Unmasking Girl Scouts

    For most of us, the first thing we probably think when we hear “Girl Scouts” is “COOKIES!”  After all, who can resist those yummy thin mints?  Of course, over the years you have probably noticed how the cookies - and boxes - get smaller every year, even as the price goes up.  After all, it’s for the community, right?  Sure, the cookies aren’t as good as you remembered (or as big.) Sure you know they are full of non-nutritious yumminess. So we shell out, to feed our yearly craving, telling ourselves we are supporting our communities and the girls.  

    Because of the feminist agenda I know Girl Scouts supports, I don’t support their cause, but I admit to buying the cookies from friends and family when they come around every year.  But no more.  After reading through a site set up by two brave young women, I don’t think I will ever be able to stomach another girl scout cookie unless I have made it myself (more on that in a moment.)

    SpeakNowGirlScouts.com is a site set up by two Texas teens, both longtime scouts.  They quit the organization after discovering that what the Girl Scout organization supported, they could not.  They took a stand, and are now sharing what they have found with others.  

    I think it is important to note that the problem with Girl Scouts, as with many organizations, does not necessarily lie in the troupes, rather it is a problem with corporate.  Unfortunately, the negatives will undoubtably trickle down, and supporting one means supporting the other.  Which brings us back to the cookies.  

    If you hold the same views that I do, that it is better for women to be feminine than feminist, and that it is impossible for the world see find women equal to men when all they want to do is appear the same as men - in other words, a women’s role in the world is as important as a man’s, and that makes her equal, not her ability to fulfill his role - if you agree, you may realize that you can no longer stomach shelling out exorbitant amounts of money for an increasingly poor, yet nonetheless addicting box of cookies.  Never fear, there is a homemade and evermore delicious option available!!!  And you don’t have to wait for the next cookie season!  

    Sorry, I don’t have my own recipe for any girl scout cookies, but I have tested the Homemade and All-natural Thin Mint Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.  Everyone who tried them, loved them. They were sweet, crispy, chocolatey, minty, deliciousness.  I did coat them with chocolate chips - generally not considered good quality semi-sweet chocolate, but will work in a pinch. I think better chocolate would have added a lot, possibly something just a little sweeter.  I made these for Christmas, and the hidden tin in the fridge stayed fresh nicely.  Another note- they break easily, so do not try to cut them with a fun note-shaped cookie cutter!  

I plan on testing some other “girl scout” cookie recipes soon, and will be sure to share the results!  One site in particular that looks good is Baking Bites blog.  There is even a recipe for tagalongs!  Can’t wait to get baking!  The thin mint recipe are slice and bake, so I will definitely have to try those as well.  If you have your own recipe, or if you try one of these, let me know!  I'd love to compare notes  :)  

Reflections on nothing....

Sorry, I have spent the WHOLE day on the computer, and did nothing for my poor, neglected, blog.  Funny how good intentions can get you nowhere if they aren't followed by actual action.  Actually, today I was following up on good intentions- I am actually building our website for Windy Hills :) .  And I am enjoying it, as frustrating as it can be at times.  I'm trying to get my tuition's worth out of that web design class I took my first semester of college.  I could go the easy way and use a template from somewhere, but I REALLY don't want to pay for it.  So I'm doing it myself.  For the most part, I'm remembering all the technical bits.  It's the actual design that's giving me problems.  I want it to look good, not cheap.  So that's been my day. 

In other news, I finished The Rogue Crew last night (sniff.)  Excellent writing, as usual.  We preordered it from Amazon, so we got it the day it was released, but my dad got to read it first.  

This is the last book in the Redwall series. It has the usual mix of vermin, peaceful creatures, warriors, and headstrong young critters.  Once again, we have characters to cheer for, and to cry over.  One of my favorite aspects of the Redwall series is the way Dr. Jacques was not afraid to kill off key characters- it keeps you in suspense. There are also all the wonderful accents that make the Redwall books so much fun- especially a north-country hare's scottish sounding speech.  I admit I skipped through many of the poems and ditties, knowing how many of my family members are waiting to read the book.  I don't think there were any riddles in this one, which will forever prevent the tale falling into my top three list.  There also was not enough food to keep me happy- but there were still quite a few dishes mentioned that I wanted to try!  

Dr. Jacques passed away earlier this year, so it is likely that this really is the last book in the series, but I know that his wonderful books will keep him memory alive for many years to come, as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Arthur Ransom, and so many others have continued to live and be loved by so many generations.       

My belated Thursday Post :)

Blogger was down last night, so I wasn't able to get my Thursday post done.  So you get a Friday post instead!
It has be one CRAZY week.  Mostly because of graduation, of course :D :D :D  I am officially done with my pursuit of formal education.  Tuesday night I graduated (with high honors, I might add) with an Individualized Studies AS degree, with a focus in Small Business Entrepreneurship.
So what now?  Always the big question.  In truth, I'm not sure yet.  I know that my first priority is to help my mother, The Laundry Duchess, with her business selling handmade maple drying racks. You can see our video (and my last project for Marketing) here.  We hope to have a summer full of shows and other fun selling-type stuff.  My first order of business there is to build a decent website.  Our hosting is awesome, but the site-building software stinks.  Fortunately I took a web-design class my first semester of college :D
I go back and forth about getting a "real" job.  On one hand, it would be nice to have a steady paycheck and all.  On the other hand, there was a reason I went with an Entrepreneurship degree!  I like being able to improve things, and work my own way.  It's not because I necessarily think my way is better than anyone else's,  I just think it's better for me.  And, honestly, sometimes my way is better (so there.)  If I can find a job that pays enough for the time and energy I put into it, that helps people, and where I can be fairly self directed (and improving,) I'll take it!  In the mean time, it will probably take me all summer just to catch up on all the laundry, housecleaning, and paperwork I have neglected the last two years.  And, of course, I hope to do LOTS of blogging!  I have some pictures to share, and recipes, and book reviews, and videos, and......  LOTS OF RAMBLING!!!!!!!
P.S.
I created a facebook page last night for The Rambling Amateur!  To visit, just click on the facebook badge by my list of followers (and, while you're at it, make sure you are on that list, too!) Thanks!

WIndy Hills Drying Rack Video

On Education

This is my last full official week in my pursuit of higher education.  Next Tuesday, I graduate with an Individualized Studies Associates Degree in Small Business Entrepreneurship.  In other words, I shall be FREE to actually learn again ;).  I have enjoyed most of my classes, and will miss many of my instructors.
I considered not posting anything this week, due to the two portfolios, two projects, and two final exams I still have to have done by Tuesday, not to mention the third final due Thursday. And then there is my mind which is ready to explode or go on strike, and keeps wanting to speculate what the future will bring.  In other words,  I am insanely busy at the moment.  BUT I didn't want to neglect my readers, so here are some of my favorite quotes by G.K. Chesterton on Education:

“No man who worships education has got the best out of education... Without a gentle contempt for education no man's education is complete.”


"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”


“Without education we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.”


“Education is the period during which you are being instructed by somebody you do not know, about something you do not want to know.”

Red Neck Easter Egg Hunt

This is the unedited version.  I hope to have a far less boring version available soon.