sing it girl

Wicked live footage of Leslie Gore telling it like it should be. Looks early 60's.

Polenta placenta

I love polenta. I know this stuff can be made from scratch and it all sounds pretty easy, but I am totally satisfied buying the prepackaged stuff that comes in a plastic casing, much like the that of the breakfast sausage, pan fried and smothered in an endless array vegetable saucy deliciousness.

Spinach and Feta recipe for your pretty polenta

*Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
*3 cloves of garlic- minced
*1 lb. of fresh spinach
*1 tsp tarragon
*1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
*Salt and fresh grated black pepper to taste
*8 oz of ready to use Polenta , (pre-cooked)
*3 oz of feta cheese-crumbled
*2 stalks of green onion- chopped (optional)
*few sprinkles of grated parmesan cheese


*Cut the polenta into 1/2 in round slices, pan fry in canola oil until soft and golden
• Heat another frying pan to medium high heat with the olive oil
• Saute the garlic for about a minute, then mix in the spinach
• Add the tarragon, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, mix together and cook until spinach wilts,
• Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese into the spinach mixture
• Sprinkle the chopped green onion over top of the feta, then finish off with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese and a bit more fresh grated black pepper
*scoop onto the polenta slices and try to stop yourself from eating all of it yourself.

Oven roasted vegetables and sun dried tomato polenta

Lizzie this is for you:

*I left out the parsnips and added a little sage, rosemary, and garlic.. used sun dried tomato polenta and topped it off with the BEST feta ever made. I could eat this every day forever and ever.




For root vegetables in winter:
2 parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced 1½cm chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways
2 beets, peeled and quartered
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
fresh thyme
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven temperature to 400F.

Put all root vegetables into a dish, season well, add reasonable amount of thyme, mix together balsamic vinegar and oil, marinade vegetables for 3/4-1 hour before cooking. place vegetables in dish, make marinade with spices, garlic, vinegar and oil and pour over the top. Marinaded vegetables are best left out of the refrigerator to bring out flavours while preparing polenta. Put root vegetables into a wide baking tray so that the vegetables are not touching, put into a hot oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until just cooked.

Brett Colley loves organic vegetables, snow, and cold caffeinated coffee beverages

Brett was the perfect first artist featured at our new and tenderly formed gallery The Bakery. He hails from Grand Rapids Michigan where he is a tenured professor at Grand Valley State University teaching drawing and printmaking. Joseph (my lover and co-conspirator) has been enamored with Brett ever since he took his class at Ox-Bow and was super excited to have the opportunity to invite Brett as a visiting artist to St.Ambrose. His art is politically inspired covering contemporary topics from 9/11 and the Bush administration, to clear cutting forests, and the industrialization of the meat industry. He is a super cool guy, sweet, thoughtful, and though he is passionate about his political views, he is also totally down to earth, approachable and easy to talk to, definitely admirable qualities.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was an interactive money stamping station. Colley has created a series of stamps with images of bulldozers, tree stumps, & oil rigs as well as one stamp stating "we vote with our money". He spreads them all out on table with a big juicy red ink pad for gallery visitors to use to brand their dollar bills. Everyone seemed to love it, whipping out their cash and stamping away with conviction. The activity generated lots of conversations and allowed people to interact with and ask questions about the politics and ideas at the heart of Colley's work.

The Bakery Gallery

With a little love, inspiration, resourcefulness, and help from our new friend and partner Heather Lovewell, The Bakery Gallery is official! We hosted The Bakery's very first art opening on Friday, Dec 4th featuring large 6ft linoleum prints made by visiting artist Brett Colley. Our first opening attracted 70 visitors! We were pleasantly shocked and amazed!

Bio: The seeds of the The Bakery Gallery first started when Joseph and I relocated from Chicago, IL to Davenport, IA and found ourselves living right across the street from the most awesome and under appreciated little bakery in town. In this bakery the exquisite Nikki and her two adorable long-haired vintage car loving teenaged sons make dangerously delicious tasty treats and heavenly pizzas. Inspired by Nikki's hard work as a single mother and small business owner, we decided to contribute to our new favorite eatery by starting a gallery there.

What we do: curate delicious works of art and pair them with delectable baked goods

Interests: All things booked, papered and baked

I loved you, my leisure

Remember when I spent everyday leisurely following fun-filled personal interests generally leaning towards art making & vintage shopping loosely balanced with other more productive activities (selective bill paying, cooking, starting an art gallery, selling things on etsy) while blissfully attuned to my body's natural inclination to take afternoon naps, stay up late and sleep in?? It's all over, gone..in the snap of a finger. done. good bye life of leisure..helloo new job...high pressure, stress inducing, trauma surrounded 9-5 job that comes with expectations the seem almost unreachable....

Title: Rape and Sexual Assault Counselor
Program: VICS -Violence Intervention Community Service (grant based not-for-profit ...a.k.a lots of work for little money)
Organization: Family Resources Inc.

Perks: I have my own office
*I primarily meet with individuals
*the VICS program has an AWESOME super progressive, radically feminist community based (non clinical) philosophy of treatment
*diverse and interesting staff
*flexible and supportive work environment
*if I must work, I guess it's pretty nice to get to do something I feel strongly about

Other good news, bright side, glass is half full perspective as I start this new harrowing endeavor:
*at least i am well rested and restored?

Did I mention I have my own fancy office?? with comfy chairs?? a desk, a bookshelf, filing cabinet, and a window?? not shared. mine.

Eden

Pumpkin patches, farm animals, bright orange, red, & golden trees everywhere, sweet brisk air, wool sweaters, wearing my new pink knitted scarf, cooking acorn squash, eating pumpkin pie, AND a visit to an apple orchard?!! Can October be any more perfect? i think not.