Disheartened

"No one is born hating another

person because of the color of

his skin , or his background, or his

religion. People must learn to hate, 

and if they can learn to hate, they

can be taught to love, for love

comes more naturally to the 

human heart then its opposite."

 - Nelson Mandela

So many people have said so many things about racism. I don't want to add my voice to the discussion especially my white voice. There have been too many words. I want to add my active action to be better at recognizing and working on racial equality.  One of the instagramers I follow said this and it was the very words I want to say.

I don't want to live in a world where ANYBODY is afraid of the cops when they've done nothing wrong. I don't want to live in a world where people are suspicious of each other based solely on physical characteristics that person didn't get to choose - Kyle Scheele

Lupine Love

The highways near my home are filled with Lupine. It is pretty. I have been trying to convince my family to pull over on the highway so I can lay in the lupine. There hasn't been any takers. I don't understand why. It wouldn't be like I would be frolicking in it. There isn't a really good place to pull over and take a picture. Below is one I took from the passenger seat. It doesn't do it justice it all.

I am seeing Lupine EVERYWHERE. This is near where I drop off my son for work.

My best friend did take a legal lupine picture of me.

Weekly Roll

Happy Memorial Day

Link Love

Scientist pin down a link between happiness and one daily activity This was actually posted on a local geocache facebook group. I thought it was super interesting that getting out once a day increases your happiness.

What if we have been primed? I don't link posting links to Covid information. But this article brought up some interesting posts about the repeated language around this event. I even used one of the often repeated phrases as a blog title "new normal". I just thought this was interesting.

What my Coworkers have been Doing?

Oldest took his college mid term. It is for a computer networking class. He started back at his job at a local brewery doing janitorial work.

Youngest practiced some highway driving by picking oldest up from job. The bus schedule is not back to normal. He is 3/4 quarters of way through his distance learning for the year. Oh and he turned 18.

My husband is heading back to his previous out of town work assignment so we are trying to wrap up our decks. It is looking so good

Recipe I rediscovered this week

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad - I was reminded what a great summer salad this is. 

Holy Sourdough!

Still working on sourdough bread. It is a work in progress. I am a pro at sourdough waffles. They were great this week especially since I added all the ingredients this time. 

Celebrating 18

We like to do chalk art on the driveway for Birthday's and special occasions.  We didn't have to do this one at oh dark thirty as my son was holed up in his room playing mine craft. Our neighbors always laugh at us when we are doing this in the dark.  We also did a sign in the front window. Go big or go home right!

It is hard to believe this modern day Grizzly Adams is my 18 year son.  So much hair and beard which he currently has shaved off.

Happy 18th Birthday 

Garden Linky Love

Ron Finley Ted Talk reminded me of a book written by Novella Carpenter called Farm City. Novella was basically an urban homesteader for lack of a better term. She started Ghost Town Farm in Oakland, CA. She no longer has that but the farm still exists. Check out her blog Urban Orchardist

55 of Grandma's Favorite Rhubarb Recipes - I could use these for the 22 cups of frozen rhubarb I have.

Crisis Gardening

Not a Sourdough Quitter

Well, I just can't give up. I gave sourdough another chance. My husband bought me some starter from Amazon from Sourdoughbreads.com  I followed the directions. We had success. I have found out sourdough really stresses me out. I also make a really big mess.

My first loaves were on the flatter side. It made two loaves but totally edible and quite delicious.

I tried sourdough in the dutch oven this week and I liked that a lot better still didn't quite have the rise I thought it should. I have no pictures because those two loaves were gobbled up. I also didn't make quite as big of mess.  I am getting really good at making started discard sourdough waffles. Going to give it a try next week. My Mama didn't raise a quitter.

Moving to a New Normal

I got an email from the school district saying that we are halfway through our e-learning adventure with our kids. Our school will be ending June 19 which still seems a long ways off.  I have been writing almost everyday for the last few months with a few exceptions. Mainly as just a journal and a way to process this pandemic stuff. This was my routine. Well, next week my oldest son goes back to work. As part of my job as his personal care assistant, more of my day will be involved in managing his day. So, as of next week I will not be writing the Daily Roll everyday. Thanks for reading!

I don't think the Canadian Geese have got the message that
the border is closed

As part of my new normal, my husband and I have been walking the neighborhood. It is a good way to get out of our house. It also got us to checking out our neighborhood. Lots of people are doing home improvement projects. We also like to people watch. We watched a guy try to pull out a tree with his truck. The way he was going about it was really janky. We literally found ourselves gaping and decided that wasn't probably appropriate. So we just walked by the next day to see if he accomplished the mission. He did. We kinda wished we had stayed for the show.

The new normal involves wearing masks. I think they are here to stay for a while. I don't know if the science is good about it or not. If masks are required, I am doing it. I am a rule follower. 

What is your new normal?

Thinking About Summer Reading

Well my reading has stalled out BUT  I am super excited about Modern Mrs Darcy Summer's Reading Guide.  I couldn't wait to check out her list. Last year, I read several books from the guide. My favorite from last year was The Gown. 

I find my reading picks up during the summer as my world slows down a bit. Things are going to be real slow this summer I have a feeling. Check out what everyone else is reading at Modern Mrs Darcy

Since we all are staying home,we all could use a good adventure. I love a good arm chair adventure travel reads that involve women and true life adventure. Check some good true adventure reads below

Wild by Cheryl Strayed - You probably live under a rock if you haven't heard of this one. It is about her adventures of the Pacific Crest Trail. There is also a movie. This is probably the most well known book about the Pacific Crest Trail.

The Lost Girls - Three Girls leave their high pressure jobs and travel around the world.

A Blistered Kind of Love  by Angela and Duffy Ballard- A couple and their adventure's on the Pacific Crest Trail. I actually liked this one better than Wild.

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven - What to do when your travel companion becomes undone mentally? This coming of age novel about 2 college grads and how IHOP (International House of Pancakes) inspired them to travel.

No Baggage by Clara Benson - Travel 3 weeks in Europe with just the clothes on your back. 

Did I become a better homemaker during this crisis?

Something terribly wrong happened here

That seems like a loaded question. Short answer - NOPE

I still don't like hand washing dishes.

I am still not caught up on laundry

I am still unorganized

The list goes on!

However, I do feel I became a better crisis manager. I really think it is a skill I developed in the Army. When I get into stressful situations, I tend to pivot. I really like the word pivot. Pivot to me isn't that you abandoned everything but you do change your direction. There has been a lot of pivoting for my family and I am sure it hasn't been as much as some. I realize we all aren't in the same boat. However it isn't business as usual for anyone.

Crisis management is the process which an organization deals with a disruptive and unexpected event that threatens to harm the organization or its stake holders. Wikipedia

I think most of us have become good crisis managers of our household.  We stocked up on food. We taught our people about proper hand washing and mask wearing. We tried to limit to exposure to covid risks. Some of us took a greater part in educating our kids while still doing our paying job. We figured things out. Going forward that still has to happen even as restrictions ease. 

Daily Roll 5.12.20 Non Dairy Creamer Edition

Well, I took yesterday off from the daily roll.  Life is picking up a bit and the day got away from me. As many of you know, I love coffee. Coffee is what gets me through my day. Well this past year I have developed a coffee creamer habit -the non dairy version. During the quarantine, I haven't been able to find my favorite non dairy creamer. It literally made me cry at the beginning of the quarantine.

favorite creamer

Just because I use non dairy creamer I am not really into super healthy creamer. I think I like the Almond Breeze because it was a bit on the sweet side.

I found this nut pods caramel creamer at Grocery Outlet and it is good too. Probably a bit more healthy than the Almond Breeze. My friend was telling me how much she was enjoying caramel in her coffee.

This So Delicious Oatmilk creamer is pretty good as well.  I got this at Grocery Outlet as well. It is pretty close to the Almond Breeze.  Overall when Almond Breeze Creamer is available it is the most economical.

Happy Mother's Day 5.10.20

2017
Space Needle

Happy Mother's Day!

My Mom is a special lady and yes I am saying that because I am her daughter. She has never met a back road she doesn't like.  Sunday drives are her jam.  She never gets us lost because we always make it home. Love you MOM!

5.09.20 Quarantine Birthday

Today is my husband's 48th Birthday!  He is celebrating by working today. We did make him this janky sign below. It is a little hard to surprise someone when they are home the day before.

5.8.20 5 year old driver, Wine Pirate and Murder Hornets OH MY!

The world is a bit topsy turvey. Below are some links for your reading enjoyment

Murder Hornets have been spotted in our neck of the woods.

Guy Drinking Wine from Underside of Wine Truck  Is this what quarantine driven us to do? Are we all to become Wine Pirates?

Most Common Surnames from the 2010 Census - Are you tired of the Census commercials yet? Have you been counted? This is the genealogy nerd in me.

5.7.20 Rhubarb

I feel like I might have a Rhubarb problem

I harvested a bit of rhubarb. There is 14 cups of cut rhubarb in the above photo. Plus I had 8 cups already frozen in the freezer. I feel GOOD about my rhubarb stockpile. I am ready for any rhubarb shortage. I also made Orange Rhubarb Bread.  I forgot to double it so only one loaf.

Daily Roll 5.6.20 Stimulus Grading

Somehow this song I heard just seemed appropriate for today. It is an oldie. 

End of the Roll 

Guess I am jumping to the end. It has been that kind of day. I am coining a new term for the grades given in our school district STIMULUS GRADING. Everyone is getting an "A" except those who don't participate and those who don't participate are being given an incomplete. Got some mixed feelings about this. I got a kid who has been working really hard at completing some really challenging assignments. I also know some kids totally taking advantage of the system. Should I tell my kid to work less?  How much participation counts?  Excerpt from District letter is below.

6.  Isn’t a system of all “A” grades the same as giving every kid a participation ribbon?  

Perhaps it is. However, we don’t think it is unlike the loans the government is giving businesses, or the $1200 economic impact checks they are sending individuals to help them deal with this crisis. Our students have also encountered a crisis, and we are providing them with a stimulus grading plan. We want to give hope to some of them who need it most. If the “A” grades they earn this semester inspire them to work harder to earn more “A”s when grading returns to normal, we will all be delighted.  (Ferndale School District)

5.5.20 Happy Cinco De Mayo

Happy Cinco De Mayo

What is happening at the Honeypot Bunker?

School for both boys. I have a high schooler that is basically over this homeschooling stuff. It is pretty isolating. No zoom calls for his classes just endless assignments according to him. He misses his teachers and his classmates.  

Yesterday planted the seeds for my cut flower garden. I soaked the beet seeds and planted this afternoon. I was able to obtain some zinnia starts and a cosmos start so I planted those. I cleaned my entry way and found a doodle made by youngest.

5.4.20

Today was a bit about planning for the future and whole lot of dreaming.

Next year is my Son's senior year. He got to pick classes today. He would like to go into some trade and go to the technical college after his senior year. I am not sure what school will look like next year. Will they go or will they be online at the beginning?  Things are still uncertain. We are still locked down pretty hard in our state.

I started to figure out what my cut flower garden would look like and started to plant. Below is the semi plan. Everything is seed. I do have a few starts of zinnia but they aren't looking so hot. I would like to buy a few starts to kind of jump start the flower garden. I did add a few vegetables this year also from seed.

5.3.20 Rebuilding Your Pantry After the Panademic

***I started this post several weeks ago. I wish I could read the grocery store tea leaves and tell you if shortages will continue. I believe they will. It might not be pasta and flour but proteins (beef and pork) One thing I know for sure is prices have risen.

Well I started writing this in the middle of all of this because we have been eating down our pantry and freezer.  Maybe the Mormons have it all right with a year of canned goods or maybe there is a happy medium.

A well stocked pantry gives you options. It allows you some meal planning flexibility. If I learned anything my family moves on it's stomach. A well stocked pantry means you aren't hoarding but are stocked with the essentials.

I found during this crisis I was basically crisis shopping. I wasn't deeply restocking in part because certain items weren't available and I was just trying to make it through. You know the whole stick and move principle.

I am going to list what I am going to do to have a better equipped pantry but this a deeply unique thing to every family. My pantry isn't going to have many convenience items because I have someone who is allergic to garlic and onion and that is in 99% of convenience items and in a lot of canned goods as well. I am basically feeding 4 adults. My youngest is 17. That is a lot of food.

Things to to answer for yourself?

Do I have enough food to last 2 weeks? Good time to brain storm what you can make from your pantry. Can you come up with 14 main meals?

Where can I store more food or how am I going to store my food? What does my food storage look like?

How will I use budget friendly ways to keep stocked up? ** My rebuilding of my pantry isn't going to happen overnight. I will look for deals and stock up when the price is right. It seems like grocery prices are overall higher so this could be a slower process.

Things I wanting to keep a better stock of. 
(In general, I thought I was fairly equipped.)

Baking Supplies
Flour - keep more on hand in greater quantity - I bake a lot so I had this on hand but there were several weeks where this product was not available at the grocery store. I also started out the crisis without much snack food so I was baking a lot. I enjoy baking.

Spices/Condiments
 - I actually nearly ran out of cumin and ground pepper.

Vinegar - I ran out of apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar

Mayo/Ketchup/Mustard - these were actually in short supply.

Proteins
I usually keep a big protein in my garage fridge . An example is a ham or turkey. I usually buy after a holiday. I started the pandemic with a spiral ham in the freezer.

Last Word

It doesn't have to be a pandemic to make you use up your pantry. There are other life situations that throw you a curve ball. There have been many times in the last couple of years I have depended on my pantry to carry me through to the next paycheck.

Thrifty Housewife  30 Cheap Pantry Staples 

Good Cheap Eats has a good pantry list inventory/staples list

How I stock the Smitten Kitchen

5.2.20 National Scrapbook Day

2018
Football
Shout out to Cheezer

Today is National Scrapbook day. It is also National Naked Gardening Day (what an image).

I don't think scrapbooking is hot as it use to be. I exclusively use the project life app for mine. I know we all take so many pictures now that our camera is in our phone. I thought I would share some pages. The project life app is free. This is my unpaid endorsement.

Holland Happenings Parade
2017
Oak Harbor

2018
Seattle Torchlight Parade

2017
Everett WA
Band Competition

Daily Bullet 5.1.20 May Day

Happy May Day

My Husband and I have been going on walks in the neighborhood. I have enjoyed looking at everyone's flowers especially the tulips. There are so many different kinds. I feel weird taking pictures of other people's yards. I decided to share some throw back pictures of when we visited the Tulip fields in Skagit County, Washington.

2018

Check out the virtual visit of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival  2020