186 - Nit Pic'ing

Same old, same old, so here are some pics.

That's why they call them the Smokies.

Geese flying in a straight line.

Like little ants marching into the trees

Magnolia tree

What I did today.

 

A storm was moving in just as I finished mowing the back yard. I was almost finished when I saw lightning striking in the distance and I could hear thunder. Just wanted to finish up before it started raining but was also at the point that if I'd had any more to do I was going to pack it in because the temperature dropped, the wind picked up and with the booming and striking I figured I'd better get indoors.

So I did.

I put the lawnmower away, came upstairs and was literally stepping into the shower - hadn't closed the curtain yet - when I heard an extremely loud crack and saw a orange-yellow flash through the bathroom window... in the back yard where I had been only 3-5 mins before.

So I *think* this is where it struck. That limb has looked like that since we've been here and I can't tell if it's charred or just darker from the rain, but that's kind of the area I thought it hit and I don't see anything else. I just know it scared me when it happened and then again when I thought about how close I was to being out there. So I learned my lesson. Don't get so focused on finishing something that you ignore what's going on around you. Which is funny really... dad and I just had that conversation a couple of days ago.

But I'm alive and kicking and around to enjoy this sunset. As crappy as my luck is, I guess I still had some in reserve.

The garden. I now think what I thought was pepper cress might be... ARUGULA!!! It went from plump round leaves to a more spinachy look but I tasted it and it was peppery like arugula. So I'm pretty much drooling. And I have another potential lavender plant that popped up.

This is kind of cool. It's a sort of double reflection of a tree and clouds and another tree in a window. Looks like it's encased in a big cocoon.

So that's it. I'm worn out. I've finally started losing weight, and I can't prove it but it started happening when I added the lemon essential oil to my water and started drinking four of five glasses of that. I haven't yet cut the soda out and none of my other habits have changed (I was already drinking 4-5 glasses of plain water). Yes I'm mowing the lawn but I've been doing that for three or four weeks now and still couldn't get under a certain number. Now I've lost four pounds, about a pound a day. My theory is two-fold... lemon is a detoxifier, so it goes into the fat cells and pulls the gunk out, which helps you lose weight. Lemon also puts your body into an alkaline state, which means yeast can't live there. And since I've thought Mike and I both have issues with systemic yeast, it seems likely this is true. In any case, four pounds down and a lot more to go but at least I'm seeing progress and that is motivating. I guess I'll know when Mike gets home and he starts drinking it.