Oh, boy. I have a feeling I am going to offend some folks with this one.

Guys, seriously. I have been following the OWS movement from right here in the middle where I always am, and am becoming increasingly flabbergasted by the 'conservative' media's attempts to downplay the message of this widespread protest. Y'all. Really- this is just my take on it, but I am hoping that maybe if you see what I see then maybe you won't be so close-minded about what is going on outside. Occupy Wall Street is basically about the average joe wanting to be heard, to give big money a visual (that is to show them that there are far more of 'us' than 'them') and remind them that in order for us to succeed collectively, we need to all put in our fair share. Before you start fuming, NO, I do NOT want you to have what I have- I want for you to put into our collective pot the same percentage that I have to. That is all. I would like for you to understand what it is like to be without things that you can afford, like health insurance, a pension plan, and more seriously for far too many, food and/or shelter. It is beyond my scope of reason to get why anyone would be angry with their neighbor (or, in these times, former neighbor- helllooo foreclosure) for wanting to have access to these things. America is the ONLY westernized country that demands so much from its citizens, yet admonishes them for asking for equal rights back.... why is that? Has our educational system fallen so far so fast that so many of us lap up what we are spoon fed? I am not asking any of you to come out and support OWS- what I am asking you to do is to think hard before you decry this movement. Remember your neighbors, if you took the time to get to know them- if not, scan your family tree. Would your ideals harm one of them? Better yet, would taxing the wealthy at OUR rate really hurt you? How so?

Also- really, really, really quickly- guys, socialism does not mean communism. Two different words for two different ideals. One can be a socialist and still want his favorite local businessman to become filthy rich- hell, one can even become filthy rich and be a socialist! Check this one out for further clarification : Best explinations for socialism and communism

Now, I am going to post a few hippie ('leftist') links so that, if you are of a different mindset than me, you can at least understand where I am coming from. Hope you take a minute to look through. 

OccupyWallStreet
Max Udargo's Open Letter
Interesting Comparison between TP ideals and OWS ideals

End of Summer Roasted Ratatouille

Ok, y'all- this stuff is seriously delicious, and a great way to say goodbye to all our summer favorites.
I have made ratatouille traditionally before, and let me tell you it is time consuming, messy, and fabulous, but this - this just takes it all to a whole new level.
 Also- I realize that this is basically just a fancy way of describing roasted veg in a light sauce- but let me have my moment, k? Sometimes I need to feel fancy, y'all. I am still a girl...sometimes....

What you need: ( I am listing how many I used- I really don't like recipes per se, so feel free to play around with this and adjust to your liking)
eggplant -2
zucchini (squash)- 2
bell pepper- 2
tomatoes-  3
garlic-3 cloves
rosemary-appx 1tbs, crushed as finely as I could get it
thyme- appx 2 tsp, pinched well
olive oil- 4tbs, divided equally
salt, pepper- this really, really has to be to taste.


What to do with it:
First, slice/dice up allll these veggies- either way is fine- I think I did a little of both...just get em all pieced up. (garlic excluded- just peel that)
 Take half of your olive oil and combine with your dry herbs/salt/pepper- set aside
Toss your veg w 2 tbs olive oil; arrange in single layer - roast 25 min, remove garlic from pan- roast 15 more min


If you have made it this far without throwing your hands up, then yay! The rest is super easy from here on out.
Smash roasted garlic into your herbed olive oil , pour over your roasted ratatouille, and let rest for about 10 minutes. It really does help the flavor- and if you make this a day in advance and simply reheat, even better. I promise you, if this is the last batch of summer veg you can get your hands on, that this is the best way to enjoy them. I had pictures in process really blurry pictures taken by the most beloved and revered child, but really, they were kinda worthless, and I found that most of them consisted of a shoe (in focus) and an eyeball (not so much in focus, but kind of interesting nonetheless). So, let me share, without further ado, the finished product...

 YUM!

No, I can't eat dairy..or wheat...or soy.... but yes, I can eat pizza!

SO this is a total gluten-free hack- and yes, sometimes- LOTS of times, I cheat. Where we live right now, we really don't have storage space for pantry staples (including my favorite flour blends), so if I really want to make bread of any sort this is my go-to mix. Normally, though, I do prefer to make my own gluten free mixes- especially high-protein blends... anywho, today was a day I could do everything from scratch, and the much loved and revered child was pestering for pizza for days, so this is what I came up with. Hubs says this is hands down the best pizza I have made to date ( with my rice crust pizza a close second. I say it's all in the sauce, but whateverrrr). This is not vegan, but with a flax egg, it could be...

 That there is what all I used...

 This would be my cheat 'crust'

 ...and yes, it worked very, very well

 half of this pizza was actually with dairy, as the much-revered child will not eat daiya shreds (can't blame him when the real thing is somuch more delicious)

 so I, in all my Girl Scout glory, cut the crust in half and made myself an allergen barrier

this stuff went really, relleh fast. I saved hubs a slice, and he requested MORE! for dinner. 

The secret to a really good pizza crust? Using my super secret olive oil blend in the mix....

The only deviation I really made to the instructions on the box was to add an extra Tbs of oil- that helps to make the starches nice and elastic; other than that, it's as simple as can be. Also,I keep a bulb of roasted garlic (did you know you can do this in the microwave?) in an airtight container in the fridge at all times- so adding a couple of cloves to my pizza sauce was an easy peasy way to dress up a jarred sauce. I made sure that my half had lots of veg so as not to feel guilty about eating almost half a dang pizza (ok- in all fairness it is about the size of a 'small' at a pizzeria)- and hubs had a 'supreme' version too.

 

What have you made lately that was super easy and not bad for you? 

Where I have been for the last few weeks...

Been busy home schooling....

 ...and then went on a brief vacation....

 ...where we all drew some inspiration...

 ...had some fun....

 ... a few laughs...

 ...got bit by a zebra...

 ...watched our car get bit by zebras...

 ...celebrated bub's birthday...

...and now this mama needs a nap. I will be back in blog land within the next couple of days- hopefully you all haven't given up on me yet!

Semi-homemade: Gluten-Free edition!

Ok, so you know that we (meaning kid and I ) are gluten free, and I am dairy free, and some of you have even commented to me that my life must be so hard because 'what could we possibly have to eat without' wheat, barley, rye, and milk? My answer is simple-We eat a lot! Hello! Those of you who know me personally have to see that I am by no means starving to death. Anyways- since I know some of you out there have been at least intrigued by my insanity, I will make a conscientious effort to make at least one out of 4 blog posts recipe/foodie posts. Maybe then I can convince you all of my sanity, and perhaps even get y'all to see that life really isn't that hard without gluten or dairy. Yes, it does take some work, and yes, it means that you will not, for the most part, be shopping in the center aisles at the grocery store, but trust me- my body thanks me for avoiding all that mess anyhow- and yours just might, too...
So, to kick off this series, I am sharing with you a recipe for gluten free burgers with so much in them...

Somuchinum burgers

What you will need:
1 lb of hamburger
1/2 Gluten free bagel (optional)
half pint of mushrooms (appx 6-8 regular sized baby bellas, or button mushrooms. Feel free to experiment if there is another mushroom you like better)
2-3 C uncooked spinach
1 clove garlic
salt, pepper,paprika, turmeric- to taste
Optional- go for this if they are in season ONLY- 1-2 fresh roasted, chopped green chiles, de-seeded
1 large egg

 Toss the mushrooms, spinach, half bagel, garlic, chiles, and spices in the food processor. Pulse until they are thoroughly combined and uniform in size. ( I did ours fairly small because kid is really weird with textures)

yes, I realize that these are out of order. Sorry- I am playing catch up and am sure you get the picture anyhow.

Once all that is pulsed, toss it in a bowl along with your ground beef. 

 Combine, form into patties, and cook in your favorite way. We had absolutely no problems with the patties falling apart- and sadly I have no after photos because the burgers got eaten as fast as I cooked them! 

 

5 things you learn when you begin to homeschool:

1. School soooo does not have to take 8 hours. Upon realizing this, you also begin to realize how flawed our public education system is.
2. You don't know nearly as much as you think you do... Also, that you are never too old to learn something new.
3. Your kid(s) is (are) AWESOME!
4. Learning comes naturally ( and so much faster) when it is fun.
5. Socialization does not only take place in the schoolyard- actually, the schoolyard starts to resemble the Lord of the Flies through the eyes of the homeschooler, with all the cliques and social debauchery rampant these days...


Are there any awesome revelations you have had as a homeschooler?

I just don't understand how people can be so hateful...

Let me tell y'all a story- this one doesn't have an ending yet, nor will it likely for a while...

Once upon a time, there was a man that thought that Jesus sent him to El Paso to convert all the heathens so they could be saved.

 This may or may not have been his vision. Just go with it.

So, he came to be in the desert, married a native, and made babies and a church with her. All was well- he had a decent sized following, and he did what he thought Jesus sent him out to do....

 Sadly, somewhere along the way he heard another voice- one which surely had to have been Jesus again, he was sure of it. 

This voice told him there were too many gays working for the city getting benefits for their partners. Now, as in almost every other part of the country,  gays are still not allowed to marry each other, so naturally they were unmarried. The man decided to follow the suggestion of the voice, and make it so the gays could not provide even health benefits for their partners if they worked for our city. He and a few of his flock wrote up a proposal, followed protocol, and that proposal was put out to a vote. People came in handfuls, as they always do in the desert- sometimes it is just too damned hot to be out- and they voted. Many came out perplexed- they did not know if they had voted the way they wanted- there were too many vague descriptions in the proposal that made them want to say yes to it- words like traditional family values, and keeping people off the taxpayer bill... Who wants to say they are NOT traditional ? (Besides heathens like me, that is) So many voted for this proposal, when they actually felt that the proposal was wrong. The head tribunal of the heathens in the desert saw that this was a bad thing, to hurt a small group of people by denying them the same access to healthcare that their hetero counterparts had, so they overturned the ordinance. 

Now, this made the desert Jesus man and his flock very, very, angry. 

 very, very angry- on the behalf of his Jesus.

 So he enlisted his army, and declared battle on the heathens that were against his proposition and the tribunal that overturned what he had hoped would be a victory for his Jesus. They made banners, and drew petitions. They hired lawyers. They yelled- a lot. They gave arguments for why they were right, and they painted the war to seem as if they had been victimized because they were disallowed to treat the gay heathens as second class citizens...Worst of all, they demanded that the heathens make it up to them by spending a lot more money to remove the head of the heathen tribunal and a few of his helpers. (Y'all, in the desert, and on the border,especially, budgets are tight for everyone- including the city...)

The head of the heathen tribunal...As portrayed by the flock- the very angry flock. 

Some of the heathens (this heathen included) decided that enough was enough. They would much rather not do battle- they preferred to co-exist peacefully, even allowing members of the flock to bleat at them on occasion, but this was enough. So, a small group was formed with a very simple message.

See, y'all- the heathens prefer to keep it simple, and non-violent.

The heathens, including some very sweet religious leaders, have made a few peaceable protests, and held a few assemblies- but they see no reason to go to the extent that Jesus man and his flock have. They believe that their fellow heathens see the rationale behind their movement, and the absurdity in ever having started this war to begin with.

Unfortunately, this is where the story stops as of today. Is this heathen wrong? 

And, as a side- I mean absolutely no offense to any Christians out there- this particular pastor seems to have forgotten the meaning of Christianity entirely, and, as he is a very enthusiastic speaker, has led his followers down the same sad sad path. I doubt that Jesus would have encouraged hate in his day- based on the stories about him, he was a fiery, short-tempered dude at worst- but hateful? never. And I grew up Catholic, y'all- they make you study allllll the books- not just the abbreviated KJV. 

What do you think? I'd love to hear your take- just, please- nothing derogatory.  This heathen prefers to keep it civilized.

So, today hubs went on a field trip with our Homeschool co-op....

I belong to a local (secular - or at least, poly-tolerant ) Homeschool Group here in town- and man! are these ladies on their game! I missed all the planning meetings this summer as I was taking care of some relatives in the place of their primary caretaker, so it has been a pleasant schoolyear so far to find all these awesome things already laid out for me. I really have to reciprocate next semester. Seriously. This mama is a former Girl Scout General (jk- no offense to any current  leaders. I was just really, relleh active...that's all) and therefore can plan a large group activity like no one's business. Anywho- I cannot take credit for any of the following adventure, but I can say that once the dam is open again for the season I can see hubs and the kiddo and myself out here for a mini-vacay...

 He is looking more grown every day, and I love him every minute of it.

 how could you not love that desert sky?

 Almost there- can you see the difference in the landscape?

their mountains are a little smaller, but still very pretty

Today's trip (Hub's very first with our HS co-op) was to Radium Springs, NM, more specifically Leasburg Dam State Park. This very quaint and super quiet town is only about an hour's drive from where we are on our mountain,  but looks like we are considerably farther.  I am gonna be lazy about this and simply give you a couple link-ups to this hidden gem, so you can at least find it if you ever decide to head out there. Quite a bit of history, and lots of nature to explore. I give it a thumbs up myself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Springs,_New_Mexico
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/prd/leasburg.htm


The dam itself was closed, which threw our plans a little, but that didn't deter our kids from having a ball. They made the playground theirs, and a the few dads that were able to attend alternated trail guide duties. I love co-op days- as I explain it to my son, they are also mommy's playdates. I get to have adult interaction, and he gets to either learn or play to his heart's content.

Hey there- we're just visitors. Don't bite!

 In the desert clouds like this are rare, and therefore relished.

 ...like that forbidden half-gallon of ice cream

 our plants might seem homely, but all you have to do is look closely

 and in the most unexpected places

 so as a desert rat, you learn to look, or you yearn to leave. it's that simple

 the traditional adobe oven. the southwest desert's history is rich with these.

 the ants can teach us a thing or two about community

 and we can be especially glad that they didnt sting our toes when we stop to admire the flowers

 yep, what makes that barbecue sauce great comes from the desert too...well, if you like mesquite barbecue sauce. which i am allergic to. boo. 

The poor park ranger wasn't expecting us, but put on a decent impromptu presentation about the park. Poor ranger. You could tell all these rowdy city kids were overwhelming him. Us homeschoolers are so weird. 

 I was trying to be sneaky about taking his picture. Can you tell?

 We are all interconnected through our history...

Bye, oh cutest town I have seen in a while!

I didn't add pictures of our co-op friends because, frankly, I didn't ask them if it was OK. Maybe they will let me introduce y'all next time...If I remember to ask...

So tell me, what treasured memories did you make today?