A Healthy Happy Home

Michigan vacation

We just got back from a trip up route 66 and up,up, up to all of Michigan, including the upper Peninsula.  We were gone 18 days and traveled over 4000 miles.  Whew.  I already posted some of my pictures on facebook, but decided to share some of them with you from my blog.  In the UP we went to Mackinaw island which included a great butterfly exhibit and on up the UP to Whitefish point and Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor and Tequamenon Falls.  It was breathtaking, partly because it was beautiful and partly because we were freezing (in June).  Wow.  Get ready for some wonderful pictures.

 

Mackinaw bridge from upper Michigan to the upper peninsula of Michigan

Blue Bonnets

This one is for my Mama.  She grew up in Texas and loves blue bonnets.  She was told by nursery personnel that you can't grow them in this part of the country, but she proved them wrong and had them in her flower bed.  These were growing near the Dam at Lake Texoma.

 

   

 

 

And then it was gone

As quickly as the snow came (6 to 7 inches of it) it has all melted away and somehow, under the snow, the grass (or weeds) has emerged green.  The green seems so much greener in spring.  Thoughts begin to once again return to spring.  Lonnie and his son went fishing and each got a spoonbill and he's getting anxious to plant his garden.  I too am wanting to dig in the dirt and create a new flower bed or two.  The thought of fresh flowers and fresh vegetables is so refreshing.  We tend to forget how much work it really is, but I still think it is worth it.  I'm planning to set aside a few short rows for the grand kids to be able to plant so they can see their own things grow and hopefully at least one of them will develop a love for playing in the dirt and enjoying the end product as much as I do.

Spring Thundersnow

I know that sounds strange, thundersnow, but that's what it was.  I understand it's fairly rare to have thunder and lightning with snow, but after all, this is Oklahoma.  It's certainly not unusual to have snow in March, even a lot of it, and a wet, heavy snow it was.  Even with big, fat, wet flakes blowing in my face I couldn't resits going outside and getting a few shots.

 

   

 

Healthy, what does that involve?

Well, actually, a number of things.  My husband and I have been trying to lose weight.  There is always the question of how, what diet is right for me?  That sort of depends on you.  We actually started our diet as high protein/low carb.  Lonnie is your typical meat and potatoes guy.  The meat in this diet is tailor made for him, but no potatoes or other simple carbohydrates are a tough pill to swallow.  We just did it for 2 weeks to jump out weight loss.  It did, but it is not a long term plan, particularly for me.  I can't tolerate bacon or ham and eggs and much fat and still lose weight.  We then switched to low fat and some carbohydrates, but  just "good carbohydrates" such as what is found in ffruit and vegetables.  We also started an exercise program 3 days a week.  We were burning more calories, but not losing much.  At that point we had to look at portion control.  In the end, it all comes down to calories in versus calories out.  We had to actually calculate how much we were eating by measuring portions and paying attention to labels, serving size, calories per serving, ratio of fat to total calories (calories from fat should be 1/3 or less the total calories per serving) and the first 4 ingredients in the label should not have sugar in it.  Turns out we weren't eating enough.  When you do that your body thinks you are starving and slows down the metabolism to save you.  I do not need my body to SAVE me.  We are now exercising 5 days a week and giving ourselves a free day 1 day a week.  We try to bump up the exercise program a little each week whether that is increase time or weight.  That once a week reward is also a part of health.  You have to have some pleasure and then get right back on it.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Well, really I don't know if I captured any ducks in this one, but plenty of geese.  My husband and I went by the park to see if anyone was catching fish and stopped to see if he could get some live bait.  Meanwhile, me and my camera decided to hang with the geese.

     

  And then they were gone.  Aren't they something to see. 

Baby it's cold outside

Okay, I love having pretty flowers in my yard (take a look at my photo album of flowers) and I like digging in the dirt, but I have a confession to make.  I'm really not good about bundling up and getting out there and starting on the beds when it's cold.  I'm not so good with cold in general.  I'm a weenie. 

My husband has already tilled his garden spot, bought and spread compost in it and tilled it again, and planted garlic and onions.  He'd rather work in the yard or the barn than in the house any day.  He always has a great garden and loves to buy some new thing to plant each year.

I am fortunate that I have several bulbs and perennials.  You can ignore them and the still make beautiful flowers in their season.  I love perennials, but annuals make such a bright splash.  Fortunately, I think it keeps me from planting too early and then getting a late freeze and killing them.  I vow to start working the bed and planting if it will just warm up. 

Home sweet home

Obviously, home means different things to different people. For most of us it is our base, our refuge, our comfort zone.  Today was cold and we had snow for a while.  That always makes me want to have something warm to eat, comfort food.  There are many wonderful, delicious, hearty soups to warm you, but these days I'm focusing on making things that save money and work well with a low fat diet that is also light on carbs, at least the bad carbs.

I've rediscovered one of those things that I've known for a long time, but have gotten away from.  Instead of expensive, processed foods that are high in salt and fat, I have been buying a whole chicken or a turkey breast or a good size roast when it is on sale and making it turn into 3 healthy meals that just happen to be delicious as well.  Tonight was our third night on a turkey breast that my husband cooked on the grill.  He seasoned it with Tony Zachery's seasoning and smoked it with charcoal and oak chips.  Delicious. 

I boiled the bones from the breast and saved the broth and turkey off the bone and made soup.  I added chopped baby carrots, celery, 1/2 peeled potato diced in small pieces, onion, mushrooms and about 1/3 to 3/4 cup rotini pasta.  I seasoned it with garlic pepper, thyme, oregano, salt and rosemary.  The broth still had that wonderful smokey taste and I thickened it a little with a small amount of flour mixed with water.  Very diet friendly and sooooo good. 

Tonight we took wheat tortillas, toasted them on the griddle sprayed with Pam.  I chopped some turkey, sliced onion, green pepper, mushrooms and a few jalapenos and light cheddar cheese and made our own quesadillas.  They were delicious.

There you go, three meals for the price of a frozen turkey breast and some fresh vegetables and I think I may have enough left to get a turkey pot pie out of it.   Bonus!!!!!!