I was “Made In America”

I, as most, have felt some--if not a great--impact during the past four to five years of our country’s economic decline. I started looking a bit closer at and studying the economics of the world as a whole, taking note of the happenstance elsewhere on this globe (and how we feed it). Had I been paying closer attention before, I might not have been so surprised by our declining economy. We-Americans can be so short-sighted or near-sighted--however you want to view it. Nonetheless, we are. Why? 

We have become a spoiled nation--yes, like spoiled children. Spoiled children are conditioned by their environment. Their expectations are based upon what has gone before. They have no need to consider the impact their expectations have on any environment outside of theirs. They as well, expect the parent to take care of whatever needs attention, pick up the pieces, fix it. They are short-sighted, living in their world of “It’s all about ME!” You can’t really blame the spoiled child, they’re just living what they’ve learned. You might consider blaming the parent yet, when it comes down to the nitty gritty, blame has no place or is beside the point when resolution time arrives. A child is not spoiled overnight and as a nation we have not been spoiled over year--if you will. 

This predicament our nation is in has been culminating for years--even decades. Somewhere back-there we lost sight of self. That seems a bit oxymoronic when speaking of one being spoiled doesn’t it? Yet, it’s actually the reverse. We as individuals have allowed our parents--the American government and corporate world--to spoil us (ie. you want this sparkle for less than a penny? Okay!) The parent of the spoiled child makes it happen ... for as long as they can ... even at times to the detriment of the child and the home. Then, somewhere down the road the spoiled child is abruptly awakened by life’s realities. [Hello!] If we want to break it down into elementary terms our nation’s economic demise started with us--the spoiled people--and grew forward, or rather backward from there. 

Yes, we are the work force that undergirds the corporations (that have stayed on American soil); we are the people that make up our government yet, we are the spoiled children that have awakened to the realities of our conditioning. Sure, we partook of the incentives/sparkles paraded before us by our parents. How wonderful! Yet, how detrimental to our home, our nation, our communities, all of us. As the value of our dollar decreases in the world market, we-Americans are more to blame than anyone. And we-Americans [THE people] are the ones that can reverse what is happening. Yes, just like that. 

If you haven’t been following ABC’s promotion of “Made in America” let me encourage you to do so. http://abcnews.go.com/WN/MadeInAmerica 

This episode really had an impact upon my economical mind and bringing it home. The video may be slow to load but, is well worth your time. http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_04vzdsr5/uiconf_id/5590821

I’m seeking American suppliers for all products used in my business. [Does anyone want to learn how to beat gold into leaf?] I will buy American for my home. I issue to you, as to myself--beginning a new year--with diligence, shop community, shop local, shop state, shop nation, then STOP! Don’t shop outside what our parent country and our country’s working individuals offer you . It is American jobs! 

For some things, it will take diligence. I'll seek it. Will you? Ask, “Was is made in the USA?” If not, pass on it. Teach your children to seek “Made in America” labels. Teach them to ask for American made products. Don’t be a short-sighted citizen. Become the unspoiled and support yourself, your brother, you fellow American, your country, your home and it’s future. Make 2012 the year we brought it home! Buy American! Made in America!

One other weekend project

I should know by now, when I expand a space, the space will accumulate more things. 

A few years ago I expanded my kitchen (it was the smallest room in the house) to three times the size. Since then, I believed my only design flaw was that all the towel racks were on the south end of the kitchen and the sink on the north. Not that the journey was that far, nor a real big deal--justified in my mind--sans a few water drops on the floor. However, recently, I’ve struggled with the ever increased accumulation of lids in the lid drawer. Note to self: “This is not suppose to be happening”! 

The lid drawer houses container lids and pot lids, positioned above the container drawer (wasn’t that elementary?). Yet, the bulky pot lids--those convex glass lids with the knobby handles on top--cause chaos. Decided...second design flaw. 

I began thinking about it and queried friends on Facebook. Their situational fixes...small lids in larger pots, lids propped behind stove, lids in a hanging rack, etc., couldn’t work for me as my pots are on a rack, the stove on an island and the walls replete with artwork and other sundry items. 

Looking around the kitchen I decided the least infringed upon space was below the oven--a space designed for vertical storage of low relief baking wares. [Around here, we do much more cooking than baking.] I shifted the baking wares, tightening the storage, freed one of the vertical spaces and found something of promise. My brainchild was to create a two-sided vertical unit on full extension glides to accommodate five bulky lids. The available space is 5” wide x ~13” high x just over 26” deep. Perfect! Just enough space to squeeze in my menagerie of glass pot lids. I’ve learned the value of the old adage “measure twice, cut once”. Furthermore, have personally learned when fitting into an existing space and/or for a specific purpose, one should measure as many times as needed--more often than twice--before cutting or proceeding. 

When the business day ended on Friday, I made a beeline for the kitchen. After measuring more times than I care to admit, I headed back down the stairs, gleefully visualizing the perfect storage unit. I rummaged through the available wood supply, kicked on the table saw and clamped together a mock up. Done for day one! 

Day Two: After removing the clamps from my mock-up, I decided the first task to tackle was positioning the glides. I’ve dealt with glides in the past (which, I installed) that were not accurately aligned. #*^&$*#!!! If I could not properly align the glides my project was hitting the trash can! After many measurements and much contemplation--not without consternation--the center-finding ruler became my best friend. Those glides slid like butter on hot corn! From this point on it was a piece of cake. I cut down the oversized front and back members to proper height, positioned the lid supports, broke out the clamps, glue bottle and brad gun and proceeded to assemble. All dry, clamps removed, space-tested, filled and painted. Done for day two! 

Day Three: I woke and sprang from the bed to hurry downstairs and finish the project. A light rubbing out of the finish, some household oil applied to the glides and up the stairs for the install. 

Done!  Time to make a pot of chili.

A Graduation Tribute

I have three amazing sons! The youngest son will graduate law school tomorrow. I am overwhelmed with pride and admiration. This child came from a broken home VERY early in his life. As he grew over the ensuring eight years in a single family home he began to test life, daring most things that came his way. 

The older brothers could issue a dare--they and he knowing full well it would result in negative consequences--and Craig would take it on. He explored and challenged all that was put before him good, bad and indifferent--in earnest! Yet, he was always forthright and paid the consequences for his actions with a shrug of the shoulders. He learned just a bit more each time--as HE turned the tides. He was testing the waters and soaking up the experience like a sponge. 

During his high school years he began plowing a path--his path. He pursued diverse routes, excelling in all yet, focused on those that he found most interesting. He was honing his life’s vision and has pursued. Craig is a man of few words yet, every word has weight--a quiet man--yet, wisely so. 

To my son, Craig--kudos!!! You have done well!

Strolling through the garden

While watering the plants and enjoying my coffee on the upstairs deck this morning, across the neighboring rooftops, on the next street over I noticed huge clusters of bold yellow flowers extremely high in the treetops. In my many years of living here, I had never noticed them before. Curious, I went for the field glasses, not satisfied with that magnified view, I then went for the digital camera. Combining the optical and digital zoom lengths still failed to satisfy my curiosity. After a delicious sushi spread for lunch, shared with Stephen and our friend, Gert, Gert and I took a trek over to the base of that unidentified vine. With some debate, we finally decided which of the various leaves on this vine-laden tree belonged to those bright yellow blooms that towered above us some 30+feet. We yanked on the vines, took a few cuttings, shot a few pictures and retrieved a lone blossom that had fallen to the ground. 

With loot in tow we headed back to the abode to apply a few different rooting methods to our clingy vine. After our rooting efforts, we took a stroll through the garden admiring the colourful blooms, looking for signs of new growth on plants damaged by the winter freeze (which is not common here), checking the oleander for aphids (which I had super-sprayed from the plant yesterday), looking for signs of seedlings in newly sown beds and discussing possibilities in life. We found the recently sown lavender, cilantro, chives and chamomile perching above the soil and a few sprigs of self-sown dill from last season. The garlic chives, some of the cuban oregano and the lemon grass made it through the unusual winter. I redesigned my herb beds this year and am just a wee bit anxious to see it all come together. 

We spied a few more aphids on the oleander then discovered they were also on the mandevilla. Yikes! The flowering maple made it through the winter and is blooming as well as the lady bank roses, the shamrocks and the jasmine. The Meyer lemon and satsuma have healthy blooms as well. The wisteria and Japanese lantern blooms have already come and gone. It seems I may have lost two hibiscus plants yet, others that are putting out new growth. I haven’t decided if the red ornamental banana tree will come through but, the green ones have new leaves opening up already. I moved a few of the baby succulents from pots into the ‘cactus bed’ while we were out roaming around. There’s new growth all over the garden, it sings of spring. 

I was thinking the bright yellow flowers on our mystery vine would look fabulous in the tall pine cornered in the garden so, I did some research. Turns out the vine is cat's claw aka, yellow trumpet vine, extremely invasive and not well liked among gardeners. Though the bright yellow display is quite dramatic, it’s short lived and not worth the efforts it would take to control. I might try a bit in a pot just to study it’s growth for a season but, don’t think I’ll be planting it in the garden. 

The sun’s down now and time for me to apply a soap treatment to the aphid infested plants. Maybe I’ll get back to another post before too long. Until then...