A Very Merry After Christmas and Happy New year!
Four of us had a very festive day at a heavily decorated house with lovely Christmas background music, homemade lasagna, green bean salad, green salad, lots of little chocolate cakes and “things” for dessert. And there were many friendly cats, so it’s good that all of us were fond of cats. :)
I have decoration of evergreens, pine branches and such in the house and it all smells very good.
A neighbor of mine gave me a “branch “ of Brussel sprouts since she had so many herself. I’ve never seen how these grow before. This is a neighbor I’ve given some extra greens to when my CSA share is a little too much for me.
We;’ve had some lovely winter weather in the 70s but this midweek we’re getting a very wet storm and 4-5 nights of freezing nights in the mid-20s. we’ll see if it gets that cold. I put out some extra bedding for the cats to snuggle into.
And I learned to make butternut squash soup this holiday season.
Peace, Shamba
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Small Update in December
I have been doing things but it doesn't interest me to keep track of my small culinary victories like it did.
It seem like all the blogs, (food blogs, I call them) I've been reading for the past two years about food sources, preparing food, cooking, and other food preps are not what they were. There are good reasons for this, employement issues, growing children, just life happening for everyone. Some bloggers have also become more public spokeswomen for the causes they believe in, some are writing books and just involved more in the Real Life than the blogs of Cyber Life. Some post less than they used to.
In any case, I miss reading them the way I used to. Who else was going to tell me that red lentils cooked the fastest of lentils? For this woman who hardly ever knew how to cook much, the past two years have been a great education about food and especially food I'd never tried before. I will keep looking at the blogs that I've become so fond of and I do wish their owners to have the best success at whatever they're doing.
And, I've learned how to make pumpkin soup, it wasn't great but I'll be better next time. I have two large freezer bags of cut up butternut squashes in the freezer and I want to make butternut soup next.
that all for now, don't let the christmas Crazies get to you.
peace, shamba
It seem like all the blogs, (food blogs, I call them) I've been reading for the past two years about food sources, preparing food, cooking, and other food preps are not what they were. There are good reasons for this, employement issues, growing children, just life happening for everyone. Some bloggers have also become more public spokeswomen for the causes they believe in, some are writing books and just involved more in the Real Life than the blogs of Cyber Life. Some post less than they used to.
In any case, I miss reading them the way I used to. Who else was going to tell me that red lentils cooked the fastest of lentils? For this woman who hardly ever knew how to cook much, the past two years have been a great education about food and especially food I'd never tried before. I will keep looking at the blogs that I've become so fond of and I do wish their owners to have the best success at whatever they're doing.
And, I've learned how to make pumpkin soup, it wasn't great but I'll be better next time. I have two large freezer bags of cut up butternut squashes in the freezer and I want to make butternut soup next.
that all for now, don't let the christmas Crazies get to you.
peace, shamba
Monday, November 8, 2010
Not much of an update ...
Not much to report except I tried a butternut squash recipe last week and it came out okay. the recipe was actually on a label attached to a butternut squash from last year and I wrote down the recipe.
Halve the squash and scoop out strings and seeds.
Stuff with combination of pineapple, cinnamon, brown sugar, some melted butter and bacon and/or cheese.
Put on baking sheet with 1/2 inch of water. Cook for at least 45 minutes.
Pretty tasty and smaller squashes make good side dishes for a meal.
Everything I planted is still growing.
I went through the digital recipes I have from doing cut and paste versions of them from cooking sites and blogs recipes. I have them all consolidated under types of food and I want to print them out at some point.
Someon I used to work with had a massive stroke at work two weeks ago and has never regained consciousness. His family took him off life support last
Friday. I didn't knpw him well but who I did know was kind and good and he lieaves animals and people he took care of behind.
another old friend from high school, has to have neuro surgery in a couple of weeks to correct misalignment of spine somehwere in the cervical vertebrae near the skull.
Eek! But they are all very confident that it will come out all right.
And Saturday night I went to M. 90th (!) birthday party that she threw at a local Greek restaurant. M. is still very sound of mind and spirit and is pretty good in body. She had invited about 60 odd people and I think they all came! there was lots of Greek food, some wine, lots of music, conversation about how we all knew M. and her family, and dancing with the Greek dancers and belly dancers!
A very good time was had by all.
peace, shamba
Halve the squash and scoop out strings and seeds.
Stuff with combination of pineapple, cinnamon, brown sugar, some melted butter and bacon and/or cheese.
Put on baking sheet with 1/2 inch of water. Cook for at least 45 minutes.
Pretty tasty and smaller squashes make good side dishes for a meal.
Everything I planted is still growing.
I went through the digital recipes I have from doing cut and paste versions of them from cooking sites and blogs recipes. I have them all consolidated under types of food and I want to print them out at some point.
Someon I used to work with had a massive stroke at work two weeks ago and has never regained consciousness. His family took him off life support last
Friday. I didn't knpw him well but who I did know was kind and good and he lieaves animals and people he took care of behind.
another old friend from high school, has to have neuro surgery in a couple of weeks to correct misalignment of spine somehwere in the cervical vertebrae near the skull.
Eek! But they are all very confident that it will come out all right.
And Saturday night I went to M. 90th (!) birthday party that she threw at a local Greek restaurant. M. is still very sound of mind and spirit and is pretty good in body. She had invited about 60 odd people and I think they all came! there was lots of Greek food, some wine, lots of music, conversation about how we all knew M. and her family, and dancing with the Greek dancers and belly dancers!
A very good time was had by all.
peace, shamba
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Decisions .... no, Decisions!
I've been thinking about these decisions for a year so this is no thoughtless process here.
First on the list: something has needed to be done to my 30 year old bathroom for well, a long time. Tiles are loosening, the soap dish fell out of the tiled wall long ago, the bathroom sink vanity/cabinet leaked for a while and so the floor of the cabinet is disintegrating and some wall board damage near the bathtub shower area. So, there is going to be a remodeling project to fix the WHOLE THING AT ONCE.
After a few weeks of weighing options, I signed a contract with a reputable company I know and we’ll schedule a date when the materials come in. They said it would be just about 2 weeks before they would call me. No debt is involved, just funds I thought I would use for this and some small home improvements. Once this is done, it’s DONE for another 20-30 years, unless I decide I don’t like it and want something else! I sincerely doubt I will tire of it and want another one though. This is also the biggest and most expensive project to be done.
Second, after that will come getting rid of old carpet. I’ve been boxing books--my endless supply of books, it seems-- in anticipation of that. I also have to move all the stuff out of the bathroom that isn’t attached to a wall!
third,there is a storage unit place about a block from me I’m going to visit to rent some space for a couple of months. They are offering a free month’s rent when you sign up for their month to month agreement. I’ve used this place before to store stuff.
Fourth, I’ve planted some lettuce (Romaine) and a bell pepper plant this week. The containers are all in the front of the house for the winter as that is where the sun is that they need. Some of the containers are moving in next to the other flowering plants in containers that flourish year round.
I get greens from the CSA but I really like having some lettuce around all the time.
Fifth, I have a list and things to keep me busy in the next few weeks while I ignore all the political stuff about the election next week. But I did vote and send in my ballot.
Actually there's a lot to want to ignore these day. Corn, oats, wheat and rice have
gone straight up in price since June. People want to invest in something that gives them a return and savings and equities aren't doing it these days so commodities are a big thing to give a return. People always need to eat.
Since I don't get to a grocery store every week these days, I don't track prices of some items like I used to week to week. I go like 2-3 weeks. It seems to me these price rises aren't showing up yet in stores but they'll have to eventually.
peace, shamba
First on the list: something has needed to be done to my 30 year old bathroom for well, a long time. Tiles are loosening, the soap dish fell out of the tiled wall long ago, the bathroom sink vanity/cabinet leaked for a while and so the floor of the cabinet is disintegrating and some wall board damage near the bathtub shower area. So, there is going to be a remodeling project to fix the WHOLE THING AT ONCE.
After a few weeks of weighing options, I signed a contract with a reputable company I know and we’ll schedule a date when the materials come in. They said it would be just about 2 weeks before they would call me. No debt is involved, just funds I thought I would use for this and some small home improvements. Once this is done, it’s DONE for another 20-30 years, unless I decide I don’t like it and want something else! I sincerely doubt I will tire of it and want another one though. This is also the biggest and most expensive project to be done.
Second, after that will come getting rid of old carpet. I’ve been boxing books--my endless supply of books, it seems-- in anticipation of that. I also have to move all the stuff out of the bathroom that isn’t attached to a wall!
third,there is a storage unit place about a block from me I’m going to visit to rent some space for a couple of months. They are offering a free month’s rent when you sign up for their month to month agreement. I’ve used this place before to store stuff.
Fourth, I’ve planted some lettuce (Romaine) and a bell pepper plant this week. The containers are all in the front of the house for the winter as that is where the sun is that they need. Some of the containers are moving in next to the other flowering plants in containers that flourish year round.
I get greens from the CSA but I really like having some lettuce around all the time.
Fifth, I have a list and things to keep me busy in the next few weeks while I ignore all the political stuff about the election next week. But I did vote and send in my ballot.
Actually there's a lot to want to ignore these day. Corn, oats, wheat and rice have
gone straight up in price since June. People want to invest in something that gives them a return and savings and equities aren't doing it these days so commodities are a big thing to give a return. People always need to eat.
Since I don't get to a grocery store every week these days, I don't track prices of some items like I used to week to week. I go like 2-3 weeks. It seems to me these price rises aren't showing up yet in stores but they'll have to eventually.
peace, shamba
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Heat is GONE
Looks like it's over for this year, nice storm in today and outlook is for next 10 days in 70s and low 80s. We can turn the AC completely off!
Also, picked up romaine lettuce and bell pepper plants to plant in containers in the next few days.
We'll see how that works out.
peace, shamba
Also, picked up romaine lettuce and bell pepper plants to plant in containers in the next few days.
We'll see how that works out.
peace, shamba
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
the walls are moving in ... it seems
Seldom in my life have I felt so squeezed I couldn’t find money in my resources for normal/expected increases in daily life. But I feel some economic walls moving inward the past couple of weeks. It’s like I’m watching them actually move and it’s totally unnerving.
Mostly it’s because of many things, property taxes are one. They went up this year, that was expected, but more than I thought. And this is the time of year that my health insurance opens enrollment. This year there are no new plans but the same as last year although I could change plans if I wanted. I don’t want to change but the cost isn’t staying the same, it’s gone up by $40-50 (?) a month. I expected some kind of increase but that seems a lot at once!
As soon as the health care act passed this summer, I received a letter from the state retiree’s plans that warned us all that this would only increase costs including our premiums. I wasn’t really surprised but seeing the costs going up is anxiety provoking. Of course, the co pays will go up as well.
Fortunately, I don’t have lots of meds to take but I have a chunk of stainless steel in my right hip joint that I can’t go with uninsured. As temporary as it was, that year or so with a hip deteriorating saw me going more and more disabled and that’s a frightening feeling. The replaced hip was like a miracle to me postponing aging and disability for a lot more years! (Knocking on wood!) My hip is good is good but it may required revision someday, and my other hip is wearing a little more all the time and maybe I’ll need that replaced someday.
And I’m a few years away from Medicare, and what form will that take by then or not???
And there’s some increase in my taxes coming in 2011 that I have to talk to my accountant about before the end of this 2010.
What I'm personally afraid of is having to do without way beyond what I know how to do! And then doing without even more and more and more down the line.
Doing without can be relative depending on what your normal economic levels are. I've done without at times in my life, but they are nothing compared with what others have had to do without, like really no money for anything but food.
I've always been able to have the right kind of food and enough of it. I cut other things out of the budget at times but never had to worry about food. Whatever I cut out was a matter of time before things got better and I could spend on those things again. And maybe now there will be no better times for a long time or not in my lifetime?
just some serious thoughts today,
shamba
Mostly it’s because of many things, property taxes are one. They went up this year, that was expected, but more than I thought. And this is the time of year that my health insurance opens enrollment. This year there are no new plans but the same as last year although I could change plans if I wanted. I don’t want to change but the cost isn’t staying the same, it’s gone up by $40-50 (?) a month. I expected some kind of increase but that seems a lot at once!
As soon as the health care act passed this summer, I received a letter from the state retiree’s plans that warned us all that this would only increase costs including our premiums. I wasn’t really surprised but seeing the costs going up is anxiety provoking. Of course, the co pays will go up as well.
Fortunately, I don’t have lots of meds to take but I have a chunk of stainless steel in my right hip joint that I can’t go with uninsured. As temporary as it was, that year or so with a hip deteriorating saw me going more and more disabled and that’s a frightening feeling. The replaced hip was like a miracle to me postponing aging and disability for a lot more years! (Knocking on wood!) My hip is good is good but it may required revision someday, and my other hip is wearing a little more all the time and maybe I’ll need that replaced someday.
And I’m a few years away from Medicare, and what form will that take by then or not???
And there’s some increase in my taxes coming in 2011 that I have to talk to my accountant about before the end of this 2010.
What I'm personally afraid of is having to do without way beyond what I know how to do! And then doing without even more and more and more down the line.
Doing without can be relative depending on what your normal economic levels are. I've done without at times in my life, but they are nothing compared with what others have had to do without, like really no money for anything but food.
I've always been able to have the right kind of food and enough of it. I cut other things out of the budget at times but never had to worry about food. Whatever I cut out was a matter of time before things got better and I could spend on those things again. And maybe now there will be no better times for a long time or not in my lifetime?
just some serious thoughts today,
shamba
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Storms came but storms went ...
Black, thick low hanging clouds over the valley today. Foreacast said probabilities of off and on thunderstorms and rain throughout today with temps about 85degrees.
I had some errands to do so I plotted my route and started out . I didn't get very far before it started raining, then pouring then fogged up windows and thunder and lighning so I pulled over in an office parking lot to wait it out. I haven't done that in several years but I could not see anything for fogged windows and the rain.
then it started hailing, so I pulled the car around behind the building and some trees to keep the hail from hitting the car. About pea-sized hail, no damage but a lot of noise.
The parking lot was filling with water rapidly and the center of the lot was the low point and it was deep enough to have waves!
I must have waited 20-25 minutes before some rain let up and I could see how deep the water was ... about 6 inches but I didn't want to wait for another rain band to come. I put the defroster on to get rid of the fog, ran window wipers and proceeded to come home.
My house got a lot of rain but no damage but there are outtages and wind damage and who knows how many accidents all over town. Needless to say, I didn't get my errands run but the car isn't covered in dust anymore. Storms should move through by by early evening.
peace, shamba
I had some errands to do so I plotted my route and started out . I didn't get very far before it started raining, then pouring then fogged up windows and thunder and lighning so I pulled over in an office parking lot to wait it out. I haven't done that in several years but I could not see anything for fogged windows and the rain.
then it started hailing, so I pulled the car around behind the building and some trees to keep the hail from hitting the car. About pea-sized hail, no damage but a lot of noise.
The parking lot was filling with water rapidly and the center of the lot was the low point and it was deep enough to have waves!
I must have waited 20-25 minutes before some rain let up and I could see how deep the water was ... about 6 inches but I didn't want to wait for another rain band to come. I put the defroster on to get rid of the fog, ran window wipers and proceeded to come home.
My house got a lot of rain but no damage but there are outtages and wind damage and who knows how many accidents all over town. Needless to say, I didn't get my errands run but the car isn't covered in dust anymore. Storms should move through by by early evening.
peace, shamba
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