Connect with Manitoulin Botanicals on Facebook, their website, or via email ManitoulinBotanicals@gmail.com

 Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post.  Just promoting local businesses and the island we love.

When you live on Manitoulin Island, you quickly become aware of the need (and want) for eating your own fresh vegetables and fresh fruit.  We have fabulous grocery stores on the Island, but being able to buy your produce from local Farmers' Markets or grow your vegetables in your own garden do make a big difference when it comes to taste and treading lighter on the Earth.

I love the fact that our beef comes from our farm. Our chicken, lamb, and pork are local. Grampy catches our fish from the lake. Our eggs come from a local farmer, and most of our fruits and veggies come from our farm.

It's also very important to me that my family gets our recommended daily intake of fruits and veggies.  Though I'm guilty of wanting to have produce from overseas or across the border (yes, I love my avocados and we cannot grow them where we live!), I try to 'buy local' as much as I can.  I do purchase pineapple and clementines (and I try not to beat myself up for it) and I try to make sure the bulk of what we eat are grown either on our farm, on the Island or in Ontario.


What vegetables are in season in Ontario?

In the Spring, we can get a variety of produce like:

ASPARAGUS from April through June. We have lots and lots of asparagus on our farm. We love them grilled, sauteed, steamed, and even eaten raw! Picking the asparagus and eating it fresh was something new to this city girl! I was surprised at how sweet the asparagus is raw! It tastes sort of like snowpeas!

ARUGULA from May through September. We love mixing arugula in with salad other greens and tossing it with a nice homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

BEETS from May through October. Beets are one of my absolute favourites. It was only recently that I tried eating beet greens! Love them! I also have a balsamic glazed beet recipe I really love, and of course, pickled beets are an all-time favourite here too!

CHARD from May through September. I make soups and stir-fry recipes with chard. Chard sauteed with garlic is also very tasty.

CARROTS from May through November. They keep well in cold storage. We eat them raw, add them to a variety of recipes, make carrot cake, carrot juice, carrot salad, carrot soup, etc. There are so many ways we use carrots in our cooking. To be honest, I enjoy just eating carrots fresh from the garden (washed).

GARLIC SCAPES in May and June. I never knew that you could eat the long green shoot that springs from garlic! The scapes are so delicious! I first had them at a restaurant as part of the garnish for my dish. I actually thought they were some kind of different string bean! Garlic scapes are now among my favourite things to eat!

GREENS from May to November. There are numerous types of greens you can grow and eat in the Spring that are perfect for mixing together in a salad. I love being able to have fresh salad greens throughout the seasons.

HERBS from May to October. Herbs can be grown or started indoors. It's great having your own personal little herb garden in your kitchen. This makes it easy to add flavour, colour, and freshness to your dishes!

LETTUCE May to October. Lettuce is easy to grow and pick. Great in salads and sandwiches.

LEEKS in the Spring, we go leek picking on our farm. Nothing beats a nice homemade leek and potato soup!

MORELS in the Spring. On the Island, Spring is an exciting time because of the morels and wild leeks!

MUSHROOMS year-round. If you grow mushrooms, you'll enjoy harvesting them! Just make sure you know which mushrooms are edible and which ones can kill you!

PARSNIPS in April and May, and again in October through November.

RADISHES May through October. I'm not really a fan of radishes, because I find their bite a bit too strong. My husband loves picking radishes, giving them a quick wash, and popping them into his mouth. He loves them.

RHUBARB from April through June. Admittedly, I wasn't a huge rhubarb fan before I moved to Manitoulin Island. I actually HATED Rhubarb when I was a kid. Now that I'm married to a farmer, my mother-in-law has taught me how to cook with rhubarb, bake with rhubarb, and learn to love rhubarb. Our rhubarb on our farm is so prolific, that it would be a shame to not use it. I have a rhubarb-strawberry-apple pie and a rhubarb strawberry dessert that I love making.

SPINACH from May through October. Spinach is fabulous eating in a sandwich or in a salad. We also really enjoy spinach in stir-fry or soups. Our latest way of enjoying spinach is in smoothies and vegetable juices! Gotta love the dark leafy greens!



Do you have a garden? What do you grow?

Why Buy Local

The Reward 
From May 1^st to May 5^th 2013, Egg Farmers of Canada will be rewarding Canadian moms who in many cases do the hard graft of grocery-buying and preparing meals for their families.  Visitors to the Egg Farmers of Canada Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/eggs) during this period will be able to claim a discount voucher for eggs, and get ideas for treating their moms to the perfect Mother’s Day brunch – both the recipe, and how to prepare it.

Here's a great recipe/video for you! 






What percentage of your groceries are locally produced?
Disclosure - This is not a sponsored post. This is just a topic I am passionate about.

Growing up in Quebec, la cabane a sucre has always been part of our traditions. I remember going to the "sugar shack" every year. As kids, we'd go with our class on school trips and learn how maple syrup is made. We'd end the excursion with a feast! We'd have a huge breakfast...Quebec style! In other words, our eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes all slathered with delicious maple syrup. Ahhh! Sweet ambrosia!

Now, I have my own cabane a sucre experience chez nous!

I never imagined moving to the countryside and living on a farm, but I have to say that this is by far one of my favourite things about country living. Making our own maple syrup has become something fun to do with Hubby, Little One, and my students when I was teaching (before putting teaching on  hold for social media).


I'm glad our little one is able to experience this every year on our farm. This is one of my most cherished childhood memories. I hope it will become one of hers too.

{ Easy Maple Syrup Salad Dressing }
Ingredients:
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp tahini
Maple Syrup
Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed and not from a bottle)
Garlic, minced (2 or 3 cloves. You can use less, but I love my garlic!)
Salt

* Everyone always asks for exact measurements, for the maple syrup and lemon juice, but just adjust according to your taste. About 1 tbs or two each will do. I sometimes use more. I have a friend who just uses maple syrup and lemon juice and nothing else and that's delicious on a salad as is!

Add ingredients in a mason jar, cover with lid and shake to emulsify. Pour over your favourite salad greens (we even use this on cucumbers for a cucumber salad). You can add nuts and dried cranberries or pear slices and goat cheese to your salad too. This dressing is a favourite in our house.

Store unused salad dressing in fridge

Since today is International Day of Happiness, I was thinking about things that contribute to my happiness and things that I do to make others happy.

Things that make me happy

• Sunshine and blue skies
• My smiley little girl
• Daily walks with my canine baby, Chance
• My husband surprising me by occasionally doing something thoughtful like doing the dishes after supper or making me a cup of tea
• A delicious, healthy meal
• Being with the people I love most
• Seeing my little one with her grandparents
• A good dinner party
• SPRING!

Gentle Yoga for beginners at the Tekhummah hall starting March 27th for 5 weeks from 7pm-8pm. Instructor, Nathalie Gara-Boivin will help you calm your mind, build strength and flexibility. No experience required for all ages! 

If you have been reading my blog, you may recognize Nathalie from my Manitoulin Spotlight on the Auberge Inn.

To register for Nathalie's yoga class, contact her at (705) 377-4392.

Renowned Fitness and Nutrition Expert Harley Pasternak will be in store at Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens on March 19^th to chat with fans to launch his new book, The Body Reset Diet.  

Times like these are when I wish I were still living in Toronto! I'm a Harley Pasternak fan! Have you checked out his website? I was going to upload a video of Harley on The Chew, ! 

Wish I could make it, but Manitoulin Island is a 6 hour drive from Toronto!  If you attend, please tell Harley I say hello!

Made with the perfect blend of natural ingredients, including whole grain oat clusters and sun-ripened blueberries, this cereal has a lot to love. Not only does it taste great, but each 1 cup serving of Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters & Flakes offers 45 percent of the daily amount of fibre shown to help lower cholesterol – just in time for Heart Health Month . With 6 grams of protein per cup, the cereal is free of trans fats, low in saturated fat and has no artificial flavours or colours.

Since Heart Health is something on our minds these days, especially with a family history of heart issues, high cholesterol, and other health issues, I've been focusing on heath and exercise. I've also been making a conscious effort to make sure my family eats well and that we get our recommended fibre intake.

Kashi gave us the opportunity to try their Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters & Flakes cereal.

You know how we're always told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? We all  know this, but do we all remember to have a good breakfast every morning? I try, but usually my mornings are so rushed with trying to get Little One washed up, dressed, fed, and out the door so we can trek all the way to her bus stop. I often occasionally forget to eat something for my own breakfast. When I get in I grab an apple or a yogurt...if I remember.

I don't know how I have time to make oatmeal (with steel cut oats) for Little One, but not enough time to have anything myself. Now that we are trying Kashi's new cereal, Little One and I both have a bowl of cereal together.

I have to say that I loved it because I know that fibre is shown to help lower cholesterol, but Little One loved it for the taste! Everyone in the family is happy with Kashi Blueberry Oat Clusters & Flakes.

One of my addictions is Zumba. I LOVE the energy and the music! My only problem these days is that I don't have time to drive to my Zumba lessons. Zumba DVDs it is, then. *sigh* It's not the same as taking a class with a Zumba instructor who has enough energy to keep the entire class dancing and having fun!  Let me tell you, Casey is has lots of great energy and her enthusiasm and passion for Zumba really show in her classes! She is so fabulous at what she does.

As part of my Manitoulin Spotlight this week, I want to introduce my Zumba instructor to you.


1. Briefly tell us about yourself. Where you live, what you love doing, hobbies, etc.
 My name is Casey Boisvert and I live in Little Current on Manitoulin Island. For the most part I have always been an Islander, despite being born in Sudbury, and the small stint I spent in North Bay getting my BA in Psychology and the Bachelor of Education Degree at Nipissing University. 
Right now I don't have a lot of time for hobbies since I am running a Service Canada Program in M'Chigeeng, tutoring, and running Zumba. I think given all that I do, it is safe to say that I love teaching in any capacity it comes in. I think I have always been a bit of a performer, and I am sure my family will attest to me loving attention, so this all seemed like a natural fit. It is such a powerful feeling knowing that you have helped a student learn something even in the smallest capacity, be it tieing there shoes, reading a few words, or making life decisions.
I used to love writing, poems mostly, as I felt that it was always a release of emotions. I love sports, and used to be involved in several volleyball leagues, and I played Ultimate this summer. I am trying to learn French as a second language right now, as I feel that this will benefit me and make me more employable with the Rainbow District School Board. I also fancy myself as a bit of a creative person, give me some crayons, scissors, or glue, and I am sure to be able to make something out of it. Of course, I have to listen to my music in order to come up with all these Zumba routines.

2. How did you end up as a Zumba instructor? Was it something you had always wanted to do?
I have always loved dancing. While living in North Bay I had the opportunity to sign up for a dance class. We loved it and I noticed that I had a natural ability to remember routines and keep the counts in my head. Due to a conflict with my volleyball schedule, I wasn’t able to sign up for this class the following year, so me and several other girlfriends looked elsewhere. We found a little dance studio downtown North Bay and they were offering something called Zumba. The price was right so we decided to try it. It is kind of funny to think back on now, but my friends always wanted to hide in the back, and I was always gung-ho to be up close to the teacher so I could get all the moves just right. My friends would often stand behind me and say things like how do you know what to do and I have just been watching her feet. Again, I seemed to be able to pick up the steps and remember the routines. Well as fate would have it, I moved back to Manitoulin and there was a woman on the Island who had just got her training to be an instructor. I thought, well I know what this is all about I am going to go out and have some fun. It wasn’t long after that the Instructor and I became friends, we were discussing music, I was making up some of my own routines to teach, and a few times she called on me to cover her class. Eventually, it was like why don’t you just become an instructor? So I did. I went to a CanFit Pro conference in Toronto, got stuck in a room with probably 500 other people, and became an Instructor. It wasn’t long after that that I started up my own classes and I have just hit my year anniversary this month since I began on my own. 
Zumba wasn’t something that I really planned on making a career out of. It was just a passion that I followed, and in all honesty, I thought that maybe I could use it as an in with schools on the Island to teach dance or drama programs. Even though it is hard work, I can’t really picture myself not doing it anymore. Any time a song comes on on the radio I am instantly mapping out moves in my head, the routines play over for songs I have already done, and given the opportunity and the audience I will bust out some moves just to show people what it is all about. 

3. For those unfamiliar with Zumba, could you explain what it is?
Zumba Fitness is a Latin inspired cardio dance fitness program is you want the official definition. But really what I like to tell people is that it is fun. A lot of people get too hung up on the word dance, but really we just get out there and move to the music. The music is loud and upbeat to make it feel like a party atmosphere and it is exercise in disguise. I think you just have to try it to get what it is because it means something different to everyone. Some I am sure like it for the party atmosphere and it is a mood elevator and stress reliever. Other like it because it has a social aspect to it. It is appealing because you are getting a great workout but having fun at the same time. There is great love and support in the room and really, everyone can do it. You don’t need any experience or special equipment. It works for people at all fitness levels and for people with any type of limitation. I always tell my first timers it about feeling the music and having fun, they know their limitations and restrictions and they can work within them. There is no wrong way to do Zumba because everyone has their own flavour to bring to the group. I always say if you smiled and had fun then you did it right. 

4. Quick! 5 reasons why you think people should take Zumba lessons!
- Great Workout
- Fun Atmosphere that is low risk (meaning that you can feel comfortable to try something new because everyone else is doing it with you, it doesn’t matter if it looks the same as someone else)
- It is for Everyone
- No special equipment or training required
- Breaks out of the normal routine, where else do you get to dance and shout out whenever you feel like it!

5. What's your favourite Zumba song/routine? (Is there a YouTube video you can recommend?)
I have done so many that it is hard to pick a favourite, and there are ones I like for different reasons. Some I like because they are the first ones I ever made, some I like because of the choreography and it is so cool watching a group of people come together to do your moves, and some are just crowd pleasers – when the song comes on you can see that they are excited, or they scream louder, or give a little extra of themselves to the music. I feed off their fun. I think last year one that everyone enjoyed was Moves Like Jagger, this year I feel like it is going to be Gangnam Style. 
There isn’t a video I would recommend watching, I make up most of my own routines, or sometimes for inspiration I watch other routines for new moves. I would just tell people to pick a song they like and type Zumba behind it. Or to just type Zumba on its own and there are going to be thousands of options that come up. This way they can get an idea of what it is all about. There are some really awesome routines out there, but there is a lot of junk too. The best way to really know is to try it yourself. 

6. Anything else you'd like to add or would like readers to know?
I often tell my first timers that it is going to feel overwhelmed the first time and probably a little lost and to at least give me two classes before they decided on whether or not this is for them. They are learning the routines for the first time and hearing the music for the first time so the learning curve is huge. I tell them that I do my best to verbally and visually prompt them so they should never feel like I am going to leave them alone to figure it all out. Everyone was once in their shoes, we all have to start somewhere. They shouldn’t feel like they look stupid because Zumba lets you add your own style to every move we do. And trust me everyone feels the way you do, but everyone is so focused on me and getting th moves they aren’t going to see how hard you are shaking your hips, or if your left arm went up first. I want everyone to feel comfortable with and love who they are, I am not here to judge, I love all of my Zumba-ers. Without them everything I have done wouldn’t be possible, without their energy, love, and support, I could have easily of given up. They are the reason I keep going, and I want them all to know that some days seeing them smile and hearing them cheer gets me through my day. I love hearing that they loved a song, had fun, or are achieving their weight goals. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that I am making a difference to someone one song at a time. 
Lastly, if you aren’t sure about a move, ask me. Teaching is what I do and I want you to feel like this is something you can do!

If you are on Manitoulin Island and are looking for a fun way to keep active, I would definitely recommend taking Casey's Zumba classes!  I'm so looking forward to my schedule slowing down so I can re-join the classes! Like I said, Zumba DVDs are great (love them), but the vibe from an actual Zumba class is beyond compare! Definitely an adrenaline rush!

For more info, check out zumba.com!

This year, our garden was really prolific. We had zucchini coming out of our ears! I've already grated eight large ones and quartered six, and stored them in freezer bags for Winter use.  I've cooked eight, and have five on my kitchen counter. There are still a few that need to get picked tomorrow. With so many zucchinis, I've had to come up with many different ways to cook them. Now, this is not an issue since my absolute favourite vegetable just happens to be the zuke. Lucky for me, Little One loves zucchini too!

One of the recipes I came up with today was a zucchini fritter.  I was inspired by a former roommate's dad's amazing latkes. When I lived in Toronto, my friend Dee used to invite me to her family's Seder dinners. Dee's dad makes the best latkes on the planet! I am not kidding! I absolutely loved going to his house for Seder dinners! Mmmm! Latkes, Matzo ball soup, and Gefilte fish! Love, love, love!

How Dee's dad makes the most amazing latkes on the planet, will always remain a mystery to me.
Anyway, instead of making potato latkes, I decided to make use of the zucchini I have on hand.  I'm not sure if this recipe already exists, and I didn't have time to scour the internet to find out.

Chrissy's Zucchini Fritters {Recipe 1}
Ingredients:
1 zucchini, grated
1 onion, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 eggs
flour (a few Tablespoons? I didn't measure!)
pinch of salt & black pepper
oil to cook fritters in

Instructions;
Step 1 - Get your not even 4 year old to grate the zucchini, onion, and carrot for you.  Don't worry, it's not child labour. She wants to be helpful  Of course, always supervise children and never leave them unattended/on their own. Graters can be dangerous if not careful with them...Yes, even for some adults.
Note the strategically placed Iron Kids Gummy Vitamins? No, they did not get added into the fritter mixture. I actually have no idea why my daughter insisted that they be in the photo.
 Oh, also note the strategically placed Mabel's Labels in my child's hair?  Yeah. Mommy's not impressed.

Step 2 - Get not even 4 year old child to mix the grated vegetables, flour, eggs, s & p together until well combined.

Step 3 - In a heated skillet/pan, add oil for cooking.  Drop mixture onto hot pan by the tablespoon. You can flatten them a little so they're not too thick. Cook as though you are cooking mini pancakes.  You'll know they're ready when they're golden and lacy.
 I served the zucchini fritters with a roast, potatoes, and a garden salad. Everything we ate was from our farm, including our Manitoulin Beef.  I'm married to a beef farmer.  We're proud supporters of Canadian Beef.
Chrissy's Zucchini Fritters {Recipe 2}
This is actually the way I normally make my zuke fritters. As a habit, I don't normally fry any of our food. As Hubby! I made him get rid of his deep fryer when we got married!  However, every once in a blue moon, I feel like having some of these!

Ingredients:
zucchini, sliced into rounds
1 egg
flour for dredging
s & p
oil for cooking

Instructions:
Step 1 - Slice zucchini into rounds.
Step 2- In a bowl, beat egg. In a separate bowl, add flour, salt and pepper.
Step 3- Dip zucchini rounds into egg and dredge them in flour mixture.
Step 4- In heated pan with oil, cook until your fritters are golden. Enjoy!

Wait! There's more!

I'm not the only one up to my eyeballs in zucchini! My lovely friend, OrangeHeroMama shared her super moist and delicious
Chocolate Zucchini Brownies! 
We made them, and they were delish!  Visit OrangeHeroMama here for her recipe!

They are "super yummy", according to Little One!

Got any fave zuke recipes? Please share!

As a Mom, my most important job is making sure my child is healthy and happy.  Something that has been very important to me from the beginning of Little One's existence has been feeding her nutritious foods.  From day one, I knew I wanted her to eat lots of veggies and fruits, foods like Quinoa, etc.

A few years ago, when Little One was starting to eat solid foods, I somehow crossed paths (online) with Kia Robertson and her amazing Today I Ate a Rainbow kit!

When Little One was old enough to understand that she needed to "eat a rainbow" every meal, we tried the kit.  She was (and still is) so excited to chart which colours of the rainbow she's eaten from and she reminds everyone to do the same.

I was so impressed with Kia and her Eating a Rainbow movement, that I couldn't help but spread the Eating a Rainbow love.  It really is a "movement", as Kia's goal is to help parents get children excited about eating their fruits and vegetables.  Her dedication to helping families eat healthy is amazing and inspiring.
Since "meeting" Kia online a few years ago, she's become a great friend.  I love all the wealth of advice she has to offer about feeding kids healthy food and getting them interested in making healthy food choices.
Because I believe so much in what Kia is doing for kids all over the country, I wanted to help spread the word.  Here's my interview with Kia:

...that Canada is in the midst of a fibre deficit!  Did you know that? The average fibre intake is only half of what it ought to be. Women aged 19 to 50 should consume about 25 g of fibre a day, and men aged 19 to 50 should take in 38 g a day.

This is going to sound really dorky, but in our household, we take fibre very seriously. In fact, it's my husband who makes sure that we all get a healthy dose of fibre each day. He's always going on about how there's a direct correlation between fibre and overall health. He does his research and he's a smart man. Our friends go to him for everything from questions about plant life, ecosystems, history, trivia, health, first aid, to conspiracy theories. Yes, I affectionately nicknamed him "Textbook". The guy is a walking encyclopedia! If he tells me to eat fibre and explains the countless health benefits of fibre, then by all means, I'm going to be getting my fibre in me.

Again, we don't have any picky eaters in our household, but we have friends who do.  A few years ago, my friend GadgetGirl gave me a great cookbook called The Sneaky Chef. Missy Lapine, the author of the cookbook sneaks in wholesome veggies into her meals. They're disguised so well that kids who "hate" veggies actually get their servings of veg because they don't even know they're in there!

Though I've never had to hide veggies in my meals for  my family (my 3.5 year old LOVES veggies), I have been known to do it when we have guests with kids who will not eat vegetables. For example, in my spaghetti sauce, I throw in LOADS of vegetables. They're cut so small, that kids don't even know they're in there! I add onions, carrots, tomatoes, two different kinds of squash, mushrooms, garlic, elery, and other veg.

Kellogg's All-Bran has partnered up with Missy Lapine. She shares some easy, delicious, fibre packed recipes. Get the fibre you need and eat the food you love!

Try this for dinner


CRISPY COCONUT SESAME CHICKEN WITH SOY LIME DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1. In food processor, combine cereal, ½ cup (125 mL) coconut, garlic powder, ginger and pepper - processing with pulse action to fine consistency. Drizzle in oil, using pulsing action to combine. Stir in 1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame seeds. Place mixture into shallow dish or onto plate. 

2. In medium bowl, beat ¼ cup (50 mL) mayonnaise and 2 tbsp (25 mL) lime juice to combine well. 

3. Cut each chicken breast into 2 pieces of similar size and thickness (slant cut for equal thickness). Using tongs, dip chicken pieces into mayonnaise mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat with cereal mixture, pressing gently. Place coated chicken in a single layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Discard remaining mayonnaise mixture and remaining cereal mixture (if preparing Satay-Style Dipping Sauce below, reserve 1/4 cup/50 mL cereal mixture). 

4. Bake coated chicken in 400°F (200°C) oven until food thermometer reads (170°F/ 77°C) at centre of chicken pieces - about 25 minutes. Serve with Soy Lime Dipping Sauce*.

*Soy Lime Dipping Sauce: In small bowl, combine the remaining mayonnaise, lime juice and sesame seeds with the soy sauce and sugar. Divide into 6 portions.

Tip: Another great dipping sauce alternative is our Satay-Style Dipping Sauce. In small saucepan, combine ½ cup (125 mL) water, 2 tbsp (25 mL) reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp (25 mL) peanut butter and 1 tbsp (15 mL) lime juice. Add reserved cereal mixture. Stir and heat to a boil. Simmer, for 5 minutes, stirring often. 



OR this for dessert!


BLUEBERRY PEACH CRUMBLE

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1. In food processor, process cereal, flour, 50 ml (1/4 cup) of the brown sugar and margarine just until moistened and crumbly. Set aside for topping.

2. In small bowl, mix remaining sugar, cornstarch, lemon rind and cinnamon. Stir into berries. Spread mixture evenly in 2 L (8-cup) shallow baking dish. Top with sliced peaches. Sprinkle evenly with reserved topping.

3. Bake at 180°C (350°F) 30 minutes or until topping is browned and fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.


The above recipes are from the allbran.ca website.

Disclosure - I am a member of the Kelloggers Network, however I am posting this blog post because I think the information about fibre is an important one to share. I have not been asked to post, nor have I been compensated for this post. This is my personal blog. All the thoughts and opinions shared on this blog are honest and my own.