The Sky

I have been really focusing on the sky lately....mostly in the pictures people post on Facebook but generally too. There is something settling about looking up....It widens your horizon, your outlook, your perspective. It makes me think I am just a visitor and that there is so much more out there, before me and after me. I am just.....well....me.

From Nantucket (Thank you, Sara) to England (Thank you, Fai) to Maine (Thank you, Felicia), we are all looking up at the same sky. The clouds may be different, the color might be different but it is the same moon, the same sun. It connects us.

 

Lately there seems to be so much discussion about hatred in the world. Hatred because of religion, race, political figures, sexual orientation, land. I could go on and on. There is a political advertisement on TV right now that just gets me. It is a woman with her kids talking about a Democratic candidate - of course it is for the Republican candidate. It is about how much Obama is hurting the country and such. I don't bring this up because I happen to be a Democrat and a liberal person. Both sides are guilty of this type of ripping each other apart. Come on people....We are all hurting the country. All of this talk and hatred and focus on differences. I respect everyone's views on many different subjects but have little patience for hatred. I feel like at some level we have lost respect for each other and respect for the similarities that we all share. In the end, the most successful governments are ones in the middle where the balance takes place between the parties. Look up at the sky. There is more to the world. See the depth and the colors and the shapes. Look for similarities and respect differences. Embrace differences even.

 

I posted this quote on Facebook yesterday. I have heard it in two yoga classes now and I really, really like it. It makes me think. Thank you to East Forest for writing these sage words. Thank you to Jordan and Braxton for having them in class and thank you to Meghan Seaman for finding them in the first place!

 

"Do you want to know what Enlightenment is?

It's with you every moment.

It's a back and forth. 

It is letting go of your attachments, to yourself, to outcomes.

Letting go to the way things are."

 

I practiced my first yoga class at home yesterday. I was nervous but I was able to use a recording of a 2 hour class as my guide and boy it felt great. As much as I miss the community of people, I felt like I was in the class in a way and was able to enjoy the moment. My puppy allowed me to enjoy the moment too which was a gift. As I write this, he has stolen a sock from the laundry basket and stares at me with guilty yet mischievous eyes....I am even sore today, a feel good sore. Thank you for posting the class and thank you for being such wonderful teachers and musicians!

 

Put on Young Dumb and In Love by Mat Kearney and get cooking!

 

I saw this recipe posted from my friend, Jodi Cutler. She has a blog called, A Diabetic Chick and a Crohn's Guy. Really yummy stuff on there. I couldn't wait to try it because my daughter loves pickled peas (capers) and I am a sucker for lemon and tomatoes and spinach and goodness like that. I made it over pilaf and it was a hit for all. I made a salad on the side. Here it goes.

 

Chicken Thighs - Friday Night Treat (Hey, it's Friday!)

4 chicken thighs - bone in, skin on (I used 5 boneless, skinless)

1T shallots

1T fresh thyme

15 capers (I used more, for Sage's sake)

1 clove garlic

2 lemons, juiced

1T grain mustard

1/2 container of cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup frozen spinach (I used fresh and cut up)

1 cup cooked red quinoa or other grain distributed to 4 bowls.

 

Put dutch oven on high heat, let it come up to warm. Add oil and let heat up. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Brown chicken skin-side down first - 5 minutes each side. Remove and set aside chicken on a plate (you will add it back later). Pour off excess fat. Leave enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pot.

 

Add shallots. Cook until translucent. Be careful not to burn. Add thyme and garlic. Stir for a minute. Add capers and mustard and stir to combine then add lemon juice to pick all the brown bits from the chicken. Cook off for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes and let them plump up. Add stock and bring to a boil.  Return chicken to pot and reduce to simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken reads 165. In the last few minutes, add frozen (or fresh) spinach. Add some chili pepper flakes if you want to add some heat.

Enjoy and have a really happy day, everyone!