HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Well, here it is Mother's Day Eve. My sister sent me a lovely written blog post on Facebook. I read it, I liked it, but the title bothered me: "A letter to the Motherless Daughter's on Mother's Day." My thought when I first read the title was "I'm not motherless." Clearly, it was not the writers intent to come across that way. However, it made me think and think I did...which led to journaling...which led to blogging...

So here it is a blog to all, especially girls and women (young and old) you DO have someone to celebrate, cherish, and appreciate this Mother's day:

I am not Motherless! My mom is with me today and everyday. She was with me when I sang my babies to sleep at night (although my voice was not as sweet as she), when I give hugs away, when I slave over a cake for family and friends, when I spend hours baking Christmas cookies, when I tend to my garden, when I stay up to the wee hours of the morning crafting a Halloween costume or altering a prom dress. She is there when I craft a special gift for a friend or family member. You see, I am my Mother's Daughter. I see it, I feel it, I live it. She taught me to pray, to be kind, how to love and give it away, to forgive (when it may not come easy), to nurture, to have patience (that came later in life ;) She was truly born to be a Mom or so it seemed.

I remember on vacation watching my mom stare out onto the ocean. Taking in the beauty of the great Earth.  She would often stare out in a dazed moment and I could not help but wonder, at the time, what it was she was thinking about. She was "lost in the moment" taking in all of God's grace, I am not sure I ever really asked her the "what" or "why" but today I think I may have the answer. 

Remember there is always someone in your life shaping you. Not just a Mom or Grandma, maybe a neighbor (in my case our beloved Ann who was like a Grandma to us), a mentor, a teacher...A woman who devoted her life to caring and loving a child/children as her own. You are also shaping the lives of others. Be a good example. Cater to the needs and desires of others and not just yourself. Find joy in the simple things. Someday you will be left with a memory. A memory that leaves a smile not a frown.  

I do miss my Mom, but her presence is very much alive. I thank her and praise her for leaving me much more blessed than I could have ever imagined when she physically left this Earth 21 years ago. 

Not just on Mother's day but everyday: I will honor her and celebrate the awesome grace-filled woman she was. It is a struggle at times but I strive to be more like her. To be the kind, gentle spirit she really was and to live out her legacy and pass on to my three daughters, as well. Live out your Mother's love she will smile and know she did a job well done. 

If you are fortunate enough to physically have your Mother here on Earth visit her, call her, text her. Do something! If you are not that fortunate continue to celebrate the legacy she left behind.  Revisit the past with her by wearing her jewelry, her favortite perfume, buy or pick her most cherished flower, bake her most treasured recipe for your family. Tell her favorite stories to others. Pass it on...her love and presence remain with you, always. 

Making Butter 101

Homemade Butter

 

Maybe you like science experiments, maybe you enjoy the simple life, maybe you always wanted to be Laura Ingalls, maybe you consider yourself a domestic goddess and making butter is on the bucket list. For me it's all of the above! If you have a stand mixer I highly recommend it. If you are into exercise or do not have a mixer, try a mason jar and shake for 6-8 minutes.

Let's get started!

Ingredients:

Heavy Whipping Cream

Salt

Just to be clear, this is simple butter recipe. You can add wahtever spices to your butter later to give it a desired flavor (e.g. cinnamon, honey, garlic, chives...endless ideas)

Pour your whipping cream into the mixing bowl. 

NOTE: You will want to make sure you DO NOT OVERFILL the bowl. Trust me on this. 

I cover my mixer with saran wrap, using tape to secure and make a "tent". Trust me you will want to cover with something. I recommend a clear view, because it is an amazing process :) Once you have it covered start mixing. With a mason jar start shaking! Now it will seem like it is doing nothing. You may question if you are even doing it right. You are...as long as you used heavy cream, poured in the mixer, and in fact turned on the mixer you are doing it right! I usually set mine to a medium speed. You will start to hear the mixer "churn." you may want to stop at that point, don't! As it starts to churn into butter it will eventually make a "splattering" sound. And it seperates, you will have butter (a soild) and...BUTTERMILk (the liquid)! AMAZING! In the picture below, I am draining out the buttermilk to use in pancakes for later, yum! I usually store it in a mason jar, in the fridge. 

You are not done. 

Take the solid (the butter) and rinse it under cold water. Squeezing out the milk. Wash it, squeeze it, repeat! You need to wash it, otherwise you end up with rancid butter. It is like playing with play doh.

Once you have the milk rinsed out of the butter. I normally put the butter back into the mixing bowl and add the salt to mix thoroughly. The amount of salt you add is entirely up to you. That is it, you have butter! 

For a variety of flavored butter: after you add the salt, mix, you can add your favorite herbs or spices.

Now my husband did not enjot this and did not find it as amazing as I did so be warned, not everyone may think this is amazing. Yes I paid $2 for heavy cream for eight ounces of butter. So worth it!

Enjoy!

Indoor Herb Garden...making a house a home

Spring has sprung here in Ohio. Well at least inside it has. It was a cold dreary Spring Sunday outside (gloves and winter coat worthy), warm, cozy and green inside. If you are looking for a fun little project to add some green to the inside of your house no better way than to plant an indoor herb garden. Brings fresh smells, with just a sniff and life to the inside of the home. Provides a quick fun little way to confirm that indeed spring is coming in the days/weeks ahead (I mean warmth, color, and sun). Why limit indoor herbs to just the kitchen. 

All you need is Herbs, plant from seed indoors if you are feeling ambitious . OR in my case go to the local garden center and pick up a variety of potted herbs ($2-$3). I'm inpatient, I like the "instant" gratification that comes with the potted ones. 

For a pretty and "homey" look transplant the herbs to a nice looking pot. You do not need to go out and buy a new pot, think creatively. Did your family open a can of veggies/fruit for dinner? Peel off the label and voila instant pot! How about an empty jar from pickles, olives, pasta sauce, think outside the box. You would be amazed the creative ways you can recycle a can or a jar, but that my friends is for another blog (FOCUS). In my case I used 4 Canning Jars I had laying around. Yes I have canned too...another blog...(FOCUS) 

I chose Chives, Oregano and Thyme (you never can have enough of it...really Thyme and TIME is an awesome thing) for the kitchen. Lavender was chosen for the bedside table. It is great for a bathroom as well, who needs a candle ;) 

In the bottom of the pot, can, jar you will need to place some pebbles (about a half-inch or one inch) for drainage we went outside to gather ours, If you happen to be somewhere where you can't gather pebbles, go to a local park for free or Dollar stores or Walmart tend to have them in the craft section. 

Next thing you will need is potting soil personally I like Miracle-Gro, but any will do. Using a small shovel or spoon fill up about half the jar with soil and add a few tablespoons of water. Take your Herb out of its original container and break up roots with fingers and place in jar, push it down to secure, fill in gaps with more soil as needed. Too keep the processs neat and tidy, as it was too cold to do outdoors, we laid newspaper to make clean-up easy.

We used chalkboard stickers to write the contents on each jar. However, you could use popscicle stick, cardstock with a holepunch and some twine, ideas are endless. You could choose to dress up your jar as well with burlap, ribbon, twine...do I need to go on? Place in a sunny spot and water as needed. 

You have a new neighbor? Cute lil housewarming gift. Need a Birthday gift for someone? Need something for the table? Place them in an old wood toolbox or a basket for display. 

It's a useful, fragrant pop of color indoors. Enjoy! Happy planting.

Mark 4:3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Once Upon a Time in a Far Away Land...

Over the weekend I took one of my very own Little Princesses (ok she's big but still..MY Little Princess) to see the most recent release of Disney's Cinderella.   The movie was quite (ahem) enchanting...sorry it really was. I have always been quite the fan of Cinderella. I think I have seen every version that has been made into a movie. Who doesn't  love a good old timeless Fairy tale? As much as you want to think it was the typical sappy story of a Commoner meeting her Prince Charming and they live " Happily Ever After" it really was oh so much more. You come away with a heart happy feeling. 

At some point in your life you have been there. You realize you have been in Cinderella's shoes (by shoes I mean her ragged old flats and not that glass slipper). She may seem like a pushover, but she really is not. She is simply a beautiful, kindhearted, courteous human being whom we all should strive to be. How many times do you feel walked on or that all your kindness fails to get you anywhere? This movie gives the hope that yes indeed Good does prevail over evil.  It takes courage and persistence though to get there. 

Unfortunately, we encounter people in our lives who push us to the limits. It may or may not be a Stepmother or Stepsisters (who are not really ugly but their personality makes them UGLY). We find of our kind hearts breaking and our once courteous nature being tried. Cinderella has inner beauty as well as outer beauty. How many young girls can not simply see either? How many girls would love to have a Bibbidi Bobbodi Boo moment where someone makes them over and shows them how beautiful they really are? To have the chance go to a Ball to meet the man of her dreams (and not in the Bachelor or Bachelorette Reality TV kind of way). To dance the night away and leaving her gasping for breath because it was that amazing ...This is a movie that will leave you dreaming for all the wishes your heart makes.  

Early on in the movie Ella's Mother leaves her with these words of wisdom:
Simply have courage and be kind. You have more kindness in your little finger than some have in their whole body. Where there is kindness, there is goodness and where there is goodness, there is magic. 

And magic there is...A pumpkin is turned into a Carriage, the mice are cute and charming, the transformation is one that will leave you breathless and laughing. There is no twist, everything you expect to happen, happens. The movie is still enjoyable and in Disney fashion will leave you walking away singing..."Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly...) Lavender Green Dilly Dilly, If you Love me Dilly Dilly...I will Love you..."

If you have the chance and you love a good Fairy tale take the time to see this one. Toward the end of the movie there is a captivating scene where Cinderella looks into the mirror and it is clear she begins to see her outer beauty shine and her voice remains strong as her inner beauty speaks.  

Don't be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good-Romans 12:21

Monkey Cake

Monkey Cake-

First off let me say this is my version of a Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana (only used for garnishment) Cake. I like the the idea of semi homemade easy recipes. I usually just make up a name to go with my creations. So this my friends is my version of Monkey Cake!

Chocolate cake- I made mine from a box and followed the directions. Bake accordingly and let cool. 

While cake is cooling I normally whip up my icing. Now because I am all about being flexible and easy I will say making your own icing is not necessary, but in my opinion it is so much better to use homemade buttercream icing. I don't measure for my recipe so it is not posted, but the glory of this is whichever recipe you do choose to use (even canned) it will still work. Once buttercream icing is made or dumped from the can, don't be ashamed really it's all good ;) add about a cup to a cup and a half of peanut butter to the icing and mix using a mixer. Mix well until it is creamy. Taste test to ensure it has a peanut butter taste. 

Now I baked my cake to be a round 9 inch layer cake. Whatever type of pan you use is fine. Just ice the top of the cake if you like. Or cut the cake into layers (like I did) and ice middle layer and top layer. You may think my cake is "fancy looking" but by all means it is not. I did not even ice the sides. I used a basic tip to finish the edge and add a decorative look. 

For garnishment I added dried banana chips and chopped peanut butter cups. Viola! Easy as...cake!

Thirsty Thursday wine review!

Thirsty Thursday Wine review. I grew up Catholic. If you too grew up Catholic, you probably had wine present at some point, Holidays, Festivals, dinner table, church...it was a staple. In fact I grew up drinking homemade wine, that my neighbor's brother would bottle up by the gallons! I never comprehended the presence of wine until I was probably in my thirties. I mean I had been introduced to it at an early age but really getting to "know" and appreciate wine did not happen until I was well into my thirties. I'm no wine enthusiast. but I am enthusiastic about drinking the wine! 

Today, I am venturing on my very first wine review! This is a recent find at Trader Joe's. If you know anything about Trader Joe's you know that the wine section is famous for it's "cheap" wine. I can say I have tried many based upon the look of the label. Only to be disappointed in the taste. This time I went on price and region, but the look of the bottle definitely is a plus, it draws your eye to it ;) I am quite the fan of a German Reisling; So I checked out the German wine section looking for something "new." Then there it was the attractive label, in the German wine section at an awesome price of 5.99, a lower alcohol content of 9.5% but that's the beauty of wine (easy to drink and not knocking you off your feet unless you want it too;)-Dr. Beckermann Liebfraumilch (meaning beloved lady's milk), From Rheinhessen (Wine Region in Germany) generally speaking this is a  medium sweet wine (a personal favorite) easy to drink wine. It really needs no accompaniment. I found it best to drink slightly chilled. It is just as well on it's own. Or in my case I paired it with a light baby Swiss cheese. Perfection!

Here's to the "meanest mom in the world" I Love you and miss you!

Dear Ann Landers...

Remember that famous pen name and advice column?  It was an era where there was no internet. You could not get an answer at the click of a button. No Google, no Yahoo search engine or Bing. Just a good old newspaper column that you wrote into and waited for an answer. Seems like ancient times, doesn't it? Of course who could forget that famous Brady Bunch episode "Dear Libby?" Marcia reads the column, thinks it is about her family...Dear Libby comes to visit...yeah. Amazingly we still have advice columns. Dear Abby, Hints from Heloise, Washington's Post Carolyn Hax and Judith Martins ever popular Miss Manners. However, does anyone still subscribe to an actual in print newspaper anymore? 

As a child of a newspaper father, not a writer but a photographer. The newspaper was a must in our home. We delivered our neighborhood's papers (all four of us at some point in our growing years). My brother holding the torch the longest, I would say. Ten cent tips for delivering in rain, wind, sleet and snow. Not to driveways, but walking sidewalks and placing the newspaper in mailboxes, on porches and inside screen doors. It was a job that was prideful, with little pay. It was Andy Lloyd's kids doing the job, If we did not do it "right" the "Times Leader" heard about it, trust me! As I got older I still loved getting my news from that paper source. Subscribing to "The Dispatch." At one time I could not start my day until that paper was read. As the years passed and the internet became more prevalent and my newspaper delivery became later and later. My start of the day became more electronically based. Eventually that led to the canceling of the once beloved newspaper. Was I really going to miss anything?  Sigh...

I hadn't thought much of the newspaper. Until recently while I was rummaging through a heap of old pictures at my Dad's house. I resurrected this old newspaper article. This article hung on our fridge for many years while growing up. It brought back the memory of the newspaper. The simpler life of the seventies and eighties. The grounding of a loving family. The parents who strived to show love and compassion to four kids and pass along a legacy of family values to each and everyone of us. I would say, with great confidence, that I do believe they succeeded. That newspaper was a link to the past. I don't miss the walk to the end of the driveway to get that plastic wrapped newspaper at the crack of dawn. What I do miss are the conversations over that newspaper. The "talk" that the advice columns created between my mom and I. The laughs heard coming from a Backward glance picture. The endearment of seeing children and grandchildren's pictures in a Birthday announcement, and in our case many front page pictures. The sadness of reading an obituary of someone you may have known. Never thinking that there would be a silence to all that someday

I lost my mom 21 years ago to Leukemia. She possessed something greater than life itself. She had hope, faith and a great love for all. She was a strong woman and remains a huge influence in my life and in my heart. In times of doubt I ask myself WWPD-"What would Phyllis do"?  I know she would be proud of the legacy that she and my dad created. I celebrate her life and strive everyday to see it the way she did. It was a gift. A gift from God that was treasured and she was blessed. 

So the "meanest mom in the world" was never really mean at all. She was simply the most treasured woman I have ever known...

Proverbs 31: 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household  and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed;  her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,  and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I still love Buckeyes...the candy that is

One Saturday afternoon phone call. One sunny Saturday in January...

My home number happens to be linked to a now defunct (at least I believe it to be) Amusement Vendor/Contractor. I receive many calls on a daily (sometimes), weekly (usually), monthly (always) basis. Calls range from renting a dunking machine to replacement parts for Laughing Sal...the latter was a message left today by a man named "Bob."

I listened to his message. I shook my head. The words played over in my head just like they normally do..."I am not an Amusement vendor, no Laughing Sal here, and no I'm not calling you back..." at this point I normally delete the phone call from my voice-mail and listen to the next. Today I didn't delete, I left it. I went on to listen to message number two. Once again "Bob" in search of his Laughing Sal parts. So I thought; wow this guy must be adamant, he really wants to revamp this Laughing Sal! I went on to message number three. Not Bob, thankfully. I left the message on the VM and went about my business. I could not help but think of this guy Bob and his message. "Maybe I should call him back," "he really sounded like this Laughing Sal thing is a big deal." So what did I do? I decided to look up this Laughing Sal guy, from Santa Cruz beach. THIS is what I found!

Oh boy-If you know me and the enjoyment I get from Antiquing and weird quirky things- (e.g.The love of the "Talking Christmas Tree" from the old LS Goods in Wheeling, W.Va.) well you know I probably watched this video several times over AND I called Bob! Someone needs to save Sal, or Bob because he needs info on Sal! So I dialed (push buttoned) the number. Here goes nothing...

Ring...Ring...Me:"Hello? Bob?...Hi, my name is Michele, you called about replacement parts for Laughing Sal?" HA! Did I really just call a guy to tell him he had the wrong number? Yes I did! I felt bad for him and Laughing Sal. My conversation with this guy lasted 20 minutes. I had no forwarding information to give him just a genuine;I'm sorry I don't think the company you are trying to reach is in business anymore. I went on and explained that I never call anyone back normally but in this case I just felt like I should, otherwise I may hear from him again and frankly I felt bad for the guy (and Laughing Sal). He thanked me for the phone call and I replied with the usual- no problem. I mentioned I was in Ohio and I hoped that there was someone in California that could help him in his quest for replacement parts.

Bob then questioned back "You are from Ohio?" I said "Yes Sir that is correct, I'm from Ohio" What I heard next left me laughing like Sal. Bob said; "I'm not from California, I'm actually from Oregon and do you know what people from Oregon think of People from Ohio right now?"  In all of my sarcastic manner I replied "That we are National Champions and your Ducks are not?" Bob, laughed...thankfully. I went on to assure Bob that I was not really a Buckeye fan (not a hater, just not exactly a die-hard buckeye fan). Bob was actually an Oregon State Beaver. I added; "I still love my Buckeyes, the candy that is!" Little did I realize yet another turn in the conversation. Bob: "So what exactly is a Buckeye?" Me: "It is a nut that grows inside of a soft shell on a Buckeye tree." Bob:"So you have Buckeye Orchards? Are these nuts edible?" He then explained how Oregon is famous for their Hazelnuts and that they have Hazelnut (Filbert) orchards in the state of Oregon. OH MY...lol. Me: "No Bob we have Apple Orchards not Buckeye Orchards, I'm afraid you can not actually eat a buckeye, the buckeye I am referring to is a peanut butter candy with a chocolate coating made to resemble a Buckeye nut." Wow did I really just call a guy to tell him he had the wrong number and end up explaining to him what a Buckeye was? Yes that is correct, I did. Bob: "Well thank you for clearing that all up for me." Apparently,it was quite the issue between he and his friends during the game. Me: "Well Bob if you would like to give me your address I will gladly send you a buckeye (a real one, from Ohio)." Bob laughed and said "no, no, no-but I do have a story to tell to my friends and I will tell them I met a real Buckeye over the phone and I do have to say a really nice one at that!" Me: "Well thank you Bob. I'm glad I could be of some help to you today. Good luck on your Laughing Sal restoration, take care." Bob: "Thank you, I really appreciate you calling me." 

Funny the way two people, states apart, who will never meet each other (possibly), can make an odd connection all because one had the wrong number. 

For all curious non-Ohioans reading this...Brutus the Buckeye (mascot for The Ohio State Buckeyes)

and the real Buckeye "nut" and if  I was a an OSU fan I would conclude with GO BUCKS! But I'm not so...GOD BLESS! :)

Clean (out the clutter) in 2015

CLEAN in 2015

Two weeks into 2015 and I am cleaning out the clutter in my home and in my life. I'm in dreary Ohio and quite frankly January can be quite cloudy, cold and depressing! I spend most of this grey month catching up on a bunch of nothing...that is code for watching TV. Although January brings a new year it also brings new episodes of must see TV to the screen like-THE Bachelor (yawn-bad TV at it's finest-great name for my next blog...stay tuned for that one) and a new season of  my new favorite show Fixer Upper on HGTV. 

I seriously can't get enough of this show, http://magnoliahomes.net/ look it up. It has inspired me to get clean in 2015! I am filling garbage bags full of clutter. I am overwhelming myself daily with new projects. I want to sell my beloved, fairly new, 10 year old home and buy a "fixer upper." I want Joanna to decorate with me. I have so many projects for Chip (ahem Kevin) to complete. Seriously I love this show, their fresh style, their light-hearted humor, their adorable family and their bright personalities. Ok, ok I know I am totally gushing and I only know them from a big rectangular box I see them on once a week. They are that influential on me. 

I have a Home project to-do list that I started and it just keeps getting longer every episode I watch. This could be a real problem. So, I guess I should really get to work. Maybe I will start small. Conquering one messy room at a time. I will (try and) blog my Journey. 

I will you leave you with this little excerpt from Joanna's blog-

With all the busyness, why not simplify in the home? Let your rooms breathe, and let your mind rest.

LOVE!

Happy New Year! My first project-to re-create this look in my own living room :)

Yummy Guacamole Dip and more

Avocado, avocado and more avocado...I love this SUPERFOOD!

I have recently had a love affair (in the food sense) Yes I admit it, I love food! Food is love...

This recent obsession of mine is blowing out of proportion. It's so good I feel the need to share it! Shouting to the rooftops I LOVE AVOCADO! I can't get enough!

I was once intimidated by this so called super food. I usually topped off my Chipotle Vegetarian Taco with it and thought I could never recreate a Guacamole that could live up to the Chipotle kind. Well I don't think that anymore! In fact Chipotle who? Yes it is that good!

Ingredients:

3 ripe (key word ripe, must be a little soft to touch) avocados; cut; take out seed;spoon out pulp

Guacamole dip mix-in this case I used Ortega (you can make your own with spices but I like to make my life easy :)

2 Roma Tomatoes, cut up (again personal preference, I have also used a can of Ro-Tel)

A few drops of lemon juice

Using a fork mash avocado; mix in dip mix; add tomato and a few drops of lemon juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and it is good to go as a dip. Now this is a Guacamole dip...but really it's not, it is in fact so much more. I use it a base like mayonnaise on just about everything right now. Tuna salad? No problem just add a little vinegar or even a spoonful of mayo for extra flavor and Tuna and viola Tuna salad! Egg Salad? Chicken Salad? Pasta Salad? I'm telling you it's a love affair I just can't shake! I'm so intrigued by it I just can't stop. I think I may have to try and grow my own avocado tree...for my next blog...