Well hot diggity, I'm famous.
Today I'm featured on I Live Here: PDX, a neat website that draws a portrait of Portland by featuring different residents in their neighborhoods. Click that link and go check it out!
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Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
"Urban Homesteading." So sue me.
UPDATE: I had to share this amazing post at The Noodle Book: An Open Letter to the Dervaes'. I looked for an excerpt to quote here, but really none of it stands alone; this entire letter is important to share. I hope the Dervaes family reads it and takes it to heart.
So my urban homestead - in lowercase, natch - is a work in progress. We haven't converted the front lawn into edible landscaping yet, we're still in the middle of fencing and building more raised beds in the back yard, the chicken coop leaks in the rain, and the only crop we harvest in any massive quantity is grapes. But our blueberry bushes are growing, the cherry tree we planted on the day we closed on the house is forming new branches, I'm still canning like a mo'fo' when the season's on, and our chickens have begun to resume egg production after their winter vacation. So I have no problem standing up and acknowledging that I am, again in lower case, an urban homesteader.
So what's all this about? Well, a controversy broke yesterday when it was revealed that the Dervaes family of Pasadena has trademarked the term "urban homesteading" (along with six other related terms). The family patriarch, Jules Dervaes, is apparently under the impression that he coined the term in 2001, despite its appearance in news media as early as 1981. There's a decent overview of the furor here at the LA Weekly's website if you haven't heard about it yet.
I had a measure of respect for the Dervaes family before this. They have several websites and blogs dedicated to the urban homesteading movement, and their own little urban farm in Pasadena is truly a model worth emulating. They're off the grid and completely self-sustaining, and while I find their writing to be more self-aggrandizing than educational, they do have a right to be proud. But trademarking a term that they did not invent - a term which has come to represent a global movement - and going after bloggers and educators with cease-and-desist letters... well, that's a tactic more worthy of Monsanto than anyone else.
Urban homesteaders are understandably pissed, though most of us are handling it with good humor. A Facebook group called Take Back Urban Home-steading(s) popped up less than 48 hours ago and has 1,756 followers as I write this, with more fans joining by the hour. Petitions and email lists have already spread to thousands of homesteaders around the world, mostly in response to Facebook responding to the Dervaes' cease-and-desist by deleting nearly every group relating to the subject.
What makes it even worse is the Dervaes response to this outcry. Rather than apologize and retreat, as anyone would if their true goal was increased participation in sustainable urban farming, the Dervaes family has instead watered the Drama Llama with a whining, comment-disabled blog post attempting to justify their actions. Apparently they believe they are rescuing urban homesteaders from corporate co-opting of the term. But, as several have wondered, what exactly are they rescuing us from if they're acting just like a corporate lawyer would?
One thing I do find interesting is that this controversy seems to have stirred up a lot of interest in an excellent book, The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutsen (funnily enough, not by Jules Dervaes). Coyne and Knutzen are also in Los Angeles - actually in Los Angeles, not Pasadena - and their blog Root Simple is a hugely informative and educational look at homesteading as young urbanites tend to practice it.
I've owned the book for a couple of years now and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject; it's seriously got everything, from chicken-keeping and composting to greywater recycling and lasagna-gardening. I've seen more references to this book in the past 24 hours than in all the years I've owned it. So if any good is to come of this tsimmes, it'll raise awareness of the urban homesteading movement and the excellent literature out there that has promoted it since long before Jules Dervaes became our self-appointed priest and publicist.
Here's hoping this blows over soon and we can all go back to prepping our raised beds for spring.
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So my urban homestead - in lowercase, natch - is a work in progress. We haven't converted the front lawn into edible landscaping yet, we're still in the middle of fencing and building more raised beds in the back yard, the chicken coop leaks in the rain, and the only crop we harvest in any massive quantity is grapes. But our blueberry bushes are growing, the cherry tree we planted on the day we closed on the house is forming new branches, I'm still canning like a mo'fo' when the season's on, and our chickens have begun to resume egg production after their winter vacation. So I have no problem standing up and acknowledging that I am, again in lower case, an urban homesteader.
So what's all this about? Well, a controversy broke yesterday when it was revealed that the Dervaes family of Pasadena has trademarked the term "urban homesteading" (along with six other related terms). The family patriarch, Jules Dervaes, is apparently under the impression that he coined the term in 2001, despite its appearance in news media as early as 1981. There's a decent overview of the furor here at the LA Weekly's website if you haven't heard about it yet.
I had a measure of respect for the Dervaes family before this. They have several websites and blogs dedicated to the urban homesteading movement, and their own little urban farm in Pasadena is truly a model worth emulating. They're off the grid and completely self-sustaining, and while I find their writing to be more self-aggrandizing than educational, they do have a right to be proud. But trademarking a term that they did not invent - a term which has come to represent a global movement - and going after bloggers and educators with cease-and-desist letters... well, that's a tactic more worthy of Monsanto than anyone else.
Urban homesteaders are understandably pissed, though most of us are handling it with good humor. A Facebook group called Take Back Urban Home-steading(s) popped up less than 48 hours ago and has 1,756 followers as I write this, with more fans joining by the hour. Petitions and email lists have already spread to thousands of homesteaders around the world, mostly in response to Facebook responding to the Dervaes' cease-and-desist by deleting nearly every group relating to the subject.
What makes it even worse is the Dervaes response to this outcry. Rather than apologize and retreat, as anyone would if their true goal was increased participation in sustainable urban farming, the Dervaes family has instead watered the Drama Llama with a whining, comment-disabled blog post attempting to justify their actions. Apparently they believe they are rescuing urban homesteaders from corporate co-opting of the term. But, as several have wondered, what exactly are they rescuing us from if they're acting just like a corporate lawyer would?
One thing I do find interesting is that this controversy seems to have stirred up a lot of interest in an excellent book, The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutsen (funnily enough, not by Jules Dervaes). Coyne and Knutzen are also in Los Angeles - actually in Los Angeles, not Pasadena - and their blog Root Simple is a hugely informative and educational look at homesteading as young urbanites tend to practice it.
I've owned the book for a couple of years now and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject; it's seriously got everything, from chicken-keeping and composting to greywater recycling and lasagna-gardening. I've seen more references to this book in the past 24 hours than in all the years I've owned it. So if any good is to come of this tsimmes, it'll raise awareness of the urban homesteading movement and the excellent literature out there that has promoted it since long before Jules Dervaes became our self-appointed priest and publicist.
Here's hoping this blows over soon and we can all go back to prepping our raised beds for spring.
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My Husband Rules.
So I have this small, ugly kitchen that we're slowly working on. I have a decent-sized cookbook collection and they were all piled on a small table at the end of the kitchen, until we got a new huge dining table to put there. The cookbooks have been shuffled around to various spaces in other rooms and were resting on a bar table in the parlor when Keith, listless with cabin fever, decided he could build a shelf for them.
Without any prompting whatsoever by me - I was dealing with the pile of cookbooks in the parlor without any problems, though I knew it wasn't a permanent place - the other night Keith set up shop in the garage and began to tinker. Before I knew what he was doing, he had fashioned a shelf that would fit under the cabinets of my open walk-in pantry, and would mount to the walls and bottoms of the cabinets so that I'd still have plenty of room on the counter beneath.
In the time it takes me to make dinner, he'd installed it, fastened molding to hold it in place, sanded and spackled where necessary, and begun to paint it.
The next morning it got another couple coats of paint, and we let it dry for the rest of the day.
Keith did all of this by himself for about $5 in scrap wood and assorted supplies he found in the garage. The paint was the same paint we'd used on the kitchen walls. I had nothing to do with this project whatsoever, and I'm amazed at Keith's skills here. Just for purposes of comparison, here's what the kitchen looked like when we moved in.
Here's what it looks like now. Still not great, but better!
And here's my new shelf, which we loaded with my cookbook collection this morning. Keith had thought I'd have loads of extra space after the cookbooks were in. He underestimated my years of cookbook lust.
I love this guy even more than cookbooks.
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Without any prompting whatsoever by me - I was dealing with the pile of cookbooks in the parlor without any problems, though I knew it wasn't a permanent place - the other night Keith set up shop in the garage and began to tinker. Before I knew what he was doing, he had fashioned a shelf that would fit under the cabinets of my open walk-in pantry, and would mount to the walls and bottoms of the cabinets so that I'd still have plenty of room on the counter beneath.
In the time it takes me to make dinner, he'd installed it, fastened molding to hold it in place, sanded and spackled where necessary, and begun to paint it.
The next morning it got another couple coats of paint, and we let it dry for the rest of the day.
Keith did all of this by himself for about $5 in scrap wood and assorted supplies he found in the garage. The paint was the same paint we'd used on the kitchen walls. I had nothing to do with this project whatsoever, and I'm amazed at Keith's skills here. Just for purposes of comparison, here's what the kitchen looked like when we moved in.
Here's what it looks like now. Still not great, but better!
And here's my new shelf, which we loaded with my cookbook collection this morning. Keith had thought I'd have loads of extra space after the cookbooks were in. He underestimated my years of cookbook lust.
I love this guy even more than cookbooks.
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Monday, January 3, 2011
Baby, It's Cold Outside!
Before I start laying out my plans for 2011, I have to share the last day of 2010. The morning of New Year's Eve found me selling pie again, as I whipped up some salted lavender caramel tarts for a friend who stopped by to pick them up for her family's New Year's dinner. It was a gorgeous day, if a frighteningly cold one - I don't think it got above freezing that day at all - and I wanted to get out, so Keith and I bundled our coats and scarves into the car and headed for Mt. Hood.
We didn't go all the way to the top of the mountain, since we had to chain up pretty early on. Three feet of fresh snow had recently fallen, and the sun was shining on a perfect New Year's Eve, so we parked as soon as we could to frolic in the thigh-deep snow.
I'm still Southern enough that snow REALLY excites me. I've traveled a lot and lived in a variety of places, but I've never lived in a snowy area, and even in Portland snow is a rarity. So the chance to get up to the mountain and see all the lovely firs in the glittering snow, well, that always makes for a pretty awesome day. We spent most of the afternoon snow tubing and had a fabulous time while getting in some exercise.
Once off the mountain, we made a spontaneous decision to drop by Lauro, our favorite special-occasion restaurant, for a fabulous dinner, and then we crossed the street to Pix Patisserie for dessert. We had a bottle of champagne someone had given us for Xmas, and the plan was to take it to the top of Mt. Tabor to toast the New Year under the trees while overlooking the Portland skyline, but it was about 20° F with a sharp biting wind, so we went on home to a warm crackling fire instead.
So now I'm finally getting a chance to sit down and have my New Year's assessment of the year before and year to come - well, I'm still in the middle of it, but it took me a couple days into the year to find the time to start! This year is already off to a busy beginning, and it's loaded with new projects.
I'm figuring out my sewing machine, for one thing; I've made some curtains and tote bags, and am currently working on a more complex project that was supposed to be a Christmas present for a friend but may wind up being a "friendship present" in another week or two. (Oops.) Once I finish this one, I'm going to make myself a couple of girly aprons and then ease myself into clothing (my ultimate goal) with a simple wrap skirt or two. So far sewing is a lot like cooking; my early blundering attempts are kind of cute in their incompetence, and I can tell this will be easy once I get in a lot more practice.
In other news, just to see how crazy I can make myself with project-juggling, I decided to go ahead with an idea I entertained over the summer. Over at my newest blog, Dinner With the World, I'll be documenting my attempt to learn more about my global neighbors and the unique variations of global cuisine as I cook a meal from every country in the world in one year. This should be a pretty interesting read, since I'll be juggling unfamiliar ingredients, a nominal commitment to kosher restrictions, and an effort to stick to seasonal Oregonian produce.
Oh yeah, and I'll also be juggling a business startup. After cultivating a dream of entrepreneurship for most of my life, it's finally time to make it happen. I'm currently saving up for a unique twist on Portland's food cart phenomenon, and have already begun selling my butter-flaky pies to friends and coworkers. By spring, I hope to be out there in the world, slinging pie to the masses. Learn more over at PortlandPiecycle.com (website operable, but still under construction).
Meanwhile, I'll be participating in Charcutepalooza 2011, a multiblog project wherein we'll all revive the lost arts of meat preservation. It's a logical next step after slaughtering chickens last year (and we're actually raising meat birds for real this summer!), and an especially hilarious development for this former PETA member and 12-year vegetarian. We're tackling one meat project per month, with the first up being duck proscuitto. I checked out Michael Ruhlman's book on Charcuterie from the library and can't wait to get started!
I'm also hoping to revamp this blog a bit, improve my photography and rework the design, but that's going to have to wait a few more weeks at least. It also looks as though I may be cowriting a cookbook later in the year - stay tuned for more on that project.
And of course, novels and screenplays await completion, along with the mountain of books I still need to read.
With a to-do list like this one, who needs resolutions?
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We didn't go all the way to the top of the mountain, since we had to chain up pretty early on. Three feet of fresh snow had recently fallen, and the sun was shining on a perfect New Year's Eve, so we parked as soon as we could to frolic in the thigh-deep snow.
I'm still Southern enough that snow REALLY excites me. I've traveled a lot and lived in a variety of places, but I've never lived in a snowy area, and even in Portland snow is a rarity. So the chance to get up to the mountain and see all the lovely firs in the glittering snow, well, that always makes for a pretty awesome day. We spent most of the afternoon snow tubing and had a fabulous time while getting in some exercise.
Once off the mountain, we made a spontaneous decision to drop by Lauro, our favorite special-occasion restaurant, for a fabulous dinner, and then we crossed the street to Pix Patisserie for dessert. We had a bottle of champagne someone had given us for Xmas, and the plan was to take it to the top of Mt. Tabor to toast the New Year under the trees while overlooking the Portland skyline, but it was about 20° F with a sharp biting wind, so we went on home to a warm crackling fire instead.
So now I'm finally getting a chance to sit down and have my New Year's assessment of the year before and year to come - well, I'm still in the middle of it, but it took me a couple days into the year to find the time to start! This year is already off to a busy beginning, and it's loaded with new projects.
I'm figuring out my sewing machine, for one thing; I've made some curtains and tote bags, and am currently working on a more complex project that was supposed to be a Christmas present for a friend but may wind up being a "friendship present" in another week or two. (Oops.) Once I finish this one, I'm going to make myself a couple of girly aprons and then ease myself into clothing (my ultimate goal) with a simple wrap skirt or two. So far sewing is a lot like cooking; my early blundering attempts are kind of cute in their incompetence, and I can tell this will be easy once I get in a lot more practice.
In other news, just to see how crazy I can make myself with project-juggling, I decided to go ahead with an idea I entertained over the summer. Over at my newest blog, Dinner With the World, I'll be documenting my attempt to learn more about my global neighbors and the unique variations of global cuisine as I cook a meal from every country in the world in one year. This should be a pretty interesting read, since I'll be juggling unfamiliar ingredients, a nominal commitment to kosher restrictions, and an effort to stick to seasonal Oregonian produce.
Oh yeah, and I'll also be juggling a business startup. After cultivating a dream of entrepreneurship for most of my life, it's finally time to make it happen. I'm currently saving up for a unique twist on Portland's food cart phenomenon, and have already begun selling my butter-flaky pies to friends and coworkers. By spring, I hope to be out there in the world, slinging pie to the masses. Learn more over at PortlandPiecycle.com (website operable, but still under construction).
Meanwhile, I'll be participating in Charcutepalooza 2011, a multiblog project wherein we'll all revive the lost arts of meat preservation. It's a logical next step after slaughtering chickens last year (and we're actually raising meat birds for real this summer!), and an especially hilarious development for this former PETA member and 12-year vegetarian. We're tackling one meat project per month, with the first up being duck proscuitto. I checked out Michael Ruhlman's book on Charcuterie from the library and can't wait to get started!
I'm also hoping to revamp this blog a bit, improve my photography and rework the design, but that's going to have to wait a few more weeks at least. It also looks as though I may be cowriting a cookbook later in the year - stay tuned for more on that project.
And of course, novels and screenplays await completion, along with the mountain of books I still need to read.
With a to-do list like this one, who needs resolutions?
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Monday, November 29, 2010
Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal
This is not just a breakfast post; it's also an attempt to win a gorgeous set of holiday bakeware as part of the Naturally Frugal Challenge blog event!
After all the indulgence of Thanksgiving weekend, it was time for a healthy and nutritious breakfast. But it was also a lazy Sunday morning. We wanted something rich and delicious, and we didn't mind waiting half an hour for it. Enter steelcut oats.
But not just any oatmeal - this is fall, after all, when the fireplace crackles all morning and we watch the rain beating down the last of our garden. So it had to be a pumpkin oatmeal, warm and spicy with a nutritional boost from one of nature's healthiest veggies. Top it with some toasted nuts and dried fruit, and you have a decadent breakfast (or, what the hey, dinner!) that's actually good for you.
SPICED PUMPKIN OATMEAL
serves 4
4 cups water
2 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
1 cup steelcut oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup almond milk (or any milk)
Maple syrup to taste
Toppings of your choice (see note)
Heat the water in a kettle or pot until it boils.
Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a separate pot over medium heat, and stir in the oats. Toast the oats for a minute or so, then add the spices and continue to toast until it all smells warm and fragrant. Pour in 4 cups boiling water. Stir, cover, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let it simmer 15 minutes.
Take the lid off and mix in the pumpkin until evenly blended in with the oats. Add the almond milk and continue cooking, uncovered, for another 5-10 minutes or until the oats are creamy and rich and excess liquid has cooked out. Serve it up in individual bowls and top with maple syrup, plus the toppings of your choice.
Topping Ideas: Dried cranberries, currants, or raisins; toasted nuts of any kind; all-natural or homemade applesauce; apple butter or pumpkin butter; a spoonful of jam; toasted coconut; fresh chopped apples or other fruit; candied ginger... use your imagination. And if you have a great topping idea, please share it in the comments!
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Friday, May 28, 2010
Killing time in L.A.
So I'm all rested from the show now, and ready to go home to Portland. We have to wait though; no point fighting Memorial Day traffic along I-5 after the misery we suffered last Thanksgiving (I-5 was a parking lot all the way through Sacramento). So I'm stuck here in Los Angeles a bit longer.
Could be worse, though. Yesterday we went to a lovely little farmers' market on the beach in Redondo. Everyone was sampling out fresh strawberries, and we bought some of those, as well as fresh cherries, lots of veggies, and twelve little vegetable starts that were a steal at $11 for the dozen. The weather was chill and drizzly, but I got a nice cup of fresh coffee so I was fine, and fresh cherries will brighten any day whatever the weather.
After the market, Keith and I grabbed a bite of leftover cabbage rolls from the night before, and then we each went to unwind in our own way - he spent the day at the movies, and I spent it at my Korean spa. Soaking, steaming, scrubbing, relaxing, until I was all limp and light... bliss. This spa is the reason I come to L.A.
Keith and I made a very nice dinner when we got back. He fired up the grill for a London broil I'd marinated all day, and he also grilled some fresh sweet corn and asparagus from the market, while I whipped up a salad with arugula and strawberries with fried shallots and a wine-balsamic vinaigrette. We opened an incredible pinot noir to go with it. Dinner was delicious, if filling - so filling that I fell asleep on the couch shortly after dinner, so quickly that I honestly don't remember what movie we were just about to watch. This is an embarrassing habit I'm developing here; every time Keith's dad puts in a movie after dinner, I pass out on it. I feel bad but I can't help it.
Today we took a drive out to see Keith's grandparents a couple hours outside of town, then went out for Mexican food. I'm now curled up with a little splash of Bombay Sapphire while Keith and his dad sip a very fine tequila, watching a British reality show that combines cars and travel with British humor to hilarious effect. I know tomorrow we're seeing friends in Hollywood, and we'll find something to occupy us for the next few days... but I'm ready for Wednesday and the drive back. I'm ready to go home again to my chickens and planting. I miss my life!
Could be worse, though. Yesterday we went to a lovely little farmers' market on the beach in Redondo. Everyone was sampling out fresh strawberries, and we bought some of those, as well as fresh cherries, lots of veggies, and twelve little vegetable starts that were a steal at $11 for the dozen. The weather was chill and drizzly, but I got a nice cup of fresh coffee so I was fine, and fresh cherries will brighten any day whatever the weather.
After the market, Keith and I grabbed a bite of leftover cabbage rolls from the night before, and then we each went to unwind in our own way - he spent the day at the movies, and I spent it at my Korean spa. Soaking, steaming, scrubbing, relaxing, until I was all limp and light... bliss. This spa is the reason I come to L.A.
Keith and I made a very nice dinner when we got back. He fired up the grill for a London broil I'd marinated all day, and he also grilled some fresh sweet corn and asparagus from the market, while I whipped up a salad with arugula and strawberries with fried shallots and a wine-balsamic vinaigrette. We opened an incredible pinot noir to go with it. Dinner was delicious, if filling - so filling that I fell asleep on the couch shortly after dinner, so quickly that I honestly don't remember what movie we were just about to watch. This is an embarrassing habit I'm developing here; every time Keith's dad puts in a movie after dinner, I pass out on it. I feel bad but I can't help it.
Today we took a drive out to see Keith's grandparents a couple hours outside of town, then went out for Mexican food. I'm now curled up with a little splash of Bombay Sapphire while Keith and his dad sip a very fine tequila, watching a British reality show that combines cars and travel with British humor to hilarious effect. I know tomorrow we're seeing friends in Hollywood, and we'll find something to occupy us for the next few days... but I'm ready for Wednesday and the drive back. I'm ready to go home again to my chickens and planting. I miss my life!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Musings.
That there is beef short ribs slow-braised for three hours in honey and beer with carrots and onions, served over sage polenta with a side of asparagus sauteed with salted Meyer lemon. I had to share a picture, it was that good!
I've been reading French Women Don't Get Fat, which is a fabulous book I cannot recommend highly enough, especially to people who are always dieting. We could all stand to be a bit more French in our approach to food - quality over quantity, relishing what we eat and putting it down when we're not relishing it anymore. Plus the recipes in this book look fabulous!
I dug up some more grass yesterday and I'm planting lavender this afternoon, all along the front of the yard. There will be a little path to the mailbox, surrounded by lavender, which should make it a fragrant experience to get the mail. Our blueberry bushes are getting small flower buds all over them, and so is the cherry tree but it isn't blooming yet even though several other cherry trees around town are blooming beautifully. Meanwhile in the guest room, 15 of my 26 tomato pots have sprouted (including both of my black tomatoes)!
Got a bit more of the seed starting to do today, sending out some job applications, getting some writing done, straightening the house, blah blah blah. Another day, another to-do list!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Luddite, indeed.
So the evil empire just jacked up our internet service bill again, and now we really can't justify paying $50 a month for a service that wastes our time more than it contributes to our lives. So... we're thinking of cancelling our internet.
*gasp* "No!" you cry. "I cannot LIVE without reading this blog!"
Fear not. Coffee shops with free wireless internet abound in this fair city, and if I know us we'll still be online two or three times a week. But I refuse to pay for it any longer when it wastes so much of my time at home, and we don't really need it. I get the newspaper delivered now, so that's what I can read over breakfast to get the news, and with all the work there is to do around this house (plus a lot of writing I want to get caught up on), I will be glad to be rid of the distraction.
This is a big step for me though, as my biggest weakness is my internet addiction. I anticipate heavy withdrawals soon, ha, but I do think it'll be better for us both in the long run.
And I know I'm going to be very busy soon, as the tomatoes are already sprouting and I have seeds to order and peppers to plant and a fence to build and grass to kill and so much to do outside...! Today I'm running out for a flourescent light for my tomatoes. They sprouted a lot sooner than I thought they would and they're stretching out way too high looking for sunlight, which they aren't getting in our spare room! (But in the spare room, they're also warm and not being trashed by cats, so...)
*gasp* "No!" you cry. "I cannot LIVE without reading this blog!"
Fear not. Coffee shops with free wireless internet abound in this fair city, and if I know us we'll still be online two or three times a week. But I refuse to pay for it any longer when it wastes so much of my time at home, and we don't really need it. I get the newspaper delivered now, so that's what I can read over breakfast to get the news, and with all the work there is to do around this house (plus a lot of writing I want to get caught up on), I will be glad to be rid of the distraction.
This is a big step for me though, as my biggest weakness is my internet addiction. I anticipate heavy withdrawals soon, ha, but I do think it'll be better for us both in the long run.
And I know I'm going to be very busy soon, as the tomatoes are already sprouting and I have seeds to order and peppers to plant and a fence to build and grass to kill and so much to do outside...! Today I'm running out for a flourescent light for my tomatoes. They sprouted a lot sooner than I thought they would and they're stretching out way too high looking for sunlight, which they aren't getting in our spare room! (But in the spare room, they're also warm and not being trashed by cats, so...)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Foreign Invasion
My house is being overrun with Australians this weekend.
A couple of friends and former classmates from when I went to grad school down under both worked on a film that premiered this week at Sundance. One is flying in tonight, and the other in a couple of days. We're almost done cleaning the house (haha) and we're looking forward to a weekend of good food and mingling accents.
I made mozzarella cheese from the last of our first batch of raw milk this morning. The milk is fresh for exactly a week and then it's just not good to drink anymore - it's still safe, but it doesn't have that nice sweet flavor. So I made mozzarella with it and it's delicious, and I have more whey left over for cooking with. I've gotten addicted to cooking with whey! It's so much better than water in so many things.
Mozzarella cheese is fun to make - a bit more involved than ricotta, but still pretty simple. I got to stretch and knead it for awhile, which was fun in a very kindergarten way!
Not sure yet what kind of trouble we'll go looking for this weekend, but I'm pretty sure good times lie ahead. Will keep you posted.
A couple of friends and former classmates from when I went to grad school down under both worked on a film that premiered this week at Sundance. One is flying in tonight, and the other in a couple of days. We're almost done cleaning the house (haha) and we're looking forward to a weekend of good food and mingling accents.
I made mozzarella cheese from the last of our first batch of raw milk this morning. The milk is fresh for exactly a week and then it's just not good to drink anymore - it's still safe, but it doesn't have that nice sweet flavor. So I made mozzarella with it and it's delicious, and I have more whey left over for cooking with. I've gotten addicted to cooking with whey! It's so much better than water in so many things.
Mozzarella cheese is fun to make - a bit more involved than ricotta, but still pretty simple. I got to stretch and knead it for awhile, which was fun in a very kindergarten way!
Not sure yet what kind of trouble we'll go looking for this weekend, but I'm pretty sure good times lie ahead. Will keep you posted.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Big Week, Dairyffic!
Whew! It's been a busy week.
I've been trying to get through 7000 words on another revision of the damn novel (aka "the thing that is eating my life"), I went to see The Informant! at the Laurelhurst, and last night there was a cast and crew screening of Extraordinary Measures at the Bagdad. On Wednesday our littlest cat, Fry, was spayed and she's recovering nicely. We've also been taking the dog on long walks and runs through the park.
We had two very nice people from Independence Gardens out to start working on our landscape design; we're building raised beds and going functional-farm in the backyard, but we wanted a pretty, natural-looking garden in the front yard and I'm not good at landscape design. So Independence Gardens is going to show us how to turn our front yard from The Ugliest Lawn In Portland (seriously, it's overgrown weeds and poorly laid-out rose thorns) into a beautiful landscape of edibles and flowers that will attract lots of bees and hummingbirds. I'm very excited about this!
In the evenings I've been playing with dairy. We're still really enjoying that raw milk - especially after a workout; the protein and healthy fat is exactly what you need to repair post-workout muscles - and I've made a big batch of the most spectacular crumbly ricotta cheese. With the leftover whey I made a very tasty and healthy potato-turnip-parsnip soup, and I drizzled it with homemade creme fraiche! The creme fraiche is the easiest thing I've ever made - just stir a tablespoon of raw buttermilk into some raw cream and let it sit for a day or two, and it cultures itself without any work from me.
I got the raw buttermilk by making raw butter, which was also crazy easy! I just skimmed the cream off the milk and went at it with a beater until the butterfat separated from the buttermilk, and then I rinsed the butter clean and that was that. Here's my pretty homemade delicious healthy grassfed raw butter (whew, adjective overload!)...
Here's my delicious ricotta cheese...
And here's how they came together in a mind-blowing hot potato salad! This is fingerling potatoes, celery, green onions, and pickled garlic, cooked together in the homemade butter and rice vinegar, and then served over lettuce with the homemade cheese sprinkled over. I don't mind saying this was one of the most satisfying meals I've ever had.
Tonight I'm going to try my hand at homemade mozzarella, which will find its way into a casserole with mushroom bolognaise, some whole-wheat penne pasta, and the homemade ricotta. That ought to be good for one dinner and a few lunches too!
I've been trying to get through 7000 words on another revision of the damn novel (aka "the thing that is eating my life"), I went to see The Informant! at the Laurelhurst, and last night there was a cast and crew screening of Extraordinary Measures at the Bagdad. On Wednesday our littlest cat, Fry, was spayed and she's recovering nicely. We've also been taking the dog on long walks and runs through the park.
We had two very nice people from Independence Gardens out to start working on our landscape design; we're building raised beds and going functional-farm in the backyard, but we wanted a pretty, natural-looking garden in the front yard and I'm not good at landscape design. So Independence Gardens is going to show us how to turn our front yard from The Ugliest Lawn In Portland (seriously, it's overgrown weeds and poorly laid-out rose thorns) into a beautiful landscape of edibles and flowers that will attract lots of bees and hummingbirds. I'm very excited about this!
In the evenings I've been playing with dairy. We're still really enjoying that raw milk - especially after a workout; the protein and healthy fat is exactly what you need to repair post-workout muscles - and I've made a big batch of the most spectacular crumbly ricotta cheese. With the leftover whey I made a very tasty and healthy potato-turnip-parsnip soup, and I drizzled it with homemade creme fraiche! The creme fraiche is the easiest thing I've ever made - just stir a tablespoon of raw buttermilk into some raw cream and let it sit for a day or two, and it cultures itself without any work from me.
I got the raw buttermilk by making raw butter, which was also crazy easy! I just skimmed the cream off the milk and went at it with a beater until the butterfat separated from the buttermilk, and then I rinsed the butter clean and that was that. Here's my pretty homemade delicious healthy grassfed raw butter (whew, adjective overload!)...
Here's my delicious ricotta cheese...
And here's how they came together in a mind-blowing hot potato salad! This is fingerling potatoes, celery, green onions, and pickled garlic, cooked together in the homemade butter and rice vinegar, and then served over lettuce with the homemade cheese sprinkled over. I don't mind saying this was one of the most satisfying meals I've ever had.
Tonight I'm going to try my hand at homemade mozzarella, which will find its way into a casserole with mushroom bolognaise, some whole-wheat penne pasta, and the homemade ricotta. That ought to be good for one dinner and a few lunches too!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Nice morning, long walk.
This morning, "I'll just take the dog for a walk" turned into two hours and four miles around my neighborhood.
In my morning routine I discovered that the chickens had, once again, pulled out the little hook that hangs their feeder off the ground. I couldn't find the little hook but honestly, this isn't the first time this has happened and clearly I needed a bigger, sturdier hook. So I figured I'd head out and get another one after I walked the dog. Instead I did it while walking him.
We headed first to His Bakery, one of the best little features of our neighborhood. It's been there since the early 1960's and it's still owned by the same (obviously very Christian) family, who create cakes and pies that are almost too beautiful to eat, and scones that are completely unparalleled. I tied up Patch outside and grabbed a medium cup of local microroasted coffee and a huge, fresh-baked cranberry-orange scone for a total of $2.50 and then headed for home.
Along the way I got to admiring everyone else's landscaping and picking up tips for fence building, original ways to make compost heaps reasonably attractive (yes, really), etc. I found several hidden alleys lined with wild blackberries, so I'll go back there and harvest later in the summer. I was enjoying the walk so much that I decided, what the hey, I'll just walk another mile in the opposite direction and swing by the hardware store. By then I'd finished my scone and coffee, so I dropped into Mehri's Bakery & Cafe for another coffee, and then crossed the street to 52nd Avenue Hardware.
As always, the people inside were very helpful (and kind enough to give Patch a treat, making lifelong friends with him) and I got a heavier, sturdier hook for the chicken feeder at a cost of 49 cents. Patch and I then headed for home, once again taking the scenic route through the neighborhood to admire everyone else's garden setup.
As soon as we got home, it began to rain. Perfect timing! And the Seed Savers' Exchange catalog was waiting for us in the mail!
I got the feeder set back up and now I'm going to get some work done before I head out to run some errands and get to the gym for another swim workout. I swam for a solid hour yesterday and I'm really feeling it in my upper arms today! Then tonight I'll make that hot chile chocolate I was talking about, and get a bit more writing done. But before I get started I need to go whip up some egg foo yung for lunch - with Keith out of town I'm not going through as many eggs, and I have a backlog of two dozen eggs in the fridge and more arriving every day. Kind of makes me miss the molt a few months ago when they stopped laying - now they just won't stop!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Ahh, productivity.
Last night I went to bed early. My glasses are off at the optometrist's office getting new lenses put in, so I'm on a contacts-only basis for this week. Unfortunately I can only wear my contacts for most of a day before my eyes get dry and then my contacts get all sticky and blurry and I can't see anymore. At this point I generally take them out for the night and put my glasses on, but last night I had no glasses, so I sat around blind for an hour making screenplay notes with my nose four inches from the paper, and then I finally decided to call it a night.
So this morning I woke up at about five, did the usual morning routine of snuggling cats in bed, getting up, taking the dog outside to pee, feeding the cats and dog, starting coffee, checking chicken food and refilling their water while they graze around, collecting eggs, then sipping coffee over the computer while I finish waking up. By noon today I'd swept the house, put away two loads of laundry, added fresh pine shavings to the chicken coop, cleaned out the catbox, taken out all the trash and recycling and sorted them and put them out for the garbage men (who come before dawn on Mondays), and organized two massive containers of paints and craft supplies.
The afternoon was spent in errands - to the co-op for fruit, to Trader Joe's for milk and cheese, to the Urban Farm Store for dog food, and then to the park so Patch could run himself out. (I saw a bumper sticker recently that said, "A tired dog is a happy dog!" How very true that is.) I thought about going to the gym next but I think I'll just go in the morning since they close early on Sundays.
So now, if I don't go blind again too early, I'll spend the evening on a screenplay overhaul I'm trying to complete this week. Hot bath and a cup of tea first though - I think I've earned it today.
Tomorrow I'll be making a chocolate ganache out of a fresh bhut jolokia pepper from my dad's garden - the hottest pepper in the world, many times hotter than a habanero! Stay tuned as I figure out how to do it and see what the end result will be.
So this morning I woke up at about five, did the usual morning routine of snuggling cats in bed, getting up, taking the dog outside to pee, feeding the cats and dog, starting coffee, checking chicken food and refilling their water while they graze around, collecting eggs, then sipping coffee over the computer while I finish waking up. By noon today I'd swept the house, put away two loads of laundry, added fresh pine shavings to the chicken coop, cleaned out the catbox, taken out all the trash and recycling and sorted them and put them out for the garbage men (who come before dawn on Mondays), and organized two massive containers of paints and craft supplies.
The afternoon was spent in errands - to the co-op for fruit, to Trader Joe's for milk and cheese, to the Urban Farm Store for dog food, and then to the park so Patch could run himself out. (I saw a bumper sticker recently that said, "A tired dog is a happy dog!" How very true that is.) I thought about going to the gym next but I think I'll just go in the morning since they close early on Sundays.
So now, if I don't go blind again too early, I'll spend the evening on a screenplay overhaul I'm trying to complete this week. Hot bath and a cup of tea first though - I think I've earned it today.
Tomorrow I'll be making a chocolate ganache out of a fresh bhut jolokia pepper from my dad's garden - the hottest pepper in the world, many times hotter than a habanero! Stay tuned as I figure out how to do it and see what the end result will be.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Kitchenaid!
I am desperate to win a brand-new, candy-apple red Kitchenaid in the giveaway over at FabFrugalFood. Seriously squirming. These things can do everything from mixing to grinding meat to making ice cream!
I link to FabFrugalFood every so often on this blog anyway, because it's the best food site on the internet. But be on the lookout for more shameless linking over the next month because I really want to win this thing!
I link to FabFrugalFood every so often on this blog anyway, because it's the best food site on the internet. But be on the lookout for more shameless linking over the next month because I really want to win this thing!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
I am a leetle fishy.
Keith has always spoken wistfully of lap-swimming, but we've never had a pool and our gym in L.A. didn't have one either. We finally joined a gym with a heated indoor pool; I went along with the lap-swimming to see if I liked it, and I LOVED it! So now we go to the gym, get the cardio out of the way and then do a bit of weight machines, and then we jump into the pool for an hour or so.
I can feel it toning muscles already and I really enjoy it. And I'm not all sweaty and overheated afterwards. It's a salt-water pool, so I'm not being dried out with chlorine, and there's a hot tub to soak in afterward.
Hopefully we can get ourselves back in shape soon and have a good time doing it! We only intend to keep the gym membership until summer, and by then we'll be doing the bicycling and outdoor thing. But until then... swimming!
I can feel it toning muscles already and I really enjoy it. And I'm not all sweaty and overheated afterwards. It's a salt-water pool, so I'm not being dried out with chlorine, and there's a hot tub to soak in afterward.
Hopefully we can get ourselves back in shape soon and have a good time doing it! We only intend to keep the gym membership until summer, and by then we'll be doing the bicycling and outdoor thing. But until then... swimming!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Goals, Etc.
Here we are on the first Monday of 2010, which is as good a time as any to go over goals and aspirations for the coming year. I am fully aware that I probably won't accomplish everything on this list, but I hope to really make headway on most of it. Here is my
TOP TEN LIST:
Things I'd Like To Do In 2010
(in no particular order)
1. This blog. I'd like to expand it, possibly take it into some new direction. I'm very open to suggestions if there's anything more you'd like to see. I was thinking of taking on one challenge per month, like mastering artisinal bread, learning to crochet, making cheese, etc. Or I can just keep going like I am; things should pick up considerably around here now that we're about to get started on the garden beds and edible landscaping.
2. A different blog that my friend and I are cowriting, which will be online and ready to promote in another week or two. Stay tuned.
3. The Big Dream: My cafe. I've always dreamed of having my own cafe, and this feels like a good time to really start working on the business end of that project. As yet I'm still debating whether it would be smarter to start with a food cart, or jump in with both feet and go for the cafe dream. I have a great concept and vision, which was the fun part, but now I have to start researching loans and learning how to write a business plan. Blurrghh.
4. Procreate. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. The attempt is, at least, more fun than writing a business plan.
5. Eliminate my ugly front lawn and replace it with attractive edible landscaping, rounded out with bee- and hummingbird- attracting flowers; get the raised beds built in the backyard and grow a good sizeable harvest. It'd be sweet if we could totally support ourselves, produce-wise, and only buy a few supplementals like apples, milk, and meat.
6. Paint the exterior of the house, and the sheds, and paint the trim inside. Get some furniture in here, too.
7. Show up at the Hawthorne Urban Farmer's Market with some goodies to sell and trade... Herbed and seasoned handmade raw butter, fresh-baked and par-baked bread, surplus eggs, pickled goods, etc. Could be a pleasurable way to spend Sunday afternoons and I could trade for some of the really unusual produce, homemade beers, handmade makeup, and other great stuff the other vendors always have there.
8. Finish revising the novel, get it published.
9. Direct my new short film project, "Lila," and get it out there.
10. Continue taking time every day to show my appreciation for having such a rewarding, enjoyable, sensual life and a phenomenal husband to share it all with. I think this'll be the easiest one.
So whew! There it is, all in pixels and light for the world to see. Now I'm committed and I'd better get cracking.
TOP TEN LIST:
Things I'd Like To Do In 2010
(in no particular order)
1. This blog. I'd like to expand it, possibly take it into some new direction. I'm very open to suggestions if there's anything more you'd like to see. I was thinking of taking on one challenge per month, like mastering artisinal bread, learning to crochet, making cheese, etc. Or I can just keep going like I am; things should pick up considerably around here now that we're about to get started on the garden beds and edible landscaping.
2. A different blog that my friend and I are cowriting, which will be online and ready to promote in another week or two. Stay tuned.
3. The Big Dream: My cafe. I've always dreamed of having my own cafe, and this feels like a good time to really start working on the business end of that project. As yet I'm still debating whether it would be smarter to start with a food cart, or jump in with both feet and go for the cafe dream. I have a great concept and vision, which was the fun part, but now I have to start researching loans and learning how to write a business plan. Blurrghh.
4. Procreate. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. The attempt is, at least, more fun than writing a business plan.
5. Eliminate my ugly front lawn and replace it with attractive edible landscaping, rounded out with bee- and hummingbird- attracting flowers; get the raised beds built in the backyard and grow a good sizeable harvest. It'd be sweet if we could totally support ourselves, produce-wise, and only buy a few supplementals like apples, milk, and meat.
6. Paint the exterior of the house, and the sheds, and paint the trim inside. Get some furniture in here, too.
7. Show up at the Hawthorne Urban Farmer's Market with some goodies to sell and trade... Herbed and seasoned handmade raw butter, fresh-baked and par-baked bread, surplus eggs, pickled goods, etc. Could be a pleasurable way to spend Sunday afternoons and I could trade for some of the really unusual produce, homemade beers, handmade makeup, and other great stuff the other vendors always have there.
8. Finish revising the novel, get it published.
9. Direct my new short film project, "Lila," and get it out there.
10. Continue taking time every day to show my appreciation for having such a rewarding, enjoyable, sensual life and a phenomenal husband to share it all with. I think this'll be the easiest one.
So whew! There it is, all in pixels and light for the world to see. Now I'm committed and I'd better get cracking.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Brunch and a Movie
My favorite part of roasted veggies for dinner comes the next morning, when I get to make roasted veggie frittata for breakfast. Yesterday I put together a nice little brunch with it! It was super-easy, I just went out to the yard and picked some rosemary and then sauteed it with a little butter and olive oil and all the leftover roasted veggies and garlic. Beat up some backyard eggs with a splash of milk and s&p, poured that over, crumbled smoked bleu cheese over it, and baked it up.
To go on the side I made a little salad with baby spinach, chopped hazelnuts, dried cranberries, a cubed persimmon, and a little more smoked bleu cheese. I whipped up a sweet honey-balsamic dressing to drizzle over it, and I really liked the way the sweet dressing went with the tart cranberries and persimmon. I have a thing for breakfast salad anyway - seriously, I love having salad for breakfast, it's my favorite - and this was a particularly breakfasty one.
I finally saw Julie & Julia yesterday. Finally! We took Elizabeth to the Laurelhurst Theater & Brewpub, where all the shows are $3 and an additional few bucks will get you some serious handmade pizza and a pint of beer. It's about time I saw Julie & Julia, but I was putting it off for awhile because I'm just really not a Nora Ephron fan. I have nothing against her personally, but I can't stand most chick-flicks; however, I had a hunch this one would be worth a look and it REALLY was. Way too close to home, on so many levels, but a good movie! Meryl Streep is incredible - no one else could've pulled that off.
We were up early to drop Elizabeth off at the airport, and now I'm up and blogging but I may go back to bed. I have to start a major overhaul of a screenplay later today, and come up with an article on organic housecleaning, and go to the Urban Farm Store for chicken and cat supplies. But first... maybe just a little nap...
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
First Snow!
It's our first snow in our new house! And it came up out of nowhere.
This morning we got up to a beautiful sunrise and a bright, sunny morning. It wasn't very cold, so I slipped into a skirt and light top and went out to do some errands. I had just finished having my hair trimmed at about 2 pm when one of the stylists remarked, "Oh look, a snowflake!" As she spoke, we saw another snowflake, then another, and then it was snowing. By the time I got home, it was snowing hard! The streets were slushy with icy patches, and footprints were filled in within minutes.
Now I'm curled up in my pajamas, hot roaring fire in the pellet stove, sipping Black Butte Porter (my favorite Oregon brew) and watching the snowfall bury my ugly lawn.
It's going to be great for my little cherry tree!
Fry doesn't know what to make of it. She's been in the window looking amazed, chittering to the snowflakes.
This was the view from our bedroom window just before it got dark out. Doesn't that chicken coop just look snug enough to curl up in?
This isn't supposed to last; it's supposed to switch to rain later, and the rain will wash the snow away. But for now we're both so pleased to be in our very own house together, watching the first snow pile up on our very own yard!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Hurricane Dog in our house.
Here we only just got our first dog, and we've had his Uncle Harley (Keith's father's dog) visiting us over the holidays. Man. If one high-energy dog is demanding, two will killya! Father-in-law left Harley with us for a few days while he went up to Seattle to see Keith's brother, and yesterday I took both dogs to the park by myself. That was a humbling experience.
Our dog has been renamed Patch - it suits him much better than Milton, we think - and he's settling in a bit. He's had a wonderful time this week playing with Harley. They'll be sad when they're separated.
For those of you who said my dog didn't look like he's half Corgi: Get a load of those sawed-off Corgi legs!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Kitchen Holiday
Whoo! One thing I've learned in blogging is that the longer you go without a post, the harder posting becomes. I vow to post more often, and am considering different directions to take this blog (or a new one) in the new year. I'm open to suggestions...
Anyway, we've had a lovely Chanukah around here; see the picture of our delicious latkes, made with red potato, sweet potato, fresh rosemary, and our backyard eggs. All our hens are laying regularly and we've been getting the dog and the cats settled - they still aren't fully comfortable around him but things have gotten better.
In the meantime, I've been baking like a mad fool for holiday gifts. I'll post more about that once the gifts have gone out, but it's keeping me really busy! I still have a bit more to do but I'm nearing the end... today's agenda involves painting on pottery with my friend, then grocery shopping, then baking up Noble Pig's Guinness Stout Ginger Cake and sharing that with other friends. At some point this weekend we have to finish cleaning the house and I have - no joke - fifteen pies to make. At least they're small pies... but eep!!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
...And Doggie Makes Ten.
So now, after two people, three cats, and four chickens, another soul has moved into this house: our new dog, Milton!
He's about a year old, so intelligent and obedient. He's been very well-trained already (though of course we still have work to do) and I just can't get over how smart he is. And isn't he beautiful? He's an Australian shepherd - Corgi mix, with that long Corgi body and short little Corgi legs but that beautiful silky Aussie coat.
He has a boundless source of energy but he's just so lovable. We really lucked out in finding him!
I'd really like to get him into agility classes next month - he's so smart and energetic, with that herding mentality that really enjoys work. He'd have a great time doing agility training. I'm hoping he'll be a good exercise motivator for both of us, at any rate - he already got us up and out on a freezing cold morning for a nice long walk.
The cats aren't too thrilled about him but I'm hoping they settle down and get used to him. Davey is already warming up to him (he's our friendliest cat, easily)... Roxy is still growling at him when he gets too close to her, and Fry is still hiding. They'll have to get used to him eventually though, right? Poor guy, he just wants to be everyone's friend!
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