So, hi there, Internet. It’s been a while. I won’t bore you with excuses; let’s just get back to it.
Gardening – Last year was my first real attempt at gardening. It was, shall we say, a learning experience. I’m excited about applying all that learning to Kelly’s Veggie Garden 2.0 this year, and since this is the Deep South, it’s already time to get started. I’ve purchased materials for a DIY grow light for seed starting indoors and new raised beds to replace the ugly concrete block one I made last year. I’ve also been combing the seed catalogs and researching varieties, and I’m almost ready to place orders. The hardest thing for me is to keep my ambitions manageable and realistic, e.g., not order 10 varieties of tomatoes. Watch this space for updates. Also, if you’re a gardener in Zone 8, I’d love to hear your experiences of what crops do and don’t work well here.
Food – I continue to read a lot about real food, traditional food, whatever you want to call it. Soda has been my last frontier of nasty processed consumables, so I’m giving it up for Lent. And yes, that includes Pepsi Throwback and Kosher or Mexican Coke – sugar is better than HFCS, but it’s still not good. As I was discussing with my hubby last night, I’ve never given up an unhealthy food for Lent because I always saw myself doing so as a weight-loss act rather than a spiritual act. However, my body is a gift from God, and how I treat it is an act of respect (or disrespect) to God.
I’ve toyed with also giving up refined flour and sugar, but it makes me nervous to think about having to eat outside of the home that way, especially at church functions like Wednesday night supper. Then there’s fast food…Chick-fil-A, how I hate to be untrue! Guess I have…(checks time)…eight and a half hours to decide.
Depression – I’ve been on and off (mostly on) medication for depression for ten years. It’s not working these days, or if it is, I’d hate to see how I’d fare without it. I left a message earlier this afternoon to get an appointment with a therapist, and if it goes well, I’ll see him regularly for a while. I’m also reading up nutrition here as well as complementary/alternative therapies. I want to talk about this more later. Reading other women’s candid stories of depression (postpartum and otherwise) has been immensely helpful to me, and if it makes someone else feel less alone, I want to be honest about my experiences with it.
So, first things first. (((HUGS))) I can SOOO relate to the depression thing. Give me a call or shoot me an email if you ever need to talk or vent.
Giving up soda for Lent? You are my hero. I actually said the other day that if I had to choose between eating and drinking Diet Coke for the rest of my life I wasn’t sure which one would win. Which I am quite aware is very pathetic.
I can’t wait to hear what you decide to plant this year. We’re in the midst of doing the same thing here. Last year we ended up swimming in tomatoes and never did find a good way to use them all or preserve them. Green beans on the other hand? Those did amazingly well and we ate every bit of them. And you know what’s good for gardens? Chicken litter. So, if you ever want us to ship some baby chicks down your way I’d be more than happy to! : )
Thanks for the love. Diet Coke is a nasty chemical cocktail, but you know that already.
I’m obsessed with tomatoes…if I lost hold of reality, I’d order a dozen varieties of heirloom seeds. I want to can a bunch of tomatoes this summer, whether my own or from the farmer’s market…they’re one of the only canned foods I buy, and BPA sucks. I haven’t sold my husband on the joys of backyard chickens (not for lack of trying), but maybe you can just ship me the litter? 