A Different View Of Rockwell

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If we could only go back to "the good old days". Perhaps an overly romantic view of America keeps us from seeing the struggles that humanity has always faced in seeking to live justly. A lot of people seem to long for a more simplistic time, an idealistic era they believe used to exist.

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Most of us have seen many Norman Rockwell paintings, but this may be the first time you have ever seen these Rockwell paintings. One of a little girl being protected as she attempts to go to school, the "n"word scrawled on the wall behind her. This was a chapter in our history where it was perfectly acceptable to intimidate and assault an eight year old girl because of the color of her skin.

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Rockwell’s painting "The Problem We All Live", depicts Ruby Bridges, the little girl who integrated the New Orleans school system in 1960, being escorted to her class by four federal marshals in the face of hostile crowds. Norman Rockwell received many letters of criticism in his choice of subject, but this did not stop him.

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An even greater departure for Rockwell’s was his "Southern Justice", painted in 1963. It depicts the deaths of three Civil Rights workers who were killed for their efforts to register African American voters, and is a horrifying vision of racism.

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Rockwell is often seen as a painter of American myth, but these show a sensibility and concern about the problems of living up to our American ideas.

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TOMS Project Holiday

Brought to my attention via Content In A Cottage.

:)

The Family Man - La La La Means I Love You

The Family Man

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Christmas Movie

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Everyone in our house loves this movie!! We watch it every year!!

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We live in a world of consumerism, where it seems what everyone strives for is more money, more toys, and more attractive partners. He who does not commit his life to the pursuit of these things, he who does not put in the extra hours at work, and he who does not wind up driving the latest car or purchasing the biggest home is seen as weak, unsuccessful, and unattractive. This image of success is often created and then perpetuated by Hollywood. It is then very refreshing to see Hollywood produce a movie which turns this all upside-down. For in the end we see that a man who passes up the corporate ladder to work as a tire salesman, a man who drives a mini-van and changes diapers, and a man who must sacrifice his own time and happiness in order to please his family is the strongest in character, the most successful in life, and is envied by all.

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Review Courtesy of The Reel McCoy

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World Aids Day - December 1st

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Every year on December 1st, individuals and organisations around the world campaign together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic.
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Aids and Children
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Fewer than 5% of HIV-positive children have access to treatment.
Less than 10 % of children who have lost parents to AIDS get public support or care.
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In this season of giving and love - let's take a few minutes to look at this crisis and take action in some way.
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What's In Season - December

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Northern California

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It's a good time for leafy green vegetables and roots. A plate of greens may not be the most inspiring dish but with the addition of a little cream and bacon it is transformed.

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Fact: If every U.S. citizen ate just one locally grown meal a week - the countries oil consumption would be reduced by 1 million barrels every week.

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Vegetables

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•artichoke

•beans

•beets

•broccoli

•brussels sprouts
•burdock

•cabbages

•cardoons

•carrots

•cauliflower

•celery

•chard

•collards

•cress

•endive

•fennnel

•garlic

•greens

•herbs

•horseradish

•kale

•kohlrabi

•leeks

•lettuce

•mushroom

•olives

•onions

•parsnips

•peppers

•potatoes

•radicchio

•radish

•rapini

•spinach

•sweet potato

•turnips

•winter squash

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Fruit

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•almonds

•apples

•avocados

•grapes

•chestnuts

•dates

•dried fruit

•grapefruit

•guava

•lemons

•limes

•kiwi

•kumquats

•oranges

•pears

•persimmons

•pistachios

•pomegranates

•pomelos

•tangerines

•walnuts

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Friday's Photos - Thanksgiving

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I will be shopping, cleaning and cooking between now and Thanksgiving -- so I will not return until December 1st. I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving -- filled with lots of love, laughter and most of all FOOD!!

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"Here’s to good cheer, health and happiness for us all."

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Happy Friday and Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Thanks to Emily Post - Martha Stewart - and the others whose photos are pictured above.

How to Seed a Pomegranate

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I love pomegranates and they are so good for you too -- only I hate seeding them. I recently found a new way to accomplish this task with good results.

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To get the seeds without spattering red juice everywhere, cut the pomegranate in half and submerge it in cool water. Pry out the seeds in handfuls, and transfer them to another bowl.

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Studies have found that pomegranates are richer in antioxidants than red wine, green tea, and most other fruits.

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Recipe Idea

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Scatter seeds over a mix of baby greens, mint leaves, goat cheese, and pistachios.

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For more ideas check out California Pomegranates

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Wonderful - No Cook - Hors d'oeuvres

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Prosciutto Wrapped Figs, Assorted Olives, Grapes and Sliced Cheese.
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(Photos Courtesy Of Jupiter Images and Google Search)

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This is what I'm serving up before the Thanksgiving meal hits the table.

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Knowing Your Turkey

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What do those terms on the turkey label really mean? Here's a glossary of the most common classifications.

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Free-range A turkey with access to the outside. But don't be fooled—the fact that it has access doesn't mean a bird will take advantage of it.

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Fresh Technically, a turkey that's never been kept below 26°F. Many Thanksgiving birds are processed in September and October but are still labeled fresh in November, which means they've been kept just above 26 degrees for months.

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Frozen A bird that's stored at or below 0°F.

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Hard-Chilled, or Not Previously Frozen A turkey that's been held between 26°F and 0°F. Hen/Tom A hen is a female turkey, and a tom is a male. You'd be hard-pressed to detect a difference in the taste of a turkey based on its gender. Where the bird's gender does matter, though, is in determining what size turkey you should buy. With hens, which run in size from about 8 to 16 pounds, buy a pound of turkey per person. But for toms, which start at 17 pounds, calculate about 3/4 pound per person, as there's a greater meat-to-bone ratio.

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Organic A turkey that has been certified by a USDA-accredited agency. The term organic ensures that the bird was raised on organic feed, was free-range, and wasn't treated with any antibiotics. We are lucky that Willie Bird Turkey Farm is just a few miles from up the road, and we have already placed an order for our turkey. If you get a chance check out the above video link (Willie Bird Turkey Farm) then go to youtube, and look at a standard "turkey farm". You might think twice about what kind you buy this year.

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Kosher A bird that's been processed by hand, following kosher laws, under rabbinical supervision. The turkey is soaked in water for half an hour, then packed in kosher salt and placed on an incline for about an hour to allow the blood to drain. After that, the bird is rinsed three times. A kosher bird is an acquired taste. It can seem salty.

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Natural A bird that contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is minimally processed. This doesn't mean it hasn't been treated with antibiotics.

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Pasture-Raised A turkey reared in the pasture full-time and allowed to forage for its own food. There's no USDA standard or certification for pasture-raised meat.

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Information Courtesy Of Bon Appetite Magazine