Spring in Sitka

Spring is here. It's been really sunny and dry for the past couple of weeks and today, finally, it rained. I love the rain. I like the sun, but I like the rain more. It feels nice, it smells nice, and it's not too bright. Sort of like me:) Ok, don't think I'm wierd, but I've been drinking green smoothies. And so has my family. A doctor here in Sitka has been holding free weekly clinics about green smoothies. Sometimes they turn out purple though, depending on what you put in. Here's what's behind it all: We don't eat enough greens. Greens do all kinds of things for you like neutralize your stomach acid, keep your intestines clean, add smoothness to your skin and shine to your hair and on and on and on. To get all the nutrients out of the greens, you need to break down the cells - that is, chew it really, really well. And not cook it. So, this green smoothy seems to be the best way to get those nutrients. And they aren't too bad. You start with a cup or two of water in the blender, add a couple of cut up bananas, a cut up apple and then some other fruit, like blueberries, pear, watermelon. Blend it up really well, then add 3 or 4 leaves of kale; or half a bunch of parsley, or two big handfuls of spinach. Or any other green. The fruit makes the flavor of the greens not so strong - and you have a tasty breakfast that gives you the nutrients you've been lacking. Those who drink a glass of green smoothy each day, even without changing the rest of their diets, have sworn that they have more energy, warts disappear, they lose weight, even diabetics claim they have been cured. If you're thinking this isn't too wierd, and would like some recipes - email me (denaleechapman@gmail.com) or call me. I wish I would have started our family on these long ago. That's it for now. Oh - one more thing, they say we can go get dandylion greens and put in them too, for even more nutrition. Actually, they say you can use the whole plant when it's young, even the roots. I say: has anyone ever had luck pulling out dandylion roots?