Sage Hill Gardens – Page 16 – Sustainable Living With Healthy FOOD

Lighten-Up

Spring is all about …renewal…

Lighter/brighter …warmer days…cool nights….

Suddenly it is a sparkling new season!

Why not start the journey with a lighter, brighter, sparkling…”you!”

Think about this…our first thought is Spring clean the house, the garden, work space…

Why not Spring clean the body!
A simple detox for a week is akin to sweeping the house of all clutter!

These blends used on a regular basis (once, twice, three times a week)
support the lymphatic system as well as the kidneys and liver.

(My two favorite Essential oil blends for deep, but easy and no stress on the system.)

Detox blend…

4 drops lemon oil
4 drops grapefruit oil
4 drops angelica root oil
Add to 4 tsp of base or carrier oil such as Almond…

Detox blend…

5 drops grapefruit
5 drops sweet fennel
2 drops carrot seed
Ass to 4 tsp of base or carrier oil such as Almond….

Massage into the soles of the feet and pulse points such as wrist, bends of the knees, palms of the hands, temples and back of the neck.

Add 10 drops to your bath…(warm to slightly hot)
A sauna bath is excellent a few minutes after applying the oils.

***Important***Drink plenty of water while detoxing (Spring or Mineral water)…regardless what method is used…otherwise you have swept up the toxins and left the in the middle of the house to redistribute!

TIP: Add to the detox routine the habit of drinking a good sleep support tea about 10 minutes prior to bedtime….Chamomile is the best….

Apple Blossom Time

Apple blossom’s, honey bees, and a fleeting butterfly here and there…
Could be the reason for the sleepy, dreamy look in my eyes and not that I was awakened in the wee hours of Sunday morning by the most beautiful songbird outside my window. The big question…why was he awake at 4 in the morning!!

A lovely spot to take a nap….the garden…

Home Update the Sustainable Way

Sage Hill House has not had a full face-lift in 15 years …time to lighten up…literally!
All of the furniture is antique, heavy and somewhat dark…no desire to replace that…all the walls throughout the entire house are the same color ( mystique) a pale lavender that bounces different colors depending on the light. ( this will be one of the changes)

Paints, fabric, flooring, linens, shower curtains etc., etc.

When we start looking to purchase these types of home items we must be aware…..straight across the board offerings will be loaded with irritants that can be avoided or at least minimized to a lesser degree of contamination. Organic, chemical free, sustainable, and cleaner collection of goods are out there…This will be a journey of learning for me, even though I’ve been on this path for 20 or more years, my research and work has revolved around food and personal care items……..making changes, choices, this for that…the trade-off’s, the benefit, and the fall-out!

A Cape Cod is a 4 square plan …not an open floor plan but the rooms all open up to each other from the same hallway, which allows the light to flow throughout and gives a more spacious look/feel/…keeps the flow running smoothly if the same color scheme is used throughout….not a difficult task, just deciding on that color scheme is the biggie……( in the summer months I use white cotton slip-covers on the LR furniture.)

Wood floors throughout downstairs…( will replace carpet with wood upstairs. Stairway will remain carpeted but a different pattern.)

Replace all window treatments….Blinds…have no curtains…

Considering curtains in the LR and inside shutters in the DR….

Color scheme now is in the greens, dark wine to light rose and white.

My sofa is a gem and no desire to replace ( shades of green/white and heavy fabric) some wood on base and front of arms.

Appliance’s are all Stainless Steel and new…no replacements….

Counter tops and kitchen wall around/under cabinets to be changed.

The now look….

Wall Colors — Color of walls in low or night lighting.

Bedromm — Example of bed-room furnishings…

Kitchen — Counter-tops and wall-paper (blue) to be changed

The Road To Looking Good and Feeling Good~

The Road to Looking Good and Feeling Good!

The “Healthy-After” Clubhouse Classroom

The Healthy After Classroom Cooking

Healthy-After is a membership site I have put together with one purpose…
To offer women and men a well-laid out road map to feeling good and looking good… After, we have raised families, retired from jobs/careers, and in short most of us neglected “self” to do our jobs well for others.

There is a simple path to being healthy without complicated dieting, without hours of heavy gym work, and without breaking the bank… it’s about knowledge and taking charge…

Healthy After Classroom veggies

Want to know more?

For a “fr…ee” thirty-minute Consultation …

Bea
931-339-7362
[email protected]

Living In Color

“Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. So make sure you spend each one wisely.”

Jim Rohn~

“Don’t just get through the day…see each hour, each moment in color….show up, be alive, aim high, eat well, dress well, sing and talk when no one else is around to hear……the inner you will appreciate the gift.” ……Bea Rigsby-Kunz

Spring Tune-Up

Spring Tune-Up~

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Just as spring brings heavy raims to clean and refresh the fields and streams, we should make a practice of cleansing and refreshing our system…inside and out.

Plant a garden, in the ground or in a container.

Lettuces, all manner of veggies and greens can be grown in small spaces.

These are the things that will aid in flushing toxins from our system that have built up over the winter from heavy foods, toxins from heating fuel, and medications that many people take in an attemp to stay healthy.

Get outside, thirty minutes of early morning sun will give you a good dose of vitamin D.
Committ to a daily walk, morning is best, this is when your energy level is the highest.
Sing, meditate, and pray. These things nourish the spirit and the soul.

Do something for someone else every day.
There are always those in our community, church, neighborhood, and family who could use a helping hand.

Don’t forget the critters that mother nature loans to us, that is her helping hand to us. Make sure they have safe food, water, and a place to call home for the time they are with us.

Happy Spring from Sage Hill Farms!

Please join us for a very educational course in how to get and stay healthy.

https://sagehillgardens.com/healthy-after

A Sage Way of Living.

Living with intention is intentional…it requires us to think, reflect and know the reason we face each new day….accept it…or, wipe the slate clean and design a new one…..tweak, tweak, tweak…build up, add to, make better…all from the design made just for you, me…

Welcome to Spring-time at Sage Hill Gardens…..

A Sage bed worthy of its name…..Common Garden sage, Russian sage and Pineapple sage…..each has a purpose, fills a need, rewards the senses and taps the desire to create…my sweet mother would be in Sage heaven!!

Dedicated to my special friend who inspires even when she is in need of inspiration. Joanne M.Bush …a very Sage Lady!!

Sage Hill’s Kitchen

Family Favorite Salmon Cakes/Pattie’s

My first memory of these delicious little cakes go back to the late 1940’s… the WWII years when food was carefully chosen to get the most for the needs at hand….. shopping was not the event that we know today….many things were scarce are totally unavailable….. most people grew/raised their own food…..most men were in the war , away from home, farm, family….. A good memory from a not so good time.
My mother made a sauce of catsup, mustard, and pickle relish…when we had all ingredients…one would often be the choice…. a hot biscuit, sliced onion and the salmon patty was my favorite .

1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, undrained and flaked
1 slice of bread, shredded
3 Tbsp chopped green onion, including the green parts
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill weed, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 Tbsp flour
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
Several turns of freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp grape-seed oilBlend all ingredients with a wooden spoon until easily to form a patty cake by hand.
Heat a griddle pan slightly oiled and fry on med heat until brown and crispy or less cooking if crisp isn’t desired.

These are a childhood favorite…they can be served on a bed of greens with a spicy Cajun sauce …. Remoulade.. recipe below

On a bun as a burger with your choice of toppings…thick sliced onion and green tomato are yummy! or red tomato!

Served alongside your egg and asparagus brunch dining…

Or…one of my favorite ways is snacking while on the move….

A hot cup of herbal tea (or coffee) a couple of patty cakes and a walk through the gardens mid morning or early evening…..Oh yeah!!

Remoulade Sauce…

1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup Creole Mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup vegetable oil ( I cut back to 1/2 cup and use an alternative oil…grapeseed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely minced celery
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS

In a nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, horseradish, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, the paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. On a cutting board, mash the garlic and the remaining 1/4 of salt together, using the side of a chef’s knife to form a paste. Add the garlic paste to the bowl and whisk to combine.
Combine the oils in a measuring cup with a pour spout, and while whisking continuously, drizzle the oil blend very slowly into the mustard mixture until a smooth, thick emulsion is formed. Whisk in the celery, green onion, mayonnaise, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Chill thoroughly before using; the remoulade will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

A Season For Everything

In the south March is the first of three busy months in the gardens.
Farther north it will begin in April…

Sowing…means planting seed into the ground.
Planting… is starting with seedlings that have been growing in a heated greenhouse or purchased from a garden center.

Depending on your location cool weather crops such as leeks,onions, Brussels sprouts, round leaf spinach, parsnips, parsley, radish, broad beans, lettuces, scallions, (spring onions) and cabbage (red is awesome)

Warm weather crops can be started in a heated greenhouse now for planting out in May/or after the last frost date for your area.

Tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, cucumber, green peas (snap peas) and celery.

Now is the time to prepare your compost needs if you don’t have it started already.
Compost done correctly is the only nutrients (fertilize) your gardens will need.

Best Compost….a balanced blend of green and brown yard materials….No roots and no seeding plants. (plants already gone to seed)
Kitchen scraps such as: coffee/tea grinds, egg-shells, and vegetable peels.
Composted manure from chickens or horses is best…if you don’t have access to that , purchase from a good supplier and know what is used in making it. (Organic is best)

***No meat, bones, cooked food, oils, etc./these will turn your compost rancid and attract critters of all kinds.

Check your local County Co-op for your frost dates and zone…or google it!

Happy Gardening!

Valentine’s Day…My Way

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with A Dark Chocolate and a Cup of Ginger Tea~

Wishing you all a beautiful Valentines Day~

Share your love~and your chocolate…..hmmm…maybe

XOXOXO

The compounds in Dark Chocolate that benefit your health (antioxidants and phenols) are in the cocoa solids. The more cocoa solids your chocolate has, the darker the chocolate will appear. But you can’t rely on looks or marketing alone since any chocolate can be labeled “dark,” even if it doesn’t contain a high concentration of cocoa. The first ingredient on the label should be cocoa, chocolate, or cocoa liquor. Choose a product that contains at least 70 percent cocoa. This percentage should be listed on the label.

Be choosy about your chocolate. Bypass the colorful chocolate candies, skip the milk chocolate hearts, and turn away from the fancy bonbons.

A few chocolate tips:

Many mainstream chocolate manufacturers use cheaper vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter, including Hershey. Steer clear of anything that includes added fats and oils (look for cocoa butter as an ingredient).

Stay away from any label that doesn’t say “chocolate.” …. “chocolaty,” “made with chocolate,” and “chocolate candy” all imply diluted chocolate.

Most supermarket brands are diluted by milk products and are semisweet, milk or sweet chocolate rather than dark chocolate. Pass them up and splurge on real “dark” chocolates (found in the “health” food section of most large grocery stores and available online).

Some dark chocolate to try*

Dagoba
My picks: Lavender/Blueberries,Hemp/Pumpkin/Sunflower Seeds/Chili and Cacao Nibs.
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Endangered Species :
My picks:
Dark Chocolate with Espresso Beans

Equal Exchange:
My picks:
Very Dark Chocolate.

Green and Black’s
My picks:
Ginger
Cherry

EatWell-BeWell~