Telling Our Stories

“When a community loses its memory, its members no longer know one another. How can they know one another if they have forgotten or never learned one another’s stories? If they do not know one another’s stories, how can they know whether or not to trust one another? People who do not trust one another do not help one another, and moreover, they fear one another.” (Wendell Berry, What Are People For)

 

Wendell Berry: Farmer, Writer, Academic - photo courtesy of thebridgepai.com

 

 

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Talking with Our Mouths Full

What a couple of weeks these have been! My middle guy just returned from a school trip. I was at a company meeting for three overnights. Upon returning home, my husband had an evening meeting and there was the annual dinner for our Economic Council. I hope it doesn’t sound like a complaint as we enjoy an abundant life but what do I really miss when our schedule fills up like this? Dinner time!

 

flickr.com/walkadog/3432071719

 

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Eggplant and the Five Freedoms

Eggplant is in season.  As a family that eats locally and seasonally that means that we must embrace eggplant. And while I really enjoy this dense meaty vegetable, I have a very hard time selling it at my dinner table.  This past week, my curry with eggplant had the guys leaving skid marks in the driveway on their way to In and Out Burger.

The Inspiration

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Tammy’s Top Ten (t3 report) Reasons to Become a Vegetarian

“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” Albert Einstein

 

flickr.com/photos/blatantnews/4013089449/

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If We Could Talk to the Animals

and the houseplants, just imagine it – chatting with a dracaena deremensis in dracaena deremensisese.  Ok, maybe that’s going a bit far but there is some compelling new research that supports becoming more friendly with the animals and the plants.

flickr.com/photos/royalty-free-images/139142408

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This is National Farmers Market Week

There is encouraging news coming from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Today we have 6,132 farmers markets. That’s a 16 % increase over 2009 and a marked increase since the USDA started tracking. The USDA has declared August 1-7 as National Farmers Market Week for 2010.

Olympia Farmers Market

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Tammy’s Top Ten (the t3 report) Reasons to join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture is a growing phenomena and if you haven’t guessed, I think that’s a good thing. And I’m tickled by the variations that I’m seeing.  ArizonaKnitter recently posted about the CSA that she joined which is focused on yarn and fiber. At one of my kid’s schools, they’ve embraced a slighty marked up CSA program as a weekly fundraiser.  But to what end? Why should you participate in Community Supported Agriculture?

 

flickr.cc.thebittenworld.smalleggplant

 

Here are my top ten reasons for joining a CSA:

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Confident Like a Man

I had a meeting about 90 days ago with a knowledgeable woman who specializes in placing people on Corporate Boards. She works with individuals to build their resumes, coaches them on the types of opportunities that would make them more attractive candidates and ultimately puts them in touch with the networks where Corporate Board of Director searches take place. It’s a fascinating field and a growing need as corporate America ages and the need for succession planning takes place at all levels. We had a great meeting and while I don’t see myself seeking a role on a Corporate Board in the short term, it’s an interesting long-term prospect. As we concluded our meeting, I asked her for a realistic assessment; In 5 – 10 years would I be a viable candidate for a Board of Directors? Her reply?

 

My Oldest Son shows off his feminine side

 

Yes, you can definitely be a strong candidate. You’re different from most women I meet. You’re confident like a man.

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The Gift of Feedback

It’s probably no surprise that my kitchen sports a healthy cookbook collection. I love the colorful images and flavorful descriptions. I have those specializing in regional cuisine (Louisiana, China the Beautiful, A Spanish Village), restaurant collections (Coyote Cafe, Greens, Manhattan Chili Company), food themes (Vegetarian Nights or Raw Food) and those describing individual specialty foods like Waffles, Pizza or Ice Cream.

Cookbook Corner in My Kitchen

I also have a pile of favorites stitched together by various school groups or women’s organizations such as Harstine Island Cooks or Seasoned with the Sun.  Today as I’m flipping through the pages of the Silver Palate Good Times, I’m smiling at the occasional kitchen splatter and the comments that I’ve scratched in the margins over the years. (more…)

5 in the morning

There’s no denying that I’m a morning person. I love to rise early and if I’m well rested, it’s easy to do. Waking before the sun. Sneaking into the kitchen. Turning on the espresso machine and lighting a candle. It’s one of the quiet times in our busy household. I can spend a few silent moments reading and remembering what I’m thankful for.  Or I can take a walk during the time when the sky is the most amazing. Those moments really ground me for the entire day and I’ve come to depend on them. When I skip my morning ritual, I really miss it and I feel out of sorts. It’s one more form of structured framework that I live within and benefit from.

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