35

As of March 7th, when I started this real food journey, I have lost 35 pounds! I really never have gone this long without giving up way sooner than this. And I have never lost this much weight. I'd never been this heavy either.

And all I did was stop eating anything with flour, of any kind, and sugar. Also had to stop drinking coffee, because I had to have sweet cream in it. That's about all I've done.

So I started thinking of some of the reasons I am still on this journey today.

1- I FEEL SO GOOD! I guess within a few days, I noticed how much better I felt. I mean, when I'd get up out of bed in the mornings, I felt like I'd been in a marathon. Just sore all over. I couldn't even cross my legs or put my arms behind my back. I can now!

2- I don't hurt when I eat real food like I did when I ate crappy food. It really did hurt to even eat a sandwich or chips or fries. But I loved them so much, I'd eat them anyway. I actually ate a handful of chips a few days ago. And it hurt. Didn't like it at all.

3- My face is not as red as it used to get when I'd do anything.

4- Oh, and my hands. I always thought I had arthritis, especially in my right hand. I hand milked goats for 10 years, so thought that was how that happened. It hurt to even make a fist or cross my fingers. But I can now! No pain at all! I had sold all my goats last year. Bought 2 does last month and am milking one of them twice a day now. No problems at all.

5- I do not have any health or dental insurance at all. I cannot afford to be sick. This is the main reason that I am doing this. I do not want to be dependent on any kind of drugs or doctors. I have never been one to run to a doctor anyway. And I do not want to have to be on any medications. I'd rather just be on good food.

6- I don't belch anymore either! I used to do that all day long. It was gross. I hated it. But when a person eats so much, like I did, it produces lots of gas, and it has to come out somehow. I am not doing that any more.

7- Also, at night, I'd have to rub my nose with Vicks, just to breath when I'd lay down. Not any more.

8-I am sick of fat clothes! They are just down right ugly to me and I just don't like the way they fir me! Seriously, anything over a size 16 is horrible to me. Like a big ole sack. I want to wear pretty clothes that fit nice. I want to wear overalls again. And cute skirts.And dresses.

9-I'm tired of being the biggest person in my family. My brother and sister were always smaller than me. I always felt awkward around them. My mom is only 100 pounds. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her if I hug too hard.

10- I just want to be healthy. Just a healthy person. There is nothing wrong with being a little over weight, but not for me. It was just getting uncomfortable for me. When it's even hard to bend over to tie my shoes, that's bad. When I can't cross my legs, that's bad. When my stomach sits on my lap, that's bad. When I can't see my feet, that's bad.

So today, I weigh 215. I still feel really big. I am not going to buy or make clothes til I get below 200. And I will! I have to. For me.

I'm sure I'll think of lots more reasons later. But this is enough for now. I'll talk more about what I eat in another post. But I am loving this way of life for me. It's also made my husband lose some weight and feel a bit better too. He has a little more energy.

Thank you all for reading my posts and for being so encouraging to me. I need it.

In the garden.

It has done nothin' but rain the past week here. I know, I am NOT complaining at all. We have got nothing like in other parts of the country, I feel so bad for all the people in Houston and surrounding areas. And now Arkansas and Idaho. So sad. It's just rained  for an hour or so. Sometimes really hard, sometimes stormy with high winds. But nothing too serious here. Just right for the gardens though.

I only have 6 cabbages. I have had a hard time the past several years getting them to make heads. These were looking promising, but I do believe I have a rabbit that likes cabbage. And cabbage moths too. So don't know if I'll get cabbage or not. I need another bag of DE to put on everything out there.

Little baby squashes! It's also been awhile since we've had success with squash and zucchini. But looking good so far!

Of course, I have never had a problem with the radishes. They grow great here. The beets now, they are slow, but growing finally.

This is the collards and kale mix up. I forgot I had planted collard seeds, then planted kale seeds. Then I forgot I had planted anything a few days later, and tilled half the row before I remembered I'd planted it. But the part I tilled has come up so much better than the other side. Did the same thing at the end of this row, where I had planted the organic kale seeds I got from Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots in Oregon. They are now coming up good! So I guess maybe next time I plant seeds, a few days later I'll till the rows.

This is the 4 dill plants I got from my friend Jane at Pocket Farm, over the ridge from me. And the bell peppers, cabbage and squash. Also tilled a row and put more kale in. But I didn't till later and they aren't coming up near as good as the other row is.

My husband wandered out to the garden Monday, after breakfast. He said he's tired of falling asleep after eating. Well, it's because he goes right from the table to his recliner in front of the tv. He's been blaming all the pills he takes. I don't know about that. So I told him he needed to go outside after eating and do something. I put him to work in the garden. He hoed the corn rows. Did a great job too. He used to do that in Indiana when he was a kid. I got some Blue Lake pole beans to plant in the corn when the corn gets about another foot taller.

These are some marigolds that popped up from last year. Of course, in between the rows of beans and peas. So I just till and mow around them. I love marigolds.

And of course my 2nd favorite flowers, the wild daisy, is coming up all all over the gardens. I am leaving most of them, because I love them. I had to show my husband what they were so he'd leave the ones in the corn alone. Because he's a man, and he seems to like killing things.

So the garden is really looking great so far. I have been weeding and mulching a lot. I have to still tie the rest of the tomato plants we staked last week. They are growing like weeds!

I hope y'all aren't being flooded by all this rain and are able to plant a garden.

Oh, this goat!

Olga. This goat is an escape artist. Can you see that window in the background, over Freja? It's broken and has been for years now. I had to put those yellow ramps that are on the well house in that window back when I had goat kids. They would jump up onto the window ledge and get in the milk room. So that helped. Apparently they got moved at some point by the husband and didn't get put back there. And I forgot that stuff happens.

Not long after I got Olga, I was milking Freja. I had gone to put the milk bucket in the fridge in the kitchen. When I came back to the milk room, there was Olga, in the window, on the inside of the milk room, looking at me. So I had to get all the stuff off the shelf where her big body was, to get her out f the window. Cut my fingers on the glass that's still around the edges. She had a little cut on her side too. That's when I started letting her come in for a little feed on her stanchion, just to keep an eye on her.

This morning, I put the sheep back up front for the day. Then I put the goats out back. I shut the gate. Later, I came out to put something in the car, and there were the goats, at the gate to the milk room. I have got to get that latch fixed on that back gate. I left them there, thinking they'd go on back to the back lot.

Came back outside because Freja was just bellowing like a mad woman. Went to see what was wrong, and Olga was in the milk room. Gate was shut. And I have a fireplace screen across the door. It was still up. The ramps were still in the window. How did she get in there? She must have jumped the fence, then the screen? So back in the back yard they went. I'll have to keep an eye on that one from now on. I had a doe like her before. Sadie Mae. That goat jumped every fence on this farm. I do believe they are related.

In other news, I have now lost 34 pounds!!!!! I don't think I'll lose 16 more pounds by my birthday next week. But I am happy anyway.

I went to bed at 8 last night. I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I feel better this morning.

Happy hump day, y'all!

Feeling blah today.

My bees are doing so good. Still bringing in lots of pollen. I wish they could gather ALL the nasty pollen. The past several days, my eyes have been very itchy and red and watering like crazy. I rub them so hard, my eye balls get swollen. And my dandelions are dwindling fast. I feel better when I have a big cup of dandelion tea every day. But one day, there will be no more.

As I was mowing the garden yesterday, I mowed around the hive. The sun was shining and it was warm. I could smell honey! I hope to be able to harvest some honey in the next few weeks. I bought a manual 2 frame extractor. I hope it's going to be pretty simple to figure out. I've never done it before. But I've never gotten this close to having my own honey before either. In fact, all I do with these bees is a learning experience. Last night, it was raining real hard. When I went out to check on all the critters, I checked the hive too. There were still some bees going in and out. And rain looked like it was getting in the entrance. So I put the big board on the top of the hive to help keep rain out. Well, there must have been a bee on the board and it got in my left sleeve and stung me under the arm. I kept feeling something and I guess it was another bee because I got stung on my neck too. Silly bees. Just trying to help and get stung.

So I have no desire to do anything right now. I have no motivation at all. And SO much to get done. I want to go to the farmers market this Saturday and bring my hand spun yarn. I need to figure out some sort of display to hang the yarn on. So need to go to town. Also need more jars for salve. Need to make some soap. I watched a few you tube videos on how to make hot process soap. I really want to try it. But don't even feel like doing that. I don't know what's wrong with me. No energy I think.

We got a lot of rain starting about 3:30 yesterday. Thunder and lightening right over the house. I sat on the porch and crocheted a little. It felt good out there. Later I went to see how the okra rows looked. There was water standing in the rows. I hope all the seeds didn't get washed away. But it looked like it was just staying on the rows, not moving. So they should be fine. But I see all the news around the country, like Houston flooding, Arkansas storms. A mess all over. Then California still in a horrible drought. I don't know what's going on these days. Just crazy.

I think I'll just go to town. Get away for awhile. Sounds good to me.

Making and doing around the farm...

Just a few things I've been doing the past week.

I made some fresh plantain salve. It'd been awhile since I'd made any. And I'll be heading back to the farmers market this Saturday. So I thought I better have fresh stuff to take. I need more jars. I still have some in the pot. I made a dozen. So I'll get a few more boxes, because I have calendula salve to make too.

Yesterday, I made feta cheese. I am getting well over a half gallon of milk from Freja each day and we can't drink it fast enough. So I decided to make some feta. I love making feta. Then I marinade it in olive oil with garlic and herbs. SO good! This will be ready Saturday. Already have some sold.

This is the calendula petals infusing in olive oil. I really like this salve. I've been using it on my face the past few months and I like the results. Better than plantain. Calendula takes care of the dryness. And it's a lot gentler to use in sensitive places. Great for babies too.

I am almost finished with my Sunburst Granny square bed spread. I'll take a pic when I'm all done. I take it with me to Mrs. T's, on my days to stay with her. I have made most of it at her house. And some more at the eye doctor with my mom. And in the motel when I went to the fiber show in Townsend. So it's been around.

I have a lot of the cotton yarn left, so I decided to try to make a blouse for myself. I started yesterday. Maybe by the time I'm finished, I'll have lost more weight and can wear it. I really have no idea how to make a blouse. Just guessing at it. It'll probably be like a tank top. And very colorful!

Speaking of weight, a friend was asking me about my weight loss journey the other day. She said I should blog about it. I told her I sort of do here. But not enough. So I might just start another blog, dedicated to this new way of eating and living. Will have to think more about it though.

So here is my favorite salad. I went to 2 farmers markets Saturday. I got some fresh salad greens, romaine lettuce and spinach from one farm. Then some really nice looking beets with pretty greens. So mixed all those up with the beet greens. Then I add dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and either Gorgonzola or Blue cheese. I love Superberry fruit vinaigrette, but the store where I shop didn't have any. I got a raspberry instead. Pretty good, but too sweet for me. So this is either my lunch or dinner several times a week. I love it. Very filling too.

I need to take my new bike back to the store where I bought it. I went for a ride a few days ago and it was torture! It took forever to get up a little hill and I was exhausted. When I got home, I aired up the tires, thinking they might have been low. Then decided to check the brakes. My friend who I ride with, said last time we rode that she kept hearing my bike scraping, like the back brake pads were rubbing the rim. Well, it is. Very tightly too. No wonder it's so darn hard to ride! And I should have lost 15 pounds.

And this mess. Oh my. I don't know if I'll just have to cut it. But I was spinning, or have been spinning, this very fine Merino roving I had bought. For hours. And it broke a few times. I would always find the end. But not this time. It is nowhere to be found. I posted on the fiber art forum for help. So I tried tape, a toothbrush and a vacuum. Nothing. Someone else suggested some Tequila, which I would have drank if I'd had some. Or poured it over this and lit it on fire. VERY frustrating for sure! Has this happened to anyone else? What do you do?

I don't know if anyone else watched the Duggers on TLC. But it was one of my favorite shows. I am so bummed right now about what's happened. And the fact that it happened over 12 years ago makes it even worse. Because to me, it's in the past, Why bring up the past? They got counseling and went to the police, although a few years after the fact. But still did. I just hate that anyone in the public eye is subject to all kinds of  talk and gossip and people making assumptions about them. Like Paula Deen last year for something she said 30 something years ago. Good grief already! I am not condoning child molestation at all. It is bad. But he was 15 for crying out loud! And he got help. So did his family. Anyway, enough of this. I'm just upset about the whole thing and what people are saying about them. Just makes it worse for people who are trying to live right and be good people.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Memorial day. Makes me think of all the men and women who fought and gave their lives for us to have the freedom we have today. Thank you all so much!

Birds

 I kept seeing birds flying into the milk room yesterday. Then saw this. A pair of barn swallows is building a nest. I love it! Now I can't wait to hear little babies soon.

These little chicks are being bad. I let them in the coop this morning because I was bringing the 4 legged creatures over. Now I guess they don't like being penned up. Mommas are not happy anout this situation at all.

In the garden this week...

I am amazed at these tomato plants! Already have little green tomatoes! And the smell so good. I love how tomato plants smell. I just go out there and rub a leaf all over my hands so I can smell it all day. They should make tomato perfume. How cool would that be? Then in the middle of a cold winter, you could spray some tomato smell on you and it would remind you of summer and a big red ripe juicy tomato! Oh my, that sounds so good!

So, my husband came out to the garden a few evenings ago, to check it out. I put him to work, like all good wives should do when their husbands wander out to the garden, right? It was cool, he had nothing else to do obviously. So I made him stake the rest of the tomatoes. He's gonna be eating these soon, so why not work a little? He did good. Now I just need to tie them up. They are growing so fast!

This is a Rutger tomato plant. I have 10 of these. I think there are 40 plants, 5 different varieties.

This is a Black Cherry plant, with little green tomatoes! I can't wait til these are ripe. They are an heirloom cherry.

This is the yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage and pepper row. The squash and zucchini just grew like weeds the past week or so. I've lost 2 hot pepper plants. Don't know why.

And the corn looks pretty good so far. I need to get some more to plant where lots didn't come up.  But haven't grown corn in a few years.So excited to get some good fresh "roastin' ears", as my husband calls them.

Looks like all the sunflower seeds I planted down the middle of the crowder peas row are coming up. That should be pretty.

It was so cold today here. I don't know what's going on, but I'm glad. Because the shearer has yet again put us off til NEXT weekend, if nothing happens. This has been going on since March. The lady up the road who has 15 Finn sheep didn't even get hers sheared at all last year. She's supposed to get her sheared by the lady doing mine. So no wool for her for 2 years. I sure hope my sheep's wool is going to be ok, waiting this long. I know I will be much better when they do finally get sheared. I have been stressing out about this for too long now. I think I will be looking for another shearing person for next year.