The flurry of activity during late summer can look chaotic from the outside. The weather and schedules change in a blink. There always seems to be one more thing that needs to be finished, or someone needs your help with. Be careful. Finish what you have already started before overloading your schedule whenever possible. Remember to say no whenever possible.
Being flexible with expectations, prioritizing a complicated to do list and creative time management are all key to finishing late summer activities. Keep your schedule flexible and realistic. If something changes unexpectedly, change with it. Have a series of goals you’d like to reach…not expectations that must be met.
Prioritize. Einstein said, “Out of chaos, find simplicity.” If you have more than five things to do, write a list. Prioritize the list beginning with the most time-consuming or physically hard tasks. Get the hardest, most unpleasant task done first. Any task that requires someone else’s help goes last. Nothing you can do about those. Check off the tasks as they get done. If something goes left unfinished, it becomes a priority on tomorrows list.
Time management is an artform. Luckily, those with a majority of traits in the Common Sense of Taste are very creative, adaptable and communicate better than most. All of these skills are needed for time management. Creativity about how you get a job done makes a difference. Delegate whenever possible. Get kids involved in age appropriate, fun ways. Keep it simple. Break a task into small parts that others can help you with.
Filling the pantry has to be done when the produce is ready. Don’t try to do too much at once. Pick one stocking up task at a time. Berries, herbs and flowers come first because they have a short shelf life once picked. Jellies need to drip overnight. Jams can be done in a couple of hours. Flowers can be picked/dried anytime after the dew is dried from them in the morning. Finish everything else before beginning canning tomatoes.
Tomatoes will take at least one whole day. Usually two. Okay, three if you count the getting ready day. I buy a bushel of canning tomatoes a summer. The first day is set up. All the jars get prepped, the canning equipment cleaned, and then I get the tomatoes. Begin the tomatoes first thing in the morning before it gets hot. Do sauce first because it has to cook down all day. Cold pack tomatoes are processed seven at a time throughout the day in the canner. A very steamy kitchen by afternoon.
Plan carefully, have fun during the task and say no when you are already busy. Nobody will get mad at you for taking care of yourself.
Symptoms of being overheated in this kind of body include: Overworking (especially studying or intellectual work), canker sores, conjunctivitis, excess appetite, water retention, swollen prostate, tender gums, PMS (with lethargy, aching, hunger and swelling), sores on scalp, heavy head/eyes, sticky eyelids, sticky mucus in nose/throat, sticky saliva and perspiration, sensitive spleen or liver
There are nutritious foods that people in this category should avoid or eat in moderation because of their metabolism. Anything that causes gas is a problem..like dry beans, some raw vegetables, and many grains. Too much sugar or white flour is definitely a problem.
Cooling foods include: Apples, applesauce, fresh apricots, asparagus, avocados, bananas, fresh basil, beans, beet greens, sweet berries, cooked broccoli, brussel sprouts, cooked carrots, cashews, cooked cauliflower, chard, mango chutney, cilantro, coconut oil, fresh corn, cucumber, dandelion greens, dill, dulse, egg white, mild flavored fish, flaxseed, fruit juice, ghee, grapes, grape leaf, leafy greens, ice cream, icy drinks, aloe vera juice, apple juice, kale, lemon, lemonade with honey or maple syrup, lentils, lettuce, fresh mango, maple syrup, melons, almond milk, goat milk, rice milk, soy milk, mushrooms
Oats, olive oil, black olives, cooked onions, fresh parsley, parsnip, pear, ripe sweet peppers, fresh plum, pomegranate, rhubarb, saffron, soybeans (edamame), spearmint, sprouts, spaghetti squash summer squash, black or green tea, iced tea, fresh tomatoes, watercress, watermelon, wintergreen, zucchini
Warming foods to avoid, or use in balanced moderation: Raw apple, dried apricot, artichokes, barley, dried beans, lima beans, yeasted bread, raw broccoli, caffeine, carbonated beverages, raw celery, dry cereal, chocolate, coffee, couscous, cranberries, dandelion greens, dates, eggplant, figs, flaxseed, dried ginger, granola, icy cold drinks, apple juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice, V-8 juice, kohlrabi, lamb, milk chocolate, soy milk, mushrooms
Uncooked oats, green olives, raw onions, pears, dried peas, hot peppers, sweet peppers, pomegranates, pork, prunes, radish, raisins, rice cakes, rye, safflower oil, sour cream, soy flour, soy powder, soybeans, white sugar, iced tea, fresh tomatoes, white meat turkey, turnip, venison, watermelon, yogurt.
