H.A. Larson's Blog, page 61
October 6, 2016
Teaser Time!
Good morning! I think it's high time you got a teaser from "The Box", right? Great, I'm glad you agree. Here you go, and if you like it, don't like it, or whatever...feel free to comment. Thanks!
Heidi glanced down to the floor next to the edge of the bed. There was a gap between the box spring and the floor that allowed the strong morning light to penetrate. From underneath, she could see shadows flitting around. With her mouth open and her heart pounding, she got down on her knees and bent over to look under the bed. She shadows were gone, but she found a source of the humming vibration. Staring at her from under the bed was a box, not the box, but another, larger box made out of cardboard. She pulled the cardboard box out from under the bed, and as she did so it vibrated in her hand. She held her breath as she opened the cardboard box to reveal what was within. Gran's old diary and the box. The box looked no different than it had the day before, but this time it was vibrating and humming. She picked the box up in her hands and felt mesmerized the sound it was making. She felt the vibration begin to move up her arms from her hands, and she felt compelled to put her ear against the box. As she did, she could faintly hear what sounded like a voice. She strained harder to hear until she finally made out what was being said. 'Let me out.' As if in a trance, she nodded solemnly. She set the old, wooden box down on Gran's bed and ran her fingers along the outside, looking for a way in. As she did, the box seemed to speak in whispers, urging her to find a way to open the box. The shadows in her periphery danced and wended their way through each other to either side of her. Even though she was completely absorbed in what she was doing, she could, for the first time, really see the shadows.
October 4, 2016
Making a Simple Budget
We all know that I'm a late bloomer and that I readily admit to it. I was very sheltered growing up, so it seemed to take me longer than others to figure things out. Finances are no exception. Just the mere mention of the words "finances", "budget", or "money" used to incite a sense of panic and some hyperventilating. A few years ago, however, I finally stumbled upon one of the greatest things to ever happen to my household 'budget', and it's this:
You are probably saying, "huh?" and scratching your head in perplexity. It's just a little notebook with birds, flowers, and butterflies on it. Well, it does have a pretty cover, but it's what's inside that is special. Well, at least as far as money, budgeting, and bills go. Here's the inside:
Ta da! I know, exciting, right? Genius, right? It's a pretty little binder notebook with columned pocket-pages that have a page for each month of the year. I've blurred this one out so you can't see my personal stuff, but still allows you to get the gist of the notebook. From here on out it shall be referred to as "the folder" because that's what I've been calling it/them all this time.
Here's an unobstructed view of a blank month (Taken from one of my future folders. Yes, I have a stockpile for the future. See: last photo.):
As you can see, there are four columns that have mirror images on both the left and right sides of the pages. The first column says, "Due Date", the second says, "Expenses", the third says, "Amount", and the last says, "Paid."
If you find budgeting hard and need something simple, listen up. If you don't have the kind of finances that allow for the kind of budget you read about in articles, listen up. If you need a simple way of making sure you pay all your bills in full and on time--in other words, keep track of what you need to be paying--then listen up. It's simple.
I found this folder a few years back, like I mentioned, at the Dollar Tree. Yep, you heard that right, the Dollar Tree. That bastion of cheap, essential, and non-essential items. I saw it and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if I can get my bills in order with this thing?" A few years later, and, yeah, I can say that it did. If you can't find one at the dollar store or any other store, you can buy them online. This is one option at Current, and another at Amazon, where you should be able to find a wide assortment to fit your tastes. Just don't pay tons of money for one.
Now, here's what you do. First, sit down and write down every single bill that you pay, excluding food, gas, and household supplies like toilet paper. After you're pretty sure you've got every bill written down, next write down next to each bill their due date (or approximate due date). Then, write down how much each bill is, if the bill isn't the same each month, no worries. This isn't a standard budget, but rather an organized bill paying method, and I will share what to do there in a moment.
Give yourself a day or two before writing in the folder--trust me on this, I speak from experience--in case you forgot a bill but remember in the next day or two. Then, you're ready to transcribe. So, going in due date order, write in the due date, name of bill, and amount owed. The amount owed on some is static, but for the ones that flucuate, write the due date/approximate due date and name of bill, then wait to put in the amount due until you know.
Towards the end of the month, around the 20th or so, I fill in the coming month's information. Don't fill out all the months in one fell swoop. This is another mistake I've learned not to do. Why? Because bills fluctuate, and if you have to remove or add something later, it can really get messy in your folder. Messy is what we're trying to avoid too much of because it doesn't help you stay organized! ;)
Then, I jot down on the pages, next to the month name, the dates of all incoming money (paychecks, child support, royalties, whatever) so I know what days to open up the folder. Now, to implement your hard work!
1. Don't spend your paycheck before it comes. Ever. Just don't.
2. One of those expenses should be savings. Even if you can only start with $5 a month and work your way up, make it a part of your regular bills. You'll thank yourself for this one day. You can always open an online savings account where you either put the money in on payday yourself, or have it automatically withdrawn. I love online savings accounts because it's "out of sight and out of mind" so doesn't get dipped into or spent like money in your home bank.
3. When payday rolls around, pull out your folder and see what bills need to be paid. These are the ones that will be due now or before the next check comes in.
4. Pay the bills that are due, and then jot down in the "Paid" column the date you paid them. For example:
Due Date: 10/01Expenses: RentAmount: $900Paid: 9/29
5. Keep any receipts or bill paying slips in the pockets. I also keep papers with running balances of my credit cards and savings in there as well, so I can keep track of everything and have it at my fingertips.
6. Close your folder, and put away until next check.
7. Smile knowing you got this under control.
When I've paid the last bill for the month, I make a notation at the bottom like, "Closed: 03/30." That way, I know the month has been taken care of, and when it was.
Here's a photo of 2017's pretty folder:
I'm no financial expert, but I know what it's like to try and keep money-organized on a paycheck to paycheck scenario. People living this way can't always budget like people with more disposable income, so, in my opinion, this is a great way to make sure you pay your bills on time and in full. This is very important and leads the way for good credit scores, saving money, knowing how you're spending your money, and, most importantly, paying bills first before blowing money on wants.
Now, let me address why I didn't add food, gas, or household supplies to my bill folder. Those of us who can't budget like those with more disposable income can't budget in these items, in most cases. After all my bills are paid, I look at what's left in the bank and determine how much I can spend on these three items before next payday. I then sit down and make a list for food and jot down household items I can afford. I also try to put aside a few bucks for fun money for the family, but not every paycheck with allow for this.
Notes:
A) I cannot reiterate enough, MAKE SAVINGS A BILL. You might not be able to go out for pizza this week, but your bills will be paid and you will have some money set aside for the future.
B) Be disciplined. Pay your bills first, savings next, and everything else thereafter. It makes a difference.
C) You don't have to write down paydays or "Closed: This date" on your folder, that's just what I do, but you're welcome to if you want!
Lastly, these are all suggestions from a non-financial-professional. I'm just a chick who's struggled with money and finances in the past and found an easy way to get myself organized in those areas. If you try this out let me know, somewhere down the road, how this worked out for you.
You are probably saying, "huh?" and scratching your head in perplexity. It's just a little notebook with birds, flowers, and butterflies on it. Well, it does have a pretty cover, but it's what's inside that is special. Well, at least as far as money, budgeting, and bills go. Here's the inside:
Ta da! I know, exciting, right? Genius, right? It's a pretty little binder notebook with columned pocket-pages that have a page for each month of the year. I've blurred this one out so you can't see my personal stuff, but still allows you to get the gist of the notebook. From here on out it shall be referred to as "the folder" because that's what I've been calling it/them all this time.
Here's an unobstructed view of a blank month (Taken from one of my future folders. Yes, I have a stockpile for the future. See: last photo.):
As you can see, there are four columns that have mirror images on both the left and right sides of the pages. The first column says, "Due Date", the second says, "Expenses", the third says, "Amount", and the last says, "Paid."
If you find budgeting hard and need something simple, listen up. If you don't have the kind of finances that allow for the kind of budget you read about in articles, listen up. If you need a simple way of making sure you pay all your bills in full and on time--in other words, keep track of what you need to be paying--then listen up. It's simple.
I found this folder a few years back, like I mentioned, at the Dollar Tree. Yep, you heard that right, the Dollar Tree. That bastion of cheap, essential, and non-essential items. I saw it and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if I can get my bills in order with this thing?" A few years later, and, yeah, I can say that it did. If you can't find one at the dollar store or any other store, you can buy them online. This is one option at Current, and another at Amazon, where you should be able to find a wide assortment to fit your tastes. Just don't pay tons of money for one.
Now, here's what you do. First, sit down and write down every single bill that you pay, excluding food, gas, and household supplies like toilet paper. After you're pretty sure you've got every bill written down, next write down next to each bill their due date (or approximate due date). Then, write down how much each bill is, if the bill isn't the same each month, no worries. This isn't a standard budget, but rather an organized bill paying method, and I will share what to do there in a moment.
Give yourself a day or two before writing in the folder--trust me on this, I speak from experience--in case you forgot a bill but remember in the next day or two. Then, you're ready to transcribe. So, going in due date order, write in the due date, name of bill, and amount owed. The amount owed on some is static, but for the ones that flucuate, write the due date/approximate due date and name of bill, then wait to put in the amount due until you know.
Towards the end of the month, around the 20th or so, I fill in the coming month's information. Don't fill out all the months in one fell swoop. This is another mistake I've learned not to do. Why? Because bills fluctuate, and if you have to remove or add something later, it can really get messy in your folder. Messy is what we're trying to avoid too much of because it doesn't help you stay organized! ;)
Then, I jot down on the pages, next to the month name, the dates of all incoming money (paychecks, child support, royalties, whatever) so I know what days to open up the folder. Now, to implement your hard work!
1. Don't spend your paycheck before it comes. Ever. Just don't.
2. One of those expenses should be savings. Even if you can only start with $5 a month and work your way up, make it a part of your regular bills. You'll thank yourself for this one day. You can always open an online savings account where you either put the money in on payday yourself, or have it automatically withdrawn. I love online savings accounts because it's "out of sight and out of mind" so doesn't get dipped into or spent like money in your home bank.
3. When payday rolls around, pull out your folder and see what bills need to be paid. These are the ones that will be due now or before the next check comes in.
4. Pay the bills that are due, and then jot down in the "Paid" column the date you paid them. For example:
Due Date: 10/01Expenses: RentAmount: $900Paid: 9/29
5. Keep any receipts or bill paying slips in the pockets. I also keep papers with running balances of my credit cards and savings in there as well, so I can keep track of everything and have it at my fingertips.
6. Close your folder, and put away until next check.
7. Smile knowing you got this under control.
When I've paid the last bill for the month, I make a notation at the bottom like, "Closed: 03/30." That way, I know the month has been taken care of, and when it was.
Here's a photo of 2017's pretty folder:
I'm no financial expert, but I know what it's like to try and keep money-organized on a paycheck to paycheck scenario. People living this way can't always budget like people with more disposable income, so, in my opinion, this is a great way to make sure you pay your bills on time and in full. This is very important and leads the way for good credit scores, saving money, knowing how you're spending your money, and, most importantly, paying bills first before blowing money on wants.
Now, let me address why I didn't add food, gas, or household supplies to my bill folder. Those of us who can't budget like those with more disposable income can't budget in these items, in most cases. After all my bills are paid, I look at what's left in the bank and determine how much I can spend on these three items before next payday. I then sit down and make a list for food and jot down household items I can afford. I also try to put aside a few bucks for fun money for the family, but not every paycheck with allow for this.
Notes:
A) I cannot reiterate enough, MAKE SAVINGS A BILL. You might not be able to go out for pizza this week, but your bills will be paid and you will have some money set aside for the future.
B) Be disciplined. Pay your bills first, savings next, and everything else thereafter. It makes a difference.
C) You don't have to write down paydays or "Closed: This date" on your folder, that's just what I do, but you're welcome to if you want!
Lastly, these are all suggestions from a non-financial-professional. I'm just a chick who's struggled with money and finances in the past and found an easy way to get myself organized in those areas. If you try this out let me know, somewhere down the road, how this worked out for you.
October 1, 2016
Omaha's Un-Meat Eats Festival #1
On Monday, my husband and I went to Omaha's first Un-Meat Eats Festival, a treat for vegans. It was held at the House of Loom (a bar that sits across from the famous Durham Museum), and sponsored by Yelp Omaha. I didn't even know they had a division of Yelp here, huh, go figure.
Anyway, for a suggested donation of $10 to Homeward Bound in the Heartland, a no-kill shelter, we got to sample vegan foods from a handful of vendors and restaurants here in town. Some I had eaten at before, some I had not, and one I had been dying to try for quite some time. I wasn't disappointed in anything. Let's get started.
When we arrived, we first got samples of Nacho Kale Chips and vegan cheese sauce with carrots from the High Vibe Cafe down in Aksarben. Those kale chips were to die for, and the cheese sauce was a perfect cashew cheese with a kick. I devoured mine instantly, as I was hungry and it was the first table, so I wasn't able to get a picture. What's wrong with me? ;) For more info, click here .
The picture you see actually depicts half a Currywurst Brat and some Cucumber Slaw from Blatt Beer and Table on the left. I love BB&T! The Currywurst Brat and a heavenly Beet Root Burger are permanent fixtures on their menu, and I've had both. They have a main location, and then another one at Flagship Commons, which is a modern-kind of Food Court at one of our Malls that has vegan options at each restaurant. For more info, click here .
On the right is a sample of a Veggie Burger from B&G Tasty Foods. This was another restaurant that I had no idea had a vegan option. It's a standard veggie burger, nothing special, but if you are out with friends/family at this restaurant and you're vegan/vegetarian...you have an option. For more info, click here .
Here's the Fauxmaha Hot Dog stand. This was the one I've been dying to try. I got a third of a dog that I slathered with onion, relish, jalapenos, and sriracha. Yum! If you go to their cart on a regular day, you can get a Banh Mi dog, one of a couple of standard selections. For more info, click here .
This is a shot of the Cantina Laredo tent, a restaurant located in Midtown Crossing. I have eaten here before, but when I say eat, I mean eat their awesome chips and salsa while chugging down some cervezas. I knew they had some vegetarian items, but since I'm a vegan, it had never been a viable option for me before. They served chips with guacamole, and small tacos filled with black beans, sauteed mushrooms (I believe they were reduced with either brandy or wine, but I can't remember for sure), sauteed green onion, and toasted pepitas.
It was delicious, and I asked the manager (who was running the stand), "I didn't know you served vegan options!" He said, "We have vegetarian options, but we can make you vegan food." He was nice and serious about it, so I found that really cool. It's nice to see that there are more options out there for when I want to dine out. For more info, click here .
Here we have Vegan Mouth. She makes cheesecakes that I can say from my sample is delicious. She also took our trash to recycle and had her two cute sons with her. She sells her wares at Natural Grocers in Omaha, and I believe she's available for events as well. For more info, click here .
Stickalicious Pops are frozen sweet treats, kind of like a popsicle, or is a popsicle. I'm leaning towards the latter. We didn't have any, because we were pretty full at this point, but if you want to know more, click here .
Oh looky! It's me chowing down on my Fauxmaha Hot Dog. You can actually see the backside of me a moment before in Yelp's blog about the event. Click here to see me behind the standing men in the grey and black striped sweater! It's also a good place to read about the event.
Overall, we had a great time eating yummy vegan food and drinking some good drinks. We wished it were a Friday as opposed to a Monday, but, hey, that's the plan for next year! Have a great weekend.
Always, H.A.
September 30, 2016
The Meaning of Roots
If you look in any dictionary, you'll see numerous definitions for the word "roots". These definitions all fall under two categories: those that have to do with plants, and those that have to do with place.
While this post is centered around roots of place, the meaning of that is deeply entwined with that of the roots of plants. In fact, there are numerous quotes and references to just that.
How many times have you heard the expressions, "We're going back to our roots," or "The root of all evil"?
Some famous quotes about roots are as follows:
"The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." -Dalai Lama
"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." -Marcus Garvey
When I think about roots, I think about where I grew up and where I live now. While I live a good three hours from where I grew up, I still live in the same geographical area: the Midwest. It's always been my home, and I feel deeply rooted here...or do I?
Ever since I was a kid, I've dreamt of faraway, exotic locations, as well as ones closer to home, and how much I'd love to visit them. This is nothing new as I've talked about it quite a bit here on my blog. Indeed, I've shared with you my adventures in traveling, whether it was to a foreign country or a domestic location. I have a deep wanderlust that consumes a large chunk of my thoughts.
Over the last couple of years, because of this wanderlust, I had begun planning for the ultimate in travel: the year-long backpack tour of the world. I had decided that I would save my money, and that, after my last child had grown up and moved out, I would take a year off and see as much of the world as I could.
Honestly, this is more than wanderlust, it's a burning desire that has a heartbeat of it's own and occupies a space in my head. I can feel it call to me like a wolf howling through the forest. It's so palpable that I can almost touch it with my fingers. It's real, and I've thought about it a lot.
Recently, I began to think, "What if, I take the money that I save for this year-long journey around the world, and, instead, use it instead to move to another country?" It was the proverbial light bulb going off in my head, and I've thought about it often since then. Yes, why don't I move to another country someday? My only argument against it, at the time, was--yes, you guessed it--roots.
I said to myself (yes, I talk to myself), "But, this is your home! Your roots are here." Well, yes and no. I was born in Alaska, grew up in Iowa, and have lived in a multitude of places (different towns, cities, and states), before landing in Nebraska, where I've been for nearly fourteen years of my life. I feel more at home here than I have anywhere else in my life, yet I feel ready to expand, to spread out my wings.
I love my adopted home but I've outgrown it in many ways. It seemed so huge when I first moved here, but fourteen years later, and I know (just like the locals know) that it really isn't. I've done all I can do here, and I've found every nature place there is to hike and explore. And I've done them all several times. Deep in my heart, I need a place with more variety, more to explore, and easier access to the rest of the world, or at least a larger chunk of it.
So, yes. When my youngest is ready to leave the nest, I will be too. Where will I go? I have a couple of ideas, but I have some time to figure that out. I know, I know. Maybe my roots will prove too strong, and I won't be able to uproot myself. No, just like a hearty plant, my roots can be pulled from the ground, and replanted somewhere else. And with some TLC, do just fine. I'll be ready. I am ready.
September 26, 2016
Weekend Haul
It's been awhile since I've bought myself anything splurgy. Last winter I got myself some clothes, and over spring/summer I got myself an item of clothing here or there, but I hadn't really gone out and just bought myself some things. This weekend, I decided that I would.
One of my favorite stores carries a nice selection of beauty products that are always earth-friendly. I have been in need of some good face/skin care items and so I got a set of coconut-inspired items by the Everyday company. From left to right: face lotion, body lotion, face toner, face wash, and face scrub. I used the scrub and toner yesterday, and I really like them. I have gotten their shampoo and conditioner before, and they weren't bad, but I think they've improved their line since then.
I have been in dire need to some bras and underwear for so long, that I'm ashamed to say that several of them had holes. Why do we always put those off until we can't wait any longer? I'm not showing you those, but I finally have decent undies. Anyway, last winter when I got myself some clothes, I noticed that Target has a newer line (at least to me) of clothing geared towards bigger women (which I am one of). It's called Ava & Viv, and I just love their clothes.
If you're a bigger woman too, get in there and check them out. Good prices too! From left to right: I got myself a couple of t-shirts (one camo and one black) and a grey tank to wear under shirts; an emerald green v-neck long-sleeved shirt and rolls up to a button at the sleeves if one prefers; a long purple shirt with frayed sleeves and hem; a long button-down black plaid shirt; and a long-sleeved black and grey-striped cover up sweater. I'm really liking the trend of super-long shirts. I have a large collection of jeggings, and these will all go great with those. Finally, I got a pair of Merona black flats, and a new black purse.
I'm set for cool weather now!
One of my favorite stores carries a nice selection of beauty products that are always earth-friendly. I have been in need of some good face/skin care items and so I got a set of coconut-inspired items by the Everyday company. From left to right: face lotion, body lotion, face toner, face wash, and face scrub. I used the scrub and toner yesterday, and I really like them. I have gotten their shampoo and conditioner before, and they weren't bad, but I think they've improved their line since then.
I have been in dire need to some bras and underwear for so long, that I'm ashamed to say that several of them had holes. Why do we always put those off until we can't wait any longer? I'm not showing you those, but I finally have decent undies. Anyway, last winter when I got myself some clothes, I noticed that Target has a newer line (at least to me) of clothing geared towards bigger women (which I am one of). It's called Ava & Viv, and I just love their clothes.
If you're a bigger woman too, get in there and check them out. Good prices too! From left to right: I got myself a couple of t-shirts (one camo and one black) and a grey tank to wear under shirts; an emerald green v-neck long-sleeved shirt and rolls up to a button at the sleeves if one prefers; a long purple shirt with frayed sleeves and hem; a long button-down black plaid shirt; and a long-sleeved black and grey-striped cover up sweater. I'm really liking the trend of super-long shirts. I have a large collection of jeggings, and these will all go great with those. Finally, I got a pair of Merona black flats, and a new black purse.
I'm set for cool weather now!
September 25, 2016
Turin Prairie Dedication
Good morning! Yesterday, I had a chance to drive up to Turin Prairie (located east of Onawa, Iowa, in the Loess Hills) where we met up with my dad and stepmom for a dedication.* Turin Prairie is part of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and they've recently acquired 467 acres to add to the Prairie, courtesy of a purchase partially funded by donors. Yesterday they had their dedication ceremony where we got a hayrack ride through the fields where we were dropped off at the bottom of the Loess Hills.
From there, we hiked up to the top where we were greeted by other attendees and the fine folks of the INHF, where we were given some snacks, water, and coffee. We then went up the rest of the way to the top of the ridges of the Hills, where we heard speakers who talked about the addition. It was an incredible moment. Afterwards, people collected seeds or hiked. We did the latter. My stepmom went back to the car, and my husband had to leave about half-way in (bathroom breaks can be a bear when hiking amongst others). That left me, my dad, and Nature Girl. We followed the ridge line, walking in deer trails, until the state land ended. It was a gorgeous day for a hike, but it was good we stopped when we did, as it got warm...and then it rained.
I'm excited for the INHF, and for all the rest of us. We get to enjoy the raw beauty of the Iowa Mountains whenever we wish to do so. You couldn't ask for a better setting. Look at these views!
Nature Girl and my dad, hiking along the ridges.
A shot behind us to the seed-gatherers behind us. Some people hiked as well, but we were one of a few groups that actually hiked a good distance.
Another view of my surroundings from the top.
I never get tired of this view.
No matter where you look, there's always something new to see.
Nature, in all it's glorious splendor.
This mushroom was quite large, and nearly perfect-looking.
I like this view as it looks down onto a farm and it's small lake. Quaint.
*For more on Turin Prairie, follow this link!
From there, we hiked up to the top where we were greeted by other attendees and the fine folks of the INHF, where we were given some snacks, water, and coffee. We then went up the rest of the way to the top of the ridges of the Hills, where we heard speakers who talked about the addition. It was an incredible moment. Afterwards, people collected seeds or hiked. We did the latter. My stepmom went back to the car, and my husband had to leave about half-way in (bathroom breaks can be a bear when hiking amongst others). That left me, my dad, and Nature Girl. We followed the ridge line, walking in deer trails, until the state land ended. It was a gorgeous day for a hike, but it was good we stopped when we did, as it got warm...and then it rained.
I'm excited for the INHF, and for all the rest of us. We get to enjoy the raw beauty of the Iowa Mountains whenever we wish to do so. You couldn't ask for a better setting. Look at these views!
Nature Girl and my dad, hiking along the ridges.
A shot behind us to the seed-gatherers behind us. Some people hiked as well, but we were one of a few groups that actually hiked a good distance.
Another view of my surroundings from the top.
I never get tired of this view.
No matter where you look, there's always something new to see.
Nature, in all it's glorious splendor.
This mushroom was quite large, and nearly perfect-looking.
I like this view as it looks down onto a farm and it's small lake. Quaint.
*For more on Turin Prairie, follow this link!
September 22, 2016
Comfort Food
I'm a Midwestern Girl. I've spent the majority of my life living in the Midwest, and if there's anything we love the most, it's comfort food. Even though most of us aren't farmers, nor live on a farm, we grew up around them or were descended from them. Farm work, especially a few generations ago, is very hard work, and the womenfolk would make hearty, rib-sticking, meals for the hungry men who worked the fields. Even if you weren't a farmer, you grew up in little towns surrounded by farms, and had the benefit of homegrown food right at your doorstep.
I've been a City Girl for a long time now, and I love the food variety living in a city offers me. I love eating Indian food, authentic Mexican food, Asian foods, French food, fine-dining, and all the specialty food places to grab a bit to eat...you name it! Sometimes though, I really crave a good meal of hearty comfort food.
I've been a vegan for a year and a half now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up eating my favorite things. It just means that I've had to learn to "veganize" them all. One of my favorite comfort food meals is the Midwestern Full Monty, as I like to call it, consisting of a "meat", mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, and a veggie side, particularly "buttered" corn.
Last night was definitely a comfort food night, so I decided I *needed* the Midwestern Full Monty...vegan-style. I decided on a loaf (Like meatloaf, but without the meat. There are many vegan varieties out there.) using Isa Moskowitz's Double Chickpea Cutlets made into a loaf instead of cutlets and then I veganized my sides. I use margarine and almond milk in my mashed potatoes; I used a vegan stuffing (like Pepperidge Farm's Herb stuffing) made using margarine and veggie stock; gravy made with veggie stock, chickpea flour, and coconut oil; and then corn cooked in margarine.
It was just as amazingly delicious as it looks! Give it a try one night for a meatless meal.
Notes:
1. The chickpea cutlet recipe is amazeballs, seriously. The cutlets, all fried up crispy, is reminiscent of southern-fried steak, and is easy to make. The recipe is here. You can press it all into a loaf pan, however, and make it a loaf by baking it for 45 minutes or so.
2. For veggie stock, I stand by Better than Bouillon's Vegetable stock. This stuff is jam-packed with flavor and makes everything taste so good. It's much better than the veggie stock you buy in cans or hermetically sealed containers.
3. For gravy, I've found the best combination to be:
2 T. coconut oil1/3 c. chickpea flour (although any flour will work, chickpea is nice)1.5-2 cups veggie stock (depending on how thick you like your gravy, I like mine thick)
Warm up the oil, add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in veggie stock a bit at a time and keep whisking for a smooth consistency.
4. Do not be afraid to try this meal. It's delicious and you won't even miss the meat!
September 20, 2016
The Adventures of Mom and Nature Girl
You all know how much I love, love being outdoors, and particularly my love of hiking. Hiking is the perfect combination of leisure and sport, getting to spend time in beautiful nature while getting a good workout. Nothing could be finer! My kids have, obviously, been hiking with me for quite some time, and now that my oldest is a teenager, he doesn't go out and do things (including hiking) with us very much anymore. My husband, until recently, worked weekends, but now has Saturdays off. That still leaves Sundays for my youngest and I to get out there and enjoy nature.
We love it. It's perfect for mommy-daughter special time, we get some fresh air & exercise, and we collect things we find on the trails. To that end my daughter said to me recently on one of our hikes, "Mommy, we should make a nature scrap book!" I thought about it for all of two seconds and responded, "That's a fantastic idea!" It was a fantastic idea, and, as soon as we got done hiking, we stopped by the dollar store to grab some scrapbook-making supplies.
We made the scrapbook using a sketch pad, some poster board, and plenty of decorative supplies. It took a few days of patiently waiting for glue to dry, but we are happy with the results. (See the first two pictures.)
This last weekend, we took a leisurely walk through the forest around Cunningham Lake, and the nature pictures following are from that walk. The items we collected from that day didn't survive the trip home, but it's okay...there is plenty of opportunity in the future!
Here's the scrapbook itself. It's a large sketch pad covered in green poster board and decorated. It says, "Eva and Mommy's Nature Scrapbook".
Here is the first page of our scrapbook, containing of flora and fauna that we collected from the day we decided to make our scrapbook. I made a post about that hike, in Hummel Park, recently, which you can find here.
This is a picture from our Cunningham Lake walk. It was a gorgeous, albeit easy, walk.
Wildflowers are one of the frequent things we see on our nature walks/hikes.
Fungi growing right along the trail. Horses ride here too, so I'm sure the dung helps fungi grow. Ha!
More wildflowers along Cunningham Lake.
Nature Girl (NG) striking a pose near some pretty overgrowth we found.
A better shot of the overgrowth. It reminded me of a swamp or a place that time forgot. Either way, it was really cool.
More wildflowers.
A dying dandelion in the sun.
I hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday (yay, we made it through Monday), and we'll see you soon!
Much love,
H.A.
We love it. It's perfect for mommy-daughter special time, we get some fresh air & exercise, and we collect things we find on the trails. To that end my daughter said to me recently on one of our hikes, "Mommy, we should make a nature scrap book!" I thought about it for all of two seconds and responded, "That's a fantastic idea!" It was a fantastic idea, and, as soon as we got done hiking, we stopped by the dollar store to grab some scrapbook-making supplies.
We made the scrapbook using a sketch pad, some poster board, and plenty of decorative supplies. It took a few days of patiently waiting for glue to dry, but we are happy with the results. (See the first two pictures.)
This last weekend, we took a leisurely walk through the forest around Cunningham Lake, and the nature pictures following are from that walk. The items we collected from that day didn't survive the trip home, but it's okay...there is plenty of opportunity in the future!
Here's the scrapbook itself. It's a large sketch pad covered in green poster board and decorated. It says, "Eva and Mommy's Nature Scrapbook".
Here is the first page of our scrapbook, containing of flora and fauna that we collected from the day we decided to make our scrapbook. I made a post about that hike, in Hummel Park, recently, which you can find here.
This is a picture from our Cunningham Lake walk. It was a gorgeous, albeit easy, walk.
Wildflowers are one of the frequent things we see on our nature walks/hikes.
Fungi growing right along the trail. Horses ride here too, so I'm sure the dung helps fungi grow. Ha!
More wildflowers along Cunningham Lake.
Nature Girl (NG) striking a pose near some pretty overgrowth we found.
A better shot of the overgrowth. It reminded me of a swamp or a place that time forgot. Either way, it was really cool.
More wildflowers.
A dying dandelion in the sun.
I hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday (yay, we made it through Monday), and we'll see you soon!
Much love,
H.A.
September 17, 2016
Ipsy's September Glam Bag
Good afternoon! It's a gorgeous afternoon on a Saturday, and I'm having a fantastic day so far. I mean, Saturday is the best day of the week, amirite? So, as I promised yesterday, here's the post about September's ipsy. Let's dive right in!
Here's the bag itself. It's not my favorite of the bags, but it's still pretty cool.
Every month has a different theme, and the bags and samples inside reflect the theme. With every glam bag comes a card that tells you what the theme is, as well as what that theme means. I've realized that I've never shown you pictures of the cards, nor have I told you what the themes are! Geesh, what's up with that? Well, fear no longer. This month's card and theme is "Glamazon: Too glam to give a damn."
The contents of the bag.
This is a hair-styling crème by Living Proof, called Perfect Hair Day. Like I mentioned last month, I'm really getting into the hair products ipsy sends. They're fun to play around with.
Here we have Lip Injection by Too Faced Cosmetics. It's a liquid gel that is supposed to plump up your lips. I remember having a clear gel gloss, years ago, that did the same thing. It makes your lips feel weird, but it did plump them up. This will be perfect for date night! *winkwink*
This is Avene's Hydrance Optimale. It's a moisturizing lotion for your face. I always include moisturizing as an essential part of my skin-care routine, and the samples I get from ipsy are a great way to explore different moisturizers before committing the money.
DLS (Dirty Little Secret) sent along a sheer, brownish-reddish eyeshadow that doesn't have a name. It says teaser on the box and on the shadow, but I'm pretty sure that's not what the shade is called. I always love eyeshadow...one can never have enough!!
Last up is treStique's lip color in shimmer. If it looks familiar to you, that's because it is. I received this exact same lip shade a few months ago in my ipsy bag. Since I now have two, I think I will use one as a top coat to darker lipstick to give it some oomph.
And there you have it, another month of ipsy. I really love this sub, and it's so affordable. If you're interested, follow this link to join. This link is my referral link where I can earn points if you sign up!
Have a great Saturday,
H.A.
Here's the bag itself. It's not my favorite of the bags, but it's still pretty cool.
Every month has a different theme, and the bags and samples inside reflect the theme. With every glam bag comes a card that tells you what the theme is, as well as what that theme means. I've realized that I've never shown you pictures of the cards, nor have I told you what the themes are! Geesh, what's up with that? Well, fear no longer. This month's card and theme is "Glamazon: Too glam to give a damn."
The contents of the bag.
This is a hair-styling crème by Living Proof, called Perfect Hair Day. Like I mentioned last month, I'm really getting into the hair products ipsy sends. They're fun to play around with.
Here we have Lip Injection by Too Faced Cosmetics. It's a liquid gel that is supposed to plump up your lips. I remember having a clear gel gloss, years ago, that did the same thing. It makes your lips feel weird, but it did plump them up. This will be perfect for date night! *winkwink*
This is Avene's Hydrance Optimale. It's a moisturizing lotion for your face. I always include moisturizing as an essential part of my skin-care routine, and the samples I get from ipsy are a great way to explore different moisturizers before committing the money.
DLS (Dirty Little Secret) sent along a sheer, brownish-reddish eyeshadow that doesn't have a name. It says teaser on the box and on the shadow, but I'm pretty sure that's not what the shade is called. I always love eyeshadow...one can never have enough!!
Last up is treStique's lip color in shimmer. If it looks familiar to you, that's because it is. I received this exact same lip shade a few months ago in my ipsy bag. Since I now have two, I think I will use one as a top coat to darker lipstick to give it some oomph.
And there you have it, another month of ipsy. I really love this sub, and it's so affordable. If you're interested, follow this link to join. This link is my referral link where I can earn points if you sign up!
Have a great Saturday,
H.A.
September 16, 2016
I Never Really Left
Good morning! It's Friday, and it seems like as good a time as any to let you all know that I've started working on "The Box" again. "Why?" you ask. Well, I hadn't been planning on it (as I've been working on a different project entirely), but it just happened. I was sitting in my living room recently, when my brain kicked into high gear and started hashing out the storyline in "The Box", and I began subconsciously writing the next bits in my head. So, I did what any writer (who writes at their computer) does, and that was to open up my laptop and start writing.
My other project is more involved, and will take some time to write. I suppose that because of this, my writer's brain can become distracted. Okay, so I'm just guessing, because, honestly, every writer is different. There's no one, true way to be a writer, and there's no one, true way to write. We write because we feel compelled to, and however that comes out is how we do it.
"The Box" is more in line with my other books in that it is an entertaining book, while not perfect, is a fun read. It is also not the kind of book that takes a year or two of effort to complete. The other project I'm working on is, and it's been a bit of struggle to make myself accept that. How I've done things with H.A. Larson's books is not how this other project is, so I need to learn to be okay with that. Why wouldn't I be okay with it? Well, I thought I should be churning it out at the same speed with which I've written my other books, and it's just not the case. Sometimes you have to remember that not everything works in the same manner...not even your mind.
Taking a step away from "The Box" for awhile has been good for me. I can now look at it with fresh eyes, and I feel positive about it's direction again. I can't wait to finish it! In the meantime, I'll be here giving you the great posts you all love. Coming up this weekend, new ipsy!
Have the greatest of Fridays!
Much love,
H.A.
