Happy August!

  I think this is going to be one of those "snapshot" posts.  I always like those on the blogs I follow - just a quick glimpse at some of the things going on.  Which for me right now is plenty! One of my goals  is to each day create something, learn something, and enjoy something beautiful.  And then to share those things.

~~Creativity~~

I found a box of embroidery thread, needles, and an embroidery hoop at the local thrift store a few months ago, and remembered how much I enjoy embroidery!  I made these towels for my sister-in-law's wedding shower.  I'm working on another embroidery project now, but since it is a gift, I think I'd better keep those pictures to myself for now.

   There are a few reasons why I try to work on creating something every day.  The first is because it helps me to unwind.  Second, because I think it is important to give something of ourselves to improve the world, no matter how small that improvement is.  When we create something, we give something of ourselves.  Right now those creations can beautify our homes or the homes of our friends.  Eventually, hopefully, they will be sweet memories when we are gone.  Is it often easier or cheaper to just go buy something? Sure.  But which would you rather have?  Something someone bought for you, or made for you?  "But I'm not creative!!" you say.  Sure you are, you just haven't found your talent yet.  Maybe it's needlework or knitting.  Maybe it's cooking.  Maybe it's music.  Maybe what you are best at is creating a good atmosphere or a story or a friendship.  

~~Knowledge~~

   It's so easy to stop learning, isn't it?  Especially I think for those of us not "in the workforce."  We get into our routines (hopefully!) of dishes and cleaning and cooking, and there just doesn't seem to be the time or energy to study.  Now if you have kids, I'm sure you are doing LOTS of studying to keep up with them, but what about what you want to learn?  Isn't that what we really want to instill in our children, that desire to keep learning?  But we need to make the habit for ourselves!
    My studying today? Youneedabudget.com.   Now, I am a long way from making sense of all of this financial stuff.  I'm good at math, but I just haven't had the resources to learn the finer details of things like budgeting, finances, etc.  Until, I think, now.  A friend of mine introduced me to You Need a Budget a couple of months ago, right when I was looking for how to budget (I had actually just checked books out from the library!)  The software is easy to use, and they offer a free trial, so you can see if it works for you before you commit.  Now, so far it hasn't saved us money, what with hospital bills and the like.  But it has definitely saved me stress.  And, as a bonus, they have tons of free videos and articles on budgeting (of course,) investing, and other very useful money related information.  They also have live online workshops, so you can ask questions and get answers real time.  https://www.youneedabudget.com/classes/
   One more note.  Sometimes what I learn is practical, like budgeting.  Often it is creative, like a new stitch or technique in one of my hobbies.  And sometimes it is more intellectual, like the life of a saint, something historical, or even classic literature.  The important thing is to keep learning, right?

~~Beauty~~

   It was actually this goal, of enjoying something beautiful every day, that inspired me to this whole idea of daily creativity, knowledge, and beauty.  Last summer my father-in-law gave a talk to a group of volunteers (more on our lovely volunteers in another post) on how our ability to appreciate and enjoy beauty really has to be cultivated, and how it really brings us closer to appreciating and recognizing goodness and, ultimately, God.  And as much as people say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," it doesn't mean that beauty has no standards.  In fact, if you look at one considers beautiful, doesn't it really show something of the state of their soul?  Beauty, true beauty, needs order and form.  It needs truth.  It needs that something that makes it more than ordinary.

   I think classical music is really a good example of that need to cultivate an appreciation.  I grew up with country music mainly, along with some old favorites like Bing Crosby and Dean Martin.  Oh, and lots of Irish. And I still love that music.  A lot of it is beautiful, especially the more traditional irish tunes.  But it is simple music.  It is easily accessible, because your brain can tune into the story in the lyrics.  A few years ago, we were introduced to the Piano Guys.  I love the Piano Guys, because they are really a terrific introduction to classical music, music that doesn't rely on words.  Now a lot of their arrangements are of contemporary pieces, but they do both.  Now I'm gradually listening to more and more classical music, and recognizing the true beauty in so much of it.  10 or 15 years ago not only would I have not turned on that type of music - I wouldn't have really been able to appreciate it.  It was beyond me.  One other thing that I think makes a huge difference in the appreciation of classical music is whether or not you are watching it.  Especially when starting out, watching the performance I think really helps to keep you focused and enjoying it.  Which is why I love the YouTube videos of the orchestra Flash Mobs.  This is one of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gww9_S4PNV0


   Thank you for reading!  Please comment below with your own creativity, knowledge, or beauty!  And let me know what you think.  Do you have similar daily goals?

Home again, home again, jiggity jog...

Wow, what a week!  So much for a nice, quiet, summer!  It's been a fun one, though.  Last week, I had the privilege of chaperoning for the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Girl's Youth Camp in Wisconsin.  It was wonderful - and exhausting.
I went into this experience entirely unsure of what to expect.  Also, I might add, everything my siblings told me to expect was wrong.  I was told (by my siblings) that chaperones got to sleep in the house.  Not true.  I was also told that the mothers and legal-age chaperones got wine after hours.  Also not true.  Actually, the disappointment of the truth in these matters was greatly lessoned by the fact that the chaperones were allowed to use the indoor bathrooms, unlike the poor campers who had to use porta-pottys.  Ah, the simple things in life!
As I said, it was a wonderful week.  Things were a little different this year, or so I understand.  The group of 90 girls was divided into 8 teams, and each team had its own chaperone.  I got the green team, which was pretty much an awesome group of girls.  My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to get to know them all better, as we were very busy with things like olympics and silly olympics and talks, and drying out our tents.
Yes, we got rained on Monday night and Tuesday morning.  Actually, it was more like poured on.  I don't think there was a single dry tent in the place.  I was lucky - only my blankets got wet.  Many girls had there bags soaked, as well as sleeping bags and pillows.  I didn't hear any complaints, though - other than those tempered with laughter.  A couple of wonderful volunteers spend the day Tuesday drying everyone's things out, enabling dry beds by Tuesday night.
Activities of the week included Olympics, with competitions like a soccer relay and tug of war (green won the tug of war!) Silly Olympics, with a sack race,  horseback riding, and a cooking contest.  I did get to help with the cooking contest, and had a blast.  Iron Chef, here I come!  My team, as I said before, was awesome.  We didn't win the cooking contest, but everyone made a good effort.  Next time we'll get it!
The best part of the week was the talks.  Everyday we had Mass in the morning, with a homily, and there was a formation talk after breakfast.  We were constantly reminded of the dignity and importance of women, and how much we can teach the world.  We are all called to be mothers, sometimes spiritually, sometimes physically.
One of the talks was on Our Lady of Guadeloupe.  There is so much symbolism in the image that I never knew about!  For example, did you know that the color of her veil was a color reserved for the Emperor, under pain of death?  Or that the angel below her was one of the Aztec gods?  I would go over all of it, but I think it may be better kept for another blog post :)
One of the greatest gifts of the week, I hope received by all, was the gift of good, true, friendships.  I made new friends, got to see some "old" friends (who I met last month at the Sursum Corda camp,) and was blessed to be able to reconnect with a very old friend, whom I had not seen in about six years.  I made some young friends, and some older friends, and the best part is knowing that these are people who will pray for me, (and who I will pray for,) and who I will hopefully meet again - if not here, than in heaven.
This is a prayer that one of my fellow chaperones shared:

Morning Prayer

Grant, O Lord, that none may love Thee less this day because of me;

That never one word or act of mine may turn one soul from Thee;

And ever daring yet one more grace would I implore: 

That many souls this day, because of me, may love Thee more. Amen

Avonlea Blues

Sigh. I fear that modern clothing has forever been spoiled for me.  My wardrobe seems dull and unattractive, and what is in the stores appears even worse, to my spoiled eyes.  I recently watched the "Anne of Green Gables" movies, and clothing will never appear the same again.
Do you realize that what we pass as "clothes" today, would look like indecent rags back then?  Oh, I love my jeans, I admit, and I would doubtless roast to death in what they used to wear all summer...but everything was so elegant and beautiful, and just plain smart!  Well, not everything - but the possibilities were there.  Nowadays, if you try to look like a lady, you tend to be horribly out of place!  And trying to find modest clothes that don't make you look 60?  Next to impossible!
 I suppose it's been the same in every age - that struggle between modesty and fashion.  It seems especially difficult today, when it isn't a bit of ankle that is showing - it is something else altogether.  I wonder if we are wrong now to show our ankles- I know it would have been wrong then, because it wasn't done.  Some say we become accustomed to styles, that what was immodest at one point, isn't at another.  Actually, this argument makes sense, because that is how it started with Adam and Eve.  It was their thoughts that made their lack of clothing immodest, and so it is today.  Unfortunately, modesty and purity are not valued today as they once were.  How far must we go to prevent impure thoughts in ourselves and others?  Do we need to go back to floor length skirts, long sleeves, and high collars?  Maybe eventually. For the record, the best sunblock is clothing.  My policy for modest clothing is fairly simple - short sleeves, necklines that don't go lower than a couple of inches below the collar bone, skirt or pants at least to the knee, and nothing too tight.  Some, I know, will disagree with me, but these are my policies.
I admit, my size probably has something to do with it my clothes shopping problems.  As Dianna Barry would say, I shall probably always be something of a dumpling - a fact that only really bothers me when I'm trying to find something decent to buy.  It also doesn't help that I HATE shopping when I actually have to find something.  If I'm just browsing for the fun of it, I'll find lots of things I love, and generally at magnificent prices.  But the moment I actually have a deadline and a list -- POOF!  The clothes and low prices disappear into the wind.  I suppose if I convinced myself that I don't NEED anything new, that it would just be nice, I might find something - but I still have to fight with today's fashions.
 
Maybe it's because I don't have my own style, or rather that I'm not sure of it right now.  It's always that struggle between the cowgirl and the lady.  Bluejeans and pearls, that's me.  Wishing for a touch of sophistication...but maybe not quite blending into it.

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  :)