Love in the past is only a memory. Love in the future is a fantasy.

Only here and now can we truly love.

Just as a snake sheds it's skin, we must shed our past over and over again.

Potato and Parsley Salad

Over memorial day weekend I tried a delicious potato salad recipe I got out of my "Real Simple" magazine.
Even though the recipe called for beacon, I left it out to keep it vegetarian and to keep it low in fat.
If your interested in trying a tasty, healthier version of potato salad then this one's sure to satisfy your taste buds.

Ingredients;
1 1/2 lb new potatoes
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh flat leafed parsley,
roughly chopped
Place potatoes in a pot full of water. Add salt to the water and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Cut into quarters.
In a large bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together.
Toss with potatoes and parsley.

You can chill this before serving, or serve it right away.

We can be spacious, yet full of loving kindness; full of compassion,

yet serene. Live like the strings of a fine instrument-not too taunt and not too loose.

Japanese Peonia

Japanese Peonia trees are so beautiful. My mom had three of these trees in our front landscape when I was growing up.


I remember picking gorgeous bouquets of Peonies when they were in bloom.

They had over sized soft pink petals and they were so big and puffy. Definitely shabby chic!

This year, I intend on planting a few of these pretty trees in my back landscape.

I also look forward to placing vases full of these fragrant blooms all around my house.

Cleansing Rain

As rain falls on the just and unjust alike, let your heart be untroubled by judgments and let your kindness rain on all.

Bean Dip

Here's a great bean dip recipe that tastes great on bread, used as a vegetable dip or chip dip.

Ingredients;

2 cups cooked pinto beans (1 15 oz can),

rinsed and drained

2 tbs fresh lime juice

1 medium-sized tomato, peeled and seeded

2 medium cloves of garlic, minced

a handful of parsley

a handful of cilantro

3/4 tsp of cumin

1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt

black pepper and cayenne, to taste

To peel and seed tomato: Drop it into a pan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Remove it, and peel off the skin. Cut the tomato open; squeeze out and discard the seeds. Chop the remaining pulp.

Whip everything together in a food processor or a blender.

Wishing all you mom's out there a very happy mother's day!

The Hare Moon

During the month of May the full moon is also referred to as the Hare moon. There are other names for May's full moon such as, Bright moon and Planting moon. In China the full moon is known as the Pestilent moon; Chung K'uei, the great spiritual chaser of demons is honored.
Some of the months and traditions that use to be associated with the Hare moon are;
May 5: Feast of the Dragon in China
May 9: Feast of Artimis in Greece
May 9, 11 and 13: The Lumuria in Rome.
May 12: Festival of Shashti in India; Aranya Shashti is a forest god similar to Pan.
May 15: Day of Maia, a Full Moon goddess, in Greece
May 23: The Roselia in Rome, the rose festival of Venus
May 24: Birth of Artemis/Diana; called the Thargelia; Usually on the new crescent Moon.
May 26-31: The festival of Diana as goddess of the wildwood in Rome.

Correspondences of the Hare Moon are (folklore);
Nature Spirits: Fairies, elves
Herbs: elder, mint, rose, thyme, yarrow
Colors: green, brown
Scents: rose, sandalwood
Plants: foxglove, broom, lily of the valley
Stones: amber, carnelian
Trees: hawthorn
Animals: cats, leopard
Birds: swallow, dove and swan
Deities: Bast, Venus, Maia, Aphrodite, Artemis, Pan, Diana
Power Flow: full creating energy; propagation. Intuition. Strengthen connection with supernatural protectors and beings around you.

Planting Strawberries

This year I've decided to plant strawberries on my side burm. Last week I went out and bought 25 Everbearing strawberry plants called "All Star". They're supposed to be one of the hardier varieties . They've already bounced back since I planted them. both me and the kids are so looking forward to eating fresh strawberries next year!!!!!!!
For those of you who want to try and grow your own strawberry patch, I placed the directions on how to successfully plant them below.



Before planting;
Soak plants in water for about an hour but not more than 3 to 4 hours. Keep roots moist at all times and protect them from sun and wind. Choose a sunny spot.

Planting Distance;
Dig holes 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart in rows 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet apart.

Planting depth;
Make sure they are planted so the crown is just above ground level. If plants are too deep they will seldom amount to anything even though they may last all summer. If the plants are set too shallow, the top of the roots will be exposed to the air and dry out.
Fan out the roots, keeping them straight down. Don't double up the roots. If necessary, clip the roots an inch or two to avoid this.
Firm the soil around each plant and water well.


Removing Blossoms;
The first season, pinch off the blossoms to save the plant's strength. When you do this, your plants produce more runners and you'll get bigger crops in the following years.
With Everbearers the blossoms should be removed until the plants are well established. This will usually require about sixty days.

Cultivation;
After growth starts, cultivate every week until the strawberry bed is well established. Once or twice during the early growing season and again in mid August, apply about 1 lb per 80 sq. feet of fertilizer such as 10-6-4.
Cover your plants with 4-6 inches of straw after the ground freezes hard.
This can be raked aside and used as mulch the following season. A straw mulch will protect your bed in the winter and keep it moist and weed-free during the growing season.

Mulligatawny soup

Every Tuesday during the month of May I will be posting pureed recipes.

Today I've posted a recipe that I read in one of my "Body and Soul" magazines.

I've already made this vegetarian Indian soup three times and it's delicious!

If your a fan of Indian cuisine then you'll love this tasty dish.

Ingredients;

3 tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp grated peeled ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Coarse sea salt and ground pepper to taste

8 ounces dried yellow lentils, rinsed

2 cans (14.5 ounces each)

Vegetable broth

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 can chick peas drained and rinsed (optional)

1/4 cup scallion green for garnish (optional)

Brown Basmati rice for serving (optional)

1) Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds; Add lentils and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook until lentils are soft. Working in batches, transfer to a blender and puree soup. Return to soup pot and add two cups of water. Cook over medium heat until warmed. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

2) (optional) Meanwhile, heat remaining two tbs of oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add chickpeas; cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and crisp. Serve soup topped with chickpeas and scallion greens with brown rice alongside.