>More Winter Notes

>I know I keep harping on it, but this has been one cold and snowy winter. Sometimes it gets me down (maybe it’s the lack of direct sunlight), but other times I find it truly beautiful…today was one of those times. The snow looked so white and pristine, even in an urban setting. Here’s a shot of the sidewalk just after I shoveled it. It was about 5:00pm, dusk; the light blue hue almost seemed to glow, like a photo touch up, but it’s not (click the photo for a much larger view).

A couple summers ago I installed (cemented) a 4×4 beam with hooks on it as a sort of hitching post for my bikes in front of my house. I use it to park bikes for short periods before going out again, so I don’t have to carry them up the porch stairs. I use the hitching post as a sort guide on snow depth this time of year; it is, if I remember correctly, it’s 36 inches tall. Anyhow, here’s a picture of one of my bikes hitched to it earlier in the season; the second photo was taken today…it’s getting close to the top.


I rarely post photos of myself on this blog, but here is one (a modest self-portrait, I suppose) just about to run a few errands…it’s difficult to be fashionable when the snow is more than two feet deep, the temperature is hovering in the low teens (Fahrenheit), and the wind gusts are reaching 40 mph.


On a different note: I really wonder, sometimes (more this time of year) how the previous owners of this house stayed warm. It’s a wood-framed structure dating back to Civil War era, and it’s basically like a sieve when it comes to heating. I’m assuming they wore a lot of clothes this time of year 100 years ago. Anyhow, thankfully I had the foresight to order more firewood than I did last year.


So I can have more of this, this year.

And lastly…there really is nothing like the aroma of fresh bread that permeates the house during winter…the windows get all steamy and the house smells of yeast. It’s said that the sense of smell is the strongest memory sense…that the smell of baking bread (or the aroma of a girlfriend’s perfume, as another example) is permanently planted in your memory…and personally I believe this is true.

Snow, More Snow, a Peeve, a Link or Two, and Few Other Things

OK. I know I live in Buffalo, NY. I am fully aware of its reputation for snow, but enough already…it has been snowing for the past 24 hours. It’s not been full throttle–if it were rain it would be labeled as a drizzle–but it has been non-stop. Here’s a couple of photos; first daytime, then evening (when it finally stopped snowing).

Now for my peeve:

Walking home from work I turned the corner onto my street to be confronted by a pile of snow across the sidewalk, not a natural one but man-made. There’s a few apartment buildings on my block and this particular one must have a hired snowplow. Anyhow, as he plowed the driveway he apparently thought the most logical place to push the snow was onto the sidewalk, not giving concern for pedestrians or cyclists. This bothered me so much that I actually went down the street and shoveled off the sidewalk (throwing the snow back into the driveway…returning what was rightfully theirs). Here’s a couple photos; before looking north, after looking southward (I’ve been told, incidentally, that not shoveling your sidewalk in the City of Buffalo is worthy of a fine…whether this is true or not is debatable). As I was shoveling a guy walked by, thanked me, and said something about people shoveling their walks…it made it worthwhile.

On a different, and less sarcastic, note. I happened upon the website of Portland Design Works recently. I noticed they had an interesting sticker available. It depicts a guy in a chef’s uniform smoking a cigarette standing next to a cargo bike. The stickers, (they stated one their website), were free. I emailed them and told them that I would display their stickers on my bikes and they asked how many bikes I had…six, I told them (eight actually, counting the trike and tandem). A few days later six sticker arrived. I haven’t stuck any yet, but here’s a picture of one.

Lastly, I came across this video from a 1973 video of the British bakery, Hovis. It involves biking and bread…two of my interests. It’s only a couple minutes long and worth the time. If you want to learn more about Hovis Bakery click here and here.

>Snow, More Snow, a Peeve, a Link or Two, and Few Other Things

>OK. I know I live in Buffalo, NY. I am fully aware of its reputation for snow, but enough already…it has been snowing for the past 24 hours. It’s not been full throttle–if it were rain it would be labeled as a drizzle–but it has been non-stop. Here’s a couple of photos; first daytime, then evening (when it finally stopped snowing).

Now for my peeve:

Walking home from work I turned the corner onto my street to be confronted by a pile of snow across the sidewalk, not a natural one but man-made. There’s a few apartment buildings on my block and this particular one must have a hired snowplow. Anyhow, as he plowed the driveway he apparently thought the most logical place to push the snow was onto the sidewalk, not giving concern for pedestrians or cyclists. This bothered me so much that I actually went down the street and shoveled off the sidewalk (throwing the snow back into the driveway…returning what was rightfully theirs). Here’s a couple photos; before looking north, after looking southward (I’ve been told, incidentally, that not shoveling your sidewalk in the City of Buffalo is worthy of a fine…whether this is true or not is debatable). As I was shoveling a guy walked by, thanked me, and said something about people shoveling their walks…it made it worthwhile.

On a different, and less sarcastic, note. I happened upon the website of Portland Design Works recently. I noticed they had an interesting sticker available. It depicts a guy in a chef’s uniform smoking a cigarette standing next to a cargo bike. The stickers, (they stated one their website), were free. I emailed them and told them that I would display their stickers on my bikes and they asked how many bikes I had…six, I told them (eight actually, counting the trike and tandem). A few days later six sticker arrived. I haven’t stuck any yet, but here’s a picture of one.

Lastly, I came across this video from a 1973 video of the British bakery, Hovis. It involves biking and bread…two of my interests. It’s only a couple minutes long and worth the time. If you want to learn more about Hovis Bakery click here and here.

Now This Is Really Cool

It’s difficult, for me, to imagine not having drinkable water…or having to travel great lengths to get it. But for many in the world this is part of daily living.

I came across this video of this odd-looking trike and thought I’d post it. What makes it so odd-looking is that not only is it a water reservoir, it actually filters it while you pedal (sort of reminds me of a scene from that really terrible film starring Kevin Costner, Water World). Anyhow, the clip is less than two minutes and well-worth the time to watch.

>Now This Is Really Cool

>It’s difficult, for me, to imagine not having drinkable water…or having to travel great lengths to get it. But for many in the world this is part of daily living.

I came across this video of this odd-looking trike and thought I’d post it. What makes it so odd-looking is that not only is it a water reservoir, it actually filters it while you pedal (sort of reminds me of a scene from that really terrible film starring Kevin Costner, Water World). Anyhow, the clip is less than two minutes and well-worth the time to watch.

Car Walking

Here’s a not-so-secret, secret: as much as I proclaim the many benefits of riding bikes and walking I still own a vehicle. It’s an old one (I’ll give you a hint…it’s older than my teenage son), but I still have one. And this winter I’ve been using it more than usual (is it the frigid winter or me just getting older…maybe it’s the combination of both). Anyhow, it has been so damn cold this winter that I haven’t felt like riding much. For short distances I’ve found walking much more pleasurable. Now here’s where I hop on my little soapbox: What’s the deal with people feeling it’s OK to block sidewalks with their vehicles. In an old city (relatively speaking) like Buffalo, there are many houses (most actually) in the inner city that were built without driveways, especially on the lower west side and Allentown. This city, like most, was built before the car…it was originally a pedestrian society. Over the years people put in pseudo driveways (parking pads) where their teeny front lawns used to be. And as is often the case, when a person parks on one of these pads they block the sidewalk.

Apparently I’m not the only person in this country (or world) that this bothers. Here‘s a manifesto on the subject by Michael Hartman, a German pedestrian and bicycle activist. One of the (many) things he describes is how to car walk, or to literally walk across cars that are blocking the sidewalk. He claims to have walked across thousands of vehicles, and on each one he leaves a little note stating the reasons he has walked across the vehicle (some vehicles still had people sitting in them). I first came across this in Katie Alvord’s excellent book, Divorce Your Car.

Anyhow (before I hop off my little soapbox), I’d just like to add that I don’t expect everyone to ride bikes and walk (wish, maybe, but not expect), this is, after all, the good ‘ol U.S. of A…everything in excess…whatever makes things more comfortable. I just wish driver’s would begin to take their fellow walkers and bikers into consideration, to consider them as equals.

OK, I’m finished…for now.

>Car Walking

>Here’s a not-so-secret, secret: as much as I proclaim the many benefits of riding bikes and walking I still own a vehicle. It’s an old one (I’ll give you a hint…it’s older than my teenage son), but I still have one. And this winter I’ve been using it more than usual (is it the frigid winter or me just getting older…maybe it’s the combination of both). Anyhow, it has been so damn cold this winter that I haven’t felt like riding much. For short distances I’ve found walking much more pleasurable. Now here’s where I hop on my little soapbox: What’s the deal with people feeling it’s OK to block sidewalks with their vehicles. In an old city (relatively speaking) like Buffalo, there are many houses (most actually) in the inner city that were built without driveways, especially on the lower west side and Allentown. This city, like most, was built before the car…it was originally a pedestrian society. Over the years people put in pseudo driveways (parking pads) where their teeny front lawns used to be. And as is often the case, when a person parks on one of these pads they block the sidewalk.

Apparently I’m not the only person in this country (or world) that this bothers. Here‘s a manifesto on the subject by Michael Hartman, a German pedestrian and bicycle activist. One of the (many) things he describes is how to car walk, or to literally walk across cars that are blocking the sidewalk. He claims to have walked across thousands of vehicles, and on each one he leaves a little note stating the reasons he has walked across the vehicle (some vehicles still had people sitting in them). I first came across this in Katie Alvord’s excellent book, Divorce Your Car.

Anyhow (before I hop off my little soapbox), I’d just like to add that I don’t expect everyone to ride bikes and walk (wish, maybe, but not expect), this is, after all, the good ‘ol U.S. of A…everything in excess…whatever makes things more comfortable. I just wish driver’s would begin to take their fellow walkers and bikers into consideration, to consider them as equals.

OK, I’m finished…for now.

Yet Another Pizza (and loaf of bread)

If you’ve read any of my previous ramblings you’ve probably surmised by now that I like to make bread and pizza. Leavened dough products, in my opinion, should really be listed in their own food group. Pizza is a great way to utilize what you have in the fridge (or freezer). Unfortunately, I believe people are under the impression that making yeast dough is both labor intensive and time consuming. It can be, of course, but it needn’t be. If you make it enough, and get comfortable enough with it, you really can work it into the rhythm of your day.

When I make bread or pizza (or both) I usually double it, meaning I make enough dough for either either two loaves of bread, or 1 loaf and 1 pizza. There are plenty of recipes available, but pizza dough is basically a simple bread dough. This is basically the one that I use. If you are making pizza with this recipe alter the directions accordingly. If you have your own recipe for pizza dough that is just as well. Following the recipe are photos of the bread and pizza that I made using this recipe. Enjoy.

Rustic Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2-1/3 cups water

4 teaspoons instant yeast

6 cups unbleached bread flour, divided

2 teaspoons fine-grained sea salt

2 tablespoons cornmeal

In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, and 2 cups of the flour; stir until it forms a thick batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the sponge to ferment at room temperature for 2-8 hours.

Add the salt and the remaining 4 cups of flour to the sponge, and using a wooden spoon stir the dough until it is thick enough to handle. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes by pushing it away from you and folding it back towards you. If the dough is too sticky dust your hands with the smallest amount of flour (too much additional flour kneaded into the dough will yield a heavy and dense loaf). The dough will eventually become smooth and supple; it will be able to stretch easily without tearing.

Place the dough in a clean bowl that is large enough to allow it to rise and set the bowl on the middle rack of your oven (DO NOT TURN ON THE OVEN). Place a small pan of hot water on the oven floor to create steam and warmth (with an electric oven the pan of water may have to be placed on an oven rack). With the oven door closed, allow the dough to ferment for 2 hours. The dough will double in size and become light and airy. For a more fla­vorful bread, and if time allows, deflate the dough and allow it to rise again, for an additional hour.

After the dough has risen once or twice, deflate it and turn it out onto a work surface. Cut the dough into two even pieces and shape them into round smooth balls. Sprinkle the cornmeal across a baking sheet and place the dough balls on the baking sheet, making sure that any seams that occurred during shaping remain on the bottom. For a more rustic-looking loaf dust each loaf of bread with an additional tablespoon or two of flour. Place the baking sheet in the oven (DO NOT TURN ON THE OVEN), and again place a pan of hot water on the oven floor. Allow the dough to rise for approximately 1 hour; it will have doubled in size, feel light for its size, and when two fingers gently press the dough the indentations remain and do not spring back.

Gently remove the pan of breads from the oven and set it on the counter; leave the pan of water in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, quickly but gently slash the tops of the breads. Place the pan with the breads on the middle rack in the preheated oven. Within the first 10 minutes the bread will rise considerably (this is referred to as “oven spring”). Bake the breads at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes (if the bread is browning unevenly the pan may need to be rotated once or twice), then remove the pan of water from the oven floor and lower the heat in the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the bread at this temperature for an additional 25-30 minutes.

The bread is cooked when the crust is crisp and a deep brown color, and it sounds hollow when tapped; an internal temperature will read approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that all ovens are different and that breads bake at various rates depending on the accuracy of the oven.

Gently remove the loaves from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool, or lacking a wire rack rest the bread on several layers of kitchen towels. Allow the bread to cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Store the cooled bread at room temperature or in a freezer; refrigerated bread increases the rate at which bread stales.

Now here it is in photos:

Mix together some of the flour, water, and yeast; allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes, but as long as 18 hours.


Here it is after a couple hours. Note the bubbly, spongy consistency…hence it’s name, sponge.


Transfer the sponge to a mixing bowl with a dough attachment, add the remaining ingredients, and mix on medium for about 8 minutes.


Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead by hand for a minute or two (this step is optional, but I enjoy it).


A simple way to tell that the dough has been kneaded enough is to give it the window pane test, meaning stretch it between you fingers to check for its elasticity…if the gluten in the dough is not developed enough it will tear or rip easily; if it is developed enough it will stretch without tearing.


Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and allow it to rest for an hour or two.


Here it is after 1 1/2 hours.

A simple way to tell if it has risen enough is to gently press the dough with a finger or two…if the indentations spring needs to rise more, if the indentations remain then it is ready. Note the two indentations in the the bottom-right of the photo.
While the dough was rising I prepared the pizza’s topping: salmon, tomato sauce, broccoli, and cheese (items I found in my freezer).

With any pizza topping a key thing is to make sure the ingredients are not to wet, or you will end up with a sloppy pizza. For this reason make sure that you cook the moisture out of frozen vegetables. Note the minced garlic waiting to be added to the pan (I put garlic in nearly everything).


Remove the dough from the bowl, cut it into two pieces. Shape one into a loaf and put it in a bread pan, put the other one on a oiled pizza pan and push it flat.

Rub the dough with oil, then layer on your ingredients.

Add cheese; I used white cheddar, mozzarella, and Romano.


Bake it in a 450F degree oven for about 20 minute. If you have a pizza stone bake it directly on the stone for the last 10 minutes (this will make the crust nice and crispy).

By the time the pizza is done the bread should be ready to go into the oven.

Bake the bread for about 1/2 hour. Here’s the finished product…beautiful, if I do say so myself.

>Yet Another Pizza (and loaf of bread)

>If you’ve read any of my previous ramblings you’ve probably surmised by now that I like to make bread and pizza. Leavened dough products, in my opinion, should really be listed in their own food group. Pizza is a great way to utilize what you have in the fridge (or freezer). Unfortunately, I believe people are under the impression that making yeast dough is both labor intensive and time consuming. It can be, of course, but it needn’t be. If you make it enough, and get comfortable enough with it, you really can work it into the rhythm of your day.

When I make bread or pizza (or both) I usually double it, meaning I make enough dough for either either two loaves of bread, or 1 loaf and 1 pizza. There are plenty of recipes available, but pizza dough is basically a simple bread dough. This is basically the one that I use. If you are making pizza with this recipe alter the directions accordingly. If you have your own recipe for pizza dough that is just as well. Following the recipe are photos of the bread and pizza that I made using this recipe. Enjoy.

Rustic Bread

Makes 2 loaves

2-1/3 cups water

4 teaspoons instant yeast

6 cups unbleached bread flour, divided

2 teaspoons fine-grained sea salt

2 tablespoons cornmeal

In a large bowl combine the water, yeast, and 2 cups of the flour; stir until it forms a thick batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the sponge to ferment at room temperature for 2-8 hours.

Add the salt and the remaining 4 cups of flour to the sponge, and using a wooden spoon stir the dough until it is thick enough to handle. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes by pushing it away from you and folding it back towards you. If the dough is too sticky dust your hands with the smallest amount of flour (too much additional flour kneaded into the dough will yield a heavy and dense loaf). The dough will eventually become smooth and supple; it will be able to stretch easily without tearing.

Place the dough in a clean bowl that is large enough to allow it to rise and set the bowl on the middle rack of your oven (DO NOT TURN ON THE OVEN). Place a small pan of hot water on the oven floor to create steam and warmth (with an electric oven the pan of water may have to be placed on an oven rack). With the oven door closed, allow the dough to ferment for 2 hours. The dough will double in size and become light and airy. For a more fla­vorful bread, and if time allows, deflate the dough and allow it to rise again, for an additional hour.

After the dough has risen once or twice, deflate it and turn it out onto a work surface. Cut the dough into two even pieces and shape them into round smooth balls. Sprinkle the cornmeal across a baking sheet and place the dough balls on the baking sheet, making sure that any seams that occurred during shaping remain on the bottom. For a more rustic-looking loaf dust each loaf of bread with an additional tablespoon or two of flour. Place the baking sheet in the oven (DO NOT TURN ON THE OVEN), and again place a pan of hot water on the oven floor. Allow the dough to rise for approximately 1 hour; it will have doubled in size, feel light for its size, and when two fingers gently press the dough the indentations remain and do not spring back.

Gently remove the pan of breads from the oven and set it on the counter; leave the pan of water in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, quickly but gently slash the tops of the breads. Place the pan with the breads on the middle rack in the preheated oven. Within the first 10 minutes the bread will rise considerably (this is referred to as “oven spring”). Bake the breads at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes (if the bread is browning unevenly the pan may need to be rotated once or twice), then remove the pan of water from the oven floor and lower the heat in the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the bread at this temperature for an additional 25-30 minutes.

The bread is cooked when the crust is crisp and a deep brown color, and it sounds hollow when tapped; an internal temperature will read approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that all ovens are different and that breads bake at various rates depending on the accuracy of the oven.

Gently remove the loaves from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool, or lacking a wire rack rest the bread on several layers of kitchen towels. Allow the bread to cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Store the cooled bread at room temperature or in a freezer; refrigerated bread increases the rate at which bread stales.

Now here it is in photos:

Mix together some of the flour, water, and yeast; allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes, but as long as 18 hours.


Here it is after a couple hours. Note the bubbly, spongy consistency…hence it’s name, sponge.


Transfer the sponge to a mixing bowl with a dough attachment, add the remaining ingredients, and mix on medium for about 8 minutes.


Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead by hand for a minute or two (this step is optional, but I enjoy it).


A simple way to tell that the dough has been kneaded enough is to give it the window pane test, meaning stretch it between you fingers to check for its elasticity…if the gluten in the dough is not developed enough it will tear or rip easily; if it is developed enough it will stretch without tearing.


Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and allow it to rest for an hour or two.


Here it is after 1 1/2 hours.

A simple way to tell if it has risen enough is to gently press the dough with a finger or two…if the indentations spring needs to rise more, if the indentations remain then it is ready. Note the two indentations in the the bottom-right of the photo.
While the dough was rising I prepared the pizza’s topping: salmon, tomato sauce, broccoli, and cheese (items I found in my freezer).

With any pizza topping a key thing is to make sure the ingredients are not to wet, or you will end up with a sloppy pizza. For this reason make sure that you cook the moisture out of frozen vegetables. Note the minced garlic waiting to be added to the pan (I put garlic in nearly everything).


Remove the dough from the bowl, cut it into two pieces. Shape one into a loaf and put it in a bread pan, put the other one on a oiled pizza pan and push it flat.

Rub the dough with oil, then layer on your ingredients.

Add cheese; I used white cheddar, mozzarella, and Romano.


Bake it in a 450F degree oven for about 20 minute. If you have a pizza stone bake it directly on the stone for the last 10 minutes (this will make the crust nice and crispy).

By the time the pizza is done the bread should be ready to go into the oven.

Bake the bread for about 1/2 hour. Here’s the finished product…beautiful, if I do say so myself.

Snowy Ride on the Mule and Kidnapped Snakes

I love hauling stuff on bikes…it gives me such a sense of accomplishment, of satisfaction. For various reasons I haven’t been on any of my bikes for a few days and was determined to ride one today. Our meditation group met at at our church tonight, which is only about a mile from my house, so I parked the truck after work and hopped on the bike. I used my “everyday bike,” which is an old Trek, loaded with racks and baskets, which I fondly refer to as the mule; it’s probably my most stable and practical bike for this weather. The roads were pretty bad, it was cold and snowing, but I still wanted to ride (instead of drive), so I took it easy and went slow.

It happened to be garbage night so I was of course on the lookout for good stuff (something that is easy to miss if you are driving a vehicle). I spotted 4 pairs of shutters and hoped that they would still be there on my way home…they were. They fit nicely into the rear baskets and stayed firm with just a couple bungee chords. I’ll probably use them in my kitchen. They are solid wood and pretty heavy, which was actually a good thing because they added extra weight to the rear tire which in turn offered more traction. I only spun out and almost fell once, as I was taking a short-cut behind an apartment building and passing a women on a cell phone who I heard say, “some crazy white dude on a bike just passed me.” This stuff just doesn’t happen when you’re trapped in a vehicle.

On a completely different note, and I’m not sure this has anything to do with simplicity at all: There have been, it seems, a lot of notes and signs staples to trees lately advertising lost pets. Some are really heart breaking, such as the one I saw recently saying that their lost dog had a medical condition and needed its medication. But this one took me aback a little when I saw it tonight. Not only is it a posting for missing snakes…they were actually kidnapped (or should we say snake-napped). Apparently someone broke into this persons apartment and stole their two snakes (if I were a thief I believe that I would find something better, or at least less slimy, to steal). The other thing is that they stated was if the thieves are not going to return them to at least take into consideration that the snakes have always eaten “pre-killed mice,” and that live mice may harm them. This, to me, showed that the owner really does love these animals (no matter how slimy and scary they are to others). But the question I have is that if they only ate pre-killed mice does that mean that the owner purchased live mice, then killed them before serving them to his snakes? Click on the picture for a larger view and let me know if you are aware of the whereabouts of his slithering friends.

>Snowy Ride on the Mule and Kidnapped Snakes

>I love hauling stuff on bikes…it gives me such a sense of accomplishment, of satisfaction. For various reasons I haven’t been on any of my bikes for a few days and was determined to ride one today. Our meditation group met at at our church tonight, which is only about a mile from my house, so I parked the truck after work and hopped on the bike. I used my “everyday bike,” which is an old Trek, loaded with racks and baskets, which I fondly refer to as the mule; it’s probably my most stable and practical bike for this weather. The roads were pretty bad, it was cold and snowing, but I still wanted to ride (instead of drive), so I took it easy and went slow.

It happened to be garbage night so I was of course on the lookout for good stuff (something that is easy to miss if you are driving a vehicle). I spotted 4 pairs of shutters and hoped that they would still be there on my way home…they were. They fit nicely into the rear baskets and stayed firm with just a couple bungee chords. I’ll probably use them in my kitchen. They are solid wood and pretty heavy, which was actually a good thing because they added extra weight to the rear tire which in turn offered more traction. I only spun out and almost fell once, as I was taking a short-cut behind an apartment building and passing a women on a cell phone who I heard say, “some crazy white dude on a bike just passed me.” This stuff just doesn’t happen when you’re trapped in a vehicle.

On a completely different note, and I’m not sure this has anything to do with simplicity at all: There have been, it seems, a lot of notes and signs staples to trees lately advertising lost pets. Some are really heart breaking, such as the one I saw recently saying that their lost dog had a medical condition and needed its medication. But this one took me aback a little when I saw it tonight. Not only is it a posting for missing snakes…they were actually kidnapped (or should we say snake-napped). Apparently someone broke into this persons apartment and stole their two snakes (if I were a thief I believe that I would find something better, or at least less slimy, to steal). The other thing is that they stated was if the thieves are not going to return them to at least take into consideration that the snakes have always eaten “pre-killed mice,” and that live mice may harm them. This, to me, showed that the owner really does love these animals (no matter how slimy and scary they are to others). But the question I have is that if they only ate pre-killed mice does that mean that the owner purchased live mice, then killed them before serving them to his snakes? Click on the picture for a larger view and let me know if you are aware of the whereabouts of his slithering friends.

Whole Wheat Pizza with Multiple Layers of Flavor

As is often the case with me at dinner time, I’ll remember that I need to go grocery shopping. At any rate, I made this pizza for my son and I using ingredients that were on hand…and it was great. It’s simple to make, and you really can use whatever ingredients you have. This is how I made mine.

I used a whole wheat crust, which rose while I took my dogs for a walk. If you’re not sure how to make a whole wheat pizza dough click here.

I also found a small container of tomato sauce in my freezer, which was made from tomatoes grown in my garden last summer. I was originally thawing a pint of Bolognese sauce but forgot about it on the stove when I went out to split a few logs…the sauce evaporated and burnt to a crisp (yup…I don’t like to admit it but I make mistakes). Luckily I had a backup of plain tomato sauce, more of a coulis, actually.

There was also a frozen bag of (store-bought) spinach in my freezer, which I thawed and sauteed in olive oil with a little garlic and coarse gray sea salt. The key is too cook the spinach long enough that most of its excess moisture evaporates (it’ll start to stick to the skillet), otherwise you may end up with a pizza with a watery topping.

After pushing the dough onto a pan, and rubbing fresh garlic and a little salt into it, I spread a thin coating of tomato sauce. Then sprinkled on the cooked spinach, nibbling on it as I did so. Then I sprinkle on some mozzarella, Parmesan, and feta cheeses; after which I tipped it with 1/2 of a sliced onion.

After baking it in a preheated 450F oven for about 20 minutes I removed it an let it rest for another 5 before slicing it. The flavors were intense and delicious; the crust thin, chewy, and crisp…delicious. Now if you’ll excuse me I suddenly have the intense urge to have a slice of left over pizza, which is sitting at room temperature on my kitchen counter.

>Whole Wheat Pizza with Multiple Layers of Flavor

>As is often the case with me at dinner time, I’ll remember that I need to go grocery shopping. At any rate, I made this pizza for my son and I using ingredients that were on hand…and it was great. It’s simple to make, and you really can use whatever ingredients you have. This is how I made mine.

I used a whole wheat crust, which rose while I took my dogs for a walk. If you’re not sure how to make a whole wheat pizza dough click here.

I also found a small container of tomato sauce in my freezer, which was made from tomatoes grown in my garden last summer. I was originally thawing a pint of Bolognese sauce but forgot about it on the stove when I went out to split a few logs…the sauce evaporated and burnt to a crisp (yup…I don’t like to admit it but I make mistakes). Luckily I had a backup of plain tomato sauce, more of a coulis, actually.

There was also a frozen bag of (store-bought) spinach in my freezer, which I thawed and sauteed in olive oil with a little garlic and coarse gray sea salt. The key is too cook the spinach long enough that most of its excess moisture evaporates (it’ll start to stick to the skillet), otherwise you may end up with a pizza with a watery topping.

After pushing the dough onto a pan, and rubbing fresh garlic and a little salt into it, I spread a thin coating of tomato sauce. Then sprinkled on the cooked spinach, nibbling on it as I did so. Then I sprinkle on some mozzarella, Parmesan, and feta cheeses; after which I tipped it with 1/2 of a sliced onion.

After baking it in a preheated 450F oven for about 20 minutes I removed it an let it rest for another 5 before slicing it. The flavors were intense and delicious; the crust thin, chewy, and crisp…delicious. Now if you’ll excuse me I suddenly have the intense urge to have a slice of left over pizza, which is sitting at room temperature on my kitchen counter.

Dutch Cargo Bikes

If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam you know the prevalence of the bicycle in that city…it’s not just a form of leisure or exercise, it’s ingrained into everyday life as a primary source of transportation…a sort of Utopian society for the bicycle commuter, I suppose. Anyhow I came across this video on Dutch cargo bikes and thought I’d post it. It’s only about 5 minutes long and interesting to watch.

>Dutch Cargo Bikes

>If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam you know the prevalence of the bicycle in that city…it’s not just a form of leisure or exercise, it’s ingrained into everyday life as a primary source of transportation…a sort of Utopian society for the bicycle commuter, I suppose. Anyhow I came across this video on Dutch cargo bikes and thought I’d post it. It’s only about 5 minutes long and interesting to watch.

Really Simple Stir-Fried Fish, Vegetables, and Rice

I love one-pot meals (or in this case, a one-skillet meal). Stir fries are an easy way to make a quick, interesting, and nutritious meal. This is the one I had for dinner tonight, and this is how to make it (if you’d like a tutorial on vegetarian stir frying click here).

Dice or slice a couple handfuls of vegetables; for a stir fry this should always include onions and peppers in some form. The vegetables I used were onions, orange bell pepper, and broccoli. I didn’t have ginger on hand but I did garlic (because I put garlic in almost everything that I make), so I minced some of that also.

The fish I used was tilapia, because that’s what I had, but you can really use any firm seafood that will hold up to stir-frying (chicken, pork, or beef–or tofu, if you want to go vegetarian–would work well in this recipe also). Anyhow, I diced the fish, sprinkled it with a couple tablespoons soy sauce, then tossed it in a couple tablespoons cornstarch, and let it rest while I cooked the rice and had a glass of wine.

Cook some long grain rice in broth (I used chicken) with a little curry and a couple whole chilies. Use the ratio of two parts liquid to one part rice; cook it covered for 18 minutes covered, then shut it off and let it rest while you prepare the stir fry.

This is where it gets really simple, but more importantly, fun. Heat a large skillet or wok with a little peanut oil. When the oil is very hot, just when it begins to smoke, add the marinated fish and brown it.


Remove the fish to a plate and set aside. Return the skillet or wok to the flame (you may need to add a little more oil). Add the vegetables, first the onions and peppers, then the garlic, then the broccoli, and stir fry for a few minutes until it starts to brown. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little soy sauce (this will flavor it, and also create enough steam to loosen anything stuck to the pan), then add the fish back to the pan and toss gently.

Add some or all of the rice (and a little more soy if necessary) and gently toss together.

What really made this meal special was that I just opened a fresh batch of kim chi, and man is it a good one. Spicy, yes, but not overly so. It has a really sour flavor (which I like), and is so alive that it feels almost carbonated on your tongue. If you want to read an older post about kim chi, and other fermented foods, click here.

>Really Simple Stir-Fried Fish, Vegetables, and Rice

>I love one-pot meals (or in this case, a one-skillet meal). Stir fries are an easy way to make a quick, interesting, and nutritious meal. This is the one I had for dinner tonight, and this is how to make it (if you’d like a tutorial on vegetarian stir frying click here).

Dice or slice a couple handfuls of vegetables; for a stir fry this should always include onions and peppers in some form. The vegetables I used were onions, orange bell pepper, and broccoli. I didn’t have ginger on hand but I did garlic (because I put garlic in almost everything that I make), so I minced some of that also.

The fish I used was tilapia, because that’s what I had, but you can really use any firm seafood that will hold up to stir-frying (chicken, pork, or beef–or tofu, if you want to go vegetarian–would work well in this recipe also). Anyhow, I diced the fish, sprinkled it with a couple tablespoons soy sauce, then tossed it in a couple tablespoons cornstarch, and let it rest while I cooked the rice and had a glass of wine.

Cook some long grain rice in broth (I used chicken) with a little curry and a couple whole chilies. Use the ratio of two parts liquid to one part rice; cook it covered for 18 minutes covered, then shut it off and let it rest while you prepare the stir fry.

This is where it gets really simple, but more importantly, fun. Heat a large skillet or wok with a little peanut oil. When the oil is very hot, just when it begins to smoke, add the marinated fish and brown it.


Remove the fish to a plate and set aside. Return the skillet or wok to the flame (you may need to add a little more oil). Add the vegetables, first the onions and peppers, then the garlic, then the broccoli, and stir fry for a few minutes until it starts to brown. Sprinkle the vegetables with a little soy sauce (this will flavor it, and also create enough steam to loosen anything stuck to the pan), then add the fish back to the pan and toss gently.

Add some or all of the rice (and a little more soy if necessary) and gently toss together.

What really made this meal special was that I just opened a fresh batch of kim chi, and man is it a good one. Spicy, yes, but not overly so. It has a really sour flavor (which I like), and is so alive that it feels almost carbonated on your tongue. If you want to read an older post about kim chi, and other fermented foods, click here.

Yuba Ride





The above photos are actually re-posts from this past summer/fall (and yes, that is corn growing in my front yard…for the newcomer to this blog you can see more about my front yard corn here). I was inspired to re-post them after coming across the below video. It’s an interview with Benjamin, the founder of the Mundo Yuba. It’s interesting in that I always (somewhat righteously, I suppose) think of how bicycles impact my life, but the sustainability of them, and more specifically the sustainability and mobility it brings to struggling peoples, is often forgotten (by me). 10% of your purchase from Yuba goes directly to supplying these cargo bikes to Africa. The bicycle is, without doubt, the most efficient mode of transport ever built. Click here, here, and especially here, to see testimonies and pictures. Click here to see a a brief but interesting story on the expense of owning a car today; it is from (of all places) the Wall street journal. And don’t forget to watch the brief interview below.