Erin's Blog

Food Co-op

2010-08-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

I've been involved in a wonderful experiment with friends this summer, a dinner co-op. I make three of the same dishes and then exchange with two other friends. This way, we each have three meals pre-made for the week. It has saved me time, money, and spared me the what's-for-dinner conundrum

I've made:

Cassoulet-Style Chicken (chicken and kielbasa) + garden salad with vinaigrette
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cassoulet_style_chicken_thighs.html

Skillet gnocchi with chard, white beans, tomatoes, mozzarella + spinach/pear/walnut/Gorgonzola salad
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/menus/skillet_gnocchi_with_chard_white_beans_500_calorie_menu

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli and a side of pasta
(weight watchers recipe)

Flower School

2010-08-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

This would be fun to do sometime

Little Flower School

A flower arranging class with beautiful buds and a champagne toast!

Composting Summer '10

2010-08-02T15:42:00.001-07:00

I have been using a homemade composter for about 1.5 years now. Simple in design, just a garbage can with the bottom cut out placed upside down in a shallow hole in the ground, it made some great compost as evident by these pictures (garbage can removed to show contents):

Now I've upgraded to an EnviroCycle Compact Composter. I am hoping that the benefit will be more readily available compost (and compost tea) than I had from the above method. Before, I had to dismantle and move the pile from spot to spot. The other benefit is that now the composter is situated on my cement walkway, not taking up any precious gardening space in my small yard.

Herbal Teas

2010-07-25T01:18:00.000-07:00

New York Times Article:
Making Tea From Plants Grown in the Backyard

Lemon Ginger Scones

2010-07-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

Just made these Lemon Ginger Scones

Garden Archive 5/10

2010-05-31T03:29:00.001-07:00

Vinca vine given by a friend.

New trellis for roses

Wisteria

astilbe

Solomon's Seal

Cora Bells

Rose of Sharon Seedling from a friend.

Yellow Daylily and Jacob's Ladder

Cleveland Pear Trees planted Summer '08

What it Means to Be Human

2008-06-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

My five year wedding anniversary was celebrated attending this talk at NYU:

What it Means to Be Human

Followed by cupcakes at Magnolias Bakery on Bleaker Street!

Running

2008-04-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

I miss running. So I am going to start running again. In the morning. Enough to make a difference for my holistic health. There is an eight week program I found. If I start tomorrow and can concentrate on each run, each moment of each run, by June 17th I feel I will have achieved something rather profound. And if I don't concentrate... well, I just have to.

Labor

2008-04-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

Avery was born January 8, 2008. Never have I felt so connected to the present moment as I did when I was in labor.

Books

2007-05-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I have finished reading King Dork and Eat, Pray, Love. I am currently reading The History of Love.

Gardening 1

2007-04-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night was my first gardening class at the county college. I had expected the content of the class to basically be "Ok, you plant stuff, lots of stuff" and presto, in a month I have more plants in my yard thanks to the weekly motivation. But no, the class is much more. I have to look at this much more deeply. What kind of garden do I want to express myself as a person? Do I need it to be well organized or do I thrive on chaos? I have really been thinking about this. First of all, I love English cottage gardens. I love the wild beauty of them- the depth, the color and texture so whimsical and complex... And anyone who has ever seen my workspace knows I operate in a "messy" unordered way. I find both comfort and inspiration being surrounded by lots of things at once. And may be it is that I find tremendous fulfillment imposing order on a tumultuous environment...

But my house isn't. The instructor told us we have to consider the style of architecture of our houses in our design. Our gardens should be constructed in a similar style so that they match and flow is created. The garden is an extension of the house. My house is a formal federalist style brick. A "formal garden" is definitely its style. A formal garden has more distinct planting areas, more space, more order. So, this house and the garden I will create for it will teach me to allow "space". This is where I learn more about myself (and gardening). After all, I love my house to a point of obsession. That must mean I like its style. And I have always thought of the yard as "magical", even now with hardly anything growing in it. So I'll accept trying to promote classy elegance, nothing wrong with that. If I can actually pull it off and my plants survive, I will be both surprised and delighted!

Yoga

2007-04-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

This week's practice was centered around calm mindfulness, and contentment (santosha). My mind wanders back to this as I accept what the day brings.

Last week's practice was centered around awareness, the moment by moment process of actively and openly observing one's physical, mental and emotional experiences.

Calvin Calvin Calvin

2007-03-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

Second Blog

2007-03-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

Cool music heard today on my commute. I was listening to WPRB Princeton and was mesmerized by End of Tyranny by Chris Lastovicka. It is my first venture into listening seriously to classical music.

First Blog

2007-03-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

I went to a wedding this past weekend, March 24, 2007. It was the inspiration for starting to blog. I want to remember these good days. This may be the last wedding I get to be a bridesmaid in, at least for a while. Too bad, I rather enjoyed myself.

highlights:

being with my friends
seeing a good friend through one of her happiest days
remembering William Blake
eating orchids
dancing (check out the song, I'm Dancing for a laugh)