Wheat Musings

Okay, so I know that feeding my dogs wheat causes them to shed like crazy because of allergies. As a result, I invest in wheat/corn/soy free dog food and see the positive results. I am currently examining my own health and the fact that I feel addicted to food - especially wheat based food. Hmmm so can I possibly cut wheat from my diet (challenging!!) and then will it make me feel better and possibly lose some of these extra pounds? I am going to find out.

Meanwhile I have been doing some investigating, reading articles about both wheat and gluten, and I have decided that I am not going gluten-free, just wheat free. Below is a great article about the history of wheat and how we've essentially ruined the health benefits by modernizing it.

GRAINSTORM | What's wrong with modern wheat?

This is like crack to me, a serious wheat addict! 

Vakay 2014

We booked our vacation for December and we are psyched! We wanted affordable, on the beach, with a pool, and a "home" atmosphere instead of a hotel. We have been very lucky with VRBO in the past, so we went searching there again and we found what appears to be a gem.

As we are traveling during a holiday week (darn school calendar) the prices that begin as semi-affordable go WAY up and out of site. Bummer. But after much searching and comparing we found a reasonably priced villa on St. Maarten on Cupecoy Beach. Here's the description:

Cupecoy Villa Description
This villa is located in the Heart of St. Maarten’s Gold Coast Cupecoy Beach and is one of only 8 ocean front villas in the complex known as Ocean Club Villas. This ocean front villa has the most spectacular views of the turquoise Caribbean Ocean the island of St. Maarten has to offer along with a personal sand beach at your feet.

The villa has three generously large air conditioned bedrooms, two on the second floor level and one that encompasses the entire third floor, all with private patios enjoying spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea as well as some of the most spectacular sunsets. Each bedroom features bathrooms en suite with ceiling fans throughout.

In addition to an excellent beach for swimming, and snorkeling, there is a large freshwater pool for the exclusive use of the Ocean Club residents. There is a private beach walkway to experience one of the islands best kept beaches known as Cupecoy Beach. Guests are well looked after by a friendly and efficient staff. And for those who want to take in the true beauty of the island, a rental car is highly recommended.

The villa is just a 5 minute ride from the airport and within walking distance to the Atlantis Casino as well as many shops and boutiques at the Porto-Cupecoy which is a Mediterranean style marina village and Italian plaza. You are just a 2 minute walk to the largest indoor shopping mall on the island known as the “Blue Mall.” This mall is now open with 85 Retail Shops, 10 Restaurants, and a Supermarket.
You can watch the cruise ships sail in and out, view the neighboring islands of Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and on a clear day Statia. Or just enjoy the breath-taking sunsets all from your own patio. So, create the vacation of your life here at “Blue Water Paradise!”

This past year has been very challenging with a couple of tragic family losses as well as the stress of building the new house. This trip should be prescribed by a doctor and paid for by health insurance :)

The photos look amazing:

Winter Tree Silhouettes

I am nearly finished with painting trees on either side of my fireplace, and I am pretty thrilled with the results. Originally I looked for decals that would work, but nothing was large enough, so I made my own trees on the computer and copied them to a transparency sheet so I could draw them with an overhead projector. I then used a paint color that is called "Perfect Greige" by Sherwin Williams. The wall colors are "Natural Choice", so the contrast is there but it isn't too striking. It came as a pleasant surprise to see that my trees are really the same color as the trees outside my window :)

(Ultimately there will be cabinets on either side of the mantel which will cover the very bottoms of the trees, and ultimately there will be a couch - after we sell our other house!)

drawn in Photoshop, printed on transparency

projected on wall

first drawn in pencil, then painted with small brush

voila!