Bumper Crop!

Lady Farmer Van has been growing a patio tomato plant in a pot and it is LOADED with cherry tomatoes!!

Today I picked eight bright, red, little, and I mean little, tomatoes! It has been fun watching them grow.

There must be at least 100 tomatoes on this vine and I am looking forward to enjoying them in my salads!

Ah, the taste of "home grown and vine ripened!"

Here's to fresh! :)

I've been eating...

Hello friends! I have a confession...I have been eating some great food and loving every bite!

Only problem is, I put on a couple of pounds. I didn't mean to do it, but Subway and Jack in the Box were calling my name...for several days.


Has this ever happened to you? You drive by and all of a sudden, you find yourself with this irresistible urge to eat a hamburger and fries or a meatball sub. It is easier to give in and to get it over with and more delicious too.

Well, this was me since last Thursday. And one Subway wasn't enough, I went back the next day. Umm..good. And I just love to eat the new Deli Trio at Jack in the Box. So good!! I didn't order fries but lucky for me, my friend did and said "help yourself!"


All this being said, I did gain almost 4 pounds. Wow! It wasn't hard to do. So Monday morning, I decided to eat fruit. I ate a quarter of a cantaloupe, an orange and half an apple. For lunch, I ate half a cabbage. I like to fry 2 pieces of bacon and then put in coarsely chopped cabbage and saute it till it is tender. I add lots of black pepper and pile it on my plate and eat and eat and eat!

For dinner. I ate a salad and a hand full of dark chocolate chips. I have been craving dark chocolate. Actually dark chocolate contains MUFA and is good for you. I'm glad.


When I get on a kick, it seems as though I need to eat the same thing for several days to get it out of my system. Tuesday, I ate almost the same thing accept I had a small piece of salmon with my dinner salad.


And today...the 4 pounds were gone! I am so happy! It could have been a diet disaster. You know, the one where you give up because you begin to think "what's the use?" Don't give up. Get back on track!

It is fairly easy to correct 4 pounds. It is a lot harder when it it gets away from you and all of a sudden it is 10 or 15 pounds.


It is OK to give in but don't give up!

It bears repeating!

Habits That Can Help You Live Longer

Did you know the average American man can expect to live for up to 74 years, while the average U.S. woman will see her 79th birthday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Genetics play some part in life expectancy, however, our longevity also depends largely on the habits we incorporate into our daily lives.

Living to 100 Most people who live to be 100 years or older often say they have relied on the following habits to live full, healthy lives. It is never to late for you to adopt them into your daily routine.

Be a Healthy Eater You know what to eat!

Stay Active At least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. I just got back from my 30 minute walk. It was great to be outside. The sky is so blue today. I dedicate some of my time to praying and more time to giving thanks to God for all He is and for all He has done for me! This will help you stay physically fit and spiritually fit too. :)

Overweight but fit people outlive those who are overweight but out of shape.

Watch what you are eating! I read an article yesterday that said to always leave 2 bites on your plate. By doing this at 3 meals a day you can save about 100 calories a day or 700 calories a week. At the end of the year you will have avoided putting on a couple of pounds.

Small things matter. When you are eating out, put half of your food in a "to go" box. Do this when you are served your meal. This will nick temptation to eat more than you really should eat.

Easy tips to help us all cut our calorie intake. Easy to do...try it!

Good advice!

Yesterday I passed a billboard that read:
Eat healthy, Stay active and Have fun!

Good advice for everyone!

It reminded me of the kind of advice my dad gave me while I was growing up. He believed in healthy eating, exercise and enjoying each day to its fullest!

Daddy was raised on a farm in Tennessee where they ate lots of healthy vegetables everyday. His favorite was the sweet potato.

I remember my Mama would cook 4 or five sweet potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. When they were soft, she would turn off the oven and let them sit for several hours. This is the secret to cooking your sweet potatoes!

If you want to eat something good, just let your sweet potatoes "candy". It does not matter if the potato is eaten hot or cold; it is delicious! Add a little butter and enjoy! :)

And on the more scientific side: In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fibre content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.

Daddy had more advice. Stay active and keep moving! Every morning when he came down the stairs, he stopped at the landing to do exercises. He rode his bicycle almost everyday until he was 89. He knew the secret to good health...keep moving!

Enjoy your day and have fun! Daddy enjoyed everyday. He embraced life as it happened and kept a smile on his face with music in his voice.

He lived with me for about four years but began falling three or four time a week. I feared he would break his hip as Mama had done. The day finally came when he would enter a nursing home. With tears in my eyes, and a heavy heart, I told him it was time to go. He looked up at me, asked for his hat and cane and said: "Van, life is full of changes; this is just another change in mine."

What a wonderful, gracious, earthly father I had with an attitude of kindness, respect and consideration for others. He didn't go out of his way to make his point. He believed in letting the other person save face. Everyone who knew him, loved him. He taught me not to dwell on my misfortunes.

Once when I went to visit Daddy in the nursing home, I asked him if everyone was treating him well. He looked up at me and said: "In my lifetime, I don't remember anyone mistreating me." He always saw the good in people and situations. Attitude is important to good health and long life. Daddy lived to be ten days short of 97 years old. He never once complained about being in a nursing home. He made friends and he made the best of his situation.

In the Bible, Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 (New King James Version) 11 Not that I speak in regard to need,

for I have learned in whatever state I am,

to be content:

Good advice, don't you agree?

Less stress! Sounds good, doesn't it?

Here are a few tips to help you ease your stress and lower your blood pressure.

Lower your voice and you slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, which in turn will ease the tension in your body. The Journal of Behavioral Medicine reports that this single step can make you feel up to 20% calmer in minutes. Makes sense, doesn't it.

Drink 3 to 4 cups of green tea a day. According to Japanese research, green tea has tranquilizing credentials. Volunteers who drank 3 to 4 cups daily had their stress levels drop up to 30%. Apparently tea leaves have L-theanine, an amino acid found exclusively in tea leaves. They lower the out-put of worry trigger beta waves. I may not understand the science to this, but it worth a try. What do you think?

And my favorite! Hugging! The University of North Carolina has proven that hugging immediately increases levels of oxytocin which is a "bonding" hormone. This hormone reins in the physical signs of stress. Women are more sensitive to touch than men, so we reap an even bigger benefit from hugs than men. I get great hugs from my grandson and granddaughter!

Speak softly, enjoy a cup of green tea and give yourself a hug!

Here's hoping you have a stress free day!

Apple cider vinegar has lots of uses!

It is used as a home remedy for acne. Mix one part apple cider vinegar to three parts water and dab onto the pimple. Don't use full strength because some users have reported damage or burns from using full-strength vinegar on the face.

Goodbye Dandruff? If you have dandruff, try mixing 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. It supposedly restores the pH balance of the scalp.

Put the vinegar mixture into a spray bottle and spray on your hair and scalp. Be sure to avoid the eye and ear area. Wrap a towel around your head and leave on 20 minutes to an hour before washing the vinegar from your hair. Do this a couple of times a week and let me know if it helps your dandruff.

Give your silver a sparkle bath! Soak your silver jewelry and silverware in 1/2 cup white vinegar plus 2 Tbs. baking soda for two or three hours. Rinse with cool water and dry with a soft cloth.

Get rid of stains! Mix 1 1/2 tsp. mild dish soap and a few drops of white vinegar and put on the stains; rinse, wash and see the difference! :)

Although vinegar is inexpensive, I consider it valuable because it has so many uses.

Until tomorrow...have a great day...and remember to eat healthy!

I didn't want to do it!

I just got back from my 2 mile, 30 minute walk. I didn't want to do it...I wanted to stay inside. I wanted to sit in front of the TV and relax. Do nothing ... just chill.

However, I made a commitment to me...to walk at least 3 times a week but preferably 5 times a week. I didn't walk Friday, Saturday or Sunday so today was the day to get started walking...again. I walked and I am glad I did.

Never break your commitments to yourself because they are as important as your commitments to others. Keep walking and enjoy your day!