Godspeed Maggie Mae (Let Our Hearts Heal)

Maggie Mae. The best girl ever. We said good-bye to her Monday. Nicknamed "Moonpie" because of the little carmel top on her head, split right down the middle with a streak of white, just like a moonpie. We didn't know her exact age--she was a rescue. There's never enough time. We just know every single day with us she brought more joy than seemed possible.

Learning To Fly (My Pilgram at Tinker Creek Moment)

A few mornings ago while I was enjoying my coffee, making my to-do list for the day, I heard this loud screeching and tweeting. I knew what this was immediately. I wouldn't say I'm an Annie Dillard (though I aspire to such greatness)--I do consider myself a little more "appreciative" and "curious" about the natural world than most. Okay, and a bit afraid of it, too. As an undergrad, I took a course entitled: Women And Nature Writing--not that taking this class made me an expert on "nature"--though I think probably a little more than most--I still consider observing all things in nature one of life's greatest pleasures. This class was not concerned with Walden Pond musings. Just the girls on nature: Rachel Carson, Terry Tempest Williams, Louise Erdrich. Loved this class. Loved it.

Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake with Fluffy Lemonade Buttercream Frosting (Learning to See . . . Again)

Another cake. Another week. I don't know what it is that compels me to want to turn on the oven when it's a blistering ninety degree day. Somehow I felt having a cake was a necessity. Of course, this being St. Louis, we have since had a cool down so dramatic that last night we had a fire in the fireplace. This cake was comfort food for the enormous stress my husband and I have endured the past few weeks.

First, husband's eyes and the need for the "procedures" to make seeing better (the first one completed last Thursday--all went swimmingly). But cripes all mighty, we walked into the waiting room of this eye surgery center and it was as if we'd left Missouri and were in a retirement community in Florida! Blue rinses everywhere! I thought I'd be ushered over to the "children's corner" to play with Tonka toys I was so much younger than everyone else. I leaned over into Dr. Thyme's ear and said, "Uh, wow. Even YOU seem young in this crowd!" He said back to me, "Yeah, well this is one minority group we ALL get to be a part of eventually, so get used to it." Touche.

Curried Pea And Potato Somosas in Phyllo Dough (My Garlic Growing Lessons: Scapes Abound!)

It was over ninety degrees yesterday, overcast, humid and on again-off again thundering and lightening. I had plants to get in the ground, bushes to dig up, re-locate plus a ton of flower seeds and bulbs to get in the ground. (Purchased in February with visions of mild spring days and me carefully tending to new bedding spots, pulling my wheelbarrow behind, gingerly stopping here and there, imagining new spots of color.) Uh, not so much now. I abandoned most of those leisurely moments of planting to mad dashes in and out, taking cover if I saw a flash across the sky. Not a drop of rain fell. It was so strange.

Asparagus Lover's Pasta (How My May Garden Grows, A Good Book And Other Life Stuff Keeping Me from "Here")

I am still recovering from my trip to Home Depot yesterday: twice! For future reference--if I should EVER want to attempt Mother's Day insanity again, I shall recall the following: navigating the parking lot took fifteen minutes, a quarter tank of gas and several near misses of folks wandering aimlessly, weaving in and out of moving and non-moving cars, throngs of people hovering over plants, grown children (all with mothers I'd assumed), wondering aloud or to complete strangers if this or that plant . . . bird feeder . . . plant stand, patio chair or, believe it or not, riding lawn mower--might be something mom would like? (For the record: Yes. To all of the above.) I sort of have issues on Mother's Day. To alleviate any and all pain, I immerse myself in all things "outside". With DH by my side, we dug holes, argued, laughed, put up a fence and finally at the end of it all, spent the evening telling each other how much fun we had--and how it was a miracle neither one of us ended up divorced, needing a tetanus shot, breaking a bone or a fracturing a hand. It was one of those days only a married couple together nearly fifteen years could survive.

I add something to my garden to-do list every day. Going to sleep right now is a real joy. No sooner have I settled in to read (I'm currently reading: Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton and I LOVE it!)--than does some other little nifty "project" creep in. Since I am the "project doer"--I must immediately leap from bed, grab a pen, and up goes yet another Post-it note with said reminder on it. It's all quite maddening right now--these gardening to-do lists.  

Vegan Bittersweet Chocolate Brownies (Sister Time, New Knitting Project And Returning to My Kitchen)

I returned to my kitchen yesterday and first order of business: bake something chocolate, dammit! It was like seeing a long lost friend again when I pulled out my little brownie pan. I was having withdrawl from not baking. And don't ask me why no cake in a while? All I can tell you is that I get distracted easily. Having my sister here for a week was a welcome change given all we have going on around here right now. However, I am in a bit of a "state" as we are heading into some procedures for hubby in a few weeks. My sister can attest to my rather wired self right now, watching me try to 'live in the moment' through all this drama--and do so calmly, telling me: "You need to RELAX! Try Meditation for crying out loud! Are you like this ALL the time?" And my answers: What is relaxation. . . I relax when I sleep! Meditation: Ha! And yes, I am like this ALL the time! Ah life.

St. Louis Tornado: Tears And Hope

Today is recovery day in St. Louis. Lambert-St. Louis airport is closed and our friends in the northern corridors of the city and county are in recovery mode. There is debris everywhere. Homes flattened, roofs ripped off. There are live shots on the news of people wandering in their roof-less homes picking up pieces of pottery, boxes, trinkets and other memorabilia. It is beyond comprehension. My heart goes out to them. It is all so very sad. 

Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup (With A Primal Scream on The Side!)

There is a running joke in this house that my "best" cooking happens when I am most "stressed" for time. Seems I have been more and more stressed for time lately, and generally "stressed" overall. That's how this little pot of a meal came about--I looked at the clock, it was nearly six and hubby was due home: SOON! I did what any stressed wife in my predicament does, grabbed the cutting board, an onion, garlic, celery and carrots and said: it's in god's hands now. (Well, not really, but I sort of felt providence had something to do with the dinner finale.)

Missouri Dog Lovers Take Action NOW! Contact Governor Jay Nixon to Veto Revised Prop B

This is one of our rescued girls who gets to live out her life in our home as one of the family. She is one of the lucky ones. We do not, nor have we EVER considered her: livestock!

Front page news: Missouri bill takes bite out of Prop B. It has come to pass in this state late yesterday afternoon that the will of the people was overturned. Our state just voted to weaken the provisions in voter-approved Prop B which was designed to protect animals from cruelty and abuse by greedy money-grabbing breeders. Dogs living out their entire lives in stacked wire cages on top of other dogs with barely enough room to turn around . . . will sadly remain in those cages if our governor does not veto this bill. (Here is a link to the governor's website.) It actually came down to a debate in which luddites ruled. I could not make this up if I tried. I am more and more beginning to think all that Wide Open Space where the "rurals" live may in fact contribute to delinquency and group think ignorance. Perhaps it's in the water. It's puppies! How can you sleep at night--you just voted to NOT. Help. Puppies! The animal advocates in Missouri will NOT take this lying down, as I'm sure our country brethren would like us to do. Below are some choice statements made during the debate regarding puppies and dogs and why Missouri lawmakers overturned the voter-approved Proposition B:

*Dogs are property.
*Dogs don't have rights.
*Folks in the city pamper their pets, while [we] agricultural people view dogs as livestock. (LIVESTOCK?!)
*If this thing [Proposition B] goes into effect, thousands of people are out of work, they lose their jobs and they lose their investment. (Pardon me while I wipe away a tear and consider that it is JUST those types who practice dog breeding to THAT degree that breeding puppies could support a family business who are probably--no make that most likely--breeding them so fast and so often that NOTHING good could come of it! Nothing.)

That's all I have to say on the matter this morning as I stare into the eyes of our beloved rescue--a purebred, suffering from an illness most likely caused from overbreeding. I've already sent my letter to the governor asking that he please veto this absurdity.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Alice Medrich's: Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies!)

The challenge was: bake something to ease the pain. Emotional pain. This has been a rough two weeks. Not only have we dealt with the recent illness of our baby girl, my husband received a bit of bad news Monday after a nearly four hour doctor appointment. Yes, I freaked out after the email came in mid-afternoon: Still at doc. WHAT?! So then I called him. Then wept. I can't go into it now, but will say, we have a long summer ahead of us. We are still absorbing the news. I booked a flight for my sister to come visit at the end of the month. Sister time is mandatory right now. Eating three of these cookies straight from the oven last night was mandatory, too. It didn't solve our problems, but boy did they ease at least some of the pain.

For The Love of A Rescued Great Pyrenees (A Life Lesson)

Last week was a replay of something I've been through before. While husband was out of town, I noticed a change in our baby girl. (She's not the baby per se, she is one of our oldest rescues). There was a lethargy. There was a slight reluctance to eat. There was a cough. There was a stumble. I knew in my heart something had happened or was happening. I waited and watched. I monitored. I called our vet Friday morning. I said I needed to bring our girl in, but her sissy and brother needed to come too because I didn't want her to feel like she had something wrong with her (dogs have a keen sense of moods and changes and can sense anxiety) --so I loaded the car and off we went--just like we were all going in for our routine check-up. Remarkably, her brother and sister behaved really well during the car ride, me trying to reassure that all would be alright. Our baby girl hates cars. Gets car sick, always has.  

Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Sourdough Grilled Cheese Croutons

Yesterday was such a gorgeous day here in St. Louis, temps in the upper sixties, crystal blue skies. Perfect weather. It was hard to stay in one spot for very long. I was up and about, went for a run (my first in quite some time because finally I think my lungs can handle it) plus I took the time to just explore the backyard with the kids (the four-legged ones)--they loved the weather, too.

Vegan King Ranch Casserole (No, it's not made with Ranch Dressing. . . Or is it?)

Where is the King Ranch and why are they credited with this casserole? Apparently a reporter (or two) from several Texas newspapers have asked the good folks at the King Ranch this very question and no one there can claim its origins being from their ranch. I'm sure Texas being Texas, they just thought it belonged there. For all we know some homemaker from Wyoming threw this together in a desperate attempt to feed her family. All my taste buds are jumping into June, but the flexing temps outside dictate casserole. What the casserole lacks in looks, it completely makes up for in taste. If it bakes, browns and melts, it works. And truthfully, more often than not, when I have no idea what we'll be having for dinner, nine times out of ten it ends up being a casserole (and the vestiges of my pantry).