This Is Why.

Look at that face.  Those little bright eyes.  The wonder, hope and faith she has in her family, her friends, her community, in everything right now.  At two years old there is a complete faith that every time you fall there is someone to care for you; to pick you up, hold you and comfort you.  We don't yet see the differences between people, it's either friend or stranger, there is so much innocence.  She does not see race, she does not see gender, she does not see sexuality, she does not see poverty or wealth; she sees friendship.  She likes someone who will kneel down and explain something to her, build blocks with her or push her on a swing.  It's easy and simple.

I will watch my child's sensitive mind grow.  She will become discriminating; decide her preferences, follow her gut.  She may love frogs, princesses or trucks.  She may be a bookworm or a social butterfly.  She could be interested in gardening or nail polish or airplanes.  I have no idea what bits and pieces will compose her, hold her interest, make her who she is.  She may love men or women or either, she may ultimately identify her gender as a man.  As a parent I know that these are all possibilities for my child.

What terrifies me is that she should ever be made to feel dis-empowered for being exactly who she is.  It will start early, and it will start young.  She will want to express herself artistically, however be in science class.  She will be interested in car mechanics, and be ushered towards nursing.  Our society is so defined by stereotypes, by stigmas, by our expectations it takes every ounce of awareness one can possess to not accidentally foist this upon our children.  Because as we well know girls aren't always pretty and boys aren't always handsome. 

This acceptance of our differences is fundamental as a society.  It is not about agreement or consensus, but rather about allowing each person to be who they are and therefore they contribute as productive members of society. 

Our hearts choose our partners. 

Our love creates a family. 

Our families & friends bless our commitments. 

And our community supports us. 

So when we go to vote on November 6th remember the hope, the brightness, the joy you've felt in your life.  Remember how it felt to be a child and vote freely with your heart. 

I've Got A New Way To Kale

I'm trying to get my recommended 2 servings of dark leafy greens as part of my pregnancy diet.  I have a garden full of kale.  That means eating kale most every single day.  Steaming it and adding it to soup just isn't cutting it anymore.  Boring stuff eating kale the same way everyday, so I've been trying to get creative in my kale application.

Like by adding meat to it.  And other veggies.  And spices.

All of a sudden the same old kale gets yummier and yummier and yummier.

Do you have any kale recipes you'd like to share?

Hard At Work

 

"I workin mumma," I hear her say to me, her tone gruff and sincere.

Whether it be with a glue stick, a pile of blocks, a tote bag with odds and ends or in her kitchen.  She is hard at work, creating scenarios, playing pretend, making, doing, fixing, working.  That little brain of hers is constantly turning from activity to activity, sometimes leaving my brain spinning!  Oh, but is she proud of herself as she executes a thought, an idea, a game, and, boy, does she execute!  To have the same follow through as her, to hatch a plan and then never stop short of living her dreams, in fact to crumble on the floor in a sea of tears if anything less than her idea is followed through on.  Such passion she lives by!

And, oh so, so deliberate at every turn.

Homemade Deodorant

All these years later I've spent money on deodorant.  Lots of money on deodorant that is natural, free of aluminum and allows my body to sweat in a natural way.  Deodorant that offers fairly short term relief of odor.  The pay-off of using deodorant that is mediocre in preventing smell is being free from fear of the build up of neurotoxicity from the use of aluminum chloride.  This felt like a reasonable trade to me.

I've tried crystals, expensive herbal products, not so expensive roll-ons.  Then finally I discovered this product by Weleda, it is alcohol based and the best part is it's a spray so there's no cross contamination from rolling something on to my stinky pits.  It smells just like a gin & tonic and works so great!  However at $15 every 6 months, not to mention it's difficulty to locate I felt like I needed to research making my own.  And would you know the answer was in my liquor cabinet this whole time?

Reusing my spray bottle I filled it with 100 proof vodka.  I then added 10-20 drops off tangerine essential oil and shook vigorously.  Voila!  I no longer stink and I have an inexpensive, homemade solution to deodorant!

Bean Hole Day

Excuse the bare butt, but bean hole beans are once again the most delicious of all beans.  Soft, tender, loved, hot.  Especially on a rainy day with friends.  Add in a rambling walk in the driving mist and we were the happiest of campers.

Bean Hole Eve

 

Homegrown Tiger Eye, Marfax & True Red Cranberry. 

3 pots, 2 ham hocks, 3 onions, 1 head garlic, molasses, pepper, maple syrup & mustard.

A pot of butternut soup, block of camie, bag of chips & a splash of Jameson.

Vests, Sweaters, Socks, Boots, Hats, Scarves & Long Underpants stripped off, pulled back on, taken off & then put back on again.

Helping hands, a few muscles & many layers of laughter.