The following is quoted from Steinbeck's East of Eden and seems to sum up my philosophy on life:
I don't know how it will be in the years to come. There are monstrous changes taking place in the world, forces shaping a future whose face we do not know. Some of these forces seem evil to us, perhaps not in themselves but because their tendency is to eliminate other things we hold good. It is true that two men can lift a bigger stone than one man. A group can build automobiles quicker and better than one man, and bread from a huge factory is cheaper and more uniform. When our food and clothing and housing are all born in the complication of mass production, mass method is bound to get into our thinking and to eliminate all other thinking. In our time mass or collective production has entered our economics, our politics, and even our religion, so that some nations have substituted the idea collective for the idea God. This in my time is the danger. There is great tension in the world, tension toward a breaking point, and men are unhappy and confused.
At such a time it seems natural and good to me to ask myself these questions. What do I believe in? What must I fight for and what must I fight against?
Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of a man. Nothing was ever created by two men. There are no good collaborations, whether in music, in art, in poetry, in mathematics, in philosophy. Once the miracle of creation has taken place, the group can build and extend it, but the group never invents anything. The preciousness lies in the lonely mind of a man.
And now the forces marshaled around the concept of the group have declared a war of extermination on that preciousness, the mind of man. By disparagement, by starvation, by repressions, forced direction, and the stunning hammerblows of conditioning, the free, roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, drugged. It is a sad suicidal course our species seems to have taken.
And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this, and I hate it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Haiti Relief
Sitting here in bed for the week, there has been no way to miss the Haitian crisis. Every time I turn the TV on, there are images of people in need. Starving, homeless, injured people who didn't have much before the earthquake and who are now completely bereft.
When I headed over to Heavenly Homemaker's blog this morning, Laura had a post up about how to save money to donate to Haitian relief. She is also donating $0.50 for every blog linked up to hers that talks about what people are doing to give to Haiti. So this is my meager contribution, since every $0.50 helps.
Nathan and I talked last night for a long time about how we would like to help the Haitians in this time of need. With a new baby on the way, and not too much wiggle room in our budget, we are not going to be able to donate as much as we'd like, but I suppose we all have to live within our means.
Nonetheless, we are going to put off our Azure Standard order (which needs to be a minimum of $550) and get our groceries from the co-op for the next few months. It may be cheaper in the long term to get our groceries from Azure Standard, but this way we will have some cash next month to be able to donate, instead.
Also, we are going to make our donation to Doctors Without Borders, since they are a reputable organization that does good work with people all over the world. Having lived in the third world for a portion of my life, I am hesitant to give money that will enrich corrupt politicians and gangsters. While food, shelter, and clothing can be stolen or bartered, no one can take medical care away from the recipient. Of course, they can do damage, but there is (I hope) no financial advantage to injuring the recipient of free medical care.
I hope lots of people link up to Laura's blog so that as much money as possible can be donated to help the victims of this awful earthquake.
When I headed over to Heavenly Homemaker's blog this morning, Laura had a post up about how to save money to donate to Haitian relief. She is also donating $0.50 for every blog linked up to hers that talks about what people are doing to give to Haiti. So this is my meager contribution, since every $0.50 helps.
Nathan and I talked last night for a long time about how we would like to help the Haitians in this time of need. With a new baby on the way, and not too much wiggle room in our budget, we are not going to be able to donate as much as we'd like, but I suppose we all have to live within our means.
Nonetheless, we are going to put off our Azure Standard order (which needs to be a minimum of $550) and get our groceries from the co-op for the next few months. It may be cheaper in the long term to get our groceries from Azure Standard, but this way we will have some cash next month to be able to donate, instead.
Also, we are going to make our donation to Doctors Without Borders, since they are a reputable organization that does good work with people all over the world. Having lived in the third world for a portion of my life, I am hesitant to give money that will enrich corrupt politicians and gangsters. While food, shelter, and clothing can be stolen or bartered, no one can take medical care away from the recipient. Of course, they can do damage, but there is (I hope) no financial advantage to injuring the recipient of free medical care.
I hope lots of people link up to Laura's blog so that as much money as possible can be donated to help the victims of this awful earthquake.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Birthday Present!
My birthday is on Tuesday, and I can't wait to complete yet another year. Boy, am I getting ancient, or what?! Anyway, my mom and dad gave me a copy of Alison Stewart-Guinee's Fairy Tale Knits, which I have been ogling online and in bookstores since early December. It is a fantastic book, filled with gorgeous patterns that I, and hopefully my kids, will love!
When the book arrived, I gave it to Adrienne so that she could help me choose a project to complete (given that she is the one who has to wear what I'm making!) and she instantly fell in love with the fairy sun dress, pictured here on flickr. I'm not crazy about the length of the "leaves" at the bottom of the skirt, so I may lengthen them, but I am not sure at this point.
In any event, I rushed online to buy my yarn so that I can get started ASAP! I will post pictures of the finished product here when I'm done.
In the mean time, please check out Alison Stewart-Guinee's blog, which I was excited to find this afternoon. She has tons of other craft ideas, both yarn, fabric, and miscellaneous other crafts.
When the book arrived, I gave it to Adrienne so that she could help me choose a project to complete (given that she is the one who has to wear what I'm making!) and she instantly fell in love with the fairy sun dress, pictured here on flickr. I'm not crazy about the length of the "leaves" at the bottom of the skirt, so I may lengthen them, but I am not sure at this point.
In any event, I rushed online to buy my yarn so that I can get started ASAP! I will post pictures of the finished product here when I'm done.
In the mean time, please check out Alison Stewart-Guinee's blog, which I was excited to find this afternoon. She has tons of other craft ideas, both yarn, fabric, and miscellaneous other crafts.
My New Project
For the last week, I have been stuck in bed doing nothing but growing baby #3. In so doing, my mom forwarded me a blurb about Gourmet Crochet, which is doing a crochet-a-long afghan. It has been a while since I started a new project that was not specifically for a child, so I thought I'd give it a try. Since then, I have found myself addicted--yes, compulsively the blog and twitching when there is no update--to this project.
Each day, Carolyn Christmas posts a new square with a variation on a shell pattern. I am making mine with scraps of yarn I have lying around the house, cluttering up my office. So far, there is no discernible color balance, but my mathematical/pattern conscious self will just have to learn to relax and go with the flow. Thankfully, it means that I can clean out some clutter, all while lying in the comfort of my bed! Hooray!
The best thing I have learned from this crochet-a-long, though, is that it doesn't take too terribly long to complete an afghan. I always put of projects because I'm busy with the children, cleaning, errands, life in general, but doing one square per day takes up no time at all. I have been doing them in the few minutes between when the children go to bed and my TV programs start or right through the programs. If I don't push myself and feel as though I need to complete the whole project in one night, I could easily crochet several afghans without even noticing!
Each day, Carolyn Christmas posts a new square with a variation on a shell pattern. I am making mine with scraps of yarn I have lying around the house, cluttering up my office. So far, there is no discernible color balance, but my mathematical/pattern conscious self will just have to learn to relax and go with the flow. Thankfully, it means that I can clean out some clutter, all while lying in the comfort of my bed! Hooray!
The best thing I have learned from this crochet-a-long, though, is that it doesn't take too terribly long to complete an afghan. I always put of projects because I'm busy with the children, cleaning, errands, life in general, but doing one square per day takes up no time at all. I have been doing them in the few minutes between when the children go to bed and my TV programs start or right through the programs. If I don't push myself and feel as though I need to complete the whole project in one night, I could easily crochet several afghans without even noticing!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
More Allergies--More Eliminations
Hi all. Been a very long time since I've blogged! Hopefully, I will get into a rhythm one of these months and actually begin blogging in earnest. Yeah, right.
I've been kept busy with Noah, who we just discovered is allergic to dairy and soy. So. That means we are on what is essentially a vegan diet, minus the soy and with the meat! He also seems to be having reactions to several fruits and veggies, so I am not sure where we go from here. Luckily, he has an allergist appointment next week, and that should answer a few questions.
I'll add some of my new recipes later tonight...
I've been kept busy with Noah, who we just discovered is allergic to dairy and soy. So. That means we are on what is essentially a vegan diet, minus the soy and with the meat! He also seems to be having reactions to several fruits and veggies, so I am not sure where we go from here. Luckily, he has an allergist appointment next week, and that should answer a few questions.
I'll add some of my new recipes later tonight...
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Mmm... Gluten-Free Pumpkin Fritters!
In my effort to keep blogging on a regular basis, I've decided to join in on the Real Food Wednesday blog carnival at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
Since I'm on bedrest, I haven't been exploring in the kitchen; however, last week I made some pumpkin fritters that simply disappeared from our table at dinner time. It is adapted from the recipe that my mom used to make growing up. We ate ours with homemade nutella, but topping ideas are endless.
GF Pumpkin Fritters
2 cups pumpkin
4 T brown rice flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
Combine the wet ingredients, and add the dry ones. Mix well. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture until golden. This will be a little bit longer than you usually do for pancakes. Serve with confectioner's sugar, homemade nutella, cream cheese, or any other topping you prefer.
Since I'm on bedrest, I haven't been exploring in the kitchen; however, last week I made some pumpkin fritters that simply disappeared from our table at dinner time. It is adapted from the recipe that my mom used to make growing up. We ate ours with homemade nutella, but topping ideas are endless.
GF Pumpkin Fritters
2 cups pumpkin
4 T brown rice flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup apple sauce
Combine the wet ingredients, and add the dry ones. Mix well. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture until golden. This will be a little bit longer than you usually do for pancakes. Serve with confectioner's sugar, homemade nutella, cream cheese, or any other topping you prefer.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Gratituesday
I haven't been blogging lately. Somehow I got caught up in a lot of running around, chasing children, and obsessive cooking. Luckily--and I was lucky--I ended up on bedrest for the next two weeks. So I thought I'd use the spare time to start blogging again, and what could be better than a gratituesday post.
This weekend, I nearly lost my pregnancy, but an ultrasound early Monday morning revealed a heartbeat. All of my prayers were answered! I just have to stay in bed for the next two weeks until they can get a better view of Baby #3 to ensure all is well. So, as I said, I am thankful to be on bedrest.
I am also thankful for "the kindness of strangers." Or maybe not such strangers. While I'm waiting for my mom to come up and help me with the kids, cooking, and such, the hubby is spending a lot of time off of work trying to help out. He is getting very stressed, as he is working full time and trying to do the work of a SAHM, too. This is where my friends have stepped in and arranged playdates for the kids and meals for each night.
There is no way I could ever express how thankful I am to all the people who have prayed, entertained the kids, and fed our family. And, of course, countless thanks to GOD who has provided for us.
This weekend, I nearly lost my pregnancy, but an ultrasound early Monday morning revealed a heartbeat. All of my prayers were answered! I just have to stay in bed for the next two weeks until they can get a better view of Baby #3 to ensure all is well. So, as I said, I am thankful to be on bedrest.
I am also thankful for "the kindness of strangers." Or maybe not such strangers. While I'm waiting for my mom to come up and help me with the kids, cooking, and such, the hubby is spending a lot of time off of work trying to help out. He is getting very stressed, as he is working full time and trying to do the work of a SAHM, too. This is where my friends have stepped in and arranged playdates for the kids and meals for each night.
There is no way I could ever express how thankful I am to all the people who have prayed, entertained the kids, and fed our family. And, of course, countless thanks to GOD who has provided for us.
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