summer. summer summer summer.

hello summer of 2015.

embracing:

• community.  friendships.  sangha.
• the mountains.
• flowers.  of course.
• painting.  i'm having my first show in late summer/early autumn!
• meditation.  honored to be doing teacher training.
• creating every salad on my pinterest salad board.
• sewing a dress.
• a joyful body.

easing up on:

• the excess stuff in the house.
• my attachment to making more money (in the form of cutting some of my work work hours to make space for art and yoga and meditation).
• things that are heavy.
• isolation.

how about you, summer friends?

sunday grace: where i'm from

i am from strong women
who are not afraid of dirt
or silence

i am from neon purple sea anemones
whose tentacles sway ethereally in the tide pool
and softly embrace the finger of a curious girl

i am from the dust bowl
and the apaches
and the journey west

i am from scorching sidewalks
and mexican paletas
and bare feet cooled in sprinkler runoff

i am from swimming lessons
and tennis lessons
and piano lessons and ballet

i am from the turkey king of oklahoma
and the twist king of california
(no prom queens though)

i am from hee-haw
the bradys, mr. french
and wild kingdom

i am from the fury of the misnamed pacific
the hot santa anas
nights that smell like jasmine and alfalfa

i am from backbends
and banana seats
and clover flower necklaces

i am from afternoon naps
the doves cooing and the gardenia scenting
outside my window

i am from sam and daisy
nikki and patches
and all the lost dogs who found their way to the house on castro lane

i am from teachers
and drill sargents
and photographers and poets

i am from women's lib
and kitchen dancing
and grilled abalone for dinner

i am from skateland
and disneyland
earthquakes and earth shoes

i am from a thousand books
a few broken hearts
summer skin that smells of chlorine and coconut

i am from the tule fog
always there for the girl
who wants to be invisible

i am from mrs. agan
and my fifth grade summer camp counselor
whose name i have forgotten
who saw me
and painted my portrait on a slice of california redwood

{a spontaneous version of where i'm from}

vibrant nourishment

when good food and amazing color come together, i am happy.  this week i made beet hummus.  you guys, it is incredible.  it is beautiful, happy and tastes fantastic.

i took artistic license with the recipe from splendid table.  what i changed from the original recipe:  i roasted an entire head of garlic and lemon along with the beets; the garlic was mellow and buttery and sweet, the roasting gives the lemon some depth while maintaining its brightness.

b e e t  h u m m u s

• 3 medium beets, trimmed, roasted and peeled
• 1 head garlic, roasted
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 5 tablespoons tahini
• 2 lemons, one roasted and juiced, one left fresh for zest
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• chopped parsley and nuts and a splash of olive oil for garnish

roast beets, garlic head and one lemon at 375 degrees.  the lemon and garlic will roast for about 45 minutes.  the beets will take a little over an hour; they need to be fork tender.

once cooled, peel the beets and rough chop and place in food processor.  

squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the food processor.  

add the chickpeas, tahini, salt and the juice from the roasted lemon and give everything a whirl until smooth.  you may need to adjust with a tablespoon or two of water.  adjust salt and acidity (add more lemon juice from the fresh lemon if needed).

garnish with chopped parsley, lemon zest and chopped nuts.  serve with crackers, toasts, pita or veggies.

i mean, look at that color.

sunday grace: spring

new creatures whirl in from non-existence,

galaxies scattered around their feet.

have you met them?

-rumi

deep sigh.
deep gratitude.
for the beginning of things.
over and over again.
spring in virginia.
in this home.
in this soul.