I've lost weight. My knees feel better. I lost a shoe size - I guess because my feet aren't as flat or my toes aren't as chubby. I went down another pant size. So, with some new clothes acquired, I have to get rid of clothing in the spirit of the 100 Thing Challenge. I'll go through the closet tomorrow and cull the herd.

I've been playing darts with intermittent progress. I'm going to play in a blind draw tourny tonight - or maybe not. I'll go down and see what's happening. The bar is a smoker and I hate smelling like smoke afterwards.

In the category of "what was I thinking?" I almost asked a gal home last week.

I've been re-reading "Inevitable Illusion" for some insight.

At the butcher shop, today, I had a small sip of a local cab-shiraz. Delish. I picked up a bottle to take over the holidays.

The gutters must be done tomorrow. I must climb the ladder. I can do it.

I picked up a new scent from Aveda last month. Nice. I hardly wear perfume, but I'm feeling girly.

I'm also planting the bulbs (daffodils, tulips, gladiolas, and the nekkid ladies) in front of venus.

I managed to get a few shallots out of the garden with another harvest of parsley, oregano, and thyme. I'll be drying herbs this week.

It's Saturday night. Have you hugged your loved one tonight? Do so.

I attempted to mulch up the leaves today. I raked/mowed upwind to leave a clean lawn behind and then...the wind shifted. Changed plan. The wind shifted. Repeat. I surrender. Maybe a big wind will blow tonight and remove the rest of the leaves from my yard.

During a walk in the neighborhood, my neighbor who had the apple and pear trees I used to forage from stopped me for a chat. I had offered to prune the trees but he decided to cut down the pear and the apple trees. He left one apple tree in the far back corner (It's deep on his property so I didn't know it was there). He was wondering why it didn't fruit this year. I told him that apple trees need to cross pollinate and there weren't any other apples close so the remaining tree probably wouldn't bear fruit. He was disappointed. Oh well.

I arrive home from a nice trip. My home always "smells" after its been closed up for more than a few days. I turn on the AC to cool & reduce humidity. The heating/cooling guy arrives bright and early the next morning for my checkup of the new system. He says that the house smells of gas. Oops! Call Ameren-Cilco. The man with the electric sniffer arrives. Yep. Gas leak - slight, but noticeable. Apparently the leak is suspected around the dryer which I haven't run more than 3 times this summer. Did I mention the sniffer? I love technology. For your consideration, breathing the gas can cause health problems (!?). The heating/cooling guy is cutting a small hole in the finished wall behind the dryer to try to isolate the joint/leak in the wall. I've learned a lot about soft copper and black iron. Hopefully, the trauma to the basement will be minor. I hate my basement. More information later...

Edit 1:52 pm
About $150 in materials, $250 in labor.
Replacing all the copper from the main line (it's a spaghetti bowl) with "black iron" and flexible stainless steel. The flexible is needed so they won't have to tear out the finished walls and ceiling. They'll be able to get to it tomorrow while I'm still off from work.

I'm juice fasting today and tomorrow. Fresh green juice! Green tea from Taiwan. Water. Water. Water. I'm also harvesting the last of the beans and tomatoes. Collecting seeds. The kale and fall lettuce is up. Basil is flowering.

I'm glad to be home.

The old area (pyramid composters) with falling down cold pile.



Reorganized area with compost tumblers.

( colorful! )

An heirloom tomato. I wonder what its final shape will be?

Score one for procrastination. I purchased some rain barrels a couple months ago but a snafu in the ordering system meant that I never received them nor paid for them. I didn't bother reordering because the weather has been fantastic and the garden has not needed supplemental watering. Enter the local government who, occasionally, do something good for the citizens and the environment. They are offering rain barrels to citizens. I ordered two at $50/each rather than $85. Pick up is the first week in September. Win!

Aside from herbs and greens that I've been harvesting since late spring, here are

green beans, late season kale, cherry tomatoes, cured onions, and a rogue zucchini from the cold pile.

Harvested:
( homegrown goodness )

Bonus basil:



There's also coriander and cilantro growing "wild" along the fence.

I am acting Research Leader for 2 weeks. I get to handle year-end purchasing. I get to represent during the "reorganization" discussions. Fun. On Monday I am taking my research group out for lunch. Double fun!

I am down 20 pounds from the start of the year. I do aerobics 3x/week for 20 minutes. Alternate abs, back, arms, and legs with weight training - mostly isometric, low weight, high rep.

I have to fire my personal trainer. She is mixing business with personal and spends more time talking about herself than helping me. I signed up to receive physical/mental training, not be her amature psychologist, business manager or gal pal. I'm paying for her expertise. I tried to jump back over the line, but its no good. She wants me to meet some of her needs - and motivate her. What I get is "push me, pull me" e.g. call me, make an appointment, cancel; ask me to call, stand me up. Harangue me for NOT calling. Sheesh. Not professional. Not particularly a good friend either. Oh well.

Birds ate my blueberries and my one strawberry. Boo.

There is no sign of end blossom rot on my tomatoes! Yay for eggshells.

My icky skin rash is gone and I am back on my arthritis meds and feeling better.

The power company replaced my meter with a fancy "remote reading" one. They managed to damage the siding on the house. I'm sure another big $$ credit will be on my bill.

I went over to J's house tonight to see if any of her cats (she has 6) were interested in me and might like to come live with me. Four were friendly. One seemed fascinated. I can't adopt until after September or even December. I still have to think about how to take care of a new cat when I travel for 1-2 weeks at a time.

The garden is massive. It's happy. I'm happy.

I realized that I expect good things to happen in my life and they do.

No news update would be complete without Zombies. ZOMG!



What's in YOUR head?

Found at the farmer's market:

PEACHES!
green beans (mine got munched)
zucchini (never been able to grow it)
PEACHES!
fresh mozzarella
red onions
new potatoes
PEACHES!
sweet corn
organic "country" loaf of bread
NY strip steak (local, grass fed, free range, from a cow named Micah)
organic oatmeal-cranberry cookies
PEACHES!

Did I mention, PEACHES!?

Also, working for USDA has some nice benefits like the world's biggest cabbage. They grow cabbage on the farm to collect the moths/caterpillars and give away the harvest.

There's oregano tea, lemon balm tea, and basil tea in my future as I harvest the flowers and cut back the leggy growth of the herbs.

The bumblebees love the purple flowers.

A critter chowed down on my wax beans. Boo.

I spied a striking beauty amoung the oranges, yellows and reds:



she wasn't there last year.



Oh Joy. Oh Rapture unforseen!

Spent the Solstice weekend at the Monastery helping put in a garden at a transitional housing site (Habitat for Humanity).

The Monastery at beautiful daybreak.


The garden after we finished....


taking out a pile of rocks....



and when you have rocks, you must balance them

how does your garden grow?
( ..with lady bells all in a row )
Tasty Tasty!!

Flowers & veggies posting as I listen to the wind chimes.

I love it when a plan works.

( share my joy )

Bright light flashes above the treetops as the storm rolls in.

Tiny lights flash intermittently beneath the tree.

I love the local farmer's market - only local produce, mostly organic!

Today's treasures:

romaine lettuce
red lettuce
kale
fresh mozzarella
string cheese
wild strawberries
organic whole grain boule

local pork chops - grass fed

The Pottsdown Meat Shoppe in the Metro Center whre I get my amish chicken is having a festival of local products - cheese, noodles, sweets, etc. They roasted a whole hog and were pulling it off as we were leaving. Tasty!!!

Edit: 12:23 pm: Courtesy of freecycle I got transplants of marjoram, two indeterminate tomatoes, and some raspberry canes!!!!

I can meet my goal of the 100 mile diet from June to November. I am getting better at four season harvest so I might be able to still get herbs, greens, a root veggies from the garden this year.

The wellness people were there, and I had my blood pressure checked - 115/75...It had been running 130/90 so I'm feeling good about the first week of "training."

A progress report in pictures for my garden.
( compassionate towards my friends )