Greetings from under the blooming cherry tree Itβs early morning here and the sun is rising over my hillside, and I am under the willows of my ornamental cherry tree. Itβs a tree I bought for myself one day in May over thirty years ago. I bought many of my plants and trees and shrubs in my yard thirty years ago, with whatever could fulfill my whims or fill any voids in the newness of being a landowner. With only a basic knowledge of plants and treesββalthough I had studied some horticulture in collegeββI thought little of predicting the full growth of a tree. I never imagined that this cherry tree would loom over my kitchen. Over the years, I have found myself annoyed that it is only an ornamental and provides no fruit, and that it sends shoots up all over the yard and they are impossible to pull up. But today I see hummingbirds and catbirds and a cardinal all taking a stop through. And there are bees everywhere. So all is not lost on my whims, as the cherry tree provides incredible beauty this time of year and a nice station for many more. The egg-cooking class I offered this week was fun and interesting, and dinner afterwards was delicious! We learned about the season of eggs. (Hint: now is the season!) Eggs are a true superfood, given their potential to deliver essential nutrients that many people miss out on otherwise. Their protein quality is exceptional, with the highest overall net protein utilization (NPU) offered by any food. And the key is to eat eggs regularly but to avoid overcooking them. The cholesterol in egg yolks can be very valuable for so many aspects of our health, including building muscle. However, when that cholesterol is overcooked and/or oxidized it forms oxysterols, which can cause issues for our arteries and for small blood vessels in the brain. Oh, there is so much to learn about eggs!
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