Post No. 500!

 

 

hi!

 

i was just about to write 'good morning'

but the morning has escaped already...

&

it's already past noon!

 

 

 

this is my 500th post.

they've been written over nearly 3 years.

my 1st was in august 2010.

it was written with as much angst

as anticipation.

it was a scary thought

that anyone but family might read my writing

&

i didn't know what family may think either!

 

 

 

now

we are old friends, my blog and i

&

all the people i've met and spoken to.

i look forward to spending time here...

some days more time than others.

 

 

 

my creative mojo has waned

but that's just part of life.

i've crocheted, sewn and knitted here

&

you've seen it all.

today i'm excited about my daughter's

garden transformations.

i'm her assistant

&

todays task as been to water all her babies

as they sun themselves under our bright blue queensland sky.

 

 

 

i do have a tiny jumper to finish knitting

&

with life a little less chaotic

maybe my creative mojo has just temporarily

ducked out for a cuppa...

here's hopin' anyway!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 

 



A Bit About This & That!

 

hi!

how are you?

 

today i feel the need to just chat a bit...

 

 

 

life is full of little opportunities,

like the time the sun was just shining perfectly

on this tiny spiderweb

&

despite its broken unevenness

it made a moment beautiful.

 

of course not all moments are beautiful are they?

 

mr m has had a heart infection over the past few weeks

fortunately after many tests

the most recent tell us he's on the mend

and his heart size is back to normal...

 

then mr m's dog became very unwell...

it turned out that she had a two cancers in her uterus.

a week and a half ago

she had a hysterectomy and the vet took out the aggressive cancer...

the size of a baseball!

she's on the mend

&

bouncing about like it never happened!

 

 

 

ms b is transforming our garden

she's truly a green thumbed girl

like her auntie jill and both grandmas.

she's planted this pot of sweet Williams

&

tool boxes full of pansies and renunculas

to bloom in spring.

lavender and mondo grass to withstand the summer heat

&

fuschias, hibiscus and frangipanis

now grace our garden as well.

what a treasure a good gardener is!

 

our tiny kai is now 3 months old!

it has sped by and he's growing up

faster than a weed...hehe!

check out this bright baby boy...

 

he's the apple of his grandma's eye.

 

how are things at your house?

we have plenty to be grateful for.

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



Sweetly Said...

 

good evening!

 

thank you for all your sweet comments yesterday...hehe!

 

 

 

i couldn't help but notice

that most of you commented that

you don't think you would have enough

willpower to do it though.

 

i didn't think i had enough either,

that's why i decided not to 'go on a diet'

but after watching the youtube video...

sugar: the bitter truth...

i was struck by the chemistry

showing that sugar acts like a poison in your body.

 

who would look after themselves

by eating poison?

 

i would be interested to hear

what you have to say

when you watch the clip.

 

i can honestly say

that when i have had my 'day off'

i actually feel so sick

that i am longing to go back to my non-sugar state

the very next morning

&

feel it's now my more natural lifestyle!

 

 

 

maybe you have found like me

that i was craving carbohydrates,

becoming bloated and full

but not satisfied.

i don't feel this way now...

the cravings have gone.

 

however

my once a month sugar/floury treat

is to satisfy any feelings of deprivation

that have arisen over that month

when i look at what people around me are eating...

it's the social thing.

after all, eating itself is more than nutrition

and is a very social activity.

 

when i do get to eat my 'treat'...

the deception goes and i see once again

that sugar just tastes sweet

and i think...oh, that's all...

not really worth feeling deprived over!

 

if you really are interested

in being sugar/refined food free...

my best advice is

just take one meal at a time the first few days.

if you fail

just keep doing the best you can.

don't punish yourself

or call yourself a failure.

write down every meal you get through without sugar

so that you can see them adding up into days.

 

before long

you'll trust yourself

to continue

without writing everything down.

 

if you believe in God

ask for help...

 

 

give yourself some timeout

once a week/once a fortnight/once a month.

you will realise you're not missing much at all.

 

it gets harder

before it gets easier

but it's worth it!

 

 

 

wishing you all the best

with your sugar free journey...

{if you want one}

 

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

ps...aren't the sweet peas a treat? a local florist put together this posy for me on monday, a small thank you from me for a job well done by my daughter in law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Sugar Please!

 

hello!

 

 

 

today i am celebrating

having been {almost} sugar free

white flour free

practically processed foods free

for six weeks.

 

i say 'almost' & 'practically'

'cos

i allow myself one day a month

to indulge in anything i may be totally yearning for

&

sometimes a little tiny bit of white flour or sugar may

creep into a meal

as a thickener or to enhance a flavour

but

for as much as possible i have stuck to it.

 

was it easy?

not at first.

it was ok for the first few days

then it got harder

before it got easier again.

the best video inspiration?
go to youtube,
watch "sugar: the bitter truth"...enlightening!

 

meals were not much of a problem...

basically meat or protein with veges/salad.

 

snacks...

i have learned to love nuts, raisins, dates

& fresh fruit,

sometimes a bit of cheese.

 

desserts...

my favourite is

greek full fat yoghurt, banana,

a tsp honey and a bit of fresh cream...yummo.

this satisfies all my sweet 'n' creamy desires!

 

have i lost weight?

yes...not really fast but it's going.

 

what are the advantages then?

i sleep better.

i'm happier with a clear conscience knowing

my body is getting vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive and heal.

i am more energetic.

i'm setting a better example for my family.

 

i want this to be a way of life, not a diet.

it's early days yet

but

i've got this far!

 

what good things are you doing for yourself today?

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

p.s...what did i indulge in on those two days?  first day in july, american marshmallows and sausage rolls for dinner....second day in august, sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and cream! i wonder what september's will be?

 

 

 

 



A Pretty Blue Parcel!

 

hi there!

 

i've managed to wrest the computer

from the grip of my son for a few hours

so that i can say

 

a

 

big

 

 

thankyou

 

to jane green of planet baby fame

for her delightful gift.

 

a few weeks ago

she emailed me

to ask me whether she could send kai

a gift.

 

i was touched.

 

 

 

last week

this gorgeous liberty wrapped

 

 

 

'kai' sign

came in the mail.

we all loved it

&

it will be sent on to taiwan

very soon.

 

i just can't resist

including another little 'kai moment'

to round this post out....

 

 

 

taken from the latest batch of pics

sent over from his dad.

 

 

beautiful blogging mates

are the best...

 

cheers to all of you!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Twelve Weeks Old!

 

a new week!

i feel as though they're racing away this year

&

baby kai

my first and only grandson was 12 weeks old

on saturday.

 

look at those bright eyes,

they were blue at birth but are turning brown...

 

 

 

it has been so hot in taipei

that he gets around in his aussie bond's singlets mainly...

 

 

 

but i was thrilled to see

him wrapped up in the blanket i knitted

&

sent over before he was born.

 

this is my favourite pic.

 

just look at the way he gazes

adoringly at his dad.

his mum has had to go back to work

but

dad works from home

so is there with him every day.

it's an arrangement that's working for everybody.

 

i've just noticed the church across the road

has put up a sign

for a 'trash & treasure' day

next saturday...yay!

 

 

i hope they have some goodies for me...

have you found any lately?

 

 

enjoy your monday!

 

 

naturally Carol xox