Articles written by Katrien Vander Straeten

This festive and easy-to-make stew or soup involves chicken, chicken broth, finely chopped vegetables, potatoes and cream.

Dec 4, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

It's time to go out and play in the snow, then to hurry indoors and spend some time with a big, steaming mug of this hearty soup.

Dec 3, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

With over 850 definitions of landscape features, many specific to America, this book is about geology and history, American identity, and how one makes a place home.

Nov 1, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Several children's books depicting the complex life of Henry David Thoreau can help reconnect our children to nature.

Oct 30, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

In four picture books, D.B. Johnson manages to convey Thoreau's message about nature - now so extra urgent - to children between the ages of 4 and 99 (and older).

Oct 5, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The poet Lucia Perillo has written a painfully truthful, always enlightening book of essays about living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Oct 2, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

What are those shapes the very young child is scribbling? Do they represent something? Should we even ask?

Aug 9, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Bill Coperthwaite's prescriptions for our children: a varied context of home and community, and a feeling of usefulness through work.

Jul 31, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The story of how a little bunny rabbit survives - and changes - in the global market.

Jul 24, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The continuing story of how a little bunny rabbit survives on the global market.

Jul 24, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Batmanglij's cookbook combines recipes, culinary history, food anthropology and travel adventure on the millennia old Silk Road from China to Italy.

Jul 18, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

In A Handmade Life, Bill Coperthwaite promotes voluntary and firsthand education that values nature, community and physical work.

Jul 10, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

A beautifully written and illustrated book about sustainable living and work for a better world

Jun 27, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

In Gaia's Garden, Toby Hemenway presents the theory and practice of Permaculture, and brings them home to the average backyard. A challenge no gardener can miss out on.

Jun 5, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

What does it take to be "Self-Sufficient"? What needs to be done, to what degree, and involving whom? And how does self-sufficiency relate to self- sustainability?

May 16, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Lind and Hockman-Wert assembled a treasure trove of culinary delights centered around local and seasonal foods, that goes easy on the wallet and the planet

May 16, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Maisy the Mouse has taken the world of the youngest toddlers by storm, with books, DVDs and television programs.

May 2, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Going on a holiday to Bali this year? You are sure to run into several ceremonies and festivals during your stay, no matter how short.

May 1, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Bali, home to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Chinese, devotes no less than 4 public holidays to New Year's celebrations.

Apr 21, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The festival of Shavuot (Shavu'ot or Shavuos), on 22-24 May 2007, commemorates the giving of the Law of Moses on Mount Sinai.

Apr 11, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The counting of the Omer is a 49-day Jewish liturgical season between Passover and Shavuot. It is a time of spiritual preparation for the revelation of the Torah.

Apr 10, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

We may no longer realize it, but many of our celebrations are time-keepers on an old agrarian calendar.

Mar 31, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Wearing a tattoo means taking on a lot of responsibilty. Before going ahead, consider the history, the many functions and meanings of tattooing.

Mar 16, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Tattoos have been used as therapy, protective amulets, to indicate high social status, to ostracize, and were finally popularized as an art form by Roman soldiers.

Mar 15, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Information about safety, techniques, pain, removal, temporary tattoos, and some facts about tattooing among US adults

Mar 15, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

An informed "tattoo talk" can be surprising and enlightening for both parents and teenagers.

Mar 15, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Baby showers logically bring to mind the sweetest of dishes, but regarding those there are some strange customs out there!

Mar 9, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The events of that first Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, also called the "three days of death"

Feb 26, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

A summary of the events of the first Easter and how and when Christians celebrate them, up to Good Friday

Feb 26, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The April Fish is an April Fools' custom that is as interesting as it is mysterious.

Feb 13, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

We trace the unofficial holiday back to European Spring and New Year's Day festivals, and debunk some false explanations.

Feb 13, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The qualities of a good Kids Craft website, and a review of Kiddley.com, a site worth parents' and children's attention.

Feb 7, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The Indian New Year's Day is determined by the Mesha Sankranti or the solar transit into Aries, but after that it's up for grabs.

Feb 7, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

India's numerous calendars count the days by the sun, the moon, a combination of the two, or by the Indian Zodiac of rashis, and beginning from several different Eras.

Feb 6, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Holi is a very popular Hindu spring and Full Moon festival. It is followed by Dhuleti, the festival of colors. It is celebrated on 2 and 3 March, 2007.

Jan 31, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Americans and Indians hold baby showers (godh bharai) before the birth. But in many other parts of the world it is postponed for supersitious as well as sound reasons.

Jan 28, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

China and Chinatowns are getting ready for 15 dayws of New Year's festivities, both private and public.

Jan 25, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

The Chinese New Year celebrates a cyclical calendar of the 12 recurring years, each assigned to an animal sign. This year it's the Pig or the Boar's turn.

Jan 25, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Are American baby showers really cheesy, lame with parlor games? Or worse, purely commercial? Do that have a legitimate historical or psychological background?

Jan 23, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Many Christian churches reserve specials days right before or at the start of Lent for the repentance and forgiveness of one's tresspasses.

Jan 19, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

During Lent, fasting, prayer and almsgiving prepare the Christian worshipper for the sorrowful days of Holy Week, which ends in the joy of Easter.

Jan 17, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Why do people, right before the beginning of Lent, celebrate Carnival with excessive eating and drinking, floats and processions, masks and merrymaking?

Jan 10, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

On February 2, will Punxsutawney Phil, the world's most famous groundhog, emerge from his den, sparing the country another 6 weeks of winter?

Jan 8, 2007 - Katrien Vander Straeten

John Godfrey Saxe's "Six Men of Hindustan" can be applied to about any kind of quest for knowledge.

Dec 11, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Who is the American Santa Claus? What is his relation to Saint Nick? And why are many Europeans demanding he "go home"?

Dec 3, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Western Christians celebrate Christ's birth on 25 December, Eastern Christians on 6 January. How did they arrive at these dates?

Nov 14, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Vague and contradictory sources make for a fascinating pursuit of Christ's "real" birth date.

Nov 14, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

On 25 December Christians celebrate the Birth of Christ: the classic nativity scene unfolds.

Nov 9, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

Mary anticipates of the birth of her son as she and Joseph prepare to go to Bethlehem for the Roman Census.

Nov 8, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten

In any timeline of Christmas events, the Annunciation of Christ's Conception by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary must come first.

Nov 8, 2006 - Katrien Vander Straeten