On My Mind Today

During these difficult times, we are all looking for something to fill our time and lift our spirits. I went in search of some positive stories that could be shared with family (young and old), and came upon the website Wealthy Gorilla; https://wealthygorilla.com . It's a self-development website that shares many quotes, lists, self-development lessons and more. These are a few of the inspirational stories that I discovered on the site, and I wanted to share them so that you could pass them along to others who may need a lift.These are great stories to share with your children and discuss the lessons learned. The Group of Frogs As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them. However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to try and jump out of the pit. Despite their effor...

Spring snow.... we don't want any, but we always have at least a storm or two after the first day of spring arrives. It's usually wet, heavy snow that melts in a few short days. When I was growing up, my father would call it "poor man's manure"; something to put nutrients in the soil for the upcoming growing season. Although the past week has not been very warm, we did have a bright, sunny weekend before our latest snowfall. I decided to take advantage of the sunshine after feeling cooped up and gathered some tools to work on my flower bed. This is phase one - work that gives me a glimmer of hope and visions of what's to come. I have not made many changes in my flower bed for several years, so it's definitely time for a refresh. It felt good to rake up the old mulch, aerate the soil and get things ready to lay down some new soil once all the snow has gone. I pulled all the old, dead growth from last year away from the Tiger Lilies and chives which have...

**Prepare the night before and put in the refrigerator** From Leite's Culinara , these gingerbread pancakes will bring memories from childhood as the aroma fills your kitchen. Light, fluffy and full of flavor, your family or guests will be asking for more. I froze the extra ones and they were still very good, so you can make a double batch and freeze some for later. Gingerbread Pancakes 1-1/4 cups whole wheat flour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 packed dark brown sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (or fresh grated ginger) 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1 large egg 2 cups whole milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for frying pan Apple butter  or maple syrup for serving 1. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, clo...

I want to start by saying that the sudden and unexpected loss of any life is tragic; the heartbreak and sorrow left behind can devastate a family forever. What I want to address here is the inequality in grieving those who are tragically taken from us. The world places more emphasis on the loss of those who are rich or famous, and they are in the spotlight for days, or even weeks when they pass away. Although they deserve to be remembered, and their loss is traumatic for their family and friends, the attention given to these losses by the media is inequitable in comparison to other losses. It's true that much of the overabundance in media coverage is due to the fact that the families of the rich and famous can afford to pay for large televised tributes to their loved ones. Not to be outdone, or to appear uncaring, networks produce their own tributes that cover every aspect of their lives. In the process the public gets caught up in the media frenzy making the events larger than...

There are a multitude of recipes out there for Toll House Pie, and most of them are very similar. This recipe was given to me many years ago by a very dear friend; everything she made was delicious, and she was more than happy to share her recipes. It had been tucked away with other recipes I have collected over the years, and I found it when in search of something different for dessert. It's as amazing as I remember, and the aroma and flavor brought back many fond memories of time spent with her. Toll House Pie 2 eggs 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup butter, melted and cooled 6 ounces chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts (or chopped pecans) 9" pie shell Whipped cream for topping 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Beat eggs until foamy; beat in flour and sugars. 2. Add butter, then stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into pie shell. 3. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream (a must) Enjoy!! ...

Always be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else. ~ Judy Garland The desire to belong, to be a part of a group, or one of the popular, famous and well-known is something we all feel at some point our life. After all, nobody wants to be ordinary. This urge to belong starts early in life, and we struggle with it often as we grow from childhood, to teenagers and then adults. Do we do what we know is right and better for us, or do we give in to belong? It should be an easy choice, but it isn't. There are many reasons, and things we are willing to do, in order to belong to the cool or popular group. We can justify each one if we spend enough time contemplating them. Peer pressure. The desire to be socially accepted. The need to feel a part of something greater and more important than ourselves. Fear of being ostracized if we don't go along. Conforming to the behaviors and attitudes of a group. Willingness to look silly or odd. Parti...

I am not an alpine skier, but once or twice a year I find myself sitting in a ski lodge; an island surrounded by skiers moving up and down like waves on the water as they prepare to hit the slopes. Somehow, I find solitude in the chaos around me. The reason I find myself here is because I join him on his ski trips with his daughter and her boyfriend. I'm the oasis he returns to when he needs a break or food. In their absence I allow my thoughts to flow freely releasing any stress from normal daily routine. There was a time I wanted to learn to ski. Everyone seems to thoroughly enjoy it as evidenced by the smiles as they come down the slopes; I wanted to become a part of this tribe. Over a couple of winters, many years ago, I took several lessons. In my mind it did not seem that difficult; If young children can learn to do this then how could I not master it? After my third or fourth lesson reality hit me; I was not going to join the tribe. There were a couple of things I ne...

Although we are getting close to the end of winter here in New England, there will still be plenty of cold weather before spring is in full swing. Nothing is better at the end of a cold day than a bowl of hot soup. This recipe from Food Network Magazine was a great find. The apples and squash mixed with sage, apple cider and cheddar cheese give it a wonderful and unique flavor. Topped off with the crispy prosciutto, shredded cheddar and chives it will be sure to become a family favorite. Serve it with crusty bread and enjoy! Apple-Squash-Cheddar Soup 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 medium apples, thinly sliced 1 large potato, diced 1 1/2 cups chopped peeled butternut squash, fresh or frozen Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/3 cup apple cider 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup whole milk 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus ...