Armstrong Industry Journal

Sunday Supper

I am glad to be back to regular posting now that many of the life and technology challenges have been resolved.  I feel that I can get the routine going for me family and business even though it is the Holiday time.  My Sunday food planning is an important part.  The struggles with the financial world and cost of food can be tricky when trying to have healthy low cost meals. 

I have read in the past about the Slow Food movement and when we are living along those same principles our family is much more happy and healthy.  We grew a small plot of vegetable this past summer and learned a lot about the process(I grew up on a small farm) but I wanted the boys to have a chance to learn for themselves.  This was a good start for future cooking and eating habits. 

I have been struggling with some health issues and I know that a change in my diet is the main way to get my body back to normal. This week has been planned and I look forward to seeing the results in money saving and improved health in the near future.  It is so rewarding for my sons to learn make their own meals and enjoy the tastes of simple food.  We don't want to go to many restaurants any more and the extra money is always a benefit to the boys. 

For today it is vegetable soup. 

Recipe: Saute, Chopped-1 onion, 2 celery stalks, 3-4 potatoes, and 3 carrots in olive oil.

Photos by J

 Add salt, pepper, herbs/spices(use your favorites ex.Basil, oregano for Italian flavor, Chili powder, cumin, paprika for Spanish/Mexican flavor) saute a little longer for flavors to blend, you can add some water if the vegetable start to stick.

Add 6oz. tomato sauce store bought or homemade. Add 4 cups of water or stock, cook for 15-20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chopped seasonal greens (collard, mustard, kale) Add 1/4 cup each frozen peas and corn. Add 1 can kidney beans. Cook for 20-30 more minutes Serve with a nice grainy bread.

This is what I call casual country cooking style, you can use any seasonal vegetables to add-raw fresh first and canned later since they need less cooking. Herbs and spices are adjusted taste. This is a great way to use up extra vegetables and add them to any meal, we always have leftovers as a side dish for another day. It is vegetarian, but also has added protein with the beans.

Creative Business

So many things go along with being an independent business owner.  The outside work of promoting, networking, and trying to work to support your community.  I never seem to be able to say no.  I feel the need to help people, so when they ask me to do something I will do whatever I can.  Last week the local Sisters Cities group had their fund-raiser to send the students to their conference on Conflict Resolutions in Ireland next summer.  They sell wrapping paper and have a Holiday Ideas night.  I did creative wrapping demos (it takes a long time to wrap 20 gifts and try to make each on look unique) and a art table scape for display.  Many local business set offered their table set up at the event held at the Suffolk Museum.

                                                                                

Scale of Art

Recently I did some art for an invitational "small" (nothing larger than 6 inches)show at the Charles Taylor Arts Center.  It was a little tricky.  Working in fiber and fabric I usually create clothing or home accessories and they need to be on a larger scale.  It is best, especially with sewing machines, to make things larger than you need then cut away excess.  That does leave you with some interesting tidbits of scraps for future projects. 

On the other end of the scale, my current show going up at the Red Thread is a collection of work from two mural paintersGlenn Bangley and Erick Murray. Their work is much larger in scale than any show we have presented and offers some nice insight for me in my own work. I have always wanted to do some large pieces, thoughts to ponder.  

              
                 "Treasure" by Erick Murray

Hope for the Future

"Every generation needs a new revolution." Thomas Jefferson