On My Mind Today

Morning arrives with hope in my heart, for moments of silence and peace. The sun peeks through the curtains, giving a hint of the new day ahead. For a time there is silence, as I remain still not making a sound. If I don't break this precious gift, perhaps it will stay for a while. The only welcome sound with light, is the singing of birds as they awaken. Every now and then a Loon chimes in, serenading me with a haunting sound. Once I stir and leave my refuge, the spell is broken once again. The daily routine begins once more, like a buzzing in my head. All around me sounds enter my ears, with no way to block the commotion. I wonder how others can easily accept, the chaos of what it brings. This busy day will come to an end, and the noise will eventually subside. Once again, I will escape to my refuge, for a welcome night of silence and peace.

From McCormick.com , this dish is certainly not a heart healthy option, but it is absolutely delicious! A savory, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth monkey bread that is loaded with sausage, shredded Cheddar and country gravy. Slice it or pull it apart for breakfast, lunch, dinner or late-night. A great brunch dish that will be a favorite with your guests! Breakfast Monkey Bread with Sausage Makes 12 Servings 3/4 cup milk 1 package McCormick® Original Country Gravy Mix 1/4 cup melted butter 3 cans (7.5 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided 1/2 pound ground breakfast sausage, cooked and drained Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix milk, Gravy Mix and melted butter with whisk in large bowl until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup of the gravy mixture; set aside. Cut biscuits into quarters. Add biscuit pieces to gravy mixture in large bowl; gently toss to coat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and cooked sausage until well blended. Place biscuit mixture into greas

Meditation: the act or process of spending time in quiet thought. Mindfulness: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. When I think of meditation what comes to mind is a vision of someone sitting on the floor with their legs crossed while they chant. Or, when you hear the word meditation, you might react by saying to yourself that there is no way you could sit and think about nothing for an hour. The truth is there are many ways that you can meditate. The key is to bring mindfulness into your life, or to “stop and smell the roses”.  If you can do this, you will find that daily stress and regrets from your past will disappear. Not an easy thing to achieve, but with practice it can become easier and almost a natural part of your day. For me there are certain times I know that I am more in tune with what I am doing and not thinking of anything else: -          When I

Father's Day - a time to honor and recognize our fathers, or those who are like a father in our lives. A time to thank them for their contribution in shaping who we are as we grow into adulthood. Fathers should never underestimate how important a role they play. Every day their interaction with their children leaves a lifelong impression. Daughters receive their self-esteem from their fathers. Even if a mother tells them how smart, or beautiful they are, it will never have the same impact as when it comes from their father. How a daughter sees her father treat their mother plays a big role in the kind of man she will choose when she grows up. She will gravitate to someone who respects her if this is the behavior she has been exposed to. She needs to be taught that she is valued as a woman. Sons learn from their fathers as they watch how they live their life. What kind of man they become has much to do with who their father is. If he is a kind, honest and hardworking man then that i

From the Food Network Kitchen this is a great weeknight meal. The blending of the artichokes and cheeses makes for amazing flavor. From prep to table in less than one hour, you have a delicious meal for your family. All you need to do is add a side salad. Chicken Noodle Casserole with Artichokes Kosher salt 8 ounces egg noodles Cooking spray 1 1/3 cups whole milk 1 5.2-ounce package garlic-and-herb cheese (such as Boursin) 1/2 cup sour cream 1 large egg Freshly ground pepper 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped 1 10-ounce bag frozen peas, thawed 1/4 cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz; 6 to 8 crackers) Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain the noodles. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In

 A very dear friend presented me with a copy of  Gift from the Sea  by Anne Morrow Lindbergh several years ago. I started reading it a few times and was able to finally finish on the 3rd attempt. Lindbergh wrote  Gift from the Sea  in 1955 while taking a short vacation at the ocean and found inspiration from the shells on the shore. Her insights on a woman's life are both interesting, and so familiar in many ways. An excerpt from the  Oyster Bed  chapter: Many people never climb above the plateau of forty-to-fifty. The signs that presage growth, so familiar, it seems to me, to those in early adolescence: discontent, restlessness, doubt, despair, longing, are interpreted falsely as signs of decay. In youth one does not as often misinterpret the signs; one accepts them, quite rightly, as growing pains. One takes them seriously, listens to them, follows where they lead. One is afraid. Naturally. Who is not afraid of pure space - that breath-taking empty space of an open door? But desp

When I purchased a bird bath for the flower bed several years ago the birds found it very quickly. It was no surprise seeing how much they enjoyed it; however, I had no idea how much joy it would bring me. On a normal day they make several trips to partake in a fresh drink of water. One or two yellow Finches arrive, followed by Wrens, Robins, and an occasional Cardinal, Oriole or Bluebird. When they share the space peacefully, you feel like you are observing a "tea" party. When the summer temperatures heat up it becomes their favorite place to cool off. It is so much fun watching as one lands, then jumps in and flutters their wings to cool off, finally shaking the water off and flying away. Some days several other birds will hop around on the ground waiting for their turn to partake in a hot day swim. There are times the smaller birds are kept away when a big fat Robin lands and refuses to leave. While the Robin dominates the bird bath drinking and splashing, the Finches and

This delicious, moist lemon cake from Claudia Lamascolo at whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com  is amazing! Filled with an abundance of lemon flavor and the richness of ricotta cheese, you will have a hard time eating only one serving. It is very easy to make and can be decorated with powdered sugar, whip cream, fruit of your choice, or all of these. Simple yet delicious, and sure to impress your guests. The photo below is from the website as the cake was gone before I could get a photo. Lemon Ricotta Cake Yield: 8 Servings 1-1/3 cups flour (scoop and level to measure) 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese (whole milk) 2-1/2 tablespoons lemon zest 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon lemon extract (stronger flavor than lemon juice) - you can also use vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350℉. Line the rim and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and also oil spray the paper and rim. Combine the flour, bakin

  I originally wrote this blog in 2019, and at that time I never believed that we would be sitting where we are now in 2023. I am angry and appalled at the number of states that are severely restricting a woman's right to choose. I also never thought I would see our Supreme Court overturn Roe v Wade - something the last several Supreme Court nominees said was settled case law. So, they apparently lied in their confirmation hearings. 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. Wom