How to talk to your kids about the Mayan Prophecies

How to talk to your kids about the Mayan Prophecies

Since the beginning of the year, my kids have been asking questions about December 21, 2012 and if I think the world is going to end. As the conversation has come up this week, my quip has been, “Well if it does end, at least we will be together.” Now that may seem sarcastic but this is not our first conversation. I am not an expert in the Mayan Prophecies, but I am an expert in raising my children. No one knows them as well as I do and I can tell when their questions are serious, based in fear or just curious.

In this case, there was a great deal of speculation and curiosity more than any real fear. And in all truth, if the world does end, I can honestly say I spent this week (especially after the devastating events of last Friday in Connecticut) loving my  children and my husband and being grateful for every moment we have together.

3 Recipes for a Muslim-inspired Holiday Meal

A Muslim-inspired Holiday Meal

 

I love Indian food! So I was very excited when I received a copy of the Bengali Five Spice Chronicles to review recently. This would make a great stocking stuffer or gift for the gourmet chef on your list. I didn’t know this, but apparently Bengalis are one of the most food and culture obsessed people in India. They are commonly compared to the French in that regard, as dining and entertaining are such an integral part of their culture.  What makes Bengali cuisine so unique are the variations and complexities that are a result of practice and delicate subtlety.  In The Bengali Five Spice Chronicle, author Rinku Bhattacharya explains the food and culture of her native homeland in Eastern India and showcases the recipes that are at the heart of Bengali life.

The book gets its title from the five-spice blend Bengalis call panch phoron. This spice blend consists of five whole spices in equal proportions: cumin seeds, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds, and fennel seeds and is at the heart of Bengali flavors and the individual spices form the basis of the Bengali pantry.

Being new to this cuisine, one of my favorite aspects of the cookbook were the menus for different occasions. I want to share with you today, three recipes from the Muslim-inspired holiday meal. If you are looking to add some new flavors and spice to your holidays, try these recipes for yourself.

How we React to Seasonal Change

Snowflake Lights on Tree

Festivals of Lights: Finding Health in the Darkness

 

by Bethlyn Gerard

December in the Northern Hemisphere has days that grow increasingly shorter. Nights fall earlier. Ever heard the Simon and Garfunkle lyric, ‘hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again…’? We are in the darkest time of year. Species react differently to this seasonal change. Birds fly south, bears hibernate, humans often decorate. Several major religions include stories involving light during this darkest of months. A lamp burns without oil for 8 days, a star shining in the East gives guidance, candles and fires (replaced in modern ceremonies by electric lights) teach us to respect the relationship between light and darkness.

The winter solstice marks the day when the amount of daylight is equal to the length of night. Until then, the amount of darkness increases. This year that day is December 21, 2012. After that, the days gradually get longer letting in more light.