Zeitgeist- The spirit of the time.

If you did not already know, I had been living on the west coast of America for the past 3 years.  In that time I inhabited;

                                                                  Portland, Oregon

                                                                 Seattle, Washington

                                                                Kalispell Montana

                                                                  and Homer Alaska

Not to seem extravagant but I also found myself in Plettenburg Bay South Africa earlier this year.

  I surrendered my time and service to non profit conservation organizations.  Tramping in mountains, meadows, and oceans trying to save myself and my planet.  

I've exhausted the body of my cannon and the photographer in this body.  What do you do when your passions in life dissolve?  No longer do I lead trail crews with expensive camera equiptment slung over my shoulder.  

This time is the elbow of a turn in my life.  My story.  My journey.  

Now I am east.  I am in La Grange Kentucky, homesteading my parents home.  I have more time than money and I feel more calm than ever. 

I watch two flames flicker in a green soy candle.  A collection of plants grow before me.  I close my homemade curtains.  

The phone rings and I pray it is for me.

Student: You spoke about non-attachment to things. What about persons?

SN Goenka: Yes, persons also. You have true love for the person, compassionate love for this person, this is totally different. But when you have attachment, then you don't have love, you only love yourself because you expect something.  (thank you Jonathon Price)

Something.  I wish to have compassionate love.  

.

This is a time to learn to love with compassion.

Everything I need is right here.  My supportive parents down the hall.  
A place to sit in meditation.  A warm comfortable bed with more space than I can I fill. 
A healthy kitchen with compost and recycling.
Room to breath, practice yoga, read, and sew.  
.  

I never thought I would have to learn to love.  
I reckoned the capacity to love was something we were all born with.  
I am 26.33 years old. 
Love for me feels like being blindfolded in a minefield.

Now I will share some fun and inexpensive activities from my life.

• Making butter from heavy whipping cream in a cold glass bowl with an electric beater. 
• Going though the Goodwill box in attic  I have found enough pieces of fabric to make pillows and aprons for christmas presents
• The library has a vast supply of books on crafts, green living, and cooking.  They also have workout and yoga dvds.
•  Green smoothies for breakfast are simple and energizing.  I use organic frozen spinach and kale, frozen mango and peach chunks, almond milk, ground flax, and cinnamon.  Don't be afraid to throw random raw fruits and veggies in the blender as well.  Also, if it tastes like dirt just add honey.  
• Pandora Radio.  enough said
• Running around the neighborhood.  
• I have made a two batches of cashew ferment (thanks Jon and Melanya).  This is so easy.  Just soak unsalted, raw cashews in a jar of water for a few days.  Then throw it in the blender until it is creamyish.  It can be eaten like sour cream.  
• Coffee grounds tied up in a bandana can be used as a body exfoliate in the shower.
• Hanging or framing maps on the wall.
• Collecting Holly, pine cones, and cedar sprigs  to decorate.   
• Weatherizing windows and doorways to reduce heat loss.  
• Making corn tortillas from "Mase"  

My next projects are going to involve candle and soap making.   I just need a mortar and pestle.  


My favorite vegeterian, vegan, and gluten free cooking guides
www.101cookbooks.com/
http://www.thekitchn.com/

Here is my old blog address if you need some catching up.......

http://sarazocklein.blogspot.com/