Wellbeing Wednesday.....

The skies are sunny and Spring is everywhere....but  I've been spending a lot of time taking my folks to doctors and hospital visits...spending so much time around sick people and the elderly has made me take a good look at my own health....I always have the best intentions but continually fall of the healthy bandwagon...It really is time to take not only mine, but also my man's health seriously. I really want us to enjoy old age (not there just yet!) and think it's really important to do as much as you can to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul.

Juicing is an easy way to get lots of good stuff into you...I keep forgetting to make them...will aim for 4  times a week....it's messy cleaning out the juicer but worth it.

My favourite mix, organic carrots, apples, oranges and kale from the vegie patch

Drink straight away....I really love the taste of this one.

 Eat more vegies...I shop weekly at the local organic store in Kallista...the amazing colours of fresh fruit and vegies  bursting with goodness.....also need to up the fruit intake...don't think we are doing the two pieces of fruit per day.

Lovely organic vegies...the milk is what I use to make my own yoghurt and the organic sourdough is made locally.

 Healthy lunches....today was chicken and avocado with garden greens and feta.....will try to enjoy salad vegies daily...it is tricky over winter but so easy when the sun is shining..



Today's lunch.....I love avocado and use it on sandwiches instead of butter..

Keep growing our vegies...the broccoli finally got some good solid heads on them...will pick these babies for dinner tomorrow night.. 

Beautiful broccoli heads...finally..

 On the weekend I purchased a seed sprouter...I know you can sprout in a jar but I think it will be easier in this contraption....instructions say sprouts in 3 - 5 days.....see how we go...it's only been one day so far...should be great to add to salads.

Sprouting seeds....alfalfa and been shoots

 Also need to concentrate on fitness....my man's okay...but I am very unfit...will try to walk the dogs everyday and continue with my yoga practice...along with a busy garden and house to maintain that will hopefully be enough....While keeping my spirit strong with meditation......Namaste.
What do you do to stay healthy ?

Back from the Brink....

I've left the despair of the last few weeks behind me and am hopefully getting life back to normal...as normal as possible anyway.  Sunday saw us attending our monthly luncheon...a Sunday Solstice & Curry Munch !!  Hosts Jan and Al surprised us with a sumptuous range of dishes using curry sauces made from scratch...Beef Rendang , Chicken curry, curry Potato, lentil and eggplant dal....loads of goodies with rice and homemade pappadams...and raita !!  She excelled herself...also accompanied by a lovely shredded salad timbale with an amazing dressing supplied by the big K.   My offering was a Hummingbird cake to help celebrate a recent birthday....was asked to bring "The Sponge" but once again that was a dismal failure....go figure.

Smiles all round as we tucked into a Super Solstice Celebratory Curry Munch.

A variety of goodies on offer...all on my plate.

Forgot to take a photo of my cake until we had almost consumed it...it tasted pretty good if I do say so.

Monday saw me back to my usual routine...taking the G baby off to his sports morning...my Monday's with this little guy are so precious....he is our little ray of sunshine....the sport to learn this week was T Ball....he loved it...you can't see all of the other kids but there are about 8 of them in this class.


My G Baby all set for a big swing...he loves running around and always has a smile for the camera !!

Getting his achievement certificate for the end of term from teachers Jane and Helen.

Life is a bit upside down and turned around at the moment....but I've helped where I can ...done my best and will continue to support whenever and wherever I can.  I've sourced outside help for my dad to help him with his difficult journey ahead....fingers crossed he will be receptive to their efforts.  For now I will just keep smiling and getting on with my life....My man turns 60 next week and we have a large party booked at his Golf Club...need to turn my attention to that now.  Happy days ahead.

Slow Living Essentials Monthly 9 Linkup .....

March has been a month of re-evaluation for me.  Losing a very close friend has been difficult for everyone concerned.  It's a reminder to make every day matter, enjoy life and prepare the space that you live in with love and creativity. I'm joining in slow living essentials to share a bit of my space.

Nourish: I currently use organic and what I thought were chemical free skin products, it turns out that most of them still use Phenoxyethanol and Ceteareth-20, both of which we would be better off without!  I am going to try making my own nourishing skin care product using this recipe from WellnessMama.  I've bought the organic beeswax chips on line...will give you an update on how I go .

Organic Bees Wax chips...smell amazing...these have not been purified so still smell like honey.



Prepare: I am keeping my eye on the baby capsicums that I am growing.  Am going to have a go at making  Preserved baby bell with feta.  Just need all the little capsicums to ripen. I think these will be a great gift idea.  More next month on this project. Fingers crossed.

Can see  few have gone a gorgeous ripe red.....still waiting on the others....

Reduce:  I run a small business from home and am constantly getting stacks of mail which leads to a very untidy amount of waste paper.  I use only recycled paper products in the office, but what to do with all this excess paper.  Am keeping anything reusable that is not printed on the back to make up scratch pads for scribbling notes in the office. 


Not all of this will find it's way to the worm farm...most would have to go in recycle bin

Made whole sheets and envelopes not printed on both sides into scratch pads....

Green:   How Dirty is Dirty:  "Over the entire lifecycle of clothes, the biggest environmental impact is from the 'use' phase: washing, drying and ironing". (Green Lifestyle Magazine) This article raised my awareness to the fact that when my man and I wore something we put it in the wash....not any more...nothing into the wash until it actually needs to be washed...jeans are fabulous for multiple wears before washing !!...Reducing your weekly washing loads is great for the environment....I don't own a clothes dryer but if you do, try to avoid using it.

Grow:  It's autumn and time for the pumpkins !!  I love pumpkin and a pot of pumpkin soup on a cold day warms the body and soul. Have started to harvest and their are still about 10 more on the vines....leaving these outside under shelter to dry out for about a week.

The pumpkin Harvest....Qld Blue and butternuts.

Create:  As always working on too many projects at the same time...I am doing a block of the month quilt....have had it for a while but March is the target to finish this first block, will then try to stay on track as there are 9 blocks in total...hand stitching takes a long time...




Still a few hours worth of hand stitching before this panel is completed....each panel measures 50cm x 50cm



Discover:  There is always so much to  see and do and find out about.  We had a weekend down at our holiday spot and I love the beautiful native plants that are growing wildly there...  I also discovered that Life is short  and we should all take the time to enjoy beautiful surroundings.

 

Cute native plants in amongst all of the  beachside scrub.....along with the wombats and native birds.

 

Enhance:  I love to look for beautiful ways to make life more joyful.....my sister-in-law who passed away 12 years ago always made the most amazing sponge cakes for family birthdays and I sadly thought the recipe was lost, but my brother tells me he found it....can't wait to get that recipe....would love to try this:

  

Found this amazing cake decoration on pinterest.....sliced almonds with raspberry & blueberry centres..

Would also love to have a go at knitting this gorgeous cushion.....free download from Yarnspirations.

This cable knitted cushion in boucle....I have some boucle wool I pulled down from a half knitted
jumper.....long story...wool bought from US on line...$45 postage for one more ball...didn't happen.

Enjoy:  I do try and enjoy simple things everyday.  A walk along the beach with my two fluffy girls....they love to run and chase birds and paddle at the water's edge....trying to take their photo is always difficult...after several failed attempts, the magic word was smacko...they looked at the camera with big smiles on their faces....shame about my man's hairy legs in the photo !!

After a long walk on the beach......happy snap....enjoy !!

Wellness Woes.....

Yarn bomb.....reminding us all to stay well.........loving this new art form.....

Spring time........reminding us that the seasons change......beauty really is everywhere !!

Influenza has hit the hills.....I have been sick with the flu for the last 3 weeks...can't remember a time when I have been this sick...very slow to get over the symptoms, but hopefully on the road to recovery.....Illness makes you reflect on how we take wellness for granted.  My mum has had a recent scare with bladder cancer and thankfully prognosis is excellent.   A lot of illness around in the last 3 weeks....including one of my chickens....she had an impacted crop and after a $100 trip to the vet for an injection and a range of medications, she was no better after 8 days....a beautiful lady at the local feed store volunteered to put her out of her misery for me.....she was very emaciated and vomiting, but oddly enough still continued to lay eggs even though the energy required was killing her.......nature is a strange thing at times.....Being unwell has encouraged me to spend much more energy on the pursuit of WELLNESS......taking the time to eat well, get plenty of exercise, enjoy everyday, find magic in the simple things and laugh often.....wishing good health to all .

Nourishing body and soul...

Healthy snacking ....all organic - grapes, mandarine, almonds and macadamia nuts

Having spent so much time and energy in the garden and other pursuits, I feel I have been neglecting my body and my health.....my general fitness is not good and also I haven't been eating as well as I would like too......today I have started to once again focus on my health and wellbeing, including mind and soul.....haven't done yoga in ages and was very out of practice this morning....but will persevere and try to do a daily practice in the morning, including meditation. .....also pay attention to everything that I eat....mindful eating is important...if it doesn't nourish my body or offer any health benefits, I will try not to eat it...I do love wine and cheese though....hhhmmmmm.....