In all I am, do, and will write, my aim is to hit God's mark. I will have moments of being misguided as I am not perfect, but know that I serve a God that loves me through it all.
It is four in the morning, and I can't sleep. Been awake for a long time. I am too numb to probably write something coherent here, but I'm going to try...I, and my immediate family, covet your intense prayers right now and for the long haul.
Remember a few weeks back when we all heard the news that Steven Curtis Chapman's teenager accidently backed over and killed the younger sibling with the car? I remember being so full of grief for them and immediately was able to go to the Lord and intercede for not only the entire Chapman family, but for the teenager especially. It didn't make any difference that they are strangers to me.
Horrors on horrors! The same situation just happened yesterday in my own family! My brother's teenager, who was just moving the car for a minute, did not see the one year old sibling crawl near the car. The baby was run over and killed.
My heart, my heart, my heart....I know I am a stranger to you, but I write this in hopes that someone out there will respond the way, a few weeks ago, I was able to respond to the Chapman family.
"I can't afford to buy organic." It amuses me sometimes that many of these very same people saying this are holding a four dollar daily latte, smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer or going out to eat two or three times a week.
Yes, it is affordable to buy organic. One just needs to put it into perspective. Believe me, you'll be a whole lot healthier and possibly save on doctor trips as well. So, do you want to buy that $1.25 candy bar or soda, or do you want to pay an extra 40 cents on organic broccoli?
I'm not saying that you have to buy all organic. But, I do believe that it is good stewardship to purchase the best that one can afford, especially when it comes to healthy foods.
One way to save on the cost of organic produce is to create one's menu around what is in season. Simply don't buy something if it is not in season. It will be way over-priced. The catch is to figure out what is in season. It can get confusing due to the fact that produce can be trucked in from all over the world. So, what is really in season in your area? I've been looking into this and have come up with a list that will hopefully be helpful to some of my readers.
I am no expert. In fact, some things on this list I've never even heard of...like some of the kinds of melons and squash. Also, I am assuming the varying months of seasonality is due to varying variety of certain fruits and veggies or regional growing seasons. The list is referring to peak season growing periods. You'll find the produce to be of better quality and far more worth the price...especially in taste.
Be flexible as growing seasons can adjust a bit year to year due to weather conditions. Watch the news for floods and frosts in growing areas as this effects quality and prices. For instance, in our area right now, there is a shortage of bananas because the supply area has suffered from floods. Prices are up. Earlier this year, the quality of oranges wasn't worth purchasing them at all because of a frost during peak growing season.
So, I have gotten as far as learning what is in season. The list is not exhaustive. Let me know what I have missed, and I'll add to it. I hope to some day focus on buying more locally as well, so my personal list will eventually adjust to that. In the meantime, I hope this list helps you along in making the steps to purchasing better quality food for you and your family and making it worth the cost:
Acorn squash Jan., Mar.-Dec.
Apples Sept.-Oct.
Apricots June-July
Artichokes March-May
Asparagus April-May
Avocados Jan., June-Aug.
Bananas All months
Banana squash Oct.-Nov.
Beets June-Oct.
Bell peppers Aug.-Sept.
Blackberries June-Aug.
Blueberries July-Aug.
Broccoli All months
Brussel sprouts April, Aug.-Sept., Nov.-Dec.
Buttercup squash Jan.-Mar., Sept.-Dec.
Butternut squash Jan.-Oct., Dec.
Cabbage Jan.-April, Nov.-Dec.
Cantaloupe June-Sept.
Carrots All months
Casaba melon Sept.-Oct.
Cauliflower Jan.-Oct., Dec.
Chard June-Sept.
Chili peppers Aug.-Sept.
Celery Jan.-March, May
Cherries June, Aug.
Chicory April, Nov.
Collards Jan.-Mar., Dec.
Corn-on-the-cob May-June, Aug.-Sept.
Cranberries Sept., Nov.
Crenshaw melon Aug.-Sept.
Crookneck squash June-Aug.
Cucumbers April-June, Aug.-Sept.
Dates Nov.
Eggplant July-Aug.
Endive April, Nov.
Escarole April, Nov.
Figs June-Oct.
Garlic March-April, Aug.-Oct.
Grapefruit April-July, Oct.-Dec.
Grapes June-Nov.
Green beans May-Aug.
Green onions Jan.-Sept., Nov.-Dec.
Honeydew melon June-Oct.
Hubbard squash Dec.
Kale Jan.-Feb.
Kiwi fruit May-Dec.
Kohlrabi June-July
Kumquats Jan.-June, Nov.-Dec.
Leeks May, Sept.-Nov.
Lemons Jan., March-Dec.
Lettuce March, Dec.
Limes Jan.-Feb., May-Dec.
Mushrooms Feb.-April, Nov.-Dec.
Mustard greens Jan.
Nectarines July
Okra July-Oct.
Onions All months
Oranges Jan.-April, Dec.
Papayas May
Parsley All months
Parsnips Oct.-Dec.
Peaches Aug.
Pears Jan.-April, Aug.-Dec.
Peas May-Aug.
Persian melon Aug.-Sept.
Persimmons Oct.-Nov.
Pineapple March-June
Plums May-Aug.
Pomegranates Oct.
Potatoes All months
Pumpkins Oct.
Radishes April, June-July
Raspberries June-July
Rhubarb April-May
Rutabagas Feb.-March, Sept.-Dec.
Scallop squash June-Aug.
Shallots July-Oct.
Spinach March-June
Strawberries April-July
Sweet potatoes Nov.-Dec.
Tangelos Dec.
Tangerines Dec.
Tomatoes June-Aug.
Turnips March, Sept.-Dec.
Watercress June-July
Watermelon June-Aug.
Yams Nov.-Dec.
Zucchini June-Nov.
So, now if I could just figure out the best times to stock up on spices/herbs, nuts and gluten-free grains. Anyone want to help me with that? Got a source to point me to?
I've had several inquiries regarding my posts lately, or lack there of. No, I have not given up on blogging. In fact, every night I cry myself to sleep because I didn't get a chance to blog that day.
Seriously, I have several blogs written (in my head, of course) that WILL be typed and posted soon.
There has been TONS going on in our little family recently, especially in our marriage. Good, POSITIVE things! Things I am excited to write about.
Just don't want to jinx it by writing about it too soon. :>)
In the meantime, sign up for my RSS feed or onto bloglines or one of those other readers, so you don't frustrate yourself by continually checking only to find I haven't posted.
Trust me. The coming posts will be worth the wait. I am so not biased.
I stunk at Spelling Bees. Being a visual learner, I am actually a pretty good speller. But Spelling Bees, no way. I have to SEE the word written down to prove to myself that I have spelled it correctly. It's not enough to 'see' it in my head. My daughter, however....
Beautiful is quite a reader, writer, and speller for a six year old. Because of this, I have not bothered to run any formal spelling program for her. I can recognize a natural speller when I see one.
I'm not saying that she never spells a word inaccurately, she simply doesn't need any extra instruction from me. All I ever have to do is just point out the omitted letter or the extra letter or the misplaced letter. She erases it and proceeds to write the word correctly right then, the next time she needs to use the word in her writings, and the next time, and then the next time and the next time...I'm not bragging or even implying that I have a genius, but she is definitely a natural born speller.
However, being the teacher that I am, I needed to assure myself that she was really grasping the "important" words. You know, those high frequency words. So I pulled out my book of HFW #1-400 and proceeded to quiz her on five or ten words per day...just to see...for my sake. (I am not going to provide a link to this book because I really don't recommend it; it is way too 'classroomy'.)
Anyway.
I think we were on word number thirty or so before she missed one. I was praising her all along the way. Showing her how amazed I was at her spelling abilities, I asked her how she manages to spell so well. She turned to me and stated very dramatically (those who know her personally can probably picture the expression on her face):
"Oh. When I close my eyes I see letters everywhere that just float into place." Drama Queen, you little stinker!
So many times I hear the groanings of a mother's heart straining to find time to drink of God's Word or to pray or to worship. Over and over and over I must remind myself that mothering IS worship when done with the motivation of pleasing my Heavenly Father.
Someday I'm going to paste this YouTube video on my sidebar...whenever I learn how to do that...and listen to it constantly. But, in the meantime travel on over to On Our Journey Westward.
In three days I will have been blogging for one year. This is my 68th entry. As I reflect back on my blogging experience, I am pleased. I have stayed true to my commitment toward this blog:
Before I started, I made several promises to myself:
1) The blog was not to be used as a gossip chamber or a venting stage against my children or husband.
I can't say that I have not been tempted to dump family problems into the blogosphere. Gossip is very easy to write about and to read about, but that wouldn't exactly be aiming higher than the norm, now would it?
2) Entries were to always be uplifting or encouraging. Any more serious entries were to aim to point myself and others to God (thus the name of the blog). That wasn't to mean there couldn't be any silly entries.
We have way too many sources of "downers" in this world. I just don't want to contribute to it. I want to continue to aim high, to set myself aiming for the ideal and to encourage any reader to join me. By ideal, of course, I mean a relationship with Jesus Christ that is true and honest and puts Him first.
3) Learning my way around blogging designs and templates, etc. was not to take priority over my ongoing quest to be a better wife, parent and homemaker.
One can only look at my template to see that I have kept this one with ease. I've pretty much not touched my template in a whole year! Or, one could conclude that I have a lot of work to do in being a better wife, parent, and homemaker. :>) But it is true, my husband and I have been working on our relationship more intensely this year than ever before. (That's a good thing.) We have gotten more serious in making goals for our children both in character growth and educational goals. I have been working on improving my home management skills. Eventually I want to have one of those home management binders I've read others have. If time spent on these objectives means no time to write a blog entry...so be it.
4) I was not to write a blog entry just to write a blog entry. Or, write just to keep readership up. Any entry was to be worth someone taking the time to read. I did not want to play a role of encouraging others to spend too much time in front of the computer.
Oh, I have posted silly things, yes. I did them mostly when I was trying to learn something about posting or something like that, but those are such quick reads, I figured it was harmless. I do, however, stick to my commitment to blog without obligation. You will see that I have put a button thing on my template that points to another person's entry explaining what blogging without obligation means. I sincerely hope that any of my entries are worthy of the time you take to read it.
Do I have more goals for this year? You bet!
1. I really do want to get a blog design that truly does reflect me and my family and the aim of this blog.
2. I really do want to figure out how to post pictures, video, sound, and those little stamp pictures that people put up for things like Works for Me Wednesday, carnivals, Saturday Stirrings, Green Hour, etc.
3. I want to be more consistent about postings regarding our homeschooling days.
4. I want to be more serious about posting entries that demonstrate how God is working on me. Maybe as you read about this work in progress, you will see what God is doing and what He can do.
5. I want to be able to organize my entries by categories. I'm very confused on how to do that.
So, how can you, a reader, help me?
1. Pray for me.
2. Challenge me by holding me accountable to the goals. If I falter, tell me! I am not put off by constructive criticism. In fact, I respect people that lovingly rebuke me! Note: I said, lovingly. Meaning: A rebuke coming from God's words are refreshing, but a rebuke coming from someone who just doesn't want to be wrong is, well, not lovingly motivated.
3. Let me know how God is working in YOUR life. This is SO encouraging. It's a bonus if something I have written has spoken to you personally.
Now, stop reading and go hug your children, get dinner on the table, and greet your husband with a warm smile. Oh, and de-lurk just for a second to let me know you are there.
Oh. My. Word! Look at this freebie contest...I'm letting you know about it, but secretly hoping you don't enter so it increases the chances of me winning! Selfish. I know.
Rosetta Stone has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while -- next week they are unleashing a brand new curriculum, and you can WIN the *all new* Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3… FOR FREE!
This is a $219 program (and believe me it's worth every penny!) and the winner gets to pick from any of these 14 languages: Spanish (Spain or Latin America), English (American or British), Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Hebrew, or Russian.
This will also include a headset with microphone, and students will participate in lifelike conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone still incorporates listening, reading and writing as well, in addition to speaking. Many homeschoolers requested grammar and vocabulary exercises, and with Rosetta Stone Homeschool Version 3, they're included! For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program and allow parents to easily enroll students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, and view and print reports. To win this most excellent program -- in the language of your choice -- copy these (blue) paragraphs and post it in (or as) your next blog post -- then to enter the contest, go to the original contest page HERE: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/JenIG/501132/ and leave a comment with the link showing where you blogged about it. And please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post it. And good luck! The winner will be picked randomly on March 26, and will be notified thru the link they left to their blog pg. And if you have more than one blog, you can post them and enter those separately for more chances to win. Yay for free stuff!
I'm trying not to be tempted to start multiple blogs just for a chance to enter more times!
Many Blessings,
Holly
I would give credit to the author, but I have no idea who that may be...
"When my wife and I mention we are strongly considering home schooling our children, we are without fail asked, "But what about socialization?" Fortunately, we found a way our kids can receive the same socialization that government schools provide.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, I will personally corner my son in the bathroom, give him a wedgie and take his lunch money.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my wife will make sure to tease our children for not being in the "in" crowd, taking special care to poke fun of any physical abnormalities.
Fridays will be "Fad and Peer Pressure Day." We will all compete to see who has the coolest toys, most expensive clothes and the loudest, fastest and most dangerous car.
Every day, my wife and I will adhere to a routine of cursing and swearing in the hall and mentioning our weekend exploits with alcohol and immorality. If our kids attempt to use the bathroom without permission, we will punish them immediately.
And we have asked them to report us to the authorities in the event we mention faith, religion or try to bring up morals and values."
I cannot believe the brainwashing people display when they bring up the silly 'socialization' issue for a reason to put my children in government run schools. Talk about not being properly informed once again!
On the Pill? Or considering using the Pill? Please read this article.
I, unfortunately, ignorantly used the Pill for six months. Fortunately, my body responded very negatively, and I got off it quickly. I thought I was informed. It's amazing, however, what you can really learn if you take just a little bit more time. Why do we so blindly trust that our doctor knows everything about everything? And, is willing to tell us in the little time he/she has with us? It is truly amazing how doctors have been placed on a pedestal above even God. Where have you placed your doctor?
Scary thought.
I've been there, Ladies, it is not easy to 'not follow the doctor's orders'. But, if my husband and I have prayed about it and sense God saying something different...My Great Physician knows best! Be prepared for a backlash from family, friends, and church members, unfortunately. Your reward is in Heaven.
Woman ONE: visibly pregnant, toddler in heavily laden grocery cart, three more small children following behind. Fumbling with her car keys, scooting the children into their car seats while juggling the cart to keep it from running away unattended. Many people, including store employees, walking by, not one asking if assistance were needed.
Woman TWO: dressed for the office and walking quickly. In her hands was a small purse and her car keys. Following behind her was a teenage store employee pushing a small 'half' cart with ONE grocery bag in it. The bag was placed in her trunk by the teenager while she unlocked her car, got in and never even turned to thank him.
Woman ONE: elated at the timing of a store employee walking by her car just as she had finished emptying her cart and was busy checking all the children's seat belts, kindly asked the employee if he would take her cart back to the store as he was heading that way. Received an annoyed frown from said teenager. Feeling obligated to explain why she needed this little itty bitty piece of assistance as she pointed out the four littles in her car and her bulging abdomen. Cart was removed from her reluctantly.
Woman TWO: sped out of the parking lot within a minute of leaving the store. The night's dinner most likely in the grocery bag prepared and ready to eat as she walked into her home.
Woman ONE: turned out of the parking lot a good ten minutes after leaving the store...and on her way home to unload groceries, put away groceries and start making dinner...which, by this time was going to be VERY late. Whiny, hungry children and husband expected.
Which woman would you like to be? Me, I'm quite content being woman ONE. Can't say I didn't practice my share of crabbiness by the time I got home, though.
Anyone care to enlighten me on how baskets full of candy, over-priced matching outfits, painted eggs, bunnies and little chicks have anything to do with the true meaning of Easter? Or, am I wrong in even calling next weekend, Easter? I've never done a word study on Easter or even bothered to research all the other hoopla that comes with it.
I do, however, remember that this coming weekend marks the remembrance of Christ willingly giving His life for me and rising from the dead.
Glory to God! Creator of LIFE!
So a dilemma started a few days ago. My children noticed that we don't paint eggs, or hunt for them. We don't believe in an Easter bunny, and we don't hand them baskets full of dollar store toys or candy.
We are such party-poopers. What to do?
We actually had a fabulous conversation regarding what Easter/Resurrection is. They all agreed that it made no sense to muddle up God's story with all that other stuff that didn't appear to remind them of what God has done.
They voiced that they were rather sad that they didn't do egg hunts, etc and asked if we could to it anyway. Why not do "the other stuff" on a different day?
Brilliant!
Thus, we will be celebrating SPRING on March 20th from now on. Here is the plan my children and I worked out using the letters from the word 'spring'.
S: Slurp a smoothie.
Pretty self explanatory.
P: Plant something pretty.
We will be planting something in a container this year as we might be moving soon, but we will begin to plant flowers or trees or ...
R: Race for riches.
This is the "Easter egg hunt" substitute. We have plastic eggs. I'll be putting something silly or yummy or whatever in the eggs and hiding them.
I: Invent or inspire.
An art project or poem or story writing opportunity.
N: Nibble a nummy.
A special dessert treat will be made. I'm going to try out making 'Nest Cookies' from a recipe that I found at GreenStyleMom.
G: Give goodness.
The sky's the limit on this one. Maybe we will share our art or poem or nummies with a neighbor. Or, maybe visit a nursing home and read someone a story, etc. I'm going to leave this decision to the children each year.
See. We can have fun.
Now, maybe I should look into celebrating those silly little Christmas cluttering things on a different day so they don't take away from Christmas's true meaning. We already don't do stockings. We do Treasure Boxes...you know, like what the magi brought. Didn't I read somewhere about an early December day that involved shoes? (An idea similar to filling stockings.) Where did I read that?
This morning I was sitting back enjoying thumbing through the posts contributed to the recent Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival hosted by The Heart of Harmony. The Clouds of Art Show at Hearts and Trees entry created quite a stir at our house. I had three little people climbing on me, sitting on my head and vying for the best seat to see all the lovely pictures of clouds. And I was contentedly listening to their chatter regarding each picture.
Beautiful, of course, was not lacking words to express her responses. Handsome had a few things to say here and there. And Sweetness just kept looking back and forth from the pictures to Beautiful to Handsome and to the pictures again...absorbing, absorbing...
Vincent Van Gogh-Wheat Field Under Threatening Skies...
Beautiful: "I'm sure that's a dragon's tail running through that field."
Handsome (ever the realist): "NO! It's a trail! See?"
Claude Monet-Water Lilies (The Clouds)...
Beautiful: "Just like a mirror!" (She even jumped up and positioned herself behind and above the computer and announced to her younger siblings that that is where the clouds really are!)
Handsome (looking at her like she has got to be the craziest sister alive): "I see lilies; where are the crocodiles?"
George Innes-Passing Clouds...
Beautiful: "Just like when we are looking out the window at Grandma and Grandpa's house! See the mountains in the clouds?"
Handsome (not to be out-done): "No! My turn to talk! See that giant sheep and the mountains like at Grandma and Grandpa's house? Why is that man smoking? That's yucky."
Beautiful: "That's not a giant sheep; it's a buffalo!"
(I proceeded to enlarge the picture so they could see it a little more clearly.)
Beautiful: "Oh, it's a cluster of trees. And, look, it is Fall. See how the leaves are yellow?"
Handsome: "It's a giant sheep. Why is that man smoking?" (Okay, so he takes after me and doesn't like to back down.)
Claude Monet-The Stroll (Woman with a Parasol)...
Beautiful: "I don't like that picture. She looks cold even though the sun is shining. The wind is making her hair look funny and ugly." (Lord, help me. I've got such a girlie-girl.)
Handsome: "It's not raining. She doesn't need the umbrella."
Emily Carr-Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky...
Beautiful: "I love this picture! I could just climb into it and explore! Wouldn't that be fun? That's a huge, explosive cloud!"
Handsome: "Look at those TALL trees!"
John Constable-Cloud Study...
Beautiful: blank stare
Handsome: "I like the blue cloud. I like blue."
John Constable-Study of Clouds at Hampstead...
Beautiful: blank stare
Hansome: "I see a storm there coming. See the black cloud?"
I was contentedly listening to them talk amongst themselves. But it was Beautiful's response to the last painting represented in the cloud show, however, that made me gasp...
Lawren Harris-Clouds, Lake Superior...
Beautiful: "Lake Superior! Just like in Paddle to the Sea! This painting looks like Greyling!"
Guys, it has been over three months since we have looked at the book Paddle to the Sea! I have never read Greyling to her! But look how she was making connections! Yes, they both made connections in the other paintings, but I kinda would expect that about everyday life discussions. But, for this little girl to make connections not from everyday life but from her own studies, was just SO rewarding to hear!
But, she took it one step further. She ran to get her book, Greyling by Jane Yolen, to see if Lawren Harris was the illustrator! All this without my nudging at all!
The extra bonus is...guess what I found her doing this afternoon! Come on, guess! She was outside with her bin of crayons and paper with clipboard drawing pictures of clouds! (I know, I know, I should post a picture of her drawing. Teaching me how to use my new camera, how to download it onto my computer, and get the picture onto my blog is quite the challenge for my husband.)
Let your children soar, Ladies! Don't sweat it; our children ARE learning. Even when we are dragging our feet dealing with morning sickness.
Many Blessings,
Holly
P.S. Just so you know, Lawren Harris is NOT the illustrator of Greyling. It is David Ray. But we had a great discussion on how the styles did look similar. Sorry, I tried to find an illustration to post, but apparently the book is out of print. All the used copies I found online didn't show a picture.
I am notorious for forgetting to take the meat out of the freezer in time for it to thaw. And, I really don't care to go grocery shopping too many times during the month, so try to use what I have creatively. This leaves me searching the pantry for inspiration quite regularly. I like to have a few "Pantry Panic" meals ready and handy. The following is just such a meal as I usually have all the ingredients somewhere in my pantry and spice cupboard. It comes from one of my Sue Gregg cookbooks. It's one recipe I really don't alter at all because we like it just the way it is.
3 cups chicken broth
¾ cup lentils, uncooked
½ cup brown rice, uncooked
¼ cup onion flakes, instant minced
½ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated*
Blend all ingredients together in a casserole dish except the cheese. Bake covered at 300 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until tender and the broth is absorbed. Top hot casserole with cheese with a handful of fresh parsley.
*I hold off on adding any cheese because some family members struggle with dairy allergies. But if I have some goat cheese, I will add that generously. I will also use fresh onions or herbs if I have them instead of dried. I don't really measure.
When serving, individuals add a splash of green tabasco sauce to their personal taste. My husband also adds his cow's milk cheese.
I usually double the recipe. There isn't tons of leftovers for us, but if there is, it makes a great tortilla filler. Add some cheese, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce...whatever.
You know, it just occurred to me that this would make a good 'mix' gift as all the ingredients are dried. Just label the jar with instructions to add chicken broth and cheese, the temperature and times, and you're done. Hmm, I think I just solved the mystery of what to make for all those friends of mine with babies due the same time as me. (You know who you are. If this meal doesn't sound appetizing to you, best tell me now or forever hold your peace!)
Well, now, that was fun. Evidently I still had some pride issues to deal with before posting this recipe. I just spent an half hour writing out my 'secret' recipe for my most favorite salad recipe. As I went to make a link, I deleted it on accident. So, we begin again...
Okay, start with a couple of handfuls of chopped slightly (not too small) pecans. These need to be sugar coated and toasted. Put the chopped pecans in a frying pan, add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar (I use evaporated cane juice crystals) and about 1/4 cup water. The water encourages the sugar to coat all the pecans without leaving sugar crystals on the pecans. Stir occasionally. These will be done when all the water has evaporated and the pecans get a 'toasty' smell to them. Be careful. They burn easily at this stage. Dump the pecans on your counter in a single layer to cool. Don't touch that sticky stuff; it definitely will stick to you and burn. The pecans will get more crispy as they cool.
While the pecans are toasting, make the salad dressing and chop the rest of the salad makings. All measurements are approximate. Vary it according to how many people you are serving. The salad does not keep, so be sure to make only what you know will be eaten right away.
Salad Dressing: (Put this in a small container that you have a secure lid for.)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar or rice vinegar works too)
2 T Dijon mustard
1/4 t minced garlic or powdered garlic
Couple of pinches of Celtic sea salt
Couple of pinches of ground black pepper
Couple of pinches of sugar or evaporated cane juice crystals
Put the lid on the container and shake, shake, shake...the container, that is.
Check on and stir the pecans. Then, get to chopping....
Washed greens (I use spring mix, but use what you have. Iceberg is so not exciting.)
Sliced small green onions (I've omitted if I don't have.)
2 or 3 washed, cored and diced pears
1 or 2 diced avocados (Salad still works if you don't have this.) Feta cheese (I use goat cheese feta.)
Somewhere in the middle of all this chopping, your pecans have been dumped on the counter to cool. They should be cool now. You could toast the pecans and make the salad dressing ahead of time or even the day before if you know you will be in a hurry.
So, put the salad together...
Greens
Green onions
Pears
Avocados
Feta cheese
Pecans
Get everybody to the table and ready to eat. Add the salad dressing, toss the salad, and eat up. Mmmmm. I could eat the whole bowl by myself.
Over the years, I have become interiorially (should I patent that word?) domestisized (I'm sure that's not a word either.) Okay, I don't spend much time outside. Like, none. Especially in the winter. I don't do winter. It was a matter of grave importance that my husband swore before we were married that his most important priority was to make sure I would always be warm. At. All.Times. It must be minimally 75 degrees before I willingly venture outdoors. Doesn't happen but a few short months in my neck of the city.
Mix this with my desire to have a garden of my own, my love of all things nature, and the idea of doing Nature Study with my children and you have...a very mixed up, frozen adult with high ideals and no follow through. What's a gal to do?
Anyway, the challenge is to set wings to my picture of the ideal nature study plans and introduce my children more consistently to God's creation outdoors...no matter what the weather or temperature. (Oh, Barb, I could kiss your feet for jump starting me with this!) She gives a mini weekly assignment; I do it with my children, then pat myself on the back because I did it. And, I get to blog about the adventure if I want.
Challenge #1 started this week.
Part One was easy: Read pages 1-8 of Anna Botsford Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study.
Done. No sweat! And, no icicles dripping off my nose! I know how to read, and I already had the book. Have had it for about two years now and never even cracked it open. See, I told you I have good intentions and no follow through.
Part Two stalled me for four days: Go outside with your child/ren for 15 minutes and look around.
Go outside? You mean, in the cold? Then I had a brainstorm...checking out the lunar eclipse last night would work, right? Oops, forgot young Beautiful is terrified of the dark. She took one look up in the night sky, and screamed! I'm sure that went over very well with everyone else in the parking lot of our friendly neighborhood Costco. (That's were we were, we wouldn't have been able to see the moon from our yard.)
Her analysis of the lunar eclipse: "It makes the moon look ugly and scary!" Wow. I'm blown away with her appreciation of nature.
So, after a half hour of bundling all the children, I braved the great outdoors this morning. 15 minutes outside. I did it! My timing was perfect. Figuring they would want to be out longer, we went out just before lunch. To get them back inside, all I had to do was say that it was lunchtime. It worked like a charm.
However, the plan backfired on me. I was the one that actually really wanted to be out longer! Spring is popping up all over my front yard! Buds are showing on the hydrangeas, the roses, and the rhodies. Tulips, crocus, and daffodils are beginning to peek out of the ground. And weeds. Winter is almost over!!!! At first the children scurried back and forth amongst the awakening plants and showed great fascination. We were just about to come in when Handsome turned over a rock...slugs. Two of them. I thought we had found what was going to assist us in part three of our assignment, so thought it a good time to go in and get lunch completed.
Part Three: Ask your child/ren what two things they saw outside that they might want to explore further.
I was pretty excited about this. Were they going to say slugs, or daffodils, or moss, or...?
I served their lunch, sat at the table with them, and breathlessly asked, "What excited you about our walk outside? Is there anything you would like to learn more about?"
"No." Blank stares all around.
Oh, well, it was our first time out. Baby steps, Ladies, baby steps...
I was about seventeen at the time. And, it was my turn to bring dessert to the Bible study my family was attending. I was excited to have been put on the list of those responsible to remember to bring the dessert. I felt I had finally been dubbed a woman.
The day assigned to me arrived. I forgot to do it! I was completely humiliated to arrive empty handed. My pride was hit hard. I was devastated and made the mistake of wailing in the car on the way home that I had "failed as a woman." The worst part is that my brothers were in the car and heard me! They haven't let me live it down yet. "Oh, I see you have not failed as a woman again," they tease as I arrive at potlucks or gatherings with a dish in hand.
I vowed never to come empty handed ever again. Over the years, I had developed a basket of recipes for desserts and baked goods in which I was known for. It was not uncommon to receive an invitation to a party or potluck and be asked to being something specifically from my list of known treats. I took great pride in being able to bring something I knew the host/ess loved and wanted at the table.
Evidently God must have felt I put too much pride in my baked goods. He gave me children with a whole slew of food allergies. We have since learned I have many allergies too! I can't make ANY of my known desserts and baked goods! I have been floundering ever since to find at least one signature dessert that someone might request to be brought to a picnic or potluck or something. Instead, when I bring a baked good or dessert, I am asked if it is allergy-free. I say yes, and then no one touches it...except my children and some cousins who have allergies also. Oh, my wounded pride!
This pride stabbing has been going on for over two years now. I have yet to find a signature dessert. Just about a month ago, I gave up. The Christmas gatherings and "rejections" were too much for me. :>) I said to God, "FINE! Have it your way. I give up! Each gathering I'll just bring whatever I have on hand that you have provided. Be it pasta or veggie or fruit. WHATEVER!"
I got put to the test this week. A Ladies' group potluck at a friend's house. I brought a salad...a very yummy salad, I might add. Imagine my surprise when one of my lady friends took one look at the buffet and then at my salad and said, "Oh, is this a 'Holly' salad? It looks delicious!" In my quest for finding a signature dessert, I hadn't realized that God was busy finding a completely different signature...salads!!!! These I can do! And, EASILY! I am so excited to start experimenting with salads!
Now, if I can just keep the pride down. Down, boy, down!
Many Blessings,
Holly
I haven't written anything profound lately. But, I've had tons of things swirling around in my head. I wonder if you might run over to Paradoxology's blog
I'd love to hear your opinion on what she has written. I suppose it would be more proper to leave comments on her blog rather than mine. But, do what makes you comfortable. I really am curious.
I certain recipe card has been sitting on my kitchen counter for roughly three weeks as a reminder to me to blog about it. Does anyone else do that? Leave things around the house as a reminder, I mean. I've been in such a space cadet mode for so long that I have little reminder pieces all over the house! This is not mixing with my personality type very well. I like order! Things are beginning to look very cluttered around here. Not a good thing.
The recipe? Oh. We called it Supper Salmon when I was growing up, but I prefer to call it Salmon Casserole. The use of the word supper makes me feel like I'm lying to you all by implying I'm from the South. I'm not. And, 'course I just typed you all purposefully instead of y'all so as not to imply the same thing! Whatever. Just call me paranoid. :>)
As a child, on nights when salmon was served for dinner, I used to purposefully eat as little as I could get away with. Not because I didn't like salmon. But, because, if there was leftover salmon, Supper Salmon was on the menu the next night! I have since learned from other siblings that they did the same thing!
Anyway. I better get on with sharing the recipe or I might be tempted to make it for the fourth time in as many weeks...to my husband's dismay. He'll eat it, but he doesn't get quite the thrill from it as I or my children do. He claims it's not my cooking, but because his dad was a commercial fisherman for a time. Salmon was on the menu apparently more than he cares to remember.
So, ever wondered what to do with leftover salmon? Reheating it, in my opinion, dries it out way too easily. Here's a solution: Salmon Casserole!
Make up a pot of brown rice (if you had rice as a side dish to the salmon meal, it's a great way to use up those leftovers too!) Yes, you can use white rice. We prefer brown.
Melt:
3 T butter with 2 T flour in a medium sized sauce pan. (I use a gluten-free alternative flour such as arrowroot or tapioca starch. Basically, your making a rioux. Not sure if that's how you spell that.)
Add the following to the melted butter and flour heating it over low heat until it starts to get a foamy look to it. Stir the whole time...it doesn't take long:
1 t salt (Celtic sea salt preferred by us.)
1/4 t dry mustard
1/2 t curry powder
Add:
1 1/2 cup milk or milk alternative such as rice milk. I bet almond milk would taste fabulous!
1 c cooked rice Shredded Salmon (Of course, you've been smart enough to debone it first. Amount depends on how much leftovers you have. It really needs at least the amount you'd find in a tuna fish can or more. You can use canned salmon if you don't have any or not enough leftover salmon.)
Dump all this mixture into a casserole dish. Not sure size. I double the recipe, and it fits nicely into a 9 x 13 dish.
Grate 1/2 c cheese on top. We use goat cheese...whatever kind I happen to have. I still think cheddar tastes the best. Don't use too much cheese as it can make the meal a bit greasy.
Pop the uncovered casserole into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving. I like to serve it on a bed of greens. Enjoy!
And I'm off to put the recipe card away. One thing accomplished. Yay! Maybe I'll even get around to figuring out what to make for supper tonight. Salmon sounds good. :>)
Many Blessings,
Holly
P.S. I am attempting to try my first meme, or is a carnival? I'm sending this entry through something called Mr. Linky to a new thing starting up called Saturday Stirrings. You can find it at It Couldna' Been Worse
Since I've never done something like this before, I figured it would be safe to try one before there gets to be, like, 700 participants. Besides, I don't like jumping into something long after it's started. I kinda like being with something from the beginning so's I don't feel like I've missed something.
I feel so popular now. After 10 months of blogging, (I know, I know, looking at my blank template, I still look like a newbee! I like to think it just makes me look like I have my priorities straight.) I have finally gotten my first tag. Good thing I just last week figured out what a tag was. It's also a good thing that a couple of weeks ago, I solved my linking problems. This tag thing would have really made me procrastinate if I hadn't figured that out.
(1) Link to the person that tagged you. (Check. Did that.)
(2) Post the rules on your blog. (Check. Did that.)
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (Oh, fortunately, my introduction to tags is an easy one. I have plenty of quirks. The hard part will be narrowing it down to only six.)
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (Will I be looked at as a rebel if I do this before posting my six quirks? I'm going to do it anyway. I'll take a stab at living dangerously.)
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website. (I sure hope I don't get distracted and forget to do this part.)
Six random people who have the privilege of humiliating themselves right along with me:
1. I have never grown out of needing MY blankie. I have an adult sized yellow-flowered blankie that mysteriously inhabits the very same chair or sofa I am sitting on. And, for some odd reason, my children know to give it to me as soon as I enter the room. Maybe because I snatch it off of them if they happen to be using it at the time.
2. I can't stand it when someone clips their toe or fingernails anywhere but into the trashcan in the bathroom. There is nothing worse than walking barefoot on the carpet only to be poked by what one thinks is a pin. To discover it wasn't a pin, but someone else's dead skin cells is just gross.
3. I worked a couple of summers in an espresso coffee bar/bakery through my college years. The regulars requested me all the time as they said I was the only one that made their coffee, etc. "right". Funny thing is that I have no idea how to make coffee or espresso AND I despise the taste of it. My boss never knew I didn't drink coffee. He'd come in, make me a cup of the whatever of the day, I'd say thank you, and set it down on the counter just to dump it when he wasn't looking. Wasteful, I know. I survived by using the coffee scales, and I'd gauge the flavoring by eyeballing certain marks on the cups. If they'd have changed the design of the cups, I'd have been toast. Toast, I tell ya! I still don't like the taste of coffee. Love the smell; hate the taste.
4. I actually love to do laundry. Sh. Don't tell anyone. Tackling laundry gives me a sense of accomplishment. It's something concrete that I can see is completed...in its entirety. With four children six and under and pregnant with number five, I need some sense of accomplishment. I need to see something completed. Don't take that away from me.
5. I am territorial with my kitchen. No, I haven't marked all the corners, but...it's probably best you stay out unless been invited or have asked to participate. Especially don't rearrange the things in my refrigerator, freezer or pantry. And, definitely don't load the dishwasher. This is due to the fact that I put certain things in certain places so as to use them in a timely manner and to find them quickly. The dishwasher? Well, it is old. It has to be loaded a certain way or the dishes don't get clean. I prefer to eat off clean dishes. I'm weird that way.
6. I can't stand to talk on the phone. However, when my husband and I were dating, we'd talk on the phone for two or three hours at a time. This is how my friends and family knew I was most definitely out of the playing field.
There you have it. The first addition of Things You Really Need to Know About Me Or Life at My House Could Get Ugly.
Many Blessings,
Holly
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