A Vegatarian in our midst

I thought it was a phase.

I thought he did not have the will-power to pull it off.

But, after two months, DS12 is still meat-free. Not just "won't eat the pork-chop" meat-free, but "label-reading, won't eat the veggie pizza because the sauce had meat flavoring in it" meat-free.
To be honest, I am not really surprised. He never really liked the idea that the same pig he enjoyed watching at chore time ended up on the table as pork chops. Add recent bit of reading on earth-friendly living, and it was finally enough for him to decide on a vegetarian route. The only reason this had not occurred sooner was because he liked the flavor so much.
Thankfully this is not a new concept for me, which has made it a bit easier. After my second child, for some unknown reason, I could not stand the sight/smell/thought of meat for a couple of years. The four of us were vegetarian for about three years before we started to re-introduce meat back into the diet. All the nutritional research I did then is slowly coming back to me. I am getting back into the groove of planning more meat-free meals. I was surprised at how difficult that was. I guess I had fallen into a meat/starch/veggie rut.
I do want to make it easier for him to be successful. I still have meat in the freezer, and "contaminated" spaghetti sauce in the cupboard that I will have to keep separate. As I weed those out though, I think I will have to look for inventive vegetarian fare that everyone will be happy with - a hard sell with my DD10 who has no intention of following in her brother's footsteps.

Utopia

On a recent trip to Goodwill I picked up a 1947 printing of the classic Utopia of Thomas Moore. First published in 1516, I had never read Utopia It piqued my interest mostly because it is reference in the movie Ever After. (One of the few movies that I enjoy watching repeatedly.) Back in my younger (childless) years I loved reading classics by Homer, Shakespeare, Austin, etc. Part of the draw was being immersed in Old English grammar, and classic sensibilities. So, when I saw the book, I snapped it up.



I know I am in trouble when even the introduction to a book strains by mental faculties. Wading through the antiquated writing has my head just a little foggy. For example, the first two sentences, each lasting a full paragraph in themselves are 90 and 92 words long respectively. the fourth sentence is slightly better at 75 words. I am plunging forward, however. Thankfully, this edition has sub-text references to help me along. As I move forward, I seem to be remembering the lilt and rhythm of such wordy pleasantries, and finding the meaning and intentions from indirect references. This book will a bit of work to read compared to my more recent books, but I feel it might kick-start my mind a little.

I am bringing it on vacation with me. I am not sure I will get to read much of it, but it will be a start.

Summer Fun

So, what have we been up to this summer?

Our main attraction was season passes to Emerald Pointe. I have to say that it was one the best "fun money" expenses we have ever purchased. I agonized for months over spending the money on this. In the end, I decided that it was the equivalent cost of a weekend at the beach, but we could use it all summer. It was a great decision. The only draw back?.... The kids (and husband) what to go all the time! That's okay. If I don't feel up to going, DH just packs up the munchkins and I get to stay home and sleep in an oddly quiet house. I would definitely do this again.

What else? Well, DH has been taking care of our little garden. I still need to get in there and weed, but he tilled, planted, and waters it. I have never had peppers do so well as they have this year in my flower bed. I need to get a few fall seeds in so that I feel productive, too. The kids snitched the few grapes as they ripened, and DD2/5 both love picking cucumbers and zucchini. The tomatoes seem to be staying green forever. But I was informed yesterday that was because DD2, has been eating them off the plant as they just start to ripen. So that explains it!
The first year in a new garden plot is always the hardest. We didn't get a large harvest (except peppers) this year, but I hope next year will be more productive if we are still in this same house.

Breakfast Casserole

Oooohhh, I'm all excited tonight. I found a new recipe that (almost) everyone likes. One of the nurse I work with was talking about "Breakfast Casserole". I had never heard of such a thing - casseroles are for supper, right? Anyway, Google to the rescue, and sure enough I found a bunch variants on the theme. The all consist of a crust (either hash browns, rolled dough, or day-old bread), browned meat (usually sausage), and an egg mixture (sometimes including vegetables, spices, and cheese). You could probably make one-a-day for a month and never repeat the combination. My middle two children (girls aged 4, and 10) are rather picky about texture and flavor combinations, so they did not really like it but everyone else LOVED it. It seems to me like a combination of an omelet and a quiche. Here is the recipe I used last night to feed our family of 6:

Breakfast Casserole

6 small/Med potatoes

1/2 stick margarine

1 lb smoked sausage - chopped into small pieces

1/2 onion - chopped

1/2 red pepper - chopped

1lb spinach leaves

8 eggs

1/8 cup soy milk

Grease a 9x13 pan. Peel and grate the potatoes. Mix with margarine. Use this to line the bottom and sides of your greased pan (this will be the crust). Put in oven and turn to 375 while you continue.
cook sausage, onion, and pepper together in a fry pan until onion is translucent and sausage is cooked. Place spinach on top, toss, cover and cook until spinach is thoroughly wilted. Meanwhile, beat eggs with soy milk.
Drain fat and liquid from sausage mix, and add sausage/spinach to eggs. Stir to combine and pour over the partially cooked potatoes. Return to oven for 35-45 min (eggs should be set and toothpick inserted in center will come out clean). Let cool 5 minutes, and serve.

We did have some left-overs since two did not eat their share, but they cut-up and stored nicely (like a quiche would). This only took a few minutes to whip together, and the day-old bread version you fix the night before and let soak bread-pudding style. I can't wait to try it with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, or asparagus and soy-cheese.
Yum!

Dairy-free..ME?

We have recently discovered that 4 out of 6 of us have some sort of milk intolerance. It happened slowly, first my husband, then the baby, now DS11 and myself. At first, I was in denial; so I started with a one week total abstinence plan - surely this would show that my suspicions were wrong and I could go directly to the nearest grocery store and buy an entire cart-load of milk, cheese and yogurt ... At the end of the time we were all feeling better -our clothes were fitting better, I didn't feel so sluggish and heavy, and the constant tummy ache was gone. However, to prove this was only coincidence we had pizza , and ice cream for a treat ...oh, so yummy... oh, so painful. There was no denying the rapid onset of pain, bloating, and nausea! Since then I keep finding myself drawn to the occasional bite of this or serving of that and the results are conclusive. No more milk for us.

Thus, we have been experimenting with all sorts of dairy-free products. Westsoy rice and soy milks seem to be most popular with my kids. And the new dairy-free cheeses are much better than I remember from when DH first tried them years ago. Eliminating dairy has made me more conscience of providing a balanced diet and so we have been eating more fruits and veggies, too. Since this will have to be a permanent change, I ordered a soy milk maker and have been experimenting with various combinations to make a decent, drinkable milk. After several batches that were rated "for baking only" I seem to be getting the hang of it now.
My best attempt so far has been to mix two batches: the first a combination of 3/4 brown rice, 1/4 oats, which I toasted in the oven first. I added about 1/8+ cup sugar to the milk. The second batch was soy beans that had soaked 24 hours. I rubbed off the hulls that were easy to separate, and added 1/4 cup sugar to this milk. The combination of the two made a decent tasting drink which DD1 and I could drink straight from a glass, and DD4 will pour on cereal. The two older ones still won't drink it plain though. I will continue trying different combinations until I find something we can all be happy with. I think the next batch will have slightly less oats since the main criticism of this batch was that is tasted to thick. I will update once I have a better recipe that everyone likes.

Life's Twists and Turns

The turns life takes can surprise us sometimes. There have been so many cliche'd terms about this over the decades that we should be wise to the fact that - even when we think our path is laid out before us - it inevitably will change.

Such a change threw me for a loop a couple weeks ago. Instead of being busy tending my gardens and animals, or enjoying crafts, music, and homeschooling ... we have been moving. Making a transition from mini-farm to city lot, homesteading homeowner to suburban renter. I have come to realize that the progression of the grieving process applies also to dying dreams. I know we are not alone, and so many others have lost more- homes, jobs, both. As a make my way through the community, I hear stories from people...-parents who lost the farm they grew up on. -a husband and wife both lossing their jobs at at the same company, now with no income. -couples seeing their investments evaporate into thin air. -couples torn apart by the depression that follows these tramatic life changes .... No, we are not alone, still it is painful.
Each of my older children have taken turns being upset, sad, and finally resolved to make the best of changes. I have been careful to encase my words with a buffering of "silver linings", in fact my 10yo daughter now uses that term routinely to help her through the transition ("The backyard is small, but *silver-linings* at least we have a park nearby "). My son, after the initial few days of upset, has re-set his agenda to plan a bigger/better farm in a few years. The idea of this being a temporary set-back has him planning big. Meanwhile, I have managed to push through the many things that "need to be done" and only within the past few days has the loss really hit me.
However, my four-year-old just broke my heart last night and inspired this blog entry. We have always called her our "barn girl" since she could just live up there with the animals and be happy-as-a-clam (a modern Tom Sawyer - barefoot and mud-covered with bugs in her pockets and worms in her hands). She has managed to be up-beat throughout the whole process. Even when her pet chicken (a Buff Orpington named Princess) and favorite baby goat (a Pygmy - Meg) were loaded on the back of a pick-up truck to be brought to new a home, she was a sturdy helper - firm and resolved to see them properly loaded and taken care of. Last night, however, she had a pained look and came to me complaining of stomach ache. As she dug her toes into the carpeted floor of the new home I asked, "Was she hungry?" No. "Throw-upy?" No. Her little lip began to quiver - "I just miss my animals!" Then the tears began to flow, and she just sobbed and sobbed that she would never be able to pet them, or bring them food, gather eggs -ever again. That is how she fell asleep in my arms- her face wet with a rainstorm of grieving, body quaking with the thunder of loss. It makes me cry, just to type it.
Denial - Anger - Grieve - Acceptance - Resolve. I thought that we had just skipped right along to Acceptance and Resolution. As I think about it, I guess, like with DD4, that was not really true. Perhaps, one of these days I will find the time to sit down with myself and allow the thoughts to spin-to allow the whole process to play in my mind. Meanwhile, DD10 often emerges from her room red-eyed and in great need of a lengthy hug. I find DS11 trying to find solace in the Bible's promises- asking for understanding about Adam's curse and Paradise promises. And I continue to push forward- packing/unpacking, shopping/cooking, cleaning up the daily mess that inevitable comes with 4 kids living at home all day - now with less indoor space and no fenced farm to romp about freely.
This week we will try to again start up our daily lessons grammar, math, spelling...music, art, history....routine, familiarity, consistency. A place for the mind to occupy itself while somewhere under the surface we heal and forget and start to dream again.

County Fair

I have such vivid memories of our small town Vermont fair. A herald to fall and harvest, cool nights and the imminence of winter. We drove in, brimming with excitement as our car bounced along the dirt entrance, winding our way to park on the infield. Impatience made the drive last forever. Finally, the car was parked.
My first stop was always the horse barns. I probably would have stayed there all day if I was allowed. But, the pull of Mid-way noise and the temptation of fair food eventually led us to other areas.
Local craftsmen and housewives displayed their wares. My Grandfather could be found among them, sitting on swinging-chairs of his own design - always with a tan zip cardigan over a button-down shirt with dark tan pants. In the homemaking section, shelves lined with plates of yeast rolls were colorfully paired with jewel toned jars of jams and jellies. Ribbons dangled from the neck of select jars.
When the aroma of hot sugar and fried food became much for my young tummy, my parents would treat me to cotton candy swirled around a paper cone - such an amazing cloudy delight. This one a year treat was something to be savored for as long as possible. Later, I would have Italian sausage drenched in mustard and watch the evening's entertainment.



Now, I am bringing my kids to the fair. Cotton candy is still a must, and so are candied apples. Rides are the main attraction and we spend about 2/3 of our time defying gravity and common sense. (At least the kids do. After child #3, I lost my appetite for thrill rides - or maybe it was turning 30. But now, I stand by and am the keeper of hats, glasses, and hard won stuffed animals while the more adventurous spin and whirl. I love watching all the expressive faces as they ride.)
I still love spending time looking at the home, garden and arts entries. It was a special treat this year, since it is the first time my own children have made entries into these departments. We were thrilled that the three old enough to enter each won ribbons! They are already planning entries for next year. Each one wants to win more prizes than the other. Thankfully, they are in different age groups so they are not being rated against each other.

I hope they are able to carry pleasant memories as I have.