Yesterday was full of baking. I awoke in the morning, found a recipe, and made my first batch of cinnamon granola before I went to work. It turned out well, though it didn't clump as much as I had hoped it would. I read about it, and they say I need to get oat flour and mix that in to allow the oats to "glue" together. We'll see if I can find that. For the super-easy granola recipe that I found, click here.
Before I went off to work I set a half cup of almonds soaking in two cups of water in preparation for another batch of almond milk.
After work I utilized the last of my previous batch of almond milk (which I'd probably let go a bit too long for drinking, but it wasn't bad for baking) and made three batches of cereal - one blue corn, one yellow corn, and one plain flour. This time I learned from my last experience and was patient. I didn't try to toast them all on two big sheets, but toasted each half-batch on its own sheet just like the recipe says. The results were a magnificent set of perfectly crisp cereals. Once they had cooled down, I added my granola from this morning to the bowl, mixed it all up, and separated it into containers. I would say the whole thing only took me a couple hours, as I started sometime after 6:30 and was done before 9 o'clock. Not too shabby, if I say so myself.
This morning I cracked open my almonds, poured them into my blender, and whipped up some delightful almond milk, which I poured fresh over my new cereal + granola, with some raisins added in. Delicious! I would say this was definitely a success, and I'm looking forward to making more cereal + granola in the future. I will soon be running out of blue corn, and then yellow corn flour, and I am wondering what I should purchase next. I would very much like to try graham flour and see if it tastes like graham crackers. Sorghum would be an interesting one to try as well. And certainly, I ought to try some bran flour sometime, since that is was the recipe calls for!
Denise says I should market my own cereal... Jack's C+G, anyone? ;)
30 June 2012
25 June 2012
Searching for Simple
My day has gone by slowly, but has been thoroughly filled. I'm still at the Desert Bungalow - I think I'll leave about this time tomorrow and see what can be done in Bodie before I go to bed Tuesday evening. This morning I broke my fast with half a grapefruit and three kumquats. My grandpa would be proud. I still remember the first time he showed me how to eat a kumquat in Alabama. Now I've got a bag of them to consume in little fits and bursts. I think they'll last me awhile. After breakfast I dressed and went for a hike, out the door and up the mountain. Initially I thought to summit it, but at the base of the rocky outcroppings that capped the mount I found that a large, smooth boulder provided an ample view of the valley below and I suddenly had no desire to climb further. I reclined on the rock and watched the view for at least twenty minutes before finally forcing myself to leave my windy post and head back down the mountain. Of course, my way back was not without a few stops and pauses for the vistas as well. I could look at that view all day - they've got a beautiful, secluded place here.
The rest of the day's activities have been rather lax. I showered, ate some chocolate, read the first chapter of Slater's Earthwalk, and napped. Upon waking, I prepared a light lunch to eat while I watched the next episode of Avatar: The Legend of Korra. I suppose I'm about halfway through the first season, which looks like it's only going to be 12 episodes long - a pity, since it's a really good show. Though I still think I like the original better, I am enjoying where they are taking this new story line. I read an excerpt from Thoreau's Walden, another section in Griffin's Black Like Me, and sorted through the box of Goodwill-bound books of Mark and Lynn's to find a few good-looking reads. Most interestingly, Susan Strasser's Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash, a guide to green cleaning, and a tutorial on solar energy and other sustainable living practices. All of which, I am sure, will be very good reads.
After eating an apple, I find myself here at the computer again, because all of this has put me into a very thoughtful mood, as is prone to happen when I am alone in a house, surrounded by nature. This idea keeps popping up in my head of having only three shirts and simply rotating between two each week, using the third as a backup, then mixing them and doing it again the week that follows. Last night I kept the lights off until the very last second, trying to utilize as little electricity as possible. Every time I shower I think about the bucket bathes of Botswana and how I could achieve the same effect with less than two gallons of water and a couple squirts of Dr. Bronner's soap. A real shower would only be necessitated once a week or before special occasions. Anyway, living in a house makes me think about what I would want in my house someday, and I can't help but shorten the list the more I see. It's time to simplify my life a bit more, sort through what little I have, get rid of what isn't necessary, finish reading books and give them away for others to enjoy (I don't have to keep all of them, just the exceptionally good I-want-to-read-them-again-and-again ones!), and try to create less waste. But isn't that what I'm always trying to do?
The rest of the day's activities have been rather lax. I showered, ate some chocolate, read the first chapter of Slater's Earthwalk, and napped. Upon waking, I prepared a light lunch to eat while I watched the next episode of Avatar: The Legend of Korra. I suppose I'm about halfway through the first season, which looks like it's only going to be 12 episodes long - a pity, since it's a really good show. Though I still think I like the original better, I am enjoying where they are taking this new story line. I read an excerpt from Thoreau's Walden, another section in Griffin's Black Like Me, and sorted through the box of Goodwill-bound books of Mark and Lynn's to find a few good-looking reads. Most interestingly, Susan Strasser's Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash, a guide to green cleaning, and a tutorial on solar energy and other sustainable living practices. All of which, I am sure, will be very good reads.
After eating an apple, I find myself here at the computer again, because all of this has put me into a very thoughtful mood, as is prone to happen when I am alone in a house, surrounded by nature. This idea keeps popping up in my head of having only three shirts and simply rotating between two each week, using the third as a backup, then mixing them and doing it again the week that follows. Last night I kept the lights off until the very last second, trying to utilize as little electricity as possible. Every time I shower I think about the bucket bathes of Botswana and how I could achieve the same effect with less than two gallons of water and a couple squirts of Dr. Bronner's soap. A real shower would only be necessitated once a week or before special occasions. Anyway, living in a house makes me think about what I would want in my house someday, and I can't help but shorten the list the more I see. It's time to simplify my life a bit more, sort through what little I have, get rid of what isn't necessary, finish reading books and give them away for others to enjoy (I don't have to keep all of them, just the exceptionally good I-want-to-read-them-again-and-again ones!), and try to create less waste. But isn't that what I'm always trying to do?
24 June 2012
Desert Bungalow
Cinderblocks, bold colors of saffron and spice juxtaposed against whitewashed walls. The wind blows fast and loud through stands of blackened, deadened trees and over the sagebrush and desert peach. The peaches are ripe, but they are not edible. Down the dirt two-track and up the steep incline to where it rests, tucked against the mountainside, bordered by the creek with its willows and other leafy greens. It's all so hardy where the water is. The house is large and open, the windows set against the outer wall to give each its own nook for reading. Perhaps I should give each one a try. The light moves with the day, and solar power means that nothing is wasted. Everything unplugs, use it when the sun is up, use sparingly when it's down. Like in Botswana, where all the outlets have a switch to turn them off. So much wiser to use less.
I brought little with me to the Desert Bungalow - my latest house-sitting job, this time for my friends Mark and Lynn. Just a book (that I'll probably finish while I'm here because it's short); my sketchbook, pencils, and watercolors; my quilt; and some patches that I can sew onto my Timbuk2 bag - man that thing is getting full! My plans are to chill, to give myself time to breathe and think and be. As well as to borrow a bike for a little ride, and go for a little hike up the stoney hills. Perhaps I'll even walk down to the creek and do some playing in it. Point being: for the next couple weeks I've got a nice little escape to relax at and soak up my days off. I really like this house-sitting thing - I think I could get into it....
I brought little with me to the Desert Bungalow - my latest house-sitting job, this time for my friends Mark and Lynn. Just a book (that I'll probably finish while I'm here because it's short); my sketchbook, pencils, and watercolors; my quilt; and some patches that I can sew onto my Timbuk2 bag - man that thing is getting full! My plans are to chill, to give myself time to breathe and think and be. As well as to borrow a bike for a little ride, and go for a little hike up the stoney hills. Perhaps I'll even walk down to the creek and do some playing in it. Point being: for the next couple weeks I've got a nice little escape to relax at and soak up my days off. I really like this house-sitting thing - I think I could get into it....
19 June 2012
Friend+unity
friendunity: (friend-u-ni-ty) the coming together of a group of friends to share life together, for however short a time.
This weekend I had a mini-vacation: I drove to Reno, flew to Kansas, and got to see Drew and Holly get married. But not only that, I got to see all my college friends again (with the exception of my Spoo), in the same place, enjoying each others' company and quirks. Some would say I spent a lot of money to get out there for the short weekend, but I'd say you can't put a price on what I got to experience.
You see, we're all graduated now, pretty much, and we're all going our separate ways. When I had graduated, everyone else was still together in Chicago, so I could take some solace in that. Now, however, we're all like chaff on the wind - who knows where we'll go!? True, some of us are still in Chicago, but others are in Washington, Kansas, California, Minnesota, etc. The only lucky ones who get to be together for certain now are Drew and Holly.
I suppose this was the first of many reunions to come. I hope the next one ain't too far off. Rumor has it we might already be planning one for next spring... Washington in April, anybody?
~Jaclynn
This weekend I had a mini-vacation: I drove to Reno, flew to Kansas, and got to see Drew and Holly get married. But not only that, I got to see all my college friends again (with the exception of my Spoo), in the same place, enjoying each others' company and quirks. Some would say I spent a lot of money to get out there for the short weekend, but I'd say you can't put a price on what I got to experience.
You see, we're all graduated now, pretty much, and we're all going our separate ways. When I had graduated, everyone else was still together in Chicago, so I could take some solace in that. Now, however, we're all like chaff on the wind - who knows where we'll go!? True, some of us are still in Chicago, but others are in Washington, Kansas, California, Minnesota, etc. The only lucky ones who get to be together for certain now are Drew and Holly.
I suppose this was the first of many reunions to come. I hope the next one ain't too far off. Rumor has it we might already be planning one for next spring... Washington in April, anybody?
~Jaclynn
13 June 2012
I was born under a wanderin' star
I have been going on many hikes and even a few bike rides since I got here, but until yesterday I had neglected to bring my camera for ya'll to see any pictures. Allow me to remedy that situation:
Welcome to Glass Creek Meadow, a nice easy hike up through pumice rock and Jefferey Pines to a beautiful, fertile, spring meadow, crisscrossed with creeks and cricks and babbling brooks. The mountain ridge in the back is the divide between the Owens Valley (where we were) and the San Joaquin river valley. Flat areas all around seem like good places to make base camp for exploring the area further.
What these pictures do not show you is that I actually went hiking with someone else yesterday: a young man named Steven who I met at the Mono Lake Visitor Center who happens to share some of my days off. Combine that with my cycling coworker and it looks like I won't be doing quite so many activities by myself this season. Which, I have to admit, is kinda nice for a change. Now if only I can find a good cribbage partner...
Anyway: I've got two days of work facing me now before I drive up to Reno and fly to Kansas for Drew and Holly's wedding this weekend. After which, operating on the hope that I get my first paycheck, I will be hitting up several different sales establishments to spend my pay on groceries and various other merchandise. It should be a nice little mini-vacation for me, I think. :)
Anyway: I've got two days of work facing me now before I drive up to Reno and fly to Kansas for Drew and Holly's wedding this weekend. After which, operating on the hope that I get my first paycheck, I will be hitting up several different sales establishments to spend my pay on groceries and various other merchandise. It should be a nice little mini-vacation for me, I think. :)
10 June 2012
On top of the world!
Today I kicked off my weekend in style: I rode my bike from Bridgeport to Twin Lakes for a round-trip total of just over 27 miles in about an hour and forty-five minutes. It was grand.
But back it up: yesterday I finally met the other stabilisation crew guy, Dane, on his way out to go for a bike ride. I had been informed that he was a serious biker, and so I threw out that I was also and that my bike was here. Before I knew it, I was hearing from other coworkers that Dane and I were going to go on a bike ride Sunday. I hadn't been aware of this, but I was down with it, and when we bumped into each other later that night he asked me and I said, "Sure!"
So today we met at 10 o'clock and drove down to Bridgeport for a relatively flat (and thankfully not-so-windy) pedal up to Twin Lakes and back. I could tell by the way he was talking that Dane didn't think I was going to be up to the challenge - he kept reminding me that we only had to go as far as I wanted, and I told him that I'm a stubborn girl. To his credit, he had done this same ride both days prior and with much heavier winds after having been at elevation much less time than me. But I led the whole way up, and the whole (except for one mile) way back down (which was largely into the wind). It felt AWESOME. I love a good bike ride, and this certainly was up to par with my standards. The whole way up I had Noah Gundersen singing "Jesus, Jesus" in my head; that lasted part of the way down until we got back out of the mountains and onto the windy flats when my mind cleared completely and I focused only on the cadence of my pedals. I averaged about 14mph on the way up, and managed to bump that up to almost 17mph on the way back down, in spite of the mild headwind.
Back in the truck on the way back home, I was pleasantly surprised that I continued to feel awesome and not the least bit sore or tight. Dane admitted that he had expected me to wimp out on him and turn around part-way and that he was very impressed. He proudly and enthusiastically told my coworker at the kiosk that I knew "how to hammer it!" I thanked him for the fun ride, and he did as well, adding that I was a very good rider. I'm glad to hear it: cycling is so much a part of my life, it'd be kinda sad if I wasn't any good at it. ;)
Thanks to all my cycling teachers out there.
~Jaclynn
P.S. I also got to see a coyote, live and in the wild, while riding today. Fantasmargonical!
But back it up: yesterday I finally met the other stabilisation crew guy, Dane, on his way out to go for a bike ride. I had been informed that he was a serious biker, and so I threw out that I was also and that my bike was here. Before I knew it, I was hearing from other coworkers that Dane and I were going to go on a bike ride Sunday. I hadn't been aware of this, but I was down with it, and when we bumped into each other later that night he asked me and I said, "Sure!"
So today we met at 10 o'clock and drove down to Bridgeport for a relatively flat (and thankfully not-so-windy) pedal up to Twin Lakes and back. I could tell by the way he was talking that Dane didn't think I was going to be up to the challenge - he kept reminding me that we only had to go as far as I wanted, and I told him that I'm a stubborn girl. To his credit, he had done this same ride both days prior and with much heavier winds after having been at elevation much less time than me. But I led the whole way up, and the whole (except for one mile) way back down (which was largely into the wind). It felt AWESOME. I love a good bike ride, and this certainly was up to par with my standards. The whole way up I had Noah Gundersen singing "Jesus, Jesus" in my head; that lasted part of the way down until we got back out of the mountains and onto the windy flats when my mind cleared completely and I focused only on the cadence of my pedals. I averaged about 14mph on the way up, and managed to bump that up to almost 17mph on the way back down, in spite of the mild headwind.
Back in the truck on the way back home, I was pleasantly surprised that I continued to feel awesome and not the least bit sore or tight. Dane admitted that he had expected me to wimp out on him and turn around part-way and that he was very impressed. He proudly and enthusiastically told my coworker at the kiosk that I knew "how to hammer it!" I thanked him for the fun ride, and he did as well, adding that I was a very good rider. I'm glad to hear it: cycling is so much a part of my life, it'd be kinda sad if I wasn't any good at it. ;)
Thanks to all my cycling teachers out there.
~Jaclynn
P.S. I also got to see a coyote, live and in the wild, while riding today. Fantasmargonical!
05 June 2012
Goals.
Before I came out here I set a goal for myself: to do a bike ride and a new hike every weekend. So far I have had two weekends, and I have managed to keep good on my goal so far. The hardest part is the cycling, because there is no pavement within the first 3 miles of Bodie and all I have is a road bike. But I figure, if I want to actually make good on my goal I have to actually do what I set out to do, starting now and no later.
Last weekend, I did a Sierra Club hike to the Paramount Mine and surrounding area in the Bodie Hills. For a bike ride, I borrowed a visitor's mountain bike and did a quick mile loop at the end of my last day off. Talk about squeaking by.
This weekend I had a bit more of a success, but only a bit. I actually got two hikes in: one up Lundy Canyon - about 5 miles or so of very beautiful country, with beaver ponds, waterfalls, and plenty of trees; the other was to what I thought was Glass Peak/Mountain/Hill/whatever, where I had been told there was a lot of obsidian. Either someone pulled my leg, or I hiked up the wrong mountain, because when I made it up that crazy shale-covered ridge I found only more shale. For a bike ride, I went out this morning with my car and my bicycle and drove to the start of the pavement, parked my car, and road a frigid 4 miles down an 8% grade hill, up another, and then back. The whole thing took about 20 minutes, but I was decently chilled by then, not to mention winded from my first experience hill-climbing at over 8000'. Still, I think it was a good start. And what's more: I have, so far, made good on my goal of one bike and one new hike each weekend.
Sorry everyone, no pictures this time around. I keep forgetting to bring my camera on these things. :)
Until next time!
Last weekend, I did a Sierra Club hike to the Paramount Mine and surrounding area in the Bodie Hills. For a bike ride, I borrowed a visitor's mountain bike and did a quick mile loop at the end of my last day off. Talk about squeaking by.
This weekend I had a bit more of a success, but only a bit. I actually got two hikes in: one up Lundy Canyon - about 5 miles or so of very beautiful country, with beaver ponds, waterfalls, and plenty of trees; the other was to what I thought was Glass Peak/Mountain/Hill/whatever, where I had been told there was a lot of obsidian. Either someone pulled my leg, or I hiked up the wrong mountain, because when I made it up that crazy shale-covered ridge I found only more shale. For a bike ride, I went out this morning with my car and my bicycle and drove to the start of the pavement, parked my car, and road a frigid 4 miles down an 8% grade hill, up another, and then back. The whole thing took about 20 minutes, but I was decently chilled by then, not to mention winded from my first experience hill-climbing at over 8000'. Still, I think it was a good start. And what's more: I have, so far, made good on my goal of one bike and one new hike each weekend.
Sorry everyone, no pictures this time around. I keep forgetting to bring my camera on these things. :)
Until next time!
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