When the Frost Hands you Lemons

Our winter has been unseasonably cold. In the beginning, DH hustled out each evening with drop cloth to protect our beautiful plants from the frost and now, we’ve thrown in the drop cloth so to speak. We’re patiently waiting for spring warmth to see what might emerge and recover from our brown and crispy landscape. At the same time, across town I did find a group however that was quite productive when they heard the frost was near.

Using Local Ag to Build Community and Microenterprise!

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And Then We Gave Thanks

There was nothing vegan about it. My boys planned the Thanksgiving menu. They took a somewhat traditional path; turkey, green chili cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry frappe, sweet potatoes, red cabbage and carrot salad, braised greens and pie. My husband took them shopping and I agreed to one convenience – the pies. I’ve never been much of a baker and with everything else I was asking them to do, ready-made pie might seem like a vacation.

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There’s No Inflation Unless You Eat

My brother in law is a cracker jack financial advisor who has been helping hundreds of fortunate clients manage the recession. The title of his blog this week was “No Inflation Unless You Eat“. Apparently, the Fed omits the price of food when calculating the Core CPI but as Jay points out, “most of us don’t live in a core world.” I can appreciate his issue with the numbers and the underlying increase in food costs but it also caused me to think about all sorts of food and income related issues.

Bloomberg Inflation Chart

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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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Bindweed, Creeping Spurge and Crabgrass

“I can see white flowers blooming on the tops of the evergreens.”

The observation came from my 92 year old Grandmother. Last weekend was my turn to visit her as I attempt to do with some regularity despite the 800 miles between us.  It’s a wonderful bonding experience and I try to accomplish a few chores like cleaning a closet shelf that’s hard for her to reach or stocking up on grocery items. Friday night when my son and I arrived, she greeted us with fresh sweet corn and Colorado’s Palisade peaches.

flickr cc Muffet

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It’s Only Funny Until Someone Gets Hurt

With the ever expanding plethora of iphone apps, my kids are often downloading something. There are some very useful things like the app that adds a tip and splits the check by 33 diners and very cool things like the ocarina. Recently, they stumbled upon fatbooth. It allows one to take an ordinary mug short and add weight to it and I must say, the finished product is quite believable.

 

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Weekend Food and Fun Photos

Wordless Wednesday at Duke

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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