Peter Peter (and Jean and Richard) Pumpkin Eater!

I've probably thrown away 30 or 40 pumpkins during my adult life. Many of those, at least in the last 10 years or so, have ended up in my compost heap, but it still seems like not the best use of the squashy flesh of the good old pumpkin. But you can eat these guys! I've used pumpkins for soups and sides, but when I'm hankering for something sweet, I break out a pumpkin cookie recipe I used once to make use of the leftover canned pumpkin from a Thanksgiving pie. Yes, this year's pumpkin will... Continue reading

Confessions of a NeoFarmer

Saved by the Collards I'm wrapping up my second summer's attempt at farming. How'd I do? I guess I'd give myself a C+. Ok, I really sucked. We definitely ate out of the garden so that's good, but this is trickier than I thought! My first issue was the blossom-end rot on my tomatoes. Just when my plants were looking full and lush, this began to occur. As per a few tips a gleaned from the internet, I sprinkled some Epsom salt and crumbled up eggshells and tooled that into the soil. Things... Continue reading

Overseas travel and yoga, part 4

Yoga for Recovery! During the time it took to get from here to our little home away from home in Compiegne, we missed an entire night's sleep (thanks, time zones!) and pushed our bodies beyond their capacity. While I consider myself fairly resilient (and I wore sturdy shoes), the countless miles of steps we walked -- with heavy bags in tow -- put my body through more work than it needed. Dinner and a movie I can't understand It was late afternoon in France when we... Continue reading

Overseas travel and yoga, part 3

In-flight yoga: Making the best of a bad situation Let's face facts: The human body was not designed for what passes for airline travel these days. Our physical selves are most fit when we get adequate rest, frequent gentle to moderate movement, and challenging physical work on a regular basis. But for the next eight hours, I will be in a small seat with my elbows touching my neighbors and just barely enough room to cross my legs. Being in such a cramped space... Continue reading