November 4, 2022
What’s Happening?
Hello and welcome to my first newsletter post! As for many of you, it’s been a busy week with more to do than time, but I hope that this week and in the future, you’ll take a few minutes to sign a petition, make a donation, or just do a nice thing for another person.
NOTE: I am already rethinking the format of these first two sections. But, for now, here it is as is!
This week I am presenting two issues/causes. Two Causes? Why? Well, while I am unashamedly on the progressive side of politics, I also want to focus on nonpartisan matters, at least a good part of the time. Today I will do one of each.
Note: If you are reading this after the midterm elections, you can still donate to Act Blue to either maintain or save our democracy, depending on the outcome…
Politics: We all know that the upcoming midterm elections will strongly affect the future of our country, for better or worse. I am with Stephen Colbert as to how best to ensure that our country remains a democracy. To quote the donation page that is listed in the next section:
Officials who represent us at the state legislative, Attorney General, and Secretary of State level may not always make the headlines but they will play a vital role in restoring our democracy. At a time when our fundamental rights to fair elections and abortion are under attack, electing Democratic leaders to these offices has never been more important.
Food and Farm: I am sure I will bring up American Farmland Trust (ATF)
https://farmland.org multiple times. It’s all about saving farmland. These words are from their homepage:
Without farmland and ranchland, we can't win the global fight against climate change. Our food, our water, our environment, our survival—it all depends on American agricultural land.
Okay – so maybe some of you don’t believe in climate change. But you can’t argue with saving farmland. It’s what’s for dinner!
What to Do
Politics: For those fearing the loss of our democracy in the USA, click here to donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jld-sc-c1 There is good information on the page, along with a donate form.
Food and Farm: Click here to learn about and donate directly to AFT’s Brighter Future Fund. According to the website, “farmers use these grants to construct irrigation to be more resilient to drought, improve equipment to better cultivate, harvest and process crops, take steps to access land, and much more.”
https://farmland.salsalabs.org/brighterfuturefund/index.html If you have the time, look around the website after you donate. You might even consider becoming a member. I’ve been a member since 2012.
What’s the Use?
Do you think signing petitions is a waste of time? Not so, not so at all. This excerpt from the article “Change.org Petitions That Worked” from Business News Daily https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3637-business-changes-year.html describes just one example of the “many Change.org petitions [that] have led to profound social changes within organizations.”
When Cynthia Butterworth’s sister escaped from her abusive husband, she needed to cancel their shared cell phone contract so he couldn’t track her phone calls. But when she called Verizon, the company said ending her contract would cost $500 – money she didn’t have.
Finally, after a massive Change.org petition in 2012, Cynthia convinced Verizon to change its policies so domestic abuse victims like Cynthia’s sister could easily cancel their contracts. Then word spread, and another domestic abuse victim, “Jane Doe,” launched her own Change.org petition asking Sprint to follow suit. After the petition gained signatures, Sprint agreed to waive its $200 cancellation fee in cases involving domestic violence victims.
So go ahead and take a few minutes here and there to sign a petition. You could help make history.
What to Read
What to read, indeed? Big topic. How on earth shall I pick something? To start, I will go with political education and HIGHLY recommend that you subscribe to Letter to an America by Heather Cox Richardson.
Letters from an American | Heather Cox Richardson | Substack
Just do it. Really. Even if you are conservative. While she is obviously liberal, she does not make things up and present them as facts. She’s a historian, for goodness sake! So just do it. You will learn a lot. Yes, it is an almost daily read. But it’s worth the time. Trust me on that.
I will add a book, as well. And it is nonpartisan. 😊 I so enjoyed No Time to Spare, by Ursula LeGuin. It’s funny, it’s poignant, and the essay I read to my now 98-year-old friend Louise Gannon met with full approval. So there.
https://www.ursulakleguin.com/no-time-to-spare
You can find it anywhere. I always try
https://mtwyouth.org first, then https://www.thriftbooks.com.
If it is an author I particularly want to support, I purchase new via https://bookshop.org
I bet your local library has it, too. Enjoy!
What’s Cooking?
After thinking about this section, I realized that I might want to do a food newsletter, too. I love to cook and write and share about all things food. But for now, I am going to start by sharing a fantastic recipe for, wait for it, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup. Now, I know that may not sound scintillating to some, but I happen to be a fan of this type of soup when it is done well, whatever the base, e.g. I will share my favorite vegan version of non-condensed “Cream” of mushroom soup.
But the recipe I am about to share is PERFECT for those times you either don’t have or don’t want to purchase that can of condensed cream of mushroom soup that your new or old comfort-food recipe calls for, whether it be with pork, chicken, tofu, or whatever protein suits your fancy. And rice, of course. 😊
Here it is:
https://www.culinaryhill.com/homemade-cream-of-mushroom-soup/
Just click the link. But let me tell you this: It tastes great, is quick and easy to make (once you’ve sliced the mushrooms), and, while I was wowed by the flavor, I think I may take it up a notch next time with a splash of dry sherry. The other nice thing is that the recipe post includes suggestions for several variations, including gluten-free, vegan, and even paleo-friendly, should that be your thing.
What Else?
So, what else? Good question even if I did ask it myself.
For now, I think I will muse a bit about food. It’s been my thing for years because I love to eat, I love to cook, and I love how those of us lucky enough to have options can make important statements and effect positive change via our food choices. It’s a powerful action that affects us personally, our families, our local community, our country, and the world.
I will add here that, while I am a big proponent of purchasing and eating healthy local foods, I totally believe that any food that makes your heart smile is good for you. It’s food that is good for your soul. And it can be anything. ANYTHING. As long as it floats your boat. E.g. I love Combos, both the cheese and peanut butter versions of their pretzel snacks. And corn chips. Mmmmmm…..And don’t get me going on chocolate-covered cherries!
Being able to share food with others is also a powerful thing, from creating a simple meal for your family and friends for leisurely enjoyment to donating to a food pantry or bringing a meal to a sick friend.
I am thinking of the latter because, in between writing this section, I have been preparing freezer meals for a friend who could use a helping hand. For me, it is an easy task, and for that, I am thankful. I get to create in my kitchen, knowing that I will be helping others. But, for those of you who do not feel at home in the kitchen, a phone call or in-person visit (even if bringing just yourself, or maybe a snack or some take-out) can go a long way to ease another’s day.
Back to cooking. It can be an art, a science, or be just a matter of following instructions. It’s all good, however you choose to do it or view it. But you don’t need to cook to break bread with others or share food with neighbors in need. Unless you are in need. And that’s a whole other story.
Food will certainly be a well-explored subject in this newsletter. Actually, I may morph the bulk of the food bit into a separate newsletter. Or not. This is a new venture, after all.
I’ll end this first newsletter post with a poem I wrote sometime in the past several years. It’s not an amazing poem, but I like it. But I am not sure how to end it. Here it is:
This and That
Take stock of bones,
Reclaim flesh,
rescue beans from the freezer.
A leftover carrot,
yellow, but
dreaming of purple.
An onion, so layered,
a knob of fresh ginger,
flakes of red pepper that
never forget.
The comfort of noodles
makes all familiar.
But it’s a different soup every time.
OR
But it’s a different story every time.
I originally used the word “soup” in the last line, but just now, I tried changing it to “story.” What do you think? Let me know with a comment if so moved.
Thanks for reading!
Be kind,
Wendy
This is Wonderful my friend! 💜