Seed to Plate; Soil to Sky

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

With more than one hundred cookbooks on my bookshelf, one would think I don’t need another. Yet after a trip to the great southwest my cousin was compelled to provide me with one we had seen in Taos. Seed to Plate; Soil to Sky by Lois Ellen Frank contains modern plant-based recipes using Native American ingredients. Chef Walter Whitewater is the culinary adviser.

Linda, my cousin, and I have traveled together for over fifteen years. We consider ourselves foodies. Although she is not a vegetarian, she does appreciate vegetables, having grown up on a farm where her mother had an extensive garden. She is the one who selects where we eat when we travel. She studies menus, looking for those that have at least two options for me while also offering dishes that sound good to her. Over the years, I can’t think of more than one or two places that turned out to be less than delish.

One of the great things about living in America is the diversity of cuisine available due to the melting pot we are. Interestingly, many of the dishes we eat today come from other cultures. Although the cuisine is readily available in restaurants, the ingredients are available year-around in grocery stores.

Melissa K. Nelson of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa states “very few know and understand the Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and deep kinship relationships that Indigenous Peoples historically had and still have today for these ‘life sustainers’.” The cookbook serves not only as a source of recipes to use with The Magic Eight but offers insights into the use and development of these sustainable culinary sources.

“The Magic Eight were given to the world by Native Peoples of the Americas.” The book is divided into chapters, eight of which focus on one of the primary ingredients: corn, beans, squash, chile, tomato, potato, vanilla, and cacao.

You are probably thinking, you eat these ingredients frequently. Absolutely! You are probably also thinking “I don’t care for squash!” Yet what is better than a yummy pumpkin pie in the fall or a grilled zucchini with lemon herb dressing? Some ingredients are so familiar that we take them for granted. And that is a steppingstone for expanding our palates. Calabacitas, for example, is a traditional stir fry with roasted green chiles, zucchini, yellow summer squash, onion, and corn. Easy to make and yummy to eat. And you are eating squash!

When I first tried sweet potato and black beans I was shocked at the delightful mix of flavors. Now sweet potato and black bean tacos or enchiladas are “go-to’s” when I want a quick, nutritious meal. I always have tortillas on hand, but with this cookbook, I could make my own!

I could go on and on about the recipes in Seed to Plate; Soil to Sky. Some are easy. Some are a bit more challenging.  All the ones I have tried have been delicious.  I’m still making my way through the recipes.

Admittedly, mine rarely look as pristine as the gorgeous full color pictures of ingredients and finished dishes, but they aren’t bad.  If you are looking to better understand Native American culture while trying new week-night dishes, give this book a nod. I’m guessing you will be inspired!

ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᎠᎵᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎬ (Happy Eating in Cherokee)!

Honoring Friends and Family

by Cynthia, posted in Lifestyle

Why is it that we fail to connect with old friends and extended family members until someone passes away? I have always thought it is more important to make time for others now, than to wait.

Several years ago I randomly thought of a gentleman who served as a mentor to many of us at the university. Even though on paper I outranked him, Terry was one of those people to whom you looked up. Respected. Listened carefully to what he had to say. He had retired a year or so previously and I had not spoken to him since that time.  I was busy, I would tell myself. One day I finally contacted the leadership in his department, asking if there might be an email address or phone number I could use to reach out.  I was informed that he had died just a few days before. I was upset with myself. I would never be able to tell him how much I learned from him and the impact he made.  I vowed at that time that whenever I think of a person, regardless of how random, I stop what I am doing and reach out, right then if possible. Or at least that same day.

In that vein I have made a point to occasionally contact people who have made a difference in my life – friends and family.

After losing my mother, I continue to contact her siblings – my aunts and uncles.  One such uncle was especially fun – always laughing. He had that big booming laugh that my maternal grandfather had. Full of life and love for his family, if I hadn’t reached out to him, he would call me. He spoke for only a couple of minutes. No long, drawn-out conversations were necessary. Just a quick call. One day not long ago I was in a meeting, so my phone went to voice mail.  His message went something like this: “Hey Cynthia. This is your uncle Campbell. I just wanted to let you know I haven’t forgotten you. I hope you haven’t forgotten me. Okay. Love you. Bye.”  It was such a cheerful, cute message I saved it.

Then a few weeks ago, I received a call saying that he was in the ICU, having had a car accident. He passed away about ten days later. The youngest of the five siblings, all in their 90s, he was the second to go in a year’s time.  We all gathered in Memphis to put him to final rest.

As a military veteran, a lovely, timed-to-the-minute ceremony, was held in the rotunda of the impressive Western Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. Bagpipes played. Army personnel tended his ashes and the U.S. flag which was presented to his wife. A 21-gun salute rang through the air. It was both beautiful and touching.

Later that day, a celebration of life dinner was held at his favorite bar-be-que restaurant. Having met with family the night before at my aunt and uncle’s home, and then at the hotel where we all stayed, we deepened our connections and heard stories from his friends. I ensured I had contact information for each cousin who attended and then created a group txt so we could easily stay in touch.

The eight-hour drive home was filled with conversation and ideas. Luckily, my sister had gone with me, so we were able to chat about the weekend. We even talked about our paternal side of the family and how we had all gathered at my brother’s celebration of life a year-and-a-half ago. Now that we are the “top generation” of our family, we are more aware of the time we have left and how we will spend it.

Once again, my thoughts turn to one of my affirmations. Live each day as if it were your last. It may be.

The Chicken Lamp

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

My mother had a chicken lamp that was her pride and joy. She saved a $1.00 a week for 35 weeks to buy her coveted lamp.  Remember those days when you put items on layaway? That was a healthy price for the 50s. However, the lamp did not feel very mid-century.  It had a brown shade with a yellow ruffle, and it was a chicken.  It didn’t matter, she loved her lamp!

One day my mother was off to the store which was down the street from our house, and my little brother, Timmy, and I, were left home alone and were to take care of one another. This was a time when younger children were given much more freedom.  We were about 6 and 8 years old at the time.  At any rate, we were expected to behave and keep out of trouble.

Well, as soon as mother left to do her shopping, we, of course, began fighting and chasing one another around the house.  I believe that Timmy was chasing me, and he plowed into the chicken lamp knocking it over and breaking the head off.  (He may tell this differently.) OMG, the world was ending.  We were doomed.  Mother was going to kill us for a multitude of reasons; namely, her chicken lamp was broken, her precious chicken lamp.

So being the older, wiser child, I decided that we would not confess our sins.  So, we put the head back on the chicken and became the most well-behaved children occupying ourselves with Timmy playing with his farm set and me reading.   If mother discovered the damaged chicken lamp, we would deny everything.  This was the first time that brother and sister conspired to save their necks.  We were taking this to our graves.  

It is amazing that neither of us said anything.  I would have been in trouble for not supervising Timmy better, and he would have been in trouble for breaking the beloved lamp. So, time passed, and the head held.  Mother cleaned the lamp, and the head did not fall off. The head remained steady even during a move to our new house.  It is not fun waiting for a shoe to drop.  At any moment, our sins could be revealed.  

Time passed; years passed.  The chicken lamp remained on a revered spot in the living room on a round, maple table. The chicken head held firm to the point that we began to forget about it until one Sunday afternoon.  My father’s brother and family were visiting.  Their son, our cousin Gregory, walked over to the lamp, and he touched his finger to the tip of the chicken’s beak.   Plop, the head fell to the tabletop.  Timmy and I looked at one another across the room, and our eyes locked.  Gregory was going to be the one in trouble. He would take the fall, and neither one of us spoke up.  That moment sealed the bond between us.  This was going to the grave with us.  Gregory was just a little guy, so he wasn’t going to get in trouble for “breaking “the lamp.  He just touched it.  Everyone was sorry, and my mother ended up glueing the chicken head back on the chicken body.  All was well.  How did we ever get away with this? 

Now, for the backstory.  First, Greg if you are reading this, we are sorry we let you take the blame.  Timmy as a child was a naughty little boy, and we have many Timmy stories in our family that I will share in the future.  Timmy became a teacher and an outstanding school guidance counselor when he grew up. Never give up on a child. Redemption is always there.  

Apparently, not for me.  The Berenstain Bears have a story on honesty (The Berenstain Bears and The Truth) that is centered around the children breaking a lamp. The book was written 30 years after our crime. There must be a lot of children breaking lamps.  Those little bears confessed, but they didn’t have a Cousin Gregory to lay the blame.  We didn’t confess to our mother until we were in our 50s, and she was in her 70s. We figured it was safe to fess up! She wasn’t mad and had no idea that had happened.  We felt lighter and didn’t have to take the sin to our graves! 

Comedy Collection 

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

The world seems grim right now!  Everywhere you look there doesn’t seem to be much joy. So, what do we do about that?  I think we need to bring more humor and laughter back into our lives.  You know the saying – Laughter is the Best Medicine?  Maybe the world needs a big dose of it now, but where do we begin? 

We could take a class in laughter.  There you try different kinds laughing such the queen wave while you walk around laughing or the Hawaiian laugh as you do the hula while you laugh.   There are endless possibilities of different kinds of laughter.  I took such a class, and you can’t help but laugh when everyone around is doing the hula and laughing.  The purpose is nonsense, and that nonsense makes you laugh.  However, laughter helps lower stress, alter moods, and helps the heart.  

There is laughing yoga which uses breathing exercises and laughing with no poses and laughter therapy which involves watching funny movies (there is a reason for Dumb and Dumber) or shows or reading humorous books.  When I need a smile or a chuckle, I think of certain TV shows that gave me a good belly laugh. They were so funny that I have never forgotten them.  

The first of my Comedy Collection was an episode of the Ellen DeGeneres’s comedy sitcom, Ellen – a comedy show way before The Ellen DeGeneres Show.  Ellen was enthralled by Martha Stewart.  She loved everything Martha Stewart, so she decide to create a Thanksgiving dinner, a perfect meal that Martha would admire. Of course, nothing went as planned.  Her oven broke so she tired cooking the turkey in the dryer.  You could see the poor bird flipping around through the glass door. The whole episode continued with disaster after disaster. Well, at the end, the guests came and among them was Martha Stewart herself – a happy ending with Ellen meeting her entertainment hero. 

The second in the Comedy Collection was from Sex and the City. Main character, Carrie, loved and I mean loved fashion.  Remember all the zany outfits?  Carrie is asked to model some clothes for New York City’s Fashion Week.  Her wildest dreams had come true.  So down the catwalk she struts trying hard to do the model walk, and at the end of the ramp, she falls for all of NYC fashionistas to see.  I literally fell off the couch laughing.  I still giggle when I think of the show.

An episode of Friends was the third in my Comedy Collection.  Ross and Rachel accidently locked their baby in their apartment and the window was slightly opened in the nursery. The two of them are in the hall imagining all the terrible things that could happen to the baby.  Now remember that the infant baby is in a crib and the window is only open a few inches.  However, they are sure the baby is going to fall out of the window and with each new imaginary scenario, they would freak out even more.  By the end they were sure a hawk would fly in the window and steal away the baby.  Remember this is New York City.  They finally get in, and the baby had napped away the hour they were panicking.  As parents, we have all been in similar situations imagining horrors happening to our sleeping babies or teenagers.

If I need to lift my spirits, I just think of those shows, and I find myself laughing.  I will end with a story of the funniest experience of my life.  It always makes me laugh.  When I lived in SC, I lived 10 minutes from a movie theater.  I could decide at the last moment to go to see a film.  On one Sunday afternoon, I decided to go see a movie.  I was going to just make the show, but I had to get popcorn and a drink.  I hurried in getting my ticket then my snacks.  The film was in the last theater in the complex.  I walked up to the entrance.  There was a door to left and one to the right.  I decided to go in the one on the right.  I entered and it was completely dark.  Had I walked into another world or maybe Narnia?  I started to reach out in the darkness and found the wall.  I tapped down the wall until I felt a broom handle.  OMG, I was in the broom closet.  I started laughing and continued tapping in search of the door.  Once I found the door handle and was ready to turn it, the door opened.  There stood a man with his popcorn and soda preparing to enter the theater.  He was surprised to see me as I was surprised to see him, and then I said, “It is the broom closet.”  At that point, we were both hysterically laughing with popcorn flying everywhere. We gained our composure after some repeated tries and eventually entered the other door.  He joined his date, and I found a seat still trying to stop laughing.  I often thought that this would have been a great way to meet your future husband, a great romcom beginning!

As I have written this blog, I have been laughing at my go-to Comedy Collection.  I hope this will inspire you to start your own collection.  I know you have some shows, movies, or books that make you grin. You are already on your way!  Our laughter can help the world find some joy and maybe not be so dark.  

Invisible 

by sssmahh303, posted in Taking Care of Business

Mary Ann

Most women at one point or another in their lives become invisible.  As we age, we begin to fade, not just our looks, but who we are.  At times it feels like we have disappeared.  It may be at a meeting when your suggestion is just ignored and then the idea becomes one of the other men’s ideas a day later, or a man is given a position even though the woman was more qualified.  You see it, and you feel it.  It is not your imagination.  

This became apparently clear to me while I was working in NYC.  I was in Starbucks in a long line awaiting to place my Chai Latte order.  As we moved forward, I noticed a very pretty, young lady behind me. The line moved, and I was up next. The male barista didn’t take my order.  He completely ignored me and began to take the pretty girl’s order who was behind me.  I stood there with my mouth opened – in shock – and finally said, “I was next.  She is pretty, but I was next.”  He then took my order without an apology.  He did not see me!  I realized at that moment that I was experiencing what many women have experienced – invisibility! 

Every person, man or woman, should be treated with respect.  As we get older, we should be honored as the elders in the society.  However, we are not.  No wonder women chase the fountain of youth. Have you ever seen those postings on phone news where they show a picture of a former famous actress as an old lady.  Most recently it was Cybil Shepherd. Really, her only fault is she just grew old.  We all do.  However, is it necessary to stalk these older women to get those pictures?  It is done with men as well, but women dominate these pictures. It is sad.

Caroline Criado Perez’s book, Invisible Women, explores the data bias in a world designed for men.  She is British but uses data from all around the world.  Whether it is medical research or the workplace or even transportation, the male perspective is the default in a world that is 50% women.  In many ways you are invisible just for being a woman, and it intensifies as you age.  Invisible Women is academically based, but it is quite readable.  You will identify with much of the book should you want to explore this topic even further. 

 A lot must change for there to be equality, and this won’t suddenly happen. I once read in USA Today that it would take 1000 years for the world to be equal for both men and women.  There would be equal numbers of women and men in Congress or half of the CEO would be women and the like.  It is getting better, but it is at a snail’s pace.  When that happens, women may no longer be invisible.  However, a thousand years is a long time to become visible, and we have no choice but to move forward.  

One Household Chore Just Got Easier!

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

On occasion I need to change out the shelf paper for a cleaner, smoother base. Recently and by accident I ran across the most wonderful shelf liner. When I bought it, I was in a hurry and could not find shelf liner anywhere in the big box store. As I rounded the corner, I found some on an end-cap so grabbed a couple of rolls, which came in plastic containers, and off I went.

Opening the blister pack I noticed faint grid lines in the black surface. At first, I thought I had picked up a faulty liner. But to my surprise, the quarter-inch grids were designed to make measurements easier. Now let’s be real. It is difficult to cut straight lines that fit just right in any given shelf.

But … drum roll please! I realized I did not have to use scissors! I simply slid the liner into the shelf, folded it along one of the grid lines, and pulled. Yes, indeed! Just pulled along the line and had a perfectly neat edge.

This miracle product is called Zip-N-Fit, and it is made by a company we have all come to trust: Con-Tact.  I was so excited I went back for several more rolls!

The shelf liner comes in clear and can be used in the refrigerator. It also comes in gray and tan. I bought black, first. Regardless of the color, the shelf liner can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. So not only does it go on easily, it stays and cleans up easily.

Since I find myself continually organizing and cleaning, I’m excited to find a product that helps me do both in one fell swoop.

Problems vs Inconveniences 

by sssmahh303, posted in Lifestyle

Mary Ann 

One of my favorite sayings is “As Thy Day so Shall Thy Strength Be.”  It is a Bible verse from Deuteronomy (33:25) that I recently discovered the origin.  I should have known with the Thys and the Shall.  It has gotten me through some really challenging times.  It is like the quote, “God only gives you what you can handle.”  Life is hard, and there are always going to be tough times.  

However, everything in our lives that challenges us is not always a problem.  For the most part it is an inconvenience, not a real problem.  Real problems are like the wildfires in Los Angeles or a cancer diagnosis or a loss of a job – how are you going to pay the bills? These are real problems, real worries. 

Often, we call the daily inconveniences that we face, problems.  Traffic jams, phone calls that should be one yes or no answer that take 10 steps to get to it, the wrong order at McDonalds, and on and on.  There is a big difference between a rainy day and a hurricane.

I try to remember the difference as I go about my life.  In the past, no matter what the problem or inconvenience was in my life, my father would always say,” it is all going to be okay, and it was.  I always felt better when he said those words to me, a healing balm. 

I was recently watching Shrinking on Apple TV+.  It was episode 4 of Season 2. The show was centering on problems of the various characters.  Near the end, neighbors Derek and Liz were sitting on the patio with the other cast members.  They were talking about the very comment that my father would make.  Liz asked Derek to do The Special for Brian.  Derek sat down and told Brian to look into his eyes and then Derek said, “Whatever it is, everything is going to be okay.”  There were a few tears.  There is magic in those words just as they had been for me when my father said them to me.  I guess there are many fathers who say that to their family members. 

I try to say those words to my children, but I somehow do not have the gravitas that my father’s words held.  Maybe they mean more than I realize.  Maybe they won’t mean as much until I am gone.  Then they will have to pass it on to their friends, children, or other relatives. 

There is a magnet, card, and a pin by Quotable Magnets that says, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it is not the end.” – Unknown.  Maybe we need to all put that on the refrigerator to remind us that most problems will be resolved, and most are just inconveniences.  

Travel Buds

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann 

Have you ever taken a group tour for a travel adventure with companies like Viking or Smartours?  You are with around 30 people, and often you click with some of the people you meet. For the duration of the trip, you become fast friends, and at the end of the journey, you exchange addresses and contact info to keep in touch.  Time passes, and you are lucky if you get a Christmas card.   Occasionally, however, magic happens, and the friendships take root on the trip and blossom in the coming years!  

I have been blessed twice with such friendships.  On a trip to Africa, I found one of my best friends, and we have taken several trips together and have enjoyed NYC when I lived there – she is a New Yorker.  We are very compatible travel buds, and laughter comes easily to us. What a blessing!  

On another trip in 2012 to Costa Rica, I met a group of people who were from New York City and New Jersey.  There were 7 of us (two couples and three singles) who have kept in touch meeting several times a year to dine and do local adventures.  We explored Greenwich Village with the New Yorkers leading the tours and walked the Brooklyn Bridge and toured the Dumbo area of Brooklyn.  We did a day exploring an outdoor sculpture garden and have attended plays. When we are together, it is non-stop talking, and everyone gets along so well. We call ourselves The Costa Rica Gang. 

Sometimes we do major trips together.  Several of us went on tours to Morocco and Egypt. Other members of the gang have taken smaller trips together or meet up for dinner in New York in small groups.  My African bestie has joined our group several times and is often part of the adventures.

I have used the word together in most of the sentences in this blog.  It is the word that best describes us.  The Costa Rica Gang is the kindest and most adventurous group of people I know.  We are in regular contact sharing our life experiences.  There have been medical challenges, and we have supported each other through them.  I know if I needed help, these people would be there for me.  I would be there for them.  

How did I get so lucky to have been blessed with these people in my life?  I am richer for knowing them. I cannot say enough good about them. I hope they see this blog as a love letter to them.  I look forward to our future adventures – together! 

Note: 

If you meet people on a trip and you can see a lasting friendship, try to really stay in touch.  You must reach out to them and make some plans.  Great Travel Buds are priceless. Remember those friendship can grow and be a meaningful part of your life. You will never regret the effort. 

Will You Be My Galentine?

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

February brings us Galentine’s Day. The term was coined on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation when Leslie Knope, the fictional Deputy Director introduced the term. “It’s like Lilith Fair without the angst. Plus frittatas.”  Galentines refers to plutonic “girlfriend” relationships. Galentine’s Day is usually celebrated on February 13.

I first heard the term several years ago when one of my single female friends was distraught about not having a male partner with whom to celebrate Valentine’s Day. That year, she gave me a box of chocolates, each shaped like frogs, that said “you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince.” It was funny … and fun.

Fast forward to 2025. Galentine’s Day has become almost as popular as Valentine’s Day. Retail establishments market self-care products, restaurants offer specials, branded greeting cards, and gift items can be found everywhere!

Our local domestic violence organization has an annual Galentine’s Day fund raiser on the Saturday before Valentine’s Day. No program. Tickets get you a breakfast with mimosas, photo booth, and the opportunity to purchase women-focused products and services. The event is two hours to honor and enjoy female acquaintances and friendship in a vibrant, happy atmosphere while helping a serious cause.

Another organization which is women-centered is offering a screening of “The M Factor: Shredding the Silene on Menopause” as a Galentine’s Event, later in the month.

Women often forget the importance of having female friends. The sheer joy of being with other women elevates your life, especially as we retire and continue to age. More importantly, having friendships yields happier, more productive lives. Galentine’s Day is the ideal time to honor our friendships and remind each other how valued our relationships are. Even after I moved my mother from her home town into my home, her 80s and 90s-year old girlfriends kept in touch.

Celebrating friendships can be low-key or you can go all out. You can invite ladies for charcuterie and a glass of wine, go to brunch, play games, have a sleepover in a hotel – be creative! Find ways to enjoy your girlfriends. And even if you are not a party planner or don’t have the energy to host friends, you can make phone calls, send a card, or craft an email. Use this as a time to reconnect!

Galentine’s Day has become so popular that other “groups” are getting on the celebration bandwagon.  Palentine’s Day is a gender neutral version and Malentine’s Day is for men to celebrate their friendships.

Yet we ladies know, the best day of February is Galentine’s Day. It’s a day to celebrate our friendships with women of all ages, all stages. Happy Galentine’s Day, Friends!

A Walk to the Mailbox

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

If you are like me, not much arrives in the mailbox these days. My bills have been paid through automatic withdrawal for years – decades, really. Granted, I do enjoy sending cards now and then, and a few things require paper copies. Still, one would think the mailbox would get lonely.

We all know, however, that is not the case. Each day when looking at email, I peruse my Informed Delivery notification. (Informed Delivery is free through the USPS and tells me what to expect each day, including packages that are in transit via the US Postal Service.) When I see the delivery includes flyers, coupons, political announcements, and so on, I know I don’t have to worry about picking up the mail right away. On the other hand, if there is something personal or on rare occasions financially related, I make a point to walk down the driveway soon after Al, my postal carrier, leaves treasures in the mailbox (Occasionally, I leave him goodies, too!)

After many years of online activity, I still receive junk mail. Not as much as I did in the past, because I have registered not to receive it. Some things get through. Ever wonder why you get so much junk?

The USPS terms this “marketing mail” which is a bulk service for printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising, newsletters, bulletins, catalogs, and even small parcels. These pieces are not charged the first-class rate, since they are sent by volume.  There is no such thing as single-piece marketing mail. Did you know low-rate advertising mail was first available in 1845? No wonder there is so much of it!

There is a way to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive. (Note, I said reduce). Interestingly, you can register up to three email addresses for free at dmachoice.org. Registration lasts for ten years. Yet, for “snail mail” the fee is $6, termed an administrative fee. Registration requires creating an account with an email address and password. Once your information is entered, including Pay Pal or a credit card number, your registration is good for 10 years.  You will receive an email confirmation.

You can also register to stop promotional mail for a deceased person. The fee is $5. The USPS uses dmachoice.org for this purpose, especially if the deceased person lived at an address where others still reside.

So, if you want to reduce the unwanted promotional and marketing mail, register your address with dmachoice.org . Or, just enjoy the walk to the mailbox and recycle the junk.