Three Pairs of Socks and a Sachet!

Build a nest egg with this clever organic baby boy or girl gift!  The nests contain three pairs of blue or pink 100% organic cotton socks cleverly rolled to look like eggs, and a handcrafted lavender scented bird sachet.  The organic cotton socks are sized to fit infants 0-6 months or up to 16 lbs. Each organic Baby Egg Nest is wrapped in cellophane, tied with a ribbon and bears a bird shaped gift tag. 

Made by Baby Bunch, sold by Baby Bunch and Amazon

Organic Gummy Bears and Sour Worms

Gummy Bears and Sour Worms are a hit with kids. Unfortunately they are not exactly nutritious, but we found an organic version that is a great compromise during Easter.

Yummy Earth is made with organic rice syrup, organic cane sugar, gelatin, organic carrot juice, organic aronia juice, organic black currant, organic curcuma, natural flavor, citric acid, ascorbic acid, organic sunflower oil.

The product is USDA organic certified. Can be found at Amazon.com

Easter Double Chocolate Whole Wheat Brownie

We are approaching Easter, definitely a chocolate weekend! A delicious double chocolate brownie made with nutritional ingredients is a top recipe in our household. Check out this awesome recipe!

Double Chocolate Whole Wheat Brownie
Servings: 24 portions

- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup unbleached white pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon, melted
- 2/3 cup honey
- 2 organic eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup golden raisins


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flours and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream together the 1/4 pound of butter with the honey until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and blend well.
In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder with the melted butter and the milk. Pour into the honey mixture, blending well. Whisk in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the walnuts, dark chocolate chips and raisins.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

Sources: Based on dailygreen.com and Bob's Red Mill

Keurig: The Dumbest Idea in Coffee. Ever.

What do you see when you look at this photo?


Once upon a time, I saw an unlimited, free supply of coffee at my office. I was even excited there was a fair trade option. I was proud to always make it in a reusable mug, and even more proud when my company started supplying soy milk after I made a request for it.

BUT...according to Keurig's own environmental statement these are:

"petroleum-based" and "The K-Cup package is made up of three main elements -- the cup itself, a filter and an aluminum foil top. The polyethylene coating of the foil - as well as the process of heat-sealing the various elements - makes recycling difficult."

What's more distributing is the home use of these. I see these promoted at Bed Bath & Beyond and other outlets. Is it really that much work to make a cup of coffee? Have we been conditioned to that level of laziness and environmental negligence?

I think of an ad a few years ago promoting plastic single-serve bowls of cereal with plastic spoons, so kids could help themselves while their parents slept in. My sister and I managed just fine with our cinnamon Life cereal in a box which we happily ate while watching The Smurfs.

I hear some declaring they are a treehugger, and are very conscious of paper usage, but we often don't think of all the plastic in our lives, which seems just as egregious, if not worse. I was guilty of this too and thankfully haven't used these for many months.

Certainly, a few moments of coffee enjoyment isn't worth a lifetime in the landfill. Not for this treehugger.

Renew Kids Apparel with Appliques

We've found the cutest iron-on appliques for kids apparel. Beautiful and don't require sewing! Definitely a perfect solution for adjusting boys' outfits for their new little sisters, or vice-versa. We think it is a waste of resources to buy a whole new wardrobe for the new baby, when you already have a perfect selection at home!

Iron-on appliques can be found at any fabric and craft online and traditional stores. We've found these at JoAnn.com

Non-Toxic Sunscreen

Spring is bringing beautiful, warm (and long expected) sunlight into our lives again. Protecting ourselves and the little ones from sun damage is definitely a must. A couple of weeks ago we wrote about sun block options, and provided a link from ewg.org to access data about the quality of some brands in the market. Click here to access the article.

We've just found a line of 80% certified organic sunscreen that is free of Paba, Paraben, Phthalate and Petroleum ingredients. The actives are not considered organic. Scent free options are also available. The brand is Coola Suncare. Check it out!

Food Fraud, Mislabeled Ingredients.....

Did you know that some honey makers dilute their honey with sugar beets or corn syrup and sell it as 100% pure honey? What about sheep's milk cheese made from cow's milk?
Victims range from the shopper at the local supermarket to multimillion companies, including E&J Gallo and Heinz USA.With more and more imported products in the market, the FDA hasn't been able to do its job.

John Spink, an expert on food and packaging fraud at Michigan State University, estimates that 5 to 7 percent of the U.S. food supply is affected but acknowledges the number could be greater. "We know what we seized at the border, but we have no idea what we didn't seize," he said. 

It looks like some of the major problems are with the quality control of olive oil, seafood, milk and honey. So frustrating....

Source: msnbc.com and washingptonpost.com

Inexpensive (and Fun) Eco-Friendly Toy

Kids don't need expensive toys (and we love it!). However, finding creative, non-toxic and fun toys at reasonable prices is sometimes quite challenging. We found these fun wooden racing cars that come with drivers attached by a spring, and not removable.

Makes a great party favor or stocking stuffer! Made from natural, chemical free recycled rubberwood and finished with non-toxic water based dye. Size: 2.8 x 1.6 x 1.2 inches. Ages: 3+

Made by Plan Toys. Sold at Stubby Pencil Studio, and also at Amazon.com

Veggie Pizza that Kids (and Adults) will Love

Kids love pizza, and that is a great way to feed them veggies!!! Boys and girls usually enjoy being part of the preparation, especially when you let them choose their favorite vegetables and cheeses. Vegetable pizza is always a great success!!!

Vegetable Pizza
 Servings: 6 mini pizzas

- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 3 slices of whole wheat bread, ciabatta or English muffins
- 3 cups diced eggplant (or vegetables your kids enjoy!)
- 1/4 onion, sliced
- 1 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, grated
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup grated fresh mozzarella
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and add tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are softened. Place the tomatoes on the slices of bread. In a skillet, saute eggplant, garlic and onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add squash and zucchini and cook until tender. Do not over cook, since they will cook some more in the oven. Add a bit of salt and pepper   (be careful because both cheeses are very salty). Add the sauteed vegetables evenly over the tomatoes. Top with mozzarella and feta cheese. Sprinkle pizza with basil.

Bake 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

Based on recipe from foodnetwork.com

Doing Jamie Proud

Where was I Friday between 8 and 10 PM? Glued to my television watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. If you missed it, you can watch full episodes online.

I cringed when the lunch lady demanded Jamie supply her with documentation British school children use forks and knives. My blood boiled at that hostile dj's protest that they're not all going to sit around and eat lettuce. But the Edwards family stuck with me the most. I'll be rooting for them to turn things around.

I cannot imagine a life without fresh fruits and vegetables. I visit a local, organic farm, Old Hook Farm, every week. I rarely have a plan, I just go and get inspired. The breakdown this week:

For snacking: blood oranges and pears. Celery with peanut butter for a protein boost is a snack I learned about in the third grade. I'm still eating it.
For roasted cauliflower soup: cauliflower, a potato and shallot. I'll add vegetable stock, herbs and nutmeg.
For a classic French bistro-inspired salad: radicchio and endive. Just add walnuts and grapes or walnuts and vinaigrette. Serve with bread (I love the rosemary focaccia from Trader Joe's).

My sweetheart's mother was in town visiting. In honor of her birthday and upcoming trip to Spain, he made paella. While everyone else had seafood and chicken, my own Jamie Oliver chef made me a very special vegan one, complete with shitake mushrooms, navy beans and peas. Vegetarian paella is so comforting. Make some sangria if you'd like to make it festive.


To start: a spinach salad. I topped mine with yellow peppers, roasted red peppers and tomatoes. He made a lemony vinaigrette with fresh thyme.

Making your own dressing is so easy. Check out Tyler Florence's Arugala Salad and Ultimate Vinaigrette. Leave off the honey if you want to veganize.

Jamie Oliver's Everyday Green Chopped Salad is on my recipe "to do" list.


Spanish clementines for snacking.

Okay, it wasn't all healthy! For dessert, warm sweet bread drizzled with honey. Very similar to French toast, but with no cinnamon. I admit it: I had a slice. Delicious.


The next episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is Friday, April 2nd at 9 EST.

Lemon Pound Cake

I just had to share this lemon pound cake that I got from Tartelette. I made it twice because I didn't love the glaze that the original recipe called for the first time around. So I made a few changes and am in LOVE with the way it turned out the second time around.

Original Recipe:
Ultimate Pound Cake, adapted from Lori Longbotham:

Serves 12 (in theory)

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 TB lemon zest
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300F. Butter and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.
Sift the flour, baking owder and salt together twice.
Cream the butter and 1 3/4 cups sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed and add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flou. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon extract.
Pour the batter into the prepared apn and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Poke holes all over the cake with a wooden skewer
Meanwhile, bring the lemon juice and remaininf sugar to a boil over medium high heat in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Invert the cake onto a rack, position over a baking sheet and slowly pour the syrup over the cake, it will seap through the holes and into the cake. Let cool to room temp.





My changes:
Into the actual cake, I added an additional Tb of lemon zest and an additional tsp of lemon extract.

Also, instead of doing the glaze, I made a buttercream with 2 sticks of butter and...um...some powdered sugar *I just eyeballed it* It wasn't super thick like frosting, but not runny like glaze, either. Somewhere in between. I added the juice from 2 lemons and about 2-3 Tb cream. It was still spreadable. After the cake sat in the pan for about 20 minutes right out of the oven, I dumped it onto a wire rack over a cookie sheet and generously spread about 2/3 of the frosting on the cake. The heat from the cake melted it a little and made it run down the cake. I kept scooping it up and putting it back on the top. *I hadn't poked holes in the cake fyi* I let it set for a bit *an hour or so* then I took the rest of the frosting and added a little lemon extract and water to thin it out. I poured it over the cake and let it sit. I sprinkled the top with lemon zest and powdered sugar and let it set up into a harder "shell". SO GOOD. When I cut into the cake, the first batch of frosting had seeped into the top of the cake which is exactly what I wanted. So dense and moist and...just awesome. And the zest really added a whole other level to it. :)



On another note, I am done with my first quarter of school. I definitely have 2 A's and am fairly confident I will end with an A in my last class, as well. I will enjoy a weeks break, but I am also excited to get into my second quarter. There will be all new goodies to post in a week and a half. I may post some home made things, but I may not. We will see how the week goes.

Last Call! Final Days to Participate in our Eco-Giveaway

Only 4 more days to be entered to win our exciting Spring Eco-Giveaway prize: gDiapers Sweet Bundle, a $99 kit that includes everyday g's 6-pack of little gPants plus your choice of a case of gRefills or 2 packs of gCloth inserts.

Yes, we are all about starting the season in an environmentally conscious way. Over 18 billion disposable diapers are sold in the US every year, and over 90% of those end up in landfills, where it can take them up to 500 years to decompose!

Become Fan of Eco.Logical.Mom and gDiapers on Facebook by March 31, 2010 and be entered to win this fantastic gDiaper set! The winner will be announced on April 5, 2010.

Good Luck!
Click here to become fan of Eco.Logical.Mom  
Click here to become fan of gDiapers

"Sweet Bundle" provided by gDiapers.

Eaux de Vie (Eau de Vie)

It's said that back in the 17th century, an Alsatian monk boiled some fermented cherries in the hopes of producing an elixer to cure cholera. He named it "eau de vie" or"water of life." It may be a tall tale, but for several hundred years, the Alsace region has been producing unsweetened fruit brandies called eaux de vie. (Not to be confused with liqueurs.) This legacy continues in France, Switzerland and Germany and, more recently, on America's West Coast.  Eaux de vie are arguably one of the world's finest digestifs and are silky, with a heady aroma, a taste of fruit and they pack a powerful wallop; it's almost like biting into a ripe fruit.

My daughter Tracy was home for a few days last week and we got into a discussion about eaux de vie (pronounced oh duh vee) and how much she enjoyed it when she lived in Paris. This is not going to be news to you European bloggers because it is commonly on your wine menus and many of you probably have a bottle or two at home. We are not so fortunate. Tracy has asked for it frequently in New York City restaurants but few include it on their wine list. Because I knew very little about it, she suggested I blog about it.

And so we did some investigating while she was visiting here. Five wine stores later we found one lonely bottle. And it was French, rather expensive and a poire (pear) eaux de vie. In a couple other places we got blank looks, but in most we were told there was no demand for it so there was no reason to stock it. My daughter said she can find it in her favorite wine shop in NYC- Chambers St. Wines  so it's available at your better wine merchants, especially for you lucky people on both coasts. Another helpful manager suggested we try www.winesearchers.com to see who carries it in Florida. Guess what? Hardly anybody. It may be offered more frequently in restuarants on the west coast because there are some distilleries in Oregon and California that produce it. And there are some mail order opportunities as well. I'll give you their websites later in the post.

But back to my story. In the heart of Alsace, eaux de vie is produced in profusion. The many fruit flavors include: Poire (pear), framboise (raspberry) Mirabelle (yellow plum), fraise des bois) wild strawberry), quetsch (purple plum),prunelle (blackthorn or sloe plum), even sapini (pine buds) and gratte-cul (rose hips). Really, the flavors can be just about anything. There is also a Douglas Fir and a rosemary-infused eaux de vie.

The rules that apply to the production of these white alcohols in France are quite strict: absolutely no sugar but there is no requirement that the raw material be locally grown. So the raspberries may come from Romania and the mirabelles from Lorraine, where summers are cooler and plums ripen slower resulting in more flavor. The quality of the fruit is what makes a premium eaux de vie. The fruit has to be free from bruises or cuts. So it's of prime importance to have fine fruit to start with.

It takes 8 hours of continuous distillation to turn fermented fruit into eaux de vie. The fruits are mashed and fermented and then distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills that render a clear, intense spirit.

After distillation, the new eaux-de-vie rest a few months to become mellower, smoother and rounder, while developing a complex, many-faceted character, but really without anymore aging than that.

It takes about 20 pounds of mirabelles, 18 pounds of wild raspberries and 30 pounds of pears to make one bottle of eau-de-vie. Connoisseurs, and of course Alsatians, argue that their fruit alcohols are superior to those made in Switzerland and Germany. Those countries, they say, allow artificial fruit essences to be added. Eaux de vie are strong, hovering around 45 percent alcohol. They are very pure, the Alsatians say, because they have none of the chemical or color additives normally added to Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados.

Another way to describe eaux de vie is to say they are the anti-vodka. The point of vodka distillation is to remove all the flavors; the point of eaux de vie is to preserve as much of the original fruit as possible. Because it is a digestif, it is usually served after dinner. But in Alsace, the locals often sip them with cheese, or with one of their tarts. They should be served cold but never over ice. And serve them in chilled glasses. What's important is that the glass and the eaux de vie be the same temperature so as not to shock them.

There is also something called a poire prisonniere. Unlike other eaux-de-vie, poire prisonniere captures the fruit itself. Early in the growing season, when the pears are just forming on the trees, glass bottles are tied over some of the most promising buds. The pear grows inside the bottle, and when it is ripe, it is cut from the tree-still in the bottle. Both bottle and pear are washed and pear brandy is added. The whole pear is in the bottle you buy, its beauty and flavor completely intact. Some French firms say this doesn't change the flavor one bit and one says: "C'est un gadget". (It's a gimmick)

My daughter, son and I had a tasting of our purchase the other night.  We had been advised to use either small brandy snifters or some small tulip shaped glasses, which I have. The initial sniff was of fresh pears. The first sip takes your breath away. (This is strong stuff!) And the aftertaste is pear. It was delicious! But be careful, remember this is a digestif, not something you gulp down and ask for another.

In the meantime, satisfy your craving for fresh fruit and find some "water of life". Who knows? It may stave off a cold!

Did you think I was going to leave you without a recipe today? Nay, nay. And it's a dandy too.

Eaux de Vie Pear Compote with Eaux de Vie Pear Sorbet
From Pastry Chef Alba Estenoz, ZINC Modern American Food

 Ingredients for compote:

6 Bartlett or Anjou Pears
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons Poire Eaux-de-Vie
½ cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ teaspoon salt

Method for compote:

Peel pears and cut into small dice. Toss with lemon juice. Caramelize sugar in pan over medium heat. First the sugar will melt, then crystallize, then begin to melt again and turn golden brown. When it is completely melted, add the butter and salt. Then add pears and you will find the caramelized sugar will seize but that's OK. Stir a bit and then add Eau de Vie and continue to cook until pears are slightly translucent and much of the fluid has dissolved. Remove from heat, cool, serve at room temperature or refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Ingredients for Pear Sorbet:

1 ½ cup water
1 ½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
4 ½ cups ripe pears, diced and peeled
½ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons Poire Eaux de Vie

Method for Pear Sorbet:

Combine water, sugar, syrup and salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil; add pears and simmer until pieces are very tender. This took about 45 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly; puree in blender or food processor; use caution when blending hot mixtures in blender or food processor.
Cool puree for at least 3 hours; freeze.
Serve frozen sorbet with pear compote; compote should be served at room temperature.


For those of you who would like a video expanation:




Here is Food and Wine's list of the best eaux de vie producers, plus some additions from other sources. You can check out these websites and find out where you can buy locally or order online.


Clear Creek Distillery
Steve McCarthy founded this Portland, Oregon–based distillery in 1986, when he decided to experiment with his family’s pear crop. He now produces seven kinds of eaux-de-vie from local fruit, including blue and Mirabelle plums. clearcreekdistillery.com. (Top Picks: Kirsch (cherry), Blue Plum, and Douglas Fir


Peak Spirits
This new western-Colorado producer buys only organic fruit grown within 20 miles of the distillery, including pears, cherries and the Rosa and Cresthaven peaches it uses for its summery peach eau-de-vie. peakspirits.com.


Purkhart
This Austrian distillery makes the deeply flavored Pear Williams eau-de-vie and the excellent Blume Marillen (“Blossom of the Apricot”), a floral, apricot-based brandy with fruit from the Danube Valley. alpenz.com.


Reisetbauer
Many think fastidious Austrian distiller Hans Reisetbauer makes the world’s best eau-de-vie (at up to $170 a bottle, it’s priced accordingly). Reisetbauer’s enormous portfolio includes classic eaux-de-vie varieties and bottles featuring unlikely flavors like carrot, ginger and the piquant rowanberry. reisetbauer.at. (Top picks: Pear, Plum, and Rowanberry (complex, with fruit and marzipan notes); also Ginger and Carrot (both are fascinating, if not typical flavors for an after-dinner drink)


St. George Spirits
Alsace native Jörg Rupf, who founded this Alameda, California, distillery in 1983, has helped spread the eau-de-vie gospel to many other microdistillers. In addition to crafting cherry, pear and raspberry eaux-de-vie, St. George offers experimental brandies, including one derived from Thai basil. stgeorgespirits.com


Meyer
Alsace, France; Top picks: Kirsch (cherry, with a delicious touch from the cherry stones) and Quetsch (dark red plum


Etter
Switzerland
Top picks: Fruit Tree Blend, Zuger Kirsch Three Year Old (cherry)


Westford Hill
This 10-year-old Connecticut-based distillery bottles four kinds of premium eaux-de-vie, including the fragrant Pear Williams, made from ripe Bartlett pears. westfordhill.com.


The two most well known firms on the west coast are St. George Spirits (http://www.stgeorgespirits.com/) and Clear Creek Distillery. (http://clearcreekdistillery.com/index.php) Both of these sites will list stores where their wines are available to those of us who can't find them locally.

Photo credits for this post:
http://www.cocktailia.com/articles/clear-creek-distillery
http://www.eaux-de-vie.com/

Source information for this post:
http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/01/dining/eau-de-vie-fruit-s-essence-captured-in-a-bottle.html?pagewanted=1
http://www.sallybernstein.com/beverages/spirits/eau_de_vie.htm
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_n9_v23/ai_13869737/http://www.cocktailia.com/articles/clear-creek-distillery
http://www.cocktailia.com/articles/clear-creek-distillery
http://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/26/travel/alsace-s-eaux-de-vie-pack-a-fruity-punch.html
http://www.eaux-de-vie.com/

We Want to be Kids Again!

I wish I had this playhouse when I was a kid! Curtains on both windows, garden, dogs, door....It fits over a card table, and the size can be customized.
The felt is made with eco-friendly material, manufactured from post consumer plastic bottles.
It can be folded and stored in a matching fabric bag.

Made and sold by Imaginative Play Toys. Check the variety of playhouse models for boys and girls.

Easter Basket with Less Sugar and More Fun

We all struggle to find ways to prepare attractive kids' Easter Bunny baskets with minimum sugar. We found a fun substitution for candy that will get kids quite involved. A craft kit to make a little bunny with a lovely spotty dress and a shakable tail.

The kit includes pre-cut felt pieces, cotton printed pattern, stuffing, metal needle, metal keyring. Best for ages 6+.

Sold by Cattiwampus

Earth Hour is Tomorrow!

Earth Hour is tomorrow! Join the movement to protect the planet by switching off lights. At 8.30pm on 27 March, lights will go out for one hour all over the world.
Let your kids participate. Check out the Earth Hour Kids site for ways to get them involved in this great joint effort to make a positive impact, protecting our future and that of future generations.

For more information, logon to earthhour.org

Obesity Prevention should Start as Early as Pre-Pregnancy

Recent studies have demonstrated that events very early in life, during the toddler, infancy years and even before birth, in the womb, can lead young children to an obesity trajectory that is hard to alter by the time they’re in kindergarten. The evidence is not ironclad, but it suggests that prevention efforts should start very early.

Among the findings are these:
- Chubby babies are likely to have future obesity problems;
- Smoking pregnant women may result in babies obesity.
- Babies who sleep less than 12 hours are at increased risk for obesity later. If they don’t sleep enough and also watch two hours or more of TV a day, they are at even greater risk.

Some early interventions are already widely practiced. Doctors recommend that overweight women lose weight before pregnancy rather than after, to cut the risk of obesity and diabetes in their children; breast-feeding is also recommended to lower the obesity risk.

Source: from nytimes.com

Dessert Times Two? A Good Day

In the shadow of the Empire State Building...


I went the Macy's Herald Square.

Why? It was free cone day at Ben & Jerry's! Strawberry kiwi sorbet for me.

Why is New York City called the Big Apple? Here's why.

Two hours later, I ate dessert again! The week's Tuesday tea break at work sponsored by - moi. I picked up a blueberry pie and cherry pie (both vegan-friendly) at Old Hook Farm. I didn't have time to bake over weekend or Monday night. Instead, I was proud to give my money to hard-working, family farmers.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for some added sweetness.

What better companion to tea than a good book? We used tea time to spread the word about Kathy's book swap.

Speaking of reading, I have a confession. I miss getting The New York Times delivered during the week, and have been debating re-subscribing. I miss reading an actual paper. You just miss so much online. Catching up a week's worth of reading at the library would take hours.

I think it's vital to stay on top of current events. I cannot understand that so many people simply don't care to turn on the news or even check one of the multiple online news outlets.


A final few thoughts on dessert. I keep hearing from women, "swimsuit season is coming up!" Frankly, I don't care what New Jersey shore beachgoers think of my thighs. I just have fun reading a book, taking a stroll at the water's edge, and a refreshing dip in ocean.

I recently saw a news story that eating sweets (particularly the sugar) will speed the aging process. I'd rather have a few extra wrinkles than no sweets in my life.

A woman in the piece was 38 years old and already getting Botox injections. Why? Why are so many obsessed with a youthful appearance and a quest for vanity, and not enriching their minds or making the world a better place? Is the number of wrinkles going to matter at the end of their lives?

Imagine if the money spent on Botox treatments and cosmetic procedures was instead donated to a children's hospital, animal shelter, or other worthy cause?

Here's vowing to age with grace, dignity, wisdom and gratitude. And with many more desserts to come.