TulipGirl

I haven’t done a Thankful Thursday list in awhile. If I remember correctly, it was BadgerMum who first inspired me and others to list some of our blessings on our blogs on Thursdays.

Today, I’m thankful for. . .

1. Wonderful parents–and a trip to see them this weekend!
2. My sister’s new laptop.
3. That T9’s foot injury is more minor than it first appeared.
4. For R8’s sense of wonder and fairytales.
5. For lots of kids in our neighborhood.
6. Yummy coffee from Bisbee.
7. The most understanding husband in the world.

I just found SCSU Scholars through I-can’t-remember-who. Someone deserves a link here. *blush*

I’ve read some so-called analysis of what’s going on in Kyiv, where it is clear the reporter or whoever just doesn’t get it. On the other hand, here’s King–who has lived, studied and worked in Ukraine.

Check out his maps–hopefully they will help convey another point in the grand scheme of election corruption.

Check out Eric Carle’s website. *grin*

(Via Donna)

Cherries are in season! And as I mentioned to Eric, I’ve come to really love cherries since moving to Ukraine. The ones I’ve had here are so delicious and fresh!

I usually ask the ladies from whom I buy cherries whether they are bez worms. Like the Russian proverb Ronald Reagan liked to quote, when buying cherries it’s important to “trust, but verify.”

Some of our friends swear the best cherries are with worms–they are fresher, organic, and worms know the sweetest berries. It doesn’t phase me like it once did to open a cherry and flick aside the little white grub–though I can’t quite pop them into my mouth without checking, like Hubby does. However, in general, our family prefers our cherries without worms. All that to say, I bought two kilos of clean cherries the other day and made Cherry Amaretto Preserves. While they still need to sit a month to really be ready, the ones I’ve tasted so far are a bit like maraschino cherries, but better–and would be lovely over cheesecake.

Cherry Amaretto Preserves

4 pounds cherries (preferably dark sweet)
1 pound granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark rum

Prepare six 8-ounce jars.

Wash, stem and pit cherries.

In heavy saucepan, combine cherries and sugar and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Watch carefully and stir often. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes and stir in amaretto. Pack cherries into prepared jars. Cover and seal. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.

Store in cool dark place for 1 month before using.

I’m from Gryffindor!
Hogwart’s Sorting Hat Quiz
made by The Genki Gang

We watched HP3 with the boys earlier this week–in Russian. Hubby recently finished reading it to the boys, so they new the story and we were a bit too impatient to wait for an English copy. I enjoyed it, but was a little annoyed at how many disconnects there were between the grounds at Hogwarts in this film compared to the previous ones. (I like how the new HW grounds look–but miss the spreading, green lawn and the Herbology greenhouse.) Also, Professor Lupin just didn’t look right to me–though he acted the part very well.

Does anyone know when the next Harry Potter book comes out?

(Quiz via Andrea)

• Over 400,000 Iraqi children now have up-to-date immunizations.
  
• School attendance is up 80% from levels prior to the war.
  
• Over 1,500 schools have been renovated and cleared of weapons previously stored there.
  
• The port of Uhm Qasar has been refurbished so grain can be off-loaded from ships faster.
  
• The country has begun exporting oil again–some 2 billion barrels a month.
  
• Over 4.5 million people now have clean drinking water for the first time ever.
  
• The country now produces 2 times the electrical power it did before the war.
  
• 100% of the hospitals are open and fully staffed, compared to only 35% before the war.
  
• Sewer and water lines have been installed in every major city.
  
• Over 60,000 police are patrolling the streets.
  
• Over 100,000 Iraqi civil defense police are securing the country.
  
• Over 80,000 Iraqi soldiers are patrolling the streets side by side with US soldiers.
  
• Over 400,000 people have telephones for the first time ever
  
• An interim constitution has been signed by every major faction of Iraqi society and culture.
  
• Girls are allowed to attend school throughout the country.
  
• Textbooks that don’t lionize Saddam are in the schools for the first time in 30 years.
  
• Ideas of freedom, opportunity, and hope are the new currency of the land despite the best efforts of al-Qaeda to instill tyranny, oppression, and fear.
  

Obviously, there’s still a long way to go in helping Iraq, helping leaders start leading, and preparing for US disengagement. But frankly, I’m impressed at how much progress has been made in such a short time.

(Via Dr. Grant 5/12/04)

Update: After I posted this, I realized it would be good if I did a bit of fact checking, rather than just relying on Dr. Grant being a good source. What I found out is that this letter *was* verified by several media sources (and Snopes!) as being written by National Guardsman Ray Reynolds, SFC, Iowa Army National Guard, 234th Signal Battalion. His sources for the information included personal observation, USAID Fact Sheet, Influential Iraqis and the Police Chief of Baghdad.

Blogger Michelle is working on her Master’s Degree, and her thesis-like project is related to Christian blogging.

I took the two-part survey, and it took about 20 minutes total. I hope (and assume) she’ll publish her final paper online. Many bloggers speculate on the topics related to her project–should be interesting to see the conclusions her research suggests.

(Via Such Small Hands)

We’ve all heard discussions about JRR Tolkien’s intent in writing Lord of the Rings, and we’ve all heard he never meant to have it allegorized.

But now, the truth comes out. . . Matthew Baldwin has deconstructed LOTR and has discovered it’s all about pregnancy. For instance:

But only one person is the appointed bearer. And that poor sap has to carry the burden the entire way, a burden that just gets heavier and heavier as the weeks wear on. The bearer gets increasingly tired and cranky as they approach their destination — and who can blame them? Their good-for-nothing companion doesn’t do anything useful, except flit about and say things like “jeeze, I wish I could carry the burden for a while!” and occasionally fight off an enormous spider and/or fetch chocolate ice cream. . . .

When people see the One Ring they feel an almost irresistible urge to reach out and grab it; likewise, strangers in the supermarket are seemingly compelled to reach out and touch The Queen’s belly.

(Via MamaMusings)