A Story - "The Gourmet's Wine" and Kalanchoe in January

A Story

The Gourmet's Wine

Every weekend Vivienne invited friends over for a gourmet meal.  Her menus followed the Mediteranean diet.  Desserts were fresh fruit.  She was pleased that she was feeding her guests healthy food.  She always served organic wine from a small vineyard.  No beer, no hard liquor, and, definitely, no soft drinks.

During the week, she bought and tasted various specialty wines so she could determine the perfect pairing for the food.

When she began to feel ill, she saw her doctor.  The shocking diagnosis was cirrhosis of the liver.

"Alcohol is alcohol no matter how pretty the packaging," the doctor said sadly. 

 

Kalanchoe can bring a bright pop of colour to the dull days of January.  The blooms will last for weeks, and sometimes months.  They like a bright window and not too much water as they are succulents.

To get them to rebloom after their rest period during the summer months, they need to have at least 12 hours of darkness each day.  I put mine on the windowsill and draw a heavy curtain across so that the light from the inside of the house is blocked from the plant.  They don't mind a chilly windowsill. As our days in zone 4 naturally get shorter in the fall, the kalanchoe get the required amount of darkness. They usually set buds in December and are blooming in January.  I give them a bit of fertilizer every 2 or 3 weeks when they are blooming.

Kalanchoe are super easy to propogate.  Simply take a piece of stem - 3-4" long, strip off lower leaves and plant in some soil.  This works best in the spring and summer. If plants are getting too leggy, just prune them back to the size you want and they will send out new branching shoots.

Happy New Year - Some Ideas for Staying Positive.

 Another year. In Canada, the new year comes when the days are still short and often dull.  Good time to think of some ways to stay positive going forward.

The most important one is to read the Bible as it will give you the macro picture that will help you understand your life and the world in general. If you haven't read the Bible before, I suggest you start with the New Testament.  The first book of the NT is the book of Matthew.  If you don't have a Bible, Bible Gateway is an online resource that has multiple translations of the Bible and a search function.

In no particular order, here are some other ideas.

Get out in nature.  Going for walks is great because it combines exercise and being in nature.  Even if you live in a city, you can find birds, trees, perhaps water elements. Cornell University has a great site called All About Birds. Knowing more about the birds makes it all the more interesting.

Get light early in the day. I have to feed my horse so I am out as soon as it is light at this time of year. A shot of daylight will always brighten your mood and being outside in the morning helps to set your circadian rhythm and promotes better sleep.

Find some nice music.  Youtube now has many channels that stream lovely music.  I have been enjoying Tim Janis.

Find some ways to work your brain. I have started doing jigsaw puzzles more regularly.  They work your brain in  surprisingly varied ways . I do mostly 500 pieces so they don't take too long to do. I enjoy the Cobble Hill puzzles. I chose ones that have bright colours and a cheerful subject.

Try writing on a regular basis. It helps to organize your thoughts.

Make soup. Relaxing to prepare and soothing to eat.  Lots of recipes online.

Give yourself mini activities : I challenged myself to draw for 5 minutes a day, I do stretches when I am waiting for food to heat on the stove, I knit while I talk on the phone or watch TV. If you are trying to declutter, toss 1 or 2 items a day.

Find a regular activity that includes people. A book club? An exercise program? Volunteering at the dog shelter? Some churches sponsor regular luncheons.

Learn the art of distraction. Teach yourself to redirect when you are upset about something. Find an activity that takes all your attention and do it when your thoughts are getting out of control. Something as simple as doing a crossword puzzle can help to break the negative spin.

Garden inside and out.  Don't worry if your plants die. Just enjoy them while they last. I always find starting seeds a fascinating experience.  Lots of videos on Youtube.  Epic Gardening is a helpful one.

Life is good.  Don't let the doomsayers drag you down. Life is good.