Report~~~Baking~~~Midsummer Night~~~Coming~~~

ATTENTION CLASS:

My Click-able Links will now be in 

THIS COLOR...

Please and Thank You.

(Added this again, just in case someone missed it...)

Got a kick out of Gabe's shirt.  Sounds like a fancy vacation!  But it just came, from his other Grandmother.

About my doc visit.  Seems I have what is called Non-Allergic Rhinitis.  Vasomotor / Irritant rhinitis is not caused by an allergen and does not involve an immune mechanism.  But it seems to cause chronic year round symptoms.  Lining of the nasal passages seems to be extra sensitive to irritants (dust, tobacco smoke, perfumes, detergents, odors), temp changes, humidity and air pressure.  Patients have an exaggerated response to ordinary conditions, that most people tolerate without symptoms.

No apparent seasonal pattern of symptoms.  Allergy skin test are negative.

In other words, she can't do anything for me.  Other than give me samples of different nose sprays and inhalants, which she feels may work better, than what I have been using. 

But the diagnosis in itself, is very, very helpful.  When you know what's going on, you can handle it better.

Happy I went, though!!!

Did baking, for both of us.  :-)

Took a pic of this Good Fats/Bad Fats chart, in one of the library books I have out.  In case anyone is interested in some of the advice, about being Paleo.  :-)

(Midsummer Eve was created in 1908 by Edward Robert Hughes, a Pre-Raphaelite. This turn-of-the-century art movement focused on the natural world.)

Don't forget!!!

June 20th, Thursday night, is 'Midsummer Night's Eve.' 

Celebration takes place...  Romance is in the air...  It's the time of Summer Solstice...  The time of the longest day and shortest night of the year...  There are many festivals with the theme of fire...  Giving thanks for the return of the Sun...  As the earth shifts from winter to summer...

Shakespeare left us, his delightful "Midsummer Night's Dream."  Watch the film compact disc, if possible.  Or listen to the music from the film, on CD.

Read my 37th book...  "Brownies and Broomsticks"...  Delightful first book, in new series of cozy mysteries.  The "Magical Bakery Mysteries"...  So glad there are more!

You can read more of my review, by clicking here, and going to my "Auntie's Reads 2013" blog...

Tiki Torches...!!! ,-) Etc. Etc. Etc.

ATTENTION CLASS:

My Click-able Links will now be in 

THIS COLOR...

Please and Thank You.

(Sun., still working on Work Bench...)

Today/Tues. is my day, to go to the Allergist.  The doctor's pamphlet says, that on the first visit, there will be Pulmonary Testing and Skin Testing.    

(Middle Grand-Son and Dad...)

This (allergy testing) is totally new to me.  I did not grow up with allergies.  Developed them, as I am getting older. 

(As far as they got, on Sun.  It's in Son's garage, but pegboard still to be gotten, when it's not raining...)

Finally have to admit to myself, that I have Allergies.  -pout-  Do any Dear Readers, have experience with being tested for Allergies?????? 

Son next door, put Tiki Torches up, on Sat.  But forgot lighter fluid.  Which we went out and got, Sun. morning.  Then came the Sun. rains.....

But after 7pm, it was still cloudy but no rain...  So they lit them.  And we came over to experience the First Tiki Torch Lighting Experience.  -grin-

Guess my Son was still chewing on something, when he came out...  -grin-

You can see 2 of their lovely gardens.  One more, is to the right, out of the line of this picture. 

Oh and, "Uncle A." didn't get bit, last evening, but I did.  While out there, in the humid evening.  A nasty bite, on a finger.  It hurt and was itchy and I had to keep putting Anti-Itch-Bite Cream on it.  -pout-  Why me?????   Why do all flying, biting insects zero in on ME????

And this is just a bird-in-flight, to the left...  And sunlight on a plane, way up in the sky.

"Auntie" goes "Paleo"...

NO!  This is not Paleo!  This is our gorgeous home-from-college Granddaughter, bringing her Grandfather a Rhubarb Pie, which she made for him.  :-)))))))))

"Auntie" goes "bananas"?

No!  "Auntie" goes "Paleo"...

And it ain't easy, figuring out just what 'Paleo Plan' you will follow.  :-)

click-->"Wheat Belly"

OK!  What the heck is "Paleo"?  Well, depends on who you read.  But (click-->) kind of basically...  Followers of this plan believe that our highly processed, carb-obsessed eating pattern is the culprit behind many of our biggest health ills.  So, go back to eating the way we ate when we were hunting and gathering: animal protein and plants.

BUT!!!!!!   If we aren't to eat grains with gluten, how do we have bread?  Using other grains, of course.  (Like Almond Flour...)  You can still have your bread/pizza/rolls/muffins/etc., but not made with gluten-containing stuff.

To me, one of the biggest aspects is...  NOT buying processed foods, in the grocery store.  If it has a label on it, and loads of ingredients listed.....  It's an Unknown.  A Frankenstein-like form of what should be bread, soup, cake, canned fruits, meats, everything. 

(LOOK!!!  Clear-up-front, and fuzzy-in-back!!!)

Everyone who read here knows that I have to eat Gluten Free.  This last 10 days of being sick and having to take Antibiotics and Prednisone, have been an Inflamation Cleansing, for me.  How do I know?  Because that's what Prednisone does.  And because my arthritis-type pain has gone away.  

HOOOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Will I go back to eating foods, which again build up inflammation in me?  Like processed foods?  And sugar?

No, damn it!  I won't!

But!  What can I substitute for the taste of ol' cane sugar and all its copy-cat-ingredients???????  This is the biggest issue for me.  How to deal with necessary sweetening, in the most natural way.

Different folks tell me different things...  One says use this, and another says use that, and on...  Right now, I'm combining.  -grin-  But it keeps me from ingesting sugar!  That's the point. 

Just got one of those funny notices, from Blogger, so...  Think it's time to end this post.  :-)

You just know, that there will be more coming...  On my Quest for the Most Healthy Form Of Sweetening!!!  :-)

Meantime, I only have 1 form of cane sugar, I am still ingesting.  One Babe, One.  :-)  My decaf soy Vanilla flavored creamer.

"Today Class, our lesson will be on Inflammation."

(Planting...)

"Today Class, our lesson will be on Inflammation."

When you and I are *bedeviled* by Allergies, we have Inflammation.  When you and I have Arthritis Pain, we have Inflammation.  When you and I have certain Gut Discomfort, we have Inflammation. 

My cold/allergies were so bad, that my doc gave me both Prednisone, and a diff Antibiotic.  Prednisone... Without going into all the medical reasons, one can simply say that Prendisone gets rid of Inflammation, in the body.

(Getting belt, to fix next door's vacuum cleaner...)

My Allergy/Cold symptoms are gone.

And my ARTHRITIS PAIN, is gone!

I can walk up and down stairs, without pain!  I can get up off the *pottie,* in one move.  Before, I had to rock back and forth, to get up the momentum, to get up.  (Too much info I know but...)  In the morning, I do not get up all stiff.

Magical!!!

 (Madagascar Pink Rice...)

But!!!

We can not continue to take Prednisone for long.  The *magic* will cease.  Our pains will return, if we continue to put food into our bodies, which cause Inflammation.

Why does our body make excess Inflammation?  I go with the theory that the processed, pesticide and anti-biotic ridden food, we consume...  Does.  The body becomes almost overwhelmed with trying to eliminate all this "shit," and we get Inflammation, in the process.

Being able to eat only Juicing, for a period of time, is a Cleanse.  Allowing our bodies to eliminate the "crap."  But Paul (our doc) putting me on this regimen of Prensidone, to clear up my allergy stuff, is almost a Cleanse too.

 (Family over, to open pool...)

So, now....  When I stop the meds, I am back on my own.  Do I NEED sugar, processed foods, cakes, pies, cookies, etc.....  Do I NEED these things MORE, than TRYING to be (mostly) pain free?!?  We shall see...

So far, I use local Honey for my decaf...  We have cut out processed foods.  Are eating Organic, and only Organically grown meats, chicken, etc.  (One does NOT have to eat much meats, btw.  We teach ourselves, that we do need meat, meat, meat.)  ~~~~   But I have a ways to go.  I have to learn to bake, without the use of regular sugar or any of its equivalents. 

(Dust catcher --  Pretty dresser scarf  --  Dust catcher  --  OUT of bedroom)

I could have given click-able links, to information.  But we are all rushed.  If you want more, go to the Mayo Clinic web site and type in Inflammation.

Sorry the Class was so long.

Thank you for your patience.

Class dismissed.

:-) 

Weekend~Books~"Size"~TV~NO Spoilers Though

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Showing the pretty geode again.  This time with pencil/hand, to better show size.  I always forget to do this!!!  Have something (whose size is recognizable) in pictures of objects.  Must remember!!!  :-)

The "Honey Man" at the Sat. Farmer's Market.  I figured it is time, to start taking a daily spoon full of locally produced Honey again...  To try to ward off some of the coming effects, of Spring Time Allergies.

This is the first time we have been to the Winter Farmer's Market.  It is held in a grade school and there is plenty of place to spread out, in the gym (above) and in the entrance hall.

There were lots of veggies...  But...  Fresh ones are not being grown locally, in winter.  And a place like "Gomez Veggie Ville" does not sound very NE Local to me.  ,-)    But..........   Whatever...

They even had live music, on the stage.  :-)

After having soooooooo much funnnnnnn, reading (click-->) "The Wee Free Men,"  I was not having any luck, finding another book.  -sigh-  I didn't enjoy the Cozy Witch-y book, I got out of the library.  And other Cozy Mysteries, has sounded good, but were soooooo slowwwwwwwwww....  I gave up on all of them.  So took a bunch of *non-winners* back, and got some more.

Actually, "A Witch In Time" is my own.  I really enjoyed this series by Madelyn Alt!  But this one was not in the library system.  ?????  So I got it from Amazon/New/Used/Books.  After I finish this one, the next in the series IS in my library system.  (But not the last, in the series...)  Grrrrrr......  After following this heroine for 7 or so books, I MUST find out how her *story* ties up!!!!!!  :-)  Will do another Search for the last book, when I'm done with ones I can get.

Have you heard of "The Blue Zones"?  Another one of those studies, trying to find the Longevity Secrets, of pockets of very long lived people, around the world.  Such books should be read, by young people!  Who have time (ahead of them) to take better care of their bodies.  ,-)  But since "Quality Of Life" is part of the premise, not just living many years....  Seems anyone might find something of use, in them....

For instance, how to better avoid gastro issues.  Yikes, betcha' most any Dear Reader could use some info, on that wide spread and painful problem....     

Just a very green looking shadow pic...   :-))))))))))

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No Spoilers!!!

But whooooo-hoooooooo, we are enjoying the plot twists and turns, on "Once Upon A Time" on tv!!!!!   They make me worried.  Then they make me glad.  Then...  I don't know exactly where they are going.  If you watch...  Are you having fun, with the present story line too??????

No Spoilers please.  Unless you say you are commenting a SPOILER...!!!!!!!!!!!

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Look what's here?!? February!!! :-)

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"Sprinkle liberally with Powdered Sugar..."  :-)  ♥♥♥♥♥♥    Yesterday began with almost spring-like conditions.   But temps fell during the day, and lots and lots of winds came along, too.

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This is a pretty good size chunk of slate, which was blown onto the ice on the top of the pool cover.

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But the sun shone through the prism, on one of the Den windows...

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Not so nice, was wind damage.  Our power kept going out and coming back and going out and coming back.  Since it was random, I simply left my computer off...   No need to risk damage, with "Brown Outs."    :-(     ♥♥♥♥♥♥         So that made for an interesting rest of the day.  I kept at my laundry, which has *magically* "grown-like-Topsie" again.  Hehhhhhhh........  And I read and read and read in "Women Who Run With The Wolves."  Not easy reading.  Not like a cute little cozy mystery.  It's kind of WORK.   And I've tried to read it before.  But this time, I'm getting through the whole thing!!!  :-)

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And now, we are in February.  The Wheel Of The Year is turning.  And thoughts go to Valentine's Day.    ♥♥♥♥♥♥     Not to Celebrating it.  Since I can't have Chocolates.  And real flowers, though lovely, cause me to sneeze and fill up.  -Blahhhhhhh-    ♥♥♥♥♥♥        But I do put up some Valentine decorations.  Why not?  I love, love, love, love, love any excuse for RED and for SPARKLES.  :-)))

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"The older you get, the harder it is to lose weight,

because your body has made friends with your fat."

~Lynne Alpern and Esther Blumenfeld

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