Creating Strength.

In the last two weeks, I've been put through a series of health tests. Not because there was anything wrong but because I feel the need to check things out every few years. Bottom line: I'm fine. 

But the medical establishment fueled by the drug companies would, unfortunately, like me to be fearful, worried about random sets of numbers on an ever sliding scale that they set up to scare us into taking drugs. In my case, though my weight, blood pressure, diet and exercise regime is very healthy, the arbitrary 'cholesterol' numbers are now considered high. Of course, they want me to take statin drugs, which cause a whole set of very unhealthy side effects. 

Say no to drugs.

In case you're wondering, I have studied the whole cholesterol scare since I was in college. My uncle, a biochemist, actually studied food, like eggs, and cholesterol. His conclusion: food is not the problem. Even with those findings, a whole marketing program began in the 50's to sell the American people on fake eggs and margarine. We all know now, how that really turned out. My uncle was right and the medical establishment was wrong. 

The bottom line is cholesterol is essential to your brain health, as well as other things, and while there is some debate as to its effect on heart health, it is only one of many factors to consider. I won't go into it now, but if you're curious Google, The Cholesterol Myth, a book written about how the facts have been re-written for a number of reasons including medical and corporate profits. 

Celebrate health. 

That's what I've decided to do. How can I do that and can we all do that? Yes. 

Instead of adding up calories or following the latest advice trends, why not listen to my body. Everyday, I can ask myself: what does my body really want? Sometimes, it's food, sometimes, not. Sometimes, my body wants a good, long walk. Time in the studio. A bubble bath. A yoga class. A good book to read. Or a silly video that gives me a good hearty laugh. 

Walking in the woods revives me in so many ways. Yoga moves both in and out of class make me feel both strong and flexible. Taking time to still my monkey mind from swinging from thought to thought creates clarity. A good hug, kiss or giggle lifts my heart. 

Creating strength begins with me. 

From the inside out, I strive to honor and create strength in body, mind and soul. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? For me, it takes conscious thought, action and awareness everyday. 

I choose as much as I can, moment to moment. I try not to get sucked into the fear surrounding me. When I see a drug commercial, I turn the sound off.  When I hear food fears or ageist thinking, I try to see it for what it is: propaganda.

My life isn't about sculpting a perfect body with diet, exercise, surgery or drugs. My life is about living, loving, creating and most of all, enjoying the beauty and strength of being on this earth right now. Today. 

A Curious Week.

My word of the year popped up almost every day this week.  I didn't set it as a goal or even an intention, but there it was all the same.

Studio Curiosity.

Instead of rushing around and pushing myself to get back in the studio and work, work, work, I got curious.  What is it that really pushes me to create?  And is it coming from the right place? Or maybe, there is no right place?  

After some forced meditation, ok I know force and mediation don't go together.  But sometimes, I have to make myself sit down and be still.  Music helps me settle and journaling helps me distract my mind enough to hear my inner voice.  Here's what I heard: guilt and fear.  Those are the forces that chase me around and around inside the studio and out.  

Curious.  I decided to try something different.  Sitting and not doing any creating until I truly felt the desire.  My mind kept throwing guilt and fear words at me like: procrastinator, lazy, and the worst: hobbyist.  Ouch.  I felt that old urge to rush, rush, rush and push some work out.  

I kept sitting.  After a while of watching the clouds move across the sky, listening to my dog snoring and my cat padding around softly, I had an idea.  I wanted to try to combine an old love with a new one.  Into the studio I went, rummaging through my closet and grabbing out inks, watercolors and even an old watercolor paper pad.  

I happily played with my watercolors and inks on paper on one side of my studio.  While it dried, I took out a few thrown porcelain bowls, got out a few under glazes and played again, treating the bowls like watercolor paper and the under glazes like paints and ink.  

Social Media Curiosity.

Last year, I was asking myself questions about social media.  Did I want to be on all the social media sites I was on?  Were they necessary for business or pleasure?  And did they actually bring me business or pleasure?  

Since then, I've said no to LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.  Even more curious, is how the topic was being discussed at an art meeting last week, too.  There are people who have never and do not want to be online at all.  Some who are completely invested online.   When asked, I said I was shocked when I counted the number of online media sites I'd  signed up for over the years. 

While I do believe the Internet is a good resource for me, I'm not sure which sites are really right.   

Food Curiosity.

Like so many people, I've been sucked into the health and diet vortex.  Eat this food and be healthier.  Stop eating this food and lose weight.  Count your steps, your calories, your body mass index, your breath.  I'm a healthy person but what I'm sick of is all this stuff swirling around me.  And no matter how healthy someone might say it is, worrying about it all the time, isn't.  I'm going to stop buying into it, on tv or in the store.  

Instead, I'm going to follow my body with curiosity.  What am I hungry for?  What smells good and looks good and tastes good?  Where would I like to go...for a walk...to yoga...both? How do I feel right now?  What feels right to me?  

I don't know what kind of work I'll make this year or if it will be any different than last year.  I'm not sure which social media sites I'll keep for my art business and which ones I'll keep for pleasure.  And food wise, will I be doing the right thing or not?

I don't know.  But I do know, I'll be curious to find out.

Summertime Goodness.

Huge, dark, bursting boysenberries that just melt in your mouth.  Soft, sweet, juicy peaches as big as baseballs.  Tomatoes red, ripe and pulling down the vines in my garden.   

I love the goodness summer brings.  And I love cooking sweet goodies and cool salads with whatever summer brings my way.  

In the past two weeks that's meant boysenberries, peaches from the local farmers market and cherry and beefsteak tomatoes from my garden.  I've harvested almost all my lettuce and the zucchini is, sadly, done for this year.  But thanks to the very hot and sunny weather here in the usually cloudy northwest, my tomatoes are turning red right and left.

The best thing in my book is coming up with dishes to enjoy using these delights.  Boysenberry Galette, Peach Crumble Pie and Caprese Salad.

First, sweet, then the savory.

A Boysenberry Galette is so quick, easy and fun to bake up.  Just mix the washed berries with cinnamon and sugar, roll out pie dough, spoon the berries inside, then fold it up around the outside, brush with a little milk or egg, sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 375 for 45 minutes.  Cool.  Eat.

Pie making is not my thing.  So I admit, I cheated here just a little.  I used a store bought pie shell for the bottom of this pie.  Just prick it with a fork and par bake it at 400 for 10 minutes, let it cool.  While this is happening, slice the peaches and mix with 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Make the crumble by mixing 6 tbsp butter into 1/3 cup each of brown sugar and flour and 1/2 cup oatmeal and more cinnamon.  Once the pie shell is cool, fill it with the peach filling, top with the crumble topping and bake at 375 for about an hour.   Cool.  Eat.

Caprese Salad is even easier than all of the above.  No cooking.  Very little prep.  Perfect for a hot day dinner.  Wash and de-stem 2 cups of cherry tomatoes.  Rinse several stems of basil leaves.  In a serving bowl, add 16 oz container of Trader Joes marinated mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, snip the basil leaves over the top.  Toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Eat with crusty, french rolls.

I hope you enjoy the summertime goodness coming your way as much as I'm enjoying it here!

Soup for the soul.

And it's good for colds and flu, too.

I'm an artist, not a chef.  But, I do love cooking and find it creative, calming and fulfilling.  It's good for the body and mind especially this week with a cold/flu going through the house.  Nothing soothes a stuffy head better than soup.  This week, I came up with two new ones that I thought I'd share.   The big bonus: both soups are quick and easy using a combination of fresh ingredients, leftovers from other dinners and store bought helpers.

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​Creamy Alfredo Pesto Chicken Soup

1 jar Trader Joe's Alfredo Sauce

1 box Trader Joe's Organic Chicken Broth

2 cups dry Orecchiette pasta

1 cup chopped cooked carrots

1-2 cups chopped cooked chicken 

1/4 cup homemade pesto sauce

2-3 cloves garlic chopped 

2 Tbsp olive oil

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​Cook and drain the pasta.  Heat the olive oil in cast iron soup pot and saute garlic 2-3 minutes.  Add Alfredo Sauce, chicken broth, pesto and stir until blended.  Add carrots, chicken, pasta and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve.

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Pot Roast Soup 

2-3 cups left over pot roast, carrots and potatoes or beef stew

1 box Trader Joe's beef broth

2-3 cloves garlic chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

Optional additions - barley, corn, peas

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Saute garlic in olive oil in soup pot.  Add broth.  Add left over pot roast or stew ingredients.  

Simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes.  Serve.

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I was surprised how well both of these soups cleared my stuffed up head.  But best of all, they made me feel warm and cozy.  That's healing for body, mind and soul.

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