Linky Goodness

We spent last week in Estes Park, Colorado, having perhaps the best family vacation we've ever taken, so I've been silent for a very good reason. In lieu of a real, written post, here are a few links that have me interested:

The New York Times has a story on how oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill is dissipating much more quickly than one would expect. HT: Ann Althouse

Kelly at The Meaning of Pie has a recipe for one of my all-time favorite foods: pimento cheese. Yes, I ate lots of bologna sandwiches on white bread with mayo as a child: what made you ask?

Here is a fabulous short article on helping your children develop friendships with one another, by Rachel Balducci's mom. Eight kids? She should know!

The WSJ has an opinion piece on the Ramona Quimby books, in part because of the Ramona movie that was just released. I've said before I don't like the Ramona stories as much as others about children in stretched circumstances; right now, Two and I are about to finish The Story of the Treasure Seekers, which is a much better read.

An Orthodox priest from Belarus surprised the PCUSA General Assembly serveral weeks ago by telling them, just after they voted to approve non-celibate gay, lesbian and bi-sexual clergy:

"Christian morality is as old as Christianity itself. It doesn’t need to be invented now. Those attempts to invent new morality look for me like attempts to invent a new religion — a sort of modern paganism. ... When people say that they are led and guided by the Holy Spirit to do it, I wonder if it is the same Spirit that inspired the Bible, if it is the same Holy Spirit that inspires the Holy Orthodox Church not to change anything doctrinal or moral standards? It is really the same Spirit or perhaps there are different spirits acting in different denominations and inspiring them to develop in different directions and create different theologies and different morals?" [emphasis added]

HT: Father Joseph Huneycutt of Orthodixie.

And last but not least, Betty Duffy explains in much better words than I would the "problem" I have with Eat Pray Love. She says: "This is to say that I don't need anyone encouraging me to put myself first, or to remember my best me, or to spend another second thinking of or pampering my self." Uh, yup - that would be true of me as well. Not. another. second.

I'll try to put together a vacation post over the weekend, or maybe we'll just move on and write of other things. Who can tell? I know you're waiting impatiently to find out.