One side of our beautiful backyard!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Slow Slide Into Autumn and the Story of Sam
Summer is definitely over and we can only hope that next year we will have a much longer season. I feel like it ended in August just after we moved into the house. In fact in our second week here I noticed the leaves beginning to change on one of our trees and I thought it was dying! I didn't clue in right away that we had already begun to move into fall. Autumn on the other hand has been beautiful! Lots of sun and warm days interspersed with the occasional hurricane. Very slowly the leaves began to change color and then as the weather warmed up again things began to grow and bloom a second time. Just in the past week though there has been a distinct drop in temperature and it has begun to get cold. I had been wearing scarves with my coat but I have now dug out hats and mitts/gloves. Halloween will possibly be cold this year, not a warm one like last year unless it changes again. Hannah's 8th birthday is coming up next week and we were supposed to be doing a sleepover party this weekend but unfortunately we all got sick mid-week and then I ended up losing my voice so we've had to postpone it. Disappointing but at least Daddy will be home for the new date. I guess I got rundown. Go figure, sometimes I think I'm doing fine and then it sneaks up on me and my body shuts me down. So I've been lazing around doing not much of anything and eating lots of soup. Nice. I kind of wish it was like this more often but Hannah is involved in lots of activities and try as I might I can't bring myself to limit her. She loves to be on the go, unlike me who would rather be home chilling out more. Josiah is like me and would rather be home too which makes it difficult when we are getting ready to take Hannah to one of her activities because he usually protests. I lost my sitter again so I have to take Josiah with me when we go. I'm in a more remote location than before so that should make it even more challenging to find another sitter. What a pain in the @##.
We have a new addition to our family, Samantha aka Sam, the cat. A few weeks ago I noticed that we have mice and they were getting into places I didn't like at all. I thought we could stick it out until Art got home but there was no way I could handle it. I can't trap them, and although some folks think that's ridiculous, I still can't do it. I've tried live traps before and I seem to have this very real fear of mice and can't get near them to even release them from a trap. I can pick up spiders with my bare hands and I've picked up snakes and I've even slept in a tent that was infested with earwigs for 3 weeks while doing my yoga teacher training but I cannot deal with mice! So, I figured the next best thing was to let nature take care of itself and find a good mouser. So the hunt was on. I asked around to see if I could borrow a cat for a short while but that didn't pan out. I figured the best place to start were the shelters. I looked online and found some lovely prospects but some roadblocks as well. The SPCA will only allow you to adopt if all adults sign the adoption papers and Art wasn't due home for almost 3 weeks at that point. I decided to go in person to the next shelter but didn't have any better luck. We got checked over well by the owner and he decided that we were only suitable for the cat he chose for us. That meant either a kitten or male cat that he seemed determined to get rid of. Well I needed kitty to report for duty right away so a kitten wasn't right for us besides the fact I didn't want to have to raise a kitten, I have enough on my plate. And the other option wasn't right for us either. I had been informed by the girls at the barn where Hannah rides that if you want a mouser you need a female. Male cats are too lazy to chase mice they told me. Who knew. I guess they're like all the big cats. I didn't even bother to mention that I NEEDED a female because he didn't seem like the kind of person who would part with one of his precious kitties if he thought they were needed for anything other than sleeping all day and looking pretty. Goddess forbid that a cat should get to do what it loves to do just because it's unpleasant sounding to us. So we left there without a cat. Next I went for Kijiji which seemed like a good place but there were just lots of kittens. I left a couple of messages and in the meantime found another rescue website in the Valley with lots of adult cats. I saw a picture of a lovely calico female who was in foster care and called the number. The elderly gentleman who was looking after her had become quite attached to her and wanted to think about it overnight. She sounded perfect for us. He said she had a lovely disposition, was good with kids, very friendly and often brought home little presents for her owner. I gave him a call the next day and he decided he could part with her. The kids and I had all gotten sick and I even ended up losing my voice so I had to postpone our trip to get her until the weekend. Mom had decided she would go for the drive so after church that Sunday we left for the drive to Kentville. The gentleman who was fostering her, Al, was elderly and in his words 'gets confused easily' so he wasn't very clear in his directions. We headed for Kentville and then called him from a gas station to get more directions. He was confused about where we were and ended up not giving us very clear instructions. We didn't get very far before we realized we were lost. We stopped to get some clarification from someone at another gas station but we didn't have much to go on. There was a flashing amber light then a stop sign and then a street that is called Woodbridge, or so he thought. Mom thought for sure there was no cat and he was just leading us on. She couldn't believe that he was that confused and didn't know where he lived. Anyway, after more than one laughing fit I called him and explained where we were and he still couldn't give us directions. We had been driving around on secondary roads for awhile so when I finally found the highway again we decided to head back to where we were originally and try again. We ended up in Berwick, 2 more exits from where we started and asked directions to the old highway which he kept talking a lot about . I figured it was better to get on a road he knew, he was not familiar with the main highway at all. He apparently does not go very far. We were glad we hadn't invited Dad along for the trip and I was very happy Art wasn't with us because no man could have stuck that one out and for sure we would have been exchanging some awful words. Mom explained that in the country people give directions differently than in the city and that time, meaning how long it takes to get somewhere, has a different meaning. Uh huh, that was apparent even from the lovely folk who tried to help us along the way. So we found the old highway No. 1 and called Al and had him lead us in. Things had begun to go very well until we couldn't go any further because a bridge had been taken down and was being repaired so the road was out. There was no detour so Al came and met us. He didn't bring the cat though instead we had to follow him back to his house which was way off the beaten track in the middle of nowhere. He drove like a maniac on those old back roads, it was hard to keep up and from the turn right here to the turn left here then right again and then left and the right it was hard to believe that he was so confused he didn't know where the bloody Irving station was just off the main highway. But anyway, he'd obviously been driving those roads for years. I ran in and got the cat, he didn't seem to want to socialize and Mom said she wasn't getting out of the car, although I think he was just anxious to get it all over with as he was sad to see Sam go. He had to lead us back out because I would have been driving around in the woods for weeks trying to find a way back to the main road. I mean we were way out in the country. I put Sam in the pet carrier that I had bought on Kijiji and had picked up in Sackville on the way to the Valley and put her in the back of the car. We were not very far down the road when the cat jumped up on the back of the seat behind the kid's heads. Oops I mustn't have closed it properly. Al was insistent that we have a carrier and he wouldn't part with his, in fact he didn't give me anything except the cat and her health record, so I was hoping he wouldn't see her in his rearview mirror wandering around the car. Once he had left us I stopped and put her back in and we got back out on the highway but within seconds she jumped back up on the top of the seat. What the heck was going on?! We stopped in Wolfville to buy some apples and I put her back in the carrier and watched as she reached her paw up and pushed the zipper open a bit and then using her nose she pushed it open the rest of the way and jumped out again. Well, that was a waste of $20. We picked up some apples and got back on the road as it was getting late. The kids were getting hungry so we knew we were going to have to stop again and it would be dark when we were heading home. Sam wandered around for a bit and then crawled up on the dash and went to sleep for the drive home.
She is a lovely cat and although it was a long journey I'm glad we went and picked her up. She is so friendly. I'm keeping her separated from the dog until they get to know each other better which I figure is going to mean Zeus getting a couple of swats. I want her to be comfortable here first and it isn't like she doesn't know about him. He knows she's in the basement and barks whenever he catches a glimpse of her but she seems to be getting more used to his noise everyday. The kids love her and Josiah who usually plays so rough with the dog is gentle with her. He'll learn too if he isn't I guess. And the best part no sign of any mice or new droppings since she moved in. She's been spending her days in the basement which is where they are so if she isn't catching any then maybe they have moved on. Whatever, it works for me.
Summer is definitely over and we can only hope that next year we will have a much longer season. I feel like it ended in August just after we moved into the house. In fact in our second week here I noticed the leaves beginning to change on one of our trees and I thought it was dying! I didn't clue in right away that we had already begun to move into fall. Autumn on the other hand has been beautiful! Lots of sun and warm days interspersed with the occasional hurricane. Very slowly the leaves began to change color and then as the weather warmed up again things began to grow and bloom a second time. Just in the past week though there has been a distinct drop in temperature and it has begun to get cold. I had been wearing scarves with my coat but I have now dug out hats and mitts/gloves. Halloween will possibly be cold this year, not a warm one like last year unless it changes again. Hannah's 8th birthday is coming up next week and we were supposed to be doing a sleepover party this weekend but unfortunately we all got sick mid-week and then I ended up losing my voice so we've had to postpone it. Disappointing but at least Daddy will be home for the new date. I guess I got rundown. Go figure, sometimes I think I'm doing fine and then it sneaks up on me and my body shuts me down. So I've been lazing around doing not much of anything and eating lots of soup. Nice. I kind of wish it was like this more often but Hannah is involved in lots of activities and try as I might I can't bring myself to limit her. She loves to be on the go, unlike me who would rather be home chilling out more. Josiah is like me and would rather be home too which makes it difficult when we are getting ready to take Hannah to one of her activities because he usually protests. I lost my sitter again so I have to take Josiah with me when we go. I'm in a more remote location than before so that should make it even more challenging to find another sitter. What a pain in the @##.
We have a new addition to our family, Samantha aka Sam, the cat. A few weeks ago I noticed that we have mice and they were getting into places I didn't like at all. I thought we could stick it out until Art got home but there was no way I could handle it. I can't trap them, and although some folks think that's ridiculous, I still can't do it. I've tried live traps before and I seem to have this very real fear of mice and can't get near them to even release them from a trap. I can pick up spiders with my bare hands and I've picked up snakes and I've even slept in a tent that was infested with earwigs for 3 weeks while doing my yoga teacher training but I cannot deal with mice! So, I figured the next best thing was to let nature take care of itself and find a good mouser. So the hunt was on. I asked around to see if I could borrow a cat for a short while but that didn't pan out. I figured the best place to start were the shelters. I looked online and found some lovely prospects but some roadblocks as well. The SPCA will only allow you to adopt if all adults sign the adoption papers and Art wasn't due home for almost 3 weeks at that point. I decided to go in person to the next shelter but didn't have any better luck. We got checked over well by the owner and he decided that we were only suitable for the cat he chose for us. That meant either a kitten or male cat that he seemed determined to get rid of. Well I needed kitty to report for duty right away so a kitten wasn't right for us besides the fact I didn't want to have to raise a kitten, I have enough on my plate. And the other option wasn't right for us either. I had been informed by the girls at the barn where Hannah rides that if you want a mouser you need a female. Male cats are too lazy to chase mice they told me. Who knew. I guess they're like all the big cats. I didn't even bother to mention that I NEEDED a female because he didn't seem like the kind of person who would part with one of his precious kitties if he thought they were needed for anything other than sleeping all day and looking pretty. Goddess forbid that a cat should get to do what it loves to do just because it's unpleasant sounding to us. So we left there without a cat. Next I went for Kijiji which seemed like a good place but there were just lots of kittens. I left a couple of messages and in the meantime found another rescue website in the Valley with lots of adult cats. I saw a picture of a lovely calico female who was in foster care and called the number. The elderly gentleman who was looking after her had become quite attached to her and wanted to think about it overnight. She sounded perfect for us. He said she had a lovely disposition, was good with kids, very friendly and often brought home little presents for her owner. I gave him a call the next day and he decided he could part with her. The kids and I had all gotten sick and I even ended up losing my voice so I had to postpone our trip to get her until the weekend. Mom had decided she would go for the drive so after church that Sunday we left for the drive to Kentville. The gentleman who was fostering her, Al, was elderly and in his words 'gets confused easily' so he wasn't very clear in his directions. We headed for Kentville and then called him from a gas station to get more directions. He was confused about where we were and ended up not giving us very clear instructions. We didn't get very far before we realized we were lost. We stopped to get some clarification from someone at another gas station but we didn't have much to go on. There was a flashing amber light then a stop sign and then a street that is called Woodbridge, or so he thought. Mom thought for sure there was no cat and he was just leading us on. She couldn't believe that he was that confused and didn't know where he lived. Anyway, after more than one laughing fit I called him and explained where we were and he still couldn't give us directions. We had been driving around on secondary roads for awhile so when I finally found the highway again we decided to head back to where we were originally and try again. We ended up in Berwick, 2 more exits from where we started and asked directions to the old highway which he kept talking a lot about . I figured it was better to get on a road he knew, he was not familiar with the main highway at all. He apparently does not go very far. We were glad we hadn't invited Dad along for the trip and I was very happy Art wasn't with us because no man could have stuck that one out and for sure we would have been exchanging some awful words. Mom explained that in the country people give directions differently than in the city and that time, meaning how long it takes to get somewhere, has a different meaning. Uh huh, that was apparent even from the lovely folk who tried to help us along the way. So we found the old highway No. 1 and called Al and had him lead us in. Things had begun to go very well until we couldn't go any further because a bridge had been taken down and was being repaired so the road was out. There was no detour so Al came and met us. He didn't bring the cat though instead we had to follow him back to his house which was way off the beaten track in the middle of nowhere. He drove like a maniac on those old back roads, it was hard to keep up and from the turn right here to the turn left here then right again and then left and the right it was hard to believe that he was so confused he didn't know where the bloody Irving station was just off the main highway. But anyway, he'd obviously been driving those roads for years. I ran in and got the cat, he didn't seem to want to socialize and Mom said she wasn't getting out of the car, although I think he was just anxious to get it all over with as he was sad to see Sam go. He had to lead us back out because I would have been driving around in the woods for weeks trying to find a way back to the main road. I mean we were way out in the country. I put Sam in the pet carrier that I had bought on Kijiji and had picked up in Sackville on the way to the Valley and put her in the back of the car. We were not very far down the road when the cat jumped up on the back of the seat behind the kid's heads. Oops I mustn't have closed it properly. Al was insistent that we have a carrier and he wouldn't part with his, in fact he didn't give me anything except the cat and her health record, so I was hoping he wouldn't see her in his rearview mirror wandering around the car. Once he had left us I stopped and put her back in and we got back out on the highway but within seconds she jumped back up on the top of the seat. What the heck was going on?! We stopped in Wolfville to buy some apples and I put her back in the carrier and watched as she reached her paw up and pushed the zipper open a bit and then using her nose she pushed it open the rest of the way and jumped out again. Well, that was a waste of $20. We picked up some apples and got back on the road as it was getting late. The kids were getting hungry so we knew we were going to have to stop again and it would be dark when we were heading home. Sam wandered around for a bit and then crawled up on the dash and went to sleep for the drive home.
She is a lovely cat and although it was a long journey I'm glad we went and picked her up. She is so friendly. I'm keeping her separated from the dog until they get to know each other better which I figure is going to mean Zeus getting a couple of swats. I want her to be comfortable here first and it isn't like she doesn't know about him. He knows she's in the basement and barks whenever he catches a glimpse of her but she seems to be getting more used to his noise everyday. The kids love her and Josiah who usually plays so rough with the dog is gentle with her. He'll learn too if he isn't I guess. And the best part no sign of any mice or new droppings since she moved in. She's been spending her days in the basement which is where they are so if she isn't catching any then maybe they have moved on. Whatever, it works for me.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Summertime!!!
Actually spring wasn't so bad, lots of sun and lots of rain which made for a pretty good growing season. Everything bloomed early or so it seemed to me. We got the end of year recitals and parties out of the way and got right into serious house hunting. It was a lot of work but we finally found the perfect place. I can't believe how quickly it happened and although from beginning to end it only took a month it ended up feeling like forever. We put an offer in on the July 1st long weekend and requested a closing date of Aug. 1. Art only got to see the house once before we moved in and that was after we had made and decided on our offer. My back went out in the middle of this haggling and I was laid up for almost 2 weeks so the amount of time that I spent on getting us out of our old house and into the new one was very little. Somehow we managed to get it done and when Art arrived on the 6th we were already in and getting settled nicely. He only had 2 weeks to come home and enjoy it so I didn't want him to have to be packing and moving so I got as much done as I could. The place is fabulous, open and bright with lots of space for the kids to play inside and outside. I pushed for an early closing date because there is a pool and I wanted the kids to be able to enjoy it during the best part of the summer. Unfortunately, since Aug. 1 we've had less sun and more rain than July but they are in it everyday anyway. We have a huge yard, which we had on Bissett too but now without the worry of traffic.
I had big plans to do lots of planting this summer but because we were moving I knew there wasn't any sense so I had been holding off. I took an herbal course all winter where I was learning about local plants and their medicinal properties and it was such a wonderful experience that had me excited about expanding on my herbal gardening. I have a new appreciation for the dandelion which I never minded to begin with. The new house has such a fabulous yard with lots of existing plants, some of them herbs and lots of blueberry bushes and I can't wait to add more to it. We've been so busy getting settled in on the inside that I haven't spent a lot of time outside doing much planting but I have done a little. Hopefully I can at least get a few more things in before it gets too cold.
Actually spring wasn't so bad, lots of sun and lots of rain which made for a pretty good growing season. Everything bloomed early or so it seemed to me. We got the end of year recitals and parties out of the way and got right into serious house hunting. It was a lot of work but we finally found the perfect place. I can't believe how quickly it happened and although from beginning to end it only took a month it ended up feeling like forever. We put an offer in on the July 1st long weekend and requested a closing date of Aug. 1. Art only got to see the house once before we moved in and that was after we had made and decided on our offer. My back went out in the middle of this haggling and I was laid up for almost 2 weeks so the amount of time that I spent on getting us out of our old house and into the new one was very little. Somehow we managed to get it done and when Art arrived on the 6th we were already in and getting settled nicely. He only had 2 weeks to come home and enjoy it so I didn't want him to have to be packing and moving so I got as much done as I could. The place is fabulous, open and bright with lots of space for the kids to play inside and outside. I pushed for an early closing date because there is a pool and I wanted the kids to be able to enjoy it during the best part of the summer. Unfortunately, since Aug. 1 we've had less sun and more rain than July but they are in it everyday anyway. We have a huge yard, which we had on Bissett too but now without the worry of traffic.
I had big plans to do lots of planting this summer but because we were moving I knew there wasn't any sense so I had been holding off. I took an herbal course all winter where I was learning about local plants and their medicinal properties and it was such a wonderful experience that had me excited about expanding on my herbal gardening. I have a new appreciation for the dandelion which I never minded to begin with. The new house has such a fabulous yard with lots of existing plants, some of them herbs and lots of blueberry bushes and I can't wait to add more to it. We've been so busy getting settled in on the inside that I haven't spent a lot of time outside doing much planting but I have done a little. Hopefully I can at least get a few more things in before it gets too cold.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Well, I have officially stopped my cleanse. I decided on Day 8 that I needed to end it. I was getting some pretty clear messages from my body that continuing was not going to be beneficial to my health. I was feeling very ungrounded and weak and that's a feeling I couldn't tolerate. So although I am still eating healthy, taking my cleasning herbs and eating plenty of raw foods, I am no longer cleasning. I had an appointment with my acupuncturist and discussed it with him. He's treating me for fibroids as well as a couple of other things. He told me that my energy was too low and that my organs weren't strong enough at the moment to do this cleanse. I know that sounds a bit strange but from a Chinese Medicine point of view it just means that the chi (energy) is not flowing freely throughout the body. The chi gets 'stuck' sometimes in certain areas which affects the organs associated with that part of the body. This is what leads to 'disease'. Acupuncture helps to free up the chi and allow it to flow freely. He affirmed what I already knew about discontinuing the cleanse but it still helped me to feel better about my decision.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Day 7
The end of my first week. This is still a raw food day, tomorrow I can start adding cooked foods again. I feel pretty alright, not fantastic but ok. I have lost a couple of pounds but nothing I can't gain back quickly enough. My skin looks and feels fantastic and my eczema is almost although not completely gone and my teeth seem whiter too. I still have some aching in my joints although I'm starting to think that maybe it has nothing to do with the cleanse but some acupuncture I had a few weeks ago. I'm seeing him again on Wednesday so I'll check in with him on that. I'm still feeling a little light headed, maybe just not grounded. I miss cooked food. I could never be a raw foodist, it's too extreme for me, but I can see the benefits for a short period of time. I don't eat red meat but I'm sure looking forward to having a yummy veggie burger!
The end of my first week. This is still a raw food day, tomorrow I can start adding cooked foods again. I feel pretty alright, not fantastic but ok. I have lost a couple of pounds but nothing I can't gain back quickly enough. My skin looks and feels fantastic and my eczema is almost although not completely gone and my teeth seem whiter too. I still have some aching in my joints although I'm starting to think that maybe it has nothing to do with the cleanse but some acupuncture I had a few weeks ago. I'm seeing him again on Wednesday so I'll check in with him on that. I'm still feeling a little light headed, maybe just not grounded. I miss cooked food. I could never be a raw foodist, it's too extreme for me, but I can see the benefits for a short period of time. I don't eat red meat but I'm sure looking forward to having a yummy veggie burger!
Day 6
Art got in late Friday night so I was tired. I've been going to bed quite early so I was pretty tired but the kids really wanted to go to the airport to greet daddy. Hannah threw up in the car on the way home and then we had to get up once to mop up the floor around midnight so I'm not sure what time I fell asleep. Saturday was my first day back to solid although still raw foods. I made myself a smoothie for breakfast which tasted like a dream. It felt easy to go back to making salads again and I actually felt pretty creative. It was a much easier day. I overate at lunch though. I guess I wasn't paying attention to how I felt and ate too much food and felt sick for awhile. It just tasted so good. Josiah and I went to bed and napped for most of the afternoon so I felt much better when I got up.
Art got in late Friday night so I was tired. I've been going to bed quite early so I was pretty tired but the kids really wanted to go to the airport to greet daddy. Hannah threw up in the car on the way home and then we had to get up once to mop up the floor around midnight so I'm not sure what time I fell asleep. Saturday was my first day back to solid although still raw foods. I made myself a smoothie for breakfast which tasted like a dream. It felt easy to go back to making salads again and I actually felt pretty creative. It was a much easier day. I overate at lunch though. I guess I wasn't paying attention to how I felt and ate too much food and felt sick for awhile. It just tasted so good. Josiah and I went to bed and napped for most of the afternoon so I felt much better when I got up.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Day 5
I was too tired to write anymore last night so I went to bed early. I actually ended up taking a cup of herbal tea with me and read for awhile. It was nice to be in bed early and just relax with a book for an hour. Hannah was at a sleepover with one of her homeschooling pals which was why my evening ended that early. I thought I would just add a few details to what I did yesterday. I should have prepared the night before and then I would have been able to actually 'drink' earlier than I did. I had to juice 10lbs of carrots, some very large beets, celery and parsley. I know that isn't a mono food but because you are keeping things simple by only drinking juice throughout the day you are able to add more than one veg. My juicer didn't want to juice the parsley and didn't do a very good job on the celery so I just mixed the carrot and the beet. It took me a while to get this finished but once I finally got some juice into me I felt better. It was still a pretty difficult day with more food cravings and some emotional crap being released.
I had originally intended to have apples again on my fifth day but that was definitely out. And although I have enough carrots to juice again I decided to go with vegetable broth for Friday. Since I didn't want to be hungry first thing in the morning I decided to make the soup the night before. So last night after I got Josiah into bed and before Lost, I started the soup. I had enough organic vegetables to make a good soup and then just added lots of spices, seaweed and even some leftover beet juice. Gordon and Natasha were here and they helped me put it all together and it simmered while we watched Lost. It smelled amazing and they taste tested it added more spice and said it was good. When I got up this morning I strained it, added some miso and had my first bowl and let me tell you it is the best soup I have ever made! I will enjoy sipping it throughout the day. I woke this morning feeling great actually. This is a good day, it's the last day of the mono food part of the cleanse and Art comes home today. I am going to play with Josiah now and will report back later.
Later: The broth was delicious but I did feel hungry a lot throughout the day. Today I felt like it was ok to be hungry though. We don't know what it's actually like to go hungry, in fact most of us overeat all the time. I know I eat more than I need to at each meal and learning to stop before I'm full would not be a bad thing. The last two days of actually feeling hunger has been an interesting lesson for me. Why the need to fill out bellies to the point of not being able to eat another thing? I felt very focussed on the fact that I was hungry too. It was like I couldn't think of anything else. It must be horrible to feel worse than that almost everyday of your life.
I was too tired to write anymore last night so I went to bed early. I actually ended up taking a cup of herbal tea with me and read for awhile. It was nice to be in bed early and just relax with a book for an hour. Hannah was at a sleepover with one of her homeschooling pals which was why my evening ended that early. I thought I would just add a few details to what I did yesterday. I should have prepared the night before and then I would have been able to actually 'drink' earlier than I did. I had to juice 10lbs of carrots, some very large beets, celery and parsley. I know that isn't a mono food but because you are keeping things simple by only drinking juice throughout the day you are able to add more than one veg. My juicer didn't want to juice the parsley and didn't do a very good job on the celery so I just mixed the carrot and the beet. It took me a while to get this finished but once I finally got some juice into me I felt better. It was still a pretty difficult day with more food cravings and some emotional crap being released.
I had originally intended to have apples again on my fifth day but that was definitely out. And although I have enough carrots to juice again I decided to go with vegetable broth for Friday. Since I didn't want to be hungry first thing in the morning I decided to make the soup the night before. So last night after I got Josiah into bed and before Lost, I started the soup. I had enough organic vegetables to make a good soup and then just added lots of spices, seaweed and even some leftover beet juice. Gordon and Natasha were here and they helped me put it all together and it simmered while we watched Lost. It smelled amazing and they taste tested it added more spice and said it was good. When I got up this morning I strained it, added some miso and had my first bowl and let me tell you it is the best soup I have ever made! I will enjoy sipping it throughout the day. I woke this morning feeling great actually. This is a good day, it's the last day of the mono food part of the cleanse and Art comes home today. I am going to play with Josiah now and will report back later.
Later: The broth was delicious but I did feel hungry a lot throughout the day. Today I felt like it was ok to be hungry though. We don't know what it's actually like to go hungry, in fact most of us overeat all the time. I know I eat more than I need to at each meal and learning to stop before I'm full would not be a bad thing. The last two days of actually feeling hunger has been an interesting lesson for me. Why the need to fill out bellies to the point of not being able to eat another thing? I felt very focussed on the fact that I was hungry too. It was like I couldn't think of anything else. It must be horrible to feel worse than that almost everyday of your life.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Day 3
I've had a few questions from people on why I'm actually doing this cleanse so I thought I'd address that. My mother tells me I don't need to lose any weight so why am I dong this? Well, not to lose weight that's for sure. Yes, I may lose a couple of pounds but they will be easy to gain back. The purpose of the cleanse is to purify the body and aid in the removal of toxins that contribute to many types of ill health, to quote my handout from Savayda. It also helps to rebalance or regulate the acid/alkali state of the body. It is also good to initiate a weight loss program if that is something you feel you need to do but will only work if you continue the whole foods diet after the cleanse. There are many different types of cleanses and this one is designed to give the digestive system a break by not having to work too hard by digesting foods in their raw form. The cleanse also includes some herbal tinctures, teas and powders that aid in elimination and ensuring you get plenty of vitamins and minerals. The foods that we are eating extremely nutritious and healthy so there is no fear of depriving the body of anything.
Well this is the challenging part of the cleanse for me. The next three days are what are called the mono food part of the cleanse. Three days of only one food choice. Today I chose apples which means throughout the day I can only eat apples. I can eat them juiced, pureed with water or just sliced but they have to be raw. So no apple sauce which I love. And I have to eat approximately 5 lbs of them. I assume by the end of the day I will never want to see another apple. Apples are recommended for constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulosis and colitis. I chose apples from the list of foods because they are easy enough to get organic this time of year and I figured they'd be easy enough to consume for a whole day. I don't find them particularly filling though so it shouldn't be hard for me to eat 5 lbs of them. I will be back later to tell you how I did.
Later: Yes, this was a difficult day. It started out great, I actually woke feeling energized and clear. I did some yoga and some Kum Nye which is a routine I do most mornings although I haven't been this week because you need a fair amount of strength. I felt really strong though and although I rested in between poses I felt great after. I found out that although I don't hate apples I really don't like them enought to eat that many in a day. The problem for me was that I got tired of eating so much sweet food. I did get hungry because I would put off eating until I had to. Drinking was no problem and I drank a lot of unpasteurized apple cider. I was a bit crankier today too. I felt some old stuff come up that I just needed to get rid of.
Here are a few quotes sent to me by Savayda on fasting:
The freedom and ease you discover during fasting enables you to discover new undreamed depths to the meaning of life. Herbert Shelton
Dine with little, sup with less: do better still, sleep supperless. Ben Franklin
The body is the soul's house. Shouldn't we take care of our house so that it doesn't fall to ruin? Philo, Alexandrian Philosopher
I've had a few questions from people on why I'm actually doing this cleanse so I thought I'd address that. My mother tells me I don't need to lose any weight so why am I dong this? Well, not to lose weight that's for sure. Yes, I may lose a couple of pounds but they will be easy to gain back. The purpose of the cleanse is to purify the body and aid in the removal of toxins that contribute to many types of ill health, to quote my handout from Savayda. It also helps to rebalance or regulate the acid/alkali state of the body. It is also good to initiate a weight loss program if that is something you feel you need to do but will only work if you continue the whole foods diet after the cleanse. There are many different types of cleanses and this one is designed to give the digestive system a break by not having to work too hard by digesting foods in their raw form. The cleanse also includes some herbal tinctures, teas and powders that aid in elimination and ensuring you get plenty of vitamins and minerals. The foods that we are eating extremely nutritious and healthy so there is no fear of depriving the body of anything.
Well this is the challenging part of the cleanse for me. The next three days are what are called the mono food part of the cleanse. Three days of only one food choice. Today I chose apples which means throughout the day I can only eat apples. I can eat them juiced, pureed with water or just sliced but they have to be raw. So no apple sauce which I love. And I have to eat approximately 5 lbs of them. I assume by the end of the day I will never want to see another apple. Apples are recommended for constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulosis and colitis. I chose apples from the list of foods because they are easy enough to get organic this time of year and I figured they'd be easy enough to consume for a whole day. I don't find them particularly filling though so it shouldn't be hard for me to eat 5 lbs of them. I will be back later to tell you how I did.
Later: Yes, this was a difficult day. It started out great, I actually woke feeling energized and clear. I did some yoga and some Kum Nye which is a routine I do most mornings although I haven't been this week because you need a fair amount of strength. I felt really strong though and although I rested in between poses I felt great after. I found out that although I don't hate apples I really don't like them enought to eat that many in a day. The problem for me was that I got tired of eating so much sweet food. I did get hungry because I would put off eating until I had to. Drinking was no problem and I drank a lot of unpasteurized apple cider. I was a bit crankier today too. I felt some old stuff come up that I just needed to get rid of.
Here are a few quotes sent to me by Savayda on fasting:
The freedom and ease you discover during fasting enables you to discover new undreamed depths to the meaning of life. Herbert Shelton
Dine with little, sup with less: do better still, sleep supperless. Ben Franklin
The body is the soul's house. Shouldn't we take care of our house so that it doesn't fall to ruin? Philo, Alexandrian Philosopher
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Day 2
Well I must say I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. I didn't sleep that well last night. I slept soundly for the first part of the night and then I woke feeling extremely parched and a bit sick. I had a rough time getting back to sleep and went through some weird emotional cleansing too. I felt terrible. This morning was so much better. I didn't feel hungry and I didn't find that I had as many food cravings throughout the day. Physically I have been feeling achy joints, bloated and gassy which are all normal reactions to cleansing. My mind is much clearer today too, I feel very alert.
Well I must say I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. I didn't sleep that well last night. I slept soundly for the first part of the night and then I woke feeling extremely parched and a bit sick. I had a rough time getting back to sleep and went through some weird emotional cleansing too. I felt terrible. This morning was so much better. I didn't feel hungry and I didn't find that I had as many food cravings throughout the day. Physically I have been feeling achy joints, bloated and gassy which are all normal reactions to cleansing. My mind is much clearer today too, I feel very alert.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Day 1 - Raw Food Cleanse
We kicked off our 3 week cleanse yesterday by going for a 3 1/2 hour sweat at a sweat lodge on the property of Earthsea which is near Lunenburg. It's a fantastic place, which has unfortunately been sold so I don't believe the sweats will be continuing at that location. Earthsea was originally founded as an eco village in the late 90's and then shifted to a Shamanic Society and although the property has been sold the previous owners have continued to do sweats until the new owners take possession. The whole experience was pretty intense and long but felt cleansing and healing. I had been to a Native American sweat before but this was Celtic and differed slightly especially in length. It was a great way to initiate a cleanse and it was nice to be able to share it with the women from my herb class. It was open to anyone who wanted to attend so Natasha joined us as well as some others from the community.
Today I awoke to begin the raw food part of the cleanse. There is no shortage of food, you can eat as much as you want as long as it's in raw form. I have to say I absolutely love a good salad and I eat vegetables with all meals but I'm just not big on raw foods...except in the middle of the summer. So, why am I doing this then you ask? Well, because I trust Savayda, my herablist, and I know that if I can get through this that it will alleviate some of the health issues that I've had as of late. I have cleansed before although never successfully so this is a real leap of faith for me. It helps that my women friends are on this journey with me, I am definitely not al one. So, I ate a ton of vegetables and fruit today and by the end of the day I was feeling pretty irritable, downright cranky if you ask Hannah. Which brings me to the the children who are doing the cleanse with me although not as intensely. They each had a slice of spelt toast for breakfast and then raw food for the rest of the day. I believe Josiah picked up a parasite while we were in Mexico so this will be good for him while I'm treating his tummy upset. Hannah and I prepared a huge and beautiful salad for dinner with everything we could think of to put in it. She and I ate two big bowls while Josiah picked out certain favourites and left the rest. He finished off with an apple and a big glass of apple cider. I noticed in the morning that my head felt a little 'spacey' which I attributed to the sweat although I'm sure I'll be feeling that again by Day 3. I wouldn't say that I am feeling hungry but I do feel like my body could stand a little more food just not the raw kind. So one day is over, 20 more to go!
We kicked off our 3 week cleanse yesterday by going for a 3 1/2 hour sweat at a sweat lodge on the property of Earthsea which is near Lunenburg. It's a fantastic place, which has unfortunately been sold so I don't believe the sweats will be continuing at that location. Earthsea was originally founded as an eco village in the late 90's and then shifted to a Shamanic Society and although the property has been sold the previous owners have continued to do sweats until the new owners take possession. The whole experience was pretty intense and long but felt cleansing and healing. I had been to a Native American sweat before but this was Celtic and differed slightly especially in length. It was a great way to initiate a cleanse and it was nice to be able to share it with the women from my herb class. It was open to anyone who wanted to attend so Natasha joined us as well as some others from the community.
Today I awoke to begin the raw food part of the cleanse. There is no shortage of food, you can eat as much as you want as long as it's in raw form. I have to say I absolutely love a good salad and I eat vegetables with all meals but I'm just not big on raw foods...except in the middle of the summer. So, why am I doing this then you ask? Well, because I trust Savayda, my herablist, and I know that if I can get through this that it will alleviate some of the health issues that I've had as of late. I have cleansed before although never successfully so this is a real leap of faith for me. It helps that my women friends are on this journey with me, I am definitely not al one. So, I ate a ton of vegetables and fruit today and by the end of the day I was feeling pretty irritable, downright cranky if you ask Hannah. Which brings me to the the children who are doing the cleanse with me although not as intensely. They each had a slice of spelt toast for breakfast and then raw food for the rest of the day. I believe Josiah picked up a parasite while we were in Mexico so this will be good for him while I'm treating his tummy upset. Hannah and I prepared a huge and beautiful salad for dinner with everything we could think of to put in it. She and I ate two big bowls while Josiah picked out certain favourites and left the rest. He finished off with an apple and a big glass of apple cider. I noticed in the morning that my head felt a little 'spacey' which I attributed to the sweat although I'm sure I'll be feeling that again by Day 3. I wouldn't say that I am feeling hungry but I do feel like my body could stand a little more food just not the raw kind. So one day is over, 20 more to go!
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