Posts Tagged ‘Mary Ellen Kaluza’
Save Money – Eat Your Weeds
Purslane Violets By MARY ELLEN KALUZA Eating well is expensive even without high inflation. Save money by foraging around your backyard, neighbor’s yard, or other overgrown areas. A small pile of free greens can easily save you $5. Here are a few common weeds that are delicious and nutritious. (Always look up the plant to safely identify and prepare. Harvest in areas you know are not treated with chemicals. Get permission, if necessary. Rinse thoroughly.) Lamb’s Quarter: My neighbor turned me on to lamb’s quarters years ago with quesadillas stuffed with them. Yum! They are also quite tasty on their own, lightly steamed with a little salt and pepper. Lamb’s quarters contain oxalic acid and you don’t want to eat too much of them raw. (Cooking removes the acid.) Purslane (verdolagas in Spanish): Purslane can be a pesky weed in the garden. Or in your sidewalk cracks. I get particular pleasure eating this weed because its stubborn tap roots and bazillion seeds [...]
Artist Interview With Sha’Vontie Rose Juneau Jackson Hosfield
Youth Performance Company production of Ruby: The Ruby Bridges Story in February/March 2020. Cast is performing the song When the Saints Go Marching In. Sha'Vontie on the right.Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Youth Performance Company Sha’Vontie recording a song with her cousins in summer of 2021.Photo credit: Janelle Hosfield By MARY ELLEN KALUZA Sha’Vontie lives a few blocks away and she often walks by with her dad to visit her cousins near me. She always has a cheerful greeting when she passes. Makes me smile. Last summer I was invited to the cousins’ backyard for a concert the kids were putting on. That’s where I first saw Sha’Vontie sing and play piano. I was very impressed with her poise and confidence on the stage, on top of her lovely voice. I had no idea I only saw a fraction of her many talents and interests until we met for this interview. How old are you? What grade are you in? I’m 11 and in 5th grade Describe your main art form(s). I like [...]
Interview With Local Artist Orren Fen
by Mary Ellen Kaluza Last month the alley debuted a new feature highlighting young artists in Phillips. Within moments of having the idea of a regular featured artist, I knew I had to talk with Orren Fen. I first met Orren a few years ago, in pre-COVID times. I was visiting their home and they showed me a project they were working on: a puppet stage made out of cardboard, maybe 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. I was blown away by the clever design, the creativity, the engineering — both structural and mechanical. Orren explained all the parts, moving and stationary, in great detail. Like I said, I was blown away! Lucky for us, Orren graciously agreed to be interviewed for the alley. How old are you? What grade are you in? Fourteen, and I'm a freshman in high school. Describe your main art form. I focus mostly on puppetry and performance art. What inspired you to take up your art? I grew up two blocks from In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, and participated in the [...]
