Garden Gatherings

Remember when you were young and you prayed for school to be closed for a snow day? Well, I felt that way today as I cancelled and rescheduled appointments for the next couple of days.

Denver is having its first real snow storm of the season. My backyard measures 18″ of the wonderful white stuff so far. Tomorrow promises more.

I’ve enjoyed the time to catch up on business tasks, long over-due communication with long-distance friends and sipping wonderful warm drinks! Tomorrow, I’ll play in the back-yard with my new snowshoes, boots and poles.

But for now, I’m headed to the kitchen to bake some cinnamon-y apples . . . yum. Here’s the recipe in case you are so inclined to join me.

1. Wash, peel, core & slice 3-4 medium apples
2. Place slices in buttered glass baking dish
3. Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries
4. Sprinkle with 1-tsp. cinnamon
5. Add 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts if desired
6. Cover baking dish with foil; bake at 350-degrees until apples are tender, but not mushy.
7. Serve in dessert bowls. If you have real whipping cream in your refridgerator, add just a drizzle over the  hot apples. Enjoy!

Happy Winter!

Well, it has been quite a year. . . and here we are, planning, preparing and perhaps praying the day before Thanksgiving. Where did the time go?

As you plan and prepare, I challenge you to ponder all your blessings. I’ve already heard several comments (complaints) that some are ready for this “family event” to be over! That’s just sad.

Even in the most dire circumstances, surely we can come up with a few things we are thankful for.  Count them. Think about them. Give thanks for them.

I would love to hear from you in this season of gratitude . . . what are you thankful for? My list is long, but at the top are:

• Healthy parents (in their 80′s) who will be at my Thanksgiving table
• A granddaughter who will turn 2 on this holiday
• Family, friends, great health, warm bed, an old vehicle that still works, and a Creator God that always provides

May you savor this season . . .and truly be grateful for it’s abundance!

Yes, it’s autumn. And that means apple season. We are blessed in Colorado to have several apple growers and nothing tastes better than a fresh, crisp tree-ripened apple.

Did  you know this about apples?

• They are so packed with fiber that you get nearly 20% of your daily dietary needs in one medium apple.
• They require you to chew and chew and chew which allows your body to feel full before eating too many calories.
• The natural fruit sugars in an apple gradually enter your bloodstream keeping blood sugars and insulin levels balanced so you don’t experience hunger highs and lows.

The apple offers many health benefits  and I challenge you to go beyond an “apple-a-day”  and eat three or four or even five apples during this Fall Season. Help your body prepare for the heavier foods of winter with the gentle internal cleansing that apples provide.

More apple wisdom next time . . . stay tuned.

Today is the last day of August, 2011. Take last month’s post and copy-paste! I’ll say it again . . . I don’t know where the days went. I must confess that I truly summered this season.

I took two trips to visit my family in Texas, attended a wedding, a family reunion, and sadly, a family funeral. I spent time with my grand-daughter, friends on the Western Slope and actually left Colorado for a week in Seattle.

As these late summer days drift past, I’m preparing for a new season. I’m excited to offer new wellness workshops, so stay tuned for details.

Take a few deep breaths and savor these wonderful days. Wishing you great health!

My Little Garden Helper

Today is the last day of July 2011––where did the month go? I’ve felt  as though  I’m motoring in a different gear this year. Winter seemed to linger into Spring . . . Spring rained into Summer . . . the weeds are taking control of my garden . . . and I feel out of order. I recently shared this dilemma with my friend, Donna Mazzitelli and she agreed that what is familiar to us in each season has seemed un-familiar this year. She too is experiencing a feeling of “squirrelly” this summer. Please visit her at: www.bellisimaliving.com for more wise insights.

With the rains . . . come the weeds

No matter how “out-of-order” the seasons may appear, there are some orderly steps we can take to insure total wellness in all seasons. You’ve heard me teach strongly on the necessity of keeping the body well-watered . . .well, I’m still teaching that message. I recently received this bit of information on how water keeps the body healthy: drinking water at certain times maximizes its effectiveness on the body.

• 2 glasses upon rising in the morning helps activate internal organs
• 1 glass prior to a meal (30-minutes) improves digestion
• 1 glass prior to taking a bath helps lower blood pressure
• 1 glass prior to going to bed may prevent stroke or heart attack

Water helps regulate body temperature (really important in the heat of summer). Your brain is composed of 75% water . . . so when you experience  your next “brain-fog” drink a large glass of water! Water helps carry nutrients and oxygen to all cells and improves nutrient absorption.

We can see the benefits of our recent rainy season in our surrounding environment. Just know that your internal environment benefits as well from your daily water intake.

Please enjoy the last days of summer . . . a new season is waiting its turn . . . and above all things, be IN good health!

Nature's Bird Bath