Pink Coyote

Out West...

That is my little Miles trudging through the tundra "by self, Mama".

We have some righteous nature, sisters and brothers.  You can gaze up the skirt of a giant redwood, snowboard fresh powder or surf gigantic waves, all within a few hours of Wherever, California.  Friday we wandered up the Sierras a few hours to Mammoth Lakes to stay with friends and play in the snow.  B & K boarded while the girls drank chip shots by the fire and occasionally ventured out for snowy shenanigans.  It was such a relaxing weekend of wowing and aweing at the snow covered peaks lingering at 14,000 feet high. K & J volunteer on the mountain, find out more about the program here. 

We ate the best American junk food on the planet in their company-chicken enchiladas and Mahi tacos at Roberto's, white spinich pizza from Mic & Willies and mouthwatering beanburgers and fries at Burgers.  I ate more than I might for the rest of the week.

I feel full, recharged and ready for more fair weather adventures.

Bridge in Independence, CA.

Junk Food

This is B's now famous alfredo pizza with formaggio plus tomatoes and basil from our garden.  It was a yummy departure from all of the healthy food we've been consuming for Operation Immune Support.  It seems we may never go back to the way we ate before.  A whole new way....

I received some delicious news yesterday that made me SO HAPPY that I realized I was in a little bit of a funk-I'm imagining it has had to do with the low-grade depressed feelings associated with not being fully well.  I snapped to life when she told me.  I want to say THANK YOU!!!!! to the wonderwoman who delivered the bright beam.

Slow Comeback

 

Not since I was in college have I been hit with a virus this hard.  My infant son leapt back into vitality as soon as his run of antibiotics were finished.  Husband seems fine.  My road has been less of the leaping sort-more like limping back to health, and slower than I can bear.  I've become so impatient, I sometimes lose my sense about what I'm supposed to be doing to get better.  My immune function has never been stellar, what with growing up in Pesticide Smoggyvalley and all, but it seems especially pressed this month.  On the 9th day of Keflex, I ate a walnut laden brownie I'd made my dad for Father's Day and broke out in a hideous rash of hives (I'll save the pictures for another time when I'm not simultaneously discussing food).  My best guess is that with no probiotics in my system, I couldn't handle the walnuts (maybe it was the chocolate...).  This helped get me back on track thanks to 50 billion little live cultures.  And some claritin.  Gee whiz.

Maggie sent me Nourishing Traditions as a gift months ago and I finally got around to cracking it open.  She and I used to be vegans, she much more recently than I.  Both of us are rethinking vegetarianism.  Ethically, vegetarianism is a very good idea.  Environmentally, it is usually a great idea.  My body, however, has a different story to tell.  OPDC has made me love milk and dairy farming again, because of how thoughtfully and healthfully they are doing it.  I'm also considering adding fermented foods to my diet and sprouted ones too.  I ate an umeboshi plum today, favored by the macrobiotic community, and puckered up like Tom and Jerry on alum.  I suppose I'll keep eating them.

It's a good sign that I am here again.  I expect to be participating in life again soon and sharing about our trip to Portland, which was so fun and amazing-even though it was dampened by stage 1 of the Virus That Ate New York.

Missing your voices and your blogs, too!

Raise Your Partini

It must be the rain that causes this Portland phenomenon-because everyone I met in the fair city this weekend was so beautiful!  My dear friend, Julie, pictured center, is soon to be married to the handsome and talented, Chris.  This weekend we celebrated at her bridal shower.  Laurel, left, made ginger-infused martinis and aptly named the drink "Til Death Do Us Partini".  What a whirlwind of excitement and love for two incredible people!

Julie and I met each other  over eight years ago-she and two other dynamic heroines in my world have been following each other around like sisters since we formed our Succulent Wild Woman group online at Planet Sark in 1999. 

We have had each other to lean on, taking the edge off of difficult times and laughing our way through the good ones. 

I love you, my Elements!  And to beautiful Portland, I miss you already.  See you for the wedding in May!