Wow whata week...

Last week I...

Went to the dentist to get out some metal fillings and have them replaced with non metal fillings.

Signed the papers for the new piece of property in TN.

Took my hubby to the doctor and then to the emergency room and then he had to be admitted to the hospital.

Picked up hubby from the hospital yesterday.

Repotted all the houseplants today and potted up the tomatoes and peppers in bigger pots.

In between all of that, I cleaned the house, washed dishes and did laundry not to mention cleaned up after my old cat who is on his last legs.  He is dribbling and peeing when he sleeps and so he has been barred from the bedroom and we even gave him a bath last week but looks like we will have to do another bath soon.  I think he has cancer, he smells so bad but his pee actually doesn't.  He's alert and still eating and drinking although he is dragging his foot some and is kind of dizzy sometimes, poor old thing.  He doesn't seem to be hurting though or in any kind of pain.  It's a wait and see thing I guess.

If I am repeating myself on some of this, sorry but I'm kind of worn out....hoping this week is better.

Talk to ya later!

Denise

Scrapbooking catch up time!

Yes I know I'm really late and behind with these but here are some freebies for you!  First off some bookmarks:




http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3



http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_2

Then a gift bag.  I'll post another this Friday.



http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_2

Yay all done!  At least until Friday :)

Been away from the blog for a while...

To update everyone on how much I've been doing...and how exciting my life is...

The chickens are laying again...a lot.  I have several dozen eggs in the fridge.  We eat eggs almost every day for breakfast and I even made some egg salad the other day for lunch.  I really don't want to eat them for supper too, really I don't.

We planted cabbages, peas, lettuce, basil, potatoes in the garden.  I guess too early cause guess what, we're getting a freeze tonight and tomorrow night...hmmm hope we don't lose the blueberries and grapes.  I wanted to cover them tonight but hubby said they should be OK since it's a light freeze so he can't blame me if they freeze and all the berries drop off.

Dad and mom called yesterday to let me know that they had to rush to the hospital cause mom was having chest pains at 1 a.m.  Turns out she has a hiatal hernia and not having a heart attack.

We close on some new property we are buying tomorrow.  5 acres of land in Tennessee!  No house on it but we are planning on building one or getting a trailer (I don't like trailers, been there, done that and don't want to do it again :)  Hubby was thinking we might just build a pole building and then do the inside like we want but he wants to have a garage door...what?  Anyway he says then it will be easier to move in the furniture and appliances.  Guess  you can't argue with that logic huh?

My brother is moving to New York.  Dad and mom finally got him on the phone, hadn't heard from him for over two weeks.  I had left a message a couple of days after he had called me drunk.  He's an alcoholic and fell off the wagon again.  Glad he's OK.  Wish he would get his act together.

Our geriatric cat is on his last legs I'm afraid.  He's dragging his back leg and peed on our bed the other day.      I couldn't yell at him or anything, he's so old.  If he gets any worse, we'll probably have to take him to be put to sleep.  As long as he's eating and drinking, we'll keep him and love on him as long as possible.  Had to give him a bath tonight though he stunk so bad (all the peeing I think).  He's good about going to the litter box usually though.  I have shut him out of the bedroom.  I had the devil of a time getting the top pillow top clean (we have an air bed) and the top zips off.  It is so bulky and barely fits in the washer.  I put it outside to dry.

Hubby has been sick  but won't go to the doctor until after we sign the papers for the land.  I'm calling the doc to make an appointment when he's outside tomorrow...sneaky huh?

I got one cross stitched picture done.  I need to take some pics of it.  It's a fruit label and I'm making quite a few others to go with it.  I think I will make a quilted hanging out of them.  I'm still working on several sweaters and a pair of socks as well.  I get bored with one project and go to another one.

Well that's all I can think of for now.  Hope you had a very nice Easter!

Denise

Blog Giveaway!

Nope, not mine but Texan's got one going on right now.  Go the below address and enter to win.  Good luck!

http://texan.blogspot.com/2012/03/giveaway-from-my-etsy-shop-and-triplets.html

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_2

Another set of candy wrappers to use for any special occasion.  Be sure to check out the last Scrapbooking Freebie post for a different set of candy wrappers.







Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Please note that all of these are .png files only, not MyMemories Suite Templates. They are usable in any software. The elements and QuickPages are.png and the papers are .jpg format. Play around with it ...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount: STMMMS94069

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1


These are for making candy wrappers.  Just design and then wrap around a candy bar for any occasion, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Birth announcement, birthday.  Lots of different occasions you can use these for even weddings (use as a favor by each place setting)  Just type in the names and dates, couldnt be easier.

Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Please note that all of these are .png files only, not MyMemories Suite Templates. They are usable in any software. The elements and QuickPages are.png and the papers are .jpg format. Play around with it ...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount: STMMMS94069

Over the hump day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bow1hgjBgU8

Wish I could play like him...
This is a pretty good video!  Enjoy.

Quilting Problems

http://blog.craftsy.com/2012/03/advice-from-the-experts-quilting-sewing-trouble/

Check out the above Craftsy blog for some great answers to some of the most common quilting problems.  If you havent checked out Craftsy's classes, you should.  I have signed up for a few and they never expire and are very informative.  They are in video format with pdf's you can print out.  They have classes on quilting, sewing, gardening, jewelry making, weaving, etc.  I really like them and hope you check them out and find something you want to learn.  If you sign up for their emails, they send out 1/2 price class lists every so often.  I'm all for 1/2 price LOL ;).   Here is their site:  http://www.craftsy.com/


I received no compensation from the above recommendation... just thought you might be interested.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday - Late sorry! (really, really late)

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3





http://mymemories.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=8cac320d4c&e=aaa5ac808b

Ok, Ok I know I'm really late with this one so I included both on one post, one for last week and one for this past Friday.  Beat me with a wet noodle ;)

Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Please note that all of these are .png files only, not MyMemories Suite Templates. They are usable in any software. The elements and QuickPages are.png and the papers are .jpg format. These Quick Pages will not autoinstall into the software itself, but are used by adding to your project as you would a photo, and then layering your photo behind the open box. Play around with it ...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount: STMMMS94069

I felt like Dorothy...

Well  not quite but almost.  The tornadoes tore through here on Friday.  They do sound like freight trains or jet planes ask me how I know.  Yep it came close just down the road about a mile in fact.  They didnt declare it a federal disaster area so all those folks will not be getting help from the government to rebuild.  The official numbers for the tornadoes were F1 to F2.  Not as bad as April and it seemed to jump over fields and go right into the rural areas.  I had to go to therapy again today and the roads were open when I left but coming back I had to detour around some roads as they were taking down trees and loading them on trucks.  Just down the road several cement telephone poles were laying down.  The winds just ripped them down.  We lost electric for about 10 hours but that is nothing like losing your entire house.  Several schools were damaged and we lost an entire restaurant down the main highway.  It's just gone, poof like it was never there.  Mother Nature is really having a bad year this year.  This is early for tornadoes and the most in one day that we have ever had since we moved here.  Guess what?  There's another batch of storms rolling in on this Friday.  I think I need to make a nice little place in the closet again ;)

Hope everyone stays safe this year!

Yup I need a vacation...

Making something new for dinner...

Last night I decided I was sooooo boooorrrred with everything we had been eating that I would make something different for dinner so here is what I made:

I sauted onions and peppers in a bit of coconut oil until soft, added one pound of ground beef and cooked it until done.  I added a little cumen, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Then I had these frozen wrappers I got at the grocery store.  They said that they were for empada? sorry I didnt write down the word but basically Mexican beef turnovers.  I had thawed them out and put a little bit of the beef mixture in each one and hubby folded them over and used a fork to press together the edges.  He also poked a hole in the top of them to keep them from exploding in the oven.  I put them in a baking dish and put a little olive oil over top of them and popped them into the oven.  Baked them at 350 for about half an hour. 

Of course after we had them in the oven hubby mentioned that I had forgotten the cheese...grrr.  Hate when I leave out an ingredient but anyway we just put that on top of the hot turnovers and they were wonderful.  I will definitely be making these again with other ingredients.  We ate all 10 without any leftovers.  They would be great for a take to work lunch that you can eat with your fingers.  I can see them with mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese and Italian seasonings or even bacon, eggs and peppers for a breakfast.  And the wrappers only had a few ingredients: flour, eggs and water.  We might even try to make our own wrappers with whole wheat the next time.  Just have to use our dough roller to get it thin enough and use a small plate to get the size right. 

Hubby decided that he wanted to make bread yesterday so I let him LOL.  Actually he did the initial dough and let it rise and I punched it down and put it in the bread pan.  The recipe was for two loaves so I used the rest of the dough to make a pizza and some cinnamon rolls (very tiny ones ;)  My mind was not really in the cooking mood yesterday not only did I forget the cheese in the turnovers but I forgot that you have to bake the pizza crust for 10 or so minutes before you put on the toppings.  Needless to say by the time the crust was done the cheese was a little brown...Ok, Ok it was burnt but it tasted good.  And hubby finished it off so it must not have been so bad right? 

One thing about whole wheat it really fills you up.  I even made two more loaves of bread and have decided that the recipe is wrong.  It doesnt make two loaves of bread (unless you like very small loaves) so the next time I make this recipe it will all go in one loaf pan and maybe we'll be able to actually have slices you can use for sandwiches instead of for bruschetta.  The loaves taste good just kinda flat.  Told hubby we could slice them the other way and make hoagies out of them but we dont eat hoagies anymore because of the processed meats (I cant eat them and he shouldnt).  He said he would just have short sandwiches (funny guy) and if there are any leftovers I know some little feathered friends that live outside that loooove bread so it wont go to waste.  I also got to use my dough bowl again and this time the dough didnt stick.  Guess I finally got enough oil on the sucker.  I think I used a whole bottle of olive oil on it.  It just kept drinking it up.  If you dont have a dough bowl I highly recommend it.  It keeps the dough warm so it rises better. 

Hubby found out how much the girls love bread the other day.  He took out a couple of slices torn apart of course and they mobbed him LOL.  They do that to me anytime I go out with my little yellow bowl.  They love bread, greens and grapes.  They go crazy for grapes.  I dont give them many of them cause I dont want them to get sick and have the runs if you know what I mean. 

So yesterday was a baking day and we just took it easy the rest of the day.  Back to work today for hubby and I'm working too so I can take off some time on Tuesday.  We are looking for some small acreage with a house to start our farm.  We've picked out three to look at on Tuesday.  Hope we find something soon before the gas rises up any more. 

Wish us luck!

Talk to ya later,

Denise

FDA to regulate stem cells

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is attempting to regulate stem cell procedures at a Colorado clinic, stating that stem cells are “drugs” that fall under FDA jurisdiction


The FDA is making this claim even though the stem cells being used in the procedure come from the patient’s own body, which means they are essentially claiming that they can regulate a part of your body

In court documents, the FDA also stated that the procedure would adversely affect the market for out-of-state drugs that are approved by FDA

The FDA has a sordid history of attacking natural products and procedures that threaten to interfere with big business; knowledge is power -- the more you know the better you’ll be able to make informed health care decisions

Read more here:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/25/fda-states-stem-cells-are-body-regulator.aspx?e_cid=20120225_DNL_art_3

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=0143b62c66&e=aaa5ac808b


Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Please note that all of these are .png files only, not MyMemories Suite Templates. They are usable in any software. The elements and QuickPages are.png and the papers are .jpg format. These Quick Pages will not autoinstall into the software itself, but are used by adding to your project as you would a photo, and then layering your photo behind the open box. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount: STMMMS94069

TIP: Create smaller projects or add elements to a larger layout! These are 4" x 6" Photocards. Use them to create photos for printing, create postcards, or add to a larger layout and use as a photomat!

A little wind with your walk...

Hubby and I got a really big laugh the other day when it was so windy.  I went to leave the cats outside and the only one that really wanted to go out was Penny.  I opened the door (keeping a firm grip on it) and she started out.  The wind hit her and she crouched down belly walking with her ears laid back like that was going to help LOL.  Doesnt take much to amuse us ;)

If it's really windy and our old cat goes out not only does he lay his ears back but the wind almost knocks him down, poor old thing.  Not much to him but skin and bones.  He still eats and drinks but he's not gaining any weight.  And he cant hear as well so no matter how much you tell him something he just doesnt pay attention (I think all the parents with kids could relate to this LOL). 

It's really windy again today so I'll have to watch when I take the chickens their treat.  Dont want all of it to blow away.  Chickens dont seem to be bothered by the wind.  It just ruffles their feathers.  I cant believe it is up to 75 today.   Strange, strange weather.  Yesterday we had storm warnings out and there was a storm with some slight rotation with 70 mph winds.  Hope that didnt do anyone any damage. 

I'll try to take some pics here so you can see how our little plantlets are doing and I have gotten some projects done as well and want to show those to you too.

New cushions for the couch

I got this fabric at the thrift store.  Dont you love it?  I need to take a pic after the cushions are done.  It might only be one but a big cushion I'll just have to see how it goes.

I think she loves me

I really do!

and I wonder why I have so much trouble getting my work done during the day...

Canned goods done

I canned celery a couple of months ago.  I had never heard of doing this until I got Jackie Clay's canning book (you can get it at BackwoodsHome.com).  What do you do with canned celery?  Well you put in soups and stews and casseroles.  And I dont have to worry about celery going bad in my fridge before I can use it all either.  I have dehydrated celery too but I think the canned is much better cause you can throw in all that yummy celery liquid in the soup and add some flavor.  It will last longer than the dehydrated celery too.

Here are the carrots (regular and candied) that I did a few months ago.  Hubby hates candied carrots and canned regular carrots but I like them so there (raspberry) ;).  Besides the regular carrots will be used in soups and stews and he will eat them that way just not by themselves - go figure.

Making lard

Picture of the lard I made a couple of months ago.  If you have never made lard it is very easy.  The only hard part is finding the fat to make it.  When we ordered our 1/2 of a beef I also ordered 5 lbs of pig fat.  It wasnt very expensive at all and actually the bag was heavier than 5 lbs.  To make the lard all I did was put it in a pot on the stove and melt it down.  My pan wasnt very big so as it melted I added more and when I got about 2 inches of fat on the bottom I just poured it in the canning jar.  I used a funnel so I wouldnt drip any on my stove.  The little bits of meat and gristle ends up on the bottom of your pan.  I threw them away but some people like to eat them.  I ended up with what you see above about 1 3/4 quarts of lard. 

Cant beat biscuits made with lard!

Some people really dont like the smell of the melting fat but the fat I had did not smell.  The pigs were pasture raised so that might have made a difference.  Would I do this again?  Yep sure would.   Have I convinced you it's easy?  Hope so because it was.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=b65650de19&e=aaa5ac808b


Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Please note that all of these are .png files only, not MyMemories Suite Templates. They are usable in any software.  The elements and QuickPages are.png and the papers are .jpg format. These Quick Pages will not autoinstall into the software itself, but are used by adding to your project as you would a photo, and then layering your photo behind the open box.  Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount: STMMMS94069

TIP: Create smaller projects or add elements to a larger layout! These are 4" x 6" Photocards. Use them to create photos for printing, create postcards, or add to a larger layout and use as a photomat!

I'm awake, really

Another bad night of insomnia.  After I laid there until 2:30 in the morning and still not gotten to sleep, I got up and turned on the computer and started working.  Worked up until about 10:30 and then I thought I was going to pass out I was so tired.  Laid down and fell asleep.  Next thing I know hubby is waking me up saying he went to the store and got lunch for us both.  It was 1:30.  I got up and ate and boy was that good.  He's a sweetheart and I think I'll keep him :)  I'm starting to drag again but I am staying up until at least 8 or 9 and then going to bed.  Please let me sleep through the night tonight...

It got a little cold...

we lost electric for two hours.  Just four of the houses on our street...weird.  But they had to turn off the whole neighborhood in order to fix the problem so no lights anywhere.  It's really strange but whenever the lights go out here it gets really, really quiet.  Kinda nice actually.  We had our lamps and fireplace ready though.  DH said we were the only ones with lamps on.  We only have those little fake logs to use so it doesnt get really warm in here but the fire makes you feel warmer I think.  Gotta love looking at the fire.

More on store bought lettuce

Jane over at Hardwork Homestead had an interesting post on her chickens not eating leftover lettuce.  Check it out for yourself: 

http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/2012/02/now-for-something-really-scary.html

And check out the comments she has gotten too.

RIP Karen

  This is a pic of my sister in law Karen and her husband Mike.  She passed away this morning from transplant rejection complications.  She had suffered with Crohn's since she was a teenager.  She is in a much happier pain free place now living it up with her grandmother, mother and aunts. 

I wondered what was up...

when I heard on the news about the birth control thing requiring insurance companies to give out free birth control.  Now Obama is backpedaling cause he's got the Churches upset...hmmm. 

On the latest video I saw he was saying that this policy wasnt supposed to come out until next year but he told them to do it in a week but this wasnt politcal yea right...seems there's an election coming up wonder why he thinks we might think it is political...hmmm. 

Anywho - here is an article by the New American that I found on Article 21 put out by the UN last October.  I found it very interesting, I think you will too.  Now I dont normally think there are any conspiracies going on but this one, well read it for yourself and see what you think.



According to the United Nations, the earth’s population will reach seven billion by October 31. For the world body, however, that is not something to celebrate. In fact, the UN Population Fund is focused on ways to decrease the world’s population, and has selected October 31, “7 Billion Day,” as a day to raise awareness about “sustainable development.”


The United Nations has openly proclaimed that the world’s increasing population is a cause for concern. Likewise, the UN has advocated for its Agenda 21 program that seeks to bring about “sustainable development.”

On February 10, The New American’s William Jasper wrote of Agenda 21:

The UN’s Agenda 21 is definitely comprehensive and global — breathtakingly so. Agenda 21 proposes a global regime that will monitor, oversee, and strictly regulate our planet’s oceans, lakes, streams, rivers, aquifers, sea beds, coastlands, wetlands, forests, jungles, grasslands, farmland, deserts, tundra, and mountains. It even has a whole section on regulating and “protecting” the atmosphere. It proposes plans for cities, towns, suburbs, villages, and rural areas. It envisions a global scheme for healthcare, education, nutrition, agriculture, labor, production, and consumption — in short, everything; there is nothing on, in, over, or under the Earth that doesn’t fall within the purview of some part of Agenda 21.

Agenda 21 is yet another means to achieve ultimate control. Additionally, as noted by LewRockwell.com, a key component of Agenda 21’s sustainable development is population control, since Agenda 21 seeks to achieve reduced consumption, social equity and the preservation and restoration of biodiversity. Proponents of Agenda 21 and sustainable development believe every societal decision should be based on environmental impact, including land use, education, and population control.

A United Nations resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly specifically designed to implement Agenda 21 reads:

….population growth rates have been declining globally, largely as a result of expanded basic education and health care. That trend is projected to lead to a stable world population in the middle of the twenty-first century… The current decline in population growth rates must be further promoted through national and international policies that promote economic development, social development, environmental protection, and poverty eradication, particularly the further expansion of basic education, with full and equal access for girls and women, and health care, including reproductive health care, including both family planning and sexual health, consistent with the report of the International Conference on Population and Development.

Likewise, the March 2009 U.N. Population Division Policy brief began with the statement, “What would it take to accelerate fertility decline in the least developed countries?”

The same theme was prevalent in the 2009 World Population Report released by the United Nations Population Fund entitled “Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate.” That document made a number of frightening assertions:

•"Each birth results not only in the emissions attributable to that person in his or her lifetime, but also the emissions of all his or her descendants. Hence, the emissions savings from intended or planned births multiply with time."

•"No human is genuinely "carbon neutral," especially when all greenhouse gases are figured into the equation. Therefore, everyone is part of the problem, so everyone must be part of the solution in some way."

•"Strong family planning programmes are in the interests of all countries for greenhouse-gas concerns as well as for broader welfare concerns."

Many of our own lawmakers and members of the Obama administration have openly called for population control. Former vice president Al Gore, for example, made the following statement regarding population control:

"One of the things we could do about it is to change the technologies, to put out less of this pollution, to stabilize the population, and one of the principle ways of doing that is to empower and educate girls and women. You have to have ubiquitous availability of fertility management so women can choose how many children have, the spacing of the children.

You have to lift child survival rates so that parents feel comfortable having small families and most important – you have to educate girls and empower women. And that’s the most powerful leveraging factor, and when that happens, then the population begins to stabilize and societies begin to make better choices and more balanced choices."

Maurice Strong, head of the United Nations Environmental Program, alluded to population control and more when he stated in 1990, “What if a small group of these world leaders were to conclude that the principle risk to the earth comes from the actions of the rich countries? In order to save the planet, the group decides: Isn’t the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn’t it our responsibility to bring this about?”

President Obama’s Science Adviser John Holdren wrote a book in 1977 called Ecoscience in which he indicated support for forced abortions, sterilization through infertility drugs or through the nation’s drinking water or food, having babies seized from single mothers or teen mothers and given away to couples, requiring that “people who contribute to social deterioration…be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility” (i.e. more forced abortions or sterilizations), and creating a transnational “Planetary Regime” that controls the global economy and dictates the details of American lives by use of an armed international police force.

Holdren went so far as to say that the United States Constitution permits population control, “Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society.”

Population control has also found support amongst other prominent Americans, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sierra Club Director David Brower, Planned Parenthood Founder Margaret Sanger, and David Rockefeller.

Given the United Nation Population Fund’s push for decreased population, and the surprising level of support it has received within our own federal government, groups like the John Birch Society are pushing to defund the UNPF. According to the JBS:

The propaganda from the UNFPA (known as the United Nations Fund for Population Activities from 1969 to 1987) indicates that its programs do nothing more than “reduce poverty and ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.” And how does the UNFPA accomplish such lofty-sounding goals? By promoting “family planning,” access to abortions, and instituting sex-ed programs, especially for youth.…
So, instead of promoting policies that would delay marriage and childbearing for the poverty-stricken of many countries, the UNFPA encourages promiscuity. Instead of abstinence training, a sexual revolution is advanced. And, instead of telling teens the truth about free sex, they hype the glories of condom use that afford little or no protection from sexually transmitted diseases rampant in many third world countries. Shockingly, the UN’sanswer to gender discrimination and sex selection brought about by the one-child policy is “safe” abortions.
Fortunately, the U.S. House of Representatives Relations Committee has introduced HR 2059, which defunds the United Nations Population Fund. The legislation has 83 cosponsors and is said to save taxpayers $400 million.

What’s clear is that the American people must act quickly as civilized nations are beginning to act in accordance with the UN’s drive for population control. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Daily Mail reports that thousands of “abnormal babies” are being selectively aborted each year. This is expected behavior in a world where population control takes center stage.

 
 
 
P.S.-
By the way I dont have any problem with population control as long as it is in the hands of the couples or women and NOT the government. Hey you want to have 16 kids go for it as long as you can support that many kids and dont expect the tax payers to pay for them. If you have too many and cant take care of them, please give them up for adoption. I am so angry and upset at these mothers that have children and end up abusing them or killing them because they cant cope. There are many couples out there just waiting for a child.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=ca8f63bd41&e=aaa5ac808b

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount:  STMMMS94069

Interesting blog post

http://realitybloger.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/that-isn-wax-on-your-apple/

Yep not from me though....LOL.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

Here's a tutorial on using the freebies!

http://forum.3scrapateers.com/freebies/UsingtheCard.pdf



http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

It happened...

We got a freeze last night down to 28.  I havent checked the blueberries but they might be OK.  DH said that they only had little buds on them. 

Big commotion out in the coop this morning and we're up to three eggs today!  Yay!  We have golden comet chickens and they are pretty noisy (proud) when they lay an egg.  We have three laying boxes out in the coop and of course they all want to lay in the same one at the same time it seems LOL.  I take them a treat every day in the afternoon.  Today they got some spinach and grapes.  They go bananas for grapes although there are a couple that just love the spinach.  There isnt much green out there so not much to nibble upon.  I went out with DH in the early evening.  He likes to see them before they go to bed and it relaxes him after putting in a long day at work.  Lucy wouldnt go up on his shoulder while I was out there.  I think she has a thing for DH ;) 

The cats are out except for Tikki who has decided that the only time to go out is in the early morning and after dark.  He has such delicate skin and is so worried about getting sunburned LOL. 

Hope your day is going great!

Talk to ya later!

Denise

Peepers

We heard the first peepers last night.  Hope they dont get frost bitten cause it's supposed to freeze tonight.  Crazy frogs were jumping all over the roads last night.  Hubby was trying to miss them and actually did but you know the person behind us didnt try to avoid them. 

Our blueberries have buds on them.  Think we will have to kiss them goodbye with the frost coming tonight but hope not.

Has anyone started their seedlings yet?

Bee Article -

Bees have been dying off around the world for a decade now from a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. A third of the U.S. food supply depends on the honeybee


The collapse of bee colonies is probably multifactorial, rather than a response to one type of toxic assault; one major factor is the toxicity of systemic pesticides, such as Clothianidin (made by Bayer)

One Colorado beekeeper named Tom Theobald exposed the EPA’s complicity with Bayer in allowing Clothianidin to market without honeybee safety studies

An average of six different pesticides were found in hives across the country, with one hive testing positive for 31 different pesticides, in one recent study

More than 75 percent of the honey on American supermarket shelves is not honey at all, but rather an ultra-processed mixture of sugar-water, malt sweeteners, corn or rice syrup, jaggery, barley malt sweetener and other additives, smuggled in from China and tainted with illegal antibiotics and heavy metals, such as lead

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/28/bees-death-destroy-food-supply.aspx?e_cid=20120128_DNL_art_1

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3



Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

I went, I saw and I conquered...

Well not really but I did go to therapy again today.  Boy oh boy did she hurt me but I can move my shoulder better tonight.  I have to go back on Wednesday and got new exercises to do tomorrow as well.  Yippee...yuck. 

Our chickens are giving us about two eggs every other day and look like they are out of molt now.  Our friendliest one, Lucy, also known as Lucy-Goosey, has a new trick.  Hubby likes to go out and pick her up and she must like it too because if you dont pay attention to her she pecks your leg.  Anyway she was being held by said Hubby when she flapped her wings and flew up and landed on his shoulder.  She is a character.  She also has gotten up onto his head before and pecked (very lightly) his hair.  She has pecked my leg before if I dont pay attention to her too but she likes Hubby better I think LOL. 

We had severe storms last night and there is still flooding in parts around our area.  I guess the almanac was right when they said we were going to have a wet winter.  I sure wish that some of the rain would hold off until summer though cause that is when we really need it.

Talk to ya later!

Denise

Cop or Soldier?

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=cop-soldier

Yep fooled me quite a few times.  I guess when in doubt say its a cop...kinda scary.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday - Late sorry!

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=87bf6bebfd&e=aaa5ac808b

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

Well that went well...

Went to therapy and they hurt me.  I expected that though so no problems.  I got diagrams of the exercises I am to do twice a day.  My shoulder actually doesnt hurt so much this evening especially after I did a second set of exercises but boy did that wear me out so off to beddy bye for me.  I know its late but I had to catch up on some of this work cause those darn fairies did not do anything while I was away today.  I'm up early in the morning to work some more (gotta pay for that therapy).

We're getting some storms blowing in tonight and tomorrow morning.  Hope everyone is not getting too much snow where you are! 

Just checked my stats.  Sure do have a lot of people from the US that read my blog along with people from Russia, France and Germany and many other countries.  It really is a small world isnt it?  I appreciate each and every one of you that read my blog.  Dont all be lurkers though, let me know what's on your mind.

Sleep Tight!
Denise

Does it hurt here?....

Yep I broke down and went to the doc yesterday.  Finally after three months of dealing with my shoulder/arm I went.  He gave me a steroid shot in my bursa which if you dont know is the cushion between your shoulder and arm.  He had to pull down on my arm to get in there and today it is seriously hurting big time.  I have to go to therapy today in a few hours which will hurt just getting there as I have a stick shift.  Doc said I have a frozen shoulder.  I really hoped to avoid that.  In 2008 I had adhesive capsulitis on my left arm and went through the same thing only I could move it less but this time I kept doing my exercises so I could move my right arm and shoulder a little.  Bursitis hurts.  Doesnt matter which joint its in.  I hope that the therapist can work it out cause if they cant and it just keeps getting worse then I will have to go to a surgeon.  The surgeon will knock me out and manipulate it.  I would be out of commission for at least two weeks...sigh.

You hit 50 and its all downhill LOL.

GM mosquitoes

Yep those darn scientists have done it again.  They are releasing GM mosquitoes in Florida.  They have had their genes modified so that they die off instead of reproducing.  The scientists are hoping that these GM ones will mate with the regular mosquitoes and it will make the population go way down.   Hmmm, do ya think that they werent really thinking here?  I know, I know that this will cut down on mosquito borne diseases but and here's a big BUT, what do you think is going to happen to all those birds and bats and such that eat mosquitoes...hmmm scientists?  Do you think that maybe you got brains but no common sense?  Just cause you can do something doesnt mean you should.  Your mommas should have slapped some sense into ya.  We'll be seeing some birds dying off big time from this fiasco just wait and see.  Maybe that's what is killing the birds now.  The experts are saying that it is mass bird suicide or trucks run into them and so on but what if it is the mosquitoes?  And who knows maybe they have other bugs they are working to become GM's and have already released them but havent told us poor fuddlebrained yokels about them because we just wouldnt understand.

I'm just shaking my head right now...

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

What strange weather...

Very very strange.  Yesterday we had severe thunderstorms and flooding and today we had snow and falling temps.  There is ice on the roads too. 

News on the home front:  Two chickens are now back to laying not just one like before.  We are up to two eggs every other day YAY!  Had to resort to some store bought eggs for a month there but back to really good eggs now.  Now if we could just get the mud out of their run.  Nothing like sinking an inch when I go to feed them.  It's like glue too.

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday - Late sorry!

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=9a2b073f70&e=aaa5ac808b

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created! Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

No whining!

Been gone a long long time...

but I'm back at least for this post LOL.  I'm covering for people on vacation at work so blogging will be sporatic but I will be back with more photos soon!  Hope everyone had a lovely holiday and didnt gain too much weight snacking on all that wonderful homemade food.  Nothing much going on here just working and wondering how cold it can get without any ice or snow...hmmm.

Here's  an old photo from the 40's.  It has kind of crappy shadows but the people you can see from left to right are:  My aunt Dee, Great Aunt Jess, My Grandma.  The little girl in the front is my Aunt Teena.  We havent figured out who the goofy boy is in front but mom figures he's a cousin but she wasnt sure and neither was Aunt Teena.   Oh my how the mind goes after you hit 70 LOL.  Give them a few years and they will remember who it is and how he's related.  Arent the dresses they have on lovely?

Until next time, when my fingers will be nubs from all the typing I'm doing, this is Denise signing out!

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://mymemories.us1.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2db59f577e9668b002ca5c0af&id=ed46d493ac&e=aaa5ac808b

Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created!  Remember you dont have to have the My Memories Suite to use these templates.


All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3


Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created!

All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

Musical video on GMO's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2qKI2Ju9s

Not bad, not bad at all....

This one will really make you mad

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/12/04/lobbyists-stealing-government.aspx?e_cid=20111211_SNL_MC_1

ALERT -- Europe Bans X-Ray Body Scanners Used at U.S. Airports

The European Commission has banned X-ray body scanners that use “backscatter” radiation technology from airports, “in order to not risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety” – but they are still in use in the United States

Backscatter X-ray scanners expose your body to ionizing radiation, which causes cumulative DNA damage that can lead to cancer

Because the scanners’ X-ray beams are concentrated on your skin, not distributed throughout the volume of your entire body, there is concern that the dose to your skin could be dangerously high

The former Homeland Security chief and co-author of the PATRIOT Act, Michael Chertoff, is one of the primary promoters of full-body scanners, and is a paid consultant for the companies that sell them

You always have the right to opt-out of X-ray body scanners while traveling and can choose to have a pat-down instead; if enough people choose to opt-out, it may prompt the scanners to be removed from U.S. airports

Read entire article here:  http://emf.mercola.com/sites/emf/archive/2011/12/01/europe-bans-x-ray-body-scanners.aspx?e_cid=20111211_SNL_MS_1

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday - Late sorry!

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1


Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created!

All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Cut and paste this code at checkout to get your discount STMMMS94069

More family photos

This is a pic of my granddad.  He is the handsome fellow in the middle.  Notice they are all smoking.  This must have been a special occasion since they seem to be wearing pretty nice clothes and they are standing in front of a mine.  My granddad worked in the coal mines probably when this photo was taken about the 1910-1920's. 

I would have...

posted a pic of the wonderful beef barley stew I made yesterday for supper last night but it seems like it's all gone...I only had two small bowls so some mice must have come along and ate the rest of it cause I know my hubby would not have eaten the rest of the crockpot full....

Here is the recipe so you can experience it for yourself:

2 carrots diced
2 celery spears diced (are they called spears? I dont remember I'm having a menopause moment)
1 small onion diced
Stew meat (add as much or as little as you would like, I used 1/2 lb)
Stock beef or chicken (I used chicken) enough to cover
1/2 cup pearled barley

Put all in crockpot and cook for 8 hours on low.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now I must admit I screwed up my chicken noodle soup when I canned it.  I didnt know you werent supposed to put the noodles in too so needless to say the noodles turned to mush (another menopause moment ;)  So I just drained off the broth and used it in the beef barley stew and threw the noodles away.  It worked great!  See I didnt waste too much...Ok you can stop laughing now.  Now if you put the barley in first thing it will be big and soft so if you like your barley a little bit more al dente (oooh big Italian word) add it during the last hour of cooking and it should be fine. 

By the way the stewing meat we got from Trinity Farms not far from where we are.  It was pasture raised and the meat tastes great so to give them a plug...check out their website http://www.trinityfarmsofalabama.com/  They also raise pigs for slaughter as well.  I got some pig fat to make some lard from them.  Half a side of beef filled our freezer so we are set for meat for the winter, and spring, and fall and winter...two people just dont eat that much in a setting well unless it's beef barley stew LOL.

Talk to ya later!

Denise

Food Democracy Now - Stop Traceability for Livestock Program

Dear Friend,

Once again the Obama administration is proposing burdensome regulations that will disproportionally harm family farmers while factory farmers get an intentional break. If you thought NAIS (the National Animal Identification System) was dead, think again! Right now the Obama administration is attempting to sneak a scaled-down version of a new "Traceability for Livestock" program onto farms across the U.S. through a new backdoor proposed USDA regulation.

Just like last time, the group ID is alive for factory farms, saving them lots of money, while family farmers and those who raise a few animals, like backyard chickens, will face the expense and burden of individually tagging their animals if they cross state lines.

The USDA's proposed new "traceability" rule will act like a driver's license for your backyard chicken or an ID card for a cow in Western Iowa crossing the border into Eastern Nebraska. If Obama gets away with it, this new Animal Identification rule will act like a tax on every livestock animal that crosses state lines - something that happens THOUSANDS a times a day in the United States!

Click on the link below to protect our farms and our right to own animals by submitting your comments today! DEADLINE for comments is COB Friday, December 9.

We need them to hear your voice today. Please spread the word.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_new_animal_ID/?referring_akid=.316027.i2JQ5M&source=taf

More family photos

I dug out an oldy but goody here.  This is my grandmother's family, the Andersons from the early 1900's.  My grandmother is the little girl in white in the front.  She was born in 1899.

More family holiday photos

I found some more!

This is my crazy brother and our dog Princess.  This was taken in the late 70's.

This is a pic of my mom's sisters.  Left to right:  Aunt Dee, Aunt Teena, Aunt Jean and my mom.  Yes they are all from the same parents...my mom takes after my grandfather's side of the family and she is the youngest.  This was taken around Easter but I'm just guessing since Aunt Teena is wearing a rabbit on her sweatshirt.

Christmas pictures

I thought I would post some family photos from holidays past so here we go.  Try not to make too much fun of our hair and outfits OK? LOL

This is the adult's table.  Left to right:  My Aunt Teena, my mom, Uncle Bob, Uncle Don, my dad, Aunt Dee, Aunt Jean and Uncle Gene is behind the camera.  Aunt Dee and Uncle Don are no longer with us.

This is the kid's table.  Didnt matter how old we got we had to sit at the kid's table LOL.  Left to right:  Scott (Jen's husband), Arielle (Jen's little girl), Jennifer (my cousin), my hubby, me and in front is Josh (Jen's oldest).  My brother, Jen's sister, and Linda and Pam (my other cousins).  Josh and Arielle are all grown up.  These pics were taken in the late 80's. 

I'll try to find some more.

Sound Living

Almost daily we read in the press expressions from every part of the country indicating that what people are seeking most strenuously today is some sort of firm foundation upon which to build for the future.  Probably each one of us feels hopeful that the days to come are destined to be better days than any we have previously known.  However, we are undoubtedly each wondering how a sane basis of economy in government and business is to be finally reached, and once attained, how it is to be preserved. 

There is no doubt that for many years we have been following false ideals to an alarming extent:  The man or woman doomed to a quiet, wholesome, steady and dutiful mode of living was to be pitied; one who took thought for the morrow, or questioned where all the hectic living was leading, was regarded as oldfashioned and a kill-joy into the bargain.  But fortunately for all of us many of these ideas and valuations appear to be changing.  People generally seem to be reaching out for a sense of soundness for themselves and for the country, to insure the long pull ahead.  This is encouraging, for there is after all nothing which can quite compare with the firm satisfaction of knowing that one is doing his duty as best he sees it, and is keeping his conscience clear by wholesome living.

It appears evident that we as a people, without in the least decrying the value of sane recreation, are nevertheless becoming oldfashioned enough to wish to trade much of the get-rich-quick splendor, and night club glamour, for the ways of life which lead to a wholesome self-respect, a quiet mind, and the happy enjoyment of the simpler things of life.  And if the depression which has been such a burden to most of us results in the reversal of the conditions which provoked it, how can we regret it too deeply if the final result is to bring us to a realization of the truly worth-while things in life. 

Editorial from Needlecraft The Home Arts Magazine February 1935.

Amazing that they were thinking then what most of us are thinking now...

Site on Monsanto

http://www.monsanto.no/index.php/en/

Singing lambs....

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/aholidaymiracle/aholidaymiracle.tem

Ad for Brooks Brothers - too cute by half....

GMO eggplant found to be toxic

http://www.monsanto.no/index.php/en/environment/gmo/gmo-news/173-gmo-eggplant-confirmed-to-be-toxic

Vitamin D

A meta-analysis of 50 trials looking at mortality rates for “doctor recommended” synthetic vitamin D2 supplements versus natural vitamin D3 shows a six percent risk reduction among those who used D3, compared to a two percent increased risk among those who used D2

Research shows vitamin D3 is approximately 87 percent more potent in raising and maintaining vitamin D concentrations and produces 2- to 3-fold greater storage of vitamin D than does D2. D3 is also converted into its active form 500 percent faster

Optimizing your vitamin D levels may be one of the most important steps you can take in support of your long-term health. The ideal way to do this is by exposing large amounts of skin to sunlight or a safe tanning bed, but if you need to use an oral supplement, make sure you’re taking vitamin D3

The most important factor is your vitamin D serum level, which should ideally be between 50-70 ng/ml. When taking an oral vitamin D supplement, you should take enough to reach and maintain this therapeutic level. As a generic guideline, adults need to take about 8,000 IU’s a day to reach this level

Read entire article here:  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/30/taking-the-right-type-of-vitamin-d.aspx?e_cid=20111130_DNL_art_1

Scrapbooking Freebie Friday

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3





Every Friday I'll be posting a free scrapbooking kit you can use. Just click the above link and download it to your computer. Play around with it and come back here and show and tell...Cant wait to see what you have created!  Remember, you dont have to have the My Memories software to use this freebie!

All my readers/friends get $10 off if you decide to purchase My Memories Suite V3 (http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software) and $10 coupon for any purchases from My Memories store.

Hardrock, Coco and Joe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PvZZO_0qHM

Another oldy but goody!  Used to see this every year on KDKA in Pittsburgh...

NIA blog post - 11/9/11

ECB Preparing Italy Bailout, Massive Inflation Coming

Italy’s 10 year bond yields rose above 7% on Wednesday and economists from around the world are now proclaiming that these interest rates are unsustainable with Italy’s national debt now 120% of its GDP. NIA believes the ECB is currently working on their largest bailout in history where they will commit to purchasing over €1 trillion of Italian bonds and bonds of other eurozone countries that are at risk of becoming insolvent. Despite the signals currently being given by the ECB, they will not allow Italy to fail because it will cause a Great Depression throughout the European Union, which will lead to the destruction of the eurozone.

Economists today fail to realize that 10 year bond yields of 7% are normal for not just Italy, but the rest of the eurozone and the United States. If it wasn’t for the ECB holding their benchmark interest rate at artificially low levels for over a decade, Italy and other eurozone countries wouldn’t have the high levels of debt they do today and they would be able to withstand yields of 7% or higher. The ECB is entirely at fault for the European Debt Crisis and they are about to follow in the footsteps of the Federal Reserve by abandoning their objective of maintaining price stability and keeping inflation low.

German 10 year bond yields declined again today to 1.72% and the spread between Germany and Italy is at a new record of 553 basis points. Germany is benefiting from safe haven buying from investors selling Italian bonds and buying German bonds, but investors will soon realize that German bonds are no better than Italian bonds and the world will dump all Euro denominated bonds.

Bond investors currently expect very little inflation in the eurozone, as seen by Germany’s low bond yields. The sole reason for the large spread between German and Italian bonds is Italy’s greater risk of default. However, a default by Italy would lead to the failure of Germany’s largest banks. Germany knows this but they don’t want to raise inflation expectations by making the world think that the ECB will be monetizing Italy’s debt. Therefore, Germany is now telling Italy to request aid from the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) if needed.

Unfortunately, the EFSF doesn’t have the financial resources to rescue a country the size of Italy. Last week, the EFSF had to cancel a €3 billion auction of 10 year bonds due to a lack of investor interest. On Monday, the EFSF finally had the bond sale, but was met with subdued interest that barely covered the €3 billion in bonds being offered. So far the EFSF has only raised a total of €13 billion through bond sales, but has received €440 billion in guarantees from eurozone countries. If Italy becomes a recipient of EFSF funding, the EFSF will lose one of their largest contributors.

The EFSF is looking to leverage up its €440 billion in funding to over €1 trillion. The European Debt Crisis was caused by too much leverage and debt. It is complete insanity to believe that the EFSF is going to solve the debt crisis when it too is getting deeply into debt and planning to use huge leverage to increase their funds available for bailouts.

There was recently a report that a proposal was made at the G20 summit last week in Cannes for Germany and other leading countries in the eurozone to pool together their foreign currency reserves including their gold reserves to back the EFSF, which would allow it to easily leverage up their funds and raise more money through bond sales. As soon as this report surfaced, Germany immediately announced to the world that they will not be using their gold reserves to boost the EFSF and that their gold reserves are “untouchable”.

Germany’s unwillingness to use their gold reserves clearly shows that gold is the real safe haven where individuals should store their savings if they want to keep their purchasing power. Investors buying German 10 year bonds with a yield of only 1.72% should ask themselves why Germany is willing to fund the EFSF with Euros but not their gold. Maybe investors will come to their senses and change their mind about buying any Euro denominated bonds.

For the past decade there has been a bond bubble in both Europe and the U.S. where we have seen bond yields at artificially low levels for an unprecedented amount of time. This has caused modern economists to believe that low bond yields are the new normal. When central banks interfere in the free market by manipulating interest rates to artificially low levels, it creates asset bubbles that eventually burst. When asset bubbles burst, the free market takes over and attempts to correct the damage by raising interest rates to extremely high levels, which encourages consumers to reduce their consumption and increase their savings.

NIA believes that over the next five years, 10 year bond yields will reach double digit territory throughout the eurozone and the U.S. The free market wants countries like Greece and Italy to default on their debts and restructure them, which is why their bond yields are rising so high. Although Greece and Italy have the highest debt levels in the eurozone as a percentage of GDP, the whole entire eurozone borrowed too much and has too much debt. Germany and France both know that the failure of Italy will spread to them when German and French banks with Italian debt begin to fail. The EFSF will soon be exposed as a failure itself when it is unable to attract the funding necessary to rescue eurozone countries in need of bailouts. Unless the ECB decides to bailout eurozone countries through the EFSF by buying their bonds, the ECB will be forced to directly monetize debts across the entire eurozone.

Even though the destruction of the eurozone seems imminent, NIA believes it will take time to play out. Most likely, in about two or three months from now the media will begin focusing its attention on the U.S. crisis. When the spotlight is off Italy, their bond yields will temporarily dip back down, but U.S. bond yields will skyrocket. The U.S. national debt is very close to breaking 100% of GDP, which will likely be a catalyst for investors to begin dumping their U.S. dollar denominated assets. The U.S. has unfunded liabilities many times the size of Italy’s unfunded liabilities. Including unfunded liabilities, while Italy’s total debts are approximately 300% of their GDP, the U.S. has total debts equaling about 600% of its GDP.

Austerity cuts are becoming very common in the eurozone and although citizens still protest them, it has become politically acceptable for politicians in Italy and other eurozone countries to support them. Italy’s cash budget deficit as a percentage of GDP is currently only 3.9% and their national debt has been barely growing. The U.S. cash budget deficit as a percentage of GDP is currently 8.7%, more than double Italy, and the U.S. national debt has been growing at a record rate. Americans are used to stimulus over austerity. Members of Congress are too afraid to make necessary spending cuts. The U.S. has a budget deficit from entitlement programs and interest payments on the debt alone.

The supercommittee created by Congress to recommend $1.5 trillion in deficit reductions by November 23rd, so far hasn’t agreed to make reductions to any entitlement programs. The Democrats and Republicans have so far only reached consensus on changing the way the government calculates inflation for Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) increases. They want to calculate inflation by using a new chain weighted CPI, which will understate inflation even more than the current CPI they use.

Based on how the current CPI has been miscalculating inflation for decades, Social Security recipients today should be receiving approximately triple their current payments. All Americans should be outraged that the government is planning to once again reduce the deficit through deception, when they should be eliminating wasteful government agencies like the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, and the Department of Homeland Security, while bringing our troops home from the middle east and immediately cutting overseas military spending in half so that we have the resources to better protect ourselves at home.

The extremely high levels of debt in both Europe and the U.S. need to be liquidated as soon as possible. If Italy can’t sustain itself with 7% interest rates, which is only average on a historical basis, think about how large the crisis will be in the U.S. when interest rates here reach 15% as price inflation spirals out of control. Less than three months ago Italy’s interest rates were below 5%. Fundamentally, Italy’s economy is the same as it was three months ago, but perceptions in the marketplace change quickly. Today, U.S. treasuries are still perceived to be a safe haven, but this will change 180 degrees in no time.

Just like how the U.S. government understates inflation when calculating COLA adjustments, they also understate inflation when calculating GDP growth. The U.S. recently reported 3Q GDP growth of 1.62% on a year-over-year basis, which used a price deflator of only 2.52%. If they used the real rate of price inflation, they would have reported negative GDP growth. The Federal Reserve just lowered forecasts for U.S. GDP growth in 2012 to between 2.5% and 2.9%, down from a forecast in June of between 3.3% and 3.7%. In order to ensure that we even meet the Fed’s new projections, the Fed will soon be launching QE3. NIA predicts that the Fed will use fears of contagion from the European Debt Crisis as their excuse for launching QE3 in the near-future. Combined with massive inflation from Europe as the ECB monetizes debt to save banks with exposure to Italian bonds, gold will soon skyrocket to new all time highs with silver likely beginning to once again outperform gold.

 

http://inflation.us/