Peace on Earth

The Christmas creche is a long-standing tradition at this Oakland home. Tradition yes, but not very traditional. It's a bit multi-this and multi-that, and all of it has meaning. 

Yes, the "shepherd" watching his flock is actually a caveman from a set of Pleistocene Epoch toy figures. Sadly, the mastodon and saber-toothed tiger wandered off years ago, although the woolly mammoth is still around here somewhere.

This year's flock is composed of mostly white-coated figures - no, not medical professionals - but sheep, goats, rams and lambs, poodles, polar bears and pelicans. Owning four stomachs is not a requirement for membership.

Here it is considered an additional benefit to have any number of deities and other religious VIPs participate in the celebration.

The Laughing Buddha is always in attendance, as is the trio of Kitchen Gods (at least I think that they're Kitchen Gods). No one has yet put a name to the Old Guy God (on the left in the photo), but he sure looks prayerful, so he is welcome too.

Finally, as a bow to the original Nativity story, our creche includes the serpent from the Garden of Eden. And a fighter jet that was found in the yard serves as a token for the state of affairs in the Middle East today. 

Each year when I set up the creche, I hope that the jet will not have a place in the scene. This year, I arranged the creche to the sound of police helicopters - a loud and sad reminder of the police and demonstrators battling it out in Oakland and Berkeley.

A Holiday Shopping Idea

Yup, just one. "Cause these days, I pretty much only remember one thing at a time. Really, it's one thing, period, and forget the "at a time" part. So what was I going to tell you, anyway?

Lava-lava Painter

One of my most favorite places to "shop" is the Kiva website. Kiva is a micro-lending program which connects people with money (you and me) to entrepreneurs from around the globe who need a little support to move ahead. Yes, sometimes the words "poverty" and "empowerment" are thrown around, but really, it's all about shopping.

Here's how it works: you commit to a minimum loan of $25 (remember, it is a loan, not a donation. So unless disaster strikes, it is your money and you can get it back once the loan has been repaid. Or if you are giving this as a gift, the happy recipient can get it back.)

Next you go scroll through all of the proposals from interesting people in far-away places and consider which one(s) you plan to support. Shall I invest in a lava-lava (think "sarong") painter in Samoa who needs new brushes and paints? A rice farmer in the Philippines who requires additional organic fertilizer? Or what about that knitter in Bolivia who needs extra materials to make ponchos?

Poncho Maker

As I mentioned, once the loan is paid back, you may pull out your cash. Better still is to go back to Kiva for another fun shopping experience. We started with Kiva in 2007 with a $100 commitment. Since then, we have participated in 45 loans for a total amount of $1,150 lent out. We've never lost a dime on a bad loan (yeah, I know, there's still time) and only one was slow in repaying.

So you guessed it, I went with the poncho maker. Partly because the loan term was shorter (shorter term = help someone else with a loan more quickly). Also because anyone who washes sand to earn extra cash probably has the gumption to make her business a success. And really, who could resist that hat...

Sources:
Kiva.org

For a fun read about a Kiva lender:
The International Bank of Bob

Photos: Screenshot from Kiva website (bad, bad girl - didn't get around to asking permission, yet)

The Season of Giving and Giving and Giving

December 5, 2014

It's December, and the small tromboncino summer squash has decided to go big. Big time. Although it was planted in May, and had all the light and sun and water to grow up big and strong, it really didn't do poo-poo. Until October. And then, finally, we all had to jump back.

Last week

Starting in November, the plant has been pushing out new baby zucchinis for some very fine eating. I'm not exactly sure who has been doing the pollinating - the bees from the hive have long since gone to bed for the season, and I sure haven't been out there with my little Zucchini Sex Goddess Wand.

I'm not complaining, mind you. Just wondering though: where were you in July?

This week, so far

Yet Another Birthday

Five Years Old

Full of Beans

Yup, here we are in October, just full of beans. Totally full of beans. So full of beans our eyes were beginning to turn green. (Nah, somehow that doesn't have the same impact as the one about brown eyes...)

These beans are Fortex pole beans, and they were truly sweet and delicious, even when they grew really long. As in, ten to twelve inches long. And we estimated around sixty to seventy pounds of long beans, over a season of three months.

(Yes, that's correct. You can see in the photo that the beans were planted right along the front sidewalk. They caused a small sensation as they grew from seeds to over eight feet tall.)

Last year we got a lot of beans, but nothing quite like this. I'm not saying that the neighbors ran away when they saw me, but everyone did keep their car doors locked.

I will be growing more Fortex beans next year, but I plan on planting a much shorter row. That way I'll have room for a zucchini or two. It's good to keep your neighbors on their toes.

Breakfast of Champions?

We went to Spain last month. And most people agree that Spanish food is amazing. And it was, without a doubt. But for me, one of the most unexpected food items I encountered on that trip was at breakfast at El Jardín del Convento in Hervás.

El Jardin del Convento

On the table was this little dish of orange-gold nuggets. I did not recognize it as a food item, so I asked in my broken Spanish, and was answered in slightly less fractured English, "bee pullen."

OK, I gotta try this. Because of it's appearance - almost like fenugreek seeds - I was expecting something substantial. But, literally, it melted in my mouth. I just let it rest on my tongue and it was gone. With a somewhat sweet and floral flavor, but not at all overpowering.

There are many, many, many claims about the health and nutritional benefits of bee pollen. As yet, none has been scientifically verified. But for me, it really doesn't matter. Just that delicate flavor and texture are enough of an excuse to keep on sampling.

Cram for the Exam

Yup, it's that time once again to pick your leadership. And goodness, but lots of people are using stacks and stacks of dead tree debris to help convince us how to do it.

Oakland has ranked-choice voting, which means that many of those lots of people are also trying to game the system. But with 15 mayoral candidates in the running, that may be difficult.

Got questions about ranked-choice voting? Who doesn't? Then read this from the Alameda Registrar of Voters, explaining how it works.

Me? Aside from those pesky state propositions, I have more questions about Measure BB which wants one full percentage point in sales tax revenues for thirty (yes, three-zero) years. Much of that dough goes to BART to expand further into the hinterlands. An East Bay Express article details the short-sighted ways of funding BART.

Only eight percent of Measure BB is dedicated to bicyclists and pedestrians. Meaning, if you have problems with bumpy streets and potholes large enough to host a flock of ducks, you are on your own. A good friend of me who is far more savvy about this kind of stuff claims that "they are truly reaching."

So start early - my ballot is three pages long, both sides - 'cause the deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 4th.

Sources:
Oakland North
SFGATE

Mosaic Project #1

When people asked me what I was going to do once I retired, I said that I was going to "do" mosaics. Now, a little more than a year later, I have at least one thing to show that I am not a complete shiner-of-on, only a little slow.

I covered this terra-cotta planter (13" cube) with glass tiles in a very simple pattern. Yeah I know, it's really more of a tiling job than a mosaic. But at least it's done. And really, it's the cuphea that completes the effect. 

You Say Tomatoes, I Say...

Bummer!

You are looking at pretty much the entire haul of San Marzanos for the season. So sad. It seems barely worthwhile turning on the oven for that small amount of roasted tomatoes. 

Of course my sister had to call right then, allegedly asking for my Roasted Tomato recipe. But I'm pretty sure that she was gloating over her "bucket full of San Marzanos." And here I thought she liked me. 

A New Garden Visitor

With a face only a mother could love. Or a father, in most cases. Because the belief that Mr. Mantis always loses his head when mating is apparently true less than thirty percent of the time. (Although, it also seems that he is a better lover without his head. Apparently, all his inhibitions go away.)

On the other hand, all those brothers and sisters better watch out - if there isn't enough food around, the new generation will begin to snack on each other.

Camouflaged Mantis

Katydid

This praying mantis was discovered in the Aristea inaequalis, planted out in the parking strip (the purple flowers are from the adjacent verbena). The stupid Aristea is supposed to be "bloomiferous" but it hasn't done pooh-pooh). Completely camouflaged, the mantis must have been stalking its next meal.

There are a number of mantis species found in northern California. Until I spotted this one, I had never seen a mantis in this garden. Somehow I had imagined that sharing space with the local katydids just wasn't cool. Strange though, I haven't heard the katydids calling much since the mantis showed up....

Sources:

About education

Digital Insect Collection