Home Sweet Orange

fennel marmalade and coleslaw

2012-02-14T11:33:00.001-08:00

Now a traditional New Orleans Po' Boy has some kind of meat and is served on a baguette. The women of Hearty Vegan Meals created one with a fried sweet potato layer, crusted with cornflakes and other interesting things, which sounds kind of irresistible, but I was seeking more simplicity. The sammy you see here has beautiful thick slices of baked butternut squash on sprouted grain bread (to up

lemon in its many forms

2012-01-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

Kwan Yin (the bodhisattva of great compassion) sits peacefully under the Lemon Grass in our garden. At our house Lemon Grass goes into Thai green curry and Tom Kha soup. I understand it can also be cleansing and a very effective anti-inflammatory tea. Applied externally, it's a natural insect repellent, and was a good friend to me in Vietnam. This Lemon Grass lip balm was made (in a bottle

hearty vegan meals

2012-01-23T18:05:00.000-08:00

Suzie's Farm delivers greens galore every week, and has stocked our cabinet with a subtle rainbow of dried beans and winter squash. Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites has been a terrific resource for rounding up ideas for squash and beans and fresh greens, plus herbs and peppers from our own backyard garden. This Chocolate Stout Chili layers on complex flavors topped with Smoky Creamy

get involved with your food

2012-01-16T17:01:00.001-08:00

I keep going deeper into DIY territory food-wise. Everything is fresher and there's no packaging, plus it is an awesome feeling to be intimately involved with my nourishment. A Grist article by Jane Mountain lit a fire under me last week! It's all about five packaged foods you never need to buy again, starting with soup stock. I'm aware of the unhealthy BPA linings in many canned foods, so I

giving stuff away

2011-12-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

The Really, Really Free Market is happening this Sunday in University Heights. We're piling stuff up on the front porch and renting a car for the weekend, so we can give stuff away! Well, we also have a holiday party or two and a couple of choir performances, but having a car will let us unload a lot more stuff on Sunday.The market always motivates us. My husband put a dresser out on the

folk song circle

2011-11-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

The Mission Hills Artists created a beautiful holiday event this year! It's not even Thanksgiving yet I am so grateful for the opportunity to explore musical expression in this community of fine artists, craftspeople and musicians. The local song circle gathered in the afternoon for a sing-along and Tony's wife was kind enough to capture a tune on video. << Click on the link (in blue) to roll

studio site

2011-10-26T20:16:00.001-07:00

Hello! If you've ended up here in an attempt to get over to the Sweet Orange Studio website to hear voice demo tracks, I hope you'll enjoy this temporary diversion. We had ethical differences with our website company and it was time to renew, so we've pointed you to this blog for now, while we whip up an interesting new business site. You can drop us a line at sweetorangestudio at gmail to

like you wrote it

2011-10-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Playing and singing with Mara Cooper at Radiance Yoga last week was great fun. She has this powerful classically trained voice and can really rock a Joni Mitchell song! I may follow her lead and try singing "Carey" for my final song in voice class this term. It'll definitely expand my range."Know it like you wrote it" says Dr. Chagnon. Know it like you wrote it. Fabulous advice for any

moments of joy

2011-09-28T12:54:00.001-07:00

1. flying down Presidio hill on my bike2. practicing yoga that connects me deeply to Mother Earth3. meaningful work for a new client4. becoming a neighborhood CSA hub for Suzie's Farm5. hearing about a childhood friend's aspiration to become a priest6. seeing the return of Barn Owls to our canyon

small beginning

2011-09-26T13:05:00.001-07:00

In July, this groundbreaking performance with the Mission Hills Artists was the first time I played and sang for an audience. Making music is a really interesting process. Once I have the words down, plus whatever instrument I might be adding in for texture, it's all about telling a story. I have an enormous amount of freedom to explore because my husband is carrying the melody, and he's

jardin de la vida

2011-09-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

Venture over to the Sophia Circle for my guest post on the La Maestra garden today. My, how it has grown!

BBQ tempeh

2011-09-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Vida Vegan Con in Portland was in a word, fantastic! I came home a more committed vegan, a better writer, and a slightly better photographer. I'm still a work in progress.The Vegan Vagrant created a great photo gallery of the abundant buffet tables, with meal-after-meal of vibrant dishes, coordinated by the dynamic organizing team: Jess, Janessa and Michele.Tempeh has been a bit of a digestive

cactus blooming this morning...

2011-09-03T11:21:00.001-07:00

There's a whole miniature world inside.

eating with your hands

2011-08-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

In Portland I was a regular at Queen of Sheba, a perennial favorite for authentic Ethiopian ginger juice and shared plates of goodness. Here in the University Heights neighborhood of San Diego, Muzita Abyssinian Bistro has mastered a tangy, spongy injera and irresistible Eritrean-style seasoned ground chickpeas. The Kantisha Kilwa veggies can be made vegan on request. Owner Abel's smile (

little dogs everywhere

2011-08-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was working in the studio and I heard birdsong outside. In that moment, without a doubt, it was the voice of my beloved Cocker Spaniel, Byron, who came into my life 25 years ago in cardboard box, with a quart of fresh goat's milk and a red ribbon around his neck! He was the sweetest and most loyal friend ever, and he liked playing in the snow.So I'm thinking that either he's been

summer afternoon

2011-07-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language.- Henry James

handmade tortillas

2011-06-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

I made my first flour tortilla at the Tecate Community Museum opening event in Baja a couple of weeks ago. Thank goodness a friend captured this shot, because my pictures of the cast iron stove and the kind woman who taught me how to stretch the dough, are locked up in our camera and may never be recovered. (I was taking pictures of the family of black phoebes doing test flights in our garden,

ozark foothills

2011-05-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

We started our week in Arkansas by sitting with the Dalai Lama in Fayetteville, and ended with an amazing weekend of creativity and music-making at Wattle Hollow in West Fork, where this stunning poppy opened on our last day of retreat. Along with my talented husband, Donna from Still on the Hill is my new music muse, so creative and connected to the Earth and all her beings! She reminded me

vegan bloggers confab

2011-05-05T16:00:00.001-07:00

I discovered an awesome vegan foodie conference in my beloved Portland, at my alma mater PSU, in August (the best month to be in Portland) just as it sold out! This is wonderful news for the Northwest and for the vegan food world, not such great news for me. Terry Hope Romero and Isa Chandra Moskowitz will be there!There seem to be two creative ways to slide into this weekend of cool classes.

"fish" and chips

2011-02-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

At our house, when my husband slathers red miso on the tofu and begins the process of making tofu cheese, it's the beginning of a string of favorite meals! The tofu cheese itself is a fermented wonder, tasting a lot like feta, and it's great crumbled over salad or as a veggie sandwich spread.Here's where I come in. I slice the tofu cheese into sticks, dress them up with a spicy breading and

blueberry muffins

2011-02-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Like every recipe I've tried from the Babycakes NYC cookbook, I am completely pleased with these muffins! Along with pumpkin spice muffins and spelt biscuits, this is one of my new go-to recipes. I made a couple of minor substitutions, like homemade almond milk in place of rice milk, and the zest and a teaspoon of juice from a Meyer lemon in place of lemon extract, and I used less salt. Here's

perfect spot

2011-02-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

a hummingbird nests,tucked safely under the eave --spring is near

circles of light

2011-02-10T14:10:00.001-08:00

Head on over to the brightly shining Sophia Circle for news of our recent gift to Mother India.

san diego getaway

2011-02-07T14:47:00.001-08:00

Portland friends Holiday and Don came for a weekend visit. On a sunny Saturday, we did yoga with Bhava at Ginseng, picked up some Rooibos Chai (with lots of cardamom) and Moroccan Spice chocolate from Eclipse at Halcyon Tea in South Park, and later walked along Moonlight Beach in Encinitas after a terrific lunch at Lotus Cafe. One enormous vegan cupcake cut into quarters was just right for

she likes to draw

2011-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

I'm a student of graphic design, exploring the edges of creative freelancing. ["Freelance Dance" postcard from Carolyn Sewell's awesome collection Postcards to my Parents.]It's the first week of a new college term and I'm always up for learning something new. When I landed in my first graphic design course on Tuesday, I had a super-grounded feeling. Like when this little girl said she wanted

sweet oranges

2011-01-22T15:56:00.001-08:00

From John McPhee, I learned that the word 'orange' evolved from Sanskrit. "The Chinese word for orange ... is jyu, but it did not migrate with the fruit ... The Hindus called an orange naranja, the first syllable of which, according to Tolkowsky, was a prefix meaning fragrance. This became the Persian naranj, a word the Muslims carried through the Mediterranean. In Byzantium, an orange was

infinity

2011-01-18T14:21:00.000-08:00

The other day I dreamed that I made a flagstone infinity sign connecting our two small apple trees. Who am I to question important messages that come through the dream state? I went out and did it. Maybe I should meditate right there in the center.

saul david raye

2011-01-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

Saul David Raye led an afternoon of yoga, and an evening of kirtan with Ram Dass and at Studio Maui in Haiku. He suggested kneeling to touch the Earth and to connect our hearts with the heart of Mother Earth. It reminded me of a gathering of friends where Laura suggested that because Amanda had hooked her light to Divine Light, she was eternal and invincible, and when Saul spoke these words

down to kihei

2010-12-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

There's so much to share about our recent trip to Maui, that I'm going just keep posting segments until I feel complete. I hope you enjoy the slow journey around the island with me.On anniversary Wednesday, my horoscope in the Honolulu Star-Adviser said "The world is your oyster." The exact words my high school counselor, Mr. Bononi, used when we were reviewing my aptitude tests. I could have

haiku in haiku

2010-12-03T15:03:00.000-08:00

One morning on our way to Kahului by car, a big vibrant rainbow appeared off to the right, then it split into a double rainbow, and as we drove, we passed between the two arcs. I didn't have my camera but I did have my notebook...tropical highwaybends between surreal rainbowssacred mountain breathes

coconut heaven

2010-11-12T14:04:00.001-08:00

With a little help from Matt, we discovered Coconut Glen's at mile marker 27 on the Hana Hwy: Coconut-based ice cream at the friendliest little shack on the island.The incomparable Glen was on hand for this photo op. His chocolate chili chipotle flavor is incredible! You really have to taste it to believe it.The lovely Joei served up local passionfruit (Lilikoi) flavor in a coconut half with a

island anniversary

2010-11-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

Celebrating our anniversary in Hawaii was restorative. Our first couple of days we laid low, checking out Haiku and Paia, and walking in the rain. There are quite a few sacred sites on the island. Ram Dass was taking people to see all of them. We visited this Tibetan stupa on our anniversary, and did a clockwise rotation to set positive intentions for our next blissful year.Vietnamese dinner

discovering maui

2010-11-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

What is it about mountains that feel so sacred? Is it that they're reaching for Heaven? We just returned from a beautiful week on Maui, the Hawaiian island formed by Haleakala. We discovered tropical beauty along the Hana Highway, and the mellow, welcoming spirit of Haiku.The road to Hana takes you right through the middle of lush rain forest. You can see how the road cuts along the green in

before and after

2010-10-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

The breakfast nook was one of our first house projects when I arrived a few years ago. This is the "after" shot.We removed the built in benches (out of sight in this picture) and installed a breakfast counter overlooking the canyon. Our contractor discovered that the hardwood under the linoleum tiles was in great shape, so we had it restored. There is so much warm wood in this old Craftsman

morning greens

2010-10-08T10:24:00.001-07:00

Baby bok choy, plus cabbage, beets, onions, tatsoi, kale, spinach and peas are all loving the greenhouse conditions, as the sun returns after a couple of rainy days.Doesn't the Sweet Orange Studio look great this morning in our new colors? I'll have to post a "before" picture soon, to give you the full impact of this change.And speaking of oranges, how about this enthusiastic bunch of tangerines

here comes the sun

2010-10-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

Solar panels are being installed next door! It's so fantastic to see people wanting to use easily available, truly renewable energy. I'm going to do a happy dance...

acting again

2010-09-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Our first rehearsal for Penelope's Daughter was this morning. The author, Laurel Corona, is fantastic, as is the director, Katie Rodda! And Casey and Sonia who will share the stage with me are awesome too. It felt really good to be blocking and reviewing lines.We'll be kicking off the San Diego City College International Book Fair. This literary event is a multi-media extravaganza, with Greek

hedgehog potatoes

2010-08-31T14:38:00.000-07:00

The potato harvest was smallish, so I decided to make them special. From Super Natural Cooking, I modified the recipe for Baked Purple Hedgehog Potatoes, starting with the obvious fact that these potatoes are not purple.Harissa is a hot chili condiment in a base of carrot and beet. It's been waiting on the shelf since I brought it home from Northpark Produce, for the day the potatoes were

house of olive

2010-08-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

My view from the Sweet Orange Studio is warming up. I have been thinking of these colors as green olive, espresso, and cherry tomato. They could also be picholine, kalamata, and pimiento... the House of Olive!I removed the crusty old screens and washed those bedroom windows beyond the umbrella, vacuumed the sills, and cleaned the glass with vinegar/water inside and out. Our bedroom has gone

la maestra urban garden

2010-08-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

This is Irma. She is transforming a city lot into an urban gardening space for people in the City Heights community of San Diego.La Maestra (which means "the teacher") is doing so many good things for the community, that I won't list them all here, but you can learn more at their website. A beautifully designed new LEED certified building is at the heart of their operation.And just down the

corn

2010-08-22T14:18:00.001-07:00

We grew a small cornfield of "Luscious" this year.Here's a hopeful sprout on June 3.Looking pretty hardy on June 13. How he's grown in just 10 days!By July 27 they're all looking strong. Same view, longer shot.Organic growing results: One-third to the worms, two-thirds to us.

where did July go?

2010-08-05T08:53:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to remind myself to write a bit. I've been working on some new projects and investing far too much energy in Facebook. Today I revisited some of my favorite blogs here, here and here. Everything in my body is happier with these slower paced one-on-one connections, even in cyberspace.

giving birth to a dancing star

2010-07-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

One must have chaos in oneself in orderto give birth to a dancing star.[Friedrich Nietzsche]Learning permaculture protocols for designing human settlements is broad and all-encompassing, and simple as well. I'm unlearning a lot of my old favorite gardening techniques that have created visual peace and order, and embracing more natural patterns and techniques that actually open up more productive

DIY shampoo

2010-07-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

Aveda products have been a beauty and aromatherapy staple for me since my days at Deja Shoe. Our two companies were often at the same environmental events, and when I had a staggering fourteen Earth Day events under my umbrella in 1994, the Aveda people eased me into life back home with a few days of retreat at their wonderful spa in Osceola, Wisconsin. The nostalgic scent of "shampure"

fruitful time

2010-06-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

Our fig tree survived transplanting beautifully into it's gorgeous new pot. It has 20 figlets showing and no signs of distress. How sweet would it be to have a crop this year?After a meeting with the California Rare Fruit Growers, and inspired by our friend Mary, we went shopping for blueberries. It's a bit off season but we were confident in choosing Misty, a vigorous grower with low chilling

garden house call

2010-06-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

Tao is Laura's sweet kitty. She was found wandering as a tiny kitten and has found a home with Laura and her family in Point Loma. Tao watched over us as we did some planting last week, after centering ourselves with meditation and a delicious cup of chai.The Tiki garden has some herbs taking hold and a healthy planting of pumpkins starting to run.Cosmos are showing their bright faces.We found

japanese moment

2010-06-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

With dewdrops drippingI wish somehow I could washthis perishing world[Basho]Today this haiku from Basho moved me. It seems that working with the soil, growing a beautiful Japanese eggplant is a way to "wash this perishing world." A concrete action to reconnect and to cultivate a caring mind. Shining purple blossom with proud yellow center, dark stems against lush green... even before the fruit

coconut bliss

2010-06-13T19:36:00.001-07:00

Locally grown Meyer Lemon (from Steve's garden) was the first ice cream I made in our new Donvier hand-crank freezer. It's wonderfully simple to operate, and makes just one pint, which seems to be perfect for us. The second experiment was with juicy organic strawberries. I added in strawberry pieces at the end, but they made little frozen chunks and didn't add anything, so I'll blend them all

permaculture design

2010-06-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

Ah Larry Santoyo, I am so looking forward to sharing ideas with you and the community of So Cal Permaculturists meeting in Orange County for the next six months. (Thank you to Toby Hemenway for the referral.)Ecological and Economical Design by Larry SantoyoImagine living in a place that is blended into the natural environment. Your home is not only naturally heated and cooled, but is elegant and

portland rocks!

2010-06-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

My former home still holds a very special place in my heart, because it encourages the very best in me. Portland has been the nurturing nest for my yoga and meditation practices, organic community farming, car-free lifestyle, and cultivating my most compassionate self. Portland is still home to many of my dearest friends. Portland has some of the best independent and creative minds wandering

planting potatoes

2010-06-03T18:19:00.001-07:00

In a deep trench layered with seaweed, gypsum and our rich kitchen compost, I planted a row of Yukon Gold potatoes. I cut the sections smallish (watching for at least one eye per chunk) because they'll produce new potatoes faster if they have less "food" from the original potato. This year's potatoes will appear between the seed potato down below and the green growth up above, so it is

the solution comes up every day

2010-06-01T21:30:00.001-07:00

One day Candy and Jeff went up on the roof to think about the best way to capture rainwater and to see if the solar panels were clean. We have an array of 20 panels that my husband installed for $15,000. After a $4000 rebate and nearly 10 years of being fully solar-powered, we're feeling pretty happy about our return on investment. We wash them once in awhile and top up the water in the

daily harvest

2010-05-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

The garden is starting to pop, and every day there are some juicy summer vegetables to bring in for dinner! Today it's tomato and green beans, and some tender mesclun for the salad. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

starts for amanda

2010-05-28T16:01:00.001-07:00

Today I visited the adorable Southpark cottage my friend Amanda has just moved into with her husband Seth, to help decide where her new vegetable bed will go. I've potted up some starts for her: heirloom tomato, japanese eggplant, and some herbs and flowers. It's an immense joy to be supporting Mother Earth in this way! My inspiration is coming from San Diego Roots and their Victory Gardens

emma's child

2010-05-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our final performance in Katie Rodda's acting class was Thursday. Here we are on the Saville Theater stage as Jean and Henry, working through some very challenging adoption details, in a scene from Emma's Child. That's me clutching a teddy bear and Jeff clutching his head. Really, sometimes I'm so unreasonable!

garden capers

2010-05-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

Kentucky Wonder pole beans have always performed well for me. My old tennis partner, Hal, used to say "you can pull up a chair and watch them grow!"We have crazy nasturtium vines (also known as "indian cress") everywhere, so I'm trying a pickling experiment with the still-green seeds. They'll sit for 24-hours in salt brine (big batch) and another 24-hours in fresh water (small batch), and then

hummingbird blessing

2010-05-17T11:08:00.001-07:00

A hummingbird came to visit me in the garden today. He swept in so close to my left ear that I thought he might check it for nectar. He swung around to the right and hovered under the brim of my garden hat and beat his little wings furiously while he looked directly into my face. My heart jumped but I stayed very still, to fully receive his blessing. The alstromerias were calling just beyond

seeds for annaka

2010-05-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm gathering some Russian Giant sunflower seeds for Annaka today, and a few Cosmos, and Nasturtium seeds too. We have so many of the striped sunflower seeds that I've been planting them in thick rows to harvest for salad sprouts. A few of them will be strategically saved to tower over the garden, but most will be cut young and lively for the kitchen.Annaka is from the Northwest too. I'm

lovely amaranth

2010-05-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

I grow Amaranth because it's beautiful in the garden, and undemanding. Amaranth rivals soy in protein content and provides essential amino acids. My seed is from the organic garden of Paul Maschka. It was one of the staple foodstuffs of the Incas, and it is known as kiwicha in the Andes today. It was also used by the ancient Aztecs, who called it huautli, and other Native America peoples in

may day!

2010-05-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

May Day is all about flowers for me, and new spring growth! May poles and hit-and-run nosegays on your doorstep, and a humble cactus overwhelming you with a gorgeous abundance of blossoms.You can barely see them, but look close... there are two cilantro seeds emerging... and just this morning... one tiny rosa bianca eggplant. (Upper right-hand corner.) The peach tree is loaded.The more I learn

awesome

2010-03-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

We performed our second monologue in Theater class and my husband was played a very convincing (and gritty) Film Noir character, with a meditation bell cigar! Now we're on Spring Break at Mission Beach... gathering ideas for our post-Easter performances.I'm loving all this time with our twenty-year-old friends, watching them gain confidence and opening up to new things. They are awesome!

happy volunteers

2010-03-13T15:54:00.001-08:00

After the rains, we have nasturtiums growing as big as your hand! And a happy dill and cosmos partnership is happening in the north bed... With one trip into nature, I am restored.

it comes in waves

2010-03-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Every day is an adventure this year. One day it's perfect laid-back happiness (as usual) and the next I'm hammering out a big recording project or building relationships with email marketing and I hit the pillow with puffy eyes. So many good and interesting possibilities to explore...What I really want is to get back to this blog and to get back to the beach and to get out there and weed the

an integrated life

2010-03-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Every time I pack up the portable studio, which fits in the overhead on the plane, I have a moment of awe that I've created a life where I can take my work with me wherever I go. I give thanks to Chris, and gratitude to Luis at Apple Music who helped with everything... from choosing the right microphone and pre-amp, to the padded case with wheels that acts as my mini soundproof booth.

winter vacation

2010-03-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

We visited with our Mount Hood friends over the weekend, and did group yoga practice with my teacher... she gave me some excellent reminders and ideas to fuel my home practice. Now the guys are up on the mountain hoping for good snow. I'm here alone in the peace and quiet of winter, watching a flock of quail on the seed platform outside the dining room, and enjoying the silence. I have a

more treasure hunting

2010-02-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'd like to be doing more treasure hunting and creating and crafting, and less online learning. The inevitable glitches within and between software and hardware, and the enormous amount of time invested, can be very draining. A few days up on the mountain will do me good. [photo by N. Spear]

the Zen of acting

2010-02-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

Ben Kingsley was interviewed in the newspaper this week about his upcoming role in the Scorsese film "Shutter Island" and talked about how every detail of his character’s costuming is important, because if he looks down at his own shoes (even if they’re never seen by the audience) and they’re not appropriate to the character, or period, or conditions, his performance would suffer. It is an

Haiku Saturday

2010-02-21T10:12:00.000-08:00

how reluctantlythe bee emerges from deepwithin the peony[Basho]

Schoolyard Pizza Oven

2010-02-15T11:04:00.000-08:00

We helped to build this little beauty over the weekend. It's part of the Albert Einstein School's "edible schoolyard" program. The gardens on the grounds are taking shape and they have a small farmer's market each week too.

Americano for here, please

2010-02-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

The independent coffee shop just feels better...Espresso Mio being my local favorite...followed closely by Costellos when in Irvington...and then Peets...no longer a small shop, but it has a certain Portland-via-Berkeley appeal for me. In Italy, on the island of Capri, this family run shop wouldn't think of giving you a disposable non-recyclable paper cup with a molded plastic lid, even with 10%

Haiku Saturday

2010-02-06T21:41:00.001-08:00

droplet on bare branch reflecting upside-down worldseeking solid ground

How's your manifesting?

2010-02-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

I was new to Southern California when this question was posed by my chiropractor. It seemed kind of weird, very So Cal, maybe a little woo-woo for me...But then things began to manifest...or I should say I started noticing that my "manifesting" was actually humming right along. I read an article about bicycle safety that said you should always cover your eyes for riding, using clear goggles at

High School Acting

2010-01-30T11:04:00.000-08:00

Twenty-some years ago, I was a high school actor. Totally immersed in it, doing rehearsals three times a week, acting as president of the "Theatre Arts Club" with the French influence coming from me...we had been the Drama Club until I came along. Ah, oui! Chris was the butler in this shot, and Joel played Bullshot Crummond. My mom made the green dress with lace trim. And here is the

Haiku Saturday

2010-01-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

I drop my secrets,treasured stones, into your pond.They cast no ripples.[Gabrielle]

Haiku Saturday

2010-01-23T10:11:00.000-08:00

wild desert partyswirling sand and burning manfree to be, just be

Thank you for your blessings, she said

2010-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those days when you just have to stay loose. There is no other way to move through it. Because there was a total downpour here in San Diego (read: flooded roads, shops, homes) we left our bikes at home and journeyed out on foot. After bundling up and race-walking to the bus, we got to St. Paul's Cathedral with plenty of time to register for the Matthew Fox lecture that I

A call for compassion

2010-01-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

I just finished Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. It's a thorough and thoughtful look at how we got to a point in human history where animals who are being raised for food, are being treated as if they're already dead. It's not a vegan manifesto, just a challenging and well written perspective on our relationship to what we eat.As a pleasant surprise, I heard Martha Stewart recommend this

Haiku Saturday

2010-01-16T14:12:00.000-08:00

gingerly he climbsfruit falls into her open handpapaya delight

Three Lane Highway

2010-01-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

My husband has been playing guitar and singing for as long as he can remember. He can easily switch from electric to acoustic, rock to standards...he just has the language of music imprinted on his soul. I've never known anyone with so many songs in his head! His rock band has a couple of performances coming up and I made a page on the Sweet Orange website where you can listen to their demo

Lemonade and Rootbeer

2010-01-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

We just received an entire basket of Meyer Lemons! I squeezed most of them, and froze the juice into ice cubes. It's a great way to store organic lemony goodness when it arrives all at once. Just pop the cubes out of the tray and into a labeled freezer bag. Each cube is about 2 tablespoons. Good for recipes, or mixed with agave to make lemonade. Liquid gold!The rootbeer is ready. I've

Haiku Saturday

2010-01-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

eager bee exploresflowerless curly green edge--curiosity.

Lucky Four

2010-01-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

You know when people ask you to pick a number between one and whatever? I've always picked four. Honestly, as long as I can remember, I've always chosen four, or fourteen, or twenty-four. I'm one of four children in my family. The first and only move in my young life was at age four. The year I moved to San Diego I turned 44 (my husband was 55, and my mother-in-law 88...a bit of

Our day in pictures

2010-01-07T20:15:00.001-08:00

planted in July...we have sweet potatoes!these turnip starts should be thinned soonsun tea...will be kombucha in about ten daysfor the first time in three years (maybe more) the paperwhites bloomed"tree collards"batch of rootbeer fermenting in the sunHow was your day?

Good energy is rising

2010-01-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to do some research on the meaning of that gorgeous full blue moon that arrived on New Year's Eve. We stepped outside to share a fresh tangerine from the tree, and to marvel over how lit-up the whole world was that night! Some great photos have been posted here.In my little corner of the world, the Sophia Circle is gathering this week to generate some beautiful feminine energy

Regenerative and peaceful, new world order

2010-01-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

Today we participated in the repair of a very special poetry bench where people gather in Balboa Park on the first Sunday of each month at noon to read poetry aloud in community. Architect Candy Vanderhoff is the inspiration behind the clay plaster bench installation, and she has committed to teaching workshops on natural building, and planning rainwater and greywater collection systems until we

Quite a transformative year

2010-01-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

2009 was quite a transformative year, as I moved the business home and my commute became a short walk out the back door to the garden studio. I really loved all the creative vegan lunchboxes my husband packed for me back in the day, and I enjoyed the people at the San Diego office, but I have to say that the organic flow of working from home is very peaceful indeed.We had the good fortune to

Just in time for the New Year...

2009-12-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

All three colors are up on the garage! It's a milestone, and positive confirmation that we like the look. Our house will blend right into the canyon.Now we carry on into the New Year, planning to invest our care into every inch of our dwelling.May the coming New Year bring you joy, love and peace.

House Blessing

2009-12-30T13:52:00.001-08:00

Don't you love the idea of blessing a place? I try to hold that intention for every room I enter, and sometimes for retail stores too, if my head is in the right place. I breathe deeply and send my wish for the space and the people in it to be filled with the energy of love, lightness, and creativity.I picked up a mosaic "house charm" at the Seattle Flower and Garden Show about 10 years ago.

Holiday Cheer

2009-12-28T11:45:00.001-08:00

My husband whipped up the most delicious vegan eggnog for Christmas. It was roughly 2 cups coconut milk (the kind in the carton, which is lighter than canned), blended with 2/3 of a package of silken tofu, maple syrup and agave to taste, and topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg. Frothy and satisfying, and so pretty in my rose champagne/dessert glasses...a gift from my mom.And this is the lone

Lovingkindness

2009-12-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

A tiny cosmos flower opened its petals this Christmas morning, next to the brussels sprouts, spinach and emerging red kale. With it's return to the garden I feel a sense of renewal and well being. Spanish priests grew cosmos in their mission gardens in Mexico. The evenly placed petals led them to christen the flower "Cosmos" the Greek word for harmony or ordered universe.May I be peaceful,

Painting Begins

2009-12-23T19:16:00.000-08:00

On the Eve of Christmas Eve...painting begins.

Bike Cargo

2009-12-20T11:00:00.001-08:00

For those of you wondering, how does a family of two do all their grocery shopping without using a car? The answer is: a very resourceful husband! I like the way he threaded his bike lock through the TP for secure side-loading. And notice how the lock winds it's way around the blue corn chips (top bag) to protect the more delicate cargo. Not a chip was broken.When I was in Vietnam last year,

Clear View

2009-12-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

The bars are coming off the windows. Between those iron bars and the nearly 100-year-old screens, it's a wonder we had any view of the canyon at all! Next week we'll be power washing the front and beginning to paint...The light is streaming in. Already, it feels positively expansive.

Orange Love

2009-12-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

The tangerines are happy in our garden this morning. We're juicing a lot of Valencia oranges too. Everything is thriving, now that the rains have moved through and the sun is back to give them life. And the excellent little "Juic It" workhorse carries on...When I was living in the Pacific Northwest, working full time in Telecommunications, leading sustainability discussion groups, and

Vegan Pantry - Spork

2009-12-12T12:37:00.000-08:00

I subscribe to VegNews magazine and love the positive energy being generated there. Even though there are a lot of packaged products on those stylish pages, I've also found some of my new favorite recipes and always look forward to reading Dan Piraro's take on the world. This video from Spork Foods (click here) is the cutest, created by two young sisters on veganizing your kitchen pantry.Soon,

it's all art

2009-12-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking lately about the importance of art and how many pathways there are for authentic personal expression. Something from Buddhadharma's winter issue, attributed to Dogen and expanded through commentary, says this:"We should reflect on our one-sided way of seeing and investigate ways of expanding our vision and experience of the world around us. [...] A good portion of Western art

networking

2009-12-09T15:27:00.001-08:00

Last night I went to a gathering of beautiful and well-intentioned people who get together to mingle and network to support each other in the business world. It was a sparkly holiday party at a swank private "lounge" downtown. It was challenging for me to be fully present, even though I know that as a creative freelancer, networking is very important. I have a handful of solid clients and a

Happy Birthday Raven!

2009-12-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

We love you very much, and hope you're having a fantastic day!

northwest nostalgia

2009-12-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

It's pouring rain in San Diego this morning. Sitting inside, decked out in layers of fleece, looking out at the gray skies, it's all very reminiscent of Portland...EXCEPT that I just checked the internet and it's 20-something-degrees up there! I had no idea! I can't even remember how I coped under those conditions. On NPR this morning there was a nice story about a cargo bike manufacturing

my yoga teacher is an angel

2009-12-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

I find more and more that I meet angels on my path. Sometimes you'll just go to a yoga workshop and someone will walk through the door with a special glow...a combination of sparkle and humility...a grounded quality and a big, bright spirit. Then you'll be shopping for natural body care things at your neighborhood boutique, and there she is again...saying do you take yoga at our center? And