Friday Links: 3 March, 2022

 Good morning! It snowed here overnight, because of course it did! We’ve got another month and a half of potential snow days. I did tell my daughter that if it snows more than two inches, we’ll take a snow day and snuggle and read all day long, but last night’s snow wasn’t quite that much (and besides, we already have a half day today thanks to the doctor appointment I scheduled long before we started homeschooling). So we’re being all responsible and will start math in a little bit, though I’d really like to take the day off completely.

I’m very much looking forward to the weekend. I have a new knitting project to figure out, and I started reading Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang, so I’m really wanting to dive into both of these. And Sunday is going to be in the 50’s, with even warmer temperatures throughout the upcoming week. Spring is coming, folks! : )

Here’s what I found interesting on the internet this week.

 

Even mild COVID is linked to brain damage, scans show

The gist of the article: even mild, just-a-cold infections show up as brain damage on scans. Is it reversible? Could be. Even in adults, the brain can heal and repair itself, so we’re not sure yet what the long-term affects are. Still nothing I want to mess with; I’d rather *not* have to work to repair my brain.

(Friendly reminder that the stress of living in through a pandemic and all the other turmoil around us messes with our executive function as well, so if you’re having trouble with memory and doing weird things and can’t focus as well, there’s a good chance you’re just burned out and exhausted. I added baking powder to my stir fry sauce yesterday, instead of corn starch – it still tasted fine – and tried to put the leftovers away in the dishwasher. Maybe I should cancel school for the day…)

 

Will ‘Victory Gardens’ Make Comeback As Global Food Crisis Worsens?

I know plenty of you have gorgeous, well-tended gardens every year, and I’m *super* jealous. We have a very small plot and have grown pumpkins and squash and tomatoes and peppers, with some green onions and basil, but nothing like the impressive gardens I’ve seen on your blogs. I really want a bunch of raised beds so I can get to them (what we have now is kind of on a hill, not terraced, and I have a hard time getting up there when my back is flaring), but I’d need help doing that, and my husband isn’t really interested in the project, so nothing so far.

I’d love to see the return of the home garden on a much larger scale. I think it’s so important to grow what you can and to be familiar with the land you live on and how the seasons affect it. And with the food shortages only projected to worsen, we really should be doing everything we can to ensure we don’t starve…

 

How We’re Keeping Our Food Costs Low Despite Inflation + Rising Food Costs

I LOVE Torrie’s blog! She shares her beautiful life with her husband and gorgeous kiddos, running their flower farm and rolling through the ups and downs of living in Utah. She’s smart and funny and creative, and I enjoy her posts so much.

This is a great one. She really nails all the important points of watching your food costs, making use of what you have, and ensuring that you’re doing the best you can with every bite. It’s getting tough out there; supermarket prices are going through the roof, so we could all use a little help and inspiration. Torrie’s post has exactly that, and I highly encourage you to read this post and add her to your blog list!

 

That’s it for this week, folks! It’s currently 8:15 am and I already need a nap, but instead, I’m going to get dressed, throw some beans in the Instant Pot, and start a math lesson on odd and even numbers with my daughter. But really, a nap sounds like a *way* better idea…

May you all have a peaceful weekend. Shalom, friends.