Roxanne

by Roxanne - June 27, 2011August 10, 2011

Fundamentalism Is Fatal

wheat&weedsBeliefnet.com — Photo Beliefnet.com

Not too long ago I came across a someone who was profoundly fundamentalist. What do I mean by “fundamentalist”?

Fundamentalists believe that not only do they know what God wants them to do – they know what God wants me to do too! This is appallingly arrogant and narcissistic on two counts. First, it insists that the fundamentalist somehow knows more than other people know about others’ own lives. Second, it insists that the fundamentalist knows more than God (Spirit) working in the heart of the other person! This is pathological narcissism at its worst.

I was raised in a fundamentalist home by parents masquerading as Catholic. Catholicism, by definition, rejects fundamentalism. The term “Fundamentalist Catholic” is an impossibility and an oxymoron.

Catholicism requires on-going reflection and listening to the Spirit; in one’s heart, in one’s life, in one’s prayer. We can never know what God is calling someone else to do. The truth is that it’s often difficult to know for sure what God wants us to do. One of the fruits of the Spirit is that God will often lead us to a surprising decision, one we hadn’t considered or thought of. Usually, it’s a decision others haven’t thought of either. This belief that every person must search and follow their own conscience is called “Primacy of Conscience.” It’s a cornerstone of Catholicism.

From my upbringing I do know that fundamentalists are closed-minded, controlling and judgmental. Any attempts to convince them that they may not know best for others will result in denial, inappropriate displays of anger or manipulative behavior.

On the other hand, living in the Spirit is welcoming, curious, engaging and joyful. One is death-dealing, the other life-giving. We must choose with whom we spend our brief, but precious lifetime.

Fundamentalists repel others the way oil repels water. In the end, I think it’s true that God/reality separates the wheat from the weeds (Matt 13:24-30).

by Roxanne - June 25, 2011June 23, 2011

Romantic Entry Before & After

One of the last areas of our home to get the romantic treatment was the front entry hall. Again, I wanted to use what we had, create some warmth and texture – both inside and outside as you approach our front door – add privacy to the side-light windows and make the area more usable. Of course, I will work mostly with items we already have.

Here’s a before picture.

OK, but needs some freshening up.

The blinds work well and will stay. But curtains or sheers for the sidelights are expensive. Window film at Home Depot was less than $20. It cuts to size, adheres with soapy water (low-tech) and comes in many patterns. This leaf pattern looks good, provides privacy and lets the light in.

I replaced 60 watt bulbs with 75 watt bulbs in the light fixture. This brightened the area overall at minimal cost.

The sofa table was given to a friend and the armoire was placed in the entry area. I have learned that large pieces of furniture can successfully go in small spaces. It works here. The mirror on the armoire door bounces light around this darker area. A bright shawl and pottery highlight the dark wood.

Next I replaced the worn rag rug with a silk oriental rug we already had to complement the armoire. A hook rack (purchased on Craigslist, $5) for guests’ coats and jackets was hung on the opposite wall.

That’s it. Total cost less than $25. Here’s the after.

Outside, a small basket with bright children’s garden tools was hung on the door. I placed a bright, red pot near the entry to contrast against the light brick. This area gets little sun so plants here must appear bright even in the shade. Mint, impatiens and lavender add scent, color and various heights. It smells great as you walk by and it looks colorful, even at night. Sometimes luminaria (votive lights) in white bags light this outside walk-way for guests. It looks inviting, especially sitting on top of the snow in winter.

The back door, office and laundry area are next on my list . . . stay tuned.

by Roxanne - June 24, 2011June 23, 2011

No-Cook Marinara & Pasta

kidsculinaryadventures.wordpress.com — Photo KidsCulinaryAdventures

If you plant your own greens or herbs you may just be harvesting fresh baby greens now. What can you do with them that’s fast and easy and uses less energy because the sauce requires no cooking? No-Cook Marinara & Pasta.

The original 5-minute recipe is from Francis Lam at Salon.com here, but we made some changes by eliminating some of the oil, and switching to lower calorie feta and reducing the cheese. We also preferred it without the vinegar. Fresh basil, cilantro and chopped green onion served as the fresh greens. All the freshness and flavor are still there.

1. Boil water and add half of a one-pound box of pasta of your choice (penné, rigatoni, farfalle or vermicelli all work well). Low energy tip: You can add the pasta, cover and turn off the heat. The pasta will cook in 1 or 2 additional minutes. Stir once or twice.

While the water is heating and your pasta is cooking take a large mixing bowl and layer the following ingredients in this order –

2. Layer 2 chopped tomatoes on the bottom (off-season substitute 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes),

then layer one half a thinly sliced medium sweet onion,
next add fresh basil leaves chopped (or substitute arugula, baby spinach, new Swiss chard or other soft greens, herbs – even mint),
sprinkle with a handful of crumbled feta (shredded mozzarella or Parmesan) and cracked pepper.

Note: any VERY thinly sliced vegies can be layered in. Thinly sliced carrots, eggplant, chopped broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, thinly sliced green or red peppers, for example. Consider the season. You choose.

3. When the pasta is cooked, drain and put the hot pasta on top of the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and top with a handful of shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese. Cover with a plate and wait 4-5 minutes. Toss and serve.

The less energy we use the better. And this recipe is super easy. Super fresh. It’s summer in a bowl!

by Roxanne - June 22, 2011June 8, 2011

Citron Pressé

When I lived in Paris, many years ago, I learned how to make real lemonade – fast and easy. The French call this citron pressé and it is served in every café.

1. Juice up (roll around on the counter) one lemon. Cut in half.

2. Place 2 teaspoons of sugar (or sweetener) in a tall glass. Squeeze in the juice of both lemon halves. Fill with ice. Add water to the top and stir.

Israelis add a handful of mint to this concoction. That’s good too.

Now, pull up a lounge chair on the patio. Get a good book. Get comfortable. Drink up!

Hint: Pour lemonade into a plastic bottle, leaving room at the top. Freeze. Take it with you for a cold drink that will last for hours on hot summer days.

by Roxanne - June 19, 2011March 24, 2012

Romantic Kitchen Before & After

You may remember that I decided to give the romantic treatment to my kitchen this year (check out Romantic Kitchen Inspiration post) – just as I did with other areas of our home here, here, here and here.

This was my inspiration:

ButlersPantryAfter — Photo Apt. Therapy Butlers Pantry After

My hope was to add a little sparkle, better lighting, make things we use often more accessible (not having to constantly get cookware from the bottom cupboards for example), make use of wasted space and update the look.

As with other areas in our home, I am not spending money to change out perfectly good counters, sink or cabinets just because they are 10 years old and don’t match styles in new construction. Likewise, our appliances don’t match but they work and so are staying, as is the flooring.

Here is the before picture.

Last year we replaced our stove with a new for us/used one. I painted the backsplash area a soft yellow. DH also installed a track-light fixture with 7 movable lights on a dimmer switch (worth every penny) for direct over-counter, sink and cabinet lighting.

So that leaves the following:

1. paint the back wall

2. visually use the dark green counter tops

3. use vertical wall space.

I’m all for painting ONE wall in a room. It provides the color lift I need, without painting an entire room. Plus, I like the warm white and soft yellow walls we currently have. The back wall of the kitchen has been painted a few times over the years. I can easily paint it in only one hour with just a quart of paint.

So today I am spending my afternoon wielding “weapons of mass destruction” including a power drill, hammer, screwdriver and tape measure.

After picking up a Grundtal shelf at IKEA, 2 trips by me and 1 trip by DH to the hardware store for the correct screws and anchors, the shelf was finally attached to the wall.

This made me stop and think how difficult all of this would be for someone who didn’t own a car or who relied on public transportation. It’s quite a drive to the hardware store and a lot of gas is used each trip – even if I try to consolidate trips. Those in poverty don’t easily have the luxury of doing even simple things to make their homes more efficient or their lives easier. Something we deem as simple as doing the laundry or grocery shopping can be an arduous proposition if you are taking the bus or walking. Then imagine having small children with you!

In the end my kitchen update cost me a quart of paint from Sears ($10), shelf ($15), hardware ($5), track-light fixture ($98), bright orange rug ($13) for a total cost of $141.

I don’t have a before picture but the back kitchen wall was previously painted a dark orange color. It is now a light sage green color that visually relates to the green counter. I like the final results. It looks fresh. The shelf makes using the pots & pans so much easier, opens up cabinets and uses wasted vertical space.

The counter area was revamped too. I made use of the dead corner space for stacking white low bowls. We use these to eliminate a myriad of other plates, salad plates and soup bowls. These white porcelain bowls actually look good with the green counter tops. Three glasses hold cutlery. This is not only convenient, it puts unused counter space to work. Everything stored on the counters are items we use daily.

That finishes the kitchen update. I like the look. It isn’t sterile. The baskets organize coffee & tea supplies and add texture. Hanging shiny pans add a little bling. A small lamp on the snack bar, along with overhead track lighting warms the space. We do cook together easily in this kitchen. It works for us.

Welcome to our kitchen –

The front entry area will be the next to see a little attention. Watch for changes coming soon.

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