Last Night The Integrative Life Center Launched A Noble Food Makeover: A Fantastic Time Was Had!
June 15, 2011
Hey y’all!
I’m jonesin’ for a break, whew – the beach is calling me and I can’t get there fast enough. We leave for Florida on Friday and I have not felt the excitement of going on vacation in a long time – usually I suffer from “Travel Anxiety”, meaning a few days before we leave I get all hooked into my world and feel the need to cancel – this time I’m counting the minutes to loading up the MTP.
Maybe it’s summer time in the city that is squeezing me or just all the scheduling that goes on every day around here. Even though the girls are in camp there is still a ton of organizing that goes down and I am desperate after the school year to escape structure and commitment – I wanna cook food, hang w/my family, finish up my book and loaf…. Just like when I was a little girl and my grandparents house offered an escape, I once again am running to their arms – I still need to be close to them, as I know that time is moving quickly and will soon move them on to their next experience.
My Grandma & Poppy
What a great way to wrap up my week, yesterday we held the Noble Food Makeover at The Integrative Life Center on Music Row. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go down and let me tell you Shorty it was fantastic! Fred, Justice, Mary Alice & Jane Ellen and her wonderful tribe of youngin’s poured through the door, I’d had Bailey her 14 year old help me all afternoon in the kitchen prepping for the class, Bailey is a total sponge and because she runs the kitchen on their farm she is totally down with cooking REAL food. I’m telling y’all working with kids and & getting them to eat REAL food is easier than we think – all we have to do is educate them.
Not only did we pack the room but everyone that came out was 100% present – listening, wanting and ready to shift their relationship with food. There was no convincing, just hunger to live whole lives. I felt so super supported as so many people that know of what I’ve been doing in North Nashville but had not yet been able come to previous events found their way to Music Row. If y’all remember reading my blog at Christmas time I wrote about a couple The Lewis’s, they were our Ranch Managers of the Tennessee Ranch as well as Lee’s family Ranch in Walden, Colorado – The Big Horn. When I met Mrs. Lewis she was suffering something fierce from Pancreatic Cancer, she’d filled the table at the ranch Christmas party with stories of my mother in law as a younger woman and all the adventures of a ranch life together. I felt this huge need to support Mrs. Lewis as she had supported my mother in law; it was my honor calling me to the table – or kitchen. I told her what I do, cook meals that support the body and aid in healing. We agreed that after the holidays I would begin to send food to her via Lee on the days he worked out on the ranch. Four weeks later, just as the holiday rush passed Mrs. Lewis died. I was never able to support her in the way I had wished.
D. Lewis (The daughter of Mrs. Lewis)
A Mother & A Daughter: Taking a new road.
Last night her daughter showed up, it was fantastic – I was moved beyond belief. How cool? There is more, a mother and her 14 yr old daughter made their way into town from out near the ranch. She has Crohns disease and has been seriously ill. Our foreman from the cattle company sent her to me. As I sat with her and her daughter afterwards we talked about how scary it is for the children of a sick parent – I felt my momma and remembered being the daughter of an ill parent, my gaze shifted and I remembered being the momma too, I have sat in both seats. I explained that shifting our relationship with food is the most empowering thing we can do for ourselves and children, getting well and taking care of our health is not just about “us”, but also our family members – what a great message to pass on to our children, one that says, “I value my life, my health and I am not addicted to crap, and I am devoted to parenting and part of parenting is setting a healthy table of food for my family.” Showing our kids that we DON’T KNOW and are willing to still learn something new is a fantastic, fantastic, fantastic MIRROR!
Seeing all these folks show up from out by the ranch I heard God, I’m going to bring the Noble Food Makeover to our cookhouse on the ranch. Rural areas are surprisingly food deserts too, the markets out there lack in fresh whole foods and most folks have also lost a relationship with what to do with beans, grains and veggies – but they too want to know, as our health across this wealthy country is falling to pieces. So peep it, in August the Noble Food Makeover will be offered in 3 different parts of the city!
This morning I received an email from a woman who has been suffering from Crohns disease for many years, her gastroenterologist sent her to my website and saying that I might have some dietary tips! Y’all don’t know this but 2.5 years ago I couldn’t find a doctor anywhere to even listen to the idea that food could influence my health condition. God is not just talking to me but to other people and we are all opening new doorways in our minds.
Thanks y’all for showing up and for holding a candle to my vision whether you are far away or chopping veggies alongside of me, believing in what I’m doing is fuel for the light that guides Mee.
Peep it an invitaion from Mee to You…
June 12, 2011
It’s free & it’s fun..join mee and lets build a community table in a new location!
Meet my latest character, “HI IT’S HARD FOR ME TO SAY NO.”
June 8, 2011
I’ve been posting video blogs but today I need a place to process – shorty!
I’m a busy gal these days and fo’sho I’ve been on a learning curb…y’all know what these learning curbs are like right? I feel like just as I got a rhythm or I THINK I KNOW it all I find out just how little I do, and usually along with a learning curb a character that I thought fo’sho DIDN’T reside in my personality appears telling me to check myself and make some changes of how I’m running my show.
We returned from Ohio last Tuesday night and dang I had a bad tummy ache. I’d ordered an Omelet from room service and failed to tell them no cheese, I didn’t say I wanted cheese, I just assumed it wouldn’t be added. Half way through my meal I opened it up and saw this very elegantly shaved melted to a clear, cheese. Ughhh.For someone like me this could be a “taker downer,” and it was. However a sign that I’m much better is that I totally handled it and didn’t hit the floor -completely; instead I just suffered major discomfort for a few days and pushed my way to the other side. In fact on Wednesday I failed to listen to my “GOD” voice, the voice that only I can hear specifically for me. I cook for the Noble Food Makeover on every other Wednesday’s and one thing I don’t like to do is not show up. So I managed to get it together, hit the market. This time I went to one of the more expensive markets to see if I could still buy my goods to cook and keep the budget down. I bought organic mixed greens and a few other organic produce items as our menu was; lentil soup with veggies, a mixed greens salad, cantaloupe and watermelon for desert (it’s been in the 90’s for the past few weeks). It worked I spent 50.00 dollars buying everything I needed to feed at least 40 people.
Thank goodness Justice and Fred showed up to help whip up the meal, around 6pm I noticed no one showed – not a person. I thought what is going on? Then one of the kids that comes to cook walked in with her momma and they said did you see the sign on the door that bible study is cancelled (we cook for bible study participants)? All three of us looked at each other and said “NOPE,” as there was no sign regarding the Noble Food Makeover. We went ahead and sat a table the 5 of us and ate a lovely Meal That Heals.
The Folks That Show Up
I cannot lie and tell you that I didn’t feel great disappointment as it takes a bit of an effort and organizing to create a full meal for 40 people and have only two people show. However it was easy to sit and enjoy our meal with out having to convince an entire room of people to at least try the food.
What I didn’t KNOW when I started this project is that people are more afraid of REAL food than they are Chemicals, Hormones, food dyes, unhealthy bacteria and to feel bad in their bodies – this they are comfy with, but trying REAL food scares ‘em, and their reactions scares Mee…What will become of a race that does not eat the food God created for us?
Instead of getting offended and taking it personal I got quiet about it, or as some folks say – I prayed on it.
Asking myself – is this the path I am meant to walk? Is this the wheelbarrow that I am meant to push up hill? You see my body is still rebuilding and the amount I can take on is not always large.
The next day my life shifted as my DFF had arrived Wednesday night from up north. She’d driven 8 hours to come and stay with me for a few days to learn to cook more foods and to see Dr. Sheng, Thursday morning. HUGE NEWS Y’ALL: When she arrived at my house 8 weeks ago her liver was so swollen that she could barely walk, the disease – Hodgkin’s had moved into her connective tissue (her muscles) and she couldn’t stop itching. She is a different person, her liver is 70% better, she is out of pain and her itching has calmed down immensely – FOOD, ACUPUNCTURE and CHINESE HERBS. What is the most amazing part of this is her energy and beauty has returned, she is gorgeous – she is my sweet friend again.
I received an email asking if I would be interested in cooking for a mother from Isabella’s school. She was just home from the hospital and in need of help with family meals. I didn’t know who she was nor what her condition was but once I glanced the list of meals that were to be delivered I knew I had to get in the kitchen and cook REAL food – no additives, no chemicals, nothing heavy, just cleansing good old fashion ancestral grub.
When my DFF comes to stay we fall into a little bubble of us, we awake in the morning and I teach her to make something new for breakfast, then I head upstairs to my in home office and work a bit, around 11:30 we have a snack and we make lunch, again in the afternoon a snack and then in the evening another meal – it is a cooking, laughing, marathon! A serious adult slumber party…On Thursday Justice my new PKIA assistant joined us and the three of us cooked A MEAL THAT HEALS for this woman we didn’t know. Refried adzuki bean tacos, with fresh guacamole, fresh salsa, corn tortillas, miso vegetable soup and ice-cold watermelon sliced and ready to go! We weren’t certain if her family would receive the food well or even her, so I made a family friendly meal
We pulled into the drive way and she immediately came out, a beautiful woman with her arms opened wide she said, “I have been waiting for your food, I saw it on the list and I want to eat it – I just had a double mastectomy and I want to eat real healing foods that will support my body, I have two little kids and I have been very sick.” My DFF hung her head out and we shared her story of how well she is doing and hugged this new friend. I climbed back into my MTP and again heard GOD, “Meme go where there is desire and your mission will flow.” I looked to my passenger as she bopped to the music, seeing her life force flow, then I thought of this woman I’d just met and imagined her sitting down to eat – I know that I have made no wrong turns.
The next day I spoke to Monnie from The Integrative Life Center on Music Row, she told me she had a demand for my info and thought it would be great if I could bring the Noble Food Makeover to their center too. We made a plan and already folks are signing up.
The character I met this morning is, “HI IT’S HARD FOR ME TO SAY NO.” Dang, I certainly didn’t know that she was in there. On the outside I’m so direct at times and stand up for myself but I also want to please others, from my very own children, my husband to those that call on me from the community. I feel so blessed to be healing my body and I totally know that my knowledge is only worth something if I share it. I say yes a lot and in the end I suffer, because I get worn out or disappointed.
This week I had to pull out of an amazing event that I was invited to cook for, our family is going to Florida in 10 days as I need to be with my grandparents and Lee is needed by his momma and Idora (she has been in the hospital). I felt totally torn letting the organization down that invited me but I’ve got to listen to my God voice and one thing I know is that first is my own health, second my family – everything else is last.
So, “HI IT’S HARD FOR ME TO SAY NO,” has got to go, and I’ve got to also participate with folks that say YES, as this is where my personal reward rolls through the door and fortifies my resilience.
A Video Blog: Our family travels to Ohio!
June 2, 2011
Last weekend our family loaded up in the M.T.P, our destination Ohio & my sisters son Tylors high school graduation..I thought y’all would love to peep our journey first hand…The road trip up North was long and tricky, Lee had his wisdom tooth pulled at 5pm on Thursday – I put him in the car and drove us to Louisville, Kentucky where we stayed the night – poor guy was in tons of pain as he opted out of taking the pain meds offered. The next day he took the wheel and we drove 6 more hours north.
All seemed fine, until Lola released there were a lot more hours in the car…
Graduation: Sorry Shorty Boy I HAD to give you a shout out!
Meet my people, “Guinea Billies” Italian Hillbilles..We come from a multi-cultural world, truly American.
Lee and I took the girls to Cedar Point for the day, riding rides and revisiting my past..
My most favorite night of the year in Oberlin is Illumination, Tappen Square our towns park is lit up with Chinese lanterns the eve before the college commencement. I wanted Lee, Bella & Lola to experience the evening..
Leaving town, packing it up…
Lorain county isn’t know for it’s fine hotels, in fact there are some pretty funky ones – The Oberlin Inn was booked up. We decided to stop once again in Louisville, Kentucky and spend the evening in a proper hotel – The SeelBach – beautiful and elegant..haunted too! A man that works there shared with us the details of the different ghost sightings. In particular the story of a heart broken women or either fell to her death or jumped down an elevator shaft. She had gone to reconcile with her husband and he was killed on the way to the hotel…
The Princess & The Concle (konk-lay)
May 19, 2011
My Office Here In Sayulita
I tossed and turned all night, dreaming non – stop that I’d missed my flight or that I was rushing through the airport. I’m totally aware that if I actually owned a proper alarm clock this wouldn’t be a problem. I think it’s more than just not having an alarm clock, you see I suffer from travel anxiety – yep, even with as much moving around as I’ve done in my life I still get anxious the night leading up to a trip – especially if I’m leaving “those people” behind.
Finally, after the 3rd dream of chaos I got out of bed and on time – 4:30 am had arrived. I quickly dressed, grabbed a snack and moved my over the allotted travel weight suitcase to the front door. I promised Bella that I would wake her to say goodbye. Her eyes flew open with tears pouring down her cheeks, “Momma please don’t go, please stay, please it breaks my heart.” I’m the rock, Lee roams and I only roam alongside of him & with the girls, Bella is scared. In fact yesterday she pulled our neighbor Georgie aside to ask her if she gets hungry can she come over – really she was checking to see if there was a safe “momma” place for her to go. This morning I explained something I wished my momma had told me when I was a little girl, as Bella rested her weepy head on my chest, “There is a cord that runs from my heart to my womb where you were created and out my belly button, through this cord is all the love and connection you need it runs directly to your heart. Nothing can ever break this cord or cut it, ‘cause it’s a soul cord and throughout our life times we are tied. If you need me close your eyes and see the cord – my heart will flow to yours, filling you up with security.”
Last week was a big one Abi graduated from Vanderbilt University, we’ve been working together at PKIA for 2 years, I’ve watched her grow and change. I too have felt as if the past 4 years I’ve been away at school, learning intensely in fact I’ve packed way more info into my brain than I ever did while enrolled at school. Along with learning the info, I’ve actually put my information into action, both personally and via community. Last week I took a deep breath and stepped back, looking at what’s gone down – I moved a new country Mexico, learned to live in a jungle environment, then again moved to a new city and state – Nashville, built two websites PKIA in English & La Princesa Sabe Lo Todo in Spanish, I healed my body with food while simultaneously learning to COOK (yep, ‘cause I couldn’t cook) raised two girls from babies to now 4 & 8 yrs and ran my house, hosted nearly 100 people as over night house guests (41 from just last September alone), traveled a great deal, wrote the first draft of my first book, learned to cook on TV via morning shows, became a regular radio guest, write monthly columns, and created a food movement in North Nashville – the Noble Food Makeover, Oh and I teach and cook private and public classes. I’ve also begun building app’s for the iphone, Droid & Ipad – interactive avatar animation – yep, I’m becoming a cartoon y’all! There is one thing I’ve not done, and it’s a big one….
Life set me up, I looked at my calendar and this week was remotely empty, I just knew what I had to do – go away to finish the book. I’m not good at going away from my girls but what I do KNOW is that my writing and my book will never be a priority for anyone other than me, I’m so close to finishing that if I had just a week – locked in a room NO driving little people, grocery shopping, cooking, teaching, website working I’ll finish. I have so many other projects all around me building that the book keeps getting pushed back. I’ve already missed one deadline and truth be told I can’t miss another – not for any other reason than this is something I’ve got to do. There are plenty of things I have not completed in my life and a slew of people that I thought I was going to become didn’t take life, but now I’m who I wanna be and the last piece of this puzzle is KNOWING that I did my best, that I showed up for me, that I told my tale and finished my book. I feel like once I finish this book I can begin the “NEXT” in my life, it’s been a monkey on my back – waking me in the night, calling my name and distracting me with story boards as I stare out the car window.
Just got off the plane - Home!
If you are a momma or a wife and a person creating outside of your home you understand how the pace of things can squeeze one. I’ve been away from my family only once by myself in almost 9 years, it is a daily hunt that I do for a glimpse of myself – the individual Mee. Mexico is the place where my heart first opened 16 years ago, a young gal remembering for the first time the person that I truly was.
I have lived in and out of Mexico for these 16 years however we moved here full time almost 4 years ago, my intention was to take an office in the village and write a book. My girls were little Lola still a baby; it is only appropriate that I return to finish what I started.
Last night there was a Concle (KONK-CLAY) in my room, a large spider with the longest and skinniest legs of all. I called Gina, she came to my room and quickly gathered my goods telling me, “Meme you can’t sleep in here, they will come tomorrow and hunt the Coclé, if she stings you loose your motor skills and crawl around on the floor like a spider.” We quickly grabbed my computer and pj’s, I moved into Gina’s room. I drifted off to sleep like a child tucked in safely on a cot next to my momma. Here by the sea is where I am most connected to my momma, as she was cremated and sprinkled into the water, and only appropriate that I would find Senora Gina. “In my dream the Concle appeared as a little girl with long spider legs attached to her back. She was so very sweet and all she wanted was to return to her family. I had no fear of her, I reached to hold her as I do Lola and she removed her spider legs from her back.”
My Aunt Connie has always called me her little spider, as my legs are long and thin, creating a web where ever I go; I’ve never been afraid of spiders – I see the power of their weaving. The flight down I shared with my new friend that I was here to separate a piece of my personal fabric from those of my girls. To find the cotton thread that is just mine. The different mythologies say that the Great Concle is the Spider that creates the web that becomes the dream of the humans. Gina says that only one other time in 30 years has a Concle been seen in this open-air tree house, as they avoiders of people. The next morning the household helpers completely dismantled my room and furniture, they found the Concle hiding in the foundation of my bed.
dismantling the room in search of the concle
I know she came for me, to weave the fabric of Mee.
Two more days and then I return home, I awoke early this morning, as the veil of moisture and fog moved out to sea, I sat with this great blanket of air connecting to the information that it holds. I’m wrapping up my story and I’m hoping that it all blends together. Writing a book is like reading a novel, even though I’m the story teller I’m not certain where it will go and who the main character will become until the end.
Going to church in Nashville
May 3, 2011
The weather here in the south has been wild for weeks, sweet home Alabama and the horrible tornado that struck there was devastating to all of us, as we were once again reminded that life changes in an instant. We felt this storm as it passed over us and had the temperature not dropped it could have hit here. That very day as it was spankin’ Alabama Rusty our foreman at the cattle company was moving cows to higher ground and the treatment center was moving folks from the mens house as the water was rising on the Piney River. We were all tense as it is a year ago this week that Nashville suffered the great flood and we like many others lost much property including our home and seven other buildings, 400 goats, barns, fencing, cows and countless amounts of ranching equipment. We’ve learned a lot and mainly to trust the process and to have faith the the right path will be revealed. I personally changed as a result of so much loss. Nashville inspired me as folks pulled themselves up by the boot straps and rebuilt. I fell in love and like a women in love I found my way to the heart of this city via it’s stomach. Maybe that is the purpose of natural disasters, to make us stop appreciate the small things and connect as a community. Just maybe tragedy is life’s way of showing us that we have lost relationship with one another and the simple aspects of life.
Mercury went direct last week and wow did life fly forward (as mercury retrograde is all about recycling through our past). I’ve had my seat belt on ’cause fo’sho my M.T.P. has turned into a time machine. I’m not certain if it’s just me, but each day seems to zoom away. I’m very happy to say that I’ve been enjoying myself and partaking in all that Nashville has to offer, from the Lady Gaga concert – yep, I went and yep I loved it – well what I loved is how thought provoking the experience was. In the 1970′s Bette Midler rolled on the scene encouraging folks to embrace their outrageous selves, my momma loved her, therefore Bette Midler was a part of my childhood. Madonna busted out in the 80′s & ’90′s pushing the sexual envelope, placing societal taboo’s on the table. Now we have Lady Gaga, honestly I’d listened to her music and popped around in my seat cruising down the road to her tunes but I really had no idea what she was about other than funky outfits and giving us something to look at other than the perfectly clad mannequins that typically grace the red carpet ceremonies. What I loved about her concert besides the fact that this little sista’ can sing; is that she has a very clear and direct message – be you, you were born this way, you are perfect as you are, god and Jesus love us all. There is room in heaven for you, regardless of what society says. This is a big deal here in this deeply Southern city where “Jesus lovers” attempted to block access to the concert by shouting such “Christian” things like, “You women are sluts, and Jesus HATES gays. There is no room for you Heathens in Heaven.” Gaga’s concert was a beautiful reaction to this unattractive behavior. I was told as a child that Jesus loved and walked with those that society rejected, I always believed that he loved all humans and that hate was not apart of his language. Anyways, I was intrigued by how many of us need to hear these words that we are good enough. Even me, Ms.Know It All, have moments of, “Really, am I OK? Am I good enough?
The icing on the cake was The Band Perry sitting down alongside of us, as I was in a private sweet the guest of a dear friend who happens to work for Sony Music. If y’all remember Isabella sang The Band Perry’s hit If I Die Young at Corinthian Baptist Church and her talent show. They were so kind to send me home with a note for Isabella and offering up plenty of conversation, as they had seen the video from Corinthian Baptist Church of Isabella singing and loved it.
Earth day was another good time here in Nashville, this city is so do-able, meaning that connecting and participating is super easy. We joined a handful of families from Bella’s school and spread our blankets out to listen to all the good music that Nashville over flows with, plus I made my way through the agricultural booths and food advocates. My favorite was meeting The Barefoot Farmer, Jeff Poppen, a biodynamic farming guru!
The Barefoot Farmer & Mee
Easter was another grand day as Mary Alice arrived early in the morning and the girls had an egg hunt with our neighbors and another family from Bella’s school. I went to mass but it was so crowded with the over flow of “Holiday Catholics” like myself that I spent most of mass sitting outside on face book.
The following week Abi and I headed downtown to meet with folks at the health department. We applied for a mini-grant a few months back and it looks like we are in the running. What I appreciated the most was that the women we met with really see the value of the Noble Food Makeover; it is a sustainable approach – gardens, farmers market, cooking – community – all under one roof. I also have come to a total understanding – I’m not an activist, I’m not a “food advocate” I’m just a lady sharing what I know and it’s not all about food, it’s about choices. The food is the gravy, ‘cause only once we’ve taken back our power, seen ourselves, truly understand that we are creating our own outcomes can we organize ourselves with healthy food choices. I don’t want to create programs that are dependent on grants, that goes against my entire personal deal – I want to create programs that are dependent on the individuals and the community that they belong too. The Noble Food Makeover is not a charity event, and what I do when I cook at Corinthian is all about my personal honor and the ability to participate and share. Yes there are items needed to be donated but it’s once again more about sharing.
Abi and I left the health department completely moved by our meeting, Abi has been working diligently on the grant and now I’m finishing it up. If we get some money it will be to build the gardens, buy the food and offer a stipend to members of the congregation and the city of Nashville that want to really learn to cook and recreate Noble Food Makeovers all over the city.
Just left the Health Department-feeling good!
Friday was a big one in this here house, Isabella made her 1st Communion in the Catholic Church – she was so beautiful and proud. Our house was a buzz and so was the M.T.P as we all piled in – my neighbor, her three little girls, Lola, Ana (Lee’s daughter), Abi, Mary Alice and myself – fo’sho we looked like a crew of sister wives with Lee holding the baby. One of the moms later asked, “Wow all of your sisters showed up?” I giggled,” No, we aren’t related.” Maybe ‘cause we all refer to lee as big daddy this adds fuel to the fire? I am so irreverent. I’d received a letter from the school apologizing for the way in which they handled the “punching” situation a few weeks back. I quickly found the principal and told him how much I appreciated the letter, that’s the thing about Nashville and the south – there is still a sense of etiquette and grace that is applied to every day living. What I wanted to explain to the Principal is that I’m am sorry if I seemed upset by the situation but that I love deeply, I care deeply, I feel deeply and I provide as a mother from a very deep place.
That night I finally went to the Bluebird Café to listen to songwriters in the round. The Bluebird Café is a local legend; songwriters fill the stage and share the tales that led to the songs. Everyone sits quietly listening; again I reveled at all of the talent that this southern city holds within its arms.
My D.F.F. (Dear family friend) rolled down from Ohio, she had a follow up visit with Dr. Sheng and she wanted to help me out with an up and coming Noble Food Makeover event. She brought with her a friend Cantrell who was way game when it came to supporting the Noble Food Makeover. The good news before I go any further is that my D.F.F is feeling way better and she has totally taken her power back in the kitchen – yep she is doin’ it y’all preparing meals that heal fo’herself and her entire family has rallied and are doing the same.
Saturday was The Celebration of Health for the Nashville Public Schools, this event was held at Carter Lawrence School on 12th Ave and Edge hill. Mary Alice, Lee, my girls, D.F.F. and Cantrell all loaded up in the M.T.P once again for a day of participation. We served up healthy blueberry smoothies packed with sea veggies, kale and Bee Pollen (local helps with outdoor allergies). The Vita Mix was rockin’ and of course we spent the day laughing. (click here to watch video from the days events)
Celebration Of Health - Nashville Public Schools
The grand finale was an evening out, The Ryman Auditorium - the original home of the grand old opry. I grew up hearing about the Ryman my grandparents were big country music fans, Loretta Lynn is one of my all time favorites and Patsy Cline reminds me of my momma – as she loved to play her records. I knew this joint was gonna be cool but what I didn’t know is that it was all about going to church. Lee and I entered the main room and I caught my breath – TIME washed over me, I could feel all that had been felt over the years – both from the stage and from the audiences; the energy of dreams coming true. We walked to our pew – ‘cause the Ryman is called the mother church and set up originally so. Tom Jones stepped on stage and my foot got to tapping. I didn’t know just how many of his songs I knew but let me tell you this dude is 70 years old and still getting down. His band was fantastic – I could have done with out the flinging of underwear as I’m such a germ freak but I appreciated 70 year old women throwing ‘em up there – again I heard Lady Gaga’s voice as she said “let’s go to church Nashville.” Upon my arrival 2.5 years ago I had no idea that I would have such a soulful experience on so many different levels. Who knew my spirit was gonna go to church and revel in it.
Part 4: Missions, D.F.F.’s, community gardens, school yard brawls & healthy reactions.
April 21, 2011
After our cooking session at Corinthian last week I returned to my kitchen with my D.F.F. (dear family friend), it was as if we were living in a private bubble of our own. Cracking jokes and moving in and out of our fears of living with illness. We spent a wonderful day with Jane Ellen (my right hand gal at our Cattle Company) she rolled one of our tractors into to town and headed to the neighborhood surrounding Corinthian Baptist Church.
Our plan was to till up the land and plant us a garden but what we found was the the land is way to full of large rocks and unhealthy soil. So now we’ve returned to the raised beds option. Fred Reiter who has joined the Noble Food Makeover and his son Jack are researching and building what we need.
As I’d written that we have been considering leaving Nashville and returning to the West coast my deepest fear is once again uprooting Bella. She is finally grounded and like myself feeling emotionally sound. Grant it we’ve had some upsets here too, last week she was punched twice at school once in a big mess during a playground basketball game and another time by an aggressive boy at aftercare. My D.F.F. and I rolled up to school the second time I was phoned. Suddenly I became my grandmother, my mother, my aunts and every relative before them – listen being raised by Italian women means being raised by a woman with a voice. I stepped into the aftercare using my heritage – addressing the entire room I said, “Check this out, NO ONE HITS MY KID – NO ONE HITS. This is all gonna stop RIGHT NOW.
I’m not certain what it is with kids these days, yes there was always playground brawling but it’s gotten intense as kids are exposed to violence on TV and video games, parents are busy trying to keep up with all that is expected on the outside of our lives and home has become a place that we sleep and barely eat. Kids are picked up from school and shuttled to an extra curricular activity, returning home just before homework, a quick convenience meal and bed time.
I too feel this pull but thank goodness that my health demands that I eat real food, making it so I must be home in the afternoon with my kids to prepare food, sit with them in the kitchen and turn into bed alongside of them – I also require 9 hours of rest and since I start my day at 6am I’m down at 9pm.
I was on a radio show last week with Dr. Carolyn Ross, MD – Voice of America – Vital life. She asked me how I apply Princess Know It All to my girls – I answered her, but afterwards I thought about it in more detail. I really try to hold them accountable for their reactions. When they fuss at each other I get in the middle of it – they are young they don’t have the tools or life experience to sort things out, this ignorant thinking “make ‘em work it out” is B.S. I’m married and a full-fledge adult and I still struggle with working it out with folks. So, yep I take the time to help them sort through their feelings and conversations. I show them how to see their part and to understand when it’s not about them and when it’s all about them and the other person had nothing to do with it. I also teach them to forgive and be compassionate by seeing all sides.
The school situation was a big one for us, we are still new here and we don’t have a long history so we don’t have a reference point to fall back on for trust. What really struck me is the importance of holding children accountable, that kids without consequnces become adults without consequnces. I don’t worry about Isabella as she KNOWS that no matter what happens I show up for her but for the kids that swing their fists they are really shouting out for support.
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- Victim
My initial response was totally character based “Hi I’m Fine With Out You” backed by “Hi I’m Not The Rib.” The two of them turn and walk, which really opens a door for my most damaging character “It’s Hard I Can’t & You Don’t Understand” (she is a total Victim). I have to think about how I react to situations because this is how Isabella and Lola will handle their personal twists as they navigate through life.
One of the benefits of teetering along the edge of death is that I now view my life as if this is my last year. I think about what do I want to share with my daughters, who do I want them to see me as? Have I shown up for them in all ways possible? Did I use my voice? Did I make a difference? Did I participate? Did I control my reactions? Did I laugh? Did I love deeply? Was I a great friend? Did I do everything support my health & the health of my family? Did I forgive?
With all this said I had to take a break and step away from the situation, Bella really loves her school and I needed to see all sides of the situation. Even though I really wanted to blame the school and judge their handling of things I KNOW that this is a community issue and it takes more than an administration to bring Nobility & Honor to our schools it takes US.
Having my D.F.F. here with me was a reminder of how far I have come and to trust the uncertainty of what is waiting for me in the future. At one point we put our foreheads together as I shared with her my secret.
I pointed to my forehead I told her this path is the 50% chance of intestinal cancer, this path is 50% Crohns disease, the path I have created is in the middle it is my own and here is the label I give myself, I am a person healing a worn out body, and strengthening my immune cells feeding the healthy cells. As my mind follows this path I see myself as well, healthy and happy. We are the image that we carry in our heads and heart.
I love that she was here to be a part of last weeks Noble Food Makeover; it was a gift of resilience. The more we give to others the less our own fears & problems weigh…. Am I leaving this wonderful city? Not just yet…I got some work to do and the one thing I KNOW is to not take my cake out before it’s baked and I’m just starting to put my ingredients together.
Plus who knows just maybe my mission is to remain right here where I am in my place of destiny…..
Part Three: Battlefield For Our Nobility & Honor
April 19, 2011
I pulled into the driveway of Corinthian Baptist church and began unloading the back of the M.T.P. I noticed more cars than usual in the lot. Holy cow, folks had really showed up! Folks I’ve never met before that follow PKIA and wanted to participate and learn. My heart pounded with joy, my goal with this noble food makeover is for the CITY of Nashville to participate, to create community kitchens all over the city where people can come together and form a relationship with food and where it comes from – not to mention each other – connection is my dream. Last Wednesday this dream came true.
The kitchen was rocking, kids were chopping and we set a full table – Thanks Ashley and Joanne Jordan for sending us 4 sets of dishes, and Gretchen Muro for sending me glasses! We also fed 40 people for 40.00 dollars! (Click on this link for the videos from the day).
The other good news about the Noble Food Makeover is that it is finding it’s way throughout the city. On April 30, 2001 I will be at Carter Lawrence School on 12 South with a booth and cooking as a part of the public schools health fair, we are expecting 1,000 people! If you are interested in helping me please email me at mee@princessknowitall.com. Also we will be back in the kitchen tomorrow night at Corinthian Baptist Church Cooking up A Meal That Heals – come out & learn and cook! Another exciting tid bit is that I will also be cooking in the school gardens alongside of another organization Planting A Seed. I will set up a table in the garden, bring my portable burner, the kids will pick the veggies they grew, wash them in buckets and cook them all in the garden. Then we will sit and have a picnic. Talk about forming a relationship!
One of the high lights for the day was Hattie teaching me to sing the hymn that I love hearing the congregation sing.
I am on the battlefield for my lord
I am on the battlefield for my lord
And I promised him that I, I would serve him till I die
I am on the battlefield for my lord…
I feel these words deep down in my soul, I wonder when did we loose control? Control of our choices. I thought in the beginning that the Noble Food Makeover was just about food, but now I know that for sure it’s about life and our lives. The question that this project asks each individual that it touches is, “What is your value? What do you value?” on every level.
The big shift last week was watching The Noble Food Makeover go from a MEE to a WE.
Thanks y’all for showing up and I can’t wait to see who shows up later today for our Meal that Heals….
PART TWO: A LAMA & A MAMA…
April 18, 2011
Neighbors & Lama Tenzin
The past few weeks have been a whopper, packed with some life learning lessons – every time I turn around I feel a spanking of sorts – not always in a bad way but in a “Gurl wake up” kinda way. For sure it all started with the arrival of Lama Tenzin on Sunday, I had cooked a great lunch and then we all walked next door to celebrate one of the little girls birthday. I have fallen in love with the simplicity and old school home feeling here in Nashville. Our neighbors threw the best party, a homemade puppet show (delivered by grandparents) and a concert with Isabella singing a Taylor Swift song and Ted (the neighbor girls’ daddy) playing the mandolin.
After the party Bella and I jumped into the M.T.P and rolled down to TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center) where we joined another momma and daughter from Bella’s school – CATS was on stage. I’d never seen it before and thought this was a great opportunity for alone time with Bella and to mix with her schoolmate’s family. Well, the truth is I have a DUMB spot – yep, I know it, I’ve seen it, I own it – sometimes I just don’t get things and CATS was one of those moments – Bella and I had NO clue what this show was about until half time when it was so kindly explained to us. Truth is I still didn’t really get it – 9 lives, reincarnation and a whole bunch of hip swinging cat suits; either way we enjoyed ourselves.
Monday morning I sat with Lama Tenzin chatting about my opportunities out west. I told him that I was really comfy here, it was safe, my girls are attending a wonderful school, I liked my neighbors, it’s affordable and down right easy – plus my work is taking off. He stared at me for a few minutes and then in a very quiet and strong voice said, “You shouldn’t think about what will be tough and imagine what can go wrong, instead you should approach life with your mission in mind. If life is pulling you somewhere and it is connected to your mission, then go. There are no wrong turns when we are aligned with our good work. Your work is good work, you have a chance to share on a big level. This is life calling you; this is your karma. Do not try to control your Karma’s path.”
He was right, and I heard him and his story as he spoke:
“Take my life for instance. I climb to Upper Dolpo, walking for 28 days round trip. I do not think about the cold, hunger or exhaustion, I just think about the children that I will rescue – my mission.”
How could I even quiver, this humble man who literally saves children from Mao rebels, climbs on his hands and feet and risks his life for others and here I am wanting to be safe and secure. There is no such thing as setting up a safe life, I know this. Life has a plan of it’s own disease, car accidents, earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, tornados and floods all drive their own bus and you never know if you happen to be on their route.
That afternoon a giant storm rolled through Nashville, I’m talking GIANT 80 mile an hour winds and rain. Trees crashed to the ground and windows in skyscrapers shattered. This big storm brought with it the arrival of one of my dearest family friends. She drove 8 hours to be a part of the Noble Food Makeover and to learn to cook Meals That Heal with me. She also came to see one of the best acupuncture Chinese medicine doctors in the United States who just so happens to be here in Nashville, Dr. Sheng.
You see, my friend has been suffering from ill health most of her life. I use the word ill health because her story is common – at 15 she developed a skin disorder known as Vitiligo – this is considered an autoimmune disease and said to be NORMAL. At 19, doctors found a giant tumor the size of a watermelon attached to her fallopian tubes. The tumor was benign and therefore she was told she was fine – however when the tumor was biopsied it had hair, teeth and bones. This means that the tumor was growing and feeding off of her for 19 years, weakening her immune system and messing with her PH – i.e. acid levels in the blood, a high PH of 7.32 means disease, virus, bacteria can’t live in the body. The doctors NEVER saw a connection to the vitiligo and the tumor – i.e. autoimmune. Around 30 something she developed another large tumor, this time the doctors knew it was there and allowed it to burst inside of her – this is a horrific experience because even though the tumor was not cancerous it was an incredibly toxic element and poisoned her. Since then, she has had a few more tumors explode inside and now her liver is severely damaged. You see, our liver is our detoxifying organ and when it’s drowned in poison, the rest of the organs suffer. Just before arriving in Nashville her doctors finally gave her a direction, she possibly has Hodgkin’s B – cancer.
*Here is the thing y’all – cancer is the result of a weakened immune system and poor PH system. We all have cancer cells but it’s about what do we do – feed the healthy cells or feed the cancer cells. Environmentally, food wise, emotionally – unsupported cells become toxic cells. When there are signs of auto immune diseases, which is a weakened immune system, we need to step up our game and take action. Children are born with undeveloped immune systems – we all KNOW this. If we feed them food that is void of nutrition they NEVER have a shot at surviving. Our western diet is not about WHAT IS IN IT but how many calories does it have. Diet is to LOSE and food is not seen as something that helps us gain health. Tragic, Huh?
On her first night here, Lama Tenzin taught me to cook and prepared a healing meal. (CLICK here for the recipe and video)
My D.F.F.(dear family friend) was thrilled. We were kicking off our cooking week and on a path. The following day she climbed on to Dr. Sheng’s table. Dr. Sheng is so good that Vanderbilt is currently studying her because she has had more positive outcomes with stage 4 cancer patients than hospitals. She served as head of hospital in China and is also known for her work in Oncology.
When Dr. Sheng saw the size of her liver she almost cried – “How sorry I am, you have this much pain. Your case is very un un un un unusual.”
Not knowing what else to do for my D.F.F. I got in the kitchen and began cooking foods to support the liver and connective tissue. The disease has now moved into her muscle and she is in severe pain. I spent the past week cooking and teaching, feeding my D.F.F. small bowls of food every hour. I also touched her arm, kissed her forehead at every chance I could; I had a mirror in my house and all I could see is what I wanted from someone 3 years ago – love and support through the old school approach to healing a loved one – FOOD.
Wednesday, we were up and busy and D.F.F. was up and alongside of me. She was making her miso and cooking her greens – in fact she cooked a full meal that heals all by herself. Then we loaded the M.T.P with goods that she drove down as donations and headed out to the market to buy the food for the Noble Food Makeover cooking class and meal at Corinthian Baptist Church.
I was not prepared for what I found once I opened the church doors…
To be continued.
Neighborhoods, changes, Lama’s…Life.
April 6, 2011
Marielle & Mee
I’m sitting on my couch staring through the French doors into a yard that has been filling out with big green leaves. After a long winter the arrival of spring = the arrival of new life.
I grew up in the cold northern Ohio Tundra and then moved west and south, choosing to live in warm climates. I loved the year round sunshine and shivered at the thought of ever returning to a seasonal climate. However now that I’ve just finished my 3rd winter here in Nashville I’ve caught a groove for the seasons. This winter was said to be one of the worst on records here, yet the girls and I moved through it with a fantastic rhythm. I wrote a ton, made yummy soups, and embraced snow days with my girls – as now I see the value of their littleness – knowing it won’t last too much longer. Living in a world with different seasons is a fantastic way to feel a makeover every 4 to 6 months.
I think what has really helped is having neighbors that we adore. You see side-by-side we live our family of four and their family of 5; Not only do their 3 little girls and our 2 little girls make 5 little people friends but us adults totally groove too. We all move back and forth between our houses all day long – built in playdates the old school way – actual neighbors. Both of our houses are full of life, come 3 pm – preschool ends and things really heat up.
If you’ve been following my blog for the past few years you’ll know that things have been incredibly lonely for our family the first year we were in Nashville. We lived in the house with “whispering walls”, isolated not meeting one neighbor and Bella’s first summer here was awful – as she spent long hot days trapped inside with me, at the time an incredibly sick woman, unable to stand at times. Then our second season we met the LeCerf family, Isabella and Lola connected to their girls and I connected to Marielle – I jumped in driving the kids in a car pool and made playdates happen with our most compatible family you see they had lived all over like us from Paris to Mexico City. Marielle and I squeezed in tiny chats that dove deep into whom we are and our aspirations.
Last June they left Nashville after a 4-year run here, returning to Mexico City. Isabella and I were crushed.
The good news is that we’d moved out of the creepy house and into a wonderful new home in one of the most walk able neighborhoods in the city. We didn’t have friends but we were part of Nashville and inhaled it; participating in more and more events, enrolling Isabella in a new school located in the neighborhood where she joined a summer camp and Lola attended a new pre-school also way more compatible with our family.
What’s happened in the past year is amazing – I have turned 360 degrees health wise, I’ve gotten comfortable in fact more comfy living in Nashville then any other city ever – I have also felt safer emotionally than I have ever felt in my entire life! This is huge y’all!!!!!
My writing has developed, fantastic opportunities have arrived as a result spiritually I continue to grow…so, with that said things may change.
Yep, just as I fixed my office here in the house – the last room that needed tweaking, an opportunity for Lee and I has come knocking, returning us to the west coast.
I am torn.
This past weekend, my neighbor was away for a one night women’s retreat, her husband was swinging it with their 3 kids all under the age of 5 years plus 1 – her friends daughter age 6. I immediately opened the French doors leading to their back yard and began cooking. There I was in my kitchen 6-month old baby on my hip and 5 little girls at the table. My girls were glowing with excitement – you see they love feeling connected and so do I. Saturday morning I opened the doors and the little girl parade began; we had a fantastic lunch after Lee and Ted (our neighbor) walked to the park with all 6 girls. At one point the little just turned 3 yr old had a melt down and had to go home for a break, when she came back she looked at me and said “Meme I missed you all day, I sorry.” I hugged her and in doing so I saw again what Bill Attride the astrologer told me upon my arrival to Nashville, it is my place of destiny and I will only have poignant relationships – deeply felt – who knew these relationships were going to be with little kids?
Here my life is about my girls, my husband, my writing, Mary Alice, Jane Ellen, our ranch, my neighbors and of course The Noble Food Makeover. I’m not a socialite, I don’t belong to a club, and I barely go out at night, as I like to drift of to sleep with my little people.
What I know now is that life changes quickly, scenarios shift, circumstances evolve and “those people” grow up. When we lived in Sayulita, Mexico there was a time when nothing else existed, we were complete. This is the moment that I heard time call our name – the next was awaiting in the wing. I moved here into the next kicking and screaming, craving what we’d left. I knew not to rush, life in the jungle wasn’t going to last forever. Here as I’ve found my groove and grown into a newer version of Mee I hear the same whisper – this too shall shift.
Yesterday the shift came and now I’ve got to revel in the moment, because it seems that life is call Mee to step up and expand possibly somewhere else or will that expansion take place here in Nashville?
Of course just when I think I KNOW IT ALL, life shows me that I don’t; our 38th houseguest (since September) Lama Tenzin (a Tibetan Lama) arrived Sunday morning and with him he carried a TORNADO of energy and information for MEE to see….
To Be Continued….’Cause man oh man has this week heated up.
