Living in a One Horse Town

I have recently completed a move to a new home. It’s SO very beautiful here, and I’m loving my new wrap-around roofed porch. But I had a surprising and rude awakening the other day. It involves the internet.

You see… it does not exist here in this picturesque little New England town.

Now; living in an area known for it’s forward thinking and educated citizenry, I’m rather shocked that this is the case. Turns out: only 300 people are allotted a slot at Ye Ole Junction box. I was lucky enough (by a miracle) to get myself placed at the top of the waiting list. But in the mean-time, I’m at a loss.

MI-Fi was a No Go (it only gets one 1/2 bars)

Zen and the Japanese Culture book review, thoughts on Death and Martyrdom

Zen and the Japanese Culture
book authored by: Daisetz T. Suzuki first published  1970
Newer editions contain an added chapter on ‘the sword’

This most excellent and informative book is well worth a read by anyone interested in Zen,  as the title implies. But Oh, there is So much more to be gleaned from this treasure trove of written lore. It takes us through the ages, and lets us wander through the kingdoms of China as well as Japan, to meet the great Zen masters of old. To follow the tendrils of Buddhism, and see why and how they develop, spreading their influence amongst the peoples of the realm. Rather than a dry and boring text-book, this tome introduces us to the many expressions of art and culture which Buddhism and more particularly; Zen helped to foster. Here we are even visited briefly by the schools of Daoism, and look in on the great song dynasty as well.

But enough of that! My intent today is not so much to write a book review, but rather, to express some thoughts and impressions which this book has prompted in me. It’s quite the thought-provoking book. Heres the excerpt which got my mind a whirling:

Innocence, Friendship and the Entertaining of Angels

Today, I took a leisurely kayak trip along the edge of a slow lake. Slow, that is, except for when a motor boat passed by. I love those moments, when the kayak is set to rocking and rolling upon the surge of waves each boat produces. It’s a gentle swoosh of up and down motion. Next thing I knew, that motion had rocked me right down to memory lane. Though it was not a wave for which I reminisced, rather, the swaying of the boat, reminded me a great deal of the swaying of a certain Maple tree within which I used to nap as a girl, 20 or so feet up in the air. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

As a youth, I had the great fortune (or misfortune, depending upon how you look at it) to be one who traveled often. Like a military child, only more so than they. On this particular year my mother and I had moved to a new home at the very start of school vacation. New home, new town. consequently I knew not a soul, but not to worry, I set out right away to find what children I could and to make my friends where I could find them. It was perhaps my 9th or 10th year.

I expected it would be an easy thing, to find groups of children playing stick-ball in the street, or at least a few children in their backyards. But alas, this new neighborhood had very slim pickins. It all worked out in the end, proving to be one of the best years of my youth, but at this time in the very beginning? Very slim indeed.

Hawk song for Guitar parts 2 and 3 Snake, Heron

Hawk Song Part 2

SNAKE

(A-, E-, D-)
Then the bird looked right at me
and this is what he said
“Pay attention to my words
then you’l be wise, not dead”

In the pond, there’s such a one
and low, his only view
He slithers there upon the ground
on belly to and fro

He weaves a trap around his prey
His evil eye to flow.
Dont take advise from him my friend
or you might soon be food.

Zen drumming and The Drummer

Here we strive to drum without drumming.

That video was from the actual drum group which participated in the making of the movie called, The Drummer. Watch it in full screen.

The Drummer is an excellent story about the Zen path and choices. A bored, spoiled son of a small-time crime boss looks to stir up excitement by touching the forbidden fruit. In this case; it’s the kept woman of a bigger crime lord. In payment for this insult, the Big boss demands the hands of the offending person. That’s right, he wanted them cut off.

Of course the boy’s father could not comply with this, so he sends the boy, together with his right hand man off to the country to lay low. Here is where the story really begins. A tale of choices, paradoxes, and irony.

Quick and Natural Macrobiotic Cookbook – review

ISBN 0-8092-4436-5

Quiting all meat and processed foods overnight as it were, had me feeling overwhelmed about my food choice options. Mind you, I thrive on feeling challenged, so I’m not complaining at all.  But when this book found its way to me I felt fresh relief. Gone, were my worries over what constitutes a healthy Vegetarian dinner or lunch.

This book took the mystery out of it. Instead of listing recipes by type ie: fruits, pastas, soups, etc.. THIS cookbook listed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. Then it offers a complete days food itinerary from breakfast in the AM to dessert in the PM.

I eagerly shut my brain off and planned my shopping list for the entire week based off this books recommendations. This proved both educational AND a disaster. But before  I get into that, lets discuss why this book Rocks!

Zucchini, Olive, Cheese Quesadillas

Recipe from Way to cook vegetarian by: Cooking Light

ingredients:

Onion, finely chopped (That’s 1 small onion or 1/3 cup)
3 cloves of Garlic minced (the book specifies 1/2 teaspoon Bottled minced, but who listens to that?!)
Shredded Zucchini (That’s about 1 and 1/2 small zucchini or 1 & 1/4 cups) I recommend shredding them as large as possible so they don’t become super mushy.
Oregano 1/4 teaspoon
Salt 1/8 teaspoon
Black Pepper 1/8 teaspoon
Mozzarella Shredded  1/2 cup
Tomato diced  1/2 cup
Kalamata Olives diced 1/4 cup
Feta Cheese crumbled 1/4 cup

4 8inch Tortillas

What is Zen?

What is Zen?

Two souls finding a way to be together, no matter what chasm between them exists.

Confessions of a meat eater

Once upon a time, and long, long ago…

I read a book about a spiritual journey called, Hinds Feet on high places. Perhaps you are familiar with it? It was like a modern rendition of the famous classic called Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan. Unlike Pilgrims Progress, this story speaks from a female point of view. It seemed not to shirk around hard issues and didn’t candy coat things so, I read them with an inquisitive mind, as I embarked on my youthful discovery of things spiritual.

The book was a series, I eagerly read. That is until I got into later books. All of a sudden, and out of the blue, the storyline started talking about Vegetarianism and making some strange claim about God and the Garden of Eden. I was shocked, disgusted and disappointed.  Without reading a single word further I filed this book in my mind under the category of ‘stupid cults’ and ‘dont go there!’ I couldn’t fling this book in the trash fast enough!

Homemade Organic Vegetable Broth Powder

As I am the kind of person who would like to live in the middle of a deserted forest with my own private arsenal of weaponry and booby-trapped land features, oops, er, I mean self-sufficient, and embracing a whole foods independent lifestyle, I have noticed that a great deal of my Vegetarian cookbooks ask for the use of vegetable broth. Its becoming a staple in my kitchen. SO naturally, I might begin to wonder if there is a home-made method I might implement and so avoid having to buy it pre-packaged from the store. Yes, yes everyone knows that to make vegetable broth, one boils the veggies, then throws them out, keeping only the broth.

This idea of throwing food out has always bothered my frugal self. Same thing goes for throwing away the pulp when making juice. WHY do this?

I thought to myself, “I’ll just google  homemade broth powder and the results will be numerous and easy. Seems easy enough. But now I wonder if Google hates me, or else there is nobody in the world making their own broth powder? I found at best 3 sites, none of which met my needs. Then, of all things wonderful, I found a WordPress blogger, who had done exactly the thing I was aiming for.  Here is a link to that persons excellent and tasteful blog post. Go check it out.

With my fellow blogger to boost my confidence, (I learned a thing or two) I made my first batch of broth powder. I winged it, as they say. Using only intuition gleaned from bits and pieces of this and that.