Daddy's Josie... and Josie's Daddy

Thank goodness for Daddies!

They take little baby girls for jogs in the stroller even when it's cold and rainy out and mommy wants a rest.

Good thing she's all bundled up!
And Daddies put their daughters in the pumpkins:) She likes it!
And, carries her on every hike. She loves to hear his heartbeat.
And when the day is done, they are both wiped out. And a nice nap by the fire is a treat. I don't think you could find a more content pair!

What to do with Zucchini...and teething babies

I must say I have been thrilled to have the opportunity to stop by the roadside and purchase fresh produce on a daily basis.

I almost feel like I am back in China, with the vegetable market a few steps from my door. Almost. There are a lot of "not quites" though. Like when we scrounged together what we could in the fridge last night and had a fajitas with sour cream, guacamole, 2 kinds of salsas, tempeh and huge wraps. We aren't in China anymore Toto. Avacados aren't $10/lb like they were there. And cheese is plentiful and it doesn't crumble apart when you don't want it to. It actually floors me that I don't have to cook from scratch all the time, but I do enjoy it. Truth be told though, today I was missing the chinese market, where we could get a huge dinner, or even 2, for about 2-4 dollars for both of us. And I didn't have to cook, rather I could choose from a huge variety of fresh foods and spices and cooks who would create simple masterpieces I could eat while sitting on a rickety fold up chair out on the street.

But I'm not there and I'm here, in northern NY where roadside veggie stands are plentiful, and it seems like zucchini, along with squash, corn and peppers are the fruit of the land. We've been eating zucchini all summer and so now I'm looking for some more original dishes as the seasons change and we huddle inside around the fire. I found one I'd like to share:

Zucchini-Crusted Pizza (from the Moosewood Cookbook)

pre-heat oven to 350

3 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 Tbs. fresh basil leaves, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried

salt and pepper

Salt the zucchini lightly and let it sit for 15 min. Squeeze out all the excess moisture.

Combine all crust ingredients, and spread into an oiled 9X13 inch baking pan. Bake 20-25 min, until surface is dry and firm. Brush the top with oil and broil it, under moderate heat for 5 min.

Pile on pizza toppings (I used tomato sauce, sauteed onions, peppers and brocoli, and sliced olives and roma tomatoes and lots of cheese) and heat it all in 350 deg oven for 25 min.

Enjoy!

In other news, Josie is teething. She chews on everything. And she's found her hands, and that they can be used as tools to get everything that she chews on to her mouth.

And sometimes just her fingers. We're working on chewing fingers without gagging herself and spitting up all over the place.

But in case we do spit up all over the place, mommy has made some bibs from ratty old washcloths.
Josie likes them. And she also likes the fact that she can sit up in the high chair and be a part of everything. She continues to serenade us with her vocal chords, and most recently, deep belly laughs and smirks. Oh, what a love!!! I do feel like the luckiest woman alive with such a sweetie!

too good not to read

On Vanity

soul food for the day. Thanks Katie!

This week's recipes

Just thought I'd pass along these recipes, they were all very good!!!

Cranberry Apple Crisp (c/o Jenn Forney)
5 medium tart apples, sliced
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 (16 oz)can whole berry cranberry sauce

Topping:
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cut packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp wheat bran
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbp butter, melted
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. in a large bowl, combine apples and flour; toss to coat. Sir in cranberry sauce, Transfer to a 13-in X 9-in baking dish coated with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is tender. Serve with frozen yogurt if desired

Most egg-cellent breakfast strata (8 servings) (c/o Jenn Forney)
3 cups low-fat herb-seasoned croutons
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup minced onions
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup packed shredded light sharp cheddar cheese
8 eggs
1 cup 2% evaporated milk
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper

1. spray an 11 x 7 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Spreak croutons evenly in bottom of dish. Set aside

2. Spray a medium, non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Cook zucchini, onions, and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook and stir for about 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

3. To assemble strata, spoon vegetable mixture evenly over croutons. Top with shredded cheese. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. Let strata stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes until eggs are completely set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Carrot Muffins at Epicurious.com (click here)

B&B's B&B

This weekend we are having guests, and it's been fun to get the house ready-- at least there is something for Josie and I to do while Dave is at school substitute teaching, or at the bookstore shelving books, or helping my parents with the store's website. He keeps pretty busy with real work while I hang out at the homestead.

But I think it's a pretty nice place to come home to. Especially on sunny autumn days.We try and make it a welcome place
And a cozy place to rest for a while.

You can feel like you are living in a log cabin.

Because you are!

With homemade touches.

And, some lucky guest will get a baby in their room!

Oh wait, that's probably going to be me.

Breakfast served!

dairy fresh yogurt and berries

Cranapple crisp and veggie egg bake recipes compliments of Jenn Forney! And a wood-powered oven to bake them in! (but I didn't actually bake them there, just kept them warm

happy guests!

weeks "shi wu hao"

15 weeks and Josie seems to have found her voice. She loves to sing and will spend hours just singing to herself-- it's adorable. Dave and I will lay awake at night trying not to laugh out loud in the wee morning hours as we listen to her vocal scales going up and down. Either she's suited for the opera or to speak the Chinese language because she sure seems musically inclined!

Even here, with tears in her eyes, she begins her melodies once she realizes that someone is there to listen:)

And yes, I made that hat from a very tired out and holey neck warmer. It's getting cold here!

Considering Birds

This week the birds have gotten their signal to move. Last Saturday on a walk, I looked overhead to see about 3 flocks of Canadian geese in their perfect V formation head south. It’s been so long since I’ve wittnessed such a beautiful arrangement.. Perfect precision in air travel. The V is in constant transition as the birds do a sort of “Indian Run” flying. The lead bird and those around him shift every few seconds as others in the back who have been drafting off those in the front step forward to break the wind current. Those who have been doing the hard work drop back, and it’s happening constantly– but the coolest thing is that the V remains in perfect form even though the parts of it constantly change. And to look straight up in the sky and see this above against a clear blue canopy is stunning, just stunning.


Today however, the blue sky has turned grey and the heavens have opened pouring down their torrents of rain to water the earth. But when the downpour let up for brief intervals of time, I noticed that the birds haven’t been hiding. As the rain lulled for a moment, 8 red-breasted robins descended upon the lawn right in front of me, digging in the lawn looking for worms unearthed by the downpour. Perfect timing, again. They know what to look for and don’t hesitate to take what God has provided. I also found it interesting that the rain goes into the ground to provide nourishment for that which grows there, and it also brings out of the ground nourishment for the birds of the sky by the worms it brings up. (Not to mention nourishment for us as we eat the food grown in the ground and watered by the rain). I thought of Jesus words on the mountainside, surrounded by all of his creation, unveiling the secrets of the kingdom of heaven using the very things he created on the earth. And he tell us to look to the birds to understand the care and provision of our heavenly father. Their food is provided, and doesn’t he love us more than them? Won’t he provide for our needs? He uses the lilies and asks the people to “consider them” or to think more deeply about them, looking to their beauty which is extravagant, and yet to know even more that God will take care of our physical need for clothing and shelter – that is, when we make the kingdom of heaven our first priority.

Of course, all my “considering” is limited by time, because just when I sat down to “consider” I heard Josie waking up from her nap and frantically letting me know that she needed me. It turned out that she just needed to know that I was there, and that I cared. It’s amazing how she can go from a frantic cry to a laugh when she sees my face over her crib. And now, as I’m typing this, she’s lying on a blanket at my feet kicking her legs and singing. (Really, she sings!)

Ah, back to the birds. They somehow know God’s perfect timing, time to fly, time to eat. They are provided for and have what they need, waiting for the day they all rise in the air to make a southern journey (and as a perfectly formed group none the less!) And they know when and where to descend on dewy grass to find lunch! I took a closer look at the ground, the holes they had scratched back and even found a slug in one of them. Don’t know if the bird missed it or maybe slugs are the preferred snack. But they are provided for.

And Josie teaches me about provision and joy as well.. In her frantic cries when she feels alone - I know what she feels, a despair of being by herself. But the joyful squeals of laughter when she sees that she is cared for by a mother responding to her cries teach me about contentment and thanksgiving. And now, she just wiggles on the floor and smiles up at me, happy to be in my presence.
No wonder Jesus uses images of birds, flowers and children to show us what our lives are like before him in his kingdom. He is provider and caretaker, designer and father. Knowing far more than we do about our needs, and responding to our cries for help. If only I would giggle with glee in His presence more often, or lay content at his feet. If only I would know the perfect time to collect what he has provided, to fly in perfect formation to a place where I would not freeze. Maybe that’s why he asks us to consider all these things, and to let them sink below the surface. And then maybe, just maybe, we’ll find what we’ve been looking for all along.

14 weeks

End of the summer

Stone Valley

She's growing up so fast!

you little monkey!

I feel like I've read all the go to sleep books I can take. And I've tried a few different methods. Most night I let Josie decide when she's tired and I lay with her, nurse her and read a book until she drops off to sleep. Other night I rock her to sleep and sing to her. And if she's really fussy, I swaddle her and give her a pacifier while standing and shushing her to sleep.

I got a good book on healthy sleeping habits and read that a 3 month old should be getting a solid morning nap, afternoon nap and going to sleep pretty early at night, say, 6:30-7:00 pm. I tried that last night, getting a late morning early afternoon nap and a late afternoon nap and to bed at 7:15. She was up once in the night and then again at her 4:30/5 am wake time. I had Dave handle this with a bottle of water, hoping she'd lose interest and sleep again until 7, where I'd get up with her for a walk and then a 9 am nap. Ha! Wishful thinking. In actuality, she made noises in her crib-- mostly just talking to herself until 7:15 when she got a little anxious. I got up, fed her and thought we could be up for the morning-- yeah right. She fell into a deep slumber at 7:30, one I couldn't wake her from.

Ok, so lets try a later nap and get back on track. At 9 am she was awake again and I took her for a walk outside--- she looked pretty sleepy by the end and I though we could be back on schedule for naps... not a chance. Finally got her down at 11 am for less than an hour.

And then she fell asleep at 1pm. I was hopefull this would be a substantial nap so that we could try for the early bedtime. Nope. Up at 1:30, down at 1:45, up at 2:15 and not going down again. Grr...

45 min drive in the car... she slept for about 20 min.

Finally home, had a wonderful early evening. She talked and laughed and even rolled over for the first time! Such a fun baby. I put her in the sling to go out and check the garden and she started getting tired... 6pm. I'm hopeful. We sit on the bench swing by the garden and nurse, she falls asleep--6:30. I sneak her up to her room for bed. (what was I thinking?)

To make this long evening short, lets suffice it to say that Josie finally fell asleep. At 11 pm. 5 and a half hours after I tried to get her down!

And what was the secret?
Let me show you.
Apparently mommy in the rocking chair, with the pacifier, on the bed nursing, walking, pacing, pleading and even going downstairs with the monitor to wait it out wasn't going to work. Josie needed a furry friend and a swing. I put her in her bed after taking this picture.

It's 11:20 pm
Oh no
I hear a crying baby.

any suggestions?

Happy Eggs

On the way home today from getting insurance for Josie straightened out, getting a social security number for Josie (somehow the paperwork we filled out in Beijing has gotten lost in the system), I was on a mission to find fresh food, especially eggs.

I stopped at a little farm with a sign outside that said "For Sale, Farm Fresh Happy Eggs"-- it looked promising. As I pulled in the driveway, a hispanic man came out of the house, arms wide open with a big "Welcome!" on this tongue. I felt welcome, and I wasn't really expecting that.

"Do you have any eggs?" I enquired

"Sure we do, and we have lots of produce too" he replied with excitement. I looked at the farmstand which was completely empty and back at him.

"oh, we don't keep our vegetables out here, they would dry up too fast. Come out to our garden, just pick what you like.."

So, I got Josie out of the car, wheeled her into the garden where she was greeted by a big friendly dog, and chatted with Fernando as he told me that he had moved up from Queens, and before that Guatamala, and had a dream of starting this organic farm and making his own fresh salsa. Pretty cool. He began picking me fresh swiss chard, kale, cilantro, potatoes and even a tomatillo (?) and put it in a big paper bag. I suppose I can make green salsa with that. I haven't tried it before.

"All this is fresh, man I love it out here!" He smiled as goats billied in the background. "There's only 2 of us in our household, so just take what you like. And, well, I don't have a price on it so just give me what you think is fair" Wow.

2 dozen eggs and a bag full of very fresh organic green later I looked in my wallet to find I only had a $10 bill. I told him I'd take one dozen eggs and the veggies as I didn't think I had enough money to merit all of the food.

"Oh, just take it, I want you to come back!"

Ok, I think we will.

I like the idea of this open garden plan. It's fresh, good, good for you, community building, organic and free range. Free Range Happy Eggs for you.

My brother-in-law Derek, a leading animal rights activist and co-founder of "Mercy For Animals" would probably want to call it a Sanctuary and we wouldn't be on the same page with consumption of animal products, however, next to a vegan lifestyle, eating fresh from the fields where the happy chickens live would be next best. And I can definitely see where he's coming from-- his latest egg hatchery investigation has recently made it big in the news. Pretty disturbing stuff and a reason to go organic and free range. I'm glad we can live this way around here.

For China folks reading this who want to buy free range eggs-- the term for them is "Chai Ji Dan" or "green eggs" (they are the ones with a little green sticker on them at the market.)

And then you can make good stuff like this. Yummy.

I just fried up some onions, peppers, and tomatoes-- added 4 wisked eggs and let it slow cook before adding crumbled up goat cheese.

Adirondack Mama

I went for a run this morning! Well, (ah hem) a run/walk... but the majority of it was a run! The feeling that my body is slowing regaining strength rather than feeling like a piece of jello is encouraging. By no means have I made any visible progress (at least to my own eyes) but I am feeling better. Maybe I'll try out my Dad's "circle abs pro" sometime... maybe. It's sitting on the deck ready to go. hmmm.

But in the meantime I'm enjoying this late summer early fall beauty. The leaves are just changing, the morning air has dewy frost steaming, the garden is producing some produce.

Like these carrots.

And brussel sprouts. And cherry tomotoes.

Unfortunately it looks like the rest of the tomatoes are history due to this blight. I tore up some of the carnage this afternoon while Dave tried to hush the baby and put the rotten tomatoes and

plants in a garbage bag. Wo ting shou wo ying gai zou. Uh, I mean, I've heard it said that's what you're supposed to do. I think Josie is sad that we've lost so many hopeful tomatoes. And I've also read I'm not supposed to can the ones that could develop blight so we're just using up all that we can now.

And I've been having a "missing China day". Am I supposed to be having those? It's been a couple months now that we've been home, and though we are enjoying home imm

ensely, I am missing my friends terribly. This week has been rich in emails and letters from the East and I feel in some ways like I'm still there... like I'm still responsible for students and programs and learning Chinese, but I'm not. I'm here, on the porch, sipping tea and blogging while Dave reads a theology book by Eugene Peterson and sips tea with an old teacup I made in a ceramics class in college I took to prepare to be an art teacher those 8 years ago.

8 YEARS? Where did it go? Sigh.

We are still waiting to hear from grad schools, still wondering if we can afford to go. I guess we'll hear about financial aid by the end of the month and then we can make a definitive decision. So, for now, Dave is continuing to save his pennies at his night shift washing dishes at a college union. Talk about long hours and hard manual labor. There is something nice about working hard with your hands and body though.

Like cooking dinner from the ground.

Like swimming across the lake for the second time this summer.

Like moving the lawn and smelling fresh cut grass.

Like taking long walks with your baby and husband.

Like learning how to do photoshop alongside a 3 month old.

Yes, there's a lot of good here. This is a good season. It's good to be alive.