My Nan Nan wrote many letters to many people in her life. She used the typewriter and would copy photos onto the page and send one letter to multiple people.
In my travels WWOOFing, I learned a lot. One little trick I picked up from Miss Leah Lynn at Wildforest Sanctuary was how to fold your own envelopes. Of course I made an envelope and sent Nan Nan a letter in it! She loved the inspiration and became a prolific envelope maker.
Nan Nan’s Envelopes
Nan passed away Feb 21, 2018. She would have turned 101 last week if she was still here. I came across a collection of envelopes that she made and sent to me, complete with address label and forever stamp.
There are lots of birds on our block: curve billed thrashers galore, mockingbird, hummingbirds and a handful of starlings. Mostly they nest in the palm and saguaro next door.
When mockingbird is singing atop the palm tree, we hear it all through our house.
Hummingbird perches on the ocotillo and visits our aloe blossoms daily. Their nest is below the crown of the palm tree and they land on the dried seed shoots that hang from it.
Today the landscapers came and skinned the palm tree. I am so sad to think of the birds being homeless now!
Skinning the palm tree
I went to a friend’s house to play tennis. There were mockingbirds singing in the trees and a hummingbird perched atop the tree behind me. It gave me a new perspective on my local bird cohabitants. Instead of the individual, I connect with the universal mockingbird energy. I know they are all over the valley, busy with the task of surviving and thriving.
My neighbor birds are rebuilding a new, secure and cozy nest nearby. They are rebalancing with ease because they are resilient! I took all the clumps of my hair from the shower and placed them in the backyard. My offering of building supplies for their new endeavors. Sending them my love!
Today there are finches in the palm tree bark and a woodpecker on the crown. I see mockingbird go whooshing between houses. Hummingbird is on another bush a little ways off. They are adjusting to change beautifully. I hope I can do the same.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been out here blogging! This year, I am called to curate some magical multi-media here on the internet diaries. I got an actual 21 megapixel camera to complement the new adventure. My own page and my own photos shared on my own terms. No need for social or their awkward algorithms. Of course, I am serving this blog up with a smattering of inspirational materials from other sources that I digest on the daily. You’re welcome. 😉
When I graduated college in 2006, I started “such is, the case” on Blogspot to serve as my personal online gallery. My parents gave me an 8 megapixel camera as a graduation present. I was living at 420 Laporte Ave in Fort Collins, Colorado. Here we are 14 years later in Phoenix, Arizona dusting off the old blog and camera. Cheers to carving out a space to breathe, chase our passions and be back in the blogger-sphere.
My friend gave me some green HoJi Cha and black Winter Chai tea. It resonated with my craving for a daily ritual that relaxes and soothes. Tea pervades across the entire globe, preceded by ceremony and circumstance. So I purchased several herbal teas while we were visiting Jerome, AZ. The packages listed ingredients but no brand name or instructions. So when we got home, I went looking to learn the best time, temperature and ratios to use when brewing.
What I found is that there are many traditions of tea, but it is all the same leaf- one plant around the world called camellia sinensis. Depending on the processing, tea becomes white, green, black or even Pur’eh! I also read about herbal infusions like rooibos, hibiscus, mate, mint, nettles, mullein, osha- deliciously endless possibilities. From the webpage I was browsing, I popped over to the shop and started recognizing the blends: turmeric and nettles? rooibos and hibiscus? These are the very teas that I just purchased! Funny coincidence.
Most herbal and black teas are brewed at 212 degrees for 5-7 minutes; for green tea, let the water cool to 175 degrees and only brew for 2-3 minutes.
Vegemite Toast
With a little practice, I brewed the HoJi Cha well today. Along with the tea, I’ve been eating vegemite toast for breakfast since my friend went back to Colorado.
You see, my friend also brought me a jar of vegemite! She had me sniff it a dozen times before I even tried it. In Australia it is spread thin on toast with butter. My cousin tells me it’s called Marmite in England. It is quite yummy, but definitely an acquired taste.
Submitted by Casey Kemp on Jan. 24, 2014 Lifestyle Food & Beverage Go Local I’ve got a great recipe today that features a couple of local products and is super simple; I’m talking about a Slug Slime Chicken Fried Grass-Fed Cube Steak! I recommend that you put on some water for macaroni and start steaming green beans before executing this beefy main course nice and quick-like. My breading consists of Los Bagels famous slug slime, grated parmesan, panko breadcrumbs and flour, all adhering to an Eel River Organic grass-fed and grass-finished cut of beef with the power of an egg. Once you begin to bread and fry the meat, you are essentially done. When we start eating, my boyfriend asks, “Is this a hamburger or a steak?” Good question. Good question, indeed. My answer? Well, it’s a burger steak! Tenderizing meat is an absolutely fabulous process by which you take one tough piece of meat (like a London broil) and send it between two rollers with spikes on them- pretty medieval. By running the piece through several times at different angles, then folding it back onto itself, you get something that looks like hamburger, but sticks together in one meaty piece like a steak. Mmmh-eat Magic.
Humboldt Hot Sauceis something for us locals to be proud of and excited about. Not because it\’s the new Cholula or bound to replace that bottle of Siracha you carry around in your car. Not even because it is the most super hot spicy sauce around that makes your brain boil (although their red sauce is quite a kicker). Rather, Humboldt Hot Sauce is spectacular because it is well rounded and that presents a lot of possibilities when it comes to the kitchen.
Cal and Dan make three varieties: Habanero-Mango (hot red), Island Style (medium yellow) and Emerald Sauce (mild green). Each has it\’s own unique appeal but all of them have a depth of flavor that you don\’t normally find in a hot sauce. These condiments are way more substantial than your typical Tapatio: think thick, not runny.
Cooking with Humboldt Hot Sauce is where the product shines; it is so versatile! I tend to choose the Island Style because I like my heat with a little sweet. Still, this is a savory sauce and not overly sugary. Its first ingredient is onion, so that tells me they have their priorities in the right place. (So many meals start with an onion because it creates a flavorful foundation for the meal; it seems like these guys are wise to that concept.) Then they bring the heat with spicy habanero peppers and the party really gets started! But don\’t worry, sweet pineapple, bell peppers and mango cool this mix down and finally round it off with vinegar, garlic, ginger and lemon juice- what a ride.
On its own, the Habanero-Mango sauce pushes my limits on heat. However, I do tolerate it and still appreciate its rich flavor. This red sauce really kicks it up a notch. Last week I added it to my fried halibut cakes and they turned out just wonderful and packed with flavor!
I have not had as much time to experiment with the newest addition to the lineup, but the Emerald sauce does do my nachos justice. It is milder than the rest with lime and cilantro notes. Any of the varieties can be added to a Bloody Mary, it just depends on your preferences.
As a condiment Humboldt Hot Sauce improves the taste of just about anything: eggs, salsa, burgers, oysters. Just the thought of using it to spice up red beans and rice leaves my mouth watering. No matter what you\’re making, Humboldt Hot sauces provide the perfect punch to make it a scrumptious lunch.
Space Case 