Food for thought...

This recipe was inspired by something Martha Stewart posted just before Easter.  I love avocados and try to add the occasional egg to my diet, so Martha’s recipe caught my eye.  You should know I’m lazy;  to be clear, I’m actually very lazy — especially when it comes to cooking. My house however, is filled with post Easter hard-boiled eggs and I got hungry.  

Here’s what I came up with.  It takes me about 30 minutes to whip up — it will only take you about 10 minutes to make.  I’m appallingly slow in the kitchen.

Why it’s healthy (aka Ingredients):

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped 

1 avocado, chopped

2 thin slices of onion, chopped

1 slice of feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 lime

drizzle of olive oil (don’t be stingy)

cumin

turmeric

chili powder

2 pita breads

Directions:  Rub a little olive oil on the pita breads and slice them into 1/8ths.  Pop them into the oven to toast if you like a little added crunch.  Combine the chopped and crumbled ingredients in a bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, the juice of 1/2 lime.  Add hearty shakes of the spices.  Mix well.  That’s it.  Gently combining the oil, lime and feta creates a creamy “dressing” without the mayo.  Serves 2 hearty eaters or 4 dainty types.  

Stop here if you care only about taste and not so much about nutrition or health.

Healthy Facts (based on a super quick internet search):

I loathe mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, homemade or otherwise -- it’s a taste thing for me, but I also love eating fresh and healthy, which lets me feel virtuous and indulge in my love of chocolate more often.  One little tablespoon of mayo adds up to approximately 94 calories; 10 grams of fat, no protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium, so it’s high in calories without much in the way of nutrition except for fat.

Eggs:  High in protein, contain all 9 essential amino acids, highly concentrated with vitamins and minerals and one of the best sources of choline (good for the brain) you can get.  Rich in  two antioxidants Lutein (eyes) and Zeaxanthine (whatever that is).

Avocado:  Excellent source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C, K, folate, and B6. Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams saturated fat. Contains more than one-third the daily value of vitamin C, and more than half the day’s requirements of vitamin K.

Onion:  A powerful antibiotic, onions exceed Red Wine in heart-protective properties by lowering cholesterol, inhibiting hardening of the arteries, adding elasticity of blood vessels and helping maintain healthy blood pressure.  Regulates blood sugar and racks up hundreds of scientific citations on anti-cancer properties.  Who knew?!

Olive Oil:  A monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), considered a healthy dietary fat — as long as you’re replacing saturated and trans fats and not adding to them.  MUFA’s may help lower your risk of heart disease.  They have been found to lower your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.  May also help normalize blood clotting, regulate insulin levels and aid blood sugar control.  (so says the Mayo Clinic)

Turmeric:  Anti-inflammatory - pretty color too.

Cumin:  Aids proper digestion and nutrient absorption. Cumin is also a source of iron, making it a good metabolic support for efficient energy production and robust immunity.

Chili Powder:  Boosts metabolism and immune system.  Inhibits inflammation. (I use Santa Fe Seasoning’s chili powders - they taste amazing)

Feta Cheese:  Lower in fat and calories than most cheeses, but so yummy.

Tasty + healthy.  Let me know how you like it!

E. England

www.ninedragons.etsy.com

A Fresh Idea For Mother’s Day!

Send flowers.  Not so fresh you’re thinking?  Ah, but these flowers are crisp, romantic photographic images printed on luxurious, museum-quality watercolor paper using archival inks for a noticeable layer of texture and rich, long lasting color.  You can almost smell them.  Here’s a peek at a few flowers available in my shop that will last a lifetime.

Lilacs in a Ball jar.

White Dogwood in bloom.

Lilacs in the city.

White with the freshest green.

Simple beauty.  The daisy.

Green Man w/wisteria.

Pink Italian geraniums.

Fresh White with Hot Pink.

Mom’s not into flowers so much?  No problem, stop into my shop — I’ve got an unusual selection of Travel, Nature, Urban, Abstract and Nautical Photography to choose from.  Standard and custom sizes are always available.  www.ninedragons.etsy.com

Happy shopping & all the best,

Elizabeth England

Nine Dragons Photography

Hearts

Happy Valentine's Day.  Today seems like the perfect day to confess that I love hearts.  I'm a glass-half-full kind of girl and I see the world as an astoundingly lovely place...which may be why I seem to find hearts just about everywhere.   Here is a photographic series of hearts I've "collected" and find very dear.  It's amazing where you see them once you start to look.  Each one is available in my Etsy shop: www.ninedragons.etsy.com  Or simply enjoy them here!

City Heart

Crusted Heart I

Marathon Heart

Sandstone Heart II 

Stone Heart

Urban Heart

Blue Valentine

Blowing little kisses your way, I wish you hearts filled with loving kindness, passion and joy.  All the best, E. England

Strange Attractions...

Some things are little mysteries.  Like my somewhat strange attraction to the carved wooden figures of Native Americans that can be found outside of cigar stores or in high end antique shops.  They have an interesting history.  Tobacco was introduced to remarkably ungrateful early visitors to Virginia by Native Americans and as the fondness -- or craving -- for tobacco took hold, the two became entwined.  In England, small counter-top sized wooden carvings of Indians appeared in the early to mid 1700’s.  Life-sized “Cigar store indians” have been around in the U.S. since the early 1800’s.  Some are elegantly carved, others are more crude, but at a time when many were illiterate they clearly marked a shop as one carrying tobacco products.  

Like the large carved wooden signs depicting eyeglasses, the ubiquitous red and white striped barber shop pole and the over-sized key of the locksmith, these hand carved and brightly painted figures were effective advertising.  They were also, for the most part, inaccurate, as many of the craftsmen had never seen a Native American during careers working in shipyards carving fantastical mastheads of buxom babes for wooden sailing ships.  As steamships made their debut in the 1800's, craftsmen turned their skills to advertising and imagination.

To some, they are understandably controversial figures, but they evoke a tenderness in me I don’t really understand.  I see so much in their weathered and worn, aged-by-time faces, in their costume and in their stance — each one looks as though it wants to tell me a story. Here’s a small collection of some I’ve noticed and photographed.  What do you see in them?

Jackson Hole, WY

Jackson Hole, WY

NYC

Washington, DC

Philadelphia, PA


Lots of interesting things catch my eye.  Come visit my shop
www.ninedragons.etsy.com
Or follow me here:
 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ninedragonsphotography
 Twitter https://twitter.com/ninedragons9


Thanks for stopping by.  E. England

Reflections of 2013

Wanderlust should have been my middle name.  I love to travel, whether out in nature hiking on my own two feet, carrying everything sufficient for three or four days or in cities large and small.  Because the cities require little planning and there is far less to carry, I explore them often.  Looking back at a collection of thousands of images taken over the year, I have become aware that I am attracted to shop windows.  I love the challenge of the reflective quality, each image becomes as much about what is or isn’t captured in reflection as what is on display in the window.  Here are some of my favorites.

Ames, IA

San Francisco, Mission District

New York, NY 

New York, NY

Philadelphia, PA

Kansas City Plaza

New York, NY

Philadelphia, PA

Washington, DC

Des Moines, IA

Princeton, NJ

I look forward to sharing my reflections of 2014 with you.  Come find and follow me here:

www.ninedragons.etsy.com

www.facebook.com/ninedragonsphotography

www.twitter.com/ninedragons9

Happy New Year: Do You Recognize These Antique Ornaments?

Our first big snow storm of the year hit on trash and recycling night this week and the City of Philadelphia (which is not known for it’s multi-talking skills) has thoughtfully given us a week-long reprieve for taking down the Christmas tree and provided me with some time to tell you a little story.

My husband and I had friends over for pre-dinner and post-dinner cocktails one night during the Holidays.  Mid-way through the post-dinner cocktails, one charming pal squinted at the tree from across the room and wondered aloud about several ornaments.  He wondered because they looked…well, vaguely familiar — in fact — oh my goodness, didn’t his very own family have the same ornaments, long-forgotten in someone’s attic?

Nothing unusual in that you may be thinking, there are millions of ornaments made every year.  What is she going on about?  But each of these ornaments was handmade by myself or one of my immediate family members.  There are nineteen of them (ornaments, not family members) and they hung from our family tree for many, many years.

In the early 70’s, for several years in a row, my mom had the idea to whip up a batch of plaster, pour it into plastic molds and, once dried, pop out a variety of ornaments for the four of us to paint while gathered around the dinner table in the evenings.  There is a trumpet blowing angel, a fish, a candle, a peacock, three wise men, a Santa, the head of a snowman, a Christmas tree, a wreath, a Christmas stocking that says Noel, a gingerbread man and two “ornament” shapes.  There used to be a funny little, sperm-shaped, baby Jesus, but I think he may have been over-looked one year and taken out to the curb with the tree after Christmas.  I’ve looked everywhere and he is not to be found.   It’s our very own mystery of the baby Jesus — I suppose we should have put a little tracking device on him like they do in public nativity scenes now because the baby Jesus is so often stolen.

The history behind these ornaments is not unlike a Davis Sedaris tale.  Such a wholesome, family-bonding project for the four of us, wouldn’t you think?  But my dad had always had one-too-many martinis and my mom was Martha Stewart before there was Martha Stewart - expecting nothing short of perfection in all things large and small.  My brother and I were sullen and resentful of the extended time around the table, cruelly separated from our friends.  I remember a year when my boyfriend sat in with us, but his artistic skills were deemed unacceptable by ‘Martha Stewart’ and he was not invited back.  

Nevertheless, as I pack each one away, I smile to remember a time spent together laughing, bickering, competing and decorating.  They are fragile bits of plaster, glitter and gold that represent our bonds of love and disfunction as well as a somewhat creative family gene pool.

In almost 30 years of Holiday gatherings, before last week, exactly no one had recognized or remembered these ornaments.  I had come to believe my tiny family, alone in the universe, had thought to decorate small plaster ornaments for Christmas.  Now it appears there were others.  Do you recognize them?  If you’re old enough, perhaps you and your own family decorated little ornaments just like these?  The thought of a larger community of us — each with their own sacred, crazy-family tales to tell  — thoroughly warms my heart.

Happy New Year,  

E. England

www.etsy.com/shop/ninedragons

Not Another Tie...Not Another Pair of Earrings

It’s not that I have anything against ties and earrings…I’m a big fan of both.  I’ve been known to dip into my collection of vintage men’s ties and channel some Diane Keaton as Annie Hall style.  Geez, it’s only the first paragraph and I’m already wandering off track.  Back to my point, which is creative gift ideas:

The last of the leftover turkey is nearly gone and my thoughts have turned toward Christmas and gift giving.  My solemn vow this year?  I will not give another tie…nor another pair of earrings.  This year, I will stretch my imagination and vow to keep it fresh.  This year I’m dipping into my very own Etsy shop for a little inspiration. 

You know I’m a photographer, right?  With a shop on Etsy — here’s the link www.etsy.com/shop/ninedragons.  Last week as I explained to a potential customer why photography makes lovely, unexpected gifts, it occurred to me that I should really be taking my own advice and I’ve added a handful of my images to the pile of gifts for several people on my list.

If you’re not familiar with Etsy, it’s a global marketplace with Sellers both large and small offering vintage, hand-crafted and unique items for sale.  Perfect for unique gift-giving and definitely my kind of place.  I’ve purchased fantastic items from Greece, Italy, Canada, Japan as well as from shops right here within the United States.   

So now for those gift ideas…

My mom is a writer of notes.  Birthday notes, how-are-you notes, thank you notes, condolence notes and here’s-something-that-made-me-think-of-you notes.  She doesn’t want anything, she’s at that stage of her life where she’s getting rid of all of her stuff.  So this year I’m giving her gift certificates for her favorite restaurant and notecards since she’s always running out.  I had a batch specially printed for her using images I took the last time I visited, which I know she’ll love.  I’ve just listed a series notecards in my shop that include images from Italy, Chicago, Philadelphia and some Urban Graffiti shots.  They’re packaged up really pretty too and ready to gift.

My brother and I are polar opposites and I never know what to get him.  Ever.  He’s got a big heart and is very sentimental and as his big sister I can say that I find his decor sadly lacking, so this year he’s getting - framed up and everything, mind you - a large photograph of a vintage Mobil Oil pegasus sign.  I found it in a coffee shop out in California, but they wouldn’t sell it to me, so this is the next best thing.  Our dad worked at Mobil Oil all of his life and we miss him every day.  Perfect.  Masculine, colorful, and a personal connection to the image.

Spoiler Alert for my husband:  Don’t read this if you want to be surprised when you open one of your presents this year.  I may be biased of course, but my husband has very good taste in art — we collect it together when we travel.  So, when he says he loves one of my images (wise man), I’m honored.  He’s asked me several times (a patient man as well) for one of my Abraham Lincoln images for his office and I’ve been something like the painter who never manages to get his own home painted…so this year, Mr. Lincoln it is.  

We really loved the movie with Daniel Day Lewis that came out earlier this year too.  So.  Perfect. 

Here’s my A. Lincoln and the companion American Eagle image — I like them together — maybe he’ll get both.

My friends and pals read my blog…so that’s all I’m saying for now.  Stop by my shop and wander around — think outside the box — be original, be creative.  It’s so much fun!  Easy too, since you can opt for gift wrapping for a nominal charge and make your Holidays that much easier.  Enjoy your December…it only comes once each year.  

All my very best wishes to you,

E. England

www.etsy.com/shop/ninedragons