Lisa Zahn

I stole that title from Michael Pollan, whose latest book is In Defense of Food . I heard him on public radio's Talk of the Nation: Science Friday yesterday. Everyone, listen to the interview here ! I think his books on food are some of the most important works out there these days. I haven't read the newest book, but I'm heading to Barnes and Noble today to look for it. His whole premise: eat real food, not something concocted in a laboratory--science hasn't done us much good when it comes to nutrition. How true this is. In the last year, really since I began to work at the Good Earth Food Co-op here in St. Cloud, we have upped the organic content of our diet to nearly 100% (maybe make that 90%). Then this past summer we began to focus on eating at least 70% locally grown foods, organic or not. I am amazed at how much better I have felt since eating this way. We've eaten a lot of organic for years, but eating locally has made the most difference. My body...

Today is getting two posts. I just couldn't combine my new hot pink hallway with my kitchen sink. Actually, the front hall only looks hot pink in this photo. It's actually a very nice rosy red, deep and lovely. It was inspired by my dear friend Jen's living room. I thought you might like to see it. Thanks to George for painting on New Year's Day! And do notice my new Ikea rag rugs, especially the long runner in front of the bench, which I adore. They have made me so happy, hanging out on the floor in the entry. I have been looking at rugs like these for the last couple years. Ikea made them affordable. And so cute! Lisa

You see in the photos my rescued sink area. I’ve just finished my weekly “kitchen rescue” and am happy to share a picture. (Yes, my kitchen needs remodeling but I’m happy not to get started on that process for now.) While cleaning, I came across the sponge. I had to use it to clean the sink which I had sprinkled with some Bon Ami. Obviously, my dear husband had used it last because it was full of black bits of gunk. NOT rinsed out. Now, dear reader, many of you may be thinking I should not complain about this. My husband actually washes dishes, cooks, “cleans” too. I am lucky, as so many of you have pronounced me over the past twelve years. Lucky that my husband does all that (and why, I wonder, do we continue to treat men as if they’re imbeciles around the house and like gods if and when they do housework?). Well, here I am complaining and maybe suggesting my husband is dumb because he doesn’t rinse out the sponge after using it. (Nor does he do this with the dish cloth, and after al...

I just wanted to say a few words about my links on the side of this page. These are sites I look at nearly everyday, or at least once in a while when something new is published. Now, I look at lots of websites regularly, but these are my very top picks for interesting, informative, inspiring, beautiful or something else worth checking out. I just added Nourished Magazine today because I got the latest newsletter edition in my email. It is a really good online magazine, with interesting articles and nutrition information quite different from the usual. Check out the article on "why I left conventional medicine" (or something like that, I forget because it's not right in front of me)--very well done! I know I have felt much better since eating in the style of Sally Fallon's book, Nourishing Traditions , which this magazine relies on heavily. More fat in the diet! My friend and nutrition expert, Jennette Turner in Minneapolis, first turned me on to this way of eating an...

Since I only made it up to about 10:45 last night, I'm up early downloading a few photos from the big "party" we had here last night. Mac and cheese for the kids (Rose's friend won't eat much else), squash and black-eyed peas for us, hot chocolate and egg nog, leftover Christmas cookies, smoked oysters for George, some fun party hats and lots of noise from the girls, and we rang in the New Year just right. Eli made it up to 11:45 but the girls were still going strong at midnight, fueled by seeing Miley Cyrus on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (which for some reason we only got till 10:00 here on basic cable) and rocking out to Rose's new "High School Musical" CD. I'm not so unhappy I missed it... The Zahns wish all of you many blessings in the New Year. On our part we've resolved to have more fun, stay active and enjoy each day as it comes. Have you got any resolutions? Let us know in the comments! Blessings, Lisa

What a year 2007 has been! A year of many transitions, lots of new disciplines (hard work at school, homework, mom working outside the home, new instruments to learn, George getting his arm strength back after the broken shoulder, etc.), new friends and old, growth for us all in many ways. Today I'm sharing some photos from the past year in hopes that you'll enjoy them. Perhaps tomorrow I'll post the look ahead to 2008. For today it seems best to look back, to appreciate where we've been and how far we've come, to slow time down just a bit by reflecting. Oh, how the kids grow too fast... So, without further adieu, blessed New Year to you all! Lisa