Delicious meals of late

I just cooked two fantastic meals this week! I just have to say that I hightly recommend the recipes in Real Simple Magazine. The meals were easy and most the ingredients were easy to find. The first one from there is Sausage with Escarole and White Beans. I have to say that I typically do not like sausage, but this was so tasty, even two days later as leftovers. I also subbed the escarole with spinach. The second one was Potato and Leek Flat Bread. My roommate said that it reminded her of a California Pizza Chicken pizza. If your having a hard time finding the cheese, check out Whole Foods.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

While, I was listening to the Jars of Clay Christmas Album this song really spoke to me. I can relate with sometimes thinking there is no peace on earth. After googling the song, I found out it was a poem first written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He wrote it during the Civil War and the song excludes two stanzas. I find the two excluded stanzas give great power to the song. One that the peace on earth is referring to a war and good will to men to the enslaved. I am overjoyed that just as the blacks in the U.S. were freed, that Christ was born into this world to free me from enslavement to sin.

"Christmas Bells"
(The original poem, complete with all seven stanzas)
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!



And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!



Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!



Then from each black accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!



And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!


"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"

SNOW!!!

The progression - day, night, morning

Christmas Time

I am finally in the Christmas mood.

My roommate and I decorated the house yesterday. We purchased a beautiful tree in just about ten minutes. Amazing considering there was four opinions to consider. We decorated the tree, drank eggnog and made chocolate turtle cake while listening to wonderful Christmas music (Jars of Clay's Christmas album).

Old Rag

I went hiking with my roommates two weeks ago to see the fall leaves. The hike was wonderful and very scenic. The hike was vigorous. We were scrambling over boulders, sliding down rocks and climbing up rock faces.

Ways to Stem Cancer

Okay, despite the fact that the article says there is no way to fully prevent getting cancer. I like the seventh preventative, breast feeding. "The report is also the first to urge breastfeeding as a means to protect against cancer, arguing that it may reduce breast cancer in the mother and prevent obesity in the child - although this has not been proven." I am curious as to why they also think it might prevent obesity in the child. Anyone know?

Starbucks will not be a big fan of this article. It also hits on sugary drinks as being bad. I guess that means no more frappuccinos for me. :-(

Sex Ed

I find it fascinating that the media believes the representatives from Planned Parenthood. This is a quote from the vice president of of medical affair. "Plus, condoms protect you from STDs as well. They offer nearly 100 percent protection against HIV/AIDS and significantly reduce the risk of transmitting other STDs." Even the United Nations sees that condoms are not that good against preventing STDs. "United Nations Report says Condoms Fail to Protect against AIDS 10% of the Time. The admission from the UN, which is far lower than some studies which have shown larger than 50% failure rates, is a blow to population control activists which have aggressively and misleadingly marketed condoms in the third world as 100% effective." It also shows in Africa that Uganda, the country teaching abstinence is seeing a decline in HIV among the populace. I hope next time MSN decides to write an article that they research beyond the business of Planned Parenthood and look at the facts, not the fiction that Planned Parenthood would like everyone to believe.