On My Mind Today

  "Legends say that Hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The Hummingbirds delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation." ~ Unknown A few Hummingbird facts: They are native to the Americas and are among the smallest birds measuring 7.5-13 cm in length. Their name comes from the fact that they flap their wings so fast (about 80 times per second). They can fly right, left, up, down, backwards and even upside down. They can hover by flapping their wings in a figure-8 pattern, and fly at speeds up to 49 mph. They live for 3 to 5 years. Their bright radiant color comes from iridescent coloring like on a soap bubble or prism and are used to attract mates. Out of the more than 300 species, 12 of them summer in North America and winter in tropical areas. Hummingbirds migrate individually and only during the day. Their migration can

From Nagi at  recipetineats.com ,  these buttery, crispy smashed potatoes will be  your new favorite potato recipe.   Ultra-crispy  on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these taste like buttery French  fries, but they  look completely different. Forget squashing them neat and flat – the more nubbly the surface, the better the crunch! Ultra-Crispy  Smashed Potatoes 1.4 lb. small potatoes (12 - 14)  2 - 2.4 lb. medium potatoes (6 - 8), cut into large chunks 1 tbsp salt (for boiling) 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 1 tbsp olive oil 3/4 tsp salt (for sprinkling) 1/4 tsp black pepper Finely chopped parsley, optional garnish Cook potatoes: Bring a pot of water to the boil, add 1 tbsp salt. Cook potatoes until soft - small ones should take around 20 to 25 minutes, medium ones might take 30 minutes. It's ok if the skin splits. Alternatively, steam or microwave them. Preheat oven to 400℉. Steam dry: Drain the potatoes and let them dry in the colander for 5 minutes or so. Smash! Place on

We all see the ads on television that claim you can lose weight with a pill or powder and no changes to your diet or exercise. Others will give you weight loss success when we order their pre-packaged foods, but what happens when we go back to reality and fixing our own meals at home? There is that old expression that" if something seems too good to be true then it probably is". One thing I know - we should never have to starve ourselves to lose weight. We all want to look our best, but we need to stop comparing ourselves to others. Not everyone is going to be thin as a rail; we all come in different shapes and our bones structures differ greatly. A healthy weight for one person is not going to be the same for someone else. Five pounds can be the difference between looking healthy or too thin.  As each year goes by, weight loss becomes more difficult. We can easily fall prey to all the latest weight loss programs that guarantee quick success. Unfortunately, most of these prog

We are children of the 60's and changing times. Witness to an escalation of the Vietnam war,  anti-war protests, the civil rights movement, the feminist movement, and sexual revolution. We were the love generation, the hippie generation, and the counterculture movement. Psychedelic colors, drugs, and rock music were an integral part of our world. We saw the assassination of President Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King's March on Washington. We all believed when he spoke so eloquently, about having a dream for a better tomorrow. We challenged our government, and brought great change politically and socially. We were young Americans rebelling against tradition, men wore long hair and women miniskirts. We embraced Mother Nature, and became environmentalists. Demanding change and protection, through political activism. We saw the Soviet Luna 9 land on the moon, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon. The FDA approved the first birth control pill, changing how we looke

From Katrina at Diethood.com , this crock pot recipe makes a pork roast that is extremely tender and juicy.  It  is very easy to prepare and will be one of the best pork loins you will ever taste! Serve with oven roasted potatoes and a side salad for a delicious meal for family or friends. Crock Pot Balsamic Pork Roast 3-pound  pork loin 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked ½ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper ⅓ cup chicken broth 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 5 cloves garlic, smashed ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning Pat dry pork with paper towels. Combine salt, paprika, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Take the rub and sprinkle it all over the pork. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and set over medium heat; add pork and sear for a couple minutes on each side, or until golden brown. In a blender or food processor combine remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic; proces

It seems like early spring in New England was too wet, too cold, and lasted far too long. Now that we are finally experiencing sunnier days and warmer temperatures, our minds turn to what lies ahead for summer.  Although we will have several months of beautiful weather, it always seems to go by far too quickly. So many things that we want to do and so little time to fit them in. In the midst of making plans, we can lose sight of the fun. Some activities definitely need planning when it comes to gathering family and friends; waiting to the last minute eliminates those who have already filled their schedule. Even when we make arrangements in advance, there will always be a few who are not available. As the years go by, I have come to realize that we are better off when we allow more spontaneity into our life. Not everything that we do needs to have an itinerary. Some of the best times we have experienced, have been when we dropped what we felt was necessary and taken advantage of an oppo

Gratitude - noun: the quality or feeling of being thankful or grateful. How often do we stop and allow ourselves to feel gratitude? Even if we are thankful for our life as a whole, it's unfortunate that we don't often express gratitude for the exact moment we are in. Seems we are always thinking about, or rushing into, what is next. When our children were infants, toddlers, adolescents and beyond, how many times did we take for granted moments that we should have been grateful for? The cooing of babies, laughter of toddlers, and even the angst of adolescents; all moments we should be present and appreciate that we were there. At the time many of us were too busy working to provide for our families, and these moments were lost in the chaos. Each day of our life there are 1,440 minutes. Even if we sleep seven hours of that day, it leaves 1,020 minutes. Out of all of these, how many are we present and grateful for? With all the external noise and disruption, it's not possible

I have been collecting cookbooks and recipes for many years, and every now and then I rediscover something long forgotten. Looking for a brunch item to share, I came across the Reader’s Digest Great Recipes for Good Health cookbook. The breakfast pudding that follows is simple to make (can be done the night before), and delicious. Hope your family and friends enjoy this pudding! Blueberry Breakfast Pudding 1 large egg 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar 1 cup skim milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind Pinch of nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 slices whole wheat bread Non-stick cooking spray 2 cups fresh blueberries, sorted and stemmed ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt (optional) 1. With a fork, beat the eggs and brown sugar together in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in the milk, cinnamon, lemon rind, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Tear the bread into ½ inch pieces and stir into the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 375˚F.