I Believe

I Believe

I believe in unconditional love - for a child, a spouse, a grandchild.

I believe there is something after death - but I'm not sure if it's heaven or hell, maybe a combination of both.

I believe in one great creator - but who really knows if it's God or Goddess or Ali or Who?

I believe in happiness - even though sometimes it may be very far from my life; I do have happy moments to look back on.

I believe in romantic love - the kind I feel for my hubby; it may not always be sizzling hot, but it is comfortable and just for us.

I believe in time because I see it marching across my face, I see it in my collection of daily journels, I see it in the progression of my children.

I believe in the constant seasons - though changing as they may; from fall to winter, spring to summer, they always come back again.

I believe in the moon to guide my lonely nights - the same continual glow and company my ancestors did enjoy.

I believe in the stars above for they have forseen the way - long before the lowly race of humans was a twinkle in someone's eye.

I believe in the sun who keeps us all alive - providing warmth and growing energy, the sun will see us through.

I believe ...

I really believe ...

Musing Monday - what's on your childhood bookshelf?

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf -

What books did you read while in school? Were there any that you particular liked, or even hated? Did any become lifelong favorites?

I read mostly fiction when I was in school, so I guess this is the reason I've had a life-long addiction to fiction reading. Some of my favorites in school were:

A Wrinkle in Time
The Betsy Books (B is for Betsy, Betsy's Little Star, etc.)
The Trixie Belden series
The Wizard of Oz series (the original books by Frank L. Baum)
Alice in Wonderland
Through the Looking Glass
Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret
The Three Investigators series
Little Women
The Lord of the Rings series


Most of these books I still love as an adult. When my girls were younger, these are the first books I bought for them, and although they may not still enjoy them now, they still hold a place in my heart.

The Dark Dragon

THE DARK DRAGON

The dark dragon has me again,
clasped tightly in his steely claws.
Why does he invade my life at this festive time of year,
dragging me down to the depths of hell
where my life passes before my eyes
in a neverending stream of sorrow?
I've known the good and joyous
and my heart beats daily for my cherished loves.
I know my life is rich and blessed
and there is so much more to come,
but the dragon has other plans
and although he only owns a tiny piece of my soul,
this tiny piece can grab and hold
with determination and perseverance.
I try to be strong,
but I'm oh so weak,
so I end up in the mire,
wallowing in self-pity,
too may locked doors to escape.
I want to be free to smell the clean air
and absorb the love of my family,
but the dragon's thick hide has been transferred to me
as I sink ever deep to the pit below.

Mrs. Greenhands - keeping Valentine's flowers fresh

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, women all over the Bluegrass Region will be expecting flowers from that special person in their life. Here are a few ways to keep your Valentine’s Day flowers fresh and help them last longer.

• Add floral fresh to the water to help the blooms last longer
• Change the water if it becomes murky and add more floral fresh.
• Look for fresh green leaves, but make sure the leaves stay out of the water in the vase. Leaves in the water will cause mold and shorten the life of the flowers.
• Keep vases away from extreme temperatures. A cool room is the perfect place to keep your blooms happy and healthy.
• If your roses start to wilt, submerge them in cold water for 30 minutes, re-cutting the stems at an angle.
• As the flowers start to wilt and die, remove from the arrangement. It may be necessary to use a smaller container to keep the bouquet looking proportional.

Mrs. Greenhands - Dandelion Salad

Happy Groundhog Day - a gardeners indication to see if spring will make an a early appearance. During the winter, not much is growing and gardeners are chomping at the bit to get started. Gardening catalogues are flooding in and you are planning your fantastic garden for summer 2016. However, you can probably find dandelion leaves poking their heads up and this is one of the plants that blooms very early in the spring. Here is a recipe using dandelion leaves ... afterall, 

weeds are in the eyes of the beholder.

Pick tender young leaves for salads - before the flowers bloom - they're great mixed with other pungent greens such as cress and arugula, and dressed with a good vinegar. Since the dandelion part of this recipe is so easy, I will also include directions on how to make great vinegar (although this takes 4 weeks to get the full flavor).

Ingredients:

• Dandelion and other pungent greens
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• ¼ onion, chopped
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of your favorite mustard
• 1/2 tsp mayo
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic
• handful of pine nuts or sunflower seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic croutons (optional)

Directions:

Put all the ingredients, expect greens and eggs, together in a bowl and whisk vigorously until emulsified. Put greens and eggs in large salad bowl and pour mixture over your fresh greens. Gently mix salad until greens are lightly covered. Garnish with garlic croutons if using.

Monday Musings - Ted E. Bear

TED E. BEAR

The first day I saw him,
smiling at me from the shelf,
I knew he could be mine,
Ted E. Bear,
that cute little charmer
with brown fur and eyes.
I knew I was a grown woman,
long too old for childish toys,
but Ted E. was different
and I longed to hold him tight.
And once in my possession
I knew he was the right fit,
but little did I know that Ted E. had a mission.
As if by magic,
I was smiling and laughing again
and I felt like a child once more;
and I owe it all to a teddy bear my hubby bought,
Mr. Ted E. Bear, my friend.

Knit Christening Blanket

Needed to complete project:  US size #10 needles, 14 to 15 ounces of yarn, and a tapestry needle. Cast on 127 stitches and knit 10 rows garter stitch. Pattern is as follows: Row 1 - Knit 5, * k1, yo, k2 tog, repeat from * across ending with knit 5. Row 2 - Same as row 1. Row 3 - Knit. Row 4 - Knit 5, Purl across, knit last 5 stitches. Continue the last 4 rows for pattern. When you reach desired length end with 10 row of garter stitch. Weave in yarn ends with a tapestry needle. *k1 = knit one stitch  yo = yarn over (adding a stitch)  k2 tog = knit 2 stitches

Wayback Wednesday - Dark Shadows

 Episode: 26 Original air date: August 1, 1965

Timeline: 1967

Narrator: Alexandra Moltke

Writer: Art Wallace   Director: Lela Swift

Victoria asks David why he attempted to murder Roger and shows him the bleeder valve. The little sociopath attacks her and she locks it in a drawer. She tricks him into leaving her room.  Victoria and David wait each other out on opposite sides of Victoria's door. David tries to run outside, telling Elizabeth "he has to get away." He also accuses Victoria of trying to hurt him. David says that Victoria is going to make up stories about him and even says that Victoria will try to blame him for Roger's accident. David is ejected from the room and tells Victoria Elizabeth won't believe her. David attempts to eavesdrop on Victoria and Elizabeth's conversation, where she recounts the last few minutes of the previous episode. Victoria tells her that she didn't try to hurt David, he tried to hurt her. Victoria tells Elizabeth she was afraid of David. Elizabeth says Burke caused the accident, and doesn't believe Victoria’s story of finding the bleeder valve.

Episode: 27  Original air date: August 2, 1966

Timeline: 1966

Narrator: Alexandra Moltke

Writer: Art Wallace   Director: Lela Swift 

Carolyn is happy the 9-year-old psychopath has gone into hiding. Victoria outlines the evidence and states David and the bleeder valve are now missing. While in Bangor, Burke meets Mr. Bronson in Bangor because he doesn't want Bronson near Collinsport. Bronson is apparently going to be a private investagator  for Burke and gives him the financial records from the past 5 years for the Collins Family. Back at Collinwood, Carolyn finds David's magazines with a well-worn page on removing bleeder valves.. Elizabeth can't convince Roger to come find David, who's been missing for 45 minutes. Carolyn talks with Elizabeth and storms off, typical as of late. Burke learns that his hotel room has been searched and a small boy attempted to sneak into his room.

Episode: 28  Original air date: August 3, 1966

Timeline: 1966

Narrator: Alexandra Moltke

Writer: Art Wallace   Director: Lela Swift

Burke confronts the Sheriff and he is furious. David has attempted to break into Burkes, but was stopped by the clerk. Maggie gives David an ice cream sundae, then teaches him how to make one of his own. A pissed off Roger shows up at the diner, but David has slipped away. His new hiding place is in the phone booth. Roger tells Burke he's sending him back to prison. Burke learns Sam and Roger were strangers until Burke came back to town and they had not spoken in 10 years.

Episode: 29  Original air date: August 4, 1966

Timeline: 1966

Narrator: Alexandra Moltke

Writer: Art Wallace   Director: Lela Swift

Elizabeth ridiculously blames Vicki for David's predicament. David shows up at Burke's hotel room and hides the bleeder valve under a cushion. Burke tells David that he, Laura, and Roger were friends before Roger married Laura. David and Burke talk about Roger's hatred and fathers in general. David wishes his father were like Burke. Roger used to fight with his wife about Burke. When David goes to wash up, Burke finds the bleeder valve. David tells Burke he's not what he had expected based on Roger's horror stories. Burke declares friendship with David. Carolyn scolded Elizabeth until she finally  admits she doesn't think Victoria is responsible. Maggie calls Collinwood about David and Roger goes to retrieve his son.  

Episode: 30  Original air date: August 5, 1966

Timeline: 1966

Narrator: Alexandra Moltke

Writer: Art Wallace   Director: Lela Swift

Roger finally arrived at the diner and completely lacking interest in David's whereabouts. Roger names David and Burke as the two people who dislike him most. Victoria spills the beans about David's murder attempt. Roger disbelieves her. David looks for the bleeder valve in Burke's couch, but he can't find it. Burke takes him back to Collinwood. Burke arrives with David, says he found David walking along the road. Roger takes his son into the next room and tells him that he knows about the bleeder valve. David tries to blame the whole thing on Victoria, but Roger doesn't believe him. Roger asks Victoria to repeat her accusations to David. Burke watches as Roger and Victoria confront David. And then he produces the bleeder valve.

*Dan Curtis Productions, ABC Productions, Dark Shadows Wiki

Mrs. Greenhands - Growing Spourts

Now that winter has a firm grip on the Bluegrass, most gardeners are anxious to start planting indoor seeds to produce seedlings for the winter garden. One indoor gardening activity will help feed your appetite - growing sprouts. It is very easy to grow a variety of sprouts, and it is a fun activity for entire family. It requires no special equipment and you don't need any horticultural experience to do it. There will be quick growth, so you won't lose interest. You can eat sprouts five days after starting the project. 

Equipment:

*A glass jar any size (a bigger jar means more sprouts).
*Cheesecloth to cover the jar opening. (You can also buy a special sprouting jar, but it is not necessary).
*A rubber-band to secure the cheesecloth (it needs to be tight).
*Alfalfa, mung bean, clover or other seeds of your choice. (After you have done this a few times, you'll develop favorites).
*Water (Distilled is best, but tap will do).

Instructions:

Day 1

*Cover the bottom of the glass jar with your seeds for sprouting.
*Cover the seeds with 2-3 inches of water.
*Cover jar with cheesecloth.
*Secure with rubber-band.
*Place jar upright in a dark, cool cupboard.

Day 2

*Drain water from jar. (There is no need to remove the cheesecloth, you can rinse and drain through it.)
*Rinse seeds.
*Drain again. (The seeds should just be damp, not standing in water).
*Place jar back in cool, dark cupboard, only this time on its side (this will allow sprouts to grow evenly).

Days 3&4

*Rinse seeds.
*Drain.
*Place jar back in cool, dark cupboard, on its side.
*Repeat several times daily to discourage fungal growth.

Day 5

*Drain water from jar.
*Rinse sprouts well.
*Harvest sprouts.

Why grow sprouts?

Most people don't realize sprouts are full of protein. They are an easy to grow, plant based protein supplement for vegan and vegetarian diets. They make a delicious fresh addition to salads and sandwiches in winter months. By growing your own sprouts, you can have fresh "garden" produce all year. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Monday Musings - Childhood Shadows

Childhood Shadows

The sun seemed to shine brighter when I was a little girl,
fresh dew covered grass would sparkle with the eastern rays
and a new day would dawn with excitement and daydreams.
Children were free to roam at will
with no fear of snatching or molestation,
and every stay-at-home mom would monitor
all the kids if they gathered in their yards.
Lunchtime would arrive with the rumble of tummies
and we’d fill up on sandwiches and sugar laden Kool-Aid.
Moms would try the old standby of “it’s naptime right now,”
but they’d only be lucky if we rested our eyes
before we dashed for the doors again.
No complaints of “I’m bored” or “there’s nothing to do,”
because children were able to imagine the possibilities of games to play
and exercise a vivid attention to detail.
Dusk would arrive with a flicker of fireflies,
floating on the nighttime air
and each child would dance through the grass
as they tried to catch the lights to fill up Mason jars for one night.
And pleasant dreams would always come as the children nodded off
to the tiny glow of lightening bugs in dreaming childhood shadows.