daily affirmation in action

to some it may sound hokey, but i believe daily affirmations manifest positive change. 

 (the quintessential daily affirmation flower photo=)

"Today I will be fine with whatever happens.  I will go with the flow.  I will remain carefree."

last night before dinner, john and i set out to pick up a few things from our local supermarket, which is roughly a mile from our home. 

we were halfway there when we saw that the area separating our town from the market was flooded. we're not sure if the creek overflowed or what, but we never saw anything like it.

countless roads were under water and traffic in some directions was standstill. there was no way to get to the market, unless we wanted to get out and swim.

we had to take a long detour just to go in the direction of home. hungry and unprepared for this little adventure, it could have been frustrating, but john and i went with it.

after a few unfamiliar turns we found ourselves in the midst of a hidden gem, driving past adorable houses right on the creek! who knew this paradise existed so close to our urban dwelling?!

a view from one of the homes posted on trulia website

further driving saw us minutes from where my little sister (from bbbs) lives. it was her birthday, and the idea popped in my head to bring her balloons.

so some crappy detours led to some sweet surprises. i just wish i had my camera with me. you would have flipped over these houses. one was even named... creek hollow. love it. so fall-like.


"Today I will be fine with whatever happens.  I will go with the flow.  I will remain carefree."

sweet sage squash with rosemary roasted potatoes

:: sweet sage squash ::
(slight modification of muth family farm's recipe)

1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 T earth balance vegan butter
1 T maple syrup or brown sugar
2 tsp minced fresh sage
pinch of salt

rosemary roasted potatoes
(recipe by barefoot contessa)

1 ½ pounds small red or white-skinned potatoes (or a mix)
2 T olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 T minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 T minced fresh rosemary leaves


1 :: preheat oven to 400°F. 

2 :: place acorn squash cut side down in a glass casserole dish. 

3 :: cut potatoes in quarters and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary until well coated. spread on baking sheet in a single layer and bake with squash about one hour, or until potatoes are brown and crisped. flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

4 :: while the squash and potatoes are cooking, prepare sweet sage butter by heating butter, maple syrup, sage and salt on low about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

5 :: coat squash with sweet sage butter and enjoy flavorful fall deliciousness!=)

::

at the community garden for rosemary, i picked some more greens and shot some more photos.

 cabbage

 arugula and peas

 escarole

 pea blossoms

 our plots

cute shed

and lastly, the stars of tonight's show

sage

 and rosemary

do you like rosemary and/or sage? what are your favorite ways to use them?

harvest monday

carrots, collard greens, red russian kale, plantain, parsley, rosemary, edamame and lettuce

everything but the carrots were grown at the community garden. the plants seem to really like the straight mushroom compost soil over there. 

this is my first fall garden, and i'm growing some of my favorite greens, including collards (woohoo!). i'm amazed at how fast they grow. this photo of them was taken last week and the leaves have since doubled in size. 

the rosemary and parsley are grown in a flower bed with dill and sage for everyone to share.

i didn't photograph the big bunch of arugula i harvested yesterday, but here's a shot of a few plants from last week. they're growing like weeds!

speaking of weeds, did you see what's growing under the arugula - purslane!  

for those unfamiliar, purslane is an edible succulent that contains more omega-3's than any other leafy vegetable plant. though most consider it an invasive weed, purslane is welcome in my garden - it's the best in smoothies!

if you're wondering what else i do with my greens, i use collards for green buns and make salads with kale and arugula. in this salad both are chopped and mixed in a balsamic-dijon marinade, topped with garden grape tomatoes and shelled hemp seeds. mmm!

harvest mondays are hosted by daphne at daphne's dandelions. visit her page to see what others are growing and doing with their harvest!

today's smoothie

this smoothie is the start of my detox. i'm excited to start feeling good again. 

ingredients: one frozen banana, half frozen peach, handful frozen blueberries, one small apple, one chiogga beet, one cucumber, six kale leaves, and juice of half a lemon. yields about 4 cups. 

cheers to the start of a nutritious week!