Venison

I think we are going to have some Venison for Thanksgiving, Christmas....it will probably last us all winter :) They should be nice and fat after eating our grass, plants and fallen apples all summer! Anyone have any good Venison recipes??

Now here's a guilty look if I ever saw one!!

You guys are getting mighty close to the plants there!

Say what????

Oh yea just graze away!

Coming back for a few more apples

                   

Potent Quotable

                                                             

"He has taken me to his banquet hall and his banner over me is love....strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples.  Song of Songs 2: 4-5

"For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."  Galations 5: 22-23

Who Cares?

         

                            

      
After a whole morning of not eating; and a wonderful experience at U of M....I was ready for FOOD.  No diet just food.  So the chef and I stopped at the BROKEN EGG in Ann Arbor (our favorite plass from farmer's market days) and we split a huge plate of Breakfast Stew.  It had sliced potatoes, eggs, carmalized onions, spinich, peppers and Zucchini.  It was very good.  We each had a thick piece of buttered raisin cinnamon toast.  It ended up being breakfast and lunch; Brunch I believe it is called.  Then we did a little shopping in Kerry Town and headed for home. 
 I could not believe the way God had worked in this whole experience and yet what is there not to believe?  This is God we are talking about. 
The afternoon continued with 3 mini biscotti with my coffee and one dark chocolate candy.  I think most people have a relationship with food; we use it to celebrate, we use it when we are sad and we use it when we are bored.  One day, a diet does not break as long as you are back on it the next day.
And exercise, don't forget that.  The doctor told me yesterday morning I would be the only person that told him I exercise 6-7 days a week.  Ah...that felt good.  So inspired by that, I was in the pool exercising this morning at 6:15 a.m. 

100 Degrees and

                                                               
 15 pounds weight loss today.  Even after drinking all the coconut juice Donaldo bought for me.  This isn't an easy way to lose weight; not feeling good.  Hoping to get fixed up and feel  good again soon.  Enjoyed swimmng this morning.  It's so easy not eat when you don't feel good; you wonder why you can't just do it all the time.  That's why I am saving my clothes that are too big right now :)   

So How's It Going?

                  
Yea, well my GI doctor wanted me to be on a clear liquid diet; I figured out that it is probably in case I need emergency surgery.  But no call from him today yet and an appointment with U of M not until next Wednesday, I was starving on the liquid diet.  I had some applesauce, a scrambled egg and toast.  I will have to take my chances here and eat soft food.  Donaldo bought me some coconut milk; it is like water really.  It is supposed to have all the electrolytes in it and natural sugar.  He thought it would be good for me.  I have had it before-it doesn't have much taste, but hey, I might as well drink it.  Made some sugar-free jello-YUCK!!  That's a last resort food if you ask me.  The low-sodium organic chicken broth isn't bad, but a little of that goes a long way.  And isn't chocolate a clear liquid?? I am sure it is.  I do have to be careful because the more I eat, the more my stomach hurts.  Meanwhile I am just hanging in there.  We skipped swimming today and yesterday so we will see about tomorrow.  I don't want to become a couch potato. 

Twenty Two Grams Of......

SUGAR??!!! Once again I was forced to have sugar against my will.  Ha ha.  It came in the form of a can of chocolate Ensure@
that I had to drink for my test today.  It had all the things I consider unhealthy  Mind you, I didn't read the ingredients until after I drank it.  So...22 grams of sugar, 57 carbs, high fructose corn syrup and plenty of dairy and other things I can't even remember.  Why you ask?
When they are checking the arteries in your abdomen about 30 minutes after you eat, more blood goes to the area to help with digestion.  If you have a blockage they can see a blockage better and believe you me, I felt the pain.  I think I read somewhere it's like Angina in your heart, but in your abdomen.  This is all very interesting and I saw the images on the screen, but of course couldn't make out a thing.  One thing I know I will never drink Ensure@ unless someones makes me.
So yes, I had sugar today and look where it got me.
Now after my doctor's call I am on a clear liquid diet.

Chili Powder?

Nasturtiums along with Marigolds and Lavender. 

What?  Did I make chili on such a hot day?  Did I use it in taco salad?  Did I put it on nachos?  No, my giant jar of chili was sprinkled on my plants because I planted some bargain plants to fill in where the bunnies had nibbled the previous plants. Hopefully they will come back in, but I had to fill the spaces.  I can't quite figure out why the bunnies like begonias.  They don't even look the appetizing....not like Nasturtiums; I use them in salads.  The leaves have a crunchy slightly peppery taste and the flowers look beautiful sitting on top of a salad; especially a potato salad.  What I am really hoping is that bunnies don't like chili powder!!  I am going to keep up the sprinkling this week and hope they feed in someone else's garden. 
My weight loss has remained stable at 14 pounds; I am happy with this as there was no cheating going on this weekend except for a little dark chocolate.  We hit the pool this morning before church and it was perfectly uncrowded.  The swim bags are on the table for tomorrow morning.