To Resolve, or Not to Resolve?

I started this new year around a bonfire with friends, under a blue moon making smores and sharing funny stories. It was an awesome way to spend New Year's Eve! There was no getting around the major question on everybody's mind though, which was "what resolutions are you making for this year?" I pondered this question and thought, okay I resolve not to make any resolutions for this year. ( I think).
It's not that I don't have habits that need changing, or projects that need to be organized, weight to be lost or birthdays to keep up with better this year, it is just more that I feel the need to do these things on a regular basis more than because it is a new year and therefore I must start new habits. Maybe in part it is a rebellion against the "I have to's, or I should's" .Maybe it is just that If I resolve to do something and then don't follow through I will feel as if I have failed at whatever project I was trying to do.
So for 2010, I resolve not to make resolutions.
There are things I would like to accomplish in the new year. Some are simple and others not so much, but they are all important to me in their way.

I really like the idea of journaling about the things that make me happy each day. So many of our best memories aren't days of our lives, but simply moments that made us happy. I've noticed, that as I get older the days go faster. My grandma told me it would happen that way, but somehow it still took way to long to get to my birthday, or Cristmas. Now it happens so fast I wonder where I was while the time was evaporating.
Yes, I would love to be more organized and less cluttered this year too. I hope to accomplish, that a little at a time, but soon, very soon. Being more organized and less cluttered for me reduces stress and free time up for other things.
I would also like to work more on plants and jewelry and find some much better vegan recipes for my son.
I am off to a good start on the vegan recipes, it turned cold here today, so it was a great day for potato and broccoli soup.









I "veganized" my normal recipe and discovered it was really good and tasted much better than I imagined it would be.

Here is the recipe I made up today:

Vegan Potato & Broccoli Soup with cornbread

6 medium sized russet or white potatoes

1 head fresh Broccoli

8 cups vegetable broth

1Tbsp vegan margarine ( Earth Balance is very good)

1 cup of silk creamer ( original flavor soy creamer)

Salt and Pepper to taste, I also added some cajun seasoning and garlic powder to taste.


Peel and boil potatoes in vegetable broth just until tender and add the broccoli. Simmer until potatoes have finished cooking but are not mushy. Add the butter and soy creamer and season to your liking. Simmer until the broth is warmed again and serve with cornbread.

Vegan Cornbread "jiffy style"

1 cup yellow corn meal
2 cup self rising flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of plain unflavored soy milk.
1/3 cup vegetable oil.



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. spray cake pan or similar sized baking dish with pam spray.

Mix all ingredients well and pour into prepared pan, bake approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown and the edges have pulled away from the pan sides. Serve warm with soup. Enjoy.

I hope you enjoy the soup and cornbread, maybe next week, I will get started on my journal and jewelry projects.

Laugh and the world laughs with you...

Do you ever have 1 of those times when you just have to sit back and laugh... at yourself? Everynow and then, I realize that I do things subconsiously and then when I do realize I am doing them, it is just funny! Why do we do them. These little things that seem insignificant at the time all kind of add up into 1 good laugh at ourselves.

It happened to me just this past week. I don't usually wear a watch because I am not on a regular schedule. I have watches mind you, I just don't bother to put 1 on. I needed a watch for a particular day this week and I knew I had 1 in a purse that I haven't been using lately. Well, I searched every purse I own and I didn't find any watches. The funny part is... What I did find in every purse is a rock, ( sometimes 2)! I have always been fascinated with rocks, however I didn't realize that I was stashing them. Living at the beach, I have always felt "rock deprived". We don't have real rocks, we have shells or dirt clods. So I guess unconsiously I have been stashing rocks.

I use them for different things too, I don't just carry them around. In my jewelry making, I sometimes wire wrap an unusual stone, or any and all beach pebbles just for the sheer joy of playing with a rock.

I am not sure what it is about them that I find so fascinating. Maybe it is just the variety, or the beauty that God has put in each 1. It may even be because they are unique, like us. No 2 will ever be identical. It is amazing when you think about it.

I really had to sit back and wonder at the evolution of this particular idiosyncracy. Then I just had a good laugh.

On a serious note now, I have to send out a big THANK YOU! to Mei from wireblissmei. She awarded me with a One Lovely Blog Award. It is my first blog award. Mei makes beautiful wire jewelry and she writes great tutorials too. I will soon be passing the award on, but in the meantime stop by her blog and check out her designs. You will glad you did.


Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused. ( Author Unknown)

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Boy Time sure flies....

Wow!
I cannot believe how long it has been since I have posted. This summer brought many changes into my little world. My son became a vegan in June, so I feel as if I am failing cooking school. It is really not easy to adjust to cooking with no animal products whatsoever especially when you have never cooked without them. Most of the things I have made have been okay, but not wonderful, some not edible and very few that were requested more than once. I am spending lots of time searching the net for recipes and tips and tricks that will make things look and taste better and if they can be a little more convenient.... ( well I can dream right). I had planned to post some recipes and pictures of things we have made, but I just haven't gotten to it yet.Hopefully pictures and recipes will come soon.

Another thing that changed for me this summer, was I revisited an old craft. I took copper working classes in school and have fiddled with it on and off since then. I have a great friend who is a fine jewelry designer and who makes the most beautiful jewelry and she has shown me some methods of forging and soldering metals and so I have branched into silver as well as copper. You can follow this link to her website and see why I am so crazy about her designs. Barbara Umbel Jewelry Designs . I have made many earrings as well as a few bracelets and I will list them in my etsy shop soon.

I am hopelessly addicted to plants. Most people who know me, don't bother to question the fact that I have an extra refrigerator for seeds, but it is quite a pleasant addiction. I have heard it said that "Good things come to those who wait" and 2 nights ago good things did. I have amassed an extensive collection of Epiphyllum (orchid cactus) ( some started from refrigerated seeds) and 1 bloomed for the first time. These are nocturnal cacti and the blooms don't even begin opening until late in the evening. By morning, the blooms have finished and they only last for 1 showing. The variety that bloomed for me this week is Epiphyllum Oxypetalum. Also known as Queen of the Night. She put on quite a show and although I was too tired to stay up all night watching, I was able to see bloom. Here she is in all her glory.


Thanks for stopping by and look for updates on a regular basis real soon.

My Soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
Luke 1: 4-6

Aww' He's so cute! NOT!!!!!

Well, I used to think racoons were some of the cutest creatures that God had created. I loved their little masks that gave the appearance of bandits. I also thought the rings on their tails were somehow just adorable. The way they seemed to wash their hands had always intrigued me and I never really minded that much when on a camping trip they raided the cooler and made off with the next day's meals. That was then....

Now, They are not cute, they are not adorable they are hunters as well as scavengers.

The racoon in question attempted and finally succeeding in capturing 1 of my birds. Precious a cute little blue and white budgie was living peacefully on the screened porch as close to nature as a caged bird can. His life was cut short by a masked bandit and his friends were traumatized as well. I know that it is in an animals nature to survive anyway it can, and it must have been extremely hungry because even after we bolted the door at 1:30 Am, the racoon returned and ripped the screens out. I don't believe the racoon was vicious although my birds might see it differently, I think that he was just opportunistic. He saw a food supply and was determined to extinguish it. By 5 AM, the remaining birds were moved into the safety of the house. They are so traumatized that one of my blue quaker parrots, who used to talk incessantly, hasn't spoken a word in days. The others although subdued are now responding to me, but not Geebee. Geebee remains silent I miss the sound of her voice asking "what doin?" even though she had a habit of repeating it until she got the answer she wanted.

Since the birds have been banished to the indoor world, the racoon as returned twice. I guess he is wondering what happened to his free lunch. There is a place in this world for all of God's creatures, and I don't begrudge the racoon his, but my screened in locked porch at 1, 3 or 5 AM is not it.

All Things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
( From and old Anglican hymn)

Oh Man, You caught me....

I have been Tagged! I guess I am it... I have been tagged by Folkartbycampbelljane. I have mentioned her work before and she is one of my favorite artists of all time. Anyway since she tagged me, I am supposed to tell you 6 things that make me happy and then I am to tag 6 others to do the same.

Here Goes, 6 things that make me happy are:
1)Spending time with my family and friends,
2) Hearing children laugh, there's just something about that sound.
3)Seeing my son and husband smile.
4)Traveling to places with strange names (i.e Whynot, NC, Hungry Mother State Park in Virginia, or the best yet, Kingdom Come State park in Kentucky.) I really have been to KINGDOM COME! hahaha "I love far away places with strange sounding names." Ok, really just traveling anywhere.
5) Flowers, lots and lots of flowers in bloom. Especially planting seeds for flowers.
6)Pretty Pictures. Whether painted or photographed, there is something about a picture I just love. They have the gift of teleportation and I guess that fascinates me.

These are just a few of the things that make me happy, there are plenty more and this list isn't really in any particular order either. So now you'd better look out, you just might be it next.

cha cha cha changes.....

Have you taken a walk down memory lane lately? Have you thought about just how many changes you have endured, or watched in your children or family seemingly without noticing at the time? This week, my teenager will graduate from middle school and every year they produce a video of each child in the graduating class basically from birth until graduation. You only use about 10 or 15 photos to show the changes the children have gone through and it really is something. This was our year. As we went through the photo albums and then picture cds, and finally flash drives, I began to realize all of the changes we have all been through. It was an amazing journey down that memory lane that encompasses the past 14 years. Who would have thought all those years ago that so many things would change without our even realizing it was taking place. Try it soon, I'd be willing to bet you will remember things you didn't before. Amid the laughter and the tears there are treasures. It makes me want to say, " Thank you God, life is good."


Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," Declares the Lord,"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Happy Memorial Day!

I wish for everyone to have a happy and safe Memorial Day. Thank you to all of our Soldiers who give up everything so that we can remain safe and free. Thanks for the time spent away from your families, friends, homes and all things that are precious to you so that we and our friends, families, homes and freedoms so precious to us are protected. Thank you for choosing to be our Heros. You will be on our minds and in our prayers.