Be True..

At the heart of each of us,
whatever our imperfections,



there exists a silent pulse
of perfect rhythm
which is absolutely
individual and unique,


and yet which connects us
to everything else.


~George Leonard

















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Personal Boundaries......ain't always easy.

I'm making it a practice to re-post this frequently.
And it's been a while.
Its the most important contract I've ever written for myself.
And a promise I intend to keep.
We cannot be all things to all people, there are times
when we for sanity's sake have to pull back and self care.
Sometimes we do have to draw the line, or ask for a time out.
Why people react so strongly when we do is beyond me.
I suspect ego has much to do with it, and a need to control the outcome.
When we set a boundary, we remove that control as well as the outcome.

"When we set a boundary, we let go of the outcome."

The purpose of setting boundaries is to take care of our self. Being forced to learn how to set boundaries is a vital part of learning to own our self, of learning to respect ourselves, of learning to love ourselves. If we never have to set a boundary, then we will never get in touch with who we really are. ~Robert Burney

I will not apologize for setting my own personal boundaries.
I will not apologize for doing whatever it takes to enforce those boundaries.
I will not apologize for doing whatever it takes to protect my emotonal well being.
I will not apologize for keeping out those who are not healthy.
I will not apologize for taking time to think before I speak.
I will not apologize for telling someone their behavior is not acceptable to me.
I will not apologize for deciding what behavior is and is not acceptable.
I will not apologize for stepping back from a situation in order to evaluate my feelings, however long that takes.
I will not apologize for setting strict boundaries when I need and sticking to them.
I will not apologize for asking for space when I need it.
I will not apologize for taking responsibility for the way I allow others to treat me.
I will not apologize for cutting someone completely out of my life if I feel they don't respect my boundaries.
I will not apologize for not believing everything I'm told.
I will not apologize for letting your problems, your dysfunction be yours.
I will not apologize for not being able to be all things to all people.
I will not apologize for loving myself enough to set boundaries even if it means I risk losing people in my life because of them.




















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Ode to Autumn

I love this time of year.

I've spent the summer chasing the light.
Racing the light some days.



Fishing every chance I get,
photographing every thing I see.



Making the most of days
that bring with them green grass,
bright blue skies and big billowy clouds.




[Until it gets too hot, my days are then spent grateful for central air.]




Sooner than I realize the season changes,
I love the fall.
The crisp wet air.
And the smell.
The smell of rotting leaves that have fallen
from the trees, makes me feel more alive than the warmth of a summer sun.




I know that winter is coming,
and for the first time I feel like summer has lasted to long.
I feel this every year.
I'm no longer fighting for every hour of daylight.




I relish the thought of coming home,
to warm glowing lights by candle or by lamp.
I find my way once again to the kitchen,
and books that have been left to wait on the shelf,
will be read.
The days getting shorter... excites my
innate need to hibernate, to slow down
and settle in.
It renews me in a way I cannot describe.





It is on this night I wish you were here
to celebrate with me the coming of quieter months.
















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Be Here. Be now..

"The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly.
Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.
To put it more accurately,
it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly—
you usually don't use it at all.
It uses you."


~Eckhart Tolle




















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

My sweet Hannah,
walked three miles and
did a bit of mindless
wandering with me.
This is a huge deal.




We walked for over two hours,
more than three miles,
when all was said and done.




She let me lead her thru the woods,
down trails she'd never seen.








We got temporarily misplaced
a couple of times and had to reroute.
A few whimperings prompted the occasional reassurances.
I love that she never lets go of my hand.
She is my favorite hand to hold.


Save for one other.




conversation:

Hannah: Drumming?
Me: Drumline
(Hannah smiles because I know what she means)
Hannah: Boom? Boom?
Me: Boom Boom Boom.
(Hannah smiles because she likes me to say it in threes)

I take Hannah's hand which is holding mine, and make the three beats
so she can feel my words.
I ramble on about music and rhythm.

A few minutes later she prompts me to do it again.

Repeat this 50 times. With me once n a while doing a 1 2 3.
And waltzing in the woods to make her laugh.
She did.






If I lay on the ground to photograph something,
she'll sit down behind me. : )
I photograph all of it.
So we both remember.




This morning
She gets up and goes to the bathroom on her own.
No prompting by me. yay. seriously.

Then comes to the kitchen for juice.
Hannah: dio.
Me: radio, you want the radio?

I go get it thinking she wants music in the kitchen.
We listen to music a lot.
Lately I have it playing in the bathroom
while she takes a bath.



She takes me by the hand and brings me to her room.
She wants the music in her room.
Martin Sexton.
(she has great taste)
If you've ever heard his music, you might understand
why she gravitates to it. I like to say he's autistically pleasing.
(as in.. especially pleasing to her autistic ear)
If that makes sense.





I plug in the ipod, she wraps herself in her favorite blanket
and tells me Bye.

How 16 of her.
I'm smiling.


She comes out a few songs later.
She claps her hands and says push ding.
Which means push swing.
And says walk too.
She remembers.
She knows she did something good.
She's proud of herself.
She should be.

I clap too and say You did good Hannah.
She turns around and goes back to listen to Martin.






I love this girl.



She

is

LIGHT
ON
THIS
EARTH.


















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Be Brave..

Most of our
obstacles
would melt
away if
instead of
cowering
before them





We should
make up
our minds
to walk
boldly
through
them.


~Orison Swett Marden














One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Summer Sightings

WE saw this incredible pair
while driving home from up north
after dropping Hannah off.
What a special thing to see for both of us.











The other car?
They got close then honked.
I was pissed.

















One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Willa Mae's First Cooking Video

I'd like to introduce you all to Willa Mae Johnson.
A year ago a friend at the time had done a video blog,
suggested that the rest of us girls done, in that we
should feel comfortable with ourselves enough to do so.
I couldn't help but run with it...and so voila Willa Mae
was created.

You'll be seeing a lot more of her. She does love to cook
and has a very unique style. ha. I hope you all will welcome
her to the world of foodies with open arms.

In Willa Mae's own words:

Howdy ya'll, Willa Mae hear. In case ya'll ain't herd I'm a lookin' fer me a new man and I's a talkin to Ma and she said ta me...Willa Mae girl iffen yews really want yerself a man thens you needa be able to feed him real good like. Ma said my speshaltee fried spam and corn flake sammiches wasn't gonna land me a man. So here's whut I done. I gots myself up real early like this mornin, barred my Pa's best gun and headed out in ta da woods. It won't long, befur I seen the biggest possum I's ever come across and let me tells yew I's come cross plenty possum. Usually just hits em wit ma truck and jump out and throw em in the back to make stew the next day. So imma crouched down in the bushes watchin that thar possum then I's noticed it won't no possum it was a dang blame pole cat but by then the Old Milwaukees I'd drunk fer breakfast had kicked in and I's needed to cop me a squat so I just went and shot that ole pole cat. After I's done with my bizness I went and got my pole cat and headed back home to skinner up. And wooooooooo doggies did that feller have one heck of a smeller but I'm perfumed up right nice like now, Ma says it'll wear off befer bath time next week. I took my pole cat and deesided to cook me up a casserole, thats fancy cookin. I puts that feller in the pan, tossed in some onyuns and some right nice dandylines and ramps I dug up out in the yard. Ma sed casseroles have a toppin so I put some apple butter my great granny made befur she died 12 years ago and then added some of ma signature corn flakes, I's like corn flakes. Then I's bakes it up fer a few ours till it was smelln beter than the outhouse in July! So I sat it on the table with some Old Milwaukee and yer never gonna guess who came a knockin on ma door sayin he smelled sumpin reall good like and was hankerin fer sum grub! It was Billy Bob Joe Tom Frank Jr. the third that drives the pig manure truck. (I an't never telled nobody but I's think hes mighty perty) So, thets all imma gonna tell you fer now. I's will write more later iffen you really want to know whut happens next. Butt fer now this is Willa Mae sayin' bye ya'll and please watch mah videao on how tew make fryd spam and cornflake sandwiches.








Appetizer:

Scrub pigs' feet. Rinse. Put in pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Pour off water. Add salted, boiling water. You should add salt to your taste. Cover and simmer until tender, about 3 hours. Drain and plunge into cold water. Put them into a jar. Cover with hot, white distilled vinegar if desired. They can also be pickled by soaking in a bath of water in which 2 sliced green peppers, 2 sliced onions, 6 peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of salt have been boiled for 10 minutes, and to which the juice of 3 lemons has been added. Let feet remain in desired bath for at least 2 days before eating. The longer they sit refrigerated, the better they taste.

For the desired spices try 6 to 10 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves some pickling spices and 1 or 2 red peppers, depending on your taste. I also suggest you try a few pigs' feet at a time until the desired flavor is reached.

Garnish pigs feet with chopped Clausen Dill Pickles.








Fried Spam and Cornflake Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 small can spam
Kellogs Corn flakes
Mayonnaise
Soft white bread


Thinly slice spam.
Cook in saute pan until lightly browned.
Put mayo on bread slices, as well as spam.
Add corn flakes and put sandwich together.

(it is actually pretty good)

Can also be cooked like a grilled cheese sandwich,
and well better not burnt! ha.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A FAN OF WILLA MAE

CLICK HERE

: )

On the subject of race...

My theory is the hearts of men are about alike, no matter what their skin color.

Mark Twain

Dancing, Old friends, Good Music

Okay bud, here's your dance picture. Call it an early happy birthday present. : )
I know I couldn't wait.

some of you know my brother has been taking dance classes.
Many of you know I LOVE to dance. I grew up dancing.
Spent some years running to Duluth Dances and classes
5 nights a week getting ready for competition. I miss it.

so does my body. : )


We were so excited to find a poster that offered dance classes
by a very experienced couple. Unfortunately for us,
but fortunately for them, a new job opportunity
will be taking them to Alabama at the end of the month.

Last night Joshy n I got our giggle on and decided to copy their poster pose.
laughing here. I know. right?

well we had fun trying. 12 shots later, we got something workable.
I'm not the best background remover and the dang ceiling lamp cut off our hands.
But yanno not half bad for a kitchen grab shot using the self timer.

The Eagles had a kick ass band last night,
got to see old friends of mine,
Joshy n I danced all night. Great time, a really really great time.

these pics are a few years old, from Craig and Kasandra's wedding.

As soon as I get sent the video I'll post the band for you,

Craig has an incredible voice. That's not an exaggeration.
Was good to reconnect with he and Kasandra, and a few others.
We all go way back.....good memories. definitely.

I need to be a better friend and pick up the phone every once in a while.

: )

Did you really think I'd forget?

There are certain people who when they enter your life
change it in ways you could never have imagined.

I've put writing this blog off because ...
because I don't have the words, not the right ones
to tell her how much she means to me.
I've sat here for the better part of the morning,
writing, deleting, writing more, backspacing....
basically stumbling over every syllable, every vowel and consonant
trying to pay homage to this woman who is one of my most
treasured friends on her birthday. Delete the word friend.
She's family.

Is it a cop out to just post pictures of us. maybe.
All of them, all of the words seem inadequate.





Mostly I sit here in tears, grateful for her presence in my life.
I love her with all my heart.


Happy Birthday

Salmon with a Balsamic Glaze for Two

I love photographing people in love.

Falling in love is a crazy thing.
It should be called rising in love you know?
When its right it lifts us to heights unimaginable.
Everything seems more colorful.
The world around us more vibrant.
Nirvana.

"I am so glad that you are excited and living in anticipation....leaning into the future.
Bring all of your powerful abilities to love to bear upon this opportunity.
All of your life experiences have prepared you for just this moment.
Do not fear to be vulnerable for you will never know his trustworthiness if you do not risk.
Do not shrink from conscious surrender for we have built so many protections
from the disappointments and harms we have known that the greater danger...

is holding someone away."

~Tom Moran

My friend Tom wrote to me today.
I think words such as these ought to be shared, and so I have.
We both are in fact each celebrating a new chapter in our lives.
Together and yet separate. I wish for him unending happiness,
or perhaps I should say I wish the two of them unending happiness... : )


Thank for this Tom. Thank you for your friendship.
A bright shining light you are indeed.



Okay okay get to the food, I hear you.
This salmon recipe is nirvana.
I've never fallen in love with anything I've ever made.
I've fallen in love.

Salmon with a Balsamic Glaze, Saffron Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach

SERVES 2

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water,
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed plus
2 salmon fillets, skin on (center cut)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil






Preparation:
(I always want to type H after that)

1. Stir together balsamic vinegar, water, lemon juice,
and brown sugar in a small bowl.
2. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat,
not smoking. Increase heat to high, add salmon skin side up,
and sear until well browned, about 4 minutes. (I like my salmon fairly rare)
4. Turn fish over and sear until just cooked through,
3 to 4 minutes more.
5. Transfer salmon to plates and carefully
add vinegar mixture to skillet (liquid will bubble vigorously and steam).
6. Simmer, stirring, until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
(I think it takes a little longer than two minutes, just keep an eye on it, you'll know)
(I also made the glaze in a separate pan, am glad I did)
7. Spoon glaze over salmon.
8. Serve, eat,and finish with an ice cream bar.

Pan Seared Halibut with a Saffron Broth

I like living in a small town.
I like knowing the cashiers at the grocery store.
I like that when I go get gas at the place up the street they know me.
One of the gals that works there came up to me
while I was filling up and gave me a four leaf clover she'd
just found while sitting on the curb by the grass smoking
a cigarette on her break.
I made a wish, but I think it's already come true.
It was the nicest thing someone could have done.
Its the little things that make a difference.


Funny how when we let go of one thing,
the universe brings us something or someone else in its place.
Letting go.
One of the hardest lessons to learn.
And yet it brings us the greatest freedom.

I could sermon this one.
But I really want to write about food,
and love, and yes well love...

Nana you asked where I've been.
Um.
Distracted.
In all the best ways.

Be open
Be ready
I always say.
This time I was on both counts.
Kinda like skipping rocks,
find the right one and it flies across the water...
perfectly.

It feels good to be in the kitchen again.
Even better to be chasing loons still.
Yes! I know right?! Just when I think
my season with them is over...!


My boat driver was new to my boat
and new to loon stalking...
My boat driver did awesome.

So that's the long and short of it.
Time for food yes? I think so.

Pan Seared Halibut with a Saffron Broth

Ingredients:

1 halibut filet
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon Saffron
1 cup chicken broth

Preparation:

Season both sides of halibut with salt and black pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add halibut and cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Remove fish from pan and set aside.

To the same pan, broth and saffron.
Bring to a simmer.
Return fish to pan and simmer 2 minutes,
until fish is fork-tender.
(I prefer my fish a little undercooked)


The fish melts in your mouth.
The color of the broth is out of this world
and the flavor is heavenly.

For the heck of it, I threw a little fresh spinach
in one of the bowls, if you want a little texture, a little green,
give it a try.

One love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Oven Roasted Onions

Onions.
Bittersweet.
They make me cry.
But I still like them.

I made a decision this week.
It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make,
it was also the easiest.
I feel sadness.
I feel relief.
Bittersweet.

I've been chasing loons for weeks now.
The babies are diving and learning to feed themselves.
There's a lesson in that.

I'm back in the kitchen.

Yay to that.

Oven Roasted Onions

Ingredients:

Sweet Vadalia onions
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Rosemary


Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375
Peel and slice onions into halves or quarters.
Its really just a matter of preference.

Drizzle onions with olive oil
Salt, Pepper and Rosemary them.

Roast in oven until the bottoms are caramelized.




It's good to be back.


: )