A Familiar Struggle.......

I've been watching interviews and reading articles on the recent events surrounding a white-born woman and her now-exposed transition to a black-lifestyle.  The whole thing makes me sad and I really feel badly for her.  During the interview I watched, she explained how she always identified as a darker-skinned individual.  How she drew herself as a girl with the darker crayons.  To me, it's a very familiar recollection expressed by those who are transgender.  They just didn't feel like they quite matched on the inside with what was on the outside.  And the arguments by her parents about basically having no idea what she is talking about and trying to destroy them.......is a little too familiar too, right?  I've heard there are arguments that she did it to get the job she has.  Did she, though?  or........does she happen to have a found a unique combination of a cause she is passionate about and the freedom to be who she feels she is and roll them all up together?  It's not like she put on her make-up to go to work and pretend and then was a totally different person at home.  Maybe you feel i've totally missed the point, but someone living their life the way they see fit AND......trying to make that dream possible for others.........HOW DARE SHE!  Maybe we should send her to some Country that has based its entire existence on those ideals..........wait.........hmm.....

Minecraft Party for the Non-Minecraft Mom

Here it is, the Minecraft 5th Birthday.

Invitation:  I designed a sword, was able to print both sides on one sheet and then cut it out and glued it together..........took me a couple of episodes of Bones to cut them all out, so just be prepared.  I'm happy to email you the template if you want.  Just say so in the comments!

 

For the decorations, i kept it simple, green and black.  Only a dozen balloons.  I tried to use black tape on them to create a creeper face like I saw on Pinterest..........but.......the black tape is heavier than the helium can hold up.........so, green balloons it was.

Cake: J wanted a creeper cake.....square...hmm....I don't do fondant, so square cupcakes!  The pan is at Michael's.  It is also available on walmart, if you are willing to order it and wait (more planning required).  I just used different combinations of green food coloring to make different shades and then i got some of the black icing paste.  it came ok.

  

Food:  Hotdogs (cooked meat), chips (baked potato), carrots, (carrots), cheese cubes (gold), watermelon (Melon) and pretzels (sticks).  I printed off some labels that were of the minecraft foods, glued them to cardboard, attached them to plastic knives (because i always have a ton of extras of those) and then stuck them in little tubs of play dough leftover from Halloween.

For activities:

I made each kid a burlap pouch for their "inventory".  I also got those little acrylic jewels in clear (diamond), green (emeralds) and blue (lapis) and then i found some gold and silver (iron) painted rocks.  these were the rewards for completing each task.



Task 1 - get the ball in the buck.  Only we set the bucket in the center of the jungle gym.













Task 2 - Cross the lava.  I did the floating island team building activity with two 'islands' and some boards that weren't quite long enough on their own and they had to figure out how to get everyone safely across.

Task 3: Tightrope walking.  We strung up some tension cords between two trees and they had to get across it.

Task 4:  We created a spiderweb between two more trees and they had to get through it without touching the sides.  We used parra-cord.

Task 5:  They made TNT.  Small cans of plain seltzer water and mentos.  We had them circle a table and drop their mentos in the can one at a time.  They had a blast!

Then we just did cake and presents.

For favors, the kids I had made little sward pendants using those little plastic beads and mats and an iron.

Kids had a blast and i'm pretty sure i spent all of $50- $75 total.

It's Called a Radish!

Garden Update!  Somehow, the things I forgot I planted and then things I never intended to plant are doing the best.  It seems like I always have some extraordinary plant growing in my compost bin.  This year, i could at least identify that it was some sort of gourd vegetable growing (by the leaves).  My guess is zucchini because it's the only item i distinctly remember having to throw out before I could cook it because it got a bit mushy.......so, it's been growing some, but it's been very hot and no rain......until this week.......I went out today to do battle with some weeds and BLAM!!!!  Hello, plant!  I can't wait to see if I'm right or not about what it is!

Then there are the radishes.  I honestly forgot I planted them.  I knew there was something coming up nicely, but had no clue what it was.  My little helper decided my garden markers needed to all be together in one spot and followed me around pulling them all up......and, of course, i wrote everything down in a diagram.........that has mysteriously vanished..so....it's a surprise garden year.  Like I said, I went out to do battle and out of the corner of my eye, I see red stuff in the dirt.  First thought is some ball or toy has been destroyed and ditched in my garden (not a happy momma), then I investigate....guess what?  Apparently, I planted radishes......and they grow rather quickly.  So, ta-da!

 

The rest of the garden is doing ok...beans and cucumbers are hard to mess up.  

I think this is squash........and a lonely lettuce plant

Up-and-coming sunflowers across the back there (yes, i know i need a weed-eater) and i think that is a different squash over on the far right

The peas.........with an expertly built cage (not!)

And my tomato plants.  They did really well on this side of the yard last year........i mean, we're talking tomato trees.......so planted them near the same spot.  I have 4 different kinds........do i remember which, no.  Surprises in store!

Z is for Zarf and other Z Words (what else?)

A little contribution to your vocabulary:

zyzzyva - an American weevil or small beetle

Zymurgy - the branch of chemistry concerned with fermentation processes in brewing, etc

Zygomorphic - (of a flower) capable of being cut in only one plane so that the two halves are mirror images

Zarf - (esp in the Middle East) a holder, usually ornamental, for a hot coffee cup

zex - a tool for cutting roof slate

That's probably enough to get you through some tough sports in scrabble or words with friends, eh?

Thanks for another great a-z challenge!

Y is for Yesterday

Yesterday was the end of this year's challenge, and yet, here I am, on the 1st of May, trying to complete my last two entries.  I don't know if you are following the events in Baltimore, but today, they announced the charges 6 police offices are being accused of and gave the play by play of events leading to the sad death of Freddy Grey.  My initial response was, good.  Choices equal consequences.  Then upon talking to my rather-more-opinionated and analytical friend, am just sad about the whole situation.  The officers don't have a chance, no matter what the eventual verdict is.  Their only chance might be with an entire new identity and location, and that's if any of them are found not guilty.  And then there is the root cause.  The culture barriers.  For those of us who grew up.......well.......white......we won't ever understand.  We, for a majority of us, were raised that police protect us and are safety.  For the other side, cops are the enemy.  Something to be frightened of.  Someone out to get you just because you exist.  I imagine the only people who can understand both ways are those individuals who came out of a rough, mistrusting environment and became police officers.  This incident has brought more attention to the divide that exists, however, I'm not sure there is any immediate answer.  And in a time where the Me-generation (a generation accustomed to instant gratification) is taking on the big issues and leading the way........well.......i just don't know.....i fear we may not have hit bottom yet and are not a place where real changes can be made yet, as scary as that sounds.  Ah well, we shall see.  All we can do is hope that a leader emerges and can bring hope.  Most of us, including myself to be honest, is continue to live each day the best we can and raise our children with a sense of right and wrong without extremes.

X is for eXpress Yourself through Poetry

Today is not only X day, but it is also Nation Poetry Day!  I used to write.......a long time ago.....had a little book and even had other people write in it and swore that someday i would have it published.  I'm pretty sure i still have it somewhere.  Should pull it out and see what the high school version of me and my friends thought of the world then.  That will be a post for another time.....,but for today, I thought I'd share a favorite....

Hector the Collector
Collected bits of string,
Collected dolls with broken heads
And rusty bells that would not ring. Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks,
Twists of wires, worn-out tires,
Paper bags and broken bricks.
Old chipped vases, half shoelaces,
Gatlin' guns that wouldn't shoot,
Leaky boasts that wouldn't float
And stopped-up horns that wouldn't toot. Butter knives that had no handles,
Copper keys that fit no locks
Rings that were too small for fingers,
Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks.
Worn-out belts that had no buckles,
'Lectric trains that had no tracks,
Airplane models, broken bottles,
Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks.
Hector the Collector
Loved these things with all his soul--
Loved them more then shining diamonds,
Loved them more then glistenin' gold.
Hector called to all the people,
'Come and share my treasure trunk!'
And all the silly sightless people
Came and looked ... and called it junk. 

Shel Silverstein

W is for Wondering About Random Things

Ever just have thoughts?  Unexplained?  Odd?  Or, explainable, but probably something you wouldn't say out loud in public?

Like....

-  In a work restroom.......not a public one, but one shared by about 10 women with 2 stalls......there are actually women who would rather hover over the seat than use a seat cover.......and they are the ones that spray and then don't clean-up after themselves........who are these women?  Who failed them?

-  Who along the historical line decided that block-like shapes was the idea shape for buildings and dwellings?  Why? 

-  Why does the dog lay in the middle of the floor, sees me coming, doesn't budge, then decides to stand up just as I'm already stepping over her?

Just a few.......