Random Thoughts On Cooking, Bike Riding, and The Sacred Journey of Everyday Life
On the bike…a cardboard box and plastic soda crate containing a gym bag full of wet clothes and nearly $70 in groceries (is it just me or have groceries become really expensive in the past year?).
Just a quick note…I’ll be away from my computer for the next 4 or 5 days so I’ll likely not be posting until next week sometime (unless I find the time and a wireless hotspot). Anyhow, thanks as always for sticking with me; be back soon…
I’ve posted this recipe in the past but not in quite a while. Today I tasted a new batch of kim-chee that has been fermenting for a couple weeks and it is–I have to say–on of my better batches. Anyhow, the recipe is below, but if you’d like to learn more about kim-chee, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods (how to make them and why they are good for you), read this post.
On the bike…a canvas bag containing two books, and a journal. A plastic dough rising bucket. A camera bag containing an extra camera. two loaves of freshly baked whole wheat bread.
So last week we received our “big snow,” the most snow we’ve had in a couple years. And what’s keeping it hanging around for so long are the temperatures…it has been frigid. And when you’re an all-weather cyclist this means not only staying warm but more importantly being fully aware of the riding conditions. The main roads are in pretty good shape, but the side streets are still a mess…inches of loose or packed snow with divots, gullies, or small mounds; unexpected ice patches and other hazards. Today when I came home from work as I pulled in front of my house and onto the sidewalk there was the thinnest coating of ice; so thin I couldn’t see it. When I tapped the brakes the bike slipped out from under me before I knew what was happening. It was a warning, I thought, for me not to take the road (or sidewalk/pavement) conditions for granted. Not withstanding, it still felt really good to be out on a bike in the crisp air (I really enjoy the clean feel it offers). But still I couldn’t help but think of the road conditions as I pedaled into tonight’s dusk. And that was what I was contemplating as I snapped the below photo.
On the bike…a gym bag full of wet clothes, a canvas bag containing–among other things–two books, an extra camera, and four batteries. And also, approximately $20 in groceries and a new neti pot.
A brief comment…The below photo is of Bidwell Park here in Buffalo. And today was cold, really cold. It has been colder, but with the mild weather we’ve had last year and the first half of this winter I’ve become a wimp. As I type these words my computer tells me that it is 11F/-11C outside (and I think it’s interesting that 11F equals -11C). It was cold on the bike today, that’s all I’m saying….
This bread is really delicious, nutritious, and simple to make. But contrary to what you may be thinking it is not overtly sweet (just mildly); it’s really a savory bread (but it does make great French Toast); I’ve eaten 3/4 of a loaf in the past few days. The sweet potato adds more than flavor and nutrition to the bread, it also adds a certain subtle softness and airiness. You’ll be surprised how soft this bread is even though it is made with 100% whole wheat flour. Anyhow, the recipe is below.
4 cups whole wheat flour
Boil the sweet potato in the water for about 20 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. After the sweet potato is cooked allow it to cool in the liquid to room temperature, refrigerating if necessary. Once cooled drain it, squeezing it with your hands or the back of a spoon, reserving the cooking liquid.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it into 2 or 3 pieces. Shape into loaves and place into lightly oiled pans. Loosely cover the loaves with plastic wrap and allow to ferment for 30-60 minutes, or until double in size and when gently touched with a fingertip an indentation remains.
Bake the breads for about 30-40 minutes, adding steam to the oven a few times (either with ice cubes or a spray bottle) and rotating the breads every ten minutes. The breads are done when they are dark brown and sound hollow when tapped upon. Remove the breads from their pans and allow them to cook on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
2013. It always feels a little odd to write the date of the new year for the first time. Just another day, or is it? Any day can be–and is–the opportunity for a fresh start, but today is especially pertinent being the beginning of a new calendar year. You may have seen the above image (or variations of it) floating around the Internet. I hadn’t until this morning when someone posted a link to this excellent article on Facebook. After Googling the phrase (of the above image) I was surprised to see how popular it is; maybe I’m the only one who hasn’t seen it. Anyhow, I thought it is a great message for the start of the new year (and so is the article that I previously mentioned), but my only problem with it is rather than simply taking…we should also give in return. I’m just sayin’…
This said, I just want to say thank you for visiting, following, and commenting…readership has nearly doubled this past year. This little blog is a hobby of mine that would surly run out of steam if I thought I was typing to an empty theater. So again, thank you. I wish us all a healthy and prosperous year ahead, but mostly I pray for peace…for my country, for our planet, and for each one of us.
And on the lighter side, I came across the below image a while ago and thought it would be fun to share…Woody Guthrie’s New Years resolutions 1942 (click it for a larger view).
About $30 in groceries, a gym bag full of wet clothes, and two bottles of red wine.
It is difficult to tell but the bike is locked to a city-installed bicycle rack which were installed on hundreds of parking meters (and also free-standing) around the city in the past few years. This is awesome…excellent! I always have somewhere to lock my bike. Well, most of the time. Do you see all the loose snow around the bike; that is because in order for me to get to the bike rack I had to kick snow away from it…it was all but buried in snow. This, I suppose would not be frustrating if this were a rare occurrence, but it’s not. Businesses plow their lots and shovel and salt their sidewalks (pavements) but entirely neglect the areas for bikes. I stopped at a chain store yesterday (doesn’t matter which one, they’re all the same) to see the parking lot and walkway around the store wiped clean, but the bike parking area…yup, you guessed it, 12 inches of snow. As I pulled my bike through the snow up to the rack I could see an armed guard (yes, and armed guard!) who looked to be much younger than I and in much better shape, standing outside talking on a cellphone watching me. When he hung up the phone I asked him if there were a shovel in the store I could use to shovel out the bicycle parking area. Everywhere else is clean down to pavement, why should I have to stand in snow nearly up to my knees to lock my bike, I also said. After a long and bewildered pause/stare (and a look that said he thought I was a bit crazy), he told me that I’d have to speak to the management. So while inside the store I stopped a young clerk and also asked for a shovel. He apologized and said that no need, he would go shovel it, and that he understood because he himself rode a bike. Today I passed the same store and it was still not shoveled. You can see that this obviously annoys/upsets me…and it did for a while. But rather than letting it upset me I’ve decided to carry a small shovel on my bike (which would be really easy to do) and if needed shovel the bike racks/parking areas as needed. It would take a maximum of two minutes. Hopefully an armed guard won’t draw his gun…
A few weeks ago I finally purchased my first dslr camera. It’s used but still in great shape and takes really good photos (the evidence is in front of you). When I was younger I was really into 35mm cameras (specifically this one). I would take road trips specifically to take photos. Then, as I got a bit older and accumulated responsibilities and started to take things a bit too seriously, photography was one of my hobbies (art forms) that gradually got pushed aside. Though in recent years–with the advent of the digital camera, but more importantly when I decided to start taking care of myself again–I’ve rekindled my love of viewing the world through a camera lens. But until recently I’ve only used point-and-shoot cameras, which I still use and love. Then recently I purchased the used dslr–which is the digital equivalent of a 35mm, I believe–and a whole world has opened up to me. Anyhow, and to cut to the chase, I went out for a cold walk with my camera and tripod to take some night shots and play with the light/shutter settings…the result are these photos. It’s interesting, I think, how warm the colors are but how cold it is outside (25F/3.8C)…sort of like looking through night vision goggles. Anyhow, I thought I’d share a few of them.
A gym bag full of wet clothes, 10lbs/4.5kg dog food, two pints of strawberry jam, and a double order of Chinese takeout.
I’ve been meaning to post this for a while. It’s an excerpt for the upcoming documentary by Liz Canning on cargo bikes in America. Originally called (R)Evolutions per Minute it is now Less Car More Go. In this portion, which marks the very beginnings of cargo bikes in the US, it is mostly about the xtracycle, which apparently was the first or at least the first to offer them to the masses. I was actually interviewed for this documentary and briefly rode the streets of Buffalo with a camera on my helmet, but with the multitudes of riders interviewed–and many with a far more interesting story than mine–it’s doubtful I’ll make the cut. So meanwhile, I’ll promote bicycling as a viable form of transport from my meager little blog. Anyhow, if you are at all interested in cargo bikes–or bikes as viable forms of transportation–you’ll find this brief video interesting.
Here’s from the Vemo website…”This a rough cut of the first part of the history of the longtail cargo bike. Parts 1 & 2, when completed, will be featured in LESS CAR MORE GO–a crowd sourced documentary on the birth and boom of the cargo bike.”
Liz Canning’s web page is here.
(R)Evolutions per Minute Facebook page is here.
A gallon of extra virgin olive oil, a canvas book bag containing two books and a 9″ chef’s knife (click here to read a review of the knife), and a nylon camera bag containing a camera, a lens, and a battery charger.
This is really a continuation of my last post. Yesterday we (Buffalo) got pounded with snow. And it’s interesting I think in that with last winter’s mild weather (and the first half of this winter’s mild weather) locals–even those who would normally bitch about the snow–really welcomed it. This, after all, is what a winter in Western New York is really like…this feels normal to us. Anyhow, I worked a split shift today and walked to-and-fro twice (no, I didn’t ride a bike–but I thought about it–as I’ve often said…I may be a bit crazy but I’m not stupid), and I had a camera with me to take a few shots. I have to admit that I am partial to the photo above. That’s Franklin–one of my pugs–looking serious while running through snow that is almost deeper than him (it is a known fact that pugs are big dogs trapped in little dog’s bodies). Anyhow, here’s a few photos of the day/evening after a storm…
Well Buffalo is really living up to its snowy reputation tonight. I took these photos as I walked home from the health club this evening. In these photos there are only a couple inches on the ground, I easily could have rode a bike in it (I’ve ridden in much worse) but I knew what the forecast had in store…as I type these words we are getting pummeled, as we have for the past couple hours. By morning we should have at least a foot (30cm) or more. The walk home was beautiful. Because of the predicted storm the streets were nearly empty (and I am glad I didn’t ride my bike…I’ve often said–and I stand by it–that I may be a little crazy but I’m not stupid). Right now I’m sitting next to my small wood burning stove with a glass of wine and my two pugs at my feet. Cozy. Anyhow, I’ll post a few daytime pics of the aftermath tomorrow. I just hope no one is stuck out in this. Peace.
Yes, I realize that I’m probably “preaching to the choir” with this image at this blog, but I couldn’t help myself…I came across this and felt like posting it. But if you are an adult who has not ridden a bike in a while, I hope you do so again soon. You may remember what a viable mode of transport it is; what a feeling of freedom it is. You may like it, if just for one day…
I came across these two photos yesterday and they inspired me to post them for Christmas. The above photo is of the Christ Statue, in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, in front of a full moon. And the below image is of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama praying in front of an image of Jesus the Christ (this I find particularly moving).
Whether or not today was the actual birthday of Yeshua ben Yosef (Jesus’ original birth-name: Jesus, son of Joseph), this is the day it is celebrated. Today, of course, is a day of refection and personal re-birth for Christians around the globe. But I have to admit that with recent events as I look inward I am having difficulty finding peace. But still I try, and still I hope. I’ve posted the below prayer for the past four Christmases, but I find it inspiring enough to re-post it again. Personally I know that I can use to re-read and reflect upon it. It is a Christmas vow written by Paramahansa Yoganada and it can be found in his tiny book, Metaphysical Meditations. Merry Christmas, brothers and sisters, wherever you may find yourself at this time. Peace.
“I will prepare for the coming of the Omnipresent baby Christ by cleaning the cradle of my consciousness, now rusty with selfishness, indifference, and sense attachments; and by polishing it with deep, daily, divine meditation, introspection and discrimination. I will re model the cradle with the dazzling soul qualities of brotherly love, humbleness, faith, desire for God-realization, will power, self-control, renunciation, and unselfishness, that I may fittingly celebrate the birth of the Divine Child.”
–Paramahansa Yogananda
I carried these items/used my bikes since yesterday’s “incident.” I road the same route today at one point. I’m shaken but not (physically) hurt…just a small bruise on my stomach and scratch on my thigh (likely from when I was vaulted over the handlebars), and my rib cage is sore (likely from when I hit the pavement on my side). With this said, I am truly thankful to be mostly unscathed. Anyhow, the items on the bike(s) are as follows…
#431 (top)…my son’s acoustic guitar, laptop computer, and his incredibly heavy book bag stuffed full of books.
#432 (middle)…a canvas bag containing my laptop, plus three books.
#433 (lower)…nearly two hundred dollars worth of groceries, and a canvas gym bag full of wet clothing.
Urban Simplicty