Here's a couple of pictures (don't worry I promise not to post pictures of any gifts that are being given to anyone who might read my blog! I'd never ruin the surprise!).
Decorating Bravery and Using What You Have
5 years ago
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Still Plugging Along
I'm still knitting like crazy on all my Christmas knits. I'm making pretty decent progress. I've finished 2 sweaters (ribbed and hooded), 1 felted bag, 1 pink monster toy, 1 pink headband, and 1 illusion scarf. I'm working on 1 backpack, 1 pair of socks, and 1 sweater. Still to go - 1 more sweater, 1 lace shawl, a pair of legwarmers, a tie, fingerless gloves, hats, and a Deady Bear and a snake, ... this is looking pretty good! I may actually get to end of the list; we'll see how it goes closer to the holiday.
Here's a couple of pictures (don't worry I promise not to post pictures of any gifts that are being given to anyone who might read my blog! I'd never ruin the surprise!).
Here's a couple of pictures (don't worry I promise not to post pictures of any gifts that are being given to anyone who might read my blog! I'd never ruin the surprise!).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Meet Your Meat
C'mon, if you're gonna eat it you should know how it gets to your plate. And let me tell you, life on the farm isn't what it used to be. The green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes portrayed in children's books have been replaced by windowless sheds, tiny crates, wire cages, and other confinement systems integral to what is now known as "factory farming."
Today the majority of farmed animals are:
~confined to the point that they can barely move,
~denied veterinary care,
~mutilated without painkillers,
~and finally slaughtered -- often while fully conscious.
Fortunately, each one of us has the power to help end this suffering by simply choosing to eat vegetarian.
A huge Thank You to ChooseVeg.com for this enlightening information. It's not pretty. But, it is a choice each of us is able to make every single day of our lives.
These animals have no choice.
Today the majority of farmed animals are:
~confined to the point that they can barely move,
~denied veterinary care,
~mutilated without painkillers,
~and finally slaughtered -- often while fully conscious.
Fortunately, each one of us has the power to help end this suffering by simply choosing to eat vegetarian.
A huge Thank You to ChooseVeg.com for this enlightening information. It's not pretty. But, it is a choice each of us is able to make every single day of our lives.
These animals have no choice.
Friday, October 3, 2008
A Few Words About Knitting
I have come to love knitting. Sometime back in the early 80s I decided I wanted to learn to knit. At the time I was very into needlepoint and embroidery and cross stitch. I’d bought a Reader’s Digest book on needlework through one of those mail-order book clubs – it had needlework directions and patterns in it for every kind of craft that used yarn or thread. Macramé, do you remember macramé? Of course, it also contained a section on knitting and one day I decided I was going to learn how.
Now, my mom has knit since I can remember. Some years she knit more than others, a reflection, I’m sure, on how much work her kids were requiring and how much money there was available to purchase yarn. As memory serves me, when I decided that I wanted to knit, I went to my mom and she gave me a pair of knitting needles (and undoubtedly some yarn too). I’m sure she showed me how to do the simple cast-on and the basic knit stitch. Around the same time I learned the knitting verse:
In through the window,
Run around the back,
Out through the window,
And off pops Jack!
(Can you picture the knitting sequence that goes with this verse?) With these simple steps learned I started knitting a garter stitch “scarf” for lack of a better term. Once I felt comfortable with the stitch, and I no longer inadvertently increased the number of stitches on my needle every few rows or left gaping holes from dropping stitches, I decided I was good enough to branch out and learn to purl.
After awhile, I started working my way through every single one of the knitting patterns in that needlework book – seed stitches to lace stitches. I knit dozens of 8-inch squares learning all of the knitting patterns in the book. I didn’t do much beyond this type of knitting – rectangular scarves or square wash cloths for a long, long time. I was still much more interested in needlepoint and embroidery.
Then one year I decided it was time to really knit something. I decided to knit everyone in my family (Myself, my husband, and my three kids) a sweater. My mom took me to Velona’s in Anaheim Hills and I picked out some beautiful Pingouin cotton yarn for my first attempt – the “Rare Flower” blue sweater in the Popeye knitting book – that I would make for myself. It was fairly slow going; I think the sweater took me a month to make knitting full time (stay-at-home mom, with kids in school!). It had colorwork flowers and a saying: “I am a rare flower,” and a cute little pocket on the sleeve. I learned to increase and decrease. I learned how to pick-up stitches for a neckband. I learned finishing techniques like sewn-in sleeves, and how to sew up side seams. And, it turned out great! I actually wore it numerous times!
The next sweaters that I knit were for my (then) husband – a fun pullover with a shawl color with Popeye on it out of fairly cheap acrylic; another great pullover for my youngest son with Hagar the Horrible on the front with more inexpensive acrylic; a beautiful black and white cotton pullover with a music note design for my oldest son; and a striped cotton button-up-the-front cardigan for my daughter.
I think that the fact that no one told me that intarsia knitting or fairisle knitting was supposed to be hard (read: “advanced”) was a blessing. I wasn’t at all intimidated by these sweaters. I liked knitting them. They were much more interesting than knitting plain old stockinette for an entire sweater! Sometimes having all those yarn bobbins hanging off the back got a little annoying, but for the most part I was totally engaged in my projects. And amazingly enough, all the sweaters fit their intended recipients! They must have been fairly good because a friend of my mom’s actually asked me to knit her a blue sweater just like mine!
For awhile after this, knitting came and went in my life. I’d pick it up for awhile then move on to something else – painting, jewelry making, embroidery, sewing, gardening, et cetera. But over the past 4 years knitting has become my first love. It is my go-to for relaxing on a Saturday after the farmer’s market. It works wonders when I come home after a freaking long day at work and I need to decompress. It is what I take on car trips to give my hands something to do, and I use it to keep my mind occupied on a plane trip. I knit when I can’t sleep. I knit to keep awake waiting for some member of my family to come home. I knit when I’m sitting and waiting for one appointment or another. I knit on my lunch hour (a three-hour break in between my split shifts). And recently, I’ve found a great group of friends – My Stitch ‘n Bitch buddies – to knit with. I always have some knitting project with me.
I am so into knitting that this year I’ve decided to knit Christmas gifts for my friends and family. It’s quite the list (or so I’ve been told), but I started back in July so I think it is manageable. Here is the list (without names attached to any project so my friends and family can actually read my blog and not spoil their Christmas):
1 long-sleeved sweater completely done in 5x3 ribbing,
1 hooded sweater in stockinette with a bit of colorwork,
1 lace hooded sweater,
1 long–sleeved cable pullover sweater,
1 lace shawl,
1 scarf
1 pair fingerless gloves,
1 pair legwarmers,
1 felted messenger bag,
1 backpack,
1 headband,
3 toys (snake, bear, & pink monster),
1 tie,
1 pair of socks,
and a few hats.
This is what I’ve accomplished so far: I’ve bought all of the yarn for all of the projects though I’m still deciding on the shawl pattern. I’ve completely finished 2 of the sweaters and have a good start on the third. I've finished the felted bag (which became a purse instead of a messenger bag) and the headband. I think I’ll start some more of the smaller projects and work on them at the same time as the last two sweaters. It is somewhat unusual for me as I don’t normally work more than one project at a time.
So, between now and Christmas I’ll try to keep everyone updated on my progress. I won’t post pictures until after the holidays (for obvious reasons) but I’ll try to get pictures of everyone with their gifts during the holidays and post them at that time. Wish me luck!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tattoo Time
I got a new tattoo this past weekend. I’ve loved tattoos since I was in my teens. I got my first tattoo back in 1987 at Laguna Tattoo in (where else?) Laguna Beach, CA. After 21 years I decided it was time for a new one. This time I really, really, really, wanted a tattoo to commemorate my love of needlework, especially knitting. Here is what I had done:
She is the Stitch ‘n Bitch pinup! It is still a little red and irritated, but I am absolutely in love with it! At some point I’ll probably join my older tattoo that ends on my right hip with this tattoo (it’s on my left calf) by getting one that goes across my left thigh. I have, oh, about 21 years to think about it!
So why, after 21 years did I suddenly decide to get another tattoo? Short answer - I don’t know; it’s just one of those things. It sort of happened like this: Joe and I were talking about his birthday tattoo - he’s going to have the Harwood family crest tattooed onto his calf. While we were chatting I decided to drive to Temecula to talk to the artists at 1st Amendment about getting my pin-up tattoo. He came along to talk with them about his tattoo. And voilà! 3-1/2 hours later I have a tattoo on my leg! Joe will get his next month for his birthday.
For a little history of the art of tattooing, read on...
Tattooing is an expression of beauty found throughout the world. The history of tattooing goes back thousands of years to most countries of the world.
In the Americas, ancient pottery fragments and fragments of ancient ceremonial objects show that North America's Southeastern tribal people have been using tattoos to decorate their bodies for centuries. The early European explorers were amazed at the complex designs covering not only the men's bodies but the women as well. Swift hands and delicate motions imbedded intricate patterns into the skin using turtle and fish bone needles and natural dyes. It took hours to create one segment of a design that would eventually, over years, cover the entire body. I can only imagine how an individual's life story could be read from the art on their body. Tattoos were also used on the face and body to give power to the individual wearing them. For example, paint or tattoos were used to create symbolic eagle eyes around the eyes of men, giving them the eyes of the eagle in flight.
Japanese tattoos are referred to in Japanese as irezumi which literally means the insertion of ink under the skin leaving a permanent mark or tattoo. Tattooing in Japan is thought to extend back to at least 10,000 years. The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have used tattoos for decorative and social purposes for many thousands of years.
Religious tattoos have been around for thousands of years but they haven't always been accepted as they are nowadays.
During the Roman Empire the practice of tattooing was almost eradicated in so called civilized culture. The Romans believed that the body was to remain in its purest form and tattoos had no place in this belief. Roman soldiers came across many tattooed barbarians in the expansion of the Roman Empire and as a result soldiers began bringing tattoos back into the civilized world.
As Christianity emerged it brought with it the secrecy of an underground religion in a Roman state of intolerance. Christians began tattooing crosses on the underside of their forearms as a secret sign to other Christians. This was a bold statement of their faith, although secret, a Christian caught with a cross tattoo would be killed immediately.
Several accounts of tattooing in Palestine can be found in travel journals of Christian pilgrims and the practice continued well into the twentieth century. In 1956, a professional tattooist, Jacob Razzouk was using tattoo designs carved on woodblocks that had been handed down from father to son in his family since the seventeenth century. The blocks he used were copied and published in Carswell’s book Coptic Tattoo Designs, printed in a limited edition of 200 copies in 1956. The book contains reproductions of 184 prints together with descriptions of the traditions and symbolism associated with each design.
Throughout history it has become commonplace for tattooed individuals to be set apart or outside society. But times are changing. More than a millennium after church authorities condemned tattooing as a sin, there is a surge in people getting religious tattoos. Christians are inking their bodies with images of crosses, sacred hearts and angels. And, for a small but growing subculture within evangelical Christianity, religious tattooing is becoming more and more a form of expression of individuality, identity and faith. Instead of worshipping religious representations displayed on stained glass windows of the local church, people find meaning in inscribing images on their own private temple of the Holy Spirit.
Abiding by the principle that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, most conservative Christian churches have set limits on bodily expressions, whether these expressions are in the form of tattoos, piercings, extreme hair styles, et cetera.
As far as tattoos go, the Bible has different decrees open to different interpretation. For example Leviticus says:
"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead,
nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
But, in his Letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul says:
"Let no one cause me trouble,
because I bear on my body the marks of Jesus"
Other biblical passages from Exodus to Revelation describe divine symbols being placed on the bodies of believers. Since the Emperor Constantine banned the practice in the third century because it violated God's teachings, attempts by religious authorities to prohibit tattooing have met with limited success.
Tattoos have not only risen in status to become popular and acceptable within all classes of society, in some milieus, tattoos have achieved an elevated degree of aesthetic value. Tattoo art and artifacts have value. Tattoo, a previously ignored and marginalized practice, is undergoing a process of cultural re-inscription. New meanings of tattoo are being generated by exhibitions that reframe tattoos as art. Recent international exhibitions in American galleries and museums suggest that cultural experts are now speaking on behalf of tattoo culture.
A great link for pictures of tattooed women in history and general tattoo history: http://www.lyletuttle.com/tattoohistory/pasttattooedwomen.html
She is the Stitch ‘n Bitch pinup! It is still a little red and irritated, but I am absolutely in love with it! At some point I’ll probably join my older tattoo that ends on my right hip with this tattoo (it’s on my left calf) by getting one that goes across my left thigh. I have, oh, about 21 years to think about it!
So why, after 21 years did I suddenly decide to get another tattoo? Short answer - I don’t know; it’s just one of those things. It sort of happened like this: Joe and I were talking about his birthday tattoo - he’s going to have the Harwood family crest tattooed onto his calf. While we were chatting I decided to drive to Temecula to talk to the artists at 1st Amendment about getting my pin-up tattoo. He came along to talk with them about his tattoo. And voilà! 3-1/2 hours later I have a tattoo on my leg! Joe will get his next month for his birthday.
For a little history of the art of tattooing, read on...
Tattooing is an expression of beauty found throughout the world. The history of tattooing goes back thousands of years to most countries of the world.
In the Americas, ancient pottery fragments and fragments of ancient ceremonial objects show that North America's Southeastern tribal people have been using tattoos to decorate their bodies for centuries. The early European explorers were amazed at the complex designs covering not only the men's bodies but the women as well. Swift hands and delicate motions imbedded intricate patterns into the skin using turtle and fish bone needles and natural dyes. It took hours to create one segment of a design that would eventually, over years, cover the entire body. I can only imagine how an individual's life story could be read from the art on their body. Tattoos were also used on the face and body to give power to the individual wearing them. For example, paint or tattoos were used to create symbolic eagle eyes around the eyes of men, giving them the eyes of the eagle in flight.
Japanese tattoos are referred to in Japanese as irezumi which literally means the insertion of ink under the skin leaving a permanent mark or tattoo. Tattooing in Japan is thought to extend back to at least 10,000 years. The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have used tattoos for decorative and social purposes for many thousands of years.
Religious tattoos have been around for thousands of years but they haven't always been accepted as they are nowadays.
During the Roman Empire the practice of tattooing was almost eradicated in so called civilized culture. The Romans believed that the body was to remain in its purest form and tattoos had no place in this belief. Roman soldiers came across many tattooed barbarians in the expansion of the Roman Empire and as a result soldiers began bringing tattoos back into the civilized world.
As Christianity emerged it brought with it the secrecy of an underground religion in a Roman state of intolerance. Christians began tattooing crosses on the underside of their forearms as a secret sign to other Christians. This was a bold statement of their faith, although secret, a Christian caught with a cross tattoo would be killed immediately.
Several accounts of tattooing in Palestine can be found in travel journals of Christian pilgrims and the practice continued well into the twentieth century. In 1956, a professional tattooist, Jacob Razzouk was using tattoo designs carved on woodblocks that had been handed down from father to son in his family since the seventeenth century. The blocks he used were copied and published in Carswell’s book Coptic Tattoo Designs, printed in a limited edition of 200 copies in 1956. The book contains reproductions of 184 prints together with descriptions of the traditions and symbolism associated with each design.
Throughout history it has become commonplace for tattooed individuals to be set apart or outside society. But times are changing. More than a millennium after church authorities condemned tattooing as a sin, there is a surge in people getting religious tattoos. Christians are inking their bodies with images of crosses, sacred hearts and angels. And, for a small but growing subculture within evangelical Christianity, religious tattooing is becoming more and more a form of expression of individuality, identity and faith. Instead of worshipping religious representations displayed on stained glass windows of the local church, people find meaning in inscribing images on their own private temple of the Holy Spirit.
Abiding by the principle that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, most conservative Christian churches have set limits on bodily expressions, whether these expressions are in the form of tattoos, piercings, extreme hair styles, et cetera.
As far as tattoos go, the Bible has different decrees open to different interpretation. For example Leviticus says:
"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead,
nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."
But, in his Letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul says:
"Let no one cause me trouble,
because I bear on my body the marks of Jesus"
Other biblical passages from Exodus to Revelation describe divine symbols being placed on the bodies of believers. Since the Emperor Constantine banned the practice in the third century because it violated God's teachings, attempts by religious authorities to prohibit tattooing have met with limited success.
Tattoos have not only risen in status to become popular and acceptable within all classes of society, in some milieus, tattoos have achieved an elevated degree of aesthetic value. Tattoo art and artifacts have value. Tattoo, a previously ignored and marginalized practice, is undergoing a process of cultural re-inscription. New meanings of tattoo are being generated by exhibitions that reframe tattoos as art. Recent international exhibitions in American galleries and museums suggest that cultural experts are now speaking on behalf of tattoo culture.
A great link for pictures of tattooed women in history and general tattoo history: http://www.lyletuttle.com/tattoohistory/pasttattooedwomen.html
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Humane Society has Endorsed a Presidential Candidate!
This quote from the Humane Society’s statement of its unprecedented endorsement of a presidential candidate:
”…..Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R-Alaska) retrograde policies on animal welfare and conservation have led to an all-out war on Alaska’s wolves and other creatures. Her record is so extreme that she has perhaps done more harm to animals than any other current governor in the United States.
Palin engineered a campaign of shooting predators from airplanes and helicopters, in order to artificially boost the populations of moose and caribou for trophy hunters. She offered a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf as an economic incentive for pilots and aerial gunners to kill more of the animals, even though Alaska voters had twice approved a ban on the practice. This year, the issue was up again for a vote of the people, and Palin led the fight against it – in fact, she helped to spend $400,000 of public funds to defeat the initiative…….”
They are endorsing Obama/Biden.
”…..Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R-Alaska) retrograde policies on animal welfare and conservation have led to an all-out war on Alaska’s wolves and other creatures. Her record is so extreme that she has perhaps done more harm to animals than any other current governor in the United States.
Palin engineered a campaign of shooting predators from airplanes and helicopters, in order to artificially boost the populations of moose and caribou for trophy hunters. She offered a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf as an economic incentive for pilots and aerial gunners to kill more of the animals, even though Alaska voters had twice approved a ban on the practice. This year, the issue was up again for a vote of the people, and Palin led the fight against it – in fact, she helped to spend $400,000 of public funds to defeat the initiative…….”
They are endorsing Obama/Biden.
Hug a Vegetarian Day
Okay. This Friday, September 26, 2008 is
HUG A VEGETARIAN DAY
So, go find your favorite vegetarian and give 'em a great big hug! What?! You say you don't know a vegetarian?! Well, go out and meet one. We tend to hang out at places like Sprouts and Trader Joes...
HUG A VEGETARIAN DAY
So, go find your favorite vegetarian and give 'em a great big hug! What?! You say you don't know a vegetarian?! Well, go out and meet one. We tend to hang out at places like Sprouts and Trader Joes...
Monday, September 22, 2008
She's a Woman Now!
Campbell has started laying eggs!! She started on Friday and has laid an egg a day since. They are still kinda small - about the same size as small or medium eggs found in the grocery. But since she just started, I'm guessing she'll end up laying extra-large ones when she's fully developed. I think Lipton is more proud than Campbell. He crows and crows until I come out and see the egg. Then I take it away and he walks the fence complaining. No pleasing that guy! Campbell shows no signs of wanting to sit which is fine by me. I really don't need more chickens. Well, actually, more hens would be nice but since I have a 50/50 chance of getting more roosters, I'm not interested in hatching any! So, a nice half-dozen eggs per week! Perfect for baking or making the odd french toast or pancake breakfast. And since I know they are humane I feel fine about using them!!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Time For Work and Time For Play
I love working a split shift. Why? Because I have time in the middle of my workday to go and sit with my stitchin' friends and chat and stitch and bitch and drink weird coffee drinks. For three hours I get to do this! Twice a week! And because I'm working those crazy-long ten hour days I GET FRIDAYS OFF!!!!!!!!!! That equals a three-day weekend EVERY weekend! Now that is just boss!!!!
So today was one of those great stitch-n-bitch days. We talked about the crazy but cute-as-can-be baby blanket that required something close to a million circular needles to work; the cutest darn project bags ever and how they net some of us (this would be you Alicia; see http://www.brentandalicia.blogspot.com) some great yarn on those nutso Ravelry swaps (go check her etsy store and you too can have a bag!); how some of us just walk in and employees simply hand them drinks like they are regulars or something (Maggie, I KNOW I didn't see you walk in and order that drink); and the podcast addictions of some others (namely myself).
So, in my last post I admitted to my podcast addiction. And, silly me, I asked for some knitting podcast suggestions. Well, in some people's (M's!!) attempts to enable me in my addiction, I received a couple of great suggestions. But, as podcasts will want to do, one or two knitting podcasts have multiplied like tribbles (remember Star Trek?). I have added SEVEN more podcasts to my list and they are all about knitting, or in the case of one, about all kinds of crafting. At the request of Alicia, here's a list of the ones I added. Sorry I don't have links to these, but I use itunes and just do a search using the titles.
Sticks and String
CraftyPod - the podcast that's all about making stuff
Knit Naturally
Knit Obsession with zknits
Knittingatnight's Podcast
Stitch it!
It's a Purl, man
Check them out. They are all pretty good.
So today was one of those great stitch-n-bitch days. We talked about the crazy but cute-as-can-be baby blanket that required something close to a million circular needles to work; the cutest darn project bags ever and how they net some of us (this would be you Alicia; see http://www.brentandalicia.blogspot.com) some great yarn on those nutso Ravelry swaps (go check her etsy store and you too can have a bag!); how some of us just walk in and employees simply hand them drinks like they are regulars or something (Maggie, I KNOW I didn't see you walk in and order that drink); and the podcast addictions of some others (namely myself).
So, in my last post I admitted to my podcast addiction. And, silly me, I asked for some knitting podcast suggestions. Well, in some people's (M's!!) attempts to enable me in my addiction, I received a couple of great suggestions. But, as podcasts will want to do, one or two knitting podcasts have multiplied like tribbles (remember Star Trek?). I have added SEVEN more podcasts to my list and they are all about knitting, or in the case of one, about all kinds of crafting. At the request of Alicia, here's a list of the ones I added. Sorry I don't have links to these, but I use itunes and just do a search using the titles.
Sticks and String
CraftyPod - the podcast that's all about making stuff
Knit Naturally
Knit Obsession with zknits
Knittingatnight's Podcast
Stitch it!
It's a Purl, man
Check them out. They are all pretty good.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What's on my iPod
I like podcasts. I think it might be close to an addiction; it takes forever for my podcasts to update each day, which is my indicator that there may be a problem. So, here is the list of podcasts that I listen to: 60-Second Science; MicrobiologyBytes; BrainStuff: The HowStuffWorks Podcast; Chris Evans Drivetime - The Best Bits; Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4; NPR: Fresh Air; NPR: Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me; Science Weekly; The Ellen DeGeneres Show in A Minute; What Not To Wear: Trends; and WhoWhatWear. This looks to me to be a mix of comedy - American and British, Fashion Trends, and Science. Now that is just plain weird. And I must say, I've been looking for a knitting Podcast. Know of one? What do you think? Do I need to be concerned? Please leave a comment and let me know!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Eating from my CSA box
This year I read this book called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver.
I loved this book. Synopsis from the book's web page: "Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.
"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."
After reading this book, I decided to try my best to eat as close to home as I could. In doing my research I found a local CSA Group(Community Supported Agriculture) - the Inland Empire CSA (www.inlandempirecsa.com). I signed up for a year's "subscription" at about $30 a week. For this I get an entire box of fresh, local, yummy, organic produce!
I picked up my first box on Saturday morning at the Temecula Farmer's Market. I took it home and my mouth started watering!!!! Here's what was in it:
Sage honey, Figs, Apples, oranges, Peaches, Plums, Jujubes, Tomatillos, Onions, Garlic, Eggplant, Anaheim Chiles, Armenian Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Arugula, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocados, Oregano, Mint and Basil.
The figs are all gone; so are the jujubes - YUM! The tomatillos and chiles are now fresh salsa, along with one of the onions and some of the tomatoes. The eggplants are going to be Eggplant creole as of tonight.
And it is LOCAL, meaning I did not pay for the fuel or contribute to the global warming problem in order for this stuff to be trucked here from The Central Valley, or flown here from Argentina!!!!! It grows right here in Riverside County!, at Sage Mountain Farm in Aguanga and De Luz Farms and Nursery in
Temecula! You need to check this out if you live in Riverside County! You owe it to yourself and your family to eat where you live! They have pick-up spots all over the place - Idyllwild, Palm Springs, Riverside, Anza, Hemet, and more!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag!
Paper or plastic? Neither, please! Eco-friendly bags are lightweight, reusable, inexpensive, roomy and strong. And I mean roomy and strong - a typical grocery trip for me used to be 20 to 30 plastic bags. The same amount of groceries uses 10 canvas bags. WAY fewer trips from the car to the house! Seriously, 1 canvas bag holds SIX 2-liter bottles of soda!
Don't like the bags you can buy at the grocery store? Want some really cool ones? Go online and get some! I like this web store: http://www.reusablebags.com/. I purchase my kitchen trash bags (totally compostable), my doggie poop bags (totally compostable), wraps for my lunches (no ziplocks necessary and my sandwich bread stays soft), and other fun stuff like my canvas/net shopping bags that are good for the environment not for trashing it! There is also tons of information on this web site - ways in which you too can help save our earth for our kids and grandkids.
Don't like the bags you can buy at the grocery store? Want some really cool ones? Go online and get some! I like this web store: http://www.reusablebags.com/. I purchase my kitchen trash bags (totally compostable), my doggie poop bags (totally compostable), wraps for my lunches (no ziplocks necessary and my sandwich bread stays soft), and other fun stuff like my canvas/net shopping bags that are good for the environment not for trashing it! There is also tons of information on this web site - ways in which you too can help save our earth for our kids and grandkids.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Race for the Cure
I'm entered! Support me! It's my third year! Let's do what we can to put an end to breast cancer! Last year I had a lump. Scared me. It was nonmalignant. This year I had another. It was nonmalignant. Some day it might be cancer. I'd like to know there is a cure out there!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!
Well, maybe not lions, tigers or bears, but a sincere OH MY! I did a head count on the home pet population today: Pop 13. Broken down it equals 2 dogs, 6 cats, 2 chickens, 2 rats and 1 snake. What, am I insane?! Very possibly. Begging for unconditional love? Probably.
Let's meet the pack in order of accrual:
Tinker. Domestic shorthair cat (aka mutt cat). Grey and white, 20 lbs. Age unknown. Adopted from the local vet when his former owner had to move to a rest home. Niki (daughter) was home then and she worked for this aforementioned vet. Tink had been living in one of the kennels for 2 or 3 months and she could no longer stand it. She asked if I wanted him, I said of course! Tinker moved in.
(I can't believe it, but I removed tons of personal photos from this computer. I'll bring a photo of Tink in later).
Lucy. Ball Python. About 5 years old. Approx 1 meter long. Adopted from work. The students were driving her nuts. She eats frozen rats; warmed up of course. She is sooooo sweet!
(Photo of Lucy coming later also).
Louie. Boston Terrier. 2-1/2 years old. Adopted from a local rescue. I was innocently on my way to Home Depot to get house stuff. PetSmart happened to be having their adoption day. I saw a cute little boston terrier in one of the cages. I stopped. Now, I have ALWAYS wanted a boston just like Aunt Pearl and Uncle Mel's dog. I yelled "That is my dog!" Paul (hubby) and Joe (son) were in the car and were sure I'd lost my mind. I got out, went over, knowing full well that they were gonna tell me the dog had already been adopted. It was already 2pm for goodness sake. Well, not one person had even asked about him!!! I looked at Paul and Joe. Said, "Would you mind having him?" They said it'd be fine. He was mine!!! I had to run to the ATM and get out the adoption fee, then stop and get a collar and leash. In the time it took me to do this, 5 people stopped and tried to adopt him! I am SURE he was meant to be mine. His name was Lucifer. I hated that and changed it to Louie. Some days I know why he was named Lucifer.
Mouse and Rose. Rats. Grey and white, about 2 years old. They were supposed to be snake food. Couldn't do it. Don't have photos but I'll take some. Rose has a tumor now, but she seems happy. She eats tons!
Bubba Dude. Great Pyrenees, 8 months old, 80 lbs. Adopted from my hairdresser's mother-in-law. She had EIGHT of these dogs living in her house! She had to give some away. Now, understand that Louie (see Boston above) is NOT dog friendly. I really wanted another dog, but was afraid to get one because I was sure Louie would kill it. Then I heard about Bubba and realized that he was so big (at 5 months he weighed 50 lbs which was twice Louie's size!) and so lovey that Louie would HAVE to end up being his buddy. I brought Bubba home and Louie hated him. For 2 days he did nothing but try to get at him. Now they are best friends! The usual game of tug-of-war is a little more in Bubba's favor (he's just a tad bigger), but Louie never gives up.
Let's see. Next came Lipton and Campbell. One Brown Leghorn Rooster (Lipton) and one Barred Leghorn hen (Campbell). I work at a college, in the biology department. We do experiments. One is all about development. One of the things we do in this lab is incubate chicken eggs for various periods of time, open them up, and look at the developing chick. VERY. HARD. LAB. FOR. ME. Normally we destroy any eggs not used. This semester I just couldn't do it. I kept the 4 leftover eggs in the incubator and waited to see if any would hatch. 2 hatched. One black/yellow chick and one chipmunk colored chick. They imprinted on me and thought I was their mommy! (Yes, it really is true that the first animal they see becomes their mommy.)
This is them sitting on my desk at work. I took them home every night and brought them back to work every day. They went "cheep, cheep, cheep" VERY LOUDLY whenever they couldn't see me! I waited to see how they'd look when they grew up....
Here they are at 4 months. The rooster is Lipton and the hen peeking out from behind him is Campbell.
They don't think I'm their mommy any more. As a matter of fact, Lipton now tries to spur me. But he is just so beautiful!!! I can't do that lab anymore knowing that these gourgeous creatures are what we destroy. Campbell will start laying eggs in the next month or so. My family cringes whenever I start wondering out loud if I should let any of them hatch.
Who's next... Punkin' and her babies! I stole her. No, really, I stole her. She was our neighbor's kitten. She started "becoming a woman" and the neighbors wouldn't take her in to get fixed. The male cats started hanging out. She tried fighting with them. One clawed her eye and it got badly infected. The neighbors refused to take her to the vet. REFUSED! I called animal control when I found her dying in my garage. An officer came out and forced them to get her veterinary care. It was too late for her eye, she lost her eye. And they still didn't get her fixed. So, surprise!, she got pregnant. They said she was too young, that she wasn't really pregnant, only fat. STUPID PEOPLE! Anyway, after she had her kittens (in my yard of course) we brought her and her babies into our house and there they stay! Punkin and her 4 babies - 3 girls and 1 boy. We're still naming them, but so far one girl is named after Gus Gus (the mouse in Cinderella) cuz she is so fat; and the boy is named Jack. Everyone will get shots and fixed and hopefully new homes. Or not. They can always hang with us.
So, I guess I'm a little animal crazy. But I just can't imagine a home without pets. The "experts" say that people with pets live longer. If it goes by the number of pets I should live to 125!!!!!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Why Vegetarian?
I get asked why I'm a vegetarian. Why anyone cares is beyond me, but hey, some people care who other people want to go to sleep with also.
So, why have I chosen to eat veges and not meat? Many reasons. The main one? Because eating other earthlings makes me want to vomit! I mean seriously, why would I want to eat one of my fellow creatures? Because they can't talk; because they can't say, "Hey, I don't want to die"? Because I have opposable thumbs and they don't? Because supposedly I am "better" than they are? Or more "important" in God's eye? Who said? God certainly has never told me I am any more important than any of his other creatures. He did say to take care of them. I just don't believe eating them is what he meant by "taking care of them"; sounds a little "godfatherish" to me: "Hey, Stanley, I want you to take care of that guy."
Another reason... Factory Farms are Mean and Nasty! And, unfortunately, most of the meat products found in our local stores comes from factory farms. These are cruel places where unspeakable things happen to animals. Don't think so? Watch the movie "Earthlings". You can find it on Google for free.
Why else? Because as a scientist I understand the benefits of being a primary consumer. I realize the benefits of eating those primary producers (plants) whose cells produce all those energy rich organic molecules that my body needs, without having to first pass through a herbivore (cow) and loose so much of that available energy. Hello! The available energy decreases at each step! I'm staying close to the original energy source (the sun).
If that's not enough, how about land use issues. We only have so much land available to produce food. It takes a whole lot more land to produce a pound of cow than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! It takes a whole lot more energy to produce a pound of chicken than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! More than 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to create cropland to grow grain to feed farmed animals. According to scientists at the Smithsonian Institute, the equivalent of seven football fields of land is bulldozed every minute, much of it to create more room for farmed animals. Of all the agricultural land in the U.S., nearly 80 percent is used in some way to raise animals—that's roughly half of the total land mass of the U.S.
Then there is the whole global warming issue. A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. Greenhouse gases cause global warming, which studies show will increasingly lead to catastrophic disasters—like droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and disease outbreaks—unless we drastically reduce the amounts emitted into the atmosphere. Many conscientious people are trying to help reduce global warming by driving more fuel-efficient cars and using energy-saving light bulbs, but they could do more simply by going vegetarian.
So there you have it. This is why I'm vegetarian. Do I care one whit if you are? Not so much. I don't care who you are sleeping with either, but that is a whole different topic.
So, why have I chosen to eat veges and not meat? Many reasons. The main one? Because eating other earthlings makes me want to vomit! I mean seriously, why would I want to eat one of my fellow creatures? Because they can't talk; because they can't say, "Hey, I don't want to die"? Because I have opposable thumbs and they don't? Because supposedly I am "better" than they are? Or more "important" in God's eye? Who said? God certainly has never told me I am any more important than any of his other creatures. He did say to take care of them. I just don't believe eating them is what he meant by "taking care of them"; sounds a little "godfatherish" to me: "Hey, Stanley, I want you to take care of that guy."
Another reason... Factory Farms are Mean and Nasty! And, unfortunately, most of the meat products found in our local stores comes from factory farms. These are cruel places where unspeakable things happen to animals. Don't think so? Watch the movie "Earthlings". You can find it on Google for free.
Why else? Because as a scientist I understand the benefits of being a primary consumer. I realize the benefits of eating those primary producers (plants) whose cells produce all those energy rich organic molecules that my body needs, without having to first pass through a herbivore (cow) and loose so much of that available energy. Hello! The available energy decreases at each step! I'm staying close to the original energy source (the sun).
If that's not enough, how about land use issues. We only have so much land available to produce food. It takes a whole lot more land to produce a pound of cow than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! It takes a whole lot more energy to produce a pound of chicken than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! More than 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to create cropland to grow grain to feed farmed animals. According to scientists at the Smithsonian Institute, the equivalent of seven football fields of land is bulldozed every minute, much of it to create more room for farmed animals. Of all the agricultural land in the U.S., nearly 80 percent is used in some way to raise animals—that's roughly half of the total land mass of the U.S.
Then there is the whole global warming issue. A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. Greenhouse gases cause global warming, which studies show will increasingly lead to catastrophic disasters—like droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and disease outbreaks—unless we drastically reduce the amounts emitted into the atmosphere. Many conscientious people are trying to help reduce global warming by driving more fuel-efficient cars and using energy-saving light bulbs, but they could do more simply by going vegetarian.
So there you have it. This is why I'm vegetarian. Do I care one whit if you are? Not so much. I don't care who you are sleeping with either, but that is a whole different topic.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Ravthelete
I did it! I finished my olympic sweater before the closing ceremonies! I got my "medal". I can't post pictures of the sweater because it is a gift and the giftee can't see it till christmas. But here is my Medal:
Blessings Inherent in Having a Dirty House
Never in my life did I think I'd consider a dirty house a blessing. I've come to realize over the last year or so that I'd much rather live and play with my family of kids and animals than have a "showpiece" house. It's been a rather slow conversion...
It started with the granddaughters coming to live with us. This is what I knew: little kids are messy. When my kids were little I had a messy house. But I didn't care. Then they grew up, and I became obsessed with having a "perfect" house. The cleanest, prettiest, best decorated house in all the world. Or at least in my part of the world. All fine and good when I only have myself and my house to care for. Then 3 years ago, the granddaughters came. They were 7 and 8 years old. They were messy. I went NUTS trying to keep that same spotlessly perfect home. I screamed. I pouted. I was a martyr. I made everyone miserable.
Then, two years ago I rescued a puppy. An 8 month old Boston Terrier named Louie. He wasn't exactly potty trained. I had brand new hardwood floors. I had a brand new wool area rug in the living room. I had brand new carpet in the rest of the perfectly spotless house. Hmmmm. New floors and a new puppy that had no idea that he shouldn't potty in the house. More screaming. Not at the dog mind you, he didn't know better. No, I shouted at everyone else because they left it to me to make sure he was taken out to potty. They left it to me to clean up the accidents. And the dog hair!!!! Guess what I learned? Short haired dogs shed. Alot. And those little black hairs stick everywhere!
Clearly I wasn't miserable enough. This last May I rescued another puppy. A five month old Great Pyrenees named Bubba. Now, this dog isn't little, nor is he short haired. When I got him he was a fifty pound, long haired bundle of slobbery puppy joy! And he sheds, boy does he shed! And did I mention he slobbers? Oh, he slobbers. On EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!
Guess what? I couldn't keep up with the mess. So I gave up. I quit. I pouted. And guess what else? No one cared! People didn't come over and whisper about how my lovely showpiece house fell apart around my ears. No one made comment about how messy I was. Nothing bad happened. At all.
And I learned to relax. And I learned I could stop yelling at people. And stop pouting because I'm playing the martyr. I can accept the piles of white fur floating around the house and getting into my knitting. And make jokes about how I have a black furry chaise instead of a beige one. And laugh when I look at the wall and there is dried slobber on it. And now I have time to knit. And I have time to play. And I enjoy my family and my dogs. The messy people. The people I love!
It started with the granddaughters coming to live with us. This is what I knew: little kids are messy. When my kids were little I had a messy house. But I didn't care. Then they grew up, and I became obsessed with having a "perfect" house. The cleanest, prettiest, best decorated house in all the world. Or at least in my part of the world. All fine and good when I only have myself and my house to care for. Then 3 years ago, the granddaughters came. They were 7 and 8 years old. They were messy. I went NUTS trying to keep that same spotlessly perfect home. I screamed. I pouted. I was a martyr. I made everyone miserable.
Then, two years ago I rescued a puppy. An 8 month old Boston Terrier named Louie. He wasn't exactly potty trained. I had brand new hardwood floors. I had a brand new wool area rug in the living room. I had brand new carpet in the rest of the perfectly spotless house. Hmmmm. New floors and a new puppy that had no idea that he shouldn't potty in the house. More screaming. Not at the dog mind you, he didn't know better. No, I shouted at everyone else because they left it to me to make sure he was taken out to potty. They left it to me to clean up the accidents. And the dog hair!!!! Guess what I learned? Short haired dogs shed. Alot. And those little black hairs stick everywhere!
Clearly I wasn't miserable enough. This last May I rescued another puppy. A five month old Great Pyrenees named Bubba. Now, this dog isn't little, nor is he short haired. When I got him he was a fifty pound, long haired bundle of slobbery puppy joy! And he sheds, boy does he shed! And did I mention he slobbers? Oh, he slobbers. On EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!
Guess what? I couldn't keep up with the mess. So I gave up. I quit. I pouted. And guess what else? No one cared! People didn't come over and whisper about how my lovely showpiece house fell apart around my ears. No one made comment about how messy I was. Nothing bad happened. At all.
And I learned to relax. And I learned I could stop yelling at people. And stop pouting because I'm playing the martyr. I can accept the piles of white fur floating around the house and getting into my knitting. And make jokes about how I have a black furry chaise instead of a beige one. And laugh when I look at the wall and there is dried slobber on it. And now I have time to knit. And I have time to play. And I enjoy my family and my dogs. The messy people. The people I love!
I Just Watched:
"Awakenings", with Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams. Directed by Penny Marshal. 1990.
Quick synopsis: A true story about the victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years ago who have been catatonic ever since. A new drug offers the prospect of reviving them.
What I learned: There is no such thing as a simple miracle. Also, we humans need to Love living! Truly be alive every day and appreciate that we are here, now, with all the abilities or disabilites we have.
What I will try to do: Live my Life. Not exist day to day, but truly Live.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Ravelympics
What? Ravelympics? I'll explain. I belong to a knitter's online world called Ravelry. It's a great place to connect with other knitters, find patterns, log projects and yarn stash and knitting books, yadda, yadda, yadda. The "powers that be" in the Ravelry world decided to have a little fun and start a knitting olympics to coincide with the real olympics. We chose a project, and had to start and finish during the two weeks of the olympics. It was supposed to be a challenge for the knitting "athlete". I endered the WIP Wrestling event on Team MINE!. WIP stands for Work in Progress. I have been working on a sweater and needed some impetuous to get-er-done! I am almost there! I have until noon on Sunday! Will I make it??? Cue olympic music...
If I do, I will get a gold medal to post right here on this blog!
If I do, I will get a gold medal to post right here on this blog!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
What exactly does one do with a blog?
Everyone seems to be blogging these days. Or reading blogs created by others. Just what does one do with a blog? I intend to find out.
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