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~ For people who are passionate about respecting the earth, walking in nature, observing wildlife, local diet, making do, repurposing, organic gardening, foraging for wild plants and fungi, natural health, scrumptious healthy cooking, renovations, DIY, crafting, raising children simply and mindfully, taking time for stillness, and living in harmony with the seasons.

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Monthly Archives: March 2012

a few parting shots of Arizona…

27 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in explore

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Arizona, cactus, desert, explore, Martinez Lake, mountains, sand, sand dunes, travel

I am back home at the cabin now (since yesterday) and have been busy unpacking, doing laundry and loading the final batch of photos from the camera onto my computer. Here are a few parting shots of the natural beauty of the desert and Martinez Lake, taken on my trip to Arizona.

Martinez Lake, Arizona.

Below, a lonely cactus high on a mountain peak. (Taken from a moving vehicle.)

Graceful sand dunes just outside of Yuma.

The sun setting in beautiful Yuma, Arizona.

Truly a wonderful trip!

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a delightful surprise!

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in handmade

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art, friend, friendship, gift, hand painted, mail, oil painting, Omar, package, painting, unexpected surprise

A week and a half ago I received notice from the post office that I had a package waiting to be picked up. I was a bit puzzled as I had not ordered anything recently, but then remembered a mysterious email I had received from a long-distance friend asking for my mailing address but not telling me what he was sending. Needless to say, I was very, very curious!

The package arrived just as I was leaving for Calgary to catch a plane south to Yuma, Arizona. I picked it up but was not able to open it until I arrived in Calgary, three hours later, as it was well-wrapped and I did not have anything with me that was sharp enough to break through the tape. When I finally, finally was able to open the package I laughed out loud in delight! Inside was something so unexpected and so beautiful… It was a PAINTING!!! And not just any picture… It was a picture of ME!


When I wrote to thank my friend, Omar, he told me that he had only just started painting this past Christmas! (Can you believe it?) He had liked the post and photographs (particularly the one below) last fall on the hike to the teahouse, having visited the same place with his wife, Kay. I was quite amazed (and inspired) at his talent and asked if I could share the painting here on the blog. It was such a lovely, thoughtful surprise… I just couldn’t keep it to myself! I cannot wait to have it framed and then choose a special place in the cabin to hang it… This painting will always take me back to that lovely day hiking last fall, as well as that fun weekend I once spent at Omar and Key’s cabin in northern Saskatchewan many years ago. Thank you so much, Omar! I hope to see more of your work in the near future!


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visiting Imperial Date Gardens in Bard Valley, California

23 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in explore

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Bard Valley, California, date, date farm, date milkshake, dates, Imperial Date Gardens, shakes

Until yesterday, I never knew how (or where) dates were grown or how they were harvested. I was particularly interested in visiting Imperial Date Gardens as I have been incorporating dates regularly into my diet as they are quite delicious and are rich in potassium, iron and fiber.

Growing and harvesting dates is quite labor-intensive. Date palms are dioecious, the male flowers that produce pollen and the female flowers that produce fruit are borne on separate trees. The pollination is done by hand, and the floral bunches tied and trained for direction of growth.

Thinning of the fruit is also done by hand while the fruit is quite young. To ensure their large size, the Medjool date is thinned once more at a slightly mature stage; leaving only about 10% of the original fruit for harvest.

The final step prior to harvesting is done by slipping a bag over the bunch. The bag, after being tied at both ends, protects the fruit from light rains, bugs and birds.

The harvest of the Medjool starts in late August and runs through early November. The dates ripen at different times so three to four trips up the palm tree are required. The dates are hand-picked and placed in a shallow canvas basket to minimize bruising of this soft date, then later transfered to protective trays. After being hand-sorted, the dates are either packed immediately or sun-ripened to a perfect rich brown-ebony color, as well as a precise 30% moisture content.

The Medjool is the gourmet date and unquestionably the largest, meatiest and most flavorful variety. Yet, they are surprisingly low in calories, only 49 per date. The Imperial Date Garden Medjools contain absolutely no pesticides or preservatives. They contain no cholesterol and almost no fat or sodium. Medjools possess invert sugars, which is important for those who cannot tolerate sucrose in their diet.

Dates are delicious when eaten fresh or added to muffins, cookies and salads. Dip them in chocolate or roll them in coconut for a classic dessert. Serve them as hors d’oeuvres by spreading them with cream cheese or peanut butter.

Today, we enjoyed fresh date milkshakes; a real treat in this hot weather! As I sat outside enjoying my shake, I watched many people come and go, buying many large boxes of these little jewels.

Below are a few shots of other native plants in the area:

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more Mexico…

22 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in explore

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Algodones, border, explore, Mexico, sightseeing, south, travel

This photo was actually taken three days ago when we were having a few cold, rainy days. The rest of the photos were taken yesterday.
Another day of exploring Algodones, mexico. Some of the highlights include waking a few blocks away from the high-tourist area into the local residential areas…

Lunch was a few hours long and involved many cold beers and people-watching. Many snowbirds are leaving for their northern homes this time of year so there were large tables of friends laughing, singing, dancing and saying their goodbyes… until next fall!

Quiet moments…

A lovely grotto with a coffee bar…

When selling their wares, the Mexican sellers often call out to you. Later in the day I heard a man yelling, “Asparagus! Mexican viagra! More koochie-koochie!!!”

Today… adventures in Arizona … We may visit a date farm and try to get lost in the desert…

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the colors of Mexico

21 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in explore

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Algodones, color, explore, Mexico, sight-seeing, south, travel

I am in Yuma, Arizona this week visiting friends. The last few days we have been crossing the border into Algodones, Mexico for some shopping. This is my first time in Mexico and I was immediately smitten with the people and color of this place. Below are some highlights of the last few days:


 

 

We’re heading back today so I’ll return with more highlights tomorrow! 🙂

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honey raison bread

17 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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baking, bread, honey, honey raison bread, raison, tea bread

This delicious bread is low in fat and goes well when served with breakfast served with fresh fruit. The high yogurt content give the bread its light, white center. Serve your homemade jams and jellies with this tasty bread!

Raison and Honey Bread

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups plain yogurt

2 egg whites

½ cup raisons

1 tablespoons honey

butter for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 425 degree (F). Mix together the egg whites and yogurt. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the honey and raisons.

Grease a loaf pan and place batter in pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before turning out of the pan. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Resource:

Donovan, J. (1999). Essentials Egg: Exploit the Versatility, Aroma and Taste. Toronto, ON: Macmillan, Canada.

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an afternoon with Buddha…

15 Thursday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in Lucy, play

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Buddha, dogs, dogs playing, friends, friendship, Lucy, play, rescue dogs, visit

Lucy has a special friend named Buddha. He’s my wonderful friend, Louise’s dog and he is also a ‘rescue dog’. He’s been to the cabin once and I was happy to see that Lucy got along very well with him! Remember when I first got Lucy and she was still shy and aggressive with other dogs and some people? It’s so wonderful to see how far she has come in her social skills since then!

Since Buddha’s visit, I’ve been teasing Lucy about her ‘boyfriend’: he’s tall, dark and handsome; loves the outdoors; gentle, playful, patient and easygoing… the perfect ‘guy’ for such an energetic four-legged redhead!

Today, we went to Buddha’s place in Leduc. Louise and I had a nice visit and Lucy and Buddha had a play date out back.

It was a very windy day but the dogs didn’t seem to mind! They played, rested, barked at the neighbor’s puppy and enjoyed one another’s company. This is my favorite picture of Buddha. It was a lovely afternoon of spending time connecting with friends!

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celery soup with walnuts and blue cheese

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

blue cheese, celery, celery soup, onion, pine nuts, potato, soup, vegetable soup, walnuts

I love this vegetable soup with its unexpected crunch of toasted nuts and salty kick of blue cheese!

Celery Soup with Walnuts and Blue Cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1 onion, chopped

5 large stalks of celery, sliced

3 potatoes,  peeled and diced

4 cups (1 liter) organic chicken or vegetable stock or water

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (or a pinch of dried thyme)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup freshly toasted walnuts, chopped (or pine nuts)

½ cup mild blue cheese, crumbled (rind removed)

Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup. If soup is too thick, add a little more stock or water. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with walnuts and cheese. Enjoy!

Resource:

Stern, B. (2003). Bonnie Stern’s Essentials of Home Cooking. Toronto, ON: Random House, Canada.

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another exciting day!

13 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

award, Canadian Association for Teacher Education, education, Indigenous Research Methodology, Masters degree, research, teachers, thesis, university

Just a few days after finishing my Masters degree (back in late January), my thesis was nominated for an award. Two days ago, I heard back from the Canadian Association of Teacher Education notifying me that my thesis was chosen for one of the awards! I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Randy Wimmer, who provided guidance and support throughout my program; and once again thank my dearest friend, Felice Gladue who worked with me on this project and contributed her own stories and insights to the work!

There are a few reasons why this recognition award is so deeply gratifying and I thought I would share these with you:

All creative lives have seasons and we must learn to weather them. ~Julia Cameron

First, I remember back when I was a brand new graduate student, I had read a very inspiring article written by a Cree scholar named Willie Ermine. As I read the references, I saw that this article was actually an excerpt from his award-winning Masters thesis. At the time, I didn’t even know that a student could win an award for their dissertation. When I read ‘award-winning’, immediately there was a statement present in my mind: “I’m going to win an award.” It wasn’t a greedy, hungry for fame and accolades kind of statement. It was just a calm inner knowing. Like, “I’m going to have tuna for lunch.”

I read a quote somewhere that when you are attracted to a particular greatness in another human being (i.e. writing, or music, or skills in sports, or tight-rope walking), it is because you yourself are capable of this kind of greatness in your own being and in your unique expression in the world. As I worked on my thesis over the years, even when it was difficult at times, I always had this image in my mind of completing the work and winning an award.

What you react to in another, you strengthen in yourself ~Eckart Tolle

Second, just finishing this work was a major undertaking, culminating in five years of what felt like repeated ‘failed attempts’. I started as a full time student and then switched to part time in order to work. Over the next three years, I went through many dramatic life changes: a serious year-long illness, quitting my ‘stable’ job the the federal government, a separation and divorce, three moves (finally to this cabin!) and a few unsuccessful attempts at new relationships. In addition to these emotional adjustments, my thesis challenged the very core of who I was. I was writing from within an Indigenous Research Methodology, which meant that I couldn’t just write flowery words and phrases about my values and beliefs… I had to live them, and embody them in my research. This is the Indigenous way.

I will write myself into well-being. ~Natalie Goldberg

So I had to figure out what this meant for me and it took a while for everything to finally crumble all around me. But when it did and the dust settled, I found myself here at the cabin surrounded by the stillness of the lake and natural world, which became just the medicine that I needed. I spent many days just sitting quietly in the woods. Finally one day, I just felt better! And in that moment, I simply stood up, sat down at my computer and began to rewrite my entire thesis until it was finished… Yes, it took five years in total to finish my program. But apparently, that was exactly the length of time it required for me to go through all of the emotional, intellectual and academic processes.

It may be when we no longer know what to do, we have come to the real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. ~Wendell Berry

Third, winning this award thrills me as I hope it will help further my goal of helping other Aboriginal teachers who may feel isolated or discouraged as I did when I was new. This work is written for those teachers (as well as non-Aboriginal teachers who are sympathetic to our unique issues and challenges) and perhaps the extra bit of attention that it receives from winning this award might help it get into the hands of those who might benefit from reading it. In fact, it is ‘the book I wished I had‘ when I was new and struggling. So, it now exists for someone else and I hope that it helps to bring health, healing, encouragement and empowerment to others!

In my life’s chain of events nothing was accidental. Everything happened according to an inner need. ~Hannah Senesh

I am not one to ‘toot my own horn’, but I wanted to share this bit of my life and struggle and finally… success! So many of you have written in with encouraging words and support. I have no doubt that many of you can identify with my personal struggle and those dark times when you just have to take it one day at a time, trusting that guidance and direction will appear eventually!

So along with this award, I raise a glass in celebration of our collective hopes, dreams, goals, passions and unique contributions to the world! I celebrate perseverance, commitment, courage, and self-expression. I celebrate life, surprises and miracles!

Cheers, everyone!

You already possess all the inner wisdom, strength and creativity needed to make your dreams come true. ~Susan Breathnach

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clear fish soup

12 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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capers, fish soup, haddock, halibut, healthy soup, lemon, olives, salmon, soup, sturgeon

This light, refreshing and ‘brothy’ soup is tangy with lemon, capers and olive. Served with crusty brown bread it is a nice light meal. I have been making this soup for over 20 years and it has always remained a favorite!

Clear Fish Soup

1 cup coarsely chopped onions

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs parsley

3 teaspoons salt

2-1/2 lbs sturgeon, halibut, salmon or haddock steaks, cut 1-inch thick

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and diced

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (to peel, soak in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and the skins will peel off easily)

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

4 teaspoons capers

1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed

2 tablespoons parsely, finely chopped

12 black olives

In a 3-4 quart pot, combine 6-1/2 cups water, the chopped onions, bay leaf, parsley and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat then add the fish. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 6 minutes, until the fish is firm to the touch. Remove the fish and break it into 1-inch pieces. Strain the stock through  a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down on the onions and herbs with the back of a spoon before discarding them.

Rinse out the pot, then use it to melt the butter over high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are soft but not brown. Stir in the cucumber and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in the strained fish stock and season with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and white pepper. Drop in the fish and simmer gently for a few minutes, until the soup and fish are heated through. Off the heat, stir in the capers, lemon, parsley and olives. Taste for seasoning and serve. Enjoy!

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