Game Cam

My mom sent Kel and me a wildlife (aka "game") camera as a Christmas present when we first moved to Oklahoma and wondered what kind of creatures were roaming about at night while we were fast asleep.  We had all manner of challenges trying to work with it - from figuring out how to put the batteries in, to programming it, to setting it up and then retrieving the photos.

We thought we'd get shots of coyotes, fox, bobcats or maybe even the elusive prairie YetiFoot, but instead we got lots of blurry photos of munching cows (with eyes illuminated like flashbulbs), curious turkeys and too many photos to count of our puzzled faces peering into the lens: is this thing ON?  

And then one day it inexplicably died and we put it on a shelf hoping that it would repair itself.  When it didn't, Kel researched and got another.  And it's a snazzy one.  It's got your date and time of course, but it also notes the phase of the moon and records the temperature.  The scary part is - we didn't program in any of that stuff.  As Kel would say, it's become...self-aware.

Its inaugural evening out in the night, we set it up by the birdfeeders which see heavy traffic day and night (seriously, it's amazing the number of animals that live off of black oil sunflower seeds).  It's like a Sapp Brother's Truck Stop out there.  We came up with about 15 photos of Mr. Skunk in various eating and sniffing postures.  He stuck around pretty much all night.  He's a real Hoover when it comes to sucking up those seeds.  Anyway, he must've wondered why occasionally there would be a bright flash - but it didn't seem to slow him down one bit.

We will continue to set up the camera most nights.  If we keep at it, odds are something truly interesting will wander in front of the lens and get blinded by a searing flash of light.  Let's just hope we have the courage to see whatever it is that will be revealed.

Today's Dough: Maple Walnut Wheat with Dried Cherries

I learned something the other day.  Cinnamon is a major yeast-inhibitor.  Not the most earth-shattering of revelations, but it kinda knocked me for a small loop.  Turns out if you put more than a 1/2 teaspoon or so in your dough, you're slowing down the little yeasty critters and reducing the rise.  Best to go light on mixing in the cinnamon or add it via a swirl a la cinnamon rolls.

I had this fact in mind when I put together this whole wheat bread.  I kept to the recommended amount, and let the dough rise slowly for a long period of time.  I got a beautiful first and second rise and the smell emanating from the oven during baking...let's just say, you'll need never go back to Cinnabon.

A soft, imminently toastable bread stuffed with plump tart cherries and crunchy toasted walnuts - this is a simple recipe with a dough that's very easy with which to work.  For the recipe, please visit An Unrefined Vegan.

BESTeam Feature: Sizzling Hot

As part of my BESTeam commitment, once per week I will be posting short features of several of the fabulous shops and talented artisans who comprise the team.  What is BESTeam?  It's The Boosting Etsy Shops Team and our goal is to give support to each other and to help promote each others' Etsy shops through blogging, Facebook and other social networks.  If you are an Etsy shopowner and are interested in learning more about BESTeam, please visit the team page on Etsy or have a look at the BESTeam blog.

Despite a good, solid childhood raised in the Snow Belt of northeastern Ohio, I never developed much of an immunity to cold weather.  It didn't seem to matter how many layers of clothing and coats I wore - I was always cold.  I much preferred summer activities to winter ones.  As I get older, the cold gets more difficult to handle - at least from a psychological perspective.  I can tell myself that I am lucky to experience four distinct seasons; that the winter landscape and colors offer their own unique beauty and that trees and plants need this time to work on their foundation - their roots.  Yet, each winter I feel my resistance to the cold dwindling a little bit.  Some remedies are to surround myself with space heaters and to wear long johns all of the time...but, I also like to have bright, cheerful colors around me.  Each one of these items from my BESTeam teamies were chosen for their bursting, warming colors.  Enjoy the toasty glow!

Knitful Dezigns

Veronica Grace's shop is overflowing with exuberance, creativity and life.  She has a plethora of bows, hats, scrubs and headbands in a myriad of colors along with absolutely adorable, cuddle-worthy creatures - all hand-knitted.  Have something specific in mind?  Contact Grace and she can work with you to make your vision a reality.

Mini Felt Bow in Pumpkin Orange.

Big Yellow Rosette.

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Riorita

Irith.  Lucky Irith.  When I think of her I think of hot sun, sand, blue sky, blue water.  Can you see both of these sets of earrings paired with beautiful, simple beach dresses?  A stroll along the beach sounds absolutely divine.  No doubt she is deeply inspired by the proximity of the Mediterranean to her studio. 

Sterling Silver Gold-plated Hoops.

Gold-plated Earrings with Peridot.

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Redemption Art

And since we are talking about living in paradise...Connie may find me on her doorstep one February, suitcase and sunhat in hand.  Besides enjoying the warm sun and the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, I'd love to accompany Connie on one of her treasure hunts through the markets and vintage shops.  She truly has something for everyone for sale at Redemption Art.  While you're browsing, be sure to stop by Connie's other shop, Volcano Girl Creations.

Vintage Hawaiian Flower Earrings.

Vintage Cocktail Dress.

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The Orange Windmill

Shirley - living in Canada - just might want to join me on my trip to Hawaii.  Or she might be one of those lucky people who enjoy cold and snowy winters.  Shirley's leather journals (in all sizes and colors - including these bright orange and yellow ones) truly embody the word hand-crafted.  From cutting the leather to individually tearing the sheets to binding the books - she does it all.  I can't think of a more beautiful place in which to voice one's thoughts.

Orange Hand-bound Leather Journal, 4.5 x 6.

Golden Hand-bound Leather Journal, 4.5 x 6.

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Part of the Pack

Just up the hill from my small Georgetown apartment was a large park with several grassy areas, tennis courts and woods with a stream running through it where one could take a break from the concrete.  No surprise that it was a popular place for the local residents to bring their dogs.  In the early mornings and in the early evenings, the park was filled with running, catching, barking and fetching dogs - and their humans.

Unaccompanied by a canine companion, I could walk through the park as if invisible.  On the few occasions when I had custody of a friend's dogs, however, suddenly I became quite noticeable.  The leash, the collar, the wagging tails were my passport, the secret handshake that grants entrance into the private club.  Fellow dog walkers and owners came over to say hello and chat.  With two dogs trotting close to my heels, I was immediately embraced within the doggy community.  The only thing more effective at attracting attention would've been pushing a carriage with a cute baby in it.

Something similar and equally interesting has happened now that Kel and I are dog owners.  We do not have a public park nearby to take Ike to, but when we bring him with us on errands, people want to come over and meet him (it doesn't seem to matter that Ike really isn't interested in meeting them).  Saying hello to Ike is an introduction to us and usually the segue into a long conversation. 

Doggy aunts and uncles have appeared out of the woodwork.  Friends and family members keep telling us how happy they are that we finally have a dog.  They sound almost relieved.  Most can't believe it took us so long.  How could we live on a big ranch and not have a dog - and if not a dog, at least a pet of some kind?  What, exactly, had been wrong with us?  Unbeknownst to us (but common knowledge to everyone else, apparently) something big had been missing from our lives.  Suddenly, Kel and I, by the simple virtue of having Ike, somehow became more human.

Merry Christmas

I'll be taking a couple of days off from writing Triple D to spend some quality time with my baking sheets, mixing bowls and pots and pans - and with Kel and Ike, too, of course.  There's gingerbread cake to be made, a vegan brioche stuffed with mushrooms and wild rice to assemble and a sweet potato-pumpkin-pecan pie to ready for the oven. 

Thank you so much for sharing some of your precious time with me over the past six or so months.  It's been a pleasure reading your comments, exploring your blogs and getting to know you.  Wishing you all a beautiful, family-filled, delicious, peaceful and happy Christmas.

It's Warm in the Kitchen

The Winter 2011 Issue.

My quarterly issue of King Arthur Flour's The Baking Sheet arrived today in the mail - and that's always a good day.  I look forward to brewing a cup of tea and sitting at the kitchen table leafing through the slim volume.  I always see one or two recipes that I immediately want to try: drop everything, roll up my sleeves, grab the mixing bowls, pile the ingredients on the counter and get baking.  Most of the recipes are not exactly vegan-friendly - The Baking Sheet loves its dairy and meat - but they are mostly adaptable.  The Winter issue has a hearty white bean and sausage stew (vegetable broth and seitan sausage could be handily substituted), an intriguing yeasted gingerbread loaf and in the "must try immediately" category: tangzhong bread.  Huh?  Yeast rolls stuffed with cranberries and honey (agave nectar or maple syrup ought to make good substitutes).  I'm a pushover for anything combining bread and a sweet filling.

Sesame seed and poppy seed bagels.

Although I bake quite a lot throughout the year - we buy zero commercial baked goods (just try to find the words "whole grain" in my town) and both Kel and I are carb junkies, so you can see where the math gets you - but when the weather turns cold and cloudy, I love nothing more than to get into the kitchen, tie on a well-worn (stained) apron and bake.  It's the days when I don't have to bake anything,that are the most relaxing and enjoyable.  Considering the good smells and tastes emanating from kitchens, it's small wonder that they tend to be the congregation spots for family and friends.

Cornell Bread.

Although I do return to certain tried-and-true recipes (braided walnut bread, applesauce bread, bagels, pitas) I get restless repeating myself and since there are thousands, tens of thousands of wonderful-sounding, challenging recipes out there in the world for breads, cookies, cakes, bars and other baked goods, my inclination is to keep trying new things.  And if there is something a little bit different about the recipe - be it a pretty twist, knot or enticing ingredient - I'm even more intrigued.

Kaiser rolls.

One problem I run into during heavy bouts of bread making is that the freezer becomes filled from top to bottom.  The solution is that every once in a while we have to "eat out of the freezer" for a few weeks - and then the cycle repeats itself.  An enjoyable Sisyphean task.  Will there ever be enough time to try all of the tantalizing bready recipes out there?  No.  But I'll sure have fun trying.

A Flea in Winter

Marke but this flea, and marke in this,
How little that which thou deny'st me is;
Me it suck'd first, and now sucks thee,
And in this flea our two bloods mingled bee;  

- From The Flea, by John Donne

I awoke the other morning to discover a bright red constellation of bumps all over my back and a sprinkling of the same on my legs.  Uh oh.  The moment I saw them, they immediately commenced to a terrible itching.  It's bloody cold outside, I thought, what on earth could be biting me?  By rights, all biting critters should have been wiped out by the killing frosts that have swept through the state.   They tortured me all summer, the wretches, couldn't they leave me in peace for a few months?

As I pondered the origin of the bumps, a terrible image intruded into my thoughts.  A specter so awful as to make me want to run and hide from the mere idea.  Once thought, it could not be un-thought - and it suddenly seemed so obvious.  I remembered that a few weeks back I had stayed at a hotel...and some hotels are now apparently the safe haven of those most heinous and skulking and cowardly of creatures; the blood-sucking succubi, the disturber of peaceful slumber: the lowly bed bug.  Could I have unwittingly freighted the fiends back in my suitcase to Oklahoma??  No!  Just a few days prior to acquiring my scarlet road map of bites, a friend had told me that she herself was reeling from an infestation of the parasites and that she was in the midst of banishing them from house and home.  The coincidence of the thing!  Could it be that I too had fallen prey?!

In between scratching, I began to research my enemy.  Bed bug sites abound on the internet.  First I did a quick check on BedBugRegistry.com.  The hotel had not been sited for bed bugs.  Phew.  I learned about the hallmark sign of the bedbug, the tell-tale "breakfast, lunch & dinner" bites: three bumps in a neat row.  I found out that 60% of people bitten have no reaction at all - but for those that do - well, let's just say that the photos were not pretty.  I learned that they can go long periods between feasts and that they scuttle off to dark corners come morning or bright flashlight - as if ashamed of their own handiwork.

I peered into the deep pile of the carpet; I lifted pillows and checked our bedding: all looked innocent.  And then I checked the sheets again.  I was just about to holler 'nuff when something told me to take a closer look.  And that's when I saw it.  Something small and brown and moving and dare I say, hungry-looking.  I called for the magnifying glass.  I called for back-up.  I peered into the thick glass.  The hideous creature loomed large and distorted and then, sensing the game was over, it leapt with all of its might to escape my gaze and my grasp.  And that's when it revealed its true nature to me.  Not a bed bug, but its wretched but more easily exterminatable cousin: the flea.

Do not ask me how a flea came to reside alongside us in bed.  No doubt he hitched a ride on Ike's toasty body and finding the temperature in the house quite to his liking, decided to set up shop and get to work.  It was his undoing.  With a movement as swift as a sword raking through the air, I snatched the interloper and sent him swirling down the sink drain.  Take that you robber, you thief!  Be gone from here and trouble us humans no more!  I hope you remembered your life jacket!

BESTeam Feature: All Over the Map

As part of my BESTeam commitment, once per week I will be posting short features of several of the fabulous shops and talented artisans who comprise the team.  What is BESTeam?  It's The Boosting Etsy Shops Team and our goal is to give support to each other and to help promote each others' Etsy shops through blogging, Facebook and other social networks.  If you are an Etsy shopowner and are interested in learning more about BESTeam, please visit the team page on Etsy or have a look at the BESTeam blog.

I'm not even going to pretend.  The theme of this week's feature is that there is no theme.  I'm all over the map with the hand-crafted items I chose to feature today.  Why not?  There are so many wonderful, unique items from which to chose, I'd hate to pen myself in.

GMaEllen Crochet Gifts

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Ellen takes the art of crocheting to a different level.  She crafts wrist warmers, wine cozies, shopping bags, rugs, cell phone charms, snuggly throws for cold nights, earrings, ornaments - and bookmarks and clutch bags like the two items below - whew - I know I've probably missed a few things!  From the variety of selections in her shop, it doesn't appear she'll be slowing down any time soon.

Fudge Brown Bookmark with Stone.

Lilac Rag Clutch.

Beader Bubbe

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Black and white are a classic together, of course, and this uniquely-shaped pendant would be a great accent for a sleek black and white outfit.  The green drop earrings have a very appealing tactile quality and I love their speckled, rustic glaze.  Despite her busy mom-grandma-and-working life, Agnes finds time to devote to her love of and passion for making jewelry.

Black & White Pendant.

Green Drop Earrings.

Stitch Princess

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When I went 'round to visit with the Stitch Princess, I was not expecting to see the large selection of downloadable photographs!  They're amazing - and just up my alley because they are all nature-related.  And when I saw this sweet red party dress, it had to be included in my "all over the map" collection.  By the way, you can customize this dress and any of the others at Faith's shop. If you're looking for hand sewn clothing or something bold and beautiful for your wall, check out Stitch Princess.

Downloadable Digital Photo: Bee on Flowers.

Customizable High-Necked Party Dress.

Joy Handpainted Silk

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I have a tendency towards green-colored items.  I gravitate towards it again and again: in clothing, dishes, paint, artwork... Green can be warm, bright, fresh, sensuous and rich.  Kind of describes the beautiful work at Joy Handpainted Silk.  These two items immediately caught my eye (I have green eyes, by the way).  Don't you think they'd look gorgeous together?

Hand-painted Charmeuse Silk Scarf in Absinthe.

Peacock Feather Shell Pendant.

Today's Dough: Onion & Walnut-Stuffed Beer Bread

This just might be the bread - a mix of rye and whole wheat white flours - that accompanies Christmas dinner (whatever that turns out to be...) since the dough can be put together days ahead of time and cool its heels in the refrigerator.  The flavor just gets better with time.  The onion-rosemary filling can also be made ahead of time - or the bread can be baked up without filling.  It makes for yummy toast or sandwich bread.

I'm going to fill the other half of the dough with a combination of unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon, maple sugar, golden raisins and toasted walnuts.  Sounds like Christmas morning breakfast.  For the (easy) recipe, please visit An Unrefined Vegan.

Lost...and Found

We took a walk into the woods to enjoy the beautiful late afternoon sunlight and warmth, crunched through the fallen leaves and ducked under branches with Ike and Winston running erratically ahead, exploring.  We climbed up a small, rocky ridge and started to come back down when I said, "Look for that rock with the grinding holes in them - - " and no sooner had I said it then Kel was bending down and wiping wet leaves off of the surface of a large, flat boulder.

Sure enough, he'd found the grinding rock.  Further proof of finding when not seeking.  One of the holes is about 5" in diameter and 4" or so deep.  Moss has crept to the edge of it as if peering in.  The other hole was filled to the top with years of leaves - blackened and turning soupy at the bottom.  It is probably 6" in diameter and maybe 10" deep.  A well-used spot.  I'm so glad that the grinding rock hadn't vanished after all.

When we'd cleared away the debris, Winston climbed onto the rock and dipped his head down into the large hole and drank up the water that had collected at the bottom.

(The original post about this rock, The Point of Rocks, can be found here.)

Oklahoma Rose: Under the Mistletoe

There isn't much time to spare until Christmas.  I must put into motion my diabolical plans to lure Kel under the mistletoe for a kiss, perhaps even under all of the mistletoe, but considering that Oklahoma trees are lousy with the stuff, it could take a while for us to make the complete rounds of the ranch.  I'm not complaining; somebody has got to do it.  Balls of mistletoe live high up in the branches of winged elms, bois d'arc and just about any other kind of tree on which their seeds find themselves perched.

Until we moved out here and saw it for ourselves, mistletoe had always been for me a questionable, bogus entity - a mythical plant; a fantasy product of Christmas and Christmas carols, bad jokes and awkward moments at holiday parties.  Who knew that it was an actual plant, a parasite, no less - that siphons off the water and nutrients (though it handles photosynthesis all by itself) of its host trees, thereby stalling the trees' growth?  Sounds romantic, doesn't it?  Admittedly, it is rather pretty, with bright green, succulent leaves that grow in a neat ball.  It looks like a strange extension of the tree itself, artificially robust and healthy amidst the drab decay of winter all around it.

(As pretty as it is, don't be tempted to toss mistletoe leaves in with your salad greens.  Eating it causes severe GI and stomach distress, [ahem] diarrhea and low pulse rate.)

Mistletoe isn't all bad.  Turns out a large number of animals depend on the leaves, shoots, berries and seeds.  In fact, it's the seeds that pass through a bird's system and land on branches that sprout and become new mistletoe plants.  (Mistel is Anglo-Saxon for "dung," and tan or tang - from which "toe" derived - means "twig," so mistletoe is "dung on a twig."  Lovely imagery there.)  Some birds even use mistletoe plants as a place to build their nests. 

This hemi-parasitic plant can be found in Europe, North America and Australia and it boasts hundreds of different species.  Despite its poisonous tendencies, you can find mistletoe extracts and solutions in the world of homeopathics as an aid in respiratory and circulatory ailments.  There has even been research into its use as a cancer cure, but results have not been promising.   Unless you are Suzanne Somers.

One last tidbit of information.  Mistletoe, a variety known as the Oklahoma Rose, is the official "floral emblem" of this here fine state.  Now - there's no time to waste!  I'm off to find Kel and entice him to take a walk with me under the mistletoe.

(All the botany stuff came from Wikipedia.  Where would my blog be without Wikipedia?!)

Getting Lost: A Christmas Memory

It was Christmas Break during my freshman year in college and after a mere 3 months on my own, I was feeling quite confident and independent and adult, so when my mom suggested that my older brother and I drive out to the tree farm in northeastern Ohio to cut down an evergreen for the holiday - the farm where we had for years been harvesting our family tree - I assured everyone that I knew exactly where the farm was located; no need for written directions or anything so superfluous as a map.  It was, I told them, impossible for us to get lost.

 My brother was entrusted with a saw and the keys to the big gray van which had been emptied of its maroon-colored passenger seats in anticipation for the beautiful, fat evergreen we would soon be loading into it.  Our journey began on the back roads of rural Ohio.  Thin dirt roads crusted with ice and snow that refused to melt and lined on either side by tall, bare hardwoods.  We cruised through Amish country and rolling brown hills dotted with big barns and clean white houses with the curtains hung diagonally across the windows.  It was a frigid, gray, dull day and despite the cranking heater in the van, we were chilled.  The cavernous van swallowed all of the warmth and left none for us.

At last we came to the divided highway that would take us past the tree farm.  I knew that it would be on our left - but beyond that - I really wasn't so sure.  I expected that a big sign would point us in the right direction, but as the time and miles slipped away and the sky turned a deeper gray tinged with silver, I realized that I had no idea where the tree farm was.  When we drove past the Welcome to Pennsylvania sign, my heart sank and I turned to my brother with shame and embarrassment and admitted that I had gotten us lost.

Instead of being upset with me or teasing me, he simply turned the van around and headed back in the other direction.  Evening was almost upon us and we knew our parents would wonder what had taken us so long.  How could we return empty-handed?  As we drove, we kept our eyes open for another place to stop and get a tree but suddenly the road seemed depressingly empty.  Dark purple and gray appeared along the edges of the sky and just as we were about to give up hope, we spotted a small sign for "you cut" live Christmas trees.  My brother turned onto the gravel road and then onto a thin driveway that took us to the front of an old farm house.  A teenager came out, pulling on his coat.  He led us out into the snow past rows of fledgling pine trees and farther into a field where the older trees grew tall and sturdy in neat rows.

We selected a tree and my brother got to work, lying down in the snow to get at the tree's trunk.  The teenager stood with his hands deep in his pockets and watched.  The wooshing sound of the saw was the only thing to be heard on that frigid early evening and after several minutes, the tree was free and we began to drag it back towards the van.  My brother's coat was covered in snow on one side.  We paid the young man and started back for home.  I dreaded getting back and having to admit to my parents that I hadn't known where the original tree farm had been, despite my boasts.

But when we got home, my parents had not yet returned from work - my secret was safe for a while.  My brother turned to me then and said, "We don't need to tell mom and dad."  Relief and gratitude washed over me.  I have no idea whether or not my brother finally did tell my parents, but nobody said anything to me about.  As far as I knew, it remained our little Christmas secret.

BESTeam Feature: Frosted

As part of my BESTeam commitment, once per week I will be posting short features of several of the fabulous shops and talented artisans who comprise the team.  What is BESTeam?  It's The Boosting Etsy Shops Team and our goal is to give support to each other and to help promote each others' Etsy shops through blogging, Facebook and other social networks.  If you are an Etsy shopowner and are interested in learning more about BESTeam, please visit the team page on Etsy or have a look at the BESTeam blog.  

Oklahoma doesn't get a lot of snow, but frosty mornings are common and the occasional ice storm wreaks havoc once or twice a season - leaving every surface coated in a beautiful (if damaging), crystal clear layer of ice. 

For this feature I went looking for the handmade treasures among the BESTeam shops that evoked the colors of an Oklahoma winter: soft grays, whites, ebony, purple and browns.

CK Silver

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Reminding me of the subtle colors of a frozen pond, these elegant earrings and pendant of moonstone, jasper, quartz and silver have all the sparkle a winter outfit requires.  Cindy welcomes custom orders and if you're looking for a unique piece of jewelry featuring your birthstone, just ask.

Moonstone and Jasper Earrings.

Pink Quartz Flower Pendant.

Our Home to Yours
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These big, bold chunks of magnesite bring to mind snowballs.  And if you're going to be tossing snowballs around, you'd best have a snuggly, warm hat like the crochet one below - in wintry cool lavender and gray.  The energy and creativity of the artistic duo behind Our Home to Yours shines in their shop: scarves, hats, vintage pieces, jewelry, wreaths...

White & Purple Magnesite Necklace.

Slouchy Tam Hat.

Chicky D's
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I love the crisp look of these bows by Danielle - so clean - like a fresh snowfall against the backdrop of dark trees.  The hint of color on the two small bows provides a much-needed burst of warmth on a wintry day.  Danielle also takes gorgeous photographs which you can find at her other shop, Danizabeth.

Black & White Stacked Bow Headband.

Mini Bows in Black, White & Hot Pink.

Blue White Wear

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Cool, cool pearls in organic, natural shapes: the earrings could be drifts of windblown snow.  The delicate necklace - like fragile ice crystals - in freshwater pearls would make a lovely companion piece to the earrings.  For unique East-meets-West bracelets, earrings and necklaces, stop by Blue White Wear.

Cascading Pearl Earrings.

Pearls & Pendant Necklace.

PB & J

Peanut butter was a big part of my childhood.  A few times a week I would find a peanut butter and jelly (usually grape or raspberry) sandwich in the small brown paper bag I carried each day to school.  More often than not, sadly, the sandwich bore the heavy and round concavity of the orange that was also in the bag - no doubt because I'd stuffed my lunch into my locker without a thought.  Being a child who liked things "just so," I would nibble around the edges of the smooshed, bruised-looking circle and then go digging into the bag for the cookies.

Then I'd get home from school with the hunger of a tiger cub and out would come the jar of peanut butter and the loaf of bread.

One would think after 40-odd years or so I would've grown tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but that's not the case.  Vegans have a tough go of it in Oklahoma, so if I know I'll be on the road around mealtime, a PB & J comes along for the ride.  Sometimes I just get a powerful craving for one.  My sandwich has evolved slightly since the 6th grade, however.  Instead of Jif or Skippy, I use natural, unsweetened peanut butter; I prefer tart cherry jam to the overly sweet grape variety and my bread is no longer white, but whole grain, providing a structurally more sound bread than the flimsy white stuff.  Perhaps even sturdy enough to support the weight of an orange inside a small, brown paper bag.

The sandwich pictured above was lovingly constructed with a flavorful and soft cracked wheat bread.  You will find the recipe for it on my sister site, An Unrefined Vegan.  Pair it scrumptiously with PB & J, spread hummus on it, dip into soups or eat straight up.

The Point of Rocks

In the early spring of our first year in Oklahoma, when the trees were still bare, but the air had the sweet smell of impending new life, the previous owner of our ranch came over for a visit and took us to a spot near a small spring where there was a flat rock once used by Native Americans as a grinding stone.  Sure enough, the otherwise inauspicious-looking rock had the unmistakable marks of man's hand.  There were two shallow, smooth indentations worked into the rock, one slightly deeper than the other.  How many years had it taken to engrave those marks?  It felt slightly surreal to run my hands into the hollows, imagining others sitting where I was, imagining kernels of corn slowly pulverized into meal.  I've tried many times to find the grinding rock again, but have failed.  The old man had taken us right to it without a second's hesitation.  It seems to have vanished into the woods; under the deepening pile of fallen leaves and the thick, tenacious vines with wicked thorns.  History slipping away.

The ranch is full of rocks and stones, of course.  Mostly crumbly sandstone covered in carpets of moss in an array of complex, luxuriant greens.  There is a long outcropping of rocks, a thick, broken seam that runs across our property.  We learned that long ago, maybe 50 or 60 years ago, rock was quarried from the ranch and used to build the local high school stadium.  Looking at the size of the structure it's surprising that any rocks remain here on the land.  It's an impressive if inelegant stadium, rough and sturdy, with colors ranging from deep brown to rust to burnished gold.  The raw rocks hewn and hauled and fitted into place to fit our needs.  The hand of man touching stone. 

New Greeting Card: Sprinkles

At Christmastime in our household there were generally two kinds of cookies being baked: buttery, swirled spritz in pale greens, reds and yellow that were made with a copper-colored contraption with a handle and discs that you placed in the end to get various shapes; and flat sugar cookies cut into candy canes, stars and Christmas trees.  These we layered with sugary icing in different colors and topped with either tiny edible gold and silver balls or with sprinkles.  Some sprinkles ended up where they belonged - on the cookie - but a good many of them ended up on the counter, stuck to our fingers and all over the floor.

Though my favorite cookies to consume (and indeed, I could have easily consumed my weight in them) were the spritzs, the decorated sugar cookies were a necessary element of the holiday and were fun to make.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is now a mere 15 days away!  My latest, and last card for the 2011 Holiday Season is my homage to the sugar cookie: Sprinkles.  There's still time to order Christmas cards from Empty on the Inside! Hand-painted cards make for extra special greetings.

A Greenhouse Update

While it's not quite the right temperature for the lounge chair and bathing suit, stepping into the greenhouse on a cold but sunny day is a little like stepping off of an airplane that took you (wrapped in your warmest coat, hat and gloves) from a Cleveland February to the Florida Keys.  The feeling is one of liberation and nearly instantaneous relaxation.  Warm, moist air greets you as you open the door and step inside.  The smell of plants growing - the fragrance of moss - fills your nose.  Coat, hat and gloves come off.

But there is serious, if slow, work going on.  We now have three raised beds constructed of recycled cinder blocks with various kinds of greens growing in them (and I think some radishes) and numerous potted plants that spent the summer outdoors.  They are all in somewhat of a time warp.  The winter sun is weak and the daytime warmth is fleeting and evaporates overnight.  A tray of basil seems content to stay in miniature and three lemons have hovered between dark green and pale yellow for weeks and weeks.

One thing is for sure - the greenhouse extends our growing season.  In a few weeks, we should be enjoying fresh baby greens and maybe a radish or two.  If not, at least the greenhouse is a good place in which to hide from the wind and cold of winter.

Basil, a few days old.

Happy parsley.

Beds newly planted.

Baby greens.