An African Find in America

I love to find bargains and I am not ashamed to spend hours looking for just the right thing.  Here is my new find.  It is a bowl from Rowanda.  Can you believe that?  It was love at first sight. 

I bought it at the GW, short for Goodwill.  I think that I paid two dollars for it.  Not bad huh?

Writing from your Soul to God

I have been an avid journal writer for many years. It all began when a relationship ended. Once I was healed from the experience, I kept writing. The thing is that I never wrote a letter to God in all of this writing. Maybe it is time I take my writing to a more spiritual level. I have prayed and things happened.  I have written down goals and achieved them. Maybe it is the power of suggestion or maybe it is something more. I feel that there is something out there that helps everyday people like you and me when we ask.

I came across a book called, "Writing down your soul", by Janet Conner while looking for a book to help me write stories from my childhood. The beginning pages talked of forgiveness. Oh this book is talking to me already. The more I read, the more I realized that I could be doing more with the spiritual side of myself. I could, also, be talking to my Maker and working out problems as they come along through writing. The author suggests that you write at the same time everyday for a few minutes to make it a habit.  I have not begun my journey yet, but I intend to once I had read the book. How do you cope with life's problems?  Do you write too?  

The Human Experience: You're Included

Four friends, each with their own story to tell. Two come from a home where their father was abusive in many ways. Another, lost his mother when he was only nine. All looking for love.  Each life is a treasure. When we have love and support of family and friends we are more likely to live a life more fully.  But what about those who don't? We live in a society that is "thing" oriented instead of the greatest gift of FAMILY. Nothing can replace the love of your family, especially the love of a father or mother as the young men in the filmed experienced. Four young men go on a journey. They are in search of the human experience.  Even though bad things may happen in our lives, life is still good.  We have that drive to get up every day in spite of things. They start off living on the streets of New York, City.  It was the coldest part of the winter. Brother's Clifford and Jeffrey slept in cardboard boxes along side many of the homeless people of the city. A woman they met while on this journey shared a story about her experience when she was first homeless.  Four dogs were living on the streets the same as she was.  People saw the dogs and felt compassion for them but there she stood, no one noticing her need.  A tear trickled down her cheek as she again felt the emotions of that experience. Each of us asks, Does my life matter?  What is my purpose? Is my life unique? People become depressed when they no longer see their life as significant. 

The four young men also went to see the lost children of Peru and a leper colony in Ghana. As I watched this documentary, I again felt the feelings that I had when my husband left.  I felt as though my life had no purpose.  Who am I going to take care of, I asked myself? Healing comes with time and willingness to forgive. When Jeffrey and Clifford met up with their father after his 10 year absence, Jeffrey spoke of forgiveness before it was asked for. The key to living a successful life is through forgiveness, which enables us to move on.  This is a very moving documentary and I would suggest anyone to watch it.  It will touch your heart.  

Biten by the Genealogy Bug and Family Secrets

Since the 1940 Census records were published last week, my eyes have been glued to the computer screen trying to find my parents.  On Saturday, I found my mother and today I found my dad.  I have been doing research on my family's history for a long time.  When I was in my 20's my Aunt Joye wrote me a letter giving me details about various members of the family.  But it wasn't until I was in my late 30's before I actually took my first step into actually doing research.  I had hired a woman to help me get started.  I thought to myself, if this woman can do it, then so can I.  The most challenging thing about all of this is that I am working with two very common names: Smith and Campbell.

One of the funniest things I have seen is that one of my cousins is listed two times in two different places two days apart in the same county.  He was 16 at the time.  He must have thought that it was funny. 

The great mystery in my lineage is my Great Grandfather Joseph Rufus Smith who was born in Hamblen County, Tennessee, eight years before his mother Sarah Jane Bailey married Pleasant Thomas Smith. Before Sarah married Thomas Smith, she married a man named Duke Manes, but Joseph was born before they were married too. Who is the mystery father?  Don't you just love family secrets?  I may have to take a trip to Tennessee to solve this mystery. 

Sheikh Abdul-Bari Zamzami Controversy in Morocco

There is an Imam in Morocco who is infamous for several Islamic sexual fatwa's that he has issued in recent years.  The man is Sheikh Zamzami.  Just recently, I read an article about him allowing women to use root vegetables or kitchen implements, or bottles to relieve sexual tension if she is unmarried, widowed, or has no hope for marriage.  I was shocked when I read this. Actually, I brought the article to work to see what my co-workers reaction would be and most were speechless.  Zamzami is a supporter of sex shops and sex toys.  This kind of stuff is hard to wrap my head around since he is a religious leader.  One always thinks that a religious man would be on the verge of divine, but I am going to have to re-think what I believe about these people.  Not only is he in favor of sex toys, etc...but if a mans wife dies he is allowed to still have sex with her.  Of course she has to be "fresh" when it comes to being dead. Reading this really blew my mind.  What man would want to have intercourse with a corpse?  Oh, I forgot, we are talking about men. Some may like the idea, but I find it repulsive. I know that this is not the view of all Moroccans or muslims.  My question is: When a religious person goes public with these wayside kinds of notions, how do the people of Morocco feel or how do muslims in general react to this? 

Spring, Glorious Spring

I love this time of year.  Everything literally comes alive.  I went to the park on Sunday and it was packed full of people wanting to look at the flowers and enjoy the sunshine. I, too, had to join in. I packed my camera and off I went.

Where is was once bare, has now come to life.

I saw a sea of tulips

A blooming tree with bright pink flowers

There was a garden of tulips, getting ready to open up.

Flowers coming out everywhere.

This is my view of spring.

Belly Dance in Morocco: Controversy or Delight

The third Belly Dance Festival in Marrakech has stirred up something this year. It is to take place May 10 - 14 in Marrakech.  Apparently, there are some Israeli participants and the other contestants are in an uproar over it.  In my opinion I don't think that having Israeli participants is the real problem, but women showing a bit of skin is. There are those who are in authority that feel belly dancing is indecent and encourages the "propagation of vice" in Morocco.  Sounds a bit like Saudi Arabia to me. Before long there will be "morality police" lining the streets to make sure that people are following all of the religious rules.  Besides all of the uproar and hoopla, I would love to be able to go to this event. Wouldn't it be a wonderful experience to see women dance in the true form of belly dance?   The only thing I don't like is all of the hair flinging.  What has that got to do with Belly Dancing? I see Moroccan women do that all of the time at weddings. 

Someone by the name of Hakima who owns a studio to teach belly dance in Europe said this about us westerners:

“No matter how Westerners try, they will never master belly dancing like we Easterners do.”

I think that I may get some attitude here...because I know that she is talking to us. We can shake our stuff with the best of 'em.

Ground Beef Minestrone with Smen

This week, my brother and I took the shingles off of the garage roof and we are ready to add the new ones.  Single handedly I loaded up all of the shingles and put them in the dumpster. Yes, I am woman!  Afterwards, I felt muscles that I didn't know that I had. I took a lot of aspirin. Today, I took it easy (went to work at my real job) and cooked a well deserved pot of minestrone.   

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, chicken, turkey or lamb

1 medium onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

3-4 tbs smen

6 cups of water

2 Knorr bouillon cubes

1 stalk of celery, cut into small pieces

½ cup of uncooked elbow macaroni or broken spaghetti

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 cup of shredded cabbage

Salt/pepper to taste

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 - 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes, undrained

1 – 8 ounce can of kidney beans, undrained

1 – 8 ounce can of whole kernel corn, undrained or  8 oz’s of frozen corn

Parmesan cheese

In a soup pot, cook the ground meat, onion and garlic.  Cook over medium to high heat until the meat is brown and the onions are translucent.  Stir in the remaining ingredients except the macaroni, spaghetti, and cheese, and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the soup is somewhat thick.  The longer that this cooks the better it will taste.  I added Moroccan smen for that oregano flavor which it has.  If you don’t have it that is fine, you can add butter or leave it out altogether. Next, add the spaghetti and cook until  tender.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese and crispy bread.  Enjoy!

Cooks Note:  In the beginning I added 4 cups of water and saw that the soup would be too thick.  Add more water if needed and adjust the spices.



Chorba al-Khadra bil Djej wa Roz or Chicken Soup with Rice and Vegetables

Chorba al-Khadra bil Djej wa Roz is a light soup that can be eaten any time of the year. It is made by simmering carrots, zucchini and onions with chicken, rice and Moroccan spices and herbs. Whenever a recipe says to add cinnamon to something that is not sweet, I cringe.  I have found that if I use a pinch to start of with, then the cinnamon flavor will not overpower the dish. A one inch piece of cinnamon stick brings a wonderful flavor to many dish's. Don't be afraid to expand your palate by not trying new things.  Who knows, maybe you will find a new favorite dish to impress your family and guests.  

Ingredients:

 2 cups of cooked chicken, diced

 2-4 tbs butter or ghee

 1 medium onion or 2 leeks, chopped

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 1 large zucchini, chopped 

  2 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces

 2 celery stalks with leaves, diced

 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and/or cilantro

 1/4 cup uncooked rice

 3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth or stock or use bouillon cubes and increase the water

 3 cups (700 ml) water

 salt/pepper to taste 

 1 tsp ginger

 1 tsp turmeric

 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or 1 inch cinnamon stick 

 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 

 a pinch of saffron, crushed

In a soup pot, saute the onions and garlic in the butter over medium heat for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic, parsley, cilantro and the spices and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the zucchini, and bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Next, add the zucchini, and continue simmering for another 10 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender and the rice is cooked. Serve with a salad and crispy bread or khobz. Enjoy!

Gnawa: The Music of Black Morocco

Picture from here.

Did you know that Morocco had slaves at one time? The term Gnawa has three important meanings. First, it refers to black people who were enslaved in West Africa, they came primarily from the areas of present day Mali, Burkina Fasso, and Senegal to the Maghreb, between the 15th and 16th centuries. These black slaves served as soldiers for the ruling dynasties of Morocco. With time, the enslaved were freed by manumission, escape, and other circumstances, and formed various communities. 

The picture came from here.

 Secondly, Gnawa music is a spiritual music within Islam, with reference to their origin and their enslavement. Gnawa music is mainly a prayer to glorify Allah and a celebration of life and freedom as their ‘masters’ who enslaved their bodies failed to enslave their souls.

Thirdly, it is the style of music by the displaced and enslaved people brought to Morocco.  Their music has a soulfulness to it, which I really like. 

The song in the video is Sidi Moussa.