How much beauty can you take?

I end the day under the influence of a small amount of wine (2/3 of a bottle is small, right? Oh yeah, plus a beer...), relieveing me of the USUAL influence of my ego.

I find myself reflecting on the incredible beauty that was interwoven through my day. In awe. I see that if we were to live in the divine light every moment of every day, we simply could not have the experiences we came here to have. My personal awareness of the infinite beauty around me ebbs and flows. Tonight it is at high tide.

I am swept away by the sychronicity of events today. It is astounding and beautiful. At every turn, there was reason and love, beauty and meaning. I spent time with dear loved ones virtually, in person, and in spirit. I laughed raucously. I listened intently. I learned. I observed others laughing and listening and learning. I met old friends intentionally and coincidentally. I relaxed and let my true self emerge without reservation amongst new friends. I lived this day fully.

And now I finish my day quietly, with my dog by my side, a cherry-topped english muffin in my belly, and a wish to record this emotion forevermore. What emotion is this? Contentment seems too small a word. I am full of excitement, yet completely at peace. I glow.

Have you glowed lately? Are you radiating your peace, your love, your joy outwardly? Come join me! I'm not sure how much longer I may be here, since this adoration for everything I see makes me feel like I will just float up and out of my body, it's so overwhelming. How much beauty can I take? My knitting beside me, the chair I'm sitting in, this uncomprehensible piece of technology at my fingertips, the original painting on the wall--and that's just what my eyes perceive. Each object containing such perfection! It reminds me of when I first became a mother; the feeling of wonder and love and instinct were all so strong, I felt like I would burst--and the worry, the fear, the fight in equal parts felt. It consumes like fire, and I had to learn to suppress it, lest I not be able to function normally!

Euphoria. That's what it is! Euphoria. Experiencing the divine in all--the wonder of it all--and being at peace with its infinity.

It's like looking at the stars in the sky, with their multitudes of planets, their vast distances, and knowing your role is so ridiculously miniscule, but with full knowledge of the necessity for each tiny piece to play its role accordingly. It's an empowerment.

Pardon my rambling. I just had to try to put this in words. Perhaps now my brain will rest. Goodnight, all.

Product Review: Food For Thought Cherry Honey Mustard and Cherry Hot sauce

So far everything I have tried from Food for Thought has been wonderful. I love their jams!!  We have also had their Cherry Honey Mustard which is really good!! My Daughter loves it on her turkey sandwiches!!  

We recently tried the Cherry Habanero Hot Sauce. It has a really great flavor and even though it is habanero, isn't overly spicey.  It is hot, obviously but sometimes the habanero sauces can be so hot you really don't taste anything, not this one.

I love that this company is so "green" and committed to supporting the environment and our local MI economy as well as create a superior product!!

Lisa  

Honey Laundering

Had enough refined sugar this holiday season? If you're turning to honey, here's another reason to by local: Chinese honey. It's sometimes tainted, but not always labeled as Chinese. See Honey laundering - international trade increasingly rife with crime and If it's American honey, it's likely not organic.

Raid on Ohio home-based co-op!

I find this situation VERY disturbing. It really scares both myself and my husband, and I urge you to read the article, watch the video, and donate to the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund.

This operation is much like my own. I am trying to advance my operations to move out of the house, but balancing out the financials without raising prices is proving to be a tricky task. Any helpful ideas are welcome. I will also be sending out new contracts soon...sigh.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83865

Restaurant Review: Pekoe & Joe

My family and I had lunch at a new restaurant the other day. It’s called Pekoe & Joe, and I think you’ll like it for a lot of reasons.

First, it used to be a KFC. The KFC failed, and the fellow who bought the place gutted it, and used recycled materials to turn it into a place that serves organic food. That fact alone got me through the door. It gets better.

The folks who work there are friendly and accommodating. The plates and utensils are all made from vegetable fiber and compostable*. The menu ingredients come from certified organic sources. Pekoe & Joe is certified by the Green Restaurant Association. The coffee is roasted on-site. The décor is retro, and you can sit on a stool at the counter, on a chair at a table, or in a couch or easy chair in a wee living-room-like setup. There are magazines and free wi-fi. The food’s pretty good, too. Here’s the menu.

I had the egg noodles with pesto and a cup of tomato basil soup, with Mexican hot chocolate to drink. Really, I should’ve picked a different beverage, because while the hot chocolate was delicious, it didn’t go well with the food I ordered. My fault. But the noodles were perfectly cooked, firm and not at all sticky. The pesto was flavorful, with bigger bits of basil than average. The tomato soup was substantial and hearty. The kids enjoyed their meals as well. Alex wasn’t quite able to finish his grilled cheese sandwich, which came with carrot sticks and cucumber slices instead of fries.

So is there anything wrong with the place? Well, it’s a bit pricey (lunch for four cost around $30, or about $10 more than at our favorite Coney Island place), but as locavores know, you get what you pay for. Quality ingredients are more expensive, and Pekoe & Joe charges accordingly. Fair enough, I say. There was also no place to hang up our coats, but I pointed this out to one of the crew and she said, “Hey, that’s a good point. We should fix that.” I fully expect to see a coat rack or two next time I visit. We didn’t see any high chairs or boosters for little ones, though they may have been available. Zack is big enough now that he doesn’t really need one, so we didn’t ask. Oh, and tomato soup in December? It may be organic, but it probably isn't local.

I think Pekoe & Joe can be forgiven for not buying local ingredients in the dead of a Michigan Winter. Face it, there isn’t much local produce to be had right now, and the place just opened. It’s not like they could go back in time, get a bunch of local produce, and preserve it for January use. Maybe next Summer, though. Plus, the Green Restaurant Association gives a ton of points for buying whole food ingredients from within 100 miles of your place. This may be the beginning of some beautiful friendships...

Drop in to Pekoe & Joe. It’s on M-59 at Voorhies, a couple blocks west of Telegraph. The food is good, and so is the karma. Maybe I'll see you there?


*I don’t really know if compostable disposable plates and utensils are better than the kind that get reused, but I imagine that when you take into account the energy, water, and chemicals used to clean reusable eating ware, it’s (forgive me) a wash.

Predicted food trends, 2009

Fellow trendsetters: Here's what the Food Channel believes is the next wave for 2009. Some of these are good news, indeed--others, not so much. (The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch has the whole story, based on a press release from the Food Channel.)

1. Home on the Range — Downsized economy breeds new generation of home chefs, more food-savvy than their predecessors.
2. Foodie 2.0 — Growth of virtual and non-virtual food communities.
3. Going, Going Green — Kitchens go eco-conscious.
4. Living La Vida Locavore — Eating locally and seasonally, both at home and in restaurants.
5. TMI? — Is seeing the calorie count on the menu Too Much Information (TMI), or will it lead to healthier choices?
6. FrankenFood — The rise of bioengineering and genetically modified food; the next evolution of last year’s Functional Food trend.
7. Food Philanthropy — Individuals and companies address world hunger.
8. Food Insecurity — The call for tighter food controls, after the tomato and jalapeno scares of 2008.
9. Brewing Business — Striking a balance when cost is an issue; the divide widens between the exotic and day-to-day food needs.
10. Where in the World … — is the next flavor trend coming from? It’s all about globalization and variety.

Obama's choice for Secretary of Angriculture

Interesting blog post on the upcoming Secretary of Agriculture. I would have chosen Michael Pollen, of course.