Blessings, Darlings!
I've already lost one Twitter
follower over what I'm going to post here (and I sure didn't go into as
much detail in 140 characters as I'm going to do here). But, for
goodness sake folks, if you are getting something out of your life - be
it meat, or refined carbs, or people or whatever - then really get the
things out of your life. Stop blogging/posting/commenting on what is
OUT of your life, and focus on what is IN your life.
Focusing on what is 'not in your life' keeps the stuff IN your life.
If you've gone vegetarian,
stop the obsessing with other people eating meat - otherwise 'meat' is
still a focus of your life. If someone offers you some, you just say 'I
don't do that anymore, thanks" and eat something else.
Same thing if you have decided to no longer let your past limit you now.
Stop pointing out the scars you got from your past. Pointing them out -
focusing on the scars - keeps the past as your organizing principle.
Friends/family keep bringing up your ex?
Calmly say that you are not going to discuss that issue any more, it's
over, and change the subject. And do NOT change it to "why do you keep
insisting on discussing 'this topic'. Change it to something positive
or future oriented. Like your planned vegan meal for dinner, and how
you love it (see? not how you are 'replacing meat with X, Y, or Z).
Remember that Zen
allegory: "Older monk and younger monk walking to the next town
together. At a river, there is a woman trying to cross, unsuccessfully,
so is back on the short, crying or whatever. As monks, they aren't
even supposed to NOTICE women (which I think is bullshit, and that this
is an American story 'set in Asia to be cool', but, well, whatever).
The older monk, saying nothing, picks the woman up and crosses the river
with her. On the other side, still silent, he puts her down and
continues on his way.
"Younger monk is fuming! They walk
for a few hours, and then younger monk turns to his companion, saying
"WTF? We aren't supposed to touch women, we aren't supposed to NOTICE
women, and there you were, picking one up. You are SO full of crap!"
Older monk looks at him, and replies "I put the woman down hours ago -
why are you still carrying her?"
Just do it.
Frondly, Fern
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Cheap, Not Easy
Blessings, Darlings!
Did you know that the USDA estimates how much it costs to eat? "The Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans each represent a nutritious diet at a different cost. The Thrifty Food Plan is the basis for food stamp allotments." The site with ALL the links is here http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodPlansCostofFood.htm.
The most recent data - for May, 2011 - is available here: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2011/CostofFoodMay2011.pdf (where they also have links to what they figure people will each on each plan.) According to them a family of thee, one woman my age, one man my husband's age, one man my son's age, will need to spend $494.90 a month ON THE THRIFTY - the LOWEST COST - of the plans.
Right now my budget for all 'grocery' type items (food, cleaning supplies, cat supplies including Frontline but NOT including the vet) I'm spending $400 a month. Which I suppose explains why I'm finding this really really hard to live on. That's rather a relief, as I had begun to think that I was screwing up somehow.
I could not do this without having a freezer - which allows me to shop sales and stock up on things. And I certainly couldn't do this if I wasn't cooking almost everything from scratch, which probably means I couldn't do it if I had to leave the house to work.
Did you know that the USDA estimates how much it costs to eat? "The Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans each represent a nutritious diet at a different cost. The Thrifty Food Plan is the basis for food stamp allotments." The site with ALL the links is here http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodPlansCostofFood.htm.
The most recent data - for May, 2011 - is available here: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2011/CostofFoodMay2011.pdf (where they also have links to what they figure people will each on each plan.) According to them a family of thee, one woman my age, one man my husband's age, one man my son's age, will need to spend $494.90 a month ON THE THRIFTY - the LOWEST COST - of the plans.
Right now my budget for all 'grocery' type items (food, cleaning supplies, cat supplies including Frontline but NOT including the vet) I'm spending $400 a month. Which I suppose explains why I'm finding this really really hard to live on. That's rather a relief, as I had begun to think that I was screwing up somehow.
I could not do this without having a freezer - which allows me to shop sales and stock up on things. And I certainly couldn't do this if I wasn't cooking almost everything from scratch, which probably means I couldn't do it if I had to leave the house to work.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Castle of Arianrhod
Castle of Arianrhod
presented by
The
Fellowship of the Ancient White Stag
Assembly
of the Sacred Wheel Elder Michael Smith will be teaching a fascinating workshop
and leading the Castle of Arianrhod ritual.
This is an open & free event--however donations are welcomed
and will benefit
the New Alexandrian Library.
Class size and ritual size are limited to 40 people.
For more information and to preregister,
contact
Monica (witchrabbit1@yahoo.com) or
Lyndsay (h_lyndsay@yahoo.com).
Date: July 30
Time: Gather: 1:30,
workshop 2:00
Location: Sandy Spring Community Center
17801 Meeting House Rd
Sandy
Spring MD 20860
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Dreams
Blessings, Darlings!
My Spawn had one of those really neat dreams
recently, that I'm going to steal for a magical working soon.
In his dream, he was playing video games (yes, he's a young male through and through). As is so often the case, the character he was playing had the option of buying some tools/skills. One of the options was to buy 60 dreams. He bought that.
Apparently, since that time, he's been remember his dreams FAR more than ever before in his life.
I'm wondering what he paid for this ability, mind you. Still, this concept is one I can work with!
Frondly, Fern
My Spawn had one of those really neat dreams
recently, that I'm going to steal for a magical working soon.In his dream, he was playing video games (yes, he's a young male through and through). As is so often the case, the character he was playing had the option of buying some tools/skills. One of the options was to buy 60 dreams. He bought that.
Apparently, since that time, he's been remember his dreams FAR more than ever before in his life.
I'm wondering what he paid for this ability, mind you. Still, this concept is one I can work with!
Frondly, Fern
Friday, May 27, 2011
Holiday Eats
Blessings, Darlings!
I'm working on the food for the holiday weekend right now - menus and shopping lists.
Pulled pork meal: have roast, made rub, have slaw ingredients, have rolls, need to make sauce but have sauce ingredients.
Beer-can chicken: have beer, have can, have chicken, have rub. Have taters. Have green beans and have salad ingredients.
Brats meal: have brats, buns, more slaw ingredients, mustard, need chips.
Need one more dinner .... I guess eggs or spaghetti and sauce, since I've got all ingredients for those meals.
What's on your menu?
Frondly, Fern
I'm working on the food for the holiday weekend right now - menus and shopping lists.
Pulled pork meal: have roast, made rub, have slaw ingredients, have rolls, need to make sauce but have sauce ingredients.
Beer-can chicken: have beer, have can, have chicken, have rub. Have taters. Have green beans and have salad ingredients.
Brats meal: have brats, buns, more slaw ingredients, mustard, need chips.
Need one more dinner .... I guess eggs or spaghetti and sauce, since I've got all ingredients for those meals.
What's on your menu?
Frondly, Fern
Memorial Day
Blessings, Darlings!
What are your Memorial Day plans? We'll go to a parade, and pay respects at either the Antietam graveyard or at one of the markers where a body was found from that battle closer to home.
Frondly, Fern
What are your Memorial Day plans? We'll go to a parade, and pay respects at either the Antietam graveyard or at one of the markers where a body was found from that battle closer to home.
Frondly, Fern
Taco Recipe
Blessings, Darlings!
Dining well while broke continues. Tonight was taco night. But since the temperature was in the 90's, I chose to NOT fry tortillas into taco shells - we did soft tacos by just pan warming corn tortillas.
The shredded cheese was a bar of cheap cheddar from Aldi's. The tortillas were from a big package bought cheap somewhere else (Aldi's hasn't had corn tortillas at all this year!). No sour cream, but the Chubby Hubby could have used plain yogurt in its place. Tomatoes, well, I wasn't paying $2 per pound for fresh, so I used ones I had canned last year.
Taco filling was a mix of ground beef (sale priced) and black beans.
Taco Filling
1 large onion, chopped
2 green or red or yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped (I used ones I dried last year)
2 or more cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper
1 - 2 tsp ground coriander seed
Add a bit of oil to pan. Saute onion and pepper until onion is translucent. Add garlic, cook about 30 seconds more. Add and brown meat. Drain excess fat.
Add the dry spices. Cook them for about a minute. Add the tomato sauce, beans, and maybe up to 1/2 cup water. Simmer 1/2 hour. Done!
Dining well while broke continues. Tonight was taco night. But since the temperature was in the 90's, I chose to NOT fry tortillas into taco shells - we did soft tacos by just pan warming corn tortillas.
The shredded cheese was a bar of cheap cheddar from Aldi's. The tortillas were from a big package bought cheap somewhere else (Aldi's hasn't had corn tortillas at all this year!). No sour cream, but the Chubby Hubby could have used plain yogurt in its place. Tomatoes, well, I wasn't paying $2 per pound for fresh, so I used ones I had canned last year.
Taco filling was a mix of ground beef (sale priced) and black beans.
Taco Filling
1 large onion, chopped
2 green or red or yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped (I used ones I dried last year)
2 or more cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
4 tsp cumin
2 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper
1 - 2 tsp ground coriander seed
Add a bit of oil to pan. Saute onion and pepper until onion is translucent. Add garlic, cook about 30 seconds more. Add and brown meat. Drain excess fat.
Add the dry spices. Cook them for about a minute. Add the tomato sauce, beans, and maybe up to 1/2 cup water. Simmer 1/2 hour. Done!
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