Progressive Pioneer

Same, Same But Different

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw is an amazing  writer and illustrator and an absolutely lovely person.  She sent our family a copy of her latest book to check out, and we loved it.  You can win the same book HERE!  Sam thought it was especially neat because one of the boys in the story is from India and says, "Namaste."  (You may remember me writing about our neighbor who Sam calls "Namaste."  We're now helping his daughter-in-law learn English!)  Sam loved talking about what was the same and what was different, and tying that in to our neighbors.  The message of the book is so sweet and peaceful, but not heavy-handed.  What it succeeds best at is being entertaining, bright and enjoyable to read.  I'm so glad to have it as part of our collection and love that Sam has been requesting it over and over.

I asked Jenny a few questions about being a mom and a writer and illustrator, having a personal interest in the combination myself:)

Book Review: The Ultimate Guide to Homesteading

Nicole Faires' book, The Ultimate Guide to Homesteading, has been working its way into our evening reading.  It sits in our fireplace actually, no disrespect intended, of course!  The opening to the chimney is tiled over and turning it into a working fireplace is on our (long) list of things to do.  In the meantime, the fireplace holds our current selection of reading material. 

While we're still a long way from a real homestead, I've actually been finding plenty of great ideas that I can use right now, on our little 1/10th acre.  What I love about the book is that it gives you straightforward, no-nonsense advice on a bazillion subjects, advice that you can turn around and use right away.  Wondering how to make a simple herbal remedy?  It's in there.  Thinking about spinning yarn, or even how to choose the right breed of sheep from which to shear the wool?  That's in there too, from really basic stuff to more hardcore homesteader skills (like logging!).  It even talks about how to go about buying land, if you're at that place in the journey.  I'm loving how thorough it is and how she's done all the work for the reader, boiling down tons of information into really manageable instructions.  It seems like the kind of book any homesteader or wannabe homesteader should have on their shelf, ready for a quick flip through to answer any question.  It gives you the basics and then, should you want to dig much deeper, you have a solid foundation from which to spring.  I can totally see myself referring to this one again and again.

And if you haven't already been keeping tabs on Nicole and her family, you have GOT to see what they're doing!  You know those crazy dreams we all get?  Well, they're living theirs!  They've renovated a Blue Bird bus and are touring the country in it (it's fully outfitted as a home!) interviewing organic farmers- amazing!  Read all about their family's adventures on her blog, watch their youtube channel or connect on twitter or facebook.  You might even consider donating to their cause.

PS If you're a homeschooler, Nicole has put together an amazing resource list that you can download for free.  What a gal!

Book Review(s): Pocket Neighborhoods, and Creating Cohousing

These two books go so well together that I had to review them side by side.  Cohousing, pocket neighborhoods, they both have the same goals: creating connections between people, a sense of community, a wiser use of resources, and a smarter way to develop.  Pocket Neighborhoods, offers practical ideas and a good background in what constitutes a pocket neighborhood and some historical background on the movement, but its real strength lies in its ability to stir the heart and fill it with hope.  I LOVE thumbing through the pages and thinking, "Yes!  This is already a reality somewhere, I can make it a reality for our family some day too!!"  The closing line in Creating Cohousing reads, "We hope the future will see more and more folks getting together and asking themselves, 'Are we ready to figure out how to best live our lives in a way that allows us to experience life at its full potential- and leave nothing on the table?'  Too lofty?  We think not.  Achievable?  Very!"When I latch onto an idea it's pretty hard to wrench it from my mental grasp.  I'm sort of like a pit bull in that way:)  I've totally sunk my teeth into this idea.  The idea of a community where my kids can run freely, where they have meaningful relationships with a variety of trusted adults who can teach them and serve as role models, where safety is a by-product of relationships and watching out for each other, where the pace of life slows down to that of a leisurely conversation across a porch railing, a stroll to the community mail boxes, or a neighborhood dinner or work project.  It's hard to be rushed or dismissive when you know all your neighbors on a first-name basis.  I find that despite the thousands of people I cross paths with every day here in the city, that I can often go through an entire day without really connecting with anyone I don't actually live with.  This is the idea behind cohousing and pocket neighborhoods, that we are social creatures and we are meant to connect with each other.  This is why so many of us feel a deep down tugging, a longing for a stronger sense of community, and deeper connection with people around us.

If this daydream of mine sounds appealing to you too, these are the books for you!  Use Pocket Neighborhoods to get your mind churning, to give some validity to those dreams.  It's so important to nourish dreams so they don't fade away.  I plan on referring to this book often, flipping through the glossy pages to rekindle my committment to these ideas.  Creating Cohousing is where I'll turn for the nuts and bolts, to answer questions, to begin the planning process.  It's also full of inspiring stories of successful neighborhoods. The last section of the books contains headings like "The Participatory Design Process," and "From Dream to Reality."  This is where I'll turn when it's time to let this little dream of mine take shape and become something solid and real. 

You know that story about the guy in solitary confinement who mentally practiced his golf swing a bazillion times every day for dozens of years, and then when he got out and actually hit a golf ball his swing really had improved?  Well, I'm a firm believer in that whole idea of thoughts shaping reality.  So, I consider all this planning, reading, and dreaming, "practicing my golf swing."  Someday when we really are in a position to make something like this happen (oh, and it will happen, don't you worry!) the ideas will already be there, formed and ready to take shape.

PS More inspiratation at Ross Chapin's Pocket Neighborhood site and Cohousing.org.  Happy dreaming!

Book Review: This Life is in Your Hands

I was sent a review copy of this book , but haven't yet been able to get my hands on it!  It was one of the first books my mom picked up to read and she was through with it in a matter of days.  Before I could snatch it up, Clay had already adopted it as his evening read.  The fact that it's so appealing to both my mom and Clay has bumped it to the top of my must-read list. 

We're fans of Eliot Coleman's books (I even reviewed one) and gardening methods, so I've been very curious to read about him from a completely different perspective.  From what I've gleaned from my mom, it's not a particularly flattering portrait that his daughter, the author, paints.  So much of what we read about the back-to-the-land movement is idyllic, picturesque and idealistic, so I think it will be very interesting to read about it from a different perspective. 

I interviewed my mom about her thoughts on the book.

Why couldn't you put the book down?

I just had to know how it was going to turn out; I cared about those characters, they were well-crafted.  And I wanted to understand how the little girl in the story became the lovely author on the back cover.  I felt like I was watching the whole thing unfold, like I saw the farm and trees and pond...  The writing was vivid, but not disctracting; you just got swept up in it.  And maybe it's because I've known people like this in my life and it felt familiar.

Which characters did you find most fascinating or intriguing?

Although she covers other characters in more detail and only alludes to the Nerings, because I knew who they were [our friend was friends with them] I was curious about her perspective on them.  She gave some interesting glimpses into their character and lives.  There was conflict, there were difficulties that I became invested in learning about how they were resolved.  There was something voyeuristic about the story because the people were real.  And because their lifestyle was so similar to that of friends of mine, and some were even friends of friends, it had a personal weight to it that made me feel very invested in the story.

Any good life lessons from the book?

The characters in the book grew up in affluent circumstances, they became disenchanted with their parents' liefstyles and left it all behind to go off an do this homesteading.  The story, more than being a cultural tale, is about the father who is so self-absorbed and perhaps obsessed with his vision that he neglects his wife who checks out emotionally, the children are neglected and there's even a death.  If anything it's a cautionary tale about where to devote your energy and a negative example of the importance of directing your energy, emotion and creativity to your family.  Overall, it's a good read; there wasn't a boring moment.  It didn't get too wordy or drag, it was just right.  Perfect for snuggling up on the couch with grandkids on the rug:)

Well, there you have it, two thumbs up, direct from my mom:)  If you manage to get your hands on a copy (I'm not having any luck yet!), let me know how it is!

Book Review: The Practice of Contemplative Photography

For awhile I've felt like my photography was in a rut.  I took quite a few classes in high school and have always enjoyed seeing the world through a camera lens.  But lately I've felt like I've been taking the same pictures, more or less, over and over.  So, I was pretty excited when Shambala Publications offered to send me a review copy of The Practice of Contemplative PhotographyThe Practice of Contemplative Photography.  "Perfect!" I thought, "I'll get some ideas for new techniques, a few tips..."  But, it turns out it was exactly the opposite.
This is a really beautiful book, the photos of course, are lovely, but the sentiment that the authors express is so exactly what I've been needing to hear.  Let me share a quote.

Concepts about pictorial techniques can further constrict [the photographer's] vision.  Trying to see the world through the "rule of thirds" to create good composition, shooting very early or very late in the day because the light will be warm, or playing with exposure and color balance to make images look more dramatic...  This separates them from the immediacy of their experience.

So, instead of being a book of tips and tricks, the book seeks to help the reader liberate themselves from the things that actually prevent them from really seeing.  I suppose I'm drawn to the slowness, the simplicity, the meditative quality of the process.  All of that just sounds so appealing right now.This paragraph from the chapter, Art in Everyday Life, really stood out to me.

Ordinary experience is the raw material of our photographic art.  Photographer, writer and curator Beaumont Newhall wrote, "We are not interested in the unusual, but in the usual seen unusually."  When we separate our artistic activity from daily life, we cut ourselves off from our most valuable resource.  We divide the world into the worthwhile and the unimportant; the meaningful and the merely functional.  Instead of appreciating what we have we look for something better, something more beautiful, more entertaining...  Instead of looking elsewhere for nourishment, we can live artistic, elegant lives, appreciating the details of our ordinary experience.

That sentiment speaks to me on so many levels, not just about creative expression, but about how we live our lives.  If you're feeling like you need to shake yourself up creatively, see things in a new way, this is the perfect book.  If you just want to feel inspired and renewed, it's perfect for that too.  In each chapter there are little "assignments," encouragement to try something new.  I plan on working my way slowly through the book, referring back to it when I need a little reminder to really see through that lens.

Book Review: The Beekeeper's Bible (and a recipe for beeswax crayons)

The Beekeeper's Bible is the ONLY book you will ever need on beekeeping, or anything remotely related to bees, for that matter.  I was so thrilled to get this book and it's found a regular place in the nighttime reading rotation (I have to fight Clay for it).  I was first attracted to the cover.  I will admit, I totally judge books by their covers.  But just look at it; it's gorgeous!  My only complaint about the book is that once I crack the cover I can't put it down!  Seriously, it is so fascinating, so comprehensive and so beautiful.  I know, I know, I'm gushing a little.  But I just really love it!  It begins with a discussion of bees in myth and symbol, covering everything from prehistoric cave drawings to Plato to Winnie-the-Pooh.  It takes you through the history of beekeeping and scientific advancements.  If you're not a history buff you can skip ahead to the hands-on, practical how-to section; it's comprehensive and accessible and covers everything you need to know: how many hives to get, buying bees by mail or catching swarms, colony inspection, disease prevention and treatment etc.  It made me so excited to get bees again!  After the broad history and the deep how-to comes the really fun part: recipes, medicinal uses, crafts and projects!  Honey-broiled scallops, spiced honey hummus, phyllo goat cheese and honey parcels (yum!), walnut and honey cookies, honey polenta cake, honey eggnog oh man, I could just go on and on, but I think I'm drooling...  Those are just the edible recipes, then there's a whole slew of beauty recipes: creamy hair conditioner, cold cream, lemon and honey face pack, peppermint and beeswax foot treatment, solid perfume, honey soap...  And some health remedies: cough syrup, green mountain salve, honey and lemon toddy.  The crafts section is excellent too.  I'm definitely trying the beeswax furniture polish to use the beautiful pieces Clay makes for us.  And here's a project from the book just for you:

Beeswax Crayons

• Kitchen aluminum foil
• 2 TBSP grated beeswax
• 2 TBSP grated soap
• 1/2-1 tsp food coloring paste
• 1/2 tsp cooking oil to grease molds

Prepare 1-2 molds by shaping aluminum foil into small, rectangular block molds and lubricate with cooking oil.  Next, melt the beeswax in a bain-marie over low heat.  Add the grated soap and melt, keeping the heat low and stirring until smooth.  Add the food coloring paste and stir thoroughly to combine.  Pour the mixture into the molds and allow to cool  The crayons may be melted again after testing if more coloring is required.  Makes two crayons.

This book was sent over by Abrams Books.  Thanks, guys!

How to Be A Mom

I've been thinking, recently, about motherhood.  There was the recent holiday, and the book, of course, and I'm also working on a little project with my mom that I'm excited to show you soon.  All of these things have got me thinking about this amazing, exhausting, exhilirating profession of Motherhood. 

One of the things that struck when reading all the essays in the book, were just how varied the experiences of mothering or being mothered were, and yet how poignant each one was.  There is a depth and power to each and every story, whether a glowing tribute to a mother or a complicated dance of misunderstanding and trying again.  That was really the common thread, that motherhood is messy, complicated, hard to define and yet we know it when we see it because something there resonates with us, on a gut level.  It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with blood and birth, though that is often a part of it.  It doesn't necessarily have to do with titles or marriages, though those things certainly factor in.  My essay talks about the connection I feel to a mother who hasn't been a part of my life since I was seven, and who yet is inextricably interwined in who I am.  It also touches on my relationship with someone who is in most ways even more of a mother to me, my step-mother.  Crazy, complicated, beautiful stuff this mothering...

I won't go into too much detail about this project I'm working on with my mom (step-mom, for clarification); I don't want to ruin the surprise!  But, can I ask you a question?  Or a few?  What do you think are some of the most important things for mothers to know?  I mean, if you had to sum up a few crucial ideas for a mother-to-be, what would they be?  Tips on juggling it all?  Reassurance that she can do this?  Encouragement to trust her intuition?  Advice on keeping teenagers close while giving them their independence?  How to keep your kids safe in this crazy, scary world?  Or just to relax, it's not that crazy and scary?  What do moms really need to know about how to be a mother?

PS Here's a little excerpt from my essay.  You can get the entire book for $4.99 and enjoy the whole range of essays.  I promise; it's totally worth it!

Breast cancer has its virtues, though few. It doesn’t steal in and snatch away loved ones in the dead of the night. The process is slow; there is time to prepare. My mom, Tinnel, told my step-mother that she thought God had hand-picked her to raise me. And she was right. I can’t count the number of times I have thanked Him for the gift of a loving (step) mother. I’ve told my step-mother everything, even about the time I brushed the dog’s teeth with her toothbrush during a fit of teenage rage. But my biological mother, there are a lot of things I wish I could tell her.

When it became clear that the end of my mom’s life on Earth was near she began to write me a book. It ends abruptly and is composed of mostly blank white pages, an apt metaphor for her unfinished life. She was only 37 when she died. But within the first few pages of her graceful handwriting and watercolor illustrations are as much wisdom and love as she could conjure up in those last few moments.

Of breastfeeding, my mother wrote, “I loved to nurse you. It created the bond we share to this day (the day you’re reading this), and I was sad to give it up even after 2 years.” I would tell her that she was right, that I can feel her in my body and my being, that I am made of her, as my own daughter is built of my very essence, cell by cell. No distance or death can change that initial construction. I have the feeling that those early years when she poured herself into me both literally and emotionally, gave me strength for difficulties ahead.

images from Stock Exchange

Stories I've Only Told My Mom

I'm so excited about this anthology I was asked to contribute to, and really honored to be included among some writing and blogging greats (read the "extended description" for links and bios).  The book is called Stories I've Only Told My Mom and includes all sorts of essays that cover the spectrum from heart-warming to gut-wrenching, confessional to controversial.  It's a really amazing collection of work (and I can say that because I'm only one of seventeen authors!).  I'm looking forward to Mother's Day when I can reread some of my favorites while curled up with a cup of tea and no one will be allowed to interrupt:)  That's all I ever really want for Mother's Day, just a little uninterrupted time to think or read, plus a few snuggles with my babes.  And maybe breakfast in bed...

This is the perfect book to share with your mom, or with your best girls (my mom is both!), the girlfriends you call first when you're crying in the middle of the messiest kitchen in the world, or after you've read your daughter's diary, or when your toddler eats dog food while you're taking a shower (is it so wrong to want to take a shower?!).  Share these stories with them.  Maybe over a cup of tea. 

The essay that I wrote is about my biological mother.  You may remember from past posts that she died of breast cancer when I was very young.  It was a good experience to write this essay for and about her, a bit healing in a way.  The essay touches on loss and connection, body image and breastfeeding, and the unbreakable (even by death) bond between mother and daughter.  I guess it's my mother's day present to her.  I hope you like it.

What about you?  What will you do for your mom this weekend?  What will you share?  Are you anticipating anything special from your kids or hubby?  Here's hoping your weekend is full of good things!

Book Review: Natural Patchwork

Is there anyone else that sometimes reads craft or recipe books like novels?  You know, slowly flipping the pages, savoring each one, reading all the details whether or not you plan on immediately making the project/recipe?  I've been flipping through Natural Patchwork and daydreaming about having the time to create some of these beautiful projects.  It almost feels like the mere act of sewing these sweet, nostalgic things would somehow magically open up more time in my day.  That sounds counterintuitive, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of mathematical equation where excess time is equal to the number of charming patchwork items in one's home.   Natural Patchwork is one of those Japanese craft books translated into English.  Don't you love those?  There's just a certain something, a balance of wildness and refined style, that I love.  All of the projects can be done at the machine or meditatively by hand.  My mom's coming out to visit next week and I would love to have something sweet and handmade to greet her: a throw or new pillow for her bed, perhaps the comfy patchwork house slippers, or a colorful tote bag...  Maybe I'll magically find time to squeeze a little project in before she gets here; we all know how little encouragement I need to put aside the dishes and laundry:)
This book was a review copy sent by the publisher.

Book Review: The Procrastination Equation

So, this book is sort of changing my life.  Well, okay, maybe not yet, but I think it's going to:)  I was sent a review copy and I thought, "Great, I always procrastinate, this will be perfect!"  Of course, it did take me awhile to get around to reading it...  It's one of those books that I might have passed by in the book store, but it totally hooked me once I got into it.  I enjoy armchair psychology books, especially when they apply to me.  I was impressed with how well the author nailed me, and the reasons I procrastinate.  I hadn't really thought about the why before, only that I wished I didn't put things off so much.  Does anyone else suffer with procrastinitis or is it just me?  I always feel like I could get SO much accomplished if I didn't spend so much time beating around the bush.

Speaking of beating around the bush, the book gets off to a bit of a slow start.  I mean, it was interesting, but I was antsy for him to get to the meaty stuff, i.e. how do I stop procrastinating?  But once I waded through all the back story it made sense why he included it.  Realizing why you procrastinate goes a long way in helping you actually get on top of it.  In the second half of the book while talking about the ways we procrastinate, he includes action points after each section, little take away tips you can incorporate.  I underlined as I read so I could go back and make a list of changes I want to implement.  He talks about three main types of procrastinators and then gives solutions tailored to each type.  Some of my personal favorites:

• Pair some instant gratification rewards with long-term goals.  Turns out I'm sort of an immediate rewards kind of gal; who knew?  (She says with chocolate bar in hand...)
• Identify your maximum efficiency period and put it to good use.
• Develop a "disaster recovery plan" ahead of time (i.e. how do you get back on track after your goal to exercise every day gets derailed?).

So, with this new aim of mine to simplify, organize, streamline and generally consume less, enjoy more etc. etc. I'm really liking some actionable, practical ways to get out of that procrastination rut.  What about you?  Are you a procrastinator?  How do you keep it in check?

The Beard | Book Review: World Without Fish

Just in time for Earth Day, I have a great book review for you, straight from The Beard.  When World Without Fish arrived in the mail (Workman Publishing sent a review copy) Clay snatched it right up and I haven't seen it since!  He's been really excited about it, so I'll let him tell you all about it.

(You can visit Mark Kurlansky’s website, and check out his book tour here.  And here's a really cute video of Mark discussing the book with his daughter, Talia.)

I admit it was the cover of the book World Without Fish that dared me to pick it up in the first place.  There is a little scuba diver with a thought bubble that reads: “how could we let this happen?” that awakened some sleeping duty deep within me to at least mobilize my mind in preparation for Earth Day this year. 

A book targeted at younger readers (as are some of my favorite reads) It has engaging typography, is slickly designed and has interesting illustrations and side notes sprinkled throughout.  Getting started with the reading I was nearly put off by the doomsday notes the author strikes early on and the other more embarrassing obstacle of my not having been raised anywhere near the ocean and therefore lacking proper appreciation for what goes on all around the world in oceans and seas.

A mark of a truly successful piece of writing is one which takes an issue that the reader is ignorant, disinterested and complacent about and truly educates him, opening his mind to the complexity, beauty and gravity of the situation he faces.  The author Mark Kurlansky illustrates step by step how the destruction of life in our oceans relates directly to the destruction of life on land.  With the strongest language he posesses, without sounding like a radical and with great love and sincerity the author urges the reader to consider what life would be like without fish.  And before I had time to think “so what,” he brought to my attention how all living things rely on one another for survival.  “All life is interconnected,” Kurlansky writes “and altered circumstances will change the order of life at sea, which will also change life on land...We all live on the same planet and live in the same natural order.What plants and animals do alters human life, and what humans do alters plant and animal life.  Even the smallest changes can have unforseen results that are extremely difficult to change back.”

Next we are educated about the principle causes of destruction in the oceans.  More than two thirds of the book deals with fishing, including fascinating cultural and political histories, the dangers and causes of overfishing and how man’s direct involvement as a predator in the ocean equipped with technology and cunning is a force and factor in the problem.  Kurlansky is himself a fisherman and treats the subject with great delicacy, laying out the complexity of the issues. The rest of the bulk of the book deals with environmental factors.  Starting witth the industrial revolution up to our day, mankind has made a mess of the soil, air and oceans with contaminants that will not be easy to remedy.  PCB’s, Mercury, Lead, Chromium, plastic, oil spills including the worst disaster in history which happened only ONE YEAR ago (lest we take pride in the strides we are making to reverse pollution) garbage from the US, garbage from Japan...deep breath...all making it difficult for fish to do what fish were created to do.  When the smallest life forms in the ocean are laden with poisons and the smallest fish rely on them for food, by the time the biggest predators eat them, the poisons have compounded making it difficult to live, let alone reproduce and flourish.  At this stage in the reading, things seemed pretty gloomy.  It is difficult for my mind to concieve of a reversal to the destruction we have caused our planet to suffer. (It brought to mind apocolyptic scriptures about the earth suffering mankind’s many abuses and about the violent burning of the earth!)

By now, all I really wanted to know was how for starters I could a) stop engaging in the destructive behavior and b) how to begin to help reverse it.  As it turns out, refusing to eat fish is not among the wise solutions!  The author offers several thoughtful starting points including educationg ourselves, learing where our fish comes from and what methods were used to catch it as well as a list of resources to read about current sustainably caught fish by species or fishery (the marine stewardship council www.msc.org, and www.montereybayaquarium.org among many) Kurlansky believes “When all fishing becomes sustainable fishing, as it was for centuries, the crisis will be over--or at least half-over.  There will still be the huge problems of climate change and pollution to be solved before fish--and the way of life of our coastlines and the seas themselves--will have been saved.”  But, he believes the total destruction of the ocean can be avoided if we decide to act today.

To summarize the experience, reading this book reminded me that I am by belief and by practice  one who has decided to act when the worthy call to action is raised.  Mark Kurlansky sounds the alarm without shifting the blame around.  We are stewards of our planet and the responsibility for reversing the damage rests on us.  The enjoyment of God’s most intricate creations and mysteries are also ours to discover as we struggle to preserve the waters that flow between the continents of His green earth.

Books About Maine and Exciting News

Guess where we're going this summer?  Home to MAINE!  We're spending a whole week back east with my family.  And the most exciting news is that the reason we're going is for my little brother's wedding!  We love the girl he's marrying and we love Maine, so a happy trip all around. 
We already have quite a few books about Maine; I want it to be part of our family culture even if we only visit once in awhile.  It's such a big part of who I am, that I want it to at least be a small part of who my children are too.  So far our collection is rather modest, but growing.  I happen to know from an inside source that Sam is getting a book about ship wrecked circus animals in Maine from his grammy.  And a couple weeks ago we found Counting Our Way to Maine , which I've been reading to Sam and talking to him about the trip we'll soon be taking.  Here are a few more from our collection:Blueberries for Sal

Good Night Maine

L Is For Lobster

I Met a Moose in Maine One Day

One Morning in Maine (My personal favorite)

Hello Maine!

What else should I add to our collection of Maine books?  Any suggestions?

Cookbook Review: Power Foods

I'd been feeling like our meals were more filler than nutrient-dense powerhouses of nutrition.  We hadn't been eating anything particularly unhealthy, I think it was just an end-of-winter culinary malaise.  Tired of things in the brown spectrum: grains, beans, potatoes, bread etc., I wanted a rainbow on my plate, a whole assortment of healthy vitamins and minerals.  I get feeling like this at the tail-end of winter, like a sailor looking at the last orange in the barrel. 

And so, to provide some inspiration for more colorful and exciting fodder, I picked up the book Power Foods.  So far we've tried a really fabulous Asian-inspired shitake and soba noodle soup, quinoa granola bars, rice bowls, mushroom and nori wraps and I'm about to make a walnut and olive oil cake tonight.  I haven't delved into the dessert section too much yet, but I'm excited about it because they look like the kind of desserts we make around here, and we wouldn't even have to adapt the recipes.  Generally we halve the sugar, replace the white flour with whole wheat etc.  But these desserts look delicious and like they won't leave you with a sugar hangover.
Sometimes I need a little inspiration to shake things up in my cooking routine and this book has been providing just that.  Often I get a cookbook and abandon it after a recipe or two simply because the recipes aren't that outstanding and it just doesn't hold my attention.  But it seems to me like a lot of work went into really refining the ingredient lists and proportions.  The flavor combinations are just right.  They're often surprising and I find myself wondering if I shouldn't adjust something, but when I just forge ahead and trust the recipe I've had wonderful results.  And each successful meal leaves me wanting to return to the book for another go around with a new recipe.  That's a successful cook book in my book!

images from Whole Living.

Book Review: My Name is Not Alexander

Sam and I were sent the book My Name Is Not Alexander.  And you know, I wasn't really expecting too much because I hadn't read the first book, which was apparently a best seller, and didn't really know what it was all about.  I actually enjoy not having expectations, like when we go to a movie, sometimes I think it's fun not to see the previews first.  But after reading this book, I get what the big deal is; Sam totally loves it.  And I really liked it too.  It's a great book; fun illustrations, exciting language (I do exciting voices; it's hard not to), great message.  I liked that it introduced interesting historical figures in a completely fun and exciting way and Sam and I were able to have conversations about all sorts of things from what a president is to what it means to invent something and how lightbulbs work.  We've read it quite a few times, so there have been ample opportunities for such discussions:)

The idea of the book is that there's this little boy that pretends to be great men throughout history.  It's quite charming and fun and has a sweet ending.  I'm thrilled to add it to our shelves and it's settled comfortably into this week's Most Requested Bedtime Stories list. 

Here's a fun video about the making of the book:

                     

Book Review: Growing Up Global

Homa Tavangar sent me her book, Growing Up Global, about a month ago.  It's taken me some time to work my way through it.  It's kind of like Conscious Kids, only on steroids.  And I mean that in a good way!  The book is an extremely thorough resource for families looking to expand their horizons whether or not they fill their passports with stamps.  What I really enjoyed about her treatment of the subject of helping kids to develop a global perspective is that she focuses a good amount of thought and instruction on what's happening internally with kids.  There are fun ideas for activities such as learning how to eat with chopsticks, host a foreign film festival, or learning to say hello in the top ten languages.  But she doesn't lose sight of the why.  In fact, the first chapter, titled "Be a Friend," is an in-depth treatise on why being globally-minded is important.  The common themes running throughout the book are courtesy, curiosity and compassion.  

Because I plan on home schooling, I naturally viewed the book as a potential resource and admit that it will likely find a prominent place in our home school library.  Rather than a textbook, I imagine it will serve well as an inspiration book.  I can imagine our family working our way through the book in about a year, with a few activities each week. The activities she suggests are fun, interesting and really easy to implement.  A few of my favorites are experiencing the world through soccer and the Olympics, hosting a world meal (the average meal eaten by most people on the planet), trying food remedies made by grandmothers everywhere, initiating meaningful life-cycle (birth, coming-of-age, etc.) celebrations from around the globe, and becoming acquainted with global versions of Cinderella and other favorite stories.  Each chapter is a treasure house of even more resources.  If you can't find exactly the right idea for a project or activity in this book, I'm pretty sure you'll find it in the myriad books, movies, websites and organizations she directs you to.  Oh, and the movie list!  That was another thing that got me really excited.  Next time we rent a movie I'm totally turning to this book for a recommendation.  She has lists of movies for little kids to big kids and they all look SO good!  Let me tell you just a few: The Cave of the Yellow Dog, Lagaan, Children of Heaven, Winged Migration, Veer-Zaara, Romantico, The Children of Noisy Village.  I could go on and on, that list only scratches the surface of all the great titles she recommends.  And each is accompanied by an explanation and interesting tidbits about the film, as well as suggestions for appropriate ages.

I'm really excited to try some of her activities and suggestions with Sam.  We're lucky to live in a city where he gets to meet people from different cultures right here in our neighborhood.  I love seeing him greet our Nepali neighbor with hands together and a cheery "Namaste!"  I hope my kids always retain their enthusiasm and appreciation for other cultures.  I think using a book like this is a great way to not let yourself get complacent and lost in the minutia of our day-to-day, insular lives, but to remember that we are, in fact, part of a great, big, beautiful, exciting world.

Here's a great video about the book, and make sure to check out the website too; it's chock-full of good stuff!

Book Review: Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie

Our library had a wonderful display of picture books for African American History Month, so we picked up a stack.  My favorite has been this book about Edna Lewis (Here's a wonderful, short video about her.  Don't you love this photo?  Gorgeous.)

The story is a celebration of seasons and good food.  There's something so calming about it, the rhythm, the predicability of one season following another.  It comforts me in the same way Ox-Cart Man does and I've found myself reading it over and over to Sam.

The watercolor illustrations are loose and relaxed in vibrant colors and are accompanied by words that read like a conversation.

The songs and rhymes that are scattered throughout the book summon up the joy and exhuberance of the harvest, and spinning that harvest into mouth-watering meals.  I think this is one we might have to add to our personal library.  I can see us reading it over and over throughout the year.

PS I just saw that if you're a mom you can get a year of Amazon Prime for FREE!  Yippee!!  That means free 2-day shipping on everything. (Thanks for the tip, Nicole!)

Book Review: Unconditional Parenting

Parenting is kind of hard, you know?  And that poor first kid, the one that gets half a dozen parenting philosophies tried out on them, that doesn't get to eat sugary cereal or stay out past curfew.  Poor Sam.  He's that first kid (as opposed to those that follow; tell the truth you older siblings, didn't your younger siblings get the sugary cereal that you were never allowed to have?).  I just don't quite know how to do this parenting thing.  I mean, I'm not too worried that we'll mess him up; we love him and he loves us.  But, it's in the details that things get tricky. 

For awhile we had this system of simple consequences and a few simple rules.  He knew that breaking a rule would get him a consequence and we were able to calmly tell him so when the occasion arose.  For awhile it worked great; he seemed to really enjoy the sense of autonomy it gave him, and that he was doing something rather than having something done to him (the precursor to the consequence system was a time-out system, which no one really liked).  But, eventually this waned and the consequences became nearly as unpleasant as their forerunner, the timeout.  So, lately we've just been kind of limping along, trying to figure out the best way to maintain some sense of order and peace in our home, show respect for him and teach him to do the same for us, and to teach him how to be a compassionate and decent human being along the way.  I wish I had some great parenting tips for you, but I don't.  Sam is a really good kid, and we really can't complain.  But there's whining, and occasional meltdowns when he doesn't get what he wants, and he can be slow to listen, you know how it goes.  But, overall, a great kid.

So, I read with interest the book Unconditional Parenting.  It doesn't offer any sort of simple steps to perfect parenthood or anything, but rather pokes holes in popular "discipline techniques" (rewards, time-outs, any sort of punishment really) and then offers a guiding philosophy.  With the material fresh in my mind, I reacted a bit differently in a recent altercation with Sam.  I can't remember what he was angling for, but he was bombarding me with some sort of demand, over and over, in a whiney, pre-meltdown voice.  In a very calm, but not particularly loving voice, I told him I was not going to respond to him if he was talking like that.  Kohn, the author, identifies this particular behavior (mine) as "love withdrawl" (kind of ugly sounding, isn't it?).  When I realized that's what I was doing (trying to control his behavior by withholding love), I tried a different tactic.  I knelt down on the floor and asked him very sincerely, kindly, and respectfully (sort of how you might address a very upset adult you were concerned for) what I could do for him.  And you know, he calmed right down and explained very reasonably what it was that he wanted, a request I had no problem honoring. That simple paradigm shift on my part changed the whole mood of our interaction.

I still don't know what I'm doing, but I appreciate the place the author is coming from and the reminder it was for me to respect my children more, to try to see things from their perspective, and to not let short-term goals (eat your peas!) get in the way of long-term goals (be kind to others).  It was a very thoughtful and well-researched book and I would definitely recommend it.  It's given me some new ideas to think about and has me reconsidering some of the ways we interact with our kiddos.  And if anyone has any parenting gems they care to share, I'm all ears!

Ten Favorite Books for New Parents

There are certain books I find myself lending out over and over, or recommending to new parents as a "must-read."  Here they are all together:

Three in a Bed

This is one of my favorite books about co-sleeping.  It's a wonderful combination of scientific argument, personal stories and cultural anecdotes.  It covers more attachment parenting topics than just sleep and is an enjoyable, interesting read.

How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way

This one is a recent addition to my list, but I just really loved how accessible the information was and how easy to incorporate.  Whether or not you want to go all gung ho with Montessori it just has some really wonderful ideas about practical things you can do to create a more peaceful, enjoyable environment for your little people.

Free Range Kids

This is a good one to just get a little perspective.  I often find myself feeling a bit panicky about all the scary things that could happen to my kids.  And while I'm no an extremist about just letting my kids loose, I think it's good practice to give as much freedom as you feel comfortable with and trust your gut when you feel you need to keep them closer. While you may not agree with everything in the book, like most parenting books, you can take what applies and leave what doesn't.

Last Child in the Woods

Most of what Richard Louve talks about will not be new or surprising to you, but rather will resonate with an inherent knowledge that you already have.  But sometimes those instinctual things need to be stirred up and remembered and that's what I love his book for.  It's a call to arms to not forget the critical role the natural world plays in human development and happiness.  It's an inspiring book.

Parenting with Love and Logic

There are a few good parenting books, and this is one of them.  I think the key with these sorts of books is to read a few and extract what will work for your family and ignore what won't.  But it's good to have a game plan, to at least have thought about how you'll respond the first time your child lets loose full lung capacity in the grocery store.

Mothering Magazine (not a book, but definitely a deep well of parenting wisdom) (click here and use code CDMDC for a free digital subscription!)

This is my all time favorite parenting magazine, none other even comes close.  It's my go-to shower and new baby gift.  It's just such a fantastic resource and point of validation.  Their articles are generally very well researched and never sensational or taking cheap digs at opposing viewpoints.  I really respect the creators and contributors of the magazine and am so grateful it exists!

Off Limits

This one is a bummer to include, but important, I think.  The book gives parents some very practical ways to protect their children from sexual abuse and includes ways to talk to your kids about it without freaking them out.  I like the approach because it's empowering rather than scary.  And while it's something that we as parents never want to think about, it's better to think about it now so we can help prevent it.

The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth

I always recommend this book when anyone asks for advice about birth.  It covers so much area and in a nearly unbiased way (she admits her bias in the introduction).  It's the best book, in my opinion, to arm yourself with scientific facts about birth and the differences between all the different choices out there.  It's also a great source of comeback material for people that think homebirth is less safe or that you're a nut for not wanting an epidural.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has always come really easily to me, for which I've been so grateful.  But a lot of women struggle with it from getting a newborn to latch on correctly to mastitis and milk supply issues.  Reading this before baby arrives is a great idea so you can be armed with ideas ahead of time (because time for reading will be a thing of the past once your little one arrives!).

Prescription for Nutritional Healing

There are tons of great books about natural health; this one is just a good, basic resource to have handy on your shelf.  It gives broad, though not deep coverage of all sorts of complaints and remedies and is a good palce to start when your kid has some weird rash or some other mysterious ailment. 

What are your must have books?

Secret Santa Saturdays, The Books

This weekend is our first Secret Santa Saturday.  I've been compiling list after list of fun ideas!!  But first I thought I'd start out with a list of some excellent books to get you in the mood, books about making everything from homemade mustard to go-carts.  And, of course, I'm hoping you will leave your own favorite books and resources in the comments for all to see.

Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes

Handy Dad: 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids

Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love

Canning for a New Generation

Little Birds

The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer

Fanciful Felties

Gifted: Lovely Little Things to Knit and Crochet

Felt Wee Folk

Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving

Zany Wooden Toys That Whiz, Spin, Pop, and Fly

Chocolates, Sweets & Candies: Hand-Made Temptations to Give

That should get you started!  On Saturday I'll have a whole list of fun project ideas.

Book Review: How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way

This book has been on my to-read list for quite awhile.  When we formed our learning co-op we were originally going to have a moms' reading group to go along with it where we read books on education from various perspectives, but it never quite got off the ground.  I finally brought it home from the library and have really been enjoying it.  I so appreciate when an author can distill ideas down such that they're accessible to anyone.  This book really gives you a feel for what Montessori is all about and how you could incorporate those principles into your home. 

I got so excited once I was a chapter or two in because the philosophy really resonated with me.  Observations and ideas that Maria Montessori had about how children learn and about how best to facilitate that learning fall right in line with my own observations and inclinations about Sam.  I've definitely noticed "sensitive periods" where he's particularly open to absorbing new information; it was really interesting to read the descriptions of these various stages.  And I LOVE the ideas about creating a more child-friendly home.  I was already a fan of For Small Hands, but am even more excited about getting Sam some mini-versions of adult tools and implements now that I've read more about the reasoning behind it. 

I felt like this was a great "tip of the iceberg" book if you're interested in learning more about the Montessori method.  I got some of Maria Montessori's books to read next, now that I have a feel for the overarching ideas.  Anyone have any recommendations about other great resources to learn about Montessori?  Or other educational philosophies worth looking into?

Book Review: Hundred Dollar Holiday

This is the second time I've taken this book out of the library, but the first time I've read it.  I always take out stacks and stacks with such grand intentions, but end up only being able to read a fraction of what I check out.  I'm so glad I took another stab at this one though.  It's super short; I just curled up with it last night after the kids went to bed and read it cover to cover.  It's more of a glorified pamphlet, but that's okay, it doesn't need to be any longer than it is.  The ideas are simple, but so important. 

Bill McKibben writes about the idea of a simplified, pared down, more focused holiday season from several angles; environmental impact, personal fulfillment and finding joy.  He argues that the Christmas holiday has always been a social construct, and gives an interesting short history to prove his point.  Whether the social salve between landowners and serfs that was wassailing, the pasting over of pagan traditions with a new holiday, or the corporate-induced consumption frenzy that is our holiday today, all incarnations of Christmas have ultimately come about because of the social and economic climate of the day.  So, he argues, why not recreate Christmas to more aptly meet our current needs?  The needs he thinks we should address as a society are the need for stillness and quiet, more time and less stuff, and communion with the Divine.  He suggests that rather than amping up for the holidays with a frenzy of parties, decorating, and shopping, that we slow down, stay home more, spend less money and spend more time with loved ones. 

Although it's simple, the book is really worth a read.  If you feel the pull of so many "shoulds" around the holidays and find them more stress-inducing than joy-producing, check out his book.  I felt like it gave me permission to buck tradition and create more of our own traditions that have more meaning for our family.  Each year we've made more things by hand and spent less, while adding new traditions to our young family.  I'm so excited about the upcoming holidays and the way we plan to spend them.  Next week I'll share some of the ideas I have for some fun and meaningful traditions that we're planning on weaving into our family holidays.

Book Review: One Morning in Maine

There are some nights where I try to talk Sam into a bedtime story like the Very Hungry Caterpillar, or something of similar brevity.  But tonight he requested One Morning in Maine and I was perfectly in the mood to oblige.  Vivian was asleep, the dishes were done and I hadn't had a whole lot of quiet time with my boy.  So, we snuggled down to get lost in memories of our birth place.  Clay and Vivian were both born here in Utah, but Sam and I can lay claim to Maine and, I believe, feel a special yearning for it.  I usually try to visit each summer, but with Vivian's arrival this past summer, I missed my annual pilgrimage.  I've been feeling particularly homesick, so it was a treat to revisit, if only in a book, the fond memories and feelings that thoughts and stories of Maine evoke.

One Morning in Maine is long and leisurely, the kind of book you can't hurry through, but must take at its own pace, much like life in Maine.  You learn to take Mother Nature and her many surprises in stride when you live in Maine.  You learn to savor the beautiful moments and roll with the punches such as overnight ice storms, wind-downed trees, and multi-day power outages.  But in this giving in, there's a liberation that I miss while living here in a less dominant landscape with quicker access to all things technological, civilized and purchase-able.  It's the same feeling I get on the rare ocassion I borrow Clay's beat up pickup; I stick to the slow lane because I'm forced to, and knowing that I have no other option and can't rush, I simply enjoy and savor the ride. 

One Morning in Maine is about an island girl's trip into town with her dad.  They dig clams in the morning for the mom to make clam chowder for lunch, they take their boat across the harbor to buy milk and groceries, but must row as the outboard motor is broken.  In town they chat with the mechanic and listen to old codgers' jokes and enjoy a leisurely ice cream cone.  There's nothing monumental about the story, but there's joy in the every day tasks, a celebration of the mundane.  It's such a peaceful book and I love slowing down at the end of the day to share it with Sam.

Book Review: World of Design

Hooray, back into book reviews!  I've missed them.  This book, The World of Design, came in the mail awhile ago and I meant to share it with you, but well, I was having a baby and whatnot, so it sort of got lost in the shuffle.  But I love the concept.  It's the first in a series of books (ten in all) aimed at kids, that teaches them about, well, the world of design.  This first book is an overview, but then subsequent books will focus on architecture, graphic design, fashion design, environmental design etc.  I thought it would make a great resource, especially for home school, for two reasons.  First, if your kid is interested in art, here is a thorough and engaging presentation of all sorts of different things you could potentially do with art.  And second, I think it's so important to recognize the power of design in shaping our thinking.  Presidential posters, product design, the way a store is laid out- it's all design and it's important not to just absorb it passively without thinking about how and why it's designed the way it is and what sort of reaction the designer was hoping to elicit. When it came in the mail my little sister-in-law, who's eleven, was here visiting and she was the first to take a good look.  She loved it; it was accessible and engaging from the first page and made design principles such as color theory and use of negative and positive space really easy to understand.  I even learned a few new things!  And there are fun little pockets and things you can pull out.  There was supposed to be a plastic thing to look through for an experiment with the color spectrum using a flashlight, but mine was missing.  I was kind of bummed; I wanted to try the experiment!  But, overall it was a really neat overview and seems like it would make a great first introduction to design for kids with such an inclination.

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Somehow I got out of the habit of posting weekly book reviews, though we haven't stopped reading!  Maybe it was the summer and I got caught up in other things...  But, I'm in the mood to get back into it, of course, I now I have a huge list of possible books to share!  Here's what's marched across my bedside table these last few months:

Cure Tooth Decay (This is what first got me interested in the real foods movement.  Clay had a toothache and we tried some of these methods and it actually worked.)

Real Food (Naturally, this was the next book I read, a nice, easy to digest summary of a lot of other books mostly.  Next I bought Nourishing Traditions and made quite a few recipes, but I haven't read it cover to cover yet.)

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and Spiritual Midwifery (Both of these were so inspiring leading up to Vivian's birth.)

Mockingjay (I need a little brain candy every now and again!)

Last Child in the Woods

The Well-Trained Mind (Quite a change from the unschooling books I was reading awhile ago.  There are so many ideas out there, I imagine we'll try and take the best of a few different methodologies when we do our own home schooling.  Luckily I've got a bit more time to study up on it!)

Lose Your Mummy Tummy (I wish all I had to do was read the book to get rid of the pooch!)

Technopoly (Only a few more pages left in this one and I'm loving it!  Planning on picking up a few more of his books, maybe The Disappearance of Childhood next, anyone read it?)

And a few favorite kids' books we've read lately:

Miss Rumphius (This was one of my favorites when I was a kid and I've been so glad to share it with Sam.)

Here's A Little Poem (Sam has always had a thing for poetry and this one has been a favorite lately.)

Annie and the Wild Animals (This one is an old favorite, but it's been making its way onto the bedtime reading list with great frequency again.)

The Tomten (This is a new one, though we've been fans of tomten around here for ages.  As the weather has been cooling I'm already thinking ahead to the holidays and looking forward to making a few more felt tomten for our collection.)

I'd be happy to share more comprehensive thoughts about any of these books if you're interested.  But tell me, what have you been reading?  Anything good I should pick up?  I'm always looking for a good book recommendation.  And now that I've got this little frequent nurser, that means many hours spent captive in the nursing chair.  And that, of course, translates into lots more reading time! 

Thrift Store Treasure

Sometimes we get lucky as we peruse the aisles of the local thrift stores.  This vintage Mother Goose book was just one of those times.  I'm so in love with the illustrations.  And Sam, who has always had a thing for poetry and rhyming stories, will sit with rapt attention for almost half the book (it's a big, hardcover book with TONS of her poems).

The book is in perfect condition, so I wouldn't dream of cutting it up, but if I had happened to find an old ratty copy with missing pages, I think it would have made the perfect book to turn into wall art.  As it is, it holds a treasured spot on his book shelf with the other hardcover "pretty" books (as opposed to the board books and more loved books, which sit on the lower, easily accessible shelves).

I love this quote from the introduction, "From a literary standpoint, these verses... train the ear and stir the imagination...  We do not hesitate to place this venerable classic on the shelf beside our Shakespeare, and to send our children there for delight and inspiration."  It is certainly true that in all their simplicity, these childhood rhymes have the ring of great literature.  I love filling Sam's ears with rich, solid, beautiful text and images.

And what of Mother Goose?  The biography of the woman behind the verses is murky and mysterious, which I think only adds to their appeal, elevating them somehow.  Whoever she was, she certainly knew how to turn a pretty phrase, as Sam can eagerly attest.