Category Archives: Life

The Garden Thrives

Posted on by
2

Green Peppers

There are lots of things I like about living in Colorado,
and one of my favorites is that for the first time in my life I am able to have a big garden!

(It’s possible to have a garden in Virginia; I just didn’t have the yard!)

Less than a week after arriving here my mom and I planted seedling tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, yellow squash, carrots (CARROTS!), zucchini, watermelon, strawberries (!), basil, parsley, chives, onions, and cucumbers.

Tomatoes - one's turning orange!

And I’m happy to say that the garden is doing GREAT!
We get lots of sunshine here and tons of rain – usually it storms in the afternoon.

I think it’s been really good for me to have this garden as I’ve been going through the cancer ordeal. It’s something I really look forward to – every morning and every evening I do my “inspection” to see what’s changed. To see this life – so vibrant and thriving – well, it just gives me a lot of hope.

 

 

My first eggplant :)

Lots of basil - there's more in the ground

Did I forget to mention there's grapes too? I didn't plant these - came with the yard!

the strawberries are AMAZING

These photos were all taken on my iphone – not too bad!

On another front – my endocrinologist and I reviewed my pathology report yesterday and she confirmed that my prognosis is excellent. I was stage 1 and because it was caught early and the tumors were small, she wouldn’t expect me to have a recurrence. I am SO lucky. As Mike pointed out in the comments section of my last post, it is vital to check out anything unusual you notice in your body. Don’t wait!

Enhanced by Zemanta

The Unexpected

Posted on by
6

HI!

It’s me!
How have you been??!
I’ve been thinking about you so much – about revitalizing this blog.
In fact I just had a whole post written out in my head while I was crocheting.
Then I figured since my mind really wasn’t on what I was doing,
why not just write the blog?

So…where to begin?
Lots has happened in the last two years.
I could write about completing my yoga therapist training (yay!),
or moving to Colorado (yay!),
or my latest good eats,
or the weather.

But there’s an 8,000,000 pound hot pink elephant in the cyberspace that I can’t ignore.

My Story

In March of this year I was getting a check up and pointed out to my doctor that there was a little bump under my chin that wouldn’t go away.
She thought it wasn’t anything but just in case I should see an Ear Nose Throat doctor.

A month or two later I finally got around to doing that.
The ENT thought I might have a thyroglossal cyst and ordered an ultrasound so we could see the exact location of my thyroid and how that might be related to the cyst.

It turned out the “cyst” was actually a “reactive lymph node” – a lymph node that was reacting to something – an infection of some sort.  Not something to worry about.
What was worrisome to the doctor was the 0.8 cm nodule on my thyroid.
He ordered a biopsy, and the results of that indicated that I had papillary thyroid cancer.
And three days later we moved to Colorado!

Isn’t there some quote about making plans and God laughing at them?

In late June I had a total thyroidectomy (“TT” in the thyroid cancer world) and a left neck dissection (“ND”).
They biopsied 31 lymph nodes that they removed from my neck and all were clean.
(did you know you have at least that many lymph nodes in your neck?!)
The margins were good on the thyroid – they think they got it all.

I’m now recovering from the surgery and getting used to life without a thyroid.
I have a huge scar across my neck and my voice is weak and a little squeaky.
I’m seeing improvements, which is very encouraging.

I’ll write more about this later.
I’ve learned a lot the last few months and I’m looking forward to sharing with you.
Oh – and I’ll write about other stuff too.
There IS still more to life than thyroid cancer  :)

All is Good,

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

I’m back!

Posted on by
3

Helllooooooo!

Marcia and Me - teacher training is going to rock!

Marcia and Me - teacher training is going to rock!

It’s been a long time.

I’m sorry I’ve neglected you, Dear Blog.

I needed to take a break for awhile but I’m ready to roll again :)

Since I last wrote, quite a bit has happened!

1. As you know, last year a group of yoga teachers began speaking out against Virginia’s law that required yoga teacher training programs to pay fees to and submit to random audits by the state. I’m excited to say that thanks to our efforts, we changed the law! I am especially thankful to Susan Van Nuys of The Health Advantage Yoga Center – she was the first one to say “hey this isn’t right” and to organize the protest. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with her on this important issue and thrilled to have made a friend along the way! :)

2. I started my yoga therapy training with Gary Kraftsow of The American Viniyoga Institute. I’m SO THRILLED to be a part of this 13-month training. I’ve already learned so much and can’t wait to share it. Got a sore back? Tight neck? Achey shoulders? My next workshop on May 15 at Flow Yoga is called “Yoga for a Healthy Spine” and we’ll be focusing on upper back, neck, and shoulders. There will be a second part for lower back, sacrum, and hips on June 12. Get the details and sign up on Flow’s website. I’ll also be writing more about yoga therapy and Viniyoga in this blog as it’s been a truly transformational experience for me.

3. The teacher training program that I’ve been teaching at Flow Yoga in Leesburg is coming to and end and our students will graduate this weekend! I’m so excited for them! They’ve been a terrific group and they are amazing teachers. We’ll be holding free Community Classes on Sunday evenings at Flow starting May 23 so that everyone can get to know them. Please come by and take a class! Check out Flow’s website for the schedule – it’s not up yet but I’m sure it will be soon.

4. Our next teacher training is right around the corner! It begins in June and runs for 9 months. I’m really looking forward to teaching this program with Marcia Hoffheins, who is an amazing teacher. You can read more about the program on Flow’s website.

Ok that’s it for now. I’m really excited to be writing again!

xoxox
signature

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary

Posted on by
1

Last weekend I had the THRILL of visiting the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, MD for their annual Thanksgiving WITH The Turkeys celebration.

It was AWESOME!

I got to meet the turkeys

DSCN0309And even pet them:

DSCN0362

This turkey’s name is Opal and she was rescued from a factory farm, barely alive. Her feet are mangled so she cannot walk.

And there were lots of chickens and roosters. This one was standing in the Thanksgiving dinner:

DSCN0327The pigs were awesome. They, like the turkeys and chickens, are very social:

DSCN0337I think she’s smiling! :)

And they were social with each other…

DSCN0353

And they are curious…

DSCN0355Can you see how HUGE they are?
These pigs have been rescued from factory farms. They’ve been genetically engineered to grow enormous.

The cows were a little intimading.

DSCN0339But very tolerant of us.

DSCN0341He (she?) had the softest fur.

There were little piglets running around.

DSCN0358They’re fast little guys! It was hard to get one to stand still for the camera!

Visiting Poplar Spring was one of the best experiences I’ve had. I hope that everyone will get the chance to meet farm animals up close – they are  amazing.  :)

signature

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Tis the (Sugar) Season

Posted on by
2
belgian chocolates

Photo by Simon Howden

Well I have to admit that my little idea of refraining from eating sweets for a week has been a complete and utter failure! I think I lasted about one day!!

I have never been very good at deprivation!  :)

I’m not really that surprised at my lack of willpower, because after all it is SUGAR SEASON!

You see, Sugar Season begins Oct 31 with Halloween Trick or Treat.
It then continues through November with Thanksgiving pies.

Christmas cookies and candy are impossible to resist,
and then we’re into New Years Eve alcohol.
But it doesn’t end there!
Next we have Valentines Day chocolates,
and then – FINALLY – Sugar Season comes to its grand finale with chocolate Easter bunnies and jelly beans.

(There aren’t any major Sugar Festivities between Easter and Halloween, unless you count June wedding cakes!)

peppermint candy

Photo by Maggie Smith

It’s just interesting, how Sugar Season corresponds with winter darkness and cold.
As if we are trying to sweeten life…?

And so it is.

If you are looking for me, I’ll be over at the dessert table!

signature

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Friday Inspiration: Sweets

Posted on by
6

Scrumptious muffins.
Smooth velvety dark chocolate.
Creamy ice cream.

Ends: Ice Cream Trio

Image by ulterior epicure via Flickr

I love it ALL.
I have a crazy sweet tooth.
And not only do I have a crazy sweet tooth, I also have a “fat tooth.”

See, I love ALL things sweet and fattening. Cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream, donuts, chocolate, etc, etc. If it has sugar and some kind of oil or Earth Balance in it, I’m all over it.

I know people who can have things like ice cream and cookies in their home and occasionally eat a small bowl or just one small cookie at a time. I have friends who have candy dishes full of mints or Hershey Kisses sitting out in their foyer.

Not me!

I simply cannot have any of that kind of food in the house unless I am prepared to eat it. All of it. I tend to think “I’m going to eat it all anyway so why not just eat it ALL right now? Why wait?”

Now I know that as far as vices go, it could be worse. Much worse. And I do get lots of exercise and eat as many fruits, veggies, and whole grains that I can so overall I feel my diet is OK. It’s just the sweets.

So here’s today’s throwdown: no sweets for one week.
Sweets meaning cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream, muffins, etc.
My thinking is that maybe if I rid my body of all sugar I’ll get over this craving I have?

Can I do it?

It will be challenging that’s for sure.

Are you in this with me?

signature

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Loaded Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Posted on by
5
Sweet potato, an indigenous tuber found in Nat...

Image via Wikipedia

Tami over at Vegan Appetite hosts “Food Network Friday” – a call to cooks everywhere to “veganize” the chosen Food Network recipe. I was excited that I got to pick this week’s recipe: Loaded Mashed Potatoes by Paula Deen. Paul Deen, as you probably know, is the Queen of Cream…and Bacon and Cheese. So modifying her recipe for Loaded Mashed Potatoes, which was loaded with cream, bacon, and cheese, was lots of fun.

Paula Deen’s recipe uses Idaho potatoes. I decided to go a different route and use sweet potatoes as my base. My mom used to make that sweet potato casserole – you know the one with the mini marshmallows – and I had that in mind as I put this together.

loaded sweet potatoes(I learned it’s not easy to photograph mashed potatoes and have them look as good as they really are!)

Loaded Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
Serves 6

  • 4 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into quarters
  • 1/2 C So Delicious Coconut Beverage (OR you can use soy milk)
  • 1/4 C Earth Balance natural buttery spread
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 t freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1.25 t salt
  • 6 T packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 C unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large stockpot, cook potatoes in enough  water to cover for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
  2. Drain potatoes and return to stockpot. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth; adding all other ingredients except the pecans. With a spatula stir in the pecans if you are using them. Add more salt or other spices, if necessary. Serve immediately.

signature

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Posted on by
4

Recently I was in a situation that I didn’t want to be in. cats
And it lasted a very long time.
There was really no way out of it.
No graceful way, that is.
And so I stuck it out, repeatedly glancing at my wristwatch and thinking of Other Things.
And I felt tense, you know, because I was someplace I didn’t want to be.
I’m generally NOT a girl who does things she doesn’t like to do. Nuh – uh.

And about halfway through I decided to just relax into it.
To accept that this was my lot and just deal.
To stop looking at my watch and wishing I was elsewhere.
And so I did.
And at the end there was a happy surprise.
Like finding the toy in the bottom of the Cracker Jack box,
but instead of a lame-o plastic toy it was something really cool.
(do they even sell Cracker Jacks any more?)

Sometimes you just have to hang in there, to get to the good stuff.
I guess that’s called delayed gratification.
It can be well worth it,
if you just

wait

a little

longer.

signature

Top Five Favorite Small Kitchen Appliances

Posted on by
7

veganmofo

Technically this post is not about vegan food, and therefore not following VeganMoFo guidelines. However I propose that you need to PREPARE all of that food somehow and so here are my top five favorite kitchen appliances for making awesome vegan food.

5000FruitLg

Credit: Vitamix

Vitamix. Hands down this is the best investment we’ve ever made in a small kitchen appliance. The Vitamix is a commercial-grade blender that will pulverize the heck out of anything you put in it, including whole carrots, half an apple, big globs of peanut butter, full ice cubes, etc. The Vitamix motor  heats up the food as it blends. So to make soup you can just fill the Vitamix with hot water and your veggies, blend for about 5 minutes, and voila – piping hot soup. At about $400-500 the Vitamix is NOT cheap, but it will last forever. We used to go through blenders like crazy trying to support our smoothie habit – about 2 a year! We’ve had our Vitamix for about five years now and it never lets us down. (TIP: For a good deal, look for a refurbished Vitamix.)

Food Processor. Some things just don’t belong in a blender and that’s when I use my food processor to chop, shred, puree, and sift. Yes, SIFT! This is a baking trick from  Alton Brown: Pulse your dry ingredients in the food processor 4-5 times. The dry ingredients get combined much better than I could do with a spoon, and the aeration you create helps the dry ingredients absorb the wet ingredients better. No more messy and clunky sifters! I have a Cuisinart but I’ve heard the KitchenAids are better.

Panasonic_SR-MS182_600p_270x269

Credit: Panasonic

Rice cooker. I love my Panasonic rice cooker! When I used to prepare rice on the stove it usually turned out a disaster. Rice cooked on the stove needs to be constantly watched to make sure it doesn’t boil over or stop boiling, and even then it doesn’t always turn out well. My rice cooker churns out perfect rice every time thanks to it’s “fuzzy logic” that enables it to make adjustments as it cooks so that the rice turns out just right. A rice cooker can be used to cook other foods as well – entire meals in fact, according to this New York Times article.

Immersion Blender. My simple KitchenAid immersion blender has helped me to enjoy making soups! Many recipes ask you to pour the hot soup into a blender, blend the soup, and then return the hot ingredients back into the pot. There are many opportunites to burn yourself and make a mess when you use this method! The immersion blender lets  you do the blending right in the pot – it’s faster, less messy, and less dangerous :) .

Ice Cream Maker. I LOVE ice cream and homemade ice cream is amazing! So while my Cuisinart ice cream maker is not particularly practical or versatile, I wouldn’t be able to make ice cream without it. Which could be a good thing…or not…

What’s  your favorite small kitchen appliance?

signature

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]