Category: Being present in our lives
-
Why you and I should make jam
Because it’s wonderful. Because it’s not that difficult once you have the right gear and a work flow. Because I’m going to give you both of those. Because preserves make great gifts. Because when you’re done, you’ll have something to show for your work, something to put on the shelves and admire. Gear begins, obviously,…
-
There’s always a death at Christmas
Of course, death is always with us in vast quantities that we can only imagine when we can’t sleep at night. But the ones that have gobsmacked me at holiday time started with a Shakespeare seminar classmate in college. I didn’t know him well, but when he disappeared over Christmas break in a small plane…
-
Caring for ourselves and our world; two tasty hacks
The only way I can justify writing about food and healthy eating this week is to remember that eating together/cooking is a positive form of caring for others. And among those others, we must include ourselves. If I don’t take care of myself, I’m not content in this world, I’m angry, resentful, filled with negative energy.…
-
For Cam, Chandler and Catherine: The banana sheet cake with caramel frosting`
Cam was disappointed that this recipe wasn’t the first one posted from the church youth group supper. Chandler was so pleased with himself that he recognized the brown sugar in the icing, and Catherine, damn her eyes, may be the only person I’ve ever known who could love this, yet eat only a bite or…
-
Eat, pray, love — the definition of supper at church
Last night we fixed supper for our church youth group: spicy lentil chili, broccoli cornbread, tossed salad, grapes and clementines, banana cake with caramel icing. It was some work but a lot of fun, unexpectedly so. As they finished their spring breaks, these teens were full o’ beans (even before the chili). They were also happy,…
-
What’s your heroin?
Mine’s food; computer solitaire in a pinch. I haven’t played solitaire since Oct. 10 (the day I heard Anne Lamott talk about being involved in your life). I still feel the itch every time I sit at the computer. Nobody ever died playing solitaire, of course, but plenty of us have wasted precious hours because…
-
Warm up with spicy sweet potatoes
Do you read People magazine online as I do (guilty pleasure #ohwhoknows)? Yesterday, Jennifer Lopez “revealed” her “conflicts about her body.” She’s gorgeous, 40 and stinkin’ rich and she has conflicts? She can’t decide whether or not she has to look “her best” every time she leaves the house. Fortunately, the “best” bar is a…
youcanteaticecreamintheshower 