My Little Victory Garden: A Rose Named Rachel

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https://geolatinas.org/xih5obx This past week has been one of the grandest growing, cooking and discovery weeks for all good things I’ve had since early last October.  But I’m not going to write about any of it.  I’m leaving my position at Oklahoma State University tomorrow and will be starting a new career with the Great Plains Integris residency program in two weeks.  But today I’m not going to write about that either.  I’m going to write about my eldest who is finishing up her undergraduate work at the University of Oklahoma.  And, I’m going to show you what she did.

https://purestpotential.com/gzp6gpuda Rachel’s love for photography began at Edmond Memorial High School when she joined the Yearbook team.  She then started her college career at the Kansas City Art Institute and completed two years of a highly rigorous program.  There was a boy, however, and a family and culture she missed.  So she returned to Oklahoma and eventually found her way to the right university program to complete her good work there.

https://www.mbtn.net/?p=c3n4owf7l I’ll be honest.  I’m a complete sap when it comes describing my tender feelings toward my offspring.  I treasure Rachel’s photography, pottery, fibers and art history growing experience in so many ways. But I may have found the beacon my heart will return to for years to come.  That beacon emits from the deserts of the West where she traveled with a group of peers for a photography shoot.  Their destinations included Death Valley, the Painted Desert and the Mohave Desert.

University of Oklahoma Photography Trip, 2012. Rachel Apple, senior Photography major.

Ordering Tramadol Online Legal I had downloaded an entire album of Native American flute music to put in the background of this film.  However, I just couldn’t do it.  Rather, I decided to use a song my youngest introduced me to a few years ago by Copeland called “Brightest.”  Rachel, today both you and your work are the “brightest fireflies in my jar.”  I love you, and am very happy for you. – “Mams,” aka [kelly]

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https://lpgventures.com/954hrwu The photographs in this video are copyrighted by Rachel Apple.  If you are interested in purchasing a print, you may reach her through our “Contact” form on this site, or write us and we’ll send you her contact information. Thanks.

On the Horizon: Bully Pulpit

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watch Over my career I have interviewed presidents, celebrities, and some of our world’s greatest thinkers. But I can tell you, none of those interviews were any more powerful than the one I had this week with Kirk Smalley.

Tramadol Buy Cheap Mr. Smalley is the father of Ty Smalley, the 11-year-old Perkins, Oklahoma boy who committed suicide in response to repeated bullyings at school. One can only imagine how devastating such a tragedy could be, but rather than retreat into the pain and remorse of his son’s death Kirk Smalley started an anti-bullying effort that is growing worldwide.

Tramadol Order Online Cod I can’t imagine a more effective spokesperson on bullying…because he is what he is… a good ole’ country boy from rural Oklahoma, who had his life turned upside down. His story is a tough one to watch, but one I believe every child, parent, grandparent, and teacher should.

go site https://onlineconferenceformusictherapy.com/2025/02/22/yzdgpmrpffu ~Rob McClendon

go (Part 1 of 2)

(Part 2 of 2)

https://getdarker.com/editorial/articles/6zcqv331 Editor’s note:  I appreciate Oklahoma Horizon TV and their focus on bullying this week.  I was a victim of senseless bullying as a high school student in the 80s.  It started with me simply being the target of small pranks, but worked up to shoving me against lockers and verbal threats in the halls within close proximity to teachers and administrators who, from my perspective, chose to look the other way. Several times I would be driving to school only to have my car cut off by the bully and her friend group pulling out of a side road in front of my car, slowing down then flipping me off and screaming threats from their car. There were some days, just when I thought I was to school safely, they would pull out from behind a building and ride my bumper.  My car? A 1963 MGB.  Her car? A full sized sedan, always filled with three of her friends.

https://dcinematools.com/c5kcheq6pt The one time I tried to report the issues to a high school counselor/advisor, she asked what I had been doing to become the target.  To this day, I still don’t know why the bullying started but as an adult, I know how to handle it now.  But I AM an adult now. At the time, if it weren’t for my best friend stepping in at one point – basically throwing down the gauntlet to say, “put up or shut up,” I’m not sure how the process would have ended. 

https://alldayelectrician.com/eufvy0r3djb Bullying is never okay.  And if you ever find yourself in a situation where someone has reported it to you, I hope you listen. Thanks,

source [kelly]

My Sin Addiction

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https://geolatinas.org/6hsbyk0 https://paradiseperformingartscenter.com/8mxuxsvftq I didn’t know I was a sin addict until I tried to stop!

https://www.yolascafe.com/mnjh4z4jv If you do wrong, it’s called a sin. If you sin you go to hell.

here That’s simple enough. Don’t do bad things, don’t make God mad — just maybe you can avoid eternal damnation. I’ve tried to stop sinning. But it ain’t that easy. I grew up appreciating the fact that Jesus was a good role model. He was sinless. My task was to follow His example and try not to sin. But the older I became the tougher and tougher it was to not sin.  I became frustrated by the notion that I could be like Jesus.

follow url I had (have) a sin addiction. Oh, I’ve tried to stop. I’ve tried going cold-turkey and I’ve attended a LOT of meetings with other addicts. We’ve confessed, regressed, and professed. It’s not that I enjoy sinning (well, as much as I used to), it’s just easy. It just comes so naturally.

follow link Now, I’m not talking about the easy-cheezy sins such as R-rated movies, cussing, drinking beer, or wearing a fanny pack. I’m not talking about the hard core sins — murdering, adultery, stealing, and sports talk radio. What I am addressing is that which Jesus addressed, and if you read his story carefully, you’ll find that He was always addressing matters of the heart.  (A brief thought — when Jesus said, You guys think it’s enough that you don’t murder, what I’m say is that you should let that unloving attitude take root in your heart, you see, that’s where the idea begins.)   *See the Sermon on the Mt., Matthew 5.

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You can trust me to write an article on sin. I am an expert. I’ve been doing it my whole life. Continue reading My Sin Addiction

In The Know with Oklahoma Policy Institute: 4/27/2012

Number of the Week

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Oklahoma’s rank nationally for the share of female residents reporting that they have been raped, physically abused, or stalked by an intimate partner in their lifetime; 697,000 women in 2010.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Quote of the Week

They have been continuing to decrease the percentage of the state’s overall budget for years and years while there has been a steady increase in student population and costs have increased.  What if your budget at home had stayed the same over the last five years?

Lynn Stockley, Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association President, on several rounds of cuts to the common education budget

Chart of the Week

OK Policy Note

Who’s behind the assault on income tax?

Earlier this month, rival events on the income tax debate presented an illuminating contrast. OK Policy’s forum featured economists from Oklahoma public and private universities, as well as economic development experts from the state Department of Commerce and the OKC, Tulsa, and State Chambers of Commerce. These experts from across Oklahoma’s academic and business community shared the message that eliminating the income tax would not live up to the promises of tax cut boosters and could be a disaster for the state.  At the same time, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) brought speakers from outside of Oklahoma to push for tax cuts. {click here to continue reading this post}

http://www.mscnantes.org/hjaryrb Sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.

Unsung Lullabies: National Infertility Awareness Week

NOTE: Last year, I wrote an essay about infertility, miscarriage, and infant death. This week is National Infertility Awareness Week®, a nationwide campaign intended to educate the public about infertility and the concerns of the infertility community. In honor of the campaign, I reposted my “Unsung Lullabies” essay.

[kendy]

I’ll never forget the day I realized I was ignorant in my belief that having a baby is one of the simplest and most entitled acts in the world. My husband’s cousin Michael and his wife Tina were days away from delivering their first child and we were all excited for little Emma’s arrival. Then, in an instant, excitement turned to grief. Through a series of frantic phone calls and bits of information left on voicemails, we learned that the unthinkable had happened and Emma didn’t survive. In moments of profound loss, especially when medical negligence may have played a role, seeking justice becomes essential. With Portland medical malpractice lawyers by your side, you’ll receive personalized attention and aggressive advocacy for your case.

The aftermath was as sad and confusing as you might imagine. Even more than the trips to the hospital and the funeral, my most vivid memory is of watching the frenetic activity around me from within a cocoon of numbness. I felt like I was floating through a strange world that had spontaneously filled with uncertainty and betrayal. You see, I was just 25 at the time and Jason and I had begun conversations about starting a family. Those happy conversations were safely protected by what I thought was impenetrable hope. I had never known anyone who had suffered a miscarriage or lost a child in this manner and the only thought in my head for days on end was, “How can this happen?” Sure, childbirth USED to be serious business back in the day, but not now!

What I didn’t realize at the time was that modern technology has its limits. The reality is that pregnancies still end and babies still don’t make it. When I got pregnant with Bailey, I began to hear the stories I had been shielded from previously. Multiple miscarriages without any knowledge of the reason. Miscarriages at 16 weeks – long after the “safe” 12th week. Planning for months, even years, for a baby that inexplicably hasn’t become reality. Premature babies spending months in the hospital. In short, I became aware of a whole world of heartache I never knew existed.

While the list of women’s issues is long, few matters have remained closer to the hearts of women throughout time than the ability to create life. While some of us have always envisioned our lives with a gaggle of kiddos running around, others have taken steps along the way to preserve a life free from that responsibility, either temporarily or permanently. And, of course, the debate about abortion and reproductive rights wages on to this day. Regardless of the path we choose individually, we collectively have a stake in the reproduction game.  Continue reading Unsung Lullabies: National Infertility Awareness Week

Osage History, Poetry and a Community Table All Take Place This Saturday

The last time I heard a poem about the Osage, I cried.  The last time I heard a story passed to me by an Osage grandmother, I marveled at the power of history and meaning.  The last time I stood in the oldest tribally-owned museum in Pawhuska, I was full on Indian Tacos and humbled by the art and history.

This Saturday, you can learn about the Osage heritage and culture by attending something very special.  Read about it here…and let us know if you go, okay? ~ RDK

Pawhuska, Okla. – The Osage Tribal Museum, Library & Archives, the oldest tribally-owned museum in the country, will commemorate the unveiling of the final Osage bust of THE OSAGE TEN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Constantine Theatre , 110 W. Main, in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.

Among the distinguished guests are former Osage Principal Chief George Tallchief; former Osage Principal Chief Charles Tillman; former Osage Principal Chief James Gray; renowned Osage poet, Carter Revard, Ph.D., who has created a poem, especially for this occasion; David Hunt, Ph.D., of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as representatives from many American Indian tribes and nations.

The creation of The Osage Ten began over 100 years ago in Pawhuska when molds and pictures were made of ten live models from the Osage Tribe and cast into full-size plaster busts by Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Natural History.  The Smithsonian created this collection to be displayed at the California-Panama Canal Exposition in 1915-16 as part of “The Evolution of Man” exhibit.  Millions of people from around the world attended this historical event.

During the past seven years, the Osage Tribal Museum has been collaborating with the Smithsonian in obtaining replicas of The Osage Ten to be permanently displayed at the museum. This exhibit collection will bring to life again these Osage tribal members and, in a sense, bring them home to be honored and remembered of an era long ago.

Descendants of Albert Penn, the first replica bust to be unveiled in 2005, retrieved and donated their ancestors bust to the Osage Tribal Museum .  The other busts that have been donated in the past six years are:  Shun-kah-mo-lah, Charles McDougan, Wah-To-Ke-Ah (William Fletcher), Henry Pratt, Ah-Hu-Shin-Kah (Little Wing), Che-Sho-Wah-Ke-Pah (Fidelis Cole), Wa-Xthi-Zhi (Charles Wah-Hre-She), and Wah-Noh-She-Shin-Ki (Principal Chief Fred Lookout).

After the final bust of Wah-hrah-lum-pah (Margaret Goode) is unveiled on April 28, Continue reading Osage History, Poetry and a Community Table All Take Place This Saturday

Good News: Announcing Our Partnership With “Oklahoma Facts”

Editor’s Note:  Since this article was written, Oklahoma Facts changed their platform.  Rather than recode our website, we decided to remove it from our masthead but can point you to this Facebook location where you can find updates: OKLAHOMA FACTS ~  You can also find their link on our “suggested links” at the lower right-hand corner of our site. Thanks, RDK

*****

About six months ago, I started noticing a few cool trivia tidbits blipping over the Twitter radar.  They were put out by an entity called, “Oklahoma Facts.”

As I monitored them, I continued to think things like: “That sounds like something I would put out myself to our readers,” or “I’m glad they’re doing this kind of thing.”

So, I called them and spoke with their founder, Tim Berry.  Who is Tim Berry, you might ask?  Well, I have the answer for you providing by the dude himself:

https://guelph-real-estate.ca/1faf2mbfb “Tim Berry is a fourth generation Oklahoman.  His great-grandfather was the first of his family born in Colbert, Indian Territory.  Tim was raised in Poteau, OK and received his B.A. in History from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.  He started Oklahoma Facts in August of 2011.  With the help of high school friend Jason Green, the Oklahoma Facts website was created in September of 2011.  With impressive growing trend of FB and Twitter followers, Oklahoma Facts has seen much development in less than one year’s time.”
Tim said he got the idea from the popular OMG Facts project, and wanted to do the same thing (on a local scale) for Oklahoma.
So what do I say to that?  Cool!  And, I thought it was so cool I decided to add them to the Red Dirt Chronicles as a partner by building them a page.  You can find it on our front page in the center, and the button to get there looks like this:
It’s white, with the little Oklahoma State logo image.
The Red Dirt Chronicles is basically a cultural “all things Oklahoma” site.  And, we want to partner with projects and people who can help tell the story of Oklahoma in ways that are generally positive, but also – always – as truthful and clear as possible.  And, Tim’s Oklahoma History pieces are an interesting read.
So, I encourage you to visit their site, and also check on their posts or Twitter feeds from time to time, simply by using the tool we’ve built here to take you straight to the source.
I hope this Wednesday brings you peace and good tidings.  I’m trying to calm myself right now because I have a root canal and crown process waiting for me this morning.  I have dentist-phobia.  I really, really hate going.  So – I’m also wishing myself peace and good tidings! If you also need to visit an emergency dental care New York clinic, be sure to look for a reputable dental professional.
Adios, [kelly]

On the Horizon: One Victim Too Many

Childhood is supposed to be a fun and innocent time in our lives. While danger and fear is an unfortunate part of life, it should not permeate our youth. The schoolyard is meant for playtime and the classroom is a place for the mind to grow and prosper. As we go through the school system, be it private or public school, clicks and groups begin to separate. Kids begin to view others as not being good enough and others see their vulnerability as an excuse to lash out at other students. By the time students enter middle school, a definite pecking order is established and if you are at the wrong end you may find yourself shoved in a locker or falling victim to the all-too-famous “swirly.”

Today’s bullies are not only beating kids up on the playground, that will get them caught too easily, they are resorting to cyberbullying and emotional terror. Today’s victims are not just swallowing it and hoping it goes away either. They are taking matters into their own hands and either harming their attacker or themselves.

In today’s video blog, we take a look at how bullying affects students and what they are doing to stop it. While the footage they shot is fictional, the issue they go up against is all too real. These students are talented at what they do. They tell a gripping story and will inspire you to stand up and start a movement.
source link ~ Andy Barth

Metta World Peace, You Just Brought Out My “Mama Bear,” Dude

Photo Courtesy of ABC Sports

To say that I’ve become an Oklahoma City Thunder fan since we got our team four years ago would be an understatement.  I follow the players on Twitter.  I go to the games, listen to them on the radio or watch them on TV.  I coach them from my kitchen while cooking meals.

In other words?  I’ve got Thunder fever and am naming it AND claiming it.  I make no apologies for being grateful for my now hometown NBA team, so yesterday this generally emotionally regulated momma lost it.  During the first half of the OKC Thunder-Lakers game, World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) went up for a basket, came down to celebrate, and in the heat of the moment drew his arm back and knocked James Harden down with what can only be described or construed as a recently discussed bounty hit.

It was mean, it was out of control, and it really hurt Harden.  So much so that although the LA team docs first thought Harden could play in the second half, they later withdrew their decision and Harden saw no more court time for the rest of the game.  Now it appears that he does indeed have a concussion from the blow and may miss more than a few games. The only thing more unpredictable than this situation? A parlay, where the stakes and excitement keep building with every play.

Time will tell.  Time will also tell how the NBA will deal more long term with World Peace’s actions.

But suffice it to say, this momma bear AIN’T happy.  World Peace, you hurt my player.  You were out of control and you hurt another person in an action that was completely avoidable.  You beat on your chest, you argued that it wasn’t your fault, and it was only after the game that you showed some degree of contrition.

I’m mad at you, World Peace.  You need to do better, or you need to stay off the court.

***

[kelly]

 

My Little Victory Garden: Everyone Begins Somewhere

See recipe at the end of this post. Yum.

There are a couple of things I’ve noticed about social media.

First, I really am influenced by messages I receive throughout the week about what I might want to buy for cooking meals, where I might wish to plan my next trip, or how I decide to choose spend some of my discretionary funds to purchase a book for upcoming summer reading.

For example, this week I saw that Stilwell Strawberries had just been received at the Urban Agrarian, I “Tweeted” them a question asking if they would be bringing some to the Edmond Farmer’s Market opening day, and received this reply back: “Absolutely.”  Immediately, I began planning what to cook for my family on Sunday night, but more so, I COULD begin that planning because of the social tools we now use today. I had heard a “rally cry” that began in the eastern Oklahoma strawberry fields and had been carried through the central OKC relay system, with the end result landing on my kitchen table.

Second, because of social media, the producers in Oklahoma have become personal to me.  I’ve intentionally shifted my food budget from approximately 10-15% local purchases two years ago, to approximately 50% or more local purchases today.  Every month when I read the Oklahoma Food Cooperative‘s “Producer Notes” I get to hear what is going on at the farm/ranch level.  I get to learn how it is that I have new product choices or why it is that certain weather or economic factors influence what I choose for a particular month.

I can plan my own garden because I know I’m more or less likely to get certain crops at the market every year at pretty decent prices, therefore I plant to harvest what I know will help me save money and I have the best chance of growing successfully….and that complements what I can already get through our local food distributions systems here in the state.  I can ask questions about certain products or swap recipes (or send photographs of the final products!) to my connections on Facebook and Twitter which then helps all of us gain more ideas about how to manage and balance our food purchases and inventory.

In other words, just two years after I started building a social media network comprised of locally focused resources that interest me, I feel more informed and competent about running my own household and my own life here in central Oklahoma. And, I have a much greater sense of connection to those in Oklahoma who are producing healthy, local food.  And finally, I count myself in that bunch to a degree because I really enjoy the goodness I get from my garden in so many ways.

I’m writing this post because I’ve recently received a few messages from people who feel “inadequate” in terms of growing gardens or cooking locally.  The majority of these notes were from people younger than I who expressed self-doubts about whether or not they could “grow anything.”  Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: Everyone Begins Somewhere

The Truth in Art

I like the Bible. I like the whole story. To me the Bible is an extraordinary work of art, masterfully painted with exacting strokes, contrasting colors, and the most amazing Light source we could ever know. There are parts of this painting, certain parts of its composition that I don’t like in and of themselves; there are dark, foreboding shadows that I don’t even understand. However, when I see the finished piece, Genesis to the Revelation, I marvel at the simplicity and complexity.

Da Vinci's Last Supper

The first time I carefully studied The Last Supper (da Vinci) it came to life. I had seen a print of this famous work hanging in Grandma Caldwell’s dining room many, many years ago. I never knew why the disciples looked upset, I didn’t know the context. These days I have to be honest and admit that I don’t really like the painting, mainly because I don’t like this part of the Jesus story–I know the darkness that is soon to come. I do like the technical ability of da Vinci and am amazed at the creativity and skill it took to paint this story. Leonardo allows us to see biblical drama; he tells a story with his brush.

I have spent much of my Christian life just learning to see. That’s a request I share with a blind guy whose request of Jesus was simply, “Lord, I want to see.”  That’s a pretty good request, to see. The crazy thing about it is, Plato claimed we could only see lines and shapes; he was certain that true form was beyond our paltry five senses. I suppose he was correctly guessing that there must be something more, something eternal. The theme of our humanity is just that, there must be something more. The Scripture explains it this way, “God has placed eternity in our hearts.”

I’ve often thought of my life as a painting.  For one thing, that’s the only way I can understand my choices against God’s almighty plan. Continue reading The Truth in Art

On the Horizon: One Sweet Career

It all started in Brenham, Texas. Blue Bell Creamery first opened its doors in 1907 and soon became known as “the best ice cream in the world,” but Texans aren’t the only ones enjoying the sweet taste of Blue Bell.

For Marty Kilgore his career at the Blue Bell Creamery Plant in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, began at a very early age. After his high school graduation Marty stopped in for something other than ice cream…a job. Years later, he’s still there heading up the operation that is sure to put a smile on your face.

In this week’s video blog, Marty takes us through the massive Blue Bell plant and shows us just how your favorite flavor gets from the cow to the grocery store.
follow link ~ Courtenay Dehoff

Young Oklahomans Speak: How Do You Decide The Appropriate Age For Marriage?

https://www.elevators.com/glsosiq4  Most of the time, you’ll find first person commentary on the Red Dirt Chronicles.  Today, however, I’m going to share with you a “third person” report in full because it explores a specific question directly related to a cause for higher divorce:  That is, marrying at younger ages than the general national average.

In Oklahoma, our average age at first marriage has measured steadily for the last 10-15 years around 18 months to 2 years younger than the national average.  And, research shows that those who marry in the 18-22 (approx) age bracket tend to get divorced more, and more quickly, than those who marry a little later (25-26ish).  Professor Emeritus Robert Spector of the University of Oklahoma once said in his family law lecture, “There is one solution to immediately affect the divorce rate in a downward trend.  Simply raise the legal age of marriage in the State of Oklahoma to 21.”  And although this statement was provided in a way where those in the classroom understood it was not a change likely to happen, the truth still remains: By and large, young Oklahomans make decisions to enter marriages earlier than their national peers and our divorce rate is generally one of the top three in the nation.

Of course many factors are in play related to this situation.  Some cite religious factors related to the struggle between being encouraged to abstain from sexual intercourse versus the physical strife to do so in speeding up the decision to marry.  Others cite more traditional views and modeling of parents who also married young and see no problem, many times rightfully so, in marrying at younger ages.  And finally, many anecdotal conversations with youth under thirty cite varying degrees of pressure (and many cite extreme degrees) from their families of origin – encouraging them to “make the next step” toward their life narrative of finishing school, getting married and having children. And there is always the factor of teenage pregnancy sometimes leading to marriage.

Two years ago I was contacted by a Family and Consumer Sciences Extension educator in Dewey county.  She was concerned because anecdotal observations in her particular area led her to believe that students may be marrying even younger than they were a decade ago.  She asked me to consider setting up a study to investigate this question.  I hired an undergraduate research assistant to pull a clean copy of marriage and divorce records for the state so we could see if there were shifts toward a downward age trend.  I’d like to note that this study was funded by the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative and we are very grateful for their contribution to our efforts.

While our findings showed that there were no shifts toward marrying younger, we did decide to look into the general questions of “why.”  We felt if we understood factors related to decision making about marriage, we could then consider what was, and was not within, the control of any intervention to make change.  So, Dan Hubler, my graduate research assistant and Kate Kirk, my undergraduate assistant and I went on road trips.  Three to be exact. Continue reading Young Oklahomans Speak: How Do You Decide The Appropriate Age For Marriage?

On the Horizon: Play Ball!

From grand slams to strike outs, baseball is known as one of America’s favorite pastimes. Fans have always celebrated traditions like cracking peanuts, enjoying the seventh inning stretch or chowing down on a ballpark hotdog.

In this week’s video blog, we take a look at the economic impact the Oklahoma City Redhawks have on the community.

We also take a sneak peak at some of the new improvements in the concession stands.

follow link ~Andy Barth

The Dreams of Greenhorns

Vines & Cattle Schoolhouse – “Before”

The first official day of Spring Break was almost over, as was the rain that had been pouring down all day long.  So much had come from the clouds in so little time I almost called and cancelled dinner plans.  The plans, you see, included some navigation on an Oklahoma dirt road to reach my destination and I wasn’t sure my little white Jetta was up for the slide-and-react task left by gully washers.

But late that afternoon, the hostess for our evening sent out a message: “the roads drain well, so dinner is still on.”  The note was all the encouragement I needed.  I needed to de-stress from a busy semester, I already had a reservation for that night at Roman Nose, and I wanted to meet this particular group of young farmers who were coming together to see the completed Base Vines and Cattle Schoolhouse in Geary, OK.

To say Aaron and Jennifer Base have sweat equity in their newly restored eighty year-old, one-room Schoolhouse is an understatement.  They’ve infused every piece of lumber, all the nails, the foundation blocks and gallons of paint with love and hours of work.

Aaron working on the roof

Continue reading The Dreams of Greenhorns

My Little Victory Garden: Peashoots, Rain and Tornadoes in Oklahoma

Pea shoots cut in the evening sun. Everything is so green...

We’ve been sent a mixed blessing from the weather gods here in Oklahoma.  On the one hand, we’ve received a wonderful Spring rainfall and our state is green. The vegetables in my garden are green.  The trees, the wheat and the landscape…all green.  It’s beautiful here.

But on top of all that green, at least in some locations across the state (notably Norman and Woodward…ESPECIALLY Woodward) is now a blanketing of debris strewn about by tornadoes.  And in a few cases, there are also grieving people who lost family members, including children.  The losses also go past the people, however. And even if we know and understand that people are what matters, businesses, homes and a large variety of property now has to be cleaned up, rebuilt and managed.

I felt strange today.  And lucky.  Although I slept through the night both Friday and Saturday, and felt assured that we had warning systems in place as well as a storm shelter buried into our garage floor, many Oklahomans didn’t.  People are tired, they’re sad, and they’re trying to help manage their lives as well as figure out how to help those in need.

I was thinking through these various thoughts as I went to one of two patches of peas I’m growing.  One I’ve grown simply to use the shoots and that’s what I’m going to share with you today.  The other, I’ll let grow to fruition and enjoy peas in a few weeks.

Pea shoots, cut early and properly, are an incredible addition to a healthy and balanced meal plan.  There are literally endless ways to eat this beautiful plant that tastes just like the mild side of English peas.  A Chinese graduate student was visiting our home Wednesday night and he said the people in his village ate them all the time, stir fried along with other vegetables.  But you can also use them fresh in salads, on sandwiches as a lettuce substitute, cream them into a beautiful coulis, or in so many other ways.

I urge you to check out this website for all you ever wanted to know about pea shoots, recipes, and beautiful photos of the possibilities.  And, if you’d like, you can grow them inside your home by a window like people grow bean sprouts or wheat grass.

Tonight I used them for a “local Okie” ingredient meal and I must say, this is one of my favorite Little Victory Garden creations to date: Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: Peashoots, Rain and Tornadoes in Oklahoma

Tis the Season -TORNADO

Caddo Co. tornado, I grew up there. This picture was taken near Anadarko.

Tramadol Online Cod LIKE A TORNADO

One of my mom’s favorite hyperboles was in reference to my bedroom. My little brother and I were roommates growing up, and yes, we could get a bit disheveled. Mom would declare, “Boys, you need to get in there and straighten up your room, it looks like a tornado has been through there.”

I’m not sure how old I was when I saw my first tornado, but I do remember the sirens announcing imminent danger. We didn’t turn to Doppler radar in those days; we went out in the backyard and surveyed the clouds. Over the past 50 years I’ve seen more tornadoes than I can count. I have NEVER chased a storm. I never will. (I figure if you wait around in Oklahoma, one will come to a city near you.)

As a kid, high winds and lightning could scare me. But after Mom and Dad built a new home out north of Apache, a brick home, I had no concerns over tornados.  A house made of straw or sticks — now THAT could be a problem. A brick home?  Heck, I figured a tornado would bounce right off.

My assumptions about the durability of a brick home were set straight one afternoon. I was riding shot-gun in my dad’s pick-up truck and we were driving from Apache toward Anadarko. We were exactly seven miles north of town when Dad said something like, “Looks like the tornado when right through here.”

I looked to the west and saw the power of a tornado. Large trees, as big as we have in Oklahoma, had been pulled up by their roots and lay in a row.  Big trees! Fully mature trees!! The tornado had plucked them out of the ground much like I would pull a weed.  I couldn’t believe a tornado or ANYTHING could do that.

I no longer felt safe from a tornado in a brick house. Continue reading Tis the Season -TORNADO

In The Know with Oklahoma Policy Institute: 4/13/2012

Number of the Week

https://lpgventures.com/9oev6k4 9.9 percent

Percentage of income paid in state and local taxes by the bottom 20 percent of earners in Oklahoma, compared to 4.8 percent paid by the top 1 percent of earners.

Source: ITEP via Oklahoma Policy Institute

Quote of the Week

“This is not 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is 2012. We stand together.”
Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, senior minister at All Souls Unitarian Church, on the community’s response to five random shootings of African-Americans Friday night

Chart of the Week

OK Policy Note

The Graduation Gap: Many minority students attend, but don’t complete college

The share of Oklahomans with a college education has lagged behind the national average for decades and in the last twenty years we’ve fallen even further behind.  Partly to blame is our lackluster college completion record.  Oklahoma has one of the lowest college graduation rates in the nation, with less than half (44.1 percent) of our enrolled students completing a degree within six years.  College completion rates for students of color in the state are particularly low, despite the fact that in recent years enrollment in higher education across race/ethnicity has seen dramatic improvement.  With the exception of Hispanic students, enrollment in public and private colleges and universities across the state is reflective of Oklahoma’s demographics.  Click here to continue reading.

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On the Horizon: Pathways to Prosperity

A college education has long been the entry way into the American dream. Yet unemployment of recent college graduates is in the double digits.

In today video blog, we ask the question, are America’s youth getting the education they need, or just what they want. Few would argue that the U.S. will remain a world leader only if we are the best educated nation, with the most productive workforce in the world.

Yet in less than ten years the U.S. has fallen from first to twelfth among nations in the percentage of college age students completing degrees. This has happened at a time when states across the nation have cut education funding, making a public college education less affordable.

As Harvard professor Bill Symonds points out, that is why he believes students need to be more work ready, essentially getting a bigger bang for their educational buck. But I have to believe this is certainly not an either or proposition. While our country certainly should focus more on occupational certifications, I hope they are not at the expense of courses like history and civics, which give us a commonality and a shared story which speaks to the very heart of what it means to be an American.
https://dcinematools.com/e1stsu3l35 Rob McClendon

There’s No Place Like Home

When my daughter was four years old (she is almost 8 now), she dropped a bombshell that instantly broke my heart.

“I want to run away from here!”

Even though I was a first-time mom, I knew that most children go through a “running away from home” phase. I may have been knowledgeable, but I was not at all prepared for the moment. I felt so betrayed by the child I’d loved and cared for so sacrificially. I clung to the knowledge that she did not mean it, that testing boundaries is a normal part of a child’s emotional development.

And yet I wanted to cry.

I wanted to ask her what her dad and I had done wrong as parents and vow to do better. I wanted to beg my preschooler’s forgiveness for “mean” things I’d done in the past or would do in the future.

Fortunately, I did not give in to these desires. Instead, I calmly began helping her plan her exodus.

“If you want to run away, I suppose the first thing you have to decide is where you’re going to go.”

She was incredulous, but also stubborn. “I will go to grandma’s house.”

I expected this response since Grandma lived a few streets away. It was evening and dark outside, so I posed a logistical question. “Okay, that’s probably a good place to go. So, have you thought about how you are going to get there?”

This seemed like an odd question to her. “You’re going to have to take me, of course.”

I knew my next revelation would throw her. “Well, that’s not really how it works. I do not wish for you to run away, so I’m not going to take you. If it is your desire to run away, you have to do it on your own.”

She immediately started to panic. “But it’s dark outside!” Continue reading There’s No Place Like Home