Joe – Page 50 – Urban Simplicty

Food Not Lawns

The above image is of my teeny front yard, or what was once a front yard. I haven’t grown grass there in years. I’ve been a vegetable gardener for the past 25 years or so, and after moving into my current house about ten years ago I realized two things. The first was that IContinue reading “Food Not Lawns”

An Army of One..a really little one

I generally do not post things on this blog related to politics or the military (other than my posts regarding military bicycles), it’s just not what I want this blog to be about. But when I came across this photo today I couldn’t help myself (I found it at A Taste for Social Media). HasContinue reading “An Army of One..a really little one”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#434)

24 live fruit and vegetable plants (including a small blueberry bush) and $32.27 in groceries. Urban Simplicity.

Food Not Lawns

An Army of One..a really little one

Yet Another Variation

I’ve mentioned many times on this blog that this dish (Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice) is one of my all-time favorite recipes, I could eat it a couple times a week and not tire of it. I’ve also posted many variations of it, and this is yet another. The thing I did different this time–other than using brownContinue reading “Yet Another Variation”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#433)

48 live vegetable plants, 120 lbs/54.4kgs top soil, 2 bags (5 lbs/2.2 kgs each) organic vegetable fertilizer, a jean jacket, 2 lbs/.91 kg brown rice, 2 lbs/.91 kg boneless chicken legs, 3 liters of red wine, a quart of milk, and 1 lb/.45 kg fresh spinach. Urban Simplicity.

Consider the Wing

Okay…so I hail from Buffalo, NY and we are “famous” for our wings (but there’s so much more that there is to know about our cuisine and beautiful city). At any rate, this being partially a food blog I offer the obligatory chicken wing recipes. Some of these recipe have been posted before, but notContinue reading “Consider the Wing”

Five Quotes from Rumi

Photo found here. “You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?” “What you seek is seeking you.” “Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself.” “Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames” Continue reading “Five Quotes from Rumi”

Anticipation

Yup…it’s that time of year again. Time to start thinking about the victory garden. That’s a savoy cabbage plant pictured above. Future food for my son and I. In a few months I plan on eating it. No, let me rephrase that. In a few month months, after I harvest the cabbage and some cayenneContinue reading “Anticipation”

The Last Remnant…literally and figuratively

Many of you likely know that I have finally (finally!) given up car ownership (or in my case, truck ownership) and have have seamlessly moved from being car-lite to car-free. Well in a last act of departure I had to “surrender” the plates to the DMV today, and it seemed appropriate–as if in some finalContinue reading “The Last Remnant…literally and figuratively”

A Pin, a Quote, and a Prayer…a few thoughts on peace

The above image is of a pin that was given to me yesterday by a friend (thanks Jane!). It’s a miniature version of a sign that I’ve had in the front garden for the past years. Actually the sign in front of my house is the second sign…the first was stolen (how’s that for irony).Continue reading “A Pin, a Quote, and a Prayer…a few thoughts on peace”

100% Whole-Wheat Wild Rice Bread

I made this bread today because I happened to come across a package of wild rice I had in my freezer from at least a year ago. It’s similar to any of the whole wheat bread recipes on this blog–including the Ezekiel Bread recipe–with the exception that it contains wild rice. Delicious…anyhow, here’s the recipe.Continue reading “100% Whole-Wheat Wild Rice Bread”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#431 & #432)

#431…A dough rising bucket and three loaves of freshly baked whole-wheat wild rice bread. #432…Three books and a shovel Urban Simplicity.

Two Flowers

I caught glimps of these as I was unloading my bike this evening after a brief ride home and just after it had stopped raining. Separately they are beautiful; together they are–I think–stunning. I love how they are in contrast to one another. One is brightly colored; the other dark purple, almost black. One isContinue reading “Two Flowers”

The Perpetual Motion of Life, a Favorite Gandhi quote, and a Who Song

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”–Mahatma Gandhi I’ve mentioned a few times on the origins of this blog, but in the event I’ve yet to bore you withContinue reading “The Perpetual Motion of Life, a Favorite Gandhi quote, and a Who Song”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#430)…and a few comments

A jean jacket, a cell phone, a camera, a small bag of tools, two New York State automobile license plates (more on that later), and four cement blocks. Okay…so this is pushing the limit what what to carry on a bike. These blocks, the best I can figure weigh about 38lbs/17.2kgs each (152lbs/68.9kgs total)….it feltContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#430)…and a few comments”

Super Moon

In the event that you missed the super moon last night (also flower moon), here’s a couple images. The top photo was taken while I was out walking my dogs, and the below image was shot in my back yard. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It was incredible. Click either for a largerContinue reading “Super Moon”

Fish Meat(less) Balls

This is a play on traditional spaghetti-and-meatballs…in place of meat I used fish for the balls. I could have called it by it’s fancy-sounding Italian name, polpette di pesce, or it’s French cousin, boulettes de poisson, but in English it is what it is…fish meat(less) balls. Anyhow, these are so easy to make and reallyContinue reading “Fish Meat(less) Balls”

A Few Photos and a Few Words

Today was such an incredible spring day and it felt good to be on a bike. As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog one of the things I really enjoy about transporting yourself on a bike is that you see so much more…you are an active part of your surroundings. These are a fewContinue reading “A Few Photos and a Few Words”