Recipe: Fried Green Tomatoes

The Summer Treat That'll Make You Shout "Towanda!"

(and don't worry, in this case the secret's NOT in the sauce...)

After spending the occational on and off afternoon over the past two years watching the Neelys get uncomfortably familiar with one another on Food Network I decided it was time to try one of the few of their recipes that I've been collecting with the intent to try them at some point (believe it or not, once you get past the urge to tell them to get a room they actually have, what appears to be, some really good stuff to share). Well, it being that time of year here in Florida the answer was clear: Fried Green Tomatoes (after all these years the knee jerk response is to continue that phrase with "served hot".) 

One Summer my parents were up visiting me and Chad at our house in North Georgia. Looking for something to do we decided that we'd all go to the Apple Festival in Elijay, GA (near Blue Ridge). I'd heard a lot of hype about the fried apple pies and it was a good day for it so away we went. In a nutshell this is what we came away with: 

Panorama Farms, Elijay, GA
You want apples? They've got apples (and so much more!)
Everything from multiple apple varieties, apple butter, a
truly fantastic apple barbeque sauce and so much more... 

1. The Apple Festival is hot, crowded and surprisingly light on apples. (Chad and I later learned that if you want good stuff, apple wise, in North Georgia you want to hit Panorama Farms, also in Elijay. The have orchard tours and all kinds of apple products PLUS a fantastic candy counter with some of the best fudge you'll ever eat. I digress...) 

2. I was introduced to the Great Pyrenees dog breed and have since developed a huge love of them (there was a man there with two of those fantastic gentle giants and I got to spend lots of time with them while waiting for the school bus that would take us back to our car.) And  Finally...

3. The best fried green tomatoes in the world are currently being made by a little old couple living in the north Georgia mountains. It was the first time that Chad had ever had them and he became obsessed with their tart salty goodness.

I won't waste time rewriting a recipe that has been written perfectly well by those that have the right to claim it as their own so, instead, I'll just include the link to the recipe, show you a picture of my finished product and add a few notes and hints as help. I will, of course, put the link last so you have to read my whole blog entry. ;-) 

Here are the issues that came up for me:

• Make sure that you don't buy your tomatoes until the day you're going to make them. There's a reason you can only buy them during season. I bought 4 green tomatoes yesterday and wound up with 2 green tomatoes, one orange and green striped tomato and one tomato that will now be used on a sandwich because it was too red to ever be called a fried green tomato. If you don't want them to continue ripening on you I repeat: buy at the last possible second.
• The panko bread crumbs are great and add great crunch but watch them carefully so that they don't over brown.
• Make sure that you salt them enough. You've already opted to batter and fry a vegetable, now's not the time to be health conscious. I didn't salt mine enough and ended up needing to salt them again after. (On the other side of that, however, you don't have to worry about them being too salty if you opt to do it that way.)
• My stuff is in boxes and I refuse to re-buy things that I already have (or in this case, that I already have two of) and Chad's mom isn't crazy about spending too much time in the kitchen so I didn't have a thermometer to watch the temperature of the oil (fyi, I opted for peanut oil). I found a fantastic site with 3 options of how to know if your oil is hot enough. The bread test worked perfectly (apparently a kernel of popcorn from a microwave popcorn bag doesn't pop like a normal kernel would. Eh, live and learn!).  

I think those were the key points. I didn't make the dipping sauce that they have with the recipe but it might be worth a try too. I went simple, myself, and opted for buttermilk ranch dressing or nothing at all. All and all these fried green tomatoes would make a great addition to your 4th of July picnic or cook out. Here's your link to the recipe since you were such complete and attentive blog readers. Happy eating! :D

Artwork: Ki'rin Project Composite

This is the last stage that I have completed in the Ki'rin project: the composite. Here you'll find the background, the baby ki'rin, the mother ki'rin and the second female ki'rin that I mentioned in previous posts. The next step after this will be taking my rough lines and cleaning them up and then water coloring the image, either with actual water colors or with Painter. It will probably be awhile until I can post anything else on this project. Almost everything I own is in storage and I'm working on a 13 inch iMac so there's isn't a lot of space for this detailed of a job. I hope you've liked everything I've put up! Feel free to leave comments, critiques or compliments! ;)

Artwork: Background for Ki'rin Project

As the Ki'rin project grew so did my background. What began as a simple cherry tree idea to go with my baby Ki'rin and his mother Ki'rin evolved into a full setting. Because I liked the symbolism I knew I wanted to include lotus blossoms so I had to add the stream in the foreground. The picture I used to draw my cherry tree from had a really interesting boulder so I included that too. Next thing I knew I was adding moss, flowers, grass...you name it it started appearing. Those Ki'rin are magical creatures and apparently highly persuasive!

Lotus Plants and Lotus Flowers

Close up image of part of the lotus section of the background.

The lotus represents purity of heart, divine spirit, enlightenment and good luck. It grows from murky water yet the flower is unblemished. Just as the lotus represents enlightenment, the Ki'rin is said to only appear in lands ruled by a wise and benevolent leader. The meaningfulness of both the lotus and the Ki'rin meant that, as I said, it seem to be a no brainer that the lotus should also appear in the image.

On a side note, because of this project I have gotten really good at recognizing a lotus plant versus water lillies. You'd be surprised how often they are used interchangably even though they aren't the same plant and do not have the same symbolism. I saw a commercial that was suppose to be for a lotion containing lotus root and they used a lily instead.

The Cherry Tree and All Those Cherry Blossoms
 

Close up of cherry blossoms, leaves, buds and branches.

The most time consuming part of the project was the cherry tree. I wanted to draw in each individual bud, leaf and flower. At this point I haven't yet finished them all but I've done enough to at least show what I have. I chose the cherry tree both because I love the grace of the blossoms and also because I love the shape of the trees themselves. If I'm going to talk about symbolism then I suppose I should mention that in Japan the cherry blossom represents the fleeting nature of life and our mortality. It's beauty appears quickly and dies quickly. It represents the idea of Mono No Aware or the impermanence of things and the wistful sadness of their passing. I'd love to say that in the case of the cherry tree I was being that thoughtful in choosing it but my use was far more simple in intent: I wanted to use a gentle and graceful flower and tree. Then again maybe that was exactly what I was going for after all. The subconsious is a wonderous thing.

In the end I created what I consider a pretty detailed piece of work considering this will be my first complete illustration once it's finished. I've sketched here and there and I've done lots of graphic design but this is my first attempt at anything that I would call and actual piece of artwork. I look forward to seeing it done!

Full composition. The top of the tree is still bare but, in the end, will also be covered with blossoms, leaves and buds.

Song: Tall Grass

Years ago I took a nap and woke up with some lines in my head that went "You are the dreamer (are the dreamer ) I am a beggar packing off my dreams upon a panther's back." I thought it was a cool line but I had no idea what to do with it so it stayed in my head for, no lie, the past 14 years. Today while walking I had two unrelated lines come to mind and I came home and put them down. The narrative started telling itself and suddenly I found my dreamer/beggar lines popping out. After having Chad and my friend Alison read it we decided to nix the panther though (or as I fondly referred to him, "Kitty".) It's part fantasy, part reality. While I'm not sure if it's more appropriate as lyrics or poetry, I'm just glad that I finally became inspired to create something new. This may change over time but here's the version that exists now.

  You came to me, a boy so tall and fine

Your eyes of blue, 

hair glimmering in the sunshine

And me a girl so new in the world

I thought I'd found my paradise

Every glance from you a promise

Calling me away, and carrying me away...

So I followed you, to the castles in your mind

and I stayed awhile, in those places lost in time.

And though I knew I could never stay

I came around and lay there anyway

And I watched as your wall of dreams

faded away...

Somewhere in the back of my mind

my own walls

were fading away...

and somewhere deep inside I knew

I was fading away.

Fading away...

And you were the dreamer

Yea, you were the dreamer,

and I was the begger packing off my dreams

Running deep into the night 

to a place you could not find me

and lure my mind away

The night grew longer 

with your mist at my heals

and I ran from the place that I was

hoping that you'd never find the door

But you found me there

and carried me home.

Now I live in this place of mirrors and smoke

waiting for that day

when truth was what you spoke

Not just dreams to surround me

but solid earthen walls

Not just promises made

but finally your all.

Artwork: Secondary Female Ki'rin from Ki'rin Project

As mentioned in the Mother Ki'rin blog entry, my plan after drawing that initial female ki'rin for the Ki'rin project was to draw a new mother ki'rin. I wasn't that crazy about the first one and thought that, perhaps, the issue was the body posture so I created this second female ki'rin. She was designed to be turning her head to nuzzle the baby ki'rin. I was happy with how she came out but then later I figured out my issues with the original female and fixed them leaving me with two ki'rin to choose from. I decided that the ki'rin that was laying down would be the mother and I would use the second as a father. The problem came from the fact that I had used a doe as the body model for the standing ki'rin which gave it a distinctly female feel. I decided then that I would go ahead and just have two females. My reasoning was that, since they are somewhat based on deer and deer travel in female herds with the babies, it would be ok to just go with it and would be far better than trying to force a male shape out of one that was clearly female.

Artwork: Mother Ki'rin from the Ki'rin Project

Following the Baby Ki'rin, the next step in the Ki'rin project was to draw a female. The initial plan had been to create something that would be relatively simple: a mother, a baby and a small cherry tree, painted in watercolors and fading just off of the edges into white so that even the tree wouldn't be complete. (See this link to Tony DiTerlizzi's web site and look at the images in the bottom row of the third page of images.) The design evolved, however, as you'll see in upcoming posts. This image is the mother that I drew for the original design. Later I drew another adult Ki'rin that I liked better and planned to use instead and so decided not to use this one after all but after reworking her I ended up bringing her back into the new composition.  

Artwork: Baby Ki'rin from the Ki'rin Project

This is the image that started the whole Ki'rin project. I decided one day that that's what I wanted to draw so that's what I drew. After I completed it I was so enamoured with the little guy that I decided that he needed a family and a nice place to live. I then drew what would end up being the female, followed what was suppose to be the male but, I think, really ended up being another female. I decided to go with that since they remind me of deer anyway and they run in female/fawn groups. The other Ki'rin will be in posts to follow and then the landscape that they're placed in.

Artwork: The Ki'rin Project

I'm working on something I call the Ki'rin Project. Even though I'm no where near done I figured I'd start uploading images. Once they're all up you'll see that the Ki'rin themselves are completed (at least to the initial drawing stage) but I'm still working on the cherry tree. If you look at the background image you'll be able to see how I'm working from the bottom up. In the end the Ki'rin will be composited into the background and then I'll do all the lines again in Illustrator and colorize it in Painter. The final project will be of Eastern influence but very similar to the Art Nouveau style I like so much. If you don't know what a Ki'rin is here's a link. I'm doing the Japanese version.

Recipe: Quesadilla Wrap

This is really too easy to call a recipe but for a lack of a better word let's call it that. This is something that's sort of a cross between a flatbread wrap and a quesadilla (a wrapadilla? I like it. I think it'll become a thing.) The number one thing is what you use for the outside. I love Fold-its by Flat Out. They're only 100 calories, soft and super flavorful, especially the rosemary and olive oil version. 

To start, salt and pepper two 4 oz pieces or one 8 oz piece of beef tenderloin or filet mignon. I also like to use garlic and onion powder and a bit of rosemary. Pop the steaks into the broiler about 4 inches under the element for about 4-6 minutes a side depending on the thinkness of the steak and the level of doneness. Mine were about an inch think and I prefer them medium so I did 5 minutes on one side, 6 on the other.

While the steak is cooking slice up two large mushrooms and then julienne the slices to about a quarter inch wide and dice about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of onions (depending on how much you like onion). Dice 2 cloves of garlic (1/2 tablespoon) then put 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into a saute pan. Once the oil is heated add the mushrooms, onions and garlic and saute them until your preferred level of firmness. I like my mushrooms to be soft but not mushy. I usually stop at the point that they've started turning dark. See the picture here.

Once the steaks are done pull them out and let them rest for two to three minutes. Next, slice the steaks into 1/4 inch thick strips. I don't like having chunks come out while I'm eatting so I also slice them lenght-wise so they're no longer than and inch long. The steak should be able to priovide meat for 3 wraps. Spread the steak on one side of each of the Flat-outs. Next spread the mushroom mixture over top of the steak and then sprinkle cheese on top. Place the 3 open faced wraps on a baking sheet and then put it back under the broiler just long enough to melt the cheese. Fold the wrap and you're all set!

For garnish I like salsa and lettuce and instead of using sour cream I opt for the healthier option of low fat plain yogurt. It has the same bite but with more health benefits.

Grocery List

• 8 oz Beef Tenderloin or Filet Mignon
• Salt • Pepper • Mushrooms • Onion • Garlic
• Flat Bread • Cheese • Chosen Garnishes 

Enjoy!

Song: Travelin'

So I wrote Travelin' based on some lines I woke up with in my head a while ago. It was meant to be a bluesy-rock number along the lines of something you'd hear from John Fogerty. My feelings about it differ from time to time. Sometimes I like it a lot, others I'm not sure it's my strongest effort, other times I actually don't like it at all but it was a sentiment that I often find myself feeling: "Funny how time flies when you spend your life waiting for life to begin."

Repeatedly in my adult life I've found myself in a life situation that's nowhere near where I picture myself being and my only reassurance comes from the though of "one day, one day" until so many days have passed that I wonder how much of my life is going to pass without any of my dreams coming true. This song was meant to be a mantra about getting off your butt and making those hopes and dreams come true. I'm guilty of not heeding my own words most of the time but I'm trying (thus the blog)!

Despite the fact that my mood is now questioning the quality of the lyrics at this point (I've even tried rewriting some parts to fit my mood today to little avail) I wanted to put up something different from the previous two "Song" entries; something that wasn't so floaty star-childish in imagery as they are, so I've opted for this one. So without further ado:

Hey baby, never really lived

so I'm packing my bags for a trip to the horizon

And maybe while I'm there

I'll buy a ticket to nowhere

and find some time to clear my mind

Funny how time flies

when you spend your life waiting for life to begin

So time stop- it's my turn to fly

bring me to the house of the rising sun

Time to breathe, my life's begun

Gonna paint me a picture of the wind

Gonna sing me a song of the night

Gonna stray from the path

`cause life sure won't last

And I want to see all the sights

Funny how time flies

when you spend your life waiting for life to begin

So time stop- it's my turn to fly

bring me to the house of the rising sun

Time to breathe, my life's begun

And I'll paint my pictures of the wind

and dance in the halo of night

I'll have no more fear,

`cause I'm leavin' it here

And I'll stray from that path

`cause life just won't last

So I've got to be travelin' on

yea, I've got to be travelin on.

Recipe: Black Beans and Rice

Ok, here we go mi amigos y amigas, I'm going to go counter to my typical cooking style by actually paying attention to what I'm doing quantity-wise while I cook so I can attempt to actually write down a semi-concise recipe. Normally I wing it as I go unless I'm using someone else's recipe so this is a stretch for my attention span, especially when I have to remember to take pictures as I go. I think I've done ok but forgive me if it's not quite as perfectly written as something else you may find online or in a book.

Havana, a Cuban walk-up restaurant near my old high school
in West Palm Beach, FL. Here's a review.

I was born in central Florida and raised in South Florida. My dad always had an inquisitive palate and he tried to instill that in me and my siblings as well. South Florida is full of Latin food. My dad worked in Boca Raton and if we ever went to his office with him he would always take us to this little Cuban diner there. It was years ago and between that and the influence of everything from chain restaurants like Pollo Tropical to my first roommate (she was Puerto Rican) I couldn't tell you what I would eat when we'd go to that diner but I can tell you that between that place and the subsequent aforementioned influences I developed an appreciation for those Caribbean/Latin influences that will endure long after I move away (should I ever be lured away from Florida again now that I'm back.)

A standard side dish in most Cuban diners is black beans and rice. Not actually being Cuban (or Latin of any sort) myself, I won't presume to claim any legitimate ethnic credibility in the following recipe but I think it's pretty good. If you give it a try I think you'll like it, too.

Black Beans and Rice

The night before you plan on making Black Bean and Rice, soak 1 cup of dry black beans in 4-6 cups of water. (Don't forget to pick out the shriveled beans and any stones you may find.) I let mine soak for around 18 hours this time. Why? No reason. I know they need to soak for at least 8 hours. I started them before bed last night and didn't get around to draining them until I was ready to start prepping today at 3:30 but if you don't soak dry beans they will never cook. Well, they might but it'll be your great-grandkids eating them, not you.

Ok, so your beans have soaked all night (or all day long if you got up early enough.) Pour the beans into a strainer so you can get rid of the water. There are conflicting schools of thought on this one and I know that some recipes actually use the soaking water. There's one key thing that I consider the no-brainer as to why you should throw the soak water out: it decreases bean-based gassiness. This isn't an issue for me but you never know about your guests.

Put your beans into a medium sized pot with 3 cups of water and either 1 large or 2 small bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil then turn down the beans and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Check ever so often to make sure that the beans aren't sticking and that the water isn't gone completely. By the time they're done they will be a little thicker than baked beans.

While the beans are cooking, dice a medium onion (around 3/4 - 1 cup). Don't take it down to a mince though or they'll cook away. Dice 1 cup of bell pepper to the same size as your diced onion then chop 1 and 1/2 cups of tomatoes (about 1 medium tomato) into a little larger pieces than your onions and bell peppers. Mince 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic).

Now that you've finished all your cutting (and while you're waiting for the beans to finish cooking) go ahead and follow the instructions for your favorite brand of Basmati rice and make 4 servings of rice (about 3 cups of cooked rice). Set aside once it's cooked. (Remember that you can either soak the Basmati before or rinse the rice after. Go by the instructions on your favorite brand.)

Ok, so you have cooked beans, finished and fluffy Basmati rice and a bunch of chopped up veggies. Time to get this cooking. In a decent sized saute pan heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Make sure it's hot enough, you want to saute the veggies, not sweat them. Once heated saute your garlic, onions and bell peppers until tender but not mushy (about the consistency of what you would want if you were making peppers and onions for a cheese steak or fajitas).

Add the tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid created by the veggies starts to thicken. (A little bit of trivia: tomatoes are one of the few vegetables that are actually better for you when you cook them versus eating them raw because the heat does something to aid the lycopine and lycopine is super good for you.)

Add your cooked beans and mix gently. The way I mix them is somewhere between stirring and folding so I don't cause all the skins on the beans to start coming off.

Simmer away but make sure that you don't let the liquid
dry up completely, it shouldn't be soupy either, though.
The final result should be moist, not mushy, filling
but not heavy.

Once the beans and veggies have been stirred together add about 1/2 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 tablespoon either red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice and stir until well blended. My picture has the beans on top of the rice but it's better to make sure that it's well mixed. In the end, though, it's a matter of taste. One way or the other it's a MUST to top the beans and rice with freshly chopped cilantro. For me the more the better. The bright freshness of the cilantro balances the rich moodiness of the beans. I also like to top my black beans with fresh raw onions while some people like to put an extra splash of vinegar on them.

This makes about 8 side dishes or 4 main dishes. ¡Buen Apetito!

Grocery List

Dry Black Beans
Bay Leaf
Basmati Rice
1 Medium Onion
1 Medium Bell Pepper
1 Medium Tomato
Garlic
Lime/Lime Juice
Red Wine Vinegar
or Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Cilantro

Essay: Lessons from a Blackberry Hunt

I started my day today making a 45 mile trek to Gainesville and back and then immediately began the 3 hour job cleaning the back porch which was a balmy 100º. I won't go into why it took me 3 hours to clean a 12 x 20 porch but suffice it to say I look forward to having my own place! I'm hot, tired and sweaty so I'm going to have to cop out a little bit today and post up an essay that I originally posted in my Notes on Facebook on June 3, 2011. I've always intended to copy it over to this blog and today seemed like a great day to do it considering.

If you haven't read this essay before I hope you enjoy it. It surprised me how much of a cord it struck with the people on Facebook so it seems like a lesson that bears repeating.

Lessons From a Blackberry Hunt
June 3, 2011

Everyone that knows us knows that the past year has been a strain. While we viewed being laid off back in 2008 as a positive step toward unshackling ourselves from a demanding and abusive work situation we weren't prepared for the global financial situation that would leave us in what I will understate as a lurch with the loss of our house being the easiest thing we had to deal with. We're currently staying with Chad's mom who has been a Godsend for us as we've waited for our clients to pay and the economy to loosen the stranglehold it has on our accounts payable. Every day Chad and I cut through a small field near her house to get to a road we like to walk on. It's like most clearings you find in Florida: grasses and a few varieties of Asters with Palmettos and Live Oaks circling it. Cutting through it is the inevitable dirt road path that always seems to exist in these sun-beaten meadow areas which Chad and I use to cross the clearing, never venturing from this path.

Today Chad and I once again found ourselves feeling suffocated by the dryness in the air that comes from having to run the AC to fight the hellish 105º Lake City heat index (is it still Spring?!). As we crossed our field talking about the emotional tug of war we live in every day where optimism fights with our day to day reality, my gaze passed over something new: what's this? Hanging low to the ground and twinkling like a cluster of shining purple pearls was a fat little blackberry, each round little ball just piled on top of the other like they were racing to reach up to the blazing Florida sun. I picked one for myself and another for Norman T-Bunz, our mini-rex, and we continued our walk until we circled around back home. Chad said it was just way too hot for us to be out there attempting to find more berries right then so I ate mine and gave The Norms his. It was what I expect a blackberry to be: sweet but woody from the seeds. Norm said it was munchy good stuff so I went and pulled out my compote recipe to see exactly how many blackberries I would need since cooking them down in the compote would soften the woodiness a bit. (Chad's mom is a fanatic for ice cream so I thought it would be great to surprise her with the topping tonight.) Reading over the recipe I got my number: 1 1/2 cups. Sporting a large measuring cup I marched back to the field looking forward to a quick harvest and a return from the direct sun that was still drumming down on my head with such an unrelenting beat (Summer is one time when it does not pay to be brunette).

The patch is young, this may even be the first year that it's ever yielded any berries at all. I sorted through the little patch of one foot tall plants and only got a third of the way to my measuring cup goal. I decided then that it was time to venture across the field where no one goes because, well, when it's that hot people need a reason to cross through to the other side! As I moved along I fell into a rhythm and found myself noticing the things that cross our vision every day but we never really see. I saw that, while I felt so clever finding these new patches I was finding as I moved along, the animals were the truly clever ones since, judging by the remarkably healthy and berry-filled raccoon scat that I came across they had already indulged in the first of the the really fat ripe berries already. I laughed at myself as I was scratched by the thorns just so I could grab the next little fatty that caught my eye thinking that it was silly that blackberries are currently on sale at the Publix right down the street for 1.99 a pint and I was making myself fight for berries that, quite honestly, aren't even in my top 3 favorite berries category. But as I moved through the field, walking, watching, conscious of my every step, my every location, searching for those little fat purple berries hidden beneath the bramble and behind the red and bitter young fruit I thought about the wonder of knowing that whatever berries I ate tonight they came from my finding them and harvesting them for myself. There was a connection, however trite it may sound, that came from thinking back to a culture that wasn't so long ago where if you wanted to eat it most likely you grew it yourself. For a moment I was doing what most of our ancestors, either recent or far back, did on a daily basis. There was an empowerment in knowing that we aren't so far gone yet, that it's still in us to forage through a field to find food, that all it takes is connecting with those roots within us. As someone that has felt at the mercy of a world that is all about what you can get in a store it reassured the survivor in me that it's still there, at least for as long as we take care of it.

In the end I found my 1 1/2 cups of blackberries. I'm scratched up and remarkably sweaty and I still have to cook them but I feel like I accomplished something today, even if it was mental. I thought a lot as I was collecting my prizes and my thoughts were far more poetic in form as I worked (as they usually are when I allow myself the quiet to really hear myself think). I came back to the house and thought that, despite any loss of poetry I may suffer, the lessons that passed through my mind would be worth writing down. I think they're pretty universal and if only one strikes a cord with someone then all the sweeter.

Lessons from a Blackberry Hunt

There are small blessings all around us and once seen they cannot be unseen and appear to be popping out everywhere.

Leave the bitter, take the sweet.

Watch out for snakes.

If what you're looking for isn't right in front of you, venture off the path a bit and you may find it hidden in a place you would never think to look.

If the time isn't ripe, revisit later.

Persevere: there is something sweet around the corner.

It will probably take longer than you think it will to find what you're searching for but if you look long enough you'll find what you need.

There is satisfaction that comes with not taking the easy route and it's probably healthier for you that way.

If you know where something comes from you appreciate it in a whole new way.

You can't find the berries without working through the thorns.

Goodness is found where the gentle things hide.

You aren't the only one that wants what you want so be sure to put yourself out there and get your share but don't be greedy: there are others that may need it more than you do.

My Blackberry Haul, Small as it may be.

 

A Not-so-Secret Garden

When I still had my house in Canton I had a huge landing on my stairs that made for a wonderful patio vegetable garden. It's one of the top three things I miss about my house. While I'm staying with Chad's mom I thought I'd make the best of it and start a container garden. It may not be the size of the one I had in Georgia but I think it'll do. 

Tomatoes and marigolds and herbs, Oh my!

There's nothing more wonderful than a warm, deep crimson tomato picked fresh off the vine, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt.  Ever since that first garden Chad has been on me because grocery store tomatoes just don't work for him anymore. When I did my first garden all I did was stick the plants in pots and gave them TLC. One day I noticed I had some deflated cherry tomatoes and something that looked like a cross between something obscene and a tarry loogie burrowing its way into another of the ripe little guys. This was my introduction to the hornworm. I think it was in the adult stage because it wasn't the less disgusting smooth green version that I've seen in some pictures. This time around I've come prepared in a completely holistic way: around both of my tomato plants I've planted Marigolds. I've read that they keep pests away plus Chad really loves their smell and cheerful colors. 

As much as I love garden tomatoes, for me herbs were the number one priority because I use them all the time. I went for the core five. I didn't have space for sage or rosemary (which I absolutely love) but I use these the most: Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Oregano and Cilantro. Thyme is great in so many things including on braised meats. Eating humus without basil is like drinking coffee without sugar, some things just go together! I love the clean fresh flavour of cilantro and cilantro and lime rice is one of Chad's favorites of my side dishes. There's also Norman to think about. Every bunny should have a steady flow of fresh herbs and my grumpy bunz is no exception!

Turn into flowers, little buds,
I know you can do it!

I go out there every day to make sure that there are no weeds or signs of problems with the tomato plants (brown spots, bugs, bite marks) and to check for buds and, in turn, baby tomatoes. So far my tomato plant that will grow the large tomatoes is giving me the beginnings of buds but still no flowers. My patio tomato plant which will give me 2" tomatoes not only has flowers but has it's first little `mater! I'm excited. Is it wrong to look at little tomato babies and imagine gobbling them up? I'm like the big bad wolf of the tomato world, I guess. :)

My first little tomato can be seen just above
that top blossom & below the Marigolds.

Anyway, while I may not be getting the large garden that would have allowed me to start making my own sun dried tomatoes I'm happy. I'm just not me without being able to get my hands in the dirt and I feel a little more whole now. Bigger and better things will come around in the future. For now I'm content with my little garden and the little tomato that's resulting.

What's cuter? My tiny little plants or my bubbly VW Beetle? Either way, that's the only Bug allowed near my tomatoes!

Song: Stardust

About a year or so ago I was moved to write Stardust. It was inspired by the idea that we are all made up of the dust and elements that have been around since the creation of the universe; that within us all is the same spark of creation. Funny enough, this idea based in astrophysics is far more spiritual in esscense to me than anything I ever learned in Sunday School. The idea that you and I are created from amazing cosmic stuff and not just simply bone and sinew on such a mundane scale. There's a far more intricate connection between you, me and the furthest reaches. Call it stardust or Sophia, either way it's far more meaningful than saying simply ashes to ashes.

Once I wrote it my intent was to turn it into a children's book with each spread containing two lines on the left page and the spread having a full illustration. I haven't had the time to do that sort of illustration work so it remains a poem (although I was told by one of the many promise makers that they wanted to put it to music for me.) For now it remains what it was intended to be: a little story dedicated to the children that have been born around the time and since I wrote it, and some that were around long before: My nieces and nephews (including Amber and Ashley Slater (Ash will actually be the face I use in the illustrations) and Tommy and Kylie), Alex and Grace Marino, Elliot Robinson, Alex Currie, and all the rest, including the new ones that are only now being expected. You know who you are. ;) )

Stardust in and all around
filling me and building round
for with the burst of first debris
came first the world and then came me

I am the earth I am the sky
I am the spark of time gone by
Born of earth and of the sea
all creation resides in me

There was a time so long ago
I was a piece of fallen snow
and further past than that, you see
the universe was part of me

So when you feel you are apart
know the stardust in your heart
for you are so much more to me
than simply flesh made symmetry

Like songs to sing and winds that blow
you began so long ago
and back again you will alight
into that place of stardust bright

Oops, should have introduced myself...

Here I go, just bursting in the room already full speed ahead in the middle of the conversation. As you saw in my first post I write a thing or two on occasion. I also draw some, cook lots and do a little photography when I have the time. My writing ranges from well thought out rants on political subjects (which will not appear here) to stream of consciousness poetry, to lyrics right on down to essays and short fiction. I'm learning as I go so please bear with me if my posts are a mess. Or rare. I do what I can and I hope, when you do read it, you get something out of it. For a little while many of my posts will be things that I have lying around. I'm hoping that seeing content up will inspire me to write more. Wish me luck!

Song: Annsachd

Annsachd was one my “channeling” songs, as I call them. You know, the ones that you write but you have no idea where it comes from. My stuff is in boxes so, sorry, I can’t translate the chorus for you as I had a friend do it for me in the first place. I think it’s Gaelic or Welsh. Not sure how accurate it is but once I have the original I’ll put it back to English. Enjoy...

Upon the night and spirit sky

Came soon my love who long did by

Within his eyes did twilight bide

Upon his lips did heaven spy

True an angel though a man

Gave endless love and fallen sand

Upon my face the starlight fell

Within my heart his spirit dwell

Chorus:

Caethiwch fy'nhalon i fy'n ysbryd fi


Cafodd ni eu geni ni, rhwng seren a wyneb glan


Nid marwolaeth, neu bradwriaeth, na mor stormus crif


yn gallu i cadw fy'n nghariad i mi


Atop the waves he rode away
Upon the shores I wait this day
Between we two an endless world
Tied heart to heart a starlight cord

Forever seems he gone from me
Sleep sound beneath an oaken tree
Moonlight bring him sound by night
Fill my heart with faerie light

Within the shelter of sylvan tree
Dance true forever my love to me
Upon the end of graceless world
Shine down your light, true love unfurled

Chorus:

Caethiwch fy'nhalon i fy'n ysbryd fi


Cafodd ni eu geni ni, rhwng seren a wyneb glan


Nid marwolaeth, neu bradwriaeth, na mor stormus crif


yn gallu i cadw fy'n nghariad i mi


Ancient starlight watch over you
Til heaven’s grace unites we two
When day ends my love returns
And endless night my heart does yearn

Sleep me now beneath the sky
Perhaps my love should happen by
And shall he then come for me
To sleep forever beneath oaken tree

Chorus:

Caethiwch fy'nhalon i fy'n ysbryd fi


Cafodd ni eu geni ni, rhwng seren a wyneb glan

Nid marwolaeth, neu bradwriaeth, na mor stormus crif

yn gallu i cadw fy'n nghariad i mi