I know that I have ADD. There is no other way to explain my constant bouncing around from job to job, activity to activity, blog to blog, obsession to obsession. If I could focus on ONE thing with the intensity that I use to focus on 20 different....tasks, interests, jobs, you name it.....I would be a big time expert in something with a big time salary. Instead, I find my thoughts and my life scattered in pieces and places - and usually not in any way coherent or cohesive. Aw....the life of a crazy cat woman.
At least my cats are satisfied with my neurosis. They curl up on my lap, yawn, and sleep. Does a cat ever get an ulcer?
I'm knitting coffee sleeves for gifts, and making peppermint bark and baking cookies. I love knitting coffee sleeves because I can finish one in a few hours and I don't get bored or have to change projects. And baking is also always a new experience.....changing up recipes, finding something new for apples, adding a new spice....it makes the creative process a way to scatter my focus.
Many years ago I was in therapy and my counselor told me that I should embrace my varied and numerous interests. She said that my completely sold out, all in attitude when it came to anything was just part of me, and that I should learn to love and accept that. So, after all of these years, I've finally come to the conclusion that she was right. Life is never boring for me, and I know its never a dull moment for those who love me. Sorry, folks!!!
Off to bed now. I shall sleep and dream of a life of normalcy.....not really....
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
New beginnings!
I've taken a long break from blogging. A VERY long break!!
Ok, allow me to revise that statement. I've taken a very long break from blogging here. I did do some blogging on our mission team's blog. Allow me to elaborate.....
I went to Peru for eight days on a mission trip. We spent our time in the Amazon jungle area of Peru, just outside of Pucallpa, a city of about 500,000 east of the Andes. The area is heavily deforested, so it's not thick, green, lush jungle; it's red, dusty, HOT jungle. Our team of 13 worked in the villages of Todos Unidos and Monte Rico with Food For The Hungry (FH), an international ministry. Our church partners with FH in communities in Peru and commits to an 8 to 10 year partnership with each community. FH works to ensure that each community is completely self sufficient at that point and moves on to the next community. Our church, Blackhawk, has partnered with FH in several communities over the years and has had great success in creating self sufficient, thriving communities.
I was able to share the experience with my oldest daughter, Margo. She and I were both vegetarians for years and suddenly realized that, hey, we won't have any choice in foods in the jungle. We had better start eating meat again now so we won't get sick in Peru and we won't starve to death.
Since our return, I've been doing some research and have discovered that our vegetarian diet may have actually been causing more harm than good. After reading research by Dr. Weston Price, DDS, and Dr. William Davis, cardiologist, I am firmly convinced that it's grain in our diets that is causing disease. We have since adopted a more paleo-style diet, with grass fed beef and other meats, eggs from organic chickens, fresh vegetable, nuts and seeds, and some fruits. I've also begun using raw dairy.
Boy, do I feel better!!! I'm excited to see how much better we all fare this winter when the daylight is shorter, the skies are grayer, and we usually experience our seasonal depression. I'm expecting a much smoother time during the colder months, but I'll let you know.
In addition, I will be posting my new favorite Nourishing Tradition and Paleo style recipes. I've just begun to experiment with almond and coconut flours for baking and, some new crock pot meals. Oh, how I have missed butter and bacon!!!
Ok, allow me to revise that statement. I've taken a very long break from blogging here. I did do some blogging on our mission team's blog. Allow me to elaborate.....
I went to Peru for eight days on a mission trip. We spent our time in the Amazon jungle area of Peru, just outside of Pucallpa, a city of about 500,000 east of the Andes. The area is heavily deforested, so it's not thick, green, lush jungle; it's red, dusty, HOT jungle. Our team of 13 worked in the villages of Todos Unidos and Monte Rico with Food For The Hungry (FH), an international ministry. Our church partners with FH in communities in Peru and commits to an 8 to 10 year partnership with each community. FH works to ensure that each community is completely self sufficient at that point and moves on to the next community. Our church, Blackhawk, has partnered with FH in several communities over the years and has had great success in creating self sufficient, thriving communities.
I was able to share the experience with my oldest daughter, Margo. She and I were both vegetarians for years and suddenly realized that, hey, we won't have any choice in foods in the jungle. We had better start eating meat again now so we won't get sick in Peru and we won't starve to death.
Since our return, I've been doing some research and have discovered that our vegetarian diet may have actually been causing more harm than good. After reading research by Dr. Weston Price, DDS, and Dr. William Davis, cardiologist, I am firmly convinced that it's grain in our diets that is causing disease. We have since adopted a more paleo-style diet, with grass fed beef and other meats, eggs from organic chickens, fresh vegetable, nuts and seeds, and some fruits. I've also begun using raw dairy.
Boy, do I feel better!!! I'm excited to see how much better we all fare this winter when the daylight is shorter, the skies are grayer, and we usually experience our seasonal depression. I'm expecting a much smoother time during the colder months, but I'll let you know.
In addition, I will be posting my new favorite Nourishing Tradition and Paleo style recipes. I've just begun to experiment with almond and coconut flours for baking and, some new crock pot meals. Oh, how I have missed butter and bacon!!!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Knitting and scones
First, allow me to confess....I'm a terrible blogger.
I have been MIA due to some family issues, but as I must be home most of the time now, one of my to-do's is to be regular is my writing. Writing is therapeutic, and a skill requiring practice, so I shall write and bore you, dear friends, with my rambling thoughts.
Baking and knitting are two of my favorite things, and I think I shall change the words to that old song to be "baking fresh scones and knitting a blanket" instead of "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens." (Although I love cats more, so those darned cute kittens really are a favorite thing.....) Anyway, I awoke this morning to a beautiful, sunny sky and feeling so revived after finally sleeping well, so I decided to get my bake on and whip up a batch of chocolate chip scones. They smelled divine and look beautiful.....and taste just as wonderful!
I have been MIA due to some family issues, but as I must be home most of the time now, one of my to-do's is to be regular is my writing. Writing is therapeutic, and a skill requiring practice, so I shall write and bore you, dear friends, with my rambling thoughts.
Baking and knitting are two of my favorite things, and I think I shall change the words to that old song to be "baking fresh scones and knitting a blanket" instead of "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens." (Although I love cats more, so those darned cute kittens really are a favorite thing.....) Anyway, I awoke this morning to a beautiful, sunny sky and feeling so revived after finally sleeping well, so I decided to get my bake on and whip up a batch of chocolate chip scones. They smelled divine and look beautiful.....and taste just as wonderful!
Aren't they beautiful? And with a big mug of delicious Ethiopian coffee, well, it was a wonderful way to start the day! After, I took a very long walk in the gale force winds we are having today and did a quick workout. Now I'm ready for a day of knitting and the Big Ten basketball tournament.
Here is the recipe....enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Scones
(from The 400 Calorie Fix, by Liz Vaccariello and Mindy Hermann, RD)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. old fashioned oats
3 T. sugar (I used brown)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 T. unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance vegan margarine)
1/4 c. plain low fat or fat free yogurt (I used soy yogurt)
1 egg (I used Ener-g egg replacer)
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. mini chocolate chips (I used vegan regular choc. chips)
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Mix together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. With the processor running, add small cubes of butter one at a time. Process until the mixture looks crumbly. Add the yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Process just until well mixed. Add the chocolate chips. Process for 1bout 10 seconds.
3) Place the dough on a lightly floured cutting board. Knead lightly to finish combining all the ingredients. Form into a ball, flatten into an 8" circle (1/2" thick) with your hands or floured rolling pin, and cut into 8 wedges. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or use a nonstick baking sheet. Place the 8 wedges on the baking sheet.
4) Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
VARIATIONS: Use raisins, chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, or dried cherries in place of the chocolate chips. Brush with a beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking.
Per serving (one scone) : Calories - 160; Total fat - 6 g; Saturated fat - 3 g; Sodium - 115 mg; Carbs - 24 g; Dietary Fiber - 2 g; Protein - 4 g; Calcium - 6%
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
My outrage runneth over
Seventy-two days.
So, the multi-million dollar, all consuming wedding of the no-talent Kim Kardashian to her seemingly clueless husband was a complete joke, the marriage lasting all of 72 days before she decided they needed to divorce due to "irreconcilable differences." How does one know whether or not you even have any differences after only 72 days?
I find the Kardashians to be ridiculous and to exemplify just about everything wrong with America. No wonder the rest of the world has no respect for us....here is an entire family that really does nothing, gets paid huge amounts for doing nothing, and makes a mockery out of every sacred institution we have. I think some group should occupy the street on which the Kardashians live and protest their fleecing of America.
The most troublesome part of this whole charade is what was spent on the wedding. A reported TEN MILLION dollars was spent/donated for the whole shebang - probably more than the entire GDP of some developing countries. When I think of the hunger, the lack of medical care, the lack of clean water in the world and what 10 million could have provided, it sickens me. I'm appalled by the waste and the careless attitude about said waste. The whole family appears to be like, "Oh well, 10 million here, 10 million there....no big deal...."
And don't even get me started on the institution of marriage! I hear this argument about how gay marriage is going to hurt marriage....that its going to redefine it, etc. How can anyone even make that sort of a statement when we have these heterosexual marriages lasting weeks or a couple of months and then ending, simply because people just don't want to be married? I have gay and lesbian friends who have stronger commitments and have been together longer.
I certainly hope that Kim figures it out. The least she can do is repay everyone who gave her something for her sham of a wedding, sell that rock on her finger and help some people out. I won't hold my breath.
So, the multi-million dollar, all consuming wedding of the no-talent Kim Kardashian to her seemingly clueless husband was a complete joke, the marriage lasting all of 72 days before she decided they needed to divorce due to "irreconcilable differences." How does one know whether or not you even have any differences after only 72 days?
I find the Kardashians to be ridiculous and to exemplify just about everything wrong with America. No wonder the rest of the world has no respect for us....here is an entire family that really does nothing, gets paid huge amounts for doing nothing, and makes a mockery out of every sacred institution we have. I think some group should occupy the street on which the Kardashians live and protest their fleecing of America.
The most troublesome part of this whole charade is what was spent on the wedding. A reported TEN MILLION dollars was spent/donated for the whole shebang - probably more than the entire GDP of some developing countries. When I think of the hunger, the lack of medical care, the lack of clean water in the world and what 10 million could have provided, it sickens me. I'm appalled by the waste and the careless attitude about said waste. The whole family appears to be like, "Oh well, 10 million here, 10 million there....no big deal...."
And don't even get me started on the institution of marriage! I hear this argument about how gay marriage is going to hurt marriage....that its going to redefine it, etc. How can anyone even make that sort of a statement when we have these heterosexual marriages lasting weeks or a couple of months and then ending, simply because people just don't want to be married? I have gay and lesbian friends who have stronger commitments and have been together longer.
I certainly hope that Kim figures it out. The least she can do is repay everyone who gave her something for her sham of a wedding, sell that rock on her finger and help some people out. I won't hold my breath.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Missing a marathon and ripping out knitting
I'm not a planner by nature. I don't really like to plan long term because something always comes up and I just hate feeling committed to something that I'm not sure will take place. I make long term plans reluctantly.
Last January, I signed up to run the Columbus marathon that took place last weekend. I had done the half twice and just KNEW that I was ready for the whole thing! I got a book with a training plan and circled the date on my calendar....told everyone about it....I was ready. And guess what? I ended up not running; long term plans foiled again.
In July, Mark and I were running a 10 mile race and I stepped into this little dip in the road and twisted my ankle. Instead of stopping, I finished the race (the twist happened at about mile 2), limping along yet determined to finish so I could wear my t-shirt. That was a mistake. My ankle just didn't get better and my training suffered and around the beginning of September, I realized that the full marathon was out of the question. I switched my entry back to the half, knowing I could complete that, and continuing on with a lighter training schedule.
The first of October rolls around and I get sick. Now, I never get sick; the rest of my family could be hacking up a lung or running a raging fever and I don't get as much as a sniffle. But this time, I got a horrible cold that continued to get worse and became bronchitis. The week before the race I realized that I wouldn't be able to run at all and ended up not even going to Ohio.
Knitting projects are also long term commitments because once one starts, one has to finish. I usually don't do big projects because they require too much time and commitment and, again, I don't like that. I also have a knack for making some mistake about 3/4 of the way through something and have to rip out half of it to fix it. Now, if you don't knit, you have no idea how frustrating it is to have to rip out all of those rows of knitting, and how time consuming!!! Each stitch has to be removed and placed onto the other needle and rows must be carefully counted to the pattern doesn't get messed up.
But I've learned some important lessons from my missed marathon and my ripped out knitting. First, my plans don't count for anything because my plans are made in my own selfish humanness. God has a plan and purpose for each and every day of my life, each and every moment of that day. I have to be open to what He wants for me, not what I want for myself. The best part of that is that His plan is always so much better than what I've planned!!!! Because I didn't go to that marathon, I got to be here for Andrew's soccer tournament and he was named to the all tournament team. I got to spend some great time with Lily, picking out pumpkins and going for a train ride. Ripping out that knitting often causes some changes to a pattern that makes it better, or I find another mistake that I missed that I get to correct.
Disappointments are part of life. Learn from the changed plans and enjoy the ride.
Last January, I signed up to run the Columbus marathon that took place last weekend. I had done the half twice and just KNEW that I was ready for the whole thing! I got a book with a training plan and circled the date on my calendar....told everyone about it....I was ready. And guess what? I ended up not running; long term plans foiled again.
In July, Mark and I were running a 10 mile race and I stepped into this little dip in the road and twisted my ankle. Instead of stopping, I finished the race (the twist happened at about mile 2), limping along yet determined to finish so I could wear my t-shirt. That was a mistake. My ankle just didn't get better and my training suffered and around the beginning of September, I realized that the full marathon was out of the question. I switched my entry back to the half, knowing I could complete that, and continuing on with a lighter training schedule.
The first of October rolls around and I get sick. Now, I never get sick; the rest of my family could be hacking up a lung or running a raging fever and I don't get as much as a sniffle. But this time, I got a horrible cold that continued to get worse and became bronchitis. The week before the race I realized that I wouldn't be able to run at all and ended up not even going to Ohio.
Knitting projects are also long term commitments because once one starts, one has to finish. I usually don't do big projects because they require too much time and commitment and, again, I don't like that. I also have a knack for making some mistake about 3/4 of the way through something and have to rip out half of it to fix it. Now, if you don't knit, you have no idea how frustrating it is to have to rip out all of those rows of knitting, and how time consuming!!! Each stitch has to be removed and placed onto the other needle and rows must be carefully counted to the pattern doesn't get messed up.
But I've learned some important lessons from my missed marathon and my ripped out knitting. First, my plans don't count for anything because my plans are made in my own selfish humanness. God has a plan and purpose for each and every day of my life, each and every moment of that day. I have to be open to what He wants for me, not what I want for myself. The best part of that is that His plan is always so much better than what I've planned!!!! Because I didn't go to that marathon, I got to be here for Andrew's soccer tournament and he was named to the all tournament team. I got to spend some great time with Lily, picking out pumpkins and going for a train ride. Ripping out that knitting often causes some changes to a pattern that makes it better, or I find another mistake that I missed that I get to correct.
Disappointments are part of life. Learn from the changed plans and enjoy the ride.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Nothing gold can stay
"Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."
- Robert Frost
I love this poem. (I love Robert Frost! My favorite poem - The Road Not Taken - is something I think of every year during graduation....) Over the years, the images and emotions these eight little lines bring to mind have changed, but I always think of how things change; of how fleeting every moment is and how I need to burn the memories into my mind.
Autumn is a beautiful yet bittersweet time. All of the colors and smells and sounds....football, pumpkins, Halloween, crisp and sunny days.....I love it all. Yet I am reminded that it changes in an instant, that the beautiful fall day becomes the snowstorm the next.
Yesterday I drove to Richland Center, WI for the last soccer tournament I will attend as the parent of a player. Andrew had a great day and a great game; he had several great saves and was named to the all tournament team! It was a glorious, yet cold and windy autumn day and it was great to spend it with my old and new friends. As I sat and watched and cheered, I thought of the eight years I have spent as the mom of an MAHS soccer player; of the days of watching Garry struggle as a young player to his senior year and the skilled player he became, to Margo taking on the boys, to Andrew taking over the goalie position for his team. My kids grew up with this team, with these players, with these families and now they are all moving on to college and careers and families of their own.
These days of homeschooling and soccer and debate and everything else are truly gold. I've been blessed to be home with my kids and enjoy the gold of every day and every moment. In a blink of an eye they have all gone from sweet little babies to wonderful young adults with wonderful plans and goals and big hearts. While the gold can't stay and in so many ways is sad to see fade, the gold is often replaced with something more precious and wonderful.
Just for today, enjoy the gold.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."
- Robert Frost
I love this poem. (I love Robert Frost! My favorite poem - The Road Not Taken - is something I think of every year during graduation....) Over the years, the images and emotions these eight little lines bring to mind have changed, but I always think of how things change; of how fleeting every moment is and how I need to burn the memories into my mind.
Autumn is a beautiful yet bittersweet time. All of the colors and smells and sounds....football, pumpkins, Halloween, crisp and sunny days.....I love it all. Yet I am reminded that it changes in an instant, that the beautiful fall day becomes the snowstorm the next.
Yesterday I drove to Richland Center, WI for the last soccer tournament I will attend as the parent of a player. Andrew had a great day and a great game; he had several great saves and was named to the all tournament team! It was a glorious, yet cold and windy autumn day and it was great to spend it with my old and new friends. As I sat and watched and cheered, I thought of the eight years I have spent as the mom of an MAHS soccer player; of the days of watching Garry struggle as a young player to his senior year and the skilled player he became, to Margo taking on the boys, to Andrew taking over the goalie position for his team. My kids grew up with this team, with these players, with these families and now they are all moving on to college and careers and families of their own.
These days of homeschooling and soccer and debate and everything else are truly gold. I've been blessed to be home with my kids and enjoy the gold of every day and every moment. In a blink of an eye they have all gone from sweet little babies to wonderful young adults with wonderful plans and goals and big hearts. While the gold can't stay and in so many ways is sad to see fade, the gold is often replaced with something more precious and wonderful.
Just for today, enjoy the gold.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
You can do this!!!
I came across this idea from a post I got on my Facebook page yesterday. They are called comfort dolls and are used to bring comfort to children who have lost parents in the AIDS pandemic in Africa.
Here's the link if you are interested:
http://www.cindi.org.za/Comfort-Dolls
As many of you know, my beautiful daughter, Lily, is from Ethiopia, one of the countries that has been devastated by HIV/AIDS. After finding this link, I thought that it would be awesome to get some of my friends and fellow knitters together and make some of these to send to Ethiopia for the kids in the care centers and other homes so they have something soft to hug, and to know that there are people in the world who really care about them.
The instructions include a pattern for young children to be able to knit some. It is VERY simple....even if you know nothing about knitting, you could probably knit one of these!
I have a TON of stash yarn...you know, that yarn that just accumulates and finally there are bins and bins of it stacked in the basement or other spare room. Any of you who would like to join me in project comfort doll, please let me know! We can have a little class on them and have some tea and muffins, then knit something for some very special children.
http://www.cindi.org.za/Comfort-Dolls
As many of you know, my beautiful daughter, Lily, is from Ethiopia, one of the countries that has been devastated by HIV/AIDS. After finding this link, I thought that it would be awesome to get some of my friends and fellow knitters together and make some of these to send to Ethiopia for the kids in the care centers and other homes so they have something soft to hug, and to know that there are people in the world who really care about them.
The instructions include a pattern for young children to be able to knit some. It is VERY simple....even if you know nothing about knitting, you could probably knit one of these!
I have a TON of stash yarn...you know, that yarn that just accumulates and finally there are bins and bins of it stacked in the basement or other spare room. Any of you who would like to join me in project comfort doll, please let me know! We can have a little class on them and have some tea and muffins, then knit something for some very special children.
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