Eggplant with soy sauce

Now the camera batteries are recharging...so still no pictures.

I made the eggplant with soy sauce from the DW book's collection of recipes. Minced ginger, minced garlic, eggplant cut up into small pieces, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, chili powder and water. A splash of sesame oil once it's done.

I was hoping it would taste better than it smelled as it was simmering. I took a bite when it was done and it did :-) I'm looking forward to having some with a bit of brown rice for dinner later.

Eggplant parm has been a favorite of mine for years and years. It will be good to experience eggplant in a different presentation.

Rainy monday

No photo for the second post in a row because the camera is full of movies the kids have been making and I've been too occupied to upload them onto the computer.

We met with the town's environmental guy today and bought a compost bin. A cool thing the town does is to sell these containers for 50% off the list price to stimulate environmentalism in the townfolk. First and I got a crash course in basic composting as the rain drizzled around us.

Our next steps will be to rake the dry leaves in the yard, build a leaf container with some chicken wire in a corner of the yard, and talk to our downstairs neighbor about saving the grass clippings next time she mows. We also will pick up a compost aerator from environmental guy when he gets some more in next week.

Apparently the county does soil testing. I'm trying to get someone on the phone to confirm this and make arrangements.

And it's official, Felicia is teaching a vegetable gardening class this spring. So, First and I will be taking the class. We are excited and looking forward to it.

Human Thing

I just added a video to my side bar. It's cool. I first heard this band thanks to Anna. The video I heard about over at Soulemama.

Cap and First went to Family Swim at the Y this afternoon and had a great time.

Me? My stomach hurt because, I'm assuming, I ate an egg, Taylor ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast. We went out with Jay and Lilja before they hit the road. Like old times at the S&S. The fun, yummy breakfast, not the tummyache a few hours later ;-)

And Kinder's been under the weather a bit. So, we stayed home. I knit, he played, then picked up his bedroom all by himself, which, is totally a developmental leap that I never believed would happen. He has always complained and lollygagged when it was time to clean up.

Then I knit some more and he drew.

Cousins

Lilja and Jay are visiting this weekend. Here the cousins are bonding over books.

What DW does to the taste buds

First came the walnuts. Toasted in the oven, on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 325º. The basic (but SO sublime with a drizzle of honey) component to a richness packed breakfast. And a delectable snack (remember the honey and 10 sec. in the microwave which I may be weaning myself off of eventually, but that's another story for another time), morning or afternoon.


Then came the apple-pear compote. Peeled and sliced with water and cinnamon (thank you thank you Karen and Brent for the Penzey's China Cassia cinnamon), cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.


Today, I concocted something on my own (hardly innovative, but my first foray away from printed recipes in the DW book made me feel some pride). Inspired by warmed oranges with honey that Karen fed me once, I cooked some oranges in a bit of water with some ginger slices. Just 10 minutes or so. Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with honey.

What I am noticing is that these dishes, as well as, the veggies I've been eating (zucchini with walnut, broccoli steamed with garlic, and the masterful mushrooms---not a bad deal, I cooked those up on Monday) is that they are truly flavorful. Little weights of flavor just sink into my tongue when I take a bite. Like coming home to the roots of food and eating.

My mind has powerful ties to food. PMS and junky chocolate aside, I have lived through decades of craving and loving and consuming foods that haven't really "fed" me. This morning I tried a bite of leftover spaghetti with meat sauce. (The kids have been eating it for a couple of days and it has looked really good. But, I have cut meat out for these six weeks.) It had barely any taste! It felt completely different on the tongue. How wild is that?

At lunch, First was having some smoked salmon. That looked good, too. But, I could kind of imagine that it was not going to satisfy me like it might have just last week. My mind and body are starting to let go of some connections...

This isn't to say that after the six weeks I won't be eating fish or meat. But, they say that once favorite foods will likely not have the same appeal/hold over you. I didn't quite realize that this might be because they would actually taste different, that the experience of them would be so totally changed.

pms blues

I should just keep my mouth shut when I have PMS.

Then:

• I wouldn't snap at the kids.

• I wouldn't snap at the husband.

• I wouldn't put my foot in it.

• I wouldn't shovel in junk food.

(This last one probably wouldn't have happened had I not received some bad news this afternoon.)

Off to brush my teeth. There's something good I can do.

Couldn't resist

First is up and reading already, I've had my hour of gently stretching my meridians and body. Good morning!

Quiet evening

After dinner I wanted to get some fresh air. I thought I might be able to meet Cap as he walked home from the train station. Kinder opted to continue drawing and First came along for the walk.

It was cold! Felt more like fall than spring, but I'm not complaining. I welcomed the bracing air on my face. First read while he walked beside me. We went down to the corner from where I'd hoped to catch a glimpse of Cap.

But, a couple of minutes after we got there, First noticed the train passing on the trestle a few blocks down. The train was running late. First declared himself too cold to stand and wait, so we headed back.

He's been reading all afternoon. We went to the library again, this time for an appointment I'd made to get some free tax help. I was a bit embarrassed because it turned out to be for seniors of low income...ah well. We managed to find a bunch of books, as usual, which is always fun.

Kinder is drawing, drawing, drawing. And really not wanting me to take his picture yet again, thank you very much.

Dragon's Way

I am doing a six-week practice of traditional Chinese meridian exercises (qi gong) and eating of self-healing foods called The Dragon's Way. Kelly's doing it, too, which is a wonderful support.

Today feels so long and luxurious because I went to bed at 10:00 last night and woke up at 6:40. I spent my first hour awake doing qi gong and stretching while the boys all slept.

I've been eating apple and pear compote (made with water and cinnamon), steamed garlic broccoli, toasted walnuts with honey (I highly recommend this incredibly simple and scrumptious combo), zucchini with walnut, and "masterful" mushrooms (delectable---with scallions, ginger, a bit of sugar, soy and oyster sauce).

I'll be expanding my horizons by the week as I make different dishes.

It's amazing how quickly I'm feeling a reconnection to my body.

• the warmth in my belly all morning, always a sign that my energy is flowing all the way around
• the dance of flavors on my tongue when I sit to eat
• the slowed pace of my movements when I sit to eat
• the eyes that are drawn to various celebratory candy that currently dot the landscape of our home
• the mind that is at peace as I walk on by

Hear ye, hear ye!

Kinder has lost his first tooth!

Easter

I realized this year, with the Spring Equinox and Easter happening so close together, that "Easter" is very much bound to the spirit of what sings to me of spring.

There are special markers for this day and season which are part of the rhythm of our family life and my soul.


The Easter morning jellybean hunt.


Daffodils.


Decorating eggs.

I am full of gratitude for the ties of love evident in these pictures. Mummu who usually hides the jellybeans for Cap and Jay to find, Silke who gave us the daffodils, and Sandy and Mike who painted eggs with the kids while Cap and I went out for some together-and-alone time.

Bungalow mini-reunion

3 of us is 30% which constitutes a mini-reunion, I think. Anna and I met Barbra in Chinatown for dim sum (thanks to Marci for the excellent recommendation :-). We chowed down, spent time with Anna's boyfriend Nick who B was meeting for the first time and I met just last night (we approve), went to a bead store (B's passion) and strolled downtown Manhattan.

Oh, and we came upon a massive pillow fight...feathers were flying. The kids and I saw video footage of last year's pillow fight months and months ago, I wished they were with me to see it today!

Some serious dress-up

Works in progress

I was having Cap take some artful shots of scarves draped on my shoulders, but then our beautiful joint work in progress wanted in on the action.

Scarves one and two are officially done, ready to be handed off to their mistresses today and tomorrow.

Chives

Aren't they beautiful? Mega inspiring.

To do:

• begin composting. need to get a compost container as housemates and landlord would not appreciate an open-air compost pile methinks.

• pick out seeds with the kids at the local fair trade tea shop.

• dust off our gardening tools and clean out our pots and planters.

• get soil tested to determine whether we can plant directly into the ground this fall/next spring.

Hands itching to get dirty.

Name Day/Spring

We celebrated First's name day today, as well as, Kinder's belatedly. First and I went out into the morning to snip some crocuses for the table. We both murmured, "we should snip some chives, too" at the same time. The chive butter was delicious on the nisu (Finnish cardamom bread). First was a bit miffed we didn't celebrate in bed as we often do.


Later in the morning we headed out to B pond with friends to celebrate the Spring Equinox. What a marvel it was to return to the pond. It's the same pond, but it looks strikingly different with the changing seasons. Our friend Broken Wing was there, as was a log in the water that First always looks for.

Happy Spring, all.

38 Days :: 38

First changed our seasonal table yesterday and took this picture. I took some shots this morning, but it is raining and the light from this shot is much better. Plus it's the artist's documentation of his own art...

38 Days :: 37

Snapped by First

38 Days :: 36

This year's chives were discovered yesterday afternoon.


Spring training has begun 'round here.

Playmo World

Movie-making is the next frontier. Kinder has surpassed me in his knowledge of our digital camera. First has been itching to make a movie and really wants his own camera.

Kinder shot this tonight. It's called "Playmo World". It's not for you if you are prone to motion sickness!

38 Days :: 35

Rainy early morning.

38 Days :: 34

Heading out to play.

Marzipan

38 Days :: 33

Today I took a stroll through the apartment to see what I could see. I was surprised and intrigued by what I found. Unexpected.

Ask and ye shall receive...

Here's yesterday's masterpiece.


I love this detail from it.

38 Days :: 32

The kids painted a communal masterpiece this afternoon. Started by Pippa and Lucia and continued by Lukas, Anna, Kinder and First.

Yum

Lucia and Holly came over today. It was our first visit since their return from Paris. Kinder and I received chocolate treats and First got his first taste of hardcore marzipan. Yum!

(The marzipan is truly exquisite. First is sampling a "cherry" here.)

Burst

We're out of the fog of sickness and getting past some intense loggerheading over "behavior" (mostly between First and me and First and Cap).

There are bursts of energy all around. It's in the air. It's in the art. It's in the laughter. It's in creation.

Art

"The Art Museum" by First


The still life that First set up and used for his painting.


"The Zoo" by Kinder

38 Days :: 31

By 9:30 am they had made pitchers of blueberry-banana smoothie and lemonade for co-op dinner tonight.

First's flourish to his lemonade...

38 Days :: 30

First picked up this sprig of evergreen and planted it in the winter iris that my mom passed along to us the other day.

38 Days :: 29

Me: Oh look it's past 5:00 and I haven't posted today's picture!

First: Take a picture of this!

Me: Okay. (It is a library book he picked up yesterday---to enhance his Mad Libs study of the parts of speech :-)

38 Days :: 28

10 more days...

New video

I uploaded a Tomoyo Harada video to the side bar. I learned of this Japanese singer via the blog Kurashi (there's a link to this blog on the side bar, as well). I really like this song (and the black and white sweater she's wearing when she's playing with the apples!) I've asked my dad to pick up her cd for me. He'll be back stateside the beginning of April. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

38 Days :: 27 again

Because a picture of the humidifier really isn't enough. And this shot was snapped as we played cards waiting for dinner to cook.

38 Days :: 27

Reduced to taking pictures of the humidifier. I'm a home body by nature, but this virus induced laying in period is taking a toll :-) To its credit, the trusty machine has been doing its job and clearly eases First's dry cough.

38 Days :: 26

Sick

Kinder's work in progress

"full" = fall and "see" = sea

Flying

He's also been asking, as of late, if we can see the "lines" behind him when he runs.