Monday has graced us again, and its beautiful outside! Forecast-and we all know how reliable those predictions are at times. Don't fool with Mother Nature. Its a half hour before 8 AM, I'm sitting to write this post and then get hopping into my day. Plans, plans, plans. Best part? Fun, fun, fun with my boys. Moms, always leave room for sudden changes; this will help keep you sane and not drive you into madness from your perfect routine having a pothole in it. Not a mom or your kids have grown and gone? You can benefit from this way of living, too. Remember, we all need to make time to stop and smell the roses.
Mondays are my days to make my weekly lists and plan ahead for what I need to get done; or at least for what I'm ambitious to get done. Looking at the calendar this morning, I have three more weeks before my boys are baptised, of which we are having a small get together for family afterward. Three weeks of deep cleaning, organizing, rearranging, massive landscaping and gardening, meal plan, who's coming, etc....seems like so much to take on but worth it all. My landscaping and gardening really aren't that big of a part of it, I just want to get it done before that day. Plus, plants and seeds need to go in to ensure sufficient crop at harvest time. My front yard looks empty, so I want to fill it with color. And by the way, I made my list last night while my kids were winding down to get ready for bed; I had a feeling it should be done before the week started and be ready to hit the floor running.
For the last couple of years, I've subscribed to Yoga Journal magazine. Love it. Only downfall is finding time to sit to read from cover to cover. Ok, no problem. So, I've kept every issue feeling I just might find the time to read them. I'm still ambitious about it; its when I'll find myself a couple of years from now, with a stack of magazines I've still not read from a few years back that I'll officially call myself a pack rat. Yes, I practice yoga. I've been lax in my practice over the last few months, as the demands of motherhood have taken its toll. Yet, with the amount of reading I've been doing, yoga helps with the fatigue and lack of enthusiasm. Ok, I really could benefit from it, then. Could two kids in this house sleep so I can make more of my practice? Pssst! Hey, Mom! The secret to getting those ambitious boys to rest fully at night? Run them ragged all day; let them play til they drop. No, I'm not a drill sergeant. I just happen to have boys. And I'm still learning how to be their mom.
Are you looking for that pizza recipe for the grill? Yeah, I was, too. I found the following recipe in Yoga Journal. Today, I will give you the recipe. Tomorrow, with Task Master Tuesday, I'll give you the grill tips to ensure you don't burn your meal. Until then, have a fabulous day and enjoy every moment you have! ~Momma
New York-Style Pizza Dough
*Keep your hands well dusted with flour so that they won't stick to the dough. If the dough springs back as you press and stretch it out, stop and let it rest for a few mins before continuing (I like to let my dough raise a bit @ room temp to work with-10 mins should do).
Makes 3 12-in pizza crusts
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 c lukewarm water (90-100 degrees F)
1 1/4 c ice-cold water
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 1/4 to 5 1/2 c unbleached flour, plus more for dusting (all purpose, whole wheat, whatever you choose)
In a small bowl, using a fork, sture the yeast into the lukewarm water. Set aside until the yeast dissolves, about 5 mins.
In another small bowl, combine the cold water, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Place 5 1/4 c of the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and stir in the yeast mixture along with the cold water mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix the dough, incorporating as much of the flour as possible. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, 10-12 mins. It will still be a little sticky but shouldn't stick to your hands. Add only a minimum amount of flour to the work surface to keep the dough from sticking.
Cut the dough into 3 equal portions. With floured hands, pick up 1 portion of dough and pull the opposite edges together, wrapping them underneath toward the center to form a tight, smooth ball. Pinch to seal. Repeat with the other 2 portions. Place each portion in a 1 gallon lock-top plastic bag. Squeeze out all the air and seal the bag, allowing enough room for the dough to double in size.
Refrigerate for at least 10 mins or up to 2 days. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hr before using to allow the dough to come to room temp.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Sleeping With A Sunflower
Thursday appears to be filled with potential. I'm all for it, and have my mental list of things to do that I need to rough sketch onto paper to ensure they get done. Otherwise, good thoughts will remain as such. My windchimes on my backporch sing out and call us forth to be present with the day.
Library trips with my boys are always fun. Never the same, we dive into the front entrance, run like deer for the children's room, make a mad dash to swoop down on books to take home, run a relay type sprint through the sections I've marked out to check out stuff I have my eye on, pile in @ the circulation desk to sign out, and then off to wait for the bus to pick us up to come back home. Oh wait, that was our experience yesterday. Not every day we go is like that. Once a week we make an appearance, pick up what we need or catches this momma's eye, and then head out if the draw to work on puzzles or browse through the reference section doesn't keep us inside. Its funny how when its not summer, my boys will linger in the library, looking at books, working on puzzles, maybe color a picture, make a valid attempt to look up books-with my help-on the library's online catalog, and walk through the aisles of books in the main section. Yeah, gotta check myself again. That would be my preschooler who does that; my little one isn't quite to walking and doing all those things yet but they're in progress.
I found a book a week or two ago through the online catalog, which you can access from home just as well as when you're at the library. Sleeping With a Sunflower: A Treasury of Old-Time Gardening Lore, by Louise Riotte. I was looking for material to use for my preschool homeschool ideas and saw this title. Flipping through it yesterday when we got home, I'm finding a move back through time. Sources older than I, a blending of traditions to come together in this wonderful book. When to fish, according the phase of the moon, making jellies & jams, recipes, bee keeping, companion planting, sundials, etc...only to name a few, as the book is jam packed full of wonderful information. I love finding pieces like this, as it brings back the older, most commonly used techniques of working with the land and its resources. Nature and those who respect her, working together. My Utopia.
As the book is sectioned by month, I move into the months of June, July, August, & September. Reading about things to do, techniques to apply, recipes to try here at home, and ideas to catalog for future reference and application. I hear the cardinal pair calling to each other just outside the window as I write this post. Calling me to my day of fun filled adventures; as it will always be with the two men I'm raising. So, I leave you with a recipe from this wonderous book and a quote from a following page.
Pashofa
1 lb cracked corn (white cracked corn can be bought at many grocery stores)
2 quarts water (add more as needed)
1 lb fresh lean pork (meaty backbone)
Wash and clean corn. Bring water to boil and add corn. Cook slowly, stirring often. When corn is about half done, add fresh pork. Cook until both meat and corn are soft and tender. The mixture should be thick and soupy. Cook about 4 hours. Add NO salt while cooking; each individual should season food according to his/her own taste.
"Sleeping with a Sunflower: A Treasury of Old-Time Gardening Lore." p 108
"The leaves of orange bergamot (Mentha citrata) slipped into the wallet will attract money."
Have an enjoyable experience today.
~Momma
Library trips with my boys are always fun. Never the same, we dive into the front entrance, run like deer for the children's room, make a mad dash to swoop down on books to take home, run a relay type sprint through the sections I've marked out to check out stuff I have my eye on, pile in @ the circulation desk to sign out, and then off to wait for the bus to pick us up to come back home. Oh wait, that was our experience yesterday. Not every day we go is like that. Once a week we make an appearance, pick up what we need or catches this momma's eye, and then head out if the draw to work on puzzles or browse through the reference section doesn't keep us inside. Its funny how when its not summer, my boys will linger in the library, looking at books, working on puzzles, maybe color a picture, make a valid attempt to look up books-with my help-on the library's online catalog, and walk through the aisles of books in the main section. Yeah, gotta check myself again. That would be my preschooler who does that; my little one isn't quite to walking and doing all those things yet but they're in progress.
I found a book a week or two ago through the online catalog, which you can access from home just as well as when you're at the library. Sleeping With a Sunflower: A Treasury of Old-Time Gardening Lore, by Louise Riotte. I was looking for material to use for my preschool homeschool ideas and saw this title. Flipping through it yesterday when we got home, I'm finding a move back through time. Sources older than I, a blending of traditions to come together in this wonderful book. When to fish, according the phase of the moon, making jellies & jams, recipes, bee keeping, companion planting, sundials, etc...only to name a few, as the book is jam packed full of wonderful information. I love finding pieces like this, as it brings back the older, most commonly used techniques of working with the land and its resources. Nature and those who respect her, working together. My Utopia.
As the book is sectioned by month, I move into the months of June, July, August, & September. Reading about things to do, techniques to apply, recipes to try here at home, and ideas to catalog for future reference and application. I hear the cardinal pair calling to each other just outside the window as I write this post. Calling me to my day of fun filled adventures; as it will always be with the two men I'm raising. So, I leave you with a recipe from this wonderous book and a quote from a following page.
Pashofa
1 lb cracked corn (white cracked corn can be bought at many grocery stores)
2 quarts water (add more as needed)
1 lb fresh lean pork (meaty backbone)
Wash and clean corn. Bring water to boil and add corn. Cook slowly, stirring often. When corn is about half done, add fresh pork. Cook until both meat and corn are soft and tender. The mixture should be thick and soupy. Cook about 4 hours. Add NO salt while cooking; each individual should season food according to his/her own taste.
"Sleeping with a Sunflower: A Treasury of Old-Time Gardening Lore." p 108
"The leaves of orange bergamot (Mentha citrata) slipped into the wallet will attract money."
Have an enjoyable experience today.
~Momma
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
What is Happening With Public Schools?
Wednesday greets us with sunshine and perfect temps before 8 AM. A trip to the library today to gather books for leisure, educating, fun, and just plain ol' pickin' up a good book. I think its great that there are electronic books out there on the market; I'd have one just for my magazines so I don't have that looming pile I have to decide what to do with once I'm done with the issues. As far as reading a book, though. Call me old fashioned but I love a good, gently worn spine. Turning the pages, the feel of the paper the written word is placed upon. Wondering the travels of the book before it came to me. Give me a dog-eared, non-conventional classic any day of the week!
I write today with concern as a parent, wondering what is happening with the education system. News reports flash across our tv screen talking about sexual molestations happening at an elementary school in our state. Children being violated by children. A child psychologist steps forward to state that this happens more often than we as parents actually know about. That doesn't sit well with me. How could I send my children to school, wondering all day how they are doing, how they are getting along with others, and if they are being bullied or sexually abused? Here's another valid reason I support homeschooling.
Another report, aired last night, covered the percentages of children and their performance in history class, specifically covering American history. Less than half of a group of 1700 were presented with three questions and were unable to answer them correctly. 1. What war did America fight Hitler? 2. Who is this man (Abraham Lincoln) and what is his importance in our nation's history? 3. What was the purpose and importance of the Proclaimation of 1763 (could be 1765, I don't remember @ this hr)? These children were fourth graders, and they couldn't answer these questions correctly. What is wrong with the system that a student can't identify a past president? I know learning starts at home, and the shape we're in as families today with the economy, the overwhelming need to have every new electronic on the market, eating fast foods & pre-packaged meals out of convenience isn't helping the situation. But to send your child to school and what they should be learning isn't working as it should? Here's your sign, Bill Engvel. Another reason, a highly valid one, for me to advocate homeschooling.
I know not every family can financially support making the decision to homeschool. At least that's how one feels when first examining the idea. I've been home with my boys since just before my oldest was born. Now, with my youngest reaching towards the threshold of his first birthday, being home is a bit tight but still worth the effort. I would work outside the home if quality daycare & preschool programs weren't through the roof with their rates. There's also a waiting list for the best ones. Which leaves me with the knowledge that I would be working to pay for daycare & preschool, forget about being able to cover my bills. So, I choose to work from home. Granted its not a steady check, there are no benefits, no vacations, etc....but the perk of being able to be home with my kids, know that they are safe, and I know what they are learning; its worth every moment of the day.
So, as our Wild Wednesday unfolds, breakfast is disappearing as quick as the coffee, its time to move on with the day. After a couple of good days of gardening, I can back up a step or two, make the most of the moments today, hug & kiss my kids, and feel blessed for all that I have.
~Momma
I write today with concern as a parent, wondering what is happening with the education system. News reports flash across our tv screen talking about sexual molestations happening at an elementary school in our state. Children being violated by children. A child psychologist steps forward to state that this happens more often than we as parents actually know about. That doesn't sit well with me. How could I send my children to school, wondering all day how they are doing, how they are getting along with others, and if they are being bullied or sexually abused? Here's another valid reason I support homeschooling.
Another report, aired last night, covered the percentages of children and their performance in history class, specifically covering American history. Less than half of a group of 1700 were presented with three questions and were unable to answer them correctly. 1. What war did America fight Hitler? 2. Who is this man (Abraham Lincoln) and what is his importance in our nation's history? 3. What was the purpose and importance of the Proclaimation of 1763 (could be 1765, I don't remember @ this hr)? These children were fourth graders, and they couldn't answer these questions correctly. What is wrong with the system that a student can't identify a past president? I know learning starts at home, and the shape we're in as families today with the economy, the overwhelming need to have every new electronic on the market, eating fast foods & pre-packaged meals out of convenience isn't helping the situation. But to send your child to school and what they should be learning isn't working as it should? Here's your sign, Bill Engvel. Another reason, a highly valid one, for me to advocate homeschooling.
I know not every family can financially support making the decision to homeschool. At least that's how one feels when first examining the idea. I've been home with my boys since just before my oldest was born. Now, with my youngest reaching towards the threshold of his first birthday, being home is a bit tight but still worth the effort. I would work outside the home if quality daycare & preschool programs weren't through the roof with their rates. There's also a waiting list for the best ones. Which leaves me with the knowledge that I would be working to pay for daycare & preschool, forget about being able to cover my bills. So, I choose to work from home. Granted its not a steady check, there are no benefits, no vacations, etc....but the perk of being able to be home with my kids, know that they are safe, and I know what they are learning; its worth every moment of the day.
So, as our Wild Wednesday unfolds, breakfast is disappearing as quick as the coffee, its time to move on with the day. After a couple of good days of gardening, I can back up a step or two, make the most of the moments today, hug & kiss my kids, and feel blessed for all that I have.
~Momma
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Organizing Epiphany
Yeah, already at it this morning; imagine the possibilities. Tuesdays are my task master days, so I had thought last night that I wanted to make the most of today with some organizing. My thoughts were originally set on the garage, now that I can get back into it and get it set up for more accessibility for my mate and I. Then, it happened over a cup of coffee. I grabbed my special edition Better Homes and Gardens "Secrets of Getting Organized" and decided to do the flip. So, I flipped through the pages from front to back, back to front, and then front to back until I stopped to open the page wide to see what I was going to discover. Its alot like gambling, I suppose. Draw straws, anyone?
This week is about organizing the kitchen; I know I can plow through sections of the garage while the kids and I are out gardening. My kitchen. Not the biggest room in the house but not the smallest either. Its kind of L shaped but a little more than just your typical L. Where could I start? What was the most inexpensive, simple, quick task to start with? I looked at the junk drawer suggestion. I hate those. We've tried a junk drawer and it just gets worse once it gets started. Oh wait, I'm supposed to keep it maintained. Damn. I was hoping it would fix itself. Afterall, its junk, right? Looked at the roadside daisy (aka, plastic shopping bags) storage piece. Even after making and purchasing cloth reusable shopping bags, the occasional plastic bag makes it into our house-good to use for the bathroom trash can. I've already knitted a bag storage piece; hangs by the door, stuffed full of bags. We have a trash bin & one for recycling. Uh-oh; are we running out of ideas? No way.
Then it hits me. The microwave cabinet. Yeap. A microwave we don't use-gone today. A mini office on the middle shelf-easy clean up. The two upper shelves house cookbooks-another easy clean up. Time to weed through cookbooks to find out what's not getting used. Still like that book? Do you love it? Give it a second chance. Use it, placing a post it with the date on the recipe page(s) used. In one year, check how many times did you use that book. More than 10 times, a keeper. Less than that, maybe its time it had a new home.
So, I have my tasks for organizing and adding a sparkle to my hearth this week. Perhaps mop the floor with a touch of essential oils in the water to add a fresh, clean, eco-friendly scent to the most used room in the house-the bathroom runs a good second. So, here's to task master Tuesday. Much to do, kids are rocking and rolling already this morning. I need roller skates. No, wait. Roller blades in today's playground.
~Momma
This week is about organizing the kitchen; I know I can plow through sections of the garage while the kids and I are out gardening. My kitchen. Not the biggest room in the house but not the smallest either. Its kind of L shaped but a little more than just your typical L. Where could I start? What was the most inexpensive, simple, quick task to start with? I looked at the junk drawer suggestion. I hate those. We've tried a junk drawer and it just gets worse once it gets started. Oh wait, I'm supposed to keep it maintained. Damn. I was hoping it would fix itself. Afterall, its junk, right? Looked at the roadside daisy (aka, plastic shopping bags) storage piece. Even after making and purchasing cloth reusable shopping bags, the occasional plastic bag makes it into our house-good to use for the bathroom trash can. I've already knitted a bag storage piece; hangs by the door, stuffed full of bags. We have a trash bin & one for recycling. Uh-oh; are we running out of ideas? No way.
Then it hits me. The microwave cabinet. Yeap. A microwave we don't use-gone today. A mini office on the middle shelf-easy clean up. The two upper shelves house cookbooks-another easy clean up. Time to weed through cookbooks to find out what's not getting used. Still like that book? Do you love it? Give it a second chance. Use it, placing a post it with the date on the recipe page(s) used. In one year, check how many times did you use that book. More than 10 times, a keeper. Less than that, maybe its time it had a new home.
So, I have my tasks for organizing and adding a sparkle to my hearth this week. Perhaps mop the floor with a touch of essential oils in the water to add a fresh, clean, eco-friendly scent to the most used room in the house-the bathroom runs a good second. So, here's to task master Tuesday. Much to do, kids are rocking and rolling already this morning. I need roller skates. No, wait. Roller blades in today's playground.
~Momma
Monday, June 13, 2011
Slow Cooker Monday
Rain again today. Ok, good for the gardens, so long as it doesn't create mold, fungus, or rust. I'm on a mission to get my gardens all in by the second week of July. After that, I just want to maintain, harvest, and enjoy.
Being a busy SAHM (stay-at-home mom), I've put into practice meal planning and a sort of cooking schedule. Mondays & Fridays are slow cooker days; most of us know this piece of equipment as a crock pot. Whatever name you want to give it, I recommend it highly, regardless of what hat you wear. The convience of throwing food into a pot, selecting a cook time and temp, and after turning it on, you can walk away. Wow, that's almost like having a chef you don't need to pay; it pays for itself. So, what am I cooking today? Take a look.
Chicken-Mini Penne Stew
2 1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 medium carrots, bias-sliced 1/4 thick
2 Tbsp Dry Sherry
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp grated gingerroot
1/4 tsp pepper
6 c. chicken broth
2 oz mini penne
1 6 oz package frozen pea pods, thawed
Combine all ingredients, except the pasta and peas. Cover & cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hrs.
Stir in penne. Cover & cook on low-heat for 1 hr more. Before serving, stir in thawed pea pods. Makes 6 servings. (modified from a recipe found in Better Homes & Gardens New Crockery Cooker Cookbook)
*I like to use about half of the required cups of chicken broth; I find that the usual protocol makes it more like a soup instead of a thicker stew consistency. Today, I'm substituting chickpeas for the pea pods; I cook my beans, peas, legumes, etc ahead of time from dried; I then bag and freeze for convience.
My list for the week is in process; I've much to do just this week, let alone for a month to come. Today is my Mommy Monday; time with my boys to get started for the week. Places to go, things to do, people to leave in amazement of being able to handle two little ones under 5 & not totally losing my mind or closet drinking. To all the mothers in the world, these are the days to remember; children don't stay little forever.
~Momma
"For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control."
-2 Timothy 1:7
Being a busy SAHM (stay-at-home mom), I've put into practice meal planning and a sort of cooking schedule. Mondays & Fridays are slow cooker days; most of us know this piece of equipment as a crock pot. Whatever name you want to give it, I recommend it highly, regardless of what hat you wear. The convience of throwing food into a pot, selecting a cook time and temp, and after turning it on, you can walk away. Wow, that's almost like having a chef you don't need to pay; it pays for itself. So, what am I cooking today? Take a look.
Chicken-Mini Penne Stew
2 1/2 c. chopped cooked chicken
2 medium carrots, bias-sliced 1/4 thick
2 Tbsp Dry Sherry
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp grated gingerroot
1/4 tsp pepper
6 c. chicken broth
2 oz mini penne
1 6 oz package frozen pea pods, thawed
Combine all ingredients, except the pasta and peas. Cover & cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hrs.
Stir in penne. Cover & cook on low-heat for 1 hr more. Before serving, stir in thawed pea pods. Makes 6 servings. (modified from a recipe found in Better Homes & Gardens New Crockery Cooker Cookbook)
*I like to use about half of the required cups of chicken broth; I find that the usual protocol makes it more like a soup instead of a thicker stew consistency. Today, I'm substituting chickpeas for the pea pods; I cook my beans, peas, legumes, etc ahead of time from dried; I then bag and freeze for convience.
My list for the week is in process; I've much to do just this week, let alone for a month to come. Today is my Mommy Monday; time with my boys to get started for the week. Places to go, things to do, people to leave in amazement of being able to handle two little ones under 5 & not totally losing my mind or closet drinking. To all the mothers in the world, these are the days to remember; children don't stay little forever.
~Momma
"For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control."
-2 Timothy 1:7
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Off My Posting and On My Mind
It's been a week since my last post; life has a way of challenging you to keep running the race. Today, I'm posting about things off the record of what I usually post, depending on the day of the week; I have a theme for Monday-Friday covering the many hats I wear as a multi-tasking momma.
Lots happening here on the little homestead in progress. New roof being put on the house; my ship mate replaced the garage roof last year, so this year he's tackling the house. And he's on a week's vacation. I'm so accustomed to him being at work most of the day, it feels weird when he's here all day. Sometimes, I feel as if I should not keep up my regular pace of life, slow down and spend it with him but when he's busy with a project-such as the roof-and the kids need me, the housework needs to be done, etc...it leaves little time. The kids are higher than kites because they are also accustomed to Daddy not being here during the day, so bedtimes have been crazy, naps almost non-existent, and I'm ready for a day at the beach. Too bad I'm not feeling the safety the park association is stating for the lake now that its water levels have receded from flood stage. Good thing for good neighbors who drop off huge blow up pools.
My youngest is teething, my preschooler feeling his way through learning, my dog just being that-a dog. I'm trying to get caught back up, put my house back together, and make of a list of things to enjoy, as opposed to the never-ending list of things to get done. I can't remember where or when I saw that posted but it made since. Ever since our basement got flooded, we moved everything out into the garage, tore out all the walls in the basement to replace at a later date, my life has become more of a list of things to complete than any enjoyment. I sat wondering what it all meant, and then while watching the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" for the third time in a month, I had an epiphany. I love having those; them arrive at the most opportune times. So, I sat and typed in my ColorNote on my Android as to what and how eat, pray, love could do for me. Yeah, another list, right? Yet, it was a list of what to enjoy, not so much what I needed to do to improve my quality of life.
One of those list bullets is to find 10 riveting books encompassing spirituality from the woman's perspective and read. I started that right away. "Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal" by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD. Perfect way to get started. I've heard good reviews about this piece, and feeling drawn to it, decided that it would be the first I would read. My list isn't quite to the full ten picks yet but I feel that will come with time.
So, if you could chose ten books that whisper to your soul to read in the coming months, what would you choose? Ponder that thought, sketch it out on paper or whatever medium you prefer, and hunt them down. Read, take a few minutes out of your day. Enjoy, not just complete.
~Momma
"...I am an author and not a writer. Writers are people who are probably born to write. An author, on the other hand, seems to be born to do something else and then writes a book about it." -Rachel Naomi Remen, MD Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal.
Lots happening here on the little homestead in progress. New roof being put on the house; my ship mate replaced the garage roof last year, so this year he's tackling the house. And he's on a week's vacation. I'm so accustomed to him being at work most of the day, it feels weird when he's here all day. Sometimes, I feel as if I should not keep up my regular pace of life, slow down and spend it with him but when he's busy with a project-such as the roof-and the kids need me, the housework needs to be done, etc...it leaves little time. The kids are higher than kites because they are also accustomed to Daddy not being here during the day, so bedtimes have been crazy, naps almost non-existent, and I'm ready for a day at the beach. Too bad I'm not feeling the safety the park association is stating for the lake now that its water levels have receded from flood stage. Good thing for good neighbors who drop off huge blow up pools.
My youngest is teething, my preschooler feeling his way through learning, my dog just being that-a dog. I'm trying to get caught back up, put my house back together, and make of a list of things to enjoy, as opposed to the never-ending list of things to get done. I can't remember where or when I saw that posted but it made since. Ever since our basement got flooded, we moved everything out into the garage, tore out all the walls in the basement to replace at a later date, my life has become more of a list of things to complete than any enjoyment. I sat wondering what it all meant, and then while watching the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" for the third time in a month, I had an epiphany. I love having those; them arrive at the most opportune times. So, I sat and typed in my ColorNote on my Android as to what and how eat, pray, love could do for me. Yeah, another list, right? Yet, it was a list of what to enjoy, not so much what I needed to do to improve my quality of life.
One of those list bullets is to find 10 riveting books encompassing spirituality from the woman's perspective and read. I started that right away. "Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal" by Rachel Naomi Remen, MD. Perfect way to get started. I've heard good reviews about this piece, and feeling drawn to it, decided that it would be the first I would read. My list isn't quite to the full ten picks yet but I feel that will come with time.
So, if you could chose ten books that whisper to your soul to read in the coming months, what would you choose? Ponder that thought, sketch it out on paper or whatever medium you prefer, and hunt them down. Read, take a few minutes out of your day. Enjoy, not just complete.
~Momma
"...I am an author and not a writer. Writers are people who are probably born to write. An author, on the other hand, seems to be born to do something else and then writes a book about it." -Rachel Naomi Remen, MD Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories that Heal.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Sustainable Thoughts
Coffee in hand, I'm working on waking fully this morning. As a child, early morning rain showers made me so relaxed, I would sleep in. As an adult, even a mother with small children-boys at that-I'm finding I can still relax enough to over sleep on days like this. After two days of heat and humidity (New England level of heat & humidity), we are back down around 60 degrees today. Ok, talk about crazy weather this year. So far, its doing great things in my gardens. Yet, the upset its causing with floods, tornados, etc....
Today is a homestead day. Bread to bake, maybe squeeze in a cake, some gardening. I've been reading Janet Chadwick's book, "How to Live on Almost Nothing and Have Plenty: A Practical Introduction to Small-Scale Sufficient Country Living." Great book, especially for anyone just getting started on sustainable living ride, or even for those who may have grown up with the knowledge of self-sufficiency & making a return to a more relaxed pace of living. As I've been reading, I realize I've been putting into practice a good portion of what she writes about. Although I didn't grow up on the farm, I was always within close enough proximity to learn how to do things. Gardening has always been a part of my life, something I love and hold close to my heart. I learned how to help with some of the farming, feeding calves, cleaning up after the milkers, even learned how to place the milking equipment on the cows. The best part of my farming education was to see family working together to get the work done before another day would dawn to start all over again. Farming is really a round the clock business, and sadly, a business disappearing for the small family farm. My aunt and uncle shut down the farm just a couple of years ago, becoming another statistic of the vanishing family farm.
As an adult, I return to the table of self-sufficiency to garden my landscape here in the 'burbs. We've been here for a little over two years, and this year has been the best year for gardening so far. Sandy loam gives us a great foundation, and as I've composted since our first summer, adding composted soil and garden soil from the nursery, our garden spaces are getting better with time. For Mother's Day this year, I received a composter on a stand that you can turn the handle to rotate and mix the ingredients you place in the barrel. Perhaps I'll get that going today, too. Happy Homesteading!
~Momma
Today is a homestead day. Bread to bake, maybe squeeze in a cake, some gardening. I've been reading Janet Chadwick's book, "How to Live on Almost Nothing and Have Plenty: A Practical Introduction to Small-Scale Sufficient Country Living." Great book, especially for anyone just getting started on sustainable living ride, or even for those who may have grown up with the knowledge of self-sufficiency & making a return to a more relaxed pace of living. As I've been reading, I realize I've been putting into practice a good portion of what she writes about. Although I didn't grow up on the farm, I was always within close enough proximity to learn how to do things. Gardening has always been a part of my life, something I love and hold close to my heart. I learned how to help with some of the farming, feeding calves, cleaning up after the milkers, even learned how to place the milking equipment on the cows. The best part of my farming education was to see family working together to get the work done before another day would dawn to start all over again. Farming is really a round the clock business, and sadly, a business disappearing for the small family farm. My aunt and uncle shut down the farm just a couple of years ago, becoming another statistic of the vanishing family farm.
As an adult, I return to the table of self-sufficiency to garden my landscape here in the 'burbs. We've been here for a little over two years, and this year has been the best year for gardening so far. Sandy loam gives us a great foundation, and as I've composted since our first summer, adding composted soil and garden soil from the nursery, our garden spaces are getting better with time. For Mother's Day this year, I received a composter on a stand that you can turn the handle to rotate and mix the ingredients you place in the barrel. Perhaps I'll get that going today, too. Happy Homesteading!
~Momma
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