UVAS CANYON COUNTY PARK

The hike this week was a nice relief from out drought stricken state.  Waterfalls and creeks were abundant and such a welcome site.  Uvas Canyon County park is nestled in upper Uvas Canyon on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Morgan Hill.  While there were some hills to climb and some very narrow trails as well as crossing a creek on rocks (help from my grandson was greatly appreciated) that got this old person thinking about balance, the hike was very pleasant.  The day was beautiful, warm but not hot.  The trails were shaded with California bay, madrone, tan oak, and Douglas fir.

 

Later there was chapparal, buck eye, California bays, coyote mint, Redwood, and California nutmeg.  For a canyon there seemed to be very little fern growing.  I am curious to find out why that is.

 

The waterfalls and creek, however were the highlight.  It was reassuring to know there is water flowing somewhere.  Yep that's me in my A's cap and pink backpack.  Turns out the three of all wore our A's caps.  It wasn't planned but it was a nice family touch.  A couple of times other hikers passed us saying let's go A's!  Ha!

We had an after hike meal at Original Joes in San Jose.  Original Joes is an old Italian restaurant and a blast from the past and the food was excellent  and the company was the best!  Two of my guys, things could not get better! 
This hike is about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live but I am so glad we made the trek. 

 

BLACK DIAMOND MINES REGIONAL PRESERVE

The first people to inhabit this area were the Miwoks.  Sadly, later their way of life was changed by the arrival of Spanish, Mexican, and American Settlers.  From the 1850s to the early 1900s, coal mining towns sprung up.  Nearly 4 million tons of coal were mined.  You can still see the mine shafts and actually take an amazing tour of one of the mines (except for December and January).  In the 1920s, underground sand mining began which supplied sand to the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company in Oakland and the Columbia Steel Works in Pittsburg. 
This is truly an amazing place with a true feeling of the past. 

This is an old mine shaft.  This mine went down 750 feet. The whole thing with the dead branches and the caved in shaft reminded us of a Steven King novel.

 Rose Hill Cemetery still remains  and is well maintained by the park.  To walk thru, you can see how many children died during that time and how many mother's died young.  Truly hard times for everyone during that period.

We did not expect to climb so many hills but we made it!  7.5 miles and my legs truly felt it!

The views were awe inspiring and the chaparral was so beautiful!  I hope to go back in February for a guided tour when the chaparral are bearing their berries.  They were flowering on this hike.

 

  The hike lead us thru all kinds of different terrain.  Both shale and sandstone exist here along with the feeling that the souls of  all the people that lived and worked the mines are still here.

We didn't see any critters this time but I did see bobcat tracks and scat so they were up there somewhere.  We were treated to some rock art or a message of some kind.  Not sure

  

This was a wonderful hike.  Just took dried apricots with us this time but they were a very welcomed treat when we stopped to rest.  So much more of this park to explore but we truly felt we had achieved something after this hike because we finally tackled the steep hills and did not break down and give up.  Onward to the next hike next weekend at Alum Rock in San Jose.

 

 

THE VEGAS HIKE

I will be the first to admit that Vegas, at least on the strip, is not in the least sustainable.  I won't go into all the ways it fails, I am sure most of you, especially those who are on a sustainable journey, know all its failures.  So why you ask would people like us, who strive to live as sustainably as we can, take a hike in Vegas? The answer is simple.  Sometimes we just like to kick up our heals.  I offer no excuses.  It is just something we enjoy doing every two to three years for a couple of days.  Do we feel guilty about it?  The answer is no.  Vegas is a fun and exciting town which just happens to go against everything I believe in.  So am I contradicting myself here...yeah probably.  We go , we enjoy ourselves and then we come back to our lives as we know and live it.
Let me just tell you that unless you take a cab or a limo everywhere, which we neither have the money for or the inclination to do, the Vegas strip is very much a hike.  We were clocking 7 to 12 miles a day.  Not all on the strip, but more about that later.  We were up and down stairs because half the time the escalators weren't working to reach the over passes over the streets.  All this hiking amongst the flowing water fountains, the throngs of people, and the street hawkers.

 

 Inside the casinos there are the lights, the music, and the fantastic decorations.

Then there is the total silence of your hotel room and you let your breath out.  Well about this point you are wondering what the heck?  Right?  Well part of it is, yes, the excitement, the stepping outside your own true box but it is also the wonderful shows, the gospel brunch at the House of Blues on Sunday.  Where both the food and the music make even a hardcore nonbeliever, a believer of a higher power.  If only for a few hours.  It even moved me to get up and clap my hands, dance, and yes I think there may have been a few thank the Lord in there from me too, or maybe it was the guy next to me, but I was feeling it!  The Cirque de Soleil shows, that are better than any drug, taking you completely away for a while.  The fantastic music and the free light shows and then there is just sitting with your drink in a good spot people watching.  Just as you think you have had enough of all that fun, and I do mean enough, you go out into the desert.

We chose to hike Red Rock Canyon.

If the gospel brunch did not completely turn my eyes to a higher power, the desert and Red Rock Canyon certainly did.  The peace that washed over me looking at all the beauty, I have never known before.  An instant feeling of being one with the earth but at the same time knowing it was far more powerful than me.  Knowing that the Paiute Indians lived out in what appears to be nothing but rocks and cacti was very humbling.  Knowing that back in Vegas, people were wishing for big money, fancy clothes and cars. They want and want more syndrome that seems to invade our very beings.  Out in the desert you are humbled to think that the ones that once lived here treasured a cactus for its life giving properties.  Who knew what vegetation was for what purpose.  A land so seemingly barren of life, so full of life. 

 

The extremes of both worlds side by side.  We clocked 39 miles and I was ready to go home.  Back to the world that is me, except for those few days every two or three years.

HIKING AT CHABOT LAKE

Today's hike was a special hike,  It was shorter than we normally hike as we had the family with us and some of them have very short legs and another had to be pushed in a stroller.  So we only clocked in 2 and half miles but enough to stretch our legs and smell the clean air.

Are first siting was the mitten tree.  The littles were in awe that a tree could grow a mitten.

As we have been in a drought for 3 years the lake is very low.  The docks that normally float on the water are no longer even touching the water.  Very sad but at least the littles got some good stair climbing in.

The lake had just been loaded with fish so lots were out fishing...two legged critters and winged critters.

The day was crisp and a little chilly starting out but we quickly warmed up.  There were many beautiful sites.  The lake is so lovely with a little fog hanging in the air.  It gives one a kind of secluded feeling.  All the trees were in their winter mode which added to the feeling of being far away from the crazy city rush.

It was so wonderful to share a hike with some of the most important people in my life.

Another beautiful hike.  Mother nature is such a wonderful thing to experience.  I hope there will always be open space to walk, take in all the smells,  see the growing vegetation,

 and here the birds twitter


We won't be able to hike next weekend but will be back to it in two weeks.

Hiking For a Year-The Start 1/3/15

                                                 Tamales Bay State Park

I have to say this is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done.  Located in Marin County, CA.  I read a little history on the place before we went.  This area was originally inhabited by the Coast Miwok people They inhabited the area for 3,500 years.  They made a living fishing, digging for clams and oysters, collecting edible and medicinal plants, and hunting game for food and clothing.  Most of the Miwok died from disease brought by the Spanish settlers.

Before we headed out for the hike, we made a stop at the Marin French Cheese Company for some cheese tasting and to pick up a little cheese.

We started our hike at Heart's Desire Beach and walked across the wonderful picnic are by the water to the start of our trail-Johnstone Trail.  We stood in awe as we approached the stairs that lead to out hike.  It was like walking in to a secret garden with the sides of the trails laden with lush ferns. I think I must have said oh my gawwd or wow!  a hundred times before we got to the top of the stairs

 

The trail itself was moderate with a few inclines.  There were many secluded picnic areas along the way.

 

The hike was lush with vegetation.  Mostly ferns but a few other plants that I need to identify.  The trees were all in very strange shapes and it made me feel that I had stepped into another world. I could feel my lungs open up to the clean moist air. and the bushtits sweet song as the flitted through the trees made me smile and feel alive.

 

 

 

 

                                     

Sadly we could not do the whole 8 mile loop because the recent rains had turned part of the trail into nothing but mud.  We manage to get over one patch but then we hit a large section that was all mud and decided this might be a better hike for the spring.  Ended up at one of the many beaches on this hike..Jepson Beach.  The water was so clear!  Until recently there was company called Drakes Oyster Farm and I suspect that the oyster's filtration of the water had something to do with the purity of the water.  The county would not renew Drakes lease even though many locals fought hard for it.

We ended our hike with lunch in Point Reyes Station at Stellina.  A sustainable restaurant that sources all their food locally.

I made trail mix for our hike this time.  The recipe is at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/lip-smaclom-trao;-mix-recipe.print.html

A new week

This last week has passed so quickly!  When you work a 9-5 and try to live sustainably, there is never a down moment.  Of course I would not have it any other way.  Hearing the pings of the jars sealing, smelling the earth.  Watching the birds and butterflies flight about, feeling the breeze in my hair..it's all worth it.  Canning season is in full go.  But we have just learned that my MIL is passing and we have to re-adjust and take care of things in a hurry before we head to NY.  The thing is...this is what it is about...living, birth, death, growing.  It is all about the cycle of life.  I have enjoyed watching the corn form, the humming birds and finch come down to the fountain and the cat who hangs out on our patio find some comfort .  We had several family events this week so we did not get thru our whole menu.  I did get bread and butter pickles, pickled jalapenos and yellow squash relish canned.  As I said on my little farm page..if you want the recipes just let me know and I will post them.  Here are two of our favorites from last weeks menu.  We did not care at all for the black bean burgers. I have fixed other grain burgers that  I liked much better.  Can't win them all! 

Creamy Polenta served with green beans:

This recipe sent me over the top and had me saying "Oh man that was good" all night!

1 2/3 cups water
pinch of baking soda
1.3 polenta....we just used corn meal
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 oz parmesan cheese grated and extra for serving

Bring water to a boil.  Stir in a pinch of salt and baking soda. Slowly add corn meal, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to lowest possible heat and cover.  After 5 minutes, whisk the cornmeal to smooth out any lumps.  Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.  Off heat stir in cheese and butter.  The green beans went perfect on the side....adding a needed crunch.


Pan-seared Shrimp with Spicy Orange Glaze

Glaze:
1 tablespoon mince fresh cilantro
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Asian chili-garlic sauce
1.2 tsp grate orange zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

Shrimp:
12 oz. shrimp
1/8 tsp sugar
salt and pepper 2 tsp oil
For the glaze: whisk together all the ingredients .
For the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry and season and heat a skillet to just smoking.  Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until lightly browned.  Add whisked glaze to the skillet.  Bring to a simmer and cook, tossing shrimp to cook until glaze is slightly thickened.  We served over a mix of brown and wild rice blend of rice.  Believe me...this is a killer!

Have fun cooking and thanks for taking my mind off grief for a while..cooking and gardening seems to help me with that.  This blog is dedicated to my MIL...who always bragged about my talents...deserved or not.. :-)

TAKING SUSTAINABLE LIVING ANOTHER STEP: LIVING LOCAL AND HOMEGROWN

For a couple of years now we have been working toward living a sustainable life.  Food production and making our own have become a very important part of that.  I am constantly looking for ways to leave as little carbon foot prints behind me as possible.  We have been growing our own produce and shopping locally from the farmer's market and meat from the source.  The thought of buying produce or meat from a supermarket almost.....excuse me for expressing it this way but there is no other way to put it...gags me.   My next step has been planning our weekly meals working around what we have growing canned, can get from local butchers, or the farmer's market.  So last week I started this new step.  I have goals for this step written down to cut down on how many trips we make, avoid wasting food,  showing others how easy it is too cook, being in control of what and how my food is produced, supporting my local community and above all reducing the carbon foot print I leave behind me.  To start each Sunday I will plan menus around what is available.  As we eat completely seasonally, these dishes will change.  Two first steps to this are to observe what we eat and use the most and clean out the freezer using up what we have in the menus for the next 3 months.  As I go along, I will let you know what my next steps are.  This observation will also allow me to see what spice mixes I need to make and have on hand, what types of meats we need to keep in stock, what sauces, breads and rolls I need to start making and freeze for further use.  So here are the recipes from last week.  I might add that if you don't have something available..substitute or just leave it out.  With the exception of baking..baking is not very forgiving about leaving things out or changing the amounts.  Oh I also wanted to add.  I am keeping the lists of ingredients that I had to get for the dishes so that I will have a better idea what I need to can, preserve, mix, etc for the future.

                                              MENU FOR 6/23/14
                 These recipes are designed for two but you can easily adjust the amounts.


Monday:  Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil

1 small shallot (I used our homegrown onion)
2 tablespoons olive oil ( plan on sourcing this locally but this just came from the dratted Costco)
3 or more garlic cloves (from our garden)
1 lb cherry tomatoes (from farmer's market) halved.
11/2 tsp balsamic vinegar (we had this available and it probably came from...sigh..Safeway.  Time to locally source.
3/4 tsp sugar (from the food mill)
1/3 tsp red pepper flakes (from food mill but I plan on making my own this summer)
salt and pepper to taste...we use pink salt
6 oz (2 cups) penne (I can't see making penne so locally sourced)
chopped fresh basil (we grow our own on the patio in a pot) chopped.
1 scallion....thinly sliced
1) Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350.  Toss shallot with one tsp oil, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, and pepper flakes together.  Roast veggies without stirring until tomato skins are slightly shriveled.  About 30 min. Remove from oven and cool about 5 minutes.  

Meanwhile cook pasta.  Drain and return to the pot, add basil and mix.  Toss the tomato mixture in pasta and add any reserved cooking water to get the consistency you want.
Served with a salad.  Great for a warm evening!


Tuesday :  Shrimp burgers

12 oz extra-large shrimp (From Berkeley bowl..very fresh fish there!
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (Got these from the food mill but I plan on making my own to store)
1 1/2tsp mayo (very easy to make your own.  Lots of recipes on the internet)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (farmer's market)
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (from our neighbors)
salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
Hamburger buns.(I got these at the farmer's market but this is one of the things I plan to bake and have on hand in the freezer.

Pulse shrimp in food processor until there is an even mix of finely and course chopped pieces shrimp.  About 7 pulses.
Wisk panko, lemon zest, mayo, scallion, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl then fold into shrimp.  Form two patties and cover and refrigerate for 15 min.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook burgers until crisp and browned on both sides.  I toasted the buns on the grill.  Served with corn on the cob from farmer's market.  Perfect!  What I think would be fun next time is to make some kind of flavored butter for the corn.  Try making your own butter...it is so much better than what you get in the store...and so easty!

Thursday:  Tandoori Chicken

2bone-in chicken thighs  (from Berkeley Bowl..local .free range chicken without all the junk added in).
11/2 tsps. garam masala (very easy to make on your own
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (farmer's market)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup yogurt  (Made at home).
2 tablespoons lime juice (home grown)

Cook oil, garlic, ginger, garam masal, cumin, and chili powder in a skillet until fragrant.   Whisk  1 tablespoon of garlic-spice mix, yogurt, a 1 tablespoon lime juice, cover and refrigerate until needed.
Mix together the rest of the garlic-spice mix and remaining lime juice.  Score skinned side of chicken.  Add chicken to spice mixture.  Rub mixture into chicken until well coated.  Cover and let sit at room temp for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 325.  Line rimmed baking sheet w/aluminum foil and set a wire rack on sheet.  Using tongs dip chicken in yogurt mixture and bake skin down and bake 15- 25 minutes until temp in chicken reaches 125 degrees. 
Remove chicken from oven and brown skin side up for 8-15 minutes until chicken reaches 160 degrees.

Serve with a sauce using 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tablespoon minced chives (farmer's market), 1 tablespoon mint (we grow a ton at home) and minced garlic.

I served with basmati rice.

Friday:  We went to the ball game and took our own sausages.

Sunday:  Slow cooker black bean soup

1 onion chopped fine (home grown)
garlic (home grown)
2 tsp. chili powder (I intend to make some this summer with our chili)  I have an outlet outside and will do this outside so I don't kill us.  LOL
1 1/2 cups chicken broth.  (Make your own and have it on hand in the freezer)
1 cup water
3/4 cups dried black beans
3 slices of bacon ( I used a sausage link left over from our ball game)
1 rib of celery and 1 carrot chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (farmer's market)
Sautee onions, garlic and chili powder.  Transfer to slow cooker.
Stir in broth, water, beans, bacon, celery, carrot and beans.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.  Checking liquid level every once in a while.  I used a lot more chicken broth.
Mash half of the bean mixture after cooked and return to slow cooker.  Heat thru.  Stir in cilantro.  (As we took this to a friend get together, I put the cilantro in a container so those who like it could add or if they don't leave out.

I served with an olive bread.  Did not like the texture of it...so will work with it to see if I can get it to turn out better.

And there you have it!  Happy cooking!

30 Day of Sustainable Living

 

Today is week three of living as sustainably as I can. I am now on a journey of a life of no restaurants, no mass produced, no processed foods., growing what I can, buying locally what I can't. A life of knowing if I run out...I either make it myself or don't have it.  While this journey started years ago, on some level,  not until now have I really decided that this is who I am, this is what I want to do 100% ..with all of me.  I decided to start a facebook group of 30 days of sustainable living.  Each of us is on a different level of this journey, and to each person sustainable, frugal, simple means different things, and that is okay.  We all learn from each other, if we just listen.

 

First let me start out with the above picture I chose for this blog.  When most people think about sustainable living, they picture acres of produce, pasture of cows, goats,etc.  But what sustainable living to me is that all of nature works together..everything has a purpose if it is true to nature.  Sustainable is being aware of the beauty in the world, and how it all exists for the purpose of sustaining life.  Sustainable living is seeing the world in both a complex and simple context.  It is noticing the changing of the seasons, the wildlife that changes with them, the vegetation that changes with them.  It is being aware of who you are, and what living truly means.  I could go into how the bright life, loud music, instant gratification is wrong, but maybe it is not wrong for some...but then again maybe it is wrong for the future survival of the world.  I have no answers only answers for myself, and listening to what truly makes me feel alive. 

 

So all that being said, here are a few observations of my first few weeks of  cutting out processed, mass produced food, and where it has lead me.

The first thing that hit me, maybe after a week and a half, and it kind of came out of the blue was that I began to feel a certain itch, a certain craving that I could not put my finger on.  I started thinking about it, and then I began to wonder if what I was craving was the chemicals in processed foods.  That whether it is intentional or not, and I suspect it is, we become addicted to those chemicals in processed foods so that we crave more and more.  I thought my life was relatively free of processed foods, but the more I thought about it, I was still getting an amount of it I didn't realize, we bought crackers, we bought ketchup and other condiments, we ate out at restaurants,  I did not realize that we were still getting our share of chemicals while thinking we were living a 100% healthy life.

 

The second thing that struck me was that things smelled different to me.  I don't know ..I suspect again an absence of chemicals.  But it was also something else, the smells I was smelling were real smells, smells of fresh produce straight from the farmer or my garden, fresh herbs and citrus from my garden.  The smells of fresh bread  in the oven, homemade soups...smells of homemade cooking and baking.  Smells of spices as I made our own condiments.  The smells that nature intended, no longer a spray to cover up odors.  Walking into garden became a journey of sites and smells.  There is a problem with this, however, man made noise, smells, chatter, bright lights...it all assaults you on a different level...one that is almost unbearable.  You find yourself building a bubble around yourself when you are forced to go into this world.  You force yourself to be calm and to quiet your own mind...easy no...not in the least.  But for now it is the price I pay for living the life I believe in.

 

My final thoughts ..the ones that struck me this morning.  When you start living this way, you are suddenly aware that there is a half of a bottle of ketchup in your fridge and that you only have one jar of tomatoes left to replace it, and that it is only February.  You realize that last stack of paper napkins is the last you will use.  You know that when that plastic bottle of dish soap runs out..it is you who will have to make more.  You count the little tooth pastes that are in your linen closet.  You take stock of what you have left and what you will need to make.  Guess what...you stop wasting..you become aware of how much you use.  What I thought about this morning as I went about my chores,  most of your time is spent preparing, making, and growing.  Part of the outcome of all these chores is that you don't have time to feel sorry for yourself or wish you had what your neighbors had, or fight with your family.  You have to work together.  In some small ways I feel I am walking in the shoes of my ancestors.  Though I will probably never have the strength or fortitude they had, we are, after all a product of our society, I can work toward stepping into their big shoes.

 

 

To Quiet The Chatter In My Head

I know in other blogs I have told you why I strive to live a simple sustainable life.  One is to honor my ancestors.  Another is because I truly believe it is the right way to live, for ourselves and for the earth. But there is another reason....a big reason. 
The smell of rich soil or strawberry jam cooking, the colors of the flowers and real food,  the sound of birds singing and jars pinging, the feel of the gentle breeze and bare feet on a bed of thyme ....these are the things that stop the chatter. The chatter of  the world around me and the chatter in my own head.  For when I am living that simple sustainable life, it all stops, that crazy noisy, whirling out of control, that chatter that keeps me awake at night, that chatter that makes me afraid and angry at the same time.  The world suddenly becomes solid and real to me.  It is becomes my sanctuary.  To need so much...to have so much...to no longer see the world around me....that is when the chatter ...the thousand fragmented thoughts whirl around in my head like a tornado....until they hit that nerve that says you are not good enough, you are not smart enough, no one loves you, you have no friends, and blah and blah an blah.  You all know those thoughts.  Those little thoughts we picked up along the way.  But when I sit and dig in the earth...when I watch a lady bug trying to maneuver it's way out of a little hole ...when I watch the humming birds come and splash in the fountain and notice how beautiful their colors are...when I connect with who I am..when I connect with the earth...that chatter both of an angry and afraid world and mind...they not longer exist.  When I rely on myself to grow and can my own food.  When I create things for my home with my own hands, and don't just go out and buy "stuff"..that is when I am at peace.  So it is the right thing for me.  I have to balance that with the world I live in, and sometimes that is not easy.  I won't give up tho...because when you find the quiet and the peace and  the feeling that what you are doing is right with everything in your heart, you just don't give up the fight.

I guess this blog was brought on by reflections for a new year, my private writings regarding those reflections, but I also think it was something I needed to share.  That all of us who live the green, the sustainable, the simple, the prepper, the suburban farmer, the urban, the just plain farmer   etc. etc. etc.....whatever you want to call us...we all have different reasons "why"  but at the same time similar reasons .To make some sense of the world we live in ...to have some control in our choices.... to save the earth...whatever the reasons..they are all valid.

Sustainable Living ..Can Anyone Do It?

I work very hard to live a sustainable life and to leave as little damage to the environment as possible, and I do so because it's what I think is the right thing to do.  I live in a warm loving home, I have stock piled food and I never go hungry.  It seems like such an easy life, but I am very aware that in a blink of an eye it can all be gone. Would I bounce back if that happened, probably but that is because I am the kind of person that if you give me a lemon...I won't just make lemonade...I will grind it up and spit it out.  That is my makeup, my disposition..I was both born with it and learned it thru life's circumstances.  I know what it is like to go hungry, to have people in stores ignore you because you clothes are ragged, I have stood in free cheese lines, accepted free food boxes, lived off of powered eggs and canned meat in some kind of slime, I have felt the wrath of people behind me in a grocery store when I used food stamps, and have seen the heart breaking look on my kids faces because they could not have what other kids had.  I have been there so I write this from both sides of the fence.  I am not writing this  to put anyone down because I am a firm believer that most of us do the best we can with what we were given.  For everyone is affected by circumstances in a different way, everyone feels pain in a different way, everyone reacts in the only way they know how. I am certainly not putting anyone down for having the means to live sustainably.  But my point is that we do have the "means" to live that way regardless how we got there....we have the privilege of having a home, a little (or a lot) of land to grow our own food.  And this is what has been on my mind lately, that I have been graced with a disposition that bounces back, with enough money  to live in a home, and wear clothes  that makes people in stores rush to ask if they can help me.  But it is not that way for so many people, and I have started wondering if we few who have the means can help the ones who don't.
I work in a beautiful city, in a beautiful 100+ year old building, but if you step outside the door, a big face full of reality will hit you.  The homeless, the ones who somehow did not find the way to that dreaded, nasty saying pull themselves up by their bootstraps.  People whose bodies are destroyed by drugs and alcohol (in most cases I suspect, their only way to escape), mothers with little children begging for food,  people 20 years younger than me who look 20 years older than me.  How did they get were they are?  Is it their own fault?  Maybe it is but maybe, just maybe its because they just didn't have the means, mentally or financially to pick themselves up.  Maybe they started using to ease the pain and it became a perpetual spiral.  Maybe they just lost their job, lost their home, lost the will to keep trying or have tried to no avail.  These people do not care about the environment, they don't care about GMO, they don't care about pesticides, they just want what we all want, someone to love them, a warm home, and enough to eat.  They smell because they have no place to bathe, they do their business on the street because they have no where else to do it.  Some of these people are mentally ill and have no one to help them.  Some of them are so lost in alcohol or drugs they no longer even know they are there.  Is it their fault...in most cases I think it isn't.
So with all of this said...can we as farmers or sustainable striving people extend ourselves to those that don't have the means....can we begin to make part of our fight for these people also?   I have read that there are warehouses of stock piled food.  We can't give that food away because it would lower the prices paid to farmers?  Why?  I know there are many farmers struggling just to keep afloat.  But what the heck is wrong with that picture....think of it.. people go hungry  so that farmers can barely eek out a living?  I heard a homeless man talking to another homeless man as I hurried to the train excited to start cooking my Thanksgiving dinner, he said...It's a holiday...I don't want to be out here...how hard is it to handcuff me and take me to jail?  Can you imagine...does it not make your heart ache.  Can we make part of our fight to make the world better .....making it better for everyone?  Can we give our surplus to those who need it ...can we fight to get the mentally ill back in institutions...can we volunteer at shelters...can we work to change laws that will help those that can't help themselves.  Sure we all work hard, have very little time for ourselves, sometimes maybe just enough to feed our families, I realize that, but if we are truly serious about making the world better, isn't part of that helping the ones who haven't been graced with whatever it was that helped us get where we are now. 
I know some of you will say you have no money to give, no energy to give, or (and I hope not) they deserve what they got.  I get those feelings, but for me being sustainable does not just mean it's all about me, it means that I fight for those rights for everyone.  Maybe if nothing else we can make just one person feel they are not alone or forgotten.  Maybe we can take the abundance from our gardens and give it to a shelter or bring that guy at the train station selling newspapers for a living, a bag of plums or tomatoes.  Maybe just once in a while we could not look away, look the person in the eye and say good morning.  Sure there are the aggressive homeless and those you just have to walk away from...but even with them maybe as you hurry away you could say good morning..maybe just maybe they will hear it.

A Tribute To Those Who Are No Longer With Me

As the holidays near, as with every year, I find myself thinking about the loved ones that are no longer with me.  While this is not a blog about sustainable living, it is in someways.  I honor those loved ones by being the best I can be, because to do otherwise would be to dishonor their memory.  Although they are no longer with me, they live in me, shaping who I am today.  Yes I get sad, and I do shed tears because I miss them, but I also realize I was gifted with the time I did have with them. 

My son

This is by far the most painful for me even tho it has been over 20 years..it still hurts.  He would have been 42 the 20th of this month.  I still talk to him and remind him that he is not forgotten and is still loved.  My son taught me to observe the beauty in a leaf...to see the shapes of the clouds..to laugh just because the sun is out, to dance just for the heck of it, and most important he helped me learn that there were more important things than my selfish 17 year old self.  I can still see his face and hear his laugh.....and it makes me smile remembering him running thru a field just laughing for the pure joy of life.

My Dad

While my dad had some very hurtful qualities, long ago I forgave him, and realized the pain he carried with him.  I miss driving down the highway with him...his arm hanging out the window, whistling to some country music song.  He taught me to take pride in myself, to work hard, to stand up for what I believe in.  The best thing he taught me was that if I wanted something, that I needed to work for it, to not expect someone to hand it to me...that in turn served me well and made me an independent woman.  He taught me to use my hands to make things and those skills have helped me thru some rough times..I was not an easy kid, but I know that he loved me in his own way. 

My Mom

My mom died at the age of 27 when I was 5.  I don't remember her well but I do remember as a little girl thinking how beautiful she was.  My father married several times after her death but I never called anyone mom ever again.

My Brother

My brother died at the age of 12.  Although I was only 5 when he died I remember him very well.  He took me everywhere with him and protected me from anything bad.  I remember the feeling of being safe when I was with him.  He taught me to laugh and that I deserved to be loved.  In almost every picture I have of him, he and I we are looking at each other laughing with total joy. 

My Grandmother

My grandmother has a very special place in my heart.  After my mother passed, she was the only woman in my life who loved me without condition.  She taught me dignity.  To conduct myself in a way that I wouldn't be ashamed of.  She was and will always be one of the strongest women I have known.  The summer before I started junior high, she made me work in the bean fields to earn money for school clothes.  At the time I was angry with her...it was my summer after all.  Her sister taught me to sew that summer and I made several dresses.  My great aunt made me take out stitches when I did not do it properly...and I remembering being so angry and thinking what does it matter.  It wasn't until years later I realized they were preparing me for a real turning point in my life and they wanted to make sure I had nice clothes to start that journey  I started junior high with cute clothes and feeling confident.  Now I feel sad that I never told her thank you..thank you for teaching me how to be a woman and hold my head up high.

I have not posted this blog to make anyone feel sorry for me.  I have posted it to show you that spending time feeling sorry for ourselves because of our loses only slows us down and does not honor the time and energy those who loved you spent in creating the you that is you.  Feeling sorry for myself would mean I was giving up on life and that is not something I am willing to do.  If I had given up, I would not be here with my wonderful husband, my beautiful grand kids, and my awesome younger son.  I would not be here to do whatever it is I was meant to do while I am here on this earth.

Just keep on being the best you can and see the beauty in even the sad things.

                                            EATING SUSTAINABLY ON A BUDGET

This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart.  It is easy for someone who has the money to buy those high priced "organic" foods to tell you that you can eat healthy and stay away from packaged and mass produced food-like stuff, but I am not writing to you in that frame of mind.  Although at this time in my life I am comfortable (not rich, not by far), I have not always been so.  I was a very young (and I mean YOUNG) mother with two small kids on my own.  I have lived on commodities(before food stamps), food stamps, and on a salary of $90.00 a week.  I have gone hungry, and have seen the look on my young sons faces when they saw all the wonderful food eaten by others, knowing they could'nt have that.  I know that it is not easy to feed your family when you make minimum wage, sometimes have 2 or three jobs, and are tired as all get out.  No, I know it is a bone-weary feeling.  I have been there.  That is why I am writing this blog, so maybe just maybe, I can help you achieve a certain amount of control of what you eat.  That type of control is power.  But the thing is, you have to want do it.  It is not easy, it is not fast, and it will be extra work.  If you are ready for that here are a few tips.  These are tips that I have learned from life experience and reading what others have written on the subject.

PRIORITIZE

This is not an easy one.  I know that when the world is wearing you down, all you want to do is come home and watch some tv or indulge in destructive ways to escape.  Believe me, I have gone that path myself, and still do sometimes when I am having a pity party with myself.  Here comes the part where you have to want to do this.  Sit down and take a good look at how you spend your time.  Are there things you can cut out?  Make a list and while you are at it make a list of pros and cons of eating sustainably. Here you will find out if this is something you want to do.  But if you want your family to be healthy it may trump any cons on your list.  Look at how much tv you are watching which seems to be the biggy that traps us all and robs us of precious time. Would listening to the radio help you relax while freeing up you hands to create wonderful meals?  Do you spend hours on the computer, playing games and chatting?  Once you start cooking you may discover that it relaxes you especially if its not just the crank out a boxed dinner.

PLAN MEALS

Now that you have prioritized, you have a little free time to sit down and plan out the week or the month's menu.  Plan meals around legumes, rice, veggies and fruits.  Use meat as a flavor enhancer.  A word of warning here.  For years I was a vegetarian.  My poor younger son, craving meat, discovered that other folks ate steak for dinner, and somehow he got lots of invitations to eat dinner at their house. And don't even ask him about lentils...I had a million ways to use lentils. So unless you have always been a vegetarian and that is all your family has ever known...add a little meat.  One of the things I learned to do was buy a couple of chickens cut them into pieces for 3-4 meals including using the back and neck parts to make soup.  Buying whole chicken is so much cheaper than buying the parts...it just takes a few minutes to cut them up.  If you eat beef...buy a small cut of good quality beef and cut it into small pieces to add to a dish.  There are many very satisfying dishes made from legumes and rice..sometimes adding cheese or eggs.  Read cook books and look on line.  Keep copies of the recipes your family likes in a binder so that eventually all you will have to do is look thru your binder.

BUY IN BULK

We buy all our spices,  legumes, rice, and flours in bulk.  Get on the Internet and see if there is a place in your area where you can buy in bulk.  It will save you a lot of money.  Is there a farmer in your area that has a u-pick farm?  Take the whole family and have a healthy family day picking your food.  It's good for the kids to learn where their food comes from, and give you time to share with them.  Come home and shuck the corn together or peel the apples and make applesauce together.  If your kids have a part in the food they eat, they are more likely to eat it.  Which is a bonus.  Check out the farmer's market.  A lot of the vendors will sell bulk bags of produce toward the end of the day.  Some farmers will let you invest in their chickens, beef, pork, or goats...for a little of your time and a money investment..you will be guaranteed milk, eggs and meat.  Join a community supported agriculture group...local food will be delivered to your door for less than you would pay at the store. 

GROW YOUR OWN

If you have a little space, plant a garden.  Read books on gardening.  Be sure to only plant what you will eat, you're just wasting space if you plant something your family will not eat.  Learn to can and preserve so you can eat all that goodness in the winter too.  If you don't want to learn to can (try it!  I get the greatest feeling looking at all the food I have put by)  learn the proper way to freeze produce.  If you don't have a yard, grow veggies in containers....just about anything will work as long as it is not toxic and drains.  Trust me...you will never go back to store bought produce once you taste fresh.  What  do you eat the most...maybe you could start just with that from scratch.  Grow herbs in pots..those little bunches of herbs in the store are highway robbery.

COOK FROM SCRATCH

Instead of buying packaged, mass produced  food which has little nutritional value,  make meals from scratch.  Take a day to cook up meals that you can freeze and just spend a few minutes on a busy evening to pop it into the oven.  Cook up beans and freeze so they will be ready to use in quick dishes.  Cut up veggies for quick use...just store in containers in the fridge.  Grate cheese and store in the fridge.  I make my own cheese, condiments, and bread.  Takes more time but I know what I am eating and its very satisfying.  Now that I make my own bread..the bread at the supermarket tastes like air.  Bread should be hardy..it is the staff of life!

EAT LOCALLY AND IN SEASON

Foods in season are much cheaper and are much healthier for you than foods that have traveled a lot of miles to your table.  Look on the Internet for local farmers and ranchers.  Eating locally is a win win deal for everyone.  I for one want to support those hard working farmer's who strive to bring us healthy food free of pesticides and other stuff that do not belong in our bodies.  Take a look at www.foodnews.org for produce shopping guide to see what foods you should buy organic and other that you can get away with non-organic. 

Finally use up what you have.  Make a list..mental or written and try to plan your meals around that.  Don't waste veggie peels and things like the end of onions ..freeze them and when you have enough throw them in a pot with other ingredients and make soup or stocks with them. 

Not easy..nope its not.  It takes time to eat healthy on a budget.  I hope you will give it a try tho...I have a feeling you will enjoy it once you do.

Until next time..stay well.

                                                A JOURNEY TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING

In many ways, I have always lived a sustainable life.  I have always had a garden, for many years I have preserved either by canning or dehydrating. As I have said in a previous blog, I was raised that way.  But it has not been until the last year or so that something really hit home and that is that I want to be in control of what I eat and how I live my life.  I want to do what feels right and living sustainably is a no brainer to me.  The thing I realized, and probably have always known, is that if you rely on "things" to make you happy,  and if you don't take charge of what goes in your body, then chances are you are "owned" by the big companies that tell you what you should like and how you should live.  Because that is how they make money, by making you believe that if you eat that creamy boxed mac and cheese, if you drive a car and own a home that you can't afford, if you have all those new electronics, if you have all the fancy clothes....you will be happy, feel better, and succeed.  The truth is that it's not true.  For years we have been lied to about what is good for us, but it wasn't and isn't good for us..it is good for the big corporations.  I am convinced beyond a doubt that the mass produced food we have been told was healthy for us has made us sick.  We are not eating real food...we are eating food "like' stuff.   We have gone more and more into debt because we are told we need more stuff.  When these things hit home...actually hit me between the eyes...I started changing my life.  I don't grow a garden, cook at home, preserve food, or only buy what I need because I think that the world is coming to an end or that we are going to have a zombie attack (although I want to be ready in case that happens :-).  I do those things because I want to be in control of my life.  I don't want to owe anyone so that I have to work until I am 75, and I certainly want to know where my food came from and what is in it.  Trusting in a corporation that could'nt care less about me is not an alternative for me.
So I kicked up my journey to sustainable living.  I know that I will never be 100% sustainable or that I will not leave my carbon footprints at anytime.  I can only take my little suburban farm and do the most I can.  I read a lot, just about my view point but the opposite view point also.  I want to make an educated decision.  There are always pros and cons to any view point and you have to weigh those pros and cons.  I have seen too many people who put blinders on when it comes to hearing the other side and believe me....people are taking sides on this issue....especially the issue of food.  Just post on a blog or Facebook that you would like to be able to make sure everyone gets food and I guarantee that you will get some nasty replies.
I have a long way to go on this journey.  For it to dawn on me at the beginning of fall that I have not put any fruit by is an indicator that I need to be thinking more.  I need to focus more.  One of my biggest hurdles is that I have a 9-5 job, while I don't hate my job, it does have a draining effect on me...I come home and I don't want to do anything.  I have to learn to keep the big picture in front of me, if I don't someone else wins.
Living the way I do feels right and it is worth the effort.  It makes me feel connected..it makes me aware of the seasons. This year I have noticed how different birds come to the feeder at different times of the year.  The smell of fresh veggies and fruits makes me smile and makes me frown when somebody dripping in perfume passes me at the farmer's market.  I don't want superficial ...I want the real thing...so I will continue this journey.  I know there are people that laugh at people like me...call me a tree hugger or a hippie...I really don't care...this is not a passing phase with me...this is a way of life

Until next time...

ALL ABOUT MUSTARD

                                 
                                          IT'S  NOT MUSTARD IF IT'S NEON YELLOW


I grew up with that bright yellow mustard that I am sure a lot of you did.  That yellow mustard represents the type of food I ate as a kid.  White bread, canned fruit and veggies, meat and potatoes.  Food as my father saw it, was for fuel not for fun so what did it matter what it tastes like.  Hate to say it, but boy was he wrong on that one.  My husband who grew up in New York showed me the error of my ways....and hence...this country girl became a foodie...and a bit of a food snob at that.  Why eat mediocre food when you could make it so much better at home.

Good tasty mustard is  a real joy but is expensive if you buy it in the store.  So like I do with just about everything I want but can't afford....I make my own.  Making your own mustard is so easy to do, with the added benefit of being able to introduce any flavor you want. 

A bit about mustard.  Mustard was introduced as a condiment by the French.  While it grows all over, Canada is the major supplier of commercial mustard.  If you want a good read on the history of mustard as well as recipes for mustard dishes and sauces check out The Good Cook's Book of Mustard  by Michele  Anna Jordan and if you really want to go wild check out Wisconsin's Mount Horeb Mustard Museum.  The museum was started by a Wisconsin Assistant District Attorney.

I don't make mustard from mustard flour or dry mustard.  For one thing the dry flour is only the endosperm of the seed and the bran has been removed.  But the main reason I don't use it is that to me it tastes too floury to me and I like my mustard grainy.  I buy brown and yellow seeds in bulk.  Besides mustard I throw them in about everything that is savory and make mustard sprouts. 

The basic to making mustard is to soak the seeds in a liquid.  Sometimes I use straight wine, beer, vodka, etc., straight vinegar, or a combination of the two.  Just let them sit, covered overnight or up to 3 days.  I usually let them sit for 3 days, so they are easier to grind.  Just remember that the seeds will take on the taste of the alcohol you use.  That is why I like to use vodka a lot, it doesn't seem to leave as much taste behind.

The recipes:

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Mustard

Soak 1/2 cup yellow seed and 1/4 brown seeds in 3/4 liquid of your choice.

Throw about 3 heads of garlic in the oven.  Cut the tops off the garlic, leaving the garlic head whole.  If you want you can remove the outer papery skin but that's too much work for me.  Put in a baking dish and top with olive oil.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

When the garlic is soft, squeeze it out into a small food processor and add 1/2 cup of vinegar.  Process until smooth.  Then add the seeds, 3/4 more vinegar, and juice from 2 lemons, and process to the consistency you prefer.   Put mixture in a saucepan with any sweetener you would like, this you can do to taste...honey or brown sugar are always good.  You can also add some lemon zest at this point or some other kinda of zest. 

Cook to thickness desired.  This will thicken as it cools.  Process in water bath for 15 minutes to keep longer or just refrigerator for a shorter life.

And that's it...this is the basics of mustard.  Experiment and have fun with it.  There are no rights or wrongs here.   That's the fun of it!

For mustard sprouts....Soak the seeds in water overnight.  place the drained seeds in between the fold of a damp tea towel (you can put the towel in a oblong or rectangle baking dish) . Keep damp and in a warm spot until sprouted, about 3 days.

I hope I have inspired you to have fun making your own food.  Not only is it better for you, it taste 100 percent better than packaged food.  Happy Cooking!

                                                                    THE ROAD BACK


Although I have not spent my life farming-farming is very much in my blood.  It's like a gene that has been passed down.  Something that if you are quiet with yourself, you can feel it. Although that might sound strange to some, I know some of you know what I am talking about.  At this point in my life, after a life of sitting behind a desk,  going back to my roots seems so right.  Not on the scale of my ancestors,not even close, but my hands are in the soil and that's what counts.

Farming to me seems to be a culture within a culture.  For some of us the smell of fresh cut hay, the feel of the earth in our fingers, the gentle breeze is our wild party.  Tho, I suppose some would call us introverts, the quiet of nature speaks to us.  The loud raucous crowd makes us want to cover our ears
 and run, literally for the hills.

I grew up in a wide open space in Texas..few fences, few houses.  The school I attended housed all 12 grades.  We mostly raised horses, but always had other critters roaming around.  While my father did not farm, he was a leather craftsman, and much of what we had was bartered for.

Yup, that's me with our colt Blaze.   Blaze was sold at auction shortly after this picture.  Broke my heart.

Way before me...My great great grandfather Spencer A. Morgan, was granted a parcel of land after serving in the Mexican War, and then another after he served in the Civil War (Union).  He extended that land until he had a large estate.  I have not been able to determine what crops he grew...but he is listed in the census as farmer.  The land was handed down to the children of his second wife (my gg grandmother died in childbirth) and my ancestors were left out in the cold with no land and not money.  Spencer is still buried on that land.

 

Spencer A. Morgan, Sr.

My great grandfather, Spencer A. Morgan, Jr.  is listed in the census as a young boy and young man as "helping on the farm" .  After that he is listed as "laborer".  After leaving home he is listed as "laborer".  He never owned his own farm.  He and my great grandmother only had two children which tells me they never hoped to have a farm....his father had 17 children between his two wives!  That is what was needed to work the land then.  I am sure there was a lot of resentment over being cheated out of his rightful inheritance after his father died because that resentment carried right down to my father.  There was also the problem of my great grandfather marrying a Native American.  I have been told by distant relatives, who I found thru ancestry.com. that that didn't go over very well with big daddy.

 My Great Grandmother Nancy Nettie, Great Grandfather Spencer, and Great Aunt Della.

And so this is the heritage that was passed down to my grandfather...no land...not money. I know he tried to make a go of having a farm.  He and my grandmother (who was also Native American) had 14 children together, so that tells me they wanted to.  They lived in a one room house, and struggled to make it. They divorced, and my grandfather then spent a large part of his life, again, working other people's farms.

This brings me to my father.  As far back as I can remember, my father's mantra was "I will never work for the "man".  As I said previously, he had a fairly successful leather crafting business.  For most of my early days we spent on the road going from one stock show to another to sell his handcrafts.  While on the road, he would trade and barter for what we needed.  I don't remember, although I suppose we did, shopping.  We raised a cow or two for meat, and my grandfather an avid fisherman supplied us with fish.  That was our life.  No fancy stuff, we had what we needed.  No more no less.

My Grandfather and dad....working someone else's farm...living in a little shack.  My father was in the service at this point.

So, it is in my blood..this working the land under all odds.  I live this life that I do because I honor my ancestors, and because it is the way of life that makes my soul sing.  If I could go back and give them the land they so deserved, I would but all I can do is work my little suburban farm.  I honor all of you who are striving to live this life that we do. I believe it is so important.

                                                   Have You Tried Making Lavender Wands?

Lavender is wonderful for so many projects, and doubly good for using in recipes. Here's an easy project that I love making and giving as gifts, or a attaching to a wrapped gift.  I don't like my guests to go home empy handed so I always have a small something for them to take home, and lavender wands are perfect especially if you send home some lavender champagne jelly along with them.

Here's How:

Start by sorting the lavender, and bring all the flowers up evenly.  I suggest for your first time start out small.  Maybe 7 stems.  Trim the ends of the stem to the desired length, and take off all the leaves so that your ribbon does not get caught in them.

                      Next tie a long length of ribbon close to the bottom of the flowers

Now carefully bring the stems up over the flowers

Begin weaving the ribbon in an up and then under pattern.  Making sure your ribbon is straight.  Unlike this picture.  It's a little difficult the first weave but it get easier I promise.

When you reach the bottom of the flowers, tie off and put a bow around the base of the flowers.

And there you have it.  You can even do holiday wands for a table setting.  Sorry this was a quicky weave just to give you an example. 

!

Lemon -Artichoke Chicken

If you foliow my facebook page, you probably know that we are cooking our way thru 3 binders of recipes that we have saved over the years.  We tried this one today, and was big hit.  The artichoke and lemon give this dish such a wonderful flavor.  You couldn't get better in a restaurant,  Of course at home you will have the dishes to wash.  But think how much money you saved!  Here's the recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Sprinkle chicken on both sides with pepper and salt.  In a 10inch frying pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Add chicken in batches and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides.  Transfer chicken to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and add 1 can (or jar) 14 oz artichokes hearts. To frying pan and remaining butter add 2 tbsp sherry, 2 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tsp lemon juice.  Stir over medium heat until well blended and hot. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir. Pour sauce over chicken.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese over the top of the chicken,  Bake until sauce is bubbling and golden brown on top.  About 20-25 minutes.

I was going to blog on how to make you own vinegar, but seems that I may have taken up enough of your time for one blog.  Next Friday, along with what's going on here at the little farm (I suspect it will have something to do with tomatoes), I will blog instructions for making your own vinegar.  I hope to see you then.