Who IS this guy, anyway?You're probably wondering why a middle-aged man became a blogger back in 2014, right? Considering that 99.9% of all bloggers are women (most notably my BFF Sunny from Life in Rehab who kind of "badgered" me into this venue), this man with the killer smile (ahem) must be up to something... he MUST have an agenda of some kind....
Well, I can tell you that I absolutely have an agenda, and that
agenda is me, Michael Reilly, the man fighting type 2 diabetes. I'm here blogging my knowledge and experience because I have learned in life that I can best help myself by helping others. I did so back in the late 1990s when I gave up smoking and was a strong voice in an online support group, eventually becoming a quit coach for a number of years. I also wrote a book I share with you on this blog as a free read. Just click HERE if interested.
You see, if you immerse yourself completely in fighting an addiction or disease, the fight becomes part of your life and it's far harder to veer off course. So here I am, fighting diabetes by sharing my recipes that help me lose weight (not always) and keep my glucose in check.
Still leery, are you? I know for a fact some of you are, because I've been in this situation before... More than a quarter century ago... damn I'm old lol... I became one of the original Mr. Moms. Yup, I was a stay-at-home dad for our two sons while my wife Carolyn pursued her shining corporate career. It was a choice we made based largely on finances, but I've never once had a single regret. Back then my "career" choice was not very common, and I encountered all kinds of worried moms and husbands. Today I laugh about it, but back then it was not really all that funny for me as I tried to fit into a predominantly female realm.
Ahhh.... I think I see a smile there... Good! All you lovely ladies are safe, and here's why:
Meet my wife Carolyn. We met in college more than four decades ago... didn't even acknowledge each other at first, but slowwwwwly became friends, then lovers and in 1982... spouses. To this day we still kiss and hold hands in public, because simply put? She's the One. The ONLY one :-)
What else is there to know about me...
Well, I'm a hunter as you've probably surmised by the plethora of venison dishes on my menu. I know some people don't agree with hunting, but that debate has no place on a foodie site. I DO consider myself to be what's referred to as a meat hunter, meaning I have no use for trophies. My goal on an annual basis is to fill the family freezer with prime quality meat that is free of chemicals and hormone injections. Roughly 75 lbs of lean venison puts a nice little dent in the food budget, too. :-)
(December 2023 update: My red meat consumption has been lowered to 1-2 times a month for better cardiac health since 2022... definitely a good move.)
I am also an avid wine maker. With help from trusted friends and family I make roughly 120 gallons of red wine every fall, using 1500 lbs of grapes procured from Prospero Winery in Pleasantville, NY. They truck in upwards of 125 tractor trailer loads from the Lodi Valley, CA every year to supply the many home winemakers in my area. I make wine the old school way with the only thing electric tool being my crusher. The process is called Spontaneous Fermentation and uses only the natural yeast already in the grapes. If you'd like to learn about the process of making wine this way, please visit my blog:
I see many bloggers profess their faith in their About Me sections. I'm not quite sure why that's an important aspect of blogging, but since I'm doing my best to fit in, I'll share mine as well. I am the Celtic Shepherd... a solitary witch following the ways of Paganism. My deity is the Blessed Mother, the chalice of all living things... Just think... Mother Nature. My beliefs and values are based in the cycle of life, the seasons and the four classical elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
I like to spend time in the sacred circle by the stone altar I built on our mountaintop where I have lengthy chats with Blessed Mother. She and I have built a bond that is hard to describe, but her guidance has made me a better man with a deep love for the world around me, and that's what really matters, right? ;-)
So there you have it... Michael Reilly in a nutshell. Sure there's a lot more to me than what you see here, but I really need to get back in the kitchen and start cooking! If you want to chat more about the things that are me, just leave a message and we'll find a suitable venue. Thanks for reading!
Blessed be,
Michael
Oh by the way... I'm the shepherd of this little slice of paradise I call Sylvan Run...
More on that another time, though ;-)
Blessed be... and happy cooking!