On the Road, 5/11

LIE, 5/1/11, 6:20 a.m.

I hit the road @ 5:20 a.m.to make the drive to Pennsylvania. There is nothing I like better than that Interstate 80 West sign that tells me I am heading out to see my mom.

I-80 West, Pennsylvania

I love the road. I have had wanderlust for as long as I can remember. If you have never read
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck, I highly recommend it. It is as pertinent and right on today as it was in 1960. I often wonder about why I have wanderlust. There is something about the unknown that I love. I am curious, eager to learn, interested in others and so I have this yearning to want to see more than just what is outside my front door. It's gotta be in my DNA.

Cheese and Peanut Butter Crackers, .79 cents

Do you remember these crazy orange crackers with peanut butter between them? I hadn't had these in years. I remember paying .15 for them in vending machines when I was a kid. I opened them up (I didn't torture myself by reading the ingredients!) and they smelled and tasted exactly the same. I was 11 years old, sweaty and hot in the back of the VW bus, driving with my family to Naples, Florida on summer vacation. I have read that the sense of smell is the strongest for bringing back memories....I believe it.

I-80, Pennsylvania

So I got to PA, and it was summer here! A few hundred miles west and the sun is out and it was 80 degrees. What a welcome relief from the long, dark, damp weather at home.

I-80, Pennsylvania

I want to report that we are in a beautiful country. It is big and interesting and there is something new around every bend. We must love it and take care of it....all of it: the people, the land, the ideas. I have been suggesting to people that they turn off the news and just read the headlines once a day. I really feel that watching and listening constantly to the news is discouraging. I mean, if you think about it, it is all bad news coming out of that talking box in your living room. When was the last good news story that you heard on t.v.? Concentrate on your local news. Here is some important local news that you can make a difference in: In New York, we vote next week on school budgets and school boards. This type of participation in your local government can make a big difference in the world--in your world.

And speaking of local, check out Real Time Farms. They are a great resource for local farmers and farmer's markets. Buy your food from your local farmers; join a CSA. Challenge yourself and see how much of your grocery bill you can switch from spending on industrialized  food to your local purveyors. This helps the economy in your community and I promise you will meet some really nice people at the farm stand or farmer's market.

Subscribe to or pick up an Edible publication. I have a story in the current issue of
Edible East End.  I interviewed farmers and gardeners last year on how they plan their gardens to ensure being able to make a favorite recipe at harvest time. Let me know what you think about it.

I just bought a bike rack and a basket to hang on it. I am going to ride my bike to work this summer and will now be able to bring groceries home from the farm stand when I am done working. The thought of this is bringing me great joy!

Expect good things.....