Posted in About me, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged being in the moment, Friday's Fresh Five!, happiness, inspiration, joy of the moment, living in the moment, present moment, quote about living in the moment, Walt Whitman quote on June 5, 2015| 1 Comment »
Dear Readers,
Due to circumstances beyond my control (lovely warm day, beautiful blue skies, and adorable granddaughter), the writing of Friday’s Fresh Five! lost out to the joy of the moment. Check back next week for a new edition.
Have a wonderful weekend and remember:
“Happiness, not in another place but this place . . . not for another hour, but this hour.”
Walt Whitman
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged Charlotte, child's play for adults, disposing old toys, grandparenting, images of children playing, joys of grandparenting, kids' play around the world, Lois, Lois Wyse quotes, new life for old toys, Photography, poem about raising children, quote about grandchildren, raising children, upcycling toys, ways to be childlike on May 22, 2015| 2 Comments »
Even though she can’t walk yet, my granddaughter Charlotte loves to play fetch with me. You know the game – baby throws objects from the high chair and you fetch them. After bending over for the umpteenth time, I looked up to see Charlotte grinning at me with a bit of cracker stuck between her eyes. In that moment, as I watched her search her tray for the missing piece of cracker, I realized more than ever that I want to live to be a ripe old age. Then Charlotte and I can share as many silly moments together as possible.
#1 – If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again
Whether you’re raising young children now or have grown-up children, you might relate to the sentiment expressed in this poem by Diana Loomans: 
#2 – Child’s Play For Adults
Why should kids have all the fun? Read 33 Ways to Be Childlike Today and select a few things from the list to do. Reread one of your favorite childhood books, jump rope, be creative, sit cross-legged, or make a spontaneous playdate with friends. Sound like fun?
#3 – New Life For Toys
The author of 21 Ideas for Upcycling Kid’s Toys places the blame for massive toy accumulation on grandparents. Hardly a true statement, but toy accumulation can be a problem in many households. The article presents clever ways to transform toys into objects with new uses. If upcycling doesn’t appeal to you, check out Eco-Friendly Disposal of Kids’ Toys and Electronics for helpful suggestions.
#4 – Kids’ Play Around the Globe
The magic of child’s play is captured in the collection of 30 Amazing Photos of Kids Playing Around the Globe.
#5 – Connecting the Dots
“Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.”
Lois Wyse
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Helping Others, inspiration, Pets, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged Before I Die, Candy Chang, create sacred spaces in your heart, inspirational quotes, making time for what's important, prioritizing life, quote about living in the present, quotes about self-love, self-empowerment, self-love, tea quote, Theron Humphries, thich nhat hanh quote, traveling dog, ways to love yourself on May 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Cursing myself for deciding to update my computer software on a day I normally post to my blog, I tried to relax and redirect my self-talk. While faced with an unfamiliar computer application that the update forced on me, I remembered the words on a street sign I photographed in Los Angeles last week. Immediately, I turned off the negative self-talk and told myself, “Everything will be fine. You’re a smart gal. You’ll figure it out.” Life can be stressful, frustrating, and challenging at times, but at the heart of it all is you. You are the main character in your play. You write the script. You control character development. It’s your happy ending or not. Do you love yourself enough to let your light shine and be the hero of your life story?
#1 – Love Yourself
To some people, self-love does not come easy. “How To Love Yourself in 17 Ways” provides introspective and empowering suggestions.
#2 – Tea and Thee
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” This quote by Thich Nhat Hanh, introduces Leo Babuta’s post Create a Sacred Space in Your Heart. The article is not so much about drinking tea as it is about recognizing the need to create sacred spaces in your heart for those things in your life that matter most.
#3 – Love That Traveling Dog
A couple of things strike me as I look through the photos in Photographer Takes His Rescued Dog Maddie On Epic Adventures. First off, I admire the ability of some people to pick up and go. Secondly, I like the composition of Theron Humphries’s photos – especially the images of Maddie in front of captivating scenery. And finally, I realize how much I miss my dog and having the love of a good dog.
#4 – Before I Die . . .
A while back, I took a class on learning how to live a more authentic life. Towards the end of the class, each student was given a piece of paper and asked to write his obituary. The point of the powerful assignment was to shed light on what each of us wanted to be remembered for and to help us focus on what and who were important in our lives. The following TED Talk follows a similar premise. “Before I die . . .” is the unfinished statement that artist Candy Chang asks people to complete. In her interactive public installations, she provides space for people to write down their answers. How would you complete the statement?
#5 – Self-Love and Light
“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.”
Abraham Lincoln
“Loving yourself . . . does not mean being self-absorbed or narcissistic, or disregarding others. Rather it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart, a guest worthy of respect, a lovable companion.”
Margo Anand
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged bean salad, cannellini bean and spinach salad, cannellini bean side dish, cannellini beans, healthy salad recipes, heart healthy salad, high potassium foods, potassium-rich recipe, potassium-rich salad, salads, spinach and bacon salad, spinach salad, spinach salad recipes, wilted spinach salad on May 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »
“Just what the doctor ordered,” I said as I dished out a savory salad onto my plate. With white beans, spinach, and a few chopped dates thrown in for good measure, I easily fulfilled one of the four daily servings of potassium-rich food that my cardiologist recommends. Why take supplements when you can eat delicious food?
Cannellini Beans with Wilted Spinach and Bacon
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit: 12 Easy Ways to Cook a Can of Cannellini Beans
INGREDIENTS
Cannellini beans (canned), rinsed and drained
Onion, thinly sliced
Bacon slices, chopped and cooked
Garlic, minced
Red pepper flakes
Baby spinach leaves
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice and zest
Chopped dates
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook chopped bacon in a skillet until bacon is brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
2. Add sliced onion to fat in skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
3. Add minced garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
4. Add cannellini beans and cook until heated through.
5. Put spinach leaves in a large bowl and using a slotted spoon to drain off the bacon fat, spoon the cannellini bean mixture into the spinach and toss. The spinach will begin to wilt from the heat of the beans.
6. Drizzle with some olive oil and fresh lemon juice, and toss to combine.
7. Add chopped dates and lemon zest, and toss again.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Top with bacon.
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. To reduce sodium levels, I used cans of reduced-sodium cannellini beans.
2. I “doubled” the recipe: I used 2 cans of cannellini beans, 1 medium onion, 10 slices of bacon, 2 small garlic cloves, and about 8 ounces of baby spinach leaves. This quantity should yield six servings.
3. The next time I make this salad, I will add more crushed red pepper flakes to give it a little more kick.
4. I chopped about 5-6 pitted dates and added them to the salad. This was not part of the original recipe, but dates are high in potassium and offer a nice sweet counterbalance to the tart freshness of the lemon juice.
5. The lemon zest was not part of the original recipe either, but why waste this most fragrant part of a lemon?
6. To reduce the fat content and make this salad healthier, omit the bacon. Instead, sauté everything in olive oil.
Enjoy!
Posted in About me, Creativity, Organization, Recycling, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged Danny Kaye quote, European train trips, how to pack a suitcase, how to travel by train, old suitcases, packing tips, quote about travel, repurposing suitcases, the man in seat 61, train trips, travel by ferry, travel the world by train, traveling by train, upcycle old suitcases, vintage suitcases on May 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Despite lugging my suitcase through subway passageways and up and down stairs, traveling by train through Italy surpassed my expectations. Trains take you places sometimes where airplanes don’t go. If time permits, why not try taking the scenic route on your next trip and travel by train?
#1 – Weeklong Train Trips
Now that I’ve got you thinking about train trips, read Europe By Train: Five Great One-Week Rail Trip Routes and start planning a trip.
#2 – The Man in Seat 61
If you need help planning a train or ferry trip, check out The Man in Seat Sixty-One, an informative site dedicated to worldwide train and ferry travel.
#3 – Pack Your Bags
When traveling, the adage “less is more” becomes meaningful. Nobody wants to haul large pieces of luggage on to trains or try to fit them in tiny elevators. Real Simple’s Packing Tips From The Pros offers many helpful ideas on how to select your travel wardrobe and then how to pack it efficiently.
#4 – Upcycling Suitcases
What to do with old suitcases that can only hold memories and not clothing anymore? Upcycle them into something fabulous like these chest of drawers by JAMESPLUMB. Check out these other suitcase transformations.
#5 – The Upside of Traveling
“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.”
Danny Kaye
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Community, Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged acts of kindness, Andrew Solomon, butterflies, butterfly effect, butterfly quote, Chris Rosati, defining moments, inspiration, Maya Angelou quote, metamorphosis, moments that make us who we are, Morpho butterflies, TED Talk, Things that make us feel great, transformation on May 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Movement caught my eye as I stood at the kitchen sink and stared out the window. Something landed on a nearby bush, sat for a while, and then flew away. I wondered if a hummingbird had built a nest there. When I went outside to look, a butterfly flew within inches of my face and landed on a leaf in front of me. She repeated the process – landing, resting, flying away – for more than 20 minutes. “She must be laying eggs,” I thought to myself. The fascinating metamorphosis of butterflies happens right in front of our eyes, but most of us don’t see it. In a larger sense, the challenges we encounter during our own metamorphosis oftentimes prevent us from seeing the transformations of others.
#1 – Proving the Butterfly Effect
Since being diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, North Carolina resident Chris Rosati has become an inspiration to many people around the world. He created BIGG, Big Idea for the Greater Good Initiative, that challenges people “to change the world with just one act of kindness.” Watch the short video of how Chris is “proving the butterfly effect with a single act of kindness.”
#2 – Forge Meaning, Build Identity
Writer Andrew Solomon gives an inspirational and powerful TED presentation on “How the worst moments in our lives make us who we are.” Eloquently, he shares stories of adversity and encourages us to forge meaning from our struggles. Here’s one of my favorite passages from his presentation: When we’re ashamed, we can’t tell our stories, and stories are the foundation of identity. Forge meaning, build identity, forge meaning and build identity. That became my mantra. Forging meaning is about changing yourself. Building identity is about changing the world. All of us with stigmatized identities face this question daily: how much to accommodate society by constraining ourselves, and how much to break the limits of what constitutes a valid life? Forging meaning and building identity does not make what was wrong right. It only makes what was wrong precious.
#3 – Simple Things
Car rides, belly rubs, walks in the park – it’s obvious that little things bring joy to dogs. What types of things bring joy to humans? A United Kingdom healthcare group surveyed 2,000 people and asked them what types of things made them feel good. Check out 50 Simple Things that Make Us Feel Great and see how many of these feel-good activities are on your list.
#4 – Butterfly Blues
Tropical Morpho butterflies have beautiful blue wings. This three-minute video shows how the structure of their wings generates their incredible iridescent color.
#5 – Transformation
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged artichoke hearts, artichoke salad recipes, artichokes, artichokes and red peppers, best salad recipe, favorite salad recipes, Italian salad, party salad, roasted artichokes, salad for entertaining, salad recipes, salads, summer salads, vegetable side dish, vegetables on April 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Mounds of colorful roasted artichoke salad, drizzled with basil vinaigrette, sat on a bed of fresh mixed greens. With roasted red peppers and artichokes hearts, capers, red onion, and parsley leaves, this salad made a perfect side dish for my mom’s Italian-themed birthday celebration. Don’t limit this spectacular salad to Italian dinners, though. You’ll want to serve this versatile dish at al fresco dinner parties, family barbecues, holiday brunches, and more!
Roasted Artichoke Salad
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
INGREDIENTS
4 boxes (9 ounces each) frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons capers, drained
2 roasted red peppers, sliced thin
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 pinches hot red pepper flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the artichoke hearts in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss until the artichoke hearts are coated. Dump the artichoke hearts onto a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Place the minced shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the basil leaves and process into a green puree. With the processor running, slowly pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube until the ingredients are finely pureed. Set aside.
4. Place the roasted artichoke hearts in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the capers, red peppers, red onion, parsley, 4 tablespoons vinegar and red pepper flakes, if using, and toss gently. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let stand for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. I couldn’t find frozen artichoke hearts, so I substituted canned. I let the artichokes drain in a colander. Before using, I gently squeezed any excess liquid from them.
2. I doubled the recipe, but probably should not have doubled the salt. I normally eat a low-sodium diet, so this recipe seemed a bit salty to me, especially with the addition of the capers, which I rinsed and drained first. I used one 4-ounce jar of capers, which amounted to 7 tablespoons of capers. The doubled amount would have been 12 tablespoons worth of capers.
3. If you double this recipe, make sure you roast it in a single layer in two separate baking sheets.
4. To get a good roast on the artichokes, I needed to roast them 30 minutes longer than specified.
5. In step 4, I cut the amount of vinegar by half and did not add any additional salt.
6. Although the photo doesn’t show it, one of my favorite ways to serve this salad is on a rectangular serving platter. Place a mound of greens lengthwise on the platter and then mound the artichoke salad on top of the greens. Additional basil vinaigrette may be drizzled on top.
7. I made this salad the day before the party. Because it can be made ahead of time, it is a great salad for entertaining.
Enjoy!
Posted in About me, Community, Creativity, Helping Others, inspiration, Tuesday's Thoughts, Uncategorized, tagged art as therapy, Art of Being: Wellness Through Creativity, art therapy, being creative, Creativity, feeding your soul, food for thought, inspirational quote, Notes From the Universe quote, therapeutic value of art, Tuesday's Thoughts, Wellspring Women's Center, why art is important, women, women helping women on April 21, 2015| 1 Comment »
The words return, recover, and regroup define Mondays. Return to routines and schedules. Recover some semblance of order. Regroup by checking calendars, prioritizing, and taking inventory. I’m not a big fan of Mondays.
On Tuesdays, however, I allow myself to breathe. I write and let my mind stretch and my thoughts wander. I call these my Tuesday’s Thoughts. Starting today, I will throw some of these thoughts into the mix of my usual Tuesday content of food and crafts. Consider Tuesday’s Thoughts as food for thought. I am pleased to present this inaugural edition.
Today, I’m going to teach an art class at the Wellspring Women’s Center. The Center “nurtures the innate goodness and personal self-esteem of women and their children” and provides “all of the services in an atmosphere of hospitality with dignity and love.” Located in an impoverished area, the Center offers many services that “bolster the dignity and hope of people under duress.” I am most impressed that alongside food, counseling, wellness, and advocacy programs, it offers a free art therapy program called Art of Being: Wellness Through Creativity. Some of you may wonder, if the needs of these women are great and many, then why offer art classes? To this point, the Center states, “Creative expression is a powerful tool to cultivate the positive qualities of mindfulness and insight. Being present in our lives can help us to tap into our inner strength and wisdom and increase our feelings of well-being and joy.” Even though these women’s lives may be difficult, they are learning through art to see the world differently, to express themselves without fear and judgment, and to share their journeys. They are learning that who they are is more than where they live.
Tuesday’s Thoughts: Take a moment for yourself and feed your soul. Let loose your creativity. Be present in the moment. Do not judge or critique your creativity, because, if you do, you negate the joy you felt while freely expressing yourself.
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, Aging, Art and Crafts, Creativity, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Photography, Recipes, Style and fashion, Uncategorized, tagged 1990s party ideas, being a grandparent, change, digitized children's art, enhancing children's art, Grandchildren better than kids, Leo Tolstoy quote, quote aboute changing, Telmo Pieper, The more things change the more they stay the same, things that get better with age, things that improve with age, throwing a 90s party on April 17, 2015| 1 Comment »
Looking at a selfie of my granddaughter and me, I experienced a déjà vu moment. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what the selfie reminded me of, until yesterday. Yesterday was my birthday. When I checked my Facebook page, an image of me and my daughter appeared on the computer screen. The image showed a much younger me, sporting a short hairstyle, carrying my infant daughter. The hairstyle in the photo is almost identical to the haircut I just got a few weeks ago. Other than carrying different babies in my arms, having a few more lines around my eyes, and showing a more generous sprinkling of freckles now, the two moments, 25 years apart, illustrate the proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
#1 – Reincarnated Art
Artist Telmo Pieper, from the Netherlands, took drawings he made when he was 4-years-old and reincarnated them with the help of digital effects. Check out the transformations of his art here.
#2 – Reliving The ’90s
If the ’90s was your favorite decade, you might enjoy reliving it by throwing a party. Here are 29 Essentials For Throwing A Totally Awesome ’90s Party.
#3 – Children Versus Grandchildren
Before my granddaughter was born, numerous friends and family members told me that being a grandparent was better than being a parent. Could that possibly be true? The article Are Grandchildren Better Than Kids? attempts to answer that question. If you are a grandparent, let me know what you think.
#4 – Things That Get Better With Age
Amazingly some things actually improve with age. Would you like to know what these possibly could be? Check out this list from Prevention on 50 Things That Get Better With Age.
#5 – Changing
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
Leo Tolstoy
Now go and spread joy!
Posted in About me, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged barbecued ribs, barbecued spareribs, bbq Korean ribs, bbq recipes, easy barbecued ribs, gochujang, hot and sweet barbecue sauce, kalbi, Korean barbecued ribs, Korean food, Korean recipes, pork ribs, spicy barbecued ribs, spicy Korean ribs, sweet and spicy ribs on April 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »
If barbequed ribs and Buffalo chicken wings top your list of favorite foods, you’ll love these easy Korean spareribs. Both HOT and sweet, these ribs will have you reaching for a glass of water, but only after you’ve licked your fingers clean!
Dwaeji-Galbi: Korean Barbequed Pork Ribs
Discovering Korean Cuisine: Recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angeles, Edited by Allisa Park
INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds of pork ribs
1/2 cup Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Put hot pepper paste, sugar, garlic, black pepper, and Asian sesame oil in a bowl. Stir to mix.
2. Chop the pork ribs between the bones. Add to the sauce and mix well.
3. For the best tasting Dwaeji-galbi, grill it over charcoal. If you don’t have a grill, you can also pan-fry it and then put it in the oven until fully cooked.
Serving size: 2
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Tubs of gochujang, Korean hot pepper paste, can be purchased in Asian markets. Be aware that it is sold in varying degrees of pepper heat. I made this recipe using a medium-hot #3 paste. The level of heat was perfect – enough heat, but not scorching. 
2. I purchased 3 pounds of pre-sliced packs of baby back pork ribs and doubled the sauce.
3. Because there is sugar in the sauce, the ribs can burn easily. Grill over low heat and keep an eye on them.
Enjoy!
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