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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Ten Best Smells of Summer Not Included On the Honey Boo Boo "Watch & Sniff" Card

1. Wet woods warmed by morning sun.

2. Rafts drying on the porch after a long day's swim.

3. The hug of a child covered in sunscreen, sweat, and sno-cones.

4. Gardenias.

5. The fumes from ribs on a smoker before lunchtime.

6. Fresh sliced watermelon.

7. You never know when someone's going to open a jar of homemade pickles.

8. Gasoline from a lawn mower.

9. Fresh basil from the farmer's market.

10. Citronella candles burning that never repel the mosquitoes.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

How to Build Community: A Borrowed List

I was having a conversation with a best friend the other day about what it's like to have neighbors, to know them, and to have a community. We laughed at the fact that we could not see each other baking muffins for our neighbors and carrying them over to get to know them better. It seemes so ideal. Sure, I know my neighbors. They are sweet and helpful if needed. Mostly, I talk to them only because our mischievous poodle runs off and our neighbor down the street brings her to us. Sometimes, I think that he just sits and waits for her to coming strolling down the street. It gives him purpose to come and bring her back. I'm thankful for this. However, I do not know them or feel like we have a "community" on our street or in our neighborhood.

I think about my husband's grandparents who live in Shreveport, Louisiana and have lived there all of their lives. They have lived in their current house for over sixty years. No matter how time, socio-economics, race, etc. has changed in their neighborhood, there is still a sense of community. The neighbors who have lived there since the 1950's still look out for each other. His grandfather takes each neighbor their paper every morning, mows their grass, and has made himself the neighborhood watch patrol, watching out for everyone. Even at ninety-two years of age. I long for this but I realize that my sense of community is more global, and more virtual. The closest people to my heart live from fifteen minutes to six hours away. Nobody who I would call "close to me" is my neighbor. However, I still have a sense of community with them. We send recipes via email, we give each other hand-me-downs, we give each other advice on parenting and life, we drive to visit each other. But, on a random day, if I bake extra muffins, it is somewhat difficult to share them with "my community" without driving. There is no walking down the street, carrying a basket of muffins to take to them. I yearn for this.

Last night I visited my mother who has moved fifteen minutes away from us from my home town, which is four hours away. I worried about she and my step-dad and their sense of community. They only have their children up here and one set of close friends. They didn't have their neighbors that they have had for twenty years, who helped mow each others yards when one is out of town, who picked up their mail if needed, or watched out for each other's house. I wondered if they would find that again because I liked it and they did too. While the proximity to my parents is closer now that we live near each other, I wanted a community for them like they used to have. When we walked in the door, a big basket of fresh blueberry muffins that my mom had made was sitting on the counter for us to take home. I ate one immediately and it was delicious. Then, the doorbell rang and in walked a lady that lived one street over from their new house. Much to my surprise this lady is from my mom's hometown and lived one street over from her while she was growing up. They were the same age. They were friends. Now, they have each other again. And, my mom was giving her some muffins she made because she had baked extra. This made me smile. There is always a community you can build no matter where you are living.

Today's list is not from me, but from a poster I saw hanging at a retreat in Eureka Springs a few years ago. I think that this list can apply to any one's community. Maybe we can even use this list for our global and virtual communities in some way. My favorite is: "bake extra and share". I still have to figure out how to share muffins many hours away to people. But, for now, I'll just include the recipe that my mom used for her muffins. They were perfect.

(Click on picture for larger viewing)


My question is, what has happened to everyone's sense of community? Do we still operate by these simple principles of "loving our neighbor", "watching out for each other"? Or, is the virtual world truly destroying our sense of community. Can we still operate by these same principles on a more global scale? I can only hope so.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

My Son Likes Eggs as a Pizza

Farm Frittata

Some fresh farm eggs
Little milk
Sea Salt
Oregano
Ground pepper
Asiago cheese
(all scrambled)

Chopped bell pepper, onion, tomato
All made in frittata style. Cut it like a pizza and Voila! Happy boy!

Ingredients were traded locally at Red Hat Farms in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Monday, July 15, 2013

10 Reasons I Hate Working In Theatre

1. I wrote plays secretly while I was supposed to be taking notes in science and math in high school. I might have made a good doctor.

2. Random settings, witty dialogue, absurd characters, and plot twists spinning through my head make it hard to fall asleep peacefully.

3. Working in theatre requires collaboration of many people to reach a final product, which keeps ones ego in check daily. Sometimes I am not in the mood for an ego-check.

4. Long rehearsals can make for poor eating habits and way too much caffeine consumption. It's bad for the heart.

5. You have constant epiphanies about life because in theatre you are always dealing with the human condition. Just when you have it all figured out, another question is raised.

6. Someone will always love your work. Someone will always hate your work. And, someone will always be there to tell you how it can be better. It's living under a microscope.

7. Theatre can be comparable to childbirth at times. No meds available.

8. If the production is really good, you'll most likely cry and ruin your makeup. Then, oops, your soul is exposed.

9. It takes self-marketability. I'm not sure one can be taught that without trial and error. No one enjoys the the later of the two.

10. At some point, your work in the process will come to an end, then it takes on a life of its own. And, you'll miss it like you would miss a child leaving home.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

An Abbreviated List of Ridiculous Street and Road Names

1. Telephone Road (McKinney, TX)

2. Zero Street (Ft. Smith, AR)

3. Dinette Circle (Keller, TX)

4. Chicken Fight Road (Atoka, OK)

5. Apple Butter Street (Springdale, AR)

6. Indian Switch Cut-Off (Eudora, AR)

7. It'll Do Road (Pea Ridge, AR)

8. Sharpness Lane (Bella Vista, AR)

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Ten Things I Haven't Missed About Cable TV

1. Any episode of House Hunters.

2. Feeling guilty for watching the Kardashians.

3. Commercials for Yaz lawsuits.

4. The Zombie Apocalypse.

5. People singing, dancing, or throwing knives that want me to text affirmation of their talent.

6. Being constantly reminded that my kids want Stompeez and a Glow Pillow.

7. TV shows about TV shows.

8. Being hungry while watching The Food Network.

9. Deciding what not to watch.

10. The bill.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

A Few First World Problems

1. Every episode of House Hunters.

2. The over saturation of chevron print is annoying.

3. When your so dissatisfied with the dining options in your community that you finally resolve to go grocery shopping and cook.

4. Your kids need your attention so much that you don't have time for an iPhone break.

5. Your hairdresser is on vacation when you need an emergency bang trim.

6. There's so much fun stuff to do in your community that it stresses you out and you sit at home.

7. You complain about the inadequecies of the roof over your head that really is quite comfortable. It probably doesn't have the right color granite.

8. You get stressed that you've ordered too much food at the drive-thru.

10. Your wireless router isn't strong enough for you to upload photos on Facebook while sitting on the toilet.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Five Favorite Fridas

For Frida Kahlo 
July 6, 1907 - July 13, 1954

To the artist who died on my birthday...Happy Birthday to the late Frida Kahlo. She's my fave!






The images speak for themselves. No need for explanation. However, her story is remarkable and her art is timeless. One of the best birthday presents I have ever received was last year from a best friend, which was an author signed children's book about Frida. There are links below about the book and other good information if one wants to find out more about this artist. 


Frida by Jonah Winter 


Real Footage of Frida Kahlo via You Tube. Good Stuff. 

LINKS





A Constantly Revised List of Things My Parents Never Told Me About Being A Parent

1. You'll want to spoil them but not want them to be spoilt.

2. You'll always be in a constant state of nostalgia.

3. Patience is not a virtue like they say. It is an acquired skill.

4. You'll spend a lot of time losing and trying to match socks.

5. Unconditional love is real. Because your kids WILL grate on your nerves. Possibly a lot.

6. Things like eating and bathing in peace will be priceless luxuries.

7. Shopping for clothes moves to the kids section. Even if you have the money, you rarely have the time or the strength to shop for yourself.

8. The best stain removers and diaper rash creams will be more precious than gold.

9. Children are actually people...they have minds and wills of their own which may or may not go along with yours.

10. It's a job that you will never retire.

11. You can't get time back. So be diligent in spending it.

(I'm sure I will continue to add to and revise this list)

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Four Favorite Foods for the Fourth

1. Tutti Bread*

2. Hand chopped Pico De Gallo* with fresh garden vegetables

3. Ribs or Brisket with homemade BBQ sauce (it's a family secret)

4. Watermelon Cookies*

All of these fabulous fourth of July foods are featured at the infamous Edwards 4th of July parties in Benton, Arkansas.

*Web links provided are closest to the recipes that are used in our family.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Traveling With A Family of Six: 10 Reasons to Always Have Plastic Bags

1. The Catfish King in Mt. Pleasant, Texas doesn't have real Catfish King hushpuppies.

2. Vomit.

3. Splash Parks are easier than baths.

4. Because hotels don't use trash bags anymore.

5. Swimming until check out time.

6. Diapers always happen.

7. Sacks for sacks of empty snacks.

8. You have to have somewhere to hide the toy you just took away.

9. Glass bottles need extra padding. Even in the ice chest.

10. You never know when someone might give you cucumbers.