Point of Perspicacity – That waking at 4am frustration

Throughout my life I have had mornings, early mornings, when I found myself awake and tossing and turning at 4am (or thereabouts). I used to lie awake and get so frustrated because  I wanted to be asleep. It always seemed the more I wanted to be asleep, the more wide awake I would become, until finally as dawn would break I would fall asleep ~ only to be woken a short time later by an alarm clock, feeling groggy and all out of sorts for the rest of the day.

But no more.

What’s to like about Menopause? I’m no longer allergic to cats.

What’s to like about Menopause? Honestly? Not a cotton picking thing. Well… there is one thing. I am no longer allergic to cats. My allergy to cats has been something I have had to contend with all my life, and, since I absolutely adore the little fur balls, I have simply learned not to put my face in, or even near, their fur. But all that has changed.

5:2, Bullet Proof, Paleo, Gluten Free – Diet or Lifestyle?

I am not a great proponent of diets. I am a firm believer that if you deprive yourself of something, particularly a yummy something, you will inevitably go back to it and then more so. So although a diet may give a quick fix, I think it is not sustainable. *And by ‘diet’ I mean something you do for a bit, hopefully reach your goal, and then stop, or give up in most cases.  Now a lifestyle change that is far more healthy sounding to my ears.

Making Friends in the Animal World – A Duckling Adventure

This morning I went to let the rabbits out and found a little red squirrel in with them. They seemed rather oblivious to him. He had a bit of a panic as he tried to find the way out, but in the end he managed. It is moments like this, when confronted with the unknown and unanticipated antics of the animal world, that I am reminded not to make assumptions but rather watch, wait and see what happens.

Devious Ducks – We’ve been ganged up on

They’ve done it again. The ducks have ganged up on us.  Spring is very definitely in the air amongst our feathered flock, and particularly with the ducks.

The chickens are doing their normal thing of laying eggs. Well, at least 2 of the 3 are, the other one prefers slightly warmer weather before she graces us with an egg.  We take their eggs, as and when, without much fear of zany nesting antics.  The ducks on the other hand, they are a mission unto themselves.

Making Maple Syrup in Vermont – a shared moment

I met John, aka Movin’ On, when we were both walking the Appalachian Trail. With the wonders of internet, we’ve managed to keep in touch over the years, though homes have moved.  John set roots down in Vermont and recently posted about harvesting maple syrup on Facebook. This took me back.

My family regularly spent weekends in New Hampshire, when I was growing up, where we had a small cabin (think ‘Little House in the Big Woods’ one of Laura Ingalls-Wilder’s first books if you haven’t read it). The area had no shortage of maple trees and each winter we would see buckets hanging from trees collecting the sap. It’s a scene that has painted itself into one of my fondest childhood memories.

I know many people don’t actually know where Maple Syrup comes from (answer: maple trees, hence the name), or if they do, how it is done (essentially the trees are ‘tapped for their sap’), so  I asked John if he would write about his experiences, as I felt this something quite unique and worth sharing.

Making a Vertical Garden – recycling the previous year

Last year was our first year working our vegetable garden (our first time gardening ever in fact) and we tried a series of different methods; raised beds, wattling bed, pallet planters and vertical hanging wall, to see what worked well. All were made using recycled materials and are being continued into this year, with almost no changes except for a relocation of some of the pallet planters and a some amendments to the vertical garden as a result of lessons learned.

Point of Perspicacity – wonderful words

Perspicacity [pur-spi-kas-i-tee]
noun
Keenness of mental perception and understanding; a penetrating discernment—a clarity of vision which provides insight.

I think I was 4 when I had my first point of perspicacity, and it all had to do with the word Mother.  It was the day I realised, and felt proud, that I was able to spell a ‘big’ word.

Point of Perspicacity – In My Opinion

Opinions are dangerous things. They mean you aren’t willing to listen to others, they are very often formed as part of a bandwagon effect, and they can lead to amazing levels of anger and violence. ~ But then, that’s my opinion.

Point of Perspicacity – Mothers are Always Right

My Mum has always said, “The more sleep you get before midnight, the better rested one feels.” Mothers are always right.