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| "Backyard Labors" colored pencil 1993 |
Gardening is what I have been doing this summer. I have always gardened. This summer has been very hot and I do not have a good watering system, just automatic sprinkler from lawn and my hoses in front and back yards. So, hand watering keeps me busy and of course pulling the endless bindweed.
This year I am growing my favorites....Meaty-Green pumpkins, Strawberry Popcorn, and Scarlet Runner Beans or I call them "Moqui Beans" and some Cannalini Beans. All foods that I can harvest dry and store. I grow a few green beans, pole and bush and some tomatoes, basil, kale and chard. Not a real exciting garden but it is doing well and the results will keep me busy this fall.
What I haven't been doing is taking pictures of my food inventions and posting the pictures and recipes. I guess I have lost the motivation for it or been too busy in other directions. I don't know.
I do know that I am changing again .....for the better. The Holy Spirit is prompting me in other directions. For one thing, it has told me to stop buying and storing and eating red meats and pork including my favorite, bacon. I am to use up what is in my freezers and buy no more. Interesting, because this is what I have been preaching for a few years.
So, we haven't been eating beef, lamb or pork the past few weeks. For me, a blood type O and my Perry, a B, this is really interesting. For the time being, we can eat chicken. turkey and fish.
I don't know what all this means or where it is leading. We have speculated plenty but no reasons, no explanations have been given. Perhaps it is just a test of obedience. What ever it is I will comply and see where it goes. Neither my husband or myself are suffering from some debilitating disease and need a cleanse....we are both pretty healthy right now so I don't know what the nature of this is.
I am trying to find more ways to eat beans and grain, expanding my formulations of Pulses and augmenting them with lots of fresh vegetables from my garden. I am also using spices especially the Indian curry kinds to make beans and grain more interesting but haven't posted any of those yet. Perhaps I will. I just ordered from Mountain Rose herb online store lots of curry types of spices and herbs. I love the flavors and husband is growing into it.
I still make raw milk kefir and consume about 1 1/2 cups a day, and my kombucha with 4-6 ounces a day, and make my sourdough bread every 2 weeks and make sourdough muffins for my husband and love making my own Ginger Ale too. My sauerkraut is all used up and I haven't made any more because....I have found several brands of small batch sauerkraut in the health food stores that are quite delightful.
I still sell starters....some to Redmond Heritage Stores but also from my home. I still teach people how to use them if they come here. I can be reached at joannesmithseal@gmail.com.
