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two amazing friends of mine are championing two amazing causes. what can you do to help? how about donating ten dollars? no? what about just five? two? one? what about spreading their word on your blog?
thanks, i knew you could help! now i can add one more amazing friend to my list.
today i tied bows for my daughter’s first birthday party invitations. there will be cake and ice cream, balloons and presents with bows. there will be singing, giggling, champagne toasts and tears. i hope it will be everything my little girl could dream of, if she knew to dream of these things. she is everything i have ever dreamt of, my every birthday wish come true.
nugget has just discovered this plant. see the tight, full tendrils near the top? now see the barren, battered ones farther down? they didn’t stand a chance against la nug, the cats or the dog.
it’s a burro’s tail, a sedum morganianum. if you so much as glance sideways at it, a dozen or so of it’s plump little leaves jump off onto the floor. i scoop them up and toss them back in the planter where they sprout into new plants.
i rescued this plant from the grocery store. it was in the florist’s graveyard, a bargain at 99 cents, nestled amongst spent azaelas, bloomless orchids or withered mums, whatever the then past-peak seasonal plant was. when exactly was burro’s tail seasonal? cinco de mayo? i think i actually brought home two, scraggly 4-inch hanging pots. here they are now, i don’t know how many years later, 27 inches in all their glory.
after sending countless visitors home with leaves to start their own plants, i started keeping a supply of mini pots on hand. i’ve always got an aloe, a burro’s tail or a jade plant to send home with someone.
i love this plant. i hate that when we move i’ll likely chop off it’s long trailing stems before packing it up. i hope it forgives me.
the environmental protection agency is asking for public input on its review of the toxic pesticide endosulfan. the united farm workers and a number of environmental groups will be turning in a joint petition to the epa on february 15th. it is vital that they get as many signatures as possible.
endosulfan is acutely toxic and easily absorbed by the human body. low levels of exposure in the womb have been linked to autism, male reproductive harm and other birth defects. the lethal chemical has been linked to dozens of accidental deaths. it is an organochlorine–which means it persists in our environment long after it has killed the target pests–thus leaving a deadly legacy for people and wildlife. in the u.s., this toxic pesticide is used on tomatoes, cotton and other crops.
the european union and several other countries have already banned endosulfan. less dangerous alternatives are available. it’s time the u.s. does its part to protect communities and the environment at home and around the world from this persistent organic pollutant.
there is a short opportunity to make a difference. the epa is currently looking for public comment, so please act immediately and let them know continued use of this dangerous pesticide is unacceptable. demand an end to endosulfan by adding your name to the petition today. please forward this petition to your friends and family and encourage them to sign no later than february 15th.
to sign the petition go to:
http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/endosulfan?rk=A7xv3gs1OlyNE
crock pot chili
serves 6-8
ingredients
2 lb. organic ground beef
3 organic garlic cloves, minced
1 organic yellow onion, diced
1 can (28 oz.) organic crushed tomatoes with juices
2 cans (15 oz.) organic red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2T organic tomato paste
4 t chili powder
1 t dried oregano or 2 large sprigs fresh
1 t ground cumin
3 t cornmeal
1 cup organic beef or chicken stock
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
organic sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
directions
in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, brown the beef, about 10 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
in a small bowl, combine spices, salt, pepper and cornmeal. add the garlic, onion, tomatoes with juices, beans, tomato paste, cornmeal-spice blend and stock to the slow cooker and stir to blend.
cover and cook for 6 hours. ladle the chili into warmed bowls and garnish with sour cream, cheese and/or cilantro.
adapted from williams-sonoma’s 6-hour chili
the nugget is an excellent signer. you would think we would have been using a sign for “nurse” since it is her hands-down favorite thing to do. sadly, we haven’t. i just haven’t found a non-farm animal-related sign that suited us. so, today i decided to abridge the standard asl sign for “milk” to just an open-and-close motion, one less indicative of handling an udder. we’ll see how it goes.
i also like this woman’s suggestion (excerpted from lifeprint.com):
“currently we sign MOMMY and MILK. It would be so much faster to combine the signs and sign MILK while my thumb is on my chin for the sign MOMMY. basically it would be thumb on chin, and squeezing the remaining fingers.”
read the rest of her question and dr. vicar’s answer here.
rock you like a hurricane. okay, probably not. how about i just try to entertain you and every now and then you pretend to be amused? we’ll be good together like that.
whatchoo talkin' 'bout?