perfect

THANKSGIVING WITH VEGANS. BY JESSE EISENBERG Last night, Mom and I went to Thanksgiving dinner at a Vegan family’s house, which is kind of like going to Temple for Christmas. Mom said that Vegans are “people that don’t eat any meat or cheese or shave” and, since Mom doesn’t like to cook, she decided that we needed to go to our neighbor’s house for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday because Mom and Dad and I would drive up to Dad’s parents’ house and Dad and I would roll down the humongous hill in Grandpa’s backyard while Grandma cooked with Mom. But when Dad left Mom to be in love with his hygienist, Mom told me that I was never allowed to speak to Dad’s parents again, which I thought was unfair because they were my grandparents and we have a separate relationship. I also used to love Thanksgiving because of the food. Grandpa would make a huge turkey with gravy and stuffing and everyone would make a big deal about Grandpa carving the turkey like he had a special skill that the rest of us could never learn. But our neighbors, the Vegans, don’t eat turkey or real gravy and they don’t put marshmallows on top of their sweet potatoes because they said that marshmallows come from horse feet, which I didn’t know and hope is a lie. Not only do they not eat turkey, but the Vegans placed framed pictures of two turkeys on their Thanksgiving table with the turkeys’ names underneath, which were “Mable” and “Todd.” It was strange to see pictures of turkeys because no one ever really takes pictures of turkeys and it was even stranger to see that they had names because no one really names turkeys, especially with a name like “Todd,” which sounds like the name of a boy who asks the teacher for more homework. All of the foods were labeled with little turkey-shaped signs and I remembered the names carefully so that I know to avoid them in future Thanksgivings. The main foods were “Lentil and Mushroom Loaf with Savory Potato Filling” and “Stuffed Maple Tofu” and the side foods were “Gluten Free(!) Spinach Roasted Fingerlings” and “King Oyster Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Herbs” (and without marshmallows.) Reading the weird names of the foods, I suddenly missed Dad and I thought that maybe Mom did too even though she always says that she hates him. I think that, even if you hate someone, it’s easy to miss them on the holidays. Before we were allowed to eat, we had to go around the room and say what we were thankful for. At Grandma and Grandpa’s house we would do the same thing but more as a joke. It would always be funny and sarcastic like Grandpa would say “I’m thankful Grandma didn’t burn the turkey like last year” and Grandma would say to Grandpa, “I’m thankful that you lost your teeth so that you’ll only be able to eat the sweet potatoes.” But the Vegans said things that were sincere, like “Family” and “Togetherness,” and Mom rolled her eyes at me and I rolled them back at her and it made me feel good. I like it when Mom rolls her eyes with me because it’s like having a silent secret with someone. The Vegan Mom said she was thankful for her “enlightened consciousness” and that it was important to “keep turkeys, like Todd and Mable, in our hearts on this dark holiday.” She said that turkeys are “beautiful and brilliant creatures who like music and dancing,” which seemed kind of strange and probably not true. But then she described how the turkeys are killed and it made me feel really guilty and also nauseous. Before the turkeys are killed, she said, they are packed into tiny cages where they can’t even turn around and, in order to make sure that the turkeys don’t attack each other, they get their beaks and toes cut off with hot blades and then are boiled alive to get their feathers off. I pictured myself in a tight cage, not being able to turn around and then getting my toes cut off and being boiled alive. Picturing yourself in someone else’s life is called “Empathy,” which Mom says I have too much of. I thought it was strange that the Vegan Mom described how turkeys were killed to a group of people who were about to eat tofu. It kind of felt like she was trying to sell me the shirt I was already wearing. I don’t totally think the Vegan people are so weird. In a way, it is more weird to eat a bird. We would all think it was disgusting to go outside and kill a bird and tear its head off and put it in an oven and then stuff its body with croutons and celery, but for some reason, we think it’s normal to go to a supermarket and buy a turkey and cook it. I guess I’m being hypocritical by eating turkeys and I don’t really know what to think about this. I think it’s really sad the way that animals are killed. But it’s also really sad that I used to have Thanksgiving with my Grandparents and now I’m not allowed to talk to them because Dad loves someone else. I guess that there are a lot of sad things in the world and sometimes eating turkey with the people you love makes you happy and maybe it would make the turkey happy to know that this was happening with its body. Probably not, but maybe. If the turkey really liked music and dancing, maybe it would also like to know that I was rolling down Grandpa’s hill with Dad and then eating its body. Probably not, but maybe. Maybe some things are too difficult for me to understand right now. Probably not, but maybe. That’s why I’m giving the Vegan Thanksgiving 1000 out of 2000 stars. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/thanksgiving-with-vegans

family band

love, loss and peace in the autumn of life

wow!

wabi sabi

the bonsai world has got me right now! it's a lot more interesting than i thought!! check it out.

my kinda drink!

Blackberry Gin Fizz from smitten kitchen For 2 tall drinks 1/4 cup fresh blackberries 2 Tbs. sugar (i'll probably skip the sugar) 1/2 cup gin 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 juicy limes) club soda 2 sprigs sweet basil or 2 thin lime wedges Purée blackberries and sugar in a blender until as liquefied as possible. Strain purée through a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer into two tall or collins-style glasses; discard seeds in sieve. Divide gin and lime juice between glasses and stir to combine. Add ice to glasses then top each with soda and a sprig of basil or wedge of lime. (Might need another quick stir to combine.) Share with someone you like.

love this kid

http://www.fecalface.com/SF/index.php/features-mainmenu-102/3328-nick-mann-aka-doodles-interview

heeeellllloooooo out there

back in bloggo land! i imagine i'll be doing this less and less, it's just not as fun anymore....but for now i wanted to share some inspiration. reading temple grandin; listening to frank ocean and sleep; painting; drying herbs; laughing at the goats. life is pretty great. i still feel like something is missing, like i have for a while now. i just hope i'm headed in the right direction towards whatever that thing is. it's a spiritual journey i'm sure, like i'm missing my higher self or something. i just wish it was more of a fast motorcycle adventure in a foreign country type deal instead of this sad, confused shit. anyway, so i've been itching like crazy pretty close to every day. poison oak. i was convinced that i was immune to poison oak becuase i had never had an itch and could run around in it without a trace. i was close to starting a little business getting rid of it even. i thought a little native blood and goat milk in my kinder years was why i was so special but really, i wasn't special at all. i tested my little theory before puttin myself up for hire by not so carefully clearing a bunch around the house. i pruned it back, i dug it up, i tossed it around. how rude! well, almost immediately i had a reaction. itchy and feeling humbled. i did some research too and apparently, no one with any european blood is immune to poison oak and its only a matter of time until it starts to bother you. my time was up. what a dork! i'm just glad it really doesn't bother me that much and of course for the good lesson in humility. i'm still somewhat careless around it but much more respectful as far as trying to kill it. "don't fuck with me" is poison oak's message. i can dig that attitude. i've just made sure to buy a little extra vinegar is all.

beja had her babes last night! one boy and one girl! they are so sweet, white soft fur, sleepy! scooter dropped by to check out the cuteness. and here's the studly peacock amidst the wild sweet peas. just struttin his stuff!

love this guy

mr. brown thumb!

i dream of a place where young people are taught the knowledge without cost. the knowledge of herbal medicine; self empowering, nature driven healthcare growing all around us. the knowledge of farming; growing food to feed yourself, your family, your neighbors. i dream of this place where it doesn’t cost forty dollars or a thousand dollars to learn what we need to be healthy and survive. i understand people need to get paid for their time and times are tough but times are tough, there’s no better reason than that. this is about reconnecting, supporting one another and supporting this planet. for those who are going to have to fight for healthy food, for access to medicine, for real freedom under corporate rule, for crying out loud tell us what the weeds in the ditch can do! teach us college grads in debt, teach us jobless wanderers, forgotten soldiers, we who are not apart of the norm because we have learned the truth. help us to teach the truth. to fight the good fight. to live the good life. i dream of a place where money doesn’t matter as much as sharing.

the peacock is honking outside my window!! he came for a visit. toby, odin and emma followed me home this afternoon too and we had fun hanging out eating bacon. and yet another visitor that dropped in, but this was last night at dusk-one of the much anticipated baby goats!!! pica did it all by herself, giving birth to one sweet little girl. i came home just in time to scurry about gathering iodine and molasses and burying the placenta before the mountain lion caught wind (it was pretty scary doing that one in the dark)! everything went great, momma and babe resting and healthy. woohoo! next up is beja and i know she has at least two kids in that giant belly! oh and scooter dudley, poor thing is the only kitty left and a little under the weather the past couple of days, acting strange, sleeping in fruit baskets on the kitchen counter! cutest thing ever! yeay for spring and animal friends. they really make me happy.

damn it!

i spotted a deer lying on the side of the road this morning. i was with megan so we turned around to check it out. her and finn looked. i wasn’t up for it. she said it had been hit really hard, it was really bloated but still cold from the night, fresh. she had teats but no milk. we told star about it and she came and picked it up. saw her later and stopped by while she was gutting it and watched for a minute. she cut away the fat to render. the organs were spilling out. and all of a sudden she pulled up a sac filled with a tiny fawn. we all did the ahhhhhh thing. it was so precious. so sad. a dead little baby, no fur yet but spots showing through on its little back and white white hoofs on its tiny, spindly legs. it was so little and sweet looking. grey and lifeless. i had a cry-the smell of blood and organs was strong, crooked neck of mama on the ground, hind legs hooked to the tree, and baby dead beside her. it was a boy. and all of a sudden another one, a sister. it was so emotional!!!! i just looked at them side by side, their innocent bodies so close to life and living. darling creatures. the three of them taken in a matter of seconds. they were appreciated today.

yerba santa-holy herb

the bright new sticky leaves of the yerba santa are out and begging to be plucked and made into tea. i gather a few into a glass jar, add some honey, fill with water and set out in the sun for a little while. it makes the most delicious tea!!!! i like it iced (it was nearly 90 degrees today!) especially usefull in the spring and autumn and good for all things bronchial (think decongestant, asthma, allergies, sore throat). abundant in my region of the sierra nevadas, if you want to try some i'll send some your way.

this gorgeous beast

the great horned owl

for several days now i've been hearing an owl outside my window. tonight i heard at least two call back and forth. maybe more? if it was a group of them i would be able to refer to them as a parliment of owls. really! how cool is that?! anyway, i've been waking up to it either early in the morning when it's still dark or hearing it at night-tonight it was 9pm. i know they're great horned because of their infamous hoo-hoo-HOO-hoo-hoo, which is such a great sound to hear so close! owls are magic to me and knowing they're right up there in one of those trees but unable to see them makes me happy and a little intimidated too! they are so big and mysterious! i really think they might be the reason the cat is missing. i've just had that gut feeling ever since she dissapeared during the night (it was a full moon too) and i started hearing the hoo. poor yapita!!!!! i hope i'm wrong but owl tells the brutal truth. wise, feared, honest. a true seer even in the darkness. and a strong hunter with amazing crushing power! oh geez

so great

YES!!!!!!

http://museumca.org/exhibit/daniel-clowes-a-first-survey

good clean food

misty weekend mornings. good for sleeping in and drinking tea. taking the goats on a leisurely wander and calling relatives. and for making chicken stock. my first one. a new era of health- building the blood, nourishing the bones, and honoring the animals that make me feel better. after more than 12 years of being a vegetarian, my body asked for something different. i was weak after working in the fields, adrenally drained all the time, unable to remember the simplest of things, shakey, tired constantly with an upset stomach, a lack of appetite and just an overall frailty. i didn't feel good.
i was never a strict vegetarian because i believe that you should eat what you want, listen to what your body needs, take advantage of unique opportunities, and respect the traditions of other cultures (like eating raw buffalo liver in lakota ceremony! chewy!) and of course because bacon is so delicious and very linked with comfort for me-sunday morning breakfast is my favorite of all time. but the whole reason i vowed to give up meat with gavin levy in my basement bedroom when i was 17 was because of factory farming. the unacceptable reality of tortured animals in the hands of big corporations making a buck on brutality was just not ok. of course the effects on our bodies after consuming this meat is equally deplorable and so i boycotted that shit.
and now, all these years later as i slowly introduce meat back into my world i'm still boycotting those conditions, those big businesses, and making choices that support the change i want to see. for me that means buying local from farmers that treat their animals with respect, let them eat what they are meant to (NOT GMO corn) with some fresh air and a dignified life. the way it used to be-the old norm. it's kind of a big deal for me to eat meat. i still struggle with it a bit, but i think food is medicine and i'm feeling better with meat in my life. so thank you to that beautiful four pound chicken for feeding and healing me.

happy ostara!!!

it's the spring equinox tomorrow!! a time of new beginnings and celebration! think persephone and daffodils, eat chocolate, eat eggs, dye eggs, watch the sunrise tomorrow morning and bless your seeds for the garden. how grateful we should be for our abundance in life. yeay!

just one more reason

pieter hugo's new project:
PERMANENT ERROR
"For the past year Hugo has been photographing the people and landscape of an expansive dump of obsolete technology in Ghana. The area, on the outskirts of a slum known as Agbogbloshie, is referred to by local inhabitants as Sodom and Gomorrah, a vivid acknowledgment of the profound inhumanity of the place. When Hugo asked the inhabitants what they called the pit where the burning takes place, they repeatedly responded: ‘For this place, we have no name’.
Their response is a reminder of the alien circumstances that are imposed on marginal communities of the world by the West’s obsession with consumption and obsolesce. This wasteland, where people and cattle live on mountains of motherboards, monitors and discarded hard drives, is far removed from the benefits accorded by the unrelenting advances of technology.
The UN Environment Program has stated that Western countries produce around 50 million tons of digital waste every year. In Europe, only 25 percent of this type of waste is collected and effectively recycled. Much of the rest is piled in containers and shipped to developing countries, supposedly to reduce the digital divide, to create jobs and help people. In reality, the inhabitants of dumps like Agbogbloshie survive largely by burning the electronic devices to extract copper and other metals out of the plastic used in their manufacture. The electronic waste contaminates rivers and lagoons with consequences that are easily imaginable. In 2008 Green Peace took samples of the burnt soil in Agbogbloshie and found high concentrations of lead, mercury, thallium, hydrogen cyanide and PVC.
Notions of time and progress are collapsed in these photographs. There are elements in the images that fast-forward us to an apocalyptic end of the world as we know it, yet the alchemy on this site and the strolling cows recall a pastoral existence that rewinds our minds to a medieval setting. The cycles of history and the lifespan of our technology are both clearly apparent in this cemetery of artifacts from the industrialised world. We are also reminded of the fragility of the information and stories that were stored in the computers which are now just black smoke and melted plastic."

true love

valerie hammond

bad man's plaything

i've been thinking a lot about yarrow. it's a flower that makes a pretty bouqet, a leaf that's soft and yummy to sniff. a cough remedy, a fever inducer, it's the one you reach for when you have a cut that won't stop bleeding (damn new razor!) and why i just had to tell you about it, one of the best monikers in history!

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
"In Greek mythology, yarrow grew from the rust that Achilles (thus, Achillea) scraped from his spear to help heal a man he had wounded (there's an interesting connection between iron/rust/blood/war/Mars here, kind of a neat obverse of the Venus/love aspect of this herb). Perhaps this myth is why in the language of flowers, yarrow can mean war or healing. Because it is aromatic, yarrow is often associated with the Element of Air, and it contains the planetary metal for Jupiter (tin), but it is traditionally connected to Venus because of the usefulness of the fresh herb as a poultice in skin problems. Yarrow also has the ability to potentiate other herbs when added to incense or when incorporated into love magick. It is put into love sachets, because it is believed capable of keeping a couple together for 7 years.
In Divination
Magickally, this herb is good for divination--the I Ching was originally thrown not with coins but with dried yarrow stalks--it makes a nice ingredient for dream pillows and for divinatory incense and tea (great to combine with mugwort for this purpose). Burning yarrow is said to produce visions of snakes. On a lighter note, yarrow has often been a device for divining the identity of one's future lover or determining whether one is truly loved.
As a Protector
In the past, yarrow was used as a protectant. It was strewn across the threshold to keep out evil and worn to protect against hexes. It was tied to an infant's cradle to protect it from those who might try to steal its soul. The Saxons wore yarrow amulets to protect against blindness, robbers, and dogs, among other things.
In Herbalism
Yarrow was commonly used to flavor beer before the introduction of hops, and it still flavors vermouth and bitters. A tea of the flowers raises the body temperature (good for the start of colds), works as a bitter tonic to help digestion, helps promote healthy coughing, eases spasms, and promotes menstruation (don't use during pregnancy). In India, yarrow was put into medicated steam baths for fever; the Chippewa used it very similarly for headache. Even now, the tea is sometimes taken as a remedy for the blues and for restlessness, especially during menopause. It is helpful in shedding fear and negativity.
Its Many Names
The many other common names for yarrow reflect how widely this herb has been used: allheal, angel flower, bad man's plaything, bloodwort, cammock, carpenter's weed, devil's nettle, devil's plaything, dog daisy, gordoloba, green arrow, herbe militaris, hierba de las cortadura, knight's milfoil, milfoil, nosebleed, old man's (the devil's) mustard, old man's pepper, plumajillo, sanguinary, soldier's woundwort, squirrel's taile, stanchgrass, stanchweed, thousand-leaf, thousand weed, woundwort, and yarroway." -harold roth

the forest floor on a recent mushroom hunt

goat walk

full moon rising-a view from the kitchen!


the rain has come and planning has begun. there's lots to do on the new property. all kinds of fun with olives, fruit trees, herbs, flowers, goat kids in june!!! a new perimeter fence, chicken tractor and possibly a rabbit hutch/worm farm. and that's only the beginning! Ahhhhh, so much to look forward to!

read up

GMOs and why you should never use Canola oil.
February 8, 2011 in Ecology, Nutrition

Olive oil comes from olives. Sesame seed oil comes from sesame seeds.
But what is a canola? Canola is actually a made-up word for a genetically modified product.
Canola stands for “Canadian oil low acid.” It’s (sadly) a Canadian invention and subsidized by the government. The subsidies make it very cheap to use, so almost all processed or packaged foods contain canola oil. Be sure to read the ingredients. Here’s why you should:

THE SCOOP ON CANOLA
Canola oil is developed from the rapeseed plant, which is part of the mustard family of plants. These oils have long been used for industrial purposes (in candles, lipsticks, soaps, inks, lubricants, and biofuels). It’s an industrial oil, not a food.
Rapeseed oil is the source behind mustard gas, and on its own it causes emphysema, respiratory distress, anemia, constipation, irritability, and blindness. But through the beauty of genetic modification, we now sell it as an edible oil.

The claim is that canola is safe to use because through modification it is no longer rapeseed but “canola.” Except… canola is just genetically modified rapeseed. It has been marketed as a wonder oil that is low in saturated fats with a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid profile. It is recognized by the American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Association based on the belief that the absence of saturated fats alone makes it healthy.

It is now believed that rapeseed has a cumulative effect, taking almost 10 years before symptoms begin to manifest. One possible effect of long-term use is the destruction of the protective coating surrounding nerves called the myelin sheath. This is like having raw, open wires in the body. Some symptoms include:
tremors and shaking
uncoordination when walking or writing
slurred speech
deterioration of memory and thinking processes
fuzzy or low audio levels
difficulty urinating/incontinence
breathing problems/short of breath
nervous breakdown
numbness and tingling in extremities
heart problems/arrhythmia
From a nutritional perspective, canola oil has been found to deplete Vitamin E. It has a tendency to inhibit proper metabolism of foods and normal enzyme function. It also depresses the immune system.

THE SCOOP ON GMOS
Today, 72% of all products from the United States are genetically modified. The top 3 genetically modified foods are:
canola
corn
soy
Not too far behind them are potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, peanuts, and sunflower.

Companies that commonly use genetic modification are:
Kellogg’s
Kraft
Miss Vickie’s
Hershey’s
Coke
Gatorade
General Mills
Labatt beer
McCain
No Name
President’s Choice
Quaker Oats
Ragu
When an attempt was made for new legislation to force the labeling of genetically modified products in grocery stores, the three companies of Kellogg’s, Monsanto, and DuPont spent $55 millions to fight it and eventually won. It is not mandatory for companies to let the consumers know when they have used genetic modification. Which is why today I refuse to use a Kellogg’s product (very corn-based). Produce that is genetically modified is sometimes identified by a 5-digit number on its sticker that starts with an 8. But not always.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GMOS ON HUMANS
1. Toxicity
Apparently they have GMO Christmas trees that glow in the dark. Slightly cool, but kind of disturbing. They can also make pigs glow in the dark by injecting them with jellyfish.

2. Allergic reactions
Our bodies were not built to recognize and consume GMOs. They are foreign substances in our digestive system and in our bloodstream.

3. Antibiotic resistance
Many plants are engineered to become resistant. We consume those same toxins and may in turn develop resistances.

4. Cancer
GMOs are an offense to our cells. They depress our immune system and may allow for the onset of cancer.

5. Immuno-suppresion
Our immune system doesn’t recognize GMOs. It works to expel them from our bodies as soon as possible, and has less time to work towards our general well being.

Besides the above, GMOs have a negative effect on nature. It upsets the balance of the earth, harms wild plants, and disturbs the life cycle of wild animals.

WHAT CAN WE DO?
Boycott that shit!!!! Don't buy it. Don't eat it. Read, learn, do it!

geriatric computer motions have kept my blabbing to a minimum. that with a lot of too busy dicking around. also, i've been busy moving into a new place and getting accustomed to my new chore of goat milker/goat wrangler/goat bitch. it hasn't been easy but tonight i made moves. i ditched the leashes and saved my sanity. it was so fucking easy! there was no running away, no humping on the trail, no head butting me, no breaking through the gate, no shocks from the fence, no tug o' war, no nothing! my fuck it attitude really payed off this time.
and with another gift of vision, this one in the form of new specs, i could actually see what i was not giving a shit about. and somewhat unfortunately, the unblurred surprise of the ever fascinating goat penis. corkscrewed! for real!

yeay for silly!

Seventeen Evergreen - Polarity Song from Lucky Number Music on Vimeo.

c'est la vie

so many goodbyes! so many changes a happening. that time of year, that kind of life. work on the farm is over and i'm the last lonely person around. just me and the chickens, cats, rats, foxes and deer. my preffered choice of companionship? nah! i spent a wonderful morning collecting cranberries with new pals-just pulled a cranberry walnut tart out of the oven for dessert, it's homemade turkey pot pie for dinner. yum! turkey that i missed on thanksgiving, driving away. driving back. a costly reminder to remember. good thing i like driving. not a good thing my memory sucks.

i had a nice birthday away from the farm this weekend. fat and happy in truckee with nathan and the aspens. yeay!
back in action today, i mowed down the last of the corn and the eggplant with the tractor. i was sad to see them go but driving the tractor is the best!!! little red wing black birds guided my way. after we mow the cover crop (legumes, oats, vetch) is broadcast and then all is tilled under and into the soil. the oats in the cover crop we planted where the melons were is already coming up! it looks so pretty and little. everything around the farm is really beautiful lately. my favorite time of the year. it's been cold and dark waking in the mornings and i just noticed how far over the sun has been settingi
i picked some of the last and some of my favorite flowers today-marigolds and strawflowers. also, some hot peppers, and some renegade mint and mugwort. we finished planting the huge plot of garlic and weeded the tiny little onions today too. tomorrows CSA box will barely close filled with beets, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, green beans, peppers, kale, garlic, winter squash, and radishes. life is good.