February 13, 2017:
Field trip to Spanish Springs Library today. Such a treat to have so many amazing libraries in this county. We are blessed and grateful …. xoxo
February 17 2017:
Thank you to the amazing, wonderful, and oh so happy dog in the pet store who brightened my day. She was so incredibly happy and joyful. When she wagged her short, little tail; her entire body moved! I am grateful for her joy. Thank you and bring me more please!
February 6 2017:
Pecans. Finally sat down yesterday and “unwrapped” these little treasures from their packaging. Thanks to the The Romano Duo for bringing them at Christmas. Yum!
I was craving something sweet for breakfast, yet I wanted it quick. Toasted a piece of yummy dairy free bread and topped with banana, chopped pecans, and honey. Hit the spot so good!!!
February 1 2017:
Last night was a bingo kinda night. We like to play blackout!!! So fun!!!
February 3 2017:
Finally!! Thomas‘ birthday present of a subscription to National Geographic has arrived! Yay!!
February 4 2017:
Yesterday was my last day walking Happy. It’s not a good idea to try and take his picture when he knows you have treats for him!! HA! He was incredibly excited!
I didn’t realize there was going to be such intense sadness within me last night. I’ve been walking him since September and his name has deep and significant meaning. That’s a blog post in and of itself regarding his name; which connects with an event from 2014.
After journal writing this morning, feeling much more balanced!! YAY!!
Happy trails to you Happy!! It’s been a blessing!! xoxo
P.S.: Dog walking gig. Happy and his human companion, Debbie, have been here temporarily. Debbie was on a five month consulting job and needed someone to walk Happy during the day and dog sit when she was out of town. That was ME! They head back home to Florida this morning.
They have been a blessing to us financially and with their kindness. And, Debbie says I have been a blessing them. Happy did get sick while they were here. Had a brain tumor removed at UC Davis. So … he’s kind of been a special needs doggie! He is recovering nicely.
**THROWBACK POST**
February 7 2015:
She is one of my greatest teachers …. one of the hardest roles and biggest learning opportunities I have in this life is decision making regarding this wonderful young lady. xoxo
**THROWBACK POST**
February 6 2014:
The past few weeks I’ve been reading to Thomas a little gem of a book I came across back in the late 1990’s. It’s called “I Dare You!” written in 1953. Last week we read the chapter titled, “I Dare You to Think Creatively”.
The author shared a few stories of people who were able to interpret the usual in an unusual way and invented amazing and useful things. Like Doctor Ernest Sachs who discovered a way to operate on inoperable brain tumors and the person who changed the telephone to a device that could be heard across a continent.
Thomas stopped me and said he has so many ideas to invent things but he doesn’t know how to make them. I told him that he doesn’t need to focus on the how. Suggested he write all of his ideas in a notebook or a file on the computer.
Every once in a while, go back and read through them. Put his attention on them and then make it his intent to invent whatever it is. Then, the “how” will come to him as well as any other people needed for the how. Told him if he keeps jotting his ideas down in a year or two or five he’ll have one heck of a book of ideas!
It’s a quick read if you wanna check it out. You could read it in one sitting. We are reading a few pages every night.
January 22 2017:
Making a thick and creamy soup today. As I sliced the ingredients, the beauty and swirls of this ingredient caught my eye. Incredibly magical on the inside.
It was the perfect day for potato leek soup topped with scallions. Thick, creamy, and oh my goodness …. incredibly delicious!! xoxo
It was in the latest Chopra Center email newsletter (just pasting straight from there).
I always tweak recipes so I did not add the rosemary, oregano, and parsley. Yet, I added ground ginger. I LOVE the kick ginger gives to dishes.
Potato Leek
There is only one word to describe this soup—comfort. It’s thick, creamy, and bursting with flavor. Leeks are often underutilized in the kitchen, but they’re a phenomenal source of vitamins and antioxidants, not to mention quite delicious.
Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 4 leeks, sliced
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 4 russet potatoes, cubed
* 4 cups vegetable broth
* 1 (14-ounce) can white beans
* 1 teaspoon rosemary
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 teaspoon parsley
* Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Sauté leaks in oil over medium-high heat for about five minutes, until softened.
Add garlic and potatoes and sauté two more minutes.
Add broth, beans, and spices.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree mixture in a blender. If soup is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached.
Add salt and pepper, to taste.
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The warm and creamy potato leek soup called for a refreshing and satisfying side salad.
Cucumber and arugula! English cucumber, arugula, pickles, scallions, kalamata olives, topped with warm beets and fig balsamic dressing.
Plus a side of baked potato medallions. The entire meal was food bliss. xoxo
January 26 2017:
Carrot Ginger Soup tonight …. creamy, flavorful and incredibly pleasing. So yummy!
January 27 2017:
Oh ginger, how I love thee!!! Yummy!!
January 28 2017:
Best chili yet! A spicy veggie chili with red peppers, mushrooms, and jalapeño. I am in food bliss!
So good I had it for breakfast this morning with a cup of yummy coffee. Both brought out the flavors of each even more. So incredibly satisfying.
January 8 2017:
We’ve moved on to the next step! Perfect for the cleansing nature is processing right now with this rain.
Looking for words and pictures to capture our hearts desire for 2017. xoxo
January 10 2017:
On to the next step …. Making art of our 2017 hearts desire. Once we’re all done, I’ll create a blog post with more detailed information.
We each create our own and we create a Team TLC vision. This year my theme is “The Shift”, my two theme words are “Knowing” and “Allowing”, and my anchor is “Writing”. This feels amazing!
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January 14 2017:
Completed the art version of my 2017 Heart’s Desire … Feels incredibly powerful.
The theme for 2017 is “The Shift” (I deeply feel this does not solely apply to me as I feel there is to be a collective shift.)
The two words for 2017 are “Knowing” and “Allowing”. Knowing is comprised of Spirituality, Meditation, and Mindfulness. Allowing is comprised of allowing my good from expected and unexpected sources.
The anchor for 2017 is Walking and Writing.
The theme, two words, and anchor are cradled in the embrace of LOVE. ….. Now on to The Team TLC art version of our collective heart’s desire for 2017.
January 11 2017:
Library day for Team TLC!! Feeling so grateful and blessed by the amazing librarian folks. We’ve been going to this library every 2-3 weeks for the past ten years. They kind of know us!
Thomas and Lillian got to look through the return cart for any wanted books. And we get our pick of which two months in 2018 we would like to have a Team TLC art showing in the small gallery at South Valleys Library. I’m thinking we’ll take May/June 2018.
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January 13 2017:
It’s been a curious day … So, I’m bringing out Mr. Happy Tree with which to end the day. Lillian created him in 2015. Lillian and I will be deciding in the next two weeks about her first published book.
Should it be a mindfulness themed book with Mr. Happy Tree as narrator, using the “Mindfulness with Animals” series she wrote on her blog? Or a compilation and expansion of her short stories and poems? Or expanding one short story into a longer, deeper story? We are open to wherever this leads …
Thanks Mr. Happy Tree … xoxo
January 9 2017:
Just love the smell of fresh sliced cucumber. So refreshing! xoxo
January 11 2017:
Made these for myself thinking Thomas and Lillian wouldn’t want them. Should have made more!
Baked russet potato medallions with olive oil, pink Himalayan salt, black pepper, and ground ginger. Yum!!!!
I have an electric oven and baked them at 425. I started checking them after 15 minutes and every 5 minutes after that, rotating the pan each time. The first time I made them it only took 20 minutes. Next time it took about 30. Must have sliced them thicker as I just eyeball the slicing.
January 4 2017:
Coconut dark chocolate bark and gluten free, dye free peppermint bark ….. Perfect!!
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January 6 2017:
Lentil Soup with Short Grain Brown Rice … with a squeeze of lime drizzled on top! YUM!!
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More meals for the week …
Vegan Mac n Cheese Smothered in Vegan Chili
Camilla’s Lentil Soup mixed with Short Grain Brown Rice with English Cucumber, Avocado, and Skillet Cooked Sweet Potato
Lillian’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Toast, Raw & Roasted Cashews, English Cucumber, Raisins, Date, and Apple
Thomas’ French Toast with Raw Honey
Thomas’ Fruit of Apple drizzled with Raw Honey and a sprinkle of Cinnamon
Camilla’s Vegan Nachos with Vegan Cheese, Black Olives, Onion and Garlic