How NOT to Have a Perfect Garden!

Check out my potato row!
Now there's some imperfection for you...
Looks like I need to lay off the wine coolers
before I head out to the garden!!

Yes, you read that right.

I don't want you to have a perfect garden!  Perfect gardens never happen...at least not in my world.  

Check out this beautiful spud!  He's from some left-over potatoes
that I got from Azure Standard.  Since they are organic, they
started sprouting before we could finish eating them.

It's important that you get over the perfect garden plan. Avoid it!  Set yourself free.  Enjoy your imperfect garden. Have peace and joy in the imperfections.  They are beautiful.  

I'm telling you this because I dream in "perfect".  I research and try to figure out all the perfect answers for every question before it even gets asked.  Sometimes I find multiple answers to each question which really throws me off my perfect rails.  The needed decisions keep piling up and I get completely bogged down in it all.  

Mr. Crazy Spud!

I'm telling you...Don't go there!  Trying to figure out all the right answers and create a perfect garden is really code for "I'm not going to have a garden at all."

That would be sad.

Buy a few plants or seeds and stick them in the ground.  Do your best to help them along, but trust that your plants do not require a "perfect" world.  Their job is to grow and they will do their very best to accomplish that end.  Let them!

There is much to wonder about in the garden.  Turns out, playing in the dirt is good for our soul.

may your day and your garden be blessed,
pam

An Ode to Bread

I don't want to be gluten free!!!

I used to be a pusher!  I was a whole-wheat bread pushin' Mama.
I gave piping hot loaves of delicious bread to hundreds of people.
I equated homemade bread with love.

My family enjoyed and expected a warm loaf of bread with nearly every meal.
My children became bread snobs who scoffed at 2-day old, cold bread!

Then one day, in the blink of an eye, everything changed.

I read a book that challenged me to wonder if eating wheat was contributing to/causing some of the odd health issues that I had.

Wheat Belly (affiliate link) challenged me to stop eating wheat for a while to see if I felt better.

Within 3 days, I had the answer.
My brain fog lifted.  I had energy and could think clearly all day. I stopped needing naps and large amounts of caffeine just to get through the day.

I've been off wheat for a year now.
I'll admit that giving up all those yummy bread-foods has left a little hole in my life.

I would love to wolf down a loaf of homemade bread (or pancakes, crackers, cinnamon rolls, bagels....) right now!  Unfortunately, this just isn't possible.  I've tested the waters.

When I eat wheat/gluten, I experience profound brain fog within an hour (usually much sooner).

What does this brain fog look like for me?
I can't keep my eyes open or focus on people that are talking to me.  (rude, huh?!)
I fight and struggle, but simply can't stay awake.  My body insists that I sleep.

Before giving up the wheat, I stayed at a low-mid level of brain fog all afternoon.

I am so thankful to have clear thinking again, but truly I don't want to walk the gluten-free path!  I'm lazy.  I prefer to fit in and eat what everyone else is eating.  I don't want to be an oddball that requires special foods.

Bottom Line:  I MISS MY BREAD!!!

I'll be sharing more about my gluten-free journey on facebook.  Join me there!  


Have you experienced brain fog or other symptoms of gluten sensitivity?


many blessings to you,
pam

linked to Homestead Barn Hop!