10 Things I am Currently in Love with:
1. Red Wine.
2. Fleece Pants (seriously I think about them at work....actually I think more about "could I find a black pair that I could wear to work?? Or even more important would anyone say anything???)
3. Having 4 happy chickens...its been a long haul but I am really lovin' the new birds we got!
4. Having girl friends who aren't afraid to call you on your shit. (seriously....that is real friendship)
5. Babies (and dogs for that matter) in Halloween costumes...I don't care if they don't understand the holiday I want to dump like a million pieces of candy on them...or maybe offer to trade the candy for them.....
6. My new broom (from http://www.broommagic.com/) Local and freakin lovely!! (Note I did not say I like sweeping).
7. Did I mention Red Wine?
8. The color Burnt Orange.
9. The smell of a burning fire place (which currently I can only get from a yankee candle but still good enough)
10. My man's beard....seriously. HOT.
Creating Community
The view of the lake was breathtaking and made me realize how blessed I am to live in such an amazing place. Its ridiculous that I don't get out and see the beauty that is Oregon more often. I think this is going to be my New Year's resolution! Anyhoo we proceeded to climb up the pretty intense .7 miles towards the fire look-out. Once up there the amazing view turned into beyond belief beauty..there was only one other guy up there. We immediately asked if he was the guy riding the bike and instantly this moment of "nosiness" lead to an amazing connection. He immediately told us about this journey he is taking from Alaska to South America..all on bike. He also is climbing the highest mountain of each country he goes through and had some amazing stories. We chatted with him for about 30 minutes and sadly he was biking away from us or we would have bought him dinner. I thought I would share his website with you and he promised it would be in English by the end of the month. And the next time you are out try to start a conversation with the stranger next to you....you never know who they might be, or the journey they are on.
The highest World
Lacy
Love.
I think about Love and what that means quite a lot. As a person who has been in a couple long-term relationships and is in one currently you start to realize...and quite quickly that Love is not that of fairy tales. It is not prince charming sweeping me off my feet, or someone to swoop down and rescue me. There are days that I think that "happy ever after" would be pretty awesome but I look out the window see my man getting pure joy running around the backyard like a crazy person trying to wear out our dog and that thought vanishes. The moments where he looks at me and thanks me, genuinely, for reheating left-over spaghetti...from a week ago...makes me realize that love is everyday.
I look at my parents who after 25 years of marriage divorced. I think it is this experience that really made me start looking at love. How two people who made it through some major life issues together could fall "out of love". They were the couple you would always find making out on the couch (much to my teenage horror), the ones who genuinely showed that while not always roses that laughter could cure most things. How you go from that to "done" made me realize how fragile, how fleeting, how precious Love can be.
On this day of "National Coming Out" I thought of love again. I thought of one of my best friends not being able to marry the woman who makes her smile. Makes her happy and fulfilled.
Of the young gay males in college I RA'd for that would keep me up crying because they didn't want to be different, couldn't fathom coming out to their parent/families/friends.
The teens who are killing themselves because of bullying.
They were afraid that the Love they felt for someone else would end the love others felt for them.
I thought of my love for family members who, to be completely honest, if we were not related by blood I would have no ties too because they couldn't look past their Love for their God to see that at the core of it all is Love. His greatest gift.
Love.
4 letters. Though it is what life is made up of. It has caused both my best and worst times in my life. But at the end of the day I know that I can marry that man out that window. I can talk about him, and our life at work with no worries. I can march my ass down the street holding his hand and NO one will look the other way. It kills me inside that my friends can't do the same. I am not perfect. I have no idea what actually constitutes "Love" but what I do know what it is not:
Hate.
I am an ally. Not because of political reasons, not because of some moral compass, or religious shenanigans but because of the look my best friend Jayme has when she looks at her girlfriend....god for that reason, even when she talks about her. It is like my friend comes to life, she starts to shine. How anyone can hate that, can deny that, can harass that is beyond my comprehension.
So I will just go about loving ALL my friends, and all the people they love. I will continue to love those that are uneducated, misguided and scared. Because at the end of the day I know that I am 100 million percent better for it. That this is how we will end homophobia:
Love.
Lacy
I look at my parents who after 25 years of marriage divorced. I think it is this experience that really made me start looking at love. How two people who made it through some major life issues together could fall "out of love". They were the couple you would always find making out on the couch (much to my teenage horror), the ones who genuinely showed that while not always roses that laughter could cure most things. How you go from that to "done" made me realize how fragile, how fleeting, how precious Love can be.
On this day of "National Coming Out" I thought of love again. I thought of one of my best friends not being able to marry the woman who makes her smile. Makes her happy and fulfilled.
Of the young gay males in college I RA'd for that would keep me up crying because they didn't want to be different, couldn't fathom coming out to their parent/families/friends.
The teens who are killing themselves because of bullying.
They were afraid that the Love they felt for someone else would end the love others felt for them.
I thought of my love for family members who, to be completely honest, if we were not related by blood I would have no ties too because they couldn't look past their Love for their God to see that at the core of it all is Love. His greatest gift.
Love.
4 letters. Though it is what life is made up of. It has caused both my best and worst times in my life. But at the end of the day I know that I can marry that man out that window. I can talk about him, and our life at work with no worries. I can march my ass down the street holding his hand and NO one will look the other way. It kills me inside that my friends can't do the same. I am not perfect. I have no idea what actually constitutes "Love" but what I do know what it is not:
Hate.
I am an ally. Not because of political reasons, not because of some moral compass, or religious shenanigans but because of the look my best friend Jayme has when she looks at her girlfriend....god for that reason, even when she talks about her. It is like my friend comes to life, she starts to shine. How anyone can hate that, can deny that, can harass that is beyond my comprehension.
So I will just go about loving ALL my friends, and all the people they love. I will continue to love those that are uneducated, misguided and scared. Because at the end of the day I know that I am 100 million percent better for it. That this is how we will end homophobia:
Love.
Lacy
Digging..Stirring...Measuring...
Up to my eye balls in fruit/tomatoes/canning...I keep remind myself that there was a time that I would actually sit and eat my dinner...as opposed to the current situation where I make the dinner on any free burner I can find and eat while preparing my next canning adventure. That there used to be more to my life then canning jars, HUGE pots and my immersion blender. I used to do stuff...fun stuff....non-cook related stuff.... Though let me take a moment and proclaim my LOVE of my gas range!! It might be my favorite item in my house...SO just wanted to check in and state that if I never see another apple (besides the 60 pounds I have waiting for me still...) it will be a good life...Though there is NOTHING like still warm apple sauce on some bob's red mill grain cereal...uh-flippin-mazing.
Lacy
Lacy
When life hands you green tomatoes...
Ok I know its been awhile....I was so angry at the weather not assisting in this whole experiment I call a "garden". I wanted to punish something and because I have no power to make the sun shine I decided I would punish the blog...silly right??!!? So lets reflect on the amazingness of this year....
Lessons Learned:
-Just buy plants...don't grow from seed...you need counter space more then a million seedlings....
-The raised bed farthest to the right gets the least amount of sun...plan accordingly.
-Tomato plants get HUGE soooo don't plant bush beans behind them....
-Plant the tomatoes towards the back so you can plant other things in the front...
-buying plants via the mail doesn't work out...use saturday market instead.
-when using water walls for tomatoes put the cage around first then slide the water wall around that.
Okay so for year one we actually did okay...got a bunch of tomatoes (not enough to can sadly) but did find this option and let me just say "YUM!"...slow roasted tomatoes
Though we ended up with about 1 billion green tomatoes....so I searched the web and found the answer! It was simple, delish and uses green tomatoes. I doubled it and ended up with ten 12 oz jars.
Green Tomato Enchilada Sauce
Combine the following:
5 cups of chopped green tomatoes
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 cup seeded finely chopped jalapenos
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. ground cumin
3 tbsp. oregano leaves (I used 1 1/2 tbsp. of ground mexican oregano)
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Put it in a big sauce pan bring to a boil. Stir frequently and once it begins to boil, then reduce head and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I then added 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and used my immersion blender to puree the sauce.
Ladle the hot salsa into your jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes and you are good to go!
Now enjoy!
I plan on making this a couple more times...we have that many green tomatoes! Oy. More experienced canners out there could you substitute lime juice for the lemon?? I think that would be more authentic though with the whole acid level issue involved in canning I didn't want to play around with the recipe too much.
Also just got my winter garden in so plan on hearing more about "lessons learned".
Lacy
* Just did some research and via the powers of the internet I have concluded that you could use lime juice which I think would taste more authentic. I am going to use limes for the next batch so I will update on the taste...
Lessons Learned:
-Just buy plants...don't grow from seed...you need counter space more then a million seedlings....
-The raised bed farthest to the right gets the least amount of sun...plan accordingly.
-Tomato plants get HUGE soooo don't plant bush beans behind them....
-Plant the tomatoes towards the back so you can plant other things in the front...
-buying plants via the mail doesn't work out...use saturday market instead.
-when using water walls for tomatoes put the cage around first then slide the water wall around that.
Okay so for year one we actually did okay...got a bunch of tomatoes (not enough to can sadly) but did find this option and let me just say "YUM!"...slow roasted tomatoes
Though we ended up with about 1 billion green tomatoes....so I searched the web and found the answer! It was simple, delish and uses green tomatoes. I doubled it and ended up with ten 12 oz jars.
Green Tomato Enchilada Sauce
Combine the following:
5 cups of chopped green tomatoes
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 cup seeded finely chopped jalapenos
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. ground cumin
3 tbsp. oregano leaves (I used 1 1/2 tbsp. of ground mexican oregano)
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
I then added 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and used my immersion blender to puree the sauce.
Now enjoy!
I plan on making this a couple more times...we have that many green tomatoes! Oy. More experienced canners out there could you substitute lime juice for the lemon?? I think that would be more authentic though with the whole acid level issue involved in canning I didn't want to play around with the recipe too much.
Also just got my winter garden in so plan on hearing more about "lessons learned".
Lacy
* Just did some research and via the powers of the internet I have concluded that you could use lime juice which I think would taste more authentic. I am going to use limes for the next batch so I will update on the taste...
power and fear.
A lot of response came from my last blog entry and that is exactly what I was hoping for...discussion!
I will admit that we have been pretty non-impacted by the negative turn of economy and because of that it was easy for me to ignore. The same is to be said for individuals with disabilities and the services they receive...if you don't need them its easy to ignore whats happening. Thankfully the state found some "extra" money and will give 17 million out of the 35 million back so many of the programs will continue at least through February. Though with no end in sight for this slow economy there isn't a lot of hope so you learn to take it day by day.
I keep hoping that this economy will encourages us as a community to come together. When we go the grocery store we will ask our neighbor if they would like to go with us, we offer to have a play date with our friend's child who has a disability, or even to ask if there is anything we can do to help. This doesn't just apply to the old and disabled though. I hope in this negativity we can come together and reconnect. We can look at budget cuts as negative or we can help form a neighborhood watch to keep our neighborhood safe and clean, without police assistance. We can organize school yard clean-ups and after school programs.
We can eventually realize as a society that stuff doesn't equal happiness. That living outside our means doesn't make us better people. To finally appreciate what we have instead of looking at what we want.
I am not speaking from a pulpit. I am just as guilty as the next guy. I admit that I covet many an item and don't know my neighbors names and currently not active in making it more of a community feel. I guess I am hoping that I can use this time of "tightening purse strings" to force myself to really appreciate what I have and to realize what is important. What it requires is what I have already asked you to do....go out of my comfort zone..I need to practice what I preach.
In some ways I have already started doing this, I will be paying off my LAST credit card this month (Just in time for student loans to kick in)!!!!!!!! Though I think I have saved the most uncomfortable task of all: creating community in my neighborhood. It really shames me to write this down, to put it out to the public. I work daily to create community and inclusion for all, yet when push comes to shove I haven't done it. My neighborhood is diverse and it has many people "not like me". It is so easy to see those differences I don't notice the "sameness". So in front of you I pledge to work on finding how they are like me. I am going to look everyday for moments when I can create a neighborhood. I will be part of the solution and not the problem.
How do you create community?
I will admit that we have been pretty non-impacted by the negative turn of economy and because of that it was easy for me to ignore. The same is to be said for individuals with disabilities and the services they receive...if you don't need them its easy to ignore whats happening. Thankfully the state found some "extra" money and will give 17 million out of the 35 million back so many of the programs will continue at least through February. Though with no end in sight for this slow economy there isn't a lot of hope so you learn to take it day by day.
I keep hoping that this economy will encourages us as a community to come together. When we go the grocery store we will ask our neighbor if they would like to go with us, we offer to have a play date with our friend's child who has a disability, or even to ask if there is anything we can do to help. This doesn't just apply to the old and disabled though. I hope in this negativity we can come together and reconnect. We can look at budget cuts as negative or we can help form a neighborhood watch to keep our neighborhood safe and clean, without police assistance. We can organize school yard clean-ups and after school programs.
We can eventually realize as a society that stuff doesn't equal happiness. That living outside our means doesn't make us better people. To finally appreciate what we have instead of looking at what we want.
I am not speaking from a pulpit. I am just as guilty as the next guy. I admit that I covet many an item and don't know my neighbors names and currently not active in making it more of a community feel. I guess I am hoping that I can use this time of "tightening purse strings" to force myself to really appreciate what I have and to realize what is important. What it requires is what I have already asked you to do....go out of my comfort zone..I need to practice what I preach.
In some ways I have already started doing this, I will be paying off my LAST credit card this month (Just in time for student loans to kick in)!!!!!!!! Though I think I have saved the most uncomfortable task of all: creating community in my neighborhood. It really shames me to write this down, to put it out to the public. I work daily to create community and inclusion for all, yet when push comes to shove I haven't done it. My neighborhood is diverse and it has many people "not like me". It is so easy to see those differences I don't notice the "sameness". So in front of you I pledge to work on finding how they are like me. I am going to look everyday for moments when I can create a neighborhood. I will be part of the solution and not the problem.
How do you create community?
Ignorance.
7 years ago I started into this field on accident. I was in my senior year of college and needed cash. I had a friend who worked with teens in a group home/prison (all windows and doors were locked at all times) and was able to complete 30 hours in two days. The pay was good, the job sounded fun and exciting so I applied. Looking back I would not realize how this would impact my future life. It would mold/shape everything I have done in my adulthood.
After a few years I saw so many issues that I could no longer work there and be proud of it. I saw younger girls learning bad (very unhealthy) habits from the older girls. Residents with amazing gifts not being developed or encouraged because of the lack of staff. So I started applying to new places and found the current company I work for. I vividly remember the Assistant Director interviewing me and she started to describe the philosophy behind Community Vision. I sat there and started tearing up (very unprofessional I know) and said to her something along the lines of "I don't care if you hire me but knowing this places exists gives me hope". Thankfully I was hired and its been an amazing journey so far. One that even made me quit grad school later on because I missed this place, this work too much.
So enough of the sap story the real reason for this post is to educate the few that read this on exactly what is happening for individuals with disabilities right here in Oregon. A story no media is covering, a story with very little outrage/support. I know this is not because people don't care...its because they don't know.
A year ago Oregon Health Plan (the insurance the majority of individuals with disability have) stopped covering all dental and eye procedures. This means no glasses and if you get a cavity they pull your tooth out. Also if you have glaucoma and need surgery...sorry....hope you enjoy being blind. This was a major blow to many people I care about but they understood that the budget was tight. This was also the first time I realized how uneducated the general population is. Every time I mention this to a friend they get outraged and wonder why this wasn't in thew news. They also feel helpless to change it.
Then the major blow hit (one I am sad to say is of many to come).
Two months ago the state threatened a 6% cut to all services to individuals with disabilities (including children). They stated it would probably be a couple of months out and we just got confirmation that it is happening, starting October. 6% doesn't sound like a huge cut but even our little non-profit it translates to $30,000 a month less...for the same services..... What really sucks about this is that its actually going to cost the state MORE in the not too far future. It will stop funding to programs that allows people to live in their own homes and without this support they will have to move to nursing homes (which can cost upwards of 10,000 a month). This also can mean that families with a child who has a disability will have to give up their rights to their child and be forced to put their child into crisis housing (which also costs upwards of 10,000 a month). I cannot imagine being a mother faced with that choice. It breaks my heart. This does not even address the staff who will lose their jobs and then have to apply for unemployment and food stamps.
When the governor made this 6% cut across the board he did so not realizing that he is ending people's lives. He is forcing families to split up, great programs who are cost effective go under and individuals like me hurt inside knowing people I love are being treated like sub-humans. I think it is guilt and fear that prevents the media from telling this story. It is also guilt and fear that prevents people from asking questions and/or seeing how they can help. If we don't stand and say no to this 6% next year its going to be 10% and the year after 15% until we repeat Fairview. Please imagine your mother/child/spouse/self being treated this way.
Would you tolerate it?
