At War With Time

I am now the age my mother was when I first thought she was getting old. hmm, that's kinda funny. Now that it's my turn, 40 doesn't seem so old. But I notice things changing. Little things here and there that aren't much their own, but add up to a lot when I think about them.

My oldest son is nearly 18, graduating , and already working. My daughter is 14 and looking more like a woman every day. She used to be the baby.

Max, the baby of the family, isn't really a baby anymore. He will turn 4 next month. Realizing he is the last child is both exhilarating and agonizing.

Looking in the mirror is an interesting experience. Who is that person? I am quite sure it isn't me. After all, I've never had grey hair, two chins and wrinkles. It must be someone else.

Just to make sure I went to my closet and pulled out photographs from 1992. Guess what? No wrinkles, only one chin, no grey hair, and lovely skin. Whew! For a moment there I thought I was getting old. *grin*

When I was younger I never paid any thought or attention to old people. They all looked the same to me. White hair and skin, yellow teeth, outdated clothing. Why didn't they care, I wondered? Didn't they know that polyester was out of style? Didn't they know that hairstyle went out of fashion 20 years ago? And why did they smell funny all the time?

Now I know better. The elderly are wise. Too wise to bow to the dictates of fashion magazines. Too wise to spend an hour in the bathroom fussing over a hairdo.

I feel nostalgic every so often when contemplating an elderly person. I wonder about their life. I wonder if they think about the days when they could run and play. Or if they miss looking in the mirror and seeing a smoother, less wrinkled face. Or maybe they miss their mom, dad, or spouse. Do they long for that feeling of excitement you can only get when you fall in love for the fist time?

Now I've said all this to say that we should respect our elderly a lot better in this country. And remember that every one of them used to possess youth and vitality. In trade, they have gained knowledge . If we will only stop and listen, we could learn a lot.

I still don't know why there is an old lady in my bathroom mirror. But she seems nice. I think I'll let her stay a while.
-E

Genetically engineered food

Found this information posted on Cafe' Mom and thought I would pass it on to you:

"The little stickers on fruits and vegetables have digits that let you know whether they're conventionally grown or organic, and if they're genetically modified (GM). There are many benefits to knowing this information:

• The health risks -- GM foods have been in stores only since the 1990s, so the long-term health risks are unknown
• The environmental risks -- Scientists are concerned that GMOs will reduce biodiversity
• The taste benefits -- People all over the world agree that the range of possible flavors is greater without a few GM foods crowding out the many natural varieties

Here’s what you should look for:

• A four-digit number means the produce is conventionally grown
• A five-digit number beginning with 9 means it's organic
• A five-digit number beginning with 8 means it's GM "

That is good to know. I personally am horrified by thought of genetically modified food, but that is a rant for another day. Instead , I will leave you with the lyrics of one my favorite Moxy Fruvous songs.

Guinea Pig

Don't  me what your putting in my lunch box dont tell me what your
feeding me today, dont fill my head with trouble while im scarfing down a
cheese souffle

i wanna be a new, original creation a cross between a moose a monkey and a
fig im ready Monsanto let me be your guinea pig

cuz the seed we sew aint good enough the earth we plow it aint good enough
the food we grow well its never been up to scratch,

the geezer with the beard and all the angels made a few mistakes I dont
know why we dont need him anymore if genetically modify

so dont ya tell me what your puttin in my lunch box i got a crazy
pioneering attitude dont bother me with labels gotta get a belly full of
franken-food

gotta get a belly fulla franken-food

Where did everyone go?

So where is everyone? I swear I hear crickets chirping.............................

So what now, Ellen?

I'm so glad you asked! We've planted lots of herb and veggie seeds in little peat pots.

I've also included pics of our homemade fire starter, as mentioned in a previous post. It looks just like my cat's hairballs. Maybe that is why Rex is sniffing it. mmmm, yummy.


Dante' made a sweet and cute cake for Valentine's day so I had to put up a pic of it.

And the pic of Max is just because he's cute.

We are loving life here in Oregon. Hope you all are happy too, no matter where you live.

blessings,
Ellen

Quote of The Day

" Bitterness is just motivated depression"

-Paxson Bachus 2/16/09



That's my boy. Isn't he a charmer? :)

Wryly,
-EJ

Winter Blues

Poor February, it has always been my most hated month. (August comes second.) My prejudice comes with good reason. The holidays are over, the cold weather is no longer novel and on the Oregon coast it's all about the rain.

There are no more mushrooms to pick, it's too cold to go fishing and crabbing. Ordering seeds and garden planning for spring brings just a little satisfaction.

And boy, does cold weather up the crazy quotient at my house! Max, in lieu of constructive outdoor time, cruises the upstairs looking for ways to make me scream "knock it off", "put that down!" or "Be quiet".

Every time the UPS truck rounds our corner, Dante' and I are pressed against the living room window like hungry homeless children. When the package turns out to be for the lady across the street, we turn ugly.

Even the dog hates February. Rex is so disgusted with only being allowed outside to pee, he has taken to running away. The next door neighbor keeps a fabulous smorgasbord of cat food on her front porch. Whenever I can't find Rex, he's there.

Only my 16 yr. old, William seems to handle this weather well. He sleeps. When he's not in school, he sleeps.

I'm going to bed. Wake me up when the temp rises above 65.
-EJ

Chili with Polenta

Just a quick note tonight: I was making chili for dinner and realized I had no cornmeal for making cornbread. Bummer. But I did have some polenta. I whipped up a batch and served it as a base to pour the chili over. Surprisingly , it was really good. Even my hubby who tends to be a culinary 'traditionalist' liked it.

So remember, "Necessity is the mother of invention." If only I could remember who made that quote.................