Sunday Garden Zen

 

Good day, my lovely friends!  I hope your week has been good to you.

So I have been semi busy this past week trying to get my little bucket garden even better.  As you may remember, I tried starting some tomato/sweet pepper plants from seeds.  I'm not sure what happened, but they just weren't growing after they sprouted.  Almost a week ago I decided to stop at the fruit market in town that also sells some seedlings/junior plants.   I also wanted to see if they had some strawberry plants.

First, they didn't have strawberry plants, so that was a little disappointing.  But I was looking around at their other plants.  I was looking to get some cherry tomato plants, but unfortunately they didn't have any.  But I did find patio tomato plants.  I had never heard of them before, so I was intrigued.  I did a quick google search in the store, and they were pretty much was I thought they were going to be.  They only grow about 2 feet tall, so they are great for growing on the patio/porch, small gardens, or containers.  I grabbed up t a couple of them.  Now these were already past the seedling stage, and even had a couple of little tomatoes already growing on them.  I also grabbed a 4 pack of green pepper seedlings.

Once I got home and took care of a few things (including taking the fur babies out), I got to work with planting them in my buckets.  It's didn't take too long, and I even gave them a good amount of water to drink.  I have to say that I am loving the patio tomatoes already. 

So I wanted to learn a little more about these tomato plants.  So I went back to google.  Amongst some other little facts, I learned that there are indeterminate and determinate tomato plants.  With patio tomato being determinate.  This pretty much means that the tomatoes pretty much ripen around the same time, instead of getting them more spread out.  If you like to can tomatoes, you want them to ripen together so that you can harvest more.

I did more work yesterday, including going strawberry plant hunting.  But I think I'll save this for another blog post later in the week.  

I hope you all have a wonderful day, and take time to invest in yourself!

Your zen friend,

Plant Based Brandi

Patio tomato:

My crookneck squash:

Bonus picture of my squirrel friend this morning:

It's Monday Funday!

Happy Monday, my friends!

I hope you had a nice weekend.  Whether you worked (like me), chilled around the house, or went out, I hope you had fun.

I worked 12 hours on Saturday, with 4 hours of that not planned.  But hey, I'm trying to pay off a house early, so every dollar helps.  Even though it was a little toasty, we still got to go outside and enjoy the nice day.

Yesterday, I did some little odds and ends around the house, plus I just relaxed a good bit.  I had to do the usual, like laundry and started meal prepping a little for work.  But I also got a little reading done.  I'm reading Still Water by Amy Stuart right now.  I got it from one of those Lending Libraries nearby.  It's probably something that I wouldn't have bought, but it's not bad considering it was free.  And I'll be certain to pass it along when I am finished with it.

Speaking of books, it's still my dream to own a book store.  Imagine, I could tell a customer to hang on for a minute, that I'm trying to finish this chapter, and they would perfectly understand.  And if I had a used book store, I could read a lot of books before I sell them.  They're already used, so it would not be an issue if I put some extra creases in it.

So, who wants to donate some cash towards my book store?  I could also sell books online, which in many ways would be more up my alley.  

As far as my bucket gardening, my seedlings that I bought from the store are doing great.  I'm pretty sure that they are already growing in their new containers.  However, my ones that I started from seeds still don't seem to be doing much of anything.  They aren't dead, but they don't seem to be making any progress.  I might go to the store again and see if they have any more seedlings left, just in case.

I'll take more pictures over this next weekend and share with you guys.  Side note: no tomatoes just yet lol.

Have a zen day!

It's Wednesday! New Bucket Garden Zen Post

(Pictured above is my tomato seedling)

Happy Wednesday, my blessed friends!  I hope this post finds you in good spirits!I posted the other day about my new zen, bucket gardening.  I'm already so happy with the process.  As a quick refresher for those that didn't see the post a couple of days ago: I have had a garden in the past and have enjoyed the "fruits" of my labor, but I never really enjoyed the work.  However, this year, I am going to enjoy the process.  And the buckets I am using help with the weeding.  This has always been my least favorite part of it.  But with buckets, the weeding is very minimal.  

Other than perhaps getting some strawberries going, I have pretty much finished the planting.  I planted my seedlings this past weekend, as a backup to the seeds I started in case they don't make it.  I have roughly 4 tomato plants, 4 peppers plants, cucumbers, and crookneck squash going.  I even started some carrot seeds!  Even though it's not much yet, it's still nice to see the progress up to this point.

I do have concerns that maybe I sprinkled the carrot seeds a little too close together.  I am using my raised garden on my porch for these.  I've never planted them before, so if it doesn't work out it will be a lesson learned.  I don't think it's too late to plant a few more, I'll have to think about that.

I hope this inspires you to find your zen.  Please feel free to share either your garden ideas or your zen.  I'm all about learning what others do. 

My green pepper seedling:

My carrots (and one cucumber seedling):

My bucket garden: (the plants clear in the back are my sister's)

Gardening: My New Zen

(Picture isn't mine, just using for reference.)

Happy Memorial Day, my good friends!  I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful day!  Plenty of sunshine all around in my neck of the woods.

I have had my own little garden for years.  Even when I was knee high to a grasshopper, I would be out in the garden with my dad.  Now he had a decent sized garden.  Everything from tomatoes, to different varieties of peppers, cucumbers, beans, etc.  I remember loving going out in the garden and picking those fresh veggies and eating them!

I plant just the basics: sweet peppers, tomatoes, and I normally try cucumbers (sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't).  In the past, gardening has not been my favorite activity.  I love eating them and giving them away, but I don't like the work that goes with it.  Especially the weeding.  Weeding sucks.

However this year, I have a different mindset.  With the motivation of family and what they have been doing, I have told myself that I am going to enjoy gardening this year.  

I recently moved, and the yard that I have is very rocky.  Long term, I will probably be doing raised beds.  This year, I am doing bucket gardening.  Thanks to a good friend, I was able to get almost 15 buckets at no cost.  I just needed to buy the soil.  And since this wasn't my original plan (I was going to plant in the ground), I didn't have time to research
the best mixture.  I just ordered a whole bunch of potting soil bags from the big box store.  I put some drainage holes at the bottoms of the buckets and threw the dirt in.  I started from seeds, so I was able to plant them.  I will say that they are growing pretty slow so far, so I got some back up seedlings just in case.

I already am enjoying 'the work.'  I have enjoyed the process of getting them going and watering them.  Oh, I should also say that I have a planter 4'x2' container on my porch that I have planted carrot seeds in.  I may be sharing pictures in the future, I think it would be nice to share with you the progression of my bucket gardening.  

The best part, little to no weeding necessary.

Please feel free to share your ideas for gardening.  Have a blessed day!

Be Who God Wants You To Be

Hello, my friends!  I hope you are having an amazing day, wherever you may be.

It truly is a beautiful day in my neck of the woods.  It's abut 80 degrees, sunny, and low humidity,  It's a great day to be sitting on my porch as I am writing this.

I was thinking about a quote that I received several years ago.  I was taking an individual where I work on a walk in a local park.  We were walking around the track that they have and I believe that we had just finished the one mile loop.  There was a group there from the local Lutheran church handing out water bottles and giving out notecards with inspiring quotes.  We gladly accepted the bottles of water and the inspiring message.  "Be who God wants you to be, not who others want to see."

This has stuck with me for the past 6 years.  Whether you're Christian or not, the underlying message is be a good person and make the right choices.  Regardless of what others are expecting or doing.  Do the right thing.

I was raised Lutheran.  While I may no longer attend church, I try my best to make the right choices.  I know I am not perfect, but am I doing the right thing in any particular moment.  If He is watching, is he seeing me trying my best.  And even if there is no He, am I making the world a better place one choice at a time.

So, I am trying to be who God wants me to be.

Tolerance

   

tol·er·ance

noun

1. 1. 

   the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

   
   

   
   

   Hello, my good friends!  I hope this blog finds you in good spirits!  

   Summers is inching its way towards us, and I am excited!  I love being able to throw my tank top and flip flops on when I get home from work!  I haven't been able to go on any good hikes lately, I have been working extra to help out.  I'm going to have to squeeze at least a short hike at some point.

   
   

   In a world where there are so many differences of opinions, it is important that we be able to tolerate ideas that we may not agree with.  It should go without saying that I mean things that aren't harming others.  For instance, things such as racism, bigotry, homophobia, stealing, etc should not be tolerated. But there are so many other ideas that we should tolerate.  I consider myself to be a Pagan Christian.  It may sound like being this is contradicting itself to some, but I believe that the earth is a powerful force and we should respect it.  I also believe that something created us, God perhaps started the "Big Bang."  I respect that others may have different ideas, whether it be strictly being Christian, being Muslim, or perhaps being an atheist.  

   We also have different political ideas.  We may also have differences of opinion on what we eat.  We may have different ideas on how to raise children.  And that all is ok.

   We can agree to disagree on many things.  What's importance is that we can tolerate each other.  At the end of the day, most of us what the same thing.  We want people to be living in harmony and coexisting.  We just may have different ideas on how to get there.  This doesn't make either one of us completely right or wrong.  

   We don't have to agree with one another on every single topic.  The world would be boring if we were all the same.  Let's work on tolerating other people/ideas.  

   Many good vibes to you!  I hope you have a blessed day!

   
   

   
   

Let's Appreciate

Hello, all my good friends!

I hope this post is finding you in good spirits on this day that we have been blessed with.

I wanted to write a short post on appreciating things that we have, not to take things for granted.  Too often we like to dwell on the past or stress about what may happen in the future.  What we need to try to do is appreciate that we are in.

What happened in the past is over and done.  Learn from it, but move on.  There is no point to lose the current moment by wondering what could have been.  "If only I had done it this way" or "I shouldn't have done that" will only make you miss out on the things happening right now.

Stressing about what possibly could happen tomorrow, next month, or even next year will also hinder what you could be doing in the moment.  That's not to say that you shouldn't plan things or set goals.  We need to prepare ourselves in certain ways.  

But let's not miss out on the beautiful sunrise that we get to see on our way to work in the morning.  Let's enjoy the time that we get to talk to our families.  Let's have fun with our friends as we enjoy a meal together.  

Let's appreciate everything that we have going for us.  Many people could be praying for the things that we may have.  For instance, I am honored to serve at my job.  I have had jobs in the past where I didn't get nearly the perks that I currently have.  PTO would have been unheard of at some of the places I have worked.  Yes, I could ask for a vacation and may get it, but they certainly weren't going to pay me for it.  If I get called for jury duty, I am not losing any money.  My health care benefits are top notch compared to most places.  (And I do appreciate all the jobs I have had, just in different ways.)   

I also appreciate that I have a running vehicle that gets me to and from places.  Many people struggle to purchase a car that runs, and I have one that reliably gets me where I need to go.

I am blessed that I have no major health issues.  There are people out there that have to go to their doctors for issues on a regular basis.  And that's assuming that they can (health insurance or other issues.)

And I am super grateful that I have a warm bed to sleep in every night.  There are many people that may not know where they are going to stay from day to day.  

And lastly, I appreciate you for reading this post.  You could have spent these few minutes checking your instagram or scrolling through Facebook, but you chose to read my blog.  Thank you!

I could go on and on.  But I wanted to talk about some of the things that I appreciate.  What do you appreciate today?

My First Try Of Huel Protein Powder (Salted Caramel v3.0)

Hello, my good friends!

I hope you are having a super Sunday!  It's still a bit chilly here in western PA, but spring is just around the corner.  I am definitely looking forward to consistent warmer days ahead.

Lately, I have been trying to be more mindful of my protein intake.  Since I don't eat meat and I don't eat much eggs or dairy, I have to especially be mindful of it.  I do try to load up at breakfast, with my protein powered oatmeal.  This consists of oatmeal, a good dollop of peanut butter (Justin's), a couple smidges each of ground flax seeds and chia seeds, and a half serving of plant based protein powder.  All together, this is probably 20-30 grams or protein wrapped up in my breakfast, which is a decent amount.

However, the rest of the day, I normally don't eat an abundance of protein.   Sure, I sometimes have some plant based meat or some sort of beans, but that doesn't happen every day.  I am probably lucky to average around 45 grams of protein daily. 

Since I have moderate physical activity most days, I felt that I needed to kick it up a notch.  I also wanted to try something more as a meal replacement.  I was looking at several different ideas.  My first serious look was at Oats Overnight.  I loved the concept.  Essentially I would be drinking flavored oatmeal that was also packed with some other sources of plant protein.  They had some delicious looking flavors (some vegan, some not).  But I could not spend almost $3 a meal on oatmeal.  Sure, it was already portioned out. But I could make my own much cheaper.  Plus, I was looking for something that was a little more calorie dense.

I had heard of the company Huel before.  Plant based protein that also was a meal replacement.  So I looked more into this.  They do have a couple of different lines, some even with more protein, some just protein without being a meal replacement.  I decided to try the 3.0 line.  This was a meal replacement, but was not the most expensive in their brand.  It has about 30 grams or protein per serving.  Now, I do want to add that this isn't cheap.  I got a bag of the peanut butter and also the salted caramel flavors.  Total of about 34 servings for $75 (subscription price).  I did also get a free t-shirt, shaker bottle, and with a code they sent me, a bag of Mexican chili meal replacement.  This last one is actual food.  Just need to add some boiling water and let it set for a few minutes.

After several long days, I finally got my box in the mail.  Since it was too late in the day yesterday when I got home, I had to wait until today to try it.  I waited until dinner to open up the salted caramel powder.  I shook everything up in the shaker and I could not wait to try it!

Let me just say, the taste is pretty good.  I personally think they should add a touch more sugar to it, but that's just me.  It is for sure a protein drink.  It said to shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, but it takes longer than that to give it a good mix.  I might suggest putting it in a blender for a better blend.  After letting it set for a few minutes, it did dissolve better in the water.  I also think it would be fantastic to blend some fruit in it as well.  That would give it a little more sweetness.

I have not tried the peanut butter powder yet.  I'll give it a try later in the week.  I also will try the Mexican Chili and let you know what I think.  

Overall, for a protein powder, I would give it a 7/10.  The taste is good, but the consistency could be better.  It's not chalky, as some protein powders in the past have been.  But you can feel the powder if you don't let it sit for a few minutes.  I drank this about an hour ago, and it is definitely filling.  I am not wanting to go grab a snack.  I will also try drinking this earlier in the day to see how long it takes for me to feel hungry again.

If you would like to give Huel a try, let me know and I will send you my referral info.

Thank you for reading and I'll catch you next time.

We Can Change The World

Hello, my friends!

I hope this day is bringing you many moments of joy and happiness!

I know it sounds cliche, but we have the power to change the world!  These past few years have been tough on many people, for a variety of reasons.  Yes, unfortunately things have happened that brought about a negative energy for some.

In today's world, some people like to focus on the negative side of things, and I am not sure why.  However, I want to focus on the positive.  Energy attracts energy, so let's attract the good energy.  The more positive vibes that we send out in the universe, the more we are going to get back.   Yes, it's that easy.

We have already been doing many positive things out there.  We have been helping our neighbors when maybe they were short a cup of sugar.  We have been donating to the food bank when maybe we have a couple of extra dollars.  We have been giving our time to speak out for those that don't have a voice.

I have been seeing so many good things happening out there.  It would take me many days to even begin to scratch the surface.  At the beginning of the pandemic, I saw many of my fellow coworkers helping out by bringing in supplies to the community homes they worked at.  Whether it be toilet paper, a gallon of milk, or a dozen eggs, many helped out how they could.  

I saw many people donating to shelters.  I personally reached out to see if people could assist where I work.  We needed help getting supplies, such as cleaning products and paper towels.  And people helped, no questions asked.  And I still cannot even begin to thank them enough for their generosity.

Together, we are a force.  One small random act of kindness can have a butterfly effect.  Telling someone that they are beautiful can put a smile on their face.  Which leads to that person holding the door open for someone.  Then that person helps someone helps someone else pay for their groceries if they were a couple of dollars short.  That person in turn donates their time to the local humane society.  Which leads to those animals in need getting the needed socialization to help them find their forever homes, possibly to the original person that told someone that they were beautiful.

Acts of kindness can also spread across the world.  Your act of kindness can make its way to the child starting in a brand new school in a third world country.  It can make its way to the freed people in a recently democratized country.  Maybe it will help someone learn how to start their own business.  We can make the world a better place.

We have the power.  And don't let anyone tell you different.

Be A Good Person

Be A Good Person.......

It's that simple.  

When you have the choice between saying something nice or something that will discourage another person, say something nice.

When you can steer someone in the right direction, point them, show them, lead them the right way.

When you are able to pay it forward, do it.  (Pay it forward can be in so many different ways, this may be another blog idea.)

When you see someone suffering, give them a helping hand.

When you can mentor someone, do it.  We were all new at some point.

When your neighbor needs to borrow a cup of sugar, lend it to them.

When someone is lonely, spend time with them,

Choose to be a good person.