweep it under the rug, but would never actually come back, sit and resolve it. He has helped me see the benefit in talking through these difficult emotions - in giving each other the space to have emotions - no judgments on them. This has been critical for my growth - learning to respect myself and the other person as human beings, and seeing that "I am not my emotions," and that emotions aren't things to be feared - I like to think of them as clouds, passing across a brilliant blue sky (which is more like the truth of who I am, and who you are). No attachment to the emotion - whether it's happiness, sadness, anger. They just drift by. There's no need for me to create drama around them.
Giving others the respect we all want and deserve can be difficult if we're just in a casual interaction. If you're driving down the road and buddy cuts you off, you don't even know who he is, so you figure it's alright to lash out and release some anger on him - you might tailgate or swear or give him the finger. But how does any of that help? When someone cuts me off, I can now say, geez, I didn't feel safe when he did that, but maybe he's on his way to a family emergency, maybe he's having a really hard day; he's not intentionally trying to take it out on me, not intentionally trying to make me feel unsafe. But what if someone IS intentionally trying to infringe upon your boundaries? How do you learn to initiate conflict and resolve it? This is really challenging (for me, anyways), but I do recall reading about it in Rosenberg's work - I should revisit that.
For me, communication skills are so KEY to our growth, both as individuals and within Community. Learning how to interact well with others is so important; it's a wonder why as a society we don't value it more - why isn't it a part of our daily fabric? a part of what we pass along to our children? Something for all of us to mindfully keep working on, always.
21 September 2008
Cob Ovens
Yesterday I spent the day building a cob oven at a one-day workshop. It was so much fun! I wish I had taken pictures, but instead I was in there, getting dirty. The base had been completed before we arrived, but we finished the base off with (building) sand and then a layer of silica. Upon this, we carefully measured and placed the firebricks that would become the cooking surface inside the oven. Then we calculated and formed a sandcastle on top, essentially - a form made of sand that would become the oven's cavity. Once the form was covered with wet newspaper, we began to mix cob and placed 3" layers of thermal cob (clay, sand, no straw) around the form. Covered completely, we went on to mix cob with straw and added another 3" layer. At this point, we were finished the workshop, but next week we can come back and plaster and remove the sand form. Oh, I didn't even mention the oven door. It's cute. I picked up the Kiko Denzer book, Building an Earthen Oven. It's an excellent book with lots of details and illustrations.
So now I've read lots about cob, gone on several tours of various cob buildings, and have gone to a couple workshops, becoming an active participant in building community and actually getting dirty. I feel like I'd be capable of building something myself, like an oven, and then possibly a bench. I just don't have an image of what I want the oven to look like when it's done... a frog? a bird? any other ideas?
So now I've read lots about cob, gone on several tours of various cob buildings, and have gone to a couple workshops, becoming an active participant in building community and actually getting dirty. I feel like I'd be capable of building something myself, like an oven, and then possibly a bench. I just don't have an image of what I want the oven to look like when it's done... a frog? a bird? any other ideas?
Juicey Juice
I have been reading again (I'm sorry, was that a collective groan I heard? LOL)... I read Angela Stokes' The Juice Feaster's Handbook and I must say I really enjoyed it. I picked it up after reading Aleesha's rave review of it (http://www.timelessspirit.com/). There are some really practical tips on juice feasting, she shares her experience with her 92 day juice feast, and it was really really well-written and comprehensive. My one comment would be that the typset is quite small (no, no, I don't need glasses) and if she ever reprints it, I'd vote for a larger sized font. And one other thing I would enjoy seeing is it printed on environmentally friendly (100% post-consumer recycled?) paper. It may be; at a quick glance I didn't see if it said anywhere what it's printed on. But overall, those are really petty things and I am not going to distract from the wonderful message of which Angela writes. It is a really valuable resource.
The other book I am reading I picked up at Angela's talk last week in Victoria - it's Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices: what's missing in your life? by Norman Walker (Dr.). I was amazed that it was originally published in 1936 and printed annually until 1970, and this copy was a 1978 print. Isn't it amazing how people have known about the benefits of juicing for so many decades already? Another really good, practical book. Goes through each individual juice and talks about the benefits each juice brings. Also has guidelines for combining juices (eg. 10 oz spinach to 6 oz carrot). I'm still reading about the benefits of each juice. Another excellent resource (but Angela's writing is easier to read, like a friend having a pleasant conversation with you, imo).
The other book I am reading I picked up at Angela's talk last week in Victoria - it's Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices: what's missing in your life? by Norman Walker (Dr.). I was amazed that it was originally published in 1936 and printed annually until 1970, and this copy was a 1978 print. Isn't it amazing how people have known about the benefits of juicing for so many decades already? Another really good, practical book. Goes through each individual juice and talks about the benefits each juice brings. Also has guidelines for combining juices (eg. 10 oz spinach to 6 oz carrot). I'm still reading about the benefits of each juice. Another excellent resource (but Angela's writing is easier to read, like a friend having a pleasant conversation with you, imo).
18 September 2008
Angela-la-la-la-la's Talk
Last night I headed into town to hear Angela Stokes, of www.rawreform.com, talk about her experiences on raw food for the past 6 1/2 yrs. I had planned on leaving my children with a friend, when at the last minute, she decided to come with me, so her husband (to whom I'm very grateful) took on the childcare responsibilities for the evening. It was wonderful for her & I to get out together as we haven't had the opportunity in far too long.
Angela's talk last night was fantastic. She is well-spoken and appeared at ease in front of the larger (~50) crowd. She shared her story, her journey to raw foods, shared her top tips for staying raw, and talked about the emotional journey that can accompany a diet of raw foods. I think for me I was really glad to hear her experiences with travelling and raw food (especially with our upcoming holiday and knowing how I struggled to stay committed to raw foods on the road trip in the summer - lack of planning there) and also the social issues surrounding raw food - how do you have a social life on raw foods (check it out on you tube; she's a very good singer!). All in all, a really inspiring evening.
I remember before going raw, I had already been vegan for 2 yrs. I had taken the occasional day in there to go raw, so I knew, while contemplating going raw (and I was very much inspired reading Angela's site & blog), that I could manage for a day. But more than a day? an entire week? well, I wasn't sure if I could make it that long. In retrospect, knowing I could go an entire day on raw foods has saved me. Every moment, I am reminded that yes, I can make it through just one day, just one meal. And what is life but not a series of days or of moments? That's all there is to it - just one meal, one moment, one day at a time. Next thing you know, I've been raw for nearly 5 months and counting....
Thank-you Angela for your inspiration and for being a role-model. So nice to meet you! :)
Angela's talk last night was fantastic. She is well-spoken and appeared at ease in front of the larger (~50) crowd. She shared her story, her journey to raw foods, shared her top tips for staying raw, and talked about the emotional journey that can accompany a diet of raw foods. I think for me I was really glad to hear her experiences with travelling and raw food (especially with our upcoming holiday and knowing how I struggled to stay committed to raw foods on the road trip in the summer - lack of planning there) and also the social issues surrounding raw food - how do you have a social life on raw foods (check it out on you tube; she's a very good singer!). All in all, a really inspiring evening.
I remember before going raw, I had already been vegan for 2 yrs. I had taken the occasional day in there to go raw, so I knew, while contemplating going raw (and I was very much inspired reading Angela's site & blog), that I could manage for a day. But more than a day? an entire week? well, I wasn't sure if I could make it that long. In retrospect, knowing I could go an entire day on raw foods has saved me. Every moment, I am reminded that yes, I can make it through just one day, just one meal. And what is life but not a series of days or of moments? That's all there is to it - just one meal, one moment, one day at a time. Next thing you know, I've been raw for nearly 5 months and counting....
Thank-you Angela for your inspiration and for being a role-model. So nice to meet you! :)
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