Waiting in line

Daily Gratitude

Today I'm shining because I'm thankful for:

• Generosity. Last week I started a "thank you" jar. On small slips of paper, I am noting unexpected gifts and gestures of kindness. It's amazing how many notes are already in the jar. 
• Safe travels. Last night I returned home from a lovely weekend with my sister, who lives about 150 miles from me. As I pulled into my garage, I was struck by how often I travel and take for granted my accident-free trips. Thank God for His protection and blessing!
• The quiet of the morning. I love the early hours of the day. I especially love Monday mornings. 

What do you do when you wait in line?

Brazen headlines of titillating gossip plaster the rag mags line the cashier’s lane. The captions insist on being noticed as I inch my shopping cart forward. One particularly eye-catching header gets my attention, “Farrah Abraham propositions an intrigued Charlie Sheen, shows off boob job.”

“Is there any other time in my life,’ I shake my head as I ask myself, “that I willingly endure craziness such as this?” Then there’s this tidbit, “The Fast Diet lets people eat whatever they want, but only five days a week.” Sounds great, but isn’t there a saying that says if it sounds too good to be true, than it probably is? And, I’m so glad to know this, “An eyeball licking trend in Japan is spreading pinkeye; teachers unearthed the trend at school.” Seriously, who reads this stuff?

The words on the tabloid covers are large and colorful. “Gosh,” I think, “I’d never buy this junk.” Yet, I’ve pulled a copy of People Magazine from the rack. As I guiltily leaf through the glossy pages, I am treated to images of plastic surgery disasters, enhanced cleavage, dimpled bottoms, gala gowns, hang-over tips, and the lasted gossip about Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux.

Every few minutes I push my cart forward. I’m no longer anxious about the wait. My mind is lulled by stories of beautiful people and the lives they lead. The magazine has pulled me in to a kind of zone especially created for those waiting in line. Soon the screaming kid and the yelling mom fade from my awareness. Even the woman ahead of me who has a mountain of return items doesn’t faze me.

I feel woozy and a bit dazed when my cart finally reaches the conveyor belt. It’s as if I’ve overdosed on sucrose. Snapping the magazine shut, I quickly return it to its place. Now that the waiting is over it’s time to return to reality, time to be clear-headed, time to be practical.

I think to myself, “My next visit to Megamart, I’m going to pick a longer line.”

You make me laugh!

Daily Gratitude

Today I'm shining because I'm thankful for:

• Text messages from my son. He's far away at college. Getting calls and pictures of his day-to-day world make me happy. I love you, Morgan!
• Rain that washes away the pollen. Goodness, for the last couple of days the air has been hazy with yellow pollen. Great, down-pouring rain storms have almost knocked out the pesky stuff. Whew...
• Prayers from loved ones for my sweet girl. Tomorrow is a big day for her, as she's undergoing surgery. I'm so grateful that God uses doctors and surgeons to do His healing work. 

I needed a bit of laughter today, so I spent it with people who made me laugh...

"Laughter is the sound of the soul dancing. My soul probably looks like Fred Astaire." ~Jarod Kintz

"If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man." ~Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour." ~Charles Dickens

What a lovely day I had! 

Inspired by Charm

Daily Gratitude

Today I'm shining because I'm thankful for:

• The tinkling of my wind chimes. I have several on my deck that ring differently  One is made of circular cut shells of lovely shade of light green colored. It picks up the light breezes. There is a rusted Mexican chime that has little bells of varying sizes that clinks when heavier winds come through. And my favorite, is a throaty brass chime that sings a rich tone in all winds. I love the comfort of their notes. 
• Lemon water. Right? It's so fresh and clean! 
• Scentsy stuff. I have one of those warmers that you put a nub of scented wax on to make the room smell good. I've tried different ones and found that I love the really creative smell combos from Scentsy. Right now I have a coconut lime verbena going that's just heavenly.

Inspiring Blog

Inspired by Charm - Just stumbled on this lovely blog by a young man named Michael. He owns a bed and breakfast in Pennsylvania, he loves decorating, and shares great recipes. The way I found him was through Pinterest (of course!). Always on the prowl for inspiring quotes, I found this one that features Zooey Deschanel...

I love the quote, love the format. Hmmmm, what's this Inspired by Charm, I wondered? I went to Michael's webpage and found several more he had created. Aren't these wonderful?

All creative and inspiring people, sharing a life of gratitude and positive energy. I love it! 

Well, I'm most definitely Inspired by Charm and have subscribed to Michael's blog. I appreciate the joy in his posts. Thinking you might like it, too!

The first camping trip of the year

Daily Gratitude

I'm shining today because I'm grateful for:

• An extra hour of day light in the evening. Not loving loosing an hour in the morning, but know that I will adjust in a couple of days.
• Warm showers and washing machines. These were the two things I ran to immediately upon returning from my first camping trip of the season! 
• The safety of both of my kids. Both Sarah and Morgan took trips and came home with great memories. I'm so thankful they've returned happy and sound.

Ah! The great outdoors! 

When friends learned that Mountain Girls Adventures Genia and I were going camping this weekend, they shook their heads like I was nuts and told me to keep warm.  Even the cashiers at Walmart and Winco Foods had funny, wondering looks on their faces. Why in the world would anyone want to go camping in early March?

Because there's adventure in going and doing! 

Camping is something I've done since I was a kid. Most of the time I've wilderness camped. That is, going into remote locations where there isn't another human in sight. Nor are there water and power hookups, restrooms, showers, or tidy tent pads. Occasionally, I will camp in a campground. Usually not by choice. However, this trip it was a great decision.

Genia has a long history of summer adventures at Farragut State Park in northern Idaho. And, while we packed plenty of gear for tent camping, she thought one or two nights in one of the cabins would be fun. She made a good choice!

This little cabin is just great! It includes bedding and a log table with two small benches. It's wired for power, so there were lights and a heater/air conditioner unit. It sleeps five, however we thought it was just great for two people with a dog. Fortunately, Genia is small, so she could fit the little bunk bed. Eddie and I were grateful for a full sized lower bunk. 

So, maybe it wasn't wilderness, tent camping. But, it was pretty close! We still had outdoor cooking and outhouses. We packed in our water and used our flashlights. And, campfire smoke permeated our clothes. It was camping.

While hot dogs, hamburgers and smores are the mainstay of most camping trips, I like to fix up healthy and fun food ahead of time. This trip I thought it would be fun to try new camping recipes. Here are a few:

Pumpkin Apple Pancakes

1 large egg

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/ cup canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 apple peeled, cored, and shredded

2 tablespoons butter, divided

Syrup

Mix together all ingredients except butter and syrup in a bowl. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Spoon batter by 1/3 cup portions into pan, making 3 or 4 pancakes at a time. Cook turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10  minutes. Continue making pancakes with remaining batter, adding more butter to pan for each batch. Serve with syrup and more butter. Camping note: Mix dry ingredients and place in small ziploc bag. Mix all wet ingredients except apple and place in small ziploc bag. Place the two small ziploc bags, the whole apple, and measured butter all in a large ziploc together. Before preparing to mix and cook, peel, core and shred apple. 

Mexican Squash

3 Mexican Squash

1/2 heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Coarsely chop squash. Place in pan with cream. Cover and simmer until squash is soft. Add salt and pepper. Serve!

Salade aux Trois Légumineuses (3 Bean Salad)

1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
8 ounces of fresh French green beans
1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked and drained
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon Herbs d'Provence

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

Bring a large pan of water to boiling. Add edamame and green beans. Cook 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain. Combine edamame, green beans, garbanzo beans, and red pepper a bowl. In a small bowl, combine shallots and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzled dressing over bean mixture and toss. Camping note: Place bean salad in a large ziploc bag or plastic container.

Curried Lentils

2 cup dried lentils
6 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 teaspoon garlic chili paste
Sour cream
Fresh cilantro

In a medium pot, bring water, lentils, and bay leaf to boil. Cover and turn reduce heat for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Drain and discard bay leaf. In a separate pan, add oil, onion, and tomato. Saute until tender. Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, salt, and chili paste. Add lentils and cook and additional minute. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.  Camping note: Place lentils in a large ziploc bag or plastic container. We topped the lentils with a bit of shredded cheese rather than sour cream and cilantro. 

Chipotle-Lime Mashed Yams

4 large yams (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1 tablespoon adobo sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

Boil quartered yams in a large pot of water until soft. Drain and remove skins. Mash yams in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Camping note: Place mashed yams in a large ziploc bag or plastic container. 

I didn't get a picture of this, but it was sure yummy!

Mashed Avocado with Hummus

2 cans drained garbanzo beans
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1 large, ripe avocado

In a food processor, make a coarse paste with the garbanzo beans. Add oil slowly as the processor continues to make the beans a thick paste. Add tahini and mix in. Add lemon, garlic, cardamom, and salt to make hummus. If serving immediately, smash avocado separately and stir into hummus. Camping note: Place hummus in a plastic container. Wait to mash and stir in avocado right before serving.

There were several more, but I'll post them on Mermaids in our next issue in May.

What a wonderful, beautiful, adventure-filled time! Coffee by the fire in the morning. Stars shining brightly against the dark, frozen sky at night.

Hiking around the hillsides and along the beaches.

Sharing the invigorating air, spectacular sights, and excellent conversation and laughter with a great friend.

What an exceptional way to start the season! 

Pinspiration: Floral Abstract

Daily Gratitude

I'm shining today because I'm grateful for:

• Waking to the sound of birds. This morning the birds were calling one another in the morning light. It made me smile knowing they are getting ready for the business that Spring brings.
• Mermaids of the Lake, the online magazine I co-publish with my best friend Debbie. Sometimes writing and editing, organizing layout and design, working with other writers, and such can be a load of work. Yet, it's so worth it when it's done. A finished issue feels wonderful.
• My coffee maker. Enough said. 

Pinspiration: Floral Abstract

Have you had a pinspiration? It's a term coined by Pinterest followers. Being an ardent pinner, I have pinspirations frequently. More than just loving all the beautiful, interesting, creative things on Pinterest, I'm actually having fun cooking a few recipes and doing some of the projects. And, I'm finding that sharing these experiments with another pinner doubles the fun! (See my Pinterest related terms below).

Last weekend I visited my daughter, Sarah. She's a university students attending school a few hours away. Sarah (also a pinner) and I planned to do a project together. You know, mother-daughter bonding. We cruised through both of our creative boards. There was so much to choose from! Many were complicated, requiring more time and money than we had. We narrowed things down to an art project I'd pinned a few weeks ago. How to Paint a Floral Abstract in Acrylics appealed to both of us.

Materials needed for the project

• Acrylic paints - Use a variety of colors 
• Paintbrushes - 1 flat paintbrush for painting the background squares, and 1 or 2 small round paintbrushes for painting in the details.
• Canvas - choose a square or rectangular canvas in any size you want. I used a 12"x 12" canvas.
• Ruler - for measuring the grid
• Pencil - for drawing the grid

The first step was to pencil in 12 3x3" boxes on the canvas. Then paint each square.

Once the squares dried, I painted a boarder and a circle in each. No need to be precise with this project. In fact, I thought going at it a bit free-style adds to the look. I used all sorts of colors, making the boarders and circles differing sizes.

Sarah took off on a completely different path. She drew precise angles resembling a quilt pattern. Her color scheme was five colors.

My circles soon turned into the center of flowers. I began adding petals and such to the centers. Again, being a bit loose, sometimes extending into the boarder. 

Sarah's boxes filed with angles and blocks. Pretty colors!

Reinforced with an excellent cup of coffee, I continued to apply layers upon layers of petals. They were then embellished with dots. This was really taking quite a bit of time! Not being an artist who uses acrylic paints, I didn't realize how much time it would take. I made a boo-boo or two, so painted over a few places. You can see that on the bottom right corner and on the top row. Oh well, still having fun!

At this point, it was time for me to head for home. Sarah and I compared our pieces. Wow, what a different approach to the same project! 

Finally, each of the boxes were filled with a crazy, dotted flower. Lastly, I painted the sides with black paint.

Seriously, this project turned out way more whimsical than how I usually express myself! Yet, I had a wonderful time. Working side-by-side with Sarah was fun. It was interesting seeing how we each approached the creative process. She is studying Architecture, so it makes sense that she comes at things with precision and takes care at every step. I, on the other hand, dove into the project with complete lack of restraint. Even our shared paint tray demonstrated that. Sarah's paint blobs were neatly placed in a row. Mine, smeared all over, took up two-thirds of the tray! 

Overall, the Pinterest project deserved medium-high scores 

Here's why: The link from Pinterest to the web page went directly to the featured project, the project was clearly stated on the web page, the steps were easy to follow, the project turned out somewhat similar to the tutorial, and we were able to modify it to our taste. The only lower mark being it isn't a beginner project and it should be stated that familiarity with acrylic paints and brushes is required. 

Another Pinterest project

Earl Grey Cupcakes is another Pinspiration project I did. The process is documented on Mermaids of the Lake.

Want to know more about Pinterest?

Pinterest is a tool for collecting and organizing things you love.
Pin is what you do when you find something on the webs that you like.
Pinner is someone who uses the tool a lot!
Pinspiration is an inspiration one gets from seeing something pinned by another.

I would love it if you followed my boards! I love pinning great quotes, inspirational ideas for decorating, recipes that are interesting and unusual, various art expressions, and images of the types of things I collect. Find me here: Pinterest.com/ShelleyHepler

Making my own sunshine

Daily Gratitude

I'm shining today because I'm grateful for:

• The uplifted and peaceful feeling I have when I play my piano. In the past, practice was part of my daily routine. There's no good reason why it shouldn't be now. Sadly, I just plain forget. Yet, when I do play, I feel centered and happy. Thinking I need to add back the 30 minutes of play to my day.
• Friday morning phone visits with my mom. Through good times, through bad times, my Friday morning check-in with mom is a constant. Sure, there are weeks that one of us isn't available because she's at the ocean taking art classes or I'm engaged in some meeting or another. For the most part, Friday morning at 8:00 I call and listen for her happy hello. We never know where the conversation will go and it's a wonderful thing.
• Yaktrax! This morning I didn't fall when walking on snow covered ice while walking Eddie. And, that's something to be very grateful for! My little dog is ever anxious to explore the morning. He pulls and jumps (I know, not well leash trained). This behavior is not conducive to snowy hills and streets blanketed to conceal the ice below. Donning my Yaktrax allows him to jump and dart as he pleases.

Making my own sunshine

When it's cloudy and grey, bring your own sunshine. Today I need an extra dose. Maybe these sunny images will help!

Ahhhhh, yes! That feels much better!