time is rolling on

Praying For...Cole, who is at the very end of childhood...that he will be safe physically, mentally, and spiritually from the evils and pitfalls and temptations of the world...that those suffering burdens will know peace...that rulers and leaders will stop their blood thirsty power-seeking and instead pursue peace...that the children of the world will be cherished and nurtured as they should be. Jesus' Word...He is Risen...is there any greater message! Cucina Fresca...while exploring the cookbook, Pasta E Verdura, epiphany hit. Cooking veg in this manner sans oil, butter, and cheese can be made even more healthy by also eliminating the noodles. As we age, we need less calories to fuel the body or at least that's been my experience. Greens and veggies make one lean. So...I'm experimenting along these lines with ideas from this book. Cauliflower is a favorite around here. Slow cooked and caramelized onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes are delicious tossed with steamed cauliflower and topped with diced tomatoes, minced parsley, and chiffonade basil. This is my own creation, but the book gave me the inspiration. It's amazing how satiating and enjoyable a pound of deliciously prepared vegetables can be. Likely, I'll never stop wanting artisan breads, because of addiction. However, I don't need things like that to feel full anymore. Sound of Music...I did it! I've been contemplating the purchase of an ukulele. Last week I did and found it fun/easy to play. Sometimes there are down periods in my days here. It's a lot easier to pick up a ukulele than drag out my violin or seek out a piano. Plus, the ukulele doesn't hurt my neck or hands, when I play it. Primary songs and hymns are a little beyond my skill level but not for long. Teaching Little Children...Lately, a new little girl has been attending Primary. I'm thrilled that she comes. When she's not throwing a tantrum, she's delightful. Because she is so disruptive, the Primary President and I have come up with strategies to work through her tantrums. My poor parents had to deal with my tantrums, but they were nothing compared to the ones this little darling exhibits. It must take huge amounts of energy to act out in this way. I hope by working with her with gentleness and kindness we can show her a better way to deal with disappointment and frustration. True, we only have a couple hours a week, but just maybe we can help in a small way. Garden Gate...it really works! I read you can plant the stem end of cabbage and grow a new plant. My baby cabbages are an inch tall after only two weeks. From seed this would take months. Apparently, this works with all sorts of cabbage, romaine lettuce, celery, and green onions. My gogi bushes are about two feet tall now. I've begun harvesting from the tree collard. The morninga trees are a couple feet tall, too. The ginger is four feet tall. Whew! Right now my attic green house is a jungle. Downstairs, the sprout garden is in full swing; each day we harvest 2 lbs of salad type sprouts. It is so easy and inexpensive to grow sprouts. When we were still buying spinach for smoothies, I spent about $50 for a week. I spend that much for 6 months worth of seeds. With ten minutes a day of 'labor,' I save our family approximately $2800 per year on spinach. If I also count the $4-6 per day I save on frozen fruit for the smoothies, that's another $1800. I love making a dime scream for mercy. We don't make smoothies with sprouts but instead eat them alongside a bowl of muesli. Sprout salads are a weird but tasty addition to breakfast. Dr. Ginger, Medicine Woman...ever since I was a little girl, I've been plagued by kidney infections. I had a doozy this week with back pain and migraines. After a couple days of cranberry juice, distilled water, and Dr. Christopher's kidney formula, it's all cleared up. I love know about self-healing.