Rosesandtea1962

No tinfoil hat please

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:36:10 GMT

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!

Napkins

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:50:11 GMT

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.

Happy New Year

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:55:37 GMT

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.

Drive-by posting

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:55:03 GMT

Another cabled owl cloth:

Pinwheel Dishcloth

I'll be back...

My opinion

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:42:01 GMT

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)

http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST033001.pdf (transcript from when the bill came up in the Ill. Senate in 2001 - you have to scroll down to page 84 or so) - here Obama argues against the bill, and interestingly admits that giving such a newborn rights would mean that the fetus was a real person and would mean no abortions should take place)

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/srollcalls92/920SB1095_03302001_030000T.PDF (voted present)

http://www.jillstanek.com/Senate_Committee_Vote_3502.pdf (voting no in committee again)

http://www.ilga.gov/senate/transcripts/strans92/ST040402.pdf (spoke against it again on the Senate floor)

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/srollcalls92/920SB1662_04042002_014000T.pdf (voted no)

For more information to see further how he has opposed this type of bill, see http://www.bornalivetruth.org/obamarecord.aspx

(sorry, I'm tired of copying and pasting and giving you that last is a more concise way of doing things)

About the idea that a President not being able to change things like abortion laws, well, Bush did sign the federal Born-Alive infant protection act (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/08/20020805-6.html) I made a cake to celebrate that act. As President, Bush could have vetoed such a bill, but he supported it.

More importantly, the President selects SCOTUS justices who keep their position for life. I want someone who will put people in those jobs who respect human life.

As for being state issues, yes, such matters do belong in the state but sometimes they do find themselves in the federal arena (Roe v Wade for example), and at those times the SCOTUS justices are who decides what will be law, even in the state.

So I've said my piece.

My butternut squash soup experience

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:14:00 GMT

A few weeks ago I tried this recipe:

Butternut Squash Soup

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/crockpot-butternut-squash-soup-recipe.html#links

I was so hopeful, because it looked so good, but when the actual time to eat it came, I was very disappointed. I really didn't like it at all. I could tell that this soup *could* be good, but for some reason my version wasn't. We ate one bowl (each) of it, and I put it in the fridge instead of tipping it out because, ya know, I am trying to get into the whole frugal groove. (I do the guys' haircuts, and have other things I'm fairly proficient in, but the food area could use some work.)

I began schem - er planning, what I could do to improve it. Most of the plans involved potatoes, and dh is not too fond of potatoes anyway, and upon reflection adding potatoes to dilute the taste would simply give us more of this soup to eat. I decided I'd warm it up, and we'd just brave it.

Little did I know, that during it's exile in the fridge, the soup had been visited by the Soup Fairy! Yes, there must be such a fairy, because the soup had improved as if by magic! We ate the soup, with relish and enjoyment! We sung its praises, and an ode was written to its goodness! (OK, not really, but it was good and most of us did enjoy it). Lesson relearned (because I have known this in the past, but forgotten): dishes sometimes improve upon keeping. (just don't keep them too long!).

Nice presents and odd days

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:19:19 GMT

I'll start with the odd days. Well, not incredibly odd but out of the ordinary, thank heavens.

I am quite the brave woman, I'll have you know. I get to give a laxative (orally) to an angry chameleon. It involves a syringe, a thin tube and lactalose. 'Nuff said, don't ya think?

Today I discovered my younger daughter had applied her brother's airplane-rubber-band-winder-upper to her hair. A big ole nasty knot resulted. I am blessed to have an older daughter who is willing to spend some time combing the knot out with the help of a bit of conditioner.

Tomorrow we are having a birthday party for ds3 who had his birthday about 2 weeks ago. I think I have everything we need but I have to make the cake and ds3 wants his imaginary creature as a design upon it. I'm not quite sure how exactly I'm going to do this, but I'm thinking marzipan might be a good material. I've also got get ready for the obligatory party games.

I probably will win the bad mother prize for saying this, but I do not look forward to birthday parties very much. I don't mind having people of any age over, for food, or just hanging out but the whole party ritual with food and games and the constant shepherding of other people's children into structured activities stresses me out a bit. To add to this, because of the date we had to choose, dh will not be there and he usually lends a hand. I suppose I can press dd1 into service. (I don't think she'll mind, or I wouldn't ask.)

OK on to the really nice stuff - pictures of my swap package that Suzanne sent me. I really enjoyed the package. There is one thing you can't see very well in the pictures and that is a stitch marker made with amber-colored beads.

First, the whole thing:

Next, the apple themed gifts:

The pumpkins (very cute!) and crocheted dishcloth:

A few miscellaneous items:
(Suzanne attached the stitch marker to the postcard, which I thought was a great idea!)

Bread baking

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:30:04 GMT

I made bread yesterday. The loaves aren't perfect as I was in a hurry by the time I could shape them, but they are edible. I used my favorite recipe, Honey Whole Wheat Bread.

Grain mill attachment on mixer:

I started by cracking some grain for the chickens....

and then moved on to a finer setting for flour.

The cloth is in Yellow and Mardi Gras, with a 27 stitch pattern and 6 stitch border. I started it on Monday night while we watched UHF (son #2's birthday present) and finished it on Tuesday while listening to Iron Sharpens Iron.

Latest projects

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:20:14 GMT

Well, I notice that all the photos are back and the post in which I replaced the photos, had two of each! So I've fixed that, but still wonder what was going on?

Here is the finished Monkey/Market bag, hanging from the weeping cherry in our front yard, and holding a toy dog:

Here is the Garter Stitch Tulip Bud cloth, which I did to participate in the Dishcloth of the Week group on Ravelry:

This is a Ballband dishcloth, in Neon Green and Pink Lemonade. I don't like the pooling but it is a bright cheerful cloth anyway (and much brighter in person).

Benefits of breastfeeding

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:24:58 GMT

Not a new thing exactly, but more evidence for the theory that breastfeeding reduces the chance of cancer...

Breastfeeding 'significantly' lowers cancer risk, study finds