On My Mind Today

 As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. This holds true for the human species also. We all know what is good for us, and yet in spite of this, we will still make some poor choices along the way. The majority of these decisions will not have a major impact on our lives, but every now and then they could. There will be times when we watch someone that we care about do things that we cannot understand. Something that can affect not only their own life, but the lives of those who love them. The question we end up asking ourselves is, "do they not care enough about themselves, or us, to do what is right"? For the person who is trying to ensure that their loved one takes the proper precautions and follow the rules, it can be frustrating. We worry, cater to, and coddle as we try to handle them with kid gloves and push them into taking the right steps. At times the kid gloves come off and we just push as hard as we can to try and coer

Trying to eat healthier is no easy task when you love sweets. While perusing social media I found this recipe from Gail Wiebers for healthy cookies and figured I would try them. Using bananas, oats, nuts and chocolate chunks with a few other ingredients, you can have delicious cookies ready in a little over 30 minutes. All without any added sugar. Everyone here loved them! Healthy Cookies 3 mashed ripe bananas 1/3 cup applesauce 2 cups oats 1/4 cup almond milk 1/4 cup raisins or nuts 1 cup good chocolate chunks 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients (stirring in the nuts and chocolate at the end). Bake for 15-20 minutes.

It has become abundantly clear to me that over the past decade or more society has been heading into a downward spiral of negativity. A place that makes our heart and soul feel heavy with the burden of that dark place which seems to have no hope of better things to come. For our sake, and for our children's, we cannot let this spiral continue. We need to diligently fight to bring our country (and society as a whole) back to a healthy place of positive images and hope for a brighter future. The media can, and should, play a big role in leading us in the right direction. Currently they dwell on the negative stories and play the events over and over until we are almost numb to what is on the screen. Giving airtime to the wrong people, allowing them to say negative things or show what terrible thing they have done. We need to turn this off to protect our children, so they do not end up believing it is acceptable behavior. Each network news program does show positive things that are hap

April 15th, bright sunshine, and a cool breeze. As I look out over the lake there are small waves rolling across the top from the spring wind. The sun is sparkling on the water like diamonds, and it is mesmerizing. After a few gray days with off and on rain, we are fortunate to have beautiful blue skies and bright sun shining down on us today. It has been too long since our skin has felt the warmth from the sun, and it is a wonderful gift. Although I am fortunate to wake up each day and look out over the lake, there are some days where its healing properties have a much bigger impact in my life. Not that I ever take it for granted, but Mother Nature has a way of knowing when her assistance is needed. When we have troublesome times, it can be easy to shut ourselves in and shut off the outside world. Unfortunately, when we choose to do this, it has the ability to drain us of any energy we might have. The more tired we feel, the more difficult it is to pull ourselves up and out of this. O

From cafedelites.com  this cabbage soup is quick and easy to make. Made with minimal ingredients but filled with great flavor. It is low fat, low carb, healthy and very filling. So good you will go back for more. Cabbage Soup with Beef 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 pound rib eye or scotch steak, cut into 1-inch pieces (trimmed of visible fat) 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and diced 1 small green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces 4 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups beef stock or broth 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, plus more to serve 2 teaspoons each dried thyme and dried rosemary (or dried basil and oregano) 2 teaspoons onion or garlic powder salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the beef and sear on all sides until browned all over (they don't need to be cooked through). Then add the onions and cook until transparent (about 3-4 minutes). Add the celery and carrots to the pan, mixing

Life will bring us many challenges, with luck most of them will be small. The choices we make along the way  will determine the path our life will take. As a child we give no thought to the "what ifs" life can bring. Protected and sheltered in so many ways, we find joy in all that we do. Teen years bring new challenges, as we search for our way to fit in. These years are filled with exciting times,  and we never imagine they will end.  Adulthood approaches quickly, with responsibilities that open our eyes. Caught up in building families and careers, time flies as if it had wings. We take for granted many things as we watch our children grow. There will be time for all that we let go, when they have left to start lives of their own. We then arrive to our later years, looking forward to what lies ahead. Then a day arrives when unintentional neglect brings issues that were unforeseen. Reality sets in first with shock, then sadness and acceptance. No time for regrets at this late

I originally wrote this blog in 2019, and at that time I never believed that we would be sitting where we are now in 2022. I am angry and appalled at the number of states that are severely restricting a woman's right to choose. How dare they sit in judgement and tell women what they can and cannot do? There is not a man in this group that would ever allow a woman to tell them what they can do with their bodies, and they have no right to do so to us. So, again I share my thoughts and hope that women will continue to fight against these old men trying to drag us back into the Dark Ages. Women have been fighting for women's rights in our country since pre-settlement times when Iroquois women fought to gain power so they could nominate and depose council elders and chiefs. Women are not only still fighting inequality, but now must fear being dragged back to the Dark Ages. From the 1600's through today it has been a hard-fought battle for all the rights women have. They have mar

Quiche is a delicious meal any time of day. This recipe from www.missinthekitchen.com  is filled with flavor from sausage, spinach, and smoked cheese. Easy to prepare, this will be ready for the table in 90 minutes. Add a fresh garden salad for a great family dinner. Sausage Spinach Quiche Serves 8 1 refrigerated pie crust 1 pound breakfast sausage 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 3 cups chopped baby spinach 3 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups milk 1-1/2 cups shredded smoked gouda cheese Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll pie crust and press into pie plate. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Bake the pie crust for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cook the sausage over medium-high heat, until cooked through and crumbled. Set aside. Add olive oil to a medium skillet and add onions and garlic. Cook 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add eggs to a large bowl, ad