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Link to New Blog

2010-10-01T12:50:00.001-05:00

Here's a link to my new blog, Kenton CrissCross:

http://kentoncrisscross.blogspot.com/

Being a Gardener...

2010-09-15T12:30:00.002-05:00

From Gardening for a Lifetime; How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison:

"Being a gardener stops you from the willing destruction of the fragile world on which we all depend for food, health, and the air we breathe. And if gardening doesn't make you a better person, at least it reveals the best that is in you."

Farewell to Fort Worth

2010-07-20T07:39:00.012-05:00

Our house is sold.
This story's told.

We leave Thursday for the long trip north. Check back here for a link to my new blog as I morph from Teri TX into Teri PDX.

Little Red Tomato

2010-07-20T07:37:00.001-05:00

12813

2010-07-19T07:01:00.005-05:00

Teri and Judy Sharing a Tasty McDougall Meal ...

2010-07-15T09:12:00.008-05:00

Teri says: I started my vegan lifestyle for health reasons, then it
became a moral choice, and now it's just to annoy people.

Cartoon from Dr. Ruth Heidrich's website .

Ten Rules To Save Your Life

1. Eat a diet of fruits and vegetables, preferably organic.
2. Eat them raw as much as possible.
3. Eat them whole, never processed or refined.
4. Emphasize high-antioxidant foods: berries, leafy greens, and add nuts/seeds if losing too much weight.
5. Make your beverage water and/or green tea.
6. No drugs including caffeine.
7. No alcohol or cigarettes..
8. Exercise daily, time and intensity depending on your level of fitness.
9. Sleep should follow natural rhythm with no alarm clocks or other disturbances.
10. Breathe air as clean and pure as possible.

Ruth Heidrich, Ph.D.

Garden Photos: 7/15/10

2010-07-15T07:59:00.017-05:00

White rosebud in front yard.

Yellow rosebud in front yard.

Pot of Greek Dwarf Basil on front porch (in early morning sun).

Green beans are making a comeback due to slightly cooler weather and lots of rain.

Birdhouse gourd blossom.

Ornamental gourd.

Ornamental gourds.

Baby watermelon.

Bigger baby watermelon.

Ornamental gourd in in the tomato plant.

Bigger ornamental gourd in the tomato plant.

Garden Photos: 7/9/10

2010-07-09T15:17:00.005-05:00

Little ornamental gourds.

Lots of bean blossoms.

Big okra blossoms.

Local TX Dew-liscious Melon

2010-07-09T08:12:00.007-05:00

A very tasty melon with crisp, juicy, sweet flesh. I saved the seeds and will try to grow this melon in PDX.

Bonus photo: Raindrops on scroll-y wrought iron hose holder.

Watermelon Baby and Blossoms 7/8/10

2010-07-08T09:38:00.006-05:00

And a gourd.

Happy Milestone Birthday, Judy!

2010-07-06T19:37:00.002-05:00

What I'm Reading

2010-07-06T19:17:00.002-05:00

Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie.

Ma is my role model, a true minimalist. Disappointed that their new home was a dugout in a creek bank, she looked on the bright side; "It's clean and pleasant." That was good enough for her and it's good enough for me, too.

Garden Photos, 07/06/10

2010-07-06T07:42:00.003-05:00

BIG okra.

Teeny, tiny watermelon.

Gourd twined in the tomato plant.

Gourd in the Tomato Bush

2010-07-04T16:16:00.005-05:00

The gourd vine is twining around the tomato plant. You can see a little green tomato to the left, the gourd -- with blossom attached -- in the middle.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T12:33:00.000-05:00

Early Summer Garden 7/03/10

2010-07-03T13:19:00.009-05:00

The Fortex green beans are trailing up the bamboo poles.

The okra has gone wild.

The gourd blossoms are big.

Windmill and Water

2010-07-02T08:04:00.006-05:00

John, standing beside the McPherson Ranch windmill.

Ditch water.

Keller Animal Friends

2010-07-01T14:19:00.016-05:00

Kenya, one of last summer's two foster barn kittens, with one of her own kittens.

John with two of Kenya's kittens.

This was a friendly barn cat.

John, with big Noah and little Rhody.

Bonus photo: Tiny green tomato.

Saying Goodbye to Keller Friends

2010-07-01T14:16:00.004-05:00

Ms. Karen, a very special dental hygienist.

Candice, a very special riding instructor.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillars

2010-06-29T08:32:00.005-05:00

I have a volunteer parsley plant thriving in the largest garden frame, in with the tomatoes, melons and gourds. Yesterday I discovered these two big, beautiful butterfly caterpillars in the greenery.

Glistening Golden Gourds

2010-06-26T11:11:00.008-05:00

These are birdhouse gourds we grew in the backyard garden a couple of summers ago. I gilded them with Rub-N-Buff.

Willy and Dudley and Olive and John

2010-06-25T09:09:00.008-05:00

Early morning feeding at Haven's Horses. The goat with the long ears is Willy; the brown and white one is Dudley. The black Lab puppy is Olive; the human kid is John. The goats come running and bleating when they see John arrive -- so very cute! (lots of action so it was hard to get a good photo)

Rainbow in the Sky

2010-06-25T06:21:00.005-05:00

Never got the rain yesterday evening, but did get some thunder, lightning, and a beautiful rainbow.

Bonus photo: The Greek Dwarf Basil on the front porch is doing well in spite of/ because of the extreme heat.

Super-Size Okra

2010-06-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Freshly picked from the garden. I should have caught them earlier, but they grow too fast!

Bon Voyage, Anne!

2010-06-21T10:10:00.004-05:00

Have a wonderful time!

What I'm Reading

2010-06-21T09:04:00.002-05:00

Two very different genre, but I am enjoying them both very much.

Intrigue, suspense, and lots of surprises.

I love the imagery of Wilder's writing -- such a simple, clear, and wonderfully poetic way of stringing words.

See the Tree ...

2010-06-21T07:08:00.003-05:00

How big it's grown
But friend it hasn't been too long
It wasn't big
The first day that we planted it, was just a twig.

John was just a bit taller than the tree when we planted it 2 1/2 years ago. It was a gift from the City of Fort Worth.

What's for Dinner? 6/19/10

2010-06-21T06:59:00.004-05:00

The first recipe of our McDougall Quick and Easy Challenge: Louisiana Red Beans

Served over brown rice with hot sauce on the table; a BIG glass of iced lemonade.

Plate of raw veggies (with a garnish of garden thyme).

Homemade wheat bread.

A good solid recipe. I intentionally made it mild (for John); Bruce and I added heat at the table. Next time I would increase the seasoning while cooking.

Random Photos 6/19/10

2010-06-19T11:01:00.004-05:00

Pasta Bargain: Big Lots was selling full pound packages of organic whole wheat pasta for $1.25/each. Good deal! I bought 7 packages -- penne, rigatoni, linguini, spaghetti. Now it's time to eat it up.

Little bird in a nest of Arkansas crystal bling.

Baby heirloom cantaloupe. Grow quickly, grow quickly!

What We Read and Watched

2010-06-19T10:33:00.003-05:00

For the Library Summer Reading Program. Book first, movie second; liked them both.

What I'm Reading

2010-06-17T08:47:00.006-05:00

My new dream house.

Find out more here.

Random Photos

2010-06-16T06:07:00.005-05:00

Oregano blossom.

Parsley seed heads.

Heirloom cantaloupe blooms.

Cherries and grapes.

McDougall Recipe Challenge

2010-06-15T13:11:00.003-05:00

In yesterday's mail I received a copy of The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook -- a gift from Judy. (Thank you, Judy!) She gave herself a copy, too. We are going to have a recipe challenge, working our way through the book, in random order, from breakfast through desserts . The first recipe has been selected and will be appearing here soon. Stay tuned!

What's for Dinner? 6/14/10

2010-06-14T17:52:00.006-05:00

(No oil) Stir-fried veggies.

Lightly sauced.

Served over organic brown rice with hoisin-glazed tofu.

John's serving.

Saving Bluebonnet Seeds

2010-06-14T16:22:00.004-05:00

Here's the pile of dried bluebonnet pods I saved when the spent plants were pulled out of the frame.

And here's the little dish of seeds I separated from the chaff.

Bonus photo: Two Dragon's Egg cucumbers and two okra pods, fresh from the garden.

Garden Photos, 06/14/10

2010-06-14T09:38:00.009-05:00

Teeny, weeny heirloom cantaloupe.

Lots of tomato blossoms = lots of summer tomatoes (I hope!)

Volunteer parsley.

Rogue homeowner strikes again! I have edible plants in the front of my house (how white-trashy). This is a pot of Greek dwarf basil on the front porch.

What's for Dinner? 6/13/10

2010-06-13T18:40:00.008-05:00

Oven hash browns, green beans and okra.

Guacamole, green salsa, raw veggies.

Bonus photo: tomato blossom.

What a Rocker!

2010-06-12T09:15:00.002-05:00

Go visit Judy in Disguise and see what Jacques Lapin has been up to.

What's for Dinner? 6/11/10

2010-06-12T07:50:00.006-05:00

(no oil) Stir-fried veggies, including okra and green beans from the garden.

Served over udon noodles with a Chinese brown sauce and a garnish of toasted sesame seeds.

A little heat to add on the side.

A fruit cup of blackberries, peaches, and banana.

What's for Dinner? 06/10/10

2010-06-10T18:39:00.008-05:00

(No Cheese) Mushroom and Onion Pizza

With a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

A platter of raw veggies.

Red, yellow, and green bell peppers; cucumbers; tomatoes; avocado; cauliflower; carrots.

Texas peaches...

Sliced and sugared and tossed with blueberries.

Garden Photos, 06/10/10

2010-06-10T18:32:00.008-05:00

Bean blossoms.

Really big okra.

Garlic seed head.

Contentment Markers

2010-06-10T09:53:00.003-05:00

Enduring contentment comes with self-awareness and self-truth. Those who are true to themselves -- authentic -- share ten characteristics. They:

1. Live in the present.
2. Are free of fear.
3. Are not judgmental.
4. Genuinely appreciate themselves.
5. Hunger for the truth.
6. Are adaptable and flexible.
7. Have a strong sense of gratitude.
8. Love to laugh and are lighthearted.
9. Exhibit a high degree of dignity.
10. Sleep well.

The Qualities of Uncommon Beauty

2010-06-10T09:50:00.002-05:00

1. Passion
2. Wisdom
3. Integrity
4. Selflessness
5. Graciousness
6. Contentment
7. Courage

Living in the Present

2010-06-10T09:30:00.003-05:00

Enjoy the present, whatsoever it be, and be not solicitous for the future; for if you take your foot from the present standing, and thrust it forward towards tomorrow's event, you are in a restless condition: it is like refusing to quench your present thirst by fearing you shall want drink the next day. It it be well today, it is madness to make the present miserable by fearing it may be ill tomorrow -- when your belly is full of today's dinner, to fear you shall want the next day's supper; for it may be you shall not, and then to what purpose was this day's affliction? But if tomorrow you shall want, your sorrow will come time enough, though you do not hasten it: let your trouble tarry till its own day comes. But if it chance to be ill today, do not increase it by the care of tomorrow. Enjoy the blessings of this day, if God sends them, and the evils of it bear patiently and sweetly, for this day is only ours: we are not yet born to the morrow. He, therefore, that enjoys the present if it be good, enjoys as much as is possible, and if only that day's trouble leans upon him, it is singular and finite. "Sufficient to the day (said Christ) is the evil thereof": sufficient, but not intolerable. But if we look abroad, and bring into one day's thoughts the evil of many, certain and uncertain, what will be, and what will never be, our load will be as intolerable as it is unreasonable.
~Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living, 1650 (London: Rivington, 1870), chap. II, p. 106.

"My experience," said an old gentleman to me, "has been that I never could succeed in getting the special kind of happiness I had wanted or hoped for, but that other kinds of happiness which I did not want or had never hoped for were supplied to me, in the course of life, most lavishly and abundantly. I therefore ended by discovering, though it took me a long time to make the discovery, that the right way to enjoy the happiness within my reach was not to form an ideal of my own and be disappointed when it was not realized -- for that it never was -- but to accept the opportunities for enjoying life which were offered by life itself from year to year and from day to day. Since I took things in this temper, I have enjoyed really a great amount of happiness, though it has been of a kind entirely different from anything I ever anticipated or laid plans for when I was young."
~Philip Gilbert Hamerton, The Quest of Happiness (Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1897), pp. 175-176.

Both excepts taken from The Art of Contentment, edited by Edgar Andrew Collard (1974)

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-09T19:20:00.006-05:00

Dry-sauteed veggies with curry seasoning; corn on the cob.

Salad; homemade bread; iced tea.

Fresh cherries.

All food is McDougall-style with no added fats.

Lotsa Produce!

2010-06-09T13:27:00.009-05:00

I made a trip to Sprouts Farmers Market today and came home with quite a haul. There's green peppers; red peppers; yellow peppers; cauliflower; avocados; yellow summer squash; carrots; corn; cilantro; tomatoes; Texas peaches; cherries; blackberries; blueberries; baby arugula; alfalfa sprouts; a cucumber; a portobello mushroom; and a lemon. Much (but, unfortunately, not all) of it is organic. We'll be eating it up in a timely manner, so watch the What's for Dinner? postings.

Oh, and see those nifty non-plastic, reusable, red mesh produce bags? Judy ordered them online and sent me half a dozen to try out. I like them!

Bonus photo! What's for Lunch?

Avocado, capers, arugula, and sprouts sandwich on homemade fatfree, wholegrain bread.

Curry Powder

2010-06-09T13:24:00.004-05:00

Tendrils

2010-06-09T13:22:00.005-05:00

Small warted ornamental gourd plant. Click on photos to enlarge and see detail.

Later in the Day...

2010-06-09T13:20:00.002-05:00

The okra blossoms have opened.

Garden Photos

2010-06-09T09:02:00.011-05:00

A watermelon seedling with its first true leaf.

Okra blossom.

Okra pod.

Tomato blossoms! So exciting!

Colorful coleus.

Good Gardening Books

2010-06-09T07:17:00.003-05:00

This last one is a classic from 1983.

I feel a browsing trip to Half-Price Books coming on. Wonder what gems are hiding in their Gardening section?

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-08T19:52:00.002-05:00

Whole grain thin spaghetti with a chunky, garlicky, spicy sauce.

Organic carrot sticks and garden oregano.

Thought for the Day

2010-06-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way in which its animals are treated."~ Mahatma Gandhi

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-07T18:02:00.006-05:00

Island Red Beans with homemade fatfree, whole grain tortillas.

Green garnishes -- sprouts, avocado, salsa, arugula, jalapenos, onion.

Carrots and cucumbers (that's our first homegrown Dragon's Egg cucumber).

Summer Sidewalk Art

2010-06-07T14:01:00.010-05:00

The first event of the library's summer program was Sidewalk Chalk Art. This event earned two credits on the check-off list for prize redemption so we went for a short while. Although advertised 'for all ages' John was the oldest kid there and wasn't eager to participate. He did draw a picture after I offered gentle parental encouragement (Do it or else!).

Bonus photo! Bales of hay lined up along Denton Highway in Keller, TX.

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-07T06:26:00.004-05:00

Beans and Greens -- garbanzo beans, kale, brown rice, seasonings.

Salad -- arugula, sprouts, avocado, carrot, yellow tomato; miso/lemon juice dressing.

Roasted Vidalia onion with a maple-mustard glaze.

Good Reasons to Be Mindful of What You Eat

2010-06-06T15:37:00.004-05:00

Choose one. Choose more than one. Choose them all!

1. Concern for animal welfare.

2. Concern for food production workers' health and safety.

3. Concern for your own health.

4. Concern for the environment.

What I'm Reading

2010-06-06T14:39:00.004-05:00

Hmmm. What to say and how to say it?

I like this book. I like it a lot.

I'm quoting it and reading aloud passages and recommending it to my inner circle.

It's making me angry. Very angry. At the food producers, our government, oblivious consumers.

It's making me frantically crazy. How can this happen? How can it continue to happen?

I like the author's voice. I like his subtle sense of humor.

I hate the facts he presents and the conditions he describes.

I wish I had never read this book. I am profoundly thankful that I have.

Because of this book I am awake and alert.

"It's always possible to wake someone from sleep, but no amount of noise will wake someone who is pretending to be asleep." ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

I am Vegan, Hear Me Roar!

2010-06-05T18:46:00.004-05:00

I am a vegan for ethical and environmental reasons.

I am a McDougall vegan for optimum health.

I love the food I eat. I love the colors, shapes, textures and tastes. I will never, never, ever, ever return to the Standard American Diet. Why would I? That's very SAD eating. I'm having too much fun with my fruits and veggies, beans and grains!

I am a very contented vegan.

(We are also strong supporters of the Feingold Program -- Real food tastes real good! We recently marked the 10-year anniversary of becoming Feingold members. Just imagine, 10 years without the artificial colors, artificial flavors, and petroleum preservatives that taint most processed foods).

Images found on Google.

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-05T18:41:00.012-05:00

Okra from the garden (a solitary green bean shares the plate)...

Simmered with cabbage, yellow summer squash, sweet red pepper, scallions, garlic, and a bit of tomato sauce left from last night's meal...

Served over organic brown rice, with a shake of crushed red pepper flakes for kick. Mmmmmm!

More 'Cute Kids' Pics

2010-06-05T13:36:00.011-05:00

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-05T06:11:00.006-05:00

Started with this: chopped tri-color tomatoes.

Ended with this: A fresh, light sauce of tomatoes, garlic, and green onions served over Barilla whole grain shells, garnished with homegrown oregano. That's sparkling grapefruit soda in the glass.

A bowl of raw veggies.

Texas peaches for dessert.

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-03T19:55:00.007-05:00

Homemade bean burgers, dry-sauteed zucchini, iced tea.

Burgers are made of pinto beans, lentils, onion, garlic, red pepper, bread crumbs, rolled oats. Served on toasted sesame seed baguette.

Garnishes include spring mix lettuce, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced sweet onion, guacamole.

Fresh berries for dessert.

Golden Nasturtium

2010-06-03T19:54:00.002-05:00

Itty Bitty Baby Goats

2010-06-03T17:41:00.014-05:00

John spent the afternoon at Haven's Horses, helping with therapeutic riding, having a lesson of his own, and then staying to work around the barn. He had a good time with these new baby goats. Sadly, the little twins have lost their mama and must be bottle fed.

I am joining the Linky Party at The Inspired Room. Check it out!

John on L.L.

2010-06-03T14:37:00.001-05:00

See the little black puppy on John's lap? That's Olive!

Heirloom Cantaloupe Blooms

2010-06-03T07:40:00.005-05:00

Exciting to see this morning. I hope we get a few melons this summer. I saved the seeds from a cantaloupe bought at Central Market last year.

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-03T05:44:00.002-05:00

The prep: tomatoes, artichoke hearts, green onions, red pepper.

The result: A loaded veggie pizza. Mmmmmmmmmm.

Pretty Produce

2010-06-02T14:30:00.007-05:00

John and I went over to Sprouts Farmers Market this morning. We came home with:

California cherries.

Tri-color tomatoes.

Texas peaches.

Avocados and lemons.

Not from today's trip, but too pretty to ignore; a bowl of raw veggies.

Bonus photo! Such a pretty okra blossom.

What's for Dinner?

2010-06-01T19:11:00.005-05:00

Garbanzo beans simmered with tomato, cabbage, onion, garlic, a few garden green beans, and several shakes of Penzey's BBQ 3000. Served over organic brown rice.

Look! Look! Homegrown microgreens!

A frosty mug of iced tea.

John, enjoying a cucumber slice.

We Have Okra!

2010-06-01T10:04:00.007-05:00

Have to catch these quick, before they get too big.

Watermelon seedlings just popped up. Can you find two?

Dragon's Egg cucumber is getting big.

Hmmmmmm. Look at this jet trail.

What I'm Reading

2010-06-01T08:32:00.002-05:00

I am liking this book a lot. The main character, Joy Harkness, with her quirky sense of humor and wry asides, reminds me of me. I now want to live in an old fixer-upper in Amherst, MA.

Things I Want to Find Used

2010-06-01T07:21:00.003-05:00

1. Moosewood Low-Fat Cookbook
2. McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook
3. Carved root bowl
4. Silk Pucci scarf
5. White pedestal

Colors

2010-05-31T16:21:00.004-05:00

soft white; pure white
rose beige; taupe
pewter; light gray; medium gray; charcoal; black
icy green; blue-green; duck egg; true green
light teal; dark teal; light aqua; spruce; pine
icy blue; sky blue; powder blue; cornflower
light periwinkle; bright periwinkle; purple
sapphire; dark navy; royal blue; cassis
blue-red; violet; plum
rose pink; purple-y pinks; pink-y purples

Thrift Store Treasures 5/31/10

2010-05-31T14:09:00.013-05:00

Thrift Town, one of our favorite local thrift stores, was having a big Memorial Weekend sale -- 30% off everything. Here's what we found:

Ann Taylor scarf, 100% wool, made in Italy. 69 cents!

Shirts for Bruce. They're hanging in the sun to get rid of the dryer sheet smell. Peee-ewww.

I'm trying to replace the plastic in my house. This wooden tray works well in a kitchen drawer. 69 cents.

Metal tray. 69 cents.

Heavy glass vase. $1.30. It's filled with parsley seed heads from the garden.

The small plates in upper left were from a previous shopping trip. 29 cents each. The petal bowl was 35 cents; the plates in front were 20 cents each.

This wooden lazy susan (made in USA) was from a different store that Judy and I visited while she was here. It was $2.00. Bruce scraped off the old varnish and oiled it. It is solid and turns smoothly.

Judy brought the milk glass compote with her as a hostess gift. (Thank you, Judy!) It was the start of my milk glass collection. She bought the little bowl for me at the thrift store we went to together.

Detail of milk glass bowl.

A Few Random Photos

2010-05-31T11:57:00.004-05:00

Found this little picture (wrapped in plastic!) in a box of stationery. I put it on the brass easel, which also seems to be Asian-inspired.

Here's a wider view of the tabletop. The lamp was a thrift store find that I recently spray painted bronze.

Moths in the grass.

Things I Know about Me

2010-05-31T11:50:00.002-05:00

I like to walk (in safety, without fear of dogs)
I'd rather take public transportation than drive.
I lean more towards urban than rural.
I'm interested in alternative/natural health care.
I am distrustful of the mainstream medical business.
I seem to be sensitive to the passage of time and the weight of history.
I like calm and quiet with just a smidgen of environmental bling.
I want to be healthy and competent and kind.
I have low tolerance for stupid, rude people.
I don't want responsibility for animals.
I want to go to new places, see new things, but without a lot of actual moving-travel.
I want to know the connection between faith, history, and life today.
I don't like or want "too much". Too much is too much; just enough is just right.

Random Thoughts

2010-05-31T11:34:00.008-05:00

Today I shredded my Make-It-Happen Book. I could not stand the thought of unrelenting positive thinking any longer. There were a few ideas, though, that I hated to lose:

Do not give up or run away from the opportunity to grow.

You're always going to find new things; nothing's ever done.

Baby steps spark miracles.

Every room needs a touch of yellow.

Simplicity - Appropriateness - Beauty
Symmetry - Balance - Harmony
Time - Energy - Money
Luxury - Elegance - Refinement
Interest - Knowledge - Experience

To live in a deliberate way -- savoir vivre.

Simplicity - Class - Grace - Style - Elegance

The ordinary holds no charm.

If you do not change the direction you are going, you may end up where you are heading.

What one can do, I will do.

Intentionality. Mindfulness. Treasure Hunt. Treasure Map. Dragonfly. Waterfall.
Pink Bubble. Illumination. Anticipation. O, the Joy! Bliss. Other Plans. Amethyst.
Seeker. Meaning & Purpose. Goodness & Bounty. Positivity. Open Mind/Open Heart.

The Golden Triangle of Life: Beauty, Truth, Goodness.

Make the best of it -- and be thankful.

Nature is extravagant with color. Why shouldn't we be?

McDougall Zen in 2010.

I have faith in a good outcome.

This is not forever. This is just for now.

My McDougall-style diet is compassionate, ethical, pure and healthful.

Hobbies That Don't Require a Lot of Stuff

2010-05-31T11:28:00.003-05:00

1. Reading
2. Listening to music
3. Watching movies
4. Walking
5. Gardening
6. Teaching self to draw
7. Journaling
8. Writing haiku
9. Meditating
10. Crossword puzzles
11. Sudoku puzzles
12. Theater-going
13. Digital photography
14. Blogging
15. Learning a foreign language
16. Coloring with colored pencils
17. Finding and standing on latitude/longitude lines
18. Geyser gazing
19. Spiritual retreats
20. Urban exploration

Any other ideas?

What's for Dinner?

2010-05-30T14:10:00.002-05:00

Whole wheat penne with a puttanesca sauce; steamed garden green beans.

Green salad; black olives.

Garden, 5/29/10

2010-05-29T08:16:00.006-05:00

Dragon's Egg cucumber.

Okra blossom.

Heirloom cantaloupe.

Orange nasturtium.

Bluebonnet remains. I am trying to save the seeds.

Green Beans -- Garden to Table

2010-05-28T18:43:00.010-05:00

Lots of green beans to harvest this morning.

Freshly picked and in the kitchen. (Ignore the worm holes!)

Cleaned, trimmed, carefully inspected, and soaking in salted water.

Ready for cooking.

In the skillet. This was a McDougall-style dry stir fry.

Sauced and plated and ready to eat!

And here's a bonus photo: birdhouse gourd seedlings.

My "New" Plate Rack

2010-05-27T19:47:00.003-05:00

I found this plate rack (minus the plates) at Bearly Used Thrift Store for $1.99. For months I left it the original not-so-special chrome and added plain white plates. This weekend I finally decided to spray paint it bronze and changed out the plates to Italian hand-painted ones (from the cupboard, bought a long time ago on clearance at World Market for 87 cents each). I like my plate rack much better this way.

Here's the rack before.

What's for Dinner?

2010-05-27T19:43:00.003-05:00

McDougall-style ragout of veggies over polenta; organic kale on the side. Very yum-o!

A plate of local Texas peaches (lightly sugared) for dessert. First of the season, juicy and sweet.

Yellow Rosebud

2010-05-27T14:20:00.000-05:00

Mini Jungle

2010-05-27T13:08:00.002-05:00

I am trying to grow micro-greens on my hemp sprouting bag. This is what I have so far.

Aerial view.

Side view.

Flower Photos

2010-05-27T09:27:00.006-05:00

Check It Out!

2010-05-27T05:55:00.002-05:00

Judy's got a brand new blog. Go visit her and say hello.

Bluebonnet Seed Pods

2010-05-26T15:24:00.008-05:00

When the pods open they make a noise -- snap! crackle! pop! I have a feeling we will have lots of bluebonnets next spring. Click on the photos to enlarge and see detail. The twisty pods are very cool and you can see the seeds in some of them.

And a tomato plant. I am proud of this one; I grew it from a seed.

Spring Garden 2010

2010-05-26T09:19:00.011-05:00

Green beans, cucumbers, okra, birdhouse gourd seedlings, nasturtiums...

I'm not sure what this is but it looks a bit frightening.

What's for Dinner?

2010-05-26T07:53:00.003-05:00

McDougall-style, Mexican-inspired, green and gold Starchy Stuff! The haze is from steam; I snapped the photo just after plating from the skillet. This dish includes barley, potatoes, scallions, yellow pepper, chili powder, and baby spinach.

The Starchy Stuff was served with a side of diced jalapenos (in the little jar below) and carrots and guacamole. Dessert was a dish of Texas red grapefruit segments.

Random Photos

2010-05-25T15:33:00.004-05:00

My TX Longhorn magnet, a gift from Judy.

A tub of little turtles going out to bask in the sun.

Pretty orange nasturtium.

Garden, 5/24/10

2010-05-24T07:37:00.002-05:00

The garlic will be blossoming soon.

Dwarf basil.

Orange nasturtium.

This One's Orange

2010-05-23T07:31:00.003-05:00

If I'm lucky there will be Fortex green beans trailing up the bamboo pyramid in front, and birdhouse gourd vines in the back.

What's for Dinner?

2010-05-22T18:57:00.004-05:00

Garden green beans!

Raw...

And lightly steamed.

Our first harvest of the year. They were delicious.

Dark Sky and Bright Flowers

2010-05-22T18:54:00.005-05:00

Dark sky this morning, but still no rain. First photo is looking across the street from our front door. Second photo is across the street and down to the left.

Closeup of flowers in the front porch pot.

Early Morning Turtle Rescue

2010-05-22T08:51:00.002-05:00

Bruce drove off to an all-day class this morning. He called a few minutes after leaving to say there was a turtle at the road's edge in front of the pond at Christ's Haven. He didn't have time to stop but thought John would want to save the turtle.

I got John out of bed at 7:30 (on Saturday!) and we headed off toward's Christ's Haven. John spotted a turtle at the fence that borders the property; I stopped the car, John jumped out, grabbed the turtle, and brought it to the car. That's it in the photo above.

I was a bit perplexed because Bruce had said the turtle was on Keller-Haslet Road and this one had been on Caylor. We decided to drive down the road and around the corner to see if there might be a second turtle in distress. There was -- a humongous alligator snapping turtle. I stopped the car again, John jumped out and grabbed the turtle. He was going to put it in the car but that was one angry dude! John got it over the rail fence and into the pond while I drove on and circled back. (We had stopped traffic for a short time while trying to figure out what to do.)

Here's a Google Image photo that shows a snapping turtle the same size as the one John rescued. (exactly! really!)

John on L.L. at Haven's Horses

2010-05-22T06:54:00.002-05:00

John is in the orange shirt. This photo came from the May newsletter of Haven's Horses. Click here to read more.

What's for Dinner?

2010-05-21T19:36:00.003-05:00

We had a tasty dinner tonight -- pinto bean patties on soft, seeded baguette "rolls" with all the fixings, including a tahini/lemon/garlic sauce; sliced avocado and orange bell pepper; no-oil oven fries. There were tall glasses of iced tea to drink, and cold, juicy watermelon for dessert. That well-dressed burger in the second photo belongs to Bruce. He's a ketchup kind of guy.

Yes, It's Red!

2010-05-21T09:11:00.007-05:00

My first nasturtium bloom. These nasturtiums are from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds' Dwarf Jewel Mix. I'm eager to see more blooms!

Coleus is doing well.

The Garden Gnome watches over the side bed.