Of Birds and Boys

Remember when I got bit by the spring bug last weekend when we had a stroke of warm weather? I put new bird seed in the feeder. I had forgotten to do this for about a week, and all the birds left. I miss the birds, so I pulled out the safflower seed. They love it, and the squirrels hate it because it's bitter on their taste buds. A win-win. I get to see the birds, and I don't have to spend a fortune replacing seed the squirrels dig through and throw around everywhere.

So I got to see this little one today.

A Carolina Chickadee? That's the best I can tell from our booklet of South Carolina birds. If you know better, I'd like to hear.

Then this fellow came along and scared away everyone else.

Male and female cardinals swarm around the safflower seeds. They really love them.

And there was a beautiful Yellow-bellied Sapsucker but he was too skittish for me to take a photo. Next time.

And then this happened.

Do you know what is going on here? I'll give you a hint - the birds didn't like it.

Look closely. See the sparks? Shooting BBs at the feeding birds is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED in this household. But someone found a way around that with leftover firecrackers from New Year's Eve.

Boys.

Don't understand the thrills. Still gotta love them.

TCB

Winter Yard Maintenance

One week ago today, snow covered the ground here in the South. Quite a feat for South Carolina. My son was happy, just like this all day.

But the good Old South. Today, we had a sunny 65 degrees, which got me wanting to actually venture outside long enough to do a little winter yard maintenance.

Like turn the compost bin.

I started a bin in the fall so we could re-use what we had been throwing away. And I have so many flower beds I am thinking this will be a more economical way to feed all my plants.

I've learned that I have to turn under the discarded vegetables on top, not just for composting sake but to keep them out of the hands of that pesky racoon that comes out at night. Two nights ago, I caught him hanging on one of the bird feeders with one hand, the other reaching for the bread crumbs my son had added to the seed.

I thought I was going to have a little help with the composting. After all, it's not just my project but my son's project too.

Or so I thought.

Oops. Caught!

Might as well keep going now.

But  back to composting.

I found this great composting bin at one of my favorite sites http://www.gardeners.com/.

It has individual slats so you can take off one or a few to easily get at the contents inside to turn them with a pitchfork. It makes the job very easy.

If you can keep a good ratio of materials - about 75% brown material such as leaves and 25% green material such as grass clippings and vegetable peelings - the results will be good, rich compost to add to your flower or garden beds in the spring.

Why not give it a try? There are much pricier and fancier bins, but this one does the trick beautifully.

Happy gardening,
TCB

One Resolution at a Time

When I was young and naive (ha ha), I made a list of 5 to 10 new resolutions at the beginning of each year. Now that I'm older and wiser (har de har), I know that's a really futile activity on which to spend my time. But I do spend some time each December reassessing my goals and what I most want to accomplish. Then I try to write JUST ONE resolution for the New Year.

In 2009, my resolution was simply to spend the year decluttering my house, and ultimately I hoped, my everyday life. I did accomplish some of this, but I will admit the decluttering continues throughout 2010 and will ramp up in 2011. I don't see it as a failure, however, because isn't that what a real resolution is all about?  A lifestyle change and not just one check box in the course of your life?

In 2010, my one resolution was to get healthy and get myself off the reflux medication I have been taking for years. I wanted to get educated about what was best for my body so that I could keep kickin' it into high gear even when I am 95! I am optimistic about traveling when I'm old and gray!!

I will admit I floundered for the first few months of the year, but then I started getting some great reading recommendations from my healthy friends and trainer at the gym where I work out. The books I read are about using food to heal your body. Then I met a wonderful alternative physician who worked with me to determine what was going on with my body. With his help, I stopped eating just a few foods that did not agree digestion-wise with my body and gained energy I was missing. With the addition of drinking juice from 1 1/2 lemons per day (to aid in digestion), I was off the medication! That was seven months ago, and I haven't needed anything since.

Although I did not set out to lose weight, I happily dropped nine pounds and two pant sizes and got back to pre-pregnancy weight! All without dieting, but just eating whole foods that were right for my body. Now don't be mistaken, I splurge with my sweet tooth and country cooking all the time, but with overall healthier practices, my body handles it all much better. Resolution achieved!

So what about 2011? This will be my year of forgiveness. TMI would not be appropriate, but there are a couple of people I have been struggling to forgive for things I feel they have wrongly done to me. So I am giving myself a year of forgiving, to heal myself and move on. I call it decluttering the mind and soul. Vive decluttering!

Hope you have a resolution in mind that will leave you happier and healthier at the end of 2011. Go easy on yourself. I've learned it takes a lot more time than what I was giving myself to accomplish the things I really want to achieve.

Flax Attack

Looking back over the year, 2010 was defined by my quest to be healthier and more energetic. And although there are lots of products being marketed out there, I've found that food and food supplements are the best ways to increase my energy level, good overall health, and (bonus!) even weight loss.

One of my new and easy-to-use friends is milled or ground flax seeds. I buy them in packets and pour them into my recycled spice shaker. You don't even have to have a nearby health food store for flax seeds; I find them in my local grocery store.

Flax seeds need to be ground for maximum benefit. I often buy mine already milled, but you can grind them in a coffee grinder.

It is easy to sprinkle on my morning cereal or my lunch salad. Honestly, I can't taste it so I don't have to worry about it altering the taste of my meal. That means I can sprinkle it all over my son's food, too, and he doesn't even know it!

But oh, the goodness it adds. An extra dose of Omega 3's and more fiber to my diet. And what woman doesn't need that for good health on the inside of our bodies and better skin on the outside!

Plus, flax seeds help reduce inflammation in the body. And inflammation is linked to all kinds of chronic illnesses and the negative toll cholesterol wreaks on your body. I'm thinking it will help me be as active as I am in my 40s as when I'm in my 80s. Hallelujah!

Sometimes, when I'm feeling bold, I'll just drink a tablespoon of flax seed oil instead. I may not get the fiber, but I get all the other goodness and probably more of it.

My goal has been and continues to be to add one healthy change at a time. For me, that's the way I can accomplish increasingly good things without becoming overwhelmed by too much change at once. Try it for yourself!
Love,
TCB

Lovin' Old Dogs

In human years, our dear Molly is 105 years old! That's why she looks like this all day.

 And we let her.
Until we disturb her with the camera flash.

Who? What? Where I am?

It only takes 20 seconds to fall back asleep again.

We love all of our animals. But I warned everyone last year that Molly may be on the way out.

Boy, did she prove me wrong. She has no reason to leave. If her arthritis is acting up, we bring the food and water to her (that's an "egg crate" mattress she's laying on under her bedding).

We love and pet her everyday. And the kitty, Miss Pitty Pat, gives her kisses. So why on earth would she leave us?

Goodnight.
TCB

Southern Cornbread

Just made a pot of bean and sausage soup. And there's only one other thing that's needed. Cornbread, I say.

Here's my super duper fast and easy recipe for this Southern delicacy.

I use a cast iron skillet in the oven. It makes a delicious crispy crust while the inside is moist. A large cast iron skillet is on my Christmas list, but for now I just use two smaller ones.

I am into nutrition and fitness; however, cornbread is the one recipe where I totally stray and use bacon grease. Yes, I said it. I put about a teaspoon of bacon grease (from my trusty jar in the refrigerator) into each skillet. Double if you're lucky enough to have a large skillet. Heat the skillet and grease in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the batter.

First, whisk together 2 cups of buttermilk (I use lowfat) and one large egg.

Next, add 1 3/4 cups of self-rising cornmeal and stir well.

That's it, baby! Now take the hot skillet(s) out of the oven and pour in the batter. See how it's cooking already?

Put back in the oven for 15-20 minutes. It totally depends on the temperature of your oven. Just take it out when it is nice and golden brown on the top.

Like this.

Invert onto cutting board and cut into slices.

Yummy!
Gotta go eat,
TCB

He's Back to his Old Tricks

He's baaaaaaack.

Don't let him fool you. Tinsel looks happy. But Tinsel is MISCHIEVOUS.
He just came back two days ago, fresh in from helping Santa make toys. He came to check up on my son.

Overnight, he seems to have had a little fun with "Brother."

Brother just smiled through it all. We found him the next morning.

Happy Holidays!
TCB