Sentiments by Denise

The Color of my Thumb

I have to say that I definitely do not have a green thumb! Though I try hard, it seems that nurturing plants to grow is not a gift of mine.

I started this past Spring with a little larger garden than last year - determined that I would have some homegrown variety to feast on and enhance my new way of eating. I planted carrots, several variety of heirloom tomatoes, spinach, baby romaine, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, green onions, and peppers, along with a scattering of wonderful herbs.

First we had a lot of rain, then the heat came, and I am away from home for over 11 hours each day during the week, at work. The garden was not getting the attention it deserved. I managed to keep the weeds down most of the time, but when it came to watering or not watering I struggled to keep things hydrated well.
My parents are avid gardeners and during the growing season in northern Indiana, everything else comes in second to their gardening efforts. So, I would make phone calls to them, asking for advice or lamenting about how things were going (or not). I am definitely not a "chip off the old block" where gardening is concerned, I have decided!

Amazingly enough, I have harvested a few tomatoes, some romaine lettuce, a handful of small cucumbers, one lowly zucchini, and I'm rockin' the green onions! Everything else, sadly went to seed or rotted.

Black Krim heirlooms and a Better Boy tomato.

 


In the early Spring, when our local Farmer's Market opened, I was given a Mexican Midget heirloom tomato plant by one of the vendors, asking me to give it a try. WOW! This plant really produced, even though I can't take any credit for it! In the bowl above is an assortment of the little round Midgets and also some grape tomatoes. I love these in salads. I often pick a bowl this size about every 2-3 days and leave them sitting out on the kitchen counter top. They get eaten like candy around here!

 
  
My Dad gave me some of his onion plants and those have done well. I made a corn/black bean salad the other day and used some of the mini tomatoes and green onions to make it very colorful.

So even though my gardening efforts didn't go as well as I had hoped, I was still able to enjoy some homegrown goodies from my own backyard.

Time is a big factor in gardening and right now I just don't have it to spend tending my garden the way I would like. Looking ahead to next year, I'm trying to decide how aggressive I should plant - will I end up with the same results again?

Regardless, along with my meager pickings, farmers market fare, and fabulous organic variety at the grocery store (along with the few prize veggies my parents give us when we see them) I am finding plenty to partake of in my new way of eating - plant based. Food and meal preparation is never boring! Come back soon and I'll share a recipe for a Chunky Garden Marinara that is very tasty!

Time Flies!

I realized today that it's been a couple weeks since I posted! Wow, time flies!

Here are some highlights of the first half of August:

• Ed & I celebrated our 29th anniversary (see last post!).
• We've been able to see some of our young friends who no longer live close by - Jonathon came home for a visit from Budapest Hungary where he & his family are missionaries. Also, we were able to spend time with Ben & Amanda who live in Nashville TN when they were home last weekend. It's always fun to catch up with those we don't see much. Social networking (Facebook) may be all the rage these days, but it certainly doesn't replace the time when we can talk face to face, laugh and catch up on each others' lives.
• We've started attending a new church over the past several weeks and are excited about the opportunities its presenting and the way the Lord is guiding us. I, personally, have been soaking up the pastor's sermon series this month on 1 Peter - good truth and life application!
• My parents came for a visit this weekend. Always dynamic and interesting! They brought a plethora of produce from their abundant garden to share with us - carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, peppers, potatoes, raspberries. Even after sharing a lot with the kids, I have so much good fresh food to work with over the next week! Very excited about that!
• Stephen is starting his fourth year of teaching this year. The high school where he teaches has a bigger enrollment this year, so he's added an extra class, plus he's teaching a new subject this year. Lots of fun for him!
• The family that Emilee nannys for had a new baby two weeks ago, so her "job" just became more exciting! She loves watching the two little girls. Em is also working part time in missions, bringing awareness to anti-human trafficking.
• Still experimenting with whole grains that are new to me. Yesterday on my trip to Whole Foods Market, I picked up some organic Amaranth from the bulk bins. Now, I'm on a quest to find some good recipes to try with this grain. Hope to blog about this soon!
• Trying to add more walking to my exercise regimen, as I find this is the best cardio exercise for me these days. I've been ignoring my treadmill lately to take advantage of the good weather and walk outdoors in the mornings. Even then, I can work up a good sweat because of the heat we've been experiencing here these days in central Indiana.
• Ed has been working about an average of 20 hours a week lately, which is good. The Lord never fails to meet our needs, however, and  this past week He amazed us again with His provisions and gifts when we weren't expecting it! I love surprises! Thank you, Lord, for Your constant care!
• Last week I finished an amazing book by Charles Martin called Where the River Ends. What a great story - one of the best I've read in a long time. Find this book and read it...you won't be disappointed! Now, I'm on to my suspense thriller hero - Jack Reacher (Lee Child's latest). I never get tired of reading about Reacher's adventures. Also, reading a couple nutrition/health books along the way and learning so much.

Hope this gives you an idea of what I've been up to. No photos this time - sorry!

Red Raspberries!

I've been waiting very patiently for our red raspberry bushes to yield some amazing fruit.

Today I picked seven ripe berries - so thrilling!

 

They probably could've ripened a couple more days...but, I couldn't wait for that first tasting!

Last spring my dad gave me about six raspberry plants from his abundant garden. I transplanted them up near the side of our house where they would get plenty of sun and be able to expand. I did not have any fruit last year.

This is how the plants looked just a few weeks ago:

The bushes on each end have a lot of berries coming on, but not too many in the middle - those plants seem to be a bit behind.

I'm already thinking about some recipes that I can make with these little red jewels...that is, if I can keep from eating them all right off the bushes as I pick!

Ed & I are going to trellis these so they'll have space to expand. Last year after we transplanted them we put up a couple stakes with string  to help them have a place to climb. So far the birds are staying away, too.

Help me think of some good recipes using raspberries. What is your favorite?  

Memorial Day

We had a fun and busy weekend so I decided that Monday I would stay close to home and get some things accomplished.

While it was still cool in the morning I worked in my garden getting everything planted or transplanted and making sure the weeds were gone.

I can't wait to show you pictures of my garden, though right now it's still pretty boring - not a lot to see yet. My raspberry bushes yielded their first offerings over the weekend - I picked two (!) berries yesterday. More should be coming on in the next few days. I love fresh raspberries.

Ed & his sister visited the cemetery yesterday and put flags on their parent's graves.
 

My father-in-law served in the military for 24 years, over three wars (WWII, Korea, and Vietnam). He went into the US Navy when he was 17 years old (like so many other young men back then, he lied about his age to get in) and landed at Normandy, France on D-day June 6, 1944.
He met and married my mother-in-law in 1947. They raised 5 children (one being my amazing husband!) and he died just a couple months shy of their 55th wedding anniversary. She passed away 15 months later.
I miss them both very much.

Stephen & Emilee came over for a cook-out last night. I made several summer salads - potato, broccoli, and pasta (Emilee actually made this), and we had grilled hamburgers, bbq chicken, and chicken sausages. There was also a big platter of raw veggies and hummus dip. Fresh strawberry shortcake was enjoyed for dessert.

Ed has been talking to his older brother who lives in Australia via Skype over the last couple weeks (he lives in Perth and that is 12 hours ahead of us - so when it's evening here, it's morning there). Last night, since the kids were here, they had the opportunity to see and talk to their Uncle.

I hope your Memorial Day weekend was great and that you were able to take a moment to reflect on our freedoms that we enjoy that did not come without a cost. Many have given their lives so that we may live in this land of privilege.

More than that, I am very thankful for my Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave His life unselfishly so that I could (and you, too!) live free from the bondage of sin.

A Sweet Gerbera Daisy

Emilee gave me a pretty potted Gerbera daisy for Mother's day and I'm trying my best to nurture it and keep it alive!

 
These are a bright orange color.

 I usually do not have good luck growing plants indoors, but I'm determined not to kill this one! We'll see how it goes - I might put it out in my garden, too, as I know these attract butterflies!

I've been reading and browsing a stack of gardening books over the past few days.

 

So much good information for this novice gardener. I really like the idea of companion gardening - planting fruits/vegetables/herbs next to one another to compliment their growth and root system. (see Carrots Love Tomatoes). The book on herbs is very helpful in giving different ideas on all the uses for particular herbs. I'm already on my way to a larger herb garden this year with rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, chives, mint, basil, and lavender. (see Herb Gardening in the Midwest). Several of these books also are loaded with great recipes for using the fresh produce in daily meal planning.

I'm always looking for more good recipes that incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet!

Here's another book I'm reading:

This is very personal to me, having survived cancer twice already. I want to continue to do whatever I can to keep this ugly disease from invading my body again.

Most people don't realize that lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet play an important role in preventing cancer. Thirty percent of all cancers (that's approximately one third) are caused by poor dietary habits. This book emphasizes the importance of good foods, primarily vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds in fighting the risk of cancer - mainly a plant-based diet.
A few years ago I practically turned up my nose at that idea, but the more I read, the more I understand, and the more people (loved ones, friends, and strangers) that I see developing cancer the more it just makes sense to me. I can't ignore these facts anymore and I feel empowered to keep my body as healthy as I can.

Eating the way I do now carries a stigma and I often get made fun of or make others around me uncomfortable because of my choices. I really try not to push my ways onto others - everyone makes their own choices. It's hard, though, sometimes.
I certainly wished I had made much healthier choices in my diet when I was younger. Cancer doesn't happen overnight. Often a cancer cell(s) in the body can take years before it affects us negatively (attacks). There's a good possibility that the decision to eat the way I did when I was younger initiated the growth of cancer in my body over the years.

I don't want this post to be a downer...I just wanted to say that having experienced cancer firsthand, and surviving it, has given me more motivation to eat cleaner, live intentionally, pray fervently, and love passionately as I walk this earth day by day.

Just something to think about today.

The Month of May

I am such a lame blogger these days! The month of May has flown by and I realized that I haven't updated since the very first of the month!

My daughter reminded me. A friend at church mentioned it last Sunday. So, I figured I should at least do a recap of the month, although along with not blogging I haven't taken many photos either.

Lame, I know.

 
These are the beautiful peonies that reside on the side of our house. Just one bush, but they bloom with excitement for just a short time early in the month of May and I enjoy seeing them. And if I catch them in time, I snip a few blooms to display in a vase in my kitchen - such a fantastic day brightener!

My garden is getting a slow start. We've had so much rain this month and since I'm back to working full time (I wasn't last year at this time), it's been hard to get all my planting done. 
The red raspberry plants are doing well and we should have ripe berries to pick in about 2-3 weeks if the weather stays warm enough.
I transplanted about ten strawberry plants this year that our sweet neighbor Charlotte gave us, but they won't be ready this year. I'm pinching off the flowers and letting the runners take off so next year's little strawberry patch will be more abundant!

 This guy has been getting our yard looking spiffy this spring, making sure the grass gets cut regularly and the weeds kept to a minimum. We live on half an acre, so it keeps my sweet husband busy in the Spring and Summer. We have a John Deere that he uses to mow the back yard, so don't feel too sorry for him. He actually enjoys working in the yard most days.

 
See?   Sassy and hard-working! (he's sticking his tongue out at me!)

I celebrated a great Mother's Day a couple weeks ago with the kids. They weren't able to both be with me that day at the same time because of Emilee's work schedule, but I was treated to some wonderful homemade meals from both throughout the day. I love having adult children who know how to cook...and do it well!
Emilee started my day by coming over to fix breakfast for me before church. She made French Toast with some Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread.

 
I topped it with some almond butter, half of a banana, some coconut shreds, and a few cacao nibs. A drizzle of maple syrup would have been great, too, but it was sweet enough that I didn't need it. I also ate some vanilla Greek yogurt, too. Such a yummy breakfast.

After church, Stephen came over to fix lunch for me (us).

 
This meal included a dill rubbed chicken breast grilled to perfection topped with melted goat cheese (so good!), fresh green beans and red potatoes, a squash medley - zucchini and yellow squash, and a few grape tomatoes in place of a salad for me. A great selection of vegetables in this meal and everything was incredibly tasty!

 
I didn't have to do dishes either!

 

 These guys took care of everything!

I sat in the recliner after lunch and read a book, dozing a bit.

It was a relaxing day.

Things have certainly been picking up at my job and there have been a few days this month that I've worked past my usual leaving time. It will probably continue to be busy like this through the summer and well into the end of the year. I feel extremely blessed to be working these days, but certainly do miss my time at home like last year. I like homemaking - caring for my home, stirring up lots of wonderful goodies in the kitchen, tending my garden, crafting, and reading. I still do all those things, but they are packed into the end of days and weekends. I preferred the more relaxed pace I kept last Spring and Summer when I only worked three days a week away from home. I have to decide which things are more important now and that's why you don't see too many card creations on my blog these days or evidence of baking adventures in the kitchen (though that has more to do with our healthier eating habits than anything else). The garden is important to me, so you'll probably see many updates as it grows this summer.

Some days it's hard to write about interesting things that I think my readers will want to hear about. If you have some suggestions, I'd love to hear them. This may encourage me to blog more frequently and vary my topics (my brother "complained" to me last weekend that all I blog about is food!).

Comments are certainly welcomed and encouraged.

 
 
  

Green and Growing

Yesterday was Earth Day and I intended to compose a blog post, but time got away from me.

Recycling

Emilee posted on her blog about her commitment to being more earth-friendly. She's the one who began emphasizing the importance to us when she moved back home almost three years ago (has it been that long ago already?!) after graduating from college. She immediately set up a recycle bin next to our kitchen trash can where we would put our paper, glass, metal/aluminum cans, and certain plastics to be recycled. Soon we were using a 96-gallon recycle bin (staged in our back yard) and placing it out on the curb on "trash day" for pickup service to the recycle center. Now we're also taking our #5 plastics (yogurt containers, etc) to Whole Foods Market where they accept those plastics to be recycled.

 

Re-usable Water Bottle

Several years ago I purchased this stainless steel, BPA-free water bottle from Klean Kanteen. I got rid of the numerous plastic water bottles I continually carried around with me (I'm an avid water drinker!) and replaced it with this more earth-friendly container. I ended up getting another steel bottle as a gift a couple years ago and now I tote both water and iced green tea on a daily basis to work with me.

Cloth bags

Whenever I head to the grocery store, Farmer's Market, or even CVS I always grab a few cloth bags to carry the items that I purchase. No more plastic bags for me! Many stores now reward their customers with a token savings if they use a reusable bag for their purchase.

Speaking of the Farmer's Market - the one near us opens this weekend and Stephen & I plan to head over to see what the first of the season's offerings might be. Last year we went often and throughout the season purchased everything from homemade soap to heirloom plants and herbs to wonderful fresh produce and baked goods and honey. If you have one in your area, I encourage you to go and support your local farmers.

 

Organic Foods

Looks like I need to fill my fruit basket again! Usually this basket is heaping full with an assortment of fruits that I'll eat throughout the week.

All the year I try to purchase as much produce and other food items (that matter) in organic form. This provides cleaner eating for my family. Of course, there is the argument that organic foods are much more expensive than non-organic and this is true. However since I've stopped buying many "junk" and processed foods and more vegetables & fruits I find that the cost is not prohibitive. And I know that I'm getting the produce (especially) without all the synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMO), petroleum-based fertilizers, and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. I can pay more money now for good quality food or pay later in doctor bills/medications because of poor eating habits and bad food choices.

If you would like more information about how food is "brought to the American tables" on a daily basis, I would encourage you to obtain this DVD and educate yourself on making wise choices for you and your family:

This film is definitely an eye-opener on many issues of the American diet that we see today and the resulting effects: diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity - to name just a few.  

Growing things

Today I received the first order of seeds for my garden from Renee's Garden seed company in California. This is the first time I've ordered from this company and so far I'm very impressed with their website full of valuable gardening information and the quick service - I ordered the seeds at the beginning of the week and they arrived in the mail today!

Here's the assortment I received:
 
My grandmother - an avid gardener - always said that seeds should be planted (for best yield) in months that have an "R" in them. April (with an "r" in the middle) is quickly coming to a close so I need to get busy and get my green thumb planting! Several of these seeds shown above are cool weather plants so they will do fine right now even though the nights here in Central Indiana are hovering around 50deg. This year's garden will be more than twice as large as last year's, but I plan to have some help maintaining and harvesting. Both of our adult children have expressed an interest in growing items in the garden this year and they certainly like to eat the produce, so I will enlist their help.
I hope to get some herbs and a few heirloom plants at the Farmer's Market this year to finish out my garden.

What are some ways you've changed to be more earth-friendly these days?

Are you planting a garden this year? Even a few containers of herbs and maybe a tomato plant is a great idea for those limited on space and time. What is your favorite thing to grow?