Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

I’m late getting this one in but it was an unexpected happening, not a good one though.

I was happily working in the kitchen when I looked up to see I had an indoor water feature. Yes, that really is water that has run down the inside of the sliding glass doors during a storm.

Those towels are soaking wet.

unexpected

Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers

This week I chose something that has multiple layers of meaning that may not be evident on first inspection.

Jacket

This jacket is itself a layer of clothing. The badges and buttons give another layer of meaning to the jacket. For me, however, the most significant layer is the positioning of the jacket in the chair. It gives an added layer, almost making the jacket seem alive, human, despite no one being present. Through this viewpoint I get a sense of the past and feel as though I am going through layers in time.

 

Remembering

Many of us have paid our respects today, in one form or another, to those who have served their country.

I always remember the boys that flew in Lancaster II LL637 EQ-P during WWII. To me they are family and despite never knowing them in person I know them quite well through my research. I feel very privileged to know them and through my research I will never forget them.

WWI however, I know little about, but that is slowly changing by volunteering my time at my local museum. We are busily working on a trench display, preparing for next year, when we look back 100 years.

Volunteering my time is great fun and I work with a wonderful bunch of people. Old and young come together when volunteering and I think that is an important part of remembering. There is always someone who can fill you in on a time well before your own and make it come alive through their own excitement of sharing their experiences. Often those older volunteers have been through quite a bit and have first hand knowledge of what wars are really like.

As we see the end of another Remembrance Day, I not only remember those that have fallen but those who live on and those who volunteer their time to help us make Remembrance special.

Thank you.

Poppies

Weekly Photo Challenge: Habit

Thanks to a terrible internet connection for two photo challenges and being rather busy, I’ve missed posting for some time.  I doubt I will get time to back track and complete the ones I have missed but fingers crossed I’m back to doing the weekly challenge as normal.

Habits. When I think of habits I always think of the bad ones. You know, the ones your significant other really hates, like letting a piece of food grow its own ecosystem in the refrigerator instead of throwing it out. Of course they don’t have any bad habits, noooooo.

Anyway, some months ago I started to change some of my exercise and eating habits. I walk the dog twice a day, do exercises like lunges, squats, bicep curls etc twice per week, run nearly 5Km on a Saturday morning and eat things like flax/linseed meal, nuts, veggies and so on. I have also started substituting some flour with almond meal and sugar with raw honey. Healthier habits I hoped would make me less tired and give me more energy. It worked for a short while but now it seems I’m worse off than before. I’m really, really tired and I have no attention span. Where is the vigor I expected to feel from all my exercise and healthy eating?

After some frustration these past few weeks, feeling like a limp noodle, I decided to look into things a little more. Women are suppose to have 18mg of iron per day. I’m really lucky if I get 8 or 10mg per day. Exercise can zap some of that iron, and calcium rich foods and the tannins in tea and coffee can inhibit iron absorption. I usually have several dairy products and sometimes tea with my highest iron sources. I love, love, love cheese, sour cream, yogurt and milk. I often have at least two or more with my iron sources.

Vitamin C however, is suppose to help absorption. So, it is out with having dairy and tea with meals and in with some high vitamin C sources to see if I can improve my less than brilliant state. I’m hoping this change, along with eating more iron rich foods, will help bring me back to life.

As part of my healthy habit I eat flax/linseed meal. I quite like the stuff and eat it sprinkled on salads and incorporated into baked goods, if enough other flavourful items are added. This muffin contains 3 Tbsp flax/linseed meal, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1Tbsp olive oil, 5 or 6 chopped pecans, 2 dates, 1 tsp raw honey, and 1 tsp almond extract all mixed up and put in the microwave for 63 seconds. If I’m calculating right, this muffin should have about 3mg of iron. Only 15mg more to go to reach my daily requirement… Sigh…

habit

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Saturated

I enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen this morning. I can’t say the flavour of my creation was perfect. It was missing something creamy and salty, like cream cheese or feta cheese, instead of the cheddar I had on hand. However, there was something about the mix of ingredients and photographs that spoke of flavour and colour saturation.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unusual POV

unusual POV

I’m late for the last two challenges. However, good news! Linus has permission from the vet to run and play, kind of like a normal dog, but with new knee ligaments. Thus the unusual point of view… as he waits patiently for me to stop taking photos and stick on my shoes to go for a run. In his mind, bringing out these shoes means it is time to hit the road! Put the blasted camera away mum and come on!