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Sunset Tree - Tucson, Arizona April 29, 2019 -- Tucson, Arizona, Sunday “Humans have come into being for the sake of each other, so either teach them, or learn to bear them.”  ―  Marcus Aurelius,  Meditations On the day after the movie Avengers: Endgame premiered, I heard an interview on public radio with the person who held the Guinness World Record for the most paid viewings of a single movie  in a theater. The movie was the penultimate in the Marvel Avengers franchise, Avengers: Infinity War. The record holder watched the film one hundred and three times as Josh Brolin as Thanos wipe out half of all life in the universe with a snap of his fingers. This same viewer had already seen the latest release four times in twenty-four hours and held tickets for two more showings that same evening. When the interviewer asked him why he had watched one movie so many times he replied that he had always loved the Marvel characters and the Avengers were his all-time favorites. Pressed
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Finding My Way

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January 15, 2011 to November 15, 2017 Approaching Monument Valley from the north, seeing the iconic profiles of these ancient stone formations rising from the floor of the living desert, one's senses struggle to process the scale of the moment. The basic shapes rise above the curve of the earth, shrouded in gray waves of atmospheric distortion, ghostly impressions of the time past and eternity to come. As one draws nearer, the heated air loses some of its refractive quality. The reflected reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and greens press against the light-sensing cells in the back of the eye, and one feels drawn out of the present and into a timeless moment where the immensity of what nature has created quickens the pulse and draws the breath out in shallow, anticipatory pulses. By the time the narrow highway twists through the slalom of these sacred stones, so that the enormity of their bulk fills the eyes and mind, all sensation of other life vanishes into the stillness
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Cyclone Frittata

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Today began with rain. The remnants of a tropical storm sweeping up from Baja and across the Sonoran Desert means a green November. The Catalina Mountains are practically dancing with delight and Cindy and I are taking the morning off from just about everything. She's enjoying a leisurely yoga practice, just for her, and I'm frittering away in the kitchen. Yes, that's our idea of having the morning off. I decided to rework an old recipe in a new way this morning, maybe inspired by the word frittering...So, here's the Cyclone Vegan Frittata for a Wednesday. This isn't your basic quick and easy breakfast or brunch muchie, so if you're a kitchen wimp, proceed with caution. But if you rule and don't think it makes you less of whatever you are to wear an apron and whip up some gnosh that not only tastes good but is good for you, I think you'll be happy with the outcome if you just follow the directions: 1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fah
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Eastern Spices, Heat Rising With the Sun...Today's Breakfast

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I was ravenous when I woke up today. No idea exactly why, but I wanted food, a lot of it, and a lot flavor to go with it. After a few minutes of surveying my larder, I determined that I could concoct this hash treat in about forty five minutes. Now, with a full belly and a warm afterglow of spice on my taste buds, I'm ready to face the rest of the day. I cubed two sweet potatoes, cut a red onion into wedges, seasoned it with a dash of salt, a lot of pepper, a spritz of olive oil, and a lot of Tambooli Masala. That went into the convection oven att 400 for 30 minutes. While those veggies were cooking, I pressed and dried a block of extra-firm tofu, crumbled it, and tossed with 1/4 tsp black salt, 2 tsps tumeric, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and a Tbsp of Tambooli Masala. I also chopped a big bunch of Red Chard into bite-sized bits, tossing these with pepper and Tambooli Masala, and my go to seasoning for everything, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute. 10 minutes before the veggi
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Chai-Spice Oats with Nuts, Berries, and More

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Kale-ing Me Softly

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Growing up in the windswept prairie-town of Cheyenne, Wyoming, I decided at some point that green was my favorite color. It just looked so nice against the dirt brown, sagebrush-sculpted landscape. An early hero was Robin Hood and the forest- hued attire of he and his band of Merry Men, with the exception of Friar Tuck, seemed about right to represent my favorite color -- I'll save my comments on Little John in tights for another post. Along with the color, I developed a fondness for many green foods as well. Favorite vegetable? Green Beans. Favorite fruit? Green Apples. Favorite food to give me imaginary super powers? Popeye's Spinach, of course. Favorite Candy? Green lifesavers. I loved running barefoot in green grass, catching green grasshoppers, and counting stacks of green toy currency. I still like getting green paper presents, the kind that can be folded and are best stored in a wallet. Any denomination will do. Dad loved to garden and Mom kept the house w
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First and Last Courses

I love to eat! And flavor matters from beginning to end of every meal. Eating nutritious, plant-based meals let's my inner food freak fly his big flavor flag. Today, I've got two recipes for you: GOLDEN GALA APPLE DRESSING FOR SALAD 1/4 cup raw cashews 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup filtered, cold water 1 small gala apple, cored and chopped 3/4 inch ginger root, peeled 1 clove garlic 1 tsp onion powder 1 tbsp all-purpose, no-salt seasoning (I like Trader Joe's 21 Spice Salute) 1/2 tsp tumeric Blend all in Vitamix until smooth. Chill 20-minutes and serve over fresh green salad. Makes approximately 2 cups dressing. CHOCOLATE PERFECTION DESSERT 1/2 cup raw cashews 4 pitted medjool dates 1 frozen medium banana 1/2 cup frozen cherries 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup vanilla, almond milk Blend until smooth in Vitamix, chill one hour. Serve in dessert bowls. Serves 4.
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