::right now::

right now I am...

::gazing at my new yarn that I was given for a early birthday gift.

::day dreaming what I will make with it.

::taking a deep breath and starting to...

::plot out what I hope to accomplish this summer.

::listening to the beautiful bird songs outside my open windows all through the house.

::stitching on my 23 Psalms cross stitch.

:: marveling that Noah turned 13 yesterday and I am turning 42 on the 4th of July.

:: celebrating all the summer family birthdays.

:: amazed that I have spent half my life in Canada now.

:: wondering what we will get out of our garden in this cold growing season so far.

:: hoping it will get warm enough for the zucchini, basil, and sweet peppers to grow.

::praying many blessings and I hope you can sit and count a few blessings the Lord has given you this day.

Organizing My Knitting and Sewing Patterns

I am a pile'r who wants to be a filer and I am always on the look out to make my life easier when it comes to storing what I do want to keep. I had for many years kept patterns in boxes and didn't look at them very often because it meant I would have to dig to get to them. But I came up with a idea that I really like now and wanted to share it with you all. I love bookshelves and it is easy to access things off of them so I put my patterns in plastic slip covers and organize them in three ring binders by what they are. If it be socks, sweaters, scarves/ cowls, mittens, hats, baby knits, and for fun. ( for example baby toys) Maybe one day really soon I will get tabs to divide them. [o; I am getting there slowly but surely.

I am joining my friend Jasmine in....

Some Days Are Just Like This

The Story Of A Reluctant Gardener

I have a confession to make ...I am a reluctant gardener and the Lord is changing me. When I was a girl I grew up with a mom who had a amazing garden. I remember sneaking fresh peas and we were allowed to have as much raspberries as our hearts desired. She also had a African Violet business with over 4000 African Violets in the basement. I also had a dad that did so much with trees. He grafted them , started them from seed and sold them to a plant nursery, and even shaped his own bonsai trees for a hobby. Me? I did anything in my power not to have anything to do with plants but what did I do? I married a gardener. ( the Lord had a plan)

When I got married I killed about every house plant I was given until eleven years ago. I won a house plant and I was determined to help it survive. It did very well and it gave me hope that I don't really have a brown thumb after all. This was during the time I was pregnant with my 4th son Nicolas. Also at the same time my hubby had a huge, beautiful garden. He needed help harvesting and watering so he bravely asked me to help. That was when the Lord started to working on me in this department. As I would move the hose to from plant to plant and picked the food I started to notice how scripture talked about gardening and relating it to our Lord's kingdom. I have changed over the years being married to a gardener and I have learned what plants looked like at different stages. I have became less intimidated and I am now able to enjoy the process. I fell in love with watching the plants go through the different stages and watching the food grow and then pick it for our meals and preserve it for the winter months. So the Lord used my hubby to lure me into not being such a reluctant gardener.

And I am now wanting my hubby and his brother to build me some more raised beds so I can learn how to have a winter garden. I look forward to sharing what I will be learning as I go. One thing I know about myself is... when I have a purpose I get more excited and more interested in something. I prayed a little while back for the Lord to show me how we could make our dollar stretch further and he showed me a article of a family who grew 90% of their veggies and fruit. Then, I read a article about cold frames in their garden for fresh veggies in the winter. I feel the Lord is planting a seed in me and I am now not so reluctant to call myself... a gardener. I know some can't understand why a person would not enjoy digging in the dirt. But for some reason some of us need a reason to get out there and discover it is enjoyable. [o=

I joined my very sweet friends Lori and Jasmine in ...

Cute As a Button ( pincushion)

With life being so full of finishing up the school year and getting the garden in. My stitching was put aside and when I had some time I was just too tired to stitch. This last Saturday I said that was is it. I needed some art therapy and sewed up my pincushion and picked out fabrics for future sewing projects. I found the instructions at my friend Debbie's@no spring chicken blog. So here it is....

On Sunday I started knitting in circles again, my socks. I just love these socks. Socks are a great way to knit in the summer and not have anything lay on your lap and get you too hot.

A Journey To Better Health~ Adrenal Gland Fatigue

Here is my story and testimony that catapulted me into a journey of better health.

It was July 31st last year that changed my direction in my health.

"This last week has been a bit of a learning curve. Monday I was scheduled for a shift at the Crisis Preg. Center. I was tired before I even went in but I carried on anyways. I had a real hard time keeping awake while driving and I prayed the whole way and kept slapping my checks to stay awake. Thankfully I got to town and got a iced cafe’ mocha and then I was okay for the rest of the afternoon. That was a big scare for me and I have had these symtoms for about 5 years but it never happened before while driving. I tend to experience it while reading to the boys at home and doze off as I am reading aloud to them. ( that is the weirdest feeling) But back to my Monday. My good friend told me she had just been diagnosed with adrenal gland fatigue. I had a lot of the same symptoms. I went home and looked it up and took several online quizes. I matched it extreamly high. I know some of you will be upset that I didn’t go to the doctor but really I am not ready for any doctors to put me on a thyroid medication. ( a lot of doctors don’t even acknowledge adrenal gland fatigue. I want to try first to treat it with diet, good sleep, eliminate things that stress the adrenal glands, and take vitamins that help adrenal gland fatigue."

I had gone through a couple of very stressful issues around seven years ago. I noticed a decline of my health and didn't know what to do. Some of my symptoms were...sudden weight gain (especially around my middle), couldn't deal with stress, unable to remember things, very fuzzy thinking, lack of energy, went to bed exhausted and woke up just as exhausted, NEEDED coffee to keep going, funny menstrual cycles, mild depression, food allergies, had to work harder to get myself to do my daily tasks, lack of energy, unexplained hair thinning. frizzy hair, As it got worse over time I was greatly searching for some answers. It wasn't until the incident above did I start to find out the answers. I had cried out the week before for the Lord to heal me. It is funny in a sad way that it takes someone like me to get so far along before I cry for help from my Lord. I need to remember to go to Him when things are small instead of waiting till things are so big.

I have taken myself off all black teas and coffee but I read that green teas are a good caffeine and antioxidants too. I try to really limit my intake of sugar and chocolate. ( I cheat here and there) One thing that really helped me in the beginning was to drink apple cider tonic .( 1 Tbsp of ACV and one rounded tsp of honey in a mug of hot water) I would drink that anywhere from one to 4x/day as I needed a boost of energy. Also I noticed when I took a plant based liquid calcium with Magnesium Citrate I was able to finally get a GOOD nights sleep and woke up so rested and refreshed the next morning for the first time in a very long time. And when I started taking vitamin E my skin would heal so much faster and easier. I felt like I had a new lease on life again.

There are so many people who have this at different stages and don't realize what is wrong. It is a health issue that doctors do not normally talk about and try to find a condition that you can just give a quick fix of a pill from the pharmacy which you just can't. It is through prayer, good health choices, vitamins, herbs and time that is the answer.

Here is a list of

Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms:

• Tendency to gain weight and unable to loose it, especially around the waist
• High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases and these symptoms tend to last longer than usual
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure
• Low Libido
• Lightheaded when rising from a laying down position
• Unable to remember things
• Fuzzy Thinking
• Lack of energy in the mornings and also in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm
• Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal
• Often feel tired between 9 – 10 pm, but resist going to bed
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning
• Crave for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese
• Increase symptoms of PMS for women; period are heavy and then stop, or almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day
• Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reasons
• Feels better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation
• Difficulties in getting up in the morning
• Lightheaded
• Mild depression
• Food and or inhalant allergies
• Lethargy and lack of energy
• Increased effort to perform daily tasks
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Dry and thin skin
• Hypoglycemia
• Low Body Temperature
• Nervousness
• Palpitation
• Unexplained hair loss
• Alternating constipation and diarrhea
• Dyspepsia

To take a quiz if you have Adrenal Gland Fatigue/Exhaustion go HERE

I also recommend to go HERE for a lot of articles that will explain things so well and give some answers.

This is what I applied for the most part to get myself on the road to better health.

Supplements That Help Adrenal Fatigue

Vitamin C (2,000-4,000 mg/day sustained release) -- best taken with bioflavonoids.

Vitamin E w/mixed tocopherols (800 IU/day)

Vitamin B100 Complex

Niacin (125-150 mg/day) -- as inositol hexaniacinate.

Pyridoxine B6 (150 mg/day)

Pantothenic Acid B5 (1200-1500 mg/day)

Magnesium Citrate (400-1200 mg) -- This is best in the powdered form such as in Natural Calm. This form of magnesium makes sure it is absorbed.

Liquid Trace Minerals -- they have a calming effect

Free-Form Amino Acids

Proline (500 mg daily) -- Proline is helpful in rebuilding connective tissues. Weak adrenals are often associated with poor quality connective tissues and whatever helps connective tissues seems to help adrenals as well.

Adrenal Glandular -- or desiccated adrenal gland is extremely important in the initial phases of adrenal repair since it provides raw materials to support adrenal function. It also contains some important adrenal hormones.

High Quality Fish Oil

I recommend 1 teaspoon of Fermented Cod Liver Oil . And if you are feeling blue I recommend a 2nd tsp to give you the extra needed balance. I have found GREAT improvement sense I have been doing this! I have noticed a great improvement in my thinking and the health of my hair. Fish oil is something you should NOT skip out on at all.

Herbs That Help Adrenal Fatigue

Rhodiola Rosea -- It enhances memory and concentration. It has been shown to reduce stress-induced fatigue and improve mental performance.

Ashwagandha -- It has been shown to have a sedating effect on the body and helps to rebuild the digestive and nervous system.

Eleuthero Root or Siberian Ginseng -- It has been used traditionally to stimulate and nourish the adrenal glands and increases mental alertness. Eleuthero is considered an "adaptogen" which means it can help the body adapt to stress.

Cordyceps -- This is a Chinese mushroom used for supporting the adrenal gland and can also normalize immune function and support kidney, lung, liver, nervous system and cardiovascular function.

I couldn't find these up here in Canada so easily but what I did find was Adrena+

which it has in it...

2 ADRENA+ CAPSULES CONTAIN: Licorice root 600mg Jiaogulan (stnd. to 20% gypenosides) 200mg Siberian ginseng root (stnd. to 0.8% eleutherosides) 100mg Astragalus root (stnd. to 10% polysaccharides) 80mg Burdock root (4:1 extract) 70mg Suma root (4:1 extract) 60mg Excipients: Stearic acid. Capsules: Gelatin and water.

ADRENA+ FACTS:

Adrenal gland support for stress management. Contains adaptogenic herbs. Ideal for those exposed to constant high-stresses and those who feel fatigued and lethargic. Improves the bodies ability to deal with life stresses and enhances well-being. Improves energy Reduces stress

Life Style Changes That Help Adrenal Fatigue

Reduce stressors as much as possible and pray pray pray and give it all to the Lord. This is the most important step. Emotional stressors such as marital, family, relationship, or financial problems needs to be dealt with and normalized as much as possible. [o=

Rest and sleep are extremely important. You will need nine hours of sleep and maybe more for a very long time. Also rest after meals, at midmorning and mid-afternoon if possible.

Gentle walking is beneficial but vigorous exercise depletes the adrenals. Deep breathing and stretching is also beneficial. You should exercise to relax rather than to build muscles or lose weight.

Replace toxic cleaning products used around the house with natural products. There are natural alternatives available for cleaning. Hair dyes, shampoos, makeup and skin care products need to be replaced with natural versions. Adrenals are stressed by chemicals and so this is very important.

Detoxification sauna therapy using an infrared sauna will greatly speed up recovery. If you are in adrenal burnout, use the sauna daily for no more than 30 minutes. Once or twice a week is excellent for prevention.

Adrenal Fatigue Diet

It may benefit you to add salt to your diet, especially upon rising and at least a half-hour before you have the lowest energy of the day. Take 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoonful of sea salt, Celtic salt or sea salt w/kelp powder, in an 8 oz glass of water.

When the adrenal glands are fatigued they do not produce enough aldosterone. Aldosterone regulates the amount of sodium and potassium in the body. When aldosterone becomes deficient not enough salt is retained in the body. If you have been craving salt, this is probably the reason.

Instead of eating three meals a day, eat five or six small meals or snacks a day to keep your blood sugar balanced. If you have adrenal fatigue it causes low blood sugar problems. Eating more often can help keep your blood sugar stable.

Always eat protein with every meal and snack -- eggs, beef and poultry are the best sources of protein. Nuts and seeds are other good sources. Absolutely avoid vegetarian diets as they will further stress your adrenals. Most vegetarians never recover from adrenal fatigue.

Complex carbohydrates are good. . If you know of any food allergies, you should avoid them. Root vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes are good. All vegetables are good for you and should be eaten several times throughout the day. Other good complex carbs are corn, brown rice and quinoa. Organic corn chips or brown rice cakes are also good.

Avoid isolated soy protein as it is of poor quality and contains many anti-nutrients. Actually avoid all soy products as well. Limit honey to 1-3 Tablespoons/day and only eat fruit in small portions. Don't drink fruit juices. Use only healthy oils such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil and butter. Use sea salt rather than table salt.

Avoid alcohol because it really deplete your adrenals.

It's really beneficial to drink green drinks like barley grass or various mixed green drinks that also have vegetable extracts like NOW's PhytoFoods. Don't drink tap water but drink filtered or spring water. Absolutely avoid caffeine or any stimulants as these are very stressful to the adrenals.

Restriction or dieting is not a good idea. Follow good eating habits with regular meals and snacks.

I pray that this is a blessing to someone and I am open to questions and I will try to answer what I can. I am not a professional and the sites that I referred to has a wealth of info like this site .

She Wears A Skirt Pt. 2

A Journey To Better Health~ Making Yogurt Again ( And A Tutorial )

I am returning again to making yogurt. I love, love, love yogurt and I am really coming to understand how good it is for you and why.

" You shall have enough goats milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservents" Proverbs 27:27

In Bible times people consumed un pasteurized or un homogenized milk strait from the goats or cows but not today unless you own your own animals. And because they didn't have refrigeration back then they either used it right away, fermented it, or made it into cheeses...which is yogurt and other such products. These live foods provide such excellent benefits compared to what we have today. The milk we get today in the general stores are less nutritious ( because of what they feed the cows and the antibiotics which can potentially be harmful and aide to the cause of allergies and even heart disease.

Health benefits of high-quality fermented dairy:

-provides calcium that builds bones in children

-lowers high blood pressure and cholesterol

-attacks bacterial infections ( especially those causing diarrhea

-prevents dental cavities

-prevents chronic bronchitis

-stops the growth of some cancers, including colon cancer

-boosts mental alertness

-boosts energy

Both high quality fermented goat or cows milk are so good for you but goat milk is easier for your body to break down.

Some benefits to goat milk are...

-is less allergic ( because it doesn't contain the complex proteins that stimulate a allergic reaction)

-doesn't suppress the immune system

-much easier for your body to digest and break down

-has more buffering

capacity than over the counter antacids

-alkalinizes the digestive system because it helps to increase the pH of the blood stream.

-doesn't produce mucus

-is a rich source of trace selenium

How To Master The Art of Yogurt Making

***I suggest if you don't have access to un pasteurized milk then goat milk is the next best thing to use.

I want to share the method that helped me finally master the art of yogurt making. I have tried different ways and had always had runny yogurt. I was about to give up and then I found a way I

could master the art of yogurt making.

First warm your oven to about 350* for 4 minuets and then turn off oven and leave on the oven light.

While I do this I heat up my half gallon of milk on medium heat on the stove to 180* degrees. ( it took me about 30 minutes ) I monitor this with my candy thermometer.

I turn off the burner and set the pan on the table on a hot pad to cool near me where I knit. I let it cool down to about 115* to 120*.

I take out one cup of the warm milk and wisk 8 Tablespoons of yogurt with active bacteria ( my starter). ***Important... make sure the yogurt is room temp.***

I then pour it back into the pan and wisk it a bit more.

After you have mixed it then pour into clean quart jars and place on a cookie sheet in the warm oven. Leave the oven light on and let the yogurt

set between 4-8 hours till thickened. If you let it go beyond 8 hours it will be more sour.

I calculated by making your own yogurt you can spend 1/4

the cost of what it would cost you in the store.

To Make It Even More Tightwad’ish…

.

One way to make this even more of tightwad’ish tip is to take your store bought yogurt (…your starter) and pour and freeze in ice cube trays. After frozen transfer future yogurt cubes into a zip-lock bag and place in freezer till you need them. four ice cubes equals 8 Tablespoons. When you need your starter defrost 4 ice cubes and bring them to room temperature and use.

. You can also piggyback starters by using some of the yogurt from your batches of yogurt up to 3 or 4 times (piggy backing). And then you need to defrost another 4 yogurt ice cubes to start over again. If you try to piggy back over 4 times you are more than likely get tarter yogurt. This makes it so it is just pennies in your cost of yogurt

starter.

Extra Hints

…if your starter is tart you will probably get tart yogurt.

.

Only make enough yogurt that you will use up in 5 days and then make another batch.

.

I found if I wanted a thicker yogurt I used 2 % or whole milk. Or after you make your yogurtwith 1% milk or skim you can strain on a coffee filter or cloth like a pillow case in a colander to make a more Greek style yogurt

. ( save whey to use in bread or soup ).

PS: I found this neat fact( from here)...

Flu Fighter #2: Yogurt

Yogurt contains probiotics — good bacteria that line our intestines and defend our body against invading germs. Buy plain yogurt to get fewer calories and less added sugar than you do from fruit-flavored versions, and add your own sweetness with a teaspoon of honey (which may also be an immune booster, because it feeds good bacteria in our gut). To make sure your yogurt contains probiotics, look on the container for the National Yogurt Association's "Live and Active Cultures" seal, which means there are at least two types of healthy bacteria and 100 million bacteria per gram.