Organic Thoughts

Wow - So sorry for the time away. Pretty crazy week what with Easter and all. I actually ended up going to a pretty ritzy place for brunch. Can't complain about that. However instead of giving you a long drawn out update on the minute details of my week I think, instead, I'll let you in on something I've been considering.

I loathe - with the deepest loathing possible - all varieties of "fat-free", "sugar-free", "carb-free", and essentially "food-free" food. Seriously, if you find yourself victim to the sadistic notions that depriving yourself of the necessary nutrients in food will allow you to eat more of it without gaining weight you have been strongly misled. It does not matter how few or how many calories that triple glazed, cream filled, sprinkle-heaven doughnut of yours has. It's still a doughnut. If you eat 47 of them you will get fat. That's right I said it. You will get fat. Life's a bitch that way - and she wont put up with any of our nifty little chemical/enzyme tricks. Go right ahead and take all the diet pills you want - whatever pounds you drop will be replaced with water weight and eventually long term fat. F A T. Fat.

Now I don't mean to be a downer about all of this - I just cant help but be amazed at the ignorance of some people over the matter. For example: those who think drinking diet soda (as opposed to non-diet soda) will do much good. Here's a thought - drink some water. Hell - drink flavored water if you must. The fake sweeteners and chemical additives in diet soda are far more harmful than the sugar in regular soda. So Ha.

Also - "I Cant Believe It's Not Butter". Great. So what exactly is it? No one knows....and that's how they like it. Truth be told if the large majority of society knew what was in their food - and the proven side effects of such additives - there would be a mass reverting to home grown vegetables.

Speaking of vegetables I have added considerably to what I plan to plant in my garden and am eagerly awaiting the last frost date (apparently somewhere near April 26th in my area) so that I can start sowing seeds!

Organic all the way.

More soon.

Lizzy

Trial and Error

I have decided to start a garden. Yes that's right. Me - the poster child for a complete lack of homemaking ability - has decided to start a garden.

I can tell you right now that this is a really really really bad idea. It shouldn't be that complicated right? But I was blessed with the remarkable ability to over complicate the simplest of things. The purist in me wants to say -

"Hey its really not a big deal. Get some seeds, some potting soil, some coffee grounds from work, and a book on gardening. What could go wrong?"

But of course that sarcastic little voice that comes out at the worse (and best) of times likes to respond:

"Everything..."

Well pooh on you little voice. I'm starting my garden with or without your approval.
I've already gone and borrowed far too many books on gardening from the library and today I went and picked up some packets of seeds. Here's what I got:

Summer Squash
Zucchini (It's actually labeled as squash but it still looks like zucchini)
Onions
Carrots
Snap Peas

Plus I got two varieties of flowers (Phlox and Snapdragons) with which I plan to line the edges of my soon to be beautiful and prosperous garden. I think I may be going a bit overboard.

I suppose that's a rather ambitions little crop I have planned but I've decided that this year will be the one where my garden works out. The last two tries were not as well planned which I believe (along with their location and the lack of funding) ultimately led to the downfall of each. The first time I was about 10 and I decided that I was going to have an indoor garden. I had three pots, each with about a 6 inch diameter, and I proceeded to use about 4 packets worth of different vegetable seeds in each. Needless to say, my garden quickly found suicide to be its ideal option. A few years later, on another gardening kick, I decided that this time I would try my plans outdoors. I began to work away at the 2 x 4 bit of soil I had in front of my bedroom window (we were living in a meager apartment complex at the time) and after reaching the concrete that was 3 inches below the surface, quickly gave up.

The greatest success I've had so far has been with my houseplants. I have three. Two bamboo and a jade. I've only had them about 6 months or so but they all seem to be doing well. I've made sure they get their recommended amount of water and sunlight and occasionally I sing to them. The bamboo seems to prefer ballads.

I think its safe to say that I've had my fair share of trial and error when it comes to gardening. Hopefully I'll have better luck this year.

I'll let you know!

Lizzy