Spring Dreams of NC

Pink Flowering Dogwood, CPC South

Spring is the BEST time of year to visit NC and if you are lucky enough to live there, you will be dazzled daily with displays of new blooms that seem to pop up overnight, every night from late February (starting with crocus and daffodil) through July (when crepe myrtles are full-up with blossoms and bees).

Dogwood at Old Well, UNC-Chapel Hill

 

So many of my new friends in CO have never seen a flowering dogwood, so I’ve posted a few photos, many of them taken around town in my beloved Chapel Hill.

Dogwood Fall Colors

The flowering dogwood is NC’s state flower and rightfully so!  No can argue with its unrivaled combination of fashion and function through all the seasons.

These gorgeous spring bloomers provide shade in the summer, gorgeous red foliage in the fall, and somehow manage to produce plump, red berries to feed the birds during winter.

Flowering Dogwoods

 

 

While the white blooms of the flowering dogwood can be seen everywhere, there are pink dogwoods here and there and they are spectacular!

 

 

 

If you are reading this from NC and can spot a dogwood out your window, count yourself among those most fortunate!

Dogwood Blooms

I’m typing this blog entry to the sounds of an ice storm that woke me up in the wee hours of April 10 and it will be some time before the cold weather leaves CO for good.  The south-facing bradford pears just began blooming this week…

Benefits of Home-Cooking for Canines

I looooove my beagle and that’s putting it lightly!  Bailey Frederick (aka Doggielama) has been my main squeeze and constant BFF since he wandered into my life in 1999.  Being of a hound mind, he spends most of his life sniffing for food, digging through the trash for food, singing for food, etc.  Suffice it to say, his world revolves around how to fill his belly and his spare time is spent requesting belly rubs.

Bailey Frederick, 13yo

When he refused to eat in March 2010, I was FRANTIC – I tried all the usual methods of bribing him to dine: adding broth to his meals and topping his kibble with cheese, but he became more and more withdrawn and disinterested in eating and wouldn’t participate in the usual fun activities of going out for walks and car rides.  Our regular veterinarian recommended IV fluids and antibiotics, and those treatments seemed to help a little, but we still had to encourage him to eat and that was a definite sign of digestive distress.

In November 2010, I made our first appointment with David McCluggage, a holistic veterinarian in Longmont, CO.  He spent a whole hour assessing the beagle (and ME!), gave Doggielama an acupuncture treatment for strengthening digestion and suggested that I home-cook the beagle’s meals.  Dr. McCluggage informed me that all kibble (even the good stuff we were feeding our dogs) is heated to such a high temperature that there is no nutritional value in it.

Bailey's acupuncture treatment

Willing to try anything, I cooked up the mildest diet that Dr. McCluggage recommended in the following proportions: 1/2 chicken, 1/4 rice, and 1/4 sweet potato.  The beagle gobbled it all up and his health returned in about 48 hours!  He became more alert throughout the day, his fur softened and the spring returned to his step.  He got back into his old routine of sniffing through the trash for treasure and he had a renewed interest in car rides every time I picked up the keys!

Here’s the recipe that we now use to feed both our dogs: 1 lb of chicken or beef, 2 cups of rice or quinoa, and 1 vegetable (1 sweet potato, 6 carrots, or 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies) and 5 cups of water.  Using HIGH heat, I bring it to a boil, cover it and reduce the heat to LOW for about 20 minutes. I serve about 1/2 cup for the 23lb beagle (who naps most of the day) and 1 cup for the 28lb border collie (who runs around all day).

These days, we have very happy, healthy dogs (13yo beagle and 3yo border collie) whose only medicine is food!

Border Patrol

Flexitarianism Made Simple

Most of us should be eating more fruits, vegetables, and legumes, it’s true, but HOW?!?!? I’ve wanted to go vegetarian for many years, but I’ve never wanted to be the person with dietary restrictions at a dinner party.  So, I eat a little bit of everything when I’m not at home and in my kitchen, I cook up meals that are mostly vegetarian with a small portion of meat.

Dangling Carrot

Here are some tricks that I use to substitute veggies, fruits, and beans for meat.  These strategies help reduce the amount of meat that ends up on your plate.

1. Get comfortable cooking with beans.  They are a GREAT source of protein and they are filling.  Check out my recipe for Vegan/Vegetarian Chili – it is sooo good you won’t even think that it’s missing meat!
2. Serve up a salad with meals and eat it FIRST!  This will fill up your tummy with healthy, fresh veggies and you’ll end up eating less of the main course.  It’s easy to add some chickpeas or black beans to it and perhaps make it a meal!
3. Along your flexitarian path, consider ditching red meat altogether and limit your meat intake to chicken and fish.  These meats are healthier for your body and the environment.

If you and your spouse both adopt the flexitarian method of food consumption and can reduce the amount of meat you eat to half, your total impact on the environment is equal to one vegetarian!  You can have your meat and eat it too!

3 FREE Daily Behaviors Guaranteed to Boost Productivity, Health, and Happiness

A friend of mine once remarked, “You’re always smiling.  It’s like you’ve got some big secret…” and I reckon my big secret is that I hold close to my heart a daily intention to be happy and healthy.  It keeps me in a positive state of mind and I figure that’s the best way to help others.

Here are my top 3 daily good habits:

1. Drink WATER: Humans are ~70% water and we must drink water every day to stay hydrated.  The general recommendation for water intake is 8 glasses per day, but if you exercise regularly, you should drink more.  Here’s a handy online calculator for determining how much water you should drink daily: http://www.calculatorslive.com/Daily-Water-Intake-Calculator.aspx
   

   Keep Hydrated by Tom Swasey

    

2. Take a WALK:  When you’re taking a 15-minute break from work, use that time to walk around.  Walking can cure headaches, alleviate feelings of stress, and rejuvenate your spirit.  Grab a friend and get caught up a bit during your daily “Walk and Talk” and you’ll be more likely to continue this good habit.
3. SMILE at yourself:  Mirrors are all around and we use them to check makeup, hair-dos, and hair-don’ts (like nose hairs and chin hairs), but how often do you smile at what you see?  You might  feel silly doing this the first few times, but if you make an effort to smile at yourself daily, you’ll start to see a star staring back at you.

I challenge you to try this for a week.  If you do, lemme know if it works for you, too!

New Favorite Fish Dish for Two

This is the BEST fish I’ve had in a loooong time and it is surprisingly easy!  When you serve it up, it looks and tastes like a gourmet meal!

 

Tilapia with Wilted Greens

 

¼ c EVOO

2 tbs. white wine vinegar

½ tsp. sea salt, divided

¼ tsp. pepper, divided

1 roasted bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

6 cups (3 oz) mixed greens

½ tsp unsalted butter

1 tbs chopped shallots

2 tilapia or sole fillets (½ lb)

I tbs tarragon

1tbs dry white wine

Using half the salt and pepper, combine the following in a saucepan and use Medium –High heat: oil, vinegar, bell pepper, onion, and garlic.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer.

Using a large sauté pan with a lid, heat butter and shallots using Low heat for 3 minutes.

Using the remaining salt and pepper and tarragon, season both sides of the fish and add to the pan.

Sprinkle white wine around the fish, cover, and use Medium heat to cook 3-5 minutes or until fish meat flakes.

Pour hot vinaigrette over the greens and toss briskly.

Divide green between 2 plates and mound slightly.

Place fish on top of the greens and spoon juices on top.

Mmmmmm…

Chili Picante

Chili Picante

Here’s a yummy winter recipe for all you beef-eaters out there.  This one is quick, easy, and hearty!

Chili Picante

3/4 lb. of 93% lean ground beef

1 c. chopped bell peppers

1 c. salsa of your choice

1 c. water

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tsp. ground cumin

½ c. sour cream

1)     Using medium-high heat, add beef and pepper to a large pot.  Cook until beef is browned, stirring to crumble beef.

2)   Add salsa and next 3 ingredients to the pan and bring to a boil,  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 8 minutes.

3)   Ladle into 4 bowls and top with sour cream.

2011

It’s a brand new year and I’ve established new intentions/resolutions which will hopefully result in lasting rewards for my mind and body.  I just read a fabulous article in the January/February issue of Massage & Bodywork about the importance of a strong upper body…better posture, less fatigue, etc…and it has been too long since I picked up my weights, so that’s Resolution Number 1 – Lift weights 3 times per week.  Please wait til February to ask for a look at my “guns.”

Fun in the Snow

Resolution Number 2 will be more challenging than lifting weights because it will require a change of attitude.  My idea of a perfect day involves 85 degrees, humidity, a little bit of sweating in the sun, and an ocean breeze and those conditions are non-existent here in Colorado.  I can’t even daytrip to this sorta setting from my home out west.  SO, rather than constantly griping about my new environment, I’m determined to make peace with the chilly air here, or at least stop complaining about it.  So, Resolution Number 2 is to limit my complaints about Colorado weather to 1 per week.

What’s your resolution for 2011?  What kind of changes will you make?

Frequently Wrong but Never in Doubt

That is the story of my life and there are so many examples they are too numerous to tell…Bob, Bug, and Lynne, don’tchoo go postin’ too many comments!  🙂

Today, I learned that it’s all thanks to my Reticular Activating System which allows me to filter out all the “noise” in my environment and specially tune into something I’m specifically looking for, such as my name being called in a crowd or a smile from a stranger when I’m walking down the street.

We only take in a small portion of what we encounter, organizing it according to what we have been trained to accept.

An Artistic Rendering of Wilbur Wright

The reticular activating system acts like a filter between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. It takes instructions from your conscious mind and passes them on to your subconscious.  One way to take advantage of this wondrous capacity of your brain is to develop a routine for focusing on your goals, daily.

Spend just a few minutes every day reminding yourself what you want and who you want to become and you just might find yourself succeeding in ways you could only dream of.

Recipe: Vegetarian Linguine

Here’s a tasty little vegetarian dish that you can whip up in less than 30 minutes.  Really, we were surprised at the yumminess!

6 oz. uncooked linguine
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp. minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. shredded Italian cheese mix
3tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute zucchini, mushrooms, green onions and garlic in butter and olive oil 3-5 minutes. Add tomato, basil, salt and pepper – simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Drain linguine. Add to vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and toss to coat.

Networking Yes-Girl

Makeup by Brianna

We all need a little encouragement to get out there and meet new people and I get my inspiration from my good friend, Lynne, who spent Summer 2010 living as Yes-Girl.  She participated in every opportunity that was placed in front of her.  Lynne spent 6 weeks in Colorado, a place she had never visited and where she knew only two people.  She made dozens of new friends, hiked a 14er, learned to ride a mountain bike, and had a blast.

I think of her every day as I try dozens of new ideas for marketing my business and meeting new people.  When I get nervous or think something won’t/can’t work, I take a breath and become Yes-Girl and move forward.  Lynne and I can tell you that being a Yes-Girl brings fun and surprise to our days.  On Monday, I participated in a Mary Kay “Dinner and Makeover” event.  Now, I don’t wear makeup unless a sweet little 6-year-old is just looking for a face to practice on, but being Yes-Girl,  I RSVPed for that party and even signed up for the eyebrow waxing.

After harnessing the caterpillars arched over my eyes, the lovely esthetician asked if I’d like to have my lip waxed.  I didn’t even know I had hair there!! or that it was a 3-step process!!!  Yikes!  Being a Yes-Girl is an adventure for sure!

What will you say “Yes” to today?