A New Heartsease...

Using Your Oven To Dehydrate Food In the Age of Covid-19

 

You can use your oven to dehydrate some foods.

 

    You can use your oven to dehydrate foods thereby adding to your food security. 

    Dehydrated foods are compact, require no refrigeration, and store for long periods of time. You can make tasty dishes, snacks, sauces, soups, desserts, gifts, crafts, and more, with your home-dehydrated fruits, veggies, and herbs.

    The "pros" of oven dehydrating:

    1. It's possible

    2. A convection oven has an inbuilt fan. Some even have a dehydration feature!

    3. You likely own an oven

 

    The "cons" of oven dehydrating:

    1. It's not energy efficient

    2. The oven won't hold as much food to dry

    3. It will warm up your home

    4. Not all ovens have low enough temperature settings

    5. You'll have to re-position the food trays to achieve uniform drying

    6. This may not be a safe option if you have small children

    7. You won't be able to use your oven for at least a day

    8. Most fruits take too long to dry by oven

 

    Check that your oven's lowest heat setting can go below 150-degrees, ideally, otherwise you'll likely slow cook it instead of dehydrating it. Many ovens have a "keep warm" feature. Even if your lowest temperature is 200-degrees, the fact that the oven door is left slightly open, will mean that the inside temperature is less than 200. So give it a try and see. Less than ideal, but still possible.

    Your oven will likely cycle on and off during the dehydrating process to try to maintain internal temperature when the oven door is slightly open, so not as energy efficient.

    You want to keep the oven door slightly open to mitigate moisture which will prevent dehydration. A fan to circulate air means a better dehydration.

 

    Okay let's get started. You'll need:

Some cookie sheets. Old battered ones are fine.

Some cooling racks (the ones used to cool cookies, etc.)

A fan

A chair or stool

Something to hold the oven door ajar

 

 

Cookie sheets and cooling rack combinations allow air to reach the underside of foods you're dehydrating.

 

    Air circulation is of paramount importance for dehydration. Without a rack system of some type, as pictured above, you'll have to turn the food periodically.

 

A chair or stool, and a fan will help with air circulation around the foods your drying.

 

    Position the fan so that it blows into the opening of the oven door as in the photo above.

 

You'll need something to keep the oven door slightly ajar. A garlic press, lemon reamer, whatever works.

 

    The inbuilt "stop" feature of the oven door leaves too large a gap so most of the heat will escape. You want the oven to be slightly ajar by an inch or two; enough so that air from the fan enters, but most of the heat is still retained inside the oven. Dehydration may take six- to 18-hours, depending on the foods you want to dry.

    Some foods need pre-treatment to prevent browning. Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, and bananas need this. Although potatoes do need it, too, most other veggies do not. Many veggies will need at least a three minute steam blanching. Steam blanching also means that your dried foods are more tender when re-hydrated.

    For that need an anti-browning pre-treatment, a dip in Fruit Fresh or acidulated water (to each pint of water add 1/2 cup lemon or line juice) does the trick. Again most veggies - except potatoes - don't need this.

    There are some vegetables that don't need steam blanching. Mushrooms, onions, garlic, frozen vegetables, rhubarb, and most fruits. 

    I mentioned frozen vegetables. Frozen potatoes need no pre-treatment or steam blanching. Simple thaw and spread evenly over the drying racks. I also buy bags of frozen green beans and corn. My favorite frozen vegetables to dry are thawed packages of mixed veggies containing corn, green beans, diced carrots, and peas...sometimes there's lima beans in the mix also. I thaw them out and spread them over the drying racks. They're handy to tote along on camping trips, or to re-hydrate when I want to make veggie fried rice and don't have any fresh vegetables on hand.

    Acidic fruits don't need a pre-treatment. Examples are citrus, pineapple, mangoes, strawberries, rhubarb, berries, and plums. 

    Foods need to be cut in 1/4-inch slices or cubes. Grapes, strawberries, cherries, cranberries, raspberries should be cut in half for oven drying. You may need to spray or rub a light coating of olive or other cooking oil onto the racks to prevent sticking.

    Arrange the foods to be dried in single layers on the racks so they aren't touching. Set them into the oven, set the temperature, arrange your stool/fan combination, turn on the fan.

    Every couple of hours or so you'll need to turn the racks 180-degrees and shuffle their positioning to insure even drying. Even so, you may find that the top of the food is drying faster than the bottoms of it. If this is happening use tongs to turn the food over so the bottoms are now better exposed to heat and air.

    I used to oven-dry foods before acquiring my dehydrator. The dehydrator is so much more efficient in every way. However, the oven will get you started until you can acquire a dehydrator.

    Onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, and peppers are some of the easiest items to oven-dry, and some you'll use most often when you're out of the fresh versions. They dry quickly and on those occasions when I find them on sale, I will still use my oven for the overflow.

    When fruits are shrunken, dry, and malleable they should be finished. Low sugar fruits such as cranberries and rhubarb (actually a vegetable used as a fruit) that have little sugar content will tend toward crispness. It's hard to tell if foods are fully dehydrated when they're still hot, so allow them to cool a bit and check for doneness and dryness. They must be dry all the way through.

    If your foods aren't dry at day's end you can turn off the oven, leave the foods in overnight, and simply turn on the oven again the next morning. I do this with my dehydrator, too, if I've waited until late afternoon to start it up. It won't harm the fruits or veggies to sit overnight in a cooling oven or dehydrator.

    Don't do this with meats. I'm not giving instructions for dehydrating meats with an oven for food safety reasons. If you are adamant to oven-dry meats, the Teresa Marrone book, "Dried Foods" (see my previous post) will tell you how to do so. Dried meats should be refrigerated or frozen or they're likely to go rancid.

    Store your dried foods in lidded jars or Ziploc baggies. Potatoes I store in paper bags due to their propensity to mold even if they appear dry.

    Your dehydrated foods may need to be re-hydrated before using. My favorite method is to put veggies into a heatproof bowl or cup. Just cover with water then microwave for 30 or more seconds and allow to sit for 30 minutes. The liquid left over is great to use as a flavoring in sautees, soup stocks, or sip as a hot beverage.

    If you're making soup, re-hydrated veggies may be sauteed in butter or oil, then added to the mixture for simmering. If a soup or stew is set to simmer for 40 minutes or more, the dried veggies may be added straight to the soup as they will re-hydrate sufficiently during cooking.

    For recipes made with dehydrated vegetables that haven't been sauteed first, I like to add a pat of butter or a drizzle of oil before serving to add a mouthfeel of silkiness that only a bit of fat can give.

    Dehydrated fruits may be used to make pies, cakes, added to nut mixtures, and eaten as is. Most fruits dehydrate to a sweet flexibility that makes them tasty as snacks with no preparation. Apples, bananas, pears, mangoes, pineapple,and peaches come to mind.

    I like to make a muesli using my dehydrated fruits, pan-roasted nuts and seeds, and old-fashioned oatmeal. I take this camping in a Ziploc baggies. It makes a nice breakfast by adding some hot water or milk and letting it soak for about 15 minutes. I also make "overnight oatmeal by putting everything on to soak overnight. Add some hot milk and you have a nearly instant hot and satisfying breakfast.

    Adding dehydrated foods to your food security-system is easy, compact to store, and you'll always having something to eat whether camping, traveling, when times get tough, or you run out of a fresh ingredient.

 

I store a pantry's worth of food in a box! 

 

    Be well. Stay safe!

    

 

 

 

    

    

 

Fruits of Winter Tabbouli...and Kayaking?

This festive tabbouli is delicious and nutritious!

    Due to the fact that my several weeks long camping trip was dogged by wind, blizzard, and cold, and few photos were taken, I'll share the high points as an appendage to this blog. The rest consisted of driving, a few hotel stays, and bad weather.

    But first, my recipe for a colorful and delicious winter fruits tabbouli is featured. It's the colors of the Holidays and uses fruits that come onto the market in late Autumn and Winter.

Recipe: Fruits of Winter Tabbouli  (Serves 6 to 8)

1 cup Bob's Red Mill "grains of the Levant" bulgar wheat

1 cup water

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp each salt, and allspice (or 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and clove instead of allspice).

1/4 cup chopped fresh spearmint, or 2 TBS crumbled, dried spearmint

3/4 cup sliced scallions

1 cup chopped parsley

1/2 Granny Smith apple diced 1/4-inch pieces

1/3 cup each reduced sugar dried cranberries and golden raisins

1/2 large pomegranate arils/seeds removed and separated from membranes

1 peeled orange, or 2 tangerines or mandarins peeled and sectioned, sections cut into bite-sized pieces

3/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup sliced, raw almonds

 

You'll need the arils from half of a large pomegranate. Save the other half to garnish salads, grain dishes, chicken, beef, or pork dishes. Or you can eat the arils while standing over the sink to catch the drippy red juice!

   

    Place the bulgar and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, turn down immediately to a low simmer. Cover and simmer five minutes, then remove from heat. Set aside for 10 minutes while you chop the other ingredients. All liquid should be absorbed into the grains.

    Chop the scallions, apple, orange, parsley, mint, and seed the pomegranate half. Place into a large serving bowl, and add the feta, dried fruits, apple pieces, pomegranate arils, and almonds.

 

The ingredients are colorful and rich in vitamins and antioxidants!

 

    To the pan of warm, cooked bulgar, add the olive oil and stir until the bulgar is coated. Add the lemon juice, teaspoon each of salt and allspice, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the bulgar mixture to the bowl of other ingredients and stir all together. 

    This tabbouli may be eaten when still warm, at room temperature, or served cold. It's a great addition to a buffet and makes a festive side to most entree's and barbecues. 

* * * * *

 

 

 
I'm outfitted and kayaking on Whiskey Town Lake!  

 

   While most of my vacation days were fraught with wind, rain, or snow, I spent a few warm and wonderful days in Redding, CA visiting my Dad, and his wife Sandy, before departing to nearby Cottonwood to visit my brother, Russ...where the wind soon caught up to me.

    While in Redding, the wind stopped, and Sandy outfitted me in her gear and taught me the basics of kayaking. It was fun and something I want to do at home this summer. 

    Living near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho means that there are many lakes upon which to practice and hone my new-found hobby! 

    I arrived to visit my brother near Cottonwood just ahead of the return of the California windstorms that have been the cause of Pacific Gas and Electric shutting down service to homes in high fire-risk areas. I arrived just after a return to power and left his place a few days later on the cusp of another windstorm and shutdown scheduled for that very afternoon.

    The wind blew my car into Oregon where wind and rain there necessitated a hotel for the night. Leaving the next morning amidst wind and rain, I left the rain behind - finally - in Washington State, but didn't lose the wind until just before reaching Spokane. I finished the drive home in the dark, arriving home at around 7:30 p.m. after stopping at the Applebee's in Coeur d'Alene for dinner.

    I may have to review the idea of late Autumn camping trips! The weather prevented much of the camping part of my trip that I'd envisioned.

 

 

 

Autumn Camping Trip - Yakima Sportsman State Park

.

In the desert-like area around Yakima, Washington this campground is an oasis of trees and animals, and a quiet, calm spot for people to camp and relax. This large leaf may be from the "big leaf maple" native to Washington State - Acer macrophyllum

 

    I've just returned from a two-week camping and visiting trip. My first two days were camping days. I stayed at the lovely Yakima Sportman State Park. I'd hoped to have additional camping days during my trip...but Winter intervened...

    My first two days were in the mid-50's and the nights in the 30's. I was cozy in my Jeep bed. Click the following link to see how I made my Jeep serve my RVing and camping needs without buying another vehicle, and instead using the one I already own and how I made my car bed!

https://heartseasecottage.typepad.com/gails-garden-at-heartsea/2019/08/car-camping-my-way.html

 

    

Tall trees, and hedged in on three sides by wild roses, made my campsite a private Eden.

 

    Not all the campsites were screened from view of other campers, but some where. There were a few other campers in the park due to the lateness of the season. Most were in RV's where privacy is maintained by the RV itself. There are also spots for tents, van and car camping. As many of my activities such as cooking, clothes changing, and sitting occur outside my car, I found a very private, secluded site.

 

With the hatch up and the car backed into my campsite I have a view from my car bed into the rose hedging and trees where I can relax and read or watch the varieties of birds that inhabit the park. Behind the car, out of site, is my folding camp chair and table. My "booth" sits between camp table and car.

 

    I've erected my "booth", a changing room/potty tent for privacy when doing these things. The booth has an open top for ventilation or a solar shower (though nothing to hang the solar shower from...a tree limb would serve or a shepherds hook?) so I've put a tarp over it in case of rain.

    To use the booth one side unzips for stepping into it. I keep a collapsible stool inside of it so I have a place to sit to put on shoes. The stool also raises the collapsible potty to a comfy, usable height. The potty may be moved into the car at night for those pesky nighttime nature calls and is the right height for in-car use where it sits next to the middle of the bed. It has a lid that securely covers it. Thankfully. Kitty sand has a part to play, but I will get into that subject in more detail another time.

    

 

Reading, relaxing, knitting, and sleeping, this car bed is eight-inches-thick comfort! I have a down sleeping bag, a wool blanket, and an afghan I'm crocheting - mostly done - for cozy comfort on chilly nights.

 

    I have three bins that I take on my trips. A small one, and two larger ones. One holds pots, pans, eating utensils, knives, towels and wash cloths, plates, cutting board, glasses and cups, matches, and lighter, and fire starting sticks for recalcitrant campfires. It's a kitchen in a bin! I have a set of two plates, cups, utensils, cups, and glasses.

 

My kitchen set up occupies one end of the camp table at my site.

 

    On the  camp bench is a small bin that holds spices and tea bags. The larger bins holds my kitchen items. On top of the table is my old Coleman single burner stove. The kitchen towel is draped over a one gallon bottle of water so it can dry. A can of chili is at hand for making Frito Pie. My insulated cup keeps beverages hot or cold and I can re-hydrate dried veggies in it by adding hot water.

    Not in the photo is my utility bin. It's the same size as the kitchen bin and serves dually as a bedside table in the Jeep. The utility bin holds tent stakes, a 5'x7' tarp, wet wipes, a roll of plastic bags for my collapsible potty (I will do a post on potty use), and the collapsible potty, an ax, a hammer, a tent stake puller, cording, a roll of duct tape, spring clamps and other odds and ends. 

    Under the front seats of the car I keep a folding table, a folding shovel, and a first aid kit. On the passenger side floor I store three gallons of water, food bags, the stove when traveling.

    The passenger seat holds my small, rolling suitcase and my personals bag for hygiene, washing up, medications, etc.

    My mobile pantry consists of a large bag in which I keep a variety of dehydrated foods and homemade soup and meal mixes. Also I carry minute rice, quick cooking barley, dehydrated pinto, black, and white beans, some "minute" grain mixtures, powdered milk, chicken bullion, and arrowroot.

    I also use those sectioned wine totes from the market. One holds my canned goods and small 8-oz cartons of almond milk, packets of tuna, antiseptically packaged tofu, soy sauce, Tabasco, toasted sesame oil, and olive oil. Another, with the two end sections opened up carries spare propane canisters, while the intact mid sections hold batteries for flashlight and camp lantern and candles for my backpack lantern. 

    My old Igloo Playmateice chest totes things I need to keep cold for a few days such as meats, cheese, beverages. Ice from my ice maker at home will last for about three days.

    Future posts will describe how I prolong my ice supply, why I store and carry my water in vinegar bottles, my "potty Protocol" and other things I've learned from past camping exploits and new things I'm learning about car camping in an SUV!

 

   

    

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

Caring For Bamboo and Wooden Knitting Needles

This is a small sampling of my collection of wooden and bamboo knitting needles.

 

    I love knitting with bamboo and wooden needles. They simply feel good in my hands and I enjoy their organic texture, warmth, and smoothness particularly when I'm using natural fibers and yarns.

    Wooden and bamboo needles have their pros and their cons. In the "pro" list they are wonderful for those who suffer from arthritis and hand-cramping because they're naturally warmer than metal needles and hold the warmth from your hands longer.

    They also tend to conform to the user's hand because of their light flexibility. Bamboo and wood truly become yours as they slightly flex with use to your own hands and fingers.

    Square and round wooden needles may be found in yarn shops and fabric stores that also sell knitting supplies. They're easily found on-line in greater variety, as well.

    Vintage wooden needles may sometimes be found in antique stores and at flea markets. Rosewood is a luxurious traditional and modern favorite. Many are made of hardwoods.

    Square wooden needles with their four-sided shafts are reputed to produce more consistent stitches. They're also good for arthritis suffers as they're less slippery, reducing the need to grip them as tightly...and as with bamboo, slightly conform to your hand and grip.

    In the "con" column is that bamboo and wooden needles are generally more expensive. And, they're not as consistently sized as metal needles. Also they may break when yarn tension is tight or hasn't any flex to it.

    Wooden and bamboo needles are best with man-made, natural, and organic fibers that have some give, or a bit of stretch. Knitting with fibers that aren't flexible, especially with narrow, smaller-sized needles may cause them to break...not a problem with metal needles.

    The tips of both bamboo and wooden needles are prone to dulling and damage if not protected. The best way to store them is in a protective sleeve (save and use the one they came in) where tips will be protected from abrasion and dulling by bumping into to harder objects.

    Wooden and bamboo needles require additional care, as well. While they will pick up some natural oils from your hands or from knitting with organic wool, they should be moisturized at least once a year, especially if not used regularly. They're more susceptible to breakage if allowed to dry out due to either irregular use or long periods of disuse.  

 

    

To clean and moisturize my needles, I use a homemade lavender-scented wax/balm.

 

    It's not necessary - usually - to wash knitting needles. However, they should never be soaked or subjected to harsh scrubbers or chemical cleaners. All that's normally required is a gentle application of wax and buffing the excess away with a clean cotton cloth before storing them. Do this once a year, at least. Twice a year is recommended, although I claim to do it only once a year myself.

    I wax mine in late Spring or early Summer as I tend to knit less frequently during hot weather. This way they're ready for when I pick them up for Fall and Winter projects.

    I've heard that needles may be rubbed with waxed paper or beeswax, as well. My preferred method is the recipe that follows:

Knitting Needle Wax:

3 TBS olive oil

2 TBS melted beeswax pellets (or grated beeswax)

10  - 15 drops lavender essential oil (cedar or rosemary essential oils are nice, too.)

    In a small pan gently heat the olive oil. Add the beeswax and stir with a bamboo skewer until melted. Allow the mixture to cool until it just begins to turn opaque. Stir in the lavender essential oil completely and pour into a lidded tin. Allow to cool and harden. Add a label (this needle wax makes a nice stocking stuffer for your knitting friends). Tins may be purchased online, where essential oils are sold - often at health food stores - or may be recycled and cleaned for use from other products you may have on hand.

    For an anti-bacterial wax, substitute the lavender oil for tea tree oil.

    You may also use rose oil, lemon, or any other essential oil or a combination of oils that you like to add a pleasant scent.

    Herbal and floral essential oils, or your own herb-infused oilds- with healing properties may be substituted to make a lip balm for chapped lips using this same recipe. The balm may soften or liquefy on hot days or if carried in a pocket.

    This same recipe may be used as a healing salve for scrapes and scratches, rashes, or mild irritations, as well. Simply add 1 TBS fresh or dried calendula petals as you heat the olive oil. This makes an infused oil. Allow the petals to steep in the cooling oil for at least four hours - longer is fine, even up to a couple of weeks - then strain out the petals discarding them. You can substitute plantain leaf, comfrey leaf, chickweed, or chamomile flowers, or lavender buds to infuse the oil, all of which will add their healing and soothing properties to the salve.

    If you don't have beeswax you may use melted coconut oil in a one part olive oil to one part coconut oil mixture, then add your selected essential oil/s. This olive oil and coconut oil combination may also be used as a gentle, underarm deodorant. Go light on adding essential oils as some may be irritating to sensitive skin areas. Lavender and chamomile essential oils are generally safe choices. Don't use eucalyptus oil as it is irritating in any quantity, (but great for use in homemade cleaning products for toilets and basins).

    P.S. Knitting is good for you! It's not only relaxing, it can decrease heart rate and blood pressure, and is therapeutic for mental and emotional issues. Knitting reduces stress. It's also fun and you'll end up with something great to wear or to give away.

 

* * * * *

 

    

 

Creating A Balcony "Garden" Room

Created with items I already have, my balcony has now become an outdoor "garden" room! "Party" lights strung around the perimeter of the balcony walls add a festive feel to evenings on the balcony.

 

    I love my cottage-style condo at the edge of the woods!

    I love my balcony that looks into an old crab apple tree that changes her "dress" from season to season and provides food for all manner of wildlife. I love the leafy screened privacy it provides to the balcony, all the while acting as my personal window-on-nature.

    I also love that my balcony is covered so that I'm able to utilize it as an outdoor space year 'round. 

    I've always wanted an outdoor garden room but I'd already decorated my balcony with a chair, a chaise lounge, and plant stands in a rather typical manner. However, this Spring I decided that just because something was done one way, it didn't mean it had to stay that way. 

    I also love that I was able to decorate my new garden room using items I already owned! Money not spent is money saved!

    After moving the chaise down to the garage, I scavenged my slip-covered love seat from my office where I seldom ever sat on it. Then, I removed the old rug from the entry way where it resides in Winter to soak up rain and snow melt.     

    In Spring, Summer, and Fall, the rug is rolled up and stored under my bed. Now, it will add to my balcony decor until next Winter instead of taking up space under the bed.

    The vintage "yard long" print of roses was also salvaged from my office and replaced over the love seat in its new balcony location. A white-painted oak TV tray/side table, lace runner, and lamp were removed from my office, too, leaving one wall pretty bare!

    The glass-topped, wrought iron table once sat at the side of the chaise. Now, it serves as a coffee table in front of the love seat. The love seat is comfy and I can choose to sit, or recline on it.

    My garden room wouldn't be complete lest there was a comfy chair for my feline friend, Junie.

 

With a pillow beneath a fabricated cover that can be removed for laundering, Junie has his own chair on which to nap and watch birds visiting the apple tree.

 

    The weather is still a bit nippy for spending much time enjoying my new garden room, but with days beginning to hit the 50-degree mark, it won't be long until I'm spending more time outside!

 

A lamp next to the love seat assures that I'll be able to spend summer evenings reading while waiting to watch the moon rise or listen to night sounds.

 

    My new garden room is a bit "cottage", a little shabby-chic...with a few "farm-style" touches in the form of a galvanized washtub, and an "out-of photo" feed bucket.

 

When not being used as a cachepot for potted herbs, this galvanized tub serves as farm-style wall art.

 

Galvanized pitchers, tubs, and buckets make nice cache pots for nursery-potted plants and herbs.

 

    More galvanized buckets will emerge from the storage room to act as cache pots for flowering plants as the Season progresses. Because our growing season is short here, as it was in Utah, I often don't re-pot nursery-purchased plants. Instead, I simply slip them into a bucket where they happily grow until the first hard frost. The bucket keeps leakage off the wood deck of my balcony.

 

Galvanized buckets make great cache pots for nursery-potted plants. In time this bucket will attain that delightful patina of old galvanized metal. Time and weathering will do the trick in a season or two.

 

A lidded dish on the painted tray-table adds a bit of homey decor.

 

On the wall opposite the love seat, I've created a montage using items from the gardens of my old folk-Victorian farmhouse in Utah.

 

My new outdoor room blends seamlessly with my indoor spaces.

 

* * * * *

 

 

 

 

 

    

    

 

  

On Thanksgiving...

 

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

    On thinking about Thanksgiving Day, a menu has been decided, a table setting arranged based on who and how many will be in attendance, the groceries secured, a plan of action set down for the day before and the day of the Feast.

    It occurs to me that one day a year is set aside for a National day of giving thanks, while just about every other Holiday (perhaps excepting Easter to some degree) has been co-opted by the forces of marketing and consumerism. Thus, we find ourselves at an odd crossroads in our evolution as a culture...

    ...by having the strange juxtaposition of a day of thanksgiving quickly followed by the sinister-named "Black Friday" when deal-seeking, money-waving, mania-maddened multitudes mob merchandisers (Ahhh...how I love alliteration!).

Okay, I realize the name, "Black Friday" arises out of the idea that rampant and collective consumerism on this day will put businesses in the "black ink" column. At least that's the idea.

Still, the concept that frenzied acquisition follows immediately upon the heels of gratitude and thanksgiving can only be the wayward "child" of Capitalism. Not that Capitalism is a bad thing...unless it becomes the "only" thing.

Capitalism becomes questionable when it subsumes, consumes, and ideates a society to the exclusion of the "un-dollar-able" values to be found within the heart and the soul of a people and their society. 

For me Black Friday has become - not a time to shop - but a time to retreat from shopping. Instead, I light the candles, turn on quiet music, pick up the journal and pen, and make a cozy cup of herbal tea. I make myself comfortable and with pen in hand list all that I am grateful for over the past year. 

I thank the God of my Heart for abundance, health, family, friends, lessons learned (from the joyful to the painful), and retreat for a time from the noise, expectations, seduction, chaos, glitz (and the false promises that stuff will make me happy and fulfilled) and simply sit quietly within that sublime inner space where head and heart meet and commune with Soul.

I wish everyone all of the love, delight, communion with others, and thank-fullness, abundance and feasting that Thanksgiving Day offers. And, safety, sanity, and success if you choose to join the Black Friday fray...and of course, blessings, and abundance throughout the Holiday Season to come!

Ship Shape...

 

The Jubilacion where I spent an enjoyable few days with my Dad and Sandy.

 

My Dad's mooring line and dock hose are shipshape and tickity boo.

 

His neighbor's, well...not so much!

 

    I had a lovely few days visiting Seattle's Elliot Bay Marina, where my Dad and step mom, Sandy, recently returned from their annual six months cruise up into Canadian waters. 

    I drove over from Northern Idaho to visit with them on their cruise boat, Jubilacion, just ahead of their heading back home to Redding, California.

    Sandy and I took a long walk through parts of Discovery Park and photographed each other on a fern-bordered trail.

 

I'm enjoying a fern-bordered stroll through Discovery Park.

 

As Sandy takes my picture, I snap hers.

 

Viewed from Jubilacion's deck, the land-based part of the marina was in full-on Autumn mode!

 

Aboard the Jubilacion

 

Jubilacion...first boat at the bottom of the gangway on the right.

 

    As my visit coincided with chantrelle hunting back home, I stopped at Whole Foods Market in Seattle and bought some fresh chantrelles, fresh thyme, and a shallot, and the night my Dad fixed his famously delicious spaghetti, I whipped up a side dish of sauteed chantrelles. Delicious dinner. Great company! A most enjoyable mini-vacation!

    While aboard, I enjoyed my own private stateroom - an approximate four-foot by four-foot compartment with bunk beds that I named, my "Cozy Cubby. Despite being small, the upper bunk I occupied was comfy and cozy!

    As of now, Daddy and Sandy are already planning next year's six-months long cruise!

    

    

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

October!

 

Listen! the wind is rising,
and the air is wild with leaves.
We have had our summer evenings,
now for October eves.
~Humbert Wolfe, P.L.M.: Peoples, Landfalls, Mountains, 1936

 

 

I Love A Place Where Deer...

 

 

    I love living in a place where deer feel at ease enough to have a "lie down" beneath my balcony.

 

* * *

How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!

~Emily Dickinson, letter to Mrs. J.S. Cooper, 1880

Eat Your Broccoli! All of It!

 

The stalk is actually the tastiest, tenderest part of broccoli! Really!

 

    The trimmed stalks of broccoli are wonderful for raw eating. Use them in healthy appetizers such as crudites for dipping or chopped for salads. Or, you can steam them, chopped, right along with the budding tips.

    First, stalks need to be trimmed. With a sharp kitchen knife cut across the stalk where it starts to branch into its budding tips. You may need to trim the bottom end if it's uneven so that you can stand it vertically on a cutting board for safe trimming.

    I usually cut the stalk in half and trim it in two parts for safety and stability. Carefully holding the stalk at the top away from each edge you'll be trimming, use the knife to slice away the thin, tough outer skin, slicing downward. Work all the way around the stalk, carefully so as to not nick your fingers. Then, chop raw onto salads or slice and serve with other sliced, raw veggies such as, carrots, celery, and asparagus.

    Dipping veggies, instead of potato chips, into Ranch dressing/dip is a traditional and healthier way to snack.

    Or, chop the stalk and add it to a pan along with its budding tips for steaming!

 

Eat your broccoli! It's rich in vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting properties!