Blog No. 209: Intelligent Trees, Playlist of Winter Songs, Melissa Clark Latkes Recipe

December 21, 2024

Intelligent Trees Documenatary

Just discovered the documentary, INTELLIGENT TREES, directed by Julia Dordel and Guido Tölkeabout, about one of my favorite subjects: those majestic green beauties that surround us and provide all living things with the essentials of life: oxygen, prevention against floods, a home for millions of species that protect us from disease, air conditioning for our streets and cities, and a huge contribution towards our emotional well-being.

When my nephew Aaron was in 2nd Grade (at P.S. 290 in New York City), I was so pleasantly surprised that as part of the regular curriculum was a bird study. To this day (he is 30), he knows how to identify many aviary species and knows their birdsongs. It occurred to me that we don't teach enough about our natural environment and what is right in front of us. I, for one, wish I had that kind of education and knew more about how to identify all the trees that surround us...

I read The Hidden Life of Trees by the German forester Peter Wohlleben and this film is a perfect companion to that book. Wohlleben is featured in the documentary along with Dr. Suzanne Simard, a forester and professor of Forestry at University of British Columbia and Dr. Teresa Sm'Hayetsk Ryan, Lecturer of Indigenous Knowledge and Natural Science, UBC. They have a lot to teach us about the interconnectedness of our forests and how trees work as a community and form mutualistic relationships with other species.

We think of a tree as the trunk: leaves and the crown but did you know that the major part of a tree takes place underground with a complicated network of it's roots and fungi that exist on the tips of the roots. There are "mother trees" that protect their sapling kin. Even seemingly dead stumps retain life and are fed by the surrounding community. To say that trees form "friendships" is not as far fetched as we think...

Playlist of Winter Songs

I am slowly putting my toe in the political arena again, but just a tiny bit. Mostly I stay in touch through the substack newsletters of Heather Cox Richardson, and Robert Reich's and Michael Moore.

I know it is time to pull my head out of the sand, but I am not sure I am ready just yet. In the meantime, I spend my time listening to music. Here is a short playlist of some winter songs that I love...

Song for a Winter's Night by Gordon Lightfoot

Flowers in December written and sung by Mazzy Star (Hope Sandoval and David Roback)

7 O'Clock News/Silent Night by Simon and Garfunkel

Baby It's Cold Outside written by Frank Loesser (1944), sung by Ray Charles and Betty Carter

Winter Wonderland written by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard Bernhard Smith (1934), sung by Michael Bublé

Melissa Clark Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

Of all the chefs on the New York TImes Cooking app, Melissa Clark is my favorite. I haven't made one recipe of hers that I didn't consider a success...

Right in time for Chanukah, here is her recipe for latkes (potato pancakes)--one of my favorite things to eat, and not just in December. Courtesy New York Times Cooking App

POTATO PANCAKES
by Melissa Clark

Ingredients (makes 3 dozen)
2 large Russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters
1 large onion (8 ounces), peeled and cut into quarters
2 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Safflower or other oil, for frying

Instructions
In a food processor, with a coarse grating disc, or by hand, grate the potatoes and onion. Place on a clean dishtowel and squeeze out excess moisture.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper, and mix until the flour is well.

 Over medium-high heat, pour in about ¼ inch of the oil in a heavy pan and heat on medium-high. Once the oil is hot, drop a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the hot pan, cooking in batches. Use a spatula to flatten and shape the drops into discs. When the edges of the latkes are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned, about another 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt while still warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Paintings of the Week

Pam Smilow, Tree Series: Day and Night, mixed media on paper, 60” x 22” each

Charity of the Week: American Civil Liberties Union

About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.

Source: intelligent-trees-peter-wohlleben-suzanne-...

Blog No. 208: Chasing Childhood Film, Taylor Swift Kindness, Mourning Restaurants

December 14, 2024

Chasing Childhood Film

“From a biological perspective play is nature's way of ensuring that young mammals practice the whole range of skills that they need to become effective adults.”--Peter Gray, research psychologist, Boston College.

Play is practice in what is arguably the most important human skill, that which is being able to get along with other people. If there is any criterion for happiness, it’s that!

So how is it that we have managed, for the first time in human history to deprive our children of freedom? Except in times of intense child labor, and times of slavery, children have always been free to explore, to play, to do things away from adults. We’ve created a world in which we are in some sense negating childhood and we are making children depressed, and anxious and in the worst case, suicidal.

CHASING CHILDHOOD takes a direct look at this ever growing problem and forces the viewer to examine their motivations for pushing pushing pushing our kids and to what end...This is an important film that every parent should see, espcially ones with young ones, as we set the stage very early for the future lives of our children...I highly recommend this documentary!

Taylor Swift Compassion

Courtesy Forgotten Scrolls, Youtube

A little kindness can go a long way...This is not the shortest youtube video you will ever see, the AI narration is annoying, but I think it is worth sticking to. It is a beautiful story about Taylor Swift and a homeless guitar player she encountered on the street and instantly fell in love with his heartfelt music. What she did next changed his life forever. You don't have to be Taylor Swift to show a little bit of compassion and recognize the humanity in everyone...

I don't think you will ever walk by a homeless person again without being reminded of this story. We all have the capability to touch the life of others and be helpers...Sometimes it can take so little to literally make a difference in someone's day, or their life for that matter...I am reminded of the Mr. Rogers quote:

Mourning Old Restaurants

the former Chaiwalla, in Salisbury, Connecticut, famous for their tomato pie and delicious chai.

Tomato Pie, courtesy Berkshire Kitchen and Chaiwalla

the former O’Chamé, Berkeley, California

One doesn't often mourn a restaurant but there have been a few in my days that stick vividly in my mind. Sadly they have closed for one reason or another. I can still taste some of these beloved dishes and wish I could just go back and relive those delicious sensory experiences. One of those places, maybe top of my list, is Chaiwalla, a tea room in Salisbury, Ct. I loved it so much that I would drive all the way from NYC to have their tomato pie. My studio manager from Brazil, Poli, reminded me the other day about the time we went there with her mom, who was visiting from Belo Horizonte and we had the best time on a fall day...

Luckily, I wasn't the only one who loved their tomato pie, (not the best for someone on a diet)...and I found the recipe on the internet...Here it is!

It is hard to find a true neighborhood place in NYC and Bistro 61 was just that place--a hangout for all us locals and a home away from home. Gert and I used to hold court their in our day--we had our special seats in the bar and the three owners became dear friends (and still are!). There was no need to go to Nice anymore for soupe de poissons--they had the real thing right their on First Avenue and 61st Street! And I will never forget the night Obama won in 2008 and we danced on 1st Avenue!

O'Chamé,, a Japanese restaurant that celebrated home cooking rather than just sushi was another of my favorites that I miss to this day. Located in on 4th Street in Berkeley, Califoria, it was my go to place in the East Bay when I was out there selling art...It was family run--and warm and friendly and the food was divine...

And the last for now, for us New Yorkers, so many of us still mourn Prune, Gabrielle Hamilton's gem of a hole in the wall on the lower east side...I had many a great meal there--seemingly simple and yet deep--and dare I say one of my favorite dishes was celery! I could go on and on but I will stop here for now and savour the memories...

I welcome your input--if anyone, like me, misses a favorite restaurant, please join in here with your thoughts in the comments section... Another of those restaurants I mourn is Central Cafe, a breakfast place I used to frequent whenever I could while going to school at the University of Michigan. They made the best hues rancheros and although this is not an uncommon dish, and probably not that complicated, I never found one to rival it. ..

**In NYC. Call for details 917-239-3789.**

Great Gifts in our ArtSHOP

Charity of the Week: American Civil Liberties Union

Source: chasing-childhood, ...

Blog No. 207: Robert Reich News Source Recs, Ted Kooser Poetry, Chicken au Poivre Recipe

December 6, 2024

Robert Reich News Source Recommendations

Robert Reich, Former U.S. Labor Secretary served under three presidents. He is currently the Carmel P. Friesen Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

In a time when mainstream media has failed us so miserably, who can we rely on to deliver us truth. And yes, truth does exist even if we are told otherwise...
These are the sources Robert Reich relies on for honest news. I trust him and share in many or his recommendations:

Here are the sources we currently turn to:

The Guardian
Democracy Now
Business Insider
The New Yorker
The American Prospect
Americans for Tax Fairness
The Economic Policy Institute
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
ProPublica
Labor Notes
The Lever
Popular Information
Heather Cox Richardson
robertreich.substack.com/.

Ted Kooser Poetry

Tree by Pam Smilow (detail) mixed media on paper

Pulitzer Prize winning Ted Kooser is a poet, essayist and Presidential Professor Emeritus at The University of Nebraska. He served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004-2006. Here are a few of his poems that I like:

JUST NOW
Just now, if I look back down
the cool street of the past, I can seelighting small circles of time
into which someone will step
if I squint, if I try hard enough--
circles smaller and smaller,
leading back to the one faint point
at the start, like a star.
So many of them are empty now,
those circles of roadside and grass.
In one, the moth of some feeling
still flutters, unspoken,
the cold darkness around it enormous.

TREES
Trees are born blind and in need of each other.
With luck they come up in a forest with brothers
and sisters to listen to. Growing up for a tree
is mostly reahing out and out to touch another.
and that's enough of a life. None of them knowwhere they are, but that's OK. It doesn't matter.
They don't ask for much, a good rain now and then,
and what they like most are the sweet smells
of the others, and the warm touch of the light,
and to join the soft singing that goes on and on.

Chicken au Poivre

Courtesy Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist Cyd Raftus McDowell

This recipe comes highly recommended from my dear friend Claudia, college roommate (from way back when) par excellence. I always loved steak au poivre so this variation is a good alternative for those who like to avoid red meat...

CHICKEN AU POIVRE

INGREDIENTS
4 servings
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
3 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnishing
Crusty bread or egg noodles (optional), for serving

PREPARATION
 Use a mallet, bottom of a pot or mortar and pestle to crush the peppercorns coarsely. Set aside.

 In a 12-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt. In two batches, sear chicken until light golden all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet.

 Add butter and shallot to the skillet and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and shallot is softened, 1 minute. Add broth, heavy cream, thyme sprigs and cracked peppercorns and mix well, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

 Add chicken (and any accumulated juices), bring to a simmer and cook, turning and basting occasionally with the sauce, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.

 Divide chicken among 4 serving plates and discard thyme.

 Add lemon juice to the skillet and stir until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and stir in parsley.

 Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with more parsley. Serve with crusty bread or egg noodles, if desired. you here.

Great Gifts in our ArtSHOP

Charity of the Week: American Civil Liberties Union

Source: yo-yo-ma-cello-duets-joan-baez-interview-o...

Blog No. 206: Yo-Yo Ma Duets, Joan Baez Interview, Maira Kalman on Remorse

November 29, 2024

Yo-Yo Ma

Creator: Todd Rosenberg | Credit: © Todd Rosenberg Photography Copyright: © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2010

I never knew that Yo-Yo Ma was a musical prodigy. A child of musician parents (his mom was a singer, his dad was a University professor of music), Yo-Yo began at the age of three to play the drums, viola, violin and piano. At four he told his dad he wanted a "big" instrument--so his father introduced him to the cello. At five he was performing before audiences and at seven, he had already played for two presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.

I love listening to Yo-Yo Ma play classical music but I really love his versatility and playfulness with other genres of music as well...He loved collaborating with other artists of all types. Here is a selection of duets with renowned musicians:

With James Taylor Sweet Baby James and Here Comes The Sun

With Bobby McFerrin Hush Little Baby

With Chris Botti My Favorite Things

With Alison Kraus Simple Gifts

With Kathryn Stott Over The Rainbow

Joan Baez Interview

Krista Tippett On Being Interview with Joan Baez November 2024

Joan Baez marching alongside James Baldwin

Documentary Trailer, Joan Baez I am a Noise

Who hasn't admired Joan Baez...For the beauty of her stellar voice, for her songwriting, for her political activism, for her poetry and her painting...She is a true icon of our generation!

Krista Tippett recently produced an wonderful and revealing interview with Joan Baez which I share with you here...In her own words, “You know, I am over 80 years old and I wanted to leave something truthful."

Diamonds and Rust debuts on a pair of charts in the U.K. this month as people discover the tune for the first time

Maira Kalman on Remorse

Kalman’s beautiful work has often graced the covers of New Yorker Magazines…

To say Maira Kalman is an illustrator is to totally limit her. She is a true artist in every sense of the word...she writes, she paints, she tells stories...and explores the human condition through personal zany projects that are wildly innovative and full of joy and pathos, honesty and deep feelings. Aside from a series of wonderful children's books (some of my favorites of that genre), she has written a series of eclectic adult ones as well, including an illustrated quirky version of William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White's The Elements of Style, a history book, written on the occasion of Barak Obama's election, about democracy and politics entitlted The Pursuit of Happiness, and a book on her mother, Sara Berman's, closet.

The Book of Remorse is her latest. The New York Times wrote about her and her recent offering in a recent article which I share with you here.

Great Gifts in our ArtSHOP

Charity of the Week: American Civil Liberties Union

Source: yo-yo-ma-cello-duets-joan-baez-interview-o...