Junk food vs. bone marrow

Unfortunately, this is not about a delicious taste-off between chips and roasted beef bones.

Preliminary research indicates that junk food changes the microbiome and causes bone marrow inflammation.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/junk-food-can-alter-your-immune-system/

Just another reason to choose real food at every possible opportunity and feed our friendly bacteria friends as well as we can.

That said, though, I ate homemade oatmeal cookies for breakfast and just barely resisted buying Halloween-themed white cheddar Cheetos at the grocery store yesterday. They were in the shape of different bones, and you could put them together to make little skeletons! Those clever food marketers... who doesn't want to have cheesy DIY skeletons? They are scientifically designed to be delicious! Peter Pham at Foodbeast found them salty, though I would have to try and see for myself.

We prepared a box of snack veg for the week instead. Joy, rapture. I should really not be so glum about our vegetables. They are tasty and fresh, Phil did the knifework, and the celery is a real taste delight with PB & a nice fleur de sel (flaky sea salt). This is one from near where I lived and taught in France. I like the crunch it adds, and its burst of salty flavor. Almost makes up for my snack not being skeleton-shaped.

Knitting Nettles

Did you know that you can harvest nettles and spin their fiber?

In my volunteer work at the Château Ramezay, I teach visitors about the fibers that would have been used by habitants, European settlers in New France. Wool is big, of course, and so is linen (from flax).

Yesterday I discovered that nettles can be processed similarly to flax! Check out this video from YouTuber Michael Taylor, be astounded and inspired, and then save it under "post-apocalyptic survival skills."

Any country-dwellers up for giving this a try?