Hot peppers!
Just reading about them makes me happy. I am thinking of ordering ghost pepper seeds to plant in my garden. While reading about ghost peppers I came across references to viper peppers and scorpion peppers which are allegedly hotter but are unstable hybrids of the ghosts.
Capsaicin. That warm all over feeling you get after some delicious ghost pepper sauce. If you can't feel that warmth in your shoulders, it just isn't hot!
Reading about the healing anti-inflamatory properties of foods. Why would anyone eat sugar or wheat flour when the may cause inflammation? Beats me.
When the Maximalist broke her foot last year she was well into a regimen of peppers, cruciferous vegetables, garlic/onions and fish oils. I did not swell up and never needed as much as a tylenol.
Time to stay on that diet forever!
Monday, May 30, 2011
mmmm.....sprouts for dinner
Delicious pilaf of beluga lentil sprouts with kalonji seeds, chopped garlic and ghost pepper salsa worked well with broiled salmon for supper this evening. The sprouts were just tinged with that first hint of chlorophyll. So crisp and tasty and the ghost pepper sauce made the concoction heavenly hot!
Etsy, Ebay and jewelry "belief" descriptions.
There are few things more annoying on these sites than the "small print" mixed in with so many descriptions of silver jewelry items.
I cannot count how many times I have been lured by a pretty picture and a Beautiful Sterling Such and Such heading only to scroll down, down and down to see buried among the descriptors "and this is not marked or tested but I believe that this item is sterling"
Sterling is not a matter of "belief". Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are matters of belief. If you cannot test an item and it has no markings, DO NOT LIST IT AS STERLING! This should be common sense, but the deceptive (?) practice goes on.
The Maximalist was fooled once and returned the silver plated piece of copper to the reluctant seller and got a full refund. Even with copper showing through, she insisted upon her "honest belief" that the item was sterling!
What a crocka.
This is one are that should be subject to rules, but instead it's caveat emptor deluxe.
So the Maximalist is warning you. Read the entire listing and don't fall for sterling Easter Bunnies.
I cannot count how many times I have been lured by a pretty picture and a Beautiful Sterling Such and Such heading only to scroll down, down and down to see buried among the descriptors "and this is not marked or tested but I believe that this item is sterling"
Sterling is not a matter of "belief". Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are matters of belief. If you cannot test an item and it has no markings, DO NOT LIST IT AS STERLING! This should be common sense, but the deceptive (?) practice goes on.
The Maximalist was fooled once and returned the silver plated piece of copper to the reluctant seller and got a full refund. Even with copper showing through, she insisted upon her "honest belief" that the item was sterling!
What a crocka.
This is one are that should be subject to rules, but instead it's caveat emptor deluxe.
So the Maximalist is warning you. Read the entire listing and don't fall for sterling Easter Bunnies.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Maximalist proposes a new tax!
In the interest of decreasing obesity and improving the longevity of us all I hereby propose a tax on sedentary entertainment. If we can tax sugar and fatty high caloric foods (or propose the taxes) surely their complementary behavior should be considered taxable.
Hmmm. Let's start with the movies. What could be more sedentary than sitting in front of a screen (large and small but especially large) watching a bunch of overpaid people and special effects? I suppose $20.00 per ticket should help offset the cost that society will have to pay for the privelege of paying for the healthcare for these people. No use saying I usually exercise, because this excuse is not being considered for soda and hamburgers. Movie going is the empty calorie of human activity. You do nothing worthwhile when your eyes are glued to the screen. You could be out walking, out working or planting yams in your backyard. PLUS theatres consume a lot of A/C in the summer and electricity in genereral. It's high time we tax this. And think of the money saved and not going to Steven Spielberg (who doesn't need that 120 million dollar yacht, the money can all go to education) or funding the egos of the likes of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks or Jennifer Aniston.
Next up, television. Harder to do you say as the set can be on entertaining one person or ten. Force all manufacturers to make the wearing of earbuds mandatory, one set per person and exact a fee each time the buds are activated. Voila! lots of money for the federal coffers...which can be spent on the infrastructure.
Fashion magazines, hair salons, nail salons and spectator sports including concerts all come to mind as other sources of sedentary taxes.
But let's not exclude the music industry! Most people do not listen exclusively while running, biking or walking the pooch, so a hefty tax is in order here too.
Yes, Americans will have less entertainment, but perhaps they will make healthier choices like yoga, running, swimming of Kempo karate...ALL healthier than drivel like Pirates of the Carribean part XIV, rap music or Dancing with the Stars.
Is this an intrusion on our freedom of choice? Damn right it is, but so are SO many things these days that it seems only right to tax entertainment...as entertainment is all optional.
Hmmm. Let's start with the movies. What could be more sedentary than sitting in front of a screen (large and small but especially large) watching a bunch of overpaid people and special effects? I suppose $20.00 per ticket should help offset the cost that society will have to pay for the privelege of paying for the healthcare for these people. No use saying I usually exercise, because this excuse is not being considered for soda and hamburgers. Movie going is the empty calorie of human activity. You do nothing worthwhile when your eyes are glued to the screen. You could be out walking, out working or planting yams in your backyard. PLUS theatres consume a lot of A/C in the summer and electricity in genereral. It's high time we tax this. And think of the money saved and not going to Steven Spielberg (who doesn't need that 120 million dollar yacht, the money can all go to education) or funding the egos of the likes of Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks or Jennifer Aniston.
Next up, television. Harder to do you say as the set can be on entertaining one person or ten. Force all manufacturers to make the wearing of earbuds mandatory, one set per person and exact a fee each time the buds are activated. Voila! lots of money for the federal coffers...which can be spent on the infrastructure.
Fashion magazines, hair salons, nail salons and spectator sports including concerts all come to mind as other sources of sedentary taxes.
But let's not exclude the music industry! Most people do not listen exclusively while running, biking or walking the pooch, so a hefty tax is in order here too.
Yes, Americans will have less entertainment, but perhaps they will make healthier choices like yoga, running, swimming of Kempo karate...ALL healthier than drivel like Pirates of the Carribean part XIV, rap music or Dancing with the Stars.
Is this an intrusion on our freedom of choice? Damn right it is, but so are SO many things these days that it seems only right to tax entertainment...as entertainment is all optional.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sprout fail!
Do not use old beans or old seeds of any sort. I have noticed that planting seeds are usually marked with something like "Packaged for 2011" or something like that.
This caveat applies to sprouting to as what is sprouting but coaxing growth from a seed.
I made the error of using old orange lentils this evening. After a brief soak the did not have the crispy alive texture that I would have expected to find. Instead the water was discolored and the lentils were for the want of better descriptors, mushy and dead!
Epic fail.
This caveat applies to sprouting to as what is sprouting but coaxing growth from a seed.
I made the error of using old orange lentils this evening. After a brief soak the did not have the crispy alive texture that I would have expected to find. Instead the water was discolored and the lentils were for the want of better descriptors, mushy and dead!
Epic fail.
And what about salsa?
I do love salsa and the hotter the better. What makes a hot salsa great is the addition of habanero peppers or sauce. Even a medium salsa can be great if you add a swig of 100% Pain to the mix.
But for grocery storejarred brands the Maximalist has three current favorites.
My absolute favorite choice for heat, whether added to stir fries or jusr spread on crackers is Pain is Good's Habanero Garlic Batch 37 variety. This is simply superb. It has enough tomato and garlic to be savory and enough habanero for a delish burn that you can feel in your fingertips.
Next up is Desert Pepper XXX Fire Roasted Habanero salsa. This is a chunkier more traditional looking salsa with nice chunks of jalapenos and a spinking of habanero heat. Mild next to the Pain is Good mentioned above it is still nice snacking salsa.
Mrs Renfro's Ghost Pepper Salsa. The newest product in the Mrs. Renfro line it is made with the Bhut Jalokia Chile peppers. Alledgedly these are the hottest pepper there is, but this is not the hottest readily availale sauce. It is a bit hotter than the XXX salsa but not as hot as batch 37 so it could use a bit more fire to be number one. Still it is available in local stores whose managers are reticent to carry the 100% Pain line or the more boutique fiery offerings.
Any of the three will do nicely when you crave a nice hot salsa, ut I would "work up" to Batch 37 if you are not alread used to the heat.
But for grocery storejarred brands the Maximalist has three current favorites.
My absolute favorite choice for heat, whether added to stir fries or jusr spread on crackers is Pain is Good's Habanero Garlic Batch 37 variety. This is simply superb. It has enough tomato and garlic to be savory and enough habanero for a delish burn that you can feel in your fingertips.
Next up is Desert Pepper XXX Fire Roasted Habanero salsa. This is a chunkier more traditional looking salsa with nice chunks of jalapenos and a spinking of habanero heat. Mild next to the Pain is Good mentioned above it is still nice snacking salsa.
Mrs Renfro's Ghost Pepper Salsa. The newest product in the Mrs. Renfro line it is made with the Bhut Jalokia Chile peppers. Alledgedly these are the hottest pepper there is, but this is not the hottest readily availale sauce. It is a bit hotter than the XXX salsa but not as hot as batch 37 so it could use a bit more fire to be number one. Still it is available in local stores whose managers are reticent to carry the 100% Pain line or the more boutique fiery offerings.
Any of the three will do nicely when you crave a nice hot salsa, ut I would "work up" to Batch 37 if you are not alread used to the heat.
New Sprouts of life
Well not intended for life intended for consumption. This week I am trying quinoa and beluga black lentils. Both are fast sprouting and require minimal soaking. Quinoa is a pseudo-grain high in nutrients and the only "grain" that contains all amino acids, or so they say. It has indeed started sprouting overnight and by tomorrow they should be full fledged sprouts! Quinoa is impossible to chew on dry (ok, I suppose you could if you were determined) and delicious cooked. Sprouted quinoa should make an excellent salad material or good stir fry material.
Beluga lentils sprout about the same time as last weeks pardinas, but are much darker...a very dark green if not a blue black. I had a better term on the tip of my fingers but it was a crayola color and probably not clear unless you too were a crayola addict as a child. They'll be converted into a protein rich side dish with peppers, turmeric and ginger.
Great feasting ahead!
And speaking of feasting at the Maximalist house, there are peppers on the plants! Looks like the little cayennes will be the first crop as there are green fruits up to 1.5 inches long on my first plants. These will be tasty cooked and the excess dried and stored for the winter. Mmmmmm.
Beluga lentils sprout about the same time as last weeks pardinas, but are much darker...a very dark green if not a blue black. I had a better term on the tip of my fingers but it was a crayola color and probably not clear unless you too were a crayola addict as a child. They'll be converted into a protein rich side dish with peppers, turmeric and ginger.
Great feasting ahead!
And speaking of feasting at the Maximalist house, there are peppers on the plants! Looks like the little cayennes will be the first crop as there are green fruits up to 1.5 inches long on my first plants. These will be tasty cooked and the excess dried and stored for the winter. Mmmmmm.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Michael Wilding as Cinderella's Prince!
Yes, I'm a fan and yes, I was hoping that the movie would be good. And it was good!
Leslie Caron was a very different Cinderella, dirty and enslaved, but this time not hurt but still good-natured. This Ella is angry about her status and dreams of living in the Palace. Michael Wilding was a Prince who felt a bit hemmed in by his status and remembered a moment in his childhood when he saw a teary young girl with rebellious eyes. He's a man who knows how good he's had it but can recognize sorrow and beauty when he sees it.
Unlike previous Cinderella stories, our handsome Prince knows exactly who his "mysterious princess" is before she gets to the ball. It's him that masquerades as the son of the palace cook and it's the son of the cook that Ella loves and goes to see. Most, if not all, other adaptations have made the Prince a brainless sort of fellow who fell in love with the prettiest girl at the ball. The writers here fleshed out the character and made Prince Charles the driving force behind the romance.
It was fun to see Leslie Caron's dream sequences, her dances with Michael Wilding (who looks hot in his tights), and it was great to see stepsisters who were not caricatures. But while we expect that Caron can dance, I had no idea that Wilding could or that he could sing. I think it was fortunate indeed that the movie wasn't spoiled by a dancer like Gene Kelly who could not act to save his life and that the director had the sense to cast Wilding who could blend seamlessly into just about any role. Estelle Winwood plays a fairy godmother with a difference. There is no magic in her creation of Ella's gown and coach....actually she's a bit of a kleptomaniac and a lot of an eccentric.
If you want to see an honest interpretation of the Cinderella story with a thinking Prince and a justifiably hostile Cinder-Ella, go for this one! MGM in the 1950s always made beautiful pictures and this is no exception. And feel free to let the kiddies watch it, little girls will eat it up and adults will take another look at a classic story and see something very fresh and honest.
Leslie Caron was a very different Cinderella, dirty and enslaved, but this time not hurt but still good-natured. This Ella is angry about her status and dreams of living in the Palace. Michael Wilding was a Prince who felt a bit hemmed in by his status and remembered a moment in his childhood when he saw a teary young girl with rebellious eyes. He's a man who knows how good he's had it but can recognize sorrow and beauty when he sees it.
Unlike previous Cinderella stories, our handsome Prince knows exactly who his "mysterious princess" is before she gets to the ball. It's him that masquerades as the son of the palace cook and it's the son of the cook that Ella loves and goes to see. Most, if not all, other adaptations have made the Prince a brainless sort of fellow who fell in love with the prettiest girl at the ball. The writers here fleshed out the character and made Prince Charles the driving force behind the romance.
It was fun to see Leslie Caron's dream sequences, her dances with Michael Wilding (who looks hot in his tights), and it was great to see stepsisters who were not caricatures. But while we expect that Caron can dance, I had no idea that Wilding could or that he could sing. I think it was fortunate indeed that the movie wasn't spoiled by a dancer like Gene Kelly who could not act to save his life and that the director had the sense to cast Wilding who could blend seamlessly into just about any role. Estelle Winwood plays a fairy godmother with a difference. There is no magic in her creation of Ella's gown and coach....actually she's a bit of a kleptomaniac and a lot of an eccentric.
If you want to see an honest interpretation of the Cinderella story with a thinking Prince and a justifiably hostile Cinder-Ella, go for this one! MGM in the 1950s always made beautiful pictures and this is no exception. And feel free to let the kiddies watch it, little girls will eat it up and adults will take another look at a classic story and see something very fresh and honest.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Lancome triplets
Passed through Lord and Taylor today and noted these three at the Lancome counter. I admired Claude Montana's metallic triplets years ago so I thought I would give the new Ô flankers a whirl.
First up is Ô itself. The site says:
Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin
Heart Notes: Basil, Rosemary, Coriander, Jasmine, Honeysuckle
Base Notes: Oak Moss, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli
The Maximalist has always like this one well enough. Nothing earth shattering. Nice appropriate for work, almost soap and water clean without the in your face quality of D&G Sicily which is clean with a big attitude. Sadly a slight aquatic note spoils the current formulation of this Ô for me.
Next I tried Ô de L'Orangerie. Site says:
Top Notes: Orange zest, Orange Blossom essential oil
Heart Notes: Orange Blossom absolute, Jasmine
Base Notes: Cedar, Benzoin
Strong and blossomy but eventually the jasmine starts to predominate on me and spoils the whole thing. I liked the cedar, kept it springlike, but something not quite necessary about the jasmine.
Last I tried Ô D'Azur. The site lists:
Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Calabria Lemon essence
Heart Notes: Rose, Peony
Base Notes: Modern woody notes, Musk
Ô-boy, Ô-boy! This one is my favorite. Not as long lasting as the orange blossom version, this one starts citrusy and bright. Then the roses kick in with a fleeting peony note. Summer in a bottle. The woody notes feature a nice dollop of patchouli, though this is unlisted, and the musk is tame not sultry or overtly animalic. Not a lot of sillage, but very pretty, very wearable and overtly feminine. And no indolic jasmine, which I just don't like for daytime use.
Where the Azur comes from is anybody's guess. Lancome says "sparkling blue ocean" but I blessedly detect no aquatics here.
First up is Ô itself. The site says:
Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin
Heart Notes: Basil, Rosemary, Coriander, Jasmine, Honeysuckle
Base Notes: Oak Moss, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli
The Maximalist has always like this one well enough. Nothing earth shattering. Nice appropriate for work, almost soap and water clean without the in your face quality of D&G Sicily which is clean with a big attitude. Sadly a slight aquatic note spoils the current formulation of this Ô for me.
Next I tried Ô de L'Orangerie. Site says:
Top Notes: Orange zest, Orange Blossom essential oil
Heart Notes: Orange Blossom absolute, Jasmine
Base Notes: Cedar, Benzoin
Strong and blossomy but eventually the jasmine starts to predominate on me and spoils the whole thing. I liked the cedar, kept it springlike, but something not quite necessary about the jasmine.
Last I tried Ô D'Azur. The site lists:
Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Calabria Lemon essence
Heart Notes: Rose, Peony
Base Notes: Modern woody notes, Musk
Ô-boy, Ô-boy! This one is my favorite. Not as long lasting as the orange blossom version, this one starts citrusy and bright. Then the roses kick in with a fleeting peony note. Summer in a bottle. The woody notes feature a nice dollop of patchouli, though this is unlisted, and the musk is tame not sultry or overtly animalic. Not a lot of sillage, but very pretty, very wearable and overtly feminine. And no indolic jasmine, which I just don't like for daytime use.
Where the Azur comes from is anybody's guess. Lancome says "sparkling blue ocean" but I blessedly detect no aquatics here.
Dig it once, dig it twice
Dig it chicken soup with no rice.
I decided to forego the starch and add a half cup of lentil sprouts instead.
Goya puts out a great tiny lentil called a Pardina lentil. It'a a superfast sprouter and a quick cooking natural for homemade chicken soup (the only kind the Maximalist eats)With chicken purchased cheaply it makes no sense to not indulge in it. Homemade soup gets that nice gelatin quality when you cool it to scrape the fat away. The lentils were a nice addition and looked pretty. The sprouts are much healthier too!
If I were to use a bigger sprout or add rice, both would have to be precooked, not so Pardina Lentils.
Other sprouts underway are more kidney beans, green peas as always, and I am trying navy beans too. I heartily recommend lentil sprouts of any color. Fast and good tasting, they cook quickly and maintain their nutrients.
The kidney beans were fabulous sauteed with garlic and onions. Then I added a thick hot salsa. Chili sans carne.
I decided to forego the starch and add a half cup of lentil sprouts instead.
Goya puts out a great tiny lentil called a Pardina lentil. It'a a superfast sprouter and a quick cooking natural for homemade chicken soup (the only kind the Maximalist eats)With chicken purchased cheaply it makes no sense to not indulge in it. Homemade soup gets that nice gelatin quality when you cool it to scrape the fat away. The lentils were a nice addition and looked pretty. The sprouts are much healthier too!
If I were to use a bigger sprout or add rice, both would have to be precooked, not so Pardina Lentils.
Other sprouts underway are more kidney beans, green peas as always, and I am trying navy beans too. I heartily recommend lentil sprouts of any color. Fast and good tasting, they cook quickly and maintain their nutrients.
The kidney beans were fabulous sauteed with garlic and onions. Then I added a thick hot salsa. Chili sans carne.
Yama!
Started this book last night and have already decided to recommend it.
The characters are well developed, the settings painstakingly described, you can practically smell the place and its denizens. It feels real, painfully real. It is certainly "ahead of its time" and treats its subject, prostitution, without glitz and glory and without a lot of moral lecturing.
I wonder why we hear so little of Kuprin?
The characters are well developed, the settings painstakingly described, you can practically smell the place and its denizens. It feels real, painfully real. It is certainly "ahead of its time" and treats its subject, prostitution, without glitz and glory and without a lot of moral lecturing.
I wonder why we hear so little of Kuprin?
Those little black seeds
Kalonji.
Readily available at the Indian grocers, they are a godsend for me. The Maximalist has been a migraine sufferer for many years and so is my younger child. When said younger child was working abroad she had a dreadful migraine and sought help. Contrary to what you here about every country but the US having fabulous healthcare and easy access, she was essentially told to gut it out. On her way home she stopped at a grocery and spice stall where the old merchant handed her a small scoop of black seeds and said "use these, a pinch everyday, they will cure anything but death"
They did cure the migraine and kept the headaches at bay. I use them too now. Is it the nigellone? The thymoquinone? The beta-sitosterol? Is it just a marvelous placebo?
It has worked for me and is the subject of numerous studies with some holding out the prospect that it will be deleoped into an anti-tumor medication.
The trick is to use it sparingly. A pinch in the morning yogurt or a pinch on your salmon at dinnertime.
The Maximalist is a firm believer in the power of nature to provide superb medications, we just have to find them.
Readily available at the Indian grocers, they are a godsend for me. The Maximalist has been a migraine sufferer for many years and so is my younger child. When said younger child was working abroad she had a dreadful migraine and sought help. Contrary to what you here about every country but the US having fabulous healthcare and easy access, she was essentially told to gut it out. On her way home she stopped at a grocery and spice stall where the old merchant handed her a small scoop of black seeds and said "use these, a pinch everyday, they will cure anything but death"
They did cure the migraine and kept the headaches at bay. I use them too now. Is it the nigellone? The thymoquinone? The beta-sitosterol? Is it just a marvelous placebo?
It has worked for me and is the subject of numerous studies with some holding out the prospect that it will be deleoped into an anti-tumor medication.
The trick is to use it sparingly. A pinch in the morning yogurt or a pinch on your salmon at dinnertime.
The Maximalist is a firm believer in the power of nature to provide superb medications, we just have to find them.
Things I love today
Chainsaws. Really cuts down on time wasted on cutting weed trees and allows me to maximalize peony planting and adding perennials to my garden. Fewer weed trees means more light and a neater garden
Safety glasses. While the Maximalist believes in letting people make their own mistakes and thrash their way through the jungles and forests of life, she is adamantly opposed to letting them injure their eyes in the process. Vines especially are tricky things and prone to lash about when torn. I love tearing vines, it rids me of so much hostility, but I always protect my eyes. Trips to the opthalmic surgeon are not to me maximalized.
Purposive exercise, you know, like gardening. Running on the treadmill is rather dull and you have only limited pleasure on accomplishing a few miles. Gardening and clean up offers you a better feeling of gratification and wins you the admiration of your neighbors. Women walking by were very impressed by the Maximalist and her skills, especially with that chainsaw!
Safety glasses. While the Maximalist believes in letting people make their own mistakes and thrash their way through the jungles and forests of life, she is adamantly opposed to letting them injure their eyes in the process. Vines especially are tricky things and prone to lash about when torn. I love tearing vines, it rids me of so much hostility, but I always protect my eyes. Trips to the opthalmic surgeon are not to me maximalized.
Purposive exercise, you know, like gardening. Running on the treadmill is rather dull and you have only limited pleasure on accomplishing a few miles. Gardening and clean up offers you a better feeling of gratification and wins you the admiration of your neighbors. Women walking by were very impressed by the Maximalist and her skills, especially with that chainsaw!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Weed tree chainsaw massacre! The Maximalist yells TIM-BERRRR!!!
The Maximalist had every intention of tackling the foul mulberries that clutter up parts of the yard with power tools today. I woke up bright and early expecting that Mr. Maximalist would be ready to teach me this skill and that I would be well on my way!
Sadly, I must report that after breakfast he went back to bed.
Perhaps it's my age and exposure to chainsaw horror movies but I have always found the buzzing things to be terrifying. I imagined accidentally maiming myself as it seemed that these things have minds of their own, a la Stephen King. Anyway, I found some old blue saw in the garage and decided to try my luck the old fashioned athletic way. Luck was on my side and I quickly felled several large weed trees and dragged their carcasses out to the road. Lumberjack to the max.
If I had know sawing down things was so easy I'd have started before. The only thing I have trusted myself to use is lopping tools and sharp pruners. This is a revelation of sorts and rather empowering.
The ultimate goal is to spare the ancient pussy willow and rehabilitate it as best I can, while destroying the opportunistic mulberries and whatever those sour smelling things were that are now gracing the curb side waiting for collection. I cannot realize my dream of the cottage garden "look" without removing these nasty intruders and if I cannot successfully enlist male support I must take things into my own hands.
These hands are more capable and stronger that I had guessed.
Coffee break over. Back to work!
Sadly, I must report that after breakfast he went back to bed.
Perhaps it's my age and exposure to chainsaw horror movies but I have always found the buzzing things to be terrifying. I imagined accidentally maiming myself as it seemed that these things have minds of their own, a la Stephen King. Anyway, I found some old blue saw in the garage and decided to try my luck the old fashioned athletic way. Luck was on my side and I quickly felled several large weed trees and dragged their carcasses out to the road. Lumberjack to the max.
If I had know sawing down things was so easy I'd have started before. The only thing I have trusted myself to use is lopping tools and sharp pruners. This is a revelation of sorts and rather empowering.
The ultimate goal is to spare the ancient pussy willow and rehabilitate it as best I can, while destroying the opportunistic mulberries and whatever those sour smelling things were that are now gracing the curb side waiting for collection. I cannot realize my dream of the cottage garden "look" without removing these nasty intruders and if I cannot successfully enlist male support I must take things into my own hands.
These hands are more capable and stronger that I had guessed.
Coffee break over. Back to work!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Maximalist goes to the used book store
Actually it's a favorite place. A bookstore devoid of calendars, coffee, music and crowds. In fact I think it bans beverages and ou must hold the kiddies by the hand.
It's cheaper and has an interesting selection.
I bought a 1929 copy of Alexander Kuprin's Yama, the Russian realist's work on prostitution.
A 1959 copy of Alice B Toklas Aromas and Flavours. The Maximalist loves to cook and I am eager to try her Perfumed Goose.
A 1941 copy of Robert Nathan's The Darkening Meadows as I did not have one.
It's cheaper and has an interesting selection.
I bought a 1929 copy of Alexander Kuprin's Yama, the Russian realist's work on prostitution.
A 1959 copy of Alice B Toklas Aromas and Flavours. The Maximalist loves to cook and I am eager to try her Perfumed Goose.
A 1941 copy of Robert Nathan's The Darkening Meadows as I did not have one.
What's the point?
Of writing a blog with few views?
Just to keep a record
To practice blathering about myself and my interests until I find a way of writing that I like
Do I really need one?
I used to keep a written journal, but I would get bored or my penmanship would deteriorate to the point that I had trouble reading it! So I am trying this...for the past two years. Just as with paper and a pen I keep putting it down and picking it up and reviewing my thoughts and views.
Harmless and actually I have a better average with the computer as it is rarely misplaced and I am frequently using it for something else
Just to keep a record
To practice blathering about myself and my interests until I find a way of writing that I like
Do I really need one?
I used to keep a written journal, but I would get bored or my penmanship would deteriorate to the point that I had trouble reading it! So I am trying this...for the past two years. Just as with paper and a pen I keep putting it down and picking it up and reviewing my thoughts and views.
Harmless and actually I have a better average with the computer as it is rarely misplaced and I am frequently using it for something else
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Chainsaw lesson
Well cutting down a 20ft tree is one thing and dragging it to the street is another, but making the lieces small enough to please the township is crazy...and required the dreaded chainsaw.
Reluctantly the Maximalist donned her safethy glasses and fired up the beast. The tricks it seems are to hold saw with BOTH hands there by keeping them away from blade, AND holding legs apart so that when the saw cuts through and goes forward that you miss your legs entirely. Seemed very sensible and the MAximalist was able to cut up the boughs in no time flat.
Another empowering experience.
This apparently was a "small" chainsaw. Seems the person who makes a truly petite versions woud have a hit on his/her hands. I could see using this more frequently if it were lighter and if the blade/chain were about a foot long instead of closer to two. Nevertheless, chainsaws aren't just for men anymore.
Reluctantly the Maximalist donned her safethy glasses and fired up the beast. The tricks it seems are to hold saw with BOTH hands there by keeping them away from blade, AND holding legs apart so that when the saw cuts through and goes forward that you miss your legs entirely. Seemed very sensible and the MAximalist was able to cut up the boughs in no time flat.
Another empowering experience.
This apparently was a "small" chainsaw. Seems the person who makes a truly petite versions woud have a hit on his/her hands. I could see using this more frequently if it were lighter and if the blade/chain were about a foot long instead of closer to two. Nevertheless, chainsaws aren't just for men anymore.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Things I hate today...just words!
Some words and usages have gotten on my nerves for years.
As a child I took an irrational dislike to the word "bangs". Why bangs? Is it really a slangy word for the "bang off" hairstyle? Just a useless word.
"Shabby-chic". If I am browsing the internet for a nice piece of old jewelry or a household item and the seller uses this abomination, they have lost my sale. What is wrong with "vintage" or the etsy word "upcycled". Why would I buy something shabby? I won't.
"Picky" as in "I am really picky about the perfume I use". This is a self-administered pat on the back, a back-handed brag that says "I have such discriminating taste". If that's how you feel, say so!
And there's always "invite" or "gifted" for gave. Those always grate at my nerves.
As a child I took an irrational dislike to the word "bangs". Why bangs? Is it really a slangy word for the "bang off" hairstyle? Just a useless word.
"Shabby-chic". If I am browsing the internet for a nice piece of old jewelry or a household item and the seller uses this abomination, they have lost my sale. What is wrong with "vintage" or the etsy word "upcycled". Why would I buy something shabby? I won't.
"Picky" as in "I am really picky about the perfume I use". This is a self-administered pat on the back, a back-handed brag that says "I have such discriminating taste". If that's how you feel, say so!
And there's always "invite" or "gifted" for gave. Those always grate at my nerves.
Henna. The Maximalist has never used commercial chemical hair dye
Henna. Mehendi. Lawsonia Inermis. That plant you grind up to make orangey red dye. The stuff of India's body decoration and a great way to brighten your hair or cover your gray.
The Maximalist swears by it and sometimes swears at it, but either way is probably stuck with it. It is said that once you start with henna, you can't reliably over-dye with chemicals like L'Oreal or Clairol. You risk all sorts of frizz, damage and mayhem. I am risk averse.
When did I start with henna?
As a teenager. Some girls were bleaching and streaking their hair for summer and the Maximalist decided to highlight her highlights instead. I always had red highlights, now there is more. An aunt of mine was a henna enthusiast, she told me where she bought it and I did it. At first and for many years it looked subtle as my hair was already a deep brown. As I aged and became grayer the white hairs have become red ones and each ear there are more.
Why henna?
The 60s and 70s called out for natural beauty despite the heavy sales of dyes and "rinses". The Maximalist was impressionable enough to believe the hype. And I liked that aunt a great deal.
Where do you buy it?
At first, I bought a little yellow tin with Cleopatra's image on it. Later it came in boxes and more colors (mixed with chamomile or indigo). More recently I turned to healthfood stores and bought various shades in plastic jars. The greyer I get the more I appreciate the indigo. Now, I buy from the Indian groceries and add amla or indigo to get a darker shade. My current favorite brand is Godrej's Nupur mehendi. It is henna mixed with a few other herbals:
Brahmi promotes hair growth
Skikakai leaves hair clean and shining
Aloe Vera moisturizes hair and makes it silky
Methi conditions, nourishes and revitalises hair
Bhringraj makes hair luxuriant
Amla darkens hair colour and adds shine
Neem fights scalp infection and prevents dandruff
Hibiscus rejuvenates hair making it shiny & silky
Jatamansi prevents graying of hair
Or so the package claims. I like it because it looks nice and costs $1.99 a packet. I can control my gray better if I color weekly and that also keeps the color darker. This henna is not the slightest bit grainy and it smells better than the healthfood store variety.
To keep it looking soft I moisturize with coconut oil. This happens two days after I color with Nupur Mehendi.
I am satisfied with the result and I do not have brittle dyed hair. I also do not have to contend with peroxides or ammonias or worry about what all those chemicals are doing to my scalp and brain function. I save money and I get a lot for the little I spend. And isn't that what maximalism is all about?
The Maximalist swears by it and sometimes swears at it, but either way is probably stuck with it. It is said that once you start with henna, you can't reliably over-dye with chemicals like L'Oreal or Clairol. You risk all sorts of frizz, damage and mayhem. I am risk averse.
When did I start with henna?
As a teenager. Some girls were bleaching and streaking their hair for summer and the Maximalist decided to highlight her highlights instead. I always had red highlights, now there is more. An aunt of mine was a henna enthusiast, she told me where she bought it and I did it. At first and for many years it looked subtle as my hair was already a deep brown. As I aged and became grayer the white hairs have become red ones and each ear there are more.
Why henna?
The 60s and 70s called out for natural beauty despite the heavy sales of dyes and "rinses". The Maximalist was impressionable enough to believe the hype. And I liked that aunt a great deal.
Where do you buy it?
At first, I bought a little yellow tin with Cleopatra's image on it. Later it came in boxes and more colors (mixed with chamomile or indigo). More recently I turned to healthfood stores and bought various shades in plastic jars. The greyer I get the more I appreciate the indigo. Now, I buy from the Indian groceries and add amla or indigo to get a darker shade. My current favorite brand is Godrej's Nupur mehendi. It is henna mixed with a few other herbals:
Brahmi promotes hair growth
Skikakai leaves hair clean and shining
Aloe Vera moisturizes hair and makes it silky
Methi conditions, nourishes and revitalises hair
Bhringraj makes hair luxuriant
Amla darkens hair colour and adds shine
Neem fights scalp infection and prevents dandruff
Hibiscus rejuvenates hair making it shiny & silky
Jatamansi prevents graying of hair
Or so the package claims. I like it because it looks nice and costs $1.99 a packet. I can control my gray better if I color weekly and that also keeps the color darker. This henna is not the slightest bit grainy and it smells better than the healthfood store variety.
To keep it looking soft I moisturize with coconut oil. This happens two days after I color with Nupur Mehendi.
I am satisfied with the result and I do not have brittle dyed hair. I also do not have to contend with peroxides or ammonias or worry about what all those chemicals are doing to my scalp and brain function. I save money and I get a lot for the little I spend. And isn't that what maximalism is all about?
Sleeping Beauty Wakes at McCarter...mad musings of the Maximalist
What the writer might have been driving at:
CPR as a wake-up kiss. No brainer there, but in the days of the Ambu bag and facial guards for those times that you do mouth-to-mouth, few people would do it in a hospital setting. You'd have to be really sure of who you're dealing with. So the rescue breaths in this case are significant.
The slighted fairy takes revenge. Yep. Another obvious thing. When we slight others especially in a showy way it is not unreasonable that they will take it out on us when the chance presents itself. This applies to all sorts of people. Plenty of those we overlook muster the strength to become powerful in little ways that we may eventually need. Don't be mean to people. You never know.
A totally sheltered child refuses to mature. In this case she stays sleeping for 900 years, but how many middle aged babies do you know who have never had to deal with the spindles and thorns of life (in this adaptation, the daddy-king pays people to remove the thorns from the roses).The Maximalist knows many. Sometimes they just stay immature and others do terribly destructive things to either "break free" or push the limits of their protection, for if there are no consequences nothing is truly forbidden. Our sleeping beauty was spared from all decisions and dangers, she decided not to participate. Eventually she teamed up with a man who was weaker and sicker than herself. I suppose this falls within the "destructive" category. Beauty makes the Sebastian Flyte choice and falls for someone she must care for.
Protecting a child from responsibility will cost you. In this case it took 900 years, but daddy-king ended up with a condo instead of a kingdom as he kept his child safe from responsibility and danger.
No one can live 900 years, 900 days or 900 hours sleeping without food or water. Apart from a fairy tale princess it can't be done, so let's not accept it as more than a metaphor for sheltered life away from "the real world", shall we? Good. As this is the stuff of fairy tales anyway. The Beast in "Beauty and the Beast" was merely a nasty self-centered fellow who people avoided.He acted like a wild animal, he wasn't one. The "real princess" in the "Princess and the Pea" was outrageously spoiled. Why a mom would want someone that "sensitive" for her son is another matter and "happily ever after" is open to interpretation. In that case, the Queen and the new Princess probably whined to their hearts' content over every intolerable trifle. Sad. But I think in the pea story the author was aiming for satire, don't you?
SPOILER: Daddy-king dies as the child grows up. Or does the child grow up when the protection passes into history? I am not convinced that the author really believes that dad's job/life is done when Beauty awakens. Seems the opposite is the more likely case. Her life was asleep, on hold, until daddy's care was gone and she had to wake up or die. No, I take that back...in the story "the handsome prince" was a planned successor protector. This princess said "no way". Had she been allowed life's little deprivations perhaps a handsome prince would have been more appealing as it was for Cinderella. This one just wanted to be "free". In Sleeping Beauty Wakes it is clear that the consequences of freedom were never considered. This is pretty realistic, actually. A protected child is free of protection and makes a crazy decision to team up with a young man with poor prospects and issues of his own. This one collapses when faced with strong emotion. Love, hate, frustration and responsibility all elicit strong emotions. A nice boy but not a strong one.
Anyway, the whole point is that we must allow our children to experience, loss, pain and failures along the road to maturity and adulthood. Frustrations are what makes people capable of handling frustrations and the crises which pepper our lives. They are also what makes us choose wisely and not impulsively as we begin to see the consequences of our actions.
It was a nice story even if you don't think about it too much. Good music and strong voices and a touch of humor. But if you look, there is more to this Beauty than meets the eye.
The refusal to wake up is the mother of all sleep disorders.Or is the Maximalist delusional?
Addendum: and please, dear author, no orderly or nursing assistant would ever have keys to the narc closet or legal access to that oversized syringe!
CPR as a wake-up kiss. No brainer there, but in the days of the Ambu bag and facial guards for those times that you do mouth-to-mouth, few people would do it in a hospital setting. You'd have to be really sure of who you're dealing with. So the rescue breaths in this case are significant.
The slighted fairy takes revenge. Yep. Another obvious thing. When we slight others especially in a showy way it is not unreasonable that they will take it out on us when the chance presents itself. This applies to all sorts of people. Plenty of those we overlook muster the strength to become powerful in little ways that we may eventually need. Don't be mean to people. You never know.
A totally sheltered child refuses to mature. In this case she stays sleeping for 900 years, but how many middle aged babies do you know who have never had to deal with the spindles and thorns of life (in this adaptation, the daddy-king pays people to remove the thorns from the roses).The Maximalist knows many. Sometimes they just stay immature and others do terribly destructive things to either "break free" or push the limits of their protection, for if there are no consequences nothing is truly forbidden. Our sleeping beauty was spared from all decisions and dangers, she decided not to participate. Eventually she teamed up with a man who was weaker and sicker than herself. I suppose this falls within the "destructive" category. Beauty makes the Sebastian Flyte choice and falls for someone she must care for.
Protecting a child from responsibility will cost you. In this case it took 900 years, but daddy-king ended up with a condo instead of a kingdom as he kept his child safe from responsibility and danger.
No one can live 900 years, 900 days or 900 hours sleeping without food or water. Apart from a fairy tale princess it can't be done, so let's not accept it as more than a metaphor for sheltered life away from "the real world", shall we? Good. As this is the stuff of fairy tales anyway. The Beast in "Beauty and the Beast" was merely a nasty self-centered fellow who people avoided.He acted like a wild animal, he wasn't one. The "real princess" in the "Princess and the Pea" was outrageously spoiled. Why a mom would want someone that "sensitive" for her son is another matter and "happily ever after" is open to interpretation. In that case, the Queen and the new Princess probably whined to their hearts' content over every intolerable trifle. Sad. But I think in the pea story the author was aiming for satire, don't you?
SPOILER: Daddy-king dies as the child grows up. Or does the child grow up when the protection passes into history? I am not convinced that the author really believes that dad's job/life is done when Beauty awakens. Seems the opposite is the more likely case. Her life was asleep, on hold, until daddy's care was gone and she had to wake up or die. No, I take that back...in the story "the handsome prince" was a planned successor protector. This princess said "no way". Had she been allowed life's little deprivations perhaps a handsome prince would have been more appealing as it was for Cinderella. This one just wanted to be "free". In Sleeping Beauty Wakes it is clear that the consequences of freedom were never considered. This is pretty realistic, actually. A protected child is free of protection and makes a crazy decision to team up with a young man with poor prospects and issues of his own. This one collapses when faced with strong emotion. Love, hate, frustration and responsibility all elicit strong emotions. A nice boy but not a strong one.
Anyway, the whole point is that we must allow our children to experience, loss, pain and failures along the road to maturity and adulthood. Frustrations are what makes people capable of handling frustrations and the crises which pepper our lives. They are also what makes us choose wisely and not impulsively as we begin to see the consequences of our actions.
It was a nice story even if you don't think about it too much. Good music and strong voices and a touch of humor. But if you look, there is more to this Beauty than meets the eye.
The refusal to wake up is the mother of all sleep disorders.Or is the Maximalist delusional?
Addendum: and please, dear author, no orderly or nursing assistant would ever have keys to the narc closet or legal access to that oversized syringe!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Things I love today
Gardening and contemplating the joys of the harvest. My little pepper flowers appear to be giving way to little green fruits.
My new gardening catalogs. After ordering over 800 daffodils last fall it seems the Maximalist is a desirable customer. I received a catalog devoted entirely to bulk bulbs and another with natural solutions to everything.
Accidental successes! When I went to a local garden store I noticed a plant labeled "red currant". It wasn't. It was a gooseberry plant and quite a nice one. Of course it is in my yard now.
Marigolds
The wild array of peppers and tomatoes you can plant. The vast variety of the pricey specialty market is available for your garden and table at $1.49 a pack!
Lentil sprouts. Just a bit of the lentilly taste and lots of extra nutrients. I let mine get a bit green and leafy in the sun before the saute. They were excellent with some pepper and ginger.
Feeling a wee bit tired after a lot of digging and planting. It's a good sort of tired and I recommend it to everyone.
Cultivate your own garden!
My new gardening catalogs. After ordering over 800 daffodils last fall it seems the Maximalist is a desirable customer. I received a catalog devoted entirely to bulk bulbs and another with natural solutions to everything.
Accidental successes! When I went to a local garden store I noticed a plant labeled "red currant". It wasn't. It was a gooseberry plant and quite a nice one. Of course it is in my yard now.
Marigolds
The wild array of peppers and tomatoes you can plant. The vast variety of the pricey specialty market is available for your garden and table at $1.49 a pack!
Lentil sprouts. Just a bit of the lentilly taste and lots of extra nutrients. I let mine get a bit green and leafy in the sun before the saute. They were excellent with some pepper and ginger.
Feeling a wee bit tired after a lot of digging and planting. It's a good sort of tired and I recommend it to everyone.
Cultivate your own garden!
So the Maximalist likes marigolds...sue me
Marigolds have a bitter smell, are annuals, and have little to recommend them overall...or so it seems.
Nope not cut flowers, good guess though. They're a bit too short-stemmed for that.
And the Maximalist does like yellow and orange, but that's not it either.
The Maximalist hates aphids! Aphids hate marigolds! It's a "my enemy's enemy is my friend" sort of thing. AND there s nothing poisonous about marigolds, the Maximalist can use them as safe pest control!
Did you know that some plants like to be neighbors and others don't? Seems plants, like people, have their little preferences.
Check out this website for more cool plant combos to fight pests and for harmony in your garden. http://toadstoolponds.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/why-plant-marigolds-in-your-vegetable-garden/
Now I will sit down to a luscious bowl of lentil sprouts a small piece of salmon (wild caught, natch) and contemplate my gardening!
Nope not cut flowers, good guess though. They're a bit too short-stemmed for that.
And the Maximalist does like yellow and orange, but that's not it either.
The Maximalist hates aphids! Aphids hate marigolds! It's a "my enemy's enemy is my friend" sort of thing. AND there s nothing poisonous about marigolds, the Maximalist can use them as safe pest control!
Did you know that some plants like to be neighbors and others don't? Seems plants, like people, have their little preferences.
Check out this website for more cool plant combos to fight pests and for harmony in your garden. http://toadstoolponds.wordpress.com/2007/12/07/why-plant-marigolds-in-your-vegetable-garden/
Now I will sit down to a luscious bowl of lentil sprouts a small piece of salmon (wild caught, natch) and contemplate my gardening!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Next up kidney and lima bean sprouts!
Sounds good to me.
Remember that the sprout is more nutritious than either the seed or the mature plant. Checkout nutritiondata.com for the goods on the amino acid content of these things, then envision them lightly sauteed with a pinch of garlic and a handful of fresh cilantro! The color combination of the red kidney sprouts and cilantro should look as good as it tastes.
Maybe I'll do black eyes peas...hmm
Remember that the sprout is more nutritious than either the seed or the mature plant. Checkout nutritiondata.com for the goods on the amino acid content of these things, then envision them lightly sauteed with a pinch of garlic and a handful of fresh cilantro! The color combination of the red kidney sprouts and cilantro should look as good as it tastes.
Maybe I'll do black eyes peas...hmm
Maximal scent for spring in your garden and on the cheap!
The Maximalist loves scented garden flowers! And she especially loves the ones that come up every year and can be had for peanuts. Today I am reveling in the aroma of scented daffodils, lilacs, wisteria and broom plants!
All of these can be had very reasonably. Daffodil bulbs are always a bargain online and not all are the scentless yellow trumpets. Daffodils = narcissus and are the stuff of glorious parfums like Caron's classic Narcisse Noir. Lilacs come in blue, red, white and many shades of lilac of course. They perfume the air like nothing else, look spectacular massed in vases and are reliable bloomers. The wisteria is hanging in long grapey clusters now and the fragrance is from a distance fabulous and a bit too much close up. Wisteria is rarely an addition in parfum for this reason I would surmise, but I do own an old bottle of Houbigant's Wisteria soliflore that retains its beauty to today.
My most recent scented shrubs are the broom plants with their fluttery yellow blossoms and incongruently heady fragrance. Butterflies love them as do the honeybees...and the Maximalist. They are largish plants and that bloom from top to bottom and survive the harsh winter weather. My shoveling service dumped piles of snow on them and they returned as marvelous as ever.
I should aslo give a shout out to crab apple trees. Many colors, deep apple blossom scent and a long season as different varieties blossom at different times. They brighten the ladder of our day to day life and ask for a little water.Mine also get a little neem oil spray to harmlessly combat the pests!
Laszlo Ispanky
Last year the Maximalist had the good fortune to attend an auction of the Ispanky Estate. There was more sculpture than you could shake a stick at. Bronzes, porcelains and artists proofs. The man was a talented and prolific sculptor. His work was chosen by Presidents as gifts from the American people to notables such as Anwar Sadat, Mao Tse Tung, and the Vatican. That was a gentler and more refined era when presidents felt that a state gift should be a treasure and not a personal vanity statement or a pack of DVDs. I assume that his work still graces the museums of these countries and is admired. Some of the proofs of these works were auctioned and smaller copies.
I had no idea that Ispanky was a painter too until I saw the auction preview. Much of the work had a 1960s post-war modernist style and the content was varied. Statement pieces against war were mixed with portraits, abstracts and a few Old Testament religious themes. The most spectacular was "Abraham and Isaac" a huge oil depicting the almost sacrifice of Isaac to God. The Angel is grasping Abraham's hand just as he is about to slay his son. There is a ram in the thicket. You know the story. The colors are breathtaking and the size of the piece makes it awe inspiring and brings the amazing momnet to life.
It is in a private collection now.
Stage Fright Michael Wilding with Marlena Dietrich and Jane Wyman
Another Hitchcock gem with my new favorite Michael Wilding. Jane Wyman sets out to protect a young man framed for murder by a grand singer, Dietrich. Michael plays the detective who sets out to find the killer and who is falling in love with Wyman.
Dietrich is Dietrich and Wyman's performance as a drama student is just fine. Michael plays the detective with an understated elegance which is the hallmark of his work, IMO. You are never tempted to say "Oh, there's Wilding acting again". I have read that means he's "bland" but I think being so recognizable that the audience sees an actor and not the character is a bad thing. He was equally believable as a detective, as the young aristocrat, or as a stuffy class conscious butler turned Army Major.
Nice surprise was Alistair Sims so very type cast as Scrooge. In this movie he was Jane's father, a sort of regular guy who incidentally has an issue or two with the police.
Suspenseful with very clever dialogue.
Dietrich sings.
Dietrich is Dietrich and Wyman's performance as a drama student is just fine. Michael plays the detective with an understated elegance which is the hallmark of his work, IMO. You are never tempted to say "Oh, there's Wilding acting again". I have read that means he's "bland" but I think being so recognizable that the audience sees an actor and not the character is a bad thing. He was equally believable as a detective, as the young aristocrat, or as a stuffy class conscious butler turned Army Major.
Nice surprise was Alistair Sims so very type cast as Scrooge. In this movie he was Jane's father, a sort of regular guy who incidentally has an issue or two with the police.
Suspenseful with very clever dialogue.
Dietrich sings.
Things I love today
Copper cookware! Especially at flea market prices. I bought a DeHillerin au gratin pan today and it is beautiful. It's a very heavy hammered copper pan with brass handles and it's marked E DeHillerin Paris Made in France. The tinning looks new though the pan looks old. It will polish up like a dream.
Also found an old Amaerican made pot and lid which was forged on Wooster Street in Manhattan. This one needs retinning but it is the heaviest copper I have ever encountered. Will be redone somewhere. Just lovely and if it has lasted this long (the shop went out duing the depression)it should last forever. Grand, huh?
Chinese filigree jewelry. I don't see a lot of this and I don't know the value but bought some today; a gorgeous butterfly set with turquoise and coral and an enameled rectangular brooch set with a carved white piece of jade or some sort of stone. These should be fun to wear and fun to research and I did not buy them for their weight. They're just pretty and maximalism does not have to be utilitarian. No, no no!
Also found an old Amaerican made pot and lid which was forged on Wooster Street in Manhattan. This one needs retinning but it is the heaviest copper I have ever encountered. Will be redone somewhere. Just lovely and if it has lasted this long (the shop went out duing the depression)it should last forever. Grand, huh?
Chinese filigree jewelry. I don't see a lot of this and I don't know the value but bought some today; a gorgeous butterfly set with turquoise and coral and an enameled rectangular brooch set with a carved white piece of jade or some sort of stone. These should be fun to wear and fun to research and I did not buy them for their weight. They're just pretty and maximalism does not have to be utilitarian. No, no no!
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Maximalist changes her mind on work
I work every weekend, twelve hours on Saturday and again on Sunday. For this effort, I maximalize my hourly rate. I get 150% of my official hourly rate so I work 24h and get paid for 36h. I also get five days off. A vacation every week, get considered full-time for benefits and the like. What's not to love?
Well, perhaps I am setting a bad example to all the other budding maximalisti out there who believe they should work less, too?
So as of today I will add at least one day per pay period and get paid for 40 hours a week. I will only have to work 28h/week to do this. Work 28h get paid for 40h. Still a nice deal. In the unlikely event I work 40h/week I would be paid for 52h. Nice arrangement any way you slice it and sets a better example, I think.
The garden is well underway and I have no pressing household matters to which I must attend. I will be adding time on an ad hoc basis, so I can always not augment my income.
Seems like "the right thing to do".
Your "make hay while the sun shines" Maximalist.
Have a glorious weekend!
Well, perhaps I am setting a bad example to all the other budding maximalisti out there who believe they should work less, too?
So as of today I will add at least one day per pay period and get paid for 40 hours a week. I will only have to work 28h/week to do this. Work 28h get paid for 40h. Still a nice deal. In the unlikely event I work 40h/week I would be paid for 52h. Nice arrangement any way you slice it and sets a better example, I think.
The garden is well underway and I have no pressing household matters to which I must attend. I will be adding time on an ad hoc basis, so I can always not augment my income.
Seems like "the right thing to do".
Your "make hay while the sun shines" Maximalist.
Have a glorious weekend!
Another weird musing on Sleeping Beauty Wakes
Well we have the evil fairy, but where was the good one who saved the day and turned the princess's death sentence into a long long nap? We miss her when we think about the story.
Also about this idea transplanted to the 21st century. If the girl was essentially comatose, the story makes no mention of nutrition or anything like that. True, it's a fairy tale transported, but if you're going to make dad look like Mr. Rogers you might want to deal with a few details.
Costuming advice; make dad look a bit older as the introduction of the fairy tale characters is a bit shaky. Who is that man? Dad or the Prince Charming whose princess failed to wake up completely? The man looked too youngish given the fact that he should have looked 50-60 years old. This should be easy. Also while I assume that he depleted his kingly savings he looks a bit too working class for a king.
Still minor quibbles about a fun show. I could say you got me thinking a bit and that is fun too, but the opening ambiguity could be solved with the statement that he's the father of the "patient", not just that the last name is "king" as the prince would have become a king too.
Also about this idea transplanted to the 21st century. If the girl was essentially comatose, the story makes no mention of nutrition or anything like that. True, it's a fairy tale transported, but if you're going to make dad look like Mr. Rogers you might want to deal with a few details.
Costuming advice; make dad look a bit older as the introduction of the fairy tale characters is a bit shaky. Who is that man? Dad or the Prince Charming whose princess failed to wake up completely? The man looked too youngish given the fact that he should have looked 50-60 years old. This should be easy. Also while I assume that he depleted his kingly savings he looks a bit too working class for a king.
Still minor quibbles about a fun show. I could say you got me thinking a bit and that is fun too, but the opening ambiguity could be solved with the statement that he's the father of the "patient", not just that the last name is "king" as the prince would have become a king too.
Sprout city!
My pea sprouts look fabulous and my lentils are just starting to take off today with little shoots forming. Why people insist on buying those anemic beige bean sprouts is anyone's guess when you can make prettier, tastier, fresher sprouts at a fraction of the cost on your own counter top. And you do not need an array of fancy devices to do this. A jar, a piece of cloth, a rubber band, water and seeds. That is all.
I personally love the taste of raw peas fresh from the vine. They are very green tasting and sweetish. The frozen peas just don't have this flavor going on at all, and cooked peas....well I've never had a positive experience with these. Now a freshly sprouted pea gives you the fresh taste without the fresh price and takes only a couple days as legumes are quick sprouters. And as I mentioned previously, the nutritional content changes and you no longer have a piece of green starch but a green vegetable. Amazing stuff and with green peas (no splits thank you) you get a large supply for 99 cents a bag. Now you can also allow the pea sprouts to grow larger with no dimunition of taste AND you can grow all the shoots you can eat in a simple pot or two in your home all year round. No pods, but no rabbits and no special season required. All is good.
PS:Check out the nutritional value of sprouts at NutritionData.com. The soy sprouts are excellent in every way!
The Maximalist wonders what survivalists think of this sprouting business. They are busy storing grains and dessicated red meat, but it seems the sprout could be overlooked. I suppose they plan to store multivitamins as well.
Goodness how delicious, eating sprouted peas!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Naturally
I am not happy that the price of silver is down a bit, but I believe it is temporary. This also affords the Maximalist time to buy more cheap silver ahead of the curve. Silver lining.
Another litte gardening note; do NOT waste your money on packaged gardening seeds if pea sprouts appeal to you. Use the bags put out by Goya or some store varieties. You can get 16oz bags for far less than the little gardener brands. I am not sure how these would work for those desiring raw peas or specialty varietals, but for sprouts, cheap is good. And yes, you can sprout other packaged seeds as well. Lentils make especially good sprouts. Cheap, wholesome and nutritious. Yes, sprouting alters the nutritional value. You sacrifice protein for vegetable nutrients, but the Maximalist recommends combining protein with vegetables anyway and tends to favor fish and chicken. I am rather a chicketarian.
Just in case you think I am just regurgitating info from other sites, I have been sprouting since 1977. I lived in a weird student co-op and chose KP over vacuuming or bathroom detail. One of the duties was making sprouts. Others were making yogurt and granola. Maximalist is an old hand at sprouts. And I have started fresh pea and lentil sprouts today. Sadly, the modern kitchen is not conducive to making yogurt. The co-op had an old pilot light stove. I made superb thick yogurt...mmmmm.
Another litte gardening note; do NOT waste your money on packaged gardening seeds if pea sprouts appeal to you. Use the bags put out by Goya or some store varieties. You can get 16oz bags for far less than the little gardener brands. I am not sure how these would work for those desiring raw peas or specialty varietals, but for sprouts, cheap is good. And yes, you can sprout other packaged seeds as well. Lentils make especially good sprouts. Cheap, wholesome and nutritious. Yes, sprouting alters the nutritional value. You sacrifice protein for vegetable nutrients, but the Maximalist recommends combining protein with vegetables anyway and tends to favor fish and chicken. I am rather a chicketarian.
Just in case you think I am just regurgitating info from other sites, I have been sprouting since 1977. I lived in a weird student co-op and chose KP over vacuuming or bathroom detail. One of the duties was making sprouts. Others were making yogurt and granola. Maximalist is an old hand at sprouts. And I have started fresh pea and lentil sprouts today. Sadly, the modern kitchen is not conducive to making yogurt. The co-op had an old pilot light stove. I made superb thick yogurt...mmmmm.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Adding Pictures
Should I or shouldn't I?
When I first started blogging I toyed with posting pics of my fragrance choice of the day and a piece of silver in my collection, sort of a jewel of the day.
I never did either.
Now, that I have my garden started I thought of taking pics of my plants. I could probably start with some of my older acquisitions like the 800 daffodils I planted last fall to fill up an area wher the grass would just not grow. They looked lovely, not quite the daffodil scene from Dr Zhivago, but we're getting there.
So between gardens and silver maybe I could add a picture or two.
Or if I am looking for hits I should snap pics of all the Bonne Bell ads I have and mix them up with other "real girl" 70s ads. That seems pretty popular. To be sure even the "malibu-ties" looked real next to today's models. I have much to be grateful for growing up when the bar wasn't set way too high!
Something to consider.
When I first started blogging I toyed with posting pics of my fragrance choice of the day and a piece of silver in my collection, sort of a jewel of the day.
I never did either.
Now, that I have my garden started I thought of taking pics of my plants. I could probably start with some of my older acquisitions like the 800 daffodils I planted last fall to fill up an area wher the grass would just not grow. They looked lovely, not quite the daffodil scene from Dr Zhivago, but we're getting there.
So between gardens and silver maybe I could add a picture or two.
Or if I am looking for hits I should snap pics of all the Bonne Bell ads I have and mix them up with other "real girl" 70s ads. That seems pretty popular. To be sure even the "malibu-ties" looked real next to today's models. I have much to be grateful for growing up when the bar wasn't set way too high!
Something to consider.
Things I love today
The McCarter's modern interpretation of an old fairy tale, set to music. Sleeping Beauty Wakes.
That I found The Glass Slipper with Michael Wilding and Leslie Caron, another reinterpretation set to music. I can't wait!
That my garden is working out so well
That I finally discovered a great way to get to sleep that is essentially natural. I am enjoying my dreams a bit more too
Dreams. It's been a while since I remembered them or fought against them. Ever do that? Know that you are dfreaming and talk yourself out of bits and pieces, sort of steer your dreams into a more acceptable form, yes stay asleep? It's great.
Crystal Beads
Henna...have I posted about henna? If not I will, soon
That I found The Glass Slipper with Michael Wilding and Leslie Caron, another reinterpretation set to music. I can't wait!
That my garden is working out so well
That I finally discovered a great way to get to sleep that is essentially natural. I am enjoying my dreams a bit more too
Dreams. It's been a while since I remembered them or fought against them. Ever do that? Know that you are dfreaming and talk yourself out of bits and pieces, sort of steer your dreams into a more acceptable form, yes stay asleep? It's great.
Crystal Beads
Henna...have I posted about henna? If not I will, soon
Sleeping Beauty Wakes at the McCarter
Except for the volume, man it was loud, I loved it!
The voices were lovely, the casting was well done, and I liked the costuming as well.
The plot takes Sleeping Beauty, still asleep, to a 21st century sleep disorder clinic. Actually her father carries her in much to the surprise of the "real" patients, and the story of her awakening begins.
There are layers of meaning and some of the other characters wake up a bit too. I would hate to spoil this one for anybody, so I won't, but I urge anyone looking for nice music wrapped around a psychological feast to see Sleeping Beauty Wakes. It works if you don't read into it too as Mr. Maximalist liked it without my interpretations.
One more minor quibble. How in heck do you bring a stainless steel stretcher into an MRI suite? The M stands for Magnetic, people. It just wouldn't work.
After the play's run is over I will bore you with all my little insights and such. Part of it comes from being fairly familiar with sleep disorders.
Good night,
The Maximalist
The voices were lovely, the casting was well done, and I liked the costuming as well.
The plot takes Sleeping Beauty, still asleep, to a 21st century sleep disorder clinic. Actually her father carries her in much to the surprise of the "real" patients, and the story of her awakening begins.
There are layers of meaning and some of the other characters wake up a bit too. I would hate to spoil this one for anybody, so I won't, but I urge anyone looking for nice music wrapped around a psychological feast to see Sleeping Beauty Wakes. It works if you don't read into it too as Mr. Maximalist liked it without my interpretations.
One more minor quibble. How in heck do you bring a stainless steel stretcher into an MRI suite? The M stands for Magnetic, people. It just wouldn't work.
After the play's run is over I will bore you with all my little insights and such. Part of it comes from being fairly familiar with sleep disorders.
Good night,
The Maximalist
My pepper plants are in flower!
Joy!
Habanero and cayenne varieties are looking good!
My 4-in-1 apple tree is blooming on all four varietal branches. I doubt I will be eating my own apples this fall, but it is nice to see it thriving.
Am moving toward the cottage garden theory of gardening, mixing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers all in a lovely melange of green and color. Will be hunting for more interesting plants tomorrow. Couldn't resist the pepper update today
Habanero and cayenne varieties are looking good!
My 4-in-1 apple tree is blooming on all four varietal branches. I doubt I will be eating my own apples this fall, but it is nice to see it thriving.
Am moving toward the cottage garden theory of gardening, mixing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers all in a lovely melange of green and color. Will be hunting for more interesting plants tomorrow. Couldn't resist the pepper update today
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