Like angels ascending to heaven, the morning mist lifts ethereally from the lake. A lone skiff floats through the mist and breaks the stillness of the glass-like water. The world is quiet and I am lost in my reverie. Fishermen arrive and set up their gear, but they do not disturb the peace I feel. The lake soon hums with activity, but the calm I felt during those precious early morning moments still flows through my blood and into my heart, setting the cadence of my heartbeat for the rest of the day.
#1 – A Small Portrait It takes calm nerves and a steady hand to paint paintings that are no larger than a small coin and are painted in a photo-realistic style. For each day of the year 2013, Cape Town-based artist Lorraine Loots painted a miniature painting. The paintings were for her project 365 Paintings for Ants and she is now working on a project called 365 Postcards for Ants. Watch the video to learn more about Lorraine and her work.
#2 – Making Clouds The introduction for this project from Oh! Crafts states, “Let your children fly their imagination in their own room with these great clouds hanging on the ceiling.” Forget about the kids! Adults need all the help they can get to fuel their imaginations, so go ahead and put up soft, billowy clouds in your home and make no excuses for them. And remember that clouds don’t always bring rain.
#3 – Your Green House Get your head out of the clouds and start living a greener life. Follow these 7 Ways To Make Your Home a Greener Place and live with a “clean” conscience.
#4 – Answer These Questions “What does a perfect day look like to you?” I could easily answer question #24 of 25 Questions to Ask People, but I would have to stop and ponder my answers to some of the other questions. Whether you ask others or yourself these questions, the important takeaway from this article is not so much about asking the questions, but it’s more about learning to be a mindful listener. Listen to yourself, too.
#5 – Morning Thoughts
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive — to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” Marcus Aurelius
What to get for a man who has everything? Well, if this man is a die-hard carrot cake fan, why not make him a batch of delicious carrot cake pancakes for breakfast? Light and fluffy, but loaded with texture from the carrots and nuts and boasting an incredible flavor combination of spice, orange zest, and candied ginger, these sensational pancakes will become a part of my man’s birthday breakfast from here on after.
Carrot Cake Pancakes Bobby Flay
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons pure cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup packed finely grated peeled carrots, patted dry on paper towels (about 3 medium carrots)
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, optional
1 tablespoon finely diced candied ginger
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional, plus more for garnish
Cooking spray or melted butter
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spices, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the carrots and orange zest, if using, and mix until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Fold in the ginger and pecans, if using, and mix until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
5. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Coat the skillet with cooking spray or brush with melted butter. Spoon 1/4 cup mounds of the batter onto the skillet, spreading with a spatula. Cook until the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look cooked, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven on a baking sheet, if desired.
Yield: About 14 pancakes
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. With my stove top griddle on medium heat, these pancakes cooked too fast. I had to turn it down to medium-low to prevent them from burning.
2. Don’t even think of omitting the candied ginger or the orange zest. Both add much to the overall depth of flavor.
3. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, go to this page to find buttermilk substitutions. I used a mix of sour cream, nonfat yogurt and milk. Just make sure you are making the appropriate amount, since these substitutions only make 1 cup.
4. I served these pancakes with a wonderful Cinnamon Apple Syrup from Apple Hill.
“I know I can do this,” I say to myself as I try to swaddle my newborn granddaughter. Remembering what my son told me, I carefully lift one corner of the swaddling cloth and bring it over Charlotte and tuck it under her body. Then I secure her other arm by bringing the other corner up and wrapping it around her like I am making a burrito. While doing this, I think to myself, “Seriously, it’s not like I didn’t swaddle my own three children!” I finish tying up the loose ends and shout “Success!” Then, while watching Charlotte sleep, I see a slight movement under the cloth. Slowly, one tiny arm creeps up and before I know it my little Houdini-like granddaughter has escaped her swaddling confines. I’m afraid this grandmother’s swaddling skills are a little rusty!
#1 – Halloween Party Ideas From Tip Junkie comes this frightfully fun collection of 31 Boo-worth Halloween Party Ideas and it’s just in time to help you plan a “spook-tacular” school party or a “spirited” evening with your favorite ghosts.
#2 – Interesting Person, Boring Life Does fear control the choices you make in life? If you feel you are being held back from being the person you want to be or living the life you want to live, you might want to read Dr. Linda Sapadin’s article Interesting Person, Boring Life. Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
#3 – Playing With Clouds Be what you want to be; see what you want to see. Have you ever looked at cloud formations and seen familiar shapes? In 18 Superbly Playful Photos of Clouds, imaginative photographers captured images of clouds in the most unique compositions.
#4 – Mariam Paré, Mouth-Painter Fear turned to gratitude and joy, when artist Mariam Paré relearned how to paint. A victim of a random shooting, Ms. Paré became a quadriplegic at the age of twenty. Read her inspirational story of how she learned to paint with her mouth and see some of her works of art on her website.
#5 – A Chink In Your Armour, A Crack In Your Soul?
“There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.” ― Leonard Cohen
The weather reflects fall and the calendar reads October, but my sewing room screams December. Donning my Santa hat, I’m already knee-deep in holiday projects. In addition to making scarves again from gently used t-shirts to give to the homeless, I’m making wheelchair or walker bags for residents who live in a nearby care center. All are sewn with heart.
I designed these bags and started making them years ago, when I volunteered at a senior care center. I noticed that residents using walkers and wheelchairs could not hold on to their possessions while holding the handles of their walkers or maneuvering the wheels of their wheelchairs. They needed something in which to carry their things when they were out of their rooms. I designed these bags with a divided front pocket, so that objects could be separated and found more readily. Velcro tabs sewn at the end of the straps make for easy installation and removal.
If you would like to make these simple bags for friends or relatives who use wheelchairs or walkers, or if you would like to make the lives of residents living in a care facility easier, click on the link for a PDF containing my step-by-step instructions on how to make a wheelchair or walker bag. Choose heavy weight fabric, such as canvas, for durability. If you are making them for a senior facility, try to select fabric with unisex patterns and colors.
We each hold the power to make a positive difference in the world, no matter how small or how large our contribution.
What foolery is this? Wires strung above clouds? Reality? Trickery? Did I lay on my back while taking this photo or did I rotate the photo on my computer? Just a point in case on how perspective can slant your outlook on life. What is your perspective on life and do you ever question your viewpoint?
#1 – Five Questions
When my children were growing up, I insisted that we eat dinner together as a family, no matter the hour or the activities missed. It was the one time of the day we could all be together. These 5 questions from Anil Gupta of Mind Valley Academy would have provided food for thought for my kids. But, it is not too late. Regularly answering these types of questions can alter one’s perspective on life no matter your age.
#2 – Pumpkin Fun When does a pumpkin look like a caterpillar or Harry Potter? When you get your creative juices going and think outside the box! Here are some Unique Halloween Pumpkin Ideas to jump start your creativity.
#3 – Popular Countries
Take a guess as to which countries travelers frequent the most and then check out the chart below to see if you guessed correctly. You can see the top 50 on Movehub’s Map of The Most Popular Countries In The World.
Bigger is better, especially when it comes to cookies. Not because you get more yummy-in-your-tummy, but because big cookies are meant to be shared. For casual entertaining, have fun and save time by making big or “slab” cookies. This delectable shortbread recipe starts out in a large tart pan, but ends up being cut into shareable squares. Or like Salted Butter Breakups, a recipe which I wrote about over a year ago, you can break it up with your hands and share pieces with your friends.
Dried Cherry Shortbread The Art of the Cookie by Shelly Kaldunski
INGREDIENTS
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have ready a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and 1¼ cups of the sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beating on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, beating until almost incorporated.
4. Add the vanilla and dried cherries and beat on low speed just until the dough forms large clumps and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Using your hands, evenly press the dough into the tart pan. With a fork, prick the entire surface, making holes 1/4 inch deep at 1-inch intervals.
6. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the center is very lightly golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Immediately sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar evenly over the shortbread and use a sharp chef’s knife to cut it into squares. Let cool in pan, about 30 minutes.
7. Remove the cookies from the pan and store in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment paper at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Makes about 30 cookies
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. For the best flavor, use a quality brand of butter.
2. Check the shortbread after 25 minutes and keep an eye on it, so it does not get too dark.
Drunk on milk, Charlotte sleeps contentedly in my mother’s arms. My dad looks on and says to me, “Right now, under this roof, there are four generations.” Remarkable indeed. Charlotte is blessed with four great-grandparents who love her and who will share their infinite wisdom with her. And because life is a two-way street, these great-grandparents receive blessings in return. A new baby in the family invigorates spirits, brings new meaning to life, and expands the capacity to love.
#1 – For Children’s Sake A recurring discussion in my household pops up every time my husband tosses out something that can be recycled, upcycled, re-purposed, or re-used. I used to say to him, “Imagine what the world is going to be like for your grandchildren, if the majority of the people in this world are not more conscientious.” Now that we have a granddaughter, I say to him, “Think about the world you want Charlotte to live in.” Start today. Do your share. The children are counting on us. To that point, here are 16 Simple Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste.
#2 – Iris’s World Iris Grace is not your average 5-year-old. With an eye for color and movement, Iris paints “masterpieces” that are sold around the world. She is also autistic. Despite the fact that she barely speaks, she expresses herself beautifully through her artwork.
#3 – It’s Autumn In the northern hemisphere, the autumnal equinox or the first day of autumn occurred last week. With 90-degree temperatures predicted for this weekend, it’s hard to make the transition from summer to autumn here. To help ease the transition, here are 12 Before-And-After Photos of Autumn’s Beautiful Transformations.
#4 – Best Friends
With the help of his cat-friend Pudditat, an old, blind and partially deaf dog named Tervel, can get around and enjoy the rest of his life.
#5 – Your World
“Children reinvent your world for you.” Susan Sarandon
While searching for the perfect coleslaw recipe to go with some pulled pork that I made, I thought about a classic pairing: together apples and pork are a gastronomical match made in heaven. I wanted a coleslaw that combined the clean fruity flavors of crisp apples with the crunch of fresh cabbage. Colorful and perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy and crunchy and crispy, this coleslaw complemented the pulled pork wonderfully. Whether you eat it on the side or put it directly inside your pulled pork sandwich, you will want more!
Apple Coleslaw Wolfgang Puck
INGREDIENTS
Poppy Seed Honey Dressing:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare the Poppy Seed Dressing. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients together until well blended. Set aside.
2. Prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, scallions, parsley, and apples.
3. Pour in the reserved dressing and toss until well blended. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, mixing the salad at least once to evenly distribute the dressing.
Yields 6 to 8 servings
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. To make this coleslaw more visually appealing, I substituted red cabbage for some of the green. I used 1 head of green cabbage and 1/2 head of red cabbage.
2. I doubled the entire recipe, but did not add in all the salad dressing when tossing. The coleslaw would have been too wet if I had. I also did not double the amount of salt in the dressing. Four teaspoons of salt just seemed like too much!
3. I grated the carrots with a coarse grater instead of cutting them into julienne strips. Even easier would be to buy a bag of shredded carrots at the grocery store.
4. While preparing the apple slices, make sure to toss any that have been cut into some of the salad dressing to prevent browning.
5. Try putting the slaw directly in a pulled pork sandwich. Delicious!
“You will become addicted,” one of my Korean friends said while warning me about watching Korean soap operas. Addiction is an understatement. As a result of these soap operas, I find myself immersing in Korean culture to the point where I listen to Korean music (the lyrics of which I don’t completely understand), recognize aspects of Korean culture, and experiment with flavors and textures of Korean cuisine. One of my family’s favorite Korean noodle dishes is Jap Chae; it’s made from gluten-free sweet potato noodles and fresh vegetables. It’s delicious or, as they say in Korea, Mah Sit Sso Yo!
Jap Chae: Korean Glass Noodles Steamy Kitchen
INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound dried Korean sweet potato noodles
2½ teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks green onions, cut into 1″ lengths
1/2 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced (shitake or wood ear)
1/2 lb spinach, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
1. Fill a large pot with water and boil. When water is boiling, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and toss with only 1 tsp of the sesame oil. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into shorter pieces, about 8 inches in length. Set aside.
2. In bowl, mix soy sauce and sugar together. Set aside.
3. Add the cooking oil in a wok or large saute pan on high heat and swirl to coat. When the cooking oil is hot, but not smoking, fry onions and carrots, until just softened, about 1 minute.
4. Add the garlic, green onions and mushrooms, fry 30 seconds. Then add the spinach, soy sauce, sugar and the noodles. Fry 2-3 minutes until the noodles are cooked through. Turn off heat, toss with sesame seeds and the remaining 1½ tsp of sesame oil.
Serves 4
LINNELL’S NOTES
1. Sweet potato vermicelli (dang myun), dried shitake mushrooms, and dried wood ears can be found in most Asian markets or can be ordered online.
2. If you are using dried shitake mushrooms or dried wood ears instead of fresh, they will need to be soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes to rehydrate them prior to using.
3. Sometimes when I feel lazy, I buy a bag of shredded carrots and a bag of prewashed baby spinach leaves at my local grocery store.
4. If you would like to add some beef to this dish, thin strips of beef can be partially stir fried in step 3 before adding the onions and carrots.
5. Thin slices of red bell peppers can also be added in step 4.
6. This noodle dish can be served at room temperature.
7. Because my family likes this dish, I always double the recipe.
Sleeping next to her leash, my son’s dog Ruca dreams of going for a walk. There is much we can learn from dogs. One thing my dog taught me about life is that if you set your mind on something and work relentlessly at it, you might just achieve your goal. For my dog Romeo, it was chewing through metal containers of Altoids to get to the mints inside or deftly pulling all the files out of my husband’s briefcase, without messing up a single paper, to get to one pack of gum. Granted, dogs have very basic wants and needs. Humans have loftier and more complicated goals. We need to be like dogs and persevere at whatever dream we dream or goal we set for ourselves: finishing school, finding a job, kicking a habit, losing weight, etc. These all take dogged determination, but if dogs can make their dreams come true, why can’t we?
#1 – Never Give Up Charlie Brown No one knew more about persevering in life than the Peanuts cartoon character Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown reflected the thoughts and life of cartoonist Charles Schulz. He said of Peanuts, “If you read the strip, you would know me. Everything I am goes into the strip—all of my fears, my anxieties and my joys.” Despite all of the failures and rejections in his life, Charles Schulz never gave up. Read Charles Schulz and Perseverance for an insight into his life and where he got his inspiration from.
#2 – Life Hacks I dream of simplifying my life, so whenever I see clever life hacks, I make note of them. 41 Creative DIY Hacks to Improve Your Home offers many ideas that I’ve not seen before. Having just inherited half a dozen magazine holders from my son, I will be transforming them into sandal and flip flop holders this weekend. Check out the ideas and see which ones will make your life better.
#3 – Aerial Photography and Designer Clothing In a series of photos, photographer Joseph Ford juxtaposes his aerial landscapes with designer clothing for interesting effect. Appreciate his use of the artistic elements of line, shape, form, space, color, texture and value in his work.
#4 – Head Up, Heart Strong
Cancer does not discriminate. We all know that. I sew blankets for an organization that supports children with cancer. Yet, when I learned several months ago that my cousin’s 17-year-old daughter had cancer, I was filled with disbelief. As Katherine or “Moi,” as most family and friends call her, began her senior year in high school this month, she reflected back on her recent battle with cancer. Declaring her mantra while going through treatment as “Head Up, Heart Strong,” she shared her thoughts in a touching and inspirational speech to her high school classmates. We can learn so much from her experience.
#5 – Lesson From Defeat
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” Maya Angelou
Once you click on the share button, you will be see a window with lots of choices. The easiest way to share this blog is to scroll down through the list to one of the "email" options you subscribe to. After you click on that option, you can enter the email addresses of people with whom you'd like to share this blog.
Like angels ascending to heaven, the morning mist lifts ethereally from the lake. A lone skiff floats through the mist and breaks the stillness of the glass-like water. The world is quiet and I am lost in my reverie. Fishermen arrive and set up their gear, but they do not disturb the peace I feel. The lake soon hums with activity, but the calm I felt during those precious early morning moments still flows through my blood and into my heart, setting the cadence of my heartbeat for the rest of the day.
It takes calm nerves and a steady hand to paint paintings that are no larger than a small coin and are painted in a photo-realistic style. For each day of the year 2013, Cape Town-based artist Lorraine Loots painted a miniature painting. The paintings were for her project 365 Paintings for Ants and she is now working on a project called 365 Postcards for Ants. Watch the video to learn more about Lorraine and her work.
The introduction for this project from Oh! Crafts states, “Let your children fly their imagination in their own room with these great clouds hanging on the ceiling.” Forget about the kids! Adults need all the help they can get to fuel their imaginations, so go ahead and put up soft, billowy clouds in your home and make no excuses for them. And remember that clouds don’t always bring rain.
Get your head out of the clouds and start living a greener life. Follow these 7 Ways To Make Your Home a Greener Place and live with a “clean” conscience.
“What does a perfect day look like to you?” I could easily answer question #24 of 25 Questions to Ask People, but I would have to stop and ponder my answers to some of the other questions. Whether you ask others or yourself these questions, the important takeaway from this article is not so much about asking the questions, but it’s more about learning to be a mindful listener. Listen to yourself, too.
What about this? 
You must be logged in to post a comment.