My Favorite Blogs - April Edition

You’ve got to love a blog called Crazy Aunt Purl. Full of knitting tips, general bits of knowledge and lots of cat pictures. She’s such a fun read.

Whether you’re serious about crafting, or just like to hobby it up with a sewing machine from time to time, Serious Craft is a perfect site to get inspiration and DIY step-by-step instructions. What turned me on to this site is this great dress, the perfect touch for spring. The fabric is on my list of things to buy at Joann’s next time I make it to the city, both a knit fabric and medium-weight twill that can be dressed up or down. After making all those dresses for the girls in Africa, I am inspired to use my talents for my own closet.

After all the cold weather and the harsh winds, my skin has had a pretty hard time of it. I love all the samples I get from Birchbox for fancy scrubs and some are just wonderful, but I wanted something a bit more natural and easier on the wallet. This face scrub is exactly that. The ingredients were pretty easy to find and I keep it in the fridge for about a month so it won’t spoil. My first batch, I used on my entire body, even on my feet which never felt so great. Give it a try.

Prepping my garden in a new place has me a bit frazzled. I question my decision about everything since I am not sure when to plant, what to grow and how to make sure my crop is abundant. I ask around since there is no loss for great advice from all the farmers around here, but some of the advice doesn’t pair up leaving me confused. To add to the confusion, I am incorporated the Farmer’s Almanac, the handy go-to for any cultivator. So far it looks, like most of my planting will be around May 10, but I am using a lot of starter plants so it shouldn’t take quite so long for them to come to harvest. Once the yard is tilled, I am going with onions both because we use a lot of onions and for their pest-control power. Wish me luck.

Finding peace is sometimes a difficult thing. Other than praying to God and Jesus, I also feed my soul with inspiring words from contemporary thought leaders, like Wayne Dyer who is a favorite of mine. His blog always seems to have the right thing to say to me at that time and it helps me remember that I am always connected to God and loved – no matter what.

I couldn’t have a favorite blogs list without food could I?! This recipe is so simple and looks so delicious. The farmers’ markets open in May and I have a huge produce list to fulfill my need to cook and be satiated, including this Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup recipe. Paul will even like this one. And since the evenings are still a bit cool in May, it will be the perfect touch to the end of a long day. We love roasted veggies and usually have at least one meal a week of just roasted veggies filling our plates. Why not make a soup with all that roasted goodness?

What are some of your favorite blogs and why?

My Letter Home - April 16

This week started with a fabulous win for my boy, Adam Scott. I’m not a golfer, but Paul is and he likes to watch the big matches on Sundays. I have gotten to know some of the players and picked the cutie from down under, Adam Scott, as my favorite. It was so nice to see him win and to be so gleeful about it. Great job Adam.

From UK Telegraph.com

In other news this week, Paul and I, and our entire congregation, were invited to the neighboring church, the United Methodists, for a potluck luncheon on Sunday to welcome us to West Liberty and to introduce us to our neighbors. When I say neighboring church, I mean right next door – only a parking lot separates us. Ideologically, we’re pretty similar. It was a great feast, and no one expected that more than 60 people from our congregation would show up since many of them are set in their routine of leaving church right after service and heading to their favorite restaurant. We had so many people show up, that the Methodists had to get even more tables and chairs for their congregation. We hope to do a lot more with them, such as movie nights, vacation Bible school and maybe even field trips.

Note: There were 5 different kinds of macaroni salad, 4 kinds of potato salad and sloppy joes – Paul was in heaven. I loved the fruit salad and spinach salad along with coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate and almonds – yummy.

Where St. Pete nightlife was all about going out to eat, drink and be merry, nightlife in West Liberty is about high school sports. We’ve been going to baseball games several evenings to cheer on the West Liberty-Salem Tigers. Several of the players go to our church and it’s nice to speak with their parents out of the church setting, plus the boys are really good. The girls softball team is pretty awesome too with a win last night of 20-0 against the Catholic school, or as Paul says “The Papists”.  

With the house almost completely together (I only have the silver left to polish), it’s time I start looking for a paying job. I’ve done some freelance, but that is few and far between. I would like to get back into the game, but now it’s all about what I want to do. As a writer, I have several options, but in a small town only a few opportunities. Do I want to drive the hour plus to Columbus for a full-time marketing job with all the stress I left behind, but with the perk of being in a city? Or do I want to try to get a part-time gig locally at Adriel, the assisted living facility or maybe a funeral home? I’ve been teaching myself In Design and PhotoShop so I can expand on my resumé and maybe do some other freelance pieces. For now, I am just enjoying the freedom to be a housewife.

Thing I Miss Most About My Old Home: Being 10 minutes away from downtown where I could get any food I wanted and enjoy the action.

Thing I Like Most About My New Home: Being 5 minutes from downtown (walking) where a nice afternoon walk is picking up the mail, getting a cup of coffee at the cupcake shop, browsing in the local thrift store and going to the grocery all while chatting with people and feeling quite alive. 

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury,pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Crafting for a Cause – Rainbow Scarves

Every two years, our denomination, The United Church of Christ, come together for the General Synod. It’s a week of workshops, worship and fellowship. This summer, General Synod is focusing on putting an end to bullying.

In order to draw attention to the power of tolerance and to put an end to the violent silence, they are asking each person at Synod to commit to doing at least one thing to help end bullying violence. When a person commits, they get a rainbow scarf to wear to remind them of their commitment, as well as to inspire conversations.

The organizers have asked members of the UCC and others who also want to be a part of the solution, to make the scarves that are to be given out. They have a goal of 3,000 scarves. Since this is something very near and dear to Paul and I, we have asked the ladies of the church to knit, weave and crochet 20 scarves to send to Synod.

I am so excited about this opportunity and have made 2 scarves already with yarn that I already had around. So far, we have 5 scarves turned in with many more promised by May.

If you would like to be a part of the solution to bullying, you can find out more about the project here. If you would like to make a scarf for the event, you can let me know and send it to our church to be part of our package.

Remember: There is absolutely no justification for bullying!

My Letter Home – April 10

Aren't I just the cutest thing you ever did see?

The big news for this week is that Doctor Who is back on! Really this is big news for Paul and I who are so excited about the new companion, Clara and the final season of Matt Smith (David Tennant is coming back). Now that I got that out of the way, let’s move on.

This is a short letter home since I was sick most of the week with a cold and then a nose infection. I spent most of my time resting and knitting watching mind-numbing TV and so disappointed that True Blood on Demand was only for one week – Damn HBO.

Paul's Chicken Pie - perfect to nurse a cold.

And it’s no wonder I am getting sick so often since the weather here is very Sybil-like with 75 degrees one day and the next never reaching above 40. We had a couple of warm days allowing me to sit on the front porch and enjoy the spring air, but it wasn’t warm enough for this Florida girl to break out the shorts. They say next week should be warmer and I can get to work in the garden, though I have been warned to not plant until Mother’s Day.

On the upside, I sold my house this week with only 3 months on the market saving me some cash and releasing me from homeowner responsibility. I also got to spend some more time with baby goats, which always makes me happy. Paul and I are trying to set up an opportunity for some of the kids at Adriel to spend time on the farm with the baby goats to show them how a farm works (which I would love to learn) and to see where their food comes from – the farm also has chickens for eggs and lots of goat’s milk for cheese and ice cream.

Thanks for reading and I miss you very much!

Thing I Miss Most About My Old Home: I miss my old home where I enjoyed the past 14 years of my life.

Thing I Like Most About My New Home: The anticipation of a beautiful spring. 

Scallop Fiesta Salad - Easy and So Delicious

Sometimes I just want something healthy to eat, but also super easy to put together. I am usually pretty good about prepping meals, but sometimes things just pop up.

This is a super simple salad with a bag of frozen veggies (I used the Kroger’s Fiesta Blend with broccoli, carrots, beans and corn), half an avocado, a plum tomato and a scallion (all diced) and tossed with the cooked veggies along with lemon or lime juice. Top this off with some seared scallops seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika, and you have a party on a plate. Enjoy.

It’s about 5 minutes to make and so delicious. It doesn’t get much easier, or healthier, than this. 

Justice for All

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Martin Luther King Jr – Letter from the Birmingham Jail