Lovely

I love being able to share some of the interesting and often inspiring things I find along the way. I hope this inspires you!

New Additions

It's been rather quiet around here the last couple days. The snow is starting to melt and it's all slush, muddy spots, & icey patches. Happy January, right?

For Christmas I go a new set of pots and pans from my mom- all black with colorful butterflies. I am determined to keep them meat-free, but haven't found the inspiration to break them out yet. It's coming, but I have barely felt like even cooking lately. Their time will come.

Most of the excitement around our house has been the arrival of a new puppy. She's a black lab mix & spends her time sleeping or chasing around the other dogs. At just over six weeks she is already bigger than my elderly pom. He tolerates her in his typical way; unconcerned, as long as she isn't laying on top of him. Our dogs really are a part of our family and serve as a constant reminder that I have chosen the right lifestyle and diet. We have three now (my sister has another two). Two are shelter dogs; my 4 lb. mini pomeranian (who is about11-13 yrs old) and our bull boxer (originally said to be a boxer/beagle mix when we brought him home). The newest addition is the first girl dog I think we have ever had and the product of a golden retriever mix farm dog who spent some time with a neightbor's pure black lab. She cuddles and chases the bull boxer. It's amusing for me to watch my brothers melt over her, clicking pictures and taking turns cuddling with her.

We have always been an animal family. Hamsters, birds, a guinie pig, and couple of rabbits, a couple of goats, 2-3 frogs, and cats. What is strange to me is that growing up we were always a cat family, starting with a stray runt born in our garage that couldn't keep up with his mother and siblings. He was so small when we found him that he had to be fed soaking a peice of rag in milk and letting him suckle. After him there were years without a cat or anything until one December my sister brought home a bischon puppy. Between my siblings and I, we are now up to five dogs and two cats, mostly rescues. I can't imagine not having them in our lives. Sometimes I hear stories though and I wonder how people can possibly hurt this beautiful, loving companions that enrich our lives so completely. My pom was abused and it took him and I years to work on undoing some of the damage. He's missing all of his front teeth now and his eyesight is going, but I'm glad to know that for the last six years he has a comfortable and sometimes spoiled existance.

"Would you kill your pet dog or cat to eat it? How about an animal you're not emotionally attached to? Is the thought of slaughtering a cow or chicken or pig with your own hands too much to handle? Instead, would hiring a hit-man to do teh job give you enough distance from the emotional discomfort? What animal did you put a contract out on for you supper last night? Did you make sure that none went to waste and to take a moment to be grateful for its sacrifice?" -- Anonymous

Pet Peeves

It was a mostly decent weekend (We had a good opening weekend, Halloween, some dancing, some hanging out with friends, all good things); but one full of some fairly annoying attacks to my way of being and eating and the whole vegetarian thing. We all have those peeves that just want to send us over the edge of just wanting to lash out at people and struggling not to.

Firstly, a friend of the family farms and their family all hunts (much like my own), they called to ask my mom and brothers if they wanted the meat from the deer one of the boys just got. (If they are going to hunt at least they use the meat or know people that will.) So since yesterday all I have heard around the house is about feild dressing, how long it can safely hang in this weather, getting it processed and butchered, finding a place to process, and what they are getting done with this meat (bologna, steaks, burger, etc.) and possibly the hide as well. There were phone calls, debates, conversations, gloating. I try to just ignore it... it doesn;'t do a bit of good to say anything, I just wish I did not have to hear it constantly. That was the start of yesterday.


Then came part two... the real point of my aggravation. It was Halloween weekend as well as an opening weekend for our show. This, unsurprisingly, means going out both night. (Halloween night I dressed as Mother Nature in a flowly, sheer, autumn inspired dress.) Well last night and into the wee hours of this morning we ended up at Denny's (after everything else was closed) and some of the group were still under the influences of alcohol (which probably did not help). Everyone had ordered and the food had just came. As the one girl (one that I had just met had already found myself shaking my head at more than once) began to dig into her chicken strips announced something about her being a vegetarian. I looked across the table at her plate then up at her, "Um, no your not." (This is probably one of my biggest pet peeves of people.) "Yes, I am. I'm just a vegetarian that eats chicken and seafood, I don't eat all things like beef or pork. You know there are all kind of vegetarians and vegans." She continued one babbling and raiing my blood pressure as she was going to lecture me about how a true vegetarian could still eat chicken and seafood and still be a true vegetarian. I don't think she liked my reference to "vegetarians" or eat such as semi-vegetarians. Finally she took a breath (I was getting more and more annoyed and just flat out aggravated) and something was said about me being a vegetarian (two fo the others at the others at the table know that I don't eat meat) and that I really didn't need her to tell me what one was. She asked what I ate and I explained as patiently as I could that I didn't eat anythign that had once had a face, that included chicken and seafood. So she started in on me about being a fake vegan... I don't claim to be a vegan and never had. She also started bragging about how good seafood was and how tasty her chicken strips are. These are the types of people who help make life harder for the rest of who us who actually do not eat meat. She kept at me about how good her chicken tasted and how I was a pretend vegan. I tried to explain why semi vegetarians who still eat some meat make it harder for the rest of us... when we go places people actually try to use chicken breath as "vegetarian" and fish as a "meat alternative." She was too caught up in her idea of always being right to even listen. I can't help it, but it just seems far worse to have pretend and fake vegetarians stirring up trouble than the meat eaters who just don't understand. It also confuses the meat eaters who think we can and do still consume things like that.

Check out these links:
http://www.theveggietable.com/articles/whatisavegetarian.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism
http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/OtherInfo/VegetarianTypes.htm
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/tp/TypesofVeg.htm

"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body." ~Mahatma Gandhi

Yay for "The Traveling Vegetarian"

Sometimes it may seems like there are very few of us out there and that the idea of "vegetarian culture" seems to be but a myth, but every once in awhile I come across things that remind me that I am not alone, that we are not alone on our ideals. Culture is what we make and the internet is giving each of us amazing oppurtunities to reach out to others and to hopefully make a difference.

In my multiple Internet searches I have come across other meat-less beings who share a passion for food and life. These are individuals who choose to share their life and their love with the world. Among those I found was some online clips of various vegetarian eating establishments and an upbeat host. I found it while searching through youtube clips and got hooked. Maybe you will too. Check out Yvonne Smith as The Traveling Vegetarian at http://www.myspace.com/thetravelingvegetarian or http://www.youtube.com/travelingvegetarian. It is well worth it and I would lofe to send a shout out of thanks for her and for those like her who are bringing this more peaceful culture to the world.

As quoted bu Isaac Bashevis Singer, as quoted in 'You Said a Mouthful', edited bu Ronald D. Fuchs - "I did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens."

Family Game Night with a Veggie Twist

About once a month my family gets together for a Game Night. It started out on Friday nights meeting with my aunt for dinner somewhere then often going back to her house and playing boardgames. It expanded from there with other family members included and eating mostly at her house. Some nights are more extensively planned than others, but it all comes down to sharing food, games, and time with family. Of course there is added planning when it comes to the lone vegetarian... me. I uslaly make something that compliments the rest of the spread, but highlights the yumminess of not eating meat. Last night was no exception. They planned to make 'haystacks' which basically comes down to a layered personal taco salad with homemade ice cream. Instead of taco meat for me I made a taco inspired mushroom mix by sauteeing mushrooms with garlic, then added some popper flakes and a mix of spices (all to taste). The spice mix included some onion powder, cumin, paprika, pepper, and chili powder. Added a touch of tomato sauce to give a little liquid and color. Then I let it all cook down and cook nicely together into a lovely spiced bit of mushroom taco yumminess. We had a very nice selection of additions for our 'haystacks,' that included corn chips (like fritos or the prefered), the taco mixture, cheese, nacho cheese, tomatos, sliced black olives, onion, sour cream (not a big fan, but my mom is), and shredded lettuce. Then everyone layers it on their plate or in their bowl to their own preferance.

My aunt has an ice cream recipe that does not include raw eggs. (Something that has always made be rather cautious about a lot of homemade ice cream.) We ended up making two beautiful bathches of vanilla and then has a selection of thigns to put in it; multiple candy bars to crush up onto it, carmel, peanut butter sauce, multiple chocolate sauces, pecans, toasted almonds, peanuts, whipped cream, and cherrries.

We did what we did best... we ate, we aggravated each other, we played board games, and we spend time together that a lot of families can not hardly begin to understand.

Quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw: "If a group of beings from another planet were to land on Earth - beings who considered themselves as superior to you as you feel yourself to be to other animals - would you concede them the rights over you that you assume over other animals?"

Loving Veg-friendly Leftovers in the Freezer

Thanks to my frozen leftover system, tonight while my brothers sucked down some turkey thing I enjoyed homemade white vegetable lasagna with garlic toasted french bread. I was thinking about making a new pan for dinner one night next week (and of course making enough to freeze for later). Dinner time is a constant attempt to create more middle ground in our eating habits without me giving up my vegetarian ideals and making sure they are getting some vegetables in their diet. Generally speaking, they are very meat and potaotes type guys who dislike a lot of vegetables. Normally, they all eat corn, but only one will eat peas. Lima beans (my favorite) is a lost cause as well as things like asparagus or most any green vegetable. The one is opening up and will sometimes eat spinach in things (still hasn't tried my white lasagna ut he confided that he might try it one time i make it). Carrots are an occassional success, but only with ceratin preperations. It is maddening at times, but I am deteremined to get some vegetables in their diets and give them the options of increasing the types of vegetables they do eat (one way or another it seems). Hope ya'all are enjoying all the bounties of life and having a fab new year.

As said by Christine Stevens: "The basis of all animal rights should be the Golden Rule: we should treat them as we would wish them to treat us, were any other species in our dominant position."

Anther Day in Paradise

It's after midnight and is the start of a busy week. I'm getting ready to go into technical rehearsals with the show and prepping for the Thanskgiving food that I am taking to the large family gathering on Thursday. (So far I am taking my homemade stuffing, gravy, and an appetizer... and probably lima beans because i love love love them.)

In the words of Harvey Diamond: "You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I'll buy you a new car."

In the words of George Bernard Shaw: "Think of the fierce energy concentrated in an acorn! You bury it in the ground, and it explodes into an oak! Bury a sheep, and nothing happens but decay."