We see beauty in nature, and we see beauty in people. We see beauty in so many things that surround us. I spend a great deal of time in my kitchen and I love to create different decor from just the stuff I find around. I also make many different types of “kitchen dressing” out of basically the same things. Yes, I really do enjoy being in the kitchen for lots of reasons besides food preparation.
When you think about the new trend of using different and, dare I say fancier, vocabulary words to describe the same exact thing, it often seems a bit phony. I would generally agree with that with few exceptions. One of those exceptions is the use of the words “healthy eating plan” instead of diet. A diet has a beginning and an end and any food restrictive program that has a start and a finish is doomed.
A plan for aiding you to a healthier life style is one with food modifications and long term goals and not based on such immediate results as things like weighing every morning and whether or not you have to lie on the bed on your back to zip up your jeans. Diets like Keto, Atkins, South Beach and so on are what I call restrictive. Certain foods are promoted and certain foods are banned.
A genuine healthy eating plan is the Mediterranean model that advocates real lifestyle changes and offers a huge variety of healthy foods. I will discuss this more in future posts. I have started about 3 weeks ago to modify my eating habits and so far I love the changes I see in my fitness level. Stay Tuned and get ready to commit and quit horsing around!!
I am putting this article in both the “I’m Just Saying” section and in the WELLNESS category because the whole concept really struck me as meaningful. Let me know what you think.
My husband is a big time sailor and he is currently reading a book called “SEA POWER” written by a retired Admiral. (Admiral James Stavridis) We know that with the world’s oceans and all of the fresh water, that water covers nearly 75% of the surface of the earth. So, I am thinking that here all of us are standing on 25% of the world with billions of other people and it made my problems seem pretty small for about 10 seconds. (Ok, so I do get that our own problems do seem to creep into higher thoughts.)
Admiral Stavridis quotes Shakespeare from his storm at sea drama “The Tempest” and he says. “We are such stuff as dreams are made on,” before he meditates on his literally 11 years at sea out of sight of land. He was 40 years in the Navy, and he figured of that time for 11 years he was literally on the ocean out of sight of land. He had a lot of time to dream-many hours to think about things.
Perhaps the thing about many of his thoughts that struck me with the most power out of all of this was his statements about the fact that all of the oceans have a connection. That is to say, is it all one big ocean? He says that perhaps the reason the British Navy ruled the waves for so many centuries was that they actually “got” this concept. Interconnection-who knew?
Anyway. I am putting that out there today. Instead of thinking about how different we are, why not try to think about what we may each have in common with each other. Are we all meant to be one big interconnected ocean? What do you think?
My very dear blog friends I must ask you to forgive me for not posting last week. We have been on vacation and I am just now getting set up.
This has been harder to put together than a smoothie with a sweet potato and mushrooms. I think I have it now so thanks for your patience.
“Is 2021 going to be the year of substitutions? No, No, No, A Thousand Times NO!” The Uphill Skater
My first job when I went back to work after I stayed at home with my children was as a substitute teacher. I absolutely hated it. It was the worst thing I had ever done. There are some things that you just can’t substitute and teachers are one of them. Either I fell in love with the class and had to leave right away or or I did not click with the class and the teacher was out weeks longer than expected. I couldn’t win. I feel the same way about many things that we call substitutes. It is not the real thing and that is a fact. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it just doesn’t.
In these days of Covid restrictions we are substituting going out to the movies with staying home watching Netflix. I guess we have to do this, but let’s take a shower first and get dressed. We should not be sitting in our jammies with popcorn butter dripping all over the blanket we are wrapped in and our house a mess. Take out and delivery are also big, and I get it that is necessary but again, are we eating out of the carton or pizza box in a sweat suit with bare feet and unwashed hair? And speaking of our living space, Covid experts say that dust and germs and bacteria go hand in hand. Clean your house and put up some decor. Have a life!
Pay It Forward. I have already started paying it forward in a big way, but believe me it is not easy. I have paid for the groceries of the lady behind me in line, bought coffee for the next person in the McDonalds drive through, and given a parking space that was clearly mine to a pushy guy in an SUV. Not easy, but boy, it actually evoked quite a feel good rush. I plan to continue to do this. Obviously I can’t buy everybody’s groceries on a long term basis, but I can always say a kind word, give a compliment, do a favor, call someone, and so on. I know you understand this, so get started yourself. Honestly, I can’t tell you what a moral booster this is.
Next, Let’s trade in grumpy for kind just like you would trade in that old car or a better new one. Use some emotional substitutions. How can that work? Well, how about this: smile when you really don’t feel like it. Try to interact with others in a positive way by stopping the negative talk that is so prevalent these days. Don’t watch things on TV that make you mad unless you are prepared to do something about it. (My husband saw something on the news the other day that made him furious and he started to tell me about in a furious way. No, No, No! I am not having it. I told him to write a letter and I’ll be darned if he didn’t do it. We both felt better for days!)
Being downhearted is a bummer. Some days we can’t help it, but we can head it off at the pass if we have a plan. Then, on those days, we can have a quick “go to” happy place. Have a book of happy quotes, keep a favorite old movie handy, know where to go for a lovely walk, give your dog a bath, play some music and just for fun, dance to it. I can’t believe I am saying this, but eat something. Often, nothing else will do. Don’t substitute a piece of celery for a brownie either. It doesn’t work like that and we all know it.
Finally, even in these times, do not substitute mediocre for great. Keep your chins up, all of them! Be your best self. Inside all of us is a truly kind and lovely person which is our true core self. If that is not your case, fake it and feel your spirit soften. We all need to be good to each other every chance we get. You can’t substitute that. Love, Judith
“Time Out” is a sort of punishment for children, but for adults it is a GIFT beyond price. Any time you are doing something you don’t like to do, stop and take a time out. In actual fact, we should always stop and take a couple of minutes off no matter what we are doing. Just stop for a bit. Pray, meditate, just sit there, breathe, listen to some music for a while-you get the idea. Take a “time out.”
I love corn. On the cob is good. In salad is good. In chili is good too. Best of all though is a really corny winter supper-corn soup with corn bread-don’t forget a little honey for the corn bread. I use Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix. I thought everybody did???
Corn Soup
Chicken Broth (I am a vegetarian so I always use vegetable broth)
Diced Celery, onions, and carrots,
fresh or frozen corn
Noodles-Any type you like, I use penne or broken up linguini
If you are not vegetarian you may want to add some chicken or if you are a vegetarian, add Quorn, my favorite veggie chicken substitute.
Salt and pepper to taste
I have not given any specific amounts. Think about the number of people you are serving and what you like and don’t like and go from there.
Tips-I never use raw honey and I don’t recommend it. Remember, this is a soup, not a chowder. Quorn is available in most vegetarian sections of grocery stores. It is the #1 selling vegetarian product in the UK. It is not made from soy, but whey and wheat products so not gluten free.
A friend of mine likes to say that listening to the news is an exercise in sorting out lies. I think that may be true given the state of politics today, but I also think that we must do it. Total trust is perhaps not a good thing. Doubts will always be there and laws that are written in stone do not control our lives. Gray areas exist must be acknowledged.
It is a good thing to just sit quietly for a while and go over what you actually believe and why. Faith has always been a powerful part of my life, but of course, this may not be your rock. Think about where you are and how you got there and whether or not you want to stay there.
Eugenia Martin
Believe this or not, I had a Facebook friend tell me, after I went to all of the trouble to find so MANY great egg recipes for breakfast, that she actually hates eggs. While I do not personally know a bunch of egg haters, I am prepared to acknowledge that they do exist and I am up to the challenge. Check out these “Not Eggs” yummy things to have for breakfast. Remember also, breakfast is good any time of the day-we don’t judge!
Breakfast your way-egg haters now have no excuse. Oh, did I mention smoothies??
As you may know, I write a column for PINK Magazine called “Skating Uphill” and my tag line is “Skating uphill is hard work, but when you get to the top, the view is worth the effort” That is my thought for the day today. Believe it!