Once again, a reiteration of a book study

This school year, I have the opportunity to facilitate a study on Edith Schaeffer's book "The Hidden Art of Homemaking"  (1971).  We are meeting twice a month and I thought it would be fun to recount some of what we are learning here too.

I will begin as I often do, and declare that this is a terrible title for this book.  It has nothing to do with setting up housekeeping as a newlywed, miraculous ways of scrubbing your tub, or any other Heloise-style tips that you want to have in your arsenal.  This book, as we discussed yesterday in Chapters 1 & 2 is about God being the perfect artist and how we have the opportunity to reflect His glory as we practice art. 

Is art necessary?  Art gives expression to what we often cannot understand, but someone else can communicate in a different form; whether it be by sight, smell, touch, taste, or experience.  This is reflective of God, as " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. "(Psalm 19:1-2 ESV)

What is God saying through His art?  That it matters!  It requires detail, skill, and investment of time.  I've marveled at the fact that God took six days to create the earth and all it's contents.  Let's be honest, God could have created in the blink of an eye, He is omnipotent after all! 

The whole of creation communicates something.... What are we trying to communicate with our art, what do we steer away from, how do we observe art?

And my favorite lines from the whole book:

So we are, on a finite level, people who can create. Why does man have creativity?  Why can man think of many things in his mind, and choose, and then bring forth something that other people can taste, smell, feel, hear, and see?   Because man was created in the image of a Creator.  Man was created that he might create.  It is not a waste of man's time to be creative.  It is not a waste to pursue artistic or scientific pursuits in creativity, because this is what man was made to be able to do.  He was made in the image of a Creator, and given the capacity to create- on a finite level of course, needing to use the materials already created- but he is still the creature of the Creator.  p.24

Two weeks from now, we will begin our individual studies of particular arts, as my friend Caryn teaches on painting, sculpture, and sketching.  She also has started a great blog, Three Books a Night, and is a terrific resource for children's literature and illustration.  Check her out!

Tomato Sauce

Every year towards the end of summer, I am enticed by boxes of gorgeous Roma tomatoes.  I think it's the thought of summer finally being at it's wit's end, pulling off it's leaves in frustration.  I begin to think of simmering pots, sweaters, and sauce.  Lots of sauce.

Back in the days of cable, I watched a show on TLC called Cake Boss.  (And thank you, Netflix, for renewing my Hoboken accent).  Crazy thing is - that of all the episodes I watched, the one that made the most impact was when the kitchen was taken over by the Italian family making sauce.  They bought GOBS of Romas and basil, and I envied their big wooden spoon.  I searched in vain for that recipe online, but to no avail.  For the past two years I have made up my own version.  Of course, I always screw up the first two batches or so, but the final version is worth it. Here's my take on sauce:

• Buy copious amounts of Romas.  I have spent between $8-10 for 25 pounds at the farmer's market.
• Grab a pot ( a dutch oven tends to be my choice) and set it on the stove with enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Measurable depths are personal choice.
• Mince fresh garlic, 4-6 cloves or so, and let it sweat along with the oil.  Keep it on low, b/c you don't want to burn the garlic. 
• Cut up the Romas into quarters (skin on) and fill the pot with the cut pieces.  You want to fill it to the top, but be able to put a lid on it. 
• Cook on medium-high heat until the skins begin to come away from the tomato flesh. 
• Let cool enough to be able to sink your hands into the pot and pull away the loose skins.  (Factoid: my hands got a mini- treatment from this for about 7 nights in a row- they looked and felt awesome!!)
• Process the tomatoes in the pot with an immersion blender and throw the whole mess into Mason Jars.  I freeze mine out of laziness, but you could also process them for pantry storage.

That's it!  We use this sauce for pasta, sandwiches, pizza sauce, you name it.  And the great thing about it is  that you can transform it however you like.  For pizza sauce I will generally reduce it further on the stove and add some fennel and oregano.  Give it a try!

Back to school

We started preschool last week.  This is Madeline's final year before she hits kindergarten. Having climbed to the top, she is now a Fab 5.  A great little term for anything you want to accomplish;  "Madeline, are these your clothes on the floor?  You're a Fab 5, and Fab 5's don't leave clothes on the floor.  Has my Fab 5 brushed her teeth? "  I know it's going to backfire on me soon, but eh;.... what parenting technique hasn't?

Every year, without fail, I have found myself scrambling the first few days of school picking up supplies.  The first year was a container to include all of her lunch in with one lid only please.  The second year it was a 1 1/2 inch binder with a clear plastic front- in the color white only please. This year, it's been a conglomeration of empty containers.  An empty Pringles can for a time capsule?  Oh, all right... like I can't eat a can of Pringles in a single sitting.  An empty Capri Sun box.  Ummmmm......would a shoe box work?  We like Capri Sun boxes to keep them uniform, I was told.  The kids create an "All about Me" box ; which is just a gift wrapped box with pictures, stickers, etc., and these are then wrapped in clear contact paper to become the boxes for the building block corner.  Gotcha.

Oh, yes, and also, we like the kids to learn to do things for themselves this year, because next year in kindergarten you don't want to find out that your child is thirsty because they can't put the straw in their juice drink.  Hmmmmm... Am I supposed to be sending juice drinks?  Is that what all the other kids are getting? Is my child deprived? I've never bought juice drinks for my kids.  Not because I'm diametrically opposed to them, we've had them at parties and such, but I'm frankly to cheap to spend the money on them, too lazy to add them to my shopping list, and would prefer not to add the packaging to the landfill.  But, I'm not going rock the boat over this one, so off I go to purchase some Capri Suns.  I'll send them for special treats every now and again.  I have also decided that if my child doesn't master the "dull dart at over-filled juice package" game, I'm okay with that.  I haven't either, and I have a degree from an orange university. 

In addition, I've been told that all the children need two drinks sent to school every day.  Another problem.  See, I've had the same THREE Nalgene Grip n Gulps for Mad since age 1.  They've been great, are a breeze to wash, and outside of beaver teeth, have held up beautifully.  But, they are technically a no-spill cup and I was a little embarassed to send her to school with these.  I could hear all the teachers saying,  "Ah, the poor little girl, no juice boxes AND still drinking from a sippy cup.  We'll need to schedule a conference!"  All of my own insecurities re-incarnated in my child's school days. 

See the non-beaver version below.

(Sara's of course)

I had to get at least one more drink container,

and then I remembered that replacement lids are sold for Nalgene products. 

Surely I could just buy some of those? 

Perhaps lengthen the life of our beloved grip n gulps?

Help my Fab 5 save face amongst her juice box buddies?

My dear husband ran around to the local outdoors stores and found a copious amount of water bottles at River Sports on Sutherland (for you locals). 

He bought the Camelbak for a $1 (I think it was a loner) and the Nalgene lid for $2.50.

 

Both were a perfect fit. 

Bring it on Kindergarten!! This Fab 5 is ready!