On My Mind Today

I recently heard someone give advice that really struck a chord. He said, “When you reach the end of your comfort zone step forward”. Such profound meaning in just a few words. How many times have we yearned to try something new or wanted to make changes in our lives, only to be held back by our own fears or discomfort? The fear of the unknown, or that which makes us uneasy, can leave us frozen and unable to make changes that may just lead to better things. There are some who easily welcome change and new challenges. If they have any fears it is not apparent to those around them. How we envy these risk takers who so easily abandon what holds some of us back. What is in their nature that keeps them from staying in their comfort zone? Perhaps they were born with it, or maybe they learned from their parents. When faced with our fears, we need to ask ourselves what is holding us back. Most of us have the desire to do more. We may want to see the world to explore other cultures, or ta

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

 Each week Food Network Magazine emails a few bonus recipes to subscribers. One of the more recent emails included several breakfast recipes, including this one for coffee pancakes. The coffee mixed with the mini chocolate chips is a wonderful blend of flavors. When I mixed the batter as directed it was a bit thin. I added a little more flour (2 tablespoons at a time) to thicken it up a bit. We both give this one a thumbs up! Coffee Pancakes 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/4 cups milk 1 egg 4 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons instant coffee 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon coffee extract 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk milk, egg, melted butter, instant coffee, vanilla and coffee extract; whisk into the flour mixture. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Cook 1/4 cup scoops in a ho

With each passing year I find that there is less and less that I need. The truth is none of us need all the possessions that we acquire over the years. If I were to look back and take stock of all that was purchased because it was "needed", I am sure I would be stunned at how many thousands of dollars were spent. Just imagine how much good could have been done if that money were used differently. When it comes to clothing, I admit to being a slave to fashion at different times in my life. As each season came along it was a given that I would go out to purchase new clothing based on what the latest trend was. How could I possibly wear last year’s styles? I'm embarrassed to admit there were even things that sat on a hanger never to be worn. Shoes, boots, and sandals; I openly admit this was my addiction even more so than clothing. I cannot even begin to count how much footwear has entered my closet over the last fifty plus years. Spring, summer, winter or fall there w

Fluffy white flakes drifting down in crystalline patterns; there is nothing like the beauty of freshly fallen snow. We have always found the beauty in snow, but it took the curiosity of Jericho, Vermont famer, Wilson Bentley, to uncover its mystery. Bentley engineered a method of photography called photomicrography which enabled him to get a closer look at snow. In his photographs you can see the white snow crystals against a black background, making it easy to see the unique crystalline forms of each snowflake. Bentley was able to photograph over 5,000 snowflakes before his death in 1931. Is it true that no two snowflakes are alike? Snowflakes form when water vapor in clouds condenses immediately to ice around a small particle, like dust. The “classic” snowflake is a six-sided crystal, however, changes in humidity and temperature will cause their shapes to be different. Sometimes the flakes can form in columns, thin needles, or a flat shape called plates. Although these flakes are al

I recently received a small book from the American Heart Association that has advise on making good food and lifestyle choices. It includes several heart healthy recipes from snacks and beverages, soups, salads, seafood, meat, vegetarian entrees and more. The first one I have tried is the Thai Chicken Soup. It is a very easy recipe made in the crock pot, filled with flavor and a little kick from crushed red pepper. Hope you enjoy this one! Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded (try for 2 - 1 pound chicken breasts) 1 pound button mushrooms, sliced 14.4 ounces frozen onion and pepper stir fry mix 4 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth 1/2  of a 13.5 ounce can lite coconut milk 10 ounces frozen green peas 4 ounces dried medium Asian rice stick noodles, broken in half 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly gro

I don't have time...how often do we tell ourselves this? It seems that it is more often than it should be, and many times we miss out on so much. Too many things to do and no time to fit it all in. There are days it seems that if there is one more thing on our list, we may lose control. We find ourselves exhausted and overwhelmed, and the thought of having to make time for a phone call or short visit seems to be more than we can do.  When our days are full, we can get stuck on a trajectory that commands us to continue until everything is completed. Our mind tells us that we cannot stop; we do not have time for even a few moments of pleasure.  What we forget is how unhealthy this can be. The pressure we put on ourselves can be detrimental not only to our mental health, but also our physical health. Eventually, we can become isolated, or at the very least a person that is unapproachable. Family and friends may want to reach out but may not know how or if it will be welcomed. The last

There are many different professional people who come in and out of our lives over the years. Some remain for a very long time, and others seem to just be passing through. Their time with us is dependent on many factors, including how close a connection we make. There are the “acquaintance” connections such as the dry cleaner, auto mechanic, mail person, librarian; the ones you see occasionally. They are casual and friendly relationships in our lives. As much as we may enjoy seeing them, the conversations are usually kept light, and if they move on we more easily accept their replacement. Then there are the more deeply connected relationships. These people include those who watch our children, our hairdresser, doctors, dentists, etc. They play a more significant role in our lives and we entrust them with some very personal details that we would not share with an acquaintance. Once we make a deep connection, it is difficult to imagine having to replace them. We trust our childcare