Jamie Moore

My latest batch of foster kittens will be ready for adoption this Saturday through Tiplings.

Come meet Monty, Biggles, Wiggles, and Key at PetSmart on Urbana Pike on Saturday from 1-4 pm (3 month old male kittens of the highest quality and character).

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.”
—Albert Schweitzer

Working on photos of my foster kittens, who will be up for adoption soon.

I haven’t been on social media much lately, so much going on here in addition to the 6 pack of kittens!

In January, I was diagnosed with musician’s dystonia (a task-specific movement disorder causing involuntary muscle contractions which interfere with highly trained motor skills, such as playing a musical instrument). Basically, the circuitry in my brain related to playing clarinet developed a glitch (all the hardware is intact—no mass or stroke). I have been working with some amazing musician coaches to retrain (or rewrite the affected program in my brain) since February. It’s going well, and I will be playing with my local orchestra in a concert of Sibelius works this month.

I just finished reading a novel based on Sibelius’ life, which was really interesting to read while playing several of his compositions—‘My Music, My Drinking, and Me’ by Caroline J. Sinclair. It illustrates how we all face struggles in life and how important it is to do your best to get through the difficult times.

The audio track is from Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, which was written after the tragic death of his 15 month old daughter from typhus while he was also struggling with alcoholism, debts, and subsequent marital troubles.

The kitchen is where creativity meets practicality.
— Elizabeth David

Apple Ginger Crisp

a good use for apples that have gone a bit soft and wrinkly

Preheat oven to 350F

4-6 apples (I use whatever fits in my baking pan and sometimes add other fruit that may be lurking in my fridge or freezer, like berries)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Squeeze of lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
Optional: 1/4 cup flaxseed meal

Combine and add to a greased baking dish

Topping:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup butter, chopped in small pieces
Pinch of salt
Optional: chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc)

Mix topping with hands, if feels dry drizzle 1 tbsp canola or olive oil and/or water until it is slightly moist. Spread on top of fruit in baking dish, bake 30-45 minutes.

I love old fashioned recipes, like this one, which are a practical way to use slightly imperfect or extra fruit. In the summer, I make this with peaches instead of apples.

What is your favorite kind of fruit crisp?

“The world isn’t getting any easier. With all these new inventions I believe that people are hurried more and pushed more... The hurried way is not the right way; you need time for everything - time to work, time to play, time to rest.”
— Hedy Lamarr

I am currently taking this advice and trying to approach life in a slower, more deliberate way.

I recently listened to the audiobook ’Hedy’s Folly’ by Richard Rhodes while traveling—I highly recommend it. The Austrian-American actress teamed up with avant-garde composer George Antheil during WWII to invent a method for secret communication over radio waves they called “frequency hopping.” This became the basis for the spread-spectrum technology used in modern, secure wireless communication systems (Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth).

It’s important to give yourself some down time in order to nurture creativity.