It’s Going to be a Bumpy Ride

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abortion, African Americans, candy, cookies, dessert, evolution, fundamentalism, Gardening, GOP, health, John McCain, quilting, religion, Women's issues, world history

The artist is Zubaren and the piece is entitled, “St. Casilda.”

It can be found at El Prado in Madrid. It was painted in the time of 1638-42. It is religious in nature but the artist used presumably a friend as model. The dress is current to the day.

St. Casilda was daughter to the Muslim king of Toledo and carried bread to the to captured Christians. Once caught, the bread hidden in her skirts when unwrapped, had been turned into roses.

Well the rains seems mostly gone, and its soggy as you might expect. It’s also gloomy and dark which is starting to wear on me for sure. I suffer to a degree from SAD. I got a start on my poor craft room. What a mess. You see, we stopped taking extraneous things to the basement, because it tends to be damp, so my room got to be the receptacle of everything that needed saving. I moved out 2 towers and one monitor and 3 keyboards! Some of it still works I guess, but frankly I think it should all be pitched. It’s all piled in the kitchen. The Contrarian can decide if he wants to keep it. With that stuff out of the way, I got a fair amount put away, though I am torn about whether I should systematically clean every drawer. Crafting makes for lots and lots of tiny little “things.” Since I craft as eclectically as I think, I have bits of this and that, beads, boxes, ribbon, fabric, wooden doohickies, you name it. I dread going through everything and trying to put everything into some order. I know I have to eventually, I’m just not sure it’s a good thing to do now. Afraid I’ll get bogged down and not keep moving on to other rooms. I have a bad tendency to dump stuff into hidy holes to get it out of sight. Such is the state of my office/crafter room.

Let’s see what you need to know to get through the weekend!

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Ceres is both a asteroid and a goddess. As a goddess, she is Roman, the equivalent of Demeter, the Greek goddess. We really should be worshiping her in Iowa here, since she is the goddess of grain, and we get the name cereal from her. Read more at Ancient History Blog.

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I simply found this post intriguing and useful in improving my understanding of the evangelical right. No one can peruse this blog for long without realizing that I have a “thing” when it comes to the reactionary right. Most of that has dealt with politics and their attempts to restructure our country along their version of “Christian” life. This post addresses how this right wing sees itself in terms of family life and child rearing. It’s quite fascinating and you just might learn a few things. I think of myself as fairly knowledgeable when it comes to this subject, and I know I learned a few new things. Actually, some of it is quite chilling.

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I’ve never heard of these cookies. Maybe you have. The recipe seems simple enough. Give them a try. I think I will, after we finish the yummy cinnabuns I made yesterday. Thanks to Baking Delights for this lovely little cookie. They are called Berger Cookies.

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Want to make your own candy bars? How about a Baby Ruth? Copycat Restaurant Recipes has the recipe for you. I think I might be a tad too lazy for this one.

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This recipe is unusual. It’s fancy and perfect for an important dinner. Phyllo dough is required but you can get that at most supermarkets these days. I think it’s absolutely lovely and light and I’m rather anxious to give this one a try. It’s called Strawberry Cheesecake Cookie Stacks, and is from the ever wonderful Epicurious.

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Mother’s Day will be coming along soon, and this might be a nice gift to give. Also nice for any number of other occasions when a small personal gift is appropriate. Feeling stitchy has a pattern and a link to a tutorial to help you along. Make these sachets for lasting pleasure.

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Gardening Tips ‘n Ideas has some useful help if you have azaleas or want to plant some this season. They are an old garden standard and I like them a lot. I don’t have any, nor rhododendrons either for that matter.

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If you need inspiration, inspired by antique quilts will always help you out. Look at her lovely quilt that she has just finished. How do these folks do it? Turning out quilts in a couple of weeks, and it takes me months to get one even ready for hand quilting. I just love this one.

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I don’t pretend to know how they know, but they say they know, and I know I should know better, but know that I can’t know beyond what they claim they know. Got that? Scientists claim that the first animal life on this planet was way more complex than they thought. It was a jelly fish type thing. Have you seen some of these? I’ve seen film of some at great depths and they are florescent and colorful and so unworldly as to mesmerize one. Check out the Comb Jelly, which is fairly drab but still, it was your great-great to the nth power daddy.

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Oh you have watched Casablanca no doubt? Or you think you have. I bet you missed the ending. I mean the ending after the ending. Confused? Let Jeannelle set you straight at Midlife by Farmlight. Seems a couple of visitors told her the balance of the story very few of us have heard. You will be the talk of the cocktail parties when you wow them with this version!

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Okay, got your helmet firmly on and your oxygen mask tight? We are entering the twilight zone and next stop is weirdo world, home of folks who contribute to the National Review and the bunch of crazies who inhabit it. So up is now down, left is right, and inside is outside. Ready? Seems Thomas Sowell, black person, has determined how the GOP can capture the black vote. Not just any black vote, but that undefined part that they can win. Not the part the Democrats can get, it’s some other part. Think Alan Keyes I guess. Appeal to them on the level of no teacher’s unions, no environmental laws, no tort lawyers, no liberal judges. Apparently African Americans don’t like these things. Huh? There is some convoluted rationalism here that is beyond me. But as Mr. Sowell says, this is only for the blacks that Republicans “can realistically reach.” I guess this must be the 1/4 of 1% who are mentally disturbed. Mr. Sowell should thank God every night that he has a job.

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One of my pet peeves is universal health care. It’s a crime that we don’t have it. Most of the modern democracies in the world do. It is simply morally reprehensible that we operate on the idea that those that are lucky and have insurance through work or because they are wealthy and can afford it get what they want, the rest of us should suffer and die in silence. That is one of the reasons I continue to support Hillary Clinton. Paul Krugman has a good post on the matter, one I urge you to read. Twenty-seven thousand deaths per year stand silently asking us for an answer.

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Deepak Chopra is a spiritual guide for me. I have read a number of his books and find his work thoughtful, loving, inclusive, and deeply moving. He poses a compelling question for us today at On Faith, forum at the Washington Post and Newsweek. He claims the “Ecumenical Age may be Past.” Read what other readers think and join in the conversation if so motivated.

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If you think you might like to find out where John McCain stands on women’s reproductive rights, then I have the post for you. It goes way beyond his determination (arrived at late no doubt in an attempt to keep that religious right in tow) to reverse Roe v Wade. It goes way beyond that, and some women who are anti-choice even say he is way out of touch with the real world. See what you think.

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Bumps, Con’t

Tags

cross stitch, dessert, fruit, fundamentalism, geology, GOP, knitting, Mike Huckabee, neo-conservatives, Women's history

Have you heard of Madame Restell? I sure had not. Scandalous Women has nailed another one in her ongoing histories of women we mostly have never heard about. This one was reputed to be the wickedest woman in New York. Quite an accomplishment. Read all about her and find out what made her so controversial.

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Wow, it’s all I can say. Scientists at the Pole have found a “window” to the center of the earth, and boy are they discovering new things. Rocks found on the Arctic Ocean floor are the key. It offers an opportunity to study the mantle which makes up 70% of the Earth, better than ever before. It all means somehow that our geologic history is much more complicated than was thought. In a different vein, but still dealing with geology, the Grand Canyon may be older than we thought, and those darlings of museums, the dinosaurs may have taken their fair share of peeks over the edge.

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I don’t know about you, but Mikey Huckabee scared the bejeesus out of me. Such a nice acting man, and such a thoroughly idiotic mind set. I feared this was only the beginning. And true to that fear, Huck is starting his own right wing political organization. He will be making a serious try for the presidency again in 4 years, you may be sure. Be sure you know exactly what is going on. Read Talk2Action to get the scoop on the nefarious doings of the wacko right.

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This is one of those oldie recipes and I thought it was purely delightful. I love apple desserts and don’t eat many since fruits are a problem for me. I am supposed to stick to mostly the low sugar types. I find that I can eat a little of the sweeter ones, and this one is definitely on my radar. Aunt Rachel’s Apple Pudding is novel, and appealing. It may be more of a fall or winter dessert, but I doubt that will stop me from trying it. Hope you like it too.

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If you would like to see some truly beautiful cross stitch, follow the link to Threads of Desire and see her work. I can’t imagine working cross stitch on such a small count linen. Wow, its gorgeous. I’m very envious and wish someone could teach me that one. I’ve bought linen like this and despaired after looking at it of ever figuring out how to count the threads correctly.

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I’ve been impressed by just how many crafters make a lot of their beauties for charity. Here is a way you can help too, if you knit. There are links to Save the Children. I’m not sure if there are any patterns but if you hit the link on my sidebar under crafts and Knitting patterns central, you will find dozens of patterns all for free.

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I’ve been tooting around for months now here and on forums that Republicans have done an excellent job at convincing the right wing evangelicals that a vote for a Republican is a vote for all those “family values” they think they have a corner on. The hypocrisy is of course outstanding here. Have you heard about the North Mariana Islands, a US territory? The main industry is textiles and they get to avoid tariffs and can label their stuff “made in the USA.” So what has this to do with family values you ask? Women make up the bulk of the workers and they are treated as essentially slaves. What goes on there is unbelievable, forced abortions, sex trafficking, if it’s sordid it’s happening there. Jack Abramoff was their voice in Congress, and Tom Delay and friends made sure that no legislation got through Congress to impose our federal standards for wages and safety on the textile companies. This is a pattern of conduct. It’s talking the Christian game and playing an ugly, immoral alternative. It’s simply money over morality once again and the Republicans continue the big lie to the Religious Right. Vox Nova gives us all the vile facts.

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“Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else.” James M. Berrie

“In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts; they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Of course, a lot of controversy right now about China. During a speech, President Bush urged Chinese leaders to talk to the Dalai Lama and called him a really fine man. Cool. Yeah. Bush said: “I used to be reluctant to meet with him. Then I found out he was not a real llama.” Conan O’Brien

The pope will visit New York City next week. His Holiness would certainly fit in at a Knicks game. The fans have been known to say “Jesus Christ” a lot too.

Katie Couric may exit CBS News. A handful of people know the exact date. She only told her audience. – Alan Ray, Stockton, Calif.

In fact, when we go to the airport do you know what F.A.A. stands for? Find another airline. Jay Leno