Feasting Fierce

Leaf Peeping....

2010-11-09T18:48:00.019-05:00

This year is the 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The weekend before Halloween, I hopped in the Jeep with my brother and his girlfriend and off we went to look at the Fall colors. We were, what the locals call, 'leaf peepers' for the day. The higher elevations had already peaked but mid and lower levels still had lots of color in 'em. It was a picture-perfect day, as you'll see. You'll also see that there is a reason it is called America's Favorite Drive...

The very first shot when we first pulled onto the Parkway....

Our first stop was the Folk Art Museum. I loved these handmade Cornhusk Dolls. I snapped this shot before I saw the "please, no photos" sign...oops.

At one of the many gorgeous overlooks....

I don't remember where this was, but the photo looks like it was taken at twilight even though it was the middle of the day. Very haunting shot....

Craggy Gardens Overlook

There are 26 of these 'thru the mountain' tunnels along the Parkway...

These split-rail fences are everywhere along the Parkway and they are just beautiful...

Atop Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the
highest peak in the Eastern US....

We sat on the front bumper of my Jeep here and ate lunch.
A meal with a view indeed!

Walking the trail toward Linville Falls....

I couldn't get a shot of the Falls because of the massive amount of people around, so I brought this one over from the Linville Falls website. Thanks!

Looking back at Grandfather Mountain....

The final shot before getting off the BRP and heading home....

Oh! The mystery of it all,
Of nature's colors in the Fall.
Displayed for us to revel in;
And touch the soul that lies within.

~Jeffry Tank~

P'nut Butter Ribbons....

2010-09-25T12:35:00.006-04:00

Last weekend I was involved in a baking contest that was put on by the Historic Mordecai House in downtown Raleigh. This was my first year participating and their second year hosting it. I made my Oatmeal Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies as, I believe they are the best, richest, most decadent cookie in my stable of recipes. There is a peanut butter buttercream in the middle of two of the oatmeal peanut butter cookies and for this competition, because appearance was part of the grading, I ribboned the top with melted dark chocolate. They looked gorgeous....and tasted lethal. Out of 60 contestants, my cookies took 2nd place! Yay!

The grand prize cookie and 'best of show' as well, was a pumpkin cookie that I unfortunately did not get a chance to taste. I'm hoping to snag a copy of the recipe from the Mordecai folks so I can taste what beat me out of that blue ribbon! I did get a letter from the organizer of the event yesterday telling me that mine was her favorite and that my cookie lost the grand prize by only 2 points. Ouch. She did request my cookie recipe for their holiday cookbook that will be sold in their gift shop. Pretty cool...I'm gonna be published! And I will go back next September and get that Grand Prize.

What this has done is whet my appetite for competitive baking and cooking contest. The North Carolina State Fair is coming up next month and there are loads of baking events to enter there so that will be next up on my roster.....

Shades of Gray

2010-09-19T20:44:00.009-04:00

My travels delivering breakfast to church on Sunday mornings are usually greeted with blaring morning sun. Not so today. It was a very, very foggy start to the day. Landscapes take on a completely different and equally beautiful look when they are fogged in versus when they are blanketed in sunshine.

three lone trees...

I love this old store. I understand that road widening
in the near future will take it down. I can't imagine
this intersection without it....

the sun tries to break through....

the fog begins to lift on the ride home....

Fall Creeps In....

2010-09-12T12:10:00.009-04:00

The last of the summer tomatoes....

Yesterdays weekly trip to the Farmer's Market was very nice for a couple of reasons. 1--we hit it earlier than normal, so we beat the crowd, and 2--Fall time produce is starting to show up. It was kinda sad to see that all the fresh corn from summer is gone. Last weekend, there was corn in every booth. Not anymore. There are still plenty of tomatoes and okra and peaches, but those will soon be phased out too.

Apples have arrived! Every type you could ever want is there and cheap too! We bought 3 varieties yesterday from one farmer for .89 a pound. When the grocery store is selling 'Imported from Chile' apples for $1.89 all the way up to $2.29 a pound, WHY wouldn't you by from the farmers???? Local and fresh is always gonna be better....and cheaper!

The Mums are starting to show up too. I love Mums! I'll wait a couple of more weeks and then I will load up the truck with pots of gigantic mums and place them on the steps leading up to our front door. Ahhhh....there is no doubt.....Fall is coming.....

Mum buds....

Mum-face

(This is soooo not my photo. I don't have
the camera to get this detail.
Thanks, PDPhoto.org!)

The Daily Casper

2010-09-10T16:33:00.013-04:00

One of my favorite blogs is The Daily Coyote. I found it a couple of years ago and it's a daily destination for me. Shreve Stockton is a 33 year old woman who lives in Wyoming on a farm with a cow, a horse, a dog, a cat and a coyote. The coyote--named Charlie--found her when he was orphaned as a little pup after his parents were shot for killing sheep. Charlie is as much a part of the family as any other dog. Shreve takes daily pictures of Charlie living life on the farm. The pictures are gorgeous. Not only because they feature Charlie, who is beautiful in all his wildness anyway, but she catches him in the Wyoming wildness.

It made me giggle to think if I posted daily pictures of my cat, Casper. He is strictly a house cat, so his 'prop' possibilities are trimmed down quite a bit, but none the less, here is my experiment after one week.

The Daily Casper:

Squirrel Whisperer....

Contemplating Trouble

Hours of Fun

Cool Ceramic Hammock

Bed Stealer....

I have to say that I was shocked at all the different poses I got of Casper because I always see him only doing 3 things --laying on the bed, sitting at the food dish or digging to China in the litter box (I'm not taking pictures of that, sorry). Hard as I try I can not get a picture of him playing with his toys because as soon as he sees me coming with the camera he stops and rubs up against the lens. All that produces is a bunch of blurry, black face shots. Maybe The Daily Casper wasn't as unadventurous as I thought it would be. Thanks, Shreve for the inspiration. And thanks for sharing Charlie with me everyday!

Foodscapes.....

2010-09-07T11:46:00.012-04:00

Food Landscapes by Carl Warner
comes out Oct. 1st

On Food Network's "Challenge" some weeks ago, they had the competitors create big, monster landscapes out of nothing but food. These are known as foodscapes. But no one can do foodscapes like Carl Warner. He does Foodscapes with a capital "F"! Carl Warner is the master of both the creation but also the photography of said 'scapes and he has his first book of his 'Foodscapes' coming out October 1st. (hello?!? Christmas list for this year!). He hopes that the book encourages kids--and adults for that matter--to eat healthier.

I find these pictures so fun and soooo mesmerizing. Remember that everything...everything in the picture is a food. It's a foodies version of "Where's Waldo" to see how many different foods you can find in each one. Carl has also reminded us all that, yep, it is ok to play with (and photograph) your food!

(These pictures are completely and totally the property of Carl Warner)

a salmon sea and potato rocks....

An Italian-style home make of nothing but veggies and fruits....

This boat of watermelon, peas, olives and asparagus plows
through a stormy radicchio sea....

This is his books cover: the castle is made out of rice
and cheese and the wagon wheels are mushroom caps....

Mountains of bread....

A Winter Wonderland of Cold Cuts
(and lots of bacon!!! yum!!!)

Carl Warner--photography good enough to eat. NICE!

Come On Mornin'.....

2010-09-05T10:32:00.012-04:00

Driving into the sun....

In my opinion, there is but one reason to wake early on the weekends. To see the sunrise. On Sunday mornings I deliver breakfast to the volunteers at my church and my route includes the most glorious stretch of road through horse fields and farm land. As soon as I make that left turn, I see the first rays of the day spilling over the fields in bucket loads and every time, I pull off and take pictures. I'm the only one out there, so I think of it as a private show just for me. It is God at His finest moment I do believe.....

first dawn at the horse barn & pond

almost there....

Ta-Da!!! Finally above the trees....

Warming the horses in the field.

I stood upon the hills, when heaven's wide arch Was glorious with the sun's returning march, And woods were brightened, and soft gales Went forth to kiss the sun-clad vales....
"Sunrise on the Hills" ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow~

Beans and Leeks and Peaches, Oh My!

2010-09-04T12:34:00.013-04:00

Humongous, bright pink Hibiscus at the
Farmer's Market this morning....

Yet another gorgeous Saturday morning and another fun visit to the NC State Farmer's Market. I'm so thrilled that my husband now joins me for these little trips and seems to enjoy it as much as I! It used to be only me who would go, which is fine, as I can walk around the market for a couple of hours with no problem. (our Farmer's Market is 75 acres big, so there is plenty to see!) Sal is more a 'get what you came for and leave' type of a shopper. I do coax him through the other buildings though and he'll usually find something new and yummy to try like homemade Chow-chow or jam or two. Either way, it's a fun morning out for hubby and wife. Wife especially likes it because it gives me a chance to snap off some photos. Today they are courtesy of my phone, which I have to say, does a pretty darn nice job in a pinch. You sure can find some gorgeous shapes and colors at the Farmer's Market for sure......

There are loads of peaches still....(new recipe below!)

a sea of peanuts....

green beans....

turnips--I don't eat them, but they take
a pretty picture!

With peaches in such abundance right now, I've been searching for new ways to use them. Peach Bread, anyone?! Try out this recipe!! It is super delicious eaten alone with coffee or with a little cream cheese on top or try it lightly toasted with butter.....ok, I'm drooling now....

Peach Bread

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches
2 cups chunked fresh peaches
6 Tablespoons sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place 1 1/2 cup sliced peaches and 6 Tbls sugar in electric blender and process until pureed. Mix with the 2 cups of chunked peaches.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter; cream well. Add eggs and mix well. Add peach puree, peach chunks and dry ingredients, mixing only until ingredients are moistened. Stir in pecans (if using) and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 well-sprayed 9x5x3 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes in pans; turn out onto rack and let cool completely
Makes 2 loaves

Riding The Storms Out.....

2010-09-02T20:56:00.008-04:00

Hurricane Fran (1996) from space

I've been through 4 hurricanes. The first was Hurricane Floyd in 1987 when I was living in Ft. Myer's, Florida. The next three were here in Raleigh: Hurricane Fran in 1996; another Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Hurricane Earl is doing his thing out on the North Carolina coastline as I type this. I'm about 3 1/2 hours inland from the NC coast, so I think all we're getting from Earl tonight are lots of clouds and little extra breeze. Thank goodness.

It is very humbling to sit inside your house looking out your windows at full-grown trees, bending toward the ground like they were made of rubber. You hear things crashing into and against your house and you can't go check on it because of windows possibly blowing out or something coming through your house. You are pretty darn helpless. It's gotta be what it's like for the midwest states when they deal with tornadoes. You do all you can to prepare, but there is only so much you can do except ride the storm out and then wait for the silence.......and it's an eerie silence. In a hurricane, this is the eye. Then part two cranks up.

The first sound you'll hear the next morning are chainsaws as some neighbors will already be out cutting trees that have fallen on houses or across roads and driveways. Everyone checks on each other and you help who needs it. Then you survey your damage. We've been soooo lucky through all of these to not have had any major damage done to our house. Lots of debris to pick up, but no damage. I hope the NC coastline and all my buddies out there do ok tonight.....I'm thinkin' about you!

The Miracle Marriage.....Mine!

2010-08-31T22:08:00.012-04:00

Today, Sal and I celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary. Look at those two youngsters! We had no idea what our future would hold at that time. We didn't know that we would move 9 times in 18 years. We had no idea that we would be blessed with a gorgeous daughter. We certainly had no idea that we were tough enough and strong enough to withstand some of the road-bumps that we would encounter in our time together either....

Along with all the great times, laughing and loving, there have been some truly rough and tough times. Most of them brought on by me. I was a mess. I was 'married' to a job that almost worked me to death at times, that caused me to come home in tears on quite a few occasions, that kept me out til all hours of the night and morning hanging out in places I had no business being in. But I loved it. Being in radio is a pretty intoxicating (no pun intended) career. Back before the business came under hard financial times, you got to fly places, stay in fancy hotels, hang with celebrities and alllllll that comes with that lifestyle. And I drank it up! (Pun fully intended). There was excessive socializing, carousing, drinking and partying and again.....I loved every minute of it. All the while, my husband kept the home-fires burning because he knew it was 'part of the job'. It was becoming more than just 'part of the job' though. It was all becoming a problem and thanks to some truly divine intervention about six and a half years ago that took us to California, I finally got my life straightened out.

A little over four years ago, Sal & I walked into a church together in a small suburb of San Diego called Rancho Bernardo. Both of us began an amazing transformation almost instantly and both of us accepted Christ into our lives only weeks later. I gave up the firewater, I lost 140 lbs, changed my behavior, got my priorities in order and started living a clean life--inside and out. Sal & I were both baptized at sunset in the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores back in August of 2007. God gave us a clean slate and a new life and with our baptism together, as husband and wife, we gave each other a clean slate. It has taken our marriage to a whole new level of awesome-ness.

So, Happy Anniversary, baby. I thank God for you and I thank you for stickin' with me. I'm a lucky, lucky, lucky lady.

Us this past December 2009

Lazy Daze Festival....

2010-08-28T14:08:00.014-04:00

The Town of Cary Lazy Daze Festival is going on as I write this. Sal and I were up early to hit it first and beat the crowd. HA! It started at 9, we got there at 8:45 and it was already packed. Artisans to the right and to the left as far as the eye could see. There are some amazingly talented people out there doin' what they love, that is for sure. Booth after booth after booth of painters, sculptors, jewelers, wood carvers, sewers, tin-workers.....oh the list goes on and on. I bought one thing and that was a leather hair cuff. There was lots I would've loved to have if money were no object, but alas, not the case! Here are some pictures......

I love this mosaic mushroom piece...

Homemade wooden puzzles of all shapes....woof-woof.

....This guy makes guitars out of license plates. He'll
do whatever state you want. This was the
Wyoming guitar. There was a lady in his booth
ordering 2 California guitars (at around $300 each!)

This metal lizard was tooo cool....

Gorgeous metal flower picks to add to your garden....

This face jug cracked me up. The bug
on his nose landed just before I shot the
picture. He so belonged there!

PB&J 4-ever!!!!!

2010-08-25T20:10:00.008-04:00

Cassie's been back at school as a 7th grader for about a week and a half now and I think we've fallen back into the routine pretty effortlessly. My big responsibility every month is to print out the monthly school lunch menu and post it on our fridge. There, Cassie will mark off the days she will take or buy lunch. That in turn helps me plot out my grocery list for the upcoming weeks. Bread--check. Cold cuts--check. Fruit cups--check. Peanut Butter--check, check!

There was an article in the local paper today entitled "Not PB&J AGAIN! Liven Up The Lunchbox". BLASPHEMY! I had to laugh because one of the sandwich 'alternatives' they have pictured and suggested is a cucumber sandwich. My daughter would be trading that off to some unsuspecting 6th grader for something else, I'm sure! I still to this day believe that the PB&J is one of the finest sandwiches out there. The wonderful balance of sweet strawberry jam (my fav) slathered onto a almost-too-thick layer of chunky peanut butter with it's crunchy and slightly salty yumminess......mmmmmm. Think about it, in culinary worlds, the PB&J was waaaaay ahead of it's time with the whole 'sweet and salty' combo!

Now, I don't eat it every day and neither does Cassie--she'll opt for ham every once in a while--but the PB&? is standard. '?' you ask? Yep. Cass is creative, I have to say. Sometimes it is a PB&J, sometimes it's PB&F (that's PB and Fluff--we called that a Fluffer-Nutter). Occasionally it's a PB&H (honey) or PB&AB (apple butter). They're alllll good!

I've been reminded by my middle-schooler that the insulated lunch bag is still a must and they have to be cool looking and colorful, too. Before we roll our eyes at the notion of keeping-up-with-the-Kardashians with our insulated lunch bags, remember when we were kids? We wanted the latest lunch box with the latest and coolest action figure or tv show on the outside, didn't we? Yep! Charlie's Angels, Battlestar Gallactica, Fat Albert--they were the good ones to have. Ya know what lunch box I had in elementary school? A US Mail lunchbox. I am pretttttty sure it was not one of the cool ones. But I do understand now that that US Mail lunchbox may be worth some money!!! I bet my Mom still has it....can you say....Ebay?!

This was my lunchbox!

Farm to Fork.....

2010-08-24T17:51:00.003-04:00

The outing to the Farmer's Market this weekend netted quite a bit of fresh goodies: peaches, tomatoes, okra, corn, lima beans and one honey stick for my daughter (her weekly request) from the Bee Blessed Pure Honey stand. How can you not love their name?!

I. love. okra. Unfortunately for my waist-line, I like it fried and as often as possible. However I tried a new recipe out of the August edition of Southern Living magazine that showcased okra in an un-fried manner and it was outstanding! I used Chorizo instead of the smoked sausage only because I had it on hand. I think ground turkey, ground beef or cubed chicken would work wonderfully as the meat in this dish. It cooks up very fast, so it's a good last minute dish. Here's the recipe:

1/4 pound spicy smoked sausage, diced
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup sliced fresh okra
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced tomato (1/2 lb.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

Sauté sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until browned. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add corn, okra, and tomato; cook, stirring often, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Post-Rain......

2010-08-23T16:55:00.010-04:00

We've had some pretty hefty thunderstorms roll through our area these past few days and it looks like another is brewing in the distance for tonight. I wandered through the backyard and noticed how all the plants and flowers have enjoyed the extra dose of water. Everything is greener and some flowering plants that hadn't flowered in awhile, were flowering again! While I was out snapping photos, I got buzzed by two hummingbirds who, I'm going to assume, were saying 'thank you' for re-filling their feeder earlier today. I love those little guys, but they sure do make a lot of noise when they buzz an inch away from your head......

....a teeny-weeny little fern.....

honeysuckle...

I have no idea what this is, but I like the
gorgeous purple berries on it....

....even though it's still a hot-as-Hades August,
this reminded me of Fall.....

ahhhh...my gorgeous Hibiscus has been
blooming like crazy this week thanks
to all the extra rain....

"Almost any garden,
if you see it at just the right moment,
can be confused with paradise."

~Henry Mitchell~

Milling About.....

2010-08-22T11:20:00.013-04:00

Yates Mill off in the distance.....

I finally went to the Yates Mill Historic Park yesterday out on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh. I've driven past it for years, everytime saying "I'm gonna go do that tour sometime", and yesterday, I finally did. It was awesome! Yates Mill is a fully-restored 18th century, water-powered gristmill (where they grind corn into cornmeal and wheat into flour). It sits on a 20 acre pond that you walk part-way around to get from the museum building to the mill itself. At the mill, they show you how corn is shelled and how the huge granite grinders and all the other gears, including the monster water wheel outside, move to make cornmeal to just the right consistency. Their next big event is the Harvest Celebration next month, which I will definitely return for. I'm so glad I went and I'm glad my daughter came with me to see a little bit of history.

the dam and the water-powered wheel sitting idle....

Yates Mill from the backside in b&w. It just seemed
appropriate. I can't decide though which I like better.
This b&w or the color one below....

Yates Mill in living color

the view from under the Lake Wheeler Bridge....

other inhabitants under the bridge....ick.

old gears guide you down the mill path....

more gears in b&w....

...at the front door of the mill. Gorgeous.

Our Table Runneth Over.....

2010-08-17T10:59:00.002-04:00

(gorgeous peppers....look at those colors!)

Sal and I went to the Farmer's Market again Saturday morning. I went specifically to purchase a pastry from the German Bakery there that I had seen the week before. It's called an 'Apple Purse' and after a fruitless (hahaha) on-line search to find a recipe, I knew I would have to buy one of theirs, eat it and figure out how they made it. It was a thick bread folded over a ribbon of apple filling. I gotta be honest....it was not good. And definitely not worth the $4 they charged me for it! I'll stick with my German Apple Cake recipe. Same premise and much tastier.

What we did walk away with were some other fresh goodies--peaches, butter beans and yellow squash. I also walked away with some pretty cool pictures of what will soon be the end of an amazing summer of yummmmmmy produce.....

Watermelon season is almost over.....

...in need of some brown sugar, cinnamon and butter....

...gorgeous tomatoes....

....all ears...

...and these make me think of Falltime....

I mentioned to Sal as we walked through that it would only be a few more weeks before the truck-loads of corn and melons were replaced with pumpkins. Orange globes as far as the eye can see. I can't wait to share those pictures with you.....it's insane!!!

Tail Lights.....

2010-08-12T08:50:00.001-04:00

I am a recreational shutter-bug. I love snapping pictures while I am out and about. I don't have a big fancy camera, but I do have a point-and-click and a cell-phone with a camera and both have captured some pretty cool shots.

Some nights ago while my husband and I were out and he was driving, I was playing with my cell-phone taking pictures of the cars in front of us. We hit a bump in the road while I was snapping off a shot and this was the picture I got.....

I loved it, so I re-created the 'jerky' motion while taking more shots and loved how they looked.....

some police lights mixed in....

nothing but tail....

Fungus Among Us.....

2010-08-09T20:11:00.005-04:00

While trolling the neighborhood over the weekend I ran across this little patch of mushrooms. Only these 3 and they we're so pretty. I think they are called Parasol Mushrooms. I assume for their shape as they would make the perfect little sun or rain protection for whatever ant, caterpillar or other teeny little creature that made it's way under it's ample-sized dome.

Parent and child.....

Since we're on the topic of mushrooms, let's move to edible ones. My all-time, hands-down, most favorite mushroom dish E-V-E-R has to be....my Portobello Burgers. Soooo simple but so slammin' good and tasty and good for ya, too! Here's a tip--Sam's Club carries the biggest Portobello's I've ever seen. 4 to a pack and they are 5-6 inches across for about $4. They are monsters. Try this recipe....you'll never look for a meat hamburger ever again! Promise.

Portobello Burgers

4 Portobello Mushroom caps
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning**
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
Salt & Pepper, to taste
4 slices Provolone, Muenster, Swiss or
whatever white cheese you like
4 halves of jar or fresh roasted red peppers, blotted
**(use fresh basil and oregano if you have it!)

Carefully pull the remaining stem out of the underside of the mushroom cap, being careful not to rip or tear the cap.

In a zip-top bag, mix vinegar, oil, Italian Seasoning, garlic and salt and pepper, if using. Place mushroom caps in bag, zip up and carefully turn bag making sure all of the caps get coated in the marinade. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place mushroom caps, gill-side down, over the flame. Cook for 6-8 minutes and flip. Cook for another 5 minutes. Place roasted red pepper and one slice of cheese into cap. Cover and cook for another minute til melted.
Serve on your favorite hamburger bun with all the toppings you would normally eat on a burger.....or eat it just on it's own, which is my favorite way.

Getting Lost.....

2010-08-08T11:58:00.006-04:00

Sundays are a weekly driving day for me. I grab my camera, peel the top back on the Jeep and go get lost. On purpose. Today I was particularly taken with these huge, round mountains of hay....

Bounty.....

2010-08-07T10:11:00.009-04:00

Sal and I were up early this morning to hit two Farmer's Markets. One in Holly Springs and the other, the North Carolina State Farmer's Market--the big daddy one. I think we beat even the vendors to the one in Holly Springs because most of them were still setting up when we got there so we jetted off to the big one.....

I love the N.C. State Farmer's Market. It is huge and has everything. This trip we picked up some apples and fresh shelled beans. So much inspiration, so little time....and tummy space!

T's waiting for a little B & L!

An army of Okra....

Peaches galore....

Two Fat Ladies.....

2010-08-05T19:48:00.008-04:00

Some years ago, my oldest brother Russ turned me onto this wonderful cooking show running on the BBC called "Two Fat Ladies". It only ran for four seasons and I was an instant fan. These two British ladies, Clarissa Dickson-Wright and Jennifer Paterson, were, yes, large in form, but what tripped my trigger were their big, bold personalities and the fun they had in and out of the kitchen. The two traveled around the English countryside on a Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle. Jennifer drove and Clarissa happily rode in the sidecar. Both outstanding cooks, they never cared about calories or fat. They did love biiig, bold flavors and used the most fresh ingredients and would travel all over to find them. One episode, Clarissa was preparing a venison dish and they both went out to a deer farm to get the meat. They pulled right into the field as the deer scattered, started digging in the back of the vehicle for I suppose their rifles.....and then the show cut to the farm owner bringing a huge side of deer. I have to admit I covered my eyes for a little bit thinking they were gonna show it! Both Jennifer and Clarissa loved hunting and they certainly got fresh venison that day.....

Jennifer passed away back in 1998 of lung cancer. The day before she died, she asked Clarissa to bring her a tin of caviar to the hospital, but by the time Clarissa arrived, Jennifer had passed. Clarissa says that after Jennifer's funeral, she ate the caviar as a tribute. Sweet.

I'm thrilled to say that the new Cooking Channel is running the Two Fat Ladies shows, Saturday nights at 10 & 10:30. I have been watching them again with much love and appreciation for these two ladies. I am in the middle of reading Clarissa's autobiography too. It's called Spilling The Beans. She lived and has survived quite a life. More on that later......

Though I doubt I will ever cook Partridge and Cabbage or Rabbit Isabel, I will be trying this recipe I watched Clarissa prepare a couple of Saturday's ago. It looks yummmmy! I'll let you know how it turns out!

Quercyan Apple Cake

Filling:
3 pounds apples, peeled and thinly sliced
8 ounces sugar
4 fluid ounces rum
3 fluid ounces orange flower water
Thinly pared rind of 1 lemon
1 pound plain flour (all-purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/2 ounces butter, creamed
Finish:
1 ounce butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
Caster sugar (superfine)

Directions

Filling: Macerate the sliced apples with the sugar, rum, orange flower water, and lemon peel overnight. Strain the apples, reserving the juice.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, put butter and eggs into a well in the centre. Working with the fingertips gradually add 7 fluid ounces of the liquid from the apples. Work into a smooth and elastic paste with your hand and leave to rest for 2 hours.

Roll out the rested paste as thinly as possible, then transfer to a floured cloth on a large table. Working from the centre, with the palms of your hands, carefully stretch the paste to the thinness of a cigarette paper. Rest it and yourself for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F.

Brush lightly with melted butter and dust with sugar, cover with well drained apples and roll up. Mix the remaining juice into the beaten egg and brush over the top. Bake in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes.

Long Time Gone....

2010-07-26T20:05:00.007-04:00

Well, I have no excuse. I've been gone off here for way too long and now looking back, there is so much to catch up on, I don't know where to start. So I'll start with the present...well, the recent past. The weekend.
So my brother, Russ and his new bride, Carla and their son Matias made a visit to the OBX--the outerbanks for those of you who don't live 'round these parts--last week. On their way back up to Virginia on Sunday, we planned to meet for lunch at Parker's BBQ in Wilson. We tried this hook-up the weekend before, but his GPS (cough-operator error!) screwed up somehow. But yesterday it happened. Looking around the table, it was quite a sight. Mom, her three grown kids, my brothers' looong-time girlfriend, my other brothers' wife and child....it was pretty darn cool. Carla is gorgeous and sooooo kind. Matias, my nephew, is a doll with the biggest brown eyes I've ever seen. And he knows how to give 'high-fives' which makes him uber-cool in my book.

After lunch, my other brother suggested we drive about 10 miles down this country road to Lucama, NC and see some whirligigs that had been written about in the N&O that day. I got the full story as we drove past miles of tobacco fields and peanut farms and acres of gorgeous green as far as the eye can see. Then....there they are. On the left hand side of a crossroads are these huge steel whirligigs. MANY of them. Vollis Simpson is the artist, using old signs and pieces of junk and discarded metal to build these monstrous contraptions that spin in all directions in the wind. They are mesmerizing. If it weren't for the gnats eating me alive, I would have stood out there longer just staring at them spinning round and round. Mr. Simpson is getting on in years--I think he's 91--and soon, the Town of Wilson will come and take his whirligigs off his property and place them in a specially built park for all to enjoy. Good for them! They are a treasure and a nod to our heritage and I am thrilled that they will be preserved.

Be a teacup.....

2010-05-13T13:29:00.007-04:00

My darlin' daughter turns 12 next month. She has been in full-swing puberty mode for the past six months. Mood swings, wanting to be left alone--yep, that's been all a part of it. I remember it all from when I was her age so I get where she is right now. She and I have been talking about boys, dating and appropriate and inappropriate behavior and how to properly put one in a choke hold if they get fresh. (just kidding.....maybe). My Mom never had this or any chat with me, so everything I learned about boys I learned from my girlfriends at school or....from boys. THAT was not going to happen with my daughter. Boys are fun and relationships are fun, but she needs to know to set the boundaries and not be afraid to stand up for herself and speak up if something or someone makes her uncomfortable.

I was thrilled to hear that in Cassie's Sunday school, they have been chatting about dating, too. This past week, they spoke about morals and virtue and how to be proud of who they are. That they are special and should treat themselves as such and should expect to be treated that way. Nice! The teachers used a 'cup' example and I thought it was perfect:

"This past weekend we looked at characteristics a girl should possess. As part of the talk we introduced 3 types of cups.

Styrofoam cup: inexpensive, millions of them everywhere, disposable: use once and throw away. This could represent the girl who will do anything to get a boys attention but are often hurt and caught in a vicious cycle of no self worth.

Ceramic mug: common household item, fairly inexpensive, find them everywhere. They blend in and trendy but often end up in a yard sale. This could represent the girl who wants to blend in with the crowd. May compromise values in order to fit in only to be cast aside for the latest and greatest.

Teacup: Unique, beautiful, perfect and priceless. Often displayed with honor in a china cabinet. Set aside for special occasions. This is the girl God created them to be. Priceless! In Psalm 45:11 it says the King is enthralled with their beauty. We challenged the girls to always present and value themselves through God’s enthrallment of them and called the guys to always treat girls with the care, respect and gentleness."

Ya know this is a great reminder for anyone of any age to regard themselves as a teacup. Whether dating, or married, in a friendship or on the job..... you should always remember that you are 'unique, beautiful, perfect and priceless' and should let no one....boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, mother, daughter or even a boss....treat you any less.

Time flies....

2010-04-26T10:22:00.009-04:00

It's been a little while since I've written. I have been busy for sure. The job hunt continues and has taken me to Seattle, NYC, Orlando, Miami and points in between, but has not netted the perfect job just yet. I'm very blessed that I have the time and resources to take my time to find the job that I want and not have to jump at just any job that strolls by. So the search continues. We'll see where it leads this week.....

I've spent lots of time in my yard landscaping and getting my backyard to the lush oasis that I want it to be.....even if it might end up being for the next homeowner if a move is in our future. Our home builder did a good job of foundation planting, but I need plants--I mean rainforest thick monster plants! I've planted five Leyland Cypress to help hide the neighbor behind us. Lots of large shrubbery, flowering and not, to help fill in some of the open areas in our 'natural area'. Some Calla Lilies, Jasmine and a bunch of other flowering bushes and plants to bring those little pops of color here and there. And, of course, a massive amount of day-lilies. They are my favorite back and front yard plants. Taking a walk around the yard this morning--my favorite time to inspect the 'estate' (lol)--everything has taken root perfectly and is growing. In about 3-5 years, it'll look amazing!

As a hockey fan, I'm enjoying some great playoff games that are being played out. My team is not in it so I'm not really pulling for any team, but I love a good, hard fought game and there have been several so far! Hubby and I finally got around to catching up on some tv we missed while he was workin' hard during tax season. We caught up on all 8 episodes of "Parenthood" over the weekend. Oh my, I love that show. Why was I not shocked that uber-producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer were part of it. I'm so wary to get hooked on a new show because they get cancelled so fast these days. I hope this one survives. What a great cast. I especially like Peter Krause, whose acting I fell in love with during Six Feet Under.

I had to say goodbye to my dear Leo last week. He would've turned 19 next month and my 'grandpa' kitty just wore out. His pace had slowed quite considerably, he had to stop every 10 feet or so to rest and was getting lower and lower in his back legs. Then when the vet said his kidney numbers has jumped into the danger zone, we knew the time had come. This was the first time I had been present during one of our pets' euthanizations and I was surprised at how peaceful the whole process was. I blubbered my way through saying goodbye to him after the vet gave him a sedative and then she gave him the final shot. Just as he did during life, he passed while laying on my lap. I would have had it no other way. He didn't suffer, he died with dignity and on his favorite lap. Leo was a great kitty and he and I shared many adventures together. I couldn't have asked for a better boy......

Casper, our last kitty left out of four, has adjusted easily to his playmate being gone. The vet said dogs have a harder time adjusting to a member of their pack being gone than cats. I wonder how long Casper grieved? The first day I fed him as a solo kitty, he stood at the side of the food dish, like always, as Leo was the alpha-cat and always ate first. That was a sad sight, as Casper sat there and waited for Leo to round the corner and eat the lions share first......but he never came. Here we are six days later and Casper no longer waits. It is weird only having one cat in the house though.

Casper and Leo

One Month Later......

2010-03-25T09:28:00.004-04:00

So it's been just over a month since my last post and almost 6 weeks since I was laid off from my job. I felt the need to cocoon for a little while. To run and hide. To get angry. To stamp my feet and have a tantrum or two. To cry a few tears. And then, the final phase--to lick my wounds and move on. That is easier said than done. I haven't not worked in 28 years, so re-adjusting to a schedule that is not revolving around my going off to work in the morning is weird and it's been hard for me not to go somewhere and do something.

I was hoping my baking would go full-time, but without my full-time job to fund the baking, that was not to be either. I had to officially close my bakery to outside clients, who were not thrilled. I guess that is suppose to make me happy! But it just makes my heart ache. I still bake for my friends and for the church whenever they need it, but it's just not enough to fulfill this need I have to bake and create in the kitchen alllll day.

But what all this has allowed me to do is sit with my daughter the whole entire time she's eating breakfast in the morning instead of getting up in the middle of it to go off to work. I drive her school now and we sing or chat or just listen to the local morning show do their antics. It's the hours after that when I am home kickin' around the house the rest of the day with nothing to do that gets me. So....I've been doing some volunteer work at my church and some volunteer work at our new N.C. Museum of Art is starting up next week. And I have been applying to many, many radio stations. There has been some courting by a couple of stations, but even that process has slowwwwwwed waaaaay dowwwwwwnnnnnn since the last time I applied for a job. We'll see where all that leads......

God sure has base-lined my life. My full-time job is gone and my part-time job is gone. I have this visual in my head where I'm standing at a starting line. There is lots behind me that I can see but in front of me? Nothing....at least nothing that I can see. It's just.....white. I know there is stuff out there and I have extreme faith that God is in charge of it all, so I know whatever I cannot see right now, it's gonna be awesome. But waiting for the starting gun, is not one of my better qualities. I keep wanting to jump the gun and I keep getting yanked back to that starting line. I just know God is up there saying "All in good time, woman!". Any day now......any day, God.

Hockey and Being Put On Ice.....

2010-02-22T11:02:00.005-05:00

I've been watching the Winter Olympics with much love over this past week. The downhill, luge, bobsled, skeleton and snowboarding.....those are my favorites to watch. The ice dancing is ok. I'm in awe at their talent, it's just that ice skating is not my thing. I do love their outfits though. They are gorgeous. But watching the USA Men's Hockey Team play Canada last night was the BEST! Watching the best of the best players in hockey from the US and Canada on one ice playing their hardest? WOW! Now THAT was some awesome hockey. It was soooo fast and considering that these guys don't play on the same team year round, they played with such fluidity like they had been playing together for years. And our goalie!!!! I must say that I DO NOT like the Buffalo Sabres at all....I mean there is much dis-like for that team, but I am liking me some Ryan Miller right now. He is an amazing goalie and just worked his a** off last night. Miller-time indeed! Add to alllll this that Team USA beat Canada at their game? NICE! I can't wait to watch some more. Go, boys, go!!!

Speaking of ice...specifically being iced, I was laid off from my job last week. I have written before on here about my suspicions that this would happen and it did. I work full-time in radio and over the past two years, thousands of us have been laid off as the industry has suffered massively through the economic downturn. My company held off as long as they could and when they made their first layoff right after the new year, I knew 2010 in my building was not going to be kind. Soooooo....what to do? I've been on the air in radio for over 25 years and the business has changed so much from what it was that drew me to it back in the early days. I've learned to 'never say never' when it comes to this business, but I don't think I'm going to actively pursue another job in radio. If something amazing finds me--I'll certainly consider it, but I believe that this is my crossroads. My baking and my dreams of world domination as far as my baked goods go, is definitely the most attractive option. It is what I have dreamed about and prayed for and there certainly is no better time to go for it......

My company is paying out my contract for another few weeks, so I'm taking my slow, sweet time over the next few days to enjoy a little time off, get a clear head and take that next big step in the right direction. But my heart says....that Heavenly Scents Bakery is about to go global.

A Different Winter Wonderland.....

2010-02-16T11:32:00.004-05:00

Wow time is just whippin' by. I did not realize how much time had gone by since my last update. A few more snowflakes have fallen since the last storm, but it melted the same day so it was kinda the perfect snow. Gorgeous falling and quick to clean itself up!

I've enjoyed the first full weekend of the Winter Olympics. I'm sure Vancouver had no idea that they would have a stretch of really warm weather when they needed some of their coldest temperatures. Funny that there have been some spots further south here in the US that have been colder than Vancouver lately! Hopefully Mother Nature will blow some frigid air their way. The old-school Bobsledding, Luge and Downhill are my favorites as is Snowboarding. I have found though that after I watch the Winter X-Games, all the winter events at the Olympics seem sooooo tame! Maybe the Olympics could have an Extreme division added to the games. As of this morning, the USA has 8 gold medals. YAY, us!

Shawn White doin' what he does best.....catchin' air!

Winter Wonderland....

2010-01-30T13:17:00.006-05:00

Some blogs ago, I complained that every time a snow fall is predicted for my area, we never get it. Well last night, we did get it! It started snowing last night around 8pm. I knew it did because my security light on the back of the house kept flicking on and off as snowflakes triggered the sensor. It snowed through the night and this morning we have about 4-5 inches. Sleet is falling now, so the icy crust on to top of the snow is forming. The roads will be very dangerous over the next couple of days. Everything around is closed. I had 2 catering events this weekend that got cancelled. Church is cancelled and we will not be able to get out to see the Canes play tonight. So we are 'cabin-bound' for the rest of the weekend. I am ok with that.

....the moon last night...

...eating alone...

....puffing up....

pictures courtesy of my neighbors
who posted on wunderground.com

Framing George.....

2010-01-24T14:26:00.008-05:00

Six months ago I started up my bakery here in NC. The re-building of my business after moving here from California has moved along pretty fast. The holidays worked in my favor, as lots of folks were going to parties and giving gifts, so lots of bread, cookie, dessert platter orders poured in in December. But from the get go, it's been all word-of-mouth and the words have been great! One of those dessert platters I hand delivered (I don't normally do delivery) to the owner of a local coffee shop. The platter was ordered by a customer who wanted to say thanks to their favorite coffee shop and its' baristas. I knew this was an introduction I couldn't pass up. I'm glad I didn't...that dessert platter ended up being a great investment into my future.

Last week I made my first delivery of scones and biscotti to this same coffee shop and they are now selling my baked goods! To eventually supply my baked goods to eateries or coffee shops nationwide is the eventual goal. This is the start. This is an independent coffee bar, not a chain, so the owner started cautiously--only 1 dozen to start with. After the first day of having my scones in the store, she ordered another dozen and said the clients went crazy for them. Yay! Today, one week later, she is now ordering 2 dozen scones and a dozen of my gourmet pretzels twice a week. We're getting there!

So last week I deposited my first check as a wholesale bakery.....for $31.00! It may not sound like a lot, but it represents a lot to me. I know that that day will come when I will reminisce about my baking empire and will say "Hey, it all started by supplying a couple dozen scones to that little coffee bar in NC....and I still deliver to them to this day." Yep, I see it!

Oh yeah....I only deposited $30 and got 1 dollar back in cash. Can't launch your business without that symbolic framed 1 dollar bill. George may not be smiling much, but I sure am!

Hope for Haiti...

2010-01-18T09:35:00.008-05:00

The earthquake in Haiti happened this past Tuesday and since then I have just been mesmerized by the pictures and stories that are coming out of that wreckage. The pictures of a city flattened, thousands missing, bodies in the street. The first amazing story I read was of the lady found in what was left of a grocery store. She spent 50 hours in the dark buried up to her neck in rubble. I imagine if that were me and wonder what I would be thinking during those 50 hours. I know I would be having some seriously long conversations with God. What else are you gonna do? And what about those promises that I'm sure she made to God, while begging for her life. "God if you save me from this, I will......." We've all done that, right? No food, no water, no light, not knowing if you would ever see the sun again, or your family and if that was the way you were going to die. The things that must go through your mind in that type of extreme crisis situation. Then I wonder, how will her life will be different after her rescue? Will she ever be able to go inside another building or ever be able to go grocery shopping or buy that particular item she was reaching for when the shaking started? Will she even stay in Haiti? Does she even have the means to leave if she wanted......

My church does lots of mission work in Haiti and had purchased a few buildings there to turn one into a hospital and one into a school. The hospital was going to reside in an old abandoned Catholic Church that is now a pile of rubble and the school? Don't know....but as our pastor said Saturday Night, it doesn't matter. Buildings can be rebuilt and replaced, lives cannot. So the mission work through our church has just become ten times as important and basically starts over.

I know I spent a lot of time this week thanking God for my safety and the safety of my family. I wish and pray for lots more rescues and fewer recoveries and that we all remember just how blessed we truly are.

The Big Tease.....

2010-01-08T10:05:00.009-05:00

If you are one of those sections of the country that has been buried under snow and ice the past 4-6 weeks, you are not going to like this entry today. I want some snow! Several times in the past few weeks, my TV meteorologist has teased me with the statement "snow is coming" and every time, it has passed us by. The system migrates to the west or skips over us and goes north. I want some snow! I will say I have been enjoying the pictures that my friends around the world have shared of their snow fall. Thanks for them.....I'm living through you!

snow in NY...

snow in Boise, Idaho....

snow at Martha Stewarts' place...
(check out her great pics on her blog!)

even Albequerque, New Mexico got covered....

Soft as the fall of a beautiful thought,
Or a leaf on the stream,
White as the robe by purity wrought,
Bright as the flow of a dream.
Calm as a sleeping infant's breath,
Cold as the brow just touched by death,
Falleth in many a graceful wreath
Gently, the beautiful snow....

~Mary T. Lathrap~

Stripping My Gears....

2010-01-06T13:09:00.004-05:00

"Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears." ~Barbara Johnson
This is a great quote that I stumbled upon while trolling the internet today. Patience is one of my worst, worst, worst (did I say worst?) qualities. I don't 'wait' well. And by not being patient and waiting for the right thing to happen, I mash the gas pedal and usually find myself in the weeds. I think I've made some improvements in the past year or two, but I still need A LOT of work in this area. I do believe God is working specifically on it with me right now.....and, once again, I'm failing. = (

The contract for my full-time job comes up in 2 1/2 months and I have no idea if I will be re-signed. Normally there would be no question and no worry. It's the perfect gig--with great co-workers, great bosses and a great company--and the love is mutual and has been the past 6 years. We are a great fit.

Then, the economy bottomed out. Layoffs in my industry have been rampant and brutal over the past year and in the past couple of months have hit my city hard. Yesterday, the first firing was done in my building. With budget cut firings they are random and sometimes in big chunks. No matter your expertise or qualifications or pay. They just happen.

Now, I KNOW...that what happens, happens. And I KNOW...that God will provide no matter what does happens. And I KNOW...that I can find a job somewhere else--maybe. And I KNOW....that my worrying about all this stuff is not going to change what does happen. But, if I KNOW all these things, why do I still have these moments when I feel like I'm going to completely blow up my transmission? I start in 1st gear "pft...they won't fire me" move into 2nd: "but what if they do?", then 3rd: "ok--if they do, I get to do something new!" and we rev up to 4th: "but you love this gig" and I'm truly flying by the time I get into 5th: "I don't wanna be fired!". Then calm settles in for a little bit and we can get the gear shift back in to 1st for a little while.

I've prayed, I've read, I've talked to friends, I've Facebooked in hopes of finding that little snippet, or quote, or passage that will calm my nerves. And they do! For about 5 minutes, then the mental car is flyin' down the racing strip again! This is where my faith is weakest and that frustrates me too 'cause I should be better at this. The first two 'knowing' statements I made above are all I need to keep repeating to myself-- I KNOW that what happens, happens and God will provide no matter what. This has to be my new mantra. It will have to be the sentence I repeat to myself over and over, otherwise I'm going to go crazy over these next couple of months. Here's to keepin' it between the lines.....and in a low gear.
(that gorgeous car up there is the Ford GT. Yum!)

Soups On!

2010-01-01T14:04:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year, btw! We went to see the Carolina Hurricanes lose to the NY Rangers last night then scooted over to a friends house for the final hour of 2009. We got home around 12:30 this morning and everyone crashed--except me. I was wide awake, so I trolled the internet for a little while and then found the hour-long finale' of Sex and the City on TBS and watched it. Not getting to sleep til 2:30 could explain why I didn't wake til 11:30 this morning. But I have nothing going on today, so it felt good.

New Years Day for me always means soup. Maybe it's the cold, overcast day that January 1st usually is here. I think wanting to eat something light after a couple of weeks of eating really bad-for-me foods from Christmas through New Years has something to do with it too! It's my way of 'lightening' up before launching into my yearly New Years' resolution of eating clean. My holiday eating--ok, since Halloween if I am being honest--has packed on an extra 20 lbs that need to come off this time around too! After having lost 140 lbs a couple of years ago though, 20 will be a piece of cake....so to speak.

So on the stove right now are smoked ham hocks steeping in chicken broth awaiting the addition of a bucket load of veggies and some black beans that are soaking too. Black Bean Soup is what it will eventually be. I had hoped for Split Pea until I realized I had no Split Peas in my pantry. I'm borrowing some spice ideas from Emeril Lagasse from his recipe that adds an interesting tropical feel to it. This time around, I'll add a little cumin, jalapenos, cinnamon and ginger for a little different kick--Emeril style! I keep mine a little more brothy than creamy to keep it lighter and not as heavy feeling. After sitting on the stove all afternoon to meld, it's dig in time. Yummmmm.

"Leave It As It Is..."

2009-12-29T13:34:00.010-05:00

That full quote reads: "Leave it as it is. The ages have been at work on it and man can only marr it." ~President Theodore Roosevelt~

During my time off, I have been catching up on some tv that has been burning a hole in my dvr. I finally hit 'play' on the 6 part PBS series by Ken Burns called, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. I have only one episode left to watch, but I must say now that it is an absolutely amazing series. I have always been impressed with Ken Burns documentaries mainly for his attention to detail. Burns does beautiful, beautiful work. The photography in National Parks, both still and moving, is stunning. I constantly hit the pause button just to take in the scenery for a few extra moments. The stories, writings and antidotes born out of the National Parks by those who visited them in the late 1800's and early 1900's are so engaging and re-told by voices you'd recognize: Tom Hanks, George Takai, Sam Waterston, John Lithgow, Eli Wallach and many others. They share these moments beautifully without upstaging the series. The spotlight is left right where it belongs--on the story and the scenery. The whole series is narrated by Peter Coyote, who is brilliant in the role as 'tour guide through history'. As someone who has done professional voice over work for many years, I bow to his seemingly effortless vocal mastery in this piece.

"God never made an ugly landscape. All that the sun shines on is beautiful, so long as it is wild." ~John Muir (1869)~

I was lucky that both of my parents held a big love for our National Parks and took my brothers and I to many of them when we were kids. We would camp and hike and fish and sit around the campfire late at night. I have scattered memories of these trips as I was a pre-teen for most of the trips. The memories I do have though, are vivid. I remember Mesa Verde National Park like I visited there yesterday. That Park, those ruins, that mysterious band of Indians who just up and disappeared one day....intrigued me so. I remember Yellowstone and watching Old Faithful burst skyward. I also remember some of the stinkiest sulfur blurps of mud bubbling there too. I remember the Grand Tetons and standing at a split-rail fence that bordered the valley that ran up to the base of those peaks. Imagine how silent we were, staring in awe....

Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, inciting at once to work and rest! Days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God. Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gains the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is rich forever.

~John Muir~

The National Parks: America's Best Idea is quite the history lesson, but unlike any history class I ever sat through. I've learned so much by watching this series. Not only the struggles our own nation went through to preserve these gorgeous areas, but those who helped spearhead the whole system. The one person who takes center stage for the first two episodes is John Muir. I have read more John Muir works and writings in the past week than I ever did in school. Pity, really, as Mr. Muir was a top-notch wordsmith. With a string of words, Muir could paint, not just a picture, but an entire panoramic landscape in high-def! Some of his writings, that I'm reading for the first time, have literally brought me to tears. Few contemporary writers do that for me.

If you haven't already, download, rent or buy The National Parks: America's Best Idea and watch it. And if you've already seen it--watch it again. And watch it with your kids. Maybe it'll inspire them to go see these wonders in person one day. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to take them!

"Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature's darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature's sources never fail."
~from the book Our National Parks
by John Muir (1901)~

(thank-you Mr. Muir)

Rebounding in 2010....

2009-12-26T12:15:00.005-05:00

I am once again turning my blog over to the writing prowess of my friend and writer, Joel Burke, who updated his blog with the most insightful writing about using 2010 to your fullest potential. Thanks Joel, for once again giving me lots to think about for the upcoming New Year!

What would be your personal top ten moments in 2009? Take a moment to write down one list that contains both the wins and losses! Then, begin to reflect on each one. What were you thinking and feeling with both the highlights and the low lights. What did you learn from each one? I would guess for most of you, 2009 has been a year of tough losses. In fact, you likely are suffering through a loss right now as the New Year begins.

In basketball, most games are won or lost by a rebound. However, for a rebound to happen, there has to be a missed shot! You may have had some missed shots in 2009, but be ready for a rebound in 2010! One of the most basics fundamentals in basketball when you shoot the ball is to follow it. In fact, there is a good chance you will get your own rebound from the missed shot!

Two of the best rebounders in NBA history were Elgin Baylor and Charles Barkley. They didn’t have the height or even the jumping ability, but they had a hunger and a desire to go get the ball after a missed shot!

In order to be a great rebounder in basketball and in life, we all need to have three skills. These skills are not about talent, but rather our attitude.

1. Aggressiveness

2. Positioning

3. Determination

Aggressiveness: The basketball term is to crash the boards. You’ve got to have the desire to go get the ball. In basketball and in life, you can’t expect the ball to bounce your way. You must go get it!

Positioning: This skill is setting you up for a rebound (success) by anticipating where the ball is going to bounce. Proper positioning and a little extra effort to get the ball will most often create a positive outcome!

Determination: This is purely an attitude that every missed shot is one you can turn into a made shot! You have “can-do” attitude of energy and emotion. This energy and emotion will not only help you succeed, but lift up those around you!

Yes, 2010 will likely be another tough year for all of us. However, I hope it will be a year for you to rebound from the missed shots of 2009! Now, go chase the ball!

Catnip caper...

2009-12-23T14:12:00.010-05:00

My two cats have a wonderful great-uncle who bought them a bag of fresh catnip some time ago from an herb farm up in Maryland. It is a 1/2 lb bag that is taking forever to finish up but the bag is now almost finished. The cats know the sound of the closet door opening that houses the nip and they usually come running when they hear it. If they are out of earshot of the door, they definitely know the sound of that bag that holds the nip. As I try to walk around, over, through kitties at my feet who are circling me, weaving in and out of my legs looking up at me so endearingly. Their little, bright eyes saying "please oh please oh please put the nip down NOW!". They each get a little pile on the carpet in our bedroom and that is where they stay for the rest of the day. First they lay on it, then roll in it, lick at it, chew on it and eventually, sleep on top of it. Ahhhhh, a full day.

The bummer of this story is, is that Stillridge Farms in Maryland, the herb farm where my brother bought this catnip, does not have an on-line store, so I can't get a new bag of their favorite stuff. I now will have to search out another 'supplier' and hope that it will be just as good as their favorite nip!

Winter Solstice....

2009-12-20T15:52:00.007-05:00

With those North of us digging out of a massive snow storm that hit yesterday, it only seems timely and appropriate to stop this week and welcome in old man Winter. Today is the eve of the Winter Solstice, the time when those of us in the Northern Hemisphere officially welcome Winter. Tomorrow at 12:47 pm (ET) the earths axial tilt is at it's furthest away from the sun, hence shorter days and longer nights and the official start of Winter. The small bit of good news for you Winter-haters, is that starting Tuesday, the days will get longer and longer--even if it is a little bit--as we once again start the process toward the Summer Solstice which comes June 21st.

"Throughout history, solstices have been celebrated and heralded with cultural and religious traditions. Our ancestors, who believed in mystery and magic, gathered together to celebrate the miraculous return of the light after the longest night of the year and that’s how Winter Solstice festivals were born. Still to this day,people all over the world celebrate Winter Solstice as a time of rebirth, a new beginning and a chance to marvel at the power of transition from darkness into light." (Daily World Buzz)

Nature chose for a tool, not the earthquake or lightening to rend and split asunder, not the stormy torrent or eroding rain, but the tender snow-flowers noiselessly falling through unnumbered centuries.
~John Muir~

Near miss....

2009-12-17T22:46:00.004-05:00

I went to a cookie exchange tonight in my old neighborhood. I love that they still invite me, as it is for those who still live on the street.....it makes me feel good that they still consider me part of the group. Driving back home became a heart racing adventure though, as I almost hit a deer. We live a little further out in the country than we used to, so we have alot more wildlife to encounter on our roads out here. I don't know if our new surroundings are the reason why, but I have seen so many more deer on the side of the road who didn't make it across the road than any year before. Everyday I must pass by 3-5 that perished the night before. Well tonight I almost added to that number.

As I traveled down the dark, twisty two lane road that leads to our subdivision, I saw what I thought was a dog all of a sudden running along side my SUV. As soon as I put my foot on the brake to slow, the deer darted out right in front of me. I stood up on the brake, tires a-squealin', SUV going a little sideways and barely missed that little doe by a couple of inches. All of a sudden I realized why I see so many on the side of the road dead....they're not the brightest animals in the kingdom are they? Why would you dart out in front of the car instead of back into the yard you were just grazing in? As much as my heart was pounding as I watched her scamper off into the woods, I can imagine hers was beating probably faster! I hope she stays in the woods tonight and off the roads.

Cookie mountain....

2009-12-16T09:20:00.003-05:00

I have been so absent updating my blog and I apologize for that. I have been baking like a mad-woman these past couple of weeks. The Mina Project that I am doing through my church-- where they give you $10 in seed money and it is your job to use your talents to build that $10 into more, then release the money back into the community for needy families--has been very active since I started before Thanksgiving, but even more so right now. I have been baking breads and charging $10 for each loaf. So far I have raised $350--35 loaves! Now the Christmas rush starts and on Friday and Saturday alone, I have 11 loaves due. The beauty is that it's another $110 dollars. That puts my total Mina money raised up to $460. I am soooo proud and sooo grateful to my neighbors and teachers at Cassie's school and friends who have ordered! I think that I may make this a yearly event to raise money for someone who is in need. My Mina money, btw, is going to Interact of Wake County, a charity Sal & I have long supported.

The loaves are in addition to other orders that have come in over the past few weeks. It has been a very lucrative holiday for the Heavenly Scents Bakery, for sure! The past few days I have filled orders for not only Mina bread, but a large 250 Christmas cookie order, another platter of 30 cookies, 3-50 piece dessert trays, not to mention the weekly Sunday breakfast I do for 200. It's been very busy.

Through all of this, I give my thanks to God. Re-building this business since the move back to NC has been what I have prayed for ALOT over the past year and the clients are coming. Just like the Field of Dreams "If you build it they will come", I prayed for it and it has come and it still is. I am soooooo thankful! Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

Lotsa lights....

2009-12-08T23:00:00.009-05:00

My computer has been at the IT hospital for the past few days getting some bugs removed and I've been using my work laptop lately. I didn't realize how much I would miss my personal computer. Of course the day we got the CPU back, the monitor decided to blow up so I had to make an emergency trip out to buy a new one today. This monitor is much bigger than our previous one, so I feel like I'm watching tv rather than working on the computer. It sure is nice!

I've been wanting to publish these Christmas photos and can now that my harddrive is back. These are from our decorating weekend over the long Thanksgiving holiday.

Christmas Kitty. I haven't quite figured out what it is about cats and their love for either climbing into the Christmas tree to sleep or settling for the tree skirt. Casper has found his favorite spot for this year!

We decided to do a live tree this year. This guy is 10 ft. tall and drinks water like a camel. There are needles everywhere. I don't think we'll do a live one again next year. This is tree 1 of 2!!

Tree #2. This is the artificial tree we normally use that I went ahead and set up even though we had the real thing this year. It's pretty cool having 2 trees all decorated. There are over 1800 little Christmas lights between the two trees and they are only 25 feet away from each other. Oh, how we glow.....really!

I've always loved the idea of having a train at the base of my Christmas tree. Eleven years ago, when I was pregnant with Cassie, I bought this from a wood craftsman and painted it myself.
It is one of my favorite things to pull out of storage every Christmas. I love knowing that she will have it to pass on to her kids one day.....

Poinsettias......

2009-12-07T08:15:00.005-05:00

I was in Sam's Club last week and was amazed at their display of poinsettias. The plants they have are monstrous. I mean huge! They certainly are gorgeous. I read somewhere recently that North Carolina is the 2nd largest grower of poinsettias behind California. These gorgeous red, white & pink plants bring our state almost $18 million in revenue...nice! Every year at this time, the email about the Legend of the Poinsettia shows up in my email inbox and it did this weekend. It's a sweet little story......

Maria and Pablo lived in a tiny village in Mexico. Because Christmastime at their house did not include many gifts, Maria and Pablo looked forward to the Christmas festivities at the village church with great joy and anticipation.

To honor the birth of Christ, the church displayed a beautiful manger that drew crowds of admirers. Villagers walked miles to admire the manger, bringing lovely, expensive gifts for the Baby Jesus. As Maria and Pablo watched the villagers place their gifts in the soft hay around the manger, they felt sad. They had no money to buy gifts for their family and no money to buy a gift for the Baby Jesus. One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo walked to the church for that evening's services, wishing desperately that they had a gift to bring.

Just then, a soft glowing light shone through the darkness, and the shadowy outline of an angel appeared above them. Maria and Pablo were afraid, but the angel comforted them, instructing them to pick some of the short green weeds that were growing by the road. They should bring the plants to the church, the angel explained, and place them near the manger as their gift to the Baby Jesus. Then just as quickly as she had appeared, the angel was gone, leaving Maria and Pablo on the road looking up into the dark sky. Confused but excited, the children filled their arms with large bunches of the green weeds and hurried to the church.

When the children entered the church, many of the villagers turned to stare. As Maria and Pablo began placing the weeds around the manger, some of the villagers laughed at them. "Why are those children putting weeds by the manger?" they asked each other. Maria and Pablo began to feel embarrassed and ashamed of their gift to the Baby Jesus, but they stood bravely near the manger, placing the plants on the soft hay, as the angel had instructed.

Suddenly, the dull green leaves on the tops of the plants began to turn a beautiful shade of red, surrounding the Baby with beautiful blooms. The laughing villagers became silent as they watched the green plants transform into the lovely star-shaped crimson flowers we call poinsettias. As they watched the weeds bloom before their eyes, Maria and Pablo knew they had no reason to be ashamed anymore. They had given the Baby Jesus the only gift they could--and it was the most beautiful gift of all.

Twinkle Lights.....

2009-11-30T09:41:00.007-05:00

Thanksgiving was awesome. Mom, bro', husband and daughter gathered around a table full of food. It was all wonderful. It was also a big reminder of how blessed we all are. Truly a day of t-h-a-n-k-s.

The drive home from church Saturday night went from chatting about the service to 'hey, let's stop and get a Christmas tree!' as we drove past the local home improvement store. We had no plans to do the Christmas decorating this weekend, but boy how plans change! This is our first Christmas in this house and my husband really wanted to do a real Christmas tree versus the artificial we've done for years now. We have a vaulted ceiling in the main living area, so a large tree was necessary. We lugged our big 9 1/2 foot tree into the house and got it placed into the tree stand. It took us several attempts to get it visually straight up and down because the tree trunk was not perfectly straight. I decided to bring the artificial tree out as well and set it up in the foyer, so for the first time I have two trees decorated in the house. It was ALOT of work and required a quick trip to the drug store to buy a couple of extra strands of lights. We had to use every last ornament we own to cover two of them, but the trees really do look awesome. This house is quite a bit smaller than others we've lived in so the lights from the trees illuminate every corner. We glow, but what a gorgeous glow.

Giving Thanks.....

2009-11-25T09:34:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving
Pilgrims
move among us.
Silent, their gray lips mouth
prayers for the bountiful fields of
autumn. Feathered
Indians stand
tall in quiet corners
invoking harvest home in a
strange tongue. This is
our Thanksgiving.
Gathered together, we
are visited by the grace of
old guests.
~Myra Cohn Livingston~

Give thanks to God, whose mighty hand
Deals blessings good and great.
~Charles Frederick White~

Iron Chef Morgan....

2009-11-23T10:21:00.007-05:00

Ok....I would sooooo get my butt handed to me on that show, but I can dream! I do want to congratulate Chef Jose Garces, who was crowned the new Iron Chef for Iron Chef America last night. I was rooting for him from day one. I had a chance to chat with him this morning and I asked him if the chefs really have no idea what the secret ingredient is on Iron Chef America or not. His comment was "I will neither comfirm nor deny that information!" HA! I just never bought into it that the chefs walked out there completely in the dark. With his Latino upbringing and cooking background, Chef Garces is certainly filling a void on that shows' panel of Iron Chefs. His first battle on Iron Chef America will be January 17th.

"What happened to my weekend?" is what I was asking myself last night. Cooking, that's what. I wish I could say I hated every minute of it, but I don't! I have a bear of a week coming up with not only trying to do prep and cook my own families Thanksgiving meal, but food for a bunch of clients too. I have had to print out a calendar so I can plan out my cooking schedule for the rest of the year. The little squares for this week are so full, I can barely read everything. I pre-cook almost everything for Thanksgiving, so that the only thing I have to do on Thursday is pop everything in the oven to cook or re-heat and grill the turkey. Today my grid shows me that I will cook and mash my sweet potatoes, cook the sausage and veggies for the stuffing and mixing it with the cornbread and biscuits I baked yesterday. This will all be done at the same time I am baking 8 loaves of bread for other clients. Wow....whatta week! I'm ready!!!!

The Fans Come Out At Night.....

2009-11-20T09:26:00.005-05:00

Cassie and I went to the midnight showing of New Moon last night...well, actually this morning. The theater showed the first movie, "Twilight", right before the New Moon premiere, so we went to see it, too. Lucky for us we did because the lines for the midnight screening started at 9pm! We only sat through about an hour of Twilight before we walked across the hall to the 1 of 10 theatres that was showing New Moon. At 10pm, our theatre was half-full. By 11:30, it was packed to the gills. Funny how it was almost all Mom's--my age women and the rest were some high school/college girls.

Now I'm a fan of the books first. Stephanie Meyer crafted a wonderfully written saga in Twilight. So I give her mucho credit for even penning these fantastic books and certainly solidifying a financial future for herself and allll of her family still to come! But New Moon, the movie, was great. I had reservations about this second movie because part of the charm of the first movie to me, was the fact that it was a low budget film and kinda art-house looking. The promos for New Moon, with a substantially larger budget, looked all glammed up and very polished and I didn't know if I would have liked it so slick. But I was pleasantly surprised. I like the main characters, Edward, Bella and Jacob and their families. I enjoy the Cullen family and look forward to seeing their characters back in the fore-front in the future. New Moon introduces us to the 'wolfpack' and they were fun, dangerous and not hard on the eyes. Their transformation from man to wolf was very cool and the couple of fights they had in the movie were awesome....and very loud. I got the biggest kick out of the gasps and giggles and "whoots!" that escaped the audience at key points in the movie. The first time Edward shows up on the screen, the time when Jacob rips his shirt off to aid Bella, when Edward takes his shirt off and at that last thing Edward says at the end of the movie--nope not gonna spoil it for you. Women...we are soooo predictable. The movie did get a standing O when it was over, so I wasn't the only one who liked it. I'm going again tomorrow with a girlfriend and her daughter to see it again. Yep, gotta go again.

Walking out into the parking lot at 2:20 in the morning with literally a thousand other Twilight fans, you would never know it was 2:20 AM...it looked like it could've been 2:20 on a Saturday afternoon! Oh yeah....by the time New Moon was over, the theatre had already put up the poster for the 3rd movie in the saga, Eclipse, which comes out next summer. Woohooo!!!!

Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were
stars--points of light and reason...And then you shot across my sky
like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty.

~Edward~

HOT!

2009-11-18T16:32:00.012-05:00

I don't have a big, red HOT sign that flashes on like Krispy Kreme when my ovens are cranking out goodies, but I could have today. The ovens are working overtime this week filling orders for clients who are entertaining at work and at home for Thanksgiving. I filled two orders yesterday of bread and started two big orders today of bread and desserts that will take the rest of tomorrow to finish. Add to that my weekly catering gig for 200 and I am busy, busy, busy. I took another order today for a Christmas party next month that needs 250 cookies. Yay!

I had been searching on-line for bakers boxes, but in small quantities. I don't need 1000, more like 200. I finally found what I wanted, ordered them and they arrived last week. I love how my food looks all wrapped up, boxed and finished in pretty ribbons with my company sticker on the outside. It's all very Martha Stewart-y--so gorgeous. I have always been proud of my food, but even more so when it's all wrapped and finished properly.

Tomorrow I have a re-stocking errand to run, decorate todays food and start prepping for Sundays breakfast. I love this. I love this. I love this.

Getting out of the boat.....

2009-11-17T09:38:00.007-05:00

My best girlfriend in San Diego is opening her new business in the next couple of weeks. Kim has taught natural childbirth classes for years now and has acted as a doula for many, many families. Along the way, she became licensed as a massage therapist specializing in pregnancy massages. She has always dreamed of owning her own business and her clientele has certainly grown over the years. Soooooo...over the past few weeks, she handed in her notice to her corporate job, found a little location/shop to rent at the Village Shoppes at the Bernardo Winery, which is a gorgeous location and one of my favorite places to shop. She's painting and decorating her store right now, will be stocking it in the next few days and will open up Pregnatique in December. Pregnatique will feature all things for women who are expecting and beyond--health products, clothing, books, holistic items and of course, Kim's wonderful massages for Mom and about-to-be-born baby. What an amazing idea and store! She will have her on-line store open soon after the new year, so she will soon be world-wide. Her business plan already includes franchising on down the road. Words cannot even begin to describe how proud I am of her. She is seizing the day and her dream. I love the phrase "You can't walk on water til you step out of the boat".....she's getting out of the boat. yay! You go, girl!!!!!

Four Corners.....

2009-11-16T09:24:00.005-05:00

Joel Burke is a business friend of mine. He is not only a great programmer at KYGO radio in Denver, Colorado, but he also a great motivational speaker. He recently released his book "Inspire! Inspiration for Life and Life at Work". On his blog recently he wrote about the Four Corners of a Balanced Life. I thought it was just perfect and I want to share....

FOUR CORNERS OF A BALANCED LIFE
By Joel Burke

Doesn’t it seem the older we get, the more complicated life gets? When we are younger, we bought the fairytale that if we only get the new house, the new job and the new car, that our lives will be better. We would be walking down easy street and the struggles from our youth would be a distant memory. Well, go figure! We bought into that fairytale and now want to know about the return policy!

The fairytale can’t be returned, but we can take some corrective steps in putting more balance back in our lives no matter how complicated.

Commitment
This is by far the most important. Without a commitment and relationship with GOD, We will always have a void. We will all constantly be on a search mission for the next big thing to fill that hole. It will for a short time, but the new car smell will wear off and what will be left is emptier than a gas tank. Instead, we should be on a rescue mission that only GOD can provide. Moviemaker, Woody Allen, who is an atheist has said, “I can’t really come up with a good argument to choose life over death, except that I’m too scared…The trains all go to the same place. They all go to the dump.”

Contentment
All of us who have a competitive spirit and are constantly trying to be our best, contentment can easily be forgotten about and in some ways we can easily think that it is a weakness. We all must take time to enjoy and cherish those moments of contentment. My wife and I were driving out of Estes Park, Colorado on a Sunday morning after a snowfall. It was a picture that only God could have painted. I soaked up every second of it. I have to admit that 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t even given it a second glance.

Concessions
Don’t fight every battle! We all must decide which ones that are worth fighting for and which ones don’t really matter. This doesn’t mean compromising what you believe. It’s about being more cooperative along the way on the non-essentials in life. That can sure lower the stress level and cause us to smile more.

Confessions
Forgive yourself and be the first to say, “I’m sorry” to others! When we make a mistake, ask God and others for forgiveness. This will keep us from living a life of guilt over the past and carrying around a mountain of regret through life. That’s a heavy load that sure will cause all of us to collapse.

The complexity of the simplicity! We all have made our lives more complicated and complex than are necessary. However, it truly is very simple. When we all put and give some attention to all four corners, we will be able to stay the course and stay strong even when trouble strikes!

The Flying Scarecrow....

2009-11-13T10:03:00.010-05:00

The remnants of Hurricane Ida have been sitting on top of us for 3 1/2 days and we are drenched! Just yesterday, we had 5" of rain and add to that the bucketloads that fell the 2 days before that, I think we've had our share. Flights in and out of our airport have been delayed because of the blustery winds. There are some areas that are severely flooded--like, chest-high water! We haven't had any flooding here at our house, but you certainly will sink if you step onto our lawn. Very, very mushy! I see that this weekend we will start drying out as Ida continues to move northward.

Several times yesterday I had to chase down the big scarecrow that is part of my front yard decorations for Fall. I call him Efram. Efram was getting blown around all over the yard but I'll be honest, after the 5th time of chasing him down, I stopped. Clearly, Efram had his own agenda. No matter how many times I rescued him and placed him back with his other scarecrow buddy (Jr.) at the haybales, Efram would be gone again within five minutes. I mean, who am I to keep him from his windy day adventures? I went to check on him this morning and found him face down in my gardenia bushes off on the side of the house. Apparently, Jr. decided to join in the fun because he was laying on his back with one of the smaller pumpkins by his side and the pot of mums flipped over. Wow, whatta party those two had yesterday! They still had that cheery smile on their faces when I put them back in their place, so they musta had fun!

(pictured: Efram and Jr.--my party animals)

Scrabbled...

2009-11-10T11:12:00.007-05:00

My daughter trotted downstairs last night and wanted to know if I wanted to play Scrabble. SCRABBLE!? She knows my weakness. I love board games and Scrabble is my favorite. Her enthusiasm faded fast though the first time I was able to use my 'Z' tile--a 10 pointer--on a triple word score spot. That 4 letter word, zone, got me 39 points and one pouty girl. She ended up beating me though because I had a 'Q' left over at the end of the game with a couple of other letters and had 15 pts subtracted from my total. Maybe tonight, she and I can play Life, another one of our favorites.

the evil Q...

Lessons Learned....

2009-11-09T10:59:00.008-05:00

It was a gorgeous fall weekend, with the temperatures yesterday getting a little unseasonably warm. On Friday, I got the last of my daffodil bulbs planted. I have 600 now in the ground. I'm curious as to how many of those will actually come up next Spring. I will be sure to post a pic of the first little yellow faces that pop up! Also on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, three rare days in a row, I had my sportscar out on the road. Since the Fall temperatures are a little chilly to troll around convertible-like, I put the rag top on and went cruisin'. Hitting these tight, twisty country roads with all the fall colors a-blazin' is just that much more gorgeous (and fun!) when I can do it in my little roadster.

So at church Saturday night, our pastor continued his series on the 10 Commandments. We're up to #6 "Thou Shall Not Kill". Well, I know I've never taken a life and I'm going to assume that no one in our congregation has either.....well....I'm not quite sure about that guy who sits a couple rows behind us.....lol....just kidding. Instead of the sermon that would apply to no one, he twisted it to make it apply to us ALL. It was all about murdering people with our words. Character assassination. Talking unkindly about others. Well, HELLO!? Who is not guilty of that? Over the past couple of years, I've gotten a lot better at 'taming the tongue', as the bible says. I'm very, very careful about what I say to and about people. Before I speak, the thought rolls through my mind--"are you tearing down or building up?". If I stumble, I am quick to apologize and ask for forgiveness.
B-U-T....there is one person in my life who is my downfall. All I have to do is hear his name and I usually blurt out *jerk* or some other horribly, colorful descriptive word or phrase. I get off a phone call with him and I just grit my teeth and do my best Yosemite Sam imitation: razzin'-frackin'-rickin'-rackin'. This man exhibits some very unpleasant personality traits. He's mean and condescending, judgmental.....oh the list goes one and on and he brings out the worst in me!

Well, God certainly was talkin' to me through that sermon, because this guys face and name was rolling through my head and heart the whole time. I know that I cannot change him and the way he is, but what I can change is the way I react to him. You see, people who are hurting, hurt others. If there was ever someone who deserves compassion, it is he. If there ever was someone who could use a prayer to soften his heart, it is he. If there was ever someone who could use a soft, kind thought thought about them, it is he. Ok, God. Message received, loud and clear. Since Saturday night, when he has come to mind, I have surrounded his face and name with pleasant thoughts and words. So far, so good.

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

~Psalm 34: 13-14

Red Leaf....

2009-11-06T09:33:00.007-05:00

....this little guy is holding on for dear life as all his buddies have all but fallen to the ground. I don't think this years' Fall was as brilliant and colorful as ones in the past, but it was lovely, none the less. There are stretches of twisty country road back here that have been my favorite routes to travel lately only because of the tunnel of colors I could fly through. Beautiful.

Later today, I will plant the rest of my daffodil and tulip bulbs as I already prep for next spring. Since this is a new house, the planting and landscaping is pretty much a blank-slate right now. The builders landscaper was very kind to plant a few daylilies around the property instead of his usual foundation plantings. I've added numerous ones to them, thanks to Broadwells Nursery out in Angier, which has the bestbestbest selection for next to nothin' prices. But I gotta get these bulbs in. I love daffodils and have already planted about 300 bulbs with another 300 to go in the dirt. Told ya! I love my front and back yards to be a sea of those little yellow cups in the Spring. I don't plant them formally, just scatter them about. I don't normally plant tulips because my squirrels end up eating all the bulbs before they get to bloom the first time. Maybe in this new location the squirrels won't have such high-end appetites? Probably not, but we'll see.

I'm also kicking off a Mina project through my church today and am counting on my neighbors to help me. This is all about taking your blessings and gifts, multiplying them and releasing them back into the community to help others. THAT is what loving one another is all about, right? I am taking orders for my holiday breads that I will 'sell' for $10 with all the money going to Interact of Wake County, one of my favorite charities. Cassie will be my runner today and deliver little fliers out to all their mailboxes. I hope I get orders for more than I can handle! I'll keep you up to date on how it goes. In the meantime, have a great weekend!

My nutcracker suite.....

2009-11-03T10:22:00.006-05:00

While running errands yesterday I stopped by Homegoods, which is one of my favorite little home furnishing stores. It's a little bit of a trek for me to get to it so I don't go often, but when I do, I spend a good hour or two just meandering amongst all the goodies....

Well imagine my delight yesterday when I walked in and it was wall-to-wall Christmas stuff... just everything! I must of looked like a guy walking into Home Depot on a Saturday--all big-eyed and fantasizing about all the possibilities. Santas, dishes and sparkly stuff as far as my eye could see. Then, I saw it. My weakness. Christmas Nutcrackers. My Nutcracker collection right now stands around 52 and here was a whole display, top to bottom just filled and not a one do I have. There had to have been 250 of them--big and small, traditional and not-so, cheap and expensive--all standing at attention staring at me. I think I truly went wobbly in the knees a little bit! lol....

I only bought one nutcracker and only because he was already clearanced down to six bucks. He was the last one left and I think he needed a home. Ok, that's my justification. He's a pilgrim nutcracker holding a pumpkin. I don't have one like him because all of my guys are Christmas related. But, how is it that Thanksgiving stuff is already on clearance? I guess I missed the window for shopping for that holiday, which I'm sure was back in August. Anyway--I welcome him to my collection.

But I know before the Christmas season is over, I will visit them again and probably won't be so strong. Maybe Santa needs to pay that store a little visit!!!! ahem...

The day after.....

2009-11-01T11:11:00.007-05:00

Halloween yesterday was just a blast. I had front loaded all my prep for a catering job this morning to Friday so I had all day yesterday clear. Cassie and I started carving pumpkins around 10am. We did five total--one huge one with a headless horseman, 2 medium ones with a ghost face and alien and then two small ones with old-school jack-o-lantern faces. Cassie wanted to do more but she quickly realized how much work really goes into cutting, gutting and carving each one. The biggest one, the headless horseman took almost a full 2 hours to do start to finish, but it looked awesome. They alll looked great.

Our subdivision had a costume parade and cookout in the late afternoon. It was great fun to see all the smaller kids all dressed up. Parents spend a lot of money of kids costumes these days. They certainly weren't wearing dollar store costumes, that's for sure. While we were there at the cookout they handed out awards for the best carved pumpkin and best decorated house. Our house won the Best Decorated, which thrilled me to pieces! We got this cute little painted house on a stake to put in our front yard. They even put spiders on it---which is what our house is decorated with (see earlier blog). I wanted my headless horseman pumpkin to be in the pumpkin competition, but they did the judging the night before and I don't carve til the day-of to avoid premature shriveling before Halloween night.

So Halloween has come and gone and now it is November 1st. It's raining today, so the decorations will stay up one or two more days so they can dry out. Then the house makes it transformation into the Harvest and Thanksgiving theme. Time to go find my turkeys.....

The family tree.....

2009-10-30T21:51:00.007-04:00

I was reading Martha Stewart's blog the other day and she had posted pictures of tombstones at a graveyard near her home in Bedford, NY. Most of the headstones were dated the 1800's. One was from the 1600's! She named names and speculated as to what their life must've been like, whether their kin was buried next to them or if there was something special mentioned on their headstone. I wonder if the current family members of those buried folk know their ancestors story?

I know some people would find this type of walk-a-bout creepy, but I don't. I spent many hours as a kid walking through old and forgotten mountain-side burial plots looking for past family members. See, my Mom was, and still is a little, into genealogy--searching and tracking our family history. She was the first one who introduced me to tombstone rubbing. That is when you use white paper up against a headstone that is a little too worn for the naked eye to make out. With charcoal or pencil lead you then lightly go over the white paper and voila'! you would have a charcoal relief of what the tombstone originally said. Plus it gave her a 'hard copy' of full names and birth and death dates that she could carry home in hopes of connecting-the-dots with other family members.

She's gone back many, many generations on my Dad's side and quite a few on her side of the family too. Oh, the stories she has told me about some very colorful folks in our family history. Not to mention the family scandal or two that had been swept under the rug for years upon years only to be uncovered by....my Mom. There were quite a few undocumented name changes, one or two illegitimate children, a couple of mistresses, a couple of altered birth certificates, some relatives who just 'disappeared' and some really, really weird cod's (cause of deaths). There are a few other jaw-dropping revelations and stories that I won't share here. Mom would be aghast that I've shared this much already! lol....Maybe I'll write a series of books one day about all the characters that build the base of my family tree. They make for some very interesting stories.

When I was a kid, these cemetery walks used to bore me to tears, but now I'm glad that Mom did all that research. It's pretty cool to look over your life as the pieced together quilt that it is. Every piece is not always pretty and the edges maybe a little (or very) ragged and frayed, but every piece fits together and it makes us, eventually, who we are....

October....

2009-10-29T09:18:00.009-04:00

I'm sitting here in my office working. Well, 'working', because I am spending more time staring out the window. There is a longing in my heart today to be outside, not in the office. The leaves right now are just gorgeous. More and more of them are falling today though, as a breeze is blowing. My backyard is a sea of yellow, orange and red--both on the trees and on the ground...

"O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all....."

~Robert Frost~

The first cut is the deepest....

2009-10-28T09:56:00.008-04:00

My daughter has spent the past two days trying out for her schools' basketball team. This was her first time trying out for a sports team, so the whole 'tryout' process was all new and very exciting. The two-hour tryouts Monday and Tuesday were filled with drills, dribbling, shooting and team dynamics. Last night, she found out that she did not make the first cut. Ouch. My girl turned from the computer screen last night after she did not find her name on the list and told us the news. Then the chin quiver started.....

ahhhhh, that first sting of disappointment and rejection as a kid. It's a tough, but necessary hurdle to clear in life. There are sooooo many important life lessons to be learned in this experience for her though. That you gotta try your hardest, no matter the outcome. That it's ok to be disappointed for a little bit. How to be a gracious loser. How to now be a cheerleader for her friends who made the cut. How to create a game-plan to practice for next years' tryout....the list goes on and on and on. As important as the life lessons are though, as a Mommy, it's still hard to watch my baby take that first big hurt.

The Spider House....

2009-10-26T17:08:00.019-04:00

I started decorating for Halloween a couple of weeks ago. This is our first round of holidays in this house, so the task is to figure out how your gonna decorate it--with what you have or new stuff. Most of our existing stuff works on this house. I love bringing in the haybales with scarecrows and pumpkins. They will stay up all the way through Thanksgiving. The pumpkins that don't become jack-0-lanterns over the next week, will stay as their companions. The newest addition to this house were the spiders. I bought these 4 five-foot spiders to hang on the outside of the house. We now live in what is known as....the spider house.

The mums have just popped over the past couple of days. I bought them with only buds and no opened flowers. Now they are all in bloom. They were worth the wait. On the inside I have a black candle house surrounded by a ghoulish cemetary with creepy characters milling about. My favorite decoration for Halloween though has to be my merry band of handpainted ghosts. My MIL gave them to me, the first one all painted by her, the other five still bisque that I got to paint. They were one of my first ceramic painting projects. They've been in 3 different houses now, numerous moves and are not as quite as ghostly white as they used to be, but I love, love, love unwrapping them every year.

While I write this I am baking Pumpkin Cookies to sandwich with Maple Cream to give to a friend who is having a birthday tomorrow. Gotta run before they become roasted pumpkin cookies!

Leaves....

2009-10-24T11:20:00.012-04:00

Who knew that my early morning drive to the drugstore this morning would have been so beautiful? Thank you God, for that sinus headache so I could enjoy your beauty! lol...

The drive to my house.....

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded
to it, and if
I were a bird I would fly
about the earth
seeking the successive autumns!

~George Eliot

A 'chili' weekend.....

2009-10-22T08:16:00.005-04:00

When the weather turns cold I start cooking soup. In an effort to keep things lighter and healthier, I gravitate toward broth-based soups. A couple of days ago, I made homemade chicken vegetable and have been slurping on it for the past few nights. Yum! For this weekend though, I am making my absolute favorite cold weather food--chili. I LOVE chili...the meat, the beans, a little heat....mmmmmm.

But in order to have it to eat for the weekend, I will make it today. I believe that certain foods do get better when their ingredients are allowed to mingle for a day or two. Chili is definitely one of them. The beauty of chili, too, is that as long as you have the basics--tomatoes, spices and some beef/chicken broth, you can add whatever you want and make it truly your own! Extra meat, no meat, black beans instead of kidney beans or no beans at all, add some corn or extra onion. How 'bout some funky chili peppers that you found at the market? Beer? Zucchini? Absolutely!!! Chili is a cooks ultimate free-for-all dish. Then there are the toppings or no topping at all. Mine always comes with a side of homemade cornbread and that's all. This is my base recipe and usually I don't veer too far from it because I don't see how you can improve on perfection! But add to it whatever you like--that's the joy of this recipe!

One Pot Chili

1 Tbls canola/olive oil (whichever is fine)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground beef or turkey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small can diced green chiles
2 1/2 Tbls chili powder
1 (28oz) can cup up peeled tomatoes, undrained
1 (15oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
grated cheeses, sliced green onion, sour cream, cilantro, etc for toppings, if desired.

In a large stock pot, heat oil until hot. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey or beef and cook til just done. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in chiles, chili powder, tomatoes with their liquid, beans, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Eat immediately or if you can, let the chili cool and refrigerate til next day. Reheat slowly, serve and top with cheese, sour cream or whatever you want!

Comfort food & big sweaters....

2009-10-21T08:07:00.011-04:00

ahhhhhhhh, Fall. The beginning of the 'nesting' period for me. I love striking the fire, watching the leaves change and then fall. Enjoying the Charlie Brown specials for the 1000th time. The snuggling onto the couch on a cold night in my comfy sweats, soft sweaters and big, fuzzy socks. I also love breaking out my favorite comfort food recipes too...mmmmm.....mac n cheese, chili, soups, casseroles, etc....

For me, someone who has lost an incredible amount of weight (140 lbs!) and now has to constantly police what she eats to keep the weight off, this time of year can pack on the pounds! We move less, we wear bigger clothes and we eat differently (and heavier) than we do in the warmer months. There is a great article in the News & Observer today called "Maximize comfort, Minimize calories" that I found very helpful in making substitutions. It really is not about denying yourself all that good stuff, rather substituting for lighter dishes that will still give you that warm-in-the-belly feeling. There were some great suggestions in the article, like instead of big, heavy creamed up soups, how 'bout Tomato soup with cracked black pepper? For your favorite mac-n-cheese, use low-fat cheese instead of full-strength. Can I just tell you now--don't go 'fat free' on cheese, you might as well chew on a pencil eraser....seriously, just don't go there. On grilled cheese, use 1 slice of cheese instead of 2. For me, this equation would be: use 2 slices instead of my usual 4! = ) See? I cut it in half...that does make a difference!

I love the idea of a baked apple with maple syrup or a bowl of warm, homemade applesauce with cinnamon instead of double crusted apple pie. If you want that pie, make it single crust instead of double crust. Spiced gumdrops and jellybeans are a good little snack instead of leftover Halloween candy. Use chicken broth in mashed potatoes instead of cream and butter. Use maple syrup (natural source) in your sweet potatoes this year instead of all the brown sugar (processed source) and butter. The article also suggests other 'comfort' signals too, like when it's dark at 5 p.m. this winter, light a candle in the kitchen or put some mulling spices on the stove.

Don't set yourself up for unpleasant surprises this spring when you pull our your shorts and tank tops and find none of them fit. It's not about denying yourself or eating all 'rabbit food'... just some simple substitutions can help make these upcoming holidays and cold winter months a little lighter and healthier, yet still with all the comfort you want and need!

A day at the fair....

2009-10-19T12:57:00.009-04:00

The NC State Fai r is in town this week and Cassie and I went for the day yesterday. It was very cold, overcast and little misty. We went with hopes that the misting would stop and that the nasty, cold weather would keep the crowds away. We were right on both counts. Yay! We drove over to the "Park-n-Ride" lot nearest us and picked up a bus to ride the fair grounds. It costs a few bucks to do this, but I've found over the years that it is wellllll worth not having to drive around endlessly looking for an empty spot and having to walk a couple of miles.

We got there about an hour and a half after the gates opened. The rides were already running and the food booths were already open and selling their goodies. Neither of us ate any breakfast in anticipation of indulging on some horrible-for-you, yet delicious fair food. Cassie wanted to hit the rides first though. She went on Freak Out, the Zipper and the Himalaya and then back to the Zipper. Whatta way to wake up! By this time she was ready for lunch and her first request was a footlong hotdog...the North Carolina red ones....it's a local thing. She picked her hotdog place because it had a weinerdog, or a dachshund, in a bun and she thought it was cute. Lucky for us, they had good footlongs, too.

After lunch went went walking through the exhibition buildings. This is where everything is--from the Sham-wow booth and the other hawkers selling their wares. But we went looking for the cooking contest winners. Our friends, the Fowlers, entered a bunch of stuff for judging this year and we wanted to see if any of them won. The only verified win that we could find was Kellie who won not only blue ribbon for her jarred Apple Conserve, but she also had a huge red ribbon attached too for Best of Show! Woohooo!!! (I now understand that the rest of the family won some ribbons too...awesome!) While we walked around Cassie enjoyed a triple decker ice cream cone of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough that we got from the Shriner's booth.

We went through the livestock building--my favorite part. Cassie hates it because 'it smells'. She such a city girl. BUT--while walking through we found that the NC State Animal Science Department had a cow-milking station set up and Cassie got to milk her very first cow. She was soooooo excited. Once she sat down on the stool and gripped that 'milk dispenser' it took her a couple of tries, but once she got it, she was milking away. She got such a big kick out of that.

Once our tummies settled lunch a little then it was back to more rides and more walking around the game booths. An 'A for effort' to the guy who yelled out to Cassie "Come on over and play and bring your sister!"....lol...good try! We don't play the game booths. I would love to win one of those HUGE stuffed dogs, but not at the cost of all my money! On the way out we did stop by one of the fudge booths and bought a block of hubby's favorite. Of course, Cassie and I both had to try it on the bus ride back to the car. You know---just to make sure it was good and everything.

It was a great day! Another one of those great memory days that she and I will never forget.

Pumpkin' carving....

2009-10-15T11:47:00.005-04:00

My daughter sent her first email 'forward' to me the other day. I thought this was adorable and even more so because it came from my favorite little pumpkin....

A woman was asked by a co-worker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" The co-worker replied, "It's like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see!"

Let your light shine!

Re-visiting Emerald Isle.....

2009-10-14T09:42:00.003-04:00

My friend Warren has just returned from his beach vacation with his wife to Emerald Isle, NC. Seeing his pictures posted on Facebook brought back such memories for me. When I was a kid, Emerald Isle is the stretch of beach my family would go to when we went to the coast. EI is a stickey-out part of the gorgeous Carolina coastline. We would load up the station wagon with our pop-up Cox camper in tow with every beach toy we 3 kids could stuff in the car. We always camped on the bay-side of Emerald Isle and would go gigging for flounder and netting for crabs late, late at night. The next day all of our fresh-from-the-water treasures would become part of a delicious seafood boil and fish fry that we would enjoy at our campsite picnic table.

My Dad had quite the creative set-up for our flounder gigging. He had two large tire inner tubes, one to hold a cooler for our catch and the other held our car battery that lit the light needed to light your way thru the water in the middle of the night. Ropes tied around the innertubes were then tied around your waist so they would follow you in the water, but leave both hands free for gigging or netting. The first time I went gigging I accidentally gigged a puffer fish. When I pulled the gig out of the water, that thing was puffed up monstrously and hissing and spitting! It took forever to get him off the gig. He was one MAD fish! I think Dad lost his patience with my scaring off the flounder more than I gigged 'em, so the next night, I was given the crab net instead. The crab netting didn't go much better because crabs kinda creep me out. The first crab I saw that night was running toward me--like he was charging. I got scared, dropped the net and ran toward shore, completely clouding the water so we could see nothing--no crabs or flounders. So much for gigging that night. The next night I was relegated to carrying the light. lol....such great memories. My Dad passed away about 8 years ago and sweet memories like that pop back into my head every once in a while and make me smile. *sigh*

I love how unassuming angels show up and bring wonderful memories back into our minds and swell up a heart. Thank-you, Warren, for doing this for me today. I know he won't mind if I share his gorgeous photo of Emerald Isle at sunset.....

(photo property of Warren Baker)

One foggy morning.....

2009-10-13T09:25:00.006-04:00

Since Sal is still under the swine influence, I drove Cassie to school this morning. This is his usual job. We trade off--he drives her to school and I pick her up. After taking 'the morning shift' for a couple of days now I'm thinking of trading drive times! It's been a beautiful drive in....

The mornings this time of year here in NC, usually start very foggy and dewey, especially out here in the country. These past two mornings have been particularly beautiful. Yesterday was foggy with the sun trying it's best to break through. Those streaks coming through the fall leaves was breath taking. This morning it was the complete opposite. Still gorgeous but it was ominous with no sun trying to break through whatsoever. Very gray and very thick and very fall.
(thanks to Emsgarden.com, one of my favorite blogs, for the beautiful pic)

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

~Carl Sandburg~

My little piggy stayed home......

2009-10-12T08:50:00.006-04:00

My husband spent most of Friday with a massive headache that we attributed to the seasons' changing. But those headaches were joined by achy joints by the afternoon. By nighttime, he had a 102 degree fever and the chills. First thing Saturday morning he went to the doctor and found out he had the H1N1 virus. Yep, Swine flu.

For the whole weekend, he lived on the couch wearing a lovely medical mask, drinking lots of water and not touching anything if I could help it. I had my Costco-size tub of disinfecting wipes out and ready to wipe down anything he glanced at. Lucky for him, he had lots of hockey and football games on to watch. His fever finally broke yesterday morning and he's feeling much better today, but he still has his mask on even while working in his office. He has a horrid cough and terrible congestion, but says he is feeling muuuuuch better. Cassie and I are both feeling good and the doctor says he is contagious for 24 hours after the fever breaks, so as long as she and I are still feeling ok today and tomorrow, I guess we will escape it for now.

It is a very contagious strain of flu and is spread by human carriers, so even going to Wal-mart to do shopping poses the risk. Even Saturday night at church during the 'turn to your neighbor and say Hi' segment of church, I hesitated when the lady next too me held her hand out to shake mine. Is it wrong that my first thought was "ewwwwww"? I shook her hand anyway....and then made sure I gobbed on the anti-bacterial later when I got in my car. I've heard some churches are doing 'fist-bumps' now instead of the handshake. I'm a little surprised that our pastors have not suggested not shaking hands for right now. All doctors do suggest the way to avoid the flu, this and any version of it, is to wash your hands frequently. How easy of a solution is that??? One we need to be reminded of apparently, so......Wash your hands!!!!!

Well, if we gotta wear 'em, might as well get creative, right?! These masks are awesome!!

Life is short....

2009-10-09T09:50:00.007-04:00

I just read a story about a Missouri man who died this past weekend while doing yard work. His wife, who is 6 weeks away from delivering their first child, was sitting inside on an ordinary weekend day. She wondered why, after 45 minutes, he hadn't come inside. Her husband was 33 years old and died of an apparent heart attack. From what I've read of this gentleman, he loved his life fierce. He all out loved his job, his family, his home and his friends.

I read stories like that it makes me once again so thankful that God has given me another day. It may be a cliche' phrase, "You're not guaranteed a tomorrow", but it is so true. I'm sure when that man got up Sunday morning he did not say, "Well, this is the day that I die!". And I know his pregnant wife never thought that that was going to be the day that she would become a widow and a soon-to-be single Mom.

The writer of the blog where I saw this story wrapped up their post with this, that I am re-posting because it was just beautifully written and I could never improve on it.
(thanks, Sean Luce of the Luce Performance Group)

"Love what you do and remember life it too short to let it slip by doing something you don't want to do. If you don't love what you do, then take a step back today and think about what you really want to do in life and set a course to achieve that goal. We all have a gift. That gift is the life you have and the opportunity you have to make a difference in people's life. Whatever you do today, do it with everything you have and love it. And remember, it's always up to YOU, to make it a great day!"

Hallelujah and AMEN!

Ice in my veins....

2009-10-07T09:52:00.013-04:00

I love hockey. We have been Carolina Hurricane season ticket holders for many years now, including the Stanley Cup season, which was just an awesome season to say the least. I love the speed of the game, I love the aggressiveness of it and yes, I LOVE the fights. My favorite player on the team is usually the guy who's not afraid to drop his gloves and go at it! They're usually not the highest scorers or the best puck handlers but they are equally important to the success of your team. They are the enforcers and keep the opposing players accountable. My husband, who is a hockey purist, gets on me about liking the fights because 'someone sitting in the penalty box doesn't help the team, you get can scored on when you're a man short'......pfffft.....whatever!!

My first favorite fighter for the 'Canes was Jesse Boulerice. Man was he nasty. He did score a few for us, but he was known for his fists. Jesse would fight at the drop of a hat. You could just skate by Jesse and he'd come after you. Needless to say he spent a lot of time in the penalty box. In the '02-'03 season with the 'Canes, he spent 127 minutes in the penalty box, which for Jesse is actually not alot! I loved him. He was such a brute. We traded Jesse back in 2007. I was bummed to see him go, but we got Doug Weight in exchange and that was a very good thing.

So this summer, the Canes acquired this new guy by the name of Andrew Alberts. He's #41 and he is BIG! He's 6'5", 220lbs and....yep...a tough guy. He can play, too! He's fast, he handles the puck really well and can get it into the net. He's the whole package. He's not a crazy guy, where he's just lookin' for a fight just to be fighting, but he is not afraid of hitting and pounding, for sure. We played Philadelphia the other night and he boarded a Flyer so hard I thought the guy was gonna shatter into a dozen pieces. It took the guy a few seconds to regain his senses so you know he felt that the next morning. Ohhhhhhh, Alberts is just awesome to watch.

Congrats to my 'Canes for getting their first win last night too against Tampa Bay--Woooohooo! It was a shootout win, which I love watching, but don't get my husband started on those either...

Tim Conboy demonstrating last night how NOT to fight successfully...

Goodbye Gourmet

2009-10-06T10:22:00.008-04:00

It was announced yesterday that Gourmet magazine is going away after 69 years of printing up delicious recipes and gorgeous pictures of said dishes. Another casualty of the economic downturn. I hope Gourmet.com stays up. It is a very well done website, so kudos to those who produce it.

No matter the subject, I love a magazine that truly cares about what their magazine looks like from cover to cover. Gourmet was always one of those magazines that always looked luscious. Not luscious because it was food related, but luscious because it was just a gorgeously photographed magazine. I am a fan of photography though I don't have the eye to take the stunning photos, I sure do appreciate those who do. I've loved the National Geographic magazine for many years for that very reason. Sunset magazine is one of my currents favs because of it's beauty too. But with all that beauty and careful attention to detail comes a lot of cost and if the advertisers and subscribers aren't there to offset those costs...well, you have to shut down. bummer.

Thank you Gourmet for so many years of deliciousness....

Black sandal woman....

2009-10-04T18:18:00.010-04:00

I took on the task today of switching out my closet from spring/summer-wear to fall/winter-wear. The local Goodwill store loves me at these seasonal closet cleanings. I start by going through my cool weather stuff in that plastic tub to make sure I want to keep everything I thought I wanted to keep six months ago. I did pretty good, only 2 sweaters didn't make the cut to go back in the closet. My tank tops, t-shirts and bathing suits all went away for another season. Then it was time to change out my shoes......

Now I'm not Imelda Marcos. I don't have anywhere near 2700 pair. My husband thinks I have an enormous amount of shoes. In reality I have about 20 pair each of summer shoes and fall/winter shoes. Because of limited shoe space in my closet, I do change them out by season just like my clothes. If I had that closet like Big created for Carrie in the Sex and the City movie, I would leave most of my shoes out year round.....

....wasn't that the most awesome closet???!!! Unlike Carrie though, none of my shoes are Manolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos, for sure. Mine are casual kick-around shoes, whether they are slip-on, flip-flops, sandals, mules, boots or whatever. But I do have a couple of pairs of sandals that make me swoon when I see them. For the longest time I had always wanted a pair of Carlos by Carlos Santana shoes. I don't get this way about shoes usually, but he designs the most gorgeous, sexy, colorful, bold, modern and very feminine shoes. When I finally found a saucy little pair on-line one day on sale (a rarity), I jumped and bought them. They-are-stunning. They are the most beautiful and yes, the most comfortable heels I've ever walked in. The day they arrived I watched tv that afternoon in my cut-off shorts, tank-top and my new Carlos Santana Flora Ankle Wrap 4" heel sandal, black. What a sight. I stared at my shoes more than I watched my tv show. Later that month I added two more Carlos sandals to my collection. Those three pair of shoes have a whole shelf to themselves in my closet. Packing them away today was kinda sad, but at least I know my little babies are wrapped in all their original tissue paper with that little gel pellet packet that they came with and are safe and sound. But I can't wait til I can crack open that box again next spring. *sigh*

Kitty-sicle.....

2009-10-01T11:05:00.012-04:00

I love cats and have always owned one since college. Cheetah was my first love. She came from the SPCA in Garner and was solid black with gorgeous green eyes. Then we added Leo and Stevie, a brother and sister team that Sal and I adopted right before we got married from the North Shore Animal League up on Long Island, NY. Priscilla was an adoption from a co-worker who was left with the cat when his engagement broke off....he wasn't crazy about cats, but his fiance' wanted one. And Casper came to us from one of Sals clients who was getting married to a man who was deathly allergic to Casper. Cheetah, Stevie and Priscilla have since passed on which leaves us with Leo and Casper still. The two boys. Leo is the alpha-cat as he has seniority in the house. He is now 19 years old and is puttering around fine, but more like an old man now--slower and not a sleek looking as he did in his younger years. Casper, that gorgeous guy above, is 13 or 14. We're not quite sure how old he was when we took him in, so we guess-timate.

Now that Fall has firmly settled in and I have now added the big, warm, fuzzy blankets and one heated blanket to the bed, these two rarely leave it. Sleeping for me has become a challenge as Leo will only sleep wrapped around my legs or between my feet or partially over one leg and head resting on the other. Getting out of bed in the middle of the night to use the bathroom becomes quite the project as I try not to disturb the sleeping feline prince. Casper only gets on the bed during the day when he can sprawl out wherever he wants all by himself....or sometimes with his sleeping buddy......

Leo & Casper...snuggle buddies

Pumpkin dunkin'.....

2009-09-29T08:11:00.009-04:00

We had a brisk little storm roll through last night. It went from quiet, still and a very bright half moon to very windy and cloudy within minutes. Then the rain came. It rained for only about 20 minutes, but it brought change. It was a cold front moving in so once the rain pushed through the temperatures dropped about 20 degrees and I gotta say, it got cold last night. I think the low went down to 52 last night. Now I know I sound like a weenie and that that is not very cold to most, but you have to understand I've spent the last five years in San Diego and 52 in San Diego is downright frigid. I guess my blood has yet to switch back to east coast livin'. So this morning I am sitting here writing this in shorts, a long sleeve sweatshirt and big, thick, fuzzy socks. I gotta say, the socks are not doin' their job 'cause my toes are freeeeezin'. Might have to get a 2nd pair. Yep....attractive.

In addition to leaves turning and cooler temperatures, another sign that Fall has arrived is when my daughter requests that I make Pumpkin Dunkin' Sticks. She loves having them for breakfast with a big glass of milk. They are softer than a doughnut with somewhat of a shortbread consistency. They are very pumpkin-y and spicy and kinda delicate, while not being overly sweet. Here's the recipe if you wanna make 'em. I've had the recipe for years and can't remember where I found it. I think it was Better Homes and Gardens, so thanks to them for this great little stick of tender deliciousness!

Spiced Pumpkin Dunkin' Sticks

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Glaze (below)
freshly grated nutmeg for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, groundnutmeg, ginger, salt and cloves. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I use a ziptop bag with a corner snipped off). Pipe dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet into 4-inch long strips. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 7 minutes or just until firm to the touch but not browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

Drizzle Cream Cheese Glaze over half of each cookie. If desired, sprinkle with grated nutmeg. Let stand about 2 hours or until glaze is set.

Makes about 30 sticks.

Cream Cheese Glaze: In a medium bowl, combine 2oz softened cream cheese and 1 Tbls softened butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1/4 tsp finely shredded lemon peel, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp finely shredded orange peel; beat until combined. Beat in 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk (2-3 tsp) to make a glaze of drizzling consistency.

To store: Layer sticks between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Coffee smoffee.....

2009-09-27T16:04:00.009-04:00

Sundays are our family lazy day. We attend church on Saturday nights, so Sunday mornings are for sleeping in, or waking early on purpose 'cause you know you'll have the whole house to yourself for a few hours. Sometimes if we feel real spunky and special, we'll go out for brunch somewhere, but mainly it's coffee and grab whatever you can find in the fridge.

This morning though, I was up at 5:30 baking biscuits. I had a catering job to provide breakfast at my church. Hope Community Church is opening two new satellite churches in the next month. One very close to where we live and the other on the 'north side of town'. The one close to us had it's first service this morning! It was a grand opening of Hope--The Sequel, as I call it, in a new part of the county and in a new community. We need these satellite churches because our current church attendance is over 4000 and grows every weekend! There are currently four services--2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday and there is still not enough room to seat everyone who wants to come. Pastor Mike should be proud! It truly is amazing the draw this church has.

I was bleary eyed driving to the new location this morning at 6:45. I needed coffee in a bad way. But I was wrong. I didn't need coffee at all. All I needed was to walk in the front doors of that high school as Hope worker bees were transforming it into our church for its first Sunday service. There were familiar faces and those I'd never seen before. Each one greeted me with not tired eyes and grumpy attitudes, but with big, bright smiles and 'good morning'! From the auditorium I heard the band warming up with a rap song. There was lots of laughter and many excited nerves that everything would go off without a hitch. But most important, there was the feeling of all the possibilities that bringing our church to another community and a whole new group of people would bring. It took about 5 seconds of being in that tornado of infectious energy to wake me up.

So this is what I'll be doing every Sunday from here on out. No more sleeping in, but I am more than ok with that. I am honored that I've been asked to bake for these amazing volunteers, but I am more excited about yet another day every week that I can feed my soul with my wonderful church. If you live in or near Holly Springs and want to attend, click here for the info. You'll love Hope!

the right 1/2 of our sanctuary at Hope--yeah, it's big!

Fall flavors.....

2009-09-25T10:29:00.008-04:00

Things have been rather slow these past few months in my catering and baking department. Certainly slower than what I want them to be. A friend had to remind me that God blesses us on His time-table, not ours. I forget that waaaaay too often and get waaaaay too impatient for my own good. Sometimes I need a little reminder. The very next day........I was asked to provide a massive amount of baked goods for a church event on Sunday and it looks like this will be a weekly event to cook for. So I not only get to provide for my church, but for 200 very deserving people who help out the church every single week. From a business standpoint, that's 200 new potential clients! YAY! God is gooooood!

With the Fall season ever present, my menu includes quite a few of those wonderful Fall flavors like pumpkin, apples & pears, cherries, cinnamon & nutty ingredients. It is a brunch for a group who will be on the go throughout the morning, so the food needs to be portable. Scones, muffins, breads--sweet and savory and tarts are on the menu so far. This is one of the sweets I'll be making. It's a Pumpkin-Chocolate Marble Bundt. Let the baking begin!

For the LORD your God will bless you
in all your harvest
and in all the work of your hands, and your
joy will be complete.

~Deuteronomy 16:15

Feeding the feelings.....

2009-09-23T10:55:00.007-04:00

If you scan the archives of this blog, you will read about my 140 lb weight loss from a couple of years ago. I now know that keeping the weight off is just as much work as taking it off. I am an emotional eater and I have had to learn to actually feel my feelings, not eat through them. That's a lot tougher than you think if you've never really felt things before. You eat instead of cry or instead of getting mad or instead of feeling blue. Add to that that as a society, we associate food with happy things and celebrations too, so for any emotion, whether it was happy or sad, food was always involved.

The toughest thing I had to deal with while losing my weight was the mental and emotional baggage that kept me overeating. I went back to that first moment in my life when I went to food for comfort. It was when I was 7 years old and my best friend who lived across the street moved to Arkansas. We were tighter than sisters and we were always together, so when she left, I was alone....and lonely. I didn't have any other friends around the neighborhood, so where did I go? To food. (Let me make this clear--this is not about finding people to blame for your weight gain. My weight gain had nothing to do with anyone specifically, it is just how I dealt with the emotions involving others.) Anyway....the comfort that food gave me during that first emotionally traumatic event in my life was fulfilling enough apparently to lead me right back to it the next time I needed an emotional band-aid and continued for 30 years. And let me tell you, being overweight is not easy, as a kid or adult. It's not just kids who are unkind. Adults, too, even family members made jokes and comments about my weight. How did I deal with that hurt? Of course, food. There is a sad irony there....

With my 140lbs to lose, it was more than just weight that I had to get rid of. There's a lot of anger and damage there and the repairing continues. All this stuff I had to recall from my past-- I had to feel it, forgive it and then let it go--finally. It's not easy, but it had to be done. This is why a lot of people who lose weight, gain it back. They don't fix the mental along with the physical. And the fixing doesn't stop with the day you hit goal. Every single day, when trouble or stress strikes, I have to feel it, forgive it, breathe deep and release it instead of the way it used to be--don't feel it, bury it and pile a bunch of food on top of it. Some days are easier than others. The past couple of weeks actually have been rather taxing for me and I slipped back to my old habits. Lucky for me it was my husband who noticed I was not being as careful with my food choices and said something. He caught me with my trigger food--peanut butter. It's something I have to stay away from, so he knew something was up. And he was right. So I had to stop, re-center myself, ask for some extra strength from God, feel the feelings, breathe deep and make the conscious decision to plow through the emotions. Stupid jar of Jif. See? I'm feeling that emotion! = )

Whether you have weight to lose or not, if you have emotional baggage that you need to deal with, (and who doesn't?) there is a book that was a lifesaver for me during this process. It is called Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing by Joyce Meyer. She suffered abuse as a child and had major emotional baggage that she's dealt with, forgiven and moved on and shares how to do the same. Believe me, it will be the best $10 you'll ever spend. It'll change your life. It did mine. And if you are losing weight, whether it is 14 lbs or 240 lbs--ROCK ON!

Migrations.....

2009-09-21T19:12:00.008-04:00

I had just come back home from somewhere and was about to go into the house when I heard that undeniable 'honk' in the distance. My head snapped to attention skyward. "Honk, honk" I heard it again and jumped up and down on my tippy-toes a little too excited for my daughters taste and said "Where are they? I hear them!". A few more 'honk-honks' came and were louder and then, there they were. Twelve Canadian Geese came flying over in their usual 'V' formation. They flew beautifully, perfectly, silently and effortlessly. A couple of honk, honks back and forth to each other and they continued to fly over the trees and out of sight.

I absolutely love Canadian Geese. Always have. Many a time I've had to stop my car on a back road to let some of these cautious geese and their babies cross the road to get to the other side. I sit patiently behind the steering wheel grinning ear to ear giggling like a school girl as they waddle in front of me. I remember one time as many as 30 crossing a 6 lane road one morning. The guy next to me started honking his car horn at them. I guess the 3 minutes they took out his incredibly busy morning was just toooo much. I wanted to thump him on the head so bad.

Physically, these geese are so strong, gorgeous and regal looking. Their coloring and markings are so perfect they look painted. I love that they mate for life and that they both share in the duties of sitting on the nest 'til their babies are hatched and take care of their goslings together....til death do them part. And I love that 'honk'. There is something rough and sore-throaty sounding about it and I can recognize it from the furthest distance. Then there's that 'V'. Again...perfectly in formation and no one gets out of line. It is just awe-inspiring to watch and has always amazed me that they can keep it together and so letter perfect, so to speak, every time. Do you know why they fly in the 'V'? Now this is only what I read on-line, so I hope it's accurate because it sure is interesting. Canadian Geese are migratory birds and have to fly thousands of miles sometimes to get to that warm or cold place depending on the time of year. In order for them to fly longer distances, they fly in a V to cut down on wind resistance so they don't tire out so fast. It's like the cars in Nascar....they're draggin' off the goose in front of them! LOL. The lead goose, at the point of the V, meets the most wind resistance so when he tires, he falls back to the middle of the pack--the easiest spot to fly with the least amount of wind resistance--and one of the middle geese comes forward and leads for a while. The same happens for the two geese that are at the back of the V. They get the 2nd most amount of wind resistance, so when they tire, they move up and a middle guy moves back. If by chance a goose ends up lame or sick, falls out of formation and to the ground, at least two other geese--no less-- will descend with the lame goose and wait til he is better or dies before they continue on to join up with their group again. And did I mention that they always fly as a family?

They are another great example of how God got it right when He created them, didn't He? We could learn so much from nature if we took the time to look and study it some time. Just look at all we could learn from Canadian Geese---mate for life, share not only in the conception of, but in the raising and nurturing of your babies, protect your family, you'll fly stronger and further as a family, give the leaders a break every once in a while, let every family member take the lead from time to time. And when one of your family members goes down or is hurting, stick with 'em and comfort them til they're better or have passed on........

......and if some impatient guy in a fancy, black BMW repeatedly honks his horn at you while your trying to cross the street, poop many times on his favorite golf course! lol....

Quiet......

2009-09-20T19:32:00.009-04:00

We have houses being built all around us right now and will for the next year probably. During the week it is a constant buzz, thump, drill, hammer, slam, beep, ker-chunk of construction noises....all day long. This is x3 right now as houses are being built on both sides of us and right across the street. By the end of the day and the end of the week I am craving quiet sooooo badly. This evening before dinner, I went outside and sat at the table on the screened porch waiting for the family to join. It took me 2 seconds to recognize the something I had been missing....hearing nothing. No construction noises, no neighbors chatting, no dogs barking, no cars driving by. I should say there was one sound. Crickets. As the sun starts to go down in our backyard, the chorus of crickets begins and the darker it gets, the louder they get. There must be a dozen different ones out there because of the variety of 'chirps' going on. I sat there tonight in absolute silence, closed my eyes and just listened. God wrote the most beautiful symphony with the making of His creatures. It's too bad we don't get the chance to hear these wonderful songs as much because of all the noise we surround ourselves from day to day. It's a pity too, that we don't carve out the time to go somewhere purposefully devoid of man's noise to enjoy, in my humble opinion, the perfect sounds of silence.

Dusk from my backyard...better known as
cricket time!

Blue ribbons.....

2009-09-17T16:41:00.006-04:00

There's an ad in todays' paper about the special cooking contests that are being held at next months North Carolina State Fair. I think I may enter something this year. My mom used to enter foods in the fair every year and every year that woman would bring home blue ribbons! I don't think she won anything less than 1st place no matter what she entered. Her apple butter and peanut brittle were hands down the biggest winners.

There are numerous categories that have obvious sponsors like cornmeal, read-made pie crusts, corn syrup, etc. I gravitate toward the whole food categories like apples, pecans, peanuts and eggs. The apple category is interesting because they are not allowing any desserts entries this year. What will every apple pie, apple cake, apple fritter entry do?! I like the idea of a savory apple entry though. The egg competition this year is kinda cool, too. It is all egg sandwiches. Doesn't matter what you sandwich it in between, the egg just has to sandwiched by something. I'm thinkin' about something like a huevos rancheros type sandwich--my favorite way to eat eggs. I'm sure it can be turned into a delicious sandwich somehow. The pecan division is wide open. From appetizer to dessert and I have an interesting idea rolling around in my head for that. I haven't decided which I'll do....maybe all three!

The only thing I'm not crazy about is that if you win, the 'sponsors' of these contests get to take your recipe and use it as their own. I'm kinda protective of my recipes and just handing over the one that possibly was so slammin' good that it won first place in a cook-off? Can I do that? hmmmmm, if I want that ribbon, I will have to get over that protective thing I have toward my creations, I guess!

Has rude become acceptable?

2009-09-16T09:17:00.008-04:00

With all the hub-bub this week with Kayne vs. Taylor, Rep. Wilson vs. Pres. Obama, Serena vs the line-judge, there has been a lot written about rudeness and civility, or lack thereof, in our world. I thought this was so well written, whether you agree with his theories or not. Thanks to Robert Lawrence, President & CEO of Pinnacle Media Worldwide for penning it.

Has RUDE Become Acceptable?
By Robert Lawrence, President/CEO http://www.p-m-w.com

"What do we do when someone like Kanye West creates such a stir like he did Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards? Do we rush to judgment and ridicule the outburst and disrespectful display, or do we reach down into the souls of our own humanity and search for a deeper meaning and cause?

Is it really about what West did? Yes, he humiliated a young woman of obvious character and strength. Yes, it was reprehensible. Indeed, it was disgraceful but it doesn’t seem to all be about what he did as much as why? Was anyone else shocked recently, to see Miley Cyrus “pole dancing” on stage, as well? I know she is trying to shed the Hannah Montana image but pole dancing? That’s my 11 year old daughter’s hero. What about the Serena Williams outburst at a line judge this weekend? Has being rude and disrespectful to others, in order to get your way or make some sort of statement, become acceptable and normal?

Are we all not responsible in some way, for what took place on stage? Young people seem to talk to parents and adults in general, with such disdain and disrespect. Ever stand in a crowd, or walk past a group of teens or young adults only to be splattered with an array of foul language; oblivious to the adults and young children around them?

Who’s issue is this really? My fear is that Kanye West represents where the values of our youth have gone! We as parents bring home the R rated movies, let them buy video games with T or M ratings, let them talk to people they don’t know on the Internet, and have nothing to say when they sit in front of the TV watching endless episodes of South Park and Family Guy.

Please don’t misunderstand me, Kanye West’s behavior was despicable and Taylor Swift and Beyonce both responded with incredible dignity. My only concern is that many have rushed to judge West; calling him racist and myriad of other names.

The Bible says, “Judge not lest you be judged” and “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” Society certainly has some issues that need to be addressed; exhibited by not only Kanye West but by the values of young people in general. Let’s work on removing the stone from our own eye before worrying so much about the pebble in another’s. I’m just saying!"

Everything IS better with bacon.....

2009-09-14T10:43:00.015-04:00

I watch alot of cooking shows--Food Network, PBS, Fine Living Network--all of 'em. But I really am enjoying Top Chef on the Bravo Network these days. I like everything about the show from top to bottom. I like the host Padma Lakshmi. She is the perfect combination of beauty, class and seems to know her food. She's not there just to 'pretty things up', like most female hosts. She does wear some stunning outfits though! Her co-host and fellow-judge, Tom Colicchio is a very well known chef himself and is a quite the intimidator, I think. He doesn't take any guff, that's for sure.

This season on Top Chef: Las Vegas, Kevin Gillespie is my favorite contestant so far because his cooking style and mine are somewhat similar. Southern, but refined. Kevin cooked his way into immunity last week with a snail dish that included a 'bacon jam' on the side. All of the chefs were cooking for judge Tom Colicchio and this big fancy, schmancy French chef extraordinaire & restauranteur--hence the snails. While every one else tried to impress these two with their take on French dishes, Kevin stayed with what he knows best--southern food. I loved watching the French chef and Tom rave about Kevins' Bacon Jam. And bacon won!!!! And why not?? We alllllll know---even the fancy, schmancy French guy knows---everything IS better with bacon! Even snails.

I have to say I've made lots of jams--fruit and veggie based, but not a bacon jam. Until now! I found the recipe for Kevin's Bacon Jam on-line. If you make it before I get the chance, let me know how you like it. I translated a couple of the french cooking terms for us commoners. = )

Bacon Jam
(Kevin Gillespie from Top Chef: Las Vegas)

1 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
¼ cup yellow onions, julienned
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

1. Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy.
2. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden.
3. Add brown sugar and stir to coat.
4. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (almost dry) (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn.
5. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick.
6. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and espelette (hot paprika) to taste.
7. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth.
8. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine.
9. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached.
10. Re-season and mount with butter (add small chunks of unsalted butter and whisk in). Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

Candy is dandy.....

2009-09-13T13:36:00.011-04:00

The father of all things good and chocolaty, Milton Hershey, was born on this date back in 1857. He is the man behind Hershey chocolate. As a chocolate lover, that makes him a legend in my book. If you know anything about the Hershey Corporation, you know that there are many reasons why Mr. Hershey was, and still is, a legend. One of the most notable is the fact that Mr. Hershey always put the quality of his chocolate products and the well-being of his employees above his profits. He established schools, scholarships and lots of opportunities for growth and prosperity for his employees and those who lived in Hershey, Pen nsylvania. These are things the company strives to uphold today. Some years ago I approached a few candy companies about making donations so that I could delivery candy at a nearby children's hospital on Halloween to the kids who weren't able to go trick-or-treating that night. Hershey Corporation was the only company to respond and they sent cases of Hershey chocolate bars. They made many kids happy that day. Milton was a good man and started a good company with a good heart. Happy birthday, Mr. Hershey!

Don't we all have candy memories? I remember as a kid walking to the 7-11 a few streets over to buy a handful of candy. It was cheap at that time so a couple of bucks would buy quite a few pieces. Not much would be left by the time I got back home! Or that 5lb box of Russell Stovers candy that my Dad would always buy my Mom on their wedding anniversary. She would have maybe a piece or two and the rest of us would polish off what was left. I do remember getting in trouble in Mrs. Starritts' 6th grade class because she caught me with Now and Laters in her class. She confiscated 'em and I didn't much like her after that! lol....

Last year when Cassie and I went to visit the grandparents in Florida, we went to the Disney Marketplace and into Goofy's Candy Company. It is candy heaven where you grab a bag and open the bottom of those massive clear canisters and let the candy fall into your bag. Cassie got gummy worms and I picked out taffy and some sugarfree chocolate covered raisins. We don't eat candy that much anymore, so doing this felt totally bad and good all at the same time. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the marketplace snacking on candy and getting all hopped up on sugar.....it was such fun afternoon that we talk about still. Sweet, sweet memories....so to speak.

9-11

2009-09-11T10:10:00.004-04:00

"Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety."

~Psalm 4: 6-10~

Bucket of crabs.....

2009-09-10T09:45:00.005-04:00

A few years ago, I was under the tutelage of an LA acting/voice-acting coach in preparation of launching my voiceover business national. Not only did she change my entire approach to voice work (thank God!), she taught me a big life lesson too, one that I still carry with me to this day.

During one of our sessions, she stopped me and asked what was going on. She knew that my mojo was not working, so to speak and I knew it too. I had told her that I had been telling friends and family about launching my business nationwide and was getting less than enthusiastic support from everyone. "Really? Are you sure you wanna do that?", "How do you know that's gonna work", "You're getting a little big for your britches, now aren't ya?" Kid you not. "Let me tell you about a bucket of crabs," she said. "If you've ever seen a bucket of crabs, there are always those 1 or 2 at the very top who are climbing with all their might to get out of the bucket. And what are the ones beneath them doing? They are reaching up with their claws, grabbing ahold and pulling them back down." She continued, "when you are trying to get 'out of the bucket' there'll always be those trying to pull you back down. Remember than when you move up and on, you are leaving others behind and that makes some uncomfortable. You can either let them keep you in the bucket or climb out."

Since that day, whenever someone says to me "well, that's just not gonna work" or "you can't do that", I quietly say to myself "bucket of crabs". There are always going to be negative people in this world and there will always be those who will try to tell you that you can't
achieve....whatever it is you want. You can either believe them or not.
So in your life, in your bucket of crabs, are you on the bottom pulling others down? Or are you climbing out? I'm always climbing up and out.

Fall nestles in....

2009-09-08T08:36:00.013-04:00

My weekly Farmer's Market visit Saturday morning is for the fruits and veggies I need for the week. But this weekend, I walked away with something money could not buy. That soul-satisfying feeling I get when I see and feel the Fall season approaching. It is my favorite season. The time when my big, chunky sweaters come out of storage, my fireplace comes out of hybernation, the leaves start to turn and that chill lingers in the air. At the N.C. State Farmer's Market, the earliest fall Mum's are now for sale....the last of the summer tomatoes are being clearanced....and the apples are taking over. I've feasted on so much watermelon these summer months and now that they have seasoned out, I anticipate the switch over to my favorite fall time fruit--apples. There are so many varieties with all the different flavors that they offer. From sweet to tart to tangy to mild and all tastes in between. The farmers are starting to roll out their first harvests and this weekend I bought a half-peck of Jonagold apples, which is a cross between a Jonathan apple and a Golden Delicious. It is a great eating apple, which is my intention this week, but it's also a great baking and cooking apple, too.

The Blue Ridge restaurant inside and down in the belly of the North Carolina Museum of Art served it's last meal Sunday. It is moving into the new museum buildings that will open next spring and I was there to bid it farewell. Over the years, my Mom, brother and I along with friends and other family members have enjoyed many a meal there, so it seemed only right that we close it down, too. I had what they call the "Southern Falafel". It is a veggie patty made of Black-Eyed Peas, rice, parsley and many savory spices. It is served on focaccia bread with a cucumber-yogurt sauce. I got their Quinoa Salad on the side, too. Both were amazingly fantastic. We sat there for about 3 hours and ate and chatted. It was wonderful. The new restaurant will open next April and we have already made the date to be there on it's opening weekend.

Being one never to pass up a sale, I had to stop in the museum's gift shop on the way out as they had everything 65% off. I found a cookbook called "An Appetite for Art: Reci pes from the North Carolina Museum of Art" by Elizabeth K. Norfleet. It is a gorgeous cookbook. There are 225 pages of yummy recipes like Smoked Trout, Asparagus Chicken Penne Salad, Sweet Potato Pudding, Baked Sausage and Wild Rice and something called a Southern Comfort Cake that makes me wanna bake it and get some Southern Comfort right now! Interspersed with all those recipes are some of the most beautiful pictures of still-lifes that you can find at the museum, most involving food in some form or fashion. It is one of the more visually stunning cookbooks I own...and I bought it for $5.98. It felt like I was stealing it for that price, but I am soooooo happy I own this one! A new cookbook for a cook is truly like putting a kid in a candy store. It is wonderful to try new dishes and recipes, but it's more about the new inspirations, flavors and ideas for your own recipes that will be born from these.

Bye-bye Blue Ridge....

2009-09-04T09:56:00.010-04:00

The 3-day Labor Day weekend is here and there are too many open spaces on my schedule! I have a whole day tomorrow and Monday with nothing to do and I feel the need to get out and go somewhere. The weather is just too gorgeous to spend it indoors. I've searched on-line for any festivals or activities going on in the Triangle area and have found nothing. I have always wanted to go to the Seagrove Pottery district, but that is a little more than a day trip. Maybe the Smithfield Outlet Mall? Maybe....we'll see what the weekend brings.

Did you know that tomorrow is International Bacon Day? Oh, there'll be celebrating of that in some form or fashion this weekend!

Sunday, I'm having lunch with my Mom and brother at the Blue Ridge, the lovely restaurant at the North Carolina Museum of Art. After this weekend, it is closing in it's current location for many months and will re-open in a brand new building that is being built right now. The family and I have eaten many a Sunday lunch at the Blue Ridge--lots of birthdays, anniversarys and lunches for no reason at all have been there. This 'last lunch', so to speak, is our way of closing the book on this version of the Blue Ridge with anticipation of trying what I'm sure will be equally delicious dining and family time at the new restaurant. I do love the view of the 'back yard' of the Art Museum from the current Blue Ridge, so I hope the view from the new building will be just as gorgeous!

Sunday evening back at the homestead, we have friends coming over for a little cookout. We are doing hamburgers and sausages on the grill with the some 'amped' up sides--like Potato and Macaroni Salad, my deeeelicious 3-bean Baked Beans with bacon and a tomato and cucumber salad. Our friends are bringing the dessert, so that will be a surprise! Yum! The weather is suppose to be spectacular Sunday eve, so we'll be dining out on the screened porch.

Monday, Labor Day, again my schedule is wide open, so I'll see what spontaneous fun I can find. I hope whatever you are doing this holiday weekend, that you have a blast! Be safe!!!

AHHHHHH....Football season

2009-09-03T09:35:00.013-04:00

North Carolina State University Wolfpack begin their football season tonight. My dad was a professor at State during the golden years of Lou Holtz being the head coach. Every season we got tickets on the 'staff' side of Carter Finley Stadium. I remember looking across the stadium where the students, visitors and marching bands sat. They certainly looked like they were having a lot more fun over there than I ever did over on the stuffy staff side of the stadium....I realized later when I went to college myself that I didn't wanna be on the side with all the drunk college students either! I do remember those sitting on the grassy hill on the righthand side of Carter Finley were the most fun to watch. They would roll down the hill to chase down the extra point and field goal balls. When fights ensued for the gameball, that's when the nets behind the uprights went up. Bummer. Now the remodel of CF has bleachers over there, so 'the hill' no longer exists.

Getting ready for gameday was a process at our house. Mom would start popping popcorn several hours before--she was a popcorn freak growing up. She ate it allllll the time. The kernels she popped for the game would go into a big plastic wrap lined brown grocery bag. Yes, we would eat some of it, but most of the folks around us knew her as 'the popcorn lady' so it became the community bag of popcorn! I don't think they let you bring stuff in like that anymore. The tailgating that went on hours before the game in the parking fields were amazing. I was always so blown away with the 'living room' set ups some tailgaters had--nice chairs, massive grills and food that went waaaay beyond just hotdogs and hamburgers! We would bring blankets to the games to either sit on or wrap around us when it got chilly. Those metal bleacher benches were brutal on a butt after one hour. After six hours, you were numb and frozen!

As every game day passed and fall released more of her bite, it was more and more fun and chilly. Wolfpack football and Fall went hand in hand in my childhood....
So as NC State hosts South Carolina tonight at (the completely remodeled) Carter Finley, all those wonderful memories have come flooding back and they take me to a really warm place in my soul.

Oh yeah..... GO PACK!!

Buzzin' about honey.....

2009-09-01T08:45:00.012-04:00

September is National Honey Month. I love honey...I mean I reaaaaaallly love honey. I love how it tastes, I love how it looks, I love how it pours, I love to cook with it, I love the little bees that make it and how it looks in the comb. It is one of the most natural, gorgeous-looking foods that is soooo good for you, as is. Honey is a natural builder for your immune system as well as a natural, home remedy for lots of ailments! And let's be totally honest--it was honey that made the 9 1/2 weeks movie famous--everyone remembers the honey!

Honey is a natural sugar that absorbs super-fast into your bloodstream, unlike processed sugars. It is also a great natural sweetener in your tea or coffee or yogurt. If you work out, a spoonful of honey before you head out will give you enormous energy to go that extra mile. If you lose your energy at the end of the day, instead of having one of those processed sugar-filled energy drinks, spread a little honey on a piece of wheat toast and you will get that same boost, but naturally. If your kids have a particularly long day at school coming up or big tests in their future, make sure for lunch that day you pack a peanut butter and honey sandwich. That little boost of 'honey-love' will give them that little extra punch to get through the day with lots of energy!

You've probably heard a lot about our honeybee population dying out and the dangers that could cause. My daughter, my little nature lover and protector of the world, was explaining this to me some time ago, so I looked it up. According to the Dept. of Agriculture, "honeybees pollinate 80% of our flowering crops which constitute 1/3 of everything we eat. Their loss could effect not only dietary staples such as apples, broccoli, strawberries, nuts, asparagus, blueberries and cucumbers, but may threaten our beef and dairy industries if alfalfa is not available for feed." So protect those little honeybees!

Love your honey--the human one in your life and the one that is the golden elixir that is soooo good for you....

...isn't that gorgeous?

He's my lobster......

2009-08-31T08:54:00.007-04:00

At 11 am this morning, 18 years ago, Sal and I said "I do". Oh what young, naive kids we were then. It blows me away to think how much he and I have gone through in these 19 years--18 married ones--together. Here's how the love story started: It was the summer of 1990, girl is at Smithhaven Mall on Long Island, NY raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Boy is at mall and stops to make a donation to MDA. Girl and boy start chatting. Boy gives girl his business card, girl calls, there is a date. Two weeks later (yes, 2 weeks!), boy and girl get engaged. The next summer boy and girl become husband and wife.

We have been through so much in these 19 years together--many 'friends' saying we were crazy for getting engaged so soon, my parents fighting the impending marriage with all they had, lots of moves around the country, the launching of Sal's accounting business, the losses of lots of family members including both of our Dad's, the birth of one gorgeous daughter, 2 car accidents, a few heated discussions, one knee operation, lots of great vacations, 3 saved souls, the gain of 4 kitties and the loss of 2 of them, a few tears, some frustrations and just bucket loads of laughs.

Through all of it, the good, the bad and the ugly--I cannot imagine my life any other way. He is truly my best friend and I would move heaven and earth for him. I like knowing that no matter what happens on any given day, I can count on him to have my back and I, his. I love, love, love you baby. To quote Phoebe from Friends "He's her lobster". Yep, he is.

A beautiful weekend, full of family, friends and food....

2009-08-30T21:01:00.008-04:00

So the weekend started with a quiet dinner with my husband and daughter. I spent part of the afternoon cooking dark chocolate brownies and white chocolate, macadamia nut, dried cranberry blondies for our neighborhood cookout. While pulling them out of the pan, one of the blondies 'accidentally' broke, so it became my taste tester brownie. Man, are they good. The right amount of buttery....buttery-ness, brown sugar richness, white chocolate sweetness and the slight tartness from those cranberries. I had sprinkled a little kosher salt on top to offset the extra sweet from the white chocolate, which was the perfect call. The way I can tell if the food worked is if the platter is cleaned shortly after I set it down and it was. I mean there wasn't a crumb left. yay!

I went to see Julie and Julia Saturday with my friend Kellie. Wow. What a fun movie. Anyone who has any interest in cooking--or eating--would love this movie. And Meryl Street---just owned the body, voice and mannerisms of Julia Child. She was brilliant, as she always is. If the storyline was true to the actual life of Julia Child, she would have been someone I would have loved to hang with. She was so fun and full of life and had a great sense of humor. The love that she and her husband shared was beautiful--they were truly in love with each other. Even though French cooking is not my thing, I'm more of a rustic cook, it made me want to grab Julia's French cookbook, pick one of the recipes and just do it in her honor--kind of like Julie did in the movie with the entire cookbook. The scene with the lobsters was sooooo me. I've never 'knifed' a live lobster and will probably cry the first time. lol....it is really good.

Dinner today with the family went very well. The weather was just perfect around noontime, so we ate outside on the porch. The neighborhood was quiet and it was the perfect Southern luncheon. On the menu: baked eggs and poblano peppers stuffed with homemade turkey chorizo (for the spicy), baked eggs with a light pork sausage (for the mild), sweet potato & leftover shortrib hash with maple syrup, homemade roasted 4-nut & fruit granola, an heirloom tomato parmesan tart, organic chicken sausage (those were bought) and lots of fresh fruit. Also cinnamon bread and mimosa's. It was all spectacular. I have to say out of all of it, the tomato parmesan tart still blows me away. It is soooo simple and so rustic, but just incredibly delicious and very light. I could have eaten the entire tart myself! I had a blast making this brunch. There were lots of leftovers for the family, too. I love when someone says "if there are any leftovers, I want some of this!". That is the greatest compliment to my cooking ever--that is was so good, you want it a second time.

While the family nibbled on some of the eggs for leftovers tonight, I had a pomegranate mimosa. To me, one who doesn't usually drink, it's a perfect way to cap a perfect weekend. I hope yours was blessed and beautiful as well!

The weeeeeekend!

2009-08-28T16:58:00.002-04:00

It's gonna be hot again! I have some little landscaping things I want to do. It will be very little because of how hot it's gonna be.

Tomorrow morning, a friend and I are going to go see Julie and Julia, the movie about Julia Child and the cook who discovers her own passion for food. Kellie and I both love to cook, so we’ve waited until both of our schedules would allow us to go together. I’m so excited about seeing her and the movie. If you are a foodie of any level I understand it’ll make you wanna cook even more!

After that, the family will go to church. We are right in the middle of a series about the Exodus out of Egypt. It's all about digging deep and staying truly committed in your faith, even during the toughest of times. Always a good thing to be reminded of from time to time!

After church, our subdivision is having a cookout. It’s our Labor Day celebration, one weekend early. We figure no one will be around during the actual holiday weekend. The ‘odd’ addresses on the street are to bring a side dish. Ours is an ‘even’ address on the street so I have been charged with bringing dessert. Tonight I am baking big batches of dark chocolate brownies and white chocolate macadamia nut blondies….yummmmmy.

Sunday, I’m having my family over after their Sunday church services. I love breakfast for dinner and so do they, so Sunday, I am doing breakfast for lunch--baked eggs & Chili Rellenos stuffed with turkey chorizo, homemade granola, cinnamon bread french toast, sweet potato hash, grilled fruit & mimosa’s. I make my own chorizo using ground turkey, instead of the pork and beef that is standard. It lightens it up considerably and I can control what goes in it. If you’ve ever read the ingredient list on packaged chorizo, you understand! You have to make it a couple of days ahead though, so those spices have time to really develop, so that’s what I’m doing later today. Sunday night will truly be for rest.....oh, yeah, and for watching True Blood too!

I am very excited about breaking bread with family and friends this weekend. I hope you have a lovely weekend! Stay cool!!!!

A thousand shades of green.....

2009-08-26T16:55:00.001-04:00

It was one year ago this week that I was in Ireland. It was a gift to myself, a reward for having reached my weight loss goal previously in the year. It was my first trip abroad and given the whole world to pick from, Ireland was the first place I wanted to see.

Ireland is stunningly beautiful. It’s is rustic and old-world. It is soooo green and very stoney. It is magical and steeped in history. It is kind and deeply religious. And it still, thinking about it a lot this week, takes my breath away. I finally sat down earlier this year and scrapbooked about my trip, which gave me a chance to go through all my pictures and memories once more. I’m so glad I did that. Those little things, people I met, food I ate, things I saw and felt that I had forgotten about, that are now chronicled for me in that album. This is me at the Cliff of Moher. Yes, it was a very windy day!!! *sigh*

Do yourself the favor--pick that one place you dream of seeing and go--sometime. It may take you years to save up and then more to pay it off, but those memories, those stories, those feelings will last you a lifetime.

“I close my eyes and picture the emerald of the sea
From the fishing boats at Dingle to the shores of Donaghadee
I miss the river Shannon and the folks at Skibbereen
The midlands and the moorlands with their forty shades of green
Again I want to see and do the things we've done and seen
Where the breeze is sweet as Shalimar and there's forty shades of green”

~Johnny Cash "Forty Shades of Green"

Cookie monster.....

2009-08-25T16:50:00.000-04:00

I love cookies. They are delicious, little hand held pockets of flavor, aren’t they? Individually sized, portable, filled or not, crispy or chewy….you can make them anyway you like them. Hands down, my favorite cookie is the classic Chocolate Chip cookie. There is nothing fancy about it or anything really difficult about making them. I think it’s the simplicity of them that make them so good. The butter, the salt, the sugar and the bittersweet chocolate….it’s ALLLL good! So my daughter did a field trip to the USS Midway Museum last year and they gave all the students a recipe card for the Chocolate Chip cookies that the ships cook made while the Midway was out at sea. I finally decided to try it a few months ago and WOW! It is the best recipe for Chocolate Chip cookies that I’ve made---and I’ve made a lot, believe me! It is such a straight forward recipe. Nothing fancy or unusual, just the usual ingredients, but MAN are they good! This is the original recipe and it makes a large amount of cookies so find some neighbors you can share with! You can easily cut this recipe in half though if you want a smaller amount. Enjoy!!!

USS MIDWAY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE

1 lb (4 sticks) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
4 cups & 8 Tbls all purpose flour
1 12oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream the butter in a very large bowl. Add both sugars to butter and cream well. Add the eggs and vanilla.

In a smaller bowl combine the baking soda, salt and 4 cups plus 8 Tbls flour. Add these dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Mix in bag of chocolate chips.

Spoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes for smaller cookies. If you use ice cream scoop for large cookies, bake 13-17 minutes, depending on desired doneness.

"Get your tentacle out of my face!"

2009-08-24T16:47:00.001-04:00

This is one of the funny lines from the movie District 9. I went to see it yesterday and it was really, really good. There were a couple of spots where it’s rather brutal, but as the movie rolled on, I so totally got sucked in. I’ll never be able to eat prawns again, that’s for sure. It is rated R, so not a kid movie, but if you are a sci-fi geek and wanna sneak off to the movies on your own—you should see this one. Peter Jackson is a master….

….and on a similar subject—what is it that makes movie popcorn so good? I don’t add butter to it or extra anything, but it’s just darn good. And it’s not like it is popped fresh right that moment. I’m sure you’ve seen them drag those monster bags of popcorn out of the back room and re-fill the bins…..maybe it’s that storage time—maybe it’s the ‘curing’. Mine was really, really tasty yesterday.

Best thing I ever did was give my daughter a crash course in making smoothies. I wanted to give her a healthy, quick breakfast idea that she could make on her own and she makes them almost every day now. I’m very proud of how creative she is on flavor combinations. She adds to my weekly grocery list the fruits and yogurt flavors she wants to ‘smoothie’. Click here for a link to some smoothie recipes I just ran across.

I read a great quote today: “Being negative drains us, while being positive energizes us”. I totally agree with this. Have you noticed when you have one of those negative days (we all have them), things just get more negative as the day rolls on and by the end of the day, you are just worn out! It’s like that old saying: “it takes more muscles to frown than to smile”….negativity uses a lot more energy that being positive does, for sure!

I hope you have a wonderful, positive Monday!