Everyday Systems

Hello everyone. I'm the New Kid, here.

Getting back to better eating habits. Over the last few years -- and particularly since my partner was paralyzed with a spinal cord injury -- I've been exercising less self-control, when it comes to snacks, and using food as a comfort. Also, since he's slowed down, I've slowed down.

I know better. In fact I've had really good habits, for most of my life. I've always been able to pass buy the candy at work, and not feed deprived. (It's usually really cheap candy, so that helps.) But lately, things have slipped. Reading in bed, with a sleeve of cookies. That sort of thing.

I want to lose about 15-20 pounds. I don't own a scale, and I doubt that I'll buy one. I have a very physical job, and I'm a reasonably slim person. I have always had a very speedy metabolism. We cook from scratch,much of the time. We try to steer away from processed foods.

This past summer, I developed some kind of freaky food allergies, to the nightshade family. So, no tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, eggplant or peppers, anymore.

There's also something else going, on, where I get a horrible burning in my mouth, whenever I salivate. My doctors are baffled by this one. Ive been doing allergy shots, and taking vitamins. Suffice it to say, that this hasn't helped my eating habits.

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Anyway, I'm on day three of no-s. So far, so good!

Welcome, Who Me?.

You do have some challenges. I hope that the doctors are able to make progress with the saliva problem. It sounds like a real pain.

Wow, you are facing a lot. Sorry your food allergies are limiting some very good choices. I'm sure you'll be able to work around them, though. Moderate, regular meals can only help, I would think.

Wow. I wish you the best of luck. You have a lot to handle.

Thanks for the welcome.

So far, so good on adding a bit of discipline to my eating. I'm not far from where I want to be, and I like the structure and common sense of this approach.

For a more positive insight into my life, which sounded so bleak when I described it earlier, I'm an artist and a beekeeper and I love good food. I make preserves from the fruit trees in my back yard.


Meyer lemon marmalade


One of my bees

I know it says Meyer lemon marmalade, but I still can't figure out that photo. How was it taken? It's beautiful.

It's a photo, taken looking into a stock pot full of cut-up lemons. The cheesecloth bag holds seeds and membranes, which contain the pectin that makes preserves "gel."

Terrific bee portrait. My dd wonders whether you will do portraits of all the other bees.

One portrait done, twenty thousand left to do.

A swarm of feral honeybees I caught last spring. They are wonderful bees. Productive and docile. We have a *tiny* back yard, and the bees don't bother us at all!

Well that is a group portrait then! Well done - great picture

Thise pictures are cool - I've never had Meyer lemon marmalade but now I want to try it. It sounds like you have realistic goals so even with your concerns you should be able to achieve them. Good luck

Thanks everyone for the nice welcome!

I'm going to make a batch of marmalade this weekend. I'm invited over to a neighbor's house to pick lemons tonight. She has "unknown" lemons, which I'll combine with my own meyers. Canning is fun, but I have to set aside the time.

I caught another swarm of feral honeybees this afternoon. You can read all about it on my blog:

http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/

And, no. I didn't gorge on honey!