Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

Calabacitas Tart

September 1, 2015

Nothing says harvest time here in New Mexico like when you find yourself looking for creative ways to use up that extra zucchini and squash from your garden--and get your chile fix. No dish epitomizes this better than calabacitas. I have fond memories of coming home as a child on a school night to roasted chicken and a casserole dish filled with this corn, chile, and zucchini veggie side. And now that school is officially back in session, I love the idea of one dish meals that are healthy and easy to put together on a busy weekday evening (hello first week of teaching!).

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's spinach tart. I've added blue cornmeal to the crust because yum! and then swapped out the spinach for the traditional Southwestern filling of alabacitas. For the tart pictured, I omitted the squash, simply because I didn't have any on hand, but feel free to add it as an extra layer to your own--I know I will once I get my hands on some!

This tart is great as an easy dinner by itself, with a side of greens, or, if I am feeling nostalgic, with roasted chicken. It's also delicious the next day for breakfast with an over easy egg on top. I used nutritional yeast in place of cheese for this recipe, but you could easily swap it out with aged gouda or sharp cheddar. Keep in mind that if you are using cheese in place of the nutritional yeast, you don't have to drizzle olive oil over each additional layer.

Ingredients:

For crust:

1/2 cup blue cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup water

For filling:

1 cup chopped green chile

1 cup yellow corn

1 small zucchini or half of a medium one

1 medium sweet onion

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (or cheese of choice)

1/4 cup red chile powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 eggs beaten

salt to taste

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Whisk together flours and a pinch of salt to taste. Then add oil and water and mix until a ball forms. Press dough evenly into a tart pan (I use one with a removable bottom for easy serving), then use a fork to prick holes into the bottom. Cook in oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

While the tart crust cools, dice up onions and sauté with minced garlic clove, olive oil and cumin in saucepan until softened. Slice zucchini into thin disks; you should end up with about one cup (you can save any zucchini not used here for pizza toppings or a veggie stir-fry). Now you can begin to layer your ingredients: start with in the onions and garlic first, then the chile and finally the corn, making sure to add some of your red chile powder, salt, and nutritional yeast (or cheese) between layers. Then pour the beaten eggs over your layers. For your final layer, arrange your zucchini disks over the tart, starting in the middle and working you way out to the edge. Drizzle the whole thing with olive oil and dust the top with your last bit of red chile and nutritional yeast (or cheese).

Place tart in oven and cook 35-40 minutes until egg is set. Let cool for at least ten minutes before serving. Serves 6-8. Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Takin' Care of Business...& Beyond!

July 21, 2015

My website is in need of a tune up, so I'll be taking some time off from writing new posts while I give my site a little behind the scenes TLC. That's just a little less than two weeks away from the proverbial page--and I promise I'll be back by the end of August with plenty more to share on everyday magic, simple pleasures, and of course, delicious recipes! You can expect more late summer harvest recipes and odes to the changing seasons, as well as exciting new ruminations on autumn in the Land of Enchantment.

In the meantime, I'll be posting some oldies but goodies on the bounty of summer on Facebook and Twitter (@EnchantmentLL); if you are feeling adventurous--or just can't get enough inspiration!--check out my blog and recipe indexes for more insights to everyday magic. Thanks for your patience, and, as always, your support!

A Love Letter to Pleasure

July 17, 2015

I don't quite understand you; it is as if you are a word in a foriegn language that I can't completely wrap my mouth around--but I try to desperately, willing my tongue and tonsils to coax the song across my palate with grace so that one day I may pass as a native speaker of your bliss. So please, have patience with my fumbling.

Still, I court you, tempted by your sighs and tickles, or the way you put my life into perspective with a playful shrug of your shoulder and, all at once, my too-hot flame is a joyful spark. You are Coyote, tempting my off the straight and narrow, that dull anemic path that leaves nothing but an empty cup and a heavy soul. Okay then, I say, when you cross my path. Let's go. Let's get lost in the desert, drunk on the stars, dizzy with the moon. I won't even pause to catch my breath or search my dictionary to make sure I have the right words for you. They will come on their own.

Yes, you can kiss me--though I know you would even without my permission. That's what makes you, you. And I reach for you in return, seduced by your mercurial touch, grateful for the way you ground me back into my body, my life (for even you, you seemingly flighty creature, have a way of bringing both the lightness of a summer's night and the weight of roots grounding garden herbs into my bones).

I need you; and though I know you've heard this before from countless others, on hundreds of other rendezvous, know this: you are my necessity, my home. You bring wings to my discipline and joy to my focus; you are my rosebud, my compass. Without you, there would be no breath.

Life is a Celebration

July 14, 2015

Yesterday I had a cookout--fresh corn and kebabs on the grill--and Django Reinhardt on the record player. Why? Because it was a Tuesday and I was hungry. This morning I did yoga to the sunrise and drank coffee on the patio because that's the best time to talk to the birds (and my plants). There was a moment just now, too, where I just let my mind wander and allowed myself to breathe in the heady aroma of blue sage because I could.

On Thursday, I burned an expensive candle and had a glass of even finer whiskey solely because I enjoyed the searing light of fire within and without; there was no point in waiting for a 'special occasion' (whatever that is, like a fence that limits pleasure to some distant future moment). Monday was another story--I drank up the stars late into the night because that was as long as it took to finish my conversation with them. And the blades of grass between my toes today were proof that walking barefoot was as good for my soul as it was for my soles.

Later I might decide to twirl--in the rain or on the dance floor--for the sheer pleasure of feeling my body move. And I will most definitely lose track of time at some point in the week; those pesky seconds and minutes dissolving into bliss. Perhaps it will be while reading--no, napping--under a shady tree, or swimming in the mellow current of summer. Either way, it will happen on a day just like any other, with no special importance to it except that it is today; or maybe that it is every day, a gentle celebration of fresh mint from the garden, a new book to read, a spontaneous picnic.

In any case, tomorrow I will marvel at the host of ladybugs making their home in a broom plant overflowing with tiny yellow flowers. They too seemed to have found their joy in the thin green stalks they climb upon.

On the Necessity of Nice Underwear

July 10, 2015

It reminds you that you are a woman before you don your costumes of teacher, writer, sister, daughter; that you are first and foremost flesh and heart and body. Your skin is enveloped in lace and satin, a constant loving caress as you go about the business of being a warrior. A small indulgence, a secret concession to hedonism as you make your way through the practicalities of your day.

This seeming frivolity defines you at your core, worn for no other reason than that it pleases you. There is no room for frayed elastic across your waist, nor a bra strap stretched and worn into limp colorless ribbons. Every other garment you step into afterward is dictated by the quality of your underthings. Your body will not be stained or blemished by anything. It is a delicious aesthetic experience your torso wants, for you were put on this earth to feast on its delights and saturate your senses. So you slip on the delicate lace underwear, relishing the texture of its intricate pattern across your flesh, and the way your silky slip slides across your torso. You take your time with this ritual, adorning yourself in this second skin, this breath between the privacy of your home and the armor you wear out into this world.

This intimate wearable art reveals nothing except how you really feel about yourself, your animal heart and each curve along the map of your body. Only that small fact, and nothing more, that rests in your center like a small seed ready to sprout in the body of the woman and climb its way through the satin and lace towards your heartbeat.

Let Me Be

July 7, 2015

Let me be the river forever creating ripples in the stillness, still in its eternal movement through a clay path. Let me be the wind that whispers of lives past, hopes not yet lived, as my stormy fingers twine around the earth's wild curls; or let me be the heartbeat between breaths.

Let me be the memory of seeds resting in my bones, the code buried in the hollyhock's fat black discs stacked along my spine. Just let me be the quiet of a morning before it is kissed by the sun or touched by bird song. I ask for nothing else; only this promise to free me from the confines of others' expectations or the sting of turning away from what is not mine.

Let me be the clean slate, the open swath of unblemished potential spread out before you like a field of grain not yet harvested or the desert monsoon, still unsure if it will rain down upon this earth or let its ripe clouds sail beyond the horizon. Let me be the dream conjured out of lunar light shining through the crystals on your nightstand--

--and that precarious universe between sleep and wakefulness. Let me be that moment forever distilled in human experience.

Two-Ingredient Sunblock

July 3, 2015

I love the sun as much as I love the moon--especially during the summer. I like longs walks in the sunshine and a lazy afternoon sunbathing. It's practically part of my Land of Enchantment heritage after all! Who could not love a gloriously open and sunny sky after growing up in this magical desert?

Alas, we've become pretty sun-phobic in many ways as we worry about sun damage and other hazards; that said, you can be sun-smart and still enjoy plenty of rays. In fact, they're good for you as twenty minutes in the sun gives you your daily dose of vitamin D, something I really missed when I lived in Seattle! If you want to learn more about how UVA and UVB rays affect us and how homemade sunscreens can help, check out what the Modern Hippy Housewife has to say.

I've always wanted to try making my own sunblock because I do believe in practicing "safe sun"--including using only organic sunscreens because non-organic have a host of chemicals that seem even worse for you than the rays they are supposed to protect you from. That said, organic brands can be pretty pricey. Naturally, the crafty life-hacker in me decided to see what she could figure out whipping up a batch of her own sunblock.

I took cues from recipes via Wellness Mama and the above Modern Hippy Housewife, opting for an easier recipe with fewer ingredients (hey, a beautiful afternoon poolside was calling to me, and I needed my goods ASAP!). I used my coconut body butter as my base because it was super easy to make and non-greasy when applied. I then added non-nano zinc oxide powder, the primary substance that offers protection against harmful rays. Make sure it is non-nano zinc oxide powder, as it is better for the body (you can read more about that from Goddess Garden Organics).

Coconut oil actually offers about SPF 4 and other natural oils, like shea butter, offer a similar amount of light coverage. Pretty cool, huh? But if you plan to be out in the sun for prolonged periods of time, it's a good idea to whip up a batch your own sunblock to boost your coverage. This recipe here gives you about SPF 25. As with any sunscreen, make sure to apply generously (at least a full ounce) and often (every two hours or so). And be smart about your sun exposure. It's never a good idea to bake for hours on end. With this recipe, I can now feel good about my outdoor time, both under the sun's rays and with the ingredients on my sunblock (which costs about $3 a bottle when all is said and done!).

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut body butter

4 tablespoons non-nano zinc oxide powder

Stir zinc oxide into coconut body butter until thoroughly combined, making sure not to inhale the powder. Store in a mason jar. To use, simply apply your sunblock as you would your regular body butter half an hour before sun exposure. Makes one cup. Enjoy on a sunny day!

Dancing in the Rain

June 30, 2015

Last night I danced in the rain.

I sang with the wind. I spread my hands high over my head and tried to touch the dark clouds weighing down the evening sky; and I called upon that storm to sweep away the cobwebs and dust from my mind, to let the fat rain drops fall upon my face, a soothing balm across the tender center between both eyes.

I let the distant rumble of thunder echo in my bones and the promise of lightning tickle my long wet hair. I, I did this, making myself one with the rhythm of nature, allowing myself to understand the bigness of it, the fullness of this universe that goes beyond myself and within myself. My bare feet rooted themselves in puddles as I twirled among the rain drops and clouds thick with cleansing desert magic.

I was a spirit dancing among other spirits--trees, grass, mountains, and their guardians. I was a raindrop covering the earth with my love. I was the quiet in the storm, the stillness in the dance, the held breath between one clap of thunder and another. I was the whisper of the earth's smile.

Mango Chile Lime Popsicles

June 26, 2015

As you know, I've been trying to beat the heat this week in a number of ways: avoiding the outdoors during the hottest midday hours, sipping cooling beverages, nixing cooking on the stove, sticking my undies in the freezer...you name it! Okay, maybe not the last one...although I did see Marilyn Monroe do it in The Seven Year Itch to beat the sweltering heat of a New York City summer. Fortunately for me, things are not quite so dire in the arid Southwest.

I am, however, more than happy to indulge in these healthy mango chile lime popsicles to keep cool. Like my pina colada popsicles, I use quality organic ingredients to whip up a tasty frozen treat that has way less sugars than your average store-bought popsicle--and those only natural at that. All you need is your own popsicle molds to get started.

These popsicles are a riff on the popular Mexican snack featuring mangoes sprinkled with chile, salt, and lime. I remember eating mango chile suckers as a child too; there is something perfect about that blend of sweet fruit dusted with spicy chile powder that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. (And yes, I write 'chile' with an 'e' and not an 'i' because I'm a New Mexican and that's how we spell it...but that's another story for another time!)

I've added an extra twist to this union by using Korean chile paste instead of chile powder. The result is a sweet, smokey kick at the back of your throat--but be careful, because the heat of this chile sneaks up on you. I put a little too much chile in my first batch, thinking it would be more sweet than hot. Wow were we surprised at the spiciness! With a little tinkering, I finally found the right balance of heat and sweet. That said, if you like it hot, make it hotter...just go a little at time and sample frequently until you find your right balance.

Ingredients:

2 cups frozen mango chunks

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

3/4 cup water

1 tsp Korean chile paste

Puree ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and let sit in freezer for at least two hours or until frozen. I usually make them a day ahead and let them set overnight. Let the treats sit on the counter for five to ten minutes and then remove them from the mold. Eat immediately, with gusto! Makes about 6 with a little left over for a mango smoothie, tequila optional.

Pina Colada Popsicles

June 23, 2015

So it's hot out. Like, really hot. As in 100 degrees hot! Normally I love the desert summer, but I've found myself beginning to wilt in this heat. Forget cooking anything that involves the oven or even the stove for that matter. And you won't catch me baking under the midday sun. Most of my time is now spent finding ways to stay cool in the midst of this heat wave. Luckily, I have a perfect antidote to Albuquerque when it sizzles: these pina colada popsicles. Yum!

They are reminiscent of carefree days on the beach, sipping that rum-soaked pineapple and coconut concoction finished off with a little umbrella...only better because I use only healthy ingredients in this recipe. I swap out super sugary coconut cream with coconut milk and coconut water and use frozen pineapple for that pop of fruity goodness. What's more, these are super easy to make! All you need is a popsicle mold which you can find here or at your local cooking store (and sometimes even at your supermarket).

As with my other recipes, I use only organic ingredients for maximum healthy benefits and best-tasting results. Make sure to use canned coconut; the taste is richer than the carton variety--and don't be alarmed if the coconut cream is solid at the top of the can. It mixes easily with the liquid part on the bottom once you stir it up. It would also be a good idea to whip up a double batch of these popsicles because when the temperature goes up, they go fast!

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup coconut water

1 1/2 cups frozen pineapples

1 ripe banana

Confessions of a Flower Eater

June 19, 2015

You would grow a garden in your belly if you could so that your insides are blossoms, fat with pollen and thick seeds, strong roots, and liquid sunshine. It seems terrible to confess that you know you could be like those flowers if you ate enough of them. But it is true--they would infuse their spirit into your skin and, in return, you would give them a home. Just a tablespoon a day is all it would take, you think, as you gaze out at your flower garden, that alchemical blend of growing things and medicinal petals.

So you collect your marigolds and nasturtiums, your puffs of dandelion and your fat tulip bulbs, your sharp lavender and blowsy rose petals, and you begin the task of making your meal. You could grind them up with your mortar and pestle until each bloom dissolves into a thick paste, a murky drink not unlike your compost to rest in your stomach. But where is the fun in that? How can you delight in the feel of seeds down your throat or a soft petal kissing your tongue?

So you mix up your flowers--seeds, petals, stems, roots--into an otherworldly salad. The tulip bulb is your base, thick and earthy, to welcome your eternal spring and chase away the darkness. Then you stir in yellow marigold and passionate hope, and add peppery nasturtiums, streaked with orange and red, to make you feel brave; next is dandelion (puffs, roots, leaves picked from a crack in your garden path) to echo your tulip base of infinite possibility. And a few rose petals to dust the top, a delicate perfume to soften the aspirations of the other flowers--it is enough to enjoy the beauty of this moment. Your salad isn't complete until you sprinkle blue lavender buds across your feast, adding the final touch of tranquil healing.

You devour this salad, one bite at a time, crunching down on meatiness of the tulips, the melt-in-your-mouth silkiness of the rose, until there is nothing left on your plate but a marigold blossom, somehow still intact. You pick this flower up with your fingers and bring it to your mouth. You feel the feathery petals across your tongue, the way it falls apart under the pressure of your teeth, the weight of sunshine in your belly when you swallow it. This is your garden, each piece of your summer harvest preserved inside you so that you are now part flower, part hope.

Fried Sage Chips

June 16, 2015

One of my go-to appetizers come the weekend are these delicious and easy to make sage chips. They combine my love of fresh herbs with all the tastiness of a kale chip but are dainty enough to nibble on as you enjoy an evening cocktail. I even hesitate to use the word "fried" in my blog title because these chips aren't greasy or heavy, just light and crisp.

There is nothing like the woodsy taste of the sage paired with the pop of sea salt on the tongue to prepare your palate for your evening meal. It's the taste of this dish and taking the time to enjoy a pre-dinner drink that matters, rather than filling up on a heartier snack--it's like the Italian version of an appetizer in that way, making you slow down and enjoy the simple pleasure of a luxurious dinner. Like my roasted garlic scapes, these sage chips only require good olive oil and sea salt to make them tasty--you can always add a pop of brightness to them with my 3 Citrus Himalayan Salt.

Ingredients:

1 bunch organic sage leaves

Olive oil

Sea salt

In a saucepan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Use only enough olive oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan, about 2-3 tablespoons. Once oil is hot, place sage leaves in pan and let fry until they begin to get crispy and golden, but not burned (about one minute). Make sure not to pile too many leaves into the oil at once, otherwise they will get mushy. You may have to fry them in batches. Promptly remove from heat and set on paper towel to drain. While the leaves are still hot, sprinkle them with sea salt. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

5 Tips for a Magical Staycation

June 12, 2015

This year I decided to forgo distant travels and enjoy my hometown for vacation. There is something sort of romantic about seeing your city through the rose colored glasses of a visitor--no day-to-day worries, just pure unadulterated fun! I'll admit that one of the draws of a staycation is the idea of sleeping in my own bed and never having to worry about whether or not I packed the right wardrobe (picture me freezing in my summer dress in still wintery Rome!). You have all the fun of traveling with none of the hassle.

A staycation is a great way to indulge in the simple pleasures you can't always enjoy when you travel--like sleeping in or spending an afternoon dallying on the porch. When you travel, you want to maximize your time enjoying the magic of the destination you find yourself in--getting the most out of museums, restaurants, nature walks...and so forth. Of course, the excitement of being in a new place and saturating your senses with new experiences is awesome, but sometimes what you really need out of a vacation is a little R&R. A staycation allows you to truly rest and enjoy the comfort of your own home.

I also love that it encourages you to see your city in a new light--and hopefully take some of that carefree magic into your everyday life. After my staycation, I felt more motivated to enjoy the events and places of my town on a weekly basis. So if you want to try a staycation this year--or just add a little more fun to your summer, check out my tips for a magical staycation below.

1. No schedules! While it's true you'll want to make sure you catch that museum show or work in that trip to the mountains, you want to avoid penciling in all your free time. In fact, you should start each day with no real plans, only a handful of suggestions of what you might do. I learned this from one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn movies, Roman Holiday, in which the heroine insists on no schedules while she takes a day out of her princess-ing duties to simply enjoy herself--just one of the few travel tips I've learned from Miss Hepburn.

2. Sleep in. Have a lazy breakfast. Linger over your cup of coffee. This will help you avoid the temptation to over-schedule yourself. It's also pretty delicious to sleep in on a weekday when you know the rest of the world is at work.

3. Indulge. You know if you were on vacation, you'd be having that glass of wine with lunch or that afternoon gelato...so why not do it while you're staycationing? Have your ice cream cone. Savor that decadent lunch. Splurge on that dress. Go out to your favorite restaurant dressed to the nines. Take a long nap under a shady tree.

4. Make time for the things you love--but don't always have the energy for. I personally love looking at art, going to festivals, and yes, dancing (as you well know). That said, I don't always feel like doing any of these things after a busy work week (the allure of wearing pajamas all day is just too much to resist). During my staycation, I went to a local wine festival, several dance events, and even a film screening (after a martini at my favorite bar).

5. Be a tourist in your own city--minus the fanny pack and frumpy tennis shoes. I know this might sound super obvious, but it's important to point out that a staycation is a time to see the important stuff in your city that you wouldn't otherwise check out, like that historical monument or gorgeous nature reserve--or the host of seasonal activities and events that you say you will go to each year but never do.

What do you enjoy most about staycationing?

Roasted Garlic Scapes

June 9, 2015

Imagine my delight to find garlic scapes at the f armers' market this weekend! Here I had thought that the season for these tender shoots had come and gone without me being able to feast on these perfect greens (I comforted myself with an unexpected batch of fiddlehead ferns). For those of you that don't know, scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic plant that are harvested before they flower so the plant sends its energy into developing the garlic bulb. Picked early in the season, they have a mild garlic taste with hints of earthy asparagus. Yum!

Typically, I indulge in this magical season by feasting on roasted garlic scapes. I like to roast them for a long time so that they are one part meltingly tender and another part garlic crisps. The great thing about scapes is that they don't need much to make a tasty appetizer. In fact, I only ever use olive oil and quality salt. If I feel like getting fancy, I sprinkle some of my 3 Citrus Himalayan Salt over the curled greens.

You'll notice that I didn't specify quantities here. I roast as little as a handful to a whole basketful depending on how many people I'm serving, so the recipe is pretty versatile. Just remember that the more scapes you use, the longer you want to roast them--especially if you want them slightly crispy.

Ingredients:

Garlic Scapes

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Place washed scapes on one side of a large sheet of foil and sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Fold other half of foil over the scapes and pinch the open sides closed so that you create a little pouch for the scapes to cook in. Place on a baking sheet and let roast in over for 30 minutes to an hour. Remember, the longer you cook them, the crispier they get, so cook they according to your own preference. Let cool for five minutes before plating. Enjoy!

My Summer Fun List

June 5, 2015

Summer is *finally* here (goodbye windy stormy May)! While I appreciated last month's rain, I found myself longing for sunshine and flip flops and polka dot dresses. It was hard to feel like it was officially that carefree time for teachers when I spent most of my time indoors away from the wind, hail, and thunder.

Now that the skies have cleared and the temperatures are up, it finally feels like sweet, sweet summertime! Oddly enough, this stormy May made me appreciate all the things I love about summer--and in all honesty, sometimes neglect to enjoy when I slip into my daily routine. When fall rolls around, I wistfully look back at the time I could have spent picnicking, stargazing, or generally goofing around instead of getting locked into a set schedule (that dreadful little thing!).

This year I have decided not to let that happen and this summer fun list is going to help me make sure I indulge in all the simple pleasures of the season. After all, summer, at its best, reminds us of the power of play.

So here is my list, in no particular order, and that will no doubt continue to grow:

1. Enjoy more summer cookouts. One of best things about summer is cooking outside and lingering over a refreshing drink and good conversation. Oh, and eating smores.

2. Visit the Farmers market. A lot. To feast on all those delicious local fruits and veggies!

3. Go to a baseball game. Summer isn't summer without at least one ball game.

4. Walk barefoot. Who needs shoes when the temperature is up?

5. Have more picnics. I absolutely love throwing down a blanket in the grass to enjoy a simple feast, a good book, and a sunny day.

6. Dance. Dance. Dance. Salsa dancing in my case. Summer is the perfect time to do all the things you don't always get to do when you're in the daily grind of your regular routine--like going out dancing without having to worry about being up early the next day.

7. Go swimming. There's something about diving into a pool and splashing around that makes me feel like a kid again.

8. Stargaze. New Mexico is such a perfect place to look at the stars--which, I admit, I don't do enough of--but when I do, I feel like I could drink up those stars forever.

9. Sunbathe. Right up there with stargazing, I love (safe) sun-soaking. It feels great to shed the extra layers of clothes in favor of a bathing suit and a pair of sunglasses.

10. Drink frilly cocktails. On the porch. Sprawled on the grass. In some shaded garden nook. Poolside--wherever I can! With the bounty of the season, it's fun to mix up fruit and herb concoctions to quench your thirst. Hello, gin fizz...

11. Wear fun summer dresses. So I love flouncy dresses. Like, LOVE. Especially if there are polka dots involved. This playful season allows me to get even more cheeky with my wardrobe.

12. Stay up late reading. Okay, I've been pretty good with this one already. It is such an indulgence to get lost in a good book, especially when you know you aren't ruled by the morning alarm clock.

13. Garden. Who doesn't love fresh tomatoes from her own garden?

14. Pickle everything! This is like preserving summer in a jar--and no lunch sandwich is complete without fresh pickles.

15. Watch the sunrise. Taking time in the morning to appreciate the cooler temps and watch the city slowly wake up is the ultimate luxury.

16. Watch the sun set. With a glass of wine in hand. Too often I can come home with a to-do list (yoga, clean, eat) and lose track of those moments of stillness that allow me to savor the beauty of nature.

17. Forget schedules. Lose track of time. Often.

18. Visit museums. One of my favorite things to do, when I lived in Seattle was to visit museums, particularly one summer when the city experiences a record-breaking heat wave...and I had no air-conditioning in my apartment. Yuck! So instead of drowning in my own sweat (great for hot yoga, but not so much for getting through the day), I would go to a lovely air conditioned museum, look at art, and simply be. It occurred me that I don't do that enough in Albuquerque, so now's the time to fix that.

19. Mid-week afternoon movie watching. Who doesn't love an air conditioned almost empty theater?

20. Daydream...

...the list could go on and on, but I figure if I can even tackle half of these and enjoy a popsicle or two, I've had a nice full summer.

What's on your summer fun list?

To the Everlasting Yes!

June 2, 2015

It is not the question that matters, only the answer.

The Why is full of too many uncertainties, a tangle of threads knotted into a heavy ball of your potential histories (what was, what is, what will be, and--strangest of all--what might bes, those thin strands of chance that vanish and reform with every step in a new direction). It cannot be fathomed nor untangled; to try to separate one cord from the rest is to further knot yourself up.

And that is the reason it is not the Everlasting Why that matters, only the answer: Yes!

Let go of holding those threads so tightly and let them find their way around one another until they are not a snarl of string but a rich tapestry of the adventures you take on.

Yes, it is the Yes.

There is the thread that gives you life. You don't even need to understand, only feel it in the dreams carved into your bones. To taste it in the first strawberries from your garden or the spinach leaves with the tang of minerals from your lettuce patch. To see it in the way the robin gathers dry grass for its nest or in the industry of bees sucking down pollen from your fat hollyhocks; in the way it rains when only sunshine is promised, feeding the earth and allowing your seeds to drink up the evening's sweetness.

This is your Yes, that heady tingle of something just beyond your sight that permeates your worldly experience, filling it with light and the warming caress of an afternoon breeze. Here in the stillness is your answer. It clears away the dust and doubt, the painfully literal that, like a bookmark, attempts to pin down your story to one set page when it is an ever-evolving tapestry threading each day with new experiences.

It is tempting even to call this Yes transitory (more of that dust and doubt), but it is ever constant in the way it fills you up with breath and possibility--why not make your Yes the stuff of your everyday? Why not fill your heart with it until there is room for more Yes and more Yes and more Yes.

It is not about the Why, only the Everlasting Yes. The Yes. The Yes. The Yes.

You must only feel the Yes.

To Be Still

May 22, 2015

Still.

That terrifying word that asks for nothing--and everything. The fearful call it static; the receptive, moving within. You must pull back from the noise and the commitments, taking care to bring each strand, those silken threads that connect you to things outside yourself, back into you, like a stray hair that you tuck once again behind your ear or coil around your bun.

Find your footing, the stillness says. Feel the way the ground presses against the pads of your feet as if hugging them. Let go of the need to run, the ragged motion keeping your soles from this earth. Here, that is where you will find your center. Not out there, here, with blades of grass slipping between your toes, the scent of rain in the air.

Become comfortable with the space you have created for silence (that most elusive of creatures, hardest of all to find and keep); relish the rich fullness that emerges in the absence of white noise, the whispers you can hear when you tune out the empty chatter.

To be still. Now that is a worthy dance.

The Story Eater

May 19, 2015

That is all you want to do lately: gobble them up, each story as they unfold, slurping up sentences like a strand of spaghetti, feel the tang of so many words sharp and full on your tongue.

Some you want to savor as you would an artichoke, tearing off each page and running your teeth along its fleshy insides until you reach the heart of the story, one part thorns, the other ripe flesh. It is the process of tasting your way through its earthy labyrinth as much as it is finding the tender center that fills your soul. Others you would nibble at, like a wedge of fine cheese or a square of dark chocolate, loath to rush through the velvety decadence--and some you have no patience for, tossing their thick words and empty plots aside like so much wilted lettuce for the compost, nourishing (you know not how, only that all composted things must) your future words if not yourself.

Then there are the ones you must devour in one sitting--those ripe peaches whose early blush make you unable to suffer through the tender courtship of each chapter parceled out over a series of days that they might require to fully digest. These you must bite into and greedily consume their fruit, thinking only after, when you are left with a listless paperback, that you should have taken your time, knowing full well you couldn't--only it would be something to read this part or that again with virgin eyes.

Still others you turn to time and again, the familiar comfort of a well-trod plot as with the perfume of crushed garlic and rosemary staining your hands, the sharp scent of things simmering on your stove, an invisible ink absorbed from the pages of those stories, to flow from your own pen.

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Thank Goodness It Ain't Maybelline Clear Mascara

May 12, 2015

About a year ago, I posted a recipe for my Thank Goodness it Ain't Maybelline Mascara made from beeswax, coconut oil, and activated charcoal--much safer and cheaper than your average drugstore beauty product. It has all the effects of a quality mascara without the scary chemicals. Yet even homemade mascara can be fated to cause the much maligned racoon eyes, natural enemies of a perfectly quaffed look, especially in the summer when the desert heat sets everything to melting and sweating.

With this in mind, I put together a clear mascara recipe for those hot summer days when you want to look a little extra polished but don't want to be constantly worrying about black circles around your eyes. Like any clear mascara, it offers a little extra length and curl, but won't necessarily give you the high-drama of super long, dark lashes...which is just fine by me come summer time when the less makeup, the better.

The recipe is much the same as my black mascara, swapping out the charcoal for the aloe vera gel for added lightness. The mix comes out slightly yellow in the tube because of the beeswax, but it does go on clear. Make sure when you apply it to really comb through your lashes so the oil goes on evenly without clumping. You should also run an eyelash comb through your strands to get a more even look. You can recycle old mascara tubes for this or buy new ones here.

Ingredients:

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2-1/3 tsp grated beeswax

1 tsp aloe vera gel (optional)

Melt beeswax on low heat. I do this by placing the wax in a clean tin can. This tin can then goes in a saucepan with about one inch of water in it (see photo). Once the beeswax is melted, mix remaining ingredients into can and allow to melt. Remove from heat and carefully pour liquid into your clean mascara tube. I do this by pouring from a tin can that has been pinched on one end to create a spout (again, see photo) or by pouring the cooling mixture into a plastic bag that has a corner cut out of it. Place the open corner of the bag inside the mascara tube and slowly push the liquid into the tube. Allow to cool before using. Makes one tube.

Turmeric Lemongrass Bath Bombs (sans Citric Acid)

May 8, 2015

Mother's Day is just around the corner. School is done. You have a free weekend afternoon for a bubble bath and a long nap...clearly, there are a myriad of reasons why you should make these super easy bath bombs to have on hand for those oh so important occasions! The big one, of course, is that special day we take to celebrate our awesome moms, those strong women who spend so much time caring for others that it is important that we take time out to care for and pamper them. These turmeric lemongrass bath bombs are the perfect gift for the woman who could use a luxurious soak (with a good book and a glass of wine!).

What I love about these bath bombs is that they are made without citric acid--a sometimes difficult ingredient to find and keep on hand. The cream of tartar is a perfect substitute and something we often have (and forget about) in our pantry. Turmeric is also an easy kitchen staple to add to these bombs and it is what gives them their festive sunshine hue. Don't be alarmed if this bright yellow doesn't initially come through when you mix the dry ingredients--it will once you wet them down.

Like my spring bath bombs, these hedonistic treats use the smells and flowers of spring to rejuvenate the senses. In this case, I use lemongrass, that universal revitalizer, mixed with calendula petals known for their ability to soothe the skin. Tumeric is also a wonder-cure for many skin issues from acne to eczema. The baking soda gently detoxes and exfoliates your skin while the cream of tartar softens it.

Ingredients:

2 cups baking soda

1 cup cream of tartar

1 tsp turmeric powder

4 teaspoons melted coconut oil

1/8 cup water (in spray bottle)

100 drops lemongrass essential oil

1/4 cup dried calendula petals (optional)

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly, being careful not to raise too much dust. Then add in coconut oil and essential oil and mix thoroughly with hands, making sure that oil is evenly distributed throughout the mix. Here comes the tricky part: adding the water. You need the spray bottle to ensure that you aren't adding too much water at once otherwise your bath bombs will begin to prematurely fizz.

Going slowly, spray water into the bowl, stirring completely as you go until it is damp but not soaking wet. You will probably not use all the water in your spray bottle. You can test the readiness of your mix by squeezing together a handful of it and seeing if it sticks--if it does, you can go ahead and place it in molds or roll them into balls. If not, you'll need more water. Once you have placed the mix into molds or hand shaped it into balls, you can let your bath bombs air dry for at least two hours or up to overnight. Remove from molds (if using) and store in a dry place. Makes about 9 bath bombs. Enjoy!