It's Plantin' Time!

OK. Big news: Just this week, the totally shaded porch of our new home somehow started getting sun. This is no doubt due to the Earth's position now shifting to a place where the sun's rays can tickle the future-plant-bedecked porch in spite of the fact that the building next to us blocks the sun we should've been getting all season. Whatever. I only care that NOW I CAN GROW THINGS! HOORAY!

I immediately headed for the nearest garden center and, in an over-zealous frenzy that surely must be indicative of addiction, bought way too many plants. I got tomatoes, peppers, collard greens, two kinds of lettuce, and far, far too many beans. In the herb fam, I snagged some rosemary, thyme, and three different kinds of basil.

Here's the method to my madness:

Basil: A must. Hardy, pretty, and if you grow enough of it, you can not only save yourself the horror of pay $4 for three sprigs at the store, you can also make copious amounts of pesto. Make a double bath and the extra can be frozen in zippy sandwich bags for a summery treat in mid-winter. Trust me, it's heaven.

Beans: Hardy, fast growers that, as a fun little perk, also produce beautiful pink flowers.

Lettuce: Nothing better than a fresh-picked salad! Bonus: they don't like the heat of July-August, so when they're done, I can pluck them out and replace with a heat-lover.

Collard greens: New to me. {gulp}

Peppers: As my friend Dee once said, "Peppers are so rewarding to grow." SO true. Love seeing them on the vine.

Tomatoes: True confession: they aren't my favorite fresh fruit (and to me they'll always be a veggie, but whatevs). But, much like peppers, they are SO rewarding to grow. When you see them covered in their brightly hued fruit, you sit back and think, "Yeah. I grew that." Bonus: I like to give them away to neighbors. And now I have new neighbors to meet and impress with my growing acumen {blows on fingernails and rubs on imaginary lapels}


Parsley and Dill: Self-propogated from last year! Yup--these determined crops spread their own seeds from last season and came up by themselves. SWEET!! I like your spirit, guys!

So much to do...except for the self-propogating herbs. Yeah! Nice work, guys!

I spent the weekend planting. There is something so primal, so deeply instinctual about digging your hands into the dirt and planting. Hours and hours later, tired and hungry, with an aching back, I felt connected to something bigger and older than me. I also felt excited about what this season will bring. Stay tuned!

Seeing how much work there was at hand, Pelu immediately
became overwhelmed and had no other option but to take a nap.

Yoga for a Rainy Day

OK so it's gray, chilly, drizzly-raining here for approximately the 500th day in a row. Now don't get me wrong, I like rainy days...in moderation. But moderation, this is not.

So in addition to downing copious amounts of caffeine (by which I mean I down 2 cups of tea because anything stronger or more will render me a hand-shaking, stuttering, sweaty, caffeine-sensitive mess), I try to do a yoga pose or two for energy.

What yoga poses are energizing? Oh, I'm so glad you asked!

BACK BENDS!

Now, I am not suggesting that anyone leap into wheel or any other super-intense back bends. Especially without warming up first (bad, bad idea--don't do it!), but you can probably do a little back bend safely and still benefit energetically.

Option 1:  In a desk chair
Prep: In your desk chair, clasp your fingers behind your head to support your neck. Sit up tall. See how your neck is right in line with the rest of your spine as you sit here? Yeah, keep it that way as we start to recline. Don't let your head flop back--that will compress your cervical vertabrae. Now, supporting the head with the palms and keeping the neck long, lean gently back so that your upper back arches gently and your heart lifts. Keep your elbows wide and your heart open. Take 5 deep, energizing breaths. Come back up slowly.


Option 2: On your mat (or rug) with a rolled blanket (like a cigar)
Prep: Sit up tall. Supporting the neck as described above, engage your abs and slowly recline back over the blanket roll (it should be lined up under your armpits as you come back). Lay all the way down on the floor, still on top of the blanket, with each rolled end extending out past each armpit. Keep the elbows wide and the hands supporting the head OR straighten the arms and reach out and up (away from your toes). Take 5 deep energizing breaths. Come back up slowly.

See if you feel a difference. Let me know!

Breakfast: A Busy Foodie's Dilemma

It's no secret I love food. I love everything about it: growing it, cooking it, appreciating when others have cooked it, and, of course, eating it.

But breakfast is a real conundrum. What's a busy, health-loving, food-loving, modern-day gal on the go to do? I'm not going to cook myself a big breakfast on a weekday morning, but a bowl of processed, sugar-laded crap that passes for cereal isn't going to cut it either. Cue my lovely Aussie friend Matilda recently presenting me with a glass jar tied with a lavender bow. Inside was her homemade granola.

The verdict? YUM. Yeah...it was that good. 

I refused to share. I hoarded it like some crazy lady.  I think I devoured it in what can only be described as truly astounding speed. And I was promptly inspired to make my own.

According to my sister the nutritionist, granola with fat-free plain yogurt is a great way to start your day because it's a good source of calcium, vitamin D, and lean protein from the yogurt, as well as whole grains, dietary fiber, and healthy (monounsaturated) fats from the nuts. It's also a heart-healthy breakfast that will keep you fuller, longer. Best of all, it can be made ahead and eaten all week. Oh, and did I mention it's also delicious??

Here's a basic version:

Preheat the over to 250.

In a big bowl, combine about 3 cups of whole oats with 1 cup of slivered almonds, 1 cup of sunflower seeds, and 1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut. Stir in 1/4 cup canola oil and 1/4 cup maple syrup until everything's well-mixed and fully coated.

Spread out on a baking sheet (recommend pre-spraying with cooking oil spray or lightly covering with oil so it doesn't stick) and bake for 90 minutes. STIR IT EVERY 20 MINUTES.

Remove and let cool. Then add 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins depending on how much you want. Or dried cranberries.

Voila!

Adjustments and options: The recipe called for an additional 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 more of oil but I cut them out to keep it less sweet and more healthy. If you like it sweeter, play with these measurements.

SUBSTITUTE: Any nuts or seeds you want! I tried pumpkin seeds last week and they were awesome. They're super recommended in the world or ayurveda, so definitely give them a go. You could also use cashews or whole almonds or sliced almonds or walnuts or peanuts or flax seeds or anything else. Ditto on the dried fruit: cranberries, mango, blueberries, cherries...whatever you want! That's the joy (and the power - bwahaha) of being the chef! :)

NOTE: Do *NOT* try to make a speedy version by broiling it for a few minutes. I tried and all I ended up with was a tray full of charred bits and an apartment filled with smoke. Learn from my mistake.

The Secret Lessons in Home Improvement

When my husband and I bought our first place, it, like pretty much any place, needed some work. Most glaringly, the bathroom needed to be updated. Unless you have a special fondness for 1980s track lighting and tie-dyed tiles and then, this bathroom, would've been, like, the coolest bathroom ever.

The realtor had raised a casual eyebrow and said something innocuous like, "Updating the bathroom is an obvious way to increase the re-sale value of this place." Since I don't have a thing for track lighting and tie-dyed tiles (note: this may not actually be what they're called but it's descriptive), I immediately seized upon the carrot she was dangling and thought, "Oh YES. This will be the very first thing I do! I will improve the re-sale value and I will enjoy the lack of track lighting and tie-dyed tiles in the interim!" Ah, the sweet hopefulness of first-time buyers.

Of course, this never happened. We lived there for six and a half years and it bothered me...oh, approximately everyday. But we never got around to fixing it.

Cut to buying our new place. It too came with a long list of "...obvious ways to increase the resale value." You know, things like the bathroom door not closing. And actually no other door actually closing either. And a hole in the wall that let cold air in all winter. Small things like that.

But this time, I was actually going to do it. I was going to carpe diem, carpe momentum, carpe whatever I can to fix whatever I couldn't live with. Life is just too short to live with something that could be easily fixed that bothers you everyday. (Note that the key part of this is that it's easily fixed.)

And so concludes a week-long sojourn of a home under construction and a thousand little niggly projects completed.

And now the bathroom door--and all the doors--actually close. All the way. HOORAY! (OK, I know these are small joys. But it's amazing how much they mean.)

Yet Another Brush with Crazy

Let's be honest: I've had my fair share of brushes with crazy. Sometimes crazy is kind of funny. Sometimes crazy is neutral. And, this morning, I learned that sometimes crazy is just downright mean.

While taking tiny Pelu for her morning walk, she bounded up to say hello to a man walking past us. Or at least she tried to bound up and say hello. Still working on her puppy manners, I yanked her back with a sharp, "No!"

In spite of the fact that 1. she is clearly just a sweet little 11-pound puppy and 2. due to my interception, she was nowhere near him, this total stranger viciously kicked at her. Thankfully, he missed.

Clenching my jaw, I kept walking. Let it go, I told myself.

"Next time I'm going to kick your little dog right in the face, sweetheart! Right in the kisser, baby!! YEAH! I'm gonna kick her like a football right across the street!!!"

OK. I'm only human. I couldn't let that go. Who even THINKS of kicking sweet little puppies?! Clearly, this man was a monster. "Maybe I'll kick you in the face!" I yelled back.

He was still screaming. "You better put that thing in a muzzle! I swear I'm gonna kick her in the face next time!"

"Someone should put YOU in a muzzle!" I yelled back. That'll show him!

What this really taught me (aside of the obvious fact that some puppy-kicking monsters masquerade as average-looking humans) is that man! I really need to work on my comebacks! If all I can think of is to repeat whatever insult/threat he's lodged against sweet little Pelu, it's sad times. Sad times, indeed.

The Magetic Pull of Marathons

It's 87-sweltering degrees today. I was in a full sweat just taking Pelu for her morning walk. She was panting the whole way, a tiny ball of determined furry fury pulling with all her might toward a treat at the other end. It feels like the first hot day of summer (and it's not even summer yet). It's an aberration of New England weather. Unfortunately, for thousands of runners, today is also the Boston Marathon.

I'm not a runner. Never have been. But there's something about watching the winner cross the finish line that makes even this non-runner get goosebumps and weepy. What is that Triumph of the human spirit? Humans overcoming inhumane heat and distance? Athletic accomplishment? The miracle of what bodies can do--run under a 5-minute mile men/6-minute mile women for 26.2 grueling miles??!!

Maybe it's all of these, maybe it's something else intangible. But whatever it is, it's captivating.

 

Location, Location, Location! Where Does an Aspiring Writer Write?

Until very recently, my husband, our puppy, and I lived in a tiny two-room city apartment. There was no "home office" for either of us. There also wasn't a dining room, living room, kitchen, family room, or guest room. There was the bedroom and the everything else room. And in the latter, all cooking, dining, living, working, TV-watching, and visiting took place. My writing, consulting, and private yoga sessions also took place there.

And for those seven years, I longed for the time that I would one day have a home office. My very own SPACE.

Then we moved into a larger apartment, and finally I have my very own designated office. True, it is technically tiny--the width of one window--BUT it is mine. All mine. Heaven!

Drunk on the thrill of having a room entirely dedicated to my liking, I immediately became fixated on painting it orange.

Why, you ask? Because orange is the color of creativity, energy, passion. Buzz! All qualities I wanted to incorporate into my writing. I love orange! I became obsessed with orange. I thought incessantly about the many virtues of orange. So I found the perfect shade and I painted over the sage green the last owners had...and it looked kind of muddy-greeny-orange-y. So I painted six more layers. And finally I had my glorious orange office.

...But for some reason, I found I could not work in the orange office.

My sister said it reminded her of a taqueria. And not in a good way.

My husband said he felt like he was inside a glowing, florescent pumpkin.

My friend the interior decorator clutched his head, pronounced that only Andy Warhol could love me. He tossed his designer cashmere scarf over one shoulder and insisted that this must be my "naughty room."

I don't know what that means and I hope I never find out.

So...I re-painted. Four coats of cheerful, pretty yellow. Why, you ask? Because yellow is energy! Fun! Creativity! I love yellow.

...But I found I could not work in the yellow office. It was distracting. It was too bright. It just wasn't right.

Cursing the paint gods, I capitulated and realized I would have to paint a third time. With a sigh that could be heard in Alaska, I rolled up my sleeves, girded my loins, and  deferred to the expert, my friend the interior designer. We ended up with  a beautiful, warm, sandy shade of beige. Together with the bright white trim around my one window, and the addition of a curvy-legged desk, I finally have an office that I can work in.

What about you? Where do you work? Cafes? Home office? Top secret other location?