Blooming in Suburia

Clear glass ahead!

2012-02-04T19:28:00.001-05:00

Baby, is cold outside! And we've been lighting a lot of fires to keep that chill at bay....so...smoky windows. Blech!

Today, I spent a cheerful hour belting out 80s tunes and washing all our windows - so now the winter sun can stream on in!

Where the Woolie Things Are!

2012-01-04T23:02:00.001-05:00

Winter is no longer a thought but a very, VERY chilled reality! So out come the trusty hand-knits to see us comfortably through the season.

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-03T19:57:00.001-05:00

Shiny fresh year, shiny fresh new start!

1 - Create a better work/life balance - create a more efficient home office, adhere to scheduling boundaries, create more projects that can be done from home.

2 - Blog at least 2x per week. Journal my "Daily Pages" umm....daily! Photograph the beauty in my life whenever I see it!

3 - Spend more time laughing, singing, playing, and stargazing with the littles. Spend more time laughing and singing with my grownup friends. Spend more time listening to M's music!

4 - Implement on a more serious and consistent basis the local, all natural food choices that we can. Raw dairy, CSA produce, homemade stocks, etc.

5 - Work on ONE chapter each week of -------. (Shhhh!) Take on at least one new freelance writing assignment per month - even if its for Yahoo content!

6 - Walk in the sunshine. Dance in the rain. Slog thru the snows. KEEP MOVING!

7 - Daily hugs.

What are your plans and/or goals for 2012?

If you give a child a book...

2011-12-27T11:12:00.001-05:00

you can open new worlds and new words. With the right choice of book, you can stretch their boundaries - and abilities! You can send them to unexpected places where they can learn about character and choices and responsibility and a whole host of virtues. You can show them the consequences of bad choices, and the sorts of characters they should pity and avoid in their "real life". You can kindle their desire to learn more... on their own!

I gave the wee nieces a selection of titles for Christmas. The 5 year old received a novelty book with decreasing ladybug buttons on each page for "counting down from 10", the very silly and enjoyable "If you give a cat a cupcake" (which her big sister can read to her) and "Twas the Night before Christmas" that she can grow into as her parents and others read to her.

The 8 year old received "How apples grow"...because we saved seeds from our fall apple picking venture and we plan to grow trees :) she also received some fun, age appropriate "early reader" picture books.... and "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" - her first Narnia book. Its a little advanced for her, but as she immediately started to pick her way thru the first few pages I knew it was the right time we had a little chat about it, because it is a CHAPTER book, you see! I explained that it would be a bit challenging, but that I know she will grow into it :) I think she likes the idea of a challenge, of a book to "grow into", of being able to acquire - with help here and there - this wonderful tale!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:24:00.000-05:00

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
Let Earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare him room
and heav'n and nature sing!

Last night, I started to cry as I explained the story of the Little Match Girl to M, who had never heard it. After drying my tears, he told me, "perhaps you weep so easily at Christmas because the joy of the season points out the harsh side of life in stark relief." I think he may be onto something :) so today, I rejoice at sharing the new of my Saviour - and if tears come I will note when and why, and make the circumstance an opportunity for service!

A very blessed Christmas to all!

Define Necessity

2011-12-13T11:47:00.001-05:00

There is a very powerful image making its way around the internet - and having made its way to me I felt I should share it and my thoughts.

In a season which should be about solemn anticipation of the joyous birth of the Christ Child, we often get caught up in the more worldly, consumerist achievements. Is my goal for Christmas to celebrate and share my faith? The share a day of love with my family and beloved friends? Or is my goal to "shop til I drop" and encourage wanton greed? To enter and win some sort of "best gift" contest?

Of course, none of us *says* "Yes!! I want my child to be greedy enough to ask endlessly for various toys and other products without thought to need, costs, etc" - but isn't that what we encourage when we ask for Christmas wish lists? Did I really strike any balance when I required sifting thru older toys to donate to "poor children" each Advent season? Or when we together bought toys for our church's "Angel Tree"? Maybe...but was it enough to offset the continual barrage of "needs" inflicted by our popular culture? My son may have learned that his Mom isn't a giver of stuff as much as a giver of time and love - but did he learn to expect the "stuff" from elsewhere?

This image really raised a lot of thoughts and feelings for me - ranging from a certain smug "well, I never..." to a very humbled "hmmm, have I ever...". And altho we already keep a very simple Christmas, I am brainstorming new ways to share the Love and Joy of the season with those who don't have a lot of Love or Joy in their lives.

What thoughts or feelings has this image brought to you?

Homemade Goodness!

2011-12-12T11:57:00.001-05:00

When I tell folks that I bake almost all the bread we consume, I know some get the wrong idea. They think I must slave for hours, week after week. Folks tend to assume that I judge them for not baking - and that we must be heath freaks or yuppie foodies.

Well, what if I told you that I use the "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" basic recipe? That it takes me about 5-10 minutes to start a batch of dough...and there is no kneading involved? And that whenever I require a loaf, I just scoop out a portion of dough, shape it, let it rest on parchment while the oven preheats, and then score the top and toss it in?
Oh...and it is easy and convenient enough that my sweetie also feels free to scoop and bake when he wants fresh bread!

Now, this isn't the only bread I bake - but it is our standby, it is the dough we ALWAYS have on hand for a bread emergency (LOL!). It is the bread I bake with the littles, as it is delicious and almost foolproof. And it contains FOUR ingredients: flour, water, yeast and sea salt. (That's right - no hydrogenated fats, no corn syrup, no preservatives, no unpronounceable chemicals!)

For me, home-baked bread has always been about quality of ingredients - that it also saves me money is a very nice bonus! What do you make from scratch to save costs or improve quality - or both?

5 Little Things to Love about Pomegranates

2011-12-11T15:30:00.001-05:00

1 - The sparkling ruby color of the edible arils.
2 - Taste. Taste. Taste. The tart sweet pop of flavor makes me crave them by the handful!
3 - Grenadine syrup!
4 - A wonderful winter source of vitamin C, plus it is a good source of fiber, vitamin B5, potassium, tannins and flavonoids. Oh, and don't juice them or you lose some of these benefits! (Altho the juice is a delicious and refreshing beverage)
5 - Research suggests numerous health benefits related to blood pressure, dental health, possible cancer preventative and treatment...

Polenta for Breakfast!

2011-12-09T11:57:00.001-05:00

When I ran out of our breakfast oatmeal, I didn't panic :) I just stirred up a batch of polenta! Cornmeal is one of the staples I like to keep at hand, and usually it appears as sweet breakfast muffins or savory dinner bread....but cornmeal mush (aka polenta) is a delicious and filling alternative. I cook it the night before and chill overnight in the fridge. In the morning, slice and serve! I like mine cold, and sweetie prefers his warmed - and both of us love it with just a tiny drizzle of real, dark, "cooking grade" maple syrup.

Polenta
1 cup cornmeal
Dash salt
1 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water

Whisk the cornmeal, salt and cold water together in a saucepan large enough to hold ALL the ingredients (ie at least 4 cups!). Turn on the heat to medium and whisk in the boiling water. Continue whisking or stirring until thickened, about 15 minutes.

At this point, the polenta can be served as a hot cereal, or grated cheese can be stirred in for a savory side dish. I pour it into a loaf pan that has just been rinsed with cold water, and then chill it. DON'T cover it until its cold, or the steam will condense and drip (ugh!). The polenta will be firm and set in a few hours - I make it the night before so its ready for breakfast!

At this point, you can simply cut and serve! Or gently "fry" it (saute is more like it) to heat thru.

Advent Ideas

2011-12-05T11:19:00.000-05:00

The four weeks of Advent are themed: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. And each year our readings are centered upon these themes. This year I added specific verses for each week to my Advent wreath, plus a verse for Christmas day (Christmas is almost always from the Luke Nativity story in our home).

While these are not the only verses or readings we will share, each spoke to me as a "theme verse" for its week. The verse I *thought* I wanted for the final week - the week of Love - took me on a bit of a journey to a completely different verse...funny how that happens :)

What four verses or inspirational quotes would you select for each of the theme subjects of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love?

Advent: Peace

2011-12-04T15:41:00.001-05:00

This Second Sunday of Advent commence a week of Peace. In these times of war, financial unrest, high unemployment, it is easy to lose one's sense of peace - to lose oneself in anxiety and fear. God promised us, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

And so this week I strive to put aside fears and meditate on His peace and His promise. Will this be easy? Not on my own - but I know I have a Helper :)

Advent: Hope

2011-12-04T14:14:00.001-05:00

The First Sunday of Advent was the commencement of the week of Hope. Hope is that small Light that shines in the darkness, a beacon that chases away fear, the true Promise of the Babe in the Manger. That Baby was tiny and helpless, as are we all - but He grew to fulfill the sacrifice that creates our Redemption. What greater gift could one receive for Christmas?

I gaze upon my infant cousins, and I think of that Christ Child - of how His mother would have held Him and loved Him, just as I snuggle little Charlotte or Michelle. I wonder how much Mary guessed about the path her child's life might take. Every child contains the hope of his parents - the Christ Child contains the hope of humanity.

Random Thoughts on Healthy and Frugal Cookery

2011-12-01T21:16:00.001-05:00

This evening, after sleeping for 16 hours, I awoke to that horrible "oh no! I didn't get to the grocery store!" feeling. I spent the long holiday weekend away, and then jumped into an insane 3 days of work. And I have a nasty coughing bug. So...the larder is a wee bit low - and sweetie is starving. We have no eggs, no butter, no flour, no bread, no tea (?!?!) and no defrosted meat (altho there are several rock solid turkeys in the freezer - LOL).

So what did we do? Well, I sent sweetie to the shops with a directive to buy tea and "something on sale for dinner". He arrive home with tea, a baguette, and chicken thighs - and severe case of sticker shock! I think I will be hearing lectures for the next week - but he has a whole new appreciation for our delicious (and approx .$0.50 per loaf) homebaked bread!! :)

While he was away, I stirred up a batch of polenta (I always try to keep cornmeal on hand - we love it for polenta, cornbread, and johnny cake) for tomorrow's breakfast. Grilled with a touch of homemade applebutter or dark maple syrup if will be a delicious and filling start to the day!

Then I popped our nearly nekkid turkey carcass into the stockpot with some celery tops and a roughly chopped onion. Whenever I buy celery, I start a new plant with the bottom and I freeze the tops for the stockpot. The stock will go towards a nourishing soup that will last all weekend. And it will be a healthy way to use up my carrots - which are starting to lose their snap.

Once sweetie returned home, the chicken thighs were immediately popped into a skillet with olive oil, garlic and spices. There were a few sweet potatoes left from our CSA box, so they all went into a large pit for a boil (we'll each have one tonight and then again for lunches tomorrow). My sorry limp romaine was elegantly sauteed with garlic and hot pepper after a quick google search for ideas.

Now, I know I'm very lucky that I had sweetie available to run to market and buy the chicken. In my single mom days, it wasn't always this easy - and that is why I make sure to ALWAYS keep certain staples in the pantry: flour, cornmeal, olive and coconut oils, dried beans, pasta, rice, oatmeal, canned tomatoes. Today, we were out of flour and oatmeal - its time to get 25lb sacks from Whole Foods. But in a pinch, we still could have had pasta marinara for dinner and polenta or cornmeal mush for breakfast :)

Now, its a big priority for us to have natural foods, so there are limitations built into our lifestyle. Its easier to buy a can of soup than to think ahead to the stockpot. And its easier to buy a loaf than to bake it. Our lifestyle isn't a choice everyone has - certainly not folks with limited cooking/storage space and limited time - and we are grateful for it.

What do you do to save on food costs while maximizing nutrition and taste?
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Cranberry Sauce

2011-11-29T09:40:00.002-05:00

Seasonal cranberries are a delight - their bright color is pleasing to the eye, the tart flavor lends a lighter note to the often heavy turkey dinner, and do I even have to explain their nutritional profile? "Wow!" Should suffice

Cranberries are harvested between Labor Day and Halloween - and fresh appear in markets from October through December. I like to stock up at this time, as their peak of freshness often coincides with super-low prices! I make batches of cranberry sauce and cranberry-orange muffins - and then freeze batches so that we may enjoy their vibrancy in "the dead of winter".
Its just the two of us most of the time these "empty nest" days, but I still use 2 bags (approx 20-24oz) of cranberries to make a large batch of my cranberry sauce! Why? Because I love the way it brightens my turkey leftovers :)
My recipe is pretty standard, altho I often use less water and sugar than commonly recommended. I simply toss 2 bags of rinsed berries into a heavy saucepan with 1 cup water (orange juice also works well!!) and 1 cup natural sweetener (I used to use sugar - we have been experimenting with honey and maple syrup, as that is what Native Americans did). Cover and simmer, occasionally stirring, til thickened. Sometimes I toss in a sliced orange, sometimes not. Since I use about 1/2 the amount of water and sugar usually recommended, I keep an eye on the sauce to see if it needs additional water. Once the sauce is thickened, taste to see if it needs additional sweetening. I do this at the end, as I can always add more sweetener if needed, but I can't take it out of I use the recommended amount all up front :) I also find that over time we have come to prefer a more tart, less sweet sauce!

Simple Woman's Daybook, Nov 28 '11

2011-11-28T20:32:00.000-05:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... unseasonably warm, cloudy then sunny - altogether odd springlike weather... usually I would be complaining of chilly rains!

I am thankful for... being blessed with a large and loving family feasting together on Thanksgiving! I am only too aware of the fragility of life - of how a loved one can be here an then gone in a flash - so every moment spent with loved ones is very, very precious!

Florida niece visiting with NJ nieces over the Thanksgiving Weekend ;)

I am wearing... jeans, an old Lauren corduroy blouse, walking shoes (oddly enough, this is my work uniform these days!)

I am currently reading... a review copy of a new Tolkien biography, which seems aimed towards a teen/high school aged market, and is quite enjoyable ;)

From the kitchen... I roasted a turkey last night so that we can have our own "leftovers" all week ;) tonight I will prep some turkey pies for the freezer!

Around the house...lots of fall fruits and veggies from our CSA box, sweetie playing Bach ;)

One of my favorite things...

From my picture journal...

FIVE little chickie peas - FIVE little nieces - what a gift!

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Thanksgiving with Little Ones

2011-11-23T10:32:00.002-05:00

I have always been the mommy/auntie/cousin who has the most fun with the littles at holidays. When I was younger, that translated to me watching all me wee cousins at Grandma's house. Now it is me and the wee nieces...and the next generation of cousins :)
Thanksgiving for me has always been about celebrating my blessings - whether the blessing be my children, the turkey at table, the beauty of autumn leaves.... and I like to try and pass along the gratitude to the littles, with a soft approach and a healthy helping of history! So the children and I make paper pilgrims and indians as I retell the tale of the Plymouth colony. We make paper turkeys as we talk of that first feast of sharing and gratitude. We learn a few words in the local (Delaware/Minnisink for us) indian language.
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving with wee ones?

When life throws you pumpkins....

2011-11-16T11:19:00.002-05:00

make pumpkin pie! or pumpkin pudding, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup, curried pumpkin....
Pumpkins and other winter squash are abundant in our kitchen this month! Our Thanksgiving CSA box will bring newcomers on Tuesday, and deeply cut prices at Whole Foods and our local farmers market have us swimming in orange!
Fortunately, they keep well - so I can enjoy the bright colors and interesting textures as seasonal decorations for awhile before they are cooked :)
Now for some more apples.....

What we do with Pumpkins and Other Winter Squash

2011-11-08T12:25:00.001-05:00

We are big believers in local (when possible), seasonal foods. And so pumpkins and other autumn/winter squashes (butternut, acorn, etc) make regular appearances at the table from October thru spring. The bright orange hue denotes a high beta-carotene content, and it is an eye-satisfying bright note on a grey day.

When I buy a batch of pumpkins or squashes I simply halve and roast them all at once, and then scoop out the flesh into pre-measured freezer containers. This allows me to use my fresh pumpkin as I would canned, but with far better flavor! And I get the benefit of being able to roast the seeds for a yummy treat.

While we do enjoy a classic pumpkin pie, our favorite method of serving this lovely class of veggie is as a luscious "creamed" soup. I simply stir my pre-roasted pumpkin into a kettle of steaming homemade chicken stock or broth, add a splash of unhomogenized milk or cream, liberally grind some black pepper over it all, and then let it simmer until I can't wait any longer!

This bright and deeply nutritious soup is a regular part of our fall and winter menus - as a starter before dinner, with fresh bread and an apple for a quick lunch, or as a warming snack after a cold day in the snow. I've been known to can "non-dairy" versions in mason jars to bring for work lunches :)

What is your favorite way to prepare winter pumpkins and squashes?

Book Review: Doing Virtuous Business by Theodore Malloch

2011-11-01T16:21:00.001-04:00

I was recently sent a copy of Doing Virtuous Business: The Remarkable Success of Spiritual Enterprise to review, and I have to say it was an interesting and often thought-provoking read. Malloch discusses how a business gains and uses "spiritual capital" in a similar manner to the "social capital" we so often hear of. At time, it felt a little light, but I do understand that Malloch is trying to reach the broadest audience possible.

Malloch wins me when he states in the introduction, "today, the general public holds corporate CEOs in lower esteem than at any time history, ranking them below lawyers and politician." He goes on to discuss the ties between spirituality and capitalism (fyi, this book is a joyous ode to capitalism).

While I did not always agree with Malloch's choice of virtuous companies, but I do wholeheartedly agree with his premise that in the long run, a virtuous business will attain better success than one that cheats or harms. His case studies of real companies modeling virtues such as leadership, courage, patience, perseverance, discipline, justice, forgiveness, compassion, humility, and gratitude are inspiring and led to many interesting conversations with my 20-something son.

I would recommend this as a "must read" to anyone interested in business ethics, capitalism, and possible solutions to our current economic crises.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trace Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Preparing for Unexpected Snow

2011-11-01T10:56:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, we had a historic snowstorm. Newspapers say NYC hasn't had pre-Halloween snow like this since before the Civil War! Old-timers in our area (about 70 miles west of NYC) told of a much heavier snowfall in the late 1950s! I'm not certain if any of them are correct - but I can say that for our region, a pre-Halloween 8" snowfall is NOT expected!

So how did we prepare? Well, we made sure that LOTS of dry firewood and kindling was brought in, and that a large kettle of nourishing soup was always simmering, and we placed candles and matches in strategic areas "just in case".

We already had pulled out winter blankets and clothing, so we had warm layers if needed. We did not lose power, but hundreds of thousands did! We were lucky. But we have lost power in the past, and so we always prepare is if we will again.

There is Beauty all Around Me...

2011-10-28T10:43:00.002-04:00

There is beauty all around me, if I only open my eyes to see!

Last Sunday afternoon, the vibrant hues of this lovely pocket garden in my neighborhood caught my eye, and I stopped a moment to soak in the beauty. And then...I noticed the Monarch feeding.

I stood in that place for a good five minutes watching as it daintily touched its tongue to the stamens of this gerbera daisy. I felt a peace and wonder that started deep inside slowly make its way to the smile on my face.
An older man passed by on his daily stroll, and almost missed this small pocket of magic, as he was busy with his iPod. But I had to share this moment - and his smile soon matched mine.

In our busy lives, we often miss these small moments of beauty. I strive to seek them out, as a counter-balance to the often too-gritty realities I experience - and as a soothing balm to my soul.

Preserving Summer: Dried Herbs

2011-10-06T15:16:00.002-04:00

We grow herbs: mints, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and tarragon. And while we love using them fresh all summer, we also love to preserve their delicious flavors to brighten the darker days of winter.

Much of our basil is frozen in olive oil, but properly dried basil retains a lovely scent and flavor that we use in pasta sauces. To dry it, simply harvest first thing in the morning and lay out on a clean towel in a dry room for a few days. Try to pick a place that doesn't get a lot of sun and where the air circulates. In a few days, the leaves will be dried and can be stripped from the stems. I store them whole in a mason jar - they seem to retain the flavor better whole than if I powder them.

This method is also how we dry mint (for tea), oregano, and other leafy herbs. We stopped drying rosemary in bulk - we clip a few stems and dry them and just bring in the pot to our sunny living room to overwinter.

How do you preserve the tastes of summer?

Simple Woman's Daybook, Oct 1 '11

2011-10-01T23:31:00.002-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... cold autumn breezes, cloudy grey skies, chill rain on and off...and lots of muddy tracks at the apple farm!

I am thankful for...apple picking with my brother and sis-in -law... and the wee nieces! We were blessed with crisp weather and lots of delicious apples for the picking!

I am wearing... blue floral skirt, blue top, dark rose linen field jacket, sandals (the sandals weren't the best idea given all the mud at the farm!)

I am currently reading... Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery, by Stephanie Barron - its a fun romp thru Austen's England!

From the kitchen... freshly picked apples means...cinnamony apple crumble!

Around the house...I'm away, so I have two wee nieces and their dog sleeping nearby as I type

One of my favorite things... apples!

From my picture journal...

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

5 Little Ways to Go Green without Spending Green!

2011-09-28T09:58:00.002-04:00

1 - Make your own gentle cleaners using natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and washing soda. Recipes abound online!
2 - Forego the paper towels and bring back the rag bag! Old sheets and towels cut into squares make excellent cloths for dusting and scrubbing. When they get icky, run 'em thru a wash!
3 - Consider going "no 'poo" - instead of commercial shampoo use baking soda with a vinegar rinse - our grannies swore by it!
4 - Grow some of your own organic produce. A garden doesn't have to be a huge undertaking - anyone with a sunny window can grow pots of herbs and leaf lettuces! We started our garden with large (freecycled) containers on our deck, and we grow all our lettuces, basil, oregano, rosemary, and some peas and green beans - and in the winter we have several smaller pots of lettuces and herbs in sunny windows. Next year we move "into the dirt" and have a large garden planned for the yard - but our small start made a big difference in our budget!
5 - Support local farmers! Many communities have farmers markets these days, and the costs for local produce are often competitive with the large chain supermarkets. If your budget allows, consider a CSA box or a local fruit/veg co-op box!

What to do with September Strawberries in the Garden?

2011-09-22T21:34:00.001-04:00

1 - Tiptoe out to the deck at dawn and gather a handful for breakfast - remember to inhale their bright, vibrant aroma before tasting!

2 - Mmmm....sliced strawberries stirred into fresh, homemade yoghurt!

3 - Toss with spinach, walnuts or almond slivers, perhaps a bit of goat cheese, and a light balsamic vinaigrette.

4 - Drop one into a chilled glass of Prosecco...

I planted a single strawberry plant in a large pot with a single mint on a whim two years ago...the mint and the berry plants have outgrown the pot and "baby" plants have been transplanted elsewhere - and I am still getting berries on the original plants :)

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Simple Woman's Daybook, Sept 15 '11

2011-09-16T01:01:00.000-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window...autumn chill breezes, misty rain, cloudy grey skies

I am thinking...of my younger brother, Tommy, who died 10 years ago on 9/11 in the World Trade Center... I think of the new National Memorial I just visited this past Sunday... and I think of his laugh...

I am thankful for... family - for brothers I can lean on and sisters (in-law, to be technical) that are my best friends, for a mom and dad I love dearly, and for grownup children I love and admire ;)

I am wearing... yellow (???) trousers, pink pullover, bare feet as I snuggle inside with my laptop!

I am currently reading...not much reading this week - its all about last minute details for our charity golf outing on Friday!

From the kitchen...mmm... a huge vat of chili and freshly baked bread!

Around the house... golf stuff everywhere! Tommy pics everywhere! One wee niece
mentioned that she can't remember her daddy's voice... so I found an old cassette tape with a Christmas greeting on it. Now to find a cassette player!

One of my favorite things...hugs from wee nieces from SC!!

From my picture journal... "One Flag - One Life" at Battery Park, NYC (the "Field of Honor) on 9/11/11

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

My Grandmother's Aprons

2011-09-05T22:52:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate to receive my Grandmother's aprons after she died. I remember being a very small child in Grandma's kitchen - and the very grown-up feeling of tying on an apron for "real work" - which usually involved washing doll cups in plain water :)

Grandma purchased these handsewn aprons from an agency that employed blind seamstresses. I note the tidy hems and seams, and I cannot imagine creating such fine needlework without sight...

But I love them for their cheery colors, and for the memories. And I create new memories when the various wee nieces wear these same aprons for our kitchen work! Because aprons - even very lovely vintage aprons - are for working :)
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I'll meet you further on down the road...

2011-09-03T00:16:00.001-04:00

Today my younger brother, Tommy, would have turned 46. So it is a day of bittersweet remembrances. It is a day my sis-in-law and I text each other little hearts and share teary laughs. It is a day I count my blessings - that 2 of my younger brothers are still with me and such a huge and wonderful part of my life. It is also a day of hope - for in death, there can be hope, and so I dig deep and plant those seeds.

Yesterday, a reporter noted that I seem less angry about 9/11 and Tommy's death - that I seem more at peace. She asked what had changed. I answered: Time.

Time, and the love of family and friends, and LOTS of writing have brought me past the anger. And making a focused effort to note the beauty all around me has brought me peace - for how can I maintain rage when confronted with the clear and innocent gazes and sweet confidences of my young nieces? How can I not find some measure of solace meditating in my garden? (any garden, if I'm being honest!) How can I stay stuck in an unhealthy place when I am surrounded by the love of good people?

And so I count my blessings anew. Happy birthday, Tommy Too! I'll see you again, down the road a bit!

(Note - the photo is of a painting from the Tribute: Downtown Rising exhibition. It is a series of paintings made of the WTC site over the past 10 years. The first is dated 9/10/01)
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Foreign Exchange

2011-09-01T21:22:00.001-04:00

Today I brought home a Japanese journalist to meet my parents. I met Akiko five years ago, when she was in the US interviewing 9/11 families - and we had a truly wonderful conversation. Rather than the typical newspaper interview, after answering a few questions we embarked on a wide ranging conversation that touched on grief, anger, 9/11, global politics, cultural differences re US and Japan...and so much more!

This week, the paper sent Akiko back to the US to engage in "follow-up" with a few of the people she met in 2006. And this time I invited her to meet my parents in their home. We had tea and cake - and Akiko brought some delicious cookies from Japan as a gift. And over tea, we talked.

We talked of how we each have changed in the past five years - and how our family and the world at large has changed since 9/11 - for good and for ill. We discussed 9/11 and my younger brother, Tommy. We discussed how we channeled our grief from Tommy's death into a scholarship fund and an annual golf outing. We shared our thoughts on the national memorial and on global politics. We talked of Fukushima and the suffering Akiko has seen there. We talked of family and friends and faith and fellowship.

All in all - a good day!
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The calm before the storm?

2011-08-26T20:28:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Irene is headed our way. The media has beaten itself into a frothing frenzy, each outlet striving to outdo the others in their histrionic descriptions of our impending doom... from comparisons to the "Long Island Express" storm of 1938 to Camille to Floyd. One would imagine the storm had already passed into the history books!

I wait for my evening train, sitting by the Hoboken waterfront, the plashing of waves against the seawall a creates a soothing backdrop. I watch as the frosting of white clouds in blue skies catch fire in the setting sun and burn to grey streamers in the deepening gloom. Moonlight dances in the ripples and waves. And I find myself at peace. I am not concerned about tomorrow, for I am here, right now. And here, right now, is all I can be.

And so I ignore the news sites and the weather sites and the television. I regularly check the National Weather Service (which presents current conditions and likely storm tracks without all the hubris). I make sure we have a tidy stock of water, candles, matches, batteries for the radio, and food. I tape windows that may need it. And then I relax.

Tomorrow is another day.
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Garden problems

2011-08-22T12:58:00.002-04:00

We had serious issues with critters and heat this year. EVERY tomato was half-eaten!! Most of my onions were chomped (or disappeared) as well. And the lettuces all bolted (pretty flowers, but beyond bitter lettuce)
So when I saw a little hole starting next to this onion, I decided to just harvest it. We will use the greens in a stirfry, and roast the wee onion itself along with some chicken and other veggies.
And I pulled up all the bolted greens, raked some worm castings into the pots, and set new seeds for crisp fall lettuces.

That is the best part of gardening: that it can be renewed!

Because it makes me smile...

2011-08-18T12:11:00.001-04:00

to snuggle in my grandmother's quilt on a chilly summer evening - the same quilt that kept me safe and warm as a child :)
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Painting the town (or at least the garden!)

2011-08-12T15:29:00.001-04:00

It was a steamy hot day. And the pool was full of leaves (and a few frogs). How to keep the wee ones occupied while I skimmed? Painting the walkway!

We filled bowls with water, added some food coloring, and they were happily occupied for hours! (And as it was a truly sultry day, they took breaks from their "work" by jumping in the pool!)
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When a little girl is five years old...

2011-08-10T23:06:00.001-04:00

she is just tall enough to reach into the kitchen sink and rinse the dishes... and just young enough that this is an adventure!

(Note: I am an equal opportunity chore-assigner. My son was washing dishes at that age as well - I feel all children benefit from learning basic cookery and basic household chores)
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Making Butter with Wee Ones

2011-08-08T23:12:00.001-04:00

My two youngest nieces made a simple request the last time we baked bread together. "Next time, can we make butter, too?". What is an auntie to do, but say, "of course!" And so our adventure in dairy commenced!

Making butter is quite simple - take some rich cream (we used approximately 2 cups to yield a little over 1 cup of butter) and churn it. Not having an old-school churn on hand, we opted for a hand-held electric mixer using whisk attachments. All the faster!

The girls watched and noted that the rich cream was thick and creamy white and quite liquid before starting. Within a few moments of mixing, we had a fluffy whipped cream. We continued to mix and continued to observe changes - like how when the whipped cream started to "break" into butter, it started to turn yellow! As you can see in out photo, the girls accurately described it as looking os scrambled eggs :)

We continued a bit longer - waiting for the buttermilk to separate out. Once we saw this (another "oooh!" moment) we tipped the whole lot into a strainer that we had previously lines with a coffee filter.

The buttermilk can be used for baking - but this first time around we simply strained it and washed the butter well with cold spring water. (The reason for washing is that the buttermilk can cause the butter to go rancid faster). After pressing the butter a few times with a heavy wooden spoon to "let out" the water and milk, we stirred in a pinch of sea salt (this is optional, but it does help the butter last longer - not that we had any worries!)

I think perhaps our next "cookery school for wee ones" project should be milking a cow?
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Simple Woman's Daybook, Jul 28 11

2011-07-28T18:48:00.000-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... brilliant blue skies, warm summer breezes, bright sunshine, vibrant greens in my garden (hooray! we had rains the other day!)

I am thinking...of cunning plans and clever schemes...of carving out more time for "real life" priorities and getting away from client offices...of our upcoming charity golf outing and all the work that entails...of the upcoming 10th anniversary of 9/11 (10 years without my younger brother is hard to get my mind around)

I am thankful for... texting with wee nieces who live far away - a simple bit of tech allows us to share the candid, jokey moments of day to day life ;)

I am wearing... my casual summer uniform: jeans, tee, sandals

I am currently reading...Free PG Wodehouse off of Project Gutenberg, with the current favorite being Love Among the Chickens ;)

From the kitchen...cool, refreshing little salads, like my Corn and Zucchini salad or fresh tomatoes roughly chopped with garden basil or diced cucumber tossed with olives and feta and lemon juice.... mmmm....

Around the house... strains of Bach on piano and Bach on guitar waft thru the air, scents of potted herbs in sunny window ledges

One of my favorite things...cool, crisp cotton sheets on a hot summer night!

From my picture journal...as we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11 (and our charity golf outing the following week) we have been digging thru our photos for images of Tommy to share. We have had a few very nice interviews with the press as they prep their coverage - and this photo was requested. This is Tommy with my wee niece, Sara - his firstborn - in August, 2001. It is the image we used on our "missing" fliers on 9/12, as it was the most recent photo of Tommy that my mom had on hand. I love the way Sara's little arm rests on her Daddy's ;)

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Consider the lilies of the field...

2011-07-15T11:02:00.000-04:00

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?' or "What shall we drink?' or "What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

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Simple Woman's Daybook, Jul 11'11

2011-07-11T18:11:00.002-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... sultry, steamy summer - blue skies, sunshine, heat and humidity

I am thinking...of how lovely it will be to reduce my hours at the office over the next few months! I've spent far, far too much time in the office and far, far too little time working on independent projects - so I had to reexamine my priorities and adjust "life" accordingly!

I am thankful for... time I spent this weekend with my mom and a dear family friend, Phyllis. We had a lovely little ladies tea, conversation, and shared comfort.

I am wearing... jeans, tee, sandals - and wishing I was wearing less ;)

I am currently reading...old cookery books on Project Gutenberg - like this little gem, Foods That Will Win The War And How To Cook Them (1918). Where else would I read such great little tidbits as: "The United States is the largest consumer of sugar in the world. In 1916 Germany's consumption was 20 lbs. per person per year, Italy's 29 to 30 lbs., that of France 37, of England 40, while the United States averaged 85 lbs. This enormous consumption is due to the fact that we are a nation of candy-eaters."?

From the kitchen...I had a HUGE bunch of parsley in my CSA box, so I made a batch of chimichurri (which made my kitchen smell wonderful). Its been mellowing overnight, and tonight I will serve some of it with grilled grass-fed steak and vegetables. My Argentinian friends assure me it only gets better with a little aging, so I will bottle it and keep it in the fridge to use again.

Around the house...

Harvesting English Peas - yummy!

One of my favorite things...

Wee nieces on a hot summer day!

From my picture journal... the wee nieces and I are participating in NASA's "Face in Space" program - a way to make the shuttle missions come alive for littles ;)

Our Face in Space - Shuttle Atlantis STS-135 photo!

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

2011-07-04T10:33:00.001-04:00

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Georgia:
   Button Gwinnett
   Lyman Hall
   George Walton
North Carolina:
   William Hooper
   Joseph Hewes
   John Penn
South Carolina:
   Edward Rutledge
   Thomas Heyward, Jr.
   Thomas Lynch, Jr.
   Arthur Middleton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Pennsylvania:
   Robert Morris
   Benjamin Rush
   Benjamin Franklin
   John Morton
   George Clymer
   James Smith
   George Taylor
   James Wilson
   George Ross
Delaware:
   Caesar Rodney
   George Read
   Thomas McKean
New York:
   William Floyd
   Philip Livingston
   Francis Lewis
   Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
   Richard Stockton
   John Witherspoon
   Francis Hopkinson
   John Hart
   Abraham Clark
New Hampshire:
   Josiah Bartlett
   William Whipple
Massachusetts:
   Samuel Adams
   John Adams
   Robert Treat Paine
   Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
   Stephen Hopkins
   William Ellery
Connecticut:
   Roger Sherman
   Samuel Huntington
   William Williams
   Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
   Matthew Thornton
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Garden Update July 1 '11

2011-07-01T12:08:00.002-04:00

Today we harvested our first small crop of English peas! We tried a few right out of the pod and they were delicious with bright green flavor.

The basil is being attacked by the pea aphids, so I must prepare a batch of citrus peel water to spray them. We removed many the old fashioned, squishing with our fingers (ick!). I hate to use an insecticidal soap, because even the rganic soaps are dangerous to butterflies and bees - and we need our pretty pollinators!
This weekend I hope to finally get my squash/pumpkin patch planted! Pumpkins are such a wonderful source of beta carotene over the winter months - and they can be soooo expensive to purchase - that it seems silly not to grow our own!

What grows in your garden?

Simple Woman's Daybook, Jun 27 '11

2011-06-27T18:36:00.001-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... blue and grey skies, cool breezes, pigeons and tourists...

I am thinking... how best to restructure my days so that I am not spending so much time at the office

I am thankful for...time with wee nieces and their friends, baking bread with Madi - and watching Madi and Kay eat every crumb (warm from the over and slathered with butter, of course!)!

I am wearing...jeans, lavender tee, sandals

I am creating... a personal Commonplace Book, a work of love in progress

I am currently reading...The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien

From the kitchen...broiled grass-fed steak, roasted root veg, garden peas, salad from the garden

Around the house...still planting in the garden (for staggered harvest)... and scheming to build a solar dehydrator

One of my favorite things... baking with my young nieces

From my picture journal...

We baked this loaf in the toaster oven, so the girls could see the bread rise, split and brown

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Morning Haiku

2011-06-21T13:06:00.002-04:00

Creeping dawn
stillness broken by
gay birdsong

An excerpt from: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce

2011-06-16T15:35:00.000-04:00

In honor of Bloomsday, a brief Joyce excerpt:

Sunday was dedicated to the mystery of the Holy Trinity, Monday to the Holy Ghost, Tuesday to the Guardian Angels, Wednesday to Saint Joseph, Thursday to the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, Friday to the Suffering Jesus, Saturday to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Every morning he hallowed himself anew in the presence of some holy image or mystery. His day began with an heroic offering of its every moment of thought or action for the intentions of the sovereign pontiff and with an early mass. The raw morning air whetted his resolute piety; and often as he knelt among the few worshippers at the side altar, following with his interleaved prayer book the murmur of the priest, he glanced up for an instant towards the vested figure standing in the gloom between the two candles, which were the old and the new testaments, and imagined that he was kneeling at mass in the catacombs.

His daily life was laid out in devotional areas. By means of ejaculations and prayers he stored up ungrudgingly for the souls in purgatory centuries of days and quarantines and years; yet the spiritual triumph which he felt in achieving with ease so many fabulous ages of canonical penances did not wholly reward his zeal of prayer since he could never know how much temporal punishment he had remitted by way of suffrage for the agonising souls: and, fearful lest in the midst of the purgatorial fire, which differed from the infernal only in that it was not everlasting, his penance might avail no more than a drop of moisture he drove his soul daily through an increasing circle of works of supererogation.

Every part of his day, divided by what he regarded now as the duties of his station in life, circled about its own centre of spiritual energy. His life seemed to have drawn near to eternity; every thought, word and deed, every instance of consciousness could be made to revibrate radiantly in heaven: and at times his sense of such immediate repercussion was so lively that he seemed to feel his soul in devotion pressing like fingers the keyboard of a great cash register and to see the amount of his purchase start forth immediately in heaven, not as a number but as a frail column of incense or as a slender flower.

Simple Woman's Daybook, Jun 8 '11

2011-06-09T21:44:00.000-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... clear blue skies, bright sunshine, sultry temps, tourists wandering to and fro around lower Manhattan

I am thinking... what very unexpected twists and turns my life and careers have taken...I could never have imagined this as a teen, and yet how much more satisfying my life is in "real life" than what I could have dreamt back then!

I am thankful for... bees and butterflies and small birds - my pollinators! I have planted marigolds and nasturtiums and echinacea to make my garden a friendly place for them to visit...

I am wearing... floral skirt, yellow tee, sandals - my summer work "uniform" is a parade of flowing skirts with simple pullover tops

I am creating... this week, not so much. This week is more about producing other's works - but next week...hmmm....but I am working in my garden, tending Creation...

Crisp, cool lettuces for salads - right outside my kitchen door!

I am currently reading...The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien

From the kitchen...freshly baked bread (I try to do this most mornings), home made pasta-veg salad chilling in the fridge for a cool dinner

Around the house...we are busy with the gardens, planning and planting and using what grows as it grows. We've had a hefty lettuces harvest to date, so lots of salads!

One of my favorite things...

From my picture journal...

English shelling peas wind themselves around bamboo supports

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Clinging vines? Bring 'em on!

2011-06-09T10:25:00.001-04:00

Clinging vines have a terrible reputation - we even use the term pejoratively to describe a weak person who drains one of substance and goodwill! But some clinging vines are essential to my garden - like these English peas, which send out wee tendrils to clasp the bamboo supports as they grow upwards towards the sunshine!
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Simply Beautiful Sunday

2011-06-05T13:19:00.002-04:00

I've been taking a break from blogging, and am now missing the creative outlet of regular posting and scribbling notes in my journal for future posts ... so I guess "I'm back!" :)

Today is Sunday - a day we try to keep as a day of rest in our home, generally without much success. There are so many chores that pile up to be done over the weekend! But with a little more self-discipline and focus (and delegation!) I could probably have more accomplished during the week, let Saturday suffice for "grueling chores", and leave Sunday for tasks I find meditative and re-creative: baking bread, sowing seeds, sewing, knitting, painting, writing. Creative tasks that bring me a sense of peace and allow me to slow waaaay down mentally - away from the racing news cycle and deep into the spiritual realm.

So for today I will slow down and admire God's handiwork all around me. Like these luscious roses that have draped themselves over my neighbors white picket fence. As I walk by, their rich scent intoxicates and the bees hum contentedly in this little pocket of the suburbs.

Inspiration

2011-05-26T13:11:00.000-04:00

A friend recently asked if I ever used inspiration boards. I have, but I find I more often use my "commonplace book" for this purpose. A traditional commonplace book was a repository for all sorts of information: favorite poems and book quotes, perhaps a little stillroom knowledge, trivia that caught the writer's fancy. Some commonplace books fall into the stillroom book category, filled with recipes (receipts) for cordials and medicines, garden and harvest information, sketches of herbs and flowers and more.

My personal book is a bit of both - filled with book passages that either inspired or challenged me, a bit of currnt events and political thought, poems, recipes, homeschooling projects, sketches, garden journal entries, preserving logs (and har-earned tips for "better practices"!), daydreams and ideas for future projects...

Do you keep a commonplace book?
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When the rains come...

2011-05-25T12:26:00.001-04:00

Today we have brilliant sunshine - but overall we have had a truly rainy spring, with mere pockets of sunshine to allow some gardening and sungathering.

But I must say, the greenswards are amazingly lush...and the local wood is green and damp and truly alive with mushrooms and tiny wildflowers and small animals scurrying and birdsong...and our container garden is growing leaps and bounds - we already have small lettuces to harvest!

So I try to embrace the lifegiving rains. Even when grey skies dampen my mood...
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Garden Update May 8 '11

2011-05-08T18:08:00.001-04:00

We spent Mother's Day tending gardens...mine and my mom's. I had hopes of setting in two large raised patches in our yard, but as there is an active paving project in progress we thought it best to wait another week. Sigh.

I did sow more containers, with edible flowers, radishes, beets, a "privacy screen" of tall grasses (grow grow grow!!), an elephant ear bulb, and some echinacea. And I acquired some basil, rosemary and oregano at the herb sale - all of which went right into pots of rich organic soil.

I am also playing with the arrangements of the various planters, to maximise yields and to garner a wee bit more privacy (our deck is open to all eyes on 3 sides - it can be a bit annoying until the plants fill in).
What is started in your garden?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2011-05-03T12:10:00.001-04:00

Over the years, I have written several letters and poems honoring my mother - for her birthdays and for Mothers Day. She has kept them, tucked into a drawer at her bedside to reread when the mood takes her.
They run the gamut from childish scribbles of "Roses are red and violets blue, I couldn't have a mommy more wonderful than you" to the dramatic leaps of adolescent angst and imagination to the "now I understand your sacrifices" sentiments of a young mother to the quieter sentiments of our post-9/11 lives. Today I will once again take pen in hand and honor the woman who gave me life, who raised me with tenderness and sterness as needed, who taught me the values of honesty and integrity and hard work, who lived an example of grace and strength that I emulate in my times of trials.

Happy birthday, mom! I love you!

Garden update, May 1 '11

2011-05-01T19:59:00.002-04:00

Today we staked out the boundaries where our new raised planting boxes will live - if all goes according to plan, the digging and "big planting" will commence next Saturday.

The potted strawberries are in flower, and the peppermint is just starting to send out green leaves. A small rosemary shoot surprised us by making a reappearance - we usually over-winter rosemary inside - this little guy was just temporary filler in a hanging planter so we left him out...I guess he had other plans :)

I refreshed the soil in our planters with compost and worm castings and set seeds for an English pea "teepee" in one planter - marigolds and radishes join the early lettuces in others. And I nabbed two "throwaway" potted walllflowers at Whole Foods. With a little love and a bigger patch to grow in the will add a lovely splash of color (and attract pollenators!).

Next weekend the local historical society has their annual herbs sale, so I will support their efforts while supplementing the garden - I'm planning for oregano, lemon balm, bee balm, basil.

Random thoughts on fruitfullness

2011-05-01T16:04:00.001-04:00

Flowers signal a promise of fruit...and yet they do not bear fruit unless certain conditions are met. Proper minerals in the soil, light and water must arrive at the right times and in the right amounts, bees or butterflies or other pollenators must be present and working... and even then flowers may fail.

When my son was 3, my sister in law and my best friend were both pregnant with twins. Naturally that led to questions and conversations about how babies are made. I did not want to fob him off with fairytales about storks - but nor did I feel a technical explanation was appropriate to his age. So we left it at "to have a baby, one needs a mommy and a daddy and a miracle from God". Simple and in no way contradicted by later conversations that discussed the more technical aspects of human reproduction.

Even with all our technological advances, the best we can do is plant seeds with high hopes and tend to their needs...we cannot create increase...

So I look over my strawberry blossom with care...and will savor the small miracle when the berries arrive in June :)

How my Garden Grows!

2011-04-26T11:26:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, on a warm and sunny day, I cleaned out our deck pots and seeded lettuces, spinach, marigolds (for the bees) and bush beans. And then the rains and cold weather came back. So the bush beans drowned (but we have lots more seeds to replant) and the other seeds stayed under their warm blanket of earth - waiting for signs that Spring was truly arrived. And this morning I noticed these tiny sprouts! Wee lettuces poking their tiny green leaves to greet the warm sunshine.

Life is truly good!

A Good Friday Gospel Study

2011-04-22T11:57:00.000-04:00

My friend, James Pepper, created an informal Lenten study on Facebook - based upon The Gospel of John and concordance verses. It has brought a new depth my Bible readings over this Lenten period. Here is a brief sampling appropriate for Good Friday meditiations - please click thru to see all of the posts!

John 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
Lev 16:20-22 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

John 19:18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.
Psalm 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: They pierced my hands and my feet.
I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

.....

John 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Exodus 39:22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

John 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.
Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

...

John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

John 19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Exodus 12:21-23 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
Numbers 19:18-20 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Isaiah 53:10-12 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my Righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Nature's Tiny Gift

2011-04-18T23:55:00.001-04:00

A few years ago, I planted a few yellow and purple violas (normally considered annuals around here) in a ceramic pot on our stoop. A few months later, the pot was crushed when our "landscapers" were plowing the walkway.

What a surprise that first spring when I noticed tiny purple and yellow flowers cropping up within a 5 foot radius of the crushed pot! I had assumed since they were frozen and - well, smooshed - that they were goners. But living things have a way of surviving. Even when circumstances seem unlikely.

My Garden, by T.E. Brown (1893)

2011-04-10T20:09:00.000-04:00

A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot!
Rose plot,
Fringed pool,
Ferned grot -
The veriest school
Of peace; and yet the fool
Contends that God is not -
Not God! in gardens! when the eve is cool?
Nay, but I have a sign;
'Tis very sure Gold walks in mine.

Ingredients (aka "Sticks n Leaves")

2011-04-10T13:45:00.001-04:00

When my son was about 13 years old, he convinced my mother to pack him a grocery bag full of sugared cereal, boxed mac n cheese, and cans of soup by claiming I had no food and only fed him "sticks and leaves". As a joke, M quickly gathered a bowlful of twigs and leaves from the garden and presented then the Matt with a flourish!

Now, its not like I have always made everything from scratch. I haven't and don't! But I have always tried to ensure we had the very best food we could afford...which translates to local produce (including from our garden and those of friends and family), plain ingedients (flour, grains and legumes, herbs and spices, yeast, healthy fats, etc), unhomogenised dairy (raw when we can get it)...basically, our dinner doesn't come from a box! So "tv dinners", soup from a can, powdered "cheese" and sugared cereal were something we just didn't do. And part of maintaining this is simply not buying - but instead buying and growing ingredients.

Now this can be a bit tricky to manage - especially those years when I was a single mom - and so I am always on the lookout for new ideas! I taught myself to can, to bake from scratch (as opposed to from mixes), to pre-soak grains, to ferment vegetables (that's the new skill for this summer's harvest!), to "candy" citrus peel and ginger for long storage, to grow the herbs and lettuces I love, to dry and freeze herbs to brighten my cooking over the winter and to make lovely tisanes, to organise weekends of cooking and freezing healthy meals to pot into the oven when our schedules get tight (this is also an awesome way to take advantage of sales!!) - and much more.

Do I fall down? Absolutely! Just ask M about the turkey carcase that sat in the freezer for a year, waiting for a free day to make stock :) or the kale that developed legs last fall when I forgot it was tucked behind the bread dough bowl (eew!) or the "I can't take this anymore" emergency pizza calls :)
So it is an ongoing process, with continual learning curves just to keep in interesting. Yesterday I remembered to sow seeds for early lettuces and spinach...which will save us money, provide me with some much-needed garden green, and gently ease me back into the discipline of gardening. Let's hope I remember to pick the spinach BEFORE it bolts this year :)

Points of Failure

2011-03-31T20:17:00.000-04:00

This week has been hectic so far - and it has been a test of my goals regarding household chores and food prep. We have eliminated most processed foods from our regular diet - with only condiments and the occasional "emergency frozen pizza" as our "points of failure". Of course, M still occasionally will grab a bag of chips and deli meats for a quick sandwich dinner if he knows I will not be at home... But all in all I strive to create meals from simple ingredients: stocks from bones and veggie peelings, soups and stews packed with a variety of vegetables, freshly baked breads and desserts, raw milk cheeses, organic or otherwise "unsprayed" local produce...you know...REAL FOOD.

But all of that takes time and planning. It takes planning to bake all the bread our tiny household consumes. It takes time + planning to prepare stock from on-hand ingredients (like Jacques Pepin, we keep freezer containers of peels, etc). It takes planning to not WASTE fresh produce...which I will admit we have been guilty of!

And this week, all the best plans to bake each morning before heading to the office were scuttled when I had to work late and awoke feeling like if I didn't get more sleep...

Fortunately, I have taught M how to create a tasty loaf from the artisan dough I keep going most of the time in the 'fridge! But this week showed me some new "points of failure" (namely myself!) and has inspired me to do some experimenting over the weekend. Supposedly I can pre-bake to a certain point and then freeze the bread...anyone can put a frozen loaf in the oven, right?

On Revisiting Middle Earth

2011-03-29T23:53:00.002-04:00

I have recently been re-reading The Lord of the Rings (LoTR for short) and following along with a lecture series posted by "The Tolkien Professor" - and I find myself ever thinking of the characters and events of the books in new ways. As a child - and even as a younger woman - the deeply Catholic worldview that permeates Middle Earth was not so apparent to me. The ideals of honor, chivalry, sacrifice, and sacrificial love were valued on their face - but their depths were not plumbed.

Last night, staying up til wee hours as Gandalf and Aragorn worked to heal Faramir, Eowyn and Merry I recalled very clearly the feelings of the nine year old reading the same passages years ago at my grandmother's house. I recalled how frustrating I found it that Gandalf the wizard wouldn't just "magic" the light back after the darkness of Mordor fell on Gondor. I remembered how tedious some of the battle sequences seemed - so much darkness and so many names to keep track of! I remember weeping when Faramir fell. And I completely missed the subtext of Eowyn's romantic love for Aragorn! But then again... I was nine :) and I cared most that hobbits had fabulous and dangerous adventures and that elves were wonderous and beautiful and what a bleak world we have without both elves and hobbits.

Now I read these same passages with adult eyes - and the continual humble sacrifices of Sam Gamgee as he strives to ever serve his beloved Master move me to tears. The efforts of Frodo to bring a tormented and corrupted Smeagol to redemption, knowing that Smeagol is a "possible future" for him, knowing he is slowly being corrupted under the weight of the Ring - the quiet drama of the patient Aragorn claiming his kingdom and his throne, and thereby claiming his love, Arwen, to wife - the loyalty and honor of Merry and Pippin as they mature from young hobbits who love adventure tales and foolish impulsive gestures (like someone I know??) to war-weary campaigners who risk all to keep an unknowing Shire safe from evil...this is what brings me back to the tale over and over again!

Taking stock

2011-03-27T19:55:00.001-04:00

As springtime approaches, I have started assessing what we have on hand, what should be consumed before summer, what should be layed by. The cupboards show several jars yet of homemade applesauce - which means applesauce muffins will be on the menu a little more regularly. My wee supply of pumpkin butter will continue to be savored in small amounts as pumpkin season is far, far off. We are out of home canned tomato products and will seriously have to ramp up for next year. And so on - determining what worked, what didn't. What do we need more of and what less.

This coming year I plan to expand the garden and our methods of "putting by" - larger gardens, a few new varieties of plants, experiments with fermenting... here's to Spring Planning!
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Snowdrops

2011-03-25T12:12:00.001-04:00

These sweet snowdrops combine with wee wild purple crocus and creeping charlie to make a flowering mead of our front lawn. Too fragile for picking, they are best enjoyed from whilst sitting on a cushion (the ground is still cold and damp!) on a bright early spring day.
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A Springtime View?

2011-03-24T22:31:00.001-04:00

It snowed yesterday. It snowed last night. So why am I so surprised to see snow this morning?
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Simple Woman's Daybook, Mar 22 '11

2011-03-22T16:34:00.001-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... clear blue skies, bright sunshine, chill air, a few tiny drifts of white on the green grass from yesterdays snowfall

I am thinking...Japan and those suffering grief and shock and faced with rebuilding. I have great respect for the people of this nation as I see the respect with which they treat one another in this time of tragedy.

I am thankful for...a seeds and the hope they bring with their colorful packets!

I am wearing... jeans, pink pullover, pink hoodie, sneakers

I am creating...needlework kits based on my friend's artwork from The Pepper Bible (an illuminated Bible he created)

I am currently reading...The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien. I haven't dipped into this for a few years, so I am enjoying wrapping Middle Earth around me like a cozy shawl ;)

From the kitchen...there is a homey stew simmering on the back burner, and a freshly baked loaf of whole wheat bread (which I assume will be gone by the time I arrive home this evening!) - I'll add a few oranges for dessert for a simple dinner.

Around the house...washing windows and slowly switching out heavy winter draperies for muslin curtains that let in sunlight and flutter in the breeze.

One of my favorite things...reading aloud from my current book obsession (LoTR) to my sweetie (who disliked the film and therefore avoided the book) - and then having long philosophical discussion about the reading: such as Sam Gamgee, the ever-humble servant and "So the last shall be first, and the first last" (Matt 20:16) or "Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them" and Job and also the current fashion for a "vengeance morality".

From my picture journal...

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Simple Woman's Daybook, Mar 17 '11

2011-03-17T19:50:00.000-04:00

~FOR TODAY~

Outside my window... blue skies, sunshine, crisp spring air with a lovely hint of warmth, tiny snowdrops and crocus peeping thru the new grass

I am thinking...of keeping Lent, of focusing on repentance with all the temptations of a world that pretends sins are meaningless

I am thankful for...a safe haven at home. I've been commuting on the late train (12.40am) and it breaks my heart to see how very many people are sleeping rough in the station...

I am wearing... jeans, lavender pullover, pink linen jacket

I am creating... plans for the gardens (food for us and flowers for the bees and butterflies)

I am currently reading...Miscellanies by WM Thackeray - I scored a lovely antique "household edition" from the local bookstore, with various inscriptions that date it prior to the 1880s!

From the kitchen...spicy black bean soup with freshly baked bread (corned beef and cabbage and soda bread will have to wait for the weekend!)

Around the house...windows are open to let in fresh breezes - clearing out lingering winter, Bach lute suites played by DH on the guitar (swoon), scurrying critters in the attics, SPRINGTIME!

One of my favorite things...cuddling with wee niece Kaylyn as we sing "Do you hear the people sing" from Les Mis

From my picture journal...

Wee flowers carpet the lawn

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Book Review: Lies the Government Told You by Judge Andrew Napolitano

2011-03-16T16:33:00.000-04:00

I was sent a copy of Judge Andrew Napolitano's "Lies the Government Told You: Myth, Power, and Deception in American History" - and I have to admit I wasn't sure about it at first. I was worried it would be an inflammatory piece of work that was all sizzle and no steak. I was wrong.

The forward by Ron Paul grabbed my attention. Napolitano’s introduction, which discloses his moral imperative for this book, kept it. Perhaps here was someone I wanted to learn from?

His format of "17 Lies" allows him to discuss some of the more controversial topics of our day (War on Drugs, Free Speech, Constitutional Rights, Right to Bear Arms, Federal Reserve policies, and so much more) in a clear and cogent manner – drawing examples from history to illustrate how our freedoms have been systematically shipped away by politicians ad bureaucrats.. His arguments are sound, surprisingly unbiased, and I felt like I was learning new aspects of US History with every chapter. This is a thought-provoking read for any American – and most particularly for anyone trying to frame a debate about the importance of the Constitution in our modern world!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trace Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:36:00.001-05:00

"Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return." - Genesis 3:19

Today marks the beginning of Lent - a time of repentance and a time of preparation. Many consider Lent to be a sorrowful counterpoint to Advent, but to my view the reward of Easter and the risen Christ is so very much greater!

My friend, James Pepper, has created a study on Facebook based on often unused medieval and rennaisance concordances of the Passion according to John. It is titled "A Lenten Study with James Pepper" - please join us in this thought-provoking series of guided Biblical readings. (I will provide a link when I am able to access my laptop again).
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Mythopoeia, JRR Tolkien (1931)

2011-03-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

To one who said that myths were lies and therefore worthless, even though 'breathed through silver'.

Philomythus to Misomythus

You look at trees and label them just so,
(for trees are 'trees', and growing is 'to grow');
you walk the earth and tread with solemn pace
one of the many minor globes of Space:
a star's a star, some matter in a ball
compelled to courses mathematical
amid the regimented, cold, inane,
where destined atoms are each moment slain.

At bidding of a Will, to which we bend
(and must), but only dimly apprehend,
great processes march on, as Time unrolls
from dark beginnings to uncertain goals;
and as on page o'er-written without clue,
with script and limning packed of various hue,
an endless multitude of forms appear,
some grim, some frail, some beautiful, some queer,
each alien, except as kin from one
remote Origo, gnat, man, stone, and sun.
God made the petreous rocks, the arboreal trees,
tellurian earth, and stellar stars, and these
homuncular men, who walk upon the ground
with nerves that tingle touched by light and sound.
The movements of the sea, the wind in boughs,
green grass, the large slow oddity of cows,
thunder and lightning, birds that wheel and cry,
slime crawling up from mud to live and die,
these each are duly registered and print
the brain's contortions with a separate dint.
Yet trees are not 'trees', until so named and seen
and never were so named, tifi those had been
who speech's involuted breath unfurled,
faint echo and dim picture of the world,
but neither record nor a photograph,
being divination, judgement, and a laugh
response of those that felt astir within
by deep monition movements that were kin
to life and death of trees, of beasts, of stars:
free captives undermining shadowy bars,
digging the foreknown from experience
and panning the vein of spirit out of sense.
Great powers they slowly brought out of themselves
and looking backward they beheld the elves
that wrought on cunning forges in the mind,
and light and dark on secret looms entwined.

He sees no stars who does not see them first
of living silver made that sudden burst
to flame like flowers bencath an ancient song,
whose very echo after-music long
has since pursued. There is no firmament,
only a void, unless a jewelled tent
myth-woven and elf-pattemed; and no earth,
unless the mother's womb whence all have birth.
The heart of Man is not compound of lies,
but draws some wisdom from the only Wise,
and still recalls him. Though now long estranged,
Man is not wholly lost nor wholly changed.
Dis-graced he may be, yet is not dethroned,
and keeps the rags of lordship once he owned,
his world-dominion by creative act:
not his to worship the great Artefact,
Man, Sub-creator, the refracted light
through whom is splintered from a single White
to many hues, and endlessly combined
in living shapes that move from mind to mind.
Though all the crannies of the world we filled
with Elves and Goblins, though we dared to build
Gods and their houses out of dark and light,
and sowed the seed of dragons, 'twas our right
(used or misused). The right has not decayed.
We make still by the law in which we're made.

Yes! 'wish-fulfilment dreams' we spin to cheat
our timid hearts and ugly Fact defeat!
Whence came the wish, and whence the power to dream,
or some things fair and others ugly deem?
All wishes are not idle, nor in vain
fulfilment we devise -- for pain is pain,
not for itself to be desired, but ill;
or else to strive or to subdue the will
alike were graceless; and of Evil this
alone is deadly certain: Evil is.

Blessed are the timid hearts that evil hate
that quail in its shadow, and yet shut the gate;
that seek no parley, and in guarded room,
though small and bate, upon a clumsy loom
weave tissues gilded by the far-off day
hoped and believed in under Shadow's sway.

Blessed are the men of Noah's race that build
their little arks, though frail and poorly filled,
and steer through winds contrary towards a wraith,
a rumour of a harbour guessed by faith.

Blessed are the legend-makers with their rhyme
of things not found within recorded time.
It is not they that have forgot the Night,
or bid us flee to organized delight,
in lotus-isles of economic bliss
forswearing souls to gain a Circe-kiss
(and counterfeit at that, machine-produced,
bogus seduction of the twice-seduced).
Such isles they saw afar, and ones more fair,
and those that hear them yet may yet beware.
They have seen Death and ultimate defeat,
and yet they would not in despair retreat,
but oft to victory have tuned the lyre
and kindled hearts with legendary fire,
illuminating Now and dark Hath-been
with light of suns as yet by no man seen.

I would that I might with the minstrels sing
and stir the unseen with a throbbing string.
I would be with the mariners of the deep
that cut their slender planks on mountains steep
and voyage upon a vague and wandering quest,
for some have passed beyond the fabled West.
I would with the beleaguered fools be told,
that keep an inner fastness where their gold,
impure and scanty, yet they loyally bring
to mint in image blurred of distant king,
or in fantastic banners weave the sheen
heraldic emblems of a lord unseen.

I will not walk with your progressive apes,
erect and sapient. Before them gapes
the dark abyss to which their progress tends
if by God's mercy progress ever ends,
and does not ceaselessly revolve the same
unfruitful course with changing of a name.
I will not treat your dusty path and flat,
denoting this and that by this and that,
your world immutable wherein no part
the little maker has with maker's art.
I bow not yet before the Iron Crown,
nor cast my own small golden sceptre down.

In Paradise perchance the eye may stray
from gazing upon everlasting Day
to see the day illumined, and renew
from mirrored truth the likeness of the True.
Then looking on the Blessed Land 'twill see
that all is as it is, and yet made free:
Salvation changes not, nor yet destroys,
garden nor gardener, children nor their toys.
Evil it will not see, for evil lies
not in God's picture but in crooked eyes,
not in the source but in malicious choice,
and not in sound but in the tuneless voice.
In Paradise they look no more awry;
and though they make anew, they make no lie.
Be sure they still will make, not being dead,
and poets shall have flames upon their head,
and harps whereon their faultless fingers fall:
there each shall choose for ever from the All.

First Signs of Spring

2011-03-07T11:03:00.002-05:00

I revel in each season and the gifts it shares, and my enjoyment of winter's wonders is in no way lessened by seeking out signs of spring. The days are growing longer, the snows are receding (almost gone, but not quite), the ground is thawing to mud, the birds are singing a new morning song, and wee wild snowdrops carpet my lawn and smile a greeting this blustery, sunny March morn!

Quote of the Day

2011-03-03T11:00:00.002-05:00

"No government is willing to accept responsibility for producing inflation, even in less virulent degree. Government officials always find some excuse-greedy businessmen, grasping trade unions, spendthrift consumers, Arab sheikhs, bad weather, or anything else that seems even remotely plausible. No doubt, businessmen are greedy, trade unions are grasping, consumers are spendthrifts, Arab sheikhs have raised the price oil, and weather is often bad. All these can produce high prices for individual items; they cannot produce rising prices for goods in general. They can cause temporary ups or downs in the rise of inflation. But they cannot produce continuing inflation for one very simple reason: none of the alleged culprits possesses a printing press on which it can turn out those pieces of paper we carry in our pockets; none can legally authorize a bookkeeper to make entries on ledgers that are the equivalent of those pieces of paper."

~ Milton and Rose Friedman in Free to Choose: A Personal Statement

Hat tip to The Common Room

Dinner Bread

2011-03-02T22:01:00.001-05:00

I am a happier person when I bake. And when I am super-busy, I am even happier to bake dinner bread from pre-prepped dough!!

Can a Boiled Egg be Romantic?

2011-02-27T11:21:00.002-05:00

Well, if served up in a pretty dish by my sweetie when I am feeling under the weather...YES! A boiled egg *can* reach the very heights of romance... as can a steaming mug of tea and a soft wrap being tucked around my shoulders :)

Linens and Things

2011-02-24T09:36:00.002-05:00

I inherited bundles of linens from my grandmother: old printed tablecloths from the 50s and 60s, assorted odd lots of napkins, place-mats, and various embellished "bits and bobs". One of the charming pieces is this cross-stitched linen, which I currently use to wrap freshly baked cornbread!

Simple Woman's Daybook, Feb 22 '11

2011-02-22T17:26:00.000-05:00

Outside my window... bright blue skies, sunshine, cold cold cold air, children playing in the snow

I am thinking...decluttering! the sun shines and my thoughts turn to spring and cleaning ;)

I am wearing... jeans, pink top, pink hoodie, little black boots

I am going to...start mapping out our 2011 Golf Outing

I am currently reading...Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell and some technical manuals which are not as fun

I am hoping...to start tidying my deck container garden this week. Yes, there is still snow...but I can hope!

From the kitchen...spicy black bean soup, meatloaf (with pureed butternut squash hidden inside), freshly baked bread, and I really must bake a mincemeat pie already! I was gifted a jar of mincemeat and it has been staring me down since Christmas...

Around the house...heavy winter drapes blocking icy drafts, crackling hearthfire warms and brightens the evenings, a new afghan on the needles...

One of my favorite things...whispered confidences in the wee hours of the night from wee nieces

From my picture journal...

There is something so pure about snow!

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Knitted Dischclothes and Other Good Things

2011-02-20T16:11:00.002-05:00

One of my clients is the publisher of knit/crochet books and magazines...and one of the perks is free yarn from their stash! It is generally single skeins or balls and so I seek out the cottons for knitted dishcloths and hand towels. It is simple knitting I can do on the train or in the evenings while watching a film with the DH - and this sort of practical knitting is one of the pleasures of our choice to strive to live "simply".

Spicy Black Bean Soup

2011-02-17T10:24:00.002-05:00

We purchase organic dried beans by the sack, 25 or 50lb at a time. This suits us because we strive for a "real foods" diet whilst also keeping an eye on our wallet :)

But what to do with all those beans? Well, we make a lot of chili - usually without meat but sometimes with. We have beans & rice, and rice & beans. We make bean salads. And we make hearty, healthy and soul-satisfying soups!

Spicy Black Bean Soup

1lb dried black beans, soaked 24 hours in water with 1tsp lemon juice
1 quart chicken stock
1 pint (or a large can) tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups veg of choice (or whatever is on hand)
Dash of cayenne pepper

After soaking, I simmer the beans in stock until soft, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer all day to allow the flavors to develop.

This is my "go to" recipe when I want something easy to throw together in the morning - then the DH or the Boy can keep an eye on it while I am out. What is your favorite "go to" recipe for chilly dark days?

Winter Chills

2011-02-10T11:12:00.002-05:00

I work in NYC, where most of the snow is scooped up and dumped into the river or lots to melt - and so in the city one develops a skewed sense of *how* wintry this season is. The chill winds and shivery temperatures are the same - but the landscape it very, very different!

I know it isn't "just me", because I often take a car service home after late nights editing, and the city drivers are always shocked to the point of exclaiming over the heaps of ice and snow lining the roads and filling the squares. No "scoop and dump" in our neck of the 'burbs! Altho there is a bit of "scoop and make small snow mountains"!!

Homemade Medicines

2011-02-09T10:29:00.003-05:00

This year, we headed into flu season with a mighty arsenal: elderberry tincture, echinacea tincture, rose hip tincture, and a special honey-based cough syrup. Rather than spend $$$ on tiny bottles, we made our own!
I have to admit, I have been a bit lax about taking a daily dose of rosehip tincture (high in vitamin C). But I put the DH (who is prone to infections) on a daily regimen and I am pleased to share that he hasn't been ill since summer!

As part of our "real foods" oriented diet, we also consume pastured butter, raw cheeses (when possible), lots of seasonal fresh veg, fermented foods, and fermented cod liver oil.

Simple Woman's Daybook, Feb 1 '11

2011-02-01T19:54:00.001-05:00

Outside my window... grey skies, bone-chilling cold, on again off again sleet, crunchy snow and icy walkways underfoot

I am thinking... how ludicrous it is for any U.S. politician to hold modern Chinese-style censorship as a model for our country!

I am thankful for...the ability to earn my living doing things that I love!

I am wearing... jeans, lavender turtleneck, pink cotton sweater, rugged boots (for the ice)

Pondering these words... "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof." - Matthew 6:34

I am currently reading...I'm still reading Middlemarch, by George Elliot - dipping into early Victorian village life at my leisure, and enjoying every moment of it!

From the kitchen...freshly baked bread, simmering soup - basic simple wintertime comfort foods!

Around the house... I am at the office and the DH is preparing for the storm: picking up last-minute groceries, locating candles (just in case), laying in firewood. It will be a welcome relief to sit before the fire this chill night!

A few plans for this week... my client is preparing a Superbowl commemorative magazine, so I am knee-deep in fact-checking and editing! Other than that, I hope to spend a bit of time with the Boy.

From my picture journal...

Hard to imagine the lush green slumbering under the snow!

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

Quote of the Day

2011-01-31T12:51:00.002-05:00

"It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error,
It is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error."
- Robert Houghwout Jackson, Chief Judge at the War-Crimes Tribunal in Nuremberg

I Love Wet-Dough Breads!

2011-01-29T22:21:00.001-05:00

I recently acquired "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day" - and their basic boule recipe has saved my sanity! Finally, a bread I can deal with baking when edit deadlines and crazy hours keep me from away from the kitchen!

This little blob will become two tasty boules later this week - and I will have the satisfaction of baking :)
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Mmmm, Monday Morning Bread!

2011-01-24T09:05:00.002-05:00

This pale, unprepossessing lump is my morning bread during its "rest". Altho the kitchen is quite chilly upon arising, it quickly warms as the oven preheats and as a kettle of soup I started last night is heated to simmer thru the day.

I find that I feel *so* much more accomplished when I start the day with the simple routines that keep us well-fed and away from the last-minute rush at mealtimes. And there is something deeply satisfying about baking my own, healthy breads - the process nourishes my soul.

Sometimes its Hard!

2011-01-23T20:18:00.002-05:00

Sometimes its hard to be patient, to be kind, to bite my tongue, to sympathise, to be grateful.
When people in my life throw me curves, I *want* to always be the good love, mom, sis, friend - but there are times when my temper flares, when I feel "why ME?? Why NOW??". And those are the very times I should remember to take a deep breathe...and think of how I have put upon others. I know I am not perfect, so how fair is it to expect that from others?

So this evening, as I return home after a thoroughly frustrating day, I will set my mood to "calm" and try to have a little time to myself to let the stresses of the day fall away.

The Road Leads On, C. Lewis

2011-01-21T11:25:00.002-05:00

The road leads on
Trudging thru chill snowpacked days and nights
Wind howls and flurries swirl wild dance
Sunlight glares bright on frost-glimmed fields

The road leads on
Tender green shoots peep thru frost-blankets
Trickles melt to rivers
Soft skies lend gentle breezes to sweep clean

The road leads on
Clear bright days in verdant green vales
Bright sun bakes earthen trails to dust
Cool clear streams bubble and gurgle, enticing

The road leads on

Simple Woman's Daybook, Jan 19 '11

2011-01-19T16:21:00.002-05:00

Outside my window... cold, soggy, grey morning, slippery icy slush underfoot

I am thinking...of great words I have been reading as I put together a magazine honoring African American history month - Dr. King, Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Sojourner Truth...so much grief and struggle...

I am thankful for...the time I had with my son's little dog, Sam. Sam (Samson was his formal name) was our pet for almost 2 decades - and he passed away this week after a quiet few months of saying goodbye. I am grateful that he passed without pain, and I am grateful that we had the last few months to love him and comfort him. I am grateful for the lesson of facing the end with dignity.

I am wearing... jeans, dark pink tee, pale pink "hoody" jacket, rugged boots (for the ice)

Pondering these words... "If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be be the best little shrub on the side of the hill." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am currently reading...Middlemarch, by George Elliot - after dipping so deeply into the trauma that was American slavery - and its repercussions - I need a relaxing novel!

I am hoping...to finish organizing my home files this week...again...

From the kitchen...bread is rising for "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day", chicken soup is bubbling away on the back burner. Simple, wholesome foods.

Around the house... woodsmoke and chilly drafts, Bach and Beatles, tiny shoots from lettuces planted in the kitchen, and books everywhere!

One of my favorite things...baking bread - I love the whole process: mixing healthy ingredients, kneading, the yeasty scent of proofing dough, the warmth of the kitchen as loaves bake, the crackling of a great crust, and the deeply satisfying taste!

From my picture journal...

Rest in peace, little friend!

Please visit The Simple Woman's Daybook where Peggy Hostetler created this wonderful site and wonderful idea - spend some time dipping into the journals of the other ladies, or jump in yourself!

January and Resolutions

2011-01-18T13:11:00.001-05:00

Well...I have already broken one of my more important resolutions - to keep my blogging and creative writing in a prominent place in my schedule - to NOT allow this outlet to fade away unders day to day stresses.

So I am putting my 2011 resolutions here, for accountability!

- I will make time each morning for creative writing or blogging. I will not devalue what this time means to me!

- I will - for once and for all - declutter my life, my home, my mind.

- I will train for the 2011 Adirondacks Marathon. The status of my still healing fractures will determine whether or not I will "compete" in 2011, but will not serve as an excuse to avoid training altogether.

- I will learn to be a better steward of my time, my heart, and my physical resources. Proverbs 31 provides an awfully good model!!
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I have a Dream, Dr. Martin Luther King, 1963

2011-01-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Frugal cookery? Or just crazy?

2011-01-03T23:40:00.002-05:00

I arrived home from work around 10pm - and proceeded to quickly prep a small chicken and an acorn squash to each roast before turning in for bed. DH thinks I'm crazy...crazy like fox perhaps?

You see, I am working some weird hours over the next week - but I do not want to fall into unwise "quick for now" food choices. So I am taking odd pockets of time to prep nutritious foods.

The roasted chicken, once cooled, will be carved of all meat (for soup, pie and sandwiches) and then the carcass will be tossed into the stockpot. The squash has been scooped into a bowl for safekeeping overnight, and tomorrow evening will be stirred into fresh chicken stock for a tasty and healthy soup.

So maybe the average person isn't roasting until midnight...but we all do what we can. And for me - right now - this is what works.

In the Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti,1872

2011-01-02T15:35:00.002-05:00

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-31T20:15:00.000-05:00

I have had my share of raucous New Years Eve parties in the past, but for the past several years I prefer an evening of quiet company and reflection. This year is no different.

2010 has been a wonderful year with my family and friends: spending time with "my grownups" (can't call them children when they are in their 20s, can I?), playing with wee nieces, watching older nieces become young ladies, welcoming new little cousin Michelle to the world, watching beloved pets grow old...the varied and rich experiences that weave together to become the bright tapestry that is my 2010.

2010 has been a year of tremendous personal growth: I started my business, worked (and am still working on) a Bible publishing project, worked with my family to put together an awesome charity golf outing, started wiring a book, and initiated some long-term personal projects I had been delaying for far too long!

2010 has also been a year of political upheaval: the BP oil spill, the ensuing debate over BP oil cleanup and long-term energy policy impacts, questionable economic policies, another round of quantitative easing, agressive TSA policies, aggressive diplomatic posturing with Iran and North Korea, Left-bashing and Right-bashing in the media, mid-term elections, and comedian John Stewart (who's brother is COO of the NYSE) has somehow become this generation's Edward R Murrow (!?!?!?) for supposedly somehow making Republican's aware of the serious need for the passage of the James Zadroga Act of 2010?? It does make one wonder why a Democrat-controlled Congress didn't pass the previous incarnations - James Zadroga Act of 2006 or James Zadroga Act of 2007 (both of which quietly died in committee)? But if the media insists on providing such silly amusements I can only laugh at the show!

All in all, I wish for a blessed and peaceful New Year's Eve to all my family and friends - near and far, new and old!

Christmas Eve - The Waiting of Advent is Over

2010-12-24T15:13:00.002-05:00

From the Gospel of Luke

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Peace: The Fourth Sunday of Advent

2010-12-19T21:19:00.002-05:00

So many images are conjured up by the word "peace". Peace on earth. Peace in my heart. Peaceful easy feeling. Peace in our day. One is told that the lion will lie down with the lamb in peace.

Do we truly take the time to reflect on the meaning of peace? How appropriate that this is the theme of the week many find the most stressful, as they rush about with preparations for the holiday. But are those preparations that were meant by "Let every heart prepare Him room"?

For myself, I have to remember to step back. To recall a humble manger. To remember that the peace of the season is not about the quiet after the children are abed, but a much deeper peace. A peace that abides in me as I reflect upon one woman's faith and trust in her Lord, as she prepared to bring forth the Hope that changed the world.

Joy: The Third Week of Advent

2010-12-14T22:34:00.002-05:00

The Third Sunday in Advent is often referred to as Gaudette Sunday. It is Joy, the minor theme in the season of anticipation.

I often think that the Joy of Advent is overshadowed by the commercialization of Christmas - which makes this beautiful season a stressful shopping competition. And so I try to slow down, to take Advent at its day-by-day pace.

Love: The Second Week of Advent

2010-12-05T22:35:00.001-05:00

Love is the power that saves, the light that burns in our heart. As the Bible tells us:

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...(Corinthians 13:4-8)

Love is the theme of this second week in this Season of Waiting...

Hope: The First Week of Advent

2010-11-30T09:43:00.003-05:00

Hope is the light that shines in dark places, when we feel most alone. Hope lends us strength and grace to bear the unbearable. Hope is the theme of this first week of this Season of Waiting...

(This post did not go up Sunday, the first day of Advent - not sure why!! But reposting now)

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

2010-11-29T09:12:00.001-05:00

My recipe is simple: a cup or two of fresh or frozen cranberries, an orange cut into sections, and up to 1/2 cup sugar (if needed).

For this batch, I used frozen berries and let them simmer, covered, with the orange slices. After all was softened, I tasted and added a wee bit of sugar. I let this all simmer together a few minutes longer and served.

It it bright, tangy, and delicious with a nice roasted turkey or chicken!
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The Leaves Have Fallen all Around...

2010-11-28T15:37:00.001-05:00

I took a little hike this crisp, clean late autumn day. The wood is different in late autumn, a great hush disturbed at random intervals by squirrels rampaging thru dried fallen leaves. Large and small, all the living things of the wood are preparing for the long, cold winter. The scents have shifted from green, growing to leafmold and cold earth.
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Book Review: Then Sings My Soul: Special Edition by Robert J. Morgan

2010-11-26T15:21:00.000-05:00

I was recently sent a copy of Then Sings My Soul: Special Edition to review, and I have to say I was absolutely delighted with it! It is a collection of 150 well-loved hymns, each hymn with it's story of "how it came to be". I have to admit, I expected something a little less charming, something perhaps a little pedantic but worht it because the music is so wonderful. I am happy to say I was wrong! This sturdy paperback book has sweet rough-cut edges, the arrangements are traditional (a point I appreciated very much as I dislike many of the "re-arrangements" I hear), and the stories neatly capture the "soul" of each song.

I was familiar with some of the "hymn histories", but others were new to me and my family. Morgan has a deft manner of telling each tale, each filled with strong emotional content (after all, some of these hymns were crafted in periods of plague or persecution or war!) and yet not trivialized or sentimentalized.

I look forward to sharing this wonderful volume with loved ones!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trace Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Five Things I am Grateful for Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-26T14:45:00.001-05:00

There is a popular (and rather old-fashioned) Thanksgiving tradition called "The Five Kernels" . It seems that over that first harsh winter, the Plymouth colonists' rations dwindled to the point that each was given five kernels of corn per day - about half of the folk who had come across on the Mayflower died before spring.

And yet that autumn, as they gathered their first harvest, they did not wallow in miseries that they had overcome but rather they celebrated with a feast of Thanksgiving to God for the blessings He had bestowed upon them! And so many families since have carried on the tradition of handing each person at the Thanksgiving table five kernels of corn. A glass is passed around, and as each person drops in their kernels they share five things to be grateful for this year.

I humbly present my list:

1 - My children. I am so proud of the people they have become, and continue to become (as none of us stay the same always!). I am proud to have had a part in their lives!

2 - My family! We have shared joys and sorrows, we have celebrated together marriages and births and good fortunes, and we have grieved over disappointments and set-backs and loved ones taken too soon and others taken in their time. I am fortunate that I have brothers that I consider among my best friends - I know how very rare this is! And I am fortunate that they married women I count among my best friends.

3 - My nieces, wee and not-so-wee. Yes, I know technically they are family, but there is more than just the "auntie to niece" relationship - these precious little souls inspire me!

4 - Good friends who have stood with me and by me thru the years - friends who are indeed family!

5 - Plentiful healthy and delicious food - that I am "free from want" - true want, not the sort of "want" that the adverts try to convince us is real!

Proclamation of Thanksgiving,1863, President Lincoln

2010-11-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

A. Lincoln

The Farmers Market

2010-11-24T20:16:00.001-05:00

Today was a bonus day for our market, so that we who work deep in the city could have farm fresh produce for our Thanksgiving feasts!
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