After doing my affirmations yesterday, I learned that I want to harness the mind, let go of limitations, unlock my true potential and for that I need to let go of attachments to outcome.

My body is my temple, and though everything is in a state of flux, I honor my highest self by focusing on self-care.

By connecting to my highest self, I can identify my gifts and my purpose, seeking always to reach, speak, exude and be my own truth, my authentic self.

It’s easier to introduce a new, positive habit into my life and let a negative or unwanted practice to slowly fade out and eventually allowing the positive habit to replace it completely.  Like with foods, bringing in new, more vegetables/fruits and eating less fried or sugary foods.

When we adapt or accept, we don’t suffer, we thrive.

Sometimes don’t you just feel like you have been through the car wash?These are the precise moments where positive self-talk or affirmations can help by re-routing our negative programming into powerful new avenues into our brain wiring system. Words are potent and with intention and belief behind them, they are effective and impressive.  Breaking old (or new) negative patterns of thought are only a sentence away.

Stay quiet and still, then Say the words with meaning and as if it is already true, out loud.  Sound waves emit the accompanying energy into the Universe.  Louise Hay, a publisher (Hay House) and writer of spiritual and metaphysical books started repeating similar affirmations to heal her life after the age of 50.  She is in her late 80’s now and is a vegan, BTW.

I am light and love and I recognize I am a spiritual being.

My relationships strengthen and grow deeper, with ease.

I choose happiness.

I am grateful.

My potential is limitless.

I see with the eyes of compassion, forgiveness and kindness.

I acknowledge my own self-worth.

I nurture my talents and my ability to succeed is infinite.

I am blessed with wonderful energy and support from family and friends.

These 9 affirmations (nine is an auspicious number) are my gift to myself and to you, today.

From Loving Hut, an entirely vegan eatery, I tasted jackfruit for the first time.

I have in the past eaten their:

Lasagna baked with soy protein, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, tomato sauce, Daiya cheese and served with garlic bread and salad.

Guru Curry with tofu, potatoes, carrots, onion, coconut milk and served with brown or white rice.

Spicy Tangy Orange made with soy gluten nuggets, pineapple, bell pepper and onion tossed in orange sauce with rice.

Spring Rolls rolled in rice paper with soy sea nuggets, tofu, lettuce, mint and rice noodles with a peanut sauce.

Spaghetti with mushrooms, tomato sauce, soy protein, onion served with garlic bread.

BBQ Noodle with rice noodle, BBQ soy protein slices and two crispy rolls (tofu, carrot, taro, mushroom and vermicelli) served with fresh chopped herbs, bean sprouts, cucumber, lettuce, fried onions and peanuts accompanied by a chili sauce.

Kung Pao ‘chicken’.

All seven desserts (strawberry and Oreo “cheesecake” are my favorites) but my absolute go-to meal is the Jackfruit Salad.

With fresh herbs, soy ‘chicken’, fried onions, peanuts all tossed in a sweet lemon sauce and served with baked rice papers dotted with sesame seeds, it is a stand out winner and their least caloric choice to boot.

Jackfruit is an Asian tropical treat that is sweet tasting and meaty textured.  It is rich in minerals, fiber and vitamins without cholesterol or saturated fats.  You will be hearing more about this tree borne food as we lose corn and wheat crops due to climate change, according to the UN and the World Bank.

Remember Mad Max, the movie with Mel Gibson?  If we just ate and produced less meat, there would be less methane gas released.  Our industrialization of food in this country alone has contributed more to the global dilemma we are now facing than all the automobiles in the world.

Never mind the heightned awareness and compassion for animals you will experience as you release your need for dead flesh.

Vegan eats weekend in my neck of the woods.  Last night we drove over to Spectrum and I ate at Veggie Grill while Cindi had her Scooby Snacks and the love of my life had a mushroom, caramelized onion and Swiss cheese melt with a vegan corn chowder from Melt.

I started off with my all time favorite comfort food – Mashed potato and gravy (no picture – just devoured before I realized).  It is technically considered a side.

Cauli-Mashed Potatoes + Gravy 3.50 Fresh cauliflower blended with mashed potatoes, porcini mushroom gravy with fresh rosemary!

We sat in the shade on the lower level as there are two outdoor dining options in this in particular food court.  Spectrum has grown and is growing.  We got a great parking spot at 4:30pm on a Friday night and no big lines to eat but when we left people were clamoring for parking and the place was packed and way too crowded for us.

I ordered a new appetizer on the menu that I usually would steer away from because it was battered and fried.  I had to try it though and saved most of it for today’s lunch.  Loved the white and black sesame seeds and minced green onions.

Crispy Cauliflower 5.95 NEW! Sweet + spicy, orange-glazed florets, panko breading.After dinner we walked around window shopping and here and there we walked into a few stores.  By six or so, it got quite crowded and poor Cindi had a hard time maneuvering what with all the people coming and going.  Good thing we had the stroller and she relaxed comfy atop her blankie and just people watched with her paws on the front bar, resting her chin and relying on us to power through crowds.  The stroller also allowed us to stash my leftovers and any thing else we purchased.  There is no need to fear with vegan doggie bags because there is no meat or dairy that can spoil so I always over order and have a handy snack for later or the next day.

For my main meal, I had a salad I just had to have and compare with Native Foods.

B-Wing Salad 10.50
Buffalo Wings over chopped romaine, avocado, celery, roasted corn salsa,
creamy ranch dressing .

Here’s my review and comparison:  NF – better ‘wings’/VG – better all over salad.

The highlight and the reason you even go to Veggie Grill is for their vegan Carrot Cake.  NOBODY beats it and I have tried everyone’s.

Carrot Cake 3.95
Fresh carrots, walnuts, VG cream cheese frosting.

Needless to say, I saved most of my dinner so I could proceed to dessert but I did save a few bites for today but no picture because in my excitement and reverie, I forgot and you don’t want a picture of a half eaten cake do you? Hmmmm.  Think I will pull it out of the fridge right now……

Believe it or not – It is Fall and time to celebrate the colors, the temperature and the holidays of this season.  When I think of Autumn, I think of harvest, red, gold, yellow, and orange leaves.  I look forward to and have been enjoying the cooler nights and mornings.

Today, we have exactly the same amount of light hours as dark.  From tomorrow on, it will get darker, earlier and earlier.

A picture of Fall crocus from back east – Orient Point, Long Island – thanks M L.

Over 150 countries and over 300,000 in NYC marched peacefully to bring attention to Mother Earth’s health and welfare and what we can do about it.  Thank you.  Our daughter V participated and we are so proud.

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
Aldous Huxley 


I used to read The Lorax as a volunteer in the classroom and to my children.  What foresight and what a great story to teach anyone in a simple way about the environmental issues we face.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax  – US author & illustrator (1904 – 1991)

When we were young, back in the sixties, we first learned about littering, pollution, recycling and not only was  “Give Peace a Chance” a slogan on a button and the radio but also, the ‘Save the earth movement’ began and they used “Give Earth a Chance” as their motto.  The adults read Silent Spring* and their children began to celebrate Earth Day and become aware.

“For in the final analysis, our most basic common link, is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s futures, and we are all mortal.” – John F. Kennedy from the Speech at The American University, Washington, D.C., June 10, 1963
35th president of US 1961- 1963 (1917 – 1963)

*Rachel Carson was a marine biologist and she realized that the pesticides people were using were dangerous and harming the environment. She wrote the book Silent Spring. The book talked about the use of pesticides. It poisoned food and as a result many birds and fish were killed. She also talked about DDT. It not only affected insects but it was also harmful to humans. This addressed the president to investigate on pesticides being used. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1963 to regulate air pollution. DDT was then outlawed in 1972. Carson’s work made Americans realize that they were damaging the environment. Because of this many people are trying to make a difference. Environmentalists are the main people who are trying to protect the environment.