In flux…eight photos of the merging of seasons

As we all know this has been a hot summer–crazy hot–but this past week the temps have cooled (at least in Western New York) and it has ushered in the feeling of autumn, though it is still officially summer. Today, while out on my bike, I snapped these photos of nature in the city in flux…the juxtaposition of the last or late flowers in full bloom with the backdrop of some that are already dry and brittle. The contrast, I think, is interesting. I hope you do as well. Click any photo for a larger view.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…
Ecclesiastes 3:1 

 

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#387)

A cardboard box containing $48.56 in groceries; a canvas bag containing wet gym clothes; a large pumpkin.

Urban Simplicity.

Bike-Friendly NYC

These are a few photos I took on my most recent trip to NYC. Though I’ve never lived there I–like multitudes–have been going to NY for decades. It is, in fact, America’s largest city and I find the energy intoxicating. But it has only been in the last few years that there seems to be an incredible emerging bicycle infrastructure…and I do mean incredible. But, as I often do…I’m jumping ahead. The above two photos are a couple delivery bikes I saw outside a business (I am always naturally drawn to work/cargo bikes). In a city of this size, sometimes (often) it makes the most sense to deliver things by bike.

The photos most immediately above and below are a few I snapped on my walk back to my room from a class I took this past weekend. Above shows segregated bike lanes, and the green lane above runs along a beautiful public and car-free space that occupies a good portion of Broadway. And the below pics are a few of signage along the way. Anyhow, I find it all really impressive and I thought I’d share. To read previous posts on this topic, click here or here.

Urban Simplicity.

Five Parallel Sayings from the Christ and the Buddha

Image found here.

I personally have always found the parallels between many (most) of the major religions fascinating, and these few sayings are just a very small example. Many more parallels in the sayings of these great teachers can be found at the World Peace Page. To read more in the five quotes series, click here.

Jesus: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31
Buddha: “Consider others as yourself.” Dhammapada 10:1

Jesus: “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.” Luke 6:29
Buddha: “If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words.” Majjhima Nikaya 21:6

Jesus: “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” Matthew 25:45
Buddha: “If you do not tend to one another, then who is there to tend you? Whoever would tend me, he should tend the sick.” Vinaya, Mahavagga 8:26.3

Jesus: “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Matthew 26:52
Buddha: “Abandoning the taking of life, the ascetic Gautama dwells refraining from taking life, without stick or sword.” Digha Nikaya 1:1.8

Jesus: “Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” Mark 8:35
Buddha: “With the relinquishing of all thought and egotism, the enlightened one is liberated through not clinging.” Majjhima Nikaya 72:15

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#385 & 386), and an easy recipe for Whole Wheat Ezekiel Bread

First photo (on my way to work in the morning)…two plastic bowls containing the beginnings of Ezekiel Bread; the preferment in one bowl and autolyse in the other.

Second photo (on my way home in the late afternoon)…two empty plastic buckets, and three freshly baked loaves of Ezekiel Bread.

To see photos of this bread being made and to read about my views on this bread, click here. To read a bit about the specifics of the recipe, click here. To see other things that can be carried on a bike, click here.

Whole Wheat Ezekiel Bread
Makes 2 or 3 loaves
12 cups water
2 tablespoons white beans
2 tablespoons red beans
2 tablespoons spelt berries
2 tablespoons lentils
2 tablespoons barley
2 tablespoons millet
2 tablespoons bulgur wheat
___________________
cooked beans and grains
½ cup cooking water
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
___________________

4 cups whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
2 cups cooking liquid
___________________
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons kosher
3 teaspoons instant yeast

Boil the grains in the water in logical succession according to cooking times: first the white and red beans (about 60 minutes), when they are soft add the, spelt berries, lentils, and barley (about 30 minutes); lastly, add the millet and bulgar (about 10 minutes). The key is that after each addition the previous grain must be soft enough so that when all of the grains are in the pot they will all be equally soft; undercooked grains (especially the beans) can really ruin this bread. And as the grains cook add more water to the pot as necessary because the cooking liquid, which is full of nutrients, will become part of the recipe (keeping a lid on the pot will slow it’s evaporation). After the grains are cooked allow them to cool in the liquid to room temperature, refrigerating if necessary. After the grains are cooled drain them, squeezing them with your hands or the back of a spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Place two bowls side-by-side; one will hold the pre-ferment, the other autolyse. In one bowl combine the cooked and drained grains with ½ cup of the cooking liquid, 2 cups whole wheat flour, and 2 teaspoons instant yeast. Stir it just until combined then cover it with plastic wrap. In the other bowl combine 4 cups whole wheat flour, 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, and 2 cups cooking liquid; stir it just until combined then cover it with plastic wrap (take care not to get yeast into this bowl). Allow the bowls to rest at room temperature for about an hour, during which time the preferment will begin it’s job multiplying yeast and fermenting flour, and the autolyse will soak liquid, swelling the gluten. After an hour or so, combine the ingredients from both bowls into the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the honey, olive oil, salt, and 3 teaspoons of yeast (add the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover it loosely, and allow to ferment for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Deflate the dough and allow it to ferment an additional 30 minutes. 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.
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Penne Bolognese (senza latte o panna)

Pasta with meat sauce. Mmm…I love it; easy to make and really delicious. But first I have to say that while I am most definitely not a vegetarian I do not eat a great deal of meat (for a variety of reasons). Sometimes I go days, even a week or so with out eating meat (as I have this past week…up until today), and then when I do eat it it tastes that much more special. And while I call this Bolognese I know that there are purists out there who will twist themselves in knots as they read the recipe, but this is my variation. I, for example, do not use milk or cream in the recipe (I cook far too much creamy stuff at my job) and I use olive oil in place of the butter. I also prefer pork instead of a combination of meats. Anyhow, this is how I make mine, and it’s really good (my teen-aged son ate three helpings); I hope you enjoy it.

Penne Bolognese

Heat a few tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet, then add ground pork and cook it until it begins to brown. If there is a lot of fat drain some of it, otherwise leave it as is. Add a diced onion, bell pepper, a couple cloves of minced garlic, a peeled and diced carrot, and a diced stalk of celery. Cook the vegetables another minute or so. Add a pinch of fennel seed, crushed hot pepper, basil, and oregano; stir it into the meat and vegetables, then add a glass or two of wine; white or red, whichever you prefer (I like red). Bring the wine to a boil and let it cook for a minute or two, then add enough tomato sauce to just cover the meat. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower it to a slow simmer; season it with salt and a pinch of black pepper. While the sauce cooks, boil your pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, then add it to the simmering sauce, gently stirring it in. Allow the pasta to cook in the sauce for a couple minutes to absorb flavors. Just before removing from the heat stir in a handful of fresh basil leaves (if you have it on hand). Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. 

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#384)

A cardboard box (front rack) containing pans of rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and a small bucket of vichyssoise (en route to a local food pantry); a canvas bag (rear rack) containing–among other things–two books, some papers, a cell phone, a camera, and a pint of stir-fried rice and vegetables.

Urban Simplicity.

Just One Reason Why I Prefer the Train over a Plane

There are many reasons I prefer the train over a plane for long distance travel (besides my mild fear of flying), but my favorite reason is simple…the view. These are a few pictures I took through the train window this past weekend; I had dozens of course, but thought I’d only bore you with these five. In the top photo, which was taken shortly after 7am, you can see the mist rising off the rolling corn field, and those below are taken after the train first hugs the Erie Canal to Albany, then turns right and follows the Hudson River down to Manhattan.

Urban Simplicity.

Just One Reason I prefer the Train over a Plane

There are many reasons I prefer the train over a plane for long distance travel (besides my mild fear of flying), but my favorite reason is simple…the view. These are a few pictures I took through the train window this past weekend; I had dozens of course, but thought I’d only bore you with these five. In the top photo, which was taken shortly after 7am, you can see the mist rising off the rolling corn field, and those below are taken after the train first hugs the Erie Canal to Albany, then turns right and follows the Hudson River down to Manhattan.

Urban Simplicity.

In Memorial…

I ride or walk past this a few times a week each year around this time. The American Red Cross places flags across their massive front lawn each year in memorial to those lost in the 9/11 attack. And on each flag there is a small tag (visible in the photo), and each tag states the person’s name, age, where they were from, and what they were doing at the time of the attack (their occupations). Not every time, but often, as I pass these flags I get off my bike to read a few of the tags and say a small but silent prayer for the person. This is on a busy corner with cars zipping past and sometimes I feel a bit self-conscious, but I do it anyway. This is still such a raw wound, but we need peace and inclusiveness (opposed to exclusiveness) more than ever in this country and around the world. It is, for our species, our only hope for survival. My prayers are with those lost and the families left behind. Peace…

Just Imagine…

I’ve always loved this song and have been thinking of it recently…the words seem more relevant than ever.  Then the topic of it came up on more than one occasion this past weekend in a class in which I am currently enrolled, so I thought I’d share it. At the risk of sounding hokey…this song and video nearly bring tears to my eyes.

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

Urban Simplicity.

Just a quick note…

I’ll be away from my computer for the next 3, 4, maybe 5 days so I won’t be posting until the beginning of next week (or until I find the time and a free WiFi connection). And as usual, thanks for visiting and commenting…especially to those who’ve been with me for a while. Until then. Peace.

Urban Simplicity.

Four Photos of Food

OK, so I’m not sure what these have to do with the subject of Urban Simplicity other than the fact that they are photos of some of the things I do at work, which of course is a big part of my life (whether I like it or not). I took these over the last two days and thought they were interesting enough to share. Anyhow, from top-to-bottom, they are: semi-crudite sans sauce; jellied beet and goat cheese terrine; petite sandwich comprised of roast garlic and fig sausage (pork), topped with red onion marmalade and mango chutney, on a whole wheat roll; and lastly, chicken and duck mousseline flavored with curry and smoked paprika, and studded with ham, green peppercorns, and dried black currents.

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#383)

Groceries, sundries, dog food, wine, and Chinese take-out in a Bike Rev trailer being pulled by a Torker Cargo-T.

After the Rain (four photos)

I snapped three of these photos in my garden as I left the house this morning for work, and the other (the bottom one) after arriving home, after things had dried up a bit. I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion this summer about the lack of rain in Western New York…it rained something like twice the entire summer thus far, and only briefly. It was the same last winter. Other than a week or so of snowy weather it was mostly snow free…and I am talking about Buffalo, NY where we are known for our incredible snowfalls. It is all pretty weird, I have to say. Anyhow, at long last it rained yesterday, and for a good portion of the day. Normally I try to avoid the rain while on a bike but not yesterday; I relished it…it felt so good to be out in it as it washed over me on a hot and humid day. I forgot–and too it for granted–how beautiful it is and what a gift rain is.

Urban Simplicity.

Cargo Bikes…what’s old is new again

If you’ve been to this blog before then you likely know that I have an interest in the history of the bicycle, particularly bicycles that are built to work and carry stuff (to read more about this click here). Anyhow, after reading this excellent article today in Momentum Magazine regarding the quiet rise of the cargo bike in America today, I couldn’t help but think of two things: (1) that cargo bikes really make the most sense, especially in an urban setting, and (2) that they have been around for quite a while. Anyhow, here’s a few vintage adverts..

Urban Simplicity.

Employee Meal 09.04.12 (part of it)


As the head cook where I am employed it is within my job description to make lunch for the employees every day. And some days I enjoy this more than others. I’ve posted some of these recipes in the past, but haven’t in a while. Anyhow, this was one of the components to the meal we had today…deep fried beer-battered onion rings. Okay, so they are not the most healthy thing to eat, nor are they the most nutritious…but geeze o’ man were they good.  There’s a simple recipe below, which also included a basic beer batter. And The batter recipe can be used with nearly anything…seafood, vegetables, poultry…


 Beer Battered Onion Rings
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg, separated
1 cup beer
two large onions 
oil for frying
flour for dredging

Combine the flour, baking powder, egg yolk, and beer in a bowl and mix with a wire whip until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the egg white to soft peaks, then fold it into the batter, then set aside. Fill a deep skillet with an inch of oil and heat it to 350F. Toss the sliced onions in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip the onions in the batter a couple at a time, allowing some of the batter to drip free. Fry as many onion rings in the hot fat at a time as you can without overcrowding the pan. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#382)…and a brief comment.

A nylon bag containing wet gym clothes.
A smaller canvas bag containing a camera, a journal, two mechanical pencils, and a pair of reading glasses.
A cardboard box containing a dozen eggs, 1/2 gallon of milk, 1/2 gallon pineapple juice, a quart of mayonnaise, a pound of raw sugar, and 3/4 pound of fresh cod.
A smaller cardboard box containing a new pair of shoes.
A new pair of Levi jeans.
A 4.4 pound bag of dog food.
Extra bungee cords.

I’ve been car-free for over 4 months now, not counting being a member of Buffalo Car Share (which I’ve only used three times…not bad, three times in four months). For the most part being car-free is relatively easy for me, but I have to say, some days it can be a bit trying. It was hot today (86F/30C) as it has been all summer, and today it was really humid as well. It’s the humidity that really makes it tough…the air was hazy and actually felt thick. One of the stores I went to was about 5 miles/8 kilometers from my house. This is not a great distance but on a hot and humid day it was a bit tough. On the way home I stopped for a beer at a local bar to cool off. After ordering the beer the barkeep looks at me–and the sweat running down my face–and says, “Do you want a glass of water also?” Which of course I did. If this is the new norm–hot, humid, and rainless all summer–I’ll have to make some changes. Maybe do longer trips in the morning or evening, not at the peak of the day like I did today. But then again, a few months from now I’ll be squawking about how cold it is. Anyhow, I’d be interested to hear how others have handled the heat this summer on a bike.

Urban Simplicity.

Broccoli and Bean Curd Stir-Fry Recipe

This is one of my favorite stir-fry recipes…it’s, simple, quick, and really delicious and nutritious. This is one of those simple restaurant-quality dishes that you’ll be wondering why you ever pay to have it prepared when it is so easy to make yourself. I’ve posted this recipe, or variations of it, a few times before, but I haven’t in a while. Anyhow, I made it for dinner tonight and thought I’d share the recipe again. As I type these words I am–in a word–stuffed. It is so delicious I couldn’t stop eating it. The only difference between the recipe pictured (the one I made tonight) and the actual recipe listed below, is that  in tonight’s version I added sliced carrots (which should be added when you add the onion and pepper). Anyhow, I hope you try it.

Broccoli and Bean Curd with Ginger, Garlic, and Hot Peppers
Makes about 4 servings
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
12 ounces firm tofu, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
1 small onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon crushed hot pepper
1-1/2 cups chicken broth

In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch. Mix to dissolve the cornstarch and set aside. Par-cook the broccoli boiling water, then drain it and cool it under cold running water.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Carefully add the tofu and cook it on both sides until golden brown. Remove the tofu and transfer to absorbent paper. Carefully pour most of the oil into a separate pan (or other safe container), leaving just enough oil to stir fry in. Heat the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables until they begin to caramelize. Add the garlic, ginger, and hot peppers. Sauté for another minute or two.

Stir in the chicken broth; bring it to a boil, than stir in the soy-cornstarch mixture. Bring it to a simmer, then add the broccoli and bean curd. Stir and toss it to evenly coat it with sauce. Continue to heat the pan just until the broccoli is heated throughout.