Holiday Traditions

I love the lights, music, and happy spirit of the Christmas season. Making gifts, decorating, baking and cooking, and watching heartwarming movies makes the holiday time fun and cozy. I sometimes become overwhelmed at the thought of all the presents to present to offspring, but I believe I have overcome that hurdle this year (more on that later).

In the past singing in various choirs has been a wonderful way to bring the holiday mood up. I haven't sung in a holiday choir for a few years, since I tend to get a bug in my throat at this time of year; I'm not fighting it, I am just lying low and enjoying everyone else's fabulous singing.

Here in the Northwest we have a situation that doesn't happen in every part of the country (though more in other parts): It's dark here A LOT. It gets fully light at about 8:00 AM, and fully dark by about 4:00 or 4:30 PM, depending on how cloudy it is. This makes for enhanced enjoyment of Christmas lights. Bless all of you who put up light extravaganzas and even leave them on until morning! I have been taking a 1-hour walk early in the morning (dark) and give many thanks for the lovely front yards and rooftops that have interesting, colorful shows, seemingly just for me. I have read this season comments on various blogs and news establishments about how un-green Christmas lights are, and how much it costs to have them going. Bah humbug to that! When you barely have 8 hours of daylight, Christmas lights are more than simply a way to celebrate the season, they truly light up lives. Mine, at least.

Do you have holiday traditions that help you enjoy the season?

Forgiveness, Letting Go

A well-known religious leader has said: "He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool."

I have been pondering on the benefits of forgiving others, and of letting go of past hurts. I have had little bits and pieces of news about loved ones and things that have gone on between them. These have given me a chance to evaluate the real usefulness of being angry, hurt, and hanging on to the emotional baggage from things that happened a long time ago. I have lots of experience at having my feelings hurt, just like anyone.

So, let's say someone does something really mean or low to me. Suppose it's a family member, a person I will run into at family functions forever. What do I do? Do I stop visiting family because I may encounter this relative? Do I end all family relationships because someone (intentionally or unintentionally) hurt my feelings? I am not sure this is the answer to having a peaceful, fulfilling, and happy life, which is what I am after.

One of the sisters who taught me in Catholic school said, "Very few people care enough about you to really hurt your feelings." And, in all honesty, she's right. Who are the people that care about me? This (fictitious) family member who was careless with her words didn't really know what she was talking about; she didn't know the facts about what was going on with me. And the people who aren't close to me don't have a clue about me or the things that may hurt me anyway. So....

"Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself." In my experience, letting go of the hurt is being good to myself. It is a form of self-nurturing and a way of taking back my own personal power. If I stay away from activities and people that are good for me because I may have to deal with someone that's been mean to me, who wins? Not me, that's for sure. And, at this Christmas season, it's nice to be able to focus better on the richness of the season by being free of the heaviness and heartache of hard feelings held close.

So, here is my wish to all of you (my 3 dear followers and whoever else lands on this page) that you have a happy, heartwarming, and joyous holiday

I've Mislaid My Camera

Hence, no photos.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. We will have my 3 sons plus Justin and Chloe. A few others have been invited, though I don't know who will actually be here.

The Menu:

Turkey (whole, skin included)
Gravy
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Cranberries (canned)
Fruit Salad
Green Bean Casserole
Whitney Walton's Grandma's Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Cranberry Blueberry Delight
Real Whipped Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream

Sounds yummy! I think I will make pies and rolls on Wednesday.

50 Things Project Complete!

I have conquored the 50 things. I have gotten rid of the following 50 things that weren't doing me any good. It feels good to have lightened my earthly load.

Here is my list. Though I am finished with the project, I will continue to eliminate the junk in my life.

1. Mother Goose book to Helene
2. Textbooks
3. Full sized bedskirt
4. Bag of crafting suplies I will never use
5. Small baskets
6. Skirt and Swim Suit Chloe's outgrown
7. Results of closet clean-out (more stuff)
8. Posted 4 more books on paperbackswap.com
9. Small pair reading glasses
10. Stationery
11. Leftover cards from Christmas past
12. Basketball hoop
13. Trampoline (sorry, kids)
14. All the junk on the dryer
15. 6 broken drumsticks (He said no, but right in front of him I threw them away.)
16. Broken binder
17. Earmuffs
18. Queen size sheet set to Tim
19. Useless dog toy
20. Expired shortening and mixes from the pantry
21. Two tops that are now too big
22. Three pair old eyeglasses
23. A pair of Josef Seibel fisherman sandals that have never really fit
24. Brita water filter pitcher
25. T-shirt scraps from Zach's future quilt
26. Many unmatched, useless socks
27. 2 animal food dishes
28. Non-functioning sewing machine
29. Bottles I am never going to fill w/homemade root beer
30. Outdated stuff on the bulletin board
31. Those irritating mismatched plastic containers and their lids that kept falling out of the cupboard and totally irritating my husband
32. Shoe-repair pile (okay, pair)
33. Blender repaired (hurray!) and to Cecilie
34. Favorite jeans--too big--cut up for Christmas Stockings
35. Magazines
36. Plastic bags
37. An entire bookcase!
38. Plastic cannister set
39. More books
40. Juicer that wasn't worth the $.99 I spent on it
41. Bowls
42. Binder
43. Electronic games we're done with
44. MORE books
45. Cosmetics, etc.
46. Hubby's cast-off clothes
47. Zach's calculator
48. Nursery rhyme book to Stacy
49. Dishcloths and hankies to Mom and Rachel
50. Leather Gucci backpack

The Simple Life

Disclaimer: Keep in mind this is MY philosophy, and my husband and children do not always support or agree with my crazy ways.

Michael Schut has said, “What we buy, how we eat, and our means of transportation are...votes that can move us toward or away from abundant living.” I like to think that these also propel us closer to or farther away from the simple life as well. In my adult life I have worked to create a simpler life for my family and me using this philosophy.

Now, don't get me wrong: Simple is far from easy. Simple is another way I look at the personal back-to-basics movement I enjoy finding myself in as I navigate this world and my life. I have no idea where it all began or where I developed my ideas, but I can say my family of origin (yes, including my eccentric mother) had part in it, too.

I grew up in a home where we didn't fill up every day with soccer practice, music lessons, or scouts. Mom's hands were full with our large family and there was enough for her to do without the added stress of driving us around or being a team mother. We learned to read, play, cook and bake, do all sorts of needlework and crafts, and, finally, get along with neighbors, both young and older. This was a wonderful foundation for the life I live now.

What We Buy
My personal philosophy around buying stuff is pretty simple. We buy clothes, shoes, books, and other things we use secondhand either at thrift or antique stores or online through Craigslist or Ebay, unless we make them instead. I especially like trading for things, like at paperbackswap.com, or simply giving my extra things to someone who needs them. Shopping is not a way to pass the time, and buying things is not something for which to set aside time unless there is a need. When I acquire things I try to make sure to buy reusable, such as cloths rather than paper towels, and things like that. I must say we buy new, generally, for gifts and Christmas, unless we give homemade. We have acquired skills like needlework and woodworking, and have plenty of great tools and materials to support our hobbies and habits.

How We Eat
We are working on eating locally by growing our own and saving seeds, shopping close to home at smaller, locally run establishments, and by raising our own laying hens. We live in a modest suburban neighborhood and can't keep other animals, and I am searching for a local source for fresh milk. We bought a quarter of a grass-fed local beef, and that has been wonderful. Shopping at the local farmer's markets or purchasing a share in CSA have been part or our food habits as well. I store/stockpile basic food, including whole grains, and cook mostly from scratch. Why go to the store for bread or cookies when I can bake them here? I can't say this for every member of the family, but meals and snacks are better for us and yummier when they are fresh and homemade, and don't fill our garbage can to overflowing each week with rubbish.

Our Means of Transportation

We tend to drive beaters. We own a 1990 Ford truck, a 1987 Camry wagon, and a 1979 Mercedes (diesel), which is about to be sold. The 16-year-old is fixing up a 1982 Ford Econoline. We are blessed with a 2002 Prius. Since we are the parents of many children, we have gone through many cars, too, and are able to share with them when they need us to do so. We are, however, advocates of carpooling, public transportation (we have buses and ferries in our neck of the woods), cycling, and the old standby, walking, and do these frequently.

All in all, the simpler life that we have created serves us well. I look forward to many years of acquiring more skills and fewer things. It is interesting to see and predict just how this lifestyle will come out later in our children.

Crown Replacement

No, I didn't win a beauty contest. I had a wonderful lunch of popcorn, but noticed an extremely crunchy crunch toward the end of the bowl. After finishing up I checked my back tooth (crown) in the mirror, and lo and behold, it was jaggedy and multi-hued, and a trip to the dentist was in order.

Luckily, I got in at 2:30, and spent the rest of the day there.

Now I get to deal with the aftermath.

On a different note, I am happy to report that I have made great progress on my 50 Things Project, and am almost finished. You've all heard of Spring Cleaning, I am sure, but I have been doing Autumn Cleaning with a fury. Closets that contained who-knew-what are now rather empty and clean. Cabinets, bookcases, and end tables have been exorcized of their excess baggage and burdens. It is a wonderful thing, and I think I will try it every now and then. The timing is good for me, before Christmas, when projects take up the space that my junk has taken up in the past. I highly recommend it.

I have found myself thinking about what to get rid of all the time. I have had dreams about it. I have even made strides in growing as a person while working on this little project.

One thing that has helped has been that we went over the budget and I am on something of a self-imposed spending freeze. This means I am not buying things to take the places of the objects of which I have rid myself. No (thrift store) shopping therapy for me! I have put time that I may have spent shopping to good use, though, and have begun making my way through the great unknown in my home and garage.

Have you ever had an exorcism like this? What was it like?

Autumn

Our Northwest weather is wet and cool, reminding me every day lately that it is definitely autumn. Our wonderful maple in the front yard has been reflecting brightness into the living room as it does every year, making it seem as if the sun is out, even if it's not. The leaves are mostly a vivid yellow, and they were littering the yard and street before I raced outside to rake most of them up when the rain let up earlier today. My compost pile is beautifully covered with colorful leaves and topped with the dozen red roses that Allan surprised me with week before last, which are spent.

My 50 Things Project continues. It is surprising what are coming out of the cobwebs to find homes elsewhere. It is also amazing what I have kept and what I can live without. Pet food dishes? Really!

Since I have rid this house of the first and most obvious layers of unnecessaries, the challenge becomes more...challenging. I have some general ideas of where to look for more opportunities to let go. I am finding that if I am open, things just come to me. Something I never would have predicted is now happening: There is room on my shelves where books used to be. Not tons of room or anything, just space on each shelf where books are actually leaning, not jammed into soldier-straightness. So exciting!

This is like spring cleaning, only the opposite time of year. Could this be a new tradition?

Moving Through the 50 Things Project

Wow, it's hard to believe how difficult it is to get rid of 50 things! All the work I have done, and it's only like 14 things. Now, granted, I am not counting each button and screw I found on the dryer as an individual thing, but really. I keep going to the same places in the house and attempting to find something I don't want to keep. I did just find a photo album that I never opened, a gift from the past. But I am thinking of keeping that in the gift basket in the closet for a future gift, not getting rid of it. Hmmm.

So, I have completely cleaned out the linen closet in the upstairs hall, and I have begun to clean out the coat closet in the den downstairs. I have found that, since I don't live alone, I stumble upon (shelves and boxes of) things that don't belong to me, and I don't get to decide about the contents of those shelves and boxes. One example is a mysterious box over on what was once my husband's side of the garage. On the very top of the open box is a typing instruction book. Simply out of curiosity I picked up the book (which I long ago asked my husband if he really needs, and he said maybe) and looked at the copyright: 1970. It looks much older. It isn't, however, my book to get rid of, so I am keeping my hands off.

There are lots of things like that in our garage and various rooms in the house. My son's room is totally jammed with things. I know; when I stumble upon something that I think may be a candidate for my 50 things, I will just ask. There are a dozen broken drumsticks in the den; if you see them on my list, you will know I have succeeded.

The 50 Things Project

Yesterday I read The 50 Things Project and decided to give it a try. I have been collecting things lately, a pastime when I am feeling stressed out. Maybe compulsion is a better word. But the time has come to, once again, purge. The object of the project is to "Just get rid of fifty things that are serving no purpose in your life." When Kate described this, I get the impression she was talking about stuff around the house and yard, but I am hoping to get rid of less tangible things, too, like maybe a lousy attitude about something or other. So, for the next few weeks, look for my list of 50 things, which will start tomorrow.

I just began cleaning out my closet, because a friend handed me down some beautiful suits I couldn't pass up. Since that was last week, though, I won't count my beginning closet emptying as one or more of the 50 things. One of the things I am the happiest about is a little purse that I have gotten much use out of, but that is becoming frayed and is actually too small for my needs. I have kept it more for sentimental reasons than anything else. Goodbye!

Also this past week I posted like 20 books on paperbackswap.com, where I trade books. Already I have had requests to send out 4 books--a great way to get rid of stuff. The only drawback is that I tend to order and receive as many books as I send out, so it may not actually be in the spirit of The 50 Things Project. Although, in all honesty, I do use some of them as gifts. It is, however, nice to realize I don't need to hang on to every book on my shelves. Now, I won't count the previously posted books from paperbackswap as one or some of my 50 things, but other books I find new homes or uses for I will count.

Wish me well on my journey. Would any of you care to join me on your own?

Full Swing into Autumn

The wedding is all over, except for the leftover food and napkins, and it's good to be through it. Rhiannon was a beautiful bride, and tears sprang to my eyes when I saw Kyle standing in front of his family and all of us, waiting for his wife-to-be to join him for the ceremony. I am happy to have a new son-in-law and the bonus of a first grandchild.

Autumn has arrived in full force, with our first frost this past weekend. I have denuded the pumpkin patch and have much garden clean-up to do. Leaves are blazing and the furnace is keeping the house cozy. Egg production is a little bit down. Rain and warmer weather has set in, so outside chores are a bit different and inside cooking is turning to comfort foods. I enjoy this time of year.

My good friend and walking partner of sorts texted me the other night asking if I have a good recipe for zucchini bread and do I want some. I said yes, thinking she meant bread (but she didn't), and became the proud possessor of 2 huge zucchini. Now, I have some summer squash left to eat from my own garden--I made sure to pick it small and tender. These whoppers take a little more effort! The first one I stuffed with, well, stuffing. It was good, and lasted through one dinner and a number of lunches. Allan suggested the second be prepared like eggplant parmesan at Olive Garden. Here's what I did: I sliced the zucchini into rounds, breaded the slices, and pan fried them. I put them in the oven for 20 minutes. While this was going on I prepared a nice red sauce from tomato paste, water, onion, garlic, and spices. All was going well, but I didn't really like the donut-shaped zucchini patties. I ended up stuffing them with leftover ham from the wedding. I layered everything in a pan with sauce, parmesan and shredded mozerella. It was a hit with all those who would try zucchini.

In preparing for the holidays, I generally cut out sugary treats around Halloween and stay away from them until well after the first of the year. With the stress of the wedding and other things going on, I turned to food as usual. I have taken off 24 pounds this year through counting calories (and staying at a certain level) and upping the exercise a bit, and need to continue losing, but am at a plateau which is not being helped by my less-than-helpful choices. So I started the first phase of the South Beach plan, which is sort of a cleanse of the no-sugar-no-starches variety. This is helping me stay away from the goodies! I already feel better with more veggies and less junk in my system.

What do you do to prepare for the holidays? What are your favorite autumn foods and activities?

The Wedding Date is Advancing

Preparations for Rhiannon's wedding are coming along swimmingly. I am suddenly sewing bridesmaids dresses and contrasting boleros. Also, cap sleeves for the wedding dress. Not to mention food. I am over the food procurement, preparation, and presentation.

The first dress I made was great, just whoppingly too big for Chelsea, sister of the groom. I went by her measurements, and chose what I thought was the appropriate size. It needed major adjustment, since it's strapless and Chelsea really wants it to stay where it belongs! Taking it in was more difficult than all the rest of the work. But it's just about finished, and looked good, and will be just fine. Then it was on to Cecilie's dress. Now, Cec wouldn't measure herself for me, so I am just winging it on size, remembering how Cec looks and the sizing differential between pattern and actuality. She will be coming over today, and I have finished the top of the dress for her to try. I will not go and farther until it is proved to be the right size.

Sundaylee's dress is another matter altogether. She's the smallest of the bridesmaids, she's out of the area, and will not be able to try this on too much before the big day. I will have to ponder what to do about that one.

This is such an exciting time in family life. All of our children are in the area, and being together is a reminder of how we all came to be who we are.

Living a Week From My Pantry

Over the summer our cannery specialist noticed a challenge on one of the food storage sites I enjoy. The challenge would be sometime in September, and would involve feeding the family for a week without going to the store. During times of financial stress many years ago I did this on occasion, but I haven't done it in many years, with the storage I have now, with the husband I have now, or the child at home now. (I didn't even tell the 16-year-old.)

The challenge was to be sometime in the month, but we would get no warning, it would just happen. On the website there were many challenges within the challenge, and limitations and exercises each day of the challenge. I opted out of those, going only for living off our storage for the week, and not shopping for any groceries. The challenge began last week, and today is the last day. Yay!

I cheated twice. The first day we were out of milk, and hubby and son are cereal eaters. Dilemma! I had soymilk (a little, anyway), since I don't drink milk, so I was fine and offered to share. I went ahead and bought the milk, in the spirit of the peacemaker, and Allan abstained from it in the spirit of preparedness. No granola! He did well and ate a lot of hash-brown-and-egg breakfasts that he made himself while I was on my walk. He is such a man of habit/routine that I was surprised by this, but he is also faithful and flexible. It showed this week.

The other cheat was Saturday. Silas was to work for his soon-to-be-brother-in-law on a house painting project after our weekly trip to Port Orchard for a check-in. He needed to be at the workplace by 10, and generally doesn't eat before the PO trip. I bought him a sandwich for breakfast, not having thought ahead on that one. Oh, well.

All in all we did pretty well. I got out the crock pot and made 2 kinds of chili and tuna and noodles, all new recipes. I fixed homemade treats more than usual, since the granola bars ran out. We ran out of apples, a lunchtime staple, but lived through it. I made some homemade whole wheat bread, which I like to do anyway, but had to since we ran out of bread. Sourdough biscuits were tried and enjoyed. We have lots of butter in the freezer. There are blackberries on the vine right now around here, and my daughter's fruit trees are ready with plums and asian pears, so there wasn't a shortage of fresh fruit. We enjoyed a few things from the garden. I even did the unthinkable and got up at 3:00 am and fixed sausage gravy for Allan to eat before his leaving on a business trip this morning. I find that having purchased 1/4 of a beef last winter has really paid off, too. All in all it was a fortunate week to need to rely on what was around.

One of the things that made everything so easy is that we are almost empty nesters, and Allan is so easy to live with. He's just happy when there's dinner on the table! When kids were around, since we had the milk, it was no big deal--pretty much the way we live anyway. We did have an ice cream request last night, but we said no, that brownies alone would have to do this time. I did miss my weekly-ish date night, which usually consists of going out for dinner (and circumstances came up that would have precluded that date anyway). I also felt the pinch when I was out and about at noontime and yearned for a whopper junior. But that's okay, I don't want to be doing that anyway!

Simply at Home

I had the amazing opportunity to attend my daughter's bridal shower, given by her stepmother. The day couldn't have been more perfect for a party on the deck of their amazing home. Rhiannon was showered with gifts, all of them lovely, tasteful, useful, and welcomed. Rhiannon was a gracious bride, the games were fun, and the refreshments were delicious.

While at the shower, I had the chance to become acquainted with my children's step-aunts, of whom I have heard much. The three sisters are physician, attorney, and IT project manager at Boeing. I find people so interesting, and these women didn't let me down. Again, as always, I came to the point where I was asked the age-old question, "So, what do you do?"

What is it that I really do? I could write out a veritable laundry list of what I do every day, and it is a lot! So many things interest me, and one of the luxuries I have is pursuing these things on a daily basis. Another thing I do is keep house, though not very seriously, nor well. We generally always have clean clothes, an empty kitchen sink, and can see the floor in most rooms. Ah, yes, and cannot smell the bathrooms (in that yucky way) from anywhere in the house. I prepare meals from scratch the majority of the days of the week. And, of course, I parent this 16-year-old child of mine who has had his share of life's drama.

One thing I do, sometimes, when questioned about what it is I do, is talk about the work I do as a volunteer. That opens all kinds of doors to conversation, and puts me on more of a level playing field with someone who works in "the world." But, actually, comparing my 5 hours a week to their horrible commute, 40+ hours of money-making, upwardly mobile rat race doesn't quite feel authentic or fair, either.

When I answer that always-asked question about what I do, I say, "I am at home," and the conversation pretty much comes to an end. There is no mention of community service, or master's degree, or intensive daily study of whatever I am studying right now. Or writing. My former social work and incredible commute don't come up. No one discusses the cool vegetable garden I carved out of the weed patch in my front yard, or the laying hens I adopted, both of which help my family be self sufficient and eat locally. The topic of my court-involved addicted son never sees the light of day. And fresh-ground whole grain homemade bread and the joys of thrift store shopping? Come on.

I don't need to justify my life to anyone--except maybe my husband, but he doesn't ask for that. I have value as a human being and contributing member of society, whether people get me or not. My way of living is the best way for me, right now. And that's all I have time for today, because the buzzer is going off and I have to get my sourdough biscuits out of the oven.

Productive Day

This week I am taking the challenge from a nifty food storage site and am living off my stored/home-produced food. My personal goal is to not buy anything until next Wednesday. Easy? So far so good. With our dinner we had baby potatoes from the garden, along with some squash. Yum! I am not participating in the disaster prep activities from the website, but I am living off what we have in the house for a week. I have always wanted to do that.

I don't believe I have ever really canned anything from my garden before, but I just pickled some beets. I have never really been a big beet-eater, nor have my family members. I was a little disappointed in how the beets taste, so I decided to pickle them. So beautiful in their little jars! Like jewels.

I baked some whole wheat bread (I grind wheat berries into flour), since my daughter asked me to provide her with some every now and then. It has been a satisfying day.

California Dreaming

I was blessed to attend the party celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary in Van Nuys, California, at a place called the 94th Aero Squadron. There was a full buffet and lots of visiting, not necessarily in that order. It was a great day and a fabulous venue. The company and food could not be beat.

Now I am back home and remembering fondly the people I visited and warm sunny days. I picked some lemons from the little tree in my folks' backyard and have made lemon butter to capture the memory, if that is possible.

Doorknob

This is just a silly little musing, but we have been having a bit of trouble with our doorknob. Irritating!

To prepare for this blog entry, I needed to do some studying. In my endless quest for knowledge (hah!) and my zeal for knowing how things work (if they affect me in a major way) I found the above diagram of doorknob parts and vocabulary. Many thanks to http://www.et.byu.edu/groups/cmfac/acuppett/Lessons/Hardware/DoorknobDiagram.gif for their great picture.

The problem was that our deadlatch was not springing into place when we released the doorknob. This was of concern as the cat and wind would push in the door at the most inconvenient times (which is anytime). Allan and I decided that it was time to get a new front door assembly. When Allan priced these at Home Depot, however, the least expensive one he could find was SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS. He decided, and I agreed, that $75 was simply too much to pay for this problematic piece of hardware.

Now, this may seem unrelated, but bear with me, since I promise you it will all come together. Allan has been on vacation this week, and has been working on home improvement projects galore. We went to Builders Bargains-Habitat for Humanity, which is a thrift store of used and sometimes new (leftover) building materials. We were looking specifically for white exterior paint for the deck (didn't find) and tile (found!) for the counters we are putting together in the laundry room. I happened to find some other stuff I liked a lot, like some brackets for shelves I plan on putting up in the laundry room, as well as some lovely knobs to complete the cupboards and cabinets in (you guessed it) the laundry room. While I was pawing through the knobs I noticed Allan in another section playing with doorknobs. He had spent some time working on what we have in the door, trying to make do. We left without anything, but Allan had memorized some doorknobs in his quest to figure out the problem of ours.

Last night he decided to make the incredible investment of $1 for one of the doorknobs he had seen at Builders Bargains. I was on assignment to pick one up (after a cursory lesson on what to look for) while I was down at that end of town. And lo and behold, our doorknob, including deadlatch, is working perfectly!

I love recycling, making do, repairing (or at least having Allan repair), and finding ways to save money. And learning new vocabulary words. So, so satisfying.

First 5K

Yesterday I ran in a community event for the first time in my life. I have been to many to support others in their running, but I have finally felt like doing one myself. The Race for Literacy, a fund-raiser for Kitsap Literacy Council, was a very small run, but had a very personal feeling to it. My good friend Melanie came to support me and run, too. Allan and Silas were waiting at the finish line, a total surprise. I finished under 35 minutes. Now I have a time to beat. Melanie is encouraging me to run in other 5Ks around the sound.

One interesting thing that we did after the run was visit the local author, Gregg Olsen, who was present for a book-signing as part of the event. He was so interesting! He had written a book I had read, called Starvation Heights, along with some fiction. He is also working on a book about a Bremerton murder in the 1990s. I love doing things like that with Melanie, because she asks questions that I would never think to ask.

I feel good about running that hilly course, happy about the event, and hopeful that more interesting and fulfilling things are ahead for me.

ADDENDUM 8-17-09: I received a call from Kitsap Literacy's Kay this morning informing me that I "ran off" before the awards and that I had received a ribbon and book. I stopped by the center and picked up my third place ribbon and copy of a compilation of short stories, signed by Gregg Olsen, one of the contributors. I came in third in my age group! One of the big plusses of running in a small race, I guess.

Volunteers and Surprises

These johnny-jump-ups popped up out of nowhere in the rose garden.

Have you ever had the chance to do meaningful work for no money? Besides within your family? This past year I have delivered groceries and/or frozen meals to the disabled in my community once a week, along with tutoring a lovely young mother from Thailand in English. I have met a great group of people through the food program, both needy/disabled and other drivers. And the literacy/ESL work has been really interesting and fun. It has made the world seem like a smaller place. We are all so alike.
Along with my volunteering, I have worked my little yard hard. Last year I took out an invasive rose bush, which had little pink blossoms on it (before I took it out). I took some cuttings of it and stuck them in some pots, since those little flowers had been so lovely, and in the spring set them in the newly formed rose garden in front of the house. And look at this! The first to bloom! It makes me feel like I have a real green thumb.

The other day while watering the garden, the little greengage plum tree I planted last year caught my attention. It has a beautiful form, though a few of the leaves are holey from pests I found in springtime. The tree had some blossoms, but no fruit formed. As I was enjoying the sight of the little tree I spotted an actual plum there. No pressure, now, little fruit.

Strolling/trolling in the back yard one evening I lamented all the work that needs to be done back there. This summer has been particularly dry, and I have waited for moisture to plough up the beds I am preparing for herbs and flowers. Then at the border, on the grass side that needs trimming very badly, among all the dandelions, I spotted not one but two tiny volunteer rose bushes. How did they get there? Have they always been here and have just been mowed regularly? They are many feet from the (possible) original bush, which is now gone. Who knows? Today they will find themselves in their new potted homes in the front rose garden.

The cooler weather has arrived, and I love soaking in the refreshing, moist air. Plants that need cold, like lettuce and greens I need to plant for fall and winter harvest, will love this next few days. Will my melons fruit if our sunny days are limited? Stay tuned.

Summertime Blues

I have been working on healthier eating and exercise since April and have taken off 20 pounds. The big bummer is that I have lost a total of 1 pound in the last 5 weeks. Let's get this straight: 1300 calories a day (sacrifice!), daily exercise, and nothing. I can maintain that level of dedication when I am losing, even a little, but one pound--not cool. Will measuring body fat help? Shake it up with bone-strengthening weight -lifting program? Run more miles? (NO!)

On another note, I had the chance to take a little ferry trip to Port Orchard, which is where a lot of Kitsap County action happens. Silas needed to go there, and find his way back to Bremerton, so I accompanied him there. It was cool! The boat is a well maintained part of Kitsap's bus system, and holds maybe 25 people and a couple of bicycles if needed. It's just a 10 or 15 minute ride from Bremerton's ferry terminal next to Puget Sound Naval Station, landing at Historic Port Orchard. I was able to enjoy Bremerton's newer waterfront parks en route to and from the boat, along with a lovely walk near remarkable homes, businesses, and waterfront in P.O. I would love to take my parents to Myhre's Diner there next time they come visit.

All God's Creatures

I have kicked up my daily exercise this summer and am walking about 3 miles each morning, beginning at about 5:25. My route is a big loop around the larger streets near home. I pass a small low-income-kind-of-scary-but-not-really mobile home park, Crossroads Church, 3 apartment complexes, a dental building, Woodlands Elementary, a big beautiful fancy mobile home park, some vacant weedy and woodsy lots, and many private homes.

Across from the entry to a newer development of homes are some fields belonging to some farmers, or property that once belonged to a farm. The past 2 mornings I have walked by and the 3 quite large (what I believe are) Angus steers have been munching their pasture snacks right up near the road. It has been a treat to see these magnificent animals up close. I think I will feel a little sad to see the field empty when they are prepared for the table. By the way, they don't moo back.

I met up with an adolescent racoon on my walk today, and the poor critter didn't know what to do when he saw me. He just froze. I crossed the street and sort of kicked a pebble his way, and he scurried up into the brush at the edge of the school. I turned around after I had passed, and he was hurrying across the street to another wooded area.

Crows were out all over, finding food and making mischief. The air was full of birdsongs, beginning with my own back yard. There were a couple of dogs out taking their stumbling owners for their morning smokes, including Siggy, my neighbor's little furball, who had Grandma out chasing the end of his leash. She wasn't smoking. I didn't see any kitties out today. Could they be sleeping off the night's high adventures?

I think this summer of walking around the 'hood has shown me more roadkill than I have ever seen in my life up close and personal. You know those cartoons where the chipmunks and squirrels are spread-eagle and flattened in the road? I have seen more of those little things than I ever really cared to see. (Did I ever care to see ANY?) They are real! And the crazy downed birds--Did they smash into speeding windshields in their aerial enthusiasm? I can only imagine....

My favorite sight of my walk today started with munching sounds. Crunch, crunch, crunch. "What could that be?" I thought. I stood still (letting my precious aerobic activity be ruined) and looked around until I figured out what was making the noise: The tiniest racoon I have ever seen, smaller than a little cat, with a wee bandit mask, was up on a squirrel feeder eating up all the squirrel treats in a private front yard. It was totally cute! However, if it had been my yard, it wouldn't have been cute, because racoons are major pests around here and will throw a party for all their friends and family in a place where they can find free snacks.

My walks aren't usually chocked full of animal encounters, but today really was remarkable. I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place, with nature's bounty every where I look, hear, and even smell.

Saving Seeds

One of my ultimate goals is to grow my own food and save seeds so that I don't need to buy seeds again. For one thing, I am cheap--er, thrifty, frugal, practical, greedy. Who knows? For another thing, I really like to be self-sufficient. You know, if the world falls down, I still want to have fresh food on the table.

One way to be sure you will get a plant that is the genetic offspring of your original plant is to buy non-hybrid open pollinated or heirloom seeds. In your seed catalogs you will recognize the plants that are able to be grown for their seeds. Then you plant your desired plants, and choose the very best one(s) to grow for seeds. When harvest time comes, you simply leave those choice plants in the ground (pot, planter, etc.) and let them go to the flowering stage. Each of those flowers progresses to a seed. In all honesty, I don't really choose the best one to save, I just end up saving the one that goes to seed first. Then I quick harvest all the other plants so that we can eat as much of what I planted and that grew for food. This may tell me why I don't always have success with seed-growing and -saving.

Food for Everyone is a site that sells some interesting things, including a #10 can full of non-hybrid seeds that they call a perpetual garden. Though I believe Utah (which has extremely different growing conditions than we do here in the Northwest) was the place this idea was developed, I look forward to planting some of these seeds and seeing how they do.

After your plant has completed its growth and has reached the seed stage, you pull it out or cut it off at the stem. Then you have some choices to make. I have hung my plant upside down in a darkish dry place with a paper towel below it to catch the seeds as they dry and fall down. I have also simply placed the plant on the kitchen counter wrapped in a paper towel, and let nature take its course. In a few days you will find some lovely seeds to store for another growing season.

Isn't nature cool?

I have tried to save seed in the past, and, as most things for me (including marriage, but fortunately not motherhood), the first time was a bust. Generally, however, when I assess what went wrong and try again (and again and again?) I end up doing a pretty good job. And I am here to tell you that I have done something I never did before: I saved onion seeds! I will let you know when they grow some new onions, though I totally know they will.

I have successfully grown and saved and regrown nasturtiums (nasturtia?), marigolds, radishes, and am now looking forward to growing onions from saved seeds. I am hoping to save all sorts of things in the future. Let's see what this year brings!

My First Real Loaf of Sourdough

Ingredients:

¼ c sourdough starter
1 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 t salt
2 T oil
3 ¼ C flour

Combine all ingredients. Knead until smooth. Let rise, covered, in warm place until doubled.

I sprayed a medium-sized bowl with pan spray, and sprayed the top of the loaf. Then I put a plate on top of the bowl. I placed the bowl in a barely-warm oven, where both rises took place. I did need to re-warm the oven a few times.

This rise took about 6 hours, and I really couldn't tell it had risen at all! But I trusted that it had, and when I punched it down, there were gas/air bubbles popping every now and then. I may try this first rise overnight next time.
Punch down. Shape into round loaf. Let rise until doubled.
This I did in a sprayed 7” round pan. I also sprayed the dough with pan spray, and loosly covered the loaf with plastic wrap.

This second rise ended up going 7 hours. I was about to go to bed and realized I had better bake whatever had come to be in the oven. I peeked in, and the loaf had risen into a neat little round.
Slash crust. Bake at 375 degrees 45 minutes.
I slashed my crust in four parallel stripes. The loaf baked up and became a little oblongated. I think I will slash in a cross shape next time.
Forty-five minutes was too long. I baked it for about 30 minutes, and noticed the top getting nice and brown and ready-looking, but the bottom looked underdone. I pulled the loaf out of the pan, lowered the rack, placed the loaf directly on the rack, and baked it for 5 more minutes.

Too bad it was 11:00 when that loaf came out! It smelled sooo good. I had some for breakfast the next morning. It sliced very nicely and tasted absolutely heavenly, even cold and with just a tiny bit of spread.
I didn't proof my starter before I started out, which may explain why the rising took so long. I have to plan ahead to do this, so I think I will begin everything the day before I expect a loaf of bread. Take the starter out of the fridge and bring it to room temp; add the requisite flour and warm water; let it bubble for a while; begin the process of the first rise; go to bed; get up, punch down, set in pan, get set for second rise, bake, and enjoy by lunchtime. Mmm, mmm.

Now, homemade sourdough bread and I have a history, but that story is for another day.

Accomplishing Goals

Colleen, Anne, and Agnes on the perch together.

Thrill of thrills, Aggie came down and joined her sisters after the big wind storm the other day. Is it because I isolated her outside that entire day? I like to think that had something to do with it, but it may not have. As they say in the statistics world, "Correlation is not cause." But, I am glad she is out of the nest, eating weeds and pecking away at all sorts of things.

Speaking of food, Annie ate some tomato pieces right out of my hand! Actually, I don't think she really ate them--she just took them out of my hand. Colleen then came and swiped them out of her mouth (beak?), and she came and got more. It was funny! I saw a photo once of a chicken eating out of her owner's hand and thought it looked cool.

Finally, I accomplished a goal this morning: I ran 3 miles without stopping. I have not done this since early college, when I ran with our dog, Juno. That was a long time ago!!! And it's hilly here, not like in the home of my youth. This was the last stop goal before I run a 5 k this summer, hopefully in August. If I keep this up, anyway

Defeated by a Chicken

Aggie found her way out late in the evening. She crawled through the top of the barrier and straight into the nest in the little house. I am not sure she would have thought (?) of it if it hadn't been super-windy and all girls took shelter in the little house, which is rare.

Finding Humor

I love to read and am spending (too) much time doing it these days. It is my learning time, vacation experience, and entertainment. This past week I picked up a book at the library called The $64 Tomato by William Alexander, and am laughing my head off at the way the author describes his experience gardening on his very own 3 acres in New York. I was laughing so much Chloe couldn't stand not knowing what was so funny.

Which brings me to Aggie, the hen who has been sitting on the (empty) nest for a month now. She is lethargic and her feathers are shiny and stick up all over, and she's no longer smooth and pretty like the other girls. So, I decided, after inspiration from Bill's experience, to do an intervention. I came to the conclusion she must be isolated and nestless until she is over her propensity to sit around all day in the little house. (I do understand her desire to do so, since there is nothing I love more than sitting around all day in my own little house.)

At 8:45 PM last night I began my Save Aggie quest. I filled food and water dishes and put them at the end of the pen. I cut wire and fencing and began lacing the chicken wire at one end to keep the little girlie from the relative freedom of the pen and house. I tossed her into her new quarters and began lacing the other side of the fencing, struggling with the dusky light and bifocals and gardening gloves. Just as I was finishing she amazingly slipped under the fence. Dang! It was too dark to tack the fence down, and I was getting tired. "Hey, I know," I thought. "I'll just block off the entrance to the little house and she can roost overnight with her sisters." I (thought I) prevented entry with a board over the walkway. Not so! Aggie pushed right through. Hens can be very determined, I now know. I changed the position of the board so that there was no way to wedge in an avian head, and then body. "Dream on," Aggie seemed to say as I watched her head back for the nest.

There comes a point when, as a human being, pride takes over. I don't generally want or need to feel like a man, but I sure did last night. "You are going DOWN little lady!" I got another board and crossed it over the first one. A huge rock I nearly had to drag from the yard topped the boards. When I came in at almost 10:00 there were 3 red hens roosting just where they were meant to, and that's where they were when I left for my walk this morning.

Garden News

Beans, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, melons, beets, spinach, carrots, and radishes have sprouted! Oh, and weeds, too.

The 2 apple trees I planted last year have promising fruit on them.

I can now tell Agnes, Anne, and Colleen apart. Agnes is up in the nest hoping for babies. She never believes me when I tell her they are not to be.

These beans are really pretty.

Lettuce is thriving on the side yard. We enjoy fresh salad most nights.

The asparagus I planted, not quite knowing which end was up, is growing nicely.

The herb barrel flourishes.

This hummingbird feeder, priced at $4, has been the purchase which has brought me the greatest joy this spring. These little birdies are dive-bombing each other, swooping all over the yard, and licking their long chops with their sewing-needle-sized tongues. I made the mistake of fixing up super-strong sugar-water the first go-round, so our feeder has been well-populated. And the warmer days are abuzz with hummingbirds. I had never even seen one in our yard before this season!

Sweet Finds

Have you ever had a thought that you needed something, or that you could really use something, and then it just happened in your path like it was simply meant for you to have it? This has happened to me many times: just look in my garage! Seriously, though, last October I took a class in Seattle for one of my volunteer jobs and realized I needed some better shoes for walking in inclement weather. During lunch I went to a Value Village, one of my old haunts when I worked nearby, and found just the perfect shoes for $6.00. They were practically new, a well-known brand name, and totally affordable, even on my budget. And since October they have traveled many miles on my feet, and kept my feet warm and dry, no matter what the weather.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was at our local Value Village, and happened upon a dollhouse. Do I need a dollhouse? No, definitely not. But...I have always wanted one, and with Sophie coming over, I thought it would be a fun project for the two of us to work on together. And Chloe could help, too, if she would like. I am imagining spool-knitted rugs, match-box beds, and all kinds of things. This was a completely impulsive buy, not usually like me. It has occurred to me that I may be shifting my eating compulsion to frivolous thrift-store purchases.

Finally, I was at the local St. Vincent De Paul and spotted this beauty in the case. Now, for those that don't frequent the places of business I do, these cases of which I speak are where the collectibles or really expensive things are. Really expensive to people who come especially for the 99 cent sales, that is, since the items in the case will never be 99 cents. Anyhow, I took one look at the miniature pot (perfect for melting butter or warming chilled pancake syrup, or many other uses, I am sure) with its matching trivet and realized they exactly matched the Dutch oven I had inherited from my grandmother (and Great-Grandma had one, too)! I called my friend Kathryn over to the case, and explained the match. "Well," she said energetically, "then you have to get it," which is what I knew she would say. And I did.

I have now imposed a moratorium on purchases until all my projects, including the dollhouse, not-yet-constructed clothing, various knitted and crocheted items, and my laundry room storage shelves are assembled and appropriately filled.

Mother's Day and More

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. A couple weeks ago Cecilie phoned and let me know she would be coming to church with me as her Mother's Day gift. Years ago I read the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (view his website here), and I recognized immediately that Cecilie's love language is gifts. And boy does she show it when it comes to something like Mother's Day!

She, Rhiannon, and Silas came with me to Sacrament Meeting, and heard great talks by Marie Huskinson and her recently returned missionary son, Byron White. And the rest of the day proceeded so well, with relaxation, presents (including flowers, plants, and photos), cards, a small homemade cake from Chloe, a special overseas phone call, and a great chicken dinner made by Rhiannon. Thank you everyone for your well-wishes.

Our homeschool continues to amaze me--amaze me because it's hard and amaze me because it's fun, too. I read a wonderful and inspiring article called Schooling at Home by Sally Thomas (which you may read here) that helped reinforce how much flexibility and individuality there is in each family's way of learning.

Now, don't get me wrong; we don't start with prayer (although I definitely do every single day), or have devotionals (although I have my own personal one). It needs to be different when you are schooling a 16-year-old in the midst of deciding what is important to him, and if he wants to continue the choices of his parent. Mutual respect is the name of the game here. The article did, however, identify some great advantages and purposes of having children educated in the home. It validated my choice to try this type of education for a season, as well as illustrated how Ms. Thomas's family has set up their homeschool.

We enjoyed the Tacoma Museum of Glass this past week (thanks, Krista), on a pouring Wednesday. And Silas even drove there!

Garden

I have been struggling with a cold (no, not swine flu) and allergies and have not been able to put in the time in the garden I had hoped. Here are some pix of the garden coming along. The beds are becoming beds. The herb barrel is to be filled.

Homeschool

Due to circumstances beyond my control, and some within my control, I have re-opened my homeschool, about 12 years after its initial closure. Silas is home learning some things he has missed in school. Our schedule is flexible, though he doesn't realize just how flexible we can be. I have done a bit of shopping for books and such, which has been fun and a bit harrowing. I haven't spent much time contemplating high school at home until now. What is it this kid needs to learn before joining the adult world? It's a big question that most of us get to leave to the professional teachers, administrators, and the student himself.

It is difficult for a child that has been in traditional school his entire life to wrap his head around some of the things that are new in a homeschool setting. You can't get away with just doing the minimum--there is a 1:1 teacher/student ratio here. Also, much of homeschool is-can be- self-initiated. If you want to get something done, hey, just get it done. You don't have to wait until tomorrow if it seems interesting to do it now. Another thing is that as long as you cover the basics (reading/English, math), you can do all manner of activity for enrichment. And finally, all day is school, whether it seems so or not. Cooking and cleaning can even count (however painful that may seem), along with music, movies, and working in the yard.

We have begun a unit on WWII. I though that might be an interesting place to start looking at history. Now, I don't have the best grasp on world history, since I missed it in high school because of changing schools and didn't need it or take it in college. As a matter of fact, a person can get by in this world without knowing anything about world history (like I do). So this unit is of interest to me in a way English and math are not, since I have a background including both of those subjects. I am not so sure Silas feels the same way, but he does like guns and calling me a coffee nazi.

You know, I have made valiant attempts to simplify my life. My favorite blog is one on the simple life, and oh, how I enjoy imagining and even incorporating simplicity into my life. Adding homeschool to the mix is in no way creating a more simple life. Homeschool does, however, bring me to the basics of my son's education. If I hadn't done this I would not have had a clue as to just what he has and is missing in the realm of his education. And, of course, my responsibility as a parent is first and foremost to teach my child. So much time has been lost!

Silas's life, however, is more simple in some ways with traditional high school out of the way for now. I'm not sure it's what he was looking for in life, but it is what it is.

Visiting our Poppletons in Wellsville, UT

Allan, Silas and I had the fabulous experience of driving to the Logan area to visit family and witness the baptism and confirmation of Abigail Helene Poppleton. It was such a good visit, at least for us. Hopefully it was for them, too.

Silas didn't really want to go at the last minute and made something of a fuss, but after a few hours in the car settled down to --well, if not enjoy the trip, at least tolerate it with grace. The 13-hour drive had a little added bonus of a trip to the Boise DI (thrift store) when I realized Si didn't pack any church clothes. That was an adventure! Travis called him a rock star the whole time we were there, and he did look a bit like one, wearing his red-lense sunglasses and playing guitar.

The family was wonderful. I didn't do too much with the kids except watch out for the baby, but it was just great taking it all in. It made me want to find a little house right in their neighborhood and take Helene's children whenever she needs a sitter or a break.

We had the big family gathering of Poppletons and the three of us after Abby's baptism on Saturday, complete with a lamb roast, feast of veggies, and an egg hunt. I had the chance to visit with Travis's very sociable sister and sisters-in-law, who were gracious and accepting. The men played a 4-sided chess game, which, of course, went on forever. I believe a lovely time was had by all.

It was sad to leave.