Friday, June 3, 2022

Day 128: Mealworm Brownies

I had an aging zucchini in my fridge, amongst a number of other veggies in dire need of some attention.

I mentioned to my sister that I needed to use them up and she quickly suggested:

"You should make me zucchini brownies!

"Yeah, sure," I noncommittally replied. I don't think that either one of us really believed brownies were going to be made.

A few days later, to the surprise of us both, they WERE!

However, it wasn't without a few bumps along the way. As with most things in life.


Bump #1
  .... I don't think I grated the zucchini fine enough

I used my food processor to grate the zucchini then put together the incredibly dry 'batter'. 

When I added the zucchini, something looked seriously off about what I saw.
"Oh my gosh, this looks like worms in dirt! It looks like mealworms - the yuckiest kind!"

But I kept mixing, skeptical that the geriatric zucchini would add enough moisture to turn the cocoa/flour dirt into anything other than powder.

Not only was I questioning the size of my zucchini shreds at this point, but also my choice of using coconut oil - an oil that hardens in cooler temperatures.
"But it was hot in my apartment! Surely it will work ok?!?"

Bump #2  .... I don't think I can call this brownie batter

So, the zucchini did NOT have enough moisture to wet the mixture into a sludge or even a large clump! And I had no idea what effect the coconut oil was having, if any.

It was time to call in reinforcements - several tablespoons of milk!

I used unsweetened coconut milk for the job. Seemed perfect since I had already used the coconut oil. Better stick with the same flavor profile, right?

I shake up the carton and pour in my first tablespoon (glug, glug).

I step away from the kitchen for a moment and quickly return to add tablespoon #2.
Glug, glug - ewww!! What is that white stuff?! Is that some sort of mold?!

I really don't know. What I do know is that I now had tiny white globs of something floating at the top of my tablespoon.

Does coconut milk have 'pulp'?? Is that why you're suppose to shake it? I questioned hopefully.

Clearly I wasn't too disturbed by the mysterious forms because, not only did I not care enough to look up the answer, but I felt the only action needed was to scoop off the white globs and continue with the few remaining tablespoons.

That did the trick - the batter was nice and moist!

Bump #3  .... hmm, maybe just a few more minutes

Nope! Didn't need a few more minutes. I over baked them. Not too bad, but the edges were certainly on the drier side (just begging for ice cream!).

When all was said and done - and I got a good piece from the middle - the brownies turned out Great! They were pretty moist and definitely delicious.

So why share the little details about this baking (mis)adventure? 

Because it's part of life. 

In every single experience we have, things will turn out different than we expect. It could happen at a particular step along the way. It could be an ultimate outcome.

Whatever happens, no matter what it is, is neither 'good' nor 'bad'. It is our interpretation and perspective of the situation or experience that makes it so.

When we are able to take a break from judging situations as soon as they deviate from what we want, we give ourselves the opportunity to fully experience the moment.

Take my mealworm brownie batter. It really looked disgusting to me. And I did not think it was going to turn out well at all, especially since it was so dry and powdery. 

Past Sarah might have gotten upset by the situation "[boo-hoo] I was just trying to do something nice for my sister (and my stomach) and it's not even working!"

But instead, I took in the situation objectively without judgement. And would you believe it? That allowed me to have fun in the situation I found myself!

What could have been a complaint was now a joke:

AND, it spurred an idea I otherwise never would have thought of - Coconut milk pulp.

Remaining open to whatever situations come your way is the key difference between eating mealworms and eating chocolate*.

*Or whatever it is that you like to eat.
Maybe it's the mealworms! If so, I'll give you my share.

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Day 127: Real-time Bird Bath

I finally caught it in the act! 

By 'it' I mean a bird and by 'in the act' I mean bathing.

[GASP] You WATCHED someone else take a bath?!

No - I watched someone else get OUT of a bath.

Take a look for yourself! (please pardon my dirty window)

 
 
I think this Starling gives a good reminder that we always have access to exactly what we need. Though, it may look a bit different than what we envision in our mind's eye.

May we all be more like birds - finding our bathtubs in whatever place holds water (and gives a bit of privacy!)

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Day 126: Life Changing vs. Life Confirming

I've always felt resistance to using the term 'life changing.'  It always sounded so cliche and didn't feel genuine to me.

When I think about it more, I suppose it's because I interpret it as an implied specific moment when life changed. As if a switch was flipped and things were suddenly different. 

Now I can certainly see how this phrasing would apply to say, childbirth, but in situations of personal view and perspective shifts, I just can't make the leap.

Because to me, there is no switch. There is no obvious 'this' or 'that.' To me, perspective shifts are gradual, albeit with some occasional attention grabbers.

It's because of this gradation and complexity of life circumstances that I more strongly connect with the idea of 'life confirming' [events].

This implies a journey. 

This implies exploration and curiosity.

This implies learning and growth.

This implies the human experience.

- At least, it does to me.

I think about my own life experiences. One of the most prominent was my time living and working in Uganda. 

Was it life changing? No.
Was it life confirming? Yes.

So, what's the difference?

It wasn't life changing because it didn't change my view of life (though it undeniably influenced aspects). It didn't make me rethink how I'm living or want to go down a completely new path.

It did, however, confirm some hunches, interests, and inner desires that I had been mildly aware of for some time. It did validate my decision [to go to Africa] and the choices I'd made up to that point in life. And it confirmed in profound ways the inner longings of my heart.

I didn't need to change with this experience. In fact, the exact opposite of change was required - I was called to become even more myself.

Even though I didn't understand it.
Even though I didn't know what the intense feelings of passion and emotion meant.
Even though I was indeed changing - it was to become closer to who I really am.

A shift towards my truest self.

With life changing you hear the alarm and receive the wake-up call.

With life confirming you see how it connects to who you already are.

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Day 125: Autopilot Mishaps

 

Yuck! 

This was my Saturday night. I went to my friend Sam's house for a chill dinner hangout. 

"They sprayed my apartment for cockroaches recently, so I've been seeing a lot more as they come out to die," Sam shared with me.

I didn't think much of this - seemed reasonable to me. We live in a city, afterall. 

We barely registered the daylight's slow disappearance until we went to the kitchen for water.

That's where it happened.

Where I saw something on the ground, immediately assumed it was food, reached down and picked it up.

It was not food.

I didn't know that until after my friend told me - which was also after I felt the wet squishy-ness between my fingers.

😫 😱 😵

I had been running on autopilot.

This gross experience is a PERFECT illustration of what living on autopilot is like - and results in.

Imagine going through life in the dark - you know, like a kitchen with no west facing window, at dusk.

You can make things out around you, but it's not super clear, and there are a lot of assumptions flying about. 

In autopilot, it often feels you're at the mercy of whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself in. It can seem like you don't have much choice or control over what comes your way in life.

But there's one way to change all of this.

Turn on the light.

To turn on the light is to drop assumptions, try on different perspectives, and check your self-awareness.

It may sound like a lot, but really it's not. Turning on the light can start with something as simple as a question. Such as . . .

But how do I know it's a piece of food?

Don't be like me.

Avoid picking up cockroaches. Take the short pause needed to make sure you can really see.

Monday, May 30, 2022

Day 124: Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day from ours to yours!

Oh, sorry, we forgot to put our faces on.

Hope you enjoyed your day!

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Day 123: Page 123

I found this lone page on the sidewalk.

Upon further observation, what did I see?! It was page 123!!

Upon even FURTHER observation (zooming in to read the page) I saw it was very strange content - especially to read completely out of context. 

I have no idea what book this is from.

Isn't that just like life? 

We're all reading from our own books. They make sense. 

But when we read a page from someone else's book it can seem foreign, strange, and at times glaringly wrong.

No matter what we read or interpret from the pages of others, we get to write our own stories. 

What does your Page 123 say?

Friday, May 27, 2022

Day 122: Beavers Build Resilience

After my heartbreak from the clean cutting of trees I witnessed the other day, I decided I wanted to enjoy the untouched areas of North Pond while I still can. 

That meant visiting as much as possible - at least the areas of beauty that still brought me the feeling of peace and calm.

At this point, there is roughly half the perimeter to work with. Lucky me, it's the side with the beaver den - which I only just learned the location of.

I had heard rumor of a beaver living in the pond when I first moved to this neighborhood, roughly a year and a half ago. I'd had a few speculative sightings, assuming the identity of the mid-sized creature I saw swimming across the pond that was definitely not a bird. But I never thought I'd see the beaver up close.

Then, one Monday - May 16th to be specific - I saw it! It was hanging out under a tree leaning over the water. In my excitement and desire to gaze upon it for as long as possible, I didn't even chance a picture.

This time, however, was a different story. I GOT MY PROOF!!

 

Do you feel like a nature explorer peering through the trees?! 



Look at the texture on that tail!

For the second time sighting the beaver I was again able to point it out to a few other nature lovers.

By the time nature lovers #4 & #5 joined us, the beaver decided to leave.. Our small group of five, however, stayed a while longer. 

It was consoling to hear from fellow North Pond enthusiasts that they, too, shared in my feelings of surprise, shock, and disappointment in how the restoration was unfolding.

We all felt a bit duped by how the project had been presented. Clearly, the message had not been received as it was intended. 

While the shadows of concern and dismay were strong, something else began to poke through the darkness.

Resilience.

The reminder that animals live by their instincts. If they are unable to get what they need in one area, their biology will instinctively move them to a place that they can. Or at least they will set off in search of such a place.

The same is true of us - humans. 

While we may not always use it or be as attuned to it as others, we all have instincts and intuition that can guide us. No matter what the situation or circumstance, we possess the navigation system needed to move us to an area that will provide us what we need.

This doesn't mean it will be easy - or automatic - especially, if we don't have a clear idea of what 'what we need' really is. 

But with intent, time, and effort we'll know ourselves like we know the back of our hands! And navigating to new areas that will provide for us better than our current place and circumstances will become the new 'autopilot'.