For whatever reason, during this month I have been introduced to several things that I have though were just really cool. Most of them are not new to anyone but me. That’s OK. I thought it would be fun to share my fabulous finds here. Maybe some of you have also led a sheltered life and will find some of these things new and exciting as well.
My original title for this post was “Five Fabulous February Finds”. As I thought about that, I decided that perhaps my fabulous finds should be an ongoing theme. So, on the last day of each month I will post my fabulous finds from that month. For that reason, I had to drop “February” from the title. I deference to this already slighted month, The least I could do was make the first thing on the fabulous finds list alliteration.
Here are February 2012‘s Five Fabulous Finds
Alliteration Alliteration is just fun. It’s fun to read it. It’s fun to write it. And it’s fun to spea. In case its been a while since you have tried your tongue at a tongue twister, here’s one with which to start practicing.
A fly and flea flew into a flue,
said the fly to the flea 'what shall we do?'
'let us fly' said the flea
Fly said the fly 'shall we flee'
so they flew through a flaw in the flue.
(I advise that you not try this under the influence of alcohol or drugs - including cold medicine which is my drug of choice today. Despite my love of alliteration, the combination of all these “f’s” and the dreadfully debilitating cold or flu that I have right now are making it horrendously hard for me to feel the fun.
Currants During February I have developed a fondness for currants. I like raisins, but I don’t like to be surprised by them in baked goods or salads. At the beginning of the month I was trying a new recipe for corn scones that called for currants as the last ingredient to be added. My instinct was to leave them out. What can currants possibly add to this already perfectly good scone? As part of my new found discipline to expand my palette, I used the currants. Much to my surprise, they were really good! Because currants are so much smaller than raisins, they are much less intrusive. I did not hesitate at all to put them in the Zesty Cabbage Salad that I made the other night.
Erasable highlighters I was teaching a fair isle knitting class the other day. The woman seated next to me was using a highlighter to mark off her pattern rows. She turned to me and said, “These are the neatest things! Erasable Highlighters.” I was leery. I took one in my own hand and wrote “skeptical” across my pattern. I flipped the pen over and erased both the skepticism on the page and the skepticism in my mind.
www.101cookbooks.com This has become my current favorite cooking blog. Heidi Swanson creates tasty recipes using wholesome natural ingredients. She is also the author of the cookbook, Super Natural Every Day that I mentioned a few posts back. Many of the new recipes that I have tried in the last month have been hers. I have not yet been disappointed.
Judge Tonya Parker Tonya Parker is a judge in the 116th Civil Court in Dallas. Last week, she told the media that she will not perform any marriages until same-sex couples in Texas are afforded the same choices. The thing that makes Tonya Parker different from most people that take such a stand is that she does not make it impossible for heterosexual couples who come into her court to be married, it is simply that she will not perform the ceremony. She escorts them to the courtroom of a colleague who will happily marry the couple. If only all people with strong moral convictions would use them as a compass for their own lives rather than trying to legislate their morality for all of us. As far as I am concerned, Mit Romney and Rick Santorum never have to have or perform an abortion. That is certainly within their rights. It is not however within their rights to deny abortions to any woman who feels that that is the choice she needs to make for her own mental and or physical health. It is also not their right, or any politician’s right for that matter, to deny any woman access to contraception. It just proves their ignorance and gender bias to assume that woman only take contraceptives so that they can have carefree sex. You guys are clueless! I wish that all those running for public office would learn from the actions and attitudes of Judge Tonya Parker.
"I do not, and would never, impede any person's right to get married. In fact, when people wander into my courtroom, usually while I am presiding over other matters, I direct them to the Judges in the courthouse who do perform marriage ceremonies. If my deputy is not busy, I will even ask him to escort or help these individuals find another Judge who performs the ceremonies. I do this because I believe in the right of people to marry and pursue happiness." - Tonya Parker
Thank you for your service and your example Tonya Parker!
With that, farewell February!
