Break

I have so many gifts to make and buy still so I think it's safe to say that I won't be posting anything substantial until after the New Year. We'll be traveling a bit around New Years Eve and I will not have any access to a computer for a few days. See you all there!

Where's the Holiday Cheer?

I'm just not feeling the holidays this year. I don't feel like shopping even if I already know what I am getting everyone on my list. I'm just not up for it, I want to go hide and read a good book. I don't feel like dealing with my in laws yearly holiday drama. (They have to see us at least 6 times for Christmas and New Years and still complain that isn't enough). I have cookies to bake and for once I don't feel like doing it. In fact I'm downright procrastinating on that. I think that this year is going to be more Yule focused than previous years have been. I think little 'un may be ready for the explanation of Yule and why we as Pagans celebrate it. 

Dusting off the soapbox

Hello all as many of you are already aware there is a rather unflattering article up on the Washington Post about "hipster homemakers" who are just following the latest fad in lifestyle. As I am sure most of you saw this posted already by Mrs. B (that wonderful lady)! So I thought that I'd dust off my soapbox and use a little language to get myself some peace from the steam that is coming out of my ears.

The author brings up a concern that because all of these hippy dippy back to the landers are making it a moral imperative (we're not) to stay at home and do all those domestic things that it will become obligation to all those women who would wish to shuck off the stress of raising their children and instead do that and have a full time career to cope with as well. (I never got why women would want to do it all). Now I for one would be on the front lines of fighting such a trend if it were actually happening but I have yet to see one stay at home mother accuse a career woman of shucking off their moral imperative to be a stay at home mom, not a one. In fact I think most of them are just happy to be doing what they need to do for their families, and hopefully at peace with their choice to stay at home. I know when I first made the choice to be a stay at home mom I did go through some feminist existential drama wondering if I could be a stay at home mom like I truly desired and still call myself a feminist. Then I thought FEMINISM IS ABOUT CHOICE. It is my choice to stay home; society at large is telling me that the only way I am of value  is if I over stress myself and go out into the world of career and making money. But isn't that what early feminists were fighting against? In their society the only route for a woman to have value was for her to stay within the home and raise babies, the working world was out of her reach. They fought so that we now could have the choice of working if that is what pleased us, despite what society at large decided was best for us and our families. I don't believe that they would have wanted any woman to be pressured into making choices that are against her desires, they fought for a woman's right to be the designer of her own destiny. If she wanted to be a stay at home mom who worked hard within the home to provide for her family I believe that they would have given their blessing.  After all it's about freedom of choice. 

Secondly as the article mentions a lot of that hippy dippy back to the land stuff is just plain fun. Heck if it wasn't it wouldn't be a "trend". I read a rather interesting article in Newsweek I believe that talked about how Amish fictional romances were the new trend in literature because even though few of us would be able to live in the Amish world (hey who doesn't enjoy TV in moderation) we longed for the simplicity and slower pace. Modern life is tough and stressful and hectic and canning jam and growing gardens is a good relief from that stress. Huh who guessed that taking the time to do something simple is a good way to unwind? I for one would love nothing more that to do nothing but sew. I get all Zen and calm. Yes it's one of those old school domestic skills but if I enjoy it why in the hell should I be made to feel guilty about it??? Yes it is a way to be a responsible member of the human race if I shop local and try to lessen my environmental impact on the world but, again I ask why should I feel guilty about doing my part for Mother Earth? Why shouldn't I be worried about those cancer causing chemicals in processed food that make my little 'un so very very sick? Why should I just sit back and accept things the way they are when I wish they were different? I have often wondered what corporations are doing to our food supply that makes everybody have food allergies to the point that if they go anywhere near a peanut they will die? Why is there suddenly a rise in gluten allergies, lactose intolerance, and cancer? To say that our food supply and what is being done to it is not to blame is at best imbecilic at worst an outright fallacy in common sense. I am damn proud to be a Radical Homemaker and damn sick of people looking down on me because I cannot stay asleep and go through life dependent on people who don't give a damn about my health or my families health and just want me to stay in line go with the flow so that the people in charge can make their money. NO THANK YOU.

And another thing if the author is so worried that us DIYers who have gone back home are part of some anti-feminist backlash despite what we say to the contrary then why isn't she writing an article about why men aren't stepping up to the plate more when it comes to these things such as worrying about their families health and caring for the cleanliness of the home. Or how about and article highlighting some exceptional men who stay home and take care of the house and kids so that it may be seen as more socially acceptable for men to do those things and not be labeled as feminine? I know why because it wouldn't make a good headline. Instead they have to fan the fans of the mommy wars because that's what sells papers. The blog opinion expressed here is summed up best by this excerpt:   

  It is a symptom of great wealth that a nation of educated women have time and money to spend on going back to time and labor intensive tasks. If the safety and provision of their children were truly at risk, they would be back in the workplace providing in the most effective way they could: by earning money. 


Doesn't that just grind your gears? Now who is making moral imperatives huh? You are saying that wealthy educated women who make the choice of staying home are making a choice that is bad for their families. In my experience the women who do theses domestic tasks are money poor (but time rich). I don't see how my personal choices are making a moral imperative for anyone but ME. I think that in saying that in the way she said it she shows a great deal of her own guilt in being a working mom. She shouldn't feel guilty because someone else made another choice, and she shouldn't make snap judgements about them because they chose differently from her. She has a right to work if that is what makes her happy and is right for her family. I shouldn't have to defend my differing opinion to all those working women out there who feel accosted by my choice. Take your guilt elsewhere thank you, and if you feel so guilty about working then stay at home it isn't that hard.

Animal stories

Now I am really not complaining but my lil 'un does this thing where he focuses on something like, SUPER focuses. On a three word paragraph that he expects me to repeat over and over and over again until I'm ripping my hair out, clawing at my eyes and begging, no pleading with him to say something else! Two whole hours spent on the couch going over pleasantries between toys, and no attempt to steer him away from the subject works.  SUPER FOCUS! If running around in circles is what he wants to do he SUPER FOCUSES on doing that in as many ways as he can until he's dizzy and can't stand up anymore. (He still tries he just is too dizzy) If reading is what he wants to do for the day we read all day, until my eyes bleed! I always require him to sit and read with me for 15 minutes a day, then after that he can bounce dance run around or whatever he likes. But, I have read to him on days where he wants to read for two hours, how many toddlers whant to sit still and read for two hours? I mean really? SUPER FOCUS!

Now his new thing to do for hours is follow me around telling me amusing stories. It started with Taco Stories, where the basic gist is Once upon I time I was at the Taco Store and it goes on from there. And we talk about how the things in the story made him feel, or if a character was nice or mean. He usually tells me at least three always asking "Do you want to hear another Taco Story?". I always say yes. Now it's Animal Stories "Once upon a time I was riding my elephant...." it goes on to say where he and his elephant went and what they saw or did. He often falls off the elephant somehow and he is either broken or OK. The elephant acts accordingly. FOR TWO HOURS. Sometimes you just want a little peace and quiet you know? But I just can't discourage him, he's so adorable! Too smart for his own good. I have to lock the bathroom door because when I go to cook dinner (you know raw meat) he goes climbs the shelves in the cabinet to eat the toothpaste. Which he then hides so I don't figure out what he's been up to. Just have had my hands full with him lately really. End of rant , thank you.

Is that a Flea????

Why yes, yes it is! I've been in a flurry of cleaning this week trying to get a handle on the pests. It's going ok right now one kitty is clear but the other is still quite covered! I have been doing more laundry in a day than I used to do in a week and vacuuming everyday.  (So much for the quiet riot huh?) I have a lot of thoughts running around in my head right now so look forward to my next posts!

An Ode to Candles

I just ran out of candles a few weeks ago, which for me is rally weird because I'm a little bit of a pyromaniac. I have candles of all kinds for all seasons and reasons. I've lighted tea light once a week for years on my altar and it's a total habit in times of stress and I just ran out for the first time ever. Then I took the last of our gift certificates from the wedding and headed over to Pier One and bough a few. Enough to last me at least half of the coming year. Many colors and sizes too just like I like them. Then come to find out it wasn't a gift certificate for $50 like I had thought but a full $100. Sweet! Yes I am going to spend $100 on candles because I love them. Am I a little weird you better believe it!

What are you doing for Samhain?

Well tomorrow night my family will be doing a small round of trick or treating. Tonight I'll be doing my little ritual outside even though it freezing cold where I live. This will be the last chance I get until the Spring Equinox because by Yule my circle will be under 10 feet of snow!

What are your plans for Samhain?

Good News!

My prolonged break from blogging was to allow me to decompress, after nearly 6 months of stress and outright frustration hubby has been called back to work. I needed some time to process the good news and allow myself to breathe. We have been going on a little bit of a spending spree now that we know we aren't going to run out of money anytime soon. Now it's a slow waiting game to sign up for our local Child Heath insurance plan (we cannot afford the insurance offered through the company) so the little 'un can get caught up on his shots, and finally go to the dreaded allergist appointment to confirm his list of allergies. Then off to get his broken glasses fixed. It's unfortunate that we will be earning too much to qualify for the whole family insurance so I could find out why I ache so much but with how bad it could be I will try not to complain!

Blog Action Day 2011

Well the pictures and info are still coming in from our local Occupy movement so I think I'll wait on that post until I have more. However for all of you out there in the know today is Blog Action Day 2011. There is so much that I WANT to say about food and how important it is.

It's Spiritual:

 On a very basic level we eat the produce of the earth and as a Pagan that makes it a very meaningful spiritual experience. When it's fresh grown from my garden it becomes more of a ritual than a meal. The God and Goddess sharing of their bodies that my body may thrive. It's something I like to share with both my friends and family. Family meal time is so important (ask anyone), and having good food to share is important too. Give me food from my own garden, from my own hard work, and transport me to heaven. When I get to share it I hope that I share the trip!

It's Political:
In the U. S. there is a famine, we lack good healthy food. Corporations have come in and taken land from Mom and Pop farmers to plant hyper pesticide GMO food to feed to the masses. That is then processed beyond recognition before they send it to super markets all over the country. Not only does this pollute our water and air, it pollutes our dinner tables. These same corporations want our politicians to turn a blind eye to what they are doing. They want to git rid of the EPA because it infringes on their "right" to pollute the air everybody breathes, and the water they drink, and the food that they eat. How much can these corporations give to those running for office? How much can a small farmer raising organic fruits and vegetables give?

It should be a Basic Human Right:
Right now it would cost 30 billion dollars to feed every person on Earth for a year. Now that does sound like a lot of money doesn't it? That's how much  first world countries spend on their military every eight days. Food is a basic need for survival, and it should be a basic human right. Enough food for you and your family so they no longer suffer from hunger and not so much that you become obese and unhealthy. There is enough food and money to feed every person on Earth, why then do so many know hunger?     

Fight the Man

Well tonight I'm going to try and get some pictures of our local Occupy movement! Wish me luck!

Does Anyone Else Do This?

I made Halloween cookies last night, is that weird? I like to bake so I make cookies to celebrate most holidays. Little early yet but I can make more!

The Cooking Post

For my next post for the Countdown I am posting my "recipe" for chicken soup. Little 'un has that nasty cold that has been going around so I made this soup for him so that I could make sure he was getting veggies as well as fruit while he was sick. Plus now that the weather is turning colder it's soup season anyway!

2 cans (or 32 oz) of Chicken Broth (I used my homemade kind but any type will do.)
1 quart of water
Chicken pieces (I used chicken tenders but again anything will do.)
8 oz Lentils
3 cups rice
2 cups corn (I used frozen)
1 cup green beans (I used frozen)
1 onion
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
all to taste

Mix together the chicken broth and water. Into the mix place the chicken pieces cut up to your preference. Bring this to a boil; stir frequently so that the meat does not burn. To this add the rice a lentils. (Don't forget to rinse.) Let this cook for up to one hour. Keep stiring! Add any frozen vegetables, if you are using them. Let boil for another hour. Then add the onion and remove the pot from the heat covered. Serve!

And whatever you do don't be so worried about taking care of your sick little 'un that you forget to stir too long and scorch the lentils! It will take a ton of spices to cover the taste!

Pirates AHoy!

For my first Countdown to Halloween post I have some pictures from little 'un's Pirate Themed birthday party. Argh mateys there be Pirates ahead!

 You can't see it but his shirt says "Pirates Only!"

 This Wall hanging took forever to put up but it was totally worth it!

The whole family!

Just a Short Post

Just popping in quick during the early morning hours to let ya'll know that I'll be posting my first official Countdown to Halloween post tomorrow once I get some pictures taken. Look out for Pirates arrgh!

Hope

Well I think I am going to call 2011 a lost year. It has brought nothing but heartache and famine, as a family unit we have gone nowhere, been totally stagnant, truly a lost year. Never in all my life have I been put to such a test of strength and I am tired, oh so tired. The darkness of the time is threatening to consume me.

And yet through all of this I have had hope. Even now when I would like to give up, it is hope that keeps my feet moving. Hope that hubby or I will find a job that pays enough for us to pay our bills without compromising our ideals. Hope that we will not be foreclosed on, that we will grow old in this house which didn't feel like a home until we had the fear that we might lose it. Hope that we will not be forced to move out of state, away from family and friends and our support system. HOPE HOPE HOPE!

Hope is spiritual...... I have to believe that eventually things will stop going wrong for us soon and we can get back on track. We want to contribute to this society 100%, but we need to be able to pay our bills first. We can't do big home improvements until we can guarantee that we will be able to pay our mortgage, but I do have hope.

Quiet Riot Post

If anyone else is a fan of apron strings blog you may have already heard of her quiet riot plans; and I'm going along. September is our time to look at our home economy do and audit and see where we can cut back. Which is great because I just got our water bill. We have a brand new energy efficient water heater (it's two years old). However our water usage is just insane. I cannot fathom how we use so much water. Our usage is less than average (100 gal to the average of 130) but I think I can easily get that number lower. Little 'un only gets bathed when he looks dirty which is about three times a week. I don't bathe that often and neither does hubby. One thing I have decided to do is cut back on my laundry. I will only do laundry three days a week. I do not have to have an empty laundry basket everyday. I can let it pile up and we will still have plenty of clean clothes to wear. In fact I think that this will help me in another area of my home audit, my consumer purchases. I have many clothes I just don't wear, I'm hoping to clean them out of my closet for our summer garage sale.

I know that our energy usage is up with hubby out of work we are up later at night and on the computer more often and watching a lot more tv. I am making for myself a goal of cutting 1 hour per person per month of the quiet riot. In the end that will come out to 6 hours of cutback for each of the three people in our household. That shouldn't be too hard for us to do and it will be a big dent on our energy usage.

Our gas usage is minimal we only drive three days a week, one day for grocery shopping, one day for little 'uns rhyme time visit to the library, and one day for visiting. Obviously when hubby gets a new job that will go up drastically but I have decided that we'll tackle setting a goal for that as soon as life returns to normal.

Luxuries are another non-issue with our household. We don't have the money for any. Trash I cannot do anything about right now because now that the cold weather is back I will not be able to reliably compost. But, in the warmer months I compost and that gets us down to one bag a week. Right now it's more like three.    

Telling the Truth

To tell the truth I haven't been very busy lately, I've been depressed and run down. The stress of our financial situation is hard to deal with much less post about here. We are in serious trouble but we have heard a few positive things lately, which somehow makes the stress worse. The waiting is just killing me. I want to know whats going to happen, I just want it to be over with so I can get back to my life. Staring into the abyss of total financial failure is making me sick, can barely pull myself out of bed in the morning much less contribute to a blog that I used to enjoy posting at but don't anymore because I don't have anything meaningful to say. Heading up to Boonville to volunteer at the Adirondack Fantasy Festival this weekend. There is a chance that if it is successful I could make enough to get little 'un something nice for his birthday. 

Political Pagan

Just a couple of articles that I wanted to share with my readers today!


A very detailed article on Dominionism:

An here is a little post about my least favorite Presidential Candidate Rick Perry

That's all I have here today!

The Green Eyed Witch

I have to admit that lately I've been a Green Eyed witch. Many of my friends have been pregnant and having babies and I am so envious that they are onto their second (or third or fourth) already and I'm not. I miss being pregnant. Which is crazy because by the sixth month I just wanted it to be over with and I was completely hypertensive. I toed the line of pre-eclampsic had heartburn so bad I went to the hospital in the middle of the night sure I wasn't having a heart attack but sure that I must be dying. Yes I do want another child (JUST ONE) but why in the world? Little 'un has such bad food allergies that when he was a baby I would regularly go three days without sleeping or eating. Why would I want that again? So yes I envy my friends their morning sickness, swollen feet, and heartburn. Hubby doesn't want another baby and I am aware of this being the worst time possible for another baby, but maybe in the future.......

A Meditation on Frustraiton

Frustration is a funny thing. It's brought on by not being in control of a situation which also means you cannot get rid of it. YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL; therefore you are frustrated. My hubby has been out of work for four months and cannot find a job. It's not that he isn't qualified or doesn't have skills. The job market just plain sucks, for everyone, everywhere. In a couple of months we will not be able to pay bills, because of the first time home buyer's tax credit we cannot move out of the house until January without owing the government a whole heap on money which we don't have. I don't want to move, not owning a house would only save us like $100 a month which means we'd be miserable for nothing. We still wouldn't be able to pay our bills. We won't unless he gets a good paying job, which in this economic crisis isn't looking good. We can do nothing but wait for someone to call with a job offer. Until then, frustration reigns.

So dear readers here is a call for a job for hubby:

He is a Mechanical Engineer/Drafter/Designer with 3 years job experience. He also has 2 years experience working in costumer service. He is proficient in Soilidworks, and Auto CAD. He has worked with LED lighting, Sheet medal, and Heating/Air conditioning units. He's not afraid of manual labor either! We are looking for a job in the CNY region that pays anywhere from 30-40K a year with health benefits. PLEASE HELP!

A Pagan View of Polotics

As promised I am getting political here and posting some links to other people's opinion pieces.

This first one talks about how we as a nation have forgotten the protest for our rights; not just a crazy religious agenda.

http://www.alternet.org/story/151812/remembering_the_bonus_army%3A_where_are_today%27s_mass_nonviolent_protests_/

This is one with a video of Reverend Billy, it's talking about the big trouble the mama is in and how sad it is we're not stopping those responsible.

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2011/07/27/magic-art-activism/

An anti-fundamentalist piece.

http://www.alternet.org/belief/151505/how_fundamentalist_religion_is_destroying_the_world?page=2

Preserving with Friends!

Preserving with Friends: A Review by The Kitchen Witch


I will start my review out by saying that yes I won this DVD in a giveaway, so that you may judge my review accordingly. I will also start out by saying how much I loved it. I watched the whole thing through twice before I even picked up strawberries so that I could actually try canning something. The DVD is just really pleasant to look at, I would go so far to say that the cinematography is just plain pleasing to the eye. It starts you off in such a way that you feel comfortable. More like a one on one class than an impersonal DVD watching experience. The instructions were easy to follow and boy I cannot tell you how much I found the over-head shots of the cooking required for canning jellies and jams useful. It gives you a look at how things should look rather than just telling you. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the whole experience. I could actually see the jam setting as it cooked and was able to then go to my stove and reproduce the results by following the instructions. I was really nervous going into the canning field without any one on one experience but this DVD has eased my fears and allowed me to enjoy the ability to preserve my own food. I have only done the jam but there are parts on fermenting and pickling as well. I plan on trying these in the future. I liked that they had on "experts" to show you these things. It kept my interest that it wasn't just one person telling you everything. I really learned a lot.

Did I mention that the DVD also came with the ability to print out nice little cheat sheets? I didn't? Well it does, and I printed them out and added them to my home management binder for future reference. Well it is titled Preserving with Friends. I had a few friends helping me with my jam and they agreed that it was a really interesting way to learn canning. I tried to make the review well rounded by finding something to criticize but I really couldn't. I would highly recommend this video to anyone who would like to learn canning but is to afraid to try, this makes it look so easy! (And it is!) So if that describes you then go to Chelsea Green Publishing and buy it, it's worth the money!

Updates

Working hard over here and just wanted to tell you all about it. I have joined a Renaissance troupe known as the Merely Players. We are going to be performing at our local Art and Community Center on August 6th and 7th. Totally psyched about the performance even if I have been struggling to memorize my lines. Best thing about it is that it's a paid acting gig, I'm not expecting much because it's split by the entire troupe but hey a few extra bucks is just what we need. We have a car to fix and a lil 'un with a birthday coming up so the cash would be really nice.

In bloging news I am going to start a weekly update of the crazy things that the GOP Presidential candidates are up to. I have been driving my Facebook friends nuts with all the things I have been posting there so I'll round them all up here.

My Apologies

I have just passed through a health crisis that kept me offline for longer than I could have anticipated. It was sudden and I could not warn my readers of the hiatus. I am getting back to normal now and I am hoping that I will be able to get back to posting in my semi-regular way again.

Newsflash

I was going to post part one of my review for Preserving with friends when I heard that the vote come down in the NY Senate; and now gay marriage is legal. AWESOME. I am feeling rather pleased and proud to live in NY right now. I'm all puffed up like a hen, it feels that good to live in a state that chose right!

Solstice!

Happy Solstice readers! I'll be spending it with my circle lighting bonfires and having a lot of good conversation. Hoping my readers will have some fun with the people you care about as well!

I Won a Giveaway!

Yay for me I won the DVD giveaway over at Apron Strings for Preserving with Friends. It's a DVD on canning and otherwise well preserving your home grown vegetables. It's the first thing that I have won, ever. At 23 I have won something for the first time and needless to say I am pretty exited about it. I have already watched it all the way through and really learned a lot. I no longer feel terrified by canning my produce. At least what little my garden produces this year though small won't go to waste. Looking to do a review here once I have watched it again and letting my friends come along for the ride. Something to look forward to.

Photos

The "flower girl" and "ring bearer"

The Bridesmaids



These people are my family, not by blood but chosen.

Well here they are after a week or more of waiting the photos from the wedding! I just got a DVD from a giveaway and tomorrow will be posting my first thoughts.

I'm Back Again

So I survived the whole wedding ordeal. Going to post something longer about it with pictures later on this week when I am more recovered. I am mostly there but still a little sleep deprived. (Then again when am I not?) I won't be getting back to my regular routine in cleaning and schooling until next week. Right now I am working on getting the house recovered and picked up from the celebration and my break from cleaning before the wedding. As much as I hated to I also took a break from school with the little 'un because I was a total mess and we were not getting anywhere with it. So here is a list of all that I am hoping to have up and running by Monday of next week:

School: We will go back to our normal routine of reading for 15-30 minutes five days a week, plus a quick introduction to a letter or number on specific days. Adding in for the time being all lot of behavioral work, he stayed with the grandparents on our wedding night and when he spends time away from home he gets a little bratty. Well bratty is an understatement, the tantrums and outright disobedience are just not like him. He gets away without a word running into the street and not holding hands when going down the stairs with the grandparents but not with me.

Housekeeping: Getting back to routine. No slacking on chores just because I have other things I would rather be doing.
Mondays: Wiping down all appliances, focused cleaning of the kitchen, dishes, wash laundry hang it out to dry, fold it and put it away. School. Wipe down dining room table and sweep floor for little 'un crumbs. Litte 'un bath night.
Tuesdays: Dust and clean glass, focused cleaning of living room, extra pick-up and organization, wash laundry hang it out to dry, fold it and put it away. School. Dishes, wipe down dining room table.
Wednesdays: Clean both bathrooms, scrub tub and toilets. School. Wash dishes, wipe down dining room table and sweep floor. Wash laundry hang it out to dry, fold and put it away. Little 'un bath night. (I like Wednesdays)
Thursdays: Sweep and mop hard floors. Focused cleaning in the library. School. Wash dishes, wipe down dining room table. Wash laundry hang it out to dry, fold it and put it away.
Fridays: Vacuum carpets. Focus cleaning bedrooms. School. Wash dishes, wipe down dining room table, sweep floor. Wash laundry and hang it up, fold it and put it away.
Gardening especially on weekends but otherwise off.

Spiritual: I stuck to my normal routine even with the wedding. Head covering, lighting candles, cooking and baking. Rituals and celebrating the wheel of year. Adding as often as I can bodhran playing, working on my Gaelic. Trying to be good to the mama and show her respect.

Etsy: Got a great many things put together, now I have to actually take pictures of the stuff and open shop. I also have a lead on booths for fairs over the summer. Looking good for me hopefully hubby will be able to find some more contracting work, or even better a job with benefits.

Wow really long post today, more in a few days.

Shot Hiatus

I think it should be safe to say that I will be taking a hiatus from blogging until after my wedding is finished. See you all on the other side!

Prompt: Book of Shadows

I'm just in a really rotten mood lately and haven't wanted to post here much about all the things I feel lousy about so I went over to Pagan Blog Prompts to check out what they had for us today.

My Book of Shadows

Well my Book of Shadows isn't just one book it's many. I have three now and they are a recording of my development in the Craft. All are store bought however I also bought markers and stickers to make them my own. I like to think of them as my own personal history. The first one has my first ever attempt at writing my own spell. Plus all my celebrations of the Wheel of Year from 2000- 2003. There are the correspondence tables and quotes that I like. In the back I also made a quick God and Goddess reference table for on the go rituals and prayers. This book of shadows was before I was called by my first personal Goddess Brigid. I have inserts with my name meaning and prayers included in there as well. Although I acquired them after I had moved on to my second BOS. My second BOS documents my journey with Brigid and my herbal lore and learning. It also includes my ritual celebrations from 2003-2008. Which marked the end of the Brigid learning time and moved me into the first communication with Hestia. At the time she was an unknown Goddess because I had mainly worked within the Celtic framework and had little to no knowledge of the lore of other traditions. My third BOS is well still mostly new in my opinion. When little 'un was born I had a break from ritual because I totally devoted myself to his care and needs, now that he is older (and sleeping through the night) I am back to doing rituals but for whatever reason have not been recording them like I used to, some of it is most are just quickly thrown together and not as intricately planned because I don't have to look everything up before I do it. This book of shadows contains some more complicated correspondence tables and a few quotes and is otherwise empty. I hadn't thought about it in awhile and am feeling a sadness that I don't use my Book of Shadows like I used to. I use the old ones for a reference or two but other than that I don't touch them. They are sitting with all my books on my altar/bookcase untouched but maybe that will soon change!

Washington Times Editorial

If your a fan of Jason over at The Wild Hunt you have probably already read his post about the Washington Times editorial slamming to give the Air Force decision to give Pagans their own circle. I won't rehash too much but to say the least it was not at all researched or fact checked. It was just a poor article as a whole. Well Jason had something to say about it and one of the commenters also encouraged others to contact the editors and post comments. I don't know if mine will be allowed but here is what I left:

Wow this writer has obviously not read his history books. Or done any fact checking for that matter. I am reminded of Shakespeare: "Prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?" Their Pagan beliefs are just as sincere as anyone elses belief in Jesus. They risk their lives just like any other person in the military, do they not deserve the same respect? We are all human beings (subject to the same vices and virtues) and as such deserve the same freedoms.


I hope those of you who haven't done so already go over to the Washington Times and leave a comment or contact the editors.

Im Back

Well I had a really wacky Beltane we ended up having a fire BBQ and watching geeky movies with our friend's really nice projector. Circled and everything too; indoors because our circle was under a foot or two of water. Little 'un met another little 'un and made a good friend. They played all day and I haven't seen him have this much fun with a little person since his two best friends moved away. All in all my Beltane was a fun relaxing wonderful day.

Wedding is still really stressful. Hubby lost his job which doesn't help. Just feeling spiritually and emotionally drained right now. Working through a few conflicting emotions right now. Just trying to keep my head above water. Looking forward to my Bridal Shower this weekend. I have such a shopping bug right now because I can't shop. But; with the extra money I think I will get myself something small to git rid of the urge.

Happy Beltane!

Hope all my readers have a blessed Beltane and I'll be seeing you in a few days to tell you all about mine!

The light bulb went on

I was once again brooding over my need to be spiritual everyday despite my attempts to let myself off the hook for the time being. I just wanted to let myself be a mother to little 'un and juggle those other everyday things and when I had time to fully engage myself into the spiritual I would. Then one of those wonderful little truth light bulbs went on over my head. Or over my head cover as it were. That is a daily dose of spiritual practice and that is what I do to prove my devotion to Hestia. Everyday without fail. I don't need to do any more than this. It may not be much but it is enough.

Too Much Surfing

Hello, well as usual I have been doing too much surfing and not enough writing here. However, I am done procrastinating for this day and am going to post some relevant stuff.

Found this really great headband that is wide enough to call a head covering and I am wearing it most days. When I am in a rush or when it's only going to be me and little 'un for the day I don't bother getting out my prettier more complicated scarves and veils. I also ordered online some more scarves. One is similar to a charity veil only it has a tie along the brim so I won't have to struggle with a safety pin! The other one is a snood for all intensive purposes and I am exited to find out how well they fit and stay. I am so sick of having my head covering slide down in the middle of my day and having to fiddle with it and then go back to the mirror to fix it.

On a different topic put in the same theme I have gone a searching for Hestia. Found some beautiful prayers to her online that I will over the next few months I will be adding to my weekly spiritual practice. Like my bodhran playing with a large house to clean and a little one running around plus a wedding to plan I don't beat myself up about not doing it everyday. Once a week is all I can do right now; in the future when my life allows for more I will commit more of my time to my spiritual garden like I could do when I was younger. Right now I light a candle say a quick prayer and go on about my day letting the candle (safely) burn out on it's own if my future mother-in-law doesn't snuff it out. (More about that later)

That's all for now!

OMG GROUNDHOGS!

Well now I have one less thing to worry about, I just saw my first groundhog today. In fact I got so close I was able to scratch it on the head. I wasn't thinking at the time, but after doing some reading I guess they can be aggressive. SO yeah won't try that again but at the time I was freaking out with excitement. I love groundhogs and have ever since we moved into the house and found that we had our own little family. At least two groundhogs living in the same burrow gave me the idea that they were a male/female mated pair. Who knows I could be totally off but back to the point: I love groundhogs. They are cute, cute, cute! They eat my weeds and leave my plants alone 100% of the time. Useful little buggers I can't imagine why people don't like them.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Hello out there in blog world. Just checking in here for the day while I have a lazy Sunday afternoon. Wedding plans will just have to wait until Wednesday when I will be caught up on the housework once again. I have been having one really productive week followed by one really lazy (only doing enough to get by) week. I hate feeling lazy but I am working up to my normal crazy summer routine slowly; that's how I work and I am going to just allow myself to take my dear sweet time getting motivated. I got my blueberries and raspberries planted this weekend along with all the herbs in my greenhouse.

Planning on contacting a friend for some Kefir grains in the near future. Hope I will be up to the task! You cannot slack on this stuff or all your hard work will be ruined. Still trying to find recipes that the whole family can enjoy without breaking my budget. No small task. I am full of the desire to get going and work hard and be accomplished, however, I am still holding onto my winter lethargy. Everyday I look out and see more squirrels, birds, and even my chipmunk have returned to life (and my yard) so I know I can't be far behind. So exited for Beltaine already. Eagerly awaiting my first outdoor ritual since Samhian, and my Elder trees continued growth. Trying to commit to playing the Bodhran once a week for at least 15 minutes. Failed this past week but going to pick it up again sometime tonight.

Still on this confusing spiritual journey with Hestia. Hopeful and trying my best to be patient with the process. Headcovering not at all going how I expected but I feel right now it is the right thing to do. Trying to figure out how they all work for me, and what styles just don't do the job. Having some trouble with them sliding back and pining them in place correctly. I plan to make some more for myself and buy some more to see how I like them.

See you all at some later date!

Yet another life got in the way excuse

Sorry once again for the lack of posts. Here is an update (and and excuse) about why I have not lived up to my hope of posting more often. Little 'un had a doctor's appointment about two weeks ago in which they had run a test to check for food allergies. Well when they came back those allergies were so severe and complicated. A lot more than I was expecting; so I have been devoting most of my internet time to finding new foods to make for my family that he can also eat. Hopefully I will begin to post more often once I have figured some of those recipes out!

March Has Struck Again

I haven't posted lately because of a new goal I set with myself that I would stay positive as much as possible which my life has made rather challenging. Weddings are very stressful and it is hard to keep from just plain whining about the whole ordeal when you daily are getting calls from relatives to change details or they will be unhappy or unable to attend. Now here is the positive spin. When the day comes I (hopefully) will be too exited to even remember the drama and it won't matter to me anymore. I will be able to forget about all the boring little details and just have a good time.

Little 'un last Thursday had a doctors check and they ran some blood work on him and found that his allergies to food are much more extensive than even I was aware. He will be getting more specific testing in a few months but until then he is on a very strict diet. (No wheat, soy, dairy, eggs or citrus). This diet so far using my limited recipe list has been very expensive. He doesn't eat red meat at all in fact the only meat he is guaranteed to eat is pork. Now here is the positive spin. The whole family will be able to loose some weight, little 'un doesn't need to but hubby and I have been struggling with our weight for months. This is our chance to loose the weight in a healthy way. I will also have a good excuse for my frequent baking frenzies. I just feel bad that my son has to suffer for my curse of March.

For me it's not the ides of March to beware it's the whole fraking month! Next year I think I may just hide under my bed until it is over.

Links!

Today I was surfing over my usual websites and noticed that Jason over at The Wild Hunt had a rather nice list of articles up today! I encourage you all to go over and check out the interview he posted about the Catholic show The Arena. They interviewed Star Foster from Patheos.com and it was just a really illuminating interview!

Hope to have something of my own thoughts about what he posted up by tomorrow!

More Updates

Well I worked over time this weekend and got the house picked up. We had a play date/ dinner with one of little 'un's friends yesterday so I got my butt in gear. Trying my best to stay motivated and keep the house clean. School was less than stellar this week will be trying to do better next week. March is almost over and my energy levels should be picking up in the next few weeks. I can't wait for warm weather! BBQs with friends and all the energy I need to keep in shape and keep the house clean. I have more t post but it will have t wait little 'un is getting into trouble!

March

Have I mentioned yet that I hate March? This always just seems to be the month that everything goes wrong and people just loose their minds. At least for the last five years that is how I have experienced it. People I care about get deathly ill, and there is nothing I can do to ease their suffering. Unexpected crisis emerge with family and friends. The roof collapses, car accidents, you name it. If something horrible is going to happen to me it always happens in March. By the end of the month I'm so grumpy I don't even like my company anymore! I just end up feeling depressed and totally out of control.

This March has been tame compared to most. My grandfather only almost died; he is still recovering but he is home from the hospital now. My future mother-in-law has been having a banner week on annoying me. She is trying her hardest to sabotage the wedding plans, we have HAD to change the date no less than three times to satisfy her whims. Calling my already swamped with wedding plans mother to complain about the wedding plans for two hours. I mean how dare we plan a wedding different from the way she did hers. (Well we only did a small wedding reception, we didn't feed our guests a full meal). How dare we spend our modest tax return on our wedding day instead of a new car like she wanted us to! How dare we do a theme wedding; well shes not dressing up for it! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! At this point I don't care what it looks like or when it happens I just DON'T GIVE A DAMN ANYMORE! I was waiting for this exact scenario to happen for the last few weeks. I don't know which I liked more; not having her drive me nuts but waiting for the proverbial poop to hit the fan or actually having it all messy and out in the open. There is (hopefully) the end of my bridezilla temper tantrum.

I just cannot wait for March to me over!

Quick Post

Hope you all had a blessed Ostara we have been really this week. Planning the wedding has moved forward but I am not any less stressed out about it. Had a bunch of people over so the house work is only so-so right now but I cannot foresee any problems arising to keep me from getting it back to order. School of the little 'un is really going well, he is really enjoying this weeks theme. I have had a huge burst of inspiration for my Etsy shop but I may have to postpone the opening with the wedding and everything. I am hopeful though that it will go well when it does open. I'll be back with some other things later this week!

Happy St. Paddy's Day

I love how St. Patrick is listed as the patron saint of Ireland when he isn't even IRISH. He was a Roman slave who was taken to Ireland. When he escaped he joined the Church and went back to Ireland. What about the he drove the snakes from Ireland thing? Total BS. Ireland hadn't had snakes since the last ice age, it was a last minute addition to his story. This is why bunches of frat boys drink themselves into a stupor on green beer as honorary Irishmen. Anyway enough of my ranting on this mother of all non-holidays!

The Lessons of Spring

I was in a little bit of a depression spin last night that would have made communication with anyone just nasty. However little 'un just knew what to do, he dragged me outside for a bit of a romp. (Isn't he so smart?) It was just a little on the chilly side so we didn't stay out long but we managed to see the first bunny of spring (lots of tracks in the leftover snow), a large flock of geese, and cute little squirrel prints that I got to show little 'un. We sat at our uncovered picnic table for awhile and just enjoyed the fresh earthy air. Snapped me right out of my funk, feeling much better today. Isn't nice how spring just kinda does that to you? Out of the dark of winter spring arrives and everything just starts looking up; the earth warms and flowers bloom. I ordered my seeds for spring planting and it ended up costing me a lot less than I had been planning for. Looking forward to working in my garden again. Yet again the Mama just wows me with her splendor and I find the bright side of things again.

Updates!

Taking it easy this week because it's my birthday. Going to use the money I got for my projects. A few head coverings and some supplies for my etsy shop so I'll be posting more next week!

So Whats Going On?

Just once again wanted to update you all on how things are going here. My goals are still where they were the last time I posted so I'm not going to bore you all with them again. However; there has been a new development here at home. I'm planning my LEGAL wedding. Hubby and I are not in the eyes of the state legally married and for some of our blood relatives this is a problem and so we are going to seek the piece of paper marriage. It is also a problem for me because without the little piece of paper from the government I cannot get health insurance. There are also a myriad of other personal reasons for us to seek this union but as so many of you already know planning a wedding is HARD, and very stressful. I can see the blessing in it because the stress has given me over to a bit of a Spiritual awakening that has already proven a boon to my life and will undoubtedly continue to do so.

The first phase was some dream visitations from my totem animals. Dreaming of animals wouldn't have caught my eye if timing hadn't been so good. Dreaming of a totem animal in of itself might not be noticeable to me but dreaming of two in the space of a week really woke me up (pun intended). I had been struggling with my day to day Pagan-is and it allowed me to find a new wellspring of belief and reminded me that while I might not be doing hour long complicated rituals I can see my everyday life as an example of my Pagan practice. Hestia also came calling to me in a much louder sense and I have been exploring her worship more fully and feeling her out so to speak. She has been this great mysterious Goddess figure for so long now I've gone and found out who she is. It's always boggled my mind why someone who has only ever really worked within the Celtic framework would be so called by a Greek (or the Roman Vestia) Goddess but I guess it's just going to have to remain a mystery right now.

As part of the call from Hestia (or maybe it is why she called to me in the first place) I have also been getting the call to dress in what is called a Plain sort of fashion; Head covering included. Which as a self-identified feminist just seems crazy. However I am fond of dresses and skirts of Amish design and the Quakers also. The head covering is a little jarring because I had always thought of this as a monotheist practice. Internet to the rescue! I have found so many blog posts about other Pagans and their struggles with the choice to cover their heads for many reasons. Plus youtube videos wahoo! So I have come to the compromise that since most women do not cover their heads until they are married (in any tradition) I will get myself some coverings (my birthday is coming up) and wear them on a trail basis until after the wedding when I will make a more permanent commitment to covering or chose not to do so at all.

As a side note Hestia has always been depicted with a veil over her head, go figure. I am sure there are going to be a great many posts in the future about this subject if I ever get through the wedding planning.

A Bunch of Things

Well here is my weekly post of everything that I can think of to write. I'll start with my round-up of updates on the things going on in my life. Hoping to hold myself accountable for the goals I make and maybe stick to them.

1. School as always is enjoyable and going well, looking forward to the end of the year so that I can see how much progress little 'un makes. Working on my thoughts on curriculum for the future as well. This works well so far but I'm trying to stay ahead of the curve.

2. The diet is not where I would like it to be, however, I am doing better than I was last week. I even found some kefir in the organics section to try. We liked it a lot and now that I know little 'un can tolerate it I'm going to do my best to get my hands on some grains so I can make it myself. Hoping that the sugar content will be less if I make it myself!

3. Well my etsy shop plans were thrown for a loop when Mrs. B posted that the 31 days of Halloween won't be happening this year at least not with her. Looking for some other options and trying to get motivated again. I am still planning on opening one I just have to actually get my butt in gear and do the hard work of collecting the materials and making the projects.

4. House is beautiful. I was able to go above and beyond the call of duty on Friday without totally killing myself so the house looks really good. I was still able to do school with little 'un and we had just a really great day. In fact it was as close to perfect I think humans can achieve.


Jason over at the Wild Hunt posted something about a Documentary on Aphrodite the other day and if you are not one of his regular readers I would encourage you to go over and check out the link that he posted. He's also currently at PantheaCon and posting his thoughts about that as well. Last but not least Sunfire at Pagan Blog Prompts has a prompt up on gardening so I think I'll share my plans here now:

This year I'm planning to overhaul my system from last year. I found that cucumbers completely overtook my onions and garlic and that peppers were the plants that did best in my soil. The corn failed because I was not aware of the certain kind of beetle that destroys it and therefore did not protect against it and lost what would have been a promising crop due to lack of knowledge. I'm expanding what I'm growing on a whole both for spiritual needs and eating needs. Cucumbers and other climbing viney plants will be getting their own fresh plot in my yard so they won't kill everything else. Adding to my strawberry patch and adding to my list of herbs. Last year with little 'un being so little I didn't want to over do it and well I ended up with a very small yield. Looking forward to another year if gardening and I keep reminding myself that I will be saving so much money this summer on my grocery bill.

Well!

Another short sort-of update post!

1. Still sticking with school little 'un is still liking it especially the extra reading time I try to squeeze in. What I chose is working well for us right now, he seems to be learning a lot and will often mention things we haven't studied in weeks. The other day he wanted to look at the stars so I took him on the online planetarium tour and he could identify about 3 constellations on sight. Something that took me by surprise since it's been a month since we explored the stars and even then I wasn't asking him to remember anything about it, it was just fun.

2. Housework is finally coming together. The house is neat excepting the living room which is in need of about an hour of TLC which I should be able to by the end of the week. Insomnia aside I will be trying to give up napping during the day once again if I can manage five hours of sleep at night. That will help me get more deep cleaning done as the days go by.

Checking in

Not much of a post today I just wanted to check in here and keep you all updated.

1. My Etsy shop plans are moving forward. I have a couple dozen ideas that I am currently working on getting ready. I am hoping that I will have the shop up and running in time for the 31 Days of Halloween over at Mrs. B's.

2. Diet isn't happening at all very disappointed.

3. Little 'un is still having fun doing home school with me. He is now telling other people al about what he is learning about but STILL won't answer any of my direct questions. Toddlers eh?

I also have a friend who just got a hold of some kefir grains so now I have easy access to them. Looking forward to trying little 'un on it to see how his stomach takes it. Hoping that it will eventually take the place of his OJ so I can reduce his sugar intake. Household cleaning is staying on track for now despite another little bout of insomnia. Making plans in the future to have an Imbolc get-together. That's a lot of stuff on my plate!

I'm Back

Well for the last week and a half I have been out of internet due to a router malfunction we were unable to fix in a timely fashion. So now I'm back and hopefully will be posting more regularly.

An update on my current goals:

1. School with little 'un is going well. He still refuses to answer even the simplest questions about what I'm teaching him so I'm right now just hoping that he's picking up what I want him to. He may on occasion come up and talk about something we did the previous day but if I actually ask him about it he remains silent. He does really enjoy playing with the flashcards and today he remembered that clown begins with the letter C. We also sing a lot of songs and nursery rhymes.

2. Health in general is not happening right now. I have to set the bar higher for myself so that I eventually get over the winter blahs and actually DO something about my flab. You know eat healthy and exercise?

3. Housecleaning is off and on. This week it has been better but the last two I wasn't pleased with my efforts. The house is clean enough (except for the kitchen which I am so busy in that as soon as it's clean I'm making it messy again).

4. My thoughts for what I am going to showcase at my Etsy shop are coming along, I have a great many ideas for it. I will be setting up a magical and mundane split.

Well that's all that is on my mind for now!

The Many Blessings of Tribe

Well this week went to heck in a hand basket really quickly. Little 'un got that nasty cold that everybody I know has and cranky doesn't even begin to describe his mood which quickly soured my mood. By the end of the week my mood was awful and I was sick too. However; I was rescued by the tribe descending to divert little 'uns attention and cook dinner and just give me a break. Which was very welcome because I was just burned out. Hubby took care of the trash and dishes for me and the house is tolerably neat so that starting on Monday I can do my best to pick myself up by the shoe laces and go on with my schedule and schooling litte 'un. We took a break this week from school to let him rest and recover and by the end of the week I was too wiped out myself. Here's hoping!

My First Review!

Today I will do something I had been planning on doing for awhile here on this blog; a book review!

The Way of the Horned God: A Young Man's Guide to Modern Paganism
By: Dancing Rabbit and Illustrated by: W. Michael Dooley
Reviewed by the Kitchen Witch (Me!)

IN the interest of full disclosure the author sent me this publication in pdf form via e-mail with the request that I review the book here on my blog. I'll begin with what I liked about this book. The story in the beginning was very cute. I liked the fact that right off the bat it was brought up that since the advent of feminism girls have been given special days and careful thought but that boys of late have come up dry. That isn't to say that it isn't important but the question "when are we going to have a class on boyism?" is also very pertinent. I think that the fact that Paganism writes much about the Goddess and woman's spirituality but is silent on males and their place in the Pagan landscape is sad. I was unable to connect with the Christian view of God because he was a stern male figure waiting to punish me for the very living of my life as a happy fulfilled human being. I think that as Pagans we lose a lot by only focusing on the Goddess and not also the God. (Yes I know not every tradition does this but the God is underrepresented in Pagan literature.) Many Pagan women left Christianity because of the lack of balance; and yet we continue to ignore this in our own faith and I think our sons may grow up to reject Paganism for the very same reason that we left Christianity. Good male role models are few and far between, too many boys grow up with this lack of heroes and that leaves them open to many undesirable things (Drinking excessively, driving too fast, ect.) I think that The Way of the Horned God is a step in the right direction. As a Pagan mother I want to show my son that Paganism has a place for him and that he can find a good male role model in the God without forgetting the Goddess. This book is all about the balance between the two. It is a basic 101 book that you could give to your son as a way of helping him find his balance point within Paganism. There are rituals (including a typical self initiation) and advice for the young man seeking to practice Paganism that should be familiar to anyone who has been practicing for awhile but would be a nice first introduction for an older boy who knows little about it. Just because it's a typical 101 book don't think that a boy who has been involved with Paganism since an early age won't find something useful in this book. All in all I would recommend this book to any Pagan mother of a son who wishes to give support to her son on his path. The link to the chants contained in the Chanting section was spectacular; I found it helpful a really wonderful resource. I also loved the illustrations, ok I found them cute.

THAT all being said there were a few things that I squinted at a little. Right in the beginning it is mentioned that a Pagan male could practice in secret against the wishes of his parents. Yes I know that some minors who wish to practice Paganism would find life difficult with their Christian parents but I don't enjoy the implication of hiding something from parents. The author does mention that this is not an ideal way to go about it then spends a good portion of the book talking about how if you do it a certain way that nobody would have to know you were practicing Paganism. Yes Paganism is perfectly normal and I believe that if necessary for job or personal security practicing in secret may be alright but I also believe that being out of the broom closet is an important step in gaining mainstream acceptance. I feel the author also contradicts himself a little when he said that you don't need a whole slew of cool tools and props but in all his ritual outlines he uses a whole slew of fancy stuff that not everybody has (or wishes to use), this is my only real bone to pick with the rituals contained within the book. Again in the interest of full disclosure I find that I have this problem with almost every Pagan book I read. You need this color altar cloth and a black handled knife and a white handled knife and rose water and this herb and this colored candle ect. That just never jived with the kind of Paganism I was working with I've always been a Kitchen Witch and I probably always will be even if I had a million dollars to spend on tools I would rather use what I already have in the house and garden! Or instead of buying it making it myself. Not a huge deal but I felt mentioning them would make this a more complete review. If this review was helpful and you would like a copy of this book for yourself it is available on Amazon.com!


Well there it is my review (aka. opinion) of The Way of the Horned God.

Oh SO Busy!

The stuffed peppers came out wonderfully, the whole family loved them. Now our fridge is full of yummy leftovers so I won't be cooking for a few more days. Not that I mind cooking I just don't like the dishes! We have a party to go to today that I'm really looking forward to. A friend of little 'un is turning one and there is going to be a small party in her honor. Tomorrow we are going over to the in laws to finish opening the gifts the got us for Christmas but wanted us to go over there to open. (Notice the eye roll). Then we will be getting hit by another 6-11 inches of snow; not cool. I'm looking forward to Spring already.

Double Double Toil and Trouble!

I'm all in a tizzy making stuffed collards for dinner tonight. My fellow tribeswoman had made it for us before Yule and now I'm trying to make them myself. I have got pots a bubbling right now with red beans and rice (organic brown rice of course!) I watched them being made last time and now feel comfortable just winging it, that's the way I normally cook. I read the recipe see what I have and what I don't and then decide from there if it would be alright to make. I call it my own special brand of cooking magic. I imbue my excitement and love into the meal as best I can, which works better if I'm not a slave to a recipe. I'll update tomorrow about how everything turned out.

I'm swiftly working away at The Way of the Horned God, that's the freebie book I got so that I could review it here. If you are also a follower of Mrs. B's you will remember the giveaway that she had there for the book. Loving it right now and looking forward to posting my review here soon!

Updates and things to look forward to!

Well updating to my goals for this year. My diet is slowly but surely coming together. Now that hubby has been paid we went grocery shopping and I have given up soda for the last ten days. We have eaten out a lot more than I would have liked but it's a work in progress. School is working well for us little 'un for the most part likes it, but he is having some cooperation issues. (I know he knows his letters and numbers but he won't tell me when I show them to him.) Again it's still a work in progress but I foresee once we get into the full swing of things the cooperation will come. My housework isn't going as well as I would like due to my normal mid-winter slowdown and aches and pains. Hoping that I will be able to get my butt in gear and keep up.

I'm starting the plans for my garden hubby and I are planning on more than doubling our garden from last year so that we can can more produce than last year. Hoping that if we increase our yield this year we can save enough money on our grocery bill to re-do the kitchen. I'm going to place my seed order into Seeds of Change by the end of the month. Trying to decide if I want to start and Etsy shop or not. I am naturally crafty and I realized that everything I made for Christmas is selling for at least a 20% profit in department stores. It seems like a good idea now but I don't really know how much work and expense is involved. If I do start one I would plant more herbs than I was originally planning. I will keep updating here.

I got a nice little freebie book that I plan to review here in the future along with Pillars of the Earth. I know I have been saying that forever and I do intend to review it someday soon once I get my thoughts all in order.