Garden Update

Overall the square foot method has been pretty mediocre. I hope next year will be better now I have some experience. 


The bush beans were a success - still getting beans from them. 

Here is a tomato. It is amazing to see a red one that is not half eaten by birds or squirrels. 

The Melon plants are now doing ok. Must be the rain...

The pole beans are dead - probably because the rabbits ate though the bottom of the vines... Will need to protect them next year.  

Kiwi Update - July

Nearly to the top!!!

The KIWI plant closest to the house won the race - and there are two vines on this one  (rather than the single vine the other side.

Just got to keep this thing alive through the winter and so on...

Very Overweight part 2

Since the last post I have been trying to lose weight. I think I may have lost two pounds - but I can't be sure. My weight can vary by a few pounds in a day - so I am trying to weigh myself at the same time each day. 


Just in case you were interested, here is a picture of my Gut:

I can get a flat stomach! (hopefully I will post a slimmer me in a few months...)

I am going to try and cut back on carbs and other high GI stuff. It is more difficult that you think. 

Bacon and egg every day should help (rather than that high GI cereal). 

Here are some GI ratings of Cereal:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com

Compare that to bacon and egg (no bread or beans):

http://www.gilisting.com/low-gi-food-list/2006/07/gi-of-meats-eggs.html

GI is virtually zero!

The GI of Table sugar is 65. 

The GI of a baguette is 95 !! 

Parsnips are 97! 

If you have not watched it yet - you need to watch 'Fat Head' (it's actually about losing weight - properly)

It's on netflix...  You need to watch the full thing though as the first half is mainly about junk food. 

It's official - I am very overweight! (Lance)

Shockingly I worked out my BMI the other day which came out as 28.1
(Height of 5ft 8 and weight of 185 Lb).


http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/


To get into the normal weight category I have to lose 30 Lb!!!


I don't think I have been 155Lb since I was a teenager. This is crazy!


I should lose at least 21Lb me thinks... I only just scrape into the normal category...


Why is it so hard to lose weight...

Great Hymns 2

Set to a Finland Patriotic Song - this hymn is  a favourite of many. 

Lyrics are in the video. 

It was actually written by a German lutheran lady called Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel and translated into English 100 years after she penned it. 

Great Hymns 1

Sadly I know little about the writer Henry F. Lyte - only what is on Wikipedia. Great Hymn though. 

As Solomon of old said:

"It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools."

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out lifes little day;
Earths joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempters power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

Words: Henry F. Lyte, 1847.

Two further verses in the full version are:

1. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
   Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
   Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
   I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
2. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
   Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
   Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
   In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.