Saturday, September 27, 2008
New Tea Blog
My husband has entered the blogosphere! He is blogging about tea over at blackdragonteabar.blogspot.com. His focus is on Chinese and Taiwanese teas and tea culture; not only is he passionate about what he does, but he really knows his stuff! For those who are mostly familiar with the British style of tea service (think scones, doilies, and black tea with lots of milk and sugar), his focus on tea at the connoisseur level may be an entirely new way to think about this ancient and wonderful beverage. Welcome to the blogging world, Brett!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Happy Autumn!
Today is the first day of autumn! I could tell on my walk home from the bus stop that the seasons are definitely changing, with the crisp air, the dusk already setting in, and a few stray fallen leaves crunching under my feet. Even though it's always sad to bid adieu to summer, I really do love fall. Goodbye tomatoes, hello pumpkins (and the little munchkins that hide inside of them)!
(Photo of my adorable niece Skylar on Halloween last year)
(Photo of my adorable niece Skylar on Halloween last year)Saturday, September 20, 2008
On Eating Locally and Veganism
Apologies in advance for the long post--I am going to step up on my vegan soapbox for a minute. If you are interested in ideas for eating locally and further minimizing your carbon footprint as a vegan, just skip ahead to the bottom of this post.
I recently finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's memoir, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" in which she and her family eat only locally grown food for an entire year. Of course, it helps that she is an avid gardener with farming in her blood, and that the family moved that year from Arizona to their farm in the southern Appalachians. They were able to grow almost all of their food and source what they couldn't grow from other local farms. It was an inspiring and illuminating read. Despite the fact that it was sometimes exhausting just to think about all the work that must be done in order to make this happen (not just the planting, watering and weeding, but also harvesting and processing--not to mention all the planning that went into it), it was truly wonderful to read about the family's metamorphosis and their new connection to the old ways of life--living in true harmony with the seasons, and experiencing the satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency.
Reading this book motivated me to re-examine my vegan ways. Kingsolver herself was once vegetarian (though it became clear in the book that her main objection was CAFO meat, that is, meat produced in factory farms or "confined animal feeding operations"), but began eating meat again when free-range meat became more available. On their farm, they kept chickens and turkeys, and the eggs and meat they obtained from these were an important part of their local diet. After reading the book, I have nothing but respect for what she did--her animals were treated to a wonderful, natural life that most poultry in this country does not have, and when it came time to slaughter them (or "harvest," as she preferred), it was done in a humane, respectful way. Unfortunately, most animals raised for meat in this country are subjected to a miserable life before meeting their deaths, and the meat we buy in the stores has barely any resemblance to an animal that once lived, enabling us to ignore all that happened to bring that to us. Part of the reason I became vegan was that I didn't want to ignore this any longer. Unlike Kingsolver, however, I don't have a desire to start eating meat again, so while I'm happy that alternatives like free-range meat now exist, I am happy eating a plant-based diet.
But what about eggs and milk? Although I don't have much of an ethical objection to eggs from chickens that are lovingly cared for (the chickens will lay eggs regardless, and unfertilized eggs would never develop into baby chicks), I personally have no desire to eat them. As for milk, I think many people don't realize that cows don't just produce milk on their own: they have to get pregnant, have a calf, then be separated from that calf so that we can drink their milk--and this process is repeated many times during their short lives before they are sent to slaughter. Regardless how you feel about the sentience of nonhuman animals, it is well-established that mothers are fiercely protective of their young and do not want to be separated from them. Perhaps some small farms and dairies practice more humane methods, but I would rather not contribute to this process.
Although she made some good points, many of Kingsolver's arguments against vegetarianism were a little bizarre. For example, she states: "I'm unimpressed by arguments that condemn animal harvest while ignoring, wholesale, the animal killing that underwrites vegetal foods. Uncountable deaths by pesticide and habitat removal--the beetles and bunnies that die collaterally for our bread and veggie-burgers--are lives plumb wasted." Yes, that is rather sad--but I don't appreciate her insinuation that vegans are hypocrites because we don't care or think about these bugs and bunnies. Every vegan knows that, try as we might, some animals will be harmed as collateral damage of the items we consume--the goal is to minimize that as much as we can by making informed choices about what we eat and buy.
One other odd argument: she notes that, if our culture had evolved as vegan, we wouldn't have all the literature and nursery rhymes involving domesticated farm animals. Can you imagine how terrible that would be? A world without the Three Little Pigs? I shudder to even think about it. Seriously, though, she notes this to make a point that civilization as we know it would not have come into existence without carnivory. However, I think of veganism (that is, "secular" veganism that is not associated with a religion) as being a modern phenomenon, arising as a response to the unspeakable cruelties faced by animals raised in today's factory farm system. I personally have nothing against subsistence hunting and fishing, and therefore have no qualms about the food traditions of other cultures where meat is prized, where the animals are properly respected and no part of a sacrificed animal is left to waste. But our current rate of meat consumption is simply unsustainable, and our system of raising animals produces staggering amounts of waste.
Still, I can understand the place that foods such as eggs and butter have in farm life. It may seem at odds to the "natural" values we embrace to use such products as faux meats and margarine, but there are lots of good products out there nowadays that contain quality ingredients (thank you, Earth Balance, for making non-hydrogenated margarine a staple of vegan households!). And, I don't live on a farm (yet...), so these products are readily available. That being said, I wholeheartedly embrace the DIY/self-sufficient ethos, and feel that being vegan gives me so much more of an "excuse" to make most of our food from scratch--it would be much easier to just pick up pre-packaged meals if I wasn't vegan.
Overall, I felt that Kingsolver was excessively focused on one component of global warming--the fossil fuels used in transport--to the exclusion of other very important issues in environmentalism, such as the high carbon footprint of the meat industry, water use, etc. That being said, she brought up some very good points about the energy needed to transport food across the country (and the world). And, despite the drawbacks I've listed here, this eloquent book was quite provacative and definitely worth a read. While I don't think I could ever become a full locavore (a life without tea, olive oil, avocados, citrus, and spices would not be worth living!), there are some choices that we vegans can make to reduce our carbon footprint even more.
1. Buy local produce in season. We've all heard this one by now! Shop farmers markets. Sign up for a local CSA. Look at labels in the store and try to buy items produced in your own state. Avoid tomatoes and strawberries in the dead of winter (they won't taste very good anyway). Decrease consumption of tropical fruits (yes, that includes bananas).
2. Think beyond produce. Look for locally-produced tofu, tempeh, flour, dried beans, and other staples. Make your own seitan-based faux meats--recipes abound on the internet (check out VeganDad's blog for lots of good ideas).
3. Purchase non-dairy milks and other products sold in aseptic packages, rather than those that require refrigeration. Think of all that energy it takes to keep the product cool as it trucks across the country!
4. Minimize use of pre-packaged frozen products (for the same reasons as above). Make your own instead! Here is a great recipe for burritos to make in a big batch and stockpile in your freezer when you need a quick meal. Or, even easier, double dinner recipes for soups, stews and other easily freezable items, and set aside a portion for a rainy day.
5. Enjoy your food! Do what works for you, and make changes you can live with, but don't stress too much if you can't always be "perfect." This isn't a contest for who eats the most purely or ethically or who has the smallest carbon footprint. Food is more than nourishment for the body; it nourishes our whole selves, and not enjoying what you're eating can deprive you of one of life's greatest joys. That's something that Barbara Kingsolver and I would agree on!
I recently finished reading Barbara Kingsolver's memoir, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" in which she and her family eat only locally grown food for an entire year. Of course, it helps that she is an avid gardener with farming in her blood, and that the family moved that year from Arizona to their farm in the southern Appalachians. They were able to grow almost all of their food and source what they couldn't grow from other local farms. It was an inspiring and illuminating read. Despite the fact that it was sometimes exhausting just to think about all the work that must be done in order to make this happen (not just the planting, watering and weeding, but also harvesting and processing--not to mention all the planning that went into it), it was truly wonderful to read about the family's metamorphosis and their new connection to the old ways of life--living in true harmony with the seasons, and experiencing the satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency.
Reading this book motivated me to re-examine my vegan ways. Kingsolver herself was once vegetarian (though it became clear in the book that her main objection was CAFO meat, that is, meat produced in factory farms or "confined animal feeding operations"), but began eating meat again when free-range meat became more available. On their farm, they kept chickens and turkeys, and the eggs and meat they obtained from these were an important part of their local diet. After reading the book, I have nothing but respect for what she did--her animals were treated to a wonderful, natural life that most poultry in this country does not have, and when it came time to slaughter them (or "harvest," as she preferred), it was done in a humane, respectful way. Unfortunately, most animals raised for meat in this country are subjected to a miserable life before meeting their deaths, and the meat we buy in the stores has barely any resemblance to an animal that once lived, enabling us to ignore all that happened to bring that to us. Part of the reason I became vegan was that I didn't want to ignore this any longer. Unlike Kingsolver, however, I don't have a desire to start eating meat again, so while I'm happy that alternatives like free-range meat now exist, I am happy eating a plant-based diet.
But what about eggs and milk? Although I don't have much of an ethical objection to eggs from chickens that are lovingly cared for (the chickens will lay eggs regardless, and unfertilized eggs would never develop into baby chicks), I personally have no desire to eat them. As for milk, I think many people don't realize that cows don't just produce milk on their own: they have to get pregnant, have a calf, then be separated from that calf so that we can drink their milk--and this process is repeated many times during their short lives before they are sent to slaughter. Regardless how you feel about the sentience of nonhuman animals, it is well-established that mothers are fiercely protective of their young and do not want to be separated from them. Perhaps some small farms and dairies practice more humane methods, but I would rather not contribute to this process.
Although she made some good points, many of Kingsolver's arguments against vegetarianism were a little bizarre. For example, she states: "I'm unimpressed by arguments that condemn animal harvest while ignoring, wholesale, the animal killing that underwrites vegetal foods. Uncountable deaths by pesticide and habitat removal--the beetles and bunnies that die collaterally for our bread and veggie-burgers--are lives plumb wasted." Yes, that is rather sad--but I don't appreciate her insinuation that vegans are hypocrites because we don't care or think about these bugs and bunnies. Every vegan knows that, try as we might, some animals will be harmed as collateral damage of the items we consume--the goal is to minimize that as much as we can by making informed choices about what we eat and buy.
One other odd argument: she notes that, if our culture had evolved as vegan, we wouldn't have all the literature and nursery rhymes involving domesticated farm animals. Can you imagine how terrible that would be? A world without the Three Little Pigs? I shudder to even think about it. Seriously, though, she notes this to make a point that civilization as we know it would not have come into existence without carnivory. However, I think of veganism (that is, "secular" veganism that is not associated with a religion) as being a modern phenomenon, arising as a response to the unspeakable cruelties faced by animals raised in today's factory farm system. I personally have nothing against subsistence hunting and fishing, and therefore have no qualms about the food traditions of other cultures where meat is prized, where the animals are properly respected and no part of a sacrificed animal is left to waste. But our current rate of meat consumption is simply unsustainable, and our system of raising animals produces staggering amounts of waste.
Still, I can understand the place that foods such as eggs and butter have in farm life. It may seem at odds to the "natural" values we embrace to use such products as faux meats and margarine, but there are lots of good products out there nowadays that contain quality ingredients (thank you, Earth Balance, for making non-hydrogenated margarine a staple of vegan households!). And, I don't live on a farm (yet...), so these products are readily available. That being said, I wholeheartedly embrace the DIY/self-sufficient ethos, and feel that being vegan gives me so much more of an "excuse" to make most of our food from scratch--it would be much easier to just pick up pre-packaged meals if I wasn't vegan.
Overall, I felt that Kingsolver was excessively focused on one component of global warming--the fossil fuels used in transport--to the exclusion of other very important issues in environmentalism, such as the high carbon footprint of the meat industry, water use, etc. That being said, she brought up some very good points about the energy needed to transport food across the country (and the world). And, despite the drawbacks I've listed here, this eloquent book was quite provacative and definitely worth a read. While I don't think I could ever become a full locavore (a life without tea, olive oil, avocados, citrus, and spices would not be worth living!), there are some choices that we vegans can make to reduce our carbon footprint even more.
1. Buy local produce in season. We've all heard this one by now! Shop farmers markets. Sign up for a local CSA. Look at labels in the store and try to buy items produced in your own state. Avoid tomatoes and strawberries in the dead of winter (they won't taste very good anyway). Decrease consumption of tropical fruits (yes, that includes bananas).2. Think beyond produce. Look for locally-produced tofu, tempeh, flour, dried beans, and other staples. Make your own seitan-based faux meats--recipes abound on the internet (check out VeganDad's blog for lots of good ideas).
3. Purchase non-dairy milks and other products sold in aseptic packages, rather than those that require refrigeration. Think of all that energy it takes to keep the product cool as it trucks across the country!
4. Minimize use of pre-packaged frozen products (for the same reasons as above). Make your own instead! Here is a great recipe for burritos to make in a big batch and stockpile in your freezer when you need a quick meal. Or, even easier, double dinner recipes for soups, stews and other easily freezable items, and set aside a portion for a rainy day.
5. Enjoy your food! Do what works for you, and make changes you can live with, but don't stress too much if you can't always be "perfect." This isn't a contest for who eats the most purely or ethically or who has the smallest carbon footprint. Food is more than nourishment for the body; it nourishes our whole selves, and not enjoying what you're eating can deprive you of one of life's greatest joys. That's something that Barbara Kingsolver and I would agree on!
Rosemary and Chive Flatbread
Here is the recipe for the flatbread that I made for our Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheese tasting. I had no idea that it was this easy to make--and tastes even better than the expensive stuff you find in stores. I adapted this recipe from one provided in our CSA newsletter. You could use a combination of flours (I think I'll experiment with adding some whole wheat next time), and switch up the herbs depending on what you have around.
Crisp Rosemary and Garlic Flatbread
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
3 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
3 TBS chopped fresh chives
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
Preparation:
Crisp Rosemary and Garlic Flatbread
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
3 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
3 TBS chopped fresh chives
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with a heavy baking sheet on a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Stir together dry ingredients.
- Make a well in the center and add water and oil. Gradually stir into the flour until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.
- Divide dough into 3 pieces.
- Roll out dough one piece at a time on a sheet of parchment paper, into a 10-inch circle; dough should be thin, but a rustic shape is okay.
- Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.
- Slide round, still on parchment paper, onto preheated baking sheet.
- Bake until golden brown in spots, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.
- Repeat with remaining rounds and fresh parchment paper.
- Break the flatbread into pieces before serving.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Dr. Cow Tree Nut Cheese Tasting
When our friends Janice and Mo visited from Berkeley this past weekend, they asked if we wanted anything from the Bay Area. Having just received the latest issue of VegNews in the mail, I was intrigued by the article describing the the tree nut cheese made by the New York-based Dr. Cow company. What made this sound so promising is that the Argentinian couple who runs the operation use only simple ingredients--nuts, bacterial cultures, and sea salt--and apply dairy cheese-making methods to create a truly artisinal product (that also happens to be raw; they use techniques such as fermentation, dehydration and aging to create their "cheese").
Now, I have never, in all my vegan years, found a vegan cheese substitute that I liked. Sure, there are a couple that are palatable (and I have yet to try Teese, which is supposed to be quite good), but for the most part they just taste grossly artificial. And who wants that? Although I used to be a huge cheese fan, after 8 years of living without, I don't even miss it anymore. In fact, I have come to dislike its smell and appearance, discreetly backing away from the requisite stinky cheese platter at parties. Even so, my curiosity was piqued--this seemed like it would be a product that could be enjoyed on its own terms, not only as a mere substitute.
So. Long story short, Janice and Mo arrived victorious with Dr. Cow in hand. It was much smaller than I thought it would be (the wheels are only 2oz each), and not cheap, costing about $7 for the cashew variety and $9 for cashew with hemp seeds. I made some rosemary and chive flatbreads, as such a special treat deserved a fancy bread. We also made like the omni's do, and served it on a nice platter with some grapes from Janice and Mo's CSA (those lucky Californians!).
The verdict? It was wonderful. When I first opened the classy wax paper wrapping, I found its aroma quite similar to miso (a good thing). The texture was great, and even Janice and Mo, the resident cheese eaters on the panel, agreed that it was pretty much spot-on. (Though I don't know if it melts, because we were too busy devouring it fresh to do that little experiment!) Mo thought that the flavor was really similar to an aged sharp cheddar, and felt that he wouldn't be able to tell the difference if it was on a platter with dairy cheese. Even my most skeptical husband, who failed to see why I was so excited about Dr. Cow in the first place, agreed that it was really good. Tangy, salty, complex, smoky. I enjoyed its pure flavor--it wasn't trying too hard to taste like dairy cheese, coming by its cheese-like properties honestly (instead of relying heavily on seasonings and "natural flavorings"). It was a marvelous taste experience, and I look forward to trying some of their other flavors (someday, when I have some disposable income... this might also make a nice Christmas present for the discerning vegan on your list. Hint, hint).
Even if you don't have two very generous friends who are willing to hand-deliver some Dr. Cow's directly to your refrigerator (thank you Janice and Mo!), you can now order it online. It's well worth the splurge!
Now, I have never, in all my vegan years, found a vegan cheese substitute that I liked. Sure, there are a couple that are palatable (and I have yet to try Teese, which is supposed to be quite good), but for the most part they just taste grossly artificial. And who wants that? Although I used to be a huge cheese fan, after 8 years of living without, I don't even miss it anymore. In fact, I have come to dislike its smell and appearance, discreetly backing away from the requisite stinky cheese platter at parties. Even so, my curiosity was piqued--this seemed like it would be a product that could be enjoyed on its own terms, not only as a mere substitute.
So. Long story short, Janice and Mo arrived victorious with Dr. Cow in hand. It was much smaller than I thought it would be (the wheels are only 2oz each), and not cheap, costing about $7 for the cashew variety and $9 for cashew with hemp seeds. I made some rosemary and chive flatbreads, as such a special treat deserved a fancy bread. We also made like the omni's do, and served it on a nice platter with some grapes from Janice and Mo's CSA (those lucky Californians!).
The verdict? It was wonderful. When I first opened the classy wax paper wrapping, I found its aroma quite similar to miso (a good thing). The texture was great, and even Janice and Mo, the resident cheese eaters on the panel, agreed that it was pretty much spot-on. (Though I don't know if it melts, because we were too busy devouring it fresh to do that little experiment!) Mo thought that the flavor was really similar to an aged sharp cheddar, and felt that he wouldn't be able to tell the difference if it was on a platter with dairy cheese. Even my most skeptical husband, who failed to see why I was so excited about Dr. Cow in the first place, agreed that it was really good. Tangy, salty, complex, smoky. I enjoyed its pure flavor--it wasn't trying too hard to taste like dairy cheese, coming by its cheese-like properties honestly (instead of relying heavily on seasonings and "natural flavorings"). It was a marvelous taste experience, and I look forward to trying some of their other flavors (someday, when I have some disposable income... this might also make a nice Christmas present for the discerning vegan on your list. Hint, hint).
Even if you don't have two very generous friends who are willing to hand-deliver some Dr. Cow's directly to your refrigerator (thank you Janice and Mo!), you can now order it online. It's well worth the splurge!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Trip to the Olympic Peninsula
Over Labor Day weekend, we decided to get away. It had been several months since we'd been outside of Seattle--time to take a little break from the city! So we packed up the car and headed over to the Olympic Peninsula, where Brett's Nana and several uncles live. We took the ferry to Bainbridge--it was Cora's second time riding the ferry and she really seemed to enjoy it!
We soon arrived at Nana's house in Sequim, a lovely little cottage tucked away into the woods. After a restful lunch and a stroll around her garden, we headed out to the beach. Cora had a grand old time playing with the rocks, while we soaked up some sun and watched the tide come in (that is, when it wasn't our turn to make sure Cora was keeping the rocks out of her mouth).
And what would a vacation be without great food? We stopped by Nash's Organic Produce farm store and loaded up on some tasty treats: rainbow carrots (purple, orange, and yellow), long cylindrical beets that looked similar to fat carrots, curly kale, Yukon gold potatoes, and a few splurges: a fresh mango (not local, but it was incredibly delicious and juicy), gooseberries (which I had never tried before), and chanterelle mushrooms.
We went back to Nana's for dinner, where she whipped up her legendary tofu (that's right; she too is mostly vegan), while Brett prepped some kale and beet greens with chanterelle mushrooms. Cora and I sat in the kitchen snacking on fresh mango (Cora munched on her chunks in this nifty device) while watching the dinner preparations. Then we sat down to our lovely supper. The tofu was incredible, as always (it was cut into very thin slices and pan-fried with some Bragg's and spices, but other than that I don't know how it was made... all I know is that it is delicious!), while the chanterelle mushrooms imparted an earthy smokiness to our greens. They were good, but so rich and, well, meaty, that I found it almost a little off-putting. But that was just me--the others agreed that they were the best greens ever. We also ate some brown rice with the meal, then snacked on gooseberries. These were also tasty--a bit tart, kind of like mini-plums. Quite a wonderful feast!
We then hit the road again for Port Angeles, where we were staying at Brett's Uncle Paul's amazing property. It's a huge old farm, and he was housing a friend's horses, so Cora got her first look at a real, live horse. Brett and I fed them apples, which was fun, although I kept dropping my apple because I was nervous having such a large animal so close to my hand! (Uncle Paul advised us to keep our hands flat--good for finger preservation; bad for gripping objects.) It was really quite amazing to watch them bite the apple in half and chew it up with their massive teeth, leaving a hint of greenish foam on their lips.
After putting Cora to bed, we lay out on the deck and watched the sky as the sunny day gave way to a clear, chilly evening. It was amazing to see the night sky in such a dark and quiet place--the stars looked like a giant carpet, so numerous and so textured. We watched the stars twinkle (something you can't even see them do in the city), and saw a few satellites making their orbit around Earth. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. We felt very small indeed standing on that little chunk of earth in the country, with our sweet daughter, smaller still, snoozing away inside. Yes, we are just one little family doing the best we can with the time we have here on the planet--but that is enough for us.
Out in the garden with Nana
We soon arrived at Nana's house in Sequim, a lovely little cottage tucked away into the woods. After a restful lunch and a stroll around her garden, we headed out to the beach. Cora had a grand old time playing with the rocks, while we soaked up some sun and watched the tide come in (that is, when it wasn't our turn to make sure Cora was keeping the rocks out of her mouth).
And what would a vacation be without great food? We stopped by Nash's Organic Produce farm store and loaded up on some tasty treats: rainbow carrots (purple, orange, and yellow), long cylindrical beets that looked similar to fat carrots, curly kale, Yukon gold potatoes, and a few splurges: a fresh mango (not local, but it was incredibly delicious and juicy), gooseberries (which I had never tried before), and chanterelle mushrooms.
We went back to Nana's for dinner, where she whipped up her legendary tofu (that's right; she too is mostly vegan), while Brett prepped some kale and beet greens with chanterelle mushrooms. Cora and I sat in the kitchen snacking on fresh mango (Cora munched on her chunks in this nifty device) while watching the dinner preparations. Then we sat down to our lovely supper. The tofu was incredible, as always (it was cut into very thin slices and pan-fried with some Bragg's and spices, but other than that I don't know how it was made... all I know is that it is delicious!), while the chanterelle mushrooms imparted an earthy smokiness to our greens. They were good, but so rich and, well, meaty, that I found it almost a little off-putting. But that was just me--the others agreed that they were the best greens ever. We also ate some brown rice with the meal, then snacked on gooseberries. These were also tasty--a bit tart, kind of like mini-plums. Quite a wonderful feast!
We then hit the road again for Port Angeles, where we were staying at Brett's Uncle Paul's amazing property. It's a huge old farm, and he was housing a friend's horses, so Cora got her first look at a real, live horse. Brett and I fed them apples, which was fun, although I kept dropping my apple because I was nervous having such a large animal so close to my hand! (Uncle Paul advised us to keep our hands flat--good for finger preservation; bad for gripping objects.) It was really quite amazing to watch them bite the apple in half and chew it up with their massive teeth, leaving a hint of greenish foam on their lips.
After putting Cora to bed, we lay out on the deck and watched the sky as the sunny day gave way to a clear, chilly evening. It was amazing to see the night sky in such a dark and quiet place--the stars looked like a giant carpet, so numerous and so textured. We watched the stars twinkle (something you can't even see them do in the city), and saw a few satellites making their orbit around Earth. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. We felt very small indeed standing on that little chunk of earth in the country, with our sweet daughter, smaller still, snoozing away inside. Yes, we are just one little family doing the best we can with the time we have here on the planet--but that is enough for us.
Out in the garden with Nana
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