Strange Forecast...No Snow in the Sierra

Today, January 4, 2012 I sit in my cabin getting over a pesky ear infection. Blame it on last week's swimming, hot tub, tourists, the altitude, or allergies. Perhaps all of it. Antibiotics Day 4. Starting to feel normal but when I look outdoors it looks anything but normal for Lake Tahoe. The weather is San Francisco Bay Area temps. Too weird for words.  No snow. (But I forecasted that we wouldn't have a white Christmas; we would have snow in January and February.)
Tonight I may make a fire. Or not. It may be too warm. Really. I'm sensing tourists aren't thrilled. Locals who count on tourists aren't thrilled. But me? Well, I'm torn. I like the white stuff, sort of. An oncoming storm is exciting. The snowfall late at night is soothing. Shoveling piles of powder is not fun. Walking the dogs on black ice is spooky. High utility bills and extra dog nail trims aren't fun either.
So, here I sit getting well in a mountain resort town with no snow during winter; an extended fall season (my dream come true). But hey, I predicted this would happen. However, I also forecasted the Sierra would get a few significant snowstorms this winter. I hold my ground (even though it's dry right now).We do have three months, give or take some days...But I'm wondering what to do with all that wood I purchased? Roasted marshmallows, anyone?

NOW Available: Forecasts for 2012 in Oracle 20/20 Magazine

The olive branch and dove is symbolic of peace, noted in my book The Healing Powers of Olive Oil.

Early December I wrote my Earth Changes monthly column for Oracle 20/20 --and it's now up and published in the January 2012 issue. Every year I focus on forecasts for the year. This time around, like usual, I included quakes, weather, economy, healthcare, politics, and on the fringe predictions--you know, the weird stuff.

As an intuitive and phone psychic (I work as and advisor for two international networks) people know that I'm down to earth and tell it like it is. No sugar coating but I do leave my forecasts on an upbeat note and provide Plan A, B, C...

I realize now though that I left out the biggie: Peace. I want states, countries, the planet, and individuals to find peace.  But I know this is going to be a challenge during the turbulent year ahead. That symbolic dove has its work cut out for 2012.
Yes, I'm getting calls about unrequited love or "When will I find love?" but it's the scary money matters that affect callers, too. I know we haven't seen the worst to come. Change is in the air around the globe and it will be unsettling, especially for the middle class and people of all ages. 

Despite my forthcoming predictions in Oracle 20/20, I am seeing images of people struggling to capture inner peace by going with the flow or challenging facing their demons.  "Bring it on!"  
Get ready, whether it be for an earthquake, severe weather, money woes, shakeups in the workplace, and relationship changes. Fasten your seatbelts. Life's curve balls will occur, no ifs, ands or buts about it. But most importantly, don't be spooked--be prepared.  

Author Cal Orey is a Spokeshuman for Honey Bees

Honey bees pollinate our favorite superfoods--strawberries; and alfalfa--what cows eat. Imagine a world without berries and organic milk... --Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

I have a strange bond with the hardworking honey bee. Yep, the honey bee works double shift: This insect makes honey and pollinates our crops--one third of the food we eat. Recently, and in the upcoming weeks, I like the honey bee, am working during the days promoting my books and nights I put on my phone psychic hat and dish out readings for two-leggers.
As an author of the new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011) I've been spreading the word about honey. Yesterday morning I was up at 7:30 AM and a guest on KSFO Bob Tanem In the Garden Show.  (He noted I am "Type A"--like a worker bee.) Callers called in to talk about the honey bee, its well being to its demise, thanks to colony collapse disorder (CCD) -- a mystery when bees leave their hives and vanish. Speaking of disappearing, my article "The Vanishing Honey Bee" (online, page 26) was published today in the November issue of Oracle 20/20 Magazine. What's more, come November 12, I'm flying to Italy (via phone) to carry on the buzz about the bees. I'll be the beelady on Beyond the Matrix.

Oddly, while my book is about the health perks of honey, it's the honey bee that's upstaging the liquid gold. Why? Because the bee pollinates our grub. We're talking fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, and cocoa--yes, chocolate!  And me, now a self-professed spokeshumanoid for my kindred spirits, the honey bees, is spreading the word about the importance of this creature. Oh, and on November 26, I will be at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Reno--for more talk about the amazing bee-healthy benefits of the honey bee. Still pondering if I should wear my honey bee garb. Or not. I feel like I'm morphing into a bee the way Seth did in the unforgettable film The Fly. 
Whew! I need a cup of chamomile tea and honey to chill. It's a task working night and day. As I sit here in my study with a hive-like feel to it--solo--I'm sensing I was a queen bee in a past life. But hey, I can live with that. Winter is coming. (Honey bees huddle up to keep warm and share honey amongst them. Like the bees, I'll cozy up and enjoy two dog/one cat nights throughout the colder months ahead. And the pantry is stocked with honeys--all kinds.)

It's June 15, 2011--Here Comes the Full Moon

By Cal Orey

Last night I saw it and was awestruck. The huge bright moon greeted me through my bedroom window. As I fielded calls for the psychic network and input prose for my latest Healing Powers series book, I saw it. The moon said, "Hello, there." And I smiled back.

The question is, will quakes occur in the following week. After all, it's June and back in pre-summer of 2005 our Golden State rocked and rolled like a fast game of ping pong.

Meanwhile, the wildflowers did not bloom at the Lake. One local told me yesterday that they "froze back." No splashes of bright yellow in the neighborood or fields that I walk my Brittany duo. Still, store bought flowers are out and trees are in bloom (about 75%). And the weather? It's getting warm--so much that my fish, my goldfish went to fish heaven. Not fun. Had the water tested by the fish people and it's normal, they said. Blame it on the rise in temperature. And I wonder if the snowmelt from the mountain tops will cause flooding at the Lake and surrounding Lake Tahoe; NOAA and I are on alert for the next week.

Today, I'll fantasize about my first outdoor swim of yesterday as I am inputting words in the big book on the new healing superfood; anticipating the arrival of The Healing Powers of Honey come fall harvest--my fourth book child in the series. I'd rather be dancing by the lake with my cat under the full moon. Windows open, new fish, warm air, calls from around around the world with callers treating me like a magical guru will have to suffice. Well, the day is still young and we are now entering the total lunar eclipse window. I'm craving a special chocolate delivery--it's on its way, Enjou Chocolat tells me. And more coffee...

P.S. No worries. I'm on watch for Earth changes and the phone should be ringing a lot tonight--it's proven, folks and animals go haywire during lunar cycles. "Intuitive, Callie--chill. Now, I'm sensing you're a fire sign, perhaps on the cusp of water, right... No, no, no...it's not over but it should be." And then I pet Zen, my cat, take a sip of chamomile tea, turn up alternative tunes and tune into callers' woes.

(Photo courtesy www.michaelleu.com)

Spring Has Spung: But It's Hot Chocolate at Tahoe

Lake Tahoe flowers, blue jays chirping, front yard trees blossoming, and sunshine are not in the cards. Yesterday I walked the Brittanys in a snow flurry. By five P.M., I made a roaring fire. What's more, I ordered a veggie pizza. No springtime here: no birds, flowers, or trees in full bloom. Sure, it's the sierra and back in 2009, we had snow, thunderstorms, and flash floods. Yet several years ago, in April I'd walk to the Lake each day and the 70s feel like warm 80s in the mountains.
This weather weirdness is playing games on my mind and spirit. Last night, for instance, I almost ordered gourmet coffee chocolate from an online chocolate company. But when the customer service rep told me corn syrup was one of the ingredients in the chocolates of my choice--I quickly hung up the phone. A cup of unsweetened hot chocolate sufficed...Today, my June Earth Changes article in Oracle 20-20 Magazine graces the cover: Spring Has Sprung: Is Armeggedon Here? by Cal Orey. I wrote it last month before May 21, Judgment Day, according to Harold Camping. My anti-prediction on The Mancow Show panned out and I hold my 100% accurate thumbs down to wacky forecasts...Speaking of forecasts, I have been accepted as a "psychic" on another well known psychic network. And I'm loving it. Busy, busy, busy like a worker honey bee. Yep, I'm still dishing out answers like an Eight Ball and getting "hits" again...

BUZZ-WORTHY NEWS

And this day is the final day for me to proof the honey bee book and it will fly via fax back to the publisher. This excites me. I will probably bake a honey dish (or two) to celebrate. Plus, as always, after the completion of a book that I pen, I make a fire and sip a healthful beverage. Read: A cup of herbal tea, hot chocolate and/or Joe are on the agenda for this chilly Thursday in June, pre-summer. No recipes required. Hot healthful beverges are best despite spring has sprung, sort of. But the heater is on and the sky is gray. Time to put on the hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and walk the Brittany duo in the big chill. No honey bee sightings today.

P.S. It's time for a cup of hot chocolate and a dark chocolate caramel (or two) after our romp. Ah, bliss. Watching Food Network; on the phone psychic network, and the big honey bee book is back in New York for its final trek. The worker bee's work is done!

Down-to-Earth Intuitive Dishes It Out This Week

I'm sensing the Golden State is on a roll...

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

This week before Easter you'd think I'd be busy in the kitchen. Not so much. The truth of the matter is, I'm getting over losing my seismically sensitive cat Kerouac (his nine lives ran out). And my Brittany duo is trying to get acclimated to Zen--my new Siamese-mix kitty who I rescued and he rescued me back. But the companion animal crisis that rocked my world isn't all...
Speaking of rocking, there is a mega sierra earthquake swarm happening as I type--and it's happening south of me at Lake Tahoe. (Click your mouse on that link and see the map. Callie and her seismic sentries are in the big circle!) Yep, Hawthorne, Nevada (near the dormant volcanoes) has been shaking it up with more than 500 earthquakes in the recent weeks this month. And this is bigger than the 2008 Verdi-Mogul/Reno quake swarm that ended up rattling my cabin at 11:45 PM, April 25. Of course, Kerouac sensed it before and gave me a head's up, as well as my two Brittanys acting out (rough housing and being Velcro pooches). And we're getting a repeat. My blue-eyed Zen (I know, I know how New Age is that) is vocalizing up a storm and is oh so affectionate (it's only been 5 days! and he's sticking to me like glue). Here come the tremors...
Tomorrow I'm going to be a guest once again on The Mancow Show. Topic? The sierra quake swarm, especially while scientists are "concerned" and their instrumenets are all over the shaky region! After all, I did tell Mancow on the last show after the Japan catastrophe(s) that our Golden State was next in line... But why does it have to be so close to home?
As an article is running right now about my confessions of a phone psychic (featured on MyDaily) you'd think I'd know the answer, right? Wrong. Sometimes, when intuitives are too close to a topic the read is fuzzy. So, I say flip a coin. The next significant shaker could hit in the Sierra south or north of me, the SF Bay Area, SoCal, or even Offshore NorCal. But I--the author-intuitive--can tell you this: as I penned in Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January issue, 2011 Forecasts, California is going to rock and roll. Count on it. I don't need tarot cards to confirm this prediction. (I randomly picked the temperance card for this post--which I just realized deals with loss and that is too spooky. So, the next card that came up was the strength card which is more positive and tells me, a Californian living on shaky ground to be prepared.)
P.S. For serious foodies who wanted a yummy Easter recipe for The Writing Gourmet, do as I do during shaky times: Detox diet. That means fresh fruit, veggies, brown rice, herbal tea, and water (one dark chocolate truffle per day). And pet the cat and dog(s) for comfort. Repeat as needed during turbulent times.

S.F. Bay Area Shakes It Up, Cal's Quake Cake Rx

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Last month the West Coast was getting slammed with snow and rain. This month we're getting our share of earthquakes at San Juan Bautista, Central California and people are reporting feeling the tremors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area--my home. I still have an uncanny connection to my roots, San Jose, where I grew up and went to SFSU. (I even took an earthquake class and on a field trip we visited San Juan Bautista). Before and after I survived the 6.2 Morgan Hill temblor while living in Santa Cruz Mountains; and the Loma Prieta 15 second shaker that rocked my San Carlos bungalow on the peninsula--and thousands of people--in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California.

Actually, the earthquakes south of the South Bay are no surprise to me (or to my fellow quake sensitives at Earthquakeepi-center forums--both two-leggers and four-leggers are on top of the seismic activity). On the radio and in print media--I predicted this may happen in 2011. Sure, in the past week, a 4.1 (epi at Seven Trees, north of San Juan Bautista), a 4.5, 3.7, and 3.9 and a bunch of smaller shakers are not a 6.0 (as I forecasted in Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January issue; page 23, Earth Changes column)--but the year is still young.

As a native Californian earthquakes are nothing new to me. And back in April 2008, Gemma Sciabica, olive oil guru and cookbook author, whipped up an Earthquake Cake for me (and she sent me chocolate biscotti) so I could deal with our hundreds of quakes here in the Reno-Tahoe region. Caveat: Dark chocolate can help soothe rattled nerves and high anxiety when Mother Nature makes moves. Chocolate (in many forms) is the 21st century nature's finest remedy for coping with earthquakes. (It used to be popcorn.)

So, I'd like to share Gemma's recipe--straight from my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010)--purchased by the Good Cook Book Club, One Spirit Book Club, Crafters, Mystery Guild, and translated in three languages so far.

* * *

Cal's Earthquake Cake

2 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup dark cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Sciabica's or Marsala Olive Oil

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon Danish pastry extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup raspberry-creame filled chocolate squares (chop)

1 large banana, mashed

Cheese Filling

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well or use cooking spray in a 10-inch bundt tube pan. In mixing bowl, sift dry ingredients together, make well in center. Pour in buttermilk, olive oil, eggs, and flavorings. Stir until smooth. Add chocolate pieces. Pour half the cake batter into prepared pan. Spoon the filling mixture evenly over the layer of batter. Carefully pour second half of batter over the filling. Bake 55 or 60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool cake on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before glazing. Glaze as desired, or, may be sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Serves 12.

Foodies' Forecast 2025: Recession 2.0 (Not Again)

By Cal Orey

So, coffee prices are soaring as I predicted just like I forecasted the 2008 recession. Yes, I have stocked up... 

As a former starving graduate student at San Francisco State (I rolled pennies and cashed 'em in), I realize now I was getting crash courses on how to survive in the real world. (One professor talked the greenhouse effect; another about how to live life so you have something to write about.) Actually, it wasn't as economically scary back in the '80s because my fellow peers were all hungry and living in jeans, T-shirts, and enjoying the free things in life. The cool thing is, I did eat healthy for being flat broke. Read: Brown rice, fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain bread and bagels, peanut butter and honey played a role in my minimalist diet...

Fast forward to the present-day. I was going to cook a poultry dish but my little all-natural birds were still frozen. So, peanut butter, bananas, whole grain sourdough bread, and honey (I have a lot thanx to my forthcoming book, The Healing Powers of Honey, Kensington, October 2011) came to the rescue.

The sandwich of health nut students hit the spot as I nibbled on it (and my sweet and sneaky food loving pooch Seth snatched the last bite); while reading the latest news about the ups and downs of the current economy. I'm so confused. Everything is good except for a mega lack of jobs and countries abroad have caught the economic sickness. Not to forget CA, NV and other states dealing with foreclosures, layoffs, and homelessness. I give up trying to figure it all out. I flunked math in college, anyhow. 

But, as an intuitive (yep, I serve up answers to callers who have questions about the future), I do know and can sadly say that there are a growing number the haves and have-nots. My article "Middle Class Melt Down" (page 24) on this topic made the cover on Oracle 20-20 Magazine, December issue.

My point of this blog post? I, like you maybe even you, can eat healthy on a roller coaster cash flow. That means, sticking to the staples as noted above. These foods are found in the Mediterranean diet--what I practice and preach in my HEALING POWERS book series. These simple and nutrient-rich foods will keep you healthy and lean. And it's so much better to eat this stuff rather than processed foods and junk food. In other words, keep it simple and real and you'll survive eating well in 2011, whether you're a have or have-not or floundering somewhere in between. And now it's time for me to dish out my 2011 Forecasts, including what we can expect for the economy and food costs. That calls for a cup of hot honey vanilla chamomile honey tea (or two).

P.S. I did sense and predict the recession of 2008. My doom and gloom forecast (complete with my black cat's sixth sense) and food facts was dished out in a PR press release to radio talk shows and even geologist Jim Berkland (the scientist who predicted the World Series Earthquake). He didn't believe me at first but later did give me credit for being spot on once it was a global reality and groundbreaking news. Too bad it was a "hit" and not a miss. It's tea and honey time.

Recession Food for the Haves and Have-Nots

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Recently, I've been booked on upcoming radio shows such as "Turn Financial Fears into Cheers" to chat it up about money making hurdles as we Americans continue struggling on the bumpy Recession Recovery Road. I've never been a huge "have" but regressing to a penniless "have-not" as I was in graduate school and hitchhiking across America in the seventies, is not something I prefer to do (again). Been there, done that...

In the January 2010 issue of Oracle 20-20 Magazine, I forecasted that "the middle class will struggle to make ends meet and the "haves" and "have nots" will be more defined this year. Money issues will continue to affect all ages groups around the nation." And this prediction does ring true as we edge toward the end of the year.

More than 20 years ago. I fell into the health-nutrition writing genre. The cool thing is, hundreds of articles and many books later, I know how to eat and stay healthy during lean times. But other people continue to shock me by their ideas about eating when money is scarce. Some folks still believe that if money is tight that eating white rice and spam or hamburgers and fries is the way to fill up and survive.

There really is no need for me to dish out a recipe for cooking up brown rice and veggies. This is what is on the menu for tonight. Sauteed cruciferous vegetables, and tofu with cooked whole grain brown rice (with a bit of olive oil, herbs, and honey) should suffice. What's more, this can last for leftovers. Not only is it cheap and healthy, but it's so easy to put together and it's tasty. And you'll stay lean and heart healthy eating like this, too.
So, the question remains, why do people eat processed food (stuff in cans) when times are tough (or not)? Whole grains, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, herbal teas--are some of the feel-good edibles. It's cheap eats, like these (including a dark chocolate truffle or full cup of a homemade latte), that enhances happiness while coping on Recession Recovery Road.

A Sensitive Dishes It Out: "I Feel Your Heartburn..."

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

So, how in the big cruel world did I, a health-cookbook author-"quake sensitive" end up being a part-time phone "eight ball" for an international phone psychic network, anyhow? Blame it on the Great Recession hit (yes, I predicted it as others did back in 2007). In the winter of 2009, I called a psychic (or 10) to ask questions about my work as a writer. The answers were off the mark...

Then, one pre-spring day I thought, "For years, I've been dishing out quake predictions and getting credit for "hits" on national radio shows. Reading people and their challenges that rock their world is no different." The rest is history.

These days, on the job I tune into the faraway caller around the globe. Once I hear a voice it sets the stage. Often I can pick up if the call is from the West Coast, East Coast, Canada,Trinidad, New Zealand or Australia. It's not always the accents. It's my animal-like intuition that kicks in from the get-go. But there's more.

I use the planets as a baseline, lunar cycles (emotions and calls soar during the New and Full Moon), and a tarot card (or two) to get an objective read which often coincides with what I've picked up with my gut instincts. As a super sensitive I can read a caller's woes by tuning into their voice, energy, and words. I get cues within a minute or two of their, age, sun sign, and issue(s) why they're ringing me.

Yeah, I can feel vibrations. Both callers and myself are often surprised that I know things, such as if they have a toothache or heartache. The most common problem, however, I am faced with, is unrequited love--and this hurts. How do you say, "he or she isn't that much into you?" especially when the caller's ego is wounded, fears being alone or the unknown. Part of me wants to play Mayer Hawthorne's song, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" while I drink a cup of peppermint tea to soothe my empathy pains of the caller's heartburn.

But I offer advice and words of preparedness for upcoming events (even if a caller can't see it yet). I tell it like it is (yes, I do get images, words, feelings like I do before an oncoming quake) because saying good things doesn't always bring good results. It's like saying, "A quake won't hit" when I'm looking at the USGS map watching an aggressive swarm in a city on an active fault; and the caller is located at the epicenter. (You can find out more about how I do what I do in my Earth Changes column article "Confessions of a Phone Psychic" page 24, September issue of Oracle 20-20 Magazine.)

P.S. Excuse me, the telephone is going to ring. Trust me, it is. Meanwhile, the Full Moon is on the 23rd. If you'd like to speak with me about what's eating you, e-mail me via my web site . You can also see my roots of being a sensitive at work Author-Intuitive Cal Orey.

Healthy Chocolate for Worker Bees

By Cal Orey

The Writing Gourmet

It's Sunday afternoon and it's raining outside. I feel SAD, sort of. A bee guru warned me that postpartum blues could hit home once I finished my hard work on the big sweet honey book. This guy knows worker bees...

Yep, I'm feeling a bit down. My mood could be also due to not swimming today (the resort pool is off limits to locals during the weekends). I do miss my link to writing about the nectar of the gods and sacred honey bee. But hey, I did walk the dogs, cleaned the fish aquariums, worked the psychic network phone lines, and am getting ready to whip up a dish for my Tahoe Daily Tribune column, "What's Cookin at Callie's Cabin". I am so worker bee-oriented. Blame it on my genes or maybe I was a bee in a past life. If it wasn't for the recession (yes, I sense it's not over) in the works I'd probably fly to Italy for its honey and...

... chocolate: A while ago, I was sent a box of Chava Vital Chocolate. It's super "healthy chocolate"--the stuff that's good for you, really good for you. I'm not talking about mass market milk chocolate at the grocery store, nor premium chocolate filled with sugary goo and artificial ingredients. These chocolates are the real deal. Yep, we're talking super dark chocolate squares with super antioxidants. The cool thing about this healing chocolate is that it tastes healthy so you won't overdo it like you can with the sugary junk. Also, it boasts a creamy texture and a flavor that tastes like almonds or cherries. That means it keeps me coming back and it's not ending up in the trash like some healthy chocolates I've tried in the past.

So, go ahead. Check out this good for you chocolate. ChefShop.com excerpted a list of compounds in chocolate from my book, The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010). And I'm sure as a honey bee on the job that these guys are in Chava. Also, I penned an article "Chocolate World" in this month's Oracle 20-20 Magazine (page 24) that'll explain more info about chocolate for chocolate lovers.You can grab a copy of my chocolate book from me http://www.calorey.com/, online bookstores, book clubs, local bookstores, and anywhere you choose. (Psst! On October 28 it's Chocolate Day!)

Meanwhile, I think I'm going to go and snag a square of Chava for a nice pick me up while the sky is gray and it's all wet outdoors. I used to think I could live in Washington state but if I did I'd have to have chocolate--all kinds! (To find out all about Chava power, log onto this link and discover the dark secret.)

Phone Psychic Sensed Food & Romantic Meltdown

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Tonight, I was craving hot, healthful comfort food with a twist. I put together a quickie dish that turned out heavenly. In fact, it was so good I was going to have a second helping (I don't eat after 7:00 p.m.--it's my secret to staying skinny). But something untimely and not so funny happened on the way to the kitchen...

The phone rang. No biggie, right? Wrong. I was signed into the psychic phone network. I ran back to answer, "Intuitive Callie..." The glitch: I was sensing that my food-loving Brittany, Seth (Mr. Brainiac--a tall and lanky problem solver) was into something good. I can't believe it but I paused and said, "Can you hold the phone for just one second? I'm sensing something bad is happening." (I knew my furry child was being a bad dog.) Since I had told her the region she was calling from (yeah, I can do that; it's a gift)--she didn't go anywhere.

I was right. Seth's orange and white paws were on the kitchen countertop and he was wolfing down half the Mac and Cheese casserole. Well, he did leave me about 40 percent; thanks to my gut instincts that helped me catch him in the nick of time. (I knew there was a reason why I didn't use anti-dog friendly onions. I must have sensed my beloved canine food snatcher with an uncanny knack to get what he wants would hit my food tonight.)

Once back to the phone, I dished out my advice to the caller. "No, he is not your "soul mate." I strongly picked up the fact that the relationship in question was doomed and not the romance of the century. It was an easy read. No need to go to tarot. No hesitation on my end. I was asked to give a quick answer and I turned into my eight ball mode and it was done. The couple is overcooked. And I'd put money on it.

Meanwhile, Seth is on his back doing the happy doggie roll and chewing his bone so I don't think it's animal ER time this time around. Here's the simple recipe but when you make it keep the pooch away and don't answer the phone.

Heavenly Mac and Cheese

2 cups whole grain pasta shells, cooked

1/2 cup 2% low-fat organic milk

2 tablespoons European style butter

1 1/2 cups premium all-natural white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup premium all-natural sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup seasoned all natural bread crumbs (or pre-seasoned: for a treat)

fresh ground pepper

In a sauce pan boil pasta. Meanwhile, in another sauce pan combine milk, butter, cheese till melted and hot. In a baking dish pour cheese mixture over cooked pasta. Top with a dash of pepper and bread crumbs. Bake at 350-375 F. for about 30 minutes. Serves 4 or 2 and a dog.

I hope I still have a job with the psychic network. My intuition tells me that I do. But psychics can get fuzzy readings when they try and read themselves. Tomorrow night I'm going to be on a national radio show to chat it up about my intuitive powers (see the article "Confessions of a Phone Psychic" on the cover of Oracle 20-20 Magazine, September issue) and how I dish 'em out to phone callers like the one that just called. Uh oh, the phone isn't ringing. I think I need a second helping of comfort food. Worse, it's after 7:00 p.m.

A Day in a Life of a Health Author--Phone Psychic

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

As I sit here in worker bee mode and typing on the keyboard I am pondering about my life as it is today. I am a health author fine-tuning edits on my fourth book of the Healing Powers series. This time around it's "honey"--due to be published fall harvest time next year. And, I continue to dish out articles that feed the spirit and mind... Not only did I pen the Fall Horoscopes for Complete Woman magazine (still on the stands), but I just finished my Earth Changes column for Oracle 20-20 online magazine, November issue. (Not to forget "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin"--this week's article is about how I survived getting sick like an overworked worker bee.)

In between these tasks, I still am answering the phone rings..."Intuitive Callie... I'm sensing you're a Pisces. Uh-oh, I'm picking up energy that all is not well in Canada, your home..." And I still like it. It is odd, though, how I know exactly where these callers are calling from. How do I know that? It's the same as writing. The info comes to me. It's the same as cooking. The ingredients and how and what to use comes to me.

So, tomorrow is October 1...on the 6th it will be my birthday. Oracle 20-20 will be publishing a piece tomorrow that I wrote about decadent chocolate "CHOCOLATE WORLD" -- PAGE 24, (You can still read "Confessions of a Phone Psychic"--September issue, below October on the site). And again, I'm fantasizing about a killer chocolate cake but as an indecisive Libra I can't decide what type to make--white, milk, dark chocolate--or all three. Two layer, bundt cake, one layer, cupcakes...Maybe I'll tune into Intuitive Callie...Nah, she's signing off and going to Slumberland (even worker bees are motionless at night).

Blueberry-Chocolate Scones for Worker Bees

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Here I sit organizing compiled work--tons of papers (all kinds) from interviews to brochures, books, products in the pantry, bathroom and around the cabin--to finally begin the new, sweet book: The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011). Read: I'm blocked big time. (I wonder if worker bees get blocked?)...

I tried to swim but the water was too cold. Walked the dogs. The sky was gray--the way I like it. Wrote the "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin" for Friday and the July Earth Changes "I Feel the Earth Move" (page 32 for June: The End Game: Doomsday Films) columns. And now it's a friendly visit to my blog. Translation: I'm doing everything imaginable but go to the desktop computer and begin to use my imagination and pen my new book for the "Healing Powers" series. I just got the idea if I bake up a batch of scones--with nutrient-rich blueberries and dark chocolate--it may boost brainpower. Or not.

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Blueberry-Chocolate Scones

2 1/2 to 3 cups 100 percent natural whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup European style butter (cold cubes)

1 brown egg

3/4 cup 2% low-fat buttermilk

1 cup low-fat all natural vanilla yogurt

1 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon fresh lemon rind, grated

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60% cocoa content)

organic raw sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice. Add chunks of butter, sliced in small squares. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, yogurt, egg, vanilla and stir till a dough like mixture forms. Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush tops with buttermilk. Bake till brown, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Makes 16. Serve with cream cheese and/or all natural blueberry honey.

Two more articles to write. Deadline June 10. The new book? I vow to the world to begin writing IT this week. I am so blocked. It's a terrible feeling. Imagine you are able to do anything and everything but the one thing you should be doing.Or think being stuck in traffic or a line at the store. Not fun. It's time to hit the kitchen. Or maybe I'll watch the rest of Armageddon. (I wonder why we can't hire a Dream Team to take care of the BP oil spill?) It would be more soothing to view the action-oriented film--and real-life coverage of the oil catastrophe going on day 40-something--with a homebaked scone fresh from the oven with a cup of tea(or 20). Make that chamomile.
P.S. For the record, I'm not always a victim of the block. An interview with me in the Books2Mention literary magazine about my work was published today. It had to be the chocolate that got me through the block for my past books for a decade.