Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Sunday, December 3, 2017
GoodReads Book Review
Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer's by B. SmithMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Excellent. No matter how many books I read on Alzheimer's, there is always more to learn... Dan and B. wrote this book as a way to provide information and the fact that it reads like a novel really holds the attention of the reader. Kudos to Dan for the detailed resources list. I didn't know about the ADDF and will definitely direct some dollars in that direction for extensive research. The Cure Alzheimer's Foundation is also on my donation list, now. I wish the couple many, many more good times as they live with this devastating disease.
View all my reviews
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Restoring Our Young People
NOTE: This is an essay I wrote many years ago, and I find it to be still relevant today. What are your thoughts?
Once upon a time long, long ago, children were to be seen and not heard. A bit harsh maybe, but you can bet your sweet patootie there were no kids telling their mamas and papas what they weren't going to do.
A little time went by, and the sweet darlings were no longer required to be mute, but it was still the stringent policy of speak when you are spoken to. Yet again though, children exhibited acceptable manners and civility. So far, so good.
More time passed, and children began to be encouraged to participate in conversations as a part of their learning to navigate the ever enlarging world in which they would need to move. The youngsters still were admonished to stay out of grown folks' conversations. (If you're of a certain age, you probably remember that phrase with smiling fondness.) We wanted our children to be erudite and confident in themselves, but there was still a loose tether to keep them from getting too big for their britches, though.
And then I woke up one morning, and a mother was sharing with me that her nine year-old was telling old her what she, the child, would and would not wear. The mother was so distraught and told me that she didn't know how to handle the situation. I was speechless for about half a second before I asked that mother who was the parent and who was the child? That incident opened my eyes and ears, and I realized that the inmates had begun to run the asylum! We had somehow allowed ourselves to believe the idiocy put forth by experts (who had no children) that discipline infringed upon a child's creativity and expression. I think that the parents rather than the children were the true subjects of that experiment...to see how gullible and just how far afield we would go. Responsible parenting is hard work, and it feels good to be able to lay down a heavy load; and that's all well and good, but the parents forgot and/or chose not to pick the heavy load of good parenting back up again.
Well, we're long past reigning it in time, now. We have babies having babies on a regular basis; and parents trying to be best friends with their children and gain the child's approval. Say, what?! Being an effective parent is no walk in the park, and sometimes you feel that your children don't like you... So? Look, there are enough kids of the appropriate age for your child to be best friends with; that is not your role. If you need a friend, join a bowling league, go to church, or hang out with the co-workers whom you like, after office hours once or twice a month. Let's once again begin parenting so that our children can read at or above grade level. Have you ever considered how deeply ashamed a child who has a high school diploma, yet cannot read, is? That bravado they display is false, and something as elemental as being able to read can stir a positive spark that can lead a child away from the feeling of hopelessness that allows the deplorable state of kids killing kids with no compunction, whatsoever.
Your children are not on loan to you for you to try to be their friend, or to treat them as little adults (that means you don't curse your children out because they display childlike behavior). Your parental assignment is to raise them and teach them. Yes, shower them with love, but also include a healthy dose of discipline so that they will be equipped to become productive and proud members of society.
If we remember what real parenting is, we won't have to worry so much about preteen and teenage abortions. Getting patted down and not being allowed a purse on visitor's day at the prison won't be an integral part of the parenting experience. Unscheduled and unwelcome visits to the funeral parlor because yet another child was gunned down or beaten by peers will no longer be a common occurrence.
Sometimes it's difficult to put the jack back into the box, but there are times when it's more than worth the effort. Yes, reigning it in is long past due, but I refuse to believe that it's too late. We have lost so many children; let's make the choice that losing our children because we refused to do the hard thing is no longer an option.
Once upon a time long, long ago, children were to be seen and not heard. A bit harsh maybe, but you can bet your sweet patootie there were no kids telling their mamas and papas what they weren't going to do.
A little time went by, and the sweet darlings were no longer required to be mute, but it was still the stringent policy of speak when you are spoken to. Yet again though, children exhibited acceptable manners and civility. So far, so good.
More time passed, and children began to be encouraged to participate in conversations as a part of their learning to navigate the ever enlarging world in which they would need to move. The youngsters still were admonished to stay out of grown folks' conversations. (If you're of a certain age, you probably remember that phrase with smiling fondness.) We wanted our children to be erudite and confident in themselves, but there was still a loose tether to keep them from getting too big for their britches, though.
And then I woke up one morning, and a mother was sharing with me that her nine year-old was telling old her what she, the child, would and would not wear. The mother was so distraught and told me that she didn't know how to handle the situation. I was speechless for about half a second before I asked that mother who was the parent and who was the child? That incident opened my eyes and ears, and I realized that the inmates had begun to run the asylum! We had somehow allowed ourselves to believe the idiocy put forth by experts (who had no children) that discipline infringed upon a child's creativity and expression. I think that the parents rather than the children were the true subjects of that experiment...to see how gullible and just how far afield we would go. Responsible parenting is hard work, and it feels good to be able to lay down a heavy load; and that's all well and good, but the parents forgot and/or chose not to pick the heavy load of good parenting back up again.
Well, we're long past reigning it in time, now. We have babies having babies on a regular basis; and parents trying to be best friends with their children and gain the child's approval. Say, what?! Being an effective parent is no walk in the park, and sometimes you feel that your children don't like you... So? Look, there are enough kids of the appropriate age for your child to be best friends with; that is not your role. If you need a friend, join a bowling league, go to church, or hang out with the co-workers whom you like, after office hours once or twice a month. Let's once again begin parenting so that our children can read at or above grade level. Have you ever considered how deeply ashamed a child who has a high school diploma, yet cannot read, is? That bravado they display is false, and something as elemental as being able to read can stir a positive spark that can lead a child away from the feeling of hopelessness that allows the deplorable state of kids killing kids with no compunction, whatsoever.
Your children are not on loan to you for you to try to be their friend, or to treat them as little adults (that means you don't curse your children out because they display childlike behavior). Your parental assignment is to raise them and teach them. Yes, shower them with love, but also include a healthy dose of discipline so that they will be equipped to become productive and proud members of society.
If we remember what real parenting is, we won't have to worry so much about preteen and teenage abortions. Getting patted down and not being allowed a purse on visitor's day at the prison won't be an integral part of the parenting experience. Unscheduled and unwelcome visits to the funeral parlor because yet another child was gunned down or beaten by peers will no longer be a common occurrence.
Sometimes it's difficult to put the jack back into the box, but there are times when it's more than worth the effort. Yes, reigning it in is long past due, but I refuse to believe that it's too late. We have lost so many children; let's make the choice that losing our children because we refused to do the hard thing is no longer an option.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Book Review: "The Womb Has Ears, Baby Talk Book 2" by Mike Wells
Neal is the father of baby Natasha, who at five months of age is talking and scaring the bejeesus out of her father.
After the baby caused a car crash that resulted in a critical injury to her mother, who is now in a coma and eventually succumbs to her injuries, Neal has to take the baby home and be alone with her. He is not happy, but is psyching himself up and thinking that if he just pretends that his baby is normal, then so be it.
Wrong. His brilliant idea is to call his mother-in-law to come and get the baby; then he will be free. However, Baby Natasha gets her daddy stitched up for the murder of the mother-in-law and Neal is hauled off to the insane asylum because he keeps yelling that the baby is Satan and that she killed his mother-in-law and is responsible for his wife's death.
Evil baby. And she's been here before; and before; and before. Just think of personas of pure evil...could they really have been baby Natasha?
This book is so good, and you'll find yourself feeling guilty for laughing when poor Neal is trying so hard to hold on to his sanity. Make sure you read Book 1, for the total experience.
After the baby caused a car crash that resulted in a critical injury to her mother, who is now in a coma and eventually succumbs to her injuries, Neal has to take the baby home and be alone with her. He is not happy, but is psyching himself up and thinking that if he just pretends that his baby is normal, then so be it.
Wrong. His brilliant idea is to call his mother-in-law to come and get the baby; then he will be free. However, Baby Natasha gets her daddy stitched up for the murder of the mother-in-law and Neal is hauled off to the insane asylum because he keeps yelling that the baby is Satan and that she killed his mother-in-law and is responsible for his wife's death.
Evil baby. And she's been here before; and before; and before. Just think of personas of pure evil...could they really have been baby Natasha?
This book is so good, and you'll find yourself feeling guilty for laughing when poor Neal is trying so hard to hold on to his sanity. Make sure you read Book 1, for the total experience.
#Me Too Can Be a Snowball to Hell
Sexual harassment is as old as the oldest profession, and we all should stand behind and support true victims; but you and I both know that some of these claims are downright lies, whether they be uttered for revenge, or for the sick and twisted reason that the woman is sick and twisted and this is her way of being "close" to a guy.
My question is this: When it's a he said - she said, how do you know who's telling the truth? I expect people to be truthful, but in such a situation, I want to be sure that I'm coming down on the side of right.
Alright, don't jump down my throat and say I'm victim blaming; I believe this is a subject worth being thought about with real seriousness. We don't want this to be a fad that shows up for a minute or two, then flows on down the river as so many other campaigns have done.
As a woman, feel empowered to claim your own space and your own body. If someone is doing or saying anything to make you feel uncomfortable, tell them to "back the f*** up" and mean it. Claim what is rightfully yours, and do so with no apology. You owe it to yourself to declare your worth. As Dr. Phil says, "you teach others how to treat you" (by what you accept).
For you men out there, if you need to, change your mindset; and if you're not sure if what you're doing or saying is appropriate, then restrain yourself. Yes, I know that some women give mixed signals, but you're a big boy and you can choose to be in charge of your behavior. Always choose to err on the side of caution.
TED talk: How Dementia Changed One Woman's View of Death
How my dad's dementia changed my perception of death: https://t.co/W2bROEoeeH pic.twitter.com/70CnH6zQQL
— TED Talks (@TEDTalks) November 28, 2017
Monday, October 16, 2017
Gluten-Free Without Deprivation
When we talk about eliminating this or that from our diets or our lives, our human brain
automatically goes to “OMG, I have to do without and I will be miserable!”
As one of the 1 in approximately 133 people living with Celiac Disease, and
subsequently enjoying a gluten-free diet, let me share some good news with you: You can still
enjoy really good and tasty food if you need to eliminate wheat/gluten from your diet, or if you
just choose to do so because you’ve experimented and discovered that you feel and look better
when gluten-free.
For some, going gluten-free was thought of as just another eating fad, but the
aforementioned 1 in 133 Celiacs don’t have a choice if they want to remain healthy and feeling
good. The intestines (gut) of a person living with Celiac Disease are unable to adequately
process the gluten protein found in wheat, barley, oats, and there is an actual physical
deterioration which occurs. The villi in the intestines are eaten away, leading to malabsorption
of vitamins and minerals, not to mention the outwardly manifesting symptoms that can include
severe belly pain and diarrhea. Even when there is no physical symptom noted, the damage to
the intestines is still occurring. And I was very surprised at how many everyday products
contain wheat, including the glue on the backs of stamps and envelopes! Taking communion at
church can be quite problematic if the communion wafers aren’t gluten-free, as some Celiac
congregants who religiously take daily communion have discovered.
Initially, your shopping trips will be lengthened because you must get into the habit of
reading every word on the label. Fortunately, with the high incidence of wheat/gluten allergy
and intolerance, many food manufacturers are doing a better job of labeling products that
contain wheat. There is also a plethora of publications that can guide you as you strive for a
healthier gluten-free life.
Like many people, before I knew what was wrong, I went straight for my comfort food
when I felt bad...you guessed it...BREAD!! And cookies. And cake. And doughnuts; etc., etc.
Of course, after learning what the problem was, I was devastated to realize that I had to
eliminate my favorite food group! But as one of my sons says, “Nothing tastes as good
as feeling good feels.”
In my research and personal testing, I have found some very unpalatable
products and some quite delicious ones. I have also “gluten-free-ized" regular recipes
with gluten-free flour blends using alternative flours and have been very pleasantly
surprised, although there have been one or two flops. In some instances, “ain’t nothin’
like the real thing, baby.”
The first three publications that I relied on to help me negotiate the maze of
transforming my then current life to the present gluten-free version were “The G Free
Diet” by Elizabeth Hasselbeck (imagine an Italian grandma being told that her pasta is
the enemy as Hasselbeck had to do to her granny!); “The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide”
by Tricia Thompson; “Eating Gluten Free” by Shreve Stockton. The magazine, “Living
Without” is also an excellent reference.
Today, it is also much easier to find gluten-free skin care and cosmetics by using
google or your preferred search engine. Some would wonder what difference it makes
to use gluten free cosmetics, but remember that the skin is a conduit to the internal
organs and what you put on your lips is going to eventually end up in your mouth and
continue to travel down your throat...
Living gluten-free can put a bit of a strain on your pocketbook, but what price is
too high to pay for good health? There is always some truly unimportant thing that can
be eliminated from the budget if it’s a choice between having that thing or being a
healthier you, right? Also, for Celiacs, our food is actually medicine, so keep your
receipts so that at tax time, what you paid for your food goes on your tax return. Keep
up with your gas mileage because every trip that you make to purchase your “medicine”
qualifies on that same tax return.
Health food stores are the primary locations that we formerly had to visit to find a
variety of gluten-free foods, but mainstream grocery stores, including the military
commissaries have gotten onboard and are offering more products. I am very fond of
online shopping and discovered www.glutenfreemall.com to be an excellent food source.
Some brands you will find to very tasty and some will just completely turn your mouth
inside out, so be prepared, but don’t give up. There is even an excellent gluten-free
bread mix by Hodgson Mill that is outstanding. They also make a good pancake and
waffle mix. Dowd and Rogers makes a scrumptious vanilla cake mix from Itailian
chestnut flour that will make you reach back and slap somebody. I usually make
cupcakes to help it to last a bit longer (doesn’t always happen!). I have only found that
particular cake mix in my favorite Whole Foods Market in Boston, so I always have to
load up when I head that way. Most of the flours that I buy are by Bob’s Red Mill, but
www.nuts.com also has a good selection of various flours, as well as www.amazon.com
(they sell EVERYthing now).
I use different flour blends, depending on what I am preparing, and I think that you will
find them tasty:
All Purpose Flour Blend (Use for all your gluten-free baking and coating for frying)
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch
Each cup contains 436 calories, 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg
cholesterol, 99g carbohydrate, 3mg sodium, 2g fiber, 5g protein
High-Protein Flour Blend (Works best in baked goods that require elasticity, such as wraps and pie crusts)
1 1/4 cups bean flour (your choice — I use fava bean), chickpea flour or soy flour
1 cup arrowroot starch, cornstarch, or potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 cup white or brown rice flour
Each cup contains 588 calories, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg
cholesterol, 328g carbohydrate, 24mg sodium, 6g fiber, 11g protein
High-Fiber Flour Blend (This blend works for breads, pancakes, snack bars and cookies that contain chocolate,
warm spices, raisins or other fruits. It is not suited to delicately flavored recipes, such
as sugar cookies, crepes, cream puffs, birthday cakes or cupcakes.)
1 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour
1/2 cup teff flour (preferably light)
1/2 cup millet flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/3 cup cornstarch or potato starch
Each cup contains 428 calories, 2g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg
cholesterol, 92g carbohydrate, 19mg sodium, 5g fiber, 8g protein.
Self-Rising Flour Blend
Use this blend for muffins, scones, cakes, cupcakes or any recipe that uses baking
powder for leavening.
1 1/4 cups white sorghum flour
1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Each cup contains 514 calories, 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg
cholesterol, 113g carbohydrate, 1163mg sodium, 8g fiber, 10g protein.
NOTE: Gum (xanthan or guar) is the key to successful gluten-free baking, as it
provides the binding needed to give the baked product proper elasticity to keep it from
crumbling.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour blend to make cakes, cookies,
bars, muffins and other quick breads.
• Add 1 teaspoon per cup of flour blend to make yeast bread, pizza dough, or other
baked items that call for yeast.
If you purchase a commercial flour blend, check the ingredient list for xanthan or guar
gum. If it is present, you don’t need to add more.
Here are three of my favorite recipes, though one of them is also considered a paleo recipe:
Paleo Pumpkin Muffins (187 calories per muffin)
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins, optional
3 large eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup maple syrup
1. Liberally grease 12-count muffin tin with virgin coconut oil
2. Combine dry ingredients and raisins in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk eggs in another bowl,then add pumpkin and maple syrup,mixing well to
combine. Add dry ingredients and mix well to thoroughly combine wet and dry
ingredients.
4. Pour batter into tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted
into center of muffin should come out clean.
5. Allow muffins to cool before removing from tin. When cool, place in storage
container or Ziploc bag and refrigerate. Can also be frozen.
Cinnamon Crisp Cookies
2 cups all purpose flour blend
Dash of salt
2 1/2 teaspons cinnamon
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped/ground pecans, optional
1. Sift flour,salt,cinnamon,and xanthan gum together.
2. In a separatebowl,cream butter and sugar;beat in egg yolk.
3. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to butter mixture. The dough will be stiff.
Add pecans.
4. Form into small balls,place on lightly greased baking sheet and flatten gently with
hand. Crisscross with fork.
Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
Cream Biscuits
1/2 cups all purpose flour blend
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream (add more if necessary)
1 tablespoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
1. Mix dry ingredients
2. Add enough cream to form dough
3. Knead gently on floured surface and divide into desired sized
balls
4. Place balls on greased cookie sheet and pat down lightly
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden
I’ve mainly addressed bread products, but there are good choices for gluten-free pasta, also. You can find gluten-free pasta in all the forms that you are accustomed to with regular pasta, and your mac and cheese recipe will be just as delicious with a good gluten-free pasta. In my estimation, Barilla makes the best, but Mueller's is a good choice, as well.
Bon appétit!
Friday, October 13, 2017
Book Review: "The Womb Has Ears: Baby Talk, Book 1" by Mike Wells
What would you do if your new baby started talking, I mean, really talking to you? You know that it's really happening, but your wife is telling you that you're crazy. So. You decide that, yeah, you're just stressed and imagining things. Then...the baby starts looking at you crazy and serious accidents begin to be directed at you. The baby calls your job and leaves an "I love you" message, causing your co-workers to smirk sideways at you, a married man...
Neal Becker is very afraid of his baby girl, Natasha, but no one will believe him, not even his wife, Annie. We think of baby girls as sweet, cute and cuddly, but Natasha has the ability to cast a darkly disturbing look upon you and your blood runs cold. When she visited a series of destructive and nearly fatal "accidents" upon her dad and then her mom, who was leaving Neal because she thought that he was losing his mind, Neal just knew that there was only one solution...
This book grabbed me from the first and I couldn't put it down. I had no problem at all believing in the evil baby. I just purchased Book 2 (on Kindle @ Amazon), and I know that I will be reading it far into the night.
Neal Becker is very afraid of his baby girl, Natasha, but no one will believe him, not even his wife, Annie. We think of baby girls as sweet, cute and cuddly, but Natasha has the ability to cast a darkly disturbing look upon you and your blood runs cold. When she visited a series of destructive and nearly fatal "accidents" upon her dad and then her mom, who was leaving Neal because she thought that he was losing his mind, Neal just knew that there was only one solution...
This book grabbed me from the first and I couldn't put it down. I had no problem at all believing in the evil baby. I just purchased Book 2 (on Kindle @ Amazon), and I know that I will be reading it far into the night.
Releasing my aggression by living vicariously with ‘Criminal Minds’. pic.twitter.com/jB7LkP3CgV
— Sarah McCormick (@omamac) October 13, 2017
Monday, September 18, 2017
Lepidoptera
Behold the butterfly/One always counted himself lucky when a butterfly crossed his path/The other was a butterfly in disguise as she crossed before his eyes...
Thursday, September 7, 2017
Oh, Those Puffy Morning Eyes!
Good morning!! What do you do when you know it's way too early, yet it's also wayyy late because you slept through the Rolling Stones attempting to wake you with a hearty rendition of Beast of Burden. Now, there's no time for the cucumber slices or the spoons straight from the freezer or the brewed teabags applied to the personal luggage residing on your face, is there? What's a gal or guy to do???? Enter Mary Kay Indulge Eye Soothing Gel. As soon as you stumble into the bathroom, put a glob under each eye immediately; then go get your (automatically brewed) coffee and do whatever you normally do to get ready, leaving your face for last, then:
- Cleanse your face, removing the gel
- Reapply a thin layer of the Eye Soothing Gel to the undereye area
- Finish your facial routine as usual, and Voila! Greet the day with your superfine self!
Have a beautiful butterfly day!!
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Something...
Something is in the air/Something is on the wing/I'm strangely calm, even elated in a sense/Sometimes the currents of the wind blow strangely.
Book Review - "The Little French Bistro" by Nina George
Marianne is a sixty year old woman who has been married for forty-one years to a man who thinks no more of her, her dreams and desires than he does of how the water flows from the tap.
Marianne continually and fervently hoped and believed that her life would change for the better; that she would eventually be loved and seen.
After suffering in silence for so long, she decides it's far too painful to go on, so she decided on suicide. Such begins this lyrical, magical story of romance, redemption and rediscovery. This novel is about women, but is one that should also be read by men who want to fully love their women in the way that love is meant to be manifested.
After Marianne's suicide attempt is foiled by a Parisian tramp, she discovers a small rendering of a village that lodges in her heart and sets out for Kerdruc, in Brittany, France; running away from her unhappy life.
This novel is full of richness of spirit, heart and soul; and descriptions of mouth-watering fare and tasty drink has you searching your cupboards.
There are many, many kernels of wisdom and thought provoking lines set down by the author and I can hardly wait to read the predecessor to this novel.
Happy reading and bon chance!
Marianne continually and fervently hoped and believed that her life would change for the better; that she would eventually be loved and seen.
After suffering in silence for so long, she decides it's far too painful to go on, so she decided on suicide. Such begins this lyrical, magical story of romance, redemption and rediscovery. This novel is about women, but is one that should also be read by men who want to fully love their women in the way that love is meant to be manifested.
After Marianne's suicide attempt is foiled by a Parisian tramp, she discovers a small rendering of a village that lodges in her heart and sets out for Kerdruc, in Brittany, France; running away from her unhappy life.
This novel is full of richness of spirit, heart and soul; and descriptions of mouth-watering fare and tasty drink has you searching your cupboards.
There are many, many kernels of wisdom and thought provoking lines set down by the author and I can hardly wait to read the predecessor to this novel.
Happy reading and bon chance!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017
Gluten Free Cream Biscuits
I fell in love with gluten free cream biscuits after my kids bought me some from Whole Foods -- they were beyond yummy! Then...I stumbled across a recipe for Cream Biscuits -- oh, joy!! And the recipe is sooo simple, and here it is:
Ingredients:
2 Cups All Purpose GF flour
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon GF baking soda
Combine dry ingredients well. Pour cream into dry mixture and knead into a ball (doesn't have to be perfect). Pinch Make desired sized balls (I make six) and place them into greased 8-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until browned.
After removing from oven, I brush tops of biscuits with Kerry Gold Irish Butter. And they taste so good with organic honey. Ummmm...I ate FOUR of them this morning!
Ingredients:
2 Cups All Purpose GF flour
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon GF baking soda
Combine dry ingredients well. Pour cream into dry mixture and knead into a ball (doesn't have to be perfect). Pinch Make desired sized balls (I make six) and place them into greased 8-inch baking dish. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until browned.
After removing from oven, I brush tops of biscuits with Kerry Gold Irish Butter. And they taste so good with organic honey. Ummmm...I ate FOUR of them this morning!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Excerpt from novel, "The Wolf and The Eagle "
Lily reached out with a decidedly unfriendly hand and slapped the alarm clock. It was beside the point that the environmental alarm clock was playing her very own selection of waves crashing against the shore, a sound that she loved. It was still an alarm clock. “Who in the hell spawned the alarm clock?” she muttered. She felt sure that it was some sort of personal vendetta against her, though she couldn’t imagine whom she had pissed off to such a grand extent.
“Okay, Miss D,” she spoke aloud, yawned, and began a catlike stretch. With that innocuous movement, rather than slinking her way up out of the darkness of sleep, Lily was yanked awake to the violent pain that had recently invaded her body and her life on a more and more frequent basis. She was a prisoner and her body was the incarceration facility.
What irony Life throws around…it had taken her longer than most to feel masterful of her limbs and the rest of herself, and now here she was, having to learn a new way, a different lesson. She often thought of the pain that assailed her body as a fiery tiger stalking her; always in search of yet another trail to follow that would end in a new, all-enveloping and unwelcome heat. Her natural stoicism might flee momentarily, but like the Phoenix, it rose time after time, and after marshaling some reserve, Lily was ready to go another round.
“Okay, Miss D,” she spoke aloud, yawned, and began a catlike stretch. With that innocuous movement, rather than slinking her way up out of the darkness of sleep, Lily was yanked awake to the violent pain that had recently invaded her body and her life on a more and more frequent basis. She was a prisoner and her body was the incarceration facility.
What irony Life throws around…it had taken her longer than most to feel masterful of her limbs and the rest of herself, and now here she was, having to learn a new way, a different lesson. She often thought of the pain that assailed her body as a fiery tiger stalking her; always in search of yet another trail to follow that would end in a new, all-enveloping and unwelcome heat. Her natural stoicism might flee momentarily, but like the Phoenix, it rose time after time, and after marshaling some reserve, Lily was ready to go another round.
Simplicity
I dreamed I lived in a simpler time/In one room where all I needed was mine for a time/I never saw a shadow on the mountain plateau/And all the knowledge for the day was mine to know.
One Radish At a Time
Shopping at your local farmer's market for your produce, where they sell delicious radishes, among other vegetables, can reduce your carbon footprint on our planet and save you some money.
Likewise, patronizing restaurants that serve meat, cheese and produce purchased form local farmers reduces their carbon footprint multiplied by each patron they serve. We need to jump onboard this train while it's still in the station and get a momentum going, giving reason for more and more small farms to proliferate and come back into their own. For decades, we subsisted on food from local farms and not only were our bodies healthier, our pocketbooks were, too.
Did you know that the longer fresh produce is out of the ground, the more nutrients it loses?The produce section in the supermarket might be misted with water every thirty or so seconds, and I agree that those veggies are pretty... but do you know how long those good looking vegetables have been out of the ground...
We pay scads of money for organic produce because we believe it's healthier for us, and it probably is; but again the question begs to be asked -- how long has that produce been out of the ground? We aren't ingesting unhealthy pesticides, but are we also being shortchanged on the nutrients our bodies need? If we make a decision to support local farmers (who really do want to continue farming, by the way), we can eat healthier and save money, to boot.
The big problem surrounding this issue is one of taxes. The erection of more and more concrete jungles and sterile looking subdivisions (otherwise know as land development) inflate land values, which causes farmland to be hit with high taxes that the small farmer just can't afford. This is where we, as reasonable and intelligent consumers come in. The bigger the demand for local produce, the more farms there will be, and it all becomes one delicious cycle. Some things that were done in the "old days" have great merit. Change simply for the sake of change is really quite mindless.
Let's save the farmers, our health, our pocketbooks, and our planet by making eating the old-fashioned way the new and best thing to do.
Likewise, patronizing restaurants that serve meat, cheese and produce purchased form local farmers reduces their carbon footprint multiplied by each patron they serve. We need to jump onboard this train while it's still in the station and get a momentum going, giving reason for more and more small farms to proliferate and come back into their own. For decades, we subsisted on food from local farms and not only were our bodies healthier, our pocketbooks were, too.
Did you know that the longer fresh produce is out of the ground, the more nutrients it loses?The produce section in the supermarket might be misted with water every thirty or so seconds, and I agree that those veggies are pretty... but do you know how long those good looking vegetables have been out of the ground...
We pay scads of money for organic produce because we believe it's healthier for us, and it probably is; but again the question begs to be asked -- how long has that produce been out of the ground? We aren't ingesting unhealthy pesticides, but are we also being shortchanged on the nutrients our bodies need? If we make a decision to support local farmers (who really do want to continue farming, by the way), we can eat healthier and save money, to boot.
The big problem surrounding this issue is one of taxes. The erection of more and more concrete jungles and sterile looking subdivisions (otherwise know as land development) inflate land values, which causes farmland to be hit with high taxes that the small farmer just can't afford. This is where we, as reasonable and intelligent consumers come in. The bigger the demand for local produce, the more farms there will be, and it all becomes one delicious cycle. Some things that were done in the "old days" have great merit. Change simply for the sake of change is really quite mindless.
Let's save the farmers, our health, our pocketbooks, and our planet by making eating the old-fashioned way the new and best thing to do.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Women's March Call to Action for Equality
Grassroots activism makes this country great. Do your part. Full citizenship demands responsibility.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
The Art of Reinvention, Part 6
Do You
The post below is the final part of a series on Reinvention that I wrote for Osiris Magazine, and I just unearthed it recently and I believe it's worth sharing and definitely worth my time to re-read.
"Do You" is one I have appropriated from Russell Simmons, who wrote a marvelous book on doing you; and my son, Sterling, often reminds me to "Just do you, Ma."
I thank you, Dear Readers for investing some of your precious time with me in your quest to become more of who you are; and of course the person who really deserves a lion’s share of the thanks is you! So find a mirrored surface and say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” to yourself.
We have only been on this journey for a short time, and remember that you will always be journeying because your life on the planet will always be about becoming all of who you are meant to be. That doesn’t mean that you should be down on yourself for where you might currently find yourself at any given time. Instead, it means to look forward with expectancy toward the greater things ahead because you know in your heart that those great things are just awaiting your discovery. And may I address greatness for a moment? Greatness has a different meaning for different people… I have often lamented the fact that I’m just taking up space and not accomplishing fantastic, out of this world things. When I shared this with my therapist (Yes, I have one! I believe that we all need at least one unbiased person in our lives with whom we can have an honest conversation about any- and everything), she suggested that I work on coming to terms with the idea that not everything worthwhile has to be on a super-grand scale. Hmm-mm. You see, I am guilty of having always functioned in a superwoman mode, and when various things in life happened to me, my cape was taken away, but my superwoman belief system was still deeply ingrained in my psyche.
Sometimes, we put too much pressure on ourselves to achieve what we perceive are the big things because we equate worthy with big. When we do that, we completely overlook the little things that have the power to mean so much to someone else (and ourselves). Example: I had to provide a Bio because I was sitting on a prestigious panel some years ago, and I was in a panic because I knew that the other women were “grand” in their accomplishments and then there was me. What had I done -- nothing!? Imagine my shock and bug eyes when my husband started listing the things that I had done. Wow! I. Was. Impressed. You see, many times the things that we do which are just automatic and normal to us because “we do what we do,” to someone else, those very things are something to admire and to which another can aspire and believe that they can reach because they saw that it had been done before; and you gave that gift of belief to them.
Also remember that you’re not in this thing all by yourself. We are all connected. Everything and everyone on the planet flows one into the other. Ask questions that will help you, but remember to use caution because everyone won’t be in your corner. Some people have not learned that there is enough for everybody in this world, and their scarcity thinking keeps them from wanting to share what they know because they are afraid that if you get something, then they won’t have enough. Believe in goodness, but watch your back.
As you continue to reassess yourself and adjust the direction of your travel, check in with your compass and then take the time to give yourself a thumbs up because you are the first and the most important one who needs to believe in yourself and where you’re going. Until we meet again, Happy Trails!
Peace and Love
The post below is the final part of a series on Reinvention that I wrote for Osiris Magazine, and I just unearthed it recently and I believe it's worth sharing and definitely worth my time to re-read.
"Do You" is one I have appropriated from Russell Simmons, who wrote a marvelous book on doing you; and my son, Sterling, often reminds me to "Just do you, Ma."
I thank you, Dear Readers for investing some of your precious time with me in your quest to become more of who you are; and of course the person who really deserves a lion’s share of the thanks is you! So find a mirrored surface and say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” to yourself.
We have only been on this journey for a short time, and remember that you will always be journeying because your life on the planet will always be about becoming all of who you are meant to be. That doesn’t mean that you should be down on yourself for where you might currently find yourself at any given time. Instead, it means to look forward with expectancy toward the greater things ahead because you know in your heart that those great things are just awaiting your discovery. And may I address greatness for a moment? Greatness has a different meaning for different people… I have often lamented the fact that I’m just taking up space and not accomplishing fantastic, out of this world things. When I shared this with my therapist (Yes, I have one! I believe that we all need at least one unbiased person in our lives with whom we can have an honest conversation about any- and everything), she suggested that I work on coming to terms with the idea that not everything worthwhile has to be on a super-grand scale. Hmm-mm. You see, I am guilty of having always functioned in a superwoman mode, and when various things in life happened to me, my cape was taken away, but my superwoman belief system was still deeply ingrained in my psyche.
Sometimes, we put too much pressure on ourselves to achieve what we perceive are the big things because we equate worthy with big. When we do that, we completely overlook the little things that have the power to mean so much to someone else (and ourselves). Example: I had to provide a Bio because I was sitting on a prestigious panel some years ago, and I was in a panic because I knew that the other women were “grand” in their accomplishments and then there was me. What had I done -- nothing!? Imagine my shock and bug eyes when my husband started listing the things that I had done. Wow! I. Was. Impressed. You see, many times the things that we do which are just automatic and normal to us because “we do what we do,” to someone else, those very things are something to admire and to which another can aspire and believe that they can reach because they saw that it had been done before; and you gave that gift of belief to them.
Also remember that you’re not in this thing all by yourself. We are all connected. Everything and everyone on the planet flows one into the other. Ask questions that will help you, but remember to use caution because everyone won’t be in your corner. Some people have not learned that there is enough for everybody in this world, and their scarcity thinking keeps them from wanting to share what they know because they are afraid that if you get something, then they won’t have enough. Believe in goodness, but watch your back.
As you continue to reassess yourself and adjust the direction of your travel, check in with your compass and then take the time to give yourself a thumbs up because you are the first and the most important one who needs to believe in yourself and where you’re going. Until we meet again, Happy Trails!
Peace and Love
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)