Another Year Has Passed

Greetings,

The last time I posted I was just starting the SCD diet.  I did the diet for three months and it really helped my digestive system.  When I stay on it, I don't have any problems with gas, bloating, etc.  Of course, I don't exactly stay on the diet.  It's so boring I have to deviate once in a while.  When I do, my system get totally skewed.  Oh well, it just shows that I'm human after all, although some would argue that.

I've been busy with my usual household duties, cooking, cleaning, etc. and I've been selling some of my jewelry.  Today I put on Facebook that my jewelry will no longer be for sale as it takes up too much of my time.  I want to delve into sculptural peyote, which is making sculpture with beads.  I'm tired of doing jewelry and want to try something totally new.  I do believe I can do this, it will just take some patience, which I don't have a lot of.  I'm also considering entering some beading competitions but have no doubt about my winning anything; I just want to do it to see if I can.  I like to challenge myself.

I've been busy just living from day to day.  Some days are better than others.  I get very depressed some times, especially when it rains.  I hate rainy days.  They didn't use to bother me but it seems that the older I get the more they bother me.  Just something else to have to deal with; there's always something, isn't there?

I had a very beautiful flowering season last summer and am looking forward to it again this year.  My Dill and Fennel plants were over four feet high and the Swallow-tail butterfly laid many eggs on them.  I did get to see one emerge, but always manage to miss most of them.

My Iris plants were spectacular last year.  I had moved them a couple of years before and last summer they outdid themselves.  I had so many I cut a lot of them and put them in a vase.  They really did do well, I'm surprised to say.  They bloomed for several days before I had to start replacing them.

I plan on having more herbs this summer.  We use Basil a lot in Spaghetti Sauce and I need more of these plants.  There's really nothing as wonderful as fresh Basil in Spaghetti Sauce.  I use two large cans of Organic Fire Roasted tomatoes ( I order them from Amazon.com), olive oil, Basil and onion.  Just cook it down a little and it tastes delicious.  It's also good to use on pizza.

I bought some semolina flour, combined it with regular flour and made my own pizza dough.   It is pretty complicated to make, with the kneading and all, but totally worth it.  It is the best pizza I've ever eaten.

We now have curly Kale and mixed greens in the garden that are doing well.  The curly Kale is yummy.  I put it in some vegetable soup the other day and it really added to the flavor of the soup.

I can't believe my Begonias, that I put on the front porch to protect from the frost, are still blooming.  I also brought my decorative lime green Sweet Potato Vine inside and it's growing like crazy in my kitchen where I have eight south-facing windows.  I love having plants in the house in the winter time.  It makes it seem much more cozy and keeps reminding me that summer is just around the corner.

I really hate the heat and humidity of summer but do enjoy the sunshine, flowers, swimming pool and garden.   Can you believe it was 80 degrees here today?  Too hot for this time of year.

Can you believe that after three years of not seeing a snake, my grandson saw one laying on the pine straw beside the fence the other day while riding his golf cart around.  It was in the 50's but I guess still warm enough for the black snake to take a sun bath.  I don't harm black or king snakes as they kill other poisonous snakes.  I don't believe in killing anything that won't kill me.

I spent over two hours in Belk's today just looking and doing some last-minute shopping.  They really had some fantastic sales.  I'm glad it's going to be in the 40's Christmas day.  I do hate a hot Christmas.

Well, readers, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and please, do remember the reason for the season, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Bright and Morning Star, King, etc., etc., etc.      Nana