Tabasco

I've received praise, bonuses, and gifts from managers who wanted to reward me for a job well done.  But Tabasco the bull is one of the best rewards I ever received.  It probably cost my manager only $6.  She gave it to me for taking ownership, diving into the deep end, pulling out the win - or in her words "for taking the bull by the horns."  I've had Tabasco on a shelf in my closet for a number of years.  I recently pulled it out and set it on my desk as a reminder that I am responsible for my destiny.  It is my reminder to "take the bull by the horns."

Broken

I do not believe in evil people; I believe in broken people. Some are more broken than others.

We are all trying so hard to understand why, to find a person or practice to blame, to identify preventative measures. These are valid inquiries. But lets start with kindness, compassion, and love. Not just for the victims and their families. But for everyone whose lives we touch.

A kind word, a willingness to listen, acceptance, understanding, a smile. These small things could not likely have prevented the recent tragic events. But our every interaction has the potential to help heal - or deepen wounds.

And lets face it, we are all a little broken. We all have our challenges and struggles. And we are all in this together.

Happy Holidays!

Stationery card

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Color Walk

Every year our family makes the arduous drive to Oak Openings for our annual fall color walk.  OK, well it only really takes a few minutes to get there, but I've never used the word arduous in a sentence, so I couldn't resist!

It was lovely!  Everyone came - even Scout (no one is too cool or too busy for it yet - phew!).  No electronic distractions, just family and nature.  We missed the cacophony of colors from a few weeks ago, but loved the carpet of brown and yellow leaves crunching under foot.  We always wander off into the woods a bit and traverse the corner of pond.  Everyone took a turn with the camera.  Here a few of the pictures . . .

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” - Neale Donald Walsch

It is easy to hide behind your fears. To settle for the easy and comfortable life. And often, that is exactly what I do. But when I listen to the yearnings of my soul, when I face my fears, and dare to be more - that is when I am really living. You are extraordinary too – let loose that fabulous beast within – follow whims, chase dreams, and above all . . . enjoy the ride!

Chicken Meltdown

This post will answer the age old question . . . What are the dangers involved in overzealous use of a meat tenderizer?

There are the obvious ones . . .

• smashed thumbs 
• smashed counters
• loud noises that scare the crap out of the dog (literally)

Well, none of those really happened to me, but excessive meat pounding will result in chicken breasts flattened out soooooo large that only one will fit in a pan at a time. Of course this will result in a ridiculous amount of time standing over the stove.  And therefore . . .

• you will get burned by splattering oil at some point.
• your family will be grumpy because dinner prep will take forever and they will be starving
• you will be so sick of cooking that you may never do so again
• AND, you will melt the salt and garlic containers until they bow (see pic - I thought that was pretty impressively pathetic).

My First CSA

Sadly, I did not get a picture of my first CSA take – it was a crazy day and I had a party to throw. Here, however, are a few highlights . . .

The Party

 The Cousins

The Kale (I was so worried about the kale, but everyone seemed to like it!)

The popcorn – so fun to pop on the cob and the cousins declared it the best popcorn ever.

The Radishes (in a mango salsa)

The Eggs (can you guess which is store bought and which is CSA?)

The End!