Salubrious Weather

Maybe not the expected weather of December, but glorious sun and 50's to 60, expected 70 on Saturday. Celebration long walks with dogs. Qigong at the river; singing and airing out the house. I cleaned up my CD player and tried out two new discs - the whole house filled with the music.
After qigong today, Beth offered a presentation of salt fermenting vegetables and fruit; inspired I have started a quart jar of cabbage, ginger, garlic, carrot, jalapeño, stem of broccoli. In 7 to 10 days I should have some goodies. After a quick trip to the recycling center in Riner, I met my class at the Buffalo and More for lunch - they treated me. I love the way the class has expanded and continues after five years. Here's to more qigong and to fermented vegetables!
The island in a different light!

Eating chicken with THE NEW YORKER

It was a mistake, thumbing through my Feb 2nd issue while sitting in front of my organic chicken breast, pan seared with asparagus, shitaki and portabella mushrooms - with roasted potatoes on the side. Oh, yes, delicious; the first chicken I have bought in months. But what loomed from the pages of the magazine after I had noted all of the cartoons and read the two poems, was a chicken outline filled with what appeared to be empty pill capsules and chestnut burrs. Oh, no, more likely salmonella! Did you know that there are NO contamination limits on chicken parts processed for sale in the USA. Not long ago the USDA found that "24% of all cut-up chicken parts  are contaminated by some form of salmonella." And, AND moreover, the most contaminated parts are CHICKEN BREASTS ( Consumer Reports: "a third of chicken breasts tainted with salmonella carried a drug-resistant strain"). Now you know. Needless to say, I have a queasy stomach this morning. There are no Federal rules because of the beef and pork lobbyists who fear that if chicken is regulated, they will be next. Read the article!

Hollar Granola

Winter and my cravings turn to granola, here's my recipe:

warm up liquid: 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup coconut oil, and 1 teas. vanilla

mix together dry ingredients: 4 cups organic rolled oats, 1/2 cup ground flax seed, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (shelled), 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4-1/2 cup coconut flakes and 1/4 cup corn meal (optional). 1/4 teas. salt!


mix dry ingredients with the liquid. grease a cookie sheet. bake in 325 degree oven for 25  minutes or more. Check every 10 minutes and stir mixture - until golden brown. (I toasted the nuts and sunflower seeds a bit before adding them) 

add dried fruit: currants or raisins or cranraisins or whatever (i had candied ginger which i chopped and added) then add chia seeds - 1/4 cup or more. I also add hemp seeds to a bowl when serving.

um 
 

Stinging nettles in smoothies

Rainy this morning, abundance of green all about me as I rake grass for the chicken coop. My peonies are opening and I can't walk past without bending for a whiff. Winter falls from my shoulders in a shrug. This is what I wait for and can never fabricate. 
The stinging nettles are up by our camp site at the river. Mindy walked home from the river with a bouquet in her hands yesterday.  I have grown to not  mind the quick sting as I pinch off a nettle top - convincing myself that the discomfort is healing to any arthritic tendency in my hands. Their leaves are hugely beneficial:

• Strengthen adrenal, urinary, lung and kidney function
• Purify, build and nourish blood
• Removes phlegm, alleviates dry cough
• Reduces symptoms of PMS
• Alleviates gout, asthma, rheumatic/arthritic conditions, and anemia
• and can benefit those who suffer from seasonal allergies

 

Green Smoothie 101

This morning's smoothie: one banana, two slices of fresh pineapple, handful of fresh spinach from grocery, and handful of green from my garden (beet, chard and tender greens) - and 1/3 cup of water. Will post other concoctions during the summer. Yesterday I added an aloe leaf and part of mango. I learned to restrain myself from being too creative as some combinations are too strong to stomach easily; bitter greens need to be balance by some sweet fruit. The ripeness of the bananas makes a difference also. Variety is highly recommended; I over did the watercress smoothies. Watercress has gone to seed, but will produce another crop later in the summer - I can root under the flowering tops to find tender leaves still. Fortunately, the garden is beginning to offer delicious options. Baldwin likes the tender pea plants - I haven't tried, but plan to soon. I usually add several parsley leaves. 

Sunday Morning and

Espresso, with chicory and made with Kangen water. Tara and Kathy came for dinner last night and demonstrated their new Kangen water machine. Alma came as our resident scientist, objective skeptic. I must say that after John's work with Nikken, I too am skeptic of such things...and here again is a promotion of the benefits of magnets ("Scientists have discovered that running water past magnetically charged plates makes it possible to separate water into two streams: one that is alkaline and one that is acidic." - pamphlet from Kangen)

Tara tested my water which I already knew was on the alkaline side as I tend to kill any azalea that i plant; and, indeed, the spring is 7.59 PH. Where my water differs from that of Kangen water is in the "ionization" process which supposedly imbues Kangen water with "oxidation-reduction potential" (eg neutralizes free radicals). So I now have 6 gallons of this detoxifying (their word) water which Tara and Kathy will replace in a week so that I can test out the efficacy of the machine. Mind you the machines cost from 2 to 4 thousand dollars (you can get one paying 44 dollars a month - for years!). Sounds like another pyramid scheme; at least, from the way the product is marketed. If you buy one, you can make money back by selling the product (like Nikken). Problem is that the market is easily saturated; it is difficult to recoup the original investment.

Tara and Kathy had many stories of healing sparked by the Kangen water; Alma pointed out that benefits might be due to merely drinking more water - which folks tend not to do. Plus part of the sales pitch demonstrates just how acidic most bottled water is, along with energy drinks and sodas. Duh. Thus if someone drinks more water and cuts out sodas, they are going to feel better regardless of whether Kangen or not. I am impressed that Kathy's got her feet back! And I would hazard that alkaline water alone would benefit cancer patients.

Enjoyed the company and the meal. I think my water is good enough and with the green smoothies I should be getting any benefits lacking in my water. Wet snow falling - temperature almost 40.

Green stains

Green smoothies have stained the rubber gasket on my blender, now my sleeve and I can imagine other clothes in the future considering my carelessness in the kitchen. My intestines must be taking on a chartreuse tint; but why would I even consider that? Smoothie junkie that I have become, I find that thinking of new concoctions is part of my routine. Almost wadded into the water cress to see if I could salvage some leaves from the frost - but I needed my rubber boots.
Mojo has taken advantage of the closer proximity of this house to the rotting deer caucus at the river and we met him coming back from the river as we (Irie and Mr. Lee and I) were ambling down. At least he doesn't smell of carrion; where are the vultures when I need them? Alaska cat was taking the sun on the porch when we arrived at the Blue house, he purred hello after ducking from Mr. Lee's advances. All is well and green!

Lean Lunch in Giles

Blue taxi picked up Elizabeth and Diane in Blacksburg and ventured out 460 to Giles where Pat was hosting lunch for her son, Robin, a recent University of Berkeley grad. Pat's sun flooded house was healing, I savored it along with appetizers of rice crackers with avocado slice and slice of olive. A glass of sangria, mercifully not too strong was awfully tasty. Robin has weathered wonderfully at just 40! Our children are 40!!!!!!!!!! Lunch was a tasty light cole slaw and buffalo meat balls, a fine addition to my green smoothies.
Mr. Lee and I watched football in the evening, an unusual event, which deteriorated into barking and screaming at the screen! What an exciting playoff between 49ers and Saints. We didn't make it through the Denver game, figuring New England was playing far too well.
And to my surprise this morning, snow.

Day Four

Well, I began yesterday morning with the salt water, decided I was not going to do it another morning (did note from the book that I could substitute a cup of Senna tea - which I will do in future if I ever try again). Made it to teach Qigong with a container of lemonade, which is also losing any remnant of good taste - if that could have been said of it. The church room was cold, remained cold; we did our sets with coats on! Afterwards with some mounting glee I went to Kroger to collect the weaning off food: oranges (clementines), kiwis, bananas, pears, avocados, two bags of spinach, broccoli, romaine. Emptied what remained of my lemonade in the quart measuring cup and squeezed 3 Clementines. It was sooooo good. Breaking the fast! Best part! For the afternoon I made my first green smoothie: banana, 1/2 kiwi, fresh arugula and beet greens from the garden and some spinach, juice of clementine. What's not to like? I suspect this is what I need to cure my cough and what seems to be bronchitis. For dinner I concocted the following: avocado, key lime juice, garlic, green pepper, spinach (lots), clementine juice and a bit of water. I'm a believer.
I woke up this morning thinking about my breakfast smoothie. A rather simple one, banana, apple, juice of clementine and lots of spinach with the remaining arugula from my garden. I am already looking forward to lunch.

three....

Rainy, just painted grey, day. Brightness of granddaughter lifted my spirits this morning; now this afternoon and the lemonade drags. Did find some nettle tea in the cupboard and feel it is helping to get me moving. I'm off to Blacksburg this afternoon to lead a small group in Qigong who are in need of a class since Robin is moving and too busy. I am wanting some food I can chew! I am wanting at least a green smoothie which sounds better than a fudge sunday at this point. An avocado would be luscious, an artichoke, divine.

Day two of hard core

Well, stomach rumbling is part of the day; and it is only day 2 since i can't really count the two days of salt water and lemonade that also included some grapes, a pear and soup each night which "eased" me into the fasting. I wish I could stomach the 32 ounces of salt water in the mornings with less repulsion. After yesterdays gloomy light rain day, Mr. Lee and I are looking forward to a long walk - the forecast for tomorrow is for heavy rain, so today will be double walk. I found that one of my amaryllis plants has a flower shooting up and I brought it in from the green house.
I find that the word "walk" is irritating to me today; I think I shall say amble. Amble fits what I do and is more salubrious a word. Walk seems to have intent and focus, which I don't for a walk. Perhaps I am beginning to emotionally purge!

other than food

I know I have just begun this fast or "cleanse" and it is hugely presumptuous to write as if I have accomplished piddle squat, but it seemed auspicious this morning after Qigong to find at the grocery 4 kinds of lemon/limes! Did they know I was living off lemonade? I whisked thru the store with my key limes, Meyer lemons and normal limes and lemons. I did not idle over the breads fresh from the oven, nor follow the gaze of the man hovering over the sushi. I don't ever buy doughnuts, but I felt proud that I didn't buy one today! I did add an avocado to my stash, figuring it just might last a week. It wasn't until I was home with my citrus and took off my coat and scarf that I pawed at my chest. Where was my down vest? Spacey! Yes, but I remembered exactly where I left it at the church where we do Qigong. Gleefully Mr. Lee joined me for a ride to recover the item.

lemons and salt

Baldwin has a bowl, a large bowl of lemons, he's prepared; he sent me home with four just so I can get through today! But I think I'm doing well enuf this second day moving slowly into master cleanse. My only solid food today was 1/2 a pear I just ate in preparation of walk to river with Mr. Lee. I left Mindy cleaning every window in their house - so clear I almost walked thru one. It is an idea I may take up as I've vacuumed as much as necessary today. Projects necessary to replace all the time (I had no idea) spent thinking of food, cooking food and eating food. I know I am a grazer. Clouds have thickened from pebbles to choppy seas. A good time to walk.
Tonight I am having a small bowl of soup as I did last night; last solid food for a week - maybe! Planning on an Epson Salt bath this evening after I close up the chickens. Reading Bob Dylan's Chronicles vol 1 which mercifully speaks rarely of food.

catching the high

Now I know it must take a deep drought of denial to be even considering doing a "master cleanse" at my spry age of 66, but my son's bouncy bright eyed presence has conned me. This along with the fact that Baldwin was only sick for 3 or 4 days with the rhino virus that Mindy and I are still recovering from after 10 days. Mr.Lee and I have just returned from Harvest Moon in Floyd for organic grade B maple syrup and probiotics (for the 3rd day after the cleanse). I began the morning with what I am assuming will be the most difficult aspect of the cleanse, 32 ounces of sea salt water - gag. I'm using Himalayan sea salt, nevertheless the last 2 glasses are difficult. I've made up a batch of lemonade (lemon or lime juice with maple syrup and cayenne) - this is delicious. That's all that is needed for 10 days - plus all the herb tea you want. Today, I am planning on eating the vegetable soup i made yesterday - so I won't go into the no solid food dimension until tomorrow. Should be interesting! Living alone has the advantage of not having to watch anyone else cook and eat when you are not. I don't think cat and dog food will entice me to brake my the regime.
Another warmish lovely how can it be winter day!

Learning of super tonics

My most favorite super tonic of late is chia seeds, but yesterday I discovered a new super tonic: hemp seeds. It has long outraged me that the United States has outlawed the growing of hemp! Grown in Canada and elsewhere - probably everywhere but here (here because it is a weed - but not cultivated). Besides the obvious benefits, one of which is hemp paper which would save untold trees, hemp seeds are high in protein and contain all nine of the essential amino acids (like flax). These potent seeds have the power to treat nutritional deficiencies caused by diseases such as Tuberculosis or cancer; hemp seeds are anti-inflammatory. Adding hulled organic hemp seeds to your diet (eat plain - taste somewhat like walnuts, a bit greener or add to salads or other food) will correct any long standing issues with blood flow, help reduce blood cholesterol, reduce the chance of arterial thrombosis and more - lots more! Hemp seeds contain a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid for cardiovascular health and general strengthening of immune system! Here's a near free source of food, good source, and in America we can't grow it. Must be because the Pharma folk can't patent it. Of course, the surveillance helicopters can't distinguish hemp from its sister MaryJane.

flirst snow flakes

Wind is cold this Veteran's Day, but the sun is out which warms the green house warming the south east side of the house and my room where I write, french doors to the room of green. What would have been a miserable discovery by myself, was mitigated by Baldwin's great help: He and I went in the studio to drain the pipes and were assaulted by a deadly odor. The refrigerator decided to die and take a freezer full of pastured beef with it. Gross! We emptied the frig and mopped with clorox. The smell is gone and the frig stands by the driveway ready for the trip to the dump! I don't eat meat often and I suspect this incident will serve to put red meat way down on my list of desirable food.