Month: October 2014

The Places That Scare You!~Chicken Casserole with Chocolate Cake

/ Lee Reynolds

BOO!

Okay, so you’re not scared. It’s only a picture of our twins, trying on the Halloween outfit they will wear to their preschool party on Friday. I couldn’t resist though as they were so darn cute. But going back to the word,”BOO!” Was I ever a bit scared four years ago this week, when I went in for my first ultrasound after finding out I was pregnant. I’ll never forget the ultrasound technologist telling us that she wasn’t a Doctor and therefore couldn’t tell us anything….but she said she could show us “something”, and then she moved her ultrasound wand across my lower belly and said, “here is one “thing”, and here is two.”

My husband who was casually chewing gum and holding Will throughout the exam didn’t stop chewing, instead he said,”look Will, there is your new baby brother or sister.” He hadn’t picked up on what the technologist was showing us AT ALL

I, on the other hand am an old hand at ultrasounds and was heightened to every word she uttered from the time she asked us to follow her into the exam room. You see, I had been spotting and was so scared  the first words I would hear were, “I’m so sorry there is no heart beat.” So when I saw those two flickering heart beats I was elated, truly excited, but yes also extremely scared.  We called them our Boo babies at the time.

When D and I left the building I stopped him before we got to the car and said, “you know what she was showing us don’t you?” And he just went, “Huh?” And it was then I uttered the words, “Twins!” He stopped chewing his gum and just went quiet. He was in that state for many weeks and although I was scared, I was just so happy to have babies with heart beats. When you have tried a long time to complete your family and you are finally pregnant, you just enjoy each day that comes and try not to be fearful about the future.

Thankfully, the pregnancy went well and the girls are thriving and healthy. Talking about my fear, reminds me of the fears of many women. The fear first that they may never find a partner in order to have a child, or the strength and courage to choose motherhood as a single person if they are partnerless. Then there is the fear of infertility, which can be devastating, debilitating and sadly, in many cases cause severe depression. As if infertility isn’t bad enough, often women then have to pull themselves out of the trenches of deep darkness to fight their battle for a child.  And even when that dream finally comes true, they then have to deal with issues from post traumatic stress while trying to find some semblance of happiness being a new mom.

Then still others have the fear of  not experiencing a healthy pregnancy, dealing with a painful labour, difficult delivery and finally having a living, breathing child.. And that is all before their baby arrives on earth. Don’t get me going about once the baby arrives as I will let your imagination take over from there, although I will leave you with this one story of  when our first baby slept through the night for the first time. I asked D to check on her as I was so scared we had lost her in the night. You see, our OB-GYN who delivered her, had just lost his infant son from sudden death syndrome a few months earlier and I thought, if it could happen to him well we are not immune. Irrational I know, but this is the stuff of life. FEAR!

Well, I could go on and on with regards to fears, but what I wanted to say was thisHalloween time of year reminds me of the day, 4 years ago that we found out we were having TWO BOO babies……and it’s been a wonderful experience. Yes, my hands are full as many people often comment, but they are full of multiple blessings. The biggest thing that scares us is often fear itself.

This post though is REALLY about a book review I wanted to share since tonight is my Sacred Circle book club meeting and the book we are discussing is, “The Places that Scare You, a guide to fearlessness in difficult times,” by Pema Chodron. I don’t know if you’ve had the chance to read this book or not, (I invited you to be a sacred sister on one of my blogs in September) but in case you haven’t and in case you have your share of anxiety and fears, this book gives one many insights to  contemplate and incorporate  into ones life.

Front Cover

I have recently written about the terrorism that occurred in Canada on a prior post (Earthlings Get Grounded) and a thought that really rang home to me was on Page 7 of this book. The author wrote, “Hatred never ceases by hatred-but by love alone is healed. This is an ancient and eternal law.”

On page 42, Pema Chodron writes, “In cultivating loving kindness we train first to be honest, loving and compassionate towards ourselves.”

And on Page 52, she says, “As a result of compassionate practise, we will start to have a deeper understanding of the roots of suffering.”

It was quite timely to read this and so I thought, “I send love to all terrorists around the world.” I know many would not understand this way of thinking but if we truly believe we are all connected, I’m only hurting myself by thinking anything but love.

In Chapter three, “The Buddha taught that there are three principal characteristics  of human existence. They are, “impermanence, egolessness, or dissatisfaction.”

Recognizing these qualities, to be real and true in our own experience helps us to relax with things as they are.

I loved this concept since the theme of my life is all about surrender It’s a life lesson that runs through each moment of my life as I attempt to not attach to anything, instead, just notice what I’m reacting to and then letting it go. I’m not brilliant one day and a screw up the next. I’m not what I do, or what people think if me. IF I don’t attach to anything, then nothing, NO THING, can influence me or make me feel good, or bad.

It’s a journey for sure but something I’m finding easier as I’m getting older. Good thing too since one of the biggest fears most humans have is dying. Accepting that our earthly body is always in a state of change, and will eventually stop functioning is either a freeing idea or scary to some. Understanding that we ARE, not the human body, that this is only our vehicle while on this earth and eventually it will stop working, makes it easier to let go of even dissatisfaction, like aging, or a part of our body that appears not perfect to us.

The other main idea that was presented in this book has to do with the sweet spot in life. Is it when things are going great and all our dreams are coming true? Nope! It’s when things are really tough and difficult. When we are able to remain in that place and stand our ground, that is when we become true warriors. It’s when we really soften and become more compassionate towards ourselves, and others. It’s when we glimpse the idea that we are all connected.

On page 122, Chodron writes, “The fact we spend a long time in the middle, the juicy spot is  the fruitful place to be—resting here completely—steadfastly experiencing the clarity of the present moment is called, Enlightenment.”

I loved the quote at the beginning of Chapter 7 on Loving Kindness-

“Peace between Countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals.”                                    ~Mahatma Gandhi~

“No matter where we are on the journey-we are always stepping further into groundlessness. Enlightenment is not the end-it’s just the beginning of fully entering into we know not what.”

The last words of that sentence….WE KNOW NOT WHAT….isn’t that our worst fear? That we don’t know what is ahead of us and that is something that is really hard for most people to deal with…letting go and trusting that ALL SHALL BE WELL.

Before I close my book review, I liked how Pema Chodron brought in stories of her experiences with her teachers. A few simple words they said to her in response to her training came back to me and resonated with my soul, they were, “It’s no big deal.” and “It’s Okay.”

Although this book was rich with wonderful ideas, at the end of it, I was just thinking to myself, I’m okay, and it’s no big deal. And that is what I’m taking to book club tonight.

As we are about to head into Trick or Treat season, when scary creatures are ringing our door bell, literal or figuritively, I thought I would leave you with a comfort food recipe that I made last night. PERFECT for making this weekend, “Country Chicken Casserole and Biscuits” and a recipe for a quick “Chocolate cake,” you can whip up really fast and delicious enough to impress your scariest guests.

Happy Halloween! if I don’t get the chance to post again…it’s really busy around here this time of year although I had hoped to get my famous sugar cookie recipe on my blog…stay tuned for my pumpkin cookie recipes. I have to make it for Will’s kindergarten class party so I will try to bring you in the kitchen for some fun creations. Enjoy this special time of year when we really have to look fear in the face and say, BOO!

Hope’s Country Chicken Casserole with Biscuits

Ingredients
  • 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cups diced potatoes
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup sliced celery
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 cups of vegetables whatever you have….I used brocoli, cauliflower, swiss chard and kale,
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • if you have some sage and parsley they make a nice seasoning that you can add when you cook the celery, onions and garlic

 Note: If you want a really creamy sauce double the sauce ingredients above

 

Instructions

 

  1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
  2. Bake chicken pieces until lightly browned, no longer pink. ( it took 40 mins for my breast pieces which were quite thick) Remove from oven, cut up into small 1 inch pieces. Set aside
  3. Cut up potatoes into nice big chunks and boil until almost done, add carrots and the rest of the vegetables…cook until all are tender. Remove and drain water.
  4. In a sauce pan, melt 2 tbsp butter, cook celery, onions, garlic until tender. Add chicken broth and cook until boiling. Remove.
  5. Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and then slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper if you wish.
  6.  Put chicken and vegetables into a a casserole dish along with the chicken broth and  white sauce, mix well.  

(Make biscuits  and put on top of casserole….bake in hot oven 450 F for 12 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown)

This is what it looks like before adding the biscuits….since this was such a large pan though, next time I would add more white sauce…and also next time I’m going to do the English Pea and carrots….my kids aren’t crazy about peas but I LOVE THEM ..my Grandma Clark used to say, “they will put hair on your chest!”

Hope’s Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups All purpose Flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup milk

(For our larger family I double the recipe….any extra biscuits get eaten with jam the next day)

Instructions

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is the consistency of course cornmeal. Make a well in the centre of these ingredients; add liquid slowly. When all the liquid has been added, stir dough rather vigorously until it comes freely from the side of the bowl. Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead lightly for a few minutes. roll or pat out to desired thickness–about 1/2 inch thick. Bake in a hot oven, 450 degrees F. Makes 12 biscuits

 

David loves it when I’m cooking for my “blog” because he often gets a glass of wine too….

Tonight we added a nice white wine that my sister J and brother in law B, gave D for his birthday. B says it is the best quality white wine for it’s price…we love B.C. wine! Thanks J and B!

 

Perfect with my Country Chicken Casserole with Biscuits….ENJOY!

And for another comfort food that will surely chase anything you are scared of, AWAY>>>>

Hope’s Comfort Food Homemade Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (opt)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water…I had left over coffee so I added a cup of hot coffee

 

Instructions

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring or 1-13×9 pan.
  2. For the cake:
  3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
  4. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water(coffee if you have it) to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
  5. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans or in one large pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan or let cool completely and ice in pan. .
  7. Frost cake with a Buttercream icing….I added a tsp of hot water with instant coffee for a mocha flavour to my icing
 I was in such a rush, taking kids to piano, picking up University kid, Skyping other University kid from a distance to see how his Mid term exam went, and texting high school kid to see when Volleyball practise ended that I was lucky to ice this cake…turned out really great although the decoration of coconut and almonds weren’t the greatest…hey but it’s life. I’m glad I don’t have all the time in the world to set up my blog posts looking perfect because you know, life isn’t like that…not real life and that is nothing to be scared of. It’s sometimes messy but tastes GREAT!

This cake was the perfect comfort dessert after the Country Chicken Casserole with biscuits…I hope you try it out on a day that you need some home cooking to comfort you.

If you are interested in hearing more from Pema Chodron, on Fear and Fearlessness.…check out this YouTube video.

 

And another one with Oprah…..why fear is nothing to be afraid of

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy, peaceful…and FEARLESS!

Blessings from Hope

 

Earthlings Get Grounded

/ Lee Reynolds

When you’re finally up at the moon looking back on earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you’re going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people.

 

— Frank Borman, Apollo 8, Newsweek magazine, 23 December 1968.

It’s been an action packed week and I’m sorry I haven’t been able to write any posts but as you may have read, it started with D and I attending an Urban Farm Symposium last Saturday and continued with a long awaited visit from my sister B and my brother in law J. Life has been rich with new ideas and insights and I’m thankful, since I wouldn’t have much to write about without the abundance of both in my life.

Before I move into the meat of this blog, I want to give you a bit of the back story so you can appreciate the whole picture and some history. My sister B lives in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Not too far from my homestead, only a days drive and ferry ride away but far enough so we only see each other a few times a year. And that is when she generously comes to visit. I remember our visit in the summer of 2013. She was chiding me for walking everywhere barefoot. I told her that putting shoes on was too much of a hassle since I was often running after the little ones. We were down to the garden, or play area,  or swimming in the pool, several times a day and it’s not like we have a yard with obstacles like chicken droppings or even dog waste. But still, she cautioned me on being careful walking in the dirt as there are pathogens that could enter through broken skin etc and cause infection.

Did I mention she is my BIG sister. She was just shy of 13 when I was born, so she has always been a bit protective and always nurturing towards me. This past summer, she and her daughter, T and two granddaughters, H and M, came for a visit. We had a lovely visit with lots of laughter and some moments of deep soul talk. The kind only sisters can share (and nieces). My sister always brings gifts that are useful and some that I wouldn’t go out and buy myself. For instance, on one of her shopping trips, she came home with a lucky bamboo plant in an elephant planter. Since I study the art of Feng Shui, I knew she was giving us a gift full of many blessings. She is always bestowing the best of life upon me and my family.

 

This is my lucky elephant bamboo, full of blessings that B gave this past summer

I’m also thankful, that she is highly organized and is often clearing clutter, another wonderful Feng Shui practice. There have been many occasions where I have benefited after one of her space clearing sessions. This past summer was another such time when she left a box of “things” for me to peruse after she left. Some of my most treasured pieces of clothing have come second hand from her, so with tears still in my eyes wondering when I would see her again,  I unearthed the contents piece by piece,  trying on this and that. When I came to the bottom of the box there were a familiar pair of shoes I had often admired her wearing. They are a pair of lovely brown, Josef Siebels.  They are what my  mother in law D would have called, “sensible walking shoes,” when she herself lived in Victoria watching women walking their dogs in such footwear.

WOW~ I was thankful to have a new pair of shoes. On the first day this fall, when it was particularly cold, I wore them when taking the little girls to preschool. I was chatting with J, our children’s preschool teacher. We go WAY back, since she taught our oldest son, Clark, 18 years earlier and every little one since then. She knows our family really well and we have been fortunate to have her in our lives.

I don’t really know how our conversation took off but I think it had something to do with the weather finally growing colder and I was having to ditch my sandals. I told her I had spent most of my summer barefoot and that my older sister must have felt sorry for me as she gave me these wonderful shoes to wear, as I motioned towards my new, high end shoes. J, said she knew someone who also enjoyed going barefoot and commented about it being very good for you.

My sister B and brother in law J arrived at our home last Monday. While the weekend had been gloriously warm, the weather had shifted on Monday which was decidedly colder. We hadn’t started the furnace yet this year, so after giving my sister a big hug and chatting briefly, I noticed she was uncharacteristically barefoot. I asked her if I could get her a pair of socks or something. She looked down at her very tanned feet, (did I mention they had been on holidays down the Oregon Coast etc for the past month?) and said, “no thanks, I’m doing the barefoot thing.”

We talked about their trip etc and then it finally came around to her feet once again and I asked what was up with the bare feet? It was then she told me about a book she and B had read while on their holidays. It was called, “Earthing.” They also had the DVD, which they had brought along for us to watch. She showed me pictures of her and J walking barefoot with my other sister, J and her husband B. (hey, just now I noticed that the couples share the same first letters…but in reverse)  They had been visiting with them for 2 days and they were “grounding” themselves at their acreage all weekend.

Grounding or Earthing is defined as placing one’s bare feet on the ground whether it be dirt, grass, sand or concrete (especially when humid or wet). When you ground to the electron-enriched earth, an improved balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system occurs.

The Earth is a natural source of electrons and subtle electrical fields, which are essential for proper functioning of immune systems, circulation, synchronization of biorhythms and other physiological processes and may actually be the most effective, essential, least expensive, and easiest to attain antioxidant.
 
Modern science has thoroughly documented the connection between inflammation and all of the chronic diseases, including the diseases of aging and the aging process itself. It is important to understand that inflammation is a condition that can be reduced or prevented by grounding your body to the Earth, the way virtually all of your ancestors have done for hundreds if not thousands of generations

I had to laugh at first. Here was my big sister first telling me to put my shoes on, actually giving me a pair of shoes and now she was telling me to take them off. In addition stressing that going barefoot was the way to go. I could have told her that.

Although I didn’t know there were any significant health benefits, I knew how I felt after being at the ocean, walking on the beach for a week or burying my feet in the sand while the children made crab castles. Also, walking in my garden barefoot or sitting and meditating on the earth felt restorative. When we listen to our body and how it’s reacting, we are never wrong.

Well, throughout the week that B was visiting, when we had a moment we would go out into the yard barefoot. The little people were thrilled because they knew intrinsically what felt good and were baffled at why I had been harping at them to put their shoes on since the weather turned cold. As long as they were bundled up with a sweater etc, they felt great barefoot and surprisingly enough, the earth still held a lot of heat from our long hot summer.

Our little girls, Victoria and Kate grounding with their Auntie B.

And so, my dear blog friends, from my big sister, now to you I say, “to shoe or not to shoe?” that is the question. Maybe, if more of us went barefoot on the earth, communed with nature, our whole world would be healthier and more balanced. At the very least we would be connected to our roots and care for Mother Earth as she cares for us.

AND

That brings me to another insight I had during the week. As you probably know, unless you are living off the grid without any contact with the outer world, during the past week there were several acts of terrorism in my country, one which occurred on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. A lone gunman, Michael Abdul Ehaf-Bibeau, who was a recent convert to Islam, killed an unarmed soldier, 24 year old Cpl. Nathan Cerillo, who was standing guard at our National War Memorial. He then went on to enter the Parliament building and after a round of gun fire was shot and killed himself. My heart just weeps and I know this sounds crazy, but I am so sad for everyone involved…even the shooter.

There have been so many horrific events of terrorism around the world but I think for many reasons this latest was particularly disturbing since Canadians are known to be peace keepers and this act occurred in the heart of our political system…close to where our Prime Minister and MP’s were debating choices we as Canadians uphold. Freedom, justice, equality, etc.

With the thoughts of growing food swirling in my head from last weekend’s Urban Farm Symposium and the idea of  grounding/earthing and its benefits, along with this news story settling in my heart, I have to wonder if most of the world has its head in the clouds. For many on earth being in a dream state is how they maneuver through life. Asleep to the fact that we are all connected and unaware that if we don’t wake up now, our precious Mother Earth will be destroyed and humanity along with it. Cracks are forming all over the earth.

For many humans the light is being turned on and through their environmental concerns they are starting to see the bigger picture. As if they are out in space and looking with awe at the beauty and peace within our grasp. Understanding that we can’t heal the earth and all the damage we have done to it, without addressing people’s suffering at the same time.

Something I read this week in a book by Pema Chodron called, “Taking the Leap,” resonated with me and I wanted to share it here. She wrote,

“Working on ourselves and becoming more conscious about our own minds and emotions may be the only way for us to find a solutions that address the welfare of all beings and the survival of the earth itself.”

She further shares this,

“There was a story that was widely circulated a few days after the attack of September 11, 2001, that illustrates our dilemma. A Native American grandfather was speaking to his grandson about violence and cruelty and how it comes about. He said, it was as if two wolves were fighting in his heart. One wolf was vengeful and angry, and the other wolf was understanding and kind. The grandson asked his grandfather which wolf would win the fight in his heart. And the grandfather answered, “the one that wins, will be the one I choose to feed.”


She continues,

“So this is our challenge, the challenge for our spiritual practice and the challenge for the world~how can we train right now, not later, to feed the right wolf?”
                                                                                        ~Pema Chodron, from “Taking the Leap”~

I want to thank Pema Chodron for that. I finished reading my Sacred Sister’s book club selection earlier in the month. It was called, “The Places That Scare Us” by Pema Chodron. I enjoyed it so much that I started reading more of her writing and it has settled in my heart. She is right on.

I know the wolf I want to feed.

How about you?

Every day we make choices to wake up. Sending understanding and kindness into the world seems the only way to heal.

Another way to stay awake though is being grounded and so, that ties in to the benefits of EARTHING….it just feels like a constantly flowing circle, we keep coming back to ourselves and the answer seems so simple. Take care of the earth, and the earth will take care of us.

If you want to learn more about Earthing, I thought I would give you a link to the YouTube full movie. It’s called, “Grounded.” (click the highlighted word) and it is a light, easy to watch documentary of one man’s story and how Earthing changed his life and the little town of Haines, Alaska.

Well that was my week in a nutshell. As I said a sad goodbye to my sister, I wanted to share a picture she took of D and me with Will. I’m wearing another of her gifts…..what she called, “grandma’s apron” and you know what? There could be a revival of these lovely things as it’s really useful. A blog for another day. Hey, and notice my fantastic shoes in the picture below. Thanks B! I’m blessed to have cool sisters!  Also, so very grateful that I have people actually reading my blog so thank you to you…my dear blog readers!

Peace out!

D, and myself, with our sweet William…saying goodbye to my sister B and brother in law J

Until we meet again, may you be well, peaceful and happy.

Blessings from Hope

Food for Thought….A Day at our Urban Farm Symposium

/ Lee Reynolds
This is a view of the lake outside of the cafeteria

A week ago today, D and I were listening attentively to all the speakers (there were 8 in total) at our local Urban Farm Symposium. The location could not have been better, as we were in the cafeteria at our local College, which is adjacent to Patchwork Farm. Patchwork Farm, is a community collective farm, where people of all ages and abilities join in meaningful activities that fosters personal growth, strengthens the local food system and enhances appreciation for land, food, health and community. The actual location for the College and the Farm is on the hillside above Kalamalka Lake, a tiny bit west of where our homestead is situated.

It was Patchwork Farm, along with all their supporters, that put on this Symposium. I thought it would have been better attended, however there were under 50 in attendance, which was disheartening when you think water and food are the basics of life and supporting both were discussed in detail throughout the day.

On the plus side, having a small gathering meant we had great seats and the group felt intimate enough where we were comfortable asking questions throughout the day.

Our first speaker, and host for the day, Keli Westgate is a Certified Permaculture Designer, a Director of the Sustainable Environment Network Systems, SENS, as well as a multi-media producer and marketing freelancer. She shared the many community and environment projects that the SENS group has on the go, including the Vernon in Transition Movement, Beesafe, a monthly speaker series, and my personal favourite topic, the vision for a Vernon Earthship Healing and Education Centre.

An earthship, is a unique type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and recycled materials, designed and marketed by Earthship Biotecture of Taos, New Mexico. The term is a registered trademark of Michael Reynolds.

Other than the fact that the original creator of this design shares my husband’s last name, D and I are intrigued by the idea of using recycled items, like tires and glass bottles, to create a totally sustainable housing plan. During our next short break we were bubbling with possibilities and our creative juices were flowing as we discussed  how we could create such a place for our family. When I came home from the symposium and did some research, I see a family in Alberta is doing just that, and here is a link to the CBC report on this Prairie Earthship home.  

Some earthship images,

Our next lecture was given by Jane Emlyn, who has a background in Soil Biology, is a co-founder in BeeSafe, is a master gardener and has a lifetime experience in self sufficient living. She brought her knowledge of natural farming practices and small lot design to the table. I loved how she started talking about her observations on how things grow when she was just a child. She shared her memories of living close to a richly forested area, where she was able to walk in nature, experience the changing seasons and notice how the trees and plants were growing without any help from man.

She also talked about her childhood being a time when everyone had a kitchen garden in their backyard and her neighbours, who came from diverse cultures with various gardening practices, all contributed to her learning and knowledge. She watched how in the fall, the hardest working gardeners cleaned their beds of all plant debris and placed it in a compost bin to be dug out again in the spring and spread around the garden. While these gardeners had beautiful productive gardens, she thought there had to be a more natural and efficient way that required less effort.\

Later in her life, she studied soil biology and learned how the earth is teeming with billions of organisms working in a symbiotic relationship to create the perfect environment for the continuing lifecycle of all things. The no dig philosophy was one she adopted and with great success. Her lecture was called, “Winterize Your Soil.”  The general premise of her talk was to encourage us to think about leaving gardening debris exactly where it grew. Whatever was left after you harvested your vegetables, etc, remained in place in the garden. Break it down into smaller, manageable pieces if you wish for quicker decomposition, but leave it in place.  She was also big on mulches, layering the garden with leaves, straw bales, whatever you have available and in the spring, she stressed that nothing be removed. You just plant right on top. She shared a few books that she highly recommended.

They were:

“Green Thumb” by Ruth Stout 

“The One Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka

“The Zero Mile Diet” by Carolyn Herriot

The easy, relaxed way, Jane spoke about her gardening practices made me think about how hard I sometimes work in my garden, hauling debris to my compost and then working it back in every spring. I was going to really think about how, “I can let nature do most of the work to create the rich fertile soil I desire. The basis for growing all things.” (Stay tuned for my upcoming blog post on “Grounding, or another word, Earthing” which ties into this belief)

After a tea break, we were introduced to Cuyler Page who shared his expansive knowledge on growing wheat, particularly Red Fife Wheat. He had interesting history to share and stories to tell about growing Red Fife. All Red Fife grown for use today in artisan bakeries around our area can trace its ancestry to a half pound he and Sharon Rempel planted at the Grist Mill at Keremeos in 1989. He told stories about growing wheat and also gave us a demonstration on threshing and winnowing the wheat that had been harvested earlier from Patchwork Farm. It was all very interesting but to grow enough wheat to make one loaf of bread in my opinion, was too much for the urban farmer. I appreciated all the knowledge however and as I was eating my lunch of bun with veggies and hummus, I was appreciating what went in to make the bun. A lot of work!

Before Lunch was served, Bill Hickey, uncovered the secrets of growing cold hardy varieties of figs in the Okanagan Valley. Bill is a lifetime gardener with an adventurous streak. On hearing four years ago that a few people in Vernon had fig trees in the ground he decided to find the best suited fig cultivars for our climate. Over 20 varieties are candidates. Eight varieties are ripening in his yard currently. He went on to show us how to grow and prune figs for quick production but after the talk, although I admired his tenacity, I thought, that is something I don’t have time to entertain. I just want to feed my family and spend my time more efficiently. However, for those people, who want a hobby, growing figs would be lovely…and eating them even better.

Our lunch was rich with discussion and food. As D and I enjoyed a deliciously thick pumpkin soup and our choice of sandwiches or buns loaded with yummy veggies inside, we talked about the direction we saw our own homestead traveling and the dreams we had on the horizon. Before the afternoon lectures began, we took a walk outside to enjoy the day. I was thinking perhaps the real gardeners had stayed home to work in their yards on this Saturday, as although the day had begun cold and cloudy, by lunch the day had warmed and the sun was shining brightly. It was a perfect day to muck around in the yard. Here is a picture of the raised gardens at Patchwork farm and below is a picture of the view from the farm.

 

 
More pictures at Patchwork Farm…Kale still going crazy above

Before we went back inside, I snapped a picture of D…I was so happy he decided to join me and share in my passion. He has been so busy at his office and I think all these lectures opened his eyes to the endless opportunities available for our homestead.

All refreshed, we were ready to discuss some pretty serious issues on, “Food, Farming and Community.” Wendy Holm, is an award -winning resource Economist, Agrologist and Journalist. She has covered stories at the forefront of Canadian policy since the early 1990’s picking up eight national journalism awards since 2003. Wendy holds an honours B.Sc. in Business Administration, an M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and a Masters of Management, Cooperatives and Credit Unions. She talked about world food and farming practices and how important the small family farm is to the world. Also, in great detail, she discussed the necessity of protecting our agriculture lands from corporations who want to profit without any care or consequence for the environment.

Check out the following YouTube video called, A Vision Of Agriculture with Wendy Holm

As Wendy left to leave for the airport, I thanked her for coming and giving me, “Food for Thought!” It’s people like this who help to change the way we think about growing food in the world. I felt really empowered and while I don’t have any of her credentials, she left me feeling that I could make a difference in the world.

As my head was still spinning from such a meaty lecture, our next speaker, Heather Clay brought 30 years of experience working in the beekeeping industry and recently co-edited a book on Honey Bee Diseases and Pests. Her topic, “The Urban Beescape” was exactly what I had been looking for as I tried to think about how we could become small scale beekeepers. I was thinking how wonderful it would be for our children to watch how the bees pollinate our crops and how they all work together to make an elixir for life. Honey! Check out the site, www.capabees.org

Our second last speaker was Curtis Stone, who owns “Green City Acres” in Kelowna, B.C. He talked efficiently for one hour discussing how to practically turn 2000 square feet of lawn into a productive garden which can earn a substantial amount of money…..my notes say, $18,000 dollars however this is all dependent on your crop and who is purchasing your produce. He discussed the technical process of converting a lawn into a mini-farm and the economics of production. Of course this was interesting to see how quickly he moved into production and also introduced the idea that just because you live in an urban setting, doesn’t mean you can’t become a farmer.  A profitable farmer turning lawn into food….and money. Here’s a Youtube video, “Meet an urban farmer….Curtis from Green City Acres.”  Gets one thinking for sure!

And finally at the end of a wonderful day of stimulating ideas and thoughts came a lovely speaker, Gordon Hiebert, of Element Eco-design, who is a permaculture practitioner in the North Okanagan. He uses his knowledge of ecological systems to create sustainable building, regenerative agriculture, water harvesting and waste systems to create unique integrated designs. His easy going, relaxed approach made me feel peaceful, believing I was moving in the right direction and it was comforting to know there was this wealth of knowledge in my backyard. His topic also brought me back to the speaker of the day that really inspired both D and I; the Earthship home, which feels like the perfect direction for us to move towards. Perhaps, D and I won’t live in such a place in our lifetime but perhaps our grandchildren will be so fortunate. We told our son Clark about it when we came home and you never know when you plants seeds if they will grow, as Clark is in his 4th year studying Evironmental Sciences and he hopes to become an architect in the future.

We ended our day feeling really blessed to be on this earth with other people so passionate about growing food, conserving water and caring for our planet. For healing our earth and healing our souls is going to require a conscious connection in our communities. It was just what I needed as the season of Autumn throws a blanket of leaves on the ground. It lays a blanket of possibilities at my feet. Endless and exciting.

Now I’m off to winterize my garden…….I’m just cutting up my corn stalks, my tomato plants, raking up my leaves and laying them on the debris. Letting it be still. Then I’m going to sit and drink a hot cup of tea and give thanks.

To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves. ~Mahatma Gandhi

 

Will picking the perfect pumpkin at the patch this week.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

 

Chicken Club Pizza and Urban Farming Symposium

/ Lee Reynolds

Rhode Island Red It’s TGIF day (thank God it’s Friday)! I feel like I have to spell out that acronym since my 15 year old didn’t have a clue when I said it this morning. He is always making fun of me for my lack of social media expertise and other computer tech skills but there are still a few things I can still teach him, like, silly end of the week acronyms and how to make a really good pizza.

Anyway, I’m so EXCITED that Friday is finally here. That means one more sleep and D and I are off to experience  our first Urban Farming Symposium.The symposium is being organized by Patchwork Farms, which is an organic community collective farm situated next to our local college. The purpose of this event, is to teach enthusiastic people like me, to learn more so we can integrate urban agriculture practices into our daily life. I’ve been putting this out into the Universe since last winter when I saw some cool workshops I wanted to attend in Vancouver, but of course the distance makes that difficult with a family in tow. But here it is, being taught in my own backyard. Well practically since I can see the farm from my back deck.

Some of the topics on the agenda are:

1. From lawn to mini-farm
2. The Urban Beescape
3. Grow your own bread
4. Winterize your soil
5. Sustainable Environment Network Society presentation
6. Figs in the Okanagan
7. Food Farming and Community…and more

I did not see the topic of raising chickens on the agenda but I’m going to network and see what I can find out with regards to changing our by-laws. I want to know what others are doing in our community to increase awareness on the benefits of backyard chickens.  Did you know that one chicken can eat a large amount of your kitchen waste which reduces landfill gases and the long term results are improved soil for the urban farmer?

The ironic part of all this, is our nearby city of Vernon allows their citizens to have 3 or 4 chickens per household. However, we rural residents, aren’t allowed the luxury of a few eggs every day, despite the fact our community motto is, “Rural Living at it’s BEST.” I guess they mean, the peace and quiet and quick boat access to the lake, but no chicken noise or smell.

Like anything else, I’m going to put my attention on what I want, “chickens” and know it’s just a matter of time before we have a few in our backyard. Bees too. Just like I attracted this symposium to occur. Don’t you just love the, “law of attraction!” I’m interested in learning more about keeping bees in our organic garden and of course honey would be a nice side benefit not to mention great pollination on our homestead. Our daughter Grace keeps asking for a bunny or two as well, which I understand produces excellent, immediate garden waste. A side benefit to this is she gets a pet she doesn’t have to walk. (Don’t get me going about my dream for a Golden Retriever, that wish comes with a country farm, lots of space and room for the dog to roam)

This picture reminds me of my sister C’s retriever Sunny….I’m holding the vision of a country farm and a new puppy

 

So tonight, I’m going to make enough pizza so the kids have lunch tomorrow since this is an all day event. Oh did I mention, lunch will be served at the symposium as well. For a mom who makes 21 meals for my family each week, PLUS snacks, well I can’t tell you how marvelous THAT IS! Our older kids agreed to care for the younger ones which is also another huge gift. They know how important growing my urban homestead is and also I’m sure they are planning to take turns watching the little ones so they can have some free time playing computer games, etc. without me nagging about getting outside, doing chores in the house or doing their homework. Hey, it’s a WIN/WIN.

Well, enough about what I’m doing this weekend, How would you like to join me in making an amazing pizza. I tell you, other than my pesto sauce pizza….this is a winner.

So if you want to grab your apron and join me in the kitchen, let’s get the flour out.

We started making these when my 15 year old son Harrison said he really liked my homemade pizzas but he missed the ‘ole chicken club pizza we used to get from Panago Pizza. So I started doing some experimenting and came up with, I think, even a better version of this particular pizza. (no offence Panago, IF I had to buy take out, it would be from you)

Okay, here is what you need to make this pizza. Of course a good pizza starts with an amazing crust. I can whip this up in my sleep now.

Hope’s Homemade Pizza Crust recipe

Ingredients

3 cups of flour
1 tsp of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
11/2 cups of warm water
1 tbsp yeast (I buy the quick rising kind from Costco’s…it’s in a large box for around $5.00 dollars.)
1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Non stick spray for the pizza pan

Directions

Add 11/2 cups of warm water to a large bowl
Sprinkle 1 tbsp of yeast on the top of the water and let it sit for at least 5 minutes
Mix the flour (and I like to use unbleached white with some whole wheat…the combination can be your choice…We like 1/2 and 1/2 but if you aren’t use to whole wheat flour use less at first) then
the sugar and the salt together until well combined.
Then take a fork stir the water and yeast really well, making sure the yeast has dissolved really well into the warm water…it should be frothy. Then add your tbsp of olive oil and mix well again.
Finally, add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine. When a ball has formed I put it on a lightly floured counter and turn it over and over, kneading it like bread with my hands. I continue to mix until all the flour is worked in. This usually takes about 2 minutes. Sometimes it’s still sticky and if that is the case, then add a tiny bit of flour to the mixture so your hands don’t stick to the dough but not too much or your crust will be heavy.
Then I let the dough sit in a warm bowl with a damp cloth on top for at least 15 minutes. The longer you let it sit the more it will rise but I’m usually making mine right before dinner so I don’t have time to let it rise higher. If you want a thinner crust you can split the dough into two balls but we like our crust thick so this recipe is used for one large pizza. 

Now for the fun part.

Pizza topping for the Chicken Club

Spray the pan or lightly grease with olive oil
Take the dough and spread it evenly over the pan, working out from the middle.
I find it easiest to have a 1/2 cup of flour handy, I make sure my hands are well floured and if the dough is sticky, then I sprinkle a little flour to make it easier to spread.

Everything you need, crust, mozzarella, cooked chicken, onion, ham, ranch dressing and Parmesan cheese, opt bacon pieces

Chicken Club Ingredients

About 1/2 cup of Ranch dressing…I use Hidden Valley we buy at Costco
1 cup of thinly sliced black forest ham
1 cup of cut of cooked chicken pieces (I pre-cooked 6 boneless chicken thighs) 
1/2 of a red onion thinly sliced….if I were making it just for me…I’d use a whole red onion
Parmesan Cheese
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
(opt) bacon bits

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

1. Spread the ranch dressing all over the pizza crust until it’s well covered

 

2.  Spread the thinly sliced black forest ham

3. Scatter red onion on top of the ham

 
4. Layer the cooked chicken on top of the ham and onion

5. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of the ham, onion and chicken (note if you want to use bacon bits as well this is a good time to sprinkle it on top of the ham, onions and chicken)

6. Spread the mozzarella over the entire pizza

 Now it’s time to put into a preheated oven @ 425 degrees F…middle rack for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s cooked to your taste. We like our pizza crust soft and chewy so we don’t cook it as long as someone who would want the crust a bit crunchier. Just watch closely after 15 minutes.

Ready for the oven and as you can tell, the crust has  risen quite a bit since I first spread it on the pan. This is the pizza for dinner but I’m also making a cheese pizza so the kids have something for lunch tomorrow as well.

Here’s their cheese before going in the oven.

The little kids like three kinds of cheese; Parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella on a basil tomato sauce

Here it is….TGIF Chicken Club Pizza…enjoy!

Happy TGIF day! Add a Caesar salad and dinner is served.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and it becomes a family favourite in your house.

Oh and stay tuned as I will take notes and maybe some pictures too at the farm symposium tomorrow. It’s going to be enlightening and anything I learn, you will hear about it first.


If you can’t see this YouTube video, click here, Jack Johnston’s “Home” song at a Farm Aid 2012 concert .I like how genuine he is…and isn’t it true, home is wherever your heart is…nothing has to be fancy, In fact the simpler it is, the better in so many ways. Love out to Farmers!

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

The Upside Down of Raising a Special Boy

/ Lee Reynolds

 

 

I’ve been holding my breath ever since Will started kindergarten a month ago. Today I exhaled. There is a lot of history here which I could never start to share completely with you but I will give you a peak into the last 6 years. Well, actually it goes farther back than that. It goes back to June 2004 when D and I got surprisingly pregnant with our “Moonbeam” baby.

I say, surprisingly because this baby was conceived AFTER our daughter Grace was born, when I was in my 40’s. We had worked so hard to bring her into the world and neither of us thought we would ever get pregnant again. During the full moon cycle that month, another baby was conceived. I’ll never forget that night since I woke up in the wee hours to see a luminous full moon reflecting white light off the waters of the lake below our home. It was breathtaking and full of magic.

We were absolutely shocked when we found out I was pregnant. I mean if you knew how hard and what we had gone through to conceive Grace, then you’d understand our amazement. D walked around very quiet, his way of processing the news, and I just stayed busy with our other children. In my quiet moments I would think about our new baby and I was in awe.

Just as we were wrapping our heads around the idea of six children and starting to work with a contractor to design and build a bigger house for us, I miscarried. D seemed relieved as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. We had missed the bullet of sleepless nights, years of diapers, and of course a lifetime of caring for another child.  I was sad. Over the course of the weeks and months after the miscarriage, I couldn’t shake my grief. I felt like someone was lost. Someone was missing. Like a piece of me was gone forever. I started dreaming about a child and then I started to hear a soft whisper telling me he was patiently waiting.We came together in my dreams and danced with joy.

Even though I knew the odds of getting pregnant again were against us due to my age, and the risk of having a baby with health issues were high, I convinced D to join me in the journey of trying to bring our Moonbeam baby back into our lives.

Me in 2008 before Will was conceived

 

D in 2008

I won’t go detail regarding the efforts we went to conceive, in this short blog post because I’m actually writing a book on this journey, but when I finally found out we were pregnant again, I knew there was a very special soul coming to earth. I would breathe light filled energy, full of love into my womb and just smile. Of course, after experiencing several miscarriages, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop but my heart said to enjoy each day. I would blow my fears out into the Universe and recite my mantra, “all shall be well.”

Will was born on June 25, 2009 after a quick but intense labour and delivery. When my Doctor lifted him up to place him on my tummy, I knew him instantly. He was the baby from my dreams. He was our Moonbeam baby. He was round and chubby and looked like a happy Buddha except he was crying loudly. When he was wrapped in warm cotton blankets and placed into my arms he quieted, wide eyed at the world around him.

From day one I sensed he was a bit different than our other babies. I couldn’t even put him down to go to the bathroom or he would cry bitterly. I thought this was a bit odd since our other babies would sleep a lot in the first few days on earth. He would rouse as soon as I would lay him down and start to cry, and so I hardly put him down. He slept with me and I wore him in a sling.

Will home from the hospital…just putting him next to this cake for a picture made him fussy….Grace is thrilled

 

When Will was just 7 weeks old we went camping…yes I look rough but I was so happy to have this baby…this is the sling he basically lived in for the first 6 months of his life

I thought once he settle into the rhythm of our household, he would relax but he never did.

 

He loved being near his siblings and would quiet when they were close. In this picture from L to R..Mitchell is 13, Harrison is 10 and Grace is 6

Since I’d waited so long to have him in my arms, as exhausted as I was with a newborn and 5 older children, I just didn’t put him down, literally. For six months he was always in my arms. When I had to put him  in his car seat to travel anywhere, he fussed and was always on the verge of really howling. As soon as he settled into my arms, he would fall asleep or just smile at the world around him.

 

I felt like I had to pinch myself…he was with me at last
I loved having our baby close

Something I learned with our other children was how fast the first year flies by and a good mantra to live by was, “this too shall pass.” Occasionally, at the Baby Mamas group I attended, I realized Will was an extremely high needs baby compared to others but he was so healthy, so beautiful, that I just chocked it up to him being an extremely special and unique soul.

This wise soul taught so much BEFORE he was even came to earth

Since we listened to his intense needs from day one, he grew to be a confident, trusting little boy. We found he attached easily to other people and had the ability to love deeply and give immense hugs. I had a few intuitive people comment on the light filled energy surrounding him and they told me he was a special soul.

A rare moment that he slept out of my arms…it never lasted more than 20 minutes

When Will started preschool, concerns over his social development became apparent. On the very first day he gave his teachers huge hugs which made me so proud but then I later learned, showing physical affection was discouraged.  If he was going to fit into acceptable parameters, then we would have to work with him. Encourage him to give his friends space and remember not to pop their “bubble,” and to ask if giving a hug would be alright. He had this huge personality. Most of the children were shy, some were not communicating well, others were having separation anxiety when their parents left them. He was living life large, confident, as if he had waited a long time to come to earth. He wasn’t going to waste another moment. Everything was great! Each day was better than before. The smallest thing would make his exclaim to me, “Mommy, this was the BEST day!”

Will with his preschool helpers

He was intensely curious and interested in everything. He would ask endless questions, even when he knew the answers. I do know he overwhelmed other friends at preschool with his intensity, his size, for he was big for his age. He was also a high needs child, in the sense that he demanded attention and was easily stimulated. If the teachers added a small touch in the playroom for instance, Will would be the first to notice it. Things that I had thought were brilliant seemed like barriers to his learning from his teacher’s point of view. It made me sad to think he had to limit himself to be socially acceptable and curtail his immense enthusiasm. Readying himself for school.

Will on his preschool graduation day, June 2014. His light is ALWAYS on.

As you know, I have qualms about the school system providing him what he needs but I have been hesitant in believing I am totally capable of creating a well balanced, rich learning environment for him to thrive as well. A part of me feels the educators know best and it is in Will’s interests to learn how to quell his intensity, be patient, resist his impulses and learn to moderate the way he responds to stimulation. The part that doesn’t feel right, is the feeling that we have bought a bag of used goods. That our education system in not keeping pace with children like Will. Well to be honest, most children, for each child is unique and special. Each learns at their own pace and it’s tragic that we have to hold those who are accelerated in their thinking back for others to catch up, or visa versa. Will still has social issues to deal with but he is flying with regards to his academic achievements. We all have “stuff” to work on and the fact that he remains so joy filled buoys me into believing he is still teaching me, not the other way around.

Will reminds me to slide through life with joy…here he is at Davison Orchard Farm

Last week at kindergarten, the children were playing a game called, “you catch me and kiss me” and Will was chasing girls AND boys and when he caught them, he tried to kiss them. He’s fast by the way, so this probably scared a few of the children as they were caught easily. They are all learning their limits. He and the other children were told that this was not appropriate and they were asked to stop playing this game. Will must have been taunted because he was caught doing it again and received time out. Then, a few days later he told me that the children were asking him to chase them again, he said, “Mommy, I told them no,” but he was obviously sad about it as he hung his head. He’s struggling to know how to make friends.

Then today there was another incident. The class was outside making apple juice and although I didn’t get the full story, I heard that Will had pushed another little boy and received more time out. When I picked him up after school he ran to me, clinging as if he hadn’t seen me in years. When I heard about the incident I was perplexed. I want him so fit in but not lose his own spirit along the way. It seems like once children start school they start losing their soul light. He’s struggling to find his place in his kindergarten class. His place in the world.

I just don’t remember this from raising our other children. Most of our children were quieter, not so intense. Their teachers always said they were very well behaved  and it was hard getting them to talk. They all did extremely well academically but were socially withdrawn compared to Will….although probably more the norm. So this huge soul energy is new to me. I just don’t want his spirit to be crushed in the haste to teach him socially acceptable behavior. Maybe we parents all feel the same about our children but because we waited so long to have this little guy, I just want everything to be easy for him now that he is here. I want the world to recognize the gifts of love and joy he has brought.

While we raced around after school today, driving Grace to piano, the little kids to the library, picking up Harrison and his volleyball friends from jazz band and driving them to their volleyball game, and finally, picking up our oldest son from the University bus, it dawned on me. No amount of worrying or concern was going to solve this but it’s no big deal. The mantra that I had used while I was pregnant with Will, would provide peace for me. No matter what, “all shall be well.” Will taught me to let go and trust before he was on earth and now, I have to remember this lesson.

I’m thankful that he is here. That I even have this issue to contemplate and that reminds me of the lyrics of a song I used to sing to our older children, “Who’s to say, what’s impossible, well they forget, this world keeps spinning and with each new day I can feel a change in everything.”

So I don’t know what you are facing in your life, but we all have fears and doubts, especially for our children. Or even if you are trying to conceive, you may have huge doubts and fears (whose to say what’s impossible)…..maybe this blog post will help you feel a connection. Remembering that it’s okay, all shall be well…..feel a change in everything.

Sing along with me in this YouTube video….Jack Johnson and Curious George…he reminds me a lot of my sweet boy….”where there is a Will there is a way.” My Moonbeam baby arrived almost 5 years  to the night I woke in wonder over seeing that magical June 2004 moon. Sometimes miracles are so subtle.

Allow Miracles to Happen….at every stage of your life

 

 (If you are unable to see the video below, check out this hyper-link to connect to Jack Johnson’s “Upside Down” song)
 

JACK JOHNSON LYRICS

“Upside Down”

Who’s to say
What’s impossible                                                          

My endlessly loving, enthusiastic, curious little boy

Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread its wings
There’s no stopping curiosity

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Who’s to say
I can’t do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren’t always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
This world keeps spinning and there’s no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who’s to say what’s impossible and can’t be found
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Is this how it’s supposed to be
Is this how it’s supposed to be

And until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

Thanksgiving Vegetable Dishes and Liver Support with Beets

/ Lee Reynolds

 

 

Thanksgiving 2014 is behind us and while I missed two of our older children, Alyssa teaching in the U.K. and Mitchell, studying at the University of Victoria, there was still much to be thankful for.

For instance, I’m very grateful that there is such a thing as Skype. When my sister J traveled the world in her early 20’s, there was no such thing as Skype, or even email.  I know my mom was on pins and needles between letters. Additionally, 100 years ago when my grandfather, Robert Clark left England for Canada, my great grandmother Jane must have been beside herself with worry, since letters only came a few times a year, if that. I was able to “see” and talk with both of our children on the weekend and give them a kiss on their forehead. (via the screen) They are both happy and living their dream. What more can a mom want for her children?

Another reason to be thankful, is that I have a sister and brother-in-law who can pop in for a quick visit, or spontaneously join us for Thanksgiving dinner. Also, my oldest son Clark’s girlfriend, joined us as well. Times are changing and this is going to be a new normal as our children grow up, move away from home or come home with loved ones whom they have found out in the world.

When I heard we were having more than just “us,” I went into “company mode.” Which is what D calls it when I start to clean and cook rather madly. I want to make sure the dinner would be extra special. Although I probably would have done several of these new dishes for our immediate family, because I believe, to live a gracious life means making every moment special. We all deserve candlelight, linen napkins and clean glasses, even if we are alone. Maybe ESPECIALLY then.

I was so happy with the results of our dinner, I thought I would write a blog about it AND also include something my brother in law, B, sent me awhile ago after I blogged about making borscht. B’s ancestors are borscht makers from way back, so beets etc are in his blood. If you have read my blog you know about my morning green drink and how I like to support my liver by juicing lots of veggies, particularly green ones. I think it gives me the energy I need to keep up with our family. Also, it’s another way of balancing hormones and boosting immunities. I did not know that beets were so highly acclaimed so I thought I would pass this on to my viewers. Here are some thoughts from my blog guest, my brother in law, B.

He wrote:

We admittedly love beets, which not all people can say about themselves.

The lowly beet is gaining some respect lately as health consciousness rises
across the population. One point that caught our attention is it’s roll in
the secondary breakdown of nutrients in our liver. That aside, put some
colour in your life! Live it up!

There are as many borscht recipes as their are cooks. The key IMO is to get
it into those stomachs around us. My own family tradition would likely have
been related to my swede/Irish mother from my Georgian/Ukrainian father’s
childhood recollection. In turn our recipe is my own version of that
concoction. I will spare you the minute details and just say that we use
mega dill and beets, all the other usual suspects, and as can be seen from
the pic, chard or beet tops. Another key memory for me is the finish with a
tablespoon of butter and the same of vinegar.

 
 


B sent me a picture of his borscht and sadly I couldn’t copy and paste it here….but the picture above, gets your saliva juices going hey?….his picture had chunky beets in his soup…oh happy LIVER.

Thanks B. for sharing your thoughts on the lowly Beet and I hope it inspires my homesteading friends to plant a good portion of this unremarkable vegetable in their garden next spring. (don’t forget you can eat the tops too and they keep really well throughout the winter, making them excellent in your sustainable root cellar/garage/basement.

Now onto my Thanksgiving line up of new dishes, oh my, if you love vegetables like I do, hold onto your seats. Next year we may even say goodbye to Mr. Turkey, who sadly was only a side player this year. Don’t get me started on our movement towards being vegetarians. It’s a process.

Okay, here were the new dishes, drum roll please….ta, ta, ta, ta, ta,

Green and Yellow Beans with /Wild Mushooms
Candied Yams with Apples
Brussel Sprouts and Pancetta and Rosemary
Roasted Garlic Squash and Crispy Sage Brown Butter (yum)

My sister also brought homemade roasted carrots with maple syrup…(she must have just picked them as they were amazing!)

For my Canadian friends, making these dishes for Thanksgiving 2014 is too late, but maybe you can incorporate them into your December holiday dinner menu. For my American blog readers however there is still time. Source out your supplies and start planning a really special Thanksgiving feast. The nice thing about Canadian thanksgiving in mid October, is that a lot of the herbs etc are still growing in the garden. Also, my butternut squash supply is still intact. (Thanks J for the big one)

Also, I have to give total credit to the web site,”Delish.com.” As the name implies, these dishes are/were, they went fast, delicious. If you are looking to spice up your holiday table, I hope you try them out and add lots more vegetables to your meals. Any day can have a special vegetable dish…if we truly love ourselves…and want to support our liver etc.

Here is vegetable dish #1

Green and Yellow Beans with Wild Mushrooms

Serves 10
Total time 35 min
Prep time 20 min
Cook time 15 min

Ingredients

U.S. Metric Conversion chart

 

  • 1 pound(s) green beans, trimmed
  • 1 pound(s) yellow wax beans, trimmed
  • 3 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
  • 8 ounce(s) wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, oyster or porcini, trimmed and sliced (see Substitution Note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt, divided
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

 

Directions

 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and wax beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. (Cook for another minute or two if you like your green beans more tender.) Drain well.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  3. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the mushrooms for garnish. Add the cooked beans to the mushrooms in the pan and cook, stirring to combine, until heated through, 1 to 3 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Serve topped with the reserved mushrooms.
  4. Substitution note: If you cant find wild mushrooms, use button or cremini mushrooms.


Vegetable dish #2

Candied Yams with Apples

Serves 8
Total time 1 hour/30 min
Prep time 15 min
Cook time 1 hr 15 min
Oven temp 350 degrees

Ingredients

U.S. Metric Conversion chart

 

  • 3 pound(s) yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pound(s) Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
  • 4 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup(s) honey
  • 1 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper

 

 

Directions

 

  1. Roast the yams: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and bake, stirring occasionally, until yams are tender, about 1 hour. Increase oven to 500 degrees F and bake until liquid evaporates and yams are browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Vegetable dish #3

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Rosemary

Serves 8
Total time 26 minutes

Ingredients

U.S. Metric Conversion chart

 

  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 container(s) (10 ounces each) Brussels sprouts
  • 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
  • 2 ounce(s) pancetta, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup(s) pine nuts (pignoli), toasted (I used almonds)

 

 

Directions

 

  1. In covered 5- to 6-quart saucepot, heat 3 quarts water and 1 teaspoon salt to boiling on high. Meanwhile, pull off any yellow or wilted leaves from Brussels sprouts; trim stem ends. Cut each sprout in half.
  2. Add Brussels sprouts to boiling water and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Drain. Plunge Brussels sprouts into large bowl filled with ice water to chill quickly. Drain well. If not continuing with recipe right away, place sprouts in plastic storage bags and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium until hot. Add pancetta and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until beginning to brown. Stir in rosemary and cook 1 minute.
  4. To mixture in skillet, add Brussels sprouts and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook on medium-high 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently. Add pine nuts; toss to combine


 Vegetable dish #4….my personal favourite as it was so easy and I love garlic and sage

Roasted Garlic Squash with Crispy Sage Brown Butter

Serves 8
Total time 1 hr 30 min
Prep 15 min
Cook Time 1 hr 15 min
Oven 350 degrees

Ingredients

U.S. Metric Conversion chart

 

  • 1/2 cup(s) peeled garlic cloves
  • 4 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3×1-inch chunks
  • 1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
  • 5 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
  • 24 fresh sage leaves

 

 

Directions

 

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss garlic with 1 teaspoon of the oil; wrap in a foil packet. Put squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Place squash and garlic packet in oven; roast squash 1 hour, turning pieces several times, or until browned and tender. Roast garlic packet 45 minutes or until cloves are tender and soft. 
  2. Five minutes before the squash is done, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until butter is lightly browned and smells nutty and sage leaves start to crisp. Remove the skillet from heat; transfer sage leaves with a slotted spoon to a paper towel; reserve the brown butter.
  3. Transfer roasted squash and garlic cloves to a large serving bowl. Drizzle with browned butter. Top with crispy sage leaves.

.And voila……

I dished up and then realized something was missing…I added some gravy, cranberry sauce and a dill from my stash…oh and one of my homemade dinner buns too…see my dinner bun recipe.

 

Sorry this was blurry…everyone was waiting for me to join them in the dining room…”are you taking pics for your blog again mom!”

Okay, I know this doesn’t look very pretty, but we did our dinner buffet style around the kitchen island and well, the cook (me) was the last one to dish up. Everyone was patiently waiting for me to join them in the dining room, I thought I had better just pile it on and dash. Do you skip lunch on Thanksgiving too? It all looked so good and was delish.

My personal favourite were the beans and the butternut squash ,but even the potatoes were whipped beautifully (thanks B) and the gravy was the BEST I have ever had at my house and that credit goes to my sister J who made it and gave me some tips for next time. (thank you…no lumpy gravy in the future) We were all helping out, while D carved the turkey. We pulled off another Thanksgiving dinner! Thanks to all who attended. It was a special memory for the little ones.

Will, Victoria and Kate (close up) enjoying their meal at the little table…does everyone do a little table?

The kids dashed off to watch Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving video, while we enjoyed our pie in relative peace and quiet…..but isn’t all that little people noise just the BEST! They were so excited and helped me to remember, we are always creating memories but the present moment is IT!

 

I made the pies. An apple and a pumpkin, the night before Thanksgiving, along with my ambrosia salad....Although they aren’t the most beautiful pies, they were made from scratch, Tenderlake lard, flour, salt and water, really easy but the trick is in the rolling. I will have to blog about pie making…a lost art in my opinion. I had an Auntie Geordie who was a master pie maker. I wish I had studied with her before she passed away. With it being so easy to buy pumpkin and apple pies at Costco for low cost, I think we are loosing the fine art of pie making but don’t you just love PIE?

As I leave you, I thought I would suggest a great Thanksgiving movie to watch with your family. Also, something for the little kids.

Check out the movie called, “The Old Fashion Thanksgiving” based on a short story by Louise May Alcott (she wrote Little Women) and of course the classic of all time, “Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving.” (if you can’t see the clips below, click on the highlighted video titles above for a connection link.

 

Well that’s Thanksgiving until next year.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

Energy of Attraction Meditation Challenge

/ Lee Reynolds

Is this a road you would like to walk?

Call it synchronicity or what but have I been talking about the law of attraction lately on my blog? Well guess what? My favourite teachers, Dr. Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey, are running a FREE “Energy of Attraction” meditation challenge that begins on November 3, 2014.

I just registered and wanted to share this link with you too. It may JUST be the path you have been seeking lately. If you are interested in attracting a big WISH into your life and getting into the gap, check out this group meditation program. See the highlighted link (Energy of Attraction) above.

I hope to be omming with you soon.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

Ambrosia Salad~Grateful Hearts

/ Lee Reynolds

Warm sunshine, blue skies and the scent of apples fills the air as we get ready to celebrate Canada’s Thanksgiving weekend. It’s been a busy week but truly glorious. Last Saturday, was the twin’s bike a thon fundraiser for their preschool. I was at a loss how to decorate their bike, yes, singular, since our other tricycle fell apart literally a few weeks before the big event and was unrepairable. We tried to find another bike for them second hand but was unable to find anything that fit or was in decent shape so they shared our old radio flyer. Hey it worked great and reinforced our family’s mission statement, to use what we have and not buy more stuff. And was good advertisement for my blog.

Victoria was a shining example of green power at it’s best

On Tuesday, Will’s  kindergarten class had a field trip to the fire station near his school. That night, David purposely burnt toast so our smoke alarm would go off, while I read the little ones stories. As we escorted our excited bare footed children, wearing nothing but their jammies, out into the clear, cold night,  I was hoping our neighbours weren’t calling 911, as the sound of the shrill alarm rang through our cul-de-sac. Then if they heard shrieks they may REALLY think there was an emergency, well, maybe not, since that is a common sound coming from our home. It was lovely being out in the evening though as we marvelled at the full harvest moon.

Then on Wednesday, I accompanied the little girls and their preschool friends to the Pumpkin patch. I can’t tell you how many times I have taken THAT tour (with each of our older children, often twice, once in preschool and then in kindergarten) but it was really fun to see it through their eyes. As I bought a large box of apples and a big bag of pears after our morning at the farm, I was thinking how thankful I was to be able to experience this once again.

The tractor ride trip to the patch was a highlight, bumpy bump, giggle, giggle.
While very commercial, I am thankful for farmers who have a vision to create a place for children to see pumpkins growing, some were still attached to their vines and some were still flowering.
Victoria sits on her pumpkin, I was thankful for the big bag I brought
Kate and her new pumpkin “pie”friend

Of course, Harrison and Grace also kept us busy driving them to their jazz band, drum, piano and voice lessons, the later two being for Grace. And the week was also speckled with volleyball practices and games which thrills me to no end, since I played volleyball as a teen and so far none of the older children have taken to the game despite me purchasing a really expensive volleyball and net several years ago. The boys ended up using the end poles for weapons of battle and the ball is probably under one of our huge cedar hedges as we speak.

Thursday, Oct 9th, was D’s birthday so it was a quick dinner of fish and chips, coleslaw and cheesecake from Costco’s, which was delicious by the way. Have I mentioned I LOVE Costco? After dinner, cake and gifts, we went to watch another volleyball game. It wasn’t a total failure. Thankfully, our school team won ONE of the games. They are a school known for their honour and academic excellence, but not their athleticism, we are lucky to be mid way in the pack after a season. I love sports as it teaches us how to play in life and hopefully, with a detachment of the outcome. Still, you can hear me cheering with the best of them. I inherited that from my Dad, M, who was a brilliant hockey coach, assistance soccer coach and loved to cheer encouragement at my older sister’s basketball games.

Did I mention we also had a guest on Thursday? Will was so excited to introduce Fluffy, the bear, to me when he arrived home from school. Fluffy is the kindergarten mascot and each evening he is sent home with a lucky child to have a sleepover. The child is to draw a picture of what they do with Fluffy and perhaps write some words if they are able. After school we took Fluffy to the library and of course he was a birthday guest and then came to the volleyball game as well.  As Will clung to him at bedtime, I let go of the idea that Fluffy could also see the inside of my washing machine while he visited us.

Will, thankful for having his time with Fluffy at the library where we picked a book called, “Bears Day Out.”

After such a busy week, while the girls were at preschool on Friday morning, I picked up the Thanksgiving weekend groceries and then came home to throw a load into the washing machine and make beds. The day seemed to fly by though but was highlighted with a visit from my sister J and brother in law, B. They are doing some major projects around their homestead and it’s always exciting to hear about the latest. Building a pizza oven with their kids was a big addition and hopefully soon it will be cured enough to start baking some pizza and enough bread to feed their rural neighbours.

So here it is, Saturday morning. We took the turkey out of the freezer first thing, D made pancakes shaped, he said, like GHOSTS, and while I write now, he is getting our swimming hole winterized. We haven’t had any frost here yet but it’s around the corner. This morning we woke up to see leaves scattered everywhere as the fall winds blew overnight. I have to get out and cut the rest of my herbs and bring in the last of the tomatoes. YES, they are still growing but changing colour very slowly now as the hot days of summer are far behind us.I also want to cut a few stalks of corn to decorate our front entrance for Halloween.

Before the weekend grabs a hold of me and takes me on a whirlwind of gardening, cleaning, and cooking, I thought I would pause to wish all my Canadian blog viewer’s a very Happy Thanksgiving weekend. For those of you, (waving to my daughter in the U.K.) and to my other readers around the world, (Waving Hi to those in France and Trinidad…wow) each day is perfect for giving thanks. Greet the morning as you rise with, “thank you.” As challenging, stressful and full of suffering life is at times, knowing our heart still beats, we have another moment to make a difference and time to enjoy the abundance here for each of us, well that is something to embrace in our grateful hearts.

Something my mom, E was always thankful for was having a LARGE helping of Ambrosia salad at Thanksgiving, so I thought I would share the recipe with you in case you haven’t been initiated into this tradition. It’s a favourite for young and old and is extremely easy to make. I like how it lightens the palate and brightens the Thanksgiving plate too. So without much ado, here’s my family’s Ambrosia recipe. Dedicated to my mom E, my daughter Alyssa and my son Mitchell (in the U.K. and at University in Victoria). You are all in my heart and I’m thankful for the many Thanksgiving weekends we had together.

Hope’s Ambrosia Recipe

Ingredients

1- large bag of coloured mini marshmallow
1- 500 ml tub of sour cream
1- can (14 oz) of pineapple tidbits (drained…save the liquid and make a smoothie)
1- can (14 oz) of fruit cocktail (drained)
1/2 cup of coconut flakes, walnuts, dried cherries….whatever you have in your pantry

(optional)…you can always use a can of mandarin orange slices instead of the pineapple)

 

 Instructions 

Mix all ingredients together really well in a large bowl. Pour them into a casserole dish (with a lid) and top with the nuts, coconut and cherries. Put the lid on and place in fridge overnight. 

That’s it! Easy peasy…and if you are a family with little children and going to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving….perhaps this can be your contribution. It’s easy, it’s something your kids will surely eat AND I’m sure your host(ess) will appreciate it as well.

“Many will be the blessings and short will be the time, so let’s rejoice, let’s be thankful, for the abundance in our lives. ” 

                                                                         ~Lee Reynolds~

Before I leave you, if you have the time, check out this You Tube video clip on being thankful.
(If you have problems connecting with the video, see the highlighted words above..on being thankful)

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

P.S. I’m thankful for my readers….we hit over 3000 views a few days ago….WOW for being up and blogging such a short time I just want to say, “thanks for sharing your life with me. ”

 

Crazy Bread~Law of Attraction

/ Lee Reynolds

L

Last Friday, I experienced another law of attraction experience. The day started much as it always does with a hurried scramble to deliver all the children to their various school settings. While the twins were at preschool, I spent the morning doing some birthday shopping for D, whose birthday is on October 9th. I went from place to place looking for just the right gift. He is difficult to shop for since everything he would REALLY want is expensive but there is always his favourite things; Starbucks coffee, a good book and socks. Everywhere I went though I saw things I would LOVE if it were my birthday, but it wouldn’t be my birthday for another month.

I collected the little girls who were all excited about their upcoming Pumpkin Patch tour and as we drove home they asked me what they would do at Davison Orchards. (the farm we would visit the following week) I told them that Mr. Davison would take them on a wagon ride up into his pumpkin patch where they could select their own pumpkin. They were thrilled. “REALLY mommy?” they asked. “Really,” I said. Their eyes were shining as they said, “Wow!”

Our pumpkin harvest from our little ‘ole pumpkin patch

I guess they would much prefer to travel across town, pay $7.00 each to have a tractor ride up to a field and choose a small pumpkin of their own, than head into our backyard homestead and choose one of our many pumpkins for their very own. We have been abundantly blessed with pumpkins this fall, even though I only planted one pumpkin plant. Regardless, I was pondering how excited little children get over the smallest things and how the smallest things makes them so joy filled. Hmmmm.

While the little girls ate their lunch and chatted about the things twins talk about (still often their own language in many ways) I flipped through our Friday edition of our Morning Star. (our local paper) There wasn’t really anything interesting in the paper but when I went to pick up the pile of flyers I had set aside before reading the paper, one flyer caught my eye. On the front of the flyer was a picture of the food processor of my dreams. I know, I know, REALLY, a food processor. Yes. That is one of the things that I dream about.

When I made my energy bars awhile ago, I wished I had a better food processor as the kids were complaining that the dates weren’t cut up fine enough, although I liked the chunky texture, but I knew even my hummus would turn out better with a higher quality food processor. I couldn’t even imagine how delightful my coleslaw would be with a new food processor. I try to live in a place of gratitude. However, there are days when I’m presented with something I REALLY want and when that occurs, I say, “yes THAT is what I want. I put it out into the Universe and let it go. Then I return to being happy in the moment TRUSTING it’s on it’s way to me.

Last Friday, was no different. I looked at the food processor in the flyer, which was on sale, 50% off it’s regular price, AND if you spent over a certain amount the store would give you a $20.00 gift card on top of that. This was a great deal. I went through how I could manifest this food processor NOW, but then remembered that D’s birthday was the following week and I still wanted to pick up a really nice gift for him. Something more than coffee, a book and socks. The food processor would have to wait. I looked at the flyer longingly one more time and put it on my desk.

As the afternoon wore on, I got busy making a homemade pasta sauce. The kids came home from school and I started to make my crazy bread recipe when the doorbell rang. As one of the kids opened the door, I heard familiar voices. My sister J and my brother-in-law, B, in for a visit. Oh yes! I brought them into the kitchen so we could visit, as I continued to work on my crazy bread. We caught up on the latest in each other’s lives and they mentioned  they were really stopping by to give me the last of our mom’s legacy.

My mom, E, died in February 2012 from a stroke. Although her death was sudden, we knew she was failing fast from dementia and her quality of life was quickly changing. She was becoming more fragile each day and it was really a blessing that she left the earth so quickly and with my sister J beside her as she took her last breath. Mom had been frugal most of her life but was generous to her family while she was alive and beyond. I wasn’t expecting anything in the way of monetary funds after all it was 2014 and all the earthly proceeds had been processed shortly after she had passed, but here J and B were with a final gift from mom. They left the bills sitting above my desk in the kitchen, J, telling me not to forget about the money.

My Mom, E, who taught me early on to count my blessings. She lived in a state of gratitude and grace.

After they left, I finished my crazy bread  and then took the folded bills and sat in my mom’s old wing chair in my family room. Gratefully I said, “oh mom, you continue to give.” As I unrolled the money and counted, I heard the words, “now you can buy the food processor!!!” Those words seemed to come from the chair itself and were spoken with as much excitement and joy as when our little girls talked about their upcoming pumpkin patch tour.

How fast does the Law of Attraction happen” F A S T!!! Well, in this case it was really fast. I have had other experiences that took what felt like a lifetime. I have learned that there is a process that needs to be followed. Mostly, it has to do with wishing, believing, trusting,and letting go. And then feeling the joy of knowing it’s on the way. Anticipating whatever you dream about is almost as much fun as having it in your arms. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are using the law of attraction all the time. Each moment of every day we are presented with choices, do you want this, or that?

I started studying it when I was trying to conceive our last few children and I’m a strong believer, especially when you can manifest something NOT of this earth and then it comes into your arms. If that can occur, then we are limitless and can achieve anything we want,

 

It’s lovely to dream but even better when it comes true. Thanks Mom!

And look what is sitting on my kitchen counter today? And the cool thing is along with the food processor, I also received a $20.00 gift card that enabled me to buy a little something more for my husband’s birthday. Bonus. The Universe always gives us even more than we can EVER dream!

So what do YOU want? Close your eyes and make your wish. Blow your dream out into the Universe knowing it is already on it’s way to you. Rejoice. When it comes to you, whisper, “Thank you.”

Now to bring you a piece of my Friday manifestation here is my Crazy bread recipe…perfect for any pasta dish.

My kids love this stuff! It has looked prettier but when J and B were here I forgot to cut it before I baked it so it was not in nice rectangles as usual….oh but I would MUCH rather have visits  than perfect food…next time J and B…you have to stay for dinner!

Hope’s Crazy Bread recipe

I make a large batch because it goes fast..and my kids like to snack on it the next day…but you can half the ingredients if you have a smaller family.

Ingredients

5 cups flour
5 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
5 tsp yeast
450 ml hot water

Topping;

125 ml (1/2 cup) melted butter
2 tsp garlic powder

 

30 ml Parmesan
sprinkle basil and oregano

Preheat oven to 425 F.

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and yeast.
2. Add hot water to make soft dough.
3. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter.
     Knead until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
4. Cover with a damp paper towel. Let rest 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine melted butter and garlic powder
6. Roll out dough to 1 cm thickness. Cut into shapes.
7. Using a pastry brush, brush on half of the melted butter and shake on the basil and oregano
8. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
9. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Watch closely.
10. Remove from the oven.
11. Brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. 

 

Our Friday fun dinner, pasta, salad, crazy bread…and for D and I, a nice glass of red wine. Salute!

Another manifestation for me is this blog….I dreamed about it and every time I finish a post, I have to pinch myself, it’s really real. I hope some of the stuff I ramble on about touches your life and you remember to let go and let God. Enjoy your life.

(Noe, if you are having problems connecting with the YouTube videos below, check on the highlighted links below)

If you want to learn more about the Law of Attraction check out this YouTube video. It’s a story Oprah tells about a strong woman not giving up on her dream.

And if that story isn’t inspirational enough, check out Oprah’s story on the art of allowing, the key is in surrendering.

 

Absolutely amazing hey! Allow Miracles to happen.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

Saving Seeds for Tomorrow

/ Lee Reynolds

Lately, most of my blog posts have been about things that inspire me and I could write from this place forever, BUT I don’t want to give you the wrong impression about my homestead. Behind every inspiring moment there is a ton of work going on. I don’t know about you but I’m a list maker. I make lists every morning of the things I want to accomplish inside the house, with our children, out in the community and  in our garden. Each night, I fall into bed exhausted after a day of trying to finish everything.

As a gardener, nature shows us how to live our life. After the fertile seasons of Spring and Summer, thankfully Fall comes as our season to reap our harvest. A season to be grateful. Then Winter arrives blanketing us with time to rest and reflect.

When I planted our garden last May, I did so half-heartedly (is that a word?) It describes a person who doesn’t put 100% of their effort into a project and that was certainly me last spring. I wanted to grow food, flowers, and herbs, but my heart was out in the country. Out at the Christmas tree farm I wanted to buy.

Last May, D and I were working like crazy people trying to get our house de-cluttered, repairs performed, and the everything cleaned really well so we could list the house. When it came to the garden, I took one weekend, cleaned up the beds, amended the soil and planted my seeds and plants. I didn’t put everything I wanted in, nor did I take the time to space things properly. Case in point, I planted the corn far too close and never got back to thinning it so I basically had nothing of any consequence to harvest. (Big disappointment for my daughter Alyssa who could eat corn every day)

Despite my lack of planning, most of our garden flourished. As you know from one of my blog posts, I even had unexpected cantaloupe growing, though I hadn’t knowingly planted any seeds. Surprises from the garden are lovely.

Another distraction from my garden was my focus on our oldest daughter, Alyssa, who graduated from University last Spring and then was consumed with upcoming plans to go overseas to begin her teaching career in the U.K. As if that weren’t enough, our third oldest child, Mitchell, graduated from high school and we were caught up in all that event entails. Oh, and I almost forgot, I was extremely fortunate to have an 8 week full time job at a local garden centre. I LOVED it but my own garden suffered.

During last Spring and Summer, I may not have consciously realized it at the time but I was preparing the ground and planting the seeds so our older children could take off and bloom. As fall arrives, I’m happy to see some of that harvest as well, since they  have been sharing stories of  their respective adventures, experiences and inevitable growth.
 Seeds are magical.                   

This last week, I have been busy harvesting the last of our vegetables, clipping and hanging my herbs to dry, and saving all sorts of seeds. Since this is a crucial job in becoming sustainable, I thought I would share a few tips on how to save tomato seeds which is a bit messy but very rewarding. It always amazes me that from one plant we can obtain ALL the seeds we need to grow enough plants to feed our family next year.

With frost on our doorstep, this is probably the last of my tomato harvest

Saving tomato seeds is a snap. Choose the tomatoes that you think are the nicest specimens.

Find jars and label them with the tomato seed variety you plan to put inside. Today, I chose my larger tomatoes, my Romas, perfect for sauces and my cherry tomatoes, which the little girls like to pop into their mouths. I have also saved seeds from my Ox Heart and Mortgage Lifters (heritage) from another harvest. This is an on going process as I pick our produce and stay on top of plants going to seed.

Next, cut the tomato or if it’s really ripe, you can squeeze it and let all the seeds drip into your jar.

 

Once you have the seeds inside the jar, add a 1/2- 1 cup of water to the contents and put a lid on the jar, or a piece of wax paper  or cotton with an elastic band around the rim. Note, as the tomato seeds ferment, it will really smell.
Then let it sit for a few days until you see some moldy residue forming on the top. You can usually tell from the smell when it’s time to remove the seeds. It will be really smelly.
 
Fill the jar with clean water and let all the moldy residue etc run off. The fertile seeds will drift down to the bottom of the jar. When you have removed the debris, grab a strainer and collect the seeds that moved to the bottom of the jar.
 
 Then tap all the seeds onto a plate. (I use paper plates…see above)
     or you can use a coffee filter.
Set the paper plate/coffee filter in a place that can sit undisturbed until the seeds are totally dry. Once dry, put the seeds into little envelopes with the tomato variety written on the outside.
Some people put the seeds in the freezer but I find keeping the seeds in a cool, dark place works great. I put them in a box and keep them in my laundry room.

I was reading an article in our paper today where our local library is starting a seed lending library. It’s very simple, you check out seeds, record what you have taken and then replace the seeds after harvest the following year. I LOVED that idea and will be checking out the seed lending library to find some more heritage varieties to grow and share what I have collected. Our library also has some great books, (see below)

on learning how to save seeds. This is a wonderful way to become more sustainable and I find it interesting and fun as well. When I’m out in the garden, I always feel like I’m in the midst of a  science experiment. From a social aspect, I feel like I’m contributing in some small way to feeding the world.

Well that’s it blogger friends. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a season of dreaming, a season of rest. Before I know it, I will be planting seeds for our next year’s crop.

But not quite yet.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

 

Chocolate Quinoa Cake AND Symptoms of Inner Peace

/ Lee Reynolds

My 5 year old son, Will woke up early this morning. TOO early. “Time to get up Mommy,” he sang out to me as he bounced around my bed. I cracked an eye open to peak at the clock beside my bed and groaned, “Will, it’s too early to get up.” With that he crawled into my bed and curled up next to me, wrapping his chilly bare feet around my legs. Oh to only have another 15 minutes of deep sleep would have been heaven, I thought.

As if he had read my thoughts, he promptly kissed me on my forehead, which is our sacred place for kissing one another. He has tried a number of times to kiss me on my lips but I always tell him that is where Daddy kisses me and I want my children to have their own special place to physically show love. We have chosen the third eye area which seems so appropriate since he is so much “in” soul.

That kiss, warmed my grumpy spirit and I started to think about the upcoming day. My monkey brain turning already. As soon as I wake up and am somewhat conscious, it likes to take over and run my life. It was going to be a busy morning getting Will and Grace ready for school and on the 8 am bus and then  since the high school bus no longer picks up in our area, (don’t get me started) I would have to drive Harrison to school. Then return home quickly, get the little girls ready, drive our oldest son to the University bus stop and then the twins to preschool. So much rushing in such a short amount of time.

Will interrupts my running silent dialogue and asks, “can I start the bath mom?” I look at the clock again and see now it is time to get up so reluctantly I say, “oh all right.” He pops out of our warm cocoon and a moment later, I can hear water running in the bath.

We have a morning ritual before the little girls wake up. Will and I like to have a bath together. We have been doing this since he was around a year old and sadly I can see the end coming since he is now in school and getting too old to bath with his mom. (Usually around kindergarten time, at least in our house, that is usually the signal for more modesty) But for the present time, he is still my bath mate.

One good thing we did when we built our house was install a really big, deep tub in our master bathroom and it has been delightful bathing with our  little ones over the years. I’m a bath person. I could spend hours in there and in the old days, before children, I used to read whole novels in one sitting, (or rather bathing) replacing the hot water every hour or so. I hardly think about those days now for having a sweet little boy to bath with and chat the morning away is so much nicer in my opinion.

Here is a glimpse into our master bath…you can get a tiny sense of the tub etc that I could while away my days…or chat with my little people while they are enjoying a ritual bath.

When I think the bath must be full enough I get up and see Will in his birthday suit and poised on the edge of the tub. He is deep in thought and looking out of our large bathroom window. It looks straight down the lake which is below our house. My husband always says, how many houses do you know where you can sit on the throne and look down a lake? Did I mention the back of our house is private too? So this is where I find Will this morning. I ask him, ‘what’s up Bud?” and he turns to me with a glowing smile and says with tons of enthusiasm, “Isn’t nature BEAUTIFUL Mommy?”

This is the view of the lake from our lower deck..outside the back of the house…it’s not exactly the view out of the bathroom window…which is even better…but gives you an idea.

I walked over to the edge of our tub to look down the lake. We have lived above the lake for over 20 years and although this was one of the main reasons we built our house here, I often take it for granted. It’s only when we have people at our front door and their mouth is gaping open as they look through our house, out to this panoramic view of the lake, that I stop to appreciate the view. But this morning I stopped to see it anew. White mist is lingering over the glistening grey/blue water and the sky is starting to glow lighter and brighter as the promise of another lovely fall day begins..

I looked down at my son’s blonde curls and was in awe at his coming. His BEING. At his ability to always bring me right back to the moment appreciating beauty of the here and now. This awareness reminded me of the 12 Symptoms of Inner Peace I used to recite regularly to ensure I was in that state. I haven’t looked at those signs in years because I am often reminded daily, through my children’s eyes, how spectacular earth is and how blessed I am to be alive.

In case you don’t have a daily reminder, check out the 12 Symptoms of Inner Peace. How many can you count occurring in your life lately?

SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE

 

by  Saskia Davis

 

 

 

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many already have been exposed;  and it is possible that people, everywhere,  could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what, up to now,  has been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

 

        

 

         Signs & Symptoms of Inner Peace

 

A tendency to think and act  spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences

 

 

 

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment

 

 

 

A loss of interest in judging other people

 

 

 

A loss of interest in judging self

 

 

 

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of   others

 

 

 

A loss of interest in conflict

 

 

 

A loss of  ability to worry

 

                                                         

 

Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation

 

 

 

Contented feelings of connectedness

 

with others  & nature

 

 

 

Frequent attacks of smiling 

 

 

 

An increasing tendency to let things

 

happen rather  than  make them happen

 

 

 

An increased susceptibility to love extended  by others  and  the uncontrollable urge to  extend it

 

 

 

WARNING

 

If you  have  some or all of the above symptoms, be advised that your condition of inner peace may be too far advanced to be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of  these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.     © 1984
     
                                                       
Isn’t that GREAT?
And if you would like to add to your Inner Peace quotient, check out my recipe for Chocolate Quinoa Cake.
You won’t be able to contain your smile once you taste a bite of this moist, decadent cake.
This recipe was given to me by my soul sisters, Yania. She made it for one of our Sacred Book club meetings. She is one of the most conscious consumer of healthy food products I know, other than my oldest daughter Alyssa.  This is now a regular favourite in our house. I hope you like it too.
Yania’s Chocolate Quinoa Cake
You will need the following ingredients:
The only other thing you need, not shown is sugar and salt
 Ingredients:
 
2/3 cup white or golden quinoa
11/3 cups water to cook quinoa
1/3 cup milk (any milk will do but we use almond milk)
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup butter melted and cooled (you could also use coconut oil which would give it a nice taste)

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 white or cane sugar (this was originally 11/2 cups but was cut in half and is still great)
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Bring Quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. cover, reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Keep moist. Turn off head and cool a bit.

Bring quinoa and water to boil, put lid on and then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes



Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease two 8 inch round or square cake pans. Line with parchment paper.

Combine milk, eggs, and vanilla in a mixer/blender or food processor. Add 2 cups of cooked quinoa and butter and continue to blend until smooth.

Adding the cooked quinoa to the milk, eggs and vanilla



Whisk together the sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the contents of the wet ingredients and mix really well. 

Mixing the sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda together



Divide batter between pans and bake on centre oven rack for  40 minutes. The key is to not over bake. Our oven, like Yania’s whipped this cake up in less time than that…30 minutes for us until the toothpick came out clean. 

I just sprayed my pans with a cooking spray but next time I’m going to put down parchment paper



Let sit for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn cakes onto a rack to cool completely. I put our cakes into the freezer for a bit because I wanted to ice them quickly and serve the cake after dinner. It was great because it was easier to frost.

I put jam between the layers and frosted it with a traditional chocolate icing, topping it with dried cherries and a few almonds. The next time I make this, I’m going to make the cake with coconut oil and also make the chocolate icing with coconut oil as well…did I mention I love coconut. But let your taste buds be your guide. My husband would also like me to make a chocolate mocha icing another time as he loves coffee and then I would put a few chocolate coffee beans on top as a garnish.

I added little pieces of dark chocolate to the icing for a little extra something…topped the cake with dried cherries and almonds


This cake is so moist and wonderful. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

And when you eat it, think of a blonde little boy who loves life and who lives in a state of Inner Peace…he inspires me daily.

It’s all good!

 

And serving up my little man first who reminds me that chocolate cake adds to our Inner Peace

 

What a nice way to end a wonderful day!

I hope you try this healthy and yummy chocolate quinoa cake….and while you are eating your piece, enjoy a song that Will and I like to sing before bed….”I see skies of blue, clouds of white, the bright blessed day and the dark sacred night….la, la,la, la…la”.

(If you are using an Apple product, you may not be able to view the following but hopefully this link will bring you to the YouTube video, Louis Armstrong’s song, “It’s a Wonderful World.”

It’s a WONDERFUL world!

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope