tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85415005756416473992024-03-13T03:24:49.338-04:00Grasp the SpindleJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-8672535274769033272010-07-22T09:18:00.002-04:002010-07-22T09:29:08.947-04:00. :18 months. 18 months struggling with depression and anxiety. I've neglected this blog for far too long. It's been a busy 18 months. After my last post, I started having trouble getting through just the basics each day. It took all I had to get up, go to work, and keep up with the housework each day. Even medication didn't help much beyond easing the anxiety attacks I was having. In May Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-71932378871064031072009-01-14T18:18:00.007-05:002009-01-14T18:33:11.152-05:00Using Leftovers Creatively. :Tonight we used some left over turkey for two types of meals (for the differing tastes in our family). A week ago, I put two halves of a turkey carcass into each of two crockpots with an onion each and let them cook on low overnight (about 12 hours). The stock was rich and flavorful. I used that and made some dumplings (recipe to follow) which I simmered in the stock until done, then added Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-29870721825239301482009-01-08T12:00:00.000-05:002009-01-07T18:06:45.033-05:00Losing Control and Liking It. :The name of a wonderful parenting resource for those approaching, entering, or entrenched in the teen years. Between us, King B and I have 3 teenage daughters, and a pre-teen son. I also teach middle schoolers. This book is helpful for both situations. The book goes through different ways of relating to teens in regards to responsibility and control and influence. I found myself dealing much Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-11634062531385700352008-12-31T19:37:00.002-05:002008-12-31T19:39:33.509-05:00Goodbye 2008!!. :It's been a busy, eventful year. Lots of stress, lots of joy, lots of sorrow. I expect that 2009 will be similar, as every other year has also had the same. I am hoping for more joy, and better coping skills to deal with the stresses and sorrows of life. I wish all of you a very Happy and healthy New Year, filled with God's Love and Blessings!Blessings to you,Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-73982337900208551852008-12-14T22:45:00.003-05:002008-12-14T23:09:23.365-05:00Ten Great Catholics. :Janette at Ground Level In Kansas wrote a post on the ten great Catholics in her lifetime and then challenged other Catholics to come up with their own lists... I think I can comply. First, the famous, whom I have not actually met, but who have influenced me in some way. 1. Pope Benedict XVI - Re-iterating quite a few things that needed to be said 2. Pope John Paul II - the only other pope Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-70083331557593530372008-12-11T07:09:00.003-05:002008-12-11T07:20:17.444-05:00First Wild Card. :OK, I'm trying to post my first ever First Wild Card tour (before the tour I signed up to review comes up) so that I can test it out.... here goes!It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapterJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-7907339211243054112008-11-25T21:20:00.006-05:002008-11-25T21:32:27.073-05:00Beauty Found in Sorrow. :One of the most beautiful quotes relating to marriage I've ever read, has to be this one, by George Elliot:What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of the Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-12045372741644067802008-11-24T17:17:00.004-05:002008-11-24T17:25:59.467-05:00Veggie Recipe. :After Daisy's burial service, King B's brother took us to lunch at restaurant that had sauteed veggies that were delicious! I have never been a fan of cooked carrots, but I loved these! They had a defitnite garlic taste to them, so I experimented. Here is the recipe resulting from my experiments: Garlic Sauteed Carrots (served 6)Peel and slice several large carrots (make the slices fairly Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-81085017010679981942008-11-18T18:47:00.008-05:002008-11-24T17:26:26.206-05:00Daisy's Shell Stitch Blanket. :I've been asked for the pattern for the blanket I made for Daisy. I've never written out a pattern before, so if you try this out, please let me know how it turns out for you.Daisy's BlanketMaterials:Size H crochet hookapproximately 10 oz of sport weight yarn (I used about 1 1/3 skeins of "Neopolitan" yarn)approximately 5 yards of a soft fabric (not paper) ribbon (this will depend on the size Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-68896674908408707522008-11-07T11:52:00.001-05:002008-11-07T11:53:56.273-05:00. :The service was short, and I have no idea what the priest read. I was too busy holding the baby the only way I'll ever be able to on this earth - in her casket.She got her way, though, about the blanket. The whole time I was making it, I kept hearing a teeny voice saying, "Mommy, I don't need a blanket, other babies need blankets". Well, I wanted her to have a blanket. and told her I'd Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-60271198847221040042008-11-06T18:07:00.006-05:002008-11-06T18:25:04.282-05:00For Daisy. : Tomorrow will be Daisy's burial. I finished her blanket today. King B went to drop it off at the funeral home, along with some other items that we also would like included in her casket. Here are some pictures of those items. So much is going on in my head and in my heart. I can't write them now, but will try later. This first picture is the ultrasound picture of Daisy. The only picture we'llJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-22263915450820798222008-10-31T21:06:00.002-04:002008-11-06T18:24:27.916-05:00So very sad.... : we lost our baby today... Daisy, we love you and miss you!It will be a while before I have the heart to post again. I'm sorry.Blessings to you,Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-52233715049904765222008-10-20T17:28:00.002-04:002008-10-20T17:31:54.420-04:00First Wild Card. :I'm very excited. One of my favorite hobbies is reading. I LOVE to read, and do so as much as I can. I am a book junkie. Unfortunately, I have limited time to get to the library, and even more limited funds for shopping at bookstores. A friend of mine reviews books through First Wild Card, and I joined up. I haven't yet gotten all the way set up, but hope to receive my first book soon. Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-65063911007696537922008-10-11T10:03:00.003-04:002008-10-11T10:17:32.606-04:00Update. :It's been just about a month since my last posting. In that time, we've gotten some very interesting news. King B and I are expecting a baby! As Busker is only 8 months old right now, we weren't quite expecting that news, but we are getting very excited. One of our concerns with having such an age difference between Busker and the children we had prior to meeting and marrying each other Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-46146217148810865102008-09-14T19:34:00.002-04:002008-09-14T19:37:42.944-04:00School's in Session. :So my posting here will be sporadic at best. I'm just posting this one to let my readers know why they've not seen anything new. My job has changed, and is much more demanding and exhausting. Our school is now a K - 8, and I'm finding the 6 - 8th graders very difficult to teach. I simply do not enjoy working with this age group - although I may feel differently if I were not teaching in a Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-47445488306750988132008-08-30T13:01:00.004-04:002008-08-30T13:29:43.772-04:00Not by Hand. :A new reader recently asked me how I knead my bread NOT by hand. I use a Pro 600 series Kitchen Aid stand mixer that works wonderfully well. I had gotten it after reading a review that explained how it had a newer (and better designed) dough hook that actually kneaded the dough, rather than taking it for a ride. I bought it at http://www.kitchenaid.com/ - through the refurbished link. (You Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-49436193106652700842008-08-21T19:27:00.000-04:002008-08-21T19:29:27.010-04:00Oh My Stars and Goiters!!!. :Last week I went to the doctor for a case of mastitis. They started me on amoxicillin, and I was getting better. Then, Monday morning, I woke up with a sizable lump on my throat, just above my left collarbone. It hurt. A lot. I figured it was probably a swollen gland related to my infection.Since it continued hurting through Tuesday, I called the doctor and made an appointment for this morningJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-6510432553106410872008-08-20T21:30:00.005-04:002008-08-20T21:42:23.344-04:00I Did It!!. :I tweaked a yeast bread recipe and came up with one that results in a soft, fluffy bread that is great for sandwiches... and is still whole grain! Here it is:Kid-Friendly Sandwich Bread1) In a small saucepan, gently heat to slightly above body temperature: 2/3 cup whole milk1/2 cup honey2 cups water2) Add, then let sit until bubbly (about 5 minutes):2 Tablespoons yeast3) Add in:1/2 cup coconutJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-88981013424180247472008-08-13T18:00:00.002-04:002008-08-13T18:13:19.161-04:00Dietary Changes. :Since starting to follow the NT type diet (whole, unprocessed foods, fresh full-fat milk, butter instead of margarine) rather than the US standard of using vegetable oils sparingly, devitalized salt, sugar and dairy, grain-fed conventionally raised meats, I've discovered that I'm not only feeling better (in general, my energy level is much higher than it was before), but I've also lost about 5Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-85688466453089104782008-08-11T14:14:00.002-04:002008-08-11T14:52:32.396-04:00. :I've had a couple of questions about the safety of raw milk. I did some collecting of links to answer them. Basically, the better care that is taken of the cows, the less risk there is of any health problems relating to pathogens in milk. Pasturization actually makes it easier for dairy farms to get away with less-than-sterile practices - like feeding the cows poor quality grains and Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-41345276059538045382008-07-17T18:23:00.002-04:002008-07-17T18:23:56.312-04:00. :OK, I hit that farm today... here are the results:4 gallons fresh milk (1 going to a friend) ($4.25 each - it's $8.80 for organic, pastured pasteurized non-homogenized here)2 quarts plain yogurt ($5.00 each, it's over $6.00 each in the Whole foods)3 whole chickens ($2.50 / pound; Whole Foods has pastured organic chicken for about $4 a lb here)12 lbs ground beef (2 going to a friend) ($3.50/Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-21498019610168888162008-07-13T09:31:00.005-04:002008-07-17T21:37:13.496-04:00Busy, busy, busy. Says:Sourdough results: King B and I loved it. The kids - not so much. So I tried a recipe that has some honey in it, which King B and I loved... but the kids weren't here to try it, so you'll have to wait to see what they thought.It's been a very hectic couple of weeks. Busker was out of his normal routine, and fussier than usual - making for a mommy with full arms, as he was NOT happy unless Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-28756136881099760382008-06-27T09:29:00.000-04:002008-07-13T09:36:28.034-04:00New recipes. :I've just recently started doing more cooking with whole grains. We've used brown rice for quite a few years, but never soaked it... in reading some of my regular blogs, I've learned that the phytates found in whole grains inhibit our bodies' absorption of the nutrients. Soaking the grains prior to cooking dissipates the phytates and releases the nutrients that we need. Along with making the Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-70552299138397422782008-06-26T10:52:00.004-04:002008-06-26T11:02:00.152-04:00It's been a loooong time.... : Wow, I've realllly neglected this blog. Getting ready to return to teaching, and then working full-time threw me for a loop. This summer I'm going to work on developing a posting routine that will allow me to update this blog at least semi-regularly... maybe once or twice a week.Maybe I'll even work on extra postings to save for the school year so I can just c&p them.That said, I will Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8541500575641647399.post-54436688164875452242008-04-09T13:33:00.004-04:002008-04-09T13:52:36.324-04:00Menu Plan Monday. : ... a little late! Sorry, Pigeon has been home with the flu, and it's side-tracked me a little. Monday - Chicken Soup with rice (from Sunday's chicken carcass)Tuesday - Mac & Cheese (King B had a dinnertime appointment that I needed to go to as well, so Buddy (10) made dinner)Wednesday - Meatloaf, Pasta Alfredo, BroccoliThursday - Baked Ziti (which we did not have last week), KTbug's playJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12485216934319394999noreply@blogger.com0