Thinking About Life

My Life in Curtains

Dr. Linda Karges-Bone

          My husband just didn’t get it. Why did we need to spend time and money on the “perfect” curtains for our daughter’s condo? She was in graduate school. She had a safe place to live. She had  furniture, a stocked pantry, and even a large, copiously shedding rescue dog named Sullivan, all coordinated by mommy and daddy…..so why another trip to Target for a specific pair of brown print curtains with coordinating hardware? He just didn’t get it, but I did. A girl needs her curtains. I always have. In many ways, I can recount the story of my life, in curtains.

          The late 1960’s. My sisters and I are close. The three of us shared a room for most of our lives, mostly in military housing where it is difficult to create a personal space or style. Maybe that is why we loved to re-arrange our furniture so frequently and to change the curtains. We would raid mommy’s linen closet and pull out something fresh and different for our special place. I’ll have to give my mother credit; she never balked at our choices, as long as things were cleaned and ironed.  Old kitchen “café” curtains sprinkled with fruits and flowers? It was our  summer look. Recycled drapes from Grandma LaPorta’s living room? The formal look, perfect with our matching chenille bedspreads from Sears.  We liked to add accoutrements to the  window treatments…..scarves, sashes, bows, and lengths of gold-tipped fringe from a giant bag of remnants  that came to us by way of some cousins in New York who had once made lace and tassels for the “best” casinos in Atlantic City. Or so we were told.

          Fortunately, there seemed no end to the treasures in mommy’s linen closet. She had the curtain fever too and though our financial resources were modest, she always seemed to have stacked shelves. I remember my grandmother and godmother sending brown, twine wrapped packages from The City , New York City, the only one that counted, filled with boxes of Italian pasta that we couldn’t get in the wilderness, the delicate blue boxes of rigatoni, fusilli, orzo, and pastina  buffered with layers of lacey sheers, appliquéd panels, or fringed valences that had once lived in another Italian mama’s linen chest. I still have some of the sheer panels, probably 40 years old now, but still good.

          The same grandmother who used curtains as packing material for fragile boxes of pasta established my connection with curtains. In her dark, immensely fascinating basement kitchen in Queens, there was a blue calico curtain covering the closet that held the biscotti, the pink china coffee cups, and the expresso. This was the holy of holies, off limits to little hands,  and my brothers and sisters and I always associated the “blue curtain” with grandma’s house, her cooking, and her love.

          I suppose that connection between love and curtains was tested when I washed the kitchen curtains in my then fiancé’s bachelor pad.  They fell apart. Literally. “Haven’t you ever washed those curtains?” I asked, horrified.

          “Why?” he sniffed, “Why would I?”  For this reason alone, he needed a wife, and quickly. In spite of my university degrees and commitment to a robust professional life, I hold fast to the belief that a woman’s home , especially the curtains,  are a point of pride.

          So, he got new kitchen curtains, yellow dotted Swiss, which horrified him, and a new bride, whom he tried to please by spending Saturday mornings nailing up hardware for, what else, more drapes, shades, and curtains. This time for our first home.

          Curtains mark the big events in a long marriage. The day we were robbed, I knew that something was terribly wrong when I came home from teaching school to find the drapes torn down from the three living room windows, tossed to the floor as the thieves ransacked our little brick home in the country.

          The day we hung the yellow and green “Winnie the Pooh” curtains in the nursery, with matching shades stenciled by a teacher friend, to welcome our first daughter.

          The  matching pink “country ruffles” in the girls’ rooms when we moved into our new home;  this time there were two sets exactly the same, for two tiny girls.

          The first curtains that the girls picked out when they began decorating their own rooms. Dinosaurs for one girl. Shabby Chic for another.  Drapes of white Christmas lights during the holidays.

          The first “real drapes” that I bought for the formal dining room, when we could afford dining room furniture.

          Sometimes, taking down the curtains was part of the story. After Hurricane Hugo ravaged our heavily wooded property, I took down all the shades and curtains in our large, country kitchen. I wanted to see it all, the light, the trees, the starkness of what had happened.

          Curtains are a frame and not just for windows. I think of them as an expression of what I am feeling and doing and becoming at the time. Whimsical? Traditional? Open and bright? Comforting and protected? The act of choosing the curtains, washing, pressing, hanging, and then letting the room envelop me brings a unique sense of satisfaction.

          “I have made this place my own,” I think. The curtains, or sometimes lack of them, are a statement.

          So, I understand the sparkle in my daughter’s eyes when she sees the fabric meant to hang in the windows of her new space. The color is warm; the design  bold and creative. Perfect for her new journey toward a Ph.D. Curtains to frame a place that is both comfortable, yet forward thinking. I tried to explain this to my husband as he balanced on a step ladder to hang the hooks.

          “Are you crazy?” he snorts. “They are only curtains.” My daughter and I share a knowing smile. He just doesn’t get it.

 

Christmas Card Traditions

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
As a young bride, 31 years ago, I was very pleased to have an early December wedding, not just because I favor the holiday colors and wanted poinsettias all about, but because I couldn’t wait for my first, official holiday duty as a wife….sending the family Christmas cards! It may seem silly in these modern times of Facebook and Twitter, but selecting, inscribing, and sending a beautiful card from Mr. and Mrs. Gary R.Bone , affirming the blessings of the Christmas season felt very important and very right.
For 31 holiday seasons, I have searched out and sent an ornate, artful, religiously themed Christmas card. As often as I can, I use the scripture from Isaiah 7:14….because I love the idea of a “sign”….a spiritual message from God. I also like Christmas cards with the name “Immanuel”….meaning “God with us”. We need Him with us, always, and especially during these dark times.
So, in 2011, once again, I will sit down and write out Christmas cards. Some think it is a waste of time. Some say that Facebook and websites make the tradition redundant. Some say that the stamps cost too much and that the money should go to charity. They can say all they want. I think people still need a sign. I want to be part of an enduring, rich tradition of sharing a personal Christmas message, one that gives the receiver a moment to pause, open the envelope, and read the message….”The Lord himself will give you a sign…” Possibly, in that home, the Christmas card from the Bone Family may be the only evidence of Christ in the season….and then my time, energy, and stamps will be worth it.

Coffee….for me.

I’m going to Seattle for the first time around the time this article goes to print, and I shall make a pilgrimage. Not to a cathedral nor a shrine, but to the original Starbucks™  store in the Pike’s Place Market. It will probably be the high point of my visit. You see, I am a certifiable, committed, happily caffeinated coffee aficionado.

Starbucks™   began its climb toward fame in 1971, but my relationship with the java began even earlier, in my grandmother’s kitchen in Queens, that part of New York City where little Italian ladies brew some of the richest coffee this side of Italy. My sisters and I learned to sip coffee in colorful china cups, a concoction of café con leche  much heavier on the sugar and milk than the coffee, but the taste  still unmistakable. Hence, one of my favorite things, to this day, is a cup of coffee.

I like a big mug of coffee in the morning, early. Setting up my fancy brewing machine the night before, so that no time is wasted before the scent and sounds of freshly ground beans permeate the house is a nightly ritual.

The formula includes the dark roast beans, a tablespoon of sugar free vanilla or hazelnut syrup ( per pot), and cold water. Each cup, and I need at least two to participate fully in human company, will require a packet of sugar free sweetener and two squirts of Fat Free Whipped Topping ( canned) or a tablespoon of the tubbed variety. Years ago, my sisters and I discovered that whipped topping adds the “lightness” of milk, plus an added, sweet creaminess.

My grandmother Anna Peretti LaPorta would have found the use of anything other than cream  or full bodied milk to be a sacrilege. I can still hear her saying, “ Where is the cow?” That was what she called the milk….the “cow”.  Once, as a new bride, grandma visited my home. I wanted the coffee service to be perfect, so I baked a cake, spent half my weekly grocery budget on premium coffee, and found an actual china  “cow” creamer to pour the milk from. She talked about it for years afterward and I was very pleased.

In addition to the china “cow”, I have collected a number of artifacts to support my coffee commitment: tins for the beans, mugs from workshops and travels, and at least three types of brewing machines. Details on these would require another article, but at least one of them makes individual frothy cups of different coffee beverages. Amazing!

What goes in these  machines? Coffee from places that I visit is part of the ritual. Costa Rica provided some of the most robust flavor ever and a pound bag cost less than two American dollars in the “supermercado”. I brought home as much as my luggage and US Customs would allow. It was gone in a month. Lots of folks rave about the Kona blends of Hawaii. I brought some back, but they weren’t as amazing as I had hoped. The coffee in Italy was fabulous, but I may be prejudiced, since it is the homeland of my ancestors.

My favorite things. Coffee is certainly one of them, but it isn’t the brew alone that brings me pleasure. The company and memories attached to so many cups of hot java over the years contribute to my passion. Long afternoons with my best friends and sisters. Early mornings with my daughters. Meetings with clients and colleagues. Each of these scenarios include coffee and conversation, a special, significant  connection. 

Oddly, my husband of three decades doesn’t like coffee. At all. In the early years, he would balk at dollars spent on the brew or grudgingly allot  time on trips finding coffee for his bride. I consider it an authentic sign of his love for me and his ability to grow and change that he now hunts the  coffee for me, especially when we travel. “Look,” he will say…”they have the kind you like.” It is so sweet. Or, maybe, he has learned that I am much sweeter when my coffee needs are met.

At any rate, when I thank God for the small things that make life a bit more pleasant and pliable, I thank Him for “Coffea Arabica” the scientific name for my favorite plant. Clearly, this was part of the work of Genesis Chapter One…”God saw all that He had made and it was very good.”

Brain Friendly Family Recipe Booklet for Fall

Dr. Bone’s Brain-Friendly Family Recipes

  

 

 

www.educationinsite.com

 

Your child’s brain is in a period of unparalled “neural plasticity”. That means it is growing and “wiring” at a rapid rate. Foods can contribute to the rate and quality of wiring. There are also “mood foods” that contribute to feelings of well-being. This is critical in maintaining a positive attitude toward school and life. Try some of these recipes together. For busy parents, stress damages the brain and food can be a natural, simple way to heal the damage done by inflammation.

 

Top 10 Brain Foods Shopping List

 

Almonds                Green Tea

Beans and Legumes     Eggs

Blueberries        Salmon

Dark Chocolate    Peanut Butter

Flax Seed       Olive Oil

Brain-Berry Yogurt Pie

 

Blueberries increase mental capacity by 55% and have powerful anti-cancer agents!

 

1. Mix 2 cartons fat free yogurt ( 1 vanilla and 1 blueberry)
2. Add 1 container of Fat Free Whipped Topping
3. Fold in 2 cups of washed, fresh blueberries
4. Layer all of the above into a low-fat graham cracker crust
5. Freeze overnight and garnish with more fruit.
6. *Kids can actually make this!

 

 

Coffee for the Cerebrum Pie

Coffee is a powerful anti-oxidant and reduces inflammation

1. Mix 2 cartons of fat free yogurt ( coffee flavored)
2. Add 1 container of Fat Free /Sugar Free Whipped Topping
3. Fold in 1 cup of dark chocolate chips and ½ cup dried almonds
4. Layer all of the above into a low fat graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust.
5. Freeze overnight and garnish with curls of dark chocolate or a few beautiful strawberries.
6. This is nice enough for a luncheon or fancy party!

 

Easy Spinach Pie

 

Spinach is a brain-friendly vegetable! Brains of senior adults who eat spinach 3 X per week look 10 years younger!

 

1. Thaw and drain 1 box of frozen, chopped spinach or 1 bag of steamed, fresh spinach
2. Slice 1 small package of mushrooms
3. Blend the following in a blender: 1 cup skim milk, 1 egg, 1 cup fat-free Bisquick Baking Mix,  ½  tsp each parsley, black pepper, salt, oregano
4. Layer vegetables in a baking dish sprayed with PAM. Sprinkle with garlic.
5. Top with a mixture of 1 cup fat-free mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan cheeses. Pour the milk mixture over the top and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

 

Note: You can change out the vegetables and use 1 box broccoli with the mushrooms or 2 cups squash.

 

Anti-Oxidant  Soup

 

Make this in a big pot on Sunday and eat it whenever you want during the week to cut back on calories and load up on nutrients!

 

1. Spray a Dutch oven pot with Olive Oil Pam and sauté 1 cup diced carrots, ½ chopped sweet onion,  and 2 tbsp garlic.
2. Add 3 cans of low sodium chicken broth, ½ can of tomato paste,  and 3 cans water. Mix in 1 tsp parsley, ½ tsp basil, ½ tsp rosemary.
3.  Simmer on low.
4. Put in the following vegetables: 1 can Italian green beans, 1 small chopped cabbage, and 1 thinly sliced zucchini squash.
5. Cook 1 hour on low until vegetables are tender.

Heart and Brain Healthy Bread

 

 

This is the recipe that I use in my bread machine and give as a gift!

 

1. Spray bread machine with Olive Oil Pam.
2. Put in 1 cup warm, skim milk, 2 tbsp. Honey, and 2 tbsp olive oil.
3. Add 3  cups bread flour ( King Arthur)  and ½ cup flax seed.
4. Put in 1 tsp. Salt and 1 pkg. Active Dry Yeast
5. Complete the 3 hour bread machine cycle.

Fast Cycle Brain Bread

 

This recipe is designed for the “fast cycle” on the bread machine.

Place ingredients in the machine in this order.

 

1 cup plus 2tbsp. warm water

¼ cup honey plus 2 tbsp brown sugar “Splenda”

¼ cup omega 3 enriched cooking oil

3 cups bread flour

1 cup oatmeal

½ cup flax seed

½ cup chopped almonds, dried cranberries

1.5 tsp salt

2 tbsp. Yeast

About 30 minutes into the cycle, open the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and slivered almonds

 

 

 

 

Cerebral Cooler

 

Mix 1 cup sugar free or regular ginger ale

½ cup blueberry-pomegranate juice ( not cocktail)

½ cup cranberry juice

Toss in frozen berries for fun!

 

 

Brainy Breakfast on the Go

 

Toast 1 Alternative Wheat Bagel

Spread tbsp omega-3 added peanut butter

Slice ½ banana and top

Sprinkle with flax seed and honey

 

Alternative: Top bagel with 2 slices of cooked soy bacon and mustard

 

Serve with “To Go” mug of hot green tea with honey

Or

Dark chocolate cocoa made with fat free milk

 

 

 

 

Quick Thinking Dinner Salad

 

1 bag of washed greens and fresh spinach

Add Grilled sliced of salmon or flaked canned salmon

( May Substitute Tuna)

Toss in ½ cup almonds or walnuts ( or mix)

1 cup orange pieces or canned mandarin ( no sugar)

Sugar Peas or Strips of colored pepper

Cherry Tomato

A few olives ( green or black)

 

Toss with balsamic vinegar, olive oil,  and garlic

 

Serve with chilled green tea and have 1 oz of good quality dark chocolate

For a finish

 

 

 

Simple Supper Salmon Patties

 

In the South, folks like salmon patties or “croquettes” for a Saturday breakfast with grits. It is tasty for an inexpensive, brain-friendly supper too. Hint: a cold, left-over salmon pattie on a wheat bun with greens is a delicious adult lunch to take to work!

 

1. Drain and flake 2 small cans of pink salmon without bones
2. Add ½ cup low-fat mayo plus 1 tsp cold water
3. Mix in 1 cup of whole wheat bread or cracker crumbs OR use 1 pkg. Of  Zatarain’s Salmon Pattie mix ( my favorite)
4. Chill in covered dish for 20 minutes.
5. Shape into patties or croquettes and brown in olive oil.

 

Brainy Bean Soup

 

In this tough economic environment, bean soup is delicious, prudent, and powerful. Plus…beans provide “choline” which is important in neuro-transmission.

 

1. In soup pot, brown ½ cup each of onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil and garlic.
2.  Add 3 cans of low sodium chicken broth ( or beef) and 3 cans of water
3. Add 1 can each of navy beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans
4. Mix in 1 can of diced, stewed tomatoes                                               ( fresh in summer if you have them)
5. Toss in any left-over veggies from the week, that you have saved in covered containers: cabbage, corn, lima beans
6. Simmer 20 minutes then add 2 cups of quick cooking barley  or alphabet pasta ( for little ones)
7. Cook until tender then top with parmesan cheese when serving.

 

 

 

 

Super Spinach Side Dish

Cook 1 small box of orzo  as directed. Cook only until al dente and drain. Put aside.

Sauté 3 cups of fresh spinach, sliced  mushrooms, and 2 tbsp. Chopped garlic in olive oil.

Toss the drained orzo with the vegetable mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

 

 

 

Easy Broccoli-Walnut Salad

( Walnuts Even LOOK like little Brains!)

• 1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 lb)
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup golden raisin and dried cherry mixture (such as Sun-Maid)
• Buttermilk Dressing
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Recipe Preparation

1. Cut broccoli into florets. Peel tough skin of broccoli stalks and cut stalks crosswise into 1?4-in.-thick slices.2. Bring 1 in. water to boil in large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add broccoli; steam 3 minutes. Immediately rinse with cold water to chill; drain well. Toss broccoli with onion and dried fruit.3. Dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients except walnuts in small bowl. Toss with broccoli. Sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.

Ladle Up Lentils for the Brain Soup

 

 

Lentils are a preferred brain food for two reasons: 1) They supply a steady stream of glucose, which the brain uses as fuel and 2) They are rich in folate, which helps the brain avoid depression and which is associated with the neural tube.

 

 

Start with a large soup pot. Brown ½ cup diced onion and 1 tbsp. chopped garlic in olive oil.

Once browned, pour in 2 cans low sodium beef, chicken, or vegetable broth and 3 cans of water.

Simmer for 5 minutes, then add 1.5  cups washed, dried lentils of any color.

Mix in at least two of the following veggies, chopped or diced to make 2 cups total: carrot, celery, zucchini, potato.

Add 1 can diced tomatoes. I like the ones with oregano and basil.

Sprinkle in 1 tsp each black pepper, turmeric, and sea salt.

Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then cover and simmer on low for about 40 minutes.

Option: ½ lb. crumbled turkey sausage or soy protein sausage

Serve with brown rice or cooked barley or quinoa.

 

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Quinoa=Super Food! Try it in place of pasta or rice.

 

Oats on the Brain

 

 

 

My personal favorite. Filling and brain-boosting. The pumpkin and flax are powerful antioxidants.

In a medium sized micro-wave safe bowl, mix 2/3 cup quick –cooking oatmeal and 1.5 cups water. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, watching for it to bubble over.

Take it out and cool for 1 minute, then add the following:

1 tbsp. pure-packed pumpkin ; 1 tsp. brown sugar Splenda; ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp. flax seeds. *Sprinkle of raisins is optional.

 

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Bone’s Brain-Berry Smoothie

This is the famous smoothie that I talk about at my workshops, designed to help slim the waistline by reducing cortisol and promoting quickness and creativity in thinking.

 

In a blender, mix, in this order:

1 small container  ( ½ cup) low-fat Greek Yogurt. Use vanilla or plain.

1 cup Orange Juice Mixture ( ½ cup juice + ½ cup cold water)

1 cup frozen only blueberries

½ banana ( optional)

Blend and serve.

 

“D” is for Differentiation in the Classroom

•    Gender
•    Ability Levels
•    Personality
•    Learning Styles
•    Birth Order
•    Active or Passive
•    Left or Right
•    Multiple Intelligences
•    EQ ( Emotional Intelligence)

Did you know that all of these and more come under the cognitive umbrella of “Differentiation”? With all kinds of brains in your classroom, there is not one “right” way to deliver instruction. Indeed, every child will receive ( or not) the lesson through a unique filter.

• This filter includes all of the neuro-fibers listed above as well as a physical basis for learning that includes his or her biological and genetic make-up. For example, a girl whose mother used drugs or alcohol during the pregnancy or a boy whose father presented with ADHD as a child will come to the learning table with a decided background upon which the other differences will be imprinted. It may seem overwhelming to a new teacher. That is understandable and it is the reason many teachers drop the neuro-science ball and punt back to the platform of “Talking at” children….a big mistake. So, how does one get started with “Differentiation”? There are two simple strategies. 1) Do the assessment first. That means, do at least one simple learning style assessment on your students. Visit www.educationinsite.com for a free “Fruits of Learning” to try. 2) Always make sure your lesson plans require the students, not the teacher, to “SAY IT, SHOW IT AND DO IT”… with IT being the objective. This is a kick and easy way to assure that the students are engaged in a modest form of differentiated learning. Most importantly, “D” is for do it. The more you differentiate, the more comfortable your own brain will be with this teaching style.