Kniting Nikki

I have just finished my second knit project ever! I am addicted to this stuff, away I go!

The stocking hat is really cute, I want to make another in fun colours now!

3 Days of Christmas

My old German-Irish family does Christmas right with 3 days of festivities. That is enough to make even the happiest of holiday goers a bit drab. I am not sure how the Irish celebrate the holidays, but the Germans start off Christmas Eve by blocking off the living room so that the 'Christkind' can come in a spread his holiday magic. I remember that I sung songs and read stories to the living room door, because it was tradition.

My family doesn't do holidays that way, but Christmas Eve has always been for food and presents. Christmas day and the day after Christmas have always been for food and family and many stories. As the years have gone by, and my parents have gotten divorced we've shifted the holidays a little and now Christmas Eve is spent with one family, while Christmas day is spent with the other. And now the day after Christmas has become a dark day that is no longer talked about much.

This year is a little bit different. Christmas eve will be spent at my mum's house with food and gift exchanging and many a Christmas movie (I am sure). Then Christmas day will be spent with family and friends in Chicago, of course with lots of food. The day after Christmas will be spent at my dad's with my sisters and brothers and, of course, food.

The holidays have shifted a lot over the years, and I've never been one to like Christmas but I think this year gets a close to how Christmas was when I was little as any since my parents divorce. I hate to be all nostalgic about it, but I loved the good old traditional Christmas of my childhood. Even though I believe Christmas has become an excuse for consumerism and price raises, it is still a time for individuals to get together.

As I get older, I can't help but think when I have a family someday I am going to do this Christmas thing entirely different. But who knows, maybe I will have a tree and the three days of Christmas complete with the ham and beef. Or maybe I will have a great vegan holiday with meditation, incents and Buddha's birthday in mind. Or maybe after spending time in Africa I will decide that Kwanza is really the holiday for me.

Until then I wish everybody a happy and safe holiday, with much food and merriment.

Wicked little Town

I have been feeling really down and upset about my small town lately. It serves as a constant reminder that I have to keep my shit together and make it out of this place. Hedwig And The Angry Inch also helps me remember that I will make it out of this place, the lyrics are as follows.



Forgive me for I did not know
'cause I was just a boy
you were so much more

Than any god could ever plan
More than a woman or a man
now I understand
How much I took from you
That when everything starts breaking down
You take the pieces off the ground
And show this wicked town
Something beautiful and new

You think that luck has left you there
But maybe there's nothing
Up in the sky but air

And there's no mystical design
No cosmic lover preassigned
There's nothing you can find
That cannot be found
'cause, with all the changes you've been through
It seems the stranger's always you
Alone again in some new
Wicked little town

So when you've got no other choice
You know you can follow my voice
Through the dark turns and noise
Of this wicked little town
Oh, it's a wicked little town
Goodbye wicked little town

two worlds collide

I am torn between two identities. I realize, yes, it is too early to be making large life decision both my identities are very different and I don't think it is exactly possible to live one life with both being completely fufilled.

Identity one: see previous post. Is the idea that I want to do organic farming with the rest of my life. I would work towards sustained living and green practices. Possibly even living off the grid and having a huge rain catchment system.

Although this all sounds wonderful I have Identity two: my inner artist longs to create and live in an environment conducive to art. This typically means a city that has many networks, and possibilities to create. I am considering graduate school for Performance Studies, meaning it would be easy to start my career into the this world and identity - but I don't know if I am willing to live in a city, or suburbia for the rest of my life.

I know that I still have a lot of time to think about this - but really the issue is what should i do with my summers. Should I create and work on amazing theatre/performance art, or should I wwoof and learn organics.

So many options and possibilities - Maybe I will find a way to do both. I've heard of major urban gardening - mostly as service to communities so maybe that is where I am headed in life. something like growing power.

oh - today it is snowing... a lot!

life in the bonnet

I am really seriously considering a small organic farm for myself. Today I am in what I like to call my prairie clothing. I feel like I should go milk a cow or work in the fields.

I am wearing long underwear, both pants and shirt. A bonnet. And a skirt that is off white with green and brown flowers on it. I would only be more perfectly dressed if I were in a wool skirt and farm shoes. Instead I am in my 'garden' shoes.

Lastly I have been thinking about how much land I will need to farm certain things. For example 1 acre of Sorgum produces 30 gallons. In that same vain an acre of wheat produces about 2 bushels each weighing about 55lb. Potatoes and greens wouldn't be hard to keep along with a winter garden. If I can form my own milling processes, I could compleatly live off of about 3 acres of land, and still sell a small amount of produce. Depending on the state of my veganism I may keep some goats or chickens around for the milk and eggs. I would have to grow a large quantity of beans to dry and keep so maybe I would want 4 acers of land, just for some bumper.

Deending on where this farm ends up will effect my crops - but that is all to be considered

working space

This is the space that I am allotted to work in. I love the space and have been using it to the fullest potential.

My second 10 page paper is coming right along at this exact desk. My brain hurts, and I don't have much to say but I wanted to share a little piece of my life. My cluttered book filled paper writing academic life!

maybe later I will share with you what my window sill looks like now. Weeks into me using it as a fridge and storage space, and art gallery. but that is for a later post.

until then

crossed... uncrossed

Grinnellians young and old graduated and preparing to graduate have the roughly the same opinion about the second year at Grinnell.
It just sort of jumps out at you when you didn't expect it too, and really knocks you on your ass. By the time you stand up again it is over and you are much better prepared for your final 2 years at the school. -summary of former second year students
By this time I am just 3 short weeks away from being half way through the treacherous 2nd year. And Grinnellians were right, everything did stack up against me and knock me on my ass. I must say though that I pulled it back together really well, with some help, in the last few weeks. And I have again began to live purposefully.

My yoga mat had been gathering dust for a large part of the Semester, but in recent past I have been reconnecting with my body through this form of exercise and meditation. I have been stretching my body in order to feel all of its parts. It has been a journey for me to learn how to feel my inner thighs and lower back mussels loosen and release the tensions they have been holding. I have been practicing a newer form of American yoga that really focuses on holding poses creating both strength and flexibility in areas that are "harder to reach" These are areas of cartilage and not just mussel mass.

With this practice I have been able to fall into meditation more rapidly and deeply even in my own dorm room which can often lead to distractions. Last semester I spent most of my meditation and yoga time within the chapel meaning I was less frequent in my practice because it was not always convenient or available.

But truly my new founding living with purpose is reflecting on how I carry my body, and posture. Many have often remarked on how straight I sit, but I have found much room for improvement in the sitting style.

For example: crossed or uncrosses? By this I mean my legs. It is unhealthy for the circulatory system to sit with crossed legs for very long. It also causes your posture to stoop and you spine to curve ever so slightly putting tension on mussels in you back. Although at the time it doesn't feel bad to sit with crossed legs, over a longer period this simple act can have its toll on the way the back mussels carry your spine.

Therefore my new goal in life is to live an uncrossed lifestyle! It is of course much easier said than done while old habits die hard.

In the future I will attempt to keep my regular habits of yoga and meditation going, but I can make no promises not even to myself.

Tribute to Sammy

Artist: Sufjan Stevens

Title: Chicago

Album: Illinois

I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

I drove to New York
in a van, with my friend
we slept in parking lots
I don't mind, I don't mind
I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)

The Sweet Vegan

the book "La Dolce Vegan: vegan livin' made easy" is my new favrorite cookbook. It lives on my desk between "The Vegan lunchbox" and a huge ethnography of African Literature. The writer of La Dolce is Sarah Kramer and she is perhaps the most interesting woman to ever write a vegan cookbook ever. With facial piercings, quickly graying curly hair, and tattooes up her arms Kramer is an activist, whole likes the ordinary, and knows that change is good and can cause inspiration. The seal of the book could be summed up with one phrase KISS - keep it simple stupid. her goal, "is to make veganism fun, accessible, and easy. But most importantly - to make it taste good."

I have an obsession with cookbooks but lately I have only bought vegan based book. This is one of the best decisions I have made. Although I am still eating small amounts of dairy in the dinning hall, when I cook at home I am eating vegan 99% of the time.

Of course I have a few exceptions including honey, but this is compensated by the fact that I buy local honey from a farmer who is working on honey bee presevation. I couldn't not buy his honey when I know him by name. I also buy local yogurt, because the cultures are good for my sensitive stomach and again it is from a local farm. I may never be 100% vegan but I do like the idea of working on it.

In the words of Kramer, "it's a new veginning, my friends. Let's see where it takes us!"
and now a recipe from Sarah

Hissing Cousins Oat Bread
2 cups rolled oat flakes
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp oil
2 cups "milk"

Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly oil a 9-inch loaf pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flower, baking powder, and salt.
Add the maple syrup, oil, and "milk" and gently stir the dough until just mixes.
Pour evenly into loaf pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
makes 1 loaf

I sub the syrup of honey, making it agian not vegan but delicious. I also use my homemade rice milk for the "milk" she calls for.
ENJOY

two sugar gliders one glove

As the weather gets colder and colder all around Grinnell people are emerging with warmer hats and gloves and scarves to protect them from the bone chilling Iowa winds. But we are not alone in the battle to keep warm. Two little sugar gliders who reside in Read 2nd also want to keep warm in these cold times. Sappho and Delshad can be found sharing one green glove many mornings and afternoons. I left the glove in the pouch and now mornings I can pull them out of the cage both sleeping soundly in this warm cotton cave.

Dreaming of a place

This is one of the pictures that came up when I 'google imaged' Vermont!
who wouldn't want to live and farm in a place like this.
Vermont will you marry me?
because I will be in love with you forever.

Rice Milk

Have you ever wanted an easy vegan milk substitute that doesn't involve pricey shopping bills? I know that on a College budget I couldn't buy soy/rice milk on a regular basis because it was just too expensive to buy in small enough quantity to keep in my room.

Making my own rice milk seemed like the easiest and most efficient solution to my "dairy" needs.

This is what I do for a big batch
7-8 cups of water (free from Grinnell taps)
1 cup brown short grain rice (.25 c)
(cook this for 6-8 hours in a slow cooker
or 3 hours on a low set stove top)

add
1/2 cup sugar (.10 c)
1 tsp kelp powder (negligible)
2 tsp vanilla (negligible)

then blend the whole mixture until very smooth and jar.

I made different amounts from time to time depending if I plan of doing a lot of baking or not before the milk is to be made again. I keep my milk about a week and a half but I am sure it would last longer if I didn't use it that quickly.

also I got the kelp powder at a local health food store where she keeps it in bulk, it was .70 c for a small baggy. I am not sure how much I got to begin with but I still have plenty left over.

Good luck, and happy cooking