Secrets are the things we grow

On love

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

-St. Augustine, from the movie Captain Corelli's Mandolin

The PERFECT Salmon!

Yummyyyy!

I just made the most delicious crispy salmon meal and I want you all to be in the know.

I made: Lemon-pepper salmon, garlic spinach and a baked potato. The best part is, the entire thing cost me $7 at whole foods - I bought enough for 2 servings, so it was $7 per serving, to be clear.

I bought:

A half pound Norwegian Salmon

2 servings of fresh spinach

2 russet potatoes

a lemon

garlic

Pretty amazing right?

First things first, figure out how you want to bake your baked potato. If you're like me, and do it in the oven exclusively, you should do this an hour before hand (1 hour at 400?)

Next, prep marinade for salmon. Mix equal parts olive oil and lemon juice (fresh preferably), along with desired amount of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Coat salmon in olive oil-lemon mix and let sit while prepping the rest of the dish

Heat pan to prepare for fish - DO NOT add oil to the pan - just heat the pan itself on medium high heat.

Heat a second pan at low-heat.

Slice two cloves garlic, add to second sautee pan.

Wash spinach and add to pan with garlic - this is the healthiest way to sautee spinach, with just the water from rinsing.

Now, for the salmon:

Place olive-oil and lemon coated salmon skin side down in hot pan.

Let cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until skin is crispy.

While skin-side of salmon is cooking, fold spinach. When it is still a vibrant green but has wilted a little, turn heat of completed and let the remaining heat cook the spinach for a couple of minutes.

Focus your attention back to the salmon: flip to other side and let cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove Spinach from second pan and on to plate with garlic cloves (if you like garlic :)

Place salmon skin side down on plate.

Take Baked potato out of oven, prepare as desired!

Voila! Healthy eating at its best.

Ommmm

I meditated today.

I woke up later than I wanted, as I've done since I've been home. I woke up to Althea cruising the foot of the bed, then the environs of my pillow, squeaking out a meow, annoyed that I hadn't yet fed her.

I woke up three times before then and ignored the clock. I woke up, finally, when I knew if I slept any later I wouldn't get anything done.

I woke up, and I didn't feel great, again. I woke up and I said to myself, "No. Today I am going to feel good." So, I took a shower. I scrubbed my skin and suds-ed my hair and brushed my teeth. I shaved my legs and washed my face. Then I turned the water off. I sat down. I hugged my legs, I looked at the tiles on the wall, took a deep breath and started running a bath because it still wasn't feeling right

I sat, feeling the heat of the water dance up my thighs, the steam rise up; pushed the shower curtain outside of the tub and laid back. I saw my little belly, and I said hello. I wiggled my toes, promising them a pedicure. I told each part of my body that today they would feel loved.

I had read that people who meditated for an average of 27 minutes a day were happier than people who didn't. I don't "know how to meditate." At the same time, I feel like that's like saying "I don't know how to pray." My church is wherever I am standing. And so, my temple today was our bathtub.

And so, for 27 minutes, I sat and thought of the state of the morning. The snow that had fallen. I wished good things to people having a hard time. And mostly, I thought about what I would do today and how it would be good and how I would feel and who I would talk to. There were no extravagances, no grand gestures. I said to myself, things as simple as, "Today I am going to make the bed" ... "call my Grandmother" ... "finish my sketches"... "skype with my best friend in London" ... "read two chapters"... "go to the gym" ... "not watch television until after dinner."

I brushed my hair and put lotion on, I put my contacts in and batted my eyelashes, I took a deep breath and said, "Today is going to be good."

And, miraculously, it was.