Eat Right- Tread Light - Live Bright.

Today's post is largely inspired by Phil a lovely reader of mine whose not only a Cornish local with surf experience I'd kill to have, he also happens to be a vegan who posts delicious recipes on his blog Driftwood Vegans. 

Now I'm going to be honest (can I be anything but on here)! I've fallen off the bandwagon a fair bit this year and its not only my conscience which has suffered. A combination of being over worked and laziness has resulted in me grabbing convenience foods or indulging in dairy and boy does my body hate it. Being vegan means embracing natural, unadulterated plant-based foods in a big way, cooking from scratch and knowing your lessening your impact on this already swollen and beat up planet. So for today I'd like to share with you a few vegan inspired dishes and perspectives from a sector of society which is largely misunderstood...(Admit it you think of vegans as anemic, hippies who hug bunnies too much)! 

The title of this blog is borrowed from the ever lovely Hannah from Health Yeah!
who also has this to say about eating a predominantly vegan diet: 

Every meal becomes an act of self love and self respect, which does wonders for your self esteem, too... 

So this morning Jack the dog and I had a walk into our local town and bought some fresh wholesome ingredients for recipes I've been dying to try out. In between kicking the ball so Jack could play fetch, I headed into the kitchen and made the following from Health Yeah! 

Easy Curried Tofu Scramble.

Homemade Vegan Bounty Bars 

Both pictures are from Hannah's site as the things I made were less than photogenic! I cannot however knock the flavor, as both recipes were really delicious. 

So...

I'd now like to show you two videos. The first is entitled 'The Best Speech You'll Ever Hear' and is by a man named Gary Yourofsky, an activist who has done many lectures on veganism and was sponsored by PETA between 2000-2005. Gary has also been arrested 13 times between and has spent 77 days in a Canadian maximum security prison in 1999, after raiding a fur farm in Canada, releasing 1,542 mink in 1997.

As both a Buddhist and a wildlife conservationist, the more extreme end of animal rights activism i.e. releasing mink into the wild, threatening those who oppose the views etc leaves me feeling cold. I am a firm believer in non violent action and education as being the tools in which to bring about positive change. So whilst I think Gary's intelligent and witty speech hits all the right notes, I do not condone his other methods of promoting veganism. 

Lead by example Buddha, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, The Dalai Lama - forgiveness and compassion are the ways to effectively spread a message. 

Ok, grab yourself a cup of tea, get comfortable and watch this video, despite Gary's misdemeanors this speech is powerful and does make some excellent points about why we should all be Vegan. 

The second video I want to show you is an interview with Jona Weinhofen an Australian guitarist from the metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen. Other than being really, really cool (and gorgeous), Jona I feel presents one of the best arguments for being Vegan. He conveys vegan perspectives peacefully, tactfully and intelligently, highlighting that eating a meat and dairy free diet isn't unusual or weird its just another way to live your life. Bravo!  

 As a surfer constantly out in nature, my moral obligation towards protecting the environment and the amazing beings we share it with has increased. I directly see and feel the impact on our oceans and land around me and hope that by being vegan and peacefully communicating this lifestyle to others, I'm making a small difference to a massive problem. I hope today's blog has been informative and inspired you to consider a vegan lifestyle, if not then thank you for reading anyway at least we shared some time together! 

Until next time, 

Stay strong, surf well 

Love 

 xxx 

The Selkie.

I'll grow an exoskeleton, 
to shield the caves and alcoves of my mind,
from your trespassing. 
Like a selkie bride 
I'll find my seal skin 
and go back to the water. 
For the romance is me. 

by Sophia Hobbs 








































The title of today's blog is a response to hurtful comments I recently received. Writing for me has always been a great source of solace so it is now that I turn to it. I have always known I have my flippant tendencies, I have big ideas which don't always come to fruition but I defend this side of myself fiercely. Those ideas are a process, its a creative way of thinking which helps me sift through what I think I want and what I'll actually do. All the ideas which were leading me somewhere important have happened, I'm writing this blog and run the Land Locked Surfers, which were after all mere seeds of thought. 

My decision to go to South Africa and particularly to go work on a surf volunteer project has been criticized by the people who I hoped would be the most happiest for me. Naturally their negativity is fear derived but it does not make their cynicism less of a jagged pill to swallow. 

At work I can tolerate challenging behavior from service users, work myself into the ground and go to the ends of the earth for my friends without thanks but do not tell me who I am, this I find abominable. I once was on a date with a guy who tried to psychoanalyze me, his summary was fairly accurate in all honesty, but he did not fathom that the traits he deemed unfavorable are actually the ones I hold most dear. I seem directionless and have more ideas about what to do than hot baths, but its a method not a disease. 

When it comes to problems I am like a Selkie in that I flee as travelling has always been a coping mechanism for me. When I was in nursery school I was constantly under watch because I had a habit of hiding from the teachers and trying to run home, I've always picked flight over fight as something about distance helps me understand a situation and gives me the space I need to resolve it. 

Today I chose fight. Not because I wish to lash out or throw words but because I want to defend myself. I may be all the assumptions you've made about me but I'm also so much more. Even my regrets I cherish for they have been the nourishment needed for me to grow and learn from. 

I am in process and I make no apologizes for that. 

The plan to go work for a few weeks in Africa is rash, expensive and most definitely a spur of the moment decision but my gosh isn't that wonderful! I don't know what will happen when I'm out there if I'll make a difference, or even if I'll enjoy it but my arms are open to the possibilities, for the sheer adventure of it. 

Anyway enough of that. 

Here's a round up of a few inspirations this week...

I read about Otelo is Burning months ago and desperately wanted to see it then. Now that there is promise to visit South Africa I want to see it with even more vehemence. The film was directed by Sara Blecher a woman I also desperately want to interview - wish me luck! 

I also wanted to mention Kiwi Hannah Horton's blog 'Health Yeah!' I love perusing her site for new recipes which are all about eating fresh, nourishing your body simplistically and living the surfer life. Hannah even tells you how to make sustainable alcohol free eye liner. 
Check her out! 

Ok that's enough rambling for one day 

Until next time... 

Stay strong, surf well 
Love