wabi-sabi: appreciating autumn

28 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in appreciate the seasons

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Autumn, beauty of decay, fall, sabi, seasons, wabi, wabi-sabi

During the autumn when the leaves are changing color and filling the fields and forests with vibrant yellow, orange and reds one cannot help but be overwhelmed with the expansive beauty that surrounds us everywhere we look.

Once the leaves have fallen, there is another kind of beauty that now becomes the center of our attention, and that is the beauty of decay. This is what the Japanese culture might describe as wabi-sabi: wabi as transient and stark beauty, and sabi as the beauty of natural patina and aging. To appreciate this beauty one must stop and be still and look very long and closely at what is really there and nothing more than that.

Pared down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It’s simple, slow, and uncluttered-and it reveres authenticity above all. ~ Tadao Ando

Wabi-sabi is flea markets, not warehouse stores; aged wood, not Pergo; rice paper, not glass. It celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind. It reminds us that we are all but transient beings on this planet-that our bodies as well as the material world around us are in the process of returning to the dust from which we came. Through wabi-sabi, we learn to embrace liver spots, rust, and frayed edges, and the march of time they represent. ~ Tadao Ando

I find rich beauty in each of the four seasons that we experience here in central Alberta. The turning of the wheel reminds me of the great cyclical processes of transformation that sustain life. I find myself in awe of each.

As always, Lucy teaches me to enjoy each day of each season to the fullest!

cabinorganic~bellybabechild is now live

23 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in bellybabechild, more about us

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babe, belly, bellybabe&child, cabinorganic, child, parenting blog

Hello, Dear Readers!

This is a note to let you know that cabinorganic~bellybabechild is now live and running. I have just published the first post and am looking forward to sharing my adventures, explorations and insights on mindful parenting on this venue.

Feel free to either click on the link in the right hand column, bookmark the site or subscribe by signing up to receive email notifications on new posts. As Chayton continues to grow and give his mom a little more ‘two hands free’ time there will be more frequent and regular postings. I look forward to sharing the journey with you!

spelt crepes stuffed with cheese, back bacon and mushrooms

19 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, whole grains

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breakfast, brunch, cheese, crepes, fruit syrups, ham, mushrooms, spelt crepes, spelt flour

This is what we had for brunch today after our morning hike. I filled the first two crepes with a mixture of sautéed ham and mushrooms then added mozzarella and asiago cheese and a pinch of dried basil. I served these with a side of salad. The remaining crepes were enjoyed sweetened with an assortment of our homemade fruit syrups. Delicious!

Spelt Crepes

1 cup spelt flour (or whole wheat)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1-1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil for the pan

Stir flour and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and a little of the milk. Beat well, working in all of the flour. Gradually add the remaining milk and beat mixture until bubbles form on top of the batter.

Over medium high heat, brush a small amount of oil onto a crepe pan (or nonstick pan). Add three to four tablespoons of the batter and quickly tilt the pan to move the batter around in a circle until it covers the base of the pan thinly and evenly. Turn the crepe over and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Keep crepes in a warm oven under a clean tea towel. Continue until all of the batter is used. Serve with a sweet or savory topping. Makes 8 crepes.

Resource:

Norwak, M. (1988). The Book of Crepes and Omelettes. New York, NY: HPBooks.

harvesting peppermint tea from the herb & tea garden

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by Delena Rose in healing, tea

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harvesting peppermint, herb, herbal tea, mint, mint tea, peppermint

Last week, Brian and I harvested all of the peppermint from the planter box that Brian built at the top of the herb and tea garden last summer. A hardy, pervasive perennial, peppermint is easy to grow and is best kept in a confined area as it can take over a small area very quickly.

Here is the planter box last summer soon after I planted the mint. It did not take long for the peppermint to grow and fill the box!

Cool, refreshing, peppermint tea is the most popular of all herbal teas and is one of the oldest and best-tasting home remedies for indigestion (Mindell, 1992).

Rather than drying the plant whole, we stripped the leaves and then dried them in a dehydrator.

Then we gently crushed the leaves inside a glass jar with a muddler.

According to Brown (2001), drinking peppermint tea “improves digestion and calms the digestive system, reducing wind, griping pains, colic and nausea”. It is not surprising then that peppermint tea is a key ingredient of many remedies for indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. Mindell (1992) adds that “[st]udies show that peppermint lessens the amount of time food spends in the stomach by stimulating the gastric lining. It aso relaxes the stomach muscles and promotes burping”. Peppermint is a wonderful help for heartburn, stomachache, nausea and vomiting. It often relieves migraine headaches, which are frequently accompanied by nausea.

I drink it because it tastes great!