I should post something about my #garden #MyGardenProtest last year I committed to work towards growing as much of our fresh produce as possible. It’s not all smooth sailing, but I’m no quitter.
Had soil problems, pests, seedlings killed by wind. I also had no idea how much the cost of seeds alone could add up so am now growing more plants for seed than I originally planned (but that will only add to my goal of #Resilience.)
Let’s celebrate how nice our front #VegeLawn is looking and these fresh crisp #carrots. Will post more pics in coming days. #Permaculture #Gardening #gardeningNZ
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
mastodon
4.5.8
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space.
Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two.
Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Apr 06, 2026
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Apr 04, 2026
Except, the main reason people don’t take public transport is either because it doesn’t go where they want, or it doesn’t run frequently enough. If you don’t fix those problems, making it free will only marginally increase ridership.
What we need is investment in our public transport networks, and cycle infrestructure. But, yknow, roads are more their thing. Apparently we’re a country of cars not humans. @greenpeace
What we need is investment in our public transport networks, and cycle infrestructure. But, yknow, roads are more their thing. Apparently we’re a country of cars not humans. @greenpeace
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Apr 03, 2026
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Apr 02, 2026
1/2
I actually have to take this back now. I do expect I will have to go back to #calorie restriction through #CalorieCycling in order to get all the way to my goal of being under 30% body fat, but currently I am loosing without calorie restriction.
How? I stopped eating #sugar and focused on eating enough #vegetables. I don’t mean I stopped eating refined sugar or added sugar, but foods that are more than 10% sugar with exceptions for #fruit and small amounts of sauce etc. I did and will continue to eat small amounts of artificially sweetened foods as treats, but I didn’t replace my sugar consumption with artificial sweetener, I adjusted my taste buds and now I can taste what fruit and vegetables were meant to taste like.
I realised something. Fruit and vegetables are the sweet foods in nature. Humans have an instinct to eat sweet foods right away, and keep eating them while they are available. That’s probably because fruit and vegetables have a short shelf life, and cause little harm.
If you stop eating sugar, you will also stop eating most processed foods because they have sugar in them.
I thought I was fat because I had no self control. I realise now I was fat because of #capitalism.
We stripped sugar away from the fibre and nutrients that we’re supposed to be with it and encased it in starch and fat and salt so we then applied an instinct that was supposed to apply to fruit and vegetables to starch and fat. And we keep selling it because it was the way to ‘add value’ and make more profit from cheap ingredients.
Of course some people live in our capitalist society surrounded by sugar and processed food and don’t get fat. There are lots of reasons, genes, psychology, food culture, lifestyle, but that doesn’t negate the reality that our society sets many people up to fail.
I actually have to take this back now. I do expect I will have to go back to #calorie restriction through #CalorieCycling in order to get all the way to my goal of being under 30% body fat, but currently I am loosing without calorie restriction.
How? I stopped eating #sugar and focused on eating enough #vegetables. I don’t mean I stopped eating refined sugar or added sugar, but foods that are more than 10% sugar with exceptions for #fruit and small amounts of sauce etc. I did and will continue to eat small amounts of artificially sweetened foods as treats, but I didn’t replace my sugar consumption with artificial sweetener, I adjusted my taste buds and now I can taste what fruit and vegetables were meant to taste like.
I realised something. Fruit and vegetables are the sweet foods in nature. Humans have an instinct to eat sweet foods right away, and keep eating them while they are available. That’s probably because fruit and vegetables have a short shelf life, and cause little harm.
If you stop eating sugar, you will also stop eating most processed foods because they have sugar in them.
I thought I was fat because I had no self control. I realise now I was fat because of #capitalism.
We stripped sugar away from the fibre and nutrients that we’re supposed to be with it and encased it in starch and fat and salt so we then applied an instinct that was supposed to apply to fruit and vegetables to starch and fat. And we keep selling it because it was the way to ‘add value’ and make more profit from cheap ingredients.
Of course some people live in our capitalist society surrounded by sugar and processed food and don’t get fat. There are lots of reasons, genes, psychology, food culture, lifestyle, but that doesn’t negate the reality that our society sets many people up to fail.
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 29, 2026
Does anyone in #NZ want a plastic free, wire free bra size 16/38D? #Sale I bought the wrong size and could return it to Australia but I’d rather find it a home here and avoid extra shipping and potentially get someone else into these fantastic bras.
Because there’s no plastic, it’s better for the wearer and the environment. Cotton fabric wicks moisture away from the body and doesn’t hold in heat. It has natural rubber for elastic and biodegradable thread. At the end of its life, the metal loops can be removed and the bra can be cut up and composted. #Eco #Compostable #sustainable #SustainableFashion
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/clothing-fashion/women/lingerie-sleepwear/listing/5858100329
Because there’s no plastic, it’s better for the wearer and the environment. Cotton fabric wicks moisture away from the body and doesn’t hold in heat. It has natural rubber for elastic and biodegradable thread. At the end of its life, the metal loops can be removed and the bra can be cut up and composted. #Eco #Compostable #sustainable #SustainableFashion
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/clothing-fashion/women/lingerie-sleepwear/listing/5858100329
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 25, 2026
I wasn’t paying attention to the news. Downside, I didn’t know to question cheaper-ish #butter.
It tastes like bovine sadness. (Because it’s imported from USA and probably made by barn raised, corn fed cows, it tastes distinctly worse than New Zealand butter anyway.)
#NZPol
It tastes like bovine sadness. (Because it’s imported from USA and probably made by barn raised, corn fed cows, it tastes distinctly worse than New Zealand butter anyway.)
#NZPol
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 23, 2026
Me, spending 10 minutes being frustrated about my new induction cooktop repeatedly turning off.
Has thought, takes magnet from fridge and holds it to the bottom of the pot.
Oh.
Does anyone want a very used saucepan that’s not suitable for induction #cooking? #technology
Has thought, takes magnet from fridge and holds it to the bottom of the pot.
Oh.
Does anyone want a very used saucepan that’s not suitable for induction #cooking? #technology
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 22, 2026
That was definitely worth watching to the end. https://youtu.be/VEXHC2Rhqls?si=CbjlfH-eh7Sk5Fm9
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 20, 2026
Proof that monarch caterpillars can eat cucurbits which we all hear but I had never seen before… I just found this fella near a pumpkin plant and a gourd plant which looks to be the most eaten. There are no swanplants in my garden. He/she is the only one so I’ve left them to be.
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Mar 01, 2026
This is my first day of the month giving up sugar entirely* as part of the #Giveitupnz #fundraiser for gut cancer foundation NZ.
I’m already loving my #LowSugar #lifestyle and want to help others, so I’ve decided to ‘sell’ homemade low sugar pancake mix powder and hot chocolate powder for koha to this cause.
The pancake mix is a powder that you add water and vanilla essence and it makes sugar free, high protein pancake batter. It is available in regular or gluten friendly versions. It does contain dairy and may contain traces of soy, lipin, eggs, nuts.
The hot chocolate powder is a blend of cocoa, sugar and artificial sweetener.
Make a donation of $20 or more to my fundraising page for two cups of either hot chocolate powder or pancake mix, donate $30 or more for two cups of each, or donate $5 or more for an email with the digital recipes for both. Then pm me your address/email address and preferences. Physical products only available to be shipped within #NewZealand. If you get the physical products, they will come with a printed recipe so you can re-make them if you find them helpful.
All donations go to help kiwis experiencing gut cancer and I am donating the ingredients and shipping costs.
Anyway, link to sponsor me or sign up yourself:
https://www.giveitup.nz/michaela-hulse
*For this month, I am avoiding foods with more than 10% sugar by weight. I will eat fruit and use some dried fruit and small amounts of natural sweeteners like honey to sweeten other things, but the resulting food will be less than 10% sugar by weight. I am using some artificial sweeteners but limiting processed foods altogether to reset my sense of taste.
I’m already loving my #LowSugar #lifestyle and want to help others, so I’ve decided to ‘sell’ homemade low sugar pancake mix powder and hot chocolate powder for koha to this cause.
The pancake mix is a powder that you add water and vanilla essence and it makes sugar free, high protein pancake batter. It is available in regular or gluten friendly versions. It does contain dairy and may contain traces of soy, lipin, eggs, nuts.
The hot chocolate powder is a blend of cocoa, sugar and artificial sweetener.
Make a donation of $20 or more to my fundraising page for two cups of either hot chocolate powder or pancake mix, donate $30 or more for two cups of each, or donate $5 or more for an email with the digital recipes for both. Then pm me your address/email address and preferences. Physical products only available to be shipped within #NewZealand. If you get the physical products, they will come with a printed recipe so you can re-make them if you find them helpful.
All donations go to help kiwis experiencing gut cancer and I am donating the ingredients and shipping costs.
Anyway, link to sponsor me or sign up yourself:
https://www.giveitup.nz/michaela-hulse
*For this month, I am avoiding foods with more than 10% sugar by weight. I will eat fruit and use some dried fruit and small amounts of natural sweeteners like honey to sweeten other things, but the resulting food will be less than 10% sugar by weight. I am using some artificial sweeteners but limiting processed foods altogether to reset my sense of taste.
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Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
Māmā takiwātanga
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
A Māmā who’s proudly in my own time and space. Wife of @SimonCHulse and mum of two. Forever on a journey to better embody my faith in Jesus, the values of #permaculture, now also on a #HealthyLifestyle, #FatLoss, and obesity recovery journey. My happy place is #gardening and #cooking. #ResponsiveParent, lover of #Montessori, akonga me kaiako o #TeReoMāori. Uri o Ngati Tama me Te Ati-Haunui-a-Pāpārangi.
mastodon.nz
@MichaelaKHulse@mastodon.nz
·
Feb 28, 2026
At noho marae learning #TeReoMaori in 2026.
We prepared a skit to perform about a trip to the beach. The punchline is:
‘He tiko i roto i te moana!’
‘No whea ēnei tiko?’
‘No te waha o David Seymour’
(There’s poo in the water!
Where did the poo come from?
From the mouth of David Seymour’)
#NZPol
We prepared a skit to perform about a trip to the beach. The punchline is:
‘He tiko i roto i te moana!’
‘No whea ēnei tiko?’
‘No te waha o David Seymour’
(There’s poo in the water!
Where did the poo come from?
From the mouth of David Seymour’)
#NZPol
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