I have new contacts !!  I love them. They're nice and new and clean too !!  They now have contacts for astigmatism that are disposable every day so now I can have a fresh pair every morning.     

 

And - I picked up a new pair of polarized sunglasses that are so comfortable.

 

Now if that old man winter  would just be so kind as to go back up north, I can start wearing my new spring clothes. The snow is still white and beautiful up here in Northwestern Michigan, but I am really tired of the  snow and cold.  

Well, have a good day everyone.

And think spring.

Beef Barley Soup

Again, fall has arrived, and so I've been looking for inspiration to use the veggies I've grown all summer.  I've been watching a lot of cooking shows on The Cooking channel and The Food Network for new ideas to add to the old favorites. I made my family some Beef Barley soup last night for our supper, an old favorite.

 1 pound beef stew meat

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, sliced

3 carrots, sliced 

beef stock

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 cup mushrooms

4 medium tomatoes

If you're an old fashioned style cook like me, you'll add things as it seems right - by instinct. But generally, you will first soak your barley in water for about an hour. Then you brown your beef and set aside. Saute the onions, celery, mushrooms and carrots in a big pot for about 10 minutes. Add beef. Then pour in the beef stock and add the pearl barley. Lastly I add a few peeled and seeded chopped tomatoes. Simmer for about 2 hours to bring out the oh so good flavor. Homemade bread goes really good with this, but if you didn't make any bread, crackers are always good. Add a big glass of milk and make your tummy happy. Yummy.

When God was a Woman by Merlin Stone - 1976

I've just finished reading this book and I must say it was very interesting. It tells of the religion of the Goddess thousands of years ago that thrived before the arrival of the patriarchal religions.  The Goddess, known by many names, was revered as the wise creator and the one source of universal order. Under her, woman's roles were much different and woman brought and sold property and traded at the marketplace. Inheritance of title and property was passed from mother to daughter. 
  So how did it happen that the Goddess religion ceased to exist? It seems that the patriarchal religions brought forth it's downfall by the wholesale rewriting of the image of the Goddess as a wanton, depraved figure and the wholesale murder of nonbelievers. 
  But, I'll let you read the book for yourself and come to your own conclusions. It's still available if you are interested.