>Virgin Pepper

>It’s tiny and it’s beautiful…and I realize I was a little anticipatory by plucking it from its plant so early…I was just so surprised when I looked down and saw it hanging there. I grew it from seed…amazing. It’s the first actual vegetable (opposed to an herb) I plucked from the garden this year, except for a few meager leaves of spinach. Another month and I’ll have more than I can cook…something to look forward to. I sauteed it with an onion and added it to an omelet…and yes, it was delicious. But I think what intensified it even more was that just a mere month or so ago I pushed a teeny seed into the soil and now it’s food (and more food will come). It’s difficult for me not to be amazed (and a little humbled) by this.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#38)

A wooden box containing small tools, cleaning supplies, printer ink, and other miscellaneous items.
A new pair of shoes.
A new shirt.
A parsley plant (on front rack).
Two tomato cages (barely visible on lower right sidebar…obscured by the corn).

Penne Bolognese (variation)

By now readers of this blog have probably surmised that I like starch…particularly bread and pasta…and over recent years I have migrated towards whole and multiple grain varieties. Pasta, I think, is one of the most incredibly versatile foods…it’s simple, the variations and ingredients are seemingly endless, and a meal can be made in one pot. Anyhow, tonight for dinner I made a variation of Pasta Bolognese, I say variation because I did not include carrots or cream. And this is how I made it:

Saute ground beef (you can substitute pork or veal, or include both) then add onions and garlic. I also added some crushed hot pepper (optional) and fennel seed.

Then I realized I probably had enough basil in the garden so I shut off the flame to investigate. I was really surprised to see how much was ready to pick.

After turning the heat back on I added a pint of tomato sauce that I had in my freezer (can’t remember if it was homemade or not, but it was good), then cut the basil into chiffonade and added it to the sauce.

Meanwhile, I boiled the pasta al dente and added it to the sauce. I cooked the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes (to absorb its flavor), and then added a little Parmesan cheese.

The finished recipe…yum. It was (is) as good as it looks. (If you need an actual recipe click here.)


>Penne Bolognese (variation)

>By now readers of this blog have probably surmised that I like starch…particularly bread and pasta…and over recent years I have migrated towards whole and multiple grain varieties. Pasta, I think, is one of the most incredibly versatile foods…it’s simple, the variations and ingredients are seemingly endless, and a meal can be made in one pot. Anyhow, tonight for dinner I made a variation of Pasta Bolognese, I say variation because I did not include carrots or cream. And this is how I made it:

Saute ground beef (you can substitute pork or veal, or include both) then add onions and garlic. I also added some crushed hot pepper (optional) and fennel seed.

Then I realized I probably had enough basil in the garden so I shut off the flame to investigate. I was really surprised to see how much was ready to pick.

After turning the heat back on I added a pint of tomato sauce that I had in my freezer (can’t remember if it was homemade or not, but it was good), then cut the basil into chiffonade and added it to the sauce.

Meanwhile, I boiled the pasta al dente and added it to the sauce. I cooked the pasta in the sauce for a couple of minutes (to absorb its flavor), and then added a little Parmesan cheese.

The finished recipe…yum. It was (is) as good as it looks. (If you need an actual recipe click here.)


Bike Bus

I can’t remember where I downloaded this image from (my apologies to whoever should be receiving credit). This has nothing to do with urban or simplicity (at least not overtly)…I just really like this photo. It makes me smile and I thought I’d share it. But I can’t help wonder what the deal is with this bus that is literally coated in bikes. What would be really interesting would be to stand all those bikes upright and carry the bus…well, ok, maybe they could just tow it.

>Bike Bus

>I can’t remember where I downloaded this image from (my apologies to whoever should be receiving credit). This has nothing to do with urban or simplicity (at least not overtly)…I just really like this photo. It makes me smile and I thought I’d share it. But I can’t help wonder what the deal is with this bus that is literally coated in bikes. What would be really interesting would be to stand all those bikes upright and carry the bus…well, ok, maybe they could just tow it.

If Only…

Photo Credit James Victore, NY Times

If only this were true…that bikes had the majority of the road…maybe eventually…after oil runs out or its cost becomes too prohibitive. This photo is from a book review written by bicycle advocate David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame. Click here if you want to read the review.

On a different yet similar note, I have a confession to make: Today I drove my truck on a trip that was less than a mile each way simply because it was raining and I was tired. I love the rain when I’m sitting on my front porch drinking wine or when I’m in my bed, but not when I’m riding a bike…snow, no problem, bundle up; heat, ditto, but bring a change of clothes…but rain, I don’t know…and I’m dubious of motorist’s ability to see me. Anyhow, there it is, so much for my Two Mile Challenge…I’ve come clean.

>If Only…

>

Photo Credit James Victore, NY Times

If only this were true…that bikes had the majority of the road…maybe eventually…after oil runs out or its cost becomes too prohibitive. This photo is from a book review written by bicycle advocate David Byrne, of Talking Heads fame. Click here if you want to read the review.

On a different yet similar note, I have a confession to make: Today I drove my truck on a trip that was less than a mile each way simply because it was raining and I was tired. I love the rain when I’m sitting on my front porch drinking wine or when I’m in my bed, but not when I’m riding a bike…snow, no problem, bundle up; heat, ditto, but bring a change of clothes…but rain, I don’t know…and I’m dubious of motorist’s ability to see me. Anyhow, there it is, so much for my Two Mile Challenge…I’ve come clean.

Carl Honore On Slowness

After a day of my usual hectic life…trying to fit more into into one day than possible…I came across this video on SlowBike. The video is on the longish side (about 20 minutes), and I realize it may be difficult to spare the time in this sped up world…but it is well worth the watch…it’s interesting, clever, and funny at times…and (for me) is just a little too close to home.

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

>Carl Honore On Slowness

>After a day of my usual hectic life…trying to fit more into into one day than possible…I came across this video on SlowBike. The video is on the longish side (about 20 minutes), and I realize it may be difficult to spare the time in this sped up world…but it is well worth the watch…it’s interesting, clever, and funny at times…and (for me) is just a little too close to home.

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

Things That Can Be Carried on A Bike (#35 & #36)

Two Cases of Soda (and I don’t even drink soda).

Thirty pounds of ice (this was a little challenging on a hot and sunny day…as the ice melted it would shift and loosen the straps…I almost lost the smaller bag twice).

This past weekend Buffalo hosted it’s 52nd annual Allentown Art Festival. The street on which I live borders the festival; there is a lot of foot traffic, thus my teenage son decided to have a beverage stand…hence the previous post (#33) showing the Yuba loaded with juice drinks and water.

I always knew my gas-powered vehicle would be good for a thing or two…

>Things That Can Be Carried on A Bike (#35 & #36)

>Two Cases of Soda (and I don’t even drink soda).

Thirty pounds of ice (this was a little challenging on a hot and sunny day…as the ice melted it would shift and loosen the straps…I almost lost the smaller bag twice).

This past weekend Buffalo hosted it’s 52nd annual Allentown Art Festival. The street on which I live borders the festival; there is a lot of foot traffic, thus my teenage son decided to have a beverage stand…hence the previous post (#33) showing the Yuba loaded with juice drinks and water.

I always knew my gas-powered vehicle would be good for a thing or two…

James the Ice Creamcycle Dude

Photo culled from the Ice Creamcycle Dude’s facebook page

I see this guy riding everywhere…pedaling about a mile and hour, dinging his bell, and always smiling. It always makes me smile when I see him pedaling merrily by. Such a simple concept, one may think…buy a trike with a refrigerated compartment, get a permit, load it with stuff and pedal around selling it…think again. It is beyond the thought process of my brain why the bureaucracy of city hall in the Queen City would give this guy such a hard time. They’re always trying to bring more people into the city and create a new urban community…if this isn’t about sustainability and urban community I don’t know what is. Maybe they’re a little intimidated by the simplicity of it. To read an article about his struggles with city hall in the Buffalo News click here, to read a similar article in Buffalo Rising click here, and to visit him on facebook click here. Ride on creamcycle dude, ride on.