Oh how I wish that I was this eloquent!

Some times the right words escape me. I just can't seem to write what I mean to say, especially when it come to calmly and graciously making a point when someone is misrepresenting the Catholic faith. This commenter on the Keeping the Home blog said in so many fewer words what I tried so very hard to do in my rambling comment that I posted a few days ago. (I'd give you a link to the exact post on that blog, but the blogger does not allow access to her archives.)

Anyway, I really wish that I was able to write like this:

Hi Candy!

I've started perusing your blog recently; I really like the post about CHOOSING not to have a bad attitude on "those days". That was great.

I just wanted to say, in regards to your post about Mary, a really good book to explain the Catholic position on Mary is called "Hail, Holy Queen", by Scott Hahn. It is a quick easy read; if you are into apologetics, it is always good to understand where the other side is coming from, right? I think you'll like it, and gain a new perspective on those of us who are your brothers and sisters in Christ and practice Catholicism.

Thanks for the blog,
Shannon in Dallas

Rethinking the Victory Garden

There was a time, long before I was born, where Americans were actually encouraged to be self-reliant. I'm sure that everyone has heard of the "Victory Garden" effort of WWII. America was at war (sound familiar?), food was being rationed (starting to sound familiar?), and food costs and supplies needed to be kept in check to help support the war effort. America planted with ZEAL and Victory Gardens at one point provided up to 40 percent of the civilian food supply. The "Victory Garden" meant victory for America. I would like to suggest that we rethink the idea of a Victory Garden as a victory for your family and for our society in general. I have no doubt that there will soon be a uproar over the recent rationing of some foods in America. People will want the government to "do something" about the soaring food prices and global food shortages. I agree that the recent headlines are upsetting, and I hope that something will change in the near future so that prices and supplies return to normal levels (but goodness I hope that the government doesn't get TOO involved!). Until then, I am going to expand my Victory Garden and plan to win the war against ever climbing food prices.

If you would like to join me, you may have to *rethink* some of your perceptions:

Rethink your fear of time. Yes, a garden will take some time to plan, plant, maintain, and harvest. But you will be repaid in so many other ways and you will be doing something good for your family, the earth, and the economy.

Rethink your fear of work. A garden can require a bit of brow sweat, but how many of us take time each week to "workout" to burn calories. I KNOW that I used up alot of calories double digging my garden last weekend, and I will actually have something to show for it at the end of the gardening season besides a better figure. ;)

Rethink your fear of a lack of space. You can grow a lot of food in a container. You can grow herbs next to flowers. You can grow a LARGE amount of food from a small patch of dirt in the ground. Pick up the book "Square Foot Gardening" to help you get started.

Rethink your fear of the cost to get a garden started. Do you have a shovel and a spade? That's what you need to get started. If not, you can pick them up for a relatively cheap price. Buy the best that you can afford so that they will last. Use the spade to cut and remove your sod. Use the shovel to double dig and break up clumps. Add topsoil ($0.99 a bag on sale in my area) and some peat moss for an instant soil boost. Use a rake to spread and level. Use hand tools to plant. You can find inexpensive vegetable plants at your local garden center if you haven't started from seed. You DON'T have to have the latest garden tools or the newest tiller in order to have a successful garden. I don't even own a tiller. IMHO, it kills to many earthworms in my small garden so I always double dig. Gardening can and should be frugal!

Here is an interesting link in case you would like to read more:
Revive the Victory Garden!

I am off to bed now. Have a great night!

Yet another reason to get gardening!

Candy over at Keeping the Home does have a good article up today about food storage. (We won't talk about the anti-Christian? post below it right now). I am eternally grateful for my humble garden. It has provided my family with a vast amount of fresh and healthy vegetables during all four seasons. I have to take a moment here to encourage all of you to consider giving vegetable gardening a try. Food prices are going up, up, up but seed prices have stayed relatively consistent. (We'll see how long that lasts, though.)

I am in the process of planting and expanding my garden. I'd like to use this post to allow any of you to ask any questions that you have about vegetable gardening. I will post them and answer them to the best of my ability. We have more reasons than ever to try to be a little bit more self-sufficient. My garden is in a small space in a suburban backyard, but I know of people who have container vegetable gardens in the city and folks who have half acre gardens. You can try it wherever you live! Here is to NOT being complete slaves to rising food prices any longer!! FREEEEDOM!! ;)

I know better than this......

but I am going to do it anyway. I have been shying away from posting rebuttals to anti-Catholicism on my blog, but I am going to go ahead and post my comment to the poorly researched article that Candy at Keeping the Home has posted because I am pretty sure that my comment will not make the cut. Please forgive me. Just out of curiosity, has anyone else submitted a comment to this "Anti-Christianity?" article that has not been published? I am waiting to see if she posts mine, but I doubt it. If you have left a comment over there that has not been posted, feel free to post it here in my comment section. It will be fun to see how many comments are actually left that never get posted on her blog (***WARNING*** if you are commenting against Catholicism, MEAN, NASTY, OR FALSE COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED. Play nice and don't attack me or other commentors personally. No "Jack Chick" or "Jesus is Lord" allowed. Statements must be back up with real facts, not made up ones.)

Well, here goes:

"Shannon said in an earlier comment that she has a theory. She thinks that we Catholics (paraphrasing here) know in our hearts that the Catholic Church is wrong and so we lash out as a cry for help. I have never read any hateful comments or snarkiness in comments that Catholics have left here. I do read comments from Catholics who know their faith, love it, and are upset that it has been misrepresented by this blog over and over and over again. It is difficult to read lies and not want to correct them. Although I cannot speak for all Catholics who read this blog and comment, I know that that is why *I* submit comments. I want to defend my faith from the lies that are spread here on this website. (I also want to address Rebecca's statement about the Lutheran Church and infant baptism, but that would make this comment way too long. But I grew up in the Lutheran Church and I hate to see it misrepresented as well.) Please stop for just a moment and think about that and ask yourself how YOU would feel if I said that any of you are not really Christians, etc. You would want the opportunity to explain what your faith is really about too, wouldn't you?

I do have to echo the kind thoughts of Susan in her comment above. Thank you for your concern for my soul, but I know the truth and that is why I too will continue to be Roman Catholic.

Have a blessed day!"

In the garden, at last!

We has such a glorious weekend here! Temps in the 70s with sunny skies and gentle breezes. A perfect weekend for finally getting my garden started. On Sunday, I double dug the garden. It seemed like a much larger garden this year, but I am sure that had something to do with the fact that I was digging while pregnant. It became painfully abvious to me that it is going to take me a little longer to garden this year than in years past, so I have to be sure to pace myself on digging, weeding, etc. But that's ok. It'll all come together.

Yesterday I put up my pea fence and planted my peas, carrots, and some onions. Today I am going to plant more onions, radishes, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower. I am so excited! I am waiting until after Mother's Day to put in my tomatoes and peppers. All danger of frost will be gone by then. I am doing lots of herbs in containers this year. The reason for that is ease of care and increased space in my garden so that I can step up my yeild. I made it to April without buying any vegetables other than corn, brussel sprouts, and asparagus (none of which I grow, although maybe someday). I am hoping to make it to spring harvest next year, so it will require hard work, dedication, careful planning, and lots of luck. ;)

Well, I must go finish my spring planting. Have a great day!!!

Earthquake?!?

It figures. The one time that something kinda scary and unusual happens in our area and I sleep right through it. Apparently a minor earthquake ripped through our area. It happened about 5:00 AM. People called the local radio station saying that they felt their house shaking. Not me. I was sound asleep.

Early Morning MidWest Earthquake

Still here.......

Just pregnant. And busy. I am REALLY trying to cut back on my commitments at my kiddos school right now, so I am tying up some loose ends and saying the word "NO" alot more. I really have to prepare for this baby. I am a Hashimoto's Disease patient with hypothyroidism. I know that I am going to get REALLY tired very soon, so I want to have as much done in advance as I can. I am kind of lucky in way. I always seem to enjoy a healthy 1st and 2nd trimester, while all of my friends suffered with morning sickness and 1st trimester blahs. I hardly even feel pregnant. It's the third trimester that gets me every time. And it hits me hard! Pre-Eclampsia, high blood pressure, severe edema, bed rest on my left side. The doctor has told me that although there is always the possibility that I can have a picture perfect pregnancy this time, the reality is that I am probably facing more of the same pregnancy complications that I had with my other two. Oh joy! So, time is of the essence. I have to have everything ready by September, just in case. I know that I sound crazy and that I should trust in the Lord to take care of me, but I think that in this case the Lord is giving me the push that I need to make sure that my family is prepared to weather the upcoming storm. Yes, I say a prayer everyday that things will be perfect and easy. But I say that prayer as I hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Maybe it comes from hearing "God helps those who help themselves" all the time in my youth. ;) And in case I really don't struggle this time when I hit that home stretch, I can just kick up my swollen feet and relax a little. :)

But just in case you are wondering: Yes, I am still going to have my garden. I have never gardened while pregnant before. I had tomato plants and herbs, but that's it. So it should be an adventure. "How to garden while pregnant"....I see a blog series in that somewhere. LOL! I think that I am going to do some more container gardening this year than I have the past few years. I have always wanted to try a variety of carrot called "Thumbelina" that does very well in containers, so this may be the year. I also may have some extra mesclun lettuce in containers. It looks so pretty and you can keep snipping it for salads and watch it grow and grow! More fresh herbs in containers are also on list growing list this year. I am very behind on my gardening this year, for a variety of reasons. But the great thing about gardening is that something will always grow, even if you think that you are too far behind.

Have a great weekend everyone! I am off to clean frantically. ;)

We now interrupt this blog for a very important announcement.....

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball. Sometimes you just have to trust that God knows what is best. Sometimes the unexpected things in life are the best things that happen to you. Keeping all that in mind, it is with great shock that I announce that I am pregnant. Yep. Pregnant. Nope, it wasn't planned. Yep, I'm feeling fine. The due date appears to be around December 3, but that may change after I see the doctor. Wow. I'm still in shock. It is a happy shock, but shock just the same.

At least SOMETHING is growing for me. My Cats have eaten most of my precious seedlings, forcing me to nurse them back to health and grow more. I am behind on my garden. It has been a wet spring, so I haven't even turned the soil yet.

It's been a crazy year, folks. And it's about to get crazier. But that's what life is all about I guess. Sometimes hanging on by the seat of your pants is what reminds you that you are ALIVE and life is all around you. So, here we go. Wish me luck. :)