Saturday ...

      We've had a bit of excitement this past week, with some good news, and some worrisome "turn it over to God" nights.

     First the worrisome ...  Charlie was attacked by a neighboring pit bull that got loose and targeted him, but before you clasp your heart and cry "Oh No!" he is fine.  I had canceled his haircut when I was unexpectedly unemployed sooner than expected, and so his shaggy bear hairstyle of the moment saved him from serious injury when the other dog could not get a grasp on his skin.

     He'd been out on his lead in our backyard while I finished washing dishes, and I heard him barking and went out to see what was going on.  I was able to pull him away, but the dog also attempted to attack me before we got into the house.

     I did call the police and report a loose dog and asked that they be cited for that, but because I know and believe that dogs are not born bullies, people make them that way, I did not want the dog taken away, and euthanized.  I did not blame the dog, but the people who owned her knew she was dangerous.  They had multiple Beware of Dog signs around the property and once warned me not to try to friend and pet her through or over the fence since she would bite.  A warning I heeded.

     The "turn it over" comes because that same night I heard the pit screaming and when I went out to see what was going on, the sound stopped and several men came out of the owner's garage, got into cars, and left.  I have not seen or heard the dog since that night, and usually, she was outside all day and barked constantly.   My heart fears that they murdered her, and I feel horribly guilty for that.  But I know, in my rational mind, that it was not me that did it, but people who never loved or cared for her in the first place and she is in a much better place.

     [UPDATE: She is fine! I just saw her! Yay!]

     Enough of those painful thoughts ...

     Good news now ... bloodwork done on Thursday came back 100% normal.  Yay me!  My new insurance will kick in this March, and while I can't miss any training, I am scheduling all the follow-up tests for May.  Happy Birthday, here's a colonoscopy!

Click to enlarge.

     Fun stuff ... I will share pictures in February of my seasonal tree, already decorated, but until then, here are some fashionable photos of my Mom that I got this week.  They were on slides she had kept from her childhood that I had sent in before Christmas to be printed.  [Note to self:  a very expensive process not to be repeated.]

     Some of these surprised me because Mom had always indicated that she was the "least favored" daughter (she had two older sisters), and so seeing her dressed in so many fancy dresses that must have been costly for the times makes me believe that she was not as "unloved" as she wanted us to believe.  I certainly never had fancy dresses, altho, I was never asked to attend a prom or school dance either.  I was very shy (hard to believe, I know) when I was in school.

 

    < There were no dates or notes on any of the slides to indicate how old she might have been, and some of them I can only guess because of her facial features and hairstyle.  This one seems to be very Audry Hepburn-ish of her, and I think Mom might have once had dreams of being a model or actress.

 

    > This dress has a collar style that I recall seeing on several of Jackie Kennedy's dresses, and I'm certain was all the rage during that time.  She was skirting the public arena during that time when JFK was running for Congress, but had been on the cover of the Life magazine with him and may have been in other magazines as she worked for the Washington-Times Herald and was part of the "upper-class" in the US, the fashionable and elite that I think Mom wished she'd been born into.

     < Mom was beautiful, and even though I don't remember many times when I was growing up that she and my Dad got into fancy dress and went to events, I know that there were a few.  She kept this dress for quite a while because I have a photo of me wearing it when I must have been 4 years old.  I remember her telling me that it has been her prom dress, and may have been the last prom she attended.

     > While there were several photos of her with boys she must have dated, this was the first one in which she made an appearance with my father.  I think it must have been taken Christmas of 1957 because the hairstyle matches the previous photo, but the next photo shows her with longer hair and glasses.

     < In this photo, she is sitting on my father's lap, and to his right is his twin brother, Uncle Ron, and my Aunt Nancy (one of Mom's older sisters).  On the floor in front of her is my Uncle Brian, Mom and Nan's younger brother, and their mother, my grandmother.  Ron and Nan married in 1957, and this may have been taken in 1959 after Mom and Dad were married.  I cannot imagine my conservative Methodist grandparents letting her sit on Dad's lap before marriage!

     > Of course, we all know what happens with relaxed lap-sitting ... here I am in May 1962, screaming at my helpless grandfathers.  My maternal grandfather on the left, and my paternal grandfather on the right.

                    Enjoy your weekend!

                            Hugs,  Ci

Quilted walls ...

      I'm working hard to find creative ways to keep the house a little bit warmer this winter.  

      Exhibit A:  An old quilt cut into strips to fit along the stair wall where it is the coldest area in the house.  Even if the curtain at the foot of the stairs wasn't keeping all the heat from rising, it would still be the coldest area in the house.  It actually looks quite decorative, and I'm going to be prowling Goodwill for a few more to finish it.  That second strip shows just how short I am, and how afraid I would be to put a box or step stool on the stairs to raise it higher.  I've heard broken necks from falling downstairs is hard to come back from.  I may still have to find some way to raise it up, tho.  A safe way.

     Exhibit B: Charlie's old quilt from the sofa (washed and no longer smelling like Charlie) on one of the living room walls that let a great deal of cold in.

     The house has no insulation on the exterior under the vinyl siding, and judging from the wood strips on the wall of the stairs, probably no insulation at all.  I reached out to the landlords to ask if they would consider redoing the siding to add insulation.  Fingers crossed.  My lease is up in April, and I really don't want to move, but also want to be warm in the winters and have affordable electric bills.

     This quilt was ordered before my unexpected unemployment and arrived today.  It was going to hang on the wall where the previous quilt is but was not large enough to be effective.  It's also too gorgeous to be a possibly seasonal hanging so I moved it over the sofa where it can remain.

     The fabric is all handmade batik, and it is truly exquisite.  I love love love it.  There is still a lot of space on the wall which is going to be perfect for several art class projects I have coming up in the next few months.  I may have to get a 2nd job for my crafting addiction.

      I hope that you are staying warm in the northern hemisphere of the world, and cool if you are in the southern.  I'm counting the days until the possibility of the first crocus of spring (six weeks and four days).

                                            Hugs,

                                                  Ci

imperfectly perfect ...

     I'm not (much of) a perfectionist.  I am ... but I'm not.  If I was, I'd never finish any craft project.  But sometimes I will re-do a project multiple times just because it doesn't feel "finished" or "right."

     That was the situation with this one.  The lettered side originally did not "jump" out, and just seemed too ... pale?  insignificant? ... for how much this quote impacts me.

     I sanded it down, painted it a darker color, then rewrote the quote larger with a black marker.  I probably should have penciled lines to keep me straight, but oh well.  Now it jumps out from across the kitchen where it is hanging over my sink and is a reminder for me just at a glance that I am stronger ... better.

     I thought first about painting the bird red for a cardinal, but I choose the goldfinch because the bright yellow color of the male in the breeding season really is "summer" for me, and I always get excited when I see them arriving.

My best friend was a gift ...

     That was to have been the title of my next book, an update to my first book My Best Friends Have Hairy Legs under the pen name, Cierra Rantoul.  But the more I prayed about it, the more I realized that it wasn't what I needed to do.  See, to really "update" that first book, I'd have to revisit dark times in my life and talk about a lot of pain.  What ten years of life married to a drug addict was like, and I didn't want it to be about him.

     I wanted it to be all about Him.  Jesus.  God.  The Holy Spirit.  I wanted it to be about how HE saved me in my darkest times and continues to save me, heal me, and provide for me.  God is good, all the time, and He works all things for my good.  Even the dark times.

     This is my story ... all for God's glory.

     There are times when God asks us to do something and our free will minds question His sanity.  We all do it, be honest.  Those times for me were in 2012 and 2013.  

     I was living, well, actually squatting, in my Florida townhouse that was pending foreclosure after my bankruptcy, I'd left a good job in Texas because I had a rare form of cancer and thought I was going to die, and did not (no offense to my Texan friends and family) did not want to die in that desert.  I was trapped in a marriage to an abusive alcoholic meth addict and every time I went to file for a divorce, God told me to wait.

    "Wait?  What are you crazy, God?  Have you seen what he is like when he is drinking and using?  Don't you see the demon that comes out in his face when he is like that?  What am I waiting for?  For him to actually kill me?" 

     There were times when I truly, deeply feared him and his violent outbursts that broke windows and doors.  At the time he was in prison on felony burglary charges for stealing from one of our neighbors, and I had a year and one day to figure out how to escape him.  

     Only I didn't have a job or a car, and the company that held the house was about to turn off the power and water. I was on food stamps and most of my prayers began and ended with "God, please just let me die." So when God began to press on me to pledge $10 a month to a Christian radio station that somehow got tuned in during a thunderstorm while I was praying to get hit by lightning, I was a little concerned. 

     "God, have you seen my bank account lately?  $10 is all I have in the world.  If they take it this month, I don't know how I will pay it next month."

     But He wouldn't let me sleep, and so the day before the pledge drive ended I called and gave them everything I had.  Because I was faithful in what God was asking of me, He was also faithful in His promises to me.

    That weekend I made the decision to give up my pug, Henry, because the air conditioner had been vandalized and didn't work, and he was getting too hot.  The woman who took him mentioned my situation to someone at the vet office who happened to work for a church benevolence ministry.  She reached out to me, and they paid for the electricity and water for a month. 

     Someone heard me on the radio and sent me $250, and I won a raffle on the station for an IPad but they asked if I wanted a gift card instead for $500. 

     That month I got a letter from a company I had left four years prior asking if I would like to cash out my pension plan. 

     Which bought me a used car, and got me to a part-time job, then a full-time job, and an even better-used car.  That better-used car drove me to the Michigan Upper Peninsula for a much better full-time government job when my husband got put into a court-mandated rehab for violating his probation from his original felonies.

     Still, every time I wanted to divorce him, God said to wait.  So I believed He wanted me to wait so that He could do work in my husband to heal him.  

     And with every increase in my life, I increased my pledge to a Christian radio station or church. 

     When God asks us to be obedient, it's because HE has a plan to better us. 

     By 2018, we were living in Wisconsin, buying a house I loved, and I was working from home.  My husband had managed to hold down a good job for three years, and while he wasn't sober, he was, for the most part, staying clean as far as I knew.  But that changed in October 2019 after we went to visit his family in Alabama and when we returned he began using again and cheating on me.

     In May 2020, God stopped telling me to wait.

     My husband moved out, and his violent outbursts of breaking windows began again.  I filed a restraining order and filed for divorce.  The house I loved was sold out from under me, and packing what little I could fit into my truck and a small UHaul trailer, leaving behind treasured and sentimental items in a storage unit that I thought I would eventually return to get.   

     November 2020, I drove in the dark to West Virginia, a place I had never been before, with no friends or family, because it was closer to family than I had been, and the first rental house in my budget that would let me have two cats and a dog. 

     In February of 2021, a trial against my ex-husband for violating the restraining order was ended when he accepted a plea deal, without me having to go back to Wisconsin and testify in person against him, and within days my body began to collapse from the release of living under survival stress for over ten years.

     My toes began to turn black.  I honestly thought it was frostbite because I could not get my feet warm enough while I worked that winter, but it turned out to be Reynaud's syndrome.  In April I was diagnosed with diabetes and spent four days in a hospital for pancreatitis.  Then I started to lose weight.  Within two months I had lost 35 pounds, without even trying.  My jeans were practically falling off me, and even leggings looked baggy on me.  I was also very anemic.

     When my full health coverage started with my job, so did all the medical tests.  Some of the bloodwork came back indicating cancer.  A CT scan was done that showed enlarged lymph nodes in my abdomen and a mass in my liver.

     I was angry with God for finally telling me to leave my ex-husband only so that I would die somewhere else.  I waited all those years for Him to work in my husband, and He hadn't.  But I stayed faithful and found a church that was within walking distance of my home and got plugged back into a church family.

     My first visit to a doctor for confirmation biopsies was done in late July with the gynecologist. She said "Radiation will give you the best chance to survive. " before she even examined me.   Biopsies came back negative for cancer.

     An MRI was done, confirming the enlarged lymph nodes, showing everything the CT scan had shown, plus a thickening in my colon.

     The faithful truck that had driven me from Wisconsin to West Virginia without faltering got a flat tire, and looking at the other three I found they all had dry rot and I would need to replace all four at once.  Those tires, plus rust repairs to replace a cracked windshield to make it pass inspection would cost me more than what I could afford, more than I had paid for it, and it was unsafe to drive without new tires.  I sold it for scrap and used the funds to pay off some of my extensive medical bills prior to my full health insurance kicking in.

     I was referred to a cancer center, and the doctor called me the afternoon of 26 August 2021, before my appointment the next day to tell me before he even saw me that he BELIEVED that I had Stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to my liver and lymph nodes and the only SLIM chance I had to live would be if I had 3 months of chemo and surgery to remove part of my liver and colon. And it was a very slim chance. 

     I called one of my new friends at church and asked if the church would pray for me before the appointment the next day.  He did one better.  He came and picked me up, drove us to the church that was being built, and everyone in there came and laid hands on me and prayed for me.

     The next two months I spent with a peace that surpassed all understanding.   The understanding of work friends and family, that is.  I knew, however, that even if what the doctor ~ the cancer specialist ~ had said was true about my chances of survival I would be going *home* to Heaven.  I made end-of-life arrangements for my body.  Found family and people who would take my dog and cats when the time came.  I purchased thank-you cards to send instead of Christmas cards so that I could thank specific people for their part in my life. 

     The colonoscopy biopsies in mid-September came back negative for cancer.

     The $30,000 hospital bill from April's four-day stay when I didn't have full health coverage was miraculously knocked down to $8,000 by an anonymous charity.

     The five liver biopsies ~ that were done at the end of September, at a hospital three hours away, that a church friend drove me to and slept in his car while I was having them done ~ all came back negative for cancer.

     My mother passed away in mid-October, but before she died, I was able to tell her this ...

     Cancer:  0.  God:  immeasurable blessings.

     Doctors are intelligent, educated people, but only GOD has the final say in our lives. God had me wait for this time and place in my life so He could bring me to this family to be healed, inside and out. The waiting had nothing to do with my ex-husband.  God wanted me to wait so that He could work in me so that I could share my testimony of what an Amazing God He is.  He wanted me to wait for this life.  My best life is, and always has been, because of Him.

     My best friend ~ Jesus ~ was a gift that was given to all of us, and all we have to do is open our hearts to Him and trust Him.  Even when things seem to be the darkest, even when we are the most afraid.  Especially then.  We have to trust and be obedient to what God asks of us.  Because there are no limits to what He will do for us.

     I continue to be faithful.  God continues to bless me.  A better job is starting for me in a few weeks, and I know that the perfect car for me will come into my life soon as well.  I have family and friends that love me, and that know I love them.  Last December I sent Christmas cards, sharing a small part of my testimony because I want everyone to know that God didn't just do this for me.  God can do this for you, too.  His gift was for all of us.  

     And even "if not" I will remain faithful and obedient, knowing that my home is not of this world, but a far, far better place.   I lost those things in storage in Wisconsin, but what I've been given is so much better.  Life.  Love.  Faith.  Family.  Friends.  Things that fill my heart, not my hands. 

Snow days = craft days ...

Let me know
if you want recipes!

 ... and cooking days.

     I finally made the two remaining meals from Green Chef, and both will be keepers.  The first, Parmesan-crusted Chicken with lemon aioli, green beans & hazelnuts, and marinated tomatoes.  The chicken was seasoned with rosemary, basil, and sage before being covered with lemon aioli and parmesan cheese and baked.  Diced Roma tomatoes were marinated in a basil vinaigrette.  It was amazing!!!

   The second recipe was Cauliflower Piccata Pasta, green beans & almonds.  I've never had roasted cauliflower before, and will certainly have it again.  The piccata sauce of garlic, capers and butter in a lemon-spiked vegetable broth was surprisingly YUMMY, altho I might make it in the future with fresh basil leaves instead of parsley.   There was enough pasta for three meals.  Next time I make it I will use whole wheat linguine, or some made with lentils or non-white flour.

    Like a dork, I broke my red feather while trying to adjust the hook on the back, so am now making another one, plus two more.  One to paint to resemble blue jay feathers I found, and the other to paint like a mourning dove feather.  More care will be taken regarding the hook on the back with both of them, and when dried and painted they will be hung in the kitchen.

     This project is one that I was going to do with the encaustic watercolor class that got rescheduled for February, and so will find another poem or quote for the class.  The first line of the quote has always been one of my favorites, but after finding the rest of it, it really resonated within me.

     February is looking like a busy craft month with projects three weekends in a row.  I'm super excited!

     We got about 10 inches of snow with Winter Storm Izzy over Sunday and Monday.  Charlie was a tad confused that we'd somehow gone back to Wisconsin.  Snow came up to his chin where it wasn't cleared.  The windchill Monday was about 12F so I didn't finish shoveling until this morning.  It was still cold, but waiting wasn't an option since mail needed to be delivered and trash picked up.

     Hope you are staying warm where you are, staying busy with fun things, and eating well.

                Hugs, Ci

Between here and there ...

     I was between a rock and a hard place on Thursday.  I accepted an offer for a much better job on Wednesday and after giving a more than two-week notice was told that the company was considering firing me over a first offense misunderstanding of policy.  I was given the option of moving my resignation up to immediate or waiting for the outcome of a "tribunal" of sorts.  I opted to leave immediately.  Not because I felt threatened by the outcome, but because I knew for a fact that there were others on the team who deliberately been doing things to violate the same policy they accused me of, yet they were still there and had not been put on the chopping block.  Yet I was singled out because I had given notice and their assumption was that I was behaving like a "short-timer."  It was clear that the real policy that I had violated was daring to seek and find, a much much much better job.  The work ethic that my father instilled in me doesn't include "short-timer" behavior.

     So I now find myself with a few weeks of downtime between jobs to juggle my finances, get all my laundry finally put away, pack up their company computer, make room for the new company computers, rearrange my office, put away empty packing tubs from my move that have been replaced by actual side tables, and craft craft craft to my heart's content.  And cook, bake, and do more cooking and baking.  I have Springerle to make, and two more recipes from the meal plan.  Plus maybe a few random ones from a cookbook or two.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

     The meal plan recipe I made next was one I thought I would really like since I do like roasted chickpeas, hummus, feta cheese, pine nuts, and quinoa. But I'd never had chard before, or shallots per se.  The meal itself was good.  The heartburn several hours later that woke me up was not.  I'm not sure if it was the shallots or the turmeric spice that is used.  Either way, it will be a keeper but with substitutions.  Raw onions have given me heartburn in the past, and I didn't use as much of the shallots as the recipe called for because of that, even though they were sautéed.

     It has been bitterly cold here this week with only one day in the last five being above freezing.   One of those days was just a high of 19F.   We have another winter storm on the way Sunday with a lot more snow forecast for us.

     I finished painting my cardinal feather.  A little glitter did sneak in, but only because it was mixed in the paint and water I used.  I am thinking of using some of the Command no damage stick-on tape to mount it on the wall over the stove where I have a painted glass plate of cardinals.    I want to make another feather now and paint it to look like a blue jay feather I found.  

    Got time ...

Heroes don't always wear capes ...

 

   The letter arrived today from [link > Anatomy Gifts Registry] with the information on how [link > mom's] donation of her body made three significant contributions to research programs.

     She contributed to advancements in otolaryngologic surgery at a training seminar for surgical intervention of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.  The training on the delicate anatomical structures and nerve connections involved in that area will help patients with congenital or acquired defects to hear, breathe, smell, speak, or swallow successfully.

     Her donation also aided the training of another group of physicians on minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of cancer or deformity of the kidneys, uterus, and bladder.  They trained using robotics and imaging techniques which helps to decrease hospital stays, risks of infection, and pain, and it helps patients have a faster return to normal activities.

     Finally, she helped train another group of physicians in the creation of vascularized tissue flaps for use in the reconstruction of a patient's anatomy affected by trauma, cancer, deformity, or other major surgery.  This type of surgery and tissue reconstruction doesn't just help with physical healing, but also a patient's emotional and psychological healing.

     "Sibyl's gift has played a vital role in promoting excellence for patient-centered advancements in medicine, and the donation has truly left a lasting impression on humankind."

     Heroes don't always wear capes.

Made with hugs ...

     Truth be told, a lot of my crafting projects and ideas come from the fact that I don't have a money tree growing in my yard, and sometimes I see something and think "Well, heck.  I can make that for much less than an arm and a leg!"

    That's what happened with this project.  I saw a cute little bird and branch box for sale on Zulily, which was probably worth the cost of it to someone ... else.

     But the more I looked at it, the more I kept thinking "Well, heck.  I can make that for much less than an arm and a leg!"  In this case, it wouldn't have cost an arm and a leg, but maybe a left hand, or a left foot.

     Thursday night, while the rest of White Sulphur Springs was buying up bread and milk in advance of the next winter storm, I was playing with my air-dry clay.  Flipping through a pad of scrapbooking paper looking for the perfect background.  Picking through fallen branches on the side of the yard in the starting snowfall, looking for the perfect branch.  Feeling grateful that the $5 can of "miss-tint" paint I had thought was white was actually a pale pink.

     And for some weird reason, the scripture Matthew 6:25-26 kept coming to mind every time I looked at that picture from Zulily.

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

     Of course, my little birds are nowhere near the perfection of mass-produced ones in ceramic molds, glazed and fired in kilns somewhere in China.  But that's what makes them unique.

     Friday morning (after I shoveled the new 4" of snow from the front walk) one of my morning devotionals included Matthew 6:25-27.  There it was again.

    After work, I found the perfect paper and the branches I had picked through had dried enough to find one to fit the box I was going to use.

     Saturday morning during my Bible reading ... Matthew 6:25-26 ... and a friend from church came to mind with the thought that this was a gift for her.

    So it was ...

Saturday ...

Click on pictures to enlarge

     Our second winter storm came through Thursday night, bringing more cold and snow.  The snow fortunately was light and fluffy, not heavy and wet, so was easier to shovel from the walk yesterday morning at 6a before I started work.  

     This morning, however, the cold has made it bitter.  I had to rush Charlie's spare snow "boots" across the street to neighbors when I heard their Boston terrier puppy crying from his little toes freezing.

Working hard with me on Friday

    Charlie is long overdue for a haircut, plus was a Wisconsin/Lake Superior puppy and used to snow and cold.  He runs out, does business, and doesn't even flinch until the temps are double digits below freezing.  As I type this, it is almost 330p and has finally "warmed up" to freezing.

     The encaustic class that I was looking forward to today was rescheduled due to the weather, and the hostess having a cold.  Disappointing, but it opened my day up to be creative on my own.  Which I was immensely happy to do!

    I finished my Springerle ornaments for next Christmas's tree, painted my home gnome with the frigid weather on my mind.  I've never been a glitter girl in the past ... growing up I was more of a tom-boy.  Jeans, climbing trees, catching frogs ... not a glitter girl.  But it seems I'm making up for it lately and glitter has made quite the appearance in several of my craft projects.  And on my table ... carpet ... clothing ... I may have glitter forever now.

    I also cleaned up my clay feather while I am still deciding how to paint it.  Cardinals are a favorite of mine, and I'm thinking of painting it with red watercolor.   The picture that I used for the model has a small bird on it, but I think I like it more without the bird.  I'm trying to resist the urge to put glitter on the edges.  The struggle is real.

    Friday I purchased a vintage side table that I had seen for several weeks on the Facebook marketplace (16 weeks actually) and when I saw that the price had dropped I reached out to ask if it was still available.  It was, and not only was I able to negotiate the delivery of it, but he also dropped the price by $5 so I could buy paint since it has been scuffed up and scratched a bit.  His "vintage" age put it the same age as me, and I love it just as it is, scuffs and all.  So far neither cat has opted to try the bed on the bottom shelf, and I will probably take it out eventually and stack books under there.

     When I lived in Florida, I frequently took cooking classes from my favorite German lady who owned a small restaurant and wine shop.  It has been ages since I've had the pleasure of doing that, and today I was able to do it again.  Sort of.

     I got a coupon for $100 off a four-week meal delivery program called [link > Green Chef], and the first delivery was 50% off on top of that, so I decided to give it a try.  In the past, I've tried other meal delivery programs and was really disappointed.  They arrived pre-made, pop in the oven or microwave, and be done with it.  The flavor was sometimes lacking, substitutions from what I had ordered were frequent, and I was just left feeling dissatisfied with the price that they were asking per meal.

     My box of four meals for two people arrived from Green Chef today, and surprise, they weren't pre-made.  I had four bags with all the ingredients to MAKE THEM MYSELF!  It was like a cooking class in my own home!

     Dinner tonight (with leftovers for lunch tomorrow) was Smoky Salmon with Rémoulade, Green Beans, and Apple-Cabbage Slaw with Dried Cranberries and Rosemary White-Wine Vinaigrette.  (If I were to say I nearly licked the plate clean, it would be the truth.  It was THAT good!).   The only things "pre-made" were the packets of smoky applewood spice blend, rémoulade with avocado mayo & horseradish, and the vinaigrette.  But otherwise, I cut up the green beans and Granny Smith apple.

     I had FUN making it!  Well, except for when I forgot that I had pulled a pan out of the oven and grabbed the handle with my bare hand.  But, no harm done and no blisters.  I have the recipe sheet for it and know I will make it again with ingredients I can find at the grocery store, or find another recipe to make the rémoulade.  I can't wait to make the Parmesan-Crusted Chicken on Monday, Cauliflower Piccata Pasta on Wednesday, and Honey-glazed Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl for Friday.

     Full disclosure, however, while I loved this meal and know that I will love the others as well, Green Chef's prices after the first week, even with the rest of my coupon off the next three week's meals, is just too high for my budget as a single person and I won't be getting the remaining meals.  That is the big drawback of meal delivery programs that I've looked into ... the cost for a single person.  My second week of meals from Green Chef would have cost me about $120 even with the coupon.  That is sometimes my grocery budget for an entire month!

    Look for my post tomorrow with my fun surprise gift project, and on Monday with my next cooking lesson and  ... drum roll ... how my job interview went.  Yes, I think it is time for a change ... at least before the book shop becomes a reality and I'll also update how that adventure is changing into something within reach!

Create the life you want ...

     I've been told that on New Year's Day whatever you do will determine what you do the rest of the year, so of course I didn't do laundry, and I didn't wash dishes.  Instead, I spent the day doing some of the things that I want to fill the rest of the year with ... creating and exploring.

     First, I played with some air-dry clay.  I made this little gnome guy for fun.  He's the only gnome in my home!  I may paint him after he's had time to dry for another week since he's rather thick.

     I also used my Springerle rolling pin to make some more ornaments for next year's tree and will share pictures when they are completely done.  The clay dries a bit of a grey color and I want to paint them white and glue some anise seed to the backs to give them a more authentic look and smell.

     I finished making earrings from the $1 ornaments I'd picked up a week or so ago; wrote a few pages for my next book ~ a memoir that picks up where My Best Friends Have Hairy Legs left off; read a few chapters in a business plan guide for my next dream come true ~ the "Tell Me A Story Book Shop ~ Offering books by independent authors and writing workshops;" and I walked to the Christmas Depot by Greenbrier and explored some history along the way.

     If you've seen the movie Hidden Figures, you may be familiar with Katherine Johnson's story.  If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.  It was very well acted and an excellent glimpse into history.

     The first Monday of 2022 came with a winter snowstorm that knocked out my power for about three and a half hours.  I was surprised that it stuck since we'd had rain for a few days prior, which is why the creek was running so high and muddy.   There is more snow in the forecast for Thursday, with sleet on Sunday.  Winter is upon us.

     The girls are not impressed.

     Carolina chickadees have arrived and are making me aware that any adjustment in the location of the backyard feeder of sunflower seeds is not appreciated.  Cardinals sit in the tree outside the office window and let me know that they appreciate the location of the one in the front yard.  I've also seen a white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, and downy woodpecker in the past week.  While shopping for stickers of birds on Etsy, I saw a sticker for bird nerds that said "Nird" and loved it.  When I get a vehicle (prayers for soon!) I will have to get one and put it on a window.

     Craft and art classes are coming up soon at the Wren's Nest Art Studio [<link], beginning this coming Saturday with a class on encaustic watercolor painting [click this link for an example video].  I will post photos next weekend of my creation, and after watching the video, I'm already getting some ideas of what I would like to do.  February will be a barn quilt class, and in March a wildflower collage that I think will be watercolor painting.  I'm super excited for all of the classes!

     More soon, and just in the interest of full disclosure ... laundry and dishes were done on the 31st.  Out with the dirty, in with the clean.

Happy New Year ...

    I believe that how we speak, and what we do, has an impact on our lives deeper than most may understand.  I think that in Matthew 7:7-11 when we are told "Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." we are also being told that what we think can become our reality.  If we believe the worst will happen, then we attract that to our lives.  If we believe the best will happen, then we attract that into our lives.

     When I was sick last year and told I would die, I didn't hold onto that as truth.  Even if it had been true, I was at peace with dying because I knew I would see Jesus and those that I have loved and lost.  But I did not give in to doom and depression when it could have taken over my life (and my life itself).  I believed that God would heal me, and if He didn't, there was a reason for it.  I didn't question Him or His will for my life.

     I praise Him, however, that the words spoken over me by many educated people in the medical profession did not have the final say in my life.  Only God has that, and He chose to heal me for His purposes.

     For that reason, I believe that starting this new year with intention, where everything I say and do has a purpose for how I want my life to be lived for HIM, is important for me to do.

     Last night, I burned my regrets and hurts in a small grill before the end of the year so that I could start the year with a clean heart.  I took down my Christmas decorations.   Then I showered at midnight to wash away the old year, the old me, and prepare for the new year.

     I started today with prayer and reading my Bible.  Stretching exercises to care for my body, and for breakfast, I had oatmeal with cranberries.  Yesterday I made a New Year Day soup of lentils, greens, and bacon ... not because I believe the Southern tradition will influence my year, but because it is healthy and nourishing food for my body (okay, full disclosure, the jury is on the fence about the bacon but it isn't something I eat every day).

   My seasonal tree is now decorated for the new year with hope and encouragement for new adventures, and I potted an ivy I'd been rooting to put in the antique birdcage in my bedroom ~ to signify new growth this year.

     Each day is a gift, a precious gift that we are given.  Don't waste it on negativity, fear, anger, and regret.  God gave us the gift of His son to save us from fear and to give us eternal life with Him.  If you don't know that, then you should ask Him to come into your heart and free you of the bondage of doubt and the unknown.  Jesus died for our sins so that we would be freed to feel God's love for us because that is all He has ever wanted.  It was a sacrifice freely given because of how much we are loved.  Is it a sacrifice you could give to God by welcoming Him into your heart and life?  All He wants is to love us and bless us.  Claim this year's evident anointing for your own heart and life.  Knock, and the door shall be opened for you.  Ask, and you will receive.  Seek Him, and you will find Him in so many ways.

     May your year be abundantly blessed with love, laughter, and healing peace.