I just received a comment from someone indicating several of his previous comments have not been posted, and he wondered if I deleted them. He's not the first to mention this issue.
Just so everyone knows, I very, very seldom delete comments unless they're vulgar, full of profanity, or advertising something. So if your comments are not getting posted, it means I never got them. Honestly! They're not in my spam folder either - they just seem to disappear. I'm not kidding, even my husband posted a comment this morning and it hasn't come through for moderation. Where it went, I have no idea.
So if your comments aren't getting posted, it doesn't mean I'm deleting them, it simply means I haven't seen them. We've had one or two people figure out what the problem was on their end, so if they'd be kind enough to post how they overcame those issues, I'd be grateful. Thanks!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Violating Federal Case Law
Your Sunday morning thought. This was sent by a reader. I don't know if it's true or if it's an urban myth, but it makes for a good read.
________________________________
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School in Kingston, Tennessee by school Principal Jody McLeod.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country.
“Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.
“I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity by dispensing condoms and calling it "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.
“I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem...
“I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology."
“I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.”
“However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.
“This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical. Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.
”Nevertheless, as a school principal I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
“For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.
"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM in the name of JESUS, to bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.
They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box.
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America – the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."
JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER."
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Her future husband
My oldest daughter and I were heading into the city a couple of weeks ago. We stopped in our local town for gas. Another vehicle was also pulled up and a teenager was pumping gas into his family's car, but I didn't pay him much attention.
I went inside to get my change. As I got back into the car I saw my fourteen-year-old daughter turned around in her seat, staring after the car that was driving away.
Before I could ask what she was looking at, she settled back in her seat and announced (to my considerable surprise), "I just saw my future husband."
Well, this took a little digesting on my part. I asked what it was about the young man that caught her attention.
She started ticking off points on her fingers. "He's Christian, because the car had Christian bumper stickers," she began. "He's about my age but not in school, so he must be homeschooled. He wasn't slouching, texting, and didn't have his jeans around his knees. He had blond curls, like the 'little people' in legends. He was wearing a beret, which I love but no one, especially teenage boys, would be caught dead in around here. And finally, he was wearing a 'Lord of the Rings: Return of the King' t-shirt."
After a long pause, she added “It’s kind of a pity I’ll never see him again."
Upon reflection, that's not a bad list of character traits for a fourteen-year-old to assemble about her future husband. Pity she'll never see him again.
I went inside to get my change. As I got back into the car I saw my fourteen-year-old daughter turned around in her seat, staring after the car that was driving away.
Before I could ask what she was looking at, she settled back in her seat and announced (to my considerable surprise), "I just saw my future husband."
Well, this took a little digesting on my part. I asked what it was about the young man that caught her attention.
She started ticking off points on her fingers. "He's Christian, because the car had Christian bumper stickers," she began. "He's about my age but not in school, so he must be homeschooled. He wasn't slouching, texting, and didn't have his jeans around his knees. He had blond curls, like the 'little people' in legends. He was wearing a beret, which I love but no one, especially teenage boys, would be caught dead in around here. And finally, he was wearing a 'Lord of the Rings: Return of the King' t-shirt."
After a long pause, she added “It’s kind of a pity I’ll never see him again."
Upon reflection, that's not a bad list of character traits for a fourteen-year-old to assemble about her future husband. Pity she'll never see him again.
Snark of the week (please see the UPDATES below)
This was posted as a comment to my "I Am a Criminal" post, but I just had to highlight it.
___________________
You are truly a moron. Week after week you write barely coherent little articles that truly show what a moron you are. Not only is the content ridiculous, but your grammer is horrible.
- Jake
___________________
Is this where I get to gleefully point out that Jake misspelled "grammer"?
Like all good criticism, Jake's opinion is long on name-calling and short on logical reasons why he finds my columns "barely coherent" and "ridiculous." Not to mention full of horrible "grammer."
Hee hee, love this stuff. Particular since he admits he reads my "little articles" week after week. As well as found his way to my blog.
Thank you, Jake. I always appreciate a good compliment.
___________________
Some more communications from Jake, who apparently follows my blog quite closely:
This is not "grace under fire." I am a conservative Christian, who hates to see my faith polluted by ignorance. I pray that one day you will repent and own up to the fact that spreading hate and stupidity are not approaches to being "salt and light" upon the earth. You don't even know what a "constitutional conservative" represents. As for being a "gun-toting homeschooling...whatever" you prove two things: that violence is a part of your DNA, and that you know little about American history. One of the greatest accomplishments of American was to create a public school system that enabled all children -- all GOD's children -- to attend school and to learn from each other -- ie., children from all backgrounds.
I stand behind my original post. You are a moron.
And another:
PS. Just showed your website to my Sunday School class. Also, humbled myself before my students over making sure to check for misspelled words. The students loved that part. I use your website as an example of what happends when individuals forget our American and religious roots. How words can incite hatred. How instead of working towards peace, understanding, and reconciliation, individuals can too proud.
(My note: "happends" doesn't have a "d".)
___________________
You are truly a moron. Week after week you write barely coherent little articles that truly show what a moron you are. Not only is the content ridiculous, but your grammer is horrible.
- Jake
___________________
Is this where I get to gleefully point out that Jake misspelled "grammer"?
Like all good criticism, Jake's opinion is long on name-calling and short on logical reasons why he finds my columns "barely coherent" and "ridiculous." Not to mention full of horrible "grammer."
Hee hee, love this stuff. Particular since he admits he reads my "little articles" week after week. As well as found his way to my blog.
Thank you, Jake. I always appreciate a good compliment.
___________________
Some more communications from Jake, who apparently follows my blog quite closely:
This is not "grace under fire." I am a conservative Christian, who hates to see my faith polluted by ignorance. I pray that one day you will repent and own up to the fact that spreading hate and stupidity are not approaches to being "salt and light" upon the earth. You don't even know what a "constitutional conservative" represents. As for being a "gun-toting homeschooling...whatever" you prove two things: that violence is a part of your DNA, and that you know little about American history. One of the greatest accomplishments of American was to create a public school system that enabled all children -- all GOD's children -- to attend school and to learn from each other -- ie., children from all backgrounds.
I stand behind my original post. You are a moron.
And another:
PS. Just showed your website to my Sunday School class. Also, humbled myself before my students over making sure to check for misspelled words. The students loved that part. I use your website as an example of what happends when individuals forget our American and religious roots. How words can incite hatred. How instead of working towards peace, understanding, and reconciliation, individuals can too proud.
(My note: "happends" doesn't have a "d".)
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Social Skills of Woodlice
Here is my latest RegularGuy column, this one on homeschooling, called The Social Skills of Woodlice. Enjoy!
This is what worries me
Here's an AP article called "Midnight grocery runs capture economic desperation." It encapsulates perfectly my concerns about our country's economic instability and dependence on outside sources for our basic needs.
The article details how people who depend on food stamps start shopping around midnight at large retail grocers such as Walmart and Krogers. The writing captures how close the shoppers are to destitution and desperation.
And it got me thinking. What happens if the money dries up? Or worse, what happens if the food and other supplies don't get delivered to the stores? These people are utterly, totally dependent on both - food stamps and regular deliveries - and quite literally their lives would be in danger if there were disruptions.
Our - and by "our" I mean "America's" - dependence on other people to supply us with life's basic necessities is a trend that has gotten more and more extreme in the last hundred years. Most people used to live on farms, and for those who lived in towns their food was still fairly local (farmers would come into the cities and sell their produce).
Today, local economies are virtually nonexistent. And the few places that DO have local economies are in danger (once again) of being shut down by our own government. As a result, everyone - our family included - is dependent upon unseen faceless people and entities to supply us with our daily needs.
It scares me. It scares me because I don't like seeing innocent people suffer because of this dependence. If there is a wide-scale disruption in society - say, an EMP weapon taking out the national power grid - then few people have backup resources or skills, and a lot of innocent people may die.
So what can be done? I don't know. Perhaps we've gone too far and there's no turning back. Thoughts?
The article details how people who depend on food stamps start shopping around midnight at large retail grocers such as Walmart and Krogers. The writing captures how close the shoppers are to destitution and desperation.
And it got me thinking. What happens if the money dries up? Or worse, what happens if the food and other supplies don't get delivered to the stores? These people are utterly, totally dependent on both - food stamps and regular deliveries - and quite literally their lives would be in danger if there were disruptions.
Our - and by "our" I mean "America's" - dependence on other people to supply us with life's basic necessities is a trend that has gotten more and more extreme in the last hundred years. Most people used to live on farms, and for those who lived in towns their food was still fairly local (farmers would come into the cities and sell their produce).
Today, local economies are virtually nonexistent. And the few places that DO have local economies are in danger (once again) of being shut down by our own government. As a result, everyone - our family included - is dependent upon unseen faceless people and entities to supply us with our daily needs.
It scares me. It scares me because I don't like seeing innocent people suffer because of this dependence. If there is a wide-scale disruption in society - say, an EMP weapon taking out the national power grid - then few people have backup resources or skills, and a lot of innocent people may die.
So what can be done? I don't know. Perhaps we've gone too far and there's no turning back. Thoughts?
Random pix
Yes, that's a giraffe. Sort of. These shots were taken in Spokane the other night when the girls and I got home late. We stopped at a traffic light which had a used car dealer on one corner. This car dealer's "schtick" was to put an enormous stuffed animal on top each vehicle. It is certainly eye-catching! And, at dusk, surreal.
I was driving on our dirt road the other morning when I noticed mountain bluebirds flitting about. Normally we get western bluebirds around here, but once in awhile we get the more stunning (because it's all blue) mountain bluebird.
But they're hard to photograph because they flit away when you get too close. So I set the camera on maximum resolution and just took some shots, hoping I could crop them and see the birds more clearly. Not the best option, but at least they're visible.
We were driving past the lake the other day when I noticed a huge collection of coots. They tend to gather in clusters in the fall, and this cluster was enormous - I'm guessing several thousand birds. So I pulled over to see if I could photograph them. Not the clearest shots, and I couldn't get them all in one photo because they were strung out in a long line. (It's the thin black line on the water below.)
We also noticed this funky fungus growing on a tree. Anyone know what it is?
I was driving on our dirt road the other morning when I noticed mountain bluebirds flitting about. Normally we get western bluebirds around here, but once in awhile we get the more stunning (because it's all blue) mountain bluebird.
But they're hard to photograph because they flit away when you get too close. So I set the camera on maximum resolution and just took some shots, hoping I could crop them and see the birds more clearly. Not the best option, but at least they're visible.
We were driving past the lake the other day when I noticed a huge collection of coots. They tend to gather in clusters in the fall, and this cluster was enormous - I'm guessing several thousand birds. So I pulled over to see if I could photograph them. Not the clearest shots, and I couldn't get them all in one photo because they were strung out in a long line. (It's the thin black line on the water below.)
We also noticed this funky fungus growing on a tree. Anyone know what it is?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Maxine on health care
Let me get this straight.
We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president who also smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese,
and financed by a country that's broke.
What the hell could possibly go wrong?
Awwww shucks.....
In the last couple of days I just happened to receive some of the nicest emails and/or comments. I thought I would post them here by way of thanks.
____________________________
Dear Patrice,
I hope you don't mind me calling you Patrice, but I feel like I know you from following your blog. I just wanted to thank you for giving us "suburbanites" a look at what it REALLY is like to live the homesteading life. My husband even enjoys reading your blog, and he isn't big on reading too much of anything. I loved your post on hoarding (Aug 18 2010), and I love that fact that you speak your mind and say it like it is. Good luck with your newly planted wheat field. I wish there were more people like you, but then again it looks like I am living in the wrong area then. The pictures you post on your blog are priceless as well. The look from your backyard is definitely more appealing than mine- I look across the driveway at a long line of apartment buildings and a parking lot, with constant noise from a highway right behind us.
I don't know if you get a chance to read each email you receive, but I wanted to take a moment of my time and yours to say thank you again and to let you know your blog does make a difference. May God bless you and your family (and Lydia!)
Cathy in PA
____________________________
Hi Patrice,
I wanted you to know that I read your blog everyday and I finally realized WHY just the other day - it makes me feel closer to God and further away from 'The World', if you get my drift. Does that shock you? I read Drudge and WND everyday (plus a few others) and then I find myself immediately going to your blog to see what you are homeschooling your kids about or what you are canning or what you are writing about or what the temperature is there or whatever small trial God sends you (sorry about your clothesline!). You and your blessed family are a breath of fresh air and a delightful anchor in these fast-moving & alarming times. I have absolutely no control over the world events that are happening all around us, so I think of this whenever I read your material: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8
God Bless,
Janet in MA
____________________________
Reading your blog and that of Paratus Familia makes my heart sing. You have no idea how much I learn from you. We're buying property for community family bug out place and all of us have jobs/skills we're taking on. You keep me smiling, keep me honest about how hard it can be and I thank God for you.
____________________________
Dear Patrice;
I am one of those people who spends a lot of time on the news when I am on the Internet (we don't have TV). I read a lot of HotAir.com, FOX news, Rush, and conservative things of that nature. I find your blog a place of peace and sanity after all the crap I read during the day. When I'm really tense, I go there to unwind. I hope, after my husband gets his degree, we might be able to move up to your neck of the woods. I know farm living is a lot of work, but I'd love to live as you do (minus the dropped laundry line...LOL).
While I am a Taoist, and not a Christian, I am glad you are what you are. You bring a little peace into my world, and your descriptions and pics of your everyday living are very soothing to me. I found your blog by accident one day, and I return to it when the Internet shows me too much of a world gone greedy and power-mad.
Anyway, thank you.
Indira
Idaho City
____________________________
Folks, I can't tell you how much these comments mean to me. As you can imagine, keeping up a blog can be hard work. While most of the time it's fun, there are times it's tedious as well. It's feedback like this that absolutely makes my day.
So thank you. Thank you all.
____________________________
Dear Patrice,
I hope you don't mind me calling you Patrice, but I feel like I know you from following your blog. I just wanted to thank you for giving us "suburbanites" a look at what it REALLY is like to live the homesteading life. My husband even enjoys reading your blog, and he isn't big on reading too much of anything. I loved your post on hoarding (Aug 18 2010), and I love that fact that you speak your mind and say it like it is. Good luck with your newly planted wheat field. I wish there were more people like you, but then again it looks like I am living in the wrong area then. The pictures you post on your blog are priceless as well. The look from your backyard is definitely more appealing than mine- I look across the driveway at a long line of apartment buildings and a parking lot, with constant noise from a highway right behind us.
I don't know if you get a chance to read each email you receive, but I wanted to take a moment of my time and yours to say thank you again and to let you know your blog does make a difference. May God bless you and your family (and Lydia!)
Cathy in PA
____________________________
Hi Patrice,
I wanted you to know that I read your blog everyday and I finally realized WHY just the other day - it makes me feel closer to God and further away from 'The World', if you get my drift. Does that shock you? I read Drudge and WND everyday (plus a few others) and then I find myself immediately going to your blog to see what you are homeschooling your kids about or what you are canning or what you are writing about or what the temperature is there or whatever small trial God sends you (sorry about your clothesline!). You and your blessed family are a breath of fresh air and a delightful anchor in these fast-moving & alarming times. I have absolutely no control over the world events that are happening all around us, so I think of this whenever I read your material: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8
God Bless,
Janet in MA
____________________________
Reading your blog and that of Paratus Familia makes my heart sing. You have no idea how much I learn from you. We're buying property for community family bug out place and all of us have jobs/skills we're taking on. You keep me smiling, keep me honest about how hard it can be and I thank God for you.
____________________________
Dear Patrice;
I am one of those people who spends a lot of time on the news when I am on the Internet (we don't have TV). I read a lot of HotAir.com, FOX news, Rush, and conservative things of that nature. I find your blog a place of peace and sanity after all the crap I read during the day. When I'm really tense, I go there to unwind. I hope, after my husband gets his degree, we might be able to move up to your neck of the woods. I know farm living is a lot of work, but I'd love to live as you do (minus the dropped laundry line...LOL).
While I am a Taoist, and not a Christian, I am glad you are what you are. You bring a little peace into my world, and your descriptions and pics of your everyday living are very soothing to me. I found your blog by accident one day, and I return to it when the Internet shows me too much of a world gone greedy and power-mad.
Anyway, thank you.
Indira
Idaho City
____________________________
Folks, I can't tell you how much these comments mean to me. As you can imagine, keeping up a blog can be hard work. While most of the time it's fun, there are times it's tedious as well. It's feedback like this that absolutely makes my day.
So thank you. Thank you all.
More mushrooms
After posting photos of the Shaggy Mane mushrooms a few days ago, I went out and photographed some more specimens we had scattered around. I also did some reading up on Shaggy Manes and learned that yes, they are edible. That said, you couldn't pay me to eat them. I'm not enough of a mushroom aficionado to risk my life eating wild mushrooms. Call me fussy.
Shaggy Manes apparently can't be grown commercially because they're so short-lived. Within hours of picking, they dissolve into black "ink." Even in the wild, they turn to ink quickly.
Here's the photo I originally put on the blog:
...and the exact same group twenty-four hours later.
You can see the spatters of black ink on the ground beneath the umbrellas. Not exactly as tasty-looking, are they?
Here are some more mushroom shots just for fun.
Can you see the edges just turning to ink?
This one is pretty much on its last gasp.
Shaggy Manes apparently can't be grown commercially because they're so short-lived. Within hours of picking, they dissolve into black "ink." Even in the wild, they turn to ink quickly.
Here's the photo I originally put on the blog:
...and the exact same group twenty-four hours later.
You can see the spatters of black ink on the ground beneath the umbrellas. Not exactly as tasty-looking, are they?
Here are some more mushroom shots just for fun.
Can you see the edges just turning to ink?
This one is pretty much on its last gasp.
Attack of the clones...er, hens
Some of our chickens.
One of our barn cats, JJ.
So the other day Don and I were in the barn shooting tankards (meaning, spraying a coat of varnish on the outside of the tankards using a spray gun). All of a sudden JJ comes barreling into the barn and crashes into my legs, with a hen in hot pursuit. (Here's the culprit.)
JJ bounced away from me and crouched behind the poor protection of a ladder...
...where he regarded the chickens with deep suspicion.
Meanwhile, knowing poor JJ couldn't go anywhere, our quartet of half-grown chicks settled in the doorway, where they refused to budge.
Ah, the little dramas of farm life.
One of our barn cats, JJ.
 |
So the other day Don and I were in the barn shooting tankards (meaning, spraying a coat of varnish on the outside of the tankards using a spray gun). All of a sudden JJ comes barreling into the barn and crashes into my legs, with a hen in hot pursuit. (Here's the culprit.)
JJ bounced away from me and crouched behind the poor protection of a ladder...
...where he regarded the chickens with deep suspicion.
Meanwhile, knowing poor JJ couldn't go anywhere, our quartet of half-grown chicks settled in the doorway, where they refused to budge.
Ah, the little dramas of farm life.
Well I'll bet THIS went over like a lead balloon...
This is a Valedictorian speech given by someone named Erica Goldson. Although I think it's brilliant, I can't imagine it sat well with the school administrators listening to it.
Go Erica! And good luck with your future.
Go Erica! And good luck with your future.
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