On My Mind Today

I never believed in my lifetime I would ever see the world we live in shrouded in so much chaos and hatred. Being part of the peace and love generation, I have always tried to live my life emulating these things, and taught my children love, peace, and acceptance of all people. We are all human and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. It boggles the mind to see so many trying to tear down society. Spewing hate filled rhetoric with the goal of brainwashing others into believing their lies. Outright attempts to dismiss anyone that is different and trying to make everyone see them as outcasts or second-class citizens. Our families are a melting pot of diverse people with different social and cultural characteristics. We speak many different languages, and do not always share the same religion, beliefs, values, or behaviors. These differences are what makes our world such an interesting place to live. Instead of spreading lies about those who are not like us or trying to paint c...

When I was a child there was a radio and television program called  Queen For A Day . It originated on the Mutual Radio Network in New York City on April 30, 1945, then moved to Los Angeles and ran until 1957. The four contestants told their stories of hardship, and the winner would be determined by the amount of applause they received from the audience. The applause was measured by a meter showing the levels that were reached for each contestant. The winner was then draped in a sable-trimmed robe with a jeweled crown placed on their head and were given a dozen long-stemmed roses as they sat on a velvet throne. She usually wept as they announced the list of prizes she had won. I'm sure this sounds very corny, but remember it was the 50's and at the time it provided a distraction and a dream to housewives everywhere. As I have been working to exhaustion over the past week or two shoveling snow every other day, this program came to mind. I thought to myself that being Queen would...

This recipe comes from https://skinnyms.com . These muffins are light, delicious and a perfect to go option for busy mornings. You will have to plan ahead as the oats and milk need to sit overnight in the refrigerator. They can be made as is in the recipe below, or you can adjust to suit your needs. I used regular milk and grapeseed oil for mine and they came out great. Filled with a perfect blend of cinnamon, blueberries and lemon, they are sure to be a family favorite. Flourless Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins Makes 12 Muffins 2-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1-1/2 cups almond milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or coconut sugar) 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 cup fresh blueberries Combine oats and milk in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 375 ℉. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with ...

Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Not enough value is placed on integrity today. Those in a position of influence, who should be displaying this characteristic are choosing to behave in a manner that is amoral or unethical. It seems that each decade it has progressively gotten worse as nobody seems to be holding them accountable for their actions. When did we decide as a society that integrity doesn't matter? Somewhere along the way deceit, corruption, disgrace, and dishonor have become the norm for many. They have no problem bullying, chastising and mocking others in public, on television and also social media; calling it their "truth". The sad thing in all of this is that we have either become immune to, or beaten down, by this behavior. Our children deserve to have better role models, and we should demand it from those in a position to influence them. People of integrity do exist in our communities and we see ...

Perhaps it is seeing my children grown up, or watching the years pass quickly with my grandchildren, or maybe even turning 70, but I have been thinking a lot about my younger days lately. When I was a teenager and in my early 20's, and I believed that I would be young forever. We all do have that false sense of never getting older during those years. I'm not sure how men look at the passing of time, but I know what this one woman sees and feels. Remembering those times as a teenager, still feeling the excitement and joy of times with good friends. All the things we did and places we went that were new. Most of the time things turned out well, sometimes not so much, but it was certainly exhilarating, and I would not change a thing. The excitement of youth as they say. Over the years I have made some very good friends - some I have known almost my entire life. I find that since we tend to live far apart, and have full, busy lives with family or...

Recently I was in search of something to satisfy my sweet tooth and came across a recipe from years ago. I'm not even sure where it came from, but this is one that I used often when my kids were growing up. They are very easy to make and have always been a family favorite. It calls for chocolate chips, but I have mixed in peanut butter chips. I'm sure M&M's, mint chips and Reese's pieces would work great too! Blonde Brownies 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup butter 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 eggs, slightly beaten 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional) 1. Mix flour, soda, baking powder and salt. 2. Melt butter in saucepan; add sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing well. 3. Spread in a 13 x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle with chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees (325 for glass pan) for 30 minutes (until golden brown). Cool in pan. Cut in...