Green Thumb Beginner

I have a little addiction to buying vegetable and herb starts to my little patio. It first started with a tomato plant and then another tomato plant and Catnip. And now this:

Mt Hood, Deschutes, Maupin

Photos from the most pretty place from my trip last weekend. Me, a hike, and a camera.

Traveling and Being

I had a lovely, much needed, three day weekend. I spent it relaxing of course, and being active by biking, hiking, and cooking outdoors. More pictures to come once I get them off the camera.

A little detour through Mt Hood National Forest through some Apple Orchards

View from tent at campground

Hot and Sunny in Portlandia

I make no secret of it- I love the sun. I never really thought about it before when I lived in California. Pretty much everyday was sunny where I lived. Now it is pretty much rainy and cloudy for most of the year in Portland, Oregon. Until summer. It was 85 and sunny and I spent it gardening, laying on the beach reading, walks, bike rides to the farmers market, and naps. Just plain lazy. And the two cats both got their bathes and weren't so happy with us!

Cheeseburger is not happy about the bath.

Sauvie Island

Sauvie Island

Camping By The River

Deschutes River camping was relaxing. I mountain biked while he fished. There were campfires, owls, snakes, quail, geese, rabbits, and lizards. It was hard to come back to civilization on Sunday.

Mountain Biking in Deschutes

Break to take in the view

Snake friend sunning

Old railroad bits

Lone tree in a cliff

Canadian geese friends and their kids

Campfire

It's That Time Again

...Time to go to Deschutes River, Oregon this weekend and camp! Bike rides along a isolated dirt road that follows the river, camping under the stars, the river rocking me to sleep. Yes, it's that time of year again and hopefully the sun will shine on me too.

From my campsite last year. Deschutes River, Oregon.

Epsom Salt Bath and the Spring Cleanse

I have been on a bit of a cleanse path recently. Over the winter my "love handles" quietly grew over the sides of my pants. It did not help me feel any more confident and it just is plain not healthy. But I did not have the time or energy to do anything about it. I made a few small tweeks in my daily life and am slowly but surely growing more slender. This includes forgoing dessert once in a while for grapes or strawberries instead. Or going for a 20 minutes jog every other day. Chicken breast and Cobb Salad made the night before for lunch rather than a massive burrito at Senor Taco or Subway (gosh I love their Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies! I will have three please). Little tweaks. Nothing drastic and something I know I will stick with if I indulge once in a while. I am not weighing myself but just looking at how my pants are becoming loose and I have more energy. I will blog more about these changes. One thing I am doing is taking Epsom Salt bathes to rid my body of toxins and get a boost in energy. This is amazing stuff.

Why is it important? (From this site) :

Our magnesium levels have dropped by half in the last century due to changes in agriculture and diet. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from soil and the typical American diet contains much less magnesium than that of our forefathers. And in fact, the modern American diet with its fat, sugar, salt and protein actually works to speed up the depletion of magnesium from our bodies.

All this from a Epsom Salt Bath:

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.
• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
• Improved oxygen use.
• Improved absorption of nutrients.
• Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

And it only cost me $3.99.