my rambles.

Sometimes I just don't know.

I have no idea what will be tomorrow or tonight or the next minute.  I like when this happens.  Sometimes I can get so so so obsessed with having a wonderful time that it becomes a constant battle to do everything therefore making each thing a miserable slave drive. (exaggeration).  I think it is the best but also the hardest to not know.

Sometimes I forget that my life is not my own life, but God's.  I do everything I can possibly do to try to be in complete control by making to-do lists, setting my clock ten minutes ahead of time, laying out everything for the next day, restricting, pushing, budgeting, faster, faster, faster. boom.  Then it hits me straight on and I collapse.  And then I do it again.

I do not think we were created to live this way though.  I think God gave us this life in order that we may enjoy it and yes still suffer and face temptation, but all while acknowledging the something greater and bigger and keeping our eyes always on that and off of ourselves.  It can be really hard. The world is constantly tugging and pulling me in every which direction and it confuses and mixes up and makes messy all decisions causing worry and anxiety and fear.

But I should not be afraid! It is so scary when I try to take on my life alone, but I do not have to.  I do not have to do all of these things I do that make my own self hate my own self.  And I really can enjoy the things that are meant to be enjoyed.  But I can not control them.

I can enjoy a beautiful day and sunshine, but not make it last into the next.
I can love a wonderful night's rest, but toss and turn for weeks after.
I thought my coconut steamer and cherry almond muffin today were perfect, but then they were gone.
Listening in class was intriguing and then I became bored.
Everything is so..... temporary.  But that is all it is. Just a moment and then its gone.  But it was a great moment and there will be many more, but they are not mine.

Green bites in IC!!!

Places to eat in Iowa City that use local ingredients! (Click on the name to be directed to the websites!)

MOTLEY COW

Philosphy

The Motley Cow serves food that reflects the seasons and the weather.  We change our menu regularly to represent the local products available to us.  Knowing our sources personally gives us confidence in the quality of each ingredient and the method with which it was raised.  During the summer harvest, we source about 85% of our vegetables from Johnson County.  We use local beef, lamb and pork as frequently as possible to assure humane conditions for the animals, living wages for their caretakers, and responsible proprietorship of the land.  We use local products to minimize the carbon emissions of our deliveries.  We use local products to support the agricultural heritage of Iowa and Johnson County.

DEVOTAY (A personal fave)

DEVOTAY was also voted best local restaurant. : 00.Our locavore readers are devoted to dining at Devotay. They love the fact that the “fresh, innovative, and soul-satisfying” food on their plate is supporting the farmers in their community. As one voter put it, “They not only talk the talk of eating locally grown, they walk the walk.” Even the farmers can’t say enough good things about this restaurant: “As a local producer, Devotay is very easy to work with.

Oasisfalafel.com, bluebirddiner.com, theredavocado.com

Also Short's burgers uses all Iowa beef! annnnd do not 

ever forget the Leaf kitchen who has the best Chef in 

Iowa!!

Welcome to the working week

- "o i know it don't kill you I hope it don't thrill you...." thanks elvis costello

So classes begun this week and after being already behind in every class I decided to start in on some homework tonight (as you can see I am being productive extraordinaire!)  I read for my global health and global foods course and was really startled to find some things out.

- almost half the people in the world are hungry (even 12% in the US do not know where their next meal will come from)
- There is a surplus of food and not a shortage, the price is just too high
- hungry people in Haiti make food out of mud and oil- a cake
- it is not the increased eating of meat by people in China and India that is causing issues, it is the amount of grain we feed to maintain our large scale farming operations.  To ensure meat production the meat being produced uses up a large amount of our resources
- barely any of the corn or soy in iowa can actually be eaten
- most of the starving people are women, or children

Anyhow, not to get all political- I hope this was not political! But I was just amazed at some of these things especially how many people are starving when there is enough food! I hope I can find out more about what can be done.  Meanwhile some local peeps that are making a difference...

New Pioneer Coop uses local produce and foods that were harvested on small scale farms and in sustainable manners- worth the extra buck

Also the friends of the Iowa City farmers market and all the surrounding farmers markets in the area! Plus its super fun to go and get some free samples and hear music and just really enjoy yourself while seeing how passionate people are about the produce and crafts they created

Also!!!  A good place to volunteer is local foods harvest or either of the above!

To come:  Green places to dine in Iowa City : )

hello SEATTLE

So aside from coffee and seeing my AWESOME SIS, there have been a FEW other cool things about Seattle so far.

Today....

SAM (Seattle art museum) one of only several to house picasso's exhibit

I think one of my favorite things was the chinese description of tea time.  The museum was extremely cultural with artifacts from china, africa, and a large exhibit about the native americans from washington. 

The Rikyu people describe the tea hut as allowing for an aesthetic experience each time they have tea.  They use all five senses every time and prepare for an extraordinary experience that has never happened in the past and will never happen again.

I really enjoyed the museum and it allowed for me to have what the Rikyu have when they drink tea.  I then went to the Frye art museum though only one exhibit was currently being shown.  It is free to the public and pretty amazing because all of the pieces on show used to be in the home of the Frye couple from Seattle.  They must have had quite the home.  This was one of my favorites... I think it is called "Shepardess."

Following I noticed the St. James Basilica was right aside the museum. It was one of the most beautiful churches.

Finally I was completely exhausted.  I had only been walking for several hours but I suppose  I was not used to it! I found elliot bay books and immediately fell in love.  It was my favorite book shop I have ever been too and they had my favorite tea! (Jasmine pearls green tea!).  It was nice to slow down and hear the silence while looking at books.

And now I am completely exhausted! Katie has just finished class so my time alone exploring Seattle is finished.  I hope she is up for some relaxation at the Chambered Nautilus B&B.

Starbucks in Seattle

So coming to Seattle I knew I would be in for a treat regarding coffee, but I had no idea the starbucks domination that occurred here!

First I went to the busiest starbucks in the nation:

Then I went to the first STarbucks ever!

And I think between these I have probably seen about twenty other starbucks coffee shops.  As much as I love caribou it does not stand a chance in this town!

I thought the busiest was the largest as well but then I discovered that was in Seoul Korea! Shoot.

Some other things I learned about Starbucks coffee:

-it is the largest coffee company in the world with 17,000 stores in 50 countries

-it is based out of pike's place market in Seattle (I just went there!!)

-Starbucks was named after "Starbuck," captain Ahab's first mate in moby dick

-Starbo is also a turn of the century mining company in mt. ranier, wash.

- the logo was recently modified but is still a siren named "norse", the logo used to show her two fish tails as well

- the company uses fair trade products and hopes to soon be using all recycled cups

G. FUNKY

So from Saturday to Tuesday I visited two great friends in North Dakota.  The Anderson sisters! The morning before the trip I was watching the news and I was about to travel to the coldest part of the country! But it was not a matter- it was about seeing people that I love and missed so much! I think the average temperature when I was there was zero and the highest it ever reached on afternoon was 4. whoooo hoo! One day I was ill but I was so happy it lasted only a day, I think because of the tremendous nursing back to health.  I really enjoyed being there.  I like the stillness of it, and once you get used to the cold it is all really beautiful.

This is not what it actually looked like, but this is from North Dakota! The main highway was closed when I arrived and if anyone were to traverse on it they would be fined and put into jail for up to 90 days- good thing I flew!

One thing I really enjoyed was going to the North Dakota art museum- the best in the state! We kind of went just to pass time and experience ND but it ended up being really awesome.  There was only one exhibit on display but it took up multiple rooms and floors.  It was cool because you could just see the one artist working and each room had a different feel, or a different stage in her life.

The artist was from Portland and most of the exhibit was about loss.  I felt a sense of freedom and lightness, but also depth and sadness as we walked through the exhibit.  One part had 6,000 bird feathers connected to linen squares draped from a meditation tent.  All the colors were shades of white and grey with some blue.  It was so simple yet so profound! The artist wanted to address ways of thinking about accumulation of knowledge and wisdom.  She believes knowledge sometimes fails us but represents the accumulation of her experiences in the exhibit.  While taking 6 years to create the extended works she lost her father, father- in law, and step mother to sickness while losing her mother to suicide and herself having a brain tumor.  All the while she was raising two children. Lena McGrath Welker has really shared her experiences with me through her artwork.

I loved going to North Dakota and hope I may someday return...

Next stop-- Seattle!