folking great

I am so into folk music right now. Stumbled upon this Gillian Welch song and loving it tonight.

hide yo kids, hide yo wife...

google, I am dancing around because of Y-O-U

This is so cool! Google now has a sidebar link for recipes too!

Here is the NPR article link.

Photo found here.

a sanguine disposition

In thinking of a word to explain the hopefulness I felt this morning, I thesaurus'd my way to sanguine.

I like the word "sanguine," not for the same reasons I have always liked the word frostbite--which sounds exhiliarating--but rather for the history of the word, it's old meanings. If I weren't a Farmer/librarian I think I would spend my days researching the family trees of words, their growth away from an original meaning, the movements towards independence and changed usability.

Dictionary.com describes sanguine in its adjective stage as:
1. cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident: a sanguine disposition; sanguine expectations.


2. reddish; ruddy: a sanguine complexion.


3. (in old physiology) having blood as the predominating humor and consequently being ruddy-faced, cheerful, etc.


4. bloody; sanguinary.


5. blood-red; red.


6. Heraldry . a reddish-purple tincture.

Origin:

1275–1325; Middle English sanguyne a blood-red cloth < Old French sanguin < Latin sanguineus bloody, equivalent to sanguin-, stem of sanguis blood + -eus -eous

This morning I woke to a constant dripping of water, presumably snow melting from the roof. I woke hopeful that "the back of winter had finally been broken" (as one of the Farmers like to put it), that it was warm enough for the snow on roofs to be melting down, dripping and pooling, making it necessary to switch from winter boots to rain boots. I awoke enthusiastically anticipating the feeling of warm sun on my face, a day on which a sweatshirt and jeans would suffice. I could almost feel the squish and slide of my feet in oozing mud as I made my way to breakfast.

Yet looking out the window I was greeted with the gray which is New England February. The elated drippings of spring was really the doldrum rain slapping down upon a layer of snow, which had fallen in the night. I felt cold and sullen when I finally left the house, hungry and cognizant of having missed breakfast; a groggy, hungry bear emerging from its cave too early in the season, yet too late to again comfortably retire.

After seeing that, it was hard NOT to feel grumpy. What to do!? I needed coffee and food and to see Mummy Dearest, who always makes me feel better. And it worked: coffee, food and time at the General Store listening to folk music and chatting with Mummy Dearest put me right and in a good mood again.

I realized in my trampings about this morning that the sensation of feeling sanguine, cheerful, hopeful comes from the VERY not-knowingness of my current situation. I am definitely in a less "woah, is me," state than I was the other day, and am now trying really hard to just be A. hopeful and B. very thankful.

The insurance man came yesterday to inspect my cabin and take pictures, and now we are awaiting an estimate from the construction company to see how to next proceed. I am hopeful for something. I honestly don't know what the Farm/insurance will choose to do next, but I am choosing to anticipate something good will come this way. What else can I do?

Staying with B1 & B2 has been a blessing. They have absorbed me into their house and we are falling into each others' routines in the way roommates must. B1 and I were roommates before, when we were both lowly volunteers at the Farm, and out of all the people who I've lived with (I've had about 20 roommates in my life) B1 was definitely one of the easiest. B2 is proving to be that way too. I am getting used to feeling like their home is my home too; fortunately at the Farm we spend so much time with one another that I wind up feeling less like friends and more like family with people, which is helpful.

I am now anticipating a five day weekend, using up vacation days. I look forward to an empty house, as B1 & B2 head to PA for a long weekend. I see in my future lots of time in pajamas with books, movies and the cat.

Regina Spektor- The Call

In my quest to share songs which I love, here is Regina Spektor's "The Call," which was featured in the Prince Caspian soundtrack. This is not the official video, but the pictures were sweet.

maybe a few days late, but the message is still applicable

Thanks Here on the Praries for sharing this video, confirmed the importance of National Singles Awareness Day for me.

pictures of the trees' work

The hole from the tree into my living room/kitchen area.

The tree on my roof.

It was a big one.

B2 beginning the process of taking the tree off of my roof.

God bless Farmers.

Mumford & Sons is the only good thing

I feel like shit.

I am so tired and demoralized.

Remember the branch which fell on my roof? Well, more of the tree followed. While I was at work at the library on Saturday, B1 called to tell me that a tree had fallen on my cabin--hell of a phone call to get.

The part of the tree which hit my cabin (over 30-40 feet long, in my estimate) went through my roof and would have gone all the way through to the floor if it hadn't been for the crossbeams in my cabin. But, that is not all...the tree hit with such force that it caused structural damage to my little cabin...and now, just under two months after moving in, I am moving out. I moved out most of my things this weekend and am, for the time being, living with B1 & B2 until we figure out what happens next.

I have been focusing on the blessings: friends and community members who rallied around me on Saturday, working to get the tree off my house without causing more damage; friends who loaded up a Farm truck with my furniture and belongings and helped me move out; B1 & B2 for offering their home; many other friends offering their homes to me also. The community is an amazing place to live during something like this, we rally together in our darkest moments and support one another.

This weekend just drained me. I am tired from the moving, emotionally exhausted and feeling sorry for myself after a weird night out...then someone hacked my FB and sent spam out...agh...the only thing that is making me feel better is chocolate and Mumford & Sons. At least Mumford & Sons won't make me get fat.

These lines hit me and stuck.


"Liar" Mumford & Sons

"I know that things are broken
I know there’s too many words left unsaid
You say you have spoken, like the coward I am, I hang my head
You lay careless, your head on my chest
And don’t even look at me looking my best
And all these things I can’t describe, you would rather I didn’t try
But please, don’t cry you liar
Oh please, don’t cry you liar
Oh please, don’t cry you liar
Oh please, don’t cry you liar
Oh please, don’t cry you liar
And you lean in for your last kiss,
Who in this world can ask me to resist?
Your hands cold as they find my neck,
Oh this love I have found, I detest."  Here is the song, NOT video.

I will post pics of cabin and tree soon. 

"What in the name of me is going on?"

Remaking the language of an old Jesus movie. I would like to think that even God giggled...at least a little.

February

February, Dar Williams

I heart this song, so so much!

Young Adults best books

When I was a lowly Library student I had a really awesome Young Adult class taught by Prof. R. Hunt at Wayne State University, Detroit. She not only taught me a greater appreciation for young adult literature, she taught me a LOVE of it! I still occasionally check it out and always follow the awards to see who is the best of the best:

The Teens' Top Ten 2010 is: 

1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
2. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
3. Heist Society by Ally Carter
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
5. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
7. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
9. Fire by Kristin Cashore
10. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Alex Awards

• The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To by DC Pierson, published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc. (ISBN 9780307474612)
• Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray, published by Hyperion (ISBN 9780786868919)
• Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, published by Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. (ISBN 9781594487569)
• The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni, published by Amy Einhorn Books, an imprint of G.P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of the Penguin Group (ISBN 9780399156090)
• The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, published by Thomas Dunne Books for Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press (ISBN 9780312380427)
• The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: A Novel by Aimee Bender, published by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. (ISBN 9780385501125)
• The Radleys by Matt Haig, published by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. (ISBN 9781439194010)
• The Reapers Are the Angels: A Novel by Alden Bell, published by Holt Paperbacks, a division of Henry Holt and Company, LLC (ISBN 9780805092431)
• Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue, published by Little, Brown and Company a division of Hatchette Book Group, Inc. (ISBN 9780316098335)
• The Vanishing of Katharina Linden: A Novel by Helen Grant, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group,  division of Random House, Inc. (ISBN 9780385344173)
  

  
  Margaret A. Edwards Award

  To Sir Terry Pratchett for his novels:
  
• Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, published by HarperCollins Children's Books;
• The Wee Free Men, published by HarperCollins Children's Books;
• A Hat Full of Sky, published by HarperCollins Children's Books;
• Going Postal, published by HarperCollins Publishers;
• The Colour of Magic, published by HarperCollins Publishers
• Guards! Guards!, published by HarperCollins Publishers;
• Equal Rites, published by HarperCollins Publishers;
• Mort, published by HarperCollins Publishers; and
• Small Gods, published by HarperCollins Publishers.  

William C. Morris Award

Winner: The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston, published by Carolrhoda Lab, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group.

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award

Winner: Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing by Ann Angel, published by Amulet/Abrams.

Odyssey Award

Winner: Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group, producer of the audiobook, The True Meaning of Smekday, written by Adam Rex and narrated by Bahni Turpin.

Michael L. Printz Award

Winner: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group

For more information on these awards and lists of the runners up, check out this site.

libraries and money

Money Smart Week @ your library,  a program which came out of a collaboration between members of the Money Smart Advisory Council (made up of over 40 Chicago area businesses and organizations) was in five Midwestern states as of 2010 and is back again this year with programming to begin in April.
 
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's website,
"Money Smart Week (MSW) is a series of free classes and activities designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances...You might learn how to apply for a mortgage, or teach young people how to save. There are money fairs and classes. Watch this site to see what's going on in your neighborhood."

Money Smart Week not at your library? There are still ways to get more information/help with your finances, click this link for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's website, scroll down and check out the FREE links to activities for adults and kids, all located under the Resources heading.

Want more FREE financial help? After a recommendation from bestie Mummy Dearest, I will be setting up a FREE streamlined budget at Mint.com this weekend. Maybe this being an adult thing isn't so bad after all.

Safety Dance- literal video of an 80's band on LSD

Oh, holy Jesus, this makes me laugh so hard, no matter how many times I watch it. The old link was removed from Youtube, but Sierra found this for me--thanks friend!

Volcano Choir - "Island, IS" (Official Video)

Proceed with caution, this video may cause seizures. If Volcano Choir sounds familiar it's because one of the dudes is from Bon Iver. You're welcome.

i don't go to that kind of doctor

While bestie Mummy Dearest and I were driving in the car with Little Fish and her cousin M, the subject of going to the doctor when you're sick came up. M said that she didn't want to go to the doctor because they, "put people to sleep."

"Oh, you mean like when someone has surgery and they go to sleep for a little while?" asked her Auntie Mummy Dearest.

"No. They put you to sleep like when they put cats and dogs to sleep."

I was already trying not to laugh during this entire conversation, but this was just too much! I was literally shaking and holding my breath, afraid I'd burst out laughing and hurt M's feelings. And as I was shaking and desperataely trying to hold back my laughter I could hear, in the silence, Mummy Dearests' own stiffled laughter.

Ah, kids are wonderful entertainment.

storm damage

This is the branch that fell on my cabin during the big wind storm last night, notice the dents in my (now removed) woodstove's pipe. I am thinking that it's a good thing that this pipe is there or else I may have some roof damage. The huge branch fell onto my cabin, literally causing the whole cabin to shake, then slid off, tangling itself in the electric?/phone? lines connected to the front of my cabin. As I yanked at the limb (in my mismatched pajamas and winter coat) I kept praying that I didn't die of electrocution (from said lines)--would be an embarassing way to be found in the morning.

singing my mumble-grumble song

Sitting at Mummy Dearest's, listening as she read Shel Silverstein to Little Fish, I realized that Shel Silverstein poems may be even funnier when you're an adult. And more profound. Here are some gems:

"Rock-a-bye"

Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top,

Don't you know a tree top,
Is no safe place to rock?
And who put you up there,
And your cradle too?
Baby I think someone down here's
Got it in for you.

"Listen to the mustn'ts"

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me--
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.

"Put something in"

Draw a crazy picture,

Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.

"The Bridge"

This bridge will only take you halfway there

To those mysterious lands you long to see:
Through gypsy camps and swirling Arab fairs
And moonlit woods where unicorns run free.
So come and walk awhile with me and share
The twisting trails and wondrous worlds I've known.
But this bridge will only take you halfway there-

The last few steps you'll have to take alone.

  ~ Shel Silverstein

songs for the singles, broken-hearteds or bitter among us

For all you singles, bitter, broken-hearted, or just ALONE on National Singles Awareness Day, I give you these, my choices of jams for the day:

• Heartless, Kanye West This song is priceless. Best line? "How could you be so Dr. Evil?"
• Bad Romance, Lady Gaga Lady G has the market on hurt with this, the first of my three choices. The title says it all.
• Speechless, Lady Gaga Thank you Gaga, thank you.
• Paparazzi, Lady Gaga  Making stalking cool enough to dance to. 
• Single Ladies (Put a ring on it), Beyonce This song calls to be turned up really loud. I only dance to this in my black unitard with my closest friends.
• Don't stand so close to me, Sting Nothing like making it really weird on this day of all days--ever listen to these lyrics? This song is about all kinds of bad, bad love!
• Hot n' cold, Katy Perry This song is just an anthem. Nuf' said.
• Lessons learned, Ray Lamontagne Betrayal.
• Jolene, Ray Lamontagne, Ray, how do you make even being, "face down in a ditch, with booze in my hair and blood on my lips sound sexy?" 
• Wild World, Cat Stevens, For those who can wish their leaving lover well.
• Can't get next to you, The Temptations. This song rocks.
• Sound of Settling, Death Cab for Cutie. "And I'll sit and wonder of every love that could have been, if I'd only thought of something charming to say."
• 1901, Phoenix 
• Little Lion Man, Mumford & Sons, "It's not your fault but mine. It was not your fault, but mine. I really fucked it up this time, didn't I my dear?" Great apology.
• I and love and you, The Avett Brothers,  "Three words that became hard to say: I and love and you." Marvelous.
• Thriller, Michael Jackson, For all the times I've been on a date and he turned into a zombie.
  You're welcome.
  

nerd alert!

I am ABSOLUTELY entranced by the U.S. Civil War (*I should say here, I am AGAINST wars of any kinds--except hugging wars*), I always have been since I was a kid. I own huge volumes on Civil War history and instead of getting rid of them I lug them around from house to house every time I move. This last move into the cabin found me looking over them again, feeling that familiar twinge, that same joy I felt as a 14/15/16/17, etc. year old; lugging the glossy covered books onto my lap, I opened to maps, Matthew Brady photographs, paragraphs explaining casualties and strategies. Books on the Civil War are like photo albums to me, an arranged attachment to relatives I never knew, people who's histories fascinate me.

I am excited because this year marks the 150th Anniversary since the U.S. Civil War began which means we'll be hearing a lot more about the war and there are sure to be specials on the History Channel!

Doing some reading led me to these intriguing facts (I am a big nerd, I know). These facts and more were found at PBS:

Lincoln and Tad, 1864, Matthew Brady photo

• More than three million men fought in the war.
• Two percent of the population—more than 620,000—died in it.
• In two days at Shiloh on the banks of the Tennessee River, more Americans fell than in all previous American wars combined.
• During the Battle of Antietam, 12,401 Union men were killed, missing or wounded; double the casualties of D-Day, 82 years later. With a total of 23,000 casualties on both sides, it was the bloodiest single day of the Civil War.
• Senator John J. Crittendon of Kentucky had two sons who became major generals during the Civil War: one for the North, one for the South.
• Missouri sent 39 regiments to fight in the siege of Vicksburg: 17 to the Confederacy and 22 to the Union.
• During the Battle of Antietam, Clara Barton tended the wounded so close to the fighting that a bullet went through her sleeve and killed a man she was treating.
•   In 1862, the U.S. Congress authorized the first paper currency, called "greenbacks."
• Disease was the chief killer during the war, taking two men for every one who died of battle wounds.
• African Americans constituted less than one percent of the northern population, yet by the war’s end made up ten percent of the Union Army. A total of 180,000 black men, more than 85% of those eligible, enlisted.
• In November 1863, President Lincoln was invited to offer a "few appropriate remarks" at the opening of a new Union cemetery at Gettysburg. The main speaker, a celebrated orator from Massachusetts, spoke for nearly two hours. Lincoln offered just 269 words in his Gettysburg Address.
• The words "In God We Trust" first appeared on a U.S. coin in 1864.
• In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to Lieutenant General, a rank previously held by General George Washington, and led the 533,000 men of the Union Army, the largest in the world. Three years later, he was made President of the United States.
• On May 13, 1865, a month after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, Private John J. Williams of the 34th Indiana became the last man killed in the Civil War, in a battle at Palmito Ranch, Texas. The final skirmish was a Confederate victory. 
  
  This was also a cool site.

Grammy schmammy

I don't put much store in awards shows like the Grammys--feels like some of the real gems are overlooked--but this year I was pleased as punch to see my new favs: Mumford & Sons (they were robbed for "Best Rock Song!!")  and The Avett Brothers play at the Grammy. I'm sure that it's a big honor to play with Bob Dylan, but he was LAME! Too many years of hard drinking and drugs, Dude. Dylan, not your best.

I was also ELATED that my dearest favorite, Ray Lamontagne, walked away with Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise (with the Pariah Dogs). Above is a video for my favorite song on the GWATCDR, "New York City's Killing Me." You're welcome.

death of books

The professional library magazines talk a lot about the death of books; a future full of bookless libraries, Kindle-handed patrons. This is really how it's happening. 

Thank you whoever posted this. I found it here. 

Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds

I am so in love with Mumford & Sons. And this video is awesome. If I ever make a music video I want their director, M&S's videos are always great! You're welcome.

our newest arrival

This is our newest edition, a male calf born last Thursday night to Curly Horns, one of our dairy cows. This little guy was named Don Curlyone by the Farmers (get it, get it? Like Don Corleone from The Godfather.) They're so clever--tee hee.  

Anyway, he is flipping adorable! See how good he was for his first photo shoot!?

Don Curlyone with his next door neighbor.

first cooking attempt in the cabin

Been meaning to post this, but waited for pics, so here goes!

Despite being a cook and loving to cook, it has been over a month since I moved into my little cabin in the woods and I hadn't cooked in my little kitchen until this past Sunday night. I'm not entirely sure why, other than the fact that I don't like eating alone, so I jumped at the chance to try out my new kitchen when Ian, a fellow Farmer, suggested we hang out...and maybe even make dinner...and maybe even make dinner at my house.

Ian showed up with arms full of food and headed back to the Farm's kitchen for more ingredients (perk of working at the Farm is that we shop in the Kitchen's pantry, fridge and freezer). I'd chosen to try my hand at making galumpkis (stuffed cabbage) to see if I liked it enough to make it for the Farm; Ian decided on gorgonzola cheese mashed potatoes and maple rosemary roasted carrots.

And so we stood side by side, me mixing galumpkis filling and boiling cabbage, Ian chopping potatoes and hunks of cheese, carefully cutting carrots. As we worked we talked about Farm life, the trials of living in community and how our relationships are affected; we drank wine, tasted things, drank more wine, laughed, drank wine, and then after two hours of preparing and cooking we sat down to our feast and it was amazing.

So, the galumpkis recipe--it was ok. I could have done more spices in the meat/rice mixture--more salt perhaps, something to give it some omphf. I didn't cut out the cabbage's middle stems, which made rolling them tough, but that piece was not inedible so we didn't mind it in the end. Also, though Ian really like the sauce, I wanted it to be more saucy and less chunky/vegetably. But, mmm, we congratulated ourselves on our success as we sat feeling full and letting things sink in, and again as we washed dishes.

Me and my head of peeled cabbage leaves.

The galumpkis filling pre-stuffing.

Ian working on the carrots.

The galumpkis sauce.

Ian's magical gorgonzola cheese mashed potatoes.

The cooking galumpkis (we took the extra filling and cooked it on top of the galumpkis!)

The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You

Aside from Mumford & Son these days, I have been digging on the Avett Brothers too.

Mr. Golden Sun

I stole this from bestie Mummy's blog. Looking at the projected weather report for the next 10 days made me hopeful. Weather.com alleges that it will be a warm 36 degrees F on Sunday. Holy cats, that's tshirt and jeans weather after some of the days we've had! This morning I struggled to get out of bed and head to the Kitchen, but was rewarded by the slightly lighter sky at 6:15am. I said a little prayer of thanks and shuffled up the hill to work. It's the little things, no!?

Iron and Wine - Lion's Mane

This song reminds me of grad school; those few precious hours, on days off from work, when I'd let myself lay in bed and try not to think about papers, exams, deadlines, the future. I remember praying and meditating hard over things I wanted, some things which I've attained and some which won't ever be realized. It's funny how in those moments I wanted nothing more than to be where I am right now, and now that I am here, every once in a while, not very often, I wish I could still be curled in that bed, wondering of what comes next.

a few of my favorite things

Don't worry, I'm not going to go running up a mountain singing about the hills, or tell you about the sad sort of clanging coming from the clock in the hall, just wanted to list a few things I'm really loving these days:
Music:
Bon Iver ("For Emma, Forever ago" album especially)
Mumford & Sons, "Little Lion Man," (see video above--you're welcome!)
Books:
Doris Kearnes Goodwin, Team of Rivals: the political genius of Abrahan Lincoln
I just finished reading this book and I loved it, was moved to tears by it, anxiously bit my nails
Anne Morrow Lindbergh, A gift from the sea
Movies:
Not that it's new or the first time I've seen it, but watched The Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring again this past weekend and fell in love all over again with Frodo and Aragorn (insert raaarrr here!)
National Geographic's America's Serengeti

getting through the doldrums

I feel like lately I have been going going going non stop; savoring time with friends, working a lot, constantly moving towards something else I "have to do." This weekend was so busy, but I was thankful for it. February in New England can feel so loooooooong; freezing snowy winter days giving way to sunny, blue skied warmish winter days--which make you hopeful for spring!--giving way to freezing rain filled winter days. This year we've already gotten feet of snow and like many others keep wondering, "MORE?!" every time that it snows--and so, it is good for me to stay busy, to make the most of these winter doldroms and push towards spring.

My normal non-Kitchen work days are Fridays and Saturdays. This past Friday found me trying to enjoy my cabin, doing cleaning and then some reading into the evening. At dinner Farmer MacDonald and I met up with our friends Mummy Dearest and Hubby, M & N and assumed responsibilities of the kiddos for the evening. After making sure that Big Fish, Little Fish, M and S (ages 6 years, 4 years, 4 years and 2 years respectively) were fed dinner, had ice cream, washed hands and faces, we let the kids blow off some energy, playing around the Farm's Main House building. Red Light-Green Light done, we all got into our coats, hats and mittens for a walk back to M & N's house for a big cousins sleepover. Coats, hats, gloves stowed, we began the pre-bed time wind down: going to the bathroom, brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, then cuddled onto the couch between Farmer MacDonald and I were four sweet little children, listening as I read Madeline and The Story of Ferdinand. After the stories, as promised, Farmer MacDonald preformed a dancing baby doll routine while he sang the Safety Dance--we all roared with laughter.

Then, like Pan's Lost Boys, we marched single file through the dark hallway into the bedroom and four little children were tucked and then re-tucked into bed. "Good nights" were said and Farmer MacDonald and I settled down to watch a movie. It was nice, but tiring, and I was left wondering, how did my Mom and Dad do this every night with four of us kids so close in age? (My parents had four kids in 4.5 years!)

Saturday I was up early and off to the Library for the day. The freezing rain made for in interesting drive home on un-plowed back roads, listening to Disgrace on CD--intense book! A reward for my long day came by way of a good dinner of huevos rancheros with B1 and & B2, Mama & Papa Bear (B2's parents), Amos, CJ, Sierra and RugbyGirl. I love the communal feeling that can be gained from sitting around a table with friends, serving one another, eating and laughing.

And just like that the weekend was over and I was back to work on Sunday morning. And the morning came too early...*sigh*...when is it the weekend again?

P.S. I linked my brains out in this post. You're welcome.

Bon Iver - Skinny Love

I am at the library working for another hour and a half. Freezing rain is coming down outside and I want nothing more than to go home and get into bed; days like this call for Bon Iver.

You're welcome.

Kitty Midnight Madness

Thank you Here on the Praries for sharing this, I am stealing it because it made me laugh so hard that I made things weird for the others using the internet nearby.

I take it back, I still love you

Dear Mark Bittman,

You draw me in with your knowledge of every recipe known to man and though you are through with your old column at the New York Times, you dangle a string before me with your new "Opinionator" commentary--the title further ensures your move to greatness; the Arnold Schwarzeneger of food--a Colossus at the top of his game with the aforementioned Times and with your blog.

I can't stop seeing you everywhere Mark, in a recent Bon Appetite magazine, in the Times, at my place of work--your books casually placed amongst lesser texts, a God among mortals.

And now Mark, I feasted my eyes upon this article, highlighting what direction the U.S. food industry should take...another gem...and DAMN YOU, I again agreed with you. The highlights (below) are so simple and yet so profound. Damn you Bittman! Damn you!

Mark Bittman's profundity:

• End government subsidies to processed food.
  

• Begin subsidies to those who produce and sell actual food for direct consumption.
  

• Break up the U.S. Department of Agriculture and empower the Food and Drug Administration. Currently, the U.S.D.A. counts among its missions both expanding markets for agricultural products (like corn and soy!) and providing nutrition education. These goals are at odds with each other...
  

• Outlaw concentrated animal feeding operations and encourage the development of sustainable animal husbandry.
  

• Encourage and subsidize home cooking.
  

• Tax the marketing and sale of unhealthful foods.
  

Mark, in the words of the Partridge Farmily, "I think I love you"...

Monster

And if you enjoyed my letter, you might enjoy this.

I can only speak about the states I know

N and I both agreed that this was slightly believable until we got to North Dakota. That's just mean...ah ha ha ha. You're welcome.

You can find it here.