Well, after being chastised for not posting in sooooooooo long, here I am, to update you on my life. :P
Me, the vegan farmer, had to put one of our hens down today. It was *SO* hard, but she was in so much distress. She had a condition called "egg bound" meaning her parts that produce eggs were 'clogged up' (I confirmed this posthumously, fwiw). She had been picked on last week, so I isolated her, but it was to the point where today she was unable to walk, unable to move around because her rear end was so large/distended. Poor henny. So I made the decision to put her out of her misery. The research I'd done on the condition said it was fatal, so imo, it was a matter of time. And her health had deteriorated in the past couple weeks. (Yes, I'm justifying my actions) I felt so so bad. Still do (obviously) *sigh* A couple weeks ago something got into the cage that our rooster Lucky was in (he, too, was in isolation) and killed him overnight. I suspect it was a raccoon. Still, his death was somehow easier to take, emotionally. Because it wasn't at my hands. But today was different. I will *NEVER* eat meat again in my life. *NEVER*
What else has been going on around here? hmmm.... Fasting. well, I was doing just fine until day 14. Which was the day after our home appraisal which I was stressed out about. So although I started the day with good intentions, I ended up eating 3 chocolate chip cookies that day. And every day since I've had something to eat. I always start the day with juice, but at some point I just... I don't even know *why* I'm reaching for food. It's an automatic, addictive response. I'm not hungry. I'm still hovering around 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 L of juice a day. But I'm seriously okay with that.
I'm reading Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. I'm *loving* it and am very open to the messages within (especially his wisdom on fasting). I realize the patterns I have. I struggle to maintain mindfulness in my life. I need to honour my Self more. So I've made up a checklist of things to do every day while fasting. Things like taking MSM, kelp flakes, a 3-6-9 oil blend (I am really loving Barlean's vegan blend), doing cardio daily (could be a brisk walk or rowing or cycling or running or swimming or jumping on the trampoline...) and stretching (tai chi or yoga) and eventually weight training. Things like dry skin brushing, tongue scraping, and reminders like did I keep a positive outlook during the day, did I fast from negativity, did I maintain a spiritual connection with the Divine, did I practice Reiki and tai chi... Hopefully having it all in checklist format will help me maintain focus on the fast. So tomorrow being Day 21 is really Day 1 for me. I'm starting fresh. Starting anew.
I had a lovely tai chi workshop on one of the Gulf Islands this past weekend. It was a day of relaxation and rejuvenation and learning. I got some awesome personal feedback on my form which has helped me take my tai chi to a deeper level. Tonight I practiced a set and it was probably the slowest and most mindful set I've done in a very long time. It felt great. And on the weekend I got to have tea with a very dear friend who moved away in the spring. So that was pretty special.
We went for dinner last night (not my idea, lol) and all I ordered was herbal tea: chamomile/mint/myrtle blend. It was very nice and I wasn't bothered by the rest of the family eating entrees in front of me. The waitress was mighty confused why I didn't order a meal, though! Funny how our society is so attached to eating and overeating, at that.
Anyway, that's really most of what's new around here. I'm just wrapping up this month's raw food order, so that's been on my mind lately. (http://rawfoodsooke.blogspot.com)
Thanks for checking in; I'll be back soon. :D
21 October 2010
09 October 2010
Day 8 - check!
Ahhh a day at home!!! We've been so busy lately I can't actually remember the last day I spent at home, not getting in the car at all. It was lovely!
Consumed 3L of juice: 1L pineapple/celery/red pepper, 2L kale/carrot/apple/ginger (very green).
Feeling good. Still detoxing - today the mucus is coming out (tmi?) - thankfully! Still, overall I feel pretty darn good.
geez, not much else to report. I'm set for another 10 days of juicing, although I'd love to get some variety in. 50 lbs of carrots & 80 lbs of apples is a LOT to juice!!!! LMAO (what did i expect?!). The garden has enough kale and lettuce to keep me going for a while for greens, and I have enough pineapple & celery for a full week or more.
In this moment I'm feeling really hungry. Since it's late, I'm just going to go to sleep and in the morning, there's 1L of kale/apple/carrot/ginger already awaiting me. ;)
Consumed 3L of juice: 1L pineapple/celery/red pepper, 2L kale/carrot/apple/ginger (very green).
Feeling good. Still detoxing - today the mucus is coming out (tmi?) - thankfully! Still, overall I feel pretty darn good.
geez, not much else to report. I'm set for another 10 days of juicing, although I'd love to get some variety in. 50 lbs of carrots & 80 lbs of apples is a LOT to juice!!!! LMAO (what did i expect?!). The garden has enough kale and lettuce to keep me going for a while for greens, and I have enough pineapple & celery for a full week or more.
In this moment I'm feeling really hungry. Since it's late, I'm just going to go to sleep and in the morning, there's 1L of kale/apple/carrot/ginger already awaiting me. ;)
05 October 2010
Day 5 - can you spell d-e-t-o-x???
woooooweeeeeeeee. TOTALLY detoxing today. I woke up with a *slight-moderate* sinus infection and it progressed steadily throughout the day. Now it's insanely over-the-top. I haven't had a cold in... well, certainly not in the last 4 years since I went vegan... :D ...so this is highly unusual. I'm going to try and rest more tomorrow (& tonight). I had a hot bath with salts & b soda & oils which was super nice earlier.
Today I blessed myself with:
1L of pineapple/celery/red pepper
3/4L of pear/apple/ginger
1 1/4L of carrot/apple/ginger
a cup of hot water with 1/2 lime and a tsp of honey
a little water
So I realize I didn't drink hardly any water (and yes, I'm feeling dehydrated - funny on a juice feast, no?), nor did I have *any* leafy greens today. I *did* have an entire bunch of celery, though (and I have enough pineapples and celery to keep me going for more than a week!). But greens, well... I slacked off on that today. I did start sprouting some wheatgrass, so in a couple weeks I can have a shot every day. Tomorrow, more greens. They're likely going to assist me in making short work of this detox. I am trying to follow the juice feasting guidelines more than I normally would: really aiming for the 1 bunch of celery & 2 lbs of leafy greens daily.
I keep thinking about the foods I've put in my body over the past year that haven't been the healthiest choices; the past 2 juicefeasts I've had nothing like this in terms of detox, and each of those feasts I went into eating much better than I have the past year. I also realize that I reached for these SAD "comfort" foods in times of emotional stress & upheaval. Well, this detox is far from comfortable!! LOL ('though I'm in good spirits, the head cold is annoying, more than anything)
I'm gonna go get some much-needed rest. Ugh. Let's move on to Day 6!!!
Today I blessed myself with:
1L of pineapple/celery/red pepper
3/4L of pear/apple/ginger
1 1/4L of carrot/apple/ginger
a cup of hot water with 1/2 lime and a tsp of honey
a little water
So I realize I didn't drink hardly any water (and yes, I'm feeling dehydrated - funny on a juice feast, no?), nor did I have *any* leafy greens today. I *did* have an entire bunch of celery, though (and I have enough pineapples and celery to keep me going for more than a week!). But greens, well... I slacked off on that today. I did start sprouting some wheatgrass, so in a couple weeks I can have a shot every day. Tomorrow, more greens. They're likely going to assist me in making short work of this detox. I am trying to follow the juice feasting guidelines more than I normally would: really aiming for the 1 bunch of celery & 2 lbs of leafy greens daily.
I keep thinking about the foods I've put in my body over the past year that haven't been the healthiest choices; the past 2 juicefeasts I've had nothing like this in terms of detox, and each of those feasts I went into eating much better than I have the past year. I also realize that I reached for these SAD "comfort" foods in times of emotional stress & upheaval. Well, this detox is far from comfortable!! LOL ('though I'm in good spirits, the head cold is annoying, more than anything)
I'm gonna go get some much-needed rest. Ugh. Let's move on to Day 6!!!
04 October 2010
3d annual juicefeast!
Well, we're 4 days in to my 3d annual juicefeast! ;) From mid-Oct to Dec 1st 2008, I juicefeasted 45 days. In 2009, I juiced the month of September. This autumn I'm doing it again! Not sure for how long, taking it one day at a time. Would like to juice for a month, anyways.
Can't believe how clear and light I feel after just 3 days. Truly amazing. Clearing out lots of waste. I've been tongue scraping and colon cleansing and juicing and I feel sooooooooo good!!!! Slight detoxing (or lingering viral infection?) with slightly swollen glands in my throat and a little post-nasal drippy kinda mucus in the throat/lungs that produces a slight cough. Not enough to bother me much though. Today I will add Cascara Sagrada in as well, to assist in moving toxins and waste out. I've been taking MSM daily as well as flax oil. I have bee pollen, but can't tolerate it on its own - in smoothies its good, on its own, I react to it. So it'll have to wait for now.
My juicing days have been about 4L each day:
1L of pineapple/red pepper/celery (1/2 a pineapple, 1 red pepper & an entire bunch of celery)
2L of greens/apple/carrot/ginger (which is closer to 1 lb of leafy greens, not 2 as recommended)
1/2L of tomato/basil blend (with garlic, onion, spices) - I slightly heat this on the stove, just enough that it reminds me more of soup than a V8 juice.
1L of yam/carrot/apple/ginger/cinnamon. mmmmm, a dessert-y juice. ;)
I picked up 50 lbs of locally grown carrots for $7 (yes, 14c/lb) and 80 lbs of organic gala apples for $76 (95c/lb) and ginger is cheap so I'm set for carrot/apple/ginger blends.
Today I have a honeydew melon to juice. And I'm hoping to pick up a case of young coconuts. I *love* coconut water, but generally they cost $2.99 each at the local supermarket. In Chinatown I can get them for $1.99 each.
And fwiw, I'm down 8 lbs in just 3 days. This is normal on the first few days of a feast as things (like refined grains and sugars) that have been lodged in the intestine find their way out. Nothing to worry about. I haven't been overly hungry, 'though the kids eating pizza in front of me was a little much, I wasn't tempted to eat any of it. (thank goodness)
Okay, on with the day! :D
Can't believe how clear and light I feel after just 3 days. Truly amazing. Clearing out lots of waste. I've been tongue scraping and colon cleansing and juicing and I feel sooooooooo good!!!! Slight detoxing (or lingering viral infection?) with slightly swollen glands in my throat and a little post-nasal drippy kinda mucus in the throat/lungs that produces a slight cough. Not enough to bother me much though. Today I will add Cascara Sagrada in as well, to assist in moving toxins and waste out. I've been taking MSM daily as well as flax oil. I have bee pollen, but can't tolerate it on its own - in smoothies its good, on its own, I react to it. So it'll have to wait for now.
My juicing days have been about 4L each day:
1L of pineapple/red pepper/celery (1/2 a pineapple, 1 red pepper & an entire bunch of celery)
2L of greens/apple/carrot/ginger (which is closer to 1 lb of leafy greens, not 2 as recommended)
1/2L of tomato/basil blend (with garlic, onion, spices) - I slightly heat this on the stove, just enough that it reminds me more of soup than a V8 juice.
1L of yam/carrot/apple/ginger/cinnamon. mmmmm, a dessert-y juice. ;)
I picked up 50 lbs of locally grown carrots for $7 (yes, 14c/lb) and 80 lbs of organic gala apples for $76 (95c/lb) and ginger is cheap so I'm set for carrot/apple/ginger blends.
Today I have a honeydew melon to juice. And I'm hoping to pick up a case of young coconuts. I *love* coconut water, but generally they cost $2.99 each at the local supermarket. In Chinatown I can get them for $1.99 each.
And fwiw, I'm down 8 lbs in just 3 days. This is normal on the first few days of a feast as things (like refined grains and sugars) that have been lodged in the intestine find their way out. Nothing to worry about. I haven't been overly hungry, 'though the kids eating pizza in front of me was a little much, I wasn't tempted to eat any of it. (thank goodness)
Okay, on with the day! :D
25 September 2010
Today I enjoyed...
- the sunshine; what a LOVELY reprieve from the monsoons we've been having all month
- 4 oz of delicious wheatgrass, blended with a couple bananas and some strawberries
- some dried bee pollen & maca powder
- a salad with red pepper and avocado on it
- tea with my Uncle & Aunt whom I haven't seen in 7 years!!!
- cleaning the eavestroughs in the sunshine, and now it's pouring rain!!!
- having the two baby chicks (who are actually 12 weeks old now) sit on my legs as I sat out on a bench in the sunshine.
- getting yardwork done
- planting wheat & barley grass seed in one (fenced off) area of the chicken pen. Four weeks from now they're gonna be soooooo happy to get in there!
- taking a day off from painting the kids' rooms
- a quiet evening hanging out with my daughter, in her new room
- watching my uncle lavish our chocolate lab with soooooo much loving attention
- 4 oz of delicious wheatgrass, blended with a couple bananas and some strawberries
- some dried bee pollen & maca powder
- a salad with red pepper and avocado on it
- tea with my Uncle & Aunt whom I haven't seen in 7 years!!!
- cleaning the eavestroughs in the sunshine, and now it's pouring rain!!!
- having the two baby chicks (who are actually 12 weeks old now) sit on my legs as I sat out on a bench in the sunshine.
- getting yardwork done
- planting wheat & barley grass seed in one (fenced off) area of the chicken pen. Four weeks from now they're gonna be soooooo happy to get in there!
- taking a day off from painting the kids' rooms
- a quiet evening hanging out with my daughter, in her new room
- watching my uncle lavish our chocolate lab with soooooo much loving attention
13 September 2010
busy as a beaver
Phew it's been a couple *very* busy days around here! (okay, busy few weeks lately) Yesterday I got off to a slow start as we found ourselves heading into town (40 kms away) for 'supplies' (We've been watching Little House on the Prairie again, LMAO - I often find I end up speaking like them, ha ha ha)... so I didn't get started until ~4:30. But I put in a solid 8 hours despite the late start.
I wish I'd taken before & after pictures. I sanded my daughter's dresser, which I found out was her great-grandparents when her grammy was a young girl. I sanded it down and painted it white to match her bedframe (which was her aunt's when we were growing up; and my daughter's great-grandfather built it). I will get new pulls for the drawers of the dresser & the drawers on the bed so it looks like a set. While I had the white paint out, I painted the inside of the front & back doors and the bathroom door. Wow did those doors ever need painting!
Today Grampa came out and helped immensely. He stubbed the plumbing pipes that'd been sticking out of the wall in the kids' room and then he built the wall dividing their room into two rooms (each room is now 15'x8.5' - so quite ample still). We framed it, insulated it & sheeted with drywall today!!! HUGE progress. We still have to mud/sand/mud/sand/seal/paint & then put all the furniture & toys back, so there's still a LOT of work to be done, but we did a lot today. I was the one screwing the sheets of drywall to the wall and my knees are rather sore tonight (despite a hot rose bath).
But what all this house maintenance has reminded me is that house maintenance is a necessary evil and must be done; it cannot be avoided forever (despite my trying to). It also reminds me that our homes are a reflection of our selves and if anyone were to come and look in our windows tonight, well... is that *really* how cluttered and unkept-up my body/mind/spirit is? ack! say it ain't so!
I've been motivated lately to get some of the long-overdue house maintenance done because I keep thinking, well, when we win the lottery (which for some foolish reason I keep thinking will be very soon) I'll be getting this stuff done, so I might as well treat myself as if I've already won the lottery and get started on what I can. It's weird because I can see how doing this invites prosperity into one's life, but when it comes to treating my Self with as much respect, well, I fall short. Like I tell myself, ya know, if you'd won the lottery, I'd bet you wouldn't be going out the door with your hair not brushed and in sweats, right? And yet, that's exactly how I went out the door. I just wanted to hide, even though I was going out in public.
I yearn for the time, a year ago, when I was fasting. Even when I was going in to the fast. I was so much happier with my body image than I am today. A lot of that is a vicious cycle - I try to eat well but have put way too much crap in my mouth the past year than I would like to admit to, I've put on weight, I've not exercised regularly. yadda yadda yadda. It's a vicious vicious cycle. I honestly don't know what it's going to take for me to snap out of it. I need to take the bull by the horns. Anyways, while I'm very happy with the progress I'm making with the house maintenance, the body's maintenance needs a tune-up, too.
In peace,
~n~
I wish I'd taken before & after pictures. I sanded my daughter's dresser, which I found out was her great-grandparents when her grammy was a young girl. I sanded it down and painted it white to match her bedframe (which was her aunt's when we were growing up; and my daughter's great-grandfather built it). I will get new pulls for the drawers of the dresser & the drawers on the bed so it looks like a set. While I had the white paint out, I painted the inside of the front & back doors and the bathroom door. Wow did those doors ever need painting!
Today Grampa came out and helped immensely. He stubbed the plumbing pipes that'd been sticking out of the wall in the kids' room and then he built the wall dividing their room into two rooms (each room is now 15'x8.5' - so quite ample still). We framed it, insulated it & sheeted with drywall today!!! HUGE progress. We still have to mud/sand/mud/sand/seal/paint & then put all the furniture & toys back, so there's still a LOT of work to be done, but we did a lot today. I was the one screwing the sheets of drywall to the wall and my knees are rather sore tonight (despite a hot rose bath).
But what all this house maintenance has reminded me is that house maintenance is a necessary evil and must be done; it cannot be avoided forever (despite my trying to). It also reminds me that our homes are a reflection of our selves and if anyone were to come and look in our windows tonight, well... is that *really* how cluttered and unkept-up my body/mind/spirit is? ack! say it ain't so!
I've been motivated lately to get some of the long-overdue house maintenance done because I keep thinking, well, when we win the lottery (which for some foolish reason I keep thinking will be very soon) I'll be getting this stuff done, so I might as well treat myself as if I've already won the lottery and get started on what I can. It's weird because I can see how doing this invites prosperity into one's life, but when it comes to treating my Self with as much respect, well, I fall short. Like I tell myself, ya know, if you'd won the lottery, I'd bet you wouldn't be going out the door with your hair not brushed and in sweats, right? And yet, that's exactly how I went out the door. I just wanted to hide, even though I was going out in public.
I yearn for the time, a year ago, when I was fasting. Even when I was going in to the fast. I was so much happier with my body image than I am today. A lot of that is a vicious cycle - I try to eat well but have put way too much crap in my mouth the past year than I would like to admit to, I've put on weight, I've not exercised regularly. yadda yadda yadda. It's a vicious vicious cycle. I honestly don't know what it's going to take for me to snap out of it. I need to take the bull by the horns. Anyways, while I'm very happy with the progress I'm making with the house maintenance, the body's maintenance needs a tune-up, too.
In peace,
~n~
08 September 2010
sept 12th & oct 10th
sept 12th is the International Day of Juice Feasting (www.dayofjuicefeasting.com)
Oct 10th (10-10-10) is World Raw Food Day (www.worldrawfoodday.org)
Enjoy!
~n~
Oct 10th (10-10-10) is World Raw Food Day (www.worldrawfoodday.org)
Enjoy!
~n~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)