26 August 2008

Let McCain speak for himself

Every single person sitting on the fence about whether to vote for McCain or OBAMA, needs to watch this little ad.

25 August 2008

lost his marbles

If you happen to be in Denver for the Democratic Convention, please go see Rik Clay.

For $5 you can send a few marbles back to Bush with the help of Clay, owner of a Boulder, CO ruler company by trade.

Clay says, "Be a part of history; for never before has one man lost so many marbles and been so in need of collective help to recover them."

22 August 2008

15 August 2008

it's about time

Since I sit at a computer most days and work on photos, I'm not always all that enthusiastic about working on my own images in my free time. I know I'm doing myself a huge disservice by neglecting my own work over that of the work paying the bills, but sometimes I can't help it. I simply can't bring myself to turn on the computer during the 48 blissful hours I'm not at the office.

However, sometimes I am inspired by the thought of my friend Mike... who is a comic book artist and has a job he loathes but takes time every day to make his own work. That's really something. And while you're at it, check out some of Mike's amazing work here.

So here are a few photos I shot LAST YEAR on my way out to South Dakota for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It's not much, but it's a start... and as a fortune cookie once said to me "Begin. The rest is easy."









11 August 2008

jelly donut cupcake masacre


This is what happens when you fill the cups too high and forget to put a cookie sheet under your cupcake pan (Thankfully fixed half-way through baking when I smelled the overflow jam burning the bottom of the oven).
The recipe for these cupcakes (which I made in a mini-bundt pan & added cocoa powder) comes from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Finished product:

09 August 2008

grilled cupcakes

I wanted to try baking on the grill. It's something I've been talking about to Stephanie for months now.
I finally decided to do it Friday night and invited Kate over to join me.
We didn't bake a whole dozen on the grill in case the experiment was a disaster. The rest of the was batter baked in the conventional oven in the house.
This is what we came up with;


I think they came out pretty good.

Our recipes came from Veganomicon (those cupcakes are not pictured) and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

08 August 2008

says a lot

07 August 2008

It don't Gitmo better!


This photo appears courtesy of the New York Times.

06 August 2008

actually makes me kind of like her

I never thought I'd say that I like Paris Hilton but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the snark in this response to McCain's attack ad on Obama.

05 August 2008

books


If you're remotely into food (where it comes from and how it's grown) the way I am, then you need to check out this book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. I'm 70 pages into it and really looking forward to reading some more, if only my damned work day didn't have to get in the way.

In brief, Kingsolver and her family move from Tuscon, AZ back east to live on a small farm in Appalachia, VA and for one year they would only buy and eat food "raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it." Interspersed in the main story are sidebars written by Kingslover's husband Steven L. Hopp and their eldest daughter Camille. Their youngest daughter Lilly also contributes, but as Kingsolver notes, "is too young to sign a book contract."

In concert with "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" I would highly recommend reading "It's a Long Road to a Tomato: Tales of an Organic Farmer Who Quit the Big City for the (Not So) Simple Life" by Keith Stewart.
The title kind of says it all, however to be kind I'll summarize... Keith Stewart, who worked in corporate America for many years quit his job and bought a farm in Orange County, NY. The book is a bunch of essays detailing what it takes to be a small organic farmer, also selling his goods in an urban market, in this day and age. The book also has beautiful illustrations by his wife Flavia Bacarella.
An interesting side note: Keith Stewart has one of the longest running stands at the Union Square Green Market and grows some of the area's best garlic.

I know it's not quite your breezy summer book list, but given that in this particular part of the country it is the best time of year for local, fresh fruits and veggies, I thought I'd try to inspire you (all three of you that read my blog that is) to loftier aspirations. Plus, how wrong can you go in supporting your local, family farm? It can surely only win you good karma points.

UPDATE: I meant to say you can purchase these fine tomes from this independent book seller in Portland, OR called Powells Books.