Desert Laura

It's been a while since I can remember my dreams. So, when I woke up remembering this one vividly, I wonder about its meaning. The dream: I am outside in a public area. Don't remember who or what was around me. I see pine trees and woods all around. Some other stuff happens that I can't remember, but the part that's vivid is the last piece. I'm walking up a slope towards the trees, woods, and see stuffed animals all around. Under each tree is a stuffed animal propped up against the tree trunk, just sitting there. And throughout the woods floor are stuffed animals just sitting around. As I'm walking towards them (maybe to pick one up and throw to my dog???) they all start to frown. Then, as I get closer, each of them has a frown face on them :( For some reason, this is my cue that something bad is going to happen. I begin to run back down the hill/slope and tell the people all around (now there are random people around) that the flood is coming. My

Sometimes the thing that makes you feel better is simply sitting, enjoying the beautiful weather and sipping the best coffee ever. At a local cafe, Lux, coffee is an art. Plus, they gave me some apple pie to taste and tell them what I thought of it. Well, simply put..."yummy." So. Lately I've been in a funk. It's not something that goes away. It comes and goes. It usually goes. Have you ever felt that you were the only one in the world that thinks like you? Have you ever looked around and wondered where on earth is everyone? I've made some choices in my life that have drastically changed the course of my life. I don't regret these choices, I celebrate them, mostly. But sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if I didn't do that? Where would I be? How would my life have turned out? Would I have a family by now? Would I be here in Arizona? Would I be a mother, wife, friend? To whom? Would I be closer to my father? Mother? Sisters? Wo

Jack and Ivanna So, I'm not so sure what got into me on Friday. I received an e-mail telling the sad story of 2 dogs who's owners couldn't pay the rent anymore and packed up and left. Only, they also left their dogs behind. As the dogs were trying to jump into the car and go along...they were shoved out and left standing, watching their owners drive away. The neighbors took care of the dogs by going over to the house and feeding them and hiding them from the pound that came looking for them. They tried calling all the no-kill shelters...full, to the max...thanks to the increase in foreclosures. The only place willing to take them was the Humane Society. Only, they're also full so they'd be immediately euthanized. What was I going to do? Well...I took the pups! Not sure what I was going to do with them since I already have one that's just perfect for me. Thanks to friends, I borrowed 2 crates, some leashes, bowls, dog food and went to get my new babies

At the RNC in St. Paul last week I found this old blog that I never sent out. Got busy, I guess. But I figure I might as well publish it now. Only 1 1/2 more days until the election...cross your fingers people!!! It's going to be an amazing night! Who else is planning on taking Wednesday off work? I was very fortunate to be able to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver last week. Through a series of luck, more luck and some very close connections, I got a free ticket both to Denver and into the Stadium to hear Obama's speech. To say it simply, I make a very bad democrat. I think some Dems would like it if I didn't affiliate with them. Not sure why, really. It's just that most Democrats I know are more like liberal republicans. There are very little differences between party's these days. Saying that I'm liberal would be an understatement. I support women's rights to safe abortions, I support open borders, our right to marry whoeve

I love basil. There isn't an herb that brings me back to my childhood like basil. Running my fingers through the leaves in my dad's garden, eating it straight from the garden, smelling it on my clothes as brush by the plant. Now I have 5 basil plants and I'm busy finding creative ways to eat and cook with it. Besides the traditional recipes (like adding it to everything ), one of my favorite things to make is pesto . My mom has satisfied my pesto addiction in the past by gifting me little baggies with pesto paste; enough to last an entire year. But now, I have my own garden full of the tiny green leaves. Here's a good recipe for pesto that I use. It's the one that my mom uses. The nice thing with this is that you it stores well. Just put them in little baggies and freeze them, or put in a jar and cover with olive oil to keep the paste wet. 4 Tbs. pine nuts (+/-) 2 garlic cloves (I love garlic, so I add alot more) 2 or 3 cups of firmly packed basil leaves 1/2 cup ex

I found this blog today about potluck faux pas and think it's a must read if you've ever hosted or attended a potluck. Really, I can't tell you how many times many of these items have happened to me (especially number 4...I always get soooo many potato chips!!). Anyway, let me know if you've been a victim of this or, (could it be possible??) you've actually committed some of these crimes! A few potluck rules of thumb. This comes from the post punk kitchen blog: 1) Coordinate with others so that not everyone is bringing sweets. 2) There has to be at least one lasagna. 3) Bring your A-game, spend a few hours in the kitchen, now is the time to impress, not to cut corners. 4) Bring something! And not a little bag of chips, either. If you absolutely can not cook something, then call the host and see what is needed - drinks, fresh fruit. Something. But if more than a few people are doing this, that makes for a crappy potluck. 5) Don’t plan on cooking at the host’s

Even though it's only mid-July, my summer is officially over. I went back to work this week after having the past 6 weeks off. For those of you who work in schools, this is just way too short. For everyone else, don't be jealous! The first 3 weeks was spent in the desert in Southern Arizona and in Tucson. I spent half of my time at the desert aid camp, helping to coordinate the volunteers coming down to help with the humanitarian aid work. Here's an e-mail I sent to a friend when I came back from the desert: "Just got back yesterday from being in Arivaca this week. It's hot! And also incredibly sad and tiring stuff. I feel good about being out there, though. It makes all that we do worthwhile knowing that the work is reaching people. I met a man from Guatemala who was lost for a week, just wandering and walking North, separated from his group by Border Patrol. The only thing that kept him walking all week was his 2 year old daughter currently living

Over the past few weeks, the phrase that pops into my mind is “ bountiful harvest .” As I've been spending more and more time in my garden these past few weeks, bountiful harvest is a natural phrase to come into my mind as I'm constantly picking lots and lots of eggplant, tomatoes and basil, thinking I have a bountiful harvest of veggies that I don’t know what to do with. Also, how lucky I am that my garden is so healthy this year, how lucky I am to have the skills to be a part of this creation, and how abundant our food can be when we care for the soil, the plant, and the fruit. A little love and tenderness to the land provides one with a bountiful harvest of food to sustain us. Just enough to survive and eat well through the summer. But the phrase bountiful harvest takes on many meanings for me these days. As I sat in the past 2 meetings last month, organizing to gather water for No More Deaths, with about 100 volunteers ready to help, I began to think " this

I have a thief in my garden. I came home the other day and ran outside to pick the biggest, reddest tomato growing so far in my garden. It was bigger than my fist and was hanging so nicely just that morning. I thought, " this tomato will be perfect to pick when I get home from work." So, I ran outside and it was gone...it disappeared. At first, I thought it just fell off the vine because it was so gigantic (it really was that big). But I looked down, around, on the side of the plant and nothing ! I looked on my lawn, in the pond, in the basket near the door...maybe it walked out of the garden all on it's own. Nope. Gone. Disappeared. MIA. Then, I turn on my dog. My dog who has been loyal to me for the past 12 years...I immediately blame her. I look her in the eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of the guilt that Nerina has when she's done something wrong and has been caught. Nope, no guilty look. I open her mouth, check her teeth, smell her breath. Again, n

My first harvest...delicious! I am raking in the veggies this week! My first full week of a bountiful harvest! Just 2 months ago I was pulling endless weeds from my very neglected garden. After 2 years, I decided to take up the much-loved hobby of backyard gardening. I stopped gardening after I began seeing my last boyfriend. It seemed there was no room for 2 things in my life...so the garden had to go. Hmmm...I should have reconsidered my decision, since the garden space is still around and the boyfriend isn't. Instead, the garden became a nice space for all the neighborhood cats to hang out, for my dog to sniff around, and for the weeds to flourish. I got my garden shovel out, along with my gloves, manure, and compost and set out to re-create a space which I used to love to hang out in. After spending many hours pulling weeds taller than me, creating a watering system that conserves water (remember, I live in a darn desert), I planted little itty-bitty transplants of 5 h

This February, 4 NMD volunteers found the body of a 14 year old girl from El Salvador in the desert. Two months later, we went back to the site of her death, along with her family, to hold a Memorial Mass for her. We pilgrimaged about 3 hours from Tucson to Arivaca, then to the site of her death - a 1/2 mile walk to the canyon below. It was a beautiful afternoon...windy, warm and sunny. There were about 25 of us there, 10 of her family drove from California to be there. Fr. Bob gave a wonderful Mass in Spanish, using a large stone as the altar. We built a cross that will remain there... Josseine Janiletha Hernandez Quinteros" Her mother requested a quote be added to the memorial: "Cuando sientes que el camino se te ha vuelto duro y dificil, no te des por vencido y sigue adelante, y busca la ayuda de Dios." Te llevaremos siempre en el corazón

It's been eight years since I moved back to Phoenix. Living in Ann Arbor, one of the most amazing things I've experienced was the changing seasons. After the Winter months of dread, cold, and snow, the Spring jumps out with daffodils and flowering trees and perfect weather. Then the Summer months come with the fireflies, picnics, Jazz at the Park, long walks, humidity, and greeeeeen, followed by the Fall with a burst of color in the leaves on the trees, the change in the air, the pumpkin patches, the apples and cider farms. I was living in "season heaven." So, people have mentioned that Phoenix has no seasons. That it shifts from freaking hot to cool. I, too, have been guilty of thinking this, at times, when I desperately want to leave and move away to a utopic place (which I've since d ecided doesn't exist). But this is nonsense! This Spring, as I sit in my hammock in February, March, and April I can smell Spring in the air. Do you have smells that b

Last week was my spring break and off I went to the desert to get back to the things that I love doing the most. It's going on 4 years since I've been involved with No More Deaths. I remember the first time walking in the desert in Southern Arizona looking for people that needed help. It was so strange. Normally, I hike with my dog, have a picnic, take a nap under the trees, in the shade, and read a good book or do some journaling. It's been many years since I've done that sort of hiking. My first time in the desert with No More Deaths was a transformation of sorts. I have never been the same since. It was the summer of 2004 and it was a hot day already, probably well over 100 degrees by early afternoon. I had just returned from spending a month in Peru, traveling and meeting amazing people, visiting ruins, temples and the old city of Cuzco and Machu Pichu. So, I came back ready to do some volunteering in the desert; looking for migrants that needed help durin

I just came back from spending 5 days in Prescott, leading a diversity leadership camp for 60+ students from my school. I absolutely love the experience and find that I learn so much from the kids...just as much as they learn from us, I think. The best part of the week is talent night, where the kids step up and share some talents they have (or talents they don't have and just have a good laugh). One of my students read a poem that he wrote and shared it with the kids. It's absolutely beautiful and am posting it here for others to read. The talent in our children is amazing... The students name is Tyler. Who are we? Who am I, you ask I am the one who knows of good times The expert on sad times I am one who will be happy. Who am I, you ask The performer behind the curtain The director, producer, stunt double, makeup artist, hair dresser and song writer I prepare you for the ignorant world. Who am I, you ask The toy soldier you play with A piece of plastic stamped “Made in

Coming home from the farmers market on Wednesday and getting ready to prepare my dinner for 12 friends. This is my second annual Anti-V Day gathering, an intimate night with singles, couples, and good friends. Last year involved chocolate, wine, fire and burning of past memories. This year, it's a celebration with good friends and an opportunity to cook for my favorite people. I think I'll keep this tradition going, since I hate all things Valentines. And since being single sucks on this day, I thought I would make the best of it! Plus, it's better to spend the evening with good friends, drinking and enjoying each others' company. I've learned that, often, the relationships that last the longest are the friendships...so it's a perfect time to say I love you to everyone that I cherish. And, being Italian, food is the best way to do this :) I picked up bags and bags of veggies from the farmers m arket which made up the menu for the dinner. I love this pic