Breath by Breath

Holiday Haiku ::: 10

Solstice gift making...

Saturday's extra effort

Results in great joy!!

 

 

Building the universe

Song of the Builders

On a summer morning

I sat down

on a hillside

to think about God -

a worthy pastime.

Near me, I saw

a single cricket;

it was moving the grains of the hillside

this way and that way.

How great was its energy,

how humble its effort.

Let us hope

it will always be like this,

each of us going on

in our inexplicable ways

building the universe.

Mary Oliver from Why I Wake Early (2004)

Halloween Comes and Goes

Another year of Halloween costume-making has come and gone.  The young Obi Wan was created using thrifted belt and boots, and fabric from the stash, including some really nice brown 100% linen for the cloak.  It's been sitting around for a few years now, so I thought, why not?

The wicked witch costume was made from a thrifted skirt which I altered to be longer, and a women's black blazer from Goodwill.  I snugged up the sleeves, closed up the front to make it high necked and added the rings and cinching lace.  I made slip-on puffy sleeves which I attached to the cape and jacket with large saftey pins.  Green makeup by Snazzaroo.

A good time was had by all.

Spring scenes

Sometimes life is just so very full. I've written before about the notebook I keep of my "accomplishments", big and small. As I review my notes from time since I've last posted, these are some things that jump out at me.

::: Teaching yoga two, sometimes three times a week and growing in intimacy, caring and engagement with my friends/students.

::: Managing tons and tons of financial and personal matters (insurance, retirement, education savings, taxes, mortgage, wills). I take all this on so that I am completely in the know about our situation and have educated opinions, suggestions and advice to offer.

::: Decided to buy a used car and then decided to get energy efficient windows instead. They still aren't installed.

::: Knitted a kindle cover, a scarf for a gift, one sock, and finished knitting a shawl my mother started but couldn't finish due to her arthritis. Spool knit another rainbow garland for the party supply box.

::: Finished stripping and staining our old 15-drawer dresser and another piece of furniture.

::: Silas spontaneously switched from a "join us in bed every night" kind of kid, to a "sleep in his own bed most of the time" kind of kid. We are all sleeping better and I feel great about how we've evolved.

::: Read several books for pleasure (all on Kindle) -- The Paris Wife, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, The Sense of an Ending. I've now tackled The Brothers Karamozov.

::: Read The Science of Yoga, (also for pleasure, but of a different kind).

::: Cooked and cooked and cooked some more. Our CSA is abundantly supplying us with vegetables and we are trying our best to eat them.

::: Sewed some jammies for Silas. Repaired three skirts, hemmed pants. Finished and mailed the last of the Picnic Rolls I made for gifts. Cleaned out the closets and donated all the discards.

::: Started voice lessons and love my teacher. Hard to practice with discipline.

::: Play groups, play dates, volunteering at school for every party and event, hosting egg hunts, checking out and booking after school and summer activities, field trips, strawberry picking.

::: Rose tending, palm pruning, tree trimming supervising, front entry way courtyard tearing down, vegetable garden pot planting and maintenance, kishu orange tree learning.

::: Spring deep cleaning, rearranging furniture, aquired a lego table off craigslist, finally chose a kitchen paint color.

::: Coordinated a fantastic mini-reunion with 3 college friends in the D.C. area.

::: Lots of visits with local and semi local family and friends.

::: Got up close and personal with Alice Waters and Sir Ken Robinson.

::: Said goodbye to the Byzantine Fresco Chapel.

::: First visit to Galveston of this year. Trekked at Brazos Bend State Park, visited Shangri-La in Orange, TX, spent a weekend in New Orleans.

::: Booked our whole summer vacation.

::: Riding bicycles everywhere -- school, library, grocery store, for fun.

::: Flying kites out on the green space behind our house.

::: Lego, lego, lego.

::: Star wars, star wars, star wars (and he hasn't seen one movie yet!).

::: Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter (we are halfway through book 1).

All is well.

In my kitchen today ::: lots of kale, while standing up

The position I'm most comfortable in right now is standing up.   Consequently, my activities are largely those of the standing variety.  Vacuuming works if I move slowly.  Laundry works if I pay good attention to how I lift and bend when moving things from hamper to washer, washer to dryer.  Sewing would work if I had any projects in mind.  Yoga works if I am super careful and don't lay on my back in Savasana.  Cooking works. 

I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen today.  Potato, leek, carrot, celery, and kale soup.  Bread in the bread machine.  Cutting boards and wooden utensils oiled.  Counters cleaned.  Dishes out of dishwasher.  Dishes in dishwasher.  Dishes out of dishwasher.  Dishes hand-washed.  Snacks made for play date partners.  Floors vacuumed and mopped. The beginnings of holiday crafting.

In and amongst all the standing, it occurred to me to share my favorite kale recipes.  Kale is the king of leafy greens.  It is super nutritious, but often not an immediate favorite for everyone who tries it.  There's no denying it's bitter and the texture can be rubbery if not cooked well. Nevertheless, I've come to love it and I've found a handful of recipes over the past couple of years that I go back to again and again.

These enchiladas, which I've made with yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and black beans at different times but always wtih kale.  And, the kale and potato soup of today, which is a variation on the potato soup with spinach in this excellent book, but with kale instead of spinach. 

I've found, however that kale totally shines in dishes that are balanced by something really sweet.  My husband can't get enough of a dish introduced to me by Heather over at Beauty that Moves.  It has just a few simple ingredients:  carmelized red onion,  garlic, dried cranberries, apple cider, baked tofu and lots of kale.  We eat it just like that, although she recommends it over a grain of your choice.

Before the holidays I happened to be at Houston's Central Market (an HEB store), where I grabbed a small container of a salad I couldn't resist.  I kept the container because the label they print contains a list of ingredients.  Proportaions aren't included, of course, so I conducted an experiment to see if I could replicate it.  I got so close and it may be even better than the original.  It  was a hit at the holiday luncheon with my yoga class and at our Annual Solstice Tamale Fiesta.   I'm going to include this recipe today.

Fruity and Nutty Kale Salad (served at room temperature)

Proportions can all be adjusted to taste and to the size of your group.

Ingredients

SALAD:

2 large bunches kale, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped

1/4-1/2 cup sliced almonds (raw or lightly toasted)

1/4-1/2 cup pepitas (raw or lightly toasted)

1 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries

1/4 finely chopped crystalized ginger

I use a pressure cooker to steam my kale, but you can steam it conventionally as well. 

In the pressure cooker, place 1/2 cup water and a steamer base.  Bring water to boil.  Add chopped kale, cover and lock the lid and bring to high pressure.  Once it comes to high pressure, immediately remove from heat and use a quick release method to reduce pressure. 

If steaming conventionally, steam just until the kale is bright green and beginning to become tender.  The dressing will marinate the kale and soften its texture. 

Dunk the kale in icy cold water to stop the cooking process then spin in a salad spinner to dry. 

Combine kale, with dressing and toss.  Add fruit and cystallized ginger and toss again.  Refrigerate 3 or more hours until about an hour before serving.  Toast the nuts and toss them with the salad right before serving.  Add a little more dressing or serve it on the side.

DRESSING (makes lots and is excellent on any salad or as a marinade):

2 TBSP mirin

2 TBSP sesame oil

1/2 cup grapeseed Oil

1/4 cup orange or tangerine juice, freshly squeezed

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 TSP ground ginger

1-2 TBSP Chives

1 TBSP honey (optional)

Chop the shallot and chives.  Juice the orange or tangerine.  Combine mirin, oils, juice, shallot, ginger and honey (if needed).  Whisk or shake to emulsify. 

Embracing ::: appreciating ::: looking forward

Random musings...

1 ::: Our current reality includes public school.  Ahem.  I'm not at peace about that decision, yet I can  embrace the kindness, good intentions, and positive outlook of the teachers and a few good friends Silas is making.

2 ::: We watched "The Wizard of Oz" in two installments these last two Friday nights (our "movie night").  I hesitated to introduce it to Silas at his young age because I was fairly traumatized by one part of it when I was 5 (Spoiler Alert ::: I was so afraid Dorothy wouldn't get home when the balloon took off, I couldn't watch the rest of the movie).  But I also remember looking forward to the annual viewing of this film.  We watched it now because he was shown clips in music class at school and he knows the songs from bedtime singing, and, frankly, I didn't want him to see it elsewhere.  I wanted it to be a family experience/memory.  We had to stop the movie when the witch instructed her minions to go and get Dorothy because Silas got quite scared.  I am proud of how we handled it.  He made the choice to continue after reassurances that Dorothy's friends were coming to help her.  At the end he said, "Mommy, it was all a dream!). 

Remember when you couldn't watch anything "on demand"?  The anticipation of that annual viewing of "The Wizard of Oz", "The Sound of Music", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", etc., was delicous.  He has friends who have seen all the Star Wars movies over and over, among other things.  We won't let him watch them until he can understand the hero's journey better.  Sometimes I feel like such a freak and I worry we might turn him into one. 

I wish we had more friends who resisted media saturation (iPod, iTouch, iPad, Wii, movies, tv shows, computer games all included), truly embraced imaginative and outdoor play, and protected their children's innocence more fully.  When I watch my boy play with his friends, the scripts they enact come from movies and video games.  Silas plays along and is drawn into the power play of guns and missles and aliens and zombies, all second hand.  Somehow it seems worse here in the suburbs.  Is it?  I find little to embrace in 24-7 media/entertainment culture.  I find it appalling that this is "normal." 

What's to embrace?  When you truly want to see something, you can do it at your convenience (I like watching "The Daily Show" when I want to, for example).  Also, you can stop "The Wizard of Oz" DVD when your child gets scared, rather than pressing on and leaving an indelible fear-filled  memory.  Social media can help you reclaim people lost to changing life circumstances, some of which are beyond your control (like being forced to move towns when you are young).   

 3 ::: We are looking forward to a "mommy date" this week.  I am taking Silas out of school early every now and then to enjoy some alternative education/fun experiences and a break from routine.

4 ::: I appreciate the chance to practice and teach yoga with my friends.  I benefit so much from the discipline and preparation and I enjoy sharing a little of what I know.  I value the increased intimacy and view into each other's lives that happens with the accompanying conversation. 

5 ::: Healing is ongoing and I can use all my power to help it along.  What amazing beings we are!

6 ::: Order and beauty are so underrated!  Even a little clearing out and cleaning up elevates my spirit and makes room for more (ideas, creativity, productivity, ease).

7 ::: I'm embracing the principles and practice of compassionate communication and I'm grateful to my practice group for their willingness to learn together.  It's amazing how my view of situations changes when I ask myself what needs I and the other(s) are trying to meet in a given situation.  It's such a simple thing, but so important in easing the way.

8 ::: I'm looking for some fun! 

Have a great day.

 

Home crafts ::: Solstice elving is underway

We will be multiplying the number of friends with children gathered for our Winter Solstice Tamale Fiesta this year, and many thanks are due and offered to the community of families who have embraced us since we've moved to our new home in Clear Lake. Friends new and old will gather for an evening of crafting, creativity sharing, Solstice observing, feasting, and celebration. Plans are well underway...invites set, menu set, shopping lists created, and lots of elving....We have children from age one to teen attending, so a wide array of hands, hearts and minds will be seeking crafty fun.

Here are some previews...

Home crafts ::: the Annabel Cardigan

I know very few reasons to celebrate being sick for the better part of 2 weeks.  One good thing is that I am caught up on my unfinished knitting queue (except for one project which I've tabled until spring). 

I even had time to knit up this awesome sweater, the Annabel Cardigan from Quince & Co.  (Sorry for the view of our messy bathroom!) 

I purchased this purple-y blue locally produced yarn on our trip to the Isle of Grand Manan in New Brunswick last year.  It is bulky and pretty and fairly soft.   I've been saving it for this pattern and I'm glad I did.  Annabel is a classic, serviceable sweater, with just a hint of modernity.  My yarn was true to guage on this one and nothing knits up as quickly and with fewer brain cells as garter stitch with bulky yarn. 

The pattern is nicely written; it's super easy to knit with markers and a row counter.  It's worked from the top down, with sleeves added from stitches held on waste yarn while you finish the bodice.  I'd use a cable cast-on next time to keep the neckline from getting a bit stretchy, but overall I'm super happy with it.  I love the 3/4-inch sleeves (which my husband puts in the category of capri pants when it comes to ridiculous), but he doesn't wash as many dishes and do as much clean up as yours truly.

Give this one a try.  I knitted it in about three or four days of part-time work.  Enjoy!

You can see another view of this knitted in a lovely honey-mustard color here at Soulemama.

 

A mother's journal ::: Homemade Halloween-ing

 

I am so deeply grateful for the friendship and community offered by my MOMS Club school-age play group.  We collectively decided to offer our 12 children a home-based Halloween party---an alternative to the various candy and foam sticker parties all over town last weekend.  We added on a potluck dinner so the dads could socialize with us and join in the Halloween fun.

I tell you, this crowd can cook.  Two kinds of chili with all the toppings one could want, spider web 7-layer dip, mummy dogs, pumpkin monster muffins, rice, two kinds of corn bread, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, a fruit tray, multi-cheese spread, and baked potatoes.  Hot cider, Italian soda, and libations rounded out the offerings.

As for the activities?  Galavanting on the land behind our home.  A communally-created whacky pumpkin patch.  Pin the spider on the web.  Bobbing for apples.  Lots of free play.  And, an outdoor flashlight goody-bag hunt.  The costume parade for the holdouts was a capper to the evening.  It was great to see the children so happy and engaged without a piece of candy in sight.

Thanks to everyone who came.  It's lovely when everyone is willing to participate and contribute.  We all benefit, and the children can add one more seedling in the garden that is their relationships with each other and their community.. 

Happy Halloween!!!

Practice notes ::: gratitude list

Appreciating ...

::: strength and flexibility (of the physical and mental varieties)

::: simple, daily routines

::: CSA-sourced eggplant parmesean, zucchini muffins, mushroom pepper zucchini fritatta

::: eye contact

::: a big sunny shower stall

::: the birds have finally found the feeder

Have a beautiful day!