A Madonna for the New Recession

Wonderful words, this morning (as always), on The Insomniacs Kitchen...a favorite blog of mine. Here is the post, in it's entirety:

A Much Greater Poverty
Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.
-Mother Teresa

POSTED BY THE URBAN MERMAID [EMILY LISKER] ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2008

I've chosen a Dorothea Lange photo (via Old Picture of the Day) to illustrate our hat-tip to Emily.

Money or no, the child sits on the woman's lap carefully ensconced and softly held. There is the presence of love here. The protection of being cared for, no matter what the circumstances. The compassion that love affords, no matter where we are. A true modern Madonna.

(Perhaps this mother and child should have been the postal stamp this year: "Madonna of the Recession," whaddya think?)

Wishing you abundant blessings this weekend, and always.

To be loved and cared for, these are the greatest riches. Let's share this gift, and use our extra pennies to buy bread and milk for a child that might not have any otherwise.

Is it the year to skip the sales and shore up the local food kitchen?

The Insomniacs Kitchen, a New Delight from Artist Emily Lister

I absolutely love a wonderful new blog called "The Insomniacs Kitchen." 

It's charming and spritely and cheerful and it makes me want to learn Yiddish and cook things in my dutch oven (it's about time...that dutch oven was getting lonely in the cupboard) and try to make Raisin Bran Muffin Cake and only eat whole grains. Why? Because Emily says so, and because she makes it all sound so deliciously fun.

Come to find out, Emily doesn't just write wonderful bits about blackstrap molasses gingerbread and Laurie Colwin and the Old Sturbridge Village Cookbook. (I still have a little straw broom from Sturbridge Village, acquired at the ripe old age of seven. It is, for me, a great prize...it brings me a bit of handmade bliss...) 

Well, back to wondrous Emily...she is also the incredibly talented illustrator of over a dozen books, and an extraordinarily gifted painter. Please do drop by and visit her new digs!

Above: a snapshot from the 

Friedrich Schiller Haus, 

Weimar. 

Wouldn't it be fun (and just a little swanky)

 to have a bit of tea and gingerbread at this table, 

after cooking up yummy goodies from 

Emily Lisker's 

glorious new blog? 

I think so.