Blessed community

I feel so blessed to have so many loving teachers and friends in my life. It is a tremendous gift to live in a time when there are so many beings working together to create peace and love on the planet, (as a dear friend, Lara, says so beautifully). I had a lovely experience of "fruit euphoria"--feeling so peaceful, happy and contented after eating delicious bananas, a gift of blackberries with agave and organic cherries.  (I've mentioned cherries often recently and am joyful to eat seasonally while they are available.  I feel fantastic whenever I eat them so I googled nutrient info on them: they contain a lot of potassium and are actually a food-source of melatonin.  They are also good for reducing pain and inflammation associated with gout.  Go raw!).  Spoke by phone to a dear friend who had joined us last evening and slept under the stars in her tent; I felt so loved and connected speaking to her and looking up the at the amazing cathedral created by the sycamore trees out in the backyard--such immense treasures for our comfort and happiness.  I love to wake up in the morning with all of them here (human friends, tree friends and all of the life that shares the river bank), the energy so light and clear....

More wonderful raw food posts all over the web--my favorites are the ones that remind us of our nature as beautiful, precious, loving beings remembering who we are, why we are here and extending love and light to those we meet. (Practicing one day to remember to do so all of the time and for the most challenging of all, sometimes, our families and closest loved ones).

Here are two wonderful blog posts that explore our true nature through the support of a living foods diet, among other practices:
Raw Reform E-Journal
(for anyone who hasn't yet found her site, I'm so happy to pass it on, and for everyone who knows her, to remind you to stop back for more wonderful adventures).

I continue to be so grateful for Shell's Raw Blog too--the posts are so beautiful and light... (pic of lovely blue borage flower from her site).

Some more pictures for you:

a yummy salad with alfalfa sprouts grown in a mason jar with cheesecloth--so easy and fun to do--you should try it!

a flower for you, Buddha to be...

beautiful sunflowers love the riverbank--

Danielsun's favorite flower, too :)

Hope you are experiencing many moments of peace and joy in the present moment... 

Keep Calm and Carry On

Here's a lovely post from Raw Yogi Journal II...
Her perspective on life "LIVE IN THE MOMENT. LIVE BY THE OCEAN. CREATE BEAUTY. INSPIRE OTHERS. DO YOGA & MOVE THE BODY. LIVE & EAT WHOLE ORGANIC VEGAN RAW BASED AND AS CLOSE TO NATURE AS POSSIBLE. AND REMEMBER TO BREATHE..."

The Sad and the Raw

Whew--busy week! Had some dear friends and our beautiful god-daughter here for a few days and it went quickly! It was fun to share raw food with them--been 99% raw for the last 6 weeks (the exception being "raw cashews" that I'm not sure of the true origin of) but gave in to the tradition to eat one favorite meal of non-raw Indian food with them, as we do a couple of times a year when they visit. It felt loving and healthy to be able to do that and then not to obsess about it or go on to eat non-raw afterward. It was helpful to know that it was enjoyable but that I felt really tired and drained for the next couple of days--I think that is beneficial in encouraging myself to stay raw even when it is challenging. What an immense blessing to have found this raw/living diet and lifestyle--such an amazing gift! Our friends really enjoyed the green smoothies and have been drinking more of them--so has my sister; I love to hear that familiar tale of friends and family inspired to try raw food from watching us eat it and thrive!

Like Greenmama and many others on the raw/living foods diet and lifestyle, I continue to feel myself more drawn to eat simple foods, and often it's primarily fruit! In the Ayurvedic paradigm, I believe I'm a Vata-Pitta, and think Candida may also be at play after many years of frequent antibiotic use and sugar/junk food intake, so I notice I do feel better if I eat more greens and nuts/fats. (I know that is controversial, but I personally believe that Candida overgrowth or a prevalence of some non-beneficial organism could be one aspect of the aberrant bowel-ecology that is responsible for poor health and digestion). It is neat how everyone who eats raw is different with regards to the ratio/balance of what works for them and fun to figure it out intuitively and experientially. I trust that eating and living well will take care of things slowly, over time, but I'm open to doing a bowel cleanse after I'm done nursing altogether...

Had a little conflict with hubby, who is struggling with living in the world and working so much, challenged with finding time for artistic/musical expression. Shell's Holistic Raw blog cheered me up, so I wanted to share it with you... (Regarding today's entry on her blog: I find eating raw that I feel more connected with others and love for them to share my raw meals and snacks, but the tone, the lovely pics and entries and her sweet voice and lifepath bring me so much joy and reminds me of all the wonderful, loving people striving to bring happiness and peace to each other and the earth, every day.). The moments of feeling loving and joyful and those lost in confusion and suffering come and go, but remaining present and engaging in high-vibration things like being in nature, meditating and being around/hearing others share from their loving space really help me to stay present and conscious more often! (I think many of us are striving to be more like the Dalai Lama, who seems to remain conscious "full-time". More on that here

Today I ate: (always organic unless otherwise indicated)
2 peaches
handful cherries
2 bananas
fruit salad (golden delcious apple, grapes, banana)
pkt chlorella
nori rolls with cabbage salad, lettuce, avocado and golden beet
more bananas
water

I miss my smoothie but it's getting late--will probably eat some more fruit or greens... Must go, our darling 3 year old just asked me for "the biggest banana that can fit on the world", so I'm happy to oblige him with a snack!


Here's some pics of the food I ate over the last couple of days:

Namaste. :)

sweet, peaceful day

Had a lovely day--woke up tired but got up at 9am after going to bed at 4am!! (Working on the blog and website all night after indulging in some chocolate :0  There's my Shared Secret--2 vices I am still challenged with!). Felt like I was dragging this morning (almost like a hangover!), but took a nice walk in the trees and then worked out. Felt calm and good, not very hungry today. The day flowed by gently--I weeded the wineberry bushes at my father-in-law's next door, watched my son and nephews, spent alot of time outside. My mother-in-law had beautiful leftover (vegan) homemade burritos and zucchini chocolate cake and I enjoyed looking at them and didn't feel too tempted--felt happy they were enjoying them.

Started the day off well with a smoothie (lactino kale, banana, blueberry, strawberry), then had delicious organci cherries out back looking over the river.  I feel so drawn to be outside, especially when I'm eating--it just feels so natural and light to be connected to the energy there and part of it all.  Later on had delicious organic avocado with fresh lemon, garlic powder, sea salt/pepper (a favorite quick snack) and cabbage salad (delicious with just shredded carrot, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and Braggs or plain sea salt). Had 2 fuji apples, a banana and mor cherries later, followed by cranberry/coconut trail mix and more cabbage salad. Feeling drawn to simpler foods lately and it sure saves time! (But it's alot of fun to prepare more elaborate dishes, too!). Feeling so drawn to Gabriel Cousens books now--I love that he seems to emphasize the spiritual aspects of raw/living foods and other aspects of a healthy, loving life. Hope to get some soon!

Here are some pics from today: (I feel like my camera is an extra appendage this weekend!) ;)

The river view where I ate my cherries

Frozen berry smoothie in the making...

Avocado with lemon/sea salt--

eat with a spoon...

Cabbage salad

Some wineberries I picked while weeding

Those amazing cherries...

Have a great week!

What's missing in my life? (A day without greens)

Had a good morning--woke feeling great, energized, peaceful, relaxed... then I found myself increasingly lost as the day rolled on, and looking back, I think it's because I missed my daily greens! (So much nicer than daily bread!) :). I continue to be amazed and delighted with how much energy they provide! (My husband consumes alot of chlorella and spirulina these days, and swears by that same effect from those superfood greens--I agree!). Went with my family to a work picnic where friends thoughtfully prepared raw and vegan items for us to enjoy. Had a few stray bites of non-raw grains in the asian salad and a bite of chip to try a beautiful salsa prepared with a neighbor's organic tomatoes;  I would have preferred to avoid those but felt happy to be open and not obsessive about being raw. I saw a wonderful blog entry on Heidi and Justin's site about the opportunity to not be fanatic about the occasional bite of non-raw food--we're still raw foodists in action and intention, and for me it resonates that a raw/living foods diet would also be in line with a perspective on life that promotes the healing of the earth and what feels most loving. (ie gratitude for that great food and the desire not to waste or reject a loving gift)!

Since I missed my smoothie today--I included a picture of a nice one from yesterday.
(You can never go wrong with the combination of strawberry, banana and greens!).

Delicious summer days

Wow--we got the most amazing box of produce from our CSA, Spiral Path Farm, today. Beautiful purple eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn (delcious raw)--I need to start taking pics of the boxes! I had a yummy cucumber salad the last couple of days and have enjoyed their greens in smoothies (today green apple/pear/banana with greens and later pineapple/strawberry/banana with greens). Made a great sprouted chickpea hummus from Alyssa Cohen's book--I get hooked on sprouting! ( So simple using just a bowl and leaving them to their own devices without too much attention...).

I think the lovliest thing about summer (besides all of the great variety and abundance in produce) is the berries. So many different kinds and so sweet how they come one after another in waves (strawberries then mulberries, blackberries, black raspberries, blueberries, wineberries). Received an amazing gift from my father-in-law today--so selfless and thoughtful--really a lesson to me of service and unconditional love. Windhorse moving through him and then to me to share as well. (In Tibetan Buddhism, Windhorse is the unlimited energy of basic goodness, buddhanature.). Such a gift and how beautiful the world would be if we all woke up tomorrow and remembered to treat eachother in a loving and caring way. I feel so blessed for all of the love that I've received today and in my life.

Here's a yummy cucumber salad--a community
salad with tomatoes and cucumbers from family
gardens and the CSA (and CSA onions, too)



These are wineberries from the bushes looking out
over the riverbank--really amazing. A gift planted
by my mother-in-law a few years ago. What a
wonderful legacy--to plant beautiful things on the
earth for others to share when we are gone.


Have a great day!

Raw Camping with the Gypsy Caravan

I feel so blessed--we had such an abundant weekend! Went camping with dear sangha friends at Pinchot Park near Lewisberry, Pa. Robert had built an amazing Gypsy Caravan and they had it all decked out with lights, a canopy and a second tent for food/raw supplies including blender--they really know how to take camping to another level! (Also a tent for us and 2 others for friends)--it was just amazing!  I had delicious asian cabbage salad, 

cherries, melon and my raw zucchini bread and then Robert produced a chilled collard/blueberry/strawberry/banana smoothie later that evening--heaven!! So magical to spend the evening by the fire discussing life, karma, God and to wake in community with my beloveds in the string of tents in the woods. I was floating as I carried my little bag to the showers--living simply with dear friends and feeling so loved AND surrounded by trees--what else could you ask for?

Going wild on organic cherries--I'd just decided the non-organic were so delicious I couldn't pass them up when I found a whole section of perfect organic ones at the local mainstream grocery store--WOW! (Been snacking on them all afternoon). Watched the Way of the Peaceful Warrior DVD the last few days while I work out--really a nice discussion of basic principles and encouraging that it's been made into a mainstream movie. Remembering to be present and not as reactive--very grateful for that.

Here's a recipe for the great trail mix I brought to share for breakfast:

Cranberry coconut trail mix:

sunflower seeds (6 to 1 ratio with pumpkin seeds)

pumpkin seeds

dried cranberries

dried coconut

almonds

(Especially delicious with a sauce of blended sesame and virgin organic coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, agave and sea salt.  I have to try dehydrating that!).