Winter Solstice



"Winter Solstice 2011"

In the middle of darkness
and the sun is nowhere to be found
behind the clouds of windswept far away
begins the light.
slowly.
creeping toward the now
until it shines
evermore.

Back in Colorado...

After leaving Moab, we decided that we were not quite finished with Colorado, so here we are again.  There are several areas around here we would like to explore and we decided we want to go skiing.  I have never been, so I think I will be happy to take a lesson.  Or two. 
Today, we went for a wonderful hike with our friend Brandon on Dakota Ridge...affectionately called "Hogback".  The coolest thing was seeing all the mountain bikers attempting to traverse this incredibly rocky terrain.  I was starting to wonder about mountain biking in Colorado until I was told this was one of the toughest trails around.  I certainly could see why.  Yikes.  Thank you for the beautiful sunny fun-filled day!

Slickrock rocks!

This past week in Moab has been a blast. I apologize for being such a slack blog writer this week. My excuse? Distracted by fun! We have filled these past few days with many adventures on trails with wheels and on foot. We met a father and son from Alberta CA on the Poison Spider Mesa trail. We spent a couple of fun-filled days together exploring the backcountry on the Porcupine Rim 4 x4 trail and the White Rim trail through Canyonlands. We have seen some truly amazing scenery. The landscape is vivid in color and texture. The sky in the west seems to be a particular shade of blue not seen anywhere else.
The past couple of days we have spent exploring Arches National Park. The geology of this area is truly unique. The layers of sedimentary rock eroding and leaving these unusual formations of spires, arches, balanced rocks, and other amazing shapes is fascinating. The setting sun on the red sandstone is breathtaking. The sight of the full moon rising over the La Sal mountains from inside the park on Thursday was a sight that is beyond words.

More gnarly trails...

Oh what a gorgeous day today here in Moab! Although it was only about 50 degrees, the sky was a vivid blue with plenty of sunshine.
We hiked the Negro Bill Canyon trail. It's about 4 1/2 miles long, criss-crossing a beautiful clear creek, and ending up at the Morning Glory arch. Apparently this arch is actually the sixth largest natural bridge in the world.
Then we drove the Poison Spider Mesa jeep trail up some totally gnarly terrain.....dude. It's always interesting being on a trail in a four wheel drive vehicle as well as mountain bikers and dirt bikers. It certainly gives you a different perspective. Of course here in Moab it's all about the fun and adventure!

"Occupy Yourself"

Moab!

After several fun filled days in Colorado, we are now in Moab, UT.  Denver got 10" of snow yesterday after we left. Wow. Welcome to winter. We had a great time with our friends there.  We explored all the surrounding areas...Boulder, Lyons, Evergreen, Morrison, Golden, and everywhere in between. We went to the red rocks amphitheater and finished one scenic day with some of the best Indian food I have had in a long time. Thank you Brandon and Renea for a terrific few days in Colorado. 
We camped last night at the Rabbit Valley mountain biking area and woke up to heavy rain and sleet during the night. Amazingly, it seemed dry and ice free this morning despite freezing temperatures. 

Today, we did the Hell's Revenge trail here in Moab. All I can say is...phew!... That is one gnarly trail. It was an absolutely beautiful day and now that we are out of the car I can breathe deeply and say, mostly honestly, that we had a blast. Remember, when you ask for adventure in your life, you get it!

"The Path"

The path can be anything we choose
Joy or misery can easily be ours
The thoughts of today
Create our tomorrows
So what path are you on?

Happy Anniversary love!

Kansas... Crops, windmills, AND hiking trails???

Although we have been in Colorado for several days, I must share the wonderful experience that was our one night in the state of Kansas. I had never been to Kansas and had no expectations other than what I have seen in the Wizard of Oz. However, it seemed Oz, I mean Kansas, had much more to offer. 
After about a 420 mile day, we pulled off at one of the numerous rest stops to take a break. As it turns out at this particular one, they let you camp for one night only, and have these secluded picnic areas along these winding side roads. We found a great place to camp for the night and of course the building had bathrooms complete with hot water. This rest area even had a zig-zaggy hiking trail that I have to say was much steeper than anything I would have thought existed in a place renown for being so flat. It ended at the top at a giant windmill sculpture surrounded by huge cottonwood trees. It was quite lovely. Kansas thank you for a most enjoyable experience. 
The universe always provides exactly what you need at the exact moment you need it. 
In gratitude...

Kansas isn't as flat as I thought...

St. Louis!

First stop...Nashville!

After spending two lovely days with friends in Nashville, we have moved on down the road. The house we were staying in is a wonderful, historic home from the 30's filled with several generations of antiques, collectibles, and plenty of memories to go along with them. The house would not have been complete without the giant 10' tree, covered with orange lights and autumn themed decorations proudly standing in the living room. Thank you Marky & Amanda for a delightful visit and a great beginning to our grand adventure!  
So where did we land today?  The fun and exciting state of Illinois of course... One of the few states I personally have never been to...until today. The only person we have spoken to in this state was a super kind and hospitable park ranger in the park where we are camped. Thank you and good night friends. 

Heading westerly...

Today is the day we pack up the car and head west.  Drew and I are taking the next couple of months to travel other parts of the country in search of the adventure of now.  Our destination today is only a few hours away, but in the past few weeks it seemed to be a distant place in the future.  We will be visiting some friends in Nashville first and ending up in Colorado by next weekend. 
We are very grateful to have kind family looking after our two fuzzy children (these would be cats and not freaky deranged Halloween-ready-offspring being abandoned by parents). You will all be missed!
So long for now, there is still packing to be done.....

"Balance"

It is the purest form of moderation...

It is the world spinning harmoniously

with all her children

peacefully coexisting

the balance within is that which we seek

as the night equals day

and the frozen tundra meets the rivers of volcanic lava

From each perception we must jump ahead

and peer behind

as if to see

we are still standing tall

"I am"

i am
i am surrender
i am acceptance
i am balance
i am pure energy
i am the flow of the universe
i am the light within
and so are you.

"Tireless Joy"

"Tireless Joy"

This is a print from an original drawing of a Hummingbird with tree, moon, and flowing hills. Hummingbird brings us the message of tireless joy as she hums along between the trees and hills to lands far away.
I was in the garden the other day and was visited by several hummingbirds.  One landed on the tomato plant about a foot in front of me as I watered it.  She was the most beautiful sight and instantly filled me with joy.  Now I share this with you.  Pass it on...

Art shows us the spirit inside...

This blog is dedicated to all the hard working, talented artists I saw last Saturday at the Atlanta Arts Festival.  It was a truly inspiring day filled with art that spoke to me.  There was even art that moved me to tears.  Twice. 
There was every kind of art you can imagine….and several mediums I have never seen before. 
I dreamed of art Saturday night and was flung out of bed at 4:30am by my urge to go draw or paint.  As the sun came up I still had the pen in hand. 
So, THANK YOU artists… out there showing the world your work.  We all need to see it, experience it, and see life through your window. 

One year ago today...

One year ago today, my journey of one day less than six months on the Appalachian Trail was completed.  Lately, I have been having literally, well, I don’t know any other way to describe them other than, flashbacks.  At the end of a powerful kundalini yoga class last night, I had a wondrous moment.  I was magically transported back to the top of one of the endless wet and rainy, blowing winds, rock covered mountains in southern Maine.  I am not sure how long I was mesmerized by this occurrence while supposedly trying to meditate, but when I awoke from my awake dreaming, I was for  a moment, still in Maine.  For those that are unfamiliar with my tales along this adventure, Maine, while encompassing only 280 something miles of the entire trail, was the only point where I considered myself nearly defeated by this apparent beast.  Fortunately, this period of time was brief, with the help of several angels guiding me along my path. 
 
By the time I had reached southern Maine, I had endured many emotional states… From the good, to the bad, and certainly the ugly….as well as everything in between.  When recalling moments from my long journey and speaking to others, I am usually fairly vague about particulars because there really is no definitive way to relate all that happens to one while hiking the trail.  It was so much more than transporting myself 2,179 miles.  I find myself not talking about it because there is simply too much to tell. 

So why would I transport myself back to one of the most terrifying moments of the entire epic journey while peacefully meditating? 

In a way, you leave a part of your “self” behind.  You leave behind your fears and grow stronger as you realize there is nothing you cannot do if you believe it to be so. 

I love this poem

On a day when the wind is perfect the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day. My eyes are like the sun that makes promises; the promise of life that it always keeps each morning. The living heart gives to us as does that luminous sphere, both caress the earth with great tenderness. This is the breeze that can enter the soul. This love I know plays a drum. Arms move around me; who can contain their self before my beauty? Peace is wonderful but ecstatic dance is more fun, and less narcissistic: gregarious He makes our lips. On a day when the wind is perfect the sail just needs to open and the love starts. Today is such a day. -- Rumi

New moon in Virgo

Finally, the darkest of nights
with the lights turned down
I light a candle and set it on the table behind me
and when I turn around...
pure wonderment
permeates my essence
but a giant presence reflected upon the wall
ecstatically moving along with the music
in my mind I can even see the laughter
that bounces from her mouth
for she is a being full of spirit
enchanted by the new moon

Pizza!

Tired of soggy bottom pizza?  Well we found the answer.  A cast iron pizza pan.  Using our hand ground whole wheat makes for a sometimes bread-like pizza dough...until now.  This four hundred pound pan is just the ticket.  With just the tiniest amount of oil on it, this pan made our pizza crispy and delicious.  Of course having our own home grown veggies and herbs is a big part of the excitement as well.  We picked our first fully ripened beautiful bright red Marconi pepper to slice on top and that was the icing on the cake. 
This was by far the best pizza we have made yet.  AND...a million times better than what anyone can serve you from a restaurant. 
Pizza anyone?

Why look...it's a "Dragonfly"!

Dragonfly brings us a message of light.  Be open to a new perspective and change.  Open up your mind and relish the transformation to the new.  The adventure is always glorious.

"Journey"

"Journey" - 5" x 7" linocut on paper

that ringing in your ear...
the sense of deja vu...
the butterflies in your stomach...
chill bumps at the sound of something that rings true...
feeling woozy from jumping up too quickly...
a striking coincidence...
Coincidence?
or not
maybe a sign
maybe a wink from a higher Self
messages are all around us
every day is full of magic if you call it forth
bombarded. 
humans are literally bombarded with constant stimulus
from every direction
we have a choice which messages to follow
a conscious choice
are you listening now?
i say these things only as a reminder to myself.

"Mother Earth"

"Mother Earth"

We are not the rulers of this land, the people on the earth.  We are part of the earth.  We are just one of the infinite many that call earth home.  How we treat mother earth is how we treat ourselves.  She is here to protect us and guide us yet some act like the earth is ours to do with as we please. We are not the rulers of this land.  We are part of the earth.... Love your mother, she certainly loves you.

Surprise. It's another zucchini.

Well, it is finally here.....the first fruits of labor.  Yes, squash and zucchini always win don't they?  Too bad the tomatoes and peppers don't grow this quickly...but anyway....I digress.  Zucchini are pretty much coming in every day.  Several a day in fact.  When I planted the uh...well....lets see....ahem... ten plants...it was cold.  I know, I know.  You don't have to say it. 
Vegetables on the store shelf in February leave a little something to be desired if you know what I mean...and come at a high price, not just in currency.   I could not wait to eat our own vegetables.  Any vegetable for that matter.  And of course I thought back then that you could never possibly have too many zucchini.   Well I am here to tell you that I was wrong.  You can in fact have too many zucchini plants. 

I doubt I am alone in my exuberance for sowing seeds in the spring.  Assuming this is correct, I thought I would share a great idea that a friend gave me about what she does with her inevitable deluge of zucchini squash.  She shreds it and freezes it. I think that is a great idea! Later she adds it to veggie lasagna and makes zucchini bread, etc.  The sky is the limit.  With this in mind, it is time to get creative with that 16th zucchini.  After all... in February I am sure I would give anything for a fresh vegetable or two from our long forgotten garden. 
***Written with love and gratitude for the abundance our garden brings***

Just another fun filled childhood anecdote...

When I was little, my mother was a chef at an upscale French restaurant.  Being an avid connoisseur of fish sticks and tater tots, I was unfamiliar with many of the fancy concoctions that came out of that kitchen.  Many afternoons after school I would end up hanging around the kitchen, doing my best to stay out of the way, sneaking as much bread, butter, and chocolate mousse that I could get my little hands on. 
One day Denise, one of the other chefs, said she had made a surprise for me.  She handed me a plate.  Upon first glance, I had no idea what it even was as I had never eaten such a thing as this.  It was a large fluffy crepe covered with sugar. Feeling my obsession for sweets surge, I eagerly grabbed the plate and absconded to a table in the back of the restaurant.  I took the first bite and at that moment with a huge mouthful partially chewed, I began to panic. This was by far the most disgusting thing I had ever put in my mouth. 

Fast-forward twenty years to Paris, France, where again...you guessed it...somebody hands me a crepe.   This time filled with one of my favorite treats, Nutella.  Yes.  I proceed to scrape the Nutella out and discard the delicate pancake in which it was wrapped, without even tasting it. 

So what does all this have to do with the price of tea in China?  Nothing.  I just thought it would make an interesting intro into my blog about the dish I made last night for dinner.... Buckwheat crepes with kale, potato, and roasted red pepper sauce.  Yesssireee. 

Of course this was my very first foray into the world of crepe making and I must say, I was most pleasantly surprised.  Having a bunch of organic fresh kale given to me by my dear friend was motivation to go beyond the bounds of just any ho-hum dinner.  It all worked quite well together and turned out to be a spectacular recipe.
Why, you ask? Well, I will tell you why. 
In my quest to flow with the universe, try new things, eliminate negativity, and experience all there is to experience, I thought...what the heck.  I am certainly glad I did.

Beets! Who knew they were so scrumptious!?!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day with a dear friend, learning how to can pickled beets.  The day before yesterday I would have told you that I was not a fan of beets.  In fact, I might have told you I thought they tasted like dirt.  Today, I have a completely different story to tell and I am already including beets in all their magenta red glory, in next year's garden.  Seriously!  Sometimes we just have to open our minds and let new experiences inside.
First, we harvested the beets.  Although she had been thinning them by using the greens in various dishes, there were tons of beets...two HUGE armfuls actually. After removing the beets from the greens, leaving about an inch of stems, we washed the greens and stored them for some other delectable purpose.  We scrubbed the beets to remove any remaining soil.  Next, we boiled the beets for about 15 minutes or so...enough that the skins came off easily.  After cutting the top and the bottom off, the skins literally slipped right off like magic.  (Before the actual food preparation, all the canning jars, lids, and pots need to be heated and sterilized to remove any possibility of contamination.  Long term food storage needs to be done in a careful and clean fashion...please refer to a good guide for exact directions.)
Then she made a fragrant concoction of apple cider vinegar, sugar, and spices to add to the jars with the beets and onions.    After slicing and layering the beets and onions, the heated liquid was poured over the top.  She sealed the lids and screwed on the bands and put them in the pots to process.  Pickled beets take about 30 minutes to complete. 

The jars were absolutely beautiful! (I know, I know...where is the picture?  I forgot to take one if you can believe it!)  They were full of a deep magenta red mixture that one just has to experience to appreciate.  These were not the cold, flaccid, crinkle-cut things you find on a mediocre salad bar. (The reason for my aforementioned distaste of beets.)  When I tasted one of these fresh, organic, lovingly-grown beets after they came out of the pot, I had an unexpectedly pleasant surprise. Another mysterious vegetable to add to the growing list of favorites.  So...... beets anyone?

Got extra time? Make homemade tortillas!



Rolling out tortillas with my grandmothers rolling pin...

  Today I decided to make homemade tortillas.  As most endeavors in the kitchen, this process was more work than I thought.  I used a whole wheat recipe that was little more than water (half a cup plus some added in later), whole wheat flour (two cups), baking powder (one teaspoon) and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.  I did not add salt as the recipe called for, but I did mix in about a teaspoon of herbs and garlic powder to give them a little flavor.  The dough was a little tough, but once I got the hang of rolling it out...into what I would like to call a "circle", it got a little easier to manage.

Yes, I had to force "round" on some of my little friends

As you can see, some were rounder than others.  I kept thinking to myself....it would be much easier to make these square.... But alas, I kept to the traditional round shape as much as possible despite the fact most of them started out looking like my interpretation of Mickey Mouse. 
 I did not roll them out quite as thin as I would have liked, because when I began to cook them, they puffed up ever so slightly.  OK, so they were hardy and filling. Very hardy and filling.
Then you throw them one at a time into a cast iron skillet without any oil.  They puff up and cook very quickly.

Seasoned cast iron skillets are perfect for making tortillas

It only took about 45 seconds to a minute on each side.  They would get small brown spots on them as they cooked.  After they were all done, they were still quite pliable and soft.  I made a bean burrito casserole type dish inspired by my friend Lori and they tasted wonderful.  In fact, we were quite surprised just how much better they were than store bought tortillas.  They would not keep very long unless they were frozen, but the difference between these and the crumbly preservative-filled processed ones we are all used to is night and day...a completely different food.  Because we use freshly milled hard winter wheat, they are full of nutrients lost in the modern day processing of flour, and I refuse to use the traditional lard that most of the recipes I found called for.  Olive oil worked like a charm. So, are tortillas "healthy"? These certainly are.  Is it worth the time and effort?  Absolutely!

Yum! Ready for the filling...

"Full Circle"



"Full Circle"

 spending eternity
looking for a place to belong
a connection...
just another being lost in the midst?
feeling at home on this earth
searching for fulfillment...
and fulfilled we are.
we are home.
happily wandering to and fro
feeling connected
belonging here and now
forever exploring our place in this universe

Appearing one day
emerging unscathed
furiously peaceful
perpetual movement
in only a direction we are to choose...
oh to realize one day
all this time
we pointed in the wrong direction?

how many of us will it take
to drag the hands of time backward?
and smoothly we transition to a destiny unfolding
it is only time to decide
when there is no other choice
and then do we wake up?

heaven can be anytime
why not now?
i say wake me up
how silly we forget to remember
the journey is never what we expect
but that which we summon with our minds.


-csChambers

Trees are the keepers of time
and ever renewing life
providing the very air we breath
what monster would slay this gentle giant?


well, apparently we all do
i call to you, people of the earth
please recycle

Decide it is so

Every day there is a gift. 
If you decide to see it. 
Every day there is something new in the mundane. 

If you decide to experience it.

Every day there is an answer you have been waiting for.

If you decide to find it.

It is the quiet within chaos.
It is the first hint of light that breaks the darkness.

It is the path that leads to knowing.

It is in all of us. 
If we decide it is so.

- csChambers

Correcting the imbalance...a beginning

From death new life begins.  Spring is a new beginning, a fresh start.  Every year as if by magic, little leaves poke up from the ground.  The largest most grand tree first started as a seed. We are all a part of this life cycle.  We are all connected.  We are not separate.  We are not separate from the earth.  It is part of each and every one of us. One day we will all see the way.  We need to treat our mother earth as we treat ourselves. We need to fill our hearts with love and respect for each other.  We all need each other.  There is no other way.