tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35802275184287098892024-03-12T19:35:45.469-07:00Be En-Couraged!Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.comBlogger654125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-76606533519681303412011-05-09T22:41:00.000-07:002011-05-09T22:41:26.097-07:00A New Blog.....I've MovedWith my random thoughts all over the place, I've been wanting to rename my blog and decided to move it to a new spot. So, come join me at
Acrobatic ThoughtsKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-62166954126452457262011-05-09T13:03:00.001-07:002011-05-09T13:09:30.473-07:00Biophilia ExplainedI recently read "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv, and although I felt a push to get my body out in nature more, I still haven't succeeded much towards that end. My children are a great example to me, and so I did agree to running around outside in the freezing wind last evening to do a Treasure Hunt that Toveli had arranged for Mother's Day. But its still hard to get me out Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-87091549106222232732011-05-08T22:30:00.000-07:002011-05-09T12:56:12.466-07:00What You Can CarryOwn only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Russian author & dissident in US (1918 – )
Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-41056948215097497012011-05-05T16:37:00.001-07:002011-05-06T04:55:33.343-07:00Boy Makes RiverDid you see my post about Laars the other day?
Well, news has it that he has now done it in front of our parked van.
"Front of" means....closest to the street, since we back the van in. Where all the neighbours could see (if they were passing by, or working in their yards and even cared one iota what was happening over at our Zoo).
Parked on a short but steep incline, he left a stream. Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-53567683520905393482011-05-04T20:38:00.000-07:002011-05-04T20:38:00.879-07:00Rainbows in the DayThe sun has been coming out and that is when I go out to play. After a little bit it starts to rain and the sun is still out. And then I start to look around in the sky. And if I don’t see any thing I go to the front of the house .And if I see something I run up to my house door and open the door and then I yell ”there is a rainbow.” And then all of the little kids come running out to see itKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-43550622412752984632011-05-02T19:27:00.000-07:002011-05-02T19:27:23.383-07:00Making a Stream
That is NOT a shadow in front of Laars.
Here's what happened, leading up to this funny.
I was making soup earlier today. Anders came in to tell me that Laars went pee. Outside.
I asked Danaka and Maret to take over the soup-making as I figured I would find a wet and cold boy who would love to have a bubble bath during the clean-up process just because he loves to.
I was surprised to find Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-10686622302929171282011-05-01T17:58:00.000-07:002011-05-01T17:58:00.719-07:00Sundaes on SundaysOne of Mitchell's favorite foods is Raw Ice Cream.And it seems appropriate to have Sundaeson Sundays.
Here is Raw Banana Ice Cream (frozen bananas creamed in the food processor)
Drizzled with Nut/Seed Butter(peanuts, pumpkin seeds, pecans,walnuts, flax oil, almonds)
And a Chocolate Sauce(cocoa powder, honey, hot water)
Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-42384694962849932072011-04-29T11:58:00.000-07:002011-04-29T11:58:21.405-07:00A Chair to Knead BreadIt was Layne's day to make challah.
But the whole wheat is a bit hard on the processors motor sometimes, so we have to use the arm muscles.
But when the counter is too high, or you are just a tad too short, you can't get the power you need to knead that dough.
Thus, call in the chair for support!
She needs a stool to blow out the candles on the mantlepiece, too!!Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-29206637138751895642011-04-29T11:19:00.022-07:002011-04-29T11:19:00.309-07:00Save the Frogs DayI LOVE FROGS!!! especially the little green tree frogs. Oh my, my heart melts almost every time one of my littles brings me a cute little frog. I've even let them come into the house, for a short time. They must always be handled gently, respectfully, and sent back to where they found it in almost pronto.
I remember when Layne and Rauchelle were still little and we livedKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-61435702938311648032011-04-27T23:10:00.014-07:002011-04-28T06:38:10.453-07:00I Love the IMAXEverette has been really busy with work over the past few weeks (thank You, God), and worked all last weekend too, so he suggested the family go to the Royal BC Museum and the IMAX.
What a fantastic idea!! So, off we went down the windy Sooke Rd (some of us battle with motion sickness, and this road isn't helpful in that department) heading for the city on another wet spring dayKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-59545852106837579322011-04-25T17:38:00.000-07:002011-04-25T17:38:00.572-07:00Playing Grocery StoreNot your typical grocery store. We had a Pet store corner, where you could buy an African Grey Parrot, or a butterfly, a squirrel or Snakes Everything came with a Price TagThere was Frozen Fruit, supplements like Ginseng and MSM,fresh fruit, baking supplies and bandanas & paintings. "Shopper " Laars exchanging money to buy a car. "Cashier" Gaelyn, always greets you Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-15524040122699045282011-04-24T17:38:00.000-07:002011-04-24T17:38:22.595-07:00Treasure Hunts & OutsideThe children in the neighbourhood have been busy over the long weekend creating Treasure Hunts for each other. It shows their creativity both to create the clues, and to decipher both what the clues might mean & how their environment could be perceived.
Here they are looking for clues they think are under somebody's shoes.
Seems the children like to congregate in our yard sinceKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-61115204357548842342011-04-21T17:10:00.000-07:002011-04-24T17:13:57.023-07:00FootstoolsKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-21692354775998553652011-04-20T18:32:00.000-07:002011-04-20T18:32:47.315-07:00Roadside ArtAs a child I always liked playing with chalk, other than that drying-out feeling it left on my hands.
Then as an adult, I didn't like the dust that it leaves below any work area.
The ideal place for chalk.......
the road.
Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-78310883790171005432011-04-18T10:39:00.000-07:002011-04-18T10:39:35.936-07:00Do Parents Have Rights to Shoot Back?Like I shared yesterday in Forced Medications I find this story about Maryanne Godboldo very disturbing. That a parents rights to choose medical care for their child (or change treatments) have been brutally attacked is scary. Does our society and our authorities think that parents are totally uneducated and incapable of taking care of our own children and must rely on those in Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-73373949397659999392011-04-17T20:50:00.005-07:002011-04-18T10:07:34.215-07:00Forced MedicationsMy mouth almost dropped open and got stuck there attracting flies. I am in shock that this has really happened.
Detroit SWAT team assaults African American mom who refused to medicate her daughter with antipsychotic drugs
What is the matter with our western society? How did we ever allow such tyranny in our 'free' lands of America?
We are not Free.
Americans are not Free.
Canadians are notKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-5476358123698101882011-04-14T20:47:00.000-07:002011-04-14T20:47:43.402-07:00Me & WarmthI was shocked to find a layer of snow outside this morning as the sun was rising. How did that happen? Yesterday was such a beautiful sunny day without any warning of the upcoming cold. But I do recall the wind picking up as the day started to darken. Must have blown the clouds in.
But thankfully it came and went.
Seems the older I get the less I enjoy any cold. Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-1900444135585373592011-04-13T22:29:00.000-07:002011-04-13T22:29:00.682-07:00His Hands
I threw my cup away when I saw a child drinking from his hands at the trough.
~Diogenes quote
Photograph by Peter Essick, National GeographicKaren Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-23875970564643317572011-04-10T12:26:00.002-07:002011-04-10T12:38:06.721-07:00Think For OurselvesEverette had our weekly 'coffee date' this morning. Its often the time we can connect and discuss the agenda for our Sunday afternoon Family Meeting with the children.
Sometimes we discuss his growing business. Or we discuss books we've been reading. Or how I'm dealing (or not) with school or family issues on a daily basis. Or some habits we need to address, or the growth we see in Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-76322146480922528252011-04-10T08:15:00.000-07:002011-04-10T08:15:53.945-07:00You Owe Me!The Sun doesn't say to the Earth
"You Owe Me!"
*****************
Do I think anybody owes me anything because of the work that I doas a wife/mother/sister/daughter/friend/citizen?
In what spirit am I serving?Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-40389157831958560102011-04-08T08:28:00.000-07:002011-04-08T08:28:42.409-07:00D-Feat Breast Cancer CampaignI don't normally post on Fridays, but I got this link this morning that I found encouraging. On Monday I wrote about the War on Cancer, and how it really hasn't accomplished anything positive. But then here we have something/someOnes doing something Pro-active. Actually getting truthful, positive information out to help women decrease their chance of getting breast cancer.
Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-20214779743912944642011-04-07T15:47:00.001-07:002011-04-07T15:47:00.493-07:00Savory OrangesWhen our eldest daughter returned from a trip to Morocco a few years back, she introduced us to a simple dessert or snack. We eliminated the sprinkle of brown sugar, and treat our children to this year round but particularly in the summertime.
Today the children were savouring it, and I thought you might want to share it with your loved ones (or yourself) too!
Just slice up some juicey Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-33066677564733370112011-04-06T16:43:00.000-07:002011-04-06T16:43:03.851-07:00Smartphone Pictures Pose Privacy RisksAhhhh, technology can be so absolutely wonderful.......
and then again.......
Not. Check this out.Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-1728028837525036262011-04-04T12:46:00.000-07:002011-04-04T12:46:00.502-07:00War on CancerWikipedia:
The War on Cancer refers to the effort to find a cure for cancer by increased research to improve the understanding of cancer biology and the development of more effective cancer treatments, such as targeted drug therapies. The aim of such efforts is to eradicate cancer as a major cause of death......Despite significant progress in the treatment of Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3580227518428709889.post-54994029412230929472011-04-03T15:22:00.000-07:002011-04-03T15:22:00.310-07:00A Dead Food List for Raw Fooders
If you are a Raw Foodist, you might find this Dead Food List interesting.
We are high-raw rather than 100% raw foodists at our house, so eating some of these foods doesn't stress me out (like it once did!) But for those of you who might be trying to be meticulous about the whole eating thing, you might want to check out the list and clean out your cupboards.Karen Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02736517295140009986noreply@blogger.com0