DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be;
and whatever your labors and aspirations
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

-- 1927 by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945)

Photo of night sky from: here

"United Breaks Guitars"

One passenger's very frustrating experience with United Airline's customer service.

The story:
In 2008, musician Dave Carroll had his $3500 Taylor guitar seriously damaged by careless baggage handlers at Chicago's O'Hare airport. For ALMOST A YEAR, Dave got NOWHERE trying to get United to accept responsiblity for this. Finally, in frustration, he made this music video, and within DAYS it was an instant YouTube HIT.

(And apparently, United has now offered him some compensation!) Really?! Yeah, no kidding. ;o)

And as someone who has also had careless damage to luggage and belongings when flying, (although admittedly, nothing nearly as valuable as Dave's guitar, but irritating and frustrating all the same!)... I happen to LOVE what he did, and the results he had.

And I absolutely *LOVE!* this video! *Way to go, Dave!*

ENJOY!



Taylor guitar photo credit from: here

*Shameless Plug for Ragdolls*!

I am so excited! The December 2009 issue of Cat Fancy highlights my favorite breed, the Ragdoll.

It is a very good article introducing people to these wonderful animals. And there are some beautiful photos of different Raggies, too!

Here are a few excerpts:

Elegant, beautiful, sophisticated and sensitive all are words that describe the Ragdoll breed. Another? "They are a little klutzy!" says one breeder. In other words, Ragdolls aren't the type to climb curtains or bound athletically to the top of the fridge.

"They're very laid-back, happy-go-lucky cats. They're not the type of breed that will be in your face, on your shoulders, screaming at you for attention, but they want to be in the same room as you... and they'll follow you from room to room."

But that's the Ragdoll for you. Almost all of their characteristics are described as moderate - activity level, body conformation, athleticism, temperament and size. There is one exception: their enormous capacity to love. The affection they feel for their companions is second to none. Ragdolls crave friendship and relish the opportunity to return the favor.

"They're very people-oriented."

Once smitten with a Ragdoll, fans say it's hard to imagine another type of cat.


So true. That's my precious Boo, all over!

Mmmmmm, POMEGRANATES!

I love this time of year for many reasons.

One reason is that the markets are full of one of my all-time favorite fruits... the pomegranate. Typically in season from October to January, they are virtually impossible to find (at least where I live!) at almost any other time of the year. Right now I have six or seven big, beautiful, plump ones in my kitchen, and I could easily eat (and often do!) one whole pomegranate a day.

Pomegranates are not only delicious, they are very nutritious, too. Loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, pomegranates have been linked to heart, joint and artery health, blood pressure and cholesterol reduction, even possible cancer prevention.

How to Eat (and Enjoy) a Pomegranate:

Eating a pomegranate takes a little work because the edible seeds are encased in an inedible white membrane. The seeds are the part you eat -- they have a tangy, sweet-sour flavor.
Here's the best way to get to them:

• Slice the crown end of the pomegranate off.
• Score the rind in several places around the fruit (from top to bottom).
• Break (or cut) the sections apart.
• Put the sections in a bowl of water.
• Pry the seeds out with your fingers (but BE CAREFUL, the juice will stain clothes permanently).
• Strain the seeds using a colander.
• The seeds can be eaten right away, stored in the refrigerator or even frozen.

My favorite way to eat pomegranate seeds is just right out of hand. Yum, nature's candy! But they are also wonderful sprinkled on salads or cereal or stirred into yogurt. You can add pomegranate seeds to quick breads, muffin or cake recipes... or add them to savory sauces. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, pomegranate vinegar, syrup, or molasses are also quite delicious!



For more info and for some delightful recipes:
Pomegranates.org (Who knew?!)

GoAnimate.com fun!

My wonderful and ever-so-techy-tricky niece, Gwynnie, made this for me. Awwww, thanks sweetie! I LOVE it (and you!) xoxox!

It's a little glimpse into the minds of Boo and his "brother" and BFF, Buster (my daughter's cat). *ENJOY!*

GoAnimate.com: Cat Conversations with Buster & Boo by gwyneth


Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

*HYSTERICAL!*

This video *CRACKS* me up! Every time I watch it, I laugh till my sides hurt.

It should be called, "Girlfriend Kitty Finds Out Boyfriend Kitty Has Cheated and She Ain't Happy!"

(Make sure your sound is turned up!)

The Last of the Mojitos -- and Custard's Last Stand! (Vacation at the Beach is Over!)

***Ahhhhh!*** A much needed vacation! Nothing like a getaway to the beach for some good ol' fashioned R & R!

So, my dear husband, dear daughter, dear son-in-law and I spent a week away last month. Our destination? One of our favorite beaches in the country: Bethany Beach, DE.

We LOVE Bethany! The beach... the boardwalk... the sweet little town! And it's even better when the time is spent with even MORE family (my sister, my brother-in-law, and my niece)!

So what do you do at the beach in September? ANYTHING you want to! And I'm honestly NOT a lay-and-bake-in-the-sun kind of girl, so I LOOOOOOVE the beach in September. All the beauty and fun of the ocean, but slightly cooler days and nights, and no crushing crowds... it's awesome!

So how did we spend our week? We slept in lazily, we walked on the beach, we shopped, we did lots of reading on the balcony, we laughed and played, and of course we ate lots of great seafood. YUM! The week flew by, but the memories are still making me smile!

Ocean City, MD (not too far away) was having their annual "Sun Fest", and that made a GREAT day trip. Mmmmm, I LOVE fun, schmaltzy festivals like that!

While we were at SunFest, my darling husband and brother-in-law rented segways! Ohmy, how FUN was that?! I thought I'd probably kill myself, but what'dya'know, I took right to it. They said I was "a natural"! (How THAT can benefit me in real life, I'm still trying to figure out!) ;o)



Right before we left home for the beach, a friend of ours gave us a couple of pounds of beautiful, fresh, garden-grown spicy peppers. We carefully hauled those babies all 450 miles!



My sister and I love to cook, and especially at the beach! So we had a plan for those peppers... and it was called MEXICAN FIESTA NIGHT!

We cut the tops off each pepper, and hollowed them out carefully. We browned sweet sausage and onions and added to that some chipotle Mexican rice. We stuffed those bad boys with the sausage/rice mixture and also a nice chunk of pepper jack cheese, and layered them with enchilada sauce in a VERY LARGE baking dish. More (shredded) cheese on top, then baked it all at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Garnished with scallions and fresh chopped cilantro... DELICIOUS! Served with refried beans, rice, tortillas and Mojitos... OLE'!



So the week passed, and the time came to leave. *sigh*

It's always hard to face the end of a great vacation, but the beach had worked its magic, and we were definitely feeling mellow and happy and relaxed - just what the doctor ordered!

And of course, it's always nice to get home... and we were VERY happy to see our sweet li'l Boo!