Book Review: The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White

The Promise Between Us is a novel about a group of people living with varying degrees of anxiety. Trying to get through each day is difficult enough, then add to that that some of them are trying to keep their individual past traumas secret. The characters are flawed and their lives are complicated and messy. 

"Best selling author Barbara Claypole White writes hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness" - About The Author on goodreads.

 The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White

Maisie MacDonald, 5th grader, is a quirky, young girl living with her father and step-mother. Her mother passed away when she was very young. At least, that is what she has been told. On the outside, to those who meet her, she looks and sounds confident. She has her own style of dress and is quite able to self-advocate. On the inside, she is constantly worried about things such as whether she's been bad or disrespectful. If those around her are going to die and if they do it will be her fault.  She tries to keep her fears and thoughts secret but they are starting to show to those observing her.

Callum (Cal) MacDonald is Maisie's father. He would do anything to protect his daughter. Cal has recently married Lilah. Together, they are working together to sort out the intricacies of becoming a family. They are aware that Maisie has some anxiety; especially about transferring to middle school after 6th grade. 

Uncle Jake,  "who's Dad Point Two" as Maisie refers to him, is a family friend (Cal's best friend) who has helped raise Maisie thus far. On one hand, he is a shallow, handsome actor. On the other hand, he cares for Maisie deeply and probably understands her the most.

Katie Mack is an artist that is volunteering at a program for 6th graders.  Even though Maisie is only a 5th grader, she and her friend have been enrolled in this program. Katie and Maisie meet at the art museum. Katie has struggled with debilitating (life-threatening) anxiety and OCD with fire being one of her main fears. She responded by taking control of those fears to the best of her ability and learning to weld and create metal sculptures. Maisie is drawn to Katie's work. 

Personal Thoughts About The Promise Between Us

Perhaps I enjoyed this story so much because I work with children who have a variety of mental health diagnoses. Day after day, I am both exhausted by the work AND exhilarated by something said or done by these unique individuals. Day after day I have the thought that if we (the allegedly "normal" folks) tried a little harder to listen or understand our lives would be that much more enriched. Instead, we generally try to teach others to "act right" or "behave" or think a certain way. I enjoyed The Promise Between Us because of it's real portrayal of characters who are struggling. 

There are a small number of reviews that mentioned their dislike of the repetition in the story. The truth is, that is the reality of anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Repetitive and intrusive thoughts that occur over and over and over.  That sort of repetition is what real humans live with on a daily basis. Although, difficult to read at points (yes, it is repetitive) it is part of what made this story so believable and made the characters real. If the repetition irks you, imagine what it is like to try to live a productive life with that happening in your head.

Warning: This book deals with difficult subjects related to anxiety, OCD, and trauma. There are difficult scenes in the story that may trigger some people.  And if it were a movie, it would carry a warning for nudity/sex. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing the Octopus Kite from the Hengda Kite Store

I had so much fun flying my new Octopus Kite from the Hengda Kite Store that I knew I had to share it with you today. I was very skeptical ordering a $10 kite online. But with over 3,000 positive reviews, I took the chance. I'm glad I did.

During different periods of my life I have flown kites. I am not an expert on kites, nor do I understand much about the different styles of kites and why they fly better on different speed of winds. But whether it was flying kites with my sons when they were young, flying kites as an adult on the beautiful Assateague Island in Maryland, or the few times I've tried to launch a kite up here on my ridge in West Virginia, I do know that I love flying kites. And good kites make the experience almost magical.

Octopus Flyer Kite from the Hengda Kite Store

My preferred type of kite is the Delta style. I find that they are easy to fly in a variety of wind speeds. I have flown parafoil kites but have never owned one. Until now.

The "Software Octopus Flyer Kite" is a parafoil style kite. That means, there are no "sticks" to assemble - no cross bars that we are familiar with in the diamond style and delta style kites. Parafoil kites are only the material, sewn in cells - or tubes - that help catch the wind and keep the kite aloft. 

Information from the Henga Kite Store page:

• no kite sticks; soft [parafoil] style 
• strong, durable, and lightweight polyester 210 material
• measures 31" wide and 157" long
• comes with a plastic handle and kite string
• made in the International Kite Capital, Weifang, Shandong, China
• Hengda has been manufacturing kites for 20 years

My Experience with the Octopus Kite

The Octopus came with a length of kite string on a handle. But I prefer to use my own kite string on a wooden spool. So I attached the hook from my string into the end of the strings attached to the kite, and off I went.

An internet search showed that I probably should have chosen a day with more wind for my kite's maiden flight. 

"Deltas, Diamonds and Dragon kites fly well in light to medium winds (approximately 6-15 mph) while Box Kites and stickless Parafoil kites fly better when the winds get a little stronger (approximately 8-25 mph). 

                                                            -- NationalKiteMonth

But I was too excited to wait another day. With my weather app showing winds of 2 miles an hour at the most, and feeling that there were periods of no wind at all, I headed up to the top of my hill to give this kite a try. 

It flew! Sluggishly on the very low wind day, it flew. And when it came down I had to wait for the next puff of breeze before I re-launched. But it flew. And I loved it!

This Octopus Kite is HUGE, bright, and interesting.  I purchased it for an upcoming visit with my grandkids and I can barely wait to see them and fly it with them.

The Kite Loft in Ocean City, Maryland - A Brick and Mortar Kite Store

I mentioned having spent time on Assateague Island, Maryland flying kites. Whether it is Assateague Island or nearby Ocean City... beaches are the best place to fly kites in my opinion. There is a store in Ocean City called the Kite Loft. If you enjoy flying kites, this store is a must-see. 

This specialty store is located beach-front that offers top-of-the-line kites. They also host a variety of festivals and kite-related events; including the SunFest Kite Festival. It is quite a sight to behold seeing the sky above the beach full of intricate and interesting kites. 

This year the SunFest Kite Festival is September 29 to October 2, 2022. If you love kites and have any chance of attending, I strongly encourage you to go. It is a fantastic event. If you cannot attend, you could get a feel for it on the Kite Loft Beach Cam.  The cam can be viewed any day and I often take a peek just to see what the ocean front looks like that day.

I purchased my favorite kite from the Kite Loft - a Delta style kite with a Kokopelli and lizard design. I have since misplaced that kite during moves or someone decided they wanted a fantastic kite. I'm not quite sure what happened but I miss that kite.

While kites at the Kite Loft have a larger price tag they are completely worth the investment. 

Related Links:

Our BarbRad took us to visit Moonstone Beach in Cambria. In that review, she enjoyed watching a family flying stunt kites. Stunt kites have 2 lines and you hold one in each hand. This gives you the ability to control the kite and cause it to make turns and loops. I was never able to master the art of stunts kites because they are very responsive to small movements and I wasn't coordinated enough. I enjoyed watching the video in her review - maybe you will too. 

Visit the Hengda Kite Store link on Amazon here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing How Others Impact My Life and a Thank You to Melanie Ham

As I have moved physically to a peaceful location I have begun to move to a more peaceful emotional place in my mind. Over the past 6 months I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on who and what is important to my life and health. Since January 2022, when it was announced that Melanie Ham left this earth, I have focused even more on how we impact each other and who I should choose as mentors.

Who Was Melanie Ham

Melanie Ham was most known for her YouTube crochet and quilting tutorials. If you are a quilter or crocheter and have searched for help on the internet chances are good that you've come across her name. That is how I became familiar with her name and her gentle and affirming approach.

I would like to add to the heart-felt tributes to her life but I cannot imagine writing an adequate tribute. I do not have sufficient words. Prior to her death, Melanie and her husband began to prepare a documentary of her life. Made With Melanie - A Feature Documentary by Robert Ham went live just a couple of days ago. While I cried much of the way through the video, it was ultimately encouraging.

Life is cyclical. Life is a never-ending group of connections. I never imagined that I would find a crochet pattern to help comfort my friend during her battle with cancer - a pattern written by a woman who was ultimately taken from us by cancer.  

Jenny was a co-worker and friend who was battling cancer in 2019. The loss of her hair was devastating and we worked together to find a pattern for crocheted hats that would work for her. You can see my blog post about how I tweaked a pattern by Melanie Ham to suit Jenny's needs. Before Jenny passed, we worked together to mail off hats to a cancer treatment center. Even during times where she felt terrible physically, barely able to stand and concentrate, it was important to her to continue to give to others. 

I hope Jenny and Melanie are hanging out in heaven crocheting together.

How Those Around Us Impact Us

My dad was wrong about a good number of things. And while I thought he was wrong when he said "you are who your friends are" I now know that there is nothing more true.

If we choose to be around those who are cruel or angry, we will be cruel and angry. If we choose a mentor who says "I knew feelings would be crushed" with a gleam in their eye, we too will be pleased to crush others.

Now, the conundrum is what to do with those who are close to us but who have a negative impact on our peace. Do we cut them lose and end the relationships? Or do we work on improving the relationships?  The easy thing is to cut ties. The right thing may be to work on the relationship in a way that can move the relationship to a peaceful, productive, and good thing; as Robert and Melanie did.  

Whether we decide to cut ties or work to improve the relationship, we must do our own work. Moving from one person (or one group) to the next without doing our own work will do nothing to improve our lives.

How Will We Choose to Impact Those Around Us

Moving from a chaotic address to a peaceful address and from an extremely chaotic place of employment to a less chaotic jobsite has done wonders for my own peace of mind. I want to continue to broaden that peaceful feeling enough to be able to share it with others. 

Melanie Ham is a wonderful example of teaching and supporting others in a kind manner. And in a manner that spreads positivity.  She ran a highly successful business without cutting others down. Yes, sex and drama sell and there's a good chance that those business plans can bring in more dollars - at least for a period of time. But is that who we want to be? Profit via big drama? Some people want that in their lives. I have realized that I don't. 

"Pay It Forward" is often a tangible action; paying for the coffee of the person in line behind us. But it can be an emotional gift also. We can teach, donate, comfort, encourage, volunteer, and give with a kind and happy spirit.

I am a work in progress. There were long periods of my life that I was lost and struggling. And angry. I had a lot to be angry about but I truly didn't need to carry it with me for that long of a period of time. It's a bit sad that I am approaching my 6th decade of life before starting to live a peacefully. I imagine all I could have done with my life if I had found peaceful living sooner. But... I'm finding it now.  I am finding it by surrounding myself with good, peaceful, and faithful people who give of themselves. 

I wish you peace. And the ability to pay good things forward. Thank you Melanie for the shining example of living a best life during our time on earth and the crochet patterns that gave us comfort.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing the Fiskars Clearing Machete

Why on earth would I be reviewing a machete? There are many good reasons to own a machete. Personally, I live on a piece of land with difficult terrain. While I intentionally allow some of the lot to grow wild, hopefully as welcoming habitat for the birds, butterfly, and wildlife, these weeds quickly take over areas I do not want them in. Lawn mowers and weeders (both wired and manually operated blade) do not suffice. I am very pleased with the Fiskars Clearing Machete.

The Fiskars 15" Blade Clearing Machete

After watching many machete reviews, I chose the Fiskars. To be honest, I mostly chose the Fiskars due to price point and availability (it was available here locally and I purchased it on the day I wanted to use it for the first time). While I honestly wanted to purchase some of the other machetes that were recommended, I did not feel I could spend $100 at the time. For something that I didn't know whether or not I'd be able to use it productively. I am very pleased with my purchase.

The Fiskars Clearing Machete Official Information:

• 15" blade (24" total length)
• curved steel blade
• cushioned, composite, comfortable grip
• weighs 2 lbs
• Full lifetime guarantee
• Nylon sheath included

Additional things I have noted, the blade is steel and reportedly can rust, however, it comes new with what appears to me to be some heavy, protective paint. I have not yet chipped or worn down that paint and I am very pleased with the blade. I am aware that tools made of steel should be stored in a dry place and benefit from being cleaned with appropriate oils.

I purchased an axe sharpener in order to sharpen my blade. While a few online reviewers complain of a dull blade, I was aware that I'd need to do some sharpening (as you need to do with axes and such) and I have only good experience with the blade sharpening and retaining the edge while using this in my yard/woods.

I LOVE the handle. It is a longer handle so I can choke up near the blade or hold on near the very end of the handle (my usual choice due to wanting distance from the thistles I'm cutting).  The handle is comfortable and I feel protected from the blade with the shape of the handle and that "bumper" between the handle and the blade.  I like that the handle also has a hole where I can insert a rope handle.

This machete is heavier than some. Two pounds is quite a bit for a woman in her late 50s to be swinging around. Two pounds is quite a bit for a younger active person to swing for an all-day job. But.... I only use it in small bursts of time. And I believe that the weight adds power to my wimpy swings. 

Yard Care

My yard is on a small mountain ridge. The slope is steep and the ground is rocky shale - from a sandy texture to very large rocks scattered everywhere. Mowing is difficult to impossible.  I have been advised to use weed control chemicals to eradicate these weeds. I do intentionally allow the weeds to grow because the monarch butterflies love the thistle, the birds love the mullein flowers, the pollinators love the assorted wild flowers, and the deer use the cover to hide in.  The problem is that all of these invasive plants, thistle, and wildflowers grow up quickly and are a nuisance where I don't want them. 

For example, the thistle grew to 6 - 7' tall behind my house (where the meter-reader needs to walk). 

The first area I cleared with the machete (the meter is to the left)
I was impressed with being able to clear out a significant portion of that thistle patch

The thistle has also grown around the back and sides of the chicken coop (allowing more cover for predators and more scratches on me when trying to herd a naughty chicken to the coop).

A manual weed cutter is very helpful for the grass-like plants that grow up to around 6 - 10" tall in open areas.  But it does nothing for the mullein and thistle plants. And those plants got away from me.

The Fiskars machete is perfect for the larger weeds; especially the thistle. It cuts through them like cutting through warm butter.  

Outdoor Adventuring, Overlanding, and Off-Roading

When I had my Jeep and did ORV (off-road) trails and primitive camping, this machete would have been perfect! I regret not having purchased on during that time in my life.  I could have bush-whacked through brush on overgrown trails or areas where I needed to turn around but didn't have room.  I could have cleared the green brier thorny vines in areas where I needed to pass through on foot.

Hunting and Fishing

People who hunt and fish often use trails that become overgrown. In my opinion, this is a perfect tool to attach to a backpack and have along for clearing trails or sitting spots. I'm thinking of all the times I fought the thorny vines to get to my catfish spot at North Point. This machete would have been so helpful. 

Recreational Hiking Trails 

Whether trails are very remote or fairly well-used and maintained, the thorny vines often grow across very quickly. This machete is a good choice for people whose jobs it is to maintain these trails as well as people like me, back in the day, who preferred to strap on a back pack and walk the trails where others rarely walk. I am a short woman of only 5'4" so this machete hanging from my waist is not practical. But it would have been perfect tucked into the area of my Osprey pack between my back and the pack. 

Agricultural - Crop Harvesting and Brush Clearing

I cannot speak much to agricultural harvesting and machetes. I believe I have seen plenty of clips of pineapple harvesting with machetes but I may be mistaken.  I am sure that this machete would be an excellent choice for clearing fence rows of brush and plants.  I look forward to having an extra tool (non-chemical) to try to clear away some of my rampant poison ivy vines. 

I am quite sure that I am not covering most of the uses for a good machete in agriculture and forestry industries. 

Related Links:

Our Wednesday Elf previously reviewed the Fiskars Long-Handled Swivel Grass Shears. Those shears allowed her to remain in a standing position while trimming grass along sidewalks and around the mailbox post. They swivel to cut in a horizontal or vertical position. Great for folks with actual lawns and sidewalks!!  See her review here for more information.

And don't overlook that Review This has a Gardening section. You can find the tab at the top of the page or click here and start scrolling down to see the wonderful variety of reviews related to gardening. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Sugar Birds: A Novel by Cheryl Grey Bostrom

One way to describe Sugar Birds is to call it a coming of age story. Which it is. But it is also a look at parenting, families, relationships, survival, and faith. Each of these characters were unique. However, their common bond (for the most part) was having gone through some hard times then deciding how they would treat others. All of this while they are on a search and rescue mission to locate poor little Aggie. I was completely absorbed in this book from the beginning.

The story is told by Aggie and Celia in alternating chapters. 

Aggie

Agate Esther (Aggie) is a just-turned 10 year old girl who lives with her parents and her brother. She is consumed with bird-watching. She is familiar with the forest around her and just cannot follow her mother's directions to stop climbing the trees to observe the birds. Aggie documents the birds in her notebook and is encouraged by her father to do so. However, she defies her mother's directions to stay out of the trees. After they have conflict about the issue again, Aggie decides to try to get back into mom's good favor by making kindling as a gift. Unfortunately, she inadvertently causes a house fire.

"Her chest clenched, wringing her insides hard, like a dishcloth. Dad. Mama. She killed them with those sticks. With her fire. She beat her legs with clenched first, bit her cheeks, tasted blood." - Sugar Birds

Believing she has killed her parents and will be arrested, she panics and flees to the forest to hide. She has plenty of survival skills but will she survive the predators? 

Celia

"We're on track for the cabin by eight tonight, Daddy" I flipped down the visor mirror and twisted the stud in my infected earlobe, my teeth set against its sting." - Sugar Birds

Celia is a 16 year old young lady, who thinks she's going to the family lake cabin in Washington state with her dad. Her mother, not the most warm and attentive on any day, has left them. Celia is trying to move on from that betrayal when her father discloses that he's not taking them to the cabin. He's taking her to her grandmother's home while he goes on a remote work assignment for several months. Celia is furious that her father is also leaving her and she immediately starts to formulate a plan to runaway. She believes that she'll find a way to return to Texas on her own and will stay with her friend Meredith. The very same friend that her dad doesn't approve of. 

I hope that I'm not making Celia sound like a run-of-the-mill ungrateful adolescent character. She is not. Celia is a high school math nerd, cross country runner, compassionate young lady who helps her grandmother rescue and rehabilitate birds. However, with Meredith's tutoring, she has just begun to catch the attention of boys.

"Dancing flames didn't cause those astonished stares when I walked through that crowd in Meredith's hand-tooled cowboy boots with Luke hanging on me. I swear Meredith sensed that I was about to ditch him and run to the ladies room to scrub my face and calm my hair down a little. She trotted up beside us, looped her arm in mine and whispered that I was a Harrison County version of Sandy in Grease." - Sugar Birds

After her father drops angry/hurt Celia off with her grandmother, she quickly catches the attention of Cabot. 

Mender

Marta Burke a.k.a Mender a.k.a Gram is an aclaimed biologist who has retired but who is active rehabilitating birds. She gardens. She prays. And she cares deeply for others. Mender has taught Celia the skills needed to handle and rehabilitate birds; raptors being Celia's favorite. Will Mender be able to keep Celia from being the prey?

Burnaby

Burnaby. Aggie's older brother and Loomis' employee. Burnaby has difficulty with interactions, eye contact, and affection. But his is a good employee, following rules and routines. He too loves the natural world and is very specifically drawn to bird and animal bones. 

I absolutely loved Burnaby's character. 

"Mama says I give speeches when I should be conversing. Misplaced monologues are selfish, she says. Talking should be reciprocal. Unselfish. Like tossing an apple back and forth so each hearer can catch it. She says I should listen without having a speech ready. Consider. Respond. Listen again."  - Sugar Birds

Harris & Bree

Harris is Aggie and Burnaby's father. He moved them to the area, after he left the Alaska Forest Service, in order to be close to family. He nurtured the children's love of the outdoors and knowledge base; such as foraging for edible plants and water that is safe to drink. Bree also loved the outdoors. And once-upon-a-time, she collected Agates from a cliff. And this is how they chose Aggie's name. Bree struggled with mental illness and Aggie resented the change.

Loomis & Nora

This couple is Aggie's Aunt and Uncle and Mender's neighbors. They own a dairy farm. They employ Burnaby and Cabot.

Cabot

Twenty-year-old Cabot likes Celia. As have the others, twenty-year-old Cabot has been through some rough times and he has chosen to hang on to his anger and lash out at others. He is the villain, and his behaviors are a perfect example of a budding abusive relationship. 

I LOVED Sugar Birds: A Novel by Cheryl Grey Bostrom

I am rarely able to read a book in a matter of 2-3 days. Not only did I read this in 2 days, I stayed up last night after 2:00 am trying to get to the end. I wanted to learn who survived and whether or not some of them didn't. Granted, I'm on vacation so it was an easier decision to stay up many hours past my bedtime. But I'm not so sure I would have put the book down even if I had to work the next morning. Not only were the characters interesting, but the descriptions of the setting painted the picture perfectly.

I do not feel that I've been able to review this book as it deserves. I hope you will take a peek at it on Amazon for not only the long list of awards this book has received, but the reviews from the other readers. 

If you read Where the Crawdads Sing and loved it, you'll enjoy this story. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing YouCut Video Editor for Android

I have been using YouCut Video Editor on my Android smartphone since late 2020. I hadn't thought about how much I enjoy YouCut until I had received a few comments lately about how much time I must spend editing. I really don't spend any time editing. Living in a remote area it make take hours for a brief video to upload but it often takes less than 5 minutes to create that video because YouCut is so easy to use. And best of all, YouCut is FREE.  

About YouCut

YouCut is a video editing program for Android phones. It can be found in your Play Store app. Once you've download it, the icon can be found on your phone screen. I do not believe that there is a version available for laptop operating systems. The last time I checked in a web search, you can pull up sites with titles such as "YouCut for your PC" but they are offering "alternative" video editing programs - not YouCut.

Why YouCut Has Been an Excellent Option for Me

There are many reasons YouCut has been a fantastic tool for me. I learned about YouCut from Ann's Tiny Life and Homestead youtube channel when she shared this tutorial. I didn't give it any more thought until I wanted to post photos in a slide show on YouTube. But Youtube had eliminated that option at that time. So I went back to Ann's tutorial, learned about YouCut, and successfully posted my first video; which included photos in a slide show.

These are a few of the many reasons I enjoy using YouCut:

Price - It's FREE!

Accessible via my Phone - which means the app, my photos, and my raw video clips are all in the same place. Which also means all of that is portable and with me at all times (except the days I forget my phone and head to work!). Prior to 2020, I took all my blogging photos with my beloved Sony camera. But using a camera meant moving the memory card from the camera to the laptop in order to edit and use those photos. With YouCut and my phone, I eliminate that step when sharing editing and sharing videos. (Unfortunately, my Sony currently needs repaired, so I don't have that option even if I wanted it.)

No Laptop or Desktop required - Taking the photos and videos, editing them, saving them, and uploading them is all done via my phone.  I do manage my Youtube channel from my laptop because it is easier to view than on my phone screen. But I don't have to have anything other than my phone for the videos.

Flexibility - I can use photos or videos in order to make a video. I upload to YouTube but after you save your video, you are given options to upload to a variety of platforms: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, e-mail, WhatsApp, Signal, Twitter, and "other" (which takes me to the options and apps in my phone).  

Easy to Use - I am not going to make a tutorial to show how the program works. I'm not the best person for that job. However, I recommend that you watch Ann's tutorial or one of the many others that can be found. All of the editing tools that I use already seemed familiar. 

Free Effects - YouCut offers many effects and editing tools; many that I don't even use. But I do use adding text, adding transitions between photos or clips, and I have added their free music on occasion. All of those things have been extremely easy to figure out and to use. And the best part is that the "undo" button is available. If I make a mistake, I can immediately put things back the way they were. 

the app is very easy to navigate - beginning with the start screen

adding, moving, and editing text is easy

Why Take Time to Create Videos?

There are many, many reasons to create videos.  I began making videos in order to share my personal journey (preparing to move from an urban apartment to my land, documenting my house build progress, and to keep my friends and family up-to-date on the progress).  I have continued making videos for those reasons (now that I've moved) but also to encourage others to chase their dreams. One woman saw me on social media and said that I motivated her to make the leap. She now is living her dream in a beautiful house, on a gorgeous chunk of rural land. I have made a choice to try to share more about what I'm doing because it might encourage others to act on their dreams and plans. I am a firm believer of "if I can, you can."

Some reasons others may make videos are:

• Keep in touch with family and friends
• A way to journal or document your life
• Teach others what you know - share your skills
• Show your handmade or store items - things you are offering for sale
• Make money - many people are monetized and make money with videos
• Review items - if a photo is worth 1,000 words imagine what videos are worth
• Inspire others 
• Share experiences
• People love to watch videos

I have found only one minor issue with using YouCut and my phone as my video-making and -editing device. Videos save to my phone before they upload to the platform (for me that is YouTube). This is great as you don't lose your videos. However, it quickly fills up storage space on your phone. Most people probably already know how to move their files from their phone to some other storage area but it took me a bit to learn how to do that. It is such a minor issue for people who are technologically savvy... but when my phone stopped working correctly because I couldn't figure out how to do it, I was frustrated. I have since learned how to prevent that problem by transferring the videos to other storage more frequently.

One final thought, posting yourself on social media does come with some risk. So be careful with personal information and be aware that there are some strange folks out there. Otherwise, there can be many benefits from making and sharing videos. And YouCut has been a very quick and easy way for me to do that. 

Related Link:

My YouTube channel is about my puttering around my land (now that I've moved from the apartment to my home). My dream was to get moved to my land, prepare for retirement, and putter around learning how to raise my own food. Do not feel obliged to look - my goal is not to be a "YouTuber". But if you are interested in an older lady who is figuring out how to raise things, build things, and who is looking forward to retirement someday... feel free to visit me at Dawn Rae B. If I am making progress toward my dreams, you can too. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Vacuum Sealing Jars with a FoodSaver Machine

Bad news. All dry foods such as beans, rice, flour, corn meal, and pasta may have been exposed to moths or weevils during processing and packaging at food plants or during shipping. This is how these bugs are able to hitchhike into your home - even if your kitchen is pristine. If you suddenly have tiny beetles in your flour or moths in your bag of beans, it is because the eggs have had time to hatch before you've cooked the item. Yuck! One solution to avoid this is vacuum sealing your dry goods in jars. And the FoodSaver does this.

The FoodSaver machine is fairly well-known. Many people know that it is a machine that vacuum seals food into special plastic bags. When air is removed from food products that food stays fresher longer. And many are aware that vacuum sealed frozen food is at less risk for freezer burn. But not as many people know that Mason jars can be used with the FoodSaver machine to vacuum seal food in jars. 

Important Note: Not all FoodSaver machines have the Accessory Port that is needed to vacuum seal jars. If you are shopping for a FoodSaver machine so you can seal jars, make sure that the machine has the Accessory Port. 

Jar Sealer Attachments

I purchased a set of the jar sealer attachments. The set included the hose and two jar attachment lids; one wide mouth sized and one regular mouth sized. 

In just a few easy steps, you can seal food into jars:

• place dry food such as rice, pasta or beans into the Mason jar
• lay the flat lid on top of the jar
• press the correct size of jar sealer - wide mouth or regular - over the lid and jar
• insert the hose into the jar sealer and into the FoodSaver
• move the FoodSaver lever to the "operate" position
• press the button for "vacuum"
• after hearing the vacuuming begin then end, and after the light turns off, move the lever to the open position (releasing the pressure)
• remove the jar sealer from the jar
• gently check the lid to test for a seal
• label the lid with the food item and date
• I add the ring to help keep the lid secure in case I bump the jar - but I do not screw the ring on tightly

If you are a visual learner, I have prepared a very brief video to show how I seal my jars:

Important Vacuum Sealing Flour Caution

Because flour and similar items are finely ground, the action of the vacuum sealing process can pull the flour into the accessories. So you'll need to use some sort of barrier between the flour and the vacuum sealer.  I have seen some folks use a piece of cloth or paper towel inside the top of the jar when vacuum sealing flour into jars. However, I do not feel that I'd be coordinated enough to insert the cloth correctly. While I MUCH prefer vacuum sealing in jars, flour is the one thing I prefer to use the FoodSaver plastic bags for. I learned to seal using a bag in a bag; the flour in either a clean paper lunch bag or the bag it is packaged in then sealed in the FoodSaver plastic bag.

Why I Vacuum Seal My Food

While living at my last apartment, I had purchased some bulk rice and beans. Because I was feeding only one or two people I did not go through those those bulk items very quickly. One day, I opened the cupboard to find a bag of rice with a swarm of moths inside. It was like a bad scary movie. I did some research and that was when I learned that the eggs of these insects can be present in dry foods before they reach our homes. But I was also living an a metro apartment complex where the exterminators were frequently seen onsite to battle a variety of creepy things. So really, it's hard to tell where my rice infestation came from. But it was disgusting. And I never want it to happen again.

Now I live in my single dwelling home. I do not have to be concerned about what might be living in someone else's home just on the other side of my wall. But I have a new risk for bugs. Rather than purchasing my groceries every day or two in meal-sized portions as I usually did living in a metro area, I now purchase items in bulk. My goal is to go to the store for non-perishable items only once every month or two. But that increases the opportunity for these hitchhiking eggs to hatch.

I LOVE the option of vacuum sealing in jars. I can easily see what I have. Jars are more secure (I have seen videos of people discovering rodents have chewed through plastic tubs used to store their vacuum sealed bags). If I have a large jar of vacuum sealed pasta, I can open the jar and use a very small amount and reseal the jar. 

I would say that I am saving money by buying in bulk but with today's extreme inflation I do not feel as though I am saving money. However, I am protecting the food I have invested a good deal of money in and I am reducing the number of times I need to drive to the store. There have also been times that pasta is not available on the store shelves but I am able to relax knowing that I have a little of my own in a jar at home. 

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Book Review - The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

The Four Winds is a fictional novel based on the events that occurred during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. More specifically, how one woman from Texas - Elsinore (Elsa) Wolcott - made exceedingly difficult decisions to try to keep her children alive during the 1930s. 

Elsa Wolcott lived her childhood in solitude. Defined as medically fragile and as "not nearly pretty as her sisters" the story opens as she is turning 25 and facing a future as a spinster. 

"There was a pain that came with constant disapproval; a sense of having lost something unnamed, unknown. Else had survived it by being quiet, by not demanding or seeking attention, by accepting that she was loved, but unliked" -excerpt from The Four Winds 

Elsa had learned to entertain herself by reading and survived the cruel comments by making herself as invisible as possible while her family carried on in an otherwise tight-knit group. Things started to fall apart when she informed her family that she wanted to attend college in Chicago. Her family was relatively affluent and cultured but the answer from her parents was a resounding no. They continued to define her as ill. She quietly returned to her room upstairs to her reading.

The next morning, while walking through town to the library, Elsa stopped at the mercantile where she was told about a piece of red silk. The store owner wanted Elsa to inform her beautiful sisters of this dress material. Instead, Elsa bought it for herself. 

The resulting red dress, glittery silver headband and an secret attempt to enter a speakeasy during the days of prohibition changed everything. 

Elsa responded to the first attention she received. And Raffaello entered her life. Very quickly, Elsa went from being the daughter of the in-town-living, Christian, daughter of a successful business man who sells tractors to the farmers to the wife of a young, Italian, Catholic son of struggling farmers.

 Elsa became a farmer's wife. A mother. And she became a part of a family.

The years pass. In 1934, the Great Depression had been in full swing. And it was an extraordinarily hot August. Unknown to Elsa and her family, the Dust Bowl is coming.

As the heat and dust settled in for months, and then years, Elsa had to decide whether to remain on the "farm" (now a pile of dust) with her family or escape to California for work. 

How the Story Impacted Me

I had some vague awareness of both the Great Depression and of the Dust Bowl. I knew that both were disasters. And I knew that my grandparents were frugal - saving every little thing in case it would be needed as a result of their experience (or their parent's experiences) during this era. My grandparents have been gone for a long time now. And I wish I knew their stories. But I don't. 

Now I realize how very little I know of that era and what people went through trying to survive the times. I was aware that the Dust Bowl occurred. For some reason, I imagined that nearly the entire US was in drought for a single growing season. I did not realize that it spanned the middle US states, hitting Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico the hardest. And that it lasted for years.  I knew that crops were killed. I did not realize the enormous toll it took on all livestock and wildlife. And I did not realize the extent of human lives lost. Of course, the death toll was not accurately recorded during these crises but it is thought that hundreds to thousands died of Dust Pneumonia alone. And several hundred thousands fled the plains area to try to survive. 

This story impacts me now as I consider the current happenings in the US. Wild fires, droughts, and torrential spring rains during planting season is impacting agriculture. As is the current economic situation. Many farmers and ranchers are in a tough situation as I type this. Reading this book now reminds me of the time I read the book Jaws on my first trip to Florida and visit to Cocoa Beach. I was afraid to enter the ocean for fear of what might be lurking. I am currently concerned about food supplies, our farmers and ranchers, and what disaster may be lurking next. 

Do I wish I hadn't read this book. My answer is a resounding NO. I am glad to have read this book and recommend it to others. It is a story of a woman who had not received unconditional love as a child and who not only gave unconditional love to her children but who would die for them to save them. It is the story of navigating parent-child relationships. It is a story of proud, hard-working people who just wanted to be able to take care of themselves. Their tenacity and willingness to work hard despite the odds inspires me. Despite the very tough topic and times, this book was filled with love stories. 

Bits from Author Kristin Hannah

Ms. Hannah wrote her Author's Note in May 2020. In the three years that she was writing this book the pandemic arrived in the US. Imagine that. Writing about the death, famine, and destruction of the dust bowl during the death, near-famine, and destruction of the pandemic. 

The Author notes that the timeline is not completely accurate in her fiction. She includes a suggested reading list on her website for more historically accurate information. Ms. Hannah also mentions having taken a tour of "Weedpatch" camp in Arvin, California. And a novel by Sanora Babb titled Whose Names Are Unknown. I find it interesting that Babb's manuscript was submitted in 1939 and was not published until 2004. Read more about that here. I will be reading Ms. Babb's book.

Other Books of Interest

Reading about the dust bowl reminded me of another famine. The potato famine. Like the Dust Bowl, I had known that a potato famine in Ireland occurred. But I had no idea of the extent of it until I had read Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly.  You can read my review of that historical fiction here. I highly recommend it and have read it more than once.

Apparently, the Review This Reviews! contributors are Kristin Hannah fans. Our previous reviews are listed below:

• The Great Alone reviewed by Renaissance Woman
• Home Front reviewed by Treasures by Brenda
• The Nightingale reviewed by Treasures by Brenda
• Summer Island reviewed by Dawn Rae

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Reviewing Why I Make and Recommend Bannock

Bannock, a type of bread that is made in a skillet or pan on the stovetop or open fire, has been something I have made off and on over the years. But recently, Bannock has been in the forefront. Between being an integral part of a book series I've just read and being what I'm making for breakfast this morning, I thought I'd share with you.

What is Bannock?

After a Google search, it seems that Bannock (with a variety of spellings) was a Gaelic word meaning "morsel" and is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is a flat, unleavened bread and it is thought to have been introduced to North America by Scottish immigrants. 

You'll hear the words fry bread and bannock use interchangeably at times. The Indigenous people of North America make an unleavened fry bread. I believe that the original Scottish bannock used oatmeal and the North American fry bread originated with meal made of corn or nuts. At some point in time, both versions began using flour.

For my personal use and definition, Bannock is a yeastless bread that is made of flour, baking powder, and a liquid and is cooked on an almost dry skillet.  Fry bread is similar but "fried" with a larger amount of oil. I am sure others have their definitions, but this is mine. Bannock is something that hikers, campers, and hunters can easily make while on the trail.

Bannock for Breakfast

Today has turned cold and stormy. Thunder claps and lightning had me rushing to check on the outside animals before crawling back under the blankets. I felt too lazy to make breakfast but I was hungry. When I finally got up and moving, I made bannocks and scrambled eggs with sausage crumbles. 

During the moving process from the apartment to my land, my best friend was helping at one point and made a crack that I had "several" cans of baking powder. When I told him that I planned to be able to make Bannock if I get snowed in on the mountain he understood completely. He is an avid outdoorsman who has also made bannock while camping.

I started making bannock when I was camping in "The Shack" on my land. With only 4 ingredients, it was an easy thing to have on hand in off-grid conditions. As the house build began, I camped in the little shed and conditions were more austere. The shed was such a very small space for camping and storing supplies. But I could make bannock on my single camp stove burner.

I use the version by Liz Thomson. The ingredients are:

• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 c warm water
• herbs such as rosemary are optional (I use the most minuscule shake of Mrs. Dash)

I use this version because it is the smallest recipe and makes 3-4 small biscuits. I found that olive oil kept well in my off-grid camping situations. There are versions that use butter, lard, bacon grease, and so on. While those version often have more flavor, those ingredients were more difficult for me to make sure I had on hand. 

Not only did I make bannock while I was camping I also made bannock at the apartment. During quarantine and supply chain situations, I sometimes made bannock in lieu of bread. I also made homemade bread that required yeast and time to rise - because I had that time. But bannock is much more quick and easy to make. It was great to have with a can of soup. And as I told my friend, I made sure to buy some (okay, many) cans of baking powder ahead. Now that I've moved to a rural area (a mountain ridge in West Virginia) I could easily be snowed in for a long period of time. Bannock is something that I can make in a pan on top of my woodstove if I am without electricity. So I'm set in that regard.

I highly recommend that people try making bannock in the event they want or need an easy-to-make bread at home or on the trail.

Bannock in the Books

I mentioned that I just read about bannock in a fictional series I was reading. I love to read. It takes my mind off of the issues at work. But I don't have much spare time, focus, or energy. So I need the story to grab me and keep me immersed. 

I am so glad that I read a series that was reviewed by Sylvestermouse Cynthia here on Review This! The series is the Tales from the Highlands series. Book 3 in that series written by Martha Keyes is The Innkeeper and the Fugitive. Ana MacMorran flees her home and an arranged marriage. She does not want to marry the villainous laird of Benleith. During her criminal escape from this contract, she finds herself at Glengour Inn. There she secretly assumes an identity of another in order to try to hide.

At Glengour Inn, travelers stop for a bit of bannock and drink before continuing on their travels.

I enjoyed the Tales from the Highlands series immensely. If you'd like to know more about the series, check out Cynthia's book reviews:

The Widow and the Highlander (book 1)  

The Enemy and Miss Innes (book 2) 

The Innkeeper and the Fugitive (book 3) 

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Movie Review: The Biggest Little Farm

I recently watched The Biggest Little Farm and loved it so much that I am going to order the DVD so that I can watch it repeatedly. The Biggest Little Farm is a film documenting a couple who jump from apartment life to farm life and their progress toward regenerative farming. It is a beautifully filmed story about chasing and obtaining dreams as well as caring deeply for the land.

"This all started with a promise we made to a dog"

 In 2010, John and Molly were living in an apartment in Santa Monica, California. She is a private chef who specialized in traditional cooking methods. She dreamt of owning a farm and growing everything she could cook. While they lived in this apartment, she grew her own tomatoes on her balcony and shopped at farmer's markets.

John is a filmmaker. While filming an animal hoard situation, with over 200 animals being removed, John met one particular dog and fell in love. They adopted the big black fluffy dog with the just-look-at-those eyes and named him Todd.

"Todd filled us with purpose."

"We made one promise to him... our home would be his last."

Except Todd was not necessarily cooperative. He. Barked. Nonstop. Large fluffy dog in an apartment barking during every moment his family is away is not a good situation. The poor neighbors complained. Molly and John tried many different things to try to solve the problem including dog trainers, calming dog vests, and taking him everywhere they went. 

Eventually, the eviction notice arrived. Molly and John had some tough choices to make.

They decided that Molly's dream of living on a farm would be the solution. Farms are perfect for dogs. And for people who eat farm to table. Except there was a problem. Molly and John did not have the funds. So they got investors for this land and this "old way of farming". And they purchased Apricot Lane Farm approximately 1 hour north of Los Angeles.

They wanted to turn this neglected piece of land into a healthy and thriving farm with traditional farming practices and they highlighted how farms have turned into singular-focused businesses. For example, each farm specializes in one item such as avocados. Or chickens. But Molly and John wanted to "emulate how natural ecosystems work. They regulate themselves through diversity".  But how to achieve that? 

A man named Alan York mentored them. He had a vision that they couldn't quite see. And he had a plan. This plan included starting the land over and removing what had been planted there. John and Molly didn't quite understand where he was going with his plan. It's hard to understand what you don't know but they followed his advice the best they could.

In order to avoid spoilers, I will stop here.

Recommending The Biggest Little Farm

I highly recommend this film. The cinematography was breath-taking at points. The film was a combination of high quality and beautifully filmed sections that were "National Geographic" in quality mixed with clips from what appeared to be home-videos shot from a handy cell phone. 

I did find myself wondering how in the world they just happened to have all of these video clips over the years that were adequate to tell the story. And the cynical side of me thought it had to be set up or staged in some way. But during an interview I have since watched, John answers that concern. Being a filmmaker, documenting their journey was a part of his everyday life (I imagine much like I find myself filming my chickens, deer, and the sunsets on my ridge each day). In addition, some of their interns had a similar interest in journalism. So they decided to video and to save those videos; the good, bad, and in between. This is how they had so many pieces of the journey on video.

At points, I also thought that they were going to go down the path of farmer-bashing which would have irritated me. But they didn't. They pointed out that farming has been moving away from farms with a variety of crops/livestock to businesses with a single crop/focus.

Is their natural, regenerative ecosystem something I could replicate? Well. No. I am not up to the challenge of finding investors to buy 200 acres of land. Nor am I organized enough to bring in interns to help. I can barely manage myself most days. However, I would LOVE to have this sort of ecosystem, in miniature, on my land in some way. Much like when John and Molly listened to Alan York's directions in the beginning, I just don't quite get it. But I am trying to learn.

This is not a how-to movie. There are no step-by-step directions and I will have to do much research on my own. However, this movie does give a visual overview of how a very damaged ecosystem begins to find it's balance with some help. This movie inspires. This also is a movie about humans who loved a dog enough to give him his forever home.

Rent or Buy The Biggest Little Farm?

You can do as I did and rent this movie on Amazon Prime for just a few dollars. I realized that with Amazon Prime, I could rent movies and avoid buying the DVDs and Blu-Rays that stack up and collect dust when I don't care to view them again. When I rent a movie that I know I'll want to re-watch many times, I do end up buying the copy. This is one of those movies that I will order so that it is on my bookcase and I can watch it again and again.

 

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Reviewing Two Gardening Planner Visual Aids That Helped Me Get Started

Not counting tomatoes and squash, I have not been a successful gardener. And I would dearly love to have a productive vegetable garden. However, I am especially bad at starting my own seeds. I am also really bad at putting plants out too late in the season. Until this year!  This year I have had the help of two seed-starting guides. Today I am reviewing the Clyde's Garden Planner and my local Extension Service Garden Calendar. I haven't yet transplanted my seedlings outside but already am seeing much better results!

 

I have never had much success at starting vegetable seeds for gardens. I also have never had much success outside of growing tomatoes and squash. It always caused me to wonder - why could I grow enough tomatoes and squash to feed a small army but nothing else. Over the past couple of seasons I have learned that successful seed starting has to do with two main things; timing related to last frost and growing conditions. Here I am reviewing two things I am depending on this year with seed starting that relates to timing related to frost dates.

My Past Garden Failures - Not Understanding Frost Dates and Growing Seasons

My gardening style had historically been to buy all of the different vegetable plants I wanted, when they are available in the store, and stick them in the ground (or containers when I lived in the apartment) at the same time. Most - if not all - of those plants died.

Because I am a procrastinator, I often planted late in the spring. I now realize that it was warm enough then for the tomatoes and squash to be happy. But the cool weather plants withered away. And the plants that needed a longer growing season never had the length of time they needed to produce their vegetable.

When I did start seeds, I would start tomatoes indoors and they sprouted despite my ineptitude. If I was lucky enough (rather than skilled enough) to place them in a south-facing window, I ended up with excellent tomato plants. Otherwise, I ended up with super tall, super thin plants that died (I know now that this is called "leggy" and it's from lack of adequate light). I found that I could start squash plants outside by putting seeds in the ground by the time I got around to it (very late spring/early summer). But plants such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkin would grow vines but no vegetable. They didn't have enough time.

I have since learned that vegetable seeds need to be started in related to frost dates. Which means the "last frost date" which is the projected last day in the spring that your area could receive frost and the "first frost date" which is the projected first day in the fall when the temperatures are lowering and frost could appear. 

Last Frost Date and Counting Backward

Somewhere along the way, I learned that seed packets give directions about starting seeds. For example, my Amish Paste Tomato seed packets read "Start indoors 6-10 weeks before last frost."  That's very helpful. 

It is easy to do an internet search for your expected last frost date for that year. This year, mine is May 5th. But then it was a matter of using a calendar and counting back however many weeks for each thing I wanted to plant. I am not an organized type of person and this making lists from calendars and counting back was sheer madness for me.

Then I discovered Clyde's Garden Planner. Absolute relief. 

Clyde's Garden Planter was the best $7 I have ever spent. It is a simple sleeve of super thick card stock folder over, holding another piece of card stock that slides back and forth. You locate your average last frost date in the spring, slide the red line indicating the last frost to that date, and voila! You can easily and quickly see the recommended planting dates (and whether it is to "seed indoors" or "outdoor planting") of 21 different plants!

Easy as that!

I cannot adequately describe how helpful this one little visual tool has been.

More advanced gardeners will appreciate that at each end of the slide there is a wealth of information such as 

• how many ounces of seeds for a 10' row
• planting depth
• distance between rows
• distance between plants
• approximate produce yields per 10' row
• natural plant companions

Finally, turn the card over and you have the chart for summer and fall planting related to the first frost date expected in the fall. 

2022 Garden Calendar - WV Extension Service

The other visual aid that I was thrilled to find just a couple of weeks ago was this wonderful calendar. I received my free copy from a local family-owned nursery.

In this calendar, the pages are full of information about when to plant or harvest plants, reminders for gardening schedules (such as fertilizing, propagating, and watching for garden pests). 

As each area is very different, I will not go into more detail about this calendar. And while I knew that in the United States, we have the Extension Offices that we can contact if we have questions about things such as invasive insects. But I did not know that there was information such as this calendar available. At least at my local Extension Office.

If you are not aware of what your local Extension Office offers, it would be worth giving them a call or checking out their website. 

Related Links:

If you'd like to see a video of my Tomato and Pepper seedlings, click here. I am not an official "YouTuber". I started posting videos to show family and friends my progress on my land. Now that I've moved into my new home I have had a bit more to share and a bit more people interested in looking. 

I previously reviewed The First-Time Gardener Growing Vegetables by Jessica Sowards which has been an extremely helpful and encouraging book about gardening. 

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