On My Mind Today

Laughter - noun: The action or sound of laughing; an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement. Syn onyms -  belly laugh, cackle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, horselaugh, snicker, hee-haw. It has become clear to me that people don't laugh enough today; at least not the hearty kind of laughter that makes us feel good. We have fallen into routines where we allow daily stress to dominate our days. Is it any wonder we feel unhappy so often? They say that laughter is the best medicine, and as it turns out, there is some scientific truth to this. Per research by Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University in California, laughter leads to benefits such as:  Reducing stress hormones Working our abs Boosting T-cells Lowering blood pressure Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increased blood flow which can help to protect us from a heart attack. It can also temporarily relieve pain, and it burns calories. Another bonus to laughter - it has been shown t...

Relationships – at best they are difficult. It’s not easy ensuring that two parties feel valued and that they are heard when they speak. We too often can’t open our minds to listen to one another when all we can hear is our own voice saying, “it’s not fair”, “I don’t agree with you”, or “listen to me”. We all like to have our own way but also know that it’s not possible all the time unless we choose to live alone. In a perfect world things would go our way, and our partner would always do whatever we wished.    Not going to happen! As I have always told my children, there is no such thing as perfect. Sharing your life with someone takes a lot of hard work and compromise. Many times, we feel like we’re the only one compromising, but the reality is both parties do. Circumstances in our lives make a difference in how much we are willing to or can compromise. When faced with difficulties we are less open to hearing another point of view, or willing to go along with something that ...

Several years ago, while visiting my mother, we had lunch at a local restaurant. They had a very nice menu with selections I had not seen in other places. I ordered their Vermont Panini, and it was delicious! I made sure I took a mental note of the ingredients so I could make it at home. They used a maple mustard, and I was able to find a simple recipe for this. An easy recipe with a great combination of flavors. Vermont Panini Panini Bread (I used the large oval flatbread) 6 thin slices baked ham 6 slices Granny Smith apple 4 slices Vermont Cheddar Cheese Maple Mustard: 1/8 cup stone ground mustard 1Tablespoons Vermont maple syrup Combine mustard and maple in a small bowl. 1. Prepare maple mustard and set aside. 2. Take two slices of the Panini bread and place one slice of cheese on each. Top with three thin slices of the baked ham, three slices of the apple, and then top with another slice of cheddar cheese. Put the other two slices of brea...

As I awaken each morning, I notice that the sun is rising just a few minutes sooner than the day before. Such a small thing that makes rising to start the day a little easier. Although it has been a fairly mild winter here in the northeast, for those of us who are not fans of this season, winter always seems to last far too long. The short, dark days are difficult to get through, and the cold temperatures seem to sink into our bones and settle in. For months we seem to force ourselves out of bed to move forward with the day. Many days it feels that we are just going through the motions until we can return home, take care of necessary chores, and once again snuggle under a blanket for the evening. During these long dark days this can be our saving grace of safety, warmth and security. In the past few weeks we have begun to see signs of what lies ahead. The longer daylight hours that have recently appeared at the end of the day, have now begun to grace us in the early morning hours. It i...

  Daydream - Noun - a series of pleasant thoughts that distracts one's attention from the present. In the world we are currently living in, it would be a good thing if more of us spent time daydreaming. Indulging in daydreams can drive out the noise and chaos that we encounter on a daily basis and bring us to a much calmer state of mind. Something all of us can use as we face so much discord. Between the non-stop news cycles and negativity on social media, it is difficult to find much peace and solitude. Learning to tune much of it out can take time and practice since we have been conditioned to look for these things for so long. Not only does it have an impact on our frame of mind, but eventually on our physical health too. I remember a time when it was easy to lose myself in random thoughts and daydreams. True, in our more youthful days it seemed effortless to let ourselves drift and fantasize. Dream of places we would go, things we would do, and the people we would meet. Imagini...

 Recently I was looking for something different to bring to a party as an appetizer. In my search I came upon a recipe for Avocado Deviled Eggs, so I decided to give it a try. As we all know, people will either love it or hate it. Turns out they are very good and were a big hit. These deviled eggs would also be an excellent addition to your Sunday brunch. Easy to make and your company will be asking for the recipe. Avocado Deviled Eggs   12 Extra- Large Eggs 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I used Lite Mayonnaise) 1 tablespoon Dijon-style Mustard 1 teaspoon caper juice or sweet or dill pickle juice 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Dash of bottled hot sauce (or a bit more if you like things spicy) 1 ripe Avocado, peeled and seeded Snipped fresh chives (optional)   1. Place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch, add 4 tsp. white vinegar and pinch of salt (will make eggs easier to peel). Bring to...