itsnotthedestination...

Pancakes

2013-06-19T20:33:00.002-07:00

Of all the little luxuries that await us in life, many are but an ordinary substance - yet it will transform the mundane moment into something special. I am talking about pancakes here, a breakfast regular, a staple, an expectation on every breakfast menu. Serving "pancakes" is about something special. A treat saved for when company comes, or an indulgence if fixed for one person.

I was invited to join a Pinterest Board called "Culling Frugal Luxuries" I contemplated that title for some time. Pancakes! Making pancakes is "culling frugal luxuries"! I remember as children, we used to beg visitors to stay overnight because we knew our Mom would make pancakes in the morning if they did! While visiting a dear friend we immediately started planning what we will do together upon my arrival... lunch out, shopping. ... And in the morning... we will make PANCAKES! And, oh the smell of pancakes on a camp out in the woods! The butter, the syrup, it's an experience to savor!

Pancake mixes seem a little silly to me, a few simple ingredients is all one needs to make them for scratch. Eggs, milk, flour, leavening, oil and a bit of sugar or honey. Healthy diets can be adhered to by using whole grains and egg whites. Substitutions of bananas for the eggs, and almond milk for cow's milk can take the pancake totally non-diary.

Yeast pancakes, blueberry pancakes, whole wheat and oatmeal pancakes - I never get bored of the variations and recipes! (I have learned to eat just one.) The rest I bake up, put wax paper in-between each once they have cooled, then freeze in a storage bag. They are ready to take out one by one and stick into the toaster on a moents notice.

Yep, you can be "special" everyday!

My recipes vary as I take on the creation of just the right texture and flavors. Here is my latest creation -

1c. all-purpose flour

1c. white whole wheat four

1c. old fashioned Oats

2t. Baking Powder

1t. Baking Soda

3T. pure Maple Syrup (or sugar)

3T. butter melted (subs. Coconut Oil)

2c. Buttermilk (or Almond Milk + 2T. Lemon Juice)

2 eggs (or 3 mashed bananas)

1/3c. water

1/4 t. Cardamom

1t. grated Orange Zest

Add a cup of fresh or frozen Blueberries to the batter (optional)

Just mix it all up with a wire wisk and pour dripping ladles full onto a prepared and preheated griddle. Flip.

You know the rest!

Jelly-Jar Vinaigrette

2013-02-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

I found four, mostly empty condiment jars in my fridge this week. And (!) ...new replacement jars opened and added to the inventory! Happens at your house too? No one seems to want to be bothered with scraping out those last contents in the bottom of the jar. Expecting they would do a "rinse out" before the jar finds its way into the recycle bin? Too much to ask, obviously!

I have found the solution!

At our house, we love fresh salads served "family style" with fresh homemade salad dressings. (plus) My husband loves Strawberry Preserves. Here is my method of "killing two birds with one stone" - (please pardon the expression).

Recipe:

Strawberry-Orange Vinaigrette:

Contents of mostly used Stawberry Jelly Jar

add:

1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar

Juice from 1/2 fresh orange

1 1/2 t. Paprika

1/2 t. Dry Mustard

1/4 t. White Pepper
~This complete your "base"~
Add Olive Oil (about 1/2 to 2/3 Cup) to the 'base", once ready to use.

Shake up the "base" ingredients in the jelly jar until the goopy stuff (jelly) frees up from the sides and bottom of the jar.

This is now your Vinaigrette "base". To complete the Salad dressing you will add Olive Oil (the same amount as your mixture). I prefer to refrigerate the "base" until ready to toss the salad for the best consistency and freshest taste.

My quest for easy mealtime prep has added a new step. Store your "Vinaigrette Base" in smaller jelly jars, pre-measured for one fresh salad per jar. Make sure you leave enough room in the jar so you can shake it up after you add the oil. This "base" mixture will keep for many weeks until you are ready to toss up all that freshness at dinnertime.

This method works for many other condiments that seem to fall into the "stuck in the bottom of the jar" syndrome.

More recipes:

Mustard Vinaigrette:

Contents of Mustard Jar, (Dijon or any "brown" variety)

1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar

2 T. fresh Lemon Juice

1 T. Honey

1/4 t. White Pepper

Then the Olive Oil (1/2 "base" + 1/2 Olive Oil)

Tomato Vinaigrette:

Contents of Catsup Bottle

1/3 C. Wine Vinegar

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 t. Dry Mustard

1 to 2 t. Paprika

1/4 t. Black Pepper

(add the Olive Oil when you serve)

Creamy Vinaigrette:

Contents of the Mayonnaise Jar

1/3 C. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 t. Dry Mustard

Seasonings to taste: Italian, Basil, etc....

(less than 1/2 Olive Oil is added to this "base" to compensate for the Mayonnaise)

While we are at it ~

My Ranch Dressing:

1/2 Mayo and 1/2 Buttermilk

Dried Parsley, Chives, Tarragon
1/3 clove Garlic (finely grated)

Fresh cracked Black Pepper

In that order (most to least amount)

Ok, now - use your imagination and go for it! I would love to see your own concoctions in the comments section!

Condiment Jar Recipes are the solution to:

using up leftover condiments
cleaning out jars without wasting so much water
keeping the recycle bin cleaner
keeping your fridge cleaned out

But wait! One more thing - you know that Orange or Lemon that you just squeezed the juice out of? Well those peels have purpose too! :)

Mozzarella Cheese

2013-02-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

Meet Julie, whose career by day is working as an Ad Designer/Production Coordinator for Maximum Capacity Media. Her time is spent "Living a simple life in a land between two rivers, in a cabin, by a Lake" as her artistic and curious nature brings surprise to the most ordinary of days.

Saturday February 2, 2013
~by Julie M. Stark

I made my own mozzarella cheese today. Being a cheese lover, I have yet to meet a cheese I did not like. This is a very exciting task for me. I am not going to give a step by step instruction. You can find that many places on the web. I read a lot of recipes and approached it my way. My research ended here.

Two months ago I ordered the Citric Acid, Rennet and Cheese Salt. Once it arrived I quickly bought a gallon of whole milk. The first gallon never saw its destiny as a cheese. Things came up and I never got around to starting the project and it spoiled.

Today is the day! First delay, the milk needed to be room temperature. Well room temperature here is barely over 60 degrees so I thought that it will not take too long and I set it out. An hour later I pour the gallon of milk into the stainless steel pan. I add the 3/4 cup of water with the citric acid dissolved in it and started a low heat to get the mixture to 95 degrees, stirring constantly. Apparently a cheese making thermometer is a better idea then the candy thermometer that I used, Candies need to be heated much higher then a cheese. 95 degrees is not very hot.

curds and whey

Once I reached the desire temperature the eight drops of rennet was added stirred in, fire off and cover on for 15 minutes. Every five minutes I peeked in to see what was happening, wondering if I should be peeking. "What if you're not supposed too be peeking", I ask myself.

I was excited to see some yellowing on the side and glossing on the top. At the 15 minute mark I plunged my finger into the pot to see if it would come out clean. A quick squeal, “Its working!”

Whey is milk with the fats and solids pulled out (the solids are now curds for the cheese). Milk contains two types of protein – casein and whey proteins. Most of the casein ends up in your cheese and most of the whey protein ends up in the whey.

colander lined with cheesecloth

captured solids

I have yet to realize the whey has its uses. It could have been used in the bread rising and as a liquid in the French onion soup in the oven. I give it a few more minutes and run a sharp knife through the mixture to cut up the solids. It seems that I am ruining it, then with a slotted spoon I start to scoop it out into a colander lined with a cheese cloth to capture as much solids as I can. It seems soupy. I don’t know if it is right or wrong but just keep scooping and straining the solids. Once separated I have a quart of solids and 3 quarts of liquid. The solids are still weeping liquid so I keep straining and kneading with the spoon.

seems soupy

I get my hands in a few times and taste...

Yummy, but it is still too soon!

Now, one minute in the microwave extracts more liquid and I add the cheese salt and continue kneading with the spoon. Hands are back in and know I taste with the salt added .... heavenly texture and flavor! Four or 5 20 second visits in the microwave and constant kneading and I have a moldable hunk of Mozzarella cheese. I rolled 5 small cheese balls and set them in cold water outdoors in the snow to set up. The rest I dropped into a small plastic storage container and let set in the fridge. An hour later I unveil the finished product!

One pound of Mozzarella Cheese. We all know whats next....a homemade Pizza with

Julie’s Own Mozzarella!

extracting liquids

moldable hunk

Finished Product

Show Stopper Cake

2013-01-22T22:11:00.000-08:00

You are in for a treat!
from:
Darcy's Delicious Dinners

We have the recipe thanks to Annies Eats!

Tuxedo Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups water

1 cup canola oil

4 cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:

4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

1¼ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

For the chocolate topping:

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line three 9-inch round cake pans (or two 10-inch round cake pans) with parchment paper. Butter and flour the inside edges of the pan, shaking out the excess flour.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water and canola oil; heat until the butter is melted. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and flour; whisk to blend. Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk. Add the baking soda, salt and vanilla to the bowl and whisk just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake layer and invert onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting, at least 2 hours.

To make the frosting, add the heavy cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thoroughly combined and stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat!

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake platter and spread a layer of the whipped cream frosting over the top. Top with a second cake layer, more frosting (and the third cake layer, if using). Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake. Refrigerate until the frosting has stabilized, at least 1 hour.

To make the chocolate glaze, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Blend in the corn syrup and vanilla. Pour the glaze into a pitcher or measuring cup and let cool for 10 minutes. (Do not let the glaze cool longer or it may become difficult to pour over the cake.) Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that the top is covered and the glaze drips over the sides.

Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set and the whipped cream frosting is firm, at least 1 hour. Slice with a long, sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between slices.

Printed from Annie’s Eats

Now for the filling used for this special birthday cake! See recipe here --> Seedless Rasberry Filling

Visit Darcy's Delicious Dinners on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/DarcyDeliciousDinners

Photos by CherLea Productions

#TRIPSare25

2013-01-15T06:58:00.002-08:00

My Triplets are 25 years old - a "quarter of a century"!

I started out with my first born, their Big Brother in 1983 ~ since then, the expansion of the family has not stopped! More and more are coming into the circle as the years go by and the chapters change..... this whole family thing is about to snowball!

So now to look back ~ wow!

They still love each other, but maybe they don't hug as much as they used to....

They used to HAVE TO hold hands, every time we went somewhere, every time they crossed the street! It was how I could make sure we all stayed together. I think they are relieved they no longer have to hold hands!

Their big brother was 41/2 when they were born. As they grew, he was always trying to teach them stuff. They did not always cooperate, but at times, he caught their attention! It was like he had his very own classroom to experiment with.

Dezi is still at the pool as Director of a huge Aquatic Center since graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration. She insists that she is only happy when the smell of chlorine surrounds her!

Joey still loves cooking and is a Cook for the Holiday Retirement Facility nearby. He often cooks for as many as 80 people at a time!

Cassie pursued her love for writing with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Literary Journalism only to find her passions in Education. She now works with children with autism and recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Applied Behavoiral Analysis.

Their Big Brother, Jeremy, is serving in the US Army and has served one tour in Iraq.

He still teaches them stuff but sometimes they teach him stuff!

The day the Triplets were born changed a lot of things for a lot of us. Our family doubled in size over night! It's been a wild ride with tons of fun and lots of craziness. I hope for nothing less in the years to come!

New Year

2012-12-31T21:29:00.000-08:00

It's New Years Eve and the evening finds me hopeful.

So far my lineup for the year includes my best friend having complicated surgery, my son's overseas deployment and two daughters planning weddings for Fall! That's not including all the stuff that I do not know about yet! My prediction? That 2013 will be eventful beyond many years I have lived so far.

The end of 2012 brought me reunions with 2 special friends from days gone by. The years fall away when a reunion of this type takes place. Yes, I am hopeful that the loves and the happy surprises will outweigh the losses, challenges and disappointments.

Tonight, our plans with friends were sadly canceled due to illness - then the sun was setting up and I grabbed the camera and took a short drive up Clements Road in Lodi, California. This, the last sunset of 2012!

Happy New Year!

Springerle For Christmas

2012-12-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Most families have at least one special Christmas tradition, many that evolve through the years. My own family had several, but the one that stands out most, and continues to this day, is the baking and mailing of the German Springerle Cookies.

This is a 2 day process and not conducive to today's working families and busy lifestyles. Yet each year, magically, someone manages to pull this off to make the familiar happen for the whole family. This year, the next generation stepped up!

Notes form Laura:

Some of the best recipes begin with the fewest ingredients. One of my favorites is a family tradition passed down many generations...German Springerle Cookies taught to me by my Gammy and Gampy. Last year my Auntie Susie entrusted this years' family batch to me. :)

They take about 10-12 hours to make and you have to order two ingredients online. I have already called Gammy & Gampy three times to make sure I am getting it right. Gampy told me that of anyone he has taught, I seemed to just 'get it' right away. That is saying a LOT, because I reserve baking for the grocery store! It must be in my genes.

Also, you will need a Springerle roller. This is a Springerle roller. Basically you roll the dough between 1/4 inch guides...then you roll over it to get the 3D pictures onto the cookies.

Once the long drying process is over...only one more hour till baking starts. Then I start all over tomorrow! Hartshorn (ammonia carbonate) is the leavening agent used in these cookies to keep the shape of the designs from the Springerle roller. It gives off a very strong odor during baking when it is released from the cookies. Combined with the strong anise oil, Springerle cookies have a very characteristic flavor.

"These traditional German cookies are in the Leonhardt DNA." ~ Lynn (Leonhardt) Laura's Mom

This video show's Ray Leonhardt and his daughter, Lynn making Springerle in 2008.

Springerle (Enhanced) from CherLea Productions on Vimeo.

Company Sweet Potatoes

2012-11-11T21:13:00.005-08:00

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, a most talked about side-dish in salons and bridge club luncheons is what to do with the Sweet Potatoes. To bake or mash, marshmallows or not? light or yams?

This is my own recipe for "Company Sweet Potatoes", we have it often and throughout the year!

Peel and slice 2 Sweet Potatoes (we like the light ones) and one Onion

Alternate in a buttered Pyrex pie plate or 10 x 14 pan (double the recipe and place in rows or layers)

Mix 1/4 cup heavy cream & 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup (pour over all)

Top with French Fried Onions & fresh ground Black Pepper

475 degrees BAKE ~ 45 minutes

Set the table extra pretty this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November

2012-11-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

November, the essence of Autumn insists a change beckoning us inside the same way that Springs calls us to come outdoors. The Harvest is in and the bounty stored. This month often shows a variety of conditions like no other. The clear starry nights, crimson sunsets, ominous cloud-scapes and grey foggy mornings can happen with only days that seem like moments in between. This is the time of year that a tree loaded with leaves of every color will show barest branches by month's end.

Laura's Sunflowers

Until the last grapes are cut from the vine and the last nuts are swept off the orchard floor is the Harvest Season allowed to wind down. And then, the quiet... the waiting... as the Season will shift toward a peaceful calm. Contentment to be inside, behind closed doors replaces hours of scurrying about form place to place. The wind whips through the air and the rain beats against the window. Was it just last week that you stood alone in the orchard and could actually hear the falling leaves softly hitting the ground?

Donna's Peppers

Antoinette Celle Vineyards

This shift happens each year in November when it's time to gather in, slow down and get out fuzzy socks and warm blankets. Books and knitting needles will sitting by the favorite chair and cookbooks are strewn about as the planning for Holiday baking has begun. Soup is simmering on the stove in a huge pot permeating the air with smells of steamy vegetables somehow reconciling the fact of short days and dark evenings.

Year's end is so close that reality insists attention to the details that come soon enough... oh so soon enough... but for now - it is November. Beautiful, Glorious November.

The Vineyard

2012-08-10T15:59:00.037-07:00

I was invited back into the vineyard ... it's the closest one to my house. The sun came up, I had a million things to do... but the day called me to go. The light was just right at 7AM and the cup of coffee brought just the right amount of motivation to the idea. So, I grabbed my camera and was off to capture the sacred limited time to find the "colors" on the Dolcettos!

Antoinette Celle Vineyard has a longtime history and an even more charming story about the rare grape that flourishes on this small farm.
"This type of Dolcetto has unusual characteristics that are not common in the types of Dolcetto typically planted in California. The state as a whole, only has 100 acres of Dolcetto planted, period. My Dolcetto produce a more complex wine and the grapes are able to hang on the vines much longer than other grapes." writes Antoinette Celle.

I kid you not, once you are standing in the rows of grapevines, you understand that it is a truly magical place! If you read my last post about veraison and this sacred stage of the grapes as they are ripening, you might know what I mean even if you have never had the opportunity to stand in the middle of a vineyard on an August day. The morning air feels cool and fresh and stages the perfect setting to discover half hidden tight bunches of grapes. The sight of the "jewels" amongst the deeply veined leaves are like finding treasures with your eyes. The bunches of grapes are suspended in mid-air with room to grow, yet nestled within the rows and the branches of the vines that shelter them.

Antoinette explains more about the Dolcetto grapes and her vineyard,
"I grow a rare type of an Italian winegrape varietal: Dolcetto di Dogliani, which is believed to be the grandfather of the twelve types of Dolcetto. In February 2011, Dr. Andy Walker at UCDavis, propagated cuttings from my vines, and planted them in the old vineyard at UCDavis. The Foundation Plant Services are keeping a close eye on them, to study. My husband Jim Roberts and I farm organically. We are on the California Registered Organic list of small-scale farmers. We sell brown eggs from cage-free hens and fruits, organic walnuts and pecans, flowers, herbs, and vegetables. I also "put up" small batches of preserves under my label: "Twice the fruit/half the sugar" and also pickles, green olives, salsas, and herbs in jars -- just like Penzeys."

As I leave the vineyard I am thinking that I might try to learn a little more about this special grape variety and the process of growing this type of fruit. I promise myself to regularly visit this perfect backdrop to the Seasons having my camera ready to capture it's beauty.

Veraison

2012-07-28T16:54:00.004-07:00

Veraison is a word I learned of recently. It is when the grapes turn color from green to purple, as explained to me by a local winegrower. I had seen what she spoke of, a bunch of grapes hanging on the vine glistening in July sunlight and showing greens and purples and the many hues in-between. This short occurrence happens in its own season and at its own time. A perfect process that rewards the sampler of the fruit once completed.

Grape growers know the process cannot be rushed. They understand that nature takes over and a magical change will determine the quality of the fruit once the grapes turn purple. As the farmer waits to harvest, he knows Veraison determines what will be the reaping of the benefits of their labor. While harvesting the grapes, winegrowers hope for the finest results, the making of fine wine.

My friend and I have been having long conversations about how life presents itself in the day to day. The routines, the joys and the challenges. We have been doing this for decades now... finding that so many chapters we each go through parallel - despite 1000 miles between us. Neither of us is a stranger to the grief journey, yet we both find that each episode tests the durability of our hearts in new ways... Understanding the natural phases and steps that are typical does not ease the quest for a way out, wanting to "get through it all" and be done with it. Hanging out with the uncertainties of what will be, feeling the pain of loss, and trying to let go of something or someone we held so dear creates new and different challenges each time around.

We want our grapes to turn purple! It was one of those Aha! moments as the metaphor crystallized in my mind. My husband remarked when I was editing a photo that I had taken of the grapes in their sacred state of Veraison. He thought I was changing the colors on the individual grapes with my photo edit program and he quickly commented that I should change all of the grapes back to purple "like they should be".

I connected "Veraison" with the idea that to be hanging out with all the turning colors is something to be trusted... as with the grapes. The many lessons along the way will bring the quality of the purple grapes to its fullest glory. It is a time of Veraison, a temporary process, not be hurried or overlooked.

This new word to me, "Veraison" shows a great example of many of the theories I have tested over time. I will apply this phenomenon to so many more ideas along the way.

....While I wait for the grapes to turn purple.

Simple Solution

2012-07-08T21:33:00.005-07:00

I have a great recipe to share! Now, before you get your taste buds all worked up for something delicious, this recipe will not deliver what you are hoping. But get ready to save some money!

I have your attention? Good. I found this on Pinterest and just had to try it! This is super easy.

The recipe is for an all purpose household cleaner and you might be very impressed with the results. Save your spray bottles once you run out of your other purchased cleaning products, you are going to need them.

Peel an orange (or two), you are going to use the peels only. You might like to use another citrus fruit, but have the quantity equal that of one good size Orange.
Fill a 1-Quart Mason jar with white vinegar leaving enough room for the Citrus peels.
Place the peel in the jar with the vinegar.
Store for two weeks.
Discard the peel after the two weeks and dilute the mixture with water, equal parts. (1:1)
Place mixture in a spray bottle for counters and bathroom surfaces or bottle to use in buckets for floors, walls, etc.

I am not sure how this method works so well or what takes place during the two weeks that the peels sit in the vinegar. I am kind of hoping that a knowledgeable scientist might drop into my blog someday and explain what takes place during this process.

In a previous post, I showed you how I make our laundry detergent. I have saved a ton of money and repurpose my white vinegar bottles to store my batches of Laundry soap.

Recently, I discovered that plain old white vinegar could be used instead of "Round Up" to keep weeds at bay on our walkways and rock path. It also keeps ants away!

Baking Soda sits right on my counter top in a "cheese" shaker, ready for scrubbing pots and my kitchen sink.

It seems that our previous love affair with having fancy brands and convenient household cleaners (one for each different cleaning purpose) got us all trapped into an expensive and chemical lifestyle as we became bogged down with the huge variety of solutions and cleaners. Finding a place to store all the different cleaning products or just finding the right cleaner at the time you need it has not been very convenient!

I saved the lemon peels form the lemonade we made for the 4th of July! Guess what I'm making.....

The Best Things in Life are Free

2012-05-11T19:17:00.001-07:00

The poem came to me most casually as “just another homework assignment” along with some other papers, handed over by one of my beautiful daughters. How could this 14 year old child know when she wrote it that the print out would be taped to the inside of my medicine cabinet mirror for years to come… or that seeing it each morning would be my sound inspiration to tackle the day with my head held high and expectations of wonder to come? Or that in my darkest hours, it pushed me out the door to face what might be the turning point I was seeking….

The words speak to me of choice … to be happy and carefree, to know there is joy to find in the moments that lie ahead. The poem also speaks of resilience – persistence in attitude – perseverance - and survival.

A Little Girl’s Dream

Dancing in doorways

Running through raindrops

Cartwheels down pathway

And trails of gumdrops

A little girl’s dream

A realm all her own

Her beady eyes beam

As she sits on her throne

Fear and despair

Unknown to her kind

She laughs through the wars

And ignores all the horrors

Of poverty, destruction and murder.

A little girl left to dream of her own

Reflecting a world of

Dancing in doorways

Running through raindrops

Cartwheeling down pathways

And trails of gumdrops

- C. m. b.-

A simple Face Book post came through my feed when this same daughter was away at college – She wrote, “Went to the beach today – the best things in life are free J”

Wow – I realized that I am surrounded by people each week in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond that totally do not get that! This young woman did at age 20! Despite the pressures of classes and part time jobs, bills to pay and mounting loans… “The best things are FREE”! She understood that you can’t put a price on hearing waterfalls, seeing moonbeams or feeling the cool breeze on the morning of a hot summer day….

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…”

“… and the best things in Life are Free….” J

Earth Day

2012-04-13T09:05:00.025-07:00

1970 started something…. The first Earth Day was not taken so seriously by the larger population of the world. Many viewed the gathering as another type of sixties love-in revival of hippies and flower-children.

Today, over 30 years later, these Earth Day celebrations and events are spearheaded by educated and very serious leaders as the sobering facts rapidly come forth concerning the way our population continues to trash our planet.

Though climate control subjects continue to be debatable and controversial and are often slanted politically, our ecology and the subject of our trash problems is acknowledged in every household as mandatory recycle bins and composting become common practices.

Just imagine if your job would be in the “Waste Reduction Specialist” field? How would that impact your choices, working around what to do with everyone’s trash day to day?

Meet Terra, “the Reuser” – she’s a waste Reduction Specialist” by day. By night, she blogs and focuses on “Reuse” as a key to our Planet’s Waste problems.

A job like Terra’s has sobering impact about what people choose to use and reuse vs. chucking a bunch of single use “disposable” stuff in the trash can. She really knows about what happens next to all that mounting trash and garbage!

There are many awesome people that lead volunteer groups to clean up litter on our beaches. They do it because it needs to be done. They do it to educate others about the impacts of leaving litter behind - and to set an example. These volunteers know that if we would all do our part - and just a little bit more, the litter problems our beaches (and planet) face would cease to exist.

Meet: Kim Masoner from "Save Our Beach", Danielle, who blogs “It starts With Me” and Sara Bayles, "The Daily Ocean".

You might want to send them a thank you for Earth Day!

Tim Silverwood, an avid Australian surfer had an idea as he looked around at mounting trash on beautiful beaches world-wide. If everyone took just 3 pieces of trash off of the beach, each time we visit the coastline, or parks or lakes…. Well you get the picture – visit “Take3.org” for more information.

Then there are those who actually study Marine Debris Science! Meet Ryan Cope - and read what she thinks about it all!

If Marine Debris was not a real problem for our environment, would there really be students going to college to study and learn about it?

Many are looking around at their everyday practices in the home and helping others to make changes toward sustainability by their own discoveries and examples. Lisa and Stephanie have some great ideas to share that may inspire you to be more eco, where it counts everyday - in our homes.

Many people make the misconception that our environment is just fine the way it is. That environmentalism is political and “the liberals” are making a big deal of nothing important. They pay no mind to their surroundings and the impact of their own trash habits.

Information points otherwise and looking around for information might be a good start to finding answers and forming opinions.

For Earth Day, you might want to educate yourself – think about what matters, trust your head and your gut while gathering your own informaiton and forming your own opinions.

Be inspired by Beth Terry’s journey toward plastic free living.

Or, be saddened by what our ignorance has caused:

Maybe, this Earth Day, you might even want to take action and take a pledge!

Can something as simple as a little straw change the way you think about all of your trash?

Please make sure you get your FREE GLASS STRAW from GlassDharma for Earth Day 2012 – you still have a few days left to enter their Earth Day contest and they will ship you a free straw just for entering! Seriously!

Happy Earth Day! And, all best as you Journey towards making better choices to support the place we all call “Home”.

Hearts

2012-02-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

It's Valentines Day tomorrow... a day to celebrate Love.

The shopping for gifts and cards of days gone by has changed for me. Don't get me wrong, the celebration of this day is no less important... But, the money spent on treats that sabatoge the New Year's health intention and the decorations & cards that get thrown away just seem like an oxymoran to the celebration of "Love".

... and hearts, might we celebrate our hearts in the literal sense? Keeping healthy hearts = self-love, right?

So, I decided to have a little fun creating my Valentines in my everyday routines and forget the shopping, money and cards this year. Here is what happened over the weekend with this very thought in mind... (ok, so I did not totally adhere to a rigid health kick and found a few sweet and sugary "treats" around the house!)

It started with the cookie cutter I used to make some rolled oatmeal cookies for the Grandkids:

Then proceeded to the breakfast arena, Toast, then French Toast and some cinnamon Toast the way my Mom used to make, where you broil the buttery, sugary topping on the toast!

More and more hearts started appearing throughout the day!

I went for a walk with hearts on my mind on a cloudy, stormy day mixed with sunshine. This heart jumped out at me and I almost missed it with my camera! It moved and changed so fast!

Walnut Orchard - Central Valley, CA

On to lunch and suppertimes, the hearts continued with little creative tasks inspired by Love....

Potato Salad

Meatloaf - Done!

ready for the oven

Inspiration continued as I started texting my Girlfriend my little Heart displays -

My Valentines are my wishes for us all to find hearts everywhere we look... and to keep our Hearts full of LOVE

Happy Valentines Day!

Fresh Fruit Presentation!

2012-02-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

Fresh Fruit

Credit Bridget Beashbum for putting this photograph up on a FaceBook Post! Still looking for the origianl photographer/creator for proper credits.

California Icycles

2012-01-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the rain….. the dry spell surprised us all this winter. It’s not that we want to complain about 65 degree temps in December and January where one can go out for a walk at will, any time of day, sometimes with no jacket. Or that the clear starry nights were not noticed while out and about throughout the Holidays. We were carefree as we had little concern for roads conditions or remembering umbrellas as we dashed out the door.

Those of us that live in Rural Farmtown America know better than most the weird twist and costly risk of this type of weather pattern. Established orchards that lack rain and water slowly dry out to the point that a hard freeze can be fatal. Twenty degree mornings will have their effect on the trees and the cost of no water will eventually hit us all in the pocketbook.

An occasional wintery site will result from farmers scrambling to save their trees as the irrigation is turning on to keep the soil moist only to result in freezing water for those magic few hours of the early morning. It creates a visual excitement amongst the townspeople as they scurry about to work and to school. An area that sees no snow form year to year suddenly is graced with icycles glistening in the sunlight.

A little winter magic…. As we are waiting for the rain…..

Wallnut Orchard in Central Valley, CA

24 years....

2012-01-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

"I prayed for my babies, I prayed for myself, I prayed for my family."

Now that my Triplets have reached the 24 year milestone, I have finally gotten around to dusting off the old 1990 issue of the Triplet Connection Newsletter to post online.

Here is my story.....

I prayed with such intensity! There I was, once again in my doctor's office, trying to make some sense of the waves on the sonogram screen. Why was I threatening a miscarriage after all we had been through? “Please” I prayed, “Let me have this baby!”

We heard the doctor say, “There are three embryos!” Triplets? I looked at my husband in disbelief. My first words were “I want them all! What are their chances?”

Could this really be happening to us? The Doctor and nurse were really excited. The sonogram showed cardiac activity from each of the three engross. While my doctor explained some of the risks of mufti-fetal gestation and pre-term labor, we both knew that we were committed to do anything we could to ensure the lives of these three.

As victims of secondary infertility and its emotional trauma, “Why us?” was a question we regularly asked ourselves. After successfully conceiving one child we were amazed to learn that we might never be able to have more children. I was torn between decisions I never thought I'd have to make. How far are we willing to go to have a baby?

After two years of charts, tests and treatments, we decided to use a fertility drug (Pergonal) to achieve conception. This was probably our last hope to have another baby. Were we wrong to want more children when so many childless couples would be happy to have just one?

We wondered if we were “playing God' as we carefully weighed the risks of using Pergonal (Increased risk of multiple conception, increased possibility of miscarriage, etc.) I was sure our son was not meant to be an only child. We asked ourselves, and we ask God, “Why us?

We considered adoption. To have the opportunity to love and provide for another child would be the answer to our prayers. As we explored our options the subject of adoption opened up a whole new set of questions and disagreements for my husband and me. Could we take the risk of adopting and loving the child only to have the birth mother reclaim parental rights/ Could we deal with an “open adoption” and possible involvement with the birth parents? What kind of problems would we encounter if we adopted as older child? We felt a little guilty when we thought about adopting a baby when so many childless couples were waiting so long to adopt. We also felt out chances of being chosen as adopting parents would not be good because we already had a “natural” child.

Another year of waiting, hoping and praying went by. This was to be my last month of drug therapy. The expense of treatment, and the physical and emotional stress involved, was taking a toll on our family. To complicate things further, we had to deal with a nation-wide Pergonal shortage, never knowing for sure if enough of the drug would be available to finish the month of treatment we had started.

Finally, we achieved pregnancy! I was going to have a baby! We were thrilled, but terrified at the mere thought that the pregnancy might not be a successful one. My doctor was confident that this was a single fetus pregnancy, as I was carefully monitored before and after conception, and every precaution was taken to avoid mufti-fetal pregnancy.

When complications began at seven weeks gestation, I was terrified! Once again the question, “Why us?” was my constant tormentor. Was a miscarriage going to be the end result of all we had been through? Did I have the stamina to continue fertility therapy now that we knew conception was possible? I desperately wanted another child!

And Now the reality of triplets! There was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. How much risk was involved? Would they survive? Could my family and I manage three babies? While I was experiencing fear for what was to come, there was also an overwhelming feeling of joy and honor that I was chosen to be the mother of triplets. I knew at that moment that my family had something very special – that we were being given this rare opportunity.

The next day I began to research triplet pregnancies. I wanted to know everything I could about my condition and what was to come. It seemed that little was known about multiple gestation and how to insure a healthy outcome. I found very limited information available through our library. In one book about twins there was an address for the “Center for Multiple Gestation.” I wrote to them and received information about the “Triplet Connection,” a national non-profit support and informational service for parents of higher multiples. This organization provided us with answers to our questions, and help with every phase of our situation. We carefully monitored and took life saving precautions, determined to have the bests possible outcome.

At twenty weeks gestation (only half way through a term pregnancy) I began to show signs of pre-term labor. I was recommended bed rest and an oral medication (Terbutaline) to reduce contraction activity. It was much too soon for our babies to be born. Every day became a milestone towards the possibility of healthy babies.

I read all I could about premature babies. Prior to bed rest we had taken tours of two hospital neon-natal intensive care wards. I talked with many doctors and nurses on the phone, as we tried to prepare ourselves for all the possibilities we might face. I contacted other parents of triplets and found our conversations to be inspirational. Everyone I spoke to agreed about one thing – we would need a tremendous amount of help.

The search began for a support network in our community. This was most challenging because we weren't sure of exactally what kind of help we would need. By making our situation known to neighbors and friends, we were fortunate to receive an overwhelming amount of support and including: prepared meals for my family, child-care for my four-year-old son, rides to my doctor, and later, volunteers who helped me feed my babies while my husband was at work.

At twenty-three weeks gestation I had my third sonogram to monitor fetal development. My doctor found baby “C” to be considerably smaller than babies, “A” and “B.” This was a major concern , because it is common to have a weaker baby in the case of super twins, and often the smaller fetus must fight harder for nourishment as the stronger, larger fetuses use most of the supply provided. It was very soon to detect such a difference in size. Baby “C” would also be at risk during the birth process due to her position as the last of the three to be born. People we didn't even know were praying for our babies, and especially for baby “C.”

As the thirty-fourth week approached, we couldn't help but feel fairly confident that the babies would be in reasonably good condition. Baby “C” had caught up in her growth, and the sonograms showed good fetal development. The in-home monitor that I used daily showed continually decreasing contraction activity. I was in extreme discomfort, and it was apparent that my body would not be able to handle much more of the babies rapid growth.

Acting on the theory that my uterus had become so distended that it had lost its ability to contract, we agreed that I would have to be scheduled for a cesarean section delivery. The big question was when? Waiting too long could be even more disastrous for my babies and myself.

We scheduled surgery for January 15, 1988. My due date was February19. The babies would be at 35 weeks gestational age. We knew we would not be taking the home for some time because they would need special care in the neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU). My doctor, husband, and I hoped that this would have the least possible risks considering all factors.

That night we prayed that we were making the best possible decision. I prayed for my babies, I prayed for myself, I prayed for my family. If our outcome was not good, would I always blame my self for using Pergonal to conceive? I wanted my babies to be healthy, I wanted to keep them together, and I wanted to take them home.

The big day finally arrived. The operating room was packed with people. Each baby had to have its own pediatrician/neo-natoligist, resperatory therapist and nurse. Counting the surgical staff, the anesthesiologist, my husband, the babies and me, there were twenty one people present. I elected to have an epidural, so I was awake for the event.

It was 6:30 a.m. On a r ainy morning and I remember asking the doctors if they had made time to have theircoffee. My husband was at my side all the way, We were ready!

Desiree Leanne was born at 6:50 a.m., weighing 4 pounds 8 ounces. She was whisked away immediately and though the anesthesiologist turned my head, all I saw was a blur. Joseph J, arrived at 6:51 weighing 5five pounds. I got to reach our and touch his foot as he was taken to his isolette. The placenta was tearing away prematurely, and baby “C” had to come out fast. The doctor reached in and pulled her out by her feet. Cassandra Michelle was born 6:53 a.m. and weighed 4 pouinds , 5 ounces, a very pink, healthy baby.

Desiree and Joseph had to go on ventilators for a couple of days, but when I left the recovery room the nurse wheeled me right into the NICU and put Cassandra in my arms. She was one hour old, and she was beautiful! I longed to hold my other babies.

The excitement in the hospital that day was incredible. The staff was wonderful. Most of the nurses and doctors who were in the OR came to visit me later. By the time my doctor came back, my room was filled with flowers and balloons. He was happy that the babies were doing so well, and told me I couldn't have carried them much longer because the right side of my uterus was stretched so thin that it could have ruptured at any moment at any moment. What a relief to know that the timing was just right.

It was three days before we got to hold Desiree or Joseph, but we touched them and talked to them whenever we came into the room. When we finally held them it was indescribable to have such an intense bond with each of our three babies. We knew that this experience was a very unique gift from God.

The two weeks we spent with our babies in the NICU ward gave us a whole new perspective of life. The babies we saw fighting for their lives, the families we met, and the commitment of the NICU staff was such an inspiration. We laughed and we cried and and felt a very closeness to people we hardly knew and probably would never see again. We knew that this time in our lives would always be more than just a memory.

Cassandra came home 10 days after her birth. She weighed four pounds and wore doll cloches. Somehow, with the help of my mother, we managed to care for her and make the 80 mile round trip to the hospital to feed and hold Desiree and Joseph every day. Having had very little sleep, and still recovering from surgery, I found this to be more exhausting than having them all home to care for. Fortunately Desiree and Joseph were discharged together four days later.

My dream had come true. They were healthy, we were all together, and we were
home!

Watching our babies grow has been an incredible privilege. At first I feared for their well being as individuals. But now it is apparent to me that they are indeed separate individuals with a special relationship to one another. When I watch them play I am convinced that being a super-twin is a rare and wonderful gift. I am constantly reminded of what could have been, and just how blessed we are.

As their first birthday approached, I found myself reflecting on the past five years, and how I had come full circle. There was a part of my infertile self that would never be forgotten. I now had a special understanding of the infertility crisis and how devastating it can feel. This experience has given me more endurance and patience than I ever had before.

Being a mother of four healthy children is not something I take for granted. It gives me great joy to have my family tackle the enormous responsibility of life with triplets. We are tired at the end of each day, but feel a sense of accomplishment and purpose that is hard to describe.

I am currently a member of the Board of Directors for “The Triplet Connection,” and am deeply committed towards helping to improve the quality of life for multiples and their families.

I hope each of my children will love each other as exceptional individuals, and that our family will always appreciate how extraordinary it is to be blessed with three children at one time.

Occupy - 2012

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the year I will occupy 2012. Yep… my own occupy movement is underway. It is not so much that I am disgruntled, have grudges, or need to make my demands… It is more about choosing the changes and knowing exactly where I want to go with my reactions to what the year may present.

I am occupying the year to make it count. When I am very old and look back over my lifetime, 2012 is going to stand out in my memory. Maybe I will view it as pivotal, a time when I decide that I will make changes for the better. A time that I will be grounded in what my true purpose is. I am thinking that I will choose my responses to new experiences with a quality of eager motivation, less by obligation and expectations.

It took many years to create who I am today. No more wishy-washy handwringing questions asking, “Who am I? Why am I here?” My occupation consists of my true authenticity. There is a profound reason that I get to greet another New Year – my existence is a small but important piece in a much larger puzzle.

As I occupy 2012, I will trust my instincts and my gut. I am still learning how this phenomenon serves me. My intent is to recognize it and trust it. That “feeling” may not be foolproof, but it has guided me out of some sticky situations in years past. In 2012, it has my full attention!

During my occupation, I will tend to my garden and my soul. Both need constant care and cultivation. While never fully completed, the tasks will keep me very busy for yet another year.

Encouragement will occupy my interactions with others. I do not have to know the full effect that my encouraging words might have on another person. Encouragement has powerful results even though it is so easy to offer it to someone that passes through my day. The power? Well, I trust it makes everything better for all of us. There is not one of us that does not benefit from someone else’s simple, encouraging remark.

Charitable contributions will keep content in my everyday. My acts of charity will not be limited to monetary gifts, defined causes and percentages. Each new day presents opportunity for this type of occupation. I am determined to notice it, recognize it and step up to the plate as I am invited.

This year I am not going to wish my friends and loved ones are perfect… or that they always have my best interests at heart. The reality of love is that it transcends these “tests” of relationships. I invite love to fully occupy my heart and mind. It is my desire to love… and this decision will help me to overcome the challenges of relating with others and honoring our right to have differences.

This year will be occupied with my negativity being kept in check. My actions and words shall be chosen carefully. I plan to make my own truths considerate of others and their feelings. My thoughts will minimize fear based thinking; my heart will keep soft places for tons of love and compassion as I view my surroundings.

My occupation includes more humor… sometimes I get stuck because I view circumstances with a most serious spirit of trying to “figure it all out” instead of simply being amused by what I observe – yep, more humor in 2012!

I will occupy my nights by noticing moonbeams and seeing the bright stars in the sky. Sunshine and rain and clouds remind me that it is not up to me to orchestrate everything that happens in a day – what a relief!

Yes, consider the year 2012 to be occupied. At least 99% plus… by my choices, determination and with my eyes eagerly wide-open to the possibilities. I am not budging! And, I am betting there will be many who will join me.

The Year I Threw Mary & Joseph Away

2011-11-26T17:44:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, our family embraced and celebrated many customs and family traditions. These Rituals made me feel happy inside. They kept our family unity constant over the years. We all knew that we could count on those special things - ceremonies, decorations and the making of traditional special foods and cookies year after year. Holidays became family centered even during the toughest times.

Once I grew up, I brought these traditions into my own family, adding more each year to the busy-ness of it all. We added yet another string of lights and I found more recipes to try. There were scheduled Holiday customs like going to the mountains to cut down our Christmas tree on a wintery day. I knew it was important for my children to grow up with these family bonding experiences the same way I had.

Setting out the Nativity was a sacred part of decorating for Christmas. The cherished set my parents had would be handled so carefully as not to break the ceramic figuines. Over the years, I had collected my own beautiful Fontinini Nativity set, piece by piece. I cherished the set for its beauty and its usability. The figurines would allow little hands to pick up them up and play with them with no fear of breakage. I would never have to scold children for handling the pieces or tell them “not to touch”. As more pieces were added, the absence of a third wise man did not bother me. How do we know there were three wisemen anyhow? No one really knows for sure.

Angels became another collection of significance as I became so aware of their existence through miracles I had witnessed and lived through. One Christmas, I wrote about the presence Angels in my life and shared it with family and friends. Soon, relatives began presenting me with angel figurines of all types! It warmed my heart to see the angels all over our house, reminders of God’s protection.

Our storage boxes were growing in number and with that, the added tasks of putting out, hanging up, taking down and putting away until the next year. Trying to make all of our favorite kinds of Christmas cookies became a burden while trying to get the family off to services and performances. Nevertheless, persevere I did, all in the effort to keep “more” of the *Magic*.

Occasionally an ornament would break, maybe one from when I was a child. Often an old school project decoration made by my child’s little hands would be found crumbling in the bottom of the box. I experienced different levels of heartache with each loss depending on the sentiment attached to the item.

One particular year changed everything - our family broke apart. The big “D”. I knew that our customs and traditions were needed more than ever, especially for the children. But, with each one came a painful realization of what had just been “lost”. The memories, even the happiest ones, would bring each of us to tears at one time or another… We all forged ahead in spite of the changes and each of us tried to keep our chins up and go forward, believing that Christmas *Magic* is about more than just our memories of the past.

Over time, there were new friends, new loves and new places to go. I slowly started to crave simplification and ease with how we would move through our Holidays and Family Traditions. I recognized a need to create space to embrace the new. This became especially important as I remarried and our family took on another new shape.

Little by little, I started weeding out the more ordinary mementos from the massive collections stored in boxes and bins that were marked “Xmas”. Hanging on to so many things was not giving me that satisfaction that I once thought it would. I gave away some ornaments and some of the homemade projects were boxed and thrown in the trashcan. It was somewhat sad, but also liberating. The progress was slow, but the paring down continued spurred on by the realization that we had just “hung on” to too much and that all that “stuff” was just bogging us down. No one missed the items that were gone… No one was asking where it all went.

One year, as I unpacked my beautiful Fontanini Nativity, I could not find Mary and Joseph! As I frantically tore through old boxes and the wrappings, a realization hit my heart with the impact of a sledgehammer. I knew what had happened. In my quest to downsize the decoration inventory, I had accidentally thrown out a box that the Mary and Joseph figurines had been placed in the year before. I was horrified! How would I explain this to my future little grandchildren as they were learning the Christmas story? That their Grandma had “lost” the little Baby’s parents?!

It took me a while to see the significance of my sad loss. At first, I was afraid to display the Baby Jesus without Mary and Joseph present to take care of their Little One. It seemed sacrilege to put out an incomplete set. Then, over time, I reasoned that the Angel, the Sheppard, the Wise Men and even the awestruck barn animals had the Baby Jesus’ back. Surely, they will take care of him in the absence of his parents.

I looked in stores to replace the missing figurines only to find that the set that I had was currently unavailable. This left me to struggle with the phenomenon, year after year. I continued to place the incomplete set out for display and found that its beauty still took my breath away. It told the story even though Mary and Joseph were missing. My admission of my error of why there are missing figurines told to wondering little faces will someday assure them that I am human, make mistakes and have regrets. The story of the Nativity will still be told, the way it should be.

During these years, I discovered that it is not up to me to keep the “constant” of the Holidays for myself or anyone else… nor can I “create” a perfectly complete Christmas. There is a gift in accepting that there will be more evolving circumstances and that changes will occur as the years roll by. Many people travel through our lifetime… And, the mistakes, the losses, the changing customs – it is all OK. The real Christmas *Magic* remains. It is constant. And the real “Gift” is to Believe.

Pumpkin Seed Roasting

2011-11-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and with the cool winds and falling leaves come the smells from the oven as the cooking gravitates from the outside BBQ into the kitchen. Home centered projects leave one to feel content to be inside.
One annual kitchen project is the roasting of the pumpkins ... and the seeds!

My son came to help make Jack-O-Lanterns and expanded on my seed roasting method this year. The additions of a little olive oil and another sprinkling of salt made the seeds better than ever!

I am often asked how to go about roasting the seeds, an important part of carving Jack-o-lanterns as well as a side job on the same day that I roast the pumpkins for pies.

My step-by-step method goes like this:

1. Separate the seeds form the pumpkin "guts" and rinse the seeds in a collander.

2. Boil the seeds in a saucepan with water to cover and add about 1/3 cup sea salt.
3. Simmer 20 minutes (do not let it boil over).
4. Strain and let the excess water drip off.
5. Spread onto a cookie sheet and roast at 175 degrees ("convect roast" if you have a setting, bake is fine if you don't).
6. Stir the seeds about every 20 minutes.

7. After about an hour, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a little more sea salt - stir some more and again about every 20 minutes for about 2 more hours.

Once the pumpkin seeds are dry and a little brown, roasty looking, they are ready to put into jars... or eat!

A House, An Era

2011-10-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

The old faded photograph sat on the small table between two large recliner chairs… my Mom handed it to me as she explained the reason for its proximity. The photo showed an old brick house. “This is the house that your Dad grew up in”, she stated. I was visiting my parents when this occurred, they are in their eighties…. and the photo grabbed my attention. The brick house had a charming look with beautiful detail of trim and stonework.

My Dad quickly came to my side to tell me that under the front porch was a “coal cellar” and a “fruit cellar”. Well, now they really had my attention, having my own recent interests of home canning and the food storage challenges that result. Boy! would I love to have a fruit cellar! I was trying to wrap my mind around a visual, so my questions began…

My Dad explained that the house was built in 1935. It was 1936 when his family moved in to this brand new “bungalow” style home, a word that I found amusing. “Bungalow” seems an inappropriate association with an old, brick house, but I had to remember that the home was new and modern back in the day.

Apparently, the two “cellars”, described by my Dad, were sort of like walk in closets - each with a door that stemmed off the basement. The basement was much larger and my Dad spoke of “dances” held by “Aunt Olivette” in this part of the house.

The memories of having to go downstairs to shovel coal into the furnace each morning and several times a day were told by both of my parents. As my interest about details peaked, the memories continued to flow; each parent’s stimulating each other’s remarks with another. I was clear that these visits with my parents and the conversations held between us were precious.

My Dad described the “small monkey stove” that sat in front of the furnace. It was lit only for those times hot water was needed, such as when it was time to shower or wash dishes or clothes. Each time someone had to go and light the monkey stove and wait for the water to heat. I know why my Mom and Dad seemed to stress this part of the description. Our spoiled generations insist on frequent long hot showers no matter where we are or what the agenda is. Of all of the people I know, Shelby would be the only young person that truly understands the luxury of running water, let alone instantly hot water ready and waiting for one’s desired use.

Returning home from my visit, I had so many thoughts running through my in my head of how things progress over one's lifetime, I remembered what my GrandDaddy said when I was visiting him and I remember the excitement of gathering around a small television to watch the moment of “man walking on the moon”. With amazement, he just shook his head and said, “what a great era I have lived, from horse-and-buggy to man-on-the-moon!” He was in his seventies.

I returned home from my visit and the newscasts were suddenly full of the news of Steve Jobs death. This great visionary and creator of Apple Products had his life cut abruptly short. Only one year older than I, his fate of contracting pancreatic cancer brought his productive life to conclusion. The memorials and tributes flowed freely for days to come. It was an end of an era.

My thoughts grabbed at a small part of what he said in his commencement speech to the Stanford raduating Class of 2005. He spoke of “looking back” and “connecting the dots”. In this present day, when phrases like “don’t look back” and “live in the present” are prevelent, I realized how refreshingly important his advice was to each of us. There is great value in looking back at all the things along the way, these occurrances make us who we are… To really know one’s self, how else but to look back and connect the dots? Reflecting on history is one of the most important components in decision-making that I know.

I think about the short era Steve Jobs lived. He and I most certainly sat in the same type of classroom, reading the same “Weekly Reader” that told of futuristic times when every household would have a computer for personal use. His short life of 56 years spanned from when computers were barely heard of, all the way to the barrage of computerized electronic necessities in almost everyone’s hands. And, mostly due to his own vision of progress.

I see the joy when my parents reminisce and tell stories to the younger family members. And, as they share them with us, there is importance to what we get to take with us, making up who we are! Living life is a chance to connect the dots! It reminds me of the reason for the title of this Blog. It is not so much about a certain destination in life. The matters of the heart are really about all of the little things that happen along the way… through the Journey….

Less is More….

2011-09-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

I marvel at how a seemingly tragic situation will often lead to an outcome of promise. Take the recent economic situation our country faces, the joblessness, the skyrocketing costs of gas and groceries. This situation forces new ideas about how to live sustainably.

Never before have I noticed so many people using their yards to grow their food. It is so important the novice gardener have access to the knowledge of those who have learned over time. Meet Scott, who agreed to post on this blog for those (grasshoppers) just starting out on their vegetable garden journey…

How to Grow More in Less Space

by Scott Reed

As I often visit neighborhood gardens, I am always surprised at the large amount of space that people take to grow their flowers and vegetables. That's ok I guess, if you have the space. However, more space usually means more weeds, which means more work. People often tell me that they would like to grow a garden but do not have room. Where did we ever get the idea that you have to have wide rows or lots of room? If you will stay with me, and read along, I will tell you how to grow enough food for a family of four with 48 sq. feet of raised beds (three 4x4 ), 12 each - 2cubic foot bags of potting soil or 10 bales of rice straw. The point here is you do not need a lot of room or even have dirt ground-space to grow a garden. You can grow your garden in containers, in your flowerbeds, along the patio, driveway, blacktop or concrete. If you want a garden, start thinking outside the box. Stop looking at those big beautiful fields as you drive down long country highways, they harvest with machines, they need those wide rows.

So where should I start. First, my garden method is a combination, of what is called, French Intensive and Square Foot Gardening with Vertical thrown in for good measure. What does all this mean you ask? Well listen up grasshopper. French Intensive is a broadcast method. After the soil is prepared you take your garden rake and furrow the space (lightly rake it grasshopper) broadcast your seed, water and when the plants are about 2 inches tall lightly rake the plants in one direction only. Continue to do this every 2 weeks or until your plants are about 6 inches tall. You are thinning out the plants and in the case of carrots, beets or lettuce add the thinnings to your daily salad.

Square Foot Gardening is a raised bed method where your bed is divided into squares of one foot each. Now here is where its gets interesting. You can grow four corn, 9 beets or bush beans, 16 small onions or 1 Tomato, Pepper, Zucchini or Summer Squash per Square foot, mixing in your herbs or flowers. I have done it and it works!

Vertical growing means that if it is a vining plant you can train it to grow up, not out. Example, a vining cucumber plant will occupy 4 square feet on the ground but only 1 square foot if you train it to go up. There are lots of climbing varieties for most types of vegetables. This summer I have 30 inch Jumbo Banana Squash growing on my back fence with four other types of squash including melons. This year everything that can grow up is growing up. Some books that I recommend you read are; Vertical Gardening by Derek Fell, Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew or Cube foot Gardening by Christopher Bird.

If any of this is interesting to you, please respond in the comments section. I can also cover some other topics; gardening with bags of soil, how to grow a Straw Bale Garden, a quick discussion on container gardening, the fact that not all soil is good, how and what seeds to save, plus the all important Companion Gardening or - not all things grow well together.

Please feel free to request subsequent postings on any of these topics...

Muriel's Garden

2011-08-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am honored to have Muriel write this guest blog post for itsnotthedestination. her quest to become a successful organic gardener is her journey... She has learned along the way and has much to share in the way of gardening knowlege... Thank you, Muriel, for this contribution:

Managing an organic garden is much like managing life. It requires balance in all its phases from soil prep to harvest. The foundation of a stable and prosperous life is developing a belief system that will encourage good choices. One that is too rigid stifles spontaneity and one that is too loose can lead to missed opportunities. The foundation of a prosperous garden is the soil.

I started my garden with clay soil that was rigid like adobe in the summer and loose as quick sand in the winter. I have since amended the soil with a dump load of sandy loam (best $300 I ever spent) and organics such as compost and grass clippings. Here’s how it works. I lay out the vegetable beds in different directions each year, sometimes horizontally, sometimes vertically and sometimes diagonally. This assures that the crops and amendments will be rotated throughout the entire garden. When I mow the lawn, I spread the clippings on the paths between the vegetables. I keep them about 2” deep. It not only looks neat and tidy, but it retains moisture, keeps the mud from collecting on shoes and chokes out the weeds. The weeds that do get through are easy to pull. The grass decomposes and adds nitrogen to the soil. I till it in at the end of the season and the organic matter loosens and enriches the soil. Every season brings a little improvement in quality. Giving back to the foundation and distributing the burden of nurturing growth over the entire growing area is of benefit to the productiveness of the whole garden.

I think everyone has the same basic goal in that we all want to get the most out of life. Whether our motivation is emotional, spiritual or material, we all strive for the most bountiful harvest we can coax out of our world. Organic gardeners share that same philosophy, but the challenge is to conquer the evil and foster the good in our vegetable beds without harming ourselves or others. That takes patience, vigilance and hard work. It is easy to vanquish the agricultural enemy with a giant dose of malathion, but, just as in war, to win by force is to accept the resultant collateral damage. The aphids, cabbage worms, cucumber beetles and leaf borers will most certainly be gone, but so will the lady bugs, praying mantises and lacewings that feast on them, not to mention the honey bees. The impatient and heavy handed gardener merely realizes a temporary victory in that the pests will return, and this time with a clear playing field. Ecological diplomacy and patience solve perceived garden crises more permanently than drastic measures.

One afternoon, I went out to water my cucumbers and noticed they were looking rather sad and wilted. I turned over a leaf and was horrified to find it was literally solid with aphids. My first reaction was, “Dang! I’m going to have to spray to get rid of this many aphids.” I had seen a few ladybugs around and a mantis though, and really was reluctant to kill them as well. (Besides, my hairdresser trades me haircuts for organic veggies, and the guilt of passing off pesticide laden cucumbers would have haunted me forever.) I immediately ran down to Orchard Supply and purchased a carton of ladybugs. Ladybugs do not fly after dusk, so if they are deposited in the garden in the evening and they locate food (aphids, scale, mites etc.) they settle in and start eating pests and laying eggs. Patience is a virtue. It has taken three weeks, but my cucumbers and melons are now a veritable ladybug nursery and the aphids are well under control. Knee jerk reactions create temporary fixes.

Snails and slugs present another interesting challenge. There is a product called Sluggo that is iron phosphate and safe for organic gardens. Apparently, they eat it and lose their appetites and die of starvation, but with the wet spring we had, our population was out of control. To stay ahead of the game, constant vigilance is required. I use several methods to keep the numbers down. The first rule on our property is: if you see a snail or slug, it’s mandated that you kill it. Beer traps catch a few, but the most effective weapons are timing, location and the foot. I never let a rain pass without a snail hunt. It brings them out in force and they are easy prey for a stomp. I netted over 300 in 15 minutes the last rain we had. Early morning is optimum for the hunt. I invert pots in corners of the garden and catch them where they hide. Deterrence is another strategy to keep the slimy critters away from tender plants. I noticed they were really going after the beans more than anything, so I chose those as my target area. Slugs have tender bellies and don’t like to crawl across sharp surfaces. I save all my egg shells, crush them and lay a barrier around the plants that are most vulnerable. Walnut shells or cocoa husks will also work. Making it unpleasant to attack slows the enemy down and averts conflict.

In life, it is important to choose our friends carefully. We’ve all seen the successful teen who chooses the wrong friends and ends up “tanking.” The same is true for vegetables. Some combinations create symbiotic relationships that benefit both plants and others end in poor harvest. I once bought plants that were labeled as broccoli from our local high school and they turned out to be broccoflower. It is the Voldemort of vegetables. Nothing will grow next to it. It thrived and everything else withered and died. Ironically, it tasted like cauliflower and no one in my family would eat it. Epic fail! The next year I planted fennel and peppers together. Neither did well. Then I discovered a website called Gardens Ablaze which has a companion plant chart. Now I plant basil with tomatoes, oregano with peppers, pole beans with corn (they use the stalk for a pole . . . no staking required and put nitrogen into the soil for the corn), and, with the right choice of allies get a much better yield.

There is much to learn from organic gardening that could benefit the world. It’s all about balance, patience, integrity and respect. It’s about managing our enemies without destroying ourselves and our allies. It’s about remaining open to accepting whatever harvest gift the day might bring and savoring the joy of the first tomato, melon or cucumber. It’s about conserving resources and giving back to the earth and making choices that carry the most benefit and least harm. It’s about recognizing that nature has provided us with solutions that eliminate the need for us to forcefully control our environment. Perhaps it should be a requirement for the world leaders to spend an hour a day managing an organic garden. Maybe, then they would understand how to maintain self-sustaining, peaceful and productive nations.

August Harvest

2011-08-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Muriel's Garden...

Each time I revisit, I learn something new. Upon entering the gate, I was taken with the sight of bean plants climbing up the tall cornstalks. Now if this is not just the best example of sustainable gardening!

Muriel came around the back way and explained that the beans and corn are companion plantings. The beans use the cornstalks for support, while the weight of the bean plants actually strengthens the corn stalks. Everything with it's purpose... and a higher plan in action.

The garden represents what I find out more and more about life in general:

Things have a way of working in unison.
There is a higher plan of action than I will ever know completely.
wonderful things happen for those of us that stick around long enough to observe.

Muriel and I struck an agreement as she embarked on the massive task of organic vegetable gardening some years ago. She would share and I would trade for the food on my table with my own business services. The barter has been appreciated both ways.

The garden has become a Taj Mahall of vegetables, at least in my own observation. As Muriel learns and implements her research findings, the yield becomes more efficient with each coming season.

The growing, harvesting and using food that is "in season" is something that was taught to me as i was growing up in the Santa Clara valley of Northern California. in those days, the "Bay Area" was mostly orchards; plums, cherries and various fruits and nuts. My Dad would plant the vegetable garden and food was provided during the long California growing season.

"What's for dinner" was decided by what was growing and ripe, not by which restaurant you felt like trying...

It is so easy to put together a meal with what is available. A little creativity and inspiration is that "love" that everyone refers to when a meal is planned with a little care and consideration.

If there is something I could pass on to my kids, it would be for them to know this and pass it on to their own kids....

One of my sons has a vegetable garden of his own this year. The learn as you go process has it's frustrations, but the rewards are there for the taking. You have to start somewhere!

Mealtimes will bring true meaning to the term "fast food". What might be easier than slicing some tomatoes and cucumbers and placing them on a dinner plate for the side dish.

Now add my own special sauce + sesame seeds:
2 teaspoonsbalsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
Shake in a jar and drizzle over the vegtables. Sprinkle with the seeds.

Tonight's "fast food' became the white corn I had in my fridge from the fruit stand combined with some of the vegetables I had picked:

I steamed my chosen ingredients, then used butter with a slotted spoon to melt over the this entire "medley of flavors" while still hot.

Honestly, going "out" to eat would have taken more time....