Thursday thoughts

 
  My computer hard drive is still missing in action – Computer guru Wayne ended up in the hospital with complications from Diabetes. Say a little prayer for him and Lord give him the strength to stop eating the donuts and sweets.  We just had a discussion about that very thing last week… when you don’t smoke and you don’t drink, eating is your source of emotional comfort and joy.  I get that! But when you risk losing a foot, it’s time to get control of it and I’m wishing him the best  in healing and strength to overcome.   
 
   My thoughts on Mr. Castro, torturer of three women for many years – Coward. For those of you who feel sorry for the asshat because he was clearly mentally ill, he deserved a fate worse than his own suicide and a part of me is glad he’s gone and tax payers won’t cover his sorry ass expenses for the remainder of his pathetic life. The other part is disappointed that he won’t feel the full wrath of his horrible actions for a very long long time.  While I sympathize with the mentally ill, for they do not ask for the mental anguish they suffer, that kind of illness is raw evil.
 
  Syr*a –  what to do, what to do.  I’m glad it’s not my decision. What they are doing to their people over there is so inhumane, it deserves the wrath of the entire world.  I don’t believe it’s Americas responsibility to come to the aid of every suffering group of people because of the corruption and inhumanity of their leaders and rebels without the entire world stepping in as well.  I’m tired of handing  American money and American military lives over to other countries who are not our allies to begin with… and doing so as the rest of the world watches and threatens and scolds.  We have problems right here, we owe money BIG TIME.  OUR people are suffering in many ways all over the country.   
 
   For all  the Obama haters out there, it is never the actions of just one man or even one party that we can blame for the mess we are in. When you start pointing a finger and your rage and hate at just one source, you lose credibility with me… because we should all know by now…it takes a village… the idiot village we have in Washington –  term after term it seems as of late.
 
  Regarding the paleo diet… well, I can tell you we are not strictly paleo and probably will never be, because it’s just too dang hard to do so.  But, we are already feeling better and losing a little weight by avoiding the breads and pastas and overload of dairy we consumed before. 
 
  Rant over 🙂 
 
 
 

Healthy Fall Recipes

Although the humidity outside would make you question it,
fall is truly on the way now that we’ve entered September.  
 
In the spirit of healthy and hearty eating,  I’m sharing a few recipes
others have shared with me…
 
Orange Velvet Pumpkin Layer Cake
 
 
 
http://dessertswithbenefits.com/orange-velvet-pumpkin-layer-cake-with-a-special-chocolate-frosting/
 
 
 
 
Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken
 
 
 
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/CROCK-POT-BALSAMIC-CHICKEN-52439591
 
 
 
Easy Carmel Apple slices
 
 
 Simply melt the carmel, slice apples in half, take out the core and center
with melon baller or spoon.. fill with melted carmel, let set, and slice!
YUM!  and sorta healthy.
 
 
 Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew
 
 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/
 
 
 
Zucchini Almond Cake
Hilary of Crazy as a Loom says this is the bomb.
 
 
http://playingwithflour.blogspot.com/2013/08/zucchini-almond-cake.html 
 
 
I was going to include a gluten free pie crust, because who doesn’t love pie, right?
But holy cow, every recipe I find seems kinda complicated and
I don’t know if it will be good.
Maybe buying a frozen gluten free crust at the health food store is best.
 
I’m also looking for a new slow cooker.
Any of you have one you absolutely love?
Do tell…
 
 
 

Kent Falls, CT

  Every now and then, when winter stretches out into a particularly long cold dreary New England blanket of grey, I dream of moving to a warmer climate.   As winter drags on, we do our annual realtor.com search for that warmer place to call home.  Every other season here, however, reminds me why I love New England afterall.  There is so much history and diversity in the geography of the place.  And the change of seasons… I could not give that up.

  The hike up the 250′ falls recently- the one that helped us decide to lose the extra baggage…was so beautiful.. honestly it’s a spiritual place.  One can imagine the natives  long ago gathering at the falls for fresh water, fishing and bathing.





“Kent Falls, located in the northeastern section of
the town of Kent, is a series of waterfalls on a mountain stream known as Falls
Brook. The stream begins in the town of Warren, draining an area of six or seven
square miles. It then flows west to the big fall where it plunges approximately
70 feet in a dramatic cascade. From here the stream descends in a series of
lesser falls and cascades to the valley, where it enters the Housatonic River
some 200 feet below the brink of the big fall only a quarter mile away. Much of
the limestone over which the brook flows has been carved into interesting shapes
including numerous potholes of all sizes.
The Indian name of this area is “Scatacook” and there
is considerable evidence that Native Americans fished and camped by the falls.
Later, in colonial times, mills were also present along the brook.”


 Come for a walk…
 

 
 
 
 At the base of the falls… you can see people wading…….
gives you size perspective.

 
 
The water is crystal clear, cool and so refreshing…

 
 
 
A beautiful dove graces us with it’s presence…
 
The sad  truth is it was probably released in someone’s wedding ceremony
and is now left to wander and fend for itself, most likely to die of
starvation because it has been raised by humans, fed daily.
 
 
 
 
 There is a path that leads up the side of the waterfall….
 
 
 

 
Each fall of water lands in another large pool…

 
 

 
..tumbling down the mountainside to the next pool..and the next.

 
 
 
Another perspective photo…..
 

 

 

 

 
 
 Healing waters, these are….
one can’t help but settle into a feeling of
PEACE.
 
 

 
..except for the damned Dove. 
 
I wish I could have captured it….
My kingdom for some bird seed
and a little more enlightenment bestowed upon the human race.
 
Just sayin.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Hunter Gatherers…..

 
….. that’s our beginning. We all originate from ancestors that hunted and gathered for their food.  Before supermarkets and restaurants and fast food joints, we had to spear fish and  kill animals for meat, gather seeds and berries.  We drank untainted waters and truly organic juices. As time progressed, we raised livestock and harvested produce from gardens.   It meant actually working physically to get our food, and we relied on skill and cunning, strong bodies and mind.  We were naturally fit. You can bet your booty there was no obesity or the plethora of diseases that come with it.
 
 
   By now you’ve probably heard of the Paleo diet…highly recommended by most physicians.  No grains, no dairy… lots of protein, veggies, some fruit, seeds, nuts.  It’s the diet of our ancestors without the physical toil, so we still need to throw in some exercise. I’ve heard friends talk about it, my husband’s chiropractor swears by it, and I have yet to hear a negative, although it’s not easy to live by, truth be told.   I already know that when I don’t consume wheat and dairy products, I feel a heck of a lot better and the extra pounds melt away.  No joint pain, fewer headaches, less stomach issues, less allergy congestion, less muscle fatigue.  I am not totally gluten free, because sometimes at the end of the day on a drive home after a long hike up a hill, that pizza joint is just calling my name and I don’t resist that scrumptious crust and oozy salty cheese.
 
   The particular hike I’m referring to here is one my husband and I took at Kent Falls on the other side of our State just a few days ago.  We were both shocked at how tired we got as we pushed up the stairs to get to the top.    “Jeez, are we THAT OLD already??”…..   the answer is no… we’re that out of shape and overweight. 
 
   We were disgusted enough to make a decision to help each other obtain our goal of better fitness once and for all.  (read that as – smack each other upside the head every time we see a junk consumption event in progress).   We’re going to attempt to conform mostly to the Paleo concept of eating… and I say mostly because I’m being realistic, too.  Oatmeal is a grain, but I believe it’s good for you judging by the reported health benefits and we’ll be eating butter too… apparently grass fed is OK.. Kerrygold is a grass fed butter and I found another organic pasture butter at the food store.  We’re also getting rid of Canola and Vegetable oil and we’re switching to Coconut oil and the Olive oil we’ve always used.  I’ve bought a family friendly Paleo cookbook and the recipes are indeed family friendly.. that’s refreshing.
 

 
 
 
Some links I’ve found useful
 
Read THIS article…. I’m never using Canola Oil again..
Did you even know what Canola actually is?
It actually.. isn’t.
 
http://www.draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/
 
 
 
The Paleo family cookbook I find user friendly
http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Paleo-Family-Cookbook-Real/dp/1936608634
 
 
 A great paleo blog and website my friend Lynn recommended… and a recipe too
 
www.againstallgrain.com 

 
http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/08/29/real-deal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
 
She’s coming out with a cookbook as well…
 
 
 
 
 
Two more sites worth a look… (thanks Elisa!)
www.marksdailyapple.com
www.thepaleomom.com
 
 
I shopped at a health food store for items I didn’t have in the house to get us started.  I paid way too much for coconut oil …almost twice what I would have paid had I ordered online, which is what my friends who are already doing this have recommended.  Almond flour is also crazy expensive at the store. 
 
Good buying resources online..
 
 
 
(thanks again Lynn!)
 
 
One more thing I think is really important to discuss when we’re talking about the desire to make changes for the better in our every day health and wellness.  Most of us are gonna fall off the wagon now and again.  Don’t beat yourself up, we’re only human after all.  Don’t give up the ship just because there was a temporary leak in the bow.   Shit happens.. move forward.
 
Every step in the right direction is worth the effort.
 
 
 
If you have experience with this diet or want to share your healthy eating  habits and stories,
please do so in the comments section below.
 
So.. here we go Paleo!
 
mostly.
 
 
 

…so… apparently….

 
 
…my Blogger issues were not the fault of Blogger this time at all.
When I’m wrong, I say it.
 
After screwing around with browser after browser,
(that actually sounds worse than a Miley Cyrus performance)
…then not being able to get on the internet at ALL….
 
I realized we weren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.
 
So I called the computer guy,
who stopped by and quickly figured out that one
of my hard drives had crashed.
 
While that’s being re-worked,
I’m on the husband’s computer..
MUCH TO HIS CHAGRIN.
 
I move stuff when I sit here at the big important desk, don’t ya know.
Heck, I even breathe on it!
 
So, I’ll be back with places to share and stories to tell…
just not on this computer.
 
Apparently.
:-)

We’ve got issues…

   For the past four days  my blog would not let me write a new post or change a header. Both the layout and template features were useless and we all know how impossible it is to get in touch with anyone at Blogger.  Two weeks ago my blog was no longer supported by Windows 8 and I had to switch to Chrome.  Just when I’m getting used to Chrome… something goes wonky and it ain’t working.  I have tried trouble shooting, put it on the blogger conversations board, send messages to what is supposedly blogger support… to no avail.  One suggestion I saw when googling around was to switch browsers… AGAIN???… so that’s what I’ve done, currently using Firefox… annoying as hell, slow as molasses, quite frankly it sucks. 

  If you don’t see anything new here for a while, we’ve still got blogger issues, apparently.  *sigh*

 A moon shot taken last night over this old house, when the moon was absolutely spectacular.
..and if you’ve never heard Van Morrison ‘s  Moondance...
.you’re missing something. You can’t help but have your spirits lifted
when that song is in the air.. or the sky.

You say TomAto, I say TomOto…

 
   First, I have to say this… Did any of you watch the Yankees Red Sox game last night?  My husband is a true blue Yankees fan, and while neither of us is a big A-Rod supporter, what the Sox did to him last night was nothing short of disgraceful. That kind of play should not be in baseball, and I believe the Yanks answer to that atrocity was perfect. And before we all crucify A-rod for the “Roid” debate.. there are just as many Sox over the years who could join that list, and they have.  That ump oughta retire, too. His judgement is clearly impaired,  or colored- RED.  

  In between trips to the cottage at the cove, we’ve been picking tomatoes.  Holy cow, have we been picking tomatoes.   There are three basic kinds of tomatoes…sauce tomatoes, slicing tomatoes and cherry.   Mike planted all three this year and they have produced!

These need a little window time to ripen to perfection.
Ugly does not mean they aren’t delicious. 

The San Marzano is, in our opinion, the best sauce making tomato…
Next time you make sauce, be sure to use San Marzanos, you can buy them 
canned in the grocery store if you don’t have them fresh. 
This is a “heart” tomato… it has a pinkish hue that my iphone did not capture. 
An Heirloom variety, seeds straight from Italy…
..and my Italian Ice cherries.. the only cherry tomato we planted this year.
They are easy to grow, sweet to the taste and prolific. 
With all these awesome tomatoes on the kitchen counter,
Mike was inspired to make some sauce….
or gravy, as I’ve been told any real Italian calls it.
I don’t know.. I’m Italian.  To me sauce is sauce….
gravy is that brown stuff you put on a roast.
My dear Aunt Virginia, the most awesome Italian Cook I have ever been lucky enough to love,
 might just be rolling in her grave.

Sea Dog

Last night I gave it another go with dog and kayak. 
He climbed right in and sat quietly for a ride around the cove..
…not even a quiver. 
It’s a beautiful thing. 
Two Cousins and their grandmother …..
…and  another evening at one amazing little oasis.
You don’t have to travel the world to find the perfect place for respite. 
Sometimes it’s just down the road a piece. 
“Can I just have one more Moon Dance with you… my love”.

You know what annoys the crap out of me?….

  ….when I write a post and see misspelled words  the next day. 
Seriously, it’s like a slap upside the head when I see it.
When I’m reading a book, if I come across a misspelled word
it’s like finding a bone in your fish dinner.  
I used to be an excellent speller.
My mom the schoolteacher would call me to ask about the spelling of a word, really! 
*sigh*
the middle aged mind. 
Just sayin 

It was this or boxing

My son is a guys guy. 
For years he’s been talking about wanting to be a boxer.
No way ever in a million years
after three blue moons with a blood red sun in the sky over an inhabited Jupiter
would I ever let him become a boxer.  
Too many blows to the head, you know.
He would always tell me once he was 18 he wouldn’t need my permission.
I told him I’d show up at the gym and throw myself in the ring in protest,
This is not an idle threat – I’m not kidding and I’m totally capable.
Thankfully, he has chosen something else instead.
Body building.  
I’m OK with that as long as we’re not talking the steroided kind.
He assured me this is the natural approach, and after some snooping
it appears to be so. 
All this means there’s a new menu here besides the one I cook for
those of us not feeding ourselves for competition..
(although maybe we SHOULD)…
Breakfast – 
1 cup of oatmeal (no adornments)
1 cup egg whites (no adornments)
1 grapefruit (no adornments)
Lunch – 
8 oz chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
slice of sprouted bread 
There’s salmon and tuna and more broccoli and salad greens, Ezekiel sprouted bread
and more egg whites and more oatmeal and water water water 
included in this meal plan… five meals a day. 
A competition is in the near future, 
and no boxing on the horizon because you don’t want to screw up the body
you’re building, after all. 
I’m good with that.