A is for Angelica

A-Z Challenge. 
My theme is herbs.
A is for Angelica

Angelica has been
used as a medical
herb since 1665, year
of the Great
Plague. The Am.
Indians used this
herb to treat
broncial colds
and congested
resiratory tract.

The plant is a
member of the parsley family and has a strong tangy odor with a
sweetish to burning taste.  All parts of the plant are used and the
Chinese recognize this as "dong quai."

I use Angelica in a recipe for the liver, along with dandelion,
wormwood, and gentian.

Other Uses:  The stem can be steamed and eaten like
asparagus. The leaves can be brewed into a fne tea and the oil
of the root can be added to bathwater for a relaxing soak.

Medical Use:  It induces sweating, stimulates blood
circulation, liver function, ulcers and indigestion.  It has
also been known to help alzheimers patients.

Learning Techie Things

A cello shoot that I had the privilege to participate in

Although I'm
horrible at
electronic stuff,
I embrace
it with my
heart and
soul.  The
mechanics of
it comes
hard for me.
Jeez, even
my older
grandchildren
didn't grow
up with
computers.  So where does that leave ME? You haven't heard
much from me lately because I'm on my "tunnel vision kick" to
learn the mechanics of my new computer. Things haven't changed
much from my old Mac but there is just enough change to confuse
 and leave me yearning to improve my videos.

The picture above was from a cello shoot, I had been envited to
tag along on because the musician had borrowed a Flamenco
costume of mine for one of her settings. I did absorb tons of
knowledge from these young professionals and I also learned
that some settings take physical stamina and courage.

I especially wanted to watch the shoot where she wore my
dress which took place atop one of the highest Bozeman
mountains, that meant a long climb carrying camera
equipment. I think they looked at my wrinkles and gave me
an easy out, saying it was a hard climb and would I rather wait
for them below.  No, I was determined not to let "age" get in 
my way.  

I even carried a portion of the precious camera equipment but
when we reached the top, my knees were jello.  What a gorgeous
view this spot presented but I couldn't even get my camera out.
What were these young people, Mountain Goats or just native
Montanans who lived for sports in these mountains?

No, I haven't been climbing any more mountains during my
absence but I'm doing a lot of studying and expermenting.

I'm always amused at people's reactions when they see
I live in a studio.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These 2 pictures are of what most people would have for a living room 

Happy Birthday Manzanita

Happy Birthday to Me


Today Manzi is 84
Crash the cymbals
Beat the drums
I'm still breathing

~~~~~~~~~~~
Hahahahahahaha
Marilyn just sent me this

The Geography of Women  

Between 18 and 22 a woman is like Africa, half
discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful.

Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe, well
developed and open to trade, especially for some-
one of real value.

Between 31 and 35, a women is like Spain. Very
Hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty.

Between 36 and 40 a woman is like Greece.
Gently aging but still a warm and desirable
place to visit.

Between 41 and 50 a woman is like Great
Britain, with a glorious and all conquering past.

Between 51 and 60 a woman is like Israel, has been
through war, doesn't make the same mistakes
twice, takes care of business.

Between 61 and 70 a woman is like Canada,
self-preserving but open to meeting new people.

After 70, she becomes Tibet. Wildly beautiful,
with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the
ages. An adventurous spirit and a thirst for
spiritual knowledge.

The Geography of a Man
Between 1 and 80 a man is like North Korea
and Zimbabwe, ruled by a pair of nuts.

How's Your Winter Going

I did my daily shoveling but my car's buried

It appears I'm
in the house for
a few days
unless my
neighbor
ploughs a
small swath
to the road.
My car is buried.

SUV's are
fairly high
off the
ground but
the snow
plough came by and put a 2 ft. embankment along the road and I
don't have one more shovel-toss in me. I shoveled paths to the
trash can, the mail box, to the garage and the street. Enough
already! I am so grateful for 4-wheel drive vehicles. What did
we do without them? Oh I remember...chains. What a pain in the
rump that was. Did you ever put chains on a car? Lay em out, back
up and attach. Then when you hit the street, ka-bump, ka-bump.

Oh I have a snow blower but I'm going to sell it. Rarely ever
used it. By the time I get it out of the garage and get it started I
can have the sidewalk shoveled. And I always turn the blower
thingy the wrong way and I blast myself with snow. Haha

Are we all enjoying winter yet?

Love and Cooks

I am NOT what one would call a "good cook." I know a fair amount about medicinal  
herbs but very litle about standard American cooking. My mother was neurotic about 
her kitchen and would never allow me near it. What cooking I learned was from my 
grandmother.  I spent my youth outdoors, gardening with my father, therefore trees 
and plants became my passion. 
All my life I've eaten simple food but with a priority on health.

BUT I devour stories about cooks who can transmit love and emotion
into food, thereby turning a sad environment into love, lust and beauty.
I suggest two of my favorite movies that describe just such events.

Babette's Feast 
A hauntingly beautiful story of 2 sisters living with their father
in an isolated village in Denmark. Although they both had
opportunities to leave the village, they chose to stay to serve
their father and the church.
Babette, a French refugee, who begs them to take her in, brings
to the village, a real love through her cooking,
I find this movie mesmerizing.

Like Water for Chocolate
Tita and Pedro were in love since they were children but
Tita, according to family tradition, had to remain unmarried
in order to care for her mother. She was raised in the kitchen
of their Mexican ranch, so she could learn what was to be
her duty in life.
Tita's deep emotion with food transfers a love or lust
 into those who partake of her food.

I have dreamed of being able to cook with emotion
........ in fact, even to cook, would please me. But it is
not my lot in life so I absorb the stories of others who
are capable of cooking with love/emotion.

Are you one who leaves love in the hearts of those
who eat your food? What a gift!

Container Grown or Bare-Root?

Along about this 
time, a young 
person's fancy 
turns to love, 
while mine turns to 
love of planting trees. 

My yard has reached
tree saturation.
Come spring, I'm
going to try to sneak in 3 small trees I've started from seed. Time these tiny
little buggers faced the outside world.

Many times I've been asked if I prefer "container balled and burlapped
 or bare-root trees." Hands down,  I prefer the bare-root but I have
planted many a tree from a pot.  After three years of growth, compare
the two.  Usually the bare-root will be more stable ..... IF the tree has
had proper early structural pruning. A deep strong taproot with one
central leader is what we are aiming for.

So many people plant a tree and if green leaves appear, they forget
about it.  Don't do that. Plant it, prune it, water it, feed it, love it. 
You'll be amazed at the true love-affair one can have with a tree.

Adios dear bloggy friends.

Parka Up

Very little snow but cold, cold, cold.  Don't let that sunshine deceive you. 

Bits and Tads and Pieces........
Since my water pipes froze and burst, I get paranoid whenever the temp drops.
A gorgeous sunny day but around 10 below zero. I hear MN is gearing up for
record cold. I grew up there..... Holy Yipes, how can it get any colder?

Yay for Colorado's legalized marijuana law. Do you recall the post where
I talked about my quarter-size patch of skin cancer on my face? I was going to
use blood root but I was indecisive because B.R. is so powerful and a
little scary. I use the commercial Hemp Oil on my face and I started applying
extra to the sore. Immediately it began to dry up and within 3 days a fairly
large chunk fell off. Within 2 weeks, it was just pink skin and I had been
fighting that for over 2 years. Was I positive it was skin cancer? Yes,
confirmed by 2 medical people. If we could make the oil ourselves, it
could be much more powerful.  Watch Hemp Oil dissapear from the shelves
now.  An herbalist here, who makes the Black Salve from blood root
that is sold in the health food stores has just been fined $90,000 by the Feds.
He's out of business .... just like they are trying to do with all supplements.

I'm reading a good book.... "The Brothers" by Stephen Kinzer.  Follows
the lives of the Dulles brothers, Allen and John Foster and their dirty
little interventions into ruining other countries. John Foster, ego maniac
as Sec of State, was totally responsible for sending troops into Vietnam
after both Britain  and France said it couldn't be won. Allen founded the
CIA and used it as his personal henchmen.

Today, Keith from "Musings of an Unapologetic Dreamer" asked the
queston, "Are people inherently good?" Here we have 2 brothers who
actually thought they were exceptional because of the way they
were raised and thought they worked for the good of the country. It
appeared that humility was never introduced into their lives and
through their one-sided view of the world, never took personal
account of all the blood that was on their hands by sending American
boys to foreign lands to kill innocent people and for WHAT REASON?
The US would have been far better off without the Dulles brothers. A
great read.