Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore–
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“‘Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door–
only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;–vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow–sorrow for the lost Lenore–
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore–
Nameless here forevermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me–filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
“‘Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door–
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;–
This it is and nothing more.”

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”–here I opened wide the door;–
Darkness there and nothing more.

(more…)

“There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.” -Linus Van Pelt in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

By Christine Dell’Amore
National Geographic Green Guide for Everyday Living

The sheer waste of Halloween is enough to make any environmentalist scream. From individually packaged treats to cheap one-time costumes, the holiday is usually anything but sustainable.

“Halloween is a great time to have fun with family and friends but it generates a huge amount of throw-away waste,” Kim McKay, a green-living expert and author of the National Geographic True Green book series, told the Green Guide by email.

So “why not make your Halloween as natural as possible … ?” McKay said.

You can enjoy the holiday in a way that’s less frightful for the Earth with these tips:

Make Homemade Halloween Costumes and Decorations

Homemade Halloween costumes and decorations can both save you money and prevent another witch hat from reaching the landfill. The Center for the New American Dream, a Maryland-based nonprofit that encourages responsible consumerism, compiled this list of conservation-minded costumes…

Read the full article here: http://www.thegreenguide.com/home-garden/holidays/green-halloween

We would like to congratulate our first “Find the Phrase” winner from Radford, VA! We hope he enjoys his $100 Chinaberry gift certificate — perfect timing for holiday shopping.

Our 2nd “Find the Phrase” drawing is now underway. Find the phrase “universal lessons are also woven into this story” in an annotation in the Chinaberry Holiday 2009 catalog. Drawing will be held on November 19, 2009.

For more drawing rules and details, see: http://www.chinaberry.com/drawing.cfm

Check out what Rebecca Lacko, writer at Examiner.com,  had to say about E-Cloths, available at our sister site, Isabella.

Chinaberry offers items to support families in raising their children with love, honesty and joy to be reverent, loving caretakers of each other and the earth.

Try out a couple of summer salad recipes from our Eat, Drink & Be Chinaberry cookbook (sorry, out-of-print).

SUMMER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SALAD
This makes enough for an army of hungry eaters or for a few days of yummy salad eating.
-Patti Pitcher; Seattle, Washington

1 lb flaggolet beans (the small greenish Italian bean-very yummy)
3 giant tomatoes, diced
2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, diced
Small handful of each: basil, dill and oregano-mince
1-1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I use sheep feta-Valbreso)

Cook beans until deliciously tender. Add minced herbs, diced vegies and crumbled feta. Dress lightly with equal parts of:
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Add:
One clove garlic, minced (or more if you love garlic)
Salt and pepper to taste
Stir and eat.

1 chicken, cooked, meat diced
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped green grapes (seedless)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 T lemon juice
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp tumeric
Salt to taste
Chopped parsley to garnish

Cover chicken with water, bring to boil, skim foam, reduce heat, simmer one hour, remove from pot, cool, remove chicken from bones and skin, dice and place in large bowl.
Add celery, scallions, grapes.

Mix mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, curry, spices in a small bowl until smooth. Pour over salad, mix gently, refrigerate several hours.

Video from NASA (edited by USA Today)

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” — Neil Armstrong

I had 2 leg injuries last year from falls (and I’m only 45). The female doctor said injuries are actually quite common among busy moms. I decided this “disease” needed a name so I named it Multi-Tasking Mama Syndrome. Do you have it too? I think we need a support group — the meetings should take place at a medical facility. Make sure to bring along your laptop, cell phone, kids, diaper bag… 1-800-555-MTMS

Gus Gus and Willow Berman ("Husband and Wife"). Kitten is hiding.

At Dinner one of my girls was speaking in a strange made-up language. When I asked her what she was doing, she said:

“I’m speaking “cat english” so our cats can understand me better.”  - Sakura, age 7

You and your little one will have a blast when you join this group of adorable toddlers as they explore the farmyard. Come along on their delightful and joyful journey as they try to discover just which animal says ”boo.” ”Does a pig say boo? Oh, no! A pig says oink! And a pig goes grunt as it sqwuffles in the mud. Oink, oink! Grunt, grunt!” Could it be the cow? The dog? How about the horse or the mouse?

You’ll be smiling right along with the children and the animals as you moo, whoo, buzz, and cheep your way to the surprise at the end when the mystery is revealed and you find out that it is you who says ”boo”!

Review by Tina Elliott