Due to the fear of radiation traveling to the coast of the U.S., some Americans have been buying potassium iodide, considered a defense against radiation poisoning. I am not one of them, instead I am eating more miso soup. I also sprinkle 1 tbs of kelp powder into my meal and it’s especially tasty in spicy noodles.
This small and nice steaming bowl of miso soup is very nutritious, but also high in sodium. So limit your soup to 1 per day. Photo from Virgin Media.
Miso is made by adding a yeast mold (known as “kojiâ€) to soybeans and other ingredients. They are then allowed to ferment from weeks to years. Different types of miso are produced based on how long they are fermented. Once the miso has fermented, the ingredients are ground into a paste similar in texture to butter. If sealed well in a glass jar, miso can also last up to a year in the refrigerator.
According to Dr. Shinichiro Akizuki, director at St. Francis Hospital, Nagasaki (circa 1945), “Miso belongs to the highest class of medicines, those which prevent disease and strengthen the body through continued usage.”
Anna Bond, author of The Miracle of Miso wrote: “Over a 25-year period, the Japanese Cancer Institute tested and tracked 260,000 subjects, dividing them into three groups. Group one ate miso soup daily, group two consumed miso two or three times a week, while group three ate no miso at all. The results were stark: those who had not eaten any miso showed a 50% higher incidence of cancer than those who had eaten miso.”
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This is one of my new batches of handmade soap and is now ready for use. They’ve been curing happily for the past few weeks.
I call this the “Moroccan Spice Argan” soap because of all the spicy and herbal essential oils. But the real magic is from the argan oil which is really great for the skin.
Benefits of argan oil:
- Nourishes your skin with super rich in vitamin E, antioxidants and amino acids like Omega 3, 6 and 9
- Pure and natural skincare
- Reduce signs of aging and improve skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis
Ingredients: rice bran oil, coconut oil, palm oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, distilled water, sodium hydroxide, Moroccan red clay, rosehip powder, acerola powder, sweet orange essential oil, anise essential oil, clove essential oil.
I also added acerola powder. The acerola fruit is also called Barbados cherry and is loaded with vitamin C, great for it’s skin brightening abilities.
Another magical ingredient in this bar is organic hemp seed oil. I’ve never used it in soapmaking before until now. And it is really great stuff for both the soap and the skin. Not only is it great for soapmaking, it’s also very healthy stuff. The oil is very green and mixed with yogurt it taste very nutty and delicious.
This bar is scented with only essential oils. Including sweet orange essential oil, which leaves a nice light citrus scent. The clove and anise also gives in a bit of spice. A perfectly great bar of soap that is safe and beneficial to any skin type.
It’s been 2 weeks since Japan was struck with 9.0 earthquake and tsunami. But the real danger is that of radiation leaks from the damage done at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday (3/25/11) that the situation at a quake-damaged nuclear plant remained very precarious.
So far vegetables being grown in the area and milk has been contaminated. Drinking water as far as Tokyo have been contaminated as well. And now there are trances of radiation being found as far away as Iceland. Some of this radiation is also blowing to our California coastline and into the U.S. So the danger is not just isolated in Japan as radiation can spread to the rest of the world.
In a perfect world where the energy plant isn’t toxic surfers or even a lady walking her dog will be able to observe the disaster without worry.
As for California, we also have 2 ocean side nuclear reactors sitting near seismic faults. And tsunamis are a risk. Should anything happen, how will all the people be evacuated? And this is a state of 37 million people!
I was also wondering how many nuclear plants are there around the world. Luckily I found this map from the Guardian (UK) that gives a great picture of nuclear plants and some that are built around earthquake zones. Larger image here.
Notice how most of Europe and the eastern part of U.S. is dotted with nuclear plants. And I am surprised to find France having the most nuclear reactors. Especially for a country that despise McDonald’s and is proud of their farm fresh outdoor market.
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Even though I’ve knitted cotton yarns for kitchen wash cloths, this is the first time I’ve knitted with organic cotton yarn. And the yarn feels incredible! It’s soft and so easy to knit, even much better than the bamboo blend yarn.
This one is made by Lion Brand, which is an American family-owned and operated business and brand since 1878.
Here’s more info from Lion Brand:
“Nature’s Choice is grown and spun without the use of pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. The dyes used to create our beautiful colors are certified according to the Global Organic Textile Standard by the Institute of Marketecology.
Nature’s Choice is a soft, versatile yarn that’s so easy to work with and perfect for everything from baby blankets to fashion items. It’s good for your knitting and good for the planet.”
I used this yarn to make a small cable knit neck warmer. I finally got the hang of knitting cables (the twist on the design) without using cable needles. A bit tricky at first, but more hassle free. It seem cotton yarn are the best for knitting cable design as it highlights the detail real nice.
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I’ve never tried eating fiddleheads before, but I have seen them in the wild while hiking in the forest.
The ones I’ve seen in the forest are surrounded by more leaves then in this photo. These are fiddle heads of young plants. Photo from missouriplants.com
I suppose fiddleheads are easy to find, much easier then foraging for mushrooms. Try looking along hiking trails and deep in the forest. Of course you can also find them at specialty markets selling from around $16 per pound or more. Very pricey!
From the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Photo by via Fickr. They sure look interesting and remind me of the head of a fiddle or violin.
They are described to be very delicious and taste similar to asparagus. Fiddleheads are found in the wild during the springtime (around the end of April and into May). And some people really enjoy foraging for these little delicacies.
The Forager Press gives this advice when seeking fiddleheads in the wild:
“Look for fiddleheads as soon as the earliest spring flowers bloom and anywhere you’ve see ferns growing before. You want to harvest them while they still retain a curl at the top and like asparagus, use as much of the stem below the curl as you can collect. This part is often overlooked and is every bit as good as the top.”
Recipe Bodega has Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Morels and Fiddleheads that looks very tasty!
Ever since I wrote about banking with Washington Mutual Bank, there’s been many changes.
First of all they are now Chase Bank. And what was FREE checking will no longer be offered.
Since February 5, 2011, Chase members who have one of the following checking accounts: Chase Free Extra Checking, Chase Free Classic Checking and Chase Basic Checking will be switched to their new account, the Chase Total Checking.
One of the change is the monthly service fee. $10 for accounts in California, Oregon or Washington, all other states $12. Unless you have one of the following:
* Set up direct deposit of $500 or more into your account. The direct deposit may include a payroll, pension, or government benefit payment such as Social Security.
* have an average ledger balance of $5,000 or more in a combination of accounts that linked
* keep a minimum ledger balance of $1,500 or more
* have paid other Chase checking related fees of at least $25
Info from MyBankTracker.com
I no longer bank with Chase. I prefer smaller banks and have an account with a credit union instead.
Knitting has been very zenful and meditative for me lately.
So here is another hat I’ve made with my size 10 (US) 12″ circular bamboo knitting needles. This knit hat is made with multicolor acrylic yarn for easy care.
I thought the color was cheerful and good for spring. Note: for a warmer version, use a wool blend yarn and knit it longer. This way it will cover the ear and can also be folded up.
Next on my knitting adventure: a nice comfy shawl. I found these free patterns from Vintage Knitting that I ‘d love to try.
The “Country Club” shawl.
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March 11, 2011 was a sad day for Japan. Our heart and prayer goes out to them and wishing for a speedy recovery.
I’ve chosen to donate via Paypal. Organizations include Global Giving, American Red Cross, Save the Children, and Hands on Tokyo.
Project Message from Global Giving:
The north coast of Japan was hit by a horrible tsunami after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred 80 miles offshore. This fund will support organizations providing relief and aid to victims.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Tsunami waves caused major destruction in northern Japan. Current estimates are over 10,000 people have died. We are working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to provide support. Our partners on the ground are working hard to provide immediate relief. We will post more details of the specific use of funds as soon as possible. All donors will get email updates on how their funds have been used.
How will this project solve this problem?
This project will disburse funds to organizations providing relief and emergency services to victims of the earthquake and tsunami. GlobalGiving is working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground.
Potential Long Term Impact
Major disasters always require a huge amount of international support to provide relief and long term recovery efforts. In the case of Japan, these initial funds will help survivors and victims get necessary services.
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I’m always taking note of interesting sweater stitches and designs. One of my favorite sweaters is this LL Bean cardigan. It’s has a really neat stitch. I don’t know what type of stitch it is, but reminds me of a cross between seed stitch and raspberry stitch. (Just found out it’s a “popcorn stitch”!)
After knitting the raspberry stitch for about an hour my fingers were all cramped. And I only got one small swatch. In this case, a machine knit sweater is much better!
This is a close up of the LL Bean sweater. It’s warm and cozy. Made of 50% wool, 40% nylon, and 10 % angora (rabbit’s hair).
Cute and fluffy Angora Rabbit. Photo from NuMei Fibers:
“There are 4 different angora rabbit breeds, namely, English, French, Satin and Giant. Angora wool harvested from these rabbits are lightweight, silky, fine, and very soft.
It is 7 times warmer than wool, and is ideal for baby clothes, winter underwear, sweaters and mittens. As only a small amount of wool can be harvested from these adorable creatures, angora is often combined with other fibers to minimize the high cost of this luxurious fiber.”- NuMei Fibers.
I would love to have my very own Angora rabbit…if just for collecting the fur.
LL Bean’s Popcorn-Stitch Sweater, Long Shawl-Collar Cardigan
Item:TK266212 $89.00 Save 25% Sale $65.99
Purple Iris in bloom in my little garden.
M’s mom sent us this photo from Canada. She said the snow is starting to melt and the sun is out.
And Clancy the poodle looks perfectly happy and cute. Especially with that spring scarf.
