Random Thoughts

Veggies Wrapped in Rice Paper

2011-04-26T19:26:00.011-04:00

Veggies wrapped in rice paper is a great fun way to eat vegetables. Ian loves them! They are also a nice alternative to salad. The vegetables can be varied but I'll give the recipe for my favorite wraps. A friend of mine likes to use broccoli slaw mix to save on prep time. I find them a little too crunchy that way. Feel free to experiment.I use zucchini and carrot as the main filler. These

Ian's Bedtime Prayer

2011-03-23T19:52:00.002-04:00

A while back Ian started waking up in the night from bad dreams. As a simple way to help him set his intention for a peaceful night, I suggested that he pray. At first I helped him but over time he has come up with his own take on things. It's very sweet to hear him say his prayer every night on his own. And he's never woken from a bad dream since!Holy Spirit*Please help me to have happy

Vampire Repellant Pizza

2011-03-13T06:57:00.022-04:00

aka The 50 Garlic Clove PizzaLast night, Evan's months-long dream finally materialized in this pizza. I had my doubts, but honestly it might have been the best pizza we've ever made. It goes without saying that anyone who plans on kissing anyone else in the house should be on board with eating it. Your house will smell, maybe for days, as will your person. I honestly feel sorry for the people

Mozzarella!

2011-03-12T08:33:00.010-05:00

I am so ridiculously excited that I just made my own mozzarella. I finally got around to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Barbara Kingslover) which has been on my book list for a long time. It's interesting, and while I thoroughly respect her 1 year local eating adventure, I simply couldn't live without fresh produce in the winter. But she inspired me, not only to focus more on buying

Coconut Lime Tart

2011-03-11T07:55:00.004-05:00

This was an experimental mish mosh of two recipes plus my own ideas with pretty nice results for a 'not-too-sweet' gluten-free dessert. I chose to change the lemon curd recipe to lime to follow a mexi-cali inspired dinner of spicy Tortilla soup and a California chopped salad with grilled shrimp. Probably would have made more sense to take a picture of the pie before I cut it, but didn't think of

So much love

2010-06-08T21:15:00.004-04:00

Ian has discovered a wealth of new found love for me in the last few days. As flattered as I am by the complexity of my little Oedipus, it has manifested in a few choice quotes. He has often addressed me as "sweet beautiful mommy" when he wants something, specifically when my first answer to his request was negative. Combine this with his tendency to abbreviate everything and I often get

iPeace

2010-03-20T21:02:00.003-04:00

We decided to get Ian his own iPod. By that I mean an MP3 playing device that he calls an iPOD in the same way we call all tissues Kleenex. It's been less than 12 hours since we gave it to him, and maybe I am speaking a little too soon but, YAY. We've had some of the quietest car time in 4 years.Except for when he speaks. Because he does not yet understand that because there is noise in his

Shhhh....Be Quiet In There

2010-03-11T11:21:00.004-05:00

The second section of Eat, Pray, Love finds the author in an ashram in India where she has gone to find G*d. Daily spiritual devotional practice that commenced at 3:30 am was part of her journey to delve deeper into spiritual practice in order to ascend to a higher level of understanding of G*d and herself. This section gave me a lot to consider, most of which that while I want to travel

In Pursuit of Pleasure

2010-03-09T03:15:00.008-05:00

I am reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is the autobiographical journey of the author's healing process after a nasty divorce. She embarks on a journey to find joy, to find G*d and to find herself, which as it turns out, is all essentially the same thing. The book is divided into 3 parts as she spends 1 year traveling to three different countries. Part 1 documents her pursuit of

Quinoa

2010-02-09T15:06:00.004-05:00

I have developed a real thing for quinoa. I was first introduced to this ancient grain about 10 years ago but never paid it much attention. Quinoa is technically not a grain, but a seed. However it is used as a grain when cooking, as it cooks up very similar to rice. It is considered one of the most complete plant based proteins, giving 24 g of protein in one cup. Here's a

Rebelling Against Anarchy

2009-11-14T08:41:00.005-05:00

...with the creation of a Daily Schedule, ok, not a schedule. A routine? Hmm...still too structured. A rhythm. We adopted a daily rhythm. But only during the hours we are home. And things can be moved around if we want. Yes, old non-conformist habits die hard, but the intention for a daily rhythm is in writing and posted on our wall so that has to count for something right?I am not the type of

Magical Fairy Houses

2009-10-27T15:32:00.004-04:00

A while back I was inspired by a blog in which a mom mentioned how her kids often build fairy houses when out in nature, from various earthly treasures such as sticks and stones and pine cones. Ian loves collecting these treasures, especially during fall. One boring rainy day, we got out a hot glue gun and created a fairy house that he keeps in his playroom to admire daily. Ian spent the day

My Little Entrepreneur

2009-10-16T21:41:00.011-04:00

A few weeks ago, Ian and I were wandering around Ocean State Job Lot. My go-to place on very desperate, long rainy days when we just need to go somewhere to be out of the house. At the check-out, Ian noticed a set of colorful pinking shears. He desperately wanted the "special scissors." I explained that I didn't have money for them in an effort to ward off an all out meltdown. He choked back

Natural Education

2009-10-04T07:50:00.004-04:00

We've long been contemplating the benefits of a homeschool education for Ian. It does seem to be the direction we are heading for him. As part of his education, we will participate in outside class situations as well, so pre-school is possibly on the horizon for him as well, though there is really only one that seems to embody my parenting and educational philosophies for a young child, in that

Ages and Stages

2009-10-01T20:12:00.005-04:00

I'm intrigued by how Ian flows from one age and stage to the next as I observe him growing up. There seems to be a definite shift in his development every so often. For three years I have noticed it about 2 months before his birthday in late November, with every other year being a little bit challenging followed by about a year of relative peace. To put it another way, if he were the stock

New Juice

2009-09-18T11:21:00.002-04:00

I've gotten a few requests for a new juice recipe so here is one I put together this morning. It is adapted from the Blue Grape recipe in Raw Food Real World. The original recipe calls for blue/green algae, grapefruit juice, and agave. Mine went like this:In a blender add:1 cup of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (you can buy this at Whole Foods or squeeze yourself)~ 1/2 cup of frozen grapes2

Paris: Part Trois

2009-09-04T19:05:00.004-04:00

On our final day, Monday, we went to Notre Dame's Cathedral. The architecture was beautiful and the grandness of the interior was more than I imagined. Evan seemed thoroughly bored with that exploration. As he said, "I've seen dozens of European churches and they are all basically the same." It sort of sapped my enthusiasm, but to be fair he hadn't had his coffee yet and is generally much

Paris: Part Deux

2009-09-03T20:22:00.004-04:00

We slept in on Sunday morning and finally made it out of the hotel around 10 am. The weather for the first three days of our trip couldn't have been better, bright blue skies, mid 70s and brilliant sunshine. We wandered over to the metro and purchased tickets for two days from the very friendly and helpful man behind the counter. It should be noted here, that when we were deciphering the map

This American Girl in Paris (Part 1)

2009-09-02T20:28:00.006-04:00

It took just over 34 years to finally travel abroad. I've been to certain islands in the caribbean and to Canada, but I don't really count that. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to go to Europe and as it turns out, Paris was my first taste what turned out to be a delicious experience, literally and figuratively. I left on Friday night. Evan was at the same airport, but a different

Maple Your Blueberry Ice Cream

2009-08-25T19:57:00.006-04:00

I've not stopped thinking about the ice cream we had in Vermont last week. The day was sweltering and our hostess decided we just must have a very specific ice cream from a small shop in Waterbury. Being in the land of all that is Ben and Jerry, I wasn't sure how this little walk up window was going to compare. One sample of their homemade maple blueberry and I was a convert. The quality was

Two Years Raw in Review

2009-08-20T08:01:00.006-04:00

It was two years ago in August that I waded into the raw food world. I'm feeling the need to explore and review my journey from then until now and the observations I have made along the way. My initial foray started as a desire to find something as good for my body as the raw food diet I'd been feeding the dogs for nearly a decade. I was exploring vegetarianism and veganism. Those culinary and

Smoothies and Foraging...

2009-08-19T14:50:00.007-04:00

I never blog mid-day unless I just have to. I just created a smoothie that warrants being written down So here it is. Hmm, let's call it the Chocolate Covered Cherry Berry Smoothie. At least, that's what Ian and I named....Hemp milk (1 cup water and a TBSP or two of hemp seeds, blended)Banana, frozen goji berries (YAY Whole Foods!), frozen cherries, and a couple of dates2 TBSP of cacao

Mixology 101

2009-08-11T09:26:00.004-04:00

This week I did something different with my juicing. Instead of making up 3 days worth of juices already mixed, I made up pure juices and kept them separate, so I can mix them myself during the day. First were the base flavors from foods that produce a lot of juice to serve as the "backdrop" to whatever flavors I wanted to add. I did a large bottle of apple and I had a large bottle of orange

The Monarchs in Mystic

2009-08-05T19:58:00.007-04:00

I was so excited to attend a talk by "celebs" in the raw food world, Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes Monarch. Both have followed individual paths into raw foodism that ultimately crossed and culminated in their recent marriage. Matt Monarch has been nourished by a raw vegan diet for 11 years and travels to share his experience with this diet. His business is Raw Food World, a website containing

As it turns out...

2009-07-22T08:12:00.008-04:00

Connecting with nature is really all about the footwear...at least for me.Historically, I have always been a reluctant and rather whiny hiker. I never "got" the whole "communing with nature" thing. Never really understood what that meant and being physically uncomfortable with blisters and sore feet really took away from any attempt to obtain that experience. Before our honeymoon Evan helped

I found it! I found it!

2009-06-11T19:07:00.002-04:00

My higher purpose, that is. I kept thinking it was something other than what I am currently doing. I thought maybe it was that I should be a chef. Or the owner of a juice bar and cafe, serving foods that nourish the body and the soul. Or was it that I should be more seriously pursuing a living as a doula, supporting mothers as they transition into a new role with the new little spirit who

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2009-06-10T20:11:00.010-04:00

Today our Natural Moms group met to tour the Johnston Landfill and Recycling Center. It was very educational for both the kids and the adults. The main recycling facility has a learning center with activities for the kids, very children's museum-esque. After bit of a lecture on recycling we went upstairs to watch the massive quantities of recyclables being picked through, sorted, and packaged

Our Little Garden

2009-06-09T20:02:00.004-04:00

Last year we tried a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Our closest one was a bit pricey and split their farm shares into three seasons: 6 weeks spring, 12 weeks summer, and 8 weeks fall. We bought a half share for spring and then a full share for summer. While the farm was lovely, the people friendly and the produce organic, I was pretty much disappointed with it every week until the last

Orange Julius Smoothie

2009-06-06T13:43:00.003-04:00

I re-created the mall classic Orange Julius in raw, vegan, processed sugar-free form. It's my new favorite and it keeps well (actually gets better!) sitting in the fridge so I make a huge batch. It only lasts us about 2 days though.2 cups of fresh squeezed orange juice2 oz irish moss (cleaned well, soaked, rinsed, and drained)1/4 cup of macademia nuts 2 oranges, peeled1/2 banana6 TBSP vanilla

Natural Sunscreen

2009-05-08T19:47:00.001-04:00

I just made a large batch of natural sunscreen that I mentioned in my last post. If anyone wants to buy a couple ounces to try, there is plenty. Its a recipe I found in the same magazine as the green cleaners. The sunscreen contains: coconut butter, beeswax, sesame oil, zinc oxide, and water. I also added citronella, rosemary, and eucalyptus essential oils to deter mosquitos and ticks. It

Greener Cleaner

2009-04-27T09:42:00.005-04:00

I used to be a very cluttered person. And I never really knew how to clean. But as I have begun to cleanse internally, the mental and emotional clutter has started to clear and naturally, I now desire an external space that reflects my internal space. Suffice it to say, I now can be found cleaning and tidying a lot more often than I ever thought I would. When things are in order it gives me a

Attitude Adjustment

2009-04-13T19:30:00.003-04:00

After several days of power struggles, tears, and way too much yelling I decided someone needed an attitude adjustment.No, an attitude Overhaul. And that someone would be me.Motherhood offers numerous personal growth opportunities as our children offer us a crystal clear mirror of who we are and who we present to the world. Last week was a rough one for Ian and I. I felt as if he were turning

Brain Building vs. Brain Rot

2009-04-04T18:01:00.004-04:00

My friend gave me a book, Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think- and What We Can Do About It. I just started it last week and was immediately hooked. I still have a long way to go but the concepts, even in the first chapter or two are fascinating. I've struggled with the whole concept of Ian and television. Should I allow it? Is it really that bad? Is it really harmless? How much is too

Keeping Hydrated

2009-04-02T19:57:00.004-04:00

I've recently been making a bit of an effort to stay better hydrated. I've never been much of a water-drinker so this is more of a chore than anything else. But I wanted to blog briefly about my new work-out beverage of choice: fresh coconut water. This is considered one of the purest forms of water on the planet with an electrolyte profile and composition similar to human plasma, nothing

CH-CH-CH-CHIA!

2009-03-16T19:56:00.004-04:00

And no, I am not talking about the pet. Well, ok, same seeds different purpose. I have read about "chia seeds" on various blogs, in articles, and on message boards. Usually a reference to having Chia seeds stuck in ones teeth. Hmmm, ok. Another type of seed to make a milk out of or throw on a salad perhaps? So the last time I did a raw food bulk order Chia Seeds were on sale so I bought a bag..

Purely Delicious

2009-03-01T07:44:00.016-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I finally had the pleasure of dining at Pure Food and Wine (PF&W) in NYC when we visited our friends Keith and David and attended the Westminster Dog show, where our girl Camber was being shown.PF&W, for those that don't know, is THE raw, vegan restaurant. All menu items are completely free of animal products and are not heated to temperatures greater than 118 degrees to

Homeopathy Works

2009-02-06T22:18:00.004-05:00

When I was first introduced to homeopathy it was presented in a way that was not easily palatable. It was very "foo foo" and all about spiritual healing and "energy" work and a bunch of stuff that really sounded like whackadoo, new age babble to me at the time. Shocking, I know since I often find myself trying to describe it in this way to others and I can only guess from the furrowed brow and

Eating again

2009-02-06T22:10:00.004-05:00

Pregnant Dog Report: So happy that Marley is eating again, after about 10 days of not really eating. Dog Show Report: We're off to Westminster Kennel Club dog show on Sunday. Canaan Dogs show on Monday. We're not showing our girl ourselves and are just going to enjoy the show as spectators and cheer on Camber and Vixen. The group competition airs live Monday night on the USA network. Tune in

Gypsy Soup

2009-02-05T17:35:00.005-05:00

My favorite cooked dish this past winter has definitely been Gypsy Soup. A friend originally gave me the recipe because it is out of the newer edition of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook. However you can google the name and a close version of the recipe will come up. I dislike being tied down to a recipe and this is such a great one for using up veggies that are going soft so really play

A Stretch Outside of the Comfort Zone

2009-01-31T16:08:00.005-05:00

I came across this blog entry. I thought it was well-written, well thought out and thought provoking. I provided the link to give the author due credit.http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/09/28/whats-so-bad-about-socialism/ What’s so bad about socialism?This month’s proposed bail-out of Wall Street financial institutions has gotten me thinking about socialism — in particular, the knee-jerk

No appetite

2009-01-31T15:21:00.002-05:00

Started to worry a little today because since she vomited on Tuesday she hasn't really eaten and has been very reclusive. I gave her a dose of homeopathic Nux vomica and she ate a small amount of ground food which made me feel a bit better. Maybe this is all sign that she has a larger litter than her last two? I hope so.We are excited to be heading down to stay with our friends Keith and David

Puppy Journal

2009-01-28T08:28:00.002-05:00

In an effort to keep me blogging more regularly, I have decided to blog about the litter we are expecting. I hope to get some other deeper, more thought provoking things on here soon too as lots of thoughts are swarming in my head about the new administration and raw foods, but I don't get to those as often. We decided to repeat a very successful breeding of our female Marley (CH Riverroc

Meditation Bubbles

2009-01-15T14:30:00.004-05:00

A resolution of sorts, this year I am going to try to incorporate regular meditation into my daily routine. Finding the time is a challenge. I know I know, what's 10 minutes? Hell, what's 1 minute? According to Oprah, if you can't find 60 seconds a day to meditate you just aren't on a spiritual path. To me, that sounded like a challenge and I accept. For the last few months my daily moment to

Proud to be an American

2008-11-05T19:38:00.004-05:00

For the first time ever, I am proud to be an American. For the last 8 years its been an embarrassment, and prior to that I was sort of neutral and not really concerned with matters of global importance.But last night was a historic event that has given me a renewed hope and uplifted my faith in humanity. We, the American people, as well as the world deserves a thoughtful, intelligent leader with

Brilliance can be found...

2008-09-12T21:19:00.002-04:00

on youtube. :)Check out this videoWhen I first met my spiritual teacher, she told me that what bothers us the most in someone else is really a reflection of what we don't like about ourselves. Therefore, as hard as it may be to see it in the moment when someone irritates us, they are a gift. They are an opportunity to discover something about ourself and grow. I also learned the quicker you

Woefully negligent...

2008-08-26T15:47:00.004-04:00

I've been negligent of my blog, you would think that this would have meant I've been busy and really its not. I've just been lazy.We've been having a beautiful summer, its the first summer where we have not over extended ourselves with plans, trips, and commitments. Nearly every weekend has been a relaxing time, sticking close to home and enjoying friends and of course, Ian. Following closely on

Fudgicles!

2008-07-17T16:33:00.004-04:00

Mmmm...Fudgicles!What started out as my desire for some chocolate icecream, turned into yummy fudgicles.2 cups young thai coconut meat 1/2 cup maple syrup1/3 cup agave nectar1/2 cup raw cocoa powder1 TBSP vanilla extract or split a half vanilla bean and scrap out seedsDash of sea salt~2-4 cups of iceBlend first 6 ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy (delicious pudding!),

My Crystal Child

2008-07-14T14:17:00.005-04:00

I posted a portion of this entry on my son's webpage.Today's conversation with Ian was so moving. We spent the morning lounging around playing and talking. I love having conversations with him. I think maybe this morning I mentioned having a little belly ache but didn't think much of it. Then later we were resting on the couch and talking and he offered me one of his grapes."Grape Mommy?"No

Post-Fast Report

2008-07-14T08:52:00.007-04:00

I ended up completing a 4 day fast on raw juice which I am pretty pleased with. My goal is to build up to a 6-8 day fast since real cleansing doesn't reportedly start until day 5 of a fast. But overall, I am glad to have a done this practice. Baby steps! My body is trying to re-start digestion now, it's still a little sluggish. But I feel lighter, cleaner, and clearer in mind, which is the

Spinach Strawberry Salad

2008-07-14T08:40:00.005-04:00

I had this at a family cook out recently and it appeared mostly raw. My aunt gave me the recipe and I only had to tweak it a little bit.Salad1 bag baby spinach 1 pint strawberries, sliced1/2-3/4 cup walnutsPoppyseed Dressing1 vidalia onion, chopped 1/3-1/2 cup agave nectar (adjust to desired sweetness)1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Fresh lemon juice would probably be very yummy too)1 tsp dry

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 22: Just One of the Dogs

2008-07-13T20:23:00.003-04:00

Daisy is officially just one of the dogs now. I think she finally has accepted that the dogs are her main companions and that she herself is one. The whining has decreased significantly and her favorite person has switched from me to Evan. She has been nearly perfect and there has been no more shenanigans about being in a crate, or being separate from us. She has developed some independence and

Glorious Week of Summer

2008-07-11T20:14:00.004-04:00

We've had a beautiful week. The weather has been summery and warm but not too humid and Ian and I have managed to get to the beach three times. On Monday we met our friend Christine and her children at Ninigret Park where there is a small pond and sandy beach as well as a playground. Ian finally overcame his recent fear of playing in the water and had a blast splashing about. On Wednesday we

Rawcreational Activities

2008-07-06T20:37:00.015-04:00

I've been having a great time with the new Vitamix blender or, as I like to call it, jet engine with a blender on it. It has made new recipes possible and old recipes even better. This past week I tried several recipes and have really enjoyed the resultsOne night we made a beautiful cold cucumber soup, from a recipe my friend Kirsten gave me. It was really simple to do and I added chopped

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 16

2008-07-06T20:19:00.005-04:00

It's been two weeks since Ms. Daisy's arrival. About a week after we got her, Evan posted her ad on the CDRN website. We didn't even need it though because I was able to interview a home that had contacted me several weeks ago and it seems like a perfect fit! Daisy will most likely be headed to sunny Southern CA to spend her days with a single retired woman. I couldn't have thought of a better

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 7

2008-06-27T20:44:00.002-04:00

Here we are at a week. Daisy is now fully integrated with the dogs. This was pretty easy since I learned that she has no interest in them whatsoever. Her separation anxiety (from me) has kicked in full force and she spends much of the time whining or howling if she is not right with me. The only time she shows any dog aggression is if she is near me or in what she considers her crate. She is

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 5

2008-06-25T20:01:00.002-04:00

Daisy continues to impress us with her sweet and gentle nature, however she did show us the 'dog aggression' reported to us by her previous owners. Any of our other dogs going near her crate or at a gate elicits a very demonstrative display of teeth from Daisy. I suspect that she is truly a lover and not a fighter, that she may be in conflict with forces in her previous life that told her she

I'm In Love

2008-06-23T16:19:00.007-04:00

I am head over heels for a new love.He's big, he's black, he's got buttons that I know just how to push to make him groan.He's everything I ever wanted and didn't know I wanted. The way he makes me feel, like I can accomplish things before I never thought possible.He's the one I have been waiting for, the one I can't live without.So goodbye old reliable, you've been great while I was waiting for

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 2

2008-06-22T21:30:00.005-04:00

Evan got up early with Ian this morning so, theoretically, I could sleep in or at least lie in bed and maybe read. The first order of business every morning is to feed the dogs. This was to be Daisy's first meal here and first raw meat/bone meal ever. As I was laying in bed listening to the early morning noises, dog bowls clanking, Camber whining for her breakfast, the coffee pot being turned

Foster Dog Diaries - Day 1

2008-06-21T21:10:00.009-04:00

Today we received a dog via the Canaan Dog Rescue Network. This is a non-profit organization I co-founded in 2004. I currently serve as Vice President. Evan and I do a lot of work for this group and right now, that contribution is in the form of a 36 lb dog. I thought it might be interesting to document her transition and growth with us from now until she is adopted by a new home.She came to us

Finding Bliss on a Motorcycle

2008-06-21T20:40:00.004-04:00

Today was a lovely day; sunny and warm. Ian and I went to yard sales first thing this morning so Evan could sleep in. When we returned, Evan's mom picked Ian up to go to an art show and out to lunch, so there we were with a whole day to ourselves. I don't know if it was the weather or the opportunity of having a day without Ian, but I really wanted to take a ride on the motorcycle. At about 2

Favorite Salad

2008-06-21T20:38:00.004-04:00

Made one of my favorite summer salads for lunch today.2 av0cados, diced large2-4 tomatoes, diced largecorn from 2 cobs (uncooked)a handful of cilantroa squeeze from half a limea drizzle of your favorite oil (I used Hemp Oil today)sea salt and fresh ground pepperToss and enjoy!

Dinner Yum

2008-06-21T07:51:00.006-04:00

Last night was a perfect summer evening. It was Friday. Evan came home from work early and we went out for a family bike ride. When we got home, I pulled together a quick evening meal.At about 3 pm, I had marinated portabello mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and olive oil and set them in the sun to warm up. I stuffed those with my homemade (raw, vegan) garlic cheese made from cashews (similar to

Miraculous Messages From Water

2008-06-15T08:09:00.006-04:00

I am particularly fascinated with Quantum Physics (Quantum Mechanics) as it is one in the same as spirituality. Or, you could say, it is the science of spirituality. Last night re-watched "What The Bleep Do We Know!?". The first time I tried to watch this 2 years ago, I lost interest shortly into it. I wasn't ready. I didn't understand. This time, I made it through the whole movie. Now, I

Trees and Vines

2008-05-17T20:25:00.008-04:00

I've been busy clearing the underbrush that is dead, scraggly, and otherwise impeding my view. Never being one who particularly enjoyed outdoor labor, I have recently discovered the joy of snapping dead branches, gathering rotted logs, and wrestling the persistent, suffocating vines that want to drag an otherwise healthy tree down. I am fascinated by how strong those vines are, how they shoot

Hello, um, My Name is Renee...

2008-05-07T20:13:00.006-04:00

and I am a blogoholic.Yes, I admit it. I have a complete fascination for reading other people's blogs, the obscure details that they choose to share and usually with a greater sense of humor than I am capable of. It's like a Seinfeld episode when you read a really good one. I find myself hitting my favorite blog spots and feeling utter disappointment to discover there is nothing new to feed my

Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum....

2008-04-19T07:36:00.005-04:00

"I wrote myself a part and went straight to the top. I recommend that to anyone." Ricky Gervais (British Comedian)Recently I have had a friendship come into my life with someone I've known for a long time. I'll call him Chief. Chief is an enthusiastic person who realized at a much younger age than most of us, what it is he wanted to do when he grew up. He on some level always knew he would

Crazy Day and Rachael Ray

2008-03-12T19:58:00.002-04:00

I finally posted a blog that I originally wrote in January so you need to look in the January file for it. I can't get it to post here and don't feel like figuring out why.

Five People

2008-02-14T12:00:00.007-05:00

I read somewhere a while ago that we are most like or become like the five people with whom we spend the most time. That's really profound, if you think about it. It makes me stop and think about how and with whom I choose to associate and to what level. I value depth, creative ideas, and people who are genuine. Some people are as deep as a puddle, totally content with the status quo, or

Spiderwebs

2008-02-13T21:57:00.009-05:00

Once upon a time there was a spider. She lay her web carefully, deliberately, and methodically. Her web is put in place for one reason; to trap a fly. She spins and she spins, getting closer and closer to her prey. Her prey is stuck, it resigns to belonging to the spider. The spider is not aware of the thousands upon thousands of other flies in the world, her sights are set solely on the one

Slaying Dragons

2008-01-29T19:36:00.002-05:00

Over the past year I have slain several dragons; undesirable behavioral patterns that were not beneficial to anyone, least of all me. It started the first time I met a gifted homeopath working in RI 2 years ago. My friend who saw her, referred to her as a Sage and I think it is an appropriate term. For 6 months I was skeptical, but the more I read and experimented, the more I realized I needed

On Compassion

2008-01-27T08:18:00.001-05:00

I get daily quotes from the authors of Ask and It is Given. A lot of them resonate for me, but this one is really good. It is this belief that helps me to be a more compassionate person and also to not let myself be affected by the undesirable actions or words of other people."These beings, that are acting out in those ways that you find so awful, are tormented and suffering in ways that you

Mommy Group

2008-01-17T21:53:00.002-05:00

In September I joined a local group on meetup.com comprised of moms in my community. Most people who I told about this, looked at me cock-eyed and offered some variation of, "YOU joined a mom's group?" Implication: You are socializing with new people purposely?Why yes, yes I am. I told you I have grown!I admit, this may be one small step for your typical, well socialized human but it was one

Crazy Day and Rachael Ray

2008-01-16T15:11:00.005-05:00

I wrote this almost two months ago but wanted to wait to post it until after the episode aired. However, the episode has not aired yet and it probably won't, so here it is anyway!A couple weeks ago I was contacted by the Rachael Ray show for a possible upcoming segment, that they have since abandoned. Last week they contacted me again to see if I was interested in doing a "pet psychic" segment,

The Law of Attraction and Coconut Noodles

2008-01-05T20:44:00.001-05:00

The Law of AttractionI am compelled to give a brief explanation of the Law of Attraction as it is bound to be a recurring theme in my posts. The Law of Attraction is based on the knowledge that all matter in the universe emits an energetic vibration. Living beings emit a stronger vibration than inanimate objects (though they emit a weaker vibration) and each vibration attracts a similar

Labels

2008-01-02T23:10:00.003-05:00

I'm not a fan of labels. They are so formal and final. I have an internal struggle against being dogmatic about beliefs and allowing myself freedom to make choices. Being labeled automatically triggers a desire to rebel...against myself, sick huh? I was contemplating the term VEGAN. An awful sounding word, isn't it? It sounds so, empty, yet snotty and militant at the same time. As in, "I am VEGAN

My First Official Blog

2008-01-01T14:02:00.001-05:00

I guess I have been doing a blog on my son's baby picture website, but I am feeling limited on subject matter there. Anyone who knows me (well) knows that I have a lot of ideas and things that go through my head but often those thoughts are either repressed or shared with one of exactly three people all of whom probably tire of my musings. So for them, I will help them share the burden. I suppose