Whimsy ünd vat not...

Dees von ees for Blue Müg ünd Jacques Halfaprayer (video posts courtesy of Life as a Tea Party). Stratsvoyecha! Ees vennetay pahzhaloostah! For beautiful whimscal magic you must visit Life as Tea Party. Her art is some of the most enchanting I've laid eyes on. Quite sublime. Meanwhile, back at the ranch....oh tired sün, come to me on my holistay. St. Lücia - we miss yoü and tell your sisters Türks and Caicos we shall visit soon. xoxoxoxoxoxox - The Üdos

Cosi? Cosi? Get cozy!

Time to get cozy! We're expecting a brand new baby tv to arrive any day now... yeay! We've gone tv-less for the past 2 years and have finally saved up enough dough to purchase the one we want. This will not change the fact that hübby and I have banned cable from our lives - it will just be nicer now to view foreign films, our black and whites, documentaries, netflix, and other blu-ray gems on a screen larger than my postage-stamp sized desktop monitor. We'll still be hulu-baloo and watching Charlie Rose - only this time we won't have to hang over the sofa upside down and backwards as we huddle around my desk. Yippee!

One of the major complaints I do have about a television (IMO) is that when not in use it tends to gape, much like a chasm... a portal into nothingness. Eerie. So what's a girl to do with a cosi cosi (so-so) object? Why cozy up of course! Check out this little screen "cozy" from our friends at Martha Stewart Living...

ALSO, WANT TO USE SOME GREAT FABRIC? Check out this link for amazingly hip fabrics with which to make your "cozy" - How About Orange?

Page Marchese Norman created this clever (and well, cozy) cover for Sarah's new LCD TV. "It also added a little more color to the room," says Page.

Cozy How-To:

*Üdo's note- if you don't sew or do not have access to a sewing machine, forget the sewing part and just use "stitch witchery" sewing gauze. All you do is steam iron your seams with the gauze. All fabric stores carry it (plus it sounds cool).

1. Measure the length (top to bottom) of the television screen; add 1 inch to this measurement for seam allowance. Then, measure the depth of the screen. Add this to the total length. Lastly, multiply this measurement by 2 to cover both the front and back of the television. For the cozy pictured, Page left the base of the television exposed; if you want to cover the entire television, measure from the top of the screen to the table it will be sitting on, adding 1 inch for seam allowance and multiplying this measurement by 2 to cover both the front and back of the television.

2. Measure the depth of the screen. Then measure the width of the screen. (You will need to add a 1/2 inch on each side for seam allowance.)

3. Select desired fabric and cut to your specific measurements.

4. Fold fabric square in half, with the desired side of fabric facing in.

5. Sew 1/2 inch in on both short ends to create a hem.

6. Sew up the left and right sides with a straight stitch allowing for a 1/2-inch hem.

7. Next, you will need to create a gusset, which is a simple triangular insert that creates a box edge that tailor fits the cozy to the television screen. To create the gusset, pinch the corner of the top-right seam of cozy. The pinch should be parallel to the seam hanging down the side of the cozy; it will form a triangular shape. Stitch a seam across right above where the fabric begins to taper.

8. Cut off any excess fabric from triangle. Repeat with top-left corner.

9. Turn right-side out and slip over television.

Things to do before Tuesday...

Things to do before Tuesday is my post regarding deadline things, doing things, due things... hence Tuesday is that day! Let's see what's on the list for the rest of the week(end). In no particular order a list of lah-te-dah...

• Clean, clean, clean! I've invited myriad merrymakers over for a holiday tea and want our 1 bedroom palace to sparkle. Hübby and I are doing a top to bottom cleaning of living room, dining room, our offices, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and foyer.
• Organize all "paperwork"
• Dispose of useless junk
• Donate clothing, books, games, magazines, etc.
• Email Aunt Caren to ask about tours etc.,
• Email cousin Mike to help with his resume
• Lovingly dote on all living things (hubby, plants, flowers, Christmas tree, & rüby)
• Enjoy some fresh air with a brisk walk around the lake and finish up the ends on my latest knitted scarf.
• Try some new recipes
• Color-code my closets
• Laundry
• Dust, vacuüm, and rearrange furniture
• Write thank-you notes
• Pay bills online
• Organize my "desktop" and computer files (no, a folder titled "catch-all" is not acceptable)
• Visit the sick and elderly
• Hang out at the public library
• Hydrate
• Stretch
• People watch
• Start planning our Chinese New Year Party!
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Listen to a new music artist from a rarely listened to genre
• Research information on PhD programs in my field
• Take a bubble bath
• Watch old movies, black and white movies, foreign films
• Think of some resolutions
• Light candles
• Meditate on positive energy and the law of attraction
• Draw a little
• Paint a little
• Write a little
• Play chess
• Make a mini movie in iMovie
• Go to a movie
• Learn how to play MahJong
• Laugh until my sides split
• Prepare for our 1 year anniversary! New Year's Eve! <3
• Wish that I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

Try mindful walking...

When you apply a few simple techniques, you can turn your daily walk into a rewarding practice.

What is mindful walking? It's a technique that uses awareness of the mind/body connection to improve the quality of your walking experience on all levels. By approaching a walk in a mindful way, you make it a practice like yoga, meditation, or tai chi; every session brings new insights and challenges. As in yoga, you think about your body position, breathing, movements, and awareness, turning inward and outward at the same time. You're working to get fit, and to improve your life as a whole. Treat walking as a practice, and it will become not only something you do with your legs but also a way to bring your mind, body, and spirit into balance.

Five Steps to Make Walking a Mindful Practice

Identify your intention. The key to any mindful activity, intention provides focus and motivation, elevating your practice from routine to ritual. What is your intention? To walk for an hour every day? To develop a sense of centeredness and calm? To reduce stress? Your goals and intentions will evolve as you evolve. Let them, as long as they keep you in line with your higher sense of purpose -- and keep you moving forward.

Be consistent. A true practice requires ongoing attention. Of course, it's natural to feel resistant at times, no matter what kind of activity you do. Your mind will create a thousand excuses not to walk today. Don't let these passing thoughts distract you from your deeper intention. Get moving; start walking around your office or home, or wherever you are. You can quiet the mind by moving your body and get yourself back on track.

Train your mind to focus. The mind loves -- and craves -- engagement. Without something to focus on, it will tend to wander, taking your practice with it. By learning to focus, you will be able to walk more efficiently.

Listen to your body. As with any relationship, the connection between mind and body depends on how well one listens to the other. Our tendency is to try to rule the body with the brain; however, they are more like equal partners, offering feedback and direction as you go. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you by noticing any sensations that come up while you're walking. You may feel energized as your leg muscles engage or relaxed as your breathing deepens. If you detect any complaint from your body, such as pain or discomfort, identify the source. Then make small adjustments in your technique and see whether the sensation lessens.

Embrace the process. Goals provide a greater context for your practice. But building patient awareness of the process is even more important. Sometimes walking will feel easy and rewarding; other times, more like a chore. As part of a mindful practice, you accept the challenge as part of the process and continue to stick with it. My tai chi master sees difficulty as an opportunity -- a lesson to be learned. Accepting all of these parts of the process lies at the heart of making walking a mindful exercise.

Would you like a cooked breakfast?

Christmas Morning French Toast Bake.... 

Ohhhh glory. This is  a beautiful recipe from the Baker's Banter blog (listed below and to the right). I prepared the mix last night and it's in the oven as we speak. Can't wait to dig in!!! Click here to be taken to the recipe on the Baker's Banter blog. 

UPDATE: This dish is FABULOUS. Tis confection perfection! 

This picture is one I took this morning before digging in. Yummmmmmm!!!!!!!

Tired of the same ol' Christmas Carols, eh?

"This Christmastide" is a lovely "new" Christmas song hübby and I heard this year at the Philharmonic's annual Christmas Spectacular. It was simply lovely. Here is a rendition for you to enjoy. Merry Tidings and Happy Christmas my friends. May you carry the hope and mirth of this season with you all through the year. A blessed and peaceful Hannukah. A carefree and vibrant Kwanza to you - This Christmastide.

An island in the sün...

Merry Christmas darlings! Oh, we're going to talk about me now, are we? Goody. My result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz ...

I am a Katharine!

You are a Katharine -- "I am happy and open to new things" Katharines are energetic, lively, and optimistic. They want to contribute to the world.

How to Get Along with Me

• Give me companionship, affection, and freedom.
• Engage with me in stimulating conversation and laughter.
• Appreciate my grand visions and listen to my stories.
• Don't try to change my style. Accept me the way I am.
• Be responsible for yourself. I dislike clingy or needy people.
• Don't tell me what to do.

What I Like About Being a Katharine

• being optimistic and not letting life's troubles get me down
• being spontaneous and free-spirited
• being outspoken and outrageous. It's part of the fun.
• being generous and trying to make the world a better place
• having the guts to take risks and to try exciting adventures
• having such varied interests and abilities

What's Hard About Being a Katharine

• not having enough time to do all the things I want
• not completing things I start
• not being able to profit from the benefits that come from specializing; not making a commitment to a career
• having a tendency to be ungrounded; getting lost in plans or fantasies
• feeling confined when I'm in a one-to-one relationship

Katharines as Children Often

• are action oriented and adventuresome
• drum up excitement
• prefer being with other children to being alone
• finesse their way around adults
• dream of the freedom they'll have when they grow up
  

Katharines as Parents

• are often enthusiastic and generous
• want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life
• may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive

Take this quiz.

And for all you Weezer fans... An island in the sun...hep, hep(burn)

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Christmas Eve is three days away!!!!! Three day count down to the feast of the seven fishes at my parents hoüse. Hubby and I salivate in anticipation.

You see, my parents are Italian-American (there's also some Scottish and German in there). So that means every Christmas Eve since the time of my birth I have participated in this storied seafood soirée.

When my grandfather was alive (and well) he would bring over a crackled black cast iron cauldron; placing it gingerly on our glass top stove... he would work feverishly at the kitchen sink cleaning like a madman, whistling, cooing, and wooing his freshly caught prey. Inside that kettle all sorts of oils and liquids would bubble and squeak, perfectly crisping up the de-scaled, de-veined, and otherwise (nearly alive) creatures that were zealously tossed into it... ending in their culinary demise.

Grampa would bring over an assortment of seafood delights. In his treasure trove there were shrimp and smelts to be fried, there were mussels and clams to be steamed, there was baccala, tuna steaks, calamari and scungili... folded into a scintillant bouillabaisse. And let's not forget the live eel... Yeahhhhh...I think I'll leave that one to your imagination. :\

My grampa was a short, stout man with striking features and lively eyes. He was more gnome than nobleman. More Santa than Sinatra. He was a cross between Michaelnagelo and a magical elf.

My grandfather- a brilliant scientist, a voracious reader, an expert gardener. He was hilarious and mischievous. He was rebellious and rambunctious. He rode a Harley Davidson, and helped me make a telephone out of two tin cans and a twine of string. Grampa grew the juiciest, reddest, plumpest tomatoes, introduced me to gooseberries, and harbored an inhuman hatred towards the beavers who gnawed down his precious cherry trees.

Grampa would brew me concoctions of comfrey tea and rhubarb chews to clear up a pimple and ease digestion woes. We'd watch old reruns of Stark Trek the Original Series while I doodled on scrap paper trying to perfect my penmanship. He would craft me cheese sandwiches and steam them up in an antiquated microwave oven that he kept hidden in the back pantry of his crooked kitchen. The plaster was cracked and the windows were smudged but it was warm and dimly lit... and far away from an anxious day of fitting in at a new school - St. Patrick's Elementary... it was a far cry from the glory days of Pizza Hut's "Book-it" in third grade at Charles Sumner public school...

By the time I got to Grampa's I was starving. I'd devour his bachelor stash of TandyKakes and Club crackers and then sneak back there to eye the treasures lurking in the shadows of that sloping food closet. On the walls hung all sorts of handles and levers, silver things, gold things, shiny sparkly things. Things with feathers that were used to catch fish, things sealed away in leather pouches with shiny buckles and snaps...

On those chilly afternoons after school, while Spock and Kirk chatted with Harry Mudd, Grampa dozed off at the kitchen table warmed only by the heat of the pilot light on his gas stove. That's when I'd make my move... off to delicately inspect the wares of that magical pantry. The air was hung with wood chips and diesel, old spice and stale bread... it smelled like heaven.

The day the saücers came...

"It does help, to be a writer, to have the sort of crazed ego that doesn't allow for failure. The best reaction to a rejection slip is a sort of wild-eyed madness, an evil grin, and sitting yourself in front of the keyboard muttering "Okay, you bastards. Try rejecting this!" and then writing something so unbelievably brilliant that all other writers will disembowel themselves with their pens upon reading it, because there's nothing left to write. Because the rejection slips will arrive. And, if the books are published, then you can pretty much guarantee that bad reviews will be as well. And you'll need to learn how to shrug and keep going. Or you stop, and get a real job."

- Neil Gaiman

The Day the Saucers Came a poem by Neil Gaiman

That day, the saucers landed. Hundreds of them, golden,

Silent, coming down from the sky like great snowflakes,

And the people of Earth stood and stared as they descended,

Waiting, dry-mouthed to find what waited inside for us

And none of us knowing if we would be here tomorrow

But you didn't notice it because

That day, the day the saucers came, by some coincidence,

Was the day that the graves gave up their dead

And the zombies pushed up through soft earth

or erupted, shambling and dull-eyed, unstoppable,

Came towards us, the living, and we screamed and ran,

But you did not notice this because

On the saucer day, which was the zombie day, it was

Ragnarok also, and the television screens showed us

A ship built of dead-man's nails, a serpent, a wolf,

All bigger than the mind could hold, and the cameraman could

Not get far enough away, and then the Gods came out

But you did not see them coming because

On the saucer-zombie-battling gods day the floodgates broke

And each of us was engulfed by genies and sprites

Offering us wishes and wonders and eternities

And charm and cleverness and true brave hearts and pots of gold

While giants feefofummed across the land, and killer bees,

But you had no idea of any of this because

That day, the saucer day the zombie day

The Ragnarok and fairies day, the day the great winds came

And snows, and the cities turned to crystal, the day

All plants died, plastics dissolved, the day the

Computers turned, the screens telling us we would obey, the day

Angels, drunk and muddled, stumbled from the bars,

And all the bells of London were sounded, the day

Animals spoke to us in Assyrian, the Yeti day,

The fluttering capes and arrival of the Time Machine day,

You didn't notice any of this because

you were sitting in your room, not doing anything

not even reading, not really,

justlooking at your telephone,

wondering if I was going to call.

A peeg in a cage on antibiotics...

Not only does it ward off bloodsucking vampires, garlic is also an excellent antibacterial agent. I'm down with a nasty cold this week which was probably a combination of my body battling high doses of social stress and a lowered immune system from being around myriad students and their weekly ailments. Ahhh gahhhlick. Tonight I try the old minced garlic in warm water throat gargle. (gag) Additionally, I've read that hydrogen peroxide works wonders for killing the cold virus. Just put a few drops in each ear (where supposedly the virus enters your body, not thru the eyes, nose, or mouth as was previously thought). Jeez, can't I just have some chicken soup?! Well, at least I'm umami'ing it up vit ze gahleek.

Grampa Giancini's Chicken Soup 

1 whole rotisserie chicken (not free range - I'll explain later)

sea salt 

black pepper corns

organic chopped celery

organic diced carrots

2 heads of garlic (yes, heads- not cloves) diced

extra virgin olive oil (known as liquid gold according to Homer)

2 big white onions (the big ones)

1 large box of chicken broth (College Inn is fine)

some kind of pasta or rice if you wish

After the chicken cools - shred it. Use a knife to dice, shred, chop, basically break up the chicken removing any chicken skin or bones. Set aside. 

Add olive oil to a stock pot. Sautee your diced onions and garlic... when soft add the carrots and celery. Add some chicken broth to the mixture to loosen it up. Add the chicken... add the rest of the broth. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until veggies are soft. Drink. Eat. Get Well. Fitter. Healthier. More Productive. 

The importance of using a regular old chicken here is that this is where most of the 'healing properties' of this dish come in. A regular old chicken is hopped up on antibiotics. It's true. It is. Google it. Those antibiotics are still in the chicken meat. Normally this is not cool. But I have a cold, so I'm going for it. Combine those trace antibiotics with hot, steamy, garlic-y, antibacterial liquid and you've got one recipe for cold cure. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

And for all you Radiohead fans... "a pig in a cage on antibiotics"

Only the penitent man will pass...

Peter Paul Piepoli's Penitent Peach Pie

3/4 cup sugar

couple of tablespoons of flour

dashes of cinamon

dashes of nutmeg

5 cups of sliced peaches

2 pie crusts (see recipe in earlier post for Piepoli Pie crüst)

dots of buttah

sugar crystals

Gently combine sugar, flour, and spices. Add to peaches and mix gently until peaches are swimming in a shallow pool of sugary goodness. Pour into a 9inch pie plate. Dot with knobs of butter. Top with lattice crüst. Cover edges with tin foil. Bake in hot oven for 40-45 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with hägen daas (vaniller) or whip cream. Mmmmm Mmmmmm! Whether you are forgiving or being forgiven, this pie sure beats eating crow!

And for you Indy fans... 

"Only the penitent man will pass..."  4:20 - 5:20

Be kind for everyone is fighting a great battle...

They say time heals all wounds, and it's true. It really does. But forgiveness is a much more involved issue than just putting time between us and the event or person who caused us pain. Forgiveness is freedom. For you, for them, for your joyful spirit. Never underestimate the importance of forgiveness. Even if you quietly pardon someone for their wrong doing- you will set yourself free from the burdens of resentment and hostility. We need to forgive. It is after all, Christmas. My challenge to you this week is this: when you see that person who wronged you, or ignored you, or really pushed your buttons- have a forgiving heart. More often than not, you are the one who has to make the first move! Does this suck? You bet it does. More than you know. Initially it will feel like defeat... but after you do it- you will know the truth. You will know it is the only way to freedom. It's difficult and painful. It takes a lot of humility. But it is so worth it. Push yourself to become a better person. Be remarkable.

Never give up!

Don't quit

when things go wrong as they sometimes will

when the road you're trudging seems all up hill

when the funds are low and the debts are high

and when you want to smile but you can only sigh

when care is pressing you down a bit

REST if you must but don't you quit

life is queer with it's twists and turns

as every one of us sometimes learns

and many a failure turns about

when he might have won had he stuck it out

don't give up though the pace seems slow

you might succeed with another blow

often a goal is nearer than it seems

to a faint and faltering man

often the struggler has give up

when he might have captured the winners cup

and he learned too late when the night slipped down

how close he was to the golden crown

success is failure turned inside out

the silver tint on the clouds of doubt

and you never can tell how close you are

it may be near when it seems afar

so stick to the fight when you're hardest HIT

it's when things seem WORST that you MUSN'T quit!

Pain is fear leaving the body

In other news... this chinese symbol essentially sums up the week thus far... tis the symbol for pain. As in - a LOT of pain. A few thoughts on painful situations that help me push through. Repeat the following mantras:

1. Endure.
2. Pain is fear leaving the body.
3. The universe is unfolding as it should.
4. Courage is grace under pressure.
5. To be courageous does not mean to be without fear. Rather it means to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Also too, it helps to rock out to 80s rock metal (HAR!) at the top of your lungs en route to your destination. Welcome to ze jungle beeches! Or if you prefer some lighter fare... I like to indulge in some poppin and lockin. Din daa daa anyone? F conformity and remember you are never alone- not with friends like Kelly, Turbo, and Ozone! And in all cases, you must believe me when I tell you... there's NOTHING a dose of 1984 can't cure. HILARIOUS..

So cüte it aches

If this isn't the cütest thing in the world I don't know what is! These tiny bünnies are handcrafted from super cüddly lambswool and each has a lücky penny inside. (Ooo! Cranky black bünny!)

This is a tiny bunny the size of a peanut. They may be worn as a brooch on your lapel close to your heart or kept as a lucky charm. Some have been framed in a shadow box or displayed in a silver tea service or used gently in a game of hide and seek. Made with nimble fingers much like a watchmaker's. Each one is their own character.

Sonja Alher has been making Fierce Bunnies for over 15 years. She exhibits her visual art and installation work internationally (her favourite is japan and australia). She also collaborates with clothing companies like Lee Jeans and such. She wants to do more illustration for like-minded individuals..like a band she loves or a book she'd like to read. More of her art is available at the James Harris Gallery in Seattle, WA www.jamesharrisgallery.com Atelier Gallery in Vancouver, BC

www.ateliergallery.ca and www.makeitawesome.com

Having a bad day? Try a cup of kindness...
Let's face it, we all have bad days. Days that feel like they will never end, days that feel like the world is against you, days that feel like you can't get anything right... days that feel like you can't relate to anyone. Now there are several ways to deal with these bad days... but I'm going to let you all in on a little secret... the best remedy for a bad day is not to shop til you drop, it's not devouring a double chocolate fudge cake, it's not complaining on end to your friends or your spouse about how rotten the world is... I find that the quickest way (though sometimes not the easiest) to deal with having a bad day is to take a few moments, take some deep breaths, and dive deep within yourself - embrace your spirit of kindness and share it with everyone within your radius.

Sometimes it feels like we get so caught up in the smallness of daily activities that we forget to reconnect with our kind spirit within. It's as if you are a body walking along a busy street- and in your hand is a set of three balloons... your head, heart, and spirit. Instead of feeling 'connected' it's as if these three balloons are merely tethered to your body ... just hanging out there.

The one element that can bring it all back together again is, you guessed it- kindness. One especially lovely lady who leads by example in this area is my mom-in-law. She, to me, is the epitome of a lady. She is also an avid tea drinker. There's something to be said for tea drinkers, most of whom, possess the beverage personality which is polar opposite of the daily coffee consumer. I like to think there is something magical in that tea. Something that infuses one with grace, refinement, warmth, wisdom... kindness. Tea. Lovely. Dain-"tea". Now don't get me wrong, I still love the roasted bean as much as the next gal. Heck, it's the wind in my whirling dervish sails. It's the mania in my tasmania devil dance. Tis the jitter een my gzeeterbug! But gosh, it certainly is a far cry from a soothing beverage... Let's face it, you'd be hard pressed to find a brazen Brit or a fastidious fair isle girl cooing "coffee time" in the late afternoon.

Nay. Tis tea time!

Imagine a cup of warm, delicious tea as a cup of kindness. Drink this kindness and let it permeate every whisper of your body, mind, spirit. Let it stream within - until it finds your inner kindness and the two meld together... like a river flowing into an ocean. Let it melt away anger, resentment, defensiveness. Indulge in a cup of kindness and reflect on the sage words of our elders. I am a firm believer that a nap, a hug, and a cup of kindness cure all things. Try it. It really does work!

ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL:
When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER:
Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.

AMELIA EARHART :
No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.

BARBARA DE ANGELIS:
Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.

BENJAMIN JOWETT:
We cannot seek or attain health, wealth, learning, justice or kindness in general. Action is always specific, concrete, individualized, unique.

BLAISE PASCAL:
Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.

CHARLES KURALT:
The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines.

D. H. LAWRENCE:
The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgment is never just.

ELLA WHEELER WILCOX:
The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.

ELLA WHEELER WILCOX:
So many gods, so many creeds, So many paths that wind and wind, While just the art of being kind Is all the sad world needs.

ERIC HOFFER:
Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.

FREDERICK W. FABER:
Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence or learning.

GOETHE:
Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.

HH THE DALAI LAMA:
When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.

HH THE DALAI LAMA:
Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.


HH THE DALAI LAMA:
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

HAROLD KUSHNER:
When you carry out acts of kindness you get a wonderful feeling inside. It is as though something inside your body responds and says, yes, this is how I ought to feel.

HENRY JAMES:
Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.

JAMES M. BARRIE:
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.

JANE NELSON:
Where did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children do better, first we have to make them feel worse? Think of the last time you felt humiliated or treated unfairly. Did you feel like cooperating or doing better?

JEAN BAPTISTE HENRY LACORDAIRE:
We are the leaves of one branch, the drops of one sea, the flowers of one garden.

LAO-TSE:
In this world, there is nothing softer or thinner than water. But to compel the hard and unyielding, it has no equal. That the weak overcomes the strong, that the hard gives way to the gentle -- this everyone knows. Yet no one asks accordingly.

LAO-TSE:
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profundity.
Kindness in giving creates love.

MARC ESTRIN:
Kindness trumps greed: it asks for sharing. Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love. Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one learns.

MAYA ANGELOU:
One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.

MOTHER TERESA:
Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.

PEARL S. BUCK:
I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels.

PHILO:
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

RABINDRANATH TAGORE:
Men are cruel, but Man is kind.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON:
Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON:
You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON:
We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON.:
Life is short, but there is always time enough for courtesy.

SAMUEL JOHNSON:
Always set high value on spontaneous kindness. He whose inclination prompts him to cultivate your friendship of his own accord will love you more than one whom you have been at pains to attach to you.

SCOTT ADAMS:
Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.

SENECA:
Wherever there is a human being, there is a chance for a kindness.

TALMUD:
Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments.

THEODORE RUBIN:
Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.

THOMAS BERRY:
If the earth does grow inhospitable toward human presence, it is primarily because we have lost our sense of courtesy toward the earth and its inhabitants.

WILLA CATHER:
When kindness has left people, even for a few moments, we become afraid of them as if their reason had left them. When it has left a place where we have always found it, it is like shipwreck; we drop from security into something malevolent and bottomless.

WILLIAM MENNINGER:
Six essential qualities that are the key to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH:
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person's life.

What a whiner...

Here's a great gift idea for the holidays! You can personalize your own bottle of wine. Of course you don't need to go to a specific website to do this, you can make your own wine labels at home on your printer too!

Delicious breakfast...

Buttermilk pancakes topped with fresh strawberries, bananas, country fresh butter, organic maple syrup with a side of omega-3 scrambled eggs and fresh hot coffee. Mmmmm.

Keep it simple...spinach

After a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is hit the gym and make dinner. I brought home some pizza for the hubster tonight and whipped together a delicious and nutritious spinach salad. Can't beat simplicity. Sumptüous! A slip of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of organic brown rice vinegar, tart cranberries, crisp mushrooms, crackling almonds, and fresh parmesan. Bellisimo!

We had this for dessert tonight... yüm!

Cranberry Walnut Cheesecake Pie

• 1 1/4 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (4-serving size) cheesecake flavor instant pudding & pie filling
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 tub (8 oz.) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1 Graham Pie Crust
• 1 can (16 oz.)whole cranberry sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped walnut, toasted, divided

• In large bowl beat milk, pudding mix and lemon peel with wire whisk for 1 minute. (Mixture will be very thick.) Wisk in half of the whipped topping. Carefully spread half of pudding mixture in crust. Spoon half of cranberry sauce over pudding mixture. Sprinkle with half of the walnuts. Top with remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining cranberry sauce, whipped topping and walnuts.

Üdo Royal Kings

Üdo Ümami Royal Kings

 1lb organic chicken strips

country fresh cream butter

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

organic all purpose king arthur flour

fresh organic garlic

canola oil

pinot grigio

2 stainless steel cooking pans

Dredge chicken strips in flour. In first pan, dazzle a splash of canola oil. Lay chicken strips in pan. Grind sea salt and fresh peppercorns to taste. Using tongs, flip each piece of chicken strip until browned on each side. Meanwhile, in second pan dazzle olive oil across the bottom and squeeze 3 large cloves of organic garlic thru garlic mincer. Let it simmer and saute very lightly on very low heat. Turn off heat. Don't burn garlic. 

Now, your chicken strips should be ready to transfer via tongs to the second garlic fry pan. Carefully place each browned strip into the garlic pan. Simmer and saute for a few minutes on very low heat. Chicken should be nearly cooked through. Check with fork to make süre eet done.  

Meanwhile, add a good splash of pinto grigio to the pan that has the canola oil,, flour, salt and pepper bits in it. Let this simmer and sauce up a bit... be sure to swirl your wooden spoon around to get all of those brown bits up and about. Add a pat of country fresh cream butter to the mix and dance it around. When garlicy chicken kings (strips) are finished in the garlic pan, transfer the kings to pinot grigio pan. Sautee a bit longer and serve over long grain brown rice with spinach. Why do I call the chicken strips, "kings?" Eh, why not? Ay! ;)

Ünd jetzt für etwas vollständig unterschiedlich...

(translation: and now for something completely different...) Looking for some creative decorating ideas for your holiday gatherings? Here's a link to some fabulous ideas (from our friends at Better Homes and Gardens) that your guests will love! I especially like the Scrabble centerpiece; but nothing beats the super fün peacock feather tree topper!

Mmm! It's lünch time liebchens!

What could be better than a handful of Wegman's sea salt and pepper kettle chips, a magnificent mini apple, and of course, a fresh homemade üdo ümami kaiser roll stuffed with organic raw spinach, organic uncured ham from Applegate Farms, sliced plum tomato, a grind of sea salt and italian herbs, and a tear of fresh basil leaves? Que pensez-vous? Délicieux!

Kaiser rolls part deüx

Tried the kaiser roll recipe again last night. Still having some bumps in the road with beating the egg whites to a stiff peak - sans an electric mixer. I've read that you should beat your egg whites in a copper bowl and add a few drops of lemon juice and/or cream of tartar. The acidity helps to stiffen the whites. Whew! My forearm got a workout last night and I must say- kneading dough for 20 minutes is also an excellent way to sculpt yourself some sexy shoulders! The rolls came out fabulous this time... I even tried the new technique for shaping them. This picture was taken a minute or two out of the oven. I am a domestic goddess, eh? ;)

Ünd vat's een your hübschen pantry?

I'm always fascinated by what other cooks keep in their pantries. Why? Maybe it's just culinary curiosity. Or maybe it's survival instinct - that primitive part of my Northeastern Pennsylvania cerebral cortex that tells me to get thee to the market and stock up the day before a big snow. Today, I'm off to Wegman's to find the perfect pantry products with which to keep my bounty full. My staples are of course extra virgin olive oil (find great deals at MaineSource in Scranton's Keyser Oak Shopping Center), sea salt (Everything Natural in Clarks Summit has the best stock) and whole black peppercorns (Weg's). But what are other great finds to keep on hand? Here's a list of goodies that can keep you feeling warm and fuzzy for a few days from Better Homes and Gardens:

What is a pantry?

Forget all about grandma's closet full of dusty, moldering jars and canned goods. The pantry isn't really a place as much as a state of mind. It's a way of thinking and planning ahead when you shop so you always have basic food items on hand. After you've stocked your pantry, supermarket trips may be less frequent. You'll only need to shop for perishable foods and depleted pantry items. The physical pantry in your home is any cool, dry place you can store food items for a length of time, including kitchen cupboards, shelves -- even a little floor space in a closet will work. Your refrigerator and freezer are part of the pantry, too!

How does it work?

Pantry items are considered dry goods or staples, things you always have on hand. Ideally, they will keep for a long time in storage, or are fresh, perishable foods regularly used up before they spoil. The idea is to subvert the need to go grocery shopping every time you cook -- a major hurdle when getting food on the table. You don't have to buy everything at once; just buy what you think you'll eat fairly often, and in small quantities so foods stay fresh. Build up your pantry gradually. Of course, not all ingredients work as pantry staples -- fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and other foods are perishable.

Refrigerated and Frozen Items These foods generally have a short shelf life. Buy only those that you consume frequently, such as milk or eggs. If celery gets all noodly before you finish the bag, buy only as you need. On the other hand, some refrigerated foods that you use fairly often, such as cheeses, are considered staples. Cheese that keeps well in the refrigerator includes parmesan and romano. Some frequently used soft cheeses such as mozzarella and cheddar, may also be considered staples if you use them so frequently they don't spoil. The freezer is an excellent place for pantry items. Often-used meats, such as chicken breasts and bacon, can be stored for short periods of time in the freezer.

Herbs and Spices Store dried herbs and spices in a cool, dry place (not above the stove) to keep them at their peak of flavor. They will lose much of their flavor after a year, so buy small containers.