The "C" Word

When I was younger, the "C" word was a swear word, particularly hated by women.  Now, the "C" word is Cancer, and it's hated by everyone.

So many of my friends and family members have battled it - some are still battling, some have won the fight, and unfortunately some have lost.

Now it's in my home.  If you have been following my posts, you know that my husband is battling prostate cancer.  We were hoping the fight would be done once his prostate was removed. 

But that giant shoe finally dropped.

Starting in October he will be going to London for radiation treatment for six weeks.  Monday to Friday he will stay in a lodge and go for treatment every day.  On the weekends he can come home to our dog Raven, and to me.  I wish we could go with him, but we can't. 

And for the added twist..... I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma - skin cancer.  I had it removed this morning and will get the pathology reports next week.  As the doctor removed it, he said "no need to worry this is usually very slow growing" and the first thought that popped into my head was, yeah that's what they told us about prostate cancer. 

Don't get me wrong - I am not worried about me at all.  I'm fine.  I'm worried about John.

I finally figured out who, or should I say 'what', the monster under the bed is.  He is lying in wait under everyone's bed.  And he is hungry........he is always hungry.

Sshhhhh.....

The monster is stirring.  I can't see it, but I can feel it.  
Ssshhhhh.  Don't wake it.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop.....

I used to hear that saying all the time when I was growing up.  I have no idea where it came from, but it is supposed to signify that you are waiting for something to happen.  That is the feeling I have, and I am not sure why, or what, but I have a feeling it is very important, and scary.  It's not "the-waiting-for-something-to-happen" that has me worried.  It's the "scary" part.

Why do I feel this way?  Hmmm.....not really sure.  I just know that it is a very strong feeling. 

It's the monster under the bed.  The one we can't see, but we sure know it's there.  I hear the house creak, and I know it is watching me.  Watching and waiting.  Because it has all the time in the world.  So it will wait until my guard is down.  And then what? 

Geez I wish I knew.

Recovery

This has been quite a summer.  A radical prostatectomy for my husband and hip surgery for me.  Most of the summer has been spent with one or both of us in recovery mode.
John is doing fabulous - he started cycling last Sunday and plans on completing the 25 mile Centurion ride on September 15th.  He is hiking Blue Mountain with our dog and started back at exercise class today.  He has switched from recovery to training mode. 
When he completed a 38 km ride a few days ago, I said if he could do that then he could absolutely finish the 25 mile Centurion ride mid September.  I was proud of him and thought I was being supportive and positive.  But I got quite the "look" as he turned to me and emphatically stated, "I don't just want to complete it - I want to be first in my age category."  I guess I was told!
He is not only doing the ride for himself either - he will be raising funds for our local hospital.  Added incentive.
I wish I could do it with him, but I am only 2 weeks post surgery, so it's not in the cards for me.  But I will be there cheering him on.  After all, he is my hero! 

Good Intentions

I was so excited when I first started writing this blog - we were out in BC for the winter and I was thoroughly enjoying the 'west coast' life.  We were cycling and walking to town, playing with the grandkids, spending quality time with our sons and John was getting in lots of skiing.  I had so much I wanted to write about, and truly believed I would be writing at least three blogs per week.  But good intentions have a way of going off track when you least expect it.  Our world was turned upside down and inside out when my husband found out he had prostate cancer.  And not the "run of the mill, if a male is going to get cancer then prostate cancer is the best case scenario" kind (and yes, we have been told that a few times).  No.  He has the aggressive type - you know, the one the doctor tells you they hope it isn't.....yah, that one.  So no, I haven't been able to write for awhile.  I haven't been able to wrap my head around much, let alone put it on paper.

I know what you are thinking - I am not the one with cancer.  And you are right.  But this is my soul mate we are talking about.  The man who is never sick.  The man who has been with me through all my trials and tribulations with my health and various injuries (and there's been a few).  My rock.

You see, I didn't get married until I was 38 years old.  I just hadn't found "the one".  John is it.  Sure he came with baggage - two ex-wives and three kids.  But he has been worth all the ups and downs and "crap" that sometimes (probably always) comes in that kind of package.  Worth it and more.  So believe me when I say I am not letting cancer win this fight.  I am preparing him, and myself for the fight of our lives.  We have a lot of living, exploring and experiencing to do together.  So I am reading everything I can about exercise, nutrition, homeopathy and anything else I can use in my arsenal against this attack.  And we are going to fight back, together.

Damn cancer won't know what hit it.

Veggie Container Gardening

When I was a little girl my parents had a vegetable garden.  I think almost everybody did back then.  I loved picking cherry tomatoes and popping them straight in my mouth – it was an explosion of flavour! As I grew up, it seemed that many people stopped planting vegetable gardens as flowerbeds claimed the yard. But as with everything else, planting vegetable gardens is back in style, in a big way! “Locally grown” is the new buzzword and what could be more local than your own backyard!

But what if you don’t have the space for a vegetable garden? Vegetables are easily grown in containers and with many advantages as well. Containers are easily moved, so you can follow the sun for veggies that love the heat, or you can move them to a shady spot in the scorching afternoon sun. You can also lift them up out of the way of hungry rabbits. I grew lettuce in containers last summer and although there was evidence of rabbits, they could not reach my lettuce! Having the ability to move the pots into the shade and away from the hot sun also meant I was cutting lettuce almost every day well into August!

I know some people who don't want to pot up veggies as they don't think they will look as nice as flowers, and may even spoil "the look" of their yard.  But it doesn't have to be that way.

With the use of colours and textures you can create a beautiful vegetable container!  Try pairing the fine, needle-like leaves of rosemary with the big leaves and bright flowers of a scrambling cucumber. Or how about red-stemmed swiss chard with marigolds and red hot peppers? Garlic chives have a grassy texture, wonderful taste and edible white flowers, so would be a great addition to any container. And don’t forget strawberries or cherry tomatoes for your hanging planters!

The familiar adage “Thriller, filler, spiller” works for veggie containers too.  A wrought iron obelisk in the centre of the container to support vines such as cucumber, beans or peas would make an interesting thriller, with kale as the filler, and nasturtium spilling over the container.  I found this pic and I am going to try this in my yard this year!   

Flowers, especially in the daisy family, not only look pretty but attract beneficial insects. Beneficial insects kill pests such as tomato hornworm or aphids and also pollinate fruit-bearing vegetables.  I have always used marigold in the past, but Gaillardia would be a great addition to containers of tomatoes or peppers. Edible flowers not only add colour, but are great in salads or as a garnish.

There are so many colours and varieties of vegetables available now.  I am definitely going to experiment with different combinations this year.  Let me know some of the combinations you have tried!

Bees

I watched the “Bee Movie” the other day with my grandkids. If you haven't seen it, it’s an animated comedy of a bee’s life through the eyes of a bee, starring Jerry Seinfeld and Renee Zellweiger. The grandkids loved it. I enjoyed it too, but surprisingly, I also found it inspiring!

I love bees. The sound they make when flitting from flower to flower makes me think they are humming while they work - and that they truly love what they do.

We really take bees for granted. When we think of bees, most think honey. Honey bees make honey. But did you know there are over 1000 species of bees in Canada?

Pollination is the most vital function bees perform. Pollinators provide up to 90% of the world’s flowering plants, including 2/3 of the world’s crop species and they sustain plant communities that provide food and shelter for other animals. Bees are the most common pollinator…….what a bleak world we would live in without the bee.

And bee populations are declining rapidly throughout the world, especially the honey bee and bumblebee. Insecticides, loss of habitat, viruses, parasites and stress caused when moving honey bees long distances for crop pollination, are some reasons. Colony Collapse Disorder is a phenomenon affecting honey bees and bumblebees that presently has no cause, although research is underway. Until scientists find an answer, we can help by creating habitat for bees in our gardens.

Create a garden with plants blooming from spring to fall, in colours of white, yellow, blue or violet and rich with nectar and pollen. Native plants and old-fashioned varieties offer the best nectar. Modern hybrids often have the scent and nectar bred out of them to attain other attributes. Plant a wide variety, but in clumps of six or more, not only for the bees, but for visual impact in your garden. Most importantly, don't use pesticides/insecticides.

Plants that will attract bees will also attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Some of my favourites are: cardinal flower, chives, honeysuckle, bee balm, zinnia, mint, fuchsia, cosmos, lavender, nasturtium, lupine, coneflower, geranium, black-eyed susan, aster, butterfly weed, butterfly bush and roses. Some bees have short tongues so prefer flowers such as marigold, daisy and phlox.

Fresh, clean water is also important. I have three birdbaths – a small, very shallow one for bees and butterflies and two larger ones for birds. You could also put a small saucer from the reuse centre in your garden and keep it filled with fresh water.

So when choosing some flowers for your garden this spring, choose a few for the bees. And don't worry if you are allergic to bees. I am, and I work beside them in my garden all the time, confident they will not sting me – they are far too busy to bother with me!

One of my favourite quotes is about bees - and we could all learn something from it.:

"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway."
(Mary Kay Ash)

Raw Food

When I mention a 'raw food diet', I get some strange looks.  Some people say 'so you're just eating carrot and celery sticks now'... or 'that sounds so boring...' or 'I would get sick of eating salads all the time'.  Sound familiar?  Well it couldn't be further from the truth.  There are sooo many recipes for raw food.  And the best part - its good for you and tastes great!  Raw foods have a higher nutrient value than foods that have been cooked.  Processed food and "convenience" food often has added chemicals, preservatives, additives, colouring and many other things that are just not good for us.

Raw fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and it is believed that this can help reduce signs of aging.  According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman (author of "Eat to Live") raw cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, kale, broccoli and similar green leaf vegetables have the most powerful anti-cancer effects of all foods.  He further believes they neutralize free radicals, rendering them harmless and reducing cancer risk.  Certainly something to think about.

With all the food intolerances and allergies I have, I want to get the most out of what I am eating - the most vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and flavour.  So I am incorporating more raw food recipes into my diet.  I am not eating a completely raw diet, but I believe by adding some recipes to my repertoire I am becoming more healthy and it is opening up a whole new world for me.

Some raw food recipes are easy to prepare, while others need advanced planning and specific kitchen appliances (blender, food processor, dehydrator) to prepare them.  I found one recipe for raw vegan chocolate mousse - it is so decadent!  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I served it to guests last week, and I didn't tell them anything about it until after they tasted it.  After the rave reviews, one of my guests asked for the recipe and nobody would believe that the main ingredient is avocado!  I will add the recipe at the end of this post -only four ingredients and very easy to make.  Let me know if you like it.

One of my favourite sites for recipes and information is better raw. (Check out the link on the top corner of my blog - just look for the chocolate covered strawberry....yum!)   Tanya Alekseeva writes a blog and has written a few e-books of raw food recipes.  I have purchased two and I have loved every recipe I have tried so far.  The link will take you to the books if you would like to purchase and download one (very reasonable prices too) or you can check out her blog.  I like ordering e-books as I can download them right away, instead of waiting for them to arrive by snail mail!

I am always looking for recipes for food that I can eat.  You have to eat healthy to be healthy.  And if it tastes good and is good for me....well to me, that is the perfect food!


Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse

4 ripe Avocados
1 cup Agave Nectar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup Organic Fair Trade Cocoa Powder (or Carob)

Slice each avocado open and scoop out the insides. Place the insides in a food processor or high speed blender.  Add Agave nectar, vanilla and cocoa powder.  Process or blend the mixture until fully blended, smooth and the colour of chocolate.  You can instantly serve the mousse, but I recommend you let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour.  Serve in cups with fresh fruit or mint.  It tastes great with sliced strawberries!

(recipe from Autonomie Project at www.autonomieproject.com)

(Note:  I couldn't find Organic Fair Trade Cocoa Powder so I substituted with an organic dark cocoa powder)
                                                               ENJOY!                           

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Yummy Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

This cupcake was decorated by my four year old grandson Coady.  As you can see, he loves chocolate chips and candy dinosaurs, but the cupcake and icing were made from the recipe I have included.  They are my version of a red velvet cupcake - they are wheat free, gluten free, egg free, soy free and bovine dairy free.  I am allergic to any kind of cow dairy, but goat and sheep are okay, which is great because I love goat cheese!  Anyway, I digress.  These cupcakes have a reddish tinge like red velvet cupcakes, but not from food colouring - from beets!  They are not only delicious but they are good for you, and they have the seal of approval from my grandkids!  They are so moist and delicious it is hard to believe they are free from some of the top allergens.  The icing is pink because it is made with raspberries.  I searched for a cupcake recipe that not only my grandsons could eat, but that I could eat too so we could decorate them together.  I found a recipe for velvety beet cupcakes at Chatelaine, and adapted it.  I hope you enjoy them too!

 

Gluten free Red Velvet Cupcakes with Raspberry Icing

¼ cup                    frozen raspberries

1 ¼ cups               all purpose gluten free flour
¼ cup                    unsweetened dark cocoa powder
¾ tsp                     baking powder
¼ tsp                     baking soda
½ tsp                     salt
½ tsp                     xanthum gum (if not already added to flour)
½ 398 ml can       beets, rinsed, drained, patted dry
¾ cup                    organic granulated sugar or cane sugar
¼ cup                    oil (safflower, vegetable oil, even virgin olive oil will work)
1                            egg replacer (I use flax gel – see note below)
1 tsp                      vanilla
½ cup                    coconut milk
½ 250g                  soft goat cheese, cubed
½ cup                    icing sugar

 Measure out raspberries and leave on counter.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cups.  Stir flour with cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum and salt in a large bowl.  Puree beets in a blender.  Beat sugar with oil in a medium bowl, using electric mixer, until combined (2 min).  Beat in egg, then beets and vanilla.  Gradually beat in one-third of flour mixture just until blended, then half of coconut milk.  Repeat additions, ending with flour mixture.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each ¾ full.

Bake in centre of oven until a cake tester inserted in cupcakes comes out clean – 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove cakes to a rack to cool completely before icing.

Push raspberries through a sieve into a bowl, using the bottom of a ladle.  Discard seeds.  Stir in cream cheese and icing sugar.  Spread over cooled cupcakes.
Makes 12.

Note:  To replace one egg:  mix 1 tbsp flax meal with 3 tbsp warm water.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using in recipe.

I use all organic and gluten free ingredients but if you don't have celiac or specific allergies, you can adapt this very easily.

View from the balcony

Spring has arrived in the Comox Valley.  The snowdrops have been blooming for a few weeks now.  Tulips and daffodils are ready to bloom, perennials are making their presence known and crocus are giving us the shot of colour we desperately seek after a dreary winter.  But the best part of spring has to be the sound of the birds.  Eagles, robins, juncos, ducks - these sounds greet me every morning when I walk our dog.  It is very hard to be sad or down when you hear the joyful sound of birds in spring!  The condo we are staying at is on the Puntledge River, so close I can almost feel it.  The view from the balcony is beautiful.  I can watch the ducks and trumpeter swans swim by, and the eagles perched on a nearby tree.  I will miss this view when we head home to Ontario.  And I will definitely miss the eagles!  They are fascinating and so majestic! 
A week ago my grandson Brodie was visiting with his mother.  We saw something in the river but couldn't quite make it out at first.  To our surprise and dismay, it was a bald eagle!  It was being swept down the river, and looked as if it was struggling trying to get out.  It was right in the water, wings flapping furiously.  We all wanted to do something to help it, and various scenarios of what to do flashed through my head.  I wanted to run down to the river and jump in to help but I am not a strong swimmer, so that was out.  So we watched helplessly from the balcony.  I silently prayed for it as we watched it furiously flapping one wing, thrashing through the water.
Could it be... yes, it was actually getting closer to land.  We all started to yell "come on you can do it".  And it did!  I have never seen anything like that!  We were so happy that it made it to shore.  I'm sure some of our neighbours were curious as to why we were excitedly jumping up and down and high fiving each other - as if we had actually helped it ourselves! I wanted to be sure it was okay, so I got out the binoculars.  I was surprised, and happy to see that it still had a fish in its claws and was beginning to eat it!  It was wet, and in my mind had been through a harrowing experience, but it had managed to keep hold of its lunch!  We took turns looking through the binoculars.  It was so exciting and something we will not forget - especially Brodie.
Nature truly is beautiful.

Glutenized!

My husband and I are spending the winter in Courtenay BC - our two sons and two grandsons live here so we get to escape the snow and spend quality time with them!  The bonus - Courtenay is very gluten-free friendly so it is easy to shop for groceries and restaurants for the most part are very careful.  Some restaurants even have dedicated kitchens to ensure there is no contamination!  Monday, we decided to go for a drive and ended up in Campbell River.  We really didn't have any plans, so when we saw the ferry for Quadra Island was in, we decided to hop on it.  We ended up at Rebecca Spit and took the dog for a long walk.  Getting a might peckish after a few hours, we stopped at a little restaurant.  There wasn't much of a selection for me, and after many questions, we decided on sweet potato fries.  That is the only thing I can possibly think of where I could have come in contact with gluten.  My fault - I should have known better.  They tasted delightful, but I paid for it for three days - headaches, gut pain, diarrhea, well you get the idea.  That's what happens when you get hungry and haven't planned ahead.  I usually pack snacks or protein bars but this was an unexpected trip.  We didn't even have our camera, which is really too bad because it was so beautiful. Last minute trips are fun, but not good if you have so many food allergies/intolerances.  You have to be prepared all the time, and sometimes its just not fun.  I always have water and snacks for the dog stashed in the car.  So lesson learned - stash some snacks and protein bars in the car to tide me over for the few places that can't accomodate.  If its good enough for the dog.....  In the meantime, I'm going back to lie down.... 

New beginning

Imagine having a job that you enjoyed so much that you didn't mind the crazy shift work or the parties you had to miss because you were working.  A job that was interesting, fufilling and made you feel good about yourself.  Now imagine a car accident that took all that away from you.  Devastating.  And it was.  And yes, I wallowed in self pity for a long time and gained a lot of weight.  My wonderful husband was so patient - he was my rock.  He noticed that I began to smile again when I talked about, or worked in my garden.  It was my sanctuary.  So he gently nudged me to take online horticultural courses at Guelph University.  And I began to thrive again.  Designing gardens for family and friends became a wonderful hobby.  I also started writing freelance gardening articles for some local magazines (Collingwood Life, Georgian Life, Body).  It didn't pay but it sure was fun - I found I loved to write.

Then I became sick, so sick that I couln't keep any food in me.  I had test after test, but they had no idea what was wrong.  I lost a lot of weight.....67 pounds.  Sure, I needed to lose weight, but not quite that much.  I looked and felt sick.  I finally went to see a naturopath and I found out what was wrong.  I had celiac.  Not only that but my poor body had become intolerant to eggs, soy, cow dairy (goat and sheep is okay), peanuts, almonds, pineapple, tomatoes and sweet peppers.

For those of you who don't know what celiac is -it is "a medical condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health."  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale, barley, hydrolyzed vegetable/plant protein, malt, spelt, and kamut.  There is no cure, but it can be treated by following a gluten-free diet.

It's difficult but not impossible to follow a gluten-free diet.  What I found was so much harder, was avoiding all the things I had become intolerant to, especially eggs, soy and dairy.  You would be surprised how many things contain at least one of those 3 ingredients.  Intolerance is such a strange word.  When I usually tell people I can't eat those items, I tell them they are allergies as they take it much more seriously and understand it more readily.  But it is just as uncomfortable having an intolerance to food - I get stomach cramps, diarrhea, headaches, rashes - who wants that?  So for the past 20 months, I have tried to stay away from them.  It is difficult at times, because I have to read the labels on everything!  And there are so many "hidden" ingredients.  For the most part, it works for me. 

Going out for dinner is difficult.  You learn to ask a lot of questions, and it is best to talk to the chef if possible.  Because even cross contamination (using the same pan or spoon) can make you very sick.  Friends and family have been terrific - it was difficult for them at first too, but eventually they realized that the simpler the meal, the better.  Who doesn't like simple? And I have experimented with various recipes too.  I really love cooking now because I get to experiment with ingredients that I may never have used otherwise.

Due to the healthy diet and exercise, I am now at a healthy weight.  I feel healthier, stronger and have more energy than I have had in years.  The extra energy certainly helps me in the garden!  And it helps me to keep up with my grandchildren - four of them ranging from 3 to 6 years old.

Since I enjoy writing I thought a blog might be fun.  But I am a newbie at this, so bear with me. 

I hope you enjoy "just another day..".  It should be an interesting journey....