eating like a horse

This is Fanny, our oldest girl. She is over forty but still looks fabulous. I think it's from all those raw greens she eats....

A small update on what's really going on.

*I've been eating raw since school got out, June 11th. I've been juicing a lot, eating salads from the garden, and even dehydrating a little - made raw bread and some sweet potato chips. The first couple of days I was pretty low energy, and just took it easy. This morning I woke up at 6 am, feeling totally energized. That's more like it! I also feel calmer and more comfortable in my skin.

*There are some other interesting effects of raw for me. One is an obsession with my teeth. I seem to have a deep sensitivity to the cleanliness of my teeth. What I mean is, I need to brush them every time I eat. Weird, I know... but I've never had better dental hygiene. And flossing? Wow. So. Satisfying.

*Today I'm getting a wisdom tooth pulled. Interestingly, I'm looking forward to it. It's been dead and ugly for many years and I think it will feel lighter and cleaner to get it out of there. Meanwhile I will happily drink green juice and smoothies for a few days while it heals.

*Speaking of moving stuff out, Big P. has gone on her way. Not interested in following rules or being accountable, she has moved in with a friend and is saving up her money. I miss her, but know that Persephone will be just fine.

*And still on the same subject, it seems like I just can't stop getting rid of stuff. The sparser my environment gets, the more blissed out I feel. I've unloaded pictures, books, statues, ritual items, things I thought I was forever attached to...... nah. Not so much. What I want now is experiences, not stuff. I can't even bring myself to buy anything; it really stresses me out to think of having any more STUFF to take care of. Except for raw food books. Naturally.

Summer sunrises are so glorious.... yoga on the deck watching the colors shift. My current mantras: clean. clear. light. slender. grace. peace. love. happy. whole.

There will be a pause now while I contemplate buying a new camera.

more about me

Oooh, me and my BFF, K.  She really stuck by me, and I benefitted from her type A personality in many, many ways.... always reminding me of deadlines, and encouraging my beer consumption as the long grueling days of school dragged on.  I love you K.!!

My lovely Mother's Day gift from Little P.  A special box of majickal words, to draw upon each day as inspiration.  So sweet!

And here she is, in all her splendor.  All dressed up and ready for first grade!  I love her so.

My dear friend L., fellow Kindergarten teacher, lover of life, supporter, therapist, and much, much more.  Here we are at a recent field trip.  What would I ever have done without her this year?

And did I mention Horsey Girl turned fifteen?

Oh, oh.  Where does the time go.

about time

Holy cow!  My blog was acting so freakish.  I've tried to post about 4 times, I swear.

If you are reading this you have GOT to reply so I know y'all are out there caring!

hee hee

Here I am:  K. Ray, M. A.  !!!!!!!  SO psyched.

The stadium celebrations was the best.  Waves, beach balls, and fun times.  Hot as heck;  we cooled off with beers at the Elephant Bar following the ceremony.  

Nice Dad bought me the orchid lei; Best Friend brought me shell garlands, and P. #1 made me a special necklace of almonds, tied off with pink silk.

A week before I did the department ceremony.  Pomp and circumstance, anyone!?

I am so proud of myself.  Note to self:  Good fucking job!!!!!

Do I look different to you?!

I tried to start 90 days raw the day after graduation, and it was a spectacular failure!  Instead of beating myself up, however, I have embraced the process.  It's OK to go slow, to incorporate what works (green smoothies, packing a lunch) with the pitfalls (trying recipes that suck, succumbing to junk food cravings) and to support myself in this important transition.  I hope the blahg will cooperate for the next couple of weeks.  I really have a lot to tell you all, in spite of being short a camera (oh yeah.  more about that later)

Reply now people!!!  Love ya

chocolate, cheese, and chips

Random thoughts on a rainy Friday.  Thought I might muse about my raw journey a bit in case anyone is cruising over from Lucie's blog.

*  The post title?  My downfalls, the three "ch"'s.  Seems like the closer I get to the end of this semester, the more I'm indulging.  Favorite vices:  See's peanut butter crunch, black pepper and sea salt potato chips, and those little $1 dollar blocks of manchega you can get at Whole Foods.  Washed down with a Kombucha I might add, just to a balance things out (not!).

*  Two years ago I announced my intention to get my Master's Degree.  This seemed to work like a charm.... three more weeks and I'm done.  Now I've decided to set another intention:  raw for 90 days.  I will start May 24th, the day after graduation.  

*  I like that I lean towards being an herbivore, like my best animal friends, the horses and the goats.  Sometimes I see them out there in the yard and secretly wish I could get down and munch grass too.

*  The other day I saw a TV ad and had an unusual reaction.  The ad was for Roundup, and it showed a cartoon of this crap being sprayed on a dandelion, and the dandelion shriveled up and died.... and I actually wanted to cry.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE.  Don't they know how incredibly powerful and healthful plants like dandelions are?!  Why, just the other day I picked one to munch on as I was walking to class.  My Goddess!  We are so fucked up.

*  My favorite green smoothie at the moment is frozen banana, orange juice, some filtered water and as much organic spinach as I can cram into the blender.  I am disappointed if it all adds up to less than a quart.

*  That is all for now.  Thanks for listening.... and if you're new here, please feel free to comment.  Love ya!

Easter

I know, this is pretty late.  But don't we look cute?  We spent the day with my Mom in Pacific Grove for a special Easter.

Late the night before, a mysterious creature visited our house.  He was big, furry, and smelled like carrots.  Miraculously, Nice Dad managed to snap this picture before he hopped away...

My mom makes the most beautiful and delicious butter cookies.   She has done this all my life.  Crystal sugar makes them sparkly... I bet some of these cookie cutters are 50 years old.

Mom sings in the choir now.  The Christian Church is a pretty forward thinking bunch, this choir had a jazzy slant that got the place rockin'.

Princess #2 was a model little church attendee.  Later she hunted eggs in the backyard.  It was a magical day full of sweet treats and love.  Happy Spring!

underwhelmed

Where did Spring Break go?  I am underwhelmed at my productivity this week.  I have always been a procrastinator, but this is ridiculous.  It's like my mind can't get past the immediate:  filthy floor, dirty dishes, piles of crap everywhere, the freezing grey drizzle on the deck (if I could only work outside!), the constant constant CONSTANT interruptions of my darling six year old.

The reality is this:  I have a 27 page thesis draft due in less than two weeks.  I have other assignments for my online class as well, including an 18 page literature review.  And I have writer's block.  Oh boy, do I ever.

It's not that I don't know my subject.  It's not that I'm not a good writer (at least I thought I was before this semester).  I need incentives.  I need a plan.  I need rituals.  I need a wife!

Does anyone out there have any good suggestions for getting started?  I just need to get started.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  It just needs to get done.  I feel frozen in time... I feel discouraged, lethargic, and a little resentful.  I want to blame everyone else for my own imagined incompetence.

I know my subject.  I know what I have to do.  And I just want to run away.....

I even bought my cap, gown and hood this week, just as a little teaser.  The end is near.  I can do this.  And when I am done, I am going party like there's no tomorrow.  Chin up, nose down, just sit down and start, let it flow.....pray for me.....

Pictures taken around the SJSU campus.

simple joys

I have always loved the library.  I just love love love books!  I am in trouble right now for spending too much money on them though.  I really don't need every raw food cookbook on the shelf.  But I WANT them.  Anyway, the library is a good alternative to Amazon.  Yesterday Little P. got her very own card!  A milestone.

How adorable is that signature.  Now I just need to convince her to check out books and not just movies!

A few other simple pleasures I'm enjoying:

***A sweet wild turkey hen visits our yard every day

***My daily morning green smoothies (I never miss a day!)

***Early morning chats with Nice Dad, snuggling and connecting

***Trying new raw recipes - some good, some great

***Goddess music on my iPod 

***Warm socks and cozy fires

***Home for Spring Break

***Reading endless articles and working on my thesis (first draft due in two weeks!!)

Just kidding about that last one.