Humor. Science. Baboons.

Earlier in the summer, I read A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons by Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD and have been wanting to extol it's very existence ever since.

In the Physiology class I took last semester, the professor opted to show a PBS/Nat Geo documentary on the day scheduled in the syllabus that we were to discuss stress and its effects on the systems of the body. Awesome, right? No lecture, no PowerPoint, no note-taking. It was awesome for those reasons and more. Stress: Portrait of a Killer was an engaging and straightforward introduction to some of the research that's been done, and is being done, on the stress response.

It's believed that most animals have this autonomic cascade of physiological events in place for instances of life or death - either trying to catch something to eat, or trying not to be the something that is to be eaten. It's a quick and efficient method to gear up all the systems that will help the organism succeed (cardiovascular, nervous, etc) and turn down/off the systems that are unnecessary (reproductive, digestive, etc). And this response is designed for a quick turnaround. Immediate on, immediate off. But humans, and it appears some other primates, have somehow coopted the stress response for less life-threatening occurrences - like peer pressure, societal hierarchies, and traffic jams - and are therefore experiencing these physiological changes for a greater amount of time. So why is this so? And what are the effects on our bodies, our systems, to this extended response? From the sampling of animal and human research they presented in the film - it's not looking good. There's evidence of increased risk for cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, immune suppression, memory loss, neuronal (i.e. - brain cells!) death, etc, etc, etc. Simply put by one of the researchers, Carol Shively, PhD, (I'm summarizing, I don't remember verbatim) Stress isn't some abstract concept - it's a critical health issue demanding attention.

Sapolsky and baboon. photo credit: John Heminway

I was so intrigued by the research presented in the documentary, specifically Sapolsky's methods, I borrowed his memoir from my professor. It turned out to be a hilarious and detailed account of his time in Kenya studying a baboon troop, intermixed with anecdotes about hard lessons learned, cultural differences, and interactions with other researchers, park rangers, government "officials", and new Kenyan friends. The book strikes a balance of humor and earnest, while being personal and scientific. Even the science is written about so accessibly that anyone and everyone would get something from it. If you're looking for an entertaining and informative read, I would absolutely suggest you pick this book up. Your body will thank you!

CSA Week 17

We're down to the last few weeks of our CSA. Last Wednesday we received:

seedless watermelon
athena cantaloupe
green slicer tomato
red slicer tomato
red carmen peppers
sweet corn

Matt made fried green tomatoes last Thursday - it was a delicious surprise to come home to. And the carmen peppers were sweet - excellent with baby bella mushrooms, onions, and garlic on a homemade white pizza.

CSA Week 16

Mostly for the Moms...

fresh salsa kit
yellow squash
slicer tomatoes
snap beans
red grape tomatoes
crowder peas

*For the record: We are currently hunting for a delicious way to prepare butter (or lima) beans. Most recent attempt (steamed, then tossed with sauteed onions and simmered in a little milk) was not good enough to remove them from my "no thanks, I'll pass" food list, where they reside with ketchup, Oreos, and plain milk (as a beverage).

CSA Week 15

Finally, we remembered to grab a picture! This past week's box contained:

sweet pepper mix
red grape tomatoes
zephyr squash
butter beans
slicer tomatoes

homemade rosemary and olive oil bread.

I like cooking. Kinda. Sometimes. (Lucky for me, Matt enjoys it!) But I'm not one for following recipes. I tend to use them for inspiration and foundation - then see what else I can come up with. Additions, omissions, substitutions. I think I like the risk - will this be any good? (And once again, lucky for me, Matt's curious enough to go along with it!)

I do not usually enjoy baking. I rebel against measuring cups and spoons. The accuracy requirement intimidates me. While in many other areas of life, I am on board with following directions and executing procedures and protocols as indicated, this is not one of them. I have a few items I am able to produce with a mild amount of consistency: congo bars (shoebox brownies), fresh apple cake, shortbread, banana nut muffins, lemon poppy seed cake, and a few varieties of cookies. I am drawn to recipes with short ingredient lists and concise instructions.

However, recently, I have ventured into a new arena. And so far, it's been delicious.

We're complete suckers for crusty loaves of bread with chewy, soft insides. Toast with breakfast, alongside a bowl of homemade soup, paired with cheeses, grilled panini sandwiches - I could go on and on. And we have a beautiful rosemary bush that smells so good when you walk by, you'll find yourself salivating. And now, thanks to the interwebs, we have a recipe for an easy Rosemary and Olive Oil Loaf.

Each attempt has yielded slightly different products, and I'm still looking around online and in my beloved Joy of Cooking (a staple kitchen reference - thanks Mom!) for tricks and tips to work on the texture and finish of the loaves. So while they aren't yet close to artisan, they are pleasantly idiosyncratic. And yummy.

Before:

After:

Eat.

CSA update

One of these days, we'll remember to take a picture before we eat it all!

Week 14
red grape tomatoes
sweet corn
blueberries
cantaloupe
slicer tomatoes
pink eye purple hull peas

This is mostly for our parents, but for anyone else who might be curious, here's what the last two months have brought us from Vollmer Farm.

Week 13
blueberries
sweet corns
slicer tomatoes
leeks
yukon gold potatoes

Week 12
blackberries
blueberries
sweet corn
collard green sprouts
beets
turnips
walla walla onions

Week 11
sweet corn
snap beans
strawberries
zephyr squash
ishikura green onions
lettuce

Week 10
burgundy beans
purple top turnips
new potatoes
moneta beets
mixed greens
early jersey cabbage
strawberries

Week 9
cauliflower
leeks
zephyr squash
snap peas
strawberries
baby lettuce

Week 8
strawberries
cauliflower
slicer cucumbers
new potatoes
green onions
tomatoes

Week 7
bi-color squash
moneta red beet
zucchini
lettuce
cauliflower
strawberries

Week 6
baby specialty lettuce
strawberries
broccoli
early jersey cabbage
zucchini
green onions
sweet potatoes

Week 5
baby specialty lettuce
strawberries
baby turnip greens
green onions
broccoli
tomatoes

not so happily ever after.

Via How About Orange - A photo project that explores alternative endings for some famous tales.

A wedding anniversary and some flying pigs.

On May 3, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary by running in the Cincinnati Flying Pig Half Marathon. Yup, that's right. A group of 6 of us piled into a rented minivan and ventured to Ohio for a ridiculously fun weekend of roller coasters, skyline chili, and running. On the morning of May 3, at way too early an hour of the day (or as my family likes to call it "before the butt crack of dawn"), we lined up with thousands of other people to run 13.1 miles. But no one looked quite like us.

They don't give those medals to just anyone, you know.
(Just everyone who runs the race)

"today is our 1 year wedding anniversary! what are we doing running with you people?!"