that there simply wasn't room for any other thought?
-Sophie Scholl
Cassidy has a favorite book by Margaret Wise Brown called The Color Kittens that is one of those rare children's books, that are a joy to read aloud.
Brush and Hush are two kittens with green eyes, who mix and splash their buckets and buckets of paints to make all the colors of the world. They fall asleep and dream a fantastical dream....
And suddenly Brush woke up and Hush woke up. It was morning. They crawled out of bed into a big bright world. The sky was wild with sunshine.
The kittens were wild with purring and pouncing-
They got so pouncy they knocked over the buckets and all the colors ran out together.
There were all the colors in the world and the color kittens had made them.
That's how I feel, like today there is color where no color existed before.
I feel wild with sunshine. The air is delicious.
I follow bees from flower to flower and drink in the color and the buzz.
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
-John Burroughs
Oh, so ready for spring. Checking daily on the progress of the green sprouting from the earth, that will soon be purple crocuses and yellow daffodils!
To that end, I'm all signed up with Project BudBurst and the National Phenology Network, citizen science projects where participants report the life cycle phenophases such as "leafing and flowering of plants, maturation of agricultural crops, emergence of insects, and migration of birds". By collecting this data, scientists can better see environmental trends and the effects of climate change.
I just like having a scientific reason validating my need to be patrolling the grounds looking for signs of life...
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We moved into this house three, nearly four, years ago, and we still haven't painted all the rooms that want painting. This is due to the fact that we refuse to paint rooms white- too boring- but are too indecisive to choose color palettes for the main living spaces.
Is that awesome or is that awesome? I'm thinking the dining room is destined to become the Jupiter room and the kitchen will be the Saturn room. (via PSFK.)
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The EWG has updated the Dirty Dozen of produce; the likeliest contenders to be harboring pesticides, making them the best choices for buying organic. New to the list: kale, lettuce, and carrots. Happily, these are the items I'm most likely to find selling for about the same price as conventional...
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It's been brought to my attention that West Philadelphia has a tool library, which got me really excited and I was reading to Jeffrey about. Until I hit the bit about their having a "few hundred tools", from "complex power tools to hammers, handheld tools and gardening supplies."
At which point Jeff rightfully stated that he probably owns more tools than they do. Maybe we should start our own Southern Chester County tool cooperative?
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Speaking of cooperatives, Stephanie sent me a link to this story about the "economics of self-help". (Thanks Stephanie!) As she puts it, "people in the Great Depression got together to form co-ops to work and get food through the tough times. Definitely showcases "that American resilience" that people around the blogosphere sometimes talks about."
From the article:
It all worked on a time-credit system. Each hour worked earned a hundred points; there was no hierarchy of skills, and all work paid the same. Members could use credits to buy food and other items at the commissary, medical and dental services, haircuts, andmore. A council of some 45 coordinators met regularly to solve problems and discuss opportunities.
One coordinator might report that a saw needed a new motor. Another knew of a motor but the owner wanted a piano in return. A third member knew of a piano that was available. And on and on. It was an amalgam of enterprise and cooperation—the flexibility and hustle of the market, but without the encoded greed of the corporation or the stifling bureaucracy of the state. The economics texts don't really have a name for it. The members called it a “reciprocal economy.”
....It embodied the trusty American virtues of initiative, responsibility, and self-help, but in a way that was grounded in community and genuine economy.
Initiative, responsibility, and self-help. Not waiting for the President to fix the economy. Not pointing fingers and assigning blame. These people worked it out for themselves. Why don't they teach you about these things in school?
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The other night the boys and I were discussing the concept of heaven, and Maverick asked why they didn't just wait until someone was almost dead, and then bring them back to life with the paddles, and ask them if they saw heaven. Which then evolved into a conversation about near-death experiences, and the white light at the end of the tunnel, and all that, and whether the brain universally triggers these elements when deprived of oxygen, and whether if the brain causes these feelings of well-being and belonging, does that necessarily mean it's not heaven? Can heaven be a state of mind? And so on.
The following day I came across an article claiming that scientists discovered the brain's "God spot", and show that faith helps human survival. Basically, the same area of the brain was fired up when participants of varying faiths were asked to ponder religious and moral issues. Some scientists suggest that this implies that religion is evolutionary, Darwin at his finest; those with religious conviction were able to withstand hardships that those with no such beliefs could not.
My father would say that this part of the brain acts as the signature of a Creator- he was fond of the watchmaker analogy. Throw all the parts of a watch into a box, wait a few eons, and see what evolves.
I say, fascinating. Seriously. No matter what your beliefs may be. I'm not looking to spark a theological debate, I'm just saying: the human brain, what a wondrous thing.
No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.
-Christopher Morley
We eat pasta once a week, one of two weekly vegetarian dinners. I like this arrangement because it basically means I'm off the hook for dinner that night- just boiling water and opening a box. Jeff, however, always moans and groans on pasta night. Recently he commented that he likes freshly made pasta, and he'd eat it all the time if we made it. As long as he had freshly grated parmesan. And a loaf of bread on the side.
OK then. I bought a pasta machine.
It was a pain at first, the pasta wasn't cutting all the way through and so I was having to separate each strand. Thinking all the while, there is NO WAY it is worth the time to do this, not when a box of pasta can be had for a dollar. After our first few trials, though, we got the hang of it and everything went much more smoothly- I think maybe we just didn't let it rest long enough. (I can hear my Italian friends laughing at me. Keep quiet, you.)
Jeff had started a loaf of "rustic bread" earlier in the day, and as we finished up rolling and cutting our fettucine he checked on the dough, ending its second rise. I don't know if it was overproofed or whether he just handled it roughly, but it just went pfffft- deflated into a pancake. He was ready to toss it- angrily, I might add- but I suggested that he knead it one more time and leave it alone for a bit and maybe it would rise again.
It did, and he brushed the top with some butter seasoned with a witch's brew of god knows what- I suspect steak seasoning- and put it in to bake.
It was better than any of our breads thus far- the crust was both flaky and chewy, the seasoning was yum, and the texture was perfect.
Lesson learned: never give up, never throw anything away.
The pasta was delicious- we topped it with Mr. Newman's red sauce, I'm all out of the stuff we froze over the summer. We were worried it wouldn't be enough- it doesn't look like a lot, does it?- but had leftovers for lunch the next day. They really "plump when you cook 'em." Fully organic meal, too.
We really felt like we had done something productive with our day. As opposed to the leaf raking, which today's high winds have completely undone.
Lesson learned, part two: Don't leave raking half done.
I think next week we'll show the boys how to roll and cut the pasta, and let them cook on Sundays. It's really not hard and I think they'll enjoy being responsible for a weekly meal.
Anyway, that's something I learned to do this week. Did you learn anything new?
If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom.
-Audra Foveo
My new favorite flower: the delicate snowdrop, who only yesterday was yet covered by a thin blanket of snow.
Tiny and unassuming, modest and hiding its face. Sheltered in the shade, uncovered by a young hand desperately seeking spring, and seeming to whisper: Thank you for your patience, for weathering the cold and the storm. I am here, take heart, gather hope. Soon, soon. The best is yet to come.
I am thrilled to the very edges of my soul.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Many, many thanks to reader Linda who let me know that the following can be recycled at certain recycling centers in Delaware:
Computer components and/or parts Main frame computers Mini computers Terminals Printers Personal computers Monitors Keyboards Mice Cables Laptop computers Notebook computers Notepad computers Copying equipment Electronic typewriters Calculators Telecommunications Equipment Telephone systems Terminals Telephones Telex Facsimile Pay telephones Cordless telephones Cellular telephones Answering machines Radio, Television, Electro acoustic Radios Televisions Video cameras Video recorders Tape recorders Audio amplifiers VCRs Cassette players Record players Toys Game boys Electronic toys
The list of recycling centers that accept these electronics can be found here.
Now the hard part: convincing everybody we don't need to hang onto the Atari or Sega Genesis.
The March wind roars Like a lion in the sky, And makes us shiver As he passes by.
When winds are soft, And the days are warm and clear, Just like a gentle lamb, Then spring is here.
-Author unknown
I know that March is supposed to come in like a lion, but come on. Talk about one last hurrah- we measured nine inches on our deck.
I've been suffering from a doozy of a head cold- who knew that one human head could produce so much mucus? It lasted a full two weeks, during which all sound seemed as if it were travelling through water. Which, in a disgusting manner of speaking, it was.
I'm somewhat proud that I managed to get through it without breaking down and buying a box of tissues. My dainty floral vintage handkerchiefs weren't quite up to the task, so I used our cloth napkins. Really, not as gross as it might seem, when compared with having to toss a pile of used tissues every morning.
It occured to me the other day that many readers only access this site through RSS or email, so they have not seen what's new on the sidebar. I've been writing for a number of other sites, and that has contributed to my absences here. (The other main factor being an overwhelming desire to lie down whenever I had more than two minutes to rub together.)
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I contribute over at Eco Child's Play, a site dedicated to "helping families live a healthy, eco-friendly life".
On the first of each month, I have an article or two over at Root&Sprout (this month's is on preschoolers and stranger anxiety, a topic I am more familiar with from a firsthand standpoint. My preschoolers were most decidedly not shy.) Root&Sprout is for parents, by parents; and always inviting new writers.
I'm also the Green Moms editor over at Type-A Mom. Type-A Mom is also looking for writers on all sorts of topics! Check it out.
I spend a fair amount of time as "eltonmom" on Philadelphia MomsLikeMe, a forum for moms. If you live in the Philly area, come join the conversation! If not, there are momslikeme forums all over the country. There's coupons, advice, and most importantly, opportunities to vent without judgement.
And, finally, I'm on Facebook and twitter. I don't know how to link you to my Facebook page, you're going to have to type in my name. Sorry! Small effort to be friends.
I'm waaaay backed up on emails and DMs and Facebook messages and comments, so if you've contacted me in these past few weeks and I've neglected you you're in good company. I'm biting the bullet and responding to everything tomorrow, and then I'm turning off the computer and going outside.
This will be the first true test run of the camera since it went into the mud, so keep your fingers crossed for me. What if the snowdrops and crocuses and daffodils pop up and I can't record it? My head will explode.
that is one of those rare children's books, that are a joy to read aloud.
, "Have I ever told you how lucky you are?"
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