Following the Nobel Awards...

Following the Nobel Awards.....

The Nobel Peace Prize is announced on Friday. I am waiting to hear the announcement for Literature - scheduled for later this month.

I have a special place in my heart for Norway. In 1974, as my junior college year abroad, I participated in a program called Scandinavian Seminar. For my year in Norway I attended Akadamiet i Rauland. It was a fantastic year of culture, food, wonderful people, and cross country skiing.

On to Chicago!

Following the Red Sox game by game has more ups and downs than a rollercoaster. On to the playoffs!

Leaf Peeping and Climate Change...

Has anyone noticed that the leaves aren't turning color so early anymore? The swamp maples used to start showing a bit of red late August / early September. Now it's early October and I can hardly find a leaf that's turned color anywhere. I looked for any "autumn" leaves Saturday during my bike ride and came up with the picture at the top of this entry. I really had to pay attention though - it's still a sea of green out there.

So...is it climate change? When I first moved to Maine, 30 years ago, I remember really cool, crisp autumns; I needed gloves and a jacket every morning. Now I'm still getting along nicely (warmly) with bare legs and flip flops. I'm not complaining though. I will gladly put off heating the house for as long as possible.

But really - wasn't Columbus Day weekend the big leaf-peeper travel weekend in years past?

Morning Coffee

I love coffee.

I love how it smells.

I love how it tastes.

There is nothing like a good cup of coffee to start the day. I love my French Press coffee maker by Bodum. The current press is a model called Brazil made of impact resistant plastic (replacing two glass pots that I have broken so far!) that I found on the net. It was on sale and, even with shipping, the cost was less than purchasing it here.

I like trying out different varieties of beans and try to locate Fair Trade coffees. My current is not. But, it is a really nice Brazillian Arabica that produces a smooth cup of coffee. I've heard that a couple cups a day is beneficial too:

Coffee is Healthier Than You Think

Sydney Morning Herald (subscription), Australia - Sep 25, 2005

"Coffee probably contributes many more healthy antioxidants to your diet than fruit and vegetables, according to US scientists.

They measured the antioxidant content of more than 100 different foods including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils and beverages.

The findings were then combined with data from the US Department of Agriculture on each item's contribution to the average American's diet.

Coffee was the biggest source of antioxidants per serving and level of consumption.

It was followed by black tea, bananas, dry beans and corn.

"Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source - nothing else comes close," said the head researcher Joe Vinson, of Scranton University in Pennsylvania.

Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee appeared to provide similar antioxidant levels."

Red Sox......2nd and 3rd chance

Ok, so the Yankees are the AL East Champs. There is still a lot of baseball to play. No matter what happens tomorrow the worst outcome is another day of baseball on Monday to decide the AL wildcard slot. And, if there is baseball on Monday, it will be aganst a team that I saw them defeat in June at Fenway. Go Red Sox!

Fresh Yogurt

Ever since I read "French Women Don't Get Fat" by Mireille Guiliano I have been making fresh yogurt weekly to add to my breakfast soy protein shake. Menopause paces back and forth in front of my door. At 53 I thought I would be well into transition. Nope! To have to worry as much about pregnancy now as I did at 23 is a real bummer.

But, Mireille was right - there is nothing like the taste of fresh yogurt. Its acidic bite and texture is far superior to commercial products. I make mine in a 1 quart Salton maker using the last half cup from the previous batch as a starter. After her book came out last winter, you couldn't find a yogurt maker anywhere. I finally was able to find one via the internet in June. Now it looks like supply has finally caught up with demand.

Another Red Sox Win...

I do have some nails left - desperately in need of a manicure. The Red Sox won the first of the final three games of the season against the Yankees. With two to go, could there be more suspense or excitement for a Red Sox fan?