It's been awhile...

Whenever I say that I have the fabulous song from Staind going through my head....

Anyway...
It has been way too long since I've sat down in front of the computer and written anything. I realized when I opened up the computer today that the last time I wrote - there was probably still snow on the ground! Now it is almost fall and I'm so excited because Autumn is my favorite season. I love everything about it. I love the leaves changing colors. I love baking bread and soups. I love the smell in the air. I love wearing sweaters. I could go on and on, but I won't bore you. Well, any more than I normally do!

I have spent the past 6 months being a nanny. It has been fun, crazy and trying at times. But it has become quite apparent to both myself and her parents that she really needs to be around kids her own age, so she is starting preschool. I am so happy for her because I know I gave her everything. She is 3 1/2, and can recognize all letters, and should start to read soon! She has begun looking at signs and lettering and reading out the letters. But she needs to be around other kids to learn how to socialize with other children - the give and take that is needed in life, as well as the structure that a school setting will provide for her. I will miss having a friend to play with, but this is the best thing for her.

As for me?
Well, there are a ton of things that I want to do. Write, knit, draw, paint, study... That's just a few of the things I would like to do! I also want to update this blog much more often!

What is your greatest accomplishment?

I have been mulling over this question ever since I got off the phone with a good friend earlier today. She has recently moved back to her hometown, and her husband is in the process of finding a job. She was telling me all about her husband's interviews. At the end of our conversation she mentioned this strange question that the interviewer had for him. As a good husband he said that his greatest accomplishment was marrying her - big kudos to him! But it got me thinking about what my greatest accomplishment has been.

And I can't help but think that for me that is one very difficult question. I have always had big dreams, but I have a tremendous lack of will power to put them into motion.

I dropped out of college almost as soon as I began - although the dream of a doctorate in English literature is still there.

I want to speak French/Italian/anything other than just English fluently.

I sit at the computer and try to write that novel that is in my head. Yet... I just can't seem to put my thoughts and ideas into words.

Most people will say that their greatest accomplishment is their children, and I agree with that in most instances. But what about those of us who for any number of reasons has been unable to have children?

Patrick's answer is quite straightforward - 20 years in the Navy! For me, right now I think my answer is going to be simply surviving.

As I think about this seemingly easy question, I think of my friends and family, and wonder what other answers they might come up with.

So, I'm asking you...What is your greatest accomplishment?

Treading Water

"Life runs by so that your spirit can stay calmly in one spot."
- Anonymous

It has been way too long since I've been here, and done this. I have no excuses. I have many recipes and thoughts that I have wanted to share, but for some reason sitting down and writing hasn't been something I've been doing. I even considered not writing, but I have come to the realization that this site is more for me than for anyone else. And because of that, isn't it more important for me to do it?!

Which brings me to today's thoughts. I'm always trying to get back into writing Morning Pages from The Artists Way. I've written about Morning Pages and The Artist's Way before. As Julia Cameron writes on her website: Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages-- they are not high art. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind-- and they are for your eyes only.

I'll be the first to say that I don't do my Morning Pages every day. Nor do I always do three pages. But I will say that I find the act of doing the work very therapeutic. It helps stretch my mind, my thoughts and gets me thinking outside of the box, as they say.

I find that two books help me open up my mind philosophically and give me ideas to meditate and write about. The first is "365 Tao, Daily Meditations" by Deng Ming-Dao. I was reminded about this book from an old elementary school friend that I've recently been in touch with on Facebook. Soon after we found each other, she wrote a quote from this book, and I remembered that I had the book as well, somewhere. After searching high and low, I found it along with a book that I bought close-out some years ago and promptly forgot about called "The Celestial Fortune Cookie" by Andrea Valeria, which is an Astrological Book of Days with Quotations for Every Sign.

One of the quotations for today from the Celestial Fortune Cookie was the quote at the top: "Life runs by so that your spirit can stay calmly in one spot." - Anonymous. This quotation really interested me this morning because I definitely need to learn to stay calmly in one spot! I sometime wonder if I have a borderline ADD personality because I find it hard to sit still and only do one thing. Lately I feel as though I am trying to chase after all of my dreams, all of the time. And the worst part is that unfortunately it seems as though I'm only chasing them in my head.

It's as though all I'm doing is treading water. I have all of these ideas, some good - some not. Ideas for my novel, ideas for this blog, crafts and art projects... but I can't seem to bring any of them to fruition.

Perhaps I need to concentrate on sitting still and letting life run by.

Veteran's Day Thoughts

This is my favorite picture of Patrick in uniform. It was taken while he was at work several months before we were married. It makes me laugh every time I see it!


I never thought much about Veteran's Day until I met and married my husband. Like many people, I thought of it as just another holiday. Only two of my relatives had served in the military - my grandfather served in the Navy during World War II and my uncle served in the Army during the Vietnam War. Neither spoke much about their service, until I brought Patrick home.

My uncle Marty on occasion would reminisce about his Army years, but my grandfather didn't talk very much at all about his Navy service. So it was a great surprise the first time Patrick met my family and my grandfather began talking about his years in the Navy. My grandfather served as an officer during WWII as a Radioman - which just happened to have been Patrick's job. They talked for hours about the Navy, about how the duties of the Radioman had changed, and of course about the habits and port calls of young sailors. I remember how fascinated my mother was because she had never heard most of the stories her father was sharing. It was amazing to see my grandfather almost look relieved that he had found someone he could talk about his memories with - someone who understood what he was talking about.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure to meet some amazing veterans. I love to listen to them open up and talk about things that they may not have even thought about in years.

I have laughed with an amazing friend I made in Virginia who served for 30 years in the Marine Corps. He would tell me hilarious stories about his 3 tours in 'Nam. I know he had seen some horrible things, but he always was able to put a positive and fun spin on his memories. But I have also cried with a friend who came to me on the first day of the Gulf War with tears in his eyes as he described the horror and injustices that he and so many others faced when they came home after that very same war.

I am so proud of all of my veteran's - my husband, my family, my friends. Whether they spent a day in uniform, are retired or are still serving as a reservist or on active duty. I never had the strength of character to put my life on the line, but you did. For that, and for so much more, I thank you!

The following two quotes are actually the reason why I've been thinking about all of this today. They are posts that some of my military friends have posted as their Facebook statuses. Let's hope that we can remember these thoughts whenever we think of our brothers and sisters who are serving in the service.

I am a Veteran, and a Veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. Regardless of personal political views it is an honor to serve one's country, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact.

It was completely my honor and my pleasure to do so. I would to it again in a New York Minute. So many before me that served with great honor never made it back from wherever they served. Many more did make it back in different iterations of themselves. I firmly believe that tomorrow, Veterans Day, is about those who gave the ultimate price or lost a significant part of themselves for our great country. Luckily, I was not in those categories. If you see an old vet, a wounded vet, or a vet that seems lost, go thank them, hug them or do something to make their day Thursday.

Last but not least are two quotes that I found for those of us who sat at home. We waited while our loved one's were out fighting to defend us. I personally think these quotes are not only for the military spouses, but also for all who loves their veterans.

“You are a patriot — the sort of citizen that all of us should be, but so few of us are. You live with sacrifice, because you believe in the rights and ideals that your husband defends. Although you wear no uniform, you are a part of that defense — a vital link in the chain of freedom. Although you wear no medals and will reap no glory on the field of battle, you are hero in the truest sense of the word. You are a military spouse.”(Gene Thomas, from the article “The Hardest Job in the Military”)

Missing someone gets easier everyday because even though you are one day further from the last time you saw them, you are one day closer to the next time you will. --Author Unknown.

It's starting to look a lot like Autumn!

Oh how I love Fall!
Or perhaps I should call it Autumn...

I have always been a bit misunderstood by these two terms, and how they are used interchangeably. In researching these two terms, I found that technically "Autumn" is when the air begins to be crisp almost, cool and the leaves are changing. "Fall" technically begins when the leaves, well - fall. When the weather is cold, not cool.

I had no idea that there were two parts of this season, but it doesn't matter, because it is my favorite season! I love the way the air smells fresh and new. I love the to watch the colors of the leaves change. I love that slight crackle sound that the leaves make when you step on them. I relish in the cooler air, and I yearn to wear sweaters and sweatshirts.

We have been in the mid-west now for almost two years, and this past summer has been hot. Too hot for me! This July I found myself singing "Wake Me When September Ends" by Green Day over and over again to myself. Just waiting for the cooler weather to come.
Thankfully, we are finally getting some cooler weather here in the mid-west. It's still not as cool as I would like it to be, but I need to remind myself that it will be soon.

On the first cool day of the season I opened every window in the house as wide as they would let me, and stood in front of the windows letting the cool - almost cold air brush over me.Patrick stood in front of the window with me for a moment or two. He proceeded to tell me that I was nuts, and immediately went to put on warmer clothes. But it felt so fantastic to me.

I will admit that eventually I did go and put on a sweatshirt and socks to keep warm. But I refused to close the windows! It just felt too good.


I know that sometimes I am a bit overzealous with my emotions. I try to hold them in, but that just doesn't happen all the time. Especially when I'm walking in our local Farmer's Market and I spy the first pumpkins! I think there were a few tears in my eyes that day. I immediately begin to dream of all of the dishes I would make. So far, I've only bought two pumpkins - and this is the first I've cooked. I dream of making pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin bread... The list could go on and on. But for me it's the soups. You may have noticed that I love soup. My thoughts were settled when a Facebook friend mentioned Squash and Apple Curry soup several times in the past few weeks.

We finally took the time to find the Costco in St. Louis last week, and renewed our membership - it's been more than 10 years since we've lived near enough to one to shop there. I had forgotten how fantastic they can be. But when I saw these beautiful looking Asian Pears - my mind was made up. I was making Roasted Pumpkin, Asian Pear Curry Soup!



I adapted the recipe from one I found on The Gracious Bowl for Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. Pumpkin and butternut squash are almost interchangeable, although sometimes pumpkin can be a tad more bitter than the sweet of butternut squash. Just remember to buy eating pumpkins or squash, not the large pumpkins we carve for Halloween!

I served this for dinner tonight with sourdough grilled sharp cheddar cheese sandwiches with thinly sliced Asian pears inside. For me, this was a perfect light meal for Autumn.

Pumpkin and Pear Soup

1 medium-large cooking pumpkin
1 yellow onion, diced
2 Asian pears, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
heavy cream or half and half, to serve (optional)

Quarter and seed the pumpkin and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper then roast at 400 degrees until soft, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool and scoop out the flesh.

Saute the onion and pear until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the curry, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper and let them toast for a minute, then add the squash. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and let it all simmer for another 10 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a blender (but be careful to do it in small batches...splattering liquids are HOT!).

Keep warm, and taste to correct seasoning if needed. Serve with a small swirl of heavy cream or half and half, if desired.