All My Sons......by Arthur Miller

Today we woke to blue skies and sunshine.....a very welcome site indeed.  Spring is not suppose to be all sunshine and lollipops in Colorado - Wet snow and chilled breathy air - that is more what a Spring morning in Colorado is like.....of course - blue skies are (almost) always available year round!  But today - the second day of Spring- offered up warm sunshine and blue skies.  That is not all....I.happened to glance at the edge of my driveway  ......PURPLE CROCUS! With many more getting ready to rise out of the winter soil. So beautiful - so happy they make me!!! Just enough blooms to announce the arrival of Spring - but not enough to be worrisome....more snow on the horizon......I checked on my trees for any signs of life and could just make out little bumps where the leaves will soon be pushing through. Before long the yard will be lush and thriving - a bounty of natural beauty! But until then - the little purple crocus smiles up at me.  I'm happy!

Went to see a very good play. Intense...but very good. Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" - had no idea what we were going to be witnessing - had to swallow my emotions numerous times during the play - the acting was incredible - felt like I was reliving a moment in time.  Life happens - we read it in the history books - but watching a play like this takes those words we read  and makes them POP! and grab you by the heart and soul......makes you truly understand and FEEL those words.  It was an incredible play - based on a true story, which makes it that much more poignant. 

Blarney!

I hope a bit of the Irish luck visits you today!!!!

Spring forward!!!!

Just a reminder to all.....it's time to SPRING FORWARD!!! Set those clocks ahead one hour - ufta! Sure hope I get to sleep in tomorrow morning....yaawwnn! The alarm on Monday is going to be quite early :(

Natchitoches Meat Pies

So.....I've been quiet for quite awhile it seems - quiet but not idle!  I have been exploring and discovering my culinary skills - thanks to a couple of ladies from "Our Best Bites" - THE most wonderful cooking blog on the internet in my opinion :)  You can visit them as well....see link below...  Anyhoo....I have have been looking for new ideas to liven up my repertoire in the kitchen. I have made the Flat Bread (which I recently posted about) and this week I'm working on the Natchitoches (NACK-it-esh) Meat Pies.  I love the idea of a portable lunch that can be nibbled on while leisurely window shopping - or taking a walk through the park - portable and delectable!!!! I made the meat filling a couple days ago - and just like they said, the filling gets better as it sits in the fridge :)  Definitely a do ahead part of the recipe - I doubled my recipe thinking I just wouldn't have enough.....oops!!! Was I so very wrong!! I made eight medium size meat pies and a bevy of little ones and I barely used any of the meat.....I will be making these all week long - good thing they freeze well. I was thinking that this would make a very good gift for a friend who is immobile right now - popping a couple in the oven for dinner would be quite simple for her husband to manage - a little green salad and voile'- instant meal.  I was also thinking that this meat mixture would make a good salad wrap or "Louisiana burrito" :) Or even scrambled up into some eggs would be nice - I may be getting rather creative as the week goes on......
Next on my list is the Thai Noodle Salad - with a very yummy sounding Thai Peanut Dressing - This I will be making for a friend who has requested healthy foods as she recovers - and she LOVES Thai food.  I think this qualifies as healthy....it will be up to her how much of the yummy dressing she uses :)

So keep on smiling - enjoy the life you are given and always remember to explore all the possibilities - nothing worse than a mundane life :) http://www.ourbestbites.com

Flat bread & Pea soup - among other things...

So today I was reading  the various blogs that I follow. I felt quite envious of the quick wit and quirky writing styles - and the ability of those fellow bloggers to be able to post even in the midst of crazy life changing (and not so life changing) happenings.  Case in point.....fellow blogger Kate at www.ourbestbites.com wrote that she was trying to keep calm while raising 2 kids (and we know how kids always seem to sense when we are at out low points!) and closing on a house in 5 days!!! Even with this she posted a most delicious (and welcome) flat bread recipe....number one....I LOVE bread of all kinds but my weak point is FLAT BREAD!! I never really had a good recipe so I relied on the frozen bread dough (or Texas rolls) and skipped the initial dough making process. Thank you Kate for sharing such an easy quick way to indulge in comfort!!!! Please visit her site for the recipe .....Also....I decided if I make the flat bread then I'm most definitely going to need some homemade something or other to go along with it.  It had to be fast though - especially since the flat bread was going to be relatively quick.  I decided to make my "canned pea soup" - a hodgepodge of sorts that turn into a most wonderful delight.....I don't usually do the same thing twice but here is what I did this evening:
4 cans (any brand) sweet peas with juice
2 cans (any brand) sweet peas w/o juice
1 large can chicken stock
1 small onion (diced)
2 large carrots (shredded)
1 large potato (shredded)
3 slices deli ham (chopped)
1 tsp freeze dried garlic (same as regular garlic)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sage
1 tsp white pepper
Place all ingredients into a stock pot and bring to a boil.....then simmer for 30 minutes or until carrot and potato are cooked through.  Using an immersion blender cream the soup for a minute or so.  There should still be a small amount of texture for taste interest :)  Let simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken.  Add a dollop of butter on top when serving and sprinkle with black pepper.

I have been keeping up on my knitting......still work diligently on the sweater for my brother.  I'm finally at the part where I can just mindlessly knit (for a billion stitches) and it's nice to be able to pick it up and just start knitting - whether for an minute or an hour.  I have until the middle of next month to complete this task.  I'm thinking it will be doable :)  The funny thing is the sweater seems to be much smaller than the last one I knit - I'm hoping like the dickens that it is an illusion! I do have the body scrunched on the circular needles and the shoulders are cinched in with waste yarn (until I add the sleeves)  I'm sure once it is all released the sweater will take on a more manly size!

 In between all the knitting and cooking and working and playing etc. etc. there are the puzzles!  A few have been completed since my last blog - but this is the one in process at the moment.....fun!

Enjoy life and share some smiles along the way :)

Sleep well......

I haven't posted for a few days......I guess I have been pretty busy.....at least too busy to take pictures or sit and write.  I have not forgotten my personal pact to embrace this new task with vim and vigor! I shall return with more life in the slow lane - but for now......sleep well :)

Today I smile :)

Today I smile :)  I haven't really accomplished much.....but I smile :) I think I will make Tuesdays "Smile even if you don't know why" day......feels good.  Friendship makes me smile....Isn't it amazing to watch little ones......they truly see nothing but YOU. They look in your eyes and know if you are good or bad - friend or foe. They are not concerned by what you look like or where you came from.... How awesome it would be to see through those eyes again...  It's never to late to remember......today I smile :)  And I know why!

http://www.ourbestbites.com
Discovered this wonderful website - for those of you who want to smile in the kitchen!!!