Country Dreaming

In the words of Herbert Hoover, "My country owes me nothing. It gave me, as it gives every boy and girl, a chance. It gave me schooling, independence of action, opportunity for service and honor. In no other land could a boy from a country village, without inheritance or influential friends, look forward with unbounded hope."

Praying for the Sun to Make an Appearance Today!!!

Happy Birthday America!!!! Let's all cheer for the Red, White and Blue!!! I love the Fourth of July, and the cookouts, family gatherings, and fireworks. But this year, we aren't sure if there is going to be much fireworks. We might be able to still arrange the cookout, and just eat indoors. But is is difficult to celebrate with fireworks when it is raining!! UGH! The weather reports aren't sure if the rain will stop before sunset and the big firework displays or not. DARN IT!

Matthew took off earlier this morning with our Noah, 3 years old, to pick out some fireworks. We always wait until the 4th to buy ours because of the wonderful sales they hold the day of. He alsos picked up some sausage and milk on the way home for our breakfast....sausage gravy and biscuits!! YUMMY! He even made breakfast for us. Matthew never cooked (except for Hamburger Helper) until he met me. LOL Now he is the breakfast expert and won't let me in the kitchen when he is making pancakes or his specialty of biscuits and gravy.

The rest of the day we are going to hang out, relax (finish putting away laundry, do a few dishes) and just enjoy having daddy home! Tonight we are going to my brother's house for a cookout (possibly cook in...depending on the whether), and then back to town for the city wide fireworks display. I am looking forward to seeing my family today. We are all so busy, and it seems working schedules conflict that we don't get together more often. Looking forward to seeing how big my neice Megan is getting with her first pregnancy. She is due in October, and I am sure she isn't much bigger than her little frame was before, but maybe a tiny bit.

Matthew's family is all scattered this weekend. We made a comment last night that if everyone wasn't gone, we would have loved to get them all together at our house this weekend. Oh well. His parents church is having a 3 day meeting, his sister lives in Washington,DC area and unable to come home, and his other sister, her hubby and 5 year old daughter just started their 5 day trek back to Missouri from California and today. They visited Sea World, Disney, etc. and had lots of fun. I can't wait to hear about their trip!

Dear Reader

It got much to hot here today to finish the canning in our non-breeze kitchen, so we have put it off until it gets darker and cooler, so that is what I like to call a midnight canning. That is were you can until all hours of the night because you would rather go swimming during the day, and save what really should be getting done late at night.

In the words of Joseph Addison, "I value my garden for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs."

Thinking about the Fall Garden

But, in order to have a Fall garden, some things should be done now- planning, ordering seed, planting seeds to transplant into the garden when it is time, adding compost or any other needed soil builders, etc.

In my area, July 1 was the suggested date for planting tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed. I'm a few days behind schedule, mainly because I'm trying to keep up with harvesting the tomatoes that are ripening like crazy right now!

Most of the Fall planting for my area comes a little later, since July and August are always HOT

. The bulk of planting comes from September to November. But, if I don't at least make a plan now and make sure I have seeds ready, I may miss my planting date when it arrives.

Many of the same vegetables that grow in the Spring garden can be replanted for Fall, they like the cool weather and will do well if they have time to mature before a frost gets them. You can probably get a list of what grows well in your area in the Fall either online, from a local nursery, or from your County Extension Agent.

Zone 3 - Sept 1st - 30th
Zone 4 - Sept 1st - 30th
Zone 5 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 6 - Sept 30th - Oct 30th
Zone 7 - Oct 15th - Nov 15th
Zone 8 - Oct 30th - Nov 30th
Zone 9 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 10 - Nov 30th - Dec 30th
Zone 11 - Frost Free

With that information you can see how long it takes a particular crop to mature and then count backwards to get an estimated planting date. Of course, it all depends on the weather, and it is good to give your plants at least a week or two of a head-start if your area often has early frosts. I live in Zone 8, and sometimes we don't even have a frost until close to Thanksgiving. Fall is a great time for growing here.

Please share what you grow in your Fall garden and any tips you have. Those of you who live in colder climates, please share your wisdom, as this Texas gardener has never had to garden where it really gets cold

Hope you have a great holiday weekend, and maybe next week, spend some time planning (and perhaps planting) for the Fall garden!

Germs and The Days Plans

I pray this day finds you all well and healthy. We are doing well today but some of us are not so healthy. This has been a *germy* week around our house. There is a nasty cold going around and it all of the kids have it.

DD (18) picked it up from the camp she is working at. She said that there were A LOT of sick staff there last week. Some so sick that they couldn't get out of bed. She just managed to to get the sore throat and cold symptoms from it. She was able to keep going the rest of week with it and did a good job of not complaining.

The other 2 kids have had a harder time with it. Dd (15) has been really tired and just wore out from it. DS (10) had a really bad night of it last night with his asthma. All head colds always end up in his chest and it just brings on the asthma.I took him to the Dr. this morning and they gave him some antibiotics for it. Prayerfully he will be better soon as well as DD (15).

Hubby is off today. A good thing and a bad thing at the same time. It means less money for next weeks paycheck, but more time with his family. I'll take the time with us over the hours lost. GOD will take care of our needs and always does.

Hubby is also out visiting with some shut ins from our church. He took them some butter and milk. The lady he is visiting is about 80 years old and always had a cow when she was able to get out and about. He thought she might like some *old fashioned* milk and butter. Nothing is better than that in my opinion.

I've had to change my plans for the 4th. We were to go to the beach tomorrow (a 4th tradition.) With 2 sick kids, we will have to forgo the beach for the weekend. We are blessed though in the fact that we can go when they are feeling better, seeing we live about an hour away. We'll just stay home and take care of some *undone business* around the house (there is ALWAYS UNDONE BUSINESS AROUND HERE.)

~Cook and debone chicken for Sundays dinner
~ Make a dessert for tomorrows dinner
~Make butter
~ Cut grass and weed eat
~ Make a Homemade pizza for dinner tonight
~ Then there are the *usual* days activities to deal with

Have a blessed day in THE LORD! Stay safe this July 4th weekend! Pray for our country and for our President's salvation!

Dear Reader

Ugh! we are only half done with cherries and already I never want to see another cherry again. It took all day! and I still have four flats left to pit and chop up! SO guess what we will be doing today?......If you were going to say soap, you would be wrong

When we are done all together I think I am going to paint my fingernails, just until the stain is gone from them

SHOWER MOMENT!!!! VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION

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Adrenal Stress Disorder

“I don’t feel well, I have so many problems, but my blood and other tests are ok. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

The adrenal glands are located over each kidney and are important for many bodily functions. They are instrumental in managing stress in the body, but it is possible for them to be overwhelmed by it.

A condition prevalent today is adrenal stress disorder (ASD), also called ‘functional hypoadrenia’. This is not a disease process as such; it is a condition in which the adrenal glands are incapable of meeting all the demands placed upon them. The adrenal glands are responsible for many functions and may thus cause a myriad of symptoms – fatigue, dizziness, joint pain, allergies, digestive disturbances, asthma, palpitations, back pain, headaches, impotence, colitis, chest pains, moodiness, mental anxiety, nervousness, mental sluggishness, shakiness, and so on.

Because most doctors are trained to think in terms of disease rather than functional problems, they do not recognize adrenal stress disorder until it becomes frank Addison’s disease or other major failure of the adrenal glands to produce hormones. When these disease processes are present, hormone medication is necessary to preserve life. Fortunately, Addison’s disease and other adrenal failures are fairly rare, whereas adrenal stress disorder is very common in our society today. It is a condition in which the body is not functioning optimally, but a disease process is not present.

Standard laboratory tests are designed to find Addison’s disease and other frank failures. The tests may not reveal adrenal stress disorder. A thorough case history in conjunction with general clinical and applied kinesiology examinations can detect adrenal stress disorder very easily when the physician considers functional disorders as well as disease processes.

The condition usually develops as a result of three factors: (1) more demand – i.e. distress in forms – placed on the adrenal glands than they are capable of handling, thus depleting their reserves; (2) dietary indiscretions; and (3) structural dysfunction causing stress within the body.

Hans Selye, M.D. researched this condition in the 1920’s and 30’s, providing the basis for our current understanding. He described the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) of adrenal stress disorder, which consists of three stages. The first stage is the alarm reaction, which is a call to arms of the body’s defensive mechanisms – provided by the adrenal glands – against stress. The alarm reaction is present during any stress, whether it is emotional, an injury, a demand to fight, or any upsetting factor.

The second stage is that of resistance which occurs when the stress tat activated the alarm stage is prolonged, the adrenal glands actually grow in size to meet the demand of the long-term stress.

Third is the exhaustion stage, during which the adrenal glands become depleted. This is the final stage of adrenal stress disorder.

Adrenal stress disorder is responsible for so many symptoms that many doctors not knowledgeable in its diagnosis and treatment have classified patients with this condition as hypochondriacs or as having “nervous” conditions, and have given them antidepressants r tranquilizer medications To better understand why there are so many symptoms, let’s look at the major classifications of hormones produced by the adrenal glands.

Adrenal Cortex

The adrenal cortex is the outside portion of the adrenal glands that produces three major types of hormones.

Glucocorticoids are responsible for converting fats and protein for use as sugar in the body, and they release stored sugar. This activity helps prevent low blood sugar commonly causing depression, shakiness, headaches, unclear thinking, and many other problems. Glucocorticoids are also anti-inflammatory hormones that help prevent rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, duodenal or gastric ulcers, rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, hay fever, asthma, chronic upper respiratory infections, skin rashes, and/or other inflammatory disorders that do not serve a useful purpose.
Sex corticoids are the male and female hormones, testosterone and estrogen. The female hormone, estrogen, is produced by the adrenal in very small quantities compared to the production by the ovaries; however, it is thought that this hormone is important in the menopausal female.
Mineralocorticoids play a major role in the mineral balance of the body. Minerals that are out of balance affect the body’s fluid balance, including the fluid inside and outside body cells. Blood volume is also affected. The mineralocorticoids are the body’s pro-inflammatory hormones, working with the glucocorticoids to help keep inflammatory processes in check.

Adrenal Medulla

The inside portion of the adrenal gland secretes two types of hormones. The first, epinephrine – sometimes called adrenaline – has been known for a long time; it is the hormone primarily correlating with the “fight or flight” mechanism, enabling an individual to fight stress. Epinephrine and norepinephrine from the adrenal medulla help mobilize sugar from the body’s storage and control the autonomic nervous system. Since sugar is needed by nearly all tissues of the body, and since the autonomic nervous system controls the body’s organs and glands, you can see the wide effect of the hormones from the adrenal medulla.

Along with the actions noted above, the adrenal gland plays an integral role in the delicate balance of the glandular system. It stimulates some glands and, in turn, other glands stimulate it. Failure of any gland tends to throw the entire glandular system off balance.

People inherit their glandular patterns much the same as they inherit facial characteristics and body builds. Some people inherit very strong adrenal patterns that make them capable of abusing the adrenal glands with many forms of stress or dietary indiscretions without having health problems. Others, unfortunately, inherit weak adrenal patterns, allowing the cumulative factors of stress to cause health problems rather quickly and easily. When adrenal stress disorder is diagnosed in a person, it should be suspected that because of genetics his/her children, aunts, uncles, and other relatives might have the same condition, causing some of their health problems.

What can be done about the problem?

When adrenal stress disorder is present, a person tends to consume large quantities of adrenal stimulants and carbohydrates such as sugar, starch, and alcohol. Whenever there is stimulation, depression follows, and that eventually needs more stimulation. This continuing cycle may eventually lead to addiction.

In order to rebuild the adrenals, it is necessary to withdraw from stimulants such as caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, and sugar. Be careful – caffeine is present in many over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin compounds, cold medications, and pain-relief drugs, and sugar is added to many foods. The adrenal glands cannot rebuild when they are constantly being over-stimulated.

If the condition has been present for a long time, a rebuilding program is necessary.

Some or all of the following are necessary to bring the adrenal stress disorder under control:

Dietary change

Stress reduction

Withdrawal from stimulants

Nutritional supplementation

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I am convinced that I am in exhaustion stage and have been in it for....probably since the doc first put me on anti-depressants at the tender age of.....25. Maybe not exhaustion at that point, but the beginnings.

The good news/take away from all this is it IS 'fixable'....Praise the Lord.

I think if you follow with supplementation and then with some of the advice here (plus lose weight, sorry), you will start feeling better almost immediately. DON'T WAIT.

Thinking about difficulty in losing weight....I can only think about stress you can be under under for such a long period of your life.

If I'm reading this and other info correctly....just b/c the stress goes away, does not necessarily mean the problem goes away....the damage is already done....which is a 'set up' for future immediate reactions.....

I'm only saying this b/c of recent events here that have caused me to almost.....stop. I have NO 'want' to do anything about this move, even though it IS what I want. It's like I'm almost paralyzed. Physically, emotionally and mentally.

I guess the years have taken their toll....and NOW I'm wondering what this has to do, if anything at all, with Alzheimers......especially in women.

Phew. Gotta go. Supposed to be packing, but barely could get a shower.

Hope this helps someone.
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Such important information. And NO ONE....not ONE DOC, not one FRIEND.....not any of my reading.....pointed me in this direction.

It all adds up. I could be a poster child for adrenal exhaustion.

After this move....my focus will be on getting back on my study schedule AND get on a good supplement regeime.....lifestyle, food, etc.

ONE STEP AT A TIME. ONE CHANGE AT A TIME......yes, even the coffee....sigh.

A long way to go and miles..........to go before I sleep. (Apologies to Robert Frost, one of my fav poets)

Denise, Daughter of Grace......who is grateful that Lamentations 3:21-25 is in the Bible!!!!!
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great is THY faithfulness.
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him".

New things in the shop...

This Just Made Me Think

Thankful Thursday

It is a very hot one indeed outside. I an thankful for the gentle breeze . I woke early to get some chores done. The heat is great drying cloths on the line . Which I very thankful for. I am thankful that I can afford to have AC on in my home to keep cool . I couldn't afford to run the dryer even if I wanted to . So for me the choice is simply "Solar Dryer " . And it does a great job !!! Very Frugal !!!

I have been canning tomatoes and salsa small batches at a time . This is much easier on me . I used to wait and do large batches of tomatoes . But this got to be way to much to do in one day . Plus ,trying to keep up with other household chores . I dried some bell peppers and froze some . I have been cooking with them everyday . They are very crispy and crunchy this year !! Great for dipping in Ranch !!!! I almost have enough okra to fry some(I hardly fry anything ) . This is the first batch , just coming in . I plan to freeze the rest for gumbo in the winter .

Here is a Tip from the Tiptionary : Crystal Light , make your own product with these ingredients . 1 cup lemon or lime juice ,5 cups cold water ,5 packets of sweeterner (any brand or type you like ).Mix in a pitcher ,serve over ice ,and enjoy !!!!

Cooler : Keep a cooler in the trunk of your car .You can stop for groceries with out having to to straight home. This is also a great idea during the summer months for keeping bottles of water and snacks on hand while running errands . You will save lots of money from the convenience of your own cooler . And skip the high prices at the Convenience Stores .

Country Dreaming

~Happy 4th of July~

Praying for the Sun to Make an Appearance Today!!!

Dear Reader

Thinking about the Fall Garden

Germs and The Days Plans

Dear Reader

SHOWER MOMENT!!!! VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION

New things in the shop...

This Just Made Me Think

Thankful Thursday

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