Category Archives: Random Thoughts

Tying the Knot and Staying Green

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Sometimes, it’s easy to be green. La Petite was maid of honor for her best friend’s wedding last weekend. I came away from the ceremony happy for the new couple and impressed by the local and eco-sensitive way they’d handled their wedding.

Repurposed windows

Repurposed windows

When we tore down the old garage, La Petite salvaged the best of the windows. She repainted them in the wedding colors and set them up as introductions to the wedding party, complete with (of course) photos.

Canning Jar Candles!

Canning Jar Candles!

Behind the mason jar, you can catch a glimpse of Amigo sipping a locally brewed craft beer. Local? Heck, it was made at the brewpub across the street!

Flowers - and another candle

Flowers – and another candle

The table decor reflected the theme in the wedding bouquets. They were lovely, featured a sunflower-like center, and were tied up with raffia. In keeping with the local philosophy, the bride and groom purchased all the flowers from a farmers’ market vendor. Notice the canning jar on our table: I like jars in this shape and size for my fabulous homemade salsa, some of which (fresh from my kitchen!) they’ll find in their wedding gift.

Will the jars find their way into someone’s canning supplies? Whether they end up holding salsa or jams or end up holding candles again, it doesn’t matter. The atmosphere that night was one of earthiness and thoughtfulness. The future looks good for this young couple.

#loveyoulangetime

 

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Sarcasm – no, thanks.

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It was in a training session, a session led by a counselor and good friend, that I first learned the origin of the word sarcasm. My counselor friend grew up the oldest of 10 children. In her family, sarcasm was common and was even a valid method of self-defense. Her husband, on the other hand, had been an only child. He didn’t use sarcasm, and he didn’t like when she was sarcastic, either. The husband went so far as to look up sarcasm in a dictionary and show his wife that it meant “the tearing of flesh.”

In short, sarcasm hurts. Sarcasm causes pain.

When D. Trump “joked” that he’d like Russia to hack into his opponent’s email server, he wasn’t funny. He wasn’t clever. His claim that he wasn’t serious, just sarcastic, didn’t excuse his statements at all.

As if the tearing of flesh wasn’t enough, Mr. T went on to announce something even more inappropriate. He went off script long enough to encourage “Second Amendment People” to do something (he didn’t state it; he didn’t need to) about the possibility of progressive justices and the presidential candidate that might appoint them.

This time, D. Trump didn’t claim sarcasm. He said he’d meant gun rights advocates should gather together, organize, vote. Heavens to Betsy, he didn’t mean shoot someone! Ha. Ha. Ha.

In a land where gun violence dominates our headlines, comments like this are far from funny. A speaker encouraging gun violence isn’t clever. He is, however, crystal clear in his motive. Just as in his use of sarcasm, he wants to harm his opponent, hurt her, cause her pain, no matter how it gets done.

When Hillary Clinton speaks, she speaks clearly. She says what she means, and she stays consistent. She doesn’t resort to sarcasm. Hillary Clinton thinks before she speaks; and thinking, analyzing, contemplating – all are strengths she has shown again and again. Sarcasm, the tearing of flesh, isn’t her style.

Readers, I started writing this post before the Donald pulled his stunt over the creation of ISIL. He just goes on and on, getting lower and lower.

On the progressive side of the ballot, we’ll do well to remember Michelle Obama’s advice. When they go low, we’ll stay high. Let’s stay away from sarcasm, the tearing of flesh.

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Supporting the Volunteers

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I posted this Wish List recently with a comment that many items on the list aren’t eco-friendly. I gave in and bought several items to keep the volunteers hydrated and happy.

-as seen in local Democrat HQ

-as seen in local Democrat HQ

I gave in and bought plastic utensils, paper napkins, tissues, and cleaning wipes. I didn’t go for brand name products unless there was a clear difference in price and/or quality. The coffee cups I found were biodegradable, not the icky foam alternative. I stared at the paper napkins for a while; I haven’t bought paper napkins in years, so I had no idea what kind of prices to expect.

We (La Petite and I) dropped off the goodies at the Democrats’ office. The volunteers were very grateful, especially for the bottled water. The weather was hot, the air conditioner was unreliable, and they’d run out of water a few days earlier.

In exchange for the donations, I asked only for two signs. I’m the first on our block to show tangible evidence of voting preferences.

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More than Voting

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“Don’t boo — vote.” –President Obama, among others, at the 2016 Democratic convention

Vote. That’s number one. The second on the list: how can I help? The obvious way to help is donating money. I’ve donated some, and my union dues donate to pro-education candidates as well. But there’s no possible way I can personally make a difference equal to the huge infusion of cash that the Super-PACs provide or the wealthy supporters often send toward the conservative side of the ballot.

Here’s another way a small donation can have an impact.

-as seen in local Democrat HQ

-as seen in local Democrat HQ

Many of the volunteers are young people. They are highly motivated and energetic. They are also, most of them, broke. The few that hold paid positions aren’t raking it in. I’ve put in less time this election (so far) than I have in the past. But I’m a savvy shopper, and I can find these items in bulk and at reasonable prices.

The only trouble is this: so many of the items on this list are far from eco-friendly. How can I address the needs of the office and stay true to my environmentalist roots? That, my friends, will be another post.

Let’s hear it, readers. How do you support your candidate, no matter which side of the ballot?

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Signs that it’s an Election Year

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Readers, you’ve seen my pictures of various campaign signs. The Trump sign next to the “slow” sign in a trailer park. The “Republicans for Voldemort” bumper sticker. The signs from the recall election that spelled governor “governer”.

I was shopping for a wedding gift and for my own kitchen at the Penzey’s Spices store in town, and I saw this.

nonpartisan, but clear

nonpartisan, but clear

Penzey’s encourages their customers to vote. I think I’ve found yet another reason to shop here.

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Crocks for Planting: The Auction Chapter

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I have a 3 gallon Redwing stoneware crock that I bought at an antique mall. I also found a very large (6 gallon, I estimate) that had a huge crack in it. I caulked the crack in the crock, and then set it aside. I plan to plant in both crocks.

I lost out on a few crocks in online auctions, and I was bummed. Then I saw a generic label of “Lots of Crocks” in another auction. On closer examination, I recognized that one was a 2 gallon Redwing crock, dirty and possibly cracked. The others might or might not be good enough to use as planters along with those I already had, but it was worth a try.

Yesterday I brought them home.

the five new pieces in front of the 3 qt in back

the five new pieces in front of the 3 qt in back

You can’t get a good look at them in the dark garage, so I moved them outside for some natural light.

Here they are in the sunshine.

Here they are in the sunshine. Some are in better shape than others.

Kaukauna Cheese!

Kaukauna Cheese!

Did it cost one dollar and 59 cents, or one and 59/100 of a penny?

Did it cost one dollar and 59 cents, or one and 59/100 of a penny?

Butter from Sheboygan; and a lot of stain or rust.

Butter from Sheboygan; and a lot of stain or rust.

And finally, the crock that led me to bid on this lot.

And finally, the crock that led me to bid on this lot.

My plan: with baking soda and salt, perhaps a vinegar/water rinse, and a lot of bow grease, I’ll see how these pretty little crocks clean up. Then I’ll decide what to plant in each one. Chives might do well in the #3.

What do you think, readers? Do you think these crocks have a future? Do you have advice for cleaning them?

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A Little Paranoia is the Prepper’s Friend

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Actual conversation on social media (name of network not used for confidentiality)

Friend of Daisy: Green beans, tomatoes (yes, more) and cucumbers are on the canning list today. Whew.

Friend of Friend: Busy, busy. It’ll be lovely to have them all come winter.

Friend of Daisy: Yes it will. It was great last night when we were without power. Just needed to open some jars of yumminess to make a satisfying dinner. But we need a better camp stove.

Daisy joins in: Ah, the camp stove. Our next door neighbors have one. It’s good to be prepared!

Daisy adds: I filled my minivan with gas today. I don’t like going below 1/4 tank. I don’t know if it’s a touch of paranoia since 9/11 or something else, but I don’t want to have to refill in an emergency.

Friend: That’s brilliant! I do the same thing.

Daisy: It feels more paranoid than brilliant, but it helps me keep calm and carry on.

Friend: Well, paranoia is the friend of “preppers”.

Daisy: Exactly!

On that note, I think I’ll put down the laptop and bring up a jar of tomato sauce to use with supper. Enchiladas!

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A Way With Words – not.

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It’s all in the presentation, I guess. I emailed Chuck to tell him we were having chicken soup for supper, and I included a few details. I felt rather proud that this soup came from ingredients we had in the house: a pretty darn good pantry raid, that is. However, my email ended up sounding…well, er…not so appetizing.

Tonight’s chicken soup includes a broth from the basement, last night’s waste water from the steamer, and some small turnips and parsnips from out back. It smells good.

I meant well. I really did. The broth was a homemade broth from the freezer downstairs. I keep a pretty good stock of various broths (haha, pun intended) to make cooking quicker and easier when school starts for me and Chuck is tied up in NFL football season shows. So for the broth, it came from the freezer. It was thick and delicious.

I also added the leftover water from the previous night’s vegetables. When I cook vegetables in the steamer, I like to include that water in a broth. It just adds another element of flavor and conserves water, too. Leftover water – that’s a better term than “waste.” Okay, two revisions made.

Turnips and parsnips came from the garden. The bunnies have been nibbling on the carrot greens as soon as they emerge above ground. I suppose the parsnips and turnips must have not-so-tasty greens from the wild rabbit perspective. I’m planning to add replant that section of the garden soon, so I pulled what was there: 2 turnips and 2 parsnips, all rather small. I cleaned them up, diced them, and added the vegetables to the soup.

Also from my backyard, I added two green onions. I planted these in a container on the deck last spring, and they just keep coming up. Yum. If I can provide enough light, I’ll bring the pot of onions inside for the winter.

As for chicken, there were two chicken breasts left in a bag in the freezer. Thighs are my favorite for soup, but breasts will work. I browned them in a skillet and then dropped both chicken breasts whole into the soup to simmer all day.

A couple hours before serving time, I added some little star noodles (memories of chicken and stars soups in a can, anyone?) and shredded both chicken breasts with two forks.

The end verdict: not Dickensian, as Chuck suggested, but delicious. Please, sir, may I have some more?

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Wild Parsnip: Do Not Touch

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Have you seen this plant?

Have you seen this plant?

It’s pervasive; in fact, it’s invasive. Here’s a closer look.

Flowers on the right, gone to seed on the left.

Flowers on the right, gone to seed on the left.

This, my friends, is wild parsnip. It reminds me of dill, and it’s kind of pretty. But when I showed a young ecologist this picture, he quickly exclaimed, “You didn’t touch it, did you?!” Luckily, I hadn’t.

Wild parsnip flowers produce an oil that stings and burns and even scars. Similar to poison ivy, we asked? Much, much worse, he responded. The flowers react with sunlight, so if the park rangers or farmers or gardeners want to get rid of it, they need to cover up, hazmat style. With gloves to protect hands and goggles to protect the eyes, devoted environmentalists will go out after dark and bag up the plants.

With a little more research on my own, thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I learned that the wild parsnip was brought to this country from Europe and planted for its edible roots. It spread like wildfire, er, wildflowers. Heck, look back at the pictures, and you can see how many seeds it produces. This plant wants to reproduce!

The moral of my story is this: if you encounter the dreaded wild parsnip, leave it alone. If you’re confident that you can handle it, come out at night in your hazmat suit and dispose of the floral monster. Don’t compost it or toss it in with your brush pile; that’s just another opportunity to spread the seeds upon the land.

 

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Hot, Hot, Hot

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It’s unseasonably warm here in the “Frozen Tundra.” The Green Bay Packers held their annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday with a major storm in the morning and extreme temperatures in the afternoon. Why would that matter, you might ask, for a shareholders’ meeting? This meeting takes place outdoors in the bowl of Lambeau Field. The shareholders dress in green and gold, and so on, and so on. If you’re wondering, no, I didn’t go. It’s enough to know I could. There are 360,760 people holding approximately 5 million shares of Green Bay Packers stock.

So anyway, it’s more than warm. In my Prep for Winter mentality, I made a new batch of jelly yesterday. It didn’t gel. I’m blaming the humidity and heat, and I’m monitoring the jars to see if they’re just gelling slowly.

It's pretty, though.

It’s pretty, though.

Also in my Prep for the School Year mode, I picked up a couple of new wardrobe elements on clearance at Kohl’s. I saved far more than I paid; that’s Kohl’s and my shopping savvy.

Bored yet? I don’t want to work outside because of the heat, but I set up a batch of sun tea to brew. My formula (recipe, if you insist) is this. 2 quart mason jars with lids; 3 tea bags per jar; fill each jar with filtered water; let sit in the sun until tea reaches desired strength.

It'll need sugar, but not much.

It’ll need sugar, but not much.

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