UnReligion

After the flood of e-mail (ok, four or so), including one this morning from my mom "you ok?", and comments to Friday's post I feel I need to come back to reassure you all. Everything's ok. It always has been but there is some upheaval in our family life right now. No emergencies or traumas, just change in the air that is putting my cozy life and comfortable routines in a state of flux. 

Even as a child I did not handle change well. My parents and I laugh now at the funny things I did in response to that most-dreaded nemesis of mine - change, aka transition.

But here I am a grown woman with children of my own and I must deal with this. And so that is what is going on.

Thank you all for your kind concerns. We went away this weekend to a small cabin on a lake. An outing planned months in advance that almost didn't happen because of my state of mind last week. But I'm so glad we followed through anyway. Photos and memories from this wonderfully relaxing weekend will probably be showing up on our blogs in the future. 

I have one last thought I want to share, though somewhat hesitantly. Many of you might have picked up that I am a follower of Christ. I guess you could say Christian though I often don't use that term since it carries so much negative baggage. I hate labels and prefer to just live and let my life show what I believe.

This morning I was drawn to read a scripture that gives me a lot of strength during challenging times. I'll be honest, the Bible or God's word, as I believe it to be, is where more and more these days I am drawing my strength and wisdom. I am reluctant to talk about this since there is too much religious talk in the world and not enough right living and I don't want to be another one of those voices that people just tune out as "being religious". I'm not, religious that is. But I have a faith in Christ and that is what I hold on to when I feel life floundering. 

After journaling this morning I found this passage and the first part about "at last you have renewed your concern for me" totally cracked me up after the outpouring of everyone's love in response to last Friday's post. Although Paul wrote this to the young church in Philippi a couple thousand years ago and my small concerns were nothing like his bodily suffering, the words he wrote are a teensy echo of my own experience. 

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

It's hard to wrap this up neatly after such powerful (at least for me) words. Contentment in all circumstances, even change and uncertainty. That is something I'm meditating on as I start this new week.

We're doing a backpack/camping/hiking food giveaway at ADVENTUREinPROGRESS. This is some truly healthy and tasty ready prepared meals, just add hot water! If your family is into the outdoors and needs a meal to take on an adventure you should check it out.

In early July I prepared a lunch for twenty-five young adults working with Lots To Gardens. This was one of the commitments I was referring to in this post (the clash of too many commitments having brought me to the brink of my sanity.)

Our family has invested in this non-profit for the past five years or so and in I've blogged before about cooking meals with them, planting seeds, supporting summer festivals and attending harvest fundraising dinners.

This was my third summer cooking a large lunch for their crew of youth workers and staff. I was given a gift certificate (a small stipend) for my effort but it was most definitely a labor of love.

The meal criteria from LtG were these: The meal should contain a whole grain, lean protein, colorful veggies and fruit. Dairy and meat optional but if so with vegetarian options. No pork (due to religious restrictions), low sugar, low salt, no HFCS or partially hydrogenated oils.

This I could do.

In addition I added the following criteria: I wanted to use as much Maine grown and in season produce as possible. Also, to provide a gluten-free option to the one g-free staff member.

With those criteria in mind and also the reality that I would be feeding mostly hungry teenagers I choose to make one of my family's favorite pasta dishes and finish it off with strawberry cobbler for dessert.

I'm not including the cobbler recipe here because it wasn't vegan and you can find those recipes anywhere on the net. We don't usually eat this kind of dessert but I needed something to appeal to the masses, so to speak. The cobbler included locally found ingredients - strawberries, whole wheat flour, oats (I made a g-free version also with my baking mix) and butter. All of which you can buy from Maine farms and mills.

Without further rambling here's the pasta recipe which I call Asian Noodles or Sesame Noodles depending on my mood.

Pasta Base:

• 16 oz. brown rice spaghetti (or whole wheat)
• 12-16 oz. tofu (I buy my organic, non-GMO tofu from this Maine company)
• 2 medium cucumbers, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2-3 medium carrots, shredded
• 3-4 green onions, sliced diagonally
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth (my recipe mix here)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, or less to taste
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 inch chunk gingerroot, grated or minced
• 3 tsp sugar or brown rice syrup
• 1/2 tsp asian chili paste (optional)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions (or until tender but firm). Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add tofu, cucumbers, pepper, carrots and onions.
3. Whisk together dressing ingredients; toss with pasta mixture.
4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and cilantro.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Notes:

• The main work of this meal is in chopping the veggies. So if you have a few kids on hand this could go quick.
• This is one of our family's favorite quick summer meals and you can really use any crunchy vegetable you want.
• In the winter you can use raw cabbage and bean sprouts instead of fresh garden veggies.
• This recipe feeds our family of five. I pentupled (is that a word?) it to feed twenty five.

About a month ago I was contacted by Trish Collins of TLC Book Tours with the request to do a book review of Coop by Michael Perry. My review would then be a part of a TLC's virtual book tour.

Just so you know I was not paid for this review (wouldn't that be cool though if I were) but I did receive the paperback for free.

After agreeing to do the review I worried a bit that I might not like the book and then what would I say? I hate to say discouraging things about something and don't have time to spend looking for all the positives in a book that's mostly trash. If I don't like a book I simply stop reading it.

I was so relieved this wasn't the case with Coop. I couldn't put it down. What really floored me was how Trish pegged me so well in sending this kind of book my way. How do marketers do that? How do they know you so well? It's kind of scary.

What's not to like about this book? In short, it's the real life story of the author and his wife starting a part-time homestead in rural Wisconsin. I say part-time because as the author admits, writing is his bread and butter and the homesteading gig does not provide for all their family's needs.

But it did provide some pigs, a big garden, a place to raise children and chickens and a lot of cool stories.

Stories of homebirth, homeschooling, sleepless nights with infants and the intensity of raising children - these are things I identify with. And although I can't relate at all to building chicken coops and pig pens I understand the desire to do so. To feed your family from the labor of your own hands.

But Perry's story is about so much more than building a homestead. At its core this book is about family. And I'm an absolute sucker for family life. As Perry writes stories about his own adult life he shares with us his unique and wonderful (by my measure and his) upbringing.

What was really refreshing about this aspect of the book was Perry's absolute respect, love and admiration for his parents and fond memories of his own childhood, which was quite unconventional.

Perry was raised by loving, devout and honest fundamentalist Christians. And in spite of not practicing religion in the manner of his upbringing he doesn't disparage his parents for being who they are. It seems the main reason for this is that Perry truly values his upbringing. His parents took to heart the bible's command to care for the orphans and at last count have helped lovingly raise fifty or sixty children, many of them disabled, on a farmer's income. How can you not respect that?

Maybe it was his upbringing or the fact that his parents would probably read the book (they are bibliophiles) but for whatever reason this is one of the "cleanest" books I've read in a long time. To be sure there is a lot of good story in here, great character revelations and some very heartbreaking parts.  Somehow though Perry manages to tell a really good story, his story, without all the filth that usually accompanies many modern memoirs.

Michael Perry seems like the kind of guy you'd want living next door. Or the next farm over. Good guy. Loves his wife, loves his kids, loves his family, the farm and his community. I don't get the sense in reading the book he was trying to convey that message about himself (he's quite humble really and readily admits his shortcomings) but that overall impression was just the icing on the cake for me.

I almost forgot to add (the book is already passed on to my mother so I'm going from memory here) there was one section I didn't particular like. Perry likes machinery and farm equipment. An endearing quality, reminds me of my uncles and grandfather. But halfway through the book, when he goes into a rather in-depth story about haying and all the mechanics involved, my eyes glossed over. I skipped a few pages at that point. I'm sure the poetry of machinery speaks to some, I am not one of those persons. Other than that brief episode the book was hard for me to put down.

Good stories. Great author. Wonderful book.

And no, I honestly wasn't paid to say that.

PS. I haven't read any other reviews on this book. I wanted to give my perspective without being influenced by other's opinions. If you are interested in how other people experienced this book you can read more reviews at TLC Book Tours.

PPS. Michael Perry also has a blog, sneezingcow.com, that's very personal and down homey. Perry is a musician, as well as writer, and if his music is an earnest as his writing it's probably worth a listen.

Photos in this post were all taken at "our" farm (where we have our csa share) through the various seasons over the past couple years.