See NieNie on Oprah

Sometime in the past year I've posted a link to the NieNie Dialogues blog. On Wednesday the 7th of October, its author will be on the Oprah show.

Stephanie Nielson was in a plane crash in Arizona, and miraculously survived, along with her husband. Their friend, the pilot-instructor, was killed, and Stephanie was in a coma for months after her husband pulled her out of the burning wreckage. While she was in the hospital and both she and her husband were recovering, two of her sisters looked after their four small children.

Stephanie has been home with her husband and kids for several months now. She's still dealing with the pain of burns and with the shock of looking into the mirror at a face that is very different from the pretty one she had before the crash. She's been through a lot, but NieNie's is a love story. She's a Mormon whose faith is pulling her through, but she also has four sweet children, a darling husband, and the most supportive family ever.

I am writing notes to myself and leaving them everywhere so that maybe, just maybe, I can remember to turn the TV on tomorrow afternoon.

Puffed Wheat Cake

Here's my recipe, requested by Lyda, who says she has never had puffed wheat cake. I can hardly believe it! As a matter of fact, this recipe has been doubled because when I make it in single quantity, it disappears in less than a day. First-timers like Lyda may want to halve the ingredients, just to be sure this is something they like. Also, I like my puffed wheat cake to be very chocolatey, thus the heaping spoonfuls; if you are only passingly fond of chocolate, level off your spoonfuls. I heap mine as high as the Rocky Mountains.

1 c margarine
1 c corn syrup
4 heaping tbsp cocoa
2 c brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
14 c puffed wheat cereal

Bring all ingredients except cereal and vanilla to a boil over medium-low heat. Boil 5 minutes, remove from heat, add vanilla, stir chocolate mixture into puffed wheat, and press into two 9”x13” pans or one very large cookie sheet. Cool, cut and devour.

The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage

Most nights I'm in bed by nine and reading till about 11. One of the books in the stack on the table is this biography of the marriage between the sainted Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd. It was a great read, especially for someone who has never had an overwhelming interest in Lincoln. Now, I think I've developed a slight crush on the man.

While his wife had a bad temper and was, for the most part, wealthy and spoiled, Abe was kindhearted, gentle, understanding, good-humoured and a masterful storyteller. He comes across as a warm and sweet man who suffered great stress while in the White House during the civil war, and for whom death may well have been a relief from the life he'd been leading. He was shot behind his right eye while laughing at the antics of the actors in the play My American Cousin, and never regained consciousness, dying the following day.

The couple had already lost two sons in childhood and Abe's death was pretty much the undoing of Mary Todd. Their marriage had been suffering the effects of little time spent alone together, and this evening at the theatre was a welcome treat for them both. It turned out to be the last one. Mary went on to develop mental problems more pronounced than she'd already experienced during her life with Lincoln. The book does not cover the rest of her life, but leaves the reader with the knowledge that she was a woman deeply loved and respected by her husband, in spite of the flaws that seemed to obliterate the best in her character.

Another element of their lives that stood out was the fact that as parents the Lincolns were extremely tolerant and never disciplined their children, no matter how badly they behaved. And they did behave badly. I would not have liked to spend time with those kids. Permissive parenting does no favours for children when it comes to earning friendship or goodwill among their peers or society in general. One day they wake up and discover, to their shock and chagrin, that their parents are the only people in the entire world who treat them like little princes. They soon learn —the hard way— that they are not the centre of the universe and can't walk all over others and get away with it.

Abe had at least one dream that was a presentiment of his death, but he also had a waking experience that Mary interpreted, quite correctly, as telling him that he would not survive his second term as president. His image in a full-length mirror had shown a second, less clear and sharp, reflection of his head. This had startled him and he went back to the mirror days later to see if the double image would appear again, and it did. He never could explain it but it did bother him and he told only one person, besides his wife, about it.

Excellent writing by Daniel Mark Epstein all the way through.

the oak island mystery

"Oak Island is a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. It is about 0.5 x 1 mile.
The first discovery was in 1795. Daniel McGinnis, in his late teens, decided to go exploring. Daniel found a clearing in the woods, and a thirteen foot-wide depression in the ground. There was also an old tackle box hanging from a branch directly over the pit. Daniel had visions of pirates and treasure. He returned later with two friends, John Smith 19, and Anthony Vaughan 16. Together, with shovels, they started one of the most famous treasure hunts of all time."


Read Showcase: Oak Island

By Emily Armsworthy and Tess Macintosh

Stretch Your Organic Spending Power

“Lower Pesticide-Load Produce
Lower pesticide levels are generally present in the following conventionally grown foods, so if you can’t afford to buy 100% organic, here is a good place to save:
• Asparagus
• Kiwi
• Avocados
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Eggplant
• Kiwi
• Onions
• Oranges/Tangerines
• Pineapple
• Sweet peas
• Sweet potatoes
• Watermelon

High Pesticide Load Produce
These fruits and vegetables are most commonly heavily sprayed with pesticides, so it is recommended that you buy organic or avoid them altogether if you can’t find organic:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Lettuce and Spinach
• Carrots
• Potatoes”

Reprinted from “Stretch Your Organic Spending Power,” Natural Life Magazine, March/April 2009 issue

The magazine also provides links to some other handy pages, among them a free downloadable shoppers guide to pesticides in produce:
http://www.ewg.org
or http://www.foodnews.org

diane's question

How will my spiritual, scientific and personal learnings interact in my private practice, other professional activities, and writing? - Diane

There is a lot packed into your question, and I've been trying to figure out how to treat it as one question and still answer it fully.

I pulled three cards:

1. The Answer

X Rods

The wands represent beliefs, attitudes, and ideas, and you have so much going on in your head that it's slowing you down and keeping you from moving clearly ahead.

2. Why That Is

V Pentacles

You are working desperately hard to learn what you feel must be learned in order to achieve the growth and success you desire. You are frustrated because in spite of all that you know and understand, you still feel impatient and as if there is always something to deal with that shouldn't be there. In a way, you think you should be beyond some of it, because of what you know.

If there is a problem, it is that you are learning things but not putting them into practice consistently. Before you've mastered a new technique for spiritual growth, you're already looking at learning another technique. So you know lots, intellectually, but you haven't deeply assimilated what you know by using it.

3. The End Result

The final card shows that you will continue to add skills to your "repertoire" because it's in your nature to seek and learn. To make the most of what you know, you need only be patient and focus on fewer things at one time. Then you'll find yourself empowered, whereas at this point your energy is spread thin.

Have Fun, Music Lovers

In keeping with the barn theme that is running through that last post and its comments:

Go to this page and click on each horse, one at a time. Turn up your speakers.

stony creek farm

The barn in the empty farmyard next door is 90 years old and may not stand for many more.

It was built in 1918, according to the paint job, and must have been a fine big barn in its time. Still would be, if it was being kept up. But alas, the barn sits unused and the house that shares the yard with it has been broken into by human or beast, or both, and the weather has done its damage inside. The floor might not hold a person any longer.

Scott and I walked over there the other night and had a look around. It would have been a great yard once, with its maple trees, long driveway and the two-storey farmhouse butted up against a field.

water witching and dogsled police patrols

Another one of Aunt Alma's photos taken in the Yukon "back in the day." The police patrolled by dogsled. Naturally.

In more recent news...

“60 Years Ago, April 14, 1949
Rotnum: Ratepayers of the Rotnum School District, 14 miles northeast of Wadena, believe that their rural school is the first in Saskatchewan to be electrically lighted. The electrification of their school is a community project and is being financially managed both by individual donation and by community socials.”
Reprinted from Looking Back, Wadena News, April 2009

And for something more current:

“Water Witchers help locate waterline break

According to town superintendent Ron Babyck the problem had surfaced around suppertime on Tuesday when a citizen noticed water bubbling up through the pavement on First St. NE.
…
It wasn’t until late Wednesday that we finally located the leak by using the dowsing services of Ken Kerluke and Terry Neilson,” Babyck said. “Between the two of them they were able to pinpoint the problem area within a 10-foot radius— it was a big help.”

Reprinted from Wadena News, April 2009

It seems that people with the ability to dowse are not rare in these parts.

***

It's my sister Karen's 48th birthday today so I am standing by in case she's free to go for lunch. Barring that, perhaps I'll go to her place and, taking a page out of my friend Shelly's book, clean out Karen's fridge. Shelly once came to my house and did that on my birthday, and I think it was the best gift ever.

***

Yesterday I spent some time sitting at the kitchen table, looking out the window at a merlin perched in the trees not far from the bird feeders. I had remembered that my new binoculars were in the house, so put them to good use and was able to see the little fella close-up. What a beauty. He sat about seven inches tall and as it was snow-cold yesterday he was puffed up in all his feathered glory. He was probably waiting for a smaller bird to come by, like the usual redpolls or sparrows that inhabit our yard, but the only kind that appeared was a noisy bluejay —apparently too large for the merlin's lunch— and a couple woodpeckers.

Am I the only person who has trouble using binoculars properly? I swear, there is always a black shadow appearing through the lense, no matter what I do. Is the proper way to use them, with the eyes not touching the eye-things? That seemed to work best for me.

more about magpies

"Black-billed Magpie
An exceptional architect, the black-billed magpie builds an elaborate domed nest that can be found in a spruce or deciduous tree or, on occasion, on an iron bridge. Constructed from sticks and held together with mud, the domed compartment conceals and protects eggs and young from predators and harsh weather. The nests are so well constructed that they may remain in trees for years, and non-building birds, such as merlins and owls, often use them as nest sites.”

Reprinted from Saskatchewan Birds, by Alan Smith

You can see the dome, or roof, in the photo above. Right? Well, it's the best my camera can do.

Also, the coyote in the back yard? It's a fox. I was pointing it out to Scott yesterday afternoon as we looked out the kitchen window. It was curled up in its usual spot but Scott was unable to see it and insisted I was imagining things, that it was a dead thistle on the ground or something. I had to go out, startle the creature awake so that it would stand, and then my boy could see it. I also got a better look than last time, and it's a fox.

We spent a couple hours yesterday over at Golden Grain Farm. Many of my perennial flowers are up but it's still too wet to work in the garden. The frogs were singing up a storm in the slough near the house though, so I am anxious to get over there to sleep. Ah, the thought of listening to them through the slightly open window at night ... I can hardly wait.

Have I told you that I plan to move over there as soon as heat is not required? Yes. I intend to start calling Golden Grain Farm "home," as soon as possible. I've created a blog centred on the new place; the link is up there on the left, just click on the photo of the John Deere plough.

magpie nests

I haven't seen any birds working on the nest in the photo, which is between our house and the garden. There are two more nests in trees near it, and not far away there is another one that a pair of magpies was working on diligently. It promises to be a noisy summer, as last year's parents appear to have brought some young adults back with them.

Magpies build a roof on their nests.

There are crows around the yard as well.

Also, I saw starlings this morning out the bathroom window. There are house sparrows that build a nest under the eave, and the starlings either leave an egg with them or steal their nest.

(Have to pull out the bird book and brush up on my facts. The starlings were here the past few years so I should know.)

"April 17   In the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, an annual religious event called the Chariot Festival of the Rain God begins on this day. It is dedicated to Machendrana, the ancient and powerful Indian god of rain. The festival is celebrated for approximately eight consecutive weeks." -Original source unknown

Stephanie Nielsen, a young Mormon mother, was in a plane crash with her husband and a friend. The friend, who was the pilot, died. Stephanie suffered serious burns and was in hospital for months while her sisters looked after her four children. Her husband got out of the hospital sooner.

She is still going through a lot -- pain, surgeries, etc -- and her faith and courage and openheartedness are inspiring.

Grandpa's Chair

In Margo, Saskatchewan, Grandpa Benson had a recliner that sat in the corner of the living room opposite the TV set. Grandpa liked to watch WWF, and to doze. Whenever I’d walk into their house he’d soon give a beneficient order. “How ‘bout some ice cream?” was the most frequent one, and if the bowl wasn’t highly enough heaped, he’d look upon it with disdain and send it back to the kitchen for proper filling. Of course, my bowl also could be equally rounded on top, so I never complained.

A less welcomed request was “Clean my toenails, eh?”

***

From the Wadena News:
'Looking Back' section, April 2009:

"100 Years Ago
April 16, 1909
Margo: One of our new settlers gave a party the other day in order to get enough help to put up his new house. But as the days are long and the host had forgotten to bring along the necessary quantity of grub, the party broke up rather early and, sad to tell, never returned."

***

It's snowing here today. Snowing! I will have to bundle up to go out.

A perfect day to warm up the house by making granola.

***

"April 16   Every year on this day, the god Apollo was worshipped and supplicated by his faithful cult in ancient Greece. An annual festival called the Hiketeria was celebrated in his honor." - Original source unknown

wily coyote

8:45 a.m.
My life changes when the weather warms up. The outdoors calls, and I drop everything and go. After a two-mile walk yesterday morning, I sat at this desk working for several hours before taking a shorter stroll, just out to the garden behind the house, in the afternoon. When I returned I stood against the west wall to bask in the sun, and after a few moments there was a movement in the bush about 30 feet away from me. It was a coyote; had it remained still, I wouldn't have known it was there. I pulled the camera out of my jacket pocket as quickly as I could and snapped the photo above, which because of the distance didn’t turn out worth a hoot. When I took a step closer, the coyote dashed out toward the garden.

Indoors again, I glanced out the kitchen window in the direction I’d seen the coyote, and my eye caught on a crescent of fluffy golden yellow on the ground below the bare trees. I opened the window, and up popped a furry head and two pointy ears. The coyote was having a snooze in the afternoon warmth. After looking around and not seeing the cause of the noise, it tucked its head back down into its curled-up body. I could almost hear it sigh with contentment. I opened and closed the window several times to see if it would get up and move, but each time it simply raised its head for a quick inspection of the area and laid it down again.

Between the coyote and me was Ralph, Grandma’s big black cat; he sat on a boulder at the edge of the lawn, watching the long dry grass around it. It occurred to me that the coyote was a predator and Ralph wasn’t safe; I opened the window again, and called him. He ignored me. I perched up on the countertop near the sink and watched the coyote and the cat, until a noise from the other yard startled the coyote and it darted silently away. Not far— only a few feet— then it turned its head toward the house. Ralph hadn’t seen the coyote, but he chose this moment to pounce on something moving in the grass. That’s when the coyote spotted Ralph and began to close in on him. I hollered out the window, called “Kitty kitty,” but Ralph stayed where he was and the coyote kept coming. I ran for the porch, out the door and down the step, and met Ralph coming around the corner of the house. I scooped the cat up and stalked toward the bush, where the coyote had stopped in its tracks and stood staring at me.
“You get out of here!” I yelled, pointing, as if chasing a bad boy out of my garden. “Go on!”
And it turned and disappeared in the trees.

I hated to see it go, to make it think I was unfriendly. Perhaps it wasn’t hunting the barn cats, which in their turn have been hunting the plentiful mice all around the farmyard. Perhaps it’s been hunting rodents itself, or the “chickens” that have been seen in the bush. The coyotes have been bold this spring; they’ve been in the corrals and early one morning Scott's dad saw one right in the farmyard chewing on a piece of hide after a steer had been butchered. The worry, aside from the safety of the barn cats, is that the coyotes will go after a newborn calf. If they come as a small group, Scott says, they can distract a mother cow enough to get at her baby.

When I came upstairs this morning, the coyote was there again, its fluffy golden tail visible through the kitchen window as it wove back and forth in the dead brown undergrowth of last summer. Scott mentioned borrowing a .22; perhaps Devon, the archer who is visiting the family with Scott’s sister Laurel this week, will try to shoot an arrow into it. Devon’s been devastating the population of gophers on the home quarter, killing an average of 40 a day—  and he says that isn’t even making a dent in the multitudes he’s seeing out there.

It rained during the night and Scott has been out, trying to move newborn calves under a roof where they can dry off. One cow did come after him, so he had to let her calf go. It’s grey out there, less tempting for me. Perhaps I won’t walk so far this morning.

freaking-out mother

Hi Mom,
 
Sherry, Poppa, and I went to the theatre and saw Monsters vs Aliens. It was a good movie. There were lots of laughs and it was also in 3D which was kind of cool. We later ate supper at Boston Pizza.
 
Last night, after two days of suffering and impatience, I finally figured out how to connect to Xbox Live. It then told me that my Xbox needed an update so I figured why not. Now the whole Xbox menu is changed around and I'm not used to it but there are some cool features on it. I found out how to download stuff. I really only downloaded two free things though. They were multiplayer maps for Halo. They WERE free. I won't start downloading things that require money until I feel comfortable.
 
This morning I played Halo 3 online with some other players. I have no idea where they may live. Three matches were played. The first two I ended up in 2nd place. I have no idea how I did that. The third match was 1 on 1. I beat that guy. Once in a while I heard him swear over his headset.
After the match, he sent me a message. He said that I was something else and I should play when there are more skilled players online. I thought "Wow" because this was only my first time playing on Xbox Live and I was already being complemented. Too bad I couldn't figure out how to send a message back to say thanx.
 
So that was my yesterday along with this morning. It was a long read wasn't it. It was for me when I typed it.
 
Heres to being possibly being MLG in the future (haha),
Hevi Evy (my gamer name)

Me to Everett:

Can't write much, am at a library computer near the highway on my way to Edmonton, where I shall remove you my darling child from the evil influences of online gaming and adult predators. Pack your things, I'll be there in three hours! Don't give out your real name or even tell the city you're in to those online monsters who will be trying to convince you they can make you a star in the online gamers' universe. Trust no one! They'll spirit you away and we'll never see you again. Lock the door and don't go anywhere till your father gets home!

Love,
Your Freaking-Out Mother

ps just kidding
will write later

a charmed life

 
If you've ever wondered what it’s like to live in a castle, Liza Campbell is here to tell you it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Her father, after inheriting his Scottish title, Thane of Cawdor, not only mismanaged the properties but, through alcoholism and other personal problems, his own life and those of his children. However, the castle Liza Campbell grew up in has a long and bloody history, which the young girl heard as stories of her own ancestors. How cool is that. MacBeth, anyone?

emails, travels, scuba diver, hats, radio

The boys were loaded into Gord's car on Friday afternoon in North Battleford and I sped back to Saskatoon on the Yellowhead highway. There was plenty of traffic going both ways and I was almost in two accidents caused by 1) stupid mr speedy and 2) picking-something-up-off-floor person. They were miraculous avoidances, which I suppose they all must seem to be when it happens to you. I say there might well be an angel on my side. That or I have a horseshoe up my ass. Which would you prefer, if it were you?

I often get my words mixed up. Sometimes I even do it on purpose; it gets the boys going. When dropping them off I said "Don't forget to remind Email to send me an Emil." Everett thought that was the funniest thing he ever heard.

Saturday night

Hi Mom,
 I nearly forgot to email you today. Poppa did something kind of stupid today. He was messing around with stuff and walking around when he walked on his satellite remote. There was an ear wrenching cruch. He swore so much because he broke the green chip thingy. Now we have to change channels using the buttons on the receiver.
 Everett
 And now some stuff from Email!!!!!!!
 
Hi mom We saw uncle Russ today.  We saw Cameron today.    from Emil

Hi my sweeties,

Scott and I just got home from Kelvington. We had supper at Tanya's and afterward I went to see Grandma and take her some flowers. Before we came home we went to Golden Grain Farm to get some wood, and almost got stuck in the driveway. Good thing Scott was driving.

Lynn is here (staying at Pat and Ivan's) with Ryan, Brenda and their kids - Ryley, Mia and Sofia. Laurel and Devon are down from Denare Beach; they're staying at Tanya's. Randall is there too. Stephen is home this weekend also.

Sorry to hear about the satellite remote; that sucks.

What do you think of Uncle Bum's long hair? Does he really look like Dog the Bounty Hunter?

Well I haven't had Scott all to myself since getting home late this afternoon so I think I'll go downstairs, open up a bag of potato chips and watch a little TV with him if he's not snoring yet.

Love,
Mom

ps Gord has a picture of Jordan's new puppy.

***
Sunday morning
On this side of Quill Lake I saw a man in the ditch, walking, wearing a scuba suit and face mask. Is this a little strange to see alongside a country road in Saskatchewan? Yes. However, this is one of our neighbours who is obsessed with swimming through culverts. Someone should tell him about the people who explore water-filled caves and fit themselves through tiny openings. The idea of it scares the hell out of me, but I bet it would be right up this guy’s alley.

~
Does anyone remember those little “hats” we girls used to wear in the wintertime, back in the sixties? As I recall, they were about one foot long and three inches wide, and tied under your chin. They kept your ears warm. I have not seen one of those for 40 years. Does anyone know what they were called? And I wonder why little girls don’t wear them anymore; they’d work like the dickens.

~

Did you know that ice cubes kept in a paper bag do not stick together? (thankyou little kath, lab whiz)

~

I listen to CBC radio and hear all kinds of fascinating things. On the local show, Blue Sky, there was this:

- a book to look up, The Staircase Letters

- a website created by palliative care worker Stephen Jenkins, http://www.orphanwisdom.com

- The Three-Man Factor, about that unseen person with you when you find yourself in dangerous situations; many people have experienced this presence.

After the author was interviewed, listeners phoned in to tell their own stories. I had just arrived at the Co-op store parking lot but there was no way I was missing this. I took off my jacket and picked up all the papers from the floor of the van. Then I tidied up a little more before sitting down in the shady back with my feet resting on the front armrests  in the warm sunshine, and watched people coming and going in the parking lot. It was fascinating to hear what has happened to people. Remind me to tell you the story about the gosling ... better yet, I am sure they are replaying the program today between one and two o'clock. You could listen to it on CBC Radio 540 but does anyone ever do the online radio thing? I can't because of my dialup.

~ I was surprised that so many people are still using plastic bags.

~ The graveyard photo above is one of Aunt Alma's. Everett and I took my boxes of photos and albums over to GG Farm so I can't find it and see if she wrote anything on the back. I'd guess it's taken in the Yukon. There is a similar graveyard at the Batoche historic site.

boringness

Scott in the yard at Golden Grain Farm

One of the weekly freebies that comes into our mailbox at the post office publishes a column called How Ta Look at the News, by Gene Hauta. “In a weekly religious ritual, Pastor Bob Book of Church of the Common Ground in Atlanta and his wife wash the feet of three dozen homeless men. The ritual follows the example of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. The treatment includes a soak, pumice-rubbing, nail-trimming and massage, topped off by a clean pair of socks. Book says his crusade makes the down-and-out feel more confident, and insists that the worst ongoing threat is not Satan in men’s minds but fungus in their toes.” –Reprinted from East Central Connection, April 3

***

Someone said writers are boring.

I am so boring that I am fascinated by a television show that is only two people talking, the whole time. Some people can't understand that; they want drama, action, shoot-em-up fun. I love In Treatment, The Antiques Roadshow, Portrait of a Masterpiece. Scott falls asleep while they are on. My eyes are wide open so I won't miss a moment.

He gets a kick out of Married With Children, My Name is Earl. These bore me. I rarely crack a smile when they are on; usually I leave the room and go somewhere quiet to read.

Different strokes for different folks.

One thing I've always found about writers is that they have lots to say. They have opinions, and they're articulate and forceful about expressing them. I often feel quite wishy-washy (i.e. boring?) in comparison.

Furthermore, I have taken to having a bowl of oatmeal for lunch. I may well be the most boring person in the entire world.

get your cards read

Part the curtain...come in! Madam Katrinka will divine the cards for you.

You may SEND ONE QUESTION to stubblejumperscafe @gmail.com (remove the space before @). Madam K will do the reading at her earliest opportunity, though it may not appear immediately on the webpage. Please note that questions left in the comments section will not be answered.

By sending your question, you agree to allow your reading, without identifying details, to be posted here at Stubblejumpers.

To find out how Madam K approaches the cards, click here.

I began working with the tarot back in 1984.

To learn more about the tarot, pass your mouse over the cards below. You will find links to webpages illuminating various aspects of tarot. I am presently using the Morgan Greer deck; to see all the cards drawn in a reading, follow the link provided below.

NOTE: Delivered via email and for a donation, private card readings can be arranged. The standard donation if you are crossing my palm with silver is $30, but I'm open to bartering; have you got art work or other services to trade? Email me at the address above and we'll talk.