Drill Baby, Drill...Good Bye Alaskan Wilderness

After listening to the Republican President and Vice President hopefuls I feel like I've stepped back in time and I'm in high school again. Call me naive, but hearing the jeering from the crowd along with the mocking and deliberate insults from the candidates struck me with surprise that grown adults actually carry on this way.
What's really going on here is a distraction. John McCain has proven himself to be a cunning individual by choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate. He's taken the focus from Barrack Obama by picking a woman for nothing more than his own gain. This is not a sexist view, just an observation of the blatant truth. He found the best way to shake up America and gain popularity in the poles at the same time.
And America has fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. His impulsiveness in choosing an inexperienced running mate posses serious questions in his ability to make the important decisions necessary to run this country. But who is recognizing the obvious? To a lot of Americans, this is better than a night in front of the television watching "Dancing With the Stars". We've become obsessed with a Vice Presidential candidate based on appearance and family drama not on the ability to handle world situations. How typically shallow of us.
Let me refer an excellent article written by Katha Pollitt with intelligent and witty commentary on the craze surrounding Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Polin. Please refer to: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080929/pollitt
Several residents from Alaska have offered their insight as to just who Sarah Palin really is. You can read their letters and maybe become better acquainted with her politics, (depending on which letter you believe) by going to this link provided by Snopes.com.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp
And what will these two individuals do for our country? Well, for starters, they've promised us more oil to the tune of "Drill Baby, Drill". This certainly is not change but feeding the same old addiction that will keep us dependent for a long time to come. I am sure that every Saudi, Russian and Venezuelan who heard that chant was, and still is, grinning from ear to ear. Just what planet do these people think they live on, Planet Looney Tunes? How can they possibly think that continual raping of the land is the answer?
And just what is "clean coal"? As a child we had a coal furnace in the basement of our house and one of my chores was to sweep the basement floor. I remember the mound of black soot that filled my dust pan. A hauntingly and beautifully written book about the tragic effects of the coal boom in West Virgina titled, "Strange as this Weather has Been", by Ann Pancake, paints a picture that is anything but clean.

Even though the price of gasoline has dwindled, (gee, what a coincidence!) expect another rise again after the election. If you think $4.00 per gallon is a hefty price to pay, the loss of the Alaskan Wilderness is a much higher fee.
What does all of this have to do with nutrition? Again, I repeat, the health of the people is tied to the health of the land.




Alaska has been called America's Last Frontier

Meet Ibtissame Boudiba

People come and people go. Some are in our lives for a long time, (parents, siblings, girlfriends). Some not so long, (teachers, boyfriends, husbands). We learn something from each and every one of them no matter how long or short our shared space on the planet becomes. And some give more to us then others as we also give more or less depending on the deepness of our connection.
Ibtissame came into my home for three days from her home in Brussels and brought such light and goodness that touched me as if I had known her my entire life. Funny how that can happen. Maybe the time was right and I was simply having my need for a friend fulfilled. We talked, we laughed, we ate together and enjoyed each others company with the excitement that comes when opening a beautifully wrapped present.
And then, as quickly as she came, she was gone, off to new adventures. She left behind a memory that brings a smile to my face and a joyful feeling in my heart. I was richer to have had the pleasure of being graced by her presence if only for a short while.
Life is always giving you gifts, you just must know how to open them.

There comes a point in your life when you realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will.

- Unknown

A Girl, A Funnel, and Some Gas

Gas. It's on everybody's mind. I love to walk as much as possible but there are days when I've got to get into the gas guzzler and drive. My MPG hasn't been great and it seems that every time I fill up the tank, well it's time to fill it up again. So, I came across this website SmartGas.net and the guy seems to know what he's talking about. At least he's convinced me.
I want to share the information with everyone and anyone that will listen, the gas station attendant, the cashier at Sally's Beauty Supply, and now all of you.
It involves going to a beauty supply store, namely Sally's. They're everywhere so you shouldn't have any problems finding one. You'll want to buy PURE ACETONE. I bought a gallon for $16.99. Then I went to good old Freddy Meyer's and bought a four ounce shot glass and a fashionable, long neck, blue funnel. Came home, opened the gas cap, and bravely poured three ounces of the Acetone into my tank which was just filled with ten gallons of gasoline from a BP Gas Station (they carry gas with ten percent ethanol).
This is what I call sticking it to the man. Now I'm hoping to achieve the results that are claimed on the website which are better gas mileage!
Please be careful as I would not want to see anything bad happen like explosions or fire since those things always come to mind when I unscrew my gas cap and attempt to mix unknown substances. This is probably due to left over childhood memories from much motherly advice.
READ THIS LINK CAREFULLY! For some of the suggestions you will most likely need your mechanic or a man with a tool belt...good luck with the man, your mechanic is probably a better bet! Or hey, maybe you are a man and this is second nature. Or maybe you're a woman and this is a piece of cake. I, on the other hand, became less enthused by the time I made it to suggestion number two!

http://www.brightgreen.us/lubedev/smartgas/ultra5.htm
please copy and paste this link...


Pump it up until you can feel it.
Pump it up when you don't really need it.
Elvis Costello

Three Reasons Why

Three reasons why I drove two and a half hours today...

1) The goats love me

2) Truly free range chickens

3) Real Milk

This trek has been a requirement of my commitment to a raw milk/real foodie co-op. Every week one of us makes the long drive south on Route 5 amongst the 18 wheelers to our little farm in Yamhill. We load up the car with kids, sometimes with friends, and always with the coffin size cooler, anticipating the creamy raw milk, free range chickens, kefir, fresh yoqurt, even kombucha that we'll be bringing back to the drop off location on a member's front porch in the heart of Portland.
Sometimes we stay and breath in the clean country air while mingling with the farm animals. If our farmers aren't terribly busy (HA!) there's pleasant conversation to be had as well.
What a nice break from city life. My imagination takes me to another place and time when life was hard but simple, when fires burned in the hearth, and home made meals were served from the bounty of the farm yard. Now we live in a microwave society of packaged & processed oddities that remotely resemble food. But our souls still feel hunger...
Thank you small farms everywhere for helping to satiate these tribal appetites. It's about more than just good food. Your commitment to humanly raising livestock and producing quality food for our tables is appreciated by a small and loyal following that seems to be growing in size each and every day.
Support your local farmer's market or just take a drive on out to the farm!
Know Thy Food...



I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. ~George Washington

My Little House on the Prairie!?

Well, not exactly but good enough! Tonight in North Portland, parked on a small vacant lot, rested Jay Shafer's 100 square foot house on it's way back home to Sebastopol from a Northwest tour. I noticed the orderly crowd that had formed before I spotted what first appeared to be a glorified outhouse. I was struck by a brief but very vivid flashback of childhood visits to Grammy's farm. As I walked closer and the miniature structure came into full view, I was in awe at finally seeing the house I've been dreaming of.
I took my place among the curious, waited patiently, and finally was able to step inside a Tumbleweed House. About eight of us at a time were led on a short but ever so sweet tour by our gracious host, Jay.
Everything one needs was within a stone's throw (literally) of the front door. First was the cozy living room, straight ahead the even cozier kitchen, left face to the coziest bathroom, and up above was the convenient sleeping loft.
I've been drawn to these humble, little abodes ever since I googled two simple words "small house" and found that much to my surprise, there's an entire community who refer to themselves as, get this, "The Small House Society"!
I don't personally know anyone besides myself who aspires to live in a home that would fit inside of some people's bathrooms, but from the size of the crowd that showed up, it was obvious there were others walking in my dream. Comforting to know so many are contemplating ways to lessen their footprint on mother earth.
A small piece of land, some ducks, a cow, throw a tiny house into the mix, and I'm one happy camper.


www.tumbleweedhouses.com


One's home is like a delicious piece of pie you order in a restaurant on a country road one cozy evening - the best piece of pie you have ever eaten in your life - and can never find again. After you leave home, you may find yourself feeling homesick, even if you have a new home that has nicer wallpaper and a more efficient dishwasher than the home in which you grew up. ~Lemony Snicket

Come on Kids, Let's Make Kombucha!

I know, I know, I've been telling you to stay away from sugar and then I plaster a photo of it and encourage you to use it to make some weird tonic called kombucha.
The kombucha "mushroom" is actually a symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria which acts on sugar and tea to produce not only acetic and lactic acid but also small amounts of a potent detoxifying substance, glucuronic acid.
Glucuronic acid is produced by the liver in sufficient qualities to neutralize toxins in the body. When liver function becomes overloaded additional glucuronic acid taken in the form of kombucha is said to be a powerful aid to the body's natural cleansing process and a boost to the immune system.
When making kombucha be sure to use clean materials, do not cut the mushroom with metal, and brew away from odors, fruit and flowers.
Enjoy this refreshing beverage every day. It sure beats Kool Aid.
A word of caution: Some individuals may have an allergic reaction to kombucha. Try a little at first to note any adverse effects.

KOMBUCHA
Makes about 3 quarts

3 quarts filtered water
1 cup sugar
4 tea bags of organic black tea
1/2 cup kombucha from a previous culture
1 kombucha mushroom*

Bring 3 quarts filtered water to boil
Add sugar and simmer until dissolved
Remove from heat and add the tea bags allowing to steep until water has cooled completely
Remove tea bags
Pour cooled liquid into a 4-quart pyrex container and add 1/2 cup kombucha from previous batch placing the mushroom on top

Cover loosely with cheesecloth or dishtowel and transfer to a warm, dark place.
In about 7 to 10 days the kombucha will be ready depending on the temperature.
It should taste fizzy with no taste of tea remaining. When your kombucha is ready, your mushroom will have grown a second spongy pancake. This can be used to make more batches or given away to friends. Store fresh mushrooms in the refrigerator in a glass or stainless steel container--never plastic.
Transfer to covered glass containers and store in the refrigerator.

CHEERS!
*Sources for Kombucha Mushroom: Laurel Farms (941) 351-2233; G.E.M. Cultures (707)964-2922: A.F. Kombucha (877) 566-2824, kombucha2000.com
Or you can shoot me an e-mail. I always have a few 'babies' waiting to be adopted.


Health nuts are going to feel stupid one day, lying around in hospitals dying of nothing.
~Redd Fox

The Dirty Dozen, Yet Another Reason To Go Organic

The Environmental Working Group,(EWG), a nonprofit environmental research organization based in Washington, DC, developed this list of twelve foods high in pesticides to help consumers lower their exposure.


The Dirty Dozen - 12 Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

Food Pesticide Load
Peaches 100
(highest)
Apples 89
Sweet Bell Peppers 86
Celery 85
Nectarines 84
Strawberries 82
Cherries 75
Pears 65
Grapes (imported) 65
Spinach 60
Lettuce 59
Potatoes 58

EWG also developed a list of the 12 Least Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

Food Pesticide Load
Onions 1
(lowest)
Avocados 1
Pineapples 7
Mango 9
Asparagus 11
Sweet Peas 11
Kiwi 14
Bananas 16
Cabbage 17
Broccoli 18
Papaya 21

And while we're doing the math...
Are you confused about what the numbers mean on the little stickers attached to individual fruits and vegetables? The PLU (Price look up) codes on produce stickers are used primarily to speed up the checkout process, but also to inform the consumer about what they are buying. The stickers may contain four or five digit codes.
The produce industry's trade group, The Produce Marketing Association, developed the numeric system to facilitate food identification and source of origin, as well as speed up the checkout process. For the consumer, the important thing to remember is that labels beginning with "9" mean organic, labels beginning with "4" or "3" indicate conventional, and labels beginning with "8" indicate genetically engineered fruits and vegetables.
So, now you know.



If organic farming is the natural way, shouldn't organic produce just be called "produce" and make the pesticide-laden stuff take the burden of an adjective? ~Ymber Delecto