In my Humboldt opinion...

It's what I've been preparing for all winter and spring...

2011-08-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

Pickling!

So it's summer and the cukes are going mad. Slicers, picklers and lemons abound in our garden. What to do? What to do? Well the slicers are good in the beet salads I've been making, the lemons are wonderful plain and theres' only one thing to do with the picklers. Pickle them! I've been reading up on pickling all winter in preparation for when this time would arrive, and yet I'm still quite overwhelmed. There are just soooo many ways to pickle a pickle. So I'm gonna try as many as I can. Here are the first 3 attempts.

Experiment #1
Fermented dill pickles using whey, salt, dill, and mustard seeds. These sit in jar at room temperature for 3 days. They've just completed their first 24 hours. I get the whey from the homemade yogurt that I make every couple of weeks. The trick is making sure the cukes stay below the liquid.

Experiment #2
Bread & Butter Pickles using the ice method with sweet onion, vinegar, sugar turmeric, coriander and celery seed. Slice the cukes and onion and mix with salt. Then let sit in a bowl covered with ice for a few hours. Next, bring the vinegar, sugar and spices to a boil and add the slices. Now let cool and refrigerate. Should be ready for eatin' the next day or once cooled.

Experiment #3
The old fashion method of dill pickles with lots of garlic in my handy dandy crock. I had so many pickle cukes that I didn't know what to do, so I did the easiest thing possible and threw them in a crock full of water, vinegar, salt, a whole lot of garlic and ample dill. Weight it all down and these should be ready in a few days but supposedly even tastier in 3-4 weeks.

I've been reading a book from 1965 that is full of information about the history of pickles and all sorts of weird pickle knowledge, lore and poetry. The following recipe caught me a bit off guard.

RECIPE TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND (from The Complete Book of Pickles - Leonard Louis Levinson)
In choosing a husband, women should first be careful of their selection. Do not choose too young or too green and take only such as have been raised in a good, moral atmosphere. When you have decided on selection, turn your thoughts to domestic use. Some wives insist on keeping husbands in a pickle, while others are consistently getting them in hot water. This only makes them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even the poorest varieties can be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, spicing them with smiles and flavoring them with kisses. For a finished product, husbands should be wrapped in a mantle of kindness, kept warm with the fire of devotion and served with peaches and cream. Husbands prepared this way will keep for years.

Proud parents...

2011-04-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

of about 3,000 honey bees and a queen.

Trevor and I have been taking a bee keeping class for a little over a month now. After some preparation, including purchasing equipment and assembling that equipment, we were ready for the arrival of the buzzing critters.

A nice 59 degrees out on Sunday with only a soft breeze was the perfect welcoming weather. First things first, Trevor removed the queen from the box and placed her in the hive. Now, the really fun part. I got to shake the bees out of their shipping box into the hive. Check out the video! We may or may not get honey this year, but unless something goes really wrong, we could get around 3-5 gallons of honey next year.

Best part of bee keeping so far? The cool outfits! Our instructor actually doesn't wear any protection. Trevor and I have both handled the bees without gloves but do prefer to wear our head nets.

The girls...

2011-04-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

are not too smart> hanging out near the chopping block and all. But then again, they are our egg laying hens, not meat chickens.

Let me introduce you to Whitey, Blacky, and Browny. Can you guess who is who? Blacky has been in the family for two years, while Whitey and Browny are just turning one. Blacky is an Australorp and lays BIG brown eggs, while the other two are Americanas and lay delicate green eggs- about one egg each a day.

We consider the girls part of the family. We give them food, shelter, water, LOVE, and they give us eggs. I've been part of this chicken family for about 9 months now and love it. Collecting eggs never gets old. Each time I go into the coop it's exciting to see how many precious eggs I'll find.

In addition to eggs I also get the pleasure of watching the girls wander around the yard, pecking and scratching for food. Right now we're preparing to expand our egg laying family. 6 more egg laying chicks (3 different breeds) have been ordered to arrive in a couple of weeks. Thinking we might get a little more creative with names this go around; time will tell.

My crazy friend Alysia (crazy cool that is)...

2011-02-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

is leaving to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi.

I became friends with Alysia when we lived together in a rental just outside of Arcata. But lets back up for a moment. Before I had ever met or even spoken with Alysia I got the inside tip that she owned Travel Scrabble. So basically, I knew she was going to be awesome from the get go! While roommates we cooked together, watched movies together and went on great hikes together. We lived together for less than a year before we both moved on to different living situations but our friendship only grew stronger. We still cooked, went on hikes and even went on some fun adventures to the Strawberry Music Festival and the Kate Wolf Memorial Music Festival.

Alysia graduated from HSU in the Spring of 2010 but has been preparing to enter the Peace Corps since October of 2009. She leaves Humboldt County this week to begin her journey towards Africa, but before she left I got to spend one more great afternoon with her and decided to conduct a little pre Peace Corps interview.

What are you most excited to see in Malawi?
Soooo many things... I'm excited to see the culture there... the music and dancing. Lake Malawi, which holds 80% of fresh water aquarium fish species.

Are you worried about not having private space?
Yes and No. I'm used to living with roommates now and feel that has helped me prepare.

What food will you miss the most while there?
Sushi! and raw fish and raw veggies. (I was informed that she had recently gone out for sushi three times within a 24 hour period recently. She's getting her fill while she can).

What do you think will take the most to get use to?
The etiquette... learning what is appropriate and my role as a female.

What food do you think you'll like the most once you get there?
The corn porridge... I love porridge!

Do you think you will miss your car?
No!

What comfort item are you taking with you? My yoga mat.

What will be the biggest challenge of living in Malawi?
I definitely think the poverty and mortality is going to be difficult. I have been told that I will get to know people there that will die while I'm there. HIV/AIDS is a big problem there.

What is the biggest sacrifice you are making to go?
Leaving Pippi. (her dog)

What is the best advice that you have been given?
To put a supply of new underwear in a Ziploc bag and save it for my 2nd year of service.

Do you plan to record an album upon your return after practicing your guitar for 2 years? No way. That's a big FAT no! :)

Will your hair be long or short when you return? Long.

Will you be an even bigger hippie than you are now when you return?
For Sure!

It is easy to say that Alysia has been the best of friends. She is fun, has a contagious laugh, always has a comforting shoulder to cry on when needed, she is the best storyteller I know, she is inspirational in that she is always striving to learn and improve herself, and speaks with words of wisdom. I have no doubt that her Peace Corps experience will be one of great adventure that will return her as an even better storyteller and a stronger human/hippie Goddess. Alysia, you leaving for two years is leaving an empty space in my life but I promise to fill that space with my own adventures and education so that I will have something to share with you as well upon your return. I will think of you often and am so thankful for the time that we have already spent together in this lifetime.

Pounding kraut...

2011-02-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

is a bit of a workout. Last summer I purchased a 5L fermentation crock. When I got it out of its packaging I felt overwhelmed > it's big! For xmas I asked Santa for a pounder with which to help the process of making sauerkraut, and many other fermented foods easier. The last present left for me under the xmas tree was big and long. I had no idea what it could be. Again... I was very overwhelmed by the size of the pounder. My dad teased that I should leave it by my bed in place of a baseball bat (not that I have a baseball bat).

Over the last month, from both research and talking with others who have made kraut, I built up enough courage to try it myself. I sliced up about 4lbs of red and green cabbage, added some sea salt, a little whey, a couple of spices and started pounding. "Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound!" Could be heard both inside and outside of the house. Soon the juices from the cabbage began extracting. I placed some weights atop the cabbage, the lid atop the crock and left it to ferment.

Here is the crazy part. I have NEVER liked sauerkraut. In general, I don't really like anything pickled. But over the last few years I've been working really hard to learn to like these things and have hope that if freshly made by me I will enjoy them. Keeping my fingers and tastebuds crossed.

I acquired most of my information about making sauerkraut from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook and from the Wild Fermentation website.

fake plastic fish...

2011-02-03T19:36:00.000-08:00

was the name of a great blog that I've been following lately. It is now called My Plastic Free Life. I don't have to look back too far, only about 10 years, to the time when friends and family thought I was a bit odd for bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. Now it is highly encouraged and socially accepted. Well, reusable bags isn't where I stopped being a bit odd, or as I like to believe, a little bit ahead of the game.

There are many things I do in my everyday life that are not great for my health or the sustainability of the planet. I drive a car after all. But I do step by step try to live in ways that have smaller impacts. It's been about 5 years now since I decided to give up coffee cups to go. This means that if I do not have my own reusable coffee cup I simply go without coffee. This works pretty well over all. There have been times, especially when traveling, that this rule has been broken, but overall I stick to it.

Last year I decided to give up one use drink bottles of all kinds (not counting beer bottles). This meant no bottled water or grabbing a juice to go with a last minute lunch. Again, the hardest time to follow this rule is while traveling, but over all I've only broken this rule a handful of times.

Now I'm trying to find ways to cut out single use plastic of all kinds from my life. The first step is simply paying attention. I shop at the local Coop and yet still find it really hard to buy food that does not come in plastic. The frozen food section is now off limits, minus the few items that come in bulk, due to the use of plastic in the packaging. I can't buy sliced bread at the store but I can go to the local baker, get their bread sliced, and put into my own bag. No more store bought yogurt... I've already started making my own. I'm undecided so far on cheese. All cheese that I've found so far comes in plastic and this one I might indulge on from time to time. I get freshly made tortillas at the local Mexican restaurant put into a bag that I provide them. I get ice cream packed in my own container at the local ice cream shop.

Will I eliminate all plastic from my life or my grocery list? No, but I'll be using a whole lot less. Will I miss some of the foods that I loved, like sprouted sesame bread and ok-mak crackers? Maybe a little, but it feels better to be able to do without certain things. We are spoiled when it comes to our food options and often have the mind frame that we deserve it all. Deserve it at the expense of the health of our planet, and ultimately ourselves. Living a life with less plastic limits my food options, but the options I do have (for the most part) are much healthier than those that come in plastic.

I'm a believer in every lit bit counts. I don't have to be perfect but I should always strive for improvement. I don't focus on guilt but rather focus on the empowerment that I feel when I know I make decisions and purchases based on the values I strive to incorporate into my life.

Clamming in Humboldt bay...

2011-01-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

is everything I hoped it would be.

Last year I attended the Humboldt Bay Symposium and saw a presentation on Humboldt bay clams that ignited an interest in me to go clamming. Apparently not many people around Humboldt bay clam. And in fact the number of clammers continue to decline every year. For this reason, the bag limit of clams is 50 here, practically double the limit of any other county or state in the Pacific Northwest.

So for the last few months I've been amping up my enthusiasm to try this. The biggest hurdle to going clamming here seemed to be the lack of information of where and how to. I could find plenty of information about clamming in Oregon but nothing came up online for Humboldt. I emailed around and eventually found a map from 1978 that showed Humboldt Bay and the different types of clams that could be found in certain areas. I also talked to someone who had clammed around here and got some good tips.

The tides were right this weekend to get out on a low tide during daylight hours. I purchased a fishing license grabbed my mud boots, shovel and a bucket and we were off. I really wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't want to get my hopes up, not knowing if I would find any clams or not.

But that worry was short-lived as Trevor pulled out a large gaper clam, arm covered in sandy mud, from the first hole that he dug. Just a few minutes later I had one myself. We dug and dug and dug for 2.5 hours as we honed our technique. Towards the end we were both getting tired and our hands quite numb. At one time I had both arms completely submerged in a large hole I had dug and it was collapsing on my arms. I no longer had the strength to pull myself out and had to solicit Trevor's help to pull me out before I went in head first.

We ended up with 19 clams in the end. Mostly gapers and Washingtons, and we were exhausted! We both woke up sore the next morning but with smiles on our faces. I was a little worried about cleaning the clams but it really wasn't that bad. I gave thanks to the clams many, many times and did my best to get all their meat and not waste any.

We ended up making a yummy fresh Humboldt Clam Chowder for dinner with extra meat to spare for fritters.
We are looking forward to the next time we go out, having a little experience now, and would love to take anyone else interested in helping to dig some holes.

It's not 2010 anymore...

2011-01-16T20:51:00.000-08:00

so will I or will I not continue this blog? The year will tell.

Why did my blogging fall short last year? I believe I know. Heartbreak followed by working on my thesis, followed by falling in love, followed by being in love and finally defending and finishing my thesis. Mainly it was thesis. I spent way too many hours on my computer last year doing research and writing to want to spend more time blogging.

Once my thesis was submitted at the end of last year my brain began expanding in many directions. For the first time in a long time I have time to research and learn about topics other than my thesis. This has been exhilarating and overwhelming all at once. My brain wants to catch up on all the many things that I haven't been able to give my attention to for the last 4-5 years, only those years are gone and I can only move forward. I must have more patience with myself and stay focused on a few topics rather than being scattered over the many topics that I have an interest in.

I must take advantage the time that I have right now in my life to learn as much as possible in preparation for times when I may not have so much free time. It's time to organize, learn, and establish healthy and environmentally conscious habits that will be useful in my life journey (more insight to what this means in upcoming blogs).

Oh, and I need to practice my guitar more, take another ceramics class, learn more about green building, learn about beekeeping, research my latest business idea, practice more yoga, learn to collect seaweeds, learn to make sprouted bread, sprout more often, design an expanded garden, create a better nighttime routine, meditate daily, be better at planning weekly meal plans, learn how to raise goats, make my own soap?, communicate with aliens > not... just checking to see if you're actually still reading this. Oh yeah, patience!

It's not August yet...

2010-07-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

so this is my last chance to get a July posting in. It is summer. Life is good. Full of swims in the river, eating raspberries, making homemade ice cream, BBQing with friends, weeding the garden and good ol' work. Yep, even work is better in the summer, at least the parts when I'm outside in the dunes.

Last weekend I got to work at the Lanphere Dunes, known as the most pristine dune ecosystem on the Pacific Northwest coast. It was a glorious day, starting with a walk through the dune forest. I had a hard time keeping up as I couldn't resist picking the ginormous huckleberries growing along the trail. As we hiked up out of the forest onto an open dune sheet I was met with the sweet, sweet smell of yellow sand verbena in bloom.

We headed out to work on the foredunes where beach buckwheat blooms (the pink ones) were plentiful. It was foggy for a good portion of the morning but the sun came out by the end to offer a brilliant view of the north coast. I love the dunes!

It was difficult to leave the beach on such a sunny day but at least I had more huckleberries to look forward to on the hike back.

Another trip to Roswell...

2010-06-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

means another trip to the UFO Museum and Research Center.

Visiting my Grandma in Roswell, NM has always meant going to the UFO Museum. What else is there to do in Roswell? Absolutely nothing (almost> but that's another post). Plainly said, I think the Museum is absolutely lame. I mean, it is BAD. It mainly consists of a bunch of framed newspaper articles displayed on walls. Why then did I go again? Like I said, what else is there to do?

Also, I've never taken photos. This trip I took a lot more photos inside and outside the museum to give you a taste of the alien invasion of Roswell. The number of photos is also another indicator of how bored I was.

Back when they called me Emy...

2010-05-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

I once had a friend, Chris, who lived across the street from me. And so did his little brother Shawn. Chris and Shawn were my first ever friends. We spent a lot of time playing in the yard and keeping ourselves entertained with whatever we could find. We also enjoyed playing with He-Man and She-Ra action figures and saying, "I am Skeletor!"

Then, when I was about five and half I got my first lesson that all things in life change, when Chris and his family up and moved far, far, away. My mom and I would take weekend trips to visit them for a few years but then they moved even farther away. My only tie to Chris was via the letters we wrote to each other which continued through our high school days, but eventually that connection was lost.

And then a few months back I was on Facebook and decided to try and find Chris. Sure enough, there he was with his wife and three kids. What a great re-connect. Next thing I knew his mother was contacting me to invite me to Chris's graduation celebration in Chico. That's right. Somehow Chris and his brother Shawn had both ended up back in Chico.

The kicker is that Chris did not know that I was going to be at his party. I was definitely nervous to show up considering we hadn't spoken since we were maybe 7 or 8 years old but I was also very excited. It was really great to see Chris, Shawn, and his family again as well as meet newer additions to the family. This is definitely one of those unexplainable connections in my life that just doesn't want to be severed. I mean, seriously... what an amazing, crazy world we live in.

Interesting to note that our order in heights reversed since childhood.

Kale Chips...

2010-05-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

They MELT in your mouth!

I've seen several recipes for kale chips while perusing my favorite recipe blogs, which usually happen to be healthy, sugar free, gluten free kind of blogs. Anyways, the kale chips just did not sound appealing. How could tough, hard kale turn into this nice crisp chip that can easily be chewed and swallowed?

Well, as soon as I placed my first kale chip into my mouth my eyes popped at the intense burst of pleasure it brought to my taste buds. The chip really did melt in my mouth.! The flavor was reminiscent of eating a french fry and I had more chips in hand ready to scarf down before I had a chance to swallow the first chip. Like potato chips, these things are addicting. Once you eat one you just can't stop.

These kale chips are the best thing that I've discovered in a long time. I've been making many batches and sharing them with co-workers, neighbors and friends. I want everyone to experience the joy of kale chips. So I'm posting the recipe I use.

1 bunch of kale
1 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil (give or take) it really doesn't take much though
sea salt

Trim kale and rip into chip-sized pieces. The ‘chips’ shrink slightly in the oven so I make them a little bigger. In a large bowl drizzle the olive oil, squeeze the lemon and sprinkle the sea salt. Use your hands to really mix it all up and coat the kale.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place kale on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 350' or until kale is crispy.

I LOVE > wait for it...

2010-03-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

TANGO! I don't just Love tango. I LOVE Tango!

I'll admit that it took a little prodding by a friend to get me to sign up for a tango dance class but all it took was one class and I was hooked. I smile the entire class and when the class is over I smile all the way home.

I never expected to enjoy dancing tango as much as I do. Going into it I felt I would be a fish out of water. I watched a few Youtube videos that had me a bit freaked out. Quite a bit freaked out really.

I'm not really sure what it is about this dance but I can't get enough. I love the music. I love the people. I even love the attire. Tonight I wore heels for the first time. Yes, you read right. Me in heels. I haven't worn heels since I was a bridesmaid over 10 years ago. It is easy to say that heels are a bit out of character for me which is exactly why I LOVE tango as much as I do. I get to be a different me and it feels good and it's fun. Yes, my feet do hurt after 2 hours of dancing in heels but the pleasure so outweighs the pain.

This Should Not Come As A Surprise...

2010-03-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

I'm crazy> it's true. I've considered myself crazy for a variety of reasons in the past and I've now added one more. I've turned into one of those crazy people that enjoys running. Well, I've always enjoyed running short distances and have for nearly 15 years. It is running long distances that I consider to be crazy. About 3 years ago I decided on a whim to train for a 1/2 marathon. Problem was that I got mono about 4 weeks prior to the race. So that ended my first period of running craziness.

Then along came my friend Iowa and we started running together on a weekly basis. She suggested running the 5&3/4 Trinidad to Clam Beach "fun run" in February of this year. I ran it with her and had mixed feelings about the "fun" part. Mostly due to the fact that for some reason I was really nervous about running my first race which had me feeling really sick prior to and during the race. Iowa assured me that everyone gets nervous before their first race and that the next one will be easier and "funner." How could I refuse?

So today I ran 9.3 miles in the Redwood Wild Rivers Run along the Smith River. It was a perfect, sunny spring day on the northcoast. The route went along the South Fork of the Smith River and through old growth redwoods. White petaled trilliums dotted the ancient landscape as we ran and ran and ran and ran. At the three mile marker a nice gentleman sat in a sunny spot on a bridge playing his banjo. Reminded me of Kermit the Frog!

Anyways, we did it! Yes, I'm pleased with myself which brings me back to the point about being crazy. Running races is seriously crazy. You get nervous for no reason and yet you're choosing to do it. You run so long that your feet start to hurt and if you really push it your legs start to feel like rubber at the end. And yet, each time I run I only want to run more. It is addicting.

Like most things in my life I'm going with the flow of it all. Before this race was even over Iowa was plugging the idea of the Avenue of the Giants 1/2 Marathon coming up in 6 weeks. Not sure if I want to do it or not. Time will tell. But for today I will bask in the bliss of being a crazy runner.

A Lovely Spring Visit...

2010-03-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

A lovely spring equinox day in many ways.

First, the weather couldn't be much better. While at the dunes/beach this morning it was so pleasant I was in short sleeves. The ocean was brilliantly calm and I felt so thankful to live and work in such a beautiful environment.

Even better than the sunny beach was getting to see my friend Fireman and meet his wife and son. Fireman and I went to HSU together and haven't seen each other in 8 years. It didn't seem like much had changed, except Arcata, according to Fireman. Mini Fireman had just turned one and enjoyed his first experience at the Arcata Plaza. And Kelly... well, she suggested getting coffee at 2pm in the afternoon and I knew right away that I was gonna like her. And I did.

Spring fever...

2010-02-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!
~Mark Twain

Loy Krathong - Day Three...

2010-01-31T10:02:00.001-08:00

Three days of festivities, decoration and all day and all night sounds of fireworks. This was quite the festival! We were all feeling a bit worn by day three with little sleep but there was yet another parade to attend and we didn't want to miss out. The costumes and floats were the most intricate I've ever seen with loud speaker systems that told a story in both English and Thai. Notice the elaborate hair-dos in this short video.

Starting my first night in Chiang Mai I was able to scan the night sky for glowing lanterns that people had sent up as part of a ritual. Traditional belief has it that when these huge hot lanterns are set adrift and float away, so do the troubles of the persons who launched the balloon. The third night was the peak of lanterns. The sky was filled with the seemingly magical lanterns floating and bobbing about with the shifting of the breeze. It is impossible to truly capture what it is like to witness a sky full of lanterns but here is a quick video I took with some live music in the background to set the mood.

Jeremy and I both successfully launched a lantern my last night in Thailand. In addition to hoping the lanterns would take away all of our troubles we added our own personal wishes. The perfect ending to a wonderful visit with my brother and Thailand.

Upon my return to to San Francisco I at first thought the stars in the night sky were lanterns. I was so used to looking for lanterns and hadn't seen stars in Chiang Mai as the pollution hides them. It took me a few days to get re-accustomed to stars and not lanterns.

My Brother Lives in Thailand and Now I Know Why...

2010-01-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

Now that I have FINALLY visited Jeremy in Thailand I can say that I kind of understand why he chooses to live there. And there are many good reasons that he does. I will name just a few.

First of all is that while his US family misses him very much he now has a family in Thailand.

While he left many friends behind he has made many new friends in Thailand, including Matt and David pictured here.

And have I mentioned Lilly?

Jeremy likes Thailand because there he can drink fancy teas and has ample time to play scrabble.

He is also able to be crafty and not be judged by Martha Stuart. Who knew that crafts could make him so happy?

And when he's in Thailand he can host visitors like me. He gets two thumbs up!

I made broccoli...

2010-01-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

I can't take all of the credit but I can take some of it. I did after all spend a good deal of time finding and ridding my broccoli plants of the cute, little green caterpillars that wanted to eat them up before I would ever get to.

And now it's winter and I get to harvest my first ever broccoli. I can't wait to taste the freshness!

Jungle Trek...

2009-12-25T12:10:00.001-08:00

My last day in Thailand was spent on a jungle trek. The day started when I was picked up and loaded (squished) into the back of a truck with 11 other tourists to be driven to the mountains.

The drive was crazy as always in Thailand and I held on for dear life and prayed that we would not come to any sudden stops as there was literally nothing to keep me from flying out the back. An hour later we were in the mountains and being fed fried rice that I was too scared to eat because I didn't want food poisoning. I was a little paranoid after having gotten sick.

The other tourists were mostly from Europe and really nice. We all bonded as we tried to keep up with our tour guide in the 98 degree and extremely humid weather . We were soaked in sweat head to toe with bright red faces and reminding ourselves that we chose and paid (only $30) to be on this trip... so darn it we were gonna have a good time even if we were about to pass out from heat exhaustion.

The photo at the top is of my tour guide. He mostly just walked really fast and we followed so that we wouldn't get lost. He spoke decent English and when he found out I was from CA he started singing "welcome to the hotel California." A favorite Thai song which I heard countless times during my two week stay.

Overall the trek was a great adventure. I got to see rice paddies, small coffee plantations and visit two villages. All but one other tourist and me were on a two day trek and I have to say that at the end of the day it brought me great pleasure to know that I got to hike out of the jungle to take a refreshing shower and leave the rest to sleep on moldy blankets in a jungle village.

Merry Christmas with a dash of Thailand...

2009-12-25T09:48:00.000-08:00

Yes, I still have some Thailand blogs up my sleeve that need to be posted. I have not forgotten. So this one is a Merry Christmas with a photo from my jungle trek and some from Chico.

I was amazed when I came across this huge poinsettia in the middle of the jungle outside of Chiang Mai. I did a little research and found that poinsettias are native to Mexico and South America. So technically it is an introduced species in Thailand but it didn't appear to be invasive as I only saw two plants while there.

It's a sunny and not so cold Christmas day in Chico, CA. Awoke at 6am when my cell phone alarm clock came on because I forgot to turn it off (oops) and thus was up early to open presents from Santa. But that worked out well as my Bro called from Thailand a little after 7am to wish us a Merry Christmas as his was ending and he was about to go to bed.

After the presents were unwrapped we watched The Christmas Story, which has become tradition thanks to me. That was followed by a rare breakfast prepared by Dad. Once the frost melted Dad and I adventured outdoors, first stopping at the Naked Lounge Cafe downtown for warm coffee before heading to the Sacramento River. There we saw 2 blue herons and 3 river otters and many more hawks and smaller birds. It has been a great Christmas thus far but next year my Bro will be here to be mean to me and say, "bah humbug" and everything will feel perfect.

Happy Holidays to All!

And Then There Was Lilly...

2009-11-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

My brothers girlfriend, Eve, repeatedly asked me why I decided to finally visit my brother in Thailand. To which I would reply, "to meet Lilly of course." A highlight of my trip to Thailand other than seeing my brother was getting to meet Lilly for the first time. Lilly is Eve's daughter and the adorable girl that my brother is helping to raise. She is only 15 months old but is quite developed as far as her size and getting around capabilities. Due to her size Jeremy has dubbed her Lilly "Kong."

Her biggest trick is raising her hands high above her head when you ask, "where is Lilly?" This is followed by smiling for the camera, stacking blocks and doing a really cute dance. Oh, and she can say and wave bye bye. I had a great time hanging out with Lilly during my two weeks there and hope some day she will be able to come and visit me.

Krathongs... day two of Loy Krathong

2009-11-06T06:58:00.000-08:00

Besides the fireworks and floating lanterns (post to come) there is the making and floating of the Krathongs. I love this festival! Krathongs are made out of banana stalks, banana leaves, and flowers. With the addition of incense, candles and money if you're gonna do it the right way. These floating rafts are meant to float away and take with them all of your bad luck so that you can start anew. At the same time that you're sending off your bad luck you also pray to the river God and apologize for any pollution you may be creating.

Jeremy and I made our Krathongs at the guesthouse with help from Nuy. It's still hard for me to get used to the fact that orchids are abundant here and can be used for decorations. Almost every iced drink I've purchased here has been decorated with an orchid.

We floated our Krathongs rather fast as there were some young kids near us lighting off crazy fireworks. You can hear Jeremy saying "ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" in response. We actually ran away at the end to avoid a firework mishap.

I Survived...

2009-11-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to report that I'm still alive and well... probably even improved after last nights festivities. It is known by my friends that I do not enjoy fireworks. Come the 4th of July I like to grab my backpack and hightail it to the wilderness where the only things sparkling in the night sky are stars and planets.

The sound of fireworks have been fairly consistent around here for the last two days as anyone can buy them inexpensively and there is no social code as to when or where you should demonstrate your playing with fire and gunpowder capabilities. I kid you not when I say I have awoken to the sound of firecrackers both yesterday and today around 6am. Last night was THE night for fireworks of all kinds. And to get to where the most of the fireworks were being ignited I had to hop on my brothers motorcycle and drive the crazy streets of Chiang Mai to get to the river. The closer to the river we got the crazier it got. People, food, and fireworks surrounded my every step. Not a corner existed where one could hide and be safe from the noise, smells, and hazards flying through the air. As crazy as it was I was told by several people that this was the "mellow" part of the river and that everywhere else was 100 times more insane.

The faces of my brother and his friends Matt and David were filled with delight as they purchased 12 fireworks that looked like mini bombs for about $8. In the States people often buy illegal fireworks like bottle rockets. These were a entirely different level of illegal. These were a the small version what you see in professional fireworks displays. And they were awesome! Who knew I could enjoy fireworks so much? I witnessed more fireworks last night than I probably have in the entirety of my life.

Now while I couldn't let my sense of self preservation stop me from having fun, at the same time there was a constant need of awareness. It seemed many people had no idea how their fireworks worked. This led to a lot of running and dodging as things would go awry. And not only did you have to watch out for fireworks but also lanterns that people were releasing. If you release the lanterns too soon they will not float up and instead float right towards crowds and catch on fire. And then there are those people who attach fireworks to their lanterns and release them too soon. Use your imagination. Another sound of the night was from people screaming as they watched fireworks and lanterns go wrong. Fortunately I witnessed no major incidences.

This video is unfortunately shot sideways but shows lanterns floating in the sky, Krathongs floating in the river, fireworks zooming across the river and gives a sense of what it sounded like to be there.

Loy Krathong - Day One...

2009-11-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

November 1, 2009 is the first official day of Loy Krathong this year. The festival is centered around the full moon and is three days long. Yesterday morning was spent decorating the entrance to the guesthouse with flowers. Yesterday evening was the opening cereomy which included, fireworks, a parade, a beauty pageant, floating lanterns and a large and lively night market.

Everything here is decorated and I have a feeling it is rubbing off on me. I was not able to sit back and watch as people played with flowers... i couldn't resist jumping right in

even though I had no idea of what I was doing. The people here are so nice and layed back and welcomed my attempted help.

Later in then evening we walked to the city wall where the opening ceremonies were being held. Lighted paper lanterns hung above our heads and street food was abundant. A parade of beatiful traditional Thai culture passed down the street and we enjoyed sitting and watching as people sent paper lanterns up into the sky.

There was also a surprising fireworks show as seen in this video. The fireworks were actually being launched from about 100 feet away from us. Thank goodness they all went up into the air!

I still can't believe it...

2009-10-14T21:46:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Arcata since 2000. Since my arrival here I have met many wonderful people and have made many dear friends. During this time I have also said goodbye to too many friends. It seems an unbalanced trend in my life here in Arcata. People always moving on to better jobs and away from an expensive housing market. Well, this week marks the first time that a dear friend has returned. Tsky, A past roommate whom I've stayed in close contact with has returned. It feels like such a miracle that I keep pinching myself. Each time we see each other I can't get over the fact that if I want to I can see her tomorrow too. Or have her over next week. Unlike short visits over the past few years, I'm not preoccupied thinking about how sad I will be in a few hours to say goodbye and be separated by 7 hours of driving distance. THANK YOU UNIVERSE!!!!

Bountiful...

2009-08-15T19:54:00.001-07:00

For the first time in a long time I have wonderful garden space and I'm having a blast with it. It is such a pleasure to come home at the end of the work day and see what goodies there are in the garden to harvest for dinner> usually more than squirrel and I can manage eating on ourown.

For weeks the snow peas have been going off. I pick them almost daily and they're still out of hand. Then there are the zucchinis... I need not say how abundant they are. But my pride and joy right now are the french beans I've been harvesting from just the 3 bushes that came up by seed and the sunflowers that I planted by seed as well. With all the warm weather we've been enjoying the last two weeks our sun gold tomatoes are actually turning gold and I'm sure they will be out of hand in a week or two.

Even with our wonderful garden I still can't resist visiting the farmer's market on Saturdays. I was there at the very end of the market today and couldn't resist buying a lug of ripe, organic tomatoes for just $10. I plan on canning the majority of them and giving away any left overs. What a deal!

Just a few more Shasta shots...

2009-08-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

It was spring time up on the mountain with

the snow having melted and the wildflowers bursting.

And of course i can't leave out the foot photos.

More from Shasta...

2009-08-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

A pretty rock formation about 2/3 up.

Me climbing up of course.

This is Ed getting water from the mouth

of the spring at 5:30am before we began our ascent.

I call this the dragon tree.

This is just below the fresh water spring

where we drank straight from the mountain.

Check next to something that wasn't on the list...

2009-08-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

On July 31, 2009 I awoke at 5am to begin climbing Mt. Shasta in the hopes that I would reach the top at 14,162 feet. This climbing business was not my idea. The thought of me climbing Mt. Shasta had never occurred until Squirrel Meat got it in his head that he wanted to. So this is how it worked...

We hiked 2000 feet up to base camp, elevation 8,640 feet, right above tree line. Our camp had an incredible view of Mt. Shasta and was very near the best tasting spring water ever.

We were scheduled to get up at 3am to begin the ascent but with a failed alarm we didn't start hiking until 6am as the sun was rising. So there I was, hiking up a volcano at 6am in the morning.
My biggest fear was that I would get part way up the Mt. and not feel well due to altitude or find that I couldn't physically do it. I spent most of the day amazed that I actually was doing it and felt fine. Never out of breath and full of energy.

The climb really entailed a lot of focus and a lot of looking down as you had to be prepared to take your next step. The most tedious stretch took us 1.5 hours as we went up a slope of sand and small rocks (scree) where with each step up you would slide half a step back. This section took an incredible amount of upper body strength as you had to push yourself up with your poles to keep from sliding down. Our goal at that point was to get to mushroom rock at 12,800 ft (the orange rock).

After a break at mushroom rock we got to this horrible, horrible part with lots of larger rocks. The slope became much steeper and thus the rocks were unstable. This is where the self preservation thought became very strong as I nearly chose to stop. I would like to thank Mt. Shasta for not sending any large boulders clambering towards my soft head.

Once we got past the really scary stuff it was easy sailing across a small snow field and up to the top. To put things into perspective> base camp to the summit is the equivalent of 4.5 Empire State Buildings. Once making it to the top I was elated and overwhelmed. I think the adrenaline rush mixed with the high altitude got to me as I started feeling a bit light headed and nauseous. So we signed the register, took a few photos and started our descent.

Damn... this means that I had to go back down that really scary part that I never wanted to go up in the first place. It wasn't any easier going down. Every step created mini slides and I just hoped that they stayed mini and didn't loosen any of the larger boulders.

It took a total of 12 hours round trip. I was exhausted, happy, and not sure what to think when looking back up to the summit from base camp. I'm still not sure what to think about it.

A really BIG thanks to our team captain "Done That". Done That is an awesome friend from Arcata who has climbed Shasta several times before. His guidance was excellent and gave me the needed assurance that what we were doing wasn't completely crazy.

Would I do it again? Nope. Do I want to climb more mountains? Not really... it's just not my thing, but twist my arm. I had a great time and all, but I have a long list in need of checks that doesn't include climbing mountains.

summer mornings...

2009-07-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

My morning routine lately has been... how should I put it?> Awesome!

Get up.
Drink some water.
Brush my teeth.
Stretch.

And while still in my robe I grab a bowl and head into the garden. With the song birds keeping me company I wander between several Tay berry brambles and spend quite a while in the raspberry patch. After filling my bowl I eye the veggies making a mental note of what needs harvesting before heading inside.

It has been plain yogurt and berries for breakfast everyday with the left over berries for a snack in the afternoon. Berrylicious heaven!

Inspiration...

2009-06-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm on a David Brower kick again. I can always use a little inspiration and he delivers a lot. This is a interview I found on Youtube that is 12 minutes in length.

Strawberry Finale...

2009-06-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

After dancing at the revival Sunday morning at Strawberry, I spent the afternoon hiking to the Wapama Falls at Hetch Hetchy dam in Yosemite. Most of my knowledge of the Hetch Hetchy dam has come from researcing David Brower, one of my heroes, whose dieing wish was to remove the Hetch Hetchy dam and restore the valley. There is a great movement to do so with several organizations involved, including the group Restore Hetch Hetchy. Needless to say, I had a lot to ponder during this 5 mile hike.

With the previous weeks rainfall, followed by warm weather melting the High Sierra snow packs, the falls were going full force. We all got quite wet walking past and below the falls. Most people were somewhat screaming, including myself, as they ran past the falls. The screaming did not stem from the cold water drenching people but from the sense of power felt from the water rushing at you and the feeling that it just wasn't right to be standing next to and so close to that power.

Here is a video I took of one of the smaller spurts of the falls. This was the only fall tame enough for my camera to capture.

It was quite warm this day and we got thirsty on the way. (This one is for you bro)

Strawberry Part II...

2009-06-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Music in the morning and hiking in the afternoon.

Still Recovering from Strawberry...

2009-05-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

I attended my first Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite this past weekend. It was four days packed with live music, hiking, jamming and trying not to get sun burned.

It was a great work out overall. We did Michael Franti aerobics on Saturday night with all of his "let me see you jump." And, "now wave your hands. Jump. Let me hear you say woooo-oh. Now jump. Wave your hands. Shout. Jump! Jump! Wave! Jump!" Get the picture? Always a good time with Franti.

The next night we participated in Natalie McMaster-cise. With her lively fiddle playing and dance lesson there was no standing still. It was, "step - shuffle, step-shuffle, step-shuffle" for about an hour or so.

Arms and fingers were exercised at Jammin' 101, where musicians of all kinds and levels got together to play music. And our lungs were exercised as well from talking with many wonderful festival attendees, singing along with the bands and chatting it up in between.

Another group that was quite entertaining was Poor Man's Whiskey. A lively bunch of talented musicians. Here is a sample of a comedic song. It's in "ragtime" style and is about PMS.

Sunny Sunday...

2009-05-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Today there was a 20 piece band playing a benefit on the other side of the fence from my place in town. This meant a free show for me and Squirrel Meat who enjoyed the music while working in our garden. We also partook in some dancing as well.

Doubllium?...

2009-04-19T19:17:00.001-07:00

Hiking through the forest today at Grizzly Creek Squirrel Meat and I came across what we have dubbed a "doubllium" as pictured on the left. As you can see it has two leaves, two petals, two sepals and two anthers. Look at the photo two posts ago and you will see a trillium with three of all the above mentioned. The petals of trilliums (and doublliums) turn pink as they begin to die.

Ahhhhhhhhhh...

2009-04-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

Sunshine - Blue Skies - Slight Breeze - Calmness - Sweet Floral Smells - Bursting Blossoms

Spring is a funny time... I feel calm, relaxed and energized all at once. My mind often becomes entangled in confusion of whether to take a cat nap in the warm sun or get out in the garden and dig, dig, dig. I usually just try to fit it all in, but that gets difficult as my energized brain creates a longer and longer list of things "to do."

Today I started with a leisurely walk in the sunshine to redwood park . My mission was to find trilliums, and trilliums I did find!

A Visit from the Folks...

2009-04-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

My folks came to visit for two days mid-week this week. We had a great time site seeing while reminiscing about our summer trips to the coast back when I was a kid.

Thanks for the wonderful visit and come back soon!

Happy Sunday...

2009-03-08T21:29:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I have livied in Arcata for the past 9 years and have never made the trip to Strawberry Rock, near Trinidad. This is mostly due to the fact that there is a bit of bouldering involved with getting to the top. I don't mind the getting up part usually, but the getting down part is often a different story.

Thanks goodness the up and down were a breeze. During our hike up it was raining but clouds parted as we reached the tippy top to see the amazing Pacific Ocean in all its glory. By the time we got back to the trail head it was raining again.

2009 Rocks so far!

2009-01-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

So much! So much! The new year has really started with a bang. I moved. I'm painting my entire house. My brother visited from Thailand.

From Winter 09

Tsky came for a visit and then I went to San Jose for a wonderful baby shower for Birdi and then to Half Moon Bay to visit Fuego and her family, plus other Bay area friends that I adore.

From Winter 09

Fuego and family were wonderful hosts at HMB. Marie kept me entertained with walks to the beach, reading books, dancing and watching her messy style of eating. I also got to meet Antz for the first time. He's the baby hidden behind the blanket. To show his true love he spit up on me all weekend. And special props go to LongDistance Woman for spending all day Monday visiting. She is sooooo cool!!!

From Winter 09

Obama!

2009-01-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays

2008-12-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

Time in Chico with family, including my
brother visiting from Thailand. A great holiday!

Pumpkins HOOOOOOOOO...

2008-10-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

It was an overcast Sunday... drizzly at times. The kind of day where you could be content holed up inside with a book and a mug of tea. This lasted for awhile but the call of the great pumpkin could not be silenced.
Not only one great pumpkin was found but two!After the hard, long search we came home and treated ourselves to a mug of hot cocoa! This Sunday gets a check of approval... it even got a high-five.

a visit from Flat Stanley...

2008-10-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today Squirrel Meat and I took our friend, Flat Stanley, on a trip up the northcoast on Hwy 101. It was a beautiful fall day and if you found a protected spot from the wind, you could soak up the autumn sun for hours.The first super cool thing we all saw today were some Roosevelt Elk. A very large group of females, their youngsters and one BIG buck.

Next, we were off to see some big trees. The redwoods of course, and boy did we find some big ones. You could hardly even see Flat Stanley next to the tree. He seemed almost fairy sized compared to the towering giants.

On our way back we stopped for a little more sun at the beach. Flat Stanley took a liking to the sand. We had a hard time talking him into getting back into the car.

Thanks to Flat Stanley, Squirrel Meat and I had a great day on the northcoast! It was nice getting to know Flat Stanley and we wish him well on his journey back to New Jersey.

East Coast Family...

2008-09-25T21:32:00.001-07:00

I spent 2.5 days (not nearly long enough) with my east coast family in mid September. It was a great trip that I'll never forget. I learned so much about my family and at the same time myself. For instance, I now know where my big feet come from and that I should refer to them as "canoes."

The first day was spent at the Philadelphia Zoo with the kids. Their favorite animals were the pigeons. I really liked the polar bears and of course the big tortoises.

The next day we were off to NY City. It was actually 9/11 so there was a lot going on in the city. We walked a lot and saw a lot. I was overly stimulated by sites and sounds and was thankful to have my cousins and aunt to point out key features of the city.

But of course my favorite part of NY was actually Central Park. I felt at great peace the instant we walked down into the park. The street noise of cars and people was muffled and instead my ears tuned into abundant song birds and wildlife for entertainment.

The best part of this trip was simply getting to spend time with my family who were wonderful to me. I can't wait to return!

Winks...

2008-09-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

This is the bug. He is 2.5 years old.

Home sweet home...

2008-09-03T23:32:00.000-07:00

I got to spend a great 3.5 days in my hometown this past weekend. Plenty of time for a walk in Upper Bidwell Park (one of my favorite places on earth), hang with friends, and celebrate the 1 year birthday of Mr. Pumpkin. Not to mention lots of time spent with family.

Legendary...

2008-08-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

No Summer is complete in my book without a trip to the Trees of Mystery.

I have vivid memories as a child walking up to Paul and Babe in the parking lot and hearing Paul's deep, thundering voice, "I see a little girl in a red shirt." I look around for the girl in the red shirt. When I realize, uh-oh, I'm the girl in the red shirt! How can this giant statue guy see me and talk to me without moving his lips? I would hide behind my parents until we got inside. My parents would try to push me in front... trying to encourage my shyness to dissipate. It didn't work. Even with this somewhat scary/odd memory, I enjoy seeing Paul and Babe and his big blue balls.

My turn...

2008-07-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Northern California has been on fire for weeks now. The sunlight shining down through the smoky skies has shone orange daily And I live on the coast! I feel for all my friends and family inland that are dealing with temperatures over 100 degrees and much denser smoke. Some friends have been evacuated from their homes, but no losses have been had.

Last night was my first big scare with fire. I had enjoyed a leisurely Sunday of bike riding, thimble berry picking, and rock skipping on the Mad river with Squirrel Meat. Upon settling in for the night I noticed a small fire truck with flashing red lights speed up my road (a dead end road). Huh?... then another larger fire truck followed by a bulldozer. What is that? The sound of a helicopter, which upon looking up to the sky was carrying a water bucket.

A half mile up my road is timber property that is very dry. It was obvious that something major was going on. My roomies and I quickly got on the phone, as the helicopter continued passing back and forth, to get whatever information we could. We also opened a bottle of wine to calm ourselves down just a bit. We finally got a hold of a neighbor who was on his quad watching the action. It was a fire on the timber property and he was going to continue watching the progress and give us updates.

A few hours later we saw a fire truck leaving, then another. The sound of the helicopter just a memory. There was a calm in the air and we could now sleep.

(Photo shown is not from around these here parts)

My last trip to Chico...

2008-07-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

My last trip to Chico was actually in early June but it feels like months ago at this point.

It's so hard being away from my family and friends, especially the wee ones that are growing and changing so rapidly.

I do my best to stay in touch and take the wee ones to Bidwell Park each visit.

Pictured from top to bottom: Me and the Pumpkin, Jar and De-ja-de

Moved...

2008-06-13T13:05:00.001-07:00

After eight years of residing in a nice townhouse in Arcata I've relocated to a home that fulfills all that I've been looking for and then some. I now inhabit a home on 3.5 acres of land surrounded by redwoods. The property has a small stream, lots of garden area and even a tree house. There are 4 bunnies, a family of ducks, a black lab (Tonga), two cats (Benny and Lucky) and another mixed dog (Pippy) to keep me company. I'm excited each day to return home from work and smell the redwoods, pines, wet earth, sweet grass and roses.

2008-05-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

A fun art project from this winter.

Ready for some summer fun...

2008-05-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I awoke to the sound of songbirds outside my window (not an uncommon thing). The sun was shining and the day was warming early (somewhat uncommon for around these parts). I was full of energy (a new trend). And with my slipped disc back in place (the cheese back on my cracker) I decided to ride my bike to work (awesome with cows, pigs, baby ducks, green fields, the bay and purple lupines for entertainment).

Why so happy? Why so refreshed? I had turned in my final project for my final grad level class from a year ago (wasn't able to finish due to Mono). It wasn't easy to turn it in. Someone thought it would be funny to leave packages resembling bombs around campus so buildings were being evacuated, including the building in which my paper needed to go.

I entered the building, already empty except for a handful of profs. The bomb squad guy was firmly telling people to leave. With paper in hand I knew I could make it to the office for deposit. I couldn't fathom leaving campus without turning in this project that had been lingering in my head and into my days off for a year now. Bomb or no bomb this paper was done and I was turning it in or going down with it.

So, I'm now officially ABT (all but the thesis)...

Mulverized...

2008-04-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

A rockin' night I've had. Just moments before Peter Mulvey hit the stage in the small Arcata Playhouse, where I was seated in the 3rd row, a 5.2 earthquake hit. Now that's how to get a crowd excited. And being that I was already quite enthusiastic to see Peter for the 2nd time my heart was a-racin'. The show was fabulous and I got to speak with Peter after and discover he'll be back in November. Awesome!!!

Another Trinidad morning...

2008-03-24T07:20:00.001-07:00

After checking the paper to see if it was really Easter, EvaEverAfter and I did what had to be done, drove to Trinidad. It's pretty much been my Easter tradition since I moved here 8 years ago. Walking around Trinidad head we saw many signs of spring, including the perfect spring smell of sweet flowering plants, and warm salt spray. Bumblebees were buzzing about, hummingbirds squeaking, and plenty of songbirds singing their tunes. The ocean was calm with just the slightest of breeze in the air. Spring perfect!

Trillium!

We even saw the Easter Bunny!

Sunny Sunday Morning...

2008-03-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

Not much beats a sunny morning spent drinking coffee and exploring the many beaches around Trinidad. A common Sunday adventure.

human nest...

2008-03-03T21:08:00.001-08:00

So EvaEverAfter and I were brainstorming super duper unconventional things we'd like to have some day. I decided I wanted a human nest and this is what I found when I googled it. These hanging beds have a fitted memory foam mattress, and depending on their size can hold up to 6 people. Get more info and pictures here. If anyone would like to buy me one, please do so.

EvaEverAfter came up with wanting a bedroom that was all bed. I immediately conjured up images of jumping on the bed. It would be more a gymnasium than bedroom to me.

Sing us a Song...

2008-02-27T22:05:00.001-08:00

I just returned from seeing the one and only Billy Joel for the second time, and I have to say that Billy still rocks! I had a blast with Fuego and the Rev singing, dancing and yes, yelling my admiration for Billy Joel. Billy rocked the house for over two hours, ending the show with Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Only the Good Die Young and of course the Piano Man. The photo was taken with an iphone at the show from our amazingly close floor seats. Thank you Fuego and the Rev for the birthday/xmas billy joel ticket present!

I've been looking for the perfect YouTube video to capture the moment. The video below is pretty much my exact experience. It's as if the person next to me had taken it.
Notice: 1) Billy is a great pianist and would often be fiddling around on the keys and then just slip into a song. 2) As soon as he starts playing the Piano man the person taking the video starts swaying... this is something you have no control over, the song forces your body to react in this manner. 3) The girl singing along (we all did it), but it's so loud you can't even hear yourself... well, actually you can kind of hear yourself, and I'm pretty sure I sounded this bad.

The complete Set List
Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
Everybody Loves You Now
The Entertainer
The Ballad of Billy The Kid
Allentown
New York State of Mind
Zanzibar
Root Beer Rag
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
Don't Ask Me Why
Captain Jack
She's Always A Woman
Keeping The Faith
The River of Dreams
Highway To Hell
We Didn't Start The Fire
It's Still Rock and Roll To Me
You May Be Right
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Only The Good Die Young
Piano Man

Mendo heaven...

2008-02-20T21:37:00.001-08:00

Just returned from a weekend in Mendo with some of the loveliest people I know. When surrounded by such beauties as the Pumpkin (left) and De-ja-de and the Jar (right), how can one not bask in the joy of life? Couple that with plenty more good company, warm sunshine and good food and you have Mendo heaven.

It's snowing in Arcata....

2008-01-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

That's right... It's been snowing all afternoon!

Thai carrot soup = yum, yum, yummy...

2008-01-20T12:25:00.000-08:00

I like to cook with as much locally grown produce as possible. It's gets a little more difficult this time of the year. By now I've tired of winter squash recipes and kale and potatoes just lose their excitement. The other day while in the market I found a 5 pound bag of brilliantly orange carrots and made the purchase with soup in mind. I found the following recipe and whipped it up served with salad and bread. All enjoyed the flavorful soup that warmed us on a cold winters evening.

2 Tb butter
1 onion (i used red)
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 thumbs of ginger (minced)
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
2 lbs carrots (chopped)
1 jalapeno pepper
4 cups veggie broth
3 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
1 cup coconut milk
cilantro
chopped peanuts

- Melt butter in a soup pan and add onion, garlic and ginger (simmer 3 min.)
- Add coriander and cumin
- Add carrots, jalapeno pepper and broth. Cover and simmer 25 minutes.
- Add peanut butter.
- Process in food processor.
- Return to soup pan and stir in coconut milk.
- Put in serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and peanut bits

Wales...

2008-01-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

Want to see more of my trip? Go here. Click on "View as Slideshow" in upper right hand corner for a better look.

Yes, I had a wonderful time and great New Years in Wales! I went on many hikes around the country side and had fun exploring castles with Marmite as my tour guide. I ate Welsh cakes, pasties and plenty of bread, cheese and curry. I drank beer and cider in pubs and even indulged in real fish and chips. I learned how to pronounce "services" and "slow" in Welsh. No, I never had need to use these words but they were the most common on road signs and thus easy to learn. Best of all I survived the crazy roads and crazy drivers. I developed a strong liking for hedge rows but missed the California sun.

Sorry Wizard, I did not find Kathryn Zeta Jone's sister.

Happy Solstice...

2007-12-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken by Steven Vander Meer (25 second exposure ). He and his wife host a winter solstice party at their house on the bay every year.

It was a gorgeous evening of moonbows, homebrew, intentions, homemade soups & breads, and many good friends.

5 rainbows today...

2007-12-20T17:18:00.001-08:00

Today I saw rainbows that went from Humboldt Bay to the Pacific Ocean.
The ocean photo was taken from the roof of my office and the right was taken from my desk.

30 it is...

2007-12-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

I've never been one to be fearful of aging... but there was something different about turning 30. I still can't pin point what it was exactly but the word "uneasiness" might come somewhat close to explaining how I was feeling. Maybe it's just the paying attention of time and realizing it continues on whether you're ready for it to or not. I've sometimes taken issue with New Year's Eve for this very reason.

So, yes, the anticipation of turning 30 made me uneasy... However, when I awoke on my birthday I felt great. Being 30 is just dandy. I was even inspired to go for a morning run at the marsh.

To mark the special occasion I ate sushi (the real stuff), and followed the meal with some bowling with great friends. Fuego insisted I take a photo expressing how I feel about turning 30. I've posted a couple.

Check out how wasted I am... NOT! I'm just talented enough to look like I am. With age comes skills.

Thank you Universe... more please!

2007-12-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

As the Free Will Astrology guy says:

The Universe is conspiring to bring
you exactly what you want and to
fulfill your happiness (just get out
of the way and let it happen!)

Thoughts become things... choose
the good ones.

Parents, friends and babies oh my!

2007-11-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

A full week... It all started with two nights of couchsurfing followed by a trip to Chico to see the parents for TG. My friends Garnabus, Fuego, and their daughter EMj came for the day from Cow town. We spent the day hiking in upper bidwell park and returned to a wonderful feast prepared by my amazing parents.

The week also entailed getting to meet Twatter's baby boy, Pumpkin. Of course being the cool, psuedo hippie auntie-em that I am, I took Twatter and the pumpkin to the park too! Can't ever get enough of those beautiful oaks and sycamores.

I returned to my dwelling behind the redwood curtain to new friends, including Marmite. Marmite is responsible for the amazing seafood soup shown. Halibut, clams, shrimp with a yummy tomato sauce with veggies. To die for... really!

More photos of the week can be found here.

Couchsurfing...

2007-11-22T09:35:00.000-08:00

I was recently introduced to a new and rapidly growing online forum > www.couchsurfing.com by my friend Tree.

As my friend Fuego put it, "It's like Myspace for treehuggers." Basically, people of all ages all across the world have profiles similar to Myspace. The website offers you the opportunity to have someone "surf" your couch (stay at your place) or you could just offer to meet someone for a coffee or show them around your area. The website is set up to be as safe as possible with different levels of verifications and references shown on your profile.

Within a week of signing up I've had 5 requests to surf my couch. I just finished hosting two great people, one from South Africa and one from Wales. Since I don't have the time or money to travel right now it was great having cultures come to me. I never realized how little I know about Wales!

So far it's been an amazing experience!

Getting closer to home...

2007-11-18T17:15:00.000-08:00

I posted about my "return from mono land" a few months back when I was going through a massive increase in energy levels. It wasn't too long after that when I realized actually, I wasn't fully back.

It's amazing to think that my energy level is still increasing 8 months after having gotten sick. Even more incredible is how many times I truly believed, because I wanted to believe, that I was back to normal. When you start from ZERO energy every lit bit feels incredible.

I've been feeling great for the most part the last few months but every time I would really start to push myself both physically and mentally I would inevitably hit the wall and break down. The last couple of weeks have involved yet another massive spurt of energy and no walls have been met as of yet. I'm hopeful to begin training for the Spring Avenue of the Giants 1/2 marathon that I missed last year due to the need to sleep for 2 weeks straight.

With the increased energy I've also found an increased interest in dancing. This past week was "dance week" at my home with all the roomies involved. We attempted the C Walk, Justin Timberlake moves, our own specialty styles and even the Worm. I wish I had a video camera because I'd have you all rolling on the ground in serious "I can't breeth" laughing fits. Dance week also involved watching Save the Last Dance, Step Up, and Swing Kids.

New and exciting?...

2007-11-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

Pet peeve #1: Cigarette smokers that just toss their butts about.

Pet peeve #2: The increasingly popular greeting phrase "Anything new and exciting with you?"

As soon as I'm asked this my brain basically farts as it attempts to think of something "exciting" to share only to discover that, no, there's nothing new or exciting in my life. But that just doesn't feel like an appropriate answer. And realizing there is nothing new or exciting in my life is kind of depressing. > Not to say I'm down on life. I'm generally happy, excited to begin each day and am thankful for the life I lead.

But what happened to simply asking, "how are you?" Or, "how is life treating you these days?" These questions are open ended and offer the opportunity to share new and exciting elements of my life if I feel possessed to do so.

thesis week...

2007-11-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

Slurp... ahhhhhhhh (that's the sound of inhaling warm, strong coffee)

click click click click click click click click click (that's the sound of a busy keyboard)
click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click

Slurp... ahhhhhhhh

crunch... gulp... crunch crunch... gulp (that's the sound of snacking and drinking water)

click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click
Slurp... ahhhhhhhh Slurp... ahhhhhhhh Slurp... ahhhhhhhh

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... (that's the sound of frustration)

Sluuuuuuuuuuuurp... ahhhhhhhh Slurp... ahhhhhhhh Slurp... ahhhhhhhh
click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click
click click click click click click click click click

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... BANG... CRASH (the sound of quitting time)

Only two days left in thesis week...

accidental trick....

2007-10-31T17:40:00.001-07:00

Standing at ~4", what this pumpkin lacks in stature it makes up for in character.

the trick....
requesting a great Kris Delmhorst song on a local radio station today that happens to spout out the f-word several times. Whoops... the song was promptly shut down when the forsaid language was used. The bit I got to hear was still a treat.

Blow...

2007-10-22T08:03:00.001-07:00

Saturday night at College Cove in Trinidad. A mere 15 minutes from where I dwell. I've been spending a lot more time in this dramatic seascape lately.

Bagel Date #2...

2007-10-20T21:06:00.001-07:00

It's quickly becoming tradition to have Friday bagel dates with Mr. Plover and Rootcrop. Plover demonstrates the appropriate method of indulging in a Los Bagel.

After all the carb loading is over he hits the street full throttle. Pigeons beware. Mr. Plover will be exactly 3 yrs old next week.

Finally, I have an opinion...

2007-10-12T10:05:00.001-07:00

Flannel sheets make getting out of bed much more difficult in the morning.

smells like...

2007-10-04T19:22:00.001-07:00

Lately I've been enjoying weekly bike rides along narrow, country roads lined with Himalayan blackberry bushes. The fact that they are a non-native invasive species only makes the picking and eating of the berries more enjoyable. But that's not what I'm here to chat about. This is about the smell...

There is something quite intoxicating when while biking on a beautiful day I feel as though I have inhaled a blackberry crisp. As if I had ridden through a cloud of blackberry heaven. The intense smell of overripe berries baking in the sun is almost overwhelming and yet I can't seem to get enough.

Anyone else have a seasonal smell to share?

Motivation...

2007-09-22T13:08:00.001-07:00

Eva-ever-after and I walked down to the NorthCountry Fair and Farmers Market this morning. First stop was at Brio for crack coffee. All fueled we began our perusing. I'm a sucker for ceramics and came across an artist whose work I've admired for years. I thought of a great excuse to actually buy a piece this year. This is my new motivation. I'm only allowed to use the mug pictured to the left while working on my thesis.

I have to go where for work?

2007-09-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I was forced to go to the coastal town
of Mendocino for work related reasons. Yes, I was made to spend a day and a half walking around coastal prairie bluffs, coastal wetlands, beaches and worst of all I had to tour coastal dunes. As shown in the photo the weather was horrid.

I was stuck with a group of biologists and botanists who refused to stop discovering rare plants during the tour and wouldn't stop discussing coastal restoration issues.

When I finally had time to take a photo all of the European beachgrass in the background was dead due to restoration efforts. Uuggggghhh! Could my job get any worse?

More fuzzies...

2007-09-04T21:40:00.001-07:00

I found another caterpillar walking along the sidewalk near my office today. I looked up to find caterpillar heaven in a pine tree. Pictured on the left from top to bottom is some type of egg sac from which the babies are hatching. A baby caterpillar > even cuter than the adults. And finally, caterpillars creating cocoons. Hopefully I'll see some moths soon. A great day of discovery just outside my office.

As always, you can click on the pictures for a more in-depth look.

Douglas-fir tussock larva...

2007-08-22T10:49:00.001-07:00

Next on the list...

2007-08-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

Picture this: a small room filled to the brim with ~60 white chairs, south and west walls are full windows; the windows are overlooking coastal bluffs, a lazy ocean and a setting sun. (Photo on left is taken from just outside the room)

This was the setting of the Dar Williams concert I attended not 24 hours ago in Little River, CA. Intimate, beautiful and better than I had anticipated. Dar has been on my list of "must see before I die" musicians for years. She rarely tours, and if she does it's usually on the east coast. I by chance found out about this little show from Fuego. Thank you Fuego! Dar played two long sets, played every song I was hoping to hear, and delighted the crowd with her candor, wit and impressive knowledge of recycling.

After crossing Dar off the list I was unsure if there was anyone left. I've been blessed to see many talented performers (i.e. Billy Joel, Greg Brown, Kris Delmhorst, Peter Mulvey, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor). My brain blanked for a few minutes when Sara Harmer jumped into the lead. I was super close to seeing her last year but couldn't bear to fork out $30 bucks only to see her open for someone. Oh, and I still haven't seen Lyle Lovett.

A hidden bridge...

2007-08-12T15:19:00.001-07:00

Today I awoke to the warmth of the sun shining down upon the little town of Arcata. The air was still and blue skies stretched out to the coast. The perfect Sunday morning for a bike ride in the country.

I rode out to Bayside where I know of a covered bridge. The bridge is located on a dead end street and was a chance discovery about a year ago. The last two times I visited I witnessed a gray fox with her pups meandering about the stream below. Today I watched two young deer feeding and resting in a nearby field. I also found the plumpest of blackberries to give me a little sugar for the ride back home.

Tasty Math...

2007-08-09T12:11:00.001-07:00

+

=

Belief-O-Matic

2007-08-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is the second time I've taken the Belief-O-Matic test. This test consists of 20 questions that are supposed to determine what religion (if any) you practice. Based on your answers it ranks the religion you're most aligned with 1-27.

Last time Neo-Pagan was #1 on my list. This time it has slipped to #2. I didn't even know what a Neo-Pagan was and had to read up on it on the website. I take this test purely for entertainment value but there is actually a lot of interesting information about all different beliefs to be had at the website.

1.	New Age
2.	Neo-Pagan
3.	Mahayana Buddhism
4.	Taoism
5.	Unitarian Universalism
6.	Liberal Quakers
7.	Theravada Buddhism
8.	New Thought
9.	Scientology
10.	Hinduism
11.	Jainism
12.	Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist)
13.	Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants
14.	Secular Humanism
15.	Sikhism
16.	Orthodox Quaker
17.	Reform Judaism
18.	Bahá'í Faita>
19.	Nontheista>
20.	Orthodox Judaism
21.	Seventh Day Adventist
22.	Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant
23.	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)
24.	Islam
25.	Jehovah's Witness
26.	Eastern Orthodox
27.	Roman Catholic

Dinner is served...

2007-07-30T21:24:00.001-07:00

If only I could post the sumptuous aromas wafting up from these yummy, organic veggies...

Coffee inspires...

2007-07-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

I ran into an old buddy, Stevo, whom I used to work with way back during my days at Muddy Waters in the Depot at HSU. I remembered a poem he had written for me and a co-worker and had to dig it out for remembrance sake.

Juta + Emily

Held in slender hands
Steaming morning ritual
Bright smiles awaken
Returned by java ladies
Movements precise, perfect
Coy caffeine concert
Bright cheerful greetings
Enhance coffee's warmth
Making morning's tog
A little less gloomy

(October 19, 2000) >> Now that makes me feel old! I swear it was just yesterday.

Argiope aurentica

2007-07-27T11:51:00.001-07:00

While picking blackberries this morning I came across this beauty. This spider is commonly known as the Halloween spider because the females abdomen becomes large and bright in the fall. Not only is this a beautiful spider but her web design immaculate!

This particular spider was on her best behavior allowing time for a mini photo shoot and even letting me get my picture with her. What a wonderful way to start the day!

Click on photos for an up-close look!

Humboldt Bay Coastal Education Center & Reserve...

2007-07-22T18:53:00.001-07:00

Last week Friends of the Dunes went through escrow on 38 acres of dune property along with a bunker style house as seen in the top left corner of the photo. This means that I get to fulfill my dream of managing and restoring land (presently I work with land managers to restore their land). I spent all day walking around the property today getting to know the lay of the land and what plants are present where. I start writing the restoration management plan in August. A big endeavor that I can't wait to begin.

And while I'm bragging... this will be my third achieved dream job.
1) A park ranger / naturalist
2) Environmental Educator
3) Land Manager

#4?????? Well, if I set my goals high and far out of reach, cause I don't think I'll be striving for anything new for awhile, I'd have to say farmer. I've always felt a longing to live on some land outside of town working with my hands in the soil. I've even spent my vacations doing such a thing. However, I don't see #4 happening without striking rich first somehow or meeting the man of my dreams who just happens to be filthy rich and chooses to farm because it's his dream job. And because this is my dream, I think I'll really only want to farm part-time and on the side I'll have a pottery wheel and kiln to throw ceramics and sell them at the farmers market where I'll be selling my produce and popular watercolors. I'll also have the time to learn to use the loom a friend gave me years ago, knit wool sweaters, purchase a river kayak and use it, and lose my idiotic fear of bears. A gals allowed to dream...

One more...

2007-07-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

This is an addition to

Eight Things About Me: A Meme

As previously stated on June 14, 2007:
6. I quit volleyball my sophomore year in high school because I didn't want to wear the
butt-huggers.
7. I quit tennis my senior year cause I didn't want to wear a tennis skirt.

I just remembered that I also quit band in high school because I didn't want to wear the marching band uniform and look like a q-tip head. At my school if you were in band you had to be in the marching band. Whatever! When I gave up my drum sticks and flute I acquired an acoustic guitar and have been playing it ever since. Who ever said quitting can't be a positive thing?

two & three...

2007-07-16T20:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, number two was created on Friday on the Trinity River in Hoopa. I discovered it's much harder to do watercolors when it's hot out and my little pools of color would dry out before I could finish using them.
There's a grey blob in place of the river that I was too afraid to even attempt to paint.

Number three, "The Bee Hive Tree" was made while sitting at the Blue Lake Fiddle Festival yesterday.

First try...

2007-07-08T20:30:00.001-07:00

I just purchased this travel watercolor kit and took it on its first of many adventures. I went down the street to the community redwood forest to one of my favorite spots.

I'm quite excited about this new art form of combining my outdoor experiences not just in writing but now in color. So be prepared for more of these postcard sized watercolors.

Yum...

2007-07-07T18:00:00.001-07:00

Thimbleberry and native blackberry pickins from just up the street of my place. I think the rest of the neighbors think these red berries are poisonous or somethin cause they look at me like I'm crazy every time they see me munchin on em.

Out in public...

2007-07-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

I saw a notice in the paper promoting free Tai Chi on the Arcata Plaza before the farmers market last Saturday. I've been intrigued to participate in such a thing ever since I spent a morning watching a large group practicing in a downtown SF park a year ago. The only thing I had to fret about was the fact that it was happening in a very public place and I had no idea what I was doing. EvaEverAfter declined to join, not wanting to look silly in front of lots of people. Well me, coming into my wise age of not caring if people think me silly, decided to go for it. It would be an adventure for sure! I was really enjoying the practice when from out of nowhere a photographer from the newspaper was taking lots of photos. The focus of the photos being the dog, Ruby Mae, who was the most looked at participant that morning. YAY for dogs!

Summertime and the livin' is...

2007-06-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

After a long and yet very rewarding day of work at Friends of the Dunes 12th Annual Sand Sculpture Festival
I needed a day of R&R.

I spent the day at a friends property in Hoopa on Monday. I did summer things like weeding the garden, picking and eating cherries from the orchard, swimming in and napping next to the Trinity river and sharing stories with good friends over good food.

Most memorable part of the day? I discovered I like tuna fish sandwiches after all. Jeannine had made me one and not wanting to be rude I thanked her and took a bite. To my surprise I actually enjoyed it. Tuna wasn't even on the radar of foods I'm encouraging myself to like, but now I can take it off the very short dislikes list.

The red one....

2007-06-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

A 5.1 tonight... not bad.

Just a bit of door rattling to go with a gentle sway of the house. I thought it was the church across the street at first. My roomy EvaEverAfter had just finished explaining how earlier she thought a man was screaming angrily at someone outside. When she opened a window to hear better she found it was only the preacher doing his job.

My day...

2007-06-22T22:25:00.001-07:00

I started the day burning large piles of beachgrass at the Manila dunes this morning at 7am. Playing with fire is currently the best part of my job.

I ended the day back at the Manila dunes with my camera, some dark chocolate and a bit of wine to go with the sunset.

Life is good when you choose to return to your work site for leisure activities.

I give a hoot....

2007-06-19T16:59:00.001-07:00

I made one stop on my way home from Chico today and came across this Barred Owl. It was sunning itself on the side of a back country road. Upon my arrival it flew into a nearby tree and we curiously watched each other for quite some time.

FACT:
Barred Owl populations have expanded westward in the last century. The more aggressive Barred Owl may displace the endangered Spotted Owl. Hybrids of the two species are also known.

Father's Day...

2007-06-17T11:15:00.001-07:00

A super Father's Day. Out to breakfast and then a walk in the park that I thought of as my backyard playground growing up. Lots of butterflies, damselflies, beetles and acorn woodpeckers to keep me entertained and the best company to discover them with.

Eight Things About Me: A Meme

2007-06-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sarah tagged me

The rules:

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3.At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

OK, so here we go with eight things:

1. I'm addicted to weeding.
2. I don't have TV but I somehow was introduced to Grey's Anatomy and found I was unable to stop myself from watching every episode online. That was a tough one to admit.
3. My right armpit sweats more than my left.
4. I was seriously considering becoming a pastry chef but decided I didn't like the work hours.
5. You can't tell it by my blog but I love turtles.
6. I quit volleyball in high school because I didn't want to wear the butt-huggers.
7. I quit tennis my senior year cause I didn't want to wear a tennis skirt.
8. I now like to run because there is no fear of being forced to wear butt-huggers or skirts.

I don't like being tagged and thus the tag ends here.
Fuego was tagged too!