Helpful Hints for Surviving the Holidays

Well, the holidays have come around again, ushering in times of joy and times of stress. The holidays are not always easy and thus here are just a few words that may offer help if you find your stress level soaring. Having experienced holidays that are packed with family gatherings, and having had the experience of creating and raising a now-grown and gone family, I now contrast those lively days with a quieter existence. Life has taught me to be flexible with the various cycles of growth; there are always opportunities for service and connection if you are willing to take the risk.

Thus, if you find yourself at odds with how to spend your time, or simply crave new traditions, here are some suggestions.

1. Volunteer! There are always social service agencies looking for help, not just on the holidays but year round. There are even agencies that will assist you in finding a good match for your volunteer talents. It was through such an organization that I came across an equine rescue group in need of assistance. www.volunteermatch.org.

2. Play tourist! I have been fortunate to live in several tourist-towns, such as Sedona and Scottsdale. Both have travelers year round and thus there are fun events and places to visit. On one holiday I found myself sharing a table at a coffeehouse with an older gentleman who seemed to just not want to be alone on that day, and we were able to connect over small talk.

3. Reach out! It can be fun to assemble an array of your friends for a day of fun. I did this one year with my significant other at the time, and we collected an unusual array of individuals at our home for a Thanksgiving dinner. The memory of that unique ensemble stays with me still, even though it is many years later.

4. Join a group! I have discovered meetup.com, an online group organizing service that collects like-minded individuals together over such diverse interests as ghost hunting, healing arts, playing board games, even hiking. And what is great about this resource is that it seems to be pretty much everywhere! This year I tried a hiking group with good result.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014, a year filled with radiant good health, nurturing friendships, and creative work that you love. Namaste,
Jane

I've always been fascinated by all things ancient, not explained, mysterious....including old maps. When I was little I would avidly watch a television show called "in Search of..." They tackled many mysteries, such as the Bermuda Triangle, the Nazca Lines, Bigfoot, many times without reaching an answer. I was captivated. It led me to a sense of awe and a brief experience, I guess, of a deeper sense of Awe that I would tap into in later life. I would fall asleep to a sense of deep wonder. To my youthful way of thinking, I could not figure out why these mysteries were not front page news, instead of the jarring crime and other things that were covered nightly. I'd much rather dream of ancient sunken cities and to wonder about people that used to exist. How did those pyramids get built? and why are they found all over the globe, and in alignment with certain star patterns?

Today while lingering at Sky Harbor Airport, I came across the work of an artist that blends two of my favorite and inspiring things: picture of the west, natural and raw, and maps. Termed cartography, Deborah Springstead Ford has managed to create the same type of awe I felt as a child as she blends magic and mainstream in her artwork. The link to the photos can be found here: http://aridjournal.com/cartography-and-the-cultural-terrain-deborah-springstead-ford/

Diving Deeper into Coffee Adventures

The Bold Roost Coffeehouse in Gilbert, AZ, brings an eclectic vibe to an otherwise sleepy end of town. Replete with images relating to roosters for some unknown reason, the Roost offers a haven of caffeinated beverages in the midst of an otherwise desert town that is missing just such pleasures. The vibe is creative and upbeat.

For your eating and drinking pleasure, this coffeehouse is stocked with fresh coffees and outstanding sandwiches. The baristas are always especially welcoming and friendly. It is easy to feel at home in this mecca of cappuccino and cake.

A stage sets the scene for musical events, there are lots of books and activities, including wifi, and best of all is the chalkboard, where you can draw or write to your heart's content.

http://www.boldroost.com/

We are soon approaching the end of 2013; the last eclipse is complete, Mercury is now rolling forward, and the astrological climate supports the gathering of friends, nostalgic celebration and emotional release. Myself, I am feeling much in the way of deep gratitude for the lessons and gifts of this year. 2014 promises to bring much into play regarding building upon foundations recently set, putting structures beneath dreams and ideas, and continuing to connect with like-minded people on projects and pleasures.

As we write, a comet is preparing to dive into the sun in the next two weeks. This feels to me in alignment with Hopi prophecy and much like an punctuation mark at the end of a very, very long sentence. The earth has existed before we erected a Starbucks on each corner and placed an I-phone in each hand. I feel many good things with this comet; there seems to have been a flurry of them in quick succession, along with more solar flares helping to support change and release.

The eclipses of 2014 will continue to strengthen us by urging us to clarify our relationships and to stand up for justice (Libra), to venture out on our own and create our own happiness and bliss through work or other projects (Aries), to increase within our beings our own sense of self-love and self care - even to the point of pampering (Taurus), and finally we will find and express our depth through our daily lives (Scorpio).

Did you know that there is a group of people that actually 'chase' or follow/document each eclipse as it occurs? They call themselves the eclipse chasers, as in http://www.eclipse-chasers.com/SEC2014.html. What a wonderful thing to do: build relationships around capturing the essence of the awe-inspiring moments surrounding these celestial events.

Drinking it in on Higher Ground

Every once in awhile, I have the experience of driving around the corner of where I live, and suddenly seeing something of interest for the very first time, despite that fact that it has been sitting there all along. Such is the case with Higher Ground coffee roasters, which is literally right next to my usual grocery stop. In my quest for decent coffee in the west, I've encountered a number of great places, and this is one of them. Not only is the coffee good, but the menu is compact and meaningful, and the architecture is interesting. What I especially loved was the mason-jars-turned-lighting fixtures perched on the ceiling. Something about that felt really sweet.

http://www.hgroastery.com/

The little train that could - and did!

Sometimes an ordinary moment can turn out to be kind of special. Running errands is usually...well...ordinary. Today when stopping at a local store in a rather ordinary fashion, I happened to notice a plaque and display about some local history. Wedged between the Target and Kohl's big box stores I discovered a sweet plaque honoring a local train engine that ran through the town of Queen Creek back in the day. Engine 1673, as it was called, was tasked with making connections and deliveries back in the old west. There is not much time or interest for such a story in today's fast-paced, automated world, where it is easy to forget that at one time this busy metropolis was an isolated outpost: clothes were not purchased on the corner, the array of items available at the local grocery were not available and food had to be home grown and home-made.

Today, this little engine that could has found a permanent home at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum in Tucson. Before rushing off to my next destination, I stood next to the plaque and just felt a moment of gratitude for the steps that got us to where we are today, for the little engine that provided a link to civilization at a time when it was so desperately needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Arizona_Transportation_Museum.

Hello, my name is Janie, and I'm a foodie (murmurings of, "hi Janie..." from the crowd...Allow me to take my holy interest in food and direct it in a productive manner: sharing information and intel about food I have found. Case in point: living in the desert Southwest, a little restaurant in Scottsdale came to my attention. Specifically, that this facility boasts 'authentic' Mexican fare created by a chef that hails from a long line of food aficionados  according to lore, her father was a Mexican baker, his father was a Mexican baker, and so on, back to the year 1200. Dubbed the Barrio Queen, the owner/chef not only attended culinary school, not only came from a long line of bakers, but also spend time in real Mexican kitchens during what was described as a spiritual and food related Vision Quest in Mexico, emerging with creativity and fresh ideas. All hail the Barrio Queen, located in old town Scottsdale. I sampled the nachos and found them to be top notch. The tortilla chips were fresh and homemade, the dish not covered in cheese, but rather in just enough to allow for the spices to emerge naturally. The decor is replete with family photos that lend an air of ancestry and connectivity to family and the old country, infusing the establishment with what can only be described as personality. Oddly enough, the Cuban music playing in the backgrounded added to this ambiance. Next time, I'm trying the mole.

www.barrioqueen.com

As a recent transplant to the very rural (read: pawdunk) southwest, I am finding places of amusement and comfort in this land of tumbleweeds and mountains that all look alike. Tucked away in the pastures of Queen Creek, way southeast of the City of Phoenix, is the land of olives - or what we call, The Queen Creek Olive Mill. Situated in the middle of nowhere, very close to next-to-nothing, it is worth the drive to visit this large warehouse-turned-tourist spot, replete with olives, more olives, and then a few more....olives. The area has a beautiful outdoor eating spot along with groves of beautiful olive trees. Inside of the warehouse is a small store and a few eating areas. I am very fond of the vegetarian appetizer, which incorporates a scoop of hummus, handful of pistachios, bunch of fresh olives, and numerous vegetables, along with some chocolate.

Also inside this dwelling is the Superstition Coffee Roasters, with enough freshly roasted caffeinated substances to sustain even the most weary of tourists. They sell fresh cups of different kinds of coffee and the roasters are more than pleased to tell you about any beans you would want to purchase. As well, they roast on-site, so the aroma is wonderful.

The site for olive heaven is http://www.queencreekolivemill.com/ and for coffee manna http://superstitioncoffee.com/. The host tours of the olive fields and on October 13th they are hosting the food truck roundup on their spacious site. Bon appetit!

I must say, living in the desert southwest has it's perks. Literally. My recent new discovery is Bergies Coffee in my new homeland, Gilbert, AZ. Situated within an old bungalow on the old downtown corridor, this spot is a sweet caffeinated treat for anyone that loves to imbibe cafe'. They roast, brew, serve, sell beans, and dish out advice and opinion on current events in one fell swoop. Another perk: they are a block away from the Saturday Gilbert Farmer's Market, filled with organics and other treats, a veritable vegetarian mecca. There is a gentle approach to life in these here parts, as the harshest debate was the recent scandal in which a farmer was ousted for not being so local with the produce they were offering - they were actually hauling produce from California. The scandal of it all.

If you care to peruse their site, here it is: http://www.bergiescoffee.com/.

Entrance of Spring ~ Salad time!

The weather is quickly becoming perfect for summer salads here in the great state of Arizona, where already we are praying at the holy temple of the Swimming Pool with great abandon and pleasure, saluting the sun like some kind of long-lost warm friend. Mercury moves into direct motion today, helping to clarify our communication. What have we learned in the last three weeks? Have you been able to refine or clarify anything in your life? in your communication style? in your relationship with technology?

In honor of the arrival of spring this week, here is a description of a vegetarian bean salad:

-handful of black beans
-torn pieces of orange
-handful of seeds/nuts
-chopped jicama
-sliced kiwi
-handful of corn (organic, non-GMO)

I call this the "Handful" salad - it's just a handful of this and a handful of that, with a squeeze of orange juice and lime juice for dressing. If you are a seafood eater, you may wish to add shrimp.

Note: No pot was harmed to make this meal. It was completely un-cooked from it's inception. Someone else did the black bean cookin, so that doesn't count. Obviously.

The Sun enters Aries on March 20th, heralding the beginning of the Spring season.This is an excellent time for new beginnings and creative visualization. May this coming season bring great peace into your lives.
Namaste,
Jane

An Adventure into raw & healthy food: or, uncooking, as it may be

I am one of many people on the planet that has an interest in eating better. Many of my friends are undergoing a similar journey - eating gluten-free, juicing, adopting a raw foods diet, or going vegan. Their reasons are many: better health, concerns for animal welfare, neutralizing food sensitivities, or creating a clean and clear system. In my current path, I have experimented with all of the above, listening all the while for how my body responds. I gather my ideas from other bloggers, or from hearing friends talk about their experiments or favorite foods. I also get ideas from my local health food store newsletter.

Since May 2012, I have largely gone sugar-free. With rare exceptions (a homemade cupcake on my birthday, a cookie on Christmas), I have committed to living with out sugar in my diet. I have learned to root out the more obvious culprits: where I am now on the journey is rooting more subtle forms of sugar out of my diet, such as what may be found in salad dressings.

Here is a recent recipe, adapted from something shared by a friend. When I cook, or un-cook, my goal is to feel how the ingredients collectively sit in the body: is more energy available?

-steamed brown rice
-steamed kale, broccoli, spinach
-raw avocado, sliced
-green Goddess dressing
-handful of raw nuts

I am amazed at the simplicity in the organization of the foods. For people that struggle with food sensitivities, either known or subtle and hard-to-define, such a gathering of foods can mean the difference between stable energy in the body, or distracting the nervous system into other realms.