Stewed tomatoes for canning

'Tis the season for canning up what the garden has brought forth.  I've spent the last few days on corn, with still more to go, but decided to take a break and throw in a batch of stewed tomatoes.  MmMmMm...my house is smelling yummy!  I thought I would use the recipe from Ball Blue Book, but it just didn't seem to have enough flavor.  What is a girl to do but turn to Google.  After looking at different recipes, I kind of concocted one for myself. 

Stewed Tomatoes

4 qt. chopped tomato (I did not take the skin off)
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped green pepper
2 T. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 T. minced garlic
1 T. Italian seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.  Cover and bring to a boil, stirring prevent sticking.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Ladle into hot pint jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.  Process 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.

This gave me 6 pints with a bit left over, which will be going over some noodles later.  I think next time I will add 1 can of tomato paste to help thicken it up.


**Make sure to follow all safety measures and instructions when canning any type of food**

Rainy Day Happenings

Before going to bed, I set my alarm with plenty of time to get up and walk a 5K this morning.  Morning and late evening walks rank among my favorite things to do as the world is quiet, allowing thoughts to flow easily.  Many of life's kinks have been straightened out on these walks.  Unfortunately, it was rainy when I woke, dashing all hopes of my enlightening stroll.  

Rainy days like today bring about two very different thoughts for me.  Yesterdays rainy day brought  the desire to sit in a chair with a good book and spend the day enveloped in a great story.  Once the children were schooled, fed and down for naps, that is precisely what I did.  Today, however, the rainy day has brought about the desire to  put on my apron and do some organizing.  I look around and see the bathroom cabinets could use a tidy, the little freezer could do with a swish of my cleaning wand and the linen closet, well, it just plain needs an overhaul.  I won't even scare you with the details of the shoe explosion in my bedroom. 

I firmly believe it is never too early for children to learn life skills.  The girls in my daycare are the caretakers of their playroom.  They are learning to 'keep house' and it is their responsibility to keep their 'house' clean and organized.  I think they would have lots of fun putting their own aprons on and helping me with today's rainy day cleaning.  Little girls in a shoe explosion, I can see the smiling faces now!  (I don't think I will let them know it is also educational as they sort and match the shoes).

I know there are some who complain about rainy days, but I do love them.  I love the quiet reflection days, and I love the get up and get something done days.   What type of rainy day person are you?

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I am a firm believer in the Declaration of Independence, and the words our forefathers put down for us as a nation to live by.  I am also a firm believer in the Bible and the words our Lord put down for us as Christians to live by.  Today, these two great works conflict. 

The Declaration states; We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Right to the Pursuit of Happiness means man’s right to live for himself, to choose what constitutes his own private, personal, individual happiness and to work for its achievement, so long as he respects the same right in others. It means that Man cannot be forced to devote his life to the happiness of another man nor of any number of other men. It means that the collective cannot decide what is to be the purpose of a man’s existence nor prescribe his choice of happiness.

“Textbook of Americanism,” The Ayn Rand Column

By the words of our Declaration of Independence, gay and lesbian men and women should be allowed to wed whomever makes them happy. 

My parents raised us to know no person or group of people are any better than another.  We are all God's children and we are all equal.  I know both gay and lesbian individuals and would NEVER think they are less of a person than I.  That kind of thinking is just plain crazy! The Bible is very clear on the whole 'love one another' thing. 

Here is where the conflict comes in for me.

The Bible (to me) is also very clear on the point of homosexuality.  The Bible is NOT in favor of it at all. 

Leviticus 18:22 - "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."

There are several such scriptures through the Bible.  Can you see where my mind is on overload?  I love our great nation and the  principles it was founded on.  I also love the Bible and try to live my life by its teachings.   Unfortunately, this is not a topic that is easily discussed.  Most people are strongly on one side or the other, leaving those of us teetering in the middle, well...teetering. 

I strongly believe every individual is created equal, and should be treated as so.  I also strongly believe homosexuality is wrong...yet I accept everyone into my life, regardless of their sexual preference.  Clear as mud?? 

I'm thinking this is a subject that may never be fully worked out in my mind. 

 

 

Pre Spring Cleaning Declutter

It looks like a bomb has gone off in my home after the weekend.  It is that time of year to start my pre-spring cleaning.  Time to go through each room and get rid of items I know longer want or need.  Time to get everything in tip-top shape and ready for a good spring scrubbing. 

I started in the back room.  The 'someone is coming over, hurry throw everything in there and shut the door' room.  It also serves as a guest room and my office.  Up until just recently, I had two babies in my daycare which also put two playpens along with various other baby items in this small room.  Have you ever seen the show Hoarders?  Yep, that would be this room.

I started the declutter process by first removing all baby items.  These are now in the living room needing to be put in totes and taken to storage.  Let's see, two playpens, a potty chair, a bumbo, two high chairs, baby toys and a walker.  I next put all Boy Scout and pre-school items in two piles on the bed.  I know, I know, I am just going to have to put them away at a later date, this at least helped me to get a bit more organized though in my decluttering and organizing.  Anything else left sitting around was either put in its proper place, thrown out or put in the pile to give away/yard sale.    Once the floor was cleaned (REALLY cleaned), I set up a play area for the children.  They have all they need to play house and they are so enjoying it this morning.

Once this room is complete, I will declutter each room, one at a time.  My goal is to have this entire process complete by Easter.  Once Holy Week and Easter are over, the Spring Cleaning will begin! If all goes according to plan, my house will be a lovey clean, decluttered, organized home just in time for nice weather and yard work to begin. 

Tortilla chips and Avocado dip

I am a big fan of all things junk food.  However, I am getting no younger and my old body can no longer tolerate all the junk.  That being said, my taste buds are still wanting it.  It's a constant battle between the two of them.  One that I am caught in the middle of. 

I have been doing my best to try and make both of them happy.  The following recipes for chips and dip hit the nail square on the head.  My body is happy~my taste buds are happy~life is good!

Baked Tortilla Chips

As you can see, there are very few ingredients necessary for these chips. 
Soft flour tortilla shells
Non-stick spray
Seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 450*
Cut tortillas into 8 triangles.
Spray with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with seasoning.

Arrange triangles on cookie sheet or baking stone and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp.  You may need to turn triangles if they are not done at 10 minutes.

While chips are cooking, you can take a couple of minutes and make the:

Spicy Avocado Dip

2 Avocados
3/4 C. Salsa
juice of Lime or lemon
1/2 C. Sour cream

Scoop out and mash avocado.  Add rest of ingredients and mix well.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Say hello to my little friend

I'd like to introduce you to one of my furry little critters.  He is enjoying some breakfast by himself at the moment, usually he has two buddies with him. 

I'm sure you have noticed my fancy dancy squirrel and bird feeders.  These came about in my quest to recycle items I am no longer using for their intended purpose.  Two years in a row I attempted to have pretty flowers in these baskets while they were on the front of the porch.  Two years in a row I committed murder on said flowers. 

I have fed the birds from a bird feeder hanging on the tree, along with some suet blocks.  I always seem to have more birds than my feeder can handle, so I started scattering feed on the ground also.  While looking at my flower killing baskets, I thought to myself, why not move these to the side and put feed in them also?  Sure, I have to sweep my porch everyday to remove the empty shells and bird droppings...but I am quite happy to do it since it means I get a front row seat to watching the wonderful wildlife. 

I have mainly squirrels, Sparrows and Starlings, which is fine with me.  I know many people scoot them away, but they are God's creatures and need to be fed also.  Occasionally I am graced with a Redheaded woodpecker, a couple of Cardinals and a Blue jay.  One afternoon I actually had a hawk in my front yard!  I absolutely adore hawks.  However, I was worried it would go after my other critters, so I must tell you, I was a bit relieved when it left.

My furry and feathered friends have brought much joy not only to me, but also to the children I care for.  They get excited and let me know which birds are eating.  At any given time, I can grab a cup of hot tea and sit in my front window and watch them. 

If you don't already have one, I recommend you put a bird feeder in your yard and watch your own wild life.  However, if you start feeding, you MUST continue through the winter.  These critters have found a source of food and if you take it away, then they must go hungry until they are able to find another source.

If you will excuse me now, I have a furry little friend eating and looking at the house.  I think he is waiting for me to show up in the window.

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

 

 

I just can't seem to get enough of my Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbook these days.  I have gobs of sticky notes marking pages for recipes I still want to try.  One thing that seems to be consistent with the recipes already tried is needing to add extra seasoning.  By following the recipes as they are written, the end result seems to be a bit bland for the taste of Papa Bear and I.  That is an easy fix though, so I'm not too concerned about it.

Last night I made chicken and broccoli pie.  Outside of needing a bit more seasoning, it was very good.  It is getting marked as a keeper for future use.  There recipe calls for making it in a 9" pie pan, however, I don't see any reason it could not be made in a casserole dish.  I will give you the recipe as it is written and you can tweak it to fit your own individual taste.

Chicken and Broccoli Pie

1 10oz package frozen broccoli, thawed, drained and chopped
1 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese (6oz)
1 C cut up chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 C. Bisquick
1 C. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400*.  Grease  9" pie plate.  Put broccoli, onion, chicken and 1 cup of cheese in pie plate.

2. Stir remaining ingredients (except cheese) until blended.  Pour into pie plate. 

3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.  Bake 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Next time I make this, I might try using some cream of mushroom soup in place of the milk for a bit more flavor.  I may also add a bit of dill to the wet mixture. 

Crab Cakes

I've had a Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cookbook for several years sitting on the shelf with all the other cookbooks.  I was feeling a bit adventurous and decided to plan my menu around this cookbook for a week.  Oh my goodness!  I have been having such a wonderful time trying new recipes out on Papa Bear.  He really is a great guinea pig for me.  The other night I tried the Crab Cakes recipe and it is so darn good I had to share it with all of you.  I will tell you, the recipe below is not exactly the same as I made it...I did a bit of tweaking to it.  Also, I used imitation lobster instead of the crab as that is what I had in the freezer.

Crab Cakes
1 T. margarine or butter
1/3 C. each finely chopped onion, green pepper and celery.
1 C. soft bread crumbs (I used crunched up crackers)
1/2 C. Bisquick
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 14oz package imitation crab flakes, chopped

I also added 1/2 T. horseradish and 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt to give the patties more flavor.

1. Heat oven to 400*. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.  Melt margarine in 10" skillet over medium heat.  Cook onion, celery and green pepper in margarine about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

2. Mix vegetable mixture and remaining ingredients.  Shape mixture into 1 1/2" patties.  Place on cookie sheets.

3. Bake about 12 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.  Serve with cocktail sauce.

Instead of baking these, I heated vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat and cooked the patties 4-5 minutes, turning them over once.  They will reach a beautiful golden brown.

Papa Bear liked these so much he gave me permission to make them again!   I want to add, these are just as good heated up the next day in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds.

Relaxing Detox Bath

While perusing Pinterest last night, I clicked on a link for a detox bath.  After reading about it I thought to myself, "Self, this might be a good thing for you to try".  Since I don't think my self would  lead me wrong, I followed my advice. 

I was actually wanting to have a nice long soak before going to bed but the directions make it clear to drink plenty of water during and after the soak, and I wasn't really wanting to drink bunches of water before going to bed.  Instead, I set my alarm a bit early and started my day with a nice relaxing soak in the tub.  If it weren't for the fact of loving my sleep, I might just start every day in this manner.  I don't see this happening though as I really enjoy my sleep time.

Bath Detox Directions:

1.  Schedule your bath.  You'll want to plan out about 40 minutes for maximum results.  The first 20 are to pull the toxins out while the second 20 are for letting the minerals absorb into the body.  If in a time crunch, at least getting the first 20 minutes in is still very helpful.

2.  Fill the tub with comfortably hot water.  You don't want to burn your hide, but you do want to sweat.  Fill it as full as possible.

3.  Add Epsom Salt.  Soaking in Epsom salts actually helps replenish the body’s magnesium levels, combating hypertension. The sulfate flushes toxins and helps form proteins in brain tissue and joints.

For children under 60 lbs, add 1/2 cup to a standard bath.

 

For children 60 lbs to 100 lbs, add 1 cup to a standard bath.

 

For people 100 lbs and up, add 2 cups or more to a standard bath.

4.  Add 2 cups of baking soda.  Baking soda is known for its cleansing ability and even has anti-fungal properties. It also leaves skin very soft.

The directions go on with fresh ginger and scented oils, but they aren't necessary to the detox. 

The main objective is to sweat, sweat, sweat.  And sweat you will.  If you have a shower curtain, I recommend closing it for optimal heat retention. I will give you a heads up on the gross water you will be ending up with.  The grossness are the toxins floating around.  Honest, this is a good thing! 

Once your detox bath is complete, a warm shower followed by a cool rinse finishes the whole affair quite nicely.  During my next bath, I do believe I will light a candle and have some soft music playing to help set the relaxing mood.
 

Warm Blanket Snuggles

With the coolness creeping up on us outside, I've been doing a bit of spoiling of the kids inside.  While the children are going potty and getting themselves ready for nap time, I'm tossing their nap blankets into the dryer for a couple of minutes.  Once they are laid down and ready, I snuggle them in with their very own nice toasty warm blanket.

Sometimes the smallest act of kindness can bring joy to another.  The children love the warm snuggly blanket, I love the smiles it brings to them. 

Season's change...and so do I

Days are getting longer, nights are getting cooler, children are back in school. This all leads to the coming of autumn. With the changing of the season, I'm finding myself going through my own personal change. No, I'm not talking about 'the change of life'. The change I'm referring to has been coming on slowly, yet steadily. I'm finding myself wanting to slow down a bit, take time for myself and Papa Bear, not wanting to be gone from my home three to four nights a week. I thoroughly enjoy all the volunteer work I do and don't want to give up any of the organizations I am a part of. That being said, I don't think I need to be quite as involved in each one as I have been for so many years.

Along with slowing my pace, I'm feeling the desire to change myself. I know, I know, I've talked for a long time about doing this exercise or that, making healthy meals, trying to get more sleep...etc. Now is the time. I have always in the past done (or at least started to do) healthy stuff because it was the right thing to do. Now I actually WANT to do it.

Who knows, maybe I'm coming into my Mid-Life Crisis. Whatever it is, I'm hoping to embrace it and make some much needed changes around here. After spending two whole days with Papa Bear just riding the bikes and seeing the sights, I realize I want much more time like that.

Simplicity. I do believe simplicity in my life is what I will be striving for.

Gift of fresh produce

If you are a regular reader of Bear Necessities, you know how much I love living in my little town. This was once again reinforced last week for me. A friend of mine had posted on facebook about spending the day making spaghetti sauce and canning it. I asked for her recipe as this is something I have not yet done. Not only did she send me the recipe, but when I came home from church, there was a big bucket (27 pounds) of tomatoes on my porch!

The process of making spaghetti sauce is a long one. It took me about eight hours from start to finish, but Mm-Mm-Mm it is so worth every minute of it! Now that I have eaten really good sauce, the store bought stuff will never again be good enough. From this 27 pound gift, I was able to can 11 quarts and have enough left over for a meal.

If this wasn't enough, this same friend brought over a bag of green beans which I prepared and was able to can 10 pints! This friend doesn't know it, but come apple time, she is getting a HUGE box of apples left on her porch!

Fair Food!!

It has once again been one of the most magical times of the year..County Fair time!

It's hard to beat a small county fair. The building showcasing local talent with displays of garden goodies, photography, sewing...etc. Also the building with booth after booth of local business owners showing their wares, political parties wanting to impress you with their candidates, and the Sheriff's Department giving out free popcorn.

Then there is the actually fair with all its stimulation of the senses. The sights, the sounds, the smells, and my favorite...the tastes! Bureau County Fair food is something I look forward to all year long. Last year I was experiencing some health issues and was not able to take part in this annual ritual of feeding my face. It was a very sad time for me *sigh*

This year though I was able to enjoy! (insert Hallelujah Chorus)

Papa Bear and I made our way to the fair on Saturday evening to watch the Draft horse show (and to eat). My first stop was to my favorite vendor who has THE BEST cherry limeade and corn dogs. The rest of the evening consisted of watching the horses, eating, walking through the buildings, eating, walking around, eating, and then a little more eating.

Two large cherry limeades
1/2 large lemon shake-up
Corn dog
Chocolate peanut butter fudge
Fried zucchini (veggies..good for me, right?)
Fried Twinkie
Popcorn
Pixie Stick
Nacho w/cheese
Cotton Candy

Papa Bear and I decided we had enough Fair and walked to the car where Papa had the wonderful idea of running through Dairy Queen for a shake. Hey, he was driving, I was kind of forced into it. (grin)

The local volunteer ambulance services provide coverage at the fair, Sunday was our turn...I HAD to go again, darn the luck. It was raining when we got there and proceeded to rain the almost five hours were were there. Well gosh, what is a person to do when it is raining and nothing going on? Yep, eat. I took it easy this time though.
Cherry limeade (only one)
Corn dog
Fried green tomatoes, onion rings, mushrooms and cauliflower (more veggie goodness)
Part of a funnel cake
Iced coffee

When I got home I finished off the cotton candy from last night as I didn't want it to go to waste (at least that's what I told Papa Bear as he gave me a funny look). I still have a few pixie sticks left and a box of salt-water taffy. I'll hold these back for a rainy day when I need a little pick-me-up.

I am a happy girl.

Pre-School Time

It is once again time for my Pre-School to start up. Over the summer we have been doing little bits and pieces of it, but not a whole lot. This week, I have been adding a bit more to get the children back in the groove. We will be full-blown class again when September starts.

I've always worked with the children throughout the years, however, I felt the need to do more, to help make them more prepared for school. A few years back I wrote up my own curriculum. Since then I have found a company with a curriculum I am very pleased with...and it fits well with my own.

I would love it if I was able to teach pre-school half days and that was it. Hmmm, I think maybe I'll run that past Papa Bear and see what he has to say. *giggle*

The window from which we look

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they are eating breakfast,
The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
The young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others
Depends on the purity of the window through which we look!

OlympicMania!

Who else has been glued to the TV since Friday evening?

I've always enjoyed watching the Olympics in the past, but it's always been a take it or leave it type of thing. I enjoyed watching if I happen to turn it on, but didn't really think about it otherwise. Not this year! I just can't seem to get enough of it. I'm already sleep deprived from staying up late and it's only a few days in. I'll probably have huge dark circles around my eyes by the time it ends.

Saturday two of the grandkids and I watched volleyball and cheered and yelled and jumped up and down and clapped our hands as if we were really there. I'm even thinking about decking the livingroom out patriotic for the duration of the games. I just can't get enough!

I'm finding myself enjoying more than just the main sports...who knew there was more than gymnastics, swimming and volleyball?? Sycrinized diving was interesting, but I was afraid the men were going to dive right out of their little bitty speedos. There is a woman who hit 99 out of 100 clay pigeons, that is awesome! She also has won a medal (not sure if they were all gold) five times in a row. I even watched soccer at the Mexican Restaurant while I was eating..in Spanish. I still was glued to the TV.

If you haven't yet watched the games, get the family together, pop some popcorn and take the time to do so and cheer on Team USA!

The end of 35 days

Goodness gracious, life has been one busy day after another...35 days in fact. Beside work, I just came off of having something going on every day for 35 days/nights in a row. *whew* I am one tired puppy.

Even as tiring as it has been, there is not one single thing I would have given up.
Boy Scout camp
Our town festival
Vacation to see Ben in South Dakota
VBS

It's been a crazy busy summer, unfortunately it has also meant my home has suffered 35 days of neglect. Good news: that is being rectified even as I type. Just a few more days and everything should be back in tip-top shape.

So dear friends, posting will once again be happening here at Bear Necessities, feel free to comment on posts, recommend topics or ask questions.

Maple Syrup Burger

Sometimes I amaze even myself when I decide to invent some new recipe.

Planned on grilling some elk burgers for lunch today but didn't want the same old burger. Looking around the kitchen gave me a light bulb moment. Here is what I came up with:

Elk burger
Chopped onions
Crushed Honey Chex Mix
Maple syrup

Mixed it all together and cooked on the grill. MmmMmmMmmm

Be The Match

Yesterday morning on Good Morning America, Robin Roberts revealed she has a rare bone disorder and will be needing to undergo a bone marrow procedure. Fortunately, her sister is as close to a perfect match as can be found.

This morning I went to www.bethematch.org to sign up to be a donor. If I am chosen as a match, I WOULD NOT have to have a huge needle stuck in my spine sucking out my bone marrow. From what was explained this morning on GMA, I would be given a medication that somehow would put what was needed into my blood stream, and then I would basically give blood for a few hours. I know I just explained it in a very simple basic way, but you get the idea of what I'm talking about.

There are so many people on waiting lists trying to find matches. If you take the four minutes needed to fill out the form, you could help save lives. What better feeling in the world is there than helping someone to live?

Italian Raisin Pasta Salad

Last night I stood in my pantry with my hands on my hips trying to figure out what I wanted to go with the spicy oven fried chicken I was making. It was a tad warm out so I didn't want anything hot and heavy.

Still standing there looking.


Still standing there looking.


I spotted the pasta shelf and decided I would go that route, but didn't want the same old same olds that I normally make. I guess I was feeling a bit adventurous as I decided to come up with my own recipe. Because I couldn't come up with anything more exciting in the name department, I'm just gonna go with Italian Raisin Pasta Salad. Yeah, no creative juices were flowing when I came up with that one.

Italian Raisin Pasta Salad

4 C. pasta noodles cooked, rinsed and cooled. (I used bowtie noodles)
1 1/2-2 C. Italian dressing
1/2 avocado~chopped
3 T. banana peppers~finely chopped
1 T. spicy brown mustard
2 1.5oz boxes of raisins
1 C. cucumber~chopped
1/2 C blue cheese crumbles
big handful of spinach~coarsely chopped
1 small tomato~chopped

Mix all of this together. Pour over noodles and mix well. Refrigerate until cold.

This would also be good as a main meal with some grilled chicken on top.

I served this with spicy oven fried chicken and home canned cinnamon pineapple.

"Now now Johnny" doesn't work

Soap Box Alert!

I was brought up with parents who loved us enough to discipline us...regardless of where we were. I was also brought up in a time when it was socially acceptable to discipline your children and make them behave. Because of that, my parents were able to take us children into public to grown up places and not for one second worry if we would act inappropriately. And if we had a brief moment when we started to get a bit naughty, off to the bathroom we were marched and got a spanking right there. It's how all the children I knew were raised and we all seemed to grow up without any major defects because of it.

Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore. When Johnny is in a restaurant and throwing his food and banging his fork on the table and yelling and running around, mom and dad only say, "Now now Johnny, we don't act like that. Now now Johnny, let's not throw our food at the nice lady. Now now Johnny, if you quit running around and yelling I'll take you for ice cream".

SERIOUSLY??

What happened to the good old days of actions and consequences? When children were taught from a young age what is and is not allowed? When going for ice cream was a treat, not a bribe to stop bad behavior. I am a firm believer that bad behavior should never be rewarded.

I may sound like an old fuddy-duddy here, but what are these children being taught? How are they going to grow up to function in society if they have no concept of right and wrong? If children are not taught young, how will they ever make good choices when they are older? If they have a sense of entitlement, how will they ever understand when things don't go their way~and know how to deal with it?

There seems to be so much anger in younger people. Could it be they were given life on a platter when they were children, and now as they get older, not have a clue how to deal with being told no and not having it all their way?

I'm happy to say not all parents raise up their children this way. My foster daughter is tough on her children..and we can go out in public with no worries. They understand what 'no' means, and the fact that disobeying it comes with consequences. I applaud all parents who still take a firm stance on child rearing.

Another thing that seems to have gone by the wayside is a good old fashioned spanking. Believe me, I had my fair share of them growing up and I am very thankful to my parents for it. Well, I'm thankful now, wasn't so thankful then. We knew if we got too out of line, off to the bathroom we went. My mom only used her hand, never a spoon or belt or switch or any other object. We were never beat, we were never abused. We received spankings and learned right and wrong.

You may be wondering why I am on my soap box today. Well, I can't really say. I don't have any certain event setting me off. I guess it's just a concern for our young people and the effect 'Now Now Johnny' parenting is having on them. How they are not being taught life has boundaries and just because you want something doesn't mean you are going to get it. They are not learning how to cope with rejection.

Please, please, please, if you are the parent of underage children, it's not too late. Please love your children enough to discipline them. This doesn't meant as your children grow into adults, they are going to be perfect people. Nope, not at all. What it does mean is they will have the knowledge in them of right and wrong. They will make choices, not all of them good, but they WILL have knowledge inside of them that can help in those choices. Without this knowledge, they will make choices only on knowing they should always get what they want and there are no consequences for bad behavior.

Soap box talk is over, thank you for listening. (Smile)

Drinking and Driving

Back in February I shared with all of you when my son was in an accident. This accident was due to drinking and driving. By the Grace of God, both he and his passenger lived. This event drastically changed my sons life.

Sunday, there were three young people in an accident. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. A girl passed away that evening while the other girl has been released from the hospital. These young people were 20 and 21 years old. It has not been released to the media, but friends of these young people tell me there was alcohol involved. I have no doubt this event will forever change the life of the young girl who lived.

When I was younger, I did my share of drinking and getting behind the wheel. In fact, I did it for many many years. I guess this makes me the proverbial pot calling the kettle black because I want to just kick people square in the seat of their pants when they perform such a dangerous and stupid act.

My heart is breaking for the parents who have just lost children. My heart aches for the girl who will carry this with her the rest of her life.

If there is any good to be found here it's maybe friends of these young people will think twice before drinking and getting into a vehicle.

So much more...

I completely understand getting excited about a three day weekend. Getting to spend time with family and friends around a picnic table, or campfire, or riding down the road on the bikes. Not having to set the alarm clock for three days. Not having demands on our time for three days.

There is so much more...

There needs to be time spent remembering the reason we have this three day weekend. All the men and women who died defending our great country. Some willingly went to battle while others went only because they had to. Regardless of how they came to wear the uniform, they are still dead. Their lives were taken in order for us to be able to enjoy the freedoms we have.

Please check your area and find a program honoring our service men and women on Monday. In my little town, we have a parade followed by a service at the cemetery. It is the same every year, and I wouldn't think of missing it! The parade starts at the Methodist Church, stops at the Veteran's Memorial on Main Street, and ends at the cemetery. The parade is led by the VFW followed by the Ladies Auxiliary. After that are the various Girl Scout Troops ending with Cub Scouts and then Boy Scouts. Years ago, when my little town had its own school, the Marching Band would also take part. We stop at the Veteran's Memorial and the Ladies Auxiliary does a reading. We then proceed to the Cemetery for the ceremony put on by the VFW. The whole parade is about three blocks long, but it is a solomn walk.

I was raised going to the Memorial Day Parade and so were my children. It's not big, it's not fancy, there are no floats or candy throwing. It is however just a very small way we are able to pay respect.

So this weekend, enjoy your picnics and camping and motorcycle riding, but remember to take some time to show your respect and pay honor to all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Legacy of Home

From time to time I think we all find ourselves needing a bit of inspiration to keep going in certain areas of our lives. We may actively seek a source of inspiration or if we are lucky, one will fall right into our laps. I have had the wonderful luck of just such a source of inspiration coming into my life.

As you know, I am a wanna-be domestic goddess. I want to be Suzie Homemaker, Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart all rolled into one person. Sadly, I am a closet hoarder, mediocre cook and have to force myself to be organized.

*Sigh*

I just happened to follow a link from somewhere to a blog that has richly become my daily source of inspiration. Mrs. White, the woman who blogs, takes being a stay at home mom/wife very seriously. Her satisfaction comes from taking care of her home and family. Her writing is just lovely and I often feel as if she is talking just to me. I used to turn my computer on and go directly to Facebook, now the first thing I click on is her blog. I'm inspired to be a better wife and homemaker.

If you are looking for a source of inspiration, click on over to Legacy of Home and let Mrs. White work her magic on you too!

First campout of the season

If you are a regular reader, you know I occasionally take a little break from Bear Necessities to give my brain some rest. I'm happy to report my brain is well rested and once again ready to go.

I would like to share with you the wonderful weekend I had. My longtime friend Vienna (I call her V) and her family made the two hour drive to our neck of the woods to spend time together camping. Before we even started setting up camp, their children were already in the pond. Now mind you, even though it was in the upper 80's, it is still only May and the pond is spring-fed, making the water quite chilly. I must say it was very enjoyable listening to the kids scream as they kept walking further out into the water.

As we each began to set up our tents, Papa Bear and I had a bit of difficulty with our big tent in the wind. The set up of said tent was ended as the wind kept taking it and I said *gasp* a curse word! The big tent was rolled up (as there was no chance of folding it correctly in the wind), stuck back in the trailer and the smaller tent was pulled out. Even setting the smaller tent up was a bit of a chore, but with the help of V and David, we got the fly on and all was right again in the world.

The weekend was spent basically with the kids playing in the water and fishing, the guys fishing and V and I sitting under a tree with our crochet in our hands and good conversation flowing. Of course, no proper camping weekend is complete without a campfire and s'mores.

I must tell you of one not so wonderful part of the weekend. About dusk, there are these tiny little bugs that come out this time of the year for a couple of hours. We were just finishing up supper when they made their appearance. I was literally having to squint my eyes and hold my breath cleaning up the kitchen area. I'm sure you've all seen a swarm of gnats, this is basically how the whole camp was. They got inside our cooler, tents, clothes...everywhere! We decided enough was enough and went into town for some ice cream. Wouldn't you know it, they followed us! I'm just so thankful they aren't a biting bug or there would probably be nothing left of us. I had finally had enough and sat in the truck. When we got back to camp, I stayed sitting in the truck until V assured me it was safe to come out. After that, everything was back to normal.

I wish my schedule afforded me more camping time as I love to sit and relax with Papa Bear while he fishes and I read or crochet or even just sit and do nothing. Waking in the morning and sitting outside enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the sun come up on the pond is an awesome way to start the day.

A big thank you to David, V, Jacob, Bekah and AnnMarie for sharing a wonderful weekend together.