It's the time of year when we think, if briefly, about people who need to use food banks. I used to run a holiday food drive and get my local chapter of the embroiderers guild to donate. People like the feelgood of giving actual food. In fact $$ is better, because the director knows how to spend it, and can get more by arrangements than we can shopping retail.
However, if people are hellbent on donating things, I'd refer them to the local website. Here's my local food pantry this week
And personal care items are beyond the reach of many people, but they, like anyone, need to be presentable. It's good to realize that the vast majority of food pantry users are working, and attend to their appearance like any other worker.
This haunting true story of Kerr's Jewish family escaping Germany when she was a little girl, trying to understand leaving everything suddenly, with just a suitcase, why her pink rabbit hadn't made it, stayed with me. I thought of it as soon as I saw the shabby pink rabbit in the free cycle box.
Anyway these are just a few thoughts. I sent my quarterly check yesterday, with reminders on my calendar for the next couple of quarters. People are hungry year round, particularly in summer when school meals stop.
On to Pink Rabbit. I think this is why I couldn't pass her by
Kerr became a world famous children's writer and illustrator, remember "The Tiger Who Came to Tea"?
If not, check it out, it's lovely. Anyway this is why Pink Rabbit is named this way.
And, more grownup reading, I've started this interesting history of the six wives, with attention paid to their stories and ambitions, not the usual men's viewpoint of events.
It's worth reading, to round out our understanding of the period. It's one I'm interested in, because the reformation has literally touched my own life and is part of why I live here rather than my country of birth. History isn't just the past.
It hasn't escaped my notice that I'm writing this on the Fifth of November, A night when people in the UK celebrate the torture and murder of a Catholic, one of my people, at this very time. We Catholics never went out on Guy Fawkes night.
Meanwhile, this has been a dark blog post, but here's comfort food for darker nights, mac and cheese.
I used chickpea flour for the cheese sauce, and find it needs more milk than ap flour.
Happy day everyone, whatever time it is where you are!
Ah yes! A food drive was on at our little grocery store yesterday. Conveniently, they had pre-gathered bags that we could purchase.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the stores also contribute? Some of them supply pallets of canned goods and pasta at reduced rates to food banks.
DeleteI like that your food bank posts lists of needed (and not needed) items. I doubt that ours does but I will check and see. I noticed one of the local grocery stores had made up brown paper bags filled with items that you could purchase and donate. Didn't see it until we were checked out but I'll go back and add to our groceries next time.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to check. Another blogista commented on those pre packed bags to buy.
DeleteI used to volunteer at a local food shelf. I think it would do a lot of people some good to do that.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pretty stark reminder, yes.
DeleteI will check out that Pink Rabbit book, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe back story to my rescued rabbit.
DeleteRethinking how and what we celebrate is becoming more popular.
ReplyDeleteI think the hype around Henry VIII is creepy. He murdered women to move on to the next for breeding purposes. I believe he is a horrific stain on English history.
He also had a weak claim to the throne, a big issue for the succession and securing the country.
DeleteThe candle at the end sheds light on this post. So many tragic events recently and historically. I have a new blog now: desertcanyonstories.blogspot.com I hope to see you there.
ReplyDeleteYou caught the significance of ACs little light!
DeleteDid I say the blog's name is: desertcanyonstories.blogspot.com anyhow this is the correct name.
ReplyDeleteYes, noted thank you.
DeleteFire works going off right now, window lit up with flashes of light, penny for the guy, night, which I have never understood. The torture especially and good for Guy for leaping hard to break his neck. No good for the lusty ,disappointed crowd gathered for drawn and quartered event! Insane, and, really are we humans any better, improved? Nope. Catholicism makes no better sense than Henry’s Anglican mess but the utter violence of GOD’s wants, the interpretation of such, makes us all shudder.
ReplyDeleteThe signature in the "confession" after being racked, compared to his normal handwriting, tells its own tale.
DeleteWe've just returned from a trip to the UK and missed any celebrations for Guy Fawkes Day, although we did hear talk about fireworks and such. We also heard about the fate of some of Henry VIII's wives when we toured the Tower of London, quite a gruesome place in its time. I read back to learn more about pink rabbit and glad he/she has a new home among the teddy bears.
ReplyDeleteThat era was not for the feeble, of any persuasion. Pink Rabbit is almost dry and ready to take her place, probably with Fred and Ursula.
DeleteI would be interested in reading the book about the women who were unfortunate enough to have been married to Henry VIII.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the good suggestions and reminders about food pantries.
That's putting it just right, they were married to him, rather than married him. They had no agency over their lives, were basically valuable properties in international maneuvers.
DeleteMany of us are about to receive a heating contribution from the government for £500. It's rather a lot for those who don't really need it. Maybe we should all donate at least a little of it to a food bank.
ReplyDeleteIs this a British program? For Brit readers this sounds like a great idea.
DeleteThose that fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it.
ReplyDeleteI fear that the whitewashing of history, to make it more palatable, will be the undoing of us all.
Not sure what the reference is. The book about the six queens is a careful well researched account of the actual documents written about and by them, and their actions. This is rarely spotlighted, all the oxygen usually taken up by the men in the picture and the white male historians who write them up.
DeleteThe socks in your last post are just beautiful. I'm in awe of your abilities with knitting.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's the variegated yarn, mainly. But yes, you have to know how to knit socks.
DeleteOh I nearly mentioned When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit in my comment on your next post. It is a lovely though sad story. At Zac's we've recently started suggesting people send us e-vouchers for clothes and food. Much more useful.
ReplyDeleteYes, vouchers to exchange for really needed items. Great idea.
DeleteWhen you mentioned your pink rabbit I thought of that Judith Kerr book! I never connected that she also wrote "The Tiger Who Came To Tea," though I know that book too...
ReplyDeleteShe did a lot of good work, right into extreme old age.
DeleteI'm very interested in the Tudors and the six wives. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fairly old book. My library plans to pulp this copy after I've read it, pretty tattered.
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