It’s Been Awhile - part 4


Next year I want more boxes as I have more ideas on how to grow things. This year was the first with this type of gardening and I did learn a lot. Next year the dirt will be better as well as I will be adding in more compost etc. also painted a bunch of old tires laying around, and threw a bunch of wildflower seeds in there and it grew like crazy. Hailstorm knocked quite a bit of it down, but it sure looked good before that. Same thing with this old planter barrel. Found it hidden in this bed of trees that had overgrown. I brought them outside and while we were gone the end of July, first week of August, they bloomed and I am going to have a ton of peppers on them. Last year they were inside and I had to pollinate them myself and got quite a few peppers, but now that nature has done its thing, I am going to get hundreds Ssile I love living out in the country. I love the gardening and I still don’t mind the commute. I could retire and keep myself busy for sure. I have been reading some blogs when I have had the time, and I hope to spend more time catching up soon. Hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer.

It’s Been Awhile - part 3


It would be my perfect dream to ride out in the mountains with this couple. So I’m working on it by getting moving, then I will get back into the strength training program. Got to get these legs strong again. I’ve been busy gardening as we have had a unusually warm summer for a change. It’s been so nice... Mr. Sandra built me two above ground garden boxes and they grew like crazy (however last Tuesday it got hit by hail pretty hard and some is damaged). But look what we did... We built the boxes in the garage in the spring, and I painted them. They were so heavy and well built that he dragged them to the garden spot with the BobCat (which I am proud to say I also know how to drive). We filled the bottom with rocks, then put down a layer of landscaping cloth. Then poured in the dirt. This year I planted yellow and green Zucchini, yellow and green beans, kohlrabi, carrots, peas,  red and spanish onions and beets. The tomatoes and Brussel sprouts I started from seed in my basement in February. This picture shows them just kind of starting out. Today they are full of fruit and flowers. My Kohlrabi and Brussel Sprouts got attacked by a moth and its larvae and the leaves are almost gone. I’m not sure how to battle that and need to do some research as I want to keep this as organic as I can.

It’s Been Awhile - part 2


I’ve increased my walking as well (finally) and am really noticing less pain in my hips. If I could only get it stretched out to where it needs to be, then maybe one day I can ride a horse. Have I ever mentioned my goal is to get back on a horse? Since we now live out in the country it would be so easy to get a couple and get back into riding. But I know my back/hip will not tolerate longer than maybe 20 minutes sitting on the back of a horse. We had a big BBQ in July, and had invited many friends from around the neighborhood (as well as family) and one of our friends rode his horse (and led another) to our place. Nothing like seeing someone riding onto your property on a horse. Anyway… I was going to get up on the horse, as that is why he brought them over, and there were 30 people watching me. I didn’t have the strength to lift myself up into the stirrup and had I gotten up there, I am unsure I could have swung my leg up and over to sit in the saddle. It was a bit embarrassing. But we talked afterwards and we are going to get me over to their place, where there won’t be 30 people watching me, use a step ladder, and get me on that horse. Then I can ride around their place and see how I do.

It’s Been Awhile - part 1


I’ve been a slacker blogger lately. Downright missing in action kind of blogger. What can I say, I’ve been busy. You know... work, life, gardening, diets, camping holidays… that kind of thing. I started this year with a bang, fizzled for awhile there, then started back head first into the game in July. I’m slowly making permanent changes in my life that are slowly affecting my weight and my over-all well being. These small changes are affecting different areas of my body. For one, by removing grains, dairy and for the most part other complex carbs, I have reduced the inflammation in my body and am experiencing a lot less pain in my hip/back. And my sinuses have cleared up too. Sleep has improved as well. And because of those improvements, I can certainly tell when I go off the wagon. Which is very easy to do during the summer camping months. The story will be continued in the next few days.