Looking for good, honest food

I have been a vegetarian for more years than I remember. I have always had an off and on flirtation with vegetarianism my whole life- when I was kid, I hated red meat, and would not eat hamburgers or steak too often. I would eat chicken, and bacon, but that was almost the extent of my meat consumption. When I got older, a freshman in high school, I read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and that caused me to become a vegetarian, for a short while anyway. It was hard to do on my own at that age, since I was dependent on my parent's choices most of the time, and being a vegetarian at that point in time was not as wide spread as it is now becoming. I danced around it again in college, but then finally made the leap for good when I moved out of my house and into my own place. Billy is not a vegetarian; but he does not eat meat at home very often, as I will not purchase it or make it. If he chooses to make it for himself, that is one thing, but when I make dinner it is meatless.

I knew this would be a tough decision- you get comments on it from everyone all the time- the same comments about "Well, I can't live without meat", and "Humans are supposed to eat meat," and so on. Most of the time it is from people who have very unhealthy eating habits, and won't even look at a vegetable or a piece of fruit at all, much less eat one. Which I don't understand either. But I feel good about my choice, although everyone feels they can comment on it all the time for some reason. I am not usually a preachy vegetarian either; I try to respect other people's choices, and wish they would do the same.

Eating today is not the same as eating 25 years ago; food is a major industry, and is not the image of pastoral wholesomeness as people may believe. I just watched the movie Food Inc, and while I would like to do more reading on the issues, most of the facts presented I have read before, in various places. Some of the things I learned were entirely new - such as the Monsanto Machine, that owns the patent on soybean seeds. That blew my mind - and left me feeling like there is nothing out there that I can eat anymore! Monsanto owning the patent on their genetically modified soybeans means that farmers can't save seeds from harvest to harvest; if one farmer does not use the Monsanto bean, but the neighboring farm does, and a breeze blows the Monsanto seed onto the first farmers land, he can be held responsible and prosecuted for using their seed without permission, essentially breaking their patent. 85% of the soybeans used in the US are these Monsanto beans, which are Round Up ready, meaning that they can be doused in Round Up, and they won't die. Which is disgusting as well. I had stopped drinking dairy because of the way cows are treated; now I feel I can't even drink soymilk, or consume soy products. I have been using Stonyfield Organic yogurt, which is an organic option, from grass fed cows, not corn fed. So at least I can continue eating this, which I eat every day! It astounds me that even the food we eat has become big business. I of course knew about all the growth hormones given to cows, about livestock being fed corn, when their digestive systems are not made to digest corn, forcing the farmers to give the animals chemicals to allow them to digest the corn, the inhumane treatment of all animals, the strange chickens that grow twice as large in half the time a normal chicken does- all reasons I stopped eating meat. But to learn that about soybeans has motivated me to go the extra step that I have been playing at, to commit to eating locally, seasonally, and organically.

The movie made a good point- they said that every time we shop for food, we are casting a vote. I want my vote to show that I want food grown naturally, without being chemically treated, or genetically modified. I want food I can trust. I felt sorry for the farmer, who seemed all but forced to comply with these big companies, or lose money or worse, their reputations.

I am going to seriously commit to shopping our farmers market, and making sure that I am buying locally grown food that is in season. I am going to start canning and storing food that I have canned- I want to know where my food comes from, and that it is natural, healthy, good for me, and not a science project.

You can read about the issues at http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php. To be fair, here is the link to Monsanto's rebuttal to the movie- http://www.monsanto.com/pdf/foodinc_media_notes.pdf. Do some research of your own too, don't just take these sites word for it; I am going to do some more reading, but I am sure that what I will learn will support my new commitment to wholesome, natural food, grown and marketed honestly.

A sweet little failure

Meet Miso..

She is our newest foster failure- the third in a row of our foster animals we have adopted. Miso is a tortie point Himalayan from a breeding/hoarding situation in our hometown. She was rescued with 28 other Himalayans from a one bedroom apartment.

She is enjoying our house, and loves playing with Penny and Maggie!! She and Penny are cuddle buddies, while she and Maggie tear up the house together. She also has a cute little meow, like she is a pack a day smoker, when I know she has not smoked a cigarette in her life.

An interesting fact: She has had many names since August: whatever the hoarders called her, Aurora in the pound, Kuroneko from her interim foster dad, Spicecake as her PAWS name, and finally now Miso, her true name.

She definitely found her way into our heart and lives.

Welcome home Miso.

O'Dark Thirty

My family always calls waking up before the sun, O'Dark Thirty. I don't know anyone who really enjoys getting up that early, but I do know that getting up before 8 am makes me physically ill. Chrissy and Billy are not that good at it either. But the past two Saturday mornings we have pried ourselves from our warm beds to load up our cars and head to Detroit's Eastern Market, to set up for the Cinnamon Owl Studios booth at the Artisan Village at Eastern Market.

I am always amazed at the bustling activity around me - the vendors setting out their fruits and vegetables, the little old honey man putting out his jars, the other artists around us putting the finishing touches on their tables. There is the Beading Nutritionist, the Soy Candle lady, another jewler, and a lady who makes tote bags out of recycled materials. There is the Village Manager, Brian, who also sells handmade baskets from Africa.

Last Saturday was Cinnamon Owl's first day at the Village. It was probably the worst possible day to start this part of our venture; the weather was cold, windy, and pouring down rain. Chrissy and I froze, and felt damp the whole day - not a good combination. We did sell one photo though, so that was exciting, considering not many people were attending either the market or the village. It was miserable. But from that experience, we bonded with our fellow artists, something we may not have done had the weather been a crisp fall day. We began to feel like a small family of artisans, joking around with each other, sharing our food and coffee, stories, advice and backgrounds.

Yesterday was a much nicer day- the wind was a little too chilly, but the sun was out, and the day was dry. A small band that played music you would hear at the Renaissance Fair was playing nearby; when they were finished, a saxophonist started playing. Chrissy and I were content this time to sit in the warm rays when they were out from behind the occasional cloud, listening to the music, and this time, there were actually people visiting the market and the village. We met a few cool people who stopped by our table to look at our photos; the law student from Detroit who belongs to a student animal welfare group that fundraises to change laws for the betterment of animals; the guy who is getting married soon, who brought his super soft rescue dog over to meet us; all the other people who stopped to tell us about their dogs or cats, like the English Cocker Spaniel who hunts birds, and the cat in dogs clothing. Meeting all of these people and talking to them is actually very fun. And, we sold another photo!

The day was so nice yesterday that our families came to visit too. My dad, Shellie, Brayden and Caroline came down, bringing coffee, grilled cheese and cookies, which Chrissy and I greatly appreciated. Chrissy's dad and Terri stopped by too, and purchased a few of Chrissy's photos, which was also cool. Next time, our mothers are going to come visit us, and go out to lunch together. Billy always sticks around too, for a bit after helping us to set up, and watches the booth so that Chrissy and I can do a little shopping. I always buy bread from the Amish bread lady, who has the best baked goods ever- cookies, bread, breadsticks, tarts..I could go on and on. I also buy cheese from R.J. Hirt, and Billy and I eat it for dinner, with the bread and fruit I pick out from the Michigan vendors. I try to buy from the local farmers only, not from the people who sell produce that they hauled in. So usually what I am buying is seasonal to Michigan.

All in all, the experience is a very satisfying one, on many levels - camaraderie, family, the personal satisfaction of knowing other people like your work, and simply the visual and audial feast that Eastern Market offers. The next time we are going is November 14, and while I am not looking forward to that early morning, I am looking forward to seeing my Saturday compatriots.

Feline Forum Part II

Day Two started early! Or at least it felt like it to me, since I had been out having some fun with my friends Chrissy, Jill, Karin and Kris the night before. I spent the day attending more great workshops, and when 5:00 rolled around, I was ready to see Chicago!

Unfortunately Karin and Kris had to leave, which was sad because Jill, Chrissy and I had the best time!! First we shopped along the Magnificent Mile, dreaming of the Coach bags we are going to buy when we strike it rich (lol). We all had a different one we loved. The one I particularly liked was a red plaid - I loved it. Also, there was a sweet owl necklace with a black stone in it that wouldn't look too bad around my neck either.. I did end up buying a soft purple sweater from the Gap, which is more in my price range right now. I am dreaming of the day I get a "grant" to stay home and spend the day doing animal rescue work. By grant, I am thinking that Billy will "grant" me this wish. ;)

After trekking down the Mile, feet were hurting from the walk in high heels, so we headed over to the restaurant where we had reservations, Bistro 110, a French bistro, and had a drink while we waited for our table. Chrissy and I had Pinot Noir, and Jill had a drink called French Heaven, that really was divine. I think it had St. Germaine liqueour in it, but other than that I can't recall. It was pretty good though, and I usually don't like drinks like this.

Once we were seated, the french food frenzy ensued. The three of us decided to fully immerse ourselves in the experience, and enjoy as much as we could - literally. We split two appetizers, artichoke baked with brie, and escargot. I tried one little escargot, and did not care for it. (sorry Jill) But, I was going with the moment. The appetizers were cleared and we made way for our main meal- I had some sort of salmon, which was amazing, Jill had steak au poivre, and Chrissy had mushroom ravioli with some sort of delicous sauce.

And then, of course, dessert. This was after the waiter offered Jill a shoulder massage that she didn't respond to; he also asked Chrissy and I if we wanted a coffee with dessert. We turned that down, and ordered another glass of Pinot instead. We enjoyed our drinks, and couldn't decide which dessert we wanted. So, we ordered three, and split them all. We had creme brulee, Gateau Breton, and Profiteroles. Needless to say, by the end of the meal any plans we had to continue our evening were botched by full bellies. We were so full we could barely move, let alone even contemplate eating or drinking another thing. But it was so worth it - it was a bit of decadence in our do-gooding. (as Bruce Campbell called me a few years ago) I can't wait for next year, and I hope that more of us can go!

Feline Forum Part I

I just spent the best weekend in Chicago at a conference devoted to all aspects of cat welfare, with 600 other cat advocates from places as far away as Hawaii and Alaska. (or advocats as the ASPCA called it) This sounds like maybe it could have been a little frightening, especially if we all focus on the crazy cat lady stereotype, who do exist, but are not usually the people who are working in rescue. We are crazy, just in a more overzealous, passionate kind of way.

The opening ceremony was emotional, as we all thought it would be. The speakers all had stories to share, with great imagery, such as the family cat being the go-between during the night, uniting a family in sleep with a touch to the nose with its nose. Another woman spoke of a Persian cat, Mrs. Beasly. Mrs. Beasly was the cat for her, the one that woke her up to animal rescue. She met Mrs. Beasly as a child, and Mrs. Beasly was a gorgeous spoiled Persian, who belonged to a friend. Mrs. Beasly had it good- for awhile. Through twists of fate, the her friend had to move to a farm with relatives, and could not bring Mrs. Beasly into the house with her. This fancy cat, who had only ever known love, warmth, and the indoors, was consigned to the barn, with the other barn cats, who had always been barn cats, and were that kind of semi feral cat tough. The speaker told of going to visit her friend, and watching the gradual decline of Mrs. Beasly; her once silky fur became matted and dull, she lost weight, and the life had gone out of her eyes. And then one day, Mrs. Beasly just was not there anymore, and the speaker never found out what happened to her. But she never forgot her, and with every cat she saves now, she honors the memory of that forgotten, mistreated Persian. She mentioned that back when that incident occured, people had different perspectives on animals, and the thought that this was not the way to treat a beloved housecat never entered into their thought processes. It was just a different time, one that we are moving past, a little bit at a time. We still have to work to change attitudes that cats do not belong outside, do need human care and love, that they are not totally independent, and do not really want to roam. But we are getting there, bit by bit.

The workshops I attended were fantastic! I took the creative, marketing track, all about how to promote your cats, dispel misconceptions, even how to "profile" the cats to match your adopters expectations. I was surrounded by such creative energy, that I was inspired, and now have a whole list of adoption promotions that should take me three years to finish!

I learned so much, and I know that the rest of my group, fellow P.A.W.S. of Michigan members and Wyandotte Animal Control Volunteers, had just as much fun, and also gained immensly from this forum. I made many contacts, and talked to many people about things that are working in their shelters and rescued. I feel fully armed with information that will get our cats adopted faster, and into the right homes for them, where they will be well treated and not returned, but instead have a loving home for the rest of their lives.

Back to work

So, I have been extremely busy for the past couple of weeks, and I have been missing blogs- reading them and writing them. If only I could get paid for sitting at home doing those two things! I am glad I have some spare hours today to spend writing, and reading, and with Billy, Penny and Maggie. Penny and Maggie are glad to have me around again, I think they have missed me, if the fact that Maggie has been sitting on top of me all weekend, and Penny hasn't wanted to leave my side is any evidence.

School has started again, and I have been back getting the library ready for the students to circulate. This is always fun, I love the first couple of weeks of school, the kids are really excited about the new books on display and finding their old favorites again. It reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom would take me to the library - I loved the coolness of it in the summer, the coziness of the books and the building in the fall and winter. It was always quiet, a good place to think and relax. Now the Wyandotte Library is a good place to escape to, no one can call me there, and I can get lost in the stacks, looking at books and learning about whatever catches my eye that day. I only hope the students at our school can enjoy the library as much as I do.

I also have been getting ready for P.A.W.S. of Michigan's biggest fundraising event of the year, P.A.W.S. in the Park. This event is a dog walk/adoptathon, and is always quite a bit of work to get set up, but is well worth it. Just seeing all the different dogs us exciting! This year I also volunteered to give the nature walk, since our naturalist could not make it, and while the walk was not my most shining moment, I did ok, considering I only had a quick 30 minute lesson on trees and plants two days before the event. I managed to remember all the trees and flowers that I was taught, thank goodness. I had planned on winging it if I had to, but to my surprise I had a biology teacher in my group. I used her as confirmation of my identifications instead, since I wasn't going to be able to make things up if I got stuck.

Since it was a dog walk event, Billy and I took Penny with us. She had a blast walking through the woods, and getting tons of attention. She was exhausted by the time we got home, and so were we. My dad brought my stepnephew Brayden down, and it was so cute to see him signing "dog" constantly. He met Penny for the first time, and he just laughed and laughed. He also enjoyed seeing the dog pictured here - the car was remote controlled, and so it appeared this guy was driving around the park by himself.

And finally, Billy and I have been busy working on Cinnamon Owl Studios, our photography company. Eastern Market in Detroit accepted me as one of their artists for the Artisan Village that will run all year, so we have been picking out photos to take to the booth, and finishing the website. I think Billy did a great job, check it out at http://www.cinnamonowl.com/.

Just a few words today, to get back in swing.

The Hour I First Believed

Wow. What a powerful, moving book. I read this book on the recommendation of my friend Alyssa, and I am glad I took the 700 page journey. At times, the path seemed overcrowded, there was almost too much going on- Columbine, Katrina, prison, prejudice, sexual abuse, drug abuse, 9/11, the Civil War; it seemed like the author was taking on every tragedy the U.S. had in one book. But strangely, it worked for me. I alternately hated and loved the characters, was there in the library with Maureen during the shootings, with Caelum as he discovered his real history, with Velvet as she seemed to get her life together despite the crappy upbringing she had had. I could not stop reading this book. If you like to read, and are not afraid of a long book, check this one out.
I was most focused on the Columbine aspect of this book. Working in a school, this does cross your mind from time to time. What would you do if this were to happen? How absolutely terrifying? I can't imagine the horror of this happening at my school, but I know I would do anything in my power to protect those kids. The thought of harm coming to them chills my bones, and this part of the book really shook me up. Would I be like Dave Sanders? Or Liviu Librescu? How to even think about comparing yourself to such selfless individuals? What heroes these men are, or any of those teachers and staff out there who did not think about themselves, just about the students around them. My cousin's daughter attends my school, and even when we have drills, I look for her, scouting her out, making sure she is ok. God forbid this should happen. How tragic, how sad. There is a special place in hell for those people who harm children and animals, but what about when the killers are just kids themselves?

This book gives you so much to reflect on, I feel I will be thinking about it for weeks to come.