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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Ma Grande

Happy Birthday Ma Grande.....1985!!  We sat at the edge of the world & you asked me why & though a thousand things came to mind, underneath them all a quiet voice was saying because you remind me of everything in this world to love....the reason why....

She said she usually cried at least once a day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short....bittersweet....

I Want To Know What Love Is


Eskimo Cookies--her favorites!!
¾ cup vegan buttery sticks
¾ cup organic sugar
1 Tablespoon water
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cup quick oatmeal
Powdered sugar
Put "butter" in a large bowl and let stand until soft.   Beat well.  Add sugar and mix well.  Mix in water, vanilla and cocoa.  Mix in oats.  Keep in refrigerator overnight.  Shape into small balls and roll in powdered sugar.  Store in the refrigerator.

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Chairs

Every woman has her chair, something she needs to put herself into, Banes. You ever figure out what Lisa's chairs were and buy 'em? Nope. Phenomenon.......so true!!...fellows...I'm sure you understand that!!

...and no Thanksgiving holiday weekend is complete without this tradition...ENJOY peeps!!
Alice's Restaurant

Ayurveda fun times...how about trying these two tests.....
Prakriti
Vikriti

Sunday, November 16, 2014

First Snow

How do you know? she said & the answers fell like feathers, or the first snowflakes of November, light and without words. I looked in her eyes and smiled. You just know, I said. Intuition


First snow of the season--Santa Fe, NM

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

What's Real

Happy Birthday my brother!!

…fear is a product of our imagination…danger is very real, but fear is a choice….After Earth

"I used to be pretty clear on what was real & what I made up, but with everything going on in the world, none of that seems to matter, so I just decided to talk less & smile to myself more, so as not to add to the general confusion." General Confusion

Vegan Persian cucumber salad (Maast-o Khiar)
Servings: 6

3 cucumbers, diced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1-16 oz coconut milk yogurt
1 medium shallot, peeled and finely minced
1/2 clove garlic, peeled and very finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus whole sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus whole sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus whole sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 small radishes, sliced as thinly as possible

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan, add the raisins and turn off the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain and transfer the raisins to a small bowl. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, toast the walnuts until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, shallot, herbs, salt and pepper and mix with a rubber spatula until well blended. Add the sliced cucumbers and radishes, and stir to combine.

4. Just before serving, add the walnuts and raisin mixture and stir well to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish the outer edge of the bowl with sprigs of basil, mint and dill.  Serve with lavash bread.




Sunday, October 5, 2014

Embrace Life

Embrace life...If today were the last day of your life...
When you grow up, you tend to get told that the world is the way that it is. And that your life is to live your life inside the world, and try not to get in too much trouble, and maybe get an education, and get a job, and make some money and have a family. But life can be a lot broader than that when you realize one simple thing: that everything around us that we call life was made up by people that are no smarter than you. And you can build your own things. You can build your own life. Build a life. Don’t live one, build one.....
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”......Steve Jobs

Rajma (red kidney bean curry)

2 cans red kidney beans, undrained
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
2"piece of ginger, minced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, diced
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 Tbl garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafetida
¼ bunch cilantro, chopped, to garnish

In a hot, dry cast iron skillet, add the cumin seeds. When they stop sizzling, add the onion and saute until soft.
Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the green chilies, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powders and saute.
Add the red kidney beans, asafetida, salt to taste.
Mash some of the beans roughly (this thickens the gravy).
Garnish with cilantro and serve piping hot with plain brown rice.

Serves 8




Friday, September 5, 2014

El Camino Reprise




Thank you my sweets for the LOVELY b'day "gypsy soul" bracelet and b'day gathering--dinosaur candles are the BEST!!

…song of the day… El Camino….

"You don't choose a life…you live one…." The Way

…Bonita…remembering the wonderful new beginnings El Camino trek…and ya-ya's…remembering the wonderful years of rogue girl scout troop 8093 outings….

One day, I decided to help wherever I could, and it was almost like magic because I was exactly what the world needed everywhere I went.  ….Help Wanted….

I used to wait for a sign, she said, before I did anything. Then one night I had a dream & an angel in black tights came to me and said, You can start anytime now & I said is this a sign? & the angel started laughing and I woke up. Now, I think the whole world is full of signs, but if there's no laughter, I know they're not for me. ….Waiting for Signs….

Oil Free Vinaigrette

 Oil Substitute:
1 cup cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Heat to thicken

1 cup oil substitute
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ Tablespoon honey or agave
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon paprika
Black pepper

Monday, August 4, 2014

Set Loose

"She felt herself set loose as she spilled forth ideas from her long overbrimming vaults of private thoughts.  There is only so long that a person can keep her enthusiasms locked away within her heart before she longs to share it with a fellow soul…."  The Signature of All Things: A Novel--Elizabeth Gilbert

The wonderful thing about falling in love is that you learn everything about that person... and so quickly. And if it's true love you start to see yourself through their eyes. It brings out the best in you... it's almost as if you were falling in love with yourself.  Playing by Heart

MUSHROOMS MCDOUGALL
Servings:  4

1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1  4 ounce can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
 fresh ground pepper to taste

Place water in a large pan or wok.  Bring to a boil, add mushrooms, green onions, garlic and chilies.  Cook and stir for a minute or two, then add the remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until all liquid has been absorbed, about 10-12 minutes.

Serve rolled up in a burrito shell with fresh salsa; use on top of beans in a Mexican-style burrito; or serve on top of baked potatoes. This is wonderful on almost anything!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Monday, July 21, 2014

Alaska...thank you!!

A special thank you to my traveling peeps for helping make this Alaska trip one I'll never forget!!

Thank you Raul and Eldaa for helping to prep Doña Perfecta Azul and for traveling snacks.

Thank you Jan for helping us have HAPPY times, AWAKE times, and headache free times while driving...all through wonderful aroma therapy!!

Thank you Ray, Elma/Albert, the Johnsons, Raydell, Mary, Selena, Bob/Carol and Hanna for opening your homes to/arranging lodging for 5 weary travelers.

And thank you all of our wonderful friends and family for your support...safe-travel prayers...kind words...love...etc.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Alaska...27...really day 26!!

On the final day...dropped Hanna at the airport and then headed out of NM...to Texas.....rather boring....CAFO's...oil rigs...cattle ranch land...horse ranches (love how they look)...and the wind farms are REALLY COOL!!!

It obviously must have rained a lot while we were gone, because everything is green instead of BROWN!! YAY!!








We're back!!













Alaska...day 26...more

Drinks (and a rest) while we listen to a local band....




...dinner


...nice walk back to Hanna's casita..



Alaska...day 26...continued

Santa Fe...while waiting for a table for dinner...we had a hail storm...naturally, can't upload the video!!! :-(

...lunch...


...a 30 minute REST...then back out for more hiking...



...we're "people-watching" Swayback!!


Does anyone know what kind of moth this is??














Alaska...day 26

Through Colorado and then on to Santa Fe, NM...for an afternoon/evening of urban hiking...eating...people watching....










Alaska...day 25...continued

It was a long day's drive to Durango, CO. We arrived in the dark...and slept in the van because it had rained.

Here are two member's of the Heavy Metal Detox band..."Hot Sauce" and "Swayback"....and Hot Sauce got a delicious HOT pickle for her birthday...because she's one sassy lady!!




Alaska...day 25

Driving from Idaho, through Utah and in to Colorado...scenery beyond belief!!....
















Alaska...day 24...continued

We ended our day at Bob and Carol's house in Idaho...celebrating Allyson's 22nd birthday.  




Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Alaska...day 24...scenery!!

This day entailed driving through Washington, Oregan...and then ending in Idaho. There were so many different kinds of terrain...that I was overwhelmed!!   I'll just post pictures...and you can see for yourself!! ...we had mountains, hay fields, wind farms, high desert....


















Alaska...day 24

Since we didn't do our French celebration yesterday...we went to an award winning French Bakery for breakfast. 





...then back into the van, and then goodbye Seattle...off to Idaho....