Some Much Needed Updates

So things have not been so wonderful these past two weeks - hence the lack of posting.  Various pieces of both my personal and professional life seem to be falling apart from time to time.  I lost a student two weeks ago in an ATV accident, I have new reason to wonder if I will have a job in a year, and my husband and I had to find a home for one of our dogs because she snapped at the little one a few times.  These things all happened in the same week, which was stressful.  The job situation continues to be stressful not to mention raising a nearly-two-year-old who has discovered the art of the tantrum.  As a result, things between the hubby and I are... let's just say less than joyful.  So I have one more week of work until spring break and I am at least able to get outside for a freezing cold dose of vitamin D everyday, so there may be some hope for my sanity.  Here are some much-needed updates:

Sugar
So last time I posted I was three days into my sugar ban.  I was doing so well, but the week that things fell apart, so did my willpower.  On day four of the sugar ban I spent the evening in bed with a raging migraine.  This could be the result of a cold that preceded, but it is more dramatic to imagine it was part of my sugar detox.  Literally, the next day I was "cured!"  I didn't crave sugar at all.  I didn't even think about it and if someone mentioned it my response was "eh, whatever."  I didn't have that feeling of "ooh, a donut, this is a special occasion because people don't bring me donuts everyday! I better eat it!" Instead I felt like, "I'm not really hungry."  And this continued for several days. I did feel better - I felt skinnier - well, less bloated at least.  And then we made the decision to find a new home for our basset, Betsy. And then Ben died. And then my son got sick. And then I heard I might not get tenure in a year. And then one of my bosses accused me of being a liar - right to my face. And then I thought "screw this diet" and I ate whatever the hell I wanted.  Actually, it wasn't even that intentional.  Several evenings of crying just made me feel like I didn't have the energy to do anything else but eat what was available.  So I am going to make an attempt to go back to at least minimizing it because I did enjoy the freedom.  My mind didn't feel preoccupied with dessert every night after dinner.

Plants
In January I was feeling so exciting about my big new garden that I thought it wouldn't hurt to start some seeds early.  Well, they grew out of control and I had a jungle in about a month.  I did keep 5 bean plants alive thus far, but I've just recently started the crops over again.  This time with a fancy heat lamp that I'm experimenting with! I'm also going to be making seed strips this week.  These are for things like greens and corn that you start right in the garden.  You basically "glue" them to strips of newspaper or toilet paper.  Then you lay the strips out in the garden, cover with soil and water.  The paper will decompose.  The "glue" that holds the seeds to the strips is a flour/water mixture (like paper mache paste!).  I found the idea in the magazine Hobby Farm Home.

Compost
One of my original posts was about how excited I was to finally have room for a compost pile.  Well, in the meantime, I have continued to save up organic refuse, but we have not created a compost pile yet.  Where are we storing all of this rotting garbage, you might ask?  Well, the hubs drilled some holes in a five-gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid and we've been throwing things in there.  Sure there is no snow on the ground, but fencing off an area of my yard specifically for rotting veggies is just not that high on my list!  Maybe during spring break.....

Birds
Because of two strategically placed trees, I have more birds at this house than my old house for sure.  Then I received a copy Birds & Blooms magazine that came to this house (addressed to the former homeowner, but oh well) and I read it cover to cover!  After that I felt all motivated to see how many different kinds of birds I can see and attract.  So far, I have done the following (somewhat ridiculous things): I now have 2 traditional feeders and 1 with thistle for finches, 1 suet cake feeder, 1 giant hummingbird feeder, a small homemade birdbath (that I'd like to improve this summer) and a hanger contraption that I invented to hang orange slices to attract hummingbirds and orioles.  The odds of seeing an oriole are rare, but that's my goal for the summer. I know they are around here in May-June because I've seen one at a friend's house.  I've also been brushing my dog obsessively and stuffing his hair in random bushes for the birds to use for nesting.  So far I have 3 nesting boxes available for my avian friends. I inherited a really nice pair of binoculars from my grandpa when he passed and I've spent much time staring out my window looking for that illusive oriole!

So far, I've seen and identified the following:
- 2 pairs of mourning doves and one of the females is seriously ENORMOUS, so she amuses me.
- Downy woodpecker (both woodpeckers are around most often - they are so cool to watch)
- Red-bellied woodpecker (which does not have a red belly, but a red head...)
- Nuthatches galore (White and red breasted)
- House finches
- Cardinals (one amazingly perfect male)
- Blue jays (bullies or not, they are gorgeous)
- Red wing black birds
- Chickadees
- Sparrows (of course)
- Robins (of course)

As summer approaches, I'm on the look out for: blue birds, yellow finches, orioles, and the tufted titmouse.

The illusive oriole