Reformation Day!

It was a time late in the Middle Ages, when lords lived in castles and serfs toiled in the fields.  The Catholic Church was as powerful or more powerful than many kings, holding sway over lord and serf alike.
Unfortunately, men who lived for themselves rather than for serving others were in control of the church, and the Gospel was overshadowed by the Law.  People were taught they could earn salvation by giving money to the church, performing pilgrimages, penances, and good works.

One man who earnestly sought to earn his salvation was a young German monk by the name of Martin Luther.  He followed, indeed went beyond every edict of his monastic order, punishing himself physically and mentally until he gave up in despair.  He felt utterly broken and destroyed when he realized that no matter how hard, how desperately he tried, he could never be righteous enough to please God and "earn" salvation.  He moved on from the monastery, becoming a professor at the University of Erfurt where he spent much time studying the Bible.

His studies took him deep into the Bible, where, guided by the Holy Spirit, he came to a new understanding.  He realized that salvation is not something that can be "earned".  It is a gift, freely given.  Jesus died to pay the price for everyone, and all are covered by His righteousness.

Luther also realized that the Catholic Church was continuing down the wrong road, and indeed had been making a great deal of money selling what the called "indulgences".  A person could go to a parish priest and buy a scrap of parchment that said his sins would not count.  One could see how the idea was attractive - want to go out and get drunk and rob someone?  Simply buy this piece of paper ahead of time and no problem!  No guilt!

The practice of selling indulgences was just one of the church practices that didn't sit right with Luther, and he tried to work from within to make the needed changes.  Finally, on October 31st, 1517, he wrote the Ninety-five Theses, and nailed them to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg.  A simple act, a fairly common act of the time when men wished to set up a meeting to debate issues; yet with far-reaching consequences that Luther could not have foreseen.

The Protestant Reformation is a fascinating historical study, but I won't take your time with it here.  Suffice it to say that God used Luther to bring Law and Gospel, Word and Sacrament back to the people, and to this day we celebrate Reformation Day.

Meanwhile, back on the homestead, we've survived the high winds on the edge of Hurricane Sandy with some minor power outages.  So sad to see all the destruction on the coast!  Hope the area recovers quickly.  I've been busy lately, putting up over four dozen quarts of potatoes, a few dozen jars of green tomato relish and hot pepper jam, two dozen pints of carrots, and putting a bushel of apples through the dehydrator.  I'm so pleased to have the carrots!  The first sowing didn't come up this Spring, so I replanted them but thought the entire crop lost to the weed epidemic I had this year.  What a pleasant surprise to find a really nice crop peeking out from behind the tomato plants.

They look even nicer put up in a jar!

Crossing the Line

I'm at a loss. Has it truly come to this? A country founded through a fierce desire for independence, a land of freedom won by sacrifice and commitment, a home where everyone can worship God in their own way, protected and defended by the brave and honorable for over two hundred years, is now fallen so low that the Commander in Chief tells young women that voting for him is like losing your virginity to a great guy.

Yes, it's a real campaign ad.

http://youtu.be/o6G3nwhPuR4

There's just so much that is so sick and so wrong with this ad that I can hardly express my horror and disgust. I already knew that the current pretender in the White House was an arrogant, clueless man, but now it's clear he's nothing more than a pervert.

Instead of protecting our borders, he's using the Health and Human Services mandates to bedevil faith based organizations.

Instead of guarding the safety and sovereignty of America and our citizens, he parties with celebrities.

Instead of being a leader, he bows to foreign dictators and apologizes for America's existence.

Only a country falling prey to to completely selfish, evil thoughts and desires would be desperate enough to elect such a man to the highest office. Where is honor, faith, respect? What happened to responsibility and hard work?

We're drowning in debt, under attack here and abroad by terrorists, our borders are over-run by aliens, and what do we get? Bread and circuses. Though now it's in the form of cell phones and birth control.

Sadly, it seems too many of our citizens don't care what happens, so long as they get their freebies from the government, so long as they can have sex with whoever and whatever they want and then proudly parade it in public , so long as they can demand their “rights”. And they continue to elect liberal politicians who have no moral compass, who will happily spend us into oblivion to buy votes and maintain their cushy position and benefits while completely failing to do their jobs.

A desperate call for help from an American ambassador in the Middle East? Nope, sorry, have to run to Vegas to schmooze at a fundraiser.

A Christian church run by people who practice what they preach? Oh, can't have that – use government mandates to force them to pay for abortions, and sue them if they won't perform a wedding ceremony for homosexuals.

A sheriff in Arizona actually arresting illegals and sending them back over the border? Court the “latino” vote by persecuting and threatening him.

Time for a vacation? Spend millions of taxpayer dollars to send the wife and kids off to Europe.

Am I the only one who is outraged and heartbroken by it all? God help us! We continue to throw His blessings away in favor of darkness and evil. How long will He continue to show us grace and mercy before He allows our own choices to destroy our country?

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray , and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2nd Chronicles 7:14

"...run around the house three times."

When I was little, and complained of not feeling well, my Mom's first response was always "go outside and run around the house three times".  While at first glance that may seem a trifle harsh, especially in this politically correct age, there was a gem of wisdom there.  If I was truly sick, I would simply look up at her with glassy eyes and wipe my runny nose on my sleeve, and before I knew it I was dosed with a combination of honey, whiskey, and lemon juice and propped up with pillows on the sofa.  If I was just feeling sort of punky and she chased me outside, I would run around in the fresh air and sunshine and usually feel better right away.

Scientists today have all sorts of names for this phenomenon, speaking of endorphins, or getting vitamins from the sun, and so it may be, but really I think it's more a matter of attitude and a sort of toughness.  Fighting through feeling sluggish and out of sorts to get muscles moving is an accomplishment that can make all the difference.  To this day it's still her stock answer, and one I use on my own daughter.  We even use the phrase on each other as a way of motivating ourselves to go do something fun when we're so tempted to just sit on the deck in the comfy chairs.

This evening was another such time.  After spending the weekend putting up fifty pounds of potatoes, canning twenty jars of green tomato relish and another fifteen of hot pepper jam, then rushing through endless files at work, I really wanted nothing more than my recliner.  Mom has a pretty stressful, lousy sort of job too, and was ready to just chill.  But the air was warm, the leaves were gorgeous, and the lake was calling.  We just HAD to get out there in the kayaks!  I mean, how many chances will we have yet before the water gets hard?  So instead of sitting on the deck, we pushed each other to hauled out the 'yaks and trek out to the water. 

Ahhhh, how worth it!  The water was a dark, moody gray, choppy with small waves but with also with flat, smooth areas mysteriously reflecting the cloudy sky.  I could feel the stress just fall away as I dug and pulled, dug and pulled, hands tight on the paddle, shoulders straining, heart pumping.  The wonderful scent of burning leaves drifted out to us as we paralleled the shore, the water gently slapping against our boats.  A dozen deer, a mixture of yearlings and does, barely paused their browsing to watch us float by.  Turkeys moved among the deer, occasionally chortling and cooing to each other, and a couple of mischievous squirrels chittered loudly as they chased each other in circles up and down the trunk of a giant oak.  The deer would waggle their ears at the squirrels, as if to say "quit making so much noise".  Sometimes we paddled and chatted, sometimes we simply sat and drifted, enjoying the peace, the scenery, and each others company.  It wasn't until we heard rumbles of thunder in the distance that we headed in for supper.

By the time I left, we were both feeling better, more relaxed, and quietly energized.  I'm so blessed to have such a wise Mom, who has taught me well and been a wonderful example; and it's so good that we live where we can grab a kayak and put it in the water any time we want.  Having the Great Lakes to play in is truly great!

So remember the next time you're feeling sort of down and out of sorts, go outside and run around the house three times. (Or paddle a boat, ski down a hill, maybe even just go for a walk.) You'll be better for it!

October Surprise! (Or God is Good!)

Yes, I know that "October Surprise" has bad connotations, being a political ploy of politicians looking to be elected in November.  But here it was something rare and beautiful.  It was well after dark when I got home Monday, and once the truck lights shut off I thought what I was seeing was merely the neighbor's enormous combine shining lights up through the dust while harvesting beans.  Then I looked closer...it was actually the aurora borealis!  This makes about the fourth or fifth time I've been able to see them in the last three decades, so it's a rare treat.  Despite the freezing temperatures, I sat on my patio swing for over an hour, enjoying the show. They don't look like the vibrant, sparkling lights one sees on television shows about Alaska; here they are understated and subtle. I've seen some northern lights show pink and red before, but Monday's were white, blue and green, pale pastels flowing over the horizon in gentle waves.  Most of the time I could still see the stars through the gossamer veils, while some waves seemed to drift closer and coalesce, obscuring the stars. One little cloud of light seemed almost to perch on my roof top, perhaps caught for a moment on the eaves, until it could pull free and continue on it's way.  What a peaceful interlude, gently rocking in my patio swing, nestled deep in my jacket, my head resting back on the cushion, quietly overcome by the awesome spectacle of the night sky.   It was a perfect combination of clear air, shimmering northern lights, and brilliant stars.  I do wish folks would turn off the yard lights, street lights, and advertising lights, and take time to slow down and look up.  They may be astonished at what they're missing - a beautiful show, and no political ads!!

We recently took a family trip, and it was a real adventure for us to drive clear across two states, and a lot of fun to explore and see new places.  By the time we got back, we had put over a thousand miles on the van in just three days, and been through big cities, stretches of farm land, across major rivers, through valleys, and over hills. 

The very next day, that same van stranded me in the parking lot at work.  God is so good!!  When I thought about all the places we had just been, so far away from home, all I could do was sit there with the hood up and the door open, laughing.  My co-workers thought it a strange reaction to a broken down vehicle, but I was looking at the bigger picture.  Getting my brother to rescue me from work was a trivial inconvenience, compared to what could have been.  It makes me wonder, how many times does God take what Satan intended as a major, heart-breaking hurt, and instead allow it only as an inconvenience?  How often are we protected by His grace, without even realizing it?

Our October weather has been pretending it's November, with hard freezes and drizzly days.  It seems no Indian summer for us this year - and me still with dozens of chores to do before the homestead is ready for winter.  We'll be making the green tomatoes into relish and pickles, scrounging for firewood, cutting the grass one more time, and getting the screens out of the windows, among other projects.  I certainly wish there was a way to make a full time income, and yet be home with time to get everything done!  Maybe I'll have to look into cloning...

Canning beans

I finally got some beans out of my garden, the lovely "Dragontongue" beans that are yellow and purple and have no strings.  Last summer was the first time I grew these beans, and they quickly became a favorite due to their meaty heft and good texture that doesn't get woody when the beans get big.  I didn't have quite enough beans to make it worthwhile to get out the canner so I bought some nice green beans from my Amish neighbors and set to work. 

I much prefer "frenched" beans to cut beans, so after thoroughly washing the beans and cutting off the ends, I run them all through the frencher.  I have this giant colander that I feed the beans into from the frencher, making it easier to rinse off all the bits of seeds.

(Sometimes the best things can happen simply from being in the right place at the right time.  I was given this colander and quite a few other kitchen gadgets just because I was helping out a woman who was downsizing her home prior to moving.  Fun!)

After the beans are all frenched and rinsed, I stuff the jars.  I pack them in pretty tightly but make sure to leave a one inch headspace.  I cover the beans with hot water and use a plastic knife or wooden handle to make sure the air bubbles are all out.

Then I use a clean, damp cloth to make sure the tops of the jars are clean.

Then it's time to put the lids on, that I've had simmering in warm water to slightly soften the rubber sealant.

I love this little gadget!  Very simple, just a magnet at the end of a plastic handle, but it makes it so easy to get the lid out of the hot water without burning my fingers, or risk scratching the lid with tongs.  I tighten the rings just finger tight, and load the jars into the pressure canner.

The canner has a locking lid with flanges that fit like a tongue and groove when I twist the lid shut.

Not locked

Locked and ready to go

I follow the instructions in the canner manual for venting the steam and monitoring the heat so that the weight is happily jiggling, and process the beans (pint jars) for twenty minutes at ten pounds of pressure.  It can all be a lot of work, but to me it's worth it to have fresh, high quality beans preserved without chemicals and packed in glass instead of cans that may have liners that leach compounds into the food.  There's a wonderful sense of accomplishment, looking at a pantry shelf stocked with food I've preserved!

Geo-what?

The trees are starting to show color, the air is crisp and clean, the sun is warm and gentle - it's really the best time of the year for some outdoor activities!

Here's one of my favorites - and before we go any further, I have to warn you, once you try it, you'll be addicted and your whole life will change.

Geocaching.

Have you ever heard of it?  It's been mentioned occasionally in different television programs or newspaper write-ups, but depsite it's popularity, most folks don't know what it is.  Basically it's a high-tech form of a scavenger hunt.  All one needs to play is an internet connection, a GPS reciever, time to wander the countryside, and the gas money to do so.  Someone will hide a container, often food storage like tupperware, in a hollow tree or at the base of a fence post or in a bush or under the cowling of a light pole, places like that, and post the coordinates of the hide on the website.  Other folks will download those coordinates, go find the container, and then record their finds online.  I have around 500 finds; there are actually people out there with over 10,000 finds.  I can only suppose that they are  a) retired, and b) independently wealthy.

There's a cache hidden just off to the right of the path

This was the view waiting at the end of the path

A Catholic shrine visited for a virtual c

Sometimes there are little trinkets in the container; beads, happy meal toys, marbles, etc., called "swag".  Swag can be left, taken, and traded from geocache to geocache.  There's a real competition to be "First to Find" a new geocache.  Sometimes there's a special prize in the container for the first to find, sometimes not, but a FTF is always good for bragging rights.  Some of the containers are tiny, no bigger than a watch battery, and contain only the paper log to sign and claim the find, some can be as large as the giant jugs that pickled bologna comes in.

Finding the containers is fun, but some of the best geocaches are "virtual" caches.  These caches will take you to see something of historical interest, scenic views, building murals, or wild and wacky sorts of things.  Usually these finds are claimed by taking a picture or answering a question about the site.


Some caches are accessible only by kayak, some by 4x4.  Some are educational, where you have to measure the output of a flowing well, learn about cave formation, or study beach erosion; some you have to solve a puzzle to get the coordinates, and some are just magnetic key holders stuck to a guard rail by a bridge.  The variety is almost endless and there's something for everyone.

It may all sound a little odd, which is what I thought when my friend introduced me to the hobby, but once I tried it, I was hooked.

I'm almost standing on a cache at this point

 Within a few weeks, I had purchased my own GPS unit and was out looking for them on my own.  I've been to some great places - some that were close to home that I had never seen - and delved into some fascinating history.  Many geocaches are in cemeteries, and I've always enjoyed the history there so it's even more interesting.  Central Michigan has many caches seemingly in the middle of nowhere; yet they are placed where there are ruins from an old logging town, CCC camp, or even the remains of a millionaire's castle on the banks of the river.

A cemetery with wooden crosses in a national forest miles from any town

The game began in America's northwest, and has since spread worldwide.  There are caches everywhere from Mammoth Cave to the Space Station; from Alaska to the South Pole.  The website is www.geocaching.com.  Check it out sometime - but don't say I didn't warn you!

Apple Peeler Gadget Review

Haven't you always wanted to try one of these gadgets?  I looked at them for years, but never thought it would really work, so didn't buy one.  Then one day my Mom happened to find one at a discount store, and brought it home for me, so here goes.

 

 

First apple done!

 

 

 

 

At first I couldn't figure out how to work it.  I stuck an apple on the forks, just like in the picture on the manual, turned the crank, and the apple promptly popped off and bounced across the table.  Hmmmm.  I had it exactly like the picture!  Coming to the conclusion that the instruction manual wasn't worth the paper it was printed on, I tossed it and started puzzling it out on my own.  Eureka!  The corkscrew looking part will actually retract all the way to the right if I push this little lever, then when I put the apple on, it fits right up against the blade and doesn't pop off.

It goes really quick - stick the top of the apple on the fork, spin the crank, and the little blade slices away the peel and the circle blade cuts the core right out.  The peel comes off in one long ribbon, and the circle blade actually does get all of the core. The inner blade slices the apple into a long spiral.  It took only a few minutes to finish the bag of apples, and this method was wonderful for prepping the apples for drying, as each apple was easily sliced top to bottom, resulting in a stack of neat, even slices perfect for the dehydrator.

Bowl full just that quick

Slices in water with lemon juice to prevent browning

So prepping my bag of boughten apples for drying was easy and painless with this little gadget, but I can't give it a full five stars. 
The suction cup on the bottom of the unit is useless, it wouldn't stick to any surface that I tried. I had to hold the unit down with one hand while I turned the crank.  I may remove the suction cup, drill some holes through the base, and bolt it to a board for stability.
The apples I purchased came from carefully tended and sprayed trees that were genetically chosen for big round apples.  In a normal year, I'd be using the gnarly, odd-sized apples from my antique Northern Spy tree in my yard.  I don't think this gadget would handle those quite as well. 
My take on it?  If you can find this apple gadget for ten dollars or less (or get it as a gift), and plan to do large, uniform apples, it is certainly worth it.

The strange weather we had this spring caused the loss of about 75% of our local apple crop, so apples are few and expensive.  My tree provided me with three bushels of apples last year; this year it bore not one single solitary apple.  My famous home-made applesauce is in short supply, as only three jars remain of the over seventy I canned up last year.  Hopefully I'll be able to find some more reasonably priced apples and build up a little stock of dried apples and then maybe make some applesauce for special occasions.

 ~~~~***~~~~

The breeze is brisk and happy today, laughing as it whirls around the house, stirring up some early fallen leaves.  Large gray clouds are playing tag with the sunshine, making my kitchen go from brightly lit to dim and gloomy at random times.  Good smells fill the air as I'm busy canning chicken, corn, and beans, and dehydrating the apples.  I love Fall!

Kernels and Kablooey

Summer has flown by with swift, trembling wings and here we are on the cusp of Autumn.  Time to be harvesting, canning, drying, and putting food by for the winter.  My poor garden was a victim of drought, weeds, and lack of time, so my harvest has been meager.  Happily, there's a large Amish farm just down the road that does a good business in seasonal produce, and I've been able to supplement my harvest.  If I can't grow it myself, at least I know where it came from!

When traveling to the city I also pass a very large commercial potato farm, where thrifty folks can pull in and get fifty pounds of fresh potatoes for $7.00.  I sliced and dried half of that, and cubed and canned the rest.  I was feeling pretty smug when, after filling one pressure canner with quart jars full of potatoes and starting the timer, I still had another canner to fill.  I figured to be done in half the time!

Alas, it is true, "pride goeth before the fall"....when the timer went off for the second canner, the first was still on high, as the weight had not resumed jiggling (or like a friend says, giggling) after the initial venting and start up process.  Well, it appears that the weight wasn't happy because the pressure was too high and the burner was too high and the temperature was too high and everything built right up and up and up and KABLOOEY!  ...that endless yet instant moment of heart stoppage when my mind tried to rationalize the sudden presence of a jet engine in my kitchen as the safety plug burst open and released a tremendous, hissing, screaming plume of steam.  Tiny metal bits from the plug melded themselves into the bottom of my stove hood and the whole room filled with a steam that reeked of burnt potatoes.

Double Creature Feature (before the kablooey)

Sigh.  So now I'm back down to one canner until I replace the safety plug. I am grateful that the safety device worked as it should have; the alternative is terrible to contemplate!

I did get three dozen ears of corn out of my garden, and decided to can it all up.  The ears weren't very big so it didn't take long to get them shucked and clean.  I've tried a lot of ways to get the kernels off the cob, and through trial and error found that using an electric knife works the best.  I put an upside down jar in the middle of a bowl, balance the cob on it, and buzz away, letting the kernels fall into the bowl.  This keeps them from flying all over the room and sticking to my eyebrows.  I pack the kernels into hot, clean pint jars and process them in my single solitary pressure canner for the full 55 minutes.  I've finally gotten pretty good at timing the cool down period, so as not to lose liquid out of the jars, but also to get ready for processing the next batch as quickly as possible.

Goes quick with the electric knife

Most of the kernels stay in the bowl

So far I have just under 20 pints each of corn and beans, and about two dozen quarts of potatoes; along with several quart jars of dried peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.  Not much of a harvest, to be sure, but it's better than nothing, and I'm not done yet!  The adventure continues.....hopefully without anymore kablooey.

Until next time, God bless each of you.

Random Thoughts

The ups and downs of having a teenager with a driver's license:

Constant worry over deer and large farm equipment trying to occupy the same road space as my child.

Freedom from endless running and fetching for lessons, games, and after school activities.

Insurance costs!!!  Talk about legalized theft!

But best of all, I haven't had to do the grocery shopping in months! 

A ray of hope and sanity in Middle America during the overwhelming discouragement of living through a presidential election year:

The sudden hush that fell over the stadium at the beginning of the Great Lakes Loons ballgame, when the national anthem began and everyone stopped talking, and stood facing the flag with their hands over their hearts.

How is it that the gasoline currently in storage in large tanks under gas stations here in Michigan suddenly becomes more expensive when the hurricane a thousand miles away hasn't even hit anything yet?




I've decided the best smells of late summer are tomatoes cooking in a huge pot on the stove mixed with the sharp scent of peppers and onions in the dehydrator.



I'm waiting for something fantastical to happen on Friday during the blue moon. At least I've read some good stories based on that premise.

*Just in case you were wondering, the moon won't really turn blue.  It's just the name for the second full moon within one calendar month.  The last blue moon was during November 2010.

Time to Fill the Jars!

It's so wonderful to have a circle of good people about; not only do I have a great family but my church family is something special too.  One of my church family arranged for me to trade a bunch of my seedlings I grew this spring for some farm fresh chickens.  I'm pretty sure I came out the winner on this one!  The chickens were raised without chemicals, drugs, or hormones, and their home was only a dozen miles from my homestead.  Eat local, right?

Well these chickens met their end a couple of weeks ago; by the time I got over after church to lend a hand the bloody bit was over, so I got to help a little with the bagging and weighing part.  There were chicken carcasses all over the kitchen, and a lot of gabbing and laughing as the work was done, sort of like an old-time work bee.

Ideally, I would have brought all twenty chickens home and stayed up all night stuffing them into jars and wrassling with the Creature to get them all processed.  However the combination of having to work, and the imminent visit of the small humans known as nephews had me frantically making room in the freezer.

So I pulled out several chickens this weekend, chopped them up, filled my jars, and processed them.  Eight pints done so far, and all sealed.  It seems the Creature and I have called a truce; pressure canning isn't nearly the frightening, nerve-wracking thing that it was.  I did learn a few lessons:  a sharp knife is essential (I'll have to learn to keep them sharp!), it is much easier to cut the raw meat when it is still partially frozen, and working with partially frozen meat can really freeze your hands!

The garden is very sad, mostly overcome by the relentless weeds.  I will have to purchase beans and corn from my Amish neighbors to have enough to can up this season, which troubles my frugal heart, as I should be able to get enough from my garden, rather than using money for vegetables, but you do what you have to do, right?  I do have a few spaghetti squash, peppers, and some tomatoes are finally turning red.  I like to do most of the tomato prep work outside, just because it makes such a big mess.  I do the work at my picnic table, and can simply hose everything down.

I start with the best tomatoes I can pick, and wash them before dropping them into boiling water, using the blancher.  My grill opens up enough to accommodate the blancher and does a good job of keepng the water boiling.  After the tomatoes have been in the boiling water for just a few minutes, I pull them out and plunge them into a bowl of cold water.  this makes the skins loosen, and cools them enough for handling.  I pull the skins off, and then put the tomatoes through my Victorio strainer.  This great little kitchen gadget will crush the tomatoes, pushing all the seeds and tough bits out the end, while allowing the puree to pour into a bowl.  This whole process makes a huge mess, especially when the plunger makes a tomato squirt all over - usually getting the walls, ceiling, and my face, while completely missing the newspapers put down to catch the drips.  The bowls of puree are dumped into my heavy duty stock pot, cooked down to the desired consistency, and then jarred and processed.  This method is great because the puree lends itself to so many recipes - everything from ketchup to soup to dried tomato leather.  Quarts are water-bathed for forty minutes, pints for thirty-five.  While I grow heirloom tomatoes that weren't bred for sweetness, there's no way to be sure how acid they are, so I add about a tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar, just to be sure.

The Outside Kitchen!

There's nothing so lovely as jar after jar of bright red tomato puree lined up on the counter!

Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.

Thunderstorms and Anti-Truth

It's a true summer evening in Michigan.  A little rubber duck, left behind after the nephew's visit, floats in lazy circles in the swimming pool.  The smell and sizzle of brats on the grill is punctuated by rumbles of thunder as a small thunderstorm slides in from the north.  The scent of rain is in the heavy, wet air, and a rising breeze makes the cornstalks in the garden rustle uneasily.  I'm sitting in my patio swing watching it all, pleased to be home and lazily thinking I should perhaps get up and close the truck windows.

The truck taken care of, the brats almost done, I wander barefooted through my garden, searching for a ripe tomato to have with dinner.  The garden is very poor this year; weed infested and drought stricken despite my efforts at watering and weeding.  So far the corn harvest has been a total of six ears with only a few kernels on them.  The peppers are coming on, and there's some blossoms on the beans, so perhaps all is not yet lost.  My search finally yields two red tomatoes, and the brats and I make it into the house just ahead of the rains.  That wonderful soft, fresh, clean smell of cool rain hitting warm soil is cause for rejoicing, it's been sorely missed this summer.

I've been doing some reading and thinking; and now that I have the laptop back online I'm monitoring the news and following some stories.  I'm reminded over and over again of the "Stages of Error" described by Lutheran theologian Charles Porterfield Krauth:

“When error is admitted into the Church, it will be found that the stages of its progress are always three. It begins by asking toleration. Its friends say to the majority: You need not be afraid of us; we are few, and weak; only let us alone; we shall not disturb the faith of the others. The Church has her standards of doctrine; of course we shall never interfere with them; we only ask for ourselves to be spared interference with our private opinions. Indulged in this for a time, error goes on to assert equal rights. Truth and error are two balancing forces. The Church shall do nothing which looks like deciding between them; that would be partiality. It is bigotry to assert any superior right for the truth. We are to agree to differ, and any favoring of the truth, because it is truth, is partisanship. What the friends of truth and error hold in common is fundamental. Anything on which they differ is ipso facto non-essential. Anybody who makes account of such a thing is a disturber of the peace of the church. Truth and error are two co-ordinate powers, and the great secret of church-statesmanship is to preserve the balance between them. From this point error soon goes on to its natural end, which is to assert supremacy. Truth started with tolerating; it comes to be merely tolerated, and then only for a time. Error claims a preference for its judgments on all disputed points. It puts men into positions, not as at first in spite of their departure from the Church’s faith, but in consequence of it. Their recommendation is that they repudiate the faith, and position is given them to teach others to repudiate it, and to make them skillful in combating it.”

Krauth was writing during the 19th century.  As our language has been dumbed-down during the intervening years, his logic may be a little difficult to follow, so here it is in modern terms:  Error, or Wrong, or Anti-Truth starts small, with requests for toleration.  (Don't hate me because I'm different, different is good, and Truth isn't so much fun anyways).  It then moves to demands for equality.  (I'm just as good and valid as anything you claim to be Truth and I deserve equal treatment and equal rights).  And finally when everyone who had believed whole-heartedly in Truth has become inured to the presence of Error, or anti-Truth, and doesn't care so much anymore, it moves aggressively to impose itself as better than Truth, more worthy, more friendly, and of higher importance. 

Our culture is caught dead-on in the third stage, and like the matter/anti-matter reactions described in my favorite tv series, the Truth/anti-Truth reaction seems likely to tear us apart in utter annihilation. 

The leftist media continues to promote anti-Truth, to willfully distort reports of events, to use emotion-laden, misleading words to foment more grief, more anguish, and more controversy.  Take for example, the recent kerfluffle over comments made by the owner of the Chik-Fil-A restaurants.  He said he did not believe that homosexuals should get married.  He has a right to that opinion.  He never said his business would refuse service to those who identify themselves as homosexuals; he never said anything hateful or demeaning, he simply expressed an opinion.

Well, anti-Truth jumped all over that, didn't it?  The hateful, disgusting, vitriolic response was just stupid.  Prominent politicians decided it gave them the right to attempt to shut down his business, and they decided to deny him the right to build new restaurants.  I bet it was a real surprise to these morons when so many thousands of people showed up for Chik-Fil-A appreciation day!  And the media just kept getting it so wrong - the large turnout wasn't to express hatred of homosexuals.  The large turnout was the result of ordinary, hard-working, tax-paying Americans supporting the man's right to Free Speech!  You know, one of those rights that makes this American republic so great?

Then there's the horrible mass shooting in Colorado.  Instead of realizing the trauma of the event, the media instead jumped to conclusions and claimed the shooter was a member of the Tea Party, so of course he must be evil and all guns must be locked up immediately.  Again, irresponsible reporting seeking only sensationalism.  A mild, muttered apology was issued the next day, but the damage was already done, wasn't it?

And let's not even discuss the presidential race.  The current Pretender in the White House has already sunk to new lows in his effort to remain king. 

What can we do?  Well, step one is to always remember Who is in control.  Tonight's storm passed quickly, with a golden, liquid sunlight breaking through, flashing from west to east and striking silver linings on the retreating clouds.  This was the view from my front porch:

God has set the rainbow as a reminder of His promise in Genesis 9:17: "So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."   He is always there, He always remembers, and He has fulfilled His covenant with the Sacrifice of His Son.  Anti-Truth has already lost the war, despite the battles he fights here on earth.

Step Two:  vote!  Vote with your money.  Vote with your voice.  Vote with your actions.  And this fall, vote with your ballot.

Until next time, God bless you my friends.

Of Power Cords and Priorities

It's been a long time since I've written, though not for lack of things to say.  Perhaps I've been caught in a Barn Swallow Relativity shift, sure seems that way most days.  But the reality is a little more mundane....no power cord.  Ninety percent of my internet time is spent with my laptop, in my recliner, out in the living room.  There I have Daughter to talk to, dvds to watch, candles in the fireplace, windows looking out over the neighbor's fields, dawg curled up next to the chair.....who wants to sit in the back room in the uncomfortable chair with the big noisy desktop?

Not me.  So when the laptop power cord shorted out, I just sort of quit going on the internet.  It didn't take long to start reading books again, and having more discussions with Daughter.  It has been a peaceful time, paying more attention to the life right around me and realizing again that living in the moment is important. I haven't bought a replacement cord yet.  Maybe I'm reluctant to end this 'priorities' lesson.

In the meantime, projects continue as possible around the homestead.  The drought has hit here, too.  The garden is small enough to keep watered, but the grass is toast.  Unfortunately, so are much of my neighbor's crops.  The corn looks stunted and twisted and the beets look sad.  Any gains made by planting a month early have been lost.  Despite the watering, my garden is the worst it has been for many seasons.  I planted four rows of corn and five of carrots; I have about eight stunted corn plants and about half a row of carrots.  The weeds have taken over completely, literally head high when I kneel to pull them out.  The cucumbers turn yellow when just a few inches long, and most of the beans never came up.  So far the tomato plants are doing well, thankfully.  I can't imagine how desperate I would be if this garden was my only source of vegetables for the next year!   Hopefully my Amish neighbors are having better luck and I'll be able to buy some corn and beans to can up for the winter.

Of course, booting up the desktop and going online has also reminded me there is so much to be said and done in an effort to save this great nation from the machinations of wicked men.  More on that later; until then, here's some food for thought:

Another Rant

Got my paycheck on Friday.  Since I only work a couple of days a week, it's not very hefty.  What's that old joke?  "I get paid weekly....very weakly"?  Anyways, I looked it over carefully like I always do, and noticed that union dues were taken out again.  Bah, humbug!

I understand the concept of the unions, and why they came into being.  I've read about the "robber-baron"  times when the Carnegie and Rockefeller types had no care for the workers that toiled in their plants.  I've learned about the horrid conditions and seven-day work weeks and the terribly hard times folks had then, and I'm not selling it short.  Indeed, the place where I work unionized some years ago simply because so many people needed protection from an unethical boss.

But, like so many things, unions have grown from a necessary, Helpful Thing, to an over-blown, unweildly, money-sucking Bad Thing.  (Sort of like the federal government!)  Without fail, union dues are taken out of my check, yet the money does not seem to provide the reality of the promise - efficient contract negotiations, protections against unfair treatment by bosses, or the access to proper tools to do the job safely and effectively.  What I see, instead, are propaganda magazines, brightly printed on heavy paper, filled with photos of smiling politicians and shrill rhetoric espousing every liberal cause on the planet - in my mailbox! - how embarrassing.  I see the union emblem prominently displayed on the websites and facebook pages of America-hating left-wing pundits and talk show hosts.  And then to read a an article saying the union plans to spend a hundred million dollars in an effort to re-elect the current Pretender in the White House, and well, it just makes me furious and sick.

Now if the unions would have put all that time and energy and money into promoting American made products; into working with companies to establish fair wages for honest work, (no rewards for incompetence or laziness!) and keeping jobs here instead of outsourced, into producing goods that are so high-quality that no one wants the cheap Chinese stuff anymore; well then I'd be on board and happy to support the union.

But as it is, If union membership were not a requirement on this job, I would quit the union in a minute.  I deeply resent my money being used to support un-American behaviors and certain political philosophies that I find abhorrent.  The unions have lost their way and their purpose.  Instead of being a vehicle for employees to negotiate with employers for fair wages and safe working conditions, they have become involved in politics and greed.  It seems as though the union bosses are more power hungry and corrupt than any of the cruel big company bosses that caused people to unionize in the first place!

I am not alone in this; I know other union members who feel as I do, yet are forced to maintain membership.  We do our best to distance ourselves from the rhetoric, but it is still a burning humiliation that our money is used in such shameful ways.  So, please, remember, when you see a bunch of placard-carrying, slogan-shouting union people supporting a liberal at a political rally, there's an equal number of union members looking at the issues with a clear eye, and voting as their conscience dictates, not as the union bosses demand. 

Of Time, and Seeds, and Plans

I vividly remember a time when I was ten years old, when I felt secure in my little world, my parents still largely between me and cold reality.  It was early December and the magical first snow had fallen, that fluffy, delicate kind that still had the blades of grass sticking up through it.  The school bus bounced and squelched over the muddy back roads on the endless ride home, while I tried to keep my paper snowflake from being damaged by the knocking about - so anxious to get home and have Mom tape it up in the window, the start of our decorating.  All I could think about was the coming of Christmas and I wanted so badly to put up the tree, I was probably a bit of a pest about it.  My Dad told me I had to wait, and my response was pure frustration: "but time goes so sloooow!  Christmas will never get here!".  I've always remembered how he said it was coming so much faster than I realized, and that the older I got, the faster time would go.  While I was still puzzling on that one, he went on to say that he would give almost anything to be ten years old again.  Well, that one I just couldn't swallow.  Ten year olds didn't get to do anything, except what they were told, like picking up toys, feeding chickens, and helping with little brothers.  It was grown ups that had all the fun!

Now...ah, yes, now as a late middle-aged adult, understanding has finally come.  My Dad was absolutely right.  Not only did that Christmas come and go in a moment, but the decades since have flown by.  It puts me in mind of the flight of a barn swallow, a series of rapid swoops and glides, with brief hesitations in between.  I've decided to describe this change in the relative speed of time as the Barn Swallow Relativity Shift.  (Yes, I watch a lot of Star Trek).

I've been a victim of this Shift a lot this Spring.  It seems that one moment I'm babying my little seedlings under the grow lights and the next I have a ton of plants that need to be in the ground - now!  One minute the flowerbeds need a little extra mulch, the next they're choked with weeds, making my home look like a HUD house or something.  One minute I'm vaguely wondering where I stowed my mitt, the next, softball season is in full swing!  It makes me wonder, when I'm 85 or 90 years old, will the days flicker by, lightdarklightdark, like the time lapse photography one sees on television?

We have managed to accomplish a few things around the homestead.  Some new blades on the mower deck, the garden plot tilled and raked and planting begun, plans made for moving the garden shed and some insulation work in the basement.  With the possibility of maybe some full-time employment this summer, I have drastically scaled back the number of tomato plants in the garden.  I've also made a wonderful barter, exchanging some of the plants I raised for home-grown, drug free chickens due to be butchered in August.  I even purchased a second used pressure canner so canning will go more quickly this year.  I found one identical to the creature I already have, so hopefully I won't have such a large learning curve when using it.

Another experiment was taking some of my plants and home-made jams to the opening farmer's market on Memorial Day weekend.  The market is held in a small local town, but I swear that the entire population of the Lower Peninsula was there that day.  The whole experience was rather nerve-wracking, starting with waiting in line in the dark, a mile away from the market site, watching the sun rise while inching along.  Once it was my turn to pull into the marketplace, it was a matter of threading my way down the alley, trying desperately not to hit someone as they bustled about setting up their wares.  Don't know how I got through with both mirrors intact.  Then the fellow in the bright vest throws up his hand and before I'm completely stopped, a dozen more people appear out of nowhere and begin tugging at the door handles.  At this point I'm about to lose it so I open my door and demand to know what's going on - "c'mon, unlock, unlock!  We have to get you unloaded!!!"  Ok, fine, but a little communication would really help, guys!  I popped the locks and doors swing open and hands grab everything that isn't bolted down and throw it in a heap on the sidewalk; doors slam and I'm being told "move it move it!"  I'm glad Daughter was with me, as she began sorting out the mess while I went in search of a parking spot.  And so it went, watching the people around me for a clue as to what to do, and struggling to keep my little table and umbrella from being overwhelmed by all the huge canopies and professional displays all around me.

Two hours later I had made some sales and answered some questions and was doing all right, though completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of people.  Wow.  My friend who talked me into trying the farmer's market came by and did a little hawking for me and helped break the ice, so to speak, but it seems that 'salesmanship' gene is missing from my make up.  Now that I've had the experience, I may try to go again, though I'm planning on a non-holiday weekend that maybe won't be quite so overwhelming.  And maybe I can get my friend to stay at the booth the whole time!

After several days of rain, we have some sun and a nice breeze today, so I'm off to finish planting the garden.  Until next time, may God bless you and keep you, my friends.

Stand Your Ground

Does that phrase bring to mind being aggressive or posing a threat to other people?  Not to anyone with sense, but the liberals are seeing it that way.  Now a few liberal politicians, in an effort to further enforce the 'nanny-state' on us, are attempting to repeal Michigan's Stand Your Ground law.

Enacted in 2006, the law simply states that "(1) An individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses deadly force may use deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if either of the following applies:

(a) The individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent death of or imminent great bodily harm to himself or herself or to another individual.

(b) The individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent sexual assault of himself or herself or of another individual."

Yet liberal democrats are now saying that this law "promotes violence"  and say
"What we should be trying to do is get people to be more civil".  More civil?  Really?  This comment was from Woodrow Stanley, the very man who was mayor of Flint, one of the most violent cities in Michigan.  His 'civility' is about as useful as an UN resolution.

It has been proven over and over again that crime rates drop when the general population is allowed to exercise their right to protect themselves by bearing arms.  It is also simple logic that gun laws affect only the law-abiding, not the criminals.  If a crook wants a gun, he will obtain it by whatever means he can, not by jumping through all the governmental hoops and adhering to regulations.

It seems the liberals cannot, or will not, understand these two basic truths.  But they do understand that "A well-armed populace is the best defense against tyranny" and they will stop at nothing to get rid of the Second Amendment.  They have seized on the Martin case in Florida as a chance further their agenda.  After all, it was the current Pretender's chief of staff who said: "You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."

He's not referring to feats of courage and strength that come with that extra surge of determination and adrenaline that one gets in a stressful situation.  No, the liberals are quick to use anything, especially a crisis, as an excuse to further erode our God-given rights, our freedom, and our privileges, to impose rules that they didn't think would be possible before.

Here's a few sources:

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120518/POLITICS02/205180362/1409/metro/Michigan-debates-Stand-Your-Ground-law

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%28aevhs355ide55a553zczqe45%29%29/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-780-972

http://www.wnem.com/story/18511791/mi-dems-seek-repeal-of-stand-your-ground-laws

And this one was very interesting, giving a cop's eye view on the right to carry:

http://forums.officer.com/t167248/

I am hopeful that the Michigan Legislature will not bow to the current liberal shenanigans.  But even if this move is defeated this time around, the liberals will be back with another attempt to curtail our rights and enforce their brand of tyranny.  Be vigilant!

Moving On Up!

Which actually means endless trips up and down the basement stairs.  My seedlings have prospered in their little grow station, and I've been busy transplanting them.  I ran out of room under the lights long before I ran out of seedlings, so I quickly cobbled together a primitive cold frame.  Even though the days are mild now, the nights are still too cold and frosty for unprotected seedlings.

I used two longer planks that had actually been the sides of my trailer before I rebuilt it, and some leftover bits of what had been an insulated, heated, paneled, doghouse.  (Long story.)  The corner braces were made from parts of pallets I picked up for free.  Topped with a couple of old windows a friend gave me after a remodeling project, and lined with black plastic left from landscaping, it's not pretty but I hope it will be enough to protect the plants.  As I have time and can find a matching third window, I may refine it and try to use it for growing some greens during the off season. 

I did say 'primitive'

Here's another upwards moment:  actual customer service!  And from my local internet provider, no less.  They're changing over from 3G to 4G (I have no idea what that means but it's supposed to be good) and had to come replace the equipment at my house.  The tech was a new guy, very young, but good natured and he worked fast.  Unfortunately, he was also a little careless and when he replaced the cable from the antenna on the roof, he did not tuck it up under the soffit, but left it lay in the eavestrough, and the just let it run down into the house without a drip loop.  Augh!  I took pictures and emailed them to the company and politely mentioned that I was NOT happy.  I figured I'd hear back in a week or so, only to be very surprised by a phone call within twenty minutes of the email, and two trucks in my driveway within two hours.  Wow!  No arguments, no "but that's our policy" nonsense, just the young guy and his supervisor replacing the cable and doing it right and being very polite and respectful the whole time.  Now THAT'S how you do customer service!  I didn't even have to call the Philippines or ask for an interpreter.  See what happens when you don't outsource?  So I would highly recommend SpeedConnect, if you're in need of an internet service provider in Michigan. 

Until next time, God bless, and take care, my friends.

It Is Time

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..."

There is so much wrong in our country right now.  Our "unalienable rights" are under attack every day; everything from the current Pretender in the White House using executive orders to bypass the legislative process, to ever more restrictive gun laws, to large corporations controlling our access to food and medical care, to our children having home-made lunches taken away, to judges 'interpreting' the constitution and making laws instead of judging by them, to animal rights groups giving more value to the life of a rat than the life of a child....it seems to just go on and on.

Michigan especially has been in an uproar lately.  Our economy was going bad even before the big real-estate bust, and now it's even worse, ranking somewhere at 49 or 50 in a list of healthy state economies. Don't believe the talking heads on tv who are saying things are turning around; it's not better here in the heartland, and it won't be for some time.  I live here, I have family here, and I spend a lot of time on the road, and I've seen it with my own eyes.  Everything is changing, upside down, and backwards.  A family member who has always been apolitical was passing out petitions for signatures.  Schools are closed, factories are closed; small towns are becoming ghost towns with over half of their homes empty and up for sale.  There's no people where there used to be hundreds. Workers and unions are in a state of panic as pension funds disappear and jobs are cut; social security cuts threaten the financial security of our seniors. Fewer and fewer people are paying into social security or the pension funds.  Fewer and fewer people are in our cities and there's no tax base to maintain basic police and fire services.  Many people, myself included, find themselves in a mid-life crisis that was not of their own making.  Used to be that earning a college degree, finding a job and working hard at it brought you stability and a pension.  Not anymore.  Now we have twenty years or more in at a job, yet the pension and the security that we have labored for is gone.

In my opinion one of the root causes of all this distress is Roe vs. Wade.

Think about it.  How can the wholesale slaughter of our children ever be a good thing?

In 1973 the Supreme Court decided it was ok to legalize the murder of unborn children.  Since then over 50 million children have been killed.  Far more than the approximately 11 to 12 million casualties of WWI and quickly approaching the 60-70 million total for WWII.  Our society has created a legally acceptable holocaust with a greater toll than what Nazi Germany perpetrated against the Jews.

This practice is a sad and tragic burden for our country in so many ways.  Firstly it is a heinous sin, destroying the gift of life given from God, a defiant, evil act worthy of the worst of pagan rituals. 

Secondly, we have lost entire generations of our people.  We have no children in our schools, growing up in our churches, strengthening our society, finding jobs and supporting our seniors.  Where there should have been the sounds of children we have empty, echoing halls.

This leaves us with a torn and ripped society that is folding in on itself.  Add to this the loss of a moral compass, the lack of personal responsibility, the sense of entitlement and "me first" that seems so prevalent now, and it's easy to see how troubled our country is, and how bleak our outlook.  We are no better than the thousands that thronged the Coliseum of Rome to watch a daily bloodbath while madmen destroyed the empire from within.

It is time and past time for a change.  The pendulum has to swing back before the socialists cause us to crash like Rome.  We're ramping up towards a presidential election - consider your vote carefully!  These people who want to be our leaders, examine them closely.  Are they worthy?  Are they of good moral character?  Are they capable?  We must focus on those questions, and not meaningless "hopey changey" slogans.  Those who are not worthy must not be elected again.  And, if enough careless people blindly vote for the one who promises handouts and more government programs, instead of one who acknowledges the necessity of hard work and personal responsibility...perhaps then it's time to assert our Right to abolish the government and start over.

An excellent first step would be the repeal of of Roe vs. Wade.

It's not too late to pray for our country.

I Is Smart Now!

Well, probably not, but at least my phone is.  In my quest to cut down on expenses whenever I can, I recently made a major change in my wireless carrier and my phone.  From my research on the internet, it seems a lot of people are doing the same thing and there's a lot of confusing and conflicting information.  I spent about two or three months on this whole process, so I'll share how I worked it out and maybe it will help someone else who is also looking to simplify and save money, while retaining some modern perks.

I started with a 'Go Phone' account from At&T.  I much prefer the month by month system to the contract system, even though I had to buy a phone, rather than get one "free" for signing the contract.  $60.00/month for unlimited talk and text was a bargain at the time I was dumping my old contract.  It's also a nice way to keep personal information personal; instead of having an account and paying by check or debit card, I simply picked up the refill card at Kmart or where ever I happened to be, and used the PIN to recharge my minutes.  So things were going alright, until my phone started to have battery issues, and I realized that AT&T was advertising unlimited talk, text and data for $50.00/month.  Would have been nice if they had notified me about the price change, but no, each  month I loaded $60.00 on the phone and each month they took it all.  Plus they would not honor the unlimited data for anyone using a smartphone; it applies only to dumb phones.  The phone I was using, an LG Xenon, was a nice enough phone but consistently stalled out when trying to use the web and was basically useless for that service.  I'm not into facebook or you tube or minute by minute stock reports, but I did want a phone that was web capable as a back up for checking email and such while traveling.

So I started doing research.  Since I live basically out in nowhere, wireless options are limited, so there was an awful lot of checking and double checking to see what services were available.  Did you know that each carrier has two coverage maps on their websites?  The dark map that shows everywhere plus the moon with great signal is only for contract phones, and the second map (usually hidden) shows much less coverage for pay as you go phones.  I never did figure out why the difference.

Anyways, for sheer price it came down to Straight Talk, which is a fairly new offering from an old company, TracFone, which has partnered up with Wal Mart.  I'm not a big Wal Mart fan, but the price of $45.00/month for unlimited talk, text, and web is hard to beat.  There are only two other carriers that would serve my area, and neither of them could come close to that price.

I watched auctions on eBay and eventually bought an older model iPhone that used the proper frequencies for the Straight Talk system.  The option to use your own phone on the Straight Talk system is very recent, so it took a lot of research and hours of searching the web to figure out how to do it, especially since iPhones were mostly locked to the AT&T system, though it turns out that with some modifications, the AT&T locked phones are compatible with ST.  I finally muddled my way through by following these steps:

Purchased the iPhone 3gs through eBay.
Purchased the larger SIM card  and an airtime card from the Straight Talk website at www.straighttalksim.com.
Called AT&T and obtained my account number and established a PIN.  (But did not turn off my service as I wanted to keep my phone number.)
Put the SIM card in the iPhone, went to the Straight Talk website and activated it; by using the ST airtime card I did not have to give them any credit card information.
My old phone number was activated on the iPhone in about an hour.  I could talk and text right away, but could not access the internet off the cell towers or through my router. 
I emailed ST and they made some changes and instructed me to shut the phone off and then back on.  I was then able to use my home wi-fi.  This model of iPhone  does not allow access to the APN settings so I could not follow Straight Talk's instructions for accessing data.
To fix this, I used the iPhone connection to my wi-fi to go to www.unlockit.co.nz/, downloaded and installed the Straight Talk APN profile.

So now almost everything is up and working, and I have to say I'm enthralled by the whole 'app' world.  There are many that are free, and I found two wonderful programs that I highly recommend:  Plantets 3.2 by Dana Peters has wonderful star charts that are specific to your location and time, including 2-D and 3-D versions, and close ups of all the planets.  The second one is My Radar, a live, location and time specific basic radar that lets me know how much rain is coming in.  Upgrades are available to get National Weather Service warnings as they're issued.  I can see this app coming in handy when I'm planning to get in my kayak. 

The only thing not working is picture messaging, which for some obscure reason is called MMS.  It appears that I will have to 'jailbreak' my phone and install other programs to get it working, but that can wait for another time.

My overall investment for this whole process is tons of time and $205.00 for the phone, SIM card, air time card, shipping, and taxes.  My monthly phone bill (which is not tied to a social security number, physical address, or credit card number) will be just $45.00 plus tax for unlimited talking, texting, and some basic internet use, like checking for thunderstorms.  Not bad considering it's $375.00 for just the iPhone 3g at Apple - and that's the one with half the storage capacity of the one I bought.  I could get a new iPhone for much less by signing up for a two year contract with a service provider, however that involves a credit check and release of personal information, not to mention the commitment to an expensive two year plan.

It's been a couple of weeks now, and so far, so good. Here's hoping the phone keeps working and ST doesn't hike the monthly price!!

I hope my experience helps someone who's been struggling with the same questions.