Weekend Scenes

I've got a couple of things for later this week - including a pretty thing (finally!)

Racism is Alive and Well?

Kids might change "complexion" of club.

Apparently in Philadelphia, about 60 children belonging to a day camp paid dues for the summer, to use the pool at a private club. The club accepted the money and the members - until they showed up.

"The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

Is this racism? Or just a private club being selective about it's members, which they are in full legal right to do?

I, personally, think it's disgusting. I'm shocked, though I shouldn't be - that this kind of behavior continues in America. I know that we are still far from equality, but I find it incredibly sad that people - children - are still being treated differently based on the color of their skin.

How is it possible that this is still acceptable? I mean, the racism in this case couldn't be more blatant. This club took their money. Until they showed up and tried to swim. Because then, obviously, they were black. Oh no! The club has offered to refund their money, but it's too late and not enough in my opinion.

What about the lesson that this taught those children? That they are good enough to pay for, but not good enough to use the same membership and pool as white people (?)

Where do you stand? Is this a private club exercising their rights to limit membership, or is this a private club abusing those rights to exclude blacks?

Recipe of the Week

Since I'm pretty much a recipe/cookbook addict - I think it's fitting that I should do a recipe of the week on here.

This was actually inspired by the Summer Pasta on Beauty That Moves.

Now, as much as I do love recipes and food and cooking - I'm not very good at staying on track with things. I'm pretty scatterbrained. So I can't promise I'll have a new recipe every week. And some weeks I might even have two. (gasp!). So well see how this goes.

But - after trying the summer pasta, I just had to share it.

I made a few alterations based on what I had on hand, but the spirit is pretty much the same - and I'll definitely give it a shot using the original recipe (which I'm not posting, cause it's not mine. Click the linky, okay?!)


I didn't have penne, so I used ravioli. It was still super yum. But probably not very good for the waistline. I forgot all about using bouillon until just now when I was checking to see what changes I made. Oops. I bet it would have been even tastier. I also forgot the butter. I had the darn recipe right in front of me too! I didn't have just Parmesan cheese, I had a 4 cheese blend with parm, reggiano, asiago and um . . .something else. It worked. It was good. And then because I have an abundance of basil growing, I added a few pieces of that on top.

It was a bit prettier in real life than in the picture!

Soooooo good. I did find it slightly salty - but that's my fault. I added a bit too much to the sauce.


Should I rate these or something? I don't know. Two thumbs up? 4.75 stars? How about PDG (pretty darn good).

Did I mention that my increasingly picky 5 year old asked for seconds? Seconds! That makes it a keeper in my book.

Thanks for reminding me . . .

I've spent several years moving towards a lifestyle of frugality and simplicity. Partly for financial reasons - but more in part because it feels right. I feel centered and satisfied when I'm on track with that.

But lately, we've been spendy. We've been continuing our (my?!) movement in some ways. Planting from seed, growing food. Buying locally and local organically. Reducing. Reusing. Buying secondhand. Making beer and wine at home.

But somehow, sometimes - the little things get out of control and I'm suddenly surprised to see how far off track we've gotten.

That happened this morning, when I paid the credit card bill. I pay on it weekly, I had a plan to have it paid off in a year (we didn't owe much). So imagine my shock when I checked the balance today and it was almost maxed out! HOW did that happen?!

Well, the little things I guess. A little here, a little more there. Little+little+little= a whole stinkin' lot.

And on top of that my car essentially caught on fire last week - there was all sorts of nasty smoke billowing out on my way home. Something about something dying and burning some belt and yada yada 400 dollars to repair it. That's after a grand in repairs between the cars in March.

So a whole stinkin' lot on the credit card + obscene amounts in car repairs + a ridiculous fee for a lawyer to write up a simple contract (for the fab new house) = Me Stressed.

Thing is, we like to spend. I like thrift shops (hey - they're thrifty, I mean - it's in the NAME!). Kev likes microbrews. We both like live music (and festivals)

We don't spend extravagantly. We don't. You know, just a little here and a little there. : /


But it's cool. I mean, it sucks. But it's also cool. Or will be. Maybe.

This happens to us sometimes. The husband is a student. Which means no reliable income from his side. My income is pennies. Or close to it. So we scrimp and save and just get by. And then we do really well for a really long time, so we loosen up a little and treat ourselves just a little. And then a little more. And, well, we've already been over the Little Equation.

At any rate, it's good - or can be - when this happens. I mean, it's no fun being broke. Especially not during the summer. But it helps to recenter and remind us. It has us choosing the free little things again. We got the Empire Pass this year - so we don't have to pay to get into State Parks. Free hiking. Free Swimming at the beach(es).

And there's still other things too. The kiddie pool out back. Painting rocks. Examining bugs. Reading books. Making ice cream at home instead of going out for it. And on and on.

AND, it recommits me at home too. Reminds me how I wanted to sew up new couch pillows, and make aprons. Finding vintage aprons at rummage sales and thrift stores is fun (and addicting!) - but I can make my very own. For free, from my already huge fabric stash. And who knows, maybe someday some one will be scooping up my aprons at a rummage sale and squealing with joy at such a great vintage find. Or maybe one day my daughter in law or grand daughter will be cherishing those items. Vintage is fun, but homemade is cherished.

It also reminds me how important and wonderful our progress has been. By planting seeds for food this year, we have lettuce producing now - and cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, scallions and (hopefully!) broccoli on the way.

We've been slowly stocking our freezer with market meats. Fresh picked to freeze berries. Extra homemade bread. I've been learning to can.

We're not broke - just close :)

But this is a reminder that we are on the right path, that sometimes we may slip, but we have protection to catch us if we fall. We know how to get by on less. We have food. We have the tools to get by. It's also a reminder to keep on truckin'. To keep on saving. Simplifying. Stocking Up.

What's great is this next year will continue to bring us closer to our goals. The new house will give us the option of relying completely on wood heat. The woods are already bordered by raspberries and blackberries for picking and storing. There's enough land to get a respectable potager going. Composting.

We're on our way.

So yeah, this morning was a bit of a shock. A bit of a reawakening. But also a wonderful, timely reminder of what we really want, where we are really going, and what really matters.

Is it Friday yet?

I'm doing gratitude Friday slightly early. I need to.

It's been one of those days. You know what I'm talking about.

The kids are bickering.
The husband lost all sorts of financial aid for the fall.
My 20 minute meeting lasted almost two hours.
Work - just . . . well.
There are mosquitoes in my house and apparently I am very sweet.
The house is an absolute mess and I don't have the desire or energy to clean it.


I'm feeling - tense. Wound up. Cranky.

I need to recenter.

I am:

Grateful for the bickering. Because I have two healthy, growing young boys - who's only worries right now are nitpicking each other.

Grateful for the fact that, although he lost a LOT of financial aid - we still have some. And what we've lost won't hurt too badly. He can still afford to go to school. That's something that too many people can't afford. We are still blessed.

Grateful for the information I learned. The questions I was asked - the thoughts that meeting provoked.

Grateful that I have a job to be annoyed at.

Grateful that it's sweet summertime. Even if that means mosquitoes.

And even grateful for the mess. Grateful we have the toys and games and books and clothes and the children to make that mess. Grateful that we have enough food to eat to create the dishes to wash. Enough clothes to create the laundry to wash. The home to vacuum carpets and mop floors and clean toilets in. We don't have much - but we have so, so much more than so many other people. I am grateful that we have the opportunity to complain about our messes.


:sigh:

That's better.

Great.

As if I wasn't feeling the guilt enough, while reading the news at work today - I came across this:

Kids who move more than three times have twice the suicide risk



Fabulous. This will be move four for Evan. Yes, each time the decision to move was made so we had more space and a better place for the kids (and it was better financially for us as well). Yes each time, we prepared Evan, kept in contact with friends. All the "right" things.

But has it been enough? I don't know. He's already expressed displeasure at moving this time. But this is it! We're done renting (sort of). We won't be moving for a long, long time. It is more than worth it to make this move, and if we didn't now - we'd have to in a year anyway.

But boy, reading that article hit me like a slap across the face this morning.

Sweet, Sweet Summertime

"Just living is not enough" said the butterfly,
"one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."
- Hans Christian Andersen

We took a long weekend and did some camping at Watkins Glen. I haven't been there in about 15 years, and had forgotten how incredible it is.

We managed to avoid threatening rain and ended up with a mostly sunny, beautifully breezy weekend. We spent the hours on the playground (where Colin fell and left a pretty nasty gash between his eyes), cooking on the fire (where Evans glasses fell off - into the fire - and melted!) and of course walking the Glen (where I think all of us at one point slipped on the slick, damp limestone). It really was a wonderful, relaxing weekend.

Evan declared at one point on our hike that he "has a whole new appreciation for nature". That kid. :/


















We came home to the garden beginning to bloom!





As for the vegetables - the lettuce is growing wonderfully! Everything else is coming along, slow but steady.


And a random summertime sweetness



PS - those pictures of the Glen look so much better if you click them for the large view :D