Longbranch Mercantile & Lil Merc Airstream Cafe

Uplift Monday - Uplifting Others ~ You can do it!

There is no such thing as insignificant work. 

Do everything with your heart's love and your life's respect

by Sri Chinmoy (Indian Teacher of Meditation)

 Try to take time to encourage others.   Thank others for what they are doing for you.  If nothing else be positive with your interactions.  It's easy to be kind ~ you just have to make it part of who you are.  Do something special for your spouse.  Wave to the walker on the side of the road.  Strike up a conversation with the next person in line while waiting for the long checkout lane.  Let a waiting car into that space in front of you.  Hold the door open for someone.  Phone a loved one.  Try to do at least one positive thing each day this week!  You can do it I know you will!   

Uplift Tuesday - Body Awareness

Okay... this weekend I spent retooling my typepad blog pages... I feel a bit dangerous with some new css programming skills but not that smart that I can undo whatever error's I've made!  When you're working on projects like this your mind takes over - you become almost manic about it especially us OCD people who need things to be... I'm trying not to say it... it's a 7 letter word starting with P and ending in T... if you're OCD then you already know what this word is...  P _ _ _ _ _  T !

With a finger pointing to my head... I had to quiet down up there... with an anxious mind I returned to yoga after a summer hiatus. It helped me to remember: 

"There is no better way of staying in the present than getting out of your head and returning to your physcial senses"

by Anthony De Mello Contemporary Spiritual Writer, (Sandhana) 

Go ahead - try it!  Just sit quietly and be with yourself.  Do not react just observe.  Just be!  Be present.  After yoga - without much fanfare the voices were quiet.  It was good to be back on the mat.  Ahhhh... all is well!

Wildlife Wednesday - Dogs like corn too ya know!

Wildlife wednesdays usually involve my favorite subject ~ Jasper the Airedale.  She doesn't mind being on film.  As always she's hamming it up for this video.  Jasper LOVES corn on the cob! 

 

Footloose Fri - Trying on Different Shoes as a small business owner

Generally I am an upbeat person.  Most times I feel compelled to project a positive upbeat persona when I blog.  My mom said a few weeks back... everyone always looks and sounds like they're having the time of their life!  That made me pause... maybe I should write when I'm a bit bluesy too! 

So here it goes... to be honest, I haven't blogged lately... I've been trying on different shoes as a small business owner.  Some fit better than others and some fit just right (btw totally diggin these Dansko beauties this season).

 
   At some point when you're working on a project you have to either move forward or just stop completely.. there's no in between.  This is where I find myself.  I'm not good at treading water for an indefinite amount of time ~ I'm either all in or all out.  With the uncertain economy it's just not the right time to start a project of this caliber - to rebuild the physical structure of the Longbranch Mercantile.  After 8 years of waiting and planning I just can't do it any longer.... and NO it's not the county's fault!  Pierce County planning and Dept of Health folks have been very informative and helpful ... YES... VERY helpful! 

I find myself in an interesting position - I like owning a small business ... and operating Lil Merc Airstream Cafe... how and what do I pivot to or what food ideas do I add to the mix now that there's not going to be a physical structure?  I find myself doing alot of discernment about what I'm good at and what I'm not... what I like and what I don't like.... lots of ideas swirling around in this head of mine!  Sometimes the small business you dreamed in your head is not the one you end up with.. but hey that's life.... making lemonade outta lemons!

I'm fortunate to have some pretty amazing women around me.  During this discernment process I'm pulling my trusted advisors ever so close to help me figure things out ~ humor is also good for the soul.  

I'm starting to feel a bit upbeat after a "Doctor Merrilee" session yesterday.  Thank you girl! 

Stay tuned for some new updates on my Longbranch Mercantile journey!  

Taggin' Thurs - Anson Mills - Organic Heirloom Grains

Last Tuesday I ordered 10 # of the artisan fine polenta (yellow) from Anson Mills.  Anson Mills provides handmade Mill Goods from Organic Heirloom Grains.  They cold mill ALL ingredients to order, chill vac pac them immediately and ship same day for maximum flavor retention.  My shipment arrived on Monday and look at this fine beauty of a polenta! 

 

What a find!  Thanks Shauna ~ otherwise known as Gluten Free Girl of this fabulous blog named Gluten Free Girl and the Chef!   Shauna wrote a great article on gluten free cornmeal.  Not all providers are so careful with their milling processes.  That's okay - I'll stick with Anson Mills all the way!

Every other week I bake seasonal Longbranch Mercantile bakery delights for sale through a food coop called Fresh Food Revolution.   I've been experimenting with all sorts of recipes.  Just a few weeks back my gluten free muffins were a huge hit.  I wanted to follow it up with another winner however last week I attempted to convert a regular recipe into a gluten free sun dried tomato black olive rosemary biscotti... but it failed TERRIBLY!

I am more committed than ever now to experimenting with gluten free recipes... I too was tested for food allergies recently... yup!  wheat, milk and eggs.  Sheesh... I'm a foodie.. this can't be!  I'm mourning the loss of a carefee way of eating.  Now I'm just so aware... and so hungry!

I'm looking forward to testing another season favorite cornmeal cake this afternoon with rosemary syrup and blackberries with just a small dollop of whip cream.     I'll let you know how it turned out!