On My Mind Today

Some days the sunshine will not grace our door, and it will be hard to find our way. When our minds feel the clouds and fog, we must push through to the other side. When we are faced with a day filled with to-do's, the list can become daunting and overwhelming. With determination we can make light work of it all, and push through to the other side. There will be times when we feel down, and self-pity can easily move in. Don't linger there for too long, just push through to the other side. Days will come when we feel lonely, even though we may stand in a crowd. If we reach out to those we are close to, we can push through to the other side. Holidays arrive with much joy and a bit of sadness too, as gatherings feel the absence of loved ones we have lost. If we share our memories of those gone but not forgotten, we will be able to push through to the other side. Life brings with it many experiences and emotions, the ups and downs that we all live through. Although we may stumble n

If you are looking for an appetizer for the upcoming holiday gatherings, these Avocado Deviled Eggs are sure to be a big hit. They are full of great flavor and will disappear quickly. They also would be an excellent addition to your Sunday brunch. Your family and friends will be asking you to share the recipe. Avocado Deviled Eggs   12 Extra- Large Eggs 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I used Lite Mayonnaise) 1 tablespoon Dijon-style Mustard 1 teaspoon caper juice or sweet or dill pickle juice 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Dash of bottled hot sauce (or a bit more if you like things spicy) 1 ripe Avocado, peeled and seeded Snipped fresh chives (optional)   1. Place eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch, add 4 tsp. white vinegar and pinch of salt (will make eggs easier to peel). Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 15 minutes; drain. Rinse eggs with cold water, then place in ice wate

  Nov ember Darkness Once again you grace our door, bringing gray skies and gloominess. Your darkness can cast shadows across our souls making cheerful days harder to come by. We struggle to rise each day, and are slow to greet what lies ahead. It would be easier to bring the covers up over our heads and remain sleeping. Sunshine becomes increasingly evasive as it hides behind dark clouds. Every now and then its rays peek through, and we praise and cherish each precious moment. At times we envy the woodland  creatures who hibernate through these dreary times. They have no worries of facing the dismal days of November as they slumber, peacefully dreaming of summer days left behind. The gathering of family and friends near months end helps to lift our spirits, pulling us up from the long dark days. One day that easily washes away the dismal weeks we have recently endured. November; dark, dreary, and dreaded materializes as we are trying to enjoy the last vestiges of fall foliage.  The lo

 At some point in life, millions of people will be faced with a family member who is diagnosed with a serious illness or disease. We may be confronted with it early in life, or it will hit us in later years. Either way, we will embark on a journey filled with many phases and emotions. Even though we may notice changes in our loved one, we have a tendency to attribute it to a bad day or maybe a seasonal illness such as a cold or flu. Eventually, when the bad day or seasonal illness does not pass, we will be faced with having to admit it might be something more serious. With that admission will come many trips to doctors for a diagnosis. It may take some time for a diagnosis, however, once it comes most of us are never prepared for what we hear. Thus, our first emotion on this journey appears; shock. When we first hear the words, we will be in shock and ask ourselves "how could this happen"? We will try to ask all the questions we need to ask, and take in the options they give

From  juliasalbum.com , this stuffed butternut squash is a great fall comfort food. Filled with sausage, pecans, cranberries and spinach, it is packed with vegetables, fiber, protein, and is gluten-free. It is quick and easy to make and is perfect as a weeknight dinner, or as a beautiful side dish for the holiday meal. It is absolutely delicious and a dish that is making it into my recipe box! Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash Prep time: 20 minutes     Cook time: 40 minutes     Total time: 1 hour Serves 4 people Roasted Butternut Squash: 2 butternut squash medium or large 2 tablespoons  olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt or more black pepper freshly ground Sausage filling 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion small, diced 14 oz Italian sausage spicy, crumbled (I used sweet Italian sausage which was great) 4 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 4 oz spinach fresh ½ cup dried cranberries ½ cup pecans chopped How to roast butternut squash:  Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare the butternut squas

Of all the seasons in New England, fall is my favorite. The warm days and cool nights of early fall breathe life into my soul and energize me. The beauty of mid fall when the leaves put on a breathtaking display of red, orange and gold is a vision unlike any other. Then late fall arrives when the days and nights get cooler, the leaves fall from the trees and November arrives. November, one of my least favorite months (with March being the other); gray days with little sunshine to warm our bones and brighten our spirits. If it were not for Thanksgiving at the end of the month, and Christmas in December, it might be extremely difficult to get through the darkness. November can bring gloomy moods if we allow it to, so I try to find some fun and enjoyment even on these days. When my oldest daughter was around two, we happened to be looking out on a cool, gray November day. The wind was blowing hard, and the leaves were falling from the trees. As I stood staring out the window a wonderful v

I see a world sick and suffering, beseeching us to heal the wounds. We must do our part to help one another, and bring harmony and peace to all. The world is filled with chaos today, no peace to be found it seems. Everywhere we look the sights and sounds, bring a heaviness that is hard to bear. Conflicts and wars linger on, with nobody willing to step back. Fueled by tyrants who want to take, with the victims trying to save what they have. Hatred being spread far and wide, there seems to be no end in sight. The instigators pushing every day, telling you who to blame. Media coverage twenty-four hours a day, it is difficult not to become numb. We must persevere to ensure, that none of this becomes the norm. Social media has become all consuming, and the children suffer the most. Bombarded with images of what they should be, and bullied by many of their peers. In spite of all of these troubling things, that are trying to destroy the world. There are many people we see each day, helping ot

There are many recipes for whoopie pies, and many companies out there today selling them. None of them compare to these. I was given this recipe many years ago by a good friend and they are truly made the old-fashioned way. They are easy to make and absolutely delicious! Old Fashioned Whoopie Pies   1-1/2 cups Sugar 1/2 cup shortening 2 eggs 1/2 cup sour milk   Combine: 1/2 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup hot water 2-2/3 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda   Drop on a cookie sheet - size of a tablespoon. Bake at 350 degrees (10 to 15 minutes). Remove from cookie sheet and cool.   Filling: 3 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup milk Cook until thick and lumpy. When cool beat until smooth and then add: 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup shortening Whip until creamy.   Put filling between two cookies; repeat until all cookies are used.   

We just experienced our most disappointing Halloween in the 15 years we have been in our home. We received zero trick-or-treaters. Not one moment of joy opening the door to see little ones in costumes as their cute little voices called out "trick-or-treat"! As far back as I can remember Halloween has been a holiday that was fun for children. How could they not enjoy dreaming up a costume and going out to trick or treat for candy. Growing up there were six of us and we spent weeks deciding what we wanted to be and how to come up with the costume. Of course, back then we used what was available in the house to create our vision, and maybe we would get a purchased plastic mask. Then on Halloween night our parents took us out to go from house to house. We would run up to the door, knock, and when it was opened, we would all yell out, "trick or treat!", then watch as the treat was deposited into our bag or bucket. After saying thank you we moved on to the next house and