The Joy & Peace of Cooking

You will always find this can of Love sitting in my kitchen. I have had it for nearly 25 years. The kids in our old neighborhood where my son grew up always loved coming to our house when I was baking or drying apples for Christmas treats. I'd let them help me, and before anything went in the oven, it was sprinkled with as much love as their little hands could shake out of that can. The smiles on their faces as they shook the Love can always made my heart smile. Love never dries up unless you let it. Love never runs out even if someone turns their back on it. Love waits for your to pour it on life as freely as you wish.

I am realizing more and more each day how time spent in my kitchen is good for my soul. It's good for my mind because it gives me an escape from negative thoughts I may be having due to life or an onslaught of anxiety caused by PTSD. I was told by a dear hippie friend in the early 70's the importance of cooking with love, and focusing on how the food will bless those who eat it. It made sense to me and I've never forgotten it. I do not cook when I'm angry. I can't. I grew up to become a hippie, too. I always cook with Love.

If you're having a rough time finding joy this holiday season, try making a batch of cookies for a group home or a shelter. Sprinkle the ingredients with mental love. Try this with everything you cook or bake even if it's just some scrambled eggs for yourself. You will taste the love and your body will feel the love, too.

Here's a quick and easy main dish that looks festive and tastes great!! It's a Woodstock Lily original.

Happy Apples and Sausage

Slice up a package of smoked sausage, 1 large sweet onion, 2-3 apples [don't peel but remove seeds], and 1 large red pepper. You may also add chopped yams or sweet potatoes. I prefer yams because they have more nutritional value than a sweet potato does. Drizzle the mixture with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Add some fresh oregano and a sprig of rosemary if you have it and bake at 350 degrees until nicely browned. Stir occasionally while baking. You may also add a nice touch of color and flavor the last 5 minutes with some dried cranberries. The options are endless with a dish like this. Be brave. Cooking is an adventure. Sprinkle it with LOVE and enjoy!

Next time you're preparing a meal, put the tea kettle on.

Make a nice cup of Black Cherry Tea and think of me.

I'll be smiling and sending you some love.

Bloomers

A new piece I'm working on, "In Full Bloom".
I dedicate this post to all who are blooming.

Or have bloomers...
Or are wearing bloomers...
Or not.. [just sayin'...]

"In everyone's life, at some time,
our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame
by an encounter with another human being.
We should all be thankful for those people
who rekindle our inner spirit."
~Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)~

I'm grateful every day, in every way, for all
that I'm blessed with.
I have a loving family,
Superman as a body guard & protector,
and amazing friends like each of you
who inspire me to keep
pushing through PTSD
and to run the race of life with joy.

We have some new kids on the block.
Opie's Rainbow Ant Farm.
The sand is layered in bright colors
so we can watch them mix it up
like paint on a palette
as they tunnel to China.
You can see Barney's [the beta] cool house
in the shot above this one.

He's always ready t0 lend a helping paw
and some creative brain waves
even when he's cat napping.

Some visual inspiration in my studio.

"Count your blessings not your troubles."
~Lille Diane~
[yes, you may quote me...]

Smiling on the Inside

Today at physical therapy (yep...I'm getting some help for my back and knees--things haven't been the same since the accident) I saw a woman that had the most beautiful face I've ever seen. I try not to stare at the other clients while they are working through their program or being evaluated by the therapists but I had to peek at her. OK I found myself staring at her. She never stopped smiling even when no one was speaking to her or for that matter even looking at her. It wasn't a phony, glued on, goofy or drugged out smile. It was radiant. Try as Hollywood may, smiles like this can only come from the heart, the soul and the essence of how one lives even when no one is looking.

Her face glowed. I half expected feathers to drop behind her when she walked like they did in the movie "Michael" with John Travolta playing the angel. Yes, she looked angelic. What captivated me even more was the fact she must be in her late 70's or maybe even her 80's. She had soft, shoulder length, honey and silver colored hair pushed back by a simple white headband. I swear there were no wrinkles on her face, and no signs of plastic surgery--just the faint remains of freckles from girlhood that still dotted her high cheek bones. No makeup. Just pure angelic effervescence.

As she stood up to leave I saw her reach for two crutches. I could see a leg brace poking out below one pant leg. Slowly, and quite deliberately, she made her way to the exit doors. Smiling with each step. I could not help but wish I could have a conversation with her. Be her friend. Learn about her story. Sit at her angelic feet. Bask in her beauty for as long as possible.

My foster mom's mother-in-law, Granny J, had a face that also showed the condition of her heart. I never once remember her smiling except a smirk if she was gossiping. Years ago when I was looking at my little sister Pam's wedding pictures, I saw a shot I've never forgotten. The photographer took a shot as all the guests turned to watch the bride walk down the aisle. This is always one of the magical moments in a wedding; the first glimpse of the beautiful bride. All the guests were contorted to sneak a peek at Pam as she stood holding onto my dad's arm to join Jimmy at the alter. Each and every person beamed like God had personally selected them to be His spot light on the bride. Everyone except Granny J.

Granny J's face was twisted into a wretched frown. Lips turned downward in an upside down smile, eyes cold as her heart, scowling at my sister. No joy. No happiness. No beauty. Nothing but deep lines of hatred etching craters like canyons where smile lines should have been. How sad. How painfully revealing. No amount of Botox can correct a heart of stone.

I'm going to practice smiling. Goofy, silly, Cheshire Cat grins that make people wonder what I'm up to. What harm could happen to one if they practice making childlike faces to see if they can make the corners of their lips reach their eyebrows? I'm going to play a game to try to smile when I feel least like smiling especially when no one is looking or if I'm wearing cranky pants.

Wouldn't it be grand if everyone wanted to ask you, "What are you smiling about?"

And we could simply shrug our shoulders and say, "Nothing." Grinning the entire time.

Happy Spring!!!

Happy Spring Everyone!

I cannot wait to see what blooms
in your yard this year.
Plant seeds of joy, hope and love.
~Then watch them grow~

Embracing Today

I really do embrace every season. It seems we often spend more time waiting for or talking about the next season than really savoring the gifts of the current one. Soon it will be summer, and we'll be complaining about how hot it is... We'll be wishing for an icy, cool breeze to take us away from the sizzling, sweltering heat. We'll begin talking about how nice it will be to wear sweaters again.

How much time do we really spend here today?
Right now--in this precious moment.

Yesterday Superman took me for a winter walk. I had a doctor visit that was quite a distance away so to help me cope with the traffic [and my tired foot from helping him brake on my side of the car] he broke up the trip with a glorious reminder of the beauty in "today".

I am OK...

I can find my center and remember how to be here now.
My joy to be alive is bigger than my fear of being in a car.

And a great winter hat is always a reminder why I have every reason to smile.
Besides....
This hat goes great with a pair of monkey pantz.

Snowflakes

All morning I've been watching the snow fall. Flurries, and dense patches of frosty stars falling, or floating, depending on how you look at it. Swirling, and dancing. Silent, intricate universes as individual as we are. It's hypnotic--watching snowflakes fall. It feels like I'm inside a snow globe except the snow is on the outside, and I'm on the inside looking out. I'm pondering the snowflakes, and my navel, with a new year on the horizon.

In watching the snow fall, I realized, all that really matters is this moment, and finding the joy in life no matter how much or how little "snow" falls on my world. So for the rest of the day, or at least for a moment, ( I cannot even begin to tackle the "hugeness" of the entire next year) I'd like to live as free as a snowflake inside my heart. Yesterday is something I cannot change, and tomorrow (should I be blessed enough to have one) is not yet here. I have this one shot at making my life as joyful as a dancing snowflake or as turbulent as a blizzard.

This snow globe perspective isn't a once a year kind of thinking for me. I probably over think most things on most days, and waste way too much time in the "what-ifs" or "I shoulda's". But there's something about hanging up a new calendar that shifts my core, and allows me to begin thinking about new beginnings.

Is it any wonder mankind sees snow a sign of purity? Or a new year as turning over a new leaf? Or white as a symbol of cleanliness? Is it a fluke that a new year falls in winter just as a snowflake does? If snowflakes could sing, would my life song be singing in harmony with them? If my life were a snow globe would others look in on my world and want to be a part of it?

Maybe I should keep my snow globe out all year long to shake up a fresh, snowfall of JOY whenever I need a fresh perspective, or a clean slate to start over if I get muddied-up. Or if I just need a reminder of the JOY that all children see inside a snowflake. Yes... I rather like that New Year's resolution.

2010
I welcome you with joy.