Tag: food

Something hot

Ghost Peppers, August 4, 2024

A good portion of my time each week involves working on the compost, making sure that it was as close to perfect as I could get. Because of the rich compost, the water, and the rainwater, these things have taken off like a magic beanstalk. I’ve grown peppers in my garden, but nothing quite like this. Because of the compost and the water, rainwater course these things have taken off like a magic beanstalk. I’ve tried to find the best ways to keep the squirrels and other animals in the garden. The color, or maybe even what happens if they bite or rub into it, keeps them at bay. It seems that so the best is hot peppers. Something about them, the odor, the color, or maybe even what happens if they bite or rub into it keeps them at bay.

I’m wondering if I should make some really hot sauce, pickle the peppers, let them dry, and use them as a splash of color in the room. There are so many choices.

Juggling Parkinson’s: Health Updates, Culinary Ventures, and Household Responsibilities

So, you might wonder if I have been and what’s going wrong. Well, let me tell you a little story. 

Medical updates

This month has been a month of medical appointments. I have a lot of medical appointments, and that’s putting my priorities elsewhere, but only for a bit of time. See, this is the month where I’ve had to deal with more speech issues, an MRI, issues with my right hand, and problems with joints in the right hand. Two group appointments with speech pathology. It is important to remember that as Parkinson’s continues to impact movement, it also softens the volume and distinctness of my voice. Then, on the day of dermatology appointments, I checked on the chunk they took out of my left facial cheek. The biopsy came back with noncancerous carcinoma. However, several spots had to be frozen and will be monitored. I was given a new prescription to add to my regimen. Then, I’m meeting with the surgeons to look at the issues with the left hand. I’m sorry, the right hand will be up soon after that talk with the podiatry. I have some problems with my feet, so it’s full of medically-related things happening; it’s just how things are. See, Parkinson’s continues to let me know just when I think things are the same change. Never would I have envisioned that Parkinson’s would be so interwoven into life, my life. It will not stop me. It will never define me.

Culinary adventures

In the meantime, I’ve found a couple of exciting recipes. A cherry almond bread, banana bread, zucchini bread, but this time with fresh, dark cherries and toasted almonds. Cedar plank smoked salmon with a ginger sesame glaze served with a fresh cucumber dill salad. It’s pretty good stuff if I do say so myself. I think I probably put up about five batches of pickles so far. My cucumber vines have produced more this year than any other year. I’ve lived here. I’ve done some fermented pickles, some called cucumber slices, with more of a cross between an excellent kosher deal and a crisp dill. I have at least maybe one or two more batches to go. Check this morning; the cucumber vines have at least another batch waiting. The church ice cream social will be this month, requiring a batch from the ice cream maker. Wonder what fruits will be fresh and available next week. Culinary adventures have always been ways for me to focus on something other than Parkinson’s disease.

Conversely, tomatoes are very plentiful, nice-sized, and green. Not a red tomato insight yet. So when those change color, I will be processing a lot of tomatoes; I see I’ll have a lot of tomato sauce for at least a year or so. The hot peppers are probably the most interesting. The ghost peppers are plentiful green, maybe 2 inches long. That will be some hot stuff!

Around the house

In addition to medicine or medical activities and garden activities, there are the wonderful continuing activities of home ownership. I realized I could not mow the grass anymore; someone was cutting the grass for me now. Several other tasks around the house need to be completed, some of which I need to finish and some of which I need to find someone to do. My to-do list grows. My it’s done list needs to be growing. People to make that happen are seemingly overbooked or unavailable it seems. With tenacious persistance this will occur. With that going on in my life, I hope you understand why I’ve been absent. Things will get better soon. And I’ll have time to get back to what I started. I am sharing a story with you and connecting with you as well.