I was reminded of this post today when one the boys in one of my classes farted. This caused a major class disruption with the other boys holding their noses and moving away from him. Once again I had to remind them that everyone does this, and that it is a natural reaction of our bodies when we digest food. It happened soon after lunch.
Here is my old post about this subject. Check it out here!
This post is from 2023. I still think beauty abounds when we have the right mindset.
I have another post from August 19th from the year 2021 which gives another perspective on how we can find the beauty around us. It will be my next post.
I blogged Have Faith on this day August 11, 2024. I needed this reminder this morning. It is so easy to get discouraged when our thoughts turn dark.
I continue to read Caribbean. I finally passed through the section The Buccaneer which was a sad commentary on human nature, and gave a very detailed account of the brutality that mankind will participate in their quest for power and money. I am now in the section titled The Sugar Interest, and it is a much easier read. I still have more than half the book to finish (325 out of 859), though I am making progress slowly. It is important to understand our world and why it works the way that it does even when this knowledge can be discouraging. I will continue to make my way through the book, however, breaks are definitely necessary for me and my family. Reading this book has reminded me of a book by Tim Kreider that I read many years ago. It was titled We Learn Nothing. Humans do seem to repeatedly make the same mistakes.
Lastly, I think it is so important for me and for others to have faith that good things can fight evil things. Have Faith will be my motto for today and other days when the going gets tough.
This works as a reminder to use the next two weeks to relax before I start back to work. Reading is relaxing for me if I choose the right reading source.
I have been thinking about Sangria since I posted the recipe of Cranberry Sangria that I found in an old cookbook. I have to admit that I normally stay away from red wine because I am sensitive to it. I discovered online that some people make sangria with white wine. I found a recipe titled Refreshing Sherry Sangria. This recipe intrigued me because since finding the recipe card for beef stroganoff that used sherry, I remembered that my father liked to drink sherry. The only sherry that I have used in the past was cooking sherry that I used with a lamb recipe. I decided that I should get a better quality of sherry to drink and see what is was like. If I didn’t like it I could use it with cooking certain foods.
In the recipe I found online it called for 1 bottle dry white wine (they recommended Sauvignon Blanc). The second ingredient was 1/2 cup Fino or Manzanilla sherry. The fruits it listed were 2 peaches, 2 lemons, and 1/2 cup green grapes, halved. It listed simple syrup and mint sprigs. Well the day I was buying ingredients the selection of peaches was not to my liking and I ended up buying only one. I could not find fresh mint in the grocery stores. (I used to grow it long ago. Maybe I should consider growing it again.) My daughter ate the peach, and I decided that I could do without this ingredient. I like experimenting. I was not going to make a big batch for myself. I got out one wine glass. I used the recipe simply as a guide. I decided to add cranberry juice for taste and color. The word sangria derives from the Spanish word sangre (or Portuguese sanque) meaning “blood”. The Blood Orange syrup was to honor the name and color of the original sangria, and I already had purchased it months ago for something else. I added the triple sec syrup to add sweetness . At first it was not to my liking, however, after I added 2 orange slices and several halved grapes and let the drink sit for awhile, it tasted good. I ended up finishing the drink with no ill effects to my health. I had a good nights sleep. I will continue to experiment.
I finally got out of my house today. I ventured out within a 3 mile radius (or less.) While I was out I spotted 2 teenage girls that were both wearing pink oversized sweatshirt hoodies with these words on the back. I told them that I liked their hoodies, and I asked where they got them. They told me online at a website called dandyworldwide.com.
I found the website, and I found the “Words of Affirmation” hoodie. I would have preferred a crewneck with these words, but still I liked the words so much that I bought one in a navy color. I work in a school, and I love the messages that this will spread to everyone that sees it.
I don’t get anything out of advertising products other that a good feeling about spreading the word on a product that I like.
It is 2025. This garden picture was taken by me in my garden in 2010. It looks nothing like this today. Now I have family priorities that take most of my time.
I look back and I am thankful that at one time I had the luxury of playing in my garden for hours upon hours. I am thankful that I took enough pictures to look back at and be grateful for that time. I am grateful that my family allowed me this time.
This coming Tuesday 12/02/2025 is Giving Tuesday. Some of you, including myself, have already given to organizations or missions that speak to the heart. Though it is nice to have a day set aside to make sure in this season of giving that you remember others, especially those organizations that serve people who need help.
Count your blessings, and be grateful by giving to others that need your help.
I received a mustard seed necklace from my grandmother Florence when I was a young girl. I was reminded of this today when I saw a modern version of it for sale. The mustard seed can hold powerful symbolism depending on one’s faith. Jesus uses the mustard seed to represent how the smallest grain of faith can grow and grow into something big and powerful.
I cannot say that I have always been faithful. However a small seed was planted in me long ago when I was a young girl. It was pushed into the back of my mind as I grew. As an adult and a mother my faith has been remembered and nurtured again. I cannot say that I am the most pious person, however, I have never sought to harm others. I try to live by a creed of kindness, and by acceptance of others different from myself. During the past decade my faith has come to my rescue many times as I struggled with depression and the illness of family.
Seeing the mustard seed necklace recently reminded me how this symbol can be a great gift for someone. It serves as a reminder to them that through faith they can thrive, and become a force for good. Life can be long and tiresome at times, but faith will hold your hand, and God’s love is unconditional.
This summer I have read books about dragons and witches. I discovered the writing of Ursula K. Le Guin and her EarthSea books. Most recently I finished reading her book, Lavinia. I revisited the writing of Kelly Barnhill. A few years ago, I read her book, The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Since this is “the year of the dragon”, I had to read her book, When Women Were Dragons.
I have come a long way since I started writing for therapy. I used to read mostly nonfiction. Now I read mostly fiction. Historical fiction is good, but to truly escape reality you need to read fantasy.
Once I set the books down the reality of my life always comes back to me. The themes in my real life are persistence and resilience. My real life requires me to have faith. Having faith that the sun will rise and set each day is an easy faith. Having faith that humans can work together for a better world requires a stronger and more active faith.
I start back to work tomorrow. I need to have faith that I can make a positive impact on the lives of middle-schoolers by helping them to grow stronger and smarter, and to have faith that we can all work together for a better world for all of us.
The heart necklace in my last post was purchased at the Etsy website. I was surprised to find that I still had an account with them from way back in 2015. I had forgotten my password.
I was able to change it so that I can now access it.
I decided I should support the small entrepreneurs that create a variety of things to sell on Etsy.
Since I work in a school, I thought maybe I could find a fun T-shirt to make students think.
I found a vendor located in my state that creates T-shirts using the periodic table of chemical elements.
The T-shirt came today. It is a standard crew neck, so I just pictured the important message on it. It makes me think since I am not trained in chemistry, though I have read a book or two on the subject. I have worked in 8th grade science in the past, so I do know a little about chemistry, at least enough to support the students. I got an A in high school chemistry way back when I was in high school. I took no chemistry classes in college.
The three elements of Potassium, Rhenium, and Indium are useful together only to spell out my last (married) name.
And of course I noticed the numbers, and it made me laugh!
movingforwardslowly 