Collins Country

Today I went to check my bank account balance and found four transactions made to Pay Pal! Folks, I haven't used paypal in over a year! You can imagine my frustration and fear to see my dollars being (slowly) drained from my account!

It's kind of weird because there were four different transactions in rapid succession (One was in Euros). Actually, it's smart. If they (the theiving degenerates) took five dollars from 10,000 people, it's a tidy haul. If I were of a criminous nature, I would applaud them.

Since my husband works hard for our money, and we are watching every penny (meaning we only HAVE pennies) I admire it not at all. In fact, they caused us to be overdrawn which means they stole an additional $44.00 in "courtesy fees."

The good news: I contacted payPal and made an Unauthorised Transaction Report and they will refund the money. I contacted my bank reversed the extra charges and strongly advised me to close my checking account. Such a tedious job, especially after the hour and a half I spent ont he phone.

The most interesting thing about all this (to me) is my response. Instead of my normal reaction: freaking out, calling the bank, crying, calling my husband, more crying (I realize these are not effecient techniques ), I just called the appropriate parties and followed the steps and took care of it. I was freaking out on the inside, but nobody would have known!

That's a satisfying victory in itself! And, of course, when you are living frugally, it's especially satisfying to successfully regain the lost money.

Homemade Vinegar

I had a plastic jug of apple juice in the cupboard. Apparently it was opened, then closed and returned to the cupboard. My husband noticed that the jug was bulging (It looked like it was going to explode!) so I carefully opened it.

It smelled just like vinegar. I am not going to use it (in fact, I dumped it down the drain), but it got me to thinking about making vinegar.

The word "vinegar" derives from the Old French vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." Louis Pasteur showed in 1864 that vinegar results from a natural fermentation process (from wikipedia).

I am very interested in this process, so any information (books, links, testimonials) would be terriffic!

Looking for scriptures on Holiness

Hi all. I am trying to teach myself to memorize scriptures (I am so lazy about that). It was suggested to me that I pick a topic and memorize scriptures that are topically linked.

I thought Holiness was a good place to start, but the resources I am using are not turning up what I want. I would love anyone to share scriptures that describe holiness as it pertains to our behavior...do not live according to this world, according to the flesh...you see what I mean?

De-cluttering my days

I’ve been thinking about simple living a lot lately; probably because it’s a common theme at HSB. There is a lot about de-cluttering in particular. I know that it brings me peace to have a de-cluttered home, and it sure makes it easier to find things!

I would also like to de-clutter my life. Sometimes there seems to be so much going on: Dentist appointments, paperwork, bible school, meetings. Sometimes even the fun stuff (dinners and parties) begin to feel like work. I don’t like the feeling of something hanging over my head - knowing I have to run. It’s hard to start projects or get into any real routine when you know you have to go somewhere in an hour or so.

In my dream de-cluttered life, I rise early. I accomplish some morning chores then sit and drink my coffee while I read my bible and pray. I get my family up; we eat breakfast and start our day; DH & DS2 off to work and DD doing her school. I would take an hour or so to do paperwork for our business then do my morning chores.

After the morning chores (cleaning), I could take a little time on the computer. Then I could dig up my sewing projects and work on those. Or maybe I can work on my knitting projects. Or bake a bunch of muffins. Of course, gardening and caring for the animals would come in there somewhere (really, the list is endless – there’s plenty to do around here).

Preparing dinner, some evening chores then spending the rest of the evening with my family – doesn’t that sound good? Imagine us all sitting in the front room reading or talking about the day’s events. Going to bed at a decent hour, after I’ve tidied the kitchen and set up the coffee pot for the morning, sounds like bliss.

I have been told many times that “is just life.” Does it have to be? I don’t think so, although I am not sure I have the strength to change it. I do think I can change one thing: going out at night. The bible school is at night (6 hours per week, Tues and Thurs). I don’t feel I can quit that right now, but in a year (when we are finished) my night life away from home is coming to a halt!

In the meantime, I will keep up the physical de-cluttering of my home.
This week, as per Flylady, we are in the kitchen. I am going to de-clutter some of my cupboards and drawers. Have a great day!

Movie Reviews

I recently joined Netflix on a friend’s recommendation. We don’t have cable and I like to choose the movies I watch carefully (Netflix is cheaper than cable, too). A two-week trial gave me a chance to see if this would work for our family. So far, so good.

It is the story of William Wilberforce who fought against slavery in 18^th century England. I can’t say how historically accurate it is. “Based on a true story” is a fairly lenient phrase as far as the truth goes, but it brings familiar names from history: Equiano, an African slave who published a book on his life before becoming a slave and slave trader John Newton who wrote the familiar hymn Amazing Grace. There is some doubt about the authenticity of his story in the movie, but at least the time frame is right.

I wouldn’t watch this movie with the intent of educating my children, but it is a greatly inspiring film that you could use as a spring board to research the true story of the abolition of slavery in England (and America for that matter).

Again, I can’t verify how correct the historical details are, but this created a great interest in our family to learn more about John Harrison. He was a carpenter who devoted his life to solving the longitude/time/navigation solution in the 1700s. The movie chronicles (I think) fifty years of his life as he works to overcome the obstacles before him (not all the roadblocks are of a scientific nature…there are people who don’t want him to succeed)

There is a parallel story of Rupert Gould, who after a nervous breakdown following World War I, becomes obsessed with restoring the clocks made 200 years early by Harrison. I didn’t find his story as compelling, but it’s probably in great part due to the real Mr. Gould that we know as much as we do of the clockmaker.

I like historical movies and anything I can watch that makes me feel I didn’t become more stupid in the two hours in front of the television is good enough for me! The acting in both these movies is good enough that you can forget about the actors and get into the story.

A cool thing about Netflix is they have a lot of documentaries, Christian movies, and even a section called “Homework Help” which includes math, science, history and English videos (we haven’t tried any of those yet, but I’ll let you all know if we do). There are a lot of movies to choose from, so if you have a TV and aren’t opposed to watching it, Netflix might be nice for you.

Bees, Zucchini & Pollination

While looking for information on growing zucchini, I came across this article. Unfortuantely, though I saved it in Word, I didn’t mark the source. Last year my zucchini plants were HUGE. I would get so excited to see the fruit start to grow. Then, at about 4-5 inches long, the fruit would begin to rot.

It was suggested that the cause could be over-watering, poor lighting or constrictive environment (wine barrels). I think poor pollination may have been the cause; we very rarely see bees, butterflies or hummingbirds around here.

Pollinating zucchini or squash by hand may be required in the absence of bees in your garden. They won't produce proper fruit without pollination.

A common reason for rotting and shriveling zucchini is lack of pollination by bees. Pollination is absolutely required for fruit set. Without pollination, the fruit that grows will yellow, shrivel, rot and die. Three solutions: Get some bees. Attract some bees (see "Butterfly and Bee Garden") or hand pollinate.

The zucchini has a male flower and a female flower, which must be pollinated in order for you to get proper fruit. To hand pollinate, break off a male flower, remove its petals to reveal the yellow pollen on its pistol, then roll the pollen onto the center stigma of the female flower.

You tell flowers apart because female flowers are larger and have a baby fruit behind their petals. The male flowers grow on a long stem and are smaller.

Some people use a cotton swab or artist's brushes to hand pollinate – a good idea.

If the bee crisis continues, everyone on earth needs to learn how to hand pollinate so please pass the word. I was remarking about the bee crisis to a famous gardener and mentioned that 1/3 of the human diet was derived from honeybee pollinated vegetables, fruits and nuts, and indirectly affected items. He wisely responded to me that if worse came to worse and all the honeybees died people could always hand pollinate their vegetable gardens to survive.

That does address the short term survival need with practical wisdom. However, most agricultural crops today are produced for the mass market by huge corporate farms. Honeybees are literally trucked in to accomplish pollination. Hand pollinating these large fields of crops does not seem feasible since it’s so tedious, and even if a way were found, it would still cause disruption in the food supply for an undetermined length of time. It would increase food prices exponentially too.

Books I want to read this month

2. Path Between The Seas : The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough

4. Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte

5. Growing & Using Basil: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-119 (Storey Publishing Bulletin) by Ellen Ogden

9. The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier by Laura Leedy Gansler

10. Grow the Best Tomatoes: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-189 (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-189) by John Page

I haven't found any of these books in our local library (yet), so it looks like I will be buying quite a few. I don't think you can ever have too many books, but you can spend too much money!

Not all these books are available new, either. I will enjoy the challenge of finding them; the cheaper the better! I will have to choose frugally.

Pounds of Persimmons

My neighbor gave me about twenty pounds of persimmons. Not the Hyachi (sp) type, which need to ripen until they are mush (intersting- you freeze the hiyachi and then thaw them and they are ready for use. There is a scientific reason for this, but I've forgotten what it is), but the Fuyu. The Fuyu can be eaten out of hand and are quite sweet. From all I've read, the Fuyu are not so great for baking.

The Hiyachi are shaped like acorns (that's what they look like to me, anyway - giant, orange acorns) and the Fuyu look more like tomatoes or mini pumpkins.

So far, I have eaten them raw, made two tarts, and then one batch of poached to serve over ice cream. I am going to make a salad tonight featuring persimmons and nuts. I also have a crumb cake recipe, but it is sort of involved so I have been putting it off. There is a recipe for relish, too, that I might try if I can't find any other way to use them.

Persimmons are sweet, but honestly, they aren't really flavorful. Maybe I mean that they don't have a distinct taste? Anyway, I don't want them to go to waste, so I am trying out many recipes.

I could not find a good jam recipe for the variety of persimmons I have. I did find one for tomato jam that I am going to try, substituting the Persimmon for tomato. The persimmons remind me of under-ripe tomatoes. I will let you all know how that goes and if it turns out okay, I will share the recipe.

In the meantime, if anyone has some good recipes for the Fuyu Persimmon, please share! I have lots to work with (Note: My family has informed me that they are not interested in the puddings) and am eager to meet the challenge of using them all before they go to waste!

Note: in case you wonder "Why the periwinkle back ground?" I wanted to use orange font for my persimmon entry, but it didn't show up well. The background helps, although it looks kind of silly, but I felt stubborn about the orange type! LOL

I'm Dreaming of a green Springtime..

It is pouring rain, and the wind is gusting hard enough to blow out the pilot lights in my wall furnace. Sometimes I wonder how our giant-paned front windows withstand the onslaught. Of course, I am curled up on one end of the couch with my laptop, making plans for the Spring.

My first seed catalog arrived less than a week ago. I love picking through them and making list of all the wonderful fruit and veg varieties I will grow. Anyone who has read my garden tales will know how successful that usually is.

This year, I am focusing on basic vegetables that I already have had some success with: Green Beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, basil and zucchini. I actually haven't succeeded with the squash yet, but my studies indicate that it was probably a pollination problem. I have been researching hand pollination and it doesn't seem too difficult for small crops.

I confess I do have a few "new" seeds I want to try. One is a red current tomato; they are half the size of the grape tomato. I can just see them in a salad. The other is a squash called Long Island Cheese (It looks like a pumpkin to me). Doesn't the name just grab you? LOL It's supposed to be a great storage squash and good in pies.

Back to the topic of this year's planting. I have been working on the composting of the chosen sites since fall, and I am going to try my hand at vermiculture as well. I was given a very cool book on worms for Christmas - it's been on my wishlist forever!

Other than the tomato plants and basil, I will direct sow everything (to me, the two most exciting aspects of the garden are when the plants sprout and when I get to pick something!

Much time has been spent learning about the culture, diseases, pests and harvesting of my choices. There is so much to know; I really hope that if I just learn everything I can about these particular plants and take proper measures and time with them, I will actually get a good harvest!

Then next year, I can review their care and add in something new to become expert on. Or, perhaps for the fall I will study root crops (I have yet to have a carrot or beet that was big enough to eat).

PS: OFF TOPIC- Does anyone have ideas for leftover candy canes (not just peppermint...all flavors)? My son brought home 61 boxes from the store he works at. He did it thinking I could use a bunch so I want to show him how much I appreciate the thought. However, I can only make so much peppermint bark! LOL All suggestions welcome!

California Cell Phone Law

I read a statement by a man who calls himself Mr. Traffic. My comments are in red.

LOS ANGELES 9/15/06: KENNY MORSE, better known as “MR. TRAFFIC” to his viewers on TV, listeners on radio and millions of readers on the Internet, is coming out AGAINST the signing of the new California Cell Phone Law offered by Sen. Joe Simitian, and being signed into law today by the Governor.

The new law, which won’t even go into effect until JULY 1 of 2008, will only carry a $20 fine for using a cell phone that is not “hands-free! Why does the amount matter? The fine for speeding is generally in the hundreds and I haven't seen that stop people from speeding.

This law mirrors the ones in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and the District Of Columbia where ALL studies show that not one life has been saved by these laws. [How can anyone possible determine the amount of accidents that have not occured. He's just being silly here.]

….and MANY studies show that it is NOT the having it in your hands which makes the difference…..IT’S THE TALKING.

I suppose Mr. Traffic would like to make a law against talking in moving vehicles?

What about people who talk to themselves, or are yelling at other drivers, or are singing along with the radio? what about passengers?

(Mommy, what's "pretigious?") medical journals, have shown that a human talking to a disembodied voice, hands-free, or in their hand….is simply NOT paying attention to the road! [does that mean that if the voice has a body it is safe to talk?]

According to another article: "Driver distraction, which includes cell phone use [I would like to draw attention the this statement ..."which includes cell phone use"] , is estimated [ An estimate is a guess] to be responsible for a minimum of 25 percent of all motor vehicle accidents. [may I also point out that the 25% pertains to all motor vehicle accidents (not just fatalities): cars, trucks, boats, scooters, motorcycles, trains and maybe planes (I couldn't verify that). Also, this article does not list what part of that 25% are blamed on cell phones] But that estimate is quite low, according to AAA's Williams. Another expert, who chose to remain off the record, said that that figure "could be [ okay. Could be? How scientific]much closer [how much closer? 38 percent?] to 50 percent." Again, I don't see how anyone can determine this...there are too many factors involved.

How many more children have to die this way [How many have already died? How many have died because they were aborted? Abused? Fallen off of trees and tall buildings?] before our despicable politicians will start to honestly protect the public.

I have an idea. Let's ban children from vehicles...it will save their lives, and the lives of those who are distracted by them. Actually, passengers in general are distracting. Pets, too. And don't forget radio talkshow hosts. No scenery either, and I'd like to put bad weather on the agenda as well. Let's get rid of everything that distracts us. Then we will be safe at last.

They have seen all the data [I still want to know where and what this data is]...and STILL pass laws like this!!! Other counties, like most of Western Europe, have BANNED cell phone use while a vehicle is in motion….[When did it become acceptable to use "everyone is doing it" as a persuasive argument?] why can’t our Federal Government do the same? Simple answer. $$$$$!!!

Mr. Traffic might be right about the government's reasoning, but unless he is willing to foot the bill for lost revenue (that could be used for free lunch programs and libraries for poor children LOL), he's gonna have to deal with it.

I am not actually opposed to the cell phone law. What I am opposed to are ignorant assumptions and bald faced lies that are promoted as fact. I do get up on my high horse when I read drivel such as quoted above. Give me cold, hard, unadulterated facts and I will give you my respect, sir!

Happy New Year

Since I have writer's block, I will only wish all my friends on HSB a great New Year.

I will get back on track and visit more often so I can hear what's going on in your lives.

The Extinction of Silver Dragees

Last year, I searched high and low for the sweet, silver decorations. All I wanted to do was put one in the center of each snowflake sugar cookie. Is that too much to ask. After searching every store locally, I finally went online.

That's when I found out the terrible truth. EVERY single site that sold them would not ship to California because a lawyer sued many companies that sold them because he felt there was a potential danger (He probably has no idea why people don't like lawyers).

CLARIFICATION: This story stated that stores such as Sur La Table were selling off their last remaining stocks of silver dragees, a pastry decoration. Sur La Table states that it originally removed the dragees from its stores in April 2003. Immediately after The Chronicle found in December that its Hanukkah decorations contained the dragees, it removed them as well, the retailer says.

Procrastinators are in for a shock when they set out to make those last-minute holiday cookies, cakes and gingerbread houses. Store shelves are almost bare of the beloved, tooth-crunching decorations called dragees -- better known as "those little silver balls.''

Because of a Napa lawyer's lawsuit alleging that the shimmery mini-orbs are toxic, stores such as Spun Sugar are selling off their last remaining stocks, and wholesalers and Internet suppliers simply won't sell sugar decorations filmed with silver, gold or copper to anyone in California.

"He's the Grinch that stole Christmas this year," said Gretchen Goehrend, owner of India Tree, a cake decorating wholesaler in Seattle who pulled all her dragees out of California after she was sued.

Already, India Tree has lost $20,000 by refusing to sell the silver balls in California because of the fear of being sued, says Goehrend.

Once again, California is on the cutting edge, the only place on the planet where using dragees could land you in court.

"I think it's a catastrophe. I think Christmas is going to have to come to an end. How can we decorate cookies without those silver balls?'' said Emily Luchetti, pastry chef at the Union Square restaurant Farallon.

The cookie-decorating party she throws at her house every year for family and friends was strangely dragee-free this year. During preparations for Sunday's festivities, Luchetti got a panicked call from her sister-in-law, who'd gone shopping for decorations at Cake Art in San Rafael and learned the news. "She said, 'We can't do this -- my daughter is going to be miserable.' "

Luchetti added, "How many (dragees) does one eat throughout the year? I can't believe there is anything that would hurt you -- if you ate a bazillion of them sure, but a few?"

But Napa lawyer Mark Pollock takes silver dragees very seriously. He started suing to force dragees off the California market when he was a Solano County prosecutor in the early 1990s, and got the spice giant McCormick to stop selling them in the state. Now an environmental lawyer in private practice, he sprang back into action last spring when dragees surged back into vogue after Martha Stewart used them on holiday cookies.

Pollock sued Stewart, gourmet food purveyor Dean and DeLuca, India Tree and about two dozen other distributors and retailers. As of Monday, Pollock said all but one had settled, agreeing to stop selling silver cake decorations in California, and the last was about to sign. Settlement amounts are confidential.

Pollock says his motivation wasn't that someone had been hurt by eating dragees -- he doesn't know that anyone has. But he says dragees have the potential to put consumers, especially children, at risk because silver is a toxic metal that can build up in the body over time and cause problems.

"Silver is a subtle poison," he said, comparing it to mercury in fish. "Eating dragees unnecessarily increases your body burden of this chemical. If children start off with heavy doses in Christmas cookies, they start out behind in the race."

While federal and state authorities list silver as toxic at certain levels -- for instance, for silver miners who breathe strong concentrations daily -- the Food and Drug Administration has dealt with dragees by declaring them non-edible and requiring jars to carry labels saying "for decoration only."

Pollock calls that "fraudulent and fictional" because everyone eats them anyway, especially kids.

The attorney said he's also working with the state attorney general's office on litigation requiring markets to post warnings about mercury in fish. But he says a warning on dragee jars wouldn't be enough because the wording doesn't wind up on the cookies at the bake sale.

State health and toxic waste authorities said dragees weren't a concern as long as they were labeled properly.

"We are not aware of any health problems associated with this product," said Lea Brooks of the California Department of Health Services. "Levels of the metal are extremely low -- you'd have to consume massive quantities. We don't know how much."

Their potential as a hazardous waste would depend on large quantities ending up in a landfill, something authorities consider unlikely since they are expensive and are usable for years.

Distributors and retailers said they've settled with Pollock not because they believe their dragees are toxic but because a trial would cost far more than settling. But, like Beryl Loveland of Beryl's Cake Decorating and Pastry Supplies of Virginia, they're angry and think a trial would have proven that there's nothing wrong with a few dragees now and then.

Locally, dragees disappeared from stores like Sur La Table almost immediately, and are dwindling fast at smaller shops.

At Spun Sugar, a candy- and cake-making specialty store in Berkeley, owner Linda Moreno is selling off the few sizes and shapes of the metallic decorations she has left, and says she can't get any more -- although she has no trouble getting the silver and gold leaf used in Indian sweets.

"It's the same stuff everyone's had for an eternity," she said. "I was always more worried about someone breaking a tooth."

Other bakers and baking supply shop owners were so leery of getting sued themselves that they spoke only on condition that their identities not be revealed. One baker said she's always brought back suitcases of dragees from France, and she won't stop. But she makes her customers sign a waiver that they understand they are for decorative purposes only.

Another baker, Nora Tong of San Francisco, who specializes in exquisitely decorated tea cookies, hadn't heard of the lawsuit because she also buys her dragees in France. She was aghast.

"Oh my god, people have been eating them for a hundred years. I will always buy them. I love dragees," said Tong, whose business is the wholesale Nora's Patisserie.

"It's too bad that we are all so fearful, and we are being terrorized by this," she said.

I can't believe that this guy is really concerned about the silver content. I mean really, how many do we consume in a year...4? I think he hates treats and this is only the beginning of his assault on Californian confections. What's next? Powdered sugar? Sugar sprinkles? Chocolate (Um, no. He'd never win that case).

I am still trying to find a way to procure some; I feel quite determined to have them on my cookies!

Apple Harvest

My family and I had so much fun this weekend. We attended the local Apple Harvest Festival. We ran into all kinds of people we knew, including my sister and her kids. It was a great way to spend the day with family and friends in the community.

We got up early, and my BIL, his wife and baby came along. We started off with a free pancake breakfast put on by a local church. It was like camping! Eating breakfast outdoors on a cool, sunny morning. Lots of folks chatting and drinking their coffee. Very pleasant and the food was good, too!

Then we walk around the park where several booth were set up for sales. I bought three little collectable spoons from an elderly man. He was so charming and gentleman-ly, that I couldn’t resist.

I also bought some evergreens for my front yard. They are the dwarf variety. I am temporarily giving up on veggies since I have very little luck with them. Evergreens need little water, little fertilizer, little care – my kind of plants!

After that, we watched my friend Cindee’s boys do a Martial Arts demonstration. It was so neat to watch and I wished I could do it! They all seemed so serious, doing their kicks and flips...it was pretty entertaining to watch a little girl flip a boy over her hip! LOL The instructor (Sensei?) also demonstrated sword techniques, cutting up mats into little peices. My husband and I sat on the grass and relaxed. Very fun!

From there, we caught a tractor-pulled wagon, loaded with hay for seating (also known as a hayride) and headed over to the apple-wood smoked barbeque. All locally grown or raised foods. Very neat. The Apple Cider is so good you could drink a gallon if your belly would hold it! I bought some Blushing Goldens to make Apple Dumplings with and I will bake those tonight.

We were tired by the time we came home, and after dinner and a movie, I was so tired I fell asleep while my husband was in the bathroom. He said he couldn't beleive it when he came out two minutes later - I was snoring!

I wanted to post pictures and remembered to bring my camera but then left it in the car! So, the pictures will have to stay in my head. It was a perfect day!

On IDLE talk

Mirriam-Webster: Main Entry: idle
Pronunciation: 'I-d^&l
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): idler /'Id-l&r, 'I-d^&l-&r/; idlest /'Id-l&st, 'I-d^&l-&st/
Etymology: Middle English idel, from Old English Idel; akin to Old High German Ital worthless
1 : lacking worth or basis : VAIN <idle chatter> <idle pleasure>
2 : not occupied or employed: as a : having no employment : INACTIVE <idle workers> b : not turned to normal or appropriate use <idle funds> <idle farmland> c : not scheduled to compete idle tomorrow>
3 a : SHIFTLESS, LAZY b : having no evident lawful means of support
synonym see VAIN, INACTIVE
- idle·ness /'I-d^&l-n&s/ noun
- idly /'Id-lE, 'I-d^&l-E/ adverb

Etymology: Middle English strif, from Anglo-French estrif, estri, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch striden to fight, Old High German strītan to quarrel — more at stride

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Col 2:8 See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).

Jam 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue,(or KEYBOARD?) but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Lately, among Christians on this site, there has been a lot of disagreement. God is opposed to such things as the above scriptures clearly state. I repent for any strife or variance I have caused between the brethren (or sisteren as my kids used to say). My hope is that ALL who read this will be inspired and (maybe a little convicted) and we can let go of the offenses, discord and disturbances here at HSB and get back our peace and joy.

Questions By Scarecrow

Being at home

I have been a wife and mother for over twenty years. In that time, I have worked part time, full time and also been a stay at home mom. I have always felt it was easier to work outside the home. My most recent experience did not change that opinion. For one thing, I can afford to buy things that make life easier. Also, my family accepts that they must help out or things might not get done.

Being at home is harder work, but SO much more satisfying! Yesterday I was exhausted: I cleaned house, made banana bread and muffins, made harvest corn, went to the laundromat (dryer still broken), did the grocery shopping, made dinner and still managed to have fun with my teens. I about fell into bed, but what a great feeling.

Yesterday, I also made these cute paper cones to put the popcorn in (they are serving size and perfect for handing out to friends and neighbors). I would never have taken the time if I was working. My creativity is completely stifled when I work outside the home; there's no time.

Someone recently blogged about staying home (I forget who, sorry) and I too have experienced those same comments. One friend always says "It must be nice to stay at home." Yes, it is. She also says she can't afford to, but until recently she had less kids and more money. Staying at home does require sacrifice, but it's one I am willing to make.

The job can pay for convenience foods, frivolous fun, new clothes, and short cuts but it cannot buy you time with your family; that's our most valuable treasure!

Salt

I am reading the most interesting book right now: Salt: A World History. Who knew what a part salt has played in our history? So far we have discussed China, the Celts, the Basques, Vikings…it’s amazing how long and how wide-spread the salt industry is.

The names of so many cities, rivers, and words have their roots in the salt industry. For example, Salary comes form the word salt. Roman soldiers were paid in salt. That’s also why we say “worth your weight in salt” or “working for your salt.” Even the word soldier is derived from salt.

The processes that we use to cure foods have been around for thousands of years! I guess if something works, you don’t fix it? Corned beef, which was first done in Ireland (which is why we eat it on St. Patrick’s Day) hasn’t changed a lot, although the process seems much more sanitary than it was.

Did you know that “corned beef” has nothing to do with corn? The English used the word corn to refer to little bits on the meat. In this case, salt. LOL It was sort of a derisive phrase and I think the Irish actually called it Spiced Beef.

I know that was probably way more information than most people want about salt, but it is so interesting. I recommend this book if you are interested in History and/or food!

The author, Mark Kurlansky, has a light-hearted and humorous approach to history that makes it an easy read. He also wrote Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World!. I put that on my Amazon.com wish-list.

Defining Moments

I recently read a blog by cindeerella and one comment accused her as being "hurtful and vengeful." Words are powerful and accuracy is important. From what I read, there was no vengeful intent (to get revenge) toward anyone.

Main Entry: venge·ful

Pronunciation: 'venj-f&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: obsolete English venge revenge
: REVENGEFUL: as a : seeking to avenge b : serving to gain vengeance
- venge·ful·ly

/-f&-lE/ adverb
- venge·ful·ness noun

Main Entry: ¹de·fen·sive

Pronunciation: di-'fen(t)-siv, 'dE-"
Function: adjective
1 : serving to defend or protect <defensive fortifications>

It is important to remember that when we post, many people will read it; some will agree and some will not. The disagreements tend to get very personal, because when a person states a belief the general understanding is this: "If I believe I am right, and I live according to this belief, then it stands to reason that the people who do not believe this way are wrong." Naturally, the person who disagrees will feel a bit defensive.

If you do not believe that other choices are wrong, then you cannot really believe your choice is right. You CAN however, believe that you are doing what's best for you. If that's the case, it is best not to imply that your choice is the right choice according to GOD, but the best choice according to your understanding of what God wants for you personally (Unless, of course, it is a specific, literal command such as "Thou shall not steal"!).

We are told to work out our OWN salvation with fear and trembling, and it is our duty to start there. Most people agree that how we dress is not a salvation issue. That being the case, it does not fall within our commission from Jesus to speak out on it in a manner that implies it is.

In the end, all this infighting and so forth makes us a poor representation of Christ to others and I hope we can at least agree to disagree. And let's enjoy the areas that we are gifted in: Homestead lore, cooking, gardening and living the good life!

Zucchini Parmesan Bread

My friend gave me two LARGE zucchinis from her garden. I can't possibly use them all now, but zucchini freezes so well. I am grating them into one cup portions and freezing them in sandwich-size zip-top bags. Then I can just pull out the amount I need for a recipe and voila! Fresh zucchini bread, casserole, or whatever!

ZUCCHINI PARMESAN BREAD
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 cup zucchini, peeled & shredded
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon grated onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease
and flour a loaf pan. Mix flour, zucchini, sugar,
cheese, baking soda, baking powder and salt
together in a mixing bowl. Melt butter; stir in
buttermilk; then remove from heat. Beat eggs
in a separate bowl, add buttermilk mixture and
onion; stir into flour mixture and mix well to form
thick batter. Spread batter into well greased and
floured loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Home at last!

I thought that the minute my job ended, I would be online blogging happily. As it turns out, there was so much left undone around the house I had to spend some time getting things in order. It feels as if much has happened in my life in my time away, but when I try to blog it, I realize it’s nothing new! LOL

It feels like Fall around here; crisp, cool mornings when the sky is still blue. I love it. I bought my first pumpkin yesterday (I tried to grow my own in barrels this year and it didn’t work). It’s one of those weeks when everything seems to go smoothly and I am doing my best to enjoy and remember every minute.

After swearing off all garden experiments, and only using tried and true methods (or, traditional) I find myself saving newspapers. I am spreading them several layers thick to use as a weed barrier and then covering with layers of hay. Next, I will cover the whole kit-n-kaboodle with soil and see what happens over the winter.

Now that Autumn is here, my focus will be more on baking and cooking: Homemade bread, holiday treats, soups and stews. All those comforting things that we so enjoy during the darker months.