TanyaZ Thoughts

[tanyaz]

I will call myself an amateur as far as the fish world goes. Today we brought home a half moon betta fish. I had one over 10 years ago, and remember testing the water with a PH kit, as well as having different drops to stabilize the water. At Petsmart they assured me i don't need a kit for my bowl, just a dechlorinator. After buying the recommended Aqueon Betta Bowl Plus, some pellet food, pretty rocks, and our new fish... we are set to go! 

[tanyaz]

[tanyaz]

Tanya's healthy (somewhat) banana bread

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup agave syrup

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 medium bananas, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and agave. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, quinoa, flax seed, chocolate chips and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

[tanyaz]

Ants attack ladybugs so there may be some big battles in my mint plants. 

http://www.pbase.com/antjes/lady_bug

This ladybug had a happy ending. They're quite tough.

[tanyaz]

Ladybugs released

There's a few interesting details when releasing ladybugs into your garden.

You must mist the plants first - they sound a bit finicky if they're requesting that after being in a bag for who knows how long?

You must do this at dawn or dusk or else they're likely to fly away

They'll lay eggs within 5 days, which will hatch into little dragon-looking critters. Can't wait to see that!

There are a LOT of ants in my mint plant. I'm guessing they're after the aphids too but not eating enough of them to make a difference. Will ants and ladybugs get along? 

[tanyaz]

250 ladybugs freed in my garden today! 

[tanyaz]

Mint Tea Has Come to This

Jason Vale recommends mint tea, by simply getting some mint leaves and adding hot water. That sounded great, I have lots of mint but it just wasn't so appetizing with aphids doing the backstroke in my cup. I have a serious aphid problem in my mint plants and I have a plan! My neighbour introduced me to this idea of buying a pack of ladybugs from a garden nursery. Each ladybug apparently eats 500 aphids a day! 

They come in a bag and should be stored in the fridge until I'm ready to release them. Seems strange to have these guys sitting beside my carrots. Seriously. 

Sure enough, I take them out of the fridge and they aren't moving much. Within a few minutes they're getting faster in there.  I'll probably mess with them and repeat the fridge/no fridge a few more times tonight. 

Tomorrow I will release them. See ya aphids!

[tanyaz]

Blueberry Plant

Northland blueberries produce large blueberries and they self fertilize

Blueberries like a higher acid soil.  Look for fertilizers that contain ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, or sulfur-coated urea. These tend to have a higher pH.

Blueberry plants are also susceptible to either iron or magnesium deficiencies. If your blueberry bush’s leaves turn a reddish yellow color, especially near the edges of the leaves, this is most likely a magnesium deficiency. If the leaves turn yellow with green veins, it is most likely an iron deficiency. 

For organic fertilizers for blueberries, you can use bone meal or fish meal to provide nitrogen. Sphagnum peat or coffee grounds will help to provide acidity. Bone meal and powdered seaweed to fertilize blueberries can provide the potassium and phosphorus.

My Northland plant is going to be fed ground coffee beans and I will monitor the progress.

[tanyaz]

I made the mistake of walking through Costco's Garden Centre. I am delighted at the convenience of buying strawberry plants, raspberry and blueberry bushes. So I bought all three. It's a bit rash because my strawberry plants are doing well, it's just that this plant is so big and already blooming so I couldn't resist.

I'm not sure why Costco plants get such a bad rep, I have always had great success from Costco plants. Anyone?

[tanyaz]

2 weeks later and I'm back. It looks like the peas sprouted and have made a grand appearance. The strawberry seeds also sprouted, but that strawberry spinach I seeded is MIA. It's a dud! Grrrr! 

[tanyaz]

Get Planting

This year I thought about a vegetable garden early enough to actually plant the seeds. I'm so excited!

So I bought a nice assortment today. First there was Zucchini because a fun garden always needs a little chaos. Zucchinis have threatened to choke my other plants in the past, but for some reason I keep welcoming the violent vegetable back.

Next I bought french beans. These are a bush style, and in the past I had beans that went up a pole. These may not be as fun with no pole action, but they're stringless so they made it in my cart.

Green onions I bought for their simplicity. There's no guess work with these guys.

Snow peas!! A garden needs something that screams fun, that's what snow peas are. 

I have a nice sized planter of herbs and normally buy a mini plant of basil and other herbs, but my basil always wilts after I plant it. Just when I think it's a goner and buy another, he springs back full force. This year basil, you can save the drama. I'm planting seeds!

[tanyaz]

Strawberry Spinach?!

I couldn't believe it when I feasted my eyes upon this treasure! This plant not only gives me spinach, but gives me berries to put right in my spinach salad! How can this be?!

[tanyaz]

Day 7

Day 7 was the easiest day of all. 

Big changes:

I went from coffee every morning to none at all. 

I feel a huge change in what I want to eat.

I'm conscientious of what I am snacking on

I feel so energetic!

7 lbs lost, just like the book said. Woohoo thank you Jason Vale!

[tanyaz]

Day 6

Day 6 and I am hooked! Waking up feeling this way is awesome! I plan to make a smoothie for a meal daily whenever I can. I'm planning my day 8 where I get to eat again and putting more thought into the nutrition value I am getting out of my meal. 

My compost rose 30% during this week. 

[tanyaz]

Day 5

I went to a movie tonight and had to smuggle my juice in so I didn't miss my 8:00 last call.

The scale and I have made amends. I am down 5 lbs, and more importantly I can see a difference. I also enjoy having my whole day's meal planned with this little gem of a book.

I snuck a peak at tomorrow's and see I get to start with JM's Passion Juice. Yum!

[tanyaz]

Day 4

"People are overfed and undernourished."

Day 4 is a huge breakthrough. I feel great when I wake up in the morning. I am actually looking forward to changing my meals after this cleanse is over. I will definitely throw in some smoothies to replace a meal where I can. 

[tanyaz]

Day 3

I started off feeling great, but when lunchtime came around I was staaaaarving! Day 3's Passion lunch is heavenly though. Bananas, yogurt, pineapple... mmmh! However; I was watching the clock for the next 2 smoothie times and I have to say, this is a bit more challenging than I first imagined. I am still loving the smoothies, and loving the cleanse, but the hunger... IT'S REAL!