Designer Whey Sustained Energy winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway. I'm super late getting the winners posted -- holiday, lack of computer . . . So, let's get to it! The winners of the Designer Whey Sustained Energy powder are:




Andrea

Realia Mazing

Britton

Noelle

Mike and Leslie

Amy Lauren


Congratulations!!! Please send me your mailing address with your flavor choice (chocolate or vanilla) to felicehalf [at] yahoo [dot] com.

The Up's & Down's of Being a Gardener!

Not a veggie, but I just love the lupin-like blooms
of baptisia.

So it's been raining for a whole week. 7 days and 7 nights. Of rain. Often heavy downpours that just pound everything into the ground. The basil and peppers are on 'pause' in terms of their growth.. and I think I saw a little 'on strike' sign tucked amongst the basil leaves. Not good! But, there is a glimmer of hope as tomorrow and later on into the week, the forecast looks a bit better with warmer temp's and more sunshine. Fingers crossed! At this point, the slugs are almost bigger than me, so we really need some of that summer heat.

I haven't actually been up to the garden in about 3 days, and it amazes me how some plants embrace the rain - greens, tomatoes, perennials, pole beans.. while others (the above-mentioned basil and peppers) languish.

But in my neglect of the garden, I have made a few boo boo's and the slugs have gone crazy in the new carrot patch.. check out my pole bean blunder below! Happily, the chickpeas are thriving (knock on wood)..

Chickpeas - putting on new growth even with NO
sunshine.. 

Hark! Is that a chickpea flower I see?? Plants
are about 1-foot tall and well branched. Only
about 20 plants (from 24 seeds in the packet)
Mental note: next year order 2 packets

Whoa - potato flowers! Does that mean I should
dig for some baby spuds?? Yum!

My giant kossak kohrabi is getting big! The
bulbing stem is about 3 inches across now.

Ok, I have 1 deer fence up now.. but before that
happened, the deer nibbled on my pole beans last
week. So, I used old pea netting to surround
the base of my pole bean teepee.. But.. now
the plants have grown through the netting!
Agh! I guess I'm stuck with the netting for the
season.. 

Lovely lettuce.. more salad tonight.

Hmmm.. can you see the tiny half-eaten
stub of a carrot plant in the middle??
darn slugs!! must stick more seed in.
And thin the remaining carrots. 

Designer Whey Sustained Energy -- review and giveaway.

I wrote recently about Designer Whey when I tried the protein powder and bars for the first time. I enjoyed the protein powder for my shakes and for whipping up high-protein snacks (like those awesome pistachio white chocolate energy bites that I made).

This month, I was invited to try out Designer Whey's new product: Designer Whey Sustained Energy. I tried the Chocolate Velvet and Vanilla Bean and tried -- very, very hard -- to like them as much as I liked the regular, 100% whey powder.

Unfortunately, I couldn't. What I really liked about the regular Designer Whey powder was that it made my smoothies extra smooth, creamy and filling. The Sustained Energy powder definitely made my smoothies more filling, it just didn't make them any smoother or creamier. It is probably just a consistency thing with me, but I felt like the powder was a little bit gritty. This might not be an issue for anyone else but, for me, it was.

On the plus side, the protein powder delivers on its promise of sustained energy.  Designer Whey Sustained Energy is formulated to "provide balanaced, stimulant-free energy" and a smoothie or energy bite made with it kept me filled longer than expected. That's a good thing. One scoop of the powder provides 16 grams of protein and 19 essential vitamins and minerals.

Another plus is that the flavors -- vanilla bean and chocolate velvet -- were tasty and enjoyable.

Would you like to try out Designer Whey Sustained Energy for yourself?

Yes? Well, keep reading, friends!

The giveaway:

This giveaway will have SIX winners (open to US residents only) and the winners can choose to try out vanilla or chocolate. To enter, just leave me a comment letting me know that you'd like to try out this protein powder.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Link to this giveaway from your blog (leave a comment)

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, July 2nd at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Wednesday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

Good luck!

 

 

Review disclaimer: I was sent product for review through Fitfluential. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Peas Please!!

The super sugar snap peas are now approaching 3 1/2 feet tall.. just a few more weeks until the harvest begins.. I can't wait!! Snapped this photo before the crazy rain began.. more soon..

Checkboard Lettuce - update!

When I just walked outside to take a few photos of the lettuce.. I was assailed by the loveliest aroma - my Miss Kim dwarf lilac is now in full bloom - sweet!! This is a late bloomer and not quite as fragrant as common lilac, but so worthwhile in a border. It grows just 5 by 5 feet, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees and creates a mound of blooms in the early summer garden. I find it tends to flower biennially.. for example, one year it's fabulous (like today!) and the following year it's flower deficient. If I prune it though after bloom, however, it blooms more reliably from year to year.

Anyway, on to my real topic of discussion - my lettuce. From late March to early September there is always a tray or plug flat of lettuce babies under my lights. This allows me to have a continuous supply of prime seedlings to plant in patterns, along the bed edges, under my bean teepees and trellises, in pots, wherever!! I love mixing and matching the many colours and textures of lettuce like the deep crimson, frilly edged leaves of Outredgeous with a bright green butterhead. Scroll down and check out the progress on my current lettuce checkerboard.. I could have made a whole 4 by 10 foot bed in this pattern.. but let's be honest, do I really need 50+ lettuce plants ready at once? Nope! I'd rather have about 20 so I don't waste any homegrown goodness.. this patch will last for at least 5 to 6 more weeks.. longer, if I cover the bed with a 30% shade cloth to block some of the summer sun..

Well hello, Miss Kim!

Lovely lilac

This looks like chamomile is taking over the
garden!! But fear not, it's actually just the
angle of the photo - it edges the garden on
both sides of the path as you enter. It's
in peak bloom now. Can you believe I actually
pulled about 75% of the seedlings that came up!
Mildly invasive, but easy to control. And so
fragrant - like green apples! And the beneficials
love it. 

Planting my lettuce babies weeks ago.. 

Done - bed planted.. do you see the potential?

Two weeks after planting.. they're starting to grow together!!

Today - they're almost a checkerboard (with a bush basil border
in front) and a pole bean teepee behind. Sorry about the
bright lighting.. I thought it would still be shaded so early
in the morning! I've started to pick these tender lettuces.

Close up! A crunchy butterhead.. 

And Outredgeous.. the light has washed out
the intense, deep red hue. But you
can see the unique ruffled leaves. 

Totally off topic, but check out this cool
mint.. This will be fab on my deck in a pot!