I Heart Veggies

Sweet Sibs

Family photographs such as these are hard to come by.  There are two primary reasons for this.  One - not unlike human siblings - Isabelle and Ebenezer do not always get along.  Two - it is difficult to take good pictures of  black cats with a point and shoot.

Mine!

Ten Things I Know About Friendship

Last week, I had lunch with two friends.  The topic turned to friendship.  I thought I'd share ten things I know about friendship.  

• Friendship is hard work and worth the effort
• We are a fallen people and our friendships reflect this
• Some friendships last for a season – others for a lifetime
• Forgive
• Open your ears and shut your mouth
• Some of my most dear friends do not share my faith and/or do not come from the same socioeconomic strata that I do
• Sometimes our efforts to reach out to someone new will be rebuffed – let it go
• Some friendships are shallow and some are deep – some relationships start-out shallow and become deeper as time goes on
• You find out who your friends are in times of crisis.
• If you don’t know what to say when a friend is in pain – that’s OK. Just sit and listen.

Mmm Good!

This morning, I made a pot of Mushroom Barley Soup with a mess of vegetables that I chopped last night.  The original recipe comes from How to Cook Everything - 10th Anniversary Edition - by Mark Bittman of the New York Times.  This cookbook is the 21st century's answer to Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking.  Bittman uses charts and tables and neither talks down to you nor assumes you attended the Culinary Institute of America.

Did you know Kroger sells reasonably priced healthy vegetable broth?

Don't forget the bay leaf.

Snazzy New Potholder

Oh How We Love to Color

Last summer, I taught Sunday School to children preparing to enter First Grade.  I love quilts.  And children love to color.  Originally, I intended to have the kids illustate portions of the Bible Stories I was sharing during Circle Time on muslin.  The curriculum did not lend itself to such a project - no Creation, no Ark, Burning Bush, or Lion's Den.  I chose, instead, to have the children capture some of the more common Christian symbols - rainbow, country church, lion, earth, cross and so on  - with fabric markers.  It took longer to complete the squares than I originally intended.  Ella, one of the amazing seamstresses from the Sewing Circle at my church, transformed our squares into a beautiful quilt that I have passed on to our Children's Ministry Director.

If any of you would like to do such a project with a group of children or for a family reunion/50th Anniversary, I'd be glad to share what I have learned.  Just don't ask me to pick up a needle and thread.

Crack The Whip

Isabelle, who turns four in mid-September, is engaging in one of her favorite activities, fluffing up my pillowcase.  Ebenezer, meanwhile, is preparing to pounce upon Issie's tail.  On occasion - particularly during the early morning and late evening hours - my cats engage in particularly aggressive play.  Occasionally, I feel sorry for Issie; but, she brings it on by playing Crack the Whip with her tail.

Veggie Tales - The Edible Episode

I attend church in Boulder most weekends.  My friend Jeannette, who has a plot in another congregation's community garden, blessed me with a selection of vegetables from her bounty - light green lettuce, carrots, brilliant baby beets, a beautiful purple onion and an impressive sun-yellow summer squash.  I was struck by the diversity of sizes and shapes of the carrots.  Some were short and squat while others were long and slender - not unlike God's family itself.

On Biscuits and Baking

This evening, I made a double batch of Cheddar Biscuits to share with friends in Boulder. Each time I make them – three times so far – the process becomes easier. Still, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to roll out the 12 inch circle that the recipe specifies – even with the handy dandy marble rolling pin that my dear friend Q got me from Crate and Barrel. Furthermore, if you are rolling triangles into a crescent shape, wouldn’t it make more sense to start out with a rectangle? Where’s the Pillsbury Dough Boy when you need him?

Heirloom Tomato

This, my friends, is a Heirloom Tomato. I received it this week in my veggie box from Door to Door Organics. While this tomato looks less photogenic than the Beefsteak variety, I assure you that it is very, very tasty.

Twas Not Me

When I went into the utility room this morning to feed my cats, I found this on the floor.  The gentleman who delivered my King Soopers order put the sack in the utility room; but, I neglected to stow it in a safe place.  If cats could talk, I'm sure neither would own up to said mischief.  I, however, think I know who sunk his shark-sharp teeth into the kitty kibbles.

Sibling Rivalry

Isabelle may lack front claws; but, she still is able to hold her own in conflicts with Ebenezer.

Kids not Cats

Those of you who come from the Evangelical Christian subculture most likely are familiar with the term PK (Pastor’s Kid).  I may be single; but, I am far from childless.  Over the years, I've had SSKs (Sunday School Kids); SKs (Ski Kids); MKs (Missionary Kids); and CKs (Cousins’ Kids and Compassion Kids) in my sphere of influence.  Recently, I’ve been thinking about the Compassion.com kids who live in Kenya and Tanzania. East Africa currently is suffering from drought and there is a shortage of food. Children in developing countries often lack access clean water as well (pun intended). The website water.org reports that a child dies from a water related disease every 20 seconds?

Our young people experience other challenges. In this age of broken homes and busyness, children and adolescents lack, among other things, positive adult role models. Youth culture expert Chap Clark, in his excellent book Hurt 2.0, talks about the systemic abandonment experienced by American teens. “Every adult must attempt to add to the cumulative message of protection, nurture, warmth, and affection. It takes several consistently supportive and encouraging messages to counteract the effects of systemic abandonment. By far, the best way to help our young is by being a chorus of support and a choir of commitment.”

Hot Under The Collar

I finally got Ebenezer to wear his collar but, he will have nothing to do with the small tag that contains the toll-free number for the microchip folks.