Ack!

Why does it seem that everything goes wrong all at the same time! Is there a cosmic rule that says it has to be that way?? Have I angered the gods?? Have I brought this misfortune on my self by my behavior?? What??

It's not fair! Why does the refrigerator have to leak, the car battery has to die (twice, I might add), and then the house keys go missing after I have locked myself out the door. I just want to go to bed and pull the covers over my head...or dash my head on the rocks. I'm afraid to find out what will happen next.Thank goodness all these things can be resolved, but it is just frustrating to have to deal with them. I had other plans for my day off!

Stress can come in all shapes and sizes; how we deal with it can determine our mental and physical health. Or just maybe our mental and physical health determines how we deal with stress. It is so important to keep yourself on an even keel; getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods and drinking enough water. Take care of yourself first and all else will fall in place.

And I'm lucky to have a good friend who didn't judge when I freaked out and couldn't find my keys. Friends can help reduce your stress by helping you work through your problems and by just being there when you need them. And those keys...you might just find them exactly where you put them...

Azul = Blue

Do you ever wake up with the blues? I'm talking about THE Blues. That is B.B. King, Eric Clapton, KoKo Taylor, Marion James, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Etta James. I could listen to the Allman Brothers, Delbert McClinton, Leon Russell, Bonnie Raitt and of course the late Stevie Ray Vaughan...all day long. "The Sky is Crying" by SRV is the best of the best.

I was first introduced to the singing of the blues by my brother, who was singing some song about some woman who had left him to go to some store to get some chicken. I was rolling in laughter since I thought he was making it up as he went along, but he said no, no, it was a real song..."The Chicken Leg Blues."

Now I love The Blues in all shapes and forms, from Robert Johnson on up the evolutionary tree. A good blues guitar can set you free. The Blues are in every one's life. The songs can be serious, or silly. The songs speak of truth and of emotion, of love and of loss. I can't add all the artists I love to this list, but the one thing I do know for sure, whether we want to or not; occasionally, we will all get The Blues.

I'm crazy. Are you crazy?

I know a lot of people who have some sort of mental health issue; the most common of which is depression. We all have pressures from life, work, family...or have experienced a loss. The loss of a friend, family member, or animal companion can cause an acute sense of sadness. Mourning is different for all of us, and it takes a different amount of time to bounce back to "normal." Some people are harder to read than others, so we can't always tell how well a person is doing. Just when life is looking up again, all it takes is a memory, smell, song on the radio...and the pain of loss can flair up like the loss happened just yesterday, instead of a year ago. However, as time goes by, we are usually able to become nostalgic instead of sad, and the memories become sweet instead of painful. Celebrating the life of a loved one, knowing they were loved and loved us back, can go a long way to heal. We can't control the circumstances surrounding a loss, but we can release the feelings we no longer want to feel, and keep the feelings we want to keep.

Depression is biological as well as mental. In some people, depression can be caused by a chemical imbalance. A clinical professional should be consulted if depression is overwhelming or will not go away. Check with your local American Medical Association (AMA) if thoughts of hurting yourself or others are present. Help is out there! Everything changes, nothing ever remains the same.

I'm crazy. Are you crazy?

People who have experienced depression or other mental health issues can often feel that they are different from the rest of the world; but they really don't realize that there are many who have had the same feelings of sadness, aloneness, or isolation. Sometimes a little crazy is nice. We crazies tend to examine ourselves a little deeper and usually feel compassion and empathy for our fellow man a little more than others. So if someone looks at me and asks "Are you crazy?" I simply answer "Yes, I am."

Grandmother's squash rolls

Summer always reminds me of the garden my Grandparents planted and the rows of vegetables we would walk through looking for the ones ready to pick. Yellow squash was always one of my favorites! I like it best cooked with onion, a little salt and a lot of black pepper. One way my Grandmother would use their bounty of yellow squash was to make "squash rolls" for dinner. This is an easy bread recipe and is really good with a simple meal plan of grilled BBQ ribs, dill potato salad, corn, asparagus, and a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad. The BBQ ribs, corn and asparagus can be cooked on the grill to give it that summertime flavor.

Squash Rolls:
Cook and then drain excess water from squash. Preheat oven to 450
degrees F. Combine 2 cups biscuit baking mix (such as Bisquick) to 2/3 cup cooked and mashed yellow summer squash. Gently smooth dough into a ball on floured surface, knead 4-5 times. Roll dough out with floured rolling-pin into a 12 inch circle. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter on dough. Divide dough into twelve wedges (cutting up like you would a pizza or pie) so that there are 12 triangles. Gently roll up each triangle, starting with the outside edge. Place rolls with pointed side underneath, about one inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Dill Potato Salad:
Boil one pound new potatoes (red-skinned are good) until done, then cool.In large bowl, mix together the following ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 chopped spring onion (both green and white parts)
salt and pepper to taste
Cut potatoes in quarters, leaving skin on, fold into mix and chill for at least one hour.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad:
Quick and easy: prepare right before serving.Summer tomatoes especially heirloom or beefsteak are best.Fresh mozzarella cheese can be found packaged in either the whey or wrapped. Fresh basil or oregano if possible, but dried will do.A good extra-virgin olive oil is essential.Raspberry vinegar is very good...it is a little sweeter, but Balsamic vinegar is also a good choice.Slice and layer tomatoes and mozzarella in a shallow dish, or in individual salad plates. Drizzle with olive oil and then the vinegar. Add basil or oregano, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.

Grilled Vegetables:
When the BBQ ribs are about done...cook the corn and asparagus on the grill.
Corn: Remove husk and silks from ears of fresh sweet corn. Cook ears of corn 4-5 minutes in boiling water, drain and butter. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder if desired. Place on grill to caramelize, turning frequently...about 5 minutes. A squeeze of lime also adds a lot of flavor.
Asparagus: Clean and trim fresh stalks. Coat with olive oil. Grill until tender and starting to turn brown, turning frequently to prevent charring...about 5 minutes. Brush with melted butter and salt to taste.

Serve with a good pale ale or a cool lemon-lime spritzer.

A simple dessert of fresh sliced peaches, sprinkled with pecans and topped with creme fraiche or vanilla yogurt will complete the meal.

Buying local produce will ensure freshness and support our nearby farms. I believe organically grown foods are better for us and will bring back the flavor we remember from an earlier time.

Intro to jana's azul garden

The "purpose" of this blog is to throw out some ideas and see if anyone can relate and respond in kind. I am interested in how stress effects us all and how we deal with it. This includes work stress, family stress, money worries, to name a few, and how all this makes our mind and body react.Saving money (and the planet!) by buying local and organic is important in my book. I intend to include some ideas for simple and easy meals along with recipes. Feel free to add any favorites of your own by blogging to this site.After all is said and done, "We Are What We Eat!"Also, I would like to address our mental health: how we deal with our own as well as our friends and families well being. Do you know anyone with depression, obsessive-compulsion, or bi-polar illnesses? I am not a professional and do not profess to have any particular knowledge of these; but as a lay person I hope to open a forum where people can express their opinions, give the benefit of their experiences, and hopefully help each other by being open and honest about how our brains and bodies work.If we are all "Running Against the Wind"... We might as well have friends to keep us company and help share the load.