A Mess

As Winter pushes forward our engine lies in wait until Spring where it will finally be relieved of its duties. As you can see from above, the old Volvo has seen its fair share of use and is no longer reliable. So what does that mean for our boat? If you know, let us know haha. A few options are replacing the Volvo with a new Beta engine that is smaller, lighter and very expensive or replace it with a less expensive engine that is reliable but from all accounts a whole lot of extra work. We could always just lose it all together and have a lighter boat with less mechanical problems -- people have sailed with no engine for hundreds of years after all.

The best part of the North

Anyone who has lived in the Northeast for a Winter knows how it has a lot more bad than good. However come late Winter the tables turn as it becomes sugar season. Nothing I have tasted comes close to real fresh maple syrup. In years past I have worked a bunch in sugar houses but this season being the first back in a long time I figured I would make a few small batches of syrup at home.

Kripalu

   


For my birthday, Nick surprised me with a yoga retreat to the Kripalu Center, nestled in The Berkshires in Massachusetts. (!!) When I arrived I had time to squeeze in a yoga class before dinner and heading to my first cooking class (that Nick had also signed me up for) with Kripalu's infamous Executive Chef, Deb Morgan. Yes, I know, I have the most amazing boyfriend! Deb had us start by giving us all a clementine. She slowed us down to awaken our senses to the fruit before us, starting from the first smell, to the feel of the skin as we slowly dug our fingers into it, to the first time it touched our tongue. I knew then this was going to be such a memorable weekend. This, or course, was only the beginning.

Buon Appetito!

 Nick and I decided to undertake a Tortellini making adventure this past Sunday! Fact: I have a soft spot for home-made pasta -- there's nothing like it. Close your eyes and savor the moment with me. Mmmm.

We sautéed up up some Italian sausage to later combine with some fresh ricotta cheese for a delicious filling.

Mini Bouldering

Winter Bouldering from Neto Nomads on Vimeo.

Little bouldering over the past warm weekend on some small boulders, FA's are always fun though.

Some places winter is good

Grand Bahamas.

Winter?

Headed up to Stowe VT for a little snowboarding and found some of the worst early winter conditions in years. Still a fun trip because its the friends that make it. 

It's a Carry'on Mon

After a hectic Wednesday of running through airports to catch connecting flights after take off delays, my brother, <name retracted>, and I successfully arrived on the island of Grand Bahama. Whew. It was touch and go all morning with battling slight hangovers (ok...we may have started vacation early) -- delayed take-off in NY -- landing just in time in Charlotte, NC to make our flight (we took off 15 min after getting on the plane) -- only to arrive in The Grand Bahamas realizing we haven't eaten since the prior night (or gone to the loo since 6:30 AM).   Estimated total time in all airports = 25 minutes..gotta be a record.   Did I mention my carry-on suitcase?

Oh Snap

Another fish getting smoked:

Decided to go with two red snappers in the 3lb range. Left in a brine bath for about an hour while I made a marinade out of 3 tbs fresh mint, 1 tbs fresh parsley,  1 fresh orange zest, 3 tbs organic olive oil, 1 tbs sea salt, 1 tbs cracked pepper, 1 tsp Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ginger. Applied this liberally to all sides and interior of the fish then threw a slice of orange in the cavity and mouth to open up the smoke flow.

Winterize

Interior. Needs some remodeling in the V berth to make more space, re plumbed
all electrical rewired, wood refinished, galley rebuilt and lots of other little things.

Cold bilge work. Rebuilding some floor supports after finally getting the bilge
emptied. The engine needs to be replaced.

Going Underground

We visited the abandoned mines in Rosendale NY this past weekend. They used to be used for mining cement that most famously was used in making the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. After they closed some have been turned into mushroom farms, used in films and for concerts. Below ground are endless cavernous rooms, deep cold water, roads, and even a city. Above ground are houses and a cement factory that have been forgotten and are being reclaimed by nature.

First mine we came to. They have a stage off to the right set up for concerts.

Flooded section that seems to go back quite far.

Happy T-Day

Trout Day! Decided to smoke up some trout for the Thanksgiving feast.

1 to 1 1/4 lb trout. Brine bath for about an hour then drizzled the inside with some local honey, lemon/garlic seasoning and a sprig of organic rosemary.

Fall Pictures

Purchase

Went up to ME this weekend for the final dealings with the boat. We now officially own a boat and it was delivered to our friends house for the winter.

First night on the boat was rather cold but otherwise pretty fun. Nothing like Yukon Jack for the cold hoary nights.

Birthdays, Boats and a Journey to Tibet.

So we bought a boat! ....but we'll get to that later.

Nothing like turning another year older to make you evaluate what is currently working and not working in your life. Nothing like a trip to a mountain top Tibetan Buddhist Monastary, KARMA TRIYANA DHARMACHAKRA (KTD), to make you feel silly for stressing about it to begin with. Clear your mind, the answers are already there.

"We all have a Buddha Mind", our tour guide explained while we sat upon meditation pillows in the sun bathed Main Shrine room floating with the remnants of incense -- "It's just under all the layers of the ego", she finished.