100 Thoughts of Love

Thank a Vet

2009-11-08T09:28:00.009-06:00

It is once again Veterans Day, a day I never really thought much about and frankly took quite for granted. Not until becoming a mother and a wife, did I ever consider that a soldier is someone's son or daughter, or that he is a husband or father. Not until my own son was of the age when he might enlist or be drafted if ever our country returned to that. Not until a few years ago, when L approached my uncle, a WWII veteran, and said "I want to thank you for serving this country". And he shook his hand. My uncle, who still talks about that moment, was recognized for what he did. Someone else recognized what he sacrificed. I have posted about this before, and it remains one of my single most inspiring moments I have witnessed. So don't just wave a flag, watch a parade, or just take the day off if it is a holiday for you. Thank a veteran of any military branch. Be it Navy, Army, Air Force, or Marines. WWII, Vietnam, or boot camp. Thank them, whether they were in a war or not. They put themselves in harms way every day. They lose their lives in combat, in helicopters, in accidents, and in training. This Veterans day, take a moment to thank a vet.

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

Winston Churchill

Venturing Out

2009-10-24T16:39:00.019-05:00

It was a mixed bag in the North Carolina mountains; we started the week off with 30 degree weather and snow, and ended with mid 60's. We saw everything from snow to rain to sunshine.

The color was not as good at the higher elevations, but was really beautiful on a waterfall side trip we made in the southern part of the mountains.

The first picture is Looking Glass Falls and the next two are White Water falls, both in Brevard, N.C.

The highlight of the week was a little off the beaten path. While on a public viewing platform at Connestee Falls, L spotted something off in the woods beside the falls. If you click on this photo and look closely to the right of the falls, you will see some stairs! Now, I am not one to run off into the woods without a marked trail . I am the one who doesn't take enough chances in life. L is the one who inspires me to be more of a participant in life. And being out of shape, overweight and with an old foot injury, I don't have a lot of confidence in my ability to do physical things. I have deep seated fear of walking just far enough into the woods to be beyond rescue, and having a heart attack. For me, far enough is about 50 feet. But when he sees stairs in the woods beside the falls...he is going in! It took a little encouraging on his part, but I tentatively followed him into the woods to find a way to come up over the falls to the other side. Soon, we found a hint of a path, which soon became a good trail and then became a marked trail. It was an easy stroll in the woods, even for me. The only part that concerned me was the 100 and some odd steps that led down to the falls. That and the little snake that laid on one of the steps. It scared me so bad I couldn't even take a picture.

Eventually we came out in a clearing right beside the falls, so close you could put your hand in. The twin falls of Connestee and Batson Creek spill in from two directions. The waters pool together and form a third falls called Silver Slip. The constant roar of the twin falls echoed through the woods and proved to be a magical place.

I am inspired to get in better shape, to regain my confidence, and to venture out of my comfort zone more often. Life is too short. And to you...thank you for that walk.

Dream House 2009

2009-09-20T09:22:00.015-05:00

I don't watch a lot of TV. When I need mindless excursions, I usually get on the internet. I travel to different towns across America via the Real Estate pages. I am on a never ending hunt for my perfect house. I don't have an overall picture of it in my mind, but I do have snapshots in my dreams. Its front remains faceless right now, but its features are clear. My must haves are simple and generally are old features.

An antique door ...I love the hardware on this one as well. But I like those old glass doorknobs for all the interior doors.
this photo taken without permission from
the-peter-hoyt-house.com/images/Wooden-Screen-Door.jpg

Old screen doors on every entrance...and they have to be the real kind that slap the wood every time they close. The hinges can squeak as well.

a front porch...enough said

....fireplace, preferably stone

a farmhouse sink

And this lovely bathroom. I am blessed to have a really nice little house, and love it and I am truly grateful for it. It's main issues for me are that it isn't located where I would like it to be. If I could add a porch, get a new "old" door and screen doors, face the fireplace out with stone, get a new sink and remodel the bathroom; then it would be perfect.

Oh, and.....

maybe move it to this view.

Good days, Bad days

2009-09-05T18:00:00.004-05:00

Although this picture is from last fall, it won't be long before we enjoy cooler days again. We were teased the last few days with mild weather, and it was just enough to make me yearn for colder weather and fall colors. The fall days bring out the best in me, something I need a dose of right now.

Some days are good ones, others... not so. For some reason today did not start out to be my best. After a few cups of coffee and some negative mind games, I decided that being a 3 day weekend, I had to turn things around. Having an extra day off onMonday is golden around here, so although I have no weekend plans, I decided to at least make some of that time useful. I resorted to what I usually do when faced with idle time.....No, I did not cut my hair. But I did clean and reorganize an unusually messy house. After the May return of my recent college graduated son, my small house is bursting with stuff. Although I had originally looked at this as a temporary housing situation, it appears it is turning into a roomate situation that doesn't have an ending in the near future. Unless a miracle job appears for said Biology graduate. Soon. Anything, really will do. So while he sleeps away his Saturday morning; and now his afternoon as well, I have cleaned my way through half my house. And then a late afternoon suprise visit has turned a not so day into a happy one.

And the first Sam Adams Octoberfest.

Wandering

2009-08-23T23:10:00.008-05:00

Today was a day I just didn't feel like sitting around inside. I needed to wander a bit, physically and mentally. So I took myself to one of my favorite "mindless" places... a local antique junk and flea market. I love to wander and look and pick out things to buy; but I usually carry them around for awhile and then one by one, I put them back. I think I have almost as much fun doing this as I do if I just buy them!

There were a lot of glass bottles, canisters and cookie jars. I love glass, but I didn't see anything today that interested me. I saw a lot of things I would like to have if I ever have an old house, with a farmhouse style kitchen.

I saw a lot of nice wood things. Lots of wood boxes (which I love), but none that seemed really old to me. I also saw a lot of old crates, ammo crates as well as food crates. They are always fun and good for storage. One of the most unique things I saw was a cigar mold, I wish I could have gotten a picture, but my phone was dead by then!

Also there were walls of old tools, saws, kitchen tools, and just ...

well, stuff! That box looking thing on the right hand edge of this photo, is a wooden pigeon carrier! It was 3 or 4 feet long, with a row of doors an separate compartments. Something I had never seen before!

My favorite thing that I didn't buy, was a divided crate. It looked like it might have held wine bottles at one time. But I left it for someone else to rescue. Next time maybe.

What Are You Afraid Of?

2009-08-21T15:00:00.008-05:00

What do I fear? Everything it seems these days....is it old age ? (middle-old-age?) I was fearless in my youth; not afraid of anything that I remember. Little would stop me from what I wanted to do and no obstacles ever stood in my way. Nothing was dangerous and nothing had consequences. Nowadays...I am afraid of too much. Ironically, I don't really worry about real issues like the economy, Korea, terrorism or Jon and Kate . I worry about stupid stuff. These are my current mind occupying fears; in no particular order.

1. Having a heart attack* any minute.

* stroke, aneurysm, that last piece of stuff that clogs the artery, or flesh eating disease

2. Driving (being the passenger) in traffic*

* substitute rain, fog, etc

3. Flying...

heaven forbid I should ever have enough money for a plane ticket to go somewhere

4. That my son will never leave home..

5. That my son will leave home

6. That my house will rot*

* or flood, become termite fodder, crack in half, leak gas and blow

7. That the wheel on my car will break off and I will flip over

seriously, I have a bad bearing of some kind

8. That someday when I am old and alone I will break down and get a cat

9. That I made the wrong decision

That about does it. What are you afraid of?

sorry no picture...computer issues!

What Floats Your Boat??

2009-07-19T09:53:00.008-05:00

Not much time to be blogging this summer. But this morning I sat alone in my little back yard with a cup of coffee. It was breezy and unseasonably cool for us this time of year. The garden was quiet and peaceful; one of those few moments that stands still for you. It was a perfect time to reflect on what brought me joy these past few weeks.

An afternoon trip to the zoo

Summer flowers in the garden

Almost $0 credit card debt (almost)

Laughing with my son

A shared plate of jalapeno poppers

Light work loads in the office

Fresh tomatoes and herbs

A trip to the beach with family

How about you? Don’t forget to make the time to recognize what you are grateful for. It makes all the hard stuff worth it.

What has kept me busy last few weeks...

2009-05-23T10:39:00.010-05:00

This is before...

During ...

....and after !

What A Difference A Day Makes

2009-05-10T09:55:00.004-05:00

What a difference six weeks and 40 degrees makes.....This is my front yard in a March "snow storm" (yeah, yeah , I know but still, this is the deep South!) and this weekend in a stalled rainstorm which flooded much of my town. In all the years I have lived here, I have never seen this town flood at all. This water eventually crept up into my house, flooding out a rarely used sun room, and just barely dampening the edges of the carpet in a few rooms. I am kind of afraid to see what this vista might offer to me next!!!

Welcome Our Family Additions!!!!

2009-04-18T08:35:00.005-05:00

Well, to explain my recent absence, I have had a bit of an unexpected delivery. My first awareness of the impending addition to the family, was a blurry photo. I know, I know, everyone has those black and white blurs of blobs in their baby photo albums. The ones where you can't see exactly whats what, but you think you can and then eventually you believe you can. Well, it was one of those. I did think I could actually see an eyeball though.What a surprise in the next one though, to count distinct separate babies! And three of them no less! What to do first? Add on a bedroom? Open a savings account? Hire a nanny or two? Yikes ...what does one do with three babies? Eventually the shock wore off and we all have settled in to the realization...life will change soon. No longer are we carefree and able to sleep in and to hit the local feeder when we feel like it. No more unorganized nest for us. No more hitting the skies to a weekend island trip at a moments notice. Nope, now we are to be part of a new breed...parents. And of multiples at that. But there is one more surprise...last check on the babes confirmed our worst fears. Yes there was one more undetected heartbeat in there. One more set of beady little eyes and one more open mouth, frozen in that grimacing facial expression ready to accept whatever little morsel we can posssibly scrape together. Whats a finch to do???

Quads!!!!

My Lack of Time Management Skills

2009-04-11T08:54:00.004-05:00

I do not know what has been wrong with me lately that I can not find 30 minutes in a month, to sit down and write on this blog. It can't be that I have nothing to say, as I always have something to say about everything. I have also noticed, (as pointed out by Sue, http://thetornpages.com/ ) that many of our fellow bloggers are in the same dilemma; no time or will to post. Then what happens is, little by little people quit coming back to check on you. It takes months and months to acquire a few readers but no time to lose them ! I hope it is only the season. After long cold months being trapped inside, I think most people are just a little bit like kids let out of school. Set free! We love our spring weather, we are busy, we just have other things to do that seem more important than writing about them. Interestingly, I still check every blog on my list, as well as all my food blogs (that I don't keep listed on my blog, because then you will think, wow, she is awfully interested in food) every few days. So everybody, it's time to come back. I promise myself, that I will at least sit down and say something every week at a minimum. Because I love to write on my blog, even if no one reads it. And even more so, I love to read the blogs from all of you....I need to keep up with what brings joy to your world ! Have a blessed easter weekend.

Going With the Flow

2009-03-01T11:24:00.021-06:00

This lovely geographic is actually melting snow sliding down the window pane. Being that it is winter, this probably is an insignificant fact to most. But being that this is the deep South, that it was 70 degrees and sunny Friday, lightening and thunder yesterday; it has an impact of profound proportions to us Southerners. We don't know what to do. The women line up in the stores the day before and buy bread and milk. I have never known why...but bread and milk is what we fear running out of. As if no child ever survived on coke and cheez-its for a day or two. As I get older I find it harder to get out of my routine and to tolerate the unexpected; I just don't adjust to things not going my way.

A few days ago I had a call from my college son. He loves to cook and told me he had a craving for Eggs Benedict (which our family loves!). Of course he didn't have anything he needed, but proceeded to make it anyway. He had no English muffins, so used bagels instead. Having no ham, he grilled chicken a breast. And having no hollandaise makings, he made some runny melted cheese. He didn't exactly make Eggs Benedict, but he had something good. Yesterday, he rolled out of bed and put a few t-shirts and jeans in a bag, and hopped on a plane to Miami for spring break. He didn't pack for hours, didn't stress about clothes, didn't worry over how much cash he had, or what his hotel looked like...he will just adapt however he needs.

On this cold snowy day, all I could think about was Eggs Benedict. I was out of English Muffins as well as canadian bacon or ham. I had a stale french baguette though. I grilled thick slices of it, topped that off with bacon and thick slices of tomato, quick fried eggs instead of poached and topped it all off with a warm dose of hollandaise sauce (from Knorrs mix of course!)

To say it was Eggs Benedict isn't quite accurate. But to say it wasn't as good is far from the truth. It was warm and delicious and more than satisfied my craving. As I watched the snow melt off the windows, I realized that
I need to learn to be more flexible, to make do with what I have, and to know that my way isn't always the only way.
Lighten up and go with the flow as they say..... words I hope to make more a part of my life.

***for a different take on our snow day here in the South, check out this lovely post***
http://thoughtswhiledrivingandothermusings.blogspot.com/2009/03/snow-day.html

Tea and Sympathy

2009-02-26T21:09:00.004-06:00

In Japan, the tea ceremony is one of specific rituals, movements, and traditions. It is rich in meaning and history, yet at the same time composed of serene and simplistic aesthetics. It is a social event between people, that is full of peace and harmony.

In the 1600's in England, tea was introduced after making its way through Europe via Holland and France. It was extremely expensive in those early days, thus becoming the afternoon ritual of aristocracy.

In America, the British were reminded that we Americans don't necessarily share their love of the tea leaf; put another tax on us and it's into the harbor it goes...maybe this is when the idea of Starbucks was born! I like coffee, but I love a cup of tea. Most nights I make tea, sometimes cinnamon apple, sometimes honey chamomile....but always steaming hot and sweet with honey or sugar. Admittedly, in the summer, hot tea doesn't soothe as well, and I have been known to resort to a brew of a different nature that also helps me sleep...but that's a whole different post ! (http://pats-dryrun.blogspot.com/2008/02/38-on-lighter-note.html.

I need no ceremony or rituals. I only need the mug, warm in my hands, to bring focus to the important things in my life. The steam carries the troubles from my mind as it rises and disperses them elsewhere. It is a moment to reflect; a moment to pray. It is a spiritual moment for me, without ceremony or history; but full of reflection and peace and harmony.

Lettuce

2009-02-09T17:15:00.002-06:00

Well for lack of anything to talk about....who would have thought lettuce could be so pretty? Seriously, I snapped a few pictures of the lettuce, intending to progress to the completed salad I was concocting. But the lettuce was the only fresh thing I came up with. The tomatoes are no good, being of the hothouse variety....my craving for a good summer salad was a little premature. I gave up on the salad but did notice how lovely this simple picture of lettuce is! We are being teased with this spring like weather, high 60's and 70's; it's easy to forget it is dead of winter. I won't start with the spring fever yet, but I did so want a good salad! I will be satisfied with this bit of green for a few more months anyway!

See Slumdog Millionaire...Soon!

2009-02-03T18:16:00.002-06:00

If you haven't seen it, get yourself to thy theater as soon as possible! This is a movie that horrifies, yet at the same time has magic of storytelling. It is a story of a young man, who tells his life story in relation to the questions he is asked on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". Each story from his life becomes a step out of his tragic past towards a magical future. You must endure some serious scenes which extol the impoverished and third world nature of the city slums of Mumbai; the same city which was victim to recent terrorist attacks that killed 160 people. It is India at its grittiest, yet it is a photo of the real India. It is horrifying as well as heartwarming. It forces you to realize what we take for granted daily. It forces you to admit places exist today where children are tortured, prostituted and treated less well then most of our house pets. It forces you to be thankful for whatever little bit of heaven you live in...and believe me after seeing this movie you will appreciate your mortgaged to the hilt 1000 sq feet of brick and mortar that the most average of us resides in. It will make you thankful your children live in safety and have food and shelter. It will make you thankful to not be criticized, much less beaten to death in the street for your choice of Gods to worship. It also has a little bit to say about love that withstands all the above, and about a boy who desires no riches other then to gain love. And it restores my faith that sometimes good does prevail.

...Oh and, uhhhh..... credits to whoever the photo belongs to.......

Beer and Bread: The Diet Resolution

2009-01-08T18:24:00.006-06:00

As usual, the new year finds me fat and not so happy about it. Fat, in that I have gained back almost all the 10 pounds I had lost since early fall. Not so happy, in that recently my weight seems to be the only thing I focus one; its the one piece of my youth that I feel like I can have if I try harder. I can't make my gray hair go away (well, hello Clairol, but still...), I can't smooth away those fine lines and wrinkles (unless willing to let someone sand blast them away or inject with deadly bacteria), and I can't reclaim those lost brain cells that are my failing memory (even though I remember every word to Maggie May, thank you very much). But I can get to healthier weight if I try; I have no inspiration to be thin, just healthier. Twenty pounds would be nice. Really thirty would be nicer, but.....baby steps. What kind of diet? The kind where you eat no carbs (that would leave out bread and beer), or the kind where you count points( that too, would leave out bread and beer). Then, there is the one where you count total calories (again, no bread or beer) or the Mediterranean one with plenty of olive oil and wine (but again...no bread and beer). Bread....I will never be able to go without. I can give up sweets and I can resist the urge to use potato chips as a feed bag, but I will never give up bread. Warm bread, especially just out of the oven, is my favorite food. And lest you think I am a lush and can't live without beer, think again. We just finished the last case of Sam Adams Octoberfest, so truthfully,(since that has been my favorite) I didn't think giving up beer would be a problem. But, who would have thought Sam Adams Irish Red could fill such a void. Let me tell you, it can! Who woulda thunk?
So.... it's time to clean my room, hang up all my cast aside clothes, and dust off my treadmill. Its the only way for me; it's such a simple fact, you wouldn't think I would even have to write about weight loss. I know it, I just have to make it part of my routine. I knew I should have bought the treadmill with the cupholder! My 2009 diet has officially begun, and I expect to be held accountable to how many beers I drank, and how many miles I walked. Ermmm, make that how many beers I didn't drink and how many tenths of a mile I walked.

Another Year Bites the Dust

2008-12-30T17:25:00.006-06:00

This was the last ornament I packed away....a millennium purchase from almost a decade ago. I was newly married with pre-teen son, moving into a new life. This 2009, I begin my third year divorced and my son will graduate from college. He struggles to identify what he wants to do with his life. I do not write about him though; I know he wouldn't want to be shared in public. He wants little, doesn't need "stuff", and sees life from a minimalist point of view. Some characteristics I should strive for. I swore I would not blog about New Years resolutions. We all know how dangerous they can be.... self deprecating, self defeating, humiliating, damaging to ones self esteem, etc, etc. The concept of New Years resolutions does nothing but force one to look at what is bad, negative, or wrong with their life. Search and identify your personal failures. Then berate yourself 12 months from now when you fail to change; again. Well heck, I just can't resist. Sorry. I just can't pass on the opportunity to point out to the world (all 10 of you readers...on a good day) all the things I have failed miserably at. Too much fun to be had there! And my New Years list is very practical. I don't aspire to achieve things that are not possible for me to affect. I can't make world peace, I can't make people love me differently, and I can't seem to win the lottery.....but here is what I will do in 2009.

I will reduce my debt
I will get rid of some of the junk in my house

I will paint more
I will read more

I will be nicer to the people I work with ...

And I will quit worrying over what they are getting away with, stealing, gossiping about, getting paid, and cheating the company out of. In short, I will mind my own biz.

I will pray and give thanks more

I will laugh more, specifically I will laugh at myself more

I will do more work on my yard this year

I will clean out my garage

I will control my impatience and road rage :)
and of course, I can try once again to

lose the weight

And I will blog about these in more detail...lucky you!!!

If Life Gives You Cranberries, Don't Make Cookies

2008-12-15T18:46:00.010-06:00

This weekend was one of those weekends. Unfortunately, not the good kind where you stay in pj's and/or bed all weekend with someone. This was the kind you just do alone, because....well, what else is there to do. A weekend alone can be a good thing if you are in the mood. During this holiday rush though, sometimes time alone seems so amplified. The aloneness echoes through the silent house. For some reason I just didn't know what to do with myself this weekend. A Friday night office Christmas party didn't help matters either. Not exactly my cup of tea. I guess the party animal in me escaped the zoo many years ago. Too many young girls dancing with each other; too many "woo whoos" shrieked at every song. Now we will play Mustang Sally...woo whoooooo. Not. I went so I wouldn't be the only one NOT there. And to get my Christmas bonus. Which they pointed out we were lucky to get this year.
Thanks.

I slept really late on Saturday and somehow never made it to getting dressed for the day. Come to think of it, I never got dressed on Sunday either. I paid some bills online; then, excited over my left over wealth of $67 to Christmas shop with, I promptly shopped online and spent it a few times over. Several times in fact. Without even getting dressed. I did manage to finish my tree and also made cookies, which look a whole lot better then they taste. Don't try to embellish a good cookie recipe by throwing in various things. Like dried cranberries. They made the cookies quite...dry. I need to learn to just leave well enough alone and not try to improve on an already good thing. I know they say life is what you make it, but sometimes you just get dry cookies.

Joy

2008-12-10T17:26:00.002-06:00

Like everyone else, I haven't had much time for blogging these last few weeks. I have been busy with the upcoming holidays, busy at work and just generally ....well, busy! I did take a day or 2 off work and finished this painting that is to be a gift for my sister. I am very happy with how it turned out; it looks good in my house so if she doesn't like it...it has a happy home with me!
My son will be home in a week, so I am trying to get my house clean and some decorations up. I don't do a lot of decorating, but I do have a real tree every year. I need to have the smell of pine and the twinkling lights to make me feel like I am ready for Christmas. The holidays make me happy, even in tough times. I hope this is a happy time for you and your family and I hope each of you has joy in your life this holiday season. I also hope you take time to remember those who suffer financial or personal hard times. Share what you can, no matter how small it seems. Share your joy any way you can. Happy Holidays to All.

Paints, Canvas and a Day Off

2008-11-20T10:05:00.003-06:00

It's my birthday, so it is hard for work to deny me the day off. For that matter, hard for me to deny me the day off. Weekends are usually eaten up laundry, grocery shopping, housecleaning and other mundane chores. It is hard to make time for what you really would like to do with your scarce free time off. I can tick off a list at any time of things I would like to do just for the sake of trying it; some because I have a feeling I would be really good at, others...just a desire to get my hands in it. I want to play with clay, I want to hand finish a piece of wood that I have made into something, I want to make little garden areas that each make you want to stop and rest awhile, I want to wander down to a stream and throw a fly line...the list is endless. But usually the list of things that have to be done overshadows the fun stuff. So for my free time today, I will will not rake leaves (what I should be doing, but really...who are they hurting?), I won't mop the kitchen floor, (no 5 second rule for awhile) and I won't even get out of my pajamas (why waste an outfit). Instead, I will paint. It's not a new activity for me, but it still is a break from the "sit at a desk day" I usually endure during the week. I suspect if I had to earn my living as an artist, I would begin to dream of days in an office, lunches out with coworkers, and being surrounded by thinking people. It's all part of that learning to be happy with what you have, and grateful that we can take a day off on our birthday.

Thank A Vet

2008-11-09T20:12:00.006-06:00

Ok, ok....I didn't take the picture. I can't even pretend to have taken it as I have never seen the memorial. The photo is emotional in itself; I can not imagine the real thing...the coldness of the marble, the endless columns of names, the haunted veterans who visit it and are forced to remember. Take a few moments this Veterans Day to remember those fallen soldiers who served our country. And for those who made it home or served in times of peace.....we should all thank them for protecting what we take for granted.

credit: I stole the photo from a news source. Sorry.

A Hallmark Moment

2008-11-05T13:07:00.002-06:00

When my birthday rolls around, which it will later this month; I am fairly happy ignoring it and just trying to have a nice day. As the years pile on, the desire to celebrate pales; it just becomes another day and another number to hopefully forget. But today is the birthday of my best friend. He is full of hope, he is kind, honest, funny, and extremely devout in his faith. He never has to think about doing and saying the right thing, there is no alternative in his mind. He accepts his circumstance and steps up to his mistakes. He loves his children and his family and he sacrifices for those he loves. Although I only met him two years ago, I have known him in my head for my whole life. I will have him in my heart forever. I celebrate this day, his day, his life.

Our Daily Bread

2008-11-03T17:18:00.008-06:00

I will rise to the challenge for most things, so I thought why not ? Everyone else seems to be all about the no-knead bread; so why not give it a try? I love, love good bread anyway; and it looked like a fun, season appropriate thing to do. I would have taken pictures as I progressed, but there are so many bizillion posts and videos already regarding Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread...I won't further bore you. Suffice it to say it was lots of fun, easy and really good despite a few mishaps. I did alter it a bit which is really stupid considering I have never made bread in
my life. I substituted 1/4 c beer, increased the
salt and threw in a tiny pinch of herbs de

provence. I also think I undercooked it a little bit. But regardless of all the things I didn't do right....it was so exciting to cut into that warm loaf, and it was so good slathered with butter;
that I forgot to take pictures of the inside!!!
Trust me, trial and error aside...it was good and easy and apparently is no fail. If you haven't tried it yet, check out this link; it is my favorite of all the demonstrations. It proves the point "so easy a 4 year old can do it" !
http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2007/09/10/no-knead-bread-revisited/

Simple Picture

2008-10-29T21:35:00.010-05:00

A simple photo is often the best. This is one of my favorites from a recent trip to the N.C. mountains. One of my favorite places is this mountain top church. It sits high above Valle Crucis and is by far one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen. Simple and honest. The window is on the back of the church, facing the woods. Very unassuming. God's house. I'm sure of it.

This is the church itself. Sadly, as is all too often these days, the doors were locked. I could see through the window and see that the ceiling was arched and beamed of dark wood. It looked very much like an ancient inverted ship hull.

And this is the cemetery that sits beside the church. Who should be so lucky to have this as a place for earthly remains? I am sure those who look down on this are in a far better place. But for those of us who still find their heaven on earth for the time being...this is it.

Fall Travels

2008-10-27T18:21:00.009-05:00

I was lucky enough to spend the last week in North Carolina...Probably one of my favorite states, at least of the ones I have been to. Unfortunately, I have not seen enough of these great states we live in. Some day I would love to live in N.C. and I would like to see more of this country. I am a back roads kind of traveler. On some trips that doesn't work well, like this one where we were a little pressed for time. Next time I would like to take a slower road (although the interstate was full of leaf color and really beautiful north of Knoxville), stop more frequently and turn down more of those roads that you "wonder whats up there". When we got back home the air was crisp and had that fall chill, cool even for Alabama. I love the fall...short though it is in the South, it still remains my favorite time of year. I am posting a few pictures of the beautiful foliage from the mountains...wishing I was still there, but thanking God for the beautiful place in which we live.