My skin started to prickle as I drove into the underpass. Of course I was secure in my car even if it was dark and I was in a new neighborhood but, I was still thinking of my evening conversation. That guy on the bridge was there for seven days.
flickr.creativecommons/photos/shawnzlea
Posted by Tammy on December 11, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/12/11/louisiana-9th-ward-hurricane-katrina-race-gender/
Thanks to Ollin for the invite to guest post at his blog, Courage 2 Create. Click over there to read my contribution, after you’ve read what Ollin has to say about how nature can inspire us and our writing.
The Creator of Courage
By Ollin Morales
I walk through a little dirt pathway, hugged on either side by bright green grass. There are trees all around that seem to greet me in their silence. The little stream whispers, “Hello.” A leaf or two can be seen falling to the ground, with the power and grace of any Olympic diver. There, in this sacred place, you feel yourself embraced by a cool, tender brush of mountain wind. There, you can almost swear the branches are speaking to you in a language all their own. There, you are almost certain that a squirrel, who freezes just underneath the sunlight as you approach, is reminding you of something you forgot. {That living occurs in the moment.}
Posted by Tammy on December 6, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/12/06/guest-post-ollin-morales/
If I didn’t call this failure, it would be hypocritical. That said, I,m reporting back on the outcomes of our food stamp challenge. Challenge – it was. As a full-time working mom, could I feed my family of five, nutritious meals on a food stamp allocation of $30 per person per week?
flickr.creativecommons/photos/millsbaker/3568168515/
Posted by Tammy on December 4, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/12/04/food-stamps-eating-nutritious-meals/
There was nothing vegan about it. My boys planned the Thanksgiving menu. They took a somewhat traditional path; turkey, green chili cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry frappe, sweet potatoes, red cabbage and carrot salad, braised greens and pie. My husband took them shopping and I agreed to one convenience – the pies. I’ve never been much of a baker and with everything else I was asking them to do, ready-made pie might seem like a vacation.
Posted by Tammy on November 29, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/11/29/kids-cooking-thanksgiving-meal/
The holidays are upon us. In part, I’m disgusted. The big chain grocery store has put up Christmas decor before Thanksgiving. There’s no need to rush unless of course we’re pushing for record retail sales. For some the holidays bring a certain measure of stress – a certain measure of how can I possibly get everything done and make this seem effortless like it was in my youth. First tip, this is not our youth.
Original image by D Sharon Pruitt - flickr creative commons
Posted by Tammy on November 26, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/11/26/tammys-top-ten-the-t3-report-holiday-prep-ideas/
Optimism, joy, chuckles, bliss. It seems that so many places we turn, people are talking about the elusive concept of happiness. We can speculate at the reasons; a tormented economy, the sandwich generation, increasing social pressures. I’ve read unfortunate tales about the increase in the use of antidepressants in adults and in children. Frankly, I think happiness is a difficult thing to calculate. How do we really know of its existence or its intensity unless we’ve measured it against sadness?
Rose Colored Smoothie
Posted by Tammy on November 8, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/11/08/looking-at-the-world-through-a-rose-colored-glass/
“When a community loses its memory, its members no longer know one another. How can they know one another if they have forgotten or never learned one another’s stories? If they do not know one another’s stories, how can they know whether or not to trust one another? People who do not trust one another do not help one another, and moreover, they fear one another.” (Wendell Berry, What Are People For)
Wendell Berry: Farmer, Writer, Academic - photo courtesy of thebridgepai.com
Posted by Tammy on October 17, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/10/17/telling-our-stories-humanities/
What a couple of weeks these have been! My middle guy just returned from a school trip. I was at a company meeting for three overnights. Upon returning home, my husband had an evening meeting and there was the annual dinner for our Economic Council. I hope it doesn’t sound like a complaint as we enjoy an abundant life but what do I really miss when our schedule fills up like this? Dinner time!
flickr.com/walkadog/3432071719
Posted by Tammy on October 9, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/10/09/preserving-family-dinnertime-conversation/
I think Mark Twain had something to do with that title quote but I’m unable to find a source for the saying “do as I say and not as I do”. The latter is often referred to as a statement in hypocrisy. Yet Dr. Samuel Johnson, a moralist and great contributor to English literature in the 1700s cautioned readers to tread lightly when charging others with hypocrisy.
flickr.cc.jcoterhals
Posted by Tammy on October 4, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/10/04/developing-an-exercise-plan/
Eggplant is in season. As a family that eats locally and seasonally that means that we must embrace eggplant. And while I really enjoy this dense meaty vegetable, I have a very hard time selling it at my dinner table. This past week, my curry with eggplant had the guys leaving skid marks in the driveway on their way to In and Out Burger.
The Inspiration
Posted by Tammy on September 26, 2010
https://agrigirl.com/2010/09/26/eggplant-and-five-freedoms-of-the-first-amendmen/
A wife, a mom, an executive, a certified leadership coach and a breast cancer survivor. I love learning and I love to write and I'm often fascinated with the life lessons that come from my kitchen. Focusing on community-based Placemaking is the way that I work towards creating a healthier planet.
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