to the crack and back.

How’s that for a catchy title, eh?

Monday was spent in the Catskills hiking with Paula, to celebrate her birthday, and boys and girls did we get lucky with the weather! It was the most perfect Spring day, filled with warm sunshine and blue skies- I swear I must of been a plant in a past life because I still feel like a little photosynthesis happens each sunny day. It gives me the pep in my step that I sometimes need when the mountains get tough. Real tough.

Back to the hike… we were first thinking about doing the Slide, Cornell and Witenberg loop however, our minds were made up that that wasn’t happening when we saw we’d be walking the last 2+ miles uphill on a road. No fun and nothing exciting. So then we decided that we’d hike in to each mountain, then simply turn around. Hiking three mountains but claiming five peaks (with the out and back). Off we went.

We took the Curtis-Omsbee Monument path to Slide Mountain because Paula had read that there were better views despite the slightly longer trail- totally worth it! The trees were just beginning to bud and in sections we could see for miles. The trail was easy on the body (not a lot of rocks) and we both enjoyed all of the sprouting flowers along the way. Before we knew it, we were at the peak! It looked like there had once been a fire tower up there with the giant concrete block we passed.

We barely took a break and headed over to Cornell Mountain… and that’s when Slide Mountain got serious. There were numerous sections that we had to climb down that made us pause and think, “okay, how am I going to do this?” Being someone who is afraid of heights, I was shaking like a leaf on the two wooden ladders and on this rock shown, I had to take a couple of breathers to prevent myself from breaking down into tears. Gotta do one thing a day that scares you, right?

Before we knew it, we were heading back upwards to Cornell, and pushed through to find two gentlemen enjoying the peak with their toes in the sun, trail mix and a cigar. The one older guy seemed super in shape and experienced, but I guess 35 years of hiking will do that to ya! It made me think, I want to be 60 and bragging about seeing the country on foot over the past 35 years! After a few minutes of catching up, we left them to enjoy and moved forward. I was full of energy thanks to a PB&J earlier on the trail but it didn’t prepare me for what we then stumbled upon: Cornell’s Crack.

No joke, a twenty foot crack in some pretty huge rocks, with no foot or hand holds to scramble down using. I’m not a rock climber nor do I want to become one. This crack scared the crap out of me. We both thought outloud that yes, we could hurl ourselves down and continue forward, but could we make it back up? No effing way!

After assessing a second option (but way more dangerous) and actually sitting down to see if we could do this, we both decided it wasn’t going to happen. That day at least. Yes we could have hurled ourselves over and done the loop, but mentally, it wasn’t in the books. Once I prepare myself for a specific trip, I tend to stick to it; that’s just the planner in me. So, back we went.

Not going to lie, heading back up Slide Mountain got brutal. By this hour, the sun was high, I was a little warm and tired, and now I had to climb up the steepest section of the day. I actually enjoyed the section that made up scramble, it not only challenged me mentally, but slowed our pace. We were greeted by a gentleman at the peak who snapped our photograph and onward we went. We took the shorter trail back and I must say, I didn’t prefer it. The trail was a little steeper than the one we took out and was very rocky- which makes your body ache a little more after a full day of hiking. It was a short trail however and before I knew it, we were back to the car.

Paula took me through Woodstock on the way home and I can’t wait to go back- it looks like a great little town. It was another successful day in the peaks to say the least! The two of us have much to look forward to:

• we are returning to the ADKs on the 20th to possibly hike Rocky Ridge
• we are hiking Memorial Weekend with a meet-up group to knock-out Gray, Skylight and Marcy!
• the first weekend in June we are volunteering to clean/maintain the trails in the ADKs- we have yet to plan what we’ll be hiking the following day
• and we have our first overnight trip planned during the July fourth holiday in New Hampshire: the 50 mile Sunapee Greenway trail!

…with of course the occasional “mountain Monday” thrown in. The high the mountains give me push me along through the week; and it only gets stronger the more I see and experience. Gosh, I’m in love with Mother Nature.

Read Full Post »

flower scout CSA.

Last night the beau and I picked up our first Flower Scout CSA delivery- I was beyond thrilled! I peeked online and saw the deliveries from the previous day and I must say, I shouldn’t have! The day dragged on because I was anticipating my goods!

The bouquet was cute and lovely with a tulip, lily of the valley, and lilacs- my favorite. The smell brings me back to when I was a kid; my mom, sister and I would go and pick huge bouquets of lilacs to fill the house with. With the windows open and freshly washed sheets, there was seriously nothing better than that.

We also received a mini terrarium, a hand-written newsletter and a couple of Flower Scout buttons! You better believe that I’ll be sporting them everyday. That glass container is so special; I’m going to work hard not to kill that fern.

If you’re interested in joining this CSA, take a look around the Flower Scout site to get contact and pricing information. Colie offers two days of pick-ups, one in Albany and the other in Troy. Her living space is filled with seedlings- maybe next week she’ll let me get a few photographs to give you a look into the CSA process.

Be prepared for future flower posts and don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’m pretty happy with this local service.

Read Full Post »

field greens and a trip to the farm.

In this week’s bag:

• arugula
• chives
• crimini mushrooms
• gourmet mix baby lettuce
• red, white and blue potatoes
• shallot
• golden delicious apples

Even though the chives don’t have roots attached, I’m going to still try growing some by using this method. It would be wonderful to be able to plant them on our porch if they do grow; if not, hopefully they’ll stay fresh longer.

The beau was pretty happy to see the heaping bag of arugula- that’s his favorite salad green! He said that it’s pretty good in pasta as well, so I’ll have to pick up a box this weekend. Nothing better than a simple bowl of pasta with greens, good olive oil, fresh black pepper and basil. And speaking of basil, I’ve moved the plant out on that back porch aka our little garden. Along with the salad greens and violas, I’ve planted broccoli and kale seedlings that seem to be doing well. The cat grass is taller than ever for kitty and may need a little trimming. The bird feeder is hung and the bumble bees are buzzing around our new hanging plants. I was only planning on buying one but the Sunny Susy just looked so darling with it’s orange climbing flowers, I couldn’t resist and can’t wait to see in what direction it grows.

I got the beautiful hanging baskets from Engelke Farm. If you remember, this is also the same farm where we picked out our pumpkins. Well, the greenhouses are filled with life and smell of Spring. Amanda and her brother were a big help helping me choose the right basket that would grow in the shade. It was an added bonus that the flowers were blue, pink and golden in color- did you know that honeybees recognize yellow and blue hues? They do and within five minutes, bumbles had found the new flowers. I like doing what I can for the bees. Back to the farm- I got a special tour of the pig pen and saw Rosanne again (the pig), along with the baby goats. Abby Cadabby was born last week! (I didn’t get a photograph of this little white goat- she was far too quick!) I loved watching them get a JOLT of energy, hop in the air, and peel out across the yard. Baby animals are the best ever.

Strawberries will be the first crop to be ready this season, most likely the first week of June. It was odd to see the farm “empty;” I’m use to seeing it all green and plentiful with food. I’ll be happy to return in June with my glass berry baskets to load up, snack on, and freeze them for the upcoming winter. I love fresh, local strawberries, but I think I like picking them better. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again I know, but I love spending time in the fields picking my produce. That small act reassures my conscious that I am eating the healthiest foods that are available to me. From farm to plate. If you get a chance this season, stop by and say hello to my farming friends. The baskets are a wonderful gift for all the mothers out there, or the back porches and window boxes in your lives/homes.

The Troy Farmer’s Market will be outside tomorrow on River Street- I LOVE when it’s on the street. Stop in and see me, I’ll be at the store organizing cards, folding tees and socializing with my community. Happy sunny weather my friends!

Read Full Post »

{field goods}

In this week’s bag:

• frozen cauliflower
• frozen haricot vert
• adirondack blue potatoes
• red skin potatoes
• pea greens
• salad mix!
• empire apples

Well, it’s official. The beau and I have successfully made it through our first twenty-four hour bug. Technically I was the only sick one, but he put up with the well, you know. And now that it has passed, I have my appetite back!

Tonight I’m going to make a classic “breakfy for dinner” meal, scrambled tofu with homefries! We’ve mastered the tofu seasonings (curry, mustard, garlic and onion powder, fresh black pepper) and with blue potatoes on hand, I can not resist the comfort of Sunday morning on a windy Thursday evening. You better believe those pea greens and salad mix are going to make it into our daily big green salads, and the cauliflower, well, that’s going to become buffalo heaven. I don’t think I’ve ever had frozen cauliflower so I’m curious to see how crispy this batch will come out. As for the haricot vert, I’m still searching for the perfect recipe and they will (for now) be tossed into the freezer.

The small bouquet came from Flower Scout, who by the way, is officially starting her CSA in May! So, if you live in the Troy area or pass by here from work, you should definitely check out her work/site and sign up. It sounds like you can do it on a monthly basis, and she does deliver locally if you can’t make it (for an additional fee); she came to our new apartment to deliver the second day we were here and stopped by the beau’s store yesterday for an exchange of goods. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, she is not only doing what seems to be something she thoroughly enjoys, but is making this city a more beautiful place to live with her growing lots. I’ll support her as much as I can each month. Gotta invest in your home/community, right?

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends! Stay happy, active and healthy!

And for those of you wondering, I beat that bug with plenty of sleep, a loooong bubble bath, fresh cherry juice and peppermint oil in my water to naturally settle the stomach. Oh, and a walk before bed to get some fresh air and stretch my achy muscles. I try to avoid medications and tend to allow the body to fight it’s fight. Do what’s best for you and listen to your body- it knows how to heal itself from the inside out.

Read Full Post »

meow meow tweet deodorant cream.

Last week I made a spontaneous purchase over at Vegan Cuts and shortly thereafter my product arrived… and it was the best spontaneous purchase, ever! I love it so much that I figured I’d share it all with you!

Let me break it down for you: Vegan Cuts is the place where I purchased the product. This vegan marketplace is where I also purchased my scoby kit for brewing kombucha and where my monthly vegan Snack Box comes from (yes, I’ve received March’s box and yes, I’m a little behind sharing it). This is also the site where you can find some of the beau’s veggie-esk products, including the avocado tee and radish print. Overall, they are a super rad duo bringing all kinds of goodies from all over the nation to one website for your viewing and ordering pleasure.

And what product did I order you may ask? The deodorant cream from Meow Meow Tweet. I missed the discount that the site was offering a few months ago but I kept it in the back of my head as a “product I may just have to purchase if things get any worse.” And things did get worse.

See, I haven’t worn deodorant now for about five years. The short story why is that almost all deodorants on the market have parabens and other harmful chemicals that have been known to seep into our bodies. Being a woman who shaves her armpits, I put myself at an even higher risk of this seepage because I essentially create small cuts into my body’s outer-most layer of protection. I just want to take as many preventative steps as possible. Easy right?

Wrong! Not wearing deodorant is the easy part, finding a substitute is the difficult task. I have tried probably 8-10 all natural, organic, and/or non-chemical containing deodorants that just haven’t worked. I’ve tried roll-ons and I’ve tried the bars. Nothing. Until the summer of 2010 when I discovered the Crystal Stick and shared about it here. It has worked great over the past two years or so but recently I noticed that it just wasn’t doing it’s job as it once had. I don’t know if it is because I’ve changed my diet and starting to get back into the workout groove, but I found that I had to shower everyday just because of this issue. (Yes, you read that correctly, I don’t shower every day nor do I have the desire to. But that’s a whole other post.)

Time travel back to last week when this product entered my life. Utopia on Earth. It not only lasted me throughout the day, but through the move.

What I like about Meow Meow Tweet’s cream:

• smells so good! I chose the tea tree scent because tea tree naturally has major antimicrobial effects
• the scent doesn’t last all day = not overwhelming
• not only helps with oder, but is moisturizing
• doesn’t seem to stain clothing or leave white marks as the typical deodorant would
• it even holds up while working out

I love it and can’t wait to try other products from this small business out of Brooklyn. No, this wasn’t a paid post. Yes, you can thank me later.

Read Full Post »

gratitude and long weekends.

This past weekend was wonderful for me. Although I did forget on Saturday to unplug, I was fully charged and ready to begin my work week with a positive feeling of being able to tackle anything. Not that I ever like to see my weekends end, just that it didn’t feel as though it breezed by.

I am grateful for local chefs that take pride in what they do and try to accommodate all who visit. This is my shout-out (again!) to chef Chris over at Carmen’s Cafe. He whipped me up this surprise meal, everything vegan, and full of flavor. And yes, in case you were wondering, that is rice, oyster, crimini and shiitake mushrooms with red and yellow bell peppers, kale, and beet greens on a bed of raw baby spinach with a balsamic and soy glaze. Oh, and a side of black beans.

I am grateful for locally grown and organic mushrooms. Oh, and a beau that can prepare a killer thai coconut *spicy* soup. It was by far one of the best dishes he’s made me. The cheap baguette on the other hand… I need to plan ahead next time and continue to buy local.

I am grateful for a friend that continues to push me to new peaks. Tabletop was my eighteenth peak of the 46 and was her twenty-first.

I am grateful for chickadees that stop to say hello when you need a smile to carry you the last two miles. And no, we weren’t feeding them to get this shot.

I am grateful for an old friend who works out with me at 11 o’clock at night. I know that pace doesn’t look very fast but my legs felt like cinder blocks and guess what, I lapped everyone in bed. And I am grateful for a new friend that is making me bouquets for our new place home.

Read Full Post »

field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• frozen green beans
• frozen corn
• frozen blueberries
• kohlrabi
• oyster mushrooms
• shiitake mushrooms
• onion

Last night after showing the tiny apartment, I was star-ving and couldn’t wait for the beau to stop by with the veggies. I quickly spread the veggies out and dug in- I was CRAVING vegetables like you wouldn’t believe. I started a small pot of wild rice and the beau sauted up: all of the mushrooms, the onion, the corn, the green beans and some leftover broccoli from last week. All in coconut oil. It was just what my body wanted- along with a side of thinly sliced, roasted watermelon radishes. We had just about every color of the rainbow on our plates.

I’ve been on a big blueberry kick these days, eating them frozen by the mason-glass-full each morning for breakfast. That being said, the bag we got this week will most likely be gone by Saturday afternoon. No big deal.

With it being the middle of winter and the bags not bursting at the seams with fresh produce, I’ve contemplated upping our subscription to the largest size because we are breezing through the bags and are being forced to buy produce at the market. Not that buying a larger subscription would get us more variety, it would just give us more quantity wise so that we could have multiple meals throughout the week with similar ingredients. We could then drop back down to the smallest bag when our favorite local farm is up and running; with fresh, un-sprayed fruits and veggies just ten minutes away. We talked about it before and aren’t planning on dropping the delivery this summer because we want to see what they’ll have to offer since we joined so late in the summer last year.

With my dreams of it becoming warmer outside being crushed by freezing weather, I’ll suck it up and most likely make a big pot of soup this weekend. Maybe a kale, white bean and potato? We have both kale and potatoes left over from last week and I’m not only craving greens, but root veggies. It would be even better if it were spicy… I’ll have to share the recipe if it turns out as a one worth repeating.

Stay happy, healthy and positive my friends!

Read Full Post »

field goods. and a PSA.

In this week’s bag:

• yukon gold potatoes
• watermelon radishes
• carrots
• gala apples
• pea greens *missing from photograph (in fridge)
• garlic
• frozen broccoli
• frozen kale

You better believe that I’m going to be making a batch of carrot soup tonight when I get home from work- so darn good and I have everything already in stock. I was excited to see some more frozen kale; although I thought it was a little stem-y last time, an online friend passed along a recipe I’d love to try. They’re kale, broccoli and spinach burgers- of which I’d top with sprouts and avocado… green, green and more green!

Despite being super thrown off with the pending move, I’m excited to cook in the tiny kitchen because my body is craving fruits and veggies. It’s amazing how quickly my body reacts to poor food (Chinese broccoli in garlic sauce)- I get a sore throat, I get all phlegm-y and dehydrated. I woke up searching for lemon water and bananas- and after three bananas, an apple and two liters, my sore throat is gone. The body is a wonderful thing, healing itself with just a handful of nutrients.

My PSA for this post with the recent news of contaminated spinach: know WHERE your food comes from and HOW it’s produced and most importantly HOW it gets to your plate. All of those factors can lead to contamination, regardless of it being organic or not. This CSA share has farms that grow organically, conventionally and following IPM guidelines. And despite some items being grown conventionally, meaning pesticides may or may not be used, I purchase from them because I can trace the produce back should there be an issue. Of course, I’d love to cut this out of my life completely but it is difficult living in Upstate New York with no fruit being in season; I will plan ahead more diligently this upcoming summer. And I’m not suggesting that people stop purchasing spinach or other fruits and veggies from a market, just take extra precautions (like washing produce) or be aware of what brands have had contaminations in the past.

I want to see everyone healthy, happy and aware of life around them.

Read Full Post »

hike your own hike.

There’s something the mountains always do to me when I spend a short time in them: remind me to stay grounded and hike my own hike.

My hiking partner knows exactly when I’ve fallen into this spell. I become quiet; my head filled with random thoughts, often of ones to get me to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes I’m trying to write out in my head how to describe everything that I’m experiencing in that moment. Other times I’m thinking of my future and what I expect of myself. I pull away or drop back behind her, hiking my own hike.

It’s hard not to compare oneself  to others who are joining in on the hike- one who may be better prepared, faster, or more experienced. And the moment I find myself allowing those thoughts in, I struggle with my next step. I have to force myself to stop, take a look around (being miles into the woods) and be proud of how far I’ve come. Just me and my body, no one else to rely on or thank but myself.

I experienced this multiple times throughout my hikes this past week- hiking with new friends. At one point the snow was too deep and I didn’t have the right gear. At another, the trail was so steep, I couldn’t see the person in front of me. At the top, the wind was so strong I was terrified to take the next step. It got to the point that I didn’t care about the (missing) view, but had to mentally finish the hike. I had to get to the tippy-top. And I did, with tears in my eyes: excited that I had raced up to the top but terrified because I didn’t know how I was going to manage to get back down. Fear kicked in and I had a little panic moment, for about ten seconds. I said to myself out loud, “hike your own hike” and I did. I focused on me and got myself back down to the treeline where I could finally breathe a full breath of air without struggling. It was with the help of someone more experienced, better prepared and faster that I made it down safely. If I had continued to compare myself to that person, I would have let fear overcome that last leg of the trip and not summited. And then, I would have been disappointed.

We don’t always summit the peaks we set out to reach, and I don’t mind. The mountain isn’t going anywhere anytime soon so I know I’ll always have a second chance. Or third. Or fourth.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”- Albert Einstein

Read Full Post »

field goods.

In this week’s bag:

• NEW! Frozen corn
• NEW! Frozen green beans
• Purple top turnips
• Celeriac
• White potatoes
• Garlic
• Golden delicious apples

I was excited to have the frozen veggies come this week because to be honest, I’ve been missing some of my favorite summer produce. I don’t think my mom would have ever expected to hear me say I was missing green beans- they were NOT a favorite of mine growing up. But these came and they look straight out of the fields, and still so green. Can’t wait.

Last night was empty-your-fridge-out night to get ready for the new delivery. Annnnnd I was craving a tofu scramble, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy one with the beau this Sunday because I’ll be out-of-town for a couple of days. I chopped up a large sweet potato from a few weeks prior, two kohlrabi, a red onion and the few remaining crimini mushrooms for our hash. A little EVOO and a dash of a favorite seasonings (garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika) and the beau got to work. He’s a pro. As for the tofu, he crumbles it up, adds some curry, garlic powder and a squirt of Dijon mustard and there you have it, deliciousness for dinner or breakfy. With a side of sesame Ezekiel bread, our meal was complete.

*Side note: if you haven’t tried Ezekiel bread, go buy a loaf. I personally won’t eat (buy) any other brand. It has no flour, all whole grain (must be kept in the fridge), low sodium, high clean protein and the sesame seeds are an added bonus. End of my current obsession note.*

In other news that’s worth mentioning, EMS is having a BIG sale! I made out like a bandit last night: a new pair of winter pants, a new overnight-sized pack (Jade from Gregory), a 70 lumens headlamp (Tikka Plus 2), and a pair of undies for drumroll please… about $230! Almost everything is 40-50% off, so worth it if you’re in need of new equipment. I could have purchased a ton more but figured I’d only grab the necessities for my upcoming trip. No, this was not a paid post by EMS but if someone from that store is reading and willing to ship me free goodies, count me in! Not joking. And yes, I wore my new pack to work. The beau couldn’t stop giggling at his urban hiker.

As for this trip, you won’t hear from me for about a week on here because I’m headed to New Hampshire to hike in the White Mountains. I’ve never been and am beyond excited to hike a portion of the Appalachian Trial; one of the things on my Bucket List. I’m going to be hiking with new people this time around and am a little nervous; hoping that my legs won’t fail me now! But then again, they never have… it’s just one foot in front of the other. I’ll be ringing in my 27th birthday with them and will be traveling back to New York to eat out with my beau– his wallet better be ready because I’ll have worked up quite the appetite!

Stay healthy, eat clean and keep moving my friends! I’ll be back next week with photographs, new experiences and good stories! Cheers!

Read Full Post »