I love raw milk. By raw, I mean, straight from the cow, not pasteurized, not homogenized. I used to go every other week to a farm and regularly get milk for my family. The farm is far away though, and with gas prices being so high, I decided I really could not afford it. I pay $6 a gallon for the milk. I think this is actually quite reasonable. (When I buy milk in the store, I usually pay $6+ a gallon for the organic milk.)
My birthday was Monday and I decided as a birthday treat I would treat myself to milk. As a birthday present, KPOW even drove me and paid for the gas. This really was such a great treat. (Her car even has heated seats.) I had a nice visit, and a pleasant ride, and I GOT MILK! I got 6 gallons and 1 ½ are already gone.
The milk is from a Jersey cow and has a thick layer of heavy cream on top. I know it is the middle of winter freezing, but I have to take advantage of this thick luscious cream (and the farm fresh eggs I got there) to make ice cream. Here is my super simple (and healthy) vanilla ice cream recipe:
Vanilla:
3 egg yolks
1 T Vanilla
½ c Maple Syrup
1 c Whole Milk
2 C very thick cream (If not thick eliminate the milk and use 3 cups of cream)
Wisk the eggs, vanilla, and maple syrup together. In a large measuring cup mix the milk and cream until smooth. Add the cream mixture to the wisked ingredients and wisk again until well blended. Pour into your ice-cream maker and you are ready to go!
Chocolate Variation:
Add ¼ - ½ c of premium cocoa powder, and increase the maple Syrup to 2/3 cu if needed. Wisk in with the eggs Vanilla and maple syrup until smooth. Proceed with recipe!
Makes 1 – 1.5 qt of ice-cream.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, December 24, 2007
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." -Elf
As the days have gotten shorter, the darkness longer, I have been feeling increasingly stressed this holiday season. There is the usual stress of dealing with the commercialism and materialism of Christmas, planning and executing a huge gathering in a small house, and not being able to give as much as I’d like because I’m really broke. (Yes, this does seem to be a USUAL circumstance.) This year, there is the added stress of a Grandma’s illness, the dog’s illness, a broken car, and a broken relationship with my friend, T (recovering heroin addict, now on a month-long fix of methadone, benzos and alcohol). I have not been feeling very festive.
This week of solstice, I have had a few glimpses of light that have brought me cheer. It would make me really happy to share these little things, which have brightened my days.
One day I happened upon a local blog I had not visited. (OK, I was looking for a funny cat video.) There was an amazing painting that immediately captured my attention. http://lollygaggin.blogspot.com/ (Dec. 19 entry, I don't know how to link to it specifically). The power of art can be mysterious and wonderful. When I saw this painting, I felt a sense of joy. I have revisited the blog several times to view the painting.
Last night, I was traveling east on 474 getting ready to cross the river, when I saw four deer between the road and the trees. As soon as I said, “oh, look at those deer”. There were two more. And two more and two more, all the way to the bridge. What made the view more spectacular, was that the deer seemed to be in a spotlight from the bright and gorgeous full moon. I was mesmerized by the moon all the way home. It was glowing big and bright and kept being framed or obscured by moving clouds. Sometimes as the clouds would pass in front of it, they would be eerily transparent. I could see the different density?, thickness?, in different parts of the clouds. It was like looking at cloud X-rays.
The most surprising (to me) burst of joy, I experienced during my son’s band concert. The band was playing a holiday medley of songs and the program had the lyrics to carols. The audience was supposed to sing along with the band on the conductor’s cue. I am not Christian; I don’t feel any strong sense of Christmas tradition; My singing voice is about as atrocious as Jennifer’s; but as I was singing “Oh come let us adore him, oh come let us adore him, oh come let us adore hi ii im, Christ the Lord”, I felt a swelling a Christmas cheer. I sang loud and joyfully and really did feel a sense of peace and goodwill in my heart.
I have been trying to recapture that feeling all week, driving around, singing Christmas carols to myself, but apparently it is more effective when you are part of a crowd in the really cool new Five Points Community Center in Washington with an awesome High School Band playing back up music. But hopefully my spirits will improve soon. I can make it through (and hopefully enjoy) the next two days. Then I will look forward to New Year’s Eve (Little E’s birthday). And the days are lengthening and the light is returning. (In my head I have an ominous preacher voice saying “And in my spirit, so shall it be.”)
This week of solstice, I have had a few glimpses of light that have brought me cheer. It would make me really happy to share these little things, which have brightened my days.
One day I happened upon a local blog I had not visited. (OK, I was looking for a funny cat video.) There was an amazing painting that immediately captured my attention. http://lollygaggin.blogspot.com/ (Dec. 19 entry, I don't know how to link to it specifically). The power of art can be mysterious and wonderful. When I saw this painting, I felt a sense of joy. I have revisited the blog several times to view the painting.
Last night, I was traveling east on 474 getting ready to cross the river, when I saw four deer between the road and the trees. As soon as I said, “oh, look at those deer”. There were two more. And two more and two more, all the way to the bridge. What made the view more spectacular, was that the deer seemed to be in a spotlight from the bright and gorgeous full moon. I was mesmerized by the moon all the way home. It was glowing big and bright and kept being framed or obscured by moving clouds. Sometimes as the clouds would pass in front of it, they would be eerily transparent. I could see the different density?, thickness?, in different parts of the clouds. It was like looking at cloud X-rays.
The most surprising (to me) burst of joy, I experienced during my son’s band concert. The band was playing a holiday medley of songs and the program had the lyrics to carols. The audience was supposed to sing along with the band on the conductor’s cue. I am not Christian; I don’t feel any strong sense of Christmas tradition; My singing voice is about as atrocious as Jennifer’s; but as I was singing “Oh come let us adore him, oh come let us adore him, oh come let us adore hi ii im, Christ the Lord”, I felt a swelling a Christmas cheer. I sang loud and joyfully and really did feel a sense of peace and goodwill in my heart.
I have been trying to recapture that feeling all week, driving around, singing Christmas carols to myself, but apparently it is more effective when you are part of a crowd in the really cool new Five Points Community Center in Washington with an awesome High School Band playing back up music. But hopefully my spirits will improve soon. I can make it through (and hopefully enjoy) the next two days. Then I will look forward to New Year’s Eve (Little E’s birthday). And the days are lengthening and the light is returning. (In my head I have an ominous preacher voice saying “And in my spirit, so shall it be.”)
Monday, December 3, 2007
Living with Doobie (I wish that title was not misleading)
When I started caring for my grandma, I also started caring for my grandma’s dog, Doobie. (He was once my brother’s dog. My brother named him.) Doobie is a 14-year-old lhasa apso. I love animals in general, but I am not really fond of being around this dog. He smells bad and barks a lot and wants in and out all day long and recently, has been peeing on the carpet in Big E’s room every night.
The first time or two he had an accident on the carpet, I mentioned it to Grandma and she had some exaggerated emotional outbursts in which she would essentially cry because he would need to be put to sleep. I was really confused by this response and after a few hours had my own exaggerated emotional response, (the only time I ever remember swearing to my grandma), “I can’t believe you think I would value a fucking carpet more than an animal’s life”. She cried. I cried. We agreed to take him to the vet. This was over the summer. The vet talked about other things like his cough and skin condition and wanted her to spend a lot of money on X rays so he could prescribe a diuretic for the cough, which could make the peeing worse. At that time we decided against the X rays and ended up focusing on getting some medicine for his itchy skin. After that, I have not mentioned the peeing on the carpet again and figured when she and the dog move out of the room, we will just get new carpet.
Doobie was due for a distemper shot, so we took him to the vet on Friday. Doobie has cataracts, and according to the vet, can barely see. He has a “bad tooth”. He still has skin problems and a heart murmur and a cough that is due to a heart problem. I mentioned the accidents to her, and she said Doobie is so old, that he might have a form of dementia like human Alzheimer’s and not remember to go out to pee. This really stuck an emotional chord with me. She then talked us into getting the X rays and also testing his kidney function.
Grandma and I went to the waiting room, I and just felt so weighted down. I already feel overwhelmed caring for my ailing grandmother; I do not know how good I will be caring for her dog as well. I started seeping some tears, feeling sorry for myself and scared about what the future holds and how much stress I can handle.
After awhile, the vet called us back to look at the X rays and discuss the results. As she told us about Doobie’s congestive heart failure and early stage kidney failure, I just started crying. She kept telling me how sorry she was, but how Doobie can still have a decent quality of life for a while. In fact, with medication, he will probably be more comfortable than he has been for many months. I smiled and thanked her.
While we were waiting to get checked out a couple of the technicians came up and hugged me and the vet stepped out to tell me again how sorry she was. I didn’t tell them that I wasn’t crying for Doobie. I was really just crying for myself.
When we got in the car, Grandma started to cry a little too and said, “Well, Dinky sure has lived a long happy life, hasn’t he?”
The first time or two he had an accident on the carpet, I mentioned it to Grandma and she had some exaggerated emotional outbursts in which she would essentially cry because he would need to be put to sleep. I was really confused by this response and after a few hours had my own exaggerated emotional response, (the only time I ever remember swearing to my grandma), “I can’t believe you think I would value a fucking carpet more than an animal’s life”. She cried. I cried. We agreed to take him to the vet. This was over the summer. The vet talked about other things like his cough and skin condition and wanted her to spend a lot of money on X rays so he could prescribe a diuretic for the cough, which could make the peeing worse. At that time we decided against the X rays and ended up focusing on getting some medicine for his itchy skin. After that, I have not mentioned the peeing on the carpet again and figured when she and the dog move out of the room, we will just get new carpet.
Doobie was due for a distemper shot, so we took him to the vet on Friday. Doobie has cataracts, and according to the vet, can barely see. He has a “bad tooth”. He still has skin problems and a heart murmur and a cough that is due to a heart problem. I mentioned the accidents to her, and she said Doobie is so old, that he might have a form of dementia like human Alzheimer’s and not remember to go out to pee. This really stuck an emotional chord with me. She then talked us into getting the X rays and also testing his kidney function.
Grandma and I went to the waiting room, I and just felt so weighted down. I already feel overwhelmed caring for my ailing grandmother; I do not know how good I will be caring for her dog as well. I started seeping some tears, feeling sorry for myself and scared about what the future holds and how much stress I can handle.
After awhile, the vet called us back to look at the X rays and discuss the results. As she told us about Doobie’s congestive heart failure and early stage kidney failure, I just started crying. She kept telling me how sorry she was, but how Doobie can still have a decent quality of life for a while. In fact, with medication, he will probably be more comfortable than he has been for many months. I smiled and thanked her.
While we were waiting to get checked out a couple of the technicians came up and hugged me and the vet stepped out to tell me again how sorry she was. I didn’t tell them that I wasn’t crying for Doobie. I was really just crying for myself.
When we got in the car, Grandma started to cry a little too and said, “Well, Dinky sure has lived a long happy life, hasn’t he?”
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Times, they are a changin'
This morning, I was taking 14 year old Big E to school and having him summarize the scene of Romeo and Juliet he had to read for his English assignment. As he was finishing talking, we heard the “Dear Aspen” segment come on the radio station, http://www.1057thexrocks.com/. The question was something about a guy wanting to play with his girlfriend's “pooper” and wanting to know if he should ask permission or just give it a go. Aspen’s advice was to NOT ask permission, “just give it a little tickle”, and if she doesn’t seem to protest, it is OK to proceed. I felt compelled to disagree. I mean, I guess this might be OK advice for two adults who have been together awhile and have made it clear they are comfortable experimenting and know they will be open and honest about their likes and dislikes. But in general, I think it is best to get clear permission before touching any private areas of someone else’s body. I think this is especially good advice if you are directing it to the radio listening public, which may include teens or preteens. (That may be the target demographic for this station.)
So, not knowing if he had even listened to the segment, when it was over, I said, “I disagree.”
Big E- “About what?”
Me- “About her response to that question.”
Big E- Silence
Me- “Did you hear the question?”
Big E- “No”
Me – (willing to drop it, but worried that he DID hear the question but was too shy to say so) “Well, the guy was wanting to know if he should ask a woman’s permission before touching her anus.”
Big E- weird laugh
Me- “You definitely should ask permission.”
Big E- weird laugh
Me- (pulling up to the school)- “So, have a great day, honey!”
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving, Anniversary
For the past eight years, we have hosted our family thanksgiving dinner at our house. We have had anywhere from 20- 35 people over. It is always a great time, but it is a lot of work and a lot of money to host such a large gathering. Grandma usually takes sole responsibility for preparing the turkey downstairs. I usually do the side dishes upstairs. This year with her cognitive impairment, and the basement still being a wreck, it would not work to have grandma do the turkey. Besides being a vegetarian and not willing to prepare meat, I could not lift the turkey even if I was willing. I think Husband could do it, but in thinking of all the cleaning and shopping and work involved, I decided not to host this year. I feel a little guilty and will miss the connecting with my relatives whom I don’t get to see very often. But I feel like I need to take care of myself and take a break this year. By Christmas, I hope to feel up to having a full house of food and family again.
We decided to go to our church Thanksgiving potluck. The church provides turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes and everyone brings side dishes. I am going to bring twice baked sweet potatoes, which are more savory than sweet. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Twice-Baked-Sweet-Potatoes-With-Ricotta-Cheese/Detail.aspx I made these last week with a little less sage than the recipe called for and everyone here liked them a lot. I also had planned on making an agar agar fruit juice gel. I like agar agar, and it is so good for you. I have taken this to potlucks and dinner gatherings before and it doesn’t seem to be a wildly popular dish. I think I am still going to bring it, but jazz it up a bit, maybe take inspiration from a rainbow jello mold. I want to try to make it pretty and tasty. So this might take a few hours tonight.
Oh, and it is my anniversary today. Wedding anniversary, seventeen years. I still do not know if we are going to do anything. I would like to go eat at my work, but am really broke. If I did go there, I’d like to get a nice, overpriced bottle of wine and of course dessert. It would add up to more money than we should spend right now. My only other idea is to go to Sonic, which I really enjoy. Or go to the strip club, which we also enjoy, but also is expensive. I will see if Husband has any great romantic ideas (which can’t include sex because I am still under post-op no sex orders). Otherwise I am picturing eating a Super Sonic breakfast burrito, no meat, maybe having a couple of drinks at strip club, and spending a few hours making agar agar mold (that sounds gross, since in biology classes, they use agar to grow mold).
Well, I wanted to get writing again. I hope everyone is having a great holiday with good food, friends, and family. I am thankful for these things in my life, and for my loving husband who has put up with me for these seventeen years.
We decided to go to our church Thanksgiving potluck. The church provides turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes and everyone brings side dishes. I am going to bring twice baked sweet potatoes, which are more savory than sweet. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Twice-Baked-Sweet-Potatoes-With-Ricotta-Cheese/Detail.aspx I made these last week with a little less sage than the recipe called for and everyone here liked them a lot. I also had planned on making an agar agar fruit juice gel. I like agar agar, and it is so good for you. I have taken this to potlucks and dinner gatherings before and it doesn’t seem to be a wildly popular dish. I think I am still going to bring it, but jazz it up a bit, maybe take inspiration from a rainbow jello mold. I want to try to make it pretty and tasty. So this might take a few hours tonight.
Oh, and it is my anniversary today. Wedding anniversary, seventeen years. I still do not know if we are going to do anything. I would like to go eat at my work, but am really broke. If I did go there, I’d like to get a nice, overpriced bottle of wine and of course dessert. It would add up to more money than we should spend right now. My only other idea is to go to Sonic, which I really enjoy. Or go to the strip club, which we also enjoy, but also is expensive. I will see if Husband has any great romantic ideas (which can’t include sex because I am still under post-op no sex orders). Otherwise I am picturing eating a Super Sonic breakfast burrito, no meat, maybe having a couple of drinks at strip club, and spending a few hours making agar agar mold (that sounds gross, since in biology classes, they use agar to grow mold).
Well, I wanted to get writing again. I hope everyone is having a great holiday with good food, friends, and family. I am thankful for these things in my life, and for my loving husband who has put up with me for these seventeen years.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Recovering
Even though I was not looking forward to having surgery, I was kind of looking forward to the week off work. I was picturing relaxing and doing leisurely activities, while getting some things done that I enjoy, but sometimes feel I don’t have time to do. I bought two heads of organic cabbage to make sauerkraut and looked up recipes for homemade biscuits. I was going to read a couple books and have time to write lots of blog posts, maybe about making sauerkraut, drinking absinthe, and reading books. I am now realizing that maybe there is a reason they tell you to take a week off of work. I am sore and exhausted. My mind is too groggy to read a book, let alone post about it; and I don’t think I can bend down or lift the cabbage out of the vegetable drawer, let alone shred it up and beat it down into sauerkraut.
Surgery knocked me on my ass. And I have been sitting there since. One nice thing, though, has been receiving notes of care and concern from people at my church. I don’t actually attend church very often and many new people don’t even know who I am, but I posted a note to our message board, saying I was having surgery, and requesting people think healing thoughts for me. This is kind of like requesting prayer, except that many people at my non-dogmatic church do not pray (myself included). It was very heartwarming that about thirty people responded to me, sending me well wishes, and in some cases, actual prayers.
I really like the idea of being open about my wants and needs and feeling free to make requests from people whom I know care about me. This actually gives them the opportunity to give to me. This is part of the philosophy of Non-Violent Communication, http://www.cnvc.org/nvc.htm , which I am studying and trying to incorporate into my life. I do not have the mental strength to go into details about it right now, but it may be a common theme in my posts. I hope so. I almost feel sheepish about saying it, because sometimes I do not act consistently with this philosophy, but it is something I strive towards.
My brain and body are tired so I am off to rest.
Surgery knocked me on my ass. And I have been sitting there since. One nice thing, though, has been receiving notes of care and concern from people at my church. I don’t actually attend church very often and many new people don’t even know who I am, but I posted a note to our message board, saying I was having surgery, and requesting people think healing thoughts for me. This is kind of like requesting prayer, except that many people at my non-dogmatic church do not pray (myself included). It was very heartwarming that about thirty people responded to me, sending me well wishes, and in some cases, actual prayers.
I really like the idea of being open about my wants and needs and feeling free to make requests from people whom I know care about me. This actually gives them the opportunity to give to me. This is part of the philosophy of Non-Violent Communication, http://www.cnvc.org/nvc.htm , which I am studying and trying to incorporate into my life. I do not have the mental strength to go into details about it right now, but it may be a common theme in my posts. I hope so. I almost feel sheepish about saying it, because sometimes I do not act consistently with this philosophy, but it is something I strive towards.
My brain and body are tired so I am off to rest.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Chasing the green fairy
I haven’t caught her yet. I have had a fascination with absinthe for years. I was pleased to learn earlier this year that it is now (for the first time since 1912) being legally produced in America. I was even more pleased to see it listed in the UFS ad this Sunday. I made it a goal to finally try this drink very soon AND figured it would be an interesting blog topic. My plan was to, of course, write a review of Lucid absinthe http://www.drinklucid.com/ , but also include pictures of the traditional way to make an absinthe drink and the changes the green liquid undergoes. I would also include interesting historical and health-oriented facts about the drink. (I never embark upon a potentially hallucinogenic adventure without doing my research.)
I was slightly disappointed that absinthe was the topic of Stephen Colbert’s “The Word” last night. The word was Absinthetinence. http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=123820
Stephen Colbert is encouraging young people to abstain from imbibing absinthe. He seems to be perpetuating the myth that absinthe causes insanity, whereas, in reality, today’s legal absinthe is no more brain damaging than any other alcoholic drink. Also, if absinthe wasn’t gaining in popularity already, I bet everyone at Colbert Nation is out purchasing some right now. Soon, the web will be loaded with blog entries about absinthe, and I wanted to be one of the first (maybe around here at least) to try it/ write about it.
Oh well, review still to come. I am having surgery tomorrow, so I can’t drink alcohol for a couple days. I do not want to spend the money right now for an absinthe glass, or spoon, or fountain. So I will probably be using a snifter, a slotted spoon and a sports bottle. I will still be able to make a traditional louche. If you are not familiar with absinthe, don’t worry; I will give you all the details about this fascinating liqueur. My plan for later this week: recover from surgery with a bottle of absinthe.
I was slightly disappointed that absinthe was the topic of Stephen Colbert’s “The Word” last night. The word was Absinthetinence. http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=123820
Stephen Colbert is encouraging young people to abstain from imbibing absinthe. He seems to be perpetuating the myth that absinthe causes insanity, whereas, in reality, today’s legal absinthe is no more brain damaging than any other alcoholic drink. Also, if absinthe wasn’t gaining in popularity already, I bet everyone at Colbert Nation is out purchasing some right now. Soon, the web will be loaded with blog entries about absinthe, and I wanted to be one of the first (maybe around here at least) to try it/ write about it.
Oh well, review still to come. I am having surgery tomorrow, so I can’t drink alcohol for a couple days. I do not want to spend the money right now for an absinthe glass, or spoon, or fountain. So I will probably be using a snifter, a slotted spoon and a sports bottle. I will still be able to make a traditional louche. If you are not familiar with absinthe, don’t worry; I will give you all the details about this fascinating liqueur. My plan for later this week: recover from surgery with a bottle of absinthe.
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