Garden Planning 2011

Done, such as it is. I won't be growing much this year, but I did the usual draw-it-out-on-graph-paper-and-dream-with-catalogs thing. It never quite turns out like you plan it, but the planning is fun. Husband will help with making sure everything is well-mulched.

On a happy dietary note, the central library in Memphis is a treasure trove for those who live here on a budget. The vegetarian section (the cooking section in general) is quite good. I even found Neal Bernard's Food for Life in the second-hand bookstore for $1. Now I have recipes from Dean Ornish (circa 1996, when he was still strict about his stuff), Caldwell and Rip Esselstyn, and Neal Bernard. I like it when people who publish recipes have science behind them. Did you know even Laurel's Kitchen (first published in 1976) had similar science in it? The science isn't without controversy of course (especially from people who Really Like Clogged Arteries), but the gastroenterological research supports the general approach of those listed above. More vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Less junk. More fiber, less SOFAS (term from latest USDA dietary standards meaning "solid fats and added sugars"). Helps all conditions (except rare forms of epilepsy, in which cases ketogenic diets are life-saving), hurts nobody. Good stuff.