Fried Brain to Order

"The effect of a crisp highly-starched muslin dress upon a man of quick emotions is rapid and startling. The first impulse is to crush it between the arms, and crumple it up like a silverpaper balloon; but such desires cannot be indulged without the excuse of an affectionate embrace sanctioned by the parents of the young lady.Is it not beautiful to gaze on the female form, clouded in fluttering gauze, and floating over the ground white and aerial as a puff of steam? Through the transparent skirt the embroidered petticoat displays its costly work, and the machinery of the little feet may be watched as under a glass-case, with increasing interest. The shoulders are seen through the slight haze of the bodice, and they are delicately fair."

Augustus Mayhew, Faces for Fortunes, 1865

All month I had been looking forward to dance practice, workday at the Sullivan's house, and contra dancing at an awards banquet. I had been experiencing headaches, low energy, backaches, and discovered I had a high fever that we figured out was the flu. So, I'm staying at home taking supplements and foods with high nutritional value. Very unproductive two days...one of the things I detest the most is unproductivity. Here's what I did Tuesday.

My cotton petticoat freshly washed and air-dried. ^^^

I went on to boil a large amount of starch with water on the stove till boiling, let that cool and then dumped into the sink. Immersed petti into starch and massaged into petti. Proceeded to wring out the extra starch, which was very heavy and thick, and then hung to dry. Was supposed to go in every couple of hours to pull apart petti from itself so it wouldn't glue together...but was stranded at a friend's house because of super-heavy fog. Took me 20 minutes to pull apart every little fold of this petti and the bottom of my other petticoat.  Dried for a day and a half.

Sprinkled with water and ironed. Stiffer before ironing, but still good. After wringing out a heavy petticoat (big workout!) and ironing, I can understand fully why it took women from the 1850's two-three days to do this. Worth it though....I have more width under my dress. Will post pictures when I wear my dress.

What do I do when I get sick? Here's some things that Dr. Mercola suggests that my family has done for years:     http://www.mercola.com/
Vitamin C: A very potent antioxidant; use a ntural form such as acerola, which contains associated micronutrients.
Oregano Oil: The higher the carvacrol concentration, the more effective it is. Carvacrol is the most active antimicrobial agent in orgeano oil.
Propolis: Bee resin is one the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world; propolis is also the richest source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important compounds that aid in immune response and even fight cancer.
A tea made from a combination of elderflower, yarrow, boneset, linden, peppermint, and ginger; drink it hot and often for combating a cold or flu. It causes you to sweat, which is helpful for eradicating a virus from your system.
Olive leaf extract:  Ancient Egyptians and Mediterranean cultures used it for a variety of health-promoting uses and it is widely known as a natural, non-toxic immune system builder.

For the flu, I also use peroxide in ears, royal jelly, Vitamin C, liquid D, coconut oil, BronchoPhase, ImmunoPhase, Virastop, juices high in ORAC, (cherry, goji) Black seed oil, and homepathic pills. Used to use colloidal silver in nebulizer, but now just use 5/1 radio water and peroxide. (helps break down gunk in lungs)

Mom prohibited me from doing anything with major thinking involved, so my two favorite things, reading and playing the piano, were out. Watched Food Network all day, and now am craving fresh, savory Mexican food. Please hop into my mouth, oh yummy heirloom tomatoes and fresh cilantro!

In Christ Alone,
Kendle

"Salvation is by works....the works of God." Pastor Joe

Snowy Days and Patient Hearts

Here is a picture of our beautiful dirt road covered in 10 inches of snow...you can call it Snowmageddon, Snowicane, or Snow-I-anything. Everybody I knew on Facebook was posting picture albums with goofy names like that...silly.

So busy. Going through the Chemistry and Algebra on my GED program is not easy and I haven't gotten all my assignments done. Through all this, daily Proverbs readings about pursuing Wisdom convict me of my stubbornness. Give me love for math, Lord, and make me stay sane! ;-) But only have 1-1 1/2 weeks left of doing this program...yay! Still don't know where the Lord wants me in college. As Luke Bryan says, "Don't worry 'bout nothing, pray about everything." Good motto.

Every day I read three verses from Proverbs during my devotion with the Lord. "Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright." Proverbs 4:26 Consider well the path of your life and your purpose. Not just thinking about it for a fleeting few moments, but think hard about it. Show me what you have planned for me, Lord! Give me wisdom, show me where to go, what to do, and how I can glorify you in the process!
Close by is one of my favorite verses, "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life. What do we need to guard our hearts from? Sin. Improper thoughts. Youthful lusts and desires. Giving our hearts away to someone who isn't our husband/wife. Heresy or theology that doesn't match up with Scripture & the character of God. Pride. Hate. Idolizing worldly things. And much more I can't remember right now.  

 And this cooked amazingness is my father's work. He enjoys, like me, to dream up recipes for all sorts of things, and is constantly improvizing. Some experiments are delicious, and some are just weird. I won't ever forget the three days he made smoothies loaded with maca...and forced all us kids to drink the thick, pasty globby smoothie. I gag now. Ggggkkk.    
Unfortunately, they mostly are cheesy omelets and gravy with fried potatoes. This picture is french fry cut fried potatoes, onion, green onion, sausage, cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese. Baked in a 75-year old cast-iron skillet in the oven. Completely and totally horrible for you. Artery clogging, heart attack inducing comfort food, but oh! it was so good! My belly said more, but my waistline said PLEASE STOP!
;-)


Schatze loves playing in the snow! She is confused on how to use the bathroom...when she sinks into the snow. :-)

My Mom, my sister Allison and I joined a Christian community choir a few months ago. Our good friends have raved about how much fun it was, and after watching a performance, we knew we wanted to be part of this! Every Monday we meet for 2 1/2 hours to practice...we get to sing praises to Jesus! Many of us come from different Protestant Christian backgrounds, so we've learned some new hymns that I just love! And singing in a choir directed by Calvin Yoder is so beautiful to listen to, it's perfect harmony.

Jesus, hold my hand/ I need Thee ev'ry hour
Thru..... this pilgrim land/ Protect me by Thy pow'r;
Hear... my feeble plea/ O Lord,....look down on me.
When I kneel in pray'r I hope to meet you there/ Blessed Jesus, hold my hand.

In Christ alone,
Kendle Laycock

Coconut Oil. Snow.

Well, let's see if I can fit all this in one blog post without making YOU go nuts.

Hi all. I have been so busy I haven't had time to even think! Between finishing up a GED online program, working out, church, Bible study, practicing the piano, and playing around with food I'm swamped with business. Or not. Whatever you like to think, I feel busy and have been.



A young coconut.

Two weeks ago I listened to a talk radio show by David Sandoval on Coconut Oil....love him! He's a world-renown nutritionist, into disease prevention through whole foods, and an expert on all the qualities of coconut oil. Here's some things you may not know about coconut oil:

1. It does not make you fat. The fat in CO is a MCT (medium-chain triglycerides), which strengthens the immune system and gives a quicke energy boost. CO is a stable fat, and because it is not stored in your body & it doesn't turn into a trans fat, it will in fact burn fat & calories....resulting in WEIGHT LOSS! One year farmers fed CO to their cattle thinking it would make them fat...they had cattle so skinny nobody would buy their meat! I eat 1 to 2 tablespoons of CO a day, and lost 4 pounds when I started this.

2. Doesn't raise your cholesterol like other saturated fats. It's anti-viral & anti-microbial properties prevent heart disease. Increases your energy & metabolism. If you have an over-active thyroid or an under-active thyroid, it balances it out. Keeps fungus, mold & bacteria out of your blood, and rids the body of parasites. Only coconuts & breast milk have monolaurin, which is similiar to colostrum for disease fighting properties.

3. When you heat normal oils, they become trans fats that are unstable, prone to oxidation, the free radical production speeds up, and because of this, they are very inflammatory inside our bodies. Through this heating process, oils like canola, cottonseed, safflower, corn, soybean, and grapeseed cause problems like diabetes, heart disease, & other degenerative diseases. CO is very stable, resistant to oxidation; it is PERFECT for cooking and has a long shelf life. We use it in place of any cooking oil. Here's a recipe for a delicious, quick drink I made & lost weight drinking:

Vanilla Coconut Shake
by Ani Phyo from her book "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen"

1 cup pecans/walnuts                   1/2 pitted dates or sweetener of choice (I used honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla                       2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted works good)             3 cups water

Blend the pecans, honey, vanilla, coconut oil, and water until smooth. Tasted a little like cream! So yummy.


"Cereal": sesame sprouts, hemp seed, apple, cinnamon, honey

Tried sprouting....and then saw how it's similiar to Christian life & growth.
First you clean the seeds/nuts. This is Christ regenerating our heart, saving & drawing us to Him.. Then you soak them for a few hours. Remember as a new Christian reading your Bible for hours on end? (wish I had time for that!) Then you rinse them a few times, drain, and then put them by the light for 3-8 hours so they can grow. We must be rinsed of the worlds dirtiness and drained of our selfish desires, refreshed by Scripture reading & prayer, and walking by God's light to grow. Then the seeds must be continually rinsed, and drained, 3-8 hours later, rinsed and drained, etc. We will not grow as God's little Sprouts if we do not read our Bible and pray every day! What happens when we do? Even though others may not always see it, we will grow, grow, grow like sprouts grow.   :-) Thank-you Lord for earthly symbols...simple people may know You and grow in Your wisdom because of it!


Buckwheat sprouts



Allison & I shoveling snow


 Made "Chicken Wild Rice" soup....since the cooked soup is so addictive I had to think-up a barely raw recipe so I didn't feel guilty every time I ate it. Sauteed some chopped onions, celery, and carrots lightly in the skillet. Mixed hot water with chicken base and then added to un-sweetened nut milk with spices. Added vegetables, and then some soaked wild rice. (wouldn't use the rice again though) Great broth, not perfectly raw, gluten-free, but it was so delicious!! And quick too.  

Chia Pudding...1 cup nut milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch sea salt, honey/sweetener to taste, and ground or whole chia seeds. Shake everything together in handy little Blender Bottle, sit in fridge for 10 minutes. Enjoy this quick one!

Little raw dog Schatze. Here she is begging for her favorite food...walnuts. She also loves kale, flaxseed, lettuce, corn, coconut oil, greens, and fresh-picked blueberries. Constant source of amusement. What a funny, sweet little thing.

My family have been pestering me non-stop, and it's getting a little bit annoying. ;-) And I'd like to know what YOU think. They want me to start selling my Cookies to the world. Like Nature's Pantry the world. Scary, but cool. They're just a little chocolate dehydrated cookie filled with nutrient-rich seeds and superfoods that I dreamt up & for some reason my family raves about them & believes I could make a lot of money on it. What do you think? Is it worth a try? Or is my family stark-raving mad? ;-)

In Christ alone and striving to be a likeness of Him,
Kendle

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

...to save us all from Satan's pow'r when we were gone astray....

Greetings dear friends of mine...time for me to be the selfish creature I am by nature and write something about myself.


Laycock family with Ellis grandparents
Christmas 2010

Whoever you may be, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and hopefully you didn't get everything you think you deserve. ;-)

My family really scaled back on the presents this year: each of us got one book & one movie plus whatever was in our stockings. Less is more...the simpler the better. I am really enjoying my new Mansfield Park (Jane Austen) book and using my sturdy hair clip from Lilla Rose. Also ate all 5,000 calories worth of Reese's Cups chocolate given to me....oh the sugar high. Had a jolly good time visiting & playing card games with Grandma & Grandpa Ellis who came up from Arizona for a day.


Mom, dog Schatze & I relaxing after Thanksgiving



L-R: Lauren, Catherine & I pulling taffy at Missouri Town 1855 for the Christmas Celebration in the Luttrell Cabin.



Allison & I goofing

This is my sister Allison. I was born in 1990, she was born 2 1/2 years later. After my Savior Jesus Christ, she is my best friend. We drew together, dressed up as princesses, indians, princes, cowgirls, etc., made mud pies, stole chocolate from under Mom's nose, ran around in our woods with the dog, made blanket houses & indian teepees, listened to Disney cassette tapes, water-painted, and rode our bicycles barefoot down our dirt road for hours at a time. We disagree on quite a few things, and even have a selfish or hormone-driven fight every once in a while...but we also have spent many long hours talking in our parent's bathroom, (the bathtub or the sink-top is the comfiest spot) giggling about nothing, playing pranks & scaring each other, crying & praying together, and laughing about all the funny things the kids say out at camp. I love you, Allison. I know I would be a lot less sane if you weren't around to talk with or keep things lively.


Making sweet tea.

I may be a raw food, gluten-free, "don't-cook-the-majority-of-your-food" advocate, but there are just some cooked, heated things I could never get away from. Sweet tea is one of them. In this photo I'm making mint green sweet tea using the Bigelow brand. Used honey and (eeeekkkkkkkkkkk!) white SUGAR! Soooo yummy.

Speaking of healthy food....I have to tell you about one of the best meals ever!! First you fix a simple romaine lettuce salad with tomato and top with a light vinagrette dressing. Then:


Braised Red Cabbage with Bacon

And then, for the crowning glory of the meal:

Spaghetti Squash with Homemade Marinara

Oh....meat-sauce is delicious but this is a great veggie meal, except for the bacon in the cabbage. Makes my mouth water...and isn't it beautiful? Yes, I know I'm weird. But food is very pretty. I don't like it to look ugly.

Well, I am looking into college possibilities and a potential job might be on the horizon. These ain't set in stone, but two things that keep coming up in my brain are dental hygenist & physical therapy assistant. Any ideas? Still praying and asking the Lord for guidance on what to do with the rest of my life. Prayer would be appreciated. My greatest desire will always be to be a wife & mother, but until then I want to work on a back-up if that never happens. Most of all, I just want to glorify my Savior with whatever I do and constantly draw closer to Him & serve him in my daily life by loving others as He loves a sinner like me. Saying that is easy, but doing it can be done only through Christ working through & in me. "Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:11-12

Well my precious friends, have a good couple of weeks. Don't be shy...even though I hide in the deep, dark recesses of my personal cave, I still want to communicate with others around me. ;-)

In Christ alone,
Kendle

"You'll never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have."-Adrian Rogers