Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Be it ever so humble...


I recently came across a snippet of paper that perfectly sums up my homemaking philosophy.  I believe it was distributed by General Mills, under the pen name of Betty Crocker.  Although not considered relevant for modern women, it is perfectly relevant for me!  I can only hope to impart these values to my daughters, who in turn, will impart them to theirs....

Homemakers Creed

I believe homemaking is a noble and challenging career.
 
I believe homemaking is an art, requiring many different skills.
 
I believe homemaking requires the best of my efforts, my abilities and my thinking.
 
I believe home reflects the spirit of the homemaker.
 
I believe home should be a place of peace, joy and contentment.
 
I believe no task is too humble that contributes to the cleanliness, the order, the health, the wellbeing of the household.
 
I believe a homemaker must be true to the highest ideals of love, loyalty, service and religion.
 
I believe home must be an influence for good in the neighborhood, the community, the country.












And so, in keeping with the Homemakers Creed, I strive to make my humble home a place of respite and calm in a world of chaos.  Home truly is where you make it - be it a shop, a tent, a barn or a mansion.  Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Huntin' Rabbit


As fall (finally) descends upon us, hunting is again on our mind.  Although big game is still a ways off, small game, like grouse and rabbit and hare, is in season.  Wanting to get a jump-start on this year's hunting, Miss Serenity and Master Calvin took the 4-wheeler for an evening drive, shotgun in hand.  As they made their way through the woods, a small movement caught their eye.  A closer look confirmed the presence of a cottontail rabbit just off the path.  Miss Serenity raised her shotgun, pulled the trigger and hit her target dead-on.  After Miss Serenity secured the shotgun, Master Calvin ran to the rabbit, picked him up by the feet and raised him high in the air like a trophy.  Excitedly, they brought their prize home, and after allowing it to be thoroughly admired, they set work skinning the rabbit and harvesting the meat.

Master Calvin and Miss Serenity

Master Hand Grenade teaching Master Calvin and Princess Dragon Snack
how to butcher a rabbit

Skinning the cottontail
Master Hand Grenade expertly skinned the cottontail, not puncturing the skin once, and Miss Serenity stretched the hide on a board and salted it for preservation.   Using his ever expanding meat cutting skills, Master Hand Grenade butchered the rabbit (while teaching his younger siblings as he went) and presented me with perfectly cleaned rabbit meat to use in an upcoming meal.

The yield of 1 cottontail rabbit!

Rabbit meat, bacon and onions

Along with flour, bread crumbs and herbs

Formed into two logs and covered with bacon
I decided upon Hare Haslet to showcase the children's hunting and butchering skills and prepared the rabbit meat for dinner the next evening.  Hare Haslet is an old recipe, but one that can turn the little bit of meat a rabbit produces into a filling family meal.  It is easy to put together and remarkably flavorful.

Oh, what a blessing is the bounty of the forest!


Hare Haslet

1 hare (or rabbit), deboned and minced
1/2 lb. bacon (or other minced meat)
1/4 small loaf bread, cubed  (I used two sliced homemade wheat bread)
1 onion, minced
1 C flour
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the meat off the bones and mince.  Add bread, bacon and onion, all minced.  Add flour and season with herbs, pepper and salt  Add eggs.  Mix well together and form into two large rolls.  Put into a greased dish with a slice of bacon on each roll and cover.  Bake in a moderate (350 degree) oven for two hours.

*  My oven temps. fluctuate terribly and my Haslet was overdone.  I would begin checking for doneness at 1 1/2 hours and uncover the last 15 minutes to brown.

Hare Haslet - perfect (if not a little brown)!

Served with red potatoes - yum!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

According to Plan...

Although I've read this before, it bears repeating.  Apparently everything is going according to plan....


If I were the Devil
Paul Harvey

If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of it’s real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’

“To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’
“And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.

“If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
“Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.

“If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet? I could get whole states to promote gambling as thee way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work, in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing on what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day.”

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If you'd like to hear this in Paul Harvey's own voice, click on this link.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Science Fiction Fun



A few weeks ago Maid Elizabeth, along with Miss Serenity and a  neighborhood friend, attended a large, mostly literary, science fiction convention.  The Con was a week long and the girls attended almost every day, and even included Master Hand Grenade on the last day (his only day off work).  It was fun to watch (and help) the girls dress as a different character each day and then hear their stories when they returned.

They attended various boards, frequented vendor booths, and bought books directly from authors.  They attended an Old English dance, had light saber battles in the middle of the aisle, and reverently touched (and smelled) $1600 first edition books. 

Although they couldn't possibly attend every lecture and class they would have liked, they had a wonderful, whimsical escape into the world of science fiction!

Miss Serenity getting scars

The scars are finished

And her complete outfit

Miss Serenity, Maid Elizabeth and Neighbor Friend
All so very different!!


Miss Serenity, Neighbor Friend, Maid Elizabeth


Maid Elizabeth (with scar) and Miss Serenity

Maid Elizabeth give Miss Serenity a scar


Miss Serenity and Maid Elizabeth

And poor Neighbor Friend!!