Regia 4-ply, and lichen

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100000698/can-the-souffle-really-rise-again/

Just for your edification....

Also pictured is sourdough wholewheat bread.

... featured on LewRockwell.com today. 

What To Do When There Is No Doctor

Modern Survivalism Tenet Number Five (food storage)

I really like Jack Spirko and enjoy his podcasts (thesurvivalpodcast.com)  and am glad his articles are being featured on LewRockwell.com     Most of what he talks about is simple common sense, if people are bothered to think things through.  For instance, the food storage issue - it's a great way to - as he puts it - mitigate inflation.  You don't totally avoid inflation, but you can considerably lessen its impact when you buy things at today's lower prices versus buying them at higher prices later on.   

My friend and fellow homeschooling mom Jackie has a lovely little blog:

Hedgerow Ways and Fireside Days

She is having a giveaway of a book about gardening, so if you have a blog do go and check it out.

Jackie is also beginning to run some courses, and there is a soap course in Sept. I am hoping to go on. 

If you're interested in living a life less dependent on the various "systems" for whatever reason, or saving money, getting out of debt, knowing what the financial situation is going to be like in the next little while, gardening even if you live in an apartment, fishing, and a host of other topics and themes, then you might like this podcast.  

The Survival Podcast  by Jack Spirko

It's not about aliens and government conspiracies so much as helping people learn to understand what is going on around them (sometimes simply by paying attention or doing the math to calculate is buying that bigger house going to help you or hinder your goals?, etc) and take steps to change things for the better in one's life.  The motto for the show is "Helping you live the life you want, if times get tough, or even if they don't."

One interesting thing is that with inflation, if people had done a little "stockpiling" (and I don't even mean major amounts, just things like a few months worth of toilet paper) a few months ago, already savings would have been made as you wouldn't have to buy those items now at a higher price.  Saving money is a big theme of the show and I'm interested in that!

Thinking about sewing some napkins.

Here's a blogpage with some instructions if you're interested.

http://www.sewthankful.com/blog/2008/01/paper-or-fabric-napkins.html

I've bought some fabric which is 44" wide and about 39" long and have been working out how large to make the napkins.  One option is to make 6 which are approximately 10" x 13".   Folded in fourths that'll make 5"x 6 1/2" which is a nice little size.    Or, make 8 little ones, like beverage napkins, which are 11" x 10", which will fold into 5" x 5 1/2".  

Or, make 15 really tiny ones, when folded would be 4x4  and spread out to 8x8 inches square which is very small but may be sufficient for tea and biscuits?  However not large enough for tea and scones, where falling cream or jam can be a real hazard.

To prevent arguments in our family I might go with the 11 x 10 ones as then everyone can have one.  (Of course, we can do more napkins; I was just thinking if everyone wanted this pretty bird fabric.)

My mother made some when I was young, which one folded in half, and then in thirds which made for a nice look at the table setting, and used the fabric she had wisely. 

Well, I can't do anything now anyway as the fabric hasn't arrived yet.  I might look around and see if I have some already that I can use.  Napkins are easy to do, but the problem is that if you are trying to use up leftover fabric, they do take up a good bit of fabric for dinner sized ones.

I'm going to photograph my felted bag, too, as the sun is shining.

We're nearly half-way through the first month of the new year, so my wishes are a little late!  Happy New Year anyway!  I hope it goes better than many are expecting.

No photos now, although I hope to get some sorted soon.  I finished my "picture knitting" bag and felted it.  I need to get some photos of the finished item. 

Here's something to keep you amused for a while - a blog about disasterous professional cakes! Cakewrecks

She does have some beautiful cakes on there as well.  They are gorgeous, but if you need a real laugh do head over there and scout around.  The holiday cakes section has some whoppers.

Another cabled owl cloth:

Pinwheel Dishcloth

I'll be back...

I usually stay off the topics of politics and religion on this blog as I prefer to direct people to my other blog and even then I'm usually hesitant to say very much.   I probably won't change that very much, because I realize that most who come to this blog want to see pictures of idyllic British scenes, or of my craft projects or our homeschool doings. 

I've been considering, though, for a few years now, Charlotte Mason's admonishment to have the courage of one's opinions.   And I've realized that I'm usually not very impressed with people who have no opinion (or seem to not be interested in, even if they haven't formed an opinion) about important issues.   I think human life is a crucial issue and it's worth talking about.

So, if you don't want to read a political post, come back another day; as I said this blog will not be given over to political or religious posts. 

Ready?

On a lot of email lists I'm on the topic has come up of "who are you voting for?"  I'm not going to say who I am for or even if I am voting (or have voted, as I have to do absentee ballot). 

First off, I'm not necessarily pro the McCain-Palin ticket.  There are more than two choices, you know, and sometimes people are surprising in whom they choose.

However  I myself cannot vote for someone who has spoken or voted several times *against* the Born Alive Infant protection acts which dictate that an infant born alive after an abortion attempt must be given medical help (and not suffocated, strangled, or left in a dirty linen closet etc).

http://www.jillstanek.com/Senate_Committee_Vote_32701.pdf   (committe vote)