my joy & wonder resolutions for 2009:
plant more flowers
grow more love
listen to music more often and dance and sing along!
spend more time on a blanket under the stars
smile more, laugh more
So, I bet you can think of a thing or two that brings you joy and wonder or are just plain fun. Things you’d like to do more of just for the sheer pleasure of it. Do tell!
It took awhile, but finally I got it. I realized that it was necessary to allow myself some personal time outs to be better; calmer, more patient, healthier, and more effective as a parent, a wife and an employee. You could say I finally recognized the value of my own well being and how that affected everything else. I decided (yes, it was a choice) to start being a little kinder and gentler with myself. I started taking time off from my job. Eventually I developed a meditation practice. I began journaling to find out who I was and what really mattered to me. I guess you can say that is when things began to change. I began seriously realizing my own value as a person and the value of time alone.
I’ve learned not to feel guilty when I take time for myself. Often in the middle a days worth of chores I will rest because that is what my body is telling me to do. I have learned to listen. Some days it’s a 20 minute catnap or a half hour on the sofa with my crocheting or a cup of coffee and a book. Some days just a little time in the fresh air connecting with nature or time spent here, connecting with all of you is just what I need. We all need to nurture and renew our spirit. When we neglect to do so, we can find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and/or resentful, stressed out, anxious, angry, tired, depressed and/or physically ill.
Managing your time is important if not crucial to establishing guilt free time for yourself as well as staying on top of responsibilities. For me, this is where list making is important. Either before I go to bed or when I get up in the morning and am having my first cup of coffee, I sit down at the table with pen and paper and make a “to do” list for that day or the next.
Knowing how I am about making extended lists, I will either make two columns; one for the “must do” priorities and another for the other things I hope to accomplish that day but aren’t as important. Or I will make one long list and put a little star beside the priorities. I do the best I can and most days accomplish more than I expected to. Other days I may not do as much, but I don’t lose any sleep over that fact. I just add those things to the next day or another. Sometimes I get caught up enough that I can take an unplanned day just for doing what I like; sewing, puttering, writing or spending time with friends. But again, managing your time is what gets you there.
Later in the week I hope to talk about why simple living is smarter living and how it frees up more of your time and energy. In the meantime, think about what nourishes and renews your spirit. If you’re not sure then be direct and ask yourself. Try to discover those things that bring you joy, relaxation and other positive feelings. It could be a craft or hobby, journaling, reading, walking, relaxing to music or any number of things. Add one or two of them to your daily list as a reminder that they are just as important as anything else you do and then do them. Practice doing not doing…you’ll thank yourself. : )
then taking these loin pieces and slicing some thick chops as well as a roast. The bony piece was cut in half for roasts...I'm thinking pork and kraut here. I made a dry cure of salt, brown sugar and freshly ground black pepper for the bacon. I've never cured bacon before, so hopefully this will turn out well. Once cured we'll smoke it on the grill or dry it in the oven.
***
"It is the middle of December.
The nights are longer, the weather is colder, winter comes.
Celebration is at hand.
Renewing bonds of friendship.
Visiting with family and friends.
Exchanging gifts with loved ones.
Candles, Dolls, Cookies, Sweets, Holly, Wreaths of Green.
Surprises.
Courts close. Battles stop.
Time off from school and work.
Singing, Dancing, Games, Merry-Making.
Food ... Lots of Food and Drink.
Great Feasts and Parties.
To celebrate the Sun, the Land, the Ancient Ones, the great Circle of Nature.
To welcome in the Winter and the New Year.
To bring forth renewal, peace, and joy.
Solstice Present .... Solstice Past.
This is the legacy of Saturnalia,
weeklong Pagan Winter Solstice Festival of Ancient Rome.
Saturnalia, your spirit and these traditions live on
in the world today
in Christmas feasts and New Year's parties,
in our Winter Solstice celebration tonight.
Bless our connection with the ancients.
Bless our connection with each other.
Bless our connection with future generations.
We rejoice.
Io, Saturnalia!
Io, Saturnalia!
Io, Saturnalia!"
- Selena Fox, Saturnalia
We celebrate the season in various ways and for various reasons. No matter how or why, we can agree that this is a most sacred time of the year. As we make celebratory preparations I thought it would be interesting to share the history of how this special holiday season came to be and how it has evolved over the years.
An Ancient Holiday
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.
In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.
The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.
In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
Saturnalia
In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year.
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the "lord of misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined "debt" to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.
An Outlaw Christmas
In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.
The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
Irving Reinvents Christmas
It wasn't until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s peaked American interest in the holiday?The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city's first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.
In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving's mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving's fictitious celebrants enjoyed "ancient customs," including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving's book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended – in fact, many historians say that Irving's account actually "invented" tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.
A Christmas Carol
Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story's message-the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind-struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.
The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could lavish attention-and gifts-on their children without appearing to "spoil" them.
As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards, and gift-giving.
Although most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really re-invented a holiday to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.
and a few peppermint turtles for the little ones.
And today I made chewy oatmeal cookies. Actually I used spelt flakes in place of the oatmeal and cranberries in place of raisins. Oooh, they are so good!
My recipe is almost identical to the one Juli posted over at Barefoot Gypsy blog if you'd like to check it out. Here's mine:
This is what I was making earlier today...
Thank goodness I didn’t make plans for having a big family dinner on Thanksgiving because I started to come down with a flu bug precisely on Thanksgiving. I am much improved now, with the exception of some lingering congestion that’s keeping the Kleenex makers in business.
I am so far behind on blog reading that I may never catch up. But I have been catching up around the house and finishing hand made gifts. This week I’ve been cooking quite a lot, also, trying to make up for the past week when I did very little. Since we went out for Thanksgiving I didn’t have leftovers to feed DH while I was sick. This week the guy has been well fed. Today pork ribs and kraut in the crock pot.
Aside from baking cookies and making popcorn balls and some candy, the holiday gifts are just about ready to be wrapped up. I’ll be heading over to the nearby bulk food store this morning to get a few supplies for candy making. Next week I’ll begin baking and candy making. The popcorn balls will be made just before Solstice.
My son called the other night and they will be postponing their visit until next weekend, which actually works better for us as well. Our landlord/neighbors have left to spend the remainder of winter in their
There’s really not much going on here in our neck of the woods. I just wanted to let you all know I was alive and well and hoping soon to get back into the swing of things here in blogland. : )
Have a great weekend dear friends! And now, for your viewing pleasure…
I am thinking of the rest of the week ahead and hoping my energy and ambition increases.
I am thankful that the holiday weekend is now over and routines can be re-established..
From the kitchen sausage stuffed peppers and tomatoes are thawing for some crockpot cooking.
I am wearing a red knit
I am reading the latest Mother Earth News as well as several books I have been jumping between for the past month or more. I think I will dedicate myself to finishing at least one before the end of the month.
I am hoping I start feeling even better now that the worst of the flu has past.
I am creating a mini pillow pal stuffed toy for my great niece.
I am hearing Oden (aka
Around the house... catching up on routine chores and puttering. Organized the freezer shelves, packaged soaps for gift giving and various small jobs.
One of my favorite things is being caught up on household tasks and as the sun goes down lighting some candles and having nothing better to do than snuggle down on the couch with a book or a crochet project, content with my world.
I am looking forward to a visit from my son, daughter in law and grandsons this weekend.
A few plans for the weekend…see above. :)
Xylitol, popular in Europe for decades but a relative newcomer to the U.S. alternative-sweeteners market, can be "very, very serious" to dogs when ingested, says Dana Farbman, spokeswoman for the Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"It doesn't take a whole lot (of xylitol), and the effects are so rapid that the window of opportunity to treat the dog is extremely small," Farbman says.
The ASPCA sent an advisory to veterinarians last August warning them about the potential for serious harm or death. Veterinarians have used a variety of means to get the word out, including posting signs in their offices and making copies of the bulletin for clients to augment the caution the ASPCA has posted on its website.
Concerned that millions of people are still unaware of the risk, veterinarians with forums for widespread public announcements are spreading the word that way as well. Among them: Miami veterinarian Patty Khuly wrote about the problem on her doolittler.com blog, and Colorado Springs veterinarian Anne Pierce devoted her entire weekly newspaper column a week ago to xylitol.
Within 30 minutes of consuming a small amount of a xylitol-sweetened product, the ASPCA says, dogs can experience a dramatic drop in blood sugar, and they usually begin vomiting, become lethargic and can have difficulty standing or walking. Some have seizures, develop internal hemorrhaging and lesions and suffer liver failure. As few as two or three sticks of xylitol gum could be toxic to a 20-pound dog, the ASPCA says.
Immediate and aggressive veterinary treatment, which includes glucose drips and IV fluids, has proved effective in many cases.
The ASPCA's poison control unit is aware of 10 dog deaths from xylitol since 2002, and it has received scores of reports of dogs becoming gravely ill. But only a fraction of veterinarians and consumers alert the ASPCA when a dog becomes ill or dies from toxins, and there is no national clearinghouse tracking xylitol-suspected toxic reactions.
Moreover, it's not always entirely clear what caused the problem when a dog arrives at a veterinarian's office with seizures or liver failure. "I suspect that there are more cases than we know about because they come in with liver failure, and the owner is not aware of what has been ingested," Pierce says.
She believes that xylitol ingestion is "an emerging problem" and that the number of cases probably will increase with time, "depending on how widespread xylitol as a sweetener becomes."
Xylitol is an all-natural sugar substitute derived from beets, birch tree bark, corncobs and other natural sources. It's as sweet as sugar but has 40% fewer calories. Unlike sugar, xylitol does not require insulin to be metabolized.
Right now, xylitol is used mostly in cookies, candies, cupcakes and other sweets developed for people who have diabetes. It's also sold in bags of crystals for baking. Because of its bacteria-killing properties, it is put into some oral care products, including Tom's All Natural and Biotene toothpastes.
It also is beginning to be used in a broad assortment of products intended for the general public. Among them: Jello sugar-free puddings and a wide variety of sugar-free gums, including Trident, Orbit, Stride, Icebreakers and Altoids.
Makers of products with xylitol say their products are designed for people, including diabetes patients, who are seeking an alternative to sugar; they were never recommended for dogs and were never intended to be ingested by dogs. Owners should be careful because some dogs, Khuly says, "get into just about everything and eat everything they find."
There is no indication that any of the other sweeteners on the market adversely affect dogs. And there is no evidence so far that xylitol is toxic to pets other than dogs. But cats, for example, don't scavenge for sweets as dogs do, so it's possible there are risks that have not yet been discovered. For now, veterinarians advise pet owners to keep xylitol away from all animals.
Timmy (my dog), Kandice with Cubby Bear on her lap and Stetson.
This is Stetson, the rescue dog the kids adopted at the same time they found Timmy for us. He's half German shepherd, half Shar-Pei and one big baby. But when he barks it rattles the nerves because he's loud and sounds so fierce. Helluva watch dog. Then there's little Cubby Bear (below), a rescue dog as well. He's small but with a ton of personality. He's a chair thief, too, at least when it comes to my chair.
I got to spend all day yesterday with my daughter and grandaughter (and grandogs) while Tom went in to the hospital to spend the day with his mom. Good news, his mom is ok and did not have a stroke. My understanding is that it was an erratic heart rhythm and blood pressure drop (not sure about what brought it on). She is on medication now that seems to be working. 
This white tail was just outside the kitchen window this afternoon. A site we're seeing more regularly now that the view through the woods is clear. We saw three beautiful buck just beyond the creek the other day. Just one of the gifts winter brings. I love this country life.
For Today...
Outside my window the sun is shining and a heavy blanket of snow has softened the landscape. It’s beautiful.
I am thinking of family and hoping all are holding up; my husband’s brother in law passed away this week, my daughter was in the ER the other night suffering from a bad case of pleurisy, her mother in law is in ICU this morning with a presumed stroke and my twin sister is awaiting results to confirm she doesn’t have cancer.
I am thankful for everything that makes life what it is, because without darkness, we would not know or appreciate the light.
From the kitchen I smell the spiciness of apple pie filling just made.
I am wearing my blue thermal nightgown and an apron, lol!
I am reading my “to do” list
I am hoping the weather warms up a bit and the roads stay clear.
I am creating pies; Dutch apple and apple cranberry.
I am hearing the refrigerator humming and the dog snoring.
Around the house... I am waiting for my daughter, her DH and my grandaughter to arrive with dogs in tow for the weekend.
One of my favorite things is not thinking too hard.
I am looking forward to a nice warm shower and a piece of pie and seeing my family.
A few plans for the weekend…attending BIL’s memorial service, feeding and housing the kids.
Hope your weekend is filled with love and light.
This bag is completely lined with off white canvas and amply sized. The handle and side gussets are one piece and made from macrame' cord so it's sturdy, strong and won't stretch out.
The poncho is a one size fits most. The colors are not true in the photo. It's actually turquoise, coral and sand and much prettier in person. Very southwestern.
This is my favorite bag, made from bits and pieces of yarn in a classic granny style. The handle is 4 crocheted chains woven together to make two, then the two are bound into one with hemp cord for strength and a rustic look. I added a flap pocket to the inside. I love the big, vintage button closure. 
The tie died look of this cotton bag is quite hippie dippy and the cool things is...
When the man saw me curled up on the road in the snow, I got scared and ran from the big sound. But he stopped and got out of the car and he knew the secret words, "kitty kitty." That's when I knew he was my savior, so I ran right to him. He took me to his house and this nice lady fed me and bathed me and now I am happy to be safe, full and warm and have a lap to curl up on. Heck, they even gave me my own potty because I couldn't get into the big one. But even with all the good, I sure do miss the familiarity of other cats like myself.
These people are real nice but their other animals don't seem too sure about me. I feel happy but still kind of alone so I cry a lot. All I want is to be friends and play and curl up together. See what I mean? Arther (that's what these folks call this big guy) won't even look at me.
I just couldn't take it anymore, I had to try and in doing so face the possibility of complete rejection. Arther wasn't too sure about it when I nuzzled up next to him...I thought he might take a hike...
and he was kind of taken aback, but I didn't give up...nope, not me...
and pretty soon the big guy gave in and said it was ok if I slept there with him.
Then both Granny Sue from Granny Sue's News & Reviews and Country Wife over at Country Life with Country Wife tagged me to post 6 things. So does that mean I have to think of 18 things about myself??? :) I'll do my best to comply.This is a small batch "blender recipe" that will give you 5-6 bars of castile soap. I have made this several times and it has never failed me. Credit for this recipe must be given to Phill at city mouse country house. The directions are copied and pasted from the original from Phill who says this is a recipe he developed by learning from friends like Peggy at Hidden Haven Homestead.
Lye is the active ingredient in home made soap making unless you are using the melt and pour recipes or kits. Lye is a caustic chemical so it must be properly handled. Don't be afraid, but be safe and take precautions such as wearing latex gloves and avoiding the fumes.
Castile soap is Olive Oil soap. Some say the blender and the containers that you use to make the soap should not ever be used for anything else. I tend to disagree here as it’s just soap. Safety goggles are a good idea too. Do not allow lye to come into contact with anything because it corrodes. DO NOT use metal measurers or containers for the very same reason.
Soap always contains three things - a fat (olive oil, in this case), a liquid (water, milk, tea), and lye (sodium hydroxide). Lye is available from online suppliers. It is usually very difficult to find locally. Believe me I have tried. Where it once used to be a common hardware or grocery store item, it has been removed from the local markets because of its use in illegal drug making. This is the same reason crystal drain opener is not made with lye anymore. I was fortunate enough to have an Amish neighbor provide me with lye for my soap making.
my latest batch...lavender with oatmealBasic All-Natural Castile Oatmeal Soap, Blender Batch
3/4 Cup Water (put it in the freezer until almost frozen)
4 1/2 tablespoons Lye
2 Cups Olive Oil (not evoo, just cheap olive oil. Again, measure and have at hand)
1/2 Cup Ground Oatmeal (I use closer to a cup)
1/2 Ounce of Essential Oil Scent (optional)
Some sort of mold
