Category Archives: urban simplicity

La Menthe Vinaigrette (ou citronette)

This is by far my favorite vinaigrette sauce. And I consciously use the word sauce rather than dressing because it is more than a salad dressing. This can be used as a dip or drizzled over poultry, seafood, or meat..and of course used as a salad dressing (it is in fact the basis to theContinue reading “La Menthe Vinaigrette (ou citronette)”

Now This is Interesting (a brief story)

Most who visit this blog know that I like bikes…a lot. I ride mainly for transportation, but also because I enjoy it. And some also know that I am not entirely car-free, but car-lite (I own one small late model pick up truck and a small fleet of bikes). Sometimes it seems silly that IContinue reading “Now This is Interesting (a brief story)”

Five Quotes from John Muir

Photo Credit: National Park Service John Muir (21 April 1838 – 24 December 1914) “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” “God has cared forContinue reading “Five Quotes from John Muir”

Five Photos of Flowers…and a few words

I took these photos mostly in a neighbors front yard when I arrived home from work late this afternoon. The sun shone just right that they almost seemed illuminated. Interestingly, of the three cameras that I own, the smallest of them–a teeny Sony Cyber-Shot that I purchased for $99 two years ago–takes the best closeContinue reading “Five Photos of Flowers…and a few words”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#424)

A nylon bag containing a computer, a canvas bag containing an extra camera, an electronic reader, two books, a journal, a small tripod, and various writing tools; a dough rising bucket containing a small paper bag which contains a smaller plastic tub of homemade gravy; a round tin resting atop the dough rising bucket containingContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#424)”

Oatmeal-Flax Bread (whole wheat, of course)

In an effort to make ever healthier breads, this is my latest one. It’s really just a variation on a them of whole wheat breads. This one simply includes oatmeal and flax seed. The big difference is that you have to add even more water to the dough because the oatmeal and flax absorb some.Continue reading “Oatmeal-Flax Bread (whole wheat, of course)”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#423)

Payday today, the house was bare with essentials. After a brief steam and swim I ran errands and did some shopping. This is what I carried on–or pulled with–the bike tonight from 4 separate stores:  Two bags of of dog food, $67 in groceries, vitamins, sundries, a bottle of red wine, a canvas bag containingContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#423)”

Raw Vegetable Salad with Oil-Braised Garlic and Near East Spices

This vegetable salad is so delicious it’s making my mouth water as I look at the picture; it’s also exceedingly easy to make. You can use whatever vegetables you prefer, or whatever seasonings you prefer. The recipe is below, but these are the basic steps. Slice, chop, or shred whatever vegetables you like.Put the vegetablesContinue reading “Raw Vegetable Salad with Oil-Braised Garlic and Near East Spices”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#421)

Two nylon bags, a canvas bag, 3 books, an electronic reader, a pocket Bible, a camera, a tripod, a magazine, a laptop computer, a journal, and various writing implements. Urban Simplicity.

A Few Test Photos…and a few words, too

I just purchased an inexpensive used camera from someone off craigslist today. I now have three cameras and none cost more than $99US. This is not meant to be a braggart’s statement, but just to reinforce that one does not need a $500 camera to take good pictures. Anyhow, and this is interesting, I think,Continue reading “A Few Test Photos…and a few words, too”

Four Photos of Flowers (and how they inspire me)

It’s interesting. I like many adults have suffered from sleep problems for most of my life. It’s rare for me to sleep more than 6 hours. But every so often I do. My body crashes. Last night was one such instance. I went to bed around 1:00am–which is late for me–and didn’t wake until nearlyContinue reading “Four Photos of Flowers (and how they inspire me)”

Hearty and Meaty Spring Ragout

I’ve mentioned a few times on this blog that while I am far from being vegetarian I have been making efforts to eat less meat for a variety of reasons…but sometimes I crave it. Today was one such instance. Maybe it was that I swam 1/2 mile and hauled concrete blocks about 5 miles (oneContinue reading “Hearty and Meaty Spring Ragout”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#420)

Four cement blocks and four cement bricks (totaling, at best guess, about 150lbs/68kgs), a 3ft/.91m floor support jack, two new tie-down straps (which were put to use straight away), four new bungees (which were also put to use), 2lbs/.9kg fresh lamb meat, a tin of tomato puree, an Artvoice paper, and a cup of hotContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#420)”

Salute the General

I made this for staff lunch at work today…General Tso’s Chicken. It is not that difficult to prepare and really rewarding because when you make it yourself it is not greasy or sickeningly-sweet. The only differences in the version I prepared today (the one picture) is that I added a sliced orange and toasted sesameContinue reading “Salute the General”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#419)

A gym bag full of wet clothes (front rack), a large cardboard box containing $52.54 in groceries, a smaller cardboard box on top of the large cardboard box containing two slices of pizza. Urban Simplicity.

Barley Tabbouleh

Yesterday I made mushroom-barley soup but cooked too much barley (it’s amazing how it just keeps expanding isn’t it). The outcome was that I had an excess of cooked barley today. So I made a variation of tabbouleh for staff lunch today. I had never made this with barley before but it was delicious. AndContinue reading “Barley Tabbouleh”

One Photo One Day Later

This flower was part of a series I posted yesterday. It’s a flower in my next-door neighbor’s front yard. It had rained for a good part of the day and when I came home in late afternoon it had stopped, and as I was unloading my bike in front of my house I saw thisContinue reading “One Photo One Day Later”

Pug-Antics

That’s Maxwell on the left and Franklin on the right; they are brothers from the same parents but separate litters (Max is a year older). I’ve posted on them before and thought I’d share today’s brief story. That’s their new bed Franklin is lying in. I posted a picture of them both in it hereContinue reading “Pug-Antics”