statue, toys, granola ... the stuff of life

Finally, after several blah-grey days, the sun is shining. Whoot, whoot! I am susceptible to the cheer of sunburst, especially when it is combined with a deep blue sky.

My neighbor Tammy was off work today, so we headed out early this morning, with Agnes in tow, to walk to some parks and woods nearby. Then, she let me wander through her house taking pictures of stuff. She's thoughtful that way. She knows that rooting around in people's old junk is one of my favorite things to do. She knows that cause it's also one of her favorite things to do. 

Once, we spent five hours together in a single Goodwill store. It's safe to assume that we'd each touched every item by the time we left the store. That's how we roll. 

It is always so interesting to look at people's stuff and to see what they collect. I zeroed in on the tiny toys in an old shadowbox that she had from back in the day when everyone had shadowboxes. I think that fad peaked around 1988. These shots are all from this morning.

Also, here's my latest granola invention. I'm still deep into my granola-with-yogurt-for-breakfast obsession and this recipe is part of my ongoing quest to discover the most flavor and nutrition for the least calories. This stuff is good plain, on yogurt or with milk. Try it. 

Ginger Almond Granola

6 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup wheat bran
1 & 1/2 cups chopped raw almonds
2 Tablespoons grated orange zest, dried

Combine all of the above in a large bowl. Set aside. Then, in a saucepan, combine the following:

3 Tablespoons coconut (or olive or vegetable) oil
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Heat to boiling, then simmer till sugar is dissolved. Combine with oat mixture. Spread onto 2 baking sheets, or 1 very large one. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or so, till golden, removing pans halfway through baking to stir granola. Cool, then add:


1 cup dried cranberries
2 Tablespoons finely chopped candied or crystallized ginger

Store in an airtight container. 

what the tree said

I don't have much to say today because I've been busy scabboring around to the bank, post office, doctor's office and grocery store, besides yoga this morning. I'm feeling like a bit of a slacker, as I'd hoped to have the whole Photoshop DVD learned by now, and am not even half way through.

At times like these, I like to think about nature. Acorns never hurry. Leaves do not feel guilty for their slow progress.

Pecans ripen at their own pace and are beautiful the whole time. Trees take time to open their branches and celebrate being alive every day.

Nature teaches me so much. Then I forget and have to walk in the woods to remember. I think I need to go live in the woods.

I heart learning

Here's what's interesting: in life, you always get to learn new things. Granted, this is only interesting if the new things you are learning are the things that interest you. The trick is finding out what excites you, then figuring out how you can learn that best in the shortest amount of time.

Eeek. I am expanding my knowledge of Photoshop in a most exciting way. Yes, I took the class at Colin college. But I am old and non-technological, so I am reviewing, in a more in depth manner, before progressing to the next level by watching a delightful learn-at-your-own-pace DVD on the computer: Video2brain's Photoshop elements 11 by Tim Grey.

Who knew learning could be such fun? I highly recommend this series.

I'll admit I have a paranoia about being stuck in a boring classroom. That's what happens when you spend 1st grade through 6th grade bored stiff. This Tim Grey series works for me. If I get antsy, I can pause for a quick outing, then resume. The bottom line is that learning is cool no matter what your age. I encourage you to keep at it from here on out in whatever form or fashion excites you!

PS. These shots are from last Fall. I am sorting through and organizing everything I have so far, and these are from today's work.

the prisoner story

In less than a month, I'll be the same age my mom was when she died. I've been thinking about that. Some events have haunted me through the years and haunt me still. But there is power in the telling. Just as a light shined into the darkness can banish the ghosts, words can heal. May your words bring you strength and may all of your stories eventually get told.


The winter of my junior year in college, Mom called one day to say she was getting married. She'd been single my whole life, though she'd seriously dated a priest, a dying man, and a gangster over the years, having divorced my dad, an alcoholic, when I was a baby. The new guy was a prisoner which, apparently, was not a problem as he could get a weekend furlough for the wedding in six weeks. 

I found this news troubling for many reasons. She barely knew him. He was eighteen years her junior, an uneducated armed robber, and in prison. Those things I could have possibly overlooked if not for that horrible feeling he gave me. Some things you just know. The instant I'd met him over the previous Thanksgiving break, when he'd gotten a release to visit us, all of the little hairs on the back of my arms and neck had stood on end. A solid rock of fear had instantly formed in my stomach. He was furtive, brooding, oddly mechanical. No way was I ever going to be caught alone with this guy. Before his arrival, Mom had warned me not to wear gym shorts, my usual around-the-house garb, during his stay, but only long pants. How did she not realize how creepy that was? How evil he was? 

I tried to tell her. At my first word, seeing the look on my face, she cut me off sharply demanding that I share in her joy, welcome and accept Dick. Yes, that was his name, aptly enough. She called me critical and selfish: the worst of the worst in our family circle. These comments hobbled me, like a swift blow to my Achilles heel. 

The morning of the wedding, which was held at my college town because it was closer to the prison than where Mom lived, I was with her in her hotel room. She asked me to get her a cup of coffee from the lobby, which I did, though not as cheerfully as she'd wanted me to. She wanted me to be giddy, goofy, and punchy as I often was just for grins. But I couldn't, though I'd not said another word against the elephant in the room since Thanksgiving. She asked me to paint her nails. I took her thumb and started, remembering the time I was seven and had, in fascination, peeled off every speck of her freshly applied red nail polish as she napped on the couch. How times had changed. To tell everything that happened before and after the wedding would take a book, but her next words hurt me the most. 

"Stop trying to steal my joy. This is my special day and I deserve to enjoy every minute of it. You need to smile and be happy, to love and accept Dick. You have no choice."

"I want to, but how can I trust him when I don't know him? It's for your sake that I'm worried." 

As expected, she played the God card. No one in our family would dare argue with that one. "God ordained this wedding, and everything is going to be wonderful. You'll see." I never did. It never was.

After that conversation, I only saw Mom a handful of times, because I soon graduated college and moved out of state. She died within two years of a heart problem. If he is still alive, Dick is in prison now, but this time for murder. He shot an elderly corner-grocery-store owner in a robbery after mom was gone.

lazy weekend

It was a quiet weekend here, which is just the kind Quiet Guy and I like. What can I say? We are old and enjoy monotony and simple pleasures. The highlights included going out for Chinese food Friday night with some buddies. If you live in the Dallas area, check out Empress of China in Valley Ranch. Yum. Then the movie Parker. Sadly, I was the one who picked the movie. Happily, everyone but me enjoyed it. I guess it was good if you like violent movies without much character development.

Saturday, we went to the gym and the grocery store, as usual. Delightful. Then we watched several episodes of  Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter on Netflix. It's a Swedish series, which I soundly recommend. QG made beef & vegetable soup and I made bread. He is quite the soup maker, I must say. Here's his secret recipe.

QG's Beef Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 pound chuck steak cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 - 16 ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup carrots, sliced thin
1 cup each frozen peas, corn, and green beans
6 - 8 cups water, according to your preference
1 cup uncooked rice
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, saute the onions and garlic over medium heat, add the beef and brown it. Add everything else and simmer it for 3 hours. Serve with crusty bread.

Today was yoga, then we went to a neighborhood nearby to walk Jamie and take photos of the houses, sky, ducks, and scenery. Jamie made a friend, fresh from a swim in the pond. It looks as if she does not approve of such foolishness. Now, time for us slackers to watch Downton Abbey.

chasing cars

I'm so not a car girl, but these images from CTC auto ranch make me happy. I am still sorting through the thousand or so pictures I took there on the photography class field trip back in November. It's funny, but many pictures pass my eyes with no feeling cropping up, but some give me a certain heart blip which is explainable, as it not based on anything specific. Only instinct. Happy Friday, peeps!

Thursday craft day: how to make a kaleidoscope

pre-crafting snack

As a disclaimer, let me just say that I write this while eating peppermint ice cream. I can't be responsible for what I say in this state. I am giddy with sugar-induced euphoria. The joy of peppermint ice cream is right up there with the birth of my first child. (Alright, maybe slightly below, but close.) I have fond memories of stopping at Howard Johnson's restaurant on numerous Friday nights as a child to get ice cream on the way to spend the weekend at my Uncle Duke's Christmas tree farm in Boyers, PA. My choice never varied from peppermint. Looking forward to that treat got me through many a looong, boring school day in 3rd to 6th grade. 

Speaking of kids, today was momentous. It was the start of Thursday craft day with my buddy Morgan from down the street. I met Morgan ten years ago, though she doesn't remember it. Understandable, as she was only six months old at the time. Her grandma used to bring her to Mother Goose Time, a story time for infants which I led for years at our local library. She then came to my toddler time, then story time. Then, last year when I quit the library and worked at my local elementary as a crossing guard, Morgan came early every morning to hang out before the walkers arrived. This year, I often see her at our neighborhood park when QG and I walk the dog, and, since I miss doing crafts with my kids now that they're grown ups, I decided to invite her to join me on Thursday afternoons for crafts and games. 

Today was super-fun. We made kaleidoscopes and played matching game. Here's how to make the kaleidoscopes:

You need to buy a sheet of black plexiglass and cut it into strips 1 1/4 x 8 inches. (3 per kaleidoscope.) We called around to supply places, and QG cut the sheet with a circular saw. (We did this years ago to make these as a class project with our daughter's class and kept these extras.) It comes coated with paper on both sides, which easily peels off. Aside from that, you need cardboard, or tag board, circles about 2 inches diameter, glitter, markers, colored paper scraps or tissue paper to decorate these, glue, duct tape, straws and a few pipe cleaners.

Peel the backing from one side of all 3 plexiglass strips. Form them into a triangle, shiny side facing in and tape it together with duct tape on all sides. Tape a straw along one edge, to be jutting out 1/4 inch on one end. You can stop here, but if you want it to look fancier, you can then wrap colored duct tape over it, or cover with contact paper, or tissue paper coated with a half glue half water mixture. Let dry.

Now poke a small hole in the center of the cardboard circle, then decorate it with colorful papers/glitter/stickers. You can make several of these with different decorations if you want. Cut pipe cleaner in half,  jab it into the hole, bending a half inch or so against plain side of disk. Now all you have to do is feed the pipe cleaner into the straw. Scoot the disc close to the opening  Look into the other end of the kaleidoscope, and spin the disc to enjoy the effects.

behold the humble grapefruit

I was peeling and removing the sections from a bunch of grapefruits this afternoon when I got mesmerized with their beauty. It happens. I had to run and get Agnes to share the moment with me and capture it on film. Who knew how intriguing their insides are? If only they knew how amazing and special they truly are.

Grapefruits are like people. I have a good friend. She means the world to me. She is sensitive, kind,  thoughtful, and good with words: lovely any way you slice it. She called me yesterday because she was feeling blue. I had to administer a pep talk, stat. 

She was doubting her worth. It happens to her from tie to time. I could relate. But I never doubt her worth. I completely believe in her awesomeness. She is like one of my grapefruits. 

To the casual observer, they may look ordinary sitting on the grocery store shelf, but once you get them home and look inside, it becomes clear that they are amazing works of art. Like my friend. Like you. Like me.

Never forget that you are beautiful. It's okay. Own it. God knit you together. Who knows why, but He did. You were meant to be exactly as you are. All you have to do is live in this moment and keep on breathing.

Boom, found! Plus my turkey lettuce swirl recipe

I have a new obsession. It is the turkey lettuce swirl: a recipe I came up with for a filling yet oh-so-healthy lunch. I will reveal all, but first an announcement. I have found my lens cap!!! Granted, I'd finally given up and bought a new one last Wednesday when I went to the camera store to buy Agnes her new lens. No bother, I am happy to have a spare. It was an inexpensive knock-off, which did not say Nikon on it, as my sweet, recently-found original does. I like that label.

I have pieced together the story of Nikon lens cap's disappearance. Here's what happened. But first, as back story, you need to know that a cardinal principal of my over-the-last-six-months de-cluttering/home organization effort is rule number uno: like items together. I have corralled all the like items in our household and placed them alongside their brethren. That means all the extension cords previously hiding in various nooks and crannies are now in one box. (Who knew we owned twelve extension cords?) That means that all seven of my earphone sets are now in a box right beside our yoga mats so that I can find them when I need them, as yoga means thirty minutes on the elliptical beforehand, which necessitates earphones to watch the news on the hanging TVs. In the past, I've often scrambled to locate earphones with QG waiting in the car to leave for yoga. Not anymore. Also, all the candles have been rounded up into one box: the candle box.

So, apparently, the day lens cap went missing, I'd dragged out the candle box to replace burnt-out candles with new ones, then had tucked the candle box back into  my closet. Today, I again went to replace a candle. I opened the candle box, and there was lens cap. I guess I'd mindlessly put the lid on last time without looking.  Hallelujah! What was lost has now been found.

Now on to the recipe. I am obsessed, obsessed, I tell ya, with these wraps. The good thing about them is they are healthy and when eaten for lunch, they fill you up till dinnertime, whereas some healthy lunches leave you scrounging for a snack an hour later. Here's how to make one serving. If making more, increase accordingly:

Gleanfreak Turkey Lettuce Swirl

Gather 1 large Boston Bibb Lettuce leaf
1  to 1 1/2 slice white American cheese
2 slices turkey luncheon meat (I prefer Boar's Head)
Hellman's Low-Fat Mayonnaise
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 carrot, grated
Small hand full of raisins
1 teaspoon grated raw sweet onion
1-2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Layer in the order listed. Roll up like a taco. Put on a plate to catch the drippings. Find a comfortable chair. Enjoy.