Happy Winter Solstice

My sister has come to town for the holidays. We've had a wonderful visit so far (day 2). We hiked yesterday, walked on the beach today at sunset and are having a very merry, enjoyable time. It is my first non-Mele Kalikimaka and I'll be missing Maui and the rest of my fam--but in the meanwhile we're having a blast:

Jumping for joy:

Tightrope walking:

Some friendly fellows invited us to try out their equipment. It is great to remember that trying new things makes you feel alive.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Solstice, Kwanzaa or whatever makes you Merry!

Snow in SB

Winter is here!

Baby it's cold outside! 39 degree see-your-breath weather is dramatically cold for an island girl. I woke up to a tiny bit of snow(frost, ice?) on the mountains behind us. I am really enjoying it. This weather is a good excuse to wear pretty scarves, finally break out those coats I saved from my Oregon days, and to be cozy indoors. Plus, with the bit of rain we've had I don't need to water my garden.

52 Pieces: Art by Maui Girl Renee Coates

One of my dear friends from way back (say, age 10), Renee Coates is a talented artist with an ingenious blog called 52 Pieces. Each week, people can bid on new painting. Soon, we will also be able to do the same with high-quality prints of those gorgeous originals. I can't wait, since I am still mourning those originals I missed out on but now plan to write Santa for copies of. I know how hard it can be to write a single blog in one week--Renee pulls of posting a blog--and doing an original painting. Each. Week.

Her art covers all of my personal favorites--flowers, fish, fruit, cattle, beautiful faces. Those things that are ubiquitous and taken for granted while in the Hawaiian Islands. I especially appreciate seeing her art on my walls while residing in the mainland--it's like having a piece of home with me. Plus, if she was a talented artist in middle school you should see her now. My friends really make me proud.

May '08: Larissa from The Larissa Monologues, Katy Renee from 52 Pieces and me

Anyway, Katy--err Renee (childhood nicknames are hard habits to break) and her clever blog are being featured on blogs.com. And Renee has picked Emily October as one of her top ten favorite blogs! I am seriously flattered that my humble little hideout on the blogosphere is listed here. In my paranoia I haven't let any of many people in on this blog, nor have I made it searchable in search engines, and I have yet to comment on a single stranger's blog (called delurking right?). I think it is time I get over my stranger=danger phobia and become a more neighborly blogger. A writer is supposed to want an audience, right?

Sourdough Magic

My cousin Janna came down from San Francisco for Thanksgiving weekend. She brought me an exciting gift: a new pet. It came in the form of gloppy white paste in an old glass salsa jar: sourdough starter. It requires daily feedings of fresh flour/water combos if you allow it to incubate on your counter, in the refrigerator about once a week will do.

I have never made bread before that requires yeast...only quickbreads that call for baking soda or powder (and sometimes beer!). While making sourdough you skip the process of adding yeast as well—since it adds it itself from the air. Who knew yeast was floating around?

The starter froths in a jar into a consistency much like pancake batter. If all is good it gives of a yummy fermented smell like beer. Before you feed it it is important to remember to pour some out. You can always give away the babies... so your friends will have their own starter. I will be passing on this living gift to another friend tonight. I 'll add a ribbon to a recycled pickle jar—and I'll have an affordable gift that can keep on giving. 　　

On a side note, despite these times of fear and a plummeting economy, I appreciate how being thrifty/edging-toward-poverty is suddenly more socially acceptable.

The recipe I used for a basic loaf goes something like this (I've done it 3 times, so I've got it down)

Take two cups of starter (aka sponge) and add
1 tbsp of butter or olive oil
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Next you start mixing in, a half cup at a time:
3 cups of flour

After mixing in about half of this, you will need to knead the flour into the dough. This is the fun part! It's like wedging clay and is very therapeutic.

Once the bread is properly kneaded cover it with a clean dish towel and let it rise for an hour or more. You'll know it has risen enough when you poke it and the divet you make doesn't bounce back.

Knead it again...punching it down. Then shape it into a loaf, re-cover and let it rise again.

Now it is time to bake the bread! Do not preheat the oven—put it in and set it at 350 degrees. Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when you thump the bottom.

Voila: Sourdough bread

Delicious! Andrew thought so too:

We served it for dinner with a container of hummus—it did not last long.

Before making this I hadn't decided if I even liked sourdough very much. Through this process I felt connected to our ancestors, making such a simple food, seemingly from out of the air. Thank you Jan for sharing the latest from your test kitchen.

Hip and Happy

I have a new camera....finally! My camera of 5 years died last June and I have felt naked without one since. After talking to my sis Holly, who told me that in 10 years I'll remember the memories from the pictures not the concern for the cost, I went for it and got...

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ28

It's not as sleek as a pocket camera but light enough to lug around. I am loving the 18 x zoom and that it's a point and shoot. I feel like a paparazzi and have been sneaking pics of strangers from far distances only because I can. Notice how close we live to the mountains--as taken from our front door Thankgiving morn:


Other excitement: I won first prize in a raffle for taking an online survey about living in my community:

An ipod Classic 160

Now I can groove to 30 some thousand songs. Overnight I went from a girl way behind the times to a technological trend-setter. Woohoo. What did I tell you about me and contests? I really am lucky!

Pumpkin Eaters

One of my favorite thing about fall is the bounty of squash and pumpkins. I love their colors and sculptural design. The prices are generally amazing considering how much food can come from such a compact piece of fruit. I recently bought a pile of sugar pumpkins that were on clearance for $1 each.

In an attempt to clear some counter space, I've had several culinary adventures with pumpkin in the last few days. I begin by cutting the pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds and strings and baking it face down in a glass cake pan. I add an inch of water to the bottom of the pan so it sort of steams itself. I bake it at about 400 degrees and start checking it at after 45 minutes.

I made two versions of vegan PUMPKIN PIE. I am not vegan but I like flirting with the idea---and I like the challenge. Occasionally I will experiment with vegan recipes when I am out of eggs or milk products.

One version involves replacing the egg with a 1/4 cup cornstarch. I didn't have cornstarch so I used rice flour.

It turned out really well and though it was a hard pick, my boyfriend preferred it.

The other version calls for using 1/2 cup firm tofu as the firming agent. This version was smoother in texture and had slightly less pumpkin flavor. It also turned out yummy.

Not being a big fan of crust, and as a lazy chef, I made both of these crustless so they were more like custard squares.

In the end I un-veganized my creations by serving them with whipped cream. I shared pieces with several friends (not scaring them off with the vegan label) and they said they liked it.

I had some extra pumpkin pulp so I decided to make a quick soup for lunch with leftovers. I made THAI PUMPKIN SOUP. I sauteed some onions and celery in olive oil, throwing in some curry powder and salt. I blended the veggies with the pumpkin, and then tossed the concoction in a pot with about half a can of coconut milk. I added some lemongrass stalks from my garden, which I removed before serving it with fresh basil leaves. It was fabulous!
The final bonus to cooking with pumpkin? The seeds. I mix them with salt, pepper, and olive oil and brown them on the top shelf of the oven, again at around 400 degrees. With very little effort and waste you have an indulgent snack. You can easily roast the seeds of other squashes--such as acorn or butternut in the same manner.

Lemons, Limes, Pottery and Politics

I bought some watercress seeds--and I am already anticipating those pungent, under-celebrated greens in beautiful salads, and wilted with garlic. I found my way to my favorite gardening store Island Seed and Feed. It reminds me of the small town feed store I grew up going to in Makawao. It's complete with an old farm cat, hens, locally collected seeds, fresh honey, great organic veggie flats, and a folksy feel I love.

On November 4 I proudly wore my "I voted" sticker and was surprised when they gave me coffee on the house at Starbucks. I tend to avoid Starbucks due to their lack of free wireless but I am glad my need for caffeine led me there. I spent time writing and had a friendly conversation with an elderly fellow who retired here from Switzerland. Ｉ told him of my Swiss background (my Grandpa was from Switzerland) and he knew the family name. Then we talked plants and I took notes.

I really love California. It feels like a nation unto itself sometimes. I got to vote on some important propositions, namely:

Yes on 2: Improve the treatment of farmed animals. Give those poor chickens and piggies more room! I have been a vegetarian for the last 10 years (despite my occasional fish) mainly due to health and habit. In the past few years IＩhave grown to appreciate the environmental implications of my choices—but lately, only in the last year (I am embarrassed to admit,) has the concern for animals had anything to do for it. I think falling deeply in love with my family's tiny dogs had something to do with it. Lately it has felt like more of a spiritual choice. I do not need to take life to sustain life.　　

Good news: Prop 2 passed--but I am sorry Prop 8 did :-(

Other good news:
*I bought a dwarf lime tree. My Meyer Lemon tree has brought me (and the hummingbirds!) great pleasure. It burst with fragrant blossoms and is now displaying about 50 bead size lemons. There is something about watching a tree grow and change with the seasons. And I have the perfect view of these mini-trees from my kitchen window.

*I am LOVING ceramics. It was such a challenge to learn to center on the potter's wheel. I am not used to thing being so hard! I was so frustrated that I gave up for a few weeks and focused on hand building and molding. My exceedingly patient (and talented) boyfriend marched me into the studio last Friday and coached me on the wheel for 2 hours. By the end of the session I had made one honey-pot shaped symmetrical piece.

Evoking images of Ghost...

It was just what I needed. I went into another studio hour and whipped out two perfect bowls and a mini-mug (with added handle and all). It reminds me of learning to type or driving stick shift; that mind/body co-ordination that can be a challenge to get but once you "get it" it is yours to keep.

I recall each member of my immediate family trying to teach me stick-shift and giving up on me as a lost cause (including my younger siblings). I really thought I was hopeless--but then I got a boyfriend with a manual car I wanted to drive. Andrew really is a gifted teacher (others agree--you should read his students' feedback from the math course he taught at Portland Community College).

I haven't been a dedicated blogger in the last year, but I plan to be better (and bolder). It really is a great way to make sense of life. So, keep on checking—and I'll be back soon!

Telling the Truth: Growing up is Hard

Weathering the storm...

This has been a difficult month. I am trying to remember that challenges bring about opportunities for growth.

Three hard things:

1. Andrew was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He's doing really well and we're confident he'll be fine and know we'll both be better than ever from this in the long run. Still, surgeries and chemo aren't usually part of the plan in your 2oies.

2. One of my best friends, who has been far away from me, is facing a divorce. It is hard to imagine my beautiful friend being hurt and feeling alone. I am proud of her for being so strong and getting herself out of a bad situation.

3. A couple we are friendly with just lost their baby the day before it was due. A lovely, radiant mom-to-be and her husband who was already the doting dad. They did everything right--it is so senseless and tragic. My heart is broken for them.

I have never felt older. I know life works in cycles of ups-and-downs and am quickly learning that things don't always go as expected. Changing and adapting to new circumstances is part of growing up... I have an internal debate about to blogging about these things. I decided I to be honest today rather than write about the flower arrangement I made this morning or the gingerbread I made last night.

The Pleasure of Growing Up

I had a wonderful birthday! I love being 27 so far. It really is an elegant sounding age. I think the truth is I prefer odd numbers.

Highlights from the last few days:

*Andrew got me a Eee PC because he wants me to write a book. It isn't much bigger than a graphing calculator, so I'm trying to get used to typing on a smaller keyboard. It is very quiet and portable and I am currently writing you all from a hip coffee shop in downtown Santa Barbara. So far it really is proving to be Easy, Excellent, and Exciting. And a huge upgrade from my 2002 dinosaur desktop computer.

*We went out to dinner at The Palace Grill, sharing an indulgent platter of well-spiced seafood. It was a lively Cajun spot, where the staff and patrons sing songs together; they passed out the lyrics to It's Amore while we were there.

*We took a moonlit walk on the beach. The sand was still warm and all the white caps in the ocean were glowing under the moon. The best things in life really are free.

*Lots of wonderful phone calls and messages from people I love. I am a keeper of friends--near and far, but mostly far it seems. Watch out folks, if I pick you, you will be mine forever!

*My best girlfriend in town, a southern gal from Kentucky and a talented baker, presented me with my very first Red Velvet cake. It was delightful--I also got a DVD copy of Steel Magnolias so I understand the significance of such a Southern delicacy.

*I bought myself a new orchid with the TJ's gift card I won. And then I purchased a new pet: A lovely blue and red Beta fish. He is extremely happy and is currently going by Sparkles, aka "Sparks." I bought Fluffy, my goldfish, exactly a year before. I've heard fighting fish are much hardier.

*Pottery class was very informative--and challenging! I've gone to the studio hours twice so far and am still working on centering my clay on the potter's wheel. I stare in awe at the people who whip up masterpiece planters and vases in mere minutes. When I asked for some tips, a talented older guy told me the squat, lopsided piece I was working on and rather proud of--my best bowl yet-- was "beyond repair." I laughed and felt better when he said the same thing about one of his huge, impressive vases.

What is new and happy in your lives, readers?

*I'll add pics at a later date--my digital camera is still broken.

More Good News--BYOB pays off

Just say no thanks!

It finally happened. I won the $20 gift card drawing at our local Trader Joe's. I've been bringing my own bags to the store for the last few years...and we shop there almost 2x a week. The odds should be good, right?

Well, sadly, the USUALLY friendly workers (lovely folks at our Oregon TJ's but here it's staffed by flirty college students who notice each other--not the customers) rarely offer me a raffle ticket as a reward for bringing my bags.

I try to be polite and not be a bother--but this time...I spoke up. And the girl checker was out of them. So I went to the front and had to get one.

On the ride home I told Andrew how it felt good to finally ask for a ticket. And that I win every contest I enter and that I would have won already if I did this before.

The next morning I had a voice mail from TJ's with the good news!

Just say: yes please!

I like bringing my own bags anyway. I buy them from my favorite stores Mana Foods(Maui) and New Seasons (Oregon) represent! They are so much easier to haul--canvas straps on your shoulders vs. plastic cutting the circulation off your fingers--or paper bags splitting and prematurely showing off your purchases. And I have less clutter piling in the cabinets. And of course it is now fashionable to be "green."

Happy October

Reasons I feel like celebrating:

I woke up to rain. Hooray! It is currently cleaning the dust and ash off of the leaves--we finally got some homework/coffee shop weather around here.

It's my birthday month! I like the sound of being 27 waaaay better than 26. I'm ready. Bring it on.

I joined the posh Rec Cen at UCSB. I've been biking or walking there most days and am having some quality workouts. It has been WAY too long. Why must I always have to rediscover that working out makes me feel better in all areas of my life?

I've been purging major clutter from my home. And my strong affinity for light blue has disappeared--I'm over the "beach house" theme. Suddenly, I am drawn to black, whites, and reds. I rearranged the furniture in our bedrooms and am going for a more sophisticated look.

I've applied for some jobs I actually really want. And my little sis Lantana got a dream job I am living vicariously through.

It's squash season again.

I got out my paint can and slapped a fresh coat of glossy white on some dingy, chipped, multicolored wooden stools I've been collecting.

Figs! I recently picked some and they are my new fave. My body enjoyed them soooo much. Then I read they are super high in iron, magnesium, and calcium. I must have needed those.

I got one of my early birthday presents--Andrew signed us up for a pottery class with our good friends.

Oh, the same good friends regularly brew--and we were given a pack of the most rich, decadent, delicious homemade beer. One shared is indulgent enough.

I read an article about living simply that validated my lifestyle--we already are a one car family, don't have a home phone, don't have cable/tv, frequently buy things second-hand, and grow some of the food we eat. It made me feel pretty hip.

Tempeh Pizza

When I first got back to town I was craving pizza. We had just been to Portland where wonderful pizza abounds (our friends even have a few pizza restaurants). I realized I've never had good pizza in California. None of the pizza shops around here are gourmet or fresh enough for my taste. I've tried several and all the reviews I've read mention doughy, cheesey and otherwise bland pizza.

We even went out to dinner last week to try the pizza at a local brewhouse, because Andrew remembered the pizza being good. It was alright, but not great.

I asked my neighbors (who moved here from Boston) if they knew of any good pizza places. Nope. Homemade is the way to go.

Since I've been back from traveling this summer, I've been relishing my kitchen time. I love cooking. And I had forgotten: I know how to make pizza!

While home on Maui, I picked up some tempeh at the local health food store (I heart Mana Foods!). It really broke up my tofu rut. I found out that Andrew had never even tried it.

We're a mostly veggie household (pescatarian to be exact) so yummy forms of meatless protein are to be celebrated.

I was thrilled when my cousin sent me a link to a lovely blog called 101 Cookbooks. They were featuring a tempeh sandwich.

I made the TLT as featured... When I tried it I realized the way the tomatoes and the marinaded tempeh were prepared was worth remembering. Both were soooo delicious, I made a bunch extra.

And tonight we threw together a pizza with:

(Almost) whole wheat dough (TJs)
Bell peppers from the garden.
Oven roasted cherry tomatoes (yellow and red--from garden and farmer's market)
Goat Cheese (Mmmmmmmmmmm)
A sprinkling of mozarella
Tempeh that had been marinated in adobo sauce, balsamic vinegar, shoyu, maple syrup and olive oil from the Tempeh Lettuce and Tomato recipe.
parsley, basil, and oregano fresh from the garden

It was a great combo. Worth writing about even. And Andrew observed, "WOW, this is awesome sausage."

I think tempeh has become our latest household staple.

Love/Hate Oregon

Great microbrew can be found at the Blue Moon.

I just spent a week in Portland, Oregon, visiting old friends and returning to old haunts. While living there off and on for nine years I developed a very strong love/hate relationship with the place.

Things I love about PDX:

1. Very good beer
2. Great prices!
3. Trees and greenery are refreshing
4. Easygoing people (mellow drivers)
5. Charming neighborhoods (I love certain bubbles)

6. Farmers' Market

Will work for food (our old Saturday job).

Things I don't miss:

1. Smokers
2. Weather (though I was there for a perfect week)
3. Trees (somehow seem a bit dark and ominous)
4. Hipsters
5. Strip malls
6. Billboards

My highlight of the week was kayaking on Oswego Lake and seeing a catfish and a mink. And meeting handsome baby boy Finn!

Loving the Lake in perfect Oregon sunshine.

I've spent the last year really missing Oregon (well, mainly my friends who are like family) and longing for all the things I used to love. My visit made me realize that I like Oregon but I don't love it. I always knew in my heart it wasn't for me--yet, absence really can make the heart grow fonder.
After checking in with my past home, I'm feeling very ready to embrace life here in California.

Oahu Living

I just had an awesome trip visiting my little sisters in their island bungalow in the city of Honolulu. We took the Hawaii Superferry over from Maui with my dad which was a painless 3 hours in what seemed to be a floating airport lobby with a new movie theater feel. I'm impressed with the aged beauty of Oahu's mountains and the amazing views from the foothills. But it mainly did my heart good to see my little sisters, grown up and independent, taking on this new city as their home. I also had a great reunion with several of my best girlfriends from college who live on Oahu now. I'm proud to see how successful my friends have become. They're such healthy, beautiful, accomplished women.

My new boyfriend and my college girlies!

Great beaches, good shopping, city lights, evening walks, and a perfect little dog named Ollie. Life is good over there.

Maui My Love

A benefit of being in the education field is summers remain a time of freedom from routine...

I made a last minute ticket home to Maui and have been spending some true quality time with my family. It is amazing how easy it is to fall back into old routines and a different reality.

WHY I LOVE IT HERE:

WEATHER (sounds obvious, Hawaii and all) but I love the way it can rain and be simultaneously sunny--you can see each raindrop sparkle in the light as it falls.

FOOD--lilikoi (passion fruit) juice, guava juice, coconut candy, avo sandwiches, fresh OJ--all from the yard. Also gifts of pineapple, fish, salad greens, all from friends. I feel myself becoming a raw foodie with little effort.

OCEAN--I'm a walk away from gorgeous beaches in SB but something about the balmy, bouncy North shore ocean does it for me. I went for a night swim with my sisters last night. On the way home from town I'll pull off the Hana Highway and rinse the city smut off of me. I never feel cleaner after this type of baptism.

PEACE--the privacy of the country--only the sound of wind and palm fronds.

PUPPIES--I am spoiled with doggy love. I miss my Andrew, but I have a warm b0dy next to me each night--in the form of a hopelessly devoted chihuahua. Also a doe-eyed pit bull sleeping on the carpet next to me. I am never lonely.FLOWERS--I am a flower freak. I am growing a lot in my California garden and tend to keep some in each room. Sexy pinks, white orchids, and red gingers make me happy here!

Looking forward to an eventual return to my Cali life and BF but am very content at the moment...

Summer Solstice--SB Style

We saw a fabulous summer solstice parade last weekend. Hula hoopers, feather dancers, aliens, and other extraordinary townfolk gathered downtown for the gathering. It was hot, hot day--but always comfortable in the shade--is that just how desert climates are?

It was fun to see a cultural event like Solstice celebrated in style. It reminded me of Maui and the carefree and fabulous weirdos that are drawn there. It made me feel more a part of life in Santa Barbara as well. I didn't have any idea how unsettling moving is--even if it is an ideal place.

Yes, I can't complain here. I miss my P-town folks, but am realizing how much happier the climate here makes me. Constant rain made me feel stuck and sad. Sun makes me happy. Hooray for the Solstice. Yay, it's summer!

Another lovely float...

Colorful dancers set the mood.

Here comes the sun!

Worth a Read

People by Peter Spier

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars

Have you guys updated your goodreads lately? Books have such an important role in my life. I have no problem "reviewing" anything I read so I am trying to break my writer's block and try some different themes to these postings.

I loved this book as a kid and read/studied it until the pages fell out. It has great, detailed illustrations celebrating the diversity of the people on this planet.

There is a page where white villagers are pointing and making fun of people dressed like native aborigines...and then a picture of the "natives" pointing at the odd white people. That cultural relevancy was so curious to me as a kid--not all people think the same things are beautiful. Normal is different for everyone.

I use to cry when I thought about the line, "And in the end, all people die." Death is a hard concept for adults, let alone kids. (Plus, I've always been a big crier).

I also enjoyed the page that had all the different shapes noses come in. I still appreciate interesting noses!

It's a very poignant, interesting read for all ages.


View all my reviews.

Garden Queen--The After Picture

Guess what?

I won a prize for being a top gardener this month:

Awesome gardener - weeds tremble as you walk by! Your garden over by the sign has many admirers. No you don't need a fence or bird netting and it looks phenomenal.

Enjoy your dorm food meal tickets - things have changed since you last ate dorm food - Its pretty good!

Andrew and I now have a hot date planned at the DLG (yes, as sung about by Jack Johnson in Bubble Toes).

Other updates:

Ground squirrels did a number on my basil so now I'm keeping it in a pot.

My potted lemon tree has all sorts of new growth and flowers.

I retired my calendula. Our love affair is over. I now have a new patch of wild flowers going--cosmos, zinnias, hollyhocks, and more.

I have pumpkin patch growing (the sweet, smaller cooking ones). Also butternut squash, lemon cucumbers, acorn squash, and bowl gourds for carving.

My pepper plants are happy and tomatoes are starting to ripen already.

I've had an asparagus thief--two plants dug up and today someone helped themselves to about 7 spears (at least they left the plant though--they take 3-5 years to establish!)

My New Project

My garden plot is fully thriving. Colorful flowers for my table and my friends, steam-fries of bok-choy, kale, and broccoli accompany my dinners, and a constant new supply of mixed baby greens make up my salads. You can taste the energy in this fresh, organic food. I'm thrilled. The thing is...there isn't much to do. I water a few times a week, pick flowers to arrange, and edibles for my meals. I have been watching a new crop of spring gardeners emerge, adopting plots and plowing and I look back a bit longingly to the sweaty, satisfying work of making something out of nothing.

So I have a new baby: A rose garden! I've had my eye on this neglected plot for a while. The previous gardener planted the roses just after Sept. 11 and has given up her plot, since she's moving away soon. The picture above is after I started clearing the tangled mess of overgrown rose bushes. I have about 12 roses all together, now freshly pruned. I've moved a wooden table and chair to make a sitting area. I'm going to add cosmos and dahlias, and make it a proper cutting garden. I'll post an "after" picture soon. I feel very fortunate that I have access to land and gardening space.

Pizza Amazing!

When I met Andrew I hardly ever ate pizza. I had overdone it with mozzarella while studying in Italy (my host family considered it a vegetarian food group). Therefore I was taking a break from cheese. But since back then my guy measured the value of his food with a ratio of calories to cost, pizza was high up there on the list (calories being considered a Very Good Thing to somebody with his metabolism). Since it was his favorite food (and relatively cheap) we ate a lot of pizza--and sigh, I grew a bit more plump.

Once we become old people who tend to eat at home, we became thrilled with the frozen pizza selection (made in Italy, mind you) at our local TJ's. Though they are only about $4 each, after a few years the flavors are now tired and too familiar. So now my new favorite trick is to buy the bagged "almost whole wheat" pizza dough and make my own pizza creations.

Every pizza we have is different and pretty much just depends on what's in the fridge. Most are pretty good but a few have been incredible:

THAI CHIK'N PIZZA
(Note: this picture does not do it justice.)

It is based on a recipe with the same name I read about in Vegetarian Times Magazine. I generally have trouble sticking to any recipe and tend to stray and substitute a lot.

I have Andrew stretch the crust onto a baking sheet and then we pre-bake it a bit.

I made the pizza sauce with peanut butter, soy sauce, chili paste, curry powder, some sugar, sesame oil, and a bit of fresh garlic and ginger. So spicy and good!

Then the toppings were: crimini mushrooms, Maui onion, red bell pepper, a yellow summer squash, and chopped Veggie Chik'n Strips from Trader Joe's.

I then sprinkled it with mozzarella and baked it. Once out of the oven, I put a slice of avocado on each piece and topped it with a faint drizzle of sweet chili sauce.

Onolicious! I will certainly be repeating this Asian Fusion creation (in some variation). Who would have thought peanut butter and pizza were a good combo? My favorite Italian word works here: Incredibile! In-cred-DEE-bee--lay!

My Latest Love

I'm awfully fond of flowers. I've considered having them in my house an affordable luxury (thanks to Trader Joe's) during the past few years. They give you a spiritual lift and I find myself gazing at them enough times throughout the day that the price has seemed worth it. But my latest joy has been growing my own.

My newest favorite flower is the calendula. I sowed the seeds directly in the early fall. I didn't water them while I was away for a month and they are still the stars of my garden. They are related to daisies and are a medicinal plant. Calendula are the key ingredient to many salves and tinctures. I plan to make my own skin cream from the petals I've been drying.

They are also edible. You can cook them with rice (they've been referred to as the poor man's saffron).

I think they're becoming pretty popular. I've noticed them in advertisements in two separate magazines I read. Plus, if you type them into google trends (what Andrew and I do for fun on Thursday nights) you'll see a ton of people have been searching for them in 2007--while very few googled them in '06. The number one city where people look them up? Portland, Oregon.

I'm so predictable. Still, I'd recommend these awesome blossoms to any beginning gardener--they are SO easy to grow!

My tulips are poking up and I've cut a few daffodils and purple sweet peas too. I'm currently seeding more plants for my cutting garden. Be on the lookout for future posts about zinnias and dahlias.

Update: I just discovered calendula has been named Herb of the Year for 2008 by the International Herb Association.

Ten Things You Now Know

I just discovered I was "tagged" (over a month ago) by my friend Bekah. Which in blog speak means you have to write 10 random things, facts, habits or goals about yourself. At the end, you choose 10 people to be tagged. Though I don't think I know ten people who blog, consider yourself tagged if you read this (and you have a blog).

1. I've been thinking about trying to make yogurt for the first time. I'm not big on dairy (besides good cheese) but yogurt has an important place in my mornings. I was vegan for a month (Jan. 2006) as an experiment and I found the only thing I really missed was yogurt.

2. I love the Neti pot I bought while home for Christmas on Maui. I just developed allergies in the last few years and they were wretched while I was home. At first it burned (like the feeling of jumping in a pool and having water shoot up your nose) but I realized it was because I used sea salt and not non-iodized table salt in my mix. Plus it has to be the perfect warmth so you don't feel it. I'd recommend it to anyone who has any congestion issues. It makes you feel all cleaned out and refreshed--like you just got out of the ocean. I used to associate the practice with yogi extremes I knew as a child (weirdos) but it is all hip and mainstream now--it was even
recommended on Oprah!

3. I adore making lists. I write them all over the place. Places to visit. Things to read. People I want to write letters to. Movies to watch. All kinds of wish lists. I carry tiny notebooks on me everywhere so I am always prepared to add to my lists.

4. I like lifting weights. I met my boyfriend while lifting weights. I haven't been doing it consistently like I used to but every time I do I wonder, "Why don't I do this more? I love it!" It's very empowering.

5. I suffer from TERRIBLE vertigo. My neighbors built a three story treehouse--I never made it past the second floor. My knees start to wobble when I'm 5 stories up (say Pioneer Place mall in downtown PDX) and I look down. I literally had to crawl up the last section (the open air part) of a 300 ft bell tower my class was visiting in Siena, Italy. I'm not afraid of flying at all though. Where does this come from?

6. I hope to raise bees and have a chicken coop some day. I have very fond memories of gathering eggs with my elementary best bud Kasumi.

7. I like the experience of going to church (even though I don't belong to one). While I believe everyone has their own spiritual path and don't appreciate the exclusivity of some religions, I like the communal energy and I enjoy praying (and sometimes the singing too even if it is truly not a talent of mine).

8. I love a good library. So peaceful yet full of voices and possibility. Like a free bookstore. Lake Oswego's library was the best! Santa Barbara's is decent. Maui's are pretty rotten. My first "real" job was shoveling and shelving books at the Makawao public library--for $5.75 an hour. So not fun.

9. I think it would be cool to have my DNA tested and find out what my ethnic heritage is. As a yellow-haired girl, I'm obviously mainly a Euro-blend, but I could have some other continents mixed in somewhere.

10. I'm into flossing. I sometimes floss twice a day. When I met Andrew he wasn't religious about flossing--now he's hooked too (but I think he uses WAY too long of pieces, we go through it so fast).Reading this I realize I am a bit nerdy: I like libraries, churches, flossing, yogurt, and chicken coops?

Rain Boot Weather and Birdies

I'm back to California living. I thoroughly enjoyed the rain. It was big news around here, which made me smile because it was NOTHING compared to the thunderous rain of Haiku Maui or the perpetual sogginess of Portland Oregon. After being here for 3 months with rain only twice I started to miss the moisture. I would pop out of bed at 5am and gleefully watch the rain fall, as if it were as exciting as snow. But in California it seems that people treat the rain like snow--the roads get backed up with slow (!?) drivers, people pull off the roads, and there is minute-by-minute coverage and updates on the "conditions."

Ponds and lakes temporarily formed and I now understand the need for our neighborhood footbridge. I see now that this housing area was originally a swamp. Oh, and the earth is so much happier! When we arrived it was raining ash, and it was very brown. Now the grass is green and the trees have perked up. Birds are singing, frogs are croaking. I even put on my pink rubber rain boots and sloshed around in it.

And I've developed a brand new interest: birds! I've never given them any notice--other then shooing them out of the dog food bowl when growing up. But we're not talking sparrows, mynah birds, and withered old sea gulls here. No! Even the seagulls here are charming: they have a polished, classy look, unlike the sky-rodents to be found on Oregon's beaches.

I thought it was a stork, someone told me it was a crane, but after doing a bit of research I can confidently identify this creature found lurking in my garden several days in a row as:

A GREAT WHITE HERON (But the one I saw was bigger). I really love the groovy way it walked, with its long goosey neck.

We have hawks looming about too. With all of this wildlife I've seen some interesting exchanges: On my walk to the gym I saw a hawk swoop down and pick up a ground squirrel which was screaming its life away! Poor little guy was yelling for help. Then the next day I saw a comical looking vulture sitting on the sidewalk, casually working its way through a ground squirrel. And then last week a seagull dropped a rat in the street in front of our moving car!

Today I road my bike to the beach (which is a wildlife preserve) and saw an awesome sight. About 30 of these:
were chilling in some tide pools with a bunch of easygoing seagulls in the mix as well. The California Brown Pelican is an endangered species and nests on Santa Barbara island.

My hummingbird feeder has sprung a leak, but I still can watch those tiny darling things dart and dance around the courtyard just beyond our balcony. Who needs TV?

After being in the rural beauty of home and making fresh squeezed juice every day, I was fantasizing about finding a cabin in a nearby citrus grove and relocating. But this place is really growing on me. I might even break out the binoculars one of these days (I just don't want my neighbors to think I'm spying).