Kitchen Yoga

Arrange slices of tropical or soft fruit on beautiful platters, place jars of iced water, wedges of lime, mint leaves, and lavender next to them straight on the tablecloth. To create the atmosphere of a meditating spa, place small candles, scattered around on the table. Make easy picturesque still life with leaves-on stems or tiny flowers. If you make food for any occasion, make sure, it is simply prepared with fresh ingredients and taken little time to prepare. I suggest pure soups with root vegetables, vegetable salads wrapped in rice leaf, or sea food served in vegetable cups. Serve with Asian dressings and green tea.

I cook whole wheat noodles, let them chill overnight, infuse them with Asian dressing and toss them with chopped nuts and crispy vegetables. This, I can store in boxes and keep for lunch any time. Here, the possibilities of color and texture combinations are endless. The idea is to make food that is good for the body and the mind-kitchen yoga, I call it.

Norouz

When the first blossom appears on the first twig of the first tree, Naneh Sarma, the old wrinkled mother of winter and cold, sweeps away the last dried leaf, dust, spider web, and straw. This is an all important spring ritual, clearing the home away of all dirt. Next come the delightful children, seven in number, each carrying a symbolic item from Haft Seen Spread. Senjed, Somagh, Samanoo, Sonbol, Sir, Sekeh, Sabzeh, on silver plates tied with red ribbon. Uncle Norooz brings candy and gifts; Birds play tunes; they all place the spread down; the story teller tells them the story behind each item on the haft seen. Norouz means revival and rebirth; the seven heavenly items grace the table at the arrival of each new year.

This is a parade idea for school projects; music and dance can also be included in this ceremony.

As always, cleaning out hearts from old grudges and bringing in new spirit of hope and promise, are what spring is all about. Happy Norouz!

My Thanksgiving

A return to the essence of the season is needed prior to Thanksgiving, which is to buy fresh seasonal fruits; cranberries, figs, pomegranates, oranges, tangerines, apples, pears, and persimmons. I'd collect natural autumn leaves, wash them, let them air dry, and use the leaves to garnish the fruit platters.

I use seasonal nuts such as pecans in pumpkin pies, taking the pleasure of making a heavenly scented dessert at home. Though buying cakes, dainty pastries, and elaborately made pies is perfectly allowed. After all, it is the Turkey, roasted in the oven with the simplest of citrus and root vegetables that makes the Thanksgiving dinner so special.

For appetizers and side dishes, please do a fine job of pleasing your guests making all casseroles and finger foods using fresh ingredients and not too much canned or frozen foods. Most green vegetables can be blanched ahead of time and sauteed with caramelized onions, garlic, and herbs. This takes so little time and effort, and such great result.

I take special care in learning how to make a new cocktail, preferring simple and tasteful to add elegance to the occasion; Select elegant bottles of wine to go with Thanksgiving meal and decorate the table with flowers that your guests bring to your house. Light a few candles and reflect on all the blessings in your life this past year.

For the kids table, I'd cover a small table with large white sheets of paper and fill a few plastic cups with crayons. Not a fan of making anything extra for the kids, rather someone who believes children of all ages should try slices of Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole. My advice is to have dinner rolls and slices of breads and butter around.

Grab your camera and take long walks outdoors this season; notice of the color change, the fallen leaves, and the autumn wind.

Happy Thanksgiving

Knitting Party

Bring beads, sparkly & fluffy soft yarns of different bright Christmas colors, tissue paper, thick knitting needles, ribbons, tags, blank cards, and glittery pens for writing Holiday greetings.

Stop by for tea and cookies, one afternoon, after school and knit a gift for the holidays like a nice fluffy scarf.

Bring extra sparkles and pom pom for fun decorations.

Once upon a vegetable patch

One sunny day in August, when no clouds were found in the sky, a family of five mice moved into my vegetable patch. I often left pop corn and cereal crumbs outside my window for the birds; giving the mice plenty to eat.

At first, the two larger mice showed up and took little crumbs one by one. Occasionally, I saw them running fast across the yard with their dinner bits in hand.

Several days passed. My vegetable patch began to grow and the tomatoes ripened under the sun. One bright afternoon, I happily stepped outside to pick a basket of tomatoes for a tossed summer salad.

Uh oh!!!

The tomatoes were eaten off the vines by tiny sharp teeth. I knew instantly who to blame. Our uninvited family of five; the parents and their three little kids!

In the meantime, the family feasted happily on the juiciest tomatoes there ever was. The papa mouse told his kids, he had never tasted anything that good in his entire life. He was right. The little mice were thrilled to sink their teeth into the red plump flesh of something that sweet. Those round delicate fruits were undoubtedly marvelous.

Shortly after the raid on my tomatoes, I set up a mouse trap with sweet mini cookies in it. I placed the trap next to the vegetable patch and walked away. That night, I caught one large mouse. I gently carried him away to a nearby field and let him go. The next evening, another big mouse stepped inside the trap. I managed to take her to the same spot in the field as well.

Several days later, the three little mice were caught. They were admittedly adorable. After I let them go, I sighed with a sense of well being, since none of them was hurt and my harvest was safe at last.

Many days passed and my vegetables ended up ripening under the rays of sun. What a joyful sight and how I loved picking my own home grown food by hand.

Out in the field, the party of five found each other, sighed with relief that no one was hurt, they excitedly set out to find a new home for themselves.

While my family enjoyed many tomato tarts and tossed salads for the rest of summer, the papa mouse's family was as free as can be.

The End

The art of teaching

Kids and adults learn drawing, painting with various wet & dry media, sculpting, and collage making in the same classes and at the same time.

This year, 2010-2011, at Millbrook Elementary School in Evergreen District, City of San Jose, California, I have started a "Kids Do Art" program on Wednesdays from 2:20 to 3:30 pm @room # 22, where I set up a fun workshop after school, for learning the principles, history, techniques, and practice of visual arts. Despite the recent budget cuts on California public schools, I find art to hold too much importance to be ignored thus I encourage all kids, parents, teachers, principles, PTA, and caregivers to join me on this rewarding effort.

Art is the most practical tool for exploring inner abilities, enhancing hand-eye coordination, improving concentration, nurturing creativity, and improving human connections. These are amongst the most important skills that any human of any age can use to excel in academics and in life. Children benefit from art in many areas including reading, writing, math, and science; concentration, planning, patience, dexterity, and imagination are required skills in many academic fields. The therapeutic effects of fine arts are clinically proven to help individuals with terminal illness, depression, anxiety, and other physical or mental disorders.

Through this exciting program, we learn the simple techniques of drawing, design concepts, color wheel, hands-on painting with pastels, ink, acrylics, and water colors, sculpting with clay, and collage making by using nature objects, paper cut outs, and magazine scraps. The tuition covers the cost of supplies and all artworks by children will be returned to them in a portfolio at the end of each 12-session period.

I encourage students to take their artistic activities seriously and to spend a good amount of time, studying the works of masters, visiting museums and local galleries, set up studio space at home where they can do art occasionally, and to consider a career in arts and design for their future.

At the end of the school year, on our last session, we host a beautiful exhibit to showcase the children's artworks and all parents and caregivers are welcome to join us. Flowers, snacks, and drinks are welcome. During the show, we ask all attendees to sign names or finger paint on our large mural sized memory poster which will be hung in Millbrook Cafeteria during the last weeks of school.

Finally, I would like to expand this program to other school campuses within our San Jose districts and other cities in the South Bay area. For inquiries, questions, and to sign up, contact Raha Lane at rahalanefineart@yahoo.com, sign up sheets will be emailed or mailed upon request.

Artful thanks to all the marvelous kids, teachers, the principle, and PTA at Millbrook Elementary School who have encouraged me with their support and inspired my work with their insightful suggestions. Artistic creativity and knowledge go hand in hand to build a bright and beautiful future!

Raha Lane Gallery

May Day

The anniversary of a real and tragic struggle for change is coming in June. Wear green wristbands and show support for the universal rights of all humans in this world.