We have some people in our community who are dealing with death and illness, and I want to publicly express my grief and love for them. I am so grateful to be part of a community that is so loving and willing to step up in a time of need.
In more plebian news, I am in a serious, serious food rut. Like pizza, pasta and popcorn. I need some easy recipes that are for the love of God not chicken (but we're not vegetarian) that I can throw in my crock pot or make in a jiffy and that are cheap, and can be modified to be dairy free for the 1/3 of my family that cannot have any lactose. I am desperate here people. I'm tired of tomato sauce, chicken and pasta. Soups and fresh bread would be great, stews; tempting, hearty meals that I can make for my family and the aforementioned friends who are struggling with life's challenges right now
Kthxbye!
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Boston Baked Beans
OK, first of all, nothing to do with baked beans. I moved our baby chicks outside today and the indoor chickens and the outdoor chickens seem to be adjusting to each other OK. I kept the mama and chicks in the coop all day, and the older americaunas locked outside. About 5:30, I was sitting with a napping Lucy, with my headset on, watching True Blood, and heard a heck of a commotion outside.
I ran outside to all this clucking noise, and there was a hawk stalking my chickens!! They were freaking out, and the hawk took off when I came out. Everyone stayed safe though ::whew:::.
I got back late last night from my career assessment in Dedham, MA. It was really worth every penny of the $1700 it cost :::faint::::. But really, they were fabulous, and I had a couple minor surprises, but walked away feeling very confident that I'm very much on the right journey, and possessing a lot of important skills.
I stayed with a friend from high school and her husband, and they were wonderful host(ess)es, and took me out on the town for seafood and the attendant New England cornbread and baked beans. The food was to die for, and even sharing, my friend and I couldn't finish the Indian pudding!
I had a quick and dirty tour of Boston. I am :::swooon:::: in love with Boston. I would move there tomorrow. From the second I went over that bridge into the city and delved into the Big Dig, I was sold. The energy there is so wonderful. I would thrive there. I even got to go down to the harbor and smell the salt air. Ahhh. A very short ocean fix, but worth the walk. I found the Holocaust memorial to be stunning and incredibly moving.
I got to visit First Church and the former sexton that let us in was an overwhelming wealth of knowledge about the architecture of the building and of the history of it, and Boston itself. I could have listened to him all night if we could have gone somewhere with a/c.
To any other seminarians, I highly recommend ccdmin.org. They were thorough, honest, and helped me really clarify things in a new and wonderful way.
I ran outside to all this clucking noise, and there was a hawk stalking my chickens!! They were freaking out, and the hawk took off when I came out. Everyone stayed safe though ::whew:::.
I got back late last night from my career assessment in Dedham, MA. It was really worth every penny of the $1700 it cost :::faint::::. But really, they were fabulous, and I had a couple minor surprises, but walked away feeling very confident that I'm very much on the right journey, and possessing a lot of important skills.
I stayed with a friend from high school and her husband, and they were wonderful host(ess)es, and took me out on the town for seafood and the attendant New England cornbread and baked beans. The food was to die for, and even sharing, my friend and I couldn't finish the Indian pudding!
I had a quick and dirty tour of Boston. I am :::swooon:::: in love with Boston. I would move there tomorrow. From the second I went over that bridge into the city and delved into the Big Dig, I was sold. The energy there is so wonderful. I would thrive there. I even got to go down to the harbor and smell the salt air. Ahhh. A very short ocean fix, but worth the walk. I found the Holocaust memorial to be stunning and incredibly moving.
I got to visit First Church and the former sexton that let us in was an overwhelming wealth of knowledge about the architecture of the building and of the history of it, and Boston itself. I could have listened to him all night if we could have gone somewhere with a/c.
To any other seminarians, I highly recommend ccdmin.org. They were thorough, honest, and helped me really clarify things in a new and wonderful way.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Yummy Day
A perfect summer day - no humidity, around 80F, and less bugs. I loved my meditation walk this morning and actually got some peace from it. I've had a hard time letting go of intruding lists lately, so this was good. And I've got a lot of money stress again, so it was a real coup.
Chickens: yard time. Check.
Yard and gardens: Weeding. Check
Veggies: Fresh corn picked and cooked within the hour. Check.
Ditto with fresh gazpacho with cukes picked fresh. Chillin' in fridge. Check.
Kids fed, happy, and in bed. Check.
House. Semi-vacuumed. Check.
Took Jude to the doc for expected verdict of virus and a lab slip for a salmonella check. Lab was closed though. Surprise - He LOVED the male doc, totally cooperated for him and his male nurse (who used to be our doc's nurse and I love), and wants to switch to this doctor. If it means cooperating and effective health care, I'm all for it. I feel guilty though. I adore our doctor and love that we all see the same person, but Jude just doesn't jive with her when he needs to be checked out. She's a little too forward and loud and funny for him. Dr. Howe is a guy (major points in Jude's book), mellow, let me take Jude's temp, and explained everything before he touched him. So I will figure out how to make the switch on our insurance and break it to Dr. Jeanne. He will still see her if Dr. H. isn't available, and when we visit with the other kids or me, so it's no like she'll never see him. And they're in the same practice.
I'm reading First the Ecstacy, Then the Laundry. That pretty much sums up my questions and struggles with integrating my spiritual life with the rest of my life. I'm anxious to get past the intro and into the meat of it. I'm also sporadically reading "Are You Running with Me, Jesus?" which is somehow a charming book of my kind of prayers.
Off to watch 24. I had a yummy dream about Kiefer Sutherland last night which morphd into a yummy dream about hubby ;). Like Hubby would jump off a building and grab onto a helicopter, but I guess that's why they're dreams!
Chickens: yard time. Check.
Yard and gardens: Weeding. Check
Veggies: Fresh corn picked and cooked within the hour. Check.
Ditto with fresh gazpacho with cukes picked fresh. Chillin' in fridge. Check.
Kids fed, happy, and in bed. Check.
House. Semi-vacuumed. Check.
Took Jude to the doc for expected verdict of virus and a lab slip for a salmonella check. Lab was closed though. Surprise - He LOVED the male doc, totally cooperated for him and his male nurse (who used to be our doc's nurse and I love), and wants to switch to this doctor. If it means cooperating and effective health care, I'm all for it. I feel guilty though. I adore our doctor and love that we all see the same person, but Jude just doesn't jive with her when he needs to be checked out. She's a little too forward and loud and funny for him. Dr. Howe is a guy (major points in Jude's book), mellow, let me take Jude's temp, and explained everything before he touched him. So I will figure out how to make the switch on our insurance and break it to Dr. Jeanne. He will still see her if Dr. H. isn't available, and when we visit with the other kids or me, so it's no like she'll never see him. And they're in the same practice.
I'm reading First the Ecstacy, Then the Laundry. That pretty much sums up my questions and struggles with integrating my spiritual life with the rest of my life. I'm anxious to get past the intro and into the meat of it. I'm also sporadically reading "Are You Running with Me, Jesus?" which is somehow a charming book of my kind of prayers.
Off to watch 24. I had a yummy dream about Kiefer Sutherland last night which morphd into a yummy dream about hubby ;). Like Hubby would jump off a building and grab onto a helicopter, but I guess that's why they're dreams!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
A break in the action
The mosquito action that is. Today it was finally 80s and sunny, and I was able to get the kids and myself outside for some fresh air and sunshine. (However, it is now muggy and cloudy and we're expecting our daily thunderstorm.) Honestly, I cannot remember the last day it didn't rain. We have had the 2nd coldest summer ever here.
But today was a perfect summer day and the mosquitoes, which are so bad that I can barely tolerate taking my morning walk (along with the deer flies) seemed on temporary hiatus (they're back in action this evening though).
I think our corn will be ready soon though, and cucumbers are just about there. There is an ENORMOUS squash of some sort that I don't remember planting too. The tomatoes are still green, green, green. Just not enough sun to let them ripen. I'm worried about the punkin's too - there aren't any plants, just flowers, and if they don't start soon, they won't be ready to harvest for fall.
I got a TON of weeding done and discovered that our apple tree that produced *nothing* last year is dropping copious amounts of small, early apples. I had to take a wheelbarrow-full out to the field for the deer, but found about a dozen that were edible. I'll have to go out with a ladder and harvest some for applesauce next week. Our other tree isn't near ready yet, but both pear trees have a ton of fruit on them and the grapes actually have fruit on them this year - last year, nada. The hops are sorely neglected; I haven't been able to get hubby to help me stake them up; hopefully we can trim them back and clean up that plot this fall and give them another chance next year. I think I could still harvest a bunch and dry them. I also found 3 more huge garlic bulbs today, with beautiful scapes on them. Yay!
The raspberries are still producing but it's so difficult to tolerate the mosquitoes enough to harvest more berries. We froze some but I just realized that my fridge/freezer is on the fritz and the freezer was not cold in spots. Shit. I can't afford a new fridge right now, or a repair bill. I can use our smaller fridge for now, but it's not in the kitchen, so a little inconvenient.
I spoke with Rev. Miller today and worked out the details for tomorrow's service. I'm hoping I can talk the family into coming, and then we can go to the Park Ave. fest. Just to browse; I love looking at everything and hearing the live music! I didn't get to see the free Rusted Root this week because Jude was still not feeling well :(. What a bummer! Oh well! There will be other opportunities :).
The week stretches out before me without the girls here. I'm hoping for hot, dry days, so we can be outside and I can wrestle the yard into submission. I love my yard, but it's a lot of work with the fruit and the garden. But the chickies are easy; tomorrow I hope to clean out their coop and the brooder as well. I'm also going to clean out the bunny cage and hose it and scrub it.
Oh, and for those who don't believe in God - there was a miracle here today. My husband mowed the front yard for the first time this summer! I've been doing it and hate it. I can't wait till we have a riding mower again. i hate paying the lawn guy to do the back forty.
Off to have grilled kabobs and corn on the cob!
But today was a perfect summer day and the mosquitoes, which are so bad that I can barely tolerate taking my morning walk (along with the deer flies) seemed on temporary hiatus (they're back in action this evening though).
I think our corn will be ready soon though, and cucumbers are just about there. There is an ENORMOUS squash of some sort that I don't remember planting too. The tomatoes are still green, green, green. Just not enough sun to let them ripen. I'm worried about the punkin's too - there aren't any plants, just flowers, and if they don't start soon, they won't be ready to harvest for fall.
I got a TON of weeding done and discovered that our apple tree that produced *nothing* last year is dropping copious amounts of small, early apples. I had to take a wheelbarrow-full out to the field for the deer, but found about a dozen that were edible. I'll have to go out with a ladder and harvest some for applesauce next week. Our other tree isn't near ready yet, but both pear trees have a ton of fruit on them and the grapes actually have fruit on them this year - last year, nada. The hops are sorely neglected; I haven't been able to get hubby to help me stake them up; hopefully we can trim them back and clean up that plot this fall and give them another chance next year. I think I could still harvest a bunch and dry them. I also found 3 more huge garlic bulbs today, with beautiful scapes on them. Yay!
The raspberries are still producing but it's so difficult to tolerate the mosquitoes enough to harvest more berries. We froze some but I just realized that my fridge/freezer is on the fritz and the freezer was not cold in spots. Shit. I can't afford a new fridge right now, or a repair bill. I can use our smaller fridge for now, but it's not in the kitchen, so a little inconvenient.
I spoke with Rev. Miller today and worked out the details for tomorrow's service. I'm hoping I can talk the family into coming, and then we can go to the Park Ave. fest. Just to browse; I love looking at everything and hearing the live music! I didn't get to see the free Rusted Root this week because Jude was still not feeling well :(. What a bummer! Oh well! There will be other opportunities :).
The week stretches out before me without the girls here. I'm hoping for hot, dry days, so we can be outside and I can wrestle the yard into submission. I love my yard, but it's a lot of work with the fruit and the garden. But the chickies are easy; tomorrow I hope to clean out their coop and the brooder as well. I'm also going to clean out the bunny cage and hose it and scrub it.
Oh, and for those who don't believe in God - there was a miracle here today. My husband mowed the front yard for the first time this summer! I've been doing it and hate it. I can't wait till we have a riding mower again. i hate paying the lawn guy to do the back forty.
Off to have grilled kabobs and corn on the cob!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A momentous day
Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. She is 13, the beginning of the magical teen years.
We are making a cake, an cheesy potato casserole and grilled ribs and artichokes for dinner. We are spending the day with friends and at home, and are enjoying our regular day off! I'm doing her chores for her today.
She is making her own chocolate cake too!
Emma is a delightful young woman, and I am very much looking forward to the teen years. She still likes to hang out and chat with me, cook together, and talk about religion and politics. I challenge her not to make assumptions out of the black and white place of adolescence, and to think and write critically, and she tolerates me and tries hard.
She loves little kids and is a fabulous babysitter. She is thoughtful an empathic and tends to stand up for the underdog. She's an unabashed Obama supporter and is not refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance now that President Bush is out of office.
She's excited to start community college next year and wants to be a cardiac surgeon. She's a little geeky (on purpose) and pretty and smart and I feel like the luckiest mom in the world to have these four wonderful souls in my life.
She was my hardest birth - 25.5 hours of labor and she was the smallest of them all at 5 1/2 lbs. Her online icon is now "I'm not short, I'm just unusually not tall." Like her mom, she's a big personality in a small package, and is kinder and less edgy than me. Her dad always said that she was me with tools (the tools I didn't get as a child). She used to say she wanted to build a house in the backyard so she could wave into my kitchen window from her kitchen window. She's expanded her horizons a bit now, but still wants to stay close to home. She likes an adventure, but likes to come home again at the end of it.
She's not afraid to stand up for herself, but she's kind in the way she does it.
My son said today, "I can't wait for my 5th birthday!" I jokingly told him that then I could send him to school. He replied, "No, five is still very little!" And he's right. He's still little, and especially so compared to Emma.
I love 13. I love the teen years, and I'm excited to share the rest of them with her (and the rest of the kids as they come through them).
We are making a cake, an cheesy potato casserole and grilled ribs and artichokes for dinner. We are spending the day with friends and at home, and are enjoying our regular day off! I'm doing her chores for her today.
She is making her own chocolate cake too!
Emma is a delightful young woman, and I am very much looking forward to the teen years. She still likes to hang out and chat with me, cook together, and talk about religion and politics. I challenge her not to make assumptions out of the black and white place of adolescence, and to think and write critically, and she tolerates me and tries hard.
She loves little kids and is a fabulous babysitter. She is thoughtful an empathic and tends to stand up for the underdog. She's an unabashed Obama supporter and is not refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance now that President Bush is out of office.
She's excited to start community college next year and wants to be a cardiac surgeon. She's a little geeky (on purpose) and pretty and smart and I feel like the luckiest mom in the world to have these four wonderful souls in my life.
She was my hardest birth - 25.5 hours of labor and she was the smallest of them all at 5 1/2 lbs. Her online icon is now "I'm not short, I'm just unusually not tall." Like her mom, she's a big personality in a small package, and is kinder and less edgy than me. Her dad always said that she was me with tools (the tools I didn't get as a child). She used to say she wanted to build a house in the backyard so she could wave into my kitchen window from her kitchen window. She's expanded her horizons a bit now, but still wants to stay close to home. She likes an adventure, but likes to come home again at the end of it.
She's not afraid to stand up for herself, but she's kind in the way she does it.
My son said today, "I can't wait for my 5th birthday!" I jokingly told him that then I could send him to school. He replied, "No, five is still very little!" And he's right. He's still little, and especially so compared to Emma.
I love 13. I love the teen years, and I'm excited to share the rest of them with her (and the rest of the kids as they come through them).
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Spring! and random blather.
There are crocus leaves poking up around the mailbox at the end of my walk!
And I am learning about Lent, all over again. How is it that I was brought up Roman Catholic, and am so incredibly ignorant of Christian ritual and tradition? It is to make one scream in frustration. I'm enjoying the link to Leaflets for Lent posted by Boston Unitarian (I'm too lazy to link right now; look it up), and am still reading Marianne Williamson.
A dear friend sent me the Praying the Word book I wanted, and I am enjoying it very much, and very slowly and deliciously.
This has been a very difficult couple of days, but there are crocuses blooming!
I'm a bit lonely. I had 2 different evenings out planned this week with friends and they both fell through - one because of no gas money and one because Tom is working (a good thing, but sad for my social life). Thank goodness for books and Netflix and Lost on the Internet. And blogs. And magazines (UU World came! and More magazine! and Games Magazine!).
I decided that since my internal outlook was bleak, I would spruce up the house today, so Soren and I remade Emma's bed with her birthday set that my mom sent (pictures on the way!) and I put up the curtains she sent. Then I made curtains for Lucy and Jude's room, but that kind of backfired, because I want to switch their rooms, and after I made what-was-to-be Lucy's new room all pretty and girly with a new to her bedset (Emma's old twin one) and Dora curtains...Jude decided he didn't want to move to her room (even though I put up star and moon curtains there). Darn kids. Uncooperative. I also made a curtain for the playroom, and did a thousand loads of laundry and cleaned out the linen closet, and vacuumed and made beer batter tilapia and asparagus with white sauce.
I've gained 7 lbs. this month, which is highly irregular for me, and I think it is this malaise that has me sitting in bed moping . I'm not even eating that much.
Blather, blather. And our intern is preaching this Sunday and I am going to miss it because I have to teach! ARGH! And I'm supposed to preach the Sunday after Easter, and I have no idea what I'm going to preach about. Supposedly community but I want to throw out everything I've written. I want to find some good readings and such but am having a hard time with Mr Google.
Le sigh. Off to walk the dog one last time and enjoy the warm evening and the stars. The geese are migrating - I saw about 500 this morning when I walked the dog, and some of them were snow geese! They're back! I love snow geese.
And I am learning about Lent, all over again. How is it that I was brought up Roman Catholic, and am so incredibly ignorant of Christian ritual and tradition? It is to make one scream in frustration. I'm enjoying the link to Leaflets for Lent posted by Boston Unitarian (I'm too lazy to link right now; look it up), and am still reading Marianne Williamson.
A dear friend sent me the Praying the Word book I wanted, and I am enjoying it very much, and very slowly and deliciously.
This has been a very difficult couple of days, but there are crocuses blooming!
I'm a bit lonely. I had 2 different evenings out planned this week with friends and they both fell through - one because of no gas money and one because Tom is working (a good thing, but sad for my social life). Thank goodness for books and Netflix and Lost on the Internet. And blogs. And magazines (UU World came! and More magazine! and Games Magazine!).
I decided that since my internal outlook was bleak, I would spruce up the house today, so Soren and I remade Emma's bed with her birthday set that my mom sent (pictures on the way!) and I put up the curtains she sent. Then I made curtains for Lucy and Jude's room, but that kind of backfired, because I want to switch their rooms, and after I made what-was-to-be Lucy's new room all pretty and girly with a new to her bedset (Emma's old twin one) and Dora curtains...Jude decided he didn't want to move to her room (even though I put up star and moon curtains there). Darn kids. Uncooperative. I also made a curtain for the playroom, and did a thousand loads of laundry and cleaned out the linen closet, and vacuumed and made beer batter tilapia and asparagus with white sauce.
I've gained 7 lbs. this month, which is highly irregular for me, and I think it is this malaise that has me sitting in bed moping . I'm not even eating that much.
Blather, blather. And our intern is preaching this Sunday and I am going to miss it because I have to teach! ARGH! And I'm supposed to preach the Sunday after Easter, and I have no idea what I'm going to preach about. Supposedly community but I want to throw out everything I've written. I want to find some good readings and such but am having a hard time with Mr Google.
Le sigh. Off to walk the dog one last time and enjoy the warm evening and the stars. The geese are migrating - I saw about 500 this morning when I walked the dog, and some of them were snow geese! They're back! I love snow geese.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thank you
Thanks for the good wishes to everyone who posted. I'm drowning in email and such, but wanted to say thank you. A friend also gave me gas money to get to the memorial service next week - which blew my mind.
And a guy that my husband is working with is semi-homeless and keeps giving us bread. My freezer is full of bread. It's so awesome.
This has been a very full day and everyone is exhausted, so I am going to follow my wise husband's example and go to sleep.
And a guy that my husband is working with is semi-homeless and keeps giving us bread. My freezer is full of bread. It's so awesome.
This has been a very full day and everyone is exhausted, so I am going to follow my wise husband's example and go to sleep.
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