POST TWENTY SEVEN - AN EXPERIMENT

so, this is off the topic of holidays, (and these pictures have nothing to do with this post), but for the past several months i have been conducting a bit of an experiment. well, really just trying something new. i found a recipe for homemade deodorant a while back and decided to give it a try, especially since i had all the ingredients.

coconut oil, baking soda & cornstarch

you can find the "recipe" here http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/03/update-homemade-deoderant.html. there are also a bunch of comments- people who have had good/bad experiences with homemade deodorant, and people who have adjusted the recipe listed. i personally really like this deodorant. it did take a little getting used to going from an antiperspirant, but i really haven't noticed any odor while using it (and no one around me has commented on any odor). i love the smell of the coconut oil, it goes on pretty easy- the coconut oil is a solid at room temperature but softens quickly when being applied. if you are looking for a natural deodorant you can make yourself, i would definitely recommend it!

POST TWENTY SIX - FOR ADVENT

so this is a couple days late, but i wanted to let you know about a really neat Advent reading/activity from Ann Voskamp at http://www.aholyexperience.com/ (see post 22) it's called the Jesse Tree. i don't think i'd heard of it before this year, but i've read about it in several different places this Christmas season, and was very excited to see this, http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/11/update-free-jesse-tree-advent-devotional/

on a holy experience. all you need to do in order to print out your own copy is to add your name to the email list. we've been doing the readings the past several nights, and it's been really neat to start seeing Christmas and Jesus birth, not just as a one time event, but instead, to start "in the beginning..." and see the love of God and his plan even then. i would definitely recommend checking it out! hope you are enjoying this holiday season!

POST TWENTY FIVE - LINKS

i've found a few sites lately that are pretty cool and thought i'd pass them on for anyone else who might find them of interest... (i found the first two links through http://moneysavingmom.com/ and http://www.soulemama.com/)

for online kids books check out http://www.kiddierecords.com/ i just looked at this one today, and its really cool! there are a ton of stories on record that you can listen to (4 years worth with a new record posted for each week) the kids listened to peter pan and robin hood and really enjoyed it.

for fabric online and free shipping! check out http://banberryplace.com/ i haven't ordered anything yet, but i've been checking the fabrics out and they have a pretty big selection.

and lastly since i'm definately getting excited about Christmas, http://simplekids.net/advent-activities/#more-7748 i was especially excited about the advent activities/experiences she lists.

hope you enjoy...

POST TWENTY FOUR - CSA SUMMARY

so here it is, the summary of our 2010 CSA season. as you can see we got quite a variety of both fruits and vegetables. the total cost was $320 with us going and working two 2hr sessions (mostly picking beans:) it was definately worth it for us- all the produce, knowing where it was coming from, supporting a local farm, and the overall experience! you can check out the CSA we joined here http://www.stoneridgeorganics.com/index.htm and to find a CSA near you check out http://www.localharvest.org/

CSA 2010

June 5th- 3 quarts of strawberries
June 12th- 2 quarts of strawberries
June 19th - 1 bunch of garlic scapes, maple syrup(750ml)
June 26th- 1 bunch of garlic scapes, head of red leaf lettuce, bag of snap peas, head of bokchoy.
July 3rd- 1 pint of raspberries, head of green lettuce, 2 bags of snap peas, 3 heads of bokchoy
July 10th- 1 pint of raspberries, 1 pint of blueberries, 1 bag of snap peas, kohlrabi, head of green lettuce, 2 cucumbers, swiss chard
July 17th- 1 pint of raspberries, 1 pint of blueberries, 2 kohlrabi, swiss chard, kale, zucchini
July 24th- 1 quart of new potatoes, 1 bunch of arugala, bunch of swiss chard, summer squash, cucumber, kohlrabi, bunch of radishes, flowers- zinnia & sunflowers
July 31st- 1 quart of new potatoes, 1 bunch of arugala, 2 summer squash, 2 zucchini, 1 slicing cucumber, 4 pickling cucumbers, bunch of radishes, 5 ears of corn, 2 quarts of peaches
August 7th- 1 pint of potatoes, 3 slicing cucumbers, 6 pickling cucumbers, 10 ears of corn, 3 green peppers, bag of green beans, head of broccoli, 2 quarts of peaches
August 14th- 12 ears of corn, bag of arugala, bag of green beans, pint of grape tomatoes, pint of potatoes, 2 quarts of peaches, 8 pickling cucumbers
August 20th- 12 ears of corn, 3 turnips, bag of yellow beans, pint of grape tomatoes,
quart of apples, 2 golden tomatoes, 6 roma tomatoes, cantaloupe, bunch of wine grapes, eggplant, 5 peaches, 11 pickling cucumbers
August 28th- 12 ears of corn, 1 turnip, 1 pickling cucumber, pint of grape tomatoes, quart of potatoes, yellow beans, 4 apples, bag of mesculun, basil, zinnias
September 4th- quart of potatoes, quart of sweet potatoes, 3 tomatoes, head of lettuce, beets, zucchini, bunch of basil, bunch of zinnias
September 10th- quart of potatoes, quart of sweet potatoes, 3 red tomatoes, 2 yellow tomatoes, head of lettuce, quart of apples, bunch of basil, bunch of zinnias, green beans
September 18th- quart of potatoes, quart of sweet potatoes, 3 vine tomatoes, quart of roma tomatoes, bunch of basil, bunch of beets, bag of apples, corn stalks
September 25th- quart of potatoes, quart of sweek potatoes, bunch of basil, bunch of beets, bunch of turnips, bag of apples, bunch of mixed flowers, maple syrup (375ml), quart of fresh pressed apple cider
~since this was the last day of the season, they had cider pressing, and a little end of season get together. the fields were open for us to pick anything- we got a bunch more flowers and some snap peas.

POST TWENTY THREE - THE PROJECT PART 2

here is a quick little post for you. this is a sequel to "the project" (the folklore bag from one yard wonders see posts 10 & 12) i really like the bag that i made for myself and decided to make one for my mom and my sister for their birthdays, which were this month. it was a whole lot quicker making these bags than when i made mine, probably because i was familiar with the pattern, and because i cut out the step of using the interfacing (it didnt seem completely necessary)

if anyone is looking for a good pattern for a fun bag, you should check it out. i haven't tried any other projects from the book yet, but i am planning to start on the child's messenger bag soon as a Christmas present for elias. i'll be back soon (relatively speaking) with a couple new posts...

POST TWENTY TWO - FAITH...

some people are truly gifted at articulating their thoughts and beliefs. Ann Voskamp is one of those people. and its not just her ability to articulate, its the content of what she shares, how you can feel her heart & her faith coming through, how genuine she is in her writing. i've been checking out her site holy experience at http://www.aholyexperience.com/ for quite a while now, and have been encouraged and challenged each time i have read her posts, usually to the point of tears. Ann was recently part of a Compassion trip to Guatemala, which she shares about in her posts, along with some really neat photography. She also has a book entitled one thousand gifts
a dare to live fully right where you are which is soon to be released, and which i'm looking forward to reading. i know i often find myself overwhelmed in all that i am not doing in my walk of faith in this life, and i have really appreciated the way that Ann speaks honestly about her faith and her life, continually pointing to Christ. i hope you are encouraged as well!

POST TWENTY ONE - FREE ADMISSION...

hello there,

here is a quick little post to let you know that (as i found on

http://moneysavingmom.com/)

september 25th is national museum day

and you can get free admission (for 2) to many museums! here is the link for you

http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/admission.html?2010

i haven't printed my ticket yet, but i did look at the NH listing of museums and there are a few that i'm interested in. you can search by state to see which museums in your area are participating. i hope you are able to visit one!

POST TWENTY - A SUPER EASY PROJECT

so, this truly is a super easy project. i've been wanting to make some snack bags, but have been hesitating because i wasn't sure exactly how i wanted to make them- if i should be lining them with something, or using velcro as a closure... i really just wanted to make some very simple baggies. then i found this.

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2010/07/snack-bags-a-sewing-tutorial.html the pattern is very basic, cute, easy to use and the video made me laugh.

as i checked out the site i found that its creator, amy karol has several sewing books out (which i recognized, but haven't checked out before) and there are also a few other video tutorials posted. you can find links to her various sites, and her ebay shop here http://www.amykarol.com/

so, i've made several of these little baggies, and they are just what i was wanting- sometimes the simple things really are the best!!

POST NINETEEN - LEARNING...

our daughter just turned 4, and i'd been recognizing that she was definitely

ready for some level of "structured learning." i was a bit at a loss as far as what direction to go in. an all out preschool curriculum? some basic workbooks? i'm not a trained educator, and limited in my familiarity with early childhood educational resources. so, i talked to my sister who is a teacher, and friends who are teaching their young children, and checked out some mom blogs. and i found what i think is the perfect fit for both sadie & i. it's called FIVE IN A ROW (FIAR) by Jane Claire Lambert, and you can check it out here http://www.fiarhq.com/index.html

we have only been using it for a little while, (and since its summertime we haven't established a real routine for it yet) but we have both been enjoying it. the concept is pretty basic. you read a specified book for 5 days in a row (hence the title) and after each reading there is a lesson for you to do. the topics for the lessons are social studies, literature, art, math, and science, with multiple lessons for many of these topics to choose from. it's pretty cool- you can choose which science or art or literature etc... lesson you would like- whichever would suit you and your child best.

i really appreciate the various options, and the ideas for discussion/learning topics. it's been neat to see how much we can both learn just from one book, and the lessons can really be as simple or involved as we want them to be. another thing i like is that this is pretty inexpensive. i found a used copy of volume one on ebay for under $20 and we just go to the library to find the books we need! if you are looking for something simple, but fun and educational definitely check it out!

POST EIGHTEEN - A FEW THINGS...

well, this post is a random assortment of things i've come across online lately. i thought some of you might appreciate one or more of them...

~just in case you, or someone you know is looking for a fun little paper city, fully equipped with people, vehicles and a helicopter, check out http://madebyjoel.blogspot.com/2010/04/paper-city.html ... its really cute- you should check the site out!

~this site is really cool. it has all kinds of fun stuff including tons of tutorials for making all kinds of different things! i've been wanting to make an advent calendar and saw one listed under the "top 100 tutorials of 2009" tab- i'm really excited! you really should look at http://thelongthread.com/

~http://www.etsy.com/shop/fabricworm is a shop that has lots of really fun fabrics. i know its pretty dorky, but i love checking to see what new fabrics they have. i have yet to purchase anything from fabricworm, but they have great feedback ratings.

~along the lines of canning (post 17) http://www.foodinjars.com/ seems like a really cool site! and if any of you happen to live in the philly area (megan & vicky:) and are interested in going to a canning class they offer them! i didn't check out all the details-it does look like most of the summer classes are done, but there are still a couple coming up.

so, those are a couple fun things i've found online lately- hope you find them of interest too!

POST SEVENTEEN - CANNING...

i am a canning novice for sure, and i am here to encourage anyone who has not given it a try to do so! i made some blueberry jam last year during a little canning adventure with a friend (cara:) and have been looking forward to doing more canning this year. so, after we went strawberry picking a little bit ago i was ready to make jam!

i have been a bit intimidated about canning (afraid someone might end up with food poisoning from something i canned improperly) but, it really isn't so hard! that said, there are different ways to can, and all i have done is a water bath. the supplies are pretty basic and you can actually make do without some of them, but others are pretty handy- (like a funnel and jar lifter) when i started researching this whole canning thing last year i came across this website http://www.pickyourown.org/index.htm which has a TON of information on it.

you can find listings of farms near you to "pick your own" produce, information on types of canning supplies and equipment and where to get them, and recipes and detailed instructions on how to can, pickle, dry, freeze, etc...

when it came time to actually make the strawberry jam and can it, i really just followed the pretty basic instructions on the pectin box. one note- definitely check out the low sugar or no sugar added pectin this is the kind i used http://www.amazon.com/Sure-Jell-Premium-Fruit-Pectin-1-75-Ounce/dp/B001E50XBQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1279043852&sr=8-1

you use significantly less sugar with this kind than the usual pectin, and it tastes great!

even with a couple minor deviations (not fully intentional) from the recipe the jam turned out good with everyone in our house willingly eating it. so, if you have any interest you should give it a try!

now i know some of you have lots of canning experience, so if you have any wisdom or resources to share please do! happy canning!!

ps. http://www.simplebites.net/ is doing a series on canning right now that looks pretty cool...

POST SIXTEEN - FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES...

i always thought that when i got "older" i would feel secure in myself- who i am. but, somehow the same issues of worrying about how i am being perceived, or comparing myself to others and seeing how i "measure up" seem to follow me.

so, i found it rather refreshing and a bit challenging to see my 3.5 year old be who she really is. no holding back, just being real. we were at the CSA (see post 14) picking up our share for the week. the kids were really excited- sadie especially. the owner was chatting with her, and asked "what is your favorite thing to do?" without hesitation, sadie replied "eat candy and watch movies" with a big smile on her face. apparently she did not realize that we were here to pick up fresh organic produce, and the "correct" answer would have been something along the lines of "eat carrot sticks and go for hikes." i had to laugh.

its a simple example that actually happened a week ago, but it came to my mind again tonite

and for some reason i felt compelled to share it. in one way or another the struggle to be truly genuine is common to us all-whether we are holding back or putting on a front-

so, today be inspired by a preschooler, and just be you!

POST FIFTEEN - DIAPERS...

using cloth diapers has been an on and off thing in our home. we used them some with our daughter, and have been more committed to using them with our son. a friend actually passed some our way for us to try out a few years back, and i really liked them (thank you shanna).

it was nice to not be throwing so many diapers in the trash, to save some money, and our daughter did pretty well with them.

since, as of late, we have been trying to use them more exclusively with our son i have been having some "diaper issues" and have been doing a bit more research as to cloth diapering and cloth diaper care.

in addition to the advice of veteran cloth diapering moms, i have found

http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/ to be a great resource! i have searched all kinds of questions and found some really helpful answers. the site is run by a stay at home mom autumn who is committed to cloth diapering, and helping other moms do the same.

so, if you have any questions about cloth diapering, check it out!

POST FOURTEEN - CSA

joining a CSA (community supported agriculture) is something we have been wanting to do for a while, and this year we decided to make it happen. i'm sure most if not all of you are familiar with CSAs, but just in case you aren't here is the basic idea. a CSA farm has a certain number of shares available to be purchased each season. the shares usually include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (varying depending on what is in season) and sometimes additional items- flowers etc... which you pick up on a weekly basis during the farming season.

these strawberries are the first produce we have gotten from Stoneridge Farm http://www.stoneridgeorganics.com/ which is the CSA that we joined, and they are amazing!! it's really cool to know that the fruits and vegetables will be coming from just down the road (litteraly, at least in nh terms) and that we are supporting a local farm. we will be receiving produce from mid june to october and i'm looking forward to trying some vegetables i probably wouldn't try otherwise. another cool thing is that we were able to lower the cost by signing up for a working share - (working a bit on the farm) which will be neat for us and the kids. i'm not sure exactly how the cost will compare to the amount i usually spend on produce, but for the reasons listed above we felt it was worth it!

if you are interested in finding a CSA near you, check out http://www.localharvest.org/

POST THIRTEEN - TAKING TIME...

hello all, thank you so much for the kind comments about the folklore bag!! i hope those of you who are checking out the book one-yard wonders really enjoy it!!

so, todays post isn't really anything new or original. its just a friendly reminder...

i was prompted to write this post in part by things i have read and observed lately, and in part by a woman i saw at the grocery store yesterday. she was reminding me that time really does go by so fast. i know we've all heard that lots of times, but for some reason i heard it yesterday and it made me think about how i am choosing to spend the time i have.

so, today along the lines of creating, i wanted to encourage you to take time for the hobbies/activities/passions in your life. i've been recognizing lately how therapeutic it really is for me to spend even a little time sewing, or learning to knit, planting flowers, or pulling weeds etc... a lot of times i don't see that there is any time to spare for it, but when i make the time, i see how good it is for me (and in turn those who are around me). i can see how God uses that time to help me become a bit more quiet and slowed down and to refocus me a little. i know it looks different for everyone, but we each have something, (often something really simple) that we truly enjoy, and that often gets neglected in the crazy bussiness of life.

now, i realize that its not realistic to say that we can be spending hours a day on these things, but i think we can spend at least a few minutes here and there, and can definately benefit from those few moments!

so, i want to encourage you to try to take some time...

POST TWELVE - THE PROJECT

so, here it is. my completed project from One-Yard Wonders (see post ten).
it is the folklore bag, and i am really liking it!

it's a bit bigger than my previous bag,

but not huge. it has a perfect size pocket inside and magnetic closure which i really like.

if you are interested in making a new bag for yourself (or someone else) i would definately suggest it!

i am still debating which One-Yard Wonders project to try next...

POST ELEVEN - GOOD RECIPES

i have to admit, i love checking out recipes. there is just something fun about trying new recipes, especially when it goes well! if you have done much looking, you know that there are a gazillion sources for recipes. i'm sure you are familiar with at least some of these, but i thought i would just share a couple websites that i really like. here are a few sites i have used and like...

http://allrecipes.com/
http://www.marthastewart.com/everyday-food
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/

here are a few sites i have checked out, but havent tried any recipes from yet...

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
http://www.fixmeasnack.com/
http://kitchensimplicity.com/

i would love to hear about any sites you really like for recipes!

POST TEN - FOR SEWING...

well, i realize we have been absent for a while (a month to be precise) so hello to anyone who may still be out there! i have been doing a bit of crafting in my time away and i have to say that i am really enjoying sewing, who knew?! to be honest, i think a lot of it has to do with the very user friendly sewing machine we have.

so, i have been inspired as of late to try more sewing projects. i picked up a book called One-Yard Wonders. i will say that i have completed one project (which i will show you in an upcoming post) and that overall the book is pretty easy to use. the patterns are included and the book has a glossary and a "sewing fundamentals" section which i found helpful. there are some fun ideas for projects, and i'm excited to start on my next one!

one tip would be to check out this website http://www.storey.com/book_detail.php?isbn=9781603424493&cat=Crafts&p=0 it is the publishers site, and on the right hand side of the main page there is heading titled "corrections". i found this very helpful especially as i discovered a change that needed to be made in the pattern (thankfully) prior to completing my project.

i don't know how much appeal this book would have for the experienced sewer, but as a beginner i found it very helpful, and with a little research was able to follow the instructions pretty easily.

if you are interested you can check it out on amazon here...

http://www.amazon.com/One-Yard-Wonders-Sewing-Fabric-Projects/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273193313&sr=8-1

happy sewing!

FINE FOLKS - POST "E"

GREETINGS FINE FOLKS. DOUG HERE. WELL, THE WORD FOR TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE A WINNER! MARVEL OF MARVELS, I KNOW. WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A WINNER FOR SOMETIME NOW, I'VE JUST BEEN HANGING BACK TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WANTED TO GIVE IT A STAB - THAT & I'VE BEEN BUSY SOMETHING AWFUL. SEEMS TO BE THE WAY OF LIFE THESE DAYS - MAKES ME WANT TO MOVE TO SOME SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY WHERE TAKING NAPS IS A CULTURAL STAPLE.

THE WINNER? I REALIZE THAT THIS IS GONNA SOUND SHIFTY (HI JULIA ;-}). MY SISTER-IN-LAW MEGHAN WHITE HAS WON THE CONTEST (NOT MEG WHITE OF WHITE STRIPES FAME). SHE REALLY DID. IT WAS NOT AN INSIDE JOB, I PROMISE. OUR FAMILY IS JUST SUPERIOR TO MOST PEOPLE, MOST OF TIME - GENETICS I GUESS. I AM WORKING ON THE MIX MEGHAN, FORGIVE THE DELAY. IT'LL BE WORTH THE WAIT. SO...BELOW ARE SEVERAL VIDEOS OF SOME OF THE FINE FOLKS WHO WERE A PART OF THIS CONTEST. HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM. HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A GOOD DAY. I'LL HAVE MORE FOR YOU SOON. DOUG

P.S. - THE ABOVE PHOTO IS OF SIBYLLE BAIER AND HER SON ROBBY WHO WENT ON TO REISSUE HER MUSIC 40 PLUS YEARS AFTER SHE HAD RECORDED IT. PRETTY COOL.

KAREN DALTON - IT HURTS ME TOO


SIBYLLE BAIER - I LOST SOMETHING IN THE HILLS


VASHTI BUNYAN - TRAIN SONG


LINDA PERHACS - DOCUMENTARY TRAILER

POST NINE - BEING MOM

i want to encourage you moms. i know for me there are plenty of ups and downs. days i feel like i'm at least taking steps towards being the mom i want to be, and other days i am ashamed of the mom i am being. thankfully God is gracious to us!

as i have mentioned in previous posts i am attempting to make some changes in the way our family lives life. one has been trying to establish some routines, with the goal of being more intentional - especially with the ways in which we interact with our kids.

a book i have been reading is called steady days by jamie c. martin. you can find her blog at http://www.steadymom.com/ i came across the book on a few blogs and decided to check it out. shortly after i started reading it, simple living media expanded to include simple homeschool http://simplehomeschool.net/ , of which jamie c. martin is the editor- cool huh?!

now, i haven't finished the book but i have found some practical advice, and encouragement to think about the way i am choosing to parent. here are a couple quotes for you....

...if we don't love what we do as mothers, our children notice quickly. our attitudes, positive or negative, influence them in a matter of minutes. how can we convey our love for them? by choosing to enjoy the daily tasks we perform, embracing the moments that will never be back again...

...this is a daily process and a daily choice...

i really appreciate the honesty with which jamie writes, and the heart she has for helping moms.

another mom i have been encouraged by is megan at http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/ . (megan was previously the editor of simple kids- it was through her site that i ended up finding simple living media.) one post in particular i appreciated was this http://sortacrunchy.typepad.com/sortacrunchy/2010/03/when-the-fruits-of-parenting-begin-to-ripen-.html i find myself surprised sometimes at how strong my emotions can be, so this post made me think.

i don't know where each of you finds yourself today, but i hope that you may find something here to be of help~

POST EIGHT - SHOPPING TIP

so, this post is kind of an update on a previous post. i know some of you have

checked out money saving mom at http://moneysavingmom.com/. for those of you who haven't, she has a bunch of deals, freebies, coupons and general money saving tips, which i have definatly benefited from. recently she added on a "store deals" section which lists multiple stores and the deals you can find at them each week. it's pretty handy and i was really excited to see market basket on the list! it doesn't list everything you would find in the store flier, but some of the best deals.

hope you find it helpful!

- thanks for your comments with additional online freebies on my last post ladies!

CLUES OF DESPERATION - POST "D"

O.K. GANG (RYAN?). SO... THERE COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF REASONS AS TO WHY I HAVE ONLY RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE TO MY CHALLENGE. YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHERE I GIVE THE WINNER A FREE HAND-CRAFTED MUSIC MIX OF FIRST-RATE FOLK MUSIC (IF THIS IS NOT RINGING A BELL, PLEASE REFER TO POST "C"). ONE REASON MIGHT BE THAT IT IS IN FACT A VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGE. I WILL ADMIT THIS. PEOPLE TRYING THEIR HAND AT IT HAVE PROBABLY BECOME SO FRUSTRATED THAT THEY HAVE RESISTED THE TEMPTATION TO SEND ME ANGRY E-MAILS ME OR EVEN A FLUSTERED COMMENT OR TWO JUST OUT OF RAW BITTERNESS. IF I'M TALKING TO YOU RIGHT NOW, PLEASE KNOW THAT I'M SORRY AND INTENDED YOU NO HURT. ANOTHER REASON COULD BE THAT DUE TO SUCH SEVERE WINTER WEATHER THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS WINTER, YOU MAY HAVE LOST POWER AND ARE STILL WAITING TO GET IT BACK. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN YOU'RE REALLY AT A DISADVANTAGE. BUT WHENEVER YOU DO RETURN, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A HEARTY "WELCOME BACK!". ANOTHER REASON COULD BE THAT YOU HATE FOLK MUSIC. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT YOUR KIND ISN'T WELCOME AROUND THESE PARTS (AKA - BEAT FEET MUCHACHOS).

O.K., SO MAYBE I'M THE ONE BEING BITTER HERE. I'M OPEN TO THAT POSSIBILITY. THROWIN' A LITTLE BLOG TANTRUM CAUSE NOBODYS PAYIN' ATTENTION TO DOUG - I COULD SEE THAT. PERHAPS IT'S TIME FOR SOME SELF REFLECTION. BUT LET'S BE HONEST FOR A MINUTE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHO'S REALLY LOSING OUT HERE. NOT DOUG. PERHAPS HE'S DOWN AND OUT, CRYIN' INTO HIS OWN SLEEVE, BUT HE'S GOT SOME GOOD FOLK MUSIC TO CONSOLE HIM. WHAT ABOUT YOU FRIEND? YEAH, I DIDN'T THINK SO. HOWEVER... IT'S NOT TOO LATE! OUT OF DESPERATION, I HAVE DEVELOPED SOME VERY HELPFUL CLUES. HERE GOES:

> THIS ONE GOES WELL WITH MY MOANING AND GROANING. THIS IS A LINE FROM ONE OF MISS S.B.'s SONGS, "...HE LISTENED TO MY DREARS 'TIL DAWN...". SHE ALSO APPEARED IN THE FILM "ALICE IN THE CITIES" AND IS FROM GERMANY.

> MISS L.P. IS PRESENTLY A DENTIST AND ONE OF THE SONG TITLES FROM HER DEBUT ALBUM IS "CHIMACUM RAIN".

> MISS V.B. WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A MAN NAMED JOHN BUNYAN, BUT NOT THE ONE WHO WROTE PILGRIMS PROGRESS - HE DIED IN 1688.

> MISS K.D. WAS OF CHEROKEE DESCENT AND WAS SAID TO SOUND LIKE BILLIE HOLIDAY. SHE HAD PERFORMED WITH BOB DYLAN AND FRED NEIL IN THE DAYS OF THE GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLK SCENE.

IF YOU FISH SOMETHING UP, E-MAIL ME WITH ANSWERS AT COMMONWINGS@GMAIL.COM. THANKS GUYS, I HOPE MY HUMOR HASN'T OFFENDED. PEACE.

POST SEVEN- BOOKS TO LISTEN TO

so, for post seven (a bit overdue) i would encourage you to check out https://christianaudio.com/ each month the site has a free audio book available for download. i did it, and it really is free.

just click on the free downloads spot on the top right of the main page, a coupon code is listed, you enter it during checkout and then you can download the book! there are actually 2 this month. the cost of discipleship, by dietrich bonhoeffer and 50 reasons why Jesus came to die, by john piper. since i don't usually find a whole ton of time to sit and read i really like the idea of being able to listen while i am washing dishes, folding laundry, chasing kids etc... so, if you get a chance, check it out.

by the way- i know the picture is a little silly, and has nothing to do with audio books, but i kinda like it.

THE BIRD ENSEMBLE - POST "C"

DOUG HERE. YEAH I KNOW - I'M HAVING AN ALPHABETIC MALFUNCTION HERE. BAD BIRD. NOTTY BIRD. I'LL SAVE YOU MY AUTHENTIC & OVERWHELMINGLY CONVINCING EXCUSES. ALL THE SAME, DON'T GO GETTIN' YOUR FEATHERS IN A RUFFLE DEAR FRIENDS, CAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE IT UP TO YA. NOT ONLY AM I HERE TO DELIVER A POST OF EXCELLENCE, BUT I HAVE A CHALLENGE AS WELL. BUT FIRST THE POST...

AROUND THESE PARTS WE LISTEN TO A LOT OF MUSIC. A LOT. LEAH AND I LOVE IT. OUR CHILDREN LOVE IT. OUR DOGS LOVE IT. NO REALLY, THE KIDS CLEARLY ENJOY MUSIC A GREAT DEAL. THEY LOVE TO DANCE TO IT, TO CREATE IT WITH THEIR MANY INSTRUMENTS & AND TO SING SONGS THEY ARE LEARNING HERE OR THERE. TO A GREATER EXTENT, THIS APPLIES TO MY THREE AND A HALF YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SADIE. SHE REALLY RECOGNIZES MUSIC THAT SHE HAS HEARD BEFORE AND LIKES. QUITE A WAYS BACK, TO MY SURPRISE, THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR SET OF SONGS THAT SHE WAS TOTALLY ENAMOURED WITH - A FREE SESSION RELEASED BY A BAND THAT GOES BY THE NAME THE BIRD ENSEMBLE (MORE ON THEM LATER). SHE ENDLESSLY REQUESTED THAT WE PLAY THEM MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. SHE WOULD CLOSE HER EYES AND START DOIN' HER LITTLE BIRD ENSEMBLE GROOVE THING. IT WAS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED IT. FOR ONE THING, THE MUSIC IS TOTALLY INSTRUMENTAL, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON AROUND HERE, BUT WORDS SEEM TO BE IMPORTANT TO HER. THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE MUSIC IS NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE HAPPY, CLAPPY MUSIC - THE KIND THAT KIDS NATURALLY WANT TO JUMP AROUND TO. SO...WHAT'S THE ATTRACTION?

I PUZZLED OVER THIS. BUT I FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT THEY LIKE IT FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT I LIKE IT. ON THE FIRST LISTEN YOU'LL AT THE VERY LEAST CONNECT WITH THE BUILDING GROOVES THAT ARE PRESENT THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE SONGS, BUT THE THING THAT GOT ME THE MORE THAT I LISTENED TO IT WAS THIS UNDERLYING SENSE OF HOPE THAT THE MUSIC SEEMED TO PRODUCE IN ME. THERE IS A LOT OF MUSIC OUT THERE OF THE SAME STRIPE THAT STARTS OFF SLOW AND MYSTERIOUS AND BUILDS AND BUILDS TO THIS MOMENT OF REALIZATION AND THEN FIZZLES OUT, BUT THESE GUYS DO IT IN A MEANINGFUL AND ENGAGING WAY. THEY CONSISTENTLY TAKE ME DOWN A ROAD THAT LEADS ME TO A GOOD PLACE. THE MUSIC HAS IT'S MOMENTS OF DARK CONTEMPLATION AND RESTLESS QUESTIONS, BUT IT ALWAYS DELIVERS A WARM ANSWER. THE DRUMS ARE OFTEN SLOW, JAZZY AND PLODDING, TRANSITIONING INTO A GROWING, POST-ROCK MARCH OF EXALTATION. THE GUITAR IS ONLY EFFECTED ENOUGH TO GIVE IT A DREAMY, LIQUIDY QUALITY TO COINCIDE WITH THE WARMTH OF THE FAITHFUL RHODES. WITHOUT THE RHODES I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THIS MUSIC WOULD STAND UP SO WELL - IT'S PERFECT. AGAIN, THE MUSIC IS FREE RIGHT FROM THE BAND'S SITE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE DOWNLOADING IT AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN HELP. AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AS WELL - I WANT TO KNOW. http://www.thelastsongbook.com/essay.html.

NOW FOR THE CHALLENGE. THE WINNER OF THIS CHALLENGE WILL HAVE A HIGH CALIBER MUSIC MIX WITH HOMEMADE PACKAGING SPECIALLY DELIVERED FREE OF CHARGE TO YOUR FRONT DOORSTEP (OR BACKSTEP/CURBSIDE/POST OFFICE BOX/ETCETRA, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOUR MAILHUMAN LEAVES YOUR MAIL). I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKIN' - WOW, HOW GENEROUS OF YOU DOUG. NOT REALLY. I HAVE ULTERIOR MOTIVES. I'M HOPING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MANY OF YOU FINE FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY ON BOARD THE BIRD BLOG TRAIN. SO IF YOU LIKE SOME GOOD FOLK MUSIC AND SUB-GENRES THAT BRANCH AWAY FROM THERE, THEN WARM YOUR FINGER TIPS AND PREPARE TO GET YOUR GOOGLE GROOVE ON. HERE GOES:

IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, THERE IS RESURGENCE IN FOLK MUSIC HAPPENING THAT IS A SOMEWHAT UNDERGROUND PHENOMENON. IT'S BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE NEW FOLK MOVEMENT, THE NEW WEIRD AMERICA, THE FREAK-FOLK MOVEMENT, AND A FEW OTHERS. THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE SAID ABOUT THIS, BUT FOR TODAY'S PURPOSES, I'LL JUST SAY THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, WIN THE CONTEST, CAUSE LOTS OF THIS GOOD MUSIC WILL BE ON THE MIX. ANYHOW, MANY OF THESE MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR UNEARTHING OLD RECORDINGS OF SOME FANTASTIC FOLK MUSICIANS FROM THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES. THESE ARE OBSCURE ARTISTS WHOSE MUSIC NEVER GAINED COMMERCIAL SUCCESS IN IT'S TIME. MUCH OF IT IS BEING REISSUED AND DOCUMENTED NOW AND FOLKS LIKE MYSELF ARE REALLY ENJOYING IT. YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO NAME ONE OF THESE MUSICIANS (SORRY JOSH, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE FAIR FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE, AND NO HELPING SHANNA EITHER). HERE ARE TWO HINTS: 1.) THE FOLLOWING ARE THE INITIALS OF A FEW OF THE MUSICIANS THAT I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO: S.B. - V.B. - K.D - L.P. 2.) ALL OF THE INITIALS THAT I JUST GAVE YOU ARE OF FEMALE MUSICIANS. WHEN YOU HAVE AN ANSWER, SEND IT TO commonwings@gmail.com. ENJOY.

POST SIX - FOR THE BABIES

this is a short and sweet little post- a few links for anyone interested in making your own baby food. we are not currently in the world of baby food making, but when we were, i did some research and found some neat resources which i found to be really helpful! recently i found a website dedicated to homemade baby food and thought i would put the info out there for anyone who might find it useful. i know it sounds a little dorky, but i honestly thought it was pretty fun making baby food. its really simple, and i liked knowing exactly what i was giving the kids. it was so convenient to make a batch of food and freeze it in the ice cube tray (perfect serving size) and then store it to have on hand whenever i needed it. nothing extravagant or crazy- so, http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ is the website i used in making foods, and http://www.nurturebaby.com/

is the one i came across recently. hope you find the sites helpful!

POST FIVE - SIMPLE...

i don't know if anyone can relate, but i have really felt compelled (especially lately) to find ways to simplify my life. to get rid of the clutter - both figuratively and literally- and to come up with a better plan in approaching my day to day life. i have come across a couple resources lately which have encouraged me in this endeavor.

simple living media describes their mission in the following quote...

" In all our endeavors, we want to encourage people to live simpler lives. We want to provide words of inspiration, practical tips, and a sense of community for people who don’t buy that “having it all” equals happiness"

you can find simple living media at http://www.simplelivingmedia.com/

the site includes 5 different blogs...

simple kids- http://simplekids.net/

simple mom- http://simplemom.net/

simple organic- http://simpleorganic.net/

simple bites- http://www.simplebites.net/

simple homeschool- http://simplehomeschool.net/

i have enjoyed what i've read so far on these sites, and look forward to following them. the advice seems pretty practical and i appreciate the topics of the different blogs. so, if you get a chance check out simple living media.

POST FOUR - THE TORTILLA

so, for this week i am posting 4 yummy recipes that are easy to make using tortillas. (actually i have only tried 3 of them, but the 4th looks really good) thank you for the idea ang!

the first one is:
chicken-fajita tostada and you can get the recipe here http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chicken-fajita-tostadas
this one is really good and very easy!

the second one is:
a two cheese tortilla pizza (i don't have a link, but this one is from everyday food magazine)

ingredients
-4 whole wheat tortillas (8inch)
-3 tsp olive oil
-2 cans (14.5ozs each) diced tomatoes, drained
-3/4 cup grated mozzarella
-1oz pecorino romano shaved with a vegetable peeler
-1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives halved
-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/2 cup fresh basil roughly torn

to make
-preheat oven to 450 with racks in upper & lower thirds. place tortillas on 2 rimmed baking sheets brush with 1 tsp oil. top with tomatoes, cheeses, olives and red pepper flakes. bake until crust is crisp and browned, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. top pizzas with basil.
now, i dont follow the recipe fully- i skip the romano, use dried basil, add seasoning, add pepperoni... you can use whatever, its a quick yummy little pizza to make.

the third one is:
a grilled tortilla with cheese and pear. just heat some olive oil in a skillet put a whole wheat tortilla in. lay some cheese (cheddar is good) and some thinly sliced pear on top. now, you can either put another tortilla on top or fold this one over and cook flipping until each side is slightly browned and the cheese is melted. it may sound a little funny, but its good.

the fourth one is:
a fruity pizza (recipe from kiwi magazine) which i haven't tried yet, but looks good.

ingredients
-6 10-inch regular or whole wheat tortillas
-1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
-4 tsp turbinado sugar (regular sugar will be fine but the turbinado offers a yummy crunch)
-1tsp powdered cinnamon
-1/2cup seedless raspberry jam, room temperature
-2ozs white chocolate grated
-12 fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

to make
1. preheat oven to 350
2. use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to make 12 hearts out of the 6 tortillas. (this is from the february issue:) place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3. with a pastry brush spread a thin layer of melted butter evenly on all tortillas. sprinkle the sugar on all the hearts, about 1/3 tsp each, then dust with the powdered cinnamon.
4. bake for 3 minutes until light golden brown. remove from oven.
5. spread the raspberry jam on the tortillas, about 1/2 tsp to 3/4 tsp each, then sprinkle grated while chocolate on top.
6. bake again for 2 minutes. remove from the oven and add sliced strawberries. serve warm or cold.

so, i hope you give one of these a try and enjoy it as much as i do!

POST THREE - FREECYCLE

so, its week 3. this week i wanted to encourage you to check out freecycle! i know that many of you are familiar with freecycle, but for those of you who may not be, it is described on the website as " a grassroots movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns." you can find the site at http://www.freecycle.org/ now, to be honest, this is a resource that i have not used nearly as much as i know i could- especially not recently- when i first learned about freecycle i used it quite a bit- and really enjoyed being able to give things away, and receive things i was looking for... all for free!! i joined groups in our area and receive email updates which include offer posts- people giving, and wanted posts- people looking for an item. items posted vary- some recent posts include... crockpot and senseo coffee maker, bubble wrap and packing peanuts, remote control color tv, adult knee pads, plug in night light... and there is a new list pretty much every day. membership is free and a local volunteer moderator runs each local group. so, if you haven't already, check freecycle out!

now, to follow up on post one- i have completed a project from amanda blake soules book, handmade home. i made... "millie's hot pad" !! (pictured above) actually i completed one and have another one almost done. its basically a little pot holder, made using fabric scraps and some old quilted material. i also used bias tape for the edge (a new experience for me- pretty cool stuff) the instructions were easy to follow- very user friendly- which i appreciated as i am not much of a seamstress, and generally have issues following patterns in the craft/art realm. so, if anyone is in need of a new pot holder, let me know...

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "B"

HOWDY. DOUG HERE. THIS WOULD BE MAN POST NUMBER 2, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER B.

QUESTION #1: DO YOU LIKE BOOKS?

QUESTION #2: DO YOU LIKE STRANGE MIXTURES OF STRANGE COLORS & ODDLY DOODLESOME ART WORK?

QUESTION#3: DO YOU REMEMBER THE WAY YOU FELT AS A KID WHEN YOU WATCHED SESAME STREET (WE'RE TALKIN' OLD-SCHOOL PSYCHEDELIC SESAME STREET HERE). I'M THINKING THAT THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, SCHOOL HOUSE ROCKS, THE BANANA SPLITS AND EVEN GUMBY COULD WORK FOR THIS ILLUSTRATION (AM I AGING MYSELF HERE)? IF YOU DID VIEW ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS AND HAD AN ACCOMPANYING FEELING, WAS IT A PLEASANT FEELING (THAT WOULD BE QUESTION #4)?

IF YOU ANSWERED YES TO EVEN ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS THEN YOU REALLY SHOULD SCOPE OUT BOOK BY IT'S COVER. THIS IS A BLOG RUN BY JULIA ROTHMAN, AN ILLUSTRATOR & PATTERN DESIGNER FROM BROOKLYN, NY. JULIA IS CLEARLY GIFTED AT FINDING BOOKS THAT ARE OBSCURE, PECULIAR & VISUALLY STRIKING. SHE REVIEWS THESE BOOKS IN DETAIL WITH NUMEROUS IMAGES TO BOOT FOR EACH ONE. I BELIEVE I CAME ACROSS HER WHILE SEARCHING OUT A BOOK FOR MY DAUGHTER SADIE THAT LIKEWISE FELL INTO THE PLEASANTLY WEIRD CATEGORY. FOR INSTANCE, I WAS JUST CHECKING OUT A BOOK SHE REVIEWED A WHILE BACK CALLED VISUAL AID. IT'S A COLLECTION OF DIAGRAMS, CHARTS & VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF ALL KINDS OF STRANGE AND INTERESTING FACTOIDS THAT EXIST IN THE UNIVERSE. EACH IS DONE UP WITH SOME VERY COOL RETRO IMAGES AND TEXT. INCLUDED ARE CHARTS OF INDIGENOUS DWELLINGS, A DIAGRAM OF A TONGUE AND IT'S AREAS OF TASTE - YOU NAME IT. VERY FUN LEARNING. SHE REVIEWS NEW BOOKS AND OLD FINDS, AS WELL AS BOOKS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. IN ADDITION SHE FEATURES MAGAZINES, SKETCH BOOKS, COMICS, HANDMADE ITEMS & VARIOUS OTHER THINGS. WITH TITLES LIKE ORANGE DAY HARMONY, THE LATKE WHO COULDN'T STOP SCREAMING (WHICH BY THE WAY IS A CHRISTMAS STORY), & BALLOON FOR A BLUNDERBUS, HOW COULD YOU GO WRONG. I MEAN REALLY.

APART FROM BEING VERY HIP, THIS WOULD FALL INTO THE UNDER THE RADAR CATEGORY IN TERMS OF MY RATIONAL FOR POSTING IT. THEREFORE, THESE ITEMS MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE CHEAP. IN MOST CASES THEY PROBABLY AREN'T. HOWEVER, YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING HERE WORTH ROLLING YOUR PENNIES FOR. A SIDE NOTE: I HAVEN'T SIFTED THRU THE ENTIRE SITE, SO BE AWARE THAT THERE MAY BE IMAGES THAT YOU DON'T WANT THE SMALL PEOPLE SEEING. WITH SKETCH BOOKS, IT'S POSSIBLE. I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS ANY YET, BUT I FIGURED I OUGHTA (WHY I OUGHTA!) THROW THAT OUT THERE. IF YOU COME ACROSS ANYTHING ON THE SITE THAT YOU REALLY LIKE, LET ME KNOW. THANKS FOR READING. SEE YOU IN TWO WEEKS. LOOK FOR THE LINK BELOW. DOUG http://www.book-by-its-cover.com/

POST TWO - A MOM WHO SAVES

so, i am slightly over the one week mark (a bit late as usual:) thank you so much to everyone who is checking this out and for your very kind words!

for this week i wanted to pass on the link to a site i have really benefited from. it is called money saving mom and you can find it at
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

this is one of the moms i had in mind when i wrote last week and said i am

not super mom who only spends $3.47 a week on groceries. i am continually amazed at how little money she is able to spend especially on groceries.

i have found lots of printable coupons, links to free samples, and money saving ideas in general on this site. like... $2 off deodorant so i paid less than 50 cents for it, johnson & johnson coupons that i have used to get free buddies soaps- which the kids think are really cool... return address labels for super cheap, and Christmas cards for less than$7 (yes the ones in the snowbank which by the way our landlord found yesterday:) ...
i check the site regularly especially as it is updated all the time with new links. the mom who runs the site seems to really be committed to being wise with what she has, and letting others know about what she has learned and resources she has found. she often links to other neat blogs which is cool. i have been encouraged to try to make changes in the ways our family uses what God has given us, and i hope you find this site helpful too!

since there was no real picture to post for this site, i decided to feature " mr carrot" our now deceased snowman.

oh, and just in case you were wondering no, i have not yet started on my "handmade home" project. i'm still debating what to try, and am hopeful to have it done by next week...

POST ONE - HOMEMADE HOME

so here we are. my first post. to be honest i am pretty excited about this, and a bit intimidated. i have been checking out blogs on money saving, thriftiness, simple living, etc for a while now and have found myself both encouraged and overwhelmed. lately i have been learning to remind myself that its okay that i am me and not super mom who has amazing artistic abilities a perfectly clean house awesome dinners every nite and only spends $3.47 a week on groceries. so i hope in these posts to pass on some of the ideas i find about creative ways to save money, handmade projects, ways to simplify life, encouragement in faith, and other things i come across along the way.a recent inspiration i have found in this realm has been a book i received for Christmas (thanks mess) called "handmade home" by amanda blake soule. i think its definately worth checking out. the focus of the book is on creating new things from old items. anything from mouse pads to beach blankets- there are some really neat projects in the book! you can also check amanda blake soule out online at http://www.soulemama.com/i really like the "elf hat" she has pictured in her jan 12th post. so, my thought is to pick one of the projects from the book, with a goal of completing it in 2 weeks (i am trying to be realistic here). i will let you know how things go, and post some pictures for you of the final product.please feel free to comment with any thoughts via the comment link at the bottom of each post.well i think thats it for my first post. thanks for reading, there will be more coming your way soon...

POST A - WELCOME TO THE WELCOME WAGON!

GREETINGS ONE & ALL (OR NONE @ ALL), THIS IS DOUG COOPER, THE MALE HALF OF "BIRDS OF A FEATHER." THIS IS MY FIRST POST FOR THE PUBLIC @ LARGE. MY INTENTION IS TO POINT FOLKS IN A GOOD DIRECTION FROM TIME TO TIME (EVERY TWO WEEKS OR SO). MORE SPECIFICALLY, I HOPE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO GOOD ART - MUSIC, FILM, LITERATURE, IMAGE & THINGS OF THE LIKE. NARROWING IT DOWN MORESO, I'LL BE FOCUSING ON MEDIA THAT IS EITHER LEGALLY FREE, UNDER THE RADAR, OR CHANGING LIVES FOR THE GOOD (THESE QUALITIES MAY OVERLAP @ TIMES). FOR THOSE WHO WILL NOT SHARE MY TASTE I APOLOGIZE (KINDA), IT CAN BE A BIT ECENTRIC/ECLECTIC. HOWEVER, IT WILL BE QUITE TAME FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS BLOG. BOTH LEAH & I INTEND TO CHOOSE OUR TOPICS CAREFULLY WITH THE HOPES THAT IN MOST CASES THEY WILL LEND THEMSELVES TO PEOPLE BOTH BIG & SMALL, MALE & FEMALE (I AM RESISTING THE TEMPTATION TO GO ON WITH THIS LIST OF OPPOSITES ON INTO ABSURDITY), ETC... PLEASE OFFER ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, ETC... I LOVE THAT STUFF.

FOR MY FIRST POST I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE WELCOME WAGON, A.K.A. VITO & MONIQUE AIUTO, A HUSBAND & WIFE FOLK DUO OF SORTS (FOLK/POP/GOSPEL/ETC). THEY WRITE MUSIC THAT IS VERY MUCH ROOTED IN THEIR FAITH AS CHRISTIANS. IN FACT, VITO AND MONIQUE FOUNDED A PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN BROOKLYN, NY, OF WHICH VITO IS THE REVEREND. HOWEVER, DON'T LET THIS LEAD YOU TO ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THEIR SOUND. THIS IS NOT BILL & GLORIA GAITHER THAT WERE TALKIN' ABOUT HERE (PLEASE TAKE NO OFFENSE). THEIR MUSIC IS BOTH INVENTIVE & ORIGINAL, MAINLY TO THEIR OWN CREDIT. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THOUGH, THAT THEIR SOUND IS SHAPED IN NO SMALL PART BY THEIR COLLABORATION WITH SUFJAN STEVENS WHO ALSO RECORDED & PRODUCED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM. SUFJAN IS ANOTHER FAVORITE AROUND OUR HOUSE - HE'S A STAPLE ON THE INDIE MUSIC SCENE & AN OLD TIME CHUM OF VITOS. IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED SUFJAN OUT BEFORE NOW, PLEASE DO SO, HE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. IN FACT THE WELCOME WAGON IS SIGNED TO SUFJAN'S RECORD LABEL --> http://asthmatickitty.com/.

JUST RECENTLY, THE WELCOME WAGON RELEASED AN EP OF OUTTAKES AND DEMOS ENTITLED, PURITY OF HEART IS TO WILL ONE THING. ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE ALBUM GO TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FREESET (http://freesetglobal.com/who-we-are.html). HERE'S A QUOTE FROM ASTHMATICKITTY, "Freeset is a fair-trade business in India that helps to liberate and empower women escaping the sex trade in the largest red-light district in Kolkata (Calcutta), India." SO CLEARLY THIS WOULD BE MONEY WELL SPENT - $3.96 EQUALS GOOD MUSIC (FOUR TUNES WORTH) & ONE STEP TOWARD THE LIBERATION OF ENSLAVED WOMEN. HERE IS A LINK TO THE MUSIC --> http://asthmatickitty.com/purity-of-heart. ALSO, HERE'S A VIDEO TO GET YOU MORE ACQUAINTED WITH WHO THESE FOLKS ARE AND WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE:

A SIDE NOTE: I DO REALIZE THAT SOME FOLKS READING THIS BLOG MAY NOT NECESSARILY JIBE WITH THINGS RELATING TO MATTERS OF FAITH. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THIS RECOMMENDATION MAY NOT BE YOUR CUP OF TEA. ALL THE SAME, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK THESE GUYS OUT, BECAUSE THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THE WELCOME WAGON IS AN ENJOYABLE RIDE, IRRESPECTIVE OF ANYTHING. AND I THINK THIS MAY BE SAID OF FUTURE POSTS AS WELL. LEAH & I WILL INEVITABLY RECOMMEND & REFERENCE THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO OUR OWN FAITH, BUT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WE'LL BE PUTTING UP HERE SHOULD BE FAIRLY ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS OF ALL FABRICS. FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR OWN THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER. PEACE & BACON GREASE - DOUG

POST ZERO - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

happy 5th anniversary babe!! surprise! - a small token of my love for you. this is both a gift & a challenge.

the gift: a thrifty blog! that's my best general way of describing it. it's a creative outlet of sorts - a way for you to continue your pursuit of thriftiness, simplicity & good stewardship as a way of life for our family. beyond this, it's an opportunity for you to share with our friends & family all of the totally rad ideas, deals, & other such bits of free & discounted goodness you've been tracking down so that they too can partake. i call it a thrifty blog (as opposed to a "mommy blog", etc...) because i hope it will be a good resource to not only moms or families or even women, but anybody who is trying to be smarter about the way that they use their money, time, stuff, world, etc... this is probably starting to sound intimidating & i haven't even laid out the challenge yet.

the challenge: in the spirit of julie & julia, (which is in part responsible for inspiring both this blog and the challenge that follows) i hereby challenge you to maintain this blog for one calendar year with the goal of making 52 entries (one for each week of the year). what you choose to do with these entries is completely up to you. are you alone in this endeavor? not quite. being the brave knight that i am, i would not have you to go it alone. i too will contribute!!

posts: this particular post has been labeled "post zero" with a little phrase tagged on to let folks know what the post is about. you will start with "post one" along with the corresponding tag thingy and will continue in this way, week by week, until you finish off the last week of december 2010 with "post fifty-two." with this in mind, you should put out your first two posts prior to january 15th in order to set a good pace ;-) as for me? i will be posting thru the alphabet: a thru z (26 posts in all). that's one every two weeks. my posts will focus on the arts: music, art, film, etc... (surprise, surprise) i'll be focusing on media that is free, off the radar, or that promotes important change.

from here on out i will post in all caps (the way that i write by hand), and you will post in all lower case (the way that you write by hand). so...here we go! together. love you. (i almost wrote "i love you my dove" to go along with the bird theme, but didn't in order to save you from being embarrassed in front of all of our reading pals).