Sometimes I wonder what kind of grooming happens on the land while we are away.  I know no one lives there, no one does any "caretaking" of the trees and fields out of season.  But what does it take to get the land ready for all of us to come and camp?  It seems so perfect for our use, how can that just happen?  In any event, the choice to purchase that exact property was well made and it suits us ideally.  The water is delicious, the trees are gorgeous, the camping under the trees is comfortable and easy, and there is enough open space to enjoy everything.


Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, Michfest, MWMF

Every stage performance as well as the Sunday day stage has comedians.  Sometimes they are MCs for the show and sometimes they have their own slots.  I have only made it to the Sunday show one time due to work shifts or leaving fest on Sunday.  This past year I was able to see Suzanne Westenhoefer, she was very good.  Karen Williams has grown on me.  I didn't care much for her comedy at first, but over time I have come to appreciate her more.  No one makes me laugh like Elvira.  She seriously hurts me with humor, my whole body aches from the laughing.  She makes fun of us festies in a way that is so sharp, yet it only makes sense because I get the sense that she is truly one of us.  I wonder if all her audiences feel that way?  If so, she is a fucking genius.  By the way, I chose this picture of her from the internet because she looks really hot in that shirt.  And I know she would like that.

Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, Michfest, MWMF

Sappho fragments

Come to me now, then, free me
From aching care, and win me
All my heart longs to win. You,
Be my friend.

Stand up and look at me, face to face
My friend,
Unloose the beauty of your eyes.....

The Moon is down,
The Pleiades. Midnight,
The hours flow on,
I lie, alone.

These are three separate fragments from Sappho.

michigan womyn's music festival, michfest, mwmf

I've made nutloaf and savory casserole in the past couple of weeks.  I find the food at fest to be healthy and I enjoy some meals more than others, but I am generally so hungry they always satisfy.  Breakfast is scrambled eggs on Wednesday and Friday, scrambled tofu on Thursday, and huevos rancheros for brunch on Sunday.  Fruit, granola, the most delicious yogurt I've ever had, and peanut butter and tahini with bread are available every day.

Monday is load-in, and a light dinner of hummus, cheese, and salad is served with bread.  Tuesday lunch is cheese and veggie sandwiches, chickpea and feta salad, and tossed salad.  Wednesday I enjoy much more: cucumber and tomato and potato salad.  Dinner is Indian curry, basmati rice, steamed broccoli and of course tossed salad.

Thursday is waldorf salad and green bean salad.  I start missing meat today.  The salads are pretty crunchy.  Dinner is burrito night with Spanish rice and lots of fixins like cheese, onions, sour cream.  This is my least favorite meal, I think I'd like it if I did it more as a salad and less as a burrito.

Friday I start to get some satisfaction in the form of pasta salad, cause I miss the carbs!  Also, Tuscan white bean salad for protein.  Dinner on Thursday is one of my favorites:  Moroccan stew with banana yogurt raita and sesame kale.  I really love the kale!  I can't find it around here.

Saturday is carrot fantasia and cous cous for lunch.  Meh.  But dinner!  Penne pasta puttanesca, green beans, and tossed salad!  Fabulous!

Sunday is the huevos rancheros lunch, which I love.  Sunday night dinner is my favorite!  I've actually only had it once, when I worked a kitchen shift.  Savory casserole with sesame broccoli and of course tossed salad.

There you go.  The menu at Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.  Next year:  the Belly Bowl.

"A person will be called to account on Judgement Day for every permissible thing she might have enjoyed but did not."  A quote from the Talmud

Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, Michfest

Not loaf

I spent a few grueling hours making a Michigan Womyn's Music Festival recipe to have over the weekend.  I made nutloaf, which confuses everyone because it is Not A Loaf, but more of a casserole.  Think Moosewood cookbook era vegetarian mishmashes of healthy ingredients.  It was hard work, making something which is more successfully fabricated with an amazon army of womyn in the kitchen.  But it was oh so worth it.  Here is the recipe:

                                                TUESDAY NIGHT IS NUT LOAF!

1 lb. (23⁄4 C.) Brown Rice, uncooked 2/3 C. Walnuts, raw unsalted 2/3 C. Peanuts, dry roasted unsalted 11⁄2 C. Sunflower Seeds, raw unsalted 2-3 T. Canola Oil

1 lb. (2-3 medium) Spanish Onions 5 Cloves Garlic 1 lb. Yams 3⁄4 lb. Mushrooms

1 lb. Carrots 1 lb. Tofu, firm 11⁄2 T. Parsley, dry 11⁄2-2 t. Thyme, dry 2 t. Marjoram, dry 11⁄2-2 t. Sage, dry 1 lb. Sharp Cheddar Cheese 2 T. Tamari or Soy Sauce Salt and Pepper to taste

(Serves 12)

1. Cook the rice: Bring 51⁄2 cups water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, add rice, reduce heat and cover. Simmer until water is gone, about 30 minutes. Let sit covered.

2. Dry roast the raw nuts and seeds: Place in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they just turn brown. After they have cooled a bit, roughly chop the nuts and set aside. (Note: if you can’t find raw nuts, you can use dry roasted and skip the skillet roasting.)

3. Prep: Chop the onions. Cut the mushrooms into quarters. Grate the carrots. Cut the yams into 3⁄4” pieces. Mince the garlic. Cut the tofu into 1” cubes. Grate the cheese.

4. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, sauté the onions in the canola oil. Add the garlic to the onions and sauté for a minute more. Don’t brown the garlic!

5. Add the yams, mushrooms and a 1⁄2 cup of water. Cook for 10 minutes on medium low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking.

6. Add carrots and cook for 15 more minutes or until yams and carrots are soft.

7. Add tofu, parsley, marjoram, thyme and sage, and simmer for a few minutes on low heat until the tofu is hot.

8. Add the nuts, cheese and rice and mix thoroughly. 9. Add the tamari and salt and pepper to taste.

You can now serve the Nut Loaf from the stovetop as we do right from the open fire at Festival! We serve it with fresh steamed green beans and tossed salad.

You can also make it a day ahead, put it in a casserole dish and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until hot.

                                                                ENJOY!