Yes, indeed, Dear Readers–it’s time once again for our annual mini-rant about why I don’t like the term, “Black Friday.” [Minor edits form original] “Black Friday” Thoughts: Part 1 Originally published on November 24, 2011 These two short essays are from Lines of a Layman: T)he Golden Rule in Every Day Living. The author is a guy named
CIDER From Master Chef Louis P. De Gouy, The Gold Cook Book (1947) “Among the early New England farmers, cider, cider brandy, beer and rum were popular beverages. The Dutch were partial to beer, and after landing on the shores of the New World, they lost little time in establishing breweries in New York and
We read through one of my favorites, Being a Boy (1877) by Charles Dudley Warner, a few years ago. Not too long ago I had occasion to recommend it to a mom who was looking for something different for her boys to read. Offered the usual caveats. She said something like, “That’s okay. We just
Eleven plus years of blogging will do that. “The Day is Done” Originally published on November 30, 2015 It is rainy and dreary– and quiet– here on the Farm this morning and my work is nearly finished so I was thumbing through a books of poems wondering if I might find one suitable for the day. The Day
This post was listed among those with views yesterday. It happens. People search for things and someone will look at random post from Big Food. This is not a political blog, but in the 11 years I’ve been doing this, every now and again a current event gets my knickers in a knot. The shut
Was searching around the blog’s November entries to find something other than leftover turkey recipes to post and found this. A lot can happen Published on November 21, 2014 I thought it might be a hoot to spend some time reading about the years leading up to the first Thanksgiving from the perspective of folks on
The idea that girls were repressed back in the crappy olden days is utter poppycock. Setting the Table Published on November 26, 2018 HOMEMAKING A happy home is one in which all the members of the family take pleasure in sharing their experiences and their abilities. Your home may be one room, a small apartment, a modest
The book was a book of the month book. Has some pretty good essays in it. Posts on American Voices here: https://www.bigfoodetc.com/?s=american+voices My favorite. Really. If you can spare a few minutes, read my summary of the essay. The premise is “Olson’s essay is nothing more than an exchange of six letters between the fictional
Crappy old books On the Bank Published on August 18, 2018 by Marica Civilization is a stream with banks, … . The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even
I cannot remember when we began this little project, but in 2020 we worked our way through some choice quotes from C.S. Lewis. This is an especially good one. Here is a link to all Screwtape posts (only 11?): https://www.bigfoodetc.com/?s=screwtape Crappy Old Quote of the Day | Disgusting little human vermin Published on August 18, 2020 by Marica Disappointment
This is an interesting one. And you know this is not a political blog. But we do like history and we think there’s value in the observations of those who lived in the past. Interesting also because this was another instance of Big Dogs Jawin’–the early years of developing Missy and Rocky’s characters. This one
Have You Heard of This Woman? Published on August 11, 2013 by Marica I came across this while skimming through one of my newest– and newer (1978)– crappy old books, Webster’s Encyclopedia of Dictionaries: 12 Complete Dictionaries in One. It is not poverty so much as pretense that harasses a ruined man– the struggle between a proud mind and an empty
Apparently I searched for a followup to the post of 8/6/15. Ike Walton’s Prayer Published on August 6, 2015 by Marica | Edit As a follow up to a post from yesterday, I give you Ike Walton’s Prayerby James Whitcomb Riley I crave, dear Lord,No boundless hoardOf gold and gear,Nor jewels fine,Nor lands, nor kine,Nor treasure-heaps of anything.-Let but a little hut
Also, this was the day I had my 2-week follow-up after having surgery on my shattered wrist. My cast was orange! I like Lewis’s thought, by the way. Crappy Old Quote of the Day | The bard does not exist Published on August 4, 2020 by Marica Art, Function of In the highest aesthetic circles one now hears nothing
No comment. That’s One to Remember Published on August 2, 2013 by Marica | Edit Wouldn’t you know the Palmer Home Thrift Store (my personal crappy old book store) was having a 1/2 price sale on books on the day that I was in a hurry to get back to the Farm! Only $4.50’s worth of crappy old books today. Nothing too remarkable in
The “As Someone Once Said” callouts of Miss Missy’s School Book I: A Pack of Farm Dogs Starts a School were a lot of fun to write. Challenging! But a lot of fun. The work begins, of course, with finding just the right quote for the ol’ hippy dog, Gilbert to share with Missy and
Linked to this old post earlier today. Thought it was worth updating. Stretching the Food Dollar Published on December 8, 2011 From The Modern Family Cookbook (1958, 1st 1942) I think The Shopper’s Creed speaks for itself. Give it another read. The Creed begins a four page chapter devoted to helping “you become a better manager,” because when the
A very important question is asked and answered at the end of Chapter XI: Questions, Questions, Questions in Miss Missy’s School. But I can’t tell you what it is! (Though you maybe able to guess.) This is the chapter where the Big Dogs– including Tiger the Cat– tell their stories about Tommy’s insatiable curiosity. Aubrey
This quote comes from “Chapter X: Zero-One-Two” in Miss Missy’s School Book I: A Pack of Farm Dogs Starts a School. This is a funny chapter! I don’t want to give it away, but the premise is that Bebe thinks she knows how to do something, and Jordan tells her she’s doing it wrong. But
{"id":null,"mode":"button","open_style":"in_modal","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":1000,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"https:\/\/www.bigfoodetc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Screen-Shot-2021-12-09-at-2.28.06-PM-127x200.jpg","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"All current contributions go toward redesigning the cover, and publishing an eBook of Miss Missy's School.","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Tip!","payment_request_label":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","form_subtitle":"All contributions go toward self-publishing Miss Missy's School: Book I A Pack of Farm Dogs Starts a School","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank all y'all for your encouragement!","payment_confirmation_title":"Big Food, Big Garden, Big Life","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
