Ellie@Home by Nicole Kapise-Perkins

   It's been a few days since I last posted, and for those lovely people that have been checking in, I'm sorry. The temperature has been scary-hot here, so I've been keeping my little guy inside. No running at the park means no rest time; no rest time means no computer time for Momma! We made it out today, though, and I have a big pile of loot from my local library, with delicious titles like Eve's Diary (Mark Twain); The Dyer's Hand (W.H. Auden); Wild Fruits (Thoreau); Shakespeare's Sisters (Sandra Gilbert); Fire of the Goddess (Katalan Koda); Ravensong (Catherine Feher-Elston); and If You Want to Write (Brenda Ueland).    The air conditioner's running, iced tea is dripping condensation on the coffee table, and I've got plenty of books to keep me occupied. Now, if only it weren't too hot to bake cookies.... Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are proof that the Goddess loves us and wants us to be happy, joyful, and fat. 2 cups sugar ...

A week or so ago I posted directions on how to make a journal out of an altered book. After sorting through my collection, I found a 1922 edition of Charlotte Bronte's The Professor , my least favorite of her books, purchased because I am a fan and I felt that I ought to own every one of her books, whether I liked them or not. (Also, it was an inscribed antique book for $6.50. Really, I couldn't go wrong.) But I really don't like The Professor , and so it has become the chosen one:   I am no artist, as you can see, but I love the concept so much I decided to go ahead and make a commonplace book, filled with whatever strikes my fancy, and a few attempts at drawing as I see fit. My incredibly crafty and artistic daughter has asked if she can make one, but her excitement was a bit quelled when I told her she had to use one of her books. Mean, mean mom.

   Now that it's officially summer (okay, midnight tomorrow is officially summer, but unless you're Pagan, who's counting?) it's time to contemplate one of our world's most wonderful features: dirt. Who doesn't like the smell of rich, freshly-turned soil, dark as good chocolate, filled with plant-potential? Okay, you may not like dirt, but you must like food, and without lovely chocolatey-brown dirt, you have no lovely food.    For the last thirteen years I have lived in an apartment in the middle of downtown Turners Falls. While it had enough room for my large family, there was no yard, and the only green in sight was the strip of scraggly grass on the edge of the road. (I also had the apartment with north- and west-facing windows. Direct sunlight was a rare treasure, usually obtained at 6 AM and 4:30 PM). Two months ago my family finally moved. We are in another yardless apartment, still in downtown Turners Falls, but with one huge difference. (well, two, if ...

     It was a rough day here, readers. Four years ago my grandmother Ellie passed away, and the pain is still as raw now as it was then. I didn't get to say goodbye, so I'll never really have closure. I suppose the pain never really goes away, but over time it becomes softened, the sharp edges are worn away to a dull ache. I'll have to wait and see.      On a brighter note, I'm at 100 views, which is AMAZING, thank you all so very much. People from the Netherlands, Armenia, Spain, Venezuela, Germany and Mexico have stopped by, as well as readers in the US. That makes me feel all sparkley inside, like a rainbow exploded or....something.       Anyway, THANK YOU, all of you, any of you, who stop in a read my rambling posts about posty-ness. I am forming a better idea about where I want this blog to go and how I want it to grow into a big, strong, proud blog when it grows up, so if you kind and lovely people just be...

Thanx Natalie at Super Healthy Kids!! Raspberry and Cream Banana Ice Cream (I'm using strawberries, tho ) To make this, blend in a food processor: 1 1/2 frozen bananas 1/2 cup frozen raspberries 1/3 cup vanilla Greek yogurt Blend until smooth and creamy.  Eat immediately or place in the freezer for a harder consistency.  This flavor is creamy and delicious, but also refreshing!

It's been raining rather steadily here for a few days, long enough for me to have made some progress on my stack of summer reading books. Thus far I have finished: The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall (An incredible 20 year's worth of work on a group of sisters that made an enormous impact on education in the nineteenth century.) Saffron and Brimstone by Elizabeth Hand (I'm buying this one. The stories were GREAT!) Anam Cara by John O'Donohue (not as moving or thought-provoking as I'd hoped.) Crow Planet by Lyanda Lynn Haupt (Fascinating. I've always liked crows, but other than looking up and thinking 'oh, look, a crow,' I've never really thought about them. Haupt has encouraged me to look at them--really look at them, that is, in a whole new way.) I still have a huge pile to work my way through, including a ludicrously decrepit copy of the life of Sir Richard Francis Burton. Can't wait to travel with Sir Richard!!

http://www.graceisoverrated.com/ I think this is my new favorite place. A blog about journaling? I'm there. She even has downloadable/printable pages for kids' journals! Christie, I think I'm in love.

   In many different traditions lighting a candle is a sacred action. It expresses more than words can express. It has to do with gratefulness. From time immemorial, people have lit candles in sacred places. You may want to begin or end your day by the sacred ritual of lighting a candle on this gratefulness. Or you may want to light a birthday candle for a friend. One single guideline is all you need: Slow down and do it with full attention.                                        ~GrannyMoon https://www.facebook.com/GrannyMoonsMorningFeast

A fabulous Repurposed Book as Sketchbook tutorial by Livividli Lifestyle Blog was linked up to our Green Crafts Showcase this month. I was so inspired by it that it will not only be featured tomorrow as one of the top 5 projects, but I wanted to create my own version. Instead of a sketchbook, I repurposed my book into a journal. What You Will Need: 1. An old book. You can easily find these at garage sales or thrift stores . 2. Crayons or any other items to decorate your journal. How To Do It: 1. Decide what the purpose of your journal will be. Here are some ideas: a travel journal a place for quotes or poetry a scrapbook (almost like a smashbook !) a sketchbook like Livividli Lifestyle Blog write down creative project ideas– I always have a journal in my purse for when ideas pop in my head! an everyday journal 2. Go for it! The great thing about this project is that there aren’t any guidelines or rules. Envision what you want for your journal and then put i...

   Rainy, rainy day. What to do with a rambunctious three year old when he can't go outside and ride his beloved bike? Something needs to be done: the cat is beginning to fear for her life.    Days like today make me wish I had heeded Sarah Ban Breathnach's advice and created a Rainy Day Cabinet, after the manner of Victorian mamas the world over. Lacking a Rainy Day Cabinet, I've turned to Amanda Blake Soule's The Creative Family to see what I can come up with before the cat loses any more whiskers.    We are recently installed in a new apartment with an abundance of space and naked walls. Let's play.....Art Gallery!    Mr. Rambunctious has been given free reign with all the art supplies his little heart desires, and I've gone digging through boxes for picture frames. I'll replace the photos with pieces of my kids' artwork, and viola! Naked wall in living room becomes Wall of Pride. And, like every true gallery, we can change the art work out...

My little Bubbah, my Bean, and I spent a glorious afternoon at my mother's today, playing outside and watching a pair of spastic squirrels square off over Bubb's dropped peanut butter cracker. (We eventually tossed them another one, just to make it fair. I surmised the squirrels were sisters--they still went after each other's cracker.) After spending a day sunning and relaxing, the last thing I feel like doing is cooking an elaborate dinner. Plus, it's shopping day. The inside of the fridge looks remarkably like Antarctica: white and empty. Soooooo...what's for dinner? Let's hop over to http://yummymummykitchen.com for inspiration! Bakes Spaghetti with Burrata it is. Thank you Marina!!! Baked Spaghetti with Burrata  serves 8  2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  1 small yellow onion  4 cloves garlic, minced  1 teaspoon dried basil  1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt  1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper ...

   Happy Morning, everyone! (No, I'm not one of those delightfully chipper morning persons you read about--my husband will be the first to tell you.) I've been awake for a couple hours now, and feeling mostly human, so you get nice Cole instead of evil just-woken-up Cole. So why am I so chipper this morning? It's a beautifully sunny summer morning (Okay, almost summer. I know it's not summer yet...I'm Pagan. We get that stuff. No big party? Not a new season then. See? Perfect logic.) and I woke up to birds singing at the birdfeeder, and had a chance to meditate. Yes, meditate. Not meditate as in sitting pretzeled up making funny sounds with my breath while warbling Vedic chants (not to say that's not a great way to do it) but just lying in bed, watching the leaf shadows move on the walls, listening to my baby breathe beside me.    Meditation is about finding peace within. Allowing yourself to relax fully so that you may achieve a true sense of peace and calm, t...

     Soo...it being that most marvelous time of year, SUMMER, what are your plans? Mine, being Momma and Writer, are going to be the same as my plans for spring, fall, and winter (minus the hot cocoa and quilts, and with a few sandy-beach reading spots thrown in). Somehow, tho, it does seem that I have more time for reading through the summer, probably because my idea of dinner in the summer is salad, not stew; ergo, I'm only cooking for about 15 minutes instead of 45.    Anyway, here you are, my summer reading list. I have not read all (most!) of these, so I can't guarantee they're worth the time, but the ones I have read, I'll let you know. ;) ***All of the photos and info found here are via Goodreads. Know Goodreads? You DON'T?!? Check it out today!!! http://www.goodreads.com Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom     Discover the Celtic Circle of Belonging John O'Donohue, po...

   Having an insatiable urge to write, here I am, prepared to embark on this quest in the Blogosphere. What will I write about? Don't know. (Aren't you glad you stopped by?)    Food? I'm no chef (that would be my sister), but I love to cook. Books? That goes without saying. I am a writer, after all. Kids? Have five of 'em. They'll manage to wriggle in here somewhere, I expect. (Yes, that's five.)    Dreams, wishes, whacky dinner conversation, book reviews and cookies gone....bad? To the Dark Side? Sacrificed to my husband's tummy? Dunno. They're just gone. You'll find it all here with Ellie @ Home . (Well, all except the missing cookies.)    And for the record, no, I'm not Ellie, I'm Nicole Ellie. Ellie is my Gramma. I dithered around trying to think of a name for this blog. PaganDreamr in Peskeomskut Falls ? Too long. And I don't live in Peskeomskut Falls, though I should. (Long story there.) Gramma kept popping her curly white head u...