The Urban Homestead

This is what I'm reading right now. I LOVE this book. For a while it was on my Amazon wish list. Then I decided that before I finally bought it I might want to see if I would actually like it. So I looked it up at the library. I am now purchasing it on Amazon (and you should see what other nifty books pop up when you run a search for it!).

This book embraces everything which I would like to bring to fruition in my own life.

It should be the guidebook for every American, how we should live, eat and survive in our modern world. It bridges the gap between the survivalist frontiersmen to modern cityfolk who want for nothing but a breath of clean air.

It is cleverly written by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, who run an equally cleverly put-together blog at http://www.homegrownevolution.com/. Check it out! It is wonderful and tips you off to how perfect this book is.

I have had the book in my posession for two days. I have nearly finished it. That's saying a lot coming from me. I did skip through a few chapters here and there. I nearly skipped the Urban Foraging chapter altogether, because I am pretty familiar with that, and also uninterested. I skimmed through the Urban Livestock chapters, I'd love to one day have chickens, but I have personally banned any new pets from our home for now. I fear if I read too much into the chapter I might be tempted to repeal, and I don't want that.

The first chapter introduces you to the idea of urban 'farming', explains permaculture, and makes a strong case for why you should grow your own food.

The second chapter is extremely engrossing. It is a collection of well thought out instructions for all sorts of things, from composting and vermiculture to making 'tater tires'. This chapter alone is reason enough to buy the book! The instructions are incredibly easy to understand, with some humour thrown in. They really put emphasis on how easy these things are to do, and how important they can be to our own sense of self and responsibility.

The third chapter is Urban Foraging, good if you want to learn to to identify different types of edible fruits, plants and vegetation that you might find growing in the city, or in friend's yards.

The fourth chapter is Urban Lifestock. Its a great introduction to chickens, ducks and other critters you may want to consider on your homestead. It answers many questions. Why you would want them. What to feed them. How to house them and care for them.

Chapter five is Revolutionary Home Economics. Much of this I have some familiarity with, but I found it to be an excellent guide to canning, cooking, baking, preserving and drying your produce, cheese and yogurt making, and brewing at home. It also has a great section on making your own household cleaners. What applied most to me in the here and now was a few short mini-chapters on what to look for when seeking an urban homestead.

Chapter Six is easily summed up in the title. Be Your Own Utility: Water and Power for the Homestead. In my case, it would be the chapter that I hand over to David. He delights in those subjects, and while I would love to have solar energy and a grey water usage system, I just don't have the slightest interest in making them work.

The seventh chapter covers transportation. It covers the most responsible ways to get around, and has some great tips.

The book has a one-page conclusion that is both humorous and heartfelt. It emphasizes the shift in consciousness that will have to happen in order to improve the lives of present mankind, and mankind to come.

If I had a star rating, I'd give it 5. If I used thumbs, it would have to be two.
I love this book. Everyone should read it, if not own it.

Wicked

I finished reading Wicked (by the illustrious Gregory Maguire) just before Christmas.
Although this is not along the lines of something I would have read in the past 10 years of my life, it is something I really enjoyed!
It was just UNbelievable timing for me, reading this.
I am sort of going through this identy ordeal, within my family. By that I mean that I am realizing that I truly am the black sheep, the oddball, and coming to terms with that outside feeling that black sheepness gives you. Its really the letting go of any idea that I have of ever fitting in with them, realizing that being an outsider is quite a permanent position. It's when you begin to ask yourself the question that your family members have been asking for years, "Where the heck did she come from anyway??"

I loved the story. It was a wonderful design for a book, showing the Wicked Witch of the West's side of the tale of the Wizard of Oz. The original tale doesn't say much about WHY she is portrayed as wicked, and it gives you that kind of 'what if' ideal.What if there were reasons the Wicked Witch (or Elphaba) seemed wicked? What if her motives were good? What if there were things that pushed her to the brink, and she really was no more wicked than any of us? I really identified with her. So many traits she had, myself and many of us probably share. She grew up in an unusual distant place, was raised by a single father who was incredibly religious, had a mother that was an addict that left her life early, was the black sheep of the family (or should I say green...), was the 'less important child'. She grew up with some very strong convictions on civil rights and detested the 'holier than thou'ness of the highly religious.I think it is a great book, though an odd one. It gets you engrossed in the intricate societies of Munchkinland, and the Emerald City, and parts of it really appeal to the conspiracy theorist within me. The author comes up with intriguing answers to many questions. Who is the wizard, and was he really wonderful? Where did those ruby slippers come from? Who is Glenda, (or Galinda) anyway? Whats with the yellow brick road? Why do the monkeys have wings?Though he never addresses the horse of many colors. In the end, you must decide if she was truly wicked, and if you yourself wouldn't have come to the same ends.Very interesting.

Ketchup

I have had one HECK of a summer. Sometime in July, not only did my computer crash and burn, but my nieces visited for a month and a half. Shortly thereafter I went to TX for 10 days to attend my grandfather's funeral and to pick up my mother so that she could visit. I returned with the virus from H-E-double hockey sticks. (Also known as Texas)
I was sick for nearly a month, and have only just yesterday bought another computer.
Ugh.
I think I am going to start taking twice a year sabbaticals from regular life. It seems that life seems to throw them at me anyway.
Well, now that things are simmering down (okay, there is light at the end of the tunnel) and mom goes home soon, I can get back to my regular life again.
I have been going through some personal issues that I know are only going to make me stronger.
Life does that sometimes. When it is time for you to learn a lesson, boy, do you learn a lesson.
It is good to feel the slow steady waves of familiarity, the return of peace and stillness to my life.

Dark Knight/Christian Bale

Dark Knight breaks the box office record for highest grossing film.
In part, I'm really happy about that. In part, I'm not!
Christian Bale has managed to keep his 'under the radar' status for years. Making a decent living at his craft, yet remaining relatively unknown. I've been a fan for two decades now, watching his work when it can be found, and being sure to watch every movie he has appeared in, no matter how small the role. Countless times I've called him my favorite actor (which he is) and countless times, I've gotten the 'who??' reply. Now, the reply is 'Oh. You mean the Batman guy.'
And now, he's popping up as the Terminator. It seems he's enjoying the action movies

I was really dissappointed though, to see tabloid-like news about him on the Associated Press! Now that his name is becoming 'household' so to speak, suddenly his business is everyone's. I hope this is not a trend that continues, and that he can manage to keep his personal life just that. When David told me the other day about the Dark Knight's box office record, my reaction wasn't what he expected. I know for a fact that Christian Bale accepts roles for certain reasons, and fame is not one of them. I know that he has long avoided the mainstream. I know that his name splashed on tabloids is not what he wants. I really hope it doesn't continue!

Meanwhile, part of me is glad that I can now say 'Christian Bale' and find other fans rather easily!

Behind Behind Behind

ON my blogs! I need to make it into a habit. Truth is, I hate my computer chair. I need a new one. Silly reason to fall behind, eh?
We have such a busy summer! Part of the reason is that I know winter will come around and I will not want to go out then. I'm kind of soaking up all the sunshine and fresh air I can while it is here. Of course, this is Colorado. There is always sunshine. The fresh air can just get a bit frosty!I'm so happy that my nieces are going to come and visit! They will have such a blast, and we will have so much fun together. What great memories. If we can't be there, we can atleast make some great summer memories together. That is so important to me that the girls get that. I love the memories I have of playing with my cousins! I still like to play with my cousins. :)
We can't wait.

I haven't seen any movie reviews to share, except that we went to see Night at the Museum for free. We had seen it before, we LOVE that movie, we've been quoting it all week. David's favorite quote? "I'll shoot you in the dang eye! In the dad gum eye!!!.....now...now you know the shame of Jedediah!!" We love Owen Wilson. And his nose. :)

Clothespin Apron

I am proud of myself! I am trying to learn to be a decent seamstress. I have finally sewn something that is quality and I am proud of it! My own pattern of a clothespin apron! I just kind of made it up as I went along, and it turned out great! I started with about 2 yards of fabric. One square yard went to the apron part, the other to the pockets and wide ties. I used a soft flannel material with a deco-ish circular design. It was really simple! I put seams on 3 sides of the apron part (1 sq. yrd.) and then gathered the top. I then made the pockets. I wanted them big for clothespins! I started by sewing the tops neatly, then pinning the pockets on to the apron and sewing them on. I then made a band across the top to strenghen it, and hide the gatherings of course, by folding over the fabric and making a one stitch seam that was evident on both sides. Then I took two 3 inch wide strips of fabric, folded them in half with the outside in. Sewed up one side, then turned the piece right side out with a safety pin, sewed up the ends and sewed it on to the apron! It was easy. Took me about an hour! I made two for the girls as well, only they were smaller, and had some lace/ribbon accents on them. Also, I put there pockets on too low! They don't seem to caremuch, but I'd like to make them another with deeper and higher pockets. Here is Zana modeling hers!

Now, to figure out some actual clothing.....I'm planning on doing some draw string skirts next, a few more PJ sets, and maybe someday I'll be able to sew a real blouse of sorts!! That would be cool! Especially since I never find clothes that I really like that fit me correctly. I see them in magazines for $90, but never at the thrift store for what I can afford!

Subway and Homeschoolers

There's been a big to-do about this around here! Many in our homeschool group are upset about it, and they have really made a difference!
Here is a story from our local news station featuring a local homeschooling family! Here is another article on the subject!
I love that they refer to homeschoolers as a 'vocal segment of the marketplace'. Homeschoolers are outspoken. (Consequently, so are our children. What kind of an outspoken group is to come from these sorts of families? :) ) We are very apt to defend and engage in debates over the subject of homeschooling, and other things we stand for, and the mere mention of being a 'homeschooler' can bring about negative remarks and comments from others. Just yesterday, as a matter of fact, I ended up defending homeschooling to a grandmother who had formerly been a public school teacher. She was concerned about her daughter's education, and when I heard her mention a concern about it I blurted out "We're homeschoolers." To which she looked a bit surprised, but then praised homeschooling. I went on to say that if she was worried about it that she should speak to my daughters, because I was confident in not only their education, but their ability to effectively communicate. :)
Last month, David found himself in the dentist chair with his mouth open, and while the dentist was digging around, he went on a little rant about homeschoolers. David waited for the right moment, then mentioned that we homeschooled, and he was quite shocked to find that the two well spoken little girls that had left his office the day before had been educated at home.
Somehow, it is always a surprise to others, how not only do homeschooled children gain an education, but also a calm and kind attitude, and an uncanny ability to talk maturely and respectfully to adults, and humans of all ages!
I am proud that homeschooling families are very apt to stand up for their rights, but it always makes me nervous, to be part of such an outspoken group! I'm always afraid we'll have to put our foot in our mouths on of these days!
However, our nation truly was built on the spirit of the homeschoolers that I know. We do not desire to tear down, but to provide foundation. Not to quell, but inspire the spirit of learning. Not to exhibit chaotic protest in times of unfairness, but to meekly display civil disobedience.
I've learned a lot from being a homeschooling mom! Maybe even more than my kids have...

We're really looking forward to eating Subway again...unfortunately, for the sake of the voice of homeschoolers, we will have to wait.

P.S. I Love You

I have been waiting for this to come out on DVD for awhile! I was so happy when Netflix sent it to me the day it was released!

I LOVED it. What a wonderful movie. It's not really in the genre of movies I usually like, but there were so many elements of it that correlated with my own life, and I am not one to cry over a movie, as a rule, but this movie just had me balling.

It was hard to watch, in a sense, because it made me think about what I would do if something were ever to happen to David. In the movie, Holly (played by Hillary Swank) loses her husband Jerry (played by Gerry Butler) to a brain tumor after 9 years together. Jerry is a free spirited fun loving kind of guy, Holly is a bit uptight and insecure about what they have not achieved in their lives, and tends to be really hard on him about the little things. Jerry writes her letters and sends her on these different adventures after his death, in order to help her heal from his loss. It seems that it helps, but also is painful for her. There are some great co-starring roles in it as well, Kathy Bates (as her mother) being my favorite.

There were so many parallels between the movie and my own life, and that is an element that can really make a simple movie something wonderful. I can identify with being married young to a guy that tends to throw his cares to the wind, and with having a mother that worries about her daughter making the same mistakes. The hardest parts, like I said, were the parts where she dealt with the way things had ended with Jerry. She has a lot of regret over how she acted towards him, and things she didn't get to do with him. It was enlightening for me. We must live today, and love those around us as often as we can, because there is no guarantee of tomorrow. It was a gentle reminder to never take what I have for granted, and not to let regrets of the past, or fears about the future cast a cloud over my days with my family.

Great movie.

Beowulf

O.K.
This was not Beowulf. It was wrongly titled.
I don't have anything against the CG animation, I do appreciate high quality CG work such as this, it has its place, and is an interesting phenomenon within itself.
However, taking an ancient piece of literature and turning it into this, well, that's just not right. I would rather it been titled something else and thought "Hmmm...this is a lot like Beowulf," than thought that they wrecked the piece. There should have been some hint that the story was drastically altered.
I DO get what they were getting at. I'm sure they meant for viewers to see it as the 'story behind the story'. I would very much have liked it had they entitled it 'Beowulf:What Might Have Been' or something like that, though it doesn't roll off the tongue very well. Just something that hinted to it not following the book.
I guess I just like to know what to expect. If it is titled 'Beowulf' I want to see a really cool movie that follows the story as it originally is. I know. I know. The book itself is really vague about how the situation comes about, and there's that huge gap in the middle. Well, OK. I guess somebody had to improvise.

Either way, I like Beowulf and Grendel better, the one with Gerry Butler. :) Less gore, real action. And, well, Gerry Butler.

Kate Rusby - The Wild Goose

This is such a beautiful song.

DIA's Morbid Mustang

Introducing: The Denver International Airport 'Mustang'. The ugliest sculpture I have ever seen. I can't believe they (or shall I say, taxpayers) paid for this! The artist that created it was killed by it when piece of it fell on him, and I think that is enough bad juju (not to mention the bad juju you get just looking at this piece of 'art' from hell) that we should have banned its display. It isn't a Colorado artist. It does not 'embrace' the spirit of Colorado. It's frightening and distasteful, in a town that generally has good taste. I think it should come down. Many agree with that idea. Maybe, someday, it will. Until then....avoid the airport!!!! The horse from hell stare you down with his glowing LED lit red eyes. Thank God they talked the artist out of the lasers.

Denver does have some great sculptures, though. Here are a few of the most popular, though there are hundreds of them around town.

One of my favorite is the dancing people outside of the Denver Center for Performing Arts. We've visited them several times, and have enjoyed dancing with them, listening to the music that plays from little speakers around their feet.

There is the recent (last year?) Big Blue Bear in front of the convention center. The kids love that one of course. I think it is very appropriate.

The girls are also big fans of the horse on a chair, outside the Denver Library, downtown.

Then there is the 'Articulated Wall', or as the girls call it, 'the stack of french fries'.

I like it. It is bright and colorful.

Denver is full of art and creativity. My favorite, being the art nouveauist and pre-raphaelite fan that I am, is the statues in the City Park. They are very beautiful, yet I could not find any pictures of them. I will have to take some myself.
We also love the sculptures around Colorado Mills, the pioneer woman and Colorado wildlife. Then there is Golden, and Boulder and all of their art. A city of beautiful art! But this blue horse.....it is not welcome.

The Man Who Cried

A movie that is every bit as mournful and forlorn as the music that haunts it.

I loved it. Not that anyone should be surprised. Melancholy and introspective. Words often used to describe...me.

I love historical movies. I love historical romances, but even more than that I love historical romances with a bitter sense of humanity. Sometimes life isn't fair. Sometimes things don't work out for us. That doesn't make stories less interesting or heartfelt than those with the happy endings.

The music is flawless and beautiful. Salvatore Licitra , the tremendous tenor, has a stunning voice. (the character Dante Dominio, played by John Turturro) Also, Taraf de Haidouks, the group that provided the gypsy music, was exceptional.

As for the acting, Christina Ricci did a wonderful job, and I think I was the most impressed with Cate Blanchett. Johnny Depp is always good, I mean really, that man doesn't sneeze without quality work being produced. I (along with a zillion other women my age) have been watching him since puberty. John Turturro is excellent as well.

Great movie.

Classic Tales Podcast

Not having cable (by choice), we have become better people. More peaceful. More patient. Willing to find entertainment in other ways, by reading and listening to other things.

I love the Classic Tales Podcast. B.J. Harrison is an incredibly talented story teller. He has brought many tales to life, most recently I've listened to Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. I must say, his rendition was better than any movie production I've watched. A good story teller is a treasure, often missed by our t.v. gluttoned society.

Available for free download on the Classic Tales website is Charles Dickens' The Life of Our Lord. Find it here.

Mr.Magorium's Wonder Emporium

As usual, I'm opposed to critics. The reviews for this movie are terrible. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, but it seems to me that the point of this movie was missed entirely by many people that viewed it. Our modern world is riddled with negativity and an unfortunate boredom caused by the over-indulgence. We, as a people, are like a spoiled child who no longer finds interest in anything unless it slaps us upside the head. We have become Harry Potter's cousin Dudley. Sad. Now, I've said that. Moving on.

I found this to be one of the best films for children (and most adults) that I have ever seen. Sure, it wasn't as action packed as 'Night at the Museum' (another wonderful movie), nor as comical as 'Over the Hedge', but it was filled with a genuine message, a message that most children should hear. It isn't a movie for entertainment. It's a concept, given in movie form.

In case you haven't seen this, and hate teasers, you may have to turn away. It's impossible to talk about this movie without spoiling it just a bit....
*SPOILERS* *LAST WARNING!*

Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is an ancient man. Over 240 years old! How he came to be so is not mentioned, but he once found a phenomenal pair of leather shoes in Tuscany, and bought as many as he thought would last his lifetime. His last pair is just about to wear out, and he is leaving.
He has a wonderful toy store, that seems to have a magic about it. It is living, as are the things in it. It's a fantastical place, one that could have been built by Willy Wonka. His store manager, Mahoney (Natalie Portman), is feeling quite inadequate. She is in her early twenties, and having been a piano prodigy, she doesn't feel like she's lived up to anyone's expectations. Except Mr. Magorium. He adores her, and it appears there is no one else in his life so dear. He has decided that she will have the Emporium when he has gone. After battling with the idea of his death, she finally accepts it, but does not believe herself capable of keeping a magical store that seems to be as sad as she is over the expected loss of Mr. Magorium. All of this is intensified by the unimaginative tight suited accountant, or 'mutant', Henry Weston (Jason Bateman...who I was trying to place all along, thinking he was someone else...guess I'm not incredibly familiar with him.)

The lesson here is believing in yourself. Thinking positively about yourself. Self manifestation. Mahoney is wrapped up in her failure. She feels as if she has dawdled away the years, as if she has nothing to show for her life. Mr. Magorium on the other hand, seems to walk about in a stupor of sorts. He is a simple man. All he knows is positive thought. He knows no failure, because to him, each moment of his life is manifested as joy. He lives to love life. He lives to look on all things as a good experience, something positive just waiting to shape his life. Joy is found in simple things. Laughter in a moment.

Mahoney thinks that things can't be that way for her, after all, he is Mr. Magorium! He brings things to life, the magic seems to come from his own self. She is just a person, no magician, and so, she can not be what he thinks that she is.

Mahoney doesn't want him to go. She takes him on a whirlwhind adventure full of the simple pleasures that he enjoys, trying to convince him that he should live. At the end of the day, he tells her that all along he thought that she was giving him the 'best last day.' She becomes distressed and upset. He can't leave her there. The store will cease to be. This store is simply too wonderful to imagine, and it will not exist without him! Following this, he gives a tremendous speech, which most kids won't really understand. It's deeper than them. It's a message for adults about really living, and letting go. I can't recant it all to you, and I wouldn't want to. It's worth a listen. There is a reference there to Shakespeare's Henry V that is undeniably wonderful.

Overall, when the movie was over, I found it to be perfect. My children had a blast and there was a learning moment afterwards in our conversations about it on the ride home. Believe in yourself. It was only when Mahoney found it in her to see more than what was there, to believe in herself, beyond her own idea of herself....it was only then that she was able to find the magic within herself.

I think the problem was that people got caught up in the 'seeing' they didn't look beyond it, beyond what you see on the screen is one of the greatest messages there is.
The message was familiar to me, because I believe in such things, and have had the blessing of having such ideas blossom in my head. I immediately thought of Deepak Chopra's 'The Way of the Wizard' as I was watching. This movie is such an eloquent example, almost a children's version of 'The Way of the Wizard'.

To conclude, this movie is wonderful, but perhaps not for everyone. Some people see things on the surface, and others can see the wondrous things that lurk beneath simple things. In today's society, laurels are placed on the heads of fools, and true treasures are thrown into the mire and dismissed.

Gorilla Execution

Stories like these, these are the kinds of stories that break my heart and make me want to join the Peace Corp. In my opinion, one of the worst things we can do as humans, is to (directly or indirectly) inflict harm on the other innocent species we share this planet with.
God put us in charge here on earth, he put the creatures of earth in our hands, everything that swims, flies, moves, breathes. They are in our hands, and what foolish hands they are.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19974474/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6918012.stm
There are around 700 mountain gorillas in the world. 700. How small of a number is that?? SEVEN HUNDRED.
Lets put it this way. There are 9,431,748 TIMES that many people on earth. Yep. That'd be millions.
We are pressing the scales on this earth at over 6 and a half BILLION people.
And yet, there is war? There is hunger? There are gorillas being executed for no reason at all? What kind of a race are we? What kind of a species are we?
This makes me sad. Dissapointed. Tearful.

Caffeine HATES me.

So I had caffeine today, for the first time in a long while, and I am feeling terribly sick. I feel like I've been doped up with some sort of methamphetamine or something. My body feels achey and trembling, my stomach is queezy, my head is aching and I am shaky all over. I will never do caffeine again. It is a poison in my body. It wrecks me from top to bottom. Tomorrow I will have terrible hip pain for it. That's just the order of it. It is one of the major culprits to the inflamation that undermines my wellness.

It wasn't always that way, or maybe I just never noticed the connection. I have been drinking caffeine for most of my life. I have also had migraines, inflamation and other less than pleasant symptoms most my life. Most of my years, I have enjoyed a cup or coffee or two for breakfast, tea throughout the day, and atleast one Coke or Dr. Pepper per day. Not only do those drinks have caffeine, I also drank them with plenty of sugar, which also causes inflamation. It is no wonder I have been so miserable for so long!!!

I have been off of it, for the most part, for the past two years, but sometimes I forget how much it hates me, or rather, my body hates IT, and I have to have that cup of coffee or caffeinated soda. NEVER AGAIN will I have another cup of caffeinated coffee. Never again. (And by the way, decaf coffee does me no favors either...it still contains caffeine!! Enough that my body can tell. )

I challenge you to release yourself from the bonds of caffeine for one month. Sure, you'll get a raging headache for a day (or possibly two), that's a sign that you shouldn't have it!!! But I guarantee that after awhile, you'll find that when given the chance your body can produce its own energy, without any harsh side effects.

http://www.wholisticresearch.com/info/artshow.php3?artid=61
http://chetday.com/caffeineeffects.htm

Soup Joy!

One more recipe for the day!
The girls and I made a wonderful chicken soup together, one that Zanna calls 'Soup Joy!'. I call it Chicken Vegetable Soup. We made ours with all organic ingredients.

1 whole young chicken
1 large can of chicken broth
3-4 carrots
2-3 potatoes
1-2 stalks celery
1 cup frozen corn, or mixed veggies
1 cup chopped cabbage
Any other veggies you have around that need to be used up!
1 cup of any kind of rice (Of course, brown will need more cooking!)
2 tbsp. Seasoned Salt
Pepper to taste
Plenty of water

Boil the chicken up in one large pot of water. Allow to cook for 20 min. or so, or until juices run clear. It will cook quicker if you take out the chicken pieces that are inside, but some people like the flavor it adds. Let it stand in the water for about ten minutes, then remove from the pot (reserve the broth!) and let cool for a good 30 minutes, you don't want to burn yourself in the de-boning process. All of this will give you time to chop up the veggies. When the chicken is de-boned, it should make 3-5 cups of meat. Throw all that back into the pot of broth, and add the chicken broth, carrots, celery, potatoes, rice and seasonings. Bring it to a boil (you will probably have to add water along the way) and cook it until the rice and veggies are almost done, then add the cabbage and corn. Cook for a few more minutes, then let it cool for a bit.

This would work for a crockpot if you de-boned the chicken ahead of time. Make sure you reserve the broth, of course. The homemade broth is what makes the soup!

Fish Tacos

We made these today, after deciding that wheat tortillas were best.
I used my generic tortilla recipe, using organic whole wheat flour. The recipe works with all whole wheat flour, half and half whole and all-purpose, and just plain old all-purpose. I have not tried it with anything else but wheat flour and brown rice flour, and rice does not work!

Whole Wheat Tortillas

4 cups whole wheat
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. Baking Soda (this is optional, just makes them fluffier, I usually do without)
2/3 cup margarine (we use butter)
2/3 + cup of water, you'll really have to use your judgement there, because all-purpose flour needs less water, whole needs more, and a combination needs somewhere in between

Mix dry ingredients, then add margarine and crumble into mixture with your fingers.
Add water and mix with a spoon until blended.
Knead gently and let it stand for a few minutes before tearing off a handful and rolling out onto a floured board. I roll one side, then flip and turn then roll the other, until I have a tortilla shape that is quite thin. If you used b. soda, you'll find that they puff quite a bit, so you may want them thinner. Cook them in an oiled or non-stick skillet for just a minute or so on each side. Place them to cool in a covered container, because the moisture helps with their flexibility when you are ready to eat them.

Fish Taco Recipe:

1 4-5 oz. Tuna Steak (or other firm fish)
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn, or frozen veggie mixture
1 tbsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
2-3 tbsp. olive oil (or more, to taste/texture)

Put a bit of olive oil in a pan and fry it all together. I served ours up with Vegenaise , sliced avocados, shredded cabbage (as a high nutrient alternative to lettuce), diced tomatoes and slivers of red peppers. Best recipe I've created in a while!

Accidental Cracker Recipe

In an attempt to make wheat free tortillas, I inadvertently created a cracker recipe. Brown rice flour does not make good tortillas. It has a sandy texture that is difficult to soften, but oddly enough, they tasted a lot like crackers. Since the girls love crackers, they want them often, though we rarely have them. So, a problem recipe turned to a problem solved!

Wheat free/dairy free crackers!

4 cups of brown rice flour

tbsp. salt
tbsp. baking powder
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup water (add slowly, you may need more or less to get a workable dough)

Mix all ingredients together until you create a good dough that is not sticky.
Flatten out on a cookie sheet ( Carefully! I used my hands mostly.) and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, or until it looks dry.

Blood Diamond

I loved this movie.

I didn't really think that I would. I was optimistic about liking it, and perhaps that is part of the reason that I do, but sometimes I can't see past the brutal violence. The violence was an extremely vital part of this movie, without it, there simply wouldn't have been a movie...the diamond had to be bloodied.

Halfway through it I found myself angered. Naturally. The movie does evoke feelings of anger and ferocity. What happens is absolutely astonishing and hardly graspable for us, living in a country where the ground has not been bloodied (save 9-11) for well over a century.
The anger I am talking about is different. I felt a compassionate anger, and at the same time scratched my head over why the US has made the choices in war that it has made in my lifetime. I have never understood the purpose behind our choices as a nation and have just trusted that those in power know what they are doing and such things are their concern. How that opinion has changed and bloomed over the years! I have come to realize that I am an American, and it is just as much my business as it is theirs. When I look at what we are doing now, and what is going on around the world, I shake my head. This movie has nothing to do with what is going on now, but just the same, it awoke my senses. When this story was unfolding in Sierra Leon, it hardly made news here. How irreparably blind and ignorant we are to the desperation that is out there! We live in the bliss of our 'safety'. We watch movies like this in our comfortable homes with full refrigerators, and that is the extent of our exposure! IF only we would look outside our world and see what it is that we can truly do as a nation, as a people, as humans.

I love Leonardo DiCaprio. I call him my favorite blonde, since I'm not much for blondes, and well, he's the only one I like. I have liked him since his appearance on Growing Pains, and in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. He is a tremendous actor! I remember back in high school when he was doing the Basketball Diaries and Romeo and Juliet, when I told people that he played the little brother on Gilbert Grape, they argued with me and said "No, that was a real retarded kid."
No. It was Leo, being the excellent actor he is.
But what he is doing now is even greater, because he is not resting on his laurels. Not only has he had six blockbusters since 2000 ( The Beach, Gangs of New York, Catch Me If You Can, The Aviator, The Departed, Blood Diamond ), and has six more in production ( Revolutionary Road, Body of Lies, Freedom Within the Heart, Shutter Island, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, The Chancellor Manuscript ), but he has also released a timely documentary that no one on earth should miss. The 11th Hour. Deny it, dismiss it, go ahead, but no matter what, the truth is still there. Go see it. Kudos to Leo for using his fame and status for the greater good, standing up for what is vitally important to the earth and remaining true. Bravo.
The 11th Hour Film
11th Hour Action
Leo's YouTube Message