People ARE the Difference

It's been almost a year since I left Oklahoma.  That's right.  I left my beloved state.  I left my friends and family, and adopted grandma behind – all in the name of love.  While I have no regrets about my decision, that doesn't mean that I don't miss Oklahoma – mostly my Oklahomies.

Sure, I miss chili chocolate tea at t, an urban teahouse, the Lee's coffees at Lee's Sandwiches on Classen Boulevard.  I miss the Towheads habanero salsa from Urban Agrarian.  I miss the Wichita Mountains.  I miss LakeHefner, even in its dwindling state.  I miss the Paseo and Plaza districts.  But, most of all, I miss the people.

The state where I live now is beautiful – classically beautiful.  I would trade the mountains, the pine trees, and the half-frozen wild rivers to have my Oklahomies here.  People make ALL the difference. They can make a difference in a good way, or in a bad way.  Unfortunately, national news has been full of the handful of bad ones lately.   Or, always.

Let me tell you about a few of the Okies that are the good people.  Let me start with my blood-family. My redneck brother has towed my car when I buried it in snow.  He has helped one of my friends haul a piano that she found at a garage sale.  A piano.  A big, heavy piano.  Because he's my brother and it was for my friend.  It once took us FOUR hours to drive 20 miles in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve, because he was helping others.  He helped make sure that a dozen or more people got their homemade tamales for the holidays.  He pulled numerous people out of ditches.  He stopped to pick up one stranded worker just to drive him to a convenience store to pick up enough food to last for the night and took him back to work.  He lives for helping others, and beams when the kids at church look up to “Mr. Paul”.

My other Okie brother will literally give you the shirt off his back.  He IS OKC Kayak (and now, Tulsa Kayak, too).  He will give you his last granola bar if you are on one of his trips and you are hungry.  He will give you his gloves, jacket, and hat if you forgot yours.  He spent most of a day helping me load the moving van with the heaviest of my furniture, and then helped pack up more boxes, too.  Yes, I arrived at my new home with some interesting labeling on some of the boxes (“Misc.” somehow turned into “Misc. sex toys”).  Rarely has anyone been able to beat him to the check, either.  He is always striving to do the right thing.  That's just who is he.

"Southern Belle" Bernie

The last remaining sister in Oklahoma is the Southern Belle.  She will charm you with her Okie accent and genuine smile.  She will sing and dance and make you laugh.  She is not afraid to visit people in the hospital, no matter how bad of shape they are in.  When her own husband was in a serious accident, they both kept their sense of humor.  You will never just get a “happy birthday” from her – she will tell you all of the things that she loves about you on the anniversary of your birth.  She has a soft spot for ALL people and animals.  She sees no boundaries of class, race, religion, sex, or age.  She is teaching the next generation to live with joy and laughter.  It's not her duty, it's just her.

My mom is an honorary Okie, though she probably would never admit it.  She put up with eight, independent, hell-raising kids that took after their father.  She raised the family while my dad worked out of town more often than not.  Then, she took care of my dad through a horrible illness that slowly took away his life over four and a half years.  She has volunteered with hospice, worked as a hospital chaplain, and still runs daily errands for friends she made at the assisted-living center - even though she no longer works there.  She delivers communion, drives them to doctors' appointments, and keeps them company.  Every day is spent serving others.

My Okie friends are changing the image of Oklahoma.  They vote.  They encourage others to do the same.  (Remember, most of the embarrassing Oklahoma news stems from elected officials - did you vote?)  They open businesses.  They employ others.  They stand up for their beliefs.  They stand up for those without a voice.  They tread lightly on Mother Earth.   They make art from others' trash.  They foster animals, and kids.  They feed people.  They are leaders by their actions – not titles.

Oklahomies would not have made me ask for their help if I got my car high-centered in the snow – it would have been freely offered.  Okies would not have made me wait until they finished shooting off their last five rounds of ammo.  Okies would not have complained when the handle of their shovel crumbled when I barely used it.  They most certainly would not have given me an address to send the rest of the money I didn't have on me to cover the last $12 for their old shovel, after they emptied my wallet.

See no evil, smell no evil?

I won't deny that there are some bad people in Oklahoma.  Or, some Oklahomans that do stupid things, or follow along with things that aren't right.  It doesn't matter who is looking, or listening.  We need to all try to do the right thing regardless.  Okies, along with everyone else, are imperfect.  We can all do better – be better.  Maybe other states are judged differently – because the people rarely concern themselves with anything or anyone outside of their personal bubble.  All that I know, is that the Okies that I know and love aren't the ones I read about in the news.  MY Okies are working diligently to make my home state even better.  And, I miss them (and Towheads habanero salsa).

100 Adventures - Part 1

When I first came to the realization that there are more than 100 weekend days in a year, I was surprised.  Shocked, really.  Can it be true that almost 1/3 of the year is weekends?!?  Add holidays to that and that's a lot of free days.  Free.  Carefree.  Free to do whatever I please.

Adventure #4:  Kayaking with loons and eagles at Lake Murray

This is the thought that spurred the "100 Adventures" challenge.  Why shouldn't we have 100 adventures in a year, since we have all of these days at our disposal?  Challenge accepted.

#30:  Spanish Canyon hike

Now, let me lay down some rules.  It has to be 100 different adventures.  The rope-wall yoga class at Yoga Home of Therapeutics where we hang upside-down suspended in our make-shift harnesses in downward dog and child's pose can only be counted as an adventure the first time.  The outdoor yoga class at Urban Agrarian, where we sometimes had to surrender the yoga mats to the Oklahoma wind, is another adventure - but only to be counted once, no matter how many times we greet the sun in salutations on the concrete pad outside the local food market.  

#38:  "Spokeswomen" at the Friendship Plant and Seed Exchange

There are some grey areas in the rules, too.  How many different adventures can you have in a single day, or on a single vacation?  When we played in and on the Blue Whale in Catoosa, posed at the Totem Pole Park in Foyle, hitched a ride on a stranger's boat on Grand Lake, and hiked at Natural Falls State Park; how many adventures should that count for?  One.  It was all on the same roadtrip.  The week spent kayaking in the Alaska wilderness and exploring glaciers was just one big adventure.  The day that I rode with the "Spokeswomen" on our inaugural bike ride to brunch in dresses with flowers on our handlebars, then later hiked to the Spanish Canyon with another friend, that counted as two separate adventures.  Basically, if there was a break in between, and maybe a wardrobe change, then I think they count as individual adventures.  Most days, the adventures all blended into one big mass of good times.

#47:  Eclipse at the Tallgrass Prairie and hike at Osage Hills State Park

#54:  Mani-pedi day with my niece

Of course, there are Family Days of Obligation, as my large, mostly-used-to-be-Catholic family refers to them.  The nieces and I had a few adventures of our own, but regular family get-togethers to see who is taller, compare who has the bigger belly or butt, and see how far we can revert to our pick-on-our siblings childhood ways - probably not really an adventure.  In other words, the adventure must be FUN.  I understand that these Family Days of Obligation, or regular obligations of life, might cut into these 100 weekend days, so weekday adventures are required.

#60:  Martin Park with the nieces

What adult has time for all of these adventures?  Well, I've never been accused of being an adult, so I don't know.  Make time.  It's important to my mental health to have a more-than-normal amount of playtime in the sun.  You may not personally require quite as much vitamin D, or quite the same level of adrenaline, or quite the travel distance to get to your places of adventure.  Maybe it is just a 30-minute swinging session in the park, or a pedicure in January when you are the only one that sees your toes.  Maybe it is a trip to the neighborhood pond to watch the ducks, or frisbee with the family at the newly revamped Myriad Gardens.  You don't have to go far, or take out a loan to pay for the gasoline, or don a helmet for an extreme sport.  Just do something you enjoy.  Share this time with friends, or find your own private adventure.  Remember those rules?  Forget those, make your own.  These are your adventures.  The new year just started, so resolve to make this happen in 2013. 

#81:  Viewing of private arrowhead collection after kayaking in Keota

Out of my 100 adventures in 2012, all but three of those were in Oklahoma.  Instead of running out of Okie adventures, my list to do and see and experience this year is even longer.  There were 15 unique kayak trips, 21 different hikes, multiple bike rides, climbing adventures, and live music experiences.  There was a photographic hunt for a snowy owl in Marland, a chicken farm tour in Tuttle, small town fairs and festivals, street parties, garden parties, and potlucks.  I have 9,416 pictures on my computer - just from last year - and they can only remind, but not capture the awe of these moments.

Stay tuned for the next blog post when I tell you about the 100th adventure of 2012.  I still had a month and a half to spare, too!  Want a hint?  The 100th adventure was in SE Oklahoma on the most beautiful hike I've ever experienced.

Tasting Oklahoma

Whole wheat, pecan pancakes and PrimaCafe coffee start this morning off.  Some days it is Wagon Creek Creamery's non-fat Greek yogurt with honey and granola.  Or, I saute' some rosemary potatoes with onions and peppers and scrambled eggs.  I still haven't outgrown my peanut butter and honey lunches.  Dinner is often a colorful array of veggies - roasted or steamed - with pasta or chicken.  Peaches and apples (with peanut butter!) make a delicious snack this time of year.  Why am I making you hungry with all this discussion of food?  Because, these foods all have one thing in common - they are from Oklahoma.  Besides, if you know me, you know that I LOVE food!

An article in the paper the other day about the recent listeria deaths from cantaloupe stated that, "it's virtually impossible to sit down and eat a meal and eat food that hasn't come from all over the world."  Nonsense!  We just experienced the hottest summer in the history of Oklahoma (second hottest in the history of the nation), and our farmers persevered and continued to grow and harvest what they could.  While my garden seemed to burn (like many things I attempt to cook), the farmers' markets never failed me.

Let me explain what I mean by "farmers' market".   I don't mean the new Sunflower Farmers Market grocery store in Oklahoma City.  I don't mean the so-called "farmers' market" downtown that sells products from Texas, California, Florida, Mexico, Guatemala, and other foreign places.  When I say "farmers' market", I mean only those markets that sell only Oklahoma products.  Specifically, I mean the Friday Midtown Market (Urban Agrarian) by St. Anthony's, the Saturday market at OSU-OKC, and the Sunday Fresh Foods market (Urban Agrarian) in front of Cheever's (or the Urban Agrarian and Earth Elements new location at SW 2nd and Ellison when the weather is uncooperative).  There may be others, but you might have to do a little searching to be sure you are buying Oklahoma products.  A seller at OSU-OKC also tipped me off to the Bixby produce.  Bixby has a produce wholesaler that resells produce from Oklahoma as well as other states.  So, just a fair warning - if it says it's from Bixby, it may not have been grown in Bixby!  The Oklahoma Food Coop is another fantastic place to get your Oklahoma-local products (not just food - there are also various items like laundry detergent, artwork, wool yarn, etc.).
 

What about when items aren't in season?  My freezer is full of chopped onions, peppers, and zucchini as well as peeled and sliced peaches, steamed spinach and kale, and sliced patty pan squash.  I used to get overzealous at the farmers' market, only to end up feeding my compost bin more than I fed myself.  Since then, I've learned some valuable tricks to waste less and eat more.  One of my favorite people, Bob Waldrop, has got a fantastic blog with pure genius ideas on a plethora of subjects surrounding sustainability. 

I couldn't end this topic of discussion without promoting a garden of your own.  Nothing can beat the satisfaction of walking out to your garden in bare feet and snipping a few herbs or picking a few peppers to toss into whatever you're cooking at the moment.  Those rosemary potatoes I mentioned earlier? That rosemary, by some miracle, survived the summer drought in my neglected flowerbed (yes, I mix edibles with my flowers in the front yard) and continued to grow.  When the temperatures finally dropped back into the double-digits, I was amazed to discover that not only my rosemary, but also the oregano, sweet potatoes, basil, cilantro, and chives have all survived some serious heat, drought, and neglect.  I won't mention all of the other things that weren't so lucky.  I definitely have wholehearted respect for our Oklahomie farmers working long, hard days to give us food that is healthy and safe for us to eat.  It's a year-round effort, with no guarantees that Mother Nature won't spoil their bounty.

Is your mouth watering for some whole-wheat pecan pancakes now?  I'll share the recipe, right off the bag of GO Organic whole wheat flour from Fairview, OK, I bought at the OSU-OKC market, with the local options in parentheses:

John's Farm -- Favorite Family Recipe

Whole Wheat Pancakes

3/4 to 1 cup whole wheat flour (GO Organic, Fairview, OK)

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 T. honey (George's Apiary, Noble, OK)

1 T. oil (substitute applesauce from Earth Elements, OKC, OK)

1 cup buttermilk, or milk (Braum's!)

1 large egg (this week it is Bourlons Hilltop Farm, Sparks, OK)

Optional ingredients: blueberries, strawberries, 1 cup well-cooked rice, or 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I chose pecans from Peach Crest Farms, Stratford, OK)

For more recipes and local food ideas, check out one of my other favorite blogs by one of my other favorite people, Tricia Dameron.

Happy, healthy eating!