Tending Our Lady’s Garden – Daybook

For today, November 17, 2008

Outside My Window… It’s a sunny, brisk day. The cold front that came through over the weekend brought with it very cold temperatures and a few storms. There are many Maple leaves are on the ground now. And, it’s one of our favorite times of the morning – our crow family scouts the front yard at this time every morning posting a sentinel in the top of the Ash tree while the rest of the family enjoys bread crumbs in the front yard. Sparkly has been trying to scatter crumbs closer and closer to the house to lure them in, but they are still very cautious and hop in for the crumbs and then fly further out to eat it. I love crisp fall mornings!

I am thankful for… gas logs in our fireplace! It was so delightful to have a fire (even if it wasn’t a real wood fire) in the fireplace on cold mornings this weekend!

From the kitchen… My crockpot has just been discovered to leach lead. 🙁 Why oh why can companies not manufacture something without toxins, chemicals, poisons, heavy metals, or dangerous off-gassing fumes!!! So, today I am roasting my chuck roast in my dutch oven. I don’t know how to cook in the winter without a slow cooker. I don’t have any more time to waste researching lead in ceramic glazes this morning. I’m beginning to think that you really, really get what you pay for in the kitchen. A few years ago I would have never considered the top o’ the line stuff – now I’m beginning to think/find it’s the only safe option.

I am wearing… a navy skirt, yellow turtleneck and a navy and yellow tartan fleece vest that is very warm. I went to the big store that sells everything this weekend and bought tights to keep my legs warm. They were out of navy. Sad. But, my legs are warm in brown nevertheless. 🙂

I am creating… a safe kitchen? Maybe? I’m trying anyway. I just want to cook safe, nutritional meals for my family – nothing more. How hard is that? Apparently very hard. Not only do I now have serious reservations about labor abuses coming from Made in China materials, but now lead in paint, toxins in plastic. Good grief. I’m more committed than ever to finding materials made in the good ole’ USA! Where art thou slow cooker made in the USA? I’m looking for you! I’ll settle for lead free made in Europe.

Enough obsessing over kitchen appliances! I am re-working my desk here in the learning room today. I had to rip up the squishy floor mats used in the learning room last week after a gigantor spill from Peanut thus resulting in a room re-org. My desk area is the last area to be re-worked.

I am reading… Splendor in the Ordinary…again. I love re-reading this book before Advent.

I am hearing… the boys play football in my room. This is what happens when the weather gets cold here. Football…inside. I fear my husband will be less than pleased to find that his bedroom has been turned into a gymnasium…but boys have got to move.

Looking to the rhythm of the liturgical year… I am focused on preparing to prepare…for Advent that is. I have 2 weeks (but less if you consider that Thanksgiving is thrown into next week’s mix) to climb into the attic and find my Jesse Tree, Advent Wreath, etc. I tried to make a bin devoted to Advent last year so that it would be easy to locate, but now I can’t remember if I packed it up and put it up in the attic in an Advent bin or if it just got shoved amongst the Chrismas decor. I will get the Advent wreath out before the second week in Advent…do you hear me! I will!

Around the house… mayhem. I need to tidy after Sunday’s lolly-gagging about. Fortunately, I did clean out my closet this weekend. What a delight it is to be able to find things again! And, I managed to clean bathrooms and tidy the rest of the house. So, this morning’s tidy should be a quick one and the house will be refreshed and ready for lessons to begin.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Attic stomping for Advent items, Re-organize and tidy my desk area in the learning room and I vow to do a little baking! Yum!