a tulip tale from 2006

Someone pulled up mommy's tulips...







I am struggling with anger right now. So please bear with me. I will return to more consistent upbeat blogging efforts soon (I hope).

Cheaper Chicken Pot Pie and Dandelion Killer

I am receiving the recipe magazine Taste of Home again. This last issue had a recipe for Chicken Potpie which was supposed to cost $1.57 a serving. Yet it contained some shortcuts that seemed wasteful to me. So I addressed them in an article "Saving Money Making Chicken Potpie."

I am really proud of this article with a recipe for Cheap, Non-Toxic Dandelion Killer.

answers

Frugality

Tess asked of my post about the Tightwad Gazette "I'm glad you posted this, I've heard of this book before but not got it, and this might be the trigger to do so. I'm interested to know how much it's oriented towards the American market - are the ideas transferable to England for example?"

In my opinion, the answer is yes. Amy Dacyczyan does occasionally discuss specific products that would be applicable only to Americans. However, on the other hand, she promotes a lot of ideas that are simply lifestyle changes. Another bonus about her book is while she doesn't preach philosophy or religion, her beliefs come through in what she writes and how she writes about it and her words and ideas are inspiring and convicting.

Even if you didn't come away with many direct practical ideas from the book, you would be inspired to look at what you do and how you do it and what you use to do it in a different way and be inspired to see how you could improve on your behavior by reusing or doing without or doing it differently.

Garden

In answer to those who may be wondering about my garden. My tomatoes were a total loss. :( Hubby asked me if I was okay with it. I am. I know that planting this early where we live is a gamble that some years pays off and some years doesn't.

After the snow we had two nights of hard frost. I had caught rain water in a barrel earlier last week and the ice that I found on top of it this morning was too hard for me to punch through with my hand.

I lost two of the six peppers. They were in containers on porch and I imagine that the house radiated enough heat so that once I covered them, they were okay.

beg this book off a friend, borrow it from the library or buy it!!!

I borrowed this book from the library on April 18 and finished it this morning. It is over 900 pages long. It is jam packed with gazillions of great ideas for saving money, reusing items, and breaking the consumer habit. If it doesn't make you excited to start managing your finances responsibly, nothing will.

If you are serious about saving money, living greener, using good stewardship - you must read this book. It will change your life.

Suite 101 Anniversary

I've been writing at Suite101 for one whole year. My first article posted last year was Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, which is still one of my consistently highly ranked articles.

My best all-time article (in terms of views) is my article The Meaning of Advent.

I've been working on pages of links for my various article groupings. So far I have these pages arranged.

Tutorials for Kid's Crafts

Book Reviews

Aids for Teaching Children About God

Frugality

I need to organize pages for adult craft tutorials, garden plants, nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and perhaps a few other areas.

By the way, I recently did a neat series on birth month flowers.

I want to thank every single one of you who reads my blog and who pops over to read my stuff over at Suite101. It matters to me and I thank you.

snow, the garden, and c.s. lewis

It is snowing here today, much to the dismay of the girls and much to my concern as I have planted some plants already.

Below are some irises. They be fine.



This cold frame has squash in it. I just planted the seeds earlier this week and they haven't even sprouted. They will be fine.



In this cold frame, I have three tomato plants. I've had tomatoes freeze in cold frames, we will see.



I also have some peppers on the front stoop of the house in pots. They are in plastic bottle cloches and I covered them with towels last night. I hope they will be okay.

I recently finished C.S. Lewis's book The Screwtape Letters for the first time. I think every Christian should read it. I particularly think students should read it before going to college as it will help them recognize the foolishness in what is often considered logical and scholarly research.

He used these two quotes to introduce the work

"The devil...the prowde spirite...cannot endure to be mocked."
— Thomas Moore

"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn. "
— Martin Luther

We should realize it is a satirical piece of writing.

These two quotes were two quotes I felt I could extract from the book without weakening the quote or by giving away something that would be better if you read the book for yourself.

"For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity. Of the present moment, and of it only, humans have an experience analogous to the experience which our Enemy has of reality of whole; in it alone freedom and actuality are offered to them. "
— C.S. Lewis

"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."
— C.S. Lewis

If you haven't read it. Read it soon.

WOWWEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Yes, my title is all in caps!!

My articles now make enough to pay for broadband - so we switched from dial-up to broadband and did some bundling with our phone company and rethought how we handle the phone and were also able to add a cell plan and the difference in our bill is only about thirty dollars so I am still making money to spare!!

I am hoping I can be more productive posting articles and in turn make even more money, now that I don't have to wait an eternity to get the upload form, then to upload, then to save...etc. Plus now I don't waste time trying to read all your blogs and post comments - it is almost instantaneous.

March of Dimes/Pine Rest Christian Services/Expelled

Hello to everyone of my dear blog friends. I am not a weepy person, I don't tend to sponsor people (I am not even very good at sponsoring relatives), and I am not into promoting causes (even thought there are two that we as a family are very involved in donating too and I do mention them here occasionally).

March of Dimes

However, tonight I got weepy and this cause is important.

I got the following email from my sister tonight:

Hello everyone

I am walking for the March of Dimes on May 3rd. A co-worker had a nephew who was born four months early. Her nephew lived for five months before he passed away. I am walking on her team to support her and the March of Dimes as they work to prevent premature birth and the loss of those born early. I have a page set up on their website and I will provide the link at the bottom the page. If you go to the team home page you will also see that she has included the name Hope Van Genderen. For those of you who did not know I miscarried two babies last year and she wanted to let Randy and I know that our loss was not forgotten. If you are able, I would appreciate any donations that you would be willing to give. Thank you for your time.

Love April

The donations link goes directly to April's page. I nearly cried when I went to the team page and saw Hope's name. I am still teary.

In addition to April, there is my friend Heidi from God's Grace in Practice whose Baby Boy has a birth defect. I pray for Heidi but this makes me feel as if I am doing a little something for her.

I know from personal experience that these things often mean more when you know the person. However, if you feel moved, please consider supporting my sister or her team.


Pine Rest Christian Services

My Uncle Cal is a director for Pine Rest Christian Services in Iowa and generally an all-around great guy. Pine Rest is a Christian Counseling service and if you've ever talked to those who've been counseled by non-Christians, you know how important a Christian perspective in counseling is.

This summer my Uncle is going on a cross-country bike-ride, Renewing Spirits Bicycle Tour, to help raise funds to provide counseling and mental health care for those who need financial assistance to pay for these services. Check out his blog to learn more about it.


Expelled: No Intelligence Required

Finally, my sweet friend Jodi from The Deputy Domain brought to my attention a movie that I had not heard of that I think is worth spreading the word about. It is Expelled: No Intelligence Required and is a documentary features Ben Stein. The movie overview says this about it:

Ben Stein, in the new film EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed

His heroic and, at times, shocking journey confronting the world’s top scientists, educators and philosophers, regarding the persecution of the many by an elite few.

Coming to a theater near you on April 18, 2008

Ben travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe-inspiring truth…that bewilders him, then angers him…and then spurs him to action!

Ben realizes that he has been “Expelled,” and that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance. To which Ben Says: "Enough!" And then gets busy. NOBODY messes with Ben.

The truth is something that we as Christians should never be afraid of.

I appreciate all my friends who will take the time to read through these three promotional spiels. Like I said, I don't do this sort of thing often. However, these are important things please pray about them and if the Spirit moves you (which is between you and God and nothing for me to judge you by) donate to my sister April or my Uncle Cal. If not pray for them and for my friend Heidi. Prayers are free and more powerful than any money.

braids and the trinity

Recently, while I was braiding DQ's hair, she reflected that a braid was like the Trinity it was three parts in one. I was astounded and am amazed by God's blessings and grace in her life I know that while we attempt to be faithful in teaching her we are poor examples and that it is only God's grace that teaches her heart these things despite us.

I thought it was such a good and clear example that I wrote an article about it.

Teaching Kids about the Trinity: Help Children Understand the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Fairy Tales at Suite 101

I have a fascination with fairy tales and so have been working on articles about them. Below are the articles that I have written thus far.

General Fairy Tale Articles

The Brothers Grimm: The Early Lives of the Men who Created Fairy Tales

The Fairy Tales

The Brave Little Tailor

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Hansel and Gretel

Jack and the Bean Stalk

Little Red Riding Hood

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Rumpelstiltskin

Snow White and Rose Red

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

DQ's Gifts

DQ's school has a sister-partnership with a school in Bunzhanka, Ukraine. Earlier this year, they did a fund raiser where kids brought in their change to fill up banks in their classrooms (or their parent's change). They are doing the same fund raiser for the Buzhanka school again this spring and DQ has made it her personal mission to fill up the piggy bank in their classroom. She has nearly depleted all the funds in her piggy bank by filling up a small purse and bringing it to school every day this week.


DQ has been talking about how much her teacher likes tulips for over a month. So we made this 'leather' vase together and put some 'silk' tulips in it. DQ did most of the work putting masking tape on the bottle. I did most of the shoe polish work.


I took this photo of a braid for a good reason. One that I hope to share with you next week. [It isn't to show you how good I am at braiding (because I am not a hair sort of person)].

just a short note

Just popped in to tell you about a new site I found and really like. Take a look at the Hillbilly Housewife. I will see you all later.

procrastination week AND the winner is...

I am not sure how it happened but this became procrastination week. A week dedicated to catching up things that I procrastinate on. It has been a productive week. I can't report anything exciting, only a sense of well-being.


The photos of DramaQueen are taken in her classroom at school. I've been taking pictures of her class for a special project the teacher does for the children. She is watching a puppet show some of the other children are presenting.



AND THE WINNER IS one of my new blog friends, Sheila, from Dodging Raindrops. She gets to select a photo if she wants from anything I have posted here or at my portfolio at Pbase (all photos subject to my approval).

warmer temperatures

On Monday we got a fair amount of snow. Everything was white again. Today I think it got to the mid-sixties. The last time I noted the temperature at mid morning it was approaching sixty.

It has been a busy week and I can tell I've pushed myself too hard. I keep thinking if I can just reach X I can sit back and not worry so much. How absurd is that?



I've been accumulating items for bringing to the thrift store for a month. Today was the day as DQ has no school today. I also discovered that Stinkerbell needed nighttime panties and that I was out of Mucinex. Thus, a trip to Walmart was on the roster. In addition, I had agreed to bring my friend with ALS a meal.



The first stop was Walmart. All did not go well, but to understand why we must rewind to yesterday. Yesterday we got a bill in the mail from our frequent flyer credit card. We use it to earn miles by paying for all our monthly expenses with it and then paying it off every month.

However, somebody I know has a problem with setting the dates for electronic payments and and instead of setting up the last payment in March and set it up for April 21. So I went on-line yesterday afternoon and moved the payment up to the closest date permitted by the bank which was next Monday.

Today the credit card was declined all because of the missed payment. :(

Fortunately, the clerk knows me and said she would save the items until I returned later in the day.



Next, we went to the thrift store and dropped off our items. I made a quick pass through the store to see if they had doilies for a craft project I was considering leading for DQ's class and then we headed back home to make a delivery to my friend.



My plan had been to stop at the park before we brought the food over and we had enough time to stay at the park for an hour. As you might guess, the girls had a blast. Then we went home and picked up the food and went over to her house. My friend's ALS is progressing very rapidly. As of last week she could not move any of her limbs except for her right thumb and has had several choking incidents.

They have an appointment at Mayo later this month. The doctors at Mayo have told them that they will recommend her for hospice when they see her again. It seems she will have a feeding tube quite soon.

Her only daughter is getting married in July. It seems a very long time.

DQ asked me why were bringing them food and explained that J is so sick that she can't move any part of her body but her right thumb. We talked about J for awhile and I explained that the doctors do not know of any way to make J better and that what J could probably kill her before the end of the summer and if not it would probably kill her by Christmas.

DQ said "Mom there are only two ways for your friend to get better. We pray or she goes to heaven. If she goes to heaven it will be like she was never sick." From the mouths of babes.

After I delivered the food DQ asked that we say a a prayer for J and her family. DQ was concerned about how old her children were and I explained that her youngest child was in college.



Then we returned to the thrift store to pick up something I had left there and finally we returned to Walmart with a checkbook to pay for our items. Our account is suspended until the company receives our payment.

The credit card issue is very frustrating as we have the highest possible credit rating. I wish lenders would take into account people's credit rating and history when they make a simple mistake. Oh, well.





The photos sprinkled throughout are at the park today. Spring and fall when the sun is angled, and the trees are bare and there is limited foliage on the ground is one of my favorite times to take photos of people...the shapes, shadows, and textures are so moving to me.

If you feel the same way, let me know. I will draw a name from responses to this post and whoever wins can go to my album at Pbase and pick a photo they would like (with my approval) and I will print it up as 8.5X11 for them. It will be a Walmart print so it will be nothing high quality but it would be fun.

If ya'll lived closer, I would volunteer to do a family outdoor photo shoot for free. But since none of you live near me except for Kris that isn't an option. I guess if Kris wins I might letter choose that option if she likes. :0