Conscious Friday: Rockers...

Thanks to all for hanging out with me this week.
I appreciate and enjoy our dialogue.
Have a Conscious Friday and a divine weekend!
Happy Easter/Passover to those who partake.

*Tony Rebel: If JAH is standing by side

*Everton Blender: Ghetto People Song

*Junior Reid: One Blood

One Love, Se'Lah

Anansi's Globe of Light...

Growing up in the Caribbean, I was fortunate to be exposed to the oral tradition of African folklore. My favourite? Hearing my grandmother retell "Anansi The Spider" stories.

Turns out, my daughter's favourite book is "Anansi The Spider, a tale from the Ashanti", a modern adaptation by Gerald McDermott. How coincidental?

I had to read it to her twice last night because once just wasn't enough. It was sheer joy hearing her giggle as we read about Anansi getting in trouble, being rescued by his sons, and then finding a great globe of light. Because he couldn't decide which son to give this mysterious and beautiful globe of light to, Anansi went to Nyame, the God of All Things, for help. As the story draws to a close, Nyame takes the beautiful light up into the sky where he keeps it for all to see.

I then turned off the lights and opened the window blinds so my daughter could enjoy looking up at the night sky. What do we find?
















Why, it's Anansi's globe of light. What are the chances?

We laid in bed feeling quite special with our treasured find. We imagined inventive ways we could retrieve Anansi's globe of light from the sky. Then we watched the clouds race across the night sky and wondered where they were in such a rush to go. Her eyes slowly closed and she fell asleep with a big smile on her face.

I love my baby.

Did you know???

*April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month!

*While the topic of sexual abuse is very uncomfortable for many to speak about publicly, I, for one, am not. It is my mission to raise awareness on this subject because it is the very predictable silence which provides a sex offender the veil and power to continue to prey upon his/her victims.

*Unfortunately, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience sexual assault by the age of 18. Rape and sexual assaults are crimes of violence that have far too long been the "silent" crimes that few share with even family and friends. Please join me in breaking the silence, and empowering every child, teen or adult who is violated or abused to speak up and be heard.

*The SAAM Day of Action (formerly A Day to End Sexual Violence) will be observed on Wednesday, April 8, 2009. It is recognized nationally as a specific day to focus awareness on sexual violence prevention. Whether it's learning more about the issue, having discussions with your children and friends, volunteering, speaking out, supporting your local rape crisis centre or finding your own way to make a difference, both individual and collective action are encouraged.

*How would you complete the following sentence?
I am ending sexual violence by...

Please take a moment to review the following:

*About Shapeshifters
*Safety First: Protecting Our Children

*Queen Ifrica: Daddy

*(information herein gathered from a variety of sources)

Organic Apple Sauce...

I try to be very conscious about my daughter's snack choices. She loves apples, therefore, apple sauce was a natural choice.

In January, however, a report was published regarding mercury levels in US. Corn Syrup. Because popular brands like Motts applesauce contain high fructose corn syrup, I thought I'd share this article with you: Studies Find Mercury in Much U.S. Corn Syrup.

Consequently, I switched to buying alternative brands, like Woodstock Farms and Musselmans which contain only natural ingredients. Problem? My daughter did not like any of them. So, I decided we would make our own applesauce. I included her in the process and made a small test batch just in case it did not appeal to her taste. She tasted a spoonful and loved it! Since she literally couldn't wait to eat more, we instantly served it, still warm.

Here's our home-made recipe (all organic ingredients):

Ingredients:

*2-3 McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped (or any apple of your choosing)
*3/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed or 100% OJ)
*1/8 cup brown sugar
*1/2 tsp lemon zest
*1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

*Combine orange juice and chopped apples in a deep saucepan. Boil for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

*Stir in brown sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Cook uncovered until the apples reach the desired consistency (for about 20 minutes), stirring often. Adjust measurement of ingredients to suit your taste.

*Serve warm and enjoy.

*Note: You can store up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Put in food processor or blender and puree if you prefer applesauce with a smoother texture.

Inspirational Monday: SUN day...

The cooing of the dove in the distance alerted me to morning's arrival. I was laying in bed lost in my thoughts when some thing made me look out the window. This is what I saw.
















For 5 minutes, I forgot everything else existed and simply enjoyed watching the sun rise.

I have asked this question many a times in the courtroom: "Is this photo a true and accurate representation of the scene on that particular day?"

Well, believe me when I tell you these photos are not...they just can not do her (Mother Nature) justice.

Have an Inspirational Monday!

*Inspirational Monday is the brainchild of vchelle over at Operation You. Everyone is invited to stop by and post your links/comments of inspiration.

Signs of Spring...

On Monday, we played a game here in my Necessary Room called "What's it like in your neck of the woods?" It was simple, yet fun and fascinating to play with others in the blogosphere. A big THANKS to all who participated.

I came to realise that for some of you, Spring has not quite arrived yet. I say this not to taunt you or anything, because JAH know, when Spring's seasonal dance is in full swing, I suffer greatly from hayfever, allergies and asthma. Nonetheless, I will clench to Mother Nature's beauty even as she literally takes the breath out of my body.

This morning my daughter and I decided to play a new game while taking another walk in the woods. We called this one "Signs of Spring".

*We noticed several blossoms and even saw a tree in bloom today. Most trees, except for the evergreens like Pine, still have no leaves. But the buds are beginning to force themselves open.


















*A willow danced gracefully as the wind gently passed through her branches.








*The birds were out -- hanging out and spending some quality time together. We saw doves, blue jays, ducks, crows, sand hill cranes, chickadees, and heard the sweet song of others we either couldn't see or identify. I don't know what the male duck had up his wing, but as soon as we approached the water's edge, the couple quickly swam away all guiltylike. Or, maybe we just got too close and startled them. ;-) You make the call.

*We walked further in the woods. Soon we were greeted by a crew team out for their morning practice on the non-icy river. We cheered them on.
















After taking it all in, we returned home and made this doll quilt with matching satchet for her friend's birthday gift.












I sit here now just curious about the "Signs of Spring" in your neck of the woods and wondering which birds are visiting your backyard. Hmmmmmm.

Conscious Friday: A Little Marley...

It's Friday again...yeah!

Wishing everyone a Conscious Friday and divine weekend.

*Ky-mani Marley: Who We Are


*Ky-Mani Marley: Many More Roads


*Damian Marley & Stephen Marley: The Mission


*Stephen Marley & Erykah Badu: In Love With You


One Love, Se'Lah

p.s. Want more? Scroll over to "Conscious Corner" in the sidebar and enjoy.