Pumpkin Bliss

I'll admit, since graduating from college I've felt like your typical 20 something year old trying to go head on with the world and tackle its problems one by one. I really do pity action heroes; the need to save the world is a tough feeling. So most days I try and take joy in the simple things in my life that are making it so happy and meaningful; drinking coffee with Ben in the morning before we go off to work, waking up to a snoring puppy with his feet stretched in the air, the love pouring through from my family in things as simple as facebook posts or phone calls.

And lately, my own personal redemption against the chaos of the world; cooking. I've always loved it, but through college didn't get much time or have enough energy for it in such a get up and run out the door lifestyle. Since graduating I've learned to slow down and really immerse myself in the present moment in everything I do, especially cooking.

So yesterday, instead of tackling the world's problems, I tackled pumpkin butter :)

I bought three small pumpkins from the farmers market, and was excited to put them to use. I searched for recipes all over, until I came across this simple crock pot pumpkin butter recipe. Then I got to work. I’ve never done anything with a pumpkin before besides carve it (who knew it was edible?!).

The recipe calls for about two of these smaller pumpkins. I chopped them in half to get the seeds out, and then I peeled the skins off with a knife and cut the meat of the pumpkin into smaller inch long pieces. 

Then I dumped these into a crock pot, and added about a cup of sugar, ½ a cup of brown sugar, and a handful of cinnamon with a few pinches of nutmeg and allspice. I also added about a ½ cup of milk. 

Turn the crockpot on low, and cook for 8 hours. An hour into it I decided to help the process by blending the chunks together so it looked more pureed.

After this your work is done and the crockpot takes over cooking it while simultaneously filling your house with amazing autumn aromas. I made some fresh bread that was finished baking just as the pumpkin butter was ready to taste. A spread of the freshly cooked butter over a piece of homemade bread tasted like a perfect fall day melting in your mouth.  It turned out great and I look forward to making more of it maybe for Christmas gifts!

But of course, the pumpkin possibilities didn’t end there. I had saved the seeds, rinsed and dried them. 

But instead of salting and roasting them as usual, I incorporated them into my homemade granola. The result: pumpkin bliss.

Here is my granola recipe (Of course I change it everytime, so feel free to do with it what you want with whatever you have around)

About 3 cups of plain oats

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup of honey

3 tbsp of melted butter

1 cup of crushed walnuts

1 cup of sliced almonds

1 cup of pumpkin seeds

Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or any other spice you can think of to taste.

Mix all together and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes at 250degrees, stirring every 15 minutes.

The smell alone of this baking in your oven will make your mouth water. Plus, homemade granola is a lot cheaper, tastier and fresher than store bought, so why not make it yourself!

Moral of the story: Cook a lot, eat well, and relish the sweet, simple things in life :)

The Heart's Storm

The storm is brewing. I feel the cool breeze on my neck, the rustle of the leaves and my hair whipping against my face. This storm has been shaping for a couple of hours already, but the one in my heart has been quietly brewing for a long time, thundering in the distance since my birth. Each year my shell has cracked a little more, my intellect has widened and the facade built around me has slowly started to crumble. Something is growing inside me, something I brought into this world with me, more dangerous than a weapon, more powerful than an army.

Through childhood it brought me to curiosity, dared me to ask questions, and drew me outside more often than I can remember. Through adolescence it brought me confusion, alienation from my peers, a feeling of guilt heavy as a quarry, a burden too big for a girl's shoulders to bear. It began to grow in me like a virus, but I didn’t want it to stop, I only wanted to understand it.

Through college it began to unravel before me the more I studied. I learned of the consequences disguised as triumphs of our civilization that we as a human race have brought onto this world. The guilt was replaced with anger, the burden with hatred. The more I learned the more questions swam in my head. Why must we control all “resources”, manage all species, decide what to exploit and what to protect? For a people so entranced by religious deities all over the world, were we not putting ourselves into a god-like position? The earth is literally falling apart at the seams, but we put our blinders of ignorance and greed on, and we march swiftly and strongly forward towards the cliff which we are bound to fall off in the name of progress.

 Air pollution, water pollution, fisheries depletion, deforestation, rising water levels, massive amounts of extinction, exploitation and depletion of natural resources in a couple of centuries when most took millions of years to produce. We must be blind, deaf and dumb to keep all these realities out of our pretty little façade we’ve built up around us, filling our heads with sorting our recyclables, maintaining wildlife refuges and donating some money to “save our oceans” every year, thinking that these things will make the destruction go away, all the while we are being swept away with the current of the river that our society has created and are going to end up cascading off into a 1,000 foot fall.

Part of the thing growing inside me since birth is not answers but questions. How did things get to be this way? Were humans created with inherent flaw and desire to destroy the world? Where did we go wrong? And the other part of what has been bursting at the seams inside my mind is not an idea, but a memory. A memory that I did not experience directly, but my ancestors experienced and lived over 500 generations ago. 

This memory is of humans living within the community of life, not apart from it. Humans just like you and I, taking what they needed, leaving what they didn’t. Humans that didn’t have a need to kill off all their competition or wage war based on the beliefs of different religious deities. These humans lived in close family groups, and had no need to slave away at an 8-5 job that they hated only to pay off their bills, for wealth was not coveted, prized and possessed or unequally hoarded. There was no need to create religious deities and doctrines all over the world in order to be told how to live, because these humans knew how to live in a way that had worked for over 200,000 years. Today’s way of living has been around a mere 10,000 years, which is a blink of an eye for such a massive destruction of the earth to take place.

My ancestors knew the key to life that allowed them to live peacefully in the world. They lived as one of earth’s species, all woven together side by side like the beautiful tapestry that is life. They did not try to make order, control and dominate every aspect of the earth. They knew what we have ignorantly forgotten; the earth was not made for us, we were made for the earth.

Yet here we are today, trying to take control over every process and species that takes place on earth, and if nature doesn’t listen to us (which inevitable does and will happen) we will try to tighten the reigns and dominate even more. We are essentially at war with our world, yet what we don’t realize is if the world loses the battle, what have we really won?

There are still people all over living peacefully on this earth like my ancestors once did, yet our culture points and laughs and teaches us to find them barbaric and primitive. They are living the way our ancestors successfully lived for 200,000 years, yet we are taught to see them as failures, missing out on the joys of a proper human existence, complete with air conditioning, French manicured nails and funnel cakes. And after exterminating, enslaving and confining to prisons disguised as reservations most of these people, we are bound and determined to wipe the last of them out, because their homes are worth millions as exploited resources and they stand in the way of progress.

Yet I’m sure everyone has had that brief awakening from the amnesia we have suffered from our “civilized” lifestyle and asked “Is there more to life than this?” The answer is yes, there is, and there has been for a very long time. As we plow through the jungles, trek across the deserts and sail the oceans to knock down the walls of these last living remnants of our successful and peaceful ancestors in order to flood our way of life over every corner of the earth to gain progress, ask yourselves, what are we really gaining, and more importantly, what will we be losing?

A Traveler's Lessons

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”-Miriam Beard

Planning an adventure is a thrilling process. Your mind is filled with faraway sights and naïve expectations of what is to come. Partaking in the adventure is even more exciting. The first step off of that plane onto a different continent sends chills of anticipation through your body. Then three weeks of amazing activities, sights, smells, food (most of the time), people and places zooms by and you find yourself home in your own bedroom staring at your pictures with a reminiscent smile. Is this all you have left, pictures, distant memories and maybe a few souvenirs? At first it may seem that this is what Africa has left you with, material objects and captured sights on photographs. But I have found that Africa and traveling in general is much more giving and wise than that. Through my experiences abroad, especially my last experience in Namibia, I have grown in ways that I’m not even aware of yet.

            Namibia was full of amazing wildlife. This is one of the main notions that peaked my interest about the trip. From the bush elephants of the north and the lions of the Skeleton Coast to the endemic black faced impalas, Namibia has a lot to offer to a young aspiring wildlife biologist. And in this sense I was not let down at all. I lost count after forty different species of mammals, birds and reptiles. One of the most moving sightings was a herd of about 30 elephants, (Of course I am slightly biased, since this is my favorite animal). As we turned the corner of the road in Etosha National Park, I spotted a huge bull elephant. We drove closer and realized that the bull had company, a lot of company. There we saw several bulls, cows and even calves. Some of the babies were definitely less than 6 months old. I sat in silence and watched in amazement as these pachyderms lumbered along, browsing tree tops with their resourceful trunks, or spraying themselves with mud and water to cool down in the African heat. One obnoxious elephant strutted right in front of us with a big branch in his mouth, and then as if showing off, decided he didn’t like the taste of it and tossed it over his back. We watched the babies play in the mud hole, the mothers keeping an ever watchful eye. I could have sat there for hours soaking up the beauty and serenity of these amazing creatures, but of course they had other places to go, and marched on.

            Namibia’s landscapes were breathtaking. For hours all we would see were shrub dessert type land you might find in Wyoming or Nevada. Then looming in the distance would be giant rocks, sometimes jet black, and always full of distinct layers, telling a story of billions of years of formation. The Skeleton Coast was an unforgettable site. After driving along the Atlantic coast, we reached the famous sand dunes of the ancient Namib Desert. We stopped for a while and I attempted to climb all the way up a somewhat vertical sand dune that was probably 80 feet high. The sand easily gave way under my feet, making it much more difficult than I anticipated. However after many attempts, I made it to the top. The reward was completely worth it. I sat there, the fresh ocean breeze lightly kissing my face, the warm ancient sand under my toes. I looked out across the coast and saw a sight that is one of a kind; it is the only place in the world that it occurs. The rolling sand dunes of the Namib Desert plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, creating a unique ecosystem and a beautiful scene.

            The wildlife and landscapes of Namibia were truly amazing and unforgettable. But surprisingly, this is not the high point of the trip for me. The people I met in Namibia have changed my views, broadened my horizons and touched my life forever. We had the great fortune to meet and even stay with all walks of life; from farmers, game ranchers, wildlife rescuers, to local tribes and traditional farms. The chance to spend time with each of these types of people is something I took advantage of to the fullest. I asked them questions and had conversations with them about anything and everything; From their native language, sustainability, wildlife conservation, value of carnivores, trophy hunting views, to everyday living and wildlife management. I learned that the people of Namibia and their views are as varied as the landscape and the wildlife. However I discovered one thing they all had in common not only with each other, but presumably with the rest of the world. They all were doing everything they could with what they had to try and eke out a living and provide a life for their families. Sometimes it was not much at all. In the slums of Katatura people found whatever they could to turn a lean-to shelter into their home, using scrap metal and old signs, rocks and wiring. On community conservancies in their traditional farms they used every bit of the cattle and goats as a resource, from consuming their milk, producing butter, using their leather and even using their dung in the construction of houses.

This ingenuity and resourcefulness is something I will never forget. Coming from a culture where we use up our credit cards trying to fill a void in our life with material items, I watched in amazement as the eighty something year old Herero grandmother taught us to make butter from fresh milk using simply a gourd and a stick. As she explained that this was a staple in their diet, she kindly gestured for me to have a seat by her on a pad made of goat skin. In this moment I saw her, matriarch of her family, her skin weathered by the dry Namibian air and sun. She had a glow about her, a sense of pride that can only come when satisfied or at least happy about her life and her family.

            Africa has given me more than photographs, souvenirs and mere memories. It has given me these moments I have described and more,  and the lessons I learned from each. It taught me the patience and tranquility you feel when observing nature’s wonders, the sense of place it puts you in of your own role on this earth, the respect that grows for every living thing around you, and the appreciation of what you and your family have, when most of the world survives and thrives with a tenth of that.

Like a wise professor, Africa did not shove these lessons in front of my face, but patiently taught me through experience to open my eyes to the beauty of the natural world, open my ears to listen to all walks of life and their views, and open my heart to the full experience, letting it change me forever. 

For a video slideshow of my trip, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psfL8ahQzjM

Otize and Cattle Dung

Eye balls and mopani worms

"guys, I have eye ball in my teeth and need some floss"
-Amber
What a day! So many new experience, almost a sensory overload. We had a tour of the slums of Windhoek, named Catatoura. The name means"place where we won't settle" conveying the blacks resistance towards moving during the apartheid. Our expert tour guide Ouapi showed us the diversity of the slum. It was amazing to see how different one area was from another, ranging from concrete brick houses top tin shacks. One thing that was the same thought was the tenacity and ingenuity of the people in ecking out a living.
To end our tour we went to a local resaurant and tried a variety of traditional foods including a "smiley" which is a whole head of a goat or cow, grilled or roasted then boiled, causing it to grin. In our case we were treated to a goat. I have to say the cheek meat was not bad, but Amber went to an extreme and decided to eat the eyeball. Katie was kind enough to extract the eye while reminding us of how similar it was to making a European mount. After some hesitation Amber made good on her promise and ate it. According to her it tasted like "chalk and butt" or something along those lines. All in all it was an amazing day.
Love,
Ben

Otize and Cattle Dung

There is so much to tell and so little time! I can't wait to tell everyone in person about my favorite day in Africa so far, and that was on our friend Uapii's farm on a conservancy. He spent the day having us meet his traditional Herero family, grandmother mother and little sister. We got to learn the daily activities, and even take part in them!

 Us girls started off with a woman's duty of patching their hut houses. I was prepared to do whatever in order to immerse myself in their culture and really live the experience, but nothing prepared me for sticking my hands and fingers into a pile of warm fresh cattle  dung! But I did it with a smile anyways as I filled a bucket with the dung and carried on my head back to the hut. Then we mixed it with soil and water and formed balls. The balls were thrown onto the hut in places needing patched and then kneaded into the wall. The arid environment dries this mixture like concrete, making it a great insulator and a good foundation for their house. The old grandmother watched me work and said I was worthy of staying! She said I got the highest marks for how much I participated with a smile :)

Next the boys rounded up the donkeys and hooked them up with harnesses made of old tires to what we called the "Kalahari Ferrari" which was an old donkey cart! Then all of us got to ride and direct the donkeys. It was a blast!

After that we learned how to milk their cows. Uapii's mother strapped up her little 2 year old daughter on her back and we followed her into the cattle corral made of sticks. She leaned over and put the bucket between her legs and started milking like a pro. We each got to try it out, and pretty soon had a bucket full of milk.







Then we went up to the house and sat on cow hides as we poured the milk into a big gourd hanging by a rope tied on sticks and began to rock the gourd back and forth to make butter. She said she does this every day for an hour. The grandmother later showed us how she strains the butter and cooks it for a better taste.






The last thing we did was go into one of their huts and they showed us how they apply otize, which is a mix of butter and red ochre, to make a red paste that is applied to the skin. This paste acts as a sunscreen, and is also great for your skin. I was the only one who volunteered to put it on, and I put it all over my face and arms. I can still remember the grandmother laughing and laughing, she'd never seen a white girl with this on! Speaking quickly in Herero, she told me I looked so beautiful, and that she wanted me to marry her grandson Uapii. Uapii laughed and Ben told him "She's your for 15 cattle." Uapii said "Deal!" ha ha.

Later that day we visited another tribe the Himba. They greeted us with a traditional lion hunting dance, and after awhile I even joined in the dance. They all laughed and loved it! The kids were so cute. The Himba wear little clothing and are covered in the red otize. Their hair has red clay and otize in it, and it looks like painted dread locks. They are beautiful people and I'm so glad I got to meet them.

That night we camped by the river and parked our truck right over some elephant dung! We played in the river and I searched for tracks, then we roasted a whole goat from Uapii's farm. Pretty soon there were Himba men and Herero woman coming from all over throughout the forest to join in the feast. I spent the night practicing the little language I knew "Movango" means "want some?" as I passed around food. "Koda" is a greeting like "Hello how are you" and "Nowya" is the response meaning good. Even though we were all languages apart, we spent the evening enjoying good food and laughing and telling stories to one another as Uapii acted as the interpreter. The stars overhead so thick there were star shadows, the fire burning before us, and about 25 people from all different races and tribes sat together and enjoyed each other's company all night.

There is so much more to tell, and I'm sorry I don't have pictures. But this was by far one of the best days not only on the trip, but of my life. I learned so much, experienced so much, and put myself out there 100% to walk in the shoes of people across the world from me on so many levels.

Cape fur seals and Sand dunes

A couple nights ago we had or first camping experience. As the sun was setting over the savanna we found out spot against a rock outcropping. We grilled bush toasties (kal you would love them! They're like grilled cheese!) And lamb. The tents are on top of the truck so you don't have to worry about snakes and predators. The next morning we headed to Swakopmund. This is a city on the coast.
Yesterday we had a boat tour of the harbor. We saw dolphins, jelly fish, pelicans, and cape fur seals. Three different seals actually came on our boat! We got to pet them and feel their slick fur and powerful slippers. Its unreal how big they get!
Next was the dune tour. The dunes of the Namib Desert come right up to the ocean, the only place on the world this occurs. We took a land rover over the 100feet dunes so fast it was like a roller coaster! Then I looked to my right and there was an ostrich running over the dunes! It was incredible. We found a lot of lizards and chameleons when we stopped to have lunch. They served us fresh oysters and fish right on the middle of the desert. It was fantastic.
Later that night Ben, Katie and I attempted to cook mexican for everyone, but we had to make the tortillas because there of nothing like that here. It was a success! We called it african mexican because it wasn't exactly the right spices and had an african kick to it.
We are having a blast everyone! I love and miss you all but rest easy (especially you momma) that I'm having the time of my life! This might be the last post for awhile. We will be visiting the Himbas for a few days, and then make our way to Etosha.

Weaver Birds and Klipsringers

We have been off the grid for the last couple of days. So there is a lot to tell! I have been enjoying the peace of being out of the city and into the country. We were at a ranch called Namtib, settled into the beautiful Tierras mountains. We did counts and surveys on the giant weaver bird nests, pictures to come. In the morning I hiked a mountain at 530am and got to see the sun rise over the tips of the mountains. You could see each minute the warm rays lit up the valley below, catching it on fire with golden color. It was breathtaking. In the distance you could see see the smoldering orange dunes lit up by the morning sun. On our way back down we saw three klipspringer hop along the mountain. I don't have a picture so you'll have to google them :) We've seen so many oryx ostrich and springbok. Last night we camped and the stars were amazing. I am so happy! Today at Swakopmund on the dock over the Atlantic I saw dolphins! My friends made fun of me because I was so excited I did a dolphin dance :)

More to come later!! Love and miss you all!

Amber

Cats!

Today we went to Anamani Cat Reserve. We got to see leopards, cheetahs, and lions who have been rescued and rehabilitated to be back in the wild. When we first showed up we were greeted by two baby warthogs who affectionately nibbled on my fingers and squealed with delight as I scratched their ears. soon we jumped into a vehicle with sidebars and open top and headed towards the Khomas mountains to search for the big cats. Seeing them up close was amazing, and I was reminded of the raw power of these predatory cats. And when the lion roared as the sun went down, the deep bellow echoed through the mountains and awakened something in my soul. While driving back to the lodge I asked some of the Damara people to teach me some words. They were delighted to teach me several phrases that had the clicks in it! Now I'm practicing my clicks with whoever is listening ha ha. We ended the night at a famous game restaurant where I had zebra, ostrich, crocodile, and kudu. Great food and even better people! Here's a toast to our first day in Africa! With so much fun today, I can't believe there is over two weeks left! Love you all from Africa!
Amber