slow down

When our kids were little we were always calling out, “Slow Down!”  We even defined it.  Slow meant you were walking without bending your knees too much.   Fast meant your knees were pumping.  With a kid like MA it worked miracles.  Give him a definition/rule and he is on it.  If the meaning is blurred all you get is a confused look in his eye.

There are 2 weeks until Christmas.  The world seems to be spinning faster and faster as we approach the day.  I just want to stand on my deck and shout “Slow Down!”  Stop shopping.  Stop running from point a to point b.  Sit back, relax, enjoy your family, spend some real time with your friends.  Remember what we are really celebrating.

The birth of the Son of Man — Savior, Redeemer, Lord, and King.

The world around me has on its glitz, lights, and yard decorations.   I love driving at night and seeing all the decorations.  But I can’t help wonder . . . do they remember why we make such an effort?

My family will be decorating this coming week.  We’ll buy a small potted tree, put a few ornaments on it, hang stockings that were hand-sewn by my mom and some that were hand-knit by my aunt.  There is a ceramic nativity scene made by CK’s grandma.  There are a few other decorations, but not many.  Each has been carefully selected to tell a story, tied to a memory, and loved by all in our home.

Christmas Eve we’ll share our home, hearts, and a meal with good friends before heading to church for a candlelight worship service.  Christmas morning will find just a few gifts around the tree and a day filled with love, quiet, peace, hope, joy, and thankfulness for the King of heaven that was born the Son of Man.

Dorothy Sayers

Dorothy Sayers is one of my favorite fiction writers.  I absolutely love and adore her Lord Peter Wimsey and Bunter.   They can lift my mood from the basement to the attic in no time at all.  The hilarity of their adventures keeps me chuckling, marveling, and wondering.

Her essay on The Lost Tools of Learning formed my ideals while home schooling the children (and myself).  She was my schoolmarm and I learned a great deal from her.

So when I found this quote (in my Green Bible), I knew I had to highlight it, share it, and think more about it.  It does fit into my just-ness train of thought, doesn’t it?  Funny how I see the concept everywhere from my Bible reading to my fiction reading.

A society in which consumption has be artificially stimulated in order to keep production going is a society founded on trash and waste, and such a society is a house built on sand.

Ambrose of Milan

The world has been created for everyone’s use, but you few rich are trying to keep it for yourselves.  For not merely the possession of the earth, but the very sky, the air, and the sea are claimed for the use of the rich few . . . The earth belongs to all, not just the rich.

Ambrose of Milan (340-97)

As I continue to grow in faith, I find myself continually coming back to the idea of just-ness.

I am looking for ways to truly live this principle.

advent week 1 -hope

The theme for week 1 of Advent is hope.

Hebrews 6:19 — We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul,  a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

thanksgiving

Menu:  turkey (for the non-vegans), stuffing, cranberry salad,  green beans casserole (vegan),  corn, rolls, salad, baked tofu, acorn squash stuffed with risotto, corn chips, hummus, peanut butter cups (vegan), pumpkin pie (vegan and non-vegan), and pecan pie.

 

simple joys – day 7

dutch oven

simple joys – day 6

hot mug of tea

simple joys – day 5

My yoga mat

simple joys – day 4

wool afghan

simple joys – day 3

mp3 player

simple joys — day 2

My Bibles

My big red study Bible and my handy sized “goes with me” Bible

simple joys –day 1

simplicity

As we approach Thanksgiving, I thought I would share of few of my favorite things.   All these are simple little things that really bring joy into my life.

Day 1 — My bamboo utensils and Kleen Kanteen.

attitude

A wrong attitude toward nature implies, somewhere, a wrong attitude toward God.

TS Elliot, The Idea of a Christian Society

pansy maiden-the weekender

Saturday I received this beautiful bag in the mail.  Isn’t it gorgeous?  It is the perfect size for a long day away from home or even a weekend trip.  The front has a kangaroo pocket; the back has a zippered pocket; the inside has 2 pocket on each exterior wall.  It has a well constructed bottom that is stiff to hold the shape.  It comes with handles and a shoulder strap.  The bag is really heavy and well constructed.

If you are in the market for a new purse or tote bag, I encourage you to go over to Pansy Maiden, look around, and then order.  Laura does a fantastic job and I know you will be pleased with your purchase.

I’ll definitely purchase from her when I need a new purse, bag, or tote.

More from The Pansy Maiden website:

About Pansy Maiden

Inspired by the natural world, clean lines, organic shapes and the handmade revolution, Pansy Maiden bags are for those who believe “practical” can and should be pretty.

I subscribe to the “less is more” philosophy. I don’t believe in adding a lot of meaningless hardware or buttons to a bag. Anything I add to a bag is going to have a specific purpose. Otherwise, what’s the use? I like to keep my bags simple. Elegant. Refined.

Always and forever: 100% vegan materials.

gifts from hm

HM found a perfect birthday gift for me.  She was so excited she gave it to me before we left the parking lot.

It is a great size to take with me and my favorite knife fits across it perfectly.  She also gave me a package of mineral oil wipes for keeping the cutting board in good shape.

Thanks HM!

 

black skirt tetra

We added the first residents to our aquarium.  I chose black skirt tetras because they are really easy to keep, are very forgiving of new aquariums, and they are so fun to watch dart and school around the tank.  I’ve always had a few in all my tanks.

I have 5 in this tank, but will probably add a few more today since these are doing so well.

Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

• adult length 2.4 inches
• mature at 1 year and then begin to lose the deep color
• pH 6-8
• dH 5-19
• preferred temp:  68-79
• omnivorous
• schooling (min of 5)

sitting room

Remember the project I started a bit ago?  Much progress has been made in that department.  The chief progress came when CK decided he really didn’t want to move the tv in there.  He likes the tv in the big room with the wood stove.

So instead I am making it into a bright, light, sitting room/library/guest room.  I love the color on the walls.  I love the way the bookcases and books look.  Even without furniture in there, the room makes me happy.  It will be a pleasant place to curl up with a good book or a good friend.

I plan on adding a big comfy reading chair and a futon couch.   This will sound crazy, but what I would really love to have is a swing in there!  I know, I said it was crazy.  Short of a swing, I wonder if I could find a loveseat sized glider?  The room just feels like it needs something lighthearted like that.

Ignore the mess please.  I’m still decluttering and moving things around.   It always takes a few days to find new homes for all the stuff.

an old hobby revisited

My birthday and Christmas came a bit early this year.  It all started because CK brought home a betta fish instead of flowers for me.  I love aquariums and used to  mess around with them all the time.

Then we moved here.  My tanks broke in the moving van.  Between farm animals, raising children, raising dogs, and raising gardens I never got back to my hobby.  I used to sit and watch my aquariums like most people watch tv.

CK remembered that and thought that now would be a good time for me to take up the hobby again.

So we went to town to look, ask questions, and maybe buy.  I really thought I would come home with a 20 gallon tank.  That would have satisfied me, but it turns out you can get a 55 gallon aquarium for twice what you pay for the 20.  That is like getting 1 free 15 gallon tank!

The bigger they are the easier they are to maintain — so says the man at the specialty store.  He was so patient.  I asked a million questions then wandered around for quite some time trying to make up my mind between 20 gallons and 55 gallons.

In the end I went with the big one.  I have secretly always wanted one and CK encouraged me to plunge in and enjoy myself.

 

No fish yet.  Not even water yet.  It took us several hours to build the stand, place the tank, add the gravel, plants, pot, figure out where to place the thermometer, the heater, and the filter.  Today we’ll start adding water.

Next Friday, I will bring home the first few fish.

kim’s veggie noodle with ginger peanut sauce

I made up this recipe all by myself.  It’s the day before grocery day.  That means all kinds of bits and pieces of veggies are in the house.  I improvised and DANG it was good.  MA said, “Keep the recipe.”

In large skillet heal olive oil until hot.  Add sea salt,  1 TB ginger, and 1/2 TB curry powder.  Stir well.  Then add:  1 chopped onion, 1/4 chopped leek, 1 stalk celery chopped, 1 grated carrot, 1 grated parsnip, 1 zucchini cut into matchsticks,  and a 1 inch  slice of red cabbage chopped.

Stir well to cover veggies with oil and spices.  Then cover with just a bit of water.  Add 1/2 c peanut butter (I used chunky.) and let simmer until it thickens and the water is mostly gone.

Serve over Japanese rice noodles.   This served 4 adults quite nicely (with a few small bites as second helpings).

flu fighting

Flu fighting strategies:

• lots of hand washing
• lots of water
• lots of hot tea
• lots of gargling with salt water
• lots of disinfecting of toothbrushes, door knobs, light switches, refrigerator doors, and coffee cups
• lots of  “stay in your room”
• lots of garlic
• lots of natural vitamin C
• lots of airing the house
• lots of rest
• lots of good veggie broth

So far MA has had the worst case of it:  high fever, lots of congestion (asthma doesn’t help), body aches, barfing, headache, sore throat, and dizziness.

HM’s next in line with headache, body aches, slight fever, sore throat, and some cough.

CK had it pretty mild:  headache, tired, chills, and sore throat.

I have managed to avoid it.  I was really tired one day and had a headache, but so far that is it.  We’ll see how the flu fighting strategies work.  I am religiously following them.  And I am continuing to break a sweat every day and use my re-bounder.

Re-bounders are supposed to be good for keeping the lymph system in tip top shape.