Another short one, ’cause there’s just not too much to say. Today I felt great, barely aware that I haven’t eaten in 8 days. I actually got a ton of stuff accomplished, which was awesome, and I didn’t fatigue as long as I kept up with my drinks. A few times I let too much time lapse, and my blood sugar would crash. This wasn’t a big deal except for my poor husband, who had to then bear the brunt of my cranky.
I got my salt yesterday, and was back on track with my SWF this morning. I can’t believe how much is still coming out . . .
I got some limes today to use in place of lemons. A nice change. I’ve been drinking a lot of peppermint tea, which I did last cleanse as well. I like to make my lemonade drink with half the maple syrup, reserving half the sweet stuff to add to my tea. That way I keep all my proportions correct (2 pt lemon:2 pt maple:dash cayenne) but I still get my yummy tea!
Muahaha!
Spring is in full swing here in Portland, and I am ever the impatient gardener. Sometimes it seems like it’s taking forever to get things going, like nothing I’ve planted is growing. I have to remind myself that it’s only just mid-May. Some US regions are still awaiting the last frost, and some people just starting planting!
A wonderful way to regain a little perspective (and renew my enthusiasm!) (as if that needed renewal!), is to take a look back to remind myself how much has already happened. My little plants have come a long way, and it really hasn’t been so long . . .
^^^ Remember these beautiful little heirloom beets that I started from seed back in the middle of February?
Now they take up residence in one of my red raised beds, growing strong and flanked on either side by nantes (carrots) and walla wallas (sweet onions) planted from seed. They’ve had a bit of a tough time getting started, but I think they’ve stabilized now. Root veggies get along great, and do especially well in a raised bed.
^^^ And remember these, my petite pak choi’s? I put these into the ground almost exactly a month ago, when they were mere seedlings, with only a few true leaves.
Look at them now! Full fledged chinese cabbages! Well maybe not quite yet, but they’re getting there, and I’m very proud of them. I even used some of the outer leaves in a salad this weekend. The first harvest!
^^^ I transplanted these baby broccolis that same weekend as the pak chois. They were so wee back then, but look how they’ve taken off!
They’re almost a foot tall a lovely dark green hue. Although I’ve got them in a nice shady spot at the northwest corner of the garden, I’m a little worried for them in the impending summer heat. I’m thinking of trying to build a cucumber canopy over them for additional shelter. In the meantime, please cross your fingers for them!
^^^ The first time you saw my sugar pea forest, it was already on it’s way. But I sowed those seeds way back at the beginning of February, and it seemed like it took forever for them to pop up. And now that they’re off, they’re running! The picture up there is from 2 1/2 weeks ago. And now:
They’re already reaching for the top string! Woo-hoo! Go little sugar peas go!
^^^ And of course, the potato tire project. I set this up a little over 3 weeks ago, and it took a bit of time before the potatoes sprouted. Honestly, I thought it wasn’t going to work! But then the reds poked their little buds out of the soil, and I breathed a sigh of relief. A week later, the russets and the yukons followed.
Check ‘em out! Now the reds are flourishing and it’s almost time to put another tire on.
And the russets and yukon golds can’t be far behind.
I’ve also got a bit of brand new growth to share. Some species just don’t transplant well, and must be sown directly into the earth. 3 weeks ago I buried some corn kernels along with a prayer (between the squirrels and the birds, I fear for any loose seeds in this soil). I had all but given up hope on them, because 2 1/2 weeks later, there was nothing but new weeds to pluck. But then! Just a few days ago, I noticed some straight little shoots as I was weeding. Some straight little shoots, all in a perfect row. My corns! Welcome to the world, little ones!
Right now I’ve also got a wide variety of tomatoes comfortably adjusted to the other raised bed. I’m working on a sunflower line along the back fence and a strawberry patch behind the raised beds. Around the side of the house I’ve got a raspberry stalk left over from last year (I thought they all had perished, so I was very excited to see new growth on one of them!), and I’m thinking of putting a pumpkin patch under the front stairs. Those zinnias I started from seed are all potted up and loving life on the front stoop. I’ll post pictures when they bloom.
Indoors I’ve got some exotic cucumbers already sprouted, along with some jalepeños, some yellow bell peppers, and some very slow-growing basil buds. Soon I’ll be starting my pickling cucumbers, and of course I’ve got to get moving on the patio potted herb garden! Later in the season I’ll start my winter squashes – this year I’m doing acorns, butternuts, and pumpkins of course.
Ah, so much gardening, so little time! But oh, how I LOVE it! What about you, my dears? What are you growing and how is going so far?
Wow, today.
The day started off strange, because I was out of salt. We tried to get to the market in time last night, but didn’t quite make it. So although I drank my senna tea late last night, I didn’t do a SWF this morning. So, no BM at all today. =(
Later this morning, I had some BIG emotions come up. I mean BIG! I mean, it’s okay – that’s part of this process. But man . . . I haven’t cried that hard in quite some time. It kind of laid me out, kept us in bed for a long time this morning, trying to sort through it all. And we did (I love my husband!!!). Lot’s of progress today, and lots to look forward to!
The rest of the day was bike rides and long phone calls with family, massive spring cleaning and puttering with my plants, enjoying married life and straight up relaxing. I feel sort of new after this morning, sort of raw and fresh and maybe even a little dazed. Also appreciative. That’s what this is all about, you know?
Ahh, I love starting off the new week with a perfectly clean house.
This is going to be short because I am bloody exhausted! Today was another gorgeous sunny spring day, and we spent almost the entire time outside. We slept in late and lazed around in the morning (this is of course code for ‘multiple trips to the bathroom’ – thank you SWF!), then hit the streets for a lovely bike ride to the local hardware store. Garden goodies in tow, we were back home and into the yard, where we spent the rest of the day. It was really fun to be out in the sun and working in the garden, but it’s difficult to be active for a prolonged period. I was fatigued so easily, and the sun really zapped my energy.
Today was the first day that I have wanted food. I’m not even hungry really, but I just want those flavors in my mouth. *sigh*
Tonight we were both so beat that we’ve just been laying around like wilted vegetables, haha. It’s good to do sometimes! I’ve got a bit of a headache, which can happen when I get too much sun. Ah well, totally worth it for a spectacular Saturday with my husband. Today was a good day. =)
Another awesome day, and I can’t believe I’m halfway through this already. I started my morning with yet another SWF, and now that it’s been a few days since I’ve eaten, that salt water just runs right through me! It was making a mighty exit after just half an hour. And what continues to amaze me, is that stuff keeps coming out.
Skeptics will say that the body is self cleansing, that the colon is shallow and free of debris, and that IF you had buildup along the intestines you would know. And they’ll tell you, that what you put in, comes right out again. But if that’s true, why is there poop still coming out of me? I haven’t put any food in for 5 days, and there’s still *plenty* of poop coming out. It’s not bile or bacteria or dead cells being shed. This is old food, easily identified as old food, and quite honestly it looks and smells as if it’s been in there for a long time. This is cleansing, folks! EWWW!!!
Today was a gorgeous warm and breezy spring day here in Portland. The sun was out and I took advantage, working by the window, walking the dogs, and running my errands early. I was fine and full of energy when I was out and moving about. However, when I was trying to work I was pretty much a mess. I could NOT, for the life of me, get focused! Bah . . .
In the early afternoon I ran out of maple syrup, but I tried to finish up my work before running back out to the store. Big mistake. By the time I was on my way home form the co-op, I was having actual, for-real hunger pangs. I let my blood sugar drop too low, for the first time on the fast.
Did you know that hunger, real hunger, is not experienced in the belly? It’s felt in the chest, like a pressure beneath the sternum. I’d always read that, but had never understood it, until today. The strangest thing is that it wasn’t painful, or even uncomfortable really. Just a very odd sensation, constantly reminding that something was wrong.
I made it home fine and fixed up a drink, but even with my blood sugar back to normal, I’ve been sort of strange all night. Not bad really, just a bit . . . off. But it didn’t stop me from making Damian dinner, from playing new games, and from having an awesome brainstorming session for long-term planning and development of this little blog! We’ve got some really awesome ideas in the works and I just can’t wait to unveil them. But now, Damian has promised me a back rub, and I’m going to cash in!
Lots of love and lots of luck!
Oi and hello there! The weekend arrives once more, and that means it’s time for your feedback. Don’t be shy – get interactive! This website is all about you, and building your community – so jump right in and share your comments, critiques, thoughts, support, and suggestions.
What’s have you been pondering this week? What new projects have you got brewing? Which section of the site would you like to see expanded? (the food? the fashion? the farm?) What features have you liked so far, and which ones were not as interesting? What do YOU want?
Because I’m posting daily cleanse journals, the Feedback Forum will NOT be at the top of the page all weekend. So you’ll have to scroll down to find it, but don’t let that stop you! Make sure you have your say. And as always, have a mindful and magical weekend!
I gotta say it again: ‘Really? I’m on a cleanse right now?’
I woke up this morning bright eyed and bushy tailed, feeling well rested and mentally alert. I felt totally normal. It’s strange, because last time around my first three days were very difficult, and my fourth day was the hardest. I can only guess that my habit changes over the past year are contributing to this easy detox. For example, I wasn’t even vegan the last time I cleansed. And now I’ve been vegan for almost a year, and this whole March I was RAW. Could this cleaned-up lifestyle be responsible for my mellow cleanse? I suppose it’s possible, but I sort of doubt it. It’s not like I eat that well, and sweets and treats certainly find their way into my tummy. I’m only human!
Whatever the reason, I’m having a really easy time of this. That’s not to say it won’t get worse (I’m quite sure that it will), and I’m really just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like any minute I’ll get faint and flushed, headachy and my tongue will fuzz up with icky sticky funk. For now I’m stuck in this sort of limbo, not quite ‘normal’ enough to go at life full steam, but not so deeply affected as to gain some grand new insight. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like I’ve introverted as much as I’d like, and I don’t feel like I’m learning as much as I expected. Ah well, it’s only the fourth day. Six more chances to see . . .
And I’m not without my symptoms. I still get short-lived stabby stabby headaches. My tongue and teeth are the slightest bit fuzzy. My B.O. is rockin’ like crazy and I’m pretty sure my breath is less than optimal. I’m having spots of acne pop up, nothing major, just little blemishes here and there and everywhere. These are all standard signs of toxin release, so I’m not surprised. I’ve also had some emotions come up, like impatience and frustration and envy and resentment. But I’m in a wonderful place of presence and honesty. It’s great to be able to meet these feelings as they arise, to explore them through to understanding, and to accept them. So, maybe I am learning something after all. Hmm . . .
It’s late and I’m spent. Love and luck!
Aren’t these just the cutest? I was lucky enough to have one of my bestest girlfriends stay with me last weekend, and she brought a very special treat: incredible looseleaf teas, direct from Alaska! We spent one lovely evening-and-well-into-the-night testing tea combinations, chopping cheesecloth, and twisting these adorable little baggies into existence. Full disclosure: there was probably beer involved, too.
Like so many DIY projects, this is actually really easy. It just takes a little planning, a little preparation, and a nice block of time. This was a great ‘group activity’ (unlike some others, which are less exciting in their assembly), and would make an excellent gift. Here’s what you do:
First, get your hands on some unbleached cheesecloth (widely available – check your local ‘healthy market’), some pretty embroidery thread (color to suit your fancy), and some of your favorite looseleaf tea. We used a smokey black lapsang souchong as the base, and lightened it up with spearmint, rose hips, and a vanilla rooibos. Next time I’m going to try my own blend of chai!
Then, get your hands on some cookies. Cookies are part of the process.
Now, you need to combine your teas to find the right ratio. You’ll need a big bowl for the final recipe, and some smaller bowls for test runs. This can become quite a process of mixing, steeping, tasting, modifying, remixing, steeping, tasting, etc. That’s where the cookies come in! Because it’s really rather impossible to get an accurate read on the taste of tea, without an accompanying cookie. Don’t you think?
When you’ve found the perfect ratio, mix a big batch in your big bowl. Then, snip your embroidery thread into 8-inch pieces. You’ll also need to cut the cheese . . . cloth (oh HA! right?) into 6-inch X 6-inch squares. Cheesecloth is sort of a pain to cut, because it’s so darn flimsy. You’ll need very sharp scissors.
To construct your tea bag:
- Lay one 6-inch square piece of cheesecloth on top of another (so it’s doubled up)
- Place a generous tablespoon of your tea mix on the cheesecloths, centered but closer to the edge nearest yourself
- Roll! Roll the tea up in the cheesecloth, just like you would a sushi roll. The more times it folds around over itself, the better. Try to keep the mass of tea centered, so that both ends of the roll are empty and free to move about
- Grab both ends of the roll and fold them up over the mass of tea, so they meet each other above it
- Holding the two ends with one hand, grab your length of embroidery thread and tie it tight around the two ends, binding them together
- Voila! Tea bag!
- Now you can knot your two thread ends together at the tip, or you can make a little tip topper like we did. We just used card stock cut into little squares
- Don’t forget to trim the frayed cheesecloth, so it’s all neat and purty-like!
And that’s really all there is to it! Special thanks to my awesome friend Amber, who actually did the majority of work here. I mostly just took pictures. And ate cookies.
Happy Steeping!
Today I feel so much better! I got about 11 hours of sleep last night, and woke up feeling energetic and happy. Best of all, no headache! I really just wanted to curl up and snuggle with some hot tea, but alas, I went straight for the salt water.
I drank my 32 oz down first thing in the morning. About 25 minutes later I had a normal BM, and about 20 minutes after that the SWF was ready to bid me adieu. Quite enthusiastically, I might add. It’s such a strange sensation, totally unique and certainly comical, and I couldn’t help but think to myself, “Alright, so I guess we’re doing this.” Bring on the Master Cleanse!
My energy was much better today. I was able to focus and I worked for quite a long time. Afterwards, I took the pooches on a nice long walk, which I’d been procrastinating all day but actually felt really awesome. The wind had died down a bit by the evening, and with This American Life in my ipod, I was good to go. Around dinnertime I cleaned out the fridge. I’d tried to eat all the perishables before yesterday, but I’d failed. Lucky chickens! They got a big bunch of cilantro, some old carrots, half a giant tomato, and half a head of cauliflower. MmmMMm . . . cauliflower . . .
But don’t think the day was all peachy keen. I had my headache coming and going randomly at random intervals. I had trouble focusing whenever I went too long without the drink, and I definitely feel less ‘present’. I’m not always the most present person to begin with, so this can be sort of difficult. Less important when I’m by myself, but it does interfere if I’m trying to run errands or talking on the phone or something. And late tonight, my hearing went all wonky and my right ear was ringing for 10 minutes or so.
But all in all, I can’t complain. I feel amazing considering I haven’t eaten in 2 days. Perhaps my RAW trial sort of prepared me for this, and I’ll just have less to detox. Or, perhaps it’s just taking a while and it’s about to come crashing down on me in all its poison-purging fury. My tongue has *just* started getting gooey this evening, and my molars are starting to feel filmy as well. So who knows?
I don’t know how it got so late! I had all this energy, but now I’m fading fast. Love and luck to you all!
