I moved the Blog

I still have tons of work to do, but I've imported all the posts. Sorry for the inconvenience but I cannot face another day like today. Too much work lost for no good reason other than that Blogger doesn't care because it's free. Everybody I have ever met from wordpress say they love it. I'm missing my fun stuff since it won't accept java script, but I know it won't fail to save my work again.

The NEW URL: http://afeatheradrift.wordpress.com

The only thing different is replacing blogspot with wordpress in the url.

I have a lot of work to do, and after my autobiographical post tomorrow I'll get right on it. I think I can simplify some things since they have drop down categories and I have reduce my tags quite a bit! I'm sure it will take some getting used to, but I'm excited.

This photograph is from the Library of Congress and pictures Mrs. Stanley McCormick and Mrs. Charles Parker. It was taken April 22, 1913.

I find it interesting that neither woman had a first name. Actually such referrals were the norm well into the 60's I imagine. I offer it in honor of the silly discussions I'm having at Catholic Forums wherein a small segment of men and women decry the "feminist" movement and blame it for every ill they now perceive in society. One can but imagine how courageous some of these women had to be in order stand up and demand the vote. No doubt some faced fierce opposition even from their husbands. We owe them a debt of thanks.

I understand that this deluge of water is to be followed by fairly cold temperatures by the end of the weekend. This miserable winter/spring will go down undoubtedly as one of the worst in Iowa's history. I guess Waterloo really got it, some places getting over 5 inches of water. The trees are fairly bursting with leaves about to explode from their tightly furled buds. Daffodils are in huge clumps to the north and east of the house. I'd go and pick a bunch, but the standing water everywhere tends to dampen my ardor for spring flowers. Perhaps a bit later today, if the rains truely have abated.

I decided not to start the next cleaning project today. The living room is next as I avoid the kitchen. I've tearing apart all the cabinets in there and reorganizing. The living room presents other difficulties since we are still burning wood and so I have to avoid the stove and wood cart and the environs around them. But I figure every bit I do is one less thing to have to do later. Tomorrow I'll start somewhere and begin. So I spent a bit more time on dinner which today is roasted pork loin with roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli, and salad. I did a marinade for the meat consisting of garlic, dijohn mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. I figure about 1 hour at 425o. I'll just do a light vinagarette for the salad.

Please let me know about what countries you would like to see featured in the new segment on blogs around the world. It will take me a week or so to acquire enough to fill a daily post, but other than hot spots around the globe such as the Middle East, Pakistan, Tibet, etc., I'm not sure who else to include. I am not searching for just political blogs but also just daily life blogs. I thought it would be fun to see what other lives are like. It has been my firm belief that at its core every human being wants about the same things in life, the basics and some opportunity for leisure activities and most important the chance for their kids to do better. I really appreciate your input and your comments. They both help direct me, and invigorate a flailing dedication which we all fall subject to from time to time.

Well, it's Friday, and you know you can't wait for what I have found today. I know I can't!

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101 Cookbooks has a wonderful Spring Ragout. She uses fava beans, peas, and asparagus. She offers you several ways to use it. She has lovely lucious pictures, and she has a delightfully warm prose to accompany it all. I'd say that that makes it a winner in my book. Take a look.

This blog is not short because I was too busy today. I spent nearly five hours and it was unusually long. Blogger decided that it would not work at all today. It saved almost none of my work, failed to alert me that it was not saving any of it. It failed to alert me that my labels were over 200. No matter how many I removed that would not go out. I tried to go to edit, and when I did, I found the entire blog missing. I don't have the the time or the temperament now to redo it. It had some wonderful information, sadly. I'm looking at Wordpress again. Much as I hate that I can't have all my bells and whistles, I know people don't have these ridiculous problems there. They also have an attentive and helpful "Help" group, which they don't have at Blogger either. I'm just not sure what I am going to do, but I'm pretty much fit to be tied right now. Sorry folks. I'll do what I can to get back on track as soon as I can.

Dripping Wet in Rural Iowa

This is a Cheyenne woman photographed by Edward S. Curtis. I believe it was taken in 1911. You can find other photos that depict Native Peoples from the Great Plains westward at: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html By the way, there are tons of other subject matter photos here. It's a large chunk of Americana. Hope you enjoy them.

On the home front a couple of things. First the office cleaning is done. I owe a great thanks to the Contrarian who hates cleaning but pitched in like a trooper and probably shaved two days off the project. We are ready to paint!

Secondly, the Contrarian called our neighbor and asked for some assistance to get the car out of the mud hole it had sunk into at our back door. We live in the holler so to speak and from the south, water runs down the hill to us. It continues past us to the creek which also catches the runoff from the hill to the north. He had to pull nearly 50 feet before the car was not sinking any more. We hurried off to Center Point to the "bad store" and got enough of the extras we needed until it finally dries out. The "bad store" means its one of those town local establishments that has not much but the obvious. You won't find an avocado there for sure. So we are quite happy now, as the miserable rains have returned. The lane itself is pretty good, its just down here now that is muddy. But we left the car back where its quite sandy and drains downward so, we should have no trouble getting out after this couple of days has some time to seep down. The fields look surface dry, but the Contrarian's half brother has sunk his backhoe into our field while working I believe on the tiles by the north-south creek. What a year it is becoming.

I have an idea, and that often can be a bad thing. It always gets me to thinking. A few nights ago, we were watching Bill Moyers Journal, listening to a young woman who is bureau chief in Iraq for some news group. Some of the Iraqi journalists who work for her also do a blog. I found it, and in looking it over got an idea. Here it is. I'm thinking of trying to collect blogs from various parts of the world, and once a week doing an international look around. I have this Iraq one of course. I found a Palestinian one that looked interesting, but was having trouble getting the feed, so that is still up in the air. I checked around for Iranian ones, and can find none updated since 2007, so the government may be blocking them. What do you think of the idea? After all, the wonder of the internet is the ability to talk to folks from all kinds of places around the globe. Can we benefit from peeking into their lives a bit? I sure think so.

Let's see what is happening on this soggy dreary day:

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Speaking of that, Deborah at (Mis)Adventures of a Crafty Wifie, is from Singapore and has an interesting take on foxglove. Her life has been much different than most of ours, and I found this post delightful. She's a wonderful artist in her own right and you might be interested in purchasing some of her work. At least you will enjoy the pictures.

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John Adams was one of our Founding Fathers. American History Blog has the top 10 things you should know about him. Since I have seen some of the HBO series, I knew some of them, but I learned a couple I didn't know by reading this post. Try it.

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Sandi's Crochet Blog is always so generous with her work and designs. She posts them all for free for us all. Here is another gem that creates heart shaped work that is suitable for Mother's Day perhaps?

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Josie at C'est La Vie has an interesting idea--can the "butterfly effect" be applied to human kindness? A smile that grows exponentially, spreading far beyond the original smiler? Read her post and decide.

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Oh boy, Coconut & Lime has a to-die-for dessert today. And it's about my favorite and is composed of more favorites, oh I'm just bouncy at this one: Dark Chocolate Ice Cream with Cocoa Nibs. Danged if I know what a cocoa nib is though? Is it a chip? I left a comment and asked, and I'll let you know if I remember to go back and find out.

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Lucky us, more recipes are in the offing. Here is one that looked mighty nice for a lovely spring dinner (today would not be the day, given the yucky weather). It features shrimp and is called:
Capellini with Shrimp and Creamy Tomato Sauce. Perfect with some nice fresh bread and salad wouldn't you say? My thanks to Epicurious.

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Lynda at Essential Estrogen has been busy and brings us another profile of a woman running for Senate seat, District 40 in Iowa. Her name is Sharon Savage. Learn all about her and her vision for Iowa.

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Feeling Stitchy has some very nice pictures of some embroidery work done by another artist. I thought they were most inspiring. I have done some embroidery and I certainly appreciate the skill involved. I've just never thought it worthwhile to embroider things like pillowcases and towels, because you either never use them to preserve the work or they wear out and your work goes into the rag heap. But making pictures is a fine way to preserve.

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Free Sample Forager has a number of new offers you might be interested in. (Getting to the mail box again was a delight, I got some Tide and a free poster I signed up for.) I saw toothpaste, and magazines, tea and cereal, among others. Skip on over and see if you find something you would like. Hey, I know these free samples aren't much, but if you get one wash for free, it is one you didn't have to pay for right? Over the year, you might save over all more than $100 in products. And it cost you zip, not even a postage stamp!

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Garrison Keillor must have known that today we needed a fix! He has some interesting things to say as always. Read "Freedom is hard work."

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I must say, the National Review ( or how we can collect that many brain-dead boneheads on one magazine) strikes again. This time its my favorite, women bashing women. This happens a good deal on the right as you may know. Go to a Catholic forum and hear women talking about how wonderful it is to be "equal but different." Translation: I love being a subservient wife and mother because God wants me to. Anyhoo, today Christina Hoff Sommers tells us how terrible it is that women are fighting for a piece of the prize in what still remain largely male bastions, math, physics and engineering. That women might bring something new to the table is beyond her. She offers a lot of claims but little or no verifiable facts. It's the usual, the danged women's movement is destroying family and hearth. Yada yada yada.

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National Geographic is reporting that a tomb thought to be that of Alexander the Great's father, was actually that of his half-brother. This means that the armor found inside the grave may have belonged to Alexander himself, who pre-deceased his brother. These excavations are occurring in Greece. Read about it at rogueclassicism.


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Have you heard about the NYTimes report that "military analysts" supposedly hired by the various networks to give expert opinion on war stuff were actually plants by the US military? Plants may be too strong a word, but that is in effect what they ended up doing, simply reinforcing the political position of the administration.

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I just love Scandalous Women! I mean that in both ways too. Another wonderful addition to women's history is offered today in the biographical sketch of Delia Bacon. Her mission in life was to prove that Shakespeare didn't write those majestically exquisite plays. Her life was tragic. Samuel Morse and Ralph Waldo Emerson also figure in the story. Is that enough to tantalize your brain cells? LOL.

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Looks like science is figuring some things out. Astronomers and others of that ilk, believe that black holes, which are at the center of I believe most galaxies spew out a lot of particles in powerful jets. They had an idea of how that was done. The photos of the process have just been received from VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array) which confirms their theory. Read all the fascinating details at Science Digest.

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Hah! I got the ingredients for this one, so I think next week, I'll definitely give this a go. It is one of those dishes that seem always right, any season, any day. See if you agree with Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce. This is from that great site, Simply Recipes.

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Susan Posner has another addition to her fine series, Fundamentalist over at the American Prospect. Be sure to read it. This one features Pentecostals, Iowa's own Senator Grassley, McCain and gay teens.

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The Washington Independent reports the Senate GOP'ers managed to stop another bill. This one gave women a bigger window to sue for wage discrimination. All the Dems wanted was that the statute of limitations reset with each paycheck. Republicans wanted none of that, and McCain is on record saying it "hurt" business. Both Obama and Clinton raced back and voted yeah, McCain did not bother.

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Wet, con't

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Soon, if you haven't already, lettuce will be going into our gardens. Of course, no matter how carefully you plan, some will get away from you and will bolt. Here's what you can do: Read Veggie Gardening Tips and she will help you and me both out.

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You can find a thoroughly intriguing and thought provoking post at Urantian Sojourn today. It discusses what has happened to our sense of community in American? Did we ever have one? Where did it go? How do we get it back? We bloggers know that one of the reasons we do this is that we want that community, and we jump for joy at each new visitor, hoping to find common ground. We want that in our country as well. We seek family and friendships for the same reason, or at least one reason. It is simply the human thing to do. It is more than human, it is the way of life to some extent. This is the one post I would declare a must read today.

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"The only really good place to buy lumber is at a store where the lumber has already been cut and attached together in the form of furniture, finished, and put inside boxes." Dave Barry

"Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else's can shorten it." Cullen Hightower

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Little Ones Baby Lotion Keep away from children
Hair Coloring Do not use as an ice cream topping.
Wet-Nap Directions: Tear open packet and use.
Dial Soap Directions: Use like regular soap.
Stridex Foaming Face Wash May contain foam.

Old Spice Red Zone Deoderant Use only on underarms.
Zantac 75 Do not take if allergic to zantac.
Sleeping Pills Warning: May cause Drowsiness
Christmas Lights Warning: For indoor or outdoor use only.
Bic Lighter Ignite lighter away from face.
Komatsu Floodlight This floodlight is capable of illuminating large areas, even in the dark

From: www.bored.com

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The Democratic presidential race is dragging on and on and on, but the Democrats are trying to put a good face on this. They say now absolutely they will have a nominee by McCain’s second year in office. So they’re ready to go. David Letterman

No one talks about John McCain anymore because he won his side of the thing pretty much, and now he’s just wandering around. So he’s trying to do things to get press, and this week, he is on a tour of what he calls forgotten places in America, which at his age means just about everywhere. Conan O'Brien

John McCain is off on a campaign tour of the South, what he describes as “forgotten places.” Of course, in his case those forgotten places can be where he left his keys, his wallet, his glasses … – Janice Hough, Palo Alto, Calif.

The President assures America that there is no recession. I tend to believe him –this guy knows recess. – Thailand Richard

Are You Sure Where You Are?

This mural was done by Bartolommeo di Giovanni between 1490-95 in Italy. It is called "Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist." It can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago. I guess I am constrained to recall any of these "scenes" about John.

The office is just about done. It will be finished tomorrow since there is but a small area that still needs some sorting. We've moved a lot of things around and it's shaping up as a more usable room now, easier to get around in, more organized. So I'm quite pleased. When we get out I'll get the paint and that will really make a huge difference no doubt. I've got spaghetti sauce on the stove ready to go. Usually I make sauce and then meatballs, but I ran out of meatballs and don't have all the ingredients now, so I just cooked up loose ground round and added it to my usual sauce. It smells good.

I guess the weather is going to continue to be terrible. Bad rains are forecast for tomorrow and then some really cold temperatures again. The Contrarian is getting a bit depressed at this turn of events, as am I, but at some point, you just give in. It is out of my control certainly, so I just plug along with my cleaning as best I can and forget about the rest.

Let's see what is going on today. As you all know by now, Hillary won Pennsylvania by ten points, so that race is going to go on. Although the Contrarian disagrees, I think her argument is now a good deal stronger. He has outspent her 2 or 3 to 1 and he cannot close her out. In fact, as I actually expected, she beat him by more than most were saying she would. He is having trouble in the big must win states, and I do think some are beginning to wonder.

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Sandi's Crochet Blog has some nice patterns for you to filet crochet a monogram. Nice to do for your home, or as a gift. I think they are quite beautiful and would make a lovely wedding gift. See what you think.

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It should come as no surprise that newspapers have been losing readers in the last few years. As more and more of us turn to the TV and our computers for news, newspapers seem to be gathering dust. The stuff that passes as news on TV is a joke, and most of us know that. It seems almost the unanimous opinion that Gibson and Stephanopolous, moderators of the last debate, were just plain awful, wasting the majority of the time on matters trivial and inconsequential, and neglecting the real issues that are of concern to all of us. Newspapers and their writers were the people we turned to. They spend real time investigating and learning about an issue before they set pen to paper. We got a more thorough and thoughtful examination of the news item rather than the one minute thirty-second "high" points rendition we get on TV. Blogging has certainly pointed that out dramatically to me. Things I refer you to here, often appear on the news a day or two later. Almost invariably they barely skim the subject and the written post I link to has much more detailed and often important information. I'm at a loss what can be done, or should be done. Read Alternet's take on the issue.

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Blue Girl, Red State has a good post on Congress and it's finally nailing the FDA for utter incompetence. We've been saying that for a long time of course, and the same pretty much applies to most if not all of our so-called "regulatory" agencies. The question is, will Congress actually do something about this state of affairs.

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Remember the Brown Derby? Feeling a bit nostalgic about Old Hollywood? Want to cook? LOL. Okay, Copycat Restaurant Recipes has one from the famous California eatery--Cobb Salad and the Old Fashioned French Dressing. I remember the old I Love Lucy, where she and Ethel and Fred went there, and well, you can imagine the trouble that ensued.

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I didn't waste a second when I pulled up this feed. I love lemon desserts and this one looks soooo very delicious one could almost eat it off the page. Lemon Curd Mousse Cake sounds and looks divine and I'm running off the recipe now so I can be sure to get my lemons at the store when I get to shop again. I wish I lived at Epicurious's house, if she makes this stuff every day. Do you think?

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Essential Estrogen has a very important post today. Friday is a Day of Silence, which is being observed by many in Iowa in support of efforts to stop harassment, bullying and assault both verbal and physical on gays and lesbians in our state. You can expect the usual right wing screaming that somehow this supports an "ungodly" lifestyle. Of course it doesn't do anything of the kind but merely speaks to our solidarity with all who stand against violence toward ANYONE. Read Lynda's report and decide for yourself.

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Knitting Dragonflies has a great post today that you should not miss if you like to knit. She has five reader's choice sweater patterns for you free! I've made two sweaters in my life, a V-neck pull over, and a cardigan with buttons and all. Both turned out wonderfully, and believe me I'm barely more than a beginner knitter. So you can do it, I promise. I'm making sure I keep track of these for this fall, and I am gonna make me another one.

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It would appear that oil painting was first invented in Asia and not Europe. Remember when the Taliban destroyed Buddhas throughout Afghanistan? Well, behind those statues that were destroyed were caves in which oil paintings were discovered. They are older by many centuries than the ones found in Europe. Read more at Live Science.

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If you caught Boston Legal last night, Alan Shore pretty much summed up my views on the death penalty. Oh how I wish it were possible to stand as he did before a facsimile of Scalia, Roberts, Alito, and Thomas and tell them to their face how hideous they are in their smug little privileged world as they legislate in their own fashion from the bench. Gilbert King offers his opinion in this NYTimes editorial.

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Another good issue is being raised by On Faith at the Washington Post: In his speech to U.S. bishops last week, Pope Benedict XVI said: "Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted . . . To the extent that religion becomes a purely private affair, it loses its very soul." Do you agree or disagree? Why? This strikes directly at our present controversy I believe, what role should religion play in our town square? Read the panel responses and join in yourself. It's easy to sign up to post your comments.

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Most parents have probably known this forever, but our faces really do give us away when we lie, and it's not the usual shifty eyes, or inability to look you in the eye that tells the tale. Read this interesting report in Science Daily and learn how a new expertise is helping police tell the truth tellers from the liars. It has to do with facial muscles that we are really unable to control. Now if this gets allowed as expert testimony, a whole lot is going to be changing in the world of crime I tell ya.

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From what I hear, it's getting pretty hard to meet those recruitment quotas these days in the good old US of A (army). I'm thinking that if you can walk, they will sign you up. Well, maybe even if you promise you will walk someday. You might want to look at this recruitment talk and see if you think it works. Undoubtedly this is close to the mark, I'm betting.

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Tip Junkie has a list of submitted tips today. It's a pretty long list of ideas for crafts other helpful bits and pieces. Take a look and see if there is anything you fancy.

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"Historians are like deaf people who go on answering questions that no one has asked them." Leo Tolstoy

"Sure there are dishonest men in local government. But there are dishonest men in national government too." Richard Nixon ( I kid you not)

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Yes, dear Iowans, it's still illegal to do the following:

Horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants in Marshalltown, Iowa.

In Dubuque any hotel in the city limits must have a water bucket and a hitching post in front of the building.

Indianola: The "Ice Cream Man" and his truck are banned.

One-armed piano players must perform for free.

Warn your hubby that after lovemaking in Ames, Iowa, he isn't allowed to take more than three gulps of beer while lying in bed with you -- or holding you in his arms.

You may shoot Native Americans if there are more than five of them on your property at any one time.

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How about the presidential campaign? I’m no political expert, but here is the problem with what the Democrats are doing. They’re spending too much time attacking one another and not enough time trying to rig the election. David Letterman

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These warnings do appear on the following products:

Liquid Plummer>> Warning: Do not reuse the bottle to store beverages