Long time no see

I received a request for an update. I haven't written in quite a while and my public misses me LOLOL...

What have we been doing? Well we started our Keto lifestyle on December 1st. We have each lost approx 30 lbs so far (he a bit more and I a bit less)... we are loving the keto life. We get to eat all kinds of delicious treats which we never used to eat before, we were not dessert people. Now I make cheesecake 'fat bombs'... as our diet is 5% Carbs, 25% proteins and 70% fats there is plenty of room for what we would have previously considered 'junk' food (desserts). I make peanut butter cups, keto pizza... tons of delicious recipes all of which are popular with our friends. For anyone considering the Keto Lifestyle, I personally recommend using 'The Carb Manager' app, just put in your details and the system will create a meal plan, grocery list and gives you excellent recipes. We have not found a recipe we didn't like on the app, and that says a lot! 

We spent about 5 days in Jasper doing a dog sit in about February, I think. It was nice to get a change of scenery and the 2 dogs were very well behaved. All 3 dogs got along great.

Stacey is planning a trip out here likely in May and Meg will be coming out again sometime soon, although nothing definitive.

(don't tell her I put this here ;) )

My garden starts are doing fabulous and are just waiting for the weather to stabilize. We were in double digits last week but yesterday we got an inch or so of snow again.

What else? I dunno, just playing Pickleball, going to Cards, volunteering for catering events at the club...

I have begun to expand my Reiki thing, I wouldn't call it a 'business' but I am expanding it so that people anywhere in the world can book a personalized online session with me. 

Also, I have always wanted to do Pottery and so I have begun teaching myself how and Brad picked up a large craft table for me just yesterday.

Robbie is doing great. His cataracts were quite bad and as I know that Castor Oil works well for human cataracts I decided to use a dropper and try it on him, there was really nothing to lose as his eyesight was so terribly poor. It has made a huge difference for him (* not medical or veterinary advise), his eyes have mostly cleared up and he can see so much better now. His hearing however.... well, he takes after his father.

Our Granddaughter was in the Edmonton Cheer competition this past weekend and so we went to the big city for that. Her team placed 5th of sooo many teams. It was a fun day for her.

I think that about sums it up. Just day to day winter doldrums really for the past few months. Super excited to have Spring springing.

Grow-op and family pics

Priceless sign at a local dress shop

Changed up my Reiki room, removed most of the growing shelves and left just the 2 shelf for a few plants that are still gestating (ie Katie for sprouting)..

Have upgraded many plants to the bay window...

... in the livingroom

I attempted to get a nice picture of Robbie as we had a frame which needed to be hung and I thought I'd put him in the main hallway with the other kids and grandkids.... 

He did not want to cooperate!... He's 13.5 yrs old and long since over fancy posing for Mum.

In the end, I chose to go with this one from... oh, about a decade ago!

These two are my favourite sons circa 1992. They've added a few pounds since then... you can call them Good and Gooder, your guess as to who is who LOL

*Frames by Paula

My Mother-in-law is the only family member who reads my blog and I forgot to mention that I had cancelled the website and returned the blog to Blogger once again. I nagged that if she read it more often.... which is not fair given that I've hardly written anything of late. Sorry Meg, my bad... Now save this page to favourites.

A friend here in town is well connected and managed to get us all the wood we need for our raised garden beds ( 6 of them 2'x8'x20") for half price, so it was only $470! Happy with that. First chance we will get them put together and there is a Home Hardware close by that sells huge totes of dirt/compost/topsoil, etc that we will get to fill them, as well as logs and sticks from the woods for filler.

PS Hi Jody, Thanks for being here :D 

Homestead update

Our good son turned 12 on Dec 1st... he is, by far the oldest person in the house now at 84. In fact, he's now older than either Grandma!!

Officially 12 years old now

This side he gets from his father :D

Chilling with the kiddos ( Brad & I ) watching TV

So you may recall that I like gadgets. Well, I have a gadget in the chicken coop/rabbitry so that I can monitor the temperature out there (keep in mind this is our first time raising chickens and rabbits).

During that super cold (polar vortex) spell we just had, this is the result. Now, I do have a heat lamp in the chicken coop which comes on about 6am-8am and again 6pm-9pm. Overnight however, they are on their own for body heat so I wanted to make sure I wasn't killing them....

We were getting about 10-11 eggs a day until I found the hiding spot which held 22 eggs... we are now getting the full monty of 14 eggs for 14 chickens.

Note: the red is -20C or colder.

December

Outside temperatures & RH

December

Coop temperatures & RH

The backyard is beautiful with all the snow. The paths are to the coop/rabbitry and also heads to the right for the cats in the pump house (pump house is heated so the farm cats live in there).

Some seeds are in...

These seeds (and many more) I ordered from Wildrose Heritage Seed Co. here in Alberta. They are heirloom (non-gmo), local and they send them in a zipper mylar so that you can save your own seeds at the end of the season, which I absolutely love. Unfortunately, they didn't have every seed we wanted so I also ordered from Heirloom Seed Vault also in Alberta, but those seeds have not arrived yet.

Meanwhile, though.... the shelving and grow lights have arrived and I managed to get it all set up in the basement. I put my St John's Wort. and a brand new ginger plant under the lights hoping to give them a little extra boost. 

St John's Wort above, ginger below

My SJW is essentially on its last legs and I desperately want to save it. I'm not sure if its an easily accessible plant, not that I ever looked for one before but as soon as I saw one I bought it and do not want it to die on me.

 

My Good Son visits

To be clear, this isn't the big news.

Stacey and I went foraging for Stinging Nettles. I am drinking Stinging Nettle Tea as a replacement for my Synthroid medication - again Doctor approved.

Separating seeds from leaves

The Mother-Dreaded Motorcycle (doesn't every Mother? Well, anyway...)

After spending some time with his Dad in the Vancouver area...

he popped over to Gabriola to visit with us too.

Brad showed off the garden

Lee has his Ham radio license and wants me to get it too. I plan to.

Robbie with a bone

About a week ago Stacey brought Robbie a rawhide bone and we thought he'd eaten it all but it turns out he only ate half of it. He had buried the other half in the side garden and only brought it out yesterday...

Yes, I know I have to post the good news yet... my Dad is not doing very well at all and I just haven't got to it with everything else going on that the good news requires, so I am just catching up on my pictures and I shall post the good news next, I think.

Our Little Pooh Bear

 We spent the day in the garden again, getting more and more planted. Yesterday we added more spinach, fennel, beets, rosemary and stevia (sugar substitute). We also moved the chickpeas to create a suitable sized area for the corn yet to come.

Robbie loves his peanut butter so when we empty the container I let him have it. 

He always refuses at first because he knows he's not allowed to touch such items and has to be assured every single time that it is okay, a special treat.

He puts his paw over it and gets his face right in there.

Absolutely loooovees it!...

... and we get a kick out of it too!

Remember the cherry tree?

The blooms are gone and the cherries are beginning. We are told the brown shriveled petals are blooms that didn't 'hatch' just as well we're making the effort to try to save some cherries from the birds.

This past week

I have now begun a powder line for smoothies, soups, dessert toppings, etc.. So far I have apple and asparagus completed. We are calling the line Dust.

Apple Dust

Asparagus Dust

Brad made another batch of Beef Stroganoff to feed Betty

We were invited for a walk along the waterfront with Stacey and her husband Jon

(she knows about the coat, we've all told her. LOL)

On our walk we came across our friend Jim (left) 

My favourite part about this island is this: Often times when it is dark and gloomy everywhere, this island - Entrance Island, is lit up brightly by the sun illuminating the sharp white buildings with their red roofs.

This past Saturday I was invited to join the popup market again and I was able to use my new banner, although I need a larger table, for sure.

My two favourite boys looking for a noise Robbie was sure he heard, Daddy is being supportive.

We took Robbie to the vet again yesterday (Tuesday) for his 2nd in a series of 4 arthritis shots. He is noticeably feeling better, she will not weigh him again until the month is up because she says weekly weighing can be depressing. I hear that.

Tomorrow (Thursday) I am off to Nanaimo for MY massage - I know, right?!. So excited for that although my back is so tight I'm not sure she'll even be able to touch it but we'll see how it goes.

Update on Robbie

Robbie

We took Robbie to the vet on Tuesday, he has been having difficulty maneuvering and we've noticed that he has been acting strange and looking at us in that way he has when he is in pain or uncomfortable. 

With pause before going up the stairs and then hopping both back legs up each step instead of one back leg per step as he has always done, we knew something was off but with the holidays...

Anyway, we were finally able to get him in, seems he has developed arthritis in his upper back. Which is why the symptoms were coming and going. He has gained 6 lbs since his last visit to the vet 3 months ago and so has been put on a strictly enforced diet which should help his back as well, obviously. He has been put on pain and anti-inflammatory medications as well. He also received a shot of arthritis medication that needs to be repeated every week for 4 weeks. He is not allowed to walk for the month either and will be gradually increased in his walking ability once he returns to it.

 

...And the New Year begins.

Nothing has really been happening here so far this year. Other than Pickleball has returned from the holidays. We are only allowed to play singles which means one person per side of the court instead of the usual 2 per side. We are all happy to make that work but I think I speak for all of us when I say we want 'normal' back.

The local online market shop reopened on New Years Eve and I received 2 orders that night. I've been averaging an order a day since then so I'm happy with that since I was sure Jan/Feb would be a wash after Christmas but it seems word of my product is spreading. Asparagus and Brussels are still the hot ticket items with Rainbow Chunks (salt water taffy) coming in 3rd but only because there is a woman on the island who is addicted - she buys so many I have created a special discount for her so if she gets 5 she gets 1 free. 

We've finally begun making powders, which we call Dust. So far I have made Apple Dust and Asparagus Dust with Kale coming online shortly. These are powder for use in soups, on deserts, smoothies and the like. Most people will use the vegetable powders for smoothies I assume but then I wasn't expecting Asparagus and Brussel Sprouts to be such a hit so you never can tell.

I've been online sorting through seed options for our garden and have a load waiting in my 'shopping cart' that I need to review and purchase. We also want to get a hot house (greenhouse) and I've chosen one on Amazon but I think we'll take a look at Costco because I hate buying expensive stuff on Amazon although I have done that without any trouble in the past..

Robbie has been having some issues with his hind legs so we are off to the puppy Dr this morning to have him checked out.

One. More. Sleep.

 It's Christmas Eve!!!

We have finally made it to Xmas Eve... soooo excited..... Brad is like a kid at Christmas, so I do the whole excited/can't wait thing which he just loves. Robbie gets excited too... I do a countdown with him, he has a vast vocabulary - so I tell him "Santa's coming, go sleep, go sleep, go sleep, Prezzies!!!!" (with proper finger showing, of course), anyway he gets it.  He's 11 now... almost as old as Grandma LOL TeeHee.

Merry Christmas One and All

Santa Anticipation

Our week in pictures:

It Snowed!!!

Not dandruff -- SNOW!

Can you see it falling?

Can you see it now?

The orchard from the upper deck

How Christmassy is this?, Right?!

Tonight Santa comes and tomorrow morning I will awaken Brad with a cup of coffee bright and early, actually probably well before the bright part starts, to open all the prezzies - You know, because 'I can't control myself' ;)) He will moan about being woken up so early, we will open all the prezzies and ooh and aah about everything. Robbie will sniff out the Grandma gifts and his little tail will wag, he opens his own prezzies, we hold the prezzie and he pulls the wrapper off all by himself - did I mention he's 11 now?! Big Boy, but still gets excited about Santa, just like Daddy.

Guess who's coming to dinner

I swear if it wasn't for my camera I would have absolutely no idea what we did all day... the problem with that?... I so rarely remember to take pictures, and even then... for example, here is a pic of my Uncle Tom and Aunt Bea. If you recall we met them for lunch several weeks ago but I forgot to post the pic of us. I think I mentioned having lunch.... man I'm getting old. I met these two in 1974 when my parents moved us to Canada (I was 5). Yep, long time. They are Irish and for many years I called them every St. Pat's Day until recent years with absolutely no excuse. Now we are all back together again.

Bea, Katie and Tom

Brad got stuck taking the picture

Saw this online and couldn't resist sharing

During this weeks trip to Duncan for laundry, the fog was so thick at the water level I wasn't convinced the ferry's would even be running. They were and I'm blonde... once you got up the hill a bit the fog cleared and the world was put right once again.

Fog at Crofton Ferry Terminal

Waiting for Daddy (in his chair) to return from his massage.

Today we went for another hike... we try to walk or hike every day. After smoking for 35ish years its  been refreshing to have the lung capacity to do this now. Brad's back gives him trouble going uphill so we try to stick to flatter areas, unfortunately we have no idea what this island is like until we get out there and find out. And man o man, did we find out today!

Come on old fogey's

Anyone know this plant? the seed pods are black but I saw evidence that it may have a yellow flower in bloom. Coolest looking thing with the black, never seen anything like it before. Really excited to see this island in the summer with everything in full bloom and the blackberries are absolutely everywhere...............

Robbie had a great view while waiting for the oldies to catch up.

Come on Dad, this way!

We tried to expand our horizons a bit today on the Channel Ridge Trails and even did a few uphills that maybe we shouldn't but eventually the uphills became too much and we had to turn around and go back. Not giving up, we decided to go right instead of left and wound around a large circle back to the car. We had to stop a few times but during this over an hour hike our app tells us we stopped for less than 5 minutes in total. I'm happy with that. Now we know a good size walk for us is the main loop of the picture below and not to get all supercharged and go crazy. In the end the app says we walked 2.8 miles (4.5 km). Refreshing and Exhausting at the same time.

During our hike I got an email from Deb of Kastle's Journey, She and Ray are planning to come visit us on Saturday. Pretty excited to meet more readers (I read her blog, too). We are becoming right social butterflies since moving out of  'hell'. Love it.

Ray and Deb are RVers, they bought a house and are having a bunch of reno's done to it so they are not able to head south this year. Follow along if you don't already, though I'm sure you do. :D

PS I forgot to check the Geocache while we were out today. Gotta remember that tomorrow, I'll put Robbie in charge of reminding me... LOL