And now for Something Completely Different...

OK, so it's the day after I let my dog lick the table clean, and the swedesaw blade is still in the dishwasher. Since variety is the spice of life, I went to a Buddhist monastery outside Kamloops today.

It's 45 mins away from Kamloops, and a fascinating place. Ajahn Sona (Ajahn means teacher) greeted us, toured us through the main building, and answered plenty of questions. His history is that he has a Masters in Music from Toronto, and then "felt the calling" to become a monastic. The irony is that this is a discipline of intellectual introspection and meditation, where music and entertainment is not allowed...
The monastery is off-grid, and uses the newest green technologies. They do not even burn candles, but rather use the most efficient LED lights, powered by solar panels.

the main altar, with LED lights and Buddha from Thailand. The donor said she had it made with a big, "Western" nose so we'd feel better about our big noses!

The monastic life is pretty simple. They rise to meditate for an hour at 5:30 AM daily. Then breakfast, then free time to meditate or study or do walking meditation or think about meditation. Then it's lunch at 10:30 AM, which is the primary meal of the day. And the last meal of the day, as the monks are not allowed to eat after noon.
The afternoon is spent - you guessed it - meditating, until tea time. Everyone gathers in the meeting room, and Ajahn Sona takes questions. This was great, as of course I had MILLIONS of questions, although I tried hard to keep it down to about....10.

Ajahn Sona at tea time

After tea, there is a break of about an hour, then (ready for it??) the Evening Meditation session. We stayed for this, then drove home, exhausted. Trying to be an open vessel, letting thoughts drift past your consciousness, is really tiring.
The monks are not allowed to handle money, buy anything, make food, grow food or kill any living creature. So in other countries, monks will spend a good part of their morning receiving alms of food. Here, they rely on stewards and guests to shop, prepare meals and provide necessities. Something that surprised me is that they are not vegetarian. Since they are bound to receive food as gifts, there is no restriction that it must be vegetarian or vegan. In case you are wondering, they DO use toilet paper.

carving of a Buddha

What made Ajahn Sona most interesting to me was his background as a "Western Intellectual". He often compared Buddhist teachings to the Christian and Jewish faiths. (He said leaders of these faiths, as well as Benedictine Nuns, share discussions on many topics.) He spoke about technology and current events and seemed able to converse or expound on any topic. And his sense of humour and ease with all ages, especially kids, made it very relaxed.

Ajahn Sona at the front of the main meditation hall

Birken Forest Monastery is open to the public, and you can go to visit, or to stay, or to attend a retreat. Here's the link, in case you want to check it out.   http://birken.ca/monastics_in_dhamma_talks_info.html
There are many free resources available there, including hours and hours of dhamma talks on all sorts of topics. He said he's received comments that people may listen to them, and fall asleep. Haha, meant in the best possible way, of course!

detail of a carving in the monastery

5 Smoothie Recipes That Sound Weird But Are Tasty and Healthy

This post is being written because Amanda at http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/ is heading to do the Seattle RnR Marathon this weekend, so she needs some guest bloggers. And I offered to write this for her to help out.

Good luck Amanda! Have a great run! (You can look at my posts from June/July '09 to see how my Seattle RnR Marathon went. It was my first too.)

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OK, there are a few reasons that I now make a lot of smoothies.

1. they are easy, and a fun way for me to experiment
2. my stomach likes them, even before a long run, and definitely after
3. I have finally figured out how to pack plenty of calories/energy in them so I can manage a big workout, although I only "drank my breakfast"  (this used to be a problem)
4. my naturopath has recommended that I go on a vegetarian or vegan diet, with way more greens, as this raises the pH of my body. Why? The theory is that cancerous tumours thrive and grow in an acidic pH environment. So, to discourage the growth of cancerous tumours in the body, you should raise this pH, as well as reduce other sources of stress/inflammation for the body.

I really, really like to experiment, and am totally horrible at following a recipe, or doing anything the same way twice...so making the following recipes was a small challenge for me. But I have done it, and I hope you try them all. Enjoy!

My general guidelines for a smoothie are that I try to use vegan ingredients with organic fruit & veggies and no added sugars. I like some texture, I like it thick, and I don't mind if it's cold or not. Throw everything into the blender and push MIX. Add a bit more liquid if it's too thick. Add ice if it's too warm. Add an extra scoop of protein powder if you have a huge workout planned.
I welcome you to try these recipes and modify any way you like!

Sweet Tart Greenie
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
broccoli - a generous spring (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
lime juice - roll it on the counter, chop it in half, and squeeze in juice of 1 entire lime
long English cucumber - about 5-6 inches, chopped coarsely
orange juice - about 1/2 cup. I just add enough so it tastes a bit sweeter and my blender doesn't burn out.

This smoothie is pale green, with a grainy texture, and tastes both tart and sweet. It is very fresh, and will wake you up, but in a nice way.


Chocolate For Breakfast
kids and husbands like this one

vanilla soy powder - 1 scoop
baking cocoa - about 2/3 of a scoop (I used the scoop from the protein powder)
long English cucumber - about 6-7", chopped coarsely
banana - 1 whole
vanilla soy milk - add enough to prevent blender burnout (maybe 1/2 or 3/4 cup)
cinnamon - about 1/3 to 1/2 tsp

The cinnamon adds a sweetness without sugar, and it's a natural anti-inflammatory. The cocoa has all the goodness of chocolate, without the fat or sugar. So my mouth loves this chocolatey taste, my heart loves the antioxidants, and my knees love the anti-inflammatories. Consider switching banana for raspberries or pie cherries...or any fruit that tastes divine with chocolate. It's a winnah!

Razzmatazz
Amber's favourite - very raspberry-ey!

frozen raspberries - 1 to 1 1/2 cups
broccoli - a sprig (about 4 inches high and 2 inches at the top). Break or chop it into smaller pieces
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
vanilla soy milk - 3/4 cup (I really never measure...I just make sure the blender does not make horrible noises. And sometimes I eat my smoothie with a spoon)
orange juice - a good splash (about 2 tbl)

The strong raspberry flavour and grainy raspberry seeds hide the broccoli in this one, although it does smell slightly grassy. If raspberries weren't so dang expensive, I'd make this one all the time.

Melon Delight
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
avocado - 1/2 a large one
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
melon - 1/4 of a medium-sized melon. I happened to find a Casaba melon in my local grocery, which was a bit like a honeydew. Cantaloupe would be good too.

smells nice, pale yellow-green colour, sweet and tasty
This was a big hit with my friend's husband and 12 y/o son.

"Oh Hello! That's Delicious!"
that's what I said when I tasted this one  :)

vanilla soy milk - about 1/3 cup
vanilla protein powder - 1 scoop
orange juice - 1/4 cup
peaches - 1/2 pint of home canned peaches (feel free to use 1 whole fresh peach, or a half can of no-sugar-added store-bought peaches)
long English cucumber - about 6", chopped coarsely

my friend's husband said:  "What did you put in this? Malibu Rum? It's really good."  Nope. No coconut or alcohol, although that might be a great idea... post-workout  ;)


Notes on ingredients
protein powder - Be careful with the ingredients in your protein powder. Look for NO fake sugars, non-GMO, organic, no weird fillers, or anything that seems like a bad idea to eat. I get whey protein. I prefer vanilla flavour, as that always seems to add a nice taste to a smoothie and make it more of a treat. Get a recommended brand in a health food store, then see if you can find it for less $ online or at the grocery store.

avocado -  my naturopath is crazy about avocado! The fat is a "good fat", the pH is quite high, and it adds a lovely creaminess to a smoothie. Buy them in season if possible. In Canada, they are usually cheaper to buy in a bag of 3 or 5. A smoothie is the perfect way to use the one you forgot on the counter, and it's a bit too soft for putting in guac. Or that second half that's gone a bit brown in the fridge since yesterday.

cucumber - I know lots of people do not like cukes. I find their flavour disappears in a smoothie, but might add a freshness. Also, they are so wet, they add lots of water to a smoothie. The little bits of green skin add a nice dab of colour. And their pH is really high, so that's great.
 
broccoli - this was a pure fun experiment one day, and it worked! As long as you don't add too much, no one will know it's in there, except there are small green bits. Bioflavenoids, fibre, high pH....these little trees are so good for you!
 
Thanks very much to my testing team: Amber, Karen, Allan, Spenser and Keltie the dog (She is normally a picky eater, but she LOVED the Sweet Tart Greenie!)

Yoga Workshop

People have been asking why I have not posted much this month.

Here's a big part of why.... I took a yoga workshop! 15 hours in 3 days, was KILLER, and there are 2 words to describe it: 1. Worthwhile. 2. Exhaustion.

a new, easier way to practise handstand. (I LOVE handstands!)

Wall Star - a variation on side plank

Abridged yoga glossary:

downward facing dog - classic yoga pose, in an inverted V on your hands and feet. (Think about how a dog or cat looks when stretching)

plank - top of a push-up

chaduranga - bottom of a push-up

cobra - pose starts from facedown, keep legs on floor, then straighten arms as you arch back. Resembles a cobra snake about to strike!

child's pose - a resting pose done in kneeling position, then bend forward and rest your forehead on the floor with your arms resting outstretched above your head on the mat

_______________________________

By Sunday, after approximately 5 million planks and 400 bazillion downward facing dogs and a couple zillion chadurangas, I was hitting the yogic wall. I thought the instructor said, "child's pose", and it took a couple seconds to realise he said, "plank". Again. Again? Out loud, I said, "F*&#" quickly followed by "oops, hahahhahahha".

FYI, it's sorta frowned upon to swear at yoga.

So then the yogi started goading us into action: "OK, if you are a total wimp, you can go into cobra from lying on the floor. But if you're hard core, you'll go there from chaduranga first. [grrrrr]"

Yes, I am absolutely that easily manipulated, so sure enough, I snapped my body into the bottom of a push-up, gaining praise from the Yoga Nazi at the front of the room. I lifted my whole body off the floor....except my boobs. They were too dang heavy! Just couldn't do it.... There was much laughter inside my head.

look closely at the grimace used to hold a pose after a looooooong weekend. (and the terrible alignment....oh, the shame of having poor alignment captured on film)

Peru, day 3

The trip and treatments in Peru continue to go very, very well.
Auntie is improving steadily. I cannot get over how well she's doing. For years, she has had debilitating back pain. Yesterday, she tripped off a step, which nearly gave ME a heart attack. But within a mintue or 2, she was fine. We then had a really great conversation (in English, Spanish and French!!) with the healer, Adan, about his life, his upbringing, his village, his culture, etc. Auntie was fascinated, and said how much fun it was. Now she knows what I do as I cartwheel around the world. I just like to talk to everyone about how they live, and what they do.

As you all know, I am absolutely fascinated by indigenous and cultural customs, so I'm thrilled to be able to witness and help. Unfortunately, Adan says we cannot speak of anything we see during the treatments, as these are ancient and sacred customs. So my lips are sealed. Yes, it IS hard for me to keep it quiet!! But this is not the first time I've witnessed indigenous traditions on the condition that I cannot speak of it.
All I can say is that I'm lucky to be here.
And I hope to be able to report good news upon Auntie's return to her western medical docs back in Canada.

Peru, Day 1

Auntie and I arrived insanely early this AM in Arequipa, Peru.
We fell into bed at 6:30 AM, and the phone rang at 9:00 to invite her to her first treatment.
Adan, the doctor, is very nice, and she feels really feel confident in his skills. He has not looked at any of her Western medical records, but can tell she has cancer in her cells, and noted pain elsewhere too.
This morning, the treatment was for detoxification. It was very nice- he brewed a sort of tea made from herbs. It was warm and soothing, and smelled pleasantly grassy and herbal, and is used as a shower.
It is all very interesting, but nice.
Her review of today: "feeling great! Even better than if I'd stayed home :) no pain in my back at all, not tired."

The Wilder-Blog

The Wilder-Blog
A Trip Report of Hiking in Emigrant Wilderness, California
July 12-21, 2009

written by Tara and guest-blogger/Hubba Hubba roomie, beni

Day 0: Controlled Panic
Meet at The Wood House B&B of Mill Valley (aka, Jill and Eric’s place). Organize piles of food, clothing, shelter. Pack. Sleep, or try.

Day 1: Mind Over Muscle
Wake up ridinculously early. Drive approximately as many hours as you slept. Arrive at Oakdale. Meet the Thordersons: Bo, Taryn, Sammy! Last meal at Oakdale Cafe. Final supply stop at Raley’s. (Mmmm... instant non-fat powdered milk.) Onward to trailhead: Last flush toilets.

A Stalwart Group (L to R: Bo, Sammy, Taryn, Woody, beni, Jill, me)

Pack weigh-in:

Eric (aka Woody) = 800 kilos, including a guitar but no amp,

Bo = 600 kilos of common sense and authority,

Tara= 53 lbs of Astro-Glide,

beni = 45 lbs of What the heck am I doing?,

Jill = The Weight of the World (packaged neatly in Ziploc bags and stuff sacks),

Sammy = 40 lbs of Gorp that she didn’t eat anyway,

My BFWC
Taryn = Pop Tarts and Body Fat (a lot of it).

Taryn, Wilder-Solid Gold Dancer

Hike: Crabtree trailhead to campsite on Cherry Creek, 7.5 miles, all on trail. Starting at 7,150 ft., climb gently to about 7,800 ft. before descending to our campsite at 7,450 ft. Approx 9 hours.
Meet more Thordersons: Hans, Chris, Tait, Thor, Dean. Eric’s debut campfire stylings.

the Littlest Hoboes

Woody Wilder-dictionary entries of the day:

Gentle = Punishing
Astro-Glide = Blister prevention magic from Canada, aka Body Glide

Me n JillyBean

Tara adventures of the day: Breakfast discussion of scrotal chafing, resulting in Bo nearly spitting out her huevos. Clambering the granite version of the Great Wall of China. Near-death experience when Eric learned I used biodegradable soap in his creek.
What beni learned: I hate mosquitoes as much as I love DEET. I hate feeling lost as much as I hate mosquitoes.

Day 2: Rock Stars
Cherry Creek to Hyatt Lake, 2.8 miles, all cross-country. Starting at 7,450 ft., we climb over a 7,800 ft. ridge, then descend to the lake at 7,400 ft. Approx 4.5 hours.

Woody Wilder-dictionary entry of the day:

Boulder-hopping = Marine Corps obstacle course.

Tara adventures of the day: Having a 7-year old boy clamouring “Take it off! Take it off!” in his 7-year old boy voice. (He wanted to see my sunburn, I swear, that's all!) Learning that my water bottle is actually a green fish but luckily Hans is actually a deep-sea diver.
What beni learned: It is much easier to kick your backpack through the rocks than to carry it over the rocks. Sammy and Taryn make posing on top of a boulder with your pack on look easy. Freshly-melted snow is cold. While Hans may actually be a deep-sea diver, it is quite possible that Bo is a mermaid.

Day 3: Hell Day
Hyatt Lake to Red Can Lake, 5.1 miles, all cross-country. Starting at 7,400 ft., we climb over open granite slopes to about 8,400 ft. before descending slightly to our destination at 8,300 ft. Approx 9 hours.

ants trekking across the moonscape
Woody Wilder-dictionary entries of the day:

As the crow flies = LOOK OUT! A short trip up a cliff, around a knob, across a river, backtrack for a while, then when all hope appears lost, TAH DAH: Red Can Lake.
G.P.S. = 20° to the right of reality
Skirting = This is gonna be far.
Knob = Cliff
Saddle = Mountain
Asser = So much worse than a bummer. Example, Falling on your soda treasure and cracking it wide open in the last few minutes of Hell Day and sleeping in a wet, sticky sleeping bag because of it. On the 9th day of a 12 day backpacking trip, putting your treat apple in your stinky scok to protect it from bear scoffing, having a bear turn it into applesauce anyway.
Tara adventures of the day: Near-death experience when Bo saw me showing Sammy and Taryn an “acceptable” route down a rock ramp. Appeased the Wrath of the Mother Bear with a cocktail.
What beni learned: A little koala goes a long way. Being swarmed by mosquitoes makes you not care that you don’t have enough water in your bottle. I hate crows as much as I hate mosquitoes. Eric is 10,000 times the man I am.
Jill & beni happy to be off the trail
Day 4: The Heat is On
Red Can Lake to Lertora Lake, 2.1 miles, cross-country followed by trail. Starting at 8,300 ft., we descend to cross the outlet of Cow Meadow Lake at 7,800 ft., then pick up a trail which climbs to our destination at 8,400 ft. Approx 3 hours.

Woody Wilder-dictionary entry of the day:

Hubba Hubba = a small, sexy home away from home

Snugga-Hubba = When a small, sexy tent gets put in an even smaller space

Tara adventure of the day: Photo shoot at the Blue Dragonfly No-tell Motel.

Near-death experience when Bo overheard me sharing cautionary tales of my, ahem, light-hearted youthful escapades.
What beni learned: A little meltdown goes a long way. Jill is 10,000 times the sweetie that I am – and looks good in a floatie to boot! Veggie Italian sausage tastes like love at 8,400 ft. Cold water therapy is the next best thing to veggie Italian sausage at 8,400 ft. Solar showers are better than cold water therapy.

Day 5: Oh say, can Yosemite?
Lertora Lake to Lower Twin Lake, 4 miles, trail followed by cross-country. Starting at 8,400 ft., we descend on a trail to Hukleberry Lake at 7,850 ft., then climb steeply (but briefly) to 8,700 ft., where we cross into Yosemite National Park just before arriving at our destination at 8,650 ft. Approx 3 hours.

Love in the Backwoods

The Group starts to show "Trail Rage"

Woody Wilder-dictionary entry of the Day:
Mountain Margaritas = Yummy deliciousness. Recipe of the Day: Mountain Margaritas = Freshly-harvested snow + Crystal Light Lemon + whatever tequila the underage girls haven’t drunk yet

Tara adventure of the day: The Happiest Hour. 7 way CHEERS! Part I

. Day 5 means time for some Wilder-Grooming. (yes, they really are shaving their pits!)
What beni learned: Sammy and Taryn make floating to an island on a pancake look easy. It takes a village to cook a rehydrated gourmet meal. Mosquitoes swarming your tent obscure your lovely view of purple shooting stars in the meadow. Duct tape is good for mending. You can shame a lazy ankle into healing itself.

Day 6: Happy Birthday, Dani!
Lower Twin Lake to Black Bear Lake, 3.2 miles, mixed cross-country and trail. Starting at 8,650 ft., we follow the north edge of Lower Twin Lake before climbing to pass Upper Twin Lake before reaching our destination at 9,300 ft. Approx 3 hours.

Woody’s Wilder-quote of the Day: “If a man says something in the forest and there are no women around to hear, is he still wrong?” (Answer: Duh. He was hiking alone with 6 women)

Tara adventure of the day: Earning one more stripe as an unofficial gear tester by breaking the Wilderness Wanderer man-only backpack. Making a daypack out of a plastic shopping bag filled with warm salami, sweaty cheese and a novel. Climbing up the ridge for a better view.

What beni learned: Doing nothing at 9,300 ft is even better than veggie Italian sausage at 8,400 ft. I can lift my Hubba.

"I have a friend who tried out a backpacking recipe for Pad Thai at home and it was so delicious that she ate it again the next day for lunch."

I make a lovely dancing alien. The Milky Way looks like clouds when you’re not wearing your contacts. The Backpacker First Aid kit does not include an x-ray machine.

Day 7: Night of the Revenge of the Mozzies
Black Bear Lake to campsite on Cherry Creek, 4 miles, cross-country followed by trail. Starting at 9,300 ft., we climb to pass Bigelow Lake at 9,600 ft., then cross a pass at 9,800 ft. before descending to Snow Lake at 9,350 ft. There, we pick up a trail and climb to our campsite at 9,550 ft. Just kidding: Push on to Grizzly Meadow. Approx 4 hours.

the swarm outside the tent in the AM

Sammy - Zapatista warrior princess or bug-bitten refugee?

Tara adventure of the day: Breaktime summit to 9,900 ft. Avoiding near-death experience by deciding not to go to 10,000 ft only to fall precipitously and have Bo heal me only to teach me what pain really feels like. Getting annihilated at hearts. (Honestly, who loses a trick when they lead a 3?!)

Boot skiing in July.
What beni learned: Sliding on snow is easier than walking on snow. Duct tape is good for mending, but Bo has a better method.

Day 8: Through the Forest, Under the Stars
Cherry Creek to Sheep Camp, 6.1 miles, all on trail. Starting at 9,550 ft., we climb slightly to Grizzly Meadow, then descend to 9,400 ft. to pass Emigrant Meadow Lake. We then climb to 9,750 ft. to cross Brown Bear Pass, after which we descend to our destination at 8,800 ft. Approx 6 hours.


Wilder-babes

Woody Wilder-dictionary entry of the day:
Woody’s nuts = Spicy nuts from Trader Joe’s that Bo tells Sammy and Taryn to grab for her. As in, “Girls, go grab Woody’s nuts for me.”
Recipe of the Day:

Jill’s Curried Lentils with Rice = Rice + Lentils + Curry. Taste. Send beni to poach Woody's candied ginger. Add all of it. Taste. Send beni to find chocolate. Add all of Tara’s remaining chocolate stash. Taste. Top with Woody’s nuts. Yummy!

Tara adventure of the day: Quashing Woody’s Hail Mary attempt to win Ugliest Body Part Competition with an infected blister. (“Poor self-care will not be rewarded.”) While out for a Wilder-poop, Tara finds and extinguishes a forest fire. (“Just digging for the edges. There’s nothing scientific about this.”)
What beni learned: I make a lovely water nymph. No one wants me on their team for Charades. If she’s already asleep, Tara won’t tell me what to do if I wake up to a bear licking my head.

Day 9: Escape from Emigrant Wilderness, aka Woody’s Paradise
Sheep Camp to Kennedy Meadow, 8.5 miles, all on trail. Starting at 8,800 ft., we descend to Relief Reservoir at about 7,300 ft., where we climb slightly to skirt the reservoir before continuing our descent to our destination (and showers, cheeseburgers, and frosty beverages) at 6,300 ft. Approx 2 hours (Bo, Sammy, Taryn) – 4.5 hours (Tara, beni)

Woody Wilder-dictionary entry of the day:

Wilder... = The 9-day Backpacking version of anything

Tara adventure of the day: Following that dang flying crow, including the tiniest sign that said, "Main Trail", only to be saved by a cowboy. Witnessed the graduation of beni from Marine Corps boot camp, as she happily pranced across a raging river on a log. (SO proud!) The best cheeseburger of my life, at the end of the dusty trail.
What beni learned: Crossing over a raging torrent on a fallen log gives you Wilder-balls. When a cowboy asks you if you’re lost, you are.

7 way cheers, Part II

Tara's Life Is Good!

do we clean up nicely, or what?