1 large grassy field, ½ dozen children, 2 or 3 small dogs, a pinch of brook, some pebbles, flowers.
Mix the children and dogs well together, stirring constantly. Pour the brook over the pebbles. Sprinkle the field with flowers. Spread a deep blue sky over all and bake in a hot sun. When brown, remove and set away to cool in a bath tub.
(I discovered this on a flyer at a printer's. No author credited but it's a keeper!)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Look for the miracles and small miracles count, too!
I was thinking about the state of the world one day. In a lot of ways it was a depressing thought. For a moment it seemed to me that we needed another Lourdes, a Fatima, a miracle or two to bring us reverently to our knees. Upon further reflection, I realized that even an extraordinary miracle would probably not be heeded by those who needed it’s revelations the most. In fact, the years have given us a multitude of miracles that stand tribute to our Faith yet, for some, the world continues in a spiritually downward spiral.
Then on even further contemplation, I realized that the world is full of miracles each and every day. It is the appreciation of the people that is lacking. We definitely do not have a deficiency when it comes to miraculous events!
Our daily miracles start early each morning. We wake up without mishap, healthy and able to pursue the challenges of a new day. The water runs hot and cold, we have food for breakfast and children to love. We have spent a secure night under the guardianship of our angels.
Each person’s day takes it own separate path. Some people experience more outward evidence of God’s continued power, some people quietly enjoy the serenity of it. Every 24 hours of our day are filled with strength, the expected, the hoped for, the unexpected, the longed for and the triumphant rewards of spiritual living. Mini and maxi-miracles color and encompass each moment of our lives.
A new baby is born, a child smiles, the car starts even when the mechanic feels there is no way it can make another trip. It is not just coincidence. These can be some of the miracles of our day.
There are many hectic moments when I watch the hands of the clock approach six in the evening. Suddenly, everything gets even more hectic and dinner isn’t ready. I turn it all over to our Blessed Mother, Mary, and somehow, things smooth out before my husband comes home. He thinks it is a miracle that I can cope with all I have to do. He is exactly right! It is a miracle.
We take so many blessings for granted yet continue to watch for something spectacular to happen in our life time. We want a Lanciano, another Eucharistic miracle even though dozens of them have occurred and endure to this day. We attend Mass as often as possible where we do witness a Eucharistic miracle every single time. Do you always take the time to consider it as such?
“Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.” (John Chapter 20, Verse 29)
Then on even further contemplation, I realized that the world is full of miracles each and every day. It is the appreciation of the people that is lacking. We definitely do not have a deficiency when it comes to miraculous events!
Our daily miracles start early each morning. We wake up without mishap, healthy and able to pursue the challenges of a new day. The water runs hot and cold, we have food for breakfast and children to love. We have spent a secure night under the guardianship of our angels.
Each person’s day takes it own separate path. Some people experience more outward evidence of God’s continued power, some people quietly enjoy the serenity of it. Every 24 hours of our day are filled with strength, the expected, the hoped for, the unexpected, the longed for and the triumphant rewards of spiritual living. Mini and maxi-miracles color and encompass each moment of our lives.
A new baby is born, a child smiles, the car starts even when the mechanic feels there is no way it can make another trip. It is not just coincidence. These can be some of the miracles of our day.
There are many hectic moments when I watch the hands of the clock approach six in the evening. Suddenly, everything gets even more hectic and dinner isn’t ready. I turn it all over to our Blessed Mother, Mary, and somehow, things smooth out before my husband comes home. He thinks it is a miracle that I can cope with all I have to do. He is exactly right! It is a miracle.
We take so many blessings for granted yet continue to watch for something spectacular to happen in our life time. We want a Lanciano, another Eucharistic miracle even though dozens of them have occurred and endure to this day. We attend Mass as often as possible where we do witness a Eucharistic miracle every single time. Do you always take the time to consider it as such?
“Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.” (John Chapter 20, Verse 29)
Every year I forget . . .
Although cold, crisp weather appeals to me the most, I have to admit that the shor
t span of really temperate weather that we call Spring here in California does have it's merits. I was reminded of this last night as I went to sleep.
We don't use our central air because of the high costs and our less than high budget. Since it was a bit warm, last night, my husband opened the windows and set up a couple of fans to meake it bearable. There was a slight breeze outside which accelerated the amount of fresh air that raced through our windows . . . along with the heady scent of the blossoms on our orange and lemon tree! The whole room was filled with the delicate smell and lulled me quickly to sleep. It wasn't bad waking up to it, again, this morning!
Heaven and the odor of sanctity are supposed to be a wonderfully, heavenly scent to our human senses. I certainly have to assume that orange blossoms have to play an important component in that ratio!
t span of really temperate weather that we call Spring here in California does have it's merits. I was reminded of this last night as I went to sleep.
We don't use our central air because of the high costs and our less than high budget. Since it was a bit warm, last night, my husband opened the windows and set up a couple of fans to meake it bearable. There was a slight breeze outside which accelerated the amount of fresh air that raced through our windows . . . along with the heady scent of the blossoms on our orange and lemon tree! The whole room was filled with the delicate smell and lulled me quickly to sleep. It wasn't bad waking up to it, again, this morning!
Heaven and the odor of sanctity are supposed to be a wonderfully, heavenly scent to our human senses. I certainly have to assume that orange blossoms have to play an important component in that ratio!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Too many scraps, not enought time!
Unless I live to be 200 years old, I'm afraid I will never get every saved scrap of fabric turned into a quilt in the life time I'm allotted! I started off the day cutting strips of scraps to form an extension on the border of a, what else, a scrap quilt! Well, I really got into the cutting and ended up dragging out two of my scrap boxes and cut and cut and cut today! I finally let go of some inch by inch pieces of material that I kept because they were SO pretty! Useless, mostly, but pretty. I actually got a box of fabric pieces sorted out and enough strips cut to begin the borders tomorrow.
I keep my cutting table, sewing machine, and ironing board a distance from each other so I HAVE to get up to access any of them. It keeps the circulation going as I would probably just sit the entire day entranced with dreams of quilts to be!
The house is picked up. My darling, youngest son pushed me out of the kitchen to do the dishes so I think I've earned some crocheting time in front of the television.
Interesting as snow is predicted on the east coast while we are facing temperatures going up to the 90's tomorrow. I'm a cold-weather person so I needn't make any statements on this forecast! It was a beautiful day, today. The wind blew away the smog and fog and the mountains all around us were very visable and gorgeous with their recent snow storms. Hard to comprehend the anguish going on in other parts of the world when you see such a peaceful sight.
I keep my cutting table, sewing machine, and ironing board a distance from each other so I HAVE to get up to access any of them. It keeps the circulation going as I would probably just sit the entire day entranced with dreams of quilts to be!
The house is picked up. My darling, youngest son pushed me out of the kitchen to do the dishes so I think I've earned some crocheting time in front of the television.
Interesting as snow is predicted on the east coast while we are facing temperatures going up to the 90's tomorrow. I'm a cold-weather person so I needn't make any statements on this forecast! It was a beautiful day, today. The wind blew away the smog and fog and the mountains all around us were very visable and gorgeous with their recent snow storms. Hard to comprehend the anguish going on in other parts of the world when you see such a peaceful sight.
Makes so much sense . . .
Virtue is a state of war, and to live in it we have always to combat with ourselves.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
What happened back then . . .
As interesting as it is to see what happened on a particular day in the past, I imagine each of us could easily draw up a history list of events that made history in our own time on earth. Just as an aside, I'm SO glad I wasn't born yesterday in 1842! OUCH!
1842: Anesthesia used during operation for the first time
1858: Pencil with eraser patented
1867: Alaska purchased by US for $7.2 million
1981: President Ronald Reagan, James Brady shot by John Hinkley, Jr in Washington, DC
1746:
Artist Francisco Goya born in Fuendetodos, Spain
1853:
Artist Vincent Van Gogh born in Groot-Zundert, The Netherlands
1930:
Teacher, director and actor, John Astin born in born in Baltimore, Maryland
1937:
Academy and Golden Globe Award winning actor, Warren Beatty born in Richmond, Virgina
1945:
Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Eric Clapton born in Surrey, England
1842: Anesthesia used during operation for the first time
1858: Pencil with eraser patented
1867: Alaska purchased by US for $7.2 million
1981: President Ronald Reagan, James Brady shot by John Hinkley, Jr in Washington, DC
1746:
Artist Francisco Goya born in Fuendetodos, Spain
1853:
Artist Vincent Van Gogh born in Groot-Zundert, The Netherlands
1930:
Teacher, director and actor, John Astin born in born in Baltimore, Maryland
1937:
Academy and Golden Globe Award winning actor, Warren Beatty born in Richmond, Virgina
1945:
Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Eric Clapton born in Surrey, England
Sharing some finds . . .
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
-- Robert Frost
"Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty - a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture."
-- Bertrand Russell
"Hanging is too good for a man who makes puns; he should be drawn and quoted."
-- Fred Allen
-- Robert Frost
"Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty - a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture."
-- Bertrand Russell
"Hanging is too good for a man who makes puns; he should be drawn and quoted."
-- Fred Allen
Nothing is easy . . .
Reading labels is a must when you are striving to save money and get the best deal. In the course of my budget-hopping excursions to the store, I have run into a few labeled words that gave me pause to think and wonder.
One of the most misleading to me stated, “Take two tablets with your favorite meal.” Fair enough, but do I have to avoid them when I eat something I don’t particularly like? Do I have to cook all my favorite meals as long as I need the tablets? We are told to always read the directions before using a product. I wish this one had left it with, take with food.
Antibacterial products are suspect, too. The new spray, soap or cleaner arrives on the market and you use it with confidence. A few months later, the label reads, Improved, kills all bacteria normally found in the home. I want a bacterial body count next time do I can really compare tahe effectiveness.
There are sometimes interesting messages at the meat counter. I am not adverse to buying meat marked, Special Today, Value Pack, or Sale Priced. I do tend to wonder about meat marked Reduced for quick sale. We should, at least, get some kind of time frame. How many days have to elapse before it really becomes inedible? And what kind of problem are we talking about here? And will the new, improved antibacterial spray be of any help?
Shampoo bottles promise a multitude of things, all the way from shining hair to thicker, fuller, more manageable hair. All you have to do is shampoo it in, rinse and for best results, use the conditioner from the same company. They never mention this on the front of the bottle. There have been mornings when I sneak in a conditioning rinse from some company’s competitor and wonder if the shampoo police will call and interrupt my shower.
Store at room temperature has always presented a problem to me. Does everyone have an even temperature in their homes? What exactly constitutes room temperature? The seasons could have a bearing on this as well as whether you live in the temperate or tropical zone.
Toothpaste labeling changes on almost a daily basis. The tube you brought this morning is probably obsolete by evening. There are always rules on the back of the toothpaste tube, too. Brush regularly and see your dentist. Nothing definite here. We are again left to fit the instructions into our life as best we can. If we happen to see our dentist at the supermarket, does that count?
I think I will solve my dilemma by not dwelling on this any further. I think I will fix my favorite meal from the reduced for quick sale meat. While my feast is cooking, I will shampoo and not use a conditioning rinse. After dinner, I will vegetate with a good book, avoiding unnecessary exercise in order to keep myself at room temperature. When I brush my teeth later, I will avoid reading he label on the tube and if the toothpaste isn’t enough, I can always give myself a generous spritz of new, improved antibacterial spray.
One of the most misleading to me stated, “Take two tablets with your favorite meal.” Fair enough, but do I have to avoid them when I eat something I don’t particularly like? Do I have to cook all my favorite meals as long as I need the tablets? We are told to always read the directions before using a product. I wish this one had left it with, take with food.
Antibacterial products are suspect, too. The new spray, soap or cleaner arrives on the market and you use it with confidence. A few months later, the label reads, Improved, kills all bacteria normally found in the home. I want a bacterial body count next time do I can really compare tahe effectiveness.
There are sometimes interesting messages at the meat counter. I am not adverse to buying meat marked, Special Today, Value Pack, or Sale Priced. I do tend to wonder about meat marked Reduced for quick sale. We should, at least, get some kind of time frame. How many days have to elapse before it really becomes inedible? And what kind of problem are we talking about here? And will the new, improved antibacterial spray be of any help?
Shampoo bottles promise a multitude of things, all the way from shining hair to thicker, fuller, more manageable hair. All you have to do is shampoo it in, rinse and for best results, use the conditioner from the same company. They never mention this on the front of the bottle. There have been mornings when I sneak in a conditioning rinse from some company’s competitor and wonder if the shampoo police will call and interrupt my shower.
Store at room temperature has always presented a problem to me. Does everyone have an even temperature in their homes? What exactly constitutes room temperature? The seasons could have a bearing on this as well as whether you live in the temperate or tropical zone.
Toothpaste labeling changes on almost a daily basis. The tube you brought this morning is probably obsolete by evening. There are always rules on the back of the toothpaste tube, too. Brush regularly and see your dentist. Nothing definite here. We are again left to fit the instructions into our life as best we can. If we happen to see our dentist at the supermarket, does that count?
I think I will solve my dilemma by not dwelling on this any further. I think I will fix my favorite meal from the reduced for quick sale meat. While my feast is cooking, I will shampoo and not use a conditioning rinse. After dinner, I will vegetate with a good book, avoiding unnecessary exercise in order to keep myself at room temperature. When I brush my teeth later, I will avoid reading he label on the tube and if the toothpaste isn’t enough, I can always give myself a generous spritz of new, improved antibacterial spray.
A personal observation . . .
I noticed something interesting at Mass one day. Most of the statues and pictures depicting our Lord and Blessed Mother do not look directly at you. Their eyes look down and they gaze at an unseen point on the floor. I was able to visit more than one church during the next few months and found basically the same thing to be true. Jesus and our Blessed Mother wouldn’t look me in the eye. No matter where I stood, I couldn’t get a direct look.
In the course of my unofficial investigation, I saw people crossing the altar with hardly an acknowledgment of the Presence. Others were dashing into Mass at the last moment, slipping into their pews without genuflecting. In some parishes, standing replaced kneeling at moments that deserve some extra reverence. And excessive chattering and greetings to fellow parishioners kept their mind away from the Owner of the church. They didn’t see the downcast eyes of our reminders of Jesus and Mary.
I won’t judge, of course, as that is not my place in life. I am only observing something that intruded into my own mind. Perhaps it is a personal message to me. Maybe my Guardian Angel is trying to tell me something. My curiosity continued and I pondered over this whenever I went to Mass. I would stand up to receive Communion and even the Crucified Christ above the tabernacle would not meet my gaze.
One day I went to a church that had retained the Communion rail. The pastor was not afraid to encourage the people to approach and kneel to receive the Eucharist. I knelt and while waiting my turn, looked up at Jesus on the cross and He was looking directly at me. After Mass, I went to Mary’s statue, stood there a moment and then knelt. I turned my eyes to her face and our eyes met. I suddenly realized that mere statues were not depicting how Jesus and Mary feel about us. They are there to remind us of how much love they have to give . . . if we will bend our knee in order to find it.
“A man is quite incapable of learning humility in a position of superiority . . .” Pope St. Gregory I
In the course of my unofficial investigation, I saw people crossing the altar with hardly an acknowledgment of the Presence. Others were dashing into Mass at the last moment, slipping into their pews without genuflecting. In some parishes, standing replaced kneeling at moments that deserve some extra reverence. And excessive chattering and greetings to fellow parishioners kept their mind away from the Owner of the church. They didn’t see the downcast eyes of our reminders of Jesus and Mary.
I won’t judge, of course, as that is not my place in life. I am only observing something that intruded into my own mind. Perhaps it is a personal message to me. Maybe my Guardian Angel is trying to tell me something. My curiosity continued and I pondered over this whenever I went to Mass. I would stand up to receive Communion and even the Crucified Christ above the tabernacle would not meet my gaze.
One day I went to a church that had retained the Communion rail. The pastor was not afraid to encourage the people to approach and kneel to receive the Eucharist. I knelt and while waiting my turn, looked up at Jesus on the cross and He was looking directly at me. After Mass, I went to Mary’s statue, stood there a moment and then knelt. I turned my eyes to her face and our eyes met. I suddenly realized that mere statues were not depicting how Jesus and Mary feel about us. They are there to remind us of how much love they have to give . . . if we will bend our knee in order to find it.
“A man is quite incapable of learning humility in a position of superiority . . .” Pope St. Gregory I
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
This is disgusting!
This was forwarded to me from a friend. Just when you think the world couldn't sink any lower . . .
March 29, 2011 - ACTION ALERT
Biotech company using aborted fetal cell lines to test food flavor enhancers
(Largo, FL) Children of God for Life is calling for a public boycott of major food companies partnering with Senomyx, a biotech company that produces artificial flavor enhancers using aborted fetal cell lines to test their products.
In 2010, the pro-life organization wrote to Senomyx CEO Kent Snyder, pointing out that moral options for testing their food additives could and should be used. But when Senomyx ignored their letter, they wrote to the companies Senomyx listed on their website as "collaborators" warning them of public backlash and threatened boycott. Food giants Pepsico, Kraft Foods, Campbell Soup, Solae and Nestlé are the primary targets of the boycott.
Senomyx website states: “The company's key flavor programs focus on the discovery and development of savory, sweet and salt flavor ingredients that are intended to allow for the reduction of MSG, sugar and salt in food and beverage products....Using isolated human taste receptors, we created proprietary taste receptor-based assay systems that provide a biochemical or electronic readout when a flavor ingredient interacts with the receptor.”
Their collaborators provide Senomyx research and development funding plus royalties on sales of products using their flavor ingredients.
“What they don’t tell the public is that they are using HEK 293 – human embryonic kidney cells taken from an electively aborted baby to produce those receptors”, stated Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director for Children of God for Life, a pro-life watch dog group that has monitored the use of aborted fetal material in medical and consumer products for years.
“They could have easily chosen animal, insect, or other morally obtained human cells expressing the G protein for taste receptors”, she added.
In writing to their collaborators, it took three letters before Nestlé finally admitted the truth about their relationship with Senomyx, noting the cell line was “well established in scientific research".
Both Pepsico and Campbell Soup also responded.
Shockingly, Pepsico wrote: “We hope you are reassured to learn that our collaboration with Senomyx is strictly limited to creating lower-calorie, great-tasting beverages for consumers. This will help us achieve our commitment to reduce added sugar per serving by 25% in key brands in key markets over the next decade and ultimately help people live healthier lives.”
Campbell Soup was more sensitive in their response: “Every effort is made to use the finest ingredients and develop the greatest selection of products, all at a great value. With this in mind, it must be said that the trust we have cultivated and developed over the years with our consumers is not worth compromising to cut costs or increase profit margins."
While Campbell didn’t state they would change their methods, their response, gave Vinnedge hope.
“If enough people voice their outrage and intent to boycott these consumer products, it may convince Senomyx to change their methods”, she noted. “Otherwise, we will be buying Coca-Cola, Lipton soups and Hershey products!”
See www.cogforlife.org/senomyxalert.htm for mailing addresses of Senomyx and the food companies.
March 29, 2011 - ACTION ALERT
Biotech company using aborted fetal cell lines to test food flavor enhancers
(Largo, FL) Children of God for Life is calling for a public boycott of major food companies partnering with Senomyx, a biotech company that produces artificial flavor enhancers using aborted fetal cell lines to test their products.
In 2010, the pro-life organization wrote to Senomyx CEO Kent Snyder, pointing out that moral options for testing their food additives could and should be used. But when Senomyx ignored their letter, they wrote to the companies Senomyx listed on their website as "collaborators" warning them of public backlash and threatened boycott. Food giants Pepsico, Kraft Foods, Campbell Soup, Solae and Nestlé are the primary targets of the boycott.
Senomyx website states: “The company's key flavor programs focus on the discovery and development of savory, sweet and salt flavor ingredients that are intended to allow for the reduction of MSG, sugar and salt in food and beverage products....Using isolated human taste receptors, we created proprietary taste receptor-based assay systems that provide a biochemical or electronic readout when a flavor ingredient interacts with the receptor.”
Their collaborators provide Senomyx research and development funding plus royalties on sales of products using their flavor ingredients.
“What they don’t tell the public is that they are using HEK 293 – human embryonic kidney cells taken from an electively aborted baby to produce those receptors”, stated Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director for Children of God for Life, a pro-life watch dog group that has monitored the use of aborted fetal material in medical and consumer products for years.
“They could have easily chosen animal, insect, or other morally obtained human cells expressing the G protein for taste receptors”, she added.
In writing to their collaborators, it took three letters before Nestlé finally admitted the truth about their relationship with Senomyx, noting the cell line was “well established in scientific research".
Both Pepsico and Campbell Soup also responded.
Shockingly, Pepsico wrote: “We hope you are reassured to learn that our collaboration with Senomyx is strictly limited to creating lower-calorie, great-tasting beverages for consumers. This will help us achieve our commitment to reduce added sugar per serving by 25% in key brands in key markets over the next decade and ultimately help people live healthier lives.”
Campbell Soup was more sensitive in their response: “Every effort is made to use the finest ingredients and develop the greatest selection of products, all at a great value. With this in mind, it must be said that the trust we have cultivated and developed over the years with our consumers is not worth compromising to cut costs or increase profit margins."
While Campbell didn’t state they would change their methods, their response, gave Vinnedge hope.
“If enough people voice their outrage and intent to boycott these consumer products, it may convince Senomyx to change their methods”, she noted. “Otherwise, we will be buying Coca-Cola, Lipton soups and Hershey products!”
See www.cogforlife.org/senomyxalert.htm for mailing addresses of Senomyx and the food companies.
We shouldn't be surprised at the world but ashamed . . .
One of the main concerns in the world today, are the children who are growing up without values, little needful education and a warped sense of what is right and wrong. There is a try to do unto before you are done to mentality which is wrecking havoc on our American way of life. In our pursuit of happiness, many are conveniently forgetting Who is blessing us with our gladness in life. The powers that be on earth are certainly not in line with the Power that is in Heaven.
An older person (who should have known better!) explained to me once that politicians have to please the majority in order to keep peace in the land. And, if the majority favors agendas that might be personally against the morals of the political leader, well then he or she will have to strive to keep his or her personal feelings out of it and govern with a compromised term of office. It is very much a contradiction when you consider “There is no power but from God.” yet many people translate authority to meet their desired way of life rather than using God’s Commandments.
The last few months have really brought to light the definitely skewed values that are held by so many people. The mentality seems to be that you should do your job and try not to get caught if you stray in any way with your personal life. Integrity doesn’t seem to have a place in many life styles and beliefs today. And anyone who is shocked at these seemingly sudden turn of events must have been sleeping the last couple of decades or so.
We now have laws in our land that sanction and even promote abortion for any reason. Euthanasia is no longer the stuff of science fiction novels. Partial birth abortions that result in total anguish and death for the unborn child is being fought over with the death squads winning. Marriage is an outmoded way of life and pro-creation is reduced from a God-given blessing to nothing more than pro-recreation thanks to the contraceptive mind set being cultivated.
The world is not a place to take at face value anymore. Simple trust is not feasible if you want to survive the spiritual holocaust that is feeding into our lives from all sides of our lives. Just perusing the morning newspaper reveals a climate that is, for the most part, incompatible with gaining the final glory of Heaven. The sad thing is that very few are being educated to care about this. And the future of the world depends on the education of the children of today.
I suppose you could read these mental wanderings of mine and find me rather pessimistic. Perhaps so, but take a moment to reflect. How many elected, political officials lack basic morality and integrity? How many laws have been passed that are in reality, incompatible with a basic, moral life? How many people overlook elementary yet essential values when voting in elections? How many Catholics are in this group?
An older person (who should have known better!) explained to me once that politicians have to please the majority in order to keep peace in the land. And, if the majority favors agendas that might be personally against the morals of the political leader, well then he or she will have to strive to keep his or her personal feelings out of it and govern with a compromised term of office. It is very much a contradiction when you consider “There is no power but from God.” yet many people translate authority to meet their desired way of life rather than using God’s Commandments.
The last few months have really brought to light the definitely skewed values that are held by so many people. The mentality seems to be that you should do your job and try not to get caught if you stray in any way with your personal life. Integrity doesn’t seem to have a place in many life styles and beliefs today. And anyone who is shocked at these seemingly sudden turn of events must have been sleeping the last couple of decades or so.
We now have laws in our land that sanction and even promote abortion for any reason. Euthanasia is no longer the stuff of science fiction novels. Partial birth abortions that result in total anguish and death for the unborn child is being fought over with the death squads winning. Marriage is an outmoded way of life and pro-creation is reduced from a God-given blessing to nothing more than pro-recreation thanks to the contraceptive mind set being cultivated.
The world is not a place to take at face value anymore. Simple trust is not feasible if you want to survive the spiritual holocaust that is feeding into our lives from all sides of our lives. Just perusing the morning newspaper reveals a climate that is, for the most part, incompatible with gaining the final glory of Heaven. The sad thing is that very few are being educated to care about this. And the future of the world depends on the education of the children of today.
I suppose you could read these mental wanderings of mine and find me rather pessimistic. Perhaps so, but take a moment to reflect. How many elected, political officials lack basic morality and integrity? How many laws have been passed that are in reality, incompatible with a basic, moral life? How many people overlook elementary yet essential values when voting in elections? How many Catholics are in this group?
Something different . . .
I love to cook and bake and am always looking for new and interesting ways to change or improve my recipes. This recipe has an interesting use for corn meal which makes for a good cookie that goes well with milk for the children or a well-deserved cup of tea for me!
True Grit Cookies
The cornmeal creates an interesting texture while the citrus give these cookies an unusual zest.
½ cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
Grated zest of two lemons and two oranges
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla and zest. Add flour, cornmeal and baking powder until completely blended. Shape into rolls directly on sheet of waxed paper. Chill for at least two hours. May be kept up to three days in refrigerator.
Unwrap dough. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/8-inch slices. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake in a 325-degree oven until pale gold, about ten to 15 minutes. Makes about four dozen cookies.
True Grit Cookies
The cornmeal creates an interesting texture while the citrus give these cookies an unusual zest.
½ cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
Grated zest of two lemons and two oranges
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in egg, vanilla and zest. Add flour, cornmeal and baking powder until completely blended. Shape into rolls directly on sheet of waxed paper. Chill for at least two hours. May be kept up to three days in refrigerator.
Unwrap dough. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/8-inch slices. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake in a 325-degree oven until pale gold, about ten to 15 minutes. Makes about four dozen cookies.
Going deaf rapidly . . .
I once had an interesting experience. I was enjoying a busy morning of cooking and baking in my kitchen, watching the children play right outside the window. Suddenly, the air is infused with the most horrible of sounds that jolt me out of my wellbeing and startle the children and the dog. It took be a few seconds to determine that it was actually 'music' from someone's stereo and they had the bass turned all the way up to insure every neighbor's house was seemingly shaking on their foundations. Although it is against the law to disturb the peace ANY time of the day, it seemed outrageous that someone should require this sort of stimulation at that volume at ten in the morning. I discovered that it came from two houses down the street so I walked over to ask them to PLEASE turn it down.
I walked up the path to the door and the music was even more vibrant up close. It seemed like the noise was almost oozing out of every window and door. I knocked at the door. No answer! I rang the doorbell. No answer. I knocked even harder. No answer! I finally just leaned on the doorbell and soon the teen of the house yanked open the door. Before I could request a drastic volume reduction, she yells at me, "STOP ringing and knocking! My dad is sleeping and you will wake him up!" I had the presence of mind to kindly request that she turn down the volume or I would see that her dad was notified. She did so and we both walked away shaking our heads in disbelief!
I walked up the path to the door and the music was even more vibrant up close. It seemed like the noise was almost oozing out of every window and door. I knocked at the door. No answer! I rang the doorbell. No answer. I knocked even harder. No answer! I finally just leaned on the doorbell and soon the teen of the house yanked open the door. Before I could request a drastic volume reduction, she yells at me, "STOP ringing and knocking! My dad is sleeping and you will wake him up!" I had the presence of mind to kindly request that she turn down the volume or I would see that her dad was notified. She did so and we both walked away shaking our heads in disbelief!
Especially the first quote!
"Never judge a book by its movie."
-- J. W. Eagan
"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police."
-- Jeff Marder
"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis."
-- Margaret Bonnano
-- J. W. Eagan
"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police."
-- Jeff Marder
"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis."
-- Margaret Bonnano
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wondering . . .
A friend shared a First Communion picture with me today of a relative in her white dress. Contrary to the rules at the parish, the little girl's dress was sleeveless. The pictures were done by a professional and the family had spent over $50 to get her hair done. It was a nice hair arrangement . . . for an 18 year old not a seven year old. The little girl was plied heavily with eye and lip makeup and the pose the photographer struck was not one for a child receiving a sacrament. My husband happened past while I was looking at the picture and he remarked, "Are you checking out a soft porn site?" in great surprise because he knows I wouldn't do such a thing. I wonder if the mother of the child would be offended seeing as SHE allowed this take place? What on earth was she thinking?
Egypt and cotton . . .
Even if you feel the conflict in Egypt is far removed from your state in life, it has been felt all over the world - the price of cotton has gone up and that trickles down to what yardage you buy at the fabric stores. I came up against this increase at the fabric warehouse today. What used to be $1.96 a yard is now $2.49 a yard. Sure, it is still way below store prices but it does cut down on how much you can, in good conscience, buy for yourself.
Never the less, the trip to the fabric warehouse was productive and I got some real bargains and picked up a few lengths of fabric I had been looking for lately. I always get inspired around miles and miles of fabric and today was no exception. Since this is a fabric warehouse or a last stand for some fabrics, you buy what you want when you see it or it might not be there another time. Fortunately, I found two fabric patterns I had wished I'd purchased more of earlier in the year and they were in the 'stacks' today and marked down! A win/win situation.
I always have my format for finding fabric. First, I go through the stacks of flat fold fabric which are either outdated or end of bolts. I was blessed to find some good-sized lengths which I needed to finish off the backs of some quilts in progress. Next, I went through the more 'formal' line up of fabric with the slightly higher price tags. I only splurged on two more expensive ones. The rest were going for $3.99-$4.99 a yard. I'm excited to start planning some new quilts this week. Yes, yes, of course, I WILL finish the current one in progress . . . I'll just keep telling myself that and avoid the temptation of cutting into new fabric!
I also kept my ongoing promise to my husband. I can buy what I want within reason but it all has to fit into my fabric cupboards and the doors have to close ALL THE WAY! Well, the doors aren't TOO ajar and all new purchases on in place.
Never the less, the trip to the fabric warehouse was productive and I got some real bargains and picked up a few lengths of fabric I had been looking for lately. I always get inspired around miles and miles of fabric and today was no exception. Since this is a fabric warehouse or a last stand for some fabrics, you buy what you want when you see it or it might not be there another time. Fortunately, I found two fabric patterns I had wished I'd purchased more of earlier in the year and they were in the 'stacks' today and marked down! A win/win situation.
I always have my format for finding fabric. First, I go through the stacks of flat fold fabric which are either outdated or end of bolts. I was blessed to find some good-sized lengths which I needed to finish off the backs of some quilts in progress. Next, I went through the more 'formal' line up of fabric with the slightly higher price tags. I only splurged on two more expensive ones. The rest were going for $3.99-$4.99 a yard. I'm excited to start planning some new quilts this week. Yes, yes, of course, I WILL finish the current one in progress . . . I'll just keep telling myself that and avoid the temptation of cutting into new fabric!
I also kept my ongoing promise to my husband. I can buy what I want within reason but it all has to fit into my fabric cupboards and the doors have to close ALL THE WAY! Well, the doors aren't TOO ajar and all new purchases on in place.
Custard Crispy or what to do when the milk is gone!
Whenever I get a craving for a custard sort of dessert, naturally, I don't have milk in the house! Nothing worse than coming into the kitchen with a beautiful, soft custard in mind only to discover your beloved child draining the last cup of milk left in the refrigertor! The milk is gone but not your desire!
I found this recipe in an ancient cookbook someone gave me once. I tweaked it to my own specifications over the years but do not mind sharing it. It makes a nice dessert or even something sweet to go with your coffee in the morning. Hey, remember WE don't need excuses! We're the moms!
Custard Crispy
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Grated rind of one lemon, optional
3 eggs
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut 1/2 cup margarine into 1 cup flour until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoons water over flour mixture; mix. Gather pastry into a ball, divide into halves. Pat each half into rectangle, 12 x 3 inches, on ungreased cookie sheet. Rectangles should be about three inches apart.
Heat 1/2 up margarine and 1 cup water to rolling boil; remove from heat. quickly stir in extracts and 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about one minutes; remove from heat. Add eggs, beat until smooth and glossy. Spread half of the topping over each rectangle. Bake until topping is crisp, brown and slightly cracked, about one hour; cool on rack. Topping will shrink and fall, forming the custard top. Dust with powdered sugar or with a thin glaze.
I found this recipe in an ancient cookbook someone gave me once. I tweaked it to my own specifications over the years but do not mind sharing it. It makes a nice dessert or even something sweet to go with your coffee in the morning. Hey, remember WE don't need excuses! We're the moms!
Custard Crispy
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Grated rind of one lemon, optional
3 eggs
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut 1/2 cup margarine into 1 cup flour until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoons water over flour mixture; mix. Gather pastry into a ball, divide into halves. Pat each half into rectangle, 12 x 3 inches, on ungreased cookie sheet. Rectangles should be about three inches apart.
Heat 1/2 up margarine and 1 cup water to rolling boil; remove from heat. quickly stir in extracts and 1 cup flour. Stir vigorously over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about one minutes; remove from heat. Add eggs, beat until smooth and glossy. Spread half of the topping over each rectangle. Bake until topping is crisp, brown and slightly cracked, about one hour; cool on rack. Topping will shrink and fall, forming the custard top. Dust with powdered sugar or with a thin glaze.
Morning Sickness and Almond Biscotti!
I heard from a friend today with the news that she is expecting number ten! She is a hardworking, homeschooling mother with eight girls and one boy. I'm guessing they wouldn't mind number ten being another boy as would the one son! She has been very ill with morning sickness which makes life difficult in a family of that size but it sounds like her older daughters are helping out wonderfully. I have to sympathize with her as my pregnancies provided me with lots of upset stomachs the first three or four months. Food would visit me but never stay long.
Anyway, her letter put me in mind of the one thing that did seem to calm down my morning sickness way back in the day. Thought I'd share the recipe with you today.
Almont Biscotti
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 ⅔ cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped*
Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Depending on how dry your flour is, you may either need an extra egg or more flour. The dough should hold it’s shape and you may find mixing and kneading it with your hands easier than with a spoon.
Grease two baking sheets. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each piece of dough into a long, somewhat flattened loaf. The dough will spread in baking so keep some space between the loaves. Shaping the dough directly onto the baking sheets is easier than trying to move it from the board. The dough is sticky and spraying your hands with vegetable spray helps a lot. There will be two loaves on each baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325. Cool the loaves slightly and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices and lay them cut side up on the sheets. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.
*Toast whole, shelled almonds on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before chopping and adding to your dough. Do not blanch the almonds.
Variations:
1. Instead of almonds, use chopped walnuts or pecans, tablespoon off grated orange rind.
2. In place of any type of nut, add powdered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind according to taste.
3. Use chopped walnuts and ¼ cup cocoa powder or two tablespoons mocha mix.
Anyway, her letter put me in mind of the one thing that did seem to calm down my morning sickness way back in the day. Thought I'd share the recipe with you today.
Almont Biscotti
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 ⅔ cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped*
Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix. Add the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Depending on how dry your flour is, you may either need an extra egg or more flour. The dough should hold it’s shape and you may find mixing and kneading it with your hands easier than with a spoon.
Grease two baking sheets. Divide the dough into quarters. Shape each piece of dough into a long, somewhat flattened loaf. The dough will spread in baking so keep some space between the loaves. Shaping the dough directly onto the baking sheets is easier than trying to move it from the board. The dough is sticky and spraying your hands with vegetable spray helps a lot. There will be two loaves on each baking sheet.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325. Cool the loaves slightly and cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices and lay them cut side up on the sheets. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Cool on racks.
*Toast whole, shelled almonds on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool before chopping and adding to your dough. Do not blanch the almonds.
Variations:
1. Instead of almonds, use chopped walnuts or pecans, tablespoon off grated orange rind.
2. In place of any type of nut, add powdered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind according to taste.
3. Use chopped walnuts and ¼ cup cocoa powder or two tablespoons mocha mix.
Have to agree with them all!
"I am not one of those who in expressing opinions confine themselves to facts."
-- Mark Twain
"Either I've been missing something or nothing has been going on."
-- Karen Elizabeth Gordon
"Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind."
-- E. B. White
"Given a choice between two theories, take the one which is funnier."
-- Blore's Razor
-- Mark Twain
"Either I've been missing something or nothing has been going on."
-- Karen Elizabeth Gordon
"Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind."
-- E. B. White
"Given a choice between two theories, take the one which is funnier."
-- Blore's Razor
My favorite treat!
My favorite treat isn't edible! My favorite treat is a trip to the fabric warehouse! Yes, there is such a thing in existence and it more than satisfies the quilter in me!
When I first got interested in quilting, I didn't have too much choice in fabrics as the small, quilting shops were expensive. If I was going to spend that much on fabric, it had better be for something practical like dresses for my then little girls. Someone told us, one day, about a place about an hour from us that that discount fabric. It was seconds or marred factory discard stuff. It was perfectly good, quality cotton fabric ideal for quilting. The reason for the discount as it was last year's designs! Uh, I don't care if the rose pattern or whatever, isn't 'with it' for this year. I chose fabric by what I like and once you cut fabric into various squares and put it into a quilt, who really knows that it was last year's vintage?
The first time I walked into the place, it was a few minutes before I could move as I was in shock at all the temptations in fabric lined up, row upon row! I always start in the 'stacks' first. This is comprised of about eight aisles of flat fold fabric that's 'with it' factor is older than the bolts in the mail area. It is piled about five feet high and there are plenty of quality bargains there - you just have to dig and at $1.69 a yard . . .
After my husband and I have exhausted the stacks, we go into the general area with the nice bolts of fabric going for $2.99-$3.99 a yard. For a treat, we go through the $6.99-$8.99 and MIGHT get a yard of two of something really unique or special.
My husband's only rule after a trip to the fabric warehouse is that I get it all into my sewing cupboards and the doors SHUT! I just have to restrain myself from starting a new project with today's finds and finish the quilt I have at hand. So unfair! : - )
When I first got interested in quilting, I didn't have too much choice in fabrics as the small, quilting shops were expensive. If I was going to spend that much on fabric, it had better be for something practical like dresses for my then little girls. Someone told us, one day, about a place about an hour from us that that discount fabric. It was seconds or marred factory discard stuff. It was perfectly good, quality cotton fabric ideal for quilting. The reason for the discount as it was last year's designs! Uh, I don't care if the rose pattern or whatever, isn't 'with it' for this year. I chose fabric by what I like and once you cut fabric into various squares and put it into a quilt, who really knows that it was last year's vintage?
The first time I walked into the place, it was a few minutes before I could move as I was in shock at all the temptations in fabric lined up, row upon row! I always start in the 'stacks' first. This is comprised of about eight aisles of flat fold fabric that's 'with it' factor is older than the bolts in the mail area. It is piled about five feet high and there are plenty of quality bargains there - you just have to dig and at $1.69 a yard . . .
After my husband and I have exhausted the stacks, we go into the general area with the nice bolts of fabric going for $2.99-$3.99 a yard. For a treat, we go through the $6.99-$8.99 and MIGHT get a yard of two of something really unique or special.
My husband's only rule after a trip to the fabric warehouse is that I get it all into my sewing cupboards and the doors SHUT! I just have to restrain myself from starting a new project with today's finds and finish the quilt I have at hand. So unfair! : - )
The Rise and Fall of Rome isn't an isolated incident!
“Great nations fail because they turn their backs on the principles that made them great."
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Conflicting weather reports and none of them correct!
When we went to bed, last night, my husband said the news predicted a 20% chance of rain. I mentioned that the radio had said a 50% chance of rain. Rain drops kept falling on our roof all night so I'm thinking only God knew exactly what the weather would be. Hey, I was 30% closer on my prediction report!
My husband has to work today so I'm praying he keeps safe on his freeway travels to and from work. The drivers today all seem to think they are immortal and that stop signs and red lights are meant for everyone but themselves. The horn on my car gets a workout these days!
Since the weather is chilly, I'm warming up the evening meal with chicken pot pies for dinner. It is a favorite of my husband's and will be a good surprise when he comes home from work. The nice thing about having to work on Sunday is that he doesn't have to be there until one so we can attend Mass together. Another nice thing is that it pays time and a half which does help an aching budget these days.
Have to remember to take the chicken out of the freezer or it will be an interesting and very cold meal tonight. I've heard of eating raw beef but never chicken!
Hope you are all able to cope comfortably with whatever weather the Good Lord sends you today and that you don't get TOO complacent just content!
My husband has to work today so I'm praying he keeps safe on his freeway travels to and from work. The drivers today all seem to think they are immortal and that stop signs and red lights are meant for everyone but themselves. The horn on my car gets a workout these days!
Since the weather is chilly, I'm warming up the evening meal with chicken pot pies for dinner. It is a favorite of my husband's and will be a good surprise when he comes home from work. The nice thing about having to work on Sunday is that he doesn't have to be there until one so we can attend Mass together. Another nice thing is that it pays time and a half which does help an aching budget these days.
Have to remember to take the chicken out of the freezer or it will be an interesting and very cold meal tonight. I've heard of eating raw beef but never chicken!
Hope you are all able to cope comfortably with whatever weather the Good Lord sends you today and that you don't get TOO complacent just content!
What went on this day in March over the years . . .
It is interesting to see how much history we have lived through already in our lives. It is a shame so many teachers/students find the subjec to history to be boring. My son claims it IS like reading a good novel only it was for real. History is important so we don't repeat the same mistakes over and over again . . . like we are doing now! Anyway, found a few interesting facts about what was going on on this day in year gone by.
1958: Khrushchev becomes Premier of Soviet Union
1964: Alaskan earthquake kills 117 people
1969: Mariner 7 launched from Cape Kennedy
1977: 583 killed when two 747 jets collide on runway at Tenerife, Canary Islands
1845:
Physicist and discoverer of X-rays, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen born in Lennep, Germany
1899:
Celebrated silent-film era actress, Gloria Swanson born in Chicago, Illinois
1963:
Actor, director and Oscar winning screenwriter, Quentin Tarentino born in Knoxville, Tennessee
1970:
Grammy Award winning singer, Mariah Carey born in Long Island, New York
1958: Khrushchev becomes Premier of Soviet Union
1964: Alaskan earthquake kills 117 people
1969: Mariner 7 launched from Cape Kennedy
1977: 583 killed when two 747 jets collide on runway at Tenerife, Canary Islands
1845:
Physicist and discoverer of X-rays, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen born in Lennep, Germany
1899:
Celebrated silent-film era actress, Gloria Swanson born in Chicago, Illinois
1963:
Actor, director and Oscar winning screenwriter, Quentin Tarentino born in Knoxville, Tennessee
1970:
Grammy Award winning singer, Mariah Carey born in Long Island, New York
Cheerful thoughts on a rainy day!
"What some people mistake for the high cost of living is really the cost of high living."
-- Doug Larson
"It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated."
-- Alec Bourne
"Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function."
-- Unknown
-- Doug Larson
"It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated."
-- Alec Bourne
"Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function."
-- Unknown
Give in to the cold/flu season - you can't win . . .
After receiving several calls this week and not recognizing a single voice, I realized the cold season has started. Although we can try and prevent an epidemic in our respective families, there are never any guarantees. When those infectious bugs take over and produce an onslaught of sneezing, coughing and worse, all you can do as a mother is cope with it. Coping, however, is easy as long as it isn’t the mother who has the cold!
Preventive measures are only workable up to a certain point. All it takes is one damp sneeze in the face from a baby or toddler to put a mother on the sick list. When the germs merge and conquer our immune system, we have to think of ways to take care of ourselves, other sick family members and the day-to-day management of the home and meals.
Before you become bedridden (or would like to be!), beg, borrow or acquire every junky, cartoon video your children have been clamoring for over the year. You know the videos are non-productive and brain numbing. If you are sick, you need to have the children mentally anaesthetized for at least a portion of the day.
Make sure you stock up on crackers and teach one of the older children how to vacuum after every serving.
It is also a good idea to change the message on the telephone answering machine to “Hello . . . I’m currently dying. If you are interested in the details, please leave your name, number and favorite brand of cold medication. My germs are your germs!" If anyone is ambulatory during the cold and flu season, this message should guarantee they refrain from leaving a message or even think about dropping by for a visit.
Save the pizza coupons! Dinner always seems to be a necessity even in cases of the flu.
Take to heart the warning labels on your medication. Don’t operate machinery! To my mind, this should include ovens, washers, dryers, irons and microwaves. You are important to you family so don’t take unnecessary chances.
Experience has shown us that the children never come down with illness at the same time although they do like to overlap. Set up a chalkboard with names of afflicted persons, medication being given and last time it was administered. When in doubt, pass out cough drops and popsicles.
And to make all the trips to the doctor worthwhile and to cover the expense of medication, buy stock in the tissue and cold medication companies. The way we are going through the stuff at our house, the market is sure to go sky high!
Preventive measures are only workable up to a certain point. All it takes is one damp sneeze in the face from a baby or toddler to put a mother on the sick list. When the germs merge and conquer our immune system, we have to think of ways to take care of ourselves, other sick family members and the day-to-day management of the home and meals.
Before you become bedridden (or would like to be!), beg, borrow or acquire every junky, cartoon video your children have been clamoring for over the year. You know the videos are non-productive and brain numbing. If you are sick, you need to have the children mentally anaesthetized for at least a portion of the day.
Make sure you stock up on crackers and teach one of the older children how to vacuum after every serving.
It is also a good idea to change the message on the telephone answering machine to “Hello . . . I’m currently dying. If you are interested in the details, please leave your name, number and favorite brand of cold medication. My germs are your germs!" If anyone is ambulatory during the cold and flu season, this message should guarantee they refrain from leaving a message or even think about dropping by for a visit.
Save the pizza coupons! Dinner always seems to be a necessity even in cases of the flu.
Take to heart the warning labels on your medication. Don’t operate machinery! To my mind, this should include ovens, washers, dryers, irons and microwaves. You are important to you family so don’t take unnecessary chances.
Experience has shown us that the children never come down with illness at the same time although they do like to overlap. Set up a chalkboard with names of afflicted persons, medication being given and last time it was administered. When in doubt, pass out cough drops and popsicles.
And to make all the trips to the doctor worthwhile and to cover the expense of medication, buy stock in the tissue and cold medication companies. The way we are going through the stuff at our house, the market is sure to go sky high!
Complacent or Content?
I got to thinking about my life here on earth and mulling over the many blessings I have in my life. I started to wonder, however, if my feelings of well being come from feeling complacent or content. I realized it could be so easy to mix the two and forget that what we receive in life comes from God. When you sigh, sit back, and think, "Yeah, this is the way it should be!" you might be getting complacent and forgetting life can be a struggle and you need to appreciate what good has been dealt you and face the troubles. You can't rely on what you have now will be there for you in the future.
Contentment, to me, is smiling on a good day and praying for another one and working towards that goal. Contentment is only momentary as life continues to throw us curves.
I'm trying to forego the ease of being merely complacent but appreciate the contentment I find and do what I can to help others have moments like that in their lives. You have to give credit where credit is due and sprinkling your day with heartfelt, "Thank You, God!" keeps your focus on the important.
Contentment, to me, is smiling on a good day and praying for another one and working towards that goal. Contentment is only momentary as life continues to throw us curves.
I'm trying to forego the ease of being merely complacent but appreciate the contentment I find and do what I can to help others have moments like that in their lives. You have to give credit where credit is due and sprinkling your day with heartfelt, "Thank You, God!" keeps your focus on the important.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Compliments of Abraham Lincoln
And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Might lead to a better society remembering this?!
It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
What About Abstinence?
There was no author claiming credit for this essay but it is a keeper I like to pass on when given the chance. Found it this morning in my file-cleaning frenzy and wanted to share it.
What About Abstinence?
Author Unknown
I was holding a notice from my 13-year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students.
When I arrived at the school, I was surprised to discover only about a dozen parents there. As we waited for the presentation, I thumbed through page after page of instructions in the prevention of pregnancy or disease. I found abstinence mentioned only in passing. When the teacher arrived with the school nurse, she asked if there were any questions.
I asked why abstinence did not play a noticeable part in the material. What happened next was shocking. There was a great deal of laughter, and someone suggested that if I thought abstinence had any merit, I should go back to burying my head in the sand. The teacher and nurse said nothing as I drowned in a sea of embarrassment. My mind had gone blank, and I could think of nothing to say. The teacher explained to me that the job of the school was to teach “facts,” and the home was responsible for moral training.
I sat in silence for the next 20 minutes as the course was explained. The other parents seemed to give their unqualified support to the materials. “Donuts at the back,” announced the teacher during the break. “I’d like you to put on the name tags we have prepared - they’re right by the donuts - mingle with the other parents.” Everyone moved to the back of the room. As I watched them affixing their name tags and shaking hands, I sat deep in thought. I was ashamed that I had not been able to convince them to include a serious discussion of abstinence in the materials. I uttered a silent prayer for guidance.
My thoughts were interrupted by the teacher’s hand on my shoulder. “Won’t you join the others, Mr. Layton?” The nurse smiled sweetly at me. “The donuts are good.” “Thank you, no,” I replied. “Well, then how about a name tag? I’m sure the others would like to meet you.” “Somehow I doubt that,” I replied. “Won’t you please join them?” she coaxed. Then I heard a still small voice whisper, “Don’t go.” The instructions were unmistakable. “Don’t do!” “I’ll just wait here,” I said.
When the class was called back to order, the teacher looked around the long table and thanked everyone for putting on name tags. She ignored me. Then she said, “Now we’re going to give you the same lesson we’ll be giving your children. Everyone please peel off your name tags.” I watched in silence as the tags came off. “Now, then, on the back of one of the tags, I drew a tiny flower. Who has it please?” The gentleman across from me held it up. “Here it is!” “All right,” she said. “The flower represents disease. Do you recall with whom you shook hands?” He pointed to a couple of people. “Very good,” she replied. “The handshake in this case represents intimacy. So the two people you had contact with now have the disease.” There was laughter and joking among the parents. The teacher continued, “And whom did the two of you shake hands with?” The point was well taken, and she explained how this lesson would show students how quickly disease is spread. “Since we all shook hands, we all have the disease.”
It was then I head the still, small voice again. “Speak now,” it said, “but be humble.” I noted wryly the latter admonition, then rose from my chair. I apologized for any upset I might have caused earlier, congratulated the teacher on an excellent lesson that would impress the youth, and concluded by saying I had only one small point I wished to make. “Not all of us were infected,” I said. “One of us abstained.”
What About Abstinence?
Author Unknown
I was holding a notice from my 13-year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students.
When I arrived at the school, I was surprised to discover only about a dozen parents there. As we waited for the presentation, I thumbed through page after page of instructions in the prevention of pregnancy or disease. I found abstinence mentioned only in passing. When the teacher arrived with the school nurse, she asked if there were any questions.
I asked why abstinence did not play a noticeable part in the material. What happened next was shocking. There was a great deal of laughter, and someone suggested that if I thought abstinence had any merit, I should go back to burying my head in the sand. The teacher and nurse said nothing as I drowned in a sea of embarrassment. My mind had gone blank, and I could think of nothing to say. The teacher explained to me that the job of the school was to teach “facts,” and the home was responsible for moral training.
I sat in silence for the next 20 minutes as the course was explained. The other parents seemed to give their unqualified support to the materials. “Donuts at the back,” announced the teacher during the break. “I’d like you to put on the name tags we have prepared - they’re right by the donuts - mingle with the other parents.” Everyone moved to the back of the room. As I watched them affixing their name tags and shaking hands, I sat deep in thought. I was ashamed that I had not been able to convince them to include a serious discussion of abstinence in the materials. I uttered a silent prayer for guidance.
My thoughts were interrupted by the teacher’s hand on my shoulder. “Won’t you join the others, Mr. Layton?” The nurse smiled sweetly at me. “The donuts are good.” “Thank you, no,” I replied. “Well, then how about a name tag? I’m sure the others would like to meet you.” “Somehow I doubt that,” I replied. “Won’t you please join them?” she coaxed. Then I heard a still small voice whisper, “Don’t go.” The instructions were unmistakable. “Don’t do!” “I’ll just wait here,” I said.
When the class was called back to order, the teacher looked around the long table and thanked everyone for putting on name tags. She ignored me. Then she said, “Now we’re going to give you the same lesson we’ll be giving your children. Everyone please peel off your name tags.” I watched in silence as the tags came off. “Now, then, on the back of one of the tags, I drew a tiny flower. Who has it please?” The gentleman across from me held it up. “Here it is!” “All right,” she said. “The flower represents disease. Do you recall with whom you shook hands?” He pointed to a couple of people. “Very good,” she replied. “The handshake in this case represents intimacy. So the two people you had contact with now have the disease.” There was laughter and joking among the parents. The teacher continued, “And whom did the two of you shake hands with?” The point was well taken, and she explained how this lesson would show students how quickly disease is spread. “Since we all shook hands, we all have the disease.”
It was then I head the still, small voice again. “Speak now,” it said, “but be humble.” I noted wryly the latter admonition, then rose from my chair. I apologized for any upset I might have caused earlier, congratulated the teacher on an excellent lesson that would impress the youth, and concluded by saying I had only one small point I wished to make. “Not all of us were infected,” I said. “One of us abstained.”
Cookies and Quilting . . .
While I was quilting, yesterday, the many colors I was employing into my scrap quilt brought to mind the colorful bar cookies I make that has become a family favorite. I guess my German heritage leads me to this inclination but here is my version of German Lebkuchen!
A spicy, fruity, Christmas cookie bar. Mix ethnic groups and try them with a cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate!
LEBKUCHEN BY BARBARA
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups dark, brown sugar
1/4 pound mixed, candied fruit*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
Confectioner’s sugar
Juice of one lemon
Grated rind of one lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8 x 10-inch baking pan, dust it lightly with flour. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs one at a time to the brown sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in the candied fruit and spices. Into another bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, combining well. Spread the cookie batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 15 minutes or until golden.
Add lemon rind and enough juice to confectioner’s sugar to make a thick icing. Spread the icing over the warm cookies. When the icing has set, cut into serving size squares.
*Soaking the candied fruit in brandy over night greatly enhances the flavor of the finished cookie!
Instead of the lemon glaze, you can sprinkle semi sweet chocolate chip over the cookies when they come out of the oven and spread them out evenly as they melt.
A spicy, fruity, Christmas cookie bar. Mix ethnic groups and try them with a cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate!
LEBKUCHEN BY BARBARA
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups dark, brown sugar
1/4 pound mixed, candied fruit*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
Confectioner’s sugar
Juice of one lemon
Grated rind of one lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease an 8 x 10-inch baking pan, dust it lightly with flour. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs one at a time to the brown sugar, beating well after each addition. Stir in the candied fruit and spices. Into another bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the egg mixture, combining well. Spread the cookie batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 15 minutes or until golden.
Add lemon rind and enough juice to confectioner’s sugar to make a thick icing. Spread the icing over the warm cookies. When the icing has set, cut into serving size squares.
*Soaking the candied fruit in brandy over night greatly enhances the flavor of the finished cookie!
Instead of the lemon glaze, you can sprinkle semi sweet chocolate chip over the cookies when they come out of the oven and spread them out evenly as they melt.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Why are paydays so far apart?
We have reached that point of no return. We are far enough away from the last payday to have forgotten what money looks like and not near enough the next one to get reacquainted with cash again. We basically have five pounds of flour and the knowledge that the water bill is paid and we will not die of thirst. How will we survive those last few days until payday?
Unless we can afford a winning lottery ticket, we will have to depend on th what is left in the refrigerator and freezer. My family almost enjoys these extremely strict budget periods. The meals start getting very creative.
On the weekends we have a surplus of cash ( surplus being entirely in the mind of the beholder), I tend to purchase items in bulk that have lasting power. In spite of the tears of my anti-carrot son, I usually purchase ten pounds of carrots. If all the other vegetables run out, we always have carrots. Carrots make salad, they stretch soups and stews and can be juiced with an orange for a beverage. I have also been known to coarsely grind up carrots and pass them off as ground beef in lasagna. I have not always been completely successful but I still have circumstances come up where I have to try it again.
Whenever I trim the fat from steaks or roasts or have a left over pork chop, I freeze them for a between payday crisis. I simmer them all day long with whatever old vegetables have survived the week and obtain broth for soup.
If you have flour and eggs between paychecks, you are indeed rich. You can easily make noodles or dumplings for that broth. Breakfast for dinner is also a possibility as you have the makings for pancakes.
Small amounts of leftover chicken or beef can be stirred fried with lots of whatever vegetables you have on hand. If you want to elaborate on the Chinese theme, it only takes oil, water and flour to make interesting Chinese pancakes to go with a main meal. My family doesn’t feel they are eating Chinese unless they have those crispy Chinese noodles to accompany the main course. I have found that left over, boiled spaghetti deep fries nicely into a crunchy, Asian side dish.
If you are looking for something sweet, you can boil almost any shaped noodle, deep fry them and toss them with cinnamon and sugar. They don’t soak up the grease and the children like them. Your flour, eggs and milk come in handy again, too. Mixing them into a very thin batter, you can make fragile pancakes and roll them around fresh or canned fruit. Your family will start to think their mom has turned gourmet!
And if you are entirely at a loss, make a dough of flour, salt, yeast and water, let it rise and bake bread. Any family coming in to the smell of baking bread will be thrilled with whatever the rest of the meal turns out to be.
Unless we can afford a winning lottery ticket, we will have to depend on th what is left in the refrigerator and freezer. My family almost enjoys these extremely strict budget periods. The meals start getting very creative.
On the weekends we have a surplus of cash ( surplus being entirely in the mind of the beholder), I tend to purchase items in bulk that have lasting power. In spite of the tears of my anti-carrot son, I usually purchase ten pounds of carrots. If all the other vegetables run out, we always have carrots. Carrots make salad, they stretch soups and stews and can be juiced with an orange for a beverage. I have also been known to coarsely grind up carrots and pass them off as ground beef in lasagna. I have not always been completely successful but I still have circumstances come up where I have to try it again.
Whenever I trim the fat from steaks or roasts or have a left over pork chop, I freeze them for a between payday crisis. I simmer them all day long with whatever old vegetables have survived the week and obtain broth for soup.
If you have flour and eggs between paychecks, you are indeed rich. You can easily make noodles or dumplings for that broth. Breakfast for dinner is also a possibility as you have the makings for pancakes.
Small amounts of leftover chicken or beef can be stirred fried with lots of whatever vegetables you have on hand. If you want to elaborate on the Chinese theme, it only takes oil, water and flour to make interesting Chinese pancakes to go with a main meal. My family doesn’t feel they are eating Chinese unless they have those crispy Chinese noodles to accompany the main course. I have found that left over, boiled spaghetti deep fries nicely into a crunchy, Asian side dish.
If you are looking for something sweet, you can boil almost any shaped noodle, deep fry them and toss them with cinnamon and sugar. They don’t soak up the grease and the children like them. Your flour, eggs and milk come in handy again, too. Mixing them into a very thin batter, you can make fragile pancakes and roll them around fresh or canned fruit. Your family will start to think their mom has turned gourmet!
And if you are entirely at a loss, make a dough of flour, salt, yeast and water, let it rise and bake bread. Any family coming in to the smell of baking bread will be thrilled with whatever the rest of the meal turns out to be.
Seems to fit the mind set of today . . .
“The human race has always had a tendency to hate God. It crucified Him, after all. Now it is trying to convince itself that He does not exist or that, if He does, he is indulgent to and indeed identifies with its every whim, even the most sinful.”
Serpent on the Rock by Alice Thomas Ellis.
Serpent on the Rock by Alice Thomas Ellis.
What is wrong with people!
I just heard on the radio that Abercrombie & Fitch (or whatever their name is!) is bringing out a line of padded bikini swimsuit tops for . . . eight to fourteen year olds. First, not that many eight years olds have enough to warrant a padded, push-up top swimsuit. Second, what mother would want to put her little girl out there for perverts to lust after? There are way too many mothers allowing or encouraging their daughters to dress way above their age group. You just have to wonder what is in it for the mother? Is she that anxious to get her daughter's childhood over and done with so soon?
I was shopping, one day, and overhead a mother encouraging her little girl, who looked about eight years old, to buy thong underwear! A grandfather was treating his granddaughters to a clothing-buying spree and when one of the little girls came up with a pair of faux leather jeans, the grandfather actually exclaime, "Oh, get them, honey! You will look SO hot in them!" I was wondering where to turn in 'funny' grandfathers.
It seems to me in my antiquated opinion that morals and modesty make growing up so much easier. I raised my daughters with the same values and they dress nicely but modestly. One of their friends, who was about twelve years old at the time, was told she needed to loosen up in her outfits. She dressed modestly. The elderly man said the way she dressed, she probably sat at home all week reading the Bible!
Now, our parents were raised with a moral mind set so it is very disturbing when you observe and hear such as the above.
A news report said that there are several countries in the world today that do not believe in God at all. Seems reasonable as so many wayward mothers are wiping any thought of God out of their minds with the skimpy bits of clothing they put on their little girls.
I was shopping, one day, and overhead a mother encouraging her little girl, who looked about eight years old, to buy thong underwear! A grandfather was treating his granddaughters to a clothing-buying spree and when one of the little girls came up with a pair of faux leather jeans, the grandfather actually exclaime, "Oh, get them, honey! You will look SO hot in them!" I was wondering where to turn in 'funny' grandfathers.
It seems to me in my antiquated opinion that morals and modesty make growing up so much easier. I raised my daughters with the same values and they dress nicely but modestly. One of their friends, who was about twelve years old at the time, was told she needed to loosen up in her outfits. She dressed modestly. The elderly man said the way she dressed, she probably sat at home all week reading the Bible!
Now, our parents were raised with a moral mind set so it is very disturbing when you observe and hear such as the above.
A news report said that there are several countries in the world today that do not believe in God at all. Seems reasonable as so many wayward mothers are wiping any thought of God out of their minds with the skimpy bits of clothing they put on their little girls.
Rainy Day and Quilting?
It has been a busy week and the one thing to suffer is getting much quilting done. Can you believe my family wants dinner EVERY day of the week? I did get a quilt top pieced and almost ready for quilting and hope to advance on that today. Interesting scrap quilt (my favorite kind!) in that once I had all the blocks sewn together, I just didn't like the way it looked. I know, how picky can you be when there is no rhyme or reason to a totally scrap quilt using every color fabric in your scrap collection. When I'm not happy about how something looks, I can't seem to get any energy to continue on it. I have the pieces laid out on the table and keep looking and looking at it. Finally, I start wondering what would happen if I were to cut each pieced square in half and then resew them differently. I figured I didn't have much to lose trying this with one square. I was amazed, it changed the whole ebb and flow of the organized confusion of the scrap quilt and thoroughly changed the dynamic. Now, I wish I had taken a before and after picture of it.
Aside from braving the rain for Mass this morning, I'm thinking a wet day is a good one for staying home and close to the warmth of my sewing machine!
Aside from braving the rain for Mass this morning, I'm thinking a wet day is a good one for staying home and close to the warmth of my sewing machine!
Family Favorite to Share . . .
For some reason, I've been blessed with one of my children liking eggplant! Doesn't happen often unless you are born into an Italian family! I have a couple of ways of making eggplant dishes, but this has become a family favorite and considered a treat by my teen. The ingredients are general as it depends on how many you are cooking for that day.
Eggplant Italian
Eggplant (how many depends on how many mouths to feed!
Provolone Cheese, sliced
Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella, grated
Fresh parsley, chopped
Half spaghetti sauce/half canned, diced tomatoes
Italian spices (mix or use basil, oregano, and chili flakes)
Large, fresh tomatoes
Eggs, well beaten
Flour
Bread crumbs, fresh work best
Oil to fry
Tomato sauce
Combine the spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and Italian spices as well as salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes and add the freshly chopped parsley.
Slice the eggplant into thin (about a quarter of an inch or so) rounds. Dust each slice with flour, dip into eggs, and then into bread crumbs. Fry each slice of eggplant until golden brown on each side. Place them on a greased baking sheet.
When all the eggplant is done, assemble as follows:
Arrange the eggplant, one deep on the baking pan. Put on a slice of Provolone cheese, a thin slice of fresh tomato, and a spoonful of tomato/diced tomato mixture. Sprinkle with grated Romano and top with another slice of eggplant. Top with more tomato mixture and a generous amount of Mozzarella. Continue until all the eggplant slices are paired up. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until browning on top and bubbling.
*If you like onion, a thin slice of red or purple onion can be added on top of the fresh tomato slice.
Eggplant Italian
Eggplant (how many depends on how many mouths to feed!
Provolone Cheese, sliced
Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella, grated
Fresh parsley, chopped
Half spaghetti sauce/half canned, diced tomatoes
Italian spices (mix or use basil, oregano, and chili flakes)
Large, fresh tomatoes
Eggs, well beaten
Flour
Bread crumbs, fresh work best
Oil to fry
Tomato sauce
Combine the spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, and Italian spices as well as salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for a few minutes and add the freshly chopped parsley.
Slice the eggplant into thin (about a quarter of an inch or so) rounds. Dust each slice with flour, dip into eggs, and then into bread crumbs. Fry each slice of eggplant until golden brown on each side. Place them on a greased baking sheet.
When all the eggplant is done, assemble as follows:
Arrange the eggplant, one deep on the baking pan. Put on a slice of Provolone cheese, a thin slice of fresh tomato, and a spoonful of tomato/diced tomato mixture. Sprinkle with grated Romano and top with another slice of eggplant. Top with more tomato mixture and a generous amount of Mozzarella. Continue until all the eggplant slices are paired up. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes or until browning on top and bubbling.
*If you like onion, a thin slice of red or purple onion can be added on top of the fresh tomato slice.
Time AND money-saving idea - a win/win solution!
I have found that premixing packages of baking mixes saves time in the long run and last-minute trips to the store. The concept is simple, you mix up the necessary dry ingredients for your recipe, seal it in a bag along with a stapled on note card with what you will need to finish it. Start simply. Make up one supply, try doing it a week later and see how it works into your schedule. You increase your supplies as you begin to include them into your family’s requirements.
A good, nutritious breakfast or lunch bread is easy to have on hand.
QUICK FRUIT-NUT BREAD
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons salt (Can be reduced if you are watching salt intake)
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups rolled oats
4 cups raisins (or a mixture of your favorite dried fruit, coarsely chopped)
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, your choice
Sift together the flour, salt and soda and divide into 4 strong plastic bags or air-tight containers. Add one cup of the oats, one cup of the fruit and ½ cup of the nuts to each container and shake well to mix. Store in refrigerator or freezer until needed.
Additional Ingredients required for baking one loaf:
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Beat the sugar and egg until fluffy. Stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside to sour. Add the soured milk to the sugar and egg and beat until smooth. Add the contents of one bag of your baking mix to the milk-sugar mixture and stir gently to combine. Stir in the oil. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, slice and serve.
The best part of having a homemade baking mix on hand is your ability to whip up another loaf of bread immediately since your first one is sure to disappear within seconds of leaving the pan.
Many of the recipes we make from scratch can be broken down in the same manner as the above bread mix. The trick is combining the dry ingredients ahead of time and attaching a note of what you will need when you want to bake. Think about the cake mixes I know many of us use. We bring home a box of flour, baking powder, spices and flavoring at a cost of over a dollar. And when we come home, we have to add our eggs, water and oil. We can drop the fancy box and the brand name and start using the house brand---our own!
Frugality is a handsome income. (Erasmus: Colloquia 16th century)
A good, nutritious breakfast or lunch bread is easy to have on hand.
QUICK FRUIT-NUT BREAD
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons salt (Can be reduced if you are watching salt intake)
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups rolled oats
4 cups raisins (or a mixture of your favorite dried fruit, coarsely chopped)
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, your choice
Sift together the flour, salt and soda and divide into 4 strong plastic bags or air-tight containers. Add one cup of the oats, one cup of the fruit and ½ cup of the nuts to each container and shake well to mix. Store in refrigerator or freezer until needed.
Additional Ingredients required for baking one loaf:
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Beat the sugar and egg until fluffy. Stir the lemon juice into the milk and set aside to sour. Add the soured milk to the sugar and egg and beat until smooth. Add the contents of one bag of your baking mix to the milk-sugar mixture and stir gently to combine. Stir in the oil. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in 350 degree preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, slice and serve.
The best part of having a homemade baking mix on hand is your ability to whip up another loaf of bread immediately since your first one is sure to disappear within seconds of leaving the pan.
Many of the recipes we make from scratch can be broken down in the same manner as the above bread mix. The trick is combining the dry ingredients ahead of time and attaching a note of what you will need when you want to bake. Think about the cake mixes I know many of us use. We bring home a box of flour, baking powder, spices and flavoring at a cost of over a dollar. And when we come home, we have to add our eggs, water and oil. We can drop the fancy box and the brand name and start using the house brand---our own!
Frugality is a handsome income. (Erasmus: Colloquia 16th century)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Peanut Butter and Jelly . . .
There is nothing better than a peanut butter and jelly/jam sandwich! I like mine on wholewheat bread and prefer any flavor jelly or jam as long as it's apricot. We didn't have peanut butter in the house when I was growing up so this has become an adult favorite for me over the years. When I ran across this recipe, I knew it would be a winner especially if the jelly jar is at hand when they exit the oven.
Peanut Butter Muffins
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 16 muffin cups or line with cupcake papers.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the peanut butter and milk - stirring in teh milk, bit by bit, until the peanut butter is diluted and smoothed into the milk. Stir in the eggs and half the peanuts.
Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients all at once. Mix only until batter is blended and still somewhat lulmpy. Spoon the batter into the cuffin cups, filling only 2/3 full. Sprinke the remaining peanuts over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn out and let cool a bit before serving then pass the jelly.
Peanut Butter Muffins
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 16 muffin cups or line with cupcake papers.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the peanut butter and milk - stirring in teh milk, bit by bit, until the peanut butter is diluted and smoothed into the milk. Stir in the eggs and half the peanuts.
Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients all at once. Mix only until batter is blended and still somewhat lulmpy. Spoon the batter into the cuffin cups, filling only 2/3 full. Sprinke the remaining peanuts over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn out and let cool a bit before serving then pass the jelly.
Easter Morning Treat?
After Holy Saturday officially closes down Lent and ushers in the Easter Season, we always look forward to celebrating with something special on Easter Sunday after we come home from Mass. Because we are always watching our calories, pancakes don't happen around here too often so I'm thinking that would be a hearty treat especially if I splurge on some maple syrup.
I came across this recipe today and it sound intriguing. I would never have thought of add cottage cheese but can see how this would add extra protein and calcium while producing tender pancakes. If I go with this recipe, I'll be sure to post the results and approval rating from my family. If you want to try it long before Easter, let us know how they turn out.
Golden Pancakes
1 cup cottage cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Put all ingredients into a blender. Cover and blend at high speed until ingredients are well combined - about a minute. Bake on a greased griddle, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Makes approximately 20 pancakes.
I like the smell of pancakes cooking in the morning. A side of crispy bacon and a couple of perfectly cooked eggs sure wouldn't go amiss either! Good thing dinner is already cooking on the stove as I'm making myself hungry!
I came across this recipe today and it sound intriguing. I would never have thought of add cottage cheese but can see how this would add extra protein and calcium while producing tender pancakes. If I go with this recipe, I'll be sure to post the results and approval rating from my family. If you want to try it long before Easter, let us know how they turn out.
Golden Pancakes
1 cup cottage cheese
6 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Put all ingredients into a blender. Cover and blend at high speed until ingredients are well combined - about a minute. Bake on a greased griddle, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Makes approximately 20 pancakes.
I like the smell of pancakes cooking in the morning. A side of crispy bacon and a couple of perfectly cooked eggs sure wouldn't go amiss either! Good thing dinner is already cooking on the stove as I'm making myself hungry!
Stand up for America before 2012!
This was passed on to me from a friend. Amusing with a scary undertone as these things COULD come true! -Barbara
Winston, come into the dining room, it's time to eat," Julia yelled to her husband. "In a minute, honey, it's a tie score," he answered. Actually Winston wasn't very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and Washington . Ever since the government passed the Civility in Sports Statute of 2017, outlawing tackle football for its "unseemly violence" and the "bad example it sets for the rest of the world," Winston was far less of a football fan than he used to be. Two-hand touch wasn't nearly as exciting.
Yet it wasn't the game that Winston was uninterested in. It was more the thought of eating another Tofu Turkey. Even though it was the best type of Veggie Meat available after the government revised the American Anti-Obesity Act of 2018, adding fowl to the list of federally-forbidden foods, (which already included potatoes, cranberry sauce and mince-meat pie), it wasn't anything like real turkey. And ever since the government officially changed the name of "Thanksgiving Day" to "A National Day of Atonement" in 2020 to officially acknowledge the Pilgrims' historically brutal treatment of Native Americans, the holiday had lost a lot of its luster.
Eating in the dining room was also a bit daunting. The unearthly gleam of government-mandated fluorescent light bulbs made the Tofu Turkey look even weirder than it actually was, and the room was always cold. Ever since Congress passed the Power Conservation Act of 2016, mandating all thermostats-which were monitored and controlled by the electric company-be kept at 68 degrees, every room on the north side of the house was barely tolerable throughout the entire winter.
Still, it was good getting together with family. Or at least most of the family. Winston missed his mother, who passed on in October, when she had used up her legal allotment of live-saving medical treatment. He had had many heated conversations with the Regional Health Consortium, spawned when the private insurance market finally went bankrupt, and everyone was forced into the government health care program. And though he demanded she be kept on her treatment, it was a futile effort. "The RHC's resources are limited," explained the government bureaucrat Winston spoke with on the phone. "Your mother received all the benefits to which she was entitled. I'm sorry for your loss."
Ed couldn't make it either. He had forgotten to plug in his electric car last night, the only kind available after the Anti-Fossil Fuel Bill of 2021 outlawed the use of the combustion engines-for everyone but government officials. The fifty mile round trip was about ten miles too far, and Ed didn't want to spend a frosty night on the road somewhere between here and there.
Thankfully, Winston's brother, John, and his wife were flying in. Winston made sure that the dining room chairs had extra cushions for the occasion. No one complained more than John about the pain of sitting down so soon after the government-mandated cavity searches at airports, which severely aggravated his hemorrhoids. Ever since a terrorist successfully smuggled a cavity bomb onto a jetliner, the TSA told Americans the added "inconvenience" was an "absolute necessity" in order to stay "one step ahead of the terrorists." Winston's own body had grown accustomed to such probing ever since the government expanded their scope to just about anywhere a crowd gathered, via Anti-Profiling Act of 2022. That law made it a crime to single out any group or individual for "unequal scrutiny," even when probable cause was involved. Thus, cavity searches at malls, train stations, bus depots, etc., etc., had become almost routine. Almost.
The Supreme Court is reviewing the statute, but most Americans expect a Court composed of six progressives and three conservatives to leave the law intact. "A living Constitution is extremely flexible," said the Court's eldest member, Elena Kagan. " Europe has had laws like this one for years. We should learn from their example," she added.
Winston's thoughts turned to his own children. He got along fairly well with his 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, mostly because she ignored him. Winston had long ago surrendered to the idea that she could text anyone at any time, even during Atonement Dinner. Their only real confrontation had occurred when he limited her to 50,000 texts a month, explaining that was all he could afford. She whined for a week, but got over it.
His 16-year-old son, Jason, was another matter altogether. Perhaps it was the constant bombarding he got in public school that climate change/global warming or any of a number of other calamities were "just around the corner," but Jason had developed a kind of nihilistic attitude that ranged between simmering surliness and outright hostility. It didn't help that Jason had reported his father to the police for smoking a cigarette in the house, an act made criminal by the Smoking Control Statute of 2018, which outlawed smoking anywhere within 500 feet of another human being. Winston paid the $5000 fine, which might have been considered excessive before the American dollar became virtually worthless as a result of QE13. The latest round of quantitative easing the federal government initiated was, once again, to "spur economic growth." This time they promised to push unemployment below its years-long rate of 18%, but Winston was not particularly hopeful.
Yet the family had a lot for which to be thankful, Winston thought, before remembering it was a Day of Atonement. At least he had his memories. He felt a twinge of sadness when he realized his children would never know what life was like in the Good Old Days, long before government promises to make life "fair for everyone" realized their full potential. Winston, like so many of his fellow Americans, never realized how much things could change when they didn't happen all at once, but little by little, so people could get used to them.
He wondered what might have happened if the public had stood up while there was still time, maybe back around 2010, when all the real nonsense began. "Maybe we wouldn't be where we are today if we'd just said 'enough is enough' when we had the chance," he thought.
Maybe so, Winston. Maybe so.
Winston, come into the dining room, it's time to eat," Julia yelled to her husband. "In a minute, honey, it's a tie score," he answered. Actually Winston wasn't very interested in the traditional holiday football game between Detroit and Washington . Ever since the government passed the Civility in Sports Statute of 2017, outlawing tackle football for its "unseemly violence" and the "bad example it sets for the rest of the world," Winston was far less of a football fan than he used to be. Two-hand touch wasn't nearly as exciting.
Yet it wasn't the game that Winston was uninterested in. It was more the thought of eating another Tofu Turkey. Even though it was the best type of Veggie Meat available after the government revised the American Anti-Obesity Act of 2018, adding fowl to the list of federally-forbidden foods, (which already included potatoes, cranberry sauce and mince-meat pie), it wasn't anything like real turkey. And ever since the government officially changed the name of "Thanksgiving Day" to "A National Day of Atonement" in 2020 to officially acknowledge the Pilgrims' historically brutal treatment of Native Americans, the holiday had lost a lot of its luster.
Eating in the dining room was also a bit daunting. The unearthly gleam of government-mandated fluorescent light bulbs made the Tofu Turkey look even weirder than it actually was, and the room was always cold. Ever since Congress passed the Power Conservation Act of 2016, mandating all thermostats-which were monitored and controlled by the electric company-be kept at 68 degrees, every room on the north side of the house was barely tolerable throughout the entire winter.
Still, it was good getting together with family. Or at least most of the family. Winston missed his mother, who passed on in October, when she had used up her legal allotment of live-saving medical treatment. He had had many heated conversations with the Regional Health Consortium, spawned when the private insurance market finally went bankrupt, and everyone was forced into the government health care program. And though he demanded she be kept on her treatment, it was a futile effort. "The RHC's resources are limited," explained the government bureaucrat Winston spoke with on the phone. "Your mother received all the benefits to which she was entitled. I'm sorry for your loss."
Ed couldn't make it either. He had forgotten to plug in his electric car last night, the only kind available after the Anti-Fossil Fuel Bill of 2021 outlawed the use of the combustion engines-for everyone but government officials. The fifty mile round trip was about ten miles too far, and Ed didn't want to spend a frosty night on the road somewhere between here and there.
Thankfully, Winston's brother, John, and his wife were flying in. Winston made sure that the dining room chairs had extra cushions for the occasion. No one complained more than John about the pain of sitting down so soon after the government-mandated cavity searches at airports, which severely aggravated his hemorrhoids. Ever since a terrorist successfully smuggled a cavity bomb onto a jetliner, the TSA told Americans the added "inconvenience" was an "absolute necessity" in order to stay "one step ahead of the terrorists." Winston's own body had grown accustomed to such probing ever since the government expanded their scope to just about anywhere a crowd gathered, via Anti-Profiling Act of 2022. That law made it a crime to single out any group or individual for "unequal scrutiny," even when probable cause was involved. Thus, cavity searches at malls, train stations, bus depots, etc., etc., had become almost routine. Almost.
The Supreme Court is reviewing the statute, but most Americans expect a Court composed of six progressives and three conservatives to leave the law intact. "A living Constitution is extremely flexible," said the Court's eldest member, Elena Kagan. " Europe has had laws like this one for years. We should learn from their example," she added.
Winston's thoughts turned to his own children. He got along fairly well with his 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, mostly because she ignored him. Winston had long ago surrendered to the idea that she could text anyone at any time, even during Atonement Dinner. Their only real confrontation had occurred when he limited her to 50,000 texts a month, explaining that was all he could afford. She whined for a week, but got over it.
His 16-year-old son, Jason, was another matter altogether. Perhaps it was the constant bombarding he got in public school that climate change/global warming or any of a number of other calamities were "just around the corner," but Jason had developed a kind of nihilistic attitude that ranged between simmering surliness and outright hostility. It didn't help that Jason had reported his father to the police for smoking a cigarette in the house, an act made criminal by the Smoking Control Statute of 2018, which outlawed smoking anywhere within 500 feet of another human being. Winston paid the $5000 fine, which might have been considered excessive before the American dollar became virtually worthless as a result of QE13. The latest round of quantitative easing the federal government initiated was, once again, to "spur economic growth." This time they promised to push unemployment below its years-long rate of 18%, but Winston was not particularly hopeful.
Yet the family had a lot for which to be thankful, Winston thought, before remembering it was a Day of Atonement. At least he had his memories. He felt a twinge of sadness when he realized his children would never know what life was like in the Good Old Days, long before government promises to make life "fair for everyone" realized their full potential. Winston, like so many of his fellow Americans, never realized how much things could change when they didn't happen all at once, but little by little, so people could get used to them.
He wondered what might have happened if the public had stood up while there was still time, maybe back around 2010, when all the real nonsense began. "Maybe we wouldn't be where we are today if we'd just said 'enough is enough' when we had the chance," he thought.
Maybe so, Winston. Maybe so.
Organizing suggestions compliments of me!
1. Get everyone longer jeans and skirts to cover mismatched socks.
2. Better yet, get everyone beige socks.
3. Coordinate children’s clothing to match the main meal of the day; red - spaghetti, brown - stew, etc.
4. Make safety pins a fashion statement.
5. Let dog and cat in the house just before short-notice guests arrive and blame the animals for any clutter.
6. Ban socks and promote sandals during the summer.
7. Go ahead and wash all the whites with that one red sweatshirt and avoid the suspense of when will it happen.
8. Explain away cobwebby corners as unit studies in process on arachnids.
9. Keep outside of closet doors scrubbed, cleaned and never open them when anyone outside the family is in the house.
10. Never date the messages written in dust.
2. Better yet, get everyone beige socks.
3. Coordinate children’s clothing to match the main meal of the day; red - spaghetti, brown - stew, etc.
4. Make safety pins a fashion statement.
5. Let dog and cat in the house just before short-notice guests arrive and blame the animals for any clutter.
6. Ban socks and promote sandals during the summer.
7. Go ahead and wash all the whites with that one red sweatshirt and avoid the suspense of when will it happen.
8. Explain away cobwebby corners as unit studies in process on arachnids.
9. Keep outside of closet doors scrubbed, cleaned and never open them when anyone outside the family is in the house.
10. Never date the messages written in dust.
Makes sense!
“It is necessary, too, that we shun the occasions which have been the cause of sin. We must have recourse to fervent prayer, receive frequently and worthily the sacraments. He who does this will be sure to persevere.” ~St. John Vianney
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Practicing my Faith . . .
For some reason, I seem to be a target for the Jehovah Witnesses, lately. The way it usually goes is they come to the door, I talk politely to them and let them know I have a religion I'm quite happy about and thank you but no thank you. And in case they don't get the message, they should take note of the three-foot statue of the Blessed Mother right by the door.
Although I am upfront from the moment I open the door, I never brush them off and often end up in conversation with them. Whenever they start in on their agenda, I swing the conversation to something we can agree on, make my points, and we part in good spirit.
Many people tell me I shouldn't even bother to open the door and just yell for them to GO AWAY. In my mind, there are few people it is safe to open the door to, these days so why not show them that we can be gracious even if we differ.
Today, they tried to get me on 'praying to saint' instead of God. I explained to them that I ask the saints to pray to God along with me. They chose to ignore that so I switched to immoral fashions which they jumped on immediately and we sighed over what the world has come to with sin. As we rounded up the conversation and they were about to walk off, I smiled and called out, "And, by the way, Catholics do NOT worship statues . . . in case you wondered!" They looked confused and wandered off to their next house.
Although I am upfront from the moment I open the door, I never brush them off and often end up in conversation with them. Whenever they start in on their agenda, I swing the conversation to something we can agree on, make my points, and we part in good spirit.
Many people tell me I shouldn't even bother to open the door and just yell for them to GO AWAY. In my mind, there are few people it is safe to open the door to, these days so why not show them that we can be gracious even if we differ.
Today, they tried to get me on 'praying to saint' instead of God. I explained to them that I ask the saints to pray to God along with me. They chose to ignore that so I switched to immoral fashions which they jumped on immediately and we sighed over what the world has come to with sin. As we rounded up the conversation and they were about to walk off, I smiled and called out, "And, by the way, Catholics do NOT worship statues . . . in case you wondered!" They looked confused and wandered off to their next house.
Supermarket strategy . . .
It is a fact that the cost of groceries has gone drastically up over the last year so a necessary visit to the grocery store is a challenge to see how much you can buy for how little. I keep track of the rise in prices by how much more is being charged for various items that need to find their way into everyone's grocery cart each week.
In order to feed my family and stay with the budget left to us after taxes, I watch the sales closely. I never just stop by the market for one item. I go up and down each aisle to see what might be on sale that wasn't advertised or manager's bargains. I haunt the last chance section where they put the discounted meat and vegetables.
I'm learning to buy items like pasta and rice when they are on sale even if I have five boxes at home. I just rotate according to purchase date and know that they will come in handy for a between-pay day meal. I've also learned to do without some things and substitute less expensive items for other needs. Coupons are cherished but even they aren't the same help when the original price of the item is higher than usual.
You have to wonder what our politicians and unions are thinking when they increase taxes and abstain unions from any real cut backs. When they increased the sales tax in our state, we cut back our spending which earned the state a lot less than if they had left our taxes alone. The powers that be should take a basic lesson in maintaining a checking account - you don't write checks if the funds aren't there!
Anyway, I'm back from the grocery store trenches and did pretty well and saved over $40 on my purchase. My husband calls my store receipt, my report card and he said I get an A for today!
In order to feed my family and stay with the budget left to us after taxes, I watch the sales closely. I never just stop by the market for one item. I go up and down each aisle to see what might be on sale that wasn't advertised or manager's bargains. I haunt the last chance section where they put the discounted meat and vegetables.
I'm learning to buy items like pasta and rice when they are on sale even if I have five boxes at home. I just rotate according to purchase date and know that they will come in handy for a between-pay day meal. I've also learned to do without some things and substitute less expensive items for other needs. Coupons are cherished but even they aren't the same help when the original price of the item is higher than usual.
You have to wonder what our politicians and unions are thinking when they increase taxes and abstain unions from any real cut backs. When they increased the sales tax in our state, we cut back our spending which earned the state a lot less than if they had left our taxes alone. The powers that be should take a basic lesson in maintaining a checking account - you don't write checks if the funds aren't there!
Anyway, I'm back from the grocery store trenches and did pretty well and saved over $40 on my purchase. My husband calls my store receipt, my report card and he said I get an A for today!
Israel needs our prayers . . .
Why is it that when things could not be worse in the world, a faction finds a way to make them worse? I find war, in itself, something I'd like to avoid but, at least, it is a more 'organized' event in which each side knows and sees each other in a way. Lines are drawn and care is often employed to avoid civilians.
Today, a suitcase bomb went off at a crowded bus stop in Israel killing at least one and injuring 31 - at last report. I wonder how many armed soldiers were in the dead/injured? How many of them had grabbed their shopping bags and school books to enter battle today? I can't help being so awfully sad to think how many families have been tragically changed in the space of a few minutes.
Hope everyone remembers all these victims in their prayers this evening. I know I will. Eternal rest grant onto them, O Lord . . .
Today, a suitcase bomb went off at a crowded bus stop in Israel killing at least one and injuring 31 - at last report. I wonder how many armed soldiers were in the dead/injured? How many of them had grabbed their shopping bags and school books to enter battle today? I can't help being so awfully sad to think how many families have been tragically changed in the space of a few minutes.
Hope everyone remembers all these victims in their prayers this evening. I know I will. Eternal rest grant onto them, O Lord . . .
Trying to buy clothing . . .
My son and I are taking a much anticipated trip in a few months and I needed a few items of clothing. Shopping for relatively modest clothing, these days, is not an easy task!
I have often heard the phrase custody of the eyes but never really took time to think about it in today’s terms and life styles. One day, during a trip to the mall, I decided to try maintaining a strict custody of the eyes yet still do my planned shopping. That one trip to the mall showed me that it is near impossible to avoid seeing visual near occasions of sin without bumping into the people you are trying not to look at! Where has respect and modesty gone in this day and age?
You walk past the first store or shop and the mannequins in the window are dressed provocatively, showing off acres of enameled skin with all the details that can be put on a dummy. Even though these are not real people, little is left to the imagination - a near occasion of sin just waiting to be taken advantage of right there in public view.
If you are interested in refurbishing your underwear wardrobe, you will have absolutely no problem finding the department. There are numerous displays of garments that definitely should be kept under clothing. You and everyone else will know what is being worn under today’s clothing. My oldest son considers it gross right now but as he gets older what kind of impression will this make on him?
It isn’t easy telling the difference between the underwear and the bathing suit sections! Actually, there is more fabric in what is worn under clothing than is flaunted on the beach. How many times have you seen someone get flustered when a door accidentally opens and they are caught wearing just their underwear? Yet, these same ‘prudes’ go out in public with much less for the sake of fashion.
Weddings are not the pleasant occasions they once were in church. The brides seem to be having one last fling as they go down the aisle exposing excessive skin. The fashions they wear on their wedding day isn’t in line with what the purity of what a white wedding dress is all about. One woman told me that a deep, heart-shaped neckline was fashionable and it has always been the style to have a plunging back on the wedding dress. It is a classic style. Well, so is hell a classic.
One of the saddest fashion statements today can be found in the children’s section. Rack after rack of immodest fashions cut down for the four, five and six year old girls. Perhaps, the mothers think it is cute now but how will the child learn what is womanly and what is just, plain sinful. You can be a near occasion of sin at a young age and if the child doesn’t know better, wouldn’t you have to lay the blame at the parents’ door?
I often hear parents bemoan the fact that they have no control over what their children wear. Why not? If they aren’t over eighteen, who pays for the clothing. Do you just put up with super tight jeans and improper clothing for Mass to avoid confrontations? Today, the word ‘no’ is an underused word in the modern child-rearing vocabulary.
I think too many people go by what the majority do and figure that if everyone does it, then it is sanctioned by society. Of course, it is sanctioned by society but society hasn’t been a model for grace, spirituality and goodness for a long time. You don’t have to be of the world to be in the world. “To be merely modern is to condemn oneself to an ultimate narrowness . . .” G. K. Chesterton.
If you start thinking about how you appear to other people, perhaps you will go to greater lengths to protect the virtues God has given you. Do you want to be popular and a near-occasion of sin? Or do you want to be in God’s Graces? It is called free will.
“Modesty in human beings is praised because it is not a matter of nature, but of will.” Lactantius
Barba
I have often heard the phrase custody of the eyes but never really took time to think about it in today’s terms and life styles. One day, during a trip to the mall, I decided to try maintaining a strict custody of the eyes yet still do my planned shopping. That one trip to the mall showed me that it is near impossible to avoid seeing visual near occasions of sin without bumping into the people you are trying not to look at! Where has respect and modesty gone in this day and age?
You walk past the first store or shop and the mannequins in the window are dressed provocatively, showing off acres of enameled skin with all the details that can be put on a dummy. Even though these are not real people, little is left to the imagination - a near occasion of sin just waiting to be taken advantage of right there in public view.
If you are interested in refurbishing your underwear wardrobe, you will have absolutely no problem finding the department. There are numerous displays of garments that definitely should be kept under clothing. You and everyone else will know what is being worn under today’s clothing. My oldest son considers it gross right now but as he gets older what kind of impression will this make on him?
It isn’t easy telling the difference between the underwear and the bathing suit sections! Actually, there is more fabric in what is worn under clothing than is flaunted on the beach. How many times have you seen someone get flustered when a door accidentally opens and they are caught wearing just their underwear? Yet, these same ‘prudes’ go out in public with much less for the sake of fashion.
Weddings are not the pleasant occasions they once were in church. The brides seem to be having one last fling as they go down the aisle exposing excessive skin. The fashions they wear on their wedding day isn’t in line with what the purity of what a white wedding dress is all about. One woman told me that a deep, heart-shaped neckline was fashionable and it has always been the style to have a plunging back on the wedding dress. It is a classic style. Well, so is hell a classic.
One of the saddest fashion statements today can be found in the children’s section. Rack after rack of immodest fashions cut down for the four, five and six year old girls. Perhaps, the mothers think it is cute now but how will the child learn what is womanly and what is just, plain sinful. You can be a near occasion of sin at a young age and if the child doesn’t know better, wouldn’t you have to lay the blame at the parents’ door?
I often hear parents bemoan the fact that they have no control over what their children wear. Why not? If they aren’t over eighteen, who pays for the clothing. Do you just put up with super tight jeans and improper clothing for Mass to avoid confrontations? Today, the word ‘no’ is an underused word in the modern child-rearing vocabulary.
I think too many people go by what the majority do and figure that if everyone does it, then it is sanctioned by society. Of course, it is sanctioned by society but society hasn’t been a model for grace, spirituality and goodness for a long time. You don’t have to be of the world to be in the world. “To be merely modern is to condemn oneself to an ultimate narrowness . . .” G. K. Chesterton.
If you start thinking about how you appear to other people, perhaps you will go to greater lengths to protect the virtues God has given you. Do you want to be popular and a near-occasion of sin? Or do you want to be in God’s Graces? It is called free will.
“Modesty in human beings is praised because it is not a matter of nature, but of will.” Lactantius
Barba
Back to the schedule . . .
My son serves almost daily Mass at our parish so we have a lot of early mornings getting up and ready and there in time for him to help set up. Tuesdays, we take off so a growing teen can have one morning to sleep in to his heart's content. It is also my day to get an early start on my weekly overhaul of the house and getting into some neglected nooks and crannies that need cleaning. Lately, I've had this need to downsize things so have been sorting and tossing and giving away items I only see when I dig far enough into the depths of the closet! Hey, even one really cleaned cupboard seems to make the whole house feel elevated to a new degree!
Back to first-thing-in-the morning Mass today. I like morning Mass during the week as it is usually quiet and you have time for reflection to find a bit of peace in your soul. That was until a week or so ago when three people in the congregation, without permission, decided to sing hymns during the entire Offertory, throughout Communion, and a lengthy recessional that went on long after the priest had exited the church. The hymns are not uplifting but seem to have the tone and beat of something better sung around a campfire. One woman when up to one of the instigators and point blank asked WHY they were doing this. The woman replied, "To make people happy." The questioning woman retorted, "Well, it's NOT making me happy!" I just listen and observe. I learned a long time ago to not sweat the small stuff and to stay out of fights that arent' worth winning.
Anyway, on Mondy, the trio picked out three hymns that THEY didn't know the music for and it went from annoying to painful. I don't know how long they struggled with the recessional hymn, however, as I exited the church when the priest did.
It is really kind of sad that the laity of today takes over aspects of the Mass like this without checking with the priest who has been as surprised as the rest of us over this recent evolution.
So, it is with some interest to see if the pastor has heard about the recent 'changes' in morning Mass and if things have been toned down. Don't get me wrong, I like some uplifting music even at daily Mass but there should be some restraint. If everyone acted out on their desires to have the Mass celebrated THEIR way, it would end up being a most unproductive time of worship as it would be dealing with more ME than GOD.
Back to first-thing-in-the morning Mass today. I like morning Mass during the week as it is usually quiet and you have time for reflection to find a bit of peace in your soul. That was until a week or so ago when three people in the congregation, without permission, decided to sing hymns during the entire Offertory, throughout Communion, and a lengthy recessional that went on long after the priest had exited the church. The hymns are not uplifting but seem to have the tone and beat of something better sung around a campfire. One woman when up to one of the instigators and point blank asked WHY they were doing this. The woman replied, "To make people happy." The questioning woman retorted, "Well, it's NOT making me happy!" I just listen and observe. I learned a long time ago to not sweat the small stuff and to stay out of fights that arent' worth winning.
Anyway, on Mondy, the trio picked out three hymns that THEY didn't know the music for and it went from annoying to painful. I don't know how long they struggled with the recessional hymn, however, as I exited the church when the priest did.
It is really kind of sad that the laity of today takes over aspects of the Mass like this without checking with the priest who has been as surprised as the rest of us over this recent evolution.
So, it is with some interest to see if the pastor has heard about the recent 'changes' in morning Mass and if things have been toned down. Don't get me wrong, I like some uplifting music even at daily Mass but there should be some restraint. If everyone acted out on their desires to have the Mass celebrated THEIR way, it would end up being a most unproductive time of worship as it would be dealing with more ME than GOD.
Sharing Quotes . . . again!
Zoo: An excellent place to study the habits of human beings.
- Evan Esar
A man's respect for law and order exists in precise relationship to the size of his paycheck.
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
- Evan Esar
A man's respect for law and order exists in precise relationship to the size of his paycheck.
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
Brownies - Just another way to eat chocolate!
I usually bake some special treats for family and friends for Easter. Also, a lot of the Easter candy around this time of year makes good decorations for the various cakes and cookies. My family also treated me to a couple new cake pans at Christmas which I'm anxious to use . . . as soon as Lent is over!
One of the favorite cookies on a plate always seems to be brownies. While I have several recipes, I'm sharing one that is usually popular. For me, the combination of chocoate, orange, and hazel nut is hard to resist.
Mocha Hazelnut Orange Brownies
Eight ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter (two sticks)
5 eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons coffee crystals
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Stir in coffee crystals. Cool slightly. In another bowl, beat all, sugar and vanilla on high speed for five to eight minutes. Blend in melted chocolate mixture on low speed. All flour, beating just to blend. Stir in nuts.
Spread mixture in greased 13 x 9-inch jelly roll pan or in two 8 x 8-inch cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake.
Frosting
½ cup butter (one stick)
1 pound powdered sugar
3 heaping tablespoons Nutella spread.
Juice of one orange
Grated rind of one orange
Beat the butter and Nutella with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until well incorporated. Add grated orange rind and enough juice to make the frosting spreadable but not runny.
When the brownies are completely cooled in the pan, generously frost. To make them easier to cut, refrigerate until frosting is set.
One of the favorite cookies on a plate always seems to be brownies. While I have several recipes, I'm sharing one that is usually popular. For me, the combination of chocoate, orange, and hazel nut is hard to resist.
Mocha Hazelnut Orange Brownies
Eight ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter (two sticks)
5 eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 tablespoons coffee crystals
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Melt chocolate and butter in microwave. Stir in coffee crystals. Cool slightly. In another bowl, beat all, sugar and vanilla on high speed for five to eight minutes. Blend in melted chocolate mixture on low speed. All flour, beating just to blend. Stir in nuts.
Spread mixture in greased 13 x 9-inch jelly roll pan or in two 8 x 8-inch cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake.
Frosting
½ cup butter (one stick)
1 pound powdered sugar
3 heaping tablespoons Nutella spread.
Juice of one orange
Grated rind of one orange
Beat the butter and Nutella with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until well incorporated. Add grated orange rind and enough juice to make the frosting spreadable but not runny.
When the brownies are completely cooled in the pan, generously frost. To make them easier to cut, refrigerate until frosting is set.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Homemade Donuts!
Still cleaning out my files and rediscovered a favorite for when you want to spoil your family! The scent of these donuts always wakes my brood up from the soundest sleeps!
Cake Doughnuts
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
2 tablespoons shortening
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy kettle to 375 degrees.
Beat 1 ½ cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour. Turn dough onto well-floured board; roll out 3/8th inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve plain, sugared or frosted.
Cake Doughnuts
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
2 tablespoons shortening
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy kettle to 375 degrees.
Beat 1 ½ cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour. Turn dough onto well-floured board; roll out 3/8th inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 1 ½ minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve plain, sugared or frosted.
Go with the sales . . .
Apples have been on sale most every week this month. From what I understand, they can keep apples for months under special cooling conditions so when it starts wending it ways toward apple season, again, they start shipping them to the stores and any surplus always means a bargain for us! I remembered a favorite recipe that makes a fast but good enough for company dessert that uses apples. Hey, it's the cold day and the two hours before lunch that is making me read recipes today!
Quick Apple-Custard Cake
4 med. tart apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Grated rind of one lemon
¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 generous teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter or margarine
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch glass baking pan.
Toss the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice, two tablespoons sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon. Arrange apples in pan.
Melt the butter or margarine in small pan and cook until lightly golden. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Pour the browned butter or margarine into a bowl. Stir the ¾ cup sugar into the butter. Gently stir in the eggs; stir in the flour until blended. Spoon the batter evenly over the apples and spread into a layer. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar.
Bake until lightly golden and crusty, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool in pan. Cut into portions and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Quick Apple-Custard Cake
4 med. tart apples, cored and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Grated rind of one lemon
¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 generous teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter or margarine
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch glass baking pan.
Toss the apples in a bowl with the lemon juice, two tablespoons sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon. Arrange apples in pan.
Melt the butter or margarine in small pan and cook until lightly golden. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Pour the browned butter or margarine into a bowl. Stir the ¾ cup sugar into the butter. Gently stir in the eggs; stir in the flour until blended. Spoon the batter evenly over the apples and spread into a layer. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar.
Bake until lightly golden and crusty, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool in pan. Cut into portions and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Leftovers taste better!
It is interesting how some meals taste even better as leftovers. We had a roast beef on Sunday but are looking forward to the second round today when I simmer the slices of meat long and slow in homemade gravy. Another thing we like with such a meal is homemade noodles. I used to watch my mother make them and she took the whole process very seriously to the point that we didn't have them very often because it stressed her out! She would make her dough very stiff and it was a struggle to roll it out thin enough to slice into noodles.
Over the years, I have found that you can deal with a much more tender dough and still get the same results with a lot less angst! There is such a nice 'bite' to a homemade noodle that it makes the leftover meat and gravy seem like a new creation for the dinner table. I think I lot of people steer clear of even attempting noodle making out of a fear of failure. I'm here to tell you that it is hard to ruin them!
All you need is about three cups all-purpose flour and enough eggs to form a workable dough. It really depends on the weather and how dry it is to how many eggs are needed. So, that's it; eggs and flour! You make your dough, roll it out, cut it into strips and set them out on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper to dry a bit. When you are ready to cook them, get a big pot of water boiling with about a tablespoon of salt. You can add a dash of oil to prevent any possible sticking. Drop in your beautiful noodles, cook for about five minutes or possibly less - check on it, drain and serve.
You can roll them out super thin or have them thicker. They aren't like packaged noodles, at all. Very homey.
What I like about this recipe that even in budget-tight times, we usually have flour and eggs on hand. Also, you can deep fry the noodles for a crispy snack with either salt and spices sprinkles on or cinnamon and sugar.
I just had my oatmeal for breakfast and am already making myself hungry!
Over the years, I have found that you can deal with a much more tender dough and still get the same results with a lot less angst! There is such a nice 'bite' to a homemade noodle that it makes the leftover meat and gravy seem like a new creation for the dinner table. I think I lot of people steer clear of even attempting noodle making out of a fear of failure. I'm here to tell you that it is hard to ruin them!
All you need is about three cups all-purpose flour and enough eggs to form a workable dough. It really depends on the weather and how dry it is to how many eggs are needed. So, that's it; eggs and flour! You make your dough, roll it out, cut it into strips and set them out on a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper to dry a bit. When you are ready to cook them, get a big pot of water boiling with about a tablespoon of salt. You can add a dash of oil to prevent any possible sticking. Drop in your beautiful noodles, cook for about five minutes or possibly less - check on it, drain and serve.
You can roll them out super thin or have them thicker. They aren't like packaged noodles, at all. Very homey.
What I like about this recipe that even in budget-tight times, we usually have flour and eggs on hand. Also, you can deep fry the noodles for a crispy snack with either salt and spices sprinkles on or cinnamon and sugar.
I just had my oatmeal for breakfast and am already making myself hungry!
A most wonderful feeling!
Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it.
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Looking for inspiration . . .
I'm looking for inspiration, today, in my quilting. I've gone back to crocheting lately but my mind is always running through the fabric I have on hand and what I can do with the next quilt I make. Probably, if I could sell some of the backlog of quilts I already have made, it might make room for more inspiration!
My husband found a place that sells fabric by the pound which is a unique concept. We plan to check it out when the weather clears and time permits as it is about an hour from our home. We ran a 'test' at home and it would actually be a good price by the pound. Now, I just have to see if the quality will be worth a second trip. I still prefer the fabric warehouse where the fabric is top quality, just out of season like that really matters when it is all cut up and rearranged into a quilt!
I'm finishing up an Our Lady of Guadeloupe quilt and will post a picture when it is completed. Just handsewing left on it.
This week, we are catching up on doctor visits for my son and that keeps us running in and out of the house most of the day. He is so appreciative, of course, to be getting all this poking and prodding not to mention the update on his vaccines! Can't drag a quilt into doctor's office to work on while you wait!
My husband found a place that sells fabric by the pound which is a unique concept. We plan to check it out when the weather clears and time permits as it is about an hour from our home. We ran a 'test' at home and it would actually be a good price by the pound. Now, I just have to see if the quality will be worth a second trip. I still prefer the fabric warehouse where the fabric is top quality, just out of season like that really matters when it is all cut up and rearranged into a quilt!
I'm finishing up an Our Lady of Guadeloupe quilt and will post a picture when it is completed. Just handsewing left on it.
This week, we are catching up on doctor visits for my son and that keeps us running in and out of the house most of the day. He is so appreciative, of course, to be getting all this poking and prodding not to mention the update on his vaccines! Can't drag a quilt into doctor's office to work on while you wait!
Celebrating a chilly (chili?) day . . .
Although we have a break in the rain today, more is on the way. The temperatures turned a lot of the rain into hail, yesterday, which made it seem even colder and vastly annoyed out dog!
As usual, when it is too cold to venture out, my thought turn to keeping family warm, inside and out. This is a favorite recipe that is warming and brings everyone around the table for a light lunch or just a splurge of a snack on a dismal day.
Chili Cheese Fondue
1 small onion, chopped
2 T. butter
1 8-oz. can tomatoes, drained
1 4-ounce can diced, green chili
2 Tablespoon chili sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 lb. processed American cheese cubes
Saute onion in butter in pot. until golden. Add tomatoes and peppers. Mix cornstarch in chili sauce and heat at medium. Add cheese by thirds, stirring well after each addition. Serve with French bread, crackers,
corn chips, etc.
As usual, when it is too cold to venture out, my thought turn to keeping family warm, inside and out. This is a favorite recipe that is warming and brings everyone around the table for a light lunch or just a splurge of a snack on a dismal day.
Chili Cheese Fondue
1 small onion, chopped
2 T. butter
1 8-oz. can tomatoes, drained
1 4-ounce can diced, green chili
2 Tablespoon chili sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 lb. processed American cheese cubes
Saute onion in butter in pot. until golden. Add tomatoes and peppers. Mix cornstarch in chili sauce and heat at medium. Add cheese by thirds, stirring well after each addition. Serve with French bread, crackers,
corn chips, etc.
Annoying questions to ask your catechism teacher!
Annoying questions to ask your CCD teacher:
Is it a sin to mouth obscenities if you don't make any sound?
Is it okay to laugh at people in hell while you're up in heaven?
Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
Why is there suffering?
If there's life on other planets, are there aliens in heaven, too?
Do dinosaurs have souls?
Is neanderthal man in heaven?
Could God create a corn dog so big even God couldn't eat it all?
If you told a really, really good joke, would it make God laugh?
Wouldn't eternal bliss get boring after a while?
If you were a masochist in life, wouldn't it be a reward to be sent to hell and a punishment to be sent to heaven?
If I spent all my time praying instead of studying, would I get better grades?
Can the spirits of your dead relatives watch you when you go to the bathroom?
If money is the root of all evil then how come we have to have jobs?
If someone's been decapitated, are they still headless in heaven?
Is it a sin to mouth obscenities if you don't make any sound?
Is it okay to laugh at people in hell while you're up in heaven?
Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
Why is there suffering?
If there's life on other planets, are there aliens in heaven, too?
Do dinosaurs have souls?
Is neanderthal man in heaven?
Could God create a corn dog so big even God couldn't eat it all?
If you told a really, really good joke, would it make God laugh?
Wouldn't eternal bliss get boring after a while?
If you were a masochist in life, wouldn't it be a reward to be sent to hell and a punishment to be sent to heaven?
If I spent all my time praying instead of studying, would I get better grades?
Can the spirits of your dead relatives watch you when you go to the bathroom?
If money is the root of all evil then how come we have to have jobs?
If someone's been decapitated, are they still headless in heaven?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sadly . . . true!
Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.
Herbert George Wells
Herbert George Wells
Time for change?
Trying out a new background for the Blog. On a rainy, cold day this cheers me up. Would make good colors for a vibrant quilt, too.
My rant for the day!
Elections will be coming up, again, and everyone will be busy making their personal decisions for whom to vote. This is the American Way. You vote your conscience. If, however, all Catholics are voting their conscience, according to our Faith, why is it that we have had a pro-death president in the White House? Something isn’t right here.
When I question people about their stand on the pro-life movement, they are all for the sanctity of life . . . until they step into the voting booth. What happens to their conscience when they start to mark their ballots? What happens to saving the unborn when they put their mind to the vote at hand? And one vote does make a difference as the Catholic vote helped put our current president in the White House. Isn’t that sad to think about? Our faith, religion and morals should dictate caring for the unborn, no matter what. People will put their life on the line to show this yet they can’t cross party lines. Of course, everyone has a right to belong to the political party of their choice but have they taken the time over the years to find out what the party of their choice really stands for these days? I don’t think there is any pride to be found in bragging that you have never voted outside your particular political party. It shows a lack of thinking not the virtue of loyalty. There is such a thing as misplaced loyalty and it certainly isn’t anything of which to be proud.
How many parishes advocate pro-life yet the majority of their congregation votes the ticket that puts the very lives of the innocent on the line? Someone once told me that when I reach the Social Security years, I will change my political views dramatically when it comes to my monthly Social Security and related benefits. What a reality check! A living person is worried about a change in dollars and cents when they already have a full life. They vote for added comfort while unborn babies can be murdered brutally and legally even if they would be viable outside the mother’s womb. Perhaps the Social Security Catholics should worry about euthanasia as abortion is surely the precursor to that. If the life of a baby is so unimportant, how much more value would an elderly person have in this day and age?
A friend told me that her family votes for any candidate with a D following his or her name. The Democratic party hasn’t been very kind to the unborn for years. The current administration made sure that partial birth abortion remains a tragic option. I am not here to say that the Republican party is any better or worse. I think it is time to look at all the people running for the various offices and study their moral values and qualifications not their party label in order to bring morality back to the United States.
When I was in school, any time I saw a D following anything on my report card, I knew I was borderline for failure. Many of the candidates sporting that D are helping us head for moral bankruptcy with other political parties following closely in their footsteps. If we are serious in our concern for the unborn, then vote to safeguard the unborn. Wrongs never make rights and too many Catholic votes have deliberately taken away the rights of the unborn.
I like the way the priests and brothers at my son's former high school say the Pledge of Allegiance, “with liberty and justice for all, both born and unborn.” We say we are pro-life. Will the Catholic vote reflect this or will our vote show us to be selfish hypocrites again next election?
“A child is a pledge of immortality, for he bears upon him in figure those high and eternal excellences in which the joy of heaven consists . . .”
When I question people about their stand on the pro-life movement, they are all for the sanctity of life . . . until they step into the voting booth. What happens to their conscience when they start to mark their ballots? What happens to saving the unborn when they put their mind to the vote at hand? And one vote does make a difference as the Catholic vote helped put our current president in the White House. Isn’t that sad to think about? Our faith, religion and morals should dictate caring for the unborn, no matter what. People will put their life on the line to show this yet they can’t cross party lines. Of course, everyone has a right to belong to the political party of their choice but have they taken the time over the years to find out what the party of their choice really stands for these days? I don’t think there is any pride to be found in bragging that you have never voted outside your particular political party. It shows a lack of thinking not the virtue of loyalty. There is such a thing as misplaced loyalty and it certainly isn’t anything of which to be proud.
How many parishes advocate pro-life yet the majority of their congregation votes the ticket that puts the very lives of the innocent on the line? Someone once told me that when I reach the Social Security years, I will change my political views dramatically when it comes to my monthly Social Security and related benefits. What a reality check! A living person is worried about a change in dollars and cents when they already have a full life. They vote for added comfort while unborn babies can be murdered brutally and legally even if they would be viable outside the mother’s womb. Perhaps the Social Security Catholics should worry about euthanasia as abortion is surely the precursor to that. If the life of a baby is so unimportant, how much more value would an elderly person have in this day and age?
A friend told me that her family votes for any candidate with a D following his or her name. The Democratic party hasn’t been very kind to the unborn for years. The current administration made sure that partial birth abortion remains a tragic option. I am not here to say that the Republican party is any better or worse. I think it is time to look at all the people running for the various offices and study their moral values and qualifications not their party label in order to bring morality back to the United States.
When I was in school, any time I saw a D following anything on my report card, I knew I was borderline for failure. Many of the candidates sporting that D are helping us head for moral bankruptcy with other political parties following closely in their footsteps. If we are serious in our concern for the unborn, then vote to safeguard the unborn. Wrongs never make rights and too many Catholic votes have deliberately taken away the rights of the unborn.
I like the way the priests and brothers at my son's former high school say the Pledge of Allegiance, “with liberty and justice for all, both born and unborn.” We say we are pro-life. Will the Catholic vote reflect this or will our vote show us to be selfish hypocrites again next election?
“A child is a pledge of immortality, for he bears upon him in figure those high and eternal excellences in which the joy of heaven consists . . .”
To clarify . . .
Lest anyone think I believed that Catholics are not helping in Japan, that was not my intent. My musing was over the fact that our diocese took so long to initiate something and our parish didn't even put the recent disaster into the prayer petitions at Mass. I wasn't the only one concerned and we were all happy to see a special collection happen and it's been noted in the prayer petitions finally.
Some people I spoke with at our parish figured that since Japan was an Asian country and a weathly one, what would they want with our help. That shocked me, too, as this is a country in dire straits with problems coming from possible nuclear fallout, flood damage, and ongoing earthquake jolts. A need is a need no matter who has the problems and they should never be neglected.
I did hear on the news that the Red Cross over here was informed that the Japanese are grateful for the help and thankfully accept it.
I just wish our own diocese had been quicker and more vocal about the whole matter as disasters fade in the minds of people so quickly. When Chile has their earthquake, it was immediately noted the following Sunday with prayers and a collection.
Some people I spoke with at our parish figured that since Japan was an Asian country and a weathly one, what would they want with our help. That shocked me, too, as this is a country in dire straits with problems coming from possible nuclear fallout, flood damage, and ongoing earthquake jolts. A need is a need no matter who has the problems and they should never be neglected.
I did hear on the news that the Red Cross over here was informed that the Japanese are grateful for the help and thankfully accept it.
I just wish our own diocese had been quicker and more vocal about the whole matter as disasters fade in the minds of people so quickly. When Chile has their earthquake, it was immediately noted the following Sunday with prayers and a collection.
Definitely a bread-baking day . . .
Cold today! Snow in the mountains and enough wind to send a chilling breeze down into the valley. Perfect day for bread baking. I have to feel a little bit sorry for anyone who hasn't tried making bread. It does have a mystery about it as to how it all works out. I mean, you take flour, water, salt, and yeast and in a few hours you have fragrant loaves cooling on the counter or a tray of soft rolls to go with dinner.
My mother liked making sweet yeast pastries, as do it, but a loaf of homemade bread seems like such a wonderful thing to produce. I remember baking bread one Halloween evening and a little Trick or Treater thanked my husband for the candy and then exclaimed, "Boy, Mister, are YOU lucky!" Taken aback, my husband asked, "Why would you say that?" The little boy looked surprised and replied, "Just smell your house!" Homemade bread baking does that to people.
Although I had a basic understanding of bread making when I got married, I really got my expertise from my husband. In his single days, he got interested in making bread mostly from the scientific point of view. He would follow recipes exactly and enjoyed buying bowls and equipment recommended by whatever receipe/book he was reading at the time. He still like making bread but likes gardening better. Sometimes, I will put bread to rise and give him the enjoyment of forming the loaves when he comes home from work.
My favorite, basic recipe for bread is as follows:
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dried yeast
Water as needed
Put the yeast into a large (non-metal) bowl with 1/4 cup water and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and salt. Add water until you have a workable dough and turn out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth. Round it into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm place, and let rise until doubled. It can take anywhere from an hour to two hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The longer the rise, however, the more the taste developes.
When you dough has reached the double mark, form into rolls or loaves and place in greased loaf pans or baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again. Set your oven to 400 degrees. When the bread/rolls are ready, remove the plastic and bake. Rolls take about 15-20 minutes and loaves an hour-plus.
NOTE: Spray vegetable oil spray on the surface of the plastic wrap to avoid sticking and ruining the shape of your rolls/loaves.
With that said, I think I will go make bread!
My mother liked making sweet yeast pastries, as do it, but a loaf of homemade bread seems like such a wonderful thing to produce. I remember baking bread one Halloween evening and a little Trick or Treater thanked my husband for the candy and then exclaimed, "Boy, Mister, are YOU lucky!" Taken aback, my husband asked, "Why would you say that?" The little boy looked surprised and replied, "Just smell your house!" Homemade bread baking does that to people.
Although I had a basic understanding of bread making when I got married, I really got my expertise from my husband. In his single days, he got interested in making bread mostly from the scientific point of view. He would follow recipes exactly and enjoyed buying bowls and equipment recommended by whatever receipe/book he was reading at the time. He still like making bread but likes gardening better. Sometimes, I will put bread to rise and give him the enjoyment of forming the loaves when he comes home from work.
My favorite, basic recipe for bread is as follows:
6 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dried yeast
Water as needed
Put the yeast into a large (non-metal) bowl with 1/4 cup water and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and salt. Add water until you have a workable dough and turn out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth. Round it into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, place in a warm place, and let rise until doubled. It can take anywhere from an hour to two hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The longer the rise, however, the more the taste developes.
When you dough has reached the double mark, form into rolls or loaves and place in greased loaf pans or baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again. Set your oven to 400 degrees. When the bread/rolls are ready, remove the plastic and bake. Rolls take about 15-20 minutes and loaves an hour-plus.
NOTE: Spray vegetable oil spray on the surface of the plastic wrap to avoid sticking and ruining the shape of your rolls/loaves.
With that said, I think I will go make bread!
The first one, especially!
You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.
- Scott Adams
If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.
- John A. Wheeler
- Scott Adams
If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day.
- John A. Wheeler
Necessary rain . . .
My husband is a bit frustrated. He planned to put in his seedlings this weekend and the rain started coming down in torrents. The rain is good for the earth and he didn't lose his seedlings but he still is anxious to get his annual garden going and growing.
We started a real vegetable garden for the first time, last year. It took off wonderfully with more tomatoes than we could hardly use. I made tomato jam, froze slices of tomatoes, and slow baked garlic tomatoes to freeze for later use. We still have a couple bags of tomoatoes in the freezer. The price of tomatoes is often high around here so we had a summer and partial winter of real savings.
Our peach tree is in bloom. We had to trim it back but still hope for a good crop. It was a bumper crop last year. I also froze eight bags of sliced peaches which have come in handy for desserts and smoothies over the winter months.
Our orange and lemon tree still have fruit which we have to finish picking as the blossoms are in full force already. Oh, and I read that a good way to save an over abundance of lemons is to wash them thoroughly and freeze them! According to my information, when you need lemon juice, you take one of your frozen lemons, let it defrost and squeeze it as usual. Because of the freezing, it breaks down the cell walls so the juice is a bit more plentiful and it still tastes fresh. I've done the freezing phase and still have to try the juicing part.
I find the fresh items we enjoy amazing but nothing brings home the miracle of it all as when you see a tiny seed turn into part of your next dinner! God IS good!
Meanwhile, the rain continues . . .
We started a real vegetable garden for the first time, last year. It took off wonderfully with more tomatoes than we could hardly use. I made tomato jam, froze slices of tomatoes, and slow baked garlic tomatoes to freeze for later use. We still have a couple bags of tomoatoes in the freezer. The price of tomatoes is often high around here so we had a summer and partial winter of real savings.
Our peach tree is in bloom. We had to trim it back but still hope for a good crop. It was a bumper crop last year. I also froze eight bags of sliced peaches which have come in handy for desserts and smoothies over the winter months.
Our orange and lemon tree still have fruit which we have to finish picking as the blossoms are in full force already. Oh, and I read that a good way to save an over abundance of lemons is to wash them thoroughly and freeze them! According to my information, when you need lemon juice, you take one of your frozen lemons, let it defrost and squeeze it as usual. Because of the freezing, it breaks down the cell walls so the juice is a bit more plentiful and it still tastes fresh. I've done the freezing phase and still have to try the juicing part.
I find the fresh items we enjoy amazing but nothing brings home the miracle of it all as when you see a tiny seed turn into part of your next dinner! God IS good!
Meanwhile, the rain continues . . .
A Sad Anniversary . . .
Nine years ago, we joined the Christian Foundation for the Children and Aging. It is an organization that makes it possible for you to not only support a child in need overseas but to write them, exchange letters, and get to know them as a person not a charity case. It was after church when we approached the table spread out with photo files of all the children and elderly in need of a sponsor. I was immediately drawn to Lydia. She was eight years old and lived in Kenya. My own son was eight years old, too, so it was like having another daughter.
Lydia started sending me little notes very soon and told me about her dreams, how she was doing in school, and thanking me because our $30 a month was providing her with an education and food for her family. Very humbling when you think how little we stretch $30 over here!
By the time Lydia was sixteen, she had grown into a tall, beautiful girl with such dreams and we felt so proud of her and happy with our ability to have become an asset in her life. She was the oldest of eight so had the double responsibility of being a help to her family and doing well in school.
Last February, I got a telephone call from the foundation with the shocking news that Lydia had died suddenly. She had taken ill at school and went home early. She got worse during the evening and by the time they reached the parking lot of the hospital, she was dead. They think it might have been her appendix but it hardly matters after the fact. I still keep her letters and her picture is still on the refrigerator. It is amazing how a little girl in Kenya made such a difference in our lives.
I was just thinking about Lydia, today. She didn't reach her dreams on earth but I think Heaven will increase in glory having her there!
Lydia started sending me little notes very soon and told me about her dreams, how she was doing in school, and thanking me because our $30 a month was providing her with an education and food for her family. Very humbling when you think how little we stretch $30 over here!
By the time Lydia was sixteen, she had grown into a tall, beautiful girl with such dreams and we felt so proud of her and happy with our ability to have become an asset in her life. She was the oldest of eight so had the double responsibility of being a help to her family and doing well in school.
Last February, I got a telephone call from the foundation with the shocking news that Lydia had died suddenly. She had taken ill at school and went home early. She got worse during the evening and by the time they reached the parking lot of the hospital, she was dead. They think it might have been her appendix but it hardly matters after the fact. I still keep her letters and her picture is still on the refrigerator. It is amazing how a little girl in Kenya made such a difference in our lives.
I was just thinking about Lydia, today. She didn't reach her dreams on earth but I think Heaven will increase in glory having her there!
Thought for a Monday
“What kind of prayer is most efficacious? The most efficacious prayer is that which flows from obedience and obligation. In other words, those rather grim and everyday sources of grace for us and for souls. This does not signify that private prayer is of little value, for it has great value, but only in relationship to those of obligation is it of lesser value.” ~St. Maximilian Kolbe
This really hits home as it is so easy to lose ourselves in the act of prayer while forgetting that the mundane chores of life, done in good spirit, increase the value of our prayer life. I've met a few people who spend hours in church praying while they neglect the everyday job of caring for their family, doing their job, etc. Sometimes, you have to leave the 'church presence' of Jesus to find Jesus.
This really hits home as it is so easy to lose ourselves in the act of prayer while forgetting that the mundane chores of life, done in good spirit, increase the value of our prayer life. I've met a few people who spend hours in church praying while they neglect the everyday job of caring for their family, doing their job, etc. Sometimes, you have to leave the 'church presence' of Jesus to find Jesus.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A Prayer for Japan passed on to me by a friend . . .
Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU, Because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were.
Because this morning my home was still standing,
Because this morning I am not crying
Because my spouse, my child, my brother or sister, my parent does not need to be buried or to be pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete,
Because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water,
Because this morning I was able to turn on the light,
Because this morning I was able to take a shower,
Because this morning I was not planning a funeral,
But most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Japan.
Lord I cry out to you, the One that makes the impossible, possible,
The One that turns darkness in to light,
I cry out that You give those mothers strength,
That You give them peace that surpasses all understanding,
That You may open the streets so that help can come,
That You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye.
For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on!
Protect the children and shield them with your power.
I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!
Because this morning my home was still standing,
Because this morning I am not crying
Because my spouse, my child, my brother or sister, my parent does not need to be buried or to be pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete,
Because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water,
Because this morning I was able to turn on the light,
Because this morning I was able to take a shower,
Because this morning I was not planning a funeral,
But most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Japan.
Lord I cry out to you, the One that makes the impossible, possible,
The One that turns darkness in to light,
I cry out that You give those mothers strength,
That You give them peace that surpasses all understanding,
That You may open the streets so that help can come,
That You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye.
For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on!
Protect the children and shield them with your power.
I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!!
Finally!
I was very happy to find out, this morning, that a second collection was being taken up for Japan's recovery. I still feel that being a Faith that is supposed to 'be there' for the less fortunate and ones suffering disaster, that it should have happened last Sunday with a follow up collection this Sunday.
I was interested to hear that Catholic Relief Services is one of the biggest services in the world and has only a one percent deduction from each dollar donated for their administrative costs. Red Cross takes nine percent. Since we weren't adequately prepared to put in a check (we only had five bucks in cash which did go in!), we are going to check on-line about donating directly to Catholic Relief Services.
Amazing story, today, about a grandmother and her two grandsons being pulling from the rubble in Japan after nine days! There IS light in darkness if we look for it.
I was interested to hear that Catholic Relief Services is one of the biggest services in the world and has only a one percent deduction from each dollar donated for their administrative costs. Red Cross takes nine percent. Since we weren't adequately prepared to put in a check (we only had five bucks in cash which did go in!), we are going to check on-line about donating directly to Catholic Relief Services.
Amazing story, today, about a grandmother and her two grandsons being pulling from the rubble in Japan after nine days! There IS light in darkness if we look for it.
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