Memorial Day Tribute (Amazing Grace bagpipes)

Many men and women have given their life so that our country has the freedom that we dearly love. It is our duty to memorialize their bravery, honor, and sacrifice on this special day.

         

      And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

~Lee Greenwood

Colcannon and St. Patrick's Day

I've been wanting to make this Irish dish ever since I first heard the song "Colcannon." The song begins:

Did you ever eat colcannon
when 'twas made with thickened cream
And the greens and scallions blended
Like the picture in a dream?

Did you ever scoop a hole on top
To hold the melting cake
Of clover-flavored butter
Which your mother used to make?

Oh, you did, yes you did!
So did he and so did I,
And the more I think about it,
Sure, the more I want to cry.


Colcannon


Ingredients
•4 russet potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into large chunks
•Salt
•5-6 Tbsp unsalted butter (with more butter for serving)
•3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green
•3 green onions (including the green onion greens), minced (about 1/2 cup)
•1 cup milk or cream

Method



1.  Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add a little salt and  bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender (15 to 20 minutes). Drain in a colander.



2. Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot and once it's hot, add the greens. Cook the greens for 3-4 minutes, or until they are wilted and have given off some of their water. Add the green onions and cook 1 minute more.

3.  Pour in the milk or cream, mix well, and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium. Use a fork or potato masher and mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt to taste and serve hot, with a knob of butter in the center.


Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish.

Go Light Your World

This song is one of my very favorites and was done last Sunday in our church by one of our very talented soloists.  It's such an inspirational message and just a beautiful song. 

One song can spark a moment

One flower can wake the dream

One tree can start a forest

One bird can herald spring

One smile begins a friendship

One handclasp lifts a soul

One star can guide a ship at sea

One word can frame the goal

One vote can change a nation

One sunbeam lights a room

One candle wipes out darkness

One laugh will conquer gloom

One step must start each journey

One word must start each prayer

One hope will raise our spirits

One touch can show you care

One voice can speak with wisdom

One heart can know what's true

One life can make the difference

You see, it's up to you!!

(Author Unknown)

Two Dogs Dining

This is just so cute - I laughed til I cried.

I like what Chris Widener has to say about finding joy in your life --

Know your purpose. Nothing will bring you more joy than knowing why you are here. Not knowing brings sadness, wondering, fear and lack of fulfillment.

Live purposefully. Once you know your purpose, you need to live according to that purpose. This is a simple matter of priorities. Let your actions and your schedule reflect your purpose. Don’t react to circumstances and let them cause you to lose sight of it.

Stretch yourself. Don’t settle into the status quo. Always look to stretch yourself. Whatever you are doing, do more. Stretching yourself will allow you to go beyond your self-imposed boundaries and find joy in your expanded horizons.

Give more than you take. It brings happiness to accumulate. It brings joy to give away.

Surprise yourself, and others, too. Every once in a while, do the unexpected. Doing so will make everyone sit back and say, “Wow! Where did that come from?” It will put a little joy not only in your life, but in theirs as well.

Indulge yourself sometimes. Too much indulgence, though, and you will be caught in the happiness trap. But if you will allow yourself an occasional indulgence as a reward for a job well done and a life well lived, you will appreciate the indulgence and experience the joy of it.

Laugh! Most people are just too serious. We need to laugh a little – no, a lot! Learn to laugh daily, even if you have to laugh in bad situations. Life is to be enjoyed! The next time you go to the movie rental store, get a comedy and let loose!

Joy can be yours! Look for it, pursue it and enjoy it!

  *Laughter is inner jogging.*

Norman Cousins

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

We've had a few days of beautiful weather and I enjoyed it so much but I've heard that winter is back on its way. It's already started clouding back up with 100% chance of rain on Friday.

I'll just have to think like little Annie and remember that "the sun will come out tomorrow." Sometimes that just doesn't seem soon enough though!

Associated Content has some great ideas to brighten up the grey days of winter:

Keep the house well lit.  Incandescent bulbs are more effective than fluorescent. Some places sell light bulbs called "full-spectrum" light, which closely mimics sunlight. These bulbs are even more effective at boosting mood.

Have a cup of hot lemon tea and sweeten with honey. Lemon is a proven mood booster.

Stay active. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that can boost mood and lift your spirits. Even when you're stuck indoors, there are still plenty of ways to get enough exercise to stimulate your brain into releasing these "happy chemicals." Try running up and down the stairs a couple of times, or doing jumping jacks. Maybe this will be a good time to get the treadmill going again or even vacuum the living room. Any kind of movement will help lift your spirits.

Eat healthy food. Avoid junk food on a rainy day - even though ice cream may seem like a good "comfort food," it does not supply the body with essential nutrients, and can actually lower your mood even more. Eat more proteins and whole grains, and remember to take your vitamins. Avoid sugary snacks and caffeine if possible - these can be temporary mood boosters, but when the sugar and caffeine are filtered out of your system, you are likely to "crash," making your mood even worse than it was before.

Social contact may be the last thing we want to do when we're feeling down, but it is one of the best ways to defeat the blues.  Call a friend with whom you haven't spoken in a while, or just go to a public place such as the grocery store. Depression is a nasty beast - it causes us to withdraw from other people, even though social contact is the single best way to eliminate depression. Even if it's just a five-minute phone call, that connection with another person can be the ticket to pulling you out of your funk.

There's no need to suffer through the rainy-day blues. Get moving, turn on the lights, eat healthy food, and get in touch with a friend, and you're sure to kick that sour mood in no time.

And just remember Spring is only 7 weeks away!

Beware of Falling Rocks

I've always wondered about those scary signs that warn of "falling rocks" and now I know exactly what can happen! This happened a few days ago in Tennessee after heavy rains. Thank goodness no one was hurt in this. From now on I think I'll take the warning a little more seriously. Living in flat country like we do this is not a worry - we only have to worry about hurricanes coming into the gulf and then having to evacuate to the hills and the mountains!

When the Frost is on the Punkin

I don't know why, but I just really like this poem.


It'll be a long time before we have any frost on the punkins here, but I'm sure looking forward to our first frosty morning!