It's been quite a productive day, although not everything on my to-do list is getting done. I got in to see the Naturopath this morning as he had a last-minute cancellation. After having the Vega testing done, it seems that things are actually in pretty good order internally: slight viral thing going on, some dysfunction in the digestive tract, and the thyroid, which I knew about already. Nothing that can't be tweaked with a few remedies over the next few months. He is super pleased that I'm open to good nutrition and exercise - I think many people come in for appointments looking for a quick fix, not wanting to have to change the way they eat or not wanting to make changes in their lifestyle, and it's not that easy. There is no remedy to replace exercising, he said. :) So true. So here I've already done a lot of the harder work over the past 6 years since going vegan, and over the past 4 going raw. Things are looking pretty darn good, and that's awesome. :)

Other than that, sicky chicken is in isolation with Blindy. I should take a photo of the two of them side by side and you'd notice the difference right away, especially given they are the exact same age (from the same brood). Hopefully sicky chicken gets healthy; I've been giving her wheatgrass today in the hopes that it will help heal whatever it is ailing her. *fingers crossed*

We had a dusting of snow yesterday, and yet another windstorm is set to sweep the island in the next day (hopefully not interrupting ferry travel). It hasn't been windy here; in fact, at this moment I really ought to be outside doing yardwork - it's overcast (and cold) but not raining. I am planning on going to the farm in the morning for a few hours - trim some more strawberries probably. :)

That is all. If anyone knows of a lab stud (black, brown, tan, doesn't matter) in the Victoria area, let me know. I'm on the hunt for a mate for our 3 yr old chocolate lab, who's due to go into heat in the next couple months. *looking forward to the cutest little puppies!*

Hen Party

Yesterday we gave three of our three-year old red Sussex hens to a local Landscaper to use in a chicken tractor for his company. His plan is to move the tractor from site to site, allowing the hens fresh grass and allowing them to fertilize the area. It looks like a good set-up, secure from predators and will hopefully make a nice new home for the girls.

Still, there is definitely a little sadness at splitting up our hens, especdially some of the first ones we ever raised (2009). And anyone who asserts chickens have tiny brains is only partly correct; their brain might be small but they certainly knew what was going on yesterday when the three hens were being moved out. I'm just glad they're not going to someone's soup pot; glad they will enjoy their new digs together while they live out their lives.

We still have 23 chicks (8 or 9 week old Rhode Island Reds), 7 white Leghorns, 2 "Miller's brown" (both the leghorns and miller's brown we raised in 2010), 4 red Sussex (including Broody and Blindy), Rosebud and Buddy, our hen and rooster we hatched out two years ago from a Sussex and Auricana/? cross. A total of 38; more than enough for a hen party!

nightmares

Having nightmares about pulling out salmonberries and scotch broom! LOL jk but i have certainly pulled my fair share of them out the past couple weeks. Our creek out back gets so overgrown with salmonberries that you can't even see the creek by mid-summer. I didn't cut it back last year at all. this is the time of year to do it, too - before they bud and leaves grow. So we've been back there a lot lately, cutting them back. oh, they'll grow back, don't worry. i'm more like "pruning" them severely. I'm actually thinking of throwing some wildflower seed mix down there to hopefully hamper the salmonberries from coming back so fully. We have plenty of salmonberries elsewhere. ;)

And the scotch broom, well, the field (future farm) has 1/3 covered with MASSIVE scotch broom bushes. i have one of those "pullerbear" scotch broom pullers that works SOOOOOOO well, but it's still time-consuming. it pulls the plants out, roots and all. I now have three big piles to burn and i still have an amazing amount left to pull out. I figure getting over there for one afternoon a week I'll have it cleared by the end of april or mid-may. Just in time to plow and plant a cover crop for summer, hopefully.

But like I said on my fb status, I'm an aquarian. we'll just see what i accomplish. LMAO

Learning to Tango...

I think it's really interesting, having been in a relationship for more than a decade and a half now, how much growth there is. It's not stagnant at all. Learning to communicate, to be in relationship, is amazing, hard, ongoing work. It takes two, and it feels like we're learning to dance. I step on his toes so often (or my own, hampering my own progress) that it feels like I haven't a clue how to do it, but somehow, fumbling along, it works. It's blissful to be in relationship, to dance the dance of two. I so appreciate the growth I've experienced as a result and am so grateful for the opportunity for everything it brings. That we have diverse interests and yet still come together and enjoy each other's company. That we support each other as best we can, failing at times, succeeding at other times. I love when he makes me laugh. I appreciate that his is the shoulder I can always cry on. I love that he continues to love me, continues to share his life with me. Such is the dance of relationship. Sharing life together, learning to remain open to Love.

Thank-you, dh! I love you!

Health

I don't know if I mentioned that not long ago I had some blood work done, just to see where things were at; things like B12, iron, that kinda thing. I've been vegan for about 6 years and don't keep a food diary/log or keep good track of my food consumption, generally. Everything is good, except a have "lowish" thyroid levels.

A friend lent me the Louise Hay book "Heal Your Body A-Z", so I looked up thyroid/hypothyroid, and interestingly (says me) it reads:

Thyroid - Probable Cause: humiliation... "I never get to do what I want to do. When is it going to be my turn?"
New thought pattern - "I move beyond old limitations and now allow myself to express freely and creatively."

Hypothyroidism - Probable Cause: giving up, feeling hopelessly stifled.
New thought pattern - "I create a new life with new rules that totally support me."

How very interesting...

month 3, day 6 - 2012 fast

It's been gorgeously sunny here the past couple days, so ds & I have been 'playing' in the creek out back. He building dams across the creek, me pruning back salmon berry bushes. Many people I tell about these activities want to know why I would cut down an edible plant, but it's not practical if I can't get in to harvest the berries! They just get so completely overgrown. It's been so much fun being back there, messing about.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the farm to work for a few hours. Looking forward to that, too.

And hopefully if the sun prevails for a few more days, I'll get back to the field and pull some more broom.

I *had* been planning on cleaning carpets this week, but alas, the sunny weather is too good to pass up. :)

Fasting is going well; I'm having about 3L of smoothie a day and usually a cup of herbal tea as well. Need to remember to drink more water. Haven't had any kombucha in a while either. Tomorrow is the last day for the month and then it's easing back to food. Honestly looking forward to it, especially after looking at others' raw food pics on various blogs. I'm amazed at the time people put into preparing food! LOL (although dd's friend said to me the other day, why are you always having smoothies?! don't you ever make anything else?!)

Tai chi was awesome this morning; everyone did such a great job and I'm loving the practice. Learning so much and relaxing into openness.

*Bliss*

month 3, day 2 - 2012 fast

Here we are, March 2nd: a new month, so another week of simplifying my food intake...

Yesterday I enjoyed:
3L of smoothie*
a cup of peppermint tea
a cup of nettle tea
a small glass of o.j.

Today I've been blessed with:
2L of smoothie*
a cup of miso broth
a cup of nettle tea
a glass of orange/banana smoothie

*My favourite Smoothie:
2 or 3 bananas
a handful of goji berries
1T of maca powder
a dash of kelp flakes
2T-3T of hemp hearts
1-2T of spirulina
1T of bee pollen
frozen berry blend
some agave nectar
and water to blend

Yesterday I worked in the field for an hour, walked for 45 mins, and did a 90 min tai chi class. Today I did a 90 min tai chi class, but not much else for exercise.