Another Chance

I have mixed feelings about each new year. Sometimes I hate to see the old year pass away, other times I am so ready for a new beginning. This is especially true this year. I've found myself reflecting on all that has passed this year, a year of loss and grief. Its hard to find the good and happy things that have happened this year, maybe because the loss and the grief seem to far outweigh the everyday happy occurances although I know they were there. This year I lost Judy, a sister, young, vivacious, kind, and full of life. Why? I've pondered that question so many times that now I'm just tired of thinking about it. This year my husband lost both parents, a mother and a father who were loved and who loved with abandonment. Grief is heavy, consuming. It robs you of your joy, and sometimes your hope.

But, there is hope, right? Hope in a new day, hope in a new year, hope in a new beginning, and another chance. With the new year I feel like its an opportunity to take a deep breath, shake off the heavy burdens, and say, "Ok, lets try this again."

No New Year's Resolutions for me this year. I can never keep those, and seem to only disappoint myself anyway. This year, simply reminders of those who are important to me, those who love me, and making the most of every single minute I have to give to those dear ones. I intend to keep a promise, made earlier this year, that I would live life joyfully, and fully, and not wallow in grief and disappointment, that I would seize each day and opportunity to find something good and hopeful in a person or situation. Thats a hard promise to keep sometimes, but isn't this the perfect time for renewed determination? Another chance, with a new year beginning?

This year I am determining happiness in my Happy New Year.

Remember ye not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

I like that promise, don't you? Here's to new beginnings and new things. Happy New Year.

I Swear....

I am going to write myself a note, tape it to the inside of my cabinet door, the cabinet where I store all my "not used very often, (as in only at Christmas)" recipes, that says: "Christmas 2010, DO NOT fool yourself into thinking that you are a baker. Stick to recipes that you know and are good at. DO NOT try making candy or other never before tried cookie recipes!" My friends and family will thank me, Santa will thank me, and my wallet will thank me.

This weekend I threw away three, yes three, batches of Peanut Brittle. The recipe said "No Fail Peanut Brittle." Well, I failed...three times. And...I tossed out a batch of cookies, into the woods, from what sounded like a yummy recipe, but came out of the oven tasting like baking soda, or uncooked flour, or something not right. Something went horribly wrong. I don't know if even the forest animals will eat those cookies.

Oh how I long to be a Christmas baker. At least the Magic Bars and the Fudge turned out and tastes quite yummy. I guess two out of four is ok. For me, the wanna be baker, its par for the course. So, I'll whip up a couple of Pecan Pies from an old tried and true recipe given to me by my grandmother and use those as gifts instead of the cookies and peanut brittle.

Maybe to my note I should add..."Here's what you are good at...pecan pies, fudge, magic bars, and cheese balls. Stick to these!"

Meanwhile...my beautiful pink KA mixer goes back in the box, and back into the closet.

Merry Christmas

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:9-11)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

He fills our holidays with joy, strength, and peace. Hold your dear ones close this holiday season, and give Him thanks. Merry Christmas!

I Like Fall

I'm a summertime gal. I love the warmth, the sun, wearing shorts and flipflops, playing on the beach and swimming in the lake. But...I also like Fall, in spite of myself. I try to tell myself that Fall means the cold darkness of winter is right around the corner. That Fall, in all her beauty simply fools us into believing that the warmth and sunshine will last a little longer, hiding the fact of what is to come. Winter...with her bone chilling cold, brown and gray trees, a garden that is desolate, and darkness that sends me into depression, wishing I could hibernate until Spring.

Try as I might to poo-poo Fall, I still find myself reveling in her beauty, her smells, the way the sunlight becomes golden and harsh, and my shadow is long on ground. I still find myself anxiously anticipating soup on the stove and a fire in the fireplace. I still love Fall. I'm a fool for her, even as she laughs at me, beckons me into winter, teasing me with her brilliant colors and warm sun.

A few of my Fall favorites:
Warm sun among cool, crisp breezes
Pumpkins and Mums on the front porch steps
Honeycrisp Apples, and trips to the Apple Farm
Starbucks Gingersnap Latte and Pumpkin Spice Latte
Bonfires...even the neighbors burning leaves all weekend long.
Apple Spice scented candles
Ga. Bulldawg Football
Monday Night Football,
High School Football...heck, just football in general
Seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, dressed in brilliant colors of crimson, gold, yellow, and green.
Hiking the woods around my house, basking in those colors.
The way the trees are mirrored in our lake, turning the water a kaleidoscope of colors.
Driving into the mountains, looking for the best boiled peanuts and apple cider.

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosiac of them all." Stanley Horowitz

Feels Like Its Raining All Over the World

We're flooded. I mean, is it time to build an ark or what?? The first day of Fall in Georgia has been marked by a 100 year event of flooding and record breaking rainfall. When the rain started over a week ago, I was so excited, and I was happy all week long as the rain continued to pour...and pour everyday. We've been in such a drought for so long that the rain felt like a real blessing from heaven.

Yesterday, as the rain continued to fall, without relent, my attitude began to change somewhat, into one of worry. I spent the day at home, cooking veggie beef soup, turning on all the lights, lighting candles, and doing housework. Every now and then I would peek out the window, and out the front door, wondering if the rain would ever stop. It rained nonstop from about 7:30 a.m. until late into the evening. My poor dogs were finally forced to go outside, in the pouring rain, simply to relieve themselves. Of course, my old girl, Sophie, was a bit insulted.

Last night, as news spread of the flooding south of us in Atlanta, and the deaths that followed, my worry deepened. I kept a close eye on the creek that runs below our house, thankful for the small bluff my house sits on, and the deep creek bed. Worry also turned to aggravation as we realized our dock at the lake, the one that we've had to move out more and more as the lake fell more and more, was now partially covered with water. Happy to have a full lake, not so much to think about recovering a partially submerged dock.

This morning as I took Youngest Son to school, I was anxious to see how the pond down the road, and the Etowah River that we travel over, had fared in the flooding rains. If it wasn't so dark, and the rain so heavy, I would have taken pictures. The Etowah was over the banks in some areas, and had risen to cover the canoe/kayak dock at the river park. As I crossed the bridge, I took a hard look at the muddy river, as it raged. The water was up way too close to the bridge. The pond down the road had flooded its banks and was up into the backyard of our neighbors who live there. I wondered if she had worried yesterday and last night. If she had peeked out the window like I had, watching the water as it rose.

Most of all this morning, I thought of all the people along the Chatooga River, not too terribly far up the road from us, who had such terrible flooding. I thought about those south of us in Atlanta whose homes were flooded, whose belongings were gone, whose lives were forever changed or lost by the flooding. This is not something we see in Georgia. Not something that happens to us.

So Fall has officially arrived, blowing in with a flood of rain and destruction. I'm not sure whether to pull out my Fall decorations, or build an ark. I know one thing...I need some sunshine. I'm a solar powered girl and I'm running out of energy.

Ohhh...with a little whine thrown in

Remember these?



And how I was bragging that I'd almost eaten them all?

Ummm hmmm, at least a couple a day? Well.... this... led to....

this....

But I still love me some North Georgia apples... just not so many.

September Apples

I had an "alone" day a few days ago, so I went here, to the apple farm The apple farm is located just up the road a bit, into the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. I chose a day when I knew it would be quiet, and uncrowded, just the way I was feeling.




I bought some of these Honeycrisp apples. I've already eaten most of them. If what they say, "An apple a day..." is true, I should be in doubly good shape.

I also bought some of this. Good, homemade apple bread. I didn't need this. No, not at all. But it looked so good, I bought it anyway....I've almost eaten all of it too. Does that cancel out the good that all the apples did for me?