On My Mind Today

Watching the news today often brings much disappointment and despair as I see events taking place in this country, and around the world. So much hatred, or mean spiritedness, seems to have taken over our society. People somehow feel they have the right to say whatever they are thinking without taking time to think through how it sounds. The words go directly from their head to their mouth without stopping at a filter. All of this sets us up for a world where nobody cares about their friends, neighbors or the strangers they encounter each day. Perhaps this is exactly what our world leaders are hoping for. If people are not paying attention to what they are doing, then it will enable them to do exactly as they please without thinking of the consequences for their citizens. There are times that I'm glad I won't be around in 30 years, when what seems inevitable happens from events being put into motion now. At times the fear and sadness in my heart, for my children and grandchildre...

With the sun shining higher and brighter in the sky, and the days getting longer, there is a hint of spring in the air. Although the temperatures have not become warm enough to open windows here in New England, I can see it on the horizon. In two weeks, we will turn the clocks ahead and the first day of spring will quickly follow. Even if a couple of snowstorms come in after that they will rapidly disappear. As spring approaches my desire to start cleaning takes over. I have been told by my daughters that my obsessive inclination to clean has been imparted on them. They are not thrilled to have taken on this trait. My youngest daughter was visiting recently, and she found a bottle in the closet with dust on it. She took a picture and sent it to her sister as she couldn't believe it was possible in my house. I let her know that I have relaxed quite a bit with age. Anyway, I still have the desire to clean every closet, curtain and wall, I just don't have the same drive. As time a...

I may not call as often as I used to, and my messages are not as frequent. Don't fret and wonder as to why, as I have not forgotten you. Life is not what I imagined as I entered this stage of life. The dreams of carefree days filled with fun are not as common as I had hoped. Sometimes it is hard to explain the things that are faced each day. Although they may be small at this time, the worry is not felt less. Many days seem to be long, and it is enough just keeping up. When the evening arises with time to relax, silence seems to be a best friend. I do think of you often, and treasure memories of time spent together. However, no matter how good my intentions, there are times that sleepy eyes stop a call. Know in your heart that I think of you, and cherish our time and conversations. One day when you least expect it your phone will ring, as I have not forgotten you. 

From Claudia Lamascolo, this stuffed meatloaf called Polpettone is the gourmet version Italian style meatloaf. This version comes from the region of Bari, Italy, and is her mother's recipe which is stuffed with hard boiled eggs. I used a mix of ground beef and ground sweet Italian sausage, prosciutto in place of the Capicola, and did not use the spinach. I asked the Italian in my house if it was as good as his mother's, and he said it was actually better. Couldn't ask for a better compliment than that!! Polpettone Italian Stuffed Meatloaf 4 or 5 hard boiled eggs, or enough to place across the size of your meat mixture spread out 1 - 10 ounce bag of fresh or frozen spinach sauteed in olive oil or boiled escarole drained and seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh garlic (1 minced clove) grated Romano cheese 6-7 slices of Hot or Sweet Capicola (or use prosciutto, soppressata) Slices of mozzarella or provolone 1-1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef 4 slices of day-old bread, crust cut of...

I never believed in my lifetime I would ever see the world we live in shrouded in so much chaos and hatred. Being part of the peace and love generation, I have always tried to live my life emulating these things, and taught my children love, peace, and acceptance of all people. We are all human and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. It boggles the mind to see so many trying to tear down society. Spewing hate filled rhetoric with the goal of brainwashing others into believing their lies. Outright attempts to dismiss anyone that is different and trying to make everyone see them as outcasts or second-class citizens. Our families are a melting pot of diverse people with different social and cultural characteristics. We speak many different languages, and do not always share the same religion, beliefs, values, or behaviors. These differences are what makes our world such an interesting place to live. Instead of spreading lies about those who are not like us or trying to paint c...

When I was a child there was a radio and television program called  Queen For A Day . It originated on the Mutual Radio Network in New York City on April 30, 1945, then moved to Los Angeles and ran until 1957. The four contestants told their stories of hardship, and the winner would be determined by the amount of applause they received from the audience. The applause was measured by a meter showing the levels that were reached for each contestant. The winner was then draped in a sable-trimmed robe with a jeweled crown placed on their head and were given a dozen long-stemmed roses as they sat on a velvet throne. She usually wept as they announced the list of prizes she had won. I'm sure this sounds very corny, but remember it was the 50's and at the time it provided a distraction and a dream to housewives everywhere. As I have been working to exhaustion over the past week or two shoveling snow every other day, this program came to mind. I thought to myself that being Queen would...

This recipe comes from https://skinnyms.com . These muffins are light, delicious and a perfect to go option for busy mornings. You will have to plan ahead as the oats and milk need to sit overnight in the refrigerator. They can be made as is in the recipe below, or you can adjust to suit your needs. I used regular milk and grapeseed oil for mine and they came out great. Filled with a perfect blend of cinnamon, blueberries and lemon, they are sure to be a family favorite. Flourless Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins Makes 12 Muffins 2-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1-1/2 cups almond milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or coconut sugar) 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 cup fresh blueberries Combine oats and milk in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 375 ℉. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with ...

Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Not enough value is placed on integrity today. Those in a position of influence, who should be displaying this characteristic are choosing to behave in a manner that is amoral or unethical. It seems that each decade it has progressively gotten worse as nobody seems to be holding them accountable for their actions. When did we decide as a society that integrity doesn't matter? Somewhere along the way deceit, corruption, disgrace, and dishonor have become the norm for many. They have no problem bullying, chastising and mocking others in public, on television and also social media; calling it their "truth". The sad thing in all of this is that we have either become immune to, or beaten down, by this behavior. Our children deserve to have better role models, and we should demand it from those in a position to influence them. People of integrity do exist in our communities and we see ...