Arizona is on the verge of spring and in the valley, we get a taste of sunshine earlier than the rest of the country. Phoenicians hit the ground running too, because by the end of May we are inside hiding from the heat! In February we xeriscaped the back yard using decomposed granite, poured our own concrete pad and to top it all off, got a chiminay.

When the cats come out, the birds always sing. I’ve learned a couple native birds, but the Merlin Bird ID app that I just downloaded is a game changer!

I’ve recorded the regulars I know and love. When I heard the Mockingbird and started recording, the app did not immediately suggest a species. Then it registered cactus Wren and Lesser goldfinch before finally listing Northern Mockingbird. That must be why they have that name!

Now I am listening for and identifying new species, like the million different woodpeckers we have here!

I am stinky for some unknown reason. Like a sweet sweaty onion. Something is coming up out of me. I’m also feeling in a deficit energetically.

My health has ebbed and flowed in fits and spurts the past five years. A test found that my hormonal cycle is reversed– high melatonin in the morning and high cortisol at night. Along with chronic hyperthyroidism that I work tirelessly to identify and address the root cause.

When I feel stuck I try to focus on a couple of the main things I can do that will move me forward- simple, actionable items.

One is actually relaxing. Like really, Casey. As a type-A Manifesting Generator Virgo Rat, it is a challenge not to overthink every millisecond of my life. I’m reading a book about Biogenetics by Dr. Norm Shealy. It offers a practice: breathe in, “I am,” breathe out, “relaxed,” and repeat that 40 times by counting on your fingers.

Second, I am facing the fact that I am a chronic under-eater. I am working on providing my body the sustenance it needs to function and heal.

Earlier this year I started eating more wild game meats after reading a recipe book for the Wildatarian diet by Teri Cochrane. Conventional beef, chicken and pork are not the healthful happy animals they used to be since industrial agriculture took over.

Marcus Aurelius’ blog pointed me in the direction of Dr Ray Peat and by researching his work, I found an Instagram community of people using the prometabolic approach and many new resources! I am now reading a book by Kate Deering and a recipe book from Josh and Jeanne Rubin of eastwesthealing.

Prometabolic eating focuses on clean and efficient ways to fuel the body with the correct ratios of carb, protein & fat. It does not seem to be as dogmatic or limiting as other diets. I also resonate with the way it embraces traditional foods. We have much to learn by rediscovering the wisdom of our ancestors to regenerate the health of our bodies, the animals we eat and the earth.

Avoiding polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is a big part of this philosophy. This includes nuts, seeds and fish oils. These ingredients slow down the metabolism. They actually allow animals to live longer with less nutrients. This is why they use corn and soy for animal feed. It’s also why animals eat lots of seeds and nuts before hibernating in the winter. It is estimated that we consume 70 pounds of PUFAs in a year- they’re everywhere! Most processed foods and probably every restaurant fryer is full of PUFAs. We used to fry food in beef tallow- a much more stable and nutrient rich saturated fat.

I went to the farmers market this morning to stock up on raw milk, duck eggs, potatoes and carrots. The citrus will be juiced into an adrenal support cocktail (think homemade Gatorade) that gives me proper ratios of potassium, sodium and vitamin C.

I am so grateful to our local farmers market, especially Moreno Farms & Greener Pastures for honoring the tradition of growing our own food and bringing it to the community.

I am also becoming obsessed with tea. Yesterday I tried Pu’reh for the first time and it changed my life. I’ve added a lazy Susan and vintage sugar dispenser to my tea & coffee nook so it’s ever so cozy now!

My other latest and greatest obsession is purple slag. Back when I lived in Colorado, a friend and I explored Pawnee National Grassland. While he was busy looking at something, I stood by and a flash of color caught my eye. It was an old purple marble from the early 1900s!

I later lost that marble and I miss it so much. We saw an episode of American Pickers where the husband collects marbles and the wife had a collection of Vaseline glassware that glows in the dark. It finally occurred to me that I could get another purple marble!

I started searching the internet learning about marbles and found a collector who offers to identify them by text. I sent him a picture in the evening and had my magic purple keywords by morning, “Akro Agate Slag.” This led me into a world of wonder. Purple slag is made up of purple glass with opaque white swirled into it. There are now three dozen marbles, a duck and a canoe (no, this is not a bad joke!) on their way to my house from Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky and others. Don’t download ebay; it’s dangerous!

As always I’m obsessed with my cat children. They and I have started liver supplementation. I also let them play in the yard under supervision. Biggie Smalls is very good at coming to check in frequently. He’s also good at chasing his brother and occasionally jumping the wall. He flies back in the house when I clap my hands and returns to me if I snap.