Rosa Acicularis, Prickly Wild Rose

Down in the lower gardens on the strip, where the Milky Way shone bright at night, our wild roses grew. Mom brought them small from Grandma's garden up in Minnesota, but they were enthusiastic flowers and fast made our home their own. Yesterday I asked Mom if the roses were still there, and she said yes, it's hard to keep them at bay.... which I was glad to hear. Wild roses are my favorite flowers. Have you sniffed a wild rose? The scent is like a drug, it overtakes me. During this time of year, I often smell them before I see them; where are you, my delicious friend? There you are, and I make the apt-named beeline to stand and inhale, inhale until I almost faint of too much oxygen. Standing like that, I see the secret world beneath the spiny bushes and it reminds me of picking raspberries in the forest as a child. Did you know? Raspberries and roses are in the same family. I think I am part of that family, too.

From Snow White and Rose Red

Roses. Probably the most oft-referenced flower by artists and poets through many centuries, and used symbolically in countless myths/folktales/etc. When I was very small, my dad told me about the brilliance of Gertrude Stein: "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose"... which I didn't understand, but pretended to, because Dad spoke to me like I was a smart girl who would know such things. There is a Grimm's fairy tale called Snow White and Rose Red that my sister Rhiannon and I loved. She said they were us--- she was Snow White and I was Rose Red. That suited me fine. Mom read us Romeo and Juliet out loud, explaining every line as she went. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet." Yes, yes I understood that! Because I had smelled roses, and there was no denying the transcendence of their scent. One of our best friends growing up was named Rose. Everyone else called her "Rosie"; we stubbornly stuck with "Rose." To me that meant the wholeness of the flowering plant in all its glory, whereas "rosie" sounded like an adjective, a skin tone. I still call her Rose, and I'm sure she will laugh reading this.

Last year in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, I stumbled across a treasure by the windows in the "Dutch room."

The Madonna and Child in a Rose Arbor, 16th c., Workshop of Martin Schongauer, German, 1450-1491, Oil on wood

Page of a 16th c. German hymnal

This painting is spell-binding to me. I think it feels like home. All the plants are hyper-real, which in my mind seems more real than "actual" real.... and I know what most of them are because I grew up in that garden. Roses have been used since Medieval times as a symbol for both Christ and Mary. In the 16th century German hymn "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" ("Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"), it symbolizes Christ's birth. Mom used to sing this hymn at Christmastime; it was always one of her favorites. I wasn't a fan back then because it was difficult for me to sing, and I didn't understand how a rose had to do with Christmas. Now I love it because it reminds me of Mom.

I eat roses. I drink roses. I put roses on my body.... Raspberries drizzled with rose water, rose-petal kombucha, Weleda wild rose body oil and Wyndmere rose oil in jojoba. I cannot get enough. Of course I am aware that roses are cliche as a favorite flower. However, I think resisting my love of these divine blossoms because so many have loved them before... would prove me rather silly. When I was a little girl, I chose brown as my favorite color for a long time, because I felt sorry for the brown Crayola marker. No one seemed to love it. These days, I just go right for the juiciest, sparkliest, tastiest, and most colorful. Sorry brown Crayola marker. After all, as they say, life is short. So I stop and smell the ... like, every five minutes.   

Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Ayurvedic recipes for Dosha-balancing tea

Dhanvantari, physician of the gods

My Kali Shrine

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I've been fascinated with everything India (culture, history, religion, food, clothing, and music) for quite some time. At any given moment, I can be found wearing a bindi, listening to a sitar, ingesting turmeric, or popping off a couple down-dogs. I even have a small Kali altar built around a figurine my little sister Cirrus brought back for me from India. Unsurprisingly, Ayurveda, the ancient system of traditional Hindu medicine, has taken its turn as the focal point of an "Arhia geeky obsesssion." To be honest, I am a little hesitant to write anything about Ayurveda because it is impossible to simplify and easy to misinterpret. I myself have only a vague whiff of understanding when it comes to the subject. After all, Ayurveda arose thousands of years ago and half a world away. Sources of education on the topic seem to fall into two categories: vapid, ridiculous online drivel, and unimaginably dense tomes that beginners like me just can't access. Anyhow, keep in mind the above disclaimer as you read this post!

In the context of Ayurveda, the Sanskrit prakriti means a person's unique physical and psychological nature. Dosha can be translated roughly as "constitution" or "biological type." Doshas make up the physical aspect of one's prakriti. There are three doshas, or biological energies: vata, pitta, and kapha, which relate to the five elements as defined by Ayurvedic philosophy (see chart at right). Vata is made up of ether and air, pitta of fire and water, and kapha of water and earth. Every person displays characteristics of vata, pitta, and kapha, but usually one or two doshas are dominant above the others within an individual's prakriti. Rarely are the doshas distributed evenly in a single human being, but it does happen. To ascertain an accurate evaluation of your personal doshic balance, you should seek out a professional Ayurvedic practitioner. However, there are many "online quizes" and such that one can partake in *just for the fun of it*.... and it is sort of fun. Simply keep in mind the mega-hokey factor. The dosha quiz I took was in Deepak Chopra's Perfect Health. Unfortunately, the book was heartily new-agey and not authentic in terms of traditional Indian medicine... but it seemed like an acceptable place to begin. Anyhow, according to Chopra's book, I am very vata with a decent dose of kapha and only a pinch of pitta.

During my research on Ayurveda, I came across recipes for herbal teas intended to balance the respective doshas. Tea being another of my geeky obsessions (one that will doubtless star in a post all its own here one of these days), I took note. I've seen many variations on each recipe, with differing combinations and proportions of herbs, so there is no "one way" of brewing these teas. The recipes here are simpler than many, involving only four ingredients per mixture, and include my personal favorite herbs/spices from among the vast array. Feel free to do your own research and experiment with different amounts to suit your own needs and tastes. After all, that is the fun part! 

                 Vata Balancing Tea              Pitta Balancing Tea                Kapha Balancing Tea                       

 

In case you can't tell from the pictures, I'll also list the ingredients in words. Vata: ginger, licorice, cinnamon, cardamom. Pitta: peppermint, chamomile, fennel, rose. Kapha: ginger, pepper, saffron, cloves. Vata is the only one I've actually made, since I often tend toward an overabundance of that dosha. I intend to try the others, however, because they all look AMAZING. When I make a batch of tea, I use a large handful of each ingredient per two quarts of water. I simmer everything together for about an hour at very low heat, then pour into jars and store in the fridge to be enjoyed all week. I like to add a shot of apple cider vinegar to my cup before I drink it, and I'm sure raw honey would also be a lovely addition. 

Each tea balances the dosha of its name. Therefore, vata tea is grounding and stabilizing, pitta tea is cooling and calming, and kapha tea is energizing and uplifting. So for example, if you feel a cold coming on, vata tea would be a good choice, since a cold indicates an excess of vata. If you have digestion issues, either vata or kapha could help. If you are frustrated or worked-up, pitta might be of use. 

Enjoy!

Sapta Chakra, from a Yoga manuscipt in Braj Bhasa lanaguage, 1899.

Chocolate

I have been making a concerted effort to incorporate more chocolate into my diet. Yes, you read that right. But perhaps I should use the more specific term cacao, because what I'm referring to here is the pure ingredient, not the sugar-lined candy. I love chocolate; who doesn't? But while the cacao makes me feel awesome, the sugar tends to weaken my immune system and causes my heart to race. So I've embarked on a mission to create chocolate delicacies sans sugar. I now realize that not only is it much healthier this way, but I actually adore the taste of bitter chocolate. 

As you may know, cacao is a very nutritious food when minimally processed. 2.5 tablespoons of raw cacao powder (such as Navitas Naturals, one I've tried and can vouch for) contain: 3 grams protein, 23% RDI magnesium, 7% potassium, 8% iron, as well as trace amounts of calcium, copper, selenium, manganese, zinc, vitamins E, K, several Bs, and choline. Most of us don't get enough magnesium in our diets, so cacao can be very helpful in that respect. Then there are the oft-touted antioxidants in the form of flavonoids called catechins and epicatechins that help lower blood pressure and prevent systemic inflammation. These compounds are also found in other foods, such as green tea and red wine, but are particularly concentrated in pure cacao. 

Aztec woman mixing cacao drink

The cultivation of cacao in its native Mesoamerica may date back as far as 1900 BCE. There is evidence that it was used to create a kind fermented alcoholic beverage, and was also employed ritualistically, medicinally (it was thought to be an aphrodisiac), and as a currency. The Mayans identified cacao with the rain god Kon, and consumed it in the form of a thick, hot, foamy drink made spicy with chili peppers. Much later, around 1400 CE, the Aztecs (who associated cacao with the god Quetzacoatl) were making a similar beverage. Unlike the Mayans, they drank their concoction cold. Not until the 16th century had any European tasted chocolate... and so you see, only in recent history has cacao had anything to do with sugar. Christopher Columbus and the Spanish conquistadors brought it back to the old world, where it quickly became both sweetened and wildly popular. Even the origins of the word "chocolate" can be traced back to the Aztec "xocoatl", the name of their bitter foamy drink. Theobroma cacao, the Latin name for the cacao tree, means "food of the gods." By the mid-1800s, food scientists in Europe had figured out how to process cacao into its modern form: the chocolate bar.  

I've experimented with raw cacao powder and have come up with many delicious and healthy ways to partake. Here are two.

Coconut Hot Chocolate

1 heaping teaspoon coconut oil

1 ounce coconut milk

2 tablespoons cacao powder

Dash of cinnamon 

Sprinkle of cayenne 

Boiling water

Combine coconut milk and dry ingredients in a cup; stir well. Add coconut oil and mix vigorously until the texture is smooth. Then fill the cup with hot water, bit by bit, stirring as you go so as to prevent globbing. Enjoy HOT! 

Chocolate Truffles
1 egg raw yolk
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon cacao powder

Combine ingredients and, if necessary, add more cacao until consistency is easily molded and holds its shape. Then you can do whatever you want with it in terms of flavors. (Refrigerate your finished creations prior to eating, since they contain the egg yolk). Below are three of my recent versions: the first has orange peels and clove powder, the second is sprinkled with cayenne pepper and topped with a dehydrated raspberry (grown and harvested by me own mum, I might add!), and the third has cardamom kneaded in and is garnished with toasted sesame seeds and Hawaiian red salt. The possibilities are endless. Go wild. 

Love Letter to Color

(Plus how to make fermented beet pickles)

I have moments every day when I feel so very thankful for my eyes. To see is such a joy; I try never to take the miracle of sight for granted, especially since I can only see out of my left eye and would be rendered blind if I ever lost it. Sight is an important sense to everyone, I am sure, but as an artist it seems particularly crucial. If I could not draw and paint, I'm not sure what my purpose in life would be. That is something for me to consider I suppose...

Color is usually what reminds me to be grateful for the presence of my eyes. I do not know what the experience of color is like for anyone outside of myself... how could I? It is completely subjective. But for me the experience is intoxicating, sublime, and utterly physical in a total-body sort of way. Viewing a beautiful color feels like a massage, or like eating chocolate, or like kissing my beloved. This time of year--- springtime--- is so plentiful in color. When sunlight touches the tulips, they become chalices of color for my eyes to drink. What a glorious thing. 

One of my favorite colors of all time is ultramarine blue. I use it in every painting I make, and I revel in its pristine, straight-from-the-tube hue. During Medieval and Renaissance times, this color was close in value to gold. It was made from powdered lapis lazuli, and can be seen most often in the garments of the Holy Virgin Mary, as here in a small Fra Angelico (circa 1400) at Boston's own MFA. 

I can feel a religious experience coming upon me just resting my eyes on this color; no wonder it was reserved for Mary. I have always loved ultramarine--- when I was a small child, I swallowed a round piece of deep blue glass, thinking it would be sure to imbue me with supernatural abilities if simply looking at it made me feel such joy. The glass didn't harm me, being round. Sometimes I pretend it's still inside, a secret talisman, a magic charm. When I was in grad school, they told me to stop using so much of the same blue. I thought about it, but decided that was too great a sacrifice.

(I was told to "mix more" in general and not use my colors straight out of the tube. I tried, but painting seemed comparatively joyless... plus I like the result, so why torture myself?)

Another color that has always held me transfixed is a certain kind of magenta. In painter's language it is called "quinacridone rose." I am currently working on a painting that was inspired by how I feel about this color, based on my experiences with beets. As a child, beets were some of my favorite vegetables--- and that's saying something, because I liked almost all kinds. I used to watch in pure rapture as Mom removed boiled beets from the pot and popped them out of their skins. Her hands became stained with this color and I wanted my hands to be the same. In fact, I wished that my hands would be permanently colored this way. Even today, I sometimes think that if I ever got a tattoo, it would be to color the palms of my hands... like Kali's hands.

It brings me great pleasure to consume bright colors with my mouth as well as my eyes. I like to collect the most vibrant hues on my palette and my plate. This is why I eat things like turmeric, spirulina, egg yolks, orange peels, hibiscus tea, red wine, and beets. It's an added benefit that most brightly-colored foods are also the healthiest! So, as promised in the subtitle of this post, here is a easy and delicious recipe for fermented pickled beets. Great for the taste buds, the eyes, and the microbiome! 

Fermented Beet Pickles

Supplies: one wide-mouth quart jar with lid, about two medium to large beets (fresh, organic preferable) 1 tablespoon sea salt, and 1 cup fresh water plus a little more. 

Process: wash, peel, and slice the beets into small pieces (1 inch-long by about 1/4 inch thick is good). Pack them into the quart jar, leaving roughly two inches air space above. Dissolve the tablespoon of sea salt in a cup of fresh water; then pour it over the beets. Add a little more water until it covers the beets. Then screw the lid on loosely and set the jar in a warmish place, like on top of the fridge. Let them rest for about a week, opening the jar every few days to make sure gas doesn't build up too much. Them set them in the fridge and enjoy! The juice is also delicious. I like to drink it straight out of the jar.

Tips: be sure to appreciate the beauty of each beet as you cut it open. I find them fascinating; there are whole worlds inside--- deserts, sunrises, mountain ranges, all rendered in the most psychedelic bright pink! And if you see any mold on top of your beets during the fermenting process, just scrape it off and set the jar in the fridge. It's happened to me a couple times, and the pickles are fine underneath. 

 

Routine as Ritual

"Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work."--- Chuck Close

"My experience has been that most really serious creative people I know have very, very routine and not particularly glamorous work habits."--- John Adams

Even as a child, I relished my routines--- especially those of the morning. I liked to wake early, when only Mom was up, and do my chores in the stillness and silvery light that comes just before dawn; when the birds are singing loud and the Eastern sky holds all the secrets of the day. I would yank on my sweatpants and gather the tools needed to pump the water and feed the rabbits: blue kettle of boiling water (if the weather was below freezing), ice cream pale of water for priming, and scoops for measuring rabbit chow. The water from our pump was the best-tasting water I've had in my life; you can only imagine water this clear, hard, fresh, cold! The memory brings such a craving--- such a thirst. Dad put our pump in the ground long ago after finding the well, witching-style. 

I fed the rabbits with their alfalfa pellets, but also picked fresh quack grass, still covered in dew, until my hands were cold and green-stained. We raised these animals for food, which made me sad when I thought about it, but didn't stop me from eating rabbit and rice on Saturday nights... so delicious! The rabbit food barrel sat just outside Dad's studio windows, and if he was up early working, I made sure to catch his eye and wave to him. I felt it was a special moment between the two of us.  Routine has a wonderfully stabilizing effect on my life, yet I always feel a bit shame-faced about this fact. I find myself pretending to be much more *spontaneous* than I actually am. Perhaps this comes partially from the way creative people are usually portrayed: as creatures of reckless, messy, brilliant, wild fits of enlightened genius who wend their way through days and nights of ecstatic bliss/anguish. It's only a matter of time, I reason semi-consciously, until I am discovered to be a true stodgy bore--- not an artist at all.I've been reading a book recently called Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey. I checked it out of the library after seeing a set of incredible graphs based on information from this book. Currey's tome is organized into a set of 161 brief yet fascinating accounts of the everyday routines of remarkable people--- from Kafka to Darwin to Picasso to Beethoven. It has been a highly validating read! I find it encouraging to see the wide variety of ways in which these well-known creatives spent their days, and the quaint, strange, and bizarre habits they engaged in (equal in peculiarity to some of my own). I love that Curry used the word Ritual in his title rather than routine. I've always felt that these humble repetitions hold a sort of sanctity, and myself prefer to use the former word. Inspired by the graphs on infowetrust.com, I decided to make one of my own. I must admit that exposing my routines this way causes me to feel anxious; however, I found it so interesting to pour over the day-by-day of artists in Currey's book that my geeky obsession overcame the anxiety. Maybe you will find my graph interesting--- or possibly entertaining--- in a similar fashion. Here it is:

This is an example of an IDEAL day, let me stress. Oftentimes I can be found running errands, doing extra kitchen work, grocery shopping (Fridays), writing letters, attending appointments, or visiting a friend during the times I have outlined here for art. In a perfect world, every weekday would adhere strictly to the above. Upon even closer inspection, my schedule is filled with many small yet essential rituals involving every aspect of life. For example, I engage in an elaborate bathing procedure replete with incense, candles, and scented oils, and there's no such thing as "not enough time" wherein The Bath is concerned. If I were not able to partake of this indulgent ablution, the rest of my day would be unthinkable. Similarly, I require a lot of time for eating, and I eat the same things almost every day. Dinner: fish, chicken bones, pickled beets with orangepeel, seaweed and greens with seeds and miso, turmeric dressing, and olive oil.I MUST eat this dinner on the same plate, with the same chopsticks, while listening to an audiobook... or I swear the earth would wobble on its axis and fly out of orbit.  If you have seen any of my artwork, you will recognize within it this same relentless, obsessive aspect of my personality. My drawings and paintings are as much a part of this intricate daily ritual as the eating, the bathing, the walking. I don't think I could make art if I was not able to eat, bathe, and walk in these ways... I am painting when I am not painting. You might say I'm a bit of a Sheldon Cooper... or rather more than a bit. Like, on a Sheldon-scale of 1 to 10, I'm probably Sheldon-8. And in case you needed further convincing, here's a photo-realistic drawing I did of Jar Jar Binks when I was a teenager. Enjoy.

Kombucha

About two years ago, I became interested in brewing my own kombucha. I've liked the stuff ever since I was a child (Mom made it at home), and buying good old GT's was not financially sustainable. As I always do before embarking on a new project, I conducted a good deal of research--- typical homeschooler behavior! I am happy to report that my efforts have paid off big-time, and I now put up about 18 bottles per week. I've experimented with many different flavors involving all sorts of fruits, flowers, seeds, spices, herbs, etc. Flavoring is the most creative aspect of the process and therefore the most enjoyable. Myer and I are able to drink a bottle each per day of the best 'booch I've ever tasted, and the cost is quite low as tea and sugar (to fuel the Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY) are relatively cheap. In addition to being a delicious and refreshing beverage, kombucha is also quite nutritious, providing good-for-the-gut yeast and bacteria, as well as organic acids such as acetic and ascorbic acids, a variety of enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants called polyphenols, and vitamins B1, B6 and B12. I find it helps with digestion, can be a great energizer, and gives me an all-around clean feeling inside!

Here are instructions for starting your own kombucha:

I use the "continuous brew" system, and it really seems to work better than the batch-by-batch method. It's cleaner, safer, and makes more 'booch. Here are some good resources about continuous brew:

http://www.picklemetoo.com/2012/03/02/kombucha-continuous-brewing-system/

http://www.kombuchakamp.com/what-is-kombucha/continuous-brewing

The ceramic crock with spigot is the only equipment I bought, although "kombucha kamp" advertises a lot of other accessories. I purchased the crock here:

http://foryourwater.com/FYWCCCD/C0100.html

I started mine in a glass gallon jar and later transferred it to the crock when the "mother" was strong. I combined: 1/2 jar of PLAIN GT's kombucha (you can get it at Whole Foods) together with a gallon of sweetened black tea. This "SCOBY fuel" should consist of 1 cup sugar (raw, organic cane is best) dissolved in a gallon of tea. My go-to tea is Trader Joe's English Breakfast--- 8 bags per gallon, steeped for 10 minutes or thereabouts. You can experiment with teas, but remember that the culture likes CAFFEINATED teas. Make sure the tea is room temp when you add the half bottle of 'booch. Then you just cover the jar with a cloth and rubber band to hold it on, and let the whole thing sit in a WARMish, DARKish place for a couple weeks. Never EVER store your SCOBY in the fridge; she will die! Room temperature or a bit warmer is best. 

The really important thing is to keep your whole operation clean, so as to avoid mold problems. I've never seen mold myself, but I've heard it's obvious when it happens. You should only use glass and never touch the tea or mushroom with plastic, wood, or metal. You can use stainless steel (I use a big stainless pot to boil the water in for tea), but that's it. Always clean your hands and equipment with vinegar before you begin, and DON'T use soap--- this kills the bacteria in the culture. In addition, be sure to use filtered water to make tea, and boil it for five minutes before adding teabags.

Once you have a nice, vinegary batch, you can transfer it to the crock, add more sweetened tea, and wait a while longer--- taste as you go until it seems right to you. Now that my SCOBY is very strong, I can take out 8 or 9 bottles every four days. The culture grows pretty fast once it gets going, so you'll have to peel it apart every few weeks and discard the extra (or give it to a friend who wants to start their own). One benefit of using the continuous brew crock is ease of bottling. Occasionally the spigot gets clogged, but you can clean it out by blowing bubbles into it from the inside with a straw.

If you want to bottle and flavor, the best bottles are Grolsch bottles. I love those things! The gasket is long-lasting, and the green coloring of the glass helps keep the bacteria-guys safe (they don't like direct light). You should always put your flavorings directly into the bottle before you fill it up with kombucha, and add about a teaspoon of sugar or honey (raw buckwheat honey is divine) as well so that the bacteria have some "food" for the second ferment. When you've filled and sealed the bottles, put them in a warm place to set for about a week. I use the fridge-top for my entire 'booch operation, and it has worked perfectly. Please put your bottles in a tray of some sort, as they occasionally explode... and the tray will save you much time and stress if this happens!

Some of my favorite flavors include: fenugreek, rose petal, hibiscus, cardamom, lemon peel, juniper, basil, anise, raspberry, tellicherry pepper, beetroot, rosemary, nutmeg, and garam masala. I ALWAYS put a piece of fresh ginger in, no matter what other flavors I am experimenting with. I just love ginger so much... I can't not.

Happy brewing!