Sam Bradlley Live

After listened to Classic Rock for the past IDK how many years, I finally broke free of the Grateful Dead rut I was in and started listing to more modern Indy Rock music. May people who haven't known me for very long would be surprised that I had such narrow musical taste. Others, that have known me for years, can't believe how eclectic my current playlist has become. I can't contribute my recent open-mindedness to any one event, but I am enjoying the freedom to download copious amount of music on my Zune.

I have written about Sam Bradley and my love of his music before. I have also seen YouTube clips and downloaded free MP3 songs from ReverNation. I've known that he puts on shows in the Vancouver area where he lives, but being here in the deep south I seriously doubted I'd ever get to see him.




Then it happened, I read on his MySpace blog, that he was going to be in Nashville. Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to drive a mere 350 miles to see him perform in the intimate setting of 3rd and Lindsley.

Yes, the show was incredible. Sam got on stage at 8p and played non stop for an hour. He was funny, charming and very personable.

************************************

I was also able to see him in NOLA at the House of Blues several month later, and he was just as gracious and wonderful as he was in Nashville.

tattoos are addictive!

I’ve given a great deal of thought to getting another tattoo. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, I used to say that I was only going to get one tattoo. When I was younger I got a tattoo on my left shoulder of a shaman. Ever since then I've wanted another one. I ended up putting flames around the shaman. It looks like the figure is dancing in the fire. I thought be adding the fire I hadn't actually broken my oath to only have one tattoo. For a while I considered adding a tattoo of the earth behind the fire so that it looked like the world was on fire. Then the reality of the size the earth would have to be, to be recognizable, set in and I decided against doing that. Now I’m back to the point where I still want a tattoo. If my mother is reading this her mouth is wide open and she’s saying, “NO!” but come on Mom, get over it.

Anyway the whole point is to get your input. Please help me decide which tat I should get and where I should get the it. I especially like the "tribal" type tats. The one above is the symbol for Gemini, which is appropriate. I also like the idea of something Celtic in nature.



As for location, I want it to be seen, but not all of the time. My foot maybe? Or my ankle? The nape of my neck? Any other suggestions? Some of the ideas I have are probably out of my budget, but they are so cool! Please look at the ideas below and let me know what you think. You can pause the slide show and read the label by moving your mouse over it. Remember I need an idea of where to get it and which one you like. Thanks for you input!

Moonlight

I recently posted a video of one of my favorite musicians, Sam Bradley. If you haven't hear him sing you really should. His voice is soulful and sexy. The exciting news is that he is currently in Paris cutting an album.

I also posted about a current favorite book series just last week. You must put Clarissa Clare's The Mortal Instruments books on your library list. I promise you will enjoy both of these books and don't forget book three, City of Glass, comes out this March.



Now I have to tell you about my all time favorite TV series, Moonlight. No not Moonlighting, just Moonlight. It was last seasons most highly rated show on Friday night. Sadly, CBS did not commission a second season. I understand that fans had started an internet campaign to try to bring back Moonlight. Hopes have been raised and dashed several times, but it doesn't look like we are going to see Mick St. James anytime soon.



I didn't start watching Moonlight until the second to the last episode. After watching it for the first time I about fell out of my chair. The acting was sensational and the plot line was exceptional. I can't say anything bad about this series. The DVD from the first season was release recently. I had it on the top of my Netflix query and have spent the past two weekend transfixed by Mick and Beth's relationship. There are 4 disk in the collection so give yourself time to sit back and watch. You can also check your local listing, I believe the SCI-FI is showing re-runs every Friday night, but I recommend starting from the beginning.

The Mortal Instruments Series

I know, I know I haven't posted in a coons age. Sorry but I've been a bit burned out what with NaBloPoMo and the the holidays, but I promise *fingers crossed* to make an effort.


I thought I'd take a moment and post a books series that I recommend reading. Like the last series that I read, an on-line friend recommended this book and I'm hooked. The first book in Cassandra Clare's series of The Mortal Instruments is City of Bones. I would describe this book as a science-fiction urban fantasy with a twist. Here we meet Clary a 16 year old artist going to an all-ages club with her best friend Simon. While there she witnesses three shadowhunters; Jace, Isabelle and Alec, kill a demon boy. Since she is the only one who can see the shadow-hunters, Clary begins to question her whole world. This ability to see through the glamour, and her missing mother lead her into a life she never could have imagined.



As much as she wants her life to go back to the way it used to be, the magical world of the fairies, werewolves, vampires, and shadowhunters has its hold on the young Clary. In the second book, City of Ashes, Clary continues her search for her mother, who she now knows was once a shadowhunter herself. All the enjoyable characters from City of Bones are there, ready to give you the ride of your life. And it is a ride you will truly enjoy!



The third book in the series, City of Glass is due to be released this March. I have so many questions I want answered which I won't voice since I don't want to give any spoilers away. I did, however, read a review that blew my socks off and thought I'd pass the link along to you here.

Too Far Gone

I have a new favorite song that I wanted to share with everyone. I realize my favorites change with the breeze, but this guy is really worth a listen.




If you like him you can download this song and one other here.

FEMA moving at government speed

In August of 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Three years later FEMA's trailers still sit in Hope, Arkansas. Now there's government bureaucracy at work.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing all a wonderful day full of love, hope and thankfulness.

Hurry Sicknes

Are you suffering from Hurry Sickness? You can diagnose yourself quite easily.
Are you constantly focused on getting things done?
Are you preoccupied with escaping?
Does it seem that time is passing too quickly?
Do you have a constant sense of urgency?
Do you desire a simple life?
Do you have little time for love?
If you answered yes to most of these questions then you have Hurry Sickness, not to be confused with being busy. Being busy is an outward condition. Hurry Sickness is and inward condition of the soul having to do with competing priorities
So here are five thing you can do to cure what ails you.
1) slow down
2) say no
3)declutter
5) use leisure in life giving ways
To be content is not having all you want, but to want only what you have.

Are You Suffering from S.A.D.?

With Thanksgiving upon us it's the perfect time to examine what we have to be thankful for. As Americans who live in a country where we can worship freely and voice our opinions without fear of retribution, why is it that we are always complaining? I think the we are just down right ungrateful.

What does it mean to be ungrateful? The dictionary says it's being thankless. I feel like we are blind to the the blessings, we always want more I wish I had this or that. Our pastor calls that condition S.A.D. The S stands for stressed, the A for angry and the D for depressed. Look at 2 Timothy 1:3 tells us

"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers."

If we have poisoned ourselves with S.A.D. Then what we need to do is stop blaming others and make a decision to change our attitude. Yes, it is a choice and it is up to us to stop magnifying the bad. When we put the negative parts of our life under the microscope they get distorted and we are not able to look at the big picture. So many times we say if God would just speak to me, tell me where to go or what to do, well, guess what He is speaking to us. In Ephesians 5:20 He says,

"always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

To give thanks in all circumstances, this is God's will for us. Not just when things are going well, but all the time we are to give thanks. When we focus on God's blessings we will be blessed.
If you don't believe me just look at this study here. Dr. McCollough and Dr. Emmons conducted a study on gratitude. Basically, people were divide up into several groups. One group was instructed to focus on everything that is wrong in the world while another group was instructed to focus on the goodness. The results were outstanding. The gratitude group was less angry, more energetic, determined, joyful, they exercised more and had fewer illness. I think that says a lot for what ails this country, myself include. We are all suffering from Eeyore syndrome. As you know from the old Winnie the Pooh cartoons, Eeyore was always under a cloud of misery. Let us remember that when we choose to live like that we won't be able to see sun shine through.

Have you ever wondered why people who have been raised in some of the worst circumstances rise above all of that? It's because of their outlook on life. The choices that you make not only have an effect on you, but the effect those around you. I want to use this up in coming holiday to focus on the blessings in my life. To have an attitude of gratitude. I think this simple choice will make a big difference in my life, anyone else willing to give it a try?

Beloved Pets

As I was looking through old pictures the other day I saw one of a dog I used to have. She died shortly after my husband and I were married. She got me to thinking about all the other pets I've had and how they have effected me throughout the years. I remember my parents telling me that I was afraid of dog as a little girls. They would encourage me to pet friendly dogs we encountered until I wasn't afraid anymore.

The first dog I brought home was part German Sheppard and part Collie. We named him Trouble. Now I don't know if his name was a self fulfilling prophecy or if it was just his nature, but he was trouble. I remember that he would grab hold of my shirt sleeve and lead me around the yard. He dug holes everywhere. Eventually, we gave him to someone who could handle big a dog.

One birthday I got a first poodle. She was black, but turned silver over the years. I named her GiGi after the Gayfer Girls at the old Gayfer's department store. Being an only child, that dog became my best friend and I was heart broken when she died.

The next dog I got was a poodle too. She was white and tiny as could be. I named her Giggit after the Giggit movies. She was there with me during some of the worst times of my life. She's the dog that died after my husband and I were married. I think he loved that dog more than he loved me.

We adopted Ayla shortly after Giggit died. We named her after a character in the book Clan of the Cave Bear. She's a sweetheart. Don't get me wrong, there have been times I wanted to toss her out the door. Like when she'd bark and wake the baby up or pee on the carpet. That's probably why my husband and her have such a close relationship now. He wasn't there when I had taken such care to get the baby to sleep only to have her screaming in her crib all because the dog was barking at a squirrel in the front yard. I know that she will die one day and that there will be another dog in our lives, but I just can imagine life without our Ayla.

making soap

I have always wanted to make my own soap. Many years ago, soap was made from lye and animal fats. The lye was obtained by pouring rain water through hard wood ash that had been burned at a high heat in a sort of filtering system. You can make your own filtering system out of a water tight wood barrel. You would need to put the barrel up on blocks in a remote location so that it wouldn't get knocked over. Then you would drill a hole near the bottom of the barrel and place a cork in the hole. Next, you would need to add a layer of river rock, followed by a layer of hay, then top it off with the hard wood ash. Finally, you would pour in rain water; leaving up to six inches from the top of the barrel. This would need to sit for three days. After that you could place a container under the cork and fill the container deep enough to float a potato. If the potato didn't float a quarter size piece above the water line, the solution would be too weak and you would need to either add more ash or drain all the water and pour it back through the barrel letting it sit for another 3 days. If the potato springs up, the solution is too strong and you would need to add more rain water. Remember not to use metal containers or utensils because the lye will react with metal.

For the sake of this process the lye was purchased. As you remember lye was taken off the shelves several years ago, but you can now purchase it on line specifically for soap making.

The following are all items needed to make a basic 10 pound batch of soap:

3 three pound cans of Crisco.

4 cups cold water

1 18 ounce can of 100% LYE!

large stainless steel spoon

10 qt pot for melting

9 pounds of Crisco

1 measuring cup candy thermometer

2 qt plastic pitcher Large plastic bucket (must be able to hold all the oil with room to stir)

shallow rectangular cardboard box (like the kind used to hold a case of cokes)

2 white kitchen sized plastic garbage bags

2 old thick blankets

goggles

Playtex rubber gloves

old clothes

Optional items: 1/4 cup honey 3 tbs oatmeal (finely ground)

First we measured out the lye by weight.

Next we added the lye to the water. The lye and fat need to be within 5 degrees apart between (100 and 120 degrees) Always add the lye to the water, not the other way around.

As you can see the lye heated up room temperature water to almost 217 degrees.

Next we melted the lard.

It took the lye a while to cool down, but when the two were within 5 degrees of each other we mixed them together in this large plastic container.

Once we reached trace** we added honey and oats.

You can add other essential/fragrance oils if you like.

We then poured the mixture into our box mold that we had lined with a plastic garbage bag.

At this point you must cover the soap and allow it to cure** for 24 hours.

**TERMS:

Cure time- the length of time to let the soap air dry and the water content of the soap to evaporate.

Saponification- the chemical process of making soap

Essential Oils- these are natural oils that are extracted by various means from plants and fruits to form scent. Rose Essential oil etc. These are extremely volatile and not stable when making cold process soap. They are also extremely expensive.

Fragrance Oils- these are man-made or synthetic oils. The hold up very well when used with cold process soaping. They are inexpensive and easy to use.

Lye Solution- water or milk after Lye has been added.Setting up- when the soap is left ALONE UNDISTURBED (no peeking) for 24 hours to turn solid.

Trace- refers to the stage of soap where the soap leaves a "trace" of the spoon trails. The consistency of the soap is similar to thick pancake batter.

24/7

We recently finished a study where the following question was asked: What is our purpose? I got to thinking about how we, so many times, look outside at the world to fill up that emptiness inside of us. If I have the right house or the biggest SUV or I weigh less, then everything will be okay. Why is it that we keep looking for worldly things to fill that emptiness?

Our Bible tell us that our purpose is to worship God. I don't mean for an hour on Sunday mornings. I am talking about worship that effects our whole lives. When we worship, we are to submit to Him, to pay service to Him, to glorify Him, and to make a sacrifice to Him. In Romans 12:1 Paul says that in view of all that God had done for you, you are to present your whole body as a living sacrifice. In other words, we are God's twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. What happens in that hour on Sunday morning should set the stage for every other hour in our lives.

In a recent survey, business owners were asked the simple question, how are you doing? The majority responded by stating that they were tired. I know I feel tired most of the time too. Isaiah 40:30-31 says that those who wait on the Lord will have their strength renewed.

We were asked who we serve? Do we serve God or the all mighty dollar? If I answer that question honestly, I don't like the answer. The Bible tells us that if we don't serve God then we will grow weary. But if we serve the Lord then our strength will be renewed.

So, we are to take our daily tasks and do them as service to God. We were also told that worship takes preparation. How many times have you fixed the kids lunches and laid out their clothes the night before going someplace? When we take that time to prepare for the next day things go much smoother. Worship is the same way. When our lives are all about knowing God, then we will know life. We are to worship everyday and focus on submitting to God then we will know and abundant, joy filled life.

Tee Time

My sweet boy is taking golf lessons at the First Tee. The World Golf Foundation created The First Tee back in 1997. Not only do they teach golf skills, they also teach core values. We are lucky enough to have a location here in Arkansas. Once a week for the past several

weeks our he has participated in group golf lessons.

What I really like is that he seems to soak up everything he's learning in the Life Skills classes. They teach personal and social skills including respect, integrity, good sportsmanship, self-reliance, self-control and and goal setting. So for only $50.oo a year he can be a member of the First Tee and for and additional fee he's able to participate in these classes. I am hoping to get him involved in individual classes early next year. Just think, you may be looking at a picture of the next Tiger Woods.

Raising Chickens

Not having grow up around chickens I can't say that I knew too much about them. I certainly know more today that I did a year ago. For example, did you know that a Female chicken under the age of 1 year is called a pullet and a male is called a cockerel?






Did you know that pullets start laying eggs at about 18-20 weeks of age. And that when she starts laying regularly she will lay an egg every 25 hours. I've also learned that hens require about 14 hours of light each day to lay on a regular schedule. That mean that they will decrease their egg production in the winter unless you use artificial light as a supplement for them to have that all important 14 hours.

I didn't know up until a month ago that chickens are cannibalistic. There are several theories as to why chickens behave in such a manor. Some believe it's a lack of protein in their diets while others believe that it's because they don't have enough foraging opportunities. Can you imagine, they will actually peck at one another. If you look closely at Little Red Hen's wing you can see where she has been pecked. We are increasing the amount of protein they eat and their time in the back yard in hopes that this will stop.

Oh and speaking of pecking, do you know what pecking order really means? Pecking is an expression of dominance. It's the social hierarchy in a flock of birds. Each dominate bird pecks subordinate birds and the subordinate bird submits to being pecked by dominant birds. It's pretty interesting to watch when one get out of line or decides she's not going to take it any more.

We Have a Voice

Barack Obama has consistently voiced his support for organic agriculture. We, as organic consumers, have an incredible opportunity to shape the future of federal food policies. President-Elect Obama is in the process of formulating policy and assembling his transition team. He is considering nominees for The Secretary of Agriculture, who is responsible for directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its $90 billion annual budget. Obama has said that he wants to hear from the public in order to formulate his policies. So, let's take him up on his invitation. The Organic Consumer Association has a petition letter to President-Elect Barack Obama that you should sign and urge him to take a stand in support of organic food and farming. Please go here to sign the petition.

Mushroom Quiche

Okay, I have to confess something, can you keep a secret? I LOVE MUSHROOMS! shh don't tell anyone, it's just between you and me. Since we have a plethora of eggs and I have a fondness for mushrooms I decide to make a mushroom quiche.

This is all you need, how simple can it be?

A pre made pie shell

Mushrooms

4-5 eggs

half and half

Swiss cheese

I started by preheating the oven to 450. I covered the edges of the pie shell with foil and baked it for about 10 minutes. While that was baking, I sauteed the mushrooms (I just cut up a lot, I don't know how many, if I had to guess, I'd say a lot!). You could buy pre-sliced and save yourself a bit more time. When they're done, spoon them out in to your egg mixture along with the Swiss cheese. Pour it into your pie shell. I like to tossed in some parsley flakes for color. Then I just bake it with foil still covering the edges of the crust for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove the foil and bake and additional 10 minutes.

School at Home

One day, several years ago, I sat down and listed a few of the reasons we decided to homeschool our children, just to have it in black and white. I had all but forgotten about that list until the other day when a friend of mine sent me an e-mail. She was telling me a cute story about some comment one of her children had made to her and her husband. She followed the story up with a remark that I haven't been able to forget. She said, "[My husband] and I never really talked about[that] with either of the boys… so I think they've been getting some feedback at school." Now this couple is very loving and also very involved in their kids activities. The comment just struck me; shy are many parents detached from their children educations.

One of the many reasons we chose to homeschool our kids was that we wanted to be involved in their education. I just think is sad that so many parents don't know or even worse don't care what their kids are learning. Here is an excerpt from that original list.


Schools have the one-size-fits-all approach. At home we can teach each child in the way that they learn best and at the rate that is appropriate for them. If they don’t “get it” the first time we can spend more time on what they need help with and move along with ideas and concept that are easily understood.
Schools tend to have an atmosphere that is overly controlling; lining up kids, moving them around like herds of cattle, and a disciplining them inappropriately for the problematic behavior. At home children are able express their individual personalities and only receive the appropriate amount of discipline for the infraction.
Schools have an institutionalized environment. At home children are loved and nurtured.
Schools spoon feed children what they want them to know. As our children grow they will have the opportunity to experience self-directed learning. They will acquire the basic skill to learn independently.
In the school setting our children will be exposed to outside influence that we feel are not safe for our children. Examples of such concerns are bullying, cussing, fighting negative influencing of peers, and illegal drug use. Many times these factors are over-looked or unseen by school officials. At home we have the ability to mold our children and shape them with high moral

standards, and to teach them right from wrong. In other words we are able to be their parents.

Schools have set schedules. We are able to study each subject when the time is right, travel if need be, hold ‘class’ during the hot summer months and enjoy the out-of-doors when the weather is pleasant. Flexibility is one of the perks of schooling at home.
Why would I want to send my children to school when the schools are admittedly producing poor quality students? There is violence in the school. The teachers and staff are unable to protect the students. The courts have ruled that once you drop you child off at the door of the school you no longer have to direct your child’s education.

I would just like to add that this so-called socialization issue is not an issue at all. Socialization is the process by which children and adults learn from others. Really now, isn't that what homeschooling is all about? In fact I'll top that one. Most children I've met that are schooled at home interact better with a wider age range than do your so called socialized school children.

Liquid Laundry Soap

I have a recipe for sud-less laundry soap I thought I'd share. If you've never made your own soap I challenge you to give it a try, it's really not that difficult and you will see a difference in your pocketbook.

Here's all you'll need:

1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
1/2 bar Fels Naphtha Soap

Grate the Fels Naphtha with a food grater. Put in a saucepan with 3 pints of water. Heat slowly to melt the soap.

Add washing soda and Borax.

Stir to dissolve all the powder.

Put 1 1/2 quarts of hot water into a 2 gallon bucket. Add the mixture. Stir to mix.

Add more water, making 2 gallons total.

Pour into separate containers.

The laundry soap will be ready to use the next day. Use 1/2 cup per load.

green is my favorite color

I hope you are using cloth grocery bags! At Kroger we get 3 cents back for every bag we have. In less than 34 visits to the grocery store the bags have payed for themselves. I absolutely love to go into the store do my shopping get in line, hand the clerk my bags, and watch her subtract money off my total all because we brought in our own bags. And yes, I am that obnoxious person in front of you that turns and says, see it pays to be green!



Another good idea that we love is Freecycle. If you haven't heard of Freecycle then you are really missing out. Freecycle is a grassroots movement to keep perfectly good stuff out of landfills. Membership is free and they are nation wide. All you have to do is go here , search out a group in your hometown and sign up. You can get daily e-mails with posting of items that people are giving away.


If you know if any other green ideas please post them here. I always love to hear how others are helping out mother earth.

me, raising chickens

I never in my life thought I'd raise chickens until my son ask if we could get some chickens after attending a homesteading class at our local homeschool co-op. My husband and I thought if he had a good argument as to why we should get some chickens then we'd hear him out. He talked about how much he loved eating eggs and how we could save money. But his winning argument was that he would be responsible for the chickens. Guess what? We gave in.

Now you may be asking yourself, why would I want to raise chickens. Well, one good reason is that they lay eggs. Not only can you eat the eggs but, you can sell them. We sell ours for less than the grocery store, and still have enough to pay for their up keep.
They are also great to have around because their poop, once composted, is a great fertilizer. We use it on our garden. Of course we compost most of our left overs, but our girls are great for eating up items we don't compost like meats and pastas. They consider our leftovers a real treat. Another good reason to raise chickens is that they are great little pest controllers. We just let our girls out to forage and they eat all the flees, ticks and other unwanted intruders. And a final reason for raising chickens is that they are very low maintenance. Once we enclosed a shed for their coop we really haven't had to do much at all.