february favorites

A monthly round-up of links to facilitate your commitment to procrastination. 

Dudes, I have so many awesome links saved for you! First, I want to highlight my good friend Derek's post on being a stay-home dad. Derek is one of my closest friends, and I love his perspective on shouldering the load in a culture that doesn't respect fathers as whole people and equally capable parents.

In accordance with my own experience, most ex-vegetarians cite failing health as their primary reason for returning to meat. Chillax, vegans -- at least we're not cannibals.

This summer I'll be hosting a Food + Garden day camp at the Waldorf school, and I would love to teach the kids how to catch a sourdough starter and make bread. Alas, I can't eat gluten (even fermented) and I expect that many of the kids in the camp will be gluten-intolerant as well (even if their tests were negative). So I was thrilled to find this post!

We're also going to make butter from real cream. No Crisco for this girl!

In March I'll be attending my second workshop on home funerals and progressive hospice. I don't get much chance to talk about this here, but have you seen this essay entitled How Doctors Die? I'm happily watching it make the rounds, sparking important discussions.

Tangentially related, check out the graphic novel Fun Home. So much awesome.

Take heart that research finds no advantage in early reading programs. Why not do some yoga with your kids or just let them play instead?

Two more reasons to quit Facebook!

On the home front, did you know you can re-grow celery? Make your own apple cider vinegar? Or how about a cheap-ass worm composter? And let's talk about ethical herbalism.

For the first time I am seriously considering the GAPS protocol, especially because I have a history of long-term, broad-spectrum antibiotic use.

This month I'm re-reading the Margaret Atwood books that so influenced me as a teenager, paging through Ken Hom's Complete Chinese Cookbook, and loving Girl Hunter. What's on your bookshelf?