Alaska living, home education, gardening, hunting, fishing, trapping and preserving the harvest
Life, attitude, mindset it really is how you look at it. One can look at my garden picture below and choose to see only the abundant chickweed or one can look at it as I do and see the harvest to come, and the radishes that are ready to be picked and the lettuce that should be ready next week. I see plates, jars and freezer bags full of yummy, organic, home grown veggies.
This carries over to Trim Healthy Mama. Some look at how I choose to eat and see only what I do not eat. Some see deprivation, I see abundant food choices. You see, I avoid sugar now and I am more than fine with that. Cake at a fellowship, no problem because I have eaten abundant, yummy, filling food with no sugar spike and no weight gain. A baby shower coming up this week, no problem. I will eat an S dinner before attending and then I will enjoy a few snacks, but I am never deprived. Sugar and processed foods just are not my food any more. And, I am more than fine with that. There isn't even a pull to those things at all. For that, I am thankful.
Our summer has been hot, heat in an Alaskan summer means forest fires and forest fires mean smokey air. It isn't fun, but I am not going to complain about it. I am enjoying each clear day and each day that I can only smell a faint smokiness and see a distant haze, because it could be worse. I have enjoyed the warm days and soaking up the vitamin D and being hot, yes, even being hot because It isn't always the norm. Last summer was wet and very cool. Alaskan weather always keeps us guessing. Alaska living has taught me to be prepared and to enjoy each day and each season and each spell because you never know what is going to happen in fifteen minutes.
Now, excuse me, I must go get ready for whatever today may bring.
While parts of the lower forty-eight are getting lots of rain we are feeling the heat. Fires abound throughout the state and the forecast calls for another seven days of heat with little to no rain in sight. I may or may not be tan right now.
This week has been one of ny favorites so far this summer. First off the first three days were spent at home. I did go to North Pole each day but that is a measly three mile drive. Secondly, much has happened around the house and we have had some down time at home as well. Third, after all the working and time at home we enjoyed an afternoon visiting with friends and then we went home and had dinner and headed to the local lake for some sun and a dip in the ice cold water. We had such a great day that no pictures were taken. Trust me, we had a great day!
Today was a stellar day. You see I have been quite lazy for quite some time. I have also had very little energy. For too long to recollect I have been treading water, barely keeping up with the daily to dos. I was educating my children, making dinner and doing laundry. Now, those things are work but I was barely doing those things. I ended every.single.day exhausted. Here I am at eleven o'clock pm still awake and getting ready to tell what happened around here today and I am not exhausted, just a good kind of tired. I also have wonderful daughters who do many wonderful things so I can do the work and they even help me with the work. I also have a six year old with a cold this week so he is laying low and watching movies. It isn't as though I did all this work alone but the sheer quantity of work that happened today amazed me.
1. I went out to the high tunnel and weeded three rows before the heat of the day and then watered the gardens.
2. Did three loads of laundry.
3. Cleaned the windows inside and out, except for two that I need to get the inside cleaned tomorrow.
4. Washed two vans.
5. Deep cleaned the master bathroom.
6. Bible study
7. Cleaned out my van.
8. Cleaned the inside windows and dash, etc. of van.
9. Vacuumed and cleaned the upholstery and carpet in the van.
I do not post this list to brag, I am amazed at how I am no longer stuck barely getting by. Everyday is not this productive domesticly but every day is not a home day.
I want my Blessings to know work, work is a necessary part of life. We do life together as we work together. I fear many American parents feel as though they must entertain their children and provide them with fun family activities. What is up with that? Just because we live in Alaska and the temperature reaches 80 degrees does not mean we must head to a lake or river for fun. Many warm summer days have been spent in the yard with sprinklers, homemade slip and slides and picnic lunches and popsicles. That is real life people!
Seriously, typing out this list is surreal. Losing forty pounds sure does make a difference in energy levels. Spending a few days at home this week without running hither and yon is priceless as well. There truly is no place like home.
*I only took a few pictures today to send to my Levi so he can see what he is missing while he is off working away from home this summer. You, dear reader, get to see one of the pics.
Summer reading program at the library has begun. Benjamin enjoyed holding this bunny for a couple of minutes and also petting goats, chickens and a pony.
Benjamin had an eye doctor appointment today. We have a great doctor with a great staff because they patiently work with this fella to check his eyes while he wiggles and squirms and goes down rabbit trails and wonders what each piece of equipment is and why Woody and Buzz where not at the new office.
Alas, the eyes have been examined and new glasses have been ordered.
Last week I hit the goal of forty pounds lost. Forty pounds means I am over half way to the finish line.
I received this dress in a bag of clothes from someone moving away. I love this dress. The colors, the fit, the total package.
I still have a way to go but I am not where I started.
Today is a move the furniture and clean hang it on the line kind of day. Good thing is it actually still spring.
Now I speak the thoughts of my mind that often cause me to do nothing. The words are those of: so much to do, this also needs cleaned, organized, moved, purged, etc. and then I freeze and do nothing. The overwhelming nature of the needs to be done list often keeps me stunned and doing nothing at all. Today I start with one thing that needs to be done and then I will move onto the next thing on my list.
This plan of attack worked yesterday when I set my goal to deep clean the main bathroom, which is also the laundry room. It may have been the only truly clean room in my house for the day but today two rooms will be deeply cleaned. Tomorrow no one will be able to tell but I will know.
My Judith is traveling to the middle of nowhere Alaska with her Dad to drop her brother off to work for the summer on a river salmon charter.
We woke up to rain and very cool, as in thirty-seven degrees cool. I saw a couple of pictures of small hail from local people on facebook. I think I slept through that.
But, we have twenty-four hours of visible daylight and that is always fun.
