Beadtanical Betty

Metals I week 2

2012-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

Last week was my 2nd week of Metals I. So far I have had the chance to saw and solder new things and get introduced to skills that I think will be crucial for my development as a jewelry artist. Here's a picture of my very first sawing project which as to make a nameplate.

Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2012-01-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

Last night I whipped up a new version of chocolate chip cookies. For about a year now I have been referencing Elanaspantry.com when I wanted a new tasty recipe. I've been sticking with her variations on chocolate chip cookies. I have occasionally changed it up but these changes I made last night are absolutely scrumptious. I think all of my Metals I classmates would agree seeing as how there were none left at the end of class.

If you're looking for something yummy give these a try.

4c blanched almond flour, packed
1/4t + 1/8t sea salt
1/4t + 1/8t baking soda
15T coconut oil, melted (approximately 3/4c)
1T vanilla extract
2t almond extract
3/4c brown rice syrup
1-1/2c chocolate chunks (I used Enjoy Life brand, use what you like)

Pre-heat oven to 350
*In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients together
*In another bowl or large glass measuring cup mix wet ingredients and whisk until blended
*Pour wet into dry and add the chocolate chunks (chips, whatever) and mix until liquid is absorbed
*Drop by the tablespoonful on parchment lined baking sheets and gently press flat
*Bake 9 minutes
Remove parchment from baking sheet and allow to cool

The Slaw and the Slow Cooked

2012-01-20T20:11:00.000-08:00

My husband and his colleague Edited this book that is a collection of "stories" about BBQ in the Mid-South. They worked on it for a number of years. Finally last December we received our final copies in the mail. It was a really exciting moment when I got to see my best friend realize one of his dreams.

If you are interested in reading about various BBQ traditions and how big a part they play in the lives of folks in the Mid-South I think you'll find this book a great read. It's available directly from the publisher which is Vanderbilt press and is currently featured on the front page.

http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/

Enjoy!

New Year

2012-01-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Some days I have a lot of thoughts I'd like to share with others. Unfortunately, these thoughts usually crop up when I am in the middle of my son's homeschool lessons, or while I am cooking a meal, or otherwise occupied with something that I cannot stop in the middle of the write it down.

For all those times when I wish I could simply stop what I am doing and tell you what I really think I give you the above photo. In person and until you get to know me well, you might find yourself under the impression that I am a very sweet and amiable person. You might notice that I will go out of my way to to make some things easier for others and I never seem to offer an unsavory opinion. I believe this is a true first impression of me. However, as you get to know me and talk to me one-on-one you might find yourself surprised that I am actually very opinionated and in many ways working quietly and within my means for big social change.

In fact I think I would like to see some real social upheaval in which those with a lot realize they are not separated from those with little. I urge each and every one of us to recognize the part we play or refuse to play in the destruction of this world we plan to leave our children and grandchildren and however many number of generations may come after us.

I believe that our actions do not only have an affect on us, they have long lasting effects that future generations will have to deal with. I put a call out to all the mamas and papas I know to use the main tool we have in this American society of 2012, put your money where your mouth is. Spend responsibly, know what your money ultimately supports when you buy stuff, and make good decisions when you give your money over to someone else.

I make no claim to be amazing in my own habits, but I do claim to be usually aware of where my money is going once I spend it.

Anyway, that's my rant for the new year. I plan to live life to the fullest, love my loved ones faithfully and fiercely, and work for change in ways I know I can. Peace.

2012-01-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

A Touch of Winter

2011-12-24T21:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight i tasted winter
she was sweet
and crisp
tempting me
with the promise
of coo, dark, sleep
and reflection
Through the sky
she danced
with fluid motion
tossing leaves
and caution to the wind
Oh, that Winter,
she can be a wicked
child
throwing tantrums
and wreaking havoc
blanketing the world
in white
In her mischief
lives an inherent wisdom
She tells us
calmly and firm
"Slow down,
Breathe"
"Get cozy,
Breathe"
"Hunker down
get your mind straight,
Breathe"

Post Oak

2011-12-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

One thing I do love about living here are the amazing Post Oaks. My favorite time to appreciate them is after they lost their leaves. The branches are so sturdy and gnarled I am always sure that if I listen closely enough they will have a story to tell me. When I am lucky enough to pay attention and catch a view of the dark branches twisted against the glowing sunset, I feel like I have been given a secret gift.

So, if you will be so kind, raise your glass and share a toast with me," To the Post Oak, the Keystone species of the Cross Timbers ecosystem of North Texas, thank you for adding beauty to my life."

Black Friday, bah humbug...and cranberry sauce

2011-11-25T08:48:00.000-08:00

The leaves continue to fall from the trees lining Lake Hamilton blanketing the yards and open spaces. On the deck outside, my son has made a pile in hues of red, gold and brown to use as part of his imaginary play. The geese and ducks glide swiftly across the ripples of the lake and fat brown squirrels chase each other up and down the tall oak. I am warm, my belly is still full from yesterday's home cooked meal and a big old dog is curled up on the floor near me while a friendly pool game ensues.

Today is a lovely day to appreciate the plentiful life I have.

In our modern society where so many people are concerned with "keeping up" I am making a conscious effort to simply maintain. In fact, in the past few months (minus the new additions gifted from my mom) I have been making the decision to try and rid myself of "things". One thing I am working to rid myself of is the feeling that I need more when in truth I already have everything I actually need: water, food, a roof over my head, clothing, warmth in winter, a family whom I love, and ever growing community of like-minded folks.

In our country, even those who feel like they have very little, posses greater wealth than people in so many other countries. We take for granted the fact that we have drinkable water delivered directly to our homes and accessible whenever we want and most of us have access to food all the time. Food and water to nourish our bodies is a blessing to be thankful for.

We, as a country also create some of largest amount of waste in world and use more of the world's resources than any other country. The US only makes up 5% of the world population but as a whole we are a consumptive super power wreaking havoc and leaving destruction everywhere we go. Greed and entitlement lead to unhealthy, malnourished spirits.

Today, with this whole Capitalist ploy of Black Friday and consumptive consumerism getting ready to sweep in and take over the holiday season, I want to remind everyone that we are not alone in this world. We live such individualistic lives even though the whole world is connected. When we make a conscious decision to consume to our hearts content, we can be sure that somewhere, someone else is lacking and it may be a direct correlation. This is what I think is one of the main things wrong with our society, lack of regard for other humans' rights to exist with integrity just so that we can have as much as possible. As I have been reminded by some very smart folks from an older generation, "It doesn't matter how much you have, you can't take it with you when you go."

It is my wish this holiday season that as a whole society we can find it in ourselves to come together and stop making a few people monetarily wealthy and work towards creating a wealthy world.

If you are going to be shopping for gifts this year, I know I will be as well, take the time to know your local shopkeeper. Buy from local crafts people or fair trade organizations. Make a gift contribution to a charity organization in someone's name, for instance Heifer International. Find out where items are made and what kind of record the corporation making the product has. Follow your money trail and see where it leads. As a whole, we should have learned by now that our use of our monetary resources speaks loudly. So, I say choose wisely where you spend it.

Let's start now and make changes that help create a healthy, wealthy world for all of the children growing up, being born, and not yet thought of.

As a little gift from me to you to start spreading the sweetness, here is my newest recipe for Cranberry Sauce.

1 bag organic cranberries
2/3 c organic golden raisins (feel free to use less if you want)
1/2c organic maple syrup
1/2c organic brown rice syrup
1/4 organic orange juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp organic corn starch mixed with 2 tsp water to make a slurry

Put all of the ingredients except cornstarch slurry into a 2qt pot. Cook over medium heat, mixing occasionally, until all of the cranberries "pop", or about 20-30 minutes. If there are still some whole ones, give them a hand by pressing them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon. If your sauce is thick, don't worry about the cornstarch. If your sauce is still very liquidy, make sure it is gently boiling and pour in a small amount of the cornstarch. Stir until completely dissolved and keep adding in small amounts until desired thickness is reached. Cool and serve.

A visit from mom

2011-11-20T01:09:00.000-08:00

It's way too late and yet sleep isn't coming my way.

The past few days have been full of fun and adventure. My mom has been visiting from the east and we, along with my son, have been having quite a blast. We've built Lego creations, eaten in a faux rainforest, danced and sang at a Harambee, been to the movies and shopped past the point of our hearts content.

Catching Up

2011-11-11T19:02:00.001-08:00

Sense of place

2011-10-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Readjusting to life in Texas after an eastward summer journey presents me with an interesting conundrum. How do I be "me" in a place where I do not feel completely like "me"? This is a question and a state of mind that I have been dealing with for the past month and a half.

In NC, when I am there, deep within my being I feel at ease, at one with the with the surrounding environment, whole. Here in northern TX, I still feel like a visitor even though we're heading into our official second year as residents. It's not that I don't find natural beauty in the prairie or in the amazing sunsets. It's more that I feel all the weight lifted from my shoulders when I am in southern Appalachia and as of yet that hasn't been my experience here.

The challenge I posed to myself for this year is to expand my mind and figure out how to be exactly who I am in an environment that feels foreign. So far, I have actually learned quite a bit about myself.

For instance, once our homeschool co-op started and I began teaching art class, my happiness level rose substantially. In working with kids and creating, I feel at one with myself and I feel connected to a larger community, which is very important to me.
I am making a concerted effort to offer my creativity and skills to causes that I feel connected to, such as providing encouragement to a woman I know who wants to open a homebrew and tea shop as well offering ideas and help in planning a holiday fundraiser for the Denton Community Market.

I am also trying to just enjoy being in this environment that is still new to me and take time to walk in the wilderness and learn new plants. This past week Ian and I walked Frodo early in the morning and became familiar with Snow on the Prairie, a lovely little white flower with alluring sepals, and set our eyes on a lovely purple thistle.

So I hope you will join me this evening in raising a glass and sharing a toast to overcoming obstacles and finding a sense of place. L'chaim.

september

2011-09-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem last week as September made it's way into my life. I'm glad that we have had a cooling weather pattern since then, but I still wanted to share.

September arriving
on a warm morning breeze
leaving August behind
the Texas heat
is stifling
and I dream up
cooler temperatures
and rain
snow on the prairie
blooms in stars of white
while trees and grass dry out
nearby
i too feel dry
kids mold clay
and talk about Africa
i suppose the heat
is stronger there
next week
i'll break out
primary colors
and we'll paint
our visions
into existence

September in Texas

2011-09-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I have not been very good about keeping up here lately. I thought that this summer in North Carolina would have me bursting with exciting things to share and it was. The problem in keeping up with my weekly posts was that I was so very busy and having such a blast that I didn't take time out to tell you all about it.

Here's a quick synopsis.

I headed out from Texas at the end of May. After a week on the lake at my in-laws' house, we headed east to NC as a fivesome (Ian, Jim, out two dogs and I). In the beginning I posted. I shared photos and poems and the loss of sweet Little Deer.

Then life got busy. We moved from our old acquaintances cabin to the home of a new one. The neighbors had a grandson close to Ian's age visiting and they got along like old friends. we barely saw him for that week.

Around that time I started working more shifts at the Knife and Fork. This is a great little jewel of a restaurant in Speuce Pine, NC. Chef Nate Allen and his wife Wendy Gardner, pull out all the stops offering fresh local seasonal foods and wonderful service. If you're in that area please check them out (www.knifeandforknc.com) . I had such a wonderful time being a part of their team during this summer and I look forward to next time.

I Also got to spend so much quality with my dear friends, Nicole, Gaelan and Marcie. I have known Marcie since my first year in college at ASU and Nicole and Gaelan since I first moved to teh South Toe Valley. As I've gotten older, I've realized that having friends like them is really a special treat. It seems to get harder all the time to make those deep connections that I know will last the rest of my life.

My son went away to camp for the first time, and let me just tell you he did it big time, 3 whole weeks. It was the longest three weeks I have experienced since he was conceived. In fact the first time I saw him from a distance I cried for the following 20 minute drive to work. At that point it had been about 8 days. I finally got used to him being away and did enjoy the time to myself as well the chance to have alone time with my sweetie. We had a blast hanging around in the mountains together laughing, reading poems, walking in the woods and spending time together.

Then before I could blink it was over and we were on our way back to Texas. Now, here we are settled in after a few weeks and remembering how to be who we are in an environment we have a hard time connecting to. Anyway, the snow on the prarie is blooming, the warm winds are blowing, homeschool co-op is going and UNT is in full swing. Life is always moving forward and it is up to us to hold on tight and enoy the ride.

2011-08-27T17:21:00.000-07:00

True Farm to Table: Green Toe Ground Farm

2011-08-13T06:13:00.001-07:00

My friends Nicole Delcogliano and Gaelan Corozine, along with their daughters have a beautiful farm called Green Toe Ground, located on the South Toe River. As a family and with help from Summer interns they run a small Biodynamic farm supplying local folks and restaurants with fresh, delicious vegetables. They’ve been living, playing and working on their farm for over a decade.

Gaelan was drawn to farming at a young age. When he was a teenager, Gaelan traveled to Italy to visit family and friends. While he was there, he fell in love with the land and the practice of working it. He apprenticed with a farmer and began to craft himself into a person of the land. After he returned to the US, Gaelan’s interest in farming continued to blossom and grow into a way of life. He worked with a local guy that had a CSA, which stands for community sponsored agriculture. The premise behind a CSA is that each member pays for a part of the production cost and in return receives a share of the vegetables. In this way, the farmer and the members are partners sharing equally in abundance (when the crops are good) and in scarcity (when a crop doesn’t make it). Gaelan’s next big move was to the Arthur Morgan School, in Celo, NC. Introduced to the school by a friend, Gaelan took a job as the gardener. By this time Gaelan had met Nicole and they came together from upstate New York to relocate and try out life in the South Toe Valley. It wasn’t long before they were hooked and began to see their future here in a beautiful swath of sandy loam located next to the South Toe River.

After partnering with Robert Tate for a few years, Gaelan and Nicole bought out his share in Green Toe Ground and began to transform it into their dream of a biodynamic farm. With a lot of hard work and dedication from their family, Green Toe Ground is a thriving, brightly colored, nutrient rich farm in full swing. So far this year Green Toe Ground has produced enough vegetables to feed all of it’s members as well as extra that has been bought up by restaurants in Asheville, NC and surrounding area proudly serving locally grown foods. Just the other day one of the interns told me they harvested 500 pounds of tomatoes. Talk about abundance.

Not only do Gaelan and Nicole take pleasure in growing vegetables they also enjoy cooking up the vegetables they nurture into maturity. This includes wonderful Italian feasts which are presented to farm dinner guests under a canopy of stars and twinkle lights by the bank of the South Toe River. The Green Toe Ground farm dinner is an event I have had the good fortune to participate in multiple times. Each time I was impressed with the dedication of my friends to make sure all of their guests had a night to remember.

Over the past two years and with the opening of the Knife & Fork restaurant in Spruce Pine, NC, Gaelan has had the opportunity to spend more time in the kitchen. During the first year of the Knife & Fork, Gaelan worked as the Sous Chef for Nate Allen (owner and chef at the Knife & Fork). Gaelan and Nate worked closely crafting delicious meals made from locally grown vegetables and meats. Gaelan, being a farmer as well as cook contributed to the restaurant in a very direct way. Not only did he give his time and energy to the plants while they were growing in the field, he also gave his time and energy to transform them into wonderful meals to be eaten and enjoyed. So this year when Nate created his team for the WNC Chef Challenge, it was no surprise Gaelan was asked to join the team. With the addition of Brenda Poole, who is the Knife & Fork pastry chef, the team was set for competition.

Fifteen other teams and three feasts later, the team from the Knife & Fork is headed to the finals. They will be going up against the Bistro at Biltmore for the title of Asheville’s top chefs.

I don’t know what the outcome will be, and by that I mean who the judges will choose as the winner. I do know that the meal awaiting the judges will be delectable. I had the opportunity to attend the third round dinner (Knife & Fork vs Posano). I was utterly impressed and pleased by the way the K&F team incorporated the secret ingredient: peaches. It will be interesting to see what the final secret ingredient will be.

While I won’t be able to attend the challenge, I will be waiting to hear the results.

For some of us, there is a deep love affair with food that is a part of our lives. I believe Gaelan is one of these people. He gives of himself utterly to provide clean, pure, fresh food that others can eat. He loves the land where the food grows and appreciates the opportunity to share that love with others. In true farm to table style Gaelan is the complete package of farmer chef.

To learn more about Green Toe Ground Farm , Gaelan and his family visit their website at www.greentoegroundnc.com and check out the farm blog at www.greentoeground.blogspot.com

2011-08-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

high cove
wind blows
roan mountain in the distance
golden feather
cicadas sing
i breath in the mountains
at their insistence
summer's waning
my boy is playing
the crescent moon
smiles down upon me
time is moving
faster
i move with caution
thinking carefully
so to avoid
disaster
keeping the sadness
at bay
psyching myself up
for the prairie
i'm on my way
full circle
heading back west
after a refreshing splash
in my favorite
river

Farm Party

2011-07-08T10:55:00.001-07:00

This past Monday was the Fourth of July, as most of you already know. Last year my friends over at Green Toe Ground started a new tradition. They decided to combine their birthday celebrations and the celebration of the Fourth into one big shindig. It went off without a hitch and this year proved to be even better. I was glad to be here to help with preparations and party down.

Here you can see Nicole sporting her temporary radish tattoo and getting ready to change into a newly silk screened Green Toe Ground t-shirt.

Here you can see Nate Allen working on the spit roasting of Buster the pig. Early in the morning Gaelan and some friends got together and slaughtered the pig. Then Nate stuffed the pig with chickens and lots of fresh thyme. I made a huge batch of Colonel Neff's sauce and brought it over to the farm figuring that we'd serve it up with the finished pig. Nate thought it was delicious and decided to use it in addition to his own hot sauce goodness as a finishing baste.

I decided that I wanted to come up with some activities for the kids to have fun with. Here's Ian with his cork boat getting ready to race it down the rapids. We also had bubble blowing, face/body painting and water balloon throwing.

For the farm fashion show, Ashely who used to work for Sweetheart bakery put her artistic skills to work and painted me a beautiful cornucopia that covered my whole upper back. It was so beautiful and I really appreciated her taking time out from the party to do it.

And here, in purple glory are the t-shirts we screened using the beautiful hand made screen that Tara (and Joe) gifted them last year. The underwear served as 1st prize for the winner of the farm olympics. There was live music, swimming, dancing, laughing, fireworks and a blast had by all.

rhododendron in bloom

2011-07-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

All around me the mountains are bursting into colorful splendor, spotted with blooms ranging in hues from deep pink to white and everything in between. It's a treat for the senses to get up close and inspect all of the little details in each flower.

Summer is rolling along.

Delicious nettles

2011-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

Start with a fresh picked bundle. Handle carefully and remove leaves from base stem.

Place leaves in a shallow pot of boiling water and wilt down until bright green and soft. Eat these healthy, nutrient packed greens. I like mine with just a hint of umeboshi vinegar or simply plain.
After you've eaten all of the greens, then you can pour the leftover cooking liquid, or "pot liquor" into a glass and drink it as a warm nettles tea.

Enjoy!

notes on a rainstorm

2011-06-19T17:30:00.001-07:00

i'm cleaning the cabin

after a week of deep green

on the south toe,

outside, the mother bird

huddles deep into

her corner porch nest

as thunder rolls and rain

comes down hard

i mop

mother nature replenishes

in unison

we freshen the spaces

surrounding us

i jump the gap

heading down the rock walk

to run a load of things

for packing in the car

but she catches me

now, wet

i too am washed

by her majesty

breakfast in the holler

2011-06-17T07:30:00.001-07:00

Little Deer, March 11, 1196-June 12, 2011

2011-06-13T08:42:00.001-07:00

A poem by Jim Veteto

Little Deer (March 11, 1996-June 12, 2011)

Never before

had I seen a dog

climb vertical rock mountain walls

run with albino deer

hunt down white possum

and birds out of trees in winter.

You traveled the whole wide country with me

into deep wilderness

numerous Indian reservations

Earth First camps

and rainbow gatherings.

You sensed things

--often before me--

and gave me that look

of awareness and concern

A true pack animal

yet one of a kind

You came to us

when Hale-Bopp was in the sky

a full moon

and the planets aligned.

You left us the eve

of an intense Appalachian lightning storm

gone down to the pond

to end it all.

I always felt

you were an indigenous dog

one left over from the old Indian camps

that may have mixed with more modern breeds.

The way you moved

the way you hunted

more cat-like

than dog

and you crossed your legs in front of you like a proper princess.

Today you are gone back to spirit

and tonight we celebrate your life

around the pyre.

Little Deer Woman

your spirit lives on among us

we will always tell the tale

of your life and times.

Loving the South Toe Valley

2011-06-10T13:34:00.001-07:00

It's been one fabulous week here in the South Toe River Valley. We've shared meals with great friends, played and swam in the river, hiked in the woods, said hello to and eaten familiar plants and I even started a new job. Can't wait to see what else will come our way.

Ginger Snap Cookies

2011-05-28T11:58:00.001-07:00

Today I was planning on making some cookies to have available for the weekend. I went straight to one of my favorite food blogs, elanaspantry.com , she posts delicious recipes that are gluten free and can be converted to meet all sorts of food issues (ie, vegan, dairy free, sugar free etc...)

I have previously been making her chocolate chip cookies as a go-to cookie but wanted something different. And, I found it. A ginger cookie. Here's her recipe...

http://www.elanaspantry.com/ginger-cookies

Ginger Cookies
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
½ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup yacon syrup
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and ginger
In a medium bowl, combine grapeseed oil, yacon, agave and lemon zest
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry
Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes, until tops start to crack
Cool and serve

I actually wanted to make a few changes to accommodate our needs and the ingredients I had available so here's is my version:

Ginger Snaps:
2-1/2c Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2c canola oil
1/4c organic sorghum molasses
1/2c Suzanne's Specialties original brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Pre-heat the oven to 350

First gather up all of your ingredients to your workspace.

Next, in a large bowl combine the almond flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger and cinnamon. In a large measuring cup combine the oil, molasses, rice syrup and lemon zest and whisk together until well blended. Pour wet into dry and stir. This is a thick dough but it should not be sticky.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. I used a tablespoon of dough per cookie and rolled each one into a ball and then pressed flat. Bake for about 10 minutes until they are golden and have cracked on the top.

Take them out of the oven and let cool. Although to be perfectly honest we ate some nice and warm and they were delicious. Be aware, the ginger flavor seems subtle at first but builds as you eat the cookie until it is full bodied and wonderful.

Coconut Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

These yummy cookies are vegan and gluten free and remind me of a sandy or shortbread cookie.

By:Alena Veteto

Makes 3 dozen
Pre-heat oven to 350

1/2c coconut oil
1/2c spectrum shortening
1c sugar
1T molasses
1/2 banana, mashed
2t vanilla extract
1/2c chocolate chips (njoy life brand)
2c Bob's red mill gluten free baking mix
1t baking soda
2t guar gum
1/2t salt

In a large bowl cream together coconut oil, shortening and sugar. Add molasses, banana and vanilla, stir. Then add the remaining ingredients and mix. Roll into walnut sized balls and press flat, place on an un-greased baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes.

Summer Journey on the Horizon

2011-05-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

dreaming of lush green
of songbirds singing
and splashes of color
flitting by
on the tip of my mind's tongue
i can taste
the dew soaked air
and feel the mountain
kiss my cheek
while feathery hemlock boughs
gently brush against
my shoulder
a flutter within
as my heart
finds its energetic connection
and clouds roll like waves
over ridges
thoughts blow by
on the whipping winds
of the prairie
with grasses waving hello
and goodbye

Blueberry Orange Marmalade Pie

2011-05-14T21:43:00.000-07:00

A new pie packed full of antioxidants, and it's vegan.

Blueberry Orange Marmalade pie

By: Alena Veteto

5 cups blueberries

1 cup orange marmalade

3/4c unbleached sugar

¼ tsp salt

1T lemon juice

1/2tsp vanilla

4T corn starch

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl mix together all ingredients.

Pour into a pie crust. Cover loosely with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes more until the crust is cooked and the pie is bubbling.

Monday Musing 5

2011-05-09T06:48:00.001-07:00

I am grateful to be this morning. The sun is shining down and the breeze is blowing gently. A woodpecker knocks against the power pole and calls out for a mate. My son and I take a walk and talk about numbers and salamander-lizard warriors he's currently creating in his mind.

Wildflowers have been popping up in fields all over town spreading cheer and adding bright colors to the landscape. The Indian Blankets glow in bright orange and the Wine Cups call to me in shades of brilliant magenta. The prickly pear cacti have begun to show their softer side with delicate yellow and orange blooms leading me to remember the sweet taste of prickly pear syrup made from the ripe juicy fruits.

This past weekend a visit to Dinosaur Valley State Park. On the bank of the Paluxy River looking into the water, amazed at tracks left by ancient reptiles. Therapod and Sauropod tracks dot the riverscape. I am reminded how small my human size is as I sit in a huge footprint from long long ago. The river is cool and refreshing and the limestone/alkalinity of it leaves its trace on my skin and in my hair. Beautiful.

Rounding out our trip is a visit to Fossil Rim Wildlife Preserve. It's the sort of place you drive though and feed pellet food to the "free" roaming animals preserved therein. Ian thought it was spectacular. Zebras and Giraffes coming right up to your car, the latter eating out of our hands. It was a treat to see so many interesting animals up close.

As I shift to prepare myself for the coming summer, I say "Bring it on," I'm ready for my adventure to continue.

the Slaw and the Slow Cooked

2011-04-08T18:13:00.001-07:00

Holy Moly, let me just say WoW! I just stumbled across the first listing for the book my husband co-edited. After a long a greuling process it's amazing to see the project headed into the final phase of actually being a hard-cover book. It won't be out until December, but if you feel the need you may visit the site and pre-order copies. How cool is this?!

Check the link below to read all about it, The Slaw and the Slow Cooked, edited by James R Veteto and Ted Maclin http://www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com/books/430/the-slaw-and-the-slow-cooked

Raw Chocolate Pudding

2011-04-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a whilr since I've posted anything new here, I guess life has been busy. I just made this delicious dessert that an acquaintance of mine from Athens, GA came up with. Her name is Holly Riley and she has a creative flair in the kitchen. Trust me when I tell you that this pudding is absolutely delicious and catres to all my peeps who are Vegan, Gluten Free, Raw Fooders... Raw Pudding 2 ripe avacados 1 ripe banana 2 TBLS coconut oil 1/2 cup raw cacao 1/3 cup agave 1 tsp vanilla (alcohol free) dash salt dash cinnamon if you found it enjoyable you can check out some of her other ideas at www.growingrileys.blogspot.com

at lake Ray Roberts

2011-03-18T07:11:00.001-07:00

in a half asleep state
i hear and feel the wind
against the taut tent fabric
it ripples and sways slightly with the gusts
leaves picked from tree limbs
or the forest floor
occasionally pitter-pattering upon the rain fly
i am concerned there may be rain
through the fabric
i can see a hint of moonlight though
and i am reassured that the clouds
hold no moisture
the air is crisp and cool
refreshing to breathe in
a rejuvenating elixir offering relief to my lungs
filled with the city
in and out of slumber i drift
interrupted by the night sounds
i am no longer used to
in the dim of morning
a chickadee sings nearby
a cardinal lends his voice
and an unfamiliar trill
greet me with the joy of a new day
i lay quietly and listen to their song
coming to me on the still blowing wind

inspired by color

2011-03-09T07:14:00.001-08:00

This past weekend we went to the North Texas Irish Fest in Dallas. There was a lot of good music and crafts. Also there were so many folks wandering around with a lively spirit. We saw medieval maidens, queens and kings, men in armor, steampunk fantasy creations, and of course many kilted men. It was nice to wander among these folks and feel the air of fantasy I so ofteen work to create in my daily life. I am hoping one day to have my own medieval costume complete with corset, large bustling skirt, and ruffled sleeves hanging at the wrists.

Another person creating an air of fantasy was this guy working on a huge chalk drawing in the middle of the fair. I enjoyed watching him work and felt inspired by all of the colorful chalks he had lined up and ready to go.

Monday musing 4

2011-02-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

Last week I was in a major winter funk. It's not that I have anything against winter actually, it's just that usually sometime in February I experience an inward shift that can lead me down a bad way quickly. When I say a bad way, I'm not talking about anything drastic like binge drinking or drug use but something that for many people can be much worse. I get into a bad habit of self beratement. My mind begins to constantly pick apart all of the little things in my life that I do not think are going well and rip them to shreds until I am a grouchy, headache having, dark circles, cry in an instant, mean kind of person. At least to the person who is closest to me, my husband. To everyone else I still maintain my "normal" appearance.

When this begins to happen to me, I know that the ebst course of actions would be to tell him that I need a good talk. That I need an hour of his time just to listen and help me process the irrational emotions wreaking havoc on my life schema. Usually I wait until my breaking point hits to actually ask him for help. I don't know why, he has never since I've known him refused to help me when I have needed it.

By the time I am "breaking" as it were, he has most likely spent most of our interactions during the previoous week trying to ligthen the mood and make me laugh, reminding that everything is really ok. That I'm healthy, usually happy and have a wonderful son. I know all of these things but it doesn't help me. When I finally do break down and share the things in my head, he always listens. He is patient with me as I let loose, sometimes being overly critical of him, without telling me I am wrong, or what I am feeling is wrong. He is a good listener. He reassures me. Afterward my mind and heart begin to lighten. Even though this process is painful for me (and for him too) I think I come out better on the other side. It's like that deep internal winter reflection all comes to a head and is shouting to burst forth and into the next season. I emerge more aware of myself, my habits, and who I am, ready to continue my growth for the next year.

This time around, it didn't help that the following day, after my breaking point, the sun began to shine brightly again and the temperatures began to warm up. Last week felt like spring with sun and warmth and flowers beginning to bloom around town. I am hopful, inspired, and lucky to have such a great family.

May your life be blessed by someone who takes you for who you are and is glad of all of your faults. When you reach your dark winter place, may there be someone with a hand outstretched to help you reach the surface and breathe. And may the waves of doubt in your mind that have the ability to wreak chaos help you find a calm shoreline upon which to walk.

I'm looking forward to spring and new beginnings, bright colored flowers blooming, new birds migrating through, and the continuing of my grand life adventure.

Pasta sauce

2011-02-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

A simple and delicious pasta sauce I came up with just the other day. Who says you need to have sugar in your tomato sauce? Not me.

2T olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 fresh roma tomato, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 can Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, plus 1 can of water
1/2 can organic tomato paste

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt (this measurement is to taste, I used only 1/4tsp)
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried italian herb blend (usually found in bulk at your local health food store)
1/4 tsp garlic granules (or course ground powder)

1T red miso diluted in 1/2 cup warm water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. (Although I prefer to use my deep cast iron skillet). Then add the onion and sautee on medium heat until translucent. Add the tomato, zucchini and garlic and cook until soft.

Then add the tomatoes, straight from the can, and the paste. Fill the tomato can with water and add that as well. Add all of the spices except the miso. Simmer on a medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken. Then add the diluted miso and simmer another 5 minutes.

Top your favorite pasta and enjoy.

Monday musing 3

2011-02-07T07:06:00.000-08:00

Once again it's Monday, they start of the proverbial week. I'm glad to report that sun is shining here and that does put a smile on my face. We've had a reprieve from the inablilty to handle winter weather and that was a good thing, being able to get out of the house and drive through town without fear of sliding or colliding due to ice.

I suppose I won't celebrate the sun and warmer temps too much just yet as there is a call for more snow and ice starting tomorrow night and then again later in the week. Oh well, at least being cozy at home with the family is something I truly enjoy.

Well, I'm sure cheese heads everywhere are delighted with the outcome of the superbowl. There were quite a few injuries on the astroturf and more long hairs on the field than I can honestly say I've noticed in a quite a while. I guess the game was considered to be pretty good football. What started out like it might be a shut out of a game turned competitive after half time and was actually pretty entertaining.

However I cannot say the same for the Black Eye Peas performance at half time. Maybe I'm showing my age by admitting that when it comes to seeing/hearing live music at this stage of my life I really perfer to actually see people playing instruments as opposed to just singing and dancing on stage. While the light up costumes were kind of flashy and mildly entertaining as were all of the light up dancers, Slash, lending the sweet guitar chords I've come to know and love as Sweet Child of Mine totally stole the show. And of course gimmicks, which seemed to be what the performance was all about continued throughout even bringing singer Usher down from the rafters and onto the stage.

All in all my superbowl watching experience was fun combined with snacks (none of which were advertised during the game) and good conversation (which often included mocking of things that were advertised during the game).

Now that I've gotten that all out of my brain, will I be able to make the leap into this morning's schooling? I'm sure I will but after spending the week cooped up in the house and neighborhood, I think we're both wanting to play with others, somehting we usually get plenty of.

My stream of consciusness seems to be dwindling out so, I guess that's about all for this morning.

Warm soup for a snowy day

2011-02-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

Now, I'll admit that when I moved here to texas in the midst of one hot summer, I could not have forseen the current weather outside. It was 110 degrees in August, a complete extreme opposite from the -10 degree wind chill that's been blowing here this week. Today there is snow falling continuing the essential shut down of the little north Texas town I live in. Under this falling snow, the streets have been covered in a layer of ice for the past week. Of course having lived in cold places in the not too far past, we're well prepared with long johns and wool sweaters, snow pants and heavy coats, and of course wool socks and winter gloves.

I'm not so bothered by the cold weather. It's just come as a surprise. I feel lucky for that we're a homeschool family because snow and winter weather provide great opportunities for both fun and learning. We can measure how deep the snow is in the middle of the yard compared to how deep it is in the drifts. We can see how much water is left in a glass after the snow melts. And we can make snow cream!!!

This week I've been making a lot of hearty warm meals to keep our insides from chilling. Last night I made a delicious potato soup and thought I'd share the basic recipe with you.

Creamy Potato and Vegetable soup (vegan)

4 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 rapunzel brand bouillion cubes, sea salt and herbs
4 cups of water (maybe more)

4 cups of fresh washed spinach
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
6 cloves garlic
2T olive oil

salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Place the cubed potatoes, veggie bouillion and water in a large pot. You want enough water to be a good 3 inches over the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium and cook potatoes until they are completely done, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and sautee for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add spinach, bell pepper, and a pich of salt and sautee until all vegetables are cooked and soft. Add enough salt, pepper and garlic powder to give a good flavor.

When the potatoes are done cooking, use and immersion blender to turn them and the cooking liquid into a puree. Add the cooked vegetables mixture and season to taste. Enjoy!

Monday musing 2

2011-01-31T07:08:00.000-08:00

Once again it's Monday, and here I sit freshly brewed decaf cappuccino nearby and an everything bagel with fried egg as my breakfast. My son is eating his similar breakfast, minus the coffee in the other room. We're working up to starting the school day which will begin shortly with him reading a book to me. Then we'll progress along to writing words and sentences, some addition and subtraction, some kitchen alchemy in the form of bread making and then we'll have a lot of playing throughout the afternoon. Later this evening he will go to basketball practice, we'll have family dinner afterward, family storytime in bed followed by song and then off to sleep for him. My husband and I get a few hours of quality of time and then I'm off to bed as well.

This is the basic structure for our schooling. It's flexible and throughout the week it ebbs and flows depending on what comes our way. We go the park with other homeschoolers mid week, we go the library for storytime, sometimes we grocery shop and he is in charge of weighing things and reading the list. One of the great joys of homeschooling is being with my child everyday and guiding him through the world in a gentle manner. For us there is some structure in that but it is combined with the freedom to move around and change it up at any time.

For those people who think homeschooling is weird or absurd or that I'm not qualified, I say "mind your own business." For those who think all homeschoolers are socially inept, backward, or right wing conservative religious folks I say, "Obviously you have never met any of the kids in any of the groups I have been a part of." Those groups include kids from ages birth to 18 and have spanned 4 states.

I didn't sit down with the intention if writing about homeschooling but I guess, that's what was on my mind. I think families need to do what works for them, and this works for us. Until such time as is doesn't anymore we'll continue on this path.

progression of a cake

2011-01-28T20:10:00.001-08:00

Monday musing 1

2011-01-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

The spiced pumpkin scented candle is burning nearby, it's sweet aroma contributes to my calmness. Peter Gabriel's "In your eyes" is playing on my Pandora radio quickmix, surley to be replaced any moment by some random pick of hte program. I have a decaf coffeelike beverage in a hand thrown ceramic mug and my boy is fast asleep. Today I have made a concsious effort to change the routine I have gotten into, more of a rut in many ways.

The change comes swiftly on the heels of a visit from old friends. Without even knowing it, they brought with them a forward motion, an energy that I am harnessing and hoping to use to continue to propel me forward out of the reluctant space I have been in. The visit with them was so good, no great, it left me wanting to be a better me again. I think there's something about spending time with folks who know you well that offers a chance to shed secrets and inhibitions enough to let go of crutches and stand on one's own. At least I feel it is like that for me.

One of the things we did during their visit was take a hike on the Greenbelt. It's a corridor of land outside of Denton that has trails along the Trinity river and stretches up to Lake Ray Roberts. I think it is the most green I have found in one place that close to Denton. Of course there is more green actually at lake Ray Roberts. Anyway, all 7 of us, headed out and walked. It was a crisp cool day with the sun shing bright and reflecting on the water. We saw a passing flock of Cedar Waxwing, which as of last year, are one of my favorite migrating birds. I just think they are beautiful. We also saw many lovely sycamore, which until last month I had never knowingly seen. You can see in the pic above how the bark changes as the tree grows taller. It changes from brown and textured to white and very smooth. Beautiful. I have been introduced to a number of new trees here including the Blackjack Oak, Bluejack Oak, Post Oak, and Winged Elm with more to still learn.

Tonight I'm posting this pic of our old girl because I am thinking of her a lot lately. Little Deer is approximately 15 years old. She has aged tremendously in the past year having regular seizures, hearing loss and cataract growth, to add to her old ACL injuries. She has been a great dog, hiking partner, fellow traveler, and a member of my family for almost 12 of htose 15 years. We noticed over the past few years that the winters realy take their toll on her and so far this one no different. I know that when she finally leaves us in this life, she will be missed.

fresh juice

2011-01-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

The Road

2011-01-07T21:50:00.000-08:00

This past week I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. If you're looking for an intense emotional ride this story will provide it. Well, at least it did for me. It is a post apocalytip tale of a father and son on a journey to find other survivors who are not savages or "bad guys". They take care of each other and count on each other almost as equally. The geographic setting is not completely clear but going by the description I would guess it's somewhere in the eastern us, possibly including Appalachia, going on the plant life described (ginseng, rhododendrons, morels) as well as waterfalls near mountain gaps and then ending on the coast.

While reading this story it was difficult for me not to imagine my husband and son as the characters making even more heartbreaking. I wonder if folks who do not have children are affected the same way. When asked about the ending, I found that I was both sad and hopeful at the same time.

The writing style was at times distracting and yet it was exactly perfect for the point of view.

I would reccomend this book and now I am looking to watch the film. Interestingly, the film version has actress Molly Parker in it who just finished up on the set of the Playroom, the film my son is currently working on.

I am going to try and post book reviews more regularly so stay tuned to see what my opinions are.

reflection on 2010

2011-01-02T20:19:00.000-08:00

*disclaimer* by reading this post you will learn a lot about me, if you're interested, please keep reading.

Tonight I sit at the counter in my kitchen. There is a pile of unwashed dishes next to the sink, a painting in progress drying on the easel and a cup of warm tea by my side. It is the first time in a while that I have taken to reflect on the past year. It was an intense, challenging, joyful, adjusting, exploring kind of year.

In Georgia, my husband was a slave to his dissertation writing. I'm thankful for his work ethic. Although throughout his time as a grad student at UGA there were many tense and stressful moments, he set his mind to getting in and out as quickly as possible. He succeded in this endeaver graduating in May 2010 after only 5 years in the program including a year of fieldwork and one of dissertation writing. His PhD in environmental Anthropolgy landed him a job and us a chance to find some financial stability as well as a real opportunity to look ahead to future goals.

Of course the said job required that we move away from the Eastern US and into north Texas. I was up for the new adventure, with reservations. We moved in early summer and quickly took an amazing cross country road trip (see pics and itinerary on this blog in posts from July and Aug). We had a blast taking time to reinvigorate our small family and deepen the ties the three of us have to each other.

Upon arrival back in Texas, a heatwave took us by storm producing tons of sweat, causing the old AC unit to poop out in the rental leading to 2 nights in a hotel, and inducing thoughts resembling, "What the hell are we doing here?"

Eventually the stifling heat moved on and the temperatures became enjoyable as we moved into fall. Although to be honest, after so many years in western North Carolina and northeast Georgia, I was sorely missing the falls I have grown to love. Texas did its best to entice me with moderate temperatures, amazing sunsets, tall waving grasses and eventually there were some colorful leaves blowing around in the wind. I started feel as though I could live here and feel happy and even be able to focus my energies on all of the positive things about here.

As fall turned into early winter, I took to beading up a storm, participating in the local Etsy group, going to some craft shows, becoming invloved with a group of similar minded homeschoolers and immersing myself (and my son) into being here. We were having a good time.

In a turn of events my son was given the opportunity to audition for a role in a movie being made in Dallas. He was great and they cast him and since then, which was around Thanksgiving, we have been fully immersed in the making of the film. I have been experiencing many mixed emotions about the process.

I think it is a great homeschool lesson to be on a set and be involved in actually making a film. He is having a great time with the other actors and is getting an amazing first hand look behind the scenes as it were. For me, I have been struggling with the commute and the time away from home. Although I am a social person, I enjoy being at home and I really value our family time. It has definitely been harder on me than him. I am appreciative that he has been given the opportunity to work on this film. A film that is deeply personal to the director and producer and their other family members who have been involved in its production. I know it will be really great but I can't say for sure how I feel about encouraging him to continue on this path.

Anyway, I'm looking for to this new year. I have begun painting again and incorporating my beadwork into my paintings. I feel creative light blossoming within and I am bursting to let it out. I'm looking forward to a possible visit from good dear freinds and a visit to the South Toe Valley in summer. I'm excited to ride my new bike, hike on new trails, learn new birds and plants and to become more familiar with this new landscape. I'm going to keep on cooking up a storm, trying new recipes, and keep my fermentation crock full.

So, to you out there whoever you may be, warmest Texas wishes for the year ahead. May your creative light shine, may your family be warm and healthy and may heart beat steadily.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm a little slow on the uptake here but I have a delicious recipe to share. It's a Veteto family New Year's Day tradition and I am just about to sit down and eat it up.

A number of years ago when I started spending New Year's Eve with my in-laws, I tased these yummy black eye peas for the first time and have looked forward to them every year since. Sorry I didn't remember to post this earlier so you could enjoy it today, but I will try my best to remember for next time around.

1c canola oil
1 clove garlic sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4c white vinegar
1 small onion sliced into rings
1 small red bell pepper sliced
2 cans of black eye peas (often I cook 1-2c dried black eyes and use those, this year I bought eden brand)

I also add a picnch of black pepper and this year I dropped a dried chile into the mix.

Mix all the ingredients together in a dish and let sit, ideally for a few days to soak in all the flavors. Heat before serving and eat with fresh collards.

enjoy.

Behind the scenes

2010-12-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

Check out this behind the scenes video from the Dallas Indie film The Playroom. It's 1975, do you know where your parents are?

http://vimeo.com/18235676

In the spirit 2010

2010-12-24T14:01:00.001-08:00

As I sit beside the fire with the Christmas aglow I am feeling warm and in the spirit as it were. I have been spending Christmas in Hot Springs, AR for about a decade now and every year I have begun to feel more and more a part of the Veteto/Neff holiday triditons. This year especially I feel as if I am a real partof the ritual. Over the years I have added to the traditions by bringing in a Praline cookie from Caroline Ellick, a homemade eggnog for Christmas eve, and a Cookie Tree that becomes the center piece for the table decor.

The sugar cookie recipe comes from Betty Crocker and while I do use all organic ingredients it's not really a healthy cookie, although it's sweet and delicious.

1-1/2c powder sugar
1c softened butter
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
1/2tsp almond flavor
2-1/2c all purpose flour
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cream of tartar

Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and flavorings. Mix dry ingredients together and add to the rest. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Divide dough in half and roll out to 1/4 inch and cut into stars of varying sizes. I have a set of star cutters that dcerease in size just for this. Bake for 8-10 minutes until barely golden.
I used powdered sugar, a little milk, melted butter and food coloring to make a green icing. The icing served as a bonding agent to hold the stars together. So I just drizzled the icing between each layer and stacked them up.

After I stacked all the cookies up I then drizzled the reast of the icing over the top and allowed it to drip down and cover the cookies. Then I used colored sprinkles and non-parils to decorate the tree.

The top star I coated in yellow sugar (because I was too lazy to make more icing in yellow) and since Ian wanted snow I lined the base with marshmallows. Viola a holiday center piece that it nice to look at and serves as dessert.

Although I didn't do it, I'm sure you can make this tree with gluten free, dairy free, egg free cookies and toppings.

I just want to end today by sending warm wishes to everyone's hearth. As we move through the winter, having just past the solstice, may you all be warm and well nourished. May the deep winter spirits seep into you and help you gether energy for the coming spring. Happy Holidays!!

artsy pictures

2010-12-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

What's up with drivers?

2010-12-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Recently I have added a lot of driving into my life. It's to be expected with my son working on a movie being shot in Dallas which is 40 miles away. He's loving being a part of the film and I feel good about that.

Unfortunately all of this driving has done nothing to quell the irritation I already felt about people who drive with reckless abandon. I just don't understand their thought process or rather lack of thought process.

For me, driving my car on the interstate is probably the most dangerous thing I do in my daily life. It's the one activity where one wrong move could end in the untimely death of both my child and myself as well any other motorist.

I do not think it's unreasonable to ask others to recognize the true facts that come with being a driver/commuter. To me the main factor with is driving is that once you enter onto the roadway your actions cannot be considered autonomous anymore. You are now part of a pack as it were. What you do in your vehicle no longer is just of concern to you, your actions can ultimately affect my life and that of others.

So as I maneuver through the aggressive tailgating drivers, the young texting drivers, the "I think I'm a racecar driver weave in and out to cross the finish line" drivers, the "don't you know that HOV means 'drive as fast as you want' lane" drivers, I often find myself bracing for the worst.

Now, I am by no means a perfect driver, and I realize that from time to time we all lose focus for a moment. We may unintentionally hit the gas a little hard, change lanes and not see the car in the blind spot, or just have a brain freeze. But I can't help wish more people would drive safely.

Luckily for me, folks here don't seem to favor the HOV lane (a huge truck for each Texan?) and so I can often cruise on down without too much trouble.

Well, I'm off again to brave the storm of the interstate...peace be with you as you cruise this holiday season and good driving to y'all.

the Playroom Movie

2010-12-10T20:49:00.001-08:00

Check out my sweet boy's head shot. He's about to begin work on a new indie film in production called the Playroom. You can see more about the movie if you go to www.theplayroommovie.com . The cast includes Molly Parker and John Hawkes and is introducing Olivia Harris.

Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Ever

2010-12-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

I tried this recently at a potluck and it was awesome. So today I made it and it is still awesome. It's not my recipe but I found it online and I wanted to share it with all of you!!! Enjoy.

Best Vegan Mac and Cheese in the entire world...seriouslyIngredients (use vegan versions):

1 1/2 pounds pasta of your choice, preferably macaroni

"Cheese" Sauce: 1
1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk
1 1/2 cups nutritional yeast
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 (12-ounce) block of firm (not silken) tofu
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon vegesal or in lack of fancy product, just use salt
1 dollop mustard, optional

Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Boil water in a big pot and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Add all of the "cheese" sauce ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Once pasta is cooked, drain and put it in the baking pan (about the size of a brownie pan). Pour the "cheese" sauce over the pasta.
3. Bake until the top of the pasta looks slightly browned and crispy, about 15 minutes, but not too crispy because that is gross. This is very simple and tastes amazing!I honestly do not know the serving information or nutritional content I can tell you it feeds a heck of a lot of people and if you are cooking for yourself it will last about 5 days if you eat it for all three meals of the day.Serves: a lot;

Preparation time: about 8 minutes; Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Kraut

2010-12-03T21:28:00.001-08:00

So, one of my goals this fall was to have continual frementation going on. I started about a monh ago or so and have been alternating between batched os kimchi and sauerkraut. I have been using the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz as my guide. He is a true genius when it comes to fermented foods and I hope you will check out his website at http://wildfermentation.com/ .

I started with a head of green cabbage from the local store and a few collard and mustard leaves from the garden.

I had about a T of salt. I have sort of taken Sandy's lead and try to just salt by feel.

In the fridge I had saved some finely sliced cauliflower stem and decided to add them to the mix.

After chopping up the cabbage into fine slices, I alternated handfuls of my brassicas with pinches of salt and, using my hands, massaged the salt into greens. Then I tightly packed it into my ceramic fermenting crock.

I just happen to have a small plate that fits perfectly into the crock and so I used that to weight the cabbage down and cause enough pressure to help the salt draw the moisture out of the cabbage.

Finally I coverd the crock and allowed it to set in a nice corner of my kitchen to ferment and turn delicious.

2010-11-26T20:41:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for the life I have to lead. For the food I am fortunate enough to eat to nourish my body. For the family that is supportive. For the trees creating air that enable me to breathe. For the greater spirit connecting me to the fabric of the universe.

2010-11-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

enjoying visiting with my mom...more on moms and daughters at a later date...

Simple Brown Rice

2010-11-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Looking for a simple way to spice up some brown rice? This is one of my favorite breakfasts believe it or not. Start with 2/3c-1c raw hulled sunflower seeds. Dry roast them in a skillet until lightly browned.

In a pot place 2c water and 1c washed brown rice plus a pich of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately 45 minutes, until rice is plump and cooked through.

Place 1/2c cooked rice in a bowl.

Top with a handful of roasted sunflower seeds, chew well and enjoy!

What I like most about this easy breakfast is the combination of flavors. The roasted seeds remind me of deep earthy nutty goodness and the rice warms my belly with whole grain nutrients. Together their like a little bowl of nutty heaven.

Leftover Black bean and squash soup

2010-11-01T13:56:00.000-07:00

Looking for an interesting way to use leftover black beans or baked squash? Well, I was last week when I came up with this delicious soup.

I started with some leftover baked butternut squash, and about 2 cups of cooked black beans.

Then I diced up one whole leek, two hatch chili peppers, and about 5 cloves of garlic.

I heated a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a deep cast iron skillet. Then I added the leek, garlic and pepper, and sauteed until soft. Then I added 1/2 a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1/2c frozen sweet corn kernels, salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Finally I added the beans, the mashed squash and enough water to cover. I simmered until all the flavors were mingled well and seasoned to taste until I loved it.

Viola. A warming, tasty soup for a cool evening.

Feeling Fall

2010-10-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing here in Texas complete with falling leaves of many colors, cooler mornings and nights, and the decor of Halloween gracing homes and public spaces.

It's true that I love fall. In the past I often found myself visiting western North Carolina around this time of year. Although I am not htere and won't be able to make the journey this time around, I can clearly see the South Toe Valley in all of it's Autumn glory clearly imprinted in my long term memory. As I sit here in NE Texas, I can dial up my favorite fall scene of crossing the Seven Mile Ridge Rd bridge over the South Toe River, trees a myriad of colors with leaves blowing gently on a breeze and landing on the rushing water to be swept away.

Unfortunately I can find a good picture to post of it right now, but I will keep looking.

As for being here in Texas, life is settling into a routine. Of course it's as fluid as that river I love and can change easily. For instance, today I was set to be at a Harvest Festival all day selling my wares and celebrating fall with life music and fun activities. However, the rain came in strong with gusty wind and tornado warnings. Given that I packed it up and headed home. It was ok, although I was looking forward to the event, I was just as glad to spend the time with my family at home.

I'm finding my way here. I'm appreciating that life is an adventure and that gifts and truth are often hidden in the most unexpected places.

a little snake we found in the backyard

Riley's cake

2010-10-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

This week I had the chance to share in bringing a big smile to a young girl's face.

My friends Lisa and Doug made the cake and the buttercream icing in the morning. Then later on in the afternoon I showed up with Ian for fun and frosting. Ian and Riley played furiously while Will rotated between Curious George and chasing the others.

Lisa and I mixed the colors into the icing and shared in the decorating process. Riley came by and added her touches too and she was so excited.

Here's Lisa spreading on the strawberry buttercream we mixed up for the center layer.

I wasn't able to be at her party, but I was lucky enough to get a piece brought over for me. They did a great job on the strawberry cake. A delicious treat.

Settling

2010-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

here, ian is participating in a nature class about butterflies and moths

So we've been here now for a bit and I finally feel as if I am beginning to be here. Ian and I have been schooling for a number of weeks now and he's is really rockin' it. He's also been playing basbeall with th elocal league and that has been a wonderful outlet for him to socialize with other kids and get some much needed activity. Plus the fact that he loves it and it having a blast is really what matters. During this season hitting has been harder for him but he has made some great plays in the outfield., In the last game he was responsible for getting two outs while playing left field.

here he is taking his turn as catcher, he's getter better at stopping the ball and the throw is really improving

As for me, I've just been keeping busy making new beaded flowers and items for the upcoming holiday market season. I think I'm looking at about 4 or 5 markets so that's plenty to keep me busy. Check out some of my newest works at www.thebeadtanicalgarden.blogspot.com

And in the interest of being here, last weekend we took a drive to the Dallas arboretum where they display over 40, 000 pumkins and gourds for the fall season. Oh my I have never seen so many cucurbits in one place at one time. I especially loved the landscape paintings they made using different kinds of pumpkins such as the "water fountain" you can see below in the yard of one of the pumpkin houses.

New Year's Challah

2010-09-18T20:29:00.001-07:00

Kimchi = yum

2010-09-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

After many years of admiring Sandor Katz, I finally got his fantastic book Wild Fermentation.
If you like to ferment foods and you do not have this book, you are completely missing out. It is well worth the price and will provide really good information as well as instruction. If you want to see more of what Sandor is up to you can check out his website
http://www.wildfermentation.com/

Over the past decade I have been present at many of his fermentation workshops. There have been times when I have made sauerkraut and pickles (although I haven't had the best luck with pickles) as well as kombucha, and I love to eat good fermented foods. For years now I've talked about adding fermenting into my life in a more regular and permanent way. However, life moves along swiftly sometimes and intentions get stuck in brambles on the banks.

Finally last week I felt like it was time to really get going. So I pulled the cabbage and carrots out of the fridge, the garlic and ginger from the shelf, and the wakame and dried peppers (which is all I had) from the cabinet and set to work following in the wise words of Sandor Ellix Katz.

The vegetables soaking in brine.

onion being grated for the spice paste

grated ginger for the spice paste

viola! the finished product packed tight into this wonderful lidded jar we received many years ago from some old friends.

We loved the finished product. It wasn't too spicy, but had a little kick and that was just right for us. In fact we like dit so much that it is now gone and a new batch is in the works. I couldn't believe how easy it was to produce this delicious treat that will surely become a staple of our diet.

side note*** If you like to ferment foods and have to grate things like onions and ginger a lot for pastes, I would highly recommend investing in a Japanese ginger grater. They are very affordable and they do a great job of completely breaking down whatever your grating.

death valley by night, a favor granted

2010-08-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

On the heels of our journey i wanted to share some thought in the form of a poem.

in the desert
death valley by night
a favor granted to me
the air smells
of rock and earth
big old truck
sends a wave of exhaust
it disrupts my breathing
110 degrees at 9pm
it's dark and the temperature is rising
this is outside my realm of experience
my wild side perks up
with head out the window
the dense heat
fills me with life
the sweat drips down
my spine
the stars bright
above this awesome
and terrible landscape
my boy, baking in the back seat
begging for ice
brings me back from the reverie
i feel the strength
and majesty of
this old place
ancient white stone
huge old beings
wish me a safe journey

Day 24, Carlsbad Caverns to Denton

2010-08-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

Day 23, Patagonia to Carlsbad

2010-08-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Coming soon...read about our adventure near the border

Day 22, Patagonia

2010-08-17T14:40:00.001-07:00

Knowing we had another day to enjoy Patagonia was a great thought as I woke up. The evening before a big storm had loomed larged but didn't really come our way. This day, so far the sky was bright although there were some clouds hanging about the mountains.

Around Gary's place he had many beautiful cacti. Below is an agave follwed by one whose name I didn't get, but I thought the protected flower was wonderful.

Talk about being caged. The spines on this cactus were long, hard, curved and sharp. I imagine they might make a good beading needle. After his rest Ian dn aI headed down to the pond. Yo ucan see him below before he decided to strip down and plunge on it.

While we were at th epond, those looming clouds gathered together into large grey masses with thunder. We headed back up to the house and enjoyed watching the rain. I was glad for a chance to work on a porject I had set for myself. While we had been in Bend, OR I noticed a really magnificent pine cone at Anna's house. I came to find out that it was called a digger pine and it is very dense and heavy and the scales are pointed and sharp. I imagine if one landed on your head it would hurt terribly and could be really disatrous. Anyway, I collected on from the highway on our way back to Daniel's in Nevada City. He told me that the actual seeds (pine nuts) were an edible one and that if the nut meat was removed, a hole would be there. As soon as he told me that I set a project for myself to hollow them out and create a necklace.

Here is an image of the seed still intact. The dark brown outer skin rubs off easily but not necessarily all the way. I wanted to figure out a way to remove the nut meats without wasting them. First I tried just using a file and sanding down the sides but that didn't work. Then I found some large snippers and simply snipped off each rounded edge to make the nut/seed rectangularish.

Then I used a rounded metal file to push the meats out into a bowl. I didn't manage to keep the meats whole, some were pretty well ground, but after I cleaned out all of the seeds there was enough meats that we were all able to get a good taste.

Afterward I did file the edges and then I strung the seeds, put on a clasp and viola, my Digger pine seed necklace was complete.

Day 21, Patagonia

2010-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Waking up at gary's place was great. Jim had to get up early start working on the RAFT (Renewing America's Food Traditions) so I was able to just lay around and wait for Ian to get up. Since we'd been traveling so much and keeping strange hous he slept in and so did I. After we got up and had some breakfast, it onto entertaining ourselves while the others were working. Gary had told me about a great place to take a walk so Ian and I packed up some water, snacks, and hats and headed out.

First we checked out bustling downtown Patagonia which is really just a quaint little town with a fair amount of artists galleries. Then we headed to the preserve. Here are some pictures from the walk.

We were lucky enough to see this beautiful hawk so close to us. Apparently, this specific preserve has one of th emost diverse bird populations in the country. It serves as a common migration stop for so many acting as either the most northern point in migration or the most southern point in migration depending on where the bird is coming from. We also saw a broad billed hummingbird for the first time and so many other birds that I didn't take the time to identify.

this white flower above is a native poppy

After the work day was over, Gary took us to a really cool artists community around the mountain called Tubac. Unfortunately pretty much all of the shops were closed. However, there was so much cool art on the streets that it was fun to walk around and look at it all. We at dinner at an awesome Mexican fusion restaurant that was simply delicious.

Here's the guys haning out in front of a shop with a name that is fitting to them given all the seed work they have done together.

I fell in love with the bright pink colors of the prickly pear cactus fruits.

The Golden Eagle, a well known wrestler, joined us during dinner adn then took on a viscious T-rex while we were walking back to the car. Tamed him with a simple rub on the neck. (Ok seriously, Ian was so taken with the collection of Mexican wrestling masks on display at the restaurant that the owner giften him one.)

Day 20, headed down to Patagonia, AZ

2010-08-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

The morning was a blur of, "Let's get the heck out of here" as we were still in Las Vegas. Ian had noticed the people mover out front and the castle next door and so we let him have that experience. He did like the the people mover, and really who can blame him I too think the whole idea of monorails as transit are pretty cool. But we were in and out of the castle and all of us ready to go.

While I appreciate the opportunity to have seen the place, and expereince for a brief moment what so many people find wonderful, I do not think I will be going back any time soon. It is so far removed from the natural world that I felt completely lost, like I was the intruder into some sort of parallel universe and really I couldn't wait to get out.

Now, I'm not trying to be offensive on purpose, but I came away from there with an extremely strong negative opinion. It is wasteful, all consuming, loud, bright, everything about it attacks you at every moment, all of your senses are affronted. In fact I think it is a clear example of what is wrong with our world. Everyone wanting excess in everything.

Ian's words as were leaving and heading south, "Let's get out of this bright, noisy, wasteful place." Although I must admit he thought the sphinx and the castle next door were pretty neat

From Vegas we headed down towards the Hoover Dam. Another place on our trip that Jim had been but I hadn't. Since we were on a time schedule to make it to patagonia we knew that we wouldn't have time to stop but thought it would at least be interesting to see. Of course it would be just our luck that as we neared Lake Mead, the traffic jammed up and the flashing sign told us to expect an hour to make it through. Great. Well, were already stuck in line and so we just tried to make the best of it by talking about the color of the water, the cool cacti growing, and the awesome rocks surrounding us.

Finally after being stopped at the check point to have our roof box searched, they allowed us through. I know the three of us look very dangerous, but I guess I would rather there not be any sort of catastrophe while driving over the dam and so I get it, the secirty check and all.

So, here it is. The Hoover dam. I suppose it was a great feat of humanity at th etime in which it was built. To me, I wonder at th emarvel it produces for so many. Why is it so amazing when people are able to completely conquer and "control" nature? Why do so many folks disassociate themselves from the fact that we are all part of the same? Anyway, a short wax philosohpical. I guess it was cool to see it, it was awfully big.

Actually the best part about the Hoover dam experience was that has we were leaving the area Ian said, "Look Mom and Dad there's a really cool Sundog!" And behold there in the sky above us, there truly was a beautiful sundog. For those of you who don't know, that's what we call it when the sun reflects sideways into a small spot of cloud producing a little piece of rainbow. After that we high tailed it down through Arizona and towards our destination which was Patagonia.

Gotta love those Joshua trees. Even though we didn't make it to Joshua Tree Nat'l park, I was glad that so much of our journey was dotted with them. I had never seen them before and I just thought they were really magnificent.

Losing time and heading east, the sunsets behind us instead of in front of us.

Cool vista outside of Tuscon as we made our way south. By the time we actually made it Gary's place it was after 9. They had waited for us to eat dinner and boy was it delicious. We had a little guest house to ourselves and a lovely desert well actually arid landscape to enjoy around us for th enext few days. I went to bed looking forward to the next day.

Day 19, through Lake Tahoe, Death Valley and into Las Vegas

2010-08-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well, after a great evening of seeing Gary Snyder and watching the Perseids across the sky, I slept very well. The next day it was up and at 'em. I spent a while re-grouping and also re-organizing the car for the rest of the journey. We drove down into Nevada City because we wanted to get a few pictures of the town and take in one more look at it.

Also, I wanted to go to the Harmony Bookstore. Why did I want to go there you might ask? Well, many years ago I first listened to the Utah Phillips, Ani Defranco album "The Past Didn't Go Anywhere". In one of the tracks he talks about coming home from being on the road and finding out that his wife bought the bookstore. While she no longer owns it, I still wanted to stop in and satiate my curiostiy for the place.

Then, we were initially going to take the I-5 or what is locally referred to as "The 5" south and then take "the 10 east". But after looking at the map and talking to Daniel and Wendy, we decided to go down through Lake Tahoe and get the eastern view of the Sierra Nevadas. At the point in which we made this decision we were still planning to head directly south from there and catch I-10 heading east the next day.

While I can completely appreciate the absolute beauty of Lake Tahoe itself, I'm not sure it's quite the place I will find myself hanging out. I'm sure there are super great things about it, but for me, not a ski bum or a true lake bum, too much total resortness. Not to say that it wouldn't be cool to spend a few days checking it all out. Unfortunately given our time crunch we didn't have time to take a dip, inviting as the water was. So we drove on by and kept on moving down the road.

It was truly amazing to see just how different the two sides of the range are. We spent a good amount of time on the western side with our visit to Sequoia Nat'l Park and staying at Daniel's place. But wow! The eastern side is like a whole other world. It was almost difficult to imagine that on the other side of the dry, desertlike mountains were fairly lush, old growth forests. Simply amazing to see the effects of the rain shadow.

At some point we reached a fork in the road. We stopped to get gas and look at the map.

Now you might want to know that at the begining of our trip I had desperately pleaded for a descent into Death Valley. Jim had to use all of his cunning to make me realize just how hot it would really be there over and over until I agreed and we skipped it. For me, it had been originally about walking out into the salt flats and collecting Death valley Salt as a sacred ingredient for special meals and ferments. When I truly grasped exactly how hot it would be in the middle of summer, I agreed to forgo it. Now, here we sat with the road towards Death Valley calling us. So, we decidced to take my mom up on her offer for a night in Vegas, also somewhere I had never been, and we headed on down the road toward Death Valley.

We had hoped that we would have enough time to make it through in the sunlight. Unfortunately, the sun went down as we did.

The sun was setting around us as the heat invaded the car. When it was 9:30 I looked at the car thermometer and it read 111. We opened all of the windows and allowed ourselves to feel the heat. I was totally overwhelmed and inundated with the deep smells of the desert. I felt alive and excited and the smell of earth and rock and heat filled me. I was wild with joy for being there and stuck my head out the window to look up at the stars and allow the furnace of this place to heat my whole being. I swear I could feel the Earth's heartbeat and lifeblood pumping. I was high from the experience for hours. All the way until we hit Las Vegas.

In the near distance Vegas loomed like some alien invading the peace I felt in the desert. The lights, while cool to so many, assaulted my eyes and the noise boxed my ears.

As we drove in to find the hotel we were generously offered, Ian woke up and said, "Man it's really bright here," then he promptly went back to sleep. The parking for the hotel was a total mess with a huge line of cars waiting for valet service. By the time we finally self-parked behind the hotel, made it through the rowdy casino lobby, checked into a room, and got up to it it was 1am. I was exhausted and wanted to sleep. That worked out for a while until my sleep was ruined by raucous drunken folks in the hallway yelling and banging the walls. Needless to say I didn't sleep well.

Day 18, Nevada City

2010-08-07T08:38:00.001-07:00

I took this day to rejuvenate and relax and get myself grounded. Jim went on a grand tour of the San Juan Ridge community with our friend Daniel. He has such a beautiful place in the mountains. Ian and I walked around taking time to explore a woodpecker granary tree, some huge digger pine cones, native mortar rocks, and a very cool rope swing. Plus I did laundry and geeked out on the computer while Ian took his resting time.

That night we had dinner with some of Daniel's friends and then it was off to see a special, really great film called, "The Practice of the Wild." The film was a conversation between Gary Snyder and Jim harrison with small segments of their friends talking about them. It was wonderfully made, entertaining and thought provoking. Afterward Gary Snyder answered some audience questions and it was really something to just listen to him speak and respond to folks. So sharp minded at 80, totally with it and still aware.

even though it's hard to see him that's Gary Snyder on the stage below the movie screen

Day 17, Redwoods to Nevada City

2010-08-06T09:05:00.001-07:00

We got up and moving and headed down the road to Redwoods National Park. Although we didn't have as much time as we really wish we could have dedicated to this awesome wilderness area. After looking at th emap we picked two short trail areas to hike around, the Circle Trail which held the Big Tree and the Lady Bird Johnson Trail. We figured that this way we could see two seperate parts of the park, get a walk at each and then be on our way.

Here you can see a Stellar Jay. They are one of the most pesky animals in the park who will fly right up to you and practically steal food from your hand. This one landed on our side view mirror while we were snacking.

I just liked the way this horsetail looked.

Here we are in front of the Big Tree. The Redwoods were completely as amazing as the Sequoias, and also so different. They are much taller and have a different feel to them.

While Ian and I were collecting trash for his Juior Ranger patch, we happened across this beautiful snake.

We were treated to a viewing of wild elk in this prairie just right in the middle of the park. After seeing the elk we headed over to the Lady Burd Johnson trail and saw the trees pictured below. You just feel so small standing underneath them.

When we were done at the park, even though we would have liked to stay longer, we started our journey south towards Arcata and then east to Nevada City. We drove this beautiful, winding, scenic highway. At one point we were stopped becasue of roadwork and as I looked up into the sky I did a double take as this (event hough it's hard to tell in the photo)bald eagle came swooping across the front of us. He did a few passes by the car and were able to clearly see the white head and tail. It was so cool. Only once before had I seen eagles in the wild at that was at Lake Ouchita in Hot Springs, AR. We had gone there with that specific purpose. This time, in CA driving towards a friend's home, was the first time I had ever seen an eagle just out of the blue, in the wild, beautiful.

Day 16, Coos Bay to Klamath, CA

2010-08-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

After a restful night in Coos Bay, it was back on the road to maintain our southward course. This day our destination was Redwood National Forest in northern California. Before we could get to far, we had to check out a place recommended by our friend Tony called Seven Devils. I was not so up for it at first because I really wanted to get on down the road, but after we got there, I was so glad that we did indeed stop.

This image is of an awesome creek flowing down out of the mountains and headed straight for the ocean. The water was cool and clear and fresh.

Here you can see the creek as it winds its way down the beach front only to be overtaken by the high tide.

the misty pacific

After our stop at Seven Devils we headed back down the road. It wasn't very long until my boys' bellies started rumbling which lead to a stop in Bandon for lunch. Giving over to my ocean grown tastebuds I thoroughly enjoyed these fresh raw oysters from Tony's Crabshack.

I was so in love with the drive down the coast. Having grown up in South Florida, my memories are full of the Atlantic ocean and coast. I had never spent much time near or on the Pacific excpet for in a few moments when I visited briefly. The whole drive was spectacular. The Pacific ocean coast in Oregon and N. Cali is breathtaking and beautiful. There are so many incredible rock formations, cool ways the clouds and mist play upon the ocean/land, sand dunes, tall trees, lava rock, sea lions, new birds, and even a different sea smell than I am used to.

Unfortunately, our plans to camp in the Redwoods were dashed when we arrived and all of the campgrounds were full. Trying to make the best of it we found a room at the Motel Trees, a sort of odd inn with Paul Bunyan across the road. What a strange juxtaposition to have a huge statue of Paul Bunyan right in the midst of the Redwoods. Wasn't he a logger that "tamed" the forest? Weird!

Day 15, Newport to Cape Perpetua, Sea Lion caves and the Dunes

2010-08-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

We woke to a cool and grey morning in Newport. Truth be told, I thought it was quite lovely and refreshing. After packing up the car we decided to head back into the historic bay area and eat the famous Mo's clam chowder. Apparently Mo's is a well known establishment there and the original owner, Mo, was quite the salty lady.

In this picture you can see an open door. Well, that door is actually a garage door. Back in the day someone ran their car into the building and instead of getting mad about it Mo just decided to make it a garage door that could be opened easily when the weather was nice.

While Jim and I had only planned on getting the chowder, Ian insisted on having steamed clams for his meal. So hear you have it, clam chowder and steamed clams. Honestly, we thought the chowder was ok, but once we added some of the steamed clam juice to it, it was great.

After leaving Newport we headed down Hwy 101 and made our way to Cape Perpetua, a place Jim had been before but insisted we see. I am so glad he did becasue it was absolutely beautiful. Here are my boys looking over at the Pacific ocean.

The trail we walked on was so lush. It was just awesome to walk through the misty grey clouds and big green vegetation.

Here are Ian and I down at the Devil's Churn area. We had the chance to explore tide pools, taste pacific ocean salt and watch the waves crash heartily into volcanic rock.

pacific ocean salt dried on the rock, love it

looking into the world of a tide pool

After we had our fill of Devil's Churn we headed over to the visitor's center. Ian and I walked around and did some activities and then we hiked out to the old Sitka Spruce, 500 years old, so awesome.

When we were done we got back in the car and headed further south. We just couldn't pass up the sea lion cave. Apparently this is the largest ocean cave in the country and the only sea lion rookery on land. It was amazinf to see all the sea lions in the cave, on the coast and swimming.

Our final dash to the beach before stopping for the night was at the Dunes. We couldn't help but get out and run down the huge sand hills. Ian loved it so much.

Day 14, Mary's Peak to Newport

2010-08-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

Day 13, Portland, Corvalis and camping near Mary's Peak

2010-07-29T00:35:00.002-07:00

Morning in Portland started with a homemade breakfast and fresh roasted coffee provided by Tony.

Then we picked up Meadow's neice and headed down to Corvalis. Jim spent a year living in Corvalis while in college. He wanted to take a trip down memory lane and bring Ian and me along.

I thought it was so cool that the concrete trash cans have planters with plants growing in them.

cool sculpture along the river

the kids play in the fountain, a great way to cool down

we all took a walk down to the Williamette River and skipped stones

gotta love that Oregon grape, good to use in place of goldenseal, packed with burberine

the sequoia on the OSU campus that Jim used to climb as an undergrad

I was amazed to see these huge rhododendron flowers bloomingand smelling sweet

here's Jim showing us the place he spent a summer living near Mary's Peak, so beautiful

I'd never seen such awesome wild foxglove, back east I have only seen it cultivated

setting up camp

cooking up a hot dog, camp style

After we enjoed downtown Corvalis, we headed out to Mary's Peak so that Jim could share one of his favorite places with us. It was so great to have Tony and Meadow along to share in a campout. Tony built a nice campfire and we cooked out hot dogs and had fresh salad greens. Afterward we sat around the fire talking and telling stories for the kids and just enjoying the sound of the creek, the birds and the wind through the trees.

Day 12, Bend to Portland

2010-07-29T00:35:00.001-07:00

The happy couple on the day after.

Mt. Hood

So, the day after the wedding it was time to get moving on. We packed up the blazer and headed over to Portland, OR. We had plans to visit with our friend Tony whom we've known since our AMS days. We arrived later than planned, which is always the way, andhad dinner at a restaurant called Farm. It was pretty good food although unfortunately the service was a little lacking. Initially we had tried to eat at a placed called the Noble Rot which had been reccomended as a place serving fermented and live foods. However, the info was incorrect and it was more of a wine and high end food place.

coming soon

Day 11, wedding day

2010-07-29T00:34:00.001-07:00

Well, the day of the wedding finally arrived. After organizing lodging, dinners, a hike, a float trip, etc, I think both Anna and Michael were ready for all of the events to be over.

Michael came over early to pick up a truckload of stuff and take care of last minute business like fixing this sign.

Anna hid in the bedroom with her mom and sister while he was in the house. She just wanted to take it slow and easy.

Stacy arrived with the dress and we were all excited to finally see it in person.

I ended up not only making all fo the beaded flowers but also cutiing and arranging the flowers for all fo the tables. Luckily she has a lush and colorful garden.

Arriving at Aspen hall, the site of the wedding reception.

A pensive Anna takes in the place where the ceremony will take place in a just a few hours.

The family powows about the hall and set up making sure all is right.

I'm working on the table arrangements.

These nests were used for the rings as well as by the flower girls.

The flowers in her hair.

First dress viewing for all of us, excpet for her.

Pinning the boutineer.

the bouquet.

father and daughter

my dogwood headband

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Waugh

me and my boy

the Waughs drink to Frank's toast

Jay toasts the couple

a boy and his dad and a fishing pole

my boy breaks it down on the dancefloor

Day 10, Rehearsal dinner and girls' night

2010-07-29T00:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a beautiful day in Bend. We started off the day by all (about 50 of us) gathering up at the Deschutes river with various and assundry flotation devices. Then enterred the awesome cold water and began a 2 hour float trip. So relaxing to just chill in the sunshine and feel the cool water whenever I wanted to.

After the float we went downtown and got some lunch at the Bend Brewing Company. The food was ok and the beer was tasty. I especially love the seasonal German Heifeweizen they had available.

Back at the house friends played together and talked about how much fun they had at the river.

Later we gathered for the rehaersal dinner which mostly included just hanging out and having a good time. There wasn't much rehearsal going on...simply a short discussion.

Anna wore one of my haircombs this night, a multicolored lotus style flower.

Bride and groom to be sharing a moment in the backyard full of folks.

After the dinner was over girls night started up and we had a greta time talking about Anna, writing down a recipe for a good marriage and generally laughing a lot.

Day 9, Tumalo Mtn. hike

2010-07-29T00:25:00.001-07:00

Mt. Bachelor

snowball fight on Tumalo Mtn.

two of the Three Sisters and Broken Top Mountain

the hike was hard on Ian but he loved the view from the top

Days 8, lady's afternoon

2010-07-23T00:33:00.004-07:00

On Thursday, Anna treated her sister Sarah, Michael's sister Michelle, and me to pedicures. It was a great treat to be given.

Later that day we went to Munch and Music which is a weekly event in Bend during the summer. It is held at Drake Park and there is live music, vendors and lots of food booths to choose from. It was a lot of fun.

Day 7, Nevada City, CA to Bend, OR

2010-07-23T00:33:00.003-07:00

coming soon

Day 7, Nevada City, CA to Bend, OR

2010-07-23T00:33:00.001-07:00

We woke up early at our friend's hosue and had a fantastic breakfast fresh from the garden. Then it was back on the road again and headed up to Bend, OR with a quick stop at Crater Lake National Park.

Mt.Shasta was a beautiful beacon guiding the way for a long part of our drive and we could see her majesty for mulitple hours.

Here you can see me sitting in front of crater lake. It was so awesome and Ian was completeley amazed by it, as was I. There is no water source flowing through the lake. All of the water comes from snow melt and rain. It is a completely contained lake created when an erupted volacno collapsed. Beautiful and breath taking.

Day 6, King's Canyon and Nevada City, CA

2010-07-23T00:32:00.003-07:00

We woke up to a wonderful bright morning and the sound of the river rushing nearby. Our campsite was so beautiful with big trees and so many families from around the world just being together in this wonderful place.

We all took a few minutes to cool our feet in the cold snow melt river and get refreshed before heading out to King's Canyon and then to our friend's plce near Nevada City, CA

So cool that this fallen tree has been here for over 100 years and that you could walk through it from end to end.

Let's just say that the giant sequoias (taxodiacea sequoiadendron giganteum) are simply humongous.

It was pretty interetsing to see the amount of agriculutre happening in the river valley below the Sierra Nevadas. So much water has to be redirected to keep all of the crops fresh and growing. Seems like a huge use of resouces not to mention the amount of chemical pollution that must deplete both the land and water surrounding these out of place lush fields. Although, it was also sort of cool to see all of the dfferent crops growing.

coming soon

Day 5, Sequoia National Park

2010-07-23T00:32:00.001-07:00

I was so excited about this day. When I came out west a number of years ago it was in my theoretical plans to make it to Sequoia and to the Redwoods. However I didn't make it to either. So, needless to say I just couldn't wait to get into the park and be with these old, fantastic trees.

Here we are in front of the General Sherman, billed as the largest living thing on the planet. Let me tell you that these trees are so breath taking. I mean standing next to them, I was completely in awe.

If ever there was a tree that could make an amazing home, a sequoia would be it. After a burn there can be huse holes in them and yet they are still as sturdy as ever and alive. After they fall, it could be hundreds of years before they break down becasue the tannins are so strong that bacteria, fungus, and insects do not break them down easily. Also, they can be totally hollow inside and even tall enough when laying down for a 6'5" man to walk through without ducking.

We walked along the Alta trail starting from the General Sherman tree. It was a really nice, seemingly less traveled trail that meandered througha creek area and into a really beautiful rock shelf area. Also we saw some sort of ground animal as well as many kinds of flowers and trees.

Above you can see these way cool Native American Indian mortar holes. Maybe used to ground nuts.

I thought this root end looked a lot like a Greenman face, it was so cool!

Tree hugging along the Big Tree trail which we caught after we finished the Alta trail.

Camping out at the Lodgepole campground in Sequoia National Park. The campground was right near the Kaweah river adn the sound was simply amazing.

day 4, Kingman, AZ to Three Rivers, CA

2010-07-23T00:19:00.000-07:00

Oh my oh my crossing the Mohave desert was something else. I guess I just had no idea how hot it actually was and what sorts of dangers could be awaiting your vehicle. Luckily we made it through unscathed and better for the ware.

We woke up on Kingman and headed out to our destination which was Sequoia and King's canyon national Park. I had never seen the giant sequoias before and was so excited to finally meet them. I didn't quite realize that our trip through the desert would mean temperatures of 116 for a good part of our day or an agricultural stop on the CA border.

Of course the desert really does have it's own beauty. I was blown away by the views of large craggy mountains, scattered lava rock, and the overwhelming heat. I was also shocked at the amount of cars we saw pulled over on the shoulder of the interstate for some reason or another. We took the day slow and steady and that even included a picnic in the desert under the shade of a tree. Also, it was really cool to see all of the wind farms and solar farms as we we were driving.

After a long hot day of driving we finally made it to the park at 8pm. Unfortunately they have a lot of road work going and were closing the road at 9pm with only one pass through at 11:30. So since we were totally beat we just popped quickly in to try and catch a glimps and then came back out to Three Rivers. We found a cute little lodge with a good price and spent the night looking forward to the next day when we could enter and commune with the trees.

day 3, part 2

2010-07-23T00:18:00.000-07:00

pictures of some of the beautiful plants we saw in the Cococino Nat'l Forest and in Grand Canyon Nat'l Park.

the Grand Canyon- or Day 3

2010-07-18T08:39:00.001-07:00

So, we headed out of Flagstaff and made for the Grand Canyon. Our road took us through the Cococino National forest whcih was just in hte shadow of the San Francisco Peaks which are pictured below.

We found the pnderosa pine and scattered aspen forest so beautiful that we had to stop and walk around.

Finally we made it to our destination. We got there in the mid afternoon and so didn't have enough time to do a very long hike. But we took the time to walk along the South Rim trail from the lodge near the Bright Angel trail and out to Maricopa Point overlook.

I was (and so was ian for that matter) totally blown away by the spectacle that is the Grand Canyon.

On our way back to the lodge area we got caught in a quick, cold rain. The wind was whipping through the trees and creating a wide array of sounds. The rain itself was cold and stung my skin but I also felt invigorated from the energy of the storm.

After a little break and a bite to eat we decided to take a short hike down the Bright Angel trail. we only hiked for about 20 minutes but it was awesome. We were treated to a mountain goat sighting complete with mated pair and kids. In fact I was almost hit in the head by a falling rock that was set in motion by their movements.

When we got back up to the rim the moon was up and shining bright.

The last thing we saw before leaving the park was this male elk grazing right near the exit signs.

Day 2, Albuquerque to Flagstaff

2010-07-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

sweet,

sassy flavor

bursts on my tongue

in sun soaked neighborhood

we walk together

his memories

coming to life before us

sharing his childhood

with our child

in the shadow of the Sandias

we delight

in the treat

of ripe mulberries

Day 2 started about 5 miles east of Albuquerque. We were greeted with a beautiful view of the Sandias Mountains. They loomed big over the city. These mountains are ingrained in Jim's memory. The plan of the morning consisted of finding the old house his family lived in when he was in 2-4 grades, as well as the elementary school. Both of which we did.

Here you can see Jim and Ian in the ditch where Jim played with his friends. I'm assuming that Jeanne had no idea he was down in the roadside ditch collecting pieces of iron with a magnet and jumping off the side into the ditch, although maybe she knew and secretly spied on his friends and him while it was happening. Either way, according to Jim the ditch has seen some attention over the last 20 years as has the neighborhood. We walked down the block, found the house (we think) viewed the Sandias which could not possibly be ignored, admired all of the beautiful desert gardens and were treated to a wonderful surprise of ripe mulberries that were being completely ignored by their owner.

Here you can see Ian having a blast on the playground equipment that now exists where before there was only rock and tractor tires, a four square court and a tether ball.

As true nature lovers and plant geeks must, we gather green things from all over. Jim thought it apprppriate for him to gather sage from this place in his childhood.

After the walk down memory lane we headed over to the Old Town. Here is the Catholic Church, San Felipe De Neri which is the oldest church in Albuquerque. The church is the center of the Old Town.

We ate lunch at a restaurant in Old Town called la Hacienda. The chili relleno was spicy, the margarita was strong and the sopapilla was delicious. Although, the whole idea of the sopapilla nags me to leatn more about where it came from, how it became such a part of the American-Mexican food tradition and why it so like Indian fry bread which seems to be a pan-American Indian fair food. Some folks might lambast me for this opinion but as a foodie I think I might look further into the bringing of the friend bread dough as a staple...

Me and my boy at the entrance to the Old Town square.

When we finished our tourist duties in Albuquerque we packed into the car and headed west. Our destination, Flagstaff. Along the way we were attacked by roadside dinosaurs and I just happened to have my camera ready for taking this shot. Who says dinosaurs are extinct?

As we approached Flagstaff, I was amazed at the greeting given to travelers by the San Francisco Peaks. They just rise magically out of the landscape and make their presence known. To the Hopi these are sacred mountains. This is where the Kachinas live and the way of life is directly tied to ceremony calling on the spirits to send rain as well as to take the rain home. A number of years ago Jim and I were lucky enough to have happened on a traditional Hopi Home Going dance. This was the ceremoiny in which the Hopi give thanks to the kachinas and the spirits and send them back to the peaks at th eend of the harvest season. I can still hear the chanting and see the dancing.

We finally arrived in Flagstaff and headed to the DuBeau Inn Hostel. Let me tell you, I had no idea that Flagstaff was such a happening city. The Historic square was packed with families who had been watching a free movie and there were folks everywhere just enjoying life. We walked around enjoying the festivities and tried a local brew at a pub across the street.

Today we're headed to the Grand Canyon and Ian is so excited. Neither he nor I have been there and so I'm excited too. Catch you next time.

Moving in and Day 1, heading west

2010-07-16T09:08:00.001-07:00

Well, about a week ago we moved into our new place. It was a long day of placing boxes and trying to be organized in the midst of chaos. At the end of the day we were all totally exhausted. Luckily we had brought a six pack with us from Hot Springs and were able to cool off and sip on a cold one before heading out to dinner. Here you can see Jim making sure he gets every advantage a cold beer has to offer.

Then after settling in a bit we packed up and headed off for our trip westward that will take us to Oregon and my friend Anna's wedding.

Yesterday we drove. It was a long drive and yet so awesome. The way the landscape changes from from dry prairie to gorgeous mesas is so awe inspiring. There really is something amazing about traversing the land. I can't imagine having done it with horses and covered wagon. It would be an adventure to really connect you to the land since you would constanlty have to be on the lookout for fresh water, good eating for the horses, and places where you might be safe for the night.

Anyway, our initial plan was to head to Santa Fe, but we were unable to find a place to stay so we headed onto Alburquerque. On our way through eastern New Mexico, we were greeted with beautiful mesas. On our left side there was a fantastic lightening storm all gray and ominous and yet on our right, the sun was shining bright under the billowing clouds. After a while the two came together to create the lovely rainbow you see pictured.

Awesome. Today on to Flagstaff.

Westawrd migration

2010-07-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

Well, my journey westward to Denton, TX is now in full swing. This past week we finished packing up the house in GA and the movers arrived to load it up on the truck. It is so much work to manage all of the stuff we have accumulated over the years, even with the culling out from the past three moves. Anyway, we got it done and whent he truck was loaded and gone I breathed a sigh of relief as we packed the cars with the remaining items and pulled away from the house for the last time.

My last night in Athens was just right and included a delicious dinner with friends at Farm 255, followed by a slightly embarrasing indulgence into the world of Twilight Eclispe, which I loved (sheepish grin spreading while I write this). The boys hung at the Tate's house and in the morning they treated us to a delicious breakfast.

As we were literaly driving out of Athens, Ted Maclin called Jim to pass on some wonderful news. The book they have been working on, The Slaw and the Slow Cooked: an Anthropology of Mid-South BBQ, has been approved for publication. To celebrate we stopped at his house on our way westward to enjoy a night at the farm, friendship and of course mid-south BBQ.

The fellas toast!

Bozo's BBQ sandwhich.

Bozo's BBQ combination plate

racked mead

2010-06-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Fermentation Inspiration

2010-06-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

This past weeked was a really great time. My boys and I headed out to Whitwell, TN to visit the Sequatchie Valley Institute, known by some as Moonshadow. The reason for the trek was to take part in the annual Food For Life gathering.

in this basket are the fresh garden ingredients we harvested for making our mead

(clockwise) nasturtium, bronze fennel, mugwort(didn't use), lemon balm, sassafrass, yarrow, cherries,

mulberries, goumi berries, carrot green, shiso

While we were there we all attended various workshops including Meadmaking, Fermentation, Canning, Fat rendering, Bread & Butter making; took part in great discussions concerning food, nutrition, and the global situation at large; and I cooked a lot of food.

a texas breeze and bees in trees

2010-05-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a little longer than usual since my last posting due to travels and preparing for moving. Last week I was in Texas searching out a new place for my family to live after we move there in July. It was way more challenging to find a suitable house than I realized it would be. Apparently the demand from students and the limited number of places available really makes for a competitive market.

I was totally blown away and it took us a few days to really understand the town and it's dynamics. Comparatively here in GA we rent a great three bedroom house on about 1/2 acre with trees, garden space and a nice big yard for $775/mo. In Denton, a moderate three bedroom with small fenced yard and close neighbors goes for about $1200/mo. Big difference! So it was a shock to get comfortable with that.

However, I'm looking forward to our new adventure that will be starting up very soon. Denton seems like a great place with a neat town square built around an old awesome courthouse where you can hear live music every Thursday night during the summer. There are lots of public parks with facilities like a disc golf course and water park.

Today we had one of the coolest homeschool lessons ever. Early this morning while I was fixing breakfast Ian came running into the kitchen and said, "What is there an invisible bee army outside my room that's making a big buzz?" So I answered, "Of course not you silly." A short while later I had to get something out my car and so I went outside and was greeted with a very loud buzzing sound.

I looked out into the yard and there in the branches of the silver maple were tons of bees in frenzied flight. I called Ian out and told him that there was indeed a bee army right outside and the reason was because the hive here had split and was swarming.

After a while the bees settled in to this tight glob protecting the queen while the scouts found them a new home. This evening when I went out to check on the swarm, it was gone. I guess the scouts picked out somewhere good and they went off to make it home. I wish I knew where there went simply so we could follow the rest of the process.

Nature is so awesome!

journeys continue

2010-05-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

Well, as always life is moving swiftly onward, here is an image of our baby robins on their way to fledgling.

So, today our journey in Athens takes a huge step. Jim officially graduated from UGA receiving his PhD in Anthropology. For a moment a few months back he contemplated the idea of not walking the stage, but his opinion was quickly overthrown by my own and his mother's. At least for me, being present to see him walk that stage in all the wizardlike regalia was not only a testament to all of the hard work he has put in, but to my own as well.

Here we are in front of the stage: Jeanne, Me, Ian, Jim and Benny. The graduation was followed by a rockin party later in the day complete with BBQ, Beer and live music by local musician Nathan Sheppard.