Posts

Showing posts from February, 2011

Soft Goal But Nice Glove

Image
 It was a funny day playing ball hockey. I got of to a dreadful start and gave up an early natural hat trick within the first 20 minutes of play. Settled down after weathering an early storm but still lost the first match 10 -8.  Bounced back in the second game for a 10 -8 win but was down two goals early in that match. As mentioned it was a strange day. One minute I'm making a save I shouldn't and the next I'm asleep at the wheel. The good news was I found better form as the day progressed and won the second match and snagged a shutout(4-0) in the third match(albeit only 15 minutes) as our floor time expired. Protected the shutout with a point blank save on a shot from the slot as I slid across the crease paddle down on the floor. This pretty much sums up the day.........unsure of making a save and looking into the net while the rebound is shot off my arse(to the laughter of the crowd), feet glued to the floor on the goal(what was I doing?) but flashing the leather on

Farmers Market Foraging -Village Bay Oysters

Image
 Out on a Sunday morning forage I bagged a box of Village Bay oysters. A cultivated product from New Brunswick the oysters came boxed by the dozen and were on sale today for .75each or nine dollars(CDN) for a dozen.  Loaded with zinck and selenium and a good source of O3 fatty acids they are definitely "man" food supplying us fellas with  lots of essential minerals and vitamins.  "Excellent source of : protein, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, iron, copper, magnesium and phosphorus ; Low in saturated fat ;Very good soure of Alpha Omega-3 fatty acids..."  Did I say they were delicious to boot? Possessing a delicate flavor the oysters were the epitomy of fresh local seafood.I am at a loss to explain the flavor other than saying they taste like a salty ocean breeze.Definitely gonna add them to my staples list and will become another foraging day "must" buy.   http://www.pec-nord.com/en/b_gourmet_huitres_village_culture.htm

Finbar's Cycling Club

Image
 It is official! Finbars Cycling Club is now sanctioned with BNS as a cycling club. What started out as a jersey idea over some "recovery" drinks at the local Irish pub has taken the next step by registering with the provincial cycling body.  In an attempt to get back to some "social" club cycling with a focus on fun some BPCC members began the "beer" rides a couple seasons ago. The relaxed pace ride(30kph) leaving Bedford for Dartmouth and the return via the Waverley road to enjoy a post ride beverage on the sunny deck of the pub gained in popularity. Before long GM and TB brainstormed the creation of a beer ride kit and with the owners of Finbars on board we ordered the initial jersey and bib from Louis Garneau.  With the adoption of ability based racing in 2010 I was keen on enjoying a fun competitive season of racing Cat C in what amounted to a "sport" category. With average speeds around 32-35kph and more moderate tempos on the big clim

Intermittent Fasting

According to Wikipedia -"Intermittent Fasting is a pattern of eating that alternates between periods of fasting (usually meaning consumption of water only) and non-fasting.......There is some evidence that intermittent fasting may have beneficial effects on the health and longevity of animals—including humans" "There have been a few human studies on IF, and all have shown a marked improvement in virtually every parameter tested.....Most fasted until 5 or 6 PM on the fast days, then ate, then ate regularly on the eat days. Even with this wimpy IF schedule the subjects did better." http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/intermittent-fasting/fast-way-to-better-health/ A good summary of the health benefits...... http://www.marksdailyapple.com/health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/ The impact on mental health and brain function as well through the efficient use of (mitochondria) energy and the utilization of both lysosomes and peroxisomes, which become more active 

Primal Anniversary

 Feb 28 2010 was when I officially assumed a Paleo/primal way of eating so I am ten days away from my first anniversary of low carb paleolithic nutrition. What began as a result of reading a random newspaper article on a February morning over coffee soon morphed into a personal experiment to see if I could drop 20 pounds before the 2010 racing season. At that time I had no idea how much impact going low carb would be for my personal wellness. Not only did I drop in excess of 20 pounds but I have managed to maintain my weight loss despite a few falls from dietary grace and experimenting with some new(to me) foodstuffs.  The unexpected bonus by following primal nutrition and, by extension, avoiding grains,legumes, nightshade veggies and dairy was I experienced a cessation of some nagging health issues I often attributed to aging, genetics and athletics. My chronic scalp inflamation cleared for the most part along with bouts of adult acne. My joint and muscle pain was alleviated and/or

Food For Thought - The Brain and Omega 3

An excellent read compliments of Evolutionary Psychiatry..... "Putting it all together - the overall evidence suggests that if you want to be anxious, moody, depressed, violent, and craving addictive substances, by all means slurp down those omega 6 PUFAs. If you want more control over your brain and urges, maybe look into avoiding any extra 6 (the animal fats will have all that is necessary) and be sure to get the omega 3s you need via fish a few times a week or properly sourced beef or other grassfed ruminant meat...."                                                Emily Deans http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/

Anchor Point

 After a week of archery practice I have noticed quite an improvement. As a novice having never shot a bow it was (initially) a struggle to even pull the bow to full draw. After day three it suddenly seemed easier and I was able to concentrate on fixing my anchor point. For me it seems natural for my thumb knuckle to anchor where the bottom jaw hinges with the top which puts the string roughly at the corner of my mouth. Now to just confirm that placement with consistency considering my draw strength has adjusted to the draw weight of the bow.  I have adopted the traditional stance and cantor the bow when drawing to shoot. I am left eye dominant so I hold the bow with my right arm. I think a slight bend in the elbow is the correct form but I seem comfortable locking out the arm although that may explain the occasional string slap. I may,in fact,be torquing the bow so might need to revisit both my elbow and my grip. Considering I grip the handlebars of my bikes rather tightly may well

Feeding Stump

 A couple winters ago I decided I would help out the neighborhood birds and began to supplement their diets with three bird feeders in the backyard. I keep them going year round but it is during the winter that the feathered critters ready need the extra food. I offer them a mix of black sunflower seeds, Niger seed and a commercial songbird mix.  Here are some pics of the local birds...... https://picasaweb.google.com/Rolfdevinci/ClaytonParkBirds #  I soon realized after watching a crow struggling to maintain it's balance on a small feeder that I had unknowingly left out the larger birds so scrounged a stump and placed it in the centre of the yard just under the large willow tree. I call it the feeding stump where I place meat/fish scraps, breads, black sunflower seeds and cracked corn. Not only can I now offer something to the larger birds but they now leave the smaller feeders alone so the Chickadees, Juncos, Goldfinches and Warblers do not get bullied off the feeders.  Ha

Modoc Style Longbow

Image
 Since I was a kid living in small town Nova Scotia I wanted to learn two particular niche sports. One was fencing and the other was archery. Times were different then and one income families struggled to make ends meet, especially in our household. I was happy my mother was able to keep me on bikes(that legacy continues to this day) and I had the opportunity to play organized  basketball and baseball through school intramurals and summer programs.  That said the longing to learn traditional archery has stayed with me into adulthood so I added it to the bucket list and finally acted upon the desire. Fully kitted out for the 2011 cycling season and with some extra monies in my Paypal account I picked up a Modoc style longbow, shooting glove and a dozen cedar arrows on Ebay.  The hickory longbow is 68 inches in length with a modest 45 pound draw at 28 inches. I opted to go mid weight not quite knowing what would be appropriate for me. It was a bit of a challenge consistently getting

A Feast Fit For A King

Image
 In celebration of the week's end and my continued struggle to retain some semblance of sanity in face of the persistant winter weather I have officially declared today as feel good Friday. Beginning with a haircut(yes- a haircut. I love getting groomed) I picked myself up a rib eye steak, a pound of PEI mussels and a bottle of 2009 Mezzomondo Negroamaro Salento. Grilled medium rare the steak was served with onions and mushrooms and a side of unpasturized saurkraut to appease the beneficial belly flora.The mussels were plump and delicious and offered a good dose of Omega 3 fatty acid to balance out the beef. All enjoyed along with an intense and spicy red wine produced in the Puglia region of Italy. A feast fit for a king but enjoyed nonetheless by this commoner.