Meet The Harmonica Man

I urge you to take the time to watch this video, it's just over 2 minutes long.  His gift changed the lives of the school children he touched, what a legacy, and he became all the richer for sharing!





~It is well with my soul

Smells Good!

 I was reading that some men prefer the smell of bacon over the smell of a baby.  Now I like to smell bacon frying too, but the smell of a baby is probably my #1 favorite.

Pumpkin pie is also a favorite among men.  I asked my husband what some of his favorites were, and he said the smell of a campfire, Autumn, which is probably more of regional preference, vanilla, cinnamon, but nope...he never said a baby!

Beside the smell of a baby, I love the smell of lemon, honeysuckle, and the ocean.  Of course certain foods also stir up memories such as turkey roasting at Thanksgiving. 

A smell that I can't stand?  A pig farm! LOL!  Kind of funny since I really do like bacon!

I think a lot of what we like or even dislike are tied to old memories.  My Mothers house always smelled "clean".  It's even hard for me to describe what that clean smell was, and I've smelled sprays and candles named "clean", but they don't even come close.  My husband has always used Polo cologne.  Nothing reminds me of him like that fragrance.  It's comforting.

What's your favorite smell or fragrance?  Is it tied to a memory?  I'm curious!

~It is well with my soul

Letting Go and Finding Me

Mother's day is past, and mine was wonderful.  I think of my mother often and the great amount of influence she had on my life, some wonderful but not all, and not all her fault.  No one is perfect.   This is not a post about Mother's day, but more about two personalities, hers and mine and where the dividing line falls.
Because of a constant effort on my part to win her favor, and loving her so deeply, I've found I have put my style and beliefs aside and taken on hers.  It's been years since her passing and my eyes are just opening to wanting to recognize my own style, and be my own person.  I'm a late bloomer. 
My mother had great taste and style, but she also felt her taste was the only right taste, LOL!  I've always lived by her signature style when it came to home decor and the way she dressed.  I still do, because I believe most of it was worth emulating. There's nothing wrong with that, except when I've repressed my own taste, at the time for fear of her disapproval, and now because it's become habit.  This revelation came to me when I gave my living room couch away.  My first thought was, what replacement couch would Mom consider good taste? Turns out, we would be similar in choices, but the point is...I am my own person.  I need to please myself, and more importantly, I need to accept that I too have a opinion, and it just might be a good one - different from any one else.
I brought some of her furniture home after she passed away.  I don't have a lot because we divided it among the family, but some of what I do have - I don't really want.  I don't want it, yet I can't seem to let go of it unless it stays in the family.  I feel like it's an insult to her memory. How do I get past that?  By the way, she often said, "after I'm gone, I don't want any of my things to leave the family".....how's that for pressure!
I was mentally going over what I would take with me should I ever move, because if that day does come, it will be a move of downsizing.  I am relieved to say that there is nothing of such importance that I couldn't leave it except for a a few things.  It's so freeing not to be bound by earthly things.
My daughter Amy offered to store any thing I don't want, I just may take her up on that offer.  Then she'll have the responsibility of one day writing a blog and saying....what do I do with this stuff, I don't really want it!  That's family - at least ours anyway!

~It is well with my soul

Sunday Scripture

~It is well with my soul

Pie For You!

I made this Strawberry-Rhubarb pie last night.  YUMMY! I got the recipe off of Pinterest...my latest obsession.
I had a bit of trouble with the dough, so it looks even more "rustic" then the picture, but it tasted just fine.  I actually wound up putting it in a glass pie plate because I couldn't get it to roll out evenly enough.  I used my fingers to press it into the pie plate - rolling it out was getting me no where.  If you make it, let me know how it went with the crust! LOL!  The crust is delicious though.
I didn't have any Cardamom, in fact don't recall ever using that spice.  Warning...it is one of the more expensive spices, but so worth it.  You could without a doubt leave it out, but that tiny addition of 1/2 teaspoon really gives it an added flavor.
Here you go!

Ingredients:
about 2 1/4 cups flour

about 3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or margarine

2 cups sliced strawberries ( 1/2in. thick)

2 cups sliced rhubarb (1/2 in. thick - about 2/3 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Method:
1. In food processor or bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.  Cut all but 2 teaspoons butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture.  Whirl or rub in with your fingers until fine crumbs form.  Add 1/4 cup water; whirl or stir with a fork just until dough holds together.  Pat into a smooth 5-inch round.  Wrap airtight and freeze till slight firm, about  15 min.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, gently mix strawberries, rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour, and cardamom.
3.  On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a 14 in. round.  Slide onto a 14X17 inch baking sheet; if dough tears, press back together. (ha!  if dough tears, hahahha!)
4. Stir berry mixture; spoon evenly onto pastry, leaving a 3 inch border.  Fold dough border over edges of fruit, tucking to incorporate excess pastry.
5.  Melt remaining 2 tsp. of butter.  Brush pastry rim and sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar.
6.  Bake 375 degrees or 350 for convection oven - 40 to 45 min.
7.  Let cool 30 minutes.  Slide a long spatula under pastry to release.

Note:
I did not sprinkle sugar on the crust. 
I just found out that Cardamom is the correct spelling...I always thought it ended with an "N".  Live and learn!

Eat Out Much?

Back in the day when I worked outside of the home, the girls in the office and I would eat out once a week- usually payday.  We all looked forward to it and went to a variety of different restaurants.  One week we'd go to the local golf course and eat in their restaurant, another time we'd go out for Mexican, Coney Island, Greek...what ever we had a taste for.  Of course those lunches went a little long, but our boss was with us so it was alright, it was a good time for relaxing and talking with each other other then business talk.   Then I retired.
We rarely eat out any more.  I'm not complaining, it's actually more of a treat when you do it less often.  I've become more conscious of where our money is better spent, and eating out can be expensive, but more then that, I find home cooking much more satisfying.  I can control the ingredients in what I'm making, I know who handled the food, and we are not "splurging" on unhealthy choices we would be more likely to order off a menu. 
I still enjoy going out now and then and have a few places that are favorites.  I have a friend who used to work with me, but now lives in Florida.  Every time she's in town, we meet at Macy's for a Maurice Salad.  That's a for sure favorite that we both look forward to.  I think anticipating rather then it being routine makes it much more enjoyable.
I'm curious, do you eat out often?  What's your favorite meal out, breakfast, lunch or dinner?
I'll be waiting to read your comments!

~It is well with my soul

Seeking Instruction

Hello my dear friends.  I haven't posted in a while and I hope you are still around!
I've been trying to think about a few things in life, and I didn't want to interfere with my thought process by sitting at the computer.  It doesn't take much to distract me!  I hope to get back on a regular, or at least a semi regular blogging routine again.
I will be 65 in July.  Though it doesn't mean my life will end, it does mean I'm closer to the end then the beginning.  I want my home and my life to be less tethered to earthly things.  I want to live like I ready to move on...where ever that may be.  I've become far too attached to inanimate objects in my home, and my home itself.  Sentimental pieces have a strong grip on me and even cause me to lose my perspective on what is important.  The sentiment of loved ones is held in my heart, not on a shelf or a piece of furniture.  Sometimes, I think for certain personalities, like my own, being so sentimental can be an anchor when it should be wings.  The thought of hurting the memory of someone by not keeping every thing that represents them is a false perception, and I don't believe we are meant by our creator to live like that.  He gave us life to live abundantly and free.
It has occurred to me that one day I may need to move from this house, downsize if you will.  Though my house isn't huge, it is more then we need or use, and it seems to hold an enormous amount of "stuff".    I have been here so long, and filled every nook and cranny (as has my husband!) that the thought of ever moving puts fear in my heart, and it overwhelms me with the details. 
These are the things which I have been thinking and praying about this week.  This morning in my talks with the Lord, I received in my spirit a couple of things. 
First, don't worry about tomorrow, I have already taken care of it.
Second, He will give me the strength in every area of my life to do what needs to be done and to face what ever comes.
Third, I will lighten up my belongings for the journey. 
I receive those three instructions and will slowly begin to redirect my thoughts and de-clutter my home.  I anticipate a great lifting of a burden I didn't realize I had until recently.  I step out in joy!

~It is well with my soul