http://www.youtube.com/lupusfoundation#p/u/1/0HyD-bHFFjI
Check out the you tube video for "Band Together For Lupus"
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
A new Day and a New Blog
Hello friends and family,
This blog will now be used for medical updates only. I have started a new blog with a new design and features and a whole new spin on my writing. It will take a few days to get it up and running smoothly so please check in time to time. Thank you for walking this earthly path with me.
Love and Light,
Angela
AngelasGuide.com
This blog will now be used for medical updates only. I have started a new blog with a new design and features and a whole new spin on my writing. It will take a few days to get it up and running smoothly so please check in time to time. Thank you for walking this earthly path with me.
Love and Light,
Angela
AngelasGuide.com
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Riana commenting to my question
These Days in French Life's creator answered my question, and many other people's as well, as to how to live a slow life in colder areas outside of the South of France. Here is her thoughtful response. I will not go dumpster diving. But the rest are goals to achieve. http://www.frenchtoastfrance.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Where can you live a Slow Year?
Many people have asked me if they can live this kind of life anywhere, not just in rural south of France. Of course. You can stop consuming, using money, absolutely anywhere in the world, especially in your town. I actually am jealous of my friends and readers in big cities like Paris, NYC, Los Angeles… (two of those cities I once lived in for many years completely clueless of all the opportunities at my fingertips).
There is so much opportunity to be a non-consumer in big metropolises and wonderful mass-public transportation to boot. Imagine each store that you see along those miles of boulevards- each one has a trash bin full of clothes, food, band aids, coffee, houseplants; etc. So many stores, so much waste! Those daily farmers markets with like minded people that would gladly give you free bags of bruised fruit for your “animals”. What a wonderful place to be a dumpster diver and freegan. You could feed a whole apartment building with one day’s worth of one grocery store’s green bin waste.
Which brings me to community: once we started our slow year, it became obvious that we were not “dropping out” of society and running off to the mountains to live in a cave or off to ten acre ranch with no neighbors for miles. Quite the opposite, we became more involved in our community, we need them for bartering and trading, advice and sharing labors, and for giving away our excess of food and clothes. Keeping the balance of good karma.
We got a house that is locked into a maze of twenty other houses, not a garden in any of them. But somehow we found, or it found us—a community garden across the bridge (it is about kilometer walk away) to share a plot of land. But food can be grown in pots, on terraces (hanging gardens) and squatting on abandoned lots is quite successful with raised beds. Gardening is hard work, farming is even harder and back-breaking though immensely rewarding. It is not for everyone. They are not necessary to living a slow year, we had neither our first slow year.
Not everyone has the Wise walking weed woman living next door, but you have massive libraries, and giant bookstores, full of the same knowledge. And the Internet with groups that are like minded (blogs like mine for example). Craig's list has free listings, and freecycle, of course and there is even a website in my region called c’est gratiut where people list what they want to give away- for awhile there was a Mercedes station wagon! All this information is there for you just waiting to be tapped.
On foraging, much easier than gardening and it involves exercise, walking, getting to know your streets, and neighbors- maybe at first stick to edible flowers, nuts and fruits near the dirty parts of town (ie dog shit littered sidewalks in Paris) but look to the arboretums, nature parks, those green belts that all cities have that are kept clean and green. Central park is a virtual salad bar of wild edibles. Fallenfruit.org in Los Angeles gives you a neighbourhood guide of where you can pick govt property pomegranates, oranges, lemons, plums, walnuts, persimmons.
What about those great big city food co-ops, high end organic grocery stores with prime pickings- often they are cool about trash picking. And CSA’s that ofter free gleaning after they have harvested. All the sources for organic beef, chicken and pork can be found easily through these networks.
Most of all, what happens with a Slow Year, happens inside. In your home. Deciding not to spend money. Opting to forgo a new car or designer wardrobe in place of cutting out that second job that feeds a corporation not your family. It happens in your kitchen making food from scratch, fixing and repairing instead of purchasing, finding alternatives for toilet paper, toothpaste and shampoo and things you would have bought previously. It means making gifts and gift wrap, thinking outside the box.
And really, it all starts deep inside your head. Fighting the demons that have brainwashed us into being slaves for money, keeping up with the Joneses with new cars, clothes and gadgets, falling into consumerism traps and follies. You can do a slow year, in any town, any village, any country in the this world. It all starts with a mindset. The rest will follow, the universe will provide no matter where you live.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Where can you live a Slow Year?
Many people have asked me if they can live this kind of life anywhere, not just in rural south of France. Of course. You can stop consuming, using money, absolutely anywhere in the world, especially in your town. I actually am jealous of my friends and readers in big cities like Paris, NYC, Los Angeles… (two of those cities I once lived in for many years completely clueless of all the opportunities at my fingertips).
There is so much opportunity to be a non-consumer in big metropolises and wonderful mass-public transportation to boot. Imagine each store that you see along those miles of boulevards- each one has a trash bin full of clothes, food, band aids, coffee, houseplants; etc. So many stores, so much waste! Those daily farmers markets with like minded people that would gladly give you free bags of bruised fruit for your “animals”. What a wonderful place to be a dumpster diver and freegan. You could feed a whole apartment building with one day’s worth of one grocery store’s green bin waste.
Which brings me to community: once we started our slow year, it became obvious that we were not “dropping out” of society and running off to the mountains to live in a cave or off to ten acre ranch with no neighbors for miles. Quite the opposite, we became more involved in our community, we need them for bartering and trading, advice and sharing labors, and for giving away our excess of food and clothes. Keeping the balance of good karma.
We got a house that is locked into a maze of twenty other houses, not a garden in any of them. But somehow we found, or it found us—a community garden across the bridge (it is about kilometer walk away) to share a plot of land. But food can be grown in pots, on terraces (hanging gardens) and squatting on abandoned lots is quite successful with raised beds. Gardening is hard work, farming is even harder and back-breaking though immensely rewarding. It is not for everyone. They are not necessary to living a slow year, we had neither our first slow year.
Not everyone has the Wise walking weed woman living next door, but you have massive libraries, and giant bookstores, full of the same knowledge. And the Internet with groups that are like minded (blogs like mine for example). Craig's list has free listings, and freecycle, of course and there is even a website in my region called c’est gratiut where people list what they want to give away- for awhile there was a Mercedes station wagon! All this information is there for you just waiting to be tapped.
On foraging, much easier than gardening and it involves exercise, walking, getting to know your streets, and neighbors- maybe at first stick to edible flowers, nuts and fruits near the dirty parts of town (ie dog shit littered sidewalks in Paris) but look to the arboretums, nature parks, those green belts that all cities have that are kept clean and green. Central park is a virtual salad bar of wild edibles. Fallenfruit.org in Los Angeles gives you a neighbourhood guide of where you can pick govt property pomegranates, oranges, lemons, plums, walnuts, persimmons.
What about those great big city food co-ops, high end organic grocery stores with prime pickings- often they are cool about trash picking. And CSA’s that ofter free gleaning after they have harvested. All the sources for organic beef, chicken and pork can be found easily through these networks.
Most of all, what happens with a Slow Year, happens inside. In your home. Deciding not to spend money. Opting to forgo a new car or designer wardrobe in place of cutting out that second job that feeds a corporation not your family. It happens in your kitchen making food from scratch, fixing and repairing instead of purchasing, finding alternatives for toilet paper, toothpaste and shampoo and things you would have bought previously. It means making gifts and gift wrap, thinking outside the box.
And really, it all starts deep inside your head. Fighting the demons that have brainwashed us into being slaves for money, keeping up with the Joneses with new cars, clothes and gadgets, falling into consumerism traps and follies. You can do a slow year, in any town, any village, any country in the this world. It all starts with a mindset. The rest will follow, the universe will provide no matter where you live.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Bone chillin
I am feeling the bone chilling snowy cold at the moment. I really do not mind the winter if prepared and warm. It is very pretty outside and the white blanket on the grass is only the beginning. It is not even winter yet. I think we are in for a long one.
So I count down with dread the days till Doug leaves for Tennessee. He will be gone longer than expected and I am not thrilled nor is he, but very grateful for the work. He is so concerned to leave me alone in the winter. I am too quite honestly. It is a lot to keep the wood stove going in the basement, collecting kindling, recycling, trash up the hill to road in the ice and dealing with regular power outages. I sure love being home though. I think I did not realize how fragile I am now after 6 joint replacements and more to come. I structurally feel more fragile (weak) than I ever have and that is so very hard for me to admit. I have prided myself on how strong I have been. I was always the tom boy and challenging anyone to arm wrestling or a race. Now I feel happy to walk to the car with out falling a breaking a bone or dislocating a hip. PT yesterday really wiped me out which spurred on this realization. Next week we go to 3 days a week for 1.25 hours. It is great but I feel it more now than ever in all joints and bones. My poor therapist is afraid she will hurt me. Simple things seems challenging. I need my guy home!
I guess this is how it feels to age. Yet I am only 43. Just glad lupus is behaving now and kidneys are doing well at the moment. I just wish and pray Douglas will find work here in Michigan one of these days soon. it will be a while, if ever, I will be able to work again. I do not know know how long we can keep this up. He is not getting younger either. We occasionally talk about moving back down south or to a smaller place in town. I can not even consider a move at this point and I have such a fabulous team of health care providers I would be lost anywhere else. I have moved 25 times in my life. I really plan to be here forever but we shall see. To even think it feels odd considering how special this land and home are. We talk of other options too for work-income. We shall see where the economy goes. We are all in this together. Doug and I are blessed to have one another ! That is what counts, that and our family-friends.
So I count down with dread the days till Doug leaves for Tennessee. He will be gone longer than expected and I am not thrilled nor is he, but very grateful for the work. He is so concerned to leave me alone in the winter. I am too quite honestly. It is a lot to keep the wood stove going in the basement, collecting kindling, recycling, trash up the hill to road in the ice and dealing with regular power outages. I sure love being home though. I think I did not realize how fragile I am now after 6 joint replacements and more to come. I structurally feel more fragile (weak) than I ever have and that is so very hard for me to admit. I have prided myself on how strong I have been. I was always the tom boy and challenging anyone to arm wrestling or a race. Now I feel happy to walk to the car with out falling a breaking a bone or dislocating a hip. PT yesterday really wiped me out which spurred on this realization. Next week we go to 3 days a week for 1.25 hours. It is great but I feel it more now than ever in all joints and bones. My poor therapist is afraid she will hurt me. Simple things seems challenging. I need my guy home!
I guess this is how it feels to age. Yet I am only 43. Just glad lupus is behaving now and kidneys are doing well at the moment. I just wish and pray Douglas will find work here in Michigan one of these days soon. it will be a while, if ever, I will be able to work again. I do not know know how long we can keep this up. He is not getting younger either. We occasionally talk about moving back down south or to a smaller place in town. I can not even consider a move at this point and I have such a fabulous team of health care providers I would be lost anywhere else. I have moved 25 times in my life. I really plan to be here forever but we shall see. To even think it feels odd considering how special this land and home are. We talk of other options too for work-income. We shall see where the economy goes. We are all in this together. Doug and I are blessed to have one another ! That is what counts, that and our family-friends.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Baby it's cold outside............
It is very cold here in the sub arctic and the winds are blowing up a 50 per mile hour storm. I hear trees and see a few falling in the woods......So glad we topped our critical dead ones. We still have a lot to clear but no neighbors will be knocking on our doors about trees falling on their land.Power flickering in and out and snow-ice mix are causing a long cold winters night(s). I am worried about my friends who are camping somewhere in all this. C and M if you are reading this please phone home. Ice in your tent does not sound good. Also please let me know if you plan to be coming through here on your way home.
Halo (Angel-Brent) is visiting next week. I am looking forward to his visit. He has been a dear friend for so many years. He is from deep Mississippi and is a "Highlander" by birthright, tartan-kilt and all. His sister lives in the burbs of Detroit and he is flying in and renting a car to see us both. Little does he know Doug has plans for him to be a lumber jack. It seems to be the way Doug bonds with male friends and his brothers(in-law). Howie knows best !!! It is a way of paying for room and board. I am happy the wood stove, once it gathers heat, is keeping our little piglets warm. It truly is amazing how much heat our wood stove puts out after two days of running full steam it is like a sauna in the west side of the house even with garage doors cracked. The east side, well that is another story. I just have to remember to give my stews and dishes more time on the stove to cook. That is how well insulated it is. I had lentil soup on it all day last Sunday and I still had to push it along on the electric stove. Yet the satisfaction of having a pot of food stewing all day on the wood stove would be satisfaction enough. Do you think the food channel would create a show for me to entice people to live and cook semi-off the grid? Put in a good word for me and you might get a baked goose. Speaking of which I, have a stew which has our name it now with neighbors cabbage, Michigan beef and a salad made of neighbors arugula,mizuma greens,my frozen garden peppers, oregano and sage from the garden to spice things up.
For those of you who are reading or who have read "Lacuna"....I am at the portion where he (narrator) is living in Asheville and having his first encounter with the old "mountain dialect" from Madison County, after living in Mexico with Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. I remember when I first encountered this odd dialect and I was hanging on every word or utterance of vocabulary I could understand. It was not good or bad, nor a judgment, but a realization that we have many dialects in our country which have yet to be fully exposed (not as many as India) enough to make one think while listening to the spoken words in their own "country", so to speak. Remember the movie with Jodie Foster? ("Tay in the waynd?). There are so many people out there living the life of the ones who went before, especially in the mountains of the south. It is hard to imagine there are kids who have never heard of TV. I met a few. In West Va., SC and NC there are many communities separated from modern times by choice and some by ignorance. There are still moon shines and runners and traps in these old hills(thank goodness). Nascar was started in this way.........by moonshine runners. Our friend wrote a book on the history and I was amazed. I sold land in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains(unfortunately now I am looking back) and would come up on all sorts of old(some not so old) stills. Always an interesting find!!!!I had a good relationship with the locals and they would bring us deer meat and watch over me while I gave them privacy and respect. I think that if you are going to drink it you should make it. i actually enjoyed the few tastes I had of moon shine. Now I use store bought "Grain Alcohol" in the making of medicinal and herbal tinctures(like echinacea, golden seal etc.) Us herbalists are shy and weak in constitution by nature. Point is: that if you have the gifts of family recipes....you should use them. In moderation folks !!! No fast driving to the shooting range or the new restaurant, sky diving, disco dancing, deer hunting, open mike at the moose lodge or gallery openings while under the moon shine influence. So I iwll let taht be said and eat and drink in the moon !!!!
Halo (Angel-Brent) is visiting next week. I am looking forward to his visit. He has been a dear friend for so many years. He is from deep Mississippi and is a "Highlander" by birthright, tartan-kilt and all. His sister lives in the burbs of Detroit and he is flying in and renting a car to see us both. Little does he know Doug has plans for him to be a lumber jack. It seems to be the way Doug bonds with male friends and his brothers(in-law). Howie knows best !!! It is a way of paying for room and board. I am happy the wood stove, once it gathers heat, is keeping our little piglets warm. It truly is amazing how much heat our wood stove puts out after two days of running full steam it is like a sauna in the west side of the house even with garage doors cracked. The east side, well that is another story. I just have to remember to give my stews and dishes more time on the stove to cook. That is how well insulated it is. I had lentil soup on it all day last Sunday and I still had to push it along on the electric stove. Yet the satisfaction of having a pot of food stewing all day on the wood stove would be satisfaction enough. Do you think the food channel would create a show for me to entice people to live and cook semi-off the grid? Put in a good word for me and you might get a baked goose. Speaking of which I, have a stew which has our name it now with neighbors cabbage, Michigan beef and a salad made of neighbors arugula,mizuma greens,my frozen garden peppers, oregano and sage from the garden to spice things up.
For those of you who are reading or who have read "Lacuna"....I am at the portion where he (narrator) is living in Asheville and having his first encounter with the old "mountain dialect" from Madison County, after living in Mexico with Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. I remember when I first encountered this odd dialect and I was hanging on every word or utterance of vocabulary I could understand. It was not good or bad, nor a judgment, but a realization that we have many dialects in our country which have yet to be fully exposed (not as many as India) enough to make one think while listening to the spoken words in their own "country", so to speak. Remember the movie with Jodie Foster? ("Tay in the waynd?). There are so many people out there living the life of the ones who went before, especially in the mountains of the south. It is hard to imagine there are kids who have never heard of TV. I met a few. In West Va., SC and NC there are many communities separated from modern times by choice and some by ignorance. There are still moon shines and runners and traps in these old hills(thank goodness). Nascar was started in this way.........by moonshine runners. Our friend wrote a book on the history and I was amazed. I sold land in the NC Blue Ridge Mountains(unfortunately now I am looking back) and would come up on all sorts of old(some not so old) stills. Always an interesting find!!!!I had a good relationship with the locals and they would bring us deer meat and watch over me while I gave them privacy and respect. I think that if you are going to drink it you should make it. i actually enjoyed the few tastes I had of moon shine. Now I use store bought "Grain Alcohol" in the making of medicinal and herbal tinctures(like echinacea, golden seal etc.) Us herbalists are shy and weak in constitution by nature. Point is: that if you have the gifts of family recipes....you should use them. In moderation folks !!! No fast driving to the shooting range or the new restaurant, sky diving, disco dancing, deer hunting, open mike at the moose lodge or gallery openings while under the moon shine influence. So I iwll let taht be said and eat and drink in the moon !!!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
"Gag me with a toothbrush"
Has anyone out there ever had a gag reflex? This is new to me. The past few months I have had an irritating cold which seems to come and go. With it comes an even more irritating "Gag Reflex" when brushing my teeth and coughing. I used to think gag reflex was a term used for my sister's weak stomach, long car rides and the occasional high school hang over. Now I am gagging every time I brush my teeth and cough And I am no high scholar. It is almost like throwing up without going through the motions. I hate throwing up!!!!Even during Chemo IV treatments I held it together for fear of going beyond the gag. Now I wonder if I should be concerned? I do not like this.
Do tell if you have any advise. I am gagging over here !!!!
Do tell if you have any advise. I am gagging over here !!!!
As the Holdays arrive......I am split in two
This time of year brings out two opposing selves with my one body-mind-spirit self: One is trying to get off the consumer teet and exchange only gifts of the heart-hand and nothing store bought. The other half of me is so used to the old warm fuzzy holiday cheer and all it's glory. I spent all of the weekend after Thanksgiving watching the Hallmark Network. Now that will take one back in time. Yet they also shared a similar message. What is it about the holiday season (Christmas, Hanukkah,Kwanzaa, Solstice and whatever else people celebrate around the world) which makes us examine our motives,desires, financial abilities and lack there of, need for consumerism, expectations and all the not so needed stress which goes along with the seasonal rush to please? It is as if we lost site of what this time represents for people of all faiths and beliefs.
The most important thing is the gift of giving and receiving all the love the world and God and mother earth has to offer. There is no dollar amount to that. What we can equate is our love and our intentions, yet within our means. I know people who have gone into deep debt to satisfy the desires of their children and those who feel a need to have gifts from Target, K-mart, the mall and other places where only material items exist. The long lines of inpatient and rude customers are a "big hint" which sings that "something is not quite right with that old scenario".
So I come to the place of explaining my unusual Holiday request............I ask that you do something very different this year, if you have not yet already started. I ask that you stop yourself from consuming anything which is not absolutely necessary and makes sure you can afford it. Also that you email your cards instead of sending them with paper and stamps. "Cold"...I can hear my family now. This is not to stamp out old Chris Kringle it is a call for balance. In a consumer driven society, which has not worked out so well for many, I see the cup half full, yet still. I see there is a chance to pick up the old fashioned phone to wish cheer as opposed to sending a card.I can feel the joy of my elder neighbor when I call her to see if I can bring over a loaf of fresh baked bread. It is the smallest of ventures which bring about some of largest pay offs in joy and hope. I hope we all look at how much we could "do with out" in a world riddled with credit issues, defaults and junk piles of stuff building up in our landfills and oceans. We need to feel good about our choices. I feel good about my choices this year because I am in debt. I do not have the ability to buy when I owe so much. That is the bottom line here. It is responsibility and integrity for me personally. Kids don't mind making cookies and getting something home made from love, as long as they understand why. There is a story to tell which could save our future. Join in the discussion. Happy Happy !!! and throw away the credit cards !!!!! If interested check out www.freecycle.com. it is a way to trade with people in your area like a barter system.I have not used it but I have friends who have found and given great stuff.
The most important thing is the gift of giving and receiving all the love the world and God and mother earth has to offer. There is no dollar amount to that. What we can equate is our love and our intentions, yet within our means. I know people who have gone into deep debt to satisfy the desires of their children and those who feel a need to have gifts from Target, K-mart, the mall and other places where only material items exist. The long lines of inpatient and rude customers are a "big hint" which sings that "something is not quite right with that old scenario".
So I come to the place of explaining my unusual Holiday request............I ask that you do something very different this year, if you have not yet already started. I ask that you stop yourself from consuming anything which is not absolutely necessary and makes sure you can afford it. Also that you email your cards instead of sending them with paper and stamps. "Cold"...I can hear my family now. This is not to stamp out old Chris Kringle it is a call for balance. In a consumer driven society, which has not worked out so well for many, I see the cup half full, yet still. I see there is a chance to pick up the old fashioned phone to wish cheer as opposed to sending a card.I can feel the joy of my elder neighbor when I call her to see if I can bring over a loaf of fresh baked bread. It is the smallest of ventures which bring about some of largest pay offs in joy and hope. I hope we all look at how much we could "do with out" in a world riddled with credit issues, defaults and junk piles of stuff building up in our landfills and oceans. We need to feel good about our choices. I feel good about my choices this year because I am in debt. I do not have the ability to buy when I owe so much. That is the bottom line here. It is responsibility and integrity for me personally. Kids don't mind making cookies and getting something home made from love, as long as they understand why. There is a story to tell which could save our future. Join in the discussion. Happy Happy !!! and throw away the credit cards !!!!! If interested check out www.freecycle.com. it is a way to trade with people in your area like a barter system.I have not used it but I have friends who have found and given great stuff.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Good Duck Recipe with stuffing
Take a four-five pound duck, split the bird down the belly, not through to the back, you will want to spread the duck with skin side up onto a roast pan. Then generously pat down all of the bird with kosher salt and place it on a roasting pan with drip pan under and leave uncovered on the bottom shelf of fridge for four days. This cures the meat to a degree and toughens the skin which will hold in juices. Bake it on 275 in the oven turning once but still uncovered until meat temp is 180. Flip over skin side up and take out of oven. Turn up oven to 450 and bake it long enough to crisp up the skin about ten minutes. It sounds over cooked but that is OK because you cured it. Then drain off fat into a bowl to save for sauteing potato or roasting vegetables. Cover the duck and move on. Saute in butter or olive oil a one cup celery chopped, one large onion and a few cloves of garlic chopped and small shallot with salt and pepper and turn oven to 375 while veggies are becoming watery. Add one pound of crumbled cornbread and 1 bag crumbled oyster crackers, two eggs, fresh sage and parsley chopped or dried to taste and salt and freshly cracked pepper with a quarter cup stock and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Add some more butter or oil, mix with hands and place in a casserole dish bake until crispy on top. Options: You can add cooked ground sausage, bacon, soysage, apples, sweet potato, carrots, cooked rice or other grains, nuts, chestnut meat, dried fruits or farm raised raw oysters cut into bite sized pieces. Buy your oysters in October when in season and inexpensive and freeze for up to 3 months in their brine. Serve the duck with the bird skin up still "splayed" then place the dressing all around the edge of the platter. Serve with a wild cherry relish like cranberry relish but with cherries. Enjoy !!!!!
For a smoky duck try placing hickory chips, which have been soaked in water, in the bottom of the roating pan. But you will loose your drippings. You could also put the chips in another pan in the oven on the bottom shelf. Keep adding water.
For a smoky duck try placing hickory chips, which have been soaked in water, in the bottom of the roating pan. But you will loose your drippings. You could also put the chips in another pan in the oven on the bottom shelf. Keep adding water.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Last Supper
Nina has a buyer for her casa "Eden Brook" and happily is ready to make the transition into a simpler home. The house is a lot to maintain and an expensive one in these times. She is also working too much to be home and involved at the level she desired. It is time after 3 and a half years to move on. I would love for her to stay with me while Douglas is in Tennessee. We were once room mates and enjoy one anothers company.
I have to say, when Doug and I are invited to a dinner or event where we will not know anyone besides the hosts, especially those types of dinners where it is expected of you to give full professional disclosure, network and come home with a stack of business cards of those who could assist your business or vice verca. I usually have to drink 1-2 glasses of wine to make it in the door and a couple more while making my way through the room to find a friendly face. Someone perhaps as out of place as me. Douglas is always the voyuer in the corner watching the networking crowd work one another while he hides as if made invisible. Within an hour we are ready to leave and make our way quietly to the door. "Where did Doug and Angela go?" someone will say. "Not sure they were here a minute ago". These experiences are excruciating to say the least. Self promotion and "selling" our business talents is not our favorite task. I prefer clipping my toe nails. So you can imagine I was very pleasantly surprised last night when Nina's dinner party of 9 turned into a wonderful evening which flew by fast thanks to lots of agreeable and interesting conversations, none of which had to do with self promotion. Nina was a gracious hostess and very relaxed with this lovely group of people. We all had much in common and small world incidences unveiled themselves. It felt like we knew one another for years, like family. Five hours flew by so fast. I never make it to 12:30 except for Max and Terry's annual party which starts late but we did last night.
I really enjoyed myself and so did Douglas. The gathering consisted of Nina's new friends she has met through Natural Awakenings Magazine and the articles she wrote, is writing, for the publication in addition to a "class" or gathering she has once a month(I think) where people can speak about the changes we face on the planet and their concerns or insights. We truly did enjoy the evenings conversations and the food was amazing !!! Nina rolled out the red carpet in a relaxed-comfortable way. We felt we met dear old friends. What a great last meal in a precious home which served her well. A new journey is ahead and with open heart and a willingness to adapt to the changes in our economy, environment, world affairs etc. and to support one another through these tough times.
Cheers to Nina !!!!
I have to say, when Doug and I are invited to a dinner or event where we will not know anyone besides the hosts, especially those types of dinners where it is expected of you to give full professional disclosure, network and come home with a stack of business cards of those who could assist your business or vice verca. I usually have to drink 1-2 glasses of wine to make it in the door and a couple more while making my way through the room to find a friendly face. Someone perhaps as out of place as me. Douglas is always the voyuer in the corner watching the networking crowd work one another while he hides as if made invisible. Within an hour we are ready to leave and make our way quietly to the door. "Where did Doug and Angela go?" someone will say. "Not sure they were here a minute ago". These experiences are excruciating to say the least. Self promotion and "selling" our business talents is not our favorite task. I prefer clipping my toe nails. So you can imagine I was very pleasantly surprised last night when Nina's dinner party of 9 turned into a wonderful evening which flew by fast thanks to lots of agreeable and interesting conversations, none of which had to do with self promotion. Nina was a gracious hostess and very relaxed with this lovely group of people. We all had much in common and small world incidences unveiled themselves. It felt like we knew one another for years, like family. Five hours flew by so fast. I never make it to 12:30 except for Max and Terry's annual party which starts late but we did last night.
I really enjoyed myself and so did Douglas. The gathering consisted of Nina's new friends she has met through Natural Awakenings Magazine and the articles she wrote, is writing, for the publication in addition to a "class" or gathering she has once a month(I think) where people can speak about the changes we face on the planet and their concerns or insights. We truly did enjoy the evenings conversations and the food was amazing !!! Nina rolled out the red carpet in a relaxed-comfortable way. We felt we met dear old friends. What a great last meal in a precious home which served her well. A new journey is ahead and with open heart and a willingness to adapt to the changes in our economy, environment, world affairs etc. and to support one another through these tough times.
Cheers to Nina !!!!
A new little man enetered the world yeterday LBS
LBS stands for Lawson Bryce Saul. My nephew Caleb and his wife Holly are now proud parents after Holy survived 13 hours of total labor and just the last two hours of pushing. Ouchy. He is healthy and at over 7.6 pounds and 21 inches at length. Hair already !!! They are proud parents indeed. My grandfather, his name sake, is happy the only grandson will be carrying on the Saul name, with his great grandson's first name being Lawson. Same initials too LBS. It's a family joke how and when we call him LBS.
So we are happy and this will be a fabulous Christmas gift for their new little family.
All is good and cold on the home front. We are now officially heating with wood and I am going to make a lentil soup on the wood stove today. Will try to cook with it more this year. I have a cast iron dutch oven which can be placed on the coals for meat stews and I could bake bread on top slowly in small loaves. Cornbread does well. I was going to attempt making corn tortillas on the top with a cast iron skillet.
My friend heard my call for greens and greeted me at the door with a huge trash bag filled with greens, eggs,cabbage and a buttery lettuce green with arugula. Perfect timing because I was supposed to cook greens for a dinner gathering at Nina's and my garden is done producing. Douglas had to turn up the kale which was infested with slugs and cut works and bitter. We have some mustard but not enough for 8 people. So she saved me!! Then we spent a quiet late afternoon noshing and sipping wine while Douglas fixed the sink. I was cleaning a pork loin when the drain pipe broke loose sending a river of slimy pork juice and water all over the bottom of the sink, me and the kitchen floor. It could not be repaired. After clean up he went to Lowes for supplies and was able to have it fixed before dinner. Always something. One must laugh at these things. It is so nice to have a friend two doors down who has similar interests and can come into our home with pork juice all over the place !!!!and bearing a bag of greens. Woman after my own heart.
So we are happy and this will be a fabulous Christmas gift for their new little family.
All is good and cold on the home front. We are now officially heating with wood and I am going to make a lentil soup on the wood stove today. Will try to cook with it more this year. I have a cast iron dutch oven which can be placed on the coals for meat stews and I could bake bread on top slowly in small loaves. Cornbread does well. I was going to attempt making corn tortillas on the top with a cast iron skillet.
My friend heard my call for greens and greeted me at the door with a huge trash bag filled with greens, eggs,cabbage and a buttery lettuce green with arugula. Perfect timing because I was supposed to cook greens for a dinner gathering at Nina's and my garden is done producing. Douglas had to turn up the kale which was infested with slugs and cut works and bitter. We have some mustard but not enough for 8 people. So she saved me!! Then we spent a quiet late afternoon noshing and sipping wine while Douglas fixed the sink. I was cleaning a pork loin when the drain pipe broke loose sending a river of slimy pork juice and water all over the bottom of the sink, me and the kitchen floor. It could not be repaired. After clean up he went to Lowes for supplies and was able to have it fixed before dinner. Always something. One must laugh at these things. It is so nice to have a friend two doors down who has similar interests and can come into our home with pork juice all over the place !!!!and bearing a bag of greens. Woman after my own heart.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Chicken foot soup from Riana Lagarde
chicken foot soup by These Days in French Life.
on the fire. it was firey hot too!
found the feet in my freezer, cleaned them hacked off the nails, made some hack marks on the feet, washed them again, scrubbed them, then boiled in hot ginger water, rinsed them off, cooked them in broth for 24 hours with ginger root, cilantro, onions, carrots, celery (all from freezer- previous dumpster dives) peppercorns, tomatoes, anything else i could find, garlic, half a habenero pepper, and cooked and cooked and cooked until they fell off the bone. by the time i served it, the soup was a rich thick gravy. i added potatoes and a sweet potato in the last hour to add some extra nutrition.
check out her blog: http://garlic-breath.blogspot.com/
on the fire. it was firey hot too!
found the feet in my freezer, cleaned them hacked off the nails, made some hack marks on the feet, washed them again, scrubbed them, then boiled in hot ginger water, rinsed them off, cooked them in broth for 24 hours with ginger root, cilantro, onions, carrots, celery (all from freezer- previous dumpster dives) peppercorns, tomatoes, anything else i could find, garlic, half a habenero pepper, and cooked and cooked and cooked until they fell off the bone. by the time i served it, the soup was a rich thick gravy. i added potatoes and a sweet potato in the last hour to add some extra nutrition.
check out her blog: http://garlic-breath.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
nothing like new bone growth to change one's attitude
Yes you heard me !! The bone around the new hip revision is starting to grow new bone. I am so excited I could..............walk. I am now using a cane and do not have tow ear the brace, for the most part. I can drive too!! and will test that out tomorrow on my way to PT. I am very happy and elated over the good news. There was great concern I would not generate bone growth or the "grafting" would not take, or worst yet, I would reject it. So far concerns are set aside for the next 8 moths of healing time. What a great Christmas present.
OK who else is tired of turkey leftovers? I ate the last of turkey salad and Douglas will eat the last of soup. A container with dad's name on it is hiding in the freezer. I am sure we all have eaten our body weight in turkey and sides this past week, especially those of us who can not throw away food. So last night we had lamb and spinach pie. I used a recipe from Ina Garten my friend Ginger sent and made some adaptations after opening the Feta container and smelling the stench of rotten cheese....sheep cheese at that. So I used a cooks intuition and replaced feta with ricotta and Parmesan. The crust I used was pie crust because I did not have phyllo. it was great. The lamb marinated and baked in lots of garlic and lemon juice was the tenderest I have tasted and melted in our mouths, was raised by local organic farmer. Leftovers anyone?
Douglas is picking the real last of the garden. I can not believe every tome we think we picked it all something grows back or pops up including nasturtium and calendula flowers and a single rose flower. Isn't mother nature amazing in all her glory? It is now winter and will have nights down int he 20's after tonight so I am sure that is the end of it. My friend Jennifer has cabbage and lots of greens and her chickens still producing eggs. That is good news. She has about five times the garden space we have and I know how fulfilled she must feel, but all gardeners-farmers are ready to slow down for the winter. It is time to turn the soil and place compost and leaves in the growing areas for winter to kill the bacteria and the aeration to begin. We put our leaves in there too which worms love. it is better than burning them. So life-death continues and we go from fall to winter. Time to hibernate and take stock in our hearth. it is a healing and nurturing time and involves little effort, unless you chop wood and carry water.
I am reading "Lacuna" by Barbara Kigsolver and it is wonderful. A visual masterpiece of which I can not put down. I am half way through and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves visually stimulating novels loosely based on history. If you are a fan of her or Gabriel Garcia Marquez then you will adore this fantastic journey taking place around the end of WW! and into mid 1900's in Mexico and in the United States. Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera included in the epic. I can see this as a movie for sure. Check it out.
OK who else is tired of turkey leftovers? I ate the last of turkey salad and Douglas will eat the last of soup. A container with dad's name on it is hiding in the freezer. I am sure we all have eaten our body weight in turkey and sides this past week, especially those of us who can not throw away food. So last night we had lamb and spinach pie. I used a recipe from Ina Garten my friend Ginger sent and made some adaptations after opening the Feta container and smelling the stench of rotten cheese....sheep cheese at that. So I used a cooks intuition and replaced feta with ricotta and Parmesan. The crust I used was pie crust because I did not have phyllo. it was great. The lamb marinated and baked in lots of garlic and lemon juice was the tenderest I have tasted and melted in our mouths, was raised by local organic farmer. Leftovers anyone?
Douglas is picking the real last of the garden. I can not believe every tome we think we picked it all something grows back or pops up including nasturtium and calendula flowers and a single rose flower. Isn't mother nature amazing in all her glory? It is now winter and will have nights down int he 20's after tonight so I am sure that is the end of it. My friend Jennifer has cabbage and lots of greens and her chickens still producing eggs. That is good news. She has about five times the garden space we have and I know how fulfilled she must feel, but all gardeners-farmers are ready to slow down for the winter. It is time to turn the soil and place compost and leaves in the growing areas for winter to kill the bacteria and the aeration to begin. We put our leaves in there too which worms love. it is better than burning them. So life-death continues and we go from fall to winter. Time to hibernate and take stock in our hearth. it is a healing and nurturing time and involves little effort, unless you chop wood and carry water.
I am reading "Lacuna" by Barbara Kigsolver and it is wonderful. A visual masterpiece of which I can not put down. I am half way through and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves visually stimulating novels loosely based on history. If you are a fan of her or Gabriel Garcia Marquez then you will adore this fantastic journey taking place around the end of WW! and into mid 1900's in Mexico and in the United States. Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera included in the epic. I can see this as a movie for sure. Check it out.
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