Growin' a Garden

When Anthony and I first started dating 10 years ago I thought that it was kind of strange how much pride he took in his garden. I've always loved Anthony's passion for the "hobbies" in his life and gardening was one of them so naturally I've come to love it too.

A lot of work and 2 years later it feels wonderful to have a backyard that is finally starting to resemble a yard (not a mud pit). The preparation it took to get this garden ready sure was a huge undertaking... we had to remove all the wood chips the builder put down in the retaining wall (12 feet by 8 feet and about 4 inches deep), wheel in 10 yards of garden soil and then plant... planting took me 2 days. We are starting to see the results of our (Anthony wheeled in all the soil for me) hard work as things are sprouting up all over the place.


I don't claim to have a green thumb, actually this year is the 3rd garden I've done, and here's to hoping that this will be my 3rd success. I must say there certainly is something very therapeutic about gardening, maybe it's because this is where I go at the end of my day to relax (weed/water the garden), and I relish the growth and beauty of it by day. Jack seems to like weeding too, and seems to do less damage than the rabbits! I really need to put out some Cayenne pepper or get the fence finished so this doesn't become the Bissoon Gourmet Garden House for rabbits.

On a side note Jack and I admire/inspect the garden a few times a day during which time I talk to him about the different fruit/veggies growing. I have been making all of Jack's food at home and would like for him to have a healthy relationship with food and this starts with knowing where it comes from, how it grows and the factors that affect its growth, I sure hope he grows up appreciating GOOD healthy food.

I've always wanted to try composting to reduce our waste so this is my first year trying it out... so far so good - no smell, flies or animals trying to get into it. Also, a first this year: bird feeders. Jack and I enjoy watching the birds - I need to learn more about them so we can attract more than just sparrows and robins. Now, I need to invest in some rain barrels. I really want 2 but am holding out for a deal (FREE hopefully or gifted... maybe for Christmas?). I'm grateful for all the rain this year in Calgary as I'm sure it has reduced my water bill but may not be so lucky next year so rain barrels are a must.

One day I will have a backyard oasis that I've always dreamed of - oh, but wait then it will be full of yelling, giggling, smiling children... but all too soon the day will come when peace and quiet will return and I will miss those moments so for now I will enjoy and embrace today's yard.

Brain Plasticity

Alright, so I read a book awhile back called "The Brain That Changes Itself" by Norman Doidge and I haven't completely been able to forget it... it is very informative, and I felt encouraged to learn about the endless possibilities of our brains. I know I will not do this topic justice as it is one that requires a lot of time to fully understand and grasp the depth of what our brains are capable of so I do suggest reading the book and/or listening to the documentary.

Recently (within the past few decades)scientists have been researching and proving that the brain is NOT in fact "hardwired" as was previously thought; patients have been benefiting from neurorehabilitation and recovering from brain injuries that were thought incurable!

"Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment."

"A brain is not a computer. The brain begins working long before it is finished. And the same processes that wire the brain before birth also drive the very rapid growth of learning that occurs immediately after birth. At birth, a baby’s brain contains 100 billion neurons. Before birth, the brain produces trillions more neurons and “synapses" than needed. During the first years of life, the brain undergoes a series of extraordinary changes. Then, through a process that resembles Darwinian competition, the brain eliminates connections that are seldom or never used."

Basically the old way of thinking was "use it or lose it", but that is NOT the case... we can learn new things, remember more and reverse brain damage (not all) caused by injury by making new connections.

The plasticity/malleability of the brain is nothing short of amazing! From sharpening perception, memory, increasing speed of thought to healing learning disabilities, helping stroke victims learn to speak/move again, recovering from brain tumors, curing pain, the ability for the brain to change itself can also help stop worries, obsessions, compulsions and bad habits... so even if you don't have the "biggies" the "smaller" things can also be improved on with a little practice.

The greatest form of brain plasticity is present in a woman named Michelle (29 yo) who was born with only the right hemisphere of her brain (can you imagine only having half a brain and still function?); her development makes it clear that neuroplasticity is no minor phenomenon as it has allowed her to reorganize her brain on a massive scale -- she speaks (fairly normally), reads, and holds part time jobs... all because the right hemisphere of her brain "learned" how to do what the left hemisphere would do.

"The brain compensates for damage in effect by reorganizing and forming new connections between intact neurons. In order to reconnect, the neurons need to be stimulated through activity. In Michelle, the right hemisphere had to evolve without input from the left and learn to live and function on its own."

Pretty amazing right? Well, it doesn't end there...