Posts from the “Me” Category

Following Signals

Posted on January 30, 2018

Sean and I have this saying, “It’s a push.” We say it when an opportunity presents itself or when something bad happens. It’s a push to take a chance, make a change, or acknowledge that something is done. Ideally, there is only one push at a time or there are multiple pushes that point toward the same thing. The end of 2017 into 2018 was a massive swell of pushes, so much so that I got a bit lost. It’s like when I set up a baking project in the kitchen with all three girls and they each have questions— “Can I crack the eggs?” “Does this look right?” “Do I need a second measuring cup?” “Did Beso fart?” “Alexa, turn up the music.” “I’m…

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Categories: Me

Focus on a Plan for 2018: Self and Purpose

Posted on December 27, 2017

The gaily decorated cards, received or sent, the increasing intensity of sales alerts, and the obligatory, or beloved, gatherings of family and friends; it makes sense that we move toward change at the holidays. We’re facing an ending as we move into a new year. Facebook hammers us with choosing words of intention, emails promising the best way to fight holiday weight, and people we know declare this to be the year that they’ll do Whole 30, run a marathon, or go vegan. We focus on self and community with a different intensity. My mom gave me a book about authors describing their favorite bookstores. “I never give a book as a gift without inscribing it,” she said. Sure enough, there was her familiar hand…

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Categories: Me

Get to Work

Posted on December 10, 2017

Friday I spent the day on a photo shoot in the Scoharie Valley. The cold came at me like I’d done it wrong, turning my fingers white and making my insides quiver. It was alarming to be so cold, but it also felt good. It was all consuming. There was no phone checking, no idle fretting, the cold made me purposeful and focused. The animals made me believe again, even as I grappled with the idea of food and the way I love flank steak with hot-from-the-oven-tortillas and green tabasco. There are choices and consequences. I returned to start. Land, people, and animals. Farm. Farmers. Innovation. Resilience. Respect.   The light repeatedly took my breath away. The animals, from goats and lambs to cows and…

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Categories: Me

Tiny Reminders for Big Change

Posted on November 8, 2017

Do you ever catch yourself saying, “As soon as things slow down…” They never slow down. We never have the money sitting in the account. The right time rarely arrives in a moment when we can actually embrace it. I find myself doing little things to try and dull the sensation that I am tempting fate. I try not to race from place to place, I tell myself not to measure my success (or failure) by how much is left undone at the end of the day. I doubt most of us would put the same expectations on other people that we do on ourselves. It’s also unlikely that we’d afford the same kindness or consideration to ourselves that we give to others. I…

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From Scratch Taste from a Box—Krusteaz Protein Pancakes

Posted on September 3, 2017

This sounds like an ad. Let me get the particulars out of the way. I got an email from someone asking if I’d like to try Krusteaz’ new pancake mix. I got ready to hit delete, but saw it was GMO free and realized that as much as I have enjoyed making the girls pancakes from scratch, maybe a box or two in the pantry wouldn’t be a bad idea. The fine print, as in this was a fine deal, they sent me several boxes to try to to share with you. Here’s my take on the ‘cakes. if you’d like a box (and whatever else I think to tuck in the package) share your most magnificent kitchen fail in the comments. Doesn’t have to be breakfast…

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Categories: Me