Y4 – Day 24 – Distraction

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Cecilia Steger

Who needs television when you have bird feeders hanging from a tree, right outside the window, in your line of sight? This is paradise. Life unfolds and blossoms.

It is better for me to write in my teensy, treehouse office because I am not distracted, day-dreaming, scheming new projects or goofing off. I work when I am in my little room the size of a cubicle. Writing becomes comforting and natural. It develops and grows organically, at a reasonable pace.

Affirm: I allow all transitions and transactions to be gradual and I easily digest and incorporate them. This or something better.

Y4 – Day 20 – Credenza Move

Posted on January 30, 2016 by Cecilia Steger

Just in passing I mentioned to the love of my life that I thought the new credenza that took foreeevvveeerrr to arrive – never buy from Beyond Stores – would actually look better up here and lo and behold, he brought it up yesterday and carried it right in to the perfect spot where I had imagined it.

It looks so at home here. It matches perfectly! It enhances the hall between the living room and kitchen and is practical for miscellaneous items.

Y4 – Day 18 – Hi Altitude Veggie Soup

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Cecilia Steger

It is relatively cold up here in Arrowhead so yesterday I cooked up a soup that is both delicious, easy and nutritious. It was made completely from leftover organic produce I brought up.

I heated a smallish amount of coconut oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. First, I added some medium sliced red onion, and later, I added some chopped up red onion. In total, about half a medium large one. I covered the pot and diced up two carrots, thinly chopped one stalk of celery and added it after stirring up the onions which at this point had become translucent and soft. After that, I covered it and chopped up a peeled large zucchini. I added the squash and one minced garlic clove and stirred, covering the pot. I brought up half a jar of organic, Italian chunky tomato sauce and added that and around one cup of water, stirred and covered. I de-stemmed one large kale leaf and ripped it up into the veggie mix. I brought the soup to boil, stirred, covered, simmered and waited for five minutes. At this point and time, I added organic veggie Better than Bouillon paste I had left in the fridge up here and stirred, tasted, covered and simmered. I chatted with a friend, puttered around and made myself a salad. By this time, the soup was ready.

It took the birds (especially the stunning red capped woodpeckers) just about 24 hours to realize I had put out some wild bird seed in the feeder. And it took me, less than an hour, to create a delicious, nutritious and super easy melody of layered flavors. It tastes much better than my amateur food picture and… I was in a rush to eat. 🙂

This is vegan, gluten free and worth it. Today, I will add cubed, sautéed tofu to my leftovers for a protein punch.

Y4 – Day 17 – Lemons

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Cecilia Steger

This morning I picked around two dozen dwarf Meyer lemons, sweeter than the Eureka or Lisbon lemons you find in the supermarket. Meyers don’t travel well because they are thin skinned so you will only find them in farmer markets during the winter season here in So.Cal.

We are very lucky to have planted two trees when we landscaped seventeen years ago or so. They must love their location because I kind of neglect them, rarely feeding them nutrients or warding off any diseases or insects. And yet, they give and give when they give fruit.

I am finally up here at the treehouse in Arrowhead after about four months of missing my pine trees dearly. I knew I wanted to do a fair amount of cooking, so I picked the citrus this morning down the hill and this afternoon, up at the cabin, washed them and placed them in a basket at room temperature (they are juicier when warm). I will probably wring a few out tonight and tomorrow.

Lemons are the kind of fruit that work with savory or sweet. Imagine fresh squeezed lemonade over ice on a heat soaked day or lemon pie. They are just as useful as a finish for most soups, rice dishes and of course in salads. In fact, that gives me an idea, I think I will make myself a salad right now with olives, and an avocado/lemon/olive oil/sea salt sauce. I made a veggie soup as soon as I unpacked, so my tummy calls. And maybe, I will concoct a bowl of coconut yogurt with vanilla, lemon and stevia. YUM!

Y3 – Day 289 – Fog

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

This is what it looked like yesterday up at the treehouse. One of the most harrowing rides down the hill. Fog truly limits your visibility and makes you slow way down.

Misperceptions, judgments and fears also hamper our vision and inhibits our growth. Like a low mist that clouds our discernment, “brain” fog restricts our sight.

Y3 – Day 286 – Farmhouse Bouquet

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

Vivid sunflowers, two-toned Leonidas roses and feathery solidago in a rustic yet elegant bouquet. Enjoying them up in the treehouse retreat. It is cloudy, rainy and chilly. The fire in the hearth is gently warming. The Zen music is filling the cabin with tranquility.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Y3 – Day 249 – Mountain Chickadee

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

Notice how there is a black line encompassing the eye of this bird like an eyeliner. The cap of black matches the linear coloring. The white streak over the eye is the only difference that distinguishes this chickadee from a black-capped one. The Parus gambeli above is also just a tad larger than the Parus atricapillus. Our mountain chickadees love conifers and visits to our feeders. I love photographing them all day long. Their coloring is sensational.

Y3 – Day 245 – Rummaging

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

Waking up early in the mountains and walking along the lake before anyone is around or shops are open is the way to enjoy it on a heavily impacted Labor Day weekend. By 8 am the Waffle House was jammed and we headed home with Jensen’s bagels and apple fritter goodies.

After a few morsels of breakfast for Cindi, M and I, we jumped back in the pick up truck and with memories of last year’s bargains, we swung our way over to the once a year Labor Day weekend Rummage sale at one of the nearby churches. Everyone is having a garage, estate or yard sale!

Last year, we purchased Cindi’s mountain stroller we used again today, for $10. Amongst clothes, house ware goods, gardening paraphernalia, baked goods and coffee, there lies a room with books. In this small, compact space, juicy discoveries were made, paid for and taken home, now safely put away on my shelves, a few titles set aside to bring down the hill and a few set aside to read by my lounge chair in a few moments. The best find by far was a first edition of Jane Goodall’s In the Shadow of Man, from the early seventies, signed.

In the house wares I found a brand new Sheffield relish plate with spoon and glass dish set atop a simple West German silver platter for $3. I bought vegan treats to die for, for a mere $4 (lemon madelines and oatmeal/nut cookies with frosting). I also found a rare electric wind chime propelled into tinkling by an underneath fan that my yogini ladies and I will fawn over. Imagine not needing to play the chimes while I use both hands to whirl the brass tone out of my Tibetan singing bowls.

In the large women’s wear room, I took a liking to a delicious, pearl white, laced, petite, Spencer Alexis number with the tags still in place (supposedly suggesting it was never worn). Another woman took it into the dressing room and tried it on. I went over to check out the treats once again and told my husband all about the dress that got away when suddenly the volunteer from the clothes rack is right by my side. From way across about four rooms down, she had come over to announce that apparently it was available, it didn’t fit the other woman. I hurried down the hallway and as I was about to use the makeshift, corner dressing “room”, shielded only by a 6 foot folding divider, the former try-er on-er let me know, out loud so everyone could hear, it would not fit me (like pleeeeeezzzze, it didn’t fit me, it will never fit yooooouuuuuu). Well, then, I had to make it fit. And so it did. The volunteer helped me zip it up and I explained it was snug but I WAS five pounds over my usual weight, don’t you know? Doesn’t everyone gain a little extra during the summer? But no worries, it zipped, it DID fit and that other lady could just go spit. A little known fact is I am always a few pounds away from my ideal weight that’s why it is ideal and not in my destiny but maybe once a decade. And that’s how I got my size 2, $198 dress for $25.

Hopefully, I will be able to slither into it next time I do a liquid juice fast.

I better stop eating bagels, vegan madelines and fried anythings for a while. Oh well, after Labor Day…and snuggling and munching while reading my new Agatha Christie paperback.

Y3 – Day 242 – Mountain Vacay

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

Unlike my previous unrehearsed, unplanned yet welcome longest stay in the treehouse, I am preparing for another vacay and this time I have a suitcase packed, groceries for special recipes bagged, tons of books and work to be done and even a huge pile of papers to go through and ready to drag up the mountain.

One of my first recipes will be an alleged weight loss concoction of ginger root, cucumber, lemon, lime, mint leaves and water. Since New York, back in May, I have been steadily gaining extra pounds which may not be a lot for anyone else but on my small frame and height it translates as two pant sizes bigger.

But never mind that – delicious recipes I will be experimenting with are a corn soup, a vegan shepherd’s pie, chili, vegan Caesar salad, different flavored chia seed puddings and an array of Indian dishes including Masalas, Curries and Lentil based veggie burgers.

Yesterday, I harvested our swiss chard and made a pretty decent amount of vegan falafels but want to tweak the recipe further before sharing.

Happy experimenting for the High Altitude Vegan Cook or as my BFF in NY calls me, Mountain Mama.

I got my apron, I got my spices and I got my darling doggie, Cindi. We will put on some music and boogie in the kitchen!

Y3 – Day 198 – Acorn Woodpecker

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Cecilia Steger

The acorn woodpecker is one of three types of woodpeckers that live up in the San Bernardino mountains. According to the website called: Green Valley Lake Wildflower and Bird watching, They are named for their practice of ramming acorns into rows of holes they make in dead trees.

Their little red hats, white bibs and pointy black beaks distinguish them from the other two types of woodpeckers.

– woodpeckers only move upwards while hunting for bugs on a tree trunk; their tail feathers have evolved into stiff props to lean back on while they are climbing. They listen for bugs (including bark beetles) under the bark, then peck an opening, then use their long sticky tongue to pull the bug out. The tongue can extend five inches past the bill; it coils up in their skull around their right eye. Luckily for all the birds that use their nest holes, the Acorn Woodpeckers are especially good hole drillers. Sometimes they will even have two, one for breeding and one for brooding in the fall — like having a vacation home to get away from the kids. They are also “co-operative breeders” which means the young from the year before will stay and help raise the new brood –from same wild bird site.

Cecilia B. Steger

Category Archives: Lake Arrowhead