Weigh to be whole~ Small delights that add up

Brussel Sprouts or Brocolli? Any gardeners out there that can identify?
Brocolli or Brussel Sprouts?
Mustard Greens 10-13-10



I woke up feeling wonderful no obvious reason, I been smiling inwardly for the last few days.

One of my musician friends came by this morning with his handsome son on a father /son day and what did he do? Toss my compost around and cover it with a tarp so it can "cook". I should have a wonderful nutriently sound soil for my spring garden before too long.

Great thing to do and a great lesson for his son about aiding one's neighbor.

He also pulled out of my loft space above my closet my suitcases with all my fall winter clothes stored. Kinda funny thinking of doing that now since we are still having low 80's weather for a few more weeks.

But I figured while I had the muscle & someone able to climb the ladder I better take advantage of it.

Much to my delight as I tried things on as I was gathering things to give to the woman who has a food bank and thrift shop as donations, about 1/2 of the items I could not begin to fit in with the hernia now fits beautifully which means I have now returned to my 2007 weight! are tops & tunics I had purchased some clearance, some thrift that turns out to be too tight in the sleeves or stomach & I just held onto them.

Well now they are just like they are suppose to be. I loved the fabric and/or colors and had hoped for the day I could wear them. They sat for almost 2 years and I told myself if they did not fit by 2010 I would donate them.

One in particular I held onto for 2 years after making an impulse purchase. It appealed to me though I am not normally a ruffly kind of woman. But the shirring on the sleeves got to me as well as the color.

Another 1/4 are big and half to be altered. What is funny is on the grey tweed skirt, the only thing keeping it from sliding from my waist to the floor is my still swollen abdomen. It fits like it is suppose to since it was a riding skirt so it is to be fitted in the waist & flared as if riding a horse which I won't be any time soon

The remaining 1/4 is being donated as they are too big and not worth the expense and/or time it would take to alter. And someone can get to enjoy them. As of now I have quite a few things going to this woman's clothing shop (not for sale she gives them away to people who come there for food and many of her clients need other things too).

I know by spring that many of the things will join the donation pile as I move toward my goals, but at least I got a chance to enjoy them for a season and will be willing to let them go so someone else can enjoy them!

I just acquire a blender & a slow cooker, so now I can make smoothies! Its amazing what can bring you pleasure, eh?

I thinned out my green beans. While I had a few, they are not thriving because they needed to be thinned out weeks ago & I could not, so now while the sun is shining I will get them done!

My collard & mustard greens, brocolli, brussel sprouts and Kohl Rabi are coming along nicely. It will be awhile before I can harvest but they survived my transplanting! This morning I also planted green onions, collards & red onions

Funny I intensly dislike mustard & collards as a child but love them now.

Last night I had shrimp curry with rice. It was really good. I opened the fortune cooking and saw the word "wait" on it. It was not the fortune it was the reverse side, but I thought it was interesting as that is what I am doing...

I would like to solve the mystery of which pot has brocolli and the other brussel sprouts. I know in another 60 days when it is time for harvesting I will know but I want to know now.

Happy People are Happening People;Gail Hayes, SA

Be Happy

Courtesy of Sandra Garth, Fitness trainer & World Class Chef

www.onebodyonelifetime.com

Are you still waiting for your circumstances to change before you’ll allow yourself to be happy? Most of us have preconceived ideas of what would make us happy, and we refuse to be satisfied until those things happen.

The problem is that even once specific things happen in our lives, we’re rarely satisfied with them. Instead, we shift our focus to something even bigger and better, believing “it” will make us happy (or happier). We never allow ourselves to reach a point of contentment. Have you done the same thing?

The good news is that you can decide to be happy NOW – even if everything in your life isn’t perfect. Below you’ll find 3 easy ways to start:

Be grateful. Gratitude is one of the most powerful states of mind that you can adopt. Not only does it make you feel good, it shifts your focus from what you don’t have to what you DO have, and keeps it there! As you focus more on what you are grateful to have in your life (even the really small blessings), you worry less about anything that may be lacking. The result? A more persistent sense of happiness!

Take time to smell the roses, coffee or grilled chicken. If you spend most of your days feeling rushed and scattered, it’s hard to feel happy and content. In order to be truly happy, you need to make time for yourself to relax, dream, and take pleasure in life’s simpler moments. Beginning today, make sure to spend time doing things you love on a regular basis. Read books that stimulate your imagination; listen to great music; take long walks, and generally make an effort to enjoy your life as it is right now.

Love the journey. This may be the most challenging. Many of us make the mistake of pinning all of our expectations on some vague, far-off result, like the completion of goals. We believe that once we “get there” everything will be perfect and we’ll finally be happy. However, there is much to be gained from enjoying the journey TO your destination!

Make it your mission to revel in every moment that you’re working toward higher goals. Enjoy the sense of self-mastery and accomplishment you gain with every goal you achieve. Make it a worthwhile journey and you’ll savor the end result that much more.

The most important thing to understand about happiness is that it is largely a CHOICE you make from moment to moment. Though certain serious situations make it difficult to feel happy at times, most often we allow the little things to bother us and block any happiness we would otherwise feel.

Embrace happiness, and it will grow to monstrous proportions in your life!

Essay & Lemon Boat recipe are from her website www.onebodyonelifetime