to keep or to give away?

it happens to most of us. a friend or family member will give us a gift and...it is just not to our taste...sometimes it can be pretty awful. but we know the person picked it out because they thought we would love it..or because it was something they really liked. what to do? keep it and put it out for display or wear it if it is clothing? keep, but store in a closet or attic? give away?



i have such a hard time with this topic. my personal style is pretty clutter free...and i just am not comfortable with a lot of "stuff" around. yet i have major guilt issues with giving away items given as gifts..it just feels wrong... i believe you can be really grateful for the thought and effort that went into buying or making the gift..even if you do not care for the actual piece. even worse are those items that have been in the family for a long time..not valuable heirlooms...but handmade items...made with love. a perfect example is a doll collection my mom saved for me. these were dolls that i played with as a child. a few were handmade by my grandmothers..some were hand-me-downs from relatives..the rest were purchased by my parents or other family members. my mother lovingly kept all of them for me.. in case i ever had a daughter to pass them to. well, i never had children of my own..and i only have nephews...so what to do? putting them on display is so not my style..and i can not fathom giving them away..especially the handmade ones. so there they sit..packed away in the attic. seems wrong. i am starting a company where all the items are made from repurposed, reimagined, recycled and/or reused materials and this process has really inspired me to lose the clutter..and donate or reuse to avoid adding to the landfill. i am getting better with giving away the non-sentimental items..i keep telling myself that donating will do some good, and other people will enjoy...but am struggling with the rest of the "stuff". my sister, kathi, has a good solution for her home. when her house was being built, she designed a special cupboard..she calls it the "memory closet"...where she stores items with meaning for her...family items..the crafts her boys made when they were small...anything that she wants to keep..but does not want on display in her home. when she is feeling sentimental she opens the closet and enjoys the contents. when she is through she shuts the door..it all goes away!! unfortunately, the closet is completely full so any other "memories" will be a problem :).



while i feel that giving away/donating to charity the non-sentimental items is good for the planet..i cannot bring myself to tell the gift giver what i am doing. how do you tell someone you just do not like their gift? and i still do not have a good solution for the family "memories". but just writing about the topic is helping.



so today's questions..what do you do when given a gift that you just do not like? what do you do with family hand-me-downs or other sentimental items that do not fit your style? please add your tips, suggestions and/or comments to this post. (oh..by the way..the photo in this post was a free download from the net..could not use an actual photo of something someone actually gave me..that would just be mean...)



best,
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™"

do you "make up" recipes?

by "make up"..eat something terrific at a restaurant and try to recreate it at home..without a recipe??? i do this all the time cause i really do not like following recipes unless i am baking. i love trying to figure out all the ingredients used in the original recipe and duplicate..or..even better..improve. sometimes this results in a big success..sometimes..omg!!..disaster..

happily, today's effort resulted in the former option. it was one of those days that seems to been happening more and more frequently..a friend or two will ring me up and ask what i am doing..somehow this leads to the aforementioned friends being invited for dinner..how did that happen? i did not have time to shop..and had on hand fresh eggs from the farmer's market, organic asparagus, and really good french bread from an amazing bakery here in napa. i remembered a dish i had last month at a restaurant in a small town near here called sebastopol..it was amazing..and decided to try and recreate. well..every bite was eaten..requests for me to make more occurred and everyone asked for the recipe. here is the dish...not really a recipe..

poached eggs with asparagus and truffle oil (serves 4)

2 bunches of organic asparagus
8 eggs (organic and fresh from the farm if possible)
best quality truffle oil
parmesan-reggiano -shaved..as much as you like
organic grey sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
best quality french or sourdough bread-sliced into thick pieces
best quality extra virgin olive oil (i love big...make you cough.. e.v.o.o.s but pick your favorite)

steam asparagus until crisp-tender.
poach eggs..i use the vinegar in the barely simmering water trick..and put each egg one at a time in a small shallow bowl before sliding in the water..cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still soft (about 2-2 1/2 minutes)
meanwhile, toast or grill the bread..when browned to your preference..remove from oven or grill and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil.
assembly:
divide asparagus among 4 plates and season with salt and pepper. drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. top each plate with 2 poached eggs and season eggs to taste with salt and pepper. drizzle dish again..including the eggs with additional truffle oil...be a bit sparing with the truffle oil..a quality version will be quite strong...
serve with the grilled bread.

*recipe can serve 8 for a lunch or light dinner

this dish is really easy..even for beginning cooks..however, i have been spending a lot of time lately with friends and acquaintances that just do not cook..and are hesitant to try even easy recipes...so we have been having informal..very fun..wine included..cooking classes in my kitchen while i prepare dinner. when they see how easy it can be..nothing complicated or requiring loads of technique..but roasting, sauteing, steaming, grilling, etc..they gain confidence and want to try for themselves. i actually get help in the kitchen now which is new. even better, i know that my friends feel comfortable stocking their pantries with quality ingredients, shopping at farmer's markets for organic produce, meats, fish and good bread..and cooking for themselves and their families..really cool.

do you have favorite recipes that you "created" after tasting them somewhere else? share them in the comments section of this post, or email me..let's build a recipe collection for napa farmhouse 1885!!

also, if you have questions about specific techniques used in the recipe above..or are a beginner cook..feel free to email me for answers. if i don't know, i will research and get back to you..

best,

napa farmhouse 1885

"live a green life of style"

what is "coopetition"?

no..this is not a misprint...the word is "coopetition"..what is it and where did it come from?..first..let's go back a bit... i wrote in earlier posts about my disillusionment with the corporate life. i loved leading/managing my team..and the actual work. but i grew so tired of all the politics, and one-up-man-ship..for those of you that have been there..you know those endless meetings planning future meetings?..the ones where you just know the individuals that will need to make a point..even if the point has already been made..because they just have to talk..hoping to make an impression on the senior most executive in the room. nothing is more frustrating than the time wasted in these meetings. ick..i just could not take it anymore. i also never could get used to the dishonest people..the ones that would steal ideas and not give the proper credit..the ones so insecure that they looked at everyone else as competition..and tried to eliminate that competition. people that could not help or support others because they were jealous and thought if others were successful it would somehow make them less so....i have seen this in major corporations..and in small local businesses. where does that come from?

this is why i continue to be so impressed mary jane butters. i have talked about her before..she started a company called maryjanes farm which is a combination of organic food, gardening, farm living and giving back. please see my earlier post can you live in town and be a farmgirl? to get a bit more background on this amazing woman. today, i want to talk about her philosophy on supporting others in business. although she is working very hard to ensure her business is a success, she believes wholeheartedly in sharing and supporting other people in their businesses. there was a post to her online forum that articulates her philosophy really well.

this was written by brenda from spokane..aka past blessings:

"MaryJane has a wonderful philosophy on business. She encouraged me when I was dealing with someone not handling competition in a very kind way. She
said she fully believes in what she termed "coopetition" which is combining the words cooperation with competition . . . meaning we help each other even when we may be involved in similar things. For example she is very into organic farming, but rather than acting like she should be the "only organic farmer" she encourages others to come walk beside her in their endeavors.She has been a huge encourager to me with my endeavors in antiques and other creative venues. I think embracing one another in our talents and abilities is something she encourages and she truly likes seeing other women succeed.I think this thought process is what has helped us to be so endeared to her.If only the rest of the world operated like this . . . seems to me wars and famines could all be a thing of the past. I am honored to know someone of such high standards and example."

whoa..how often do you see this in business? mary jane butters exemplifies the best of a businessperson..and a human being..in all that she does. i really encourage you to check out her website http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/ ..read her books..buy her products and her magazines...you will be glad that you did!

one more thing to illustrate the character of mary jane..i emailed her to ask if i could quote her philosophy in my blog..now, she does not know me from adam..but she personally replied..no assistant here...and this is what she said:

"But of course you may use it and THANK YOU so much for asking first. Your blog is adorable. I love this blog trend. It gives so many unsung female heroes an outlet for their creativity. Write on! MaryJane"

need i say more?..i can not think of anyone in business i respect more than mary jane...

which business leaders do you admire..and why? please share your stories in the comments section..

best,

napa farmhouse 1885

"live a green life of style"

burrito passion/burrito controversy??

wow..you just never know when your comments/questions/opinions will start a firestorm!
so... last week i posted a poll on this blog asking people to vote for their favorite burrito filling. why? who knows? i saw this poll on a website and thought it was a funny question. i did this without a lot of thought and..even though i am from southern california and grew up eating loads of really good, amazing mexican food...did not put too much thought into listing the filling choices. well readers..you guys are really passionate about your food!! i started getting email after email from people telling me that i forgot their favorite filling and how disappointed they were that they could not vote! one person asked why i missed carne asada..another about the missing chile verde. tons of you commented that forgetting breakfast burritos was a crime. some just got picky.."you said bean and cheese, but i only like black beans, not pinto and you did not give me a choice" or "you forgot bean and rice, i do not eat cheese" i discussed this poll on a maryjanes farm forum..got the same type of comments... whoa...people, please forgive me...i will make amends.

now, since a few of you did vote, i cannot add additional choices. and..since this was a poll not a blog post...you could not leave your comments for others to read..hence the many, many emails....ok..stop the email barrage. i am writing this post to give everyone a chance to comment on the blog about your favorite fillings. i would love to have you share your favorite recipes too...leave them in the comments section and i will pick some to feature on the blog..and give you the proper "burrito expert" recognition. and one more thing...let's keep the poll going..just vote for your favorite of the choices listed....
best,
napafarmhouse1885

can you sing?

can you sing well? i cannot..i have the world's worst voice..no really..it is bad..really bad. when i was a kid i would sing all the time..one day, when i was about 8..my uncle looked at me and said..."you have the world's worst voice. no one in this family can sing, but your voice is the worst!" now on paper this sounds kinda mean..actually this uncle is one of the nicest and kindest people i know. this was said with love and humor..and has remained a family joke for years. the comment..and subsequent joking has taken its toll...i can not sing in public. now by in public..i do not mean in front of an audience...i mean i literally cannot sing in front of anyone but my husband..poor man..or my nephews when they were babies. in situations where people must sing..christmas carols or happy birthday for example...i do this weird whisper lip sync thing where it looks like i am singing...but no sound actually comes out. this is not by design...i try to sing..just cannot do it... when i am home alone, or in my car...i sing at the top of my lungs..even i know it sounds horrible but i am alone so who cares? one day when my nephews were toddlers i flew down to southern california to spend a weekend with them. my sister picked me up at the airport in her van and the boys were in car seats in the backseat. i opened the door to put my bag in back..their eyes lit up..they started smiling and laughing like mad and gestured for "auntie" to sit in the back with them smushed between the two car seats. the three of us started singing songs like wheels on the bus and itsy bitsy spider at the top of our lungs. all of a sudden my sister joined in and immediately the boys yelled "no mommy..no sing..only auntie!!" one of the happiest moments of my life..i actually had fans of my voice!!..ok they were two yrs old..but still..fans. my sister thought it was hilarious but remember..the entire family has horrible voices and.. i fear..the boys inherited the singing genes from our side..not their dad's..too bad for them.

anyway, last sunday i was in church and the adult choir started singing the entrance song, alleluia! give the glory which is sort of a bluesy, rock song. the entire congregation was really into it. i, of course, was doing my whisper/lip sync thing..but having fun. a woman standing next to me tapped me on the arm and said "why are you doing that?" now, i did not feel like getting into this with a total stranger (although since i am posting to total strangers on this blog i am not sure why) and just said that i did not have a good voice. she looked at me and said "so?" and i did not have any type of answer for her..i don't want to hurt the ears of people around me?, i don't want people to flee church on account of my voice? how do you answer that question? i looked at her..she was probably in her late 60's, impeccably dressed. you know the type..short grey hair..actually white..in a perfect short bob...red blazer, black pants, black handbag with a gold chain, black flat pumps with gold buckles, pearl earrings, perfect makeup..that type...she smiled and started belting out the song..i mean she was loud! and guess what? her voice was bad..really bad...maybe not as bad as mine but really close. she was so bad and so loud that people discreetly started turning around to look at her. she had a massive smile on her face and was having so much fun..and was so joyful..that people started smiling back. they were not laughing at her..she was actually bringing them joy.
now i wish that i could say this transformed me..that i too started singing out loud..but that would be a big fat lie..although it would have made a better story. what i can say is that i kept singing my whisper song..but a bit louder than normal..and i stopped thinking about what everyone else was thinking...who knows...maybe one day i will skip the whisper and just sing..softly..but sing. i do think though that karaoke is out for life...at least my nephews still want me to sing with them..although they are now eleven..so who knows how long that will last??

is there a talent you wish you had? i would love to hear your stories...or at least some thoughts of wisdom regarding my lack of singing talent.. please share on the comments section of this post..other readers will enjoy your stories too...
best,
napafarmhouse1885

have you heard of the clark brothers?

i am not a fan of reality t.v. shows..are you? my exceptions are shows focusing on music..i love rock, blues, jazz, classical and wrapping it all together in a style i call "austin rock". have you ever been to austin, tx? while it is the capital of texas, i think it is better known as the live music capital of the world. my favorite radio station in the world is based in austin... ksgr 107.1 radio austin. luckily for me they stream over the internet so, although this is an austin station, i can listen all the time here in napa, ca...sometimes the internet rocks! you can check out the station...the link is listed under the favorite links section of the blog.. let me know what you think.

anyway..back to the reality shows point. i watched a t.v. show last fall called the next great american band...found it by accident but happened to catch it during the performance of a band called the clark brothers...i was hooked..these guys are amazing...terrific musicians..original arrangements..great voices..and they seem like really nice guys..and they are brothers. i was so blown away that i started watching this show weekly..just to see their performances. it was one of those vote a group off each week shows, so i did not know how long i would be watching as the other groups were not anywhere near as good and i would stop watching when the clark brothers were gone. happily they won! i know that i am gushing, (and i am not normally a gusher) but i am waiting for their first album to be released which is one of the prizes for winning the show... i read today that they are performing tonight (wed) on american idol. a tip from me is to watch the show..i know, but just tonight...and catch this performance. i am hoping that their raw, natural personality comes through..and that they have not gone "hollywood". i have included a couple of youtube performances from the show. the first is their rendition of the song saved, the second is a killer version of the stones "gimme shelter" and the last is their take on rod stewart's "your in my heart" which will make you weep, it is so beautiful. take a listen..and please comment regarding your thoughts.





















one last thought..i have been overwhelmed with your emails commenting on the friendship blog..wow, so many of you have had just horrible experiences with people you thought were your friends. i have read your mail..thank you so much for sharing..and i promise that i will respond to each one individually.
as always,
best from napa farmhouse 1885

a thought on friendships?

“I do not wish to treat friendships daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost-work, but the solidest thing we know.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), poet, philosopher, writer

have you ever been completely wrong about someone you thought was a good and true friend? please share your stories and your thoughts...we can get through this together...


best,
napa farmhouse1885

have you read good dog. stay?

the book written by anna quindlen? i heard about this book last year ago..wanted to read it..but kept putting if off. i knew the subject matter was the author's experience with losing her dog and i just was not ready for the emotional reaction i knew i would have. i have told you before..many times..how much i love mosey. my question for today is...how much do you love your dog? (or pet if you have another kind of animal)
i always assumed that i would love my dog..but i never knew just how much...i must admit..i have become one of those dog people!!?? i talk about mose as if he is my son...i worry about him..obsess about real and imagined illnesses. i was talking to a friend the other day..she also is a dog lover...and we both admitted that we even hesitate to go on vacations when our dogs cannot go with us...we miss them too much. have i really gone over the edge? (mose is now a 115 lb golden and at least i never dress him up!!)
anyway, i saw the book Good Dog. Stay. in the library last week and checked it out...last night was the perfect night for me to read the book...i have had a bit of a rough patch the past few months..a beloved relative passed away, my family is still grieving, and..someone that i thought was a good and true friend was just using me and this has hurt me deeply. i figured it was time to let out some emotions, read the book..and have a good cry. the section when the dog needs to be put down will get to you...tough to read..and i did have my emotional good cry... but the author ends the book with observations of what she learned from her dog and i found this passage very inspirational..
"and that's what i learned from watching beau over his lifetime: to roll with the punches (if not in carrion), to take things as they come, to measure myself not in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise my nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, "i smell bacon". i'm not what i once was, and neither, by the end, was he........sometimes an old dog teaches you new tricks"

as the commercial says.."dogs rule" please add your comments regarding your thoughts and stories of the love you have for your dogs...pictures too...

best,

napa farmhouse 1885

do you like living in a small town?

now if you live in a city..or in the suburbs of a city, the question is do you dream of living in a small town? there is such a romantic notion of what small town living is all about. i grew up in the suburbs of los angeles and then lived in downtown san francisco for 15 years. growing up in the suburbs of los angeles in the 60's and 70's was a pretty mixed bag of experiences. on one hand, my parents were good friends with many of our neighbors and most weekends were spent having dinner at each other's homes, barbecues in the summer and spending vacations together at the beach or local mountains.... pretty normal sounding, right?...on the other hand, being so near to los angeles meant the academy awards telecast was (still is) as big an event as the super bowl..and everyone there wants to be in show business..if not a star...for some people everything revolves around this dream and show business is the business...i remember one time when i was just beginning my career i was touring retail stores with corporate executives from new york. we were stuck in traffic on the 405 freeway because the police had shut down a 5 mile stretch . there were news crews and media helicopters everywhere... later we found out that this was breaking news on all tv/radio channels which interrupted regularly scheduled programming for most of the day. why you ask?....well, larry hagman (remember him..j.r. ewing from the dallas t.v. show??) was in the hospital and they were airlifting a liver for him for a transplant...major news in southern california.... the n.y executives were flabbergasted that this was considered a major, day long news story...at the time i did not even think it was unusual...scary...

now i live in napa, a town with a population of 71,000. not tiny..but pretty small..and, because of the emphasis on agriculture...lots of open space and vineyards....has a rural feeling (at least to me) and this is what i dreamed of when longing to live in a small town. i know the people who live on my street...and this never happened in san francisco...and i consider my neighbors across the street good friends. unlike the suburbs....where all get-togethers happen in backyards..and you do not talk to people you do not know...in my neighborhood we all have front porches... front porches are one of my favorite things...we sit on the porch and neighbors, visitors and tourists (due to the many b&b's in the neighborhood) walk by all day..they stop and say hello, play with mose and just "visit"... a true sense of belonging..the daily newspaper emphasises local events, local businesses and local politics (more on that in another post). i can easily walk to main street to eat, shop, have a coffee, have my hair cut etc..and most people here are just nice..no other word for it..there is loads of passion and discourse between the long time napa residents who tend to resist rapid change here and the more recent arrivals that are more accepting of "progress" and growth. community meetings are quite lively..but you get the sense that everyone really cares. my hope is that the open dialogue and opportunities to vocalize opinions will lead to effective solutions.

i went to the market the other day..ran into two friends...stopped and chatted..a totally new experience running into people i know in the grocery store..never happened in san francisco..never ran into anyone i knew there...could always feel pretty anonymous...not here. as i was leaving the store i ran into another friend..the president of the board of directors for habitat for humanity. we discussed a few board issues and covered off a couple outstanding items. he also moved to napa within the past few years..and he emailed me later saying how cool it was to live in a place small enough to run into friends, colleagues and neighbors while out doing errands, walking the dog or going out to eat. i realized that i too really enjoy living in a place where a sense of belonging is a way of life...i really love it here. (although i still cannot miss an academy award telecast)

please share your stories of small town living (or suburbs living, or city living) in the comments section of this post. as always, i love your stories..

best,
napa farmhouse1885

can you live in town and be a farmgirl?

i love reading magazines...all types really, but especially the ones geared towards food, cooking, home design and gardening. i have received gourmet and bon appetit for 25 years, am a charter martha stewart living subscriber, think food and wine is brilliant...and the laundry list continues with cottage living and organic gardening. i read these magazines and then either recycle or donate and decided last year that going forward i would only sign up for the on-line versions of any new magazines as a way to be a bit more green..will think about this option as my current subscriptions come due.

i am making one exception to this idea. two years ago i was in a bookstore and discovered a magazine totally different from anything i had ever seen. the magazine was printed on beautiful paper stock that just felt amazing..i know, kinda weird to say but if you felt it you would know what i mean....terrific photography and..best of all..NO advertisements! the magazine is called mary janes farm and the issue i bought is their special recipe issue. i had never heard of this magazine before but after thumbing through a couple of pages i was addicted. i learned that there is actually a mary jane..her name is mary jane butters, she lives on a farm in moscow idaho, she believes passionately in promoting an organic lifestyle, she has written books, sells organic products via a website and she has legions of fans..called farmgirls..that have formed farmgirl chapters all over the world.

deborah needleman, house & garden editor at large, says:"maryjanesfarm is charming and well done — hugely appealing. it is homey, and smart and interesting ... part martha stewart living, part oprah magazine, part organic style, part nation, part ladies home journal ... full of tips, ideas, and information."

the magazine i bought was filled with recipes using fresh, organic ingredients, loads of stories about living on a farm..or just dreaming about it...and listings of the food and other products she sells on her website. i was hooked from the start...ordered a bunch of products, read her website and even ordered her book. i am a big fan of this woman and her brand. now, my farmhouse is in the middle of town and i do not have a lot of property..yet i still feel connected to the simple, beautiful, organic farmlife she writes about. her definition of farmgirl? "farmgirl is a condition of the heart", mary jane butters .
i encourage you to check out her website at http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/. i intend to share many of her ideas, recipes and her organic philosophy on this blog. for other farmgirls reading my blog..please share your thoughts about what farmgirls are all about in the comments section of this post. for now, i want to share one recipe: mary janes farm organic bakeover

mary janes farm sells a product called budget mix..kinda like an organic, really good for you, really good tasting bisquick. ingredients: organic unbleached wheat flour, Barron Flour Mill Baking Powder (aluminum/gluten-free, made w/non-GMO organic rice starch), sea salt and baking soda. vegan

9" bakeover recipe
preheat oven to 425 degrees. cut 3T. butter (i actually use extra virgin olive oil..your choice) into scant 1 1/2 cups budget mix. Add 1/2 cup water or milk. form a ball and roll out a 9" crust (for an 11" bakeover, double the recipe) place on top of 4 cups sliced fresh vegetables (preferably organic) sauteed briefly (3 min) in 1 T. butter or extra virgin olive oil in 9" non-stick oven-proof skillet. bake 20 minutes. turn contents of skillet upside down on plate and serve.

i have made this recipe hundreds of times with whatever vegetable i have on hand..sometimes add cheese..sometimes beans.. and it is always a hit. even easier..mary janes farm also sells different kinds of bread mixes that can be used in place of the budget mix


• Organic Black Bean Corn Bread

• Organic Buttermilk Biscuits

• Organic Chili Batter Bread

• Organic Corn Bread

• Organic Focaccia Bread

• Organic Garlic Pesto Fry Bread

• Organic Shepherd's Pan Bread



all for now..but much more on mary janes farm in future posts.

best,
napafarmhouse1885

what is habitat for humanity?

remember when i told you that one of my goals in retirement was to spend more time "giving back"? i spent 3 years serving on the board of directors for a non-profit based in san francisco..but with the work a million hours/travel constantly thing, i really did not get to spend much time actually volunteering..i just attended board meetings. once i left the corporate life i vowed to combine the two..serving on boards for non-profits and actually volunteering. my former company encouraged..actually expected..their executives to join non-profit boards. they felt it was the right thing to do and set a good example for the other associates. the chairman of the board for my company gave me some terrific advice. he said if i wanted to do something that felt good..volunteer. if i wanted to do something that would really help a non-profit succeed in the long term..join their board..and then give it your all..just as if it was your corporate day job..they needed a team of people with the ability to provide governance and fiscal oversight..just like a for-profit company.

well i wanted to do both..volunteer and witness what giving back was all about..and join a board to offer some of my 25+ yrs of management and leadership experience. i hit the jackpot with habitat for humanity. everyone has heard of this organization...mostly people think of jimmy carter...but i find that many people are unclear as to what we provide. habitat's mission is to eliminate substandard, poverty housing worldwide. their motto is to provide a hand up not a handout. the basic premise is this...habitat works in partnership with a prospective homeowner. we build the home..through mostly volunteer labor, donated materials and monies raised through constant fundraising activities..and sell it for below market rates with an interest free loan. we hold orientation meetings for interested prospective homeowners and explain the program. we create a pool of eligible families..select the most eligible and begin the build. so the first question you probably have is..what constitutes eligibility? well, the family must prove 3 things..need, ability to pay and willingness to partner. need= income below upper income limit..usually 50-80% of median income for the city/town and currently living in substandard housing, ability to pay=must be able to pay the monthly mortgage..remember, the home is sold below market rate with a no interest loan and be able to make a $500 down payment, willingness to partner= each family must put in 500 sweat equity hours actually helping to build their home, help with habitat activities and attend homeowner classes.

let me tell you something..when these families become homeowners..magic happens! the excitement, pride, hard work and dedication that goes into the homes cannot be easily described. people change..lives change...homeownership..a dream for all..is actually achieved. without exception..the families talk about giving back..they volunteer for future habitat home builds..they maintain their homes in such a way that they are usually the pride of the neighborhood.

for me, giving back is best when long term change happens. i thoroughly acknowledge the importance of helping with immediate needs..i.e. feeding the homeless and the poor..and give to these charities whenever possible. but this seems to be a bit of a band-aid cause change does not happen. i like to work to find solutions to eliminate the need for a charity and to me habitat is not a charity..it is a solution. remember the hand-up not hand-out motto? how can we create models for charity organizations similar to habitat's? if you have ideas..or volunteer/serve on boards and want to share their missions, please post a response or send me an email..i answer every one.

now, i started this post talking about volunteering vs. serving on a board of directors. i do both with habitat. there are millions of stories..really fun and heartwarming regarding volunteering..cause this is where a bunch of volunteers actually build a house...and stories a bit like the dilbert comic strip regarding board work...these are people that you mostly love..sometimes want to kill..and unlike for-profit companies..can't fire!!! many, many, many of my posts will be about these stories.

i also look forward to sharing stories of habitat families with you. these people are truly amazing. for additional information about habitat for humanity please check out our website. this is the site for the solano-napa affiliate..my affiliate.

http://www.solanonapahabitat.org/index.html

best,
napa farmhouse 1885™

why organic?

when i was a kid my sisters and i would spend a lot of time at my grandparents' house. they lived about 30 minutes from our house and we would stay there when my parents would go out on weekends, or once in a while when they would go on a vacation..just the two of them. my grandparents also started a tradition with my sisters and myself that still is one of my favorite all time memories. during the summer each of us would get to spend one week alone at my grandparents..my mom's two brothers and sister still lived there so the week was spent hanging out with them too..imagine..one week that was totally focused on our favorite things..my aunt would take us to the beach..one uncle miniature golf..other uncle..the movies... and my grandmother would prepare our favorite foods all week. i am the oldest so i always got to go first. my mom would drop me off, i would spend my week..then she would pick me up and drop off my sister susan. one week later she would pick up susan and drop off my youngest sister, kathi. each time one of us had to leave we would sob all the way home..really made my mom feel good don't you think??...but those weeks were so special..so focused on us..simple times but oh..so happy. the love i had (have) for my grandparents can never be duplicated by anyone or anything else.

my grandmother was a terrific cook and the type that would go to the market everyday for fresh food. i never remember anything in her freezer but ice cream and ice. she cooked big meals... but somehow always knew how to make enough to ensure everyone could eat their fill..but not so much as to have leftovers. she used to buy fresh produce daily at a small open air produce stand..she called it the fruit stand...and we used to love going with her during those summer weeks. she knew the proprietor quite well..she would taste everything before she selected her daily items..and always made sure we tasted too. this was the late 60's and 70's so the proliferation of farmer's markets and organic produce had not yet begun.

i think this is what started my lifelong love of terrific tasting ingredients. i believe quality ingredients are an investment. an investment in your health, in really good tasting food, in supporting small farmers and in the earth. i looked up the word investment and the definition is either "an amount of money invested in something for the purpose of making a profit" or "something, e.g. a contribution of something such as time, energy or effort to an activity, project or undertaking, in the expectation of a benefit". i think both definitions apply to the concept of investing in quality ingredients. sure, they can be quite pricey..but they make all the difference in cooking. in future posts, i plan to discuss farmer's markets, buying local, quality ingredients and the push towards organic everything. this is a passion for me..as well as a way of life..and i would love to begin a dialogue with you all to get your points of view on these subjects. for now i want to share two items. i shop a number of times per week..not everyday like my grandmother but close. i am lucky to live in the napa valley where fresh produce is abundant year round. we have a farmer's market twice a week and last week i began receiving a once a week delivery of organic produce. this is the coolest idea.... my neighbor discovered a local farm that specializes in this practice. they prepare boxes of produce straight from their farm and other, local farms. they deliver the boxes to a home in your neighborhood and you pick up. we decided to go in together and split each box...enough for a couple of meals..but not so much that the produce spoils...perfect timing to still allow my twice weekly visit to the farmer's market..one of my favorite activities.


when the first box arrived, it was full of different types of greens..spinach, red chard, young broccoli, rapini etc, along with spring onions and citrus fruits (it is february after all). my neighbor took one look and said.."o.k., i grew up in a home where vegetables came out of a can or the freezer. what do i do with this? can you help me?" now, i think i mentioned that i adore cooking, so i packed up a good selection of extra virgin olive oils, sea salts, good vinegars, fresh pepper and spent the day at her house sauteing, steaming and roasting vegetables..all very simple easy techniques made special by the quality of the ingredients. she loved everything and later said that her family raved about each dish. success!! another convert to organic produce and quality ingredients.


please share your stories regarding cooking, food shopping and recipes..many of my future posts will focus on these topics.

for now..this is the website for the farm that i discussed. http://www.riverdogfarm.com/veggiebox.html

they only deliver in the san francisco bay area..but if you live in this area please check it out..the produce is amazing. for the rest of you, i encourage you to seek out local farmers. buying local, organic ingredients is really good for you, for the farmer and for the planet.



best,

napafarmhouse1885

what is homeward bound?

o.k. so now you know how much i love my dog. i really wanted to experience raising a puppy and mose allowed me to fulfill this dream...loads of training, loads of time, loads of work and i loved every minute..well almost every minute. (also, to be fair, i was working a lot and peter spent every day with him..i had nights and weekend duty when i was not traveling) i hope mose is with us for a long, long time but..when the time comes for another dog..and i will always have a dog..cannot imagine life without one...i will opt for a rescue dog. call me naive, but i never really realized until recently that people were cruel to dogs..that people adopted dogs..got tired of the work and then just abandoned them. that people hurt dogs on purpose..that people actually enjoyed watching dogs fight each other to their deaths. i do not know anyone who does this..who are these horrible people?? how can they be human beings? and yes, i can and will pass judgement...people who hurt other people and/or animals have no souls...all pets are terrific and i adored my cat but there is something about a dog. mose looks at me with those massive, expressive brown eyes and i melt every time.

i discovered a fantastic golden retriever rescue non-profit called homeward bound. they are located in northern california and they believe in the importance of rescuing all goldens..old, sick, disabled as well as young and healthy. they never turn away a dog and never, ever put the dog down unless they absolutely have to for health reasons. this is their mission statement:

Homeward Bound's Mission
Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc. is a non-profit volunteer organization with the mission of securing safe, loving homes for displaced or homeless Golden Retrievers. We receive Golden Retrievers from owners who can no longer care for them because of changing circumstances in their lives. We maintain close working relationships with animal shelters in Sacramento, Sutter, Placer, El Dorado and surrounding counties to ensure that Goldens are relinquished to us prior to being euthanized. We also rescue Golden Retrievers found wandering the streets or reported to us by concerned neighbors. We rescue Goldens of all ages, and even mixed Goldens on occasion.Each rescued Golden immediately receives a thorough exam at one of our participating veterinary hospitals. All of our Goldens will be spayed or neutered before an adoption can occur, and all shots are brought up to date and each Golden is tested for heartworm. We rescue the sick and injured Goldens as well as the healthy ones. Some of these Goldens will have significant health issues and it is our responsibility to provide them with expert veterinary care prior to offering them for adoption.Homeward Bound is not affiliated with any breed club. Consequently, we will be able to rescue Golden "mixes" when special circumstances arise. We have the capability to rescue a Golden even though it may not be carrying AKC papers in its luggage.

check out their website at http://www.homewardboundgoldens.org/ there is a section of stories about the dogs currently up for adoption. i challenge you to read their stories without crying..i never can...

there are many of these type of rescue organizations throughout the country for all types of breeds. i encourage you to support them and to speak out for animal rights..no human has the right or authority to inflict pain or suffering on any animal.
thank you,
napafarmhouse1885™

"live a green life of style"™

first photo is mose at 8 weeks. second photo is mose today..he spends loads of time looking out the kitchen window. people constantly stop and take this photo...mose is famous!!