April 22, 1970

The first Earth Day.

I was 17 years old, a junior in High School. I remember walking the 3 miles to school that day.

What had happened? In the late 60's and early 70's there was a lot of excitement, a lot of discussion, a lot of new (and some old) ideas going around. At my school, some of the teachers decided it would be a good idea to form "discussion clubs" where the students COULD discuss almost anything. A teacher would be present, perhaps to guide or monitor some of the discussion. The teacher could refer us to resources, books, articles, more information on a given topic.

We started off discussing the things that were of major importance to us: Vietnam and drugs. But we were hearing a lot about eco-action, and we started talking about the earth, what we were doing to hurt it and what we could do to help.

The very first Earth Day, we walked to school. (Okay, the kids who lived more than 5 miles away didn't). After that, we tried to take the idea of car-pooling seriously. We talked about mpg instead of horsepower when we talked about cars we wanted.

Did we make a difference? I like to think that we helped. Because we were willing to become aware, and to discuss recycling, conservation, pollution, and helping the earth, we were a small part of what became a large movement.

Forty years later, there is still a lot to be done. But starts have been made. Programs are in place, and people are aware.

And forty years later, Earth Day is still a day when all of us think about our planet and how to make it a little better, a little cleaner, a little heathier for ALL of us.

In the forty years since then, we've heard/learned about how clear-cutting the Amazon rainforest hurts us here in the US.

Earth day helped us all to realize that we ARE all in this together. We only have this one planet, and ALL of us are responsible for keeping it functioning for the next generations. We may not do much, but planting a tree, picking up trash, not littering, walking instead of driving when you're going less than a mile; all of these things help planet Earth.

Earth Day not only commemerates the beginning of serious ecology awareness to many of us, it also marks a day when we began to realize that we are one people on one Earth.

National Day of Silence

I came to this information from another blog I regularly read --don'tgetmestarted.com by Linda Sharp. Google it and you will find a wealth of opinion, humor, and commentary on our lives. She also does some wicked re-caps (or recraps, as she calls them) on Americal Idol.

Anyway, today was a National Day of Silence. This was a day on which mid-school and high-schoold students "tak a vow of silence to bring attention to anti GLBT name-calling, bullying and harrassment at their schools."

WOW.

I graduated from high school in 1971. Of the students I kept contact with after high school, one came out as lesbian, one came out as gay. I was called a lesbian for putting my arm around another girl and comforting her when something went wrong.

Sexuality, indeed, sex was not an overt topic at school. There were the one or two girls who "got in trouble" (notice how it never was the boys?) Drugs and drinking were discussed more freely then sex.

Yes, this was not long after the gay community first began to make themselves visable.

But to me, the striking thing is -- The idea of SILENCE against bullying. From what we see in the news, bullying is the BIG issue today in mid and high school. Bullying. Not mere teasing, not mere "shuning" (which you by-passed by finding a group YOU were comfortable with and ignoring the "in" crowd)

Some of it is due to today's technology. When I stepped off the school bus, I was DONE with dealing with the 7th grade bullies. Today, FaceBook, cell phones, texting, all mean that a child is connected 7/24 to their social circle. Or their social tormentors.

Times like this make me very, very glad I never had kids.

"Stickes and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. " That worked for me, in the 1960's. It doesn't work today.

I applaud all of those students who took the pledge and made today a day of silence in support of those around them who may have a different orientation but are non the less, human, teenagers, angst-ridden (weren't we all) and caring individuals.

Under our clothes, we are all naked. Under our skins, we are all human.

Something to consider.

The Chiffon Disaster

The title of this post is curtesy of my friend, Gwendy who wrote about the Disaster Cherry Jam

For dessert on an Easter dessert, I decided to make a lemon chiffon. This is lemon curd, stirred into unflavored gelitan, and then stiffened eggwhites.

To make lemon curd, you need a double boiler. I have a double boiler. However, out of vanity, I decided that my one-quart double-boiler was not big enough. Not big enough for four egg yolks, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar. My very, very bad.

I have 2 2 quart pans. Slightly different configurations. However, they nest together. I decided I could use them for my double-boiler. Put water in the larger, put egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in the smaller. Set water to boil. Once water was boiling, put second pan into first. Began stirring. Notices pans had apparently locked together. Thought "Oh shit, will have problems separating them later." Continued stirring custard.

Laws of physics ignore ignorance of cooks. Boiling water created sufficient pressure to blow entire matter off stove.

I remember giving one LOUD "YIP!" My husband heard POP of pan forcing up, my "YIP", then my SCREAMS as boiling mixture hit my face.

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Does not begin to describe!!!!

DROPPED PANS, TURNED FROM STOVE, TURNED ON FAUCET, SOAKED DISHRAG AND PLACED AGAINST FACE!!! REPEATEDLY!!!!

George grabed a bowl, poured in ice and ice water, handed me dishtowel, and I continued face applications!!!!!!!!!!

Once I could remove towel from face for more than 15 seconds, called Gwendy. She knew when I said "Is this nurse Gwendy?" that SOMETHING was wrong.

She brought me salve, and fortuneately, other than one or two blisters on my face, I am mostly recovered.

Clearly, my dessert for tomorrow is not going to happen as scripted. However, I still have eggwhites and lemmon zest. I believe it will turn into lemon macaroons.

BTW. Gwendy and Gil were ALREADY my guests for dinner tomorrow, BEFORE I needed "nurse Gwendy"

NEXT time I go to make lemon chiffon, I will use the 1 quart double boiler. And honestly, how ofter would I EVER need anything bigger??