Screen Free Saturday

In Judism the Sabbath (from sunset fri to a little after sunset sat) is a time of rest. There are many prohibitions on what you can not do on Shabbat. (water plants, carry things in public, ride a car, turn on and off lights, etc.) I do not follow the rules of Shabbat, but I do try to get into the spirit of it. I do this by not using my computer on Saturdays.

Instead I try to spend as much of the day as possible outside. When you are not tied down to your computer or smart phone you suddenly find you have more time to yourself. Time to read a book, write a letter (not an e-mail) to your friend. Time to go to that park on the other side of town you wanted to check out. Time to hang out with the friend you haven't seen in a while because you have been so busy. Instead of trying to document every moment for facebook or twitter, you get to fully live in the moment.

This past Saturday I got to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen since before the summer. I got to go to the Philly Aids Thrift street fair and find some awesome clothes. Then I headed to Peal Street arts block party. It was an area I hadn't really been to before, so it was fun exploring. I also got to sit in the park and finish the book I had been reading.

My challenge to you is next Saturday do not turn on your computer. Don't tweet or post to your wall. Go out and explore, read, create, do and have fun.

Let me know what adventure you have

Moon Fill Me Up

We don't consider how much the light bulb has changed our lives.

I spent this past summer living in a tent in the woods of NW Connecticut. Out of the city I quickly connected to our natural light cycle. The first thing to notice out of the city his how many stars there really are in the sky. The country sky seems endless in stars. (during the meteor shower we spent hours on a blanket in the field)

Every night I would head to my tent with out a light. (I left my light in my tent so I wouldn't loose it) On days that the moon was close to full kit took a minute for my eyes to adjust than I could easily find my way, On nights close to the new moon I would end having to use my sense of touch rather than sight to find my way. We would wake up around sunrise and go to bed soon after sunset. It was amazing to see the daylight get longer than shorter.

The first few nights back in Philly I had trouble sleeping. At night my room was filled with light from the street outside. I also found myself staying up later than I intended to. It is easy to loose track of time when able to flick a switch and create light.

This past week I have been sleeping outside in the Sukkah (a roofless temporary hut) for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. I would head over shortly after sunset and read by the dim light of my head lamp. I would fall asleep much earlier than back in my room where I would get distracted by my computer or housemates. One of the first nights out in the Sukkah, I woke in the middle of the night startled that there someone was shinning a light in my face. It was the full moon, shinning down on me. Reminding me that even in the city the moon is still there.

The Jewish calendar connects us to the natural light cycles. On the new moon we welcome a new month. Sukkot and Passover fall on the full moon. Holidays start at sunset and end with the sight of three stars in the sky. We are all one people united by stars, sun and moon

Challah Back

This is my recipe for Challah. It is an adaptation of a recipe used by Challah for Hunger. Check them out they are a great organization. 

makes 2 big sized loaves 

6-8 c whole wheat bread flour

2 c water

1/2 c Turbinado sugar

1/4 c agave nectar or maple syrup 

1/2 c oil (not olive)

1/2 tbs salt

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 tsp white sugar 

1/4 cup warm water (tip mix 1/8 c boiling water with 1/8 c cold tap) 

in medium sized bowl 

dissolve 1/4 tsp sugar into 1/4 c warm water

add packet of yeast 

let sit for 5 min

in large bowl mix sugar, agave nectar(or maple syrup), oil, water, and salt until everything is dissolved

add 3 c flour and mix until soupy

add yeast mixture

mix until yeast mixture is evenly blended in

add remaining flour slowly until a dough forms. It should reach a point when if you press the dough with clean fingers (no dough already on hands) it does not stick to your hands 

let dough rest for 10 min (a good time to put away ingredients)

then knead dough for about 5 min 

wash out bowl then oil it 

place dough back in bowl turning it, so it get covered in oil. Place cloth over bowl and place in warm draft free space for at least an hour. (I put it in the oven) 

clean the rest of the mess you made making the dough

after an hour punch dough down 

braid into 2 loaves and place on baking sheet cover with cloth and let rise for 30 min 

 bake at 350 till golden brown 

30-45 min (depends on size of loaves)