the Sunday Special: Purple Patties

Here are a couple of my latest experiments. I used purple sweet potatoes to make veggie patties and pancakes.


Purple Patties

2-3 Purple Sweet Potatoes (about 2 cups mashed)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Organic Rolled Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Hemp Milk
4-5 Tbsp Red Onion chopped
4-5 Tbsp Red Bell Pepper
4-5 cloves Garlic

Olive oil, spinach, sprouts, pickled okra, hemp seed, homemade bbq sauce...

Boil the potatoes until they were soft and mashable. Cook the oatmeal according to the package's instructions. Mix the dry ingredients. Add that to the mashed potato and oatmeal. Then stir in the milk. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Form the first patty (btw, they are sticky...wax paper would be handy) and press garlic, onions, and red peppers into one side.



When the oil is good and hot, place the first patty in the oil then press more goodies into the other side of the patty. Continue with the rest of the batter.





Serve warm over a bed of spinach or spring mix. Top with homemade bbq sauce, sprouts, hemp seed, maybe a little greek yogurt...and a homemade pickled okra.



The bbq sauce was actually suppose to be catchup but tastes more like bbq sauce. Which is good because I don't care too much for catchup. Kan-Grow Hydro Farm made the sauce and the amazing pickled okra.



If you'd rather have something a little sweeter, the same base recipe can be used to make pancakes. Just add a little extra liquid and sweetness.


Purple Pancakes

2-3 Purple Sweet Potatoes (about 2 cups mashed)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 cup Organic Rolled Oats
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2-3 tsp Cinnamon
1 1/2-2 cups Hemp Milk
2 Tbsp Honey
Coconut Oil

Boil the potatoes until they were soft and mashable. Cook the oatmeal according to the package's instructions. Mix the dry ingredients. Add that to the mashed potato, oatmeal, and honey. Then stir in the milk. Heat the coconut oil in a pan. the oil is good and hot, pore a thin layer in. You can make traditional rounded pancake shapes or drizzle it like a funnel cake. It seems to take quite awhile to set up to be flipped. Keep yourself busy with other tasks while it's cooking. Continue with the rest of the batter.


(Pretty yummy just like this, or...)

Serve hot topped with fresh Raspberries (or compote), toasted almonds, maybe a little greek yogurt and mint.

Happy Sunny Day

This week has been a roller coaster of emotion. One day it's happy and sunny and the next is sad and gloomy. Such is life.

Here's a happy sunny one for the books. A fun story, too.

It's a family tradition to make chicken tortilla soup around Halloween. Mom started it when we were kids and my sister and I have both carried it on since leaving home. Mine has been transforming over the years, receiving more and more veggies and less chicken. This year, Mr. Chicken (along with his friend Betsy's bath water) were not invited to dinner. The only trace of the animal world that made it into my pot was anchovies. Yeah! Did you know that worcestershire sauce has anchovies!? Well, I figured I was making so many changes that if I changed the seasoning too, it wouldn't taste anything like the original. So I used it and the steak sauce it called for.

Sunday was the day to make... Cabbage Tortilla Soup (working title). All I needed was the steak sauce. I road over to the neighborhood grocery store. Eek, it was twice what I wanted to pay for it. Road over to another neighborhood grocery store. Same story. It was a beautiful fall day and I was in no big hurry. Hmmm. Save a buck? Save an hour? Save a buck!

I headed to the closest dollar store by way of the river. Ah. The river path in fall.




I usually take the streets half way, but not today. It was so nice out. The river drew me further and I let it. I let myself get lost. As I passed under bridges, I wondered what street they were. Feeling carefree, I didn't bother to find out. I just kept riding.




Seeing others enjoying the day. Walking hand in hand. Playing with their dogs. A girl riding an almost identical bike. I road until I realized how far I had gone and decided it was time to resurface. To the streets.




Back tracking a bit to reach my previously desired destination. I was riding in the streets not long before I spotted a dollar bill on the side walk. Making a quick change to the sidewalk, I snatched it up. Woohoo! I road a few more blocks and actually saw a quarter in the street, but there was too much traffic to stop and pick it up. I made it to the dollar store. Purchased the steak sauce with my new found dollar and only 7 cents from my own pocket. I road home happy and content with the final ingredient to my highly anticipated soup.

Wild Wednesday: Bicycle Gang

A few months ago, I started gathering other bikers to ride around Final Friday (Wichita's Art Gallery Crawl). The first month there were only 2 of us, but then in July there were 10!! All the rain cooled things off...that probably helped a weee bit. August was another 100 degree scorcher, but there were still 4 of us out there sweatin' and we had a great time.

The Bicycle Gang is growing!! If you are in the Wichita area this Friday, come join us!

Tuesday Travels: Sabetha, Kansas

A couple weeks ago, I went to our annual family reunion in Sabetha, Kansas.

 

As much as I talk about the beauty of other places, I still find the beauty in the peaceful Kansas countryside.

Also found this fun related post from the past.

Wild Wednessday: July Showers bring August...Mushrooms?

It has been raining like crazy here in Kansas the past few weeks. The rivers are full and rushing. Lawns are growing tall. And mushrooms are popping up everywhere!

I have never seen so many and so many HUGE lawn mushrooms. I was really wanting to eat them. A little olive oil. Lots of garlic. Mmmm. But others warned me not to, so I didn't. (A friend shared this site with me that lets you sort of 'build' your mushroom to figure out what kind you have.)

At least they made for some neat pictures. Wish I had had some miniature gnomes for props.

 this one was as big as my size 9

I picked them all carefully and bagged them up before mowing, to find this little golf tee of a mushroom just a few days later.

And this funky orange one too!

Happy Wild Wednesday to you all!

Tuesday Travels: Super Secret Sweet Summer Scene

I have been itching to go camping all summer. One of the things that makes Summer my favorite season. The rain let up just long enough for an impromptu camping trip to my favorite lake.

This place won my heart years ago. I use to spend a good chunk of my Summers here. Bobbing around with a Mike's Hard Lime Slushy, jumping off the tower, tubing, sailing, fishing (ok, watching), exploring, stoking and hanging around the camp fire, making s'mores to perfection, and all with some of my favorite people. So many fond memories.

I was beyond excited to finally return. And for those who weren't able to join me...I hope these pictures make your heart swell. I was thinking about you all and hope we can all return here together someday soon. 

Five years away was too long. For the most part, it still looks the same and still has the same magic.

The weather was absolutely perfect. Highs in the 80's. Sunshine. The water was warm enough to actually swim and bob around in for as long as we liked. (I say "actually" because I thought it would be cold due to all the rain, but no. Kansas' warm water lakes did not let my cold blood down). The dam was rushing. It was fun exploring and sharing this magical place with newbies.

Check out this crazy centipede!

To top it all off, we were in the perfect spot to view the Perseid Meteor Shower. It was a clear night with the Milky Way visible and everything. We walked up the road just a bit, and laid down right in the road. It was surprisingly comfy. We probably laid there an hour star gazing and talking and laughing.

I don't think I could have asked for a better weekend. 

Kitty went to market

I have been borrowing my sister's pink Hello Kitty bike. It's definitely not ME, but it feels good to be mobile again. Early Saturday morning, Kitty made her first trip to the farmers market.

Although I did carry most of the goodies in my backpack, it was fun to put some of them in the front basket.

The loot! Loving the variety right now!!

Kansas Wild Flowers

Just a few weeks ago, during my ritual ride to the Saturday morning farmers market, I rode past this gorgeous field of wild flowers.

Makes me day dream that I'm wearing a long flowing white dress and twirling around barefoot through them all.

We need more wild flowers in the world.
Beauty. Bees. Food. Health. mmmmm. yes.
Happiness.

Donut Pool Party

My littlest nephew turned a year old last week! ....(which also means I've been in Kansas for a year now. He was born less than 24 hours after I landed. Very hard to believe, but there's no denying it.)

My sister had a donut pool party.

Nom, nom, nom

Looks like he knows how old he is!



And he's walking...Frankenstein style.  =)

1st Morel Mushroom Hunt

I went on my first morel mushroom hunt tonight. My bil thought he had spotted some a couple weeks ago on his property. With the help of a friend who has successfully hunted them before, we went out in search of those yummy morsels. After some time of wading through waste high weeds and some poison ivy, we thought it was a complete bust. No, we didn't find any morels, but we did find a natural bee hive in an old tree! Now we just need a brave soul with a small hand to collect it for us. Pretty please?

The fun continued as we explored further and found an old shelf in the creek. After balancing on a small log in my slick soled cowboy boots, I managed to not fall into said mud-pie-smelling creek as I fished it out....with the help of both my bil and friend.

On the way back to the house, I ate my first shepherd's purse...which at first tastes like broccoli with a bitter after taste. And near the very end of the journey, we spotted one lonely mushroom.

Nope, not a wrinkly penis mushroom (hey, that's what I was told to look for, man!).

We walked back, thankful for beautiful weather, not falling into the creek or a huge patch of poison ivy... with only a few hedge scratches, a mosquito bite or two, a little mud, and only one tic not yet bedded down.

Next time, morels, next time we will find you.

Tribute to my Workshop

Years ago, I lived in a tiny studio apartment that felt more like I was living in a storage unit. I had boxes piled on top of boxes piled on top of furniture. I didn't mind so much. It was cozy and cheap, and I had it all to myself. I did however day dream about having a space where I could work on projects, make a mess, and then close the door. Instead, my desk/kitchen table was the only work surface in site and with all it's duties from hobbies to freelance work to ...well 'entertaining' might be a stretch, but I'm going with that... it was a lot of work just to keep it in the right mode. The process of taking out and setting up a project and then putting it away again took more time then I typically had to actually work on them in one setting and therefore projects got strung out and put off.

So yeah, I day dreamed a lot about space. To organize. To inspire. To create. To be myself. And maybe actually be productive and a little more efficient.

The idea of living in a loft above a commercial space started to intrigue me more than ever. I started looking. There wasn't anything that really jumped out at me. Purchasing a commercial building didn't seem to be the answer, so I started looking for a house...with a workshop of course. It didn't take too long before I found just that, fell in love, and made it mine. All mine.

Three rooms inside. One to sleep in....the bedroom. One to work in...the office. One to do fun crafty projects in...the playroom. I was in heaven. So much space. So organized, each with it's own designated purpose.

bedroom

 (I couldn't find any pics of the office set up.

Not the most picturesque space, anyway.)

playroom

Then there was the outside space. A separate detached garage that already had a gas heater and ac unit. With help, I was able to turn this space into my workshop. Lots of shelving. A large workbench. Added natural light. And even a custom drawing table...made out of parts salvaged from the original garage door we removed to transform into a wall. Dream come true!

I painted one wall the same color as the main wall in one of my favorite galleries. I found a vintage orange drafting table and eventually collected probably over a 100 frames. (Most of them are still sitting there...all neatly stacked...and empty.)

(This is a current picture showing garage type items are also now residing in the workshop. 

Those are hidden shutters that slide into the wall, allowing in more natural light. When they are shut, it looks like a framed painting from the outside.)

Like most, I had to make a living to afford this dream. A living that was not only uncreative, but seriously sucked the creative juices right out of me. It would take me so much time to try and re-coop from work and transition into creative mode, that I rarely set foot in the workshop. Don't get me wrong. I loved it in there. And I did do some painting in there....just not much.

Five years passed, and I was given the opportunity to quit said creative sucking J O B, hit the road, explore new places and ways of life, and best of all...paint. And in case you weren't around then, or just haven't figured it out yet...that's when this little bloggy blog started. Hence the name.

So I closed up the workshop. Packed it full of personal items. Locked the door. And off I went.

I have lived in so many different places over the past three years. Some had amazingly huge spaces for me to paint. Some gave me my own room. Some were dinky and I literally painted in the living room under the TV, on the floor, or at the kitchen table. But I painted all the same.

This past July, I returned to my house with the intention to find new renters, but a couple months later I was emotionally ready to let go. Let go of my very own little space in this world. Let go of my very own bedroom. office.  playroom.  workshop.  back yard.  deck.  brick path.  custom painted backboard.  and so many things I had worked long and hard to create. I was finally ready to let go of this dream. This dream I made reality.

But not without taking advantage of the time that was left in this reality. I cleared out most of the personal belongings from the workshop, dusted off my drawing table, thanked the gods who helped create it all, and headed to the store to buy some paints (because I didn't think to bring any with me on this 'little trip').

One of those first nights, when it was still warm and sunny out, I decided to sit down on the patio and paint. It was quiet. Peaceful. I looked around and saw a squirrel running across the fence. Happiness and gratitude filled me up as I realized how perfect that moment was. I was doing something I loved, in a place I loved, in my very own little piece of the world. My home. Happy and grateful to have had the experience and then a gentle sadness settled in as I knew it would soon be over.

I've been drawing and painting out in the workshop these past few months. And I continue to be grateful.