quote of the day

May you live in interesting times.

--ancient Chinese curse

quote of the day

As a culture we seem to have arrived at a place where whatever native wisdom we may once have possessed about eating has been replaced by confusion and anxiety.  Somehow this most elemental of activities-- figuring out what to eat -- has come to require a remarkable amount of expert help.  How did we ever get to a point where we need investigative journalists to tell us where our food comes from and nutritionists to determine the dinner menu?

--Michael Pollan

sometimes things have to change

 A couple of months ago Dorothy's doctor informed her that she was tottering on the precipice of diabetes. To avoid the disease it was necessary for Dorothy to take aggressive action. The doctor put her on medication and signed her up for a study course on diabetes sponsored by the Cherokee Nation. Since I'm the chief cook I did some research on the Internet on how to prepare meals that won't spike your blood sugar. So here's what we've been doing:

• In preparing meals I've reduce the meat and starch portions (potatoes and pasta) and increased the vegetable portions and salads.
• We've eliminated sugar from our diet
• We walk a mile after dinner 4-5 evenings per week.
• We eat smaller meals and have a between meal snack of fruit, nuts, or some other low carb food.

It's been two months and we've both lost 11 lbs. each.  And that is without restricting calories. Dorothy says her doctor's next step will be to urge her to reduce her calorie intake as well as  balancing the carbohydrates.

Giving up pasta was a hard thing to do, but luckily I found Dreamfields pasta on the Internet. With only 5 digestible carbs and a low glycemic index, Dorothy has been able to eat her normal serving with out substantially raising her blood sugar. That was a good find.

We took photos of each other and after about six months I'll post the before and after shots on this blog. That is, if we continue this regimen successfully.

quotes of the day

I beg you, Women of Joy, to bring light and be involved, loving America and praying for her. Really, it is our solemn duty. Praying for true spiritual awakening to overcome deterioration. That is where God wants us to be. Lest anyone try to convince you that God should be separated from the state, our Founding Fathers, they were believers. And George Washington, he saw faith in God as basic to life.

--Sarah Palin

"...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."

--Thomas Jefferson,  in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association date January 1, 1802

Sarah Palin must have been absent from school they day they studied the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.

favorite time of year

This is where I sit in the morning and drink coffee, and in the afternoon while I read my mail.

These purple blooming Ajugas are the perfect companion for Hostas

what i'm reading now

I saw Ken Robinson being interviewed on TV a few weeks ago and he was discussing his book, The Element.  I was intrigued by what he had to say and ordered the book.  The main idea that interested me was the idea that intelligence can be manifested in many ways. Not everyone does well on the standard academic assessment tests and should not be considered less than intelligent because of their scores. The book contains many stories of people who have found their "element" and succeeded in realizing their potential. This is an important book to read, not only for parents who have a child that has trouble finding his/her way academically, but for some of us late bloomers who are just now finding an opportunity for the growth and development of our natural talents.

quote of the day

It turns out that 70% of American aging is not real aging.  It's just decay.  It's rot from the stuff that we do.  All the lifestyle diseases...the diabetes, the obesity, the heart disease, much of the Alzheimer's, lots of the cancers, and almost all of the osteoporosis, those are all decay.  Nature doesn't have that in store  for any of us.  We go out and buy it off the rack.

Dr. Henry Lodge, Younger Next Year

a new garden

I haven't grown a complete garden in several years. I usually put out a few tomato plants. But, this morning my neighbor, Roger, brought his tractor over and tilled up a space for a nice size garden. That was neighborly of him.  All I have to do in return is share my tomatoes with him. Dorothy and I are looking forward to some fresh veggies this summer.

easter pics

Egg hidden by the tulips

Marley, Hunter, and Jenna pose for their Easter picture.

The tulips are puttng on a great display this year.